fools, anakin skywalker (ongoing)

one.

this chapter has been edited as of december 31, 2019

CHAPTER ONE

THE explosion came out of nowhere.

Artie's shoulder slammed into the duracrete landing platform, the impact enough to knock the wind out of her. She laid still for what felt like an eternity, too afraid to move, to see what damage her body had suffered. Artie's ears popped and roared as Padmé's ship dissolved into flames, a great fist of smoke rising higher and higher into the sky. Panicked screams erupted all around her, terrified cries of "Where's the senator?" filling the air. Artie groaned and tried to roll over, but her entire body pounded with pain and even the smallest movement was torture. With her ear pressed to the ground, Artie became suddenly aware of a pair of footsteps thundering towards her.

"Artemis!" Padmé yelped, falling to her knees beside Artie and gingerly turning her onto her back. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," Artie huffed, wincing as another wave of pain hit her. With Padmé's help, she climbed unsteadily to her feet. Upon closer examination, Artie realized she was bleeding profusely from her nose, elbows, and knees, her trousers growing wetter and redder by the second. "What about you? Are you all right? Where's Cordé?"

Padmé suddenly looked like she wanted to burst into tears. "I—I . . . Oh, Cordé's gone, Artie," she wailed. "Whoever planted the bomb would have gotten what they wanted if not for her . . . I can hardly breathe, Artie, this is all too horrible."

Artemis took her teacher's hand and held it tightly. Padmé wore a simple guard's uniform, her long brown curls falling limp around her shoulders. Her disguise had saved her life. Artie could not bring herself to search out Cordé's body, but knew that wherever she had fallen she was donned in fine Nabooian robes. The faithful handmaiden had volunteered to act as Padmé in case of danger on Coruscant, while many advisers had waved her concerns off as frivolous and unnecessary. With a lump in her throat, Artie realized Cordé had been exactly right.

"We'll be okay," Artemis comforted. "Cordé . . . Cordé knew the risks. She was willing to give her life. She died honorably." The words felt empty and soulless, but it was the best Artie could muster. Her bones still rattled with shock as she stood there, clutching her friend.

"We need to get off the platform," Padmé hurried, "now."

Artie nodded anxiously. "I couldn't agree more."

Suddenly they were surrounded by guards. The pair marched off the landing platform and followed a narrow strip into the cavernous Senate Hall, smoke and fire still raging behind them.

• • •

THE REPUBLIC EXECUTIVE BUILDING was as pristine as it was large, and one could park a cruiser in the entrance hall if they wanted. Artie marched alongside Padmé, tears brimming her eyes as the loss of their friend truly seized her. With Captain Typho and his men flanking them, the pair headed straight for the turbolift that led directly to the Senate Chamber, where Chancellor Palpatine and the rest of the major senators were surely awaiting Padmé, ignorant that a deadly attack had occurred mere meters away.

"Remember," Padmé whispered to Artie as they stepped onto the lift, "our vote is against the absurd creation of this army. It will only lead us closer to war. No matter how the others bully, we must stand our ground." Artie nodded firmly and hoped her uneasiness was not obvious. She lifted a hand to her ear, both of which were pierced with decorative metal, and twisted one of the fashionable studs that ran up the length of her cartilage in a nervous habit she'd picked up. Her restlessness was apparently not lost on Padmé, who brought her hand back to her side and gave her arm a comforting squeeze. "If you're nervous, I'll do the talking." Padmé's voice was strained and feeble, but Artie trusted her to address the senators far more than she did herself. As an apprentice, she was not often expected to participate in strategic discussion, but Padmé encouraged her to practice here and there when the topic was somewhat casual.