Chapter 11

As Anakin came out of hyperspace, he could feel the passion coming from his master. At first, he was confused as to why his master would be feeling passion. And then, he began to smile. He and Padme must have finally done something about their feelings for each other, he thought. About time, I think.

An hour later, he was through the atmosphere and could sense where his master had taken Padme. He landed his fighter on the landing pad near the lake country. It didn't take him long to take a boat to the lake house.

Obi-Wan woke up when he sensed his Padawan had landed on the landing platform near the lake country. Carefully extricating himself from a still sleeping Padme, he got up and headed to the refresher. He knew Anakin probably sensed that he and Padme had finally consummated their feelings for each other, but he didn't want to be obvious about it. As it is, he thought with a rueful chuckle as he ran the shower, I've got a few I told you so's coming from my Padawan. I'll take them.

After his shower, he dressed quickly and went outside to greet Anakin, who was climbing out of the boat and making his way up the dock. "Master," the young Padawan said, bowing respectfully, but he was practically snickering. It made Obi-Wan want to laugh and say that teenage Padawans sometimes knew too much for their own good. Instead, he simply bowed and beckoned for Anakin to join him on the patio so they could talk.

Soon they were all Jedi business and talking about Anakin and Rina's discoveries back on Coruscant.

"How could those records have been erased?" Obi-Wan asked thoughtfully.

"Master Yoda and I have been talking about it. We do know one thing though. Only a Jedi could've erased those files. Who and why is still a mystery, to me at least. Maybe he's come to some conclusions by now. He told me he was going to meditate on it while Rina and I were gone." Anakin shrugged. "That reminds me, I need to send a transmission to Master Windu to let him know I've arrived here safely."

A few minutes later, they were having R4 scramble a holotransmission Code 6 to Coruscant, care of the old folks' home. In reality, it was going to the Jedi temple.

"Have you heard anything from Rina yet, Masters?" Anakin asked.

"Heard nothing from her yet, have we," Yoda told him.

"Anakin's told me about what happened in the archives, Master," Obi-Wan interjected. "Do you have any idea who might have erased those files?"

"My suspicions, I have," Yoda replied. "Meditate on it more, I will. Obi-Wan, I sensed your Padawan, you would need with you on Naboo. Was I right?"

"Yes, Master. Senator Amidala and I arrived at her family's lake house only to find her eighteen-year-old cousin with her friend from school staying here for a retreat of some sort. So my apprentice's being here will be invaluable."

"Just remember, protect the senator at all costs. That is your first priority," Mace told them and ended the transmission.

"About that," Anakin said hesitantly. "I have an idea, but I'm not sure how you and Padme would feel about it."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Go on."

"I fear it won't be long before whoever hired the bounty hunter to kill her figures out that she's left Coruscant. Naboo would be the first planetary system they'd look. Maybe after a couple of weeks, we should go somewhere else, the last place anyone would look."

"Are you referring to Tatooine?" Obi-Wan looked at his apprentice long and hard. "Be mindful of your thoughts Anakin; they betray you. You're thinking about killing two banthas with one stone; go and see your family, and keep Padme in hiding."

Anakin blushed. "You're nobody's fool, Master. It was just a thought."

"It might be a good idea. We'll talk about it with Padme later tonight."

A few minutes later, Lara and Katya came running onto the patio and Obi-Wan introduced them to Anakin. Lara and Anakin gazed at each other for a long moment. For the first time in his life, Anakin's heart skipped a beat. Lara was beautiful with her blonde hair, brown eyes, and fair complexion, her soft pouty lips that tempted him for a kiss. He noted that Katya was beautiful as well with her black hair, brown eyes, and her olive complexion. But he only had eyes for Lara.

When Lara had walked onto the patio, she'd not expected to find a young Adonis sitting with her cousin's protector. Obi-Wan had introduced him as his Padawan learner, Anakin Skywalker. He's gorgeous, she thought, with his dark blonde hair cut short, save for the ponytail in the back and his Padawan braid coming down to his shoulder, his blue eyes, and his beautiful smile.

Obi-Wan could see the silent communication between the two of them and was practically snickering. Now Anakin has no room to talk, he thought as he left the patio to go rouse Padme for dinner.

Mara Saun was laughing gleefully as she spied the action on the patio from her hiding place. She'd seen Lara's cousin cuddled up with the bearded man on the beach, and had managed to get a few scandalous holographs. I can sell these to a tabloid, she thought maliciously. That will teach the two losers to cross me.

Later she watched as they had dinner on the patio. She could see another young man, about her age, had joined them. She scowled as she watched the exchange between Lara and him. How did she get my trip? she thought angrily. How did Lara Naberrie, the biggest loser in our class, manage to get the attention of that gorgeous creature while I can't even find anyone here who will go clubbing with me?

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

She continued to keep an eye on the party, preparing to take pictures. Maybe I'll get lucky again and can sell these to the Nubian tabloid for a pretty penny, she thought with glee.

"So then we went into aggressive negotiations," Anakin was saying shyly, smiling at Lara.

"What do you mean?" Katya asked with a laugh.

The Padawan laughed. "Negotiations with a lightsaber," he replied.

"That would do it." Lara laughed. Suddenly, Anakin stopped laughing.

"I…" he started, sensing an intruder. He looked at Obi-Wan, who nodded.

"I sense it too." The two men raced off the patio and onto the lawn toward the bushes, Padme, Lara, and Katya following them. They heard a girl's shriek and a moment later saw Obi-Wan and Anakin dragging none-too-gently Mara Saun out of the bushes. Lara glared at her, especially when she saw the holocamera in her hand.

"You little witch!" she hissed angrily. "What's on your camera?" She snatched the holocamera out of Mara's hands before anyone could stop her. She looked at one of the scans.

To her shock and horror, the scan was of her cousin, in the arms of Obi-Wan. They were on the beach, obviously scantily clad and they were kissing. "What were you going to do with this picture, huh?" she demanded.

"The same I was going to do with the others bitch," Mara snapped. "Sell them to the tabloids. Let them know what Naboo's senator is up to and with whom."

That did it. Lara slapped the other girl hard across the face. It took Padme all her strength to keep her cousin from attacking Mara. Thankfully, two servants came running when they heard the commotion.

"Escort this girl off the property," Padme told them. "Make sure she doesn't come back. I'll keep this." She took the camera from Lara.

The servants escorted Mara off the property and Anakin and Obi-Wan hustled Padme and the two girls back into the house.

"Well, my young apprentice, it looks like you're getting your wish," Obi-Wan said tiredly.

"What are you talking about?" Padme demanded.

"We're going to have to leave here, since your sanctuary has been compromised," he replied, slipping an arm around her. "Anakin has suggested we go to Tatooine, the last place anyone would look for you." He paused. "And it looks like we're going to have to take Lara with us."