The Chosen Path

Chapter 12

Once the handmaidens had assembled a meal, they gathered the younglings around the large dining table. Although the younglings were subdued, they perked up at the delicious scents wafting from the table. Some of the younglings chatted and there were even a few peals of laughter. 

"Are you going to finish that?" asked the young human male called Petro, helping himself to a portion of Ganodi's food.

"Yes!" protested the young Rodian girl. "I just eat slower than you."

"Petro, you're not supposed to take food from others!" Katooni protested. "Stop being so selfish!"

"But I'm hungry," insisted Petro.

"Urrgh, have you tried this dish?" asked the Zabrak named Kylee, chewing distastefully on a bite of lobster Bisellian. "It's gross!"

"Then give it to me," said Petro, holding out a hand for the Zabrak's plate. 

Some of the younglings merely picked at their food and didn't each much, like the purple-skinned Twi'lek female named Kaara and the younger human girl named Mari. Most of the children weren't accustomed to the fancy gourmet dishes, and instead preferred to eat from the giant multi-tiered bowl of fruit placed in the center of their table. The bowl contained fruits of different varieties that had been imported from many different regions. Anakin recognized jogan, fuji apples, horned melon, pears, meilooruns, and starfruit. 

Padmé smiled at Anakin whenever a child laughed. Even though things were bad, there was hope the younglings would be able to weather the storm and put the day's events behind them.

After the meal, Moteé directed the younglings to get cleaned up and changed into flowing night robes. The younglings looked more relaxed once they were dressed in the sleeping gowns and had washed away the grime from their Temple escape. The handmaidens hurried about settling the younglings down, models of quiet efficiency. Although the sun was brightly shining on Pantolomin, it had been many tiring hours since their escape from Coruscant, and the younglings were exhausted. Anakin, Padmé, and the three clones settled at the vacated table and ate while the younglings settled down to sleep.

"Any problems on the way to the room?" Anakin asked the clones. 

"No, sir," Jesse said, digging into his Tenbah squid pie.

"General Skywalker, do you have a plan of action?" Zek asked.

"Ahsoka and Rex will meet us here. Hopefully, we can all get some rest before we have to leave. I don't want to stay here any longer than one rotation." Anakin hated waiting around, especially since he had no idea what was going on. Sitting in this room, whiling away the time doing nothing was frustrating. Glancing at Padmé, he knew even though he wished to be part of what was going on, he'd still rather be here with his wife, where he could keep her safe. Padmé was his world, and he'd do whatever he could to protect her.

Zek nodded as he spread roseberry jam on a slice of seedbread.

"It may not be the time to ask, but what happened on Coruscant?" Padmé finally said into the silence that had fallen at the table. With the younglings mostly settled into to sleep, the apartment was quiet. The handmaidens had shut the curtains to help the younglings sleep, and the apartment was filled with shadows, although a few dim lights were left on. Anakin didn't see the handmaidens, but they always seemed to disappear whenever their work was done and would reappear whenever they were needed.

Typho was leaning against the wall, watching the sleeping forms of the younglings. Due to the size of their party, there weren't enough beds to go around. Some of the younglings slept on the couches, and others were nestled on the floor with blankets and pillows. The dining area was adjacent to the lounge area where the younglings were sleeping, and the adults lowered their voices so they wouldn't disturb them. At Padmé's question, his one-eyed gaze turned to look at the dining group. C-3PO and R2-D2 were nestled in their own corner, and R2's sensor cast out a red glow in the dark room. 

Anakin sighed and leaned back, uncertain of where to begin. So much had happened and changed drastically in only a short time. Truthfully, he didn't even want to talk about it, but they all had a right to know everything that had happened in the Temple. 

"The Chancellor told me himself that he was the Sith Lord," Anakin began. He then related how he had informed Master Windu of Palpatine's revelation and how the dark-skinned Jedi master had taken a few Council members with him to confront the Chancellor. But they had not returned and were likely dead, defeated by the power of Darth Sideous. He told them about Kix's discovery, and how he had fought his way out of the Temple, saving as many younglings as he could. Of course, he omitted the part that Palpatine had offered Anakin the chance to save his wife. Anakin hadn't accepted his offer, but he still wished there was some way to access and utilize Palpatine's knowledge. Palpatine was the only person in existence who could teach Anakin the secret to saving Padmé. 

Anakin was also sure to downplay some of the threatening situations he had faced, knowing that it would only worry Padmé, and what was the point in troubling her over a matter that was past? He was safe now, at least for the moment. 

"The Jedi weren't the only one the Republic betrayed," Zek growled. "The Republic turned its back on the clones too, forcing us to turn on the generals and kill our Jedi commanders. We'd never do that of our own free will."

That only made Anakin feel worse, which he hadn't thought was possible. He stood up and looked out the window, not wanting to face the clones and Padmé right now. 

But his wife came to him, resting her head on his arm. "Anakin, get some sleep," she said. "You must be exhausted."

Anakin was, but he didn't think he would be able to rest. Any sleep he managed to obtain would be plagued by nightmares. 

He tried to make light of her concern. "Look who's talking. You need your rest even more than I do."

"I'll be going to bed soon." Padmé spoke softly, her words barely audible to Anakin. "Don't push yourself too hard. We have a rough time ahead of us, and you can't avoid sleep forever." She kissed him gently and left to go to bed.

Anakin knew he couldn't avoid sleep, but how could he face his dreams? Guilt wracked him as he thought of the visions he had seen of Padmé's death. If he had condemned her to death because of his choices, he would never forgive himself. Sorrow engulfed him as he tried to think of ways to stop his vision from happening. He couldn't imagine life without her. Would he once again be fated to watch another person he loved slip away? He hated being powerless to do anything to save the people who mattered to him most.

As he wrestled with his thoughts, most of the others settled into various rooms to sleep, but Anakin stayed awake. He quietly moved to the windows, slipped behind the curtains, and stared out the window as the day slipped into evening. The billowing clouds had vanished, although there were still enough clouds to create a spectacular sunset. Pink, purple, and orange tints flowed across the dark blue clouds, set against the cerulean sky. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Nothing like the events of earlier today. Anakin heard the sounds of a youngling crying, and the whispers of a handmaiden comforting the child.

Anakin clenched his fist as he thought about what Palpatine had done to the Jedi, clones, and Republic. So many lives were lost on his quest for power.