Disclaimer: Star Wars and all associated characters, plotlines, and worlds (good and bad) are property and copyright © of George Lucas (aka The Richest Man in Hollywood). This is purely for fan entertainment only.

Chapter 3

His irritation practically rolled off his body in waves by the time he had arrived at the Temple, his hair damp from the rain still falling heavily from the sky, the weather suiting his mood. Obi-Wan was waiting in the lobby and met him as he came in. "Thank you for coming." He said softly, walking with him towards the lift.

Anakin nodded absently, seeming to visibly calm down as time passed. "Who was it?"

Obi-Wan hid a grin, "Younglings Keine Ghinori and Rono Heinter."

The Knight blinked, "You're serious? Those are the two younglings that always snuck in on our sparring sessions."

His Master laughed, "Yes, those are the ones." His eyes crinkled, "I thought you might talk to them, yourself, perhaps give them an incentive to behave."

Anakin refrained from rolling his eyes, "I can do that. I remember the crush I once had on Padmé and I can share what I've learned with them."

Obi-Wan nodded, my, how you've grown over the years. "That would be excellent, Anakin. I'll arrange for a meditation room for the three of you to discuss the matter."

When they were brought to him, he watched as the two girls filed in, joining him meekly on the cushions of the dark room. He flexed his gloved mechanical hand, watching the fingers curl. "What reason do you two have for your behavior this evening?"

Keine ducked her head, examining her robes while Rono frowned, retorting, "What reason do you have for your own behavior?"

Anakin blinked, "Excuse me?"

Rono stared at him intently, "I saw the way you were acting with Senator Amidala- you know exactly what I mean."

He frowned, "There was no impropriety between the Senator and myself. You are once again out of line. Do not add on to your list of grievances." He paused, flexing the hand again, following its motions instead of giving in to the anger the two young ones were producing. "Now, I will ask you one last time, why did you pull the fire alarm and frighten many innocent civilians and force the fire department and security division to respond to a false alarm?"

Rono glared at him, boring angry holes into his head with her eyes. "You were about to kiss her," she began. How did she…? Before he could finish the train of thought, Keine finally spoke up. "Jealousy, sir."

Anakin allowed himself a small smile at the admission. "That attitude of cooperation will get you further. Jealousy of what?"

Rono sighed heavily, "It is already embarrassing enough to sit here with you, Master Skywalker. Jealousy of Senator Amidala."

He kept the smirk from playing at his lips. "Ah, but perhaps embarrassment is what you need after ruining the costumes of several high ranking officials and an entire ballroom worth of linens and food, all for an emotion that you have been taught since you were crechlings is to be discarded and avoided immediately." He silently added, And ruined my evening with Padmé. Twice. He rose, swishing his cloak about him, tucking his hands within the folds. "I am going to consult with Master Kenobi about the consequences of interrupting dignitaries for folly."

Outside the meditation room, he rejoined Obi-Wan. "And how did it go with the young ones?" the Jedi Master gestured to the room.

Anakin grinned, "Youth. And I have the perfect suggestion for teaching them the error of their ways."

Obi-Wan cocked an eyebrow, knowing where this was leading. "Oh?"

"A prescribed amount of meditation on the meaning of the word 'discipline' and the fallacy of 'jealousy'." Before Obi-Wan could laugh, he added, "And of course, crechling duty."

Obi-Wan's hearty laugh could be heard throughout the hallway and down to the Council chambers. "I should have known you would involve changing diapers! You've done your fair share!"

The twinkle in Anakin's eyes spoke of mischief to come. "Yes, I'm the master of crechling duty." His mood sobered. "However, I need to check on Senator Amidala and verify that she got home safely. I'm afraid I was a poor escort, leaving her like that, to get here." He looked back towards the younglings. "And I think it would set a better example of propriety if you called on her instead of me." I need to lay low for a while if younglings are suspicious, he added silently.

Obi-Wan blinked, surprised, "Anakin, you never cease to amaze me. Where have the years gone and what did you do with my Padawan?" he teased lightly.

Anakin shrugged, "Just get going before it gets too late to call your visit a social call and not an assignation. What would the younglings think?" He winked.

"Hah! As if anyone would believe that of me!"

The Jedi Master did keep that in mind, however, when he arrived at the Senatorial apartments and found a blushing Senator drawing a flimsy robe about herself modestly.


Jarlin Edge packed her holorecorder into a padded bag, satisfied with the latest report filed for her periodical, Coruscant Encounters. The fiasco that had erupted at the masquerade ball that evening had provided for very useful material- possibly the big break she had been waiting around for. She had already filed one report upon following the glamorous Senator Amidala. The Senator was always a hot seller when it came to holoreports, so the advertising was already selling for the morning's periodical.

She headed toward Amidala's apartment building, sure that surveying the Nabooan would produce additional results. She grinned in anticipation, waiting for the public reaction to the snapshots she had taken of the illustrious Senator and her mystery guest. Until now, rumors circulated that the Senator was secretly having an affair with her bodyguard and Captain of security, Panaka.

All that would change when the people of Coruscant woke up and turned on their holos.

Jarlin propped up on a nearby rooftop, enhancing the view, finding the Senator's apartment. Sure enough, it did not take long before two figures emerged from the tower, communing on the veranda Jarlin had been studying.

The reporter snickered as she zoomed in on the loose, tousled hair flowing over a shimmer silk robe that flirted above the woman's knees. She moved her zoom to the man beside the scantily clad Senator, only to find the familiar cut of Jedi robes.

Jedi Robes? What? Oh, this will be good. She followed the robes to the man's broad shoulders, to auburn hair that was trimmed neatly around his face, a beard tracing his jaw.

Jarlin's own jaw dropped. Padmé Amidala was full of surprises. It was no surprise for a female politician to be seeing more than one man. It was shocking for one of those to be a Jedi, though the particular Jedi in question was quite worthy of a scandalous affair.

No, this went above and beyond a surprise, and she could not stop clicking shots of what she knew would knock even her last story out of the water.

She checked the viewfinder to verify that the holorecorder was catching every moment of the disheveled Senator and her Jedi visitor. Jarlin could still not believe her eyes.

A Jedi Master was having an affair with Senator Amidala. A Jedi Master who just so happened to have known the Senator for years. A Jedi Master who looks suspiciously like Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had been assigned to Amidala's security detail many times. It was the perfect cover story for illicit lovers.

A perfect career-making story for her.