I do not own any characters created by George Lucas. Vataloni and any plot twists added to the origional story are mine, however.
Vataloni's View
Vataloni rushed forth, her lightsaber in hand, but she had to dive out of the way as Obi-Wan's limb body flew past her, nearly plowing her over.
"Master!" she cried, watching in horror as he slammed into a small, metal balcony, and crumpled to the floor. She looked back over to Dooku, who had used the Force to literally rip the balcony from its position about five or six feet above the floor, and allow it to crash down onto Obi-Wan.
Vataloni's insides lurched; she worried the weight of the balcony would crush her poor Master. She would have gone to take on Dooku, who looked oh-so-smug standing back and watching the scene, but Anakin had already dove into action, bringing his weapon down hard on Dooku, who only just managed to avoid being slashed.
Vataloni hurried forward, dropping to her knees beside Obi-Wan and placing his head on her lap, brushing a few strands of dusty brown-blonde hair from his face. It bothered her that she couldn't lift the heavy piece of metal off her beloved Master; she knew she just wasn't tuned in enough with the Force.
Either that or she was simply afraid to try.
"I sense great fear in you... Skywalker," Dooku hissed as he and Anakin dueled, their conversation just in Vataloni's listening range.
"You have hate... You have anger..." Dooku continued, "But you do not use them..."
Hate? Anger? Surely they were not the emotions of a Jedi. Vataloni had known Anakin to be short-tempered, but she would never leap to the conclusion that he had 'hate'.
Vataloni watched as Anakin forced Dooku up onto the stand where Chancellor Palpatine was being held captive, and their fight went on, the Chancellor being their prime audience. However, when Vataloni took a moment to study his facial expression, Palpatine seemed to be rather enjoying the vicious battle between Sith and Jedi. His eyes roamed over both Dooku and Anakin, almost betting on which would win mentally.
Anakin finally made a victorious swipe, cutting Dooku's hands clean from his wrists, and taking the Sith's lightsaber into his own hands. He held it with such ease, such... manipulation, and Vataloni wondered if he had used it in the past. Dooku fell to his knees, looking up at Anakin with fear as the young man lowered the lightsabers to his throat, glowering down at him.
"Very good Anakin!" Palpatine praised. It seemed he would have clapped if his arms were not restraint, "Now kill him."
Both Dooku and Vataloni looked over to Palpatine in shock, but the Chancellor kept a rather silly grin plastered on his face, "Kill him now."
"I shouldn't," Anakin stuttered, "It... It's not the Jedi way..."
He shifted back and forth, as if debating what to do. Vataloni figured he would let the Sith live. Obi-Wan had taught them both to never harm an unarmed prisoner.
"Do it."
Vataloni's head looked back at the owner of the voice so fast she feared she would get whiplash. That voice... It was so cold... Like... Like her former Master had. The voice belonged to Palpatine though.
How could that be?
Anakin sliced slowly, removing Dooku's head from his body. It rolled off to the side and the handless and headless body stumbled down toward the ground, staying in a rather bloody heap.
"Anakin!" Vataloni scolded, "Anakin he was unarmed...!"
"He did well," Palpatine chuckled, "Very well. He was too dangerous to be kept alive..."
"Yes," Anakin agreed, stepping forth and using the Force to unshackle the Chancellor from his chair, "But he was an unarmed prisoner... It wasn't the Jedi way for his death."
"It was only natural," Palpatine fired back, "He cut off your arm, and you wanted revenge."
Jedi don't take revenge, Vataloni thought to herself, her eyebrows furrowing.
"Now we must leave," Palpatine stated, rubbing his numb wrists, "Before more security droids arrive."
Anakin almost started to follow him, but something drove him back over to Obi-Wan and Vataloni. He leaned over her and checked his Master's pulse.
"He's alive," Vataloni muttered.
"Anakin," Palpatine said sharply, "There's no time... we must leave get off the ship before it's too late"
Anakin aided Vataloni in dragging Obi-Wan out from under the heavy, metal balcony and he looked up at the Chancellor, "His fate will be the same as ours... We can't leave him."
"We'll never make it," Palpatine argued, his nostrils flaring slightly. Vataloni rose, summoning her abandoned lightsaber to her hand and strapped it to her belt, then helped Anakin lift Obi-Wan over his shoulder.
"Do you sense more droids coming?" she asked as they started up the stairs, Palpatine scurrying along behind them. Anakin shook his head, "There are too many to get a proper sense in here... We'll feel them as they approach."
"If it isn't too late, mind you," Vataloni fired back, raising her eyebrow at Anakin, who rolled his eyes.
"Don't tell me you can't handle a few droids," he snorted, stepping over a bit of a droid they had destroyed earlier. Vataloni chuckled softly, shaking her head, "That's not what I mean..."
"And what do you mean?"
"Well," she sighed deeply, recalling a memory from a past mission with her former Master, "These aren't just... pointless droids, I guess. The larger ones are better then the old ones... I've seen the larger ones and their fighting techniques on other missions."
"With the Sith?" Anakin asked, putting a lot of emphasis on the word 'Sith'. He had always liked to poke fun at Vataloni's former ways of life. At first she was insulted, but after a while she grew to ignore his childish puns.
"Yes, with the Sith," Vataloni groaned, "Must you always bring that up?"
"Well you know," Anakin snorted, "What can I say? I'm a funny one..."
"No," Vataloni snapped, "You, my friend, are an Ass."
Anakin snorted again and shuffled Obi-Wan around on his shoulder. Vataloni watched with concern, hoping Anakin wouldn't jostle her Master around too much. But Vataloni was looking at Obi-Wan with more of a longing ness then concern. She looked back ever so slightly, and noticed Palpatine watching her. Quickly, she turned her head back to the front and tried to ignore the feeling of him boring into her back.
"Elevator's not working," Anakin stated when the small group stopped at the elevator, noting that none of the buttons lit up. Vataloni pulled out her comlink and pressed a button, "R2, activate elevator 3224."
The ship suddenly gave a violent lunge forward, and all three-group members stumbled forward desperately, trying to get into the elevator that was slowly opening. Vataloni noted that the entire ship was suddenly going vertical, making their climb through the elevator shaft an easy one, since it used to be vertical, but was now horizontal.
She grabbed Palpatine's hand as he started to slip out, and frantically tried to pull him into the shaft, grinning when they both tumbled in. Vataloni wasted no time as she, Palpatine and Anakin started to jog along the metal elevator shaft, trying to trip over any loose appendages that were sticking out as they did.
Suddenly, the ship started to return to normal, and the metal ground was simply sliding away from under everyone's feet. After a brief moment of skidding, then entire group was free falling. Only for a minute or less, however. Anakin grabbed hold of something that was hanging loose from the side of the shaft, Palpatine held onto his legs, and Vataloni was wrapped around his shoulders, clinging on for dear life.
"Well," Vataloni muttered, looking up at Anakin, "I'm telling Master this was your fault."
"How was it my fault?" Anakin snapped, looking down at Vataloni with an annoyed expression. Vataloni rolled her eyes, "We just HAD to take the elevator... We couldn't have gone to find stairs or something..."
"Well FINE!" Anakin groaned, and using a baby-tone voice, he shot back, "Next time we'll waste all our pwrecious time and try and find the stairway out."
"Bite me," Vataloni hissed.
"Don't tempt me," Anakin snorted. Palpatine groaned softly to himself and he rolled his eyes, only causing Vataloni to smirk.
Obi-Wan's Observation
Obi-Wan felt consciousness return to him slowly, and his limp body soon had feeling again. He opened his eyes, but cried out in terror to find himself draped over Anakin's shoulder and hanging in a dark elevator shaft, zero ground below him. The Chancellor was gripping Anakin's legs, and Vataloni was wrapped around Palpatine's shoulders.
"Did... Did I miss something?" he asked, looking down frantically, hoping the Chancellor was alright.
"We're in a bit of a... situation," Vataloni explained, loosening the strain on Palpatine's back by shifting her weight. All of a sudden, there was a distant rumbling that could be heard from above.
"What's that...?" Obi-Wan asked, nervously looking up at a dark figure moving toward the group.
"Uh..." Anakin stuttered, trying to get a better grip, "Well..."
Vataloni whimpered and Obi-Wan looked up again, his eyes widening as an elevator began speeding down towards them.
"Oops..." Anakin chuckled nervously.
"R2," Vataloni hissed into her comlink, "R2 stop the elevator!"
"Too late!" Obi-Wan said, authority coming back into his airy voice, "Jump!"
He and Anakin let go of the shaft's wall and the four fell into a freefall, Vataloni keeping a firm hand on Palpatine's cloak.
Good thinking... Obi-Wan mused. Anakin pulled out a hooked string from his belt, and Obi-Wan mimicked him, both tossing the hook onto a metal beam, smiling when it sunk in. An elevator door opened about a floor below them, and thinking quickly, they hooked their feet under Palpatine's arms and swung inwards, sending all four of them sailing through the open doors and into another corridor. Vataloni, again, landed on top of Obi-Wan and watched the heavy elevator woosh past, sighing in relief.
"Let's see if we can find something in the hanger bay that's still flyable," Obi-Wan declared, jumping to his feet and pulling Vataloni up by her arm, getting a face full of bushy brown curls in the process.
He always liked her hair... It was so bouncy, and it suited her personality well.
"R2," Vataloni said into the comlink, her voice sounding so high compared to the other members of their small rebel group, "Get down here!"
The four of them took off down the hall, Anakin jogging beside Obi-Wan, and Vataloni keeping behind the Chancellor to make sure he wasn't left behind. As they passed under two lights, a huge, blue, glowing ray shield shot out and trapped them in their spots.
"Ray shields..." Anakin declared, looking the glowing force field up and down for a moment.
"Wait a minute," Obi-Wan groaned, looking from Vataloni to Anakin, "How did this happen? We're smarter then this!"
Vataloni shrugged and looked at Anakin, who shot her a glare.
"Well, apparently we aren't," Vataloni sighed, folding her arms over her chest and shifting her weight from one leg to the other.
"I say patience," Anakin stated, his body relaxing slightly, even under Obi-Wan's skeptical stare.
"Patience?" Obi-Wan repeated, nodding his head a little.
"Yes," Anakin said firmly, "R2 will be along in a few moments... And... He'll release the ray shields."
Obi-Wan wanted to scold Anakin for putting so much faith into a droid. They could be useful on the rare occasion, but most times they were just a nuisance; R2 was only a new droid, he was too inexperienced.
A door to the left slid open, and a screaming R2 came flying in, slamming into the opposite wall and twirling about, beeping at it's own stupidity.
"See," Anakin said, smirking, "No problem."
The moment he finished speaking, two droid's rolled in, folding out their guns and blast shields. Obi-Wan made a face, and desperately hoped they were the only ones to follow R2. On the other side, droids walked out, large bulky ones with massive guns, and directly behind the group came out more droids, the thinner ones that Obi-Wan remembered fighting on Naboo all those years ago.
"Well," he sighed, "Do you have a Plan B?"
"It's Anakin," Vataloni snorted, looking around at the enclosing droids, "He never has a Plan B... His plans ALWAYS work."
"Well I don't see you imputing anything in here," Anakin snarled, glaring at Vataloni.
"Enough," Obi-Wan ordered, raising his hands between the two, trying to ease the tension. Vataloni certainly knew how to make Anakin's blood boil. She scoffed at Anakin and rolled her eyes. In return, Anakin scoffed at a higher tone and rolled his eyes dramatically. Palpatine looked back and forth between the pair and then to Obi-Wan who shook his head with irritation. The pair were always bickering on missions, but when they had time off, they were the best of friends.
"Don't mock me," Vataloni growled.
"Don't mock me," Anakin repeated, using the same high-pitched voice. The ray shields vanished, as did Anakin and Vataloni's little spat, and all four Republican's were taken captive.
Anakin's Antidote
All four captives were dragged along, hands bound, to the control room of the large Separatist ship. Anakin studied the droids hovering over neon green computer screens, then looked out the large windows. The battle was still going on outside, and he would rather be there then inside helpless. But he had to look after Palpatine, his friend.
General Grievous, a creature clad in droid armor and a rather eccentric cape turned around on their entrance, his maroon eyes glaring down at the group. His breathing was heavy and loud, annoying Anakin.
It would be horrible to have to breathe like that... Anakin thought, suddenly loving his good old pair of lungs.
"Yes," the creature chuckled, his voice even sounding like a machine, "The negotiator, General Kenobi, we've been waiting for you."
Anakin, Obi-Wan and Vataloni walked until they were almost directly under Grievous's face, but Palpatine was held back a good few feet. A droid pushed past the Jedi -Excuse Me- and handed it's leader three lightsabers. Grievous snatched them away, saying, "That wasn't much a rescue."
Vataloni's eye twitched and Anakin smirked. He knew it annoyed her to no end when people rolled their R's, like Grievous had done.
"And," Grievous started, but stopped to cough for a moment, "Anakin Skywalker... I was expecting someone with your reputation to be a little... Older..."
Anakin looked up at the Separatist leader with no fear and continued to smirk, "General Grievous, you're shorter then I expected..."
"Jedi scum," Grievous snarled, coughing slightly.
"Ouch," Vataloni moaned sarcastically, "We're hurt by that... Really... It cuts deep into our hearts."
Anakin looked at her and she winked, making him grin back. When they weren't sniping at each other, the pair made a very good duo to insult people. Grievous glared at Vataloni and lashed out at her, slamming his mentally gloved hand into the side of her head.
"See..." Vataloni muttered, "Now that one actually hurt..."
"We have a job to do," Obi-Wan stated, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Try not to upset him."
A Neimoidian officer shuffled forward and grabbed Vataloni by her waist, his hands moving a little lower then they should, causing a smirk to twist across his thin mouth. Anakin noted Obi-Wan glare fiercely at the creature. Either he was protective of Vataloni, or he loathed the Neimoidian for what they had done to Naboo during that war all those years ago.
They did host the blockade after all.
Vataloni wiggled around slightly, a look of disgust on her face, and the creature shoved her backwards into Palpatine, making their handcuff's connect suddenly. A droid then came forth and held a gun at their chest level, forcing the pair back into the hall before the control room.
"Your lightsabers will make a fine addition to my... collection," Grievous snorted, placing three lightsabers into his cloak and displaying the others he had found with pride.
"Not this time," Obi-Wan declared, his tone keeping calm, "And this time... You won't get away."
"R2!" Anakin said, finally letting the signal out. The little droid began beeping like crazy, sending electric shocks out in every direction. Obi-Wan spun in a circle, then used the Force to summon his lightsaber from Grievous and free himself, then Anakin.
"Crush them!" Grievous ordered to his double-sided, electrostaff wielding security, who leapt forth at the Jedi, swinging viciously. Anakin hated dealing with electrostaffs. They were just like blast shields; resistant to lightsabers.
"Make them suffer!" Grievous cried, watching with glee as his security leapt forth at Obi-Wan, attacking him from each side. Anakin swung at one, only to cause it to attack him back. They were like Jedi, these droids. They could think quickly in combat, but Anakin knew he would outsmart them.
He had to have been the best Jedi out there...
Of course hecould easily beat a droid.
He worked his way towards Palpatine and Vataloni, growling to himself as the droid that was holding them captive inched back every time he came too close. His attacker wasn't letting up, and it was really testing Anakin's patience. His slashed forward cruelly and split the droid clear in half, letting it fall to the ground. He then turned on the pathetic droid holding Vataloni and Palpatine and deflected a shot from it's blaster, then killed it.
"Finally," Vataloni moaned, a bruise starting to appear on her cheek where Grievous had smacked her, "I thought you were about to lose to a DROID."
"I would have left you, to be honest," Anakin snapped, slicing both Vataloni's handcuffs and Palpatine's, "But I figured the Chancellor would need a rescuer."
"Indeed," Palpatine muttered, rubbing his wrists, "I'm quite sick of being a prisoner to be honest..."
Vataloni giggled and held out her hand, then raised an eyebrow, "You didn't get MY lightsaber?"
Anakin smirked and pulled her's out of his back holster, and she snatched it away, eyeing it for scratches.
"See how much I caaaare," Anakin chuckled. Vataloni rolled her eyes and ignited her blade, rushing forth to aide Obi-Wan. The three Jedi moved quickly, jumping around with the Force as their guide, killing one droid after another.
Grievous launched himself over a control panel and landed on the second level with Obi-Wan, picking up and electrostaff. Anakin mimicked his actions and landed just behind him, twirling his lightsaber with skill. Vataloni stayed behind the control panel, killing a few more droids that had deiced to start shooting at Palpatine.
"You lose, General Kenobi," Grievous laughed, propelling his electrostaff into the window. Immediately, the glass cracked on impacted, and the window shattered. Grievous was sucked out with the suction, as were several other droids, but Vataloni held onto to Palpatine, and Obi-Wan fell to the floor, hanging onto whatever he could find, as did Anakin.
Vataloni's View
Vataloni winced as Palpatine's hand gripped her wrists tightly, and she was forced to use her feet to keep herself from being sucked into space. Finally, thick, black shields came round the windows and the suction stopped, causing everyone to fall to the floor. Droids and surviving Neimoidian's ran for their lives as Anakin and Obi-Wan tried to slaughter as many as they could, but most escaped down the hall and through a set of doors, which locked shut after them.
"You alright?" Vataloni inquired, helping the elderly Chancellor to his feet, then dusting him off a bit.
"Yes," he sighed, looking rather shaken, "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
She smiled warmly, and looked over to a beeping computer screen.
"All the escape pods have been launched," Anakin groaned, "And Grievous is gone..."
"Obviously," Vataloni snorted, but her pun was cut short when the ship gave a lurch forward, making her topple into Palpatine.
"You think you can fly a cruiser like this?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin, who was already taking a seat in the pilot's chair.
"You mean do I know how to land what's left of this thing?" Anakin questioned, "I'd say under the circumstances the ability to pilot this thing is really irrelevant... Strap yourselves in."
Vataloni and Palpatine buckled themselves into two seats behind Obi-Wan and Anakin, then shot each other nervous looks. Vataloni cleared her throat, You know... If you can't fly it... I'm sure we can just... hover until someone comes to get us."
Anakin didn't reply, but began pulling levers and pushing buttons, Obi-Wan watching with awe. Vataloni knew Obi-Wan was never much of a pilot, and he had always admired herself and Anakin for their piloting skills. Anakin began barking out orders to Obi-Wan, telling him in simple terms to get the brakes ready. Vataloni shut her eyes and gulped.
"Nervous?" Palpatine asked, looking at her with a crooked eyebrow.
"I hate flying with him," she stated, nodding to Anakin, "He's so reckless."
"Heard that."
Vataloni grinned and chuckled to herself, "You were supposed to. You are reckless."
R2 beeped in agreement and rolled in beside her seat, then set it's brakes out to keep from rolling. The ship began plummeting into Couresant's atmosphere, and there was another huge slam forward, and the ship suddenly started going faster. It seemed almost... lighter?
"We lost something," Anakin declared.
"Thank you Captain Obvious," Vataloni replied, "Now watch the stupid control panel... We're heating up!"
She looked out the windows, the ones that were still intact, and watched them catch fire.
"Not to worry," Obi-Wan commented, "We are still flying half a ship."
"Wonderful," Vataloni groaned, resting her head in her hands.
"There's no room for your sarcasm, Missy," Anakin stated, looking over his shoulder at her. Vataloni snorted, and rolled her eyes, "Aye Aye Mister."
"Now we're really picking up speed," Anakin informed the group, pushing a few handles down and trying to maintain control of the ship. Vataloni could feel bits and pieces of their ship being ripped off as they plummeted towards the planet's surface.
"Steady," Obi-Wan grunted. Vataloni could finally make out the huge skyscrapers of where she called home now, Courasant. Mechanical voices suddenly came through the sound systems, stating Republican cruisers were ready to take the ship down safely. It wouldn't do anyone any good. Yes, the Clones were hosing down the fires, but they were still traveling at a fast rate toward ground.
"Landing strip, straight ahead," Vataloni noted, pointing forth to a runway. Anakin groaned and started pulling on handles and pushing buttons again, trying to slow the ship down some more. She and Palpatine exchanged looks again as the ship plummeted into the runway, causing anything that was loose on the ship to fly about. The four lurched forth, but were thankfully held in place by their belts.
It was over.
They had rescued the Chancellor... They landed... Finally.
Vataloni breathed a sigh and relief and wiped a bit of sweat off her forehead. Anakin leaned back in his seat and smiled smugly at his ability to land such a disastrous ship.
"Well," Obi-Wan chuckled, running his hand through his hair, "Another happy landing."
The four were instantly evacuated off the ship and sent to a transporter, which sped along the busy Courasant air traffic to delivery Chancellor Palpatine back to the Senate.
"Stop kicking my seat, Anakin," Vataloni hissed, finally having enough of his childish games of prodding the back of her chair with his foot. He chuckled and Obi-Wan groaned from the seat across the aisle, while Palpatine merely watched the two young Jedi's.
"What are you going to do, Vataloni?" he teased.
"I'll slap you if your don't quit it," she snapped, turning around and sitting up on her knees, peering down at him. He had the most arrogant grin on his face, and Vataloni would enjoy slapping it off. Anakin raised an eyebrow and gave her chair a final kick. Her eyes widened and she quickly leaned down, slapping him on his left check.
"EH!"
Vataloni quickly recoiled when he stood up, trying to get her back.
"Obi-Waaaaaaaaaan," Vataloni groaned, trying to fend Anakin off, "Get him off."
"Stop acting like children, both of you," Obi-Wan chuckled, "Your really only embarrassing yourselves."
"Not true," Anakin stated, finally sitting back in his seat, "We're your apprentices... We're embarrassing you."
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and Palpatine let out a soft chuckle, eyeing Vataloni a little more closely now. She always felt uncomfortable under his gaze. Something about that man just wasn't right. The small transport finally pulled into a Senate docking bay, stopping. Palpatine rose and looked out the window, spotting almost twenty or so Senators awaiting his arrive.
"I shall thank you all now," he said gratefully, "Since I doubt I will be left alone... You make the Jedi Order very proud."
The door slid open and he departed, sending one last look at Vataloni. Anakin followed him closely, then came R2. The little droid seemed to love Anakin, and never liked being apart from him. Obi-Wan, however, stayed on the ship, so Vataloni decided to stay with him and get some alone time. Three was always a crowd.
"Aren't you two coming?" Anakin asked, turning around and squinting in the sunlight. Obi-Wan leaned on the doorframe and watched the Senators greet Palpatine with much enthusiasm.
"Oh no, I'm not brave enough for politics," Obi-Wan chuckled, "I have to report to the council."
"I'm heading off to have a shower," Vataloni stated, ruffling her dusty hair with disgust, "You go on... You can be our Jedi Poster Boy."
"But... I-"
"Let us not forget Anakin," Obi-Wan said, ticking off his fingers, "You rescued me from the Buzz Droids, and you killed Count Dooku AND you rescued the Chancellor with me on your back."
"All because of your training," Anakin said, smiling at the praises.
"Anakin," Vataloni giggled, peeking around Obi-Wan's shoulder, "Let's be fair... Today you were the hero... and you deserve your glorious day with the politions."
"Alright," Anakin sighed, "But you both owe me for saving your skin for the tenth time."
"Ninth time," Obi-Wan interrupted, "That last one... doesn't... it doesn't count. We'll see you at the briefing."
He quickly moved back and the doors shut, leaving Anakin alone out on the platform, and Vataloni alone with Obi-Wan.
After Vataloni's wonderful shower, she dressed in simple garments that all Jedi women wore when relaxing around the Temple, and decided to pay Obi-Wan a visit. Their time alone on the transport was too short for her liking. He was only two floors above her, where all the Jedi Master's slept.
"Hello Vataloni!"
She looked back and saw a group of younglings, maybe six or so, running after her.
"Hello, my little Jedi's," she greeted fondly, "I can't do drills today... I'm going to see someone."
"Obi-Wan?" one asked.
"Yes Ling," Vataloni giggled, "How did you know?"
"You smell nice," the youngling explained, "And you only smell like that when you go see him."
Vataloni gulped and hoped nothing would register in their minds. She usually put on some perfume she had bought on an Outer Rim planet once. Obi-Wan said he loved the smell when she tried it once, so she made it a duty to always wear it when she knew she wouldn't be... working.
Once she had arrived on Obi-Wan's floor, her feet walked quickly to his door. It was as if they knew where to go. She rung the buzzer and waited patiently. He would obviously be tired, but Obi-Wan never denied a private meeting with her nor Anakin.
"Yes?"
"Master?" she said into the comlink on his door.
"Come in Vataloni, it's open," Obi-Wan's voice said placidly. Vataloni smiled to herself and the metal doors slid open, allowing her to enter. She always loved looking at all of Obi-Wan's pictures. He collected so many over time, and she grinned at the fact there were several holographic images of her on some stands. Of course, most were with Anakin, but there were some of her just standing alone, or sitting. She never knew when or how Obi-Wan got the pictures, but he usually had new ones whenever she would visit.
His furniture was the same as hers, like everyone living in a dorm in the Jedi temple. Everything was provided. You could add to it, but everyone just had the same.
Obi-Wan finally immerged from his room, dressed in a robe similar in colour to Vataloni's, yet suited for a male. She smiled and continued to examine a few pictures, though her thoughts were mostly wondering whether he was watching her or not.
"You have so many," she stated finally, "How do you get them?"
Obi-Wan shrugged and plopped down on the couch, "I just collect them here and there..."
He stopped short when a look of pain swept across his face and he clutched his back. Vataloni's eyes suddenly riddled with concern and she swept over to him, "Are you ok?"
He inhaled deeply, then slowly shook his head, "I did something to my back today... It's really sore..."
"I can get a droid to work out something," Vataloni suggested, hoping he would say no.
"No, I don't like droids doing that kind of work... I always hate going for medicals."
She grinned and moved a little closer to him on the couch, then mumbled, "Or... I could... massage your back... You know I'm pretty good at that."
Obi-Wan smiled and turned back, his back facing her, "That would be wonderful..."
Obi-Wan's Observation
Vataloni's small hands moved across Obi-Wan's back and he let out a sigh, enjoying the feeling. She knew just how to do it right, and Obi-Wan loved it. He could also smell that she was wearing her perfume, the same one she wore every time they had alone conversations in his dorm. He wondered if there was a reason behind that. Actually, he wondered many things.
Were they doing something wrong by spending 'personal' time together, like at the moment. It didn't feel awkward though, and moments like these were his favourite to spend with Vataloni; alone.
It wasn't as if he disliked Anakin or anything. The young man was the best apprentice anyone could every ask for, and he was so thankful for that. Of course, Vataloni wasn't a bad apprentice either. He thought it would have been difficult to train her at first, but he soon realized she was nothing like a Sith. She was curious, yet rather quick tempered when something annoyed her. Obi-Wan decided it was something he had to change.
Yet she held such beauty. He felt no shame to admit it. He wasn't getting involved with her, just noting her grace and elegance.
But, maybe they were spending too much time together. At least, more time then an apprentice and master should. Vataloni never quite understood why Jedi couldn't love. Sith were allowed, she knew that. She had told him several times in subtlely.
"Vataloni," he murmured, turning around and gently setting her hands in her lap, "I don't think we should do this."
"Do what?" Vataloni inquired, her face showing complete and total innocence.
"This," he sighed, "Spending so much alone time together... It's not good when we aren't on missions."
"My old Master was with me all the time," she stated, her eyes suddenly looking hurt, "I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable... I don't mean too... It's just... I'm used to being with people... At least one at a time. That is just how I am. But if it makes you uneasy, I can go."
She rose and smoothed out her robe, then bowed, "Good night Master."
"You don't have to-"
"I'll meet you for breakfast," Vataloni said quickly, her eyes watching him sadly, "Good night, Obi-Wan."