Chapter Twenty

As they had said, the two met two hours later in the Hangar. The instant Obi-Wan saw Sarali striding toward him, he said, "We have a problem."

Sarali pursed her lips as she fell in step beside him. "What is it?" she asked after a second.

"There's no Kamino in the Jedi Archives," Obi-Wan said frankly.

"Well, isn't that just wonderful. I suppose we are going to the coordinates anyway to check," Sarali said, obviously in a bad mood.

"I'm sure it will be over quickly. Don't worry," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

"I hope you're right on this one."

"Is something wrong?"

Sarali turned to look blankly at him before saying quite bluntly, "Anakin."

Obi-Wan sighed and asked, exasperated, "What did he do this time?"

"He's infatuated with Padme," she said, obviously more than a little annoyed.

"I thought so," Obi-Wan said, resigned.

oooooooooooo

Hours later, the two arrived at Kamino. There, the two of them shed the interstellar engines and flew their fighters down to the planet. As they approached, Obi-Wan said through the com, "There it is, Sarali."

"Right where it should be," she added as they flew into a layer of thick clouds.

"It's certainly not the brightest of planets."

"Nor the driest."

The fighters came in to land on a platform attached to a city which stuck out of the ocean on huge stilts. The two quickly jumped out of the cockpits and hurried to the door to get out of the rain. As they approached the clear door and the brightly lit, white hallway beyond, the door slid open, allowing them entrance. The two quickly looked around at the apparently plain and Spartan hallway.

A very tall, slim alien with silver-blue skin and large eyes walked up to them quite peacefully and said, catching their attention, "Master Jedi. The prime minister is expecting you."

"We're expected?" Obi-Wan asked, still shivering in his partially soaked robes.

"Of course," the alien said in its gentle, very non-threatening voice. "He is anxious to meet you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way."

The Kaminoan guided the pair though the brightly lit hallways of the city to an open in room in which sat another Kaminoan. As they entered, the other stood. Their guide stood off to the side and said, "May I present Laamasu, Prime Minister of Kamino, and these are Master Jedi..."

"Obi-Wan Kenobi and Sarali Linat," Obi-Wan answered for the two of them. Sarali quickly glanced at him. She was no Jedi. He met her gaze for less than a second before looking back to Laamasu.

"I trust you're going to enjoy your stay," Laamasu said. By now, both newcomers were fairly certain that their guide was female and the Prime Minister was male. "Please," Laamasu said, gesturing to two chairs which as he spoke came down from the ceiling on his left and right. The two walked to a chair and sat.

"And now to business," Laamasu said. Business? "You will be delighted to hear that we are on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready with a million more well on the way."

Obi-Wan and Sarali glanced at each other. It was clear that neither of them knew of what he spoke. "That is good news," Sarali said smoothly, sounding very comfortable. Apparently, she was a good liar.

"Please tell your Master Sifodias that his order will be met on time."

"I'm sorry, Master...?" Obi-Wan broke in.

"Jedi Master Sifodias is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?" Laamasu asked, glancing between them.

"Master Sifodias was killed almost ten years ago," Obi-Wan said. Sarali's head quickly tipped to the side as she glanced between the two. Something was wrong here.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, but I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we've built for him," Laamasu said calmly.

Obi-Wan and Sarali looked straight at Laamasu, she with wide eyes and he trying to hide his surprise. Someone ordered an army under the name of a Jedi Master?

"The army?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes, a clone army, and I must say one of the finest we've ever created," Laamasu said proudly. They clone armies for people to go to war?

"Tell me, Prime Minister, when my master first contacted you about the army, did he say who it was for?" Obi-Wan asked, probing for answers.

"Of course, he did. This army is for the Republic."Someone must have planned this...planned for a war. We're dealing with a very shrewd opponent. "But you must be anxious to inspect the units for yourself."

"That's why we're here," Sarali said with a smile, pulling out her calm facade again.

Laamasu rose from his chair and guided them out to the hallways. Obi-Wan and Sarali fell in step beside each other, sharing a glance of intrigue and concern as they followed the Kaminoan.