A ray of sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows and directly into Obi-Wan Kenobi's face. He awoke reluctantly, trying to remain silent so as not to disturb Iryshi, sleeping next to him. She was on her stomach, the thin blankets of the bed swathing her from her shoulders down. He leaned over and kissed her upper back, then rolled out of bed and began to dress, sliding into the heavy brown Jedi robe last of all. When he turned around she was awake, watching him with those deep azure eyes and smiling at him. He smiled back.
   "Good morning," she whispered.
   "Good morning," he answered.
   She rolled out of her side of the bed and pulled a soft dark blue robe around her, standing and heading for the 'fresher. He watched her go, still smiling. Catching himself, he ran a hand through his hair and went into the other room of his Coruscant apartment, one filled with scrolls, books, and datadiscs. Finding the scroll he was looking for, he unfurled it and laid it out on a heavy wooden table. He began to copy information from the scroll into his datapad, typing it meticulously while translating it from its ancient script.
   After a while, Iryshi joined him, dressed in her own Jedi garb. Her dark brown hair was wet and clinging, and her skin was clean and pink. Without a word she sat in the chair next to his, leaning against him to read over his shoulder. "Lessons for the assembly?" she asked quietly. He nodded. "Looks interesting," she complemented, toying with his braid. He smiled.
   "Might as well read up on it now, to have a head start on the others."
   As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the door to the study opened and Anakin stepped inside, followed by Iryshi's good friend and fellow trainee Erun. The two made respectful half-bows, and Anakin took another step forward. "Breakfast's ready," he declared, eyeing Iryshi. He seemed only mildly surprised to see her in Obi-Wan's apartment.
   Kenobi smiled and nodded, ignoring Skywalker's perplexed expression and it's twin on Erun's face. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up in a few minutes," he said to them.
   Anakin nodded and exited, followed by Erun and Iryshi.
 
 

Queen Amidala landed on Coruscant to find only two people waiting for her. Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker stood on the landing platform as the J-type 327 Nubian settled onto its support struts.
   Amidala walked down the boarding ramp as it was still opening, followed by her handmaidens, and greeted the Chancellor with proper respect, then embraced Anakin warmly. He grinned, hugging her just as enthusiastically, and the entourage took an air-taxi to the Senate building.
   As they went, Amidala stood by Anakin, looking as serious as ever. She leaned close and whispered, "When the formalities are over, Anakin, I must speak with Master Kenobi. I have news for him."
 
 

Obi-Wan stood behind a podium, facing a room full of Jedi trainees. "Today," he announced, "I have grim news. On the distant planet of Mandalore, three Jedi Knights were slaughtered. They were attacked during the night, and were helpless to resist the onslaught. Twelve Mandalorian warriors struck them down so fast, only one Jedi had the chance to escape." He paused to check the reactions of the trainees. Iryshi's face was stark white, and she looked sick. Erun's mouth hung open in disbelief.
   "It is now believed that the Mandalorians were a squad of clones."
   Obi-Wan looked up from the trainees to where the new voice had projected from. It was Anakin, standing towards the back of the auditorium, looking solemn as usual.
   As the rest of the trainees turned to stare at Anakin, he continued. "It's suspected that they were created by the Sith lords."
   "The Sith has cloning technology?" one trainee asked.
   "They have for thousands of years," Anakin answered softly.
   The auditorium was silent again, until Iryshi looked back at Obi-Wan. "What do you plan to do?" she asked, her voice low and gentle.
   Though he looked at Iryshi, Kenobi answered to the entire assembly. "I want each of you to find a Jedi legend in the libraries. Study it. Find it's wisdom, and prepare. Those of you who have not constructed their lightsabers yet must do so now. But take your time, make it a quality weapon. You must be prepared for whatever will happen. For the Jedi to survive, they will have to be at peace, calm, and one with the Force."
    When he looked up again, Anakin had left; the door was just swinging closed.
 
 

Anakin entered the Queen's temporary quarters, bowing before her respectfully as always. "The Jedi Council and the Academy have been told," he said, and quietly added, "Sabé."
   The Queen's decoy smiled from the throne, and the real Amidala stepped out from the group of green-clad handmaidens. "Your insights have become sharper, Anakin," she said approvingly.
   Skywalker smiled. He hadn't been fooled for a second by the test. "I've learned to recognize the true Queen," he replied.
   Amidala failed to hide the blush forming on her face.
   Behind Anakin, the door to the chamber swung open, and in walked Chancellor Palpatine, followed closely by Iryshi. Both bowed to the Queen, and the Chancellor approached Sabé as Iryshi walked up behind Anakin.
   Not knowing that the real Queen was still disguised as Padmé, Palpatine spoke directly to the decoy, but Anakin missed what he was saying as Iryshi spoke a hushed sentence to him. "What?" he hissed back.
   "Obi-Wan says you're needed at the Academy building."
 
 

Iryshi ignited her new forest-green lightsaber with a snap-hiss. Three paces away from her on the training pad, Anakin moved to a defensive position, blue lightsaber held out and horizontal. Seated on an observation bench, Obi-Wan nodded slightly. "Begin," he said.
   Iryshi moved to strike, crossing blades with Anakin. He swiveled and reversed the posture, testing her. She swung, he blocked. She feinted, stabbed, he parried. They went a little faster.
   Soon they eased into a rhythm, the usual parry, block, strike, strike, but Iryshi was distracted. She was paying careful attention to Kenobi's reaction, and it didn't help when he stood and walked over next to her. While she and Anakin were still dueling, Obi-Wan said, "You're distracted. Concentrate. Focus, and let the Force guide you." He began moving toward her as he talked, until he was just out of lightsaber range. She was starting to gain ground--
   --when he blew in her ear.
   She whirled in surprise to face him, and Anakin took the opportunity to swing for her unprotected neck, extinguishing the lightsaber just before contact. Obi-Wan frowned at her, and Anakin moved off the pad, laughing.
   "You must learn to concentrate," Kenobi said sternly. Block out everything, and trust only in the Force."
   She started to protest, but he raised a hand for silence. "This was a test. But in the future, should you be distracted during a fight, it could mean death." With that, he walked off. Anakin was still laughing.
 
 

Again, Obi-Wan awoke before Iryshi, climbing out of bed softly and beginning to dress. He woke her up when he was done, with a soft kiss on the nose, and she grunted and rolled over. "Why so early?" she murmered.
   "Coruscant is receiving a special guest today, to address the Senate."
   "Who?"
   "Boss Nass."
   Iryshi turned back around to face him, wide awake now. "Boss Nass is coming here?"
   He nodded. "And he expects a royal entourage of Jedi Knights. So you'd better get dressed."
 
 

The landing platform was now the temporary home to a very organic-looking starship, marked on the sides in blue and dull green. As Iryshi watched, a door slid open, a ramp folded out, and no less than sixteen Gungan soldiers marched onto the landing platform.
   Then, in a levitating throne that was guarded by eight more soldiers, came the hulking form of Boss Nass. As he saw Obi-Wan standing in anticipation, a wide grin split his amphibious face. He laughed, a low booming sound, and said, "Ellosa Jedi Master Kenobi. Mysa honor to see yousa againe."
   "The honor is mine, Your Majesty," Obi-Wan said with a polite half-bow. "And may I introduce my trainees, Iryshi Dylar and Erun Nevelli."
   Nass nodded as he looked the two apprentices over. "Day are fine-lookin' students. Chosena them wisely."
   Obi-Wan smiled, then he and his trainees turned as one and escorted the King of the Gungans to the Senate.
 
 

Mon Mothma listened to the King of the Gungans speak from her place next to Bail Antilles, Senator of Alderaan. His apprentice senator, Winter, sat next to him, too young at age seven to take part in the discussions, but still allowed to attend Senate meetings.
   At the center of the great floating Senate chamber, Boss Nass was giving an evaluation of the state of his kingdom. Queen Amidala sat to the left of him, nodding occasionally in agreement, and Senator Palpatine was listening from his seat on Nass's right.
   Bail leaned over and whispered to Mon Mothma, "Could his speech get any longer?"
   Mothma chuckled softly. Winter, already perfectly suited to diplomatic occasions, didn't even crack a smile.
   As the Gungan patriarch finally yielded his place to the Senator of Naboo, Bail sighed in satisfaction. "Now, him I could listen to a bit more easily," he whispered.
 
 

Over dinner after the Senate discussions, Boss Nass conferred with Obi-Wan about his trainees.
   "Dat younga one-- Iryshia-- she seemsa wise." Nass paused to take a swig from a tumbler of wine.
   Kenobi smiled slightly. "Yes, she is wise, I suppose."
   The Gungan chuckled good-naturedly. "But she musta be more den an apprentice to yousa, eh?"
   Obi-Wan nodded reluctantly. "Yes."
   Nass chuckled again. "Well, mesa no expert on human-types, but shesa must be ten years younger den yousa."
   "Eight standard years," Obi-Wan said quietly, watching Iryshi as she talked with Amidala across the table.
   Nass nodded. "Obiously don matter to yousa though, eh?"
   Kenobi smiled. "Correct."
   Nass sat back, thinking for a moment before saying, "Why dona you take hersa to Naboo?"
   Obi-Wan looked at the aged Gungan in mute surprise.
   "Asa my guestsa," Boss Nass added, a slight smile on his amphibious face.
   Obi-Wan mulled it over for a few moments before finally answering. "Allright," he said, "I will."
   The Gungan patriarch clapped a hand on Kenobi's shoulder. "Okeday. Shesa gonna love it."
 
 

"So, you and Obi-Wan are becoming close, I noticed," Queen Amidala of Naboo said, after sipping from a glass of light wine.
   Iryshi blushed slightly. "You've noticed that, have you, Your Majesty?"
   "It's hard not to, the way you look at each other," Amidala answered.
   Iryshi glanced at Obi-Wan across the table; their eyes met for a moment before she smiled and glanced away again.
   "He's much older than you," Amidala commented.
   "Yes," Iryshi answered noncommitally. "And, if I may speak freely, Your Highness, Anakin is much younger than you."
   Anakin glanced over from Kenobi's side of the table, as if he'd heard the whole conversation, and although the white dye she wore hid most of it, Iryshi could still see the Queen of Naboo blush.
 
 

Obi-Wan walked between rows of his students, each of them attempting to balance upside-down. Anakin was observing another row, looking pleased with what he saw.
   Obi-Wan passed Erun, steadying himself with one arm, and stopped in front of Iryshi. She was trying, he granted her that, but it was very un-Jedi-like to wobble while balancing. He saw that she was deep in concentration, eyes half-closed.
   Suddenly she did something even more un-Jedi-like. She fell.
   Immediately Erun was down beside her, hands on her head, checking for injuries, but she was unjurt. However, there was a stricken look on her face.
   Kenobi knelt in front of her, smoothing her hair back from her face. "You must concentrate," he admonished.
   "I was concentrating," she argued. "I saw..." Her eyes grew distant.
   "Saw what?" Erun asked. By now everyone in the training room was down, staring at Iryshi.
   She snapped back to the moment. "I saw... I saw a battle. I saw myself... on sand, dying."
   Obi-Wan's eyes widened. Iryshi continued, "There was a hole in my stomach... a lightsaber wound."
   A tense moment of silence followed, until Obi-Wan said, "Everyone back to work," helping Iryshi up and into the hallway.
   When they were safely out of the students' sight, Obi-Wan pulled Iryshi over to a stone bench by the door. She sat, unsteadily, running a hand through her hair.
   Kenobi said, "Are you sure?"
   She looked at him. "Sure of what?"
   "Are you sure you saw what you say you saw?"
   Disbelief filled her eyes. "Yes, Obi-Wan, I'm sure I saw myself dying. Of course I'm sure! It wasn't just the vision... I could feel the wound; that's why I fell. Stang, it hurt."
   Obi-Wan put his arm around her shoulders, letting her collapse against him. She was swearing softly to herself, in old Corellian as well as Alderaanian.
   "You're not going to die," he whispered to her.
   She pulled back abruptly, looking him in the eye. "None of my predictions have ever been wrong, Obi-Wan. I am going to die. Maybe not very soon; maybe not one this planet-- definately not on this planet-- but I will die."

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