A/N: Here it is, the concluding part. Sabé starts a new life free of bad-memory-bringing Jedi. But it can only last so long…

The Jedi and the Thief – Part Two.

When Sabé made it off planet without anyone following her, she realised she had escaped successfully. But what to do now? Her thieving days were over, she knew. Now that a Jedi knew of her it wouldn't be safe. She would have to find another way to make a living, and a place to settle. But this was not the main reason for her sudden change of heart. She knew the real one, but decided never to admit to it, not aloud to herself or anyone else.

Now that that was sorted it was time to consider where to go. Not back to Alderaan. They knew her there, and she would never fit back into good society. Coruscant? Absolutely not. Corellia? She had friends there. Jonash Solo had once helped her out of a tricky situation. But that was part of her old life. If she was to start a new one successfully all remnants of the old must be left behind. Alderaan would have been ideal. So where was like Alderaan? Hapes? No. Chad? Too wet. Yavin? Too many trees.

Then it hit her. Naboo. It was perfect. Small, peaceful, too peaceful for anything worthy of Jedi attention to happen. Perfect. Mind made up, she punched in the coordinates and made the jump to hyperspace.

When she landed in Naboo's capital city, Theed, the first thing she did was sell the ship. Then she bought a change of clothes and laid her black jumpsuit aside for what would hopefully be the last time. Keeping an eye out for job opportunities she wandered around the city, getting her bearings. It really was a beautiful place, and she tried not to stare as she walked, knowing it would make her look like an offworlder.

As she flitted from one market stall to the other, she listened to the locals' gossip. Many of them were talking about a new Queen, and Sabé made up her mind to find out who it was and what she was like. The general impression she was getting from the locals was that she was mostly popular.

Then she heard something of interest. The new Queen was short of one of her handmaidens, and was looking for someone to fill the position. Sabé at once turned on her heel and headed for the palace, which was the dominant iconic building in all of Theed. A palace. The last place in the galaxy that officials would look for a thief in hiding. She was quietly confidant as she headed up to the main entrance.

No sooner had she taken three steps inside when a voice cried, "Your Highness! Where have you been? We advised against you going out without a handmaiden or a guard!"

Sabé turned, perplexed, to see an elderly man hurrying over to her. "Excuse me, sir, I think you must be mistaken. My name is Sabé. I've come to try out for the handmaiden job."

The man halted sharply, scrutinising her. Then his face broke out in a wide smile. "I do beg your pardon, Miss. Please come with me." He began leading her through a maze of marble corridors, muttering things like, "Oh, you will be a blessing, child, an absolute blessing," leaving Sabé feeling more confused than ever.

Finally they stopped, and the elderly man opened the door, revealing a tidy office where a dark skinned man was studying a collection of tiny holo-portraits. "Captain Panaka, you can scrap all those. I think we've found our girl."

The captain looked up, then stood to look closer. "Incredible," he muttered.

"What is?" Sabé asked, growing more and more irritated.

Before either man could answer her, a girl appeared at the door dressed in a flowing blue gown. "Sorry I'm late, Captain, I was walking in the gardens."

Sabé turned to regard the newcomer. She was young, younger than her, with hair, eyes and features almost exactly like hers. There were many subtle differences, the younger girl was daintier and prettier, but the general effect was of two who could have been sisters.

"Who is this?"

"My name is Sabé Ikabel. Who are you?"

"Padmé to those in here," the girl replied. "To those out there–" A nod towards the window, "–Queen Amidala."

Sabé bowed. "Your Highness. I did not realise."

Padmé waved it off. "I didn't expect you to recognise me without the facepaint on."

Sabé nodded, remembering what she had learned in geography at school about Nabooian monarchs and their ceremonial make-up.

"Your Highness," Captain Panaka spoke up. "Governor Bibble and I strongly recommend that we hire Sabé for the position."

"I agree, Captain. Please begin training her as soon as possible. Sabé Ikabel, I hereby offer you the job of head handmaiden and decoy Queen."

Sabé's jaw dropped. "Head handmaiden?"

The Queen nodded. "If you choose to be my decoy it would be best if you were. A decoy takes my place in dangerous times. It's a risky job, and I won't be at all offended if you say no. I can train you to act like me."

"I would be honoured, your Highness."

Over the weeks Sabé trained hard, learning how to be a handmaiden and a decoy, and soon found herself dressed in the hooded robes of the other handmaidens. She and Padmé had tested the decoy plan on the Council of Governors, and it had worked perfectly. They still weren't aware that the handmaiden and not the Queen had conducted one of the weekly bulletin meetings.

Each of the four other handmaidens helped her with the task they were best at. Rabé taught her how to style the Queen's hair. Yané taught her how the palace's technical system worked. Eirtaé taught her court etiquette, and Saché taught her how to properly apply the facepaint.

Captain Panaka oversaw her physical training, much of which she already knew. But she pretended she didn't know how to fight, pretended that she didn't know how to disarm an opponent, and pretended not to be an excellent shot with a blaster. Nothing of her old life was to be revealed, not the good or the bad. And that was why she was so dismayed to suddenly see two Jedi.

The way this had come about was quite simple. The Trade Federation of Neimoidia had decided that Naboo, with its peaceful standard of living, would be the perfect planet to place a blockade. Their reasons for doing this were due to the taxation of trade routes, which had taken away much of the Neimoidian profit. Cutting off all Naboo's trade routes seemed the perfect way for them to get themselves noticed by the Senate. So, much to the horror of the Nabooians, the Trade Federation sent an army of battle droids to invade Theed.

In light of this new danger, Sabé was immediately transformed into the Queen, and Amidala became a handmaiden, taking her given name, Padmé. The droids swarmed the palace and captured the 'Queen', completely taken in by Sabé's performance. The intention of the Neimiodians was to forcefully persuade Queen Amidala sign a treaty that would legalise the invasion. Padmé had been quite adamant that this was not to happen on any account, and Sabé wholeheartedly agreed. She felt intensely angry with the Trade Federation for ruining her new lifestyle. Although she missed Obi-Wan fiercely, she didn't wish to come into contact with any more Jedi, dreading the flood of old memories that would swamp her.

But the two Jedi the leapt to rescue the Royal party from the battle droids that held them captive were a necessity. Rather floods of memories than imprisonment in a Neimoidian camp. So Sabé tried to keep the irritation out of her voice as she spoke to the Master, and tried not to look at the Padawan. Was that how Obi-Wan would have dressed? And the haircut… Enough.

Turning to Padmé she subtly asked for advice on whether to let the Jedi take them to Coruscant or not. The reply was, "We are brave, your Highness." That was unmistakably a yes.

The two Jedi led them out into the hanger, and all seemed to be going fairly smoothly until something happened that gave Sabé the shock of her life. She was walking steadily behind the Jedi, trying to ignore the fact that she thought the Padawan was incredibly handsome, when Captain Panaka said, "We need to free those pilots."

Sabé nodded, glancing over at where battle droids held them prisoner. The Padawan broke away from the group, saying, "I'll deal with that."

Sabé's eyes widened and her heart rate increased. She knew that voice. Knew it almost as well as her own. The handsome Jedi Padawan was Obi-Wan. Luckily no-one noticed her shock, as they were all busy watching the Jedi Master converse with the lead battle droid.

For all the time on board the ship, Sabé worked hard to keep her identity secret. They travelled to Coruscant, where Padmé pleaded for help from the Senate. Then they all travelled back when she realised she would have to sort the situation out herself. They had stopped for repairs on the journey there, and had picked up a young slave boy called Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi Master, who had introduced himself as Qui-Gon Jinn, believed him to be strong in the Force, hence why he had freed him. Sabé didn't know the details, but that was what Padmé had reported to her.

Padmé's great plan for taking back Naboo rested on an alliance with a race called the Gungans. Sabé was to do this in her guise as Queen, as Padmé had become quite well known to Qui-Gon and Anakin. Obi-Wan was blissfully unaware that the woman he thought was the Queen was in fact the thief whom he had fallen in love with in the Muertian prison. The voice that both Padmé and Sabé used as Queen Amidala was deep and regal, and nothing like either of their real voices.

When Sabé began her speech to the Gungan leader she knew at once that he wasn't going to acknowledge her proposals. It was Padmé who saved the day, revealing herself as the real Queen. The act of trust seemed to win the Gungans over, and it was not long before battle plans were being formed. The Gungan army was to engage and distract the battle droid army while the Queen's party captured the Viceroy. This all went relatively smoothly until Padmé and her band of troops were captured by droids and brought before the Viceroy. Luckily Sabé appeared in the doorway, tricking him into thinking that she was the real Queen, allowing Padmé to reach hidden blasters.

Meanwhile Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were caught up in a fierce battle with a mysterious tattooed foe. Qui-Gon, his age finally catching up with him, did not make it out alive. Obi-Wan killed the evil being, then rushed to his Master's side, but it was too late. He allowed himself a moment of mourning, then moved on, as was the Jedi way. He appeared in the throne room looking calm but sobered, and explained to the Queen that Qui-Gon was in the morgue.

The Viceroy, held in custody by Captain Panaka's troops, gave a smirk over this small victory. Obi-Wan glared at him as footsteps were heard in the doorway behind him. Padmé looked up. "Gods! Sabé!"

Startled, Obi-Wan's pulse raced. Surely it couldn't be. Slowly he turned. There, in the arms of the black-haired and blonde-haired handmaidens, lay the decoy Queen. Padmé hurried over. "What happened?"

"She was hit by a stun gun," Eirtaé said.

"The droids still thought she was you, your Highness," Rabé explained, helping Eirtaé lower Sabé to the floor.

Padmé turned to Obi-Wan, who was still staring, bemused. "Can you help, Jedi Kenobi?"

Shaking himself out of his reverie he replied, "I believe I can." He knelt down by Sabé's side and placed a hand on her forehead.

Her eyes opened and met his. "Hello, Obi-Wan," she said quietly.

"Do you know Jedi Kenobi, Sabé?" Padmé asked.

"Yes, we've met." She was helped to her feet and given leave to tidy up and change.

Obi-Wan watched her departing back, perplexed at how strange the situation was. Deciding to sort out what had happened on Muerta, he left the throne room and waited for the handmaiden to return. Shortly two came along, but neither of them were Sabé, he could tell by the way they looked at him. Then another approached. She was beautiful, but solemn, and looked very much like Padmé. "Sabé."

She glanced up. "Yes?"

Somehow he had always known his Sabé would be beautiful. "We need to talk."

She looked down at her hands, her flame-coloured hood hiding her eyes. "I know."

"You're not here to steal the Queen's jewels, are you?"

Her head snapped up and her eyes blazed. "No. This is my life now. My new, honest life."

"Afraid of getting caught again, are we?"

"Why must you think the worst of me?"

"You gave me good reason."

Sabé clenched her teeth, fighting back tears. "I did what I had to, to escape."

"From Muerta?" Obi-Wan asked. "Or me?"

"From my life as a thief. I have changed. I've got a proper career, I'm earning good money a legal way, and all because of you." Her lip was trembling now. "Because I couldn't bear your disappointment. I'm sorry if this displeases you." With the last sentence spat out she spun on her heel and ran down the corridor.

Obi-Wan sighed. Silently, Padmé emerged from a nearby doorway, clearly having heard everything. "Go after her," she said.

"You're not going to arrest her?"

Padmé smiled. "No. I knew who she was from the beginning. Sabé Ikabel, the Outer Rim's most nimble thief."

He frowned. "Why did you employ her then?"

"Because I saw sincerity in her eyes. Go after her, Obi-Wan. She loves you."

He stood in thought for a short while, then bowed. "Thank you, your Highness." He found Sabé sitting in the gardens, staring fixedly at an ornamental fountain, tears blurring her vision. He sat down beside her.

"If you've come to shout at me again, please do it quietly."

He winced. "I didn't mean to shout at you, Sabé. But it hurt me when you ran away at Muerta."

"Can you not see that I had to?"

"I can now. Now that I see what you have achieved since then. I forgive you, and I don't want us to be at each other's throats while I'm here."

She turned to him and smiled. "Sounds like a good idea. It's nice to finally see you, by the way."

"And you. You're a lot less like a thief than I thought you'd be."

Somewhere in that slightly clumsy sentence there was a compliment. Sabé saw it at once. "I'm glad."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, hands clasped lightly. Then Obi-Wan said, "Oh, I think you should know that I don't think I love you anymore."

Her expression changed to one of confusion and disappointment. "That should make things easier," she forced out. "After all we had no-one but each other for who knows how long, and–"

He stopped her babbling with a light finger on her lips. "I know I love you."

She smiled, relieved, and leaned in for a tender kiss. "I know I love you too."

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A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed : )