Whooo hoooo, I've updated. Thanks to Heather Wan and Claire who have R n'r already would like some more reviews cos it motivates me to type it up faster. Hopefully I am reducing waffle, don't worry we're getting to the main plot now!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes I know, I was shocked too.


Sorry about the cheesy bit in this one, I DID write it like three years ago, you should see all the cliche stuff I've edited, but if I did all of it then I wouldn't have a story!
Obi Wan sighed exasperatedly after his padawan. Anakin was no where to be seen and he was fed up of looking for him. He opened himself up to the Force feeling only a scattering of his energetic apprentice's essence of the edge of his consciousness. Now he knew how Qui Gon had felt when he said that he was always to old to be running after a youthful Obi Wan Kenobi and his knack of getting himself into trouble. He exited the Palace, the gardens seemed unusually quiet, yet he could hear muttering coming from the far end near the outer wall. He moved closer stealthily, even though he did not sense any danger a feeling of apprehension had come over him; he let his hand slip to the hilt of his lightsabre, it was never wise to be unprepared when a Sith Lord was involved.
The voices had become more distinct "Are you sure he won't be mad?"
"Probably, I'll fire the first shot and take the reproach, after that hopefully he won't be in a position to argue".
Although his danger sense still had not kicked in he felt a brief warning then something cool hit his neck.
Obi Wan spun round and stopped, he put his hand to his neck, surprised to find it wet. Kyia stood there pretending to blow the smoke off a water pistol.
"Very funny" He grimaced.
Anakin appeared next to her and fired. Kyia tossed him a water pistol then ran.
The next moments were full of dodging, ducking and of course, water as the quieter end of the gardens provided ideal cover for the game. Obi Wan felt the childish excitement build up inside him clearing out the dust and static that had accumulated over the past few months. He hid behind a purple leafed bush, Kyia was standing behind a tree ahead of him, apparently fully engrossed in firing at Anakin. The Forced warned her he was creeping up behind her as Anakin ran behind the back of the Hall of Ages but she smiled to herself and chose to ignore it; the next thing she felt was the male Jedi's arms around her waist as he pulled her to the ground. She cried out but managed to turn around in his grip just enough to get a clear shot in to his face.
"Got you", She said sweetly.
"Right" He said feigning irritation. Obi Wan pinned her on the grass, firing ruthlessly.
"Help" She covered her face and twisted out of his grasp "Anakin!" The padawan appeared just as they reached their feet and both him and the Elphoran turned on her attacker without mercy.
When they finally stopped Obi Wan stood between them, water running off him in streams.
"That wasn't fair!" he muttered.
The Quelena laughed, "Since when have I played fair?"
"Kyia!" Anice called her name from the Palace side door. "Senator Valorum will be arriving soon, he would like to meet with you immediately after he lands"
"He's not due for another triact"
"I just had word from his transport"
She widened her eyes "He must have broken all speed records getting here!"
Obi Wan looked over with concern. "What is it?"
"I'm not sure," She replied with a far away look in her eye "I guess I had better go and find out".

Kyia sat down and studied his grave face; he looked ten years older than when she had spoken to him last night. They were in the meeting room normally used for Governor meetings, it was strange for it to be so empty.
"Your Royalness" He nodded his head and then sat down himself.
"Now what is it that you have to race half way across the galaxy to tell me in person?"
The former chancellor looked down at the table, not his normal upright self, Kyia felt a feeling of dread; whatever it was it was bad.
"You remember I told you of a discussion in the senate concerning the trading of botanicals."
Kyia nodded an affirmative.
"Well the motion, it seems was more popular than I had first anticipated. After the initial debate put forward by Corellia another argument entered that many traders bought cheaper botanicals from other systems than use their native varieties, harming their local economy. I tried as best as I could to convince them that it would harm free trade but I was outnumbered."
"I don't understand, what are you saying?" Kyia looked towards him, suddenly afraid, she could not be reading this correctly; this could not mean what she thought it meant.
"Many planets saw this as a blow against the Trade Federation, because I was arguing so fiercely against it, considering what happened six months ago, we were considered sympathisers."
The Quelena's eyes closed. "What will happen?"
Valorum's eyes dropped. "I'm afraid its not that simple Your Royalness, it is what has happened. The motion was passed very quickly, unusually so. Heavy restrictions have been placed, and I'm afraid heavy taxes"
"How heavy?"
"Heavy"
The Quelena visibly paled, she stood up, enraged. "They can't do that! They must know that we rely that trade to buy the technology that we are not able to produce ourselves. How are we going to survive when our major export has been taken away? They can't!"
"I'm afraid they already have" he closed his eyes for a moment. "Nothing can be done"
"But appeals…"
"Will be denied" He cut her off firmly, "and even if they were not, hatred for the Trade Federation in certain systems will see to it that we are not taken seriously"
Kyia looked him in the eye. "We are longer a force in the senate are we"
"No, I'm afraid I have failed you, Your Royalness"
She put her hand on his "You were betrayed".






"They've done WHAT!" Obi Wan was stunned, he had been waiting with Anakin outside the meeting room, as per his mandate when Kyia had told him the news. Elphorans were advanced psychically and creatively but as a species anything involving technical analysis was found difficult to grasp by the mechanics of the Elphoran brain. Most were experts in artistic, medicinal and Force related fields but that did not matter when it came to needing basics such as view screens and turbo lifts. The culture had thrived by trading plants that grew on Elphora, the main export being the Aquar lily that purified the water it grew in. The hardships that would be caused by restricting that trade were unconceivable, and that weak they would be easy targets.
"You see" She looked at him directly "This is Palpatine, it reeks of him. How else could it have gone through so quickly, without time to mount a defence or to cool tempers?"
"It could be" Valorum reasoned. "I would not put it beyond his ability, but he is finished with me, what use would this be to him now?"
Kyia looked over towards Obi Wan but said nothing, her lack of verbalisation on the subject showing him that Valorum did not know of her conspiracy theory. He sighed hoping she did not mention the subject, it would not be a good thing to be round the senate.
The Quelena paused for a moment then turned back towards the meeting room "If you'll excuse me. I have some thinking to do" She said gravely, leaving the three to ponder what action might be taken.