Chapter Nine - Fanfiction Writers

Lili was in awe of the Temple Library and was glad that Sabé suggested they go there. She was convinced it took up the entire basement of the Jedi Temple. Lili said nothing as she and Sabé slowly walked through what seemed like hundreds of aisles of bookshelves. She stopped periodically to pick up a book filled with strange, alien writing all the while wondering what was written. She loved how some books were the size of her palm and some were the size of a door. She didn't even want to guess how someone read a book that size. Sabé said nothing the whole time, but instead watched as Lili's emotions changed from happiness to confusion to wonder. Eventually, Lili found a computer terminal in front of a window, but in a quiet secluded corner and sat down. Sabé pulled up a chair beside her and waited for Lili to ask her how to use the computer.

"I want to catch up on my Star Wars history," Lili said to a blank screen.

Sabé giggled and Lili turned to face her.

"I mean…"

"I know what you meant," Sabé said as she reached over Lili to punch a few buttons on the terminal. The screen lit up and waited for input.

"What do you want to look up?"

"Um…I don't know," Lili said with a shrug. "How about the history of Coruscant? Naboo? Queen Amidala?"

"Type in a name or place here," Sabé pointed to the screen. "The computer will find anything related to it. I'm sure you can find what you want to know."

"Thanks," Lili said and began a search on the history of Naboo. The computer keys were in English, or Basic, and so was the language. In a matter of seconds, the screen was filled with news articles, documents, and images of Naboo. Lili only half-skimmed over the information the computer retrieved, however. She was waiting for Sabé to say something to her. She suspected Sabé had originally dragged her here to drill her about her behavior earlier in the cafeteria and her meeting with Anakin.

Lili guessed correctly.

"You're not going to tell me what that was all about are you?" Sabé finally asked Lili in a desperate tone, trying to take her attention away from the computer terminal in front of her.

"Tell you what?" Lili asked not looking away from the screen.

"You know what I am talking about," Sabé placed her hands on her hips impatiently. She knew Lili was being evasive on purpose and was dying to know why.

Lili said nothing, but grinned instead. It was the first time she felt like smiling in a long time. She really liked Sabé and knew that she was sitting on pins and needles wanting to know and Lili was happy to make her wait a few moments longer. She began reading an article about the Royal Elections on Naboo and it's history.

"Lili!" Sabé exclaimed and threw her hands in the air. Lili stopped reading and broke into laughter. A librarian nearby shook her head, but continued to stack books.

"No, I'm not going to tell you," Lili stated and folded her hands demurely in her lap.

"What? Oh come on…you can't torture me like this! You have to tell me what is going on. Why were you so upset in the cafeteria? And why were you all flushed when you came out of Anakin Skywalker's room? What did he say to you? More importantly, what did you do? You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Sabé couldn't get her questions out fast enough. She knew Lili was neglecting to tell her just to be mean.

"Yes," Lili gasped between her laughing fits. "Yes, I am doing this on purpose." She wiped a tear and tried to compose herself. "I'm sorry, Sabé. I'm only trying to have some fun in all this madness."

"I forgive you. Now, tell me. Please?" Sabé looked as eager as a child about to receive candy.

"Sabé? What do you know about Faydra?" Lili asked seriously.

"Well, not much. I know that she's been at the Temple for quite some time and that she and Anakin Skywalker are a couple."

"Yeah, that's not obvious…" Lili muttered, placing her chin in her hand and went back to looking at the computer… "How do you know so much about things, anyway?"

"I've spoken with Obi-Wan a few times over the past few years. I met him when I first came to Coruscant. He saved my life."

"I'm sure that's a story in itself, isn't it? Tell me about it?"

Sabé wasn't going to let Lili change the subject that easy.

"Lili, why does it bother you so much that they are a coup-" Sabé stopped when an image of her former Queen appeared on the screen. Lili read aloud about the events surrounding her death. Sabé could not have looked more forlorn when Lili faced her again.

"You look exactly like her. Why?" Sabé sighed and pushed a strand of Lili's hair behind her ear. "You have her personality, too, you know. I'm glad you came here. I don't care why you are here…just that you are. It must be fate, your destiny. I know you can't replace her, but you remind me so much of her. Is that only a coincidence?"

Lili grabbed Sabé's hand and clutched it to her chest. "Sabé, I'll find out why I am here. I've only been here a short time, and yet, you remind me so much of my roommate, Morgan. She's my closest friend. I don't think its coincidence. I don't believe in them."

A tear slipped down Lili's cheek. Lili let go of Sabé's hand and wiped it away, surprised. She missed Morgan terribly and didn't know when or even if she would ever see her again. Morgan had always kept her sane in all the madness that followed Lili wherever she went. She wondered how Morgan was taking her sudden disappearance.

Lili looked at Sabé, who had a slight smile on her face now and was gazing out the window. I wonder what she's thinking about… Lili felt like she was intruding upon a relationship that never should have been shattered. If Queen Amidala hadn't been murdered, I wonder how things would be different… would I be here? Would it be the same as in the movies? Sabé's earlier questions lingered in her mind: 'Why were you so upset in the cafeteria?' Lili turned back to the computer and stared at the image of Queen Amidala. Why was I so upset? Because I have a mad crush on Hayden Christensen? No, because Padmé Naberrie is the mother of Anakin Skywalker's children? Lili began to fidget and wondered if she should tell Sabé that little detail. She was the last person Lili wanted to lie to. Sabé had believed her from the start. Lili looked up at Sabé again. She was back to wearing a frown and had her head bowed.

"Sabé, I…"

"There you are, Lili."

Obi-Wan approached Lili and Sabé with a serene smile. Lili immediately noticed the change in Sabé's demeanor and almost laughed out loud. The sparkle had returned to Sabé's eyes and obviously her reminiscing had ceased. She now wore a bright smile and focused all her attention on the Jedi Master. Lili made a mental note to ask Sabé how exactly Obi-wan had saved her life. He obviously meant much more to her than just a casual acquaintance.

"I have the details of your trip to Naboo."

"Naboo?" Sabé was quite confused. She turned back to Lili. "Why are you going to Naboo? When are you going to Naboo?"

"I'm not quite sure why I'm going to Naboo. All I know is that I am being forced to go with Anakin and I don't want to," Lili said the last sentence with a smirk in Obi-Wan's direction.

"You're not being forced, Lili. The Council feels it's for the best," Obi-Wan said folding his arms in his robe.

Lili rolled her eyes. "Great. I say that someone is to become a Sith Lord and they want me to go to Naboo with him. How's that for ironic?"

"If it makes you feel any better, you won't be alone with him. Not that he would hurt you." Obi-Wan placed his hand on Sabé's shoulder. "Sabé is going with you."

"I am?" Sabé asked, gazing up at Obi-Wan. Lili thought Sabé was going to let out a blissful sigh at any moment.

"Yes, the Council feels that you would be able to help Lili. You know Naboo better than any of us. I suggested it would be a good idea."

"Don't you love how the Council 'feels' that this should be this way or…"

"Of course I'll go!" Sabé exclaimed, interrupting Lili.

Lili turned her head and held her breath to keep from laughing.

"Good. Here are the details. My Padawan will be piloting his ship…he knows not to be rough with you." Obi-Wan handed a small data pad to Sabé, who passed it to Lili without breaking eye contact with Obi-Wan.

Lili did let out a snort of laughter then. She wasn't sure if she was laughing about Sabé's very obvious attraction to Obi-Wan or if it was because what he just said came out very wrong. If only the fan fiction writers could see this now! Both Sabé and Obi-Wan were ignoring Lili at this point. She rolled her eyes again and decided to have some more fun.

"Say…Sabé? Why don't you and the esteemed Jedi Master go have lunch or something? I would like to catch up on some reading."

"Yes, that would be lovely," Obi-Wan said and extended his arm. Sabé practically jumped up and laced her arm through his.

"Enjoy reading up on your catching…" Sabé said, transposing her words as she gazed at the man next to her. They walked out of the Library quietly whispering to each other.

Lili shook her head when Sabé's laughter reached her in the corner of the Library. She was glad that Obi-Wan Kenobi brought happiness to Sabé. She gathered that Sabé had been through much more torment then she would care to tell. If Sabé could survive it and continue on, then so would Lili.

Lili spent the rest of the day in the Temple Library. She read everything she could about anything. She wanted to not only keep her mind off her unusual situation, but to gain as much knowledge as she could. She was forced to leave when the Library closed, but returned the next day to finish before she left for Naboo. She was fascinated with what she read. She read about the different species on Coruscant and Naboo, the histories of the Jedi and the Sith, the biographies of everyone she could think of. She made mental notes about the differences and similarities of what she knew. Sabé checked on her twice and made her take a break for meals. She finished early that evening and prepared for her trip. Sabé helped her pack and even quizzed Lili on what she found out about Naboo. She passed with flying colors and even tried to question Sabé about her 'lunch' with Obi-Wan. Sabé was just as mean as Lili was and playfully wouldn't tell her anything. Deciding she was more patient than Sabé was, she would wait for details.

Lili went to bed that night, worried and excited about her trip to Naboo with a Handmaiden and The Chosen One. It sounded like a bad movie...no, more like Star Wars.

Darth Vana stalked down the long corridor to his room. He didn't like being interrupted in the middle of training his apprentice. He was instructing his apprentice on how to accept pain and discipline from his Master. Disobedience was not to be tolerated and he rather enjoyed giving the punishment. He did not enjoy, however, being interrupted by one of his servants to receive an unidentified summons from Coruscant. The servant was lucky she would be living to see tomorrow. Perhaps I will punish her tonight as well…

Without stopping his stride, Vana slammed open the doors to his room using the Force. The room automatically lit up and a blinking light on the computer terminal waited to be answered. He sat down and punched in aggressively the security code.

The silhouette of his Master, Darth Sidious appeared.

"Darth Vana," the silhouette said quietly.

"My Master…" Vana bowed his head to the screen.

"It has been quite some time, my worthy apprentice. I trust the training of your apprentice is going…well?" Sidious inquired with a twisted sense of sarcasm.

"Yes, my Master. He is accepting his…training very well. Just as you instructed me," Vana replied with a sadistic grin.

"Excellent. I have a mission for you. Listen well. I do not want nor have the time to repeat myself."

"Yes, my Master," Vana said with calm anticipation. It had been ten long years since his Master had sent him on his last mission. He had used that time to perfect his skills in the Dark Side.

"I have felt a disturbance in the Force. Perhaps you have felt it was well?"

Vana nodded and waited for Sidious to continue.

"My spy on Coruscant has told me of the arrival of a young woman named Lili. She is not of this universe, for she has no Force signature."

Vana was surprised, but showed no outward reaction. Every being had a Force signature.

"My spy has also informed me that she knows things she should not!" Sidious said with a sneer. "She knows of my identity, my plans, of the Sith, of the Jedi…" Sidious stopped to smile maliciously. "She even predicted the future of a particular Padawan named Anakin Skywalker. He is to become my apprentice named Darth Vader."

Sidious let out a perfectly evil laugh. Vana didn't know whether to laugh as well, but instead raised his eyebrows in suspicion his Master's reaction. He leaned closer to the view screen. It was as if Sidious was actually amused.

"Master, does the Council know of this? Have you foreseen what she says?"

"Of course they know of it. But they have made no move to prove what she says. It would be unwise to press an accusation based solely on the words of one woman. They have no proof and they will not find it." Sidious stressed the last sentence in anger.

"Master, what is thy bidding?"

"I want you to go to Coruscant. Find this woman. Befriend her. Seduce her, if you wish. Bring her to me. I want to find out how she knows so much. Then I will make her suffer. She will not stop me from being Emperor…and I have foreseen all that she has said. Anakin Skywalker will be her protector in more ways than one. Do not kill him. Bring him to me as well. He will be my apprentice."

"Yes, my Master. It will be done."