Chapter Twenty-Five – Division and Investigation.
After Sabé and Obi-Wan had finished their duel, Padmé clapped and advanced towards them. "Well done, Sabé. Proving once again that I'm in good hands."
"I'm just glad I made you smile," Sabé panted.
"Hmm."
"What is the situation, M'Lady?" Obi-Wan asked, once again the Jedi Master.
"As you would expect." She frowned, walking briskly to her room. "Dormé, please fetch my suitcases. Captain Typho, sort two passes for an unregistered transport as soon as possible. Master Kenobi, would you organise a way for us to get to the freight docks?"
"Of course, M'Lady."
"Sabé, accompany him."
Padmé may have been in a foul temper but she was still doing everything she could to throw the two together. As Sabé returned the swords to her room and re-fastened her skirt, Padmé turned to Jar Jar.
"I'm taking an extended leave of absence," she told him firmly. "It will be your responsibility to take my place in the Senate. Representative Binks, I know I can count on you."
What was she thinking? "Why didn't she ask me?" Sabé whispered.
"If she trusts Jar Jar you must respect that," Obi-Wan reminded her.
"Mesa honoured to be taking on dissa heavy burden," the Gungan recited. "Mesa accept this with mui mui humility anda…"
"Jar Jar," Padmé cut in sharply. "I don't wish to hold you up. I'm sure you have a great deal to do."
Jar Jar bowed. "Of course, M'Lady." He sauntered off.
Obi-Wan and Sabé heard her say angrily, "I do not like this idea of hiding." Anakin made a quick reply, but the two outside could not hear what was said.
"Come on then," Obi-Wan said at last. "Let's go and sort an airbus."
"Yes. I'm sorry she's asked you to do this, it seems a bit of a strange assignment for a Jedi."
"It's not a problem, really."
Still, she could tell he wasn't overjoyed at the task. They travelled by air taxi to the Senate, where Obi-Wan's Jedi influence and Sabé's status proved useful in securing an airbus to transport the fuming Senator to the freight docks. By the time they had piloted the airbus back to Padmé's apartment she and Anakin had changed into the plain attire of refugees. Captain Typho's troops took the pilot seats and the small group entered the vehicle. Padmé was silent for most of the journey, clasping her hands tightly together in her lap.
When the airbus landed at the docks Typho was the first to break the uncomfortable silence. "Take care, M'Lady."
"Thank you, Captain," Padmé replied neutrally. "Take good care of Dormé. The threat's on you two now."
"He'll be safe with me," Dormé was quick to reply, shooting a smirk Typho's way. The smile quickly faded as tears slipped down her cheeks.
"You'll be fine," Padmé said softly.
"It's not me, M'Lady. I worry about you. What if they realise you've left the capital?"
"Well, then my Jedi protector will have to prove how good he is." She smiled. "Be safe, Sabé."
Her cousin nodded and wrapped her in a hug. "Aren't I always?"
"Most of the time," Padmé agreed. "You be careful. Looking similar to me has brought you trouble before."
"I know. Like that time at school when I got a detention that should have been yours."
Padmé smiled. "Yes. But I doubt that a detention will be all you'll get from the Separatists, so be careful.'
Obi-Wan and Anakin joined them at the airbus's open hatch. "I'll get to the bottom of this plot quickly, M'Lady," the former said. "You'll be back here in no time."
"I'll be most grateful for your speed, Master Jedi," she said gracefully. For his ears only she added, "Take care of Sabé." He nodded.
"It's time to go," Anakin cut in briskly.
"I know," Padmé said quietly.
"Anakin, may the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you, Master."
The Padawan and the Senator walked steadily towards the large unregistered transport, the small droid, R2-D2, trailing behind. The Jedi Master, the two handmaidens and the captain watched them go with mixed feelings.
"I do hope he doesn't try anything foolish," Obi-Wan mused, almost to himself.
"I'd be more concerned about her doing something than him," Typho confessed.
They watched until the ship departed, then Obi-Wan turned to the others. "I understand Senator Amidala has left you in charge of supervising Jar Jar."
Typho nodded. "And an interesting job it's going to turn out to be."
Sabé and Dormé exchanged a smile and Obi-Wan stepped out onto the street. "Well, I'm going to start my investigation."
"Here?" Typho exclaimed.
"Yes. I have a small lead I wish to follow up."
Sabé hopped out to stand next to him. "Good. I'm coming with you."
"No, Sabé, that won't be necessary."
"Tough. I want to help you find out who's trying to kill my cousin. For my aunt and uncle's sake if nothing else." She looked him in the eye, pleading.
He sighed, noting her determined gaze. He instinctively knew that arguing with her would be a waste of both their time. "All right. Stay close, this isn't a pleasant area."
"I know. See you back at the apartment, Captain."
Typho frowned. "I'm not happy about this, M'Lady."
She shrugged. "I'm truly sorry for that."
The peeved captain watched the couple blend into the crowd. They reminded him of a calmer and more sensible version of Anakin and Senator Amidala. He voiced this reflection to Dormé who looked stunned. He concluded that she had never noticed the connection between the two.
Changing the subject to more pleasant matters, she turned to Typho and asked shyly, "Is your offer of dinner still open?"
Obi-Wan and Sabé walked leisurely along the streets, keeping their eyes and ears open. In this part of Coruscant it was difficult to find a direction to look where someone was not selling something illegal. Sabé had never been in this part of the ongoing city and found herself grateful for Obi-Wan's commanding presence at her side.
"Where are we going again?" she asked, clutching his sleeve as they passed through a crowd.
"To see a friend. I have something I need checking."
"Can he be trusted?"
"Absolutely."
Sabé frowned at his tone. "Are you angry?"
"No. Jedi don't get angry."
"We'll you sound it. Is it because I'm here? Am I hindering your progress?"
He stopped walking and met her gaze with an earnest expression. "No, Sabé, not at all. I'm…thinking. That's all." Her concerns melted away at his reassuring tone. "I was wondering if there's anyone with Force-sensitivity in your family."
She shook her head as they began to move again. "No-one that I know of. But I don't know much about my real family."
"Oh, I see." Obi-Wan fell silent for the rest of their walk, thinking about that and Sabé's future daughter. Could it possibly be, did he even dare to hope that that child could be his? If his suspicions were correct it would mean happiness for them both. He knew how much pain loving him brought her, yet he felt honoured that she continued to do so. However, he also knew that no matter how much he loved her, he could never do anything to act upon it while it remained a breach of the code. But as compelling as these thoughts were, he laid them aside to concentrate on his mandate.
They had come to an area that was slightly more upmarket than the one they had just walked through, but despite the improvement one would not often see a Jedi or a Senator's assistant there and the two attracted many strange looks as they walked. Obi-Wan led Sabé towards a tiny building named 'Dex's Diner' and she eyed it with a curious expression.
"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe," he reassured.
"If you say so."
A wheeled waitress droid was the first to acknowledge them, calling, "Someone to see ya, honey!" towards the kitchens. She focused on Obi-Wan adding, "Jedi by the looks of him." Sabé almost sniggered. The complete lack of subtlety in droids amused her no end.
A large brown head emerged from the kitchen hatchway looking them over. "Obi-Wan!"
"Hello, Dex," he replied with a smile.
"Take a seat, I'll be right with you."
Obi-Wan and Sabé slipped into a spare booth and the waitress droid offered to bring them drinks. Soon Obi-Wan stood up to greet his friend. When the large, four-armed alien had successfully joined them, squeezing into the opposite seat, he nodded to Sabé, who introduced herself, and asked, "So, my friend, what can I do for you?"
The Jedi held up a small toxic dart. It had been used to kill the female bounty hunter that he and Anakin had pursued following the attack on Padmé. "You can tell me what this is."
Dex picked up the dart in one of his huge hands and scrutinised it. "Well, waddya know. I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on Subterrel, beyond the Outer Rim."
"Can you tell me where it came from?"
Dex didn't hesitate. "This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino sabre-dart."
Obi-Wan frowned. "I wonder why it didn't show up in the analysis archives."
"It's the funny little cuts on the side that give it away," Dex explained, showing them. "Those analysis droids only focus on symbols. I should think that you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom."
"Well," Obi-Wan said with a smirk, "if droids could think there'd be none of us here, would there?" Sabé smiled. The Jedi's brow suddenly furrowed. "Kamino. I'm not familiar with it. Is it in the Republic?"
Dex shook his head. "No, it's beyond the Outer Rim. I'd say about twelve parsecs outside of the Rishi Maze. Should be easy to find, even for those droids in your Archives," he teased. "These Kaminoans keep to themselves. They're cloners. Damn good ones too."
Sabé couldn't hold back her surprise. "Cloners?"
Dex nodded and Obi-Wan asked, "Are they friendly?"
"Depends…" the large alien smirked.
"Depends on what, Dex?" the Jedi couldn't help smiling.
"On how good your manners are. Or how big your pocket book is."
Sabé shook her head. "Hardly surprising in this galaxy's day and age."
"You're not wrong there, missy."
Obi-Wan had to agree with his friend. "Well, Dex. It was good to see you again, but we must go and find Kamino."
"Sure. Of course you do," Dex said good-naturedly. "See you around, buddy."
The two said goodbye and Sabé and Obi-Wan left the diner. "Now what?" Sabé asked.
"We go to the Jedi Archives and search for Kamino."
"Will the Jedi Temple let me in after how I got in the last time?"
Obi-Wan laughed. "You'll be fine if you're with me. Anyway, you look quite different."
"Do I?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he replied, holding her steady gaze. "The same in many ways though."
Watching as her face blossomed into a smile reminded him that he still needed to talk to Master Yoda. His stomach twisted at the thought of what might be said. If he said too much he risked expulsion from the Order and that would never do. He was once more taken back to the day that he and Anakin had fallen into the Gundark nest. That kind of nervousness seemed preferable to this.
"How far is it to the Jedi Temple from here?" Sabé asked.
"Quite far. But we only have to walk a little way before we can hail an air taxi."
"Okay."
As it was, Sabé found herself glad for the distance, as it gave them the opportunity to catch up on old times. She suddenly found that she had summed up the whole of the last ten years of her life by the time they had reached the iconic Jedi building and in return had heard Obi-Wan's story, which was naturally much more exciting than her slow promotion to Senatorial Assistant. She enjoyed the conversations that she had with him and found it increasingly difficult to pull her attention back to the investigation. But pull it back she did, for Padmé's sake and entered the Jedi Temple determined to have made progress by the time she left.