a.n. Two chapters in a day and in less than a day? What a treat! Anyways, I just moved into my dorm the other day and was unable to access the Internet until today. As such, I was doing some writing to occupy my time and since I don't know when I'll have another chance to do so with school starting. By the way, I do not own Star Wars; all characters, names, places, quotes, etc. that you recognize belong to George Lucas. But, you all knew that, right? Please Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Chapter 14: When Past and Future Collide

Luca watched as first Jar Jar rounded the corner, then the two visitors. He was suddenly hit with a sense of déjà vu at the appearance of his first master. Obi-Wan looked just the same as he had in those distant memories from happier times. The same shaggy hair, the same beard, the same robes. Everything about him exuded strength, compassion, and Jedi virtue.

He quickly dared to look at the next visitor. While he thought he had prepared himself for this moment, it still surprised him to see the next face. The same cropped hair, the same lanky stature, the same piercing blue eyes. He felt as if he was staring into a mirror of years gone past. This confrontation was not going to be easy.

"It's a great pleasure to see you again, milady," Obi-Wan greeted Padmé as she got up from the sofa she was sitting on to meet him.

"It has been far too long, Master Kenobi," Padmé returned the compliment while giving the Jedi Master a friendly squeeze. As she turned to greet the next visitor, Luca noticed Anakin tense nervously as her eyes met his. This is not going to be pretty, he thought.

"Ani?" Padmé questioned, "My goodness you've grown."

"So have you…grown more beautiful I mean…for a Senator I mean." Luca groaned inwardly at Anakin's attempt to sound suave and mature. Padmé shook her head and laughed.

"Oh Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

Luca watched as Anakin hung his head in embarrassment, remembering how humiliated he felt when he was in Anakin's boots. Don't worry, Anakin, he silently comforted, it wasn't that bad. He turned his attention back towards the others and listened to the conversation taking place.

"Our presence here will be invisible, milady," Obi-Wan stated, "I assure you."

"I am very grateful you are here, Master Kenobi," Captain Typho informed him. "The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

"I don't need more security, I need answers," Padmé declared. "I want to know who is trying to kill me."

"We're here to protect you Senator," Obi-Wan noted, with a frown, "not to start an investigation."

"We will find out who is trying to kill you Padmé," Anakin told her, "I promise you."

"We are not going to exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner."

"I meant in the interest of protecting her, Master, of course."

"We are not going through this exercise again, Anakin. You will pay attention to my lead."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why else do you think we were assigned to her, if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security... not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

"We will do as the Council has instructed, and you will learn your place, young one."

Luca watched this somewhat heated exchange attentively. He could already see the stubbornness and the need to be a hero that Anakin so readily touted and which made him so susceptible to the Dark Side. He is already well on his way down the dark path, Luca thought to himself, I must stop him before he goes too far. Luca cleared his throat and watched as Anakin and Obi-Wan both turned their faces towards him, noticing him for the first time.

"Sorry Master Jedi," Luca apologized, "but I thought it prudent to introduce myself, seeing as how we will be working together as part of the Senator's security." Luca offered his hand to Obi-Wan, who took it, somewhat apprehensively, and shook it.

"Working together, you say?"

"Yes sir. I am Luca Redenov, assigned to help protect the Senator."

"The Council told us about you, Mister Redenov. They also told us that you have some sort of task that you hope to accomplish as well. Would you care to enlighten us?"

"I must decline that request, Master Kenobi. Right now, the details must remain with me. I may share them with you if I feel the necessity to do so, but I cannot disclose the nature of this mission to you at the present time."

To Obi-Wan, something about this statement sounded suspicious. Though he could sense no ill-will emanating from Luca, he had a feeling that there was more to the man than meets the eye. He also had this sense of familiarity hanging around him that Obi-Wan couldn't seem to get rid of.

"Very well, Mister Redenov. If that is what you wish, that is what we will adhere too. The Jedi Council trusts you, so will I…"

"Master, you can't be serious." All eyes turned to Anakin at this outburst.

"What do you mean, Padawan?"

"We know nothing about this man, his reasons for being here, or what this task of his is. Why are you so quick to trust him?"

"The Council trusts him, Anakin, and though suspicious, I sense no hostility from him."

"But Master…"

"No buts, Padawan. If you just clear your head and focus, you too will sense nothing amiss about him. Now take a deep breath, Anakin, and let it out slowly. What is the Force telling you?"

Anakin did as he was told and conceded that Obi-Wan was indeed correct. There did not seem to be anything wrong with this mysterious man. He still had his misgivings and would not trust him around Padmé, but for all intents and purposes, this man seemed genuine.

"The Force is telling me to trust what you say, that he is not an enemy."

"Very good, Padawan. Next time, try not to let your emotions govern your actions."

"Yes Master."

Luca watched the two of them throughout this exchange. This is going to be harder than I thought, he noted to himself. He doesn't trust me and has no idea that all I really want to do is save him from a life of darkness, of loneliness, of sorrow, of pain.

The rest of the room's occupants had remained quiet during this small spat between the two of them. Padmé noticed the growing tension in the room and decided to defuse the situation before it got any hotter.

"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed. Now if you will excuse me I will retire."

Everyone gave the Senator a slight bow as she left the room, Dormé not too far behind.

Captain Typho turned to address Luca, Obi-Wan, and Anakin.

"Well, I know I feel a lot better having you here. I'll have an officer on every floor and I'll be at the command center downstairs." Luca, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar nodded politely at Typho as he left the room. Anakin, distracted by the Senator's exit, hardly noticed the disappearance of the head of security. Jar Jar, not wanting to recreate the tension that occurred moments before, turned his attention towards Anakin.

"Mesa bustin' wit happiness seein' yousa again, Ani."

Jar Jar's attempt at conversation pulled Anakin's concentration away from the Senator in her bedroom and he faced the Gungan with a deep sigh. "She didn't even recognize me, Jar Jar. I thought about her every day since we parted... and she's forgotten me completely."

"Shesa happy. Happier den mesa see-en her in longo time."

"Anakin, you're focusing on the negative again. Be mindful of your thoughts. She was glad to see us."

"He's right, Padawan Skywalker," Luca attempted to make conversation with Anakin. "You must not have noticed the expression on her face when she first saw you. She was just surprised to see you now, all grown up, looking completely different than the last time she saw you."

Anakin turned a suspicious eye towards Luca. "How do you know it's been a long time since I have seen her and how completely different I look?"

Luca hesitated for a moment. How do I answer that without giving myself away? "Well, I just assumed from the way you two interacted with each other that it had been a long time since the last time you saw one another. She seemed surprised that it was you that came in here with Obi-Wan and she mentioned that you had grown. Also, I believe she said 'You will always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine.' I just put all those observations together and came to the conclusion that you hadn't seen each other in quite a while."

"You seem to be very observant, Mister Redenov," Obi-Wan mentioned suspiciously.

"I do have experience in noticing the details and minutiae in everything that's around me and being able to formulate logical hypotheses based on those details. I have been involved in this kind of work for some time and I guess I have become good at reading between the lines and seeing what isn't said."

"I see," Obi-Wan drawled out, still suspicious about Luca's answer. Something about what he said seemed strange to Obi-Wan, but he couldn't quite figure it out. He would question the Council about it in their meeting later. "Well then, Mister Redenov, Anakin and I have a Council meeting shortly that we must be getting to. We will entrust you with the Senator's safety in our absence. Once we return, we will check the security here and go over our security protocols with you. I am sure that you and Captain Typho have already gone through and thoroughly analyzed the security systems here, but as Jedi, we too must check and ensure that everything is in order."

Luca nodded. "I understand Master Kenobi. I will keep a vigilant eye on the Senator until your return."

"Very well then. Come Padawan, we have a meeting to get to."

"Yes, my master." As Anakin departed the Senator's apartment with Obi-Wan, he couldn't help but feel some strange connection to the mysterious Luca. He still didn't trust Luca and he didn't know what this strange feeling was. But he vowed to keep his eye on the stranger and find out what this odd sensation was.