Anakin and Obi-Wan pulled the hoods of their cloaks up without hesitation. Droids were flanking the entrance to the Command Center, and Obi-Wan sensed there were some Geonosians inside.
"I'd hoped we'd never be back here," Anakin remarked as he hit the button to let down the ship's ramp.
"Likewise." Obi-Wan agreed.
"We can take out those droids easily," said Anakin.
Obi-Wan nodded and the pair of them swiftly and silently made their way to the front entrance.
"Hey! Drop your weapons!" the battle droids pointed their blasters at Anakin and Obi-Wan, who took them out with a single swipe. Both men retracted their lightsaber blades and pushed the giant front doors open.
Oddly, the corridor before them seemed empty. It was dimly lit and silent.
"Geonosians," Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber right as the little flying aliens sprung from the shadows. Anakin joined in the fight, and they ended up back to back, trying to block blaster fire. The Geonosians kept coming, but the men weren't getting tired any time soon.
Obi-Wan sighed with relief when he and Anakin had taken out the last two Geonosians.
"See," Anakin panted. "Easy."
"Let's not waste time." Obi-Wan breezed past him, blazing a trail down the corridor. He was almost positive he knew where the Separatists would be hiding.
They had been walking for several seconds without incident before they heard a strange roar from somewhere nearby. Both Obi-Wan and Anakin froze, exchanging a look.
"That's not good," Anakin's eyes were wide.
"It better not be what I think it is." Obi-Wan did, in fact, recognize that roar. He could only hope he was wrong.
"Might I ask why you're doing exactly what Master Anakin said not to do?" C-3PO had been going on and on about how what Padmé was doing was a mistake, but Padmé was too preoccupied to shut him down. Besides, she guessed she secretly liked the company, even if it was the company of a droid with too big a mouth for his own good.
"Master Anakin," Padmé said while flipping some switches. "is not the boss of me."
R2 beeped, and Threepio said, "Oh, I agree, Artoo. Women."
"That's it." Padmé stood and deactivated C-3PO. "You can't encourage him, Artoo." Right after she said that she felt a kick. She grinned and laid a hand on her stomach, trying to feel more. "Hello to you, too," she cooed. It had been a while since the baby had kicked. She only wished Anakin was there to feel. "We're going to find your daddy." There was another kick. Padmé hummed her favorite lullaby and sat back down, waiting to feel more kicks. "I will protect you," she said softly. As proof, she had a blaster sitting to one side of her—a blaster she hoped she wouldn't have to use.
"We might as well keep moving," Obi-Wan said, his voice low. He stuck to the walls as he moved forward, as if he half expected there to be some sort of booby trap in the middle of the floor. Despite thinking that was a bit overkill, Anakin copied his former master.
There was another roar, closer this time, and it made the hairs on the back of Anakin's neck stand on end. They were getting closer and closer with each step...
"Watch out!" Obi-Wan shouted, but it was too late.
With a fearsome shriek, an acklay swiped one of its claws at Anakin, sending him flying into the wall opposite them. He was disoriented from the impact for a second, and in that time he heard the familiar sound of a lightsaber blade igniting.
YOU ARE READING
THE SKYWALKERS: book one
FanfictionAnakin Skywalker was on the brink of falling into darkness. In fact, he even called himself Darth Vader. But what would happen if he turned away from that life and redeemed himself? It's going to take a lot more than a single decision to turn things...
