Sorry this took so long!

~*~

Rae was hardly listening to Jar Jar carry on, explaining about how it was that he got banished. Then she remembered something. She stretched out with the Force...and confirmed her suspicions.

"Obi-Wan turn NOW!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

So he did, but it was no good. They were suddenly jerked back.

"Crap!"

"Uh oh! Big gubbor fish! Huge ottie!"

Suddenly they were released. The big sea creature had caught the gubbor fish in his mouth.

"There's always a bigger fish."

"Mesa thinkn' wesa goin' back now!"

Rae snorted and muttered, "Yeah right."

Just then the ship started to sink.

"We're losing power!"

Rae gave Obi-Wan a look that said, 'No really?!'

"Ohhh...Wesa die in here!"

Obi-Wan worked to get the power back; Rae let him.

"We're not in trouble yet," Qui-Gon told Jar Jar.

Rae turned around in the seat as Jar Jar, who was seated right behind her, looked over at Qui-Gon.

"What yet?" Rae started mocking Jar Jar's movements. "Leakin' in here, monsters out there, all sinkin' and no power! Whena yousa thinkin' wesa in trouble?!"

He turned around and looked at Rae who had composed her face into an expressionless mask.

Obi-Wan barely kept himself from laughing as he said, "Power's back."

As the lights came on they shown right on another beast. Jar Jar, of course flipped out. Qui-Gon put his hand on Jar Jar's shoulder and told him to relax, using the Force. Jar Jar slumped in the seat, unconscious.

"You over did it," the two younger Jedi said together.

They ran into the last monster as they left the cave.

"Lunch time," Rae muttered under her breath.

Obi-Wan smirked at that.

When they reached the surface they all stood up and looked around. She turned to Obi-Wan and said, "Remind me never to do something like that again, if I can help it."

"I agree whole heartedly."

~*~

The foursome crept through the streets of Theed - actually Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Rae crept; Jar Jar did his best not to trip or anything.

They soon found a group of people being lead by Trade Fed. Droids. Five of them were young women dressed in red and yellow robes, another was an official looking man, several armed guards and their captain, and finally a young woman dressed in black wearing theatrical makeup.

"It's the queen, her handmaidens, her guard and Governor Bibble," Rae whispered.

"Now just to figure out how to get to them," Qui-Gon said.

Rae looked around, getting her bearings.

"This way!" She started up a stairway; Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar followed her. The crept along a upper walkway to a bridge. When they looked over the rail they saw the Queen's entourage headed their way.

Rae, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon unclipped their lightsabres. They then jumped down on the group. Obi-Wan, Rae and Qui-Gon made short work of the droids.

"Your Majesty, I suggest we leave the streets," Qui-Gon said.

"Get their guns," Panaka ordered his men.

They all hurried out of the streets and into the ally.

Qui-Gon explained that they were the Ambassadors. Bibble marked off that their negotiations had failed, which Qui-Gon replied to by saying that they never took place.

"They knocked out all of our communications," Panaka reported.

"Do you have transports?"

"In the main hangar, this way."

~*~

Things ran as they were supposed to. When Obi-Wan went off to free the pilots Rae thought about following him, but thought better of it and stuck with Qui-Gon.

The droid tried to stop them then all hell broke lose. Rae, Qui-Gon and Obi- Wan finished off the droids.

The ship lifted off. Soon they reached the blockade.

~*~

As the ship took off Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon headed for the bridge. Qui-Gon asked Rae to find someplace for Jar Jar to go. She took him to a out of the way room telling him, "Stay here and don't get into trouble." Though she was pretty sure that was basically impossible. She walked around the ship, trying to get her bearings. She mostly looked for the bridge. A couple of times she fell against the wall when a shot rocked the ship. Finally about the time firing stopped she found the bridge.

~*~

"Here Master," Obi-Wan said, pointing to the screen in front of him. "Tatooine, it's small, out of the way, poor. The Trade Federation have no place there."

"How do you know that?"

Qui-Gon was about to respond when a voice came from the doorway. "Because it is controlled by the Hutts."

Everyone looked up and saw Rae standing there calmly, her hands tucked into the sleeves of her cloak.

"You can't take Her Royal Highness there! The Hutts are gangsters! If they found out she was there-"

"It would be no different than if we landed on a planet controlled by the Trade Federation," Qui-Gon cut in. "Except that the Hutts aren't looking for her, that gives us the advantage."

"If it makes you feel any better, I have lived there before," Rae put in. "They don't ask questions, just for money."

Panaka didn't look reassured.

~*~

Rae stood in the throne room next to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. She listened as Panaka told the Queen, or Sabé, since Rae knew that it was her in disguise, about R2-D2. Then watched as Sabé told Padmé to clean R2 up. She had to hold back a laugh at this; she found it amusing how the handmaiden was telling the Queen to do something like that. She continued to watch as Qui- Gon and Panaka both tried to convince the "Queen" of their views of going to Tatooine. Finally Sabé looked back toward Padmé, everyone finally noticed that she had not left, she nodded to Sabé the walked out the door. Rae followed her.

When Rae entered the lounge Padmé was getting out the things to clean the droid. Padmé nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned around and saw Rae standing there, she hadn't heard the young Jedi come in.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Padmé asked.

"No, I just thought that I might help you clean R2 here up."

Padmé's eyebrows shot up. "Sure." She handed Rae a cleaning cloth.

"I am Raechel Hennel, call me Rae." Rae slipped her cloak off then crouched down beside the disguised Queen and started working.

"I'm Padmé." Rae finally did laugh, lightly.

"What's so funny?" Padmé looked at her grinning.

Rae's answered in a quite voice. "I just find it amusing that the Queen of a planet is sitting here cleaning a droid."

Padmé looked at her, shocked. "How did you know?!"

Rae looked back at her. "I was at your coronation. The queen I saw in the streets and in the throne room just now was not the same one that I saw that day. I knew that she had to be a decoy, then I saw you and knew that it was you," Rae told her matter-a-factly. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Do any of the other Jedi know?"

"No, though I think Master Qui-Gon suspects some thing is off."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"No," Rae shook her head. "He isn't my Master, just my temporary guardian. I like him and respect him, but I am not bound to tell him what I know."

Padmé looked relieved. "Thank you. This is the first time Sabé has officially played my decoy. We have switched places a couple of times, just to see if it would work, and every time it has. You are very perceptive to have caught it."

Rae nodded her thanks.

"How old are you?"

"13. I know I don't look it, but I am. I have always looked younger than I really am, it is very annoying."

Padme grinned.

"Don't just hover in the doorway, Jar Jar, it is rude."

Padme looked up, shocked. Then looked at Rae who smiled reassuringly. Padme let out a relieved breath.

Jar Jar looked annoyed at being caught then recovered. "Whosa are yousa?" he asked Padme.

"I'm Padme."

"Mesa Jar Jar Binks."

"You're a Gungan aren't you?"

"Uh huh."

"How did you end up here with us?"

"My no know. Me day started out pretty okie day then wham. Getting very scared and grabbing the Jedi then Pow! Mesa here."

Rae turned to her. "He owes Qui-Gon a life debt," she told Padme flatly.

Jar Jar scowled at Rae, who just looked back at him innocently then went back to cleaning the droid.

~*~

"Obi-Wan I am going to go look for the parts once we are planet side. I want you to stay here on the ship and look after things."

"Yes Master. What about, Rae?"

Qui-Gon thought for a moment.

"I suppose she should come with me. She is my responsibility as long as she is with us and she has lived on Tatooine several times before, most recently just a year ago, so she knows her way around better than I do."

Obi-Wan nodded, feeling slightly envious.

~*~

Padme and Rae had just finished cleaning R2 when Eirtaé came in.

"Padme Her Majesty wishes to see you."

"Of course." She got up and started putting things away then turned to Rae and grinned. "I'll see you later."

Rae grinned back. "See ya."

Rae sat down on the couch to think. After a while Obi-Wan came in. "Rae, Master Qui-Gon wants you to go planet side with him and Jar Jar once we reach Tatooine. You had best get changed."

Rae nodded, and then sensed the trickle of envy from Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan, I just want you to know that I am not trying to take your master away from you. I never would. He was just a close friend of my mother's, she spoke of him often."

Obi-Wan looked at her, considering weather or not to deny his envy. Then he sheepishly hung his head. "Is it that obvious?"

"No, I only caught the smallest of trickles. You are very good at hiding your emotions."

Obi-Wan looked up, a small grin on his face which Rae returned. Then Obi- Wan put on a mock serious face. "Now go get ready, young lady."

Rae became mock serious as well and snapped off a mock salute. "Yes sir!" Then marched off.

Obi-Wan shook his head. 'She is *way* too perceptive. But after you get used to her she isn't so bad.'

~*~

That's it for now. Next time: Tatooine!