The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 15

As instructed by the comlink, Shinai met the Zabrak again, this time in a crowded cantina in the lower levels. They stood together at the bar, exchanging empty pleasantries over drinks before moving to the back to get down to business.

“What news?” Shinai asked.

“My employer can no longer wait,” the Zabrak told him. “He wants it done tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“You heard me,” growled the Zabrak. “Any problems?”

“No, none at all,” Shinai said.

“And there’s a change in the time.” The Zabrak handed him another datacard. “This should cover everything.”

“And the pay?” Shinai asked.

“It’s being transferred into your account as we speak,” the Zabrak said, and without further word he melted into the crowd.

Shinai pocketed the datacard and made his way back to the bar, the ends of his mouth starting to curl into a smile. He had only taken the job for personal reasons, the credits he had pushed for the sake of appearing to be an ordinary bounty hunter.

But he was no ordinary bounty hunter, and it was no ordinary job either.



For the next day’s lesson Anakin was willing to continue with the velocities, though only after a quick run-through of skills he saw that needed improvement from the previous day. Rather than drills, which could give a false sense of security, Anakin knew that the best way of seeing how much one had learned was to see it in action. What had happened yesterday had been revealing and had given him something to start with.

Suddenly he stopped in his walk through the Temple, why was he so interested in this all of a sudden? What he was doing was temporary as Obi-Wan was expected back any day. And when he had arrived he could go back to…what? Waiting around for the Council to give him a mission while at the same time being haunted by these nightmares?

He had had another nightmare last night, different again. Padmé had been there, he could remember how worried she had looked and how he had clung to her as if he had been afraid to lose her. What had she said? Something about an attack on the Jedi Temple, he couldn’t remember exactly what.

Anakin had even done as Yoda had suggested, yet this had revealed no answers, or so Anakin thought as he walked into the practise room where the younglings were waiting.



“No, no.” Anakin brought his own lightsaber up to demonstrate. “Here, I’ll show you.”

He performed the parry as Sona looked on, her dark eyes watching the blue blade as it quickly cut through the air. She nodded wordlessly, placing her hands as Anakin had held his.

“No, like this.” Anakin took her wrists in her hands, making them a perfect imitation of what his had been. Then he stood back. “Now, see if you can move better.”

Sona complied, starting low and then bringing her green training lightsaber blade high with a perfectly executed double swing.

Anakin could feel himself smiling, he fought the expression but somehow it stayed on his face. “Great,” he said, “now if you bring it back just a little further you can give yourself more speed when you swing it through.”

“Like you with Count Dooku?” Sona asked.

The question caught Anakin off-guard for a moment, fortunately his comlink buzzed and he had an excuse not to reply. He retreated towards the doorway, took his comlink out of his pocket and activated it. “Skywalker here.”

“Jedi Skywalker, would it be convenient if you called around sometime this afternoon?” said the voice on the other end.

Anakin knew that voice. “Senator Stokra?”

“Yes,” replied the Senator, “I feel that our meeting went a little badly before, and I don’t think I gave you enough credit for what you did on Etti IV.”

Anakin blinked. “Come again?”

“I have received reports from Etti IV and I must say that I could have misjudged you,” Stokra said in an even voice. “Perhaps we could discuss this further?”

“Of course,” Anakin said, noticing his students were becoming distracted. “Perhaps in a few hours from now?”

There was a pause at the other end for a moment. “It just so happens that I have a window in my schedule four hours from now that would be suitable,” Stokra finally said, “Shall I look forward to seeing you?”

It was more of a summons than a request, but Anakin was willing to let that pass. For once. “Yes, that’ll be fine.”

Then without any further ceremony the transmission was terminated.

Anakin considered this for a moment, could Stokra’s offer be genuine? Perhaps, Anakin thought reluctantly, ''but the only way to find out is to go and see him. If only Obi-Wan were here…''

Then without another thought he pocketed the comlink and went on with the lesson.