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Standing shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the circular council room, Obi-Wan and Anakin bowed respectfully before seven assembled Jedi Masters. Yoda, Mace Windu, Adi Gallia, Depa Billaba, Oppo Rancisis, Yaddle, and Plo Koon were the only members of the Council available to convene on such short notice.
Anakin shifted his weight to one hip and grasped his hands together behind his back. He looked enviably confident as well as bored.
Contrary to Anakin's complacency, Obi-Wan's stomach was in knots. He wouldn't allow himself to fully believe the Council had actually lifted the restriction. It meant too much to him and the stern expressions of disapproval the Jedi Masters wore this morning did little to reassure him they had. Instead, Obi-Wan clung to the hope that, in his enthusiasm, Anakin had not been over-exaggerating the events which had taken place overnight.
Master Mace Windu was the first to address him. He frowned deeply and sat forward slightly, his fingers steepled beneath his chin.
"Your ceaseless lobbying finally paid off," he told Obi-Wan. "Apparently, an outside dignitary has taken an interest in your cause and has seen fit to intervene on your behalf."
Obi-Wan sighed, perturbed by the subtle reprimand.
"My 'cause' is a meaningful one," he said defensively. "My allegiance to it stems from my sense of honor. I'm pleased to hear my efforts have finally met with some success." He raised his chin defiantly, but folded his arms in front of him, burying his hands in the voluminous sleeves of his cloak to conceal their shaking.
"So impudent!" Yoda snapped, jabbing the end of his gimer stick towards the younger Jedi. "Know how we feel about this, you do. Patience we asked for, yet denied us, you did. Resolved peacefully, this could have been. Manipulated we were. Happy about this, we are not!"
Obi-Wan's heart clenched inside his chest. He licked his lips apprehensively. "I don't deserve your censure. I was willing to obey your restriction at great personal sacrifice."
Depa Billaba raised her hand for silence and shook her head. "Try to understand our position, Obi-Wan. We only sought to protect you and Anakin by our restriction. It isn't safe for the two of you to be about the galaxy now with the bounties the governor has issued. You can't expect us to be pleased. In a sense, we are being forced to deliver you into the hands of your enemy."
Anakin's eyes shot up and locked on the demure Jedi Master. "We'll try our best to steer clear of Vrone's forces this time."
"We have no intentions of any confrontation," Obi-Wan replied, placing a restraining hand on his padawan's arm.
Anakin tried to step forward, but Obi-Wan tightened his grip in warning. "Masters, we appreciate your concern, but you can't force us to graciously cower under your wing at the slightest hint of danger," Anakin said impatiently. "I get the distinct impression, you two already know why we summoned you here this morning," Mace Windu interjected.
"Early yesterday, Obi-Wan and I were informed by Saloma P'tol that she was departing for Aremont this morning to attempt to find her brother," Anakin relayed calmly but yanked his arm free of his master's grasp.
Obi-Wan glared up at his padawan, then turned his attention back on Mace Windu. "It was brought to my attention just a little over an hour ago that the Supreme Chancellor had urged you to waive our restriction and allow us to escort Miss P'tol back to Aremont."
"Well-informed, you are," Yoda said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "Waived it has been."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly and took a deep steadying breath. Anakin jabbed him lightly in the side with his elbow as if to say 'I told you so.' Obi-Wan glanced up at him with a hint of a smile on his lips.
Adi Gallia leaned forward, shifting her weight to one elbow. "Due to the fact Miss P'tol has been served a subpoena, she must testify at the inquest three weeks from tomorrow on behalf of the Republic. She is free to come and go until then, but traveling to Aremont in search of her brother concerns the chancellor. She will certainly be in jeopardy there."
Obi-Wan's heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of Saloma being in danger. He gnawed his lower lip uneasily and tried not to resent the nonchalance in Adi Gallia's tone.
"Chancellor Palpatine wants you and Anakin to act as official security for her while she is out of Republic's jurisdiction," Mace Windu continued. "We want you to proceed with this mission incognito. Go as Jedi, but not as Jedi. Wear street clothes, alter your appearances, and while on Aremont keep everything you do low key. Under no circumstances are you to engage governmental forces!"
"Take no sides," Yoda stressed raising his long ears slightly. "To protect Miss P'tol, your responsibility is. Enough, that is. This time, heed us you WILL, Obi-Wan."
The younger Master's eyes flashed. "You were given a full and detailed report. I did not seek to engage Vrone's forces. We were being attacked," he rumbled. "I had no choice in the matter."
"At the time, our only concern was protecting Miss P'tol," Anakin put in. "We simply did what we had to do in order to ensure her safety. And ours to a degree. That will be our sole intent this time as well. Right, Master?"
Obi-Wan peered up at Anakin suspiciously. He began nodding slowly and faced the Council members. "You have my word."
***
The ship was an older, unassuming transgalactic hauling vessel which belonged to a private shipping company which specialized in relocating their affluent clients' possessions from one system to another. This particular one was transporting the confiscated government-issued possessions of Aremont's former ambassador back to Ergo. Desks, chairs, tables, cabinetry, and computers filled the ship's cargo hold.
Saloma paced nervously in front of the transport's boarding ramp as the Calamarian captain stood at the top of the ramp and eyed her warily. His crew was already on board and the engines were fired up, but the woman made no move to get on herself. He finally cleared his throat to get her attention.
Saloma looked over up him with irritation. "What is it now?"
"Ma'am, your transportation fee has been paid, so are you planning on joining us sometime soon? I'm already behind schedule."
Producing the disc key listing her new travel restrictions, Saloma stomped up the ramp and waved the key in front of the Calamarian's huge eyes.
"I told you before, I can't go anywhere without my official escorts. This comes from the chancellor himself. They're not here yet, so it goes without saying I will not be boarding just yet." Saloma tucked the disc key back in her coat pocket and crossed her arms over her chest. She stifled the thought that something had happened to change things; that somehow, something had gone wrong and Obi-Wan and Anakin weren't coming. "You are just going to have to wait," she grumbled. "I'll pay you extra if you want."
The Calamarian shook his head slowly. "No need. The Republic has already compensated me for the two extra passengers. I'll wait another ten minutes, but then I'm leaving. Business is business. I've got a time-table to keep."
"Ten minutes," Saloma agreed. "Fair enough." She could always beg another ten minutes out of him later. At least she'd have ten minutes of peace this way. His complaining was making her even more anxious. She suddenly noticed the captain's keen gaze focusing on a descending shuttle.
"Is that them?" he inquired, gesturing towards it.
Saloma exhaled in relief. It had to be. "Yes, that should be them," she stated confidently. She skipped back down the ramp to meet the tardy Jedi.
The shuttle docked on the opposite side of the platform and moments later the doors opened and two figures emerged. Saloma paused and squinted against the glare of the midmorning sun. Then, her heart all but stopped. Something must have gone wrong after all.
"No, that's not them, it's--" For a brief instant, she believed at the last minute, the Jedi had been replaced by someone else. But as the two men drew closer, Saloma suddenly recognized them. Her eyes grew wider and her jaw slackened and dropped. "Super nova....it is them."
"Good...if you are sure," the captain said. "I'll inform the crew we are ready to depart." He turned stiffly and disappeared into the ship.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Obi-Wan began, drawing up in front of Saloma at the foot of the boarding ramp. "There wasn't much data on current Ergonian fashion in the temple archives, so our wardrobe department had to improvise. What do you think?"
"Oh....wow."
Saloma began circling him, riveted by his incredible new look. Gone were the modest layers of linen-weave and the long brown cloak, the heavy utility belt and the soft brown boots. Instead, the Jedi was wearing a loose-fitting white tunic, a long bright blue coat which tapered in at the waist like a uniform, and pale gray trousers tucked into sleek, knee-high black boots. The only clue of Jedi Knighthood was his ever-present lightsaber. It was attached to a studded black leather belt that was strapped alluringly low on his slim hips.
Obi-Wan smiled self-conciously and tried hard not to blush as Saloma slowly looked him over. "The Council felt it best not to advertise the fact we are Jedi," he hurriedly explained.
Dazed, but delighted, Saloma reached up and touched the Jedi's clean-shaven jaw. "You have a boyishly winsome face, Master Kenobi," she informed him in a breathless voice.
"I told him he looks ten years younger without the beard," Anakin quipped. "Especially with his long hair."
"Yes, I drew the line when it came to cutting my hair," Obi-Wan added. He gestured at Anakin. "Look at him. He looks so much older."
Saloma pried her eyes off Obi-Wan long enough to take a look at Anakin. He was dressed entirely in black, with a floor length coat that was split up the back to his waist. His hair had been bleached white and his padawan's braid was effectively concealed beneath a long scarf coiled loosely around his neck. Saloma grinned at him.
"Extraordinary. What would Padme' think?"
Anakin laughed lightly. "I wouldn't want to know." He put his hands on his hips, his gaze fixing on the ship. "Would you look at that? I didn't think these were hyperspace certifiable anymore."
"Come on," Saloma urged, motioning to Anakin and taking Obi-Wan's hand in hers, pulling him after her up the ship's ramp. "The captain's anxious to be on his way."
She led the two Jedi into the ship's hull and motioned to the waiting Calamarian. The captain nodded gratefully and immediately ordered a crewman to seal the ship. He hurried over to his passengers and introduced himself.
"Captain Mimbus here," he began. "I'll try to make your passage as comfortable as possible. If you need anything, please let one of the crewman or service droids know. The crew quarters where you'll be staying are aft. Only got two spare cots though. We don't normally take on passengers but occasionally we make an exception if the price is right. Don't expect any special amenities though. We're a moving company, not a luxury liner." He paused and glanced at the datapad he carried. "We'll be taking off soon, so go get settled in." Then, without waiting for a reply, the captain turned and stalked off towards the cockpit.
"I think he was actually trying to apologize. He must not realize we're Jedi," Anakin mumbled. Saloma frowned, but the two Jedi exchanged amused smiles as they started walking towards the crew quarters.
Saloma followed, glancing around occasionally. Being a former city councilwoman, she wasn't used to traveling in unkempt freighters, but the Jedi seemed rather pleased with the overall condition of the ship. She decided she may as well start adjusting to their comfort level. Her cruiser and yacht days were over.
Sensing her unease, Obi-Wan drew her closer to him and offered her a reassuring smile. She gazed up at him and smiled back, noticing how the color of his coat brought out the vivid blue of his eyes.
"I just can't believe how different you two look," she stated, shaking her head. "I honestly didn't recognize you at first."
"Good. We'd rather not be recognized," Obi-Wan told her. "If we fooled even you, we're off to a good start. I'm hoping we won't be running into anyone who knows us well enough to recognize us, but I'll settle for keeping the bounty hunters off our trail." The Jedi looked around the ship's cramped crew quarters and sighed. The two extra cots they were to use were lined up against the wall on the opposite side of the room from the other cots for the crewmen.
"I thought having to deal with Captain Vrone's internal police force was bad enough. This time we have to worry about bounty hunters too." Saloma paused and shook her head. "What was the chancellor thinking, sending you two with me?" she teased. "As if this trip wasn't complicated enough." She put her hands on her hips and made a face at the tiny cots.
Anakin placed a hand on Saloma's shoulder. "At such short notice, we were the only Jedi conveniently at his disposal." He brushed past her, dropped his large frame onto the nearest cot and stretched out. "Somebody wake me when we get there."
Obi-Wan grinned at his padawan. "Go on. Get some sleep. You deserve it," he told him, then yawned himself. "I could use an extra hour or two myself."
As it was, Anakin fell asleep in moments. The sound of his soft rhythmic breathing filled the tiny quarters. Obi-Wan glanced at Saloma and cocked his head at the empty cot next to Anakin's. They hadn't gotten much sleep last night either. "We may as well. It'll be quite awhile before we reach Aremont."
Saloma slipped her hand over Obi-Wan's arm and leaned against him. "So this is how Jedi Knights mentally and physically prepare for all those important missions. I've always wondered, now I know."
"You don't sound impressed," Obi-Wan teased, leading her to the other cot. "Actually this is very typical Jedi behavior. We sleep when we can, we eat when we can. There's no set routine for anything we do." He sat down on the cot and stretched out on the farthest side, against the wall. Saloma settled down beside him and he contentedly spooned himself around her. Her firm, slender body fit so perfectly against him, he thought. Holding her like this was the only way he felt he could truly keep her from harm, short of locking her in a closet or tying her to a chair. This was a much more pleasant alternative, he decided.
Obi-Wan's unguarded sentiments rang loud and clear in Saloma's mind. Annoyed by what she'd just heard, Saloma tensed and shifted her weight a few times, trying to get comfortable but there wasn't room to change positions.
"This cot is too small for the both of us. I must be crushing you," she told him and tried to sit up. She didn't particularly want to be so near to him right now anyway.
In response, the Jedi tightened his arm around her. "You're fine. I like having you close to me," he countered, wondering why she suddenly found that so distasteful. He sighed, shifting his justification to something more legitimate. "Besides, you heard what the captain said earlier. There's only two spare cots. I thought you and I could make due with one, but if you truly object, I suppose I could sleep on the floor."
He heard her sigh heavily, (with resignation?) but then felt her tension slowly begin to ease. He kissed the back of her neck as a reward for her consent, then tentatively reached up and touched her now very short hair. Her tight curls were springier and coiled readily around his fingers. Intrigued, he continued playing with her hair until he felt her tense up again. He quickly stopped and lowered his hand back to her side.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist."
"You hate it, don't you?" she whispered. "You haven't said anything about it all this time."
There was a slight pause before Obi-Wan responded. "I hadn't noticed anything different about it until now," he said with the utmost sincerity.
Saloma turned her head slightly in an attempt to face him. "You're a very good liar." She wiggled around slightly, fishing deeply into her coat pocket, and produced a thin black braid that rivaled Anakin's in length. She held it over her shoulder towards him. "Here. I didn't forget. Now you can remember it the way it was."
Obi-Wan accepted the braid from her and slipped it into his own pocket. "I don't hate it. I still think you are beautiful. It doesn't matter to me what length your hair is." He nuzzled her cheek, then softly kissed her ear. "Saloma. What's really the matter? Talk to me."
Saloma suddenly pulled away from him and sat up. She turned and faced him. "Nothing," she announced, then stood up. "I'm just feeling a little restless. Too restless to sleep. You go ahead though. I think I'll go explore the ship." Without another word, Saloma hurried off and disappeared through the narrow door.
Obi-Wan sighed heavily and rolled over on his back. Anakin stirred in the cot next to him.
"You should go after her," he murmured.
The Jedi Master frowned. He hadn't realized his padawan was awake. "I think she'd rather be alone."
Anakin slowly sat up and climbed off the cot. "That's the last thing she wants," he stated, readjusting the scarf around his neck. "Something's wrong with her, couldn't you sense it?"
Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. "Yes. If you recall, I asked her what was wrong. She said nothing. Which I usually interpret as not wanting to talk about it. I think she's trying to be very brave about all this, but the idea of going back to Aremont scares her. She just needs time to herself now. To think things over. I'll only aggravate her if I nag her about it."
The younger Jedi started off in the direction Saloma had gone. "No. You're wrong. She's signaling to you that she needs reassuring, but she's testing the level of your concern for her. That's why she left. Don't you know anything about women?" Anakin inquired, shaking his head sympathetically at his master.
Obi-Wan's jaw slackened and dropped in surprise. It amazed him how Anakin could always find something to disagree with him over. "I know Saloma," he replied confidently, but then wondered if he truly did. His padawan could be right.
The younger Jedi paused and sighed impatiently. "Well, someone should go after her. I don't like the idea of her wandering around on her own. One of us should stay with her at all times. That is what we're here for."
"What possible trouble could she get into here?" Obi-Wan muttered, indicating the ship with a sweeping gesture of his hand.
Anakin replied with an unwavering stare.
"Oh, go on then. Prove me wrong." Obi-Wan waved him on and slumped back against the wall. Anakin immediately turned and disappeared down the hall.
The idea of this sixteen year old boy thinking he knew the intricate workings of the female mind better than his master did, was annoying Obi-Wan more than it should have. He tried to quell his rising indignation and embrace Anakin's maturity and wisdom.
The older Jedi sighed heavily. He toyed with the idea of joining Anakin, then decided against it. Anakin would find her and offer her the comfort she needed. Saloma would probably be more receptive to Anakin anyway. They were close confidantes and shared insights and advice with each other that neither one shared with him. Mostly because it was about him.
Obi-Wan looked longingly down the deserted hall outside the crew's quarters, then resolutely rose to his feet. He wanted to be her confidante instead of Anakin. He wanted to find her and he wanted to be the one to soothe away her fears. He sighed again, his mind made up, and started down the empty passageway.
***
Her mind racing, Saloma strode through the twisted narrow passages, verbally chastising herself. She was jumping to all kinds of conclusions without any proof.
"Just calm down!" she told herself.
No, Saloma thought, shaking her head. Something's going on. The Jedi Master was being far too sweet; almost to the point of being condescending. He's keeping something from me, she decided. His mind had been suspiciously quiet save for a few minutes ago. It was as if he was purposefully hiding information from her.
Neither Jedi seemed to be the least bit concerned about returning to Aremont. She believed they ought to be busily scrutinizing data and frenetically finalizing the details of their plans with her. But Saloma had no idea what they had planned, or if they had even planned anything at all. Her stride lengthened as her ire increased. She began to wonder if Obi-Wan had already devised some scheme to keep her out of the thick of things. It would be just like him to muscle his way to the front and seize control of the whole operation.
"I sure wouldn't put it past you," she grumbled. Visions of being locked in a closet or tied to a chair flitted through her imagination. "Just try it....."
This section of the ship she had wandered into was dark and distastefully unclean. It smelled strangely and Saloma got the distinct impression of being watched by small, creeping, living things. She stopped short and looked frantically around her. Did she have any idea where she was going? Or better yet, any idea of where she was?
She shuddered in revulsion and immediately turned around to go back the way she had came. The passages forked, however, and she couldn't remember which one she had just come from. She hadn't really been paying attention.
Swearing to herself, she put her hands on her hips and frowned deeply. Pick one, she thought. Either one will get you out of here.
Resolutely, she started forward, choosing the one on the left, reassured by the familiarity of the passage.
She stopped again, realizing the ship looked pretty much the same everywhere except for the degrees of uncleanness.
Saloma took a deep calming breath and started forward again. Now she was angry with herself for choosing to venture out into a maze of filthy passages in the first place. Especially since the alternative was reclining in the security and warmth of Obi-Wan's arms. She knew his mind often slipped into a state of negligence when she was physically distracting him. At the very least, she could have stayed with him to gather more information.
What am I? Stupid or something? she admonished herself, but then stopped, suddenly hearing someone thinking close by. She slowed her pace and crept silently forward, listening carefully, and wondering why someone besides herself would be slinking around these passages.
Saloma concentrated, but couldn't make any sense out of the jumbled thoughts. This person's mind kept straying constantly to other thoughts totally unrelated to the previous thought. They weren't thinking anything particularly interesting, she decided, dismissing her suspicions and started forward again. It was probably just a crewman. She was about to call out to announce her presence, when the thinking suddenly stopped.
Startled by the sudden, unexpected silence, Saloma whirled around, and found herself staring down the muzzle of a blaster. She tried to scream, but a cold, clammy palm suddenly covered her mouth and pushed her up against the wall.
Her attacker was an older, massively built humanoid male, but Saloma didn't know his exact origins. He wore a hooded cloak but she could see his face and hands were covered in orange spots and he had maniacal-looking orange-colored eyes. His robes were tattered and stained and he smelled like stagnate water. Saloma also noticed the hand holding the blaster was webbed and clawed. He wasn't Calamarian, but at a glance, he could have passed as one. Perhaps he was a stowaway, she guessed.
"Who are you?" he demanded in heavily accented Basic, lowering his hand from her mouth to her neck. "Scream...and I'll blow your head off."
"A...A passenger," Saloma began cautiously. "I was on my way to the cockpit to talk to the captain...and I got a little lost." She licked her lips apprehensively. "Please...let me go. I promise I won't tell anyone that you are here. Just let me go."
He smiled revealing a mouthful of sharp, jagged teeth; several of them broken. He shook his head. "Ah. I know you. A pretty Flaro woman. Aren't you? Aren't you? You're the one I've been looking for."
Saloma's heart skipped a beat. She would have backed up, but she couldn't move any farther away from him.
"What are you talking about? Who are you?"
He shook his head again and pursed his lips. "You're their woman. Perfect. This is perfect. They'll come to me now. They'll come right to me...because of you." His cold hand tightened painfully around her neck.
He's a bounty hunter! Saloma realized. Panicking, her heart began beating double-time now. Despite his vague indication, she knew exactly who he was talking about. Somehow, he had been tipped off to the Jedi's presence on the ship. Her throat began to ache from the pressure of his hand and she desperately wanted to get away. She tried clawing at his wrists to get him to let her go, but he tightened his grip more, even after she drew blood.
"Yes. Go on. Be afraid," he urged, leering at her. "They'll feel it. They'll come."
Saloma tried to shake her head. "Who are you talking about? There's no one with me," she gasped, digging her nails deeply into his flesh and kicking out with her feet.
The bounty hunter leaned his weight into her, pinning her tightly against the wall. He jabbed the blaster between her eyes and cursed at her. "Your Jedi," he hissed. "That's who will come. They'll come right to me so just keep calling them."
Saloma knew they would too. They'd sense her fear if she didn't get it under control. She'd be leading them right to him, just as he said. She slowly eased her grip on his hand and momentarily closed her eyes. She ordered her pounding heart to slow and tried to take a deep breath.
"You're mistaken," she told him contemptuously. "There's no Jedi on board. The Jedi were grounded....They are back on Coruscant.....You screwed up."
For a moment, Saloma was granted the satisfaction of seeing doubt darken the hunter's orange eyes. Then his face contorted with anger and he began strangling her in earnest.
Now Saloma couldn't breath, let alone speak. Her fear came rushing back and she struggled to no avail against his bulk. Her lungs began to burn and her vision blurred. She was scratching herself, tearing into the skin on her neck, trying to wedge her fingers between his hand and her throat, but her fingertips were numbing and she couldn't really feel them anymore. Her mind was clouding; her consciousness slipping slowly away...from the fear...the pain...the despair.
Suddenly a clear, deep voice cut through her hazy mind, startling her with its ferocity, and snapping her back into consciousness.
"Let her go!" Anakin snarled. His tall form suddenly filled the small, dim passage. The blaze of his lightsaber cast a ghostly blue pallor over the bounty hunter's spotted face. Anakin drew the saber back over his head ready to cleave him in two if he didn't comply instantly. "Damn you! Let her go now!"
Dropping Saloma, the bounty hunter spun around to confront the Jedi, firing his blaster in rapid secession at point blank range.
With incalculable speed, Anakin dodged the first shots, then leapt back a step to give himself room to manuever. In one fluid movement, the young Jedi brought his lightsaber around in front of him and deftly blocked the following blasts. He sent them all raining back down on the shocked bounty hunter. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Saloma closed her eyes and took several great gulps of air. Her windpipe felt crushed and pulpy. Breathing and swallowing was torturous. She felt herself sinking slowly to the floor with a numbing exhaustion.
Anakin was kneeling beside her in an instant, cradling her head in his large hands. "Saloma! No! Oh no please! Talk to me! Talk to me!"
She slowly opened her eyes and tried to focus on the face of the anxious young Jedi. His eyes were wide with fear. Saloma reached up and placed her hand over his.
"....All right," she squeaked.
Struggling to compose himself, Anakin carefully looked her over. He frowned deeply, unconvinced. "Like hell you are." He tenderly prodded the wounds on her neck. "You're bleeding badly."
"I'm...all right." She stiffly climbed to her feet, bracing her weight on Anakin's hand. He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and helped her move up the passageway. Then Anakin suddenly looked up.
Obi-Wan bolted around the corner running full tilt. He abruptly pulled himself up at the unexpected sight of the dead bounty hunter.
"She says she's okay," Anakin began.
Obi-Wan's eyes jerked to Anakin's in bewilderment, then flew to Saloma as she shakily stepped towards him.
"I'm all right," she quickly reassured him, her voice still painfully hoarse. She forced a trembly smile. "Anakin's timing...really is impeccable."
Obi-Wan rushed to her and gathered her in his arms, covering her forehead with grateful kisses. He suddenly noticed the blood glistening on her dark skin and stepped back in alarm to examine her more thoroughly.
"You're hurt," he gasped, his heart twisting inside him.
"It's nothing....honest," she insisted and buried her face against his shoulder, wanting to cry, but found it too painful. Instead she clung tightly to him and letting the solid warmth of his body ease the last of her fears.
"Nothing," he echoed, his eyes fixing on the body down the hall.
"He is...was, a bounty hunter," Anakin supplied. "Named Emon Kime. Watto employed him once." The young Jedi shifted his weight to one leg and looked decidedly uncomfortable at the recollection of his former owner. "He used to specialize in intimidation, debt-collection, that sort of thing when he was younger. Hunting Jedi seems a little out of his league, but I suppose everyone has a right to ambition." He took a deep breath, then turned on his heel and started up the passageway. "I'm going to find the captain and tell him what's happened here."
"No!" Saloma choked out. "We can't tell him anything! There'll be too many questions asked. By the time we dock in Ergo, all that standard operating procedure will have made it known to every bounty hunter in the galaxy that you two are on board. We can't risk it."
Anakin sighed. "As far as I'm concerned, the jig is up anyway. Kime is proof of that. They already know we're on board. We need to insist the captain take increased measures to insure our safety."
"He won't! You heard him earlier, 'no amenities.' If he gets wind of possible danger, he'll have us off this ship and stranded on some outer rim spaceport," Saloma rasped. She turned to Obi-Wan and shook her head. "Don't go to the captain. Please."
The Jedi Master looked up at his padawan. "You're both right," he began. "I'm sure more than one bounty hunter is aware of our presence on this ship. Even if we can pass ourselves off as ordinary civilians, the chances of something similar to this happening again are too great. They know all they need to do is threaten Saloma and we will reveal ourselves to them." Obi-Wan paused and licked his lips. He gazed down at Saloma and softly brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "That's unacceptable," he whispered.
Anakin put his hands on his hips and sighed. "What would you have us do then, Obi-Wan? There's only one way off this ship and that's the boarding ramp. Unless we manage to convince the captain to make a detour on our behalf, we're presently on route to a commercial pier on Aremont. And most likely into the welcoming arms of no less than fifty bounty hunters. What other option do we have?"
"We'll make our own detour," Obi-Wan explained, his eyes falling on a sign posted in the passage that listed the ship's emergency evacuation procedures. "But we can't let the captain or crew know. We must do this as quietly and discreetly as possible."
For an instant, Anakin looked confused, then his eyes lit with awareness. "You're thinking about taking their shuttle."
"Yes." Obi-Wan nodded and grinned, pleased with his padawan's sharp mind. "We'll keep to ourselves. Bide our time, so to speak. We'll stay away from the crew and let the captain's memory of us start to fade. When we break out of lightspeed, we can take the shuttle to the planet surface. It's small enough not to be detected by ground sensors. We can land in an unpopulated area, maybe somewhere north of the cathedral."
Anakin licked his lips and knitted his brow, absorbing Obi-Wan's plan, then suddenly shook his head. "But the crew will know the shuttle has been launched."
"Not if you can disable the program which will detect it," the Jedi Master stated. He already knew Anakin could.
"This could actually work," Saloma croaked. She mentally took back all the earlier accusations she had made concerning Obi-Wan. She gazed up at him in unabashed adoration.
Anakin was nodding, his mind already calculating what he needed to do. He began pacing eagerly in the passageway, gnawing thoughtfully on his lower lip. "I can find the precise location of the launch detectors using the troubleshooter console in the engine room. It can target the relay computer and show me the point where I can intercept the signal to the cockpit's instrument panel."
"The sooner the better," the older Jedi stated. He paused and gazed up at Anakin, a mixture of trace emotions playing on his face. He didn't need to say anything. Anakin nodded in silent understanding. Finally, Obi-Wan reached up and placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Go. And be careful, Padawan. The Force will be with you."
"I'll be careful," Anakin agreed and turned up the passage.
Now the Jedi Master focused his attention on Saloma, who was all but wrapped around him. He gazed down at her and shook his head.
"Woman, what am I going to do with you?" he whispered. "I'm beginning to think I can't let you out of my sight."
His words reminded Saloma of the reason she had taken to the ship's passageways in the first place. She pulled back from him slightly and looked up into his eyes.
"That will be a little difficult if you're planning on locking me in a closet or tying me to a chair," she grumbled hoarsely.
Obi-Wan cocked his head in confusion and stared back at her with a totally blank expression. "What?"
Saloma sighed. "I heard you thinking that earlier. It gave me the impression that once we get to Aremont, you may be planning on tucking me away somewhere, to keep me safe. I appreciate your concern, but I think you should know, I'm not about to submit to any misguided attempts at chivalry on your part."
The Jedi's brow furrowed as his mind struggled to recall what she could possibly be referring to. He suddenly remembered and exhaled forcefully through clenched teeth, massaging his eyes in exasperation. He jerked free of her grasp and paced hotly back and forth in front of her.
"Damn it Saloma, stop interpreting every thought I have so literally! I can't censor my thoughts to suit you. People think all sorts of things they wouldn't dream of acting on. I'm no different." Breathing hard, the Jedi came to an abrupt halt directly in front of her, planted his hands on his hips and stood glaring at her, daring further rebuttal.
Taken aback by his unusually intense display of anger, Saloma's eyes rapidly filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered. She bowed her head in shame.
"I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. You're absolutely right," she squeaked. "It's just that I'm so sensitive to what you think about me. Sometimes I get a little insecure."
Obi-Wan immediately recalled Anakin's advice. Apparently his padawan was right. Saloma did need reassuring.
The Jedi sighed heavily, his anger dissipating. He reached over and tenderly caressed Saloma's tear-streaked face until she looked up at him, then he leaned forward and softly kissed her.
"I forgive you," he said quietly. "But from now on, no matter what I may think, or how you may interpret it, I want you to remember I love you. Do you think you can do that for me?"
Speechless, Saloma slowly nodded, overcome with emotion, her heart melting at his words.
"Good," Obi-Wan said and smiled. "Shall we go get you cleaned up and dress those wounds?"
Saloma nodded once more.
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