Prologue

"Because fear leads to the Dark Side," Anakin muttered, letting one hand hang down. He turned his head to Obi-Wan. "Did I ever tell you what happened after the Blue Shadow Virus?"

He raised his eyebrows. Where had that come from? "What's there to tell? It was contained. Everyone was...fine."

Anakin forced out a chuckle, leaning his head against the wall. "Padmé relasped. She couldn't keep any food or water down. She...could barely take a step without stumbling. The Queen ordered a quarantine at the Royal Hospital of Theed. The doctors thought she...wouldn't survive."

Obi-Wan's mind raced back to last year, when the Senator had contracted the virus. He remembered Anakin's blind panic to find a cure, and thought it was ridiculous to feel so much attachment for a friend. Now that he understood the truth of their relationship, the words he had spoken then seemed so hurtful. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Anakin."

"She's...fine now."

He wasn't terribly convinced that was the case, but he let the situation rest. With a sigh he rose from the hard seat. "Caf?"

The first time Captain Typho meets Anakin Skywalker, well…

The good captain thinks the padawan is an arrogant twat. The padawan has some good ideas, but he's a bit odd, prone to anger, and generally not very Jedi-like at all.

He doesn't quite know what to think when his Senator - his former Queen for bloody's sakes - gathers the handmaidens, staff, and security team in the sitting room. In the midst of a new war, Geonosis, the Clone Army, Jedi Military, Separatist movement...she has married.

To Anakin Skywalker.

A brash, 19-year-old padawan whose now a commander in a galactic war.

What. The. Hell.

Goddess help him.

"Then," Senator Amidala says oh so sweetly, "should I find any of this information leaked," she pauses, stares everyone down for a moment, letting fear settle in, a gleam in her eyes. "You'll find yourself on the losing end of a lawsuit."

Everybody is dismissed, the fear of the Goddess and Senator Amidala fresh in their minds.

Everybody except the core handmaidens and Captain Typho.

Senator Amidala visibly relaxes, shoulders sinking while murmuring, "I don't need your judgement regarding my marriage - just your help in ensuring we all stay safe."

Captain Typho speaks for the assembled. "You have our word, my lady."

"Master Obi-Wan?" Anakin asks in surprise when he steps down from the shuttle ramp. He glances around the unusually busy hangar, watching padawans and knights and clones move around the many ships, putting supplies on and barking out orders. 'What are you doing here?"

"Welcoming you back from your medical leave, of course," Obi-Wan responds wryly, letting a chuckle escape at his padawan's eye roll. "You missed quite a bit."

"I know, master, I apologize."

"Well - I accept the apology - over there Cody, red ship! - I can honestly say I wish I had been in your position -"

"Medical leave?"

"Things here have been…"

"Hetic? Shitty?" Anakin offers while they weave through the hangar, and he grins at the pat on the shoulder he receives. "Listen, Master, I wanted to talk about what happened...on my...leave."

Obi-Wan grimaces while he digs out his chirping comlink, jogging the last few steps out of the hangar to answer in relative silence. "Yes Mace?"

"Ryloth has been attacked."

"What? Oh that's not good."

"We're trying to get communications through - do you have Skywalker with you? We may need his expertise."

My expertise? Anakin thinks, giddy besides the dread building in his stomach.

"He just came in," Obi-Wan says before Anakin can reply. "Where should we meet you?"

"Transmission chamber is fine."

Obi-Wan sighs when the transmission cuts, not quite seeing his padawan's white face. "This war...I have found myself praying it will be over soon."

"How long do you think it will last?"

"Come now, Anakin - didn't you learn anything from your history studies? Wars on a galactic scale don't last long - history has proven that. A year or two at the most...but to have Ryloth bombed...I wonder if - Anakin, are you okay?"

Two years… Anakin resists the urge to run a finger over his new wedding band - it was covered by a damned glove anyways - and forced a nod. From honeymoon to warzone.

So much for leaving the Order when I finish my apprenticeship.

Author's note: hello my dears! The long awaited mini-series about the Blue Shadow Virus is finally here!

I wanted to put off this fic, but my health...well, it hasn't been great. I need to use this for working through some things and hopefully bring you guys a good story as well.

Enjoy :)

(As usual I'll edit this at a later date)

ii Digestive Reader ii