This is my new story which takes place after 'Protect A Senator', when Anakin was captured and beaten by Ventress and Dooku while on a mission to protect Senator Padmé Amidala Skywalker. I thought that some old characters deserved a chance in the spotlight, so here goes…

Prologue

The Slaves were in desperate need of assistance. They had rose up in revolt against their Master's when they had begun a new contest between themselves which took place every month in the large squares in the bustling space-ports all over Tantooine – who can beat their slave the most.

It was sickening to watch, and Melee tried to avoid being around when it happened. She had been freed a few months before, and now worked for her former owner, but was paid for it. It was a few days after she had been freed that the first slave-beating contest had broken out, and she couldn't help but thank the Goddess that she had been so lucky.

Kitster Banai had bought his freedom a year previously – doing odd jobs around the place for ages until he had accumulated enough money for his master to free him. It had taken a while, but he had managed in the end, and he too found himself whispering a silent prayer to the Goddess as he watched a contest one day, thanking her for the freedom that he now enjoyed, and begging her for this brutality to end soon – to keep his slave friends safe. It had been as he watched a contest that he had made up his mind.

Something had to be done.

Wald, being free-born, was safe from the contest, but hated to see his friends treated like that. The same could be said for Seek.

Seek had changed in the years since Anakin's departure. He was friendlier now, and was no longer the local bully. He had grown close to the other children of his age.

Amee hadn't been so lucky. She was still a slave, and so far had been on the receiving end of three out of the five beating contests that had taken place. Her friends had been great, and had even helped nurse her back to health so that she could get back to normal quicker. Her master's beat her even more if she didn't do anything fast enough, so it was vital that she recover quickly – not an easy feat in the sweltering climate of Tantooine.

Watto – surprisingly – hated these contests almost as much as the slaves. He had seen the error of his ways, and had surprised the others greatly when he had approached Kitster, Melee, Wald and Seek one day – Amee had been asleep at the time, having just had the shit kicked out of her – and suggested something ought to be done about it. Once they saw that he really had changed, they told him that they had been thinking exactly the same thing, and thought that a Slave Revolt would be the best thing.

And so they had. Slaves all over the planet were angry at the new ways they were being treated – sure, they'd been beaten before, but never like this! – and had readily agreed when the message was passed around that there was to be a revolt.

Kitster and the others were not the only ones who spread the message. Once a slave heard, they would tell another, who would in turn tell another, and so the pattern continued. Even a few trustworthy free-borns helped out. The Lars' in particular. Shmi Skywalker had been like a mother to Kitster, so he had often been to visit the Lars' over the years. When he had told them what the slaves were planning, they had immediately offered their help, even helping find supplies for the slaves to defend themselves with. Beru was a great healer, so people went to see her when they were beaten. She and old Jira were the best that people knew – and the most trustworthy.

Soon every slave knew about the revolt, and the knowledge that something was finally going to be done after thousands of years of injustice gave them strength. Slowly, they began to stand up to their masters, refusing to do particularly in-humane jobs that were demanded of them.

And they paid dearly.

The master's attacked their slaves worse than ever, ambushing a bunch of them who were crossing the dessert one sweaty day. The sand ran red with their blood.

The slaves were outraged as their masters attacked them more and more. They were getting desperate. They had formed a leadership, Kitster Banai and Owen Lars were the main leaders, but Melee, Amee, Seek, Watto, Wald and several others were also in charge. That way it was harder for the slave masters to track who the leaders were, as there were several spread out across the planet.

There was another battle, in which many lost their lives – both slave and master alike – and others suffered terrible injuries.

That was when they decided serious help was needed. It took them about a month to get a ship and organise everything for when they were away, but finally, six months after the first beating contest, Kitster, Melee and Watto were deep in space, headed to Coruscant to seek the help of the Republic.

For Melee, this was a dream come true. Literally. As a little girl, she had often dreamed of soaring off into the stars to see them up close – but usually a certain Anakin Skywalker had featured in those dreams, as she had had a secret, driving crush on him for ages, that had seemingly grown over the years, but she had learned long ago not to let it show, though she suspected Kitster still knew. It was fantastic, but freezing cold. But, as the trip dragged on and on, the enthusiasm began to wear off as they wondered how they would go about seeking the Republics assistance.

Kitster's thoughts centred mainly around his 'brother' as he piloted the ship. Anakin Skywalker though not his real brother, had been as good as, and, though still a young boy – the same age as Kitster – he had seemed to know how to pilot a ship – anything mechanical just came naturally to him. Kitster sorely missed his brother, and he hoped that he might get to see him again on this trip, but he tried hard to stem that hope. The Republic is at war, he told himself. Anakin'll be off fighting somewhere, doing everything he can to help others, knowing him. That was, if he did still know him. The thought saddened Kitster. Perhaps his brother had changed in their years of separation, and he was no longer his brother.

Kitster forced himself to think of something else.

Watto was thinking how they were going to gain the Republics help. He himself didn't have a clue how, He just hopped the others would have a few good ideas.

Several Hours Later

They had got on the planet and parked easily, but it was late, so they decided to book into a motel and seek help in the morning.

When they wee all booked in, they headed to the club across the road from where they were staying. They were parched and curious.

The club was packed with scarcely dressed women and drunk men. There were several different alien species all packed into one building. It was a truly magnificent sight, if a little unruly.

As he ordered their drinks, Kitster noticed the man beside him. He had reddish-brown floppy hair with a beard and a moustache to match. But that wasn't what attracted Kitster's gaze.

It was the Lightsaber hanging at the mans belt.

He introduced himself, then asked if they could speak privately. The man agreed, and led him and the other two over to a booth where a blue female Twi'lek and a young Togrutan girl sat, both obviously Jedi too.

He began to explain about the slaves and their slightly more than sticky situation.

Chapter One

Padmé Amidala Skywalker stepped into her bedroom, closed the door behind her, and smiled, leaning against the door with her eyes closed.

Her husband was coming home tonight after a lengthy absence, and she intended to pleasure him all night long. The Council had told her that Anakin had taken a bit of a beating, but she was guessing that it wasn't that serious – they would have told her if it was, wouldn't they?

She moved across to her walk-in wardrobe and pulled open the double doors, making her way through all the senatorial dresses to the ones she could wear when she wasn't in the senate – and her lingerie collection. Normally she would just wear plain lingerie, but tonight…tonight she would wear lingerie and a dress that would drive her kiss-hungry husband mad with desire.

Husband. The word had a different meaning to her. She had been married for eleven months now to her real husband, and to her 'fake' husband for nine. Padmé frowned as the image of Rush Clovis floated into her mind, smiling the smile that she found so sickening, but what he thought was so seductive. He was constantly trying to seduce her into coming to bed with him, but she could be strong-willed when she wanted to be – and she definitely wanted to be with Clovis. He didn't know that Padmé was really married to Jedi General Anakin Skywalker, and he didn't know that she was madly in love with her real husband.

No Padmé! She told herself sternly, pushing all thoughts of Clovis from her mind. Tonight will be the first time you have seen your husband in three weeks, and nothing – NOTHING – is going to ruin your reunion!

She smiled once more as she pulled open a small drawer hidden deep inside her wardrobe. Only she, Dormé and Teckla – her two most trusted handmaidens – knew about this drawer. They were also two of the few who knew who she was really married to.

This drawer contained some very sexy lingerie that Dormé and Teckla had given her as a joke, telling her that she was only to wear them for Anakin – under no circumstances was Clovis to know she even owned such a thing! Padmé had accepted the gift, laughing along with them and swearing that she would do as they said.

She heard movement in the bedroom behind her, and hurriedly closed the drawer again, letting her dresses fall over it, hiding it from view, and hurried out of her wardrobe, fearing it was Clovis.

Instead, she found a grinning Dormé, the older woman with a mischievous glint in her eyes that Padmé felt slightly nervous about, knowing that she was probably about to start mercilessly teasing her about Anakin any minute now.

"Well, that's you sorted." Dormé said, her grin softening to an affectionate smile. In the years that she had served her – first as Queen of Naboo, then as Senator – Dormé had grown close to thee slightly younger woman.

Padmé raised an eyebrow, and Dormé chuckled.

"I've sent Clovis packing." She said, and Padmé laughed.

"Really?" Why did she feel so pleased to hear that news? She was supposed to be married to him, for God sake!

"Not permanently," Dormé admitted, with a slightly bitter edge to her voice – she loathed the man. "But he will not disturb you tonight. He is travelling back to Scipio to see his mother, I faked a holo-mail from his sister telling him that she's ill and he needs to come quick. He asked me to tell you, and to give you his humblest apologies, asking me to tell you that he didn't ask you to accompany him because e didn't want you to get sick too." The two friends shared another laugh, then Dormé changed the subject slightly. "So, what are you wearing tonight?"

"Um…" Padmé avoided Dorme's teasing gaze. "This?" She gestured down at the long, bleak, not remotely enticing senatorial gown she had on.

Dormé gave a mocking of an exasperated snort. "Not a chance." She told her. "You have to wear something that will make that devilishly handsome husband of yours want to rip the clothes off your body as soon as he sees you and have his wicked way with you."

Padmé blushed scarlet, and Dormé laughed again. "Go on, admit it," She teased. "You were planning on doing that anyway."

Padmé laughed. "Alright, I admit it! I was considering it!"

"You were doing more than considering it, Mrs Skywalker," Dormé informed her, waggling a teasing finger at her. "So come on, then. Lets get you kitted out for the big night" Ahs she practically dragged Padmé through the wardrobe to the drawer that Padmé had just hidden.

"I know just the thing," Dormé muttered, rummaging through the lingerie before pulling out the most recent that she had given her, with a triumphant; "Ta-Da!"

Padmé laughed. "Seriously?"

"Yes milady; seriously. That evil glint was back in Dorme's eyes. She loved helping Padmé find the right clothes to drive her husband crazy.

She held out the bra and scanty knickers to Padmé, who took them – still laughing.

They were a matching set of a deep, crimson red colour. It was an extreme push-up bra that Padmé knew would give her cleavage she never even knew she possessed. The knickers…well, lets just say there wasn't much of the lacy material.

"And now for a dress," Dormé said, strolling over to a row partially hidden in the far corner, missing Padmé's grin behind her.

She got Padmé to try on at least five dresses before finally settling for a slinky black number with a deep, square neck and a slit up the right side almost to her backside. The dress clung to her slender frame – her chest amplified by the push-up bra, and the dress hugging her backside nicely. The fastenings were simple: long , black ribbons criss-crossing up the bare skin of her back, but they would take longer than usual to undo, and would deliciously frustrate Anakin as he would want to claim her as soon as he saw the wickedness of her dress – Padmé knew this from experience.

Dormé left not long after, but not before checking on the dinner she had started, and setting the table for a romantic dinner for two – candles and all. She and Teckla were going to tour Coruscant, visiting places they'd never been before or places they hadn't been in a long time, then spend the night at Teckla's small flat.

Padmé smiled as she brushed her long hair, studying her reflection in the mirror. She had decided to wear her hair loose – with only her fringe twisted them clasped behind her head with a simple yet elegant clip.

She dabbed on her favourite perfume – a couple of drops behind her ears and on her wrists, then added a pair of black, velvet, strapless high heels, completing the outfit beautifully.

She blushed slightly as she studied herself. Before she had been reunited with Anakin after a ten year separation, she would never have dreamed wearing such a sinful dress, but now that she was married, she gave into desire and wanted to sexually entice her husband – as she knew this outfit would.

She made her way into the kitchen, humming quietly to herself, and smiled when she saw the table that Dormé and Teckla had laid.

There were twin, scented candles in twisting gold holders, and s large bunch of Nubian red roses to match – her favourite. She leaned over, taking a delicate flower in her hand and inhaling the exotic perfume. It smelt heavenly.

She checked on the food, and was just dishing it out onto two plates – ready to put in the oven to keep warm, when the doorbell rang, then she heard the sliding front door open and close.

Anakin.

Almost trembling with excitement, Padmé lay the plates down on the table and went through to the front room to greet her husband.

Her breath caught in her throat as she froze in the doorway, transfixed by the vision of male-beauty in front of her.

Anakin's back was too her as he shrugged off his long Jedi cloak, draping it over the back of the couch, so she couldn't see the bruises.

He turned to face her, a soft smile on his face. His mouth fell open as his eyes drank in the sight of her – he had seen her wear sexy dresses before, but never as sexy as this one. She smiled as she walked slowly towards him, her eyes drinking in the sight of his bruised and cut face, but she didn't comment, finally able to make her legs obey he.

When she reached him, she ran a delicate finger down his cheek – trying to avoid bruises – curling her finger under his chin and closing his mouth with a snap, her deep brown eyes never once leaving his electric blue ones.

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her close as her arms draped around his neck. Then he crashed his lips to her with the urgency of their time spent apart in cells, their lips merging as one as Padmé seemed to melt into his chest.

His left hand made its way down her side, finding the slit up her leg and diving in, curling round her thigh and pulling it around his own leg. She moaned low in the back of her throat as she felt him harden against her. She smiled against his lips, and twisted her hips closer to him, her naked leg tightening round his as their heads glided from side to side, as their tongues curled round and round in her mouth.

She pulled back after a few moments. "Dinner will go cold." She whispered, once again caught in those mesmerising blue eyes of his.

He smiled, and released her, only keeping hold of her hand. "Lead the way." He murmured, and she trembled slightly at the sexy tenor of his voice.

"Be warned, Dorme's had fun." Padmé said as she led him by the hand through to the kitchen, unaware that his eyes were on the sexy sway of her backside.

"Oh dear," He chuckled. He knew what a romantic Dormé was, and that she wasn't afraid to go a little over the top if she felt the cause worthy.

How was it? Good? Bad? Let me know!

I'll update as soon as I can.