Obi-Wan and Anakin stood side by side on the central rosette of the patterned marble floor of the Jedi Council chamber as the Masters mulled their report. "Track down this bounty hunter you must, Obi-Wan," Yoda said.
The young Master nodded. "The toxic dart should lead me to him once I've identified its provenance."
"Most importantly find out who he's working for," from Mace Windu.
Anakin spoke up. "Until Master Obi-Wan discovers who is behind these attempts on Queen Amidala's life she remains in danger."
"Yes, guarded she must be," Yoda agreed.
"Anakin, you and Master Qui-Gon will escort her Majesty back to Naboo and remain with her until the danger is passed," Mace instructed.
Anakin bowed, trying not to let his elation show, "Yes, my Master." It didn't matter he was transparent as glass to the Councilors.
"See through you we do." Yoda said drily. "Enjoy this assignment you will, I think." His expressive ears lowered as he added warningly, "but not too much!"
Anakin blushed, a little flustered. "No, Master. I mean yes, Master." But he sensed an almost indulgent amusement from the Councilors, even Yoda, rather than serious disapproval.
Mace smiled as he intoned the parting benediction, "May the Force be with you both."
Obi-Wan was less amused outside the Council chamber he gave Anakin one of his looks, half censorious half concerned.
He answered it; "Don't worry, Obi-Wan, I know what I have to do, for her sake as well as my own."
The young Master studied him a moment longer then nodded, satisfied. "Of course you do. I'm sorry, Ani, I shouldn't doubt your judgment. You've been well taught and I know you'll do what's right."
Jacen met them at the door to the Council's tower and gave Obi-Wan a limpidly innocent look. "Tell me, Master, was last night an example of the 'prudent and judicious conduct' appropriate to a Jedi?"
Anakin grinned and Obi-Wan laughed out loud. "No, Jacen, it was not." He put an arm around his Padawan's shoulders as they walked on. "I'm afraid your Master is still a young man and recklessness is one of his abiding faults. Learn from my mistakes, my young apprentice, don't imitate them."
"Believe me, Master, you don't have to worry about me jumping through any windows," his Padawan assured him. "Master Dooku will be leaving for another round of negotiations this morning and he'd like to see you before he goes."
"And I him," Obi-Wan took his arm from around his Padawan. "Meet me in Analysis, Jacen." He turned to Anakin. "Take care of our Master," he smiled, "and of yourself."
"I will," he promised. "Find out who's threatening Padme."
"I most certainly will," Obi-Wan promised in return and swept off down a branching corridor.
Anakin and Jacen continued on towards the speeder bays. "That's a nice little craft you picked up," Jacen observed.
Anakin winced. "Yeah, I'm gonna have to find out who it belongs to and get it back to him."
"That should be fun." Jacen glanced sidelong up at his friend. "You were right, she is beautiful."
Anakin smiled, a little sadly. "She surely is."
….
"I agree with your General Binks, the Spice Miners of Naboo could never have afforded the fees charged by such a uniquely gifted assassin, not to mention the bounty hunter acting as go-between." Yan Dooku and Obi-Wan walked side by side down yet another of the wide, airy Temple corridors.
"And the Separatists?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Have some very powerful and wealthy backers, including the Trade Federation." Dooku looked down at the younger Master. "And we know who is behind the Trade Federation."
"Or was ten years ago," Obi-Wan agreed, troubled. "Be careful, Master, if the Sith is behind the Separatist movement you will be in danger."
But the old Master shook his head. "It is too late for caution, Obi-Wan. The storm is almost upon us. We have no choice now but to take risks." His tone was grim. "I fear we are already playing the Sith's game."
"So do I," Obi-Wan agreed quietly. He extracted the toxic dark from a pouch on his belt. "Master, have you ever seen anything like this before?"
Dooku took it delicately between finger and thumb, studied it and shook his head. "I've seen darts similar to this one on planets beyond the Outer Rim but I'm afraid I can't tell you which world yours comes from."
"Hopefully Analysis will be able to narrow it down," Obi-Wan said taking the dart back.
Their corridor had become a gallery overlooking the central atrium for the mid-levels. The Master glanced over the railing. "I see my traveling companion is waiting for me." They descended a broad flight of stairs to meet her.
Sly Moore was an Umbaran and one of the Chancellor's most trusted aides. A very tall woman hairless, with finely modeled features, her pallid skin tinted with violet shadows. She was enfolded in the stiff cylinder of an Umbaran shadow cloak its shaggy surface looked dull grey to beings with a normal visual range but was richly colorful to the white, ultra-violet seeing eyes of an Umbaran.
"Madame Moore, I trust I haven't kept you waiting."
"Not at all, Master Dooku, I have only just arrived." her voice was soft, almost whispery, and as colorless as skin and cloak.
Dooku turned to Obi-Wan. "May the Force be with you, my young friend."
"And with you, Master.
The session with the Analysis droid proved disappointing. "Results negative." SP-4 announced as its screens went blank.
"I beg your pardon?" said Obi-Wan, startled.
"The subject item cannot be identified," the droid clarified, returning the dart to the Jedi. "Its design does not match any known culture."
"I see." Obi-Wan looked at the dart in his palm then back at the Analysis droid. "How do you explain that?"
"It must have been made by some individual to his own design," SP-4 returned with mechanical dignity. "I am sorry I cannot be of more assistance."
"That's quite all right. Thank you for your help."
"I thought Analysis could identify anything," Jacen said as soon as they were out of range of the droid's audio receptors.
His Master shook his head. "They've failed before, but I think I know somebody who might be better informed."
Jacen grinned. "You mean one of your disreputable friends."
"Dex is completely reformed and very respectable these days," Obi-Wan retorted.
"Just don't eat his cooking," Jacen muttered.
Dex's Diner was a small food station on the fringes of one of Coruscant's biggest freight ports. Its regulars were a tough, somewhat raucous lot but they got very quiet when two Jedi walked in.
A waitress droid rolled up to them on a unipod wheel, balancing dirty plates in sticklike arms. "Can I help ya?"
"I'm looking for Dex," The Master told her.
The atmosphere of the diner visibly congealed. "Waddya want him for?" the waitress droid demanded warily.
"He's not in trouble," Obi-Wan assured her. "It's personal."
Clearly unconvinced she rolled to the service hatch behind the counter, "Someone to see ya, honey, a Jedi by the looks of him."
A familiar, massive head poked through the hatch and lit up in a huge grin, "Obi-Wan and little Jace!"
"Hey, Dex," the Master smiled.
"Take a seat! Be right with you."
The waitress droid seemed to shrug. "You wanna a couple of cups of ardees?"
"Oh yes, please," Obi-Wan said politely.
A pretty blond girl in a very brief blue dress appeared at their booth moments later with a tray and two cups, closely followed by Dex Jettster himelf, a massive Besalisk beaming all over his froglike face and wrapping his four beefy arms enthusiastically but carefully around Obi-Wan, "Hey, ol' buddy!"
"Good to see you, Dex," the Master said returning the embrace. They sat down, the Besalisk barely managing to squeeze himself between table and seat.
Jacen took his cup of ardees over to a nearby stool at the counter.
"So, my friend, what can I do for ya?" Dex wanted to know.
"You can tell me what this is," Obi-Wan dropped the dart on the table between them.
"Well, whaddya know," Dex said softly, picking it up for a closer look.
"So, you're old friends of Dex's are ya?"
Startled Jacen looked across the counter to see the pretty blond waitress leaning opposite. "Uh, yeah." he stammered. "We ran into each other a few times out on the Rim."
"You really a Jedi?"
"That's right."
Behind him he heard Dex say; "This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino sabredart."
"My name's Hermione, Hermione Bagwa," the girl said, pulling his attention back to her.
"Oh, uh - Jacen, Jacen Darklighter." he took her proffered hand awkwardly.
"Nice to meet ya." Big blue eyes looked full into his for a instant before sticky black lashes fluttered down to veil them. "This is awful exciting. I never thought I'd meet a real live Jedi Knight."
Jacen cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well you hang around Dex you're likely to meet all kinds of people."
"These funny little cuts on the side give it away," Dex was explaining to Obi-Wan. "Those Analysis droids you've got only focus on symbols -"
"Don't I know it," Hermione answered. "You wouldn't believe some of the people who come in here - but I guess you would, being a Jedi and all."
"We - uh - do meet all kinds," Jacen admitted. Lately most of them seemed to be young, female and attractive.
Dex: "- it's beyond the Outer Rim. I'd say about twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze. -"
Hermione dreamily: "It must be exciting, travelling all around the Republic, protecting the peace and rescuing people -"
"These Kaminoans keep to themselves. They're cloners, damned good ones too."
"I want to travel too someday. I'd like to go somewhere green and open, like Alderaan maybe. Have you been to Alderaan?"
"Uh, no, it's a very peaceful world, not much call for Jedi there," Jacen answered. "But I hear it's very beautiful."
Hermione sighed. "I've seen pictures. Miles and miles of grassland with no buildings at all, blue skies and not a flier in sight."
"Very different from Coruscant," Jacen agreed.
"I might not like it, once I was there." she mused. "All that openness could be kind of scary - and lonely too with no people around."
"They have cities," Jacen assured her, "not like here of course, little cities."
"You're wastin' your time, honey," Dex boomed suddenly right at Jacen's shoulder. "Jedi aren't allowed girlfriends."
"We're just talking." Jacen said hastily, blushing.
"That's right," Hermione agreed, "just a little friendly conversation, no cause for you to be implyin' things, Dex."
"Jacen." he turned gratefully to his Master. "Time to go," said Obi-Wan
"Yes, Master. Uh - nice talking to you, Hermione. I hope you get to Alderaan someday."
"Thanks. Nice talking to you too."
Jacen gave her a shaky smile and followed his Master out of the diner, gratefully but with a touch of regret too.
"How much of my conversation with Dex did you overhear?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Just that the dart comes from a world called Kamino and the inhabitants are cloners," Jacen answered. "I don't think I've ever heard of it before."
"Me either. Let's see what the archives have on it."
…
Over the years Anakin had visited the Senate building many times but only the outer offices. The last time he'd walked the curving corridors encircling the great rotunda it'd been as a small, shabby former slave with Tatooine sand in his shoes and a gangly adolescent Gungan by his side.
He turned his head to smile at Jar Jar. "Remember the last time we came this way together, General?"
Jar Jar nodded emphatically. "Mesa surely does. Yousa just so high," he held a hand about a meter above the floor, "and mesa not likin' this strange place at all."
"Well it's certainly not strange to you now, Representative Binks." Anakin said.
Jar Jar nodded again, ruefully this time. "When Queen suggestin' Gungans send associate representative everybody sayin' mesa's the one to go." He shrugged helplessly. "So what is mesa to do but say yes?"
"That's the problem with being a hero, Jar Jar, people expect a lot of you."
"Yousa can say that again!"
They were walking side by side at the end of a small procession with the Queen at its head flanked by Captain Typho and Qui-Gon. They were followed by Rabe, Eirtae and Sache, the latter newly returned from the hospital, all between files of the Chancellor's special Red Guards. Palpatine wasn't taking any chances with the safety of his former Queen's.
Anakin relaxed a little as they left the public corridors for the suite of offices behind the Naboo's senatorial box. Jamillia was waiting for them in an elegantly decorated conference room with two of the other leaders of the anti-militarist faction.
Amidala seated herself on the throne at the head of the long table, Qui-Gon and Anakin quietly taking up stations on either side of her.
"Your Majesty," Jamillia said formally, "may I present His Royal Highness Prince Bail Organa of Alderaan." A darkly handsome man, dressed with surprising simplicity considering his royal and senatorial rank, stepped forward to bow over the hand the Queen offered him. "And this is Senator Horox Rydder of the Anx." The tall non-Human bobbed his long, green, sickle shaped head.
"I am pleased to meet you both," said the Queen in the deep, Core-worlds accented voice she used for state occasions. "Senator Jamillia has told me how hard you have worked for our cause."
"We have done what we can, Your Majesty," Bail Organa said taking a seat at the table. "But we lose ground every time a new system joins the separatists."
"Loyal worlds afraid are," Senator Rydder hissed softly from his place on the other side of the table. "Fear attack by droid armies of Commerce Guilds."
"I understand their fear very well," Amidala assured him. "But to threaten force will almost certainly precipitate the very war we all wish to avoid."
"Indeed," Prince Organa agreed. "Your Majesty's victory over the Trade Federation ten years ago is well known and much admired. It is our hope that your voice will carry greater weight than ours."
"I share your hope. For all our sakes," said Amidala.
Anakin handed the Queen into the senatorial box, her bulky, cumbersome robes and heavy golden headress making assistance imperative. Senator Jarmillia's gown was only a little less voluminous with full, tiered skirts and a filmy veil falling down her back to the floor. Somehow they managed to wedge themselves side by side on the two chairs in the center of the box.
Jar Jar took one of the seats inset into the side of the box, Rabe and Eirtae shrouded in deep hooded indigo cloaks beside him. Corde, the senior of the Senator's handmaidens her face overshadowed by a lace veil, took the side seat nearest Jamillia. Anakin sat next to her his hood pulled well over his face with hands tucked into sleeves, and the Master took the last seat. Their visible presence was highly unusual - as a rule Jedi prefer not to call attention to themselves but in this case Master Qui-Gon considered it wise to make it very clear to the Senators and the people of Coruscant, including potential assassins, that Amidala was under the protection of the Order.
The military appropriations debate dragged on, as it had for days now, pre-empting all other business. Senator Ask Aak of Malastare had the floor. "- We must confront these rebels now, and we need an army to do so!"
Another pod edged forward containing the corpulent blue skinned Senator Orn Fre Taa, overdressed as usual, with his bevy of scantily clad Twi'lek 'aides' whispering and giggling in the seats behind him. "The Republic needs more security now!" He proclaimed, "before it comes to war."
Anakin shook his head in the shelter of his hood. Fear attracts the fearful. Padme was right, an army would guarantee war.
On the podium Palpatine was making the same point. "May I remind the Senator from Malastare that negotiations are still ongoing with the Separatists. Our objective is peace, not war."
Cheers and boos came from the senatorial boxes. 'They sound like a pod-racing crowd not a legislature,' Anakin thought in disgust.
"Order, we shall have order!" Mas Amedda roared from the podium as the Chancellor settled wearily back in his chair. Gradually the noise died down. Palpatine looked across the vast gulf of the rotunda directly at the Naboo box.
Jamillia nodded to Jar Jar who rose and moved to the controls. The pod detached itself from the wall and floated towards the podium. Anakin felt the attention of the senate focus itself upon them, beating down like the Tatooine sun, and shrank into the protection of his hooded robe.
"The chair recognizes the Senator from Naboo," Mas Amedda announced, smiling and nodding to Jamillia as she rose and came forward.
"Chancellor Palpatine, distinguished members of the Senate, I ask your attention for Queen Amidala of the Naboo."
Cheers and applause exploded from all over the senate chamber as Jamillia and Jar Jar moved aside, bowing, and the Queen took their place. Her white painted face was regally expressionless within the frame of her massive crown, robes and jewels glittered in the subdued light of the great rotunda.
"It is with great pleasure the chair recognizes her Majesty of Naboo." Palpatine said as soon as he could make himself heard.
"Chancellor, honorable Senators." the Queen's voice rang out in the attentive silence. "My world of Naboo and I personally have suffered the miseries of war firsthand. I have no wish to repeat that experience.
"The Separatists are wrong to break with the Republic but none of us can deny they have many legitimate grievances. Surely it is better to address those grievances and welcome our erring brothers back into our union. Negotiation, not force is the path we must pursue.
"If this motion passes and an army is formed the separatists will regard it as an act of war. If we offer them violence they will show us violence in return! Many will lose their lives and all will suffer. The very foundations of the Republic will be threatened. Senators I beg you to vote against this security measure which can only lead to a war none of us wants."
Surrounded by echoing silence Amidala returned to her seat. 'She's made them think,' Anakin said to himself. But the spell passed quickly, by the time their pod docked back in its place the endless, pointless wrangling had begun again with Prince Organa struggling vainly to hold the floor against the verbal onslaughts of Senator Ask Aak and his supporters.
Suddenly Senator Orn Fre Taa's booming voice rose above them all. "I motion to defer the vote!"
"What?" Jamillia sprang indignantly to her feet, "Objection! There's already been too much delay in this matter!"
The Chancellor covered his eyes briefly in a gesture almost of despair then pushed himself to his feet. "A motion for deferral has been made. Unless the Senator will agree to withdraw the motion it must be put to vote."
"I do not withdraw it. I demand a vote!"
Jamillia turned her back on the rotunda to face the Queen. "That tears it, another delay to 'consider our options'."
Amidala's eyes closed for a moment. "I've said what I came to say," she said quietly in Padme's voice. "Get me out of here."
Anakin was on his feet and at her side before he had a chance to think. "Come with me, Padme, I'll take you home."
She reached out to grip his hand tightly. "Thank you, Ani."
"You made a real impression in there," Anakin told her quietly as they moved through the Naboo suite and out into the public corridors trailed by the handmaidens with Master Qui-Gon, silent and watchful, bringing up the rear. "I don't know how you do it. I'd be scared speechless with all those eyes on me."
She managed a little smile, cracking the formality of the white mask. "The secret is to focus on just one person, in this case the Chancellor." Her smile faded. "He doesn't look well, Ani."
"I know," he sighed. "You see what he's up against."
"And poor Jamillia," she agreed. "Oh, Ani, do you really think I did any good in there?"
"I know you did, I could feel it. Who knows maybe this new delay is a good thing - maybe some minds will change."
"I hope so."
….
Amidala was lying on her bed, the same bed she'd been chased out of the night before, when she heard voices in the outer room and sat up. The door opened and Sache came in. "Senator Jamillia is back, your Highness, and Prince Bail is with her."
And that meant she'd have to dress up at least a little. "Give me the white wrap and the little silver diadem." she ordered. "I won't bother with the paint."
She entered the sitting room some ten minutes later dressed in a simple white draped gown with her hair piled high above a silver filigree bandeau. "I take it the motion passed?"
Jamillia nodded.
"Please don't be discouraged, Your Majesty," Bail Organa said gently. "Your speech made a strong impression on the senate - I believe it may have brought some of the waverers over to our side."
She smiled wryly. "You're trying to make me feel better, Your Highness."
"I am," he admitted. "But it's also the truth."
Amidala sat down on one of the couches. "How long will this 'deferral' be?"
"Three days," Jamillia answered.
Amidala bit her lip. "I had intended to wait for the vote -" she began.
"With your Majesty's permission," Master Qui-Gon broke in quietly. "Considering what has already happened I feel it would be unwise for you to remain on Coruscant."
"Absolutely," Jamillia agreed firmly. "Go home, Ammi, you'll be safe there."
"Go home in what?" Amidala asked. "My ship was destroyed."
"I had intended to offer your Majesty a Republic cruiser." Chancellor Palpatine stood in the entrance looking ill and discouraged despite his smile with a trio of Red Guards just visible behind him.
"Chancellor," Amidala got quickly to her feet and went to take him by the hand. "You're very generous but can you spare a cruiser in these difficult times?"
"Of course, the Republic has thousands of cruisers, your Majesty, but Naboo has only one Queen." He patted the hand holding his. "As a loyal former subject I want to see her safe back home."
"They'll accuse you of favoritism, Excellency," Anakin said lightly, almost teasingly.
"Let them!" the Chancellor's smile faded as he looked down at the Queen. "I feel somewhat responsible, Amidala. I did ask you to come after all, if I'd had the faintest idea any of this was going to happen -"
"You couldn't have known." She drew the Chancellor to sit by her on the couch, Bail and Jamillia took the one opposite one with the Jedi and handmaidens standing around them.
Palpatine looked up at Qui-Gon. "You will accompany her Majesty of course."
The Master nodded. "We have been ordered to stay with the Queen until her assailant is caught."
"Excellent. I must say that makes me feel better. Has young Master Kenobi made any progress?"
"The assassin responsible for the attack on the ship and last night's attempt was killed before she could be questioned -" Qui-Gon began.
The Chancellor cut in horrified; "Last night's attempt! Your Majesty, why wasn't I told?"
The Master's eyebrows rose slightly. "Master Kenobi and my Padawan Anakin Skywalker made a full report to the Jedi Council which should have been immediately transmitted to your Excellency's office."
"Perhaps it was," Palpatine was still visibly shaken. "I haven't been back to my office since last night." he grimaced. "And my aides are sometimes overprotective. They may have decided not to worry me. You say the assassin is dead?"
"Yes. But we have not yet established who she was working for. Obi-Wan suspects the Trade Federation."
"A personal vendetta? Yes that seems very possible." Palpatine's concerned frown deepened. "You must go back to Naboo, Your Majesty, you will be much less vulnerable there. Please accept my offer of a cruiser."
"Of course I will. You mustn't worry about me, Chancellor." Amidala smiled at Anakin and his Master. "I am very well protected."