Obi-Wan relieved Anakin of his watch and sent him to see Master Yoda. "Anything unusual while I was gone, Captain?"

"No, it's been pretty quiet." Typho glanced at Padmé as she ate lunch, then looked back at him. "What exactly happened out there, Master Kenobi?"

"A lot more than we're at liberty to discuss, I'm afraid. You understand how that goes."

Typho nodded. "All too well. It's enough that the Senator is safe. I was worried the people after her would figure out she was hiding on her homeworld, even if it was a remote location out in the lake country. If I were an assassin, I would have checked there first because those being hunted like to think they're safe out in the middle of nowhere in a familiar location."

"Yes, though perhaps they thought the Senator too smart for a move like that."

"Could be. Did you ever find out who was behind the first attempt?"

"A bounty hunter called Jango Fett. I was tracking him till he deactivated the device in an asteroid field."

"Think he'll be back to try to kill the Senator?"

"That is a possibility, depending on who hired him. Master Shaak Ti will be taking over Senator Amidala's protection tomorrow."

"Being given another mission, eh? No wonder your Padawan looked less than thrilled while he was here."

Obi-Wan felt his lips twitch a little. "That seems to be his normal expression these days."

Typho chuckled. "When my younger brother was his age, he acted the same way. He eventually grew out of it, though for a while I wondered if he would for a long time."

"My Master never accused me of having a rebellious phase. It took me a while to realize he liked when I defied him because it showed me how to find the will of the Force for myself, even if it meant standing up to the Council."

"Sounds like a good man."

"He was." Obi-Wan pushed his sadness into the Force. "I often find myself wishing I could still seek his advice, even if I already know what he might tell me."

"I feel the same way about my father. He died when I was training as a security officer on Naboo, though before that he would always tell me to be willing to go against orders and challenge authority unless I never wanted to progress. I like to think I got where I am because of him."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Do you mind if I ask what he did?"

"He was a pilot commander for our Nabooian fighter ships." Typho smiled reminiscently. "I suppose you could say the apple didn't fall very far from the tree in my career choice. My younger brother on the other hand surprised everyone by becoming a doctor after he mellowed out."

"Sometimes those with the greatest struggles can have the most compassion for others' plights."

"Very true."

Padmé's comm beeped and she pressed a button on the console to answer it and smiled as Bail's familiar form came into view. "Always a pleasure, Bail."

"Likewise, Padmé. I was hoping I could arrange a visit with your security to talk about the Senate meetings you've missed."

"Shouldn't be a problem." Typho replied when Padmé looked at him. "I'll send over one of my men to escort you here at whatever time you wish."

"Perfect. Seven sound good, Padmé?"

She nodded. "I'll see you then, Bail."

He smiled and cut the connection.

Typho began preparations for their visitor and sent over one of his men as he'd promised, only making sure it was earlier than the appointed time to make sure the security protocols were followed thoroughly.


Anakin returned shortly after. "Looks like I'm still your Padawan. Master Yoda said we'll be getting a new assignment and that I should take some righteous anger lessons from Master Windu."

"Master Windu is well known for that technique."

"He seems a little too calm to me."

"You have never seen him in battle, otherwise you would know better."

"Yeah I guess. Where's Padmé?"

"In the other room resting. Senator Bail Organa called and said he could come by later to talk to her in person, so she wants to be more refreshed."

"It's been a long few hours for all of us." Anakin sat down with a sigh.

"I agree. I will continue the watch if you want to get some sleep."

"Maybe in a bit. You heard anything from the Count yet?"

"No, but as Master Yoda said he will find a way to reach out when he is ready."

"I still think he can't be trusted or this whole thing is just a trap."

Obi-Wan thought for a while before he replied: "He didn't ask us to trust him, only that we listen. If he wanted to trap or dispose of us, he could have easily done so on Geonosis under the guise of prosecuting trespassers and no one in the Republic could have argued it because Geonosis is on the Outer Rim and far outside their jurisdiction."

"That's true. You mentioned before you didn't know him very well, right?"

"Not very, but Qui-Gon spoke of his old master at times when I was his Padawan and there were occasions I interacted with Dooku when he was still a Jedi before Qui-Gon's death. Master Jocasta Nu also knew Dooku pretty well since he spent most of his days off in the Archives. She described him as an idealist and individual thinker and that Qui-Gon had been more like him than I knew."

"Master Jinn? He seemed nothing like the Count to me."

Obi-Wan rubbed his beard. "You only knew him for a short time. Qui-Gon was a maverick and defied the Council openly, almost getting kicked out of the Order a few times, but no one could deny his connect with the Force. I didn't always approve of his choices and would question him, though he would remind me I had been the one to convince him to be my Master. After his last Padawan fell tp the Dark Side, he hadn't wanted to take on another."

"I never would have guessed." Anakin said quietly after a surprised silence. "What do you think he'd make of all of this?"

"He definitely wouldn't be surprised. He was the one constantly badgering the Council that the Sith hadn't been erradicated and there still had to be some out there because it was so hard for us to keep the balance as Jedi, yet at the time there was no evidence and they told him he searched for imagined trouble which would lead nowhere. At the time I thought they were right, now I wish I had considered his words more carefully instead of casting them aside like everyone else and maybe things could have been different, but we cannot change the past."

Anakin nodded. "Is that why you listened to Dooku?"

"Partially. Jedi are supposed to take everything into account in a non-partisan way, though it seems we have difficulty doing such things when we let personal feelings get involved."

"I have a real problem with that. Master, will you teach me to be better?"

"I will do everything I can, Anakin."