Two days later, Anakin, along with Rex, left Bestin, the capital city of Tatooine, after they finished a job with Jabba the Hutt. Then, they began looking for Padme and her ship. Anakin just hoped and prayed that he could get to her, before something bad happened.
Anakin had arrived near Cato Neimoidia, the last known place where Padme was, when the communication between him and Padme was cut off. He was awakened by a beeping sound. Opening his eyes, he saw that it was the radar and there was something on the screen. Leaning forward, he hit the button to see the information, of the object that was on the radar screen.
“ Nabooian class ship.” Anakin said to himself. “ Now, I just hope that she is still alive.”
He came up to the ship and saw that it was just floating dead in space. He did a scan of the ship, looking for any kind of life forms, but found none. Once he got close enough to the ship, he hit the button that extended the boarding tube to Padme’s ship. He got up from the pilot’s chair and made his way to the lounge of the ship. Hitting the key pad to open the hatch way door, Anakin and Rex entered the boarding tube and made their way to Padme’s ship. Waiting for them, at the end of the tube, was something that made Anakin’s blood run cold. Looking closely at the door, he saw that it was blasted open by blasters.
“ Keep your eyes open.” Anakin motioned for Rex to follow him.
“ Will do, Anakin.” Rex sai,d as he took out his blaster rifle and followed Anakin through the hatchway.
The first thing they both saw was how badly damaged the lounge was. He saw more damage throughout the ship, as he wandered around the ship, looking for evidence of what happened to Padme.
“ Anakin, in here.” Rex called out from the cockpit.
Anakin walked into the cockpit and saw Rex sitting in the co-pilot’s chair, watching a holo-message, from the person who attacked the ship.
“ This message is for the Queen of Naboo. If you ever want to see your ex-senator, then you better pay a Queen’s ransom for her. If I don’t get it, then she will be sold to the Emperor. I’m sure he will have much fun with her.” The message said.
“ Great, pirates. These are not your everyday pirates, either. They are slavers.” Anakin balled his fist into a ball.
“ Great, that means they can be anywhere in the galaxy.” Rex said, as he looked out the cracked window.
“ True, but I do have a feeling I know where they are heading to. That means, we are going back to Tatooine.” Anakin turned and stormed out of the cockpit, making his way back to his ship.
Rex came back on the ship, just as Anakin was pulling their ship away from the Nabooian ship.
“ Do you think Jabba is involved in this?” Rex came into the cockpit and sat down in the co-pilot’s chair.
“ No, he isn’t involved in this, but I do have a feeling who is. There are two areas that these slaves work in.” Anakin turned his ship, so that way, he was facing the other ship, just before he opened fire and blew up the other ship.
As Anakin watched the ship explode into a fire ball, he could only think as why the Emperor was buying slaves. Mostly, it had to be to help build the newest threat, the Death Star. For the second reason, for the female slaves to be for his own sexual pleasure.
“ Then, we better hope that she isn’t in the harem.” Rex just watched Anakin’s hand ball into a fist, before he hit consult. Thank goodness nothing was destroyed.
“ He is going to die sooner than planned, if I found out that she is in his harem.” Anakin set the coordinates for Tatooine, before getting up from chair and stormed out of the cockpit.
“ Oh, shit.” was all Rex said.
Anakin went into his quarters, closed the door and locked it. Going over to the bed, he sat down, started to meditate and try to find Padme’s life force through the Force.
On Tatooine:
Padme was woken up, when she felt the ship touched down on the ground, with a loud thud. She slowly opened her eyes, when she heard footsteps coming up to the cargo door and the sound of door unlocking.
“ Ok, you two. It’s time to get up and meet the boss. He will let you know where you are going.” One of the pirates said, coming into the cargo hole, and coming up to the cage that held Padme and Telayah.
“ You know, you guys are going to be in huge trouble, when my ship is found.” Padme said, as the pirate came up to the door and unlocked the door.
“ Really? Well, I have news for you. No one will ever find you, mostly because of where you are going. Now, get up or I will get physical with you.” The pirate said, as he reached down and pulled Padme up off the cot with force.
Padme stumbled to her feet, slightly falling to the floor, before her captive pulled her up and pushed her towards the cage door. Padme and Telayah are led out of the ship and across the sands, of the desert city, until they came into a building that was used as a warehouse. Once inside the room, Padme looked around and saw stacks of crates all around the room and a huge area that was set up, as a holding cell for the pirates’ prisoners.
“ Well, well, if it isn’t the all mighty Senator Amidala. I was told you were dead.” The leader of the pirates said, as he walked out of the shadows of the crates.
“ Well, then, I guess you were told wrong, Bane. When my friend learns that I am being held captive by pirates, well, let’s just say, things will not look good for you.” Padme looked straight at Cad Bane.
“ I hate to say this to you sweetheart, but your Republic is long gone. As is your friends, that were in the Senate.” Bane came over to Padme, reached out and ran his fingers down the side of her right cheek.
“ I know, but I do have a very powerful friend in the Empire. When he learns you have me, I would really hate to be in your shoes right now.” Padme said, just glaring at Bane, and just hoping that Anakin would come after her.
“ Right and the most powerful person in the Empire, is the Emperor himself. Put them in the cage and I will call the Emperor, to let him know that I have two more play toys for him.” Cad turned away from Padme, and as he headed into his office, he gave an evil laugh the whole way, to the far end of the room.
The two pirates pushed Padme and Telayah towards the cage, shoved them into the cage and locked the door.
“ Are you really the person that he said you are? How can that be? You are dead. Your funeral was all over the holo-net.” Telayah looked at Padme, in total shock that she was looking at the late Senator from Naboo.
“ Yes, I am that person. No, I am not dead. It was all a fake, as to make the Emperor think I was dead and buried.” Padme said, looking at the scared Togruta.
“ Oh. I wonder where we are at. Are you sure that someone will find us?” Telayah asked, as she looked around the room, and saw that by the door, was two pirates. They were guarding it, while the other four were sitting down at a table, drinking and playing a game of cards.
“ Yes, I do know that someone is looking for me, and these guys are going to be very sorry for kidnapping me. I get a strange feeling that we are on Tatooine. I recognize the designs of the buildings; and they are same designs I have seen in one of the towns.” Padme walked over to the cot and sat down on it.
“ I wish I had someone looking for me. I was taken from my village and family about a month ago.” The Togruta said, also going over to the other cot and laying down.
“ Wow, that is a long time. You mean to tell me, that you have been on that ship this whole time?” Padme asked, as she laid down and turned, so that way, she was looking at the poor girl.
“ Yes. There were others with me, but they either died or was sold to slavers. I really don’t know what happened to them. I was alone for a week, until you showed up.” Telayah closed her eyes and began to drift off to sleep.
Padme just watched Telayah fall asleep. The only thing she can do now, is close her eyes, get some sleep, and wonder where she will be going from here.
Three hours later, both Padme and Telayah were woken up, by the sound of the door, of the warehouse being blown open. The two guards scream, before they died. Then, the explosion was followed by sounds of blasters going off and more screams of the other pirates, as they fell to the ground dead. When the smoke cleared, Padme looked into the middle of the room and saw the tall shadow figure standing there, holding the light blue color light saber: the color of the Jedi Guardians.
“ Please don’t kill me!” Bane begged the stormtrooper, who lead him towards the tall figure.
“ Am not going to kill you yet, Bane, but you will tell me, who are you working for” the figure said, as he lifted Bane off the floor through the Force.
“ You are not going to get away with this, because my boss will hunt you down and kill you.” Bane grabbed his throat and tried to break away from the Force that was holding him.
“ That is where you are so wrong, my friend. Now, tell me, who hired you?” the figure said, as he moved Bane closer to him.
“ It is the Emperor, who has hired me. He is paying a lot for slaves. Mostly, for women.” Bane said, looking over to the two frightened women in the cage.
The figure turned its head and look towards the cage. He dropped Bane, when he saw his Angel locked inside the cage.
“ PADME!” Anakin ran over to the cage and with the Force, ripped off the door and pulled Padme into his arms.
“ Anakin, I knew you would find me.” was all she said, before Anakin captured her lips in a very powerful kiss.
“ Sir, what do you want us to do with Bane?” Rex asked, as he came up to Anakin and saw the Togruta, huddling against the bars of the cage.
Anakin broke his kiss and turned to Bane. Going back to him, he reached down and grabbed the Bounty Hunter, by the collar of his shirt. He pulled him close to his face, so that way he could see the amber color of Anakin’s eyes.
“ If I was you, I would find another job. If I ever catch you again, I will not let you get way with your life. Do you understand me, Bane?” Anakin told him, with a growl in his voice.
“ Yes, I understand. What about the money that is own to me?” Bane swallowed.
“ I will give you what is owed to you. Now, get out of here, before I change my mind.” Anakin said, almost throwing Bane towards the door.
Bane ran and stumbled out the door of the building, before getting onto his ship and flew off the planet to some unknown place. Anakin came back to Padme, removed her shackles and she came into his arms. He wrapped his arms and cloak around her shaking body.
Rex found a blanket and wrapped it around the frightened Togruta and lead her out of the cage.
“ Commander, please take the Togruta to the transport.” Anakin turned and nodded to Rex.
“ Roger that, General.” Rex nodded back and helped Telayah to the door.
“ I knew that you would come for me, Anakin.” Padme just broke down and began crying in his arms.
Anakin just held her for a couple of minutes, while she sobbed in his arms.
“ Come, Padme. We need to leave here, before the garrison comes and investigates this place. They are loyal to the Emperor.” Anakin pulled back some and looked down at Padme’s tear stained cheek.
“ Ok. Where are we going?” Padme looked up.
“ To a place, I know you will be safe. The Togruta will also stay with you.” Anakin said, as he took off his cloak and wrapped it around Padme’s shoulders.
“ Really? That’s great, because she doesn’t seem to have anyone. You know, what I mean.” Padme said, as they slowly walked towards the door.
“ Well, now, she has someone. She has us.” Anakin said, as they came up to the transport.
Anakin helped Padme up the ramp and showed her to his quarters, before leaving her and going to the cockpit of the transport. Thirty minutes later, Anakin landed the transport, just outside the fenced in area of the homestead. As the ramp lowered, Anakin looked at the gate of the fence and saw two figures standing there, holding blaster rifles.
“ Where are we?” Telayah asked, as she and Padme walked into the lounge area of the ship.
“ You will be staying with family.” Anakin said, coming into the lounge and hitting the key pad of the hatch way door.
“ Does she know that you are alive, Anakin.” Padme asked, as she looked out the door and saw the two men hold the rifles, as they started heading towards the transporter.
“ No, she doesn’t.” was all he said, before heading down the ramp.
“ Who is this person that you two are talking about?” Telayah asked, as she and Padme began walking down the ramp.
“ His mother.” was all she said, as Shmi came running out of the house and straight for Anakin.
After a couple of moments, of both mother and son crying in each other’s arms, they are shown to the guest room, where Padme and Telayah will be staying.
Four hours later, after a hardy dinner, Telayah went straight to bed. Anakin and Padme headed outside, to watch the suns set over the horizon of the desert.
“ You know, you never answered my question, when we were at the mausoleum.” Anakin turned and look at Padme.
“ Sorry about that. I was going tell you, when Rex came into the building.” Padme just keep looking straight at the mountains in the distance, not looking at Anakin.
“ Is there anyone buried in the mausoleum?” Anakin looked back at the suns.
“ No, there isn’t anyone buried there. There are two reasons why I go there. The first reason is, to make it look like someone, like a lover or family comes and mourns me. The second reason is, and I guess the most important reason, is that am mourning, is the past life I once had, and for the death of the Republic, due to the rise of the Empire.” Padme said, as a tear rolled down her face.
There were no words that Anakin could say, to make Padme feel better, because he too mourned for the loss of the Republic and the fall of the Jedi. It was then, that Anakin began to feel guilty for everything he had done, to cause the fall of the Republic and the Jedi.