Obi-Wan arrived later the next morning shortly after Shmi was buried. The affair was a simple one, as the Lars were a simple, honest people, in no need of the distractions of superfluous ceremony. Digging a grave in the sand was not an easy task, yet the three men had done it, and Shmi's final resting place was next to that of Cliegg's first wife, who had died giving birth to Owen. Cliegg looked more weary than usual, for having lost the only two women he had ever loved was a terrible burden to bear, and his stoic exterior concealed a man with deep-running emotions.

He saw Anakin on his knees, staring at his mother's headstone. Obi-Wan approached his apprentice and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Anakin, I am so sorry," he said.

Anakin rose and slowly turned to face him, his features tight and grim, a combination of grief, anger, and silence.

"Why did she have to die, Master? Why couldn't I have saved her?" he asked, near tears.

"Dealing with loss is never easy, Padawan. Sometimes the Force acts in a strange manner and accepting its will can be extremely difficult. But you must give it time." He paused, deciding to approach the subject gingerly. "It is only natural to experience intense emotions at a time like this, but you must let them flow, lest they control you."

Anakin's face suddenly flushed with anger. "And you say that I should merely passively accept her death?" he asked, with a sudden hard edge to his words. "It's certainly easy for you to say, isn't it? What right have you to dictate how I should feel? You never even knew your mother, Master."

"I'm sorry, Padawan. I don't mean to seem insensitive to your pain. But I have experienced such feelings." He fell silent for a moment, his eyes becoming soft and unfocussed. "Qui-Gon was - everything to me - the only father I had ever known - and I had to stand helpless as he lay dying."

His eyes met Anakin's once again - and, for the briefest passing instant he saw dark shadows beneath, shadows which concealed some grave secret behind their depths. But in the next instant the darkness faded, and Obi-Wan willed himself to believe that perhaps it was just a trick of the harsh desert light.

Anakin paused for a moment, his anger subsiding. "But at least you had revenge. You destroyed the Sith responsible for his death."

"It was NOT revenge, Padawan. I was forced to defend myself, and I was victorious, but I did not relish it."

Anakin was thoughtful. "Is this why Jedi never know their family?" he asked. "To spare them unknown atrocities while we do nothing to help the victims?"

"Anakin, the Order is not large enough to protect everyone," Obi-Wan explained gently. "and we cannot act unilaterally or show favor, for we serve all citizens of the Republic equally. Attachment and possession are forbidden to Jedi for precisely this reason. We cannot succumb to the danger of being overcome by intense emotions, or allow them to lead to favoritism."

"So because I loved my mother I am in error?" Anakin retorted. "Are we allowed to feel, or must we stifle that aspect of humanity as well?"

"Of course you are allowed to have feelings, Anakin. You misinterpret the Order's teachings. There is nothing wrong with emotion, but it must be allowed to flow. When held inside it begins to dominate you, and can lead to the Dark Side. And loss of a loved one or a threat to them may cause a Jedi to act rashly."

"I am sorry, Master," Anakin replied. "I understand the theory, but the experience isn't so cut and dry."

"That is why I am here for you, Anakin. The most important thing is that you do not have to face this alone. Don't lose sight of those who care for you, my Padawan."

"I apologize, Master. I should not have lashed out at you."

"There is no need for you to apologize for your passionate nature, Anakin. It is who you are, and it need not always be a weakness. Just remember not to let the heat of the moment gain control of your actions. Consider this a painful yet necessary lesson, Anakin. But never think you must apologize for your feelings." He gave Anakin's Padawan braid a sympathetic tug, as he was often accustomed to as a gesture of affection.

"Thank you, Master."

Obi-Wan still sensed his apprentice's shields were raised, but he did not have the heart to press the issue.

**

Padme had watched the interaction between Master and Padawan from the small doorway of the homestead. She feared for Anakin, as there was a vague menace in his dead silence and cold, haunted eyes. She had seen the intensity of his anger, how he seemed at one moment a raging inferno of emotion, and the next would return to his normal, agreeable self.

If his intensity was at times frightening, it also seemed to be the mark of a young man who, with his every movement, word, and action, appeared to proclaim that he was a force to be reckoned with, not to be underestimated. The combination of traits was something she had not before seen in Jedi, especially in the way Anakin never seemed to bother hiding his emotions in the slightest. He was a most interesting enigma for an inquiring spirit like herself.

But that wasn't what really bothered her.

She had always put her duty to Naboo above all else, especially personal feelings or because of a single individual. So, she asked herself, why had she come to Tatooine with Anakin so readily? Why the sudden concern for a young man she had not seen in a decade? And why did the image of those blue eyes remain implanted so vividly in her mind?

Perhaps she did not truly wish to know the answer.

**

A few hours after Obi-Wan's arrival, the Jedi and Senator returned to Naboo. Owen had decided to have C-3P0 join Anakin, as it had been Shmi who kept the verbose droid around as a reminder of her son, and Owen did not have any more use for it. Perhaps, he suggested, a protocol droid would be better suited to a Senator than a moisture farmer.

When they landed, Masters Yoda and Windu were waiting, and no sooner had Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped from the Jedi starfighter's cockpit, the two Council members had called him aside.

"Knight Kenobi," Mace Windu said, "change of plans. You are to depart for Malastare and look for evidence regarding the sabotage of Aks Moe's transport."

"And what of Anakin? I presume the Naboo have informed you of the reason for the abrupt departure of their Senator?"

"Receive word, we did," said Yoda. "Most unfortunate, this is. Continue to protect the Senator, he will."

"We all feared Anakin's attachment to his mother, and his emotions could easily compromise any mission he is to perform. However, we cannot abandon our obligation to protect Senator Naberrie. Therefore, your Padawan must remain on Naboo."

"When you return, Obi-Wan, watch him, you must. Anger, fear, I sense in young Skywalker. Vulnerable, he is."

None of the three Jedi chose to speak of their unease about the young man, though all could sense it.

***

They had been living in the cave of one of many of Theed's subterranean tunnels for several days, occasionally sending out a man to steal food and water. And now their Lieutenant was dressed as a Naboo Royal Guard, watching the Jedi starfighter leave the Palace launch pad.

He had only four men with him, but his band remained hidden, and he could choose when and where he would strike. The Jedi protectors had proved themselves worthy and dangerous adversaries, but now one of them, the older, more experienced one of the two, was leaving the planet. Which meant that only the younger one remained to guard the Senator.

His final orders had been to cause disruption on Naboo, and the larger operation's purpose was to in turn cause disruption in the Republic's government. Thus, how better to further the plan by assassinating the Senator? The young Jedi was formidable, but one shot would be all that was necessary, and he would be up against five to one odds.

He removed the uniform from the dead Guard and donned stolen civilian clothes, returning to his men to plan for their final mission.

**

Obi-Wan arrived at the bustling spaceport in the Malastare capital, which was heavily guarded by soldiers following the Senator's loss. Clearly, he saw, the Malastare government wasn't taking any unnecessary chances.

His contact, a large Gran in the uniform of a General, awaited him at the Jedi fighter's landing pad.

"Greetings, Jedi Kenobi," the General said. "I am Lieutenant General Aak Noor. Pleased to have you here."

The Jedi shook the large alien's hand, relieved that the General spoke fluent basic, thus precluding the need for a pesky protocol droid interpreter.

"I was informed you would be sent here to investigate," Noor continued. "Have you made any breakthroughs on Coruscant?"

"Perhaps we can go somewhere less.conspicuous," Obi-Wan replied.

"Certainly," Noor said, leading Kenobi through the hangar bay's rear entrance into his office.

"At this point we are unsure as to the precise cause, but the evidence strongly suggest the Senator's hyperdrive may have been tampered with. I have a suspicion a saboteur in your maintenance facility may have been involved."

The General registered shock and anger in his trio of eyestalks. "I assure you, I take great pains in reviewing the backgrounds of all the personnel here, Jedi. I have always taken the security of the Senator extremely seriously, and if you are trying to imply that this is somehow my own fault and not that of the assassins."

Obi-Wan cut him off. "I am not here to place blame, General, merely to find facts. I have no doubt that you and your men have conducted yourself in the standards expected of your profession, but surely anyone capable of assassinating a Republic Senator must be possessed of uncommonly large resources."

The General softened - only slightly. "Very well, Jedi. I apologize, but you must understand how I feel in this position. Now - what can I do to help you? I will make my full resources available, if it will lead to the discovery of those responsible."

"Certainly, General. If I can acquire access to your personell records of the maintenance crews assigned to VIP transports, I believe I will start there."

"Come with me," the General said. "I'll hook you up to a terminal connecting to our databanks."

The two boarded a turbolift, descending several floors underground to the Operations Center of the hangar and military base. Noor led Obi-wan through several corridors to a large room filled with computer terminals.

"Here is the main access node to our database networks," the General said. He pointed to a silver protocol droid. "TC-19, this man is a Jedi Knight investigating the Senator's death. You will assist him in the interface with our networks and provide him with my personal access codes should he require them."

"Certainly, sir," the droid replied. "If you will come this way, Master Kenobi," he said, leading him to one of the terminal stations.

"TC-19, bring up the personnel files on all maintenance crew in the Senator's hangar starting one standard month before the attack. I believe I will begin there."

Dressed as a Palace Guard, Lieutenant 143241 had conducted a thorough reconnaissance of the Theed Palace, and at last, he had found a likely point of ambushing the Senator.

In the vast courtyard of the beautiful, grand structure was an elaborate garden. Begun two hundred Standard years before by King Amila shortly after the Palace was finished, it had remained as a fixture of serenity and beauty, and a favorite place of quiet contemplation by Naboo monarchs ever since.

And with its trees, hedgerows, fountains, and statuary, the Lieutenant saw, it offered any potential attacker who could penetrate the Palace an excellent place for an ambush.

The guards seemed to know their business, but were mainly deployed around the routes of ingress and the outer perimeter of the Palace.

Which meant most of the inner areas of the building, notably the Gardens, were nearly unguarded. He only noticed four sentries on duty throughout the sprawling courtyard - his men, also dressed as Guards, could take them by surprise easily. And furthermore, every afternoon, at midday, the Senator, accompanied by the Jedi and three of her Handmaidens took a long stroll through the garden.

This would be where he would ambush her.

Obi-Wan's eyes hurt with the strain of spending several long hours staring at data readouts, with little in the way of positive results. He got up from the terminal, stretching stiff muscles and rubbing his sore eyes, and focused the Force to alleviate his pounding headache.

"Are you alright, Master Jedi?" TC-19 asked.

The protocol droid, like all of his kind, Obi-Wan reflected, could try even a Jedi's patience after long periods of close proximity.

"I'm just a bit tired. Nothing to worry about."

"Are you sure? I could bring you some stim tea if you like."

"I assure you, I am quite fine," Obi-Wan interrupted him.

Half an hour later, he had found what he was looking for.

He had decided to look into the transport's maintenance log and had discovered an interesting piece of evidence: the hyperdrive motivator had been replaced, as was scheduled every 100,000 light years of hyperspace travel.sabotage to the motivator would, he realized, indeed cause the hyperdrive to disengage at a predetermined point along it's route.he then brought up the list of maintenance crew on duty during the replacement, and he tried another tack..he checked the navigation records downloaded from all supply ships for the previous week.

It was at that point that he discovered an anomaly. One of the freighters, the An'yia Rose, a Correlian Engineering transport, showed a pattern on the last three return trips from Coruscant (listed as "procurement of components for Senatorial Transport) which was decidedly odd..two-thirds of the way along the route, the Rose's course diverged to a small planet on the Outer Rim, and for no apparent logical reason. The transport was listed as registered to Seblinda, a Dug employed as an engine mechanic.

It was no secret to anyone who was in any way familiar with Malastare's history that the animosity between the two dominant species, the Gran and the Dug, was legendary. The Dug were regarded as inferior by the ruling Gran, although the current Prime Minister was attempting to institute reforms by employing capable, trusted Dugs of good reputation in the civil service. And Seblinda, like many Dugs, was a good mechanic. His personnel file listed that he had been hired as part of the reform program.Obi Wan wondered.would Seblinda have motivation to sabotage the Gran Senator's government? Had his cooperation been enlisted by those who conspired to assassinate the Senator?

He brought up the navigational chart of the An'yia Rose again, and decided to examine the mysterious diversions to the Outer Rim.his destination was listed as a planet given the name Wayland. Obi-Wan logged into the Jedi Temple's archive network, bringing up the entry on Wayland.

Wayland: Planet in Outer Rim region near System 1149. Standard year: 314 Standard Days; Length of Standard Day: 22.5 Galactic Standard Hours. Two main continents, Southern with subzero year-round climate, Northern landmass largely forested. Habitation: Suitable for humanoid sentients, none known.

He skimmed the rest. Why would the Rose journey to an uninhabited planet in route to Malastare from Coruscant on three separate occasions?

He had found his first lead.