Chapter 72: 73. Chapter

-From the perspective of Ahsoka-

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I have followed Rika for quite some time now, she headed out of the city and now was leading me through the fields. I was becoming angsty since we were walking for over half an hour now. 

-Are we getting there soon? 

She looked at me with a funny expression. 

-What so funny? 

I asked.

She shook her head then answered. 

-Nothing particular... we are almost there. We only have to walk a little bit more into this direction, behind that field and between the tree lines of the forest is a practice field for force sensitives. 

I looked into the direction she pointed and nodded. 

-So that was what you meant... by working out my accumulated frustration? 

She nodded slightly. 

-Something of the sort. 

I sighed with acceptance. 

-You are more similar to my master, then I would ever like to admit it. 

She smirked and stated.

-Probably that is the reason why we became friends. 

-Urgh... 

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-From the perspective of Padmé-

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Peace, a simple word to say, but a seemingly impossible task to create. Peace was my goal for years, and it is still my ultimate goal to reach. Unfortunately I cannot say that I am getting closer to reaching this goal, however, I wouldn't dare to say such thoughts out loud. I have been thinking a lot these past few days, since that attack which I narrowly escaped happened. What was peace? Is this a state of mind that we try to force onto our surroundings, are we misguidedly trying to force the naturally chaotic world to follow some half baked ideals of man?

Am I wasting my life trying to create something that is impossible to pull off? 

-I need another drink. 

I reached over the table to pour one more glass of wine for myself. While doing so I spared a half glance out of the nearby window. The shutter was already pulled down, and from the lack of light coming through the little openings I could guess that the time was already late at night.

-Ehh... It's not that I have any better things to do... I am under house arrest for my own, safety... says the chancellor. Damn old bastard sweet talking me into voluntary self imprisonment. 

I sighed while looking at the red wine glistening in the crystal glass, mirroring the dim mechanical light of my newly appointed apartment, or rather, safe house. It was a smart house equipped with an intelligent system, automatically adjusting the level of light to the hour of the day, or user specific requests. I asked it to create a relaxing half dim light level. Which some would call romantic...  

Anakin came to my mind, and the uncertainty that followed the thought immediately began to drive me to a sort of insanity. He could be dead for all I know... How many times did I believe him to be dead already, it was a cruel dance with fate. Always moving on the edge of a blade, never knowing what might happen. Even so, how could I blame him? What I do, standing up in the senate and speaking openly for peace, opposing all those who have an interest in the continuation of this cursed war is nothing less than drawing a target on my back.

I have seen the consequences of such actions.

It was nothing, but luck, that I had called over Kenobi to speak about a certain matter, one which I didn't manage to spill in the end. I, wanted to tell him about Anakin... and me. It was a thing I should have done a long time ago, but the fortress of lies I had created around the topic were almost impossible to disregard.

I called him here to tell him the truth, yet when I had finally gathered my courage to do it, a bunch of idiots burst into my apartment completely ruining everything. Now, I can't even go out of this place, unless I go to the senate on some important matter that couldn't wait till the end of the investigation.

I raised the glass to my lips and drank some of the wine, I was anxious, and couldn't find another way to deal with it. The stress was simply too much for me to handle. The stress from the senate work piling up, the attack from a few days ago, the uncertain fate of my missing husband and his moping apprentice, and the fact that in general nothing seemed to work out at all. 

The door leading to my room opened, and I found my fingers quickly wandering from the glass of wine to the handle of the blaster gun that was prepared on the table next to the wine bottle. I genuinely hated war, but I won't go down without a fight if it comes to exchanging blows with lawless crooks. Is that hypocrisy, maybe, but I don't give a fuck, there are people who are unable to understand any other type of communication.

Unfortunately, from my current position as I was sitting on the edge of my bed, I wasn't able to look at the door leading into the room. There was a short corridor that made that impossible. Therefore, I decided to ask loud and clear. 

-Who is this? 

There was no answer coming, and that immediately raised my alarm to new heights. This apartment wasn't exactly hidden you know, it was another public apartment reserved for the specific use of senate members. Anyone could find its location with a little bit of searching. 

My suspicions have proved baseless however as a calm female voice answered after a few more seconds passed by. 

-Senator Amidala, forgive us for the late night intrusion, I am Luminara Unduli Jedi master, me and my padawan, Barriss Offee were requested to guard you until the culprit is found or the investigation comes to an acceptable conclusion. My padawan has already begun her patrol. Please rest assured, we won't let any harm come to you. 

Realizing that the jedi from the temple had finally arrived I felt a heavy pressure lifted from my chest. I immediately let go of the gun and relaxed my tense posture. I was too tired and frustrated to hide it, so I didn't even bother to try.

I have requested jedi guards for my mansion, but it was always a hassle for them to be sent out. The only reason I even managed to push through the wall of bureaucracy this effectively was because one of the attackers seemed to be a fallen Jedi, that was actually trained in the temple. Therefore, they felt responsible for the threat she posed to me, thanks to that it only took two and a half days for them to arrive.

-Oh, thank god you have arrived. Please master Luminara, come in.

-Thank you for the invitation, senator. 

A thin figured mirialan woman covered in black clothes walked into the room, her posture reserved and a calm air surrounded her. This calm atmoshpere seemed to slowly fill the whole room. Which did wonders to my tired nerves. My anxiety slowly began to disappear, as I bathed in the sense of calmness. I felt that my doubts about the possibility of peace were dissolving by the minute, her presence felt like a cool breeze in the middle of the desert.

The woman walked closer and as I offered her a place on the nearby couch where she tentatively sat down. After she took her place silence found its way back to the room. I also found myself without words to share, her presence, the calmness, was a gift in itself. Was this, how a jedi master was supposed to be? 

Anakin, was nothing like that, he was passionate, and wild, and stubborn... The difference wasn't really that obvious since she didn't really meet with many jedi, whom she was able to know... I mean really know, beyond the mask that they use for political bravado. Aside from Obi'Wan, there were no jedi she was actually familiar with on a personal level. 

A soothing voice spoke, and she listened.

-Forgive me, for saying this, senator, it might feel insensitive on my part. 

I looked at her, and nodded towards her signaling to continue. She seemed to understand and after a short pause she did continue her speech.

-I sense that you are in great distress, which is not surprising considering the circumstances. 

She seemed to think for a few seconds to find the right words.

-What I want to say is that, if you think it will lighten the weights on your shoulder, I am willing to listen. 

Hearing those words made my throat dry up, seriously she just walked in and immediately jumped on the most awkward topic. Jedi were like that, if they found an issue with your mental state, they will try to help you on instinct, all that with an awkward honesty and dry objectivity. They will throw the most dreadful truths about you, that you always tried to bury right into your face expecting you to get over it. Even with, all their supernatural senses, most of them would be terrible psychologists... 

Okay, I get it, I wanted to spill the beans already, I really wanted to, but Anakin would never forgive me if I say those things to someone who we can't even trust... Obi'Wan was an entirely different case, he was his master, if there was anyone who would be able to accept this... it was him, and maybe Ahsoka... I don't know enough of this woman, she doesn't seem to be a bad person, far from it, but it was simply impossible to tell her something like that.

I looked aside avoiding her eyes and said.

-It is nothing to worry about master jedi, I was simply shocked to be targeted so brazenly by a terrorist attack. I am ashamed to say it, but I was afraid. However, now that you have arrived I think I might be able to relax and sleep.

What I said was true, however that wasn't all the reasons, I simply couldn't say everything. I have become a proficient lier in the last few years... Understanding that the most successful lies were mostly true, only small parts of them were changed to reach the desired undertone and hidden meaning. 

Master Unduli seemed to accept my answer, she nodded slowly. Then another wave of silence filled the room. All of the sudden I felt pretty awkward and decided to offer her some wine. 

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-Would you like to share a glass of wine, it's quite a good wine from the year of... 

She interrupted me with an innocent yet meaningful smile, while saying.

-Thank you very much for the tempting offer, I myself at times find pleasure in the taste of fine wine in modest quantities of course. However, in this case I fear that I will have to kindly reject the idea, it wouldn't be prudent of me as your guardian.

She smiled once more and added. 

-Especially with my padawan being present in the equation. 

I smirked loudly after hearing that. It seems that I accidentally touched a sweet spot, lady luck did not forget about me entirely. Wine will be a great topic to chase off the awkward silence and Luminara doesn't seem to be the type who hates conversations. 

-Master Unduli, may I have a few questions? It is so rare to meet a jedi in peaceful circumstances nowadays. 

She nodded. 

-Of course Senator Amidala, you may ask freely. 

-How goes the investigation? Was any new information found?

-Unfortunately the few attackers that we have captured alive seem to not know much about the identity of the one who hired them. They were a group of unruly bounty hunters hoping to make a name for themselves. Asajj Ventress was the only one who has been identified and could possibly lead us to the instigator. 

-I see, that is indeed unfortunate. 

A quite loud chirping sound appeared in the room, and both of our gazes turned toward Luminara's wristband. There was a green light blinking on the top of it, while creating the singing sound of a bird. She must have liked that bird really much. 

Luminara looked at her wristband, then back up to me. 

-It is my padawan, please allow me to answer the call. 

-Of course, go ahead. 

She looked down and pushed  a button. A smaller form of a mirialan girl appeared, she must be Barriss. 

-Is there something wrong, padawan? 

The form of the padawan bowed lightly, and only then did she begin to speak. 

-Master, I have found a large bug moving around the apartment, at first I disregarded it as a simple roach, however I quickly realized that it was acting suspiciously. 

At this moment both of Luminara's eyebrows were about to meet with her hairline. She gave me a hesitant glance and seemed to be relieved that I hadn't reacted in any obvious way besides being slightly surprised. She refocused on the holocommunicator and asked. 

-How exactly... did this bug act suspiciously, Barriss?

The padawan as if only now realizing how unusual her claim might sound. Seemed to become embarrassed for a few seconds.  

-I... Oh well, every time I turned its way, it immediately ran away hiding behind things while following me around the entire mansion. I had a feeling that it was watching me. 

-... 

It seemed that Master Unduli was momentarily out of words. The goofy nature of her padawan reminded me of Ahsoka. She was cute, especially how she was stating those things with such seriousness. I couldn't help, but smile lightly. 

Master Unduli unfortunately caught my smile, which made her blush slightly. No doubt, she felt embarrassed because of her padawan. She steeled her voice as she asked her padawan with a slight threatening undertone.

-Is this all, Barriss?

The young girl, who was clearly about the age of Ahsoka seemed to sense the change in her master's voice, and began to fidget slightly.

-N-no... I have decided to follow the bug, which sensing my presence began to fly away. I chased it for a time until it escaped outside through a partly opened window. I didn't give up just like that, and followed it outside into the balcony garden. 

Luminara's expression while we listened to the tale turned to disappointment and nearing the end of it it began to morph into downright disbelief. She was needless to say embarrassed, and probably regretted multiple times that she picked up the call in front of me.

-Anyway... after searching around for a while I found this strange girl, hiding in the bushes. You, come over here, don't just stare at me with wide eyes! 

With that she pulled over a girl about the same age as her, to stand in front of the holocommunicator's camera. 

The teenager that at first sight seemed to be a love child of a geonosian and a human was clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Luminara couldn't hold a straight face anymore, she raised her left hand to cover her eyes in exasperation, while saying silently.

-You should have told me that first... 

However the padawan completely missed that part as she was too focused on lightly scolding the bug like girl standing next to her. 

-You should at least state your name, in such situations. People will think that you are stupid if you don't do that much at least... 

-I am called Lily. 

Stated the other girl, immediately as if trying to save some face. 

-That's better, so Lily, what were you doing in the garden of a private estate... or even better, what race are you exactly? I've never seen anything like you before. 

-I am half zerg, half human. 

-You are a mixed race eh, that settles it then, but what's a zerg? Is that some sort of bug? I just touched your arm, and it feels like the armor of a caterpillar... no offense of course... 

-...

The other girl didn't seem to react to any of those questions. 

-Barriss? Barriss, do you hear me? 

Asked Luminara already horrified by the sheer amount of cultural borders her padawan stepped over in the last few seconds. She stood up and began to run towards the door. 

-Yes master?

Asked Barriss turning the camera back to her.

-Don't do anything stupid, I will be there in a second. 

Ordered Luminara, while running out of the room she still managed to spare an apologetic glance to me, before she left. I heard her quick steps hurry down the corridor for a while, before it disappeared completely. 

 

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