Episode II and a Half
Ch 2
She trained at night, much as she had when she was a Padawan learner. The masters worked her harder than they worked their own apprentices, past and present. After a month, they decided it was time to return to the Capital for the Senatorial Ball; that all Jedi, and Senators were invited to. When they arrived, a familiar face greeted the six Jedi.
"Anakin!" said a short dark- haired girl.
"Oh my--" began Paavana.
"Paa-no! It can't be!"
"Padme?!?!"
"Paavana?"
They hugged.
"My dear sister, I heard you are now a Senator."
"I am."
"So, how goes the corrupt world of politics?"
"It's not corrupt, and fine."
"It is, if it weren't then the Republic could enforce their laws against slavery on my planet. It's terrible; I've seen their faces, Padme. Every day they pray that someone will save them from it. I know a child whose family owns slaves, and come to me crying when they shout at him for talking to their slaves nicely. It's terrible." Paavana sighed then laughed. "Another of our typical discussions, sister."
Padme smiled.
"Yes. I've missed them."
"Then we shall have them, but not in front of others. We don't want it to become... ah... aggressive negotiating."
Padme laughed.
"Yes, you have the advantage, as you did when we were children."
"Did I? You always had Sola and all I have was that Gungan who followed me around."
"Yes, Jar Jar. He is here, you know. Now, let's get ready for tonight."
"Oh no, please tell me you're joking,"
Padme shook her head, and pulled Paavana inside.
"Tonight? What's tonight?" asked Paavana as the door closed.
The two sisters were escorted to Paavana's room. The room was bigger than her entire house on Quidomijel.
"Come on, I have the perfect dress for you, laid out," said Padme, walking into the bedroom.
"A dress?"
Paavana followed her. It was a thin, sheer, red material, it was full length the back dropped to her lower back, and it came up around the neck at the top, showing much of her lower neck, and collar. There was thick material only at the chest and from the waist to mid- thigh. Paavana put on her shoes as her hair was curled into thin ringlets, and left it in a half bun, half pony tail. Padme wore her black dinner dress and had her hair in a tight bun. The closest druid handed Paavana a gold necklace with chains of gold plates dangling down with rubies encrusted in the plates. Paavana put it on. Padme and Paavana walked down to dinner together, Paavana stood straight, completely confident, as they entered the dinning room. Obi- Wan pretended not to notice, Anakin watched Padme, Master Windu, and Aliz- Zien stared at Paavana in shock, and Yoda smiled at the shocked Jedi.
"Welcome, Senator, Master Amidala," said Yoda, still smiling at the Jedi.
Paavana bowed.
"Thank you, Master Yoda. Umm, if I could ask... what is the matter with them?" asked Paavana.
"Starting at you they are. Young Skywalker is watching your sister, he is."
Paavana smiled and was about to sit down when Obi- Wan jumped up and pulled her chair out for her. Padme looked at her sister and smiled and nodded slightly. Paavana shook her head. During dinner, Yoda turned the discussion to the Jedi Code.
"I think that love is overrated," said Alis- Zien.
"I don't share your opinion, Master Caira. Love is rare, it a powerful emotion, and a fantastic experience," said Padme.
Paavana listened to the conversation, but did not speak, only contemplated.
"Marriage is a commitment, yet one has all ready made a commitment to the Jedi."
"Thinking this over, are you, Young Amidala, nothing to say, have you?" Yoda asked Paavana.
"I do. Love is a rare occurrence, and marriage is a special commitment, much like the commitment of becoming a Jedi. I don't believe in Jedi marrying--" began Paavana.
"Ha!" interrupted Alis- Zien.
"Marrying outside the Jedi, unless the one the Jedi marries both understands and accepts the Jedi ways. Jedi marrying Jedi is best, because both understand the duties of the other, because their duties are the same. I believe Jedi marring ones who could take care of themselves if something happens."
"Insightful that is. Never before brought up, that point," said Yoda.
"So, Paavana, you're saying that, say, a Padawan learner and whoever he loves, let's say that red- head apprentice, want to get married, you think that's okay? Preposterous! They'd never see each other!"
"Not necessarily, when I was five, a sixteen year old apprentice walked in to ask Master Yoda something, and before he was a hundred stiines from the door, I voiced who it was, why he was coming, what his question was, and the answer. The second he walked through that door, I was in love. I know hard to imagine for a five year old, but if you remember, I was about fourteen in mentality when I was five. I'd see him everywhere I went. I even see him now, even though I don't love him like that anymore," said Paavana.
"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Master Windu.
"Absolutely nothing, I thought it had a point, but it didn't. I saw that coming."
Yoda smiled.
"Remember that. I do."
Obi- Wan was shocked.
"Oh my," was all he could manage.
Paavana laughed.
"I never could get rid of you," she said.
"Qui- Gon pushed you two together, he did," said Yoda.
"I don't think of you anymore than my brother, Obi- Wan."
"And you my sister," said Obi- Wan, smiling at her.
"Master Caira, why is it that you do not believe in love, or marriage?" asked Padme.
"Senator, it is stated that Jedi are NOT to love. It was that way for our forefathers and theirs before them. It has been this way for thousands of years, why change it? Why now?" asked Ails- Zien.
"Ideals have changed, Alis- Zien. Why not yours?" asked Paavana.
"I sense sadness," said Anakin.
"As do I."
"Nothing, I do not regret what I did. I had a choice, I chose to be a Jedi..."
"Then I think you should agree, so no one should have to decide, as you did," said Paavana gently.
Alis- Zien sighed in defeat.
"You are right... your point is valid. I think YOU should have been a Senator."
"Jedi ARE masters of Diplomacy, among other qualities."
Paavana smiled. Yoda nodded.
"Then discussed in the Council, it will be," said Yoda.
They stood and entered the Ballroom, to see that Senators and other Jedi had all ready begun to arrive. At once, the Chancellor gravitated to Paavana.
"May I have this dance?" asked Palpatine, the Chancellor.
"Oh, I--" began Paavana.
"Go, I'll be fine," said Padme.
Palpatine led Paavana to the dance floor, and they danced.
"So... Miss, who are you? I thought I knew everyone here."
"Padme's sister, Paavana."
"Such a beautiful. Yes, well..."
Paavana stopped listening, it was all about politics anyway, but she felt a disturbance. Obi- Wan felt it too. He walked up to Paavana and the Chancellor.
"May I cut in, Chancellor?" Obi- Wan asked.
"Of course. I must chat with others anyway, Senator Binks!"
The Chancellor walked away. Obi- Wan and Paavana danced.
"Thank you Obi- Wan. I'm not a good dancer. I sensed a disturbance in the force. It was close; I don't know why it felt so strong or so close. Like it was right next to... me... I couldn't feel it until the Chancellor was dancing with me," whispered Paavana.
"We must speak with the council at once."
The two walked over to Masters Yoda and Windu.
"Not having fun?" asked Master Windu.
"I felt a disturbance in the force. As if it were covering its true intentions up, but I could feel it as it was very close to me. Obi- Wan and the Chancellor were the only ones near me and Obi- Wan felt it too," said Paavana quietly.
"Felt it, too, I did. When the Chancellor walked by, I did," said Yoda.
"Masters, pardon for interrupting, but the Chancellor's gone," said Obi- Wan.
Paavana turned and looked around. The doors and windows closed, locked and were barricaded. Some screamed. Every Jedi activated Lightsabers all over the room. Anakin and Padme walked over.
"What makes him think that this will stop us?" asked Anakin.
"He doesn't, it just slows us down, giving him time," said Paavana.
She grabbed a communicator from a guard.
"Hey!" he objected, but she held up her hand and he backed off.
"Landing pad? Give the Chancellor a small droid for his trip."
"Which one?" came the reply.
"RSD5."
"Yes, ma'am."
She handed the communicator back to the guard.
"You gave him a DROID? Why not just stop him?" demanded Padme.
"We can't catch him now, we're going to track him. One of the droids in my room told me they all have tracking devices just in case. And since he now has one of those droids, we can track him," said Paavana as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.
"Clever you are," said Yoda.
"Thank you master."
A/N: What do you think? This isn't that eventful, but I promise, it will get there! R/R!!!!!
Ch 2
She trained at night, much as she had when she was a Padawan learner. The masters worked her harder than they worked their own apprentices, past and present. After a month, they decided it was time to return to the Capital for the Senatorial Ball; that all Jedi, and Senators were invited to. When they arrived, a familiar face greeted the six Jedi.
"Anakin!" said a short dark- haired girl.
"Oh my--" began Paavana.
"Paa-no! It can't be!"
"Padme?!?!"
"Paavana?"
They hugged.
"My dear sister, I heard you are now a Senator."
"I am."
"So, how goes the corrupt world of politics?"
"It's not corrupt, and fine."
"It is, if it weren't then the Republic could enforce their laws against slavery on my planet. It's terrible; I've seen their faces, Padme. Every day they pray that someone will save them from it. I know a child whose family owns slaves, and come to me crying when they shout at him for talking to their slaves nicely. It's terrible." Paavana sighed then laughed. "Another of our typical discussions, sister."
Padme smiled.
"Yes. I've missed them."
"Then we shall have them, but not in front of others. We don't want it to become... ah... aggressive negotiating."
Padme laughed.
"Yes, you have the advantage, as you did when we were children."
"Did I? You always had Sola and all I have was that Gungan who followed me around."
"Yes, Jar Jar. He is here, you know. Now, let's get ready for tonight."
"Oh no, please tell me you're joking,"
Padme shook her head, and pulled Paavana inside.
"Tonight? What's tonight?" asked Paavana as the door closed.
The two sisters were escorted to Paavana's room. The room was bigger than her entire house on Quidomijel.
"Come on, I have the perfect dress for you, laid out," said Padme, walking into the bedroom.
"A dress?"
Paavana followed her. It was a thin, sheer, red material, it was full length the back dropped to her lower back, and it came up around the neck at the top, showing much of her lower neck, and collar. There was thick material only at the chest and from the waist to mid- thigh. Paavana put on her shoes as her hair was curled into thin ringlets, and left it in a half bun, half pony tail. Padme wore her black dinner dress and had her hair in a tight bun. The closest druid handed Paavana a gold necklace with chains of gold plates dangling down with rubies encrusted in the plates. Paavana put it on. Padme and Paavana walked down to dinner together, Paavana stood straight, completely confident, as they entered the dinning room. Obi- Wan pretended not to notice, Anakin watched Padme, Master Windu, and Aliz- Zien stared at Paavana in shock, and Yoda smiled at the shocked Jedi.
"Welcome, Senator, Master Amidala," said Yoda, still smiling at the Jedi.
Paavana bowed.
"Thank you, Master Yoda. Umm, if I could ask... what is the matter with them?" asked Paavana.
"Starting at you they are. Young Skywalker is watching your sister, he is."
Paavana smiled and was about to sit down when Obi- Wan jumped up and pulled her chair out for her. Padme looked at her sister and smiled and nodded slightly. Paavana shook her head. During dinner, Yoda turned the discussion to the Jedi Code.
"I think that love is overrated," said Alis- Zien.
"I don't share your opinion, Master Caira. Love is rare, it a powerful emotion, and a fantastic experience," said Padme.
Paavana listened to the conversation, but did not speak, only contemplated.
"Marriage is a commitment, yet one has all ready made a commitment to the Jedi."
"Thinking this over, are you, Young Amidala, nothing to say, have you?" Yoda asked Paavana.
"I do. Love is a rare occurrence, and marriage is a special commitment, much like the commitment of becoming a Jedi. I don't believe in Jedi marrying--" began Paavana.
"Ha!" interrupted Alis- Zien.
"Marrying outside the Jedi, unless the one the Jedi marries both understands and accepts the Jedi ways. Jedi marrying Jedi is best, because both understand the duties of the other, because their duties are the same. I believe Jedi marring ones who could take care of themselves if something happens."
"Insightful that is. Never before brought up, that point," said Yoda.
"So, Paavana, you're saying that, say, a Padawan learner and whoever he loves, let's say that red- head apprentice, want to get married, you think that's okay? Preposterous! They'd never see each other!"
"Not necessarily, when I was five, a sixteen year old apprentice walked in to ask Master Yoda something, and before he was a hundred stiines from the door, I voiced who it was, why he was coming, what his question was, and the answer. The second he walked through that door, I was in love. I know hard to imagine for a five year old, but if you remember, I was about fourteen in mentality when I was five. I'd see him everywhere I went. I even see him now, even though I don't love him like that anymore," said Paavana.
"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Master Windu.
"Absolutely nothing, I thought it had a point, but it didn't. I saw that coming."
Yoda smiled.
"Remember that. I do."
Obi- Wan was shocked.
"Oh my," was all he could manage.
Paavana laughed.
"I never could get rid of you," she said.
"Qui- Gon pushed you two together, he did," said Yoda.
"I don't think of you anymore than my brother, Obi- Wan."
"And you my sister," said Obi- Wan, smiling at her.
"Master Caira, why is it that you do not believe in love, or marriage?" asked Padme.
"Senator, it is stated that Jedi are NOT to love. It was that way for our forefathers and theirs before them. It has been this way for thousands of years, why change it? Why now?" asked Ails- Zien.
"Ideals have changed, Alis- Zien. Why not yours?" asked Paavana.
"I sense sadness," said Anakin.
"As do I."
"Nothing, I do not regret what I did. I had a choice, I chose to be a Jedi..."
"Then I think you should agree, so no one should have to decide, as you did," said Paavana gently.
Alis- Zien sighed in defeat.
"You are right... your point is valid. I think YOU should have been a Senator."
"Jedi ARE masters of Diplomacy, among other qualities."
Paavana smiled. Yoda nodded.
"Then discussed in the Council, it will be," said Yoda.
They stood and entered the Ballroom, to see that Senators and other Jedi had all ready begun to arrive. At once, the Chancellor gravitated to Paavana.
"May I have this dance?" asked Palpatine, the Chancellor.
"Oh, I--" began Paavana.
"Go, I'll be fine," said Padme.
Palpatine led Paavana to the dance floor, and they danced.
"So... Miss, who are you? I thought I knew everyone here."
"Padme's sister, Paavana."
"Such a beautiful. Yes, well..."
Paavana stopped listening, it was all about politics anyway, but she felt a disturbance. Obi- Wan felt it too. He walked up to Paavana and the Chancellor.
"May I cut in, Chancellor?" Obi- Wan asked.
"Of course. I must chat with others anyway, Senator Binks!"
The Chancellor walked away. Obi- Wan and Paavana danced.
"Thank you Obi- Wan. I'm not a good dancer. I sensed a disturbance in the force. It was close; I don't know why it felt so strong or so close. Like it was right next to... me... I couldn't feel it until the Chancellor was dancing with me," whispered Paavana.
"We must speak with the council at once."
The two walked over to Masters Yoda and Windu.
"Not having fun?" asked Master Windu.
"I felt a disturbance in the force. As if it were covering its true intentions up, but I could feel it as it was very close to me. Obi- Wan and the Chancellor were the only ones near me and Obi- Wan felt it too," said Paavana quietly.
"Felt it, too, I did. When the Chancellor walked by, I did," said Yoda.
"Masters, pardon for interrupting, but the Chancellor's gone," said Obi- Wan.
Paavana turned and looked around. The doors and windows closed, locked and were barricaded. Some screamed. Every Jedi activated Lightsabers all over the room. Anakin and Padme walked over.
"What makes him think that this will stop us?" asked Anakin.
"He doesn't, it just slows us down, giving him time," said Paavana.
She grabbed a communicator from a guard.
"Hey!" he objected, but she held up her hand and he backed off.
"Landing pad? Give the Chancellor a small droid for his trip."
"Which one?" came the reply.
"RSD5."
"Yes, ma'am."
She handed the communicator back to the guard.
"You gave him a DROID? Why not just stop him?" demanded Padme.
"We can't catch him now, we're going to track him. One of the droids in my room told me they all have tracking devices just in case. And since he now has one of those droids, we can track him," said Paavana as if it were the most obvious thing in the universe.
"Clever you are," said Yoda.
"Thank you master."
A/N: What do you think? This isn't that eventful, but I promise, it will get there! R/R!!!!!