A/N: Aaaaaand I'm back! I'll try to remember to upload every Saturday until we get through the Attack of the Clones arc and head into Clone Wars. I'm so excited for how this is all going to play out!
"I know, but we also want to catch this assassin, don't we, Master?" Anakin was asking.
"Okay, what's going on?" I asked, entering the room. Obi-Wan had removed his robe which was draped over the arm of the couch.
"You're using her as bait," Obi-Wan said, folding his arms and approaching Anakin.
"You're what?" I asked. Anakin barely turned around as I approached.
"It was her idea," Anakin defended. "Don't worry. No harm will come to her. I can sense everything going on in that room. Trust me."
"Anakin," I said softly, standing next to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder at the Senator's rooms.
"It's too risky," Obi-Wan said. "Besides, your senses aren't that attuned, my young apprentice."
"And yours are?" Anakin asked incredulously.
Obi-Wan turned back to Anakin slowly.
"Possibly."
"Even if his aren't," I finally said. "Mine are. Now get to work." The two boys sheepishly began patrolling the antechamber. I shook my head.
This was going to be a long night.
Obi-Wan leaned against the back of a couch, watching Anakin as he stared out the window, fingering the ledge.
"You look tired," he finally commented.
"I don't sleep well anymore," Anakin admitted, turning to face his Master.
"Because of your mother?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin hesitated before nodding.
"I don't know why I keep dreaming about her." I sensed Obi-Wan's gaze linger on me for a moment before he moved forward.
"Dreams pass in time," he finally said. "But if you're worried, talk to Drinna."
"I'd much rather dream about Padme," Anakin said, moving away from the window and past Obi-Wan. "Just being around her again is… intoxicating." My gaze snapped to Anakin as he said that.
That was not a good sign. Obi-Wan sensed my discomfort and glanced at me. I shook my head.
Later. We need to mediate. Obi-Wan nodded and tried not to sigh.
"Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin. They betray you," he said. "You made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not easily broken."
I frowned at Obi-Wan. We both knew it was easier than Obi-Wan was letting on. He had, after all, left the Order briefly years ago. But Anakin didn't know that. "And don't forget, she's a politician, and they're not to be trusted."
I snorted, turning my back from the two other Jedi. Of course Obi-Wan didn't trust politicians. He was practically one himself.
"She's not like the others in the Senate, Master," Anakin argued.
I froze. Something felt… off. I tilted my head, tuning the boys out as they argued to try to get a feel for the situation, moving slowly towards the Senator's rooms.
Two kouhuns moving acrossing the bedsheets, making their way to Senator Amidala's prone figure…
"I sense it, too," Obi-Wan said. The two took off running behind me and I opened the door, stepping to the side as they leaped in, lightsabers ignited.
Anakin lept on the bed and cut the kouhuns in two as Obi-Wan looked around. Padme jolted up, gasping. Obi-Wan dashed to the window and jumped out. I rushed after him, watching in confusion as he held onto a… droid?
Must be what brought the kouhuns.
"Stay here!" Anakin commanded, running out of the room. I turned as Dorme entered, followed by Captain Typho and a few guards. I made my way to the bed.
"Are you alright, milady?" Dorme asked. Padme nodded numbly.
"The assassin sent two kouhuns," I said, nodding to the remains of the poisonous centipedes. "I'll handle the remains."
Levitating the kouhun halves, I took them with me outside the Senator's tower, comming for an airspeeder as I went.
"Where are you, Obi-Wan?" I yelled into my comlink as Obi-Wan established a connection.
"Near an Outlander Club," came the reply.
"Get me there, now!" I told the driver. He nodded and flew me there.
Obi-Wan was handing Anakin his lightsaber as I jogged up.
"Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" Obi-Wan asked, leading the way into the club.
"Don't say that, Master," Anakin returned. "You're the closest thing I have to a father."
"Then why don't you listen to me?"
"I am trying."
We looked around the club and I reached out in the Force, not knowing what I was looking for.
"Can you see him?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I think he is a she, and I think she is a changeling," Anakin said. The two exchanged a glance and Obi-Wan sighed, nodding.
"In that case, be extra careful." Obi-Wan nodded to the other end of the room and held out an arm to me, which I took. "Go and find her."
"Where are you two going?" Anakin asked.
"For a drink," Obi-Wan replied, stopping to look back. I rolled my eyes as we continued on our way to the bar.
"Thank you," Obi-Wan murmured as he took his drink. I let my senses wander throughout the room.
"A good cover," I murmured into my own drink, eyeing Obi-Wan. "You've learned well."
"Yes, well, I had a good teacher," he responded, turning to smile at me.
"A fair teacher. She doesn't know everything, after all," I responded.
"Yes, well-"
"You wanna buy some death sticks?" a man asked from Obi-Wan's right. Obi-Wan didn't even glance at him as he waved his hand, forcing a thought into the man's mind.
"You don't want to sell me death sticks."
"I don't want to sell you death sticks," the man said, looking away from Obi-Wan and reaching for a drink.
"You want to go home and rethink your life," Obi-Wan said, waving his hand again before the man could take a drink. The man looked troubled.
"I want to go home and rethink my life," he said and left. Obi-Wan gave me a small smirk before knocking back his drink. I shook my head gently.
"This is not the time to get drunk, Obi-Wan," I said. "You do remember…" Someone was approaching.
"I sense it," Obi-Wan muttered, putting his drink down and turning.
"Don't," I replied, putting a hand on his arm and forcing out a laugh. He looked at me, confused. "If we want to catch the changeling, act natural." Obi-Wan turned, back slightly tensed but resumed a half-hearted conversation with me.
The changeling was a few feet away when Obi-Wan turned, ignited his lightsaber, and cut off the arm holding the blaster. Everyone around us gasped as she cried out and sunk to the ground. I picked her up by her remaining arm and forced her to stand.
"Easy," Anakin said as he approached. "Jedi business. Go back to your drinks." Obi-Wan took over my hold of the changeling and I led the way out of the club, finding an alleyway to interrogate the pained woman.
Obi-Wan, not too gently, set the woman on the ground and immediately began. I stood off to the side, opening my senses for anyone approaching.
"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" he asked. The woman moaned briefly in pain.
"It was a Senator from Naboo," she gasped out.
"And who hired you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"It was just a job," she replied, looking at Obi-Wan. Anakin leaned in closer.
"Who hired you? Tell us." Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin, sensing the anger he held. "Tell us now!"
"It was a bounty hunter," she finally said. "called-" I cursed as a dart hit her on the neck. Obi-Wan and Anakin's gaze slid where mine went. They had a pair of rockets and took off. Had that been Mandalorian armor?
"Wee shahnit… sleemo," the changeling gasped out. They slumped to the ground, dead.
After a moment, Obi-Wan pulled the dart out and inspected it.
"Toxic dart." Anakin nodded and checked for a pulse. Obi-Wan glanced at me and I nodded, knowing what he was thinking.
But first, we needed to report to the Council and check on Padme.
"Track down this bounty hunter, you must Obi-Wan and Drinna," Yoda said.
"Most importantly," Master Windu said, "find out who he's working for." I nodded.
"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked, concerned. "She will still need protecting."
"Handle that, your Padawan will," Master Yoda said, pointing to Anakin.
"Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo," Master Windu commanded. "She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees." Wise advise. A perfect cover.
"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the Capital," Anakin said. Master Windu nodded and looked to Master Yoda.
"Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect." Master Yoda hummed, sensing something.
"Anakin, go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her about this matter," Master Windu said, giving me a small glance at the mention of the Chancellor. It seemed he agreed with me about trusting him.
Obi-Wan, Anakin, and I bowed and left the Council Chamber.
Obi-Wan asked me to walk with him as he rushed to catch up to the Grand Master and my former Master.
We bowed as they paused to let us walk with them.
"Speak," Master Yoda commanded.
"I am concerned for my Padawan," Obi-Wan said. "He is not ready to be given this assignment on his own yet."
"I agree. His handle on his feelings are much better, but seeing the Senator pushed him back months, maybe even years," I said. "He will be able to catch back up, but I don't believe he is quite ready for this."
"The Council is confident in its decision, Obi-Wan, Drinna," Master Yoda replied. I nodded, trusting Master Yoda. If he believed Anakin could do it, then he could.
"The boy has exceptional skills," Master Windu said. "And he has been taught well."
"But he still has much to learn, Master," Obi-Wan protested. I smiled. It seemed Obi-Wan was rather attached to his young learner. "His abilities have made him, well, arrogant." We stopped.
"Yes, yes," Master Yoda said. "A flaw more and more common among Jedi." He hummed. "Too sure of themselves, they are. Even the older, more experienced ones," Master Yoda said, giving Obi-Wan a pointed look. Obi-Wan nodded, a little humbled.
"Remember, Obi-Wan," Master Windu said, "if the prophecy is true, your apprentice is the only one who can bring the Force back into balance."
"Yes, Masters," Obi-Wan replied, bowing. We left the two Masters to discuss as we headed toward the Archives for a quick check.
"I still don't-" Obi-Wan began. I quickly cut him off.
"Obi-Wan, Anakin has to be ready for his assignment. The Council will not change their minds. I believe he can do it, now you need to. If he thinks you think he can't do it, he will struggle more than he is going to," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "He relies on you for his sense of accomplishment. Don't take that from him, merely try new tactics to uplift him while still making him humble."
Obi-Wan sighed, lifting my hand from his shoulder and holding it, looking at it briefly before he spoke, raising his eyes to mine with a small smile.
"Wise words as always, Drinna. I will do my best." I smiled and nodded.
"Now, shall we go to the Archive? We are running out of time before the two leave."
"Be safe, milady," Captain Typho said, standing and moving with Padme and Corde to the front of the bus.
"Thank you, Captain," Padme responded. "Take good care of Dorme. The threat's on you two now." Obi-Wan, Anakin, and I stood.
"He'll be safe with me," Corde joked, glancing at Captain Typho before looking down, unable to control her tears.
"You'll be fine," Padme said with a small smile.
"It's not me, milady," Corde responded. "I worry about you. What if they realize you've left the Capital?"
"Well," Padme said, glancing at Anakin behind her, "then my Jedi protector will have to prove how good he is."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, stopping his Padawan from joining Padme, "Don't do anything without first consulting either myself or the Council." I gave Obi-Wan an exasperated look and Obi-Wan sighed. "I apologize. You have this under control." Obi-Wan genuinely smiled at Anakin, putting a hand on his shoulder. "If you run into trouble, feel free to contact one of us. Remember your training. You have done well in the past, you can do this, too."
Anakin smiled in gratitude and nodded.
"I won't let you down, Master, Drinna. Thank you for believing in me." I smiled at him as Obi-Wan removed his hand and cleared his throat, stepping towards the Senator.
"We'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly, milady," Obi-Wan said. "You'll be back here in no time."
"I'll be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi," Padme replied. Obi-Wan bowed and Anakin pulled me back from joining Obi-Wan.
"Thank you, Drinna, for your training," he whispered. I smiled wider.
"Of course, Anakin. It has been my pleasure." I moved to leave and his grip on my arm tightened. "Is everything alright?"
"I am… conflicted," he admitted. "I think I have feelings for Padme. I know I can trust you not to tell Obi-Wan."
"It's alright, Anakin," I said, pulling his hand off of my gently. I took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "You can do this. You do currently have a commitment to an Order which forbids attachment, so you must… obey that formally, but I do believe you and Padme can work this out. Remember your training. You know how to search yourself for emotion and which emotions are good and which are bad. If this grows into something bad, know that I have full confidence in you, and Obi-Wan does, too. You can contact either of us at any time, alright?" Anakin nodded with a smile.
"You are most wise, Drinna. Thank you." There was a small silence when Anakin considered his next question. "Does Obi-Wan really believe in me?"
"Of course he does, Anakin!" I responded. "He just wants to protect you and forgets sometimes that you're growing up. This will be a good opportunity for both of you to learn what it will be like when you become a Jedi Knight."
"Okay," Anakin said, sounding like the twelve year old boy who was first experiencing emotional control. "I trust both of you."
"Good. Now, it's time to leave." Anakin nodded, turning to Padme.
"It's time to go," he said.
"I know," she responded.
"Anakin," Obi-Wan called before he could descend the steps. "May the Force be with you." Anakin smiled widely.
"May the Force be with you, Master. Drinna." Anakin reached over and grabbed most of the luggage and Padme grabbed the remaining case. The two stepped down, side by side. R2 followed as Obi-Wan and I watched the three leave.
"I do hope he doesn't try anything foolish," Obi-Wan said as Captain Typho stepped up beside us.
"I'd be more concerned about her doing something than him," the Captain replied, the two giving each other a look before staring into the crowd.
The refugee ship took off, and Obi-Wan and I made our way to find Dex.