dancing in my mind.
Methought I saw my Padmé sore beset
By agony of childbirth, done to death,
Whilst Obi-Wan stood by with helpless words
As though he could, by speaking, heal her pain.
O, Obi-Wan, what knowledge to me comes?
I sense his presence here, within this place,
’Tis like a stench that lingers in the air.
I treasure him, yet wherefore should he come
Into the private dwelling of my love?
Enter P ADMÉ .
My Master, Obi-Wan, hath been here, aye?
PADMÉ
Indeed, this morning he did visit me.
ANAKIN
What was it he did want?
PADMÉ
—Fear not, nor sigh:
All his concern was lavish’d over thee.
He doth report much stress of late thou’st got,
Which I do know, and share with thee thy load.
ANAKIN
I have of late—but wherefore I know not—
Lost all my mirth, and feel I’ve lost my road.
PADMÉ
Yet wherefore lost? Thy words my sense outrun.
ANAKIN
Those who should be my friends have turn’d away:
The Jedi Council and good Obi-Wan.
Their trust for me hath somehow gone astray.
PADMÉ
They trust thee with their lives; is’t not enow?
ANAKIN
I feel a change that cometh over me:
A troubling in my soul—I know not how—
Methinks I’m not the Jedi I should be.
I yearn for more of power, fame, and might,
Yet this is wrong, I know with all mine heart.
PADMÉ
Thine expectations are too far from sight—
Press not thyself beyond thy rightful part.
ANAKIN
I have discover’d how I shall save thee.
PADMÉ
Save me?
ANAKIN
—I mean but from my nightmares, pet.
PADMÉ
They pain thee so, these dreams that thou dost see?
ANAKIN
O, Padmé, I’d not lose thee—nay, not yet.
PADMÉ
I shall not die in childbirth, Anakin.
My promise I do give thee, love: ’tis so.
ANAKIN
I render thee thy promise back again—
Thou shalt be safe by what I’ll come to know.
[Exit Anakin.
PADMÉ
O, warrior heart, O, noble, troubl’d man:
This talk of power, fame, and might—and death—
How shall I understand these muddl’d words,
How calm the man who by them is so vex’d,
How be a comfort midst his inner grief,
How raise a child amid such turmoil, how?
I must away, mine orisons to lift
For Anakin, whose soul is cut adrift.
[Exit Padmé.
SCENE 1.
On the planet Utapau.
Enter O BI -W AN K ENOBI , in fighter with droid R4-G9.
OBI-WAN
On Utapau I have with haste arriv’d,
A planet of magnificence profound,
Though somewhere on its beauteous, vast land
A terror doth await for Obi-Wan:
Here Gen’ral Grievous hides most cravenlike,
A coward seeking cover from our might.
He would be but a jape were he not so
Well arm’d and well protected by his host
Of droids who do watch o’er him night and day.
Yet now the den where he doth cower’s mine,
I shall within and find the general,
And slay the half-man, half-droid grievously.
Enter T ION M EDON and GUARDS .
TION
My greetings unto you, young Jedi Knight.
What is the matter of your visit here
On our far sanctuary, Utapau?
OBI-WAN
Unfortunately, sir, the matter is
The war in which th’Republic is engag’d.
TION
No war hath come to us on Utapau
Unless, indeed, you bring it here withal.
OBI-WAN
By your most generous and gracious leave,
I’d render my ship fuel and use, as base,
Your city as I search for Gen’ral Grievous,
Who may in nearby system be conceal’d.
TION
[ quietly: ] The fiend is here. We are his hostages.
E’en now we two are watch’d by eyes above.
OBI-WAN
I understand, good sir.
TION
—The battle droids—
Aye, thousands of their like—await upon
Our high, tenth level. He is also there.
OBI-WAN
Tell all thy people they must shelter find.
If you have warriors, the time hath come.
[Exeunt Tion and guards.
It must appear that I have flown away,
And found not that for which I search’d herein.
For if, as Tion Medon doth report,
I now am watch’d, I must be circumspect.
[ To R4-G9: ] Fly thou this fighter back unto the ship
And to Commander Cody give this news:
That Obi-Wan hath made good contact. Go!
I shall make exit from the other side
And hide, to
Methought I saw my Padmé sore beset
By agony of childbirth, done to death,
Whilst Obi-Wan stood by with helpless words
As though he could, by speaking, heal her pain.
O, Obi-Wan, what knowledge to me comes?
I sense his presence here, within this place,
’Tis like a stench that lingers in the air.
I treasure him, yet wherefore should he come
Into the private dwelling of my love?
Enter P ADMÉ .
My Master, Obi-Wan, hath been here, aye?
PADMÉ
Indeed, this morning he did visit me.
ANAKIN
What was it he did want?
PADMÉ
—Fear not, nor sigh:
All his concern was lavish’d over thee.
He doth report much stress of late thou’st got,
Which I do know, and share with thee thy load.
ANAKIN
I have of late—but wherefore I know not—
Lost all my mirth, and feel I’ve lost my road.
PADMÉ
Yet wherefore lost? Thy words my sense outrun.
ANAKIN
Those who should be my friends have turn’d away:
The Jedi Council and good Obi-Wan.
Their trust for me hath somehow gone astray.
PADMÉ
They trust thee with their lives; is’t not enow?
ANAKIN
I feel a change that cometh over me:
A troubling in my soul—I know not how—
Methinks I’m not the Jedi I should be.
I yearn for more of power, fame, and might,
Yet this is wrong, I know with all mine heart.
PADMÉ
Thine expectations are too far from sight—
Press not thyself beyond thy rightful part.
ANAKIN
I have discover’d how I shall save thee.
PADMÉ
Save me?
ANAKIN
—I mean but from my nightmares, pet.
PADMÉ
They pain thee so, these dreams that thou dost see?
ANAKIN
O, Padmé, I’d not lose thee—nay, not yet.
PADMÉ
I shall not die in childbirth, Anakin.
My promise I do give thee, love: ’tis so.
ANAKIN
I render thee thy promise back again—
Thou shalt be safe by what I’ll come to know.
[Exit Anakin.
PADMÉ
O, warrior heart, O, noble, troubl’d man:
This talk of power, fame, and might—and death—
How shall I understand these muddl’d words,
How calm the man who by them is so vex’d,
How be a comfort midst his inner grief,
How raise a child amid such turmoil, how?
I must away, mine orisons to lift
For Anakin, whose soul is cut adrift.
[Exit Padmé.
SCENE 1.
On the planet Utapau.
Enter O BI -W AN K ENOBI , in fighter with droid R4-G9.
OBI-WAN
On Utapau I have with haste arriv’d,
A planet of magnificence profound,
Though somewhere on its beauteous, vast land
A terror doth await for Obi-Wan:
Here Gen’ral Grievous hides most cravenlike,
A coward seeking cover from our might.
He would be but a jape were he not so
Well arm’d and well protected by his host
Of droids who do watch o’er him night and day.
Yet now the den where he doth cower’s mine,
I shall within and find the general,
And slay the half-man, half-droid grievously.
Enter T ION M EDON and GUARDS .
TION
My greetings unto you, young Jedi Knight.
What is the matter of your visit here
On our far sanctuary, Utapau?
OBI-WAN
Unfortunately, sir, the matter is
The war in which th’Republic is engag’d.
TION
No war hath come to us on Utapau
Unless, indeed, you bring it here withal.
OBI-WAN
By your most generous and gracious leave,
I’d render my ship fuel and use, as base,
Your city as I search for Gen’ral Grievous,
Who may in nearby system be conceal’d.
TION
[ quietly: ] The fiend is here. We are his hostages.
E’en now we two are watch’d by eyes above.
OBI-WAN
I understand, good sir.
TION
—The battle droids—
Aye, thousands of their like—await upon
Our high, tenth level. He is also there.
OBI-WAN
Tell all thy people they must shelter find.
If you have warriors, the time hath come.
[Exeunt Tion and guards.
It must appear that I have flown away,
And found not that for which I search’d herein.
For if, as Tion Medon doth report,
I now am watch’d, I must be circumspect.
[ To R4-G9: ] Fly thou this fighter back unto the ship
And to Commander Cody give this news:
That Obi-Wan hath made good contact. Go!
I shall make exit from the other side
And hide, to
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