|
|
Obi-Wan steered the humming bongo as close as he could to the marshy shore. Stony silence hammered at him from the passenger seat. He sighed and deactivated the shields. Immediately, Padme was up and over the side of the watercraft, sloshing toward shore with her arms swinging wildly.
Watching her go, Obi-Wan ran his fingers along his bearded jaw, then hit the instrument panel with his fist. He vaulted over the side of the bongo and followed in the queen's wake. The water quickly seeped up his cloak, making it cumbersome.
"Padme! Padme, wait!"
The young woman struggled up onto the shore and spun to stand, arms akimbo, as the sun instantly started to coax the moisture off her clothes in steaming tendrils. Obi-Wan pursed his lips. Her clothes weren't the only thing steaming.
The Jedi joined Padme on the shore. She struck out, shoving him back into the swamp. The water swallowed him with a splash and he came up sputtering.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"You took me through, through the Core!" Padme shouted. "You blather on about keeping me safe, and then you take me through the Core. There, there were huge ... goober fish ... and ... and monsters ... monsters I'd never even dreamed of ... and ..."
Obi-Wan stepped out of the water and wrapped his arms around Padme. She was trembling. He held her close. "I'm sorry. I didn't do it to frighten you. It was the fastest way to my ship." He felt her tension ease slightly and looked up at the blue sky. It was close to noon. They must know the queen was missing by now. Urgency was tugging at his mind. "Forgive me. Please. The ship isn't two minutes away. And we really do need to go."
Padme stepped back, wiping at her face with her sleeve. "I don't understand any of this Obi-Wan. What's going on?"
Her forlorn look strummed his heart strings. His throat convulsed as he swallowed the truth. "Trust me? Just a little longer?"
She searched his face, then nodded. He released his breath and held out his hand. When she didn't take it his arm fell limply by his side. He turned and trudged through the swamp, Padme following. Sadness draped over the Jedi, as heavy as his wet cloak. What did he expect? That she would view him as a savior? She was going to hate him when she discovered how completely he was tearing her world apart.
When they stepped into the clearing, Padme halted. "This is a civilian craft. Where is your Republic cruiser?"
"This ship has certain, ah, advantages," Obi-Wan replied as he activated the landing ramp.
"Like not attracting attention?" she asked.
The Jedi ushered her up the ramp. "That, and it's armed."
Padme halted suddenly, spinning to face the Jedi. "Since when do Jedi need to fly in armed ships? You are negotiators. Peace-makers. Not soldiers."
Obi-Wan spun her back around and gave her a little shove. "Go get cleaned up."
As she disappeared, muttering, into the ship, Obi-Wan moved to the base of the ramp and scanned the thick undergrowth. He could sense the Gungan, but he couldn't see him. He saluted in the Gungan's direction. "Thank you, General Tarpals, for all your help. I go in peace."
The reply was muted. "Meesa never been seeing you, Jedi. Gosa now, before meesa looks."
Obi-Wan laughed. "You're one bombad general, sir. The Force be with you." He turned and jogged up the ramp.
He was still smiling when he stepped into the living quarters. Padme was sitting in the single chair as she dripped onto the deck. "Cozy place you have here," she said.
"I think cramped is the better word. Don't worry. You can have the bunk. I'll sleep in the pilot's chair, or on the floor." He passed through and entered the cockpit. Padme was right behind him, slipping into the co-pilot's chair before he was settled.
"Where are we going?" Padme asked.
Obi-Wan ignored the question until the ship was lifting off the ground. "Indu San." He glanced at her puzzled features and added, "Outer Rim."
"I am well aware of that. Indu San is a member of the Republic, after all. But, what would Anakin be doing way out in the Outer Rim? When I heard from him a few days ago, he was on Coruscant." Padme paused. "It would be impossible for him to get to the Outer Rim in three days."
Obi-Wan clenched his jaw and vectored the ship toward outer space. A voice crackled on the comm speaker and he flipped it off before Padme could realize it was a hail from planetary traffic control, demanding that the unidentified ship make itself known -- the same message he'd ignored when he landed. Traffic controllers could be so tenacious.
Padme's voice was a cracked whisper, "You aren't taking me to Anakin, are you?"
Blue gave way to black as the ship left atmosphere behind. Obi-Wan punched in hyperspace coordinates, eyes darting to the monitor showing two patrol ship blips closing on their position. He thrummed his fingers on the hyperspace lever.
"Are you?" The repeated entreaty was barely audible.
The all-clear light blinked and Obi-Wan eased the lever back. The ship skipped into hyperspace.
The Jedi twisted in his chair to face the distraught young woman. He gazed into two dark, shimmering pools for a long moment. Finally, he said, "No."
The slap snapped his head to the side.
Obi-Wan closed his eyes as Padme pushed past him, her sobs echoing painfully through his mind. His fingers traced over the burning outline on his cheek, stopping on the freshly throbbing bruise Panaka's fist had left behind. It was going quite well, all things considered. He sighed. Might as well get it over with and throw himself in the path of the meteor.
The Jedi moved into the living quarters and shrugged out of his wet cloak. He hung it up and leaned against the bulkhead as he studied Padme's form, tightly curled in the chair, shaking with silent crying. He'd give anything to be able to take her in his arms ...
"Padme," he began.
She shot to her feet. "Don't you talk to me. And don't you dare call me that. I'm Amidala to you. Do you understand? Amidala." Anger vibrated along her limbs.
Obi-Wan absorbed the vehemence of her words, welcoming the pain they inflicted, as he returned her stare silently.
"How could you do this to me?" Padme started to pace. "I trusted you. And you ... you kidnapped me."
"You don't understand ..."
Padme halted and stamped her foot. "I understand completely. You betrayed my trust. You used our friendship to ... to ... abduct me." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she glared at the Jedi. Suddenly, her eyes grew round. "You're one of them."
Obi-Wan arched one eyebrow. "Them?"
"One of the, the terrorists opposing Chancellor Palpatine's rule."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Oh, spare me. Terrorists?"
Padme stepped forward and poked him in the chest. "You don't even deny it."
"I don't deny I oppose Palpatine. But you've known me for almost 14 years, Padme." He threw up his hands. "Sorry. Amidala. How could you suddenly believe I would become a terrorist?" The Jedi narrowed his eyes. "I'm not the one who uses terror to achieve his ends."
She poked him again. "What is that supposed to mean? Are you implying that the Chancellor is using force to keep power? I know what's happening in the Republic. My husband is the Chancellor's most trusted advisor. I know how certain Jedi are manipulating dissidents, inciting rebellion. I - I just never dreamed you were one of them."
"You know nothing." Obi-Wan swallowed his growing frustration. Still, his voice was low, dangerous, driving Padme back a step, away from him. "You know what Anakin tells you. What Palpatine tells him to tell you. He's no advisor. He's a henchman -- jumping to do his master's bidding."
Another slap rattled his brain. He winced. Same cheek.
"How dare you? How could you hate him so? He was your Padawan. He loves you. He speaks of you constantly."
"Does he?"
Padme hesitated before quietly adding, "He used to."
"He turned away from me, Pa -- Amidala. It wasn't the other way around."
"What did you expect? When he felt the need to go to his mother, you refused him. She died in slavery, Obi-Wan. He didn't even get the chance to try and save her. He hates that you did that to him."
"Hate leads to the Dark Side."
"She was his mother."
"Everyone loses people they love, Amidala. I had to watch helplessly as a Sith cut down my Master -- the man I loved like a father. And now ... now my Padawan is being swallowed by the Dark Side. I have lost two people that I love to that evil. But I have chosen not to hate. I have chosen to stand in the light."
"And Anakin has chosen to step into the darkness -- is that what you are saying?"
Obi-Wan stared at the young woman, his visage stern. His iron grip trapped her hand a centimeter from his face. Through clenched teeth he said, "The other cheek, if you must slap me, please."
Padme obliged, leaving a stinging imprint on his right cheek.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan said.
The queen sniffed. "You are despicable."
"But I'm telling you the truth."
"No. This whole misadventure has been nothing but a series of lies and deceits from the start. And you are lying still. I would know if the man I love had turned to evil." Tears started to stream down Padme's face, again. "I would know."
Reaching out to brush the tears away, Obi-Wan whispered, "He loves you enough to want to shield you from what he has become, Padme."
She knocked the hand down and turned away. "Get away from me, Obi-Wan. Just leave."
The Jedi stared at her stiff spine for a long moment before silently retreating to the cockpit.
In the pilot's chair, hyperspace lines filled Obi-Wan's vision as wave after wave of anguish rolled over him. He clenched the arms of the chair as guilt tore at his self-control. Guilt that he'd had to inflict such pain on her. Guilt that he'd been the one to trigger Anakin's descent into darkness. The weight of it crushed down upon him, and he dropped his head into his hands. Help me, Master. How do I make her see what is happening? If she doesn't realize the truth of the situation, we will have to keep her a prisoner -- to save her from herself. I don't think I could bear that.
The craft exited hyperspace. Obi-Wan dialed the monitoring systems to maximum and altered the ship's course heading to bear directly toward the planet's night side. Padme slid into the co-pilot's seat. The Jedi felt her eyes following his hands as they ran over the controls.
The queen finally broke their four-day standoff of heavy silence. "Where are we?"
Keeping eyes fixed on the viewscreen, Obi-Wan replied, "Where I said we were going. Indu San."
"What's here?"
"My contact."
"Your Jedi puppet, you mean."
Obi-Wan rubbed his bleary eyes and turned to face the hard glitter in the queen's dark gaze. "Please ... Amidala. Keep an open mind. And open eyes. Discover the truth for yourself." When she just stared, he sighed. "We will be landing at the main spaceport. I have a false ID chip stating we are husband and wife -- locals from the small city of Legna. I'm asking you to go along with the charade for the time being."
"And if I don't? If I decide to turn you over to the authorities?"
"Then your ordeal will be at an end. But you will never know the truth, will you?" His voice dropped to a whisper, "And you do want to know the truth, don't you, Padme?"
She looked away. Her voice was flat. "Don't call me that."
Obi-Wan returned his attention to the monitors. His pulse tripped. A muttered, "Blast," slipped past his lips. Louder, he said, "Buckle up. We're going in hot."
Padme sat up straight. "Hot? What do you mean?" She pointed at the sensor screen. "What is that blinking triangle?"
Brushing her hand out of the way, the Jedi switched shields to full aft and set the computer to calculating their entry trajectory. "That, your Highness, is the latest addition to the chancellor's growing fleet. Kuat Drive Yards have been pumping those monsters out for a couple of years. Armed to the teeth and completely without match. Rumors suggest they are developing an even larger version."
Derision laced Padme's tone. "I've never heard of such a spaceship."
"You live in a need-to-know bubble, your Highness. Apparently, this is something Anakin decided you didn't need to know."
Computer calculations complete, Obi-Wan ignored the indignant snort near his ear and pushed the ship to full throttle. He juked the ship sideways as a laser beam shot past them. Padme squealed and fell against the Jedi's arm. He pushed her back into her seat and growled at her to do as she was told.
They dove for the surface, twisting and rolling and jerking from side to side. Only one laser found its mark, pulling a truncated screech from the queen. The Jedi glanced her way once, to find her sitting wide-eyed and white-knuckled, as the ground rushed up to fill their viewscreen. The Jedi pulled the ship out of its dive with less than 100 meters clearance, and shot along a valley floor.
The Destroyer hadn't followed them into the atmosphere, but it was tracking them. A bead of sweat trickled down Obi-Wan's brow. He turned off all running lights. Black and jagged silhouettes carved a void into the night sky's horizon.
"Shouldn't you slow down? I think those are mountains up ahead, " Padme whispered.
"I hope so," replied Obi-Wan.
"But we're running blind."
"We have the Force."
"Great." Padme paused. "Why were they shooting at us? Could they have tracked you here from Naboo?"
"I don't think so. I just made the mistake of entering the system on an unsanctioned route."
"Since when does it matter how you enter a system?"
"I know you haven't said anything for four days, your Highness. But ... could this discussion wait?"
A taut silence descended. Obi-Wan opened himself to the Force and let it flow through him, directing his actions. The ship flew through canyons and dodged outcroppings. Twice the Jedi rolled it to slip through a tight crevice with wings vertical. Both times Padme gasped. Following a river, Obi-Wan sensed another gorge ahead, leading to a wide valley. He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
As the ship shot between the cliff faces, Obi-Wan dropped a missile from the rear tube. The explosion flashed on the screen a nanosecond before the blast wave hit the ship. Jolting all systems into emergency shutdown, the Jedi let the ship catapult wildly through the air for ten long seconds. Then he toggled the directional systems back on line and slowly brought the careening ship under control. It glided for five kilometers before he was forced to switch the engines to minimal power to avoid crashing. He leveled out at an altitude of 20 meters -- low enough that they wouldn't be detected by anything except eyes.
"What was that all about?" The question issued from between clenched teeth.
Obi-Wan glanced askance at Padme's white face. "Shh. We're dead."
"All that to make them think we're dead?"
"I just hope it was enough."
"So, now what?"
"Legna is the other side of this pass. We set down there for the night and I go early in the morning to register our flight plan for a working holiday to Obroa-Skai. Then we skip over to the main spaceport and meet up with our contact to get our real route plan."
"Your contact, you mean." Padme paused. "You had this all planned."
The Jedi slumped back in his seat as the mountains gave way to open plain. "I didn't plan that Destroyer episode. I hate it when unexpected company drops in."
"Hate leads to the Dark Side, Jedi."
Obi-Wan grunted.
The couple wove their way through the crowded streets of Indu Sanskar : the tall, handsome man, clad in simple black, linked arm in arm with his beautiful wife who also wore slightly rumpled travel clothes. The way he hovered protectively over her at each kiosk in the market that they paused at, brought a bemused smile to more than one shopkeeper. His eyes followed her every move like a man very much in love; shopkeepers' mates tittered behind upraised hands.
Obi-Wan ignored the looks and whispers, as he constantly scanned the milling crowd, his senses on high alert. There was an undercurrent niggling at his calm, but he couldn't pinpoint its source. He glanced at Padme again, a smile tugging at his mouth. She was going along with his plan -- for now. He had hoped that her sense of justice would be aroused. Her need to know the truth was working in his favor. But for how long?
Her questioning gaze caught his. He pointed to the open square past the row of market booths. She nodded and let him guide her forward, his hand pressed to the small of her back.
As they left the market behind, a commotion started on the far side of the square. Panic rippled through the throng. People all around them scattered down side streets and alleys. The unrest grew around the unmoving pair as people who hadn't been quick enough were herded back into the square by soldiers who had suddenly appeared at every conceivable exit.
Obi-Wan scanned the rooftops. Soldiers popped up at regular intervals, the sun gleaming off shiny white chest protectors and shin pads that contrasted with black body suits. Republic forces. The Jedi clenched his jaw and pulled Padme close. She didn't protest.
A group was being herded into the square by a cordon of soldiers. Obi-Wan and Padme found themselves being jostled forward, toward the raised platform onto which the prisoners were being ushered. Obi-Wan resisted the flow, managing to keep them several rows back from the dais.
A hush fell over the plaza as the Jedi searched the prisoners' faces. There had to be a hundred beings crowded onto the platform. Bothans. A Wookiee. Bimm. A Twilek. A Gran. Humans. Several Calamari. Close to three-quarters of the captives weren't human. The Jedi's nostrils flared.
A jab in his ribs brought his attention back to Padme. He leaned over to acknowledge her whispered indignation regarding the presence of several youths in the group, along with one trembling child. The Jedi felt helpless to stem the fear rolling off the prisoners.
A black-uniformed officer marched to the center of the stage. He stood at attention until all eyes trained on him. His voice echoed across the square. "By order of his supreme majesty, Emperor Palpatine, you are hereby commanded to witness the fate of any who would oppose his just and compassionate rule."
Obi-Wan blinked rapidly. He'd done it. He'd actually done it. There had been rumors for months. But no one seriously believed he would actually dare ... A hand tugging on his sleeve brought the Jedi's attention back to the moment. He stared into Padme's shocked face.
"What does he mean by 'emperor'?" she whispered. "Obi-Wan, what's going on?"
He shushed her and jerked his head toward the platform. The cordon of soldiers turned to face the prisoners as they crowded against the duracrete wall at their backs. The officer shouted out an order and 30 blasters snapped to ready position with a single resounding slap. Horror engulfed Obi-Wan's mind. They couldn't mean to ...
The child started to cry as one of the youths, a golden-skinned girl, no older than Padme had been all those years ago, shoved him behind her back. The officer called out another order. Obi-Wan pulled Padme to his chest and covered her eyes as red erupted from the soldiers' blasters and the prisoners' chests. Screams and crying swept through the crowd. Grown men fell to their knees sobbing as the carnage continued. Obi-Wan blinked back tears and resolutely etched the scene in his mind.
The child was the last prisoner standing. The boy looked down at his feet in utter bewilderment and fear. Force help him, the child looked like Anakin at that age. The blasters fell silent. Obi-Wan drew a shaky breath. A reprieve? The officer raised his pistol. A wail pierced the air as the officer fired. Obi-Wan closed his eyes to the sight of the small body being propelled back against the wall.
The soldiers marched off the platform. The rooftop sentries melted from view. The crowd rapidly thinned. Obi-Wan stood frozen, staring at the mass of tangled bodies.
Padme wiggled out of his grip, gasping back choked sobs. She grabbed the Jedi's wrist and yanked. "We have to go, Obi-Wan. Before we're the only ones left." She tugged again. "Please, Obi-Wan. I'm scared."
Her quaking voice slowly penetrated the Jedi's dark thoughts. He blinked and wiped at his face and beard with a shaking hand. "You're right. There's nothing to be done here. We have no time to bury our dead."
The Jedi ignored Padme's puzzled stare and wrapped his fingers around her forearm. He strode rapidly across the plaza, back the way they'd come, past deserted kiosks. Padme had to jog to keep up.
"So what do you think of your new emperor's compassion, Padme?" Obi-Wan's voice was low and relentless. "Still think I'm the terrorist? He has been waging this campaign for a long time. Quietly. Insidiously. Even on Naboo."
"Stop it, Obi-Wan. I don't want to hear ..."
He jerked her arm, eliciting a small cry, his words continuing to fall like hammer blows. "You're going to hear it, your Highness. It's happening -- even on Naboo. Why do you think the Gungans were willing to help me? Haven't you heard the whispers? About the Gungans' inferiority? About the need to keep them in their natural place?"
"But that's just a few ..."
"No." He jerked her arm again, making her stumble as he plowed forward. "It's part of what we've been fighting against, Padme. Across the galaxy, the whispers are growing louder. Non-humans need not apply. Jedi are the enemy. Those are the watchwords of Palpatine's new order."
Stopping suddenly, Obi-Wan spun the queen around to stare into her shell-shocked eyes. "And now he's declared himself, Padme. He's set himself up as emperor ... with Anakin at his side. Together they have dealt a fatal blow to the Republic." A sob tore from deep inside her and her head dropped. Obi-Wan lifted her chin and gentled his voice. "I'm sorry, Padme. Sorry you had to find out this way. I just thank the Living Force I got to you when I did. A day later would have been too late. They can't search for you while they are consolidating their power."
"You're wrong, Obi-Wan. You have to be wrong." Padme shook her head. A tear splattered against the Jedi's cheek and he wiped it away. Padme searched his face with desperate eyes. "Anakin wouldn't be part of this. Maybe ... Maybe Palpatine was holding me hostage on Naboo. That's it, Obi-Wan. You've saved me from Palpatine, and now we can both go save Anakin from his clutches. He probably doesn't even know I'm free. He probably thinks I'm still being held on Naboo. We have to find him. Tell him."
Obi-Wan let go of the queen's arm and stared at her dully for a moment. He brushed past her and continued down the near-deserted street. Padme jogged beside him, her voice breathless. "We can still find your contact. We can go into hiding and make a plan."
The Jedi jerked to a stop and wheeled to face her. "No. We can't." He let his breath out slowly. "Did you notice the Twilek dancer amongst the prisoners?" Padme nodded. "That was our contact." He started down the street again.
Padme caught up and stepped in front of the Jedi, forcing him to stop. "What will we do?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "I don't know. I'll think of something. Right now we have to get off Indu San. Get away from this."
He stepped around her. Sudden overwhelming pain dropped the Jedi to his knees. Agony crashed through his mind. He held his ears and pressed his forehead to the ground to block out the screaming. His screaming. From a distance he heard Padme's alarmed voice, felt her arms draping over his back and her cheek pressing against his spine. He couldn't break through the cocoon of pain. It rippled along his muscles and tore at his nerves. On and on. His screams subsided to racking sobs as the anguish echoed and bounced through his mind. The Jedi's limbs trembled, and he sank into a fetal position, spasms racking his body as the pain cycled mercilessly through his innermost being.
"What's wrong here, miss?" Obi-Wan forced his eyes open a slit to see a black toe and white shin in front of his face. He tried to move, but his joints were frozen. He sensed Padme standing protectively over him.
Her voice was clear. Calm. "It's the disease he's fighting, sir. We are on our way to Obroa-Skai to get the help of a rare disease specialist ... Perhaps you could help us to the spaceport?"
The foot backed off a step. "Is it contagious?"
"It might be," Padme replied. "We hope the doctors there can tell us."
The foot retreated again. "Get him out of here." The foot wheeled and disappeared.
Padme dropped to a crouch near Obi-Wan's head and whispered, "What happened?"
"Don't ..." Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Don't know. Something terrible. Somewhere else, I think. Help me up."
The distance to the spaceport was covered slowly, the Jedi leaning heavily on the queen. With each step the pain in Obi-Wan's body subsided, even as the despair in his heart grew. What had happened?
