Chapter 26: Kamino

Making a decision in the heat of the moment, Tylo turns back to Aayla and places his hand on the back of his Master’s neck while bringing his forehead forward to rest against hers. The Twi’lek Jedi Knight stiffens at the sudden contact but relaxes after a moment. To anyone watching, they’ll just see a Padawan having trouble with the fact that he’s about to be separated from his Master, and a Master comforting her Padawan. Under his breath, Tylo whispers to Aayla as quietly as he can. “Master… there’s something I need to tell you about. Annie has been having dreams. In them, her mother is suffering, calling out to her… dying. I have reason to believe, though I doubt Master Kenobi would agree with me, that these might be Force Dreams. We both know how powerful in the Force Annie is. That she’s just… having nightmares with no meaning to them doesn’t make sense to me.” Aayla takes in his words, her lips curling into a pensive frown as she listens to him for a long moment, processing what he’s just said. In the end, her thoughts mirror her response. “What would you have me do, Padawan?” This was, of course, the biggest ask he’d ever made of his Master. But… as his thoughts turn towards Annie and her pain, he has to admit, he considers it worth it. “… Perhaps you can convince the Senator to stop by Tatooine on the way to Naboo to check on Annie’s mother. If the dreams are nothing, then you’ll have refocused Padawan Skywalker on the task at hand at the cost of a short stop along your way. If they do mean something… you’ll have saved a woman’s life.” Aayla’s hand comes up and grasps onto Tylo’s arm, giving it a comforting squeeze as she whispers back to him. “Padawan, you do not have to convince me of anything. However, are you so sure that the Senator will go along with this? This is her safety, we’re talking about.” Heh, did Aayla truly think Padme was actually cowardly because of how he and the Senator had kept her room on lockdown for a while longer. No, there was no way. It was a valid point regardless, Tatooine was a lawless backwater under Hutt control that still practiced slavery. It wasn’t the kind of place for a hunted Senator of the Republic to go. Still… “She and Annie share a deep bond. I don’t doubt for a second that if you broached the idea in the right way, she’d leap at the chance to check on Annie’s mother. But… I leave the choice to you, Master.” As he pulls away from Aayla, and she in turn lets him, Tylo still feels a deep sense of relief, because he can see it in the Twi’lek’s mind… she’s already formulating her words, already deciding how best to bring up the idea to Senator Amidala. She will, at the very least, try to see them diverted to Tatooine before going to Naboo, and that might be enough to save Annie’s mother, if she actually is in trouble of course. Letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in, Tylo moves to stand with Obi-Wan Kenobi as Annie, Padme, and Aayla all get on the transport. As they watch them go, he can’t help but hear the thoughts of the Jedi Master at his side. At least now I can trust that the three of them will be focused on Padme’s safety, and not on young Padawan Vondin. And perhaps in turn, Padawan Vondin can focus on the mission for once as well. It takes all of Tylo’s control not to flush at the chastising tone of Obi-Wan’s thoughts. He’s not even directing them as words towards him yet, so there’s no reason for the Padawan to be embarrassed or chastised right now. Though, part of him secretly thinks that Obi-Wan is underestimating the women they’re currently seeing off. Aayla would make a half-decent chaperone but given what Tylo had felt from Annie when they’d both realized Padme was masturbating… it was clear that his fellow Padawan was carrying a torch for the older girl. And clearer still from the time that Tylo had spent with Padme that the Senator from Naboo was not unwilling to explore dalliances with Jedi Padawans. Whether Annie would make a move, or perhaps Padme would, would depend entirely on their circumstances and where they ended up, Tylo supposed. He certainly didn’t think he held any claim to either of their hearts, for all that Annie was his best friend and Padme was… well, his latest lay. Whatever happened would happened, but it did bring a little ounce of satisfaction to Tylo’s mind to think that in keeping him away from them, Obi-Wan might have driven Annie and Padme further together… The transport departs before their eyes, and after a beat, Master Kenobi speaks up. “Very well then. Come, Padawan. We have a journey of our own to make.” -x-X-x- On the one hand, Master Kenobi’s Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor only had room for one person in it. Which meant that Tylo got his own light interceptor for their trip to this missing planet of Kamino, on loan from the Jedi Temple of course. To say this was exciting would be an understatement. Unfortunately, on the other hand was a significant downside… lots of time in space with only a communications link between his and Master Kenobi’s starfighters for company. “Do you understand why I decided to bring you on this mission, Padawan Vondin? Why I sent my own Padawan with Knight Secura?” Trust in Master Kenobi to ruin a decent flying experience by turning everything into a fucking lesson. Tylo is very careful not to let his emotions resonate through the Force, pushing them down and keeping calm as he responds with… well, a bald-faced lie. “No, Master.” There’s a slight pause, before Obi-Wan replies. “Its because you lied to me, Padawan. Whether you did so on the Senator’s behalf or not is neither here nor there. I may not be your Master, but I am the Jedi Master in charge of this mission. Your decision to keep the Senator in lockdown against my express wishes made it clear to me that I could not trust you with her safety. Not when you apparently had other things on your mind mere minutes after her life was in danger. Do you understand?” The worst part is… Obi-Wan is right. Tylo hates to admit it, but it’s the truth. Master Kenobi is, unfortunately, completely right to call him to task on his momentary dereliction of duties. Sure, Senator Amidala shared just as much culpability in the matter, but as Padme had been quick to remind Obi-Wan more than once, she was not within his command structure. She wasn’t a Jedi. Tylo was, and for this mission at least, Obi-Wan was his direct superior. Engaging in… sexual antics with Padme after initially putting the room on lockdown was one thing, especially when she was the one seducing HIM. But then choosing to keep it on lockdown after the others had returned and Master Kenobi explicitly ordered him to end the lockdown. … Yeah, Tylo had fucked up. The worst part was, he wasn’t sure he’d not do it again. Given half the opportunity, he just might. What did that say about him? Was he not a very good Jedi? But… in all honesty, Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the few Jedi that Tylo had met so far who wasn’t constantly thinking about sex all the time. Annie was another, though of course she had been trained by Kenobi, so that wasn’t all that surprising. Was Tylo the odd one out, or was Obi-Wan? Sure, his mind-reading power gave him a leg up, but it could also get him into trouble. Maybe he was starting to lean on it too heavily. It was one thing to KNOW that a woman like Padme Amidala wanted to be fucked, but another entirely to give her what she wanted without considering the other people in the equation. Letting out a slow, shaky breath, Tylo releases his emotions into the Force before finally replying to Master Kenobi. “I understand, Master. I apologize for my behavior.” Another pause, before Obi-Wan comes back with a response. “Apology accepted, Padawan. We should be arriving at the would-be location of Kamino soon. Let’s see what there is to see, shall we?” Whether Obi-Wan notices or not that Tylo very specifically doesn’t say it won’t happen again, the Jedi Master doesn’t comment on it. And so, they soon come out of hyperspace… and there it is. As if Obi-Wan is reading HIS thoughts, the Jedi Master’s voice comes through a moment later. “There it is, Padawan, right where it should be. Our missing planet. Come on, let’s make our approach.” “Yes, Master.” -x-X-x- The landing isn’t easy, but luckily Tylo had taken lessons in spaceflight back before he’d become solely focused on getting good enough with the saber to give a good showing against Master Antana. Kamino, as it turns out, is a Water Planet of intemperate weather. Angling their interceptors down towards a large city high above the waves, he and Master Kenobi quickly find a landing platform. It’s decidedly odd that there’s no communications. No one tries to talk to them, or even attack them, as they land on the sizable landing platform and quickly hop out of their starfighters. The rain is heavy, and Tylo quickly gets his hood up, even as Master Kenobi does the same. Looking around for a moment, there seems to be only one set of doors off of the landing platform, so when Obi-Wan tosses his head in that direction, all Tylo can do is nod and follow after him. Luckily, the doors open without them having to do anything, though that too is undeniably odd. Even odder still is who they meet as they enter. It must be a native Kaminoan, but even knowing that the planet was possibly populated by aliens doesn’t prepare Tylo for the initial moment of surprise at laying eyes on the incredibly tall, thin, amphibian lifeform that’s slowly making its way down the hallway towards them as they enter, and the sliding doors close behind them. “Ah, Master Jedi. The Prime Minister is expecting you.” It’s certainly about time. Not one inspection in ten years… its practically unheard of! Tylo raises an eyebrow at the alien woman’s thoughts, a little relieved that she at least has a distinctly feminine voice that makes it clear she’s female. Still, Tylo can’t help but be as baffled as Obi-Wan momentarily looks as he glances over in Tylo’s direction. “… We’re expected?” “Of course! He’s anxious to meet with you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren’t coming. Now please, this way.” Tylo shares another look with Master Kenobi, but ultimately, they both follow after the female Kaminoan. What other choice do they have in the matter? As odd as this all is, at least they aren’t being attacked… yet. Through pristine white hallways of a certain… aquatic style if Tylo had to put a word to it, they eventually make their way to a chamber where another Kaminoan, presumably this Prime Minister, awaits them. As they enter, he rises from his chair, his long-fingered hands clasped together before him. Finally. The wheels begin to turn. Everything is in motion as it should be. The first thoughts Tylo gets from the Prime Minister’s mind are… odd to say the least. He tries to split his focus between both the introductions and the thoughts, but it’s hard. Perhaps it has to do with just how alien these Kaminoans are. He couldn’t say. He’s still trying to get more, as the female Kaminoan steps forward and makes the introductions. “May I present Lama Su, Prime Minister of Kamino. And this is Master Jedi…” “Obi-Wan Kenobi. With me is Padawan Tylo Vondin.” They all bow in greetings, with the Prime Minister picking up the thread of conversation afterwards. “I trust that you will enjoy your stay, Master Kenobi. Please, have a seat.” Two more of the strange alien-like pod-chairs descend down from the ceiling, and both Master Kenobi and Tylo sit in them. Well aware that he’s out of his depth here, Tylo is all too happy to let Obi-Wan do all the talking. “I am sure you will be pleased to know that we are right on schedule. Two hundred thousand units are ready, with a million more well on the way.” There’s a pause, as Tylo waits to see how Obi-Wan wants to play this. In the end, maybe it’s the fact that he knows the Jedi Master is taken aback and confused, but he can HEAR the deceit clear as day in Kenobi’s voice. “That’s… good news.” And so, it would seem, can Lama Su. Ah, so the Jedi remain unaware, just as Master Tyrannus said. Good, good. All according to plan. “Please tell your Master Sifo-Diyas that his order will be met, on time.” The juxtaposition between the Kaminoan Prime Minister’s thoughts and his words are jarring to say the least, even as Tylo gets more and more used to the alien’s way of thinking. Who is this Master Tyrannus? What does it mean, all according to plan? Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is clearly not used to lying for long periods of time, because that line from Lama Su promptly leaves the Jedi Master floundering. “I’m sorry… Sifo-Diyas?” Lama Su bobs his head up and down in a nod. “Jedi Master Sifo-Diyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?” In contrast to Obi-Wan’s miserable attempts at lying, Lama Su’s deception is… perfect. He sounds like he really believes what he’s saying, and yet Tylo’s insight into his mind makes it abundantly clear that he knows what happened to Sifo-Diyas even before Obi-Wan says it out loud. “… Master Sifo-Diyas was killed almost ten years ago.” “… Oh. I’m so sorry to hear that. But I’m sure he would have been proud of the army we built for him.” Albeit, I doubt he would have been proud of its intended true purpose… “The… the army?” “Yes. The clone army that he ordered. And might I say, I do believe it’s one of the finest that we’ve ever created.” Tylo can’t help but reel a bit. It’s all a little too much information. And that’s not the end of it, either. “I’m sorry, but… Master Sifo-Diyas. When he ordered this army, did he say who it was for?” Lama Su makes a show of brushing some imagined lint off of his robes as he hums. “Of course, he did. This army… is for the Republic.” Once again, Lama Su’s lips do not match with his thoughts. Once again, Tylo hears what the Prime Minister is really thinking, even as he touts the party line. And the thought from Lama Su that reaches Tylo’s own mind… it shocks him to his core. This army… is for the Sith.