•.[STAR WARS].•
21 BBY

Darkness was a boundless and ceaseless entity, completely consuming and engrossing. It felt like a weight, heavy and substantial, one that was hard to get rid off and hard to escape. Odessa was consumed by darkness, in a cold and lonely void that was spreading and fading into consciousness. The fierce and intense light hit her first, as she blinked through heavy jaded eyes, attempting to adjust to the newfound light.

Flashes and memories of the explosion appeared sharply into her clouded mind, images of motionless eyes and multiple armed droids, being enough to make her attempt to shoot up. Her body felt limited however, a striking pain running through her spine, instantly stopping her. The impact from the explosion hit her harder than she remembered, her blurry vision finally clearing as she looked around urgently.

Unfortunately it was not a dream. The marks littering her skin confirmed that. They looked to have been slightly cleaned up, along with her once shrivelled clothing which was now gone, and replaced with a simple black attire. A large gash ran through her chest and her lip felt to be slightly busted, but the most overshadowing and consuming pain was from the back of her head, where she assumed a large bruise had formed. She knew she had a concussion, but that was the least of her problems, her concern was getting herself home.

Anxiety and anticipation grew through her body as she managed to pull herself slightly up from the forced comfort off the small singular bed, saturated alone in an eerie bright room.  The small standing window was enough to tell her she was in space, the fully white interior room stocked with modern appliances and medical equipment of some sort, being enough to tell her this was no cell. She didn't know what to expect to wake up too, but this wasn't it, completely alone and solitary.

She moved to swing her body around, eyeing the door in the far corner with a sense of urgency. She submerged a groan as she shuffled forward her legs "Please your majesty, you took a nasty gash to the head-"

Odessa's eyes widened as she was forcefully pushed back to lay down on the bed, the interruption startling her as she was faced by an advanced medical droid. It had a black exterior, with red and silver framing that meant it moved easily from side to side. It towered over her, and the combination of its machined strength and her tiredness, eased her to lay back down onto the softness of the surface hesitantly.

"How long have I been here for?" She mumbled urgently

The droid replied with its same monotone and emotionless voice "Only a few hours miss. You really need your rest before-"

"No, no." She interrupted "I need to get out of here, now."

Odessa looked around urgently for a way to switch the droid off, looking and peering behind herself for any form of escape. If she wasn't in such an urgent and dire situation, she would feel bad for attempting to harm the polite droid, but otherwise she was desperate. She needed to get home before things grew worst and Count Dooku decided to make his presence known.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that your majesty." The robotic voice replied

She ignored it, readying to jump over the bed to the unplug the droid from behind before she felt a sharp and insignificant pain on her arm. She blinked for a moment, looking down spitefully once her eyes fell on a liquid injected into her arm "What did-"

"Rest." The brunette couldn't fight as the cold metal hands pushed her further down into the soft compress, her eyes growing increasingly heavy as she felt an overwhelming sense of tiredness come upon her "You are going to need it."

The words were merging messily together as she fell forcefully limp and weak, her brown linden eyes beginning to completely roll into her head as she watched the droid retreat. She was welcomed  into the darkness a second time, with yet again only one person in her mind, Anakin.

.•|{}|•.

"Anakin!"

Breathing heavily and erratically, Anakin awoke from his slumber in a fit of urgency and fear, his chest heaving and breath choking as he struggling to regain back control of his own breathing. His hair stuck to his forehead as sweat drenched his skin, the need to get out of bed being too strong, as he ripped the covers off his body and collected his head in his hands for a moment.

His head felt like it was going to explode, his strong hands clenching further as he attempting to get those screams out of his head. Her screams. His mind never failed at putting him on edge, especially when these nightmares included the familiar brunette. It wasn't rare for her brown hazel coloured eyes to meet his in the world dreams, however never did they seem this real, this specific. Odessa was usually by his side when they did appear, a constant and physical reminder that she was completely fine and alive. With him by her side she would always be okay, and she would always reassure him that they were simple taunting him, nothing more.

Anakin was struggling to collect himself however, standing up and throwing a robe over his body as he went outside for some fresh air. He tried to tell himself that Odessa was fine, at home in Eris, completely unharmed and well, and that the reason she was unable to ring him to tonight was simple because she was busy, or had fallen asleep.

She was protected there and yet those screams sounded so genuine. He had learnt a hard and bearing lesson to always listen to his intuition and mind, and his mind was telling him something was horrifically wrong. He felt uneasy, uncomfortable and disturbed.

There were flashes, flashes off her tired and bruised face scrambling across a diminished and ruined floor. She was desperate and exhausted, crying out for him in pain as she was wiped painfully onto her back. And then she was gone, and Anakin was left with her screams.

He couldn't help the pacing, being completely consumed in his thoughts despite the early hours in the morning. Something didn't feel right, a disturbance in the force that he couldn't exactly put his finger on. He needed to get a hold of his wife, otherwise his insanity and anticipation would lead him to fly to Eris himself.

"Anakin!" The Jedi finally snapped out of his thoughts as the pounding of the front door finally became clear. This was no feminine voice but a male one, an urgent and anxious tone. Obi-Wan

He wiped his hand over his forehead before swinging the door open. His former master looked clearly distressed, instantly noticing Anakin's similar state as he looked him up and down for a moment "You felt it too."

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows "What the hell is going on?"

Obi-Wan hesitated "Get some clothes on quickly, Master Yoda needs us both urgently."

"At this hour?" He scoffed even more confused

The older male ushered him to do so urgently "Anakin."

"One second."

He remerged moments after in his Jedi robes like Obi-Wan, the two walking side to side in a fast paced walk which matched the tense atmosphere. He still was thinking about Odessa, her screams taunting his mind as they were welcomed into a room. 

Anakin's suspicions and anxiety grew as his eyes lay on the numerous people in the room, the chancellor being one of them, along side Master Yoda, Mace Windu, a few busted up guards and Padme Amidala. A very heavy eyed Padme Amidala who looked to have tear dried eyes and flushed cheeks. She looked up at Anakin with such anticipation and worry that he began to put the pieces together, pieces that he was praying were wrong.

These men were workers from Eris, their clothing and uniform being something Anakin was familiar with already. As Obi-Wan and Anakin entered the hurried speaking stopped, the rooms attention quickly turning to them.

The chancellor stood up, clapping thankfully as he too looked solemn and saddened "Master Obi-Wan, young Skywalker, thank the universe you are here."

Obi-Wan began "Master Yoda called. I feel a disturbance in the-"

"What's happened?" Anakin interrupted sharply looking between the chancellor and slightly on Padme, who shock her head knowingly "These are men from Eris, I recognise the uniform."

The chancellor hesitated, sighing exasperatedly "It seems that yesterday afternoon, Count Dooku and his alliance attacked the centre of Eris. Multiple are dead and even more are injured, however I fear our main concern and problem is that the Queen is gone."

Anakin felt his breath hitch "What do you mean she's gone?"

"What the chancellor means to say is that Odessa has been taken." Padme voiced demandingly "Count Dooku and his secessionists movement against the republic has led to this thirst for greater power to drive him to do something senseless. His desire for the Queen's control has gone too far and if we don't find my cousin soon enough there will be issues that none of us can solve."

Master Yoda nodded slowly "Trouble I see indeed. Dooku is attempting to fulfill the prophecy, he is." 

"I've known Odessa since she was a child master Yoda." Obi-Wan responded curtly "She is strong, I can promise you she will not be swayed to the ways of the dark side."

"Willingly she may not." Master Yoda continued "However Dooku, master of deception he is."

Anakin shock his head, his body language switching to one of urgency and action. His wife was in danger, and that was something he certainly was not willingly to play with "Well then send the troops out- send us out, we have to find her immediately."

"There is no point sending the clones out without any directions." Mace Windu responded in a calm yet knowing voice "It would be a waste of time without a clear indication of where her majesty exactly is."

Anakin scoffed, growing annoyed even further"That doesn't matter-"

"Anakin." Obi-Wan hissed, sending his older padawan a stern yet sympathetic glance before straightening his stance himself "What my former padawan means to say is that Count Dooku does not waste time, so neither can we."

Master Yoda nodded, his green ears pointed downwards in sadness "Investigate this, you both will."

Obi-Wan swallowed "Of course."

Padme watched from her seat with still solemn and dispirited eyes as she stood up and took an object from her cousins men, taking it gratefully as she collected it in the palm of her hand "This was the only thing of Odessa's which was left behind."

Anakin eyed it desperately as he tried to submerge any sort of reaction, his heart clenching angrily as a hundred of thoughts ran through his head. Padme closed her palm securely "Her wedding ring."

The chancellor spoke hesitantly and lowly "I suppose her husband should be informed."

Padme's eyes wondered to Anakin's for a brief moment before speaking up herself "I will do that myself, Chancellor."

He swallowed "Of course Senator."

To Anakin, everyone was blissfully unaware of his deep sense of worry and most of all his deep and dark sense of anger. He was angry, outraged, indignant. And emotions all of which he was going to use to his advantage, to fuel his desire, of causing all who caused his wife pain, an even worst fate. Anakin would scale the earth before Odessa left his side, and he was willing to do so, to make sure she was were she belonged, safe and home.

.•|{}|•.

"This is- how does a whole security team get wiped out?" Anakin explained angrily, as the door slammed behind him, Obi-Wan and himself exiting the office "They had one job, to keep their queen safe, and they can't even do that."

Obi-Wan watched the younger male march in front of him, his anger and worry towards the missing brunette being increasingly clear as they roamed the halls "We can't look to blame others Anakin, what's done is done."

He scoffed, shaking his head "And if she's killed because of this, is that it then? what's done is done."

Anakin was struggling to believe his own ears, and even contemplate what was happening. It was his worst nightmare, lacking control and understanding of Odessa's whereabouts and health. She could be dead for all they know, hurt or even injured. Being told the news was hard enough, but what was even harder was concealing his bursting reaction and temper.

"You know I don't mean it like that Anakin." His former master explained, walking faster to catch up with his striding steps "If we allow our actions to be clouded by our emotions, mistakes will be made, you know this."

Skywalker scoffed, turning sharply to face the older Jedi, as he pointed his finger "She cares for you like a brother and you don't even bat an eyelid. You promised Qui-Gon you would protect her."

"I care for Odessa just as much as you do Anakin, but I can't stop everything, somethings are beyond my judgement." Obi-Wan attempted to reason, being used to Anakin's extreme way with his emotions. He was no idiot, he was fully aware that Anakin Skywalker cared for Odessa Tove more than he let on. He had seen the way they looked at each other, the way he looked at her.

Anakin sighed, pausing for a moment "We have to find her."

The older male placed his arms onto Anakin's shoulders "And we will, but we can't allow our feeling to cloud our judgment. Do you understand Anakin?"

He sighed, nodding "Yes master."

.•|{}|•.

This time it was a cell. Well, a cell of some sort, a room more fitted to one classed as a prisoner. She had awoken for a second time, slightly dazed and disconcerted from the unknown drug which was pushed through her body. She didn't feel refreshed or flourishing, but rather the opposite, limited and drained. She was immobile, now strapped to a high rise leather furniture which made sure her head was pulled into place, arms shackled to be kept by her side, and legs restrained to allow her to stay motionless.

They clasped down on her skin, strong and industrial like the rails planted around a cage. She was trapped, and completely out of control for what was coming for her. Her skin pricked with a chill, goosebumps suddenly forming as the room turned cold and hostile. She attempted to blink from the shining light now shoved over her face, the now bright room illuminating the figure she was waiting for, watching her closely and with interest.

"It's been quite a long time, hasn't it Odessa?" The low and sharp voice spoke, making her tired yet piercing eyes fall on his

She gave the restraint her strongest pull as he stepped closer, his aged and humoured face making hers glow with rage "Not long enough Dooku."

The Sith Lord stared down at her with a neural yet dangerous expression, as her eyes moved to the bruises and cuts littering her skin "I do apologise for your injuries, it wasn't my intention to harm you."

Odessa scoffed "You should've thought about that before you blew up my office and slammed a pistol over my head."

He let out a small laugh under his breath, before he began to pace around her body, Odessa attempted to keep her breath composed and regular. She didn't want to acknowledge the fear that was creeping through her body, but it was beginning to get harder to ignore, especially since it was begging to be acknowledged.

"Always so brave, so confident." He mussed smugly as he paused for a moment, placing his cold gloved hands on her shoulders. She shuddered "I suppose that's from your father then, not your lovely mother of course."

She swallowed, keeping her voice low and neutral  as he attempted to get a reaction out of her. "My mother was a braver person then you're ever be."

"Is that so." Dooku continued mockingly "Here I thought your mother was a woman who feared even her own shadow."

"You're wrong." She spat spitefully

He walked back around her so he was yet again facing her, a sinister expression on his boreal and frozen features "Am I?"

Odessa nodded staring at him with a vindictive gaze "Completely."

Count Dooku shrugged, swiping his black leather gloves off slowly as he dug closer to Odessa's heart strings and emotions "Eleanor Tove feared everything. Yes she was a hardy leader and strong individual but she was afraid, afraid of her failure towards Eris, afraid of your father's inevitable fate, and afraid of her very own creation. You."

The brunette listened with a vexed and exasperated gaze, shaking her head rapidly as she tried to not let his words bother her "That's not true-"

"You were her ultimate and endmost nightmare Odessa, a child who was destined to cause destruction and harm wherever you stepped. She was afraid of you, afraid of what you were to become and ashamed that her one and only child, was a failure, a complete and utter failure." He continued with a growing tone and volume, his harsh and fuelled voice causing Odessa to shake in anger.

Her eyes glossed over with tears as she attempted to blink them away, her cheeks flushing with anger as she attempted to shout over him "You don't know what you talking about-"

"How do you think she felt Odessa? Proud? Happy? Her daughter was and is destined to destroy the one thing she worked her whole life restoring." His words hit her with such a force that it sent her body into a state of despair "You were not meant to be there in the first place, a mistake! And for what? To demolish her life and ruin her last chances of salvation."

"My mother loved me." Odessa pulled onto her restraint, so much so her wrists began to hurt and rub onto the harsh metal. He was trying to get into her head, punch her where it hurt. Her mother loved her, she did. She continued to tell herself that, chanting it silently in her head

"Did she?" He continued back "Why do you think she submerged herself in her duty's and left you to be raised and cared for by her handmaidens?"

"She done what was necessary for Eris." Odessa argued back "Unlike you, she cared deeply for the fate of people other than herself. Yes I may have thought that was selfish at the time, but she was doing what was necessary."

He seemed to pause for a moment, the silence leaving simple the sound of Odessa's hitched and tired breaths as she tried to compose herself. He watched her closely as she opened her lips again "You think you can get into my head, mould me into the person you want me to be."

"That's the thing Odessa, I don't think, I know I