. . . . . . . . . "Jett Rink, an employee of one of the politicians in Nalanda\u2019s building, was returning from his night-time exploits shamefully later than he would have liked to admit. He was just parking his celebrated yellow, open-topped airspeeder when two Jedi burst out of the building. \u201CHi, we need to borrow your speeder,\u201D the first one said, a human male with a blond rat-tail behind his right ear. He opened the door and pulled Jett out without much ceremony. Jett shook his head as he watched them go. Say what you will about Jedi, he thought, but they think they own everything."@en . . . . "Attack of the Clones (AU)/Chapter 4"@en . . . . . . . "Chapter 4"@en . . . . . . "Jett Rink, an employee of one of the politicians in Nalanda\u2019s building, was returning from his night-time exploits shamefully later than he would have liked to admit. He was just parking his celebrated yellow, open-topped airspeeder when two Jedi burst out of the building. \u201CHi, we need to borrow your speeder,\u201D the first one said, a human male with a blond rat-tail behind his right ear. He opened the door and pulled Jett out without much ceremony. \u201CThanks,\u201D said the second Jedi, she smiled as she sat down in the speeder next to the first and they were off. The whole proceedings taking only a few seconds. Jett shook his head as he watched them go. Say what you will about Jedi, he thought, but they think they own everything. The assassin droid was clearly not designed to carry his weight, but it held Obi-Wan aloft if reluctantly, stinging his hands with hot sparks. Gritting his teeth, Obi-Wan prised one of the wires loose to try and make the uncomfortable ride more bearable. He managed to stop the sparks, but the wire also powered the motor and he plummeted in a matter of seconds. \u201CNot good, not good,\u201D he muttered, frantically re-connecting the wire. The droid started up again, once more cooking his hands every few minutes. As much as he sought for Jedi serenity, he wished wherever the droid was going it would get there soon. Zam waited impatiently waited beside her speeder for the droid, she would have preferred to be on her way but the only way she could be sure the operation was carried out was if the droid returned empty. And even then there were doubts, but it would be relatively easy to find out if the senator had been killed, given the false reports on her assassination only that afternoon. The sound of a disturbance in air traffic made her look up, but what she saw made her smile. One of the Jedi\u2014it was unmistakable even at this distance\u2014was hanging onto the droid as it made its way towards her. It meant that the droid had in fact made it to the senator\u2019s, the Jedi would know what had happened but business was business. She removed her blaster rifle from her speeder and raised it to her shoulder, cocking it as she glanced down the scope. She aimed the first shot right at the Jedi but the bolt went wide. She fired again but it didn\u2019t go anywhere near him. Was her aim off? Or, perhaps the Jedi had somehow evaded the bolts with his powers. Whatever the reason, Zam had no time to consider it, she aimed the blaster at the droid. \u201CBlock this,\u201D she snarled, then pulled the trigger. Obi-Wan had surmised that whoever had shot at him was the assassin they were looking for. But the freefall following the droids destruction was not something he had counted on. Where is Anakin? he thought as he looked around, frantically looking for a hand hold, a platform, anything! But there was nothing but another five hundred stories between himself and the ground! \u201CThere he is!\u201D Anakin threw the throttle all the way forward and forced the speeder into a deep dive. Padm\u00E9 smiled secretly as she gripped the top of the windshield. She felt like screaming with the excitement of the moment. She caught a glimpse of Anakin\u2019s face, he was enjoying it as much as if not more than she was. Anakin slowed then levelled the speeder out, after hovering for a few seconds a soft thump confirmed they had Obi-Wan. Then they set off in the direction he told them. \u201CHitchhiker\u2019s normally stand on platforms,\u201D Anakin remarked dryly, \u201Cbut your approach is much more direct, Master.\u201D \u201CIf you worked on your lightsaber skills as much as you did your wit, Anakin, you would rival Master Yoda,\u201D Obi-Wan reproached. \u201CI thought I already did,\u201D his apprentice lightly challenged. \u201COnly in your mind, my very young Padawan.\u201D Obi-Wan quickly spotted the green speeder that belonged to the assassin. \u201CThere!\u201D Anakin increased their speed and they were after it. It didn\u2019t take Zam long to realise that she was being followed, fortunately this had happened before so she knew what to do. So it was nothing to increase her speed and made several haphazard turns. She smiled to herself, not even the Jedi could find her now. The speeder was in sight again, but it wasn\u2019t long before it disappeared again. It simply had a bigger start on them even at this speed and Anakin\u2019s manoeuvring style that made Obi-Wan remember with detail what he had for breakfast that morning. He had never liked flying and since he had become Anakin\u2019s Master he liked it even less. \u201CWe\u2019re not going to catch them this way,\u201D Padm\u00E9 murmured. Finally! thought Obi-Wan with relief, Someone with sense! But Padm\u00E9 turned around and started to climb into the back seat. \u201CWhat are you doing?\u201D Obi-Wan asked, but before she could answer a violent swerve sent them crashing together. \u201CAnakin!\u201D \u201CSorry, Master,\u201D Anakin replied wryly, \u201CI forgot that you don\u2019t like flying.\u201D \u201CI don\u2019t mind flying,\u201D his Master said as he and Padm\u00E9 were thrown around again, \u201Cbut what you\u2019re doing is suicide!\u201D He turned to Padm\u00E9 who was looking for something compartment behind them. \u201CWhat\u2019s all this?\u201D \u201CSomething different,\u201D she replied, taking out a lurid green repulsor-board. \u201CAnakin!\u201D She had to raise her voice to be heard. \u201CI need you to get as close as you can get!\u201D \u201CDon\u2019t worry, I know a short-cut,\u201D Anakin told her, turning suddenly and sending Obi-Wan sliding across the seat again. \u201CStars end!\u201D Obi-Wan swore as he hit his head. The yellow speeder had not moved from its pursuit, but Zam knew that the Jedi would have realised that they weren't going to catch her like this. And by the time they had figured out a way to get to her she would be gone. Zam smiled as she cooled her engines, she was far enough ahead. This was going to be easy. \u201CThat\u2019s near enough!\u201D Padm\u00E9 shouted after Anakin made several near-suicidal moves to get them closer. \u201CBut what are you\u2014\u201D Obi-Wan couldn\u2019t do anything but watch Padm\u00E9 secure her left foot to the repulsor-board and jump off the end of the speeder. Quickly, she fired her cable-launcher into the speeder\u2019s hull and secured the other end to her belt. Anakin watched this all from the rear-vision viewscreen, when Padm\u00E9 was secure he swerved wildly causing Padm\u00E9 to spin like a toy on the end of a string. \u201CSlow down, Anakin!\u201D Obi-Wan told him as he slid into the seat next to him. \u201CShe\u2019s only going to have one chance, Master,\u201D Anakin replied, keeping half his attention on Padm\u00E9. \u201CTo do what?\u201D his Master asked incredulously. \u201CWe still want to catch this assassin, don\u2019t we, Master?\u201D Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows but didn\u2019t disagree."@en . . .