Author's Note: Hey there! Sorry for the delay, but I am getting ready to go out of town for the holiday, so my free time has been nonexistent. Hope you enjoy the chapter – I'll be back early next week with more! Padme's Sister – You have me intrigued about this story idea! Thanks for the sweet review! As for whether I'm going to include Anakin's dreams… I'm not sure yet. Stay tuned! Hellish Red Devil – Thanks for the kind comments on their performances. That is definitely the hardest part to write, so I'm glad you enjoy it! Makes it all worthwhile! And don't worry, there's plenty more Jarrick to come. Erik's Leading lady – Another hysterical review! Hee! I've never heard that Sponge Bob song, but I bet my nephews have! It sounds really cute! And yes, I always want to know about my reviewers – you guys keep me going and I adore you all! I'm so happy you've stuck with me through this entire saga! Meandmysharpie – Hey! I thought I was being nice by not leaving you with a cliffhanger over the weekend:-P Unfortunately, my evil side is back… (Cue menacing laughter.) Thanks for the sweet review! Hopeless4Life – Sorry this chapter wasn't posted as fast as normal, but hopefully you'll think it was worth the wait. Elmthesmartypants – Thanks for dropping in – hope you like this chapter as well! ALL – Happy Thanksgiving! I know it's a cliché, but it's the truth: I am so grateful to all of you for your overwhelming support! Hugs all around!

NEXT MORNING, SUITE OF LIRI AND KAIDE

Padme yawned as she piled her hair atop her head. It was hard to believe it was already time to learn another routine. They had just finished mastering the last one!

"Curse Jarrick and his relentless obsession!" she growled, combing out a tangle. "He thinks the dark side is powerful? Well, he hasn't seen anything yet. Oh yes, if I get my hands on him, I'm going to tear him a-"

"Whoa," a voice chirped, sounding amused by the unusual display of temper.

Padme whirled, startled, but the room was empty. She had thought she was alone - Anakin was still sleeping, the droids were shut down from the night before...

Finally, the voice's owner entered the room fully, wearing a great big grin along with her familiar cloak.

"Siri!" Padme cried, resisting the urge to throw her hairbrush at her friend.

"Gotcha," Siri noted.

"You're cruel for a Jedi, you know that?" Padme went back to securing her hair with pins.

"Perhaps, but I bet I can get you to change your mind on that." Casually, she dangled a large bag in front of the aggravated Senator, who immediately noticed something dark spilling out of the top.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Something we've been wanting since the day we got here..."

Titling the bag on its side, Siri allowed the contents to fall to the floor.

"Pants!" Padme exclaimed, holding one of the garments to her chest and hugging it tightly. "Oh, where did you get these?"

"Let's just say I got the best of a costume droid."

"You are amazing!" Padme was already heading for the 'fresher, eager to change out of the ridiculous practice skirt and leg warmers.

Moments later, she made her way back into the living room, heaving a sigh of relief. Finally, a return to normalcy. Well, sort of.

"You do realize..." Padme began, smiling teasingly. "Anakin and Obi-wan will be very disappointed in our wardrobe change."

Siri turned bright red before refuting the statement. "Oh no... I think Master Kenobi will be very relieved, actually."

"What makes you think that?"

"It will just... make things easier."

Padme frowned, sensing her friend's confusion over the situation. She knew Master Windu had visited Siri before the performance, promising she would know the right answer when the time was right. Judging by the look on the Jedi's face, that moment had not come yet.

MID-MORNING, PRACTICE RINK C

TX-306 was back.

Padme didn't know whether to feel excited or disheartened by the unexpected turn of events. On one hand, it could be really good news. Perhaps TX-306's resurgence meant Anakin was closer to unlocking the droid's secrets. At this point, she thought any sort of background information on Jarrick would be helpful to their cause. But on the other hand...

It meant TX-306 was back.

Ughhh, she moaned quietly. Nonetheless, she took her place next to Anakin and waited for the dry instructions she knew were about to be issued.

"Today's objective: master the death spiral."

"Isn't that what we're trying to avoid?" Padme whispered, earning her a chuckle from Anakin.

The droid ignored their lighthearted banter and cued a holovid, projecting it against the far wall. Padme felt her stomach sink as she watched the experts execute the demonstration.

In one fluid motion, the man clasped his partner's hand and began to spin. Steadily, he began to lower his arm, and with it, his partner. Propelled by his momentum, her entire body moved parallel to the ice, the back of her head nearly striking the slick surface. After a long moment of the dizzying display, the man brought his arm back up and the woman easily regained her footing.

TX-306 backed away in the hoversled and watched them expectantly. Shrugging her shoulders in resignation, Padme gave Anakin her hand and waited for him to move. Before he could do so, Siri's voice floated through the air.

"If you drop me and I die, I'm going to come back as a ghost - just so I can haunt you for the rest of your life!"

Padme couldn't make out Obi-wan's reply, but it didn't sound too promising.

"So, it sounds like things are going well in the Kenobi-Tachi rink," Anakin murmured sarcastically.

"Harmonious, as always," she replied. Yet she found that her teasing answer had a ring of truth to it – for there had been a sense of joy in Siri's tone. As odd as it was, the Jedi plainly felt most at home when she was torturing her frazzled partner. Padme nodded, pleased with herself.

Her thoughts were halted as Anakin suddenly began to spin and she found herself hurtling in a somewhat circular pattern. He tried to lower her to the ground, but she fought against it.

As a result, they both ended up sailing across the ice on their backsides.

"Ow," she cried when they finally came to a stop. "Give me some notice next time!"

"But you nodded!" he protested.

"What?"

"Just then, you nodded like you were ready to give it a try."

"I wasn't nodding at you," she insisted.

"Then what were you nodding at?" he wondered, confused.

"I was just nodding... at myself."

"At yourself?"

"Yes, I was agreeing with a thought I had."

"So, you had a thought and then immediately agreed with yourself over the thought that you had in the first place."

Padme frowned, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. Reluctantly, she admitted, "Yes."

Before Anakin could tease her any further, TX-306 zipped over in the hoversled and listed all the things that had been wrong with their last attempt. Suitably chastised, they returned to the starting position and waited for the cue to start. This time, they were ready.

FOUR DAYS LATER

Anakin sighed as he entered the security code to the suite he shared with Padme. There was no getting around it. He was exhausted.

It had been another long day of practice, topped off with a strenuous round of saber sparring with Obi-wan. The training came at his own suggestion, in the hopes it would dissipate some of the feelings of anxiety that were hanging over him.

But it hadn't.

He tried to acknowledge the positives. At least he and Padme had finally mastered the death spiral. Unfortunately, the moves that came after it weren't going very well.

Padme consistently emerged from the spin disoriented and - more often than not - would go sailing off in the wrong direction. The first few times it happened, he had joked about the bad habit... but he quickly learned to keep his mouth shut after she suddenly burst into tears, claiming she was going to get them eliminated. Now he simply responded with a hug and a promise that she would get it right when it mattered.

He could hear her joyous laughter coming from the other suite and he smiled.

She was certainly in better spirits today. She had even volunteered to help Siri fix something for dinner. He only hoped they were planning to use Artoo again. Yes, he had discovered their secret but saw to reason to spoil their fun - after all, he was reaping the benefits, wasn't he? No more "Dreadful Inedibles." Laughing to himself, he headed for the 'fresher.

Thirty minutes later, he had showered and was feeling decidedly better. He sniffed the air appreciatively, catching a delightful aroma that set his mouth to watering. He started towards the other suite, but paused when he heard the discussion coming from within.

"No, I can't tell him," Padme insisted. "He has enough on his mind. This will only add to his worry."

"He'll manage," Siri whispered. She set another plate on the table. "He needs to know. We're a team, remember? And he's the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force. What if this is a key to all that?"

Padme was quiet for a moment, lost in thought. When she spoke again, her words were firm and left no room for argument. "I will deal with this in my own way. I will not be controlled by Jarrick's manipulations. I just need some time, all right?"

Siri's lips thinned, but she shrugged. "Just remember that I was the voice of reason."

Anakin's heart was racing as he left the suite, his steps silent and quick. Blindly, he stepped into the turbolift, pressing a button - any button - just as long as it got him away from here. He needed to think, needed to discover the truth.

Why was Padme keeping secrets from him?

Was she ill? Had something happened with Jarrick?

He probed her thoughts, but she was blocking him. Her rebuke was gentle and loving, but it stung nonetheless.

He swallowed painfully, balling his hands into fists.

LOCATION UKNOWN - SAME TIME

Jarrick kneeled before the transparent image, the cold stone floor biting into his knees. He welcomed it, savoring the discomfort and letting it flow through him slowly.

"The time has come," his Master hissed. "Begin your preparations for your journey to Sogur. Cloak your movements; there can be no room for error."

"It will be done, my lord," he replied quietly.

An eerie chuckle filled the room, sending a chill down his spine.

"Our victory is nearing... Soon, all will be revealed…"