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He was staring at her. She could feel his gaze upon her back and had to grin.
"So, Jedi Skywalker, what kind of exciting missions have you been on lately?" she asked as she sat down gracefully on a chair and crossed her long, lean legs. Teenage boys were the easiest.
Anakin swallowed hard and sat down on the couch across from her. She was probably the most attractive woman he had ever seen, and something in him wanted desperately to impress her and prove that he was much more mature than his sixteen years.
"Well, a few months ago, I was assigned to solve a territorial dispute on the planet Kuutaan---"
"Did Jedi Kenobi accompany you?" she interrupted. Anakin frowned.
//Why did she want to know that?// "Yeah, he was there. We're kind of a team."
"Of course. Now you didn't go with him on the mission to Teemar, though, right? And why was that?" She leaned up onto the edge of her seat, her long golden hair falling softly in front of her shoulders making her look like a goddess.
"No. I didn't go with him that time. I guess the council figured we needed a break from each other."
"Of course," she said with another phony smile. "Has he told you much about that mission, since you were unable to go with him?"
Anakin suddenly got a funny feeling about this conversation. Something was telling him--- no--- warning him to be careful around this woman. He proceeded with caution now.
"Not a whole lot, no. Why?" he looked at her with a raised eyebrow of suspicion.
"Just making conversation," she replied. She smiled a warm smile, and as he looked at her she seemed to change. He knew it was only in his head, but suddenly she had become a snake with beady, red eyes and a look of evil anticipation on her face. With a shake of his head, she returned to her usual form, but he couldn't get that vision out of his mind.
Luckily, Obi-Wan returned just then, and Anakin didn't have to continue the conversation with Adara Lon.
"Hello," he greeted from his entryway. Adara jumped up from the chair, her typical dazzling smile etched on her face. However, the grin turned into a look of utter surprise once she noticed that the Jedi wasn't alone. "Miss Lon," he began, "allow me to introduce Miss Sari Zendar."
Adara cleared her throat before reaching out to shake Sari's hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Miss Zendar. And it's a relief to see that you are no longer... missing."
Sari kindly offered her hand in return, neither woman noticing the looks or thoughts passing between the two Jedi.
//What's going on?// Anakin questioned his master through the Force.
//I'm not sure, but I don't think it's good.//
The group moved back into the living room area and sat down. Adara Lon was definitely caught off guard, Obi-Wan noticed, which satisfied him deeply for some odd reason. However, she didn't miss a beat.
"Well, I must say that I am quite surprised to see you here, Miss Zendar. Only yesterday Jedi Kenobi informed me that he had no idea where you were. Isn't that right, Jedi Kenobi?" She looked innocently from Sari to Obi-Wan.
"That is correct. However, upon my return to the temple last evening, I found that she had arrived here in my absence." Obi-Wan studied the woman and could sense her desperation to gain control of the situation. "I suppose that her arrival here will help to solidify your case against Gustaf Perrin. I'm sure that makes you happy, Miss Lon."
Anakin noted the almost imperceptible slant in her eyes as she spoke. "Why yes! This is a most welcome occurrence for my case... most welcome indeed." Again, the vision of a sly snake popped into the padawan's mind, sending a chill down his spine. Her amazing outward beauty could not hide the ugliness inside. She was up to no good, he just knew it.
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Adara couldn't wait to get home and contact Chancellor Palpatine. There would be no snide remarks from him this time. News that Sari Zendar was right under his nose would be certain to please him and push her own standing with him to an even higher level.
"Chancellor," she began as soon as his image materialized before her, "I have wonderful news for you tonight!" She could hardly wait.
"Better than last night, I hope," he spat.
"Yes," she thought with contempt for the aged being before her. "I think you will be quite pleased."
"Proceed."
"It appears the fly has flown right into our trap without us having to lift a finger." She was quite proud of herself.
"Stop speaking in riddles and spit it out, Miss Lon. I don't have time to play games. I'm a busy man."
"All right then... Sari Zendar is here, on Coruscant." She grinned a self-satisfied smirk and waited for his praise. He straightened in his high-backed seat and looked only a little surprised.
"Yes... it is all working out the way I had planned." Now he seemed to drift off to some other dimension as if he was seeing some larger picture of the future.
//The way he had planned?!// Adara thought. //How could he have known she would come here? No one has that ability.//
He continued. "Well, I assume you know what to do next."
Adara thought for a moment and then spoke. There was really only one thing to say. "Yes, my lord. I will get the job done."
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