Blue eyes watched as a perfectly round hole was cut through the partially shaded window, and a tube was delivered through it. A tube from which two white kouhun were dropped.
Obi-Wan caught the two highly venomous arthropods with the Force before they hit the floor, while her hand went to the pocket where she kept a specially modified surveillance device. One that was not only smaller than most, but also contained a tracking device and was very easily attached to things like, for example, the modified courier droid that was still hovering outside of the Senator's window.
Maintaining the Force-hold on the kouhuns with one hand, Obi-Wan used the other to direct the holorecorder/tracker through the little hole that the droid had cut, and attached her device to it as it backed away from the window and started on its escape. Let the investigation begin.
"Mn?" came a sleepy grunt from the bed. "Obi-Wan?"
"Your assassination attempt for the evening, Senator," Obi-Wan answered with a vague smile as she bought the arthropods into the line of sight of the young man, though not nearly close enough for them to cause any harm. "These little menaces have a fatal bite, and a sting that while not deadly, is very painful."
"Artoo," Padme called, having come very suddenly awake from the moment the word 'assassination' had crossed Obi-Wan's lips.
The little astromech whistled in answer from the corner of the room where he'd been sitting, powered down but with his passive sensors all running – just in case.
"Containment for these things, please," Padme requested.
R2 chirped an agreement and opened a hatch.
"That's a new attachment for you, isn't it Artoo?" Obi-Wan asked, impressed, as she lowered the two very leggy creatures into the compartment that R2 had opened and released a containment box from.
R2 bleeped and whirred in agreement, proud of the upgrades that had been made to his chassis on the most recent lay-over back home on Naboo.
"We gave him booster rockets as well," Padme added. "So he can fly under his own power if he needs to. It won't get him out of a planet's orbital gravity field, but things like crossing chasms or rivers, or skipping long flights of stairs, they'll be good for that."
R2 gave an eager little whistle as he closed the containment box and returned it to its place within his chassis.
Obi-Wan laughed. "No, I don't need a demonstration," she answered, and ran her fingers over his dome fondly. "At least, not right now," she amended. "I'm sure you'll have an occasion to show off for me later."
R2 whistled an agreement, which he followed with a question that buzzed and chirped.
"Yes, you can power down again," Obi-Wan confirmed. "Padme?" she asked.
Padme jerked at the sound of his name.
"Are you alright?" Obi-Wan questioned gently. "This is the second attempt on your life in as many days, after all."
"I'll be fine," Padme confirmed.
"Meaning you're not right now," Obi-Wan countered.
"No," Padme admitted. "But I will be," he promised, and twisted where he sat on the bed so that his feet could brace against the floor, his back to Obi-Wan, and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
Obi-Wan extended a hand to rest over Padme's bare shoulder. "You're not helpless," she stated frankly, though she kept her voice soft.
Padme scoffed lightly. "How do you always know what to say?" he asked, his voice a little harsh from the way he was speaking around a tense lump in his throat.
"Jedi," Obi-Wan answered with a weak smile.
Padme twisted slightly to level an exasperated glare at his protector out of one eye.
"You were broadcasting," she added.
"What will happen now?" Padme asked as he turned away again.
"Now, you will go back to sleep and dream whatever it is that Senators dream about. I will monitor the receiving device for sign of whoever sent the droid with its deadly little cargo, and in the morning I'll give you a report on what I have learned. Then, while you go off to some committee meeting, I'll report to the Council," Obi-Wan explained.
"And what do you think the Council will do with your report?" Padme pressed.
"Oh, any number of things," Obi-Wan admitted. "They could send me off to track down whoever sent the droid with the kouhun. They could order me to escort you off the planet and back to the safety of Naboo. They could reassign the whole thing, giving your protection over to someone else while also sending a different Jedi to investigate the threat, and I'll be sent of on a totally unrelated mission."
"I will not go back to Naboo at this time," Padme objected firmly. "This vote is too important."
Obi-Wan sighed. This vote was on the matter of potentially creating an 'Army of the Republic', which theoretically would be meant to aid the Jedi in keeping peace throughout the Galaxy. Padme was opposed to the proposal, based on the idea that if the Republic did form an army, then the Separatists would see it as an invitation to make war.
Obi-Wan didn't disagree with him on that score, but at the same time she knew that the Jedi were already stretched thin. Just as Master Sifo-Dyas had somehow foreseen a decade before. However much none of them wanted an army, they were beginning to admit that they just might need one.
Master Windu had made it clear to all of the Order recently that Jedi were keepers of the peace. Not soldiers. A number of the more senior Knights (Obi-Wan among them at the time) had been greatly disheartened that such a reminder had been believed necessary by the Masters of the Council.
Padme would not be happy when he found out about Obi-Wan's part in preparing the army that the Senator was so against being formed, but Obi-Wan could live with that, just so long as all those clones helped to make sure everybody else actually lived through the almost inevitable war that was calling from the horizon.
Master Yoda may say that the future was currently impossible to see, due to how clouded it was by the Dark Side, but from Obi-Wan's studies (and discussions with the holocron left by Revan), she had a fairly good idea that any time the Dark Side got to clouding the future that way, then large-scale violence of the 'war' variety was a very serious and distinct probability.
"I'm probably going to regret suggesting this," Obi-Wan declared as she removed her hand from the warm skin of Padme's exposed shoulder. "But you could always bluff it out."
Padme turned properly to look at Obi-Wan. She had his full attention – and an excellent view of his bare chest, which unlike many other Senators was well muscled and defined, rather than soft and flabby. Oh yes, Obi-Wan had seen many Senators in such a state to make the comparison, damn protection details.
"A decoy sent to Naboo, your apartment empty or occupied by another decoy, while you will be somewhere else, still on Coruscant, but better protected than here," Obi-Wan suggested.
"You have a place in mind?" Padme asked. "Because I do not like the idea of hiding, of not being here when the fate of this bill is decided when I've been working for a year to see it defeated."
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. No, Padme would not be happy if he knew of Obi-Wan's part in making sure there was an army if it turned out to be needful.
"My apartment," she offered. "In the Jedi Temple."
~oOo~
"Approve this plan, the Council does," Master Yoda declared with a smile when Obi-Wan had completed her report, as well as given her suggested course of action. "But who to send to protect Senator Amidala's decoys? For protected, they must be. Sacred, all life is."
"A protection detail on the decoys will also help with the ruse. Then there is also the matter of the investigation," Master Windu said. "As well as Master Kenobi's other duties. Do you have the time to conduct both?" he asked.
Obi-Wan considered that. "I will need to leave soon," she answered at last. "I had originally intended to take this day to check over my ship, tomorrow to stock it, and leave the day after..."
"Then you will follow that course of action," Master Fisto decided. "I and my Padawan shall take up the investigation. You have given us an excellent beginning," he praised in reference to her recording of the courier droid returning to the bounty hunter Zam Wesell.
Obi-Wan bowed in deference to the Nautolan Master.
"To escort and guard on Naboo, send your friend Garen Muln we shall," Yoda decided slowly. "To guard at the Senator's apartment... Hmm... Stass Allie," he decided. "Able to keep Representative Binks from harm or manipulations, she also shall," the elderly Trog added with a small smile.
"When you leave, then Bant Eerin will take over watching the Senator himself," Master Koon said, his tone brooking no argument from anybody. "It is common for her to keep your apartment clean while you are on missions," he added in observation. "No one will question her coming and going from your apartment while you're not there."
"Senator Amidala will not be a spectacle while he is here, and we expect professional conduct from you, Master Kenobi, while the two of you share quarters before you leave," Master Mundi put in, his tone firm.
Master Gallia chuckled softly from her chair on the other side of the room. "Obi-Wan Kenobi? Not conduct herself professionally?" she questioned with a smile.
"She does have a history of questionable conduct," Mundi pointed out, and if he wasn't a Jedi Master, his tone might have been called mildly petulant.
"That was before she was a Knight," Master Billaba countered with an easy smile. "And she has experience in living with men and behaving herself, or have you forgotten who her Master was?" she questioned them all. "Master Kenobi, go in peace, inform the Senator of our decision, and may the Force be with you."
Obi-Wan bowed before the Council and left their Chamber. That had actually been a little more uncomfortable than she had anticipated. Especially when it was made a point to her to be professional in her own apartment.
~oOo~
Padme stared around Obi-Wan's apartment in shock. It was nothing like his own apartment, which was expansive and vaguely luxurious. No, Obi-Wan's apartment was small and much more utilitarian. He'd never been to Obi-Wan's apartment before, nor indeed the private living quarters of any of the Jedi. A tour of the Temple in general had not prepared him for this.
"It's..." he tried.
Obi-Wan smirked a little. "Not what you were expecting," she finished. "I know. The rest of the Temple is built on a grand scale, large open spaces and the like. The living quarters are much more humble, and these are the quarters of a Knight or Master who has no Padawan," she explained. "Meant to house only one person, though there's room enough at the table for more."
"I'm putting you out," Padme said with realisation. Unhappy realisation at that.
Obi-Wan shrugged easily. "I have quarters aboard my ship, and when I have a lot of work to do on it, I sometimes just sleep there rather than stumbling back to my quarters late in the evening," she said. "And I have a lot of work to do in the next couple of days," she added.
Padme frowned. "Will I see you at all before you go?" he asked.
"Oh, I won't be completely absent," Obi-Wan answered with an easy smile. "I've got packing to do, two kitchens to stock -"
"Two?" Padme interrupted, curious.
"The one here, for you to use, and the one aboard my ship, which I'll need while I'm travelling. I've got a long flight ahead of me," Obi-Wan explained. "And I've got laundry to fetch back as well," she added softly with a thoughtful frown. She'd had two days worth of clean uniforms when she'd returned from Ansion, but now apart from the one she was wearing, and had been wearing the night before, she only had one clean set left. She'd need more than that before she left Coruscant behind for a planet beyond the Outer Rim, and so had sent all of her other clothing down to the Temple laundry before she'd gone to collect Padme from his apartment. She would have to collect her cleaned personals some time early the next morning.
Padme had been investigating the self-contained little apartment while Obi-Wan had been talking – the holocapture on the wall of a younger Obi-Wan with Master Qui-Gon, the set of shelves that had a different half-finished project on each tier, the single, slim couch beside an end-table that was the resting place of notebooks and datapads alike.
"Where will I sleep while I'm here?" Padme finally asked.
"My bedroom," Obi-Wan answered frankly. "I'll be sleeping on my couch, unless I sleep on my ship," she explained.
"Obi-Wan, I- I can't take your bed!" Padme objected, his brown eyes wide and his cheeks turning pink.
Obi-Wan raised an amused eyebrow at her friend. "I don't have cooties," she told him, fighting down the urge to smile.
"That's not it," Padme protested hotly, pink cheeks now decidedly red. "Obi-Wan, it's your bed! You should be the one to sleep in it!"
"You're simply too long to be able to fit comfortably on my couch, Padme," Obi-Wan countered with a small smile. "Whereas I have fallen asleep there before, and I fit without issue. It truly isn't a problem," she promised.
Padme still looked uncomfortable – and red – but gave a silent, relenting, nod of his head.
~oOo~
Obi-Wan had left Padme in her apartment – the Senator had a lot of documents to read over regardless of where he was, and using the comm unit in her rooms, Padme could monitor Jar-Jar and his decoy here on Coruscant – and was working on her ship in the Temple hangar.
She had already placed orders for the various supplies she would need, and all of that was due to be delivered some time in the afternoon. For now, she had panels to polish, servers to run maintenance checks on, and minor modifications to upgrade. And she had R2 to help her, the little astromech beeping and whirring happily as he did this or that task, and he'd gotten to show off his jets by using them to get himself on top of her ship. It was really very thoughtful of Padme to lend him to her.
She'd just finished another upgrade to her communications relay servers when a green head popped up over the side of her ship where the ladder was.
"Ah, you are here Obi-Wan."
"Master Fisto," Obi-Wan answered, bowing her head to the Council member as she closed the panel and secured it back in place.
At the same time, Master Fisto pulled himself fully onto the top of the ship, so they could speak more easily without having to call across the expanse between them.
"How goes the investigation?" Obi-Wan asked curiously
"Zam Wesell was killed just as we were about to get the name of her employer," Fisto admitted solemnly. "I recognised her killer though, so we have a lead."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Master Fisto, as much as I appreciate getting an update, I don't understand why I am," she admitted. "Simply to pass on?"
Master Fisto shook his head. "No, Obi-Wan. Rather, because the one responsible for silencing Zam Wesell is Jango Fett," he explained. "I had my Padawan investigate the weapon he used, but the droids in the archives don't recognise it."
"Dex probably would," Obi-Wan offered. "That old Besalisk knows most everything," she added fondly.
Master Fisto chuckled. "I agree," he said. "Which is why I went down to his diner and introduced my Padawan to him. Nahdar is currently back in the archives, looking for confirmation of Mister Jettster's directions... to Kamino."
"Master Fisto, it is my intention to be on Kamino for roughly a month," Obi-Wan informed him plainly. "I don't think you want to stay that long," she pointed out. "Especially since I've yet to manage to be on Kamino at the same time as Jango Fett."
Master Fisto nodded his understanding. "My Padawan and I will take another ship, but if I may rely on you for introductions on Kamino?" he requested. "And back-up, if it should be needed?"
"Of course, Master Fisto," Obi-Wan replied instantly.
"Master? Master! Master? Master you said you'd be in the hangar!" a young voice complained from almost directly below them. "I can feel your presence is here somewhere, but I can't see you. Master, where are you?" it called out.
Obi-Wan shared an amused look with Master Fisto, who rolled his eyes in vaguely exasperated amusement with his Padawan.
The Council member then proceeded to jump down off Obi-Wan's ship, while she simply moved on to the next task that needed to be tended to from outside of the hull.
"Master!"
"What did you find, Nahdar?" Master Fisto asked his Padawan.
"Kamino isn't in the Archives, Master," the Mon Calamari Padawan replied.
"What?!" Obi-Wan yelped quietly, an exclamation that was covered by Master Fisto expressing the same incredulity at the same moment.
"This must be taken to Master Yoda," the Nautolan declared solemnly.
"Not there?" Obi-Wan muttered to herself as the Master and his Padawan left the hangar. "But it was there when I looked ten years ago... which means it's been removed," she realised. "Only a Jedi could have... or someone who used to be a Jedi," she amended thoughtfully.
R2 chirped a warbling query, and Obi-Wan shook her head.
"You're right Artoo," she told him. "I've still got work to do on the Valiant before leaving, and Master Fisto, I'm certain, will have this matter well in hand."
Obi-Wan moved on to making sure the weapons system she'd installed in her ship would work, R2 at her side. Once she got the outside jobs done, she'd run a systems check from the cockpit, and then come back out for any more fine-tuning that might be needed.
~oOo~
Obi-Wan said her goodbyes to Padme and R2 – the little astromech was put out to be staying behind, but Padme needed his help for carefully relaying communications to his decoys, so his true hiding place wouldn't be detected – and with a nod to the Masters, Valiant retracted her landing gear. In another part of the hangar, Master Fisto's ship was also taking off.
The flight through hyperspace was silent aboard Obi-Wan's ship. Communications couldn't be transmitted when travelling this way, and she no longer borrowed holocrons to keep her company on this flight. Now she just read, brushed up on her more restrained saber forms, and meditated during the trip.
"Obi-Wan," Master Fisto's voice came over the comm link almost a week later, once they were out of hyperspace, and his face appearing in holographic blue. "Is that it?"
"Yes Master Fisto," she answered him as she considered the view of the planet – and the Council Member's craft – out of her cockpit. "That's Kamino."
"Our missing planet," Master Fisto grumbled lightly. "Hopefully our bounty hunter won't also be missing. Kamino is our only lead in this investigation."
"Hopefully you will take the time to check on my running assignment," Obi-Wan countered. "The Prime Minister might take offence if a Council Member came, and then didn't check on its progress."
"I have no desire to give offence," Master Fisto answered easily, a smile on his face. "Lead the way."
Obi-Wan brought her ship in to land on one of the platforms that was constructed over the planet-wide ocean, careful to leave enough space for Master Fisto's ship to land beside her own, and collected a wonderful invention she had learned of eight years ago called an umbrella. Master Fisto and his apprentice might enjoy the large amounts of water Kamino had to offer, but Obi-Wan wasn't of an aquatic or amphibious species as they were.
"Obi-Wan Kenobi," Taun We greeted with a smile once she and the other two Jedi were inside. "It is good to see you again."
"Hello Taun We," Obi-Wan returned in kind, an easy smile on her own face. "This is Master Kit Fisto, of the Jedi Council, and his Padawan, Nahdar Vebb," she introduced.
"A pleasure," Taun We offered with a slight bow of her head.
"Is everything on schedule?" Obi-Wan asked as they walked.
"Oh yes," Taun We agreed. "Two-hundred thousand units are ready, with a million more well on the way."
"That is good news," Master Fisto said. "The Council fears the Separatists wish to incite war, and Jedi are not soldiers. They will be needed, should the worst come to pass."
"Taun We, would it be possible for Master Fisto to have a meeting with the Prime Minister?" Obi-Wan enquired. "My reports to the Council cannot convey the true awe of what you do here."
"Of course," Taun We replied. "You know that Prime Minister Lama Su always looks forward to your visits Obi-Wan."
"I am also interested in meeting Jango Fett," Master Fisto said. "If that is possible? I should like to convey the Council's thanks for his efforts."
Taun We smiled again. "You are in luck," she said. "He has just returned three days before you arrived." Taun We then turned to Obi-Wan. "Finally your arrival and his coincide," she teased lightly, something only familiarity brought out in a Kaminoan. As a race, they were always very polite.
Obi-Wan smiled back. "Boba will be pleased," she answered freely.