Balance and Victory: A Star Wars Alternate Universe [COMPLETED!]

Prologue

The sun had just set over Coruscant, and the cityscape was starting to light up. Coruscant was always filled with light, of course- during the daytime, the metallic walls and windows of the skyscrapers brilliantly reflected the sunlight, and at night, everyone's electrical lights came on. Now the city looked like millions of tiny diamonds scattered across an immense velvet backdrop.

Dusk was possibly Padmé's favorite time of day on this planet. Partly because of the quiet beauty, partly because her work day was usually done, and partly because this was when Anakin was likely to come.

Normally he was here by now. Her more sensible side told her that he was simply held up at the Jedi Temple and that it was nothing to worry about. But of course, her overactive mind played with other possibilities- had he been sent off on yet another mission, without telling her? Had she turned him off in their earlier discussion about the war and the Republic and the Chancellor, when she dared to suggest they were on the wrong side?

His schedule is unpredictable, she told herself. That's all.

Padmé considered going to bed immediately, despite the early hour. Her Senatorial duties for the day were done, and she was exhausted. It was amazing how pregnancy, especially in its later stages, made normal activities so draining. The past several months had been difficult, especially since Anakin was gone for most of them. But Padmé told herself it would be worth it. Very soon, they would be a real family.

Before she could decide what to do with the rest of her evening, a polite tap sounded on her office door, accompanied by the chirpy voice of C-3P0. "Mistress Padmé? We are receiving a transmission from Artoo. He insists on talking to you. He seems very upset. I wonder what has got poor Artoo's circuits in a frenzy now-"

"Relax, Threepio, I'm coming." Padmé couldn't help but smile at the droid's antics. She stood up, stretched her achy back and went out to the living room, where Threepio was holding a comlink.

"For goodness' sakes, Artoo, settle down! Mistress Padmé is here now." He handed the comlink to her.

"What's the matter, Artoo?"

Padmé could understand a little of the Astromech language, but Artoo's beeps came out so fast and frantic that she couldn't understand a single word. She glanced up at Threepio for help.

"He says he is quite worried about Master Anakin. That he has been behaving rather strangely lately."

Padmé nodded. "I know... I've been worried too. Is anything in particular wrong, Artoo?"

Another complex sequence of beeps came out. Threepio translated, "He says Master Anakin came running out of the Jedi Temple and headed for the Chancellor's office, and didn't let Artoo come along."

Padmé gave a little sigh. Sometimes the droids, like children, could get very worked up about small things. "Artoo, I understand you feel like he's ignoring you, but he and the Chancellor are friends. He goes to the Chancellor's office a lot. That doesn't seem unusual to me."

Artoo's response was short, almost pouty. Threepio translated, "Artoo says Master Anakin had direct orders to stay in the Council chamber."

"How do you know, Artoo?"

"He says Master Anakin told him... directly. Artoo says when he asked why he couldn't come along, Anakin said it was because he was supposed to be in the Council chamber."

"Well, he is very prone to disregarding direct orders..." But Padmé started to think about the details a little more closely. Why had he been given orders to stay in the Council chamber, anyway? And what came up urgently enough that he defied the Jedi Masters to go to the Chancellor's office? Something seemed very wrong about all this, and she wasn't sure what. She was no Jedi, but she had instincts, and she had learned to trust them over the years.

"Maybe I will drop by the Chancellor's office, just to make sure everything is all right. Artoo, thanks for the alert. I'll be there soon."

(Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this first installment of my Star Wars AU! This is not the first thing I've written, but it is the first thing I've posted on this site.

If you are a first-time reader opening this up for the first time, welcome!! I'd love it if you comment and introduce yourself, and tell me how you  found this. I hope you decide to keep reading.

Please vote if you liked this section, and definitely comment and tell me whatever random thoughts or constructive criticism you may have. Thanks for reading!! :D )