A/N: Well, here it is, the newest chapter in the ongoing saga, and without too much of a break between. I'm so proud. I'm also extremely happy that people continue to review and (presumably) read this nutball story. Thanks very much to everyone who does review, and if you're out there reading, as always gimme drop me a line. You might also want to hop on over to fictionpress.net and read a story called Compos Mentis by mara167, for whom I am proud to be a beta. It's great. Yessah.
And . . . that's all I have to say. Enjoy.
Soundtrack: The Blue Danube (long version), Is There Anybody Out There?, the main title theme from Sleepy Hollow (I am so going to buy that)
FOURTEEN
The ship settled onto the landing platform with a soft whine of repulsorlifts disengaging, landing gear creaking as it touched the smooth metal. Externally, the small craft was still; within was a different matter entirely.
Krista stared blankly out the windowscreen. "You have got to be freakin' kidding me."
Dru was equally gobsmacked. "This amount of water is . . . unnatural. I mean," she gestured wildly, "*look* at it. The entire planet is just . . . water."
Of the three travelers, only Annie seemed unperturbed. She regarded the view with tears in her eyes and an almost transcendent expression on her face. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she declared with perfect honesty, and the other two turned and glared at her.
"Well," Dru said at last, "no point in sitting and staring at it. Time to go in, ladies."
"And get thoroughly wet in the process," Krista grumbled. "You'd think on a planet that rains so very much they'd at least be polite enough to build a roof of some kind."
"But then those great flying dinosaur-thingies couldn't land up here," Annie pointed out.
There was a brief pause. Then, Krista and Dru spoke simultaneously.
"*What* great flying dinosaur-thingies?!"
"Those *land* up here?!"
Annie held up her hands and backed away swiftly. "Just forget I said anything, all right?"
Within a few minutes they'd gathered everything they needed to take in with them and clustered around the gangplank, ready to bolt. "Okay," Dru said bracingly. "On the count of three. One . . . two . . . three!"
The hatch dropped, and out they came.
The dash across the extremely slippery metallic surface went as well as could really be expected, and when they reached the automatic doors that led them inside they collectively realized they needed to stop a good deal sooner than they'd anticipated. This was not as easy a thing to accomplish as they'd hoped; so, when the doors opened before them, all three slid with hardly a surcease of momentum to land in an ungainly heap on the spotless floor.
The dignified slender figure that had been awaiting them stared down in consternation. "Master Jedi?"
Dru managed to disentangle herself from the heap and stand with a measure of her order's customary dignity. "That's me."
"Ah. I am Kimii Ra. The Prime Minister sends me to welcome you to Kamino. We are very honored by your presence here."
Dru bowed formally. "Thank you. It is an equal honor to be here." Noticing that Annie and Krista had also managed to stand, she beckoned them forward. "These are my companions, Annie from Tatooine and Handmaiden Kristae from Naboo."
Kimii blinked once, lethargically, but made no other sign of surprise at there being two additional ambassadors. "We welcome you also. This way, please; the Prime Minister is waiting." With that strangely stiff gait, the Kaminoan turned and led the way into the shining building.
Krista and Annie had wholeheartedly been looking forward to sitting in the chairs that descended from the ceiling, but apparently they did not merit such niceties, for Lama Su (sp?) received them in a less formal chamber where the chair were already in place. A huge panoramic window overlooked the tempestuous oceans lashed by wind and rain, and the diffuse lighting gave the whole room a surreal feel. They seated themselves and waited while Lama Su gave a very long and pointless welcoming speech, then Dru rose.
"It is indeed a great honor to be welcomed to your planet, Prime Minister, but there are serious matters that cannot be put off any longer. It has come to the Jedi Council's attention that there have been communications between your government and an alleged member of our council for the past three months."
Lama Su shifted slightly. "I have heard this as well."
Dru's eyes narrowed, ever so slightly. "And it is not true?"
"I have told your Council this already. Such rumors are false."
Dru spread her hands. "Then it seems we must apologize for the inconvenience. Apparently someone is merely claiming to be a member of your government as well. We intercepted one of the messages between these two false parties and were alarmed at the implications therein. We have reason to believe there have been many more communiques over the past months, but we haven't been able to get our hands on any of them." She paused, ever so emphatically. "I don't suppose you might have a way of finding some of these exchanges."
Those huge eyes with shimmers like galaxies in their depths narrowed almost imperceptibly. "No. We do not."
"Of course not." Dru paused ever so slightly. "From the message we intercepted, it seemed that some sort of business transaction was being made. There is but one business on this planet, is there not?"
Lama Su shifted again, and Annie and Krista exchanged significant glance. "Yes. The cloning facilities are the only ones on Kamino."
Dru widened her eyes. "Then can it be assumed the transaction in question was . . . for clones?"
"The last order we had was for a specialized group of sheep-herders for Markiet. There seems to be little market for clones these days, but it is still possible, of course."
Dru glanced back at her two charges. Krista's expression was identical to her own, while Annie had a goofy smile on her face. "How very alarming," she murmured. "If we had not discovered these communications to be a hoax, the Jedi Council might well have seemed to place an order for . . . who knows how many or what kind of clones." She paused to look Lama Su directly in his jewel-like eyes and her gaze went deeper than any mortal's should. "That would be unthinkable."
"Truly it would." Lama Su abruptly rose, forestalling anything else Dru might have said. "I am afraid pressing business calls me elsewhere at this moment, but my assistant Kimii will be happy to show you around the facility. I will be able to speak with you again later. If you will excuse me, Master Jedi, ladies?"
Dru bowed and Krista and Annie rose to attempt the same as the Prime Minister exited without further ado. Dru watched him go, expression unreadable, while Kimii approached. "Is there anything you wish to see, esteemed guests?"
"I would very much like to see the cloning facilities themselves," Dru murmured. "If it wouldn't be too terrible an inconvenience . . . ?"
Kimii hesitated for the barest second, then inclined her pale head gracefully. "As you wish. Please, follow me."
As they exited the room, Krista sidled up next to Annie, who was still smiling stupidly. "What's got you so happy all of a sudden?"
"He said . . . they're sheep-herders. That means they have sheep in Star Wars." Her grin grew further still. "Sheep--"
"--make you happy. Yeah, I know." Krista heaved a sigh and patted Annie consolingly, as people usually did to her. "Come on, we need to keep up."
The tall Kaminoan led them at her stately pace down a veritable maze of hallways until they came to a terribly familiar glass-lined hallway overlooking rooms on either side eerily filled with identical versions of humanity. Krista and Annie, torn between fascination and horror, couldn't tear their eyes away; Dru's expression was unreadable. On either side of them, the atrocities--or technological marvels--stretched as far as the eye could see, and the strange diffuse lighting gave everything the same surreal atmosphere at the reception room.
Kimii, more than used to traversing these halls, spoke idly of whatever they passed with the blase air of a tour guide; a strange affectation, in her halting and lilting tones. "These are the training facilities," Kimii explained calmly. "The clones are programmed to have whatever skills and personalities the customer wishes. To your right we have union laborers to repair earthquake damage inflicted on populous cities of Ethatka--to your left, a troupe of cabana dancers from Svelte." The spindly arms waved languidly toward the specified directions, drawing their eyes to the masses of humanity. The masses to the right were very efficient and muscular looking--to the left, there was a great deal too much color and frenzied movement to see anything clearly.
As Kimii and Dru continued down the hall, Annie noticed that Krista had fallen behind. Turning, she saw Krista had stopped and now stood completely frozen in front of a room not far behind them. Drawing back, she went to see what had her friend so enraptured. "Krista, they're getting ahead of us. What are you looking--? . . . Oh. Oh, my."
The two girls stared with twin expressions of shock and disbelief at a room filled with hundreds of identical copies of a young man about their own age with dark hair and a smattering of freckles.
For a moment neither spoke. Then, almost idly, Annie asked, "Wasn't Eric going to meet us at the movie theater, that day at Panera?"
One of the figures, spotting them, began waving enthusiastically. Soon all of the innumerable clones were grinning up at them. The effect was decidedly unsettling.
"Now that you mention it, I think he was."
A shout from ahead grabbed their attention. "Annie! Kristae! Keep up, will you?"
The two girls exchanged a glance, looked one last time at the terrifying room below, then shrugged and took off after the others.
After they'd thoroughly toured the cloning facility, seeing everything from the thousands of cylinders full of partially-developed fetuses to the rooms upon rooms of identical figures going through combat maneuvers, Kimii showed them to a room where they could freshen up and await the Prime Minister's leisure.
As Kimii shut the door behind her on her way out, Dru instantly shedded her still-soaking cloak. "Only on a bureaucratic world do they not even have the manners to allow you to change out of soaking clothing when you've just come in from the rain."
"They don't on Tatooine either," Annie pointed out, also removing her heavy raincoat and sprawling on one of the chairs.
"It doesn't rain on Tatooine," Krista scoffed, slinging her bags into the corner and claiming the bed for her own.
"Sometimes it does," Annie informed her drily as Krista settled down, apparently intending a nap. "They're probably just so used to it here that they think it's weird when travelers who are dry come in."
Dru, having emptied the excess water that had collected in her boots, saw Krista stretch herself out and said warningly, "Oh no, you don't. Don't get too comfy yet, girls. We're heading right back out in a few minutes."
Annie stared at her as the Jedi pulled a clean black cloak from her bag and swirled it around her shoulders. "We are? Why?"
"Because I am here at the Council's behest to investigate this planet," Dru replied smoothly, "and the Prime Minister is lying to us."
Krista sat up straight. "How can you be sure?"
Dru gave her a look. "Hello? Jedi." When Krista flushed and muttered, "Yeah, that," Dru continued, "I need to find out what exactly it is that these Kaminoans are concealing. There's more importance to those 'fictitious' transactions than they're claiming, or they at least they know more about them. It's my duty to find out what."
Annie stood and, resigned, slid a gun into its holster at her waist. "That kind of goes beyond what the Council asked you to do."
Dru looked momentarily sheepish, then her determination renewed itself. "Maybe, but nominal quibbles can't stand in my way. I'm going to find out what's going on, and you two are coming with me."
"We kind of figured," Krista said, changing her boots for more stealthy and less soaked ones. When she'd finished, she stood, determined. "All right. Lead the way."
"We're under video surveillance," Dru said calmly, "but there's no audio that I'm aware of. So now . . ." She made a slight cupping motion with her hand, and from the far corner of the room they heard a faint crunching noise. Dru nodded in satisfaction. "And now, since their camera has spontaneously malfunctioned, we're not under any surveillance at all," she said happily. "And if you stick close to me in the hallway, we'll be undetectable."
"Yeah, Luke did that on Tatooine," Annie said without thinking.
Dru paused and turned to look at her as Annie paled, realizing her error. Behind Dru she could see Krista's eyes nearly bugging out of her head. "Who is this Luke?" Dru asked suspiciously. "Only a Jedi should be able to manage a trick like that."
"No one," Annie said hastily. "Not a Jedi. Just . . . a friend of mine."
"A friend with Jedi skills?"
"No!" Annie said. "He . . . uh . . . he hacked into the system and turned all the cameras off. At this one place. But he didn't need to," she gasped, realizing her error again. "Because it was perfectly legal. What we were doing. We weren't breaking and entering or anything like that. It was--a game. A fun game. You should try it some time. Really."
Dru stared at her like she was insane and Krista smacked a hand to her forehead. Annie winced slightly, but decided to just go with it. "So . . . Boredom on Tatooine. Good times--perfectly legal and moral good times. Yup."
Krista made a gagging motion, and Annie just decided to stop while she--well, she wasn't ahead, so before she said something irretrievably stupid.
"You know, I'm just going to not think about any of that and move on," Dru said decisively.
"That works for me," Annie said, smiling feebly.
Dru pulled her hood over her head, brushed her fingers over the lightsaber hilt at her waist, and nodded. "Let's go."
Dru swept into the corridor soundlessly and Krista and Annie followed, trying to be as quiet as possible.
In the hall, Dru made a sharp motion with her hand, gesturing for them to follow her. They moved swiftly down the corridor to the right, into a part of the building they hadn't been shown, the doors on either side of them growing more and more intimidating.
As they moved, it soon became clear that Dru had some sort of destination in mind. Neither of the other infiltrators, however, knew what it was. Under her breath, Krista muttered, "Where are we going?"
"You'll see," Dru replied. "For now, just keep quiet."
Annie and Krista looked at each other, shrugged, then did as they were told.
After several minutes of creeping, Dru shifted down an adjacent hall and, and they followed. As they walked, Dru closed her eyes and began reaching her hand outward, clearly sensing something the other two girls could not. At last she stopped in front of a door, opened her eyes, then gestured to Annie and Krista to make ready. After a moment of gathering herself, she opened the door, and strolled casually within.
When Krista and Annie followed, they found the room to be a long observation gallery overlooking the planet's perpetually-stormy seas. The only other being in the room was a small alien with buggy eyes and three roving horns on his skull.
As Dru strolled casually along the walkway, the alien, who had been reading some official-looking papers, glanced at them suspiciously. "Excuse me, but do you have permission to be down this corridor?"
Dru froze, giving him a look of wide-eyed innocence. "I beg your pardon, but I had no idea authorization was required. We must have gotten turned around somehow. We're looking for the Prime Minister's office?" She smiled at the other winningly, and it had the desired effect; the little alien relaxed and closed his folder, placing it on a nearby table.
"Well, you're about in the right area; you just overshot by two corridors. It's back that direction." He pointed helpfully, then stepped forward and bowed by way of greeting. "My name is Aerbjeik-mashij. I work for the Prime Minister. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"
"I'm Dru Parsival of Coruscant and this is Kristae of Naboo and Annie of Tatooine. We're visiting Kamino on official business."
"What business might that be?"
Dru considered for a moment, then gave him another friendly smile. "We're here to investigate the matter of the mis-communication between the Jedi Temple and the Kaminoan administration." She paused tellingly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"
His eyes shifted away. "No more than what I am told. It is a dreadful misunderstanding, and I'm glad that it's being cleared up so swiftly."
"Indeed." Dru eyed the other thoughtfully. "Can you tell me who might have more information?"
He bowed oilily. "I'm afraid not, madam. I deeply regret my lack of useful information, but I'm afraid I know no more than you."
"Well, I'm deeply sorry at your unwillingness to voluntarily tell me what I need to know, because it means I'm going to have to resort to drastic measures--and, happily, you told me a flat-out lie, which is impossible to miss." Before anyone could fully comprehend that statement, Dru whirled, picked up the small alien, and slammed him up against the wall, pinning him by the throat. "Make one noise and it will be your last," she promised, shaking him for good measure.
"Uh, Dru?" Krista asked tentatively. "Are you sure we're supposed to be doing that?"
"I'm accomplishing my mission," Dru said fiercely. "That's all that needs to concern you."
"I'm beginning to understand how you got so very many people mad at you in such a short amount of time on Tatooine," Annie said with a grin.
Dru glared at them once, then returned to threatening the alien. "Now, either you cooperate, or this is going to be very unpleasant. Do you understand?"
The Aerbjeik's eyes bugged as he nodded comprehension. "Who are you?" he whispered.
"Guests," Annie said drily.
Dru ignored her. "You're Kamino's main negotiator, aren't you? You locate the potential clients and bring in their business?"
The little alien nodded, eyes wide. "How did you know . . . ?"
Dru continued unfazed. "The transactions between Kamino and an alleged member of the Jedi Council are true, aren't they? And don't lie to me--I can sense when you lie!"
The alien hesitated a moment, and Dru shook him fiercely as Annie and Krista stared at her, shocked. "All right!" he squeaked. "Yes, they're true. The Prime Minister witnessed their creation but when he began the order he didn't realize it wasn't with the Council's actual approval."
"Began the order?" Dru repeated menacingly. "How long has this been going on? And what order?"
"I don't know what the order is for!" the little man squeaked. "All I know is that it's the biggest we've ever had: hundreds of thousands of units. And they've been in production for over a year now. Some of the units are already in the secondary developmental stage and nearing the third. They'll be ready for imprinting within another year and fully mature about eight years after that."
"Over a year." Dru's voice shook with frustration. "So Lama Su was lying to us all along. But why? Now that he knows the communiques are false, he'll stop making the units."
He hesitated again, but when Dru made as if to shake him, he squeaked and conceded. "No! He's too deeply involved already. We have our donor and the plans are in motion to fill the entire order. It would be too costly to stop now."
Dru stared at him like he was insane. "But since the offers are false, he won't receive any payment! There's no buyer!"
The little alien shook his head. "The Council may not be backing them, but the offers are genuine. We've already had one considerate amount advanced to us to ensure our cooperation. The Prime Minister would be a fool to turn down such an order."
"Who's paying him?" When the little alien just stared at him, Dru's voice grew fierce. "Who?"
"I don't know!" Aerbjeik squealed.
Dru shoved the alien even closer against the wall, her face unbelievably menacing. "If you're lying to me, I'll become very angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." When the alien simply stared at her, Dru shook him again, so fiercely he let out little strangled squeaking noises like a dying penguin.
"What I really want to know," Krista said in an aside to Annie, "is how Laura knows what a dying penguin sounds like, that she can refer to it with such authority."
"It's Laura," Annie whispered back. "We probably don't want to know."
"Come on!" Dru roared, interrupting their conversation. "Talk!"
"I'm thinking our Jedi has some anger management issues," Krista whispered, sounding more intrigued than worried at the prospect.
Annie, more practical, decided some intervention might be necessary. "Dru? Are you feeling okay? I think you're letting this get a little out of hand. Maybe we all need to take a break, get our feelings under control--"
"I think you need a hug," Krista proclaimed, with the air of an expert in the field of hugging. (If such a title existed, Krista certainly qualified.)
"I'm fine, thank you," Dru replied, her voice astonishingly cheerful. "And I'll be better still once I've slaughtered this little shrimp for not telling me what I want to know."
Annie decided she just wasn't going to win this one. "Okay then. Uh, Abjer- . . . Abker . . . shrimp-guy: don't you think you should tell the nice lady what she wants to know? I think she's out of patience."
Aerbjeik thought about this for a minute, then relented with another little squeaking noise. "All right! I don't know who's actually behind all this, but the orders are being relayed through a contact on a planet named Del Majeeco. When the first agreement was made, I met with an anonymous contact in its capital city, Ormjeeco. It's just a few parsecs away, real little planet, out of the way."
"And that's all you know? You're not still lying to me?"
"Yes! I mean, no! I'm not lying! I met with the contact in Ormjeeco and that was it! But the people there know nothing of this; you'll learn nothing by going there." His expression was honestly frightened, but as he spoke, his eyes slid away evasively, and Dru caught it.
"Well, we'll just have to take that risk." Abruptly she released the other and backed away, holding her hands up peacefully. "Well, thank you, friend. Despite your initial reticence you've proven very helpful. We're indebted to you."
The alien slid away slowly, as though trying not to make any sudden movements. "Ah . . . yes. Glad to be of help."
"Now," Dru said dismissively, "you're going to go away and forget we ever had this conversation."
"What!?" The little alien stared at her skeptically. "As if I could ever forget being assaulted and threatened by complete strangers in my own--"
Dru made a single magnanimous gesture and the little alien's words were cut off abruptly, his eyes turning glazed and listless for a few moments. When he straightened and shook his head, clearly disoriented, his face held no recognition. "Excuse me, do you three have permission to be down this hall?"
Annie and Krista exchanged deeply impressed glances. "The mind whammy," Krista whispered knowingly. "Danielle can do that now."
"Cool," Annie whispered back, genuinely enthusiastic at the prospect. Clearly both girls were imagining all the enticing possibilities of having a Jedi-Danielle opened for life back on Earth.
"No, I don't think we do," Dru said cheerfully to Aerbjeik. "So we'll just leave, then. Tata!" With a jaunty little wave she turned and strode from the room, leaving Annie and Krista to stumble after her less gracefully.
In the hall, Annie regarded her Jedi friend with astonishment. "Dru . . . what you did back there . . . was that really stuff Jedi are actually allowed to do?"
Dru shrugged easily and pulled her long black hair into a ponytail. "I didn't break the actual Code, if that's what you're asking. Such methods are discouraged, but effective, don't you think?"
Annie grinned. "I guess they are."
"Well, girls, I hope you enjoyed your stay, but we need to be going now."
They stared at her. "Going? Already? We just got here," Krista said incredulously.
"Yes, but we have a very important engagement on a little planet called Del Majeeco that we need to reach as soon as we can. We'll need to depart in secret, too, since now we know the Kaminoans are duplicitous."
Even as she spoke, Dru set off down the hall back the way they'd come, forcing Krista and Annie to follow. "But he was lying to us!" Annie panted as she jogged to keep up. "Didn't you see his eyes?"
"He wasn't being completely honest, but he wasn't lying either," Dru said with certainty. "I'd have been able to sense it. And as long as he's telling the truth about that being the meeting place, we need to investigate." She glanced over her shoulder at them, expression determined. "Pack your stuff, girls; we're going to Del Majeeco."
"But we don't even know anything about it!" Krista protested. "How--?"
"I'm a Jedi," Dru said dismissively. "I can handle this, girls. We'll be fine." And without further word she took off running, leaving the other two to once again follow as best they could.
"This is getting ridiculous," Krista panted as she and Annie scrambled after their somewhat alarming Jedi. "I'm starting to feel like I'm one of those corny old sci-fi movies where they just wander around aimlessly encountering new adventures every week."
"Well, technically, you are," Annie pointed out thoughtfully.
Krista snorted. "You know what I meant." An idea struck her and she brightened. "I know-- it's like that old show on the Muppet Show, you know?" She cupped her hands to her mouth and said in a very familiar ringing tone, "PIIIIIIIGGGGGGSSSS IIIIIIIINNNN--"
"If you finish that sentence I'm really going to have to hurt you."
************************************************************************************************************************
In the future, when Danielle looked back on the events of the next few days, she always consoled herself by saying she didn't really break her promise. She did everything she could have to keep up her end of the bargain and stay out of trouble. Sometimes, things were just inevitable.
Not that it did any good, of course.
For a few days she continued her normal routine, visiting the creche, training with her lightsaber, helping around the apartment and occasionally cooking for Obi and Qui. She also spent a great deal of time in the library, attempting to research both Annie's unknown attacker and all that the Jedi Temple had of Sith lore. The results were extremely depressing: she could find no information that seemed to be pertinent to Annie's nemesis, and, just as she had expected, all their knowledge of the Sith spoke confidently of their long-ago extinction or, worse, believed they had never been anything but legends. Therefore most of the stories were treated with a decidedly fanciful air, and Danielle couldn't fathom how much of it was truth and how much simply added to make the stories more interesting.
When she finally failed in these objectives, she attempted to gain entry to speak with the man she'd severely wounded in the Temple a few weeks ago. When she visited the medical ward, however, she was told in no uncertain terms that he was still in a coma, in complete isolation, and not allowed any visitors. The medical ward, home to the healers of the Jedi, was a terrifyingly brisk and humorless place; she didn't press her luck and merely left when she was told to.
All this time, she had little conversation with the Jedi in her own household. More than once Qui-Gon, clearly concerned about her sudden preoccupation, asked if he could help her with her research, only to be harshly rebuffed. Completely clueless as to why, he simply stopped asking and left Danielle to her own devices; she was too caught up in fear and anticipation to notice his sorrow. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was strangely quiet--until the sixth day after Annie and Krista had departed for Kamino.
She woke before dawn, as always, to begin her day, this time unusually thoughtful. Her hand often strayed to the pendant around her neck, feeling its shape and contour as she rubbed it absently. When Obi-Wan greeted her as he came in, she merely nodded at him in response, preoccupied with her thoughts. After several minutes of silence, Obi-Wan finally broke it.
"Sweetums should be coming back today," he commented, seemingly idly, watching Danielle closely for a response. "They've got him all patched up and good as new. I imagine he's very eager to see you."
Danielle, who loved her Nexu nearly more than life itself, was surprisingly unmoved by these words. "Mmm-hmm," she agreed, noncommital.
Obi-Wan decided to try again. "Marie's said she doesn't need you down at the childcare center today. You've got the day off."
Danielle just "mmmm"ed in response again.
After several minutes of silence, Obi-Wan sat down his food with a sigh. "Danielle . . . Danielle, please pay attention. This is important."
That finally got her attention, and she looked at him in surprise. "What is it, Obi?"
He stared at her for a moment, then looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "I . . . I know there are things about you I don't know, and things I don't understand. Your past . . . I don't ask questions because I trust you. I know that if there was anything you thought I needed to know or was just important, you'd tell me."
He glanced back at her after this, and this time it was Danielle who dropped her gaze, slightly ashamed.
Obi-Wan sighed again, running a hand through his hair. "So, as always, I won't ask you what's wrong, or why your friends went to Kamino with Knight Parsival, because if I needed to know you'd tell me." He paused significantly. "Just like I won't ask you how you got the lightsaber burn on your arm."
Danielle's gaze snapped up, a deer-in-headlights look on her face. "I . . . I was just practicing with Krista--"
He raised a hand, cutting off her babbling excuse, and stood. As Danielle watched, he crossed the room to her, expression intent. "You forget that I'm a Jedi, Danielle. I know when you're lying to me. In this particular case," his face turned wry, "Jedi skills aren't even necessary. But don't worry; I'm not going to pry, nor even ask you what really happened."
As Danielle relaxed, he spoke again, and now his voice was low and intent. "But do know that I fully intend to hunt down whoever did this to you and return the favor."
Danielle shook her head fiercely. "No, Obi-Wan! You can't! He's--you're . . ." She fought for the words that always deserted her when she needed them most. Finally, she simply said, "Please, promise me you won't do that!"
He stepped back. "I can't do that. You're one of us now, and I will protect you with my very life--whether you like it or not."
For a moment Danielle just stared at him, then she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. When he returned the gesture, she tucked her chin over her shoulder to hide the tears she couldn't blink back. "I don't deserve you or Qui-Gon. *Please*, Obi-Wan, promise me you'll take care of yourself and Qui-Gon. Please don't get . . ." Her voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Obi-Wan drew back and saw the tears on her cheeks. Touching them gently, he glanced at her. "You're serious about this, aren't you? Something has truly worried you. Danielle, you know Master Qui-Gon and I can take care of ourselves."
"Not against everything," she whispered.
Obi-Wan simply stared at her. The expression in her eyes was unbelievably disconcerting--it was the look of someone who had watched him die. And, in an extremely odd way, Danielle had.
He opened his mouth to say something . . . and found he had nothing to say.
A knock on the door forestalled any conversation for the moment. Obi-Wan went to answer it as Danielle made herself presentable, and returned a few moments later with Queen Amidala, Sache, and Eirtae, all dressed casually.
"Hello again," Amidala said courteously and with a tone of genuine warmth. "It's good to see you again, Danielle."
"And you, your majesty." Danielle realized she should attempt some sort of obeisance, started to curtsey, then discovered halfway through that she didn't know what she was doing and stopped awkwardly. Luckily no one seemed to notice, for Amidala had turned to address Obi-Wan. "I'm here to speak to you about the prince's trial. Kristae informed me that she would be leaving abruptly, but she couldn't give me any clear reasons why." Amidala shook her head. "If she doesn't return within a few weeks, we'll have to postpone her testimony, and then Lyle may never be brought to justice."
"Your majesty, I really don't think they'll be gone that long," Danielle said hastily. "They should be back in plenty of time for Krista--Kristae to testify."
"It was in a few weeks' time, but now Senator Palpatine is saying I need to move it up as quickly as I can, so the Senate doesn't merely brush us aside. And he's right--Valorum does seem to be trying to overlook it, for some reason."
Danielle stared for a few moments, then shrugged. "Well, majesty, just delay as long as you can. I don't know what else you can do."
Amidala hesitated a moment, then clearly decided to shrug it off. "Very well. I'm simply concerned for her. These past few months have been very trying for her, and now she's haring off across the galaxy with a Jedi for a reason she can't fully explain--" Amidala shrugged helplessly.
Danielle was beginning to feel like every sentence she spoke was a lie. "I'm sorry, your majesty, but I can't explain it either."
Obi-Wan and the Nubians simply stared at her. For a moment Danielle returned their gazes, feeling the suspicion in Obi-Wan's and the doubt in Amidala's, wondering how much longer they all had to live, then suddenly she couldn't bear it any longer. "I'm sorry . . . I have to go. I'm--I'm supposed to visit Madame Nu in the library today, and I'm going to be late if I wait much longer. Excuse me." Slipping past their concerned stares, she habitually buckled her lightsaber to her waist and exited the apartment.
The excuse wasn't wholly fabricated; she really had told Madame Nu she meant to come in and speak with her today. The librarian had noticed her frequent visits and inquired as to how she might help Danielle; unwilling to mention either of her two main research projects, Danielle had asked to come in at another time and discuss it. Instead of Sith, Danielle meant to ask about her necklace and the script that covered it. If it truly had been made in Star Wars, a translation must be available somewhere.
When she arrived in the library the elderly woman was expecting her and greeted her with a warm smile. "Danielle! How can I assist you today?"
Danielle smiled at her gratefully. "I need to research ancient scripts--and possibly jewelry. Do you have anything here that might help me?"
The librarian raised her eyebrows, amused. "So much that it would take you weeks to get through it all. Can you narrow it down a bit more than that?"
Danielle hesitated a moment, then drew her pendant out from under her shirt and held it out for Jocasta to examine. "This is the piece I'm interested in researching. Does it look familiar at all?"
Madame Nu frowned at it for a few moments, turning it over in her hand, before she shook her head. "Not at all, I'm afraid. May I?" When Danielle very reluctantly removed the pendant, she moved briskly to the nearest terminal and seated herself before it. Picking up a long scanning rod, she swept it over the front of the pendant where the script was so prominently displayed and waited a few minutes for the files to load. When they did, she scrolled through the information for a few moments before shaking her head and returning the pendant to Danielle, who immediately put it back on. "I'm sorry, but both the origins of your pendant and the script written on it are unfamiliar to our database."
Danielle slumped, disappointed. "There's nothing?"
"Nothing here," Madame Nu said consolingly. When Danielle frowned, she quickly added, "However, our texts on such things are hardly extensive--it is one thing I've been told we have little need of at the Jedi Temple." She grimaced, apparently thinking ill thoughts about her superiors. "I happen to know of a distinguished scholar in the Lower Quarter who is an expert on ancient scripts from all over the galaxy. I could call him, ask if he would be willing to meet with you."
"That would be wonderful," Danielle said enthusiastically.
"Very well. Don't fear," she smiled. "If he doesn't know of it, he'll either have a book on it or know someone who does. He can be rather . . . absent-minded, but he's a genius in his field. I'm certain he'll help you find what you want to know."
Danielle, against all her instincts, had gotten permission to use one of the speeders to fly herself to the appointed meeting place. As always, she didn't dare allow Obi or Qui to come, and she could hardly snag some random Jedi and ask for a ride. Thus, she risked her life and limb and flew herself.
The distance to the Lower Quarter was a sizable one, and Danielle got lost once or twice in the twisting back alleys. Both times she managed to right herself by examining her map thoroughly, so her journey to the scholar's occurred mostly without incident.
The scholar, an elderly Twi'lek named Bisaan Roux, lived in a modest flat just outside the business district, in a slightly disreputable part of town. Still, his building was nice, and when Danielle parked her ship in the lot there was no one lurking around and several other speeders near her own.
Following Jocasta Nu's directions, she located flat 435 and dutifully knocked on the door. When, after a few moments, no one answered, she tried again, this time more forcefully, as she stretched her Jedi senses into the building.
When still no one answered, Danielle hesitantly tried the knob, and the door swung open.
Inside everything was eerily still. A fan blew lazily in the corner, rustling a scattered collection of books and papers, and the rest of the apartment seemed to be in a general state of disarray. Drawers jutted open, overflowing with academic paraphernalia, and various works of art or old parchments were tacked up onto the overcrowded walls. The floor itself was littered with all manner of debris including dead plants and marbles.
At first glance, nothing looked amiss, but Danielle's Jedi senses still tingled, so she drew her lightsaber as she headed farther into the building. "Professor Roux?" she called hesitantly. "The door was open, so I just let myself in. Madame Nu sent me. . . . Is anyone here?"
When there was still no reply, Danielle ventured farther still, scanning the apartment for any movement. She drifted through an empty kitchen, refreshing facilities, a bedroom, and finally into a cramped but obviously well-loved office. "Professor Roux? Where are you?"
The office was at the very back of the apartment, which meant she'd searched the entire place and still found no one. "Well then, I guess you're not here," she muttered. Madame Nu *had* said he was absent-minded. Apparently the Professor had completely forgotten he was supposed to meet her, or gotten the time wrong somehow.
Stepping father into the empty office, she absently ran her hand over the spines of the books on the shelf, wondering if the Professor would mind too terribly if she began her research without him. Finding one that particularly engrossed her, she drew it from the shelf and absently pulled out the chair at the main desk.
She was in the process of sitting down when she finally noticed the large and unmistakable blood stain coating much of the back and seat of it.
She sprang back with a scream, Jedi senses suddenly howling in her head instead of whispering. Her lightsaber was ignited in her hand without her having any conscious knowledge of turning it on herself, its glow less comforting in the suddenly surreal setting than it should have been.
Steeling herself, Danielle forced herself to reach out and touch the chair. Her fingertips came away sticky. The stain was very, very fresh.
Which meant Danielle was in serious trouble.
For a moment she contemplated what to do--then, with lightning speed, she fled.
She flung herself headlong through the apartment, tripping over the mess and scrambling to right herself. She barely even registered her surroundings: all her attention was completely focused on getting the hell out.
She'd reached the main room and the door was inside before a loud crash from behind her made her whirl, lightsaber humming in her hands, to face her opponents.
The moment they revealed themselves she was already swirling into action, blade hissing as it parted the air, straining toward the forms of her robed and masked assailants. Features completely invisible beneath their disguises, they fought her in utter silence, silenced guns flashing and long black scythes glittering as they met her own blade. Danielle could hear her own breathless gasps above even the hum of her blade as she fought, quickly growing to realize how terribly outnumbered she was.
She was holding her own well enough until the lights suddenly went out, plunging them into semi-gloom; she tripped over one of the various items on the floor and her lightsaber was knocked from her hand. Danielle went sprawling, landing on all fours ready to continue fighting, and the dark figures surrounded her in a silent semicircle.
She looked up, defiant, and the figure before her removed its mask.
She thought she screamed, but, as in a nightmare, no sound emerged from her gaping lips. Mind empty of everything but terror, she scrambled desperately backward, instinctively trying to get as far from the nightmarish figures as possible.
Then, something struck her on the head from behind, and she knew no more.