Anakin & Padme Chapter 26
"Courscant Chase & New Developments"
With Obi Wan having leapt through the window of Padme's apartment and was now flying through Courscant on the back of an assassin droid, Anakin had raced from Padme's apartment straight to the rooftop where the speeders were parked. He raced out from the elevator onto the rooftop noticing one open topped speeder. It was bright yellow and open engines at the front. Anakin leapt into the driver's seat of the speeder and quickly hotwired the speeder hearing it come to life
"And I thought I was the reckless one" he smirks under his breath before he flies the speeder out of the car park and into Courscant traffic hoping to catch up with his brother.
Whilst Anakin had the comforts of a speeder, Obi Wan's ride through the city wasn't pleasant as he held onto both sides of the droid hoping it would take him back to the assassin. The droid swerved through traffic, dodging speeders causing it's drivers to swerve to avoid hitting the Jedi clinging to it.
The alien passenger inside the open speeder that swerved to avoid hitting the droid angrily cries out, rocked violently in his seat. "Jedi poo doo!" he scoffs to his driver watching the droid fly off through traffic with the Jedi still clinging to it.
The droid then flew close to one building, determined to knock the Jedi off the droid. Obi Wan cried out as he struggled to keep both hands on the droid as he was slammed into the building. Obi Wan keeps a firm grip on the droid.
At the same time, he is unaware that Anakin is right now speeding through traffic using the force to sense Obi Wan. He accelerates on the controls once more hoping he would catch up to his brother before it was too late. His brother was flying through the city on an assassin droid which was carrying poisonous kouhuns intended for his fiancé.
This assassin would not escape them. They would ensure they were brought to justice. Anakin felt a surge in the force once more, he was getting closer to his brother's location. The question was, who had Obi Wan found?
Awaiting the return of her droid, Zam Wesell stood beside her speeder looking out through the traffic for the droid. She had her scanners over her eyes which then began to chime. She zoomed in spotting her droid flying through the traffic however the droid appeared to be carrying extra baggage!
Zam zoomed in once more on her scanner and discovered the extra baggage was a person! She knew Jango wouldn't want her to be caught and she couldn't take the chance that that figure was most likely a security figure. Zam quickly moved for her long range sniper rifle and follows the droid through the traffic, preparing to fire.
At the same time, Obi Wan was close enough to see a lone figure on a platform meters before him and they had a rifle. Obi Wan cringed "Oh this is not good" he mutters right as Zam fired her rifle hitting the droid direct and he is no more causing Obi Wan to begin to fall through Courscant traffic. Zam had little time to celebrate, she placed her rifle back in its place before jumping into her speeder and taking off in the opposite direction.
Obi Wan continued to fall through traffic not aware that a yellow speeder had seen him fall and was in fast pursuit towards him. He speeds up so that the driver was now flying underneath him. Obi Wan uses the force and manages to grab onto the back of the speeder.
Catching his breath, Obi Wan then hauls himself into the cockpit finding himself right beside his younger brother Anakin who is unable to stop smirking.
"And I thought I was always the unpredictable one" he teases "Imagine what father will say when he hears how you jumped out of a window, fly through Courscant on a droid before nearly falling to his death" he reveals as Obi Wan only rolled his eyes
"Well, you took your time catching up" he points out as Anakin shrugs
"Well, I had to ensure I had a speeder with an open cockpit and the right speed capabilities" he reminds him just at the moment Obi Wan spotted the figure's speeder.
"There they are!" he tells him as Anakin accelerated on the controls in the direction of the pursuing speeder. Anakin could sense that the accelerated speed he just gave the speeder was discomforting to his older brother who was attempting to steady himself
"You know I don' t like it when you do that!" Obi Wan calls back to his brother who smirks
"Sorry brother, sometimes I forget that you aren't keen on flying" he taunts back as Obi Wan shakes his head
"I don't mind flying" he corrects him "But what you're doing is suicide!" he cries over the noise of the engines as Anakin accelerated once more as they entered the Industrial district weaving around the electrical works, whilst keeping Zam's speeder in shake whilst she tried to desperately get them off her tail.
Zam then pulled out her blaster and fired at an upcoming electromagnetic circuit, activating it. She accelerates once more zooming straight through just as the circuits on both sides activated with purple electrical charges. Obi Wan felt Anakin speeding up as they got closer
"Anakin!" he calls out however Anakin doesn't stop and instead of trying to go around, he drove straight through the charges which sent several shocks through their bodies. Obi Wan shook his head "You could have gone around that!" he yells to him but Anakin doesn't listen
"We don't want to waste time. We need to keep on this guy's tail" he replies however it was soon after Obi Wan noticed the speeder in front of them turn a hard left however Anakin kept going straight
"What are you doing Anakin?" he asks "He went that way!" he cries as Anakin shook his head
"Don't worry brother, this is a short cut" he promised him continuing straight ahead "I think" he mutters. Obi Wan slumps back in his seat. There were times where he never understood his younger brother's actions but at the end, Anakin only wanted to catch this figure to find out who had once more tried to kill his fiancé.
Once Zam was sure she wasn't being followed any more, she slowed her speed down and took the fabric off her face allowing a smirk to cross her face. Some Jedi the Senator had protecting her. She thought, they couldn't even keep up with her. She just very well might escape with her life where she would try again to assassinate the Senator.
Having lost sight of the assassin, Anakin slowed the speeder down away from the traffic. Obi Wan didn't know it yet but his brother had formed his own plan hoping to catch the assassin. Obi Wan folded his arms across his chest shaking his head
"Now, what will father say he finds out that you lost the assassin?" he asks as Anakin was too busy looking over the edge of the speeder down at the traffic underneath them.
"Dad's going to be more shocked to hear about your ride through Courscant" he points out as Obi Wan rolls his eyes
"Some short cut Anakin" he scoffs "You should have just kept following-" he was suddenly cut off by Anakin as he suddenly leaps off the speeder
"Excuse me brother" he calls back to him as Obi Wan can only watch as his brother drops from the speeder into traffic
"I really hate when he does that" he mutters under his breath before he takes control of the speeder quickly following his brother.
Anakin was able to use the force to slow his descent through the traffic as he looked out for his target. He soon spotted the green speeder meters underneath him and Anakin hurried his descent landing right on top of Zam's speeder.
He landed with a small thump causing Zam from inside her speeder to turn around wondering what had just happened. Anakin held on from the back however Zam was determined to shake him off. She sent her speeder into a nose dive which sent Anakin from the front to the back of the speeder.
He gripped onto one of the twin engines right at the same time Zam grabbed her blaster and leaning out the side window, she fired at Anakin in another attempt to knock him off however Anakin was able to dodge the blaster bolts jumping from one twin engine to the other one. Zam attempts once more to accelerate forward causing Anakin to hold on tighter as he slide past her managing to grab hold of the side before beginning to make his way onto the roof.
In a brief moment of distraction looking to where the Jedi had landed, Zam almost lost control of her changeling form before she re focuses on the control right at the moment Anakin climbs up to the top of the roof unhooking his lightsaber from his belt igniting his weapon at the same time Zam slides down in her seat looking up the roof right before there was a sudden burst of blue light came straight through the roof missing her.
Having made a hole big enough for at least his hand, Anakin then attempts to wrestle with grabbing Zam's blaster who was trying to shoot him off the roof. Anakin grabs hold of the blaster trying to wrestle it from her. Zam, trying to avoid the lightsaber, tries once more to shoot at him and in the struggle, knocked his lightsaber from his hand sending it flying from the speeder.
Whilst...
Following a few meters behind, Obi Wan saw the lightsaber flying towards him and grabs it placing it on the seat beside him. He smirked to himself knowing how much their father would say something about losing his lightsaber but luckily, he wasn't here and he could just taunt his younger brother. He speed up hoping to catch up with him and the assassin.
Just as...
With no lightsaber, Anakin now attempted to wrestle the blaster from her once more, unfortunately in the midst of their fighting, the trigger on the blaster is accidentally set off setting the controls on fire as well as the engines. Anakin struggles to hold on as the speeder begins to descend right into the entertainment district which was still bustling with crowds.
The crowd was suddenly alerted to the descending speeder with the pilot fighting with the young Jedi. The speeder was descending closer towards the street prompting crowds to scatter just as Obi Wan, who had been trailing the speeder a close distance watched the speeder crash into the street causing people to scatter.
Just before impact, Anakin managed to jump from the speeder hitting the ground hard past stunned onlookers and into some metal garbage bins. Zam, still inside the speeder flies past him until it hit the wall. Anakin slowly pulls himself to his feet. Pain moved through his body from the impact of hitting the ground and bins but he ignored the pain at the moment he saw the crowd move over towards the speeder just as Zam stumbles from the burning wreckage.
Barely anytime to think, Anakin took off straight for Zam who raced off through the crowds away from the burning speeder. Anakin was not going to let her escape. She tried to murder his fiancé - she would be brought to justice. He pushed his way through the crowds hearing them grunt and groan in annoyance.
Whilst, hovering over the city streets, Obi Wan spotted his brother in the crowd and pulled the speeder left hoping to find a place close by to land at the same time Zam continued to weave through traffic with Anakin in hot pursuit behind her. She was heading in the direction of the nightclubs. Hitting the throttles, Obi Wan turned left spotting a place to park the speeder.
Anakin pushed his way through the crowds once more seeing one nightclub come into view, he recognised it as the Outlander. He hadn't noticed his brother had parked the speeder down the room and started to run towards him. He was right before the entrance having seen Zam race straight into the club just as he heard his brother's voice
"Anakin!" he calls out as Anakin halts his steps
"Why did you stop me brother. She's inside the club!" he cries "We can go in, arrest her and find out who's trying to kill Padme" he insists. Obi Wan only then shook his head.
"Anakin, dad wouldn't want us to just barge into a nightclub. He would tell us to think and use the force" he reminds him as Anakin sighs. His brother was right and this assassin could tell them who was after Padme.
"You're right" he replies just as Obi Wan held out his lightsaber
"Lose something?" he teases as Anakin shook his head
"Just don't tell dad. I'll never hear the end of it" he confesses as Obi Wan chuckles
"If you didn't keep losing your lightsaber, you wouldn't have to keep hearing dad say this weapon is your life" he reminds him turning to enter the club leaving Anakin to follow him. The night club was filled with males, females and different aliens enjoying the club's facilities and drinks.
Obi Wan and Anakin stopped and studied the nightclub where patrons were cheering their favourite holo sports teams and podracers. However, there was no sign of their assassin. "Can you see him?" Obi Wan asks his brother as Anakin shakes his head
"I think he is a she" he corrects remembering the fight he had on top of her speeder. Obi Wan nods. If this assassin was a changeling, this mission just became even more dangerous.
"In that case, be extra careful" he insists as he was formulating a plan in his mind. He begins to then move down into the direction of the bar. "Go and find her" he adds as Anakin looks confused
"Where are you going?" he asks his brother as Obi Wan only turns back to look at him
"For a drink" he grins. Anakin sighs. He wanted to argue with his brother his motives right now but knew this was a plan to lure the assassin if they were still inside the club. Anakin then turns left to start moving through the patrons ignoring their stares.
Meanwhile over at the bar, Obi Wan was helping himself to a drink which had just been prepared by the bartender. He nods as he took the drink from him just as one patron noticed his attire recognising him as a Jedi. This figure was shorter than Obi Wan. He was a slythmonger, one of the lowlife's in the Courscant underworld who manufacture cheap narcotics. This one was human with blondish short hair which hid his small antenepalps which showed he wasn't entirely human.
He looks over at Obi Wan, his death sticks clutched in his hands. "You wanna buy some death sticks?" he asks. Obi Wan rolls his eyes. This wasn't the first time he had been bothered by one of these slythmongers and right now was not the time to deal with this one.
He waves his hand before the figure "You don't want to sell me death sticks" he calmly mind tricks him just as the slythmonger felt a confused wave wash over him
"I don't want to sell your death sticks" he repeats pulling back on the death sticks just as Obi Wan decides to take it more further
"You want to go home and re think your life" he orders him as he once more felt controlled
"I want to go home and re think my life" he repeats before he begins to walk away from the bar leaving Obi Wan to resume his drink. Hopefully, that was one less slythmonger he and Anakin would need to deal with next time.
Fortunately for Anakin and Obi Wan, Zam hadn't left the club and was hiding out in the back room, Zam was preparing for a bold move. Taking out a Jedi. It would impressed Jango and she needed to ensure they couldn't follow her any more.
As Anakin continued to move through the club, watching the patrons engaging in the games, the drinks and the chatter, he sensed that the assassin was still here but no sign of her. He wasn't going to let her get away. He once more ignored the stares from the female patrons as he started another rotation of the club.
He hadn't seen Zam sneak out from her hiding place, blaster now out in front of her as she moved towards the bar where Obi Wan was enjoying his drink. It was then he sensed a disturbance in the force, it was close and right as Zam was on his back, Obi Wan, hand on his lightsaber, spun around and sliced her arm right off!
She screamed out in pain just as Anakin hurried over towards them. Patrons gasped in shock backing away from the bar as Obi Wan deactivated his lightsaber and moved over to help Zam to her feet. Anakin nods
"Easy" he comments looking around the club "Jedi Business, go back to your drinks" he simply tells the crowd following his brother out of the club right at the same time patrons resumed their activities.
Obi Wan and Anakin exited the club into the side alleyway. There was no one around in the alleyway which made it secluded for Anakin and Obi Wan to interrogate their prisoner.
Zam groans as Obi Wan places her on the ground crouching beside her as Anakin kneels down on the other side.
"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" Obi Wan asked in a firm voice as Zam groans once more
"It was the Senator for Naboo" she replies as Obi Wan went on
"And who hired you?" he asks as Zam looks over at him
"It's just a job" she mutters however Anakin didn't have time for her words. She tried to kill Padme.
"Who hired you?" Anakin asks her once more "Tell us" he goes on but Zam was silent once more as Obi Wan could sense his brother's impatience.
"Tell us now!" he angrily cries. Zam quickly starts to answer him
"It was a bounty hunter called..." she never finished her sentence for at that moment a small dart struck her neck. Obi Wan and Anakin quickly look behind them to see a masked armoured figure fly away with a jetpack. Obviously, working with this assassin, they had silenced her before she could reveal their name.
They quickly look back to see Zam mumble something before she reverts back to her original form. Obi Wan leans in to pull the dart from her neck.
He examines it closely "Toxic dart" he reveals. Anakin lowers his head sighing. This assassin dead and their partner escaped and it was clear that they would try again to attack Padme.
It was a few hours away from sunrise and so Anakin and Obi Wan returned to Padme's apartment to inform her of what had happened. They found Padme in her living room with Captain Typho, 3P0 and R2. Hearing the elevator door open, Padme hurried over just as Anakin and Obi Wan entered the room. Anakin wrapped his arms around her.
"What happened?" she asks "Did you catch them?" she adds as Obi Wan shook his head as Anakin placed a hand on her cheek
"The droid lead Obi Wan to the assassin and we chased them into the entertainment distinct. We caught her in a nightclub and after Obi Wan sliced off her arm, we started questioning her before she was killed by another assassin" he informs her.
Obi Wan looks over at Captain Typho, "Anakin and I believe that these bounty hunters were in league together however the partner could return" he points out as Padme understood what they meant.
"And I am still in danger" she adds. Anakin holds her close
"Padme, I will protect you. No bounty hunter will succeed in harming you. Tomorrow, Obi Wan and I will present our findings to the council" he explains. Padme rests her head against his chest. She felt safe in his arms. She knew he would protect her but knowing that two of her best friends were in the medical centre and her life was in danger still, didn't make her any less nervous.
The following morning, Anakin and Obi Wan had headed for the Jedi Temple to recounts the events of last night. Anakin didn't like leaving Padme but trusted Captain Typho and Hannah was with her as well.
Anakin and Obi Wan stood in the middle of the council chamber as the council listened to their recount. Qui Gon sensed his sons were a little disappointed with the outcome of the situation but at least Padme was still alive and they may have a possible lead. Now it was time to decide where to go from here.
Yoda spoke up after they had finished "Track down this bounty hunter you must Obi Wan" he informs him before Master Windu added
"And more importantly, find out who he is working for" as Obi Wan nodded in agreement before he then asked
"And what about Senator Amidala?" he asks "She will still need protecting" he reminds them as Qui Gon decided to speak up
"Anakin will continue to keep protecting her. He has done an excellent job so far and Senator Amidala is in safe hands" he explains. Anakin nods at his father as Master Windu looks over at him
"Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo. She'll be safer there and don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees" he informs him just as Anakin remembered something
"With all due respect Masters, if there are more bounty hunters out there who are trying to kill Senator Amidala, Naboo is not the safest place for they already know about her lake retreat" he reminds them referring to the incident after the Battle of Naboo with Cad Bane. Master Windu is silent as Anakin then added "And Padme has been working very hard on the Military Creation Act, she will not leave Courscant willingly" he insists as Yoda then speaks once more
"Until caught this killer is, our judgement she must respect" he replies as Qui Gon looks over at his sons
"Obi Wan, Anakin, go to Chancellor Palpatine and ask him to speak with Senator Amidala about this situation. Perhaps he can give an executive order" he suggests as Anakin then asks
"And where will I take her?" he asks as Qui Gon then had a thought
"Corellia. Your grandparents will ensure you are both well protected but once again, travel as refugees" he insists. Anakin and Obi Wan bowed to the council and left the chamber where they would head to the Senate to speak with Chancellor Palpatine.
Once they had arrived at the Senate chamber, Obi Wan headed straight for the Chancellor's office whilst Anakin headed for Senator Amidala's office. Anakin suggested they bring Padme to the office so they could resolve this situation.
Anakin and Padme arrived at the Chancellor's office before they were allowed in by his aide Sly Moore where they found Obi Wan and the Chancellor conversing. Palpatine turned as Anakin and Padme entered the office.
"Senator Amidala, it is a pleasure to always see you my dear" he smiles "Jedi Kenobi here was just telling me about what happened last night and how it would be best if you left Courscant under the protection of Jedi Skywalker" he reveals
Padme looks straight back at Palpatine "Chancellor, as Anakin has already tried to persuade me, I will tell you the same thing" she begins to reply "That I haven't work for the last five months on the Military Creation Act to not be here when the vote is decided" she explains as Palpatine gives her another sincere smile
"I understand your concerns about the vote Senator, but your safety is important and perhaps until this bounty hunter is caught, you would be safer on Naboo" he tells her as Anakin clears his throat
"Actually Chancellor, the council has decided that I take her to Corellia until the bounty hunter threat is removed" he explains "Padme will be well protected by my grandfather and I there" he promises adding "Besides since Palo and her father were deported back to Naboo, they could cause further troubles" he admits with a glare towards him.
Palpatine only looks back at Padme, "My dear girl, I must make this an executive order and perhaps Jedi Kenobi will find out who is behind the attempts on your life before the vote" he promises. Padme sighs looking over at Anakin. An executive order from the Chancellor was hard to fight back on and she hated leaving her friends and colleagues behind but she trusted Anakin.
"I understand Chancellor" she simply replies before she takes Anakin's hand in hers and exits the office followed by Obi Wan. None of them saw the small smirk to cross his face. if only they knew that was unfolding was part of his plan.
Two hours later, Padme had headed home with Anakin and Obi Wan to begin packing. With Sabe and Dorme in the medical centre, Sola was helping her pack. She and Anakin weren't travelling in her ship but as refugees and would be picked up at the Corellian spaceport by his grandfather.
Padme continued to move around her room as Sola pulled more of her clothing out of the wardrobe. "I'm sorry Sola, for not being able to be here more for you but Anakin's parents will look after you and I appreciate you looking over the apartment while I'm gone" Padme tells her as Sola smiles
"It's no problem little sister. Ryoo and Pooja are enjoying their time here and I'll look after Sabe and Dorme while they're recovering" she promised as Padme then embraces her sister
"You're too good to me Sola. I appreciate all of this and I know that I haven't been around much" she admits as Sola smiles down at her
"You're a Senator now Padme. Dad may not accept it but you are doing what you want and believe it. Naboo is looked after in your care. You fought to save our planet" she reminds her. "The girls and I will be fine here" she assures her. Padme felt some reassurance and comfort from her sister as they continued to pack for the journey.
It was early afternoon when Obi Wan, Anakin, Padme, Sola, Captain Typho, Qui Gon and R2 boarded the shuttle that would take them to the spaceport. Anakin had traded his traditional Jedi robes for his trousers, patterned undershirt and white poncho while Padme wore a long patterned mustard coloured dress with laced headdress underneath a metal headdress.
R2 would be accompanying them on the journey and it was a short ride to the spaceport. As the shuttle docked at the space port, Anakin held onto Padme's hand as he helped her up. He then watched her move over towards her sister and Captain Typho as he moved over towards his brother and father.
"Your grandfather and grandmother have been quietly informed of what is happening and you will discreetly meet him at the spaceport where you will taken to his estate and remain there" Qui Gon sternly warns his younger son as Obi Wan chuckles
"That's right brother" he smirks as Anakin only rolls his eyes "I will track down this bounty hunter and stop these attempts on Padme's life" he promises him as he smiles
"I know you will brother" he replies looking over at Padme who was embracing her sister in a final goodbye. Padme then looks over at Captain Typho
"Take good care of my sister and my nieces will you Captain" she instructs him "There will be no doubt there will be more attempts which could place their lives in danger" she warns them as Sola smirks
"Don't worry little sister. We'll be fine. You just enjoy this time away with Anakin" she smirks teasingly right as Anakin came up to place a hand on Padme's shoulder.
"It's time to go" he tells her. She took a deep breath before she reaches for her travel bag as Anakin reached for her suitcases. Together, they exited the shuttle followed by R2. Qui Gon, Obi Wan, Sola and Captain Typho watched them move into the crowd. Qui Gon placed a hand on Sola's shoulder.
"They'll be safe on Corellia and Obi Wan will track down this mysterious bounty hunter" he assures her. Sola only nodded and instead watched the shuttle take off bound for Corellia.
With his brother on his way to Corellia, Obi Wan started on investigating the origins of the toxic dart that killed Zam. The analysis droids at the temple were not help towards his enquiry luckily he knew of someone else who could be more helpful to him. Their friend Dexter who ran the local diner.
As Obi Wan entered the diner, he heard the familiar voice of his friend "Obi Wan!" he cried happily "Always a pleasure to see you" he calls out to him as Obi Wan chuckles
"Hello Dex" he replies as his friend begins to move out of the kitchen
"Take a seat, I'll be right with you" he tells him. Obi Wan then moves to take a seat at the empty booth where minutes later, Dex was moving towards him. Obi Wan gets up to embrace his friend happily before they both take a seat at the booth right as the waitress droid rolls away to get their drinks.
Once settled in their seats, Dex looks over at his friend "So my friend" he smiles "What can I do for you?' he asks as Obi Wan takes out the toxic dart, holding it out in front of him
"You can tell me what this is" he replies placing it down on the table
Dex looks down at the small dart, amazed. "Well..." he breathes "What do you know?" he asks "I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on sub terrell, beyond the outer rim" he explains at the moment the waitress returned with their drinks. Obi Wan smiles up at her, seeing it was Hannah. She smiles down at him as she places the drinks down on the table
"Thank you" he smiles up at her before she walks away and he turns his attention back to Dex
"Can you tell me where it came from?" he asks as Dex looks over at the toxic dart.
"This baby belongs to them cloners" he reveals going on "What you got here is a Kamino saber dart" he explains. Obi Wan was silently for a moment before he then wonders
"I wonder why it didn't show up in the analysis archives" he points out as Dexter turns the dart over
"See these funny little cuts on the side they give it away" he replies scoffing "Those analysis droids only focus on symbols" he teases "Heck, I would have thought that you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and..." he chuckles "...wisdom" he teases his old friend just as Obi Wan took a sip of his drink smirking
"Well, if droids could think, there would be none of us here would there?" he asks taking the dart into his hands
"Kamino?" he speaks "I'm not familiar with it, is it in the Republic?" he asks as Dexter shakes his head
"No, no, it's beyond the outer rim" he replies placing one hand under his chin "I'd say about twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze" he explains "Should be easy to find even for those droids in your archives" he assures him. Dexter then leans in closer towards his friend. "These are Kaminoans. Keep to themselves. They're cloners, damn good ones too" he cautions him as Obi Wan looked at him curiously
"Cloners?" he asks "Are they friendly?" he adds as Dexter smirks
"Oh depends" he taunts as Obi Wan only smirks back
"Depends on Dex?" he asks him as Dexter smirks even more
"Oh big your manners are" he replies "How big your..." he pauses before he goes on "Pocket book is" he informs him chuckling just as Obi Wan can only smirk before he examines the dart once more. He was right to come to Dex. He now had a planet and he hoped the archives would have more.
Half an hour later, Obi Wan found himself in the archives where he was stumped once more again, and so he called for the archivist Madame Jocasta Nu. While he waited he studied one of the statues, it was a bronze bust of Jedi Master Count Dooku, one of the Lost Twenty. He remembered Count Dooku for he was his father's master but his father rarely spoke about him.
Lost in thought, Obi Wan was startled by another voice. "Did you call for assistance?" they asks as Obi Wan recognised the voice of Jocasta Nu.
"Yes...yes, I did" he nods as she noticed he was still staring at the bronze bust
"He has a powerful face, doesn't he?" she notes "He was one of the most brilliant Jedi. I have had the privilege of knowing" she explains as Obi Wan then spoke
"I never understood why he quit. Father doesn't talk much about him" he admits as she smiles
"Count Dooku was at times out of step with the council's decisions. In fact the only one who seemed to side with him was your grandfather and of course your father" she reveals
Obi Wan raised one eyebrow "Really?" he asks surprised
"Yes, He was honoured when your grandfather chose him to teach his son. He valued his teaching methods. Old style fencing methods and a unique knowledge of the force. When he left the Order, your grandfather was hurt and felt betrayed as did your father and Count Dooku disappeared for nine years" she explains
Confused, Obi Wan now started to understand why his father didn't talk much about him just as Jocasta Nu spoke once more
"But I'm sure you didn't call me over here for a history lesson. Are you having a problem, Obi Wan?" she asks as Obi Wan moves back over towards the computer
"Yes. I'm trying to find a planet system called Kamino. It doesn't seem to show up on any of the archive charts" he tells her taking a seat as she sighs
"Kamino?" she breathes "It's not a system I'm familiar with, are you sure you have the right coordinates?" she asks him as Obi Wan nods
"According to my information, it should be in this quadrant, just south of the Rishi Maze" he tells her just as Jocasta types onto the keyboard. The screen then zooms in to reveal nothing but space. She sighs
"I hate to say it, but it looks like the system you're searching for doesn't exist" she states as Obi Wan shakes his head
"That's impossible. Perhaps the archives are incomplete" he suggests as Jocasta's eyes widen, she had never heard that before.
"If an item does not appear in our records, it does not exist" she snaps before she moves away to assist a younger Jedi student leaving Obi Wan stumped once more. He did not believe an entire planet could have been erased from the archives and he knew he would talk to his father and Master Yoda.
Next time: Anakin and Padme land on Corellia and take the time away from Courscant to be together whilst Obi Wan seeks help from his father and Master Yoda where he gets another step forward in his assignment and unexpected company on his journey.