Author Note: Hey guys, I've tried to make this chapter extra long to compensate for my irregular postings. I already have my next chapter written, but I'm not posting it today. You'll just have to wait! Tee hee! I hope you like it. Padme finally gets to let out some steam on her dear old distant cousin Ronteza! Ha!
Enjoy!
(-o-)
Early next morning, Padme and Anakin were sparring together in one of the training rooms. Although it was early, there was a great number of people milling around in the room, looking at the showcases of old relic jedi pieces, or watching the two masters fight. Padme was still angry with Anakin, and her anger showed in her moves, for usually Anakin would be beating her 2-1 by this time. However, today she was beating him 3-2 purely because of the aggression she put behind each movement. Anakin found that he was often taken by surprise.
At last they decided to take a break and both walked over to the desk where Obi-Wan was sitting. He was the caller for their practice session and was incharge of keeping score and enforcing the rules. He handed them both their drinks and sat back, listening to Anakin try to explain to Padme for the fifth time that it was not his fault that her ship was beyond repair.
"I just busted the fuel pipe, that's all."
"Anakin! The engineer said it looked like it belonged to a boy-racer! The only person I ever let use it other than me is you when yours is out of fuel. Explain that!"
Obi-Wan sat up, interested to hear Anakin's excuse. He knew that Anakin had been racing Padme's speeder round the city, so now he wanted to hear Anakin's explanation.
"Well I...um...you need soome new moves."
"What? Don't change the subject!" Padme said, looking up from the book she had been flicking through.
"You need a new technique. I can read your every move."
"Yeah?" she replied sarcastically, picking up the book as though she was going to take it somewhere else. "Well read this!" she hit him hard around the head with the book then stormed off to join Serena in the corner.
Obi-Wan chuckled, earning him an angry glare from Anakin.
"Just reset the score will you. I'll show her."
Obi-Wan obediently reset the score and watched as Anakin and Padme took up their positions again.
"Positions. Ready. Play," Obi-Wan announced and they began again, each of Padme's movements getting more and more agressive as she was continually reminded of Anakin's last comment. However, he was just as aggressive now, determined to get one over on Padme.
Then Padme swung angrily and her saber stabbed his protective vest, causing a beep from Obi-Wan's station.
"Hit," Obi-Wan announced and Padme and Anakin both pulled off their protective masks.
"Ow!" Anakin moaned, rubbing his chest. Padme appeared to soften a bit and went over to him.
"I'm sorry. But it's your own faul. You broke my..." she paused as she spotted something over Anakin's shoulder. Anakin looked round to see Ronteza and Lomas standing in the doorway, admiring the room. Then Ronteza stepped forwards.
"Well well, what do we have here? Two Jedi Masters who are perfectly matched. That won't do. The best way to improve is to go against someone who is better than you."
"Like who?" Padme asked angrily. She had just started enjoying herself again when they had to ruin it by showing up.
A wide grin spread across Ronteza's face as he pulled a training saber from the stand. "Like me of course."
"Really?" Padme's voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Ronteza chose to ignore it. "And you are?" she asked him. She knew who he was really, but she just wanted to make it seem like they had never met before, like Master Yoda had advised her.
If I pretend I don't know who he is, then he won't realise that I do actually know him.
"Prince Ronteza Mercutio Domingues Alberto at your service," he said with a slight bow. "And you are?" he asked politely.
"Mistress Skywalker, fourth Jedi Master of the New Order,"
"A female Jedi, well well. Miss Skywalker...you were at the meeting yesterday, correct?"
"Correct," Padme replied suspiciously.
"Hmm. Have we met before. You seem familiar."
"Oh, I think I'd remember," she replied matter of factly, hoping he didn't realise she was lying.
Well it's not really a lie. I haven't actually met him before, but I do know him.
"Of course you would. My Mistake," Ronteza said, taking a sip of his drink that Obi-Wan had handed him. "Are you a gambling woman Miss Skywalker?"
"If the stakes are right," she replied cooly, showing no emotions now.
"1000 credits a point too much for you?"
Padme shrugged as though she didn't care and Ronteza smiled, turning to his brother who was standing next to Anakin.
"Care to place a bet Lomas?"
"No thanks. I don't gamble," came the reply as Lomas walked over to a corner to watch. Ronteza turned back to Padme.
"Shall we?" he asked as Anakin handed him his helmet and body protector. It was just as well that Anakin and Ronteza were near enough the same size, even with Anakin's huge suit on, for Ronteza was a large powerfull man with rippling muscles.
"Excuse me," Padme said to Anakin, who nodded and went to stand with Lomas. Obi-Wan reset the score again.
"Best of three hits?" Ronteza asked and Padme nodded as she pulled her helmet back on.
"Positions. Ready. Play," Obi-Wan announced and Ronteza and Padme got into deffensive positions.
"En garde," Ronteza said, and then lunged forwards. His challenge was met by Padme and the two began to fight. However it was clear that Ronteza was the better fighter because after what seemed like just a few seconds he scored the first point.
"Hit," Obi-Wan announced, putting one point on Ronteza's score. "Positions. Play."
Again they started fighting but it took Ronteza a little longer to get the point this time. However he did eventually.
"Hit," Obi-Wan announced and the whole room groaned. They had so desperately wanted Padme to win. Even Lomas looked a little dissapointed.
Padme and Ronteza pulled off their helmets and Ronteza grinned. Padme, however, was fuming.
"2-0. Do you want to continue?" he asked with a smirk.
"Do you want to up the wager?" she countered and Ronteza was taken by surprise for a moment. Then he seemed to recover and nodded.
"How much can you afford?"
Padme thought for a moment and then a sly grin spread over her face.
"Winner gets the loser's ship."
For me it's a win win situation. I win, I get his ship. He wins, I get rid of the bucket of bolts sitting on my platform.
She glanced over at Anakin who was about to protest, but she shook her head and shot him a warning look. He closed his mouth, but it was obvious he wasn't happy with the deal. Ronteza, however, smiled happily and held out his hand.
"Deal?"
"Deal," Padme replied, shaking his hand. She was delighted at the fact that Ronteza was so sure he would win.
He may well win, but I'm gonna make him work for it!
They moved back to their positions and everyone watched excitedly. They knew the look in Padme's eyes only too well. Shame Ronteza didn't!
"Positions. Ready. Play."
"En garde!" Ronteza cried, lunging forwards. Padme merely sidestepped and he went barreling past, leaving her free to spin on the spot and be ready for him when he turned round. As he did so, she swung her blade at his hands and one of his fingers got trapped between the blade and the handle, giving it a nasty shock and almost crushing it.
"Hit!" Obi-Wan yelled excitedly and the whole room cheered as Ronteza yanked off his helmet and sucked his finger.
"Oh dear, do you want to continued?" Padme echoed sarcastically and Ronteza shot her a fiery look.
"Of course I want to bloody continue!" he cried, pushing Lomas away, who had come to help. Then Ronteza started to pull off his protective clothing and throwing it into Lomas' arms.
"Since we're upping the wager, lets up the weapon shall we!" he said, walking over to a wall where several old ligthsabers, still perfectly useable, hung in neat rows.
"Why not!" Padme replied, taking off her protective clothing and chucking it at Anakin. Several wild cries went up but Padme and Ronteza ignored them.
Ronteza chucked her a saber and she kicked her training one to the side.
"Lets do this the old fashioned way. First blood drawn from the torso."
