Chapter Two

Padmé sat in the soft couch, deep in thought. The sun was setting behind her, its orange and pink rays reflecting on the glass table before her. She could hear her handmaidens moving about the room, putting things in order, unpacking, but she made no move to get up and help them. She had just spoken to her parents, and the pity she saw on their faces was like a black cloak over her soul.

Like the black cloak Anakin had been wearing the last time I saw him, she thought bitterly.

When Obi-Wan had more or less ordered her to stay put, she could not explain the rage that had boiled up inside her. Her rational mind told her he meant well, and that he did not want to lose anyone else close to him, but her pride was injured. She had been in the political arena for as long as she could remember, and had probably dealt with more situations like this than Obi-Wan had, despite being a Jedi. She was not a stupid backwater girl…

Taking a deep breath, Padmé slowed her thoughts. She had been feeling more emotional in the past few days, given the circumstances, but she knew she needed to stay in control. Should something happen, the last thing anyone needed was a hysterical Senator.

Then suddenly, the ground shook, and she jumped to her feet.

Obi-Wan left the Council Chambers, Yoda at his side. The Council members had not seemed surprised at what he had to say, but they had asked him several questions that made him realize they were more worried than they looked. When they had dismissed, Yoda had gotten up, asking to accompany him to see Padmé.

"The Senator, how she is?" Yoda asked.

Obi-Wan slowed his pace so that the smaller Jedi could keep up with him. "Strong," he answered evenly. "But she grieves deeply."

"Well you spoke, but feel badly you do. Too much anger there was in Anakin. Prevent it could you not."

"I know."

Yoda glanced at him knowingly, but let the matter drop. "With Senator Amidala you will stay?"

"Yes, for the time being. I fear for her life, but now that Anakin is gone, I don't think anyone else would want to hurt her."

"No," Yoda said vaguely. "Not her..."

Suddenly, the floor shook so violently that they both nearly got knocked off their feet.

"What was that?!?" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

Before Yoda could answer, it happened again, only with more force.

"I must get to Padmé," Obi-Wan said, lightsaber held at ready.

Yoda took out his own lightsaber and held up his comlink. "This do not turn off. Return to the Council Chambers I will."

They parted and Obi-Wan ran full tilt towards Padmé's stateroom. The doors slid open at that same moment and Padmé ran out, almost running into Obi-Wan in the process. He turned off his lightsaber and gripped her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" he demanded, his hand squeezing her hard as if to make sure she was really there.

"Coruscant is under attack," she said fiercely. "We must help."

But Obi-Wan only stared at her in astonishment, his hands moving to grip her upper arms as he looked hard into her face.

"What are you waiting for?" she snapped.

He blinked and focused. "Nothing. We cannot stay here…"

Then, a gasp escaped his lips and he could not finish his sentence as a wave of pain flowed through the Force. He staggered back, hitting the wall. Surprised, Padmé put a hand on his arm. Obi-Wan was breathing hard, blinking rapidly. Sweat had broken out on his forehead and he was shaking.

"Obi-Wan," Padmé said gently. "Obi-wan…"

He could not find his voice but he did stand. Without a word, he gripped her hand and ran for the docking bay. Trusting him instinctively, Padmé kept up, her entourage close behind. Fear clenched her heart and she no longer felt safe in Coruscant.

Eyes darting about, Obi-Wan quickly cut a path through the panicked people, and soldiers now filling the corridors. The ground continued to shake but he paid it no heed. All he could think was that he had to get Padmé back on her ship and off the planet. The reached the docking bay to find it in complete pandemonium, but Obi-Wan could see her gleaming ship not too far off. Putting an arm around her, they fought their way through the crowds.

Padmé started up the ramp, not letting go of the Jedi but he stilled. Whipping her head around, she threw him a hard look.

"You can't stay here," she said firmly. "I'm not leaving without you."

"I have to stay and fight," he responded as he dislodged her grip on his tunic. "There's no one else left." He paused, his steady gaze wavering. Leaning forward, he whispered in her ear, "The Jedi Masters are all dead. I felt it through the Force."

Padmé put a hand over her mouth. "No, it can't be true. You were just with them."

"Go, please," he hissed. "Go save yourself and your child."

"Child? What…"

Her words were cut off by a barrage of laser fire. Drawing his lightsaber, Obi-Wan deflected most of the shots. He winced as one clipped his shoulder but his focus did not waver.

"Go, Padmé!" he yelled behind him. "Captain Tycho, please take the Senator into the ship."

"Not without you," she retorted stubbornly, shrugging of Tycho's hand. "You stay, I stay. You're not going to die here."

He threw a frustrated look at her but began to make his way into the ship. Padmé kept a hand on his back, a handful of his coarsely woven tunic in her grip while her other hand held her blaster. She fired several shots, covering Obi-Wan and her people retreating into the ship. When they cleared the doorway, the doors closed, and the ship simultaneously lifted off.

Obi-Wan took off towards the cockpit, leaving Padmé with her handmaidens. He stationed himself behind the pilot and without thinking, put up a mental shield for him, Padmé, and her child. He had felt something down there...familiar and menacing.

Then, he saw him. He could not reach out with the Force but instinctively, he knew. At the hanger entrance, a black-clothed figure, complete with black helmet, stood. He seemed to be searching for something or someone as his head whipped from side to side. Obi-Wan watched as blaster-fire ricocheted off a Force shield around the black warrior and he knew.

Anakin.

And this transformed Anakin looked up towards the ship at that moment. Obi-Wan could not see his eyes but it felt like he was looking straight at him. In a matter of seconds, Anakin was out of sight and Obi-Wan took a deep breath to calm his thundering heart.

"We're drawing fire," the pilot said as the ship shuddered.

Obi-Wan pushed the thought of his student out of his mind and looked at the readouts on the control panel. His lips thinned as he saw that the situation was beyond their power. Coruscant was going to fall.

"Just get us out of here as fast as you can. Do not engage the enemy. We are outnumbered and the only way to get out of here is to run," Obi-Wan ordered.

"But, Sir…"

"Do it, Pilot," Obi-Wan said.

"Yes, Sir."

Obi-Wan looked at the viewscreen and felt his heart sink. Outside was nothing but chaos. Coruscant had launched all fighters and those who could leave were trying to do just that. But the enemy only took them out one by one with a precision that was frightening. There were at least four black enemy fighters to every friendly and Obi-Wan was grateful that he could not feel the lives that were being lost. Already overwhelmed by what had occurred only moments before, he did not feel he could handle anything else.