000
.
Ben controlled his shock as much as he could, when Master Jinn made his self importance felt, putting and end to their conversation.
He was so close; Ben could smell his spiced cologne. The man was obstinate and persuasive and resistant to waiting for anything.
He had no desire to be questioned by this Jedi and he continued to bring the Queen's hand up to his lips to thank her for the dance. He'd twitch slightly, and he knew she felt his surprise when Jinn spoke.
Turning her head, she peered at the Master without letting go of Ben's hand.
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"I'm sorry to interrupt you your Highness. However the Neimoidian viceroy wishes to know if the signing can take place first thing tomorrow."
She showed little emotion as she fixed a stare at him. Then more kindly she sought Ben's eyes.
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"Thank you for the dance Ben; unfortunately, duty calls." She said letting her hand linger for a moment more as Ben dipped his head to her and walked off.
Blocking Qui-Gon's view of the retreating young man, she stepped forward making him turn to face her as she spoke.
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"I will not consider signing the treaty until the delegate from D'larah, Senator Tumleh, arrives. He cannot make it until late morning tomorrow! Why is the viceroy in such a hurry?"
"I do believe the Neimoidian taste buds find the food here, not to their liking your Highness."
"Well Master Jinn, perhaps they should go back to their ships and eat in private!" She said reaching the side of the room.
"Would you like me to tell them that Your Highness?" Jinn said in a condescending tone.
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She would not bite. "It is important that the treaty is witnessed by the Tumleh Navigations representative. The components they are working on, will be beneficial for ships navigating through hyperspace. The purpose of a Trade agreement; is to trade with all those who will benefit from it. Do you not agree?" She said displeasure lacing her words.
"As you say your Highness."
"Master Jinn, I have doubts about the Neimoidian's authenticity. I do not trust them and neither should you!" she said.
"I understand your fears, which is why we have been assigned to be present for the negotiations. To make sure it is a fair and legal agreement." Qui-Gon stated.
"Then to be fair to Delegate Tumleh, he should be afforded the assurance of being at the signing! Don't you agree?"
"My apologies, you are of course correct."
"Good then, I will not allow the trade federation to dictate to me or other members of the committee. I will come with you now, and explain that to them my self." She said feeling pleased with her victory over the pompous master Jinn, and his rude interruption of her dance with Ben.
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Qui-Gon sensed her annoyance, and he assumed it was his earlier interruption that caused it. He saw the nervous flinch from the slightly built young man she was dancing with as he spoke.
It was unusual for a Queen to dance with a guard, but she seemed quite taken by him and Qui-Gon noticed that he avoided turning to be introduced.
Qui-Gon's curiosity peeked and there was something unclearly familiar about the young sergeant.
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"You're Highness, if I may ask you a question!" Qui-Gon said. "Who was that young man you were with on the dance floor?"
"Ben? He is in the employ of Senator Mon Mothma, he is her son's friend and personal guard."
"He seems a bit young to be wearing a sergeant of the guard's uniform; have you known him long?"
"Unfortunately, you interrupted us before I had a chance to get acquainted with him." She indicated.
"My apologies." Qui-Gon said dipping his head.
.
000
.
Ben moved quickly through the crowd, putting as much space between him and the Jedi. Glancing sideways at Master Windu, he was deep in discussion with Senator Mon Mothma.
He didn't want to be noticed and kept out of their sight; standing behind the ornate railings of the stairway, where he could keep his eyes on the guests.
As the evening wore on, Ben moved around attracting little attention, keeping his eyes open for anything out of place. Nevertheless, he seemed to be the one out of place and attracting the attention of at least one Jedi.
As he scanned the room, he noticed Jinn watching him. He wondered if he'd sensed his Force connection earlier, and was suspicious of him.
The guests were thinning out as they made their way to their respective rooms and Ben didn't want to spoil Lance's night, but it was getting late and harder to avoid the Jedi. So after some whining on Lance's part; he convinced him that it was time to retire for the evening.
.
000
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Qui-Gon's scrutinising eyes followed Ben, as he and Lance said goodnight to Senator Mon Mothma before they headed toward the door.
"Mace, I have a feeling that I know that young guard."
"Possibly Qui-Gon, you may have seen him with the senator before!"
"No I don't believe I have. I've never met her son, and he's his personal companion. I think it was somewhere else. I caught him glancing at me a few times throughout the evening, and each time I headed toward him he'd duck into the crowd and disappear."
"He probably hasn't seen a Jedi before." Mace said.
"No, it's something else; did you feel any thing through the Force?"
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Mace shook his head. "No, I didn't sense any disturbance in the room, except when the Queen was speaking to the Neimoidian's, she doesn't like them one bit."
"Yes she voiced her opinion about them, to me earlier."
Qui-Gon looked around for Mon Mothma. "Perhaps I will ask the senator about her young sergeant."
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Mace checked the room "Well it will have to be tomorrow, I think she is retiring to the guests' rooms as well. It has been a long day, and tomorrow the conference and signing will need our clear focus and attention. I suggest that we retire too?"
Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes tomorrow then; I just sense something… An air of secrecy about him, and I would like to know more about that young sergeant before we leave."
.
000
.
Before dawn the next morning, Ben woke with a start. The force was forewarning him of an allusive menace.
Shifting off the bed and to his feet, he and peered out the open window; a cool breeze sent a chill through him along with a sense of danger out beyond the garden wall.
His first duty was to make sure Lance was safe and he silently peeked into his room. He was fast asleep.
Ben checked the windows in his room and every thing was secure. The sensation through the force was subtle, but it wasn't Lance who was in danger.
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He shook his head when he realised who it was that the force was warning him about.
"Master Jinn?" Ben Whispered. "That's absurd, surely the great Master Jinn, doesn't need a body guard!"
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Ben quickly dressed and attached his weapons to his belt, leaving his room and headed out onto the balcony. It overlooked most of the garden, with down lights lighting the pathway close to the building.
Ben was surveying the gardens below and had lowered his shields just enough to pick up on any anomalies. There was a distorted disturbance near the outer wall of the palace garden, but it disappeared abruptly when someone approached in the shadows on this side of the garden.
Ben moved cautiously to the edge of the balcony bringing his shields back up and like a ghost he leaped over and landed lightly in the garden without a sound. He moved quietly unbuttoning his coat. He was prepared; with his blaster and daggers at easy reach.
At a last resort hidden at his back was the sabre that Master Durron had given him a few years ago. It was secured inside a leather holster.
Cautiously, he moved along the thicket, until he was standing under the alcove at the garden's locked steel gate. The warning in the Force had dissipated, but Ben knew Master Jinn had been there investigating moments ago. The scent of his cologne lingered in the air.
He kept to the wall and moved past several fountains until he could distinguish the silhouette in the dark. He'd found the object of his search, kneeling on the grass in meditation.
The Sun was only a few minutes from peering over the horizon, and Ben certainly didn't want to be caught spying on a Jedi in broad daylight. So he back tracked and went to check the perimeter.
.
000
.
Qui-Gon didn't sleep well these days and sensed a warped disturbance, but whoever had been sneaking around outside the garden walls had taken flight. He'd checked and then sat down in meditation to see if he could sense anything. There was another presence, a security guard; hovering in the darkness watching him, but he felt no danger from this person, only nervousness.
His senses told him that it was the young sergeant who'd been dancing with the Queen, his aura was the same.
Qui-Gon didn't want to startle him; so he remained calm hoping the youth would come over and speak to him.
The boy was doing his duty, and then he silently moved off taking great care not to make any sound.
When Ben left the area Qui-Gon decided to follow him, glancing back to the where the other disturbance had come from; taking note to check it in daylight; then he ventured after Ben.
He followed from a distance and kept his shields tight, and was amused at the youth's antics. First he seemed to be just wandering around, however as Qui-Gon studied him closely, he realised he was doing a security check.
(This boy may be young, yet he seems to have the knowledge of much more experienced and older man.) Qui-Gon thought.
.
By the time the sun had full risen over the estate, and kitchen hands were beginning to gather to prepare first meal, Ben had settled just outside the open window of the kitchen.
He was sitting on a bench facing a fountain a few metres away.
Qui-Gon hid at the other end of the pathway in an alcove, and studied Ben.
The young man had his arms resting on the top of the bench and his face was lifted to the sun. His legs were stretched out in front of him and he was soaking up the sun.
Qui-Gon's eyes methodically went from the youths head taking in the golden highlights in his long plaited hair. His smooth face made him look younger than he probably was and his arms were pale as he'd taken off his coat and rolled his sleeves up.
The long coat lay on the seat neatly folded, and Qui-Gon could see the outline of a blaster holster and the glint of steel in the sun coming off several daggers on his belt.
Qui-Gon mused (He seems confident for one so young.)
As he observed him; Ben stretched and rose to his feet. Turning to face the kitchen window he appeared to be contemplating something.
He stood there for a moment and then to Qui-Gon's surprise, he lifted his hand towards the window and in an instant a muffin and a muju fruit flew through the air and he caught them.
Qui-Gon's gaze sharpened. (Did he just use the force). He wondered.
Qui-Gon didn't want to drop his shields; he was sure the boy wouldn't take kindly to being spied on. He had to find another way to find out if he was Force sensitive.
Qui-Gon decided to show himself, he would approach Ben on the pretence he was heading for the kitchen and hopefully strike up a conversation with him.
He stepped out from the alcove and dropped his shields; casually walking along the path.
A large bush blocked his view for a moment and when he emerged around it the bench was empty and Ben was no where to be seen.
.
Disappointment filled Qui-Gon, but he kept walking and when he got to the bench he sat down admiring the fountain. He opened himself up to the force and there, just floating away in the breeze was a fragment of a force presence. Qui-Gon knew now that he had to speak to the lad. So he got up and walked towards the doors. The smells of muffins and breads were wafting down the corridor, and Qui-Gon wondered if Ben had gone to the dining hall for first meal; he hoped so.
Many of the guests were beginning to indulge in the fine food, but he was quite disappointed when he could not see the young man anywhere inside the hall.
Qui-Gon's gaze caught Mace sitting at a table so he walked over. Senator Mon Mothma was already seated and so was Queen Amidala. He bowed low and took his place next to Mace; he wanted to tell him what he'd discovered and ask the senator about him.
However, the Queen was speaking to the Senator, and he did not want to interrupt her again. Several minutes later Qui-Gon saw Lance being ushered in by Ben. Qui-Gon hoped he would come over so he could get a closer look at him, but Ben just pointed Lance in the direction toward Sabè and watched him until he sat down and then Ben disappeared back out the door.
A great deal of conversation encompassed the meal, and Qui-Gon wasn't really listening, until the name 'Ben' came up.
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Queen Amidala was asking the senator where she had found such an adorable and cute companion for Lance.
The Senator laughed at her description of the young man and said. "Yes if only I was Twenty years younger, I might fight you for him, I noticed you dancing with him last night." She said smiling.
"He must really like you your Highness' because in the three years he has been with us, I have never seen him come that close to any young lady or dance for that matter. He is quite shy around people he doesn't know."
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"Was he born on Chandrila?" Qui-Gon ventured to ask.
"No, we met him at the space port on Chandrila." she confirmed.
"He was coming through the arrival gates at the same time as we were, but a zealous official pushed him out of the way to allow us to go through. The poor boy was pushed into another passenger who knocked him down to the ground. He slid into my legs, and even though it was not his fault, the poor boy scrambled to his feet and started to apologise."
"How old was he then?" Qui-Gon asked.
"He was sixteen, anyway I sorted the official out for being so rude, and then I directed Ben to the employment office." She explained.
"However, our paths crossed again later that day in the Park. Lance was bored waiting for me so I took a break and went to the park opposite my office. Unbeknown to me one of my political opponents sent some one to kidnap my son. We were fortunate that Ben was in the park and he rescued Lance. So I gave him a job and I've never regretted It." she clarified.
"Did you not think it wise to have him checked out by the authorities Senator? Just in case he wasn't who he claimed to be." Qui-Gon persisted with his questioning.
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The senator put her utensils down and turned to almost glare at Qui-Gon.
"Master Jinn, I realise that it is the Jedi's way to be cynical and to not trust anyone, until you have thoroughly scanned their every fibre with your force. However, I have perfectly good instincts too. Firstly, he didn't claim to be anyone special, but he told me enough about his past and where he came from to satisfy me. Ben is a very likable, friendly, compassionate, and trustworthy young man." She said staring at Jinn.
"Perhaps if the Jedi Order had more young men like Ben, then the general consensus that Jedi have no feelings and no compassion at all, would be banished by the considerate and understanding nature that fills him!"
"I didn't mean to infer that he wasn't trustworthy or reliable senator, I was only interested in knowing more about him." Qui-Gon said backtracking.
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"Well, you have a strange way of asking! You Master Jinn, are here to oversee the conference and treaty signing; if Ben wishes to tell you anymore about him self that is up to him. I am satisfied with him as he is, and I suggest you concentrate on the conference and do what you came here to do." She said getting up from the table.
"Thank you for a wonderful breakfast your Highness, I will see you at the conference." She said excusing her self.
Jinn frustrated her; he was a good negotiator, but locked his humanity behind a hard unbreakable exterior and she certainly didn't want to listen to him pick at Ben's integrity.
Tbc…