CHAPTER ELEVEN
"This is Master Mace Windu and Master Yoda from the Coruscant Temple. I am Jedi Healer T'Pal. It is imperative that we find Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Can one of you be so kind as to take us to him?"
"We wish." Was Rabé's somewhat sarcastic reply, which received a stern look from the tall, dark Jedi.
Captain Panaka approached the visitors. "I'm sorry, but we are unable to locate Knight Kenobi at this time...or the Queen for that matter."
"You mean they're together?" The appalled tone of Master Windu's voice caused the royal staff to exchange surprised glances.
"We've been searching the palace and the grounds for over an hour." Panaka reassured him.
"What about the security monitors?"
Panaka was a bit ruffled at Windu's statement. I know how to do my job! he wanted to say. He took a deep breath and opted to say instead, "Kenobi disabled them doing that...that thing...that.." His hand flicked in the air.."that Jedi thing. Whatever you guys do."
Windu looked toward T'Pal, one eyebrow arched. Things may be worse than they had originally thought.
A slight movement beneath their line of sight, and the group instantly parted.
Without saying a word, Master Yoda moved across the room, his gimer-stick tapping along the marble floor. The Jedi and the Jedi Healer followed him without hesitation. Sabé looked to the other handmaidens and then to Captain Panaka, who simply shrugged his shoulders and filed behind T'Pal.
The parade of Jedi and palace personnel slowly made their way through the deserted hallways, receiving occasional curious glances from posted guards. Led by Master Yoda, they exited the palace near the guest chambers and stepped out onto a wide flagstone veranda, edged by an intricate iron fence, beyond which flowed crystal blue waters. Along the expansive portico were several urns filled with large white flowers that seemed to glow in the moonlight.
Yoda hesitated slightly, reaching out more strongly into the Force in order to read the young Jedi's signature found there. His slow steps once more proceeded down the walkway and the crowd followed. After turning a corner of the palace, the group stopped abruptly, their mouths agape, eyes wide as they took in the scene before them.
Leaning against the railing ahead was Queen Amidala and Jedi Knight Kenobi obviously caught up in the throes of passion, intimately embracing, kissingeach another soundly. So enthralled with one another in fact, that they hadn't even noticed the approach of the small search party.
It was Captain Panaka who cleared his throat, breaking the couple's concentrated display of affection. He almost felt sorry for them at that moment. The look on the young Jedi's face was a fascinating mixture of embarrassment and confusion.
"Speak to you, we must Obi-Wan."
A thousand questions entered Obi-Wan's mind; most predominantly, what in all the galaxies was Yoda, Windu, and T'Pal doing on Naboo?
His years of training and respect for the Jedi Masters however, only allowed him to utter three words, which he accompanied with a bow. "Yes, Master Yoda."