From the Private Diary of Handmaiden Padmé Naberrie

Royal Starship

I have been placed in the care of Master Jinn's Padawan.

I still do not know the young man's name.

He is sleeping soundly.

It was a shock to see what happened to his apprentice. The danger was unexpected and most disturbing…at least to me. Master Jinn carried him aboard as the ship warmed up and began to take off. Captain Panaka quickly escorted the concerned Jedi Master to a vacant sleeping quarter not far from the bridge. Once there, he gently laid his Padawan down and went into deep concentration—meditation, I presumed.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say the air in the room shifted slightly.

Satisfied that he did all he could temporarily, he proceeded with Captain Panaka to the bridge. I went back to join my fellow handmaidens to accompany the Queen. After some turbulence, Captain Panaka and Master Jinn approached the Queen to update her on our current situation.

After a short deliberation—apparently we were to land on a desert world called Tatooine—I was chosen to look after Master Jinn's Padawan.

Padmé dipped a cloth in lukewarm water and gently cleansed the smoke-smeared features of Master Jinn's Padawan. She watched his chest slowly rise and fall. Most of his robe was burned due to the explosion, and part of his arm and lower leg were the same. Save for a few cuts from flying pieces of shrapnel, he was lucky to escape with his life.

And with his lightsaber.

She looked over at the silver object, resting on a nearby stand. Its unique design glistened. To think that only a few moments ago, the blue blade saved the Queen and her subjects from a handful of droids in the courtyard…and again in the hangar bay. Her Majesty's Court owed the young man their lives.

Her attention returned to the resting face. She quickly took note of his braid, and gently cleaned out the dust. He would have to look his best once he awakened—even the tiniest detail needed proper attention. Padmé would make sure he was well taken care of.

The Padawan shifted. The small reaction startled the handmaiden. Perhaps he was dreaming—reliving the moment that nearly cost him his life.

There—just under his tunic. Along his chest she noticed fairly-visible scratch marks. Small bits of shrapnel somehow made its way under his tunic to lightly scratch him. Dipping the cloth again, she gently opened his tunic to clean off the tiny marks.

…his physique was remarkable. His skin was soft, yet also strong. Even while injured, the "battle scars" gave the slumbering Padawan an even more appealing appearance. She wondered if he felt a slight embarrassment from her staring at him. Except he was placed under her care, so in a sense she had a right to see him this way.

Now she wondered if he felt vulnerable.

The young 'maiden gently dabbed at his slowly sweating body. Padmé had to almost completely—but carefully—take off his tunic to further examine his current state. She found a small sharp piece of droid armor tucked into his hip and another near his upper thigh. A couple of small-cut patches of healing bacta and soon the tiny wounds were sealed.

Padmé folded the cloth and neatly placed it on the bowl. Once again her gaze returned to the shiny silver object across the living space. When he awakened he might need to know where it was. She stood and strode over to the stand, picking up the heavy lightsaber. They say that every one of them is different—unique in its own way.

The Padawan's looked simple enough.

She returned to her chair and placed the weapon next to the bowl.

Beep

Padmé answered her comlink. "Yes?"

"Padmé, its Saché. How is he?"

"Sleeping soundly."

"Any injuries we should be aware about?"

Padmé considered. "I might need the serum to help prevent poisoning from droid metal in the blood stream."

"Poison?"

"He had two small pieces of droid shrapnel imbedded into his skin," Padmé relayed to her fellow 'maiden. She never kept her eyes off of the slumbering young man. "But other then that, I think he's going to be fine. What's our status so far?"

"We should be arriving at Tatooine within a few minutes. The Queen was thinking of sending one of us to tag along with Master Jinn."

This caught her attention. "Is this wise?"

"She is curious about the workings and scenery of this desert world." The young handmaiden paused. "Plus, he may need another helping hand in obtaining the parts needed to repair the ship."

"Who did she have in mind?"

"It's a credit toss between myself and Yané. She would send for another, but Rabé wants to stay by the Queen's side along with Eirtaé, and your with Padawan Kenobi."

So, a name was revealed.

"All right. Tell her I will be there before we touchdown to discuss the matter a bit more. I feel I need to take part in this."

"See you in a bit."

Padmé sighed, tucking her comlink back within its hidden pocket along her orange sash. "A handmaiden's work is never done. I apologize Padawan Kenobi, but I must be going." Grabbing her diary off the stand on the other side of the bowl, she gave the sleeping young man one last look before exiting the room…

…unaware that he heard the whole conversation and smiled to himself.