As they left the third nursery empty-handed, Anakin wasn't quite sure who was more agitated - Ben or himself. There was a tightness in Ben's shoulders and a stubborn set to his jaw. Anakin couldn't fight the urge to fidget and move, his gaze raking up and down the streets that they passed through. Ben came to a stop at a sensor platform and staring resolutely across the street.
"Anakin," said Ben, not making eye contact.
Anakin stopped beside him, frowning when his Master didn't continue.
"Yes, Master?" Anakin prompted.
"I have been... glad to have you as my apprentice," said Ben, his voice soft. "You've always challenged me, in ways I never expected."

Anakin looked at Ben suspiciously, touched but unable to shake the feeling that this had something to do with Qui-Gon. Ben swallowed and his jaw tightened again.
"But you still have much to learn," added Ben.
The slight disapproval was more familiar and reassuring.
"That's what I have you for, Master," said Anakin lightly, a cheeky grin crossing his face.
"Yes, you do," said Ben firmly. "And I'm not going anywhere - I can promise you that."

The grin spread across Anakin's face, though he was embarrassed at the ridiculousness of it. It was a simple promise but it made him feel warm inside. He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted as the sensor platform signaled for pedestrians to cross. Ben stepped out on the road without looking back to see if Anakin was following. It was clear he was eager to be done with the conversation.

Anakin rolled his eyes and then stepped onto the road to catch up. He was still several metres behind Ben when a bleating siren sounded. Anakin paused in the street to look around for the source of the unfamiliar noise even as the other pedestrians shuffled to either side of the road. The siren was the warning before a red land speeder came weaving through the stopped traffic and charged out into the middle of the intersection. It was escorted by four red-uniformed Investigators riding swoops. The driver of the land speeder saw Anakin, adjusted its course, and sailed on through the intersection - siren loud enough to deafen the watching pedestrians. The rider of the final swoop, trailing behind the land speeder, didn't see Anakin until it was too late. Fortunately, Anakin had better reflexes than the swoop rider.

Anakin threw himself to the ground, falling into a forward roll that carried him to the edge of the road. He heard Ben shout and felt Ben accessing the Force to accelerate Anakin's roll. The wind from the swoop's wake ruffled his hair, setting his padawan braid flapping. His head hit the railing at the edge of the road and he uncurled to flop on the ground. As the world stopped spinning, Anakin watched as the swoop rider slowed her vehicle to a stop on the opposite side of the intersection. The other three swoop escorts glanced back but continued on after the land speeder. The sensor platform let out three high beeps and a low one to indicate the end of the pedestrian crossing cycle.

Ben ducked under the railing and grabbed Anakin beneath the armpits, pulling him to his feet and back from the road in the same movement. Ben held a still-dazed Anakin upright against him as the traffic resumed. Several of the pedestrians that witnessed the near-accident converged on them but Ben waved them on.
"He's fine," said Ben, wearing his professional crowd-managing smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.
A couple lingered in skepticism but left when Anakin managed to get first one foot, then the other, to take his own weight.

Once they had moved on, Ben let go so that Anakin could stand on his own.
"Must you always find your own excitement?" grumbled Ben, patting Anakin down for injuries.
"Well, technically speaking, they were the ones who disobeyed the traffic signals, Master," pointed out Anakin, running his fingers through his hair and fingering what was likely to become a nasty bruise. "They were certainly in a hurry."
"You didn't see the MedCentre logo on the speeder, then?" asked Ben. "They were either going to or coming from an emergency."
"And nearly created a new emergency in the process," said Anakin sullenly.
Ben smiled and dusted off Anakin's shoulder.

Behind them the sensor platform let out two low beeps and a high one. The traffic stopped again and the swoop rider came shuffling across the road towards them. The driver reached up with long, solid arms to remove her helmet. She was Phindian, her arms stretching past her gangly knees, and her skin smooth and dark - except for the white patches around her yellow eyes. She stopped in front of them on the path, cradling her helmet in the crook of an arm.
"Are you hurt?" she asked. "I didn't see you. Well, that's not true. I did see you but not until it was too late."
"No lasting harm done," Ben assured her, smiling and clapping Anakin on the shoulder.
"Except to my pride," grinned Anakin. "And from what I hear, I could probably stand to lose a bit of that."
"If you do go down to the MedCentre later," said the Investigator, looking Anakin up and down uncertainly. "Ask them to contact Investigator Irus - that's me - and I'll see you don't pay any fees for treatment. As long as it's within the bounds of reason, I say."
"That's quite generous," said Ben. "But really not necessary."

"Out of curiosity," said Anakin. "What was the emergency?"
Irus grimaced and tightened her long-fingered grip on her helmet. It was only then that Anakin noticed her red uniform was streaked with ash and singed at the edges.
"Officer injured in the line of duty," she said. "We're escorting her to the MedCentre."
"Are her injuries serious?" asked Anakin.
She nodded curtly and looked away. Her jaw trembled and Anakin didn't need the Force to sense her distress.
"I'm sure she was proud to do her duty," said Anakin.
Irus snorted mirthlessly and shifted her helmet to her other hip.
"Not so," she said. "Sometimes a job is just a job."
"You have our sympathies," said Ben sincerely.

She nodded grimly and loosened her white-knuckled grip on her helmet.
"We're new to Wefhuk," said Ben. "My name is Ben and this is Anakin. We've been here about two days so far. I must say the layout of the city has been far different than we're used to."
As Ben spoke idly about the handful of sites they'd visited around Cahbun, Irus relaxed incrementally and Anakin sighed internally. Anakin knew Ben when he was in information-gathering mode.
"Well, dancing is a form of religious expression for the Kuhd," explained Irus. "And given that they have had previous tense relations with the Hutts, dancing for money is considered the equivalent of prostitution in many of..."
She broke off as her helmet let out a shrill beep.
"Excuse me, please," she said, bobbing her head.
"That's quite alright," said Ben. "We've taken enough of your time. We hope to see you around."
Ben nodded politely and stepped away. Anakin, slouched against a railing, straightened up and fell into step beside him.

Irus watched them walk away as she replaced her helmet to activate her communicator.
"Well?" demanded Tylip's petulant voice.
"They're not likely to sue," said Irus, cutting to the point. "They're foreigners but they seem to be decent folk."
"Just as well, that's the last thing the Service needs right now."
"How did the other raids go?"
Tylip was silent for a moment and Irus could picture him flicking his tongue out in annoyance.
"Several casualties," said Tylip curtly. "We didn't manage a single arrest, though a couple were killed trying to escape. They knew we were coming. Someone must have tipped them off."
"But we kept the plans so tight," said Irus. "Only the Investigative Service and Spaceport Security knew."
"Exactly," said Tylip. "And if Spaceport Security were in on it, it explains how easily they keep getting their loot off-planet."

"I don't know," said Irus. "I have a hard time believing that of one of our own is working for the smugglers. There's no way an outsider could have hacked into our system?"
"An interesting suggestion," said Tylip. "I talked to a pair of human offworlders today that seemed pretty suspicious. They've only been on planet a couple of days but I'm planning to keep tabs on them anyway."
Irus looked down the street in the direction Ben and Anakin had disappeared. She chewed the corner of her lip thoughtfully.
"A pair of human offworlders? Were they male and wearing plain tunics? The older one has a beard and the younger one clean-shaven?"
"Yes," said Tylip suspiciously. "The younger one had short hair with a single long braid."
"Damn," said Irus. "It was the younger one I nearly ran over. They seemed really nice."

Tylip snorted and Irus shrugged, forgetting Tylip couldn't see her.
"… not that I would spare the pond scum for a second if I thought they were involved with the smugglers," added Irus.
"Follow them," said Tylip. "And see what you can find out. And be careful."