explained to Anakin, but if the younger man even cared, he didn't show it. His expression angry, he came forward.
'Who hired you?' he asked again, and then he continued, throwing the full weight of the Force into his demand, a strength that surprised Obi-Wan, that came from something more than prudence or dedication to his current job. 'Tell us. Tell us now!'
The bounty hunter continued to glare at him, but, lips twitching, she started to answer. 'It was a bounty hunter called-'
They heard a puff from above and the bounty hunter twitched and gasped, and simply expired, her human female features twisting grotesquely back into the lumpy form of her true Clawdite nature.
Anakin and Obi-Wan tore their eyes away from the spectacle to look up, and heard the roar as they watched an armored rocket-man lift away into the Coruscant night, disappearing into the sky. Obi-Wan looked back to the dead creature and pulled a small item from her neck, holding it up for Anakin to see. 'Toxic dart.'
Anakin sighed and looked away. So they had foiled this attempt and killed one assassin.
But it was clear to him that Senator Amidala-Padme- remained in grave danger.
Chapter Nine
Anakin stood quietly in the Jedi Council chamber, encircled by the Masters of the Order. Beside him stood Obi-Wan, his Master, but not one of the Masters. Obi-Wan, like the majority of the ten thousand Jedi, was a Knight, but these select few sitting around the edges of this room were Masters, the highest-ranking members of this Order. Anakin had never been comfortable in this esteemed company. He knew that more than half of the Jedi Masters sitting here had expressed grave doubts about allowing him into the Order at the advanced age of ten. He knew that even after Yoda had swayed the vote to allow him to begin studying under Obi-Wan, a few continued to hold those doubts.
'Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi-Wan,' Master Yoda said as the others passed the toxic dart about.
'Most importantly, find out who he's working for,' Mace Windu added.
'What about Senator Amidala?' Obi-Wan asked. 'She will still need protecting.' Anakin, anticipating what might be coming, straightened as Yoda turned his gaze his way.
'Handle that, your Padawan will.'
Anakin felt his heart soar at Yoda's declaration, both because of the confidence obviously being shown in him, and also because this was one assignment he knew that he would truly enjoy.
'Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo,' Mace added.
'She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees.'
Anakin nodded as the assignment was explained, but he knew immediately that there would be a few obstacles to such a course. 'As the leader of the opposition to the Military Creation Act, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the capital.'
'Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect,' Yoda replied. Anakin nodded. 'But I know how deeply she cares about this upcoming vote, Master,' he replied. 'She is more concerned with defeating the act than with-'
'Anakin,' Mace interrupted, 'go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her.' The tone of his voice made it clear that they had spent enough time on these issues. The Jedi Knight and his Padawan had their assignments, and Yoda dismissed them with a nod.
Anakin started to say something further, but Obi-Wan had his arm almost immediately, guiding him out of the room.
'I was only going to explain Padme's passion about this vote,' Anakin said when he and Obi-Wan were out in the hall.
'You made Senator Amidala's feelings quite clear,' Obi-Wan replied. 'That is why Master Windu bade you to have the Chancellor intervene.' The two started walking down the corridor, Anakin biting back any responses that came to him.
'The Jedi Council understands, Anakin,' Obi-Wan remarked.
'Yes, Master.'
'You must trust in them, Anakin.'
'Yes, Master.' Anakin's response was automatic. He had already gone past this issue in his thoughts. He knew that Padme wouldn't be easily convinced to leave the planet before the vote, but in truth, it hardly mattered to him. The important thing was that he would be with her, guarding her. With Obi-Wan off chasing the bounty hunter, Padme would be his sole responsibility, and that was no small thing to Anakin.
No small thing at all.
Anakin was not nervous in the office of Chancellor Palpatine. Certainly he understood the man's power, and certainly he respected the office itself, but the young Padawan felt very comfortable here, felt as if he was with a friend. He hadn't spent much time with Palpatine, but on those few occasions when he had spoken with the man privately, he had always felt as if the Supreme Chancellor was taking an honest interest in him. In some ways, Anakin felt as if Palpatine was an additional mentor-not as directly as Obi-Wan, of course, but offering solid and important advice.
More than that, though, Anakin always felt as if he was welcome here. 'I will talk to her,' Palpatine agreed, upon hearing Anakin's request that he speak with Padme about leaving Coruscant for the relative safety of Naboo. 'Senator Amidala will not refuse an executive order. I know her well enough to assure you of that.'
'Thank you, Your Excellency.'
