Chapter V- Nabooian Hospitality
Lana and Alan bowed before the holographic projection of the Jedi council.
"Aware we are of the situation broiling on Alderaan." Yoda replied. "But, only begun the terror has."
"Thousands of people died in that blast, Master Yoda." Alan reported.
"We felt the disturbance in the Force." Mace Windu said. He paused for a moment before querying the two Jedi knights. "What happened with your investigation?"
Lana began her report. "We followed the investigation surrounding the deaths of senator Organa's employees. It led to us to a clan of assassins. Upon further investigating this assassin clan, we discovered their true mission- not assassination, but terrorism! They had two targets- the Greven Shopping Center, and the ruling council on Crevasse City. We were able to stop them before they destroyed the council building, but the Greven Shopping Center stands as a casualty of the terror."
"Have you learned who hired these assassins?" Windu asked.
"Yes, master. It is... most disturbing. The client of this assassin clan was Nute Gunray of the separatist movement and the Trade Federation."
"Immersed in insanity the senate already is." Yoda commented.
"Senator Organa has already taken the offensive in the senate, accusing the Trade guilds and the separatists of treachery." Mace Windu said. "When his suspicions are confirmed, the senate will explode."
"Will there be a war soon?" Alan asked.
Yoda closed his eyes for a moment. "Difficult to see when, it is. Clouded everything, the dark side has."
"This terrorist bombing, combined with the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala has added fuel to the fire." Mace Windu added. "The situation can no longer be diffused. It is only a matter of time before a single spark ignites the situation."
"There is more to our findings, masters." Lana said. "We also discovered that Nute Gunray gave the assassins a secondary objective- to assassinate senator Amidala."
"Does the name Zam Wesell mean anything to you?" Mace asked.
"Yes. She is one of two members of that assassin clan we have not yet accounted for."
"Zam has been accounted for. The night after you departed for Alderaan, Zam Wesell made another attempt on senator Amidala's life. Master Kenobi and his Padawan Skywalker foiled the attempt, but another assassin killed the Zam before we could learn anything from her. We then sent Master Kenobi to further investigate the assassin. Skywalker was assigned to protect Amidala while she went into hiding on Naboo."
"Masters, we are en route to Naboo now. We have reason to believe that Zam's partner, Dragoon Noré, has learned of senator Amidala's location on Naboo."
"Assistance young Skywalker will require." Yoda said. "Proceed to Naboo, you will."
"Protect the senator at all costs." Windu ordered.
* Twelve hours later *
"I really don't think the system works." Anakin declared.
"How would you have it work, then?" The senator asked.
"We need a system where the politicians can just talk out the problem, agree what's in the best interests of all people, and do it."
"That's exactly what we do. The problem is that people don't always agree."
"Then there should be someone who can solve things and make them agree."
"Like who? The supreme chancellor?"
"I have a lot of respect for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but the position he has it just not powerful enough to do what I'm talking about."
"Just what do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. Someone who can step in and override the vote when the senate deadlocks."
"Sounds like an awful lot of power to give to a single person."
"I know, but the senate is stagnant. All they seem to do is squabble and whine all the time."
Padmé nodded. "I can't say I disagree with you."
"There should be... I don't know, a president or something. Someone elected by the people instead of the senators. A position powerful enough to unify the senate but not enough to dominate them."
Padmé's smiled. "That's actually not such a bad idea, now that I think about it. There's a big problem, though. That system might work for a planetary government, but this is the galactic republic we're talking about. Organizing a galaxy-wide election would be a logistical nightmare." She sighed. "The disunity of the senate sure makes it an attractive option, but I don't think it's possible."
Anakin flashed a devious grin. "We can always resort to good old-fashioned dictatorship-"
Padmé smirked. "Now you're just making fun of me."
"Oh no." He said sarcastically. "I'd be too frightened to tease a senator."
She playfully pushed him away. The Jedi Padawan rose to his feet and ran over to a herd of Shaaks. The senator watched as her Jedi protector climbed atop a Shaak. The creature bucked and tried to throw him off as it charged across the meadow. Anakin displayed his skill in balance, as he remained standing atop the charging creature. The creature finally tossed him aside and trampled him. Padmé laughed, but her grin quickly faded as the young man failed to get up.
"Anakin?" She rushed over the fallen Jedi. There was no response. "Anakin?" She turned him over to find him laughing at her. "You good for nothing nerf herder!"
The senator pinned the Jedi to the ground, and he rolled over. The wrestling match had begun, and being a gentleman, Anakin let the lady win. Padmé looked down upon her opponent, an inflated grin of superiority on her face. The Jedi laughed hysterically. Suddenly he stopped.
"Wait." Anakin's voice was dire. Padmé let him up. He reached for his lightsaber. "Someone's coming."
Anakin put himself between the senator and the western horizon. He felt an odd presence. It was still too distant for him to identify, but he knew something was wrong. This area in the lake country was superbly isolated, and only someone looking for the senator would appear here. Anakin suddenly lowered his guard. He deactivated his lightsaber as he realized just who the strangers were. A single figure appeared over the western horizon.
"Alan!" Anakin called to them. He looked over to the senator, who had the most confused expression upon her face. "Don't worry. An old Jedi friend of mine." He looked back to the two figures as they drew closer. "Alan!"
Alan reached the Padawan and his charge. He carried Lana in his arms.
"What happened?" Anakin asked.
"We tracked down an assassin that was coming for the senator." Alan replied. He looked down to his injured lover and tried hard to hide the emotion that struggled to reach the surface. "She was hurt in the battle."
"We need to get her back to the lodge. Come on."
* A few hours later *
"Hey."
Lana smiled at Alan as she slowly returned to consciousness. "I can't believe I was shot."
"That assassin was practically walking artillery- he had two mandalorian heavy repeaters." Alan said as he analyzed the singed flesh in Lana's midsection. "Don't worry, I took care of him and his three assassin droids."
"I'm glad to see that you're finally up." Anakin said as he entered the room. Senator Amidala followed him.
Lana grinned. "Thanks, Anakin."
"Don't thank me, thank the senator." He replied in sarcastic manner. "She paid for all this."
Lana extended a hand to the senator. "I'm glad to finally meet you, senator."
Padmé grinned. "I only get upset when other senators don't call me senator. Call me Padmé."
Lana nodded. "Thank you, Padmé."
"Ok, now tell us exactly what's been going on." Anakin ordered. "How'd you two end up here?"
Lana looked up to Alan. He shook his head. "I didn't say a word."
"Yeah." Anakin joked. "He was too busy fawning at your bedside."
Alan shot Anakin a poison scowl. His old friend laughed in amusement.
"Quit it, you two." Lana said. She rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time she had to remind these boys to grow up. "Ok, now as for what happened..."
"How are things in the senate?" Padmé asked, ever attentive to her career.
Lana shook her head. "Not good. On the verge of insanity according to the council."
"What happened?"
"We were sent on a mission to Alderaan, to investigate the murders of some of Senator Organa's workers." Lana began. "We were able to trace the murders to a clan of assassins. When we captured the assassins, we discovered that they had been hired by Nute Gunray to commit several terrorist acts, and they had murdered Senator Organa's workers to cover their tracks."
"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Gunray also hired the assassins to kill me?"
"Yes. But what happened on Alderaan is... worse." Lana seemed to finish her speech, unable to tell Anakin or the senator of the most dire event on Alderaan. She nodded to Alan.
"We were able to stop the assassins before they bombed the ruling council on Alderaan, but we could not stop them from destroying their other target." Alan's voice reflected a sense of tragedy and personal disappointment. "Permacrete explosives annihilated the Greven Shopping center. Three thousand people died."
Padmé sighed. "I know senator Organa. He is a peaceful man, but he will not stand for this."
"The situation can no longer be diffused." Alan quoted Master Windu. "War with the separatists is inevitable."
"I hope Obi-Wan has found something in his investigation." Anakin commented, breaking a long silence.
"There is still more to investigate?" Lana asked.
"Yes. We captured Zam Wesell on Coruscant, but somebody killed her before we could question her. That somebody was not associated with the assassin clan you caught on Alderaan."
"Are you sure of this?"
"I can sense it." Anakin paused. "We won't have to worry much longer. I have faith that my master will get to the bottom of this mystery."
A/N: Corrine, IMO, the reason the Jedi Council forbids love (romantic love) is because love is fraught with strong, emotional bonds (attachment and possession is forbidden). Additionally, love comes packaged with a number of darker emotions- anger, hatred, regret, guilt, jealousy, etc and when they are combined with an emotion like love (which despite being good, is blinding) these darker impulses are much, much harder to control. Compassion (which Anakin spoke of) is very different from romantic love- I would guess that it is in a sense a watered down version of love, but unlike love, which can be blinding, compassion stresses understanding of other's pain. Love can often be blind passion. Compassion is closer to kindness than love. That's my perspective on it, at least
To everyone else: more reviews. please?
Lana and Alan bowed before the holographic projection of the Jedi council.
"Aware we are of the situation broiling on Alderaan." Yoda replied. "But, only begun the terror has."
"Thousands of people died in that blast, Master Yoda." Alan reported.
"We felt the disturbance in the Force." Mace Windu said. He paused for a moment before querying the two Jedi knights. "What happened with your investigation?"
Lana began her report. "We followed the investigation surrounding the deaths of senator Organa's employees. It led to us to a clan of assassins. Upon further investigating this assassin clan, we discovered their true mission- not assassination, but terrorism! They had two targets- the Greven Shopping Center, and the ruling council on Crevasse City. We were able to stop them before they destroyed the council building, but the Greven Shopping Center stands as a casualty of the terror."
"Have you learned who hired these assassins?" Windu asked.
"Yes, master. It is... most disturbing. The client of this assassin clan was Nute Gunray of the separatist movement and the Trade Federation."
"Immersed in insanity the senate already is." Yoda commented.
"Senator Organa has already taken the offensive in the senate, accusing the Trade guilds and the separatists of treachery." Mace Windu said. "When his suspicions are confirmed, the senate will explode."
"Will there be a war soon?" Alan asked.
Yoda closed his eyes for a moment. "Difficult to see when, it is. Clouded everything, the dark side has."
"This terrorist bombing, combined with the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala has added fuel to the fire." Mace Windu added. "The situation can no longer be diffused. It is only a matter of time before a single spark ignites the situation."
"There is more to our findings, masters." Lana said. "We also discovered that Nute Gunray gave the assassins a secondary objective- to assassinate senator Amidala."
"Does the name Zam Wesell mean anything to you?" Mace asked.
"Yes. She is one of two members of that assassin clan we have not yet accounted for."
"Zam has been accounted for. The night after you departed for Alderaan, Zam Wesell made another attempt on senator Amidala's life. Master Kenobi and his Padawan Skywalker foiled the attempt, but another assassin killed the Zam before we could learn anything from her. We then sent Master Kenobi to further investigate the assassin. Skywalker was assigned to protect Amidala while she went into hiding on Naboo."
"Masters, we are en route to Naboo now. We have reason to believe that Zam's partner, Dragoon Noré, has learned of senator Amidala's location on Naboo."
"Assistance young Skywalker will require." Yoda said. "Proceed to Naboo, you will."
"Protect the senator at all costs." Windu ordered.
* Twelve hours later *
"I really don't think the system works." Anakin declared.
"How would you have it work, then?" The senator asked.
"We need a system where the politicians can just talk out the problem, agree what's in the best interests of all people, and do it."
"That's exactly what we do. The problem is that people don't always agree."
"Then there should be someone who can solve things and make them agree."
"Like who? The supreme chancellor?"
"I have a lot of respect for Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but the position he has it just not powerful enough to do what I'm talking about."
"Just what do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. Someone who can step in and override the vote when the senate deadlocks."
"Sounds like an awful lot of power to give to a single person."
"I know, but the senate is stagnant. All they seem to do is squabble and whine all the time."
Padmé nodded. "I can't say I disagree with you."
"There should be... I don't know, a president or something. Someone elected by the people instead of the senators. A position powerful enough to unify the senate but not enough to dominate them."
Padmé's smiled. "That's actually not such a bad idea, now that I think about it. There's a big problem, though. That system might work for a planetary government, but this is the galactic republic we're talking about. Organizing a galaxy-wide election would be a logistical nightmare." She sighed. "The disunity of the senate sure makes it an attractive option, but I don't think it's possible."
Anakin flashed a devious grin. "We can always resort to good old-fashioned dictatorship-"
Padmé smirked. "Now you're just making fun of me."
"Oh no." He said sarcastically. "I'd be too frightened to tease a senator."
She playfully pushed him away. The Jedi Padawan rose to his feet and ran over to a herd of Shaaks. The senator watched as her Jedi protector climbed atop a Shaak. The creature bucked and tried to throw him off as it charged across the meadow. Anakin displayed his skill in balance, as he remained standing atop the charging creature. The creature finally tossed him aside and trampled him. Padmé laughed, but her grin quickly faded as the young man failed to get up.
"Anakin?" She rushed over the fallen Jedi. There was no response. "Anakin?" She turned him over to find him laughing at her. "You good for nothing nerf herder!"
The senator pinned the Jedi to the ground, and he rolled over. The wrestling match had begun, and being a gentleman, Anakin let the lady win. Padmé looked down upon her opponent, an inflated grin of superiority on her face. The Jedi laughed hysterically. Suddenly he stopped.
"Wait." Anakin's voice was dire. Padmé let him up. He reached for his lightsaber. "Someone's coming."
Anakin put himself between the senator and the western horizon. He felt an odd presence. It was still too distant for him to identify, but he knew something was wrong. This area in the lake country was superbly isolated, and only someone looking for the senator would appear here. Anakin suddenly lowered his guard. He deactivated his lightsaber as he realized just who the strangers were. A single figure appeared over the western horizon.
"Alan!" Anakin called to them. He looked over to the senator, who had the most confused expression upon her face. "Don't worry. An old Jedi friend of mine." He looked back to the two figures as they drew closer. "Alan!"
Alan reached the Padawan and his charge. He carried Lana in his arms.
"What happened?" Anakin asked.
"We tracked down an assassin that was coming for the senator." Alan replied. He looked down to his injured lover and tried hard to hide the emotion that struggled to reach the surface. "She was hurt in the battle."
"We need to get her back to the lodge. Come on."
* A few hours later *
"Hey."
Lana smiled at Alan as she slowly returned to consciousness. "I can't believe I was shot."
"That assassin was practically walking artillery- he had two mandalorian heavy repeaters." Alan said as he analyzed the singed flesh in Lana's midsection. "Don't worry, I took care of him and his three assassin droids."
"I'm glad to see that you're finally up." Anakin said as he entered the room. Senator Amidala followed him.
Lana grinned. "Thanks, Anakin."
"Don't thank me, thank the senator." He replied in sarcastic manner. "She paid for all this."
Lana extended a hand to the senator. "I'm glad to finally meet you, senator."
Padmé grinned. "I only get upset when other senators don't call me senator. Call me Padmé."
Lana nodded. "Thank you, Padmé."
"Ok, now tell us exactly what's been going on." Anakin ordered. "How'd you two end up here?"
Lana looked up to Alan. He shook his head. "I didn't say a word."
"Yeah." Anakin joked. "He was too busy fawning at your bedside."
Alan shot Anakin a poison scowl. His old friend laughed in amusement.
"Quit it, you two." Lana said. She rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time she had to remind these boys to grow up. "Ok, now as for what happened..."
"How are things in the senate?" Padmé asked, ever attentive to her career.
Lana shook her head. "Not good. On the verge of insanity according to the council."
"What happened?"
"We were sent on a mission to Alderaan, to investigate the murders of some of Senator Organa's workers." Lana began. "We were able to trace the murders to a clan of assassins. When we captured the assassins, we discovered that they had been hired by Nute Gunray to commit several terrorist acts, and they had murdered Senator Organa's workers to cover their tracks."
"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Gunray also hired the assassins to kill me?"
"Yes. But what happened on Alderaan is... worse." Lana seemed to finish her speech, unable to tell Anakin or the senator of the most dire event on Alderaan. She nodded to Alan.
"We were able to stop the assassins before they bombed the ruling council on Alderaan, but we could not stop them from destroying their other target." Alan's voice reflected a sense of tragedy and personal disappointment. "Permacrete explosives annihilated the Greven Shopping center. Three thousand people died."
Padmé sighed. "I know senator Organa. He is a peaceful man, but he will not stand for this."
"The situation can no longer be diffused." Alan quoted Master Windu. "War with the separatists is inevitable."
"I hope Obi-Wan has found something in his investigation." Anakin commented, breaking a long silence.
"There is still more to investigate?" Lana asked.
"Yes. We captured Zam Wesell on Coruscant, but somebody killed her before we could question her. That somebody was not associated with the assassin clan you caught on Alderaan."
"Are you sure of this?"
"I can sense it." Anakin paused. "We won't have to worry much longer. I have faith that my master will get to the bottom of this mystery."
A/N: Corrine, IMO, the reason the Jedi Council forbids love (romantic love) is because love is fraught with strong, emotional bonds (attachment and possession is forbidden). Additionally, love comes packaged with a number of darker emotions- anger, hatred, regret, guilt, jealousy, etc and when they are combined with an emotion like love (which despite being good, is blinding) these darker impulses are much, much harder to control. Compassion (which Anakin spoke of) is very different from romantic love- I would guess that it is in a sense a watered down version of love, but unlike love, which can be blinding, compassion stresses understanding of other's pain. Love can often be blind passion. Compassion is closer to kindness than love. That's my perspective on it, at least
To everyone else: more reviews. please?
