The resort’s brochure
depicting the Phantom’s Lock didn’t do it
justice. It had listed entertainment and music, in
addition to a wonderful array of food selections,
but this was more than the couple expected. Inside
the capacious
establishment were throngs of people, plenty of
tables for patrons to sate their appetites, and even
more secluded areas when couples required more
privacy. Multi-colored lights hung from the rafters
high above their heads and swiveled in every
conceivable direction. Music pumped through the
sound system and greeted their ears to deafening
heights. Off to the right was a dance floor filled
with people, some in costume – apparently for the
festival, from numerous star systems and enjoying
themselves immensely – their dynamic steps
attracting many of the passersby. The aroma of
tantalizing victuals trickled across their noses and
Obi-Wan’s stomach reacted rather loudly.
“Hungry, love?” Sakoya
teased as she held his hand.
In a quick fluid
movement, the Jedi Master had his arms around his
bride and tilted her backward. “Only for you,” he
answered and then avidly kissed her.
“Remember that,” she
purred.
Weaving their way
through the crowd they finally found a recently
vacated table and sat down. Sakoya moved in her seat
to the beat of the music while Obi-Wan vigilantly
looked around.
They hadn’t waited long
when a serving droid came upon them. “Would you care
to order?” the droid inquired.
“Yes,” Sakoya nodded,
“I would like a Corellian Brandy.”
“Very good, and for
you, sir?”
“Make that two.”
“Would you care for
anything from the menu?” the droid continued.
“We’re still deciding,”
Obi-Wan said with a nod.
“Very well. I will
return momentarily with your snifters.”
The two Jedi perused
the menu electronically embedded into the duraglass
table before them and tried to decide what to eat.
“It all seems
wonderful… I can’t decide.” Sakoya sighed as she
crossed her arms and laid them on the tabletop.
“The braised bistecca
sounds appetizing,” Obi-Wan offered.
“Hmm,
poteters served in a spice cream sauce come with it.
Oh, and some brussę germoglia too. This sounds
wonderful.”
“Looks
like we’re dining the same tonight,” he said with a
chuckle
“Great
minds think alike, darling.” Sakoya gave him a
devilish glare.
From across the
energetic room and the ever-increasing crowd, a
couple of the patrons were holding an inconspicuous
vigil on a particular fiery-haired woman.
They hadn’t waited long
when the serving droid reappeared to deliver their
drinks and Obi-Wan gave it their food order. Once
the droid had left, the Jedi sampled his drink and
settled back in his chair only to stare at the woman
across the table from him.
“You look beautiful
tonight,” he complimented her, his green eyes more
pronounced from the colorful lights flashing
overhead.
Sakoya’s cheeks flushed
a light shade of scarlet. “Thank you, my handsome
husband.”
They snuggled closer
and soon their voices were lost in the mix of
conversation of the other customers.
Meanwhile, on the other
side of the club…
“Garen was right – she
fits the description but who’s the old fossil she’s
with?” Irgan asked.
Yurrn’s forehead
wrinkled in annoyance. “Karrde said she’d be here to
discuss our deal. He didn’t mention anyone else.”
“Looks like someone
else is interested in ‘er too,” Irgan said with a
nod and set his gaze on the man across the room.
A few tables away from
the newlyweds sat a brusque man. His burly shoulders
and hardened face expressed a life that was far from
pleasurable. Bereft of hair, his head would have
shone like a beacon in the colorful lights had he
not donned a headpiece to cover it. The dark
clothing he wore managed to masquerade him, making
him nearly invisible against the darkened interior.
He leaned back in his
chair and took another long draw of his drink, his
eyes never wavering from the woman in his line of
vision.
“You
seem to have an admirer,” Obi-Wan noted with an air
of suspicion.
Sakoya
sat with her elbows on the table, her chin resting
on her interlaced fingers. “So it seems,” she wryly
concurred and then leaned forward and asked, “Care
to dance with me?”
A
puckish smile crept up his lips as he replied,
“Certainly, Mrs. Kenobi.”
Weaving
through the crowd, Obi-Wan lead his lady to the
dance floor just as the tempo changed.
As the
music began anew, those already on the floor, in
addition to the two Jedi, began the crowd's favorite
dance, the Mambo.
Dashing
in his ivory linen shirt and charcoal trousers,
Obi-Wan held Sakoya closely to him as they moved in
rhythm with the music. While his one hand rested on
her lower back, his other held her hand out to the
side. As he stepped forward, she would step back.
Where he moved, she countered, even when he dipped
her backward, she swayed her body from side to side
before slowly bringing herself upright once more.
Their steps were precise, their timing on cue as
they traversed the floor. Their eyes fixated on each
other but also attentively on those around them as
they tapped into the Force and searched the crowd.
“Can’t
be ‘er. Not dancin’ like that.”
“Irgan,” Yurrn berated, “don’t be such an idiot!
Could be a cover, ya know. Maybe she wants everyone
ta think she’s someone else.”
“Look
–” Irgan pointed to the crowd that had gathered and
the other dancing pairs that had drifted off to the
side – enabling the Jedi plenty of space.
“Yeah,
I see,” Yurrn said without a care and took another
draw of his drink.
The
newlyweds never skipped a beat as the music
resounded through the establishment until it finally
came to an end and another selection began. With a
flourish, the couple ended their dramatic dance with
a passionate kiss and stepped off the dance floor to
the many cheers and whistles of the onlookers.
“Definitely not her,” Yurrn and Irgan said
simultaneously and got up from their table and
melted into the crowd.
“I know
how to get some answers though…” Yurrn quietly
murmured.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Impressive display,” Vaarn Nurgh commented behind
his raised mug as he watched the couple take their
seats again.
“Our
admirer is still present,” Obi-Wan remarked as the
serving droid approached with their steaming food.
Sakoya
took a sip of her drink as her food was placed
before her, the aroma wafting up to her nose.
“Location?”
“Left
shoulder, ten o’clock,” he commented easily.
“Seated
or standing?”
“Seated. Dark attire. He’s fixated on you.”
“Me?”
she asked surprised.
“He has
good taste, I’ll give him that.”
Giving
her husband a crooked smile, Sakoya took another sip
of her Corellian Brandy, and then stood up.
Unexpectedly, Obi-Wan reached for her wrist.
“Be
careful,” he warned, knowing full well his wife
could handle herself.
“Always.” Sakoya playfully grinned.
Turning away from their table,
Sakoya made her way through the gathering that had
congregated behind her and over to her ‘admirer’.
“May I?” she asked
boldly, standing before the stranger. Before the man
could answer, she scooted the chair backward and sat
down. Her hands resting comfortably in her lap, she
leaned back in the chair and eyed the man –
scrutinizing him. “Can I help you in some way?” she
questioned, her tone implying a combination of
curiosity and ire.
Vaarn appeared
oblivious to the woman seated across from him and
ignored her question. Instead, he raised his mug to
his lips and audibly gulped down the liquid. Placing
the mug back on the table, he wiped his mouth with
the back of his hand.
The minutes ticked by
in silence and Sakoya’s eyes never left him.
Almost too slowly, he
turned his head toward the Jedi and met her gaze.
“You remind me of someone, that’s all,” he snorted.
“But yer not her.”
“Do I know you?” Sakoya
couldn’t be sure if she had dealt with this person
back in her smuggling days – there had been so many
faces that had become a blur to her now.
Vaarn shook his head
and chuckled. “No,” he answered, his deep voice
penetrating through the background noise
Using the Force, she
asked, “Are you following me?”
The man began to laugh
heartily – recognizing the pull on his mind as a
Jedi maneuver. “A Jedi, eh? Well, your tricks won’t
work on me, sweetheart. I’m not weak-minded enough.”
“Answer the question,”
Sakoya demanded, her irritation mounting.
“No, I ain’t followin’
ya.” He gave her a sarcastic glare. “You really
don’t know, do you?”
Taken aback, Sakoya
appeared bewildered. “Know what?” she inquired.
“That you look just
like the Emperor’s Hand.” A snicker arose
from the man’s foul smelling mouth. “Well, the
former Emperor’s Hand.”
“Who?” She wrinkled her
brow. “I’ve never heard of this person,” she said
somewhat befuddled.
“That may be a good
thing. Count yer blessin’s.” Suddenly the man
grabbed his drink, got up from the table and said
under his breath, “Uncanny resemblance,” and then
disappeared into the crowd.
“Wait!” she shouted,
but her plea fell upon deaf ears. Sakoya was
mystified yet
inquisitive, in
more ways than one, as she made her way back over to
her husband.
“I’d say by the look on
your face that you have more questions than
answers.”
“That, my dear
husband,” Sakoya nodded her head, “is an
understatement.” She paused to think and then asked,
“Have you ever heard of the Emperor’s Hand?”
Obi-Wan leaned back in
his chair and absently began to stroke his goatee as
he considered her question, his face going through a
series of puzzled expressions. “No… That doesn’t
sound familiar. Why?”
Sakoya frowned and
thought for a moment. “He…he said I looked like
whoever this person is he mentioned.”
Sensing her confusion
and inquisitiveness, he offered, “Perhaps the Jedi
Archive or Supreme Chancellor Skywalker can provide
an answer.”
Sakoya smirked at her
husband. “Beloved, you have known Padmé for how many
years? Why are you referring to her so formally?
You’ve always called her by her first name.”
“Be that as it may, I’m
trying to respect her new position and address her
accordingly.”
Sakoya rolled her eyes
and laughed. “Darling, I seriously doubt she would
castigate you if you didn’t call her ‘Supreme
Chancellor’, especially outside of official duties,”
she stated and began to eat her dinner.
“Hrumph,” the Jedi
Master huffed as his face turned a light shade of
crimson. Without commenting further, he too
commenced to eat his food.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
By the
time Obi-Wan and Sakoya had opted to leave the club,
it was well past midnight and yet partygoers both
inside and out were still thriving. They wove
through the club’s crowd that had not only increased
in size as the night progressed, but in boisterous
repartee, and found their way outside.
The night
temperature had fluctuated from its earlier chill
and a pleasing breeze had been replaced in its
stead. Revelers occupied the streets in groups,
dancing merrily while the moon overhead cast its
glow down upon them.
“It’s a
beautiful night. Would you care to take a walk, Mrs.
Kenobi?” Obi-Wan proffered his arm.
With a
girlish smile, Sakoya accepted and interlaced her
arm with his. As they began their leisurely stroll
down the duracrete walkway, she gazed at the man she
loved so completely and couldn’t believe how her
life had changed. Hugging his arm with both of hers,
she leaned toward Obi-Wan and rested her head on the
upper part of his chest. Memories of the past began
to form in her head and she couldn’t help thinking
of her old life…of Xar’ek…but more vividly, of her
only child. The subject of children had yet to be
broached – neither of them being in any hurry to
discuss it. However, Sakoya couldn’t help missing
the little girl she lost so long ago.
Sensing
her sudden dejection, Obi-Wan asked her what was
wrong.
She didn’t answer right away, instead considering
how to phrase her question. “Mon aimé,” she
slowly began, “have…you ever thought…of children?”
She could hear him swallow hard and he remained
quiet as they continued to walk. Even when some of
the partiers approached them, trying to get the
couple to join in, he simply shook his head and they
moved on.
“I-I’m sorry…”
“No,” he finally said. “You just took me by
surprise. We’ve never talked about this subject.”
“…I know,” Sakoya uttered softly. “I was just
thinking…”
“Of Mara?” he finished her sentence for her.
Sakoya buried her head into his chest, averting his
gaze. “Yes,” she answered meekly. “I think of her
every so often. I wonder how she would have
looked…her personality…if she hadn’t…” A single tear
escaped and slid down her cheek, which she casually
wiped away.
Obi-Wan stopped and hugged his wife. “The loss of a
child is a pain that never leaves. She will always
reside in your heart. That pain just becomes a
little more bearable as time continues on,” he
offered, stroking her red locks.
“You still didn’t answer my question,” she said with
a sniffle.
Obi-Wan hugged her tighter, unsure of what to say.
Do I want children? I’ve never considered it.
Luke and Leia are as close to children of my own as
I thought I would ever have. Could I manage that in
addition to my Jedi obligations and my marriage?
“I-I’m not sure, love. I wish I could tell you
differently…”
Sakoya inhaled deeply, trying to regain her sense of
calm. “You’re being honest, beloved. I can’t ask for
more than that.”
In the span of time it would’ve taken to draw a
breath, the two Jedi suddenly collapsed into a heap
on the ground.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Yurrn
quickly rushed in, followed by Irgan, and each of
them dragged a body back into the shadows of the
nearest building.
Without
wasting a single moment, Yurrn began to search
through Obi-Wan’s clothes. He glanced over at his
cohort who was standing over Sakoya.
“What’re
ya waitin’ for? Search her for some ID,” Yurrn
barked.
“I don’t
think she could fit any in that dress,” Irgan
replied.
Scowling,
Yurrn continued to look through the Jedi Master’s
clothes. Of course, he didn’t know that the couple
they had just shot with saberdarts were in actuality
Jedi of the New Republic and he was about to stumble
upon that important fact.
“I found
something here…” Yurrn pulled out two small ID
chip’s. “Hand me your decoder,” he ordered, holding
out his hand.
Irgan
reached into his jacket and pulled out the small
device and then handed it to his companion.
Inserting
a chip, Yurrn waited for the device to read the
electronic data and display the information. “Here
it comes…” He paused and pushed a button that would
illuminate the text, making it easier to read.
Irgan
moved closer, hovering over Yurrn’s shoulder, and
just as quickly backed away once he read the first
few lines of information.
Obi-Wan
Kenobi
Jedi
Master
Jedi
Council Member
Yurrn
ignored the rest of the text and quickly swapped the
chips. When the data appeared it read:
Sakoya
Jade-Kenobi
Jedi
Knight
“We shot
two Jedi!” Yurrn growled.
“Two? How
could you be so stupid?” Irgan shouted.
“Me?”
Yurrn shot back as he ripped Sakoya’s chip out of
the device and dropped both of them to the ground.
“How was I supposed to know they were Jedi?”
“I don’t
know! It was yer idea ta drug ‘em! What’re we gonna
do now?”
“Leave
‘em here.” Yurrn shrugged. “We found out what we
wanted ta know.”
“We don’t
need Jedi on our trail!” Irgan ardently stated as
perspiration began to bead on his brow.
“Pah,
they won’t remember a thing.”
“We still
gotta meet our contact. How we gonna find ‘er?”
“She’ll
probably find us,” Yurrn emphatically stated. “At
least we know this ain’t her.”
