Chapter 72: Begin Cascade

"Master Feemor and Padawan Skywalker are more than enough protection, Chancellor," said Senator Amidala in an ire filled tone, "More than I already needed."

Considering the attempts already made on her life, this woman had a bloody death wish.

Siri watches her argue back and forth with the Chancellor, and thinks she might like Amidala. She vaguely recalls liking the woman's policies when she was queen. Maybe? She was more interested in watching Supernova podrace at the time. The woman has surprisingly little slime to her presence akin to normal politicians. Oh the woman will still most likely have a way with words, and focus on her own priorities above the whole, but who wouldn't? She'd done a little reading on the speeder ride over to the woman's apartment, a quick browse of her profile, policies, and voting history. Considering the woman's popularity and record, Siri's rather surprised someone hasn't killed her prior to now.

Good and honest politicians who fight for the right things and spit in the face of corruption generally ended up dead real quick. Or cowed/threatened into submission, or a scandal would 'magically' appear out of nowhere to ruin them. All that and more. Its one of the reasons the Senate, any government body really, was so corrupt beyond the normal pull of greed. A goodie goodie wouldn't be willing to do what was necessary to truly secure themselves and fight for what they believed in. At least... not without crossing a few lines they'd rather not.

Siri's eyes flicker over the small but fierce woman in consideration. While the woman was a politician, Siri couldn't forget as a young queen the woman had returned to an occupied planet, raised an army out of primitives for distraction, assaulted Theed and infiltrated the palace for Gunray, and won. Albeit it had only worked out because Siri had been distracted by Jedi and had taken too long to deal with them. Honestly, had she killed the Jedi, it wouldn't have mattered that Supernova had blown up the control ship, or that Amidala had captured Gunray.

Siri would have killed them all.

Shame that Kenobi was just so baby-face adorable.

Though she'd seen him starting to grow facial hair on the landing pad.

Ick.

Her eyes flicker to the Senator's two handmaidens who were not-subtly-at-all glaring at her with hands on their blasters hidden in their robes, hostility blaring around them in the Force. She considers giving a mocking smile, but decides that trying to wrangle this senator will be annoying enough without her other guards getting in the way. So she merely raises an eyebrow at them. Neither change their stance in acknowledgement.

"So, Anakin," she muses, "Hows your mission been thus far?"

The boy shrugged. "Quiet."

She cocked her head. "I sense a bit of aggravation though."

He scowled. "I'm apparently still the little boy she remembers from back then, so I'm not sure how serious she takes what I can do to keep her safe."

She hums, but feels that there is more to it, so she does a brief pass to get a taste of his emotions, but he does the Force equivalent of swatting her away, shooting her an annoyed look. She just grins, unrepentant. Though really, the way his eyes turn back and hone in on the Senator... the way he looks at her, its not hard to figure it out. Young man basically still a teenager, young beautiful woman, mix them together and you get...

Someone's got the hots for the Senator.

Oh she's going to have fun with this.

Apparently, her amusement leaks through the Force, because Anakin shoots her a look and mutters, "Please be nice to the Senator. Or at least cut back your usual needling a bit."

Wrong target of her amusement, but she'll oblige Supernova anyways. "I suppose. No promises if she goes at me first."

The resignation he feels makes her want to laugh. She cuts it back, if only to watch the Senator and the Chancellor argue with tense smiles and fake-pleasant tones. The Chancellor wins eventually, and makes to leave before pausing, "Anakin, may I have a quick word with you? I need to discuss something I have been recently appraised of."

Anakin nods and leaves with the man, stepping outside. Siri doesn't resist the slow, malevolent smile spreading across her face.

"Is there a reason you are radiating such smugness?" posed Feemor cautiously.

"Oh, nothing much, just pointed out to the Chancellor something the Jedi had been keeping under wraps during our meeting," she said in a sweet tone.

He raises an eyebrow.

She chuckles. "Pester your apprentice about it after."

"Agent Tachi," comes the disgruntled voice of Senator Amidala, then her tone goes hard, "Before anything else, you and I need to have a discussion on what are appropriate actions while serving as a bodyguard. Please, have a seat."

Siri sits. "I'm all ears."

"If there are further attacks, collateral damage is to be kept to a minimum, and no civilians are to be caught in the crossfire on your end," Amidala said sternly, "If a assassin does attack, try to take them alive if possible, without excessive damage to them. We are civilized beings, not savages."

In her dreams.

Most beings would eat eachother if they were starving in Siri's opinion. "Of course, ma'am."

The Senator waits, as if expecting a 'but', except Siri merely holds her silence. "I'm curious how you convinced the Chancellor to propose this, and why."

"I didn't," said Siri, "He is the one who convinced me, as I would much rather be training and preparing myself to face my former master, but he made a few good points and an offer in order to see to your safety."

The Senator frowned, eyes flickering to Feemor who makes a pass at her shields. Siri lets it, but gives him the Force equivalent of flicking his forehead for his efforts, which he ignores. "I sense no deception."

Senator Amidala exhales in frustration. "I appreciate my old mentor, but sometimes he is a bit overprotective and overbearing. He did not need to do this."

"Oh, its not just for you," Siri muses aloud, "He's setting a precedent."

Amidala gives her a puzzled look, but Feemor gets it and sighs. "The Sith are not something called upon lightly."

"No, I'm not," agreed Siri, "He is a bold man. A risky man," her face turns to distaste, "He foresees a need of me in the upcoming conflict, and, as I said, wishes to set a precedent."

Feemor eyed her. "If you disagreed with it, why did you come?"

"He made me a damn good offer for at least this mission," she said, "And its not that I have issues being hired for a mission here and there, gotta make money somehow," well, Lex would probably cover anything she actually needed, but being financially dependent on him, on anyone, wasn't something she wanted, "Its that getting involved in Sidious's war is a terrible idea."

"Its not a war, not yet," said the Senator firmly, "I'm certain that negotiates can come through. There is no reason both nations can't co-exist or come back together after a reformation."

"So long as C'Baoth leads the Separatists, no, they wont," said Siri firmly, eyeing her, "He is Sidious's pawn after all."

Amidala raises an eyebrow. "Is there any proof for such an accusation? Last I heard he started his movement to break away from the Jedi Order because of you."

"C'Baoth was always going to start a schism, I was merely the very convenient excuse that let him do so cleanly."

"How kind of you to offer it to him."

Siri grins. "Oh I like you. You're fun."

Amidala is taken aback, and Siri leans forward, "But what of your precious Republic, hmmm? If I and the Jedi were the so-called start of this splinter, what of your senate and its countless failings C'Baoth and his ilk have been tooting all over the holonet about? Does the term 'Huk' ring a bell?"

The Senator grimaced. "That was before my time, but yes, I am not blind that our democracy has issues and failings that need to be addressed and fixed."

"And you believe it will be as simple as talking it over?"

"Negotiations are not a simple thing, especially with long held grievances, but it is a start."

Naive.

"As you say, Senator," said Siri, a mocking smile on her face.

Amidala scowls, but before they can continue, Anakin walks back in, radiating discomfort, so Siri shifts her focus. "Have a nice chat Supernova?"

"I really don't appreciate being put in that position," said Anakin flatly.

Siri shrugged. "He trusts your word."

The boys emotions do a flip from discomfort to pride and affection for the Chancellor. "I... guess. But I really don't want to be involved when he calls the Council out on it."

"On what Padawan?" asked Feemor.

"She um... Siri told the Chancellor about the Veil blocking the Force," said Anakin.

Feemor looks puzzled. "And? That's not a secret?"

"Erm... I think it kind of is, at least outside of the order," mutters Anakin, "The Chancellor certainly didn't know, and that's... that's not good."

"I don't exactly know what you're speaking of either," posed Amidala.

"What Anakin is referencing if a Veil, a cloud if you will, of the Dark Side that has shifted the entire Force darker," explained Siri, "It blocks and blurs the guidance the Jedi receive from the Force on many matters. Its something my former Master and his now-dead master empowered to smother the Force."

Amidala's eyebrows furrowed. "I... see. That's troubling, but I don't understand why that is an issue."

"The issue is, Senator, is that the Jedi have not told anyone outside their Order of this and yet are still giving advice as if they were not clouded," explained Siri, not citing Organa who did the wise thing and kept his mouth shut, "And decisions are being made based on Jedi advice."

Siri can tell the moment the Senator gets it by the flare of surprise, shock, cooled into a pool of outrage that sits in the woman's stomach as she purses her lips. "I see. The next senate session is not going to be pleasant then."

The Senator's eyes flicker and size up Feemor. "Based on your reaction, I assume this was a top down decision?"

Feemor holds up two defensive/placating hands. "To be honest, I'd never given it a thought outside of 'so that's why getting guidance is so difficult these days', its not my responsibility to do so. I can get why they wouldn't, to not advertise a weakness, but I would have thought the Chancellor at least would have been informed."

Amidala exhales in frustration. "I suppose we'll have to see what comes of this then."

"I imagine it will be entertaining," said Siri, smirking, "Now, business time, since I'm going to be helping to keep you alive when someone apparently wants you very dead, I wouldn't mind a tour to get an idea of entrance/exits and weaknesses that might be exploited by an assassin."

Amidala nods. "Very well."

The first thing that comes is... "There are far, far to many bloody windows in this apartment. Please tell me they are at least heavily blaster resistant, because this is an easy kill for a sniper or a rocket with a spotter."

"I'm surprised you don't know," said Amidala thoughtfully, "All windows in the building are reinforced permaglass. It probably wouldn't withstand a military-grade ordinance, but otherwise it should hold."

"I never had a reason to need to know," admits Siri, "Sniper rifles or going through a window really isn't my thing when I can just put an illusion up and walk through the front door."

Amidala makes a face at that.

Overall, the suite is well designed, there are few ways one would get into the building, let alone the apartment. With two Jedi here it would have been inane to try, yet... the Dark Side nudges otherwise, the dark hound trots at her side, phasing through people and objects as if they aren't there. It takes a whiff and looks up at her, bloody teeth bared in delight, a scent in its nostril. She makes a petting motion with her hand that gets her an odd look from one of the handmaidens who notices it.

The guard captain, the one Siri dubs 'Eye-Patch' since she doesn't care for his name, poses when they are done. "Your thoughts?"

"You care for them?" she posed back, "I get the sense that most people here would rather I not be."

The captain gives her a level stare. "Coming from someone whose perspective is usually on the other side is potentially valuable insight."

Siri hummed, a little pleased. "I think it would be a fools errand to try to get into here, not without a plan and the right gear. But, the Chancellor said that the assassin has made previous attempts that shouldn't have worked, correct? That would have killed the Senator if she had actually been where she was assumed to be?"

The captain nods. "Correct."

"Well, then whoever wants her head certainly isn't going to let a little thing like permaglass and bodyguards stop her, so... Senator..."

She gives Amidala a coy look. "Mind if I shroud myself in your image and take your room for the night?"

Wearing someone else's face is always an interesting experience. Especially when you need to learn their mannerisms quickly in order to pass muster. She hadn't done it more than a handfull of times outside of basic practice prior to being cooped up in the temple. She sits in a closed room with the handmaidens as they instruct her and critique her illusioned face. She senses their unease and disquiet, Amidala herself, now garbed like a handmaiden, shifted uncomfortably as she looked at her exact replica in Siri.

"Something the matter Senator?" posed Siri, Amidala's voice escaping through her lips.

"There are so many ways that ability can be abused," muttered the Senator.

"That's kind of the point," said Siri mildly, "Don't you have a job to be doing until nightfall that you're paid ridiculous amounts of credits to do?"

The Senator huffed, crossed a leg over the other, and pulled a datapad out of her pocket. They spend the rest of the day parading around the apartment, Siri 'working' on a datapad or 'making holocalls' in plain view of the window just incase someone was watching. Its a bit easier to do when Siri doesn't have to keep up the act in a truly public setting, a bounty hunter peeking in through a scope would not likely see anything amiss. When they're done for the day, Siri falls into a bed that is so sinfully comfortable it actually puts the Black Sun's to shame.

"Senators get all the good stuff," muttered Siri, sprawling on the bed with a content sigh.

She doesn't look at the camera's that Supernova installed as a precaution out of sight in the corners of the room. She doesn't think they'll matter, but no point in wasting them either. She lazes about, making herself seem asleep with the soft rise and fall of her chest. Nothing for the first half an hour, first hour, second hour, she's honestly contemplating just going to sleep before she hears a very soft hissing near the window. She cautiously cracks an eye open and sees a droid hovering outside the window, slicing in with a circular fusion cutter. Oh that's clever.

Then she sees a tube poke through and... are those Kouhuns plopping out? Well well well, incredibly venomous little buggers, this was a quality assassination attempt right here. To bad Siri is here instead of the Senator. Siri rises, flicking off the covers, and reaches out with the Force. She squishes the bugs, grabs the droid with the Force before it can withdraw, and waves her hand, releasing a burst of the Force that shatters the windows. She beckons the struggling droid to her and sing songs aloud:

"Oh Anaaakiiin! Got a tracer for me?"

Five minutes later and a little bit of hotwiring from Supernova, she and Anakin are in a speeder following the rigged-droid back to its master. Feemor had barely gotten a word out before protecting the senator had been dumped on him and they left to hunt down the assassin. "So... pretty hot senator isn't she?"

Anakin fumbles with the datapad tracing the droid. "Siri!"

She laughs. "So adorable Supernova."

"Shut up," he grumbles, going back to looking at the datapad, sending her brief nudges in the Force where to turn.

"You do know that nothing can come of it, right?" she posed, "Jedi attachment shit and all that, not to mention while the holonet might find it adorable, the scandal a Senator and a Jedi seeing eachother would kick up would get both of you in a mess. It would throw anything she did under question, not to mention get you censured at best, booted at worst."

He grips the datapad tightly. "I'm aware."

She also gets the feeling he doesn't particularly care. "Hmm, just offering the warning. I am, of course, blind and see nothing, as I'm all for breaking the rules, but you'd need to be stupidly careful as to not ruin both of your careers."

He deflates. "I don't even know if she likes me, so there's no real point."

The dark hound manifests and climbs between their seats, head settling on the armrest, eyes locked on Anakin, hunger deeply in them. The reaction... makes Siri cautious, enough to offer such rather than egging it on. "Perhaps, be careful either way not to get the Jedi needling about it."

"Yeah yeah yeah-turn right," he says.

She does so, all the while wondering why would Skywalker's interest in the Senator cause a reaction in the Dark Side? Its certainly a heavy crush, probably a bit more intense than it should be from what she is sensing, but there's hardly any more lust than she'd expect out of a teenager/young man, hardly any other negative things. She's aware it could lead to something more, but...

The hound turns to her, its maw grinning, black and red drool leaking down its chin. Its eyes mock her, laughter escaping its jaws. She gets the sense she is missing something that should be very obvious to her. 'No matter how far you plunged recently, you've been away for so long you miss what you should see.'

She rolls her shoulders, frowning, and pushes at the dark enough to get Anakin snapping her a quick glance before he refocuses on the datapad.

The hound clambers up on her, paws melding into her shoulder as it pushes it muzzle to her ear and whispers. 'She is a weakness.'

The apparition vanishes as the obvious of it smacks her in the face. Right, if he starts a thing with the Senator, she is a weakness because Skywalker is terribly attached. If he got to the point of truly loving her, you kill the woman and it would drastically unbalance the young man, making him easier to fight and kill, if it doesn't simply tip him dark. His mother dying nearly pushed him to kill Jinn, she had never asked how close to falling the boy had been in that moment. A repeat performance... it wouldn't likely end well. The smart 'jedi' thing would be for him to not get involved, hell even from her perspective, starting anything before Sidious is dead is a terrible idea.

Though really, nothing with Sidious is guaranteed, Skywalker may never get the chance to find love before their confrontation comes. She and Kenobi may not love one another the way she wishes to, and likely never will... but she'd still rather have their weird thing than nothing at all. So in the end, she doesn't press further on him and leaves it up to him...

Not that she had much more chance to anyway. The droid is honing on on a speeder, and she feels a brief flare of panic. "Gotcha."

The target turns in their seat and shoots the droid down before their head turns and sights Siri, she gets a taste of their presence in the Force and guns it, Supernova gives a excited 'whoop!', nearby traffic swerves, and the chase begins... and then the target plunges down, turns on automated piloting, draws a rifle, and tries to blow Siri's brains out. Siri wrenches the steering to dodge the first, Anakin fumbles out his lightsaber and awkwardly blocks the next.

"The kriff is this guy doing?" said Anakin, "He'd have better luck shooting our speeder if he wants to lose us."

Siri grins. "The assassin is still on mission, and I'm still wearing Amidala's face. Bait is a very tempting thing."

The assassin proves to be one mad bastard when they retake their seat, flips the kriffing speeder in a absolutely brutal maneuver, and guns right for them, the assassin reaches for something in their seat, as they close towards one another, an arm is raised, something is thrown...

"GRENADE!" she yells, reaching out with the Force and crushing it between their two speeders.

It detonates, knocking both speeders awry. Siri manages to keep them from crashing into anything, barely. There is a heavy crunch, and Siri looks up to see the assassin's speeder crash through a large viewing window and part of a wall, mow through a room, and rip out the other side of another window on the other side. Siri wrenches the speeder around and makes to go after it before pausing.

"The presence is still in the apartment, while the speeder is still going, clever, and good reactions to dive out so quick," mused Siri, "Get ready Supernova."

"More than ready to take this scumbag down," he agreed.

She drives the speeder into the hole the assassin made, shattering more of the glass, and sets down. She takes an assessment as she pars on a couch. The room is dim, flickering, perhaps the wiring was damaged. There is a bloody splatter near the other window, a leg pinched off, owch. A woman and child are dead on the ground, a blaster bolt put through both of their heads. Cold and ruthless. The presence is nearby, focus on them...

A flare of danger as something 'tinks' and rolls towards them. Anakin gets it this time, throwing a hand out and pushing everything nearby them away. The grenade still makes them stagger, heat and blinding light rushing over them. Siri feels with the Force, snaps her lightsaber out of the Senator's robes, and blocks the shots coming for her.

"Kriff! No one said the Senator was a Jedi," she hears snarled out.

"Ahhh," exhales Siri, "The problem with that is that I am not the Senator."

Siri grins as her face melts back into her own, she catches widening eyes across the dim room. She reaches out a hand and clenches, gripping the assassin with the Force. She wrenches up, and smashes the doomed fool into the ceiling, then back down and grinds them into the floor. Anakin crosses the distance, kicks away the rifle, and then forces the assassin's hands behind their back.

"Well, that was easy," muses Siri, "Anakin, get a light on them."

Anakin kneels down on the bound arms, and holds out his lightsaber. Siri walks over and kneels down, plucking away at a veil that blocked their lower face. "Hello there."

A human female face glares up at her. Siri's eyes wash over the outfit, looks more bounty hunter than assassin, though the coloring was good for blending in. A few things sprung out at her as making it a custom built suit, the odd elastic bands here and there, a symbol at a connector piece between armor and cape that Siri doesn't recognize. She returns to looking at the face and hums.

"Got a name little assassin?" she poses.

The woman says nothing.

"Lets try something else, do you know who I am?" posed Siri, grinning.

The woman swallows. "The Sith."

"Very good, so you should know that I'm willing to do what it takes to get what I want," said Siri, "The more you cooperate, the less effort I have to put in. Trust me, being arrested is the better alternative to spending quality time with me."

The woman's eyes flicker towards Anakin.

Siri laughs. "Don't think a Jedi being here will save you, not when you're trying to kill the Senator he has the hots for."

"Siri!" he snaps.

She grins at him, then looks back down. "So?"

"I'm already kriffed if I'm arrested," snapped the woman, eyes flickering towards the corpses, "Not good enough."

"That was your choice, and the gall to think you can negotiate with me in this situation," mused Siri, arching her fingers and letting lightning dance between them, "I think you should reconsider it."

The woman clenches her jaw and remains silent.

"Have it your way," said Siri, putting away the intimidation tactic and focusing on her in the Force, "You WILL tell me who you are and WHO hired you."

The woman gasped and shook, struggling with the pressure Siri was putting on her mind with the Force.

Anakin joins in. "You will TELL US who you are and WHO hired you!"

The woman whines in pain, gasping and shaking.

"Ease back a little Supernova, she's useless if we turn her mind to mush," advised Siri.

He does so, and they resume. The woman folds in less then a minute. "M-M-my n-name is Z-Zam W-wessel and I was hir..."

Siri barely has time to register the name before an explosion of absolute rage rips out from Anakin. "MURDERER!"

Anakin stands, grips his lightsaber, and stabs down, burying it through the woman's back, earning an agonized scream, the woman's face morphing into an ugly clawdite one in shock.

Kriff! What the hell were the chances it would be his mother's killer? "Anakin!"

He wrenches his lightsaber out at an angle, taking it through her chest, out the side, and taking an arm off at an elbow. "Anakin stop!"

He makes to plunge it back down, but Siri throws him across the room with the Force. "Idiot! We need the information, kill her after we get it!"

Anakin glares at her, naked rage in his eyes. "She killed mom!"

"I didn't say don't kill her, but we need the damn information," snaps Siri.

She kneels down and rolls the screaming clawdite over and presses in with the Force, not caring about damage now, the clawdite's dead anyway with their injuries. "WHO hired you! Who?!"

"J-J-a..." begins the woman.

Then a whistling sound rushes past her, Siri startles to see a dart bury into the woman's neck. The woman chokes, spasms, then dies absurdly fast. Siri whirls, a snarl on her face, and catches sight of mandalorian armor at the window before it shoots off with a jetpack. She tries to reach out with the Force to grab them, but the rage emanating from Anakin makes her attempt slip, then the Mandalorian is too far away. Siri scowls, walks over to the window and considers the disappearing form.

"A Mandalorian whose name begins with Ja," muses Siri, a memory tickling, "Now this is interesting."

Why would the Mandalore get involved with this? But then again, Jango Fett was more of a Bounty Hunter these days then a leader. He was also incredibly dangerous, a confirmed Jedi Killer. The Senator could not stay on Coruscant. Especially when tracking Fett would be obnoxiously difficult...

Then she reconsiders and looks back, walking over, kneeling down, and appraises the dart. "Rather lethal little thing. I wonder where you were picked up."

She pockets it... then she looks up to address the problem in the room.

Anakin sits against the wall where she had thrown him, tears of anger streaming down his face, body shaking. Anyone was capable of murder, especially with the reason Anakin had to kill Wesell... but there hadn't been a moment of hesitation. Just straight to cold blooded murder of a captured enemy. Anakin Skywalker wasn't quite the young innocent little boy he had once been anymore. It went without saying if the Council learned of this, Anakin's days as a Jedi were over. A Jedi does not attempt murder, especially not against a defeated enemy...

"Its not fair," he whispers, "I didn't... I didn't even get to be the one to kill her, to avenge mom."

Not a shred of regret either. "The dart finishing the job didn't matter. You have Wesell fatal wounds, she was dead regardless."

He blinks a few times and considers the corpse. "I... I guess either way, justice was done."

Justice huh, he had a vision of justice she tended to agree with, but... "The Jedi Order won't see it that way Anakin."

He looks at her stupidly, and sometimes she really wants to smack him for being thick. "To you and me perhaps that was justice, but here? That was a cold blooded murder attempt, Anakin. Unless we lie, you are getting thrown out of the Order, or given one absolute hell of a censure for it along with who knows what other punishments. Considering the Council's problems with you already, I'd bet on the former."

He blanches.

"How... unfortunate that when trying to save the family the bounty hunter took hostage, we were unable to do so, and the bounty hunter was critically, but justifiably wounded, by you. We attempted to perform emergency aid, but the other bounty hunter hit her with the dart," said Siri, eying him, "Agreed?"

He nods.

"Good, now I am going to give you a crash course on how to lie without really lying, and you need to press this to memory fast," she warned, "Deceiving the authorities is easy, deceiving a Jedi who can sense a lie is harder. So listen up..."

Anakin bows his head in shame. "I couldn't... I couldn't save them master. By the time I got to the bounty hunter and stuck her down, it was too late."

Feemor sighs, running a hand through his hair, grimacing at the corpses being loaded onto a stretcher by the Coruscant Police. "You tried padawan, you tried."

Anakin opens his mouth to say something, but wisely bites it back and keeps silent. Good, he listened. Being quiet and letting others come to the own conclusions was good for keeping a secret.

"Went to try and get some info out of em'," said Siri, watching Master Feemor for any hint of him detecting something amiss, "But the other bounty hunter hit them with the dart and flew off."

"Damn," says Feemor, "Do we have an ID on either of them?"

"Don't see how we'd get the name out of the corpse," Siri carefully says, avoiding offering a lie, "Unless the clawdite's DNA is on record in the system. I have suspicions about the other, but no actual proof. The dart might be a lead."

Feemor nods. "Got a way to track it down?"

"Perhaps, I need to send an image of it to a connection and see what they say," said Siri.

"Do so," said Feemor, "Anakin and I can handle protecting the Senator if you can track down the bounty hunter, or more importantly, who posted the bounty."

"You might want backup," said Siri, "If I'm right about who this is, he might a bit much for just you two if he does show up in person."

Feemor raises an eyebrow.

"Does the name Jango Fett ring a bell?" she poses.

That got Feemor swearing. "Yes, it well kriffing does. Yan Dooku is my grandmaster, I am very much aware of Galidraan. I'll put in a call."

Siri leaves the Jedi to their work and drives back to the Senator's apartment, gives her a rundown, then confiscates a room to take a picture abd make a call.

The look Alexi gives her when she wakes him up to identify the dart is amusing, even more so at his incredulousness after he glances at the picture. "Zoom in Iris... alright hold it... is that a Kamino Saberdart? Iris dear these are not cheap in the slightest. I mean yes, I have a few for when I need someone really dead, but they cost me an arm and a leg to get. Dealing with the cloners at all was a pain."

"Cloners?" she poses.

"Based out of Kamino," explained Alexi, "I was looking into backups just incase something happened to me, as none of the idiots who would vie for my position are actually worthy of it. Another version of me wouldn't be such a loss..."

Arrogant prat, she thinks affectionately.

"...unfortunately, cloning Force Sensitives apparently has issues," finished Alexi, "So that was shot. Honestly, I might have to end up siring a brat the old fashion way."

"I'm going to outright say not interested Lex darling," she teased, "You'll have to probably get a surrogate, or well, actually you'd probably have far to many willing to throw themselves at you. Unless of course you and Mighella actually are a thing."

Alexi snorts. "Could you imagine it? My genius and her powers all mixed into one tiny package? Brat would probably usurp me by thirteen, but no, Mighella would sooner kill me then sleep with me."

Siri grins. "Probably. Anyway, coordinates for the cloners?"

He sends it. "Have fun, they're hard to get a read on, bit I figure they're a bit xenophobic."

"Noted, see ya Lex," she says, getting the last word and cutting the connection.

Siri stays in there a few minutes, contemplating why Jango Fett might have dealings with cloners. She supposes she'll have to ask him herself. She exits the room about the same time as the Jedi return. She senses the uncomfortableness from Anakin and the sourness from Feemor before she actually sights the issue. The Jedi had been quick to send extra protection, Dooku himself being assigned to a Jango Fett related problem isn't unsurprising, Jinn being tagged along as well is though. She is a bit surprised all of them were on planet.

"Tachi," greeted Dooku tiredly, less pristine and immaculate at this hour, "Did your contact have anything?"

"The dart was a Kamino Saberdart, nasty and expensive little things apparently," said Siri, "The people who make them are cloners, so I'm rather curious why Jango Fett would have dealings with them. I don't know anything else in particular about Kamino, you?"

Dooku shakes his head and pulls out his comlink, hitting a number. Siri is amused to hear Kenobi's groggy reply. "Hrm? What is it grandmaster?"

"Bit of a night mission my grand padawan, I need you to check the archives for any information we have on a Kamino, they're apparently cloners. It has to do with the mission protecting Senator Amidala."

"I thought that was Feemor's mission?"

"We've been assigned as extra because of a complication."

"Alright, give me a minute to find something caffeinated, then I'll head down, I'll call you then."

Obi-Wan clicks off, leaving a brief silence.

"Four Jedi is a bit overkill," mused Siri, "Fett would be flattered, I'm sure."

"A botched mission or not, Fett killed six Jedi unarmed at Galidraan," said Dooku thinly, "He will not be underestimated."

"I'm sorry, who exactly is this 'Jango Fett'? asked Senator Amidala.

"No one important," said Siri in a mild tone, "Just the Mandalore in a self-imposed exile."

Dooku grimaced, while Amidala slow blinked. "Mandalore? Neutral system? Led by... Duchess Kryze I believe?"

Siri let out a small huff. "Mandalore is a bit more complicated than that. Kryze leads the faction the Republic approves of, the others... not so much. Mandalore in reference to the title is their leader, even if the New Mandalorians don't wish to acknowledge their older ways, even if Fett himself doesn't acknowledge anymore after the mess of Galidraan."

Amidala rubs her eyes tiredly, but asks the obvious question. "And what is this 'Galidraan'?"

Siri grinned. "Ask Dooku."

Dooku gives her a viscous glare, but goes to explain to Amidala that complete cluster-kriff. Amidala is muttering to herself about senate-oversight and bill ideas by the end of it. The handmaidens look to have given up any idea of sleep. Dooku sinks into a couch. Feemor is not-glaring in any direction but Qui-Gon, who is leaning against a wall in half-meditation. Anakin is... quiet. Given his mother's killer is dead, and his own involvement in that, its to be expected.

Obi-Wan finally calls back, with news that is... odd. "Kamino doesn't exist in the archives grandmaster, I did a search of the holonet and a quick reference check to the senate archives, nothing."

Dooku stares at the comlink for a moment in consideration before sighing. "I find it difficult to believe that the Jedi Order and the Republic do not know of these 'cloners'. This implies that the information was scrubbed."

"But... they'd have needed access to our archives, which implies a Jedi did so," said Obi-Wan, "Who w-."

He cuts off with a soft curse. "C'Baoth wouldn't have had the access level to remove information, would he?"

"Him, no, but two councilors did leave," said Dooku, "If he obtained their codes, and had an insider use them..."

Siri frowns, not liking this. If this involved C'Baoth, this involved Sidious. Why would he want this planet wiped from galactic knowledge?

"Why would Jorus C'Baoth want me dead?" said Amidala, perplexed.

"Its not necessarily him that desires it," said Dooku, "This could be an unrelated issue that was dug up. Tachi, hold off on leaving until tomorrow. I will need to brief the Council, and believe we will be sending you with a small team."

Siri sighs in exasperation. "I should have told the Chancellor no. I really ought to just pass on this, I was contracted to protect the Senator, I do not wish to get drawn into whatever mess this is."

Not when she has so much catch up to do.

"I could be sent," offers Kenobi, and damn him he knows how to draw her back in.

"Fine fine, make it Kenobi and sure," she said sourly, "He's about the only Jedi I'd tolerate working with aside from Supernova, and sorry Anakin, but you don't do subtle."

Anakin shrugged.

The lack of interest draws a furrowed eyebrow from Feemor, but the man doesn't press.

They break and retire for the night, she's sure the Jedi swap out who stays up, but Siri has earned her beauty sleep...

"We're taking my ship," said Siri flatly.

"Your ship reeks of the Dark Side," answered Obi-Wan with equal flatness.

"Tough shit," said Siri, "And I never said I'd be taking the Tooka too."

Jinzler gives her a withering look, but strides up the ramp without her leave to do so. Brat. "Shouldn't she be knighted by now?"

"I'm not going to rush her apprenticeship," said Obi-Wan, giving the ship a resigned look, "This have smoothed these last few years for her after the shaky start. I wont recommend the trials until both she and I feel that she is ready. Not with the situation the galaxy is heading towards, and especially not with C'Baoth out there."

She hums, pleased that he still agrees that C'Baoth would try to kill Jinzler. "Fair."

She glances back at the Senator's apartment. "Said your goodbyes yet?"

He hummed rather than answered, sending a flutter through the Force towards the apartment and getting several return acknowledgements. He gives the Scimitar a weary look, sighs, but gets onboard regardless. She makes to follow, but feels eyes on her, glancing back to see Anakin in the doorway from the landing pad to apartment, a troubled look on his face. She cocks her head, eyebrow raised.

He walks over and quietly says. "I... don't like lying to them. I don't regret what I did, but I don't like lying. Problems with them aside, they're... they're the closest thing I have left to family."

"Bit late for regrets Supernova," she said mildly, "You made a choice, and you either stick with it, or come clean and deal with the consequences, which will be worse now that our story is on record. I don't personally care since I can just piss off to parts unknown if they really want to charge me for lying to an officer, or pay a fine or whatever it is if its not actually arrest-worthy, you will have it worse."

His shoulder's slump. "Yeah..."

"Look at it this way Supernova," she said with mock cheer, "At least your not keeping a secret AND regretting what you did, that'd be worse."

He gives her a withering look. "You're 'really' helpful."

"Aren't I?" she mused before turning and heading for the ship, "See ya Supernova, whether its as a Jedi or a civilian, your choice."

Most likely the former. He was a stupidly attached individual after all, he wouldn't give up his Jedi Lineage. She gives him a jaunty wave before jabbing a fist into the close button and sauntering to the cockpit. "This is your captain speaking, all Jedis and Tookas best strap it because we are out of here."

"Does she ever shut up?" comes Jinzler from one of the side rooms.

Obi-Wan hums but doesn't answer.

Siri grins, straps herself in, and takes off, out of the city, the atmosphere, orbit, and into hyperspace. She unbuckles and takes a walk back towards the Jedi, finding them having commandeered the secondary sleeping room (which she wasn't going to tell them was usually used as a holding cell). She leans in the doorway, arms crossed, finding Jinzler laid down on the bunk, reading a datapad, Kenobi trying to meditate on the floor.

"Something you need Agent Tachi?" posed Obi-Wan without opening his eyes.

She frowns a little at the oh so formal address. She does a pass down the bond, only to find it firmly locked down, her poke rebuffed. "Something the matter, Kenobi?"

"I do not particularly enjoy being trapped on a Sith Ship with a Sith," was his sharp, firm retort.

She narrows her eyes. "You were the one who offered."

"Yes, because I felt that your assistance would be needed in this, and that my coming would be what kept it," he said mildly.

Cold and pragmatic. The hell was his problem? "Perhaps we should have a chat."

He opens his eyes, they're full of steel. "Perhaps we should."

Jinzler's eyes flicker between them, but wisely doesn't comment.

She leads Kenobi back to the cockpit, and motions to the passenger seating. He stands by the door instead. "What crawled up your ass and died Kenobi?"

He stares at her silently, not rising or even acknowledging the barb. She waits, not willing to lose the staring contest as petty as it is.

Finally he speaks. "I think, Siri Tachi, that I've finally come to terms with the fact that you do not wish to be helped. That you will never chose to turn away from the Dark Side. Anakin gave you a choice by pulling you away from it, and from what I've seen, you are more than happy to be walking back down it. On that landing platform after you returned to Coruscant, you felt almost as dark as you did when you nearly killed me on Naboo. Considering the sacrilege you preformed there, I'm not surprised."

"You didn't like me trinkets?" she mocked coldly.

"You might not agree," said Obi-Wan in equal coldness, "But the creation of those abominable talismans, and yes we could feel exactly what they truly are, is one of the most irredeemable acts that I know of you committing. I am not saying the slavers did not deserve punishment, that they did not need to be stopped, but not like that. You violated the sanctity of not one soul, but many, and soiled your own at the same time. I don't know if you realize it, but there is a different feel to your presence after coming back, that you didn't have on Naboo, your time during your parole, or even after preforming your sorcery on Korriban. I had thought it was just the talismans, but I feel now that its in you."

Was there? Curious.

"What you did... it was a desecration that has left its mark on you," he said, and for a moment, sorrow leaked through before he shored up his shielding of the bond, "So congratulations Siri, you are well on your way to becoming the exact same kind of monster as Sidious."

He takes a step forward before she can respond. "I don't particularly consider you the potential 'lesser evil' anymore, not after that. You have the potential to be worse, I am adjusting myself accordingly to reality. Whatever hope I had for your grows dimmer act by act."

"And I suppose," she said icily, "That me saving all of those slaves counted for nothing?"

"You didn't do it for them," he rebutted, "We both know that."

He turns and he walks out.

She's left standing there.

Alone.

Author's Notes: Glad you all have been enjoying, to answer the 'Is the Ship a Wound' question, see below. (slight spoiler, read at own discretion)

Shadow Walker of Fire: In that direction yes, I'm aiming more for Event Horizon than Wound in the Force, though I suppose if I'm loose with lore it could be both, but eh. I loosely consider this to be a Sith Sorcery version of what Sith Alchemy does in creating Sith Monsters, just... unintended, unexpected, and so very dire because of course Sidious is going to be delighted and make it worse.

Guest: Ahhh, but this wouldn't be a tragedy in the making if they simply walked away from the paths they're treading before the worst costs have been paid, if they can walk away at all. Perhaps this is a bit more bashy than it should be, but Siri is an opinionated narrator, and we get more of her and Sidious (whose PoV are Sith) than we generally do Kenobi and the Jedi.