Chapter Three: Assassination Contract

"If we agree to peace talks with the Separatist Alliance, this whole war could come to an end."

"If we allow Separatist forces to arrive on Coruscant, we could bring the war to our very door!"

"Then meet on a neutral planet!"

"And bring war there? We'd be breaking our own laws of war!"

I watched the Galactic Senate debate endlessly from where I stood on one of the upper floors. "This is ridiculous," I muttered quietly, knowing the mic in my ear comm would pick up my voice.

"They certainly don't seem to be getting anywhere," Apex responded immediately. I glanced around the massive amphitheater, wishing the guards had allowed me to keep my goggles. I scanned the area instead, trying to think as Embo would. I'd worked with him before, having gained a mutual respect between us. Maybe it was even friendship.

When I heard he was hired to take out the Senator of Naboo, I knew I had to stop him. After I'd felt the anger coming off of Skywalker when he mentioned the risk to the Senator's life, I knew anyone who targeted her, or force forbid, killed her, would be hunted to the furthest reaches of the galaxy by the jedi. I sensed something else there. I wondered if the council knew it, and just ignored it. I looked across the amphitheater, seeing the jedi watching the session, a petite figure beside him. His padawan, I assumed. I'd been told her name was Tano.

I shook my head, bringing my focus back to now. "Talk me through the schematics," I said softly.

"Given his profile," Apex explained. "Embo will likely take a placement in the hidden shafts above the amphitheater."

I hummed, looking up at the hallways above the Senate, the grating opening in long slanted lines. "He's up there somewhere," I thought aloud, my eyes casting back to the Senator of Naboo as she spoke out against continuing war. I sent my gaze around the room, seeing cheers of approval at her speeches, as well as looks of disdain. The thought occurred to me that one of those representatives or senators may have hired Embo to take out their biggest opposition. And to spur the war effort forward.

None of that really concerned me. My concern was Embo.

Something rippled in the force, drawing my attention to the hallways at the top of the amphitheater. "Kriff," I cussed, leaning further into the vast room further to look up. Through one of the slanted grates, I watched the rounded edge of a bowcaster peak through. "Northwest corner."

"Formulating the fastest route now," Apex responded.

"No time." I backpedaled, gauging the distance.

"What are you doing?" Apex asked, a sarcastic quip in his voice.

"Something stupid," I grunted, leaping off the viewing platform and landing deftly on one of the repulsor-pods. The Quarrens in the pod leapt backwards in fear, guards that lined the entryways immediately firing. "Oh, please don't shoot," I breathed out as I leapt to the next pod, this one filled with Gran.

"You're going to get yourself killed," Apex declared. I ignored him, desperately hoping he wasn't right.

I glanced up at Embo's bowcaster, seeing it aiming at Senator Amidala. "Kriff," I swore again, taking the final leap to the Naboo pod. I tumbled in my landing, slapping into the Senator as I heard the bowcaster fire. I felt the heat of it hit my armor, the Mandalorian steel protecting my chest. It's powerful bolt, however, seared past me in its ricochet, burning through my side along my rib cage where my armor was weaker.

I hit the ground beside the Senator, her own guards leaping into action shielding her from the bowcaster's continuing fire. I looked up, seeing Embo pull his weapon, likely having seen me be the protector.

"He's bolting," I hissed through the pain.

"Are you going after him?" Apex asked.

I groaned, aware of the burning in my right side, but ignoring it for now. "Find me where he's going." I stepped past the guards that were protecting Senator Amidala, taking control of the pod. "Excuse me," I said to the gungan representative, guiding the pod to the closest exit on ground level. I nearly docked it, leaping from the pod and stumbling through the pain into the hallway.

"Who is that?" I heard the senator ask, but I ignored it, listening to Apex instead.

"That shaft is three floors above you."

"Okay, but does it have a window that leads out?"

"Yes. South side."

I turned, racing through the halls. I knew he was faster than me, but hopefully the guards would be more focused on the actual shooter than me. As I ran, I passed the familiar visors of the two clones I'd met in the detention cell, minus the medic. Skywalker and his padawan were close behind them, hurrying after me as I ran.

I puffed as I broke past the guards at the door, looking sideways as glass shattered three stories up, Embo having leapt through the window. He used his hat to slide down the sloped walls of the Senate building deftly.

I body slammed a Senate guard, taking his weapon and aiming quickly. I felt the tension around me as others lifted their weapons, aiming at me instead. I took the shot, my blast hitting Embo's hat and knocking him off balance. I leapt onto the sloping side, following him down to the next platform where I'd have him alone. Despite knocking him over, he still landed easily, turning his bowcaster on me as I landed. I'd like to tell myself I landed as well as him, but not only was I far from as acrobatic as Embo, but the blaster shot I took to my side wasn't helping.

Practically collapsing before him, I took a deep breath and laughed sarcastically. "You shot me, you asshole."

He babbled at me in Kyuzo.

"Hey, I had good reason to stop you." I stepped forward, knowing he wouldn't pull the trigger. "What are you doing Embo? I know we do this for the money, but you'll get yourself killed doing stupid shit like this."

He spoke again, making me step closer again, practically leaning over the top of his bowcaster.

"If you succeeded in killing her, they would hunt you to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. I don't want to see your face showing up on the job wall." I pushed the bowcaster down, staring into Embo's yellow eyes. "Drop this, Embo. Please."

He was silent for a moment, aware of the security and clones that were close on our tails, the jedi leaping down the sloping surface. He spoke softly, his eyes glancing down to my bleeding side.

I chuckled. "I'll be fine." He didn't look convinced. "I've had worse, now get out of here." The Kyuzo nodded to me before bolting, leaping deftly off the landing platform. Skywalker and his padawan landed beside me, their lightsabers ignited.

"She let him go," the Togruta exclaimed, her green lightsaber, pointed at me. I wrapped my arm around my bleeding side.

"He missed," I explained, glancing at Skywalker. "And he won't be coming back."

"Is that what he told you?" he asked skeptically.

"And you believed him?" Tano followed up.

I chuckled darkly, moving to lean heavily against cargo crates. "Trust me. He owes me one. He won't come back."

As I spoke, the two clones in blue joined us on the platform, followed closely by the Senate guard. They lowered their weapons as the jedi sheathed their lightsabers. Skywalker looked at me curiously, his face suspicious.

"Why did you do that, Kida?"

"Kida?" the Togruta cut in. "This is the bounty hunter you tried to get to join us?" She looked me over skeptically.

"Watch it, kid," I growled through my pain. "I just took a bowcaster shot for your precious senator."

She lifted her eyebrow at me, giving me a scowl, but it only made me chuckle. She was young, giving off the same ferocity and determination in the force as her master. I looked to Skywalker, giving him a grin.

"I think I might like that medic now."

Interestingly, Skywalker actually quirked a smile, giving a nod to the clones. "Captain," he called to the one with the Jaig eyes. "Get her to a med bay."

"Yes, sir," the captain responded immediately, the second clone joining him. The one with the Republic sigil on his helmet offered me his hand to pull me up from the half-sitting position I hadn't realized I'd fallen into. I accepted it, leaning on him heavily.

"Thanks," I muttered grudgingly as he helped me back inside the building. His voice was slightly warbled by his helmet, but I heard him chuckle nonetheless, giving me a slight nod in acknowledgement.

The clones led me to the med bay, which was unsurprisingly small considering the lack of combat in the Senate. Or...the lack of combat that was expected of the Senate building. The clones sat me down on one of the few cots, stepping back as a medical droid walked in.

"Please remove your armor," the droid said in its monotone drone.

"She doesn't like doing that," the soldier with the Republic sigil on his helmet remarked. I chuckled through my pain, casting him a glance. I reached up reluctantly, unclipping my armor slowly. The movement hurt, causing me to wince.

"She needs assistance," the droid stated.

"I'm fine," I said through clenched teeth.

The clone removed his helmet, revealing the Republic tattoo on his face and skull, as well as a somewhat swollen nose. I cringed.

"That's looking better," I tried. Thankfully, he laughed.

His hands came up immediately, helping take off my shoulder guard. I almost fought him, but realistically, my body was feeling fatigued from the injury. And maybe some part of me panged with nostalgia. Jango once helped me take off my armor when I was first learning. And while this clone had his face, his eyes were different. His soul different.

It was surprisingly comforting.

"Yeah, well," the clone laughed. "I'm just glad you didn't mess up my beautiful face."

I laughed, cringing at the pain, but not letting it show. "You already did that," I teased, my eyes flicking meaningfully to his tattoo. He laughed again, moving to my other side to remove my other shoulder guard- the one with the kyr'bes marking. He hesitated when he removed it, looking at it closely. I didn't speak, letting him look at it before putting it down.

"I'm Jesse," he offered with a smile.

I, surprisingly, returned it. "Kida."

"You don't seem surprised we have names."

"Are most people?" I asked as I slowly removed my armor, leaving me in my sports bra. I tried to ignore their looks, focusing on the conversation instead.

Jesse cleared his throat, clearly trying to keep his eyes away from the scars that graced my back and the slave brand on my inner forearm. "Well most people knew us by our numbers. That's what we grew up with."

I chuckled, leaning as the medical droid cleaned my wound. "I know that's not true. The Kaminoans call you by numbers, but you guys never did." I felt their confusion, as well as the burning gaze of the captain on my back. He was staring at the black ink that decorated my shoulder blades, put there by Jango himself.

"How-"

"I was friends with Jango, remember?" I said through my wince as the droid worked. "He lived on Kamino during the cloning project." They sat in stunned silence for a moment before both snapping to attention. I sensed a group in the doorway behind me, my eyes lifting to look in the reflection of the droid's optics.

"So this is the woman who saved Senator Amidala's life." The voice made me tense, a sense of mystery rippling towards me in the force. It was the famous voice of the Chancellor, his well-dressed form coming into my vision as he rounded the cot. "That was quite the good deed you did, young lady."

My eyebrow lifted at him calling me 'young lady,' but I pushed down my snark, glancing at the rest of the group. The Chancellor's usual band was with him, as well as Kenobi, Skywalker, Tano, Senator Amidala, and the gungan representative.

"I didn't do it for the Senator," I explained, glancing at the woman. "No offense." She raised an elegant eyebrow, but said nothing.

The Chancellor floundered while Kenobi looked amused. "Then why did you?" Palpatine asked.

"I heard about the hit and who took it. Taking it was stupid, so I stepped in."

"Why?" the padawan asked with a bite to her tone.

I lifted my eyebrow at her. "Just because we don't follow a religious order, doesn't mean we don't have friends, kid."

"Is Senator Amidala still in danger?" Skywalker butt in, giving his padawan a silencing glance.

"Of course she is," I laughed slightly. "She's a senator of the Republic. One who's incredibly opinionated and isn't afraid to voice those opinions." The group stared at me. "But for now," I clarified. "She's safe."

"Because a bounty hunter gave you his word?" the Chancellor asked skeptically.

I looked him over briefly, perturbed by the fact that I couldn't get a genuine read. "Not only that, but now everyone will know that I protected her." I looked around at the group. "I'm sure the mass number of viewers and senators present allowed for my identity to be discovered quickly. The press has likely circulated already, or will shortly, and all other bounty hunters looking at the job would know my involvement."

"And that's going to stop them?" one of the chancellor's lackeys asked.

I lifted my eyebrows as the droid laid a bacta-patch over the wound on my side. "I'm assuming you didn't really look into who I am."

The Chancellor sighed, watching me closely with intense eyes. "Either way, we thank you for your service. I'd like extra guards on Senator Amidala for the time being, until we can be sure that all of this danger has passed."

He and his lackeys nodded to me before sweeping out of the room. My eyes flicked to watch them leave before flashing back to the remaining group. The droid applied a bacta-pad to my side, stepping away with automated hisses and groans.

"We-sah are very very appreciative of you-sah," the Gungan representative said, his head bobbing in an over-animated manner. I smiled a little, but held down my chuckle. I'd met gungans before, and while they often spoke in an amusing manner, I wouldn't lie and say they were bad fighters. Then again, the representative before me didn't seem to be one of these warriors.

"You said you didn't do it for me," the senator spoke, her voice gentle. "But what if you did in the future?"

I lifted my eyebrow, glancing over the group. No one seemed to know what she was getting at. Skywalker rippled with confusion and frustration, only some of it directed at her.

Senator Amidala regarded me seriously. "I want to hire you."

"Senator-" Skywalker tried, but was cut off by a wave of her hand. They waited in silence as I regarded them, glancing over their faces. I swallowed. I'd be protecting the woman Jango had once been hired to kill. Is that betraying him?

I could practically hear his response. "No, ad'ika. Never listen to what others say. Take the jobs you see fit to yourself. The ones that you believe in, even if all you believe in is filling your pockets."

I breathed deeply, reaching out with my feelings to each of them. The padawan, four years my younger, was swirling with uncertainty, still working on controlling her emotions. I felt her distaste for me and my profession, but also her curiosity. She could feel the same admiration the clones projected towards me, as well as their own curiosities. I wondered if she felt the intensity that came from the captain, as I did. Skywalker seemed frustrated, but he also felt the hesitant acceptance from his soldiers. Kenobi, however, was level and focused. Controlled. I felt his surprise when he sensed me prodding at his mind, making me recede quickly.

I felt no deceit from the senator. Only determination with the tiniest spark of worry below the surface. She hid it well. I chewed the inside of my cheek before deciding.

"What's your price?"