Chapter 3

Leisure time was so rare in the life of a Jedi these days, even for an apprentice, and Costia intended to make the most of what little free time she had. While she was officially off duty, she was permitted to wear whatever she liked, and she had immediately hastened to her room to put on a light, summery gown. Her hair remained tied back as it always was, framing her beautiful face.

There wasn't much in Coruscant in the way of nature. Unlike home, it didn't have lush gardens or waterfalls; but it didn't have the dreadfully hot deserts that her home had either. The city was full of good people, but it was full of pickpockets and brawlers as well. She didn't want to venture into the city alone, and yet, it was one of the few cities in this star system that she had not gotten to see. Most of Master Doma's missions took them away from Coruscant, and so Costia had not gotten a good look at it in all her 11 years of training.

She stood at a large window, calmly gazing out at the afternoon traffic. It wasn't waterfalls and flower fields, but it was beautiful in a very different way. She closed her eyes and began to wonder if it would be inappropriate to ask Doma to show her around the city. He was, after all, most likely busy with Jedi business. She recognized that just because she had been granted free time didn't mean that Master Doma was able to enjoy some free time as well.

As she considered the matter, she felt someone enter the room. "Anakin Skywalker," she said, turning around. She smirked at his perplexed expression. "You didn't assume that you were the only Padawan so finely attuned to the Force?"

Anakin shrugged. "Costia, right?" The girl nodded as Anakin flung himself down into one of the sofas in the large lobby. "You have no idea what to do with your free time, do you?" he chuckled.

"Wrong," she said as she turned her gaze back to the exterior view. "I have many ideas of what I'd like to do, and that's just the problem! I would like to explore the city very much, but sitting in my chamber reading sounds almost as tempting." She spoke with such energy and life that Anakin couldn't help but laugh.

"I would personally recommend the city. I've never seen anything like the architecture here. Everything is built up so high into the sky…you don't see skyscrapers this tall in many places."

Costia nodded. "I've only seen a sight nearly as impressive in one other place." She paused for a moment. "How long are you at leisure?" she suddenly asked, spinning around and leaning over the top of the sofa, grinning down at Anakin.

"All evening, same as the rest of the Padawans that are here…why?" he looked at her suspiciously.

"You have a speeder that you can drive, right? I can drive, but I have no vehicle…" she explained innocently as she clasped her hands behind her back and scuffed her toe against the floor. "But you do, don't you?"

"I don't have the time to go out into the city."

"But you just said that you were at leisure for the rest of the day, do you have something better to do?" she challenged.

"Maybe…"

"Why did you come find me?" she suddenly asked, surprising Anakin with the change of topic.

"I didn't say that I did…" Anakin dodged. "I'm at leisure too, you know. I felt like wandering around for a bit."

"You don't need to say it," she laughed, tapping her head with her index finger. "You're not the only Padawan in the room, you know." Anakin just snorted in reply, reminding himself that he had to guard his thoughts around her. Without the traditional Jedi dress, it was hard to believe that she was an apprentice.

"Alright, I wanted to ask you some questions, I guess," he replied nonchalantly.

Costia gave him an odd look. "What sort of questions?" she could no longer read his thoughts clearly.

"There's a lot of rumors about you, you know," he said in a joking manner.

Costia immediately turned back to the window, gazing outside at the activity. She appeared to be using the scene to stay focused and calm. An awkward silence grew between them. "Rumors almost always have some truth to them," she finally replied with a laugh.

"So you're a Sith in disguise, then?" Anakin couldn't help but burst into laughter at the thought of it.

"I…I'm a WHAT?!" she turned around, startled, her face scarlet. "Who says that?!" Anakin clasped his side, calming his laughter as he caught the range of emotions that crossed her face. After a moment she added, "Besides, don't you think that Master Yoda would sense a Sith so nearby?" Anakin had to agree; the Dark side clouded the Force, but it hadn't made Master Yoda so blind that he couldn't discern danger that was so close that he could touch it, had it?

"So how much do you hate flying?" he suddenly asked.

"Pardon?"

"Well, if you want to see anything worth seeing in Coruscant, we're going to have to take Master Obi-Wan's speeder."