37. An assassin, assassinated.

Obi Wan Kenobi POV

An assassination attempt. On Senator Amidala of all people. Seren had found and warned me. I still don't know how she knew. Were it not for Seren, everyone on that landing platform would have been dead when that ship exploded. Well... Seren practically kidnapped the Senator from the platform and held her against a wall, shielding her from debris, but the fact remains. Seren saved her.

They started chatting, and Seren made some off handed comment about Senators having to protect each other's backs. Also pointed out that only those specifically designed for egg-laying were able to reproduce, what with the rest being androgenous. They literally have no reproductive organs!

Apparently the Naboo Senator was impressed, and asked for a bodyguard or two from Seren. This was when Seren pointed out she would need the Queen to verify, not the decoy, and looked straight at one of the Queens handmaidens.

When asked how she knew, Seren simply muttered something about pheromones and that there was an aura difference from last time. This was how she was able to pick out the actual Queen from the group of near identical handmaidens.

That's why we are here now, myself and my Padawan, guarding her while she sleeps. We were in the next room of course, not literally watching.

Arguing. When we both sensed danger. The Senator was in danger.

Anikin bolted into the room, slicing some bugs in half, I happened to glance up at the window and see a droid pull back and move to fly away.

To my eternal shame, I didn't stop and think. I leapt. Managed to grab the damn thing though. Took me on a merry ride, even ran my hand along a building to try and make me fall! Just my luck, then, that someone decided to shoot the Force Damned thing from my hands.

I did get a look at their vehicle though...

Oh great. I'll be a splat on the pavement.

A yellow speeder came up from underneath me, catching me.

"What took you so long?!?"

"... Where?"

What? Oh right. "... there!"

Anikin POV

I saw the vehicle. It's pilot threatened Padmes life. For this they will PAY! The chase continued for another few minutes before a chance revealed itself. Common sense would be to continue following. My instincts told me to go the other way.

I had a choice.

I chose Instincts.

"What are you doing?!? He went that way!"

"If we keep this chase going any longer our target will end up escaping. I for one want to know who it is and who they work for."

I brought the speeder to a hover, looked my 'master' straight in the eye, and said, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

I turned and leapt, only just hearing Kenobi mutter, "I hate it when he does that..."

While falling I angled my body, adjusting my fall to coincide with my instincts, untill I no longer felt the need to do so.

I landed on my targets vehicle, and proceeded to try and force it to ground with the Force by disrupting the electronics.

Kenobi was following us, I had to leap from the assassin's speeder in order to avoid injury when it crashed.

He had landed our speeder nearby as I continued the chase, catching up to me as I was standing outside one of the many clubs I visited regularly, incognito, of course. This one has only one way in or out. I couldn't help it.

I grinned. A manic, feral, bloodthirsty grin. I indulged myself for a few moments, before my instincts warned me that Kenobi was approaching. I quickly schooled my features, presenting him with my 'apathetic Jedi' mask. I knew it unnerved him, thinking I was so broken to have little to no emotions from all those near death experiences during my apprenticeship. But back to the matter at hand. What to say?

"Anikin!"

"She went into the club, Master." Master. The word was like charcoal on my tongue. No matter. It was all part of the mask.

"Well, at least you waited for backup. You go take a look around."

"And what will you be doing Master?"

He gave me a shit-eating grin. " I will be getting a drink."

I see. So he intends to draw his prey to him by 'pretending' to lower his guard. Sneaky. I gave a slight hum, then moved off. My complete lack of reaction seemed to unnerve him further. It took a few minutes, but the prey fell for Kenobi's trap. Got it's hand chopped of too. Idiot.

Everyone stopped and turned towards Kenobi. I could sense the hostility.

"Jedi business." I said, augmenting my words slightly with the Force. "Go back to your drinks." Long story short, they did.

I moved to help him collect the assassin. We got her out the door, then I proceeded to question her, putting as much of the Force as I could into breaking her mental walls in order to get answers.

"Do you know who it was you were hired to kill?"

Kenobi seemed shocked at the display of sheer power put into questioning them. He glanced up at me, surprise evident on his face.

"The.. senator from Naboo."

"You are resistant. It only makes the pain increase the more you resist. The choice is yours. Stop resisting me and answer my questions, and the pain will cease. Or, continue to resist, and you may well overstimulate your brain, effectively frying your nervous system. The choice, Assassin, is yours."

All of this information, delivered directly in my signature hollow tone of voice, informed the assassin I WASNT joking. Kenobi was afraid of me now. I could feel his fear. She stopped resisting.

"Good. Now, who hired you?"

"It was a bounty hunter called.." Thwack! I never got to hear the name.

I spun around, blade ignited, ready to kill or defend. As another bounty hunter flew away. I growled.