Confessions

1.1 The Malevolence

"Padmé, what's happening?" Anakin asked worriedly.

"We're being pulled inside the droid cruiser by a tractor beam!" Padmé's face hardened, "I will not be made a Separatist bargaining chip."

"Continue your attack," Padmé insisted, "You must destroy this monstrous ship!"

The communications cut off as the small cruiser entered the hangar deck. Sabé was on her feet in an instant, helping Padmé get the droid up onto his feet.

"It does not look safe out there, my lady," C-3PO tried to advise the senator, but she already had a plan forming.

"I see now this whole thing was a trap," Padmé was worried and visibly upset, "And I'm afraid I walked us right into it."

"Well," Sabé pulled out a blaster from one of the nearby storage units, "Luckily I'm here to help us get out of it then, little sister"

"I have an idea," Padmé said, looking at her sister, "Overload the power system and let's get out of here."

"You've spent way too much time with Anakin, Padmé," Sabé shook her head as she followed the order, "Blowing up nice ships."

The trio clambered down into the bowels of the small ship, slipping out from under the landing gear to try and remain unseen. The air was hot and smoke from the active fires around them tasted foul on Sabé's tongue. They only had the one blaster, there was no time to search for more, and Sabé held it tightly in her grasp as she kept watch. Padmé was busy coaxing their gold-plated friend down the hatch. Sabé was worried a small company of droids was headed their way, they would not be alone for long and she feared she would not be enough to defend them.

When 3PO was finally on solid ground, Sabé covered them as they made their way to a small alcove. Due to the charred edges, she doubted it had been there in the original floorplan. Though Sabé wanted to get out quickly, they would need the explosion as a distraction. Whoever was taken with it would just be a happy coincidence. Unfortunately, Sabé saw a figure she knew all too well from Obi-Wan's messages, the infamous General Grievous and she was eager to avoid him at all costs.

Moments later, the cybernetic killer rushed out just before the ship exploded. Flames and chunks of metal were strewn all around the already flaming hangar. Sabé didn't have time to gloat as Padmé was already whisking the trio away. The bodyguard hurried after her, Sabé would be furious with herself if she let her sister go off on her own. She knew Anakin well enough that he would send a group to rescue Padmé, Sabé just needed to keep them alive until they got there.

Sabé walked in the front of the group, clearing each opening with her blaster before they passed it as they made their way down a long corridor. She wasn't sure what Padmé was looking for, but she knew her sister well enough that she would tell her when she found it. Sabé was proven right not long after as Padmé stopped at a control panel.

"Pardon me," 3PO addressed Padmé as she stopped, "but might I suggest we keep moving?"

"I agree, Padmé, I can hear battle droids nearby," Sabé scanned the area, "We must leave immediately."

"But we also need to contact the fleet," Padmé responded, focused on her task, "if I can just get this comm panel working."

"My lady, I'm afraid Miss Sabé was right."

Sabé jerked back from her lookout spot. Grievous was leading a group of droids and they were closing in fast. The only advantage the small group of stowaways had was that they had yet to be spotted. However, Sabé feared that would not last much longer. She was not going to subject herself or Padmé to whatever cruelty the creature would surely do to them if they were caught. She thrust the blaster into 3PO's arms and pulled at a few loose panels, creating an opening just big enough for the three to hide in. They crammed together not a moment too soon as the General was stopped just in front of their hiding space.