FORBIDDEN ATTACHMENTS ─ star wars

XVI. A Clone Army

Chapter Sixteen
Anakin

"Ani! Ani please!" I hear my mother yell. I look around for her, but I can't see her anywhere. Her voice rings around the empty void I'm in, taunting me, torturing me.

"I'm here! Mom, I'm right here! Where are you?" I yell, feeling my breaths grow frantic and tears form in my eyes.

"Anakin! I need you! Ani, save me!" She yells, a scream following her words. I force my legs to move, to run towards her voice. But it's everywhere at once, with no direction or indicator to where she might me. But I don't care, I keep running and running, until her scream reach new heights—

I burst up, feeling my chest rise and fall rapidly. I look around and find that I'm in our ship. The sky is dark, the lights of the trade port in the tree above us provides our only light. I look next to me to find Fallon staring at me, concern seeping from her gaze.

"You keep having these nightmares," She points out, her voice very low. "What are they about?"

I bring my hands up to rub my face, trying to calm my breathing. Part of me feels like I shouldn't confide in her, but I know I can trust her. Besides, I need someone to talk to about this since Obi Wan isn't here.

"My mother. She's in pain, I can sense it. I can't see what's happening to her, or who or what is hurting her, but I know she's in trouble."

Fallon nods, an understanding flooding her expression. She doesn't explain to me why she seems to know my pain, but her determination in her statement says it all; "Then let's go save her."

I give her an incredulous look. "Weren't you the one who said you didn't care about anything else besides your people? You're willing to put our investigation on hold and help me?"

"Obi Wan ordered us to wait on Taris until he gives us further instructions. The investigation is already on hold. But besides that, you have helped stop me and my people from making a terrible mistake. You made us see the truth. For that I owe you."

I smile at her, turning the engine of the ship on. "She lives on Tatooine. It won't be a long trip, but if you want to get some sleep you can. I'll fly."

She nods, hesitating before saying this; "If you need someone to talk to about your nightmares...I'm here. I have them, too. It's easier to talk about them with someone."

Her expression is soft and very sincere, it makes me look away, feeling my heart flutter. I nod my head to her, lifting the ship off the ground. "Thank you, Fallon."

-

Genevieve

My favorite place to play when I was growing up was the garden. Whether I was back on Taris or here, the garden was where I felt the most free. Padmé's family has a beautiful garden in their backyard, filled with flowers, trees, and plants that make you feel like you're in a painting. At the summer palace there are fields of flowers and wild life stretching out for miles. This is where the family got their garden; they took a piece of it and put it in their backyard.

I am outside in the garden now, soaking up the rays of the sun and listening to the rustling of the plants and grass as a breeze picks up. Naboo is the only place that can rival Taris's beauty.