*3*
Anakin knew full well when something was amiss between his Master and Cadi. After ten years of observing their relationship, sometimes he even knew it before they did.
Obi-Wan had gone off to a comm station to make contact with Council, so Anakin was left alone in the hotel room with a sleeping Cadi. There was nothing interesting on the hotel's limited holonet channels, nor was there anything else around to dedicate his attention to. Bored beyond belief, he decided to launch himself onto Cadi's bed, rattling the entire frame with the impact.
"That was cute when you were ten," the woman grumbled.
"Soooooooooowwwwyyyyyyy," he drawled boyishly, "but I'm super bored. Wanna talk?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really."
"Okay then, what are you so desperate to talk about that you had to disturb my slumber?" she turned to face the boy.
"You and Master," he replied eagerly.
"Oh no," Cadi rolled her eyes, "Not gonna go there."
"Oh yes we are!" the grin widened, "I want to know what happened this time."
"I don't know what you're talking about," the elder Jedi said indignantly.
"Like hell you don't!" he screeched.
"Hey!" she delivered a firm bop to his cranium, "Little boys should not be meddling in the affairs of adults," she said snootily, suppressing a smile.
"I am *not* a little boy anymore," he pointed out, "I want to help."
"I sincerely doubt that," she said skeptically, pretending to fall back asleep.
"Come on!" he whined.
"Stubborn boy," she commented, then considered, "I'll have to swear you to secrecy."
"I triple pinky swear that what is discussed in this room shall never be discussed again with anyone, ever!" he recited dutifully; he knew the drill.
"Deal," she sealed it, "You've got ten questions, use them wisely."
"We could start with what happened."
Cadi's eyes unfocused to the past so she could retell the tale, "Your Master believes I am keeping something from him, thus he wants me to forsake the mission."
"Are you?" he raised his eyebrows, interested.
"Am I what?"
"Question Number Two: are you keeping something from Obi-Wan?" he asked formally. Cadi had tricked him out of questions like that before.
"Yes," was all she allowed.
"What are you keeping from him?" Anakin wondered if he really wanted to know. The older woman regarded him for a long moment, then sighed deeply.
"Ready to listen?" she asked. Anakin gave a nod. She sighed again and began, "I've never been to Nar Shadaa before, this was my first time."
"Uh-huh," he replied, not seeing where she was going with this.
"Ani," she said seriously, "did it ever cross your mind as to why it took me a week to begin working with the Hutts?"
"I've thought about it," he admitted.
"Well, the first night I got here, I was hospitalized-"
"Force! What happened?" his eyes widened.
"I nearly died," she went on, "the meds told me when I regained consciousness that there is a virus on Nar Shadaa-"
"Of course there are viruses on Nar Shadaa. There are viruses everywhere!"
"Do you want to know what happened or not?" she asked, mild annoyance in her voice.
"Yeah, sorry, continue," he pressed quickly.
"As I was saying, there is a virus on Nar Shadaa to which the inhabitants have been long since immune. It turns out it is the same virus that wiped out my planet twenty years ago," she paused, letting her words sink in.
"Twenty years ago was when Council-"
"Found me," she finished for him, "my parents had sealed me up in a cave ten years prior, when the first epidemics were beginning. I was the only one left when the Jedi came. And because I was the only one, and the bodies were all too decomposed to autopsy, they had no idea as to which virus had killed them all."
"I never knew," Anakin said, astounded.
"Neither does your Master," she said firmly.
"So you were never immunized," he thought out loud.
"They couldn't immunize me, they didn't know what to immunize me against," she said distantly, "and now- it got me."
It took a few minutes for Ani to realize what she was really saying. But then he looked at her with worried eyes and asked in a small voice, "You're dying?"
"I'm already supposed to be dead," she said matter-of-factly, "I broke out of the hospital that night, determined to not let anyone know. I've been fighting it internally with the Force ever since." The boy said nothing. "You've got five questions left," she prodded.
"The only question that crosses my mind is why," he answered after a while, "why don't you seek help?"
Now that question Cadi had to consider. "I guess it is my dedication to the Force," she said, "I will complete my final mission, and then leave this life as the Force wills."
"You're so certain about it," he commented, a slight twinge of bitterness in his tone. For all these years, Cadi had been- kind of a big sister figure to him- at times even something like a mother.
"I am a Jedi," she replied, "and for the Jedi, there is no emotion; there is peace."
"You've got to tell Master," he commanded, "it's only fair."
She shook her head gently, "He must not know."
"Why?" he demanded, anger coming quickly to him.
"He will fight for me," she explained.
"Like he fought for Qui-Gon," he responded in understanding. Obi-Wan had already lost so much in his life. Anakin realized that if his Master were to have any previous knowledge of Cadi's illness, he would later blame himself for her inevitable death. "I understand," he told her, "but I think if you're not going to tell him, you should make the best of what time you have left."
Cadi smiled admirably, "And how do you suggest I do that, Casanova?"
"I'm guessing Master told you about Padme and me," he replied dryly, "and I don't know. Try to use your imagination."
"Try not," she reminded; it was not necessary to recite the rest of Yoda's classic chide. Sitting up, she wrapped him in a sweet embrace, "Take care of him, Ani," she asked, a slight mist glazing her eyes.
"I will," he promised, returning the hug.
"Shh," she warned abruptly, scooting back down under the sheets, "he's coming."
"He's already sensed that you're awake," he informed her, stretching out to that back door of his Master's mind that only he had access to.
"Okay," she said, thinking fast, "then pretend you're waking me up." Quickly she tossed the blanket over her head and balled up.
Obi strolled in right then, and Anakin assumed his role just in time. Shaking Cadi, he turned to acknowledge his Master's entrance.
"What did the Council say?" he asked casually.
"The Council said," Obi announced loudly, "that you and I will be joining Cadi, undercover of course, at the banquet this evening." He was referring to an honorary banquet that all the head Hutts would be attending; Cadi had wiggled her way deep enough into the workings of the Nar Shadaa operations that she would be accompanying her particular Hutt.
"What?" Anakin and Cadi responded in unison, the latter popping straight up.
"They want us there because an assassination attempt is expected," he explained calmly.
"Posing as what?" Cadi's brow furrowed.
"Your pimps."
"You can't be serious," she stated.
"Master Windu gave the orders with a straight face," he shrugged. "Now," he continued, "Ani, we need a new wardrobe for the evening."
"Consider me already gone," the boy stood up.
"You don't have to go alone," Obi said inquisitively.
"That's okay," the younger assured, "I know your measurements, and a nice solitary walk would do me some good," he threw a glance at Cadi.
"If you insist," Obi conceded, handing him the credits card. The boy made his way out the door. Obi-Wan turned his attention to Cadi and gave her a quizzical look, "What was that all about?"
She shrugged indifferently, "Cabin fever?" she suggested. Obi-Wan gave a thoughtful "Hmm" and sat down on the bed.
"I'm sorry if I've been difficult lately," she apologized voluntarily.
"It's okay," he replied instantly, "I shouldn't let my feelings interfere with your work."
"I know it hurts," she admitted, a strange, afflicted twinge in her voice. He stretched out backwards, coming to rest his head on her torso. She ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.
"You are so dear to me," he sighed, "I swear if anything were to happen to you-"
"Shh," she silenced him, guilt choking her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, but then she got up. "I've got to start getting ready."
"Now?" he asked skeptically, "We've got six hours before the banquet!"
"Hey," she retorted defensively, "You wanna wear the dress?"
"Never mind," a coy smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I thought so," she said victoriously, slipping into the 'fresher.
***
It took a while, but eventually Anakin found the perfect attire for his Master and himself. Expensive-looking, ultra-shiny combat boots, sharp gray trousers, functional yet fashionable holster belts, topped with prodigious black blazers. They would look like a pair of marked-up lowlifes- perfect. Satisfied with his find, he headed to the cashier.
And he could not stifle a tortured groan when he saw the line. It went up the stairs, down the escalator, and three times around the checkout point. Anakin began his search for the back of the line; it looked like he was going to be here for a while…
Anakin knew full well when something was amiss between his Master and Cadi. After ten years of observing their relationship, sometimes he even knew it before they did.
Obi-Wan had gone off to a comm station to make contact with Council, so Anakin was left alone in the hotel room with a sleeping Cadi. There was nothing interesting on the hotel's limited holonet channels, nor was there anything else around to dedicate his attention to. Bored beyond belief, he decided to launch himself onto Cadi's bed, rattling the entire frame with the impact.
"That was cute when you were ten," the woman grumbled.
"Soooooooooowwwwyyyyyyy," he drawled boyishly, "but I'm super bored. Wanna talk?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really."
"Okay then, what are you so desperate to talk about that you had to disturb my slumber?" she turned to face the boy.
"You and Master," he replied eagerly.
"Oh no," Cadi rolled her eyes, "Not gonna go there."
"Oh yes we are!" the grin widened, "I want to know what happened this time."
"I don't know what you're talking about," the elder Jedi said indignantly.
"Like hell you don't!" he screeched.
"Hey!" she delivered a firm bop to his cranium, "Little boys should not be meddling in the affairs of adults," she said snootily, suppressing a smile.
"I am *not* a little boy anymore," he pointed out, "I want to help."
"I sincerely doubt that," she said skeptically, pretending to fall back asleep.
"Come on!" he whined.
"Stubborn boy," she commented, then considered, "I'll have to swear you to secrecy."
"I triple pinky swear that what is discussed in this room shall never be discussed again with anyone, ever!" he recited dutifully; he knew the drill.
"Deal," she sealed it, "You've got ten questions, use them wisely."
"We could start with what happened."
Cadi's eyes unfocused to the past so she could retell the tale, "Your Master believes I am keeping something from him, thus he wants me to forsake the mission."
"Are you?" he raised his eyebrows, interested.
"Am I what?"
"Question Number Two: are you keeping something from Obi-Wan?" he asked formally. Cadi had tricked him out of questions like that before.
"Yes," was all she allowed.
"What are you keeping from him?" Anakin wondered if he really wanted to know. The older woman regarded him for a long moment, then sighed deeply.
"Ready to listen?" she asked. Anakin gave a nod. She sighed again and began, "I've never been to Nar Shadaa before, this was my first time."
"Uh-huh," he replied, not seeing where she was going with this.
"Ani," she said seriously, "did it ever cross your mind as to why it took me a week to begin working with the Hutts?"
"I've thought about it," he admitted.
"Well, the first night I got here, I was hospitalized-"
"Force! What happened?" his eyes widened.
"I nearly died," she went on, "the meds told me when I regained consciousness that there is a virus on Nar Shadaa-"
"Of course there are viruses on Nar Shadaa. There are viruses everywhere!"
"Do you want to know what happened or not?" she asked, mild annoyance in her voice.
"Yeah, sorry, continue," he pressed quickly.
"As I was saying, there is a virus on Nar Shadaa to which the inhabitants have been long since immune. It turns out it is the same virus that wiped out my planet twenty years ago," she paused, letting her words sink in.
"Twenty years ago was when Council-"
"Found me," she finished for him, "my parents had sealed me up in a cave ten years prior, when the first epidemics were beginning. I was the only one left when the Jedi came. And because I was the only one, and the bodies were all too decomposed to autopsy, they had no idea as to which virus had killed them all."
"I never knew," Anakin said, astounded.
"Neither does your Master," she said firmly.
"So you were never immunized," he thought out loud.
"They couldn't immunize me, they didn't know what to immunize me against," she said distantly, "and now- it got me."
It took a few minutes for Ani to realize what she was really saying. But then he looked at her with worried eyes and asked in a small voice, "You're dying?"
"I'm already supposed to be dead," she said matter-of-factly, "I broke out of the hospital that night, determined to not let anyone know. I've been fighting it internally with the Force ever since." The boy said nothing. "You've got five questions left," she prodded.
"The only question that crosses my mind is why," he answered after a while, "why don't you seek help?"
Now that question Cadi had to consider. "I guess it is my dedication to the Force," she said, "I will complete my final mission, and then leave this life as the Force wills."
"You're so certain about it," he commented, a slight twinge of bitterness in his tone. For all these years, Cadi had been- kind of a big sister figure to him- at times even something like a mother.
"I am a Jedi," she replied, "and for the Jedi, there is no emotion; there is peace."
"You've got to tell Master," he commanded, "it's only fair."
She shook her head gently, "He must not know."
"Why?" he demanded, anger coming quickly to him.
"He will fight for me," she explained.
"Like he fought for Qui-Gon," he responded in understanding. Obi-Wan had already lost so much in his life. Anakin realized that if his Master were to have any previous knowledge of Cadi's illness, he would later blame himself for her inevitable death. "I understand," he told her, "but I think if you're not going to tell him, you should make the best of what time you have left."
Cadi smiled admirably, "And how do you suggest I do that, Casanova?"
"I'm guessing Master told you about Padme and me," he replied dryly, "and I don't know. Try to use your imagination."
"Try not," she reminded; it was not necessary to recite the rest of Yoda's classic chide. Sitting up, she wrapped him in a sweet embrace, "Take care of him, Ani," she asked, a slight mist glazing her eyes.
"I will," he promised, returning the hug.
"Shh," she warned abruptly, scooting back down under the sheets, "he's coming."
"He's already sensed that you're awake," he informed her, stretching out to that back door of his Master's mind that only he had access to.
"Okay," she said, thinking fast, "then pretend you're waking me up." Quickly she tossed the blanket over her head and balled up.
Obi strolled in right then, and Anakin assumed his role just in time. Shaking Cadi, he turned to acknowledge his Master's entrance.
"What did the Council say?" he asked casually.
"The Council said," Obi announced loudly, "that you and I will be joining Cadi, undercover of course, at the banquet this evening." He was referring to an honorary banquet that all the head Hutts would be attending; Cadi had wiggled her way deep enough into the workings of the Nar Shadaa operations that she would be accompanying her particular Hutt.
"What?" Anakin and Cadi responded in unison, the latter popping straight up.
"They want us there because an assassination attempt is expected," he explained calmly.
"Posing as what?" Cadi's brow furrowed.
"Your pimps."
"You can't be serious," she stated.
"Master Windu gave the orders with a straight face," he shrugged. "Now," he continued, "Ani, we need a new wardrobe for the evening."
"Consider me already gone," the boy stood up.
"You don't have to go alone," Obi said inquisitively.
"That's okay," the younger assured, "I know your measurements, and a nice solitary walk would do me some good," he threw a glance at Cadi.
"If you insist," Obi conceded, handing him the credits card. The boy made his way out the door. Obi-Wan turned his attention to Cadi and gave her a quizzical look, "What was that all about?"
She shrugged indifferently, "Cabin fever?" she suggested. Obi-Wan gave a thoughtful "Hmm" and sat down on the bed.
"I'm sorry if I've been difficult lately," she apologized voluntarily.
"It's okay," he replied instantly, "I shouldn't let my feelings interfere with your work."
"I know it hurts," she admitted, a strange, afflicted twinge in her voice. He stretched out backwards, coming to rest his head on her torso. She ran her fingers through his hair soothingly.
"You are so dear to me," he sighed, "I swear if anything were to happen to you-"
"Shh," she silenced him, guilt choking her. They stayed like that for a few minutes, but then she got up. "I've got to start getting ready."
"Now?" he asked skeptically, "We've got six hours before the banquet!"
"Hey," she retorted defensively, "You wanna wear the dress?"
"Never mind," a coy smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I thought so," she said victoriously, slipping into the 'fresher.
***
It took a while, but eventually Anakin found the perfect attire for his Master and himself. Expensive-looking, ultra-shiny combat boots, sharp gray trousers, functional yet fashionable holster belts, topped with prodigious black blazers. They would look like a pair of marked-up lowlifes- perfect. Satisfied with his find, he headed to the cashier.
And he could not stifle a tortured groan when he saw the line. It went up the stairs, down the escalator, and three times around the checkout point. Anakin began his search for the back of the line; it looked like he was going to be here for a while…
