Chapter 7 Familiar Faces

"Sir?"

Jesse turned to see the Tynnan. "Yes?"

"Your ship is repaired and waiting for you."

A grin broke over Jesse's face. "Thank you!"

"We already fueled and prepped it. It's ready to go." The Tynnan obviously didn't know what to make of Jesse's enthusiasm.

"Thank you." Jesse repeated and went to get Kimmy. Finally, they could get off this Force-forsaken planet!

>>>>

After hours of looking around,Kitch had yet to learn anything. He snuck into the records room and glanced half-heartedly through them, not expecting to find anything. A name caught his eye- Sifo Dias. He flipped back to the right spot.

Apparently Master Sifo Dias had been the one to give the order for the clone army to be built. That was odd. Kitch wondered if the council had known about it or not. He was guessing not.

But that was impossible, he realized, looking at the date. Master Sifo Dias had died a few months before the clone army had been started. So he couldn't have given the order. Unless… unless he wasn't dead.

Snapping the book shut and running outside, Kitch arrived just in time to see Obi-Wan and someone else grappling on the slick deck. Suddenly, the other man rocketed into the air, kicking Obi-Wan loose.

Bells and whistles went off in Kitch's mind. What had Jesse said? The assassin had had a rocket on his back. This must be him! Jesse leaped forward, saber ignited, as the man shot a thin wire out around Obi-Wan's wrist and dragged him over the deck. Obi-Wan pulled him out of the air and kicked him over the edge of the platform.

"Obi-Wan!" Kitch called, but it was too late, and Obi-Wan was jerked along with his adversary over the edge.

Kitch felt out with the Force to find Obi-Wan. He finally found him, swinging over the water, but unhurt. A noise made Kitch duck behind the ship. The man climbed up on the platform and ran toward his ship. As he walked up the ramp he took off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Kitch froze. It was the man he had talked with earlier.

He sprinted for his ship and started it up, as the man's ship took off. Entering a code that would make him invisible to all other ships, Kitch took off and followed.

>>>>

Naboo was hot. More than hot it was stifling. The two suns glared down at Kimmy as they entered Mos Espa. And they didn't even know what they were doing here. Just walk in and hope to find some guy with a dart. How were they supposed to do that? It wasn't that Kimmy thought this was a waste of time, but the sun was getting to her, and she was dying of thirst.

Oblivious to his partner's discomfort, Jesse strode through the streets, engulfed by memories. He had an idea, maybe not a good one, but it was worth trying. So he led the way to Watto's junk shop. Maybe Watto knew someone who could point them in the right direction.

As they neared the shop, Jesse wondered vaguely if Watto would recognize him, but he doubted it. Watto hadn't taken much notice of him to begin with. He could see Watto outside, talking with two people. Suddenly Jesse stopped dead in his tracks.

"What is it?" Kimmy asked.

Jesse could only stare as Anakin and Padme talked with Watto. What in the name of the Force were they doing out here? At least, what was Padme doing here? And why with Anakin? Jesse tried to convince himself that what he was feeling was not jealousy as he approached the trio.

Anakin looked up. For a split second he looked like a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar, but he quickly masked his emotions.

"Hello, Anakin." Jesse said evenly.

"Jesse, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for a dart. What are you doing here?"

"A dart?" Anakin pounced on the opportunity to avoid answering. "Obi-Wan said you were looking for the same dart he is, but he's on Kamino."

"Kamino?" Jesse and Kimmy said at the same time.

"Yes, Kamino. Where'd you get your tip?"

"The Supreme Chancellor."

"Politicians." Anakin muttered.

Padme cleared her throat and Anakin flashed her an apologetic look. Once more, Jesse felt a stir of rivalry that he quashed.

"But why would the Supreme Chancellor lie?" Kimmy asked.

Anakin was wondering the same thing. "Maybe he just got mixed up, or maybe one of the darts found its way here somehow."

"Maybe." Jesse muttered, deep in thought. "Anyway, we'd better go to Kamino… Anakin."

Anakin had turned to go, but reluctantly faced Jesse. "Yes?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

Jesse rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?"

Anakin looked away.

"Personal business." Padme answered.

"For a Jedi?" Jesse demanded. Something was up.

"Alright!" Anakin looked up. "I'm going to find my mother, ok? So go tell the council or Obi-Wan, see if I care, but I'm not leaving her!"

"Sorry." Jesse mumbled. He sighed. "Anakin…"

"Leave me alone." Anakin climbed into the rickshaw.

"He's going to do something dangerous." Jesse muttered to Kimmy before following the Jedi. "Wait. We'll come too."

"We will?" Kimmy muttered, but she didn't mind. Already she was dreading when the mission would be over. Who knew when she would see Jesse then?

Anakin raised his eyebrows. "Right, just leave your mission to come with us. Sure."

"Aren't you?" Jesse demanded. "But as for the mission, it looks like Obi-Wan is looking for the same person, so we can afford to put it on hold." He didn't give his real reason for wanting to go, knowing Anakin would resent the fact that Jesse was afraid of him doing something stupid.

"Let them come." Padme said softly.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Fine. But not a word about this. To anyone."

Jesse helped Kimmy and Padme into the rickshaw. "Deal."

Finally, a long chapter! And there's even some action in this one! Go me! We're finally getting into Attack of the Clones and not just my own little thing going on at the same time!