"Defining Us"
by obi's girl
Chapter 7, Post 1
Sabé stared at nothing in particular as memories of her home and family came back all at once. She missed home, the fields surrounding her house, her sisters playing in those fields... last night, she had been careless and stupid. Going out to a nightclub, lying to her handmaidens and almost getting killed. It was stupid. Sabé grumbled and laid down once again on the bed, hugging the nearest pillow.
She glanced at the door and smiled briefly, acknowledging Obi-Wan's presence. He wasn't dressed anymore in leather, but back in his Jedi robes, and his hair was combed neatly. Sabé moved over as Obi-Wan sat on the bed beside her. He reached out and touched his hand to her forehead. "Are you feeling any better?"
"I'm okay... How long have I been out?"
He nodded to the window; it was very bright outside and Sabé could hear some birds singing, "Since last night... Sabé, there's something I have to tell you."
Sabé sat up, tucking the blankets around herself, "Is Layla angry with me for lying?"
"She knew, but that's not the point. Not too long after we returned last night, Senator Amidala called and told Layla the assassin had been caught. We're free to return to Coruscant. I have to report to the Council, of course, upon arrival..."
Sabé looked again to the window and listened to the birds. She wanted to believe the assassins had been caught but something told her she and Obi-Wan weren't free yet.
Naja watched the press coverage of the 'arrest' from Sabé's office. A young woman had been charged as the one behind Ambassador Maberrie's assassination attempts. The local authorities picked her up last night, they brought her down to the station and she confessed. A sly smile crossed Naja's face as she watched the young woman. She'd seen her briefly, a secretary at Sabé's office. She was a nice young woman, in her early thirties, no criminal background or anything to connect her to Sabé.
Since Naja was acting as Sabé for the duration that she was off-planet, she got to know the secretary a lot better. Her name was Lauryn, she was the sweetest and most naive girl Naja had ever met -- which made for a perfect set-up. Senator Amidala's security detail was already very close to discovering the identity of the assassins when Naja approached Lauryn. Now that Lauryn was in custody, Naja knew it wouldn't be long until Sabé would return to the capital with her Knight.
In a small drawer in Sabé's desk, Naja found some unsent letters to Kenobi, and in one of them there was an attached picture of Obi-Wan himself. But he was very young then, and judging from the picture, it looked like it was taken after the Celebration parade on Naboo. He looked rather annoyed but very handsome.
"Are you proud of yourself?" a voice asked. Naja snorted, turned and set the pad aside as she faced Lord Sidious.
"Do you mean the girl?" His eyes narrowed beneath his long hood and Naja smiled, "The girl is naive, but it doesn't matter. Once she's convicted, I'll make my move and finish Sabé."
Sidious glanced at the holo photo and smiled, "I see you're taking a liking to Jedi Kenobi..."
Naja rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "If I'm going to take her life, I might as well take everything," she snarled and took the holo away from him.
"Don't lose sight of your task, Najina," he said, calling Naja by her full name. "You must kill the Ambassador but leave the Jedi alone. Do not touch him."
Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth, "I don't care about your plans. I deserve what's mine!"
As she turned to put the holo away, Sidious grabbed her arm, "Don't touch him, Najina. Remember the target, Ambassador Maberrie. The Jedi problem I will take care of in time but first take care of her," Naja was quiet as she shrugged her arm away from him and he left the office.
Chapter 7, Post 2
Obi-Wan cleared his throat, knocking on Sabé's door as she and Layla packed her things. Cora tapped Obi-Wan's shoulder, he smiled a hello at her as she passed him and set another luggage on the bed. "Um, I just wanted to let you know the air taxi will be here in another six-seven hours."
Sabé sighed, "Are we expected to go straight to Coruscant or can we make a little side trip?"
"I'm actually dreading going back myself," he admitted, "I know as soon as we dock, the Council is going to want to see me immediately... Padmé will probably want to spend time with you, too."
She nodded and shrugged it off, folding some more clothes, "Have you thought about what you're going to say to them?" she asked, trying not to sound nerved. "You know, they're going to ask a lot of questions," Layla saw the worry in her mistress's eyes and the same worry in Obi-Wan's. Cora, saw it too. The two handmaidens bowed and quietly left the room.
"I haven't thought about it," Ben whispered, "What side-trip?"
Sabé smiled, "I was hoping we would be able to stop by Naboo and visit with my parents and my sisters, but if we can't, I understand,"
"Sabé, listen to me," Obi-Wan said, "You will get to see your family, I promise. I can't promise how long we'll be able to stay there..." Sabé didn't wait for the rest of his response as she threw her arms around his neck. Obi-Wan sighed, smelling her hair and held her closer to him.
She smiled again, kissed his cheek and whispered, "How long again before the air taxi arrives?"
"...In another six or seven hours," Obi-Wan replied. Sabé nodded and put her hand beneath his tunic, pulling him onto the bed...
Naja straightened her dress as she entered Sabé's apartment; it had been closed off for weeks as it was considered as a crime scene. No one had been allowed to enter the apartment, not even handmaidens or security. But now, the apartment was open but for limited visitation which meant only handmaidens and trusted staff members could come and go. Naja hmm'd, walking around the place, she didn't even notice Anya standing behind her carrying a vase of flowers.
"Naja," Anya whispered. Naja gritted her teeth and put on a fake smile as she turned to the younger handmaiden. "Naja, it's good to see you! Senator Amidala called earlier this morning and told me you would come by... I'm just making the place a little more home friendly for the Ambassador's arrival."
"How sweet," Naja noted, "When is m'lady due back? Do you know?"
Anya shrugged as she watered the flowers, Sabé's welcome home present, "I don't know actually but I assume she'll be here later today. But it's a big relief the assassin is no longer a threat. I had to go back to my part-time job as a teacher; my parents wanted me to stay home but I needed to work. What about you? What have you been doing all this time?"
Naja smiled, admiring some more of Anya's plants, "Working, too. I helped Senator Amidala cover for the Ambassador in the Senate," Anya nodded her to continue, "I admire her... her stamina to put up with all those politicians. She's brilliant!"
"Senator Amidala?"
"No, our beloved Ambassador," Naja smiled, "She has the perfect life. One could argue that a life in politics is a messy one, but I've always believed if you have the power and the means, you can do pretty much anything to help those less fortunate around you,"
Anya nodded and smiled, "I wouldn't call the Ambassador's life perfect but I agree with that last statement about making a difference."
Chapter 7, Post 3
Sabé hugged and thanked Layla and Cora as Obi-Wan put all of their luggage into the air taxi. They'd only been there a week but in that time, Sabé felt like Layla had become a mother to her and Cora as a younger sister. Obi-Wan stopped short in tracks as he watched the three young women exchange goodbyes and then walked further to say goodbye to Layla himself.
Sabé watched as Obi-Wan extended his hand to Layla; she had given him the most trouble while they were there. There wasn't any animosity between them, they didn't' hate each other but at times, Sabé was sure Obi-Wan tried Layla's fierce patience. Layla smiled and gave him her hand, as Obi-Wan leaned down, kissed it and smiled at her. "Thank you for your patience, Layla," he said evenly.
Layla glanced at Sabé and smiled, "Thank you, Master Kenobi... the stories m'lady told me about you dressed in leather..." He glanced suspiciously at his fiancé and she shrugged, "They were interesting," she said finally, "Almost enough to give me nightmares," Obi-Wan's mouth dropped and he shrugged, grabbing some more luggage and taking it to the air taxi. They watched Obi-Wan put the rest of their baggage into the air taxi and laughed.
"Anakin," Master Windu said, interrupting the young Padawan's meditation. He dropped the holo pad in his lap. Anakin groaned, opened his eyes and looked at the holo, "The Ambassador's assassin was caught early this morning. She's now in custody of the Coruscant Downtown Police Unit and your Master and the Ambassador are due back later tonight,"
"That was quick," he said, watching the holo of the arrest, "It only took a week to bring this woman to justice,"
Mace shrugged, "I know, that's what worries me. Assassins are usually very elusive about their whereabouts and don't waltz into a police station and surrender..."
Anakin frowned and looked over the holo one more time. The woman was so young but he didn't feel she was dangerous, "She confessed already to the attempts?"
"A statement was taken after her arrest... I have to confess, Anakin, this arrest and the way she didn't give them any trouble, almost makes me question why she'd give up this quickly." Anakin was quiet as he glanced over the holo one more time, something didn't feel right either about this arrest.