Chapter 11

“ Good morning, sweetie. Breakfast will be ready, in a couple of minutes. Why don’t you take this cup of Caf to your father.” Jobal filled the cup, with a fresh brew of Caf.

“ Ok, I will come back and make myself some tea, and see what Anakin wants to drink.” Padme took the cup and headed for her parents’ bedroom.

“ Oh, morning, Padme.” Anakin came out of his room.

“ Morning. There is freshly brew of Caf, but I will have to make some tea, if that is what you want.” Padme held her father’s cup.

“ I think I will have Caf this morning.” Anakin smiled at Padme.

“ Sorry, this is not for you. This is for my father.” Padme read Anakin’s mind.

“ Um . . . ok . . . see you soon.” Anakin had a slight shock on his face.

Padme laughed and shook her head, before heading past Anakin and down the hallway to her parents’ room. Padme raised her hand and knocked on the door.

“ Come in.” Ruwee called out.

“ Morning, Daddy. I brought you your cup of Caf.” Padme opened the bedroom door and came into the room.

“ Morning, sweetie. Thank you.” Ruwee put down the data tablet that he was reading.

“How are you doing this morning?” Padme put the cup down and leaned over to her father and kissed him on the forehead.

“ Thanks, Paddy. Am doing pretty good. I thank you for being alive. If you did not show up, when you did, well . . . let’s just say, I would not be sitting here talking to you.” Ruwee smiled up to his youngest daughter.

“ I got here when I started to feel that something was very wrong. Anakin thought we should leave Naboo and get here, as quickly as we could.” Padme said there was a knock on the door and Sola came into the room.

“ Oh my gods. Dad, are you ok? Padme, you are here. Mom said that you guys were attacked by the Tuskin Raiders.” Sola came up to her father.

“ We are fine now. If it was not for your sister here, then we would be dead.” Ruwee smiled at his youngest daughter.

“ Really? Well, I am glad that you are here to protect Mom and Dad. Who is that hot looking guy, in the kitchen with Mom?” Sola asked.

“ Don’t you remember that cute teenage boy that stayed the night at our house, because of the sand storm? Well, that is Anakin.” Padme gave her sister a smile.

“ Really? Wow, he grew up so very nicely. Well, I better get going. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing.” Sola went over to her father and gave him a kiss on the cheek and a light hug.

“ You take care. See you and the girls, here this weekend for dinner?” Ruwee asked his older daughter.

“ Yes, we will be here this weekend. Padme, are you going to be here this weekend?” Sola asked coming up to Padme.

“ No, I have to get back to Naboo. After what is going on with Anakin, I will ask Obi-Wan, if we can come back here.” Padme hugged her older sister.

Sola nodded ,before walking out of the room and headed back to Bestine.

“ Here we go, here is your breakfast.” Jobal came into the room with a tray.

“ Well, I better go and eat my breakfast. Love you, Daddy.” Padme kissed her father’s cheek, before heading out of the room and headed for the dining room.

“ Hey, how is your father?” Anakin asked, when Padme came into the room.

“ He is doing good. How are you doing this morning?” Padme came over to Anakin and leaned forward and gave him a light kiss.

“ That is good to hear. Am doing good. My only wish is, I could have in my arms last night. So, how did you sleep last night?” Anakin reached out and pulled Padme to him.

“ I slept pretty good. Oh man, I wish you could have been with me last night too.” Padme wrapped her arms around Anakin’s shoulders and neck, leaned down and kissed him again. Padme quickly pulled away from Anakin and began walking over to the Caf machine, as she felt the presence of the mother heading to the kitchen.

“ Ok, Padme, sit down and I will get both of your plates to you.” Jobal came into the kitchen and headed over to the oven, where she put Padme and Anakin’s food, so that way it will be still be hot.

Padme finished with her Caf and sat down at her place, when Jobal brought the two plates and sat them down in front of the two young people. Thirty minutes late,r there was a buzz at the door and Padme opened the door.

“ R2, what are you doing here? I told you to stay with the ship.” Padme looked down at the droid. The droid beeped and C3-PO came up behind Padme.

“ He says that he has a message from someone named Obi-Wan. He wants you to retransmit a message for him.” C3-PO said, as Anakin came up behind the droid.

“ You two go and see what your friend wants. I will tell your father that you both were called away. Be safe.” Jobal said, as she hugged her daughter and Anakin goodbye.

“ We may not be going anywhere, but if we do, I love you both and I hope to see you both soon.” Padme said, pulling away from her mother and followed the droid to the ship.

Padme entered the ship and headed for the cockpit, followed by both R2-D2 and Anakin. R2-D2 beeped, then spun, as Anakin sat down in the co-pilot’s chair. Then, he projected the image of Obi-Wan in front of them.

“ Padme, my long-transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant.” Obi-Wan explained, then he seemed to freeze in place.

“ Patch it through to the Jedi Chamber.” Padme looked over to Anakin.

Anakin flipped a button, then waited for confirmation that the signal was getting through. He nodded to Padme, who turned back to R2.

“ Ok, go ahead, R2.” Padme nodded to the little droid. Obi-Wan’s hologram began to move once more.

“ I have tracked the bounty hunter, Jango Fett to the droid foundries of Geonosis. The Trade Federation is to take delivery of a droid army here. It is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Skywalker.” Both Anakin and Padme looked at each other, in surprise at this news.

“ Wait! Wait!” then the hologram swung about.

Padme and Anakin cringed, as droidekas appeared in the hologram, along with Obi-Wan, grabbing at him and restraining him. The hologram flickered and then broke apart. At the end of the Jedi Council meeting, Yoda said that they will see about these clones and then race to rescue Obi-Wan.

“ We will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you, Padme, is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your first priority.” Mace said, through the com-link to Padme.

“ Understood, Master.” Padme said, with a sad look on her face.

Padme’s tone was full of resignation and defeat and that struck Anakin profoundly. It galled the fiery Senator, to think that Padme would be stuck here, looking over him, when her Master was in obvious danger. Anakin moved to the ship’s console and began flicking switches, checking coordinates, and confirming what he already knew.

“ They have to go halfway across the galaxy. They will never get there in time to save him.” Anakin turned to Padme, who seemed not to care.

He still got no response from Padme.

“ Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away! Padme!” Anakin announced flipping a few more controls, to show the flight line on the view screen.

“ You heard him.” Padme said almost angrily.

“ They cannot get from Coruscant in time to save him!” Anakin said, as his voice raised in tone.

Anakin started flicking the switches on the panel, preparing the engines for firing, but Padme gently put her hand over his, stopping him.

“ If he is still alive.” the young Jedi answered sadly.

“ Padme, are you going to sit here and let him die? He’s your friend! Your Mentor!” he said looking straight at her.

“ He is like my father! But, you heard Master Windu, he gave me strict orders to stay here.” Padme shot back at him.

They both knew that if they stayed here and did nothing, Anakin believed that he would lose two friends: Obi-Wan to the Geonsians, and Padme to her guilt. He also felt that something happened to Padme, when she went after those Raiders, who took her mother . . . That feeling, she was feeling was total anger.

“ He gave you strict orders to stay here, only so that you could protect me.” Anakin corrected with a grin, hoping to remind her clearly, that her previous order, which she had ignored, had demanded that she stay on Naboo.

“ Anakin!” Padme looked at Anakin in shock.

“ He gave you strict orders to protect me, and I am going to save Obi-Wan. So, if you plan to protect me, then you will have to come along.” He said again.

Padme knew that they were acting outside the orders of Mace Windu, whatever Anakin’s justification. She knew that this was not what was expected of her, as a Jedi Padawan. Then, the Naboo starship roared up into the Tatooine sky, and off they were to save Obi-Wan.

*(pages from the book Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones - by R.A. Salvatore)