Sorry it took this long to get this chapter up. Darth Real Life has declared a war.

Thanks for reading, Eleia Kenobi.

Athena. Yes, Mace yelled at is a rather nice and funny thing ;-)

Thank you, Farore. And Obi's awake.

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Jango sat in an admittedly comfortable white smooth chair, thinking. The room that was now his own was almost bare, featureless – scarce furniture made nothing to bring visual comfort or a sense of coziness and home. The room was in perfect order, which could hardly be said about the man's thoughts, disarrayed at best.

He had been brought to the Prime Minister Lama Su and finally told what he was there for. And that was the biggest problem – he could not in his wildest dreams imagine what had been presented before him as the near-future reality.

He had been prepared to give his DNA for cloning as he had been told by Tyrannus. He was prepared to the idea of a dozen people, his identical copies, being brought to life by these frail snake-like creatures. But he was not prepared to become a source for an army.

His mind was rattled even further as he had been given a quick round-up tour around the cloning factory. He had been humbled and awed by the scale of what these delicate, peculiar creatures were about to do.

Empty tanks for the clones – mercilessly spotlit glass containers, pristine and terrifying in their spiritless clarity – still stood before his eyes, troubling his thoughts like drops of rain trouble water. He imagined thousands, hundreds of thousands of himself stored into those containers, looking at the world with lackluster eyes of a zombie, and shivers shook him, though they had nothing to do with the room's temperature.

To distract himself from the horrendous vision his running excessively high imagination showed him, Jango started to think about what was the light side of the situation – the money.

They had led him to a computer terminal and had given him the number of account opened especially for him. When he had seen the sum of money on that account he had been hard pressed not to start dancing with joy, ridiculous as it might seem. It was more than he could ever hope for!

With slightly trembling fingers he had quickly transferred the money to another account – just in case – and then learned that it was only the half in advance. Trying hard to hide his elation and at the same time overcoming the repulsive taste discussing such matters left in his mouth he had demanded a clone for his personal use.

To his surprise – a pleasant one – the Kaminoans hadn't refused but stared to ask him 'technical' details such as desirable alterations in this particular clone. The terms they used made him sick, although he hadn't shown it either. Or at least he hoped he hadn't. At long last they had agreed to a clone with no alterations whatsoever, and Jango had breathed in relief.

On his part he had to stay on Kamino all the while they would take their samples and not leave the planet for too long a time. And that was all that was required of him!

A smile spread his lips, a smile close to both a smile of the sated predator and that of the happiest person in the galaxy. He would get everything he might want: a place to hide away from those on his tail, money and something he could never dream of – a son.

*********** **********

Looking cautiously around Brimar entered a foul-looking café on one of Coruscant's lower levels. He had been here before and knew how to go around unnoticed, how to pretend to be one of the customers. But his keen splinted gray eyes kept stealing quick glances, cautious, alert.

The first thing Brimar noticed entering the café was that semi-darkness reigned indoors. The room was dark even in comparison to the niggardly lit street. Lower levels never saw bright sunlight, and there was no trace of fresh air either; but the illumination of the café's interior was meager to the limit. Perhaps it was an attempt to create an intimate atmosphere, or perhaps the owner did not want the customers to watch each other – there was a dancer for watching, after all. A creature of an undefined gender, looking like a hybrid between a Twi'lek and a human – which probably it was – tried to dance on an unkempt stage.

Casting a disapproving sidelong glance at the creature on the rostrum Brimar found a free table and eased himself onto a three-legged metal stool. Putting his elbows on the tabletop he waited for his contact to come.

The music wasn't particularly entertaining, and neither was the dance of the lonely dancer. But beings never came here for a good time – and the owner seemed to be well aware of it – they came here for business.

From his table Brimar swept the place with an appraising gaze. The room held a curious assortment of species: from Rodians to human to exotic species Brimar with all his experience could not begin to guess the names of. He thought he even saw a Toydorian waving his or her short wings somewhere in the gloomy depth of the room. It was indicative that there were no Wookies to be seen. Wookies, he recalled, were hardly ever met at such places.

But it wasn't a Wookie Brimar was about to talk to, it was an Aqualish called Kato Tran. Not a friend, just a guy Brimar had met a number of times while roaming the galaxy from the most luxurious of buildings to the run-down establishments like this one. The Aqualish claimed to have a 'curious merchandise that might bring good money'. He had refused to be more specific, saying it wouldn't do to speak about it via communicators.

And so Brimar came to the appointed place.

A waiter – a shabby-looking droid in desperate need for lubrication, it seemed – approached his table and asked him what he wished to drink. The droid's raspy voice scratched the nerves as chalk on the glass.

Grimacing, Brimar ordered corellian brandy. Not that he was going to drink it, getting poisoned wasn't on his to-do list. The droid hobbled away to carry out the order.

An Aqualish appeared by the door, blinking his large black eyes adjusting to the darkness. He was constantly looking back and seemed to be on edge. Having finally noticed the waiting Brimar, Kato gave out a guttural grunt and wound his way to him. Looking around constantly the Aqualish reached the small table and fell onto a free chair.

"You don't look good," Brimar observed.

The droid with a not too clean glass of brandy on a tray shambled to the table. Kato shook his head, as though driving the fog out of it. Giving a glass to the human, the droid stared at the Aqualish, obviously waiting for an order.

"Cruss juice," Kato mumbled. The droid nodded and hobbled away.

Brimar looked at the Aqualish in surprise. Cruss juice was rather strong intoxicating drink for Aqualishes. He was curious what had put Kato into such a condition. Even the fangs were trembling in the big mouth of visibly nervous Aqualish.

"Rogga the Hutt has arranged a hunt on me," Kato explained, looking around the establishment with his brilliant as black-glass spherical eyes yet again as though expecting to see said Hutt jumping out of the corner.

"Why is it all of a sudden?"

"I owe him some money. You know those Hutts…"

"And what we talked about? Do you still have it?"

The droid approached, and they broke off. Having followed the slowly moving away droid with a tense stare, Kato once again looked at the human before him.

"Yes, I still have it. Cool thing. It costs tremendous money. But I need credits right now so I'm selling it cheap.

Brimar bent forward.

"And what exactly is it?"

"A Jedi Holocron. Ever heard of them? Ancient…"

Now this was interesting. Wherever had Kato gotten a Holocron? Brimar remembered that about a year back there had been hearsay about a Holocron on sale. It appeared that someone had been killed because of it. And then it all had abated, and the Holocron had disappeared.

"Are you sure this is a Holocron, and not a fake?" If it was in truth a Holocron, Dooku might find it useful.

"Sure, sure, have no doubt," the Aqualish chattered.

"And how much do you want for it?"

"A mere trifle: ten thousand credits. I need money, you know."

Indeed a mere trifle, of course if Kato didn't lie.

"How can I take a look at it?"

Kato leaned closer, giving out the sharp smell of cruss juice, and lowered his voice so that Brimar could barely hear him.

"It is at my apartment. We can go look…"

Maybe he wanted to add something else, but at this very moment about ten Gamorreans barged into the café, armed to the teeth. The Aqualish not too beautiful in coloring at usual time became gray and his skin went dotted with yellow spots. Furiously shaking their vibroblades the pack of Gamorreans rushed to the corner where Brimar and Kato sat. Loud shouts of horror and indignation distributed the previously quiet air of the café, but the belligerent dim-witted Gamorreans didn't care for anything, except for their target, which sat at the little table, shaking with fear.

Not losing a second Brimar bent to Kato and hissed, "Where do you live? Address!"

The scared to death Aqualish muttered, faltering, the address. The throng of Gamorreans came nearer. Not wishing to be chopped down Brimar dived into the twilight and hid behind a curtain. Of course, he pitied Kato – in some sense – but charity begins at home.

Gamorreans attacked the poor creature viciously, their battle cries drowning everything else out. Evidently, the Hutt was very angry if he had sent so many people after Kato's head. Provided, of course, that there will be a head left, which Brimar had already started to doubt.

Having finished the carnage the Gamorreans looked around greedily, probably in search of the next victim.

The next victim became a Rodian who hardly had time to give a squeak before they finished him off. Not wishing to stop on what was achieved, but not finding other victims – all the customers had long since abandoned the unfortunate café in great haste – Gamorreans inflicted a pogrom, giving out joyful hoots once in a while.

An owner appeared in the room, carrying a blaster of the improbable sizes. Bright flash lit the room, then another. Someone began to shriek. Gamorreans dashed to the exit.

And then Brimar, who was still hidden behind the drape, noticed something that struck him unpleasantly. One of the customers had stayed in the room. And he was questioning the droid that attended to him and Kato and that hovered about their table throughout all their conversation. Most likely he had heard about the Holocron.

Having finished his or her inquiries, the mysterious customer made his way to the exit. On the road there the figure, wrapped up in a black cloak, passed Brimar, who tried hard not to breathe lest the figure hears him. It felt like chill spread from the figure, poisoning the air. Even Brimar, who had no abilities in the Force whatsoever, felt this black cold.

The figure left the establishment, and the air seemingly became warmer. Brimar shivered slightly.

"What's that?" Brimar whispered quietly to himself. "Is it possible that Sidious has decided to come out for a walk and is now hunting for the Holocron as well? That's no good."

*********** ***********

Hot teasing sun rays tickled Obi-Wan's face, caressing his cheeks, crept under delicate amber eyelashes and straight into his dream. He moaned slightly in protest and waved his hand in the air to drive them away like annoying insects. To his astonishment his hand came to rest against something silky-soft. He jolted to awareness instantly and came face to face with smiling Telliko, his hand still lying on her shoulder.

A thought wormed its way into his mind that this was a really nice way to wake up. Though it would've been much better if she didn't sit there but rather… He jerked his gaze away from her neck and tried hard not to blush.

"Good morning," Telliko said smiling and, he noted, making no attempt to distance herself. Her lavender dress matched her violet eyes, luminous with smile, in a strikingly lovely fashion.

"Morning," he replied in a voice still husky from prolonged sleep.

Grudgingly Obi-Wan lifted his hand from her shoulder and brushed it through his own tousled strands as though brushing away the obstinate remnants of sleep. Telli suddenly giggled, and he threw her a confused look.

"You look so funny with that stubble of yours."

She traced his jaw with the slender finger timidly like a gentle deer about to bolt at any sharp movement, her eyes searching his for reaction, fearing disapproval. He held his breath to not scare her away. For a long moment they stared into each other's eyes, both frozen on spot, slightly lost…

Until a ringing young voice shattered the spell.

A sandy-haired tornado broke into the room, plopped onto the wide bed next to the amused knight and wrapped small arms around Obi-Wan's larger arm possessively, clinging to him.

"Hello, Master," Anakin chirped happily, joy radiating from him in cascades.

"Hey there." Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile at the boy's exuberance and childish ingenuousness.

"How are you doing?" Concern flickered in the wide blue eyes.

"Oh, I'm fine." It wasn't a lie.

"Me and Dary made breakfast."

"Really?" Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow. Since when did Anakin know how to cook?

"Um, well… she did. But I helped."

"I'm sure you did."

"Are you going to get up?" Anakin asked with a slightest tint of worry in his voice.

"And did you buy a ticket to watch the performance?" the knight asked playfully.

He was suddenly painfully aware that the thin silky blanket was the only thing covering his nudity. In fact it wasn't silk, the fabric was just as thin but - and Obi-Wan was very grateful for that - not as slippery. Out of the corner of his eyes he caught Telliko blushing.

"I'll go help Dary," she said and was out of the room in a second. Obi-Wan looked after her.

"You know, they have very few droids here," Anakin said for no reason at all.

The master looked at him in surprise. "You don't like it here?"

"Well," the boy looked at his hands. "It's nice here. And it's, uh, better than  the Temple, but…"

"But what?"

"Umm nothing." He suddenly smiled brightly. "So are you going to get up?"

"No if a certain little intruder stays here," Obi-Wan grinned.

Anakin made a show of looking around. "Who?"

"You!" Obi-Wan tickled the boy who giggled madly. "Now off with you."

Still grinning Anakin hopped down from the bed and went to the door. "Don't be long."

Instead of taking breakfast at the large dining-hall where they had had dinner – had it been only yesterday? - Telliko, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Dar'Yana settled on a vast clearing surrounded by trees and bushes.

The large hall with its tall stone walls, lancet windows and huge table seemed to be more suited for solemn meals then for the breakfast of a little amicable company. And though yesterday Telliko had said that usually everyone at the temple ate together today it turned out that it wasn't always so.

"Well, couldn't all of them wait for you to wake up," the girl smiled when Obi-Wan asked her about this little change in traditions. "And Mato Kalia didn't allow anyone to wake you."

"So you did wait for me?"

"Of course, sleepyhead."

"Don't call him that," Anakin rose to the defense of his Master.

Obi-Wan studied him carefully. The boy seemed to be happy and careless but there were anxiety, vague uneasiness and maybe even fear glancing through the already noticeably efficient disguise, which was, perhaps, the result of Anakin's upbringing in slavery, supplemented with the necessity to hide one's feelings that was a common practice among the Jedi. Anakin's fretfulness wasn't of any surprise though. Obi-Wan could recall – rather dimly – that he had fainted yesterday right in the muddle of the yard. If the boy had seen it… and even if he hadn't seen this particular moment he must have been shocked by the condition his mentor had been in.

Taking a sip of aromatic tea from a white cup, made of some semi-transparent material, Obi-Wan smiled at Anakin, showing that he was alright. The Padawan immediately cheered up visibly. Very well.

Only… was he really alright? He had some doubts about it. He would have to think it all over thoroughly but later, not now. Now he should simply relax and enjoy the lunch, which by the way turned out to be delicious.

The favourite saying of Qui-Gon's: "Keep your mind on the here and now." Why not?

Cajoling his thoughts to stay in the present Obi-Wan looked around as though seeing their surroundings for the first time. The slightly blurred in the heat of the almost noon sun outlines of the Nardiss towers floated in the azure tranquility of the sky. Their stone walls, made of roughly polished large stones, dazzled the eyes with shining yellow. Cool shadow of a huge branchy tree protected the four people from wearisome sultriness.

Anakin's excited voice startled Obi-Wan out of his peaceful contemplation.

"Master, can I go with Dary?"

Obi-Wan frowned briefly. Had he missed something?

"Where are the two of you going?"

"To the river," Anakin replied matter-of-factly.

"We will be fishing," Dar'Yana put in.

The boy shook his head in support, almost jumping with impatience. Obi-Wan smiled.

"Of course you can."

"Yipee!"

Anakin and Dary took off into the bushes. Obi-Wan set himself to the task of helping Telli gather the dishes. He didn't want to think about what he had learned yesterday, needing the thoughts to rearrange themselves in his head, to gain some focus lest he go insane. And doing such a simple every-day job suddenly seemed a very good way to keep his mind on the present.

Having finished their work Telliko and Obi-Wan left the package with dishes and walked to the river in amicable silence. The river wasn't far; its waters filled the environment with silver ringing of flowing water and sonorous rustling of dappled gravel.

Passing the last line of the trees Obi-Wan and Telliko came out onto the sandy bank. Telli immediately threw off her light sandals, burying her bare feet in the soft sand with visible pleasure. After a moment's hesitation the Jedi followed her example. Fine grains enveloped his feet, cuddling them in pleasant warmth. He wiggled his fingers in the delicate sand, feeling the tension start to leave his body.

Small breeze brought with it moistness of water and smells of river, and Obi-Wan threw his head back, exposing his neck to the wind's gentle caress. Clement heat of the sun cascaded onto his face, contesting with the wind's coolness. He closed his eyes and let his feelings dissolve in the sensations. He was marginally aware of Telliko looking at him with eyes shining in the sun.

A loud yell made Obi-Wan open his eyes and look around in search for the origins of the shrill sound.

"Master, look!"

Anakin dived out of the nearby bushes and ran forward, raising clouds of sand. He stopped next to Obi-Wan, slightly out of breath.

"Look!" he repeated. "It looks like a Hutt!"

Obi-Wan gave him a puzzled look. He had no idea what could possibly look like a Hutt on this planet. The boy reached out his hand, opening the fingers that had been clutched tightly but carefully. On the small boy's palm a tadpole was lying, its black backside glistening in the sun.

~Maybe I need to take him out to nature more often?~ Obi-Wan thought, looking at the little creature and Anakin's excited face.

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