Disclaimer: In no way at all do I own any of the original character, locations, ships, or anything else mentioned in Star Wars. They are all owned by George Lucas. I only own my OC. Any similarities between this story and another are purely accidental.

A/N: Yay! It's a long-o chapter!

randomness: Patience is a virtue… Hehe, I love being evil! ; )

Sica Meni: Keeping at it…

Masked Masquerader: Like I told randomness, patience is a virtue. ; ) I know, I love that scene too. There's just something about blonde guys hurtling through space and about to crash into a speeder several stories below…

---

Lyra watched shocked as Anakin flung himself off the speeder, her look turning to one of amazement when he landed on the speeder of the assassin cruising by five stories below.

"I hate it when he does that," muttered Obi-Wan, sliding into the driver's seat and gunning the engine, deftly gaining on the rogue speeder.

From what she could see, Anakin had gotten out his lightsaber and had started to cut his way through the roof. The assassin aimed a blaster at him, firing and making him lose his grip on his sword.

Obi-Wan maneuvered underneath the speeder, allowing Lyra to catch the lightsaber before it fell to the ground. Obi-Wan shook his head, muttering something about careless Padawans.

The traffic soon made the two lose their quarry. Obi-Wan pulled the speeder to a stop, looking around at the passing vehicles. "Where'd they go?"

Lyra peered through the haze and smog, finally spotting the assassin's crashed speeder on the street. "There," she said, pointing to it. The assassin had already exited, and Anakin was in pursuit.

Obi-Wan steered the speeder to the street, landing it on the sidewalk. The two Jedi got out and run through the crowd towards Anakin, who was standing in front of a nightclub.

"Anakin!" called Lyra.

"She went into the club," he said, slightly panting.

"Patience," advised Obi-Wan. "Use the Force, Anakin. Think! He went in there to hide, not to run."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan held a hand out to Lyra, who placed the lightsaber in it. He handed it to Anakin. "Next time," he said exasperatedly, "try not to lose it. A Jedi's saber is his most precious possession."

"Yes Master," said Anakin.

"He must keep it with him at all times."

"I know Master."

"This weapon is your life," Obi-Wan chided, grabbing a hold of Anakin's lightsaber again.

"He's heard this lesson before," Lyra finally snapped, itching to get into action. She didn't want to spend the entire night out here, waiting for Obi-Wan to finish lecturing Anakin.

Obi-Wan released the lightsaber, turning his gaze on Lyra. "But he hasn't learned anything."

"I try, Master," replied Anakin, answering for Lyra.

"Why do I get the feeling you're going to be the death of me?" Obi-Wan asked as the three Jedi entered the nightclub, met with stares from all the patrons inside.

"Don't say that, Master. You're the closest thing I have to a father," said Anakin. "I love you. I don't want to cause you pain."

"Then why don't you listen to me?"

"I am trying."

Not again. "Can you see him?" asked Lyra, getting immensely irritated with Anakin and Obi-Wan's 'bonding' sessions.

"I think he is a she," said Anakin, looking at Lyra, "and I think she is a Changeling."

"In that case be extra careful." Obi-Wan nodded his head at the room. "Go find her." He started for the bar, making Anakin look at him strangely.

"Where are you going?" Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan smirked. "For a drink." He nodded at Lyra, indicating for her to join him.

Shaking her head, she sent a small smile to Anakin before following Obi-Wan to the bar. He signaled the barman, and soon enough two drinks were placed in front of them.

Lyra and Obi-Wan lifted their glasses, but before they could drink a bug-looking man named Elan Sleazebaggano interrupted them.

"Do you wanna buy some Death Sticks?" he asked in nasally voice.

"You don't want to sell us Death Sticks," said Obi-Wan, moving his fingers slightly.

"I don't want to sell you any Death Sticks," he echoed dumbly, making Obi-Wan look at her challengingly.

Lyra smirked. "You want to go home and rethink your life," she said, moving her fingers.

"I want to go home and rethink my life." Elan stood and left.

"I win," stated Lyra, bringing the glass to her lips.

"Not really," retorted Obi-Wan, taking a drink from his glass as well. "I stopped him from selling us Death Sticks. Those things are really dangerous."

"But I got rid of him." Lyra smirked, taking another sip from her drink. "So he can't sell Death Sticks to anyone else in this bar."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I suppose so…since you told him to go home." Suddenly, he spun around, simultaneously igniting his lightsaber and slicing at something.

A shrill scream sounded through the bar, as the assassin's arm fell to ground, fingers twitching. She slumped down on a table, clutching at the stump where her arm used to be.

"Jedi business," said Anakin to the crowd, instantly at their side with his lightsaber glowing, "go back to your drinks."

Slowly, the bar patrons sat back down on their seats. Conversation resumed and the performers onstage began picking up their routine. Obi-Wan lifted the assassin and exited the bar, followed by Anakin and Lyra.

Once outside, Obi-Wan carried the assassin into an alley, setting her down on the ground. As he tended to her shoulder, she sent Anakin and Lyra hateful glares.

"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" asked Obi-Wan.

"It was a Senator from Naboo."

"Who hired you?" This time, Lyra had spoken.

She glared at Lyra. "It was just a job."

"Who hired you? Tell us," demanded Anakin.

"The Senator's gonna die anyway," stated the assassin confidently, "and the next one won't make the same mistake I did."

Obi-Wan looked at the stump of her severed arm. "This wound's going to need treatment," he said.

Anakin's patience finally snapped. "Tell us now!"

This time, she answered. "It was a bounty hunter called…"

There was a sudden zipping sound, and a small object hurtled at the assassin's neck. She blinked in surprise, before dying and reverting back to her Clawdite form.

The three Jedi looked in the direction of where the dart had come from and saw an armored man with rockets attached to his back, taking off from a roof high above. Obi-Wan looked down at the assassin, touching her neck and pulling out a small object.

"Toxic dart," he said worriedly.

---

Obi-Wan, Lyra, and Anakin center of the Council Chamber. The members of the Jedi Council were seated in a circle surrounding the three Jedi. Obi-Wan and Lyra had just relayed last night's events to the Council members, who were deliberating the situation.

"Track down this bounty hunter, you must," said Yoda, looking pointedly at Lyra and Obi-Wan.

"Most importantly," stated Mace Windu, "find out who he's working for."

"What about Senator Amidala?" questioned Lyra.

"She will still need protecting," added Obi-Wan.

Yoda pointed at Anakin. "Handle that, your Padawan will," he croaked, causing Anakin to look up in surprise.

"Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo," instructed Mace Windu. "She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees."

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital," Anakin reminded them.

"Until caught, this killer is," said Yoda, "respect our judgment, she must."

"Senator Amidala has known Chancellor Palpatine for many years now," said Lyra. "She has come to view her as a sort of father figure in the Senate. He may be able to talk some sense into her, or at least issue an executive order for her to return to Naboo." She shrugged. "She will not refuse it."

"Anakin," said Mace Windu, "go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her."

The three Jedi bowed and exited the room.