As their transport landed they were greeted by Anakin, who did little to help the flustering tension between the two, having a snide remark about them arriving alone. Sabé however was grateful for the prompt arrival of the Pantoran dignitaries that kept him from rambling on, keeping herself from contemplating if the cause of the red blush across Obi-wan's face was from the cold or something else.
"General Kenobi." The older man greeted them upon his approach, his yellow eyes shining from the surrounding blue complexion of his face. He was a taller man, towering over Sabé. His features were sharp and he carried himself as one expected a politician to: with an overwhelming air of importance.
"Chairman Cho, Senator Chuchi. I suggest you wait here while we secure the area." Obi-Wan responded with a slight head nod of respect towards the older man, as the group of three became five huddled together in the cold.
"I respect your judgment, General Kenobi, but I will go where I choose. This is sovereign Pantora Territory." The chairman responded, the air around him filled with his own pride, his tone slightly condescending.
"I thought this planet was uninhabited and therefore it's not aligned." Anakin chimed in, moving closer to the group.
"Our moon of Pantora is the only civilization in this system. I'm the one who asked the Senate to protect this planet. This wasteland belongs to us." The chairman countered, his eyes piercing through Anakin, as if daring him to challenge his words.
"With all due respect, Chairman, this is for the Senate to decide, not us." Obi-Wan reminded him, his voice confident.
"Ah, but the Jedi report to the Senate, which is Senator Chuchi of Pantora." He responded snidely, speaking as though he had won some great battle.
At the mention of her name, the petite woman next to him stepped forward, speaking for the first time. "Technically speaking, Master Jedi, the Chairman is correct. Since the planet is uninhabited, the moon of Pantora reserves the right to continue as its protectorate."
"Point taken, Senator. This is Captain Naberrie, as you requested." Obi-Wan responded, gesturing to Sabé. "Captain, stay here with the Senator and the droids while we secure the base."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Senator." Sabé nodded in greeting, as the Jedi and Chairman headed inside.
"The pleasure is mine Captain. The Chancellor spoke very highly of you." The woman responded.
She was slightly shorter than Sabé. Her current ensemble of twin buns and golden décor reminded her of Padmé. Even her demeanor seemed similar to that of her dear friend when she too began her first stint in office. Sabé wasn't sure how to feel about the chancellor's praise. She had avoided him at several turns, glad to be more successful at doing so as a captain than she had as a decoy and handmaiden. He had made several requests for her of course, Padmé so far having denied him due to her own need. This would mark the first time it had been accepted. Sabé ignored the nagging concern at his interests in her, as she had done nothing for him personally to receive such attention or praise her way.
"I fear his words are grander than they may need to be. However, I am at your service."
"Thank you, Captain."
Sabé quickly noted the stark difference in the demeanor of the senator and her chairman. It gave her a hope for the increasing rise of new and younger politicians, those that seemed to have more than their own interests at heart. She firmly believed if more behaved as Padmé or perhaps Senator Organa, the whole political realm would be a different experience, maybe even one she herself would have been obliged to. Her thoughts were interrupted by the automatic voice of CP3O.
"Might we go inside, Captain? R2 and I would like to get out of the cold. Our circuits might short out here."
"If you are so inclined, but we will go inside as soon as General Kenobi signals that it is safe." The word 'general' fell from Sabé's lips with discomfort. It was not a name she was used to hearing and she did not enjoy in the way it sounded. There were many changes brewing and Sabé did not know what to make of them as she returned her gaze to the raided fort.
Obi-Wan walked slowly through the frozen base, observing every detail around him: the strike marks on the helmets, the footprints in the snow, and the lack of battle droids.
"Do you think the Separatists are building a forward base to attack Pantora?" The chairman's voice came, breaking the still and eerie silence that surrounded them as they entered the main control room.
"I don't think we're dealing with Separatists. These computers haven't been touched." Obi-Wan replied, his fingers sliding over the snow-dusted panel. Nothing had been taken, the intelligence remained behind fully intact. Obi-wan shifted his hand to stroke his chin in thought. Nothing aligned with a separatist attack, despite the chairman's longing to confirm it was so. Something else had happened here and he hoped they found it, before it found them.
"Sir!" Rex called, coming into his view from the opposite door of the room. "Our scouts have spotted a droid base on the other side of the ice ridge. By the look of things, I'd say whoever attacked our base took out the droids, also." He finished as he came to stand at the opposite side of the control panel.
"Rex, help Anakin place the sensor beacons. You four, come with me." He motioned to the four remaining troopers in the room.
"Yes, General." They responded in unison before joining in step behind him to continue his inspection of the base. Something that was taking longer than anticipated.
"Did you find anything?" Anakin's voice came from behind almost an hour later, him as he bent down to examine the strange footprint further.
"I found some large footprints." He replied dryly, before moving forward to the command center.
"Have one of your men make a cast." Anakin commanded before commenting, "Sensors are in place, but there is something you should see."
Obi-Wan followed Anakin back to the main control room as he brought up the security video logs.
"I think I found something." He commented before bringing up the holographic file that was last recorded.
"Blast it!" A clone yelled, as several came to the channel to radio.
"Six-eight-five to command. There are too many of them!" The clone huffed as he shot at something behind him.
"They've overrun the base! We need reinforcements!" He cried before something attacked him from behind, a being Obi-wan did not recognize.
"What was that?" Rex asked.
"Whatever it was, it's a good warrior." Obi-Wan replied, his hand returning to his chin once more.
Sabé's insides felt like ice. She had lost track of how long they had waited in the striking cold air and snow. It wasn't like she had been built for this. Naboo was a primarily warm planet, with winters that ran more as breezy fall and snow a rarity. She almost jumped when her comm finally chimed to acknowledge the coast was clear. She practically shoved the Pantoran senator into the slightly warmer building, following the sound of the chairman's demanding voice to the main control room.
"I want the weapons system back online and the shields operational. There's no telling
what the Separatists have planned." He demanded to the surrounding clones.
"Chairman, what makes you so certain the Separatists are behind this attack?" The Senator asked him, as they both entered the room.
"Look around, Senator. Isn't this carnage proof enough?" He turned to her, dramatically sweeping his arm across the room
"I know, but there are no dead droids here, no blast marks. The clones' injuries were not consistent with what..."
"So, you're an expert on war now, are you, Senator?" He retorted, his voice loud and threatening.
"No, Chairman. No, I only..."
"The Senator is right. Nothing about this attack is consistent with the Separatist's previous attacks." Sabé interrupted standing between them, her annoyance at his constant berating of the poor Senator clear. "It would be wise for us to not make assumptions." She continued coolly. The chairman looked back at her, a look of seething irritation and anger, before turning hastily back to the Senator.
"Let me tell you something, Senator. I have led our people since before you were born.
I've seen a hundred planets rise and fall through force of arms. If it's not the Separatists out there, then it's a malevolent and aggressive enemy nonetheless, and I will not let whoever it is jeopardize the security of the people of Pantora."
"But if the Jedi discover that the Separatists aren't behind this, then perhaps there is
a peaceful resolution." Sabé could here the wistful desire in the Senator's voice. It was one that echoed and reminded her once again of Padmé's.
"Senator, I am willing to fight and die for my people. It's time to ask yourself if you are brave enough to do the same." He responded before angrily stomping from the room.
Sabé watched as the senator's shoulders sagged at his exit and Sabé took a step closer, placing her hand on her shoulder.
"It is not cowardly to look for peace before war. If anything, it takes more courage to find resolutions, violence is easy." The young woman smiled briefly at Sabé before turning to follow the chairman out of the room, leaving Obi-Wan and Sabé standing together at the communications console.
"The droids' log indicates they were investigating the southern canyon." Obi-wan spoke, finally breaking his eye contact with the scrolling words on the screen below him to look to her.
"Sounds like a good place to start." Sabé replied, shifting her own eyes to the viewing screen, as if the snowcapped mountains held more interest.
"I was hoping you would be enthusiastic, given your continued success at relating with other communities." Obi-wan drawled beside her. "Anakin won't be quite as keen. Do make sure he behaves."
Sabé only smirked before nodding to him and then heading down to meet Anakin. Obi-Wan was right of course. Anakin was not keen. He always had a nasty habit of being hasty and rushing through everything, despite the possibility of a negative outcome. So his habit was again as he practically raced her to their speeders and flew off at maximums speed, almost missing the very thing she was looking for. It took her even longer to get him to slow down to see what she saw.
"There's some kind of reflection up there. Do you see it?" She asked him as he finally came to a stop beside her.
"Yep. Well, they know we're coming. Let's go."
She was glad he had slowed his pace as they entered what she assumed was the village of the beings. They had flames of fire at every cave entrance scattered throughout the mountain enclave that they entered now. She slowly dismounted, taking in the scene around her.
"They sure are curious." She commented as they came closer to one of the beings at the center of their village, noticing the amount of eyes now staring at the two outsiders as they cautiously exited their living quarters.
"Too bad we didn't bring 3PO along. How do you plan on communicating
with these things?" Anakin asked her.
"I'm sure we will think of something. Maybe they're smarter than we are."
She heard a slight chuckle from Anakin at her response, most likely that he didn't believe her. Sabé had learned a long time ago to always expect the unexpected and to never underestimate anyone.
"Well? Say something." Anakin prompted her has they were led into what she assumed to be the chief's hut. All eyes were on them both, the silence heavy in the air. She rolled her eyes at him as she attempted awkward hand gestures to try and mimic her words.
"We come to you in peace. We will not bring harm." She said, but the creatures only stared back at her, with no sign of comprehension. They towered over her by several feet, and for a moment she wished she might have their fur, as her own skin was ice cold by now. Their eyes were what captivated her. They were so large, round, and deep in color, the very opposite of the Miralukans she had last spent time with. Their lack of eyes and their need for sight in other ways, the way they had delved into her mind with their presence.
"Well… that did nothing." Anakin commented, interrupting her thoughts, looking down at her with taunting eyes and a smirk plastered to his face. Sabé gave him a small upturn of a smile back before slowly walking forward towards their chief. She slowly extended her hand upward, holding it flat to him, waiting to see what he would do. She waited with anticipation as the creature slowly moved his own hand, meeting hers in the air. Sabé closed her eyes and concentrated deeply, almost slipping into the meditative trance she had come to learn so well from Master Yoda, until she could finally feel the presence of the beings around her. Her hand became warm where it met the other and she focused on it more, willing her own thoughts to be heard by those around her.
Anakin's eyes slowly widened and his mouth fell open as Sabé's presence in the force swelled around them. He was in slight awe of her as the space between her palms and that of the being in front of them began to go a light blue. He watched as her mouth and eyes remained closed, but slowly and surely her words became louder and more certain and he began to see the images he imagined Sabé was showing them: peace. He could feel the intention behind her words. Her presence in the force caused a calm in the room around him, fears easing and anxieties released. He felt his own mind relaxing to hers. He almost jolted as it receded moments later. The words and images stopped, as the creature spoke in their own native tongue, clasping Sabé's hand firmly, mimicking the visions she had displayed only moments before. A wide smile had spread across Sabé's face before she put her other hand on the beings arm and then released him, bowing lowly and gesturing Anakin to do the same.
Their walk back to their speeders was slower, Sabé seemingly still lost in her own thoughts, the smile still in place.
"Have you always been able to do that?" Anakin asked, still baffled and in astonishment by the past events.
"I have done something similar once, but it was a more violent experience. I was a little worried for a moment we might get clobbered if I wasn't successful." She responded, her forehead creasing slightly. "But all is well that ends well." She finished, a smaller smile replacing her brief scowl. Anakin did nothing but nod, contemplating what he had witnessed. He had heard of the Jedi influencing the atmosphere around them. He had done it himself to calm animals or people in high stress situation, but he himself had never attempted to implement his own thoughts into the minds of others. The fact that Sabé had done it and was not a Jedi herself was astonishing. It would be something he mulled over until they arrived back to the outpost.
"Glad you made it back, sir. It's getting nasty out there." Rex greeted them.
"You don't know the half of it." Anakin mumbled back, his mind still on the stunt Sabé had pulled.
"What did you find?" The chairman demanded as he followed up behind Rex to greet them upon their return.
"It seems we've stumbled onto an inhabited planet." Sabé piped up, having finally dismounted her speeder to stand next to Anakin.
"Impossible. Our explorers have spent much time here over the long history of Pantora. No one lives here. They're trespassers." Sabé watched the chairman's face and eyes fill with a rage. She could not understand why this man felt so intensely about this moon, a moon that was desolate and held no real value to him.
"With respect, Chairman Cho, these creatures, the Talz, aren't advanced enough to master space travel. I think they may have been here longer than Pantora." Sabé responded, doing her best to keep her own tone under control, hiding the opinion she was desperate to give this insufferable man.
"Whoever they are, they belong to us. This whole system belongs to us." He vehemently responded, coming closer to tower over her, daring her with his eyes to deny him.
"Beings do not belong to anyone." She replied slow and low, surprising herself with the threat of danger that lay under her tone. The chairman stared back at her, his eyes piercing through hers, but she refused to stand down to this man any longer. It was only the small voice of the senator that broke the chairman's gaze from hers.
"Your Majesty, if there are life forms here, then the Senate must decide jurisdiction."
"They are savages. Look at what they've done. They've slaughtered your troops." He gestured wildly around, focusing on Obi-wan as he walked into the hanger.
"They only want to be left alone." Sabé said, meeting Obi-wan's eyes with a pleading look.
"The droids attacked them, and I'm afraid our outpost got caught in the middle." He chimed in, keeping his eyes connected with Sabé's, as she gave him a small grateful smile.
"They must be subdued. They're dangerous. Captain Rex, prepare your troops for battle." Sabé's eyes widened, leaving Obi-wan's to look towards the chairman. It was taking all of her to not glare daggers and throw her hands up in rage at this man. His sheer pompous nature and need for control was why she could not stand politics. He would begin an unnecessary war. Good soldiers, people, would die because of his pride.
"We promised their chief there would be no retaliation. We've arranged a meeting between their high council and you and the Senator. They want peace." She stepped forward to the chairman once more, speaking through clenched teeth. "Do not be the cause of unnecessary death."
"We can't send troopers. They'll think we lied." Anakin's voice came from behind her, a hand coming to rest on her shoulder.
"These creatures are little more than animals. You can't lie to an animal. They can't be trusted." Sabé was glad for Anakin's hand on her shoulder. She could not remember a time she had been so infuriated by one man in such a small span of time just by his words alone.
"But, Your Majesty..." Senator Chuchi tried again, but the chairman would have none of it.
"No! It is obvious these creatures are not covered by the Convention of Civilized Jedi Council has no say in the matter." He countered to her, cutting off her words.
"If the Jedi are able to communicate with them, their status is in doubt." Sabé's respect for the senator continued to grow. She could see her care and concern for the Talz in her eyes. She admired her for her attempts at convincing her own leader to do the right thing. It was one thing for Sabé to stand up to him with little to no consequences, but another for a Senator, where reelection was always possible or denied.
"Do you stand against your Chairman, Senator?"
"Of course not, Your Majesty." The Senator responded quietly, her resolve weakened as her shoulders sagged.
"If we are going to meet with Thi-Sen and his council at the arranged time, we will have to leave now." Sabé spoke with more reserve, trying to ease some of the tension she had helped to build in the room.
"Sir, the gunships can't take off in this storm. We don't have enough bikes for the entire platoon." Rex commented as he had been signaled to get ready for their departure, the chairman stalking away angrily to the nearest transport, mumbling under his breath.
"Have the rest of the men standby here. No matter what the Chairman thinks,
we're not going to war." Obi-Wan began, before turning to Sabé, waiting for the others to depart before speaking. "Stay here." He placed a hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "I can feel your emotions quite vividly. Perhaps it would be best to spare yourself from his presence for a time." Sabé nodded before he continued. "Keep your communications open. We will contact you." Sabé gave a brief smile as he turned away. Sabé pulled her cloak closer as the warmth of his hand left her, watching them all leave the hanger before turning to return to the control room.
She spent the next several moments going over old files, collecting data that was discovered by the team before them in order for them to be archived for future use. She stumbled upon a file describing the Talz: tall, terrifying, and savage. She thought it wild how easily it is to perceive things or people when one is looking through the lense of fear. The room around her went dark as she read the file and she had not noticed the difference until a blue light appeared next to her. She slowly lifted her eyes to the force, startled by the appearance of Qui- Gon Gin sitting on the panel next to her.
"Something troubles you, young one."
Sabé kept her mouth from dropping open as the man, long since passed away, stood before her. Sabé could only nod numbly, as Qui-Gon held his hand to her.
"Come, I have things to show you."
She slowly and gingerly placed her hand in his, fearing it might cause him to disappear. The moment her hand touched his, the world around her changed.
"The Assembly has decided that the actions of Chairman Cho are out of order. Senator Chuchi, you're given the authority to negotiate a peaceful settlement between the sovereign planet of Pantora and the Talz."
Obi-Wan was only halfway listening as the assembly leader spoke the decision to himself and the senator, his mind elsewhere. He had sensed a sudden shift in the force, a presence that he recognized but could not place. As quickly as it had come it was gone, and his thoughts drifted to Sabé. Her presence in the force was becoming more and more solidified. It didn't come and go as it use to. It was no longer timid and he had been surprised by its overpowering of the hanger as her silent anger bubbled through it. Something was changing and he worried this shift was related to it. Suddenly, he regretted leaving her behind. He had thought about calling her on the comm, but could not find a reason significant enough to interrupt her and the remaining clones progress at the outpost. Instead he resigned himself to patience and released the anxieties into the force, remembering he should not have any reason to be concerned as he was. Sabé was capable. Sabé was not his. He would release her into the force, as was the way it should be.
Or so he told himself over and over again as he attempted her comm with no response, his intention to alert Sabé to their pending return.
So he told himself over and over again, releasing himself to the force, as they entered an empty outpost, devoid of any sign of life.