Sabé sat proudly on the couch in the handmaiden's quarters. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, and she didn't flinch under Panaka's accusing glare.

Eirtaé and Rabé entered after a moment of insufferable silence, and Sabé resisted the urge to sigh in relief. Panaka was waiting for all of the handmaidens to be present before he began. He explained to her in full detail that he thought it only fair Eirtaé and Rabé know about how she had put the Queen's safety in jeopardy.

Confusion and worry radiated off of her fellow handmaidens in waves, and Panaka wasted no time in jumping right to the heart of their meeting. "I know you are all wondering about why I have pulled you out of bed at such an indecent hour. I will first have it noted that Queen Amidala is in no immediate danger." Eirtaé and Rabé both seemed to sink with relief. Panaka held up a hand. "Don't get too excited. Sabé seems to have taken it upon herself to sabatoge the Queen as best as she can."

"Excuse me--" Sabé began defiantly, haughtily. Panaka rested his cold gaze on her, and she stopped abrubtly. Still not wanting to be reprimanded, she finished what she was going to say, but her voice was considerably more timid. "I don't think that furthering my knowledge in security with a Jedi Knight is dangerous for Padmé!"

"You are to make no attachments, Sabé, and frolicking with some man you barely know counts! You may consider it innocent and harmless, but what if he figures everything out? What if he tells his Master of Padmé's real identity and somehow someone over hears? There are a million different likely scenarios, Sabé, and none of them end pleasantly."

"I was not frolicking with some man!" Sabé cried, feeling tears starting to build. She tried her hardest not to let it show on her face. "I would think, Captain Panaka, that you know me well enough to know that I am not the type of person to ruin a mission because of a petty relationship with a man I will never see again. Can you take my past into any consideration at all?"

Panaka glowered at her. "Sabé, when I entered the room he had you pinned underneath him on the ground. What am I supposed to believe?" Sabé looked down at her lap and felt suddenly naked without the white makeup that would have hidden her blush. Panaka's voice became quiet and firm as he continued. "And, no, Sabé. I'm afraid that I can't take your past into consideration when dealing with something this serious."

"But there's no chance he's going to figure this out," Sabé said, her voice low and helpless as she turned her head upwards to meet Panaka's eyes. She tilted her chin self-assuredly. "And even if he did, it wouldn't be my fault."

"I'm afriad I will have to disagree with you on that, Sabé. But before I do so, I would like to know why you feel he's not a threat," Panaka said.

Sabé looked down at her lap again. "I will admit that I let him know more than he should." She took a deep breath before blurting it out. "He thinks that Sabé the handmaiden and Queen Amidala are the same person."

Panaka let out a deep breath. He seemed to have been bracing himself for something much worse than that. Still, anger emanated from him. "That is an offense that could cost Padmé her life and you your job."

Sabé brought her head up sharply. "Could?" she asked meekly.

Panaka sighed deeply. "Sabé, I don't know if you realize how dangerous what you've done and said is. I will not fire you, but for the time being your place in security is questionable. When we are back on the safety of Naboo, I will decide your punishment and whether you should be expelled or not."

Sabé felt like crying again. A mix of relief and frustration was driving her insane. She offered a grateful smile in Panaka's direction. "That is more than I deserve."

"It is," Panaka agreed. He turned his sharp gaze to Eirtaé and Rabé. "If you would allow Sabé and I a moment alone together? I have further to discuss with her. Privately."

Eirtaé and Rabé dutifully left the room, heads bowed with respect.

Panaka sat down on a couch in front of Sabé, and she was forced to meet his unblinking gaze. She felt more than intimidated by him, but she wasn't going to let him know that.

"What is it you have to discuss with me?" Sabé asked. Her voice sounded much stronger than she felt.

Panaka leaned backwards in his seat, but he still mantained an air of power. "Sabé, you're the best fighter and decoy I have ever met. You are a prize to the Nubian government."

"But . . ."

"But," Panaka repeated her word, a little amusement laced in his voice. He leaned forward again, folding his hands neatly and leaning so that they were directly eye-to-eye. "You are naive. Your behavior has been inexplicable. You have jeopardized Padmé's safety. You have put your trust into a man that you do not know. You have let him in on our security so much that he may figure out that the handmaiden with his master is really the Queen of Naboo. You have disappointed and shocked me again and again tonight."

"I know all of this, Captain," Sabé said, keeping her voice as steady as she could. "I want to know why you really are talking to me privately."

"I want to warn you, Sabé. Even if Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Jedi, he is not to be trusted."

"Even if he knew, he would do nothing to betray me or the Nabooian security," Sabé said before she could stop herself. She realized quickly this was not the thing to say.

"What gives you this impression?"

Sabé looked away from Panaka, wanting to gather the courage to lie to him and be able to pull it off. She didn't want to tell him that she knew Obi- Wan almost as well as he knew himself. She had connected with him and experienced his mind. She knew that, even if tortured, Obi-Wan would not give away such an important secret. He was respectable and all things good. He would not betray her in that way, she knew without a doubt. But how could she explain this to Panaka without telling him what had happened between them? Surely Panaka would be horrified at something he didn't understand. He would forbid her from seeing Obi-Wan again, from training with him. Sabé felt like an animal caught in speeder lights.

Panaka repeated his question, this time an edge in his voice that made her speak.

"Captain Panaka, I am afraid that I cannot disclose that information," she said firmly. She met his gaze with her own stony one, showing him that she would not be swayed in her decision.

Panaka looked utterly shocked. "You--you're defying a direct order?"

Sabé nodded slowly. She was quivering with fear inside, but she knew that she couldn't begin to explain what happened with Obi-Wan to this man, as close to Captain Panaka as she was. "I guess I am, Panaka," she said softly.

Panaka stood abruptly. "I hope that your reasons are good enough to let you live with what you've just done," he spat. Sabé heard the doors whir shut a split second later.

With his presence gone, Sabé laid back on the couch, sinking lower and lower into the cushions, wanting to be swallowed up by it. She couldn't have told Panaka, he would not have trusted the bond she had with Obi-Wan even if he did understand. Something inside of her told her to keep it a secret, and she knew it was more important to listen to that voice than listen to Captain Panaka, as unbelievable as that sounded.

Her feelings were tearing her apart, and she let a single tear roll down her cheek. She was risking her job for a Jedi Knight that she barely knew. But . . . she did know him. In some ways, better than she knew even Padmé, her closest and dearest friend. Being connected with him was like . . . waking up from a dream-induced state; like suddenly becoming fully aware of her surroundings, more so than she'd ever though possible. Something new and electrifying was happening in her stomach and her heart, and despite her fears, she didn't want that feeling to leave. She wanted to embrace it and whatever it stood for. She wanted to explore it inside and out, to find out what it meant.

Eirtaé and Rabé were suddenly sitting on either side of her. Sabé sat straight forward and wiped furiously at her cheeks, not wanting to have her fellow handmaidens see her in such a state.

"Panaka was just angry," Eirtaé said, putting an arm around Sabé's shoulders. "When he calms down, he will be much more rational."

"I know, I know," Sabé whispered, sighing. "I just can't help but be upset. Everything that he said was right, and I feel this guilty weight on my shoulders."

"You really were alone with Obi-Wan Kenobi? In his bedroom?" Rabé asked, unable to hide her interest, a sly smile forming on her lips. "Pinned beneath him?"

"Yes, yes, but it was nothing like that," Sabé tried to explain.

"What happened?" Rabé asked eagerly.

"He was teaching me a few things about the Jedi," Sabé said simply, shrugging. "He let me borrow a lightsaber and we had a little spar."

"Ooooh," Eirtaé said knowingly, winking at her friend. "I understand perfectly. Getting all hot and sweaty and worked up with the Jedi Knight, hmm?"

Sabé let out a shriek of incredulous laughter, and she grabbed a throw pillow with her free arm to stuff in Eirtaé's face.

"Aw, come on, Sabé," Eirtaé pleaded. "You have to give us something. Even *I* can't deny that he's hot, and you know how picky I am. That accent . . . whew! Oh, and the way he walks. What confidence! Can't deny the attractiveness, Sabé, just fess up to your wild, passionate daydreams you know you have."

Sabé laughed even harder, shaking her head. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You don't think he's cute?" Eirtaé asked casually.

"I didn't say that," Sabé said. She paused for a moment's contemplation. "His accent *is* one of his many assets, isn't it?" She winked. "My personal favorite, although that chest does do me in."

The three erupted into laughter, and Sabé felt her guilt and worry melt away in the friendly atmosphere Rabé and Eirtaé had created. Even though she felt like a third wheel sometimes, as she had confessed to Obi-Wan, she was still infinately close to the two girls, and they likewise.

When the laughter quieted, Rabé couldn't help trying one last time. "So there really are no juicy secrets to share with your best friends?"

Sabé pretended to think about it. "Well . . . I think his hand brushed against mine at one point."

The girls began laughing once more.

* * * * *

The next evening, Sabé set out at the same time to see Obi-Wan. She knew it had been implied by Panaka that she shouldn't see Obi-Wan privately anymore, but since he hadn't outright forbidden her, Sabé was going to continue to see the Jedi Knight.

Sabé knocked lightly on the door to his room, looking around her carefully, checking to see that no one would see her enter Obi-Wan's private quarters again. Obi-Wan, are you in there?

The door opened in a flash, and somebody grabbed her arm and yanked her into the room. The door shut just as quickly behind her, and she looked up calmly at Obi-Wan, arching an eyebrow in question at his bevahior.

Obi-Wan let go of her arm and took a few steps away from Sabé. She realized just how close to her he had been only a moment before, and she felt her cheeks grow a bit warmer than usual.

"The security cameras," she reminded him, trying to distract herself from the blush she knew might just spill onto her features.

"I covered them when I sensed you were coming again tonight," Obi-Wan said. He didn't want to talk about that though. His concern shown brightly on his face, and a bundle of emotions that she couldn't decipher came to her through their bond as he spoke again. "I haven't seen you all day. Are you in any serious trouble?"

"No," Sabé assured him, giving him a small smile. "Captain Panaka informed the other handmaidens of what I'd done, and then he talked to me alone. I-I didn't tell him anything though. I felt that it should be kept a secret. He wouldn't have understood."

Obi-Wan frowned. "But you're not going to be expelled just because of me, right?"

Sabé stepped forward boldly and tilted her head up to look at him, their bodies so close that they were almost touching. "If I am in any trouble, it's not your fault at all. I'll have you know I'm a very responsible girl, and I don't let anyone make decisions for me."

Obi-Wan looked down at her carefully, searching her face. "Do you still want to continue?"

"That's why I'm here."

Obi-Wan smiled almost giddy-like, and he moved away from her to the center of the room again, motioning for her to sit across from him again.

"I want to go further into our bond," Obi-Wan explained when she had sat down. "There's something deeper here, and I want to see just what we can do with it."

"Okay," Sabé said. She reached for Obi-Wan's hands. This time she plunged into the awareness whole-heartedly, not backing away in the slightest. She felt Obi-Wan's sharp intake of breath.

Do you feel that? he asked in her mind. This time his voice didn't startle her. It seemed almost natural to communicate telepathically with him.

Yes. It's like a current of liquid, Sabé said, knowing that he knew what she was talking about, but wanting to describe it in words non-the-less. I feel like it's . . . cleansing and soothing me; inside and out.

Very good. That's the actual Force.

Sabé gasped, shocked. I thought that you couldn't see the Force.

You can't. You're not actually seeing it, Sabé.

Sabé studied what it was that was happening around her. Then it hit her. She felt stupid for not realizing it before. I'm feeling it.

Very good, Obi-Wan said, his voice sounding more authorative than usual. That's the living and breathing Force. Right now I'm assuming it's only this strong when you're connected to me?

Right.

We have to work on your awareness level then. I want you to be able to feel this all the time. This is a Jedi's aid. Not his weapon or his sole purpose, but merely his aid.

Pull away then. I want to try on my own.

Obi-Wan obligingly let go of her hands.

"Do you feel it all the time?" Sabé asked. She felt naked when her senses dulled, as though she belonged in that haven she had found in her bond with Obi-Wan.

"To a certain degree," Obi-Wan said reluctantly. "It's stronger when we use it together. We're combining our powers and awareness. I'm bringing out only some of your potential. You have to learn how to reach that place on your own before you can become more powerful."

"How do I do that?" Sabé asked eagerly. She was eating up every one of Obi- Wan's words and storing it in a safe place in her brain. Each of his instructions was devoured with heart, and she wanted to learn as much as she could. She felt like a small child in a huge, new world; Obi-Wan was her guide, taking her by the hand and showing her everything she wanted to see and more.

"When I say 'find your center' will you know what I mean?"

"No."

Obi-Wan sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Sabé smiled. She had noticed that he did this when he was frustrated. "Close your eyes, Sabé."

Sabé did as told. A second later she felt Obi-Wan's fingers on her temple. "Search inside of yourself with my guidance. Find a place where you are at complete peace with yourself and your surroundings."

It was surprisingly easier than Sabé had thought. It felt like she was zooming through space. With Obi-Wan's direction, she didn't feel quite so lost. Suddenly, with a large jolt in her stomach, she stopped. Surrounding her was the caressing Force. Not as powerful as before, with Obi-Wan, but she recognized it for what it was.

Now sit still. Stay where you are. Let the Force surround you, permeate you. Think of nothing but the Force. Become one with it.

Sabé listened to his words carefully. Dimly, she felt his hands leave her body, but that didn't matter anymore. She wasn't aware of phsyical sensations, she was too far within herself to care about what went on in the outside world.

It was so peaceful that she found she didn't care about time anymore. She had no idea how long she sat like that, just feeling the flow of the Force. Eventually, she felt a nudging; Obi-Wan's mind rubbing against hers. Sabé, you have to come out now, he whispered.

Sabé felt a tingle run up her spine, and she made the journey back to the physical world once more, this time slowly, lazily. She didn't feel the mad racing she had earlier. She was more calm now, more sure of herself. Slowly she opened her eyes, and she saw Obi-Wan standing in front of her, leaning down with his fingers on her temple.

"That was wonderful," she managed to croak. She coughed, and Obi-Wan handed her a glass of water that he'd had ready. "It was . . ."

"Impossible to describe?" Obi-Wan suggested.

"Exactly." Sabé sighed. "Can I do that without your guidance now?"

"We don't have any time to find that out, but I'm sure you could," Obi-Wan said, gesturing to the chronometer by his bed.

Sabé yelped and jumped up off the ground. "I was gone for four hours?"

Obi-Wan nodded, amusement crinkling his eyes as he smiled just slightly at her. "You should always have someone or something bringing you back at a certain time before you learn to control it. If not, you'll just want to stay there forever. Eventually you'd probably just rot away from thirst or hunger or both."

"Not a pleasant thought," Sabé said. "Thank you for that. I feel like a child in a whole new world, and you are my guiding light."

Obi-Wan looked truly flattered. "I am only doing my duty, Sabé."

On an impulse, Sabé closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around his chest, pulling her body close to his in a hug. Obi-Wan stood stiffly at first, but in a few seconds she felt his arms move comfortably to her back and his cheek rest on top of her head. She had meant it to be a short, brief moment to get it across how thankful she was. But now she felt like she was melting in his embrace, and she had no desire to leave it.

She felt something brush her head as Obi-Wan's cheek left her hair. She pulled her head away from his chest to look up at him in confusion. Obi- Wan's eyes were almost blinding they were so blue. He kissed her forehead. She thought that she would be shocked by the action, but instead she just tilted her head up further, trying to get closer. Next he kissed the tip of her nose.

Sabé held her breath slightly and closed her eyes, knowing what was coming next. She felt his lips gently brush against hers, tentatively at first. Her lower abdomen was doing pleasant flips and jumps that she had only read about in books. She pulled her arms from around his middle to wrap around his neck. This allowed him better access to her mouth, and their lower bodies clutched together tightly, making Obi-Wan let out a muffled moan.

Boldly, Sabé ran the tip of her tongue along his lips. He opened his mouth for her immediately, sucking in her tongue in the most delicious manner. She felt dizzy and lightheaded as he began to gently run his tongue across hers, the slow strokes driving her crazy. She pulled his head down further, molding her upper body to his chest in that action. He moaned again, and one of his hands moved up to her hair. He began to tug at the simple french braid she had it in, and a moment llater she felt the silky tresses tumbling down her shoulders. He tangled his hand in her hair, feeling the softness of it and massaging her scalp. This resulted with a feminine sound from deep within Sabé -- a sound she didn't know she could make.

Abruptly, with no warning, Obi-Wan let go of her and pulled away, turning his back to her. She could hear his panting, rivalling that of her own. "What?" she asked worriedly, moving closer to put a hand on his shoulder. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no," Obi-Wan assured her. He still kept his back to her, and she felt him fighting for control. "You did everything right -- that's the problem."

"The problem?" Sabé echoed, feeling a weight dropped onto her shoulders. "What problem? There's a problem?"

"Sabé, how old are you?"

"Seventeen -- I'm almost eighteen."

"I'm twenty-four," Obi-Wan said, making the number sound much larger than it was. He turned around then, his face an impassive mask. "I'm seven years older than you." He threw his hands up just slightly. "You're the Queen of Naboo for Force's sake!"

Sabé nodded, but she felt miserable. For just that instant she considered telling him everything, wanting him to know that she wasn't the Queen, but merely a decoy handmaiden. It tempted her. If she told him, maybe the age difference wouldn't be enough for him to push her away. She wanted to be with him so badly it was almost painful. "I understand," she said instead. She was glad to note that her voice was calm and steady.

"Good," Obi-Wan said, sighing. For just an instant he let something show through the mask he'd created on his face. Sabé wanted to find out what it was, but he was speaking again before she could ask. "Let's just forget this happened."

"Right," Sabé said doubtfully. If what he felt was anything close to what she had, there was no way either of them would be forgetting this anytime soon. "I'll see you tomorrow night then?"

"Tomorrow night," Obi-Wan agreed.

* * * * *

As soon as Sabé heard the doors shut behind her in the Queen's bedroom, she plopped herself down on a nearby chair and let her head fall into her hands, letting out a very unladylike groan. Everything was telling her that that kiss with Obi-Wan was a bad idea, that wanting anything more would be impossible . . . but her body seemed to be screaming for his touch. She had always been awkward with the opposite sex, but she had been kissed before, and as she went back to the fuzzy details, none of it compared to Obi-Wan. What was she supposed to do? How could she get through their "training sessions" without her mind being clouded by the memory of that kiss?

Sabé's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a door whir open. She snapped her head up, some part of her believing that maybe Obi-Wan was coming back to say that he didn't care about their age or her "throne rights". Instead, Eirtaé and Rabé were taking in her appearance carefully.

"Hmm . . ." Rabé began, walking forward with her hands behind her back. "Sneaking into her room at four thirty in the morning."

"Wasn't her hair in a braid earlier?" Eirtaé added, tapping her chin contemplatively.

"Oh, and you gotta notice that flushed skin," Rabé said, an impish smile growing. "Eirtaé, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that our little Sabé has getting down and dirty. Perhaps she even has a lover we're not aware of."

"She does seem to be blushing," Eirtaé said. She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Sabé, Sabé, Sabé." She stopped walking when she was standing directly in front of Sabé. "When will you learn that you can't keep secrets from your sisters in security."

"Hey, I kind of like that title," Rabé said. "We could have our own holo show. It'll be the new Carly's Iegoians." She pulled a blaster out for emphasis and aimed it at some unknown target. "All we need is cheesy background music, some go-go boots, and big hairstyles."

Eirtaé laughed. "Rabé, you're getting off the subject here. I think we need to interrogate our subject further before anything else."

"I whole-heartedly agree," Rabé said. She slid the blaster back up her arm. "Sabé, do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"There are six of us," Sabé pointed out. "I suppose we could split into two groups of three--"

"Don't even try to change the subject," Rabé scolded, shaking a finger. "I can't be distracted easily." Her lips twitched into a smile she'd been trying to suppress. "Although I *am* blonde . . ."

"Dirty blonde," Sabé corrected. "It's actually more of a caram--"

"Just tell us about your loverboy," Eirtaé interrupted, shooting Rabé a look. Rabé shrugged innocently, and Eirtaé returned her sharp gaze to Sabé. "I won't be as easily distracted as poor Rabé over there."

Sabé began to plead with her eyes, realizing that she wasn't going to get out of this one. "Look, this isn't what you think, and I . . . I really don't want to talk about it, okay? I need some time alone. I need sleep."

"I wonder who it was," Rabé said, ignoring Sabé's words.

"Captain Panaka?" Eirtaé suggested with a sly grin. "Perhaps she thought he'd let her off easy if she--"

"You know it was Obi-Wan," Sabé interrupted, her voice rising. "I'll tell you that we kissed and that we agreed not to do so again, but no more than that."

"Why did you agree not to kiss again?" Eirtaé asked kindly, recognizing that this was serious enough to Sabé that she didn't want to be teased.

"He's twenty-four for one thing!" Sabé ranted. "He thinks I'm the Queen for another. And he's a Jedi. Jedi aren't allowed these types of things."

"But you want him don't you?" Rabé asked. She had been observing Sabé quietly, and her question seemed more like a statement. "You don't care about age."

Sabé made a muffled sound as she once again buried her face in her hands. "I really just want to be alone right now, you guys."

The two immediately backed off, realizing that they shouldn't push Sabé any farther. "If you need anything, comm us, okay?" Eirtaé said, her voice coming from the other side of the room. The door whizzed shut, and Sabé knew that she was officially alone.

She stood up from her chair and belly flopped onto the bed.

On the bright side, at least she hadn't run into Captain Panaka on her way back to the Queen's antechamber.