*
Chapter Three - Taking Care of Business
Obi-Wan found Senator Amidala's last trip to Coruscant relatively uneventful, except for one thing; opening himself to the Force while Padmé was feeling ill in the mornings had some unfortunate side effects on him. When the ship was still a few hours from Coruscant, a thought occurred to the Jedi. He shouldn't be so sensitive to her physical condition, getting as sick as she was, unless the Force was with Senator Amidala, too.
Obi-Wan approached her cabin and rang for admittance. He spoke without preamble as soon as the door shut. "M'Lady, are you a Force-sensitive?"
Padmé looked at him in surprise. "Yes. Didn't you know?"
"No. Do you remember your midi-chlorian count?"
"Not exactly. Only that it was just shy of the minimum requirements for Jedi recruits. Why do you ask?"
Obi-Wan clasped his hands behind his back. "It is wise to go into a situation knowing what assets are at one's disposal."
Anger blossomed. "I am not an asset," the Senator snarled haughtily.
He bowed an apology and left her cabin. As he made his way to the cockpit, Obi-Wan tried to decide what he said wrong. The only thing that he could figure was that he'd heard that pregnant women could be irritable. Great.
*
The hours after their arrival were spent in the Senate. After a brief speech to her fellow delegates, which introduced her successor, Belin Davos, Obi-Wan and Padmé went back to her quarters in the Senate Dormitories.
Obi-Wan tried to focus on working with the security staff there and not remember the last time he had been in this building. As Padmé went about getting ready for bed, he prowled back and forth between her suite and the security offices. Finally, when every safety device had been double-checked, every camera monitored, and each door locked, the Knight began to succumb to exhaustion. His mind still raced with memories and could-have-beens, but there was nothing he could do about that now. Obi-Wan eventually drifted off on a sofa in her sitting room.
In the middle of the night, Padmé left her twisted sheets and coverlets behind her, evidence of more sleepless hours. On her way to the kitchens for some hot chocolate, she found Obi-Wan sleeping in a slumped sitting position, head back, his arms limp. Padmé shook her head and walked back into the bedroom.
When Obi-Wan awoke to the yellow sun glaring him full in the face, he was lying on his side, covered by a sheet, a pillow under his head. I must have been very tired, for her to do all this without me remembering. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, mentally running through the day's schedule.
*
Their last evening on Coruscant was spent at a small reception in Padmé's honor, at the Chancellor's Mansion. As he had for another function he'd attended recently, Obi-Wan bathed and dressed in his usual tunic and robe.
He emerged from his room to see Senator Amidala in a white gown that gracefully draped over her body and left one shoulder bare. Obi-Wan blushed furiously as he noticed that the Senator, who had always been quite petite, had...developed...a little. That must be because she's pregnant. It was unlikely that anyone would notice; senatorial robes were stiff and embroidered, de-emphasizing the anatomical differences between genders and species. They won't have any frame of reference to go by, he decided. Feminine curves were celebrated by this dress, and its high waist camouflaged her slight belly. A sparkling red shouldersculp was the only ornament on the outfit, and it was complimented by red jewels in her hair.
Obi-Wan approved her choice, though he felt shabby as he stood next to her. "You look wonderful, Senator." Padmé smiled and nodded, accepting the compliment. The made their way to the area where the speeders were parked.
Obi-Wan kept behind Padmé and one step to the left as they made their way from the speeder to the Chancellor's Mansion. A haughty-looking butler guided them through the richly-appointed halls, past dozens of paintings and sculptures. As they approached the ballroom, Chancellor Palpatine emerged and walked toward them. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Welcome, Senator Amidala, Master Kenobi."
"Thank you for your generosity, Chancellor." Palpatine offered Padmé his arm. She took it, flashing an encouraging smile over her shoulder at Obi-Wan, who smiled back. At least this will be a short reception, and then I can get her back to Naboo tomorrow. He followed the Chancellor and Senator into the ballroom as the guests began to applaud.
The guests greeted Padmé over the next two hours, wishing her well in the future. Many of those Senators who had usually opposed her on legislation and issues respected Padmé for her passion and ethical points of view.
Chancellor Palpatine approached Obi-Wan half an hour after their arrival. "I'm pleased to see you face-to-face, Master Jedi, instead of just seeing a lump behind one of the tapestries." Though startled, Obi-Wan managed an tense smile. Anakin had often laughed at him about his discomfort in elegant social situations; he must have told the Chancellor about it. Obi-Wan knew that his Padawan had considered Palpatine a mentor and close friend.
The Chancellor then laid a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder for a moment, as though to make up for the teasing. "Thank you for coming, Master Kenobi." The older man moved into the crowd.
Obi-Wan asked himself, Why do I want to grab Senator Amidala and not stop moving until she's safe on Naboo? He shook his head and took a sip of fruit juice, moving away from the wall.
A few minutes later, Obi-Wan's wandering brought him within a few feet of Senator Amidala. They nodded to each other, smiling, and were about to move off into the crowd again when a side door opened. Obi-Wan immediately perceived urgent anxiety as a tall Twi'lek entered the room and glided to the Chancellor's side. The look on Padmé's face when she saw the new arrival caused Obi-Wan turn and approach her. "Centicred for your thoughts, M'Lady," he murmured into her ear.
Padmé eyed him frostily over her shoulder. "My thoughts are a full Dactare each." This produced the desired chuckle from the Jedi Knight, so she grinned and answered the implied question. "That's Doctor Dirit Gallay. He's an excellent physical therapist, specializing in burns. One of the best on Coruscant. The reception is almost over, and he's just showing up now, that's odd."
Obi-Wan shrugged. "Perhaps he isn't a guest. Are you at all acquainted with him, M'Lady?" She shook her head, brow furrowed. The Jedi's conjecture seemed to be confirmed as they watched the Chancellor leave the room with Gallay. A burn doctor. I wish that Gallay had been on Alderaan a few weeks ago – we might have been able to save Anakin, Obi-Wan thought. He bowed his head as a fresh wave of sorrow broke over him.
When Palpatine returned several minutes later, he looked worn. The doctor did not reappear. Obi-Wan had other things to worry about.
Shortly after the Chancellor's return, the servants began to present everyone with fresh glasses of wine and juice. Knowing what was coming, Obi-Wan retreated from the Senator's side as the Chancellor approached. Palpatine got everyone's attention, saying, "I am honored tonight to host this reception in honor of Senator Padmé Amidala. I first met the Senator a dozen years ago, when she was elected Queen of our home planet of Naboo. One of her first challenges as Queen was to free our people from a hostile invasion. As a leader, a legislator, and a warrior, she has proved her worth to her people and to the Republic many times over. Now please, raise your glasses to my friend, Padmé Amidala." Murmurs of assent and the tinkling of crystal followed the Chancellor's speech.
Padmé stepped forward. "I thank Chancellor Palpatine for his generosity in hosting this reception. I am grateful for the chance I have had to serve Naboo and the Republic." She smiled widely, as the guests applauded her again. Obi-Wan smiled from a corner. That was her style, all right. Concise and respectful.
As the room began to empty, the Chancellor stayed by Padmé's side for a moment longer. "Senator, please allow me to extend my deepest sympathies."
Her blood ran cold. "For what?"
"Why, for the death of your friend, young Skywalker. He was a brilliant Jedi, one of the most gifted I'd ever met. The loss of a good friend is the loss of a treasure, and one of the ones we must face most often in these difficult times." Palpatine's smile was gentle and sympathetic, but Padmé saw a yellow light in his eyes that made her uneasy.
Treasure. It has to be a coincidence, he couldn't possibly know Ani's pet name for me. And Obi-Wan must have told him about Anakin. She smiled uneasily and murmured thanks, looking for her protector. The two of them left a short time later.
*
As Padmé and Obi-Wan were in the turbolift, speeding up to her quarters in the Senate Dormitories, each pondered the comments the Chancellor had made to them. Padmé had been very unsettled by what Palpatine had said, and there was something she wanted to know. "Chancellor Palpatine expressed sympathy for Anakin's death. I thought the Jedi wanted to keep it quiet."
Obi-Wan frowned. "They do. Though the Dark Side of the Force clouds many things, they do know that our situation is precarious. Jedi are no longer as respected as we once were. Some are even beginning to say that we are responsible for the Clone War."
"Chancellor Palpatine seemed almost to imply that Anakin was more than a friend. How could he have found out that Ani had died, if you didn't tell him?" Padmé was not to be sidetracked, and her tone of voice was suspicious.
Obi-Wan's eyes suddenly seemed to glow from the inside, turning turquoise with indignation. The question popped out before he had thought it through. "How did the Council learn that Anakin was married?" He winced, thinking, Great, Kenobi. That probably was the very worst thing to say to the woman that Anakin married. Trying to recover, he continued carefully, "Even the best-kept secrets can get out, M'Lady."
Padmé had seen his grimace in the 'lift door's reflection. She didn't care; she was too mad. "Since you brought it up, I would like to know how the Jedi Council learned about us." There was a hard edge to her voice as they stepped into the room.
Obi-Wan turned to face her, visualizing himself as a rock, and their anger as rain. Yoda's voice echoed in his mind: Hurt a rock, a few drops of rain cannot. So let it be with emotions when they threaten to cloud your judgment. "I didn't ask when I was last here, M'Lady. I'm sorry. I don't know."
Padmé's eyes went dead. Her anger washed over him as she contemptuously stated, "That's very convenient." Without another word, the Senator turned and walked to her bedchamber.
Obi-Wan watched her shut the door, then allowed himself to speak. "You're not the only one who lost him." He called down to the kitchens for a hot tea, then headed out of the suite for a few hours in the security office. He would return after that to prepare for their pre-dawn departure.
*
Hours later and many kilometers away, a man opened his mind to the Force and settled into a meditation trance. He recognized Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Knight, and Padmé Amidala, the Senator from Naboo. They stood together and joined hands, as if in a marriage rite. That was no surprise – it was what he'd been planning. After a moment, they kissed and faded away, but something else appeared in the same place. It glowed with such a radiance that he could not determine what this new person – or were there two? – looked like. Squinting, he was able to glimpse two hands, stretched out toward him.
Agony erupted in his abdomen, fueled by ire and a desire to destroy him. Horrified, he felt his own body burst into flames.
Yellow eyes opened, their sickly color heightened by the sunrise, blazing full in his face.
His ruin was out there somewhere, and it had something to do with the Jedi Knight and the Senator. He pondered how he might find this enemy before he or she – or they – found him. Finding it would be the hard part, but he would soon come into his own, and that task would become easier.
As to what he would do with this enemy once it was found, that was a given.
*
It wasn't until their ship had actually left Coruscant and was en route to Naboo that Obi-Wan gave any thought to where Senator Amidala would be living for the next several months. To dwell in the Palace Complex would be dangerous – if she stayed there, the news of her pregnancy would be known on Coruscant and a thousand other worlds about five minutes after her condition was visually apparent. Gossip-mongers and enemies might know enough to look for her at her sister's home, as well. The Jedi decided to ask the Senator for advice. Naboo was her home, and she certainly knew it better than he did.
Kenobi requested entrance to the Senator's stateroom. Padmé gestured to the only chair in her tiny cabin as she sat curled up on her cot. He explained his concerns with regard to her safety, and why her sister's residence and the palace were unsuitable.
The Senator nodded, resigned. "The government keeps several 'safe' houses in reserve for friendly agents and people who require protection. As soon as we arrive, I'll talk to Queen Jamilla and ask for the use of one of them."
Obi-Wan stood, smiling. "Thank you, M'Lady." He left the stateroom. Padmé laid down, facing the bulkhead.
*
Once on Naboo, Padmé and Obi-Wan returned to the Palace Complex. They met with the Queen, who had Captain Panaka assign a house to them for an indefinite period. Though Queen Jamilla offered to set a generous pension aside for Padmé to live on, she wouldn't hear of it. Instead, she and the Queen decided that Padmé would earn her keep as a political consultant; it was work that she believed in, but could still do without attracting unwanted attention. When they reached that agreement, Obi-Wan began to breathe easier.
Though Padmé was withdrawing from public life, she asked Queen Jamilla to keep her apprised of any major events that might not appear on the newsnets. "I'll go into shock if I can't even know what's happening out there," she joked. Padmé also attended Senator Davos' swearing-in ceremony, then met with him to go over some minor details.
*
Before sunup the next morning, Obi-Wan finished packing the droids and Padmé's belongings into an old speeder. The Jedi shivered; autumn mornings were very cold here. He returned to the Senator's suite and woke her just enough to put an outer robe around her small frame, then led her to the speeder.
Padmé dozed until the sun rose and shone in her face. Fortunately, her stomach stayed calm for the duration of the ride. They skirted the border between the Dalow Forest and the Southeed Plain after they left the city limits. Following the security officer's directions, Obi-Wan steered the speeder into the forest as they passed a small lake and approached the mountains.
They arrived at the house about twenty minutes after sunup. He got out and opened the door for Padmé. They faced their new home, taking in the sight. "Our refuge," murmured Padmé.
"Captain Panaka told me that this house is code-named Sanctuary," Obi-Wan commented.
"That's as appropriate a name as any," she replied. "Let's get to work."
They entered the house. The furniture was shrouded by covers; Padmé took the first one off the common room table and chairs, raising a cloud of dust. Obi-Wan took it and folded it up while Padmé removed another. She heard two explosive sneezes in quick succession. She didn't wonder at it; the house hadn't been used in almost a year. It was when she heard Kenobi sneeze for the fifth time that she smiled. "I never thought I'd see a Jedi Knight suffer from something so ignominious as allergies," she remarked. Obi-Wan just sniffed in response as he walked outside.
The droids did what cleaning they could, but most of the work was, out of necessity, done by Padmé and Obi-Wan. He carried her possessions into the house while she unpacked in the common room. Once she was finished there, Padmé told Obi-Wan to take a break while she organized her music and books the way she wanted them. Then it was her turn to rest as her guardian fixed lunch.
Instead of working in the early afternoon, they chose to rest. Work continued after eighteenth chime. Artoo familiarized himself with the security systems while his mistress and her guardian explored the house. It was quite large for its intended function, and certainly sufficed for its present occupants – three bedchambers, two refreshers, a kitchen, a common room, and a parlor. It was a little run-down, like the property surrounding it. The weedy remnant of a large garden greeted them when Padmé and Obi-Wan went outside to examine the land. In the clearing was a single, young tree that grew right next to the back part of the house.
The setting sun painted the mountains behind the house a vivid orange. The house was set in a sparse section of the forest, only a few dozen meters from where the mountains rose sharply out of the plain. Obi-Wan was glad that the house wasn't visible from the old road nearby.
Once they returned inside, Obi-Wan and Padmé both picked at their prepackaged meals, their minds elsewhere. She looks so tired, the Jedi thought. "I'll finish up here, M'Lady. Why don't you get some sleep?"
She nodded and stood. "Thank you, I'll try." With a weary smile, she left the common room.
There is no try, echoed a voice in Obi-Wan's mind. He didn't give voice to it; he doubted that Padmé felt like listening to a lecture about the minutiae of Jedi philosophy.
*
