15 You Stay Here!

Sar's meal was interrupted by the sound of the penthouse doors sliding open. He immediately tensed up in case a threat had somehow made up. However, he relaxed when he saw a familiar figure, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Sar had talked to Kenobi a few times but hadn't really formed an opinion on of the man. From what he had felt from their few encounters the man was a dedicated Jedi, which Sar had great respect for, he had also heard of Kenobi's borderline prodigal use of the third lightsaber form.

Shifting his gaze from the bearded Jedi his gaze landed on the young man, only a few years younger than himself, that stood next to him.

Sar had, of course, heard of 'The Chosen One' and he certainly understood how he had been granted that title, while still, young an unrefined Sar could clearly feel that the young man was strong in the Force to an abnormal degree.

Sar sat up from his position on the couch and left his half-eaten steak on the small coffee table, and headed over to his two fellow Jedi.

He stopped, however, as he felt a disturbance in the Force that came from Skywalker. Sar was greeted to the boy looking dazedly at the Senator. While Sar was not one hundred percent sure what that expression meant he had an idea as to what it could mean.

While Sar certainly had his disagreements in regards to the Jedi's way of handling things, forbidding romantic relationships was not one of them. Ignoring the Jedi's belief in the fact that emotions turn you to the Dark Side, the existence of such a relationship does create an exploitable weakness, something Sar felt should not be present in a profession where the work they do concerns the peace of the entire universe.

Resuming his approach he sent a little wave of Force at Skywalker snapping him out of his daze and making him snap his head towards him.

"Greetings Master Kenobi, young Skywalker," Sar greeted them with a thin smile and a small bow. "I hope that no problems occurred on your way over here."

Obi-Wan returned the smile and made a little bow of his own.

"No, no problems at all," Obi-Wan sent a cheeky smile to his Padawan who was currently sizing up Sar. "Although, my young Padawan here had to stir up some trouble with the locals."

Anakin made a dismissive snort but said nothing in return he just kept staring at Sar with the occasional glance at the Senator.

"Hmm, patience is an important trait in any Jedi young Skywalker. You should not strive to create unnecessary trouble." Sar spoke in a calm tone. He did not want to scold the young Jedi but he still felt it should be said especially after the foreboding expression he had worn before.

It would seem Anakin wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by the soft voice of the Senator, that until that moment had just been passively listening to the greetings.

"Wait, Skywalker?" When she repeated the name something seemed as her face lit up in realization. She pointed at Anakin and asked. "You're Ani?!"

Her voice was tinged by surprise, but Sar could clearly sense the feelings of happiness that emanated from the Senator.

The Senator was not the only one to be surprised apparently, as Anakin jumped a little at the sudden mention of the nickname she had given him all those years ago, but it would seem that the Jedi training had rubbed off on him somewhat as he collected himself and responded with a confident 'yes'.

It did not take long for those two to slip into an isolated discussion and they moved away from the two Jedi Knight's and began talking over by the window.

Sar considered interrupting the conversation and pulling Anakin back, seeing as that foreboding expression had returned to his face, but he can see that the Senator did not seem interested in that sort of relationship, so he let it go for now.

While he was looking at the tow of them while rubbing his chin, Obi-Wan had walked up to stand next to him.

"He still has a lot to learn but I have seen the potential he has." Obi-Wan said while also looking at the young pair.

"I know," Sar said before he sighed and shook his head. "But we both know that the discipline required to be a Jedi is the hardest part, and even the strongest of us struggle."

Obi-Wan just nodded his head and kept silent as the two stared at the young pair animatedly talking about what had happened in the time they hadn't seen each other.

It was Sar that eventually broke this silence.

"Well Master Kenobi, it doesn't look like they'll be done talking anytime soon," Sar lifted his right hand and used the Force to open a cabinet and levitate a bottle of rum and two small glasses, before placing them on the coffee-table. "Shall we converse over a drink while we wait for the kids to finish playing?"

Obi-Wan grinned and raised an eyebrow.

"Drinking on the job Master Landala?"

Sar just smiled and sat down on the sofa, Obi-Wan following his lead and sitting in a sofa located in across from him.

"One of the perks of being a Jedi," Sar poured a glass for each of them before he raised his. "We don't get drunk unless we want to."

Obi-Wan raised his own glass and clinked it against Sar's.

"Haha, truer words have rarely been spoken, my friend."

***

Sar and Obi-Wan had been drinking and chatting for a couple of minutes when Captain Panaka, the man officially in charge of Padme Amidala's security, finally arrived in the penthouse.

He had been running around making sure that everything was secure down on the ground floor and that no one had been able to slip through a crack in his security, and also assigning people to actually track down the assassin.

"Master Jedi, please excuse my delay." While his speech was polite Sar was able to clearly detect that he was not happy that he and his fellow Jedi had been assigned as guards without his approval. A trait Sar found quite admirable. Loyalty was an important trait for any being in Sar's opinion.

"There is no need for that captain, we can hardly fault you for doing your duty." It was Obi-Wan who answered the man, and after a few more exchanging of words, we got down to business.

Everyone in the room gathered at the sofas and coffee-table, Padme sitting on the couch with her back facing the window, Panaka standing right next to her. The three Jedi sat on the couch opposite of her.

Sar cleared his throat and began talking.

"So, Now that we are in charge of your security miss Senator, let me go over the rules." Sar clearly saw Padme's look of displeasure at the mention of rules, but he did not care about the girl's feelings he had a job to do.

"Until the vote, you will be staying here since we are three Jedi one of us will patrol outside the penthouse every now and then while two stays with you. You will under no circumstances leave this room, is that clear?"

Padme snorted and gave a reply.

"I do not need protection I need answers," She locked eyes with Sar. "Something I cannot get if I'm locked in this room. So to answer your question, no that is not 'clear'."

Sar remained calm, even though he did not like the girl's attitude he also recognized that her rebuttals were not malicious, merely misguided. It was not Sar however that responded, but the young Skywalker.

"Don't worry Padme, we'll figure out who is out to hurt you, I promise."

Sar snapped his head to look at the young Jedi. This was not the way of a Jedi to act, but it was not his place to rebut him that duty fell to the man who spoke up next.

"Anakin, our mission is to protect the Senator, not find her would-be killer," He then gestured to Panaka. "That duty falls on the Captain and his men."

Anakin did not seem pleased with that answer as he once again opened his mouth.

"Yeah, because they did such a great job at that the first time."

Arrogance, was the first thought that came to Sar's mind when he heard the boys statement. It would seem that Kenobi had not been kidding when he said the boy still had a lot to learn. It would seem that the statement had also rubbed the Senator the wrong way.

"Ani! That is highly disrespectful and short-sighted of you to say such a thing," While Sar would be the first to say that he did not like the Senator he had to admit that she had a fire. "Apologize to the Captain immediately."

Anakin looked like he had been hit by a rock as he mumbled a soft 'I'm sorry' while looking down. Seeing as they were moving further and further away from the original subject Sar decide to put an end to this debacle.

"Enough! We will protect the Senator, and I mean only protect the Senator," Sar stared both the Senator and the young Padawan down before he continued. "The Captain and the Republic guards know what they are doing they will find the assassin until then we will stay here."

Sar had used a bit of the Force so that each of his words had carried a bit more weight.

Padme and Anakin both gave out a low displeased 'understood' before Padme excused herself and went into her chambers.

When she was gone Panaka gave us a final glance before he also excused himself, he was probably eager in joining the hunt for the assassin. Sar received a glare from the young Padawan, he realized he was probably not the boy's favorite person right now, not that he cared all that much anyhow.

Sar stood up from the couch and looked out the window. The sky had turned dark and the various buildings and signs were all lit up in different colors signaling that nighttime was upon them. Turning his head a little he addressed the other Jedi Knight in the room.

"Obi-Wan, I will take the first patrol around the building, you two stay alert this would be the opportune time for an attempt on the Senator's life."

"Do not worry my friend, Anakin and I will keep her safe. You just make sure you don't start any trouble out there." Sar gave a small grin and shook his head before he pulled the hood of his cloak over his head and headed out.

***

On top of a roof a couple of buildings away from the penthouse that housed Amidala and the Jedi. Two figures could be seen arguing.

"I'm telling you, Fett, there are three of them!" The raspy voice of a woman rung out as she was pointing a finger at a man wearing a full set of Mandalorian battle armor.

"Shouldn't our payment for the job be raised?!" The woman sounded highly agitated but the man remained silent.

"Say something!"

"We already accepted the job, Sam," The calm voice, slightly muffled by the helmet, answered. "And we failed our first attempt, trust me when I say that we are lucky we get a second."

It would seem the woman, Sam, wanted to argue more but she gave up and let her raised arm fall limply to her side.

"Fine, then what the plan?" She asked exasperated.

The male assassin, Fett, reached into the belt that hung around his waist and detached a long metal cylinder.

"Overload Charge," He handed the cylinder over to the woman. "Attach it to your droid and fly it right up to the Senators bedroom window detonate it and that whole room will be nothing more than rubble. Even the Jedi can't sense a droid."

Sam nodded. It was a good plan, even if the Jedi somehow caught wind of it and tried to save the Senator they would just be blown to smithereens along with the target.

Just as she was about to get into her position she was interrupted by Fett once again.

"Oh, and Sam don't get caught." And with that final warning, he walked around the corner of the building and disappeared into the shadows.

Sam just snorted as she unpacked the droid she had brought with her and started attaching the Overload Charge to it.

"Don't get caught you say. Why don't you just do this work yourself." Sam smiled a wicked grin as she pulled out a hologram that displayed a bounty poster. The picture was that of a Mandalorian helmet, and underneath stood a name.

"Jango Fett, 100.000 credits."

Sam closed the hologram and began humming a tune as she unpacked a load of parts for a large stun gun, which she had hidden inside the various gaps in the droid's armor.

"Two for the price of one."