Chapter 1

Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker pushed back from the console in barely concealed disgust. "The circuit board is fried, Captain. Until we get a new one, all computations will need to be done by hand."

Captain Padmé Naberrie nodded as if this wasn't much of a surprise, her bare toes tapping the air absently. "I suggest you get on it then, Skywalker; you might only be there for a year or two if you're lucky"

They'd been less than a couple of hours out of Ansion when the navcomputer had fried unexpectedly. Those few hours would turn into years, possibly a decade, if they couldn't get the computer back online. He'd done everything in his considerable repertoire, including trying to bypass the damaged board, but a surge of power had almost disabled their engines and he'd quickly shut it off.

He'd located the power problem quickly enough, no thanks to his accomplice, and rerouted it properly. It hadn't helped with the fried circuit board and without a navcomputer they were as good as dead in space. Hours of long, exhausting work hanging at a precarious angle inside the service panels hadn't helped and Anakin's nerves were starting to fray, his control starting to slip. It didn't help that the good Captain enjoyed nothing more than to help bring it to that point.

"Ha, ha." He turned a sour look on her, not appreciating her humor. He immediately wondered what has possessed him to do so.

She was currently lounging in her chair in little more than her underclothes, her feet crossed at bare ankles on the board in front of her as she was checking the supply manifest in her cargo hold. He wished he hadn't looked as he couldn't help but admire her physique. Padmé was not a shy woman and she made no secret of the fact that she was trying to deliberately break his self-control. She blatantly flaunted her exquisitely shapely body, not to mention the razor sharp intellect it housed, in front of him hourly. It would have helped if she'd been bloated, or maybe bony, but she was neither. Excellently proportioned for her size, her muscle tone indicative of a highly active life style, a part of him was starting to wonder if her boast about him coming to her might in fact be true.

Anakin had found respite in short hours of meditation, feeling refreshed but less so daily. He wanted nothing more than to put this brazen woman and her ideas of fun behind him and get back to work on the next generation of Jedi. But, he couldn't. Not until they'd located the Jedi on Padmé's list. He and the other Masters needed all the help they could get.

Padmé didn't look up from her datapad, her finger moving the slider down the screen as she searched her inventory. She shifted unconsciously under his gaze, giving him a good view of one perfectly sculpted buttock for a brief moment. "If you're lucky, I'll be able to locate which compartment that spare's in. Then you and that shapely tush of yours can be suspended for a while longer while you install it."

"Don't tell me the Captain needs a man to install her hardware."

She looked up, a teasing smile playing about her lips. "You can install any hardware you want, Skywalker. Just say when."

"Insufferable woman."

"Prude." She returned, noting his flush before getting back to the matter at hand. "I could do the install, but you've already proven to be a better hand with mechanics than I am. Probably better than I'll ever be."

"A compliment, Captain?"

Her smiled turned charming. "I do know my limits, Skywalker. Don't let it go to your head."

He held up his hand forestalling the inevitable comment that would follow. "Just find that board, would you?"

She placed the datapad on the console, flicking the power button, and dropped her bare feet to the deck plating. Anakin's gaze was drawn to those tiny appendages. They moved as gracefully as the rest of her; and he'd seen her pick up datapads and a stylus with them. He didn't doubt she could probably shoot a blaster, albeit badly, with her feet too.

Those bare feet moved towards him and stopped just in front. It took a moment for Anakin to realize he was staring. His eyes snapped to her face, unable to avoid the view of her standing in front of him, her hands on her hips, in nothing more than her underwear. His mouth went dry and he saw a knowing smile cross her lips.

"Am I supposed to step over you Skywalker? Or are you just enjoying the show?"

In a completely undignified movement, he scrambled to his feet and moved out of her way. Padmé grabbed her flight jacket from the back of the co-pilot's chair where she'd placed it a few hours ago and slipped it on. "Unless you're going to do something about the intention on your face Skywalker, standing and gawking won't get that circuit board fixed."

Padmé exited the cockpit, leaving the jacket open. Her ship's temperature was warm enough that she didn't mind the lack of clothing. It helped that her blaster's harness was soft and supple and wouldn't abraded her smooth skin. It was the only other thing she wore and that alone ensured she didn't feel completely naked. Plus, her smile turned roguish as she heard Anakin following her, the height of the holster drew his eyes to certain attributes.

Padmé pushed the thought from her mind. Anakin was a pleasant distraction, one that was starting to border on obsession as she found him following her into her dreams, but she needed to concentrate on getting her ship fixed. She stopped in the cargo hold, bringing to mind the numbers on the cargo manifest. Cargo bay, storage locker ninety seven Zulu. She palmed the door open and hit the lights.

Ring lights came on, one at a time, as the generator kicked in. The lights started near the door and then, one by one, snapped into life. Satisfied, Padmé stepped into the cargo hold. She walked across the cool deck, feeling chill-bumps crawling up her feet, over her legs, the cold seeping into her core. She zipped up the flight jacket, increasing her pace, waiting for Anakin to say something.

He didn't. He followed behind her, a silent shadow, and stopped when she did. Padmé keyed open the storage locker and stepped back. She looked at him, noting the closed expression on his face and decided he'd had enough for the day. She knew her limits, she also knew how to read other people's limits. Anakin had reached his and was in no mood for her shenanigans. "Think you can find it?"

"Baring distractions."

She grinned roguishly. Maybe he hadn't had enough if he could still rise to her bait. "I thought Jedi were famous for their control."

He slanted her a look. "Of the Force maybe. Of self... it's always been my weakness."

She chuckled, stepping away, wanting nothing more than to find her nice warm boots and chase the chill from her body. No matter how much fun she had teasing him. Being in barefoot in the cockpit was one thing - the unheated cargo bay was another entirely. "Careful, Skywalker, I might just jump on that."

His smile was self-depreciating. "You already have, Captain. If you don't mind, I'd like to get back underway as soon as possible."

Padmé was tempted not to but her slowly freezing feet were crying for relief. "I'll be in my bunk. It' your turn for watch."

"We'll be back on course in no time, Captain. Sweet dreams."

"Right." She turned away, exiting the cargo bay swiftly and heading for her quarters. She was too wound up to sleep. She stepped into the small compartment and immediately removed her holster and its various straps before shrugging out of the jacket. She slipped into her pants, socks and shirt before buckling on her holster once more. Her vest and boots went on last. She adjusted her shoulder-length hair, pulling it back into a tail and tying it at the back of her head. She'd left it down as a temptation to the Jedi; she wasn't about to inconvenience herself while running through her daily exercises.

She waited a few minutes more, taking the time to stretch out and limber up. Her cargo bay was small, but just large enough she could job laps for an hour and get a good work out. Stretched and confident the Jedi was back in the cockpit, she headed for the cargo bay.

The tension between herself and the Jedi was setting her on edge, something she couldn't afford if he was going to come to her.

----------

Padmé returned to the cockpit after her work out and a quick sonic shower. She was dressed this time, in much the same thing she normally wore planet side, her blaster strapped comfortably to her lower hip. She just about laughed when she entered, stopping to admire the view.

Anakin was hanging half into the console for the nav computer's circuits. Inventive curses and banging could be heard - muffled - coming from inside. His body was contorted half in the air, his long legs and shapely tush - a part she had to restrain herself from touching, the only part of him visible.

"Problems, Master Jedi?"

The noises stopped, and she realized she'd caught him by surprise. His muffled words were full of exasperation. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I decided to go for a run instead." She crouched by the panel, giving into her urge and placing one hand on his backside for balance. He jerked under her blatant touch, but Padmé just leaned forward to peer into the panel at him. "Can I get you anything? A tool you're missing maybe? I know my way around a multi-tool."

Anakin looked back over his shoulder at her, his blue eyes wary. Her touch was firm, but undemanding, her weight balanced perfectly on his buttock. He licked his lips before speaking. "You don't keep old circuit boards, do you? Ones that don't work?"

She shrugged, the motion translating into a slow sensation crawling up his spine. "Not normally. Why?"

"Because this kriffing thing is stuck! I can get it out, but I'll have to break it into five pieces. Someone soldered the blasted thing on!"

"So get the de-soldering tools. Typho had a multi tool with them somewhere in the box."

Anakin glared at her. "I tried that. Someone with much smaller hands than I put this thing in."

She smirked. "So use the Force, oh great Jedi Master. Or has it been that long since you worked on a ship?"

"I was nine and it was a pod racer." His terse response was followed by silence as he used her suggestion.

Padmé watched with fascination as the tool rose without being touched and slid behind the panel into a very narrow crack. She waited until the tool reappeared to speak. "A pod racer? I thought humans couldn't be pilots."

"Human children with innate Force abilities make surprisingly good pilots." He tossed a faint smile in her direction, reaching up to remove the fried panel and passed it to her.

Padmé had to remove her hand from the tight muscles she was enjoying the feel of. She settled for patting them once before she accepted the panel. She placed it to the side and found the new one sitting on the co-pilot's chair nearby. Carefully, so she didn't bang it on anything, she passed it over Anakin's back and into the service panel.

Anakin took it just as carefully and fitted it into place. A few bolts were tightened and then he carefully hooked up the computer connections, plugging them back in properly.

Padmé rose to her feet and moved a step away; giving him the room he needed to crawl from the panel. Once out she chuckled softly. "You're covered in grime, Master Jedi. Not a very dignified position."

Anakin plucked a rag from his belt and wiped his face before cleaning off his fingers. "It's greasier in there than I thought. Your ship's a well maintained, top notch piece of equipment captain."

"I do try."

"It shows." Anakin pushed to his feet. He'd removed all but his under tunic and trousers to crawl into the hatch to replace the panel. "Now if you'll excuse me Captain, I'm the one in need of a shower."

"Is that a request to scrub your back?"

He threw the rag at her. "How about we just get back underway."

Padmé caught the rag before it smacked her in the face and tossed it neatly onto the tool pile Anakin had brought from the access hatch. "The sooner to be reunited with your Jedi Barriss, Skywalker?"

He slanted an amused look at her. "The sooner to be rid of you, my dear Captain."

Padmé stared after him for a moment and then threw back her head and laughed. Oh, he was going to be fun!

----------

"Ansion control, this is Blue Skies requesting permission to dock to re-supply."

Padmé listened with half an ear as her request was granted and the coordinates set. They'd been in hyperspace for less than an hour before reaching their destination and Anakin had only recently rejoined her in the cockpit. "I copy that, control, Blue Skies out."

"Problems?"

"With the Anosians?" Padmé chuckled. "Always. They're a tricky people to deal with at times."

"You don't have to tell me."

Anakin's expression was once again serene and controlled; though Padmé thought she detected a hint of unease. "Is there something you're not telling me, Skywalker?"

"Plenty, Captain. But nothing about this world you probably don't know already. I was sent to help mediate a border dispute on this world shortly before the Separatists identified themselves to the Senate and pulled out. I was a Padawan at the time and the culture was unlike anything I'd ever seen."

Padmé chuckled. "So long as you didn't have to deal with the Alwari."

"We did."

She winced. "Ouch. I empathize, Skywalker."

"I didn't mean that as it sounded. The Alwari were a friendly people - once they accepted us as guests and not threats."

"From where you stand, maybe." Padmé guided her ship on course, her hands confidently handling the controls as she followed the instructions that had been issued. "The Alwari are a difficult people to bargain with."

"You mean con."

She shrugged. "Call it what you want. Their homemade goods are highly valuable on certain worlds where such things are rare; or even better, where such things are forbidden. I have several permanent buyers for Alwari merchandise - when they'll deign to speak with me."

Anakin chuckled. "At least they didn't have you get a tuft of white fur from a creature that could crush you in an instant."

"You'll have to tell me that story sometime - sounds interesting."

Anakin smiled faintly. "Barriss is the person to relate it; it was her Master who was crazy enough to try."

Padmé chuckled. "If - when - we find this Barriss, I'm very much looking forward to a frank discussion about a great many things. Your previous history on this planet isn't one of them."

"Ah," Anakin's hands flew over the thrusters as they neared the docking bay, prepared to take over in case the main power failed and he had to stop the ship from plummeting into the duracrete platform. "But that history may be the only thing that will allow us to find her."

"Anything I should know?"

"A few things. Barriss is a Jedi healer, specifically specializing in ailments of the mind. She will and does lend her aid where possible."

"A do-gooder." Padmé's tone was dry. "Joy."

Anakin's eyes flashed at the slight on Barriss. "Watch your tongue, Captain. I owe Barriss my life many times over."

"That good in the sack, huh?" Padmé brought the ship in smoothly, landing them with barely a bump and snapping off the engines. It didn't escape her notice that Anakin has shut up, or that his face was set in lines of annoyance and displeasure. She unbuckled her crash webbing and turned to face him. "I have a few trustworthy contacts on planet that should have some information about Jedi activities. But if she's lying low, she's probably in the wilderness. Ever been?"

"Not a place I care to return to," he admitted. He'd already unbuckled but remained sitting as he waited for her. "But I do remember the local traditional methods of transportation quite well. If we're lucky, we'll be able to find us a guide."

"Scared to be alone with me, Skywalker?"

He slanted her a look, pushing to his feet. "Captain, I think you should be scared to be alone with me."

Padmé laughed in his face. "That'll be the day, Skywalker. Come on; if nothing else I can supply the guide when we don't find your woman in town."

"She's not my woman."

Padmé smirked. "You're acting like she is."

"You're making a big deal out of nothing, Captain."

Padmé stopped on the exit ramp, turning to look at him, her eyes narrowed, her face tilted dangerously. "I bet she'll be delighted to learn she's nothing to you."

He paled but said nothing.

Padmé shook her head, descending the last few feet to the flight deck and looking around. A smile split her face. "Hulgar!"

The Anosian lifted his head, the striped mane that rippled down his back a hallmark of his clan. The one nostril nose flared and the equivalent of a smile spread across his face. "Captain Naberrie! And here I thought you swore to never return."

Padmé chuckled, striding confidently towards the dock master; Hulgar was in charge of all incoming and outgoing ships and freight. It was one reason she'd befriended him. She'd also talked him into giving her lessons on his language and, as a consequence, now spoke flawless Anosian. "The profits are simply too good my friend. I trust you received yours?"

His eyes gleamed. "Better than you promised. So you're back for more then."

"Whatever I can take with me." Her confirmation was interrupted by a cough.

Hulgar's eyes drifted to the tall male standing behind her. His demeanor changed, becoming slightly cooler. "This isn't Typho."

Padmé's smile died. "Typho bought the galactic farm on the last mission. He was careless. This is-"

"-her new co-pilot." Anakin's Anosian was rusty but passable.

Padmé slanted an amused look at Anakin. He didn't want his name given out but she intended to. Hulgar was her most trusted contact on the surface. "-Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker."

"Skywalker!" Hulgar's eyes bulged in the Anosian reflection for surprise.

Anakin inclined his head, shooting a dark look at Padmé. It was a look that promised retribution later.

Padmé ignored him. "I'm searching for similar cargo; heard anything?"

Hulgar pocketed the credit chip she slipped him, not bothering to check the amount. Padmé was known for being generous when she wanted information. "Nothing specifically. Anyone in particular?"

Anakin took his cue from Padmé. "Jedi Knight Barriss Offee."

Hulgar nodded, as if that was no surprise. "She docked here and her ship's been impounded but they weren't able to locate her. Last I heard she was lying low. Of course, last I heard, she'd procured a suubatar and headed out into the wilderness."

"Was her Padawan with her?"

Hulgar shook his head. "Nobody but her."

"Do you know what direction she went?"

Hulgar did the Anosian equivalent of a shrug. "I can ask around, but if she's beyond the walls you'll never find her even if I gave you a jumping off point."

"Don't count us out just yet." Anakin turned to Padmé. "I have an idea of where she might be. We'll have to acquire our own suubatars if we're going to have any hope of catching her."

Padmé nodded thoughtfully. She'd ridden them often enough, but she wasn't overly thrilled with the ride. Give her a nice, reliable made-made starship any day of the galactic year. "Hulgar, take care my ship, would you?"

"What if the Emperor calls for its impounding?"

Padmé's friendly smile cooled a little. "Then I guess you're out of a job. Permanently."

Hulgar backed off a couple of steps, raising his hands in understanding. "I'll make sure she's in tip top shape and brimming with cargo before you're ready to go."

"You do that. Come on, Sky- pardon me." She slanted a sour look his way, voicing his cover name for the first time. "Lars."

Anakin fell into step beside her as she led the way from the docking bay. "I don't trust him."

"Then it's a good thing you're not the Captain." Padmé lengthened her stride, Anakin keeping up with her easily. "Hulgar is a bit of a slippery fish, but overall he's trustworthy. I make it in his best interest to be trustworthy. Large sums of credit go a long way on this planet. The pay of a Docking port authority, especially one with his abilities, is lousy."

"And if he betrays us?"

She shrugged. "That's what I have you for. Come on; those look like promising specimens."

Over the next hour Anakin was treated to an eye opener on Padmé's bargain practices. She was an expert and it showed. She came in tentative, looking like an easy mark, and proceeded to pull unlikely information from the sellers. Breed, sire, damn, lineage back four generations. Including but not limited to, a medical history and previous injury history. They tried four traders before she was satisfied she was getting her credit's worth before she was willing to even discuss prices.

And Anakin was treated to another shock. The price set was countered with a ridiculously low bid, one that shocked the trader. He protested, proceeding to give them a full circular inspection of his merchandise, the creatures standing placidly by as he showed off colors, distinctive markings and physique. Padmé made a second offer, this one almost half again what she'd initially offered, a fair deal, but the animals were obviously worth more.

The trader countered with another, lower than his first price, but about half-way between it and hers. Padmé made a final offer, making a show of checking her credit chips. The offer was just under half-way between the second asking price and hers. The trader jumped on it and Padmé reluctantly handed over the credits.

The creatures were well proportioned and, it wasn't until they were beyond the city walls, racing across the plains that Padmé threw her head back and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Anakin brought his mount next to hers.

"Did you see the bargain I got for these two? Supplies included? These are first rate suubatars - fewer could be better, none cheaper."

"You don't think cheating a man out of his lively hood is wrong?"

She smirked. "You're so naive, Skywalker. We camp in an hour; I hope you brought your self control because I feel the need for a bath."

Anakin groaned, falling behind her, and they continued their trek in silence.

----------

Anakin was the first to notice something amiss as they finished setting up their campsite. He felt the hair rise on the back on his neck, his stomach twist with certainty.

They were being watched.

Padmé rose from setting up the last of the perimeter warnings and looked at him, frowning. His eyes were narrowed as he stared across the plains. "Something the matter, Skywalker? Or does the scenery just remind you of home?"

"Hardly; I grew up in a desert." He responded absently. "We're being watched."

Padmé rolled her eyes. "Give it a rest for a night, would you? Being in hiding is making you paranoid."

Anakin slanted a look at her that lacked any kind of humor. "The Force is very clear, Captain. We are being watched."

Padmé made an expansive gesture, turning in a circle to encompass the surrounding prairie that spread out on all sides. Grasses bowed and shifted with the evening breeze, dipping and undulating like the waves of an ocean. No rocky outcroppings, nothing so much as a hill anywhere in their line of sight. The waves of grass were broken only by a small stream, beside which they'd made their camp. "And where are they hiding, Skywalker? Behind the tent?" She made a show of marching around it before stopping, planting her hands on her hips, one cocked in annoyance. "Force or not, you're wrong."

Anakin turned back to the prairie, something tugging at his subconscious. It wasn't human, whatever was watching them. "Not all who watch require a vantage point, Captain. And not all who watch are necessarily human."

Padmé threw her hands up in disgust. "Fine, stand watch for all I care. I'm going to enjoy those waters."

Anakin didn't even look her way as Padmé ducked into the tent. She was fuming, a wild, raging river of emotions in the Force. She obviously thought little of his warning. Her cocky self-assurance was going to get them into trouble; he just knew it.