Strings of coloured lanterns criss crossed the alleyways leading down to the square near the harbour. The streets were lined with stalls selling delicious smelling food Naboan families wandered up and down, pausing to watch street artists perform magic acts. The ale houses were bursting with merriment and the occasional firework was let loose from a roof to explode somewhere distant followed quickly by a shout of surprise.
The Naberrie family strolled along one of these bustling alleys, Ruwee and Jobal leading the way with Padme and Sola following on. Anakin, trying very hard not to be distracted by the sights, brought up the rear.
Padme and Sola walked arm in arm talking and laughing both occasionally looking back at Anakin as if to underline the subject of their gossip.
Anakin smiled shyly whenever Padme caught his eye, she looked beautiful in a simple knee length dress of pale blue that revealed her slender shoulders. Her hair was plaited simply and honey brown strands fell either side of her subtly made up face.
He was finding it hard to focus on his duties, over the course of a week on this gentle world he had gotten to know Padme's family and for the first time in his life he had a sense of what it might be like to be part of something like that.
He had had the same hopes for the Jedi but had been secretly disappointed at how sombre and monastic his life with them had turned out to be.
At this thought he suddenly felt guilty. Obi Wan had looked after him as well as anyone ever could and he had to admit, he had not always made it easy for him.
His ruminations were cut short by the voice of Ruwee calling his name. Looking up he moved toward the laughing figure.
"Ah Anakin, good, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, this is Cheff. Cheff this is my daughter's er...friend, all the way from Coruscant" Anakin shook the man's hand, it was hard and dry like Ruwee's, indicative of a life of simple toil.
"Ru tells me you're a Jedi"
Anakin glanced at Ruwee who sheepishly avoided his gaze.
"That's right, though I'm trying not to advertise it"
Cheff laughed and clapped Ruwee on the shoulder "Your secret's safe with me son, though it is an honour to see one in the flesh,
you people are tantamount to a bedtime story round here"
Anakin smiled at that, the idea of being a part of a mythical caste amused and excited him but he checked himself.
"Anyway" Cheff went on, "Ru here seems to think you might be a dab hand at my little challenge" he stepped aside to reveal a shy consisting of 4 pedestals with a small pyramid of jars upon each one.
Anakin looked at Ruwee puzzled. Ruwee smiled apologetically.
"I was just joking, I said you could do it backwards with your eyes closed, y'know, being a jedi and all"
"Dad!" Padme stood in front of Anakin "Anakin isn't here to do magic tricks, how could you"
Anakin looked at the back of her head affectionately. It felt ridiculously good to have her stand up for him, even for something as frivolous as this. He said:
"Padme, it's OK, I don't mind, it sounds like fun"
Padme turned and apprised him eyebrows raised "I thought you weren't allowed to have fun"
Anakin smiled mischieviously "that's right and don't you forget it"
He looked at Cheff and Ruwee and reached for one of the small heavy balls lined up on the counter. taking a few steps away in the opposite direction he faced the shop front across the street, taking a deep breath he focussed his mind. The samll frown on his face was slowly replaced with a smile. People had paused in their progress down the street to observe this strange young man standing stock still.
Suddenly all of the balls on the counter and the one in Anakin's hand rose a foot into the air. Cheff's eyes widened as he twigged what might be about to happen. With almost jedi like reflexes he threw himself to the ground just as every single ball flew at lightning speed toward the pedestals knocking every jar onto the mesh matting covering the floor.
Silence fell over the crowd as they all looked dumbfounded from the stall to Anakin.
Anakin opened one eye playfully and said to Padme "So? How'd I do?"
Padme shook her head and laughed and then the whole crowd cheered and came forward to congratulate a now grinning Anakin.
Ruwee helped Cheff to his feet "I told you"
Cheff grumpily knocked his hand away "You had no idea"
Anakin approached the counter and leant one elbow upon it, eyes twinkling with amusement.
"That's some party trick you got there" said Cheff ruefully "You need a hand tidying up?" laughed Anakin "No, no, that's fine, I can manage but..are you going to be wanting all my prizes now?"
Anakin smiled and looked back at Padme. She was surrounded by children being bombarded with questions about her jedi protector no doubt.
"Let's see" he surveyed the array of gifts "I'll take two of those" he indicated the firestem batons hanging on the left of the stall. Cheff passed them over and failng to keep a sardonic edge from his voice said "You enjoy the rest of the fete"
Anakin smiled again and turned toward the group.
He presented the batons to Sola and Padme. Sola ignited hers straightaway and walked off after her parents to show them the delicate firework.
Padme, looked at hers enchanted.
Anakin said "Aren't you going to let yours off too?"
She smiled and said "I want to keep it until later. These are so beautiful, it will get lost in all this"
She looked up at him. Anakin, feeling a moment upon them started to speak. Suddenly a fanfare rose up from the square.
Padme gasped "Oh quick come on" she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowd toward the edge of a large rectangular space.
The dance was about to start, people of all ages were moving on to the floor.
Sola ran across to Padme and Anakin, her eyes full of mischief.
"Well sis, if you won't I will" she grabbed Anakin's hand and dragged him on to the dance floor. Anakin with something akain to panic playing across his face assumed a starting position with Sola. He looked down at his feet as if being introduced to them for the first time. He looked over Sola's shoulder at Padme. Her hand hid her giggling mouth as the music began. The sound of a cleared throat made Padme turn around, Her father stood smiling his hand outstretched. "may I have the honour, your highness?"
With a a similarly mocking air of pomp Padme took the outstretched hand and was lead on to the dance floor some distance away from Anakin.
Padme looked for Anakin and smiled as Sola positioned his arms and hands imperiously, Anakin blushing furiously as the grace usually imparted to him through his use of the force deserted him completely.
"You like him, don't you?" she looked back to see her father's warm eyes twinkling at her.
"Oh not you too, I'm getting enough of that from Sola"
"Well we all want to see you happy sweetheart" he looked over too at the shuffling jedi "occurs to me a little happiness wouldn't go amiss in that boy's life either"
Padme didn't answer that but just placed her head against her father's chest as he lead her across the dance floor. Eventually they drew close to Anakin and Sola. Ruwee, with a wink at Padme, took Sola gently by the arm.
"You don't mind if I cut in do you son? I'll never hear the end of it if I don't dance with both of em"
Anakin, trying to hide his relief said "Of course, sorry about your feet Sola"
Sola was aggrieved "Dad! he was just getting the hang of it. I see so I do all the legwork and she gets to enjoy the result?
"Come here So so, I'll get you a Joom cake"
Still protesting, Sola let her father lead her off the dance floor.
Anakin and Padme watched them go and then looked at each nervously. they both laughed shortly.
"Well" Padme began "better not just stand here I guess"
"Right, er, I'll show you my new moves then"
Padme laughed "Do you want me to lead?"
"No that's OK" anakin smiled and took her hand placing his other aound her waist.
he gently drew her close, avoiding her eyes at first and focussing on a piece of brocade on her sleeve he slowly drew his gaze along her arm to rest on her eyes.
To his surprise, he found her eyes smiling up at him, warm and steady with no hint of the reservation she had shown him back on Coruscant.
She made it easy for him to return the look, she made him feel safe in the moment.
there was no humiliation lying in wait here.
there was no need to talk but Padme ventured,
"So, when you got this guard duty, is this what you had in mind?"
Anakin laughed "Not exactly" he glanced at his feet "Don't worry you're doing great"
"ha, thanks, jedi reflexes I guess"
"So what did you envisage?"
"Oh I figured I would just have to set a perimeter around you everywhere we went,
taste your food for you, check under the bed..."
"Ha ha, well I never feel out of your sight"
Anakin's smile dropped a little "Oh, I'm sorry, it's just well, I feel I need to..."
"Hey it's OK, I'm joking, sorry that was mean"
Anakin smiled again sheepishly "Oh"
"I don't mind you know"
"Mind what?"
"You looking out for me, I feel..." they looked right into each other's eyes "safe"
"You do?" he smiled and muttered barely perceptibly "me too"
Padme laughed softly "You feel safe? Well I'm glad you do. i wasn't aware you needed protection too?"
Anakin looked away "Only from your sister"
Padme laughed "Your jedi powers will have no effect there"
Anakin laughed "No doubt"
"Don't worry though, I'll protect you"
"You will?"
"I'll teach you everything you need to know"
"You will? Ah this is great, I'll call Master Yoda and let him off the hook, he'll be so relieved" They both laughed, both padme's arms had migrated around his neck.
he could smell her perfume, he knew he was sweating.
Suddenly the music stopped, the dancers broke and applauded the band.
Anakin and Padme stood still smiling softly at each other.
Suddenly Anakin's smile faded and a frown clouded his forehead. What was it?
A familiar presence? Like on Coruscant? a cool malevolent instinctive mind, somewhere close. He broke off from Padme's embrace. looking around him quickly, trying to focus on the source. "Anakin, what is it?" padme stepped up to him and touched his arm.
he ignored her and kept looking and then with dawning horror he looked up at the roof of a building on one side of the square, at a burnished metal helmeted figure, at the weapon in his hand.
"NO!" he screamed and grabbing Padme, threw her to the ground at the same time he threw out his other hand and using the force tore the awning of a store front and impelled it toward the corner roof. The concussion missile hit the fabric and careened off to explode in the sky with a tremendous noise. At that, the whole square began to panic.
Padme's parents screamed her name. Padme, still on the ground, shouted to them.
"No stay there, I'm OK, get back!"
Ruwee grabbed Jobal and Sola and ducked behind a cart for cover.
Anakin lifted Padme to her feet and they sped toward a portico on the far side of the square. They crashed together behind a pillar.
"You Ok?" Anakin asked without looking at her, his eyes still looking for their assailant.
"Fine, is it the same person?"
"I think so, he didn't stick around to introduce himself last time." He looked down the pillared walkway "You're covered here all the way to the last shop. Can you get to that cart?"
"Of course, what are you going to do?"
Anakin looked at her steadily "I'm going to introduce myself"
he made to leave her but she grabbed his arm. he looked down at her. She looked worried. Suddenly she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him on the lips.
"Be careful Ani"
Momentarily stunned, Ani smiled at her "I will, I promise"
He turned back to look out on the square; "Now! go!"
Blaster fire erupted behind Padme's feet as she dashed toward the cart where her family sheltered. At the same time Anakin near flew across the square, tapping the force to increase his speed. With a single bound he leapt to an awning and somersaulted from that to the roof above. The bounty hunter was ready for him.
Both pistols drawn he let loose a barrage of close range rapid fire. Anakin altered the trajectory of his fall to take him behind the stairwell housing, giving him enough time to ignite his saber.
Clenching his jaw he rounded the corner of the stairwell to face his attacker.
"One chance" he said through gritted teeth "who are you and who sent you?"
"A little feisty for a Jedi aren't you?" said the bounty hunter, his voice synthesized by his helmet.
Anakin advanced "I said..."
"I heard you and you're out of luck on both counts" the mysterious figure didn't seem perturbed.
"Suits me" Anakin smiled and brought his sabre to bear.
The bounty hunters pistols were up and firing with supernatural speed. At the same time he fired the rocket pack on his back and started to head toward a second rooftop back and to the right of him.
"Not so fast" Anakin blurted and made a suicidal leap for the assassin's back, wrapping his forearm around his visor, trying to get under his neck.
Surprised at the boldness of the move, the bounty hunter veered chaotically down and along one of the alleyways, lanterns getting caught around their shoulders as they flew.
With a sudden jerk of his armoured elbow, the bounty hunter sent Anakin crashing down into Cheff's stall collapsing the roof and scattering the pedestals.
Anakin jumped up and started to sprint throwing a quick "Sorry Cheff" over his shoulder.
Spying a number of balconies to his left he leapt up to the first, grabbing the handrail and pushed off into a spin to land on the roof of the building, pausing, he scanned the sky around him.
Suddenly several quick successive blaster bolts flew past his shoulder from behind. The assassin flew past him at top speed firing back at him as he shot past and Anakin rolled to the side.
He jumped to his feet, fists balled in frustration at the elusiveness of his prey. Eyes closed he lifted his hand and focussed his fury on the fleeing shape.
The assassin began bucking and careening all over the night sky and out over the sea as his rocket tubes began to smoke and buckle as if compressed by a vice.
Desperately he unclasped the strap on his chest and let the backpack fall from his back into the still surface, bracing himself he hit the water at speed.
Anakin opened his eyes and lowered his hand, smiling in satisfaction.
With effortless grace he leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he stood on atop the one nearest the sea with the town square behind him.
He searched the still water for signs of disturbance. Nothing.
Had he got him? He couldn't be sure. His emotions were in too much turmoil to get a clear sense of the assailant's current state.
Frowning, he slowly turned away and made his way from the roof via the stairwell.
At the bottom, the crowd were trying to re-establish the levity of minutes ago. It was slow going. Children were crying, several people had fallen in the rush to vacate the square and been trodden on.
Anakin surveyed the scene looking for Padme and her family.
"Ani! Ani? Ani over here!" a voice to his left shouted. He turned and jogged through the throng to the upturned cart that had sheltered the Naberries.
Padme rushed to him when he reached them, they embraced and her hands were on his face, searching his eyes.
"Are you OK? I was so worried, what happened?"
Anakin smiled grimly looking nowhere in particular "I'm fine, not a scratch"
"And the...?"
"He wasn't very talkative"
"Did you?"
"No" finally he made eye contact and the fierce look of determination dissolved. He breathed out heavily. "is everyone OK?"
"my folks are a bit shook up but they're not hurt"
"Good. Listen we have to leave here. Whoever that guy was, he was good and well informed, we've been tracked right from the start on Corsucant"
"I know but where can we go?"
Anakin placed his hands on his hips and turned and took a few paces away to a nearby pillar.
Suddenly he turned, his eyes shining with excitement and new hope.
"Tatooine, it's perfect, it's outer rim, out of the way, no-one will find us there. It will at least give us a chance to figure our next move."
Padme approached him and placed a hand on his chest, looking at him steadily.
"You're going to look for your Mom. Aren't you?"
Anakin broke away annoyed, "I won't forget my duty, senator, if that's what you're worried about"
"Hey, there's no need for that and I'm only worried about you. What if you can't find her?...what if she?"
Anakin shot her a sharp look but when he saw the concern on her face he shook his head and came back to her.
"I'm sorry" he said taking her hands in his. "You're right, I don't know what will happen but I have to know if she's alright".
He looked at her, his eyes uncertain "Will you come wth me?"
She reached her hand up to stroke his face. "Of course I will, we'll get some things together. I'll make sure my folks are ok and then we'll go OK?"
"OK" Anakin smiled, happy again. "Thanks Padme, I will make sure nothing happens to you I promise"
She pushed his chin gently with her fist "And I'll look after you too and don't say you don't need me to because I won't believe you and anyway you're wrong"
He laughed at this "more often than not"
"You see we're making great progress here, Yoda would be proud"
"I'm not so sure" he said ruefully "OK, let's get moving."
Gathering her family together the group made their way back through the town toward the homestead.