Not Invisible

Act 2

A Familiar Presence

…perhaps with merely your presence…this threat will be revealed…

– Senator Padmé Amidala

''

Anakin clamped down on his annoyance as he went to find his Master. He doubted if Captain Typho would have felt the need to scrutinize and question every alteration in the lounge security if it had been Obi-Wan that had co-ordinated.

Be mindful of your...

Anakin cut off the mental reprimand before his Master could complete it. This was the assignment he had dreamed about since becoming a Jedi and he was not going to let Obi-Wan's persistent nagging spoil it for him.

Master Obi-Wan was in the Senator's bedroom. With the ease of old habit, Anakin stretched out in the Force to find the Senator herself. She was also in the bedroom. His steps faltered as he reached the door.

"Come in, Padawan. Don't be shy." came Obi-Wan's wry voice.

It was targeted to exasperate but, even knowing that, Anakin did not hide the rise of annoyance quickly enough. He opened the door and fumbled over the threshold to glare at Obi-Wan's bland face.

"Captain Typho would like to go over some of the arrangements with you, Master," he said as politely as possible. He knew Obi-Wan was expecting him to gawk immaturely, so he held his Master's gaze steadily while he took in every aspect of Padmé's room. Under normal circumstances, it might have been a pleasant enough place with soft blue colours and stylish furnishings. Right then, it was far from serene with furniture lying about haphazardly and the window blinds in the process of being re-installed. The only sane spot was a corner of the large bed in a corner of the room where Padmé was. She was surrounded by data pads, data cubes and filo-faxes and appeared to be working steadily at her bed table despite the racket going on. She was sitting like a cat, with her legs curled up underneath her. Her hair was down and she was wearing a thin robe over an even thinner jumpsuit. She looked like a little girl, she was that tiny.

It took Anakin every bit of self-possession not to turn his head and stare.

"Go over them with me?" Obi-Wan was asking. "What, isn't he confident of your work?" His eyes twinkled.

Anakin wanted to shrug but he knew Obi-Wan would not let him off that easily. "I suppose not, Master."

Obi-Wan smirked then he turned to Officer Neeroy and instructed him to carry on in his absence. He turned to go and Anakin sneaked a glance at Padmé. His heart jumped. She was watching him, head inclined a bit to one side and an appraising look in her eyes. He held her gaze steadily. She looked away first.

Obi-Wan just stopped short of literally dragging his apprentice out of the room.

tbc