Part 6 (2/2)
Anakin and Palpatine were still aboard the Invisible Hand when Obi-Wan recovered. Along with R2-D2, they were briefly apprehended by General Grievous but managed to evade his metallic clutches. Unfortunately, Grievous launched all the escape pods and fled into s.p.a.ce as the battle-damaged Invisible Hand began to tumble through Coruscant' s upper atmosphere. Although the crash landing was bone-jarring for Palpatine and the Jedi, Anakin's incredible piloting skills delivered them, and what little remained of the Confederate flags.h.i.+p, to a landing strip.
Mace Windu, Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, and C-3PO were among the dignitaries who greeted Palpatine and Anakin at the Chancellor's private landing platform at the Senate Offices while Obi-Wan returned to the Jedi Temple. After speaking briefly with Bail Organa as they entered the office building, Anakin found Padme discreetly waiting for him in the shadows of a tall column. He hadn't seen her in months.
Although Anakin was concerned that General Grievous was still at large and had a.s.sumed leaders.h.i.+p of the Confederacy, he forgot his troubles as he embraced Padme.
But she seemed different; she had something very important to tell him.
CHAPTER 11.
”Ani, I'm pregnant.”
Still in the shadows of the Senate Offices hallway, Anakin suddenly felt light-headed. Padme stared into his eyes, waiting for him to say something. ”That's...” he began, then sighed and looked away. With the sudden realization that their marriage could not be a secret much longer, his first thoughts were of how this development would impact on their lives. Padme might be recalled to Naboo, and I'll be cast out in disgrace from the Jedi order. It will be a scandal. . . .
Then his gaze met Padme's again, and he saw how frightened she was.
”Well,” he said, ”that's won- - that's wonderful!” He smiled.
Less than a.s.sured, Padme said, ”What are we going to do?”
”We're not going to worry about anything right now,” Anakin said, holding her tight. ”All right? This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life.”
Later that night, in Padme's apartment in Galactic City, Anakin had a nightmare so terrible that he nearly shouted when he awoke. He tried to ease himself out of bed quietly so Padme would not be aware of his absence, but she woke up too and found him standing on the terrace, watching the air traffic glide past her apartment windows.
”What's bothering you?” Padme asked.
”Nothing,” he said. Padme was wearing the good-luck charm that Anakin had carved for her shortly after they'd met. He reached out to touch the charm and said, ”I remember when I gave this to you.”
Padme gave him a hard stare and said, ”How long is it going to take us to be honest with each other?”
Anakin took a deep breath. ”It was a dream,” he admitted.
”Bad?”
”Like the ones I used to have about my mother ... just before she died.”
”And?”
”And it was about you.”
Padme moved closer to Anakin and said, ”Tell me.”
Anakin moved a short distance away. ”It was only a dream,” he said, but as soon as the words had been uttered, he felt them to be untrue.
It wasn't just a dream. It was real, and it's going to happen.
He turned to face Padme and said, ”You die in childbirth.”
Padme tried not to cringe. ”And the baby?”
”I don't know.”
Padme moved again to Anakin's side. ”It was only a dream,” she said, now trying to convince herself as well as placate Anakin.
”I won't let this one become real,” Anakin vowed.
”This baby will change our lives,” Padme said. ”I doubt the queen will continue to allow me to serve in the Senate. And if the Council discovers you're the father, you'll be expelled.”
”I - I know,” Anakin stammered, trying to push away those realities. ”I know.”
”Do you think Obi-Wan might be able to help us?”
”We don't need his help,” Anakin said, and glowered as he imagined his Master's reprimands. When he noticed that Padme looked frightened by his expression, Anakin s.h.i.+fted his features into a gentle smile and said, ”Our baby is a blessing.”
Anakin thought about the dream again, hoping that it wasn't an accurate depiction of things to come, but somehow knowing in his heart that it was. Fortunately, he knew someone who was something of an expert on premonitions.
”Premonitions?” Master Yoda said. ”Premonitions. Hmm.”
It was the morning after his nightmare about Padme, and Anakin was in Yoda's quarters in the Jedi Temple. They were seated across from each other, and shafts of bright sunlight sifted through the blinds that lined the windows of the spa.r.s.ely furnished room. Yoda said, ”These visions you have...”
”They're of pain, suffering. Death.”
”Yourself you speak of, or someone you know?” Anakin was reluctant to offer too many details, but admitted, ”Someone.”
”Close to you?”
Anakin lowered his gaze, and felt almost ashamed as he answered, ”Yes.”
Raising a cautionary finger, Yoda fixed Anakin with a penetrating gaze and said, ”Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.”
Anakin recalled the dreams that had preceded his mother's death, and then of his failure to save her. Returning Yoda's gaze, he said flatly, ”I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda.”
”Death is a natural part of life,” Yoda explained. ”Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is.”
Hoping to stay on the right path this time, Anakin said, ”What must I do, Master Yoda?”
”Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”
I might be able to let go of being a Jedi, Anakin thought, but I can't let go of Padme. I just can't. I love her too much.
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