Boundless as the Sea

Chapter Fifteen

Coruscant was ablaze with light and activity. Traffic whizzed by the window of the dark room, causing strange shadows to dance across the wall. The room was free of any kind of mess, free of anything that could be traced back to the man sitting in the corner by an empty table. Empty but for a small holo-projector, displaying the image of Darth Sidious.

"Once again, bounty hunter, I am in need of your services."

Cad Bane took off his wide-brimmed hat and set it on the table. "Depends. I'm a busy man, but perhaps I could be of use to you, for the right price." His voice was slow and menacing.

"Credits are no object. I need someone with your skill for this task."

"I'm not stealing anymore Jedi brats. Kids get on my nerves." Bane fiddled with a rusty blaster.

"This is nothing of the sort. I need you to eliminate a Galactic senator."

Bane leaned his elbows on the table. "Which one? There are quite a few."

Sidious ignored the bounty hunter's snide remark. "Senator Amidala."

Bane sat up at this. "That lovely lady from Naboo? She's pretty popular, you know. Well-liked. I'm not so sure it would go over very well with the Republic. Mind telling me why you want her dead?"

"Her death will be crucial for gaining my new apprentice. Losing her will send him spiraling into the Dark Side. Not to mention her never-ending quest for peace. That cannot be allowed if my plan is to succeed."

"I'm not even gonna ask what that plan is. What do you need me to do?"

"You are going to make it seem as if you are being paid to kill Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Throw him off, so he does not sense your true intentions. If he does, I can assure you that he will put the senator under the utmost protection."

"Why? He got a thing for her?" Bane was only joking, but the seriousness in the Dark Lord's tone suggested that there was more to the young Jedi than met the eye. "I see. Skywalker always manages to surprise me. That's quite an accomplishment."

"Make sure that he is witness to her death. That is of vital importance. So, bounty hunter, do you accept?"

Bane stood up and put his hat on his head. "I'm gonna need an LL-30 blaster."

♦️

Padmé laid in bed, her back against Anakin's chest, his arms wrapped around her torso. They both lay awake in silence, simply enjoying being with one another as they fell asleep.

"Ani?" she whispered.

"Mmph," he replied from deep within her curls.

"Do you think I'm, boring?" she said as she stared out the window at the busy Coruscant.

Anakin propped himself up on his elbow and looked at the back of her head. "What are you talking about?" She could hear him smile as he spoke.

"It's just, you're always in the excitement of battle, and the way you and Ahsoka talk about it, being here with me might as well be like watching balm grass grow."

"I like balm grass."

Padmé turned around and playfully hit him on the chest. "I'm serious. You think that my job is boring, and lately, I would have to agree with you. But am I boring? Would you prefer to be married to some sort of female warrior princess who always keeps you on your toes?"

Anakin smiled and sighed. "No, Padmé, you're not boring. Far from it, actually. Ok, so yeah, this place is nothing like the battlefield. But there's a time for that and there's a time to relax. Just thinking of you gets me excited, Angel. I love you and everything about you. Ok?"

Padmé looked into her husband's mesmerizing blue eyes. "Ok. I love you too." She turned back around and closed her eyes.

"Female warrior princess, huh? She sounds pretty great."

"Ani!"