A/N: Please consult my profile before asking for an update in your review.


Luke and Leia stood with Obi-Wan and Anakin in the middle of the council chamber with the twelve Jedi masters watching them from their seats circling them. Neither twin were accustomed to being eyed critically, both knowing that the Jedi could see right through them, so they kept their guards up, shielding their minds as they were used to doing. Luke could feel the Jedi's suspicion but hid himself behind a serene mask, Leia keeping her stoic expression on her face as well.

"Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda said, addressing Obi-Wan.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Mace put in.

"What about Senator Amidala? She will still need protecting," Obi-Wan asked.

"Handle that, your Padawan will," Master Yoda decided.

Mace looked at Anakin. "Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo. She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees," he instructed.

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the Capital," Anakin pointed out diplomatically.

"Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect," Master Yoda told him.

"Anakin, go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her," Mace said, looking at Anakin.

Luke and Leia inauspiciously threw each other alarmed looks at hearing this.

Do they really think that's wise??!!

The council doesn't know, Leia. Master Yoda hasn't told them.

Both twins turned away from each other, resuming their appearance of stoicism

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied.

"You are dismissed," Mace told them.

Luke and Leia followed Obi-Wan and Anakin's lead and bowed to the council before leaving.

"Go talk to the chancellor, I'll check out Kamino in the archives," Obi-Wan instructed his padawan.

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied.

"You two, come with me," Obi-Wan said, looking at Luke and Leia who looked at each other.

"Why?" Leia asked.

"Because you seem to have knowledge of this planet," Obi-Wan answered, frowning at being questioned.

"I'll go see the Chancellor now so that he can speak to Senator Amidala before she leaves her office," Anakin told them.

"How do you know she's in her office right now?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin shrugged. "She is at the Senate Rotunda, Master, and the Senate isn't currently in session, it is a logical hypothesis," he replied.

Obi-Wan waved a hand. "Very well, go. The sooner we have her off planet the better," he told him.

"Of course, Master," Anakin replied, tearing off in a different direction.

Obi-Wan turned to Luke and Leia. "Now, you both will tell me everything that you know about Kamino," he instructed, and saw them look at each other silently, getting the distinct impression that he was missing something.

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Chancellor Palpatine stood by the wall sized window in his office, staring at the cityscape, knowing that soon, he would have direct control. All of his plans were coming into play, he just had to maneuver every pawn into their correct places. And speaking of pawns, he received word of his greatest one coming to see him on official business, so he gave the go ahead to see him in.

"Chancellor?"

Palpatine turned and gave a pleasant smile. "Ah, Anakin, come in," he said pleasantly.

"I wish that this was a pleasure visit, your Excellency," Anakin told him, coming further into the room.

"Come, tell me what brings you here," Palpatine instructed, not moving away from the window.

Anakin joined him by the window. "As you are probably aware, there are a series of attempts on Senator Amidala's life," he told him.

"Yes, I am aware," Palpatine told him.

"The council has assigned me to protect her while Master Obi-Wan investigates," Anakin informed him. "It is their belief, and mine, that Coruscant is no longer safe for Senator Amidala as the attempts have been made here. The council has instructed that I escort her to Naboo but there is one thing standing in the way," Anakin told him.

"She is the leading member for the opposition against the Military Creation Act and I am not sure how long I can hold off the vote," Palpatine told him.

"Which places her in danger, your Excellency, but if we can find this assassin before the vote has taken place, it may placate her," Anakin suggested. "But I'm not sure if that is enough to convince her to leave Coruscant," he added.

"I will talk to her. Senator Amidala will not refuse an executive order. I know her well enough to assure you of that," Palpatine assured him.

"Thank you, your Excellency," Anakin said relieved.

"And so, my young Padawan, they have finally given you an assignment. Your patience has paid off," Palpatine said, offering a congratulatory smile.

"Your guidance more that my patience," Anakin told him diplomatically.

"You don't need guidance, Anakin. In time you will learn to trust your feelings. Then you will be invincible. I have said it many times, you are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met," Palpatine told him as they turned away from the window and walked towards the door.

"Thank you, your Excellency," Anakin said.

"I see you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi, Anakin. Even more powerful than Master Yoda," Palpatine told him.

"Thank you for your assistance, Excellency. Hopefully this threat will be over soon," Anakin told him.

"That is my hope as well," Palpatine assured him.

Anakin bowed before leaving. Palpatine watched him go, a feral smile crossing his features. Everything was going according to plan.

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Luke and Leia sat in the archives with Obi-Wan, neither saying a word. They just watched him attempt to pull up the details of Kamino and frowning. Luke looked at Leia and heard her though process. He said not to say anything.

But shouldn't we say something? We're here for a reason, not to keep quiet about everything. Luke pointed out.

But how do we know what to say exactly without causing severe damage? Leia rose an eyebrow as she pointed this out.

Hold on. Luke told her and closed his eyes, searching through the force. Father?

What? Came the instant reply.

Where are you?

Hyperspace. His tone held an annoyed and sarcastic note in it. Where else would I be at the moment?

I thought that you got there by now.

Do you not know just how far Tatooine is from Coruscant?

I never traveled that path. Luke pointed out.

Tatooine is in the outer rim while Coruscant is in the core, think about it. His father pointed out, his tone still sarcastic.

Luke rolled his eyes.

I know that you just rolled your eyes. This time his tone was sharp. What is the true reason for this conversation?

Obi-Wan is pressing us about Kamino. Luke informed him.

Yes, I know. You didn't keep your mouth shut which naturally brought about an interrogation. His father pointed out.

What do we tell him? Luke asked.

Tell him what you know and that the reason why he can't find Kamino in the archives is because it had been erased from the Temple Archives ten years prior, and that he will need to be alone when he investigates. His father instructed.

Right. Luke closed off the communication and looked at Obi-Wan. "You won't find Kamino in the archives," he said.

Obi-Wan looked at him. "Why is that?" he asked.

"My...master just informed me that it had been erased from the Temple Archives ten years ago," Luke answered.

"Excuse me? He just now informed you?" Obi-Wan questioned.

Luke nodded. "We can speak to each other through the force," he told him. "Can't you do the same?" he asked.

"No...that ability is unusual," Obi-Wan told him. "What else did he say?" he asked.

"Just to tell you what we know and that you will need to investigate alone," Luke answered.

"I see," Obi-Wan said. "And where is this Kamino?" he asked.

"It's the fifth planet of thirteen that orbit a star south of the Rishi Maze," Leia told him.

"Is there anything else?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Nothing else that is relevant to this time," Leia told him.

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Anakin stood by the window in the Anteroom to Senator Amidala's bedroom, his eyes never leaving her as she spoke to Jar Jar. He would have preferred to be alone with her but his master thought it was a good idea for Luke Lars and Leia Solo to join him. The two in question sat down on a bench behind him in silence but Anakin got hints within the force that they were speaking to each other through it. Something he knew that Jedi typically didn't do, only those from his mother's home world could do so, which raised even more questions in his mind but Anakin pressed those questions to the back of his mind and instead focused on Senator Amidala. Every one of his senses keyed into her, his eyes drank in every one of her features, her soothing presence permeated his senses, acting like a balm to his soul. Even her voice sounded like the most melodic music to his ears. Just being around her was intoxicating and he never felt anything so powerful before, he wasn't even sure what it was yet. Writing to her for the past ten years, while filling him with joy with every response, it didn't have this profound effect on him.

"I'm taking an extended leave of absence. It will be your responsibility to take my place in the Senate. Representative Binks, I know I can count on you," Padmè instructed Jar Jar.

"Mesa honored to be taken on dissa heavy burden. Mesa accept this with muy muy humility and da..." Jar Jar said pompously.

"Jar Jar. I don't wish to hold you up. I'm sure you have a great deal to do," Padmè said, interrupting him.

"Of course, Milady," Jar Jar replied and bowed before leaving.

Padmè briskly walked into the anteroom before going into her bedroom. "I do not like this idea of hiding," she briskly said as she passed Anakin.

"Don't worry, now that the Council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter," Anakin assured her as he followed her, Luke and Leia paying attention to their interaction.

"I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act not to be here when its fate is decided!" Padmè told him frustrated.

"Sometimes we have to let go of our pride and do what is requested of us," Anakin told her.

"Pride?!? Ani, you're young, and you don't have a very firm grip on politics. I suggest you reserve your opinions for some other time," Padmè replied.

Anakin frowned at her dismissal and oversight where his understanding was concerned. "Sorry, Milady. I was only trying to..." he didn't get to finish what he was about to say.

"Ani! No! Don't..." Padmè was about to tell him not to apologize but he interrupted her.

"Please don't call me that," He requested.

"What?" Padmè asked confused.

"Ani..." Anakin clarified.

"I've always called you that... it is your name, isn't it?" Padmè replied.

"It's Anakin. When you say Ani it's like I'm still a little boy... and I'm not," Anakin pointed out.

"I'm sorry, Anakin. It's impossible to deny you've.." Padmè looked him over, "...that you've grown up," she said and offered him a smile.

Anakin looked away, the way she just looked at him having a strange effect on him. "Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it..." he said.

"Mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow," Padmè told him as she assisted Dormè in packing.

"Don't get me wrong... Obi-Wan is a great mentor, as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. Only... although I'm a Padawan learner, in some ways... a lot of ways... I'm ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials. I know I am! He knows it too. But he feels I'm too unpredictable... Other Jedi my age have gone through the trials and made it... I know I started my training late... but he won't let me move on," Anakin told her, using the force to play with a glass orb by the window.

"That must be frustrating," Padmè said, placing another garment in a suitcase.

Anakin set the orb down and turned to her. "It's worse... he's overly critical! He never listens! He just doesn't understand. It's not fair!" Even to his own ears, it sounded childish and felt her suppressing a laugh and turned away from her.

"I'm sorry... You sounded exactly like that little boy I once knew, when he didn't get his way," Padmè apologized.

Anakin frowned. "I'm not whining!" he told her and frowned when Dormè laughed in the background.

"I didn't say it to hurt you," Padmè told him.

Anakin sat down on the bed, knowing that he just made a fool of himself. "I know..." he sighed.

There was silence before Padmè walked over to him. "Anakin..." she started, he looked up to meet her eyes and she was startled when she felt something in the air, something unfamiliar. "Don't try to grow up too fast," she told him, managing to keep her voice from faltering.

Anakin stood up, holding her eyes with his own. "I am grown up. You said it yourself," he reminded her, looking in her eyes deeper, knowing that she was feeling it too.

"Please don't look at me like that," Padmè ordered, feeling uncomfortable under his stare.

"Why not?" Anakin asked, his voice having become deeper.

"Because I can see what you're thinking," Padmè told him.

Anakin laughed. "Ahh... So, you have Jedi powers too?" he said.

"It makes me feel uncomfortable," Padmè told him, walking away.

Anakin watched her, his eyes roaming over he body, taking note in the way that she moved. "Sorry, Milady," he said, although he really wasn't.

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Luke picked at the outland peasant garb he was wearing, almost matching Anakin. Beside him, Leia sat, wearing a simple dress with a simple pattern, braiding her hair and coiling it on top of her head. Next to Anakin sat Obi-Wan who sat across from Padmè, Dormè, and Captain Typho. Luke was still unaccustomed to Coruscant and hoped that Naboo was a stark contrast. He watched as Leia put the finishing touches in her hair, after braiding some fabric with an attached veil into her braid, and pinned her hair in place. "Are you done yet?" he asked.

"Yes," Leia answered.

"I've seen Queen Breha of Alderaan wear her hair like that," Dormè said, looking at Leia.

Leia looked away and into the passing traffic, holding in her sadness at that reference.

"Have I said something wrong?" Dormè asked concerned.

"Alderaan is a very painful subject for Leia," Luke explained, taking his sister's hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright, you didn't know," Leia told her.

Padmè watched Luke and Leia, knowing that there was something important about them but she couldn't put her finger on it. "Perhaps a change in scenery would do us all some good," She said.

The bus docked in a freighter spaceport and the hatch opened. Everyone stood and collected their bags.

"Be safe, Milady," Captain Typho said, standing with Padmè.

"Thank you, Captain. Take good care of Dormè... The threat's on you two now," Padmè replied.

"He'll be safe with me," Dormè assured her with a smile. She and Padmè laughed and embraced. As they broke away, Dormè looked down, about to weep.

"You'll be fine," Padmè told her comfortingly.

"It's not me, Milady. I worry about you. What if they realize you've left the Capital?" Dormè told her.

Padmè looked over at Anakin briefly. "Then my Jedi protector will have to prove how good he is," she told her. She and Dome smiled at one another as Padmè began to depart with Luke and Leia in the lead.

Obi-Wan pulled Anakin aside and Anakin frowned. "Anakin. Don't do anything without first consulting either myself or the Council," he instructed, knowing that there was a chance of his padawan doing the opposite.

"Yes, Master," Anakin replied.

Obi-Wan looked over at Padmè. "I will get to the bottom of this plot quickly, Milady. You'll be back here in no time," he assured her.

"I will be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi," Padmè told him.

Anakin spotted the freighter boarding it's passengers. "Time to go," he said.

"I know," Padmè replied as Captain Typho handed each of them their boarding passes and false identification.

Padmè gave Dormè one last hug as Luke nodded to Leia to move on.

"Anakin, Luke, Leia, may the Force be with you," Obi-Wan said.

"May the Force be with you, Master," Anakin told him while Luke gave him a solute and Leia nodded. They then started towards the starfreighter.

"Suddenly, I'm afraid..." Padmè said to Anakin.

"This is my first assignment on my own, without Obi-Wan. I am too," Anakin nodded to where Artoo was trailing behind them. "But don't worry. We've got Artoo with us," he joked and he and Padmè laughed together, both remembering how resourceful the droid had been during the blockade.

Luke and Leia rose their eyebrows at each other, getting that it was an inside joke that they weren't privy to, but guessed what it was about, knowing the droid very well.

Obi-Wan and Captain Typho watched as they boarded the freighter. "I hope he doesn't try anything foolish," Obi-Wan muttered.

"I'd be more concerned about her doing something, than him," Captain Typho told him.

"No, you don't need to remind me, I remember well what she is capable of. The problem is that he would need little encouragement to do something foolish," Obi-Wan told him, turning away.

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No sooner had they found their cabin, Luke, Leia, Anakin, and Padmè began to settle in. Luke and Leia designated which bunks they would be taking, placing their cases by them. Padmè removed her headdress and set down on a shelf while Anakin tucked his case by another bunk.

"How long will it take to get to Naboo?" Luke asked.

"A week, We're traveling to the other side of the galaxy, just before the outer rim," Anakin told him, settling down on one of the lower bunks, getting comfortable.

"Artoo, why don't you find us something to eat," Padmè instructed the droid which only beeped in response before following the request. She turned to Anakin, a thought on her mind. "Anakin..." she started but got no response. She walked over to find him asleep. The countless sleepless nights having finally taken a toll on him. Remembering the first time he traveled through space, she took a blanket and covered him, knowing that he found space to be too cold for his tastes. She turned to see Luke and Leia watching. "I remember the first time he traveled through space. He wasn't used to the temperature, too used to the heat of Tatooine, that he was literally shivering," she told them.

"How long have you known each other?" Leia asked.

"Ten years. We met on Tatooine. I was fourteen and Queen, he was nine, a slave to a junk dealer," Padmè answered. She laughed at the memory. "He asked me if I were an angel, I laughed, but then I learned that he was a slave. I was shocked to learn that slavery still existed in the galaxy," she told them and took a seat.

"What brought you to Tatooine? It's not exactly a vacation spot for royalty," Luke asked.

"The Trade Federation put up a blockade around Naboo. Obi-Wan and his master, Qui-Gon, came to investigate, but when they arrived in Theed, We were already taken captive because I refused to give into the Trade Federation's demands. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon freed me, my handmaidens and enough of the Royal Navel crew to get us safely off of Naboo to plead for help from the Senate. Only our ship was damaged getting through the blockade and we had to land on Tatooine. I went with Qui-Gon and Jar Jar into Mos Espa to buy parts for the ship, but the junk dealer refused to accept Republican credits. While Qui-Gon tried to haggle with the junk dealer, I staying in the shop and talked to Anakin," Padmè explained.

"How did you manage to get the parts for this ship if you couldn't use the credits?" Leia asked.

"We were about to go back to the ship, unaware of the sandstorm brewing, Jar Jar, being clumsy and innocent, managed to offend a dug. Just as Jar Jar was about to be harmed, Anakin came out of no where and said something to the dug to get his attention off of Jar Jar and to eventually leave us alone. Anakin offered us shelter with him and his mother during the sand storm. We discussed our situation when Anakin offered us a solution to our money problems. You see, a pod race was coming up and he used to participate in them. He was certain that he would win and told us that we could use his winnings to buy the parts we needed. His mother was against the idea but eventually caved. Anakin won that race in the pod he had built and gave us his winnings, in return, Qui-Gon had freed him and he left Tatooine with us," Padmè answered.

Luke and Leia looked at one another, each finding this conversation to be very informative.

"Anakin was born into slavery, he knew nothing but cruelty and hardship. One would believe that someone in that position wouldn't think of helping others without thinking about a reward. Anakin didn't ask for anything in return. He only want to help us. It changed my outlook on many things," Padmè said. "He's always been selfless and good natured. I consider myself lucky to know him." she turned as Artoo returned with some food. "Thank you, Artoo," she said, standing and taking a bowl of soup that the droid was carrying on a tray.

Luke and Leia silently took some food off of the tray and looked over at Anakin, neither understanding why he would become the monster that they grew up knowing.