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| - From her vantage point Zam could monitor any chance of being discovered by the Jedi watching the Naboo senator. Jedi might have strange powers, she thought as she inserted the tube into her assassin droid, but even they are not going to find me over here unless they can fly. She smiled to herself as she watched the assassin droid disappear into the throng of air traffic. She much preferred the personal touch of her profession, instead of relying on the actions of a mere droid. But she had no choice now, not if she intended to collect her fee. “You look tired,” Obi-Wan said. The observation had been spoken in a lull in the conversation which for some reason or another Anakin had difficulty following. Yet in response to this question Anakin didn’t dispute it, he needn’t as it was obvious. “I don’t sleep well anymore,” he confessed. Staring at the ground to avoid Padmé’s curious gaze. “Is it because of your mother?” Obi-Wan pressed, Anakin wished he wouldn’t. “More dreams?” “They’re not dreams,” Anakin said indignantly, wishing his Master would shut up. “But I wish I didn’t have them.” “I had bad dreams for a long time after my Master died,” Padmé told him reassuringly. “You can talk about it, Anakin, it helps.” “Yeah, but yours were about what had already happened,” Anakin countered darkly. “Not always,” she admitted. Anakin frowned in frustration, he was running out of ideas. “But, I haven’t seen my mother in years,” he whined. “And what I've dreamed about her, it’s nothing like that ever happened. Maybe they aren’t dreams.” “Possibly,” Obi-Wan conceded reluctantly. “Though you shouldn’t let them overwhelm you, Anakin. We have a job to do.” Need you remind me that? Anakin thought angrily. The conversation turned to the upcoming summit between the Separatists and the Loyalists. Obi-Wan was sceptical there would be any positive outcome at all, having witnesses the fiasco that had been Eriadu ten years before. But Padmé wasn’t so sure even though she had been there with Shakya Devi. “Doing something is better than doing nothing, Obi-Wan,” she pointed out and he couldn’t help but agree with her. “Perhaps all our hopes will be realised and there will be a success.” “But we still haven’t got all the information we need to assess both sides independently,” Obi-Wan reminded her. “Perhaps only during or even after can we have some measure about what we are up against.” “But isn’t it obvious, Master?” Anakin said. “All the Separatists want is domination over others. They want to destroy the Republic and talking with them won’t do anything.” “Nothing is ever that simple, Anakin,” Obi-Wan gently reprimanded. “Even when it is?” Anakin objected. “Now you are starting to confuse me,” Obi-Wan replied dryly and Anakin knew he had lost. Light and shadow played across Nalanda face in the distant air traffic, yet this was shortly disrupted by a slowly moving, almost stationary shadow, just outside the window. It was Zam’s assassin droid. There was an electronic whir and crackle as the outside security system was shut down. Then the droid noiselessly cut a small hole in the window, enough to place the opening of the cylinder up to. Not even the loyal Artoo was aware of this intrusion, he was sitting in the far corner deactivated but for the soft blinking of green light. Around him were the green rays designed to alert intruders. Unfortunately no one had gambled for intruders of this kind. The opening of the cylinder was removed and the blue scaled snake fell with a soft plop onto the carpet. It lay there motionless for a moment, then raised its head to taste the air. This particular breed of snake was native to the jungle-world of Toria. Known for its particular aggressiveness and the toxicity of its venom, these qualities were made even greater by genetic manipulation. Ordinarily the snake would only strike if cornered, yet this one specifically made for the sleeping senator. Ordinarily the bite was not always lethal, provided the antivenin was administered promptly, yet once the fangs scratched Nalanda’s skin there would be no help for her. The snake tasted the air again, its purple forked tongue flicking out of its mouth. Then it proceeded towards Nalanda’s exposed neck. “I think he’s a good man,” Anakin argued, the topic had turned to Chancellor Palpatine. “The only reason he’s still in office is the succession crisis. He told me himself he would rather step down but he felt it was his duty not to.” I bet he did, Obi-Wan said to himself. Privately, he thought Anakin was spending far too much time with the Supreme Chancellor than was necessary. Obi-Wan had yet to find an excuse to cease these constant ‘visits’. He shook his head in frustration. “How many times do I have to tell you, Anakin, not to trust appearances,” the Jedi said. “They normally hide a great number of things.” “Sometimes things need to be hidden,” Anakin retaliated. Before Obi-Wan could give that remark the reproach that it was due, they all started and stared in the direction of Senator Nalanda’s bedroom. Anakin looked at him in shock, his mouth gaping. “I sense it too,” Obi-Wan said and there was a mad rush for the door. Whether it was the serpent near her pillow, or the thumping footsteps of the Jedi, Nalanda was awake and instantly aware of the danger. She recoiled as the snake advanced towards her, rearing up and hissing loudly. But that was before Anakin bounded onto the bed and cleaved the snake neatly in two with a single swipe of his lightsaber. “Droid!” shouted Obi-Wan who leapt at the window, using the blinds to smash the glass and clutched the retreating assassin droid. “Come on!” Padmé pulled Anakin off the bed and out of the room, passing a startled Typho and Riané.
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