As Clem basked in the warmth of the body lying next to him, he closed his eyes slightly. A slight smile was on his features, as well as a smug, relaxed look that only a man can have after such activities as he'd just finished with Gem. His smile grew a little bit. Everything seemed to be right in the world. He wouldn't even let himself think about the impending danger. No, he would just think about Gem.

Gem shifted and leaned over him, her dark hair falling around her face in a curtain. She was smiling softly and shyly. "Hi."

Laughter bubbled up inside of Clem. "That's a nice conversation intro. Simple and to the point," he teased.

Gem hit his shoulder playfully. "Shut up," she muttered. "I've never done this type of thing before." Her eyes darkened. "Are you an expert on post- coital conversations?"

Clem decided it was best to stay on her good side. "No, ma'am."

"That's what I thought," Gem said. She leaned down and kissed him. Not soft, but not full of passion either. The kiss was full of love, and Clem's heart pounded ferociously in his heart. She pulled away and grinned. "Was that a better opener?"

"Much better." Clem kissed her throat, then began to trail little kisses along the skin, enjoying the salty taste of her softness.

Gem moaned softly. "Not again."

Clem pulled away. "Why not?"

"Because I want to talk," Gem said firmly. She sat upwards against the headboard of her bed, clutching the blankets around her slight form.

"Okay." Clem sat up next to her. He took her hand in his, and their eyes met. "Hi."

Gem laughed just as he had earlier. "Is that how stupid I sounded?"

"More or less." Clem shrugged. "What do you want to talk about?"

Gem looked uncomfortable. "I don't know."

"Gem . . ."

Gem sighed. "Do you really think we should be staying with Andy and Laura?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean . . . it's the most obvious place, isn't it?" Gem pointed out. "Maybe we should leave. Go into the country side or something. Somewhere where they won't be able to find us."

"And leave this? Leave Andy and Laura to watch Lark die? I can't do that."

"Not forever," Gem said quickly. "Just for a little while. We'll lie low until we think it's safe, then we'll come back to Gaiku."

Clem sighed heavily. "I don't know. I'll think about."

"It will give us more time to be together," Gem said a little seductively. She ran her thumb over the sensitive skin of his wrist.

Clem's heart tightened. "When?"

"Soon. The Senate aren't stupid. They'll find us eventually," Gem said. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

"What about the library?" Clem asked. "Revenge?"

Gem paused, thinking about it. "You could download a lot of it onto data disks. We'll take those with us."

Clem shook his head. "No, Gem. No."

"Why not?" Gem demanded heatedly.

"Because I vowed to myself that I would bring Palpatine down. And, as shocking as this may sound, not even you can distract me from that," Clem said firmly.

Gem crossed her arms across her chest angrily. "Fine. But if you get killed or taken to Coruscant, then it's your own damn fault."

Clem smiled at her. "And you'll follow me wherever I go."

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do." Clem took her hand and kissed it softly, not breaking eye contact with Gem. "I would do the same if our situations were reversed."

"I think that's the most romantic thing you've ever said in your life," Gem said softly. She wrapped one arm around his neck and they pulled together for a kiss.

The harsh sound of the doors opening interrupted their moment. "Cl--Oh, dear God," Laura's voice could be heard.

Gem wrenched herself away from Clem in horror. Laura had turned her back to them. "Sorry," Gem quickly apologized. She wrapped the blankets as tightly as she could around her body. "What did you want?"

"Could you ask us later?" Clem added. Gem shot him a dirty look.

"I could," Laura said slowly, "but the two Jedi waiting in Andy's office might be a little pissed."

"Sith!" Gem swore. She leaped out of the bed and started picking up her close, keeping the blanket around her body. Clem might have complained that she had taken the blankets so that he couldn't cover himself, but he was too numb from what Laura had said.

"Is it Kenobi?" Clem asked after a moment, his voice soft. Gem started throwing his clothes at him since he didn't seem to be able to get them for himself.

"No, thank God," Laura said. "I didn't recognize these two. But they know everything, so don't try and hide anything. It'll just get them mad."

"How do they know everything?" Gem asked. She pulled on the tunic she'd been wearing and began to smooth down her hair. She didn't want these two Jedi knowing what she and Clem had been doing.

"They have a recorded disk of our conversation over the comm frequencies," Laura said miserably. "I knew I shouldn't have told you so much!"

"Didn't you encrypt it or anything?" Gem demanded.

"I didn't think about it -- I was too focused on talking to you," Laura admitted. "Can I turn around now."

"Yes. Clem, put your tunic on," Gem commanded. Clem pulled the fabric over his head and leaned over the side of the bed to pull on his boots.

Gem began to yank on her own boots, ignoring the pathetic look Laura had on her face. "Is there any way we can escape?" Gem asked logically.

"They said they had backup."

Gem took a deep breath, trying to center her thoughts. "Was there a girl?"

"Yes."

Gem felt relieved. She stood up, completely dressed, and hope she didn't look too disgruntled. "Was her name Sabé?"

"I'm sorry," Laura said. "I don't even know her name. She had a Jedi title though. I was too nervous to even remember."

Gem sighed. Sabé had told her that she was merely a security guard. That meant that they couldn't plead their case. "Well, then let's go face them."

Laura nodded and started out the door. Gem began to follow after her, but Clem caught her and pulled her close for a short, hard kiss. "I love you," he whispered, his breath warming her skin.

"Yeah, me too," Gem retorted.

With that, they left to face their doom.

* * * * *

Do you think they're going to help Lorcan escape? Beula asked, breaking up the thoughts racing through Roth's head as they waited in Fluharty's office.

They think we have backup, Roth said, though he himself had a few lingering doubts. I think we caught them off guard.

I feel like we're doing something very wrong here, Beula said worriedly.

Why? Roth asked.

I don't know. I'm . . . uneasy. This isn't how it should be, Beula said contemplatively.

Roth was about to reply, but the doors opened with a swish. The Queen entered regally, and behind her followed a man and a woman whom he assumed were Yrrk and Lorcan. They both looked mussed up; their clothes were wrinkled and looked as if they'd just been thrown on. Wonder what we interrupted, Roth commented to Beula dryly.

It is a mystery we have yet to solve, Beula replied in the same tone. Now what are we supposed to do? Introduce ourselves? Start talking about the weather?

That's a good idea. Roth stared pointedly at the man. "I'm assuming you're Lorcan."

The man stiffened visibly. "Clemens Lorcan," he offered, holding out a hand.

Roth coolly stared at it. Lorcan brought it back to his side after a moment. While the King and Queen sat in the couch as before, Yrrk and Lorcan were standing awkwardly to the side.

"You can call me Jedi Sagiv," Roth said. He nodded at Beula. "This is Jedi Guiseppa, my apprentice."

It's rather amusing how you managed to work that in there.

Shut up. I'm trying to be intimidating here.

Lorcan held up a hand. "Hi."

Yrrk's gaze was cold and demanding. "What are you about?" she asked when it seemed that nobody else would start the conversation.

"Isn't it obvious?" Roth asked. "Lorcan, we've been sent to arrest you to stand trial on Coruscant for the attempted assassination of the Senate's Chancellor, Dantius Palpatine. Do you have anything to say?"

"Yes," Lorcan said, his voice meek. Yrrk shoved him slightly, and he jumped. "You've only heard your precious Palpatine's version. Why don't you hear my side of it?"

Roth raised his eyebrows and met Beula's gaze. Precious? she asked. She turned back to Lorcan. Surprisingly, though she was half his age, he gulped slightly at her hardened eyes. "We'll be willing to listen to you."

"Don't get your hopes up, though," Roth added. "We're just trying to add some entertainment to our otherwise boring job."

Roth! Beula scolded. Don't joke around with him.

I wasn't joking, Roth said defensively.

Lorcan looked incredibly relieved. "You will? Really?" Yrrk shoved him again. He turned around and shot her a dirty look.

I'm starting to think Sabé was right about these two being lovers.

Whatever gave it away? Beula asked.

"Are Their Majesties going to be dragged along with this?" Yrrk asked, glancing shortly at the King and Queen.

"I'm going to refrain from answering anything just now. You can spill out your story, but we're leaving for Coruscant tomorrow." Roth looked darkly at Lorcan. "And you're coming with us."

* * * * *

"I don't trust them," Beula announced that night as she ruffled up the pillows on a bed in the room they had been offered at the palace. "Why are they being so nice to us when we're going to arrest their friend? It's not because of our threat of backup."

"Lorcan is going to be held in court," Roth said logically. "He's going to announce his little story galaxy-wide because the press will cover such an event. He's desperate to get somebody to listen and believe his story."

"About that." Beula paused. "What do you think?"

Roth sighed. "I think that as far as they are convinced, it's the truth they're speaking."

"But it could just be a story that they made up in their minds." Beula shook her head. "It's not entirely impossible, you know. What happened."

Roth met Beula's eyes across the room. "So I'm not alone."

"I don't know Zoilo that well, but I think we both know enough of him to note that he's entirely capable of doing something like this," Beula said.

"Releasing an epidemic on a world? What reason does he have?" Roth asked. Secretly, he agreed with Beula though. He was convinced that Zoilo was capable of anything.

"I don't know!" Beula threw her hands up helplessly. "He would never let anyone inside enough to be able to have answers to his motives. Maybe he considers it a game or something."

Roth shook his head. "No. I can feel it. There's something about all this. The Force is trying to tell us something."

Beula gave Roth a look. "If you think I'm going to start meditating, then you can go request your own room."

Roth rolled his eyes. "I'm about as fond of meditating as you are." He grinned slightly. "But you know who *does* like meditating?"

Beula raised her eyebrows slightly. "You're going to ask Obi-Wan to meditate over this?"

"It couldn't hurt." Roth walked over to the comm unit in the room, looking at the model and considering turning it on.

"That thing is probably rigged," Beula said. "They'll listen to everything you say. Then they'll know that it's a possibility that you believe them. That will just make them more vicious. They won't stop until we believe them."

Roth flashed her a grin. "I'm not easily influenced." He ran a hand over the machine. "There," he said smugly. "Let them try and listen to my conversation now."

"Do you even remember the frequency that apartment is on?" Beula asked reasonably.

Roth tapped his head. "I've got a Jedi's mind, honey. I remember everything."

Beula wrinkled her nose at him. "Don't try the 'honey' thing. It doesn't do anything for you."

Roth ignored her as he turned on the comm and typed in the code to the apartment back on Coruscant. He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping that Obi-Wan wasn't doing something stupid like spending another night over at Sabé's place.

Luckily, Obi-Wan's face appeared on the screen in no time. "Roth?"

"Obi-Wan," Roth acknowledged. "Look, I need you to do something for you."

"Did you arrive safely? Are you okay?" Obi-Wan asked. "What about Lorcan?"

"We have Lorcan," Roth said. He sighed. "He fed us the same story that Yrrk fed you and Sabé."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "It's kind of hard to disregard the truth in their voices, isn't it?" he asked quietly.

"Do you feel it too?"

"Yes. This thing is bigger than it appears."

"Of course. Why else would they get the all mighty Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker on such a stupid little case?" Roth didn't wait for an answer. "I think it's Zoilo."

"That's possible. It's crossed my mind several times as a matter of fact."

"Look, Beula and I are going to meditate on this so . . . I was thinking that you and Anakin and even your little girlfriend could do the same," Roth said casually.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "We'll work on it."

"All right. I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then."

"Wait," Obi-Wan said quickly. He smirked. "Since you're going to be meditating and all, I want you to think about something for me."

"I've told you before, man, I'm not that way."

Obi-Wan ignored him. "I never told you everything about what happened with Sabé and me when we first met."

"From the way things are looking, I really don't want all the personal details. Unless she's kinky. Kinky girls interest me."

"Shut up and listen," Obi-Wan severely. "Sabé has Jedi powers, as I'm sure you've figured out. You're not as stupid as you look." He sighed. "She's strong in the Force too. Stronger than the average Jedi, though not exceedingly so. She didn't know why she wasn't checked as a baby."

"And you found out for her," Roth continued for him quietly, running Obi- Wan's words over in his mind. "Why?"

"There hasn't been Jedi blood on Naboo, her home planet, for a millenia. I don't think there was any Jedi blood to begin with. Something else is going on there too. I want to find out for her."

"Could her mom have had an affair with someone off-planet?"

"Her mother was from a prestigious family on Naboo, but from records, she never left the planet. Naboo is a quiet world, and visitors aren't exactly an everyday thing. It's very unlikely."

"Adoption?"

"Sabé says that doesn't feel right."

"All right then. I'll meditate on this," Roth promised with a wink. He exchanged good-byes then turned off the comm unit. Obi-Wan knew very well that Roth wasn't going to meditate, but Roth wasn't stupid. He knew Obi-Wan was counting on him for coming up with an answer.

When Roth turned around, Beula had an odd look on her face.

"What is it?"

Beula snapped to attention. "I think I've got it."

"Got what?"

"The answer to everything."

* * * * *

AN: Sorry it took so long to get this out. Thank you to all who reviewed the past chapter, and remember to review this one. A lot of things are going to come out in the next few chapters. Nobody flame me or criticize my planning of the way things happen. It's just a story, after all.