Chapter Fifteen

Qui-Gon had returned empty-handed today and sadly announced he believed there was little hope he could locate any more Jedi. He'd had too many close encounters with Bounty Hunters since the price on our heads had tripled over the last few months. Our situation was only getting more dangerous and we needed to be careful.

I had spoken with Master Yoda about Leia's abilities and he assured me that she was well hidden. When I thanked him for his efforts, he claimed he had very little to do with it. She was hiding, he had explained. Only when she was denied what she wanted, did she ever tap into the Force. Otherwise, she was playing a game of hide and seek, almost daring anyone to come and find her.

"Really?" I asked the old Master.

"For someone so young, great power she has. Seen the likes before, I have not. Train her I will, for exceptional she is."

I could ask for no better Master than Yoda, although it would be difficult for Padmé to accept. She probably was hoping that I would be the one to take her under my wing.

/Not on your life!/ I heard my wife's voice immediately in my head.

"Excuse me, Master Yoda," I apologized. "I'm needed elsewhere.

/What's that supposed to mean?/ I asked as soon as I had stepped away. I had seen Padmé last helping out some of the older women as they created cloth from the flax they had harvested the year before and I headed in that direction.

/It means she won't listen to you, and you know it! You've been too easy on her. We both have./

I wasn't sure I agreed with her and I stopped in the road to display my obstinance, crossing my arms over my chest for good measure. /Are you saying we've spoiled our daughter?/

"That's exactly what I'm saying," I audibly heard and spun around to face her. "And I can't believe you're standing in the middle of the street arguing with me. You know we've spoiled her. The entire village has! How can you not see that?"

"I just figured she was decisive and persistent. Those are good traits, aren't they?"

"You're being ridiculous," she scolded me playfully. "Master Yoda is perhaps her best and only hope of becoming a successful Jedi Knight."

I relaxed and studied her face. There were pieces of fluff and stem in her hair I assumed was from the flax, but otherwise she was radiant. Living on Dantooine had really improved her health.

"Are you sure that's what you want? For her to be a Jedi, I mean." I asked, seeing there was no better time to do so. It was something we had actually never discussed, and whether she realized it or not, there were options.

"Because of the danger you're all in? I've thought about that, but why wouldn't I want her to be the very best she can be? If she has the abilities, then she needs to hone them and be able to use them properly, wouldn't you agree?"

I did and I was so relieved she did as well. As I smiled, I removed the wisps of flax from her hair and our bond immediately responded to the touch. Her look quickly shifted from serious to sultry and I stepped closer for a kiss, only to be interrupted by a loud booming noise overhead.

Padmé shielded her eyes from the sun and gazed skyward where a transport ship appeared.

"Are we expecting a trade ship?" she asked.

"Not to my knowledge. Perhaps it's just a visitor."

My guess had been correct and the entire village took a break from their jobs to welcome a young couple who had just arrived. Tavon and Jarra, an older pair who worked in the refinery excitedly embraced the newcomers and even shed a few tears.

"They must be related," I spoke the obvious, to which another arrival responded.

Dela had stepped up beside us, set Leia down on the ground and then informed of us of everything she knew about the situation - before we had even asked.

"Oh my, they came! When Josai left, he had a rather upsetting argument with his father about it. They didn't separate on good terms I'm afraid and many of us doubted he would ever return, but here he is, and with a wife apparently! Oh, how beautiful and radiant she is! And how blessed Tavon and Jarra are!"

"Where did Josai end up at?"

Padmé had asked the question, which didn't surprise me since I'd noticed she'd been studying the visitor's apparel. Fashion tastes differed from system to system according to her. I never paid much attention to such details. I could usually tell by someone's jargon or accent where they hailed from. I couldn't do that now however, since we were at such a distance, but I wondered what Padmé was thinking.

"You know, I have no idea!" Dela replied. "This is the first contact Josai has made since he departed. And that must've been, oh, ten or eleven years ago!"

I smiled at Dela and picked up Leia before she had a chance to put the pebble she had found into her mouth.

"Here, let me have her," Dela cooed and coaxed our daughter from our arms. Ever since we had established our work routines, the older woman had generously offered to watch her. Leia didn't seem to mind. "You two should get back to work. Pardon me."

Before the older woman had even walked away, Padmé was headed toward the sight of the reunion with a sole purpose.

/Why are you so determined to discover where this couple is from?/ I asked.

/Because I have a bad feeling about this/ she responded silently. /Their overcloak reflects traditional Alderaan design, but I need to hear them speak./

"Hello," Padmé announced in a friendly manner while extending her hand. "We've been told you are the child of Tavon and Jarra. I'm Padmé and this is.."

"Ben," I completed the introduction, eyeing Josai carefully. One word came to mind during our initial encounter and that was haughty. I'd met many men like him in the past and had trouble liking any of them.

Tavon and I weren't very close, but he was a hard worker and appreciated others who were as well. He had lived on Dantooine all his life and apparently loved his family, so I had nothing against him.

"Don't let these two kid you," he told his son. "This is Obi-Wan Kenobi and he's a Jedi. And this is his wife, Padmé Amidala who used to be a Senator of the Republic. I suppose she still is, although they've run into some trouble and have joined us all the way out here for a while, until things settle down. We're glad to have them. They're hard workers. Oh, and they have a daughter. Cutest little thing, but she can be quite a handful."

I felt Padmé's shock and surprise bolt across the bond as Tavon revealed everything neither of us wished he had. I had never spoken with Governor Sy about it, but I assumed our identities had been kept hidden from all visitors. Surely, Master Yoda or Qui-Gon had spoken with him about it. Perhaps Tavon hadn't received that message.

"A Jedi?" purred the visitor. "How profoundly interesting. Yes, I've heard of your, er, predicament. Tell me, are there more of you here?"

/Coruscant!/ Padmé shouted along our bond, so loudly it caused me to flinch.

/Sorry,/ she immediately said. /They're from Coruscant! I'd recognize those shoes anywhere!/

I hated to admit it, but she was right. The younger man's flow of speech and dialect was mid to upper level Galactic City. No matter who this man had once been, he had somehow made a name for himself in the Core and was now quite wealthy. It was revealed in his attire, his attitude, and his accent.

"A senator!" his glamorous wife announced proudly. "You must join us for a meal during our visit. My apologies for the lack of decorum and sterility, but we shall make do, shan't we?"

/I don't like these two at all,/ I heard Padmé say in my head which forced me to smile.

"That would be appreciated. Thank you very much for the invitation," I told them. It was nice meeting you both."

I took Padmé by the elbow and guided her away and back toward the linen shop.

"You were right," I told her.

"I was afraid of that," she replied as we walked. "He's still looking at us, isn't he?"

I didn't need to turn around to confirm that statement as I could feel the man's imperious gaze burning into the back of my head.

"No doubt. We need to inform Master Yoda."

"Why? Do you think they're going to cause problems?"

We kept walking and I hated to cause her to worry about something that may end up to be nothing. "We will be prepared for anything, shan't we?"

My attempt to lighten the mood helped calm down her aura, but it did very little to affect mine. Just as Padmé had said earlier: I had a bad feeling about this.