Chapter 2
Xanatos sat at his wooden dark brown desk and slowly opened a container filled with tiny packages of an orange substance. What was it the woman had called it? Natural mélange? He took one of the packages and unwrapped it; it was the size of his little finger. A cinnamony smell tickled the hairs in his nose as he took a whiff of it.
Popping it into his mouth, he chewed the mélange and marveled at the delightful taste. It was pleasurable and exciting and dangerous at the same time. Soon he would be on Coruscant, delivering Qui-Gon a box of mélange. He would make Qui-Gon addicted to them and be the only person who had any source of mélange for him.
It was a clever idea, especially since it was possible that the mélange could cure Qui-Gon. Ah, but the cure had a cost, for once one was addicted they could not stop taking it or even try weaning themselves off it, because if they did they would die. Qui-Gon dependant on him for survival – it was perfect revenge.
Xanatos closed the box. It wouldn't do if he himself became addicted to it, but it tasted so good. It made him feel good. It had been many years since he had contact with the Jedi except for Zane and Anakin, who contacted him somewhat frequently when they were in between missions.
The boys were still totally oblivious to his deviousness. Powerful as they were, they were still so gullible.
Soon he would have his revenge. Soon.
...
Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Zane navigated their way through the Senate apartment complex for the turbolift they needed to take to Senator Amidala's apartments. Zane and Anakin walked behind Obi-Wan, still in a solemn mood except for Anakin – whenever he turned his thoughts to Padme, his mood lifted. In the Force it was like someone turning a lightswitch on and off.
Zane chewed on his tongue, trying not to let Anakin's sudden mood changes bother him. By the time they reached the turbolift, Zane had had enough. "Will you make up your mind already, Anakin?"
Anakin gave a little jump and looked at Zane with a startled expression. "What?"
Obi-Wan entered the turbolift and looked at Anakin and Zane. "Both of you need to be paying attention to the here and now. We have a mission to complete, that is our focus." He pressed a button to keep the doors from closing. "Now let's go."
Anakin and Zane entered the lift and the doors closed behind them. Zane chose to stand facing away from Obi-Wan and Anakin, staring out of the clear glass of the turbolift that provided a view of the descending night. Normally he had fun watching and feeling Anakin's different moods through the Force, but today it just grated on his nerves. He could shield, but then Obi-Wan would question him about it, and he really didn't want to talk with his father yet.
"You seem a little on edge, Anakin," Obi-Wan noted as the turbolift began its climb.
"Not at all," Anakin replied, not sounding at all convinced. He was triying to focus on the mission as Obi-Wan had told them to, but then he'd start wondering – would Padme recognize him? Would she still like him?
"I haven't seen you this nervous since the incident on Tysoon eight."
Anakin shook his head and focused instead on the conversation, a smile twitching at his lips. "That was different. The Mayor's daughter was plain creepy and I was younger then." And I shouldn't be as nervous as I was then. I know Padme, she is loving, caring, and keeps her promises. I know that she is a good person.
A smile twitched at Obi-Wan's lips and Zane just frowned at the conversation, his mood darkening further.
"You're sweating," Obi-Wan noted. "Take a deep breath. Relax."
"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master. What do I say to her?"
"Anakin, relax," Obi-Wan reiterated. "Clear you thoughts. Don't leap over the pond or you'll fall in. Take the stepping stones across."
Anakin took another deep breath and focused on the meaning of Obi-Wan's words. One step at a time. Next step is to exit the turbolift.
Obi-Wan glanced over at Zane, who was pointedly ignoring them. "Zane—" He walked the short distance over to him and placed his hand on Zane's shoulder.
"I should be with him," Zane said.
Obi-Wan sighed and looked out the turbolift to see the Temple in the distance. "Do you remember when you told me about the teacher you told to go to the healers because you felt that something was wrong with her?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Zane said in a tear-choked voice.
"She went to the healers and told them what you said. It turned out that she had the same illness Qui-Gon had, except it was more advanced when she found out. Based on what she told the healers about what you said, they were able to develop a better treatment, but because her illness was so advanced, the treatment didn't work. The healers used this new treatment on Qui-Gon, giving him ten more years – ten more years, Zane," Obi-Wan told him.
Zane swallowed hard. "I know I should be grateful, maybe I did help extend his life, but…" He paused and then looked at Obi-Wan. "My bond with him is slowly fading, strands slowly breaking away, his presence is so weak."
"I know," Obi-Wan replied, brushing a tear off of Zane's cheek with his thumb. "It doesn't make it any easier. Some say this way is better than a swift break, but I think it depends which one someone experiences first. We have said our goodbyes but he'll always remain in our hearts."
Zane nodded, taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it. I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
As Obi-Wan talked with Zane, the lift doors opened and Anakin stepped outside, thinking it best to let them talk in private. Anakin had only stepped halfway to the door across the way when it slid open and a finely dressed Gungan, wearing red and black robes, stepped into the corridor.
"Greetings Jedi, mesa representative Jar Jar Binks."
"It's good to see you again, Jar Jar Binks. You have made it far since Naboo I see" Anakin responded.
The Gungan studied Anakin for a moment before he lost all sense of proper manners for a diplomat and shrieked. "Nooooooooo!" He clapped his hands together. "Ani? Nooooooo! Little bitty Ani?" Jar Jar ran forward and grabbed the padawan in a tight embrace before pushing him to arms length and studying him from head to toe. "Noooooooo! Yousa so biggen! Yiyiyiyi! Ani! Mesa no believen!"
Anakin's cheeks grew red in embarrassment. "Hi, Jar Jar."
Jar Jar swept Anakin in a hug again and then spotted Obi-Wan come out of the turbolift. The Gungan abruptly released Anakin and started leaping as if the floor had suddenly turned into hot coal. "Obi! Obi! Obi!" he cried, tongue and ears flapping, as he rushed forward to hug Obi-Wan. "Mesa so smilen to see'en yousa! Wahoooo!"
Obi-Wan smiled politely as Jar Jar released him, though his brief glance at Anakin showed that he was a bit embarrassed. "It's good to see you too, Jar Jar."
Zane, meanwhile, had snuck out of the turbolift behind Obi-Wan until he was facing the Gungan's back. "No hug for me?"
Jar Jar spun around, almost hitting Obi-Wan with his ears and stopped dancing around as he studied the third person. He took a good hard look and his eyes widened. "Little Zane? Noooooo! Little bitty bitty Zane? Noooooo."
Zane's cheeks grew red as he also smiled politely. "That's me, except the little part."
Jar Jar squashed Zane into a bone crunching hug.
Obi-Wan chose that moment to intervene and gently but firmly grabbed Jar Jar by the arm. "We have come to speak with Senator Amidala. Could you show us to her?"
Jar Jar backed away from Zane and his duck-billed face took on a more serious expression. "Shesa expecting yousa. Ani! Zane! Mesa no believen!" His head bobbed a bit more, then he grabbed Anakin and Zane by their hands and pulled them along.
Thankfully, Jar Jar let go of them once they neared the living area of the apartment. Zane looked around and saw that the room was very tastefully decorated, with cushy chairs, artworks, and cheerful colored walls. He saw one of the handmaidens and Padme's security captain. The captain wore the regular Nubian military garb: a blue uniform under a brown leather tunic, with black leather gloves and a stiff cap to complete it. The handmaiden standing next to him wore the regular simple handmaiden clothing that all of Padme's handmaidens wore.
Then he saw Padme, who was taller than he remembered, wearing black and deep purple robes, no face paint, with her hair piled neatly on top of her head. He glanced at Anakin and saw that he was absorbing her with his eyes.
"Mesa here. Lookie! Lookie!" Jar Jar screeched, even though Zane sensed that the Gungan was trying hard to keep himself under control. "Desa Jedi arriven."
"It's a pleasure to see you again, M'Lady," Obi-Wan said, moving to stand before the beautiful young senator.
Anakin and Zane stayed behind Obi-Wan, one on either side of him.
Padme took Obi-Wan's hand in her own. "It has been far too long. But I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary."
"I am sure that the members of the Jedi Council have their reasons," Obi-Wan replied.
Zane continued to watch Anakin out the corner of his eye. Yep, he still likes her.
Padme wore a resigned, accepting expression at Obi-Wan's answer, but a look of curiosity replaced it as she glanced behind the Jedi Knight, to the young padawan standing patiently to Obi-Wan's right. She took a step to the side, so that she was directly in front of Anakin. "Ani?" she asked, her expression purely incredulous, her smile and the flash of her eyes showed that she needed no answer.
Anakin's heart pounded hard in his chest and he sensed her spirit leap, the slightest of flickers, but he sensed it.
"Ani," Padme said again. "Can it be? My goodness, how you've grown!" She looked down and followed the line of his lean body, tilting her head back to emphasize his height, and he realized that he now towered over her.
Zane watched in interest, mentally giving Padme and Anakin scores. One point for Padme.
"So have you," Anakin answered awkwardly, as if he had to force each word from his mouth. "Grown more beautiful, I mean." He cleared his throat and stood taller.
Negative two, Anakin, but one point for trying to save yourself, Zane thought.
"And much shorter," Anakin continued teasingly, trying unsuccessfully to sound in control. "For a senator, I mean."
Anakin, you just screwed yourself, negative two points for you.
Anakin noticed Obi-Wan's disapproving scowl and sensed Zane's hidden laughter, but Padme laughed any tension away and shook her head.
"Oh, Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine," she said.
Zane bit his tongue hard to keep from laughing out loud. Five points for Padme. So the total is Anakin negative three and Padme six.
Anakin looked down at the floor, his embarrassment only heightened by the looks he knew that both Obi-Wan and the Captain were throwing his way, as well as the hidden laughter he sensed from Zane.
"Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady," Anakin heard Obi-Wan assure Padme.
"I'm very grateful that you're here, Master Kenobi," the Naboo Captain put in. "I'm Captain Typho, head of Her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamillia has been informed of your assignment. The situation is more dangerous than the senator will admit."
"I don't need any more security," Padme said, addressing Typho initially, but turning to regard Obi-Wan as she continued. "I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me. I believe that there might lie an issue of utmost importance to the Senate. There is something more here…" She stopped as a frown crossed Obi-Wan's face.
"We're here to protect you, Senator, not to start an investigation," he said in calm and deliberate tones.
Tired of being completely ignored, Zane spoke. "Of course that could change. If another assassination attempt were to happen and we got a lead of some kind, the Council may extend our duties to investigate."
"Shouldn't we have a better idea of what might be going on, Master?" Anakin said, looking at him inquiringly. "I mean, I'm sure there are people already looking into this, but what if the senator is correct and there is something more sinister going on? A weed continues to reappear until it's yanked by its roots, and if you don't take care of that one weed, soon there will be many with deep roots."
"We will do as the Council has instructed," Obi-Wan stated. "Unless the situation changes, we are simply to protect."
Anakin and Zane accepted Obi-Wan's response, although they felt that they should do some form of investigation anyway.
Padme smiled at them. "If you'll excuse me, I will retire."
They all bowed as Padme and Dorme exited the room.
"Well, I know that I'm glad to have you here," Typho offered, moving closer to the group. "I don't know what's going on here, but the senator can't have to much security right now. Your friends on the Jedi Council seem to think that miners have something to do with this, but I can't really agree with that."
"What have you learned?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan folded his arms into the sleeves of his tunic. Maybe a little more information wouldn't hurt. But this still was not to be an investigation.
"Not much," Typho admitted. "Senator Amidala leads the opposition to the creation of a Republic army. She's very determined to deal with the Separatists through negotiations and not force, but the attempts on her life, even though they've failed, have only strengthened the opposition to her viewpoint in the Senate."
"And since the Separatists would not logically wish to see a Republic army formed…" Obi-Wan reasoned.
"We're left without a clue," Typho said. "In any such incident, the first questioning eyes turn toward Count Dooku and the Separatists." A frown crossed Obi-Wan's face, and the captain quickly added, "Or to some of those loyal to his movement, at least. But why they'd go after Senator Amidala is anyone's guess."
"And we are not here to guess, but merely to protect," Obi-Wan said, in a tone that showed he was finished with this particular line of discussion.
Typho bowed, hearing him clearly. "I'll have an officer on every floor, and I'll be at the command center downstairs."
After Typho left, they began to do security checks and become familiar with the chambers in the apartment.