I KNOW PLACES ➶ STAR WARS

Part XI // Escape

As they easily fought their way through waves of stormtroopers, battle droids, and droidekas, Ahsoka using the stolen blaster and Obi-Wan using Ahsoka's green lightsaber, they eventually found the medical wing. Obi-Wan's shoulder was wrapped up in dressing and gauze, though, thanks to Ahsoka's topical anesthetic and the Force, he felt virtually no pain. They seamlessly ventured through the many twists and turns in the hallways, both guided by the Force. Obi-Wan could sense great pain and agony, while Ahsoka sensed malicious plans about to come into play.

When they heard the screams, they glanced at each other and bolted down the hall, weapons ready. Darth Vader was standing in the midst of many medical droids within Padmé's room.

Obi-Wan stopped just outside of the open door. Looking in tentatively, he was overcome with angst. He was sure she was too far along to make an escape.

Suddenly he saw Darth Vader's helmet raise. Obi-Wan placed his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.

"Master Jedi, how good of you to come." The Sith Lord turned to face Obi-Wan, expecting to see two Jedi, but instead only seeing one.

"We did not come to bargain, Vader."

"We?" Darth Vader laughed dryly. "She must have been shot down by a pathetic droid, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan did not seem to care that the young Togruta was missing. "I am leaving with Padmé and her children," he said sternly.

The Sith found this streak of confidence humorous. "You are not leaving alive, I can assure you," he stated simply. He stalked out of the room, allowing the door to shut out Padmé's concerned looks and loud cries. "I have failed to kill you twice. I will not fail again."

Lightsabers illuminated just as Ahsoka pushed out the vent grate and crawled silently in to Padmé's room.

Ahsoka, knowing the medical droids were not programmed with the intelligence to stop intruders, stood by Padmé's side, ignoring the droids' calm requests that she move away.

"Ahsoka," Padmé managed to get out. "Is everything all right? Obi-Wan is fighting him alone!"

"He's luring Ana-" she shook her head, "Darth Vader away from us."

Padmé let out a choked sob.

"But he'll be okay. We're going to get you to Naboo, since it's the closest system at the moment. Do you think you'll make it?"

Outside, Obi-Wan was facing off with Darth Vader. Both had their lightsabers flying about, one occasionally clashing with the other. The Sith Lord's red lightsaber cut through a wall, but came through it with electrical ease.

"You won't win, Anakin. You can't win!" Obi-Wan shouted as their lightsabers connected again. Then he turned and ran down the hallway, taking a left. Darth Vader followed in hot pursuit.

Ahsoka had Padmé in her arms, cradled like a small child. She peeked out the door once she'd opened it and sighed in relief when she saw that the fight had moved somewhere else. She ran easily, being as strong and agile as she was, down and around to the spacecraft hangar. Luckily only a few maintenance droids were around, so she activated a large ship and waited inside with Padmé, knowing that Obi-Wan would be out soon if he followed the plan.

Sure enough, it was only three minutes later that the Jedi Master ran out in to the hangar and looked around quickly for signs of Ahsoka. He spotted the readied ship and ran up the loading platform.

"Quickly. We must move out before he tracks us to Naboo," Obi-Wan said, breathing heavily.

"I'll fly," Ahsoka informed him, nodding.

"What? No, I-"

"She's been asking about you. She needs you back there. I'll get us to Naboo safely."

Obi-Wan spun around and saw his beloved lying on a pullout bed platform. He looked back up at the young Jedi. "Go!"

Ahsoka nodded furiously and began punching away at buttons on the dashboard.

Once they'd safely pulled out of the Mustafar hangar, the two Jedi sighed simultaneously, placing their hands on their foreheads.

Ahsoka soon noticed an asteroid field coming up in front of the ship. At the same time, Padmé gave a shrill but weak cry of pain.

"I need you to give her the epidural, General Kenobi!" Ahsoka shouted as she swerved to dodge the increasing number of asteroids flying across her field of view.

"The what?" Obi-Wan shouted back incredulously.

"It's the syringe in my bag! You need to shift her on to her side and insert it in to a specific vein near her spine."

"It sounds like you might be a little more qualified for this than I am, Ahsoka!" Obi-Wan looked at the syringe he'd pulled out of the canvas bag.

"You need to do that for her! We can't switch places now!"

"Which vein?"

"You'll see it, it's bright red and prominent. You can't miss it!" The ship shifted as it turned sharply to evade an oncoming asteroid.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he mumbled as he found what he thought was the correct vein in the senator's back. "Are you ready, Padmé?"

"Just do it, already!" Ahsoka shouted.

"Three, two, one." He pushed the trigger on the syringe, releasing the liquid into Padmé's bloodstream as she sucked in a breath at the pinch.

The ship settled quietly as it emerged unscathed from the asteroid field. Naboo came into view just in front of them. Ahsoka beamed in relief.

"Take over for me. I need to make sure she's okay."

Obi-Wan obeyed silently, taking the pilot's seat. Blast. I hate flying, he thought.