From The Ashes//anidala

18

FROM THE ASHES

Chapter 18

"Senator! Come here, we have a transmission concerning Senator Amidala you will be interested in." An aide called, hurrying down the vast columned hallway.

"What is it?"

"Come, you must see the hologram, it is most disturbing." Bail Organa turned to follow as fast as he could in his dignified manner.

"May we see it?" Anakin asked.

"Of course. You're involved, too. Right this way."

Anakin and Obiwan jogged behind the Senator from Alderaan as he made his way to the hologram viewer. Entering the room, all of the other representatives from Naboo were gathered, with solemn and glum expressions. Even Binks had returned to work, with a cane and a seeing eye creature. "Meesa can't see this but it sounds soooo sad." He said, shaking his large head. Anakin was too interested and upset to even acknowledge his old friend.

"Play it again, now!" He demanded. His agressive voice was understandable considering it was his wife in danger.

Everyone was silent as it played again. Anakin watched the hologram materialize. It was Padme! She began to speak. "It is I, Senator Padme Naberrie Amidala. As a public declaration before the entire galaxy, I hearby announce that I was wrong about Gerapaline, denounce all action taken against him, and insist he be allowed to return to his home, his fortunes and freedom restored, with full honors and citizenship. I demand this in the name of Naboo and the Imperial Senate." Her face was like a droid's, frozen in one expression and emotionless.

"Shesa can't mean it!" Binks cried. "Shesa knows what he did to me. Ani, you knowsa Padme don't mean it."

He walked over to Jar Jar and touched his arm. "I am with you, Jar Jar. She hates him! She is against everything he did to you, to me, to everyone he has hurt in many ways. I know she is not doing this of her own free will. I hold much fear for her, surely she is being coerced, even threatened." He looked over at Obiwan, who of course agreed.

"Obiviously. How can he expect anyone to be fooled by this? He kills her father and kidnaps her and her mother and children and now he expects us to believe she is serious? I hate to think what he has done to her to make her say this."

Anakin's eyes turned cold and scared and his face pale. "Me too. He must be using blackmail and threats to the babies against her. There is no way she would consent to this, even if she herself were being tortured. At least that means the babies are still alive."

"Anakin, do you think this, feel it, or sense it?" Obiwan asked.

"Maybe all of those."

Organa stood quietly with and drummed a finger against his own chin. "Are you quite certain she's a hostage?"

"What?" Anakin and Obiwan said loudly, almost in unison. Anakin stared in surprise at the Senator. "What are you saying, that she is with him of her own free will?"

Binks also spoke on her behalf. "Nooo, shesa not do that. Shesa mad, she the one who turned him in. Shesa hate Gerapaline! Hesa the terror of Naboo!"

"Thank you, Jar Jar!" Anakin shook his hand. "I was thinking, did you ever find out who was behind your acid blinding?"

Jar Jar lowered his long head and swung his neck. "Somebody who blamed meesa for da war."

"Are you sure?" Anakin inquired. "Was he never caught? I think Gerapaline may have been behind it."

Binks was surprised, his head turning back and forth in his own darkness, unable to face Anakin. "Yousa may be right Ani! Hesa want business for his evil rehab place, get a high profile Gungan of Naboo to getsa publicity!"