Part 17: Persuasions.
It was dawn before either of them returned, as the light from the artificial orbital mirrors which magnified and reflected the heat and light from the sun that Coruscant encircled slowly cast itself over the vast metropolis. Padmé felt herself relax as Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan alone entered the apartment, his unharmed appearance and expression of Jedi composure assuring her that nothing untoward had occurred.
"I left Anakin to make the report to the Council," he explained after he came to halt before her, bowing slightly. "I thought you would want to know what happened too."
Padmé was pleased that he had understood her so well. "Thank you, I do." she turned to usher him to the sofas, her pleasure increasing as he chose to sat down beside her. Dormé was overseeing the cleanup in her bedroom, while Typho was monitoring security in the control room downstairs, leaving them alone in each other's company.
Obi-Wan told her all that occurred to him and Anakin the night before, his report concise yet detailed, allowing her to imagine the tense journey he took at the control of the droid, the wild ride in the transport with Anakin, the trap sprung on the assassin before she died at the hands of the bounty hunter who hired her.
"What do you do now?" she asked him.
"I imagine the Council will order us to track down the bounty hunter," Obi-Wan replied. "While you are escorted home to Naboo."
Padmé frowned immediately. "I will not run away, not while the vote for the Military Creation Act is being decided. My absence will give those who sent the assassins after me exactly what they want."
He almost winced at her response, the sense of it logical and reasonable. "I will try and convey that to the Council, though I doubt they will comply with your wishes, milady. As their actions showed last night, these assassins can attack you anywhere while you are here. They may even feel desperate enough to attempt something while you are in the Senate."
"And would it not follow that they might try something while I hide away on my homeworld?" Padmé countered.
Obi-Wan smiled. "Of course, you are right, milady. Well they might."
"So I can stay here then," Padmé decided. "Although there are too many high rise buildings for you to jump out of. I fear for your safety as much as mine."
"There's no need," he assured her with a warm smile. "I have the Force watching over me. As I watch over you." He leaned forward, intending to kiss her. The door chime sounded suddenly, causing him to rise. "Anakin," he uttered, glancing at the chrono across from them. "I did not realise so much time had passed."
Padmé followed him to the door. "You will see me soon, have no doubt of that, Master Jedi."
He smiled at her. "May the Force be with you until then, milady."
She pressed the release and the door slid back to reveal Anakin, who seemed surprised to see Obi-Wan with her. Master and Padawan acknowledged each other with no more than a glance before the former exited the apartment.
"The Council has ordered for me to escort you home, Padmé," Anakin announced grandly, causing her to frown.
"Just you?" she queried.
"Obi-Wan will track down the bounty hunter," Anakin explained.
"I do not like this idea of hiding," Padmé replied, turning away from him and walking towards her room.
Dormé looked up from her packing as soon as they entered. "Chancellor Palpatine left a message, milady, which I took the liberty of reading. He asks you to comply with the advice given by the Jedi Council."
"Thank you, Dormé," she replied. "Could you find Jar Jar for me? I will need to impress upon him what he needs to do in my absence."
Her handmaiden nodded and left them alone.
Anakin smiled. "Don't worry, now that the Council has ordered an investigation, it won't take Master Obi-Wan long to find this bounty hunter."
Padmé turned a hard look on him, annoyed at his casual overrule of her wishes. "I haven't worked for a year to defeat the Military Creation Act not to be here when its fate is decided!"
"Sometimes we have to let go of our pride and do what is requested of us," Anakin observed.
The words and tone seemed to her very patronising, provoking her to respond in kind. "Pride?!? Ani, you're young, and you don't have a very firm grip on politics. I suggest you reserve your opinions for some other time."
"Please don't call me that," Anakin said.
"What?" she asked.
"When you say Ani it's like I'm still a little boy, and I'm not."
Padmé breathed deeply, aware she was taking her frustrations out on the wrong person. "I'm sorry, Anakin. It's impossible to deny that you've grown up."
"Master Obi-Wan manages not to see it," Anakin replied, turning away from her, moving to the area by the window, outside which a droid was still repairing. "What was he doing here just now anyway?"
She knew this was a touchy subject, but she had to say something in his defence. "Mentors have a way of seeing more of our faults than we would like. It's the only way we grow. As for your question, he thought I would want to know what had happened last night. And I did."
"Don't get me wrong," Anakin added, "Obi-Wan is a great mentor, as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I am truly thankful to be his apprentice. But in some ways, I'm ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials. I know I am! He knows it too. But he feels I'm too unpredictable. He's holding me back."
She watched him as he used the Force to float one of the ornamental balls from a nearby dish. Was the motion unconscious, or another desire to show off to her? For the moment she gave him the benefit of the doubt. "That must be frustrating."
"It's worse," Anakin replied petulantly. "He's overly critical! He never listens! He just doesn't understand. It's not fair!"
Padmé laughed at his tone. "I'm sorry, you sounded exactly like that little boy I once knew, when he didn't get his way."
"I'm not whining! I'm not." Anakin protested.
"Anakin, I didn't say it to hurt you," she remarked, disconcerted by the underlying anger in his tone. "Just don't try to grow up too fast."
"I am grown up," he said, looking at her intensely. "You said it yourself."
She had to turn away, the dark gaze was too intense not to feel intimidated by. "Please don't look at me like that."
"Why not?" he asked her.
"Because it makes me feel uncomfortable," she replied.
"Sorry, Milady," Anakin apologised but his tone belied the truth of his words. "I'll go and alert Captain Typho of your forthcoming departure."
Padmé only let her shiver of fear show itself when the source who had caused it exited her bedchamber. Her gaze moved from the entrance to the newly repaired view of Coruscant's airborne traffic ways, attempting to allow the sight to wash over her, in the hope that it might quell her growing uneasiness. The hope however, was in vain. Ever since she had fully took him in as he clumsily tried to give her a compliment, she had been struggling to accept how much he had changed from the sweet little boy she once knew.
There was an edge to the sweetness now, his heart tempered by experience in the galaxy where he was called on more often than not to fight rather than debate peacefully. As for the temper itself, she did not believe it had matured with the rest of him. Quick to challenge, to take offence, to return the insult, to rebel; none of these she had seen in the boy, but all she saw in the man who left her room just now. His inability to control his anger troubled her, along with the clear evidence of how he felt about her.
Ten years ago she had humoured his affection, knowing he missed his mother, knowing that his belief in her beauty would most likely lessen as he encountered the wisdom in Jedi teaching. But time appeared to have only worsened his attraction to her. He seemed to idolise her, to the point of obsession. His apology for making her feel uncomfortable was not in the least sincere, as though he believed that she was lying, or that she would learn to appreciate this feeling in time, under his persuasion.
Frankly, he almost frightened her.
This thought made her decision for her. Turning to her wardrobe, she gazed at her remaining clothes, considering, while her hand pressed the private comlink clutched within her palm. By the time the door to her chamber swished open she had selected the most convincing garment for her plan of action, placing it around herself with a deft flick of the wrists as she turned to face her handmaiden.
"Yes, Milady?" Dormé asked.
"I need to go out for a while," Padmé replied. "Keep everyone here until I have returned, understood?"
Dormé nodded, inwardly concerned, but half comforted by her mistress' choice of disguise. She knew where the Senator would be, if the alarm were raised during her absence.
In the Jedi Temple, one Master of a Padawan and one of the Council walked along the corridors which bordered the atrium, the third and most wise and revered of all the Masters riding in a small repulsor chair beside them.
"I am concerned for my Padawan," Obi-Wan remarked. "He is not ready to be given this assignment on his own yet."
"The Council is confident in this decision, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda replied.
"The boy has exceptional skills," added Master Windu.
"But he still has much to learn, Master," Obi-Wan argued. "His abilities have made him... well, arrogant."
Master Yoda nodded. "Yes, yes. It's a flaw more and more common among Jedi. Too sure of themselves they are. Even the older, more experienced ones."
"Remember, Obi-Wan," Windu continued, "if the prophecy is true, your apprentice is the only one who can bring the Force back into balance."
"If he follows the right path," Obi-Wan allowed. "But there are too many influences on him at present which determine his actions. His feelings are too conflicted, his temper unpredictable and often dangerous."
"I fear Master Kenobi is right, your graces," a voice remarked at this moment, causing the three Jedi to blink at the unexpected sight of a seemingly hooded Master standing suddenly before them.
Padmé lowered her cowl, revealing her identity. "I apologise for deceiving your Padawan, Master Kenobi, but I felt such action was necessary. To speak with you of my doubts about him in his presence would only worsen his internal conflicts."
"Discuss this rebellion against our protection later we will, Senator," Yoda said. "Concern you, Anakin Skywalker does?"
"Yes," Padmé replied. "I do not think I can trust his protection. This is no criticism on your teaching, Master Kenobi, or on Master Jinn's. Anakin has changed from the sweet little boy I knew, with regards both to his temper and his ability to trust. I feel his...." she struggled here, uncertain if she should use the word, but decided that they must know the full depth of her concern, before it became too late, "affection for me could turn into an dangerous obsession, and influence his judgement negatively."
"You do not injure, me, Milady," Obi-Wan uttered, "it is a concern of mine as well. Coupled with the nightmares he has been experiencing lately, I do agree and urge that Anakin should be given another assignment."
"Such as?" Master Windu asked.
"Leave from the Temple," Obi-Wan answered. "Allow him to see his mother on Tatooine. Time with her will not only dissipate his fears, but provide distraction from the heavy burden of expectation concerning the prophecy we perceive him proving. I know we forbid Padawans from attachment, but with Anakin it is unavoidable. He had too long a time with his mother. To give her up now is preying on his development as a Jedi."
"Agree with you, I do," Yoda decided. "To Tatooine young Skywalker will go."
"What about the protection for Senator Amidala?" Mace Windu asked.
"To the Padawan's Master, that will fall," Yoda replied. "Discover who is behind the attempts on your life, Obi-Wan will." He turned to the Padmé. "Remain here you will, Senator, until finished with his task Obi-Wan is. Then leave for Naboo with him you will."
"Yes, Master Yoda," Padmé replied.
The two Council members left her with Obi-Wan, who turned, gesturing for her to accompany him. "I am glad no one else was witness to that," he remarked.
"Why?" she asked him.
"Because if it got about the Republic that the most revered of the Order are susceptible to the wishes of a Nubian Senator, it would spell instant chaos," he replied, making her laugh.
"Are you not glad I sought this audience?" Padmé asked him.
"Yes," he admitted, smiling at her. "I was not happy that the Council chose this assignment for Anakin's first solo mission."
"When you told me that he still cared for me, I always imagined it was still a crush," Padmé remarked. "I had no idea it was this apparent and deep. There are times when he almost frightens me."
Obi-Wan glanced at her with concern. "That is worrying. I hope this leave to visit Shmi will calm him when others have failed to."
"Have you kept her informed of his progress?" Padmé asked, and he nodded as they stepped into the turbolift.
"I have sent what reports I can," he replied. "With Tatooine being on the Outer Rim however, it has been some time since I have received a reply. Not that such delay is a reason to be concerned, considering where she lives now."
Padmé nodded. "I remember. I wonder how aware Anakin is that you and Qui-Gon frequently break the Code for him."
"Not as aware as I would like," Obi-Wan replied. "Qui-Gon has a way of describing such rebels as minor inconveniences, not something that if the Council knew would have him and I reprimanded." He paused, considering. "I thought that by doing this for him, he would learn to control his emotions, to respect the Code while he is a Padawan. But if anything it seems only to have made him worse."
The turbolift came to a halt and they exited the container, Padmé slowing her pace so she would not loose her companion as he led her through the Temple.
"I suppose I should ask where I will be staying?" She remarked, turning to glance at him. "Does the Temple have such things as guest rooms?"
"You'll be staying in the quarters I share with Anakin and Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan informed her. "Qui-Gon's still in the healer's ward at the moment, and with Anakin going to Tatooine, there are two spare rooms."
"Thank you," she said. "Am I allowed to return to my apartment and collect some things?"
"I'll do that," Obi-Wan replied. "As you arrived here without detection, it is wise not to risk such again. I will tell Dormé for you, and I will need to inform Anakin of the change in the Council's decision."
"What about the Chancellor?" Padmé asked. "I should inform him that I am still available for the vote."
"That's if its held before I finish my investigations here," Obi-Wan reminded her. "And as I do not have much to do, you might be on your way to Naboo before it takes place. We shall receive word if the Act is about to put to the floor. Until then I see no reason to inform the Chancellor for now."
Padmé nodded, hoping inwardly that she would not leave before the vote. She was about to ask Obi-Wan what he had left to do here, but he came to a halt and turned, waving the door before them open with the Force. He then stood back to let her enter first.
Surprise was her initial impression. From the rumours she had heard of the Jedi Temple, as outsiders were rarely granted the privilege of a tour, she half expected the quarters to be monastic; devoid of ornament or decoration. Comfortable furniture however formed the main living area, which was styled with sculptures and paintings that were a pleasant and peaceful contrast to the views of the hustling city coming from the window. Five doors occupied one wall, the first of which was partially open to reveal the refresher, and the second a small private kitchen.
"It's beautiful," she murmured as Obi-Wan met her gaze.
He smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go to your apartment and arrange things."