Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover & George Lucas

Author:Matthew Stover & George Lucas
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Star Wars Fiction, General, Space Warfare, Fantasy, Adventure, Life on Other Planets, Fiction, Media Tie-In
ISBN: 9780345428844
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: 2005-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

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NOT FROM A JEDI

The sunset over Galactic City was stunning tonight: enoughparticulates from the fires remained in the capital planet's atmosphere to splinter the light of its distant blue-white sun into aprismatic smear across multilayered clouds.

Anakin barely noticed.

On the broad curving veranda that doubled as the landingdeck for Padme's apartment, he watched from the shadows asPadme stepped out of her speeder and graciously accepted Captain Typho's good night. As Typho flew the vehicle off towardthe immense residential tower's speeder park, she dismissed hertwo handmaidens and sent C-3PO on some busywork errand,then turned to lean on the veranda's balcony right where Anakin had leaned last night.

She gazed out on the sunset, but he gazed only at her.This was all he needed. To be here, to be with her. To watchthe sunset bring a blush to her ivory skin.

If not for his dreams, he'd withdraw from the Order today.Now. The Lost Twenty would be the Lost Twenty-One. Let thescandal come; it wouldn't destroy their lives. Not their real lives. It would destroy only the lives they'd had before each other: those separate years that now meant nothing at all.

He said softly, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

She jumped as if he'd pricked her with a needle. "Anakin!"

"I'm sorry." He smiled fondly as he moved out from theshadows. "I didn't mean to startle you." She held one hand pressed to her chest as though to keep herheart from leaping out. "No—no, it's all right. I just—Anakin, you shouldn't be out here. It's still daylight —"

"I couldn't wait, Padme. I had to see you." He took her inhis arms. "Tonight is forever from now—how am I supposed tolive that long without you?"

Her hand went from her chest to his. "But we're in full view of a million people, and you're a very famous man. Let's go inside."

He drew her back from the edge of the veranda, but made no

move to enter the apartment. "How are you feeling?"

Her smile was radiant as Tatooine's primary as she took hisflesh hand and pressed it to the soft fullness of her belly. "Hekeeps kicking."

"He?" Anakin asked mildly. "I thought you'd ordered yourmedical droid not to spoil the surprise."

"Oh, I didn't get this from the Emdee. It's my..." Hersmile went softly sly."...motherly intuition." He felt a sudden pulse against his palm and laughed. "Motherly intuition, huh? With a kick that hard? Definitely a girl."

She laid her head against his chest. "Anakin, let's go inside." He nuzzled her gleaming coils of hair. "I can't stay. I'm onmy way to meet with the Chancellor."

"Yes, I heard about your appointment to the Council.Anakin, I'm so proud of you." He lifted his head, an instant scowl gathering on his forehead. Why did she have to bring that up?

"There's nothing to be proud of," he said. "This is just political maneuvering between the Council and the Chancellor Igot caught in the middle, that's all."

"But to be on the Council, at your age—"

"They put me on the Council because they had to. Becausehe told them to, once the Senate gave him control of the Jedi "His voice lowered toward a growl.

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