Chapter Two


Newly knighted, Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi stood before a council of his elevated peers, waiting for instructions on his first solo mission. He was expecting to be assigned a diplomatic job, which was typical for a green Jedi.

Obi-Wan was nervous although he was trying his best to hide it. He needed to present himself as confident and centered within the Force as his Master had trained him to be for the past twelve years. He had waited all his life for this opportunity and yet felt strangely alone without Qui-Gon Jinn by his side. He would have to rely upon the Force from now on for guidance and not on the sage advice and experience of his own Master.

While he pondered the stark differences, the location of his first assignment had nearly escaped his notice and he did his best to focus.

Naboo. He'd read about it, studied it in his geographical classes during his years in the academy, but he'd never seen it with his own eyes. He was looking forward to it, actually. The planet was known for its pastoral beauty, rich culture, and exceptional and ancient architecture in its capital city of Theed.

"The Queen of Naboo has requested help with the ongoing skirmishes between the fishing industry of Theed and the Merfolk of the Abyss. There is a longstanding peace treaty between the two that is proving to no longer be effective. There is much hatred between the two as well as a longstanding grudge on top of that. You will travel to Naboo and meet with both representatives to help them come to some sort of a compromise that will end the violence. Do you accept the terms of your mission, Knight?"

Master Mace Windu, a long-time High Council member fixed his gaze upon Obi-Wan, obviously waiting for the young man's reply. The knight, however, was distracted by the hopes of seeing the famous Verdugo falls near the palace of Theed and he reprimanded himself once again to stay focused.

"I accept," he announced after clearing his head.

Once the well wishes of the Council leader, Master Yoda, had been offered, he knew he was on his way. He returned to his room in the Knight's wing, grabbed his packed duffel, and headed toward the commissary where he had a feeling his Master would be.

As expected, he found Qui-Gon sitting at a table with two other Masters he recognized as being Kit Fisto and Depa Bilaba. The trio was playing a game of sabaac and Obi-Wan felt inclined to warn the others that his Master often cheated.

"I'm headed out, Master," he informed Qui-Gon, whose focus remained on what he hoped was a winning hand.

"Good," the older man replied. "Don't be fooled by the apparent diplomatic tones of this mission, Padawan. Things are not always as they appear."

His Master couldn't have spoken a truer statement. With judicious use of the Force, a hidden card slid out from Qui-Gon's sleeve, which he deposited down onto the table with a loud confirmation he had achieved Pure Sabacc. The others stared at him in disbelief before claiming he hadn't won fairly.

Obi-Wan wasn't sure whether he should stay and make certain his Master was safe or not. However, when the accusation was followed by peals of laughter and rather bawdy jokes, he remembered these three were old friends and more than likely, Obi-Wan wasn't the only one who realized Qui-Gon enjoyed a good-natured deception once in a while.

"Take care, Master, and you two don't take too many credits from him. He needs to save those for his old age."

The big man chuckled and swatted Obi-Wan's leg. "If I wasn't so involved in this game, I'd drag you down to the sallé and show you who's old!" he light-heartedly threatened.

The older man's teasing wasn't taken badly and the young knight smiled fondly.

"The Force will be with you, Obi-Wan," his Master told him seriously, turning around in his chair to look at him squarely. "You're a much wiser man than I. Listen to the Force and you'll do well."

After receiving verbal support from the other Masters, Knight Kenobi was ready to go. He loaded his duffel and himself into a starfighter waiting for him in the temple hangar and commanded the R5 astromech on board to enter the navigational data for Naboo. It would take a few hours at lightspeed to reach the system, and during that time, he would refresh his memory by listening to the computer report the details of the planet's topography, native species, and highlights of its long galactic history. What he was most interested in was the treaty that had been signed between the Merfolk and the King of Naboo nearly a century before, but as he had been taught, it was best to know the whole story and not just the interesting parts.

Once he'd landed and obtained confirmation from the Theed palace hangar supervisor of his expected arrival, Obi-Wan was pleased to see an entourage of leaders walking across the polished stone to greet him. He immediately noticed the one in the front and assumed she was Queen. She was wearing a fantastically elaborate gown as well as a headdress, and her face was adorned with the traditional paint that depicted the eras of peace on Naboo.

"I am Queen Jamilla," she introduced herself as the young man respectfully bowed his head quickly. "I am pleased you are here, Knight Kenobi. Was your journey a pleasant one?"

"Yes," the knight replied, remembering to stand straight and make eye contact as he had done many times in the past when standing face to face with important rulers such as this. "I'm happy to report there were no interruptions."

"Good," she replied. "We have a room prepared for your recuperation after such a long flight. Once you are rested and have eaten, I would like to see you in the throne room."

"Of course."

"Yané, please attend Knight Kenobi and make certain he has everything he requires."

"Yes, your Highness," the young woman standing directly behind the Queen replied.

Frankly, Obi-Wan wasn't sure how anyone could tell them apart. There were eight handmaidens accompanying the Queen who were all dressed alike. The detailed information he had studied explained they often acted as decoys for the monarchy and therefore, needed to resemble one another in facial features as well as body structure. They did look remarkably similar.

After thanking the Queen for her hospitality, Obi-Wan followed the handmaiden to a room big enough for at least a dozen people. Its soaring ceilings made it seem even grander.

"There are private bathing facilities to your right," Yané explained. "And linens in the bureau if you need them. I'll send a house droid down directly with refreshment."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan replied to the more than gracious offer. There had been many missions where he and his Master had to sleep in a hole in the frozen ground they'd been forced to dig themselves. This room was far beyond his imaginings and the first thing he planned on doing was to lie down on the bed which ended up being as comfortable as he'd hoped.

He must've dozed off because a knock on the door startled him from his rest. After calling out for whoever it was to enter, a droid rolled in with a covered dish. After placing it onto a small table, it left. Steam rolled up toward his face once Obi-Wan removed the domed lid and the young man's mouth watered at the sight of the variety of meats offered on the platter, as well as several boiled vegetables covered with a dark sauce. He ate until he was full and then stepped to the curtained window, gasping when he tossed the coverings aside.

Just outside of the window were the falls he had studied. After throwing back the double doors, he stepped out onto the stoned balcony, mesmerized not only by the flow of the water as it plummeted down the cliff but by the roaring sounds it created as well. The water itself was a turquoise blue and he realized with a start that soon he would be swimming through it to stand before a body of Merfolk who'd been reported to be as violent as they were stubborn. He had encountered inflexibility before and was confident he could convince them to compromise. As most diplomatic missions seemed to go, he doubted he would remain on Naboo for very long.

"I know, Master," he spoke to the cloudless blue skies. "Always expect the unexpected."

Feeling as prepared as he could be for any type of battle, whether it be diplomatic or otherwise, Obi-Wan stepped out into the hall to ask the guard standing close by to take him to the Queen. His first mission had officially begun.