Chapter 14. The Hunt

When Obi-Wan Kenobi finally did set out to find his Padawan on the following day he did so openly, wearing his Jedi robes. He began his search at the Palace. Senator Amidala, it was said, had recovered from her illness and was attending meetings all day. But Anakin was nowhere to be found and hardly anyone remembered having seen a young Jedi at all.

News in the Palace always traveled fast. Under the circumstances it was remarkable that, as yet, no one outside Padmé's inner circle knew about her connection with a certain young Jedi. However, the inner circle very quickly learned about Master Kenobi's visit this morning.

On his way out of the Palace Obi-Wan suddenly found that he had company. Two of the Senator's famous Handmaidens appeared on either side of him as if by magic and guided him to a private meeting room before he could protest, although he had not yet planned to make his presence known to the Senator's staff. Despite his formidable skills they easily captured him with the silken handcuffs of protocol. Obi-Wan promptly found himself sitting on an elegant sofa facing two deeply attractive young women who shared a great many characteristics with the Senator. And like her, they did not seem to be intimidated in the least by Jedi Knights. He looked from one to the other.

"Dormé," he said graciously. "How nice to see you again." He looked into the other face. "Sabé, isn't it?  It has been a long time."

It was Sabé who spoke up first.

"You're just the person we want to talk to," she said.

"We were wondering why you are here," Dormé added quickly.

"I'm here to see my Padawan learner," Obi Wan said briefly, waiting to see where this was going.

"I hope," said Sabé bluntly, "that you are here to take him back where he belongs."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows.

"We are very worried about the Senator," said Dormé gently, always countering Sabé's abrasiveness. "We think he is a bad influence on her."

Now, this was interesting. Obi-Wan settled himself comfortably into the sofa. This conversation might prove to be productive indeed.

"Perhaps you had better tell me what you mean."

There was a pause, and then Sabé said, frankly, "Are you aware that Anakin and the Senator are…intimately involved?"

I am now, thought the Jedi Knight.

"I know there is an attachment," he said, in his official capacity.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Sabé went on, but isn't that…forbidden…by your Order?"

"It is."

Dormé chimed in. "We don't want her to get hurt. If there is no hope for the relationship, we fear it will end badly for her."

Sabé was more direct. "We want to know what you are going to do about it."

"I think," Obi-Wan said delicately, "that we are on the same side."

"Hah!" Sabé burst out bitterly. "That's what he always says!"

"Oh?" Obi-Wan said, with deep interest. "Perhaps you had better tell me everything."

Before long Anakin's Jedi Master had begun form a picture of his Padawan's recent adventures. It was a complicated puzzle. The Handmaidens were remarkably forthright, especially Sabé. And as skilled observers they added exceptional depth to the story.

Obi-Wan learned a good deal about the D'laians and their treachery. He formed a picture of their character and the effect their actions had on Senator Amidala. It was not his mission to protect her from the political arena.

He learned about the beginnings of Anakin's intimacy with the Senator. That didn't take long.

About the child who had become attached to him. Another attachment?

About the showdown match with the D'laian warrior, and the Senator's refusal to attend. That showed very good judgment.

About Anakin's outburst and insight during the conversation with the Chancellor. What?

About the Senator's increasing dereliction of duty in order to spend time with his Padawan. Good judgment that is rapidly eroding.

The Handmaidens expressed their concern about the Senator's bouts of fatigue and strain. This was predictable.

But it was when Dormé described, with some emotion, the standoff on the bridge of the yacht and its final resolution that all the Jedi Master's powers of reason and senses went on highest alert. Oh, Anakin, no!

"Do you know where I could find him now?" he asked the Handmaidens.

They both shook their heads. "He…vanishes, Dormé said. "You only see him when he wants to be seen."

Well done, Anakin – I taught you that, Obi-Wan couldn't resist thinking.

"Rest assured that I am not here to give him my blessing," he said, as he stood to leave. "But you must allow me to deal with the situation in my own way." The Jedi Master looked from one to the other. "May I rely on your continued discretion?"

Dormé was evidently shocked that he would even ask. "We will protect the Senator at all costs!" she exclaimed. "No one must know about this."

Sabé refused to be diplomatic. "If you don't set him straight," she threatened, "I will."

Obi-Wan bowed to them. "We are agreed, then. I thank you for your candor."

And with that he left as quickly as courtesy would allow.

Where would the boy go all day to make himself scarce?  Obi-Wan wondered. Once he asked himself the question from Anakin's perspective the answer came promptly, and once again the Jedi Master found himself heading toward Theed's main hangar building.

* * * * *

"Is that him?"

"He's a Jedi, isn't he? There is only the one."

"He doesn't look like much."

"It's not them. It's their sorcery."

"What's he up to, do you reckon?"

"He's always hanging around that Senator. A bodyguard or something."

"Well, he looks like he's looking for something. Or someone."

"Just keep him in sight."

"Just stay out of his sight, more like."

"When are the others getting here?"

"Tomorrow."

"About time. I hate this place."

* * * * *

Obi-Wan had no sooner entered the hangar building than he realized that he had been right.

Anakin. He felt his presence. Deep down he had known where the boy would go. Well, why was it surprising?  If he wasn't in bed, Obi-Wan thought, somewhat uncharitably, it made perfect sense that he would be hanging around the air ships. Obi-Wan quickly locked down his shielding. He wasn't ready to reveal his presence yet.

Then he sighed inwardly. The boy probably wouldn't notice him one way or the other.

Before long Obi-Wan spotted his Padawan in a small group of people near one of the new fighters. Captain Typho was with him. At one point the Security Chief clapped the boy on the back, and several people laughed and reached out to shake Anakin's hand.

Cloaking himself in the Force so that he would appear almost invisible to the casual untrained observer Obi-Wan skirted the edges of the hangar and took up a position in an alcove where he could observe the hangar floor but was hidden from view.

He didn't have long to wait. Before long someone was handing Anakin a helmet. He was clearly being allowed to take that fighter out for a test flight. It certainly hadn't taken him long to develop a friendly relationship with these people. Who knew how comfortably he would settle in here if events were allowed to continue on their present course?

By the time Anakin took off in the fighter Obi-Wan Kenobi had made up his mind how to proceed. When a straight line to one's goal is not possible, he concluded, it must be approached at a tangent. Anakin was not the next person he would talk to.

He slipped back around to the main entrance of the Hangar, reduced his shielding and walked in as though he had just arrived. Pretending to look around at the equipment he managed to circle into full view of Senator Amidala's Security Chief.

"Master Kenobi!" Typho was genuinely surprised to see him. "This is unexpected."

"Captain Typho!" Obi-Wan responded pleasantly. "It seems that half the Galaxy has found its way into this sector." He looked around. "And onto Naboo…"

"What are you doing here?  I wasn't informed of your arrival." Typho was genuinely puzzled.

"I was on the Fleet with Master Andros," Obi-Wan said, truthfully enough, "and then since I was nearby I decided to drop by and see how my Padawan's mission concluded. I heard there was a bit of trouble."

Typho looked at him appraisingly. "You could say that."

The Jedi Knight looked around the hangar, and then asked innocently,  "Is he around anywhere?"

"You just missed him. He's taking a test run in one of the new fighters."

"Oh, well done," Obi-Wan said. "He'll be enjoying that. He's an excellent pilot, you know."

Typho grinned. "We wouldn't have let him if he hadn't been the kid that blew up the Federation battleship ten years ago. He's famous among the pilots."

Grand, Obi-Wan thought. Fame. Just what he needs.

The Jedi Knight turned the full beam of his amiable attention onto the Captain. "I'll see him later, then. But I would like to hear the story of his most recent mission." He shrugged. "I'm going to have to write an evaluation anyway. You know – procedure."

The Captain nodded with all the sympathy of a man whose whole life revolved around procedure.

"I could fill you in," he offered. "I'm almost finished here."

 Obi-Wan smiled gratefully. "Any chance I can invite you to a midday meal?"

* * * * *

Will wonders never cease? Captain Typho thought. A Jedi Knight just offered to buy me lunch!  Whatever the Jedi's true motivations were, the offer had been too good to pass up. He'd be telling his grandchildren about this one.

A few hours at a local inn, a good lunch and a moderate quantity of excellent Antillean brandy later, Captain Typho decided that when the Jedi weren't being imperious or reading minds or dismembering people with their lightsabers they could actually be pretty good company. Master Kenobi had a few good stories to tell. And he was a very good listener.

He had seemed quite interested in learning about the dressing-down the Senator gave his Padawan after the meeting in the conference room. But Typho thought the story the Jedi Knight had enjoyed most was the one about Skywalker's swordfight with Wolan. They had a good laugh about how much money Typho had won. Typho had also told him what he could about the confrontation on the bridge, but he couldn't fill in all the details since he had not been an eyewitness.

The talk turned to politics and security matters.

"Tell me, Captain," the Jedi Knight finally said, "do you know a reason why someone would have been following me all day?"

The Captain looked at the Jedi speculatively. "How do you mean?"

"Two men have been following me since I left my lodgings. Yet I have just arrived and my presence was not announced. I wondered whether you would know why."

Typho didn't.

"I just wondered," Obi-Wan said casually, "whether they are connected to the D'laian presence on Naboo."

Typho stared at him, then recovered and decided that with a Jedi, honesty was the best policy. "I wasn't aware that there are D'laian spies here. I would have been informed."

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan agreed. "Still, I gather that there are several D'laians lurking about." He smiled. "They really dislike it here on Naboo. Hiding is not in their nature."

Typho was silent.

"I simply wondered," Obi-Wan said, "why two of them happen to be following me. I ask myself whether it has anything to do with my Padawan."

Typho thought about it. "He did make a lot of enemies on the Yacht," he finally conceded.

The Jedi smiled wryly.

"Do you want any help with them?" Typho asked.

"Thank you, no," Obi-Wan said politely. "I would like to learn what they want."

* * * * *

By the time the Captain had staggered off into the late afternoon to finish up his paperwork and figure out what to do about the D'laian spies, a clear-headed Obi-Wan had decided with whom he would have his next conversation. Again, it would not be Anakin. He directed his steps into the sunset and toward the Palace.

Good job, Anakin, he reflected sardonically on the way. The Jedi don't need more enemies. 

There was no way he could have explained explain to the Security Captain that his pursuers were marked by the Sith impression. It made sense to him that they might believe they were following Anakin.

So, my Padawan, he thought, as the looming shape of the Palace blotted out the setting sun. Your enemies become my enemies.