1Chapter Two

The Captured Maid

Rick slowly stood up, locking his eyes on the woman, the barrel against the Chancellor's head.

"Don't do it... you won't make it out of here alive..."

He opened and closed his hands, getting ready for anything. The woman was clearly glaring at him through her helmet.

"Oh? So you say, Jedi... I know my way around! I'll make it! This man here will DIE today! Now, LEAVE!"

She pointed the gun at him, and shot a laser at him. He quickly, yet like it was without effort, cart wheeled to his right, going behind a wall. She kepted her aim at the wall, incase he tried to leave. Rick gave a sigh, crossing his arms.

"What, oh what, are you going to do now? If you point your gun back at the Chancellor, I will come out... and if you keep it on me, you can't have him as a hostage, and Storm Troopers are on their way now."

He could easily sense them rushing up... they were clearly distracted by something... no doubt this woman had made. She didn't say anything, knowing he was right. Yet...

"I don't care if I die! To me, this is more then just a job!"

She quickly pointed the barrel back at the Chancellor's head, who was glaring at the woman...

This was his chance...

He jumped out of the cover, staying low to the ground, and dashed to her... during this, he was just like a small blur, faster then anything else the Chancellor had ever seen. Rick grabbed the rifle and tossed it out the broken window. The woman punched him on his chin, which was solid enough to make him step back a few steps. She took out a hidden knife, trying to cut the Chancellor's throat. Rick had enough once he gained his balance. He raised his palm, pushing the woman into the wall. He then used the force to grab her, pinning her against the wall. She screamed, struggling against him, but was no use... once Rick had you in the Grip, it was over if you weren't a Jedi Master. Yet... under her screams, it was clear that she was also sobbing, barely able to speak.

"D-don't let him lead the R-Republic! H-he's the S-Sith Lord behind everything!"

Rick chuckled, walking closer to to.

"Yeah, right, and I'm a monkey with a five foot long penis. Sorry, but you're done here."

Chancellor Palpatine sighed, fixing his coat.

"Good work, Rick...."

He dusted off his coat casually.

"Now... kill her."

Rick started, nearly losing control of the grip on the woman.

"W-wha?"

"Kill her... she's a traitor of the Republic, and the punishment for the attempt of murder on the Chancellor is death. Now, do it."

Rick turned and glared at him.

"Sorry, sir. Truth is, the only people I follow orders that are like this is from the Jedi Council."

He turned his attention back to the woman... but, with that, he tried to sense the aura of the Chancellor... it was dark, darker then he had expected. Suddenly, it was like his senses were reflected off of the Chancellor, like a rubber bullet off of a steel wall. Rick gave no facial expression, not wanting him to know it was him... if it WAS the Chancellor who did that... was it possible? Was it true that Palpatine was the Sith Lord behind everything? The one who started all of this?

This thoughts were interrupted when a squad of Storm Troopers rushed in the door, their guns ready. They stopped when they saw Rick, holding the woman against the wall with his Force. One of the Troopers chuckled.

"Glad to see a Jedi so good at his job, if you don't mind me saying."

Rick gave a grin at them.

"Don't mind at all. I was given an order, and I always do what I'm told."

He gave a short glance at the Chancellor, then to the woman who was sobbing. He moved his hand, making the woman float toward him. She then slammed flat down on the floor, then he released her. The Troopers noticed this, and ran over to her, pinning her down and putting handcuffs on her.

"You, madam, are under arrest..."

The Troopers that had a knee on her back then took off her helmet... Rick's eyes grew wide... the maid who he had bumped into was under the helmet! She had tears streaming down her face like water falls, glaring up at him.... something about that look... it made his heart sink.... and raised a question in his head...

What happened to her giant breasts!?!?

He gave a sigh as the Troopers picked her up and lead her out...

"Well, I best leave, too. I need to make sure if there are others that were with her..."

As he began to head for the door, the Chancellor stopped him.

"Hold on, Jedi... I must ask... why did you not use your lightsaber?"

Rick stopped, silent for a moment. He then turned to him with a grin on his face.

"Because... I didn't need to."

He turned back and walked out of the office... that was half of the truth... the other was that his lightsaber was unlike any other made...

He sighed, lifting his arm when he was in the elevator. He press the button to go down and on his arm, where a device was. As soon as the doors closed, a small projection of Yoda in his chair was seen on his arm.

"Master, sir... I must request an audience with you. I need your wisdom once again."

Yoda gave a smile.

"Oh ho? Years it been, it has, and yet you still need your Master's help?"

"Gah... Master..."

They both laughed a little. Of all the Jedi Masters, he truly and fully respected Yoda, who was, in his heart, like a farther to him.

"Yes, sir... this is a case where I think is important. May we speak alone?"

Yoda began to think.

"My, my... rare, it is, that you request this, and yet it has brought us many truths and revealed lies, they have... alright, my young Jedi Knight. We shall meet in where we usually do."

Rick bowed his head a bit.

"Thank you, Master Yoda."

The image of Yoda slowly went away, so he let his arm down, just as the doors opened. He walked forward, spreading his senses through out the whole building... he knew that there weren't others that wanted to kill the Chancellor...

**Late at night...**

Yoda sat cross legged on a cushion, which sat straight across from another one. Rick was staring out of the window in the room, which was fairly small. The windows had thick blinds, which only let you barely see out of them, incase anyone tried to spy in them. All that was I the room was the two cushions and a holo-projector in between them. Yoda looked up at Rick.

"Well, a surprise, this is... it has been a long time since I have seen you this confused, it has."

Rick continued to stare out of the blinds, trying to sort out the words in his head the best he could.

"Master... would... would you think it strange that an assassin would think that the Chancellor is a Sith Lord? Worse, the one that is the master mind behind everything?"

Yoda gave a chuckle.

"Ahhhh... thinking wildly again, have you? Hmm?"

Rick also chuckled, turning to Yoda.

"This case, no, sir... it... well... it began...-"

He recounted the events from when he bumped into the maid/assassin, to the moment he contacted the Masters. Yoda brought a hand to his chin, giving another "Hmmm," thinking deeply.

"Disturbing, this is... tell me, could the assassin have been lying?"

Rick thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"No sir. The face she gave me... the voice she had..."

He looked away, frowning. Yoda leaned forward.

"Rick, my once Padawan... I sense fear in you... fear and confusion. Remember, you must, that the Jedi way does not have these things. Erase them from your mind, you must."

Rick quickly turned to Yoda, unable to control himself.

"Master! Why!? Why must we, the ones that protect the people so much, do not get rewarded at ALL? Sure, I don't mind helping people, and all I want is a 'thank you' from time to time, but... not having any family, not having anyone to love... some of the Jedis here don't mind that, but... but..."

He looked down to the ground, his fists tightened.

"Is it... really.... too much to ask... for a Jedi to have someone... to love him? Not a friend's love... but... a couple love? A love between a man and a woman? What is so horrible about that that we Jedi are forbidden to have any love?"

Yoda was silent, staring blankly in front of him, rubbing his chin with his hand.

"Rick... you are so skilled... yet you have much to learn..."

He looked up at Rick and spoke softly, which matched his eyes.

"Love and fear are path ways to the dark side. Your lover is taken and killed, we say, and you find out. What do you do? A Jedi would use his powers and skills to kill those involved, he would. That, my once Padawan, is a reason why we Jedi cannot love..."

Rick ran a hand through his short hair.

"And? Master, I am sorry... but I WOULD kill those involved if they had anything to do with the death of my lover... it's only natural. And that doesn't mean we will go to the Dark Side. In fact, wouldn't most Jedis, with their greater wisdom, even if they are in distress, want to STAY as a Jedi? And make sure this does not happen to anyone else?"

Once again, Yoda was silent, looking down at the floor, sorting the words in his wise mind. He then gave a chuckle.

"Once again, you say very wise words for one so young... all I can say, Rick, is that the Jedi cannot take that chance. There are Jedi who WOULD turn to the temptation of the Dark Side."

"And yet, Master Yoda-"

Rick sat down in front of him on his cushion.

"Many great Siths have had lovers, and they were actually happy. I'm not saying I would ever turn into a Sith, mind you, Master-"

Yoda chuckled a bit, knowing that Rick wouldn't easily become one.

"-but... it's not fair... they use the Force for offense AND defense... that, I don't really mind... but they also have lovers, people who they trust more then anyone else... yes, they are evil, but... that just adds to how wrong it is..."

He hung his head, staring at the ground.

"I... I guess that...."

He closed his eyes.

"I wanted someone to love me, not as a Master and Padawan... but love me as a lover would.... a Jedi who has a lover waiting for him would fight harder for her..."

Yoda, again, was silent, as was Rick... the silence hung in the room for about five minutes, which seemed like years to Rick.... then, Yoda spoke.

"Rick, wise, you are... very wise... but we cannot afford to have a chance of a Jedi turn to the Dark Side... but... as a favor to you-"

Rick slowly looked up at him.

"-I will talk to the other Jedi Masters about this... you have put up a good argument, one that can be debated on both sides, it can."

Yoda gave a smile, getting down from his cushion. He knew that Rick had said what he wanted to say for a while. Rick blinked... was it possible? Would the Jedi Counsel really allow a love between a Jedi and another person? He doubted it, but it was worth a shot!

"Thank you, Master Yoda... once again, you have helped your once Padawan."

Yoda gave an amused laughed, slowly walking out of the door.

"Learn too much, no one can. Now, go and do your posts before that Commander gets onto you."

Rick laughed, getting up. If it was possible, his respect for Yoda just grew.

"Yes, sir!"

He began to walk to the door, but Yoda was still in the same place.

"Master...?"

Yoda gave a sigh.

"About the Chancellor... we Master will speak about it and will keep a closer eye on him. Now, as an addition to your first assignment, I want you to search for any sign if he really IS the Sith Lord... search, you must! And, find he is the one, if he is... report to the Council. And... please do keep this a secret, incase this is a trick, if it is."

Rick gave a slight bow.

"Yes, Master..."

**A few hours later, a couple of hours before sun raise...**

Rick, wearing his hood was in the jail cells of this part of the planet, which was full of metal, hexagon hallways. He walked to two Storm Troopers that were stationed in front of that sector of the jail. They stepped forward, guns in hand, yet were not pointed at him.

"Halt. This is a restricted area. State your name and business."

He rose his head, looking at both of the Troopers.

"I am Rick, Jedi Knight, here on Jedi business. I must speak to the prisoner here... alone..."

The Troopers turned to each other, silent. Rick gave a smile.

"Don't worry, all I want to do is talk, nothing more. And... I think I can handle myself if anything happens."

He moved his robes back, showing his lightsaber. The Trooper at the right nodded.

"Alright, sir... if you need help, just call for us."

Rick kepted the smile on his face.

"Thank you."

The metal door opened, so he walked through. In the room was a small path, with eight jail cells, four on each side. He went down to the cell at the back right... inside it was a hexagon shaped room, with a metal cot bed and a very dirty toilet... inside was the woman from before, bound in a white shirt. She was sitting on the floor, then glared up at him once she noticed him... or if once she WANTED to notice him... she scowled at him.

"What do YOU want...?"

Rick knelt down so they were at the same eye level. His face was very serious, yet had no effect on the woman.

".... What more can you tell me... about the Chancellor being a Sith Lord?"

End of Chapter Two...