Saché moved with a determined stride down the palace halls, chrome blaster in hand. The calf-length coatskirt of her battle fatigues swung back and forth as she walked. Focusing on her anger, she kept her eyes straight ahead and failed to notice the second lieutenant standing watch near the small employee's door.
"Evening, Lady Saché."
The calm, refined voice caught her attention. She whirled to the side and saw a young man, skin the color of rich chocolate, dressed in the blue and leather security officer's uniform. "Don't try to stop me!" she warned the stranger. "The Faction wanted to kill my friend. There was a red scarf in the rubble. The cowardly driver hit her and ran! I'm going to get him!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, opening the door and holding it for her. The response and his benevolent smile caught the handmaiden off guard. Stepping a bit closer to her, a casual curiosity filled his dark brown eyes. "I was wondering just who you're planning to shoot, though. We don't know who it is yet, or where to find him."
Realization came over Saché, and she lowered her shoulders as she bowed her head, then handed the blaster to the officer. "I guess I did go crazy. Thanks for giving me a reality check."
"I know about what happened to you before. I understand that it must be hard having a close friend possibly attacked by the people who put you through such a horrible time," the officer said.
"No excuse. I know better," Saché sighed. She extended her hand. "You have the advantage here. You know me, but I don't recall seeing you before."
"You haven't. I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. Ellouis Panaka. I'm your Captain's cousin. I've just arrived in Theed after my first tour of duty with the space pirate patrols. Normally I wouldn't have been assigned to the palace this soon, but the Captain called me in because of the incident with the Minister."
"Oh," Saché said. She looked him over and decided that he seemed out of place in the uniform. Most security officers weren't known to show empathy to angry women carrying weapons when they weren't supposed to, even if they were handmaidens. He wouldn't stay long in security, she concluded. Gifted, intelligent and far too sweet. Catching herself staring, she blushed and averted her gaze. "Well, I guess I should go back to my quarters and wait for news of the Minister's condition."
He nodded, then spoke hesitantly. "Look, if you ever want to talk or anything...well, the family tells me I'm a good listener."
"Okay...yeah. Well, thanks. See you later, Lieutenant Panaka." Feeling the jitters begin way down in her stomach, Saché searched for the nearest exit that she could stumble through. She wasn't sure she had it in her to be graceful at the moment.
"Ellouis...please."
"Sure. 'night, Ellouis." Saché turned and walked away, chewing her lip, shaking inside, and wondering just what else he knew about her already.
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"We've found an abandoned speeder. We think it's the one that hit the Minister." The security guard's transmission caused everyone in the office to look up, especially Captain Panaka and Lieutenant Uzza.
The Captain grabbed his comlink. "Make sure no one touches it," Panaka barked. "We'll get Kenobi and be right there!"
Obi-Wan prepared himself, centering and opening to the Force. Moving his hands over the vehicle's interior, he began picking up the emotional residue left by the driver.
"This wasn't a planned or organized effort. This person was chaotic. He saw an opportunity and took advantage of it. He acted alone and thought himself very noble for this. There is no more Faction; it's been disbanded. He hates that. It's the only thing he's ever felt a part of. He's tried going to ground and he didn't know where he was going to hide." Obi-Wan glanced up at Captain Panaka. "You should have no trouble finding him once you've traced the speeder's registration and gotten a name. He has no idea what he's doing."
"Thank you, Jedi." The Captain moved closer to Obi-Wan and lowered his voice. "How is Sabé's recovery coming along?"
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "She's still undergoing bacta treatments, but thanks to Anakin's prompt action on the scene, the prognosis is good. It'll take a little while longer for full recovery and she'll need physical therapy for a time."
The Captain closed his eyes and exhaled in relief. "Thank the Gods! As bad as it is, it could have been so much worse. She could have been alone, or had Meira with her..."
Placing his hands in his robe sleeves, Obi-Wan bowed his head. "The Force was with us. This is no time to fret on what might have been, Captain. If you'll excuse me, I'll be going back to the hospital. Anakin should be released soon and besides seeing Sabé, I'll have to get Meira reconciled with Ani."
The Captain smiled with gratitude. "Thank you for coming out here. I don't envy you the task ahead. I understand the little one took it hard."
"That she did, but with time and patience I expect we can get them back on track. When Sabé's out of the bacta, she can hold the baby and guide her through the maternal bond while I monitor my padawan. If I leave now, I should arrive there just as she's out of the tank."
Panaka nodded. "Give her our best wishes."
"Evening, Lady Saché."
The calm, refined voice caught her attention. She whirled to the side and saw a young man, skin the color of rich chocolate, dressed in the blue and leather security officer's uniform. "Don't try to stop me!" she warned the stranger. "The Faction wanted to kill my friend. There was a red scarf in the rubble. The cowardly driver hit her and ran! I'm going to get him!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," he replied, opening the door and holding it for her. The response and his benevolent smile caught the handmaiden off guard. Stepping a bit closer to her, a casual curiosity filled his dark brown eyes. "I was wondering just who you're planning to shoot, though. We don't know who it is yet, or where to find him."
Realization came over Saché, and she lowered her shoulders as she bowed her head, then handed the blaster to the officer. "I guess I did go crazy. Thanks for giving me a reality check."
"I know about what happened to you before. I understand that it must be hard having a close friend possibly attacked by the people who put you through such a horrible time," the officer said.
"No excuse. I know better," Saché sighed. She extended her hand. "You have the advantage here. You know me, but I don't recall seeing you before."
"You haven't. I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself. Ellouis Panaka. I'm your Captain's cousin. I've just arrived in Theed after my first tour of duty with the space pirate patrols. Normally I wouldn't have been assigned to the palace this soon, but the Captain called me in because of the incident with the Minister."
"Oh," Saché said. She looked him over and decided that he seemed out of place in the uniform. Most security officers weren't known to show empathy to angry women carrying weapons when they weren't supposed to, even if they were handmaidens. He wouldn't stay long in security, she concluded. Gifted, intelligent and far too sweet. Catching herself staring, she blushed and averted her gaze. "Well, I guess I should go back to my quarters and wait for news of the Minister's condition."
He nodded, then spoke hesitantly. "Look, if you ever want to talk or anything...well, the family tells me I'm a good listener."
"Okay...yeah. Well, thanks. See you later, Lieutenant Panaka." Feeling the jitters begin way down in her stomach, Saché searched for the nearest exit that she could stumble through. She wasn't sure she had it in her to be graceful at the moment.
"Ellouis...please."
"Sure. 'night, Ellouis." Saché turned and walked away, chewing her lip, shaking inside, and wondering just what else he knew about her already.
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"We've found an abandoned speeder. We think it's the one that hit the Minister." The security guard's transmission caused everyone in the office to look up, especially Captain Panaka and Lieutenant Uzza.
The Captain grabbed his comlink. "Make sure no one touches it," Panaka barked. "We'll get Kenobi and be right there!"
Obi-Wan prepared himself, centering and opening to the Force. Moving his hands over the vehicle's interior, he began picking up the emotional residue left by the driver.
"This wasn't a planned or organized effort. This person was chaotic. He saw an opportunity and took advantage of it. He acted alone and thought himself very noble for this. There is no more Faction; it's been disbanded. He hates that. It's the only thing he's ever felt a part of. He's tried going to ground and he didn't know where he was going to hide." Obi-Wan glanced up at Captain Panaka. "You should have no trouble finding him once you've traced the speeder's registration and gotten a name. He has no idea what he's doing."
"Thank you, Jedi." The Captain moved closer to Obi-Wan and lowered his voice. "How is Sabé's recovery coming along?"
Obi-Wan took a deep breath. "She's still undergoing bacta treatments, but thanks to Anakin's prompt action on the scene, the prognosis is good. It'll take a little while longer for full recovery and she'll need physical therapy for a time."
The Captain closed his eyes and exhaled in relief. "Thank the Gods! As bad as it is, it could have been so much worse. She could have been alone, or had Meira with her..."
Placing his hands in his robe sleeves, Obi-Wan bowed his head. "The Force was with us. This is no time to fret on what might have been, Captain. If you'll excuse me, I'll be going back to the hospital. Anakin should be released soon and besides seeing Sabé, I'll have to get Meira reconciled with Ani."
The Captain smiled with gratitude. "Thank you for coming out here. I don't envy you the task ahead. I understand the little one took it hard."
"That she did, but with time and patience I expect we can get them back on track. When Sabé's out of the bacta, she can hold the baby and guide her through the maternal bond while I monitor my padawan. If I leave now, I should arrive there just as she's out of the tank."
Panaka nodded. "Give her our best wishes."