𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐎 || 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐤𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

Chapter 2 - Just Glorified Babysitters

The sun shone brightly all around, the heat of it scorching the back of my neck as I listened to the swapped banter between Obi-Wan and Anakin while tapping my foot on the floor impatiently. These long elevator rides nearly killed me every time. Why did they have to build these apartments so high anyway?

"You seem a little on edge," Obi-Wan was pointing out in his typical oblivious fashion.

"Doesn't he always?" I mumbled with a roll of my eyes.

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at this but said nothing. It was apparent to even him that Anakin and I had argued but he knew better than to get involved in our squabbles.

Anakin ignored this remark and replied curtly, "Not at all,"

Obi-Wan, however, continued on, "I haven't felt you this tense since-since we fell into that nest of gundarks,"

"You fell into that nightmare, master, and I rescued you, remember?" Anakin shot back in a terse tone.

"Oh, please, I was the one who rescued both of you," I snorted before directing my gaze to Anakin, "Were you or were you not the one jumping around with arms flailing in the air because a gundark bit you on the-"

"That happened once, Jet! And we swore never to speak of it again!" Anakin cut me off, glaring daggers at me before turning away to brush out the wrinkles in his cloak.

I shared a grin with Obi-Wan at the hilarious memory just before he glanced over and reassured his Padawan, "You're sweating. Relax, take a deep breath,"

"He can't relax, he's going to see his beautiful Padme again," I smirked, my tone suddenly imitating his in a mocking manner, "It's been ten years since I last saw her. Will she still remember me? Is my cloak on straight? How's my hair?"

Using my Jedi reflexes to easily dodge the slap on the back of the head Anakin aimed my way, I moved to the other side of the elevator laughing as I went. Suddenly, the doors slid open and waiting on the other side with a huge, silly grin was none other than Senator Jar Jar Binks.

I admit, I didn't know him well. Obi-Wan and Anakin knew him much better having met him previously on Tatooine. From the stories I'd heard of those days, Jar Jar was definitely an interesting Gungan, not to mention amusing. After greeting his Jedi friends, his large yellow eyes flicked to me.

"Yousa must be Jedi 'Prentice Jetta Aroo. Mesa so pleased to meet you!" Jar Jar greeted me warmly.

"It's nice to meet you too, Jar Jar. I've heard lots of wonderful things about you." I replied with a friendly smile.

The Gungan blushed a deep red across his amber throat and I noticed Anakin beside me holding back a laugh. I elbowed him in the side making him mutter a slight 'ow' as I brushed past him. We all bowed as we entered the room and Senator Padme swept over to us in a luxurious gown of royal purple and midnight blue. I'd never been a fan of the pomp and prestige of the royals and Senate alike but admittedly, the girl had style. In fact, it made me hyper-aware of the drabness of the plain standard-issue Jedi tunic I wore...

"It's a great pleasure to see you again, M'Lady," Obi-Wan greeted the senator warmly.

Padme Amidala's smile was like a ray of sunshine as she replied, "It has been far too long, Master Kenobi..."

Her gaze shifted then to the left and finally, she noticed Anakin standing there beside his master.

"Ani?" she called him by his childhood nickname, surprise written all over her face, "My goodness, you've grown!"

Anakin moved forward as she spoke, his cerulean eyes locked on hers intently, "So have you. Grown more beautiful, I mean... Well, f-for a senator, I mean,"

His words, however, did not have the desired effect.

Instead, the compliment must have triggered a memory for Padme because she only grinned in response as she shook her head, "Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

Anakin looked crestfallen at this while Obi-Wan looked flat-out embarrassed of his apprentice's blatant flirting. In part, I pitied my friend for the obvious rebuff yet on the other hand...the display was slightly unsettling. Probably due to the fact that it bordered on disobedience of the Jedi Code, I reminded myself.

"Senator, Apprentice Jetta Aroo will also be accompanying us for the time being," Obi-Wan added after a slight awkward pause.

I stepped forward at the introduction and bowed again with a smile at Padme. She beamed over at me warmly before nodding in response, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jetta."

Following them to the couch, I took my seat on the other side of Anakin. It was unfortunate these sofas were made so small, as it was my leg was pressed uncomfortably close against Anakin's. Tuning back into the conversation, I suddenly noticed the two Jedi were caught in a heated discussion.

"We will not go through this exercise again, Anakin...and you will pay attention to my lead," Obi-Wan reprimanded Anakin for his forward remarks.

"Why?" he shot back.

"What?"

"Why else do you think we were assigned to her if not to find the killer?"

I shrugged, "A fair point, Obi,"

Obi-Wan glared at me disapprovingly as Anakin continued on, "Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate,"

"I'm game. I mean, I didn't sign up to be a bodyguard," I agreed before shooting an apologetic smile Padme's way, "No offense, of course,"

She grinned, "None taken. I'd much rather be apart of the action if I were in your shoes,"

Her statement surprised me. Maybe all politicians weren't as bad as I had believed them to be.

"We will do exactly as the council has instructed...and you will learn your places, young ones." Obi-Wan said, leaving no room for further discussion.

A moment of awkward silence passed before Padme broke it, "Perhaps with merely your presence, the mystery surrounding this threat will be revealed. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will retire."

The three of us bowed to the Senator as she retired to her bedchamber, her handmaiden following on her heels. As Obi-Wan began to discuss the security detail with her personal bodyguard, Captain Typho, I joined Jar Jar and Anakin.

"Mesa busten wit happiness seein yousa again, Ani," Jar Jar said with a smile.

Anakin's mind, however, was still on the rejection from earlier, "She hardly even recognized me, Jar Jar. I've thought about her every day since we parted, and...she's forgotten me completely,"

I fought not to roll my eyes at the lovesick declaration as Obi-Wan came to stand beside us. It was starting to get on my nerves.

"Shesa happy. Happier den mesa seein her in a longo time," Jar Jar pointed out.

"You're focusing on the negative, Anakin," Obi-Wan told him, "Be mindful of your thoughts... She was pleased to see us."

"And it's been years since you last saw her. You were just a kid back then anyhow-" I started, attempting to comfort his wounded pride but instead he cut me off rudely.

"-I don't need a lecture from you, too, Jetta."

I glared daggers at him in response, "Apparently you do if you're acting like a man-baby."

Anakin opened his mouth to retort something, blue eyes smoldering with anger when Obi-Wan stepped between us.

"That's enough, you two. We have a job to do here. Now, let's check the security."