Body Not What It Seems--- Chapter 4...

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Arella could feel her face blazing with rage. She should have seen it coming and been smarter than to let herself be so embarrassed by the Jedi. //Well, he will definitely have to pay, and I think he'll start tonight// she thought with a dangerous grin.

Stepping cautiously around the broken shards of the Alderaanian landscape globe she had thrown at the Jedi-- instead of cleaning them up--, she moved to her dressing table and tried to pick out the perfect outfit for the evening. It would have to be pants because she would have to be able to move around easily, unencumbered by robes or skirts. She carefully held up several outfits and surveyed how they would look in the mirror. Finally, she decided on a charcoal gray unisuit with a pale pink shimmer silk tunic and sliver chain belt. Simple, yet elegant.

After one final check in the mirror, Arella was ready for the last obstacle. Walking over to her window, she held her breath as she keyed in the alarm code and waited with one eye closed.

Nothing sounded.

"Whew!" she exclaimed aloud. The alarm was successfully turned off. //You'd think they would have changed it by now.//

Arella pushed open the window and peered down below. Another grin of relief spread as she spied her 'ladder', a flower trellis, still in place. Looking around below for signs of anyone else, she was finally satisfied that the coast was clear. She swung her left leg over the sill and started the climb down.

//We'll just see what this Obi-Wan Kenobi is really made of!// she determined.

Reaching the bottom, she hopped to the ground, straightened her tunic, took one last look around, and then trotted off feeling quite proud of herself.

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An hour later, Obi-Wan Kenobi was still chuckling to himself each time he envisioned Arella sprawled on her floor in shock. He had to admit, beating her at her own game was somewhat satisfying, even though it probably bordered on the dark side.

As he entered the great room prepared to sit and relax for just a few moments, Mrs. Tenot burst in with a look of sheer terror on her face.

"Jedi Kenobi, we've received another threat." The woman thrust an envelope into his hands. Quickly, he pulled out the contents, a crumpled piece of primitive paper, and read the words. His face morphed into a frown as he realized the seriousness of the matter. Whoever wrote the threat already knew that Arella was back on the planet. That meant there was a traitor in their midst.

Something the woman had said earlier popped into the forefront of Obi-Wan's mind and he realized that the Force was urging him to ask for clarification.

"Mrs. Tenot, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course. Anything."

"What did you mean earlier when you said that Arella often 'gets lost?'"

Mrs. Tenot looked at him in brief confusion, unable to understand why he was asking such a question. Reluctantly, she answered.

"Um... Arella, despite her outward facade, is quite sensitive. As I told you before, she has been used to having her way many times in the past. When she is reprimanded or refused something, she takes it quite personally and becomes a bit..... rebellious."

"Meaning....?" Obi-Wan waited.

"Meaning that she has, several times, slipped off of the grounds for a while. Usually just long enough to put me into a frenzy and force her father to give in to her wishes. She always comes back though," the woman was quick to add.

A sudden sense of dread flashed through Obi-Wan. He had come to realize the feeling as a warning from the Force that something was about to happen.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered, as he recalled once again the image of Arella after he had embarrassed her. He snapped back to the matter at hand, or rather.... IN his hand--- the letter.

"For this threat to come so soon after our arrival, I fear that someone in your hire may be an informant for these dissenters. Gather all your servants together for some questioning. I'm going to check on Arella, then I'll be right back." Obi-Wan was amazed at how in control he sounded, when inside he felt himself trembling with nervousness. He wasn't used to going it alone without his master at his side to guide him.

Obi-Wan bounded up the stairs to Arella's room and, without even knocking, threw open the door. The room was empty.

//Blast! I knew it!// he declared silently. It only took him a few seconds to notice the open window as Arella's method of 'escape.' The girl was impossible. If he didn't know that her life was in danger, he would have been content to let her go for a while and enjoy the break. However, with this new threat, he knew he had to find her and quick.

He stopped and took a deep, calming breath, letting the Force clear his mind and then focus his thoughts. Deducing that someone on the premises must be involved, he decided it would be best not to tell anyone Arella was gone... at least for the time being. He would find her first.

Obi-Wan closed the window and left the room. After he shut the door, he turned and ended up looking right into the face of the young servant girl, Jazeen.

"Oh! Hello," he said trying to sound calm, despite his nerves. Deception was not usually smiled upon by the Jedi, but there were times it could be an ally.

"Hello," Jazeen replied as she looked past him to the door. "Mrs. Tenot sent me to check on you. Is she all right?" Obi noted a sense of anxiousness in the girl's voice.

"She is.... uh.... she's fine..... just resting...... yes," he stammered. //You've got to be more convincing than that!// he chided himself silently. "She was tired from our trip today, and just wanted to go to bed."

The girl eyed him suspiciously, and he tried desperately to look sincere. However, she wasn't buying it.

"She's resting? 'Princess' Arella never goes to bed this early."

//Think of something, quick!// Sweeping a hand in front of him from left to right, he tried to use a Jedi mind trick.

"She IS resting," he said calmly and firmly concentrating his thoughts on her mind.

"She is resting?" the girl repeated mindlessly.

"Yes. She's just fine. Now go about your business." Obi waved his hand again.

"I'm just going to go about my business," Jazeen replied, and then she turned and left.

"Whew!" Obi-Wan thought as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Now to find that blasted girl!" This mission was becoming much more difficult and much less enjoyable than he had expected it to be. //If I didn't know better, I'd think my master stuck me with her on purpose. He's always urging me to be more patient... and I'm finding it hard to have any patience around her!//

Sneaking out a side door, Obi-Wan was gone.