Tatooine.

  Not far from Jabba's pace.

  -From the perspective of Padmé-

  I found myself alone, ba the room, yet my mood was far better, than before Luminara and her padawan arrival.

  -Maybe I sleep at st.

  I spoke in my lightened mood.

  I was about to turn in for the night, so I stood up and walked towards the wardrobe to ge into one of my night robes. Before I could open the door on the wardrobe however a strong pair rabbed onto me from behind. Pushing a strangely smelling piece of clht over my face, c my mouth and nose. In the moment of panic I took a deep breath of air as I tried tle free and scream for the guards, and the st that must have beloo some sort of sleeping drug hit me so hard, that I lost most of my strength iter of seds.

  Soon my body turned pletely limp. Strangely my sciousness didn't seem to slip away, irely. A strange brain fog clouded my mind, as a forced ess fell over me. I could still see and hear, but everythi dimmed. I could even move my limbs a little, but there was nth in them, so I couldn't possibly stand up, or move my body in any meaningful way.

  I felt as if I was floating in a rge pool of water while a sted around me, I wao move, I struggled yet the waves were to tossing and turning my body however they pleased to. My efforts seemed meaningless and my limbs were growing heavier by the seds.

  The sense of helplessness scared me, the knowledge that I was left at a stranger's mercy was terrifying. I felt tears appear on the edge of my eyes, as I pleaded for someoo e and save me... The first of that someone was obviously Anakin, but knowing that he was lost on some faraway adventure my thoughts quickly ged back to the mirian jedi master... Who was more likely to e to my rescue.

  I didn't uand how the intruder mao slip into the room, the door didn't open only when Luminara came in or left, but seeing that the intruder, was able to stay invisible even when our bodies were in tact it was likely that she slipped in shadowing the master. I never even heard of the existence of such a high level of invisibility gear, even now as I looked at the blurry form of the intruder. I couldn't even figure out if the person was a woman or a man...

  I felt my body being pulled towards the wall, the person had grabbed me by my arms and pulled me behind a wardrobe o the wall... I couldn't help but wonder why they were doing this to me... I only wao fight for the betterment of the people, couldn't they see it?

  Soon I ropped up against the wall behind the wardrobe, the invisible person crouched down over me and I finally figured out her gender.

  An obviously feminine voice spoke up saying something that I didn't uand. It was in a strange nguage, yet the voice was clearly feminine. I didn't have to imagine what she spoke about, as an automatic transtor device likely carried by the individual reizing her voice pattern, immediately began transting her words to gactic standard.

  -I am ready, e pick us up.

  Stated the transtor mod in a different female voice tone.

  -Roger.

  Came the answer immediately this time in the voice of a man from the other side of the radio.

  A few seds ter a small scale explosion shook the room. The windows blew up with a rge part of the wall sending shrapnels of gss around the room. I closed my eyes in fear, as my ears ringed from the loud sound of the explosion. I heard the security system arms blowing over our heads and I felt even more dazed. The only thing I remember, was that a rge shadow stood over me, it picked me up easily and carried me somewhere.

  I heard shouts, bster shots some voices arguing around me, but all of them turned into a blurry mess of noises and lights. I didn't know what was happening, I was terrified, my body was shaking, finally, I lost my sciousness.

  -From the perspective of Master Luminara-

  I rushed out of the senator's room, to che this strange girl Barriss had found in the garden, hoping that it was not some sort of misuanding. The baly gardens of such buildings are not your average sized balies. It was a rge area, nothihan a real garden, filled with a small byrinth made out of finely cut bushes multiple decorative gardens, pavilions, pces to eat outside or create gatherings among the politis.

  All that luxury built oip of a skyscraper, internally separated from the building it uses as a base. It was a luxurious mansion raised kilometers above ground level hidden among the clouds. Luxury on Corust knew no bounds. The wealthy were wheatier than anywhere else in the gaxy, and the poor were also poorer than anywhere else. A great tradi, yet true he less.

  Five mier I reached the garden only to hear the argument of two young girls, one of the two voices clearly beloo my apprentice. I stepped into the garden and reached out with the force quickly log Barriss.

  I headed towards her and behind a line of trees I finally found them, she was holding her ignited lightsaber in front of this unknown person. Why was she already threatening someoh an ignited lightsaber... force help me, this girl will be my end one day! I walked closer and saw the irl called Lily currently sitting back to the wall of the paviliorange wings were csped together behind her back, and her hands were put on dispy over her p.

  I listened into their argument while getting closer.

  -Now, now Lily... Will you tell me why I saw two of those strange bugs ging to your clothes just a few seds ago? Hmm?

  -... ce.

  Answered the girl with a pletely straight face. Opposed to her perfect poker face, her eyes were looking around in a panic. It was a book like example of an obvious lie.

  Barriss clearly caught onto this too, and tinued her questions.

  -I see, that is indeed a possibility, one bug might be a ce but two is kind of suspicious you see...

  -No, its not... I like bugs... they like me too. It's normal... Also, I o go now...

  -... Whatever, and you are not allowed to leave until you are cleared of suspi.

  -I am not suspicious.

  -... That is exactly what a suspicious person would say... e to think of it, you are ag way too obvious here... Are y to make fun of me? Is this supposed to be some sort of prank, a distra, hmm?

  Asked Barriss with a sudden frown.

  The irl began to shake her head left and right with robotic precision denying the accusation vehemently. I saw her eyes grow ically wide when she heard the word "distra". I had a bad feeling about this... Better finish this quickly a back to the senator.

  -That's good then. If you are not a bad person you will be free to go, my master will be here in any minute, so just sit there obediently while she arrives.

  The strange girl's head turned in my dire, seeiting closer. I looked at her suspiciously while I waved at Barriss who also sensed my presenbsp;

  -Master, you have e!

  Smiled Barriss proudly at me, no doubt happy with her achievement. It was time to figure out what was going on. I walked closer to the suspect, leaving some free pce between us if she might decide to attack.

  I looked into the eyes of the thin girl clothed in bck clothes, they were skin tight made from durable material, only her arm sleeves were made to be loose was she hiding a on in her sleeves? She was without a doubt suspicious, the bdes hanging on her appendages were quite threatening too. It seemed to be a racial feature of her race, but that didn't make them less dangerous.

  -Now Lily, I am master Luminara Unduli, a jedi master, she is my padawan Barriss Offee, we are on official duty here. Now that you knoe are, it is time to tell me who you are, and I mean beyond your name please... What are you doing here, are you w in the mansion, perhaps a gardener or some nosy paparazzi, hmm?

  -...

  I sighed, seeing that she hadn't said anything.

  -Girl, I am trying to help you here, give me a reason not to call for the guards immediately. Try to be cooperative and we will put this behind us as quickly as possible. Alright?

  She looked pretty crestfallen right now, I reached out with the force lightly and was surprised because she was basically radiating with fresh guilt. Did you do something bad?

  -... Sorry...

  Was the only thing she said while looking at her feet with remorse.

  - So you did something after all? Well, I see that you don't enjoy doing such things, that's pretty clear from your expression. We tihis versation inside, maybe with a cup of tea? We might even be able to make some hot chocote if we ask around nicely... Doesn't that sou-...

  I felt a warning ing through the force, it made me pause in the middle of my words. I didn't have to wait for long to figure out what it was... A loud explosion shook the entire building, I turned in the dire of the sound, the senator's room was in that dire. Oh no!

  I was about to bolt back towards the room, when another sense of danger came over me. I turowards the strange girl with surprise I saw her stretch forward her arms with a surprisingly quient.

  This was why I kept a certain distaween us, her arms won't be able to reach me... but if that was the case, why did I sense danger? I decided to listen to my instincts and reinforce my force shields also taking up a more defensive position. It proved to be the right decision.

  A wave of raw forergy crashed into me, f me to step back a few times even with all my preparation. I cursed in silence, as I realized the truth, she was a force sensitive! It was clear to me after experieng that sieique, that she wasn't properly trained, but her force presence was quite formidable to pull off su inteack with so little trol and efficy.

  Only if she had received the necessary training, she might have bee a great jedi master. As she was too old to be trained now... Such a pity.

  -Are you okay Barriss?

  I shouted while not taking off my eyes from the girl who jumped up to her feet while spreading her wings in a very threatening way.

  -I am fine, master...

  Sounded a dazed voice from the bushes somewhere behind me. Barriss, was unfortuaken by surprise and didn't rea time to defend herself from the teleetic push. Therefore, she ended up in the bushes a few meters behind me.

  I heard a series of bster shots ing from the dire of the senator's room, I hope the guards will be able to hahe situation... at least while we get things under trol over here. I looked at the girl in front of me and frowned, so that was why she reacted to the word distra. I felt kind of hurt, I wasn't angry... no, just disappointed in the seemingly kind natured girl in front of me. Was she deceiving me from the start, leading me by my nose. I guess, I am annoyed.

  She seemed to sehe ge in my presend posture towards her. I saw fickle remorse and doubt in her eyes, she was uain of what to do.

  Maybe, she wasn't lyiirely.

  I saw a small ship heading this way from the other side of the mansion chased by at least two h security drohat were following them close by. I saw her eyes following the ship, she was likely pnning to escape on that, but the ship was uo e closer or to stop because of the attag drones.

  She also saw this which was the most likely reason why she didn't run towards it, they were too occupied battling with the droo be able to e and pick her up.

  It would work out fine, if we didn't front her in the garden... No, the drones would still make that maneuver almost suicidal. She missed the only ce to get away, not that I would let her of course, but I still felt a little sympathy towards her.

  I looked after the ship, the pilot clearly realized this as well, and without losing unnecessary time activated the afterburners and quickly disappeared on the horizon. Meanwhile me and my padawan, who had finally mao crawl out of the bushes, surrouhe clearly fused girl.

  Lily seemed very flicted at the moment, which wasn't that strange seeing that she was left behind just like that. Her spread out wings hadn't moved since she took up her initial fighting position. I felt her eyes turn towards me and she seemed sad?

  I heard a strange noise which I thought to be the blowing wind at first, but soon had to realize that it was caused by her. The bdes on her wings began to resonate creating a high frequend very irritating noise.

  Just like vibrobdes I thought... now that doesn't sound too good.

  I saw two police patrol ships, and a guard ship fly over us chasing the esg criminals who were still followed by the drones. If the senate guards gave chase that likely means the senator was either killed or kidnapped. Let's hope it was the ter...

  My eyes narrowed at the girl in front of me, she was obviously in cahoots with these intruders. I decided to give her another ce to give up.

  I steeled my voice, and stated.

  -I won't ask you so nicely one more time, lower your limbs and surrender.

  Threatening her like this, didn't prove to be the best idea however.

  - Urgh! What's that? B-b-b-bugs! Its gross!

  Shouted Barriss in the genuine abhorrence which was so uo teenage girls, who were unfortunate enough to e into tact with perfectly harmless roaches.

  he less, I was also surprised as the girl's skin and face were slowly covered by rge bugs, attag themselves to her skin only leaving her mouth and eyes free. It was some kind of armor, it looked like fish or lizard scales ily anized raws beside one another. It was kind of pretty as the green light of my saber reflected on the bck-purplish scales in the dark.