SouL PurPosE

Chapter Two

"Am I allowed to say I told you so? On second thought, it doesn't make me feel much better, so I guess I shouldn't."

Dorme always had a way of making me smile, even during times I shouldn't. Like at this particular moment, for example.

"I realize that now," I assured her, sitting down on the bed without making a dent. "Love can make you blind to the faults of others. When I fell in love with Anakin, I think it was his dependence on me that I initially found attractive. He was hurt and had just lost his mother. He needed me. I reacted to that as well as his desire to be with me."

"You mean, to own you," Dorme pointed out.

"It may have seemed that way at the end," I argued with her. "But in the beginning, he was kind and gentle. I really do think I loved him. He just got lost along the way. I'd like to find out why."

I realized it must be strange to be speaking to an invisible presence, so I didn't mind the fact Dorme kept her gaze focused on the bedspread, an intricate pattern of gold and red crosshatches and roses. She seemed particularly focused upon one golden strand that had become loose and twirled it around her finger.

"You know, there's only one person who can help you with your problem."

"I know," I admitted with some dread. I'd already confronted Obi-Wan and he couldn't hear me or feel my presence. If I was going to be able to communicate with him, it would have to be through some other means. Like through an interpreter. So far, there was only one person who could hear me. Now, all I had to do was convince Dorme to track him down.

"Which is why I have a favor to ask you," I began before she flopped herself back onto the bed.

"I knew it! Before you even formed the thought, I knew you were going to ask me to go find Master Kenobi! How am I supposed to do that? I've heard terrible things by the way. How the Jedi Temple is now occupied by the Sith Lord and his army; how the Jedi have scattered to the four winds. If the rumors are true, he's gone into hiding. He doesn't want to be found."

I crawled up the mattress to lie down right next to her. When I was amongst the living, we had done this numerous times to share our troubled thoughts late into the night. Not much had changed, except for the fact I was apparently no longer alive, of course.

"You are a woman of many talents," I began saying and she turned her head in my direction and smiled; almost as if she could see me. Maybe she was recollecting an image from the past.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," she teased.

"I mean it," I assured her. "You're smart. You'll figure this out. And I can help you. I think I have superpowers now."

Her response came out with a giggle. "What? What are you talking about? Which ones? Invisibility, yeah maybe. I'll give you that one, but what else?"

I tried to explain to her how I had gotten from Polis Masa to Naboo in the blink of an eye, although I wasn't certain I had done so under my own power.

"I have the belief that if I think about a place hard enough and wish to go there, I can."

Her eyes were skeptical and another smirk appeared. "I've gotta see this. Well – you know what I mean."

"Really? I'm not sure…" I said, suddenly nervous. "What if I do it wrong and bounce around the galaxy and can't find my way back?"

"You'll never know unless you try," Dorme encouraged. "Plus, it would save me a lot of legwork and fuel costs. You could find Obi-Wan for me. Or at least a trace of him. When you do, report back to me and I'll pursue your lead. This way, I can finally get some sleep."

It sounded like a decent plan although I was still hesitant.

"Stay awake for a little while, okay?" I made her promise, although she was already drifting.

"I'll do my best."

I closed my eyes and thought of someplace to go. Somewhere not too far away since I didn't trust my own abilities just yet. I was familiar with Malastare and it wasn't that far from Naboo. I recalled its rugged terrain and forests and opened my eyes to discover I hadn't moved at all. Not even a centimeter.

"You back yet?"

"It didn't work," I told her with disappointment. "I don't know why it did the first time."

"Maybe because it wasn't you who did it the first time," Dorme suggested while she yawned. Her eyelids drifted shut and I realized no amount of talking was going to keep her awake much longer. Whenever she did sleep, she stayed that way no matter how much noise I made.

I thought about what she'd said. Could the Force be responsible for me being here? As well as moving me around of its own accord? How was I supposed to know? I didn't know anything about the Force! Only what little Anakin had told me. Obi-Wan could probably explain it, but first, I had to find him. And to do that, I had to contact someone who knew what had happened and what was presently happening on Coruscant. The first person who came to mind was a friend of the Jedi as well as my family. I just hoped he had escaped the coup unharmed.

As soon as Dorme woke up, I had news for her. We were headed to Alderaan to visit with Queen Breha and her husband, Senator Bail Organa.