Off to the side, Anakin held his smile within, deciding consciously to wear a posture that exuded confidence and control. But inside he was thrilled to hear Padme's compliments coming his way.
Obi-Wan shattered that warmth, pulling the young Padawan off to the side.
"You stay on Naboo," Obi-Wan said. "Don't attract attention. Do absolutely nothing without checking in with me or the Council."
"Yes, Master," Anakin answered obediently, but inside, he was churning, wanting to lash out at Obi-Wan. Do nothing, absolutely nothing, without checking in, without asking for permission? Hadn't he earned a bit more respect than that? Hadn't he proven himself a bit more resourceful, a Padawan to be trusted?
"I will get to the bottom of this plot quickly, M'Lady," he heard Obi-Wan say to Padme. Anakin seethed inwardly. Hadn't that been exactly the course he had suggested to his Master when they had first been assigned to watch over the Senator?
"You'll be back here in no time," Obi-Wan assured her.
"I will be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi."
Anakin didn't appreciate hearing Padme speak of any gratitude at all toward Obi-Wan. At least, he didn't want Padme to elevate Obi-Wan's importance in all of this above his own. "Time to go," he said, striding forward.
"I know," Padme answered him, but she didn't seem pleased. Anakin reminded himself not to take it personally. Padme felt that her duty was here. She wasn't thrilled with running offplanet-and she wasn't thrilled with having another of her dear handmaidens stepping into the line of fire in her stead, especially with images of dead Corde so fresh in her mind.
Padme and Dorme shared another hug. Anakin took up the luggage and led the way off the speeder bus, onto a landing where R2-D2 waited.
"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan said.
"May the Force be with you, Master." Anakin meant every word of it. He wanted Obi-Wan to find out who was behind the assassination attempts, to make the galaxy safe for Padme once again. But he had to admit that he hoped it wouldn't happen too quickly. His duty now put him right beside the woman he loved, and he wouldn't be happy if this assignment proved a short one, if duty pulled him away from her yet again.
"Suddenly I'm afraid," Padme said to him as they walked away, heading toward the giant star freighter that would take them to Naboo. Behind the pair, R2-D2 rolled along, tootling cheerily.
"This is my first assignment on my own. I am, too." Anakin turned about, taking Padme's gaze with his own, and grinned widely. "But don't worry. We've got Artoo with us!"
Again, the levity was much needed.
Back at the bus, waiting for it to take them back to the main city, the three left behind watched Anakin, Padme, and R2-D2 blend into the throng of the vast spaceport. "I hope he doesn't try anything foolish," Obi-Wan said. The mere fact that he would speak so openly concerning his student showed Captain Typho how much the Jedi Knight had come to trust him.
"I'd be more concerned about her doing something than him," Typho replied. He shook his head, his expression serious. "She's not one to follow orders."
"Like-minded traveling companions," Dorme observed.
Obi-Wan and Typho turned to regard her, and Typho shook his head helplessly again. Obi-Wan didn't disagree with Dorme's assessment, however innocently she meant it. Padme Amidala was a stubborn one indeed, one of strong and independent thinking and more than willing to trust her own judgment above that of others, whatever their position and experience. But of the pair who had just left the speeder bus, she wasn't the most headstrong.
It was not a comforting thought.
Chapter Eleven
The great Jedi Temple was a place of reflection and of hard training, and it was also a place of information. The Jedi were traditionally the keepers of the peace, and also of knowledge. Beneath their high ceilings, off the main corridor of the Temple, stood the glass cubicles, the analysis rooms, filled with droids of various shapes and sizes, and various purposes. Obi-Wan Kenobi was thinking of Anakin and Padme as he made his way through the Temple. He wondered, not for the first time and certainly not for the last, about the wisdom of sending Anakin off with the Senator. The eagerness with which the Padawan had embraced his new duty set off warning bells in Obi-Wan's head, but he had allowed the mission to go forth anyway, mostly because he knew that he'd be too busy following the leads he hoped he could garner here, uncovering the source of Amidala's troubles.
The analysis cubicles were busy this day, as they were nearly every day, with students and Masters alike hard at their studies. Obi-Wan found one open cubicle with an SP-4 analysis droid, the type he needed. He sat down in front of the console and the droid responded immediately, sliding open a tray.
"Place the subject for analysis on the sensor tray, please," the droid's metallic voice said. Obi-Wan was already moving, pulling forth the toxic dart that had killed the subcontracting bounty hunter.
As soon as the tray receded, the screen before Obi-Wan lit up and began scrolling through a series of diagrams and streams of data.
"It's a toxic dart," the Jedi explained to the SP-4. "I need to know where it came from and who made it."
"One moment, please." More diagrams rolled by, more reams of data scrolling, and then the screen paused, showing a somewhat similar dart. But it wasn't a match and the scrolling started again. Images of the dart flashed up before Obi-Wan, superimposed with diagrams of similar objects. Nothing matched. The screen went blank. The tray slid back out. "As you can see on your screen, subject weapon does not exist in any known culture," SP- 4 explained. "Markings cannot be identified. Probably self-made by a warrior not associated with any known culture. Stand away from the sensor tray, please."
"Excuse me? Could you try again please?" There was no hiding the frustration in Obi-Wan's voice.
"Master Jedi, our records are very thorough. They cover eighty percent of the galaxy. If I can't tell you where it came from, nobody can."
Obi-Wan picked up the dart, looked at the droid, and sighed, not so sure that he agreed with that particular assessment. "Thanks for your assistance," he said. He wondered if SP-4s were equipped to understand the inflections of sarcasm.
"You may not be able to figure this out, but I think I know someone who might."
"The odds do not suggest such a possibility," SP-4 started to reply, and began rolling along with a dissertation about the completeness of its data banks, of its unequaled search capabilities, of…
It didn't matter, for Obi-Wan was long gone, walking briskly along the great corridor and out of the Jedi Temple.
He left without a word to anyone, his thoughts turned inward, trying to find some focus. He needed answers, and quickly. He knew that instinctively, but he had a nagging feeling that it wasn't necessarily about Senator Amidala's safety. He sensed that something more might be at stake here, though what it was, he could only guess. Anakin's mindset? A greater plot against the Republic?
Or perhaps he was just being jumpy because the normally reliable SP-4 droid hadn't been able to help him at all. He needed answers, and conventional methods of attaining them wouldn't suffice, apparently. But Obi-Wan Kenobi was not a conventional Jedi, in many ways. Although he tended to be reserved, especially when dealing with his Padawan, his former Master, Qui- Gon Jinn, had left a mark on Obi-Wan.
He knew where to get his answers.
He took a speeder to the business section of Coco town, far from where he and Anakin had caught the would-be assassin.
Obi-Wan stopped his vehicle and exited to the street. He moved to one small building, its windows foggy, its walls metallic and brightly painted. Lettering above the door named the place, and though he could not read that particular script, Obi-Wan knew well what it said: DEX'S DINER. He smiled. He hadn't seen Dex in a long time. Far too long, he mused as he entered. The inside of the diner was fairly typical of the establishments along the lower level, with booths set against the walls and many small freestanding circular tables surrounded by tall stools. There was a cou
nter area, as well, partly lined with stools and partly open, a variety of beings standing and leaning against it, mostly freighter drivers and dockworkers, people who still used their muscles in a galaxy grown soft through technology.
The Jedi moved to one small table, sliding onto its stool as a waitress droid wiped the table down with a rag.
"Can I help ya?" the droid asked.
"I'm looking for Dexter."
The waitress droid made a rather unpleasant sound.
Obi-Wan just smiled. "I do need to speak with Dexter."
"Waddya want him for?"
"He's not in trouble," the Jedi assured her. "It's personal."
The droid stared at him for a short while, sizing him up, then, with a shake of her head, she moved to the open serving hatch behind the counter.
"Someone to see ya, honey," she said. "A Jedi, by the looks of him."
A huge head poked through the open hatchway almost immediately, accompanied by a line of grayish steam. A wide smile-on a mouth wide enough to swallow Obi-Wan's head whole-with huge block teeth grew on the immense face as he set his gaze on the visitor. "Obi-Wan!"
"Hey, Dex," Obi-Wan replied, standing and moving to the counter.
"Take a seat, old buddy! Be right with ya!"
Obi-Wan glanced around. The waitress droid had gone about her business, tending to other customers. He moved to a booth just to the side of the counter.
"You want a cup of ardees?" the droid asked, her demeanor much more accommodating.
"Thank you."
She moved off toward the counter, slipping aside as the infamous Dexter Jettster moved through the counter door, walking with a stiff gait. He was an impressive sort, a neckless mound of flesh, dwarfing most of the toughies who frequented his establishment. His great belly poked out beneath his grimy shirt and breeches. He was bald and sweaty, and though he had seen many years and did not move fluidly any longer, with too many old injuries slowing him, Dexter Jettster was obviously not a creature anyone wanted to fight-especially since he was possessed of four huge arms, each with a massive fist that could fully bust a man's face. Obi-Wan noted the many respectful glances that went his way as he moved to the booth.
"Hey, ol' buddy!"
"Hey, Dex. Long time."
With great effort, Dexter managed to squeeze himself into the seat opposite Obi-Wan. The waitress droid was back by then, setting two steaming mugs of ardees in front of the old friends.
"So, my friend, what can I do for ya?" Dexter asked, and it was obvious to Obi-Wan that Dex genuinely wanted to help. Obi-Wan was hardly surprised. He didn't always approve of Dexter's antics, of the seedy diner and the many fights, but he knew Dex to be among the most loyal of friends that anyone could ever ask for. Dex would crush the life out of an enemy, but would give his own life for someone he cared about. That was the code among the star wanderers, and one that Obi-Wan could truly appreciate. In many, many ways, being here with Dex appealed to the Jedi Knight much more than the time he had to spend among the ruling elite.
"You can tell me what this is," Obi-Wan answered. He put the dart on the table, watching Dex all the time, noting how the being quickly placed his mug back down, his eyes widening as he regarded the curious and distinctive item.
"Well, waddya know," Dex said quietly, as if he could hardly draw breath.
He picked up the dart delicately, almost reverently, the weapon nearly disappearing within the folds of his fat fingers. "I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on Subterrel beyond the Outer Rim."
"Do you know where it came from?"
Dexter placed the dart down before Obi-Wan. "This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino saberdart."
"Kamino saberdart?" Obi-Wan echoed. "I wonder why it didn't show up in our analysis archive."
Dex poked down at the dart with a stubby finger. "It's these funny little cuts on the side that give it away," he explained. "Those analysis droids you've got over there only focus on symbols, you know. I should think you Jedi have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom."
"Well, Dex, if droids could think, there'd be none of us here, would there?" Obi-Wan answered with a laugh.
The Jedi Knight sobered quickly, though, remembering the gravity of his mission. "Kamino… doesn't sound familiar. Is it part of the Republic?"
"No, it's beyond the Outer Rim. I'd say about twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze, toward the south. It should be easy to find, even for those droids in your archive. These Kaminoans keep to themselves, mostly. They're cloners. Good ones, too."
Obi-Wan picked up the dart again, holding it between them, his elbow resting on the table. "Cloners?" he asked. "Are they friendly?"
"It depends."
"On what?" The Jedi looked past the dart as he asked, and the grin on Dexter's face gave him his answer before it was spoken aloud.
"On how good your manners are and how big your pocketbook is."
Obi-Wan looked back at the saberdart, hardly surprised.
Chapter Twelve
"Senator Padme Amidala, formerly Queen Amidala of Naboo, certainly wasn't used to traveling in this manner. The freighter held one class, steerage, and in truth, it was nothing more than a cargo ship, with several great open holds more suitable to inanimate cargo than to living beings. The lighting was terrible and the smell was worse, though whether the odor came from the ship itself or the hordes of emigrants, beings of many, many species, Padme did not know. Nor did she care. In some ways, Padme was truly enjoying this voyage. She knew that she should be back on Coruscant, fighting the efforts to create a Republic army, but somehow, she felt relaxed here, felt free.
Free of responsibility. Free to just be Padme for a while, instead of Senator Amidala. Moments such as these were rare for her, and had been since she was a child. All of her life, it seemed, had been spent in public service; all of her focus had always been for the greater, the public, good, with hardly any time ever being given just to Padme, to her needs and her desires.
The Senator didn't regret that reality of her life. She was proud of her accomplishments, but more than that, even, she felt a profound sense of warmth, of community, of belonging to something greater than herself. Still, these moments when the responsibility was lifted were undeniably enjoyable.
She looked over at Anakin, who was sleeping somewhat restlessly. She could see him now, not as a Jedi Padawan and her protector, but just as a young man. A handsome young man, and one whose actions repeatedly professed his love for her. A dangerous young man, to be sure, a Jedi who was thinking about things he should not. A man who was inevitably following the call of his heart above that of pragmatism and propriety. And all for her. Padm couldn't deny the attractiveness of that. She and Anakin were on similar roads of public service, she as a Senator, he as a Jedi Padawan, but he was showing rebellion against the present course, or at least, against the Master who was leading him along the present course, as Padme never had. But hadn't she wanted to? Hadn't Padme Amidala wanted to be just Padme?
Once in a while, at least?
She smiled widely and pointedly turned away from Anakin, scanning the gloomy room for signs of her other companion. She finally spotted R2-D2 in a food line, where he stuck out among the throng of living creatures. Just before the droid, servers ladled out bowls of bland-looking mush, and each being who took one inevitably gave out a low groan of disapproval. Padme watched with amusement as one of the servers began yelling and waving his hand at R2-D2, motioning for the droid to move along. "No droids in the food line!" the server yelled. "Get out of here!"
R2-D2 started past the counter, but stopped suddenly, and a hollow tube came forth from his utilitarian body, hovering over the buffet and sucking up some of the mush and placing it in a storage container for transport to his companions.
"Hey, no droids!" the server yelled again.
R2-D2 took another fast gulp of the mush, reached out with a claw arm to grab a piece of bread, then turned and toot
led and rushed away, the server shaking his fist and shouting behind him.
The droid came fast across the wide floor, veering to avoid the many sleeping emigrants, making as straight a line as possible toward the beaming Padme.
"No, no," came a call beside her. It was Anakin. "Mom, no!" Padme turned about quickly, to see that her companion was still asleep, but sweating and thrashing, obviously in the throes of some nightmare.
"Anakin?" She gave him a little shake.
"No, Mom!" he cried, pulling away from her, and she looked down to see his feet kicking, as if he was running away from something.
"Anakin," Padme said again, more forcefully. She shook him again, harder. His blue eyes blinked open and he looked about curiously before focusing on Padme. "What?"
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (star wars) Page 12