~~~

                I gave Sabé and Eirtaé's food to Lt. Aloian for delivery and then made some food for the six guards, who all ate so quickly I thought that they would be sick for sure.  I then made food for the Security Guards and pilots, and when I served Ric the bantha I had burned by accident (okay, so maybe not entirely by accident) I could tell he was resisting the urge to slap me on the butt and ask for more beer, like he would at the pilot bars he frequented.  I sort of wish he had tried.  That would have given me an excuse to beat him into oblivion.

                When they finished, I finally got the pleasure of making Panaka, the Security Officers, Padawan Kenobi and myself food.  I was especially excited about the 'myself' part.  I made some bantha for Panaka, the Security Officers and Padawan Kenobi and a salad and a couple pieces of bread for myself.  There are not too many vegetarian options on the ship.  Panaka and the Officers were there in a flash, thanking me for the food and shoving it in their mouths.  I went in search of Padawan Kenobi.

                After a few moments (it doesn't take that much time to search the ship, I was beginning to realize how small it was) I located Padawan Kenobi in the astromech hold, by process of elimination, which would now be empty.   I took the lift down to the astro-hold.  I stepped out and found Padawan Kenobi sitting on the floor, legs crossed, eyes closed, hands on his knees, in meditation.  I frowned.  Should I interrupt him or not?  Probably not. 

                I turned quietly from Padawan Kenobi and called the lift.

                "Was there something you needed?"  Padawan Kenobi's voice cut through the quiet.  I jumped again and turned quickly back to him.

                "Do you enjoy making me jump?"  I asked, irritated.

                Blue eyes twinkled mischievously as brown-blond eyebrows raised.  "My stealth training was extremely good."

                "That doesn't mean you get to use it all the time."  I snapped.  "Besides which, you weren't doing anything particularly stealthy right then."  I glared at him, then took a deep breath, I really didn't know how to act around him.  I regained my composure.  "You dinner is ready."  I said a bit stiffly.

                He stood up and stretched.  "Wonderful.  If you could show me the way?"  He asked, gesturing to the now-arrived lift.

                "Of course."  I said woodenly.  I walked into the lift, him right behind me.  It was very silent until the lift stopped and we got out.  "This way please."  I lead him to the galley, past Eirtaé and Panaka, some of the pilots and the Queen's chamber.  We sat on opposites sides of the table and engrossed ourselves in our food.  It was very, very quiet between us.

"So," I said finally, "have you heard form Master Jinn?"  I asked.

                 "Yes."  He said in a somewhat surprised voice.  "I told him about the transmission from your governor.  He believes I am right, that it is a trap."

                "Yes.  I wondered how Governor Bibble got hold of a comm station without the Neimoidians letting him."  A frown creased my forehead.  "If I may inquire, where, exactly, are they staying?"

                "They are staying with the slaves of Watto."

                "Oh."  A moment of silence past between us.  Padawan Kenobi's outward appearance reminded me a great deal of Zak, and the thought of Zak made Coruscant seem much more bearable.  Padawan Kenobi's eyes flicked towards me, and I quickly looked away and forced a laugh.

                "I was just thinking about how you look a great deal like someone I know."

                He looked at me with amused, patronizing eyes.  "Really?  Who?"

                I held my head high.  "Padawan Zak Dahamas."

                He grinned, then burst out into laughter.  "I suppose it's true on the outside, but-"

                "On the inside you are anything but similar." I interrupted, relived he wasn't going to be insulted or act like an idiot. "You are polite and Zak-"

                "-thinks with his feelings."  He said in a very diplomatic voice.

                "You are rather sober and quiet;"

                "-he is rather obnoxious and loud."

                "Exactly."

                "Poor Plo. Sometimes I wondered what he was thinking. The kid's a genius with a lightsaber, but notoriously undiplomatic."  He paused, looked at me. "How do you know Zak?"

                I hesitated. "I went to Coruscant with my family a year and a half ago. Events transpired that required my brother and I to need a Jedi escort home. Master Plo and Zak were our escort."

                "What of the rest of your family?"  He asked, confused.  "Didn't they need an escort also?"

                I hesitated as pain flashed through me, quick and hard.  An explosion flashed before my eyes and screams echoed in my ears.  I blinked and forced it away quickly, but Padawan Kenobi sensed it and spoke up.

                "It's none of my business, you don't need to-"

                "They were killed."  I said quietly, remember the assassin droids and the explosion that rocked downtown Coruscant as Padawan Kenobi fell silent, watching me.  "Assassinated.  On Coruscant.  My brother and I were the only ones left who needed an escort."

                Padawan Kenobi leaned forward and squeezed my hand.  "I'm terribly sorry."  He said quietly.  "I can't image how I would feel if I lost Qui-Gon."

                It was quiet for a moment, but not the awkward silence of strangers.  It was a more comfortable somehow.  I relaxed a little in his presence.

                Padawan Kenobi got up.  "Are you done?  I'll take your plate for you."  He offered.  Was this some kind of weird sympathy I was getting from him?

                "No.  That's okay, I can do it."

                "Don't be ridiculous.  You made food for everyone on this ship, the least I can do is the dishes."  And with that he took my empty bowl.  "All you had to eat was salad?!"  He asked, incredulous.

                I shrugged.  "Not too many vegetarian options."

                He raised an eyebrow.  "And a vegetarian at that.  Is there anything you don't do, superwoman?"  He asked in a teasing tone. 

                I gave him a smirk and checked my chrono.  It was very late.  2324 in fact.  "I should get back to her highness."  I told him.  "Thank-you for cleaning up."

                "Thank-you for dinner."

                I shrugged again.  "That's my job."  And with that, I went to the Queen's chamber.  Sabé sat in a chair, in her bathrobe, face paint washed off and her hair hanging down her back.  Eirtaé was wrapped in a towel, fresh from the shower.  They were still talking about Padawan Kenobi.  I thought I would scream.

                "What are you doing?"  I asked, annoyed.

                They looked at me blankly.  "What?"  Sabé asked.

                I walked over to my bunk and flopped down on it.  "All you do is talk about Padawan Kenobi.  For the love of the Force, just shut up."

                Eirtaé looked at me in shock and stomp back into the 'fresher.  Sabé's eyes flashed.  "Don't tell me what I can and cannot do."  She said imperiously.

                "Why can't you just not talk about him for once?"  I asked in an irritated tone.  "He's not that amazing."

                "He saved our lives."  Sabé said.  "He's cute and nice and intelligent."

                "Intelligent?"  I snorted.  "I could have told you not to send any transmittions."

                "Eirtaé told me she saw you two together."

                "I made him dinner."  I said flatly.  "I made everybody dinner."

                "That was a half hour ago."  Sabé said jealously.

                I rolled my eyes.  Oh brother.  "What is wrong with you?"  I finally demanded.  "You are the Queen.  If you continue acting like this, you'll give Padmé away because of your ridiculous obsession.  Stop acting so silly."

                "So you think I'm silly now, do you?"

                I gritted my teeth.  What is she doing?  Did she want a fight or something?  Fine.  She would get it.  "Yes Sabé, you are acting silly.  You are acting stupid; you are acting like a spoiled brat."  I rolled over on my side and stared at the wall.  "Didn't your acting instructors teach you anything?"  I asked her snottily.  "Even I know you need to stay in character.  And right now, you're not."  I said snidely.

                She stood up, her hands balled into fists.  "Why don't you be decoy then, if you think it is so easy?"  She spit out at me.

                I rolled back over to look at her.  "Can't."  I said sweetly.  "Padawan Kenobi knows me by name.  It would cast suspicion on us if you were to suddenly appear and I would suddenly disappear."

                Her mouth dropped open.  "He knows you by name!"  She gasped.  "You know that's against the regulations!  I am going to report you to Panaka and you are going to be in so much trouble…"  Her voice grated on my ears and I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming.

                "Sabé."  I said as patiently as I could manage as I sat up.  "Shut the hell up."  And with that I stood up and marched out the door, frustrated and angry.  I needed some air; it was far too stuffy and hot in the ship. I stomped past Captain Panaka.

                "Has that stupid sandstorm finished yet?" I asked him in an angry voice.

                He looked at me, startled; I don't think he has ever seen me this upset before.  "Yes. Ended about a half-hour ago."  He said in a surprised voice.

                "Good." I said fiercely and brushed past him. I took the lift down and opened up the boarding ramp. Cool air rushed in from the outside. I calmed down and took off my shoes, walked barefoot down the ramp and into the cool sand. I walked away from the ship to the top of the first sand dune and looked up at the sky.

                It was very clear out, clearer then it ever was on Naboo. The stars shone brightly and the lights of Mos Espa twinkled in the distance. I wondered which star was Naboo's and I found myself wishing I could share this with my friends. Friends. Their images came back to me and my hand clutched Riv's necklace as tears began to slip down my cheeks. Were we doing the right thing? I wished I knew how my friends were doing, and what they were thinking.  How they were feeling.

                I thought of my argument with Sabé. I couldn't understand how she and Eirtaé could act so immature.  I am the youngest, smallest person on the ship, and here I am, giving orders, taking care of everything and everyone. Eirtaé doesn't have much of a leadership presence, but Sabé does, why is she wasting it? And their whole infatuation with Padawan Kenobi; sure, he's good-looking, but now is most defiantly not the time for such thoughts. Plus, even a relationship now with him was a slightly disgusting thought. Sabé and I are fourteen and Eirtaé fifteen. Padawan Kenobi is at least twenty-two.

                I shuddered, attempted a laugh, failed, wiped my eyes dry, and walked back inside the warm ship.

                Sabé and Eirtaé were in bed with the lights off when I came in.  I changed and threw my sand-covered dress in the washer-dryer and went to bed.  I surprised myself by falling almost instantly asleep.

                ~~~