Disclaimer and such in Part 1
Padme woke to the sound and smell of cooking breakfast meat. Taking in a deep breath to savor the scent, she stretched and turned over to continue sleeping.
Qui-gon smiled as he watched her through his mind. The girl really did love to sleep. He had allowed her to sleep in because he knew they had a long journey ahead of them, and she would need all the rest she could get for it. He, himself, could go days without sleep, but it was only something he did in extreme circumstances.
Once he was done with the meat and had set it on the small dining table, he walked into Padme's room to wake her up.
Effortlessly sliding off his cloak and taking his saber from his belt, Qui-gon walked over to his Padawan's bed. She still didn't stir.
Smiling, he quickly ignited his weapon and, with a swoosh, swung it towards Padme's sleeping form.
Fortunately, he had trained her well enough to sense if an attack was coming while she slept.
Rolling out of the way, with a speed only a Jedi could
muster, she flattened herself against the wall parallel to her bed. Before
she had even gotten that far, though, her own
lightsaber was lit and connected with his.
"Very good, but you should have sensed I was coming long
before I ignited my weapon." It was all he had to say to her. When they
had first started lessons like this,
Padme would often yell at her Master for scaring her
or even almost killing her. His only reply was that she needed to get faster.
She soon learned not to question or raise her voice to him.
He lowered saber and turned it off.
"Come on, breakfast is ready. I made your favorite, Aampa meat and Trisus eggs." He smiled and walked back to the small kitchen.
Padme excitedly jumped out of bed, but thought better
of running to the table. Although she ached quite badly to do so, it was
unbefitting of a Jedi and she knew Qui-gon
would tell her just that. Therefore, she smoothed out
her robes and walked politely into the dining area.
Taking a seat across from her master, Padme helped herself
to plenty of the dishes in font of her. Before she got the first forkful
into her mouth, though, she stopped and
glanced back and forth between the food and her smiling
Master.
'Why is Qui-gon making me breakfast? He barely ever does that. In fact, he only does it when........he wants something.'
"Okay what it is? Does this," she gestured to the food on the table," have to do with what the Council wanted last night?"
Qui-gon smirked. He knew she would figure it out eventually.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, it does. This may be our last chance for a decent meal in a while." He watched for her reaction. When he only saw confusion, he continued.
"We, that is, Master Antol, Padawan Kenobi, you, and I, were given a very special and important mission last night."
Padme's face lit up. An important mission from the council! With Obi-wan!
"We leave in a few hours."
"For where?"
"Well, I don't know exactly, but we are being sent to study a newly found star system. Only one planet there has been found to inhabit life, but we know little to nothing about them." Qui-gon smiled as he watched his Padawan's eyes dance with delight.
"I can't wait." She said breathlessly.
He stood up from the table to go make arrangements for their transportation.
'Wow! A research mission from the Council. What an honor! Maybe they HAVE forgiven me after all.' She thought excitedly.
"Oh and Padme," He turned back towards her before he left the room, "when we're there, please, stay away from the generators."
'Then again maybe not.'
Obi-wan tried to remain calm as Padme and Qui-gon entered the hanger. He was so happy that he was going to be spending months exclusively with his best friend. Being Padawans and all, they hadn't really been able to see each other often. One or the other was always off on some mission with their master. And if not that, then it was something else: tests, training, or even just getting some sleep.
As casually as he could, he greeted them
"Master Jinn, Padawan Naberrie." He bowed slightly to Qui-gon in respect, while Padme did the same for his master.
All four people could easily tell how excited Padme and Obi-wan were, even if the two didn't want to show it to anybody but themselves.
Rohhe decided to give them some mercy, though.
"Qui-gon, why don't we let Obi-wan and Padme take the
bags into the ship while we go converse with the pilot and crew over there."
He motioned with his head towards a
small group of uniformed men and women.
Qui-gon got the hint and walked with him, leaving their Padawan behind to relish in their excitement.
Obi-wan and Padme effortlessly lifted the luggage and walked up the ramp into the small cruiser.
Once inside and in a semi-private location, for it would
not do for ordinary people to see to Jedi practically bouncing with excitement,
Obi-wan dropped the luggage and
picked Padme up into a huge bear hug.
"I can't believe it, an actual research mission from the Council!" Padme breathed.
"I know, I couldn't believe it at first, myself." He set her down gently.
"To think, we get to be the first ones to see an entirely new race of people." Her voice clearly held awe.
Before anything more could be said, they heard Rohhe's voice from the bottom of the ramp.
"I hope you two have those bags put away by now, because we're ready to leave!" In the hanger, Qui-gon and Rohhe grinned as they mentally watched their Padawan immediately grab the suitcases and speed walk to the different rooms.
"Shall we go." Qui-gon said while still smiling.
"I believe so."
With that, they entered the ship and set off.
tbc...