ALL - Thank you for the wonderful messages - both about the story and my good news. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post the next chapter. The move has eaten up what little free time I had left and just when things were starting to settle down, we found out my dad has to have heart surgery. They expect him to be okay, so we are extraordinarily grateful for that, but I'll have to ask for your patience while we get him back on his feet.
I want you to know how much I appreciate each and every review you all have left me. I'm so sorry for the lack of individual replies, but I wanted to make sure I posted the next chapter without further delay. Hope you are all having a GREAT summer!
"A welcome committee?" Anakin repeated, dumbstruck.
"Yes, Anakin. You know, where representatives and dignitaries meet the arriving shuttle and welcome their guests to the planet...? Do you have a problem with that?" Mace countered.
The younger main balled his hands into fists, grateful that the comms didn't have holographic capabilities. "Not exactly, Master. I guess I was just under the impression that this was going to be a private retreat."
In the background, he could hear Siri piping up with her agreement - something that evidently didn't sit well with Obi-Wan. "Ouch!" he heard her cry. "Sheesh, Kenobi... I was just adding to the conversation. Even you thought this was going to be a low key affairs - remember all the things you told me you wanted to do on this trip - you know, since this is supposed to be our honeymoon."
"Ew," Anakin added, wrinkling his nose.
"Not like that, Anakin!" Obi-wan hastily added. "Good grief. Get your head out of the gutter."
Anakin opened his mouth to deliver a teasing retort but was halted by an elbow in his side. "Behave," Padmé whispered. "You're going to embarrass him."
"That's the whole idea," he murmured back.
"Well, if you won't spare him, at least think of Siri."
Anakin dug the toe of his boot into the floor, knowing she had him there. Although his friendship with the female Jedi was still relatively new, he respected her and enjoyed her biting sense of humor. Despite their age difference, he felt like a protective older brother, a trait Siri actually tolerated most of the time, much to everyone's surprise.
"Fine," he huffed.
Clicking the comm back on, he hastily moved the conversation along. "So what are they expecting of us?"
"Nothing too extraordinary," Mace insisted. "They are just here to see their favorite reality contestants."
Anakin jerked when Padmé lunged forward, grasping the comm controls so tightly her knuckles went white. "Master Windu," she interrupted. "They do understand that those were fake personas, don't they?"
"Not entirely," he hedged. "You see, the final episode never aired here."
"And why is that?" Padmé prompted sternly.
"The queen's cousin passed away that day. The news coverage was quite extensive, surpassing everything else for weeks." Mace cleared his throat. "When the royal family finally heard of Jarrick's treachery, they decided it was in their citizens' best interest to leave such a dark piece of their history behind. They have enough on their plate as they recover from the tyranny of the Divided Systems' occupation."
"But surely someone has heard-" the Senator interjected.
"I'm afraid not. And, considering that all Republic transmissions are still being carefully screened, I suspect it may be a long time before the truth surfaces."
In the background, Anakin could hear Siri whispering angrily to Obi-Wan. Yes, it was a good thing that they had decided to take two shuttles. It upped Master Windu's chances of surviving. Two against one was much better odds than four against one.
He was still chuckling at the thought when Obi-Wan spoke up. "So what does this mean for us?" he asked.
"Nothing too extraordinary," Mace lied. His next statement came out in a rush: "It-just-means-we're-going-to-assume-those-identities-for-the-duration-of-our-stay-here."
"WHAT?" Siri cried.
Anakin turned to Padmé, noting the way her eyes were narrowed and her jaw clenched. Putting a hand on her arm, he squeezed lightly and was finally rewarded with a tight smile.
Satisfied that she wasn't going to try to launch herself through the comm unit to try to get to Mace, he sarcastically asked whether the Council had any knowledge of this slight omission - a question that promptly earned him one of the Jedi Master's trademark snarls.
"Of course!" Mace snapped. "It is part of our continuing effort to make amends for our treatment of those who have not been accepted into the Order. As you all know, the ways of the Jedi are changing drastically. This is just one of the steps that go along with that process."
"Then why didn't we know about these plans? I'm a Master now; I should have been included in the discussion." Anakin heard the sullenness in his tone but didn't do anything to correct it.
A long pause followed before Mace managed a weak excuse: "We did not wish to trouble you or Master Kenobi with such trivial matters."
"Because the Council knew we'd have reservations about these so-called trivial matters," Obi-Wan amended knowingly.
"Yes, there was some talk that you might not take too kindly to the assignment-"
"Oh, so now we're on an assignment," Padmé growled.
"But," Mace raised his voice in an attempt to drown out the growing discontent. "We also knew that you would want to do what was best for the Jedi. And, Plauu truly is a beautiful planet with many enjoyable amenities to offer. I highly doubt we'll be surrounded by outsiders for very long. Surely they have more important things to do."
MORE THAN SIX HOURS LATER - PRIVATE RESIDENCE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY
Siri's backside had gone beyond the aching stage and was now into numbness.
Apparently, royalty didn't believe in cushions - a tradition she found especially ridiculous given that their chairs appeared to be made from a substance harder than duracrete.
Needless to say, the physical discomfort wasn't helping her mood. As she had feared, Mace's final comment had jinxed them to an evening full of boredom. Yes, seeing the thousands of screaming fans in the crowd as a lovely memory she would never forget. And yes, it was quite wonderful to see the large group of bald men in the front row wearing tunics that said, "Don't worry, Tarv - we're aerodynamic too!"
But the hours since had been dull as dishwater.
Thank the Force for Padmé though. The young woman had shifted into what Siri had secretly dubbed "Royal Mode," effortlessly keeping the conversation flowing and getting all their social obligations out of the way. Even now, she was artfully working the subject around to the transportation they would require to get to the resort where they would be staying - a place Siri hoped was far away from the "Majestic Bores" - the other nickname she had dreamed up during the past several hours.
"We'd be pleased if you would take our carriage," the King boomed. "I'll have you know that it's pulled by a bogurt, something you should be familiar with, eh, Dake and Tarv?"
Siri raised her eyebrows, noticing Obi-Wan's scrunched up nose. Whatever it was the King was talking about, her husband wasn't too thrilled with the idea.
Unable to stifle her curiosity, she leaned over and tapped him on the arm. "What's a bogurt?" she murmured.
"It's a hideous purple beast," he whispered back, his horror clear. "In Racing Through the Stars, I had to ride one in a challenge. It was a horrible experience - the blasted thing fell asleep and didn't move for several agonizing minutes... Master Windu nearly pitched a fit... needless to say, it was not a very pleasant experience."
"Oh." Pressing her lips together to hold in her laughter, she sank back in her chair - a movement she instantly regretted when her spine rammed into the unforgiving surface.
While she tried to keep from groaning from the pain, Padmé was trying to diplomatically reject the offer.
"I appreciate your hospitality, but we're really quite tired," she noted, sighing wearily to emphasize her point. "Is there any way we could summon an air taxi? We certainly don't want you or the Queen to go to any trouble, Your Majesty, especially if our retreat is far from the palace."
"It wouldn't be any trouble at all, my dear. We'll send for one right away."
"Thank you," she replied brightly. "I know we are all anxious to see where we'll be staying for the next week. I'm sure it's quite beautiful."
ONE HOUR LATER - SUITE SANDS RESORT
"Will you people please stop jinxing us?" Siri grumbled, putting her hands on her hips as she surveyed the ramshackle entrance. "First we get stuck at Tedium Palace and now we're staying at a resort that looks like it hasn't seen a landscaper in twenty years! And also... Suite Sands? What kind of name is that?"
"Your behavior is not very Jedi-like," Mace stated, fixing her with a glare.
Feeling reckless, Siri tossed her head. "Don't you remember? I'm not a Jedi this week," she retorted. "I'm Kahla, reality star and Skating with the Star Wars champion."
"Co-champion," Anakin was quick to correct.
Siri pressed her lips into a thin line, trying not to let her smile break free. Anakin had a way of talking her out of even the darkest moods and this day was proving to be no exception.
Taking advantage of the break in conversation, Padmé stepped forward. "Look, I know we're all tired and cranky. Let's just go inside and find our rooms. Who knows? Appearances can be deceiving. Perhaps the inside is as inviting as any five star hotel."
This time, Siri didn't even bother to make the point. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces when they passed through the revolving door, she didn't need to either.
Lacy cobwebs hung from the ceiling, dropping down to rest on the top of tropical plants that had been left to wither and die. The carpets were threadbare and worn, the edges tattered and frayed. A layer of dust covered the surface of the sagging furniture and blocked the light from the windows, making the area even more gloomy than it might have been otherwise.
"Creepy," Siri murmured.
"Welcome to the Suite Sands resort," a voice suddenly clamored. "How can I help you?"
Startled, Siri pressed a hand to her chest, annoyed that she hadn't sensed a presence other than her four companions. However, the reason for that soon became apparent - the speaker wasn't a person, but rather an old rusted droid, tucked into the front of a rickety cabinet behind the concierge counter. Not even he had escaped the ravages of time and neglect - one of his eye sockets was empty, giving him the look of a deranged Cyclops.
Thankfully, Mace recovered quickly. "We're here to check-in," he explained. "We're special guests of the Plauu Tourism Ministry."
"Ah yes," the droid intoned. "I was told to expect you." His joints alternately whirring and groaning, he retreated into the cabinet and emerged with three keycards. "We have set aside three of our best rooms for you. I'm pleased to say that..."
Siri frowned as the droid froze in place, a small tendril of smoke wafting from its control panel. "What happened?" she asked impatiently, trying to pry open his metallic fingers.
"He's fried his power circuitry," Anakin noted. "I'll send Artoo out in a bit to fix him up."
With a whoop of victory, Siri finally freed the keycards and held them in the air. "Got 'em!"
"What room are we in?" Padmé asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "I have to confess, as long as it has a nice comfy bed, I'll be happy."
"Me too," Anakin added.
"I believe that's called sharing too much information," Obi-Wan pointed out, his eyes twinkling.
While Anakin sputtered in disbelief, Siri grabbed her husband's arm, preventing the him from launching into one of his infamous lectures. "Why don't we try to find our rooms? I think we are all ready for a good night's sleep." She handed out the keys which had been labeled with their names.
"Section A, Room 101," Anakin relayed.
"Section C for us," Obi-Wan added.
Mace consulted his, squinting to try to see it better in the waning light. "And I'm in E."
"Well, I guess this is where we go our separate ways," Anakin sighed, pretending to look disappointed.
"I suppose so," Mace said. "Well then, I shall see you in the morning. Your droids are waiting in your room; they have information about tomorrow's filming schedule. Dress appropriately." With that, the Korun Master disappeared down the hallway that would lead him to his room.
Siri started to take a step towards Section C, but paused as the latter half of Windu's statement began to sink in. Pivoting on her heel, a part of her wondered if her shocked expression matched those of her friends and husband.
She swallowed. "Did he... Did he just say filming?"