If Hate Leads to Suffering... | Obi Wan Kenobi

Act I. v

By nightfall, Anakin had told Xaela of his and the Senator's plan to use her as bait. Master Kenobi didn't like it, but Xaela reassured him that with three Jedis, the chances of a successful assassination were slim to none.

Still, the two had their debate, until all three of them sensed something in the Senator's room.

They bust through the door, Anakin igniting his lightsaber and slicing two creatures in half, right above the sleeping politician. Xaela ran to Amidala, and checked her pulse, to which she sat up in shock. Obi-Wan took notice of a droid right outside the window and - on instinct - crashed through the glass, grabbing onto it. The droid took off into heavy traffic.

Anakin and Xaela immediately shared a look for their reckless Master, and not wanting to hear the motherly scolding he knew was coming, Anakin planned his quick escape.

"Better go save him." Anakin backed out of the room, cutting Xaela off as she opened her mouth. "You stay here!"

The Senator looked at her window, the dead creatures, the open door, then Xaela.

The Padawan sighed.

"We had an incident."

She stayed with the Senator, moving out of the bedroom and back to the couches where Xaela made some tea. She assured the Senator that Master Kenobi and Anakin would find the perpetrator. In the meantime, Xaela would keep her company.

"I thought Jedi weren't allowed to have more than one Padawan." Amidala took a sip of her tea, then made a face at it still being too hot.

"They aren't. I asked my Master how the council let him train me, he just said 'it's complicated'." The Jedi shrugged, she wouldn't sit down and instead paced the room.

She could feel how tense the Senator was, despite portraying an alarmingly calm facade.

"How long have you known Ani?" She asked.

"Since I was reassigned." Xaela looked out the window, her hands clasped behind her back. "He has the most terrible sleeping habits."

The Senator laughed at this.

"Is he still so sure of himself? I remember he was like that."

Xaela smiled.

"Always." She agreed, then thought she should try and put a good word in for her friend. "Though I would never say it to his face, Anakin is extremely intelligent. He has a right to be sure of himself."

The Senator nodded and placed down her tea cup, hands resting on her lap. She surveyed the Jedi, who was watching the busy life of Coruscant through the window.

"Would you like to sit down?" Amidala requested. "I'd prefer face to face conversation."

Xaela turned to see her pat the spot next to her and obliged. Her body thankful for a bit of a more relaxed pose, and she hoped this would ease the Senator a bit.

"I do hope I won't keep you long, I know how important the Jedi Trials are."

Xaela couldn't help the amused smile that crossed her face.

"Milady," she said to reassure her, "a Jedi's duty is to keep peace and order in the galaxy. What kind of Jedi would I be if I forgo a mission for personal gain?"

Senator Amidala giggled and shook her head.

"Please, call me Padme." She said. "It's just the two of us now, and at this hour I prefer not to be tied down with formalities."

"Then you may call me Xaela."

The two girls drank tea and spoke as they waited for the men. Padme told Xaela of Naboo and Xaela told Padme about the Jedi. As they conversed, the tension simmered down, and the Senator finally relaxed.

"It's strange how much they've changed though." Padme poured the rest of the tea into Xaela's cup. "In - what was it? 10 years? - 10 years and I don't think I've changed a bit."

"The only thing that's changed about my Master is his hair." Xaela said, and the two girls laughed.

"How long have you known Master Kenobi?" Padme inquired.

Xaela finished off the tea and placed the cup onto the table in front of them. She then tucked her legs under herself and rested her arm on the back of the couch. Padme sat cross legged, facing Xaela, with a pillow in her lap.

"My first impression of him was when I was a youngling." She started. "He and his Master would come into our class and I couldn't help but admire him, a Jedi Padawan was what everyone strived to be. But it was years before I saw him again the day I was reassigned."

"You keep saying reassigned." Padme rested her chin on the pillow. "I didn't know Jedi did that."

Xaela's fingers subconsciously slid up and down her lightsaber.

"I was first assigned to Master Hamarshka around the age of 11. I was young and only knew one thing: do as your Master tells you. My old Master was not a good man, taking advantage of a young girl that didn't know right from wrong. It was only when I was 17 that I found out that he was abusing my force sensitivity and teaching me the ways of the Dark Side, I went straight to the Jedi Council. His conviction brought about the question of how I would finish my training. I don't know how it happened, but I became the Padawan of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Padme nodded. Xaela knew she made the right decision to like this girl, her intense focus on whomever was speaking gave confidence that she was listening to everything said. It was a rare quality amongst people - much less politicians.

"Master Kenobi is a great man." She said.

"I know." She agreed.

Xaela didn't notice the blush on her face, but she knew the longing smile on her face gave away something. And Padme caught it - if only a glimpse of it. But not wanting to put the Jedi on the spot, she changed the subject.

"And you train with Anakin?" She detoured.

Xaela came back to the conversation.

"Yes, most of my day is spent with him." She admitted.

But before anything else could be said, the elevator door hissed open and Xaela got up, taking out and igniting her lightsaber. She stood in front of the Senator but the only people who came around the corner was her Master and Anakin.

"We have a bit of a problem."