“I didn’t think of that,” PadmŞ said. “Of course that is true.”
“The Jedi must remain on Azure to ensure that the Republic experts can deploy the codebreaker. Then we must accompany the experts to another safe location. At least in the beginning, we’re going to have to keep moving. That’s why you must return immediately to Coruscant with Taly.”
Her expression turned flinty. “That sounds like another order.”
“No. It is a necessary step to protect you and Taly, and you know it. And it is a request,” he said, softening his voice. He was relieved when he saw her slowly nod.
“All right.”
“PadmŞ.” He reached out for her hand. He needed the reassurance he felt when he touched her. “Your job lies in the Senate. My job lies is in the field. Until these wars are over, that is the way it must be.”
“I hate these separations.”
“No more than I.”
“We chose this life,” she said. “But it’s so hard to live it.”
“It’s worth it, to know that you’re mine. But if anything happened to you, I don’t know how I could survive it. I can’t… I can’t lose you.”
“I feel the same.”
She stood, her cool fingers sliding out from between his. She began to pace. “But the secrecy is tearing me apart. I’m always afraid I’ll betray us with a look or a word. Sometimes I wonder…”
“What?” he asked. If she hadn’t been so agitated, she would have recognized the tone in his voice, a warning.
She whirled to face him. “Did we do the right thing? Not in loving each other - we couldn’t help that - but in marrying? I’ve put a wedge between you and the Jedi.”
“No, you haven’t.”
“But your first loyalty is to me,” PadmŞ said. “That makes your path confused. I know enough about the Jedi to know how wrong that is.”
“It is they who are wrong.” Ana kin insisted. “I am strong enough to do both, and they can’t see it.”
The comm unit crackled, and they sprang apart instinctively. They heard Obi-Wan’s voice. “Anakin, are you there? Come to the cockpit immediately.”
They hurried down the corridor into the cockpit. Taly was standing with the codebreaker. There was a mixture of awe and trepidation on Obi-Wan’s face.
“It works,” Obi-Wan said. “We’ve been listening to coded Separatist communications. It really works.”
“There’s too much space interference here,” Taly said. “We have to get to the spaceport. Clearing devices can be used with it But we were able to hear something.”
“What did you hear?” Anakin asked.
“They are moving ships and troops,” Obi-Wan said. “A massive battle is planned. But we can’t seem to pinpoint the location. Originally, it seemed to be planned for Nativum, which we suspected. But that changed to a new target recently.”
“If we find out in time, we could score a great victory,” PadmŞ said.
Obi-Wan nodded. “We could destroy most of their fleet.”
Padme gripped the console. “If General Grievous is with it, we could win the war,” she said.
CHAPTER 29
Azure was a tiny planet with no strategic importance. It was a blue dot in a vast expanse of space. It stood alone, not part of a system, and had no satellites. It boasted a spaceport that took up a good portion of its land. A convenient way station for those traveling through the Mid-Rim, but not a draw in itself. It had no industry, no minerals, and no great wealth.
In other words, it had no reason to exist in the minds of the Separatists, and made a perfect secret base for the Republic, one of many in the galaxy.
They landed without incident. It seemed impossible that they had come so far, had made the journey without trouble. The crucial piece of equipment that could turn the tide of the war was now in Republic hands.
Taly handed it over to the tech experts with regret on his face. “It is my greatest invention,” he said. “Now I must lead the life of a fugitive.”
The cluster of tech experts hurriedly transported the codebreaker off to the command post. They were followed closely by General Solomahal. Recently promoted to the post, the Lutrillian could hardly contain his satisfaction at having the codebreaker arrive at his base. He had assured the Jedi that the name of Azure would live on in the chronicles of the war.
“This is the day the war will be won,” he said, the large furrows in his head deepening.
Anakin didn’t approve of such talk. The war had not been won yet. Even if they found out where the Separatist fleet was heading, it remained to be seen whether they could get enough Republic ships organized for a surprise attack.