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Black's Phoenix: Don't worry, she'll calm down. Maybe... Thanks for reviewing!

Chiara Sholuk: You're quite welcome! I'm very happy that you like my story, and thank you for the compliment. Hope you like this chapter!

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Chapter 5

The setting sun touched the mountain peaks of Naboo, and the lake glowed in the rose-tinted light. Floating lamps gleamed softly like jewels at the lodge.

Nandi placed dessert in front of Padme, and Teckla did the same for Anakin. The dessert was some kind of fruit.

"And when I got to them, we went into... aggressive negotiations," Anakin said, and turned to Teckla. "Thank you."

" 'Aggressive negotiations,' what's that?" Padme questioned, confused.

Anakin grinned. "Uh, well, negotiations with a lightsaber."

Padme laughed. "Oh," she said, smiling. She picked up her fork and went to spear a piece, but it moved. She frowned and tries again - the fruit moved. She looked up at Anakin, but his eyes were on his plate. "You did that!" she accused.

Anakin looked up - wide-eyed innocence. "What?" he said.

Padme scowled at him and jabbed at the fruit – Anakin subtly moved his hand and it lifted up from the plate and hovered in front of her.

"That!" Padme said. "Now stop it!" But she ended up laughing, and Anakin joined her. She reached out for the fruit, but it looped. "Anakin!" she said, looking at him.

Anakin moved his fingers, and the fruit flew into his hand. "If Master Obi-Wan caught me doing this, he'd be very grumpy," he said, pleased. He cut the fruit into several pieces and sent one back to Padme. She snatched it out of the air, bit it and laughed.

Later that night, a fire blazed in the open hearth. Padme and Anakin were sitting in front of it, engrossed in a game of chess. She looked up as Anakin was thinking about his next move. Padme was killing him, and loving every minute of it. "What, Master Jedi, can't think of where to move?" she teased.

He grinned. "No, not at all, just spacing out," he replied.

She glanced at the fire and sighed, and he looked up. "What is it?" he questioned softly.

"... Anakin.." she began, "..How do you truthfully feel about me?"

He gazed at her. "From the moment I met you, all those years ago, a day hasn't gone by when I haven't thought of you. And now that I'm with you again, I'm in agony. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you makes my stomach turn over - my mouth goes dry. I feel dizzy. I can't breathe. I'm haunted by the kiss that we so quickly shared. My heart is beating, hoping that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very soul, tormenting me. What can I do? I will do anything you ask..."

There was silence. The logs flamed in the hearth. Padme met his eye, and then looked away.

"If you are suffering as much as I am, tell me," he said.

She couldn't look at him. "...I can't. We can't. It's just not possible."

He leaned in closer. "Anything's possible. Padmé, please listen..."

Padme finally looked up at him. "You listen," she interrupted. "We live in a real world. Come back to it. You're studying to become a Jedi Knight. I'm a Senator. If you follow your thoughts through to conclusion, they will take us to a place we cannot go... regardless of the way we feel about each other."

"Then you do feel something!" Anakin said brightly.

Padme sighed again. "Jedi aren't allowed to marry," she said. "You'd be expelled from the Order. I will not let you give up your future for me."

"You're asking me to be rational," Anakin replied hotly, "That is something I know I cannot do. Believe me, I wish I could wish my feelings away... but I can't."

Padme shook her head. "I am not going to give in to this," she said firmly. "I have more important things to do than fall in love." She felt horrible as she was saying it, but knew that there was no other way. There was silence as they stared at the fire.

Anakin was thinking. "It wouldn't have to be that way..." he began, "we could keep it a secret."

"Then we'd be living a lie - one we couldn't keep up even if we wanted to," Padme protested. "My sister saw it. So did my mother. I couldn't do that. Could you, Anakin? Could you live like that? There was silence for a moment.

Anakin looked at her sadly. "No. You're right. It would destroy us."

Padme looked down, and realized that she had never felt so alone in her life before.

Obi-Wan and Serena stood with Taun We just inside the open door. "Tell your Council the first battalions are ready," she said. "And remind them, if they need more troops, it will take more time to grow them."

Obi-Wan smiled. "We won't forget. And thank you," he said, bowing.

"Thank you," the Kaminoan replied kindly, and watched them leave.

The two Jedi came out from the tower into the driving rain, and the door closed behind them. Obi-Wan pulled his robe around him and stood braced against the gale, but Serena put up a force field around them, and he smiled at her. He then glanced back toward the closed door, confirming that Taun We had left.

"What do we do now?" Serena shouted over the howl of the wind.

"Speak to the Council," Obi-Wan replied, and made his way toward the ship. She followed him. Below, a huge wave crashed against the stilts. Spray flew high and whipped across the platform to where the Jedi were standing. They walked over to the Starfighter, looked to see if anyone was watching, and then addressed Arfour, a reddish colored droid. "Arfour," Obi-Wan said.

R4-P17, Obi-Wan's Astro-Droid, who was sitting in the Starfighter, switched on and beeped over the microphone.

"Arfour, relay this, 'scramble code five,' to Coruscant: care of 'the old folks home,'" Obi-Wan said, while Serena grinned at the coded messages.

Tee hee hee hee... Yoda's old... she joked.

Obi-Wan glanced at her in pretended sternness. Now, Serena, don't make fun of master Yoda...

But it's fun! she whined.

But he's YOUR old master!

She raised an eyebrow. Point being...? He shook his head in defeat.

Arfour beeped and whistled, and the panels lit up inside the cockpit. A transmitter disc emerged from the side of the Starfighter and the message was transmitted.

Yoda sat with Mace Windu in the meditating chamber. Between the two Jedi, a hologram of Obi-Wan, showing Serena next to him, spoke. "I have successfully made contact with the Prime Minister of Kamino," he shouted, "They are using a bounty hunter named Jango Fett to create a clone army. I have a strong feeling that this bounty hunter is the assassin we're looking for."

"Do you think these cloners are involved in the plot to assassinate Senator Amidala?" Windu questioned.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "No, Master, there appears to be no motive," he replied loudly over the rain.

"Do not assume anything, Obi-Wan," Yoda commanded. "Clear, your mind must be if you are to discover the real villains behind the plot."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Yes, Master. They say a Master Sifo-Dyas placed the order for a clone army at the request of the Senate almost ten years ago." At this Yoda looked, shocked, at Windu. "I was under the impression he was killed before that," Obi-Wan continued. "Did the Council ever authorize the creation of a clone army?"

"No," Mace replied, "Whoever placed that order did not have the authorization of the Jedi Council."

"Into custody, take this Jango Fett," Yoda added. "Bring him here. Question him, we will."

Obi-Wan nodded again. "Yes, Master. I will report back when I have him," he answered.

Serena stepped forward. "Master, there's something you should know about Fett," she said, "He's an ex-captain of the Naboo army, and we knew each other well. He's an enemy, I know. He's always hated mutants, and now I believe he's after Padme because she dismissed him from his job."

Yoda was startled at this and frowned. "Then take him into custody, you must, Serena," he ordered.

"Very well, Master," she replied, and the hologram of the Jedi faded.

Yoda turned to Mace. "Blind we are, if creation of this clone army we could not see," he said angrily.

Mace sighed and put his head down. "I think it is time to inform the Senate that our ability to use the Force has diminished," he replied.

"Only the Dark Lords of the Sith know of our weakness," Yoda answered. "If informed the Senate is, multiply our adversaries will."

Anakin was on the balcony overlooking the gardens. After a moment, Padme came onto the balcony behind him, but saw he was meditating and turned to go.

"Don't go," Anakin spoke up softly, eyes closed.

"I don't want to disturb you," Padme replied quietly.

Anakin sighed. "Your presence is soothing," he answered, and there was a brief pause.

Padme thought for a minute, trying to decide whether to say it or not. She finally did. "You had a nightmare again last night," she spoke up, looking at him.

He paused. "Jedi don't have nightmares."

"I heard you," Padme persisted.

Anakin opened his eyes and turned to look at her. "I saw my mother," he finally said. "I saw her as clearly as I see you now. She is suffering, Padmé. They're killing her! She is in pain... I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you, Senator. I know I will be punished and possibly thrown out of the Jedi Order, but I have to go. I have to help her! I'm sorry, Padmé. I don't have a choice." He stared pleadingly at her.

Padme felt terrible for him. "I'll go with you," she offered. "That way you can continue to protect me, and you won't be disobeying your mandate."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "What about Master Obi-wan?" he questioned.

Padme smiled and took his hand. "I guess we won't tell him, will we?" she replied mischievously.

Meanwhile, Serena and Obi-Wan entered cautiously from outside. Ahead, the corridor was deserted, so they moved down it. "So, what's the plan?" Serena whispered to him.

He glanced down another corridor. "We go to Jango's apartment, find him, and we capture him, trying to avoid any Kaminoans along the way."

She looked at him incredulously. "Well then why don't I just make us invisible?" she suggested, raising her eyebrows. He turned to her. "You can make me invisible?" he asked quietly.

She nodded. "Yeah. Now let's go, we're invisible now." She sauntered out into the middle of the hall, walking right towards a Kaminoan, who stared straight ahead.

Obi-Wan followed her cautiously, still anxious about the whole thing. They arrived at the door to the bounty hunter's apartment. Obi-Wan reached up and ran his fingers along the door, trying to locate the locks.

Serena sighed and suddenly grabbed his arm and phased them both through the door and onto the other side. Obi-Wan stared at her, and she grinned cheekily. He shook his head and said to her telepathically, You will never cease to amaze me, my dear friend.

I know, sometimes I surprise myself now and then, she replied.

They walked in to find the room in complete disorder. The bedroom door was wide open - clear signs of hurried departure. All of the Fetts' personal belongings were gone.

"He's not here," Serena said, looking all around her.

"Well then let's find out if he's left yet," Obi-Wan replied grimly, going to an ultra-thin computer screen. He punched up an onscreen picture of Jango Fett and Boba Fett unhitching the lines securing their ship on the landing platform. Fett was wearing his armor and rocket pack. "We got him," Obi-Wan confirmed, and shut off the picture.

Well, that's that chapter! Hope you liked it! IT IS ONCE AGAIN TIME TO... aw forget it. But reviews are greatly appreciated! Hint hint.