They broke free of the blockade and they made contact with Bail Organa. When he heard about Padme's emergency, and the other injuries that Typho's men had sustained, he gave them coordinates to an unknown planet where they could hide.

It was uninhabited and was only identified by Alderaan and handful of systems as a potential mineral resource for future mining. It was close to Naboo (close in relative space), called Crait. Bail's ship, Tantive III, was not the only vessel currently on the planet. There were others who were hiding and regrouping from the Empire. It was a vast, snow-white wasteland, the concealed earth beneath a red clay as red as blood.

Obi-Wan could taste the salt in the air as he carried Padme from her skiff to Tantive III's sickbay, C-3PO and R2-D2 close at his heels. Its medical center was much better equipped with emdee droids and supplies, and Obi-Wan prayed that she could hold on a moment longer.

They took her from his arms and kept him away while the droids operated. Tantive III did not have an operating theatre in which he could stay present. They could do nothing but wait and Bail directed him to the conference room, and it was there that Obi-Wan found Yoda. The Jedi Master was worn, beaten and ashamed. The comforting aura that usually surrounded Yoda was all but snuffed, and the he had never seemed so small as he was now, hunched over in his chair, his head bowed, his ears drooped.

Obi-Wan had not expected to see him, and now that he did, he could not find words. He silently approached, sinking down onto his knees in front of Yoda's chair, his head hanging heavily.

"I'm sorry master… I could not do it… Anakin is still like my brother… and now Naboo has been lost… and…" he could not even speak of the possible loss of Padme. The very thought sent his heart into shock and made breathing hard.

"Failed, too, I have…" Yoda said solemnly. "Too powerful are the Sith… And too late, I fear, we already were…"

He was weak and every part of his body hurt, but Obi-Wan managed to pull himself up into the chair beside Yoda. The smaller master swiveled his chair with the Force to better face Obi-Wan.

"Into exile, I must go… Until right, the time is."

Obi-Wan was silent. He could not think farther than Padme. Somehow, the Force had bound her fate to his. Whatever happened to her would dictate his destiny. If she should die, he knew he would continue to exist. He had to. He always did. But the universe would be hollow.

"Abandon hope, we must not, Master Kenobi…" Yoda said after a heavy pause. "Still there, it is… Far away, but feel it I can. Into hiding, we must go. Somewhere distant, I will go. Somewhere else, you and Senator Amidala…"

Hearing her name pinched inside of Obi-Wan, and he managed to raise his aching eyes to his master, and he could not stop the sting of tears in them.

"But Padme…" What if she dies?

"Lost… many lives have been…" Yoda said solemnly, so deep a sigh escaping him that it did not seem possible from so small a body. "But not lost, is Padme…"

Obi-Wan stared, confused by his certainty.

"To the med bay, go…" Yoda gestured towards the door. "Waiting for you, she will be."

He did not question Yoda. Pure trust moved his body out of the conference room and through the stark white corridors of the cruiser, until he found himself again at the med bay. She was laid out on a bed, changed into a softer medical gown and a blanket laid over her. An emdee droid hovered at her side, monitoring vitals and holding a biological scanner over her body.

She was still, but as Obi-Wan entered, her head moved just a little, her closed eyelids twitching.

"Padme!"

The emdee droid moved aside and allowed him to be closer, in which Obi-Wan immediately leaned in close, his hand against her cheek. There she was, he could feel her, hear her voice inside of him though there were no words.

"Padme…" he said again more softly.

"Obi-Wan…" Her mouth hardly moved, she was so weak, but her eyes fluttered open just enough for the rich color of her eyes to peer up at him. And she breathed in, a clean full breath, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

He managed a smile too, it was easy when he knew she was looking at him, even though the terror had not quite left him.

"You're safe…?" she whispered.

He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of her knuckles, lingering, warm, and he felt her finger outstretch to stroke his beard.

"I'm fine…"

"And… Anakin…?"

That was more complicated, and much more painful. But he could answer one thing with certainty, to give her some peace.

"He's alive…"

She breathed out. It was relief. Her hand turned in his so that her she could fully touch his face and he leaned into it, his whole being melting into the cup of her palm.

"Stay here with me…?" Her voice was distant.

"Always, my love…"

Her eyes closed and her head lulled to the side. She was only asleep, too weak to stay awake. He did not let go of her hand, but he looked to the emdee droid that bleeped beside him.

"Will she be alright?"

The droid's lifeless eyes flickered. "She received great internal blunt damage, but with a few bacta treatments, she will heal completely in a matter of days."

Finally, Obi-Wan could smile genuinely, a prayer of thanks sent into the Force.

"It will also please you to know that no damage was done to the baby either."

Obi-Wan stared at the droid. "Baby?"