Obi Wan and the Duchess

Chapter Fourteen: Lover's Intuition

"Thank you for meeting me, Master Jedi," the senator said, worry seeping through her usual confident tone.

"Of course, Senator Amidala," Mace Windu said, "how can I assist you?"

"I fear the mission that Master Skywalker was a trap," the Senator started.

The Jedi sighed, " I know senator." His tone was nothing short of ominous.

"But," he continued, " with the few troops we have at our disposal as well as the unknown scale of this mission, there's nothing we can do." As soon as Windu finished his sentence his comlink began to go off, he looked up at the Senator with an apologetic glance.

"Master Windu," a voice came across the walls. It pierced Senator Amidala's ears as she was heading towards the door of the council chamber. The door before her slid open, revealing Grand Master Yoda. The three shared glances with each other before the voice spoke again.

"Master Windu," it called. "It's Deathwatch."

"Skywalker, you need to retreat," instructed Windu. "This is bigger than we had assumed and-"

"No can do Master, we're trapped on the planet," Skywalker sighed.

"A rescue mission, this has turned into," Yoda chimed in.

"I agree, Master," Skywalker said. "But this is too big a scale for the Republic to join in, it could make the war longer."

"Then we'll need an outside, neutral power to help you," Windu glanced at the Senator who dutifully nodded.

"Stay hidden, Skywalker," we'll try to contact you when we send a unit out.

"Copy that, Master," he said. "May the force be with you." With the static and Skywalker's voice removed from the room, the three breathed an empty sigh.

"I can have Captain Panaka round up a group of his men to leave by day's end," Senator Amidala said.

"With your relation to the Duchess, I believe that's the best course of action," Windu agreed, looking to Yoda for agreement.

"Quick we must move," the old master began, "if we are to ensure the safety of the Duchess." The Senator nodded and quickly excused herself.

•••

"Obi Wan?" The Duchess breathed, her eyes barely open as she began to reach for him. When she didn't feel his body nearby, fear jolted her exhausted body awake. With adrenaline now coursing through her veins, she gathered the strength to stand up, eyes traveling the walls for something but she didn't know what. Her eyes caught a stain of blood on the wall, looking to the floor, she saw the distinct dips in dirt, as if he had been pulled.

"Where is he?" She yelled. After moments of silence a laughed, static and ominous, echoed through the chamber.

"What are you doing to him?" Her voice began to break, the adrenaline running thin.

"You people," he laughed. "Are undoubtedly predictable."

"And what is that supposed to mean," the Duchess huffed.

"It's funny," he started, sighing out a laugh, "he asked the same thing about you. It's a shame though, he really cared." The duchess fell to her knees, body aching and shivering with fear, hunger and exhaustion.

"You're lying," she said, unable to stay awake much longer. His laughter beginning to echo in her ears, scraping against the walls around her.

"Obi Wan," she breathed, "wherever you are, here me."

•••

Senator Amidala stared out the view port at the seemingly sleeping planet, she knew something was wrong.

"The Jedi temple isn't responding to our calls," the Captain said from her left.

"Good," she began, "just as we had planned. Send the back up signal." The captain nodded and did as such, the cabin waited. After minutes passed, static reverberated through the cabin. The senator and captain breathed a sigh of relief.

"We did it," he sighed with a laugh.

"Now use that frequency to find where we are being jammed from," the Senator instructed. As they waited, she breathed deeply, sitting in the chair behind her.

"Hear me, Ani," she thought. "I'm coming."

"Position located," Captain Panaka's voice rang in the Senator's ear in the silence.

"Let's go," she said, standing up and heading to her quarters, preparing to head down to the surface.