A/N- Wow! I updated! Please refrain from fainting or throwing rotten produce. I still need feedback, people!
Disclaimer- If you recognize it, I don't own it. I'm just playing with them and will not harm them...I think...
The sound of a door chime pulled Silverblade from her studies in her bedroom. She sighed as she felt the familiar presence of Anakin Skywalker on the other side. Donning her mask as she went, she opened the door. "Hello, Anakin," she greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" She gestured that he could come in.
He did so, and sat on the corner of her bed as she leaned against the wall. "Actually, I wanted to ask a...personal favor...as we're on our mission."
She pushed off from the wall. "The one to Korriban?" she asked.
Anakin nodded, looking uncomfortable. "Since we leave in a couple hours, I wanted to tell you now. I've been to Korriban before, and it was a very bad experience."
Silverblade nodded. "I heard that you had been there, but not what happened."
He ran his gloved right hand through his hair. "It actually has a little to do with that tense moment in the cafeteria with Tru earlier today." He said. "I don't want to go into details, but that mission carries memories of extreme loss for me. Suffice it to say that, when we got back, I had ended up with a good friend dead, another one who never wanted to speak to me again, and a...rival...who left the Jedi Order."
"Tru was the friend that never spoke to you again?" she asked.
Anakin nodded.
"So, what's the favor you need?" she inquired.
"I need you to keep me in line. We may end up getting separated from our Masters, and I need someone to keep me...focused."
"Focused? Why?"
He took a deep breath. "Korriban is the planet of the Sith. Last time I was there, I...heard voices. They were speaking to me, trying to turn me to their path. It makes it hard to concentrate, and may make me very...irritable. I've always been very sensitive to the Dark Side, and it's always calling to me. I don't want to turn, become a monster, but it'll be a very real possibility on Korriban. I need someone I can trust to help me if I need it."
Silverblade sat next to him on the bed. Her heart ached for him, but she kept it hidden behind strong mental walls. It had been the hardest thing for her to reject his marriage proposal, but it had to be done...for both their sakes'. She draped an arm around his shoulder and said, "No matter what happens, you can count on me."
"Padawan," Mace Windu said in an amused tone as he watched Silverblade pack. "Why do you insist that every outfit you wear while in the Temple be white, silver or grey?"
The young woman smiled and flipped her Padawan braid behind her shoulder. "I do it to keep an air of mystery and...aloofness."
"Did you just say 'Aloofness'?" Mace asked with a raised eyebrow.
"For lack of a better term, Master," She folded a grey unisuit and put it in her survival pack before sitting down on a sleepcouch across from Mace. "The assignment that the Council has given me requires that I wear a mask when traveling as a Jedi and wear a necklace that changes my voice. It would be a bad idea to have more than a superficial friendship with anyone in the Jedi, because it could end up being a security risk, however unintentional the leak of information."
Mace sighed heavily. "I know this is hard for you Padmé, having to keep your distance from everyone," he said, "But you are assigned to do what is right for this galaxy. The Sith have revealed themselves again. We had a suspicion of it even before your—" he stopped, grimacing at the thought.
"...before my father encountered Darth Maul on Tatooine, I know." Padmé finished quietly, not meeting her Master's eyes. She stood and crossed the room to the window. "Sometimes I feel that I will always live in his shadow."
Mace sighed and stood beside her. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned that. Your father was one of the very best Jedi I have ever known, despite his unwillingness to follow the Council's orders. He broke the Code, but that doesn't mean you should feel ashamed, threatened, saddened, or tainted by his legacy. You knew him as you served your term as Queen, so you should know that Qui-Gon Jinn was a great man, and you are going to be a great Jedi, like him."
Padmé gave a tiny smile. "Thank you, Master," she said. She picked up her survival pack, and reached for her mask and necklace. Putting them on, she shed the identity of Padmé Amidala Naberrie, Senator of Naboo, and became Silverblade, Jedi Apprentice, daughter of Qui-Gon Jinn, and spy for the Council.