Obi-Wan awoke the following morning with a fresh outlook and a steely determination. After showering, he arranged his tunics and tested his lightsaber. It had been a few days since he had used it, and he would be needing it today.
Dawn had not yet arrived when he crept out into the hallway, stepping lightly down the shining marble floors.
A quick sweep of his hand across a palace guard's line of vision accompanied by a mumbled but somewhat stern Force command soon resulted in the opening of a door, revealing a room that held all of Naboo's political documents. The Unity Day Treaty had to be in here somewhere. It was an ancient parchment as old as Naboo itself, dating back to the first human settlers. Encased in a leather wrapping, Boss Nass had presented it to the Queen each day of the parade, but it was typically held in this room, on display in the plastisteel case he was now approaching.
A plastisteel case that was completely empty.
"Blast!" The knight's voice hissed into the records chamber. That would only mean that the Gungans had already arrived and taken possession of the document until the parade. There was only one thing he could do now. He would have to wait until the time of the celebration and somehow get his hands on that treaty.
An hour later, skirting away from the gathering crowd and palace staff, and actually discoveringa back exit out of the palace, Obi-Wan arrived to the parade platform just as the Queen was making her own appearance.
"You're up bright and early." The young woman stated with a smile.
Obi-Wan was amazed. The Naboo sun was just now rising, and she looked as fresh and beautiful as the dawn. With all that paint on her face, her hair done up in such an intricate fashion, not to mention the elaborate gown she wore with the enormous and strange fan-shaped attachment on the back, she must have started getting ready hours ago. But she didn't look tired. She looked absolutely radiant.
"Did you sleep well?" She continued, apparently not noticing his head to toe perusal.
"I slept well, your highness." Obi-Wan said with a smile and before he could talk himself out of it, he kept on going. "And might I be so bold as to say that you look ravishing in the morning light."
Just a flicker of astonishment shone in her eyes, so Obi-Wan decided to go all out. This was probably going to be his only chance. After he did what he had to do this morning, she was probably not going to speak to him any more, much less let him near her.
So he reached out and grasped a hold of her hand, bent over and placed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. He inhaled deeply. She smelled of sweetened soap and her hand was so delicate and smooth. He couldn't resist another brush of his lips before he rose.
That did it. Underneath those layers of facial paint, he could tell she was blushing, and he grinned victoriously in response, abruptly turning his attention to the parade crowd and Boss Nass who was lumbering up the steps to greet the Queen.
"Good day to your, your excellency." Obi-Wan greeted the large Gungan with a bow, noting the rolled leather document in the leader's hand.
"Weesa pleased yousa could be here, Jedi." Nass's voice rumbled low.
"It's my pleasure." Obi-Wan replied with another bow, averting his eyes back to the sacred parchment.
A quick snatch and he could be down the steps. They couldn't catch him if he used the Force. He would simply just have destroy the document and hide out until the changes in the time continuum occurred.
But his chance had passed as Boss Nass had moved forward to greet Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka had arrived at the scene.
Jar-Jar was next to arrive with his boundless energy and exasperating comments, but Obi-Wan wasn't listening. He had a singular purpose this morning, and it was to get his hands on that Treaty.
Following his cue, he stepped up to the publi-comm to address the crowd.
"The Jedi are honored to be involved in this significant occasion outlining your time-honored tradition. It has been my pleasure to visit your planet and get to know your people. May peace and prosperity reside over your civilizations for many centuries to come."
A slight smile appeared on the Queen's face as she acknowledged the knight's quick bow following the end of his speech.
Obi-Wan drew back into the line of Naboo and Gungan dignitaries standing behind him, receiving the typical pat on the back from Captain Panaka, although this time, he felt it was more congratulatory than sympathetic. His pleasure in that fact was short-lived however, as his attention was drawn to the ancient document that was being revealed before his eyes. The brittle, yellowed paper was spread out on the grandstand podium and a feathered writing instrument was handed to the queen. But before she could place the inked quill anywhere near the document, the knight had ignited his lightsaber and quickly slashed through the air, splitting the parchment as well as the wooden podium in half.
The treaty fluttered to the ground in two pieces, immediately igniting and burning to ashes rather quickly.
Obi-Wan watched momentarily, ensuring that the deed was done and then closed his eyes, waiting for the time anomaly to correct itself.
The smug smile and satisfaction that he felt in achieving his purpose and doing his duty soon disappeared however, as he felt the cold confinement of metal around his wrists and the unmistakable stinging sensation of electrocuffs being activated.
The shock of the words from Captain Panaka, "Knight Kenobi you are under arrest for deliberately sabotaging an official government document," were nothing compared to the expression on Padmé's face.
She was wearing a look of incredulation, which did not surprise him. But underneath that was an expression of severe disappointment, and that was what made the young man wonder if perhaps he had made a mistake.