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"See me I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly, it's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never tell when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid." - Jack Sparrow


Recap

He didn't say a word, but he made sure Kenobi knew I'll be back and I'll kill him too.

He wrapped the Darkside around him into a tight cocoon before blasting it back, sending the sticky Darkness storming through every corner of the room, smothering the Light.

And then, he was out the window, falling down four stories and into the black depths of the lake. He smirked. Perfect.


Chapter 18 Fallout

She kept her comlink on vibrate during the day, to ensure that it didn't go off at an inopportune moment. At night, she cranked it up to full volume, setting the chime as high as it would go. It wasn't a pleasant sound, but it was the only way to be sure she'd wake up if someone commed her at three in the morning. Sadly, said chime sounded a lot like her alarm clock; it took a long, sleepy moment to realize she was supposed to be pressing 'answer' and not 'snooze.'

She fumbled as she lifted the device to her head.

"Sabe." It was hard to shake the sleep out of her voice, and she couldn't quite hold back a sleepy sniffle.

"Mi'lady. There's been a security breach in the South Wing." That shook off the sleep faster than caff. Sabe immediately began clawing her way out from under the covers and scrambling for her shoes, worry clamouring up from her gut and into her throat. "Skywalker's apartments were broken into. We need you here immediately."

"On my way."

The handmaiden dropped her comm onto the nightstand next to her blaster, reaching her other hand to her robe. She didn't waste time getting completely dressed, simply wrapping it around herself before tying her shoes. Snapping up the communications device and her blaster, Sabe hurried off.

Rabe was the handmaiden that usually coordinated with security with Panaka, but both had left with Padme yesterday morning. That left Sabe in charge of not only her guests, but of making decisions on how to handle the incident. Her stomach roiled.

She jumped the down the stairs, taking them two at a time to get to the second floor. Sabe used the slick marble floors to her advantage, skidding down the hallways until she reached Obi-Wan's and Anakin corridor. Hearing the bustle of security officers, she stopped her dash, brushed her hair back from her face and outwardly composed herself, forcing herself to look the part. Putting on her second best Amidala look, she turned the corner, letting her robe swish out behind her.

"What happened?" she barked out, immediately drawing the security team's attention.

The man in charge, a lieutenant she'd met once or twice before named Xander, stepped forward. "Ma'am. The Zabrak that attacked us the day we retook the palace. He attacked tonight. Jedi Kenobi fought him off, but it seems he escaped out the window. We alerted Captain Panaka and the rest of his staff. They've put the Queen and Chancellor on lockdown."

Sabe nodded, grateful that at least that much had been taken care of. What about Anakin and Obi-Wan? Her brain began plotting, planning out where and how to keep the two safe until the Zabrak who had caused so much pain had been apprehended.

Because he would be apprehended. Her traitorous mind added, this time.

"Have you sent men to find him?" the handmaiden asked.

"Yes. I've commed down to the docks; they've started on the lake. The men on the lower floors have been alerted as well."

"Thank you, lieutenant."

Now, to talk to Obi-Wan and Anakin herself. Looking confident, Sabe walked into the apartment. More security swarmed the doorway of Anakin's room, indicating the location of the scuffle. The men stepped back, making way for her. Her fingers twitched, twining in and out of a fold in her robe, grasping for the reality it afforded and using it to push away the surreal feeling that surrounded her.

Her eyes detailed the room—the singed carpeting, the scuffed bed posts, the broken doorframe, and empty window. She shivered. The room felt strange; dark almost—hopeless and angry. Bedclothes littered the floor with Anakin nested in the middle of them, hugging his knees to his chest, eyes glazed with the same vacant pain he'd borne on the yacht leaving Tatooine. Obi-Wan hovered over Anakin like some great bird of prey, totally focused on the child, even as he met Sabe's gaze squarely. He had two lightsabres, one clipped securely to his belt, the other twisted in his hands. Part of her was surprised to find him here, that he hadn't leapt out the window after the man-in-black.

The two will have to be moved tonight, Sabe decided. Another room at least, and preferably to one closer to the South Wing security station. She'd talk to the Commander who'd been left in charge to discuss rearranging patrols until the chief himself returned…and they'd have to investigate how the man in black had managed to infiltrate the palace in the first place. Had someone started looking over the security tapes yet? And did they know why he'd gone after Anakin? Had there been any secondary infiltrations into the palace? What if this was just a distraction?

Deep breath, in and out. First things first.

"Are you two all right?" Physically, they seemed to be, but….

Arms crossed, legs grounded, standing between Anakin and the broken window like he was still torn between throwing himself out one and protecting the other, Obi-Wan responded, "We are both in on piece—"

Sounds of a brief scuffle outside caught silenced the Jedi. Moments later, the lieutenant appeared in the doorway, face drawn and stiff. "Three patrolmen were found in the West wing. It looks like burn wounds. We're still looking for the fourth patroller, but…."

Her stomach twisted. Naboo was a peaceful planet! Murder in the royal palace was unheard of! But then, so was invasion. "Thank you, Lieutenant." A breath. "Lieutenant, you have alerted Commander Toydeka of these developments?"

"Aye, ma'am. He's coordinating with the Security Chief now."

"Thank you. I know we can count on you and your men's discretion." He gave her a short nod, and Sabe continued speaking, "I will get these two out of your way so you can continue your investigation. Please keep us updated." He simply bowed in response and fell back to confer with his unit.

She turned to Obi-Wan who was already pulling Anakin to his feet. The child batted his hands away in an echo of his usual temper. As soon as he had properly gained his feet, he took a few steps away from Obi-Wan to reassert his independence, only to reattach himself to the man's side almost immediately.

They followed her out of the apartments, brushing out past the security patrols. She led them just down the hallway to an empty conference room. Anakin collapsed on the chair near the door, still largely unaware of the world around him. She pulled Obi-Wan away from the child until they were halfway down the table.

"What happened?"

It was eerie hearing Obi-Wan tell the story. It was dry and dispassionate, like he was talking about someone else's trip to the Lake Country. His face was calm, his manner composed. The man had been attacked by the being who had murdered his master with his master's weapon, while defending a child in his care—how could he be so calm?

Her comlink buzzed, interrupting Obi-Wan. She grimaced, wishing the interruptions would just stop.

"Uh, Ma'am?"

"Yes." Get on with it! Sabe had to restrain herself from rushing the man.

"We're, uh, we're reviewing the security footage now, from before the attack. And, well, it seems, we can't find him anywhere."

Sabe's eyes leapt and caught Obi-Wan's. "What do you mean, you 'can't find him anywhere?'"

"That Zabrak. He's a ghost. We're only running our preliminary search, but the computers haven't found anything. He hasn't showed up on the security tapes once."

"There's no sign of him anywhere?" Other than the bodies.

"We haven't heard anything from the search teams either, ma'am."

"Thank you. Keep looking. Alert me if anything changes."

"Aye, ma'am."

Sabe twirled the device between her fingers before setting on the table with barely trembling fingers.

"They aren't going to find him." Obi-Wan's tone was unyielding and flat.

Sabe looked up sharply. She would not hear her Queen's security belittled. "Yes, they will."

Silence.

But it was the hard kind of silence, the uncomfortable kind, so Sabe kept talking, "Until then, you two can stay in the rooms next to the security center—"

"He's after Anakin," Obi-Wan interrupted.

Sabe shook her head, "You don't know that."

"Yes we do," he replied in that frustratingly calm voice. "The incident at dinner—"

"Cannot be attributed to him," Sabe interrupted sharply, eyes flashing.

"He has proven he can move through the palace without being caught by security; he's good—he wouldn't have left evidence."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Sabe shot back, crossing her arms in challenge. She wished she had taken the time to change, rather than face an angry Jedi in pajamas.

"Neither. He is after Anakin and I will not let that happen."

"What, so now you are going to go find him?"

The Jedi gave Sabe an unimpressed look, arms crossed over his chest. "If I was going to go after him, I wouldn't be here having this discussion." The calm had been overtaken by an arrogance that set her teeth on edge. "This was all planned. I'm willing to bet he's halfway to planet core by now."

"Naboo security will find him," she insisted, wishing she didn't sound quite so defensive.

"But until they do, we need to get Anakin off planet."

"Excuse me?" If Jedi Kenobi had just said what she thought she'd just heard… "We don't even know he's after Anakin," Sabe reiterated through gritted teeth, her anger rising.

"And you're willing to put Anakin's life at risk on that assumption? You're willing to put everyone in the palace's life at risk after the men he killed tonight? The man-in-black is a murderer." Obi-Wan's fingers clenched on the lightsabre he still grasped in his fist.

She spoke baldly, eyes flashing, "Just because he killed Master Jinn does not mean he's trying to kill Anakin."

Something formidable crossed his face. "No. it doesn't. But it does mean that none of you will be able to stop him when he comes back."

Sabe tensed and took a step back, feeling the full thrust of the insult and working to keep her face from showing all of the outrage sweeping through her. Lips pursed, she replied sharply, crunching her fingers together to stop them from shaking, "You are our guest. We will not turn you out at the first sign of a threat!"

That he dares to insult Naboo hospitality like that…

Obi-Wan stepped toward her in a controlled and dangerous movement. "This isn't the first sign." His tone was blunt and entirely lacking in his usual civil poise; it completely caught her off guard. "He has proven that your security is no match for him. Anakin will only be safe when he is in the Temple."

"I can't let you leave the planet. Certainly not without consulting the Queen. She's Anakin's guardian," Sabe added pointedly. Not you.

Obi-Wan's eyes flashed, recognizing the silent volley, but he refused to retreat.

"He's after Anakin."

Sabe shivered, hearing herself in that statement. There was no room for debate in Obi-Wan's voice. Sabe recognized it, that need to keep someone safe at all costs. Before she'd never known it existed. Since the Invasion…since it had become her entire life.

Sabe sighed and leaned against the table, the edge digging into her hipbone. "You don't know that," she replied, her volume back under control.

It was Obi-Wan's turn to raise an eyebrow. She couldn't meet his eye this time, the words poison and missing guards dancing between them. He was right. Sabe did know that. She didn't want to though.

"Anakin needs to be in the Temple until the Zabrak is apprehended. Naboo is not safe for him."

The idea of Naboo being unsafe was enough to make her feel nauseated. She pressed her crossed arms into her stomach, trying to hold the feeling down.

Sabe desperately wished the Queen was present to make these decisions, decisions which could have lasting intergalactic ramifications. Naboo was already weakened by the Invasion. What would knowledge that an honored guest had been attacked in the palace itself? Worse, while the Chancellor was on planet? What if they left and were killed? What if they stayed and were killed? If news of any of this leaked back to the Trade Federation, what would that do to all of Naboo's trade negotiations, both with the Federation and with others? It would certainly destroy them in front of the Courts, which they couldn't afford. Nor could the planet afford problems with the Jedi—one of them had already fallen to the hand of this monster; what happened if another did?

"Consult the Queen. Anakin and I are leaving."

Sabe ran her fingers through her hair, rubbing at her scalp, as the effects of being jolted awake at 2 am crashed over her. "The Queen is under lock down. It's protocol after an attack like this. Both the Queen and the Chancellor will incommunicado for at least another twelve hours," she said, wearily. I have to make this decision myself.

But, it wasn't much of a decision, she realized, studying Obi-Wan. Something in the Jedi had clicked into place. He would take Anakin and he would get him off planet. The more she looked, the more obvious it became. The only difference was if their departure would be with her help or without it.

Sabe nodded, one brisk drop of the chin. "Alright. Let's find you a ship." Pushing away from the table, she headed to the doorway, pulling out her comlink to start making the arrangements.

Padme is going to be furious.


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