Shadows (post-AOTC) in collaboration with Jedi Princess Solo *****New Post, AUGUST 8th!*****

Wow, that was really great. You do everyone's perspective beautifully and realistically. Obi-Wan's reluctance to reveal his true emotions was so sad.

Post more and soon!

 

Thanks BB Kathryn has the next post, so whenever she has time to get it done, we'll post it

 

Ladies, I love this story! I can't tell you how great I think it is. I'm always looking forward to an update.

 

No new post yet?

 

hey i just found this thread and i have to say: great job so far!

keep the good posts coming

and up!

 

Thanks guys. Welcome Alienne. Yeah, the new post will be up soon. Tonight, I should think, if not early tomorrow.

 

Yep, I think Kathryn is right

 

Ok. Here it is.

Padme's heart was racing as she prepared to enter the Chancellor's office.

It had nothing to do with Palpatine or the Jedi Masters inside, and it had everything to do with a certain man who had recently taken the trials and passed them. The newest Jedi Knight among the Order.

Her husband was inside that room.

Even without the Force she could always tell when Anakin was near. Her pulse would start to race and her heart would beat so furiously that it should have broken her chest. Whenever Anakin was near, Padme felt whole again.

Two years today, she thought, a warm rush of love and passion sweeping over her. Two years ago to the day she and Anakin had been secretly married.

For two years they had loved one another from afar, with scattered visits whenever Anakin could sneak away to Naboo to see her. He didn't make it there nearly enough for either of them, but it was enough to keep Padme going.

Anakin was enough to keep her going.

Now, though, Padme had returned to Coruscant. Nute Gunray had been captured. There was no longer any direct threat to Padme's life, and so she had chosen to make the journey to Coruscant to address the Senate about the Clone Wars. Or so she would have everyone believe.

For the first time in her life, Padme Amidala cared more about her personal life than her political one. While the Clone Wars were important to her, she understood what was at stake, nothing could ever mean as much to her as Anakin Skywalker did.

And she would see him, for the first time in over six months, as soon as she walked through the door.

She wanted to reach a hand up to check her hair, or ask Dorme for a reflector to be sure that she looked all right, but she knew that she couldn't. If she did, they would wonder why she cared so much about her appearance in front of a room full of Senators and Jedi.

She couldn't tell them that it was only one Jedi who she wanted to look nice for.

Anakin had been away from the Temple when Nute Gunray was found, leading a group of the clone soldiers on a mission into Separatist territory. He had not been there to act, but Padme had.

The message that Intelligence had tracked the leader of the Trade Federation had come to her while on Naboo. Padme had not hesitated. She had gone immediately to Queen Jamilla and had been given a strike force to help her take out Gunray. Jamilla had pleaded for her to let Captain Typho lead the strike, but Padme had refused. Gunray had tired to kill her too many times for her liking, she wanted the pleasure of bringing him down herself.

They had infiltrated the base on Corellia. Well outside of Cornet City, it was where Gunray and his advisors had retreated into hiding after the battle of Genosis. It had been the perfect place for their activities to go unnoticed.

With the element of surprise on her side, Padme and her strike team had apprehended not only Gunray, but his advisor Daultay Dofine, as well. Despite their small victory, Gunray's loyal chairman Rune Haako had not been apprehended, and Padme knew that with Gunray a prisoner of the Republic, Haako would assume control of the Trade Federation and their droid armies.

As the Chancellor's aide announced her arrival, Padme wondered briefly if Anakin would be angry with her for the daring strike. She had risked her life again when others could have done it for her, something she knew he hated. With so much danger from the war going on around them, Anakin did not like to see her placing herself in even more danger.

She was his wife, after all.

But this had been the best decision, Padme was sure of that. Nute Gunray had to be stopped, and with him out of the picture, the Trade Federation was that much weaker. And it didn't hurt that now there was no reason for her to stay on Naboo.

Now, she could finally be the one to visit Anakin, to see his eyes light up as she entered the room after so many months of separation. She recognized that there would be added challenges to this new arrangement, but she wasn't worr

 

Yay!!! Great postie!

 

Awesome post, Kathryn, JPS! Awww, you guys have captured Padme and Anakin so perfectly! And I can really see that being the situation w/ Ep. 3 That was great, can't wait for more!

 

Wow. This is such a wonderful story, and I'll follow along. The thing that attracted my attention, though, was the fact that the fic I'm writing is also entitled "Shadows".

Don't bother. I'll just have to be creative and think of something new.

 

Great story. Looking forward to seeing more.

 

Wow, that must be so hard for Anakin and Padme. Two years and they still have to keep their love a secret. I imagine they don't get to spend much time together.

But it was a great post! I loved the little silent communications Anakin and Padme were having that no one (hopefully) noticed. I liked Jealous Anakin a lot...hehe.

Post more soon!

 

It's a great thing I stumbled onto this, I've been missing a lot! Great job Kathryn and JPS, I'll be sure to follow along.


*SB*

 

I can't wait till the next update wheen Anakin and Padmé reunite! This post was excellent. I hope you get to post soon.

Hoya

 

very, very good post!

hooray! they'll be together soon!

perfectly written about when they saw each other for the first time. it made ME feel tense!

and up!

 

A lone figure dressed in black crept across the roof of the Imperial Senate apartment, moving in the shadows, slinking along with the grace and stealth of a Tuskan wildcat.

The figure leapt over the large gap between buildings, landing easily and without breaking stride. Stalking along the sloped roof, he made his way to the edge of the building and peered over at the balcony below. It was a ten meter drop, but not impossible.

Bending his knees slightly, he leapt, falling the distance quickly, and landing lithely, showing no signs of the impact. He straightened, gazing through the transparisteel before him. The blinds were closed, but a gentle nudge with his thoughts fixed that and he found the window was already open slightly.

Smiling, he reached out with his mind and pushed it the rest of the way open, then slipped through the opening and into the dark room. He left the window open, in case he had to make a quick escape, and turned towards the bed where the woman slept.

He tiptoed through the dim room, careful to avoid the trunks full of clothing and the ornamental decor of the room, letting his memory guide his steps around the furniture. He knelt beside the bed, his heart racing and his breath catching in his throat as he reached out a hand to stroke her dark hair.

The woman stirred and rolled towards him, and her dark eyes fluttered open. He saw the flicker of relief there, and felt the overwhelming wave of joy at his presence, which made him grin. She smiled at him and sat up, letting the bedsheet fall away to reveal the white nightgown he had always liked best.

"Hello, Anakin," she said softly.

The sound of her voice, hearing her say his name, feeling her arms wrap around him as she drew him near, was overpowering. Anakin Skywalker felt tears of joy stinging his eyes, and he didn't care. All he cared about was that he was with Padmé again. With his wife.

"Hello, Padmé," he whispered huskily, pulling back to study her beautiful face. His chest tightened, as it always did, when he felt the love and passion radiating off of her, all directed at him. He caressed her cheek gently with his hand, memorizing her features, his throat tight with emotion.

He tilted his head down and she lifted her chin, and a wave of dizzying passion swept over him as their lips met. All thought, all purpose faded as the entire galaxy slipped away. If ever Anakin had any doubts about the sacrifice marrying her would mean, all he had to do was kiss her to know he had made the right decision. One kiss and there was nothing but Padmé. One kiss and there was life, love, happiness, to such a degree that it was mind-blowing. For one kiss from Padmé, Anakin would fight the entire galaxy on his own.

He would die for just one more kiss from her.

"I love you," he murmured against her lips.

"I love you, too," she whispered, pulling back and favoring him with a broad smile that made his heart soar. She threw her arms around him again, clutching him fiercely. "Oh, Ani, I've missed you so much!" she cried.

It didn't bother Anakin anymore to have her call him that, to have her call him by his childhood nickname. When she said it there was so much love and affection behind it that it filled him with a warmth so deep it penetrated the darkest parts of his soul.

"I missed you, too, Padmé," he said, holding her tightly, savoring the feel of her in his arms, the smell of her hair, the softness of her cheek against his. "So much."

"I was going crazy without you," Padmé said softly. "I couldn't stand being away from you any longer than I had been."

"Is that why you went after Gunray?" Anakin asked, mixed emotions welling up inside of him. He felt Padmé stiffen slightly in his arms, felt her try to pull back to look at him, but he had missed her arms so much over the past few months that he could not bear to let her go, so her held her closer.

"I'm sorry if I upset you," she whispered, relaxing into his chest. "I know it was risky, and I know you worry for my safety. But I worry for yours, too,

 

That was awesome!!! It was so romantic! I loved it! MORE! MORE!! MORE!!!

Hoya

 

Thank you Hoya I think Kathryn will have a post up sometime soon, so it shouldn't be too long

 

Awesome post JPS! Loved it Oh, it was wonderful! Can't wait for the next one

 

Mmmm I always get all warm and tingly when I read posties like this. Can I archive this on the A/A Databank/Website? (Link in sig)


*SB*

 

Go for it

 

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Well, here's the next post.


Padme Amidala had walked down the vast, steel corridor leading to the Galactic Senate many times in her life. This one felt no different from the others. Yet another crucial appeal for action to bring before the Senators. Yet another debate over what the Republic should do next. There would be arguing and deliberations and it would take forever for them to finally realize there really was only one option before them.

Sometimes I think Ani is right about the Senate, she thought with a sigh.

She had hurried to her office that morning, after finally removing herself from Anakin's warm embrace, knowing she was cutting it close if she wanted to have time to
prepare before the session convened for the day.

Dormé had been there already, hard at work with datapads spread out across the desk, going over Padme's speech one last time to be sure it was right. Padmé couldn't help feeling slightly guilty that Dorme had been there before her.

She also realized what a good and loyal friend her attendant was.

Dorme had not reproached her for being late, only given her a knowing little smile before vacating the chair so Padme could work. Not for the first time, Padme wondered how much Dormé already suspected.

As she entered the Senate Chamber, stepping into her floating platform, Padme tried to put the previous night to the back of her mind. She had to keep her attention on her work. On the task ahead.

This time, she thought with a small smile of determination. What I do I do for Anakin. For us. For our future.

Many of the Senator platforms hovered empty, even more star systems having joined the Seperatist movement. In the center of the main floor, Chancellor Palpatine stood at his stationary dais, looking tired and weary. Padme wondered just how long the Senators had been arguing before her arrival.

"My fellow Senators," she said loudly, her voice booming through the acoustics as silence filled the hall. "I have come before you today with the gravest of missions. To persuade you to approve a swift and precise strike against the Separatists, one that will put them in a position where they will most likely be willing to negotiate for peace."

She paused for a moment, gazing around the room, purposely letting her gaze seem to penetrate every Senator. She didn't need the Force to sense that she had their complete and undivided attention.

"The Clone Wars have been raging for two years," she continued evenly. "That is two years longer than they ever should have lasted. It is time for the Republic to show our true strength. We must not keep defending our homes and our way of life. We must go on the offensive and strike at them before they strike at us. If we do not, our lives as we know them will be forever changed."

Taking a deep breath, she went on to present the information she had been given by the military, and from the Jedi. She explained in great detail the plan that had been put together by the Jedi Council and General Kenobi, urging the Senate to ratify the proposal.

"And you support this plan, Senator Amidala?" Owek Karr, the Twi'lek Senator asked.

Padmé understood his skepticism. It was well known among the Senate that she did not favor the idea of violence, for any purpose. But even the Jedi knew the truth, there was no other choice left. The only way to stop the war was to strike at the heart of the Seperatist Movement.

Count Dooku.

"Yes," she replied. "I support it with my whole heart."

[This is folly! Sending our troops into the stronghold of a Jedi!] the representative from
Kashykk, Tri'wekkar, protested.

The floor erupted in chattering and arguing, and it was sometime before the chair could restore order, before Padmé could answer.

?The Jedi are doing all they can," Padme assured him. "But as we all know, they are not soldiers. They are already pressing the lines of their Order in what they do now. Still, the Council contributed the intelligence report you just heard, participated

 

That post was very well written. I think you've got Padmé's 'senator' attitude down to a t. Great job, I loved it!


*SB*

 

Great couple of posts, ladies! I'm really enjoying this story.