Deeper Than You See
Summary: pre-AotC. Anakin discovers on a routine mission that sometimes first impressions don't tell you everything...
Characters: Anakin, Obi-Wan and my OCs – Kimmel and Telisse Sava-Justi.
Timeframe: A couple of years before AotC – Anakin is seventeen
Disclaimer: All things recognisably Star Wars belong to George Lucas. I just like making up my own stories. ALL HAIL LUCAS!
A/N: Italic is thought. This is a fic that is not canon with the Jedi Quest series, but is sort of canon with the events of AotC (I'm not changing them, basically). This is just a bit of light-heartedness to counter the angst of RotS, so don't take this too seriously. It's simply fluff and time-passing. Not my best work, but it provides a creative outlet while I plan my next fic. Hope you enjoy!
Chapter One
From space, the planet of Teidon looked…ordinary. Blue water, green countryside, the grey clusters of cities – a normal enough place.
Almost…bland, seventeen-year-old Anakin Skywalker thought as he watched through the window of the ship. I've been to so many places more interesting than this. He was on his way to Teidon with his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, although he could not recall the exact details of the mission.
"Master," he said, turning to face Obi-Wan. "Why exactly are we going to Teidon?"
Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow and gave a small sigh. "Anakin, I've told you three times already, not to mention the Council's explanation."
"I know, I just…forgot," Anakin answered a little sheepishly. Actually, he hadn't really been listening at any of those times. The Temple's annual sparring competition had been immediately after his meeting with the Council, and so his concentration had been elsewhere.
Obi-Wan shook his head slightly. "The king died of illness last month, and as tradition dictates, the new ruler must be one of his children, whom the people elect. There has been a great divide in the population over who should be elected – the son, Kimmel, or the daughter, Telisse. We have been sent here to prevent civil war."
Anakin blinked slowly. Politics – it was not a subject that interested him. "So we go, negotiate, oversee the election and leave. It doesn't seem very…exciting, Master."
"Not all missions must be exciting, Padawan. We are keepers of the peace, not vigilantes."
"Yes, Master," Anakin intoned. He turned to look out the window again as they began to land in the capital city of Karube.
When the ship landed, he followed Obi-Wan down the ramp. He knew enough about politics and economics to know that Teidon was a fairly wealthy planet, and as he and his Master would be staying with the royal family, he naturally expected some sort of reception. Yet as he looked around, he could only see a girl about his age standing a short distance away, gazing vacantly into the air, obviously in her own dream world.
To his surprise, his Master began to walk towards her.
We're not asking for directions, are we? Anakin wondered, puzzled. No – Obi-Wan always knew exactly where he was going and who to talk to, and he was walking directly towards the girl. Anakin looked at her critically, sizing her up. Perhaps she was a handmaiden, like the ones Queen Amidala of Naboo – Padmé – had. He smiled briefly as he pictured Padmé in her handmaiden disguise. Even those costumes had been detailed and elegant. The girl ahead of him wore a simple, unadorned, ordinary-looking brown dress. Padmé's handmaidens had all been beautiful and neat, but this girl was ordinary, with a slightly sharp nose, a rather large mouth and tousled, almost messy, red-brown hair. No, she couldn't be a handmaiden. More likely she was a servant, or just a commoner there to deliver a message of some sort. She probably wasn't even there to meet them, although they were the only people he could see arriving.
Obi-Wan reached her, and she snapped out of her daydream. She gave him a warm smile, and he bowed.
Wait – why is he bowing? Anakin thought, confused, as he stepped up behind his Master.
"Hello!" the girl greeted them brightly.
"Hello, Princess Telisse," Obi-Wan replied, smiling.
Princess Telisse! Quickly, Anakin bowed, managing to conceal his surprise. "Hello, Your Highness," he said evenly. She's the princess?
"Oh, you don't have to worry about the formalities now," she said cheerfully. "Just call me Telisse, no need to be formal – my brother and I really see ourselves as just one of the people."
That explains the clothes, Anakin mused.
"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker," Obi-Wan introduced.
"It's lovely to meet you both," she smiled, her eyes lingering on Anakin. He looked back at her, expressionless, and for some reason she glanced away quickly, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. He raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure you'd like to speak with my brother now, so I'll take you to the palace," she went on. "It's just a short walk way." She gave them both another bright smile, and turned towards the city, the two Jedi following behind.
Telisse Sava-Justi's immediate reaction when she saw Anakin was to stand up straighter. She had expected the Jedi ambassadors to be…well, not old, but certainly not a good-looking man in his mid-twenties and an even better-looking boy her own age. There was something about Anakin that captured her attention – something beneath the surface, something in his intense gaze. He had seemed surprised when he saw her, though it was so brief she wasn't sure if she had imagined it. She couldn't tell whether his surprise was good or bad, but she didn't really care. When he had looked at her, she had found herself blushing and unable to meet his eyes, suddenly aware of the slightly large size of her nose, her messy hair and her plain clothes. It didn't fel as if he were judging her – it was just that she felt almost unattractive and uninteresting. Now, as she led the two Jedi to the palace, she was hyper-aware of Anakin's step behind her. She felt slightly nervous, and anxious to make a good impression – so she overed her nervousness with amiable chatter.
"The palace is really beautiful, I'm sure you both will like it," she said. "Have either of you ever been to Teidon before?"
"No, Your Highness, we haven't," Obi-Wan answered.
"Please, you don't have to use my title. If you'd rather, you can say 'milady', but not 'Your Highness'," she corrected.
"Certainly, milady," Obi-Wan obliged with a smile. Anakin remained silent.
"Well, if you've never been here before, later I could take you to see the famous sights, if we are not otherwise occupied," Telisse offered as they entered a marketplace.
"That would be very enjoyable," Obi-Wan said politely as they stepped around a large fountain in the middle of the square.
Telisse continued to chatter as they made their way through the crowds of people. Every so often, she would stop talking to greet a citizen, or accept a flower from a child.
Anakin and Obi-Wan could see from the way she interacted with the people that she loved her planet. She spent a lot of time chatting with the people she met, asking about their families and their days, speaking to everyone as if they were old friends. She seemed to be happy and positive all the time, an effervescent light. Anakin found her eternal cheeriness somewhat…irritating. He had stopped listening to her mindless chatter a while ago now.
"We're here," Telisse announced needlessly, stopping in front of the impressive looking palace. The walls surrounding it were low, and the Jedi could see the lush gardens surrounding the three-storey building. No guards stood at the gate – it simply slid open as they approached. Obi-Wan was surprised at the lack of security – according to the Council, assassination attempts had recently been made on both Telisse and her brother.
She led the two Jedi into the palace and into a room where her twenty-two-year-old brother, Kimmel, and the siblings' advisors were seated.
"Hello, Kimmel. Hello advisors," Telisse greeted them. "The Jedi are here now. This is Obi-Wan Kenobi –" Obi-Wan bowed. " – and Anakin Skywalker." Anakin followed suit.
Kimmel rose and smiled. He had the same warm smile as his sister, but seemed to be quieter and more serious.
"It's a relief to have you here," he said pleasantly as the Jedi and his sister sat down. "We are having trouble finding a solution."
"Why don't you explain the main problem?" obi-Wan suggested. "We will be better equipped to help if we have a thorough understanding of the issues at hand."
Kimmel nodded. "Our traditions dictate that the citizens of Teidon must elect their new ruler out of either Telisse or myself. We ourselves don't mind which of us is elected – either way, we will end up sharing the rule, with whoever is not elected taking the primary position on the Advisors' Council. However, the election has divided the planet, and scuffles between the different supporters have broken out, though the Teidonese are generally peaceful. We have appealed to the public to remain peaceful, but there are extremists on both parties."
"Where these extremists behind the assassination attempts?" Anakin put in.
"Yes," Kimmel replied. "The leaders have been captured and imprisoned, but their supporters are still out there. Nothing has been attempted since then, but…" He left his sentence unfinished.
Obi-Wan pondered this for a minute. Anakin settled back into his chair, happy to let his Master deal with it – he had a much firmer grasp on politics than he did.
Presently, Obi-Wan spoke. "What have you been doing in the weeks leading up to the election?"
"We are not required to hold campaigns, but we both have duties we must fulfil," Kimmel answered.
"Kimmel and I go out amongst the people and speak with them about the vote – we don't promote ourselves, just make sure our people know who we are and who they are voting for," Telisse added. "We go out three or four times a week, but only twice in the week before the election."
"And I take it that the assassination attempts occurred on such outings?" Obi-Wan asked.
Kimmel nodded. "We still have our final two community outings, and each of us also has to prepare a public address that we must deliver immediately before the election. We have requested your assistance to prevent the extremists from starting civil war, and to see that the elections are peaceful."
"We will do what we can, but I believe that your safety is just as important," Obi-Wan said. "I suggest that each of you be placed separately under our protection."
Telisse glanced at Anakin, hardly daring to hope. He was looking slightly bored – politics obviously did not interest him. She wondered suddenly if he would dislike her because she was involved with it. No, no, she chided herself. He's a Jedi. He's objective, not prejudiced. And anyway, it's not my choice to be in politics. It was my birth. She expelled her breath, relaxing slightly. There was still time to win his favour and respect.
"…and so I will stay with you, and Anakin will accompany your sister," Obi-Wan finished. Anakin looked over at Telisse – her cheeks were tinged pink and her gaze was fixed on her hands – but he could see a tiny smile playing at her lips. He sighed inwardly. Now he would have to be around her annoying cheerfulness all day.
He had only been on Teidon for an hour, but it was obvious that, instead of an interesting, active mission, his job was to play security guard to a politician. It couldn't get any more boring.