Stars in the Darkness - Part Nine
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_HoloNet News: The Information Source for the Galactic Republic - Morning Edition Broadcast Feed__
_GALACTIC CITY, COURSCANT_ - A rash of robberies were reported last night to local authorities. Centered around Trilium Boulevard, the robberies were committed within the space of a few hours. No one was hurt and witnesses could only describe the criminal as thin and pale, with some reporting the robber had four arms and others six.
_TURNAG, QUITEN_ - An earthquake rattled the capital city of Quiten. Inhabitants of Turnag ran into the street after the quake, which measured 20.3 on the Jasvin scale. The earthquake was the latest in a series of tremors to hit the capital. The Prefect of Turnag urged the population to disregard statements issued by the cult known as the Ruby Temple that the earthquakes were a sign a galactic apocalypse was at hand.
_DOOLIS, CAPRIORIL_ - The Ratts Tyerell Foundation, established in memory of the Podracing champion by his son, Pabs Tyerell, has called for a boycott of this week's Podracing finals to be held at the Doolis Podrace Arena. "I will not rest," said Pabs, "until this so-called sport is finally banned. Although it has been a decade since my father's death, our family still grieves his loss."
_COROMON ISLAND, FRESIA_ - Representatives from both Incom and Subpro have denied rumors that after 125 years of partnership the two are calling it quits. Their latest co-venture, the Incom/Subpro Z-95AFA, part of the venerable Headhunter line of starfighters, was recently introduced. Despite lackluster sales of the Z-95 in the first quarter, spokesbeing for Incom, Gchild Nakarri, assured stockholders the company expected things to turn around soon. "What with all the turmoil in the galaxy right now," said Nakarri, "we expect a surge of orders in the near future."
_JRADE DISTRICT, COURSCANT_ - Although the Republic Senate will not officially start its new session of the year until later this month, a bevy of Senators, along with well-known entertainment, political and business leaders, were in attendance at Senator Elester Rhygdon's party at the Crystal Pavilion last night. For an exclusive report on the party, stay tuned for _Sightings by Twang_
_SPECIAL FEATURE: SIGHTINGS BY TWANG_
_IMAGE OF DYSLOGIA TWANG IN A BRIGHT GREEN AND RED ROBE_
Greetings, gentle beings! Yours truly had the luck of lucks to attend Senator Elester Rhygdon's exclusive welcome back party last night for some of our illustrious Senators who have returned for another session of the Senate. But, if the party was any indication, I don't think the Senate is going to get anymore work done this year than they did last year. But, enough of politics. On to the _dirt_, shall we?
_Flash_ I happened to catch the former Chancellor Finis Valorum in the company of an oh-so-boring looking Duros. I later found out the Duros is the only heir to a rather large shipping fortune. Who knew? He was dressed like one of the help.
_Flash_ I thought I was going to faint when I saw Illora Vantana. Can that woman get any lovelier? She was positively dazzling in a Ching original. She came to the party alone, sweeties, but, knowing our lovely Illora she didn't go home alone.
_IMAGE OF TWANG WINKING BROADLY_
_Flash_ Konan Izzat, the recent winner of the Republic's highest literary honor, the Prixi Golden Quill, was also there. In my opinion, he should take some of his winnings and buy himself some new clothes. I understand one must suffer for one's art, but pleaaaaase! Must we all suffer too? He was dressed in a rather wilted looking tuxedo that was beyond tacky. It was _infra_tacky.
_IMAGE OF TWANG HOLDING HIS THIN FINGERS TO HIS BROAD, FLAT NOSE_
_Flash_ But, darlings, here's the real dirt, which I know you all are just dying to hear. Two members of the Jedi Order were also in attendance, invited by Senator Rhygdon for having rescued her poor little one from those terrible kidnappers. It's not often yours truly gets a chance to observe the Jedi at such a gathering, so I certainly was not going to pass up the opportunity. I kept my eyes on those two all night.
The Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, was dressed rather dully for his striking good looks, but carried it off well in spite and was quite the hit with Coruscant's hip, young crowd. And, surprise, surprise, was also a hit, or so it seemed, with a certain young Senator from Naboo who, I am so glad to say, no longer has to wear that perfectly ghastly make-up she wore as its Queen. Senator Amidala is much too lovely and dazzling a creature to hide her stunning features under gobs of white paste! Shudder!
But, sweeties, that's not all. Skywalker's master, the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, was also in attendance and looking, I must say, quite dashing in a velvet black waist-coat, ivory shirt and pearl-gray pants. If only the other Jedi would take a hint from him and get out of those oh-so-boring robes. They're so infratacky!
But, sweeties, listen closely. Here's the _ultra_dirt I promised! It seems the reputation the Jedi have for being a celibate order of oh-so-boring monks is not quite true. At least not where it concerned Knight Kenobi and a young, beautiful and, yes, darlings, very much married senator from Ahjane. But, if you had seen the vision of loveliness that caught his eye, you would have hardly blamed Knight Kenobi for tossing his Jedi vows right out the window!
Ahjane may be a backward, provincial, late-comer to the Republic, but they certainly grow the most lovely flora. Senator Lenor was simply dazzling, sweeties, in a red and black, off-the-shoulder evening gown. It looked like a Ernan original, but I'm not sure. I'll have to check my sources. Let's hope Senator Lenor keeps her stylish ways while here on Coruscant. Stars know, we certainly need more panache and less tacky.
However, the lovely freshman senator might be hard-pressed to keep her mind on Senate business, much less her fashion sense. She left the party rather early in the company of Knight Kenobi and, I dare say, sweeties, they didn't go off to discuss the current political situation in the galaxy. At least I hope not. Two such gorgeous creatures would have found other more, shall we say, _interesting_ things to do with their time, don't you think? Hmmm, I wonder what poor hubby thinks of all this? Stuck back on oh-so- boring Ahjane while his beautiful young wife is escorted through the most dazzling, romantic planet in the galaxy by a handsome Jedi Knight.
_IMAGE OF TWANG SMILING AND LEANING CLOSE TO THE SCREEN_
It has been said the Jedi Order and the Senate Republic have been political bedfellows for far too long. Well, sweeties, if Knight Kenobi and Senator Lenor are any indication, the Jedi and the Senate are fated to be in bed together for quite some time, both politically and literally.
_IMAGE OF TWANG WINKING BROADLY_
That's all for now, sweeties. Ta ta and much happiness!
_Broadcast Feed Terminated_
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Anakin whistled happily as he strolled out of the fresher, a towel wrapped around his tall, lean body, another in his hands as he dried his hair. He'd woken up early, eager to start the morning. Although he didn't have a lot to do today, since both he and his master were, ostensibly, being giving some time by the Council to recuperate from their latest spate of missions, Anakin had not wanted to let a minute go by when he wasn't thinking about what had happened last night at Senator Rhygdon's party.
Although, in retrospect, it made sense Padmé would also have been in attendance, it hadn't really occurred to Anakin she would actually be there. Thus, when he saw her standing next to Viceroy Organa after he, Obi- Wan and Onara left the stage following Senator Rhygdon's introductions, he'd at first thought he was dreaming. But, it wasn't a dream. Padmé had been standing there, ethereally beautiful, yes, but as real as anything Anakin could ever have wished for. She hadn't changed a bit in the ten years since he'd last seen her. Whereas he, and he smiled at the thought, was finally able to look down at her instead of vice versa.
The time they had spent together at the party had been magical. At least to Anakin. Padmé, however, had spent most of the time they'd share discussing, of all things, politics. Anakin grimaced. It had been almost as bad as having to listen to one of Master Obi-Wan's lectures on the economics of politics, especially when all Anakin could think of was how beautiful Padmé's eyes were, or how soft her neck looked, or how lovely her voice was. Padmé, however, had only seemed interested in him as some kind of sounding board regarding her very strong opinions on the role of the Jedi Order in galactic affairs.
Anakin sat down on the couch in his quarters, rubbing the towel even harder through his hair. Well, he thought, at least he had been in her company. And he had stayed in her company most of the night. When Viceroy Organa finally found him and informed him Master Obi-Wan had left the party in order to escort Senator Lenor home, it was the first thing that had happened since Anakin had found himself with Padmé that finally drew his attention away from her.
For some reason, he now recalled, he had experienced a frisson of unease when the Viceroy told him Obi-Wan and Onara had left the party together. But, he had quickly dismissed it. He was very much aware that his master still had feelings for Onara, but he also knew Obi-Wan would not act upon them. No, his master would do all within his powers to preserve not only his honor, but hers.
Anakin lowered the towel and put it on the couch next to him. Glancing at the wall chrono he saw it was time for the early morning broadcast from the HoloNet News. Eager to see if, in addition to the footage shot of him, Obi- Wan and Onara being introduced by Senator Rhygdon, there was any more mention of him, he ordered his holoscreen on.
Leaning back against the couch, his fingers playing with the edge of the towel about his waist, Anakin listened for a bit to the news reports. But, for something as large of an entity as the Galactic Republic, there was an awful lot of news. Anakin instructed the holoscreen to filter out anything not related to Coruscant. He felt a little guilty doing so because Obi-Wan was always chiding him about not keeping abreast of current affairs, even if they weren't directly related to the concerns of the Jedi Order.
His master had some esoteric theory regarding society which Anakin had never quite understood, but its core precept was that it was possible for even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant incident to act as a catalyst for unpredictable and sometimes drastic consequences, thereby affecting even larger events.
When Anakin had only stared vacantly at Obi-Wan as he had explained his theory, his master had tried to illustrate it by using the example of a butterfly. If a butterfly flapped its wings in the Gardens of Troyla, which were on the other side of Coruscant, Obi-Wan had said, its tiny wings could disturb the air currents in such a way as to eventually cause it to rain over the Jedi Temple.
Now, recalling that conversation, Anakin frowned as he gazed at the holoscreen. He'd had a bit of headache after Obi-Wan had finally stopped pontificating about initial conditions, complex and unpredictable results, and non-linear dynamic systems, but Anakin was also glad his master was so well-read and thought so deeply about such stuff. It meant Anakin didn't have to and, as far as he was concerned, that made for a perfect Jedi team. Master Obi-Wan was the brains and came up with all their plans and strategies and Anakin was the muscle and carried them out.
Noting the news reports were now over, which, Anakin realized with embarrassment, he'd only half been listening to, he heard that _Sightings by Twang_ was about to come on. His ears perked up. Although he'd never paid much attention to the fat alien's gossip, chiefly because his master thought Dyslogia Twang was nothing more than a sleazy, parasitic opportunist who fed upon people's frailties and weaknesses, dishing out his rumors and innuendoes to an all-too-wiling galactic populace, sordidly keen to savor over Twang's half-truths and, sometimes, outright lies, Anakin knew he'd also been at the party and wondered if, perhaps, the alien gossip columnist might make mention of him.
At first, Anakin had laughed at Twang's appraisal of Konan Izzat's attire. Although Anakin had not met the writer, his master had and seemed impressed with the author's erudite conversation, but Anakin had thought Izzat looked pretty pathetic in his tuxedo. It had been as wrinkled as a wilted piece of lettuce.
However, when Twang finally mentioned him, but cackled that Anakin had been dressed rather dully, the Padawan's blue eyes narrowed and, when he'd heard what that blob of pus had to say about the make-up Padmé used to wear as the queen of Naboo, his hands clenched into hard fists.
However, he didn't have much time to mull over how he'd like to dunk Twang's fat, round head into a vat of bantha snot and hold it there for awhile, because what came next out of the obese gossipmonger's flapping maw caused Anakin's mouth to drop open, his tongue to go dry and his head to start spinning.
He leapt from the couch and quickly put on some clothes. As he left his quarters to find his master, the image of that tub of lard winking lewdly at the camera as he spewed out his muck to the entire galaxy about Obi-Wan and the woman he loved, but had honorably given up, was burning a brand in Anakin's mind.
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"Papa! Papa. Help me! Help me!"
Obi-Wan turned around, a thick, gray fog enveloping him. He could hear the little girl's voice, but he couldn't see her, and he wasn't even sure as to where he was. He was unable to sense anything regarding the dimensionality of his surroundings, neither its height or its length, or whether he was inside or outside. It felt as if he were standing on something, but he couldn't tell if it was a floor or ground.
The fog in which he stood was not only thick and heavy, but slippery and moist, seeming to slip over his skin like slime from a stagnant pond. And, it also seemed as if Obi-Wan could just make out spectral shapes, ghostly figures of smoke and mist that formed, dissolved, then reformed around him; vaporous shapes that could only have come from some nightmarish plane of existence.
"Papa. Are you there? Please answer me!" the tiny voice cried.
"Where are you?" Obi-Wan shouted. "Tell me where you are and I'll come and help you."
"Papa?" the voice queried. "Papa, is that you?"
Obi-Wan was confused. The voice who was crying out to him in the fog was not that of a small boy, but of a little girl, so it couldn't be Ben.
"Papa? Are you there? Please, help me."
"Yes, I'll help you. Don't worry. Just tell me where you are."
"I don't know where I am, Papa. I can't see anything. I'm so scared. Please help me, Papa."
Obi-Wan could hear the little girl was on the verge of tears. He moved through the dense gray fog, trying to determine where her voice was coming from.
"Don't be scared. Just keep talking and I'll find you."
"Is it really you, Papa? Please, tell me it's you."
Obi-Wan swallowed hard. He had no idea who the child was, so the thought of telling her he was her father was distasteful to him in that he had no wish to deceive her, no matter how much she seemed to yearn to believe he was her Papa.
"I'm not your father, little one, but once I find you, I'll take you to him."
"But...but you sound like my Papa. You sound just like him. The dark one said you would never come for me. But I didn't believe him, Papa. I knew you would come. And you're here, Papa. You're here!"
Obi-Wan felt a sharp pang in his heart at both the fear and joy he heard in the little girl's voice.
"Don't worry," he said thickly as he moved through the leaden fog. "You'll see your father soon. Now, keep talking so I can find you."
Obi-Wan moved deeper into the fog, but no matter which way he went, the child's voice seemed to come to him from all directions, and he felt as if he was getting no closer to her. Suddenly, she screamed, a heart-piercing cry that ripped into Obi-Wan's heart.
"No! No! Leave me alone! I don't want to listen to you anymore. I want Papa! And you lied! He's here and he's come for me." The little girl screamed again. "No, go away! Go away! Papa, help me! Please, help me!"
Obi-Wan ran, his heart pounding like a drum, breath rasping harshly in his lungs as he desperately tried to find the child, her screams ripping through the fog.
"Help me, Papa! Help me! He won't leave me alone!"
Obi-Wan's heart stuttered. The little girl's voice faded away as if she were running deeper into the fog.
He ran faster. "I'm coming, little one. I'm coming!" he shouted into the murk surrounding him.
Suddenly, there was a piercing scream from the child, a final cry for her Papa, then silence.
Obi-Wan stopped for a moment, the stillness thrumming around him like the tolling of some ominous bell. Then he ran, faster and harder, and he kept running until the ground dropped abruptly from beneath his feet.
He felt himself falling, fast and hard, still surrounded by that thick, dense fog, still hearing the piercing shriek of that little girl crying out frantically for the father who had not come in time to save her.
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Heart pounding, sweat coating his neck and chest, Obi-Wan abruptly awoke. For a moment he just lay in his bed, staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling of his quarters as he willed his heart to stop its frantic beating. A dream, he thought. It had only been a dream.
He slowly sat up, noting that the tunic of his sleep clothes clung wetly to his chest. He took in and released a deep cleansing breath. Glancing over at the table chrono on the nightstand next to his bed, he saw he had slept a bit longer than he had intended. But, he'd had trouble getting to sleep last night.
Rising from his bed, he padded barefoot to the fresher. Running cold water in the basin, he splashed it on his face. He didn't often have nightmares. Some Jedi claimed never to have them, but Obi-Wan doubted that. All sentient beings dreamed, and some dreams were just as likely to be horrible as pleasant.
As he looked at himself in the mirror, he wondered if perhaps the Jedi had become somewhat arrogant over the past hundred years. They had kept the peace for untold generations, decades upon decades in which nothing had ever threatened the stability of the Republic. Complacency often bred arrogance, Obi-Wan reflected.
Then he frowned as he recalled his dream. He had never had such a dream before. And why would he dream about a little girl who seemed to think he was her father? He had only one child, Ben. There were no other and, certainly, no more to come.
Obi-Wan splashed more water on his face, then turned and left the fresher. Though the dream had deeply disturbed him, leaving him with a terrible sense of foreboding, he pushed it deep inside himself. Later, he would meditate on it because, as he tried to reassure himself, dreams were most often symbolic rather than literal.
Perhaps the little girl, and whatever danger had threatened her, was an iconic representation of some deep-seated anxiety he possessed. He would find the source of the disquiet during his meditation and deal with it accordingly.
Just as he was about to prepare his breakfast, his front door chimed. He answered it. Anakin was standing in the doorway, dressed in his dark Jedi outfit, his bright blue eyes wide, his hair barely combed. He rushed past Obi-Wan and into the sitting area.
"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, sensing his padawan's distress.
"Have you watched the news this morning, Master?"
"No, I just woke up. I was about to have breakfast. Would you care to join me?"
Anakin brusquely shook his head. He went over to Obi-Wan's holoscreen and ordered it on.
"You have to see this, Master."
Anakin instructed the holoscreen to replay that morning's broadcast of _Sightings from Twang_. Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest as he listened. Once it was done, he ordered the holoscreen off. He looked over at Anakin.
"What of it?" he asked in a low, detached voice.
"What of it? Master, that swill is being broadcast all over the Republic!"
"I'm aware of that."
"And you're not concerned?"
"Why should I be? None of it is true."
Anakin shook his head. "Master, I don't think you understand. It doesn't matter if it's true or not. People will believe it's true because it's what they want to believe."
"Then I feel pity for such people," Obi-Wan said curtly as he turned and headed toward his bedroom.
He stopped, however, when Anakin grabbed his arm.
"Master, I know you too well," his padawan said earnestly. "Something like this will roll off your back like water. But what about Onara?"
Obi-Wan looked up into Anakin's eyes. He had been angered and greatly disgusted by the broadcast, though he'd kept that hidden from Anakin. But, like most things in his life that displeased him, but over which he had no real control, Obi-Wan had already dismissed it from his mind. Dyslogia Twang was a vile, reprehensible purveyor of rumors and innuendoes, and if people chose to listen to and believe his rubbish, that was their problem. Obi-Wan knew the truth of what had happened between him and Onara last night.
But, he also knew Anakin was right in being concerned for Onara. The repercussions for Obi-Wan were not as grave as they would be for her. She had a husband and a child, and such a scandal, no matter how unfounded or baseless it was, could hurt not only her, but Dalan and Ben.
"Do you know if Onara's seen this?"
"No, I don't know, Master."
Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll go and see her. Wait here. I'm going to shower and change."
"Yes, Master."
But, just as Obi-Wan was about to enter the fresher, the comlink in his quarters beeped. Answering it, he saw it was a message from the Jedi Council. He read it and released a deep, heavy sigh. He looked over at Anakin.
"It would appear you weren't the only one up watching the news this morning, my young Padawan. I've been summoned before the Council. I'm to appear as soon as I'm dressed."
"Just you, Master?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "Just me."
He stared down at the floor for a moment. "Go and see Onara," he instructed Anakin. "Tell her I'll contact her soon as I can."
"Yes, Master," Anakin said dutifully.
Obi-Wan turned and went into the fresher.
To be continued....
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_HoloNet News: The Information Source for the Galactic Republic - Morning Edition Broadcast Feed__
_GALACTIC CITY, COURSCANT_ - A rash of robberies were reported last night to local authorities. Centered around Trilium Boulevard, the robberies were committed within the space of a few hours. No one was hurt and witnesses could only describe the criminal as thin and pale, with some reporting the robber had four arms and others six.
_TURNAG, QUITEN_ - An earthquake rattled the capital city of Quiten. Inhabitants of Turnag ran into the street after the quake, which measured 20.3 on the Jasvin scale. The earthquake was the latest in a series of tremors to hit the capital. The Prefect of Turnag urged the population to disregard statements issued by the cult known as the Ruby Temple that the earthquakes were a sign a galactic apocalypse was at hand.
_DOOLIS, CAPRIORIL_ - The Ratts Tyerell Foundation, established in memory of the Podracing champion by his son, Pabs Tyerell, has called for a boycott of this week's Podracing finals to be held at the Doolis Podrace Arena. "I will not rest," said Pabs, "until this so-called sport is finally banned. Although it has been a decade since my father's death, our family still grieves his loss."
_COROMON ISLAND, FRESIA_ - Representatives from both Incom and Subpro have denied rumors that after 125 years of partnership the two are calling it quits. Their latest co-venture, the Incom/Subpro Z-95AFA, part of the venerable Headhunter line of starfighters, was recently introduced. Despite lackluster sales of the Z-95 in the first quarter, spokesbeing for Incom, Gchild Nakarri, assured stockholders the company expected things to turn around soon. "What with all the turmoil in the galaxy right now," said Nakarri, "we expect a surge of orders in the near future."
_JRADE DISTRICT, COURSCANT_ - Although the Republic Senate will not officially start its new session of the year until later this month, a bevy of Senators, along with well-known entertainment, political and business leaders, were in attendance at Senator Elester Rhygdon's party at the Crystal Pavilion last night. For an exclusive report on the party, stay tuned for _Sightings by Twang_
_SPECIAL FEATURE: SIGHTINGS BY TWANG_
_IMAGE OF DYSLOGIA TWANG IN A BRIGHT GREEN AND RED ROBE_
Greetings, gentle beings! Yours truly had the luck of lucks to attend Senator Elester Rhygdon's exclusive welcome back party last night for some of our illustrious Senators who have returned for another session of the Senate. But, if the party was any indication, I don't think the Senate is going to get anymore work done this year than they did last year. But, enough of politics. On to the _dirt_, shall we?
_Flash_ I happened to catch the former Chancellor Finis Valorum in the company of an oh-so-boring looking Duros. I later found out the Duros is the only heir to a rather large shipping fortune. Who knew? He was dressed like one of the help.
_Flash_ I thought I was going to faint when I saw Illora Vantana. Can that woman get any lovelier? She was positively dazzling in a Ching original. She came to the party alone, sweeties, but, knowing our lovely Illora she didn't go home alone.
_IMAGE OF TWANG WINKING BROADLY_
_Flash_ Konan Izzat, the recent winner of the Republic's highest literary honor, the Prixi Golden Quill, was also there. In my opinion, he should take some of his winnings and buy himself some new clothes. I understand one must suffer for one's art, but pleaaaaase! Must we all suffer too? He was dressed in a rather wilted looking tuxedo that was beyond tacky. It was _infra_tacky.
_IMAGE OF TWANG HOLDING HIS THIN FINGERS TO HIS BROAD, FLAT NOSE_
_Flash_ But, darlings, here's the real dirt, which I know you all are just dying to hear. Two members of the Jedi Order were also in attendance, invited by Senator Rhygdon for having rescued her poor little one from those terrible kidnappers. It's not often yours truly gets a chance to observe the Jedi at such a gathering, so I certainly was not going to pass up the opportunity. I kept my eyes on those two all night.
The Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, was dressed rather dully for his striking good looks, but carried it off well in spite and was quite the hit with Coruscant's hip, young crowd. And, surprise, surprise, was also a hit, or so it seemed, with a certain young Senator from Naboo who, I am so glad to say, no longer has to wear that perfectly ghastly make-up she wore as its Queen. Senator Amidala is much too lovely and dazzling a creature to hide her stunning features under gobs of white paste! Shudder!
But, sweeties, that's not all. Skywalker's master, the Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, was also in attendance and looking, I must say, quite dashing in a velvet black waist-coat, ivory shirt and pearl-gray pants. If only the other Jedi would take a hint from him and get out of those oh-so-boring robes. They're so infratacky!
But, sweeties, listen closely. Here's the _ultra_dirt I promised! It seems the reputation the Jedi have for being a celibate order of oh-so-boring monks is not quite true. At least not where it concerned Knight Kenobi and a young, beautiful and, yes, darlings, very much married senator from Ahjane. But, if you had seen the vision of loveliness that caught his eye, you would have hardly blamed Knight Kenobi for tossing his Jedi vows right out the window!
Ahjane may be a backward, provincial, late-comer to the Republic, but they certainly grow the most lovely flora. Senator Lenor was simply dazzling, sweeties, in a red and black, off-the-shoulder evening gown. It looked like a Ernan original, but I'm not sure. I'll have to check my sources. Let's hope Senator Lenor keeps her stylish ways while here on Coruscant. Stars know, we certainly need more panache and less tacky.
However, the lovely freshman senator might be hard-pressed to keep her mind on Senate business, much less her fashion sense. She left the party rather early in the company of Knight Kenobi and, I dare say, sweeties, they didn't go off to discuss the current political situation in the galaxy. At least I hope not. Two such gorgeous creatures would have found other more, shall we say, _interesting_ things to do with their time, don't you think? Hmmm, I wonder what poor hubby thinks of all this? Stuck back on oh-so- boring Ahjane while his beautiful young wife is escorted through the most dazzling, romantic planet in the galaxy by a handsome Jedi Knight.
_IMAGE OF TWANG SMILING AND LEANING CLOSE TO THE SCREEN_
It has been said the Jedi Order and the Senate Republic have been political bedfellows for far too long. Well, sweeties, if Knight Kenobi and Senator Lenor are any indication, the Jedi and the Senate are fated to be in bed together for quite some time, both politically and literally.
_IMAGE OF TWANG WINKING BROADLY_
That's all for now, sweeties. Ta ta and much happiness!
_Broadcast Feed Terminated_
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Anakin whistled happily as he strolled out of the fresher, a towel wrapped around his tall, lean body, another in his hands as he dried his hair. He'd woken up early, eager to start the morning. Although he didn't have a lot to do today, since both he and his master were, ostensibly, being giving some time by the Council to recuperate from their latest spate of missions, Anakin had not wanted to let a minute go by when he wasn't thinking about what had happened last night at Senator Rhygdon's party.
Although, in retrospect, it made sense Padmé would also have been in attendance, it hadn't really occurred to Anakin she would actually be there. Thus, when he saw her standing next to Viceroy Organa after he, Obi- Wan and Onara left the stage following Senator Rhygdon's introductions, he'd at first thought he was dreaming. But, it wasn't a dream. Padmé had been standing there, ethereally beautiful, yes, but as real as anything Anakin could ever have wished for. She hadn't changed a bit in the ten years since he'd last seen her. Whereas he, and he smiled at the thought, was finally able to look down at her instead of vice versa.
The time they had spent together at the party had been magical. At least to Anakin. Padmé, however, had spent most of the time they'd share discussing, of all things, politics. Anakin grimaced. It had been almost as bad as having to listen to one of Master Obi-Wan's lectures on the economics of politics, especially when all Anakin could think of was how beautiful Padmé's eyes were, or how soft her neck looked, or how lovely her voice was. Padmé, however, had only seemed interested in him as some kind of sounding board regarding her very strong opinions on the role of the Jedi Order in galactic affairs.
Anakin sat down on the couch in his quarters, rubbing the towel even harder through his hair. Well, he thought, at least he had been in her company. And he had stayed in her company most of the night. When Viceroy Organa finally found him and informed him Master Obi-Wan had left the party in order to escort Senator Lenor home, it was the first thing that had happened since Anakin had found himself with Padmé that finally drew his attention away from her.
For some reason, he now recalled, he had experienced a frisson of unease when the Viceroy told him Obi-Wan and Onara had left the party together. But, he had quickly dismissed it. He was very much aware that his master still had feelings for Onara, but he also knew Obi-Wan would not act upon them. No, his master would do all within his powers to preserve not only his honor, but hers.
Anakin lowered the towel and put it on the couch next to him. Glancing at the wall chrono he saw it was time for the early morning broadcast from the HoloNet News. Eager to see if, in addition to the footage shot of him, Obi- Wan and Onara being introduced by Senator Rhygdon, there was any more mention of him, he ordered his holoscreen on.
Leaning back against the couch, his fingers playing with the edge of the towel about his waist, Anakin listened for a bit to the news reports. But, for something as large of an entity as the Galactic Republic, there was an awful lot of news. Anakin instructed the holoscreen to filter out anything not related to Coruscant. He felt a little guilty doing so because Obi-Wan was always chiding him about not keeping abreast of current affairs, even if they weren't directly related to the concerns of the Jedi Order.
His master had some esoteric theory regarding society which Anakin had never quite understood, but its core precept was that it was possible for even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant incident to act as a catalyst for unpredictable and sometimes drastic consequences, thereby affecting even larger events.
When Anakin had only stared vacantly at Obi-Wan as he had explained his theory, his master had tried to illustrate it by using the example of a butterfly. If a butterfly flapped its wings in the Gardens of Troyla, which were on the other side of Coruscant, Obi-Wan had said, its tiny wings could disturb the air currents in such a way as to eventually cause it to rain over the Jedi Temple.
Now, recalling that conversation, Anakin frowned as he gazed at the holoscreen. He'd had a bit of headache after Obi-Wan had finally stopped pontificating about initial conditions, complex and unpredictable results, and non-linear dynamic systems, but Anakin was also glad his master was so well-read and thought so deeply about such stuff. It meant Anakin didn't have to and, as far as he was concerned, that made for a perfect Jedi team. Master Obi-Wan was the brains and came up with all their plans and strategies and Anakin was the muscle and carried them out.
Noting the news reports were now over, which, Anakin realized with embarrassment, he'd only half been listening to, he heard that _Sightings by Twang_ was about to come on. His ears perked up. Although he'd never paid much attention to the fat alien's gossip, chiefly because his master thought Dyslogia Twang was nothing more than a sleazy, parasitic opportunist who fed upon people's frailties and weaknesses, dishing out his rumors and innuendoes to an all-too-wiling galactic populace, sordidly keen to savor over Twang's half-truths and, sometimes, outright lies, Anakin knew he'd also been at the party and wondered if, perhaps, the alien gossip columnist might make mention of him.
At first, Anakin had laughed at Twang's appraisal of Konan Izzat's attire. Although Anakin had not met the writer, his master had and seemed impressed with the author's erudite conversation, but Anakin had thought Izzat looked pretty pathetic in his tuxedo. It had been as wrinkled as a wilted piece of lettuce.
However, when Twang finally mentioned him, but cackled that Anakin had been dressed rather dully, the Padawan's blue eyes narrowed and, when he'd heard what that blob of pus had to say about the make-up Padmé used to wear as the queen of Naboo, his hands clenched into hard fists.
However, he didn't have much time to mull over how he'd like to dunk Twang's fat, round head into a vat of bantha snot and hold it there for awhile, because what came next out of the obese gossipmonger's flapping maw caused Anakin's mouth to drop open, his tongue to go dry and his head to start spinning.
He leapt from the couch and quickly put on some clothes. As he left his quarters to find his master, the image of that tub of lard winking lewdly at the camera as he spewed out his muck to the entire galaxy about Obi-Wan and the woman he loved, but had honorably given up, was burning a brand in Anakin's mind.
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"Papa! Papa. Help me! Help me!"
Obi-Wan turned around, a thick, gray fog enveloping him. He could hear the little girl's voice, but he couldn't see her, and he wasn't even sure as to where he was. He was unable to sense anything regarding the dimensionality of his surroundings, neither its height or its length, or whether he was inside or outside. It felt as if he were standing on something, but he couldn't tell if it was a floor or ground.
The fog in which he stood was not only thick and heavy, but slippery and moist, seeming to slip over his skin like slime from a stagnant pond. And, it also seemed as if Obi-Wan could just make out spectral shapes, ghostly figures of smoke and mist that formed, dissolved, then reformed around him; vaporous shapes that could only have come from some nightmarish plane of existence.
"Papa. Are you there? Please answer me!" the tiny voice cried.
"Where are you?" Obi-Wan shouted. "Tell me where you are and I'll come and help you."
"Papa?" the voice queried. "Papa, is that you?"
Obi-Wan was confused. The voice who was crying out to him in the fog was not that of a small boy, but of a little girl, so it couldn't be Ben.
"Papa? Are you there? Please, help me."
"Yes, I'll help you. Don't worry. Just tell me where you are."
"I don't know where I am, Papa. I can't see anything. I'm so scared. Please help me, Papa."
Obi-Wan could hear the little girl was on the verge of tears. He moved through the dense gray fog, trying to determine where her voice was coming from.
"Don't be scared. Just keep talking and I'll find you."
"Is it really you, Papa? Please, tell me it's you."
Obi-Wan swallowed hard. He had no idea who the child was, so the thought of telling her he was her father was distasteful to him in that he had no wish to deceive her, no matter how much she seemed to yearn to believe he was her Papa.
"I'm not your father, little one, but once I find you, I'll take you to him."
"But...but you sound like my Papa. You sound just like him. The dark one said you would never come for me. But I didn't believe him, Papa. I knew you would come. And you're here, Papa. You're here!"
Obi-Wan felt a sharp pang in his heart at both the fear and joy he heard in the little girl's voice.
"Don't worry," he said thickly as he moved through the leaden fog. "You'll see your father soon. Now, keep talking so I can find you."
Obi-Wan moved deeper into the fog, but no matter which way he went, the child's voice seemed to come to him from all directions, and he felt as if he was getting no closer to her. Suddenly, she screamed, a heart-piercing cry that ripped into Obi-Wan's heart.
"No! No! Leave me alone! I don't want to listen to you anymore. I want Papa! And you lied! He's here and he's come for me." The little girl screamed again. "No, go away! Go away! Papa, help me! Please, help me!"
Obi-Wan ran, his heart pounding like a drum, breath rasping harshly in his lungs as he desperately tried to find the child, her screams ripping through the fog.
"Help me, Papa! Help me! He won't leave me alone!"
Obi-Wan's heart stuttered. The little girl's voice faded away as if she were running deeper into the fog.
He ran faster. "I'm coming, little one. I'm coming!" he shouted into the murk surrounding him.
Suddenly, there was a piercing scream from the child, a final cry for her Papa, then silence.
Obi-Wan stopped for a moment, the stillness thrumming around him like the tolling of some ominous bell. Then he ran, faster and harder, and he kept running until the ground dropped abruptly from beneath his feet.
He felt himself falling, fast and hard, still surrounded by that thick, dense fog, still hearing the piercing shriek of that little girl crying out frantically for the father who had not come in time to save her.
---------
Heart pounding, sweat coating his neck and chest, Obi-Wan abruptly awoke. For a moment he just lay in his bed, staring wide-eyed up at the ceiling of his quarters as he willed his heart to stop its frantic beating. A dream, he thought. It had only been a dream.
He slowly sat up, noting that the tunic of his sleep clothes clung wetly to his chest. He took in and released a deep cleansing breath. Glancing over at the table chrono on the nightstand next to his bed, he saw he had slept a bit longer than he had intended. But, he'd had trouble getting to sleep last night.
Rising from his bed, he padded barefoot to the fresher. Running cold water in the basin, he splashed it on his face. He didn't often have nightmares. Some Jedi claimed never to have them, but Obi-Wan doubted that. All sentient beings dreamed, and some dreams were just as likely to be horrible as pleasant.
As he looked at himself in the mirror, he wondered if perhaps the Jedi had become somewhat arrogant over the past hundred years. They had kept the peace for untold generations, decades upon decades in which nothing had ever threatened the stability of the Republic. Complacency often bred arrogance, Obi-Wan reflected.
Then he frowned as he recalled his dream. He had never had such a dream before. And why would he dream about a little girl who seemed to think he was her father? He had only one child, Ben. There were no other and, certainly, no more to come.
Obi-Wan splashed more water on his face, then turned and left the fresher. Though the dream had deeply disturbed him, leaving him with a terrible sense of foreboding, he pushed it deep inside himself. Later, he would meditate on it because, as he tried to reassure himself, dreams were most often symbolic rather than literal.
Perhaps the little girl, and whatever danger had threatened her, was an iconic representation of some deep-seated anxiety he possessed. He would find the source of the disquiet during his meditation and deal with it accordingly.
Just as he was about to prepare his breakfast, his front door chimed. He answered it. Anakin was standing in the doorway, dressed in his dark Jedi outfit, his bright blue eyes wide, his hair barely combed. He rushed past Obi-Wan and into the sitting area.
"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, sensing his padawan's distress.
"Have you watched the news this morning, Master?"
"No, I just woke up. I was about to have breakfast. Would you care to join me?"
Anakin brusquely shook his head. He went over to Obi-Wan's holoscreen and ordered it on.
"You have to see this, Master."
Anakin instructed the holoscreen to replay that morning's broadcast of _Sightings from Twang_. Obi-Wan folded his arms across his chest as he listened. Once it was done, he ordered the holoscreen off. He looked over at Anakin.
"What of it?" he asked in a low, detached voice.
"What of it? Master, that swill is being broadcast all over the Republic!"
"I'm aware of that."
"And you're not concerned?"
"Why should I be? None of it is true."
Anakin shook his head. "Master, I don't think you understand. It doesn't matter if it's true or not. People will believe it's true because it's what they want to believe."
"Then I feel pity for such people," Obi-Wan said curtly as he turned and headed toward his bedroom.
He stopped, however, when Anakin grabbed his arm.
"Master, I know you too well," his padawan said earnestly. "Something like this will roll off your back like water. But what about Onara?"
Obi-Wan looked up into Anakin's eyes. He had been angered and greatly disgusted by the broadcast, though he'd kept that hidden from Anakin. But, like most things in his life that displeased him, but over which he had no real control, Obi-Wan had already dismissed it from his mind. Dyslogia Twang was a vile, reprehensible purveyor of rumors and innuendoes, and if people chose to listen to and believe his rubbish, that was their problem. Obi-Wan knew the truth of what had happened between him and Onara last night.
But, he also knew Anakin was right in being concerned for Onara. The repercussions for Obi-Wan were not as grave as they would be for her. She had a husband and a child, and such a scandal, no matter how unfounded or baseless it was, could hurt not only her, but Dalan and Ben.
"Do you know if Onara's seen this?"
"No, I don't know, Master."
Obi-Wan nodded. "I'll go and see her. Wait here. I'm going to shower and change."
"Yes, Master."
But, just as Obi-Wan was about to enter the fresher, the comlink in his quarters beeped. Answering it, he saw it was a message from the Jedi Council. He read it and released a deep, heavy sigh. He looked over at Anakin.
"It would appear you weren't the only one up watching the news this morning, my young Padawan. I've been summoned before the Council. I'm to appear as soon as I'm dressed."
"Just you, Master?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "Just me."
He stared down at the floor for a moment. "Go and see Onara," he instructed Anakin. "Tell her I'll contact her soon as I can."
"Yes, Master," Anakin said dutifully.
Obi-Wan turned and went into the fresher.
To be continued....