Eclipse

Chapter 19- Finally You Know The Truth

Force how he hated waiting.

"Master, take your elbow out of my ribs!" Anakin hissed irritably as he tried to wiggle away from the piercing of his master's pointed limb.

"Sorry." Came the growling reply, just as irritated, which led Anakin to believe his friend was not being authentic.

Shuffling for a better position, Anakin let out an exasperated grunt, ignoring his mentor's protests and silently cursing said mentor's stupid plan and annoyed he couldn't throw his hands up in the air to prove just how deep his discontent ran. However, the emotion was clearly displayed over his youthful features for the last few hours of hyperspace travel and he was just hoping Obi-Wan was receiving the message and knew how much he loathed this strategy.

With a final grunt, Anakin finally settled into the best position he was going to find and surrendered to the uncomfortable action of crossing his arms over his chest and bringing his knees up to his chest. "Remind me why you thought stowing away on Vader's ship was a better plan than ambushing him the minute he appeared to Padmé!" The young Skywalker growled, fed up with wasted hours he could have been watching Vader's decapitated head roll around lifelessly on the ground, probably with some goofy expression of unhampered rage or shock.

Matching his friend's vexation perfectly, Obi-Wan shot him another warning glare. "Because it puts Padmé in danger had we resorted to your last minute plan of free-form attack right in the middle of her veranda! On top of that, this way we have the element of surprise on our side."

"So you think Mustafar is a better place to have a duel?!" He snapped back, eyes narrowed and ire permeating the tiny compartment and the limited supply of fresh air.

Obi-Wan huffed at this. Whether it was anger, frustration, or indigence, Anakin didn't know. "You are still so certain it's Mustafar? There are no windows in here Anakin, how would you know?"

Anakin sighed deeply, avoiding his best friend's dubious stony eyes.

He had seen it.

It haunted his dreams for months. How could he not know?

He and Obi-Wan raced down the streets of Coruscant, weapons on their belts and senses on maximum alert for the danger that was Lord Vader.

"He could be anywhere by now Anakin." The ginger haired Jedi whispered from the noisy roads of passerby's, speeder, swoop bikes and rowdy night clubs. But Anakin heard it all the same as they bolted side by side.

"I know exactly where that scum is taking her." Anakin sneered, his teeth ground, jaw set and eyes unwavering from the rapid path they were taking on foot.

"How?" Obi-Wan inquired, quietly, silent from the radar of scattered clones throughout the city, still hunting their Jedi comrades. "And why are you certain he is going to kidnap Padmé? She is of no use to him."

Anakin swallowed, the saliva almost catching in his throat from the exertion of a dragged out sprint. Precipitation collected on his brow and his lungs were starting to shrivel, but every step brought him closer to Padmé, closer to protecting her from that vile creature of darkness. And it was this thought alone that pushed him forward.

"I've seen it." He replied curtly. The fire and water, the bloody crystal, smoke rising, alarms blaring into his ears, Padmé screeching and newborns crying... the force showed him what was to come.

"In my dreams." Of course it had to be Mustafar.

Slowly coming back to reality of an overstuffed cargo hold, squished limbs and an incredulous master, Anakin ran his gloved mechanical hand over his sheen face and through his unruly blond hair. She was in direct peril. Vader went to her home, and abducted her. He could feel her terror through the force, laced with an odd sense of betrayal which spooked him further.