From The Ashes//anidala

16

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 16

Padme lay covered in a dark blanket, considering her next move. She knew she had her blaster safely hidden and thought about using it to hijack Gerapaline's ship. But then who would fly it? What if she were outnumbered and killed? She had to bide her time for the right moment, her mother and the babies needed her. When the ship finally stopped, she had no idea if they had left the planet or even what system they were on. She played limp as they carried her inside a building and she heard the door shut. Silence. She waited a few more minutes to make sure no one was going to do anything, then she slowly raised the blanket and looked around. It was a very dark room, and in the corner was her mother. She had been badly beaten. She was bloody and it appeared her limbs were broken. "Mother? Is that you?" Padme said quietly. Hearing this, her mother turned her head and moaned.

"Padme, is that you? Is it really you?"

"Mother!" She hurried to her side and sat next to her, holding her broken body in her arms. Turning her face toward her, she noticed that her eyes were gone! Padme was full of anger and disgust at this. "Mother, how could they do this to you! What happened? Where are the babies?"

Her voice sounded strange, she was having a hard time speaking since all her teeth had been knocked out. "He has them, he is using them to bargain...they said they wouldn't hurt me, they only needed me to take care of the babies..I tried to hang on for the babies...I was so upset about Ruwee..your father..they killed him.."

"I know, I saw him, how, why!"

"This is Gerapaline, who owned the hospital and rehab center you had shut down. As you know he is a ruthless and crooked businessman, the worst Naboo has known in my lifetime. He had a huge crime syndicate going and now he's lost it all. I always knew he was evil, now he has snapped. You were right to be scared when you saw he'd escaped... he was after you for having him arrested..."

"Mother, I am sorry, it's all my fault.."

"No it is not! You tried to do what was right, you fought for good, he is the one who is wrong. You didn't know..."

Padme was crying from her deepest breath and soul. "Mother, I can't help it.. I blame myself...but I won't let them do this..."

"Be quiet, dear, or this will happen to you. They beat me because I tried to reason with them, to change their minds, to make them feel guilty.. they tried to do experiments on me. They put out my eyes then tried to replace them with their mechanical ones that do not work." She raised her head and it was then that Padme noticed the horrendous damage to her mother's face. She gasped, then begain to cry.

"They did it because of me, oh mother...I cannot deal with this...how can I save you now..."

"You cannot, Padme, I am dying."

"No, you can't be, not you, too!" She cradled her mother's bloody head on her lap. I love you, mother."

"I love you too, Padme. My good girl, my beautiful, grown up daughter...you've always been so good. I know you will do whatever you can to save my...your..babies. Don't let him have them. Don't let him hurt you. You must get away, you must stop him."

"I promise, Mother!"

"Padme, when the babies are older, tell them about me, how much I loved them."

Padme was heartbroken and in tears. "I..I will, we will never forget you."

"Padme, one more thing, please, be kind to Master Skywalker, he loves you so." Padme was surprised her mother would use her dying words to speak for Anakin. "Do not judge him too harshly, it was only his love that led him the way he went. Love does strange things to people. He loves you, please.." Padme just nodded.