Chapter Two: Assignment


A/N: Thank you to everyone who was kind enough to review the first chapter! It means a lot to me, and I hope you continue to enjoy Valencia and her story.


"Obi-Wan." The melodic woman's voice made him turn away from the apartment's window, away from the cityscape beyond. Valencia stood in the doorway with a warm smile across her lips, stepping into the apartment before he could respond. Her presence made the tension in his shoulders ease somewhat.

"Valencia."

She strode over to him, eyes flicking to the view from the window. "I take it that the Council mentioned I was assigned to your mission."

"I…yes, they did." The message had come only minutes before, and he had not been expecting to see Valencia so soon after receiving it. Anakin and Padme had already departed for Naboo, leaving Obi-Wan to complete his part of the mission with Valencia's assistance.

"Do you have anything on the assassin?" Valencia tilted her head to the side.

"I have a poison dart." Obi-Wan sat down on the lounge, patting the spot beside him. Valencia crossed over to take a seat, folding her hands in her lap. "The one fired at the assassin who tried to kill the Senator. Another mercenary took her out before she could disclose any information. I suspect no ulterior motive other than an attempt to silence her, which succeeded."

"Do we know anything more about the dart?" Valencia asked, extremely attentive.

"No." Obi-Wan shook his head. The dart was a puzzle he was eager to solve. "The analysis droids couldn't pick up anything. I'm going to see an old friend downtown, he might have some answers."

Valencia nodded vehemently. "I'll come, of course."

He would be grateful for her company. Valencia had matured a lot throughout the past few years – becoming a compassionate and observant young woman. She often picked up on things that others overlooked. Obi-Wan would be grateful for her presence throughout the course of this mission, particularly as Anakin was away. He pinched the bridge of his nose at the thought of his Padawan, admittedly stressed at the idea of Anakin on his first solo mission.

"Are you alright?" Valencia rested a hand on his arm, but drew back the moment Obi-Wan removed his hand from his face.

"I just want to get to the bottom of this." He offered her a strained smile. "I am sure you must feel the same."

"In an odd way, it's nice to have a mission outside of my master." Valencia did not answer his smile with one of her own, instead averting her eyes. "I respect and admire her, but I think I am more advanced than she believes me to be."

Obi-Wan knew Rhesa Vandelay well – the woman was perhaps a few years older than him, and had an almost maternal bond with her Padawan. It had been Rhesa who had convinced the Council that Valencia would grow out of her rebelliousness. She had been correct in that statement, and as such the bond between the two women had become stronger than ever. Yet Rhesa had been away from Coruscant for weeks, leaving Valencia to join Obi-Wan on his mission.

"I don't doubt that you think so." Obi-Wan rested a hand over hers. "We all think we are ready for the Trials until we actually experience them. Your time will come soon enough."

Valencia glanced at their hands, her cheeks flushing. Obi-Wan removed his hand, worried that he may have made her uncomfortable. Valencia was not an affectionate person, whereas Obi-Wan was more prone to physical demonstrations of how much he cared. The young woman was a dear friend, yet he could help but realise that she seemed embarrassed around him at times.

Unable to fully ponder the mystery of Valencia's feelings toward him, Obi-Wan forced his mind back to the mission at hand. It would do neither of them good to become distracted. Their relationship was a friendship, but it also had to remain professional this time – for the good of solving the assassination attempt.


Dex's Diner was bustling with activity as Obi-Wan and Valencia entered. There had been a time when Valencia had avidly explored every section of Coruscant that she could, back when she was filled with a need for daring rather than respect for her position and the Jedi Order. Much had changed in those years, yet many parts of Coruscant had not.

"Someone here to see ya, honey!" The droid waitress yelled out as she glided toward the kitchen. "Jedi, by the looks of them."

"Obi-Wan!" The Besalisk owner called out, prompting a smile from the Jedi as they headed for the counter. It always astonished Valencia that Obi-Wan had contacts outside of the Order – which of course he did, but he was so dedicated to the Order that sometimes she could forget that there were friendships and relationships to be had outside of that.

"Hello, Dex."

"Take a seat, I'll be right with you."

"You want a cup of jawa juice?" The droid called out as Obi-Wan and Valencia headed over to one of the scarlet red booths.

"Yes, thank you," Obi-Wan responded. Valencia just shook her head, sitting down and trying to brush away her feelings of unease. It wasn't Dex or this place – it was memories still all too vivid. It seemed foolish now to think that there had been a time when she was so self-absorbed, so arrogant.

"Hey, old buddy." Dex's welcome was warm, drawing Valencia's attention away from the window, and he and Obi-Wan embraced as friends. When they turned back to the booth, Obi-Wan gestured to Valencia, who offered a polite smile and inclined her head.

"This is my associate, Valencia Jinn."

"So, my friends, what can I do for you?" Dex asked as he squeezed in across the booth from them. Valencia remained silent, content to let Obi-Wan do the talking. Her role here was simply to observe, and to provide an additional presence.

"You can tell me what this is." Obi-Wan drew a small silver chip from his robes, handing it over to Dex. Valencia craned her neck forward to look too. She'd heard Obi-Wan talk about the dart, but had yet to see it in person.

"Well, what do you know." Dex examined it, apparently impressed. The silver caught the glint of daylight. "I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on Subterrel beyond the Outer Rim."

"Can you tell me where it came from?" Obi-Wan asked, before turning his attention to the droid who'd returned with his jawa juice. "Thank you."

"This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino saber dart."

Valencia glanced at Obi-Wan expectantly, but he appeared just as confused as her. She had visited many planets throughout her time, but Kamino was not a name she was even remotely familiar with.

Obi-Wan frowned. "I wonder why it didn't show up in the analysis archives."

"It's these funny little cuts on the side that give it away," Dex explained, tilting the chip slightly to show the Jedi what he meant. "Those analysis droids only focus on symbols. I should think that you Jedi should have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom."

"Well, if droids could think, there'd be none of us here, would there?" Obi-Wan took the dart back, his tone somewhat amused before becoming more serious. "Kamino. I'm not familiar with it. Is it in the Republic?"

Dex shook his head. "No, no. It's beyond the Outer Rim. I'd say about twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze. Should be easy to find, even for those droids in your archives. These Kaminoans keep to themselves. They're cloners, damn good ones too."

"Cloners," Obi-Wan repeated thoughtfully. "Are they friendly?"

Valencia wondered if he believed one of them could have come this far in to the Core in an attempt to assassinate Senator Amidala.

"Depends."

Obi-Wan tilted his head to the side. "Depends on what, Dex?"

"On how good your manners are, and how big your pocketbook is." Dex laughed, and Valencia got the drift immediately, eyebrows arched.

"So they favour the wealthy." It was her first contribution to the conversation, causing Dex to turn his attention on her. Once upon a time, she had enjoyed being a shining star, enjoyed having all eyes on her. These days, it made her feel a little more self-conscious.

"That's right, young miss. They ain't cheap, that's for sure."

Valencia glanced at Obi-Wan, but he was still examining the dart, turning it over in his fingers. She wondered what he was thinking, because she believed that the Kaminoans had likely paid someone to do their dirty work for them. Only that didn't make any sense, because what did Senator Amidala have to do with cloning?


The Jedi Archives had always fascinated Valencia. There was so much knowledge contained within it, and the idea that could research practically any obscure piece of information about the galaxy was a giddy prospect. Obi-Wan was busy studying a bust of a member of the Lost Twenty – Count Dooku, if memory served correctly.

"Did you call for assistance?" Jocasta Nu, Chief Librarian of the Jedi Archives, approached Obi-Wan, who extricated himself from his thoughts and turned his attention away from Dooku's likeness to examine the elderly woman.

"Yes…yes, I did."

"Are you having a problem, Master Kenobi?" Jocasta's eyes didn't miss Valencia, who offered the older woman a brief smile. There had been many months where Valencia had spent almost every day in these archives when she couldn't train.

"Yes," Obi-Wan responded, heading over to search in the star map system. "I'm looking for a planetary system called Kamino. It doesn't show up in the archive charts."

"Kamino…it's not a system I'm familiar with." Jocasta leaned over to peer over Obi-Wan's shoulder, whilst Valencia maintained a slight distance. "Are you sure you have the right coordinates?"

Obi-Wan pointed at the screen. "According to my information, it should appear in this quadrant here, just south of the Rishi Maze."

Jocasta shook her head slowly, her expression sympathetic. "I hate to say it, but it looks like the system you're searching for doesn't exist."

"Impossible." Obi-Wan glanced at the woman. "Perhaps the archives are incomplete."

Jocasta drew herself up, taking offense to that. "If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist."

She strode off to help another student without another word or backward glance. Valencia raised her eyebrows at the old woman's abruptness, but she was used to it. Jocasta was tough as an old boot, and was not one to easily tolerate fools.

"Here, let me." Valencia ushered Obi-Wan from the seat and took his place. "There was a time when I was stuck in this place for months, when I wasn't able to train."

"Wasn't able to train?" Obi-Wan sounded concerned, and Valencia's stomach lurched as she realised how close she had come to a terrible truth.

"Injuries. Nothing serious, but they took time to heal." Valencia focused her attention on the screen, scowling as she too was met with a blank space where the Kamino system was meant to be. "Force sake."

"Nothing?" Obi-Wan asked, although Valencia easing herself out of the seat was answer enough.

"Perhaps we should ask the Council about it," she suggested, shrugging her shoulders, "Surely if Dex has heard of it, someone around here has to have as well."


Valencia had desperately sought out Aayla, only to discover that her dear friend was currently off-planet. However, she had not been accompanied by Marion, who had been all too happy to spar with Valencia. The younger Padawan hadn't stood much of a chance against the blonde, but their sparring finished in good spirits. Valencia was aware that her mission with Obi-Wan would likely take them to the Kamino system, once they discovered precisely where it was.

"How is your assignment?" Marion asked, tucking her own Padawan braid behind her ear. "I have only ever heard good things about Master Kenobi."

"It goes well." Valencia swept her blonde hair back as she tucked her lightsaber away. "He is an old friend, so it feels…easy. Almost natural."

"Will you visit Beck before you leave?" Marion's tone was soft, cautious. She had a fondness for the child also, but it was of a different sort to Valencia's. Marion could well have been an older sister figure to Beck. Their playful bond never failed to make Valencia smile. Perhaps when Marion was Knighted, she would be the one to take Beck as her Padawan.

Valencia shook her head vigorously. "I don't believe that to be smart, or appropriate."

Marion bit her lip, and Valencia could tell that there was more that she wanted to say, but she wisely held her tongue. Valencia had not possessed Marion's maturity and wisdom at her age. She had been a maelstrom of a girl, reckless and selfish, who had only remained in the Order because of the good graces of people like Rhesa Vandelay.

Aayla had just taken Marion as a Padawan when Valencia had almost been suspended from the Jedi Order. The girl knew more than most, but had the sense to keep personal matters to herself. Whilst Marion might indulge in gossip, secrets were something different completely, and Valencia respected her ability to know the difference.

"The younglings will miss you while you're away." Marion grinned. "They always talk about how much they enjoy their training sessions with you."

Valencia swallowed hard. "I will miss helping them. I remember what it was like to be that age, as long ago as it must seem now."

"Many years," Marion agreed slyly.

"If Aayla arrives while I'm away…"

Marion nodded. "I'll tell her you asked after her, of course. I'll also relay your best wishes to your own master, when she returns. No one is about to forget you because you're on a mission with Obi-Wan, you know."

Valencia sighed dramatically, but knew Marion was right. She couldn't put a finger on precisely why it made her nervous. She trusted Obi-Wan, and she knew that Rhesa would not mind she'd gone on a mission without her. So then why did Valencia feel so stressed about the prospect of it all?


Despite her best intentions, Valencia ended up going to one last training session with the younglings before she left for Kamino with Obi-Wan. This time she was there as an observer and not a participant, watchful from the sidelines as the children clumsily traded blows. It was truly astounding to see how much progress they had made over the past few months – or years, in many cases.

Valencia vaguely remembered what it was like to be a child, to be completely fearless. They didn't overthink, didn't concern themselves with making mistakes. They simply moved forward, something Valencia thought many Jedi hesitated to do over the years. She glanced over her shoulder as Obi-Wan approached.

"Marion said I might find you here."

It hardly surprised Valencia. Marion had come to know her very well over the past few years, in some instances, better than she would have liked. Regardless, one only had to ask Marion or Aayla to determine where Valencia might be within the Temple at any given time. She had thought Obi-Wan might know her well enough to guess, but perhaps not.

Valencia laughed. "Of course she did. Did you find Kamino?"

"I did." Obi-Wan folded his arms, lapsing into momentary silence as he too observed the younglings in their duels. "It seems to have been erased from the archives, although I cannot understand why."

Valencia frowned. "Why would someone want to erase a star system? That makes no sense."

"Perhaps we will have a better understanding once we reach Kamino." Obi-Wan rested a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention away from the younglings. "We will be leaving tonight. Make sure you have your things ready."

She wondered if Obi-Wan observing the younglings reminded her of the first time they had met. Qui-Gon had visited with an eager Obi-Wan in tow. Valencia had been small – perhaps three or four – yet the memory was still vivid. She had already known that the man was her father and been delighted to see him, yet had been chastised for acting upon that. It was at that young age that Valencia had learned attachments were strongly discouraged.

Qui-Gon had interacted with Valencia several times before his untimely death. Although he had not shown attachment, he had shown affection, enough so that the thought of being his daughter made her proud. It was Obi-Wan that she'd interacted with more, a boy who'd helped her with her stances and her grip on a lightsaber when she felt too intimidated to pester one of the older Jedi for help. His patience had known no bounds, and for that she would be eternally grateful.

Beck raised a hand and waved to Valencia. She couldn't help but smile, and waved back. The exchange earned a raise of eyebrows from her companion.

"Odd." Obi-Wan sounded amused. "I never took you for the sort who liked children."

Valencia didn't have a response for that, but her smile faded.