Chapter 9

Anakin yawned as he made his way to the Jedi Temple's hangar bay. Master Kenobi had kept him up for several hours, lecturing him on arguing with the Council concerning his Jedi Trial. Anakin knew that he could have lost everything from his and Padmé's display in the Council chambers, but it could not be helped. Padmé's mere presence seemed to rattle him body and soul and he despised her for it. For this reason, Anakin had decided to wake up early and start on the journey to Yavin 4 before Padmé woke up.

He knew that this decision might displease Obi-Wan and the rest of the Council, but he was certain they would forgive him if he managed to solve the mystery surrounding the multiple kidnappings happening across the galaxy. It would all be made better if they decided to withhold Padmé's knighthood. However, if all he got out of this was that he would not have to work with her, that would be fine as well.

Anakin had noticed that when he left his quarters this morning, that the door to Obi-Wan quarters was still closed. The younger Jedi was careful to make as little sound as possible to not rouse his Master, trying to make his escape before anyone else knew he had left. As Anakin entered the Temple hangar bay, he immediately focused on his yellow starfighter, blocking everything else out of view. Therefore, when a cultured accent called out to him, it caused him to jump in surprise.

"Anakin, so good of you to join us, I was just getting ready to get you so you and Padmé could start on your mission." Obi-Wan smiled knowingly as he gazed at his padawan. Both he and Master Ti were a bit tired having woken up earlier than both of their padawans to ensure they left the Temple together. Standing in front of Padmé's baby-blue starfighter, Master Ti was helping her padawan run through her preflight checklist. Padmé had tried to escape her quarters early to head to Yavin before Anakin, but she had been stopped by Masters Ti and Kenobi. The Jedi Masters seemed to know what their padawans were planning to do.

"Master?" Anakin's tone did not hide his shock at seeing his Master there. At the sound of his voice, Padmé shot her fellow padawan a look of disdain.

"Master Ti and I wanted to see you and Padmé off. Padmé has already been awake for an hour, so you better be quick with your preparations. I am sure you are both anxious to leave on your mission."

Anakin's head snapped so his gaze could lock with Padmé's. A wave of irritation washed over him with the knowledge that Padmé had attempted to leave without him. Regardless of the fact that he planned to do the same to her, it still irked Anakin that had their Jedi Masters not foiled her plans, she would have left without him. Silence permeated the hangar bay as Anakin's eyes met with Padmé's. An angry, silent battle should have been occurring between the two padawans, but instead their scowls softened. For some unknown reason to them, both Anakin and Padmé forgot about their upcoming mission as their gazes locked.

"Padmé?" Master Ti noticed her padawan's hands stall in the process of completing a hyperdrive check on her ship.

"Hmmm…" Padmé murmured distractedly, her gaze still held captive by Anakin.

"Padmé!" Shaak Ti shouted more forcibly, causing her padawan to jerk in surprise. "Pay attention to what you are doing." Master Ti chided. The shock was enough to turn Padmé's gaze back to her ship's controls.

Anakin's eyes lingered on Padmé's downcast eyes for another second before he moved towards his own starfighter. As the Jedi Order's best pilot, it only took him a few minutes to run through his preflight checklist. "R4, are you ready to go?" Anakin asked his astromech droid, R4P9, once he was sure he was ready. When the little droid beeped in the affirmative, Anakin turned towards the astromech in Padmé's ship. "R2? Is your pilot ready to go?"

With a look of indignation, Padmé shouted before her blue-domed droid R2D2 could answer. "Yes, I am!"

"Good." Master Kenobi spoke up before Anakin could retort. "Just remember you two, that the Council will expect regular updates. Use R4 or R2 to send your messages." Both droids beeped in response as Obi-Wan continued. "Now get going, and may the Force be with both of you." Master Kenobi started backing away from the two starfighters as the hatches closed on the two padawans. Master Ti joined her fellow Jedi Master as the engines of the two starfighters fired up.

"So, you tried to leave without me?" Anakin called out over the ship's comm. unit to Padmé's ship.

"You tried to do the same." Padmé spat back, turning towards Anakin's cockpit.

"And I still can." Anakin answered back by pushing his starfighter forward as he began to race out of the hangar.

"Oh no, you don't!" Padmé shouted as she urged her own starfighter forward. She was last to exit the hangar, but only by a couple seconds.

Although Obi-Wan could not hear the conversation that was occurring in the two starfighters, he gave a great sigh at the sight of the two departing ships. "I do hope he doesn't try anything foolish."

Master Ti smiled with silent laughter and turned to her fellow Jedi Master. "I'd be more concerned about her doing something foolish, than him."

Anakin jumped in and out of hyperspace, putting his starfighter to rest in orbit around Yavin 4. Padmé followed close behind. "R4, run a scan of the planet for any life forms." Anakin ordered his astromech droid.

"R2 has already found them. He will send you the coordinates." Padmé answered proudly, pleased that her faithful droid was able to beat Skywalker's.

Biting back his frustration as being showed up by his rival, Anakin watched the coordinates scroll across his data terminal. "Looks like they are scattered, which is odd since the planet is supposed to be uninhabited. So now we know why the Council sent us."

"There seems to be a large population here." Padmé sent another series of coordinates to Anakin's ship. "Looks like they are situated around some of the old Sith Temples."

"Then we'll land on the outskirts and start our investigation there. Come on R4, let's go." Anakin began to push his starfighter towards the jungle planet.

"Wait! Shouldn't we formulate a plan first?" Padmé called out, hesitating at her own controls.

"Well, I plan on going down there and figuring out what is going on. If you want to try something else, go ahead." Anakin completely ignored Padmé's suggestion and kept to his current course of action.

"But…." Padmé hesitated once more, biting her bottom lip.

"Are you scared, Naberrie?" Anakin teased, failing to suppress a snigger.

Padmé's eyes narrowed at Anakin's remark, as she growled, "No! R2, set a course to the planet's surface."

R2D2 whistled with a tone that showed the droid's concern.

"Yes, I am sure R2. Now let's go."

R2D2 gave another morose peel of beeps and whistles, but did not argue against Padmé's decision. Instead, the little astromech droid set about to complete the task his mistress had ordered.