[b]Chapter 16[/b]
"Would you stop wringing your hands together? I am not going to continue to carry your bags if all you will do is wring your hands together." Jedi Master Brady Black complained as he and his Padawan made their way up the front steps of the royal palace of Naboo.
"I cannot help it. I am beyond nervous!" Chloe exclaimed as she continued to work her hands, the flesh turning white by the amount of pressure she placed upon them. "I haven't seen my sister, since well ever. I mean other than the Geonosis incident where I didn't even get to speak with her, I never really have in person. And now." She said trailing off as she noticed that they were at the palace doors.
"Well are we going in or what?" Brady said placing down the luggage and turning towards her. Her chin raised she glanced upwards towards the sky, her regal brow wrinkled in nervousness. The light played off of her toned skin as a fresh breeze caused a soft tendril of her hair to become loosened from its bun, and cascade down her back. The crisp blue sky lay behind her, the perfect backdrop for a woman of sheer perfection. From the moment he had stepped off the aircraft, he knew that Naboo had to be the most beautiful place in the galaxy. And why was he surprised since the most beautiful woman had come from there. If only he could reach out and grab her there in the sunlight, play out his fantasies.
"Brady?" Chloe yelled once more as her master continued to stare at her. "Brady?!" She yelled again, finally freeing him from the hypnotic trance he had been in.
"What?" He said trying to maintain his cool.
"I said I think that I am ready to go!" She said smiling at him.
"Well, good." He said clearing his throat as he reached down to pick up their baggage. "Because I didn't want to have to carry you."
"Right." Chloe scoffed shaking her head as she finally walked through the doors, barely waiting for Brady to catch up.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Senator Amidala sends her apologies that she could not make this meeting, but she said that she would come to see you both at her earliest convenience." Queen Jamilla said to the two Jedi from her place on the thrown, her deep scarlet gown a deep contrast from the traditional white makeup that decorated her face.
"We look forward to meeting with her." Brady said looking over at Chloe who could only nod. It was not a Padawan's place to speak with dignitaries of any kind, unless they were spoken to. And to Brady's surprise it was actually one of the Jedi rules Chloe followed. "But thank you for having an audience with us. What can you tell us about the current situation.
"Well," Captain Typho, a strong black military leader who wore his battle scars proudly as an eye-patch lay over one of his eyes. "From the looks of things right now, the Trade Federation, nor any members of the Separatists are looking to invade Naboo, but as we well know, looks can be deceiving. We have upwards of 100,000 clones at our disposal, waiting for our orders. But let us hope it does not come to that. Your main goal at the moment is to lay in wait. We do not want to alert anyone of your presence, for that fact alone might cause something to occur. But should something occur, we want you here at our disposal. The people are not restless, but with the hundreds of refugees coming in every few days, well, things are changing rather quickly here. But for now we would like for you two to be hidden away. We will be in close contact should we require your assistance. The Senator is on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan as we speak, but will returning within the next two days. Once she returns we will all meet together once more to see what our next move she be."
"I understand." Brady said as clenched his tense jaw. He didn't like just hiding, waiting for something to go wrong, and from the sideways glance he had of Chloe, he could tell that she too had problems with these arrangements, he could only pray she would keep her tongue.
"Very well then Master Black." The Queen spoke as she rose, the other occupants of the room doing the same as she, "I have it on high authority that the Lake Country is very secluded and will do well to hide you until we can make your presence known. Captain Typho will lead you to the dock outside the palace where you may obtain a speeder to a private villa."
"Thank you your highness." As he bowed before the Queen, Chloe following his example, as they turned and followed the Captain out of the royal chambers.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"So this is your home?" Brady yelled loudly as their boat speeded across one of the many bodies of water that lay on Naboo.
"What are you surprised?" She yelled back, her eyes closed as the feeling of the wind coursed over her body, making it's way into her very soul. The fresh air tingling through her as the warm sun shown down upon them. There was nowhere in the galaxy quite like Naboo, the beauty of it could bring a tear to anyone's eye. The soft rolling grasslands, the crystal clear waters, and it's people unmarked by the anger and cynicism many people held, especially those in Coruscant.
"It's just that it's so beautiful." He said sincerely as he gazed over the land.
"What and you didn't think that I could come from someplace beautiful?" Chloe said, her eyes popping open to glare at him, unaware that she was misinterpreting his remark. "What? You think a person like me was spawned from the swamps of Dagobah?"
"No! That's not what I meant Chloe." But before he could continue she had already closed her eyes once more, dismissing him. "I'm really beginning to hate this girl." He mumbled to himself as he too closed his eyes, trying to contain his anger as the captain of the boat continued his way to the villa they would be sharing in the Lake Country of Naboo. And in what seemed like an instant that his eyes were closed, Brady felt the boat begin to slow, preparing to dock itself. Slowly opening his eyes to adjust to the bright sunshine, Brady nearly gasped at the beauty of the building before him. Nestled in a grove of trees, just beyond a small town, lay a large tan villa, overlooking the vast expanse of water that had long been traveling on. Moss and flowers covered the old stone building, it's orange roof glimmering in the sunlight. Suddenly he felt the boat rock as he watched the captain help Chloe from the boat, then reach in to grab their luggage. Looking up from the boat, Brady shaded his eyes as the setting sun obscured his view. Chloe, dressed in the flowing traveling robes, shimmered herself, the sun giving her an almost angelic appearance. As she stared across the water he could see a small smile play upon her lips, her eyes tearing up in wistful remembrance. She was home. And looking at her from his place in the boat, Brady knew that he was home too, for she was his. Shaking her head, she reached up and quickly brushed her eyes, then turned to him once more.
"Well, are we going in or what?" She smiled as she asked the same words that only hours before he had uttered to her. Standing up, he exited the boat quickly, nodding at her as he picked up the bags. "Well good. Because I didn't want to have to carry you." She laughed as she raced up the old stone staircase leading to the villa, leaving Brady in her wake. Groaning, Brady slowly followed her. Perhaps he spoke to soon about this being home. How was he every going to survive being alone, in seclusion with Chloe Amidala?
"Would you stop wringing your hands together? I am not going to continue to carry your bags if all you will do is wring your hands together." Jedi Master Brady Black complained as he and his Padawan made their way up the front steps of the royal palace of Naboo.
"I cannot help it. I am beyond nervous!" Chloe exclaimed as she continued to work her hands, the flesh turning white by the amount of pressure she placed upon them. "I haven't seen my sister, since well ever. I mean other than the Geonosis incident where I didn't even get to speak with her, I never really have in person. And now." She said trailing off as she noticed that they were at the palace doors.
"Well are we going in or what?" Brady said placing down the luggage and turning towards her. Her chin raised she glanced upwards towards the sky, her regal brow wrinkled in nervousness. The light played off of her toned skin as a fresh breeze caused a soft tendril of her hair to become loosened from its bun, and cascade down her back. The crisp blue sky lay behind her, the perfect backdrop for a woman of sheer perfection. From the moment he had stepped off the aircraft, he knew that Naboo had to be the most beautiful place in the galaxy. And why was he surprised since the most beautiful woman had come from there. If only he could reach out and grab her there in the sunlight, play out his fantasies.
"Brady?" Chloe yelled once more as her master continued to stare at her. "Brady?!" She yelled again, finally freeing him from the hypnotic trance he had been in.
"What?" He said trying to maintain his cool.
"I said I think that I am ready to go!" She said smiling at him.
"Well, good." He said clearing his throat as he reached down to pick up their baggage. "Because I didn't want to have to carry you."
"Right." Chloe scoffed shaking her head as she finally walked through the doors, barely waiting for Brady to catch up.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Senator Amidala sends her apologies that she could not make this meeting, but she said that she would come to see you both at her earliest convenience." Queen Jamilla said to the two Jedi from her place on the thrown, her deep scarlet gown a deep contrast from the traditional white makeup that decorated her face.
"We look forward to meeting with her." Brady said looking over at Chloe who could only nod. It was not a Padawan's place to speak with dignitaries of any kind, unless they were spoken to. And to Brady's surprise it was actually one of the Jedi rules Chloe followed. "But thank you for having an audience with us. What can you tell us about the current situation.
"Well," Captain Typho, a strong black military leader who wore his battle scars proudly as an eye-patch lay over one of his eyes. "From the looks of things right now, the Trade Federation, nor any members of the Separatists are looking to invade Naboo, but as we well know, looks can be deceiving. We have upwards of 100,000 clones at our disposal, waiting for our orders. But let us hope it does not come to that. Your main goal at the moment is to lay in wait. We do not want to alert anyone of your presence, for that fact alone might cause something to occur. But should something occur, we want you here at our disposal. The people are not restless, but with the hundreds of refugees coming in every few days, well, things are changing rather quickly here. But for now we would like for you two to be hidden away. We will be in close contact should we require your assistance. The Senator is on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan as we speak, but will returning within the next two days. Once she returns we will all meet together once more to see what our next move she be."
"I understand." Brady said as clenched his tense jaw. He didn't like just hiding, waiting for something to go wrong, and from the sideways glance he had of Chloe, he could tell that she too had problems with these arrangements, he could only pray she would keep her tongue.
"Very well then Master Black." The Queen spoke as she rose, the other occupants of the room doing the same as she, "I have it on high authority that the Lake Country is very secluded and will do well to hide you until we can make your presence known. Captain Typho will lead you to the dock outside the palace where you may obtain a speeder to a private villa."
"Thank you your highness." As he bowed before the Queen, Chloe following his example, as they turned and followed the Captain out of the royal chambers.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"So this is your home?" Brady yelled loudly as their boat speeded across one of the many bodies of water that lay on Naboo.
"What are you surprised?" She yelled back, her eyes closed as the feeling of the wind coursed over her body, making it's way into her very soul. The fresh air tingling through her as the warm sun shown down upon them. There was nowhere in the galaxy quite like Naboo, the beauty of it could bring a tear to anyone's eye. The soft rolling grasslands, the crystal clear waters, and it's people unmarked by the anger and cynicism many people held, especially those in Coruscant.
"It's just that it's so beautiful." He said sincerely as he gazed over the land.
"What and you didn't think that I could come from someplace beautiful?" Chloe said, her eyes popping open to glare at him, unaware that she was misinterpreting his remark. "What? You think a person like me was spawned from the swamps of Dagobah?"
"No! That's not what I meant Chloe." But before he could continue she had already closed her eyes once more, dismissing him. "I'm really beginning to hate this girl." He mumbled to himself as he too closed his eyes, trying to contain his anger as the captain of the boat continued his way to the villa they would be sharing in the Lake Country of Naboo. And in what seemed like an instant that his eyes were closed, Brady felt the boat begin to slow, preparing to dock itself. Slowly opening his eyes to adjust to the bright sunshine, Brady nearly gasped at the beauty of the building before him. Nestled in a grove of trees, just beyond a small town, lay a large tan villa, overlooking the vast expanse of water that had long been traveling on. Moss and flowers covered the old stone building, it's orange roof glimmering in the sunlight. Suddenly he felt the boat rock as he watched the captain help Chloe from the boat, then reach in to grab their luggage. Looking up from the boat, Brady shaded his eyes as the setting sun obscured his view. Chloe, dressed in the flowing traveling robes, shimmered herself, the sun giving her an almost angelic appearance. As she stared across the water he could see a small smile play upon her lips, her eyes tearing up in wistful remembrance. She was home. And looking at her from his place in the boat, Brady knew that he was home too, for she was his. Shaking her head, she reached up and quickly brushed her eyes, then turned to him once more.
"Well, are we going in or what?" She smiled as she asked the same words that only hours before he had uttered to her. Standing up, he exited the boat quickly, nodding at her as he picked up the bags. "Well good. Because I didn't want to have to carry you." She laughed as she raced up the old stone staircase leading to the villa, leaving Brady in her wake. Groaning, Brady slowly followed her. Perhaps he spoke to soon about this being home. How was he every going to survive being alone, in seclusion with Chloe Amidala?