The Test Ship.

Once the meeting was over, Anakin walked out of the conference room with Shanna extremely happy that the so-called pep talk with Chen was over, Shanna's arm was threaded through his own as they walked away. They had a date tonight at one of the best restaurants on Corellia, and it had been something the two pilots had been looking forward to, although the pep talk with Chen, if it could indeed be called that, had lasted far longer than either had hoped.

"I can think of a hundred things I would rather do than listen to Chen," Shanna broke the silence, kissing Anakin on the cheek, "going on and rewatching and nitpicking every simulated flight we've taken."

"So can I. They're nervous. Every single one of them, from Chen all the way up. It's their own fault; if they had kept their mouths shut about the launch, and what the ship can do, they wouldn't be under so much pressure from the Empire," Anakin commented.

"Mmm," Shanna nodded in agreement, a frown on her face. "Anakin, when you were gone, there was a surprise inspection from the Imperials."

"I heard about it, and you told me," Anakin reminded her, earning a light hearted slap on the arm from Shanna.

"I know I told you, but then I heard something else from a friend of mine who works in security. Anyway, to summarise…. The Imperials showed up a few days ago, with a search warrant signed by Darth Vader himself, counter signed by three Fleet admirals and an Imperial judge. They claimed they'd received a tip off there were rebels planning on planting explosives in CEC facilities. Anyway, they searched everywhere, including the R&D department, but they found nothing. CEC didn't like it, of course, but there was nothing that could be done. It had gone through channels, and with it signed by three Imperial Admirals, it carried a lot of weight while Vader's signature sealed it."

Anakin frowned. "Vader signed it? Not Palpatine?"

"No."

Anakin shook his head thoughtfully, but he didn't say what was on his mind until they went to the hanger bay where Anakin's ship the Shmi was kept in. Shanna followed him inside the ship, knowing the security systems Anakin had custom designed for his ship would keep their conversation private. She knew he had a great deal to say which he didn't want anyone to overhear, especially since the Empire had eyes and ears everywhere. It had been risky speaking in the corridor, but since she had merely been telling her boyfriend and lover the news she had heard, no-one would likely say anything against her.

Shanna spoke to Anakin while he got ready in the fresher. They had already agreed that she would spend a few minutes in the ship before she went back to her own apartment and got ready herself to go to the restaurant, and she had plenty of time. "So what do you think?"

"It sounds like Palpatine is deliberately distancing himself from the whole thing, or he is taking interest in the project but does not want anyone to know," Anakin called through the fresher. "It's second nature for him. Palpatine spent decades manoeuvring the galaxy into the position he wanted before he took over."

"I guess…," Shanna replied.

"What else happened, Shanna? I heard a story there was a break in shortly before the inspection."

"It's no rumour, that's for sure," Shanna said grimly. "It really happened. They broke into CEC, headed straight for the R&D department, ransacked it but they found nothing."

"So the research notes are safe?"

"Yeah. For now. No-one knows who did it, but its likely they're gonna try again. Still, hiding them was probably the wisest choice of action to make sure the research materials were hidden in plain sight."

"I don't think much of Chen or those he follows, but I'm just relieved the Empire gave them a reason to hide the materials," Anakin called through the fresher, thinking for a moment about the decision to follow that particular idea.

When CEC had made their announcement they had discovered a means of travelling faster than light without moving through hyperspace as they knew it, many had tried to steal the secrets and develop the technology for themselves while the Empire had also taken an interest. The Empire had applied pressure to CEC much too late. It had been acts of industrial espionage where members of CEC, hoping to make a quick credit, had been 'asked' to steal the research materials for rivals to produce their own FTL drive. After three acts of industrial espionage, CEC had made the decision to keep all research notes out of the facilities.

Only a few people were privy to the whereabouts of the plans and other materials, Anakin and Shanna were not among them; a part of Anakin was resentful about the decision, but he was mature enough to understand it.

The Empire's sudden interest had spooked the rival companies and firms to CEC, and they had backed off. None of them wanted to deal with the Empire's military, which would be sent in if they made the wrong move especially since they had taken a lot of interest in the FTL project, but no-one was fooled. There was no doubt in Anakin's mind they were trying to find ways of getting to the materials without leaving a trace while leaving CEC to face the consequences later.

"Mm, same here," Shanna said, "I'll see you in a bit, Anakin. I need to get ready."

Anakin chuckled. "And here I was hoping you'd come in here with me."

"No, first I want to be wined and dined, and then we can get to the sex," Shanna retorted with a bluntness that made Anakin laugh. "See you later, love."

"Sure."

XXX

In his cabin onboard the ship which was taking him, Master Windu, and annoyingly enough Padme Amidala to Corellia, Obi-Wan was busy meditating on the situation while he mentally prepared himself for the long battle ahead of him. In a way, that was what the meeting between them and Anakin was going to be like, a battle; not only had Obi-Wan, in Anakin's mind, not contacted him at all, courtesy of the Jedi Council at the time of the Clone Wars, but Master Windu and Anakin had never truly gotten along.

The only thing he hoped would happen at this point would be Master Windu didn't say anything to provoke Anakin; things were too delicate as it was and Master Windu wasn't the most sensitive man in the galaxy and Obi-Wan had a horrible feeling he would just treat Anakin like a piece of dirt. He'd done it many times over the years and while Obi-Wan had said nothing about it since he had still been a devout follower of the code and of the Council, he had known how angry and disdainful Anakin had gradually but quickly become of the Jedi, but he was more worried about Padme than he was Master Windu, but there was the chance there would be tension between the two men.

Obi-Wan knew the problem, of course; it was because of Anakin's maverick nature, his inability to truly conform to Jedi rules and Jedi philosophy, coupled with the deeply ingrained fear and concern about what kind of person Anakin would become in the future, if he had remained in the Order. But at the same time, Anakin no longer had his Force connection, which was bound to cause a great deal of resentment between the two men. Obi-Wan hoped it never came to that, they needed all the help they could get, and even if Anakin had not fought in the wars, he had been a great pilot, and they needed him now more than ever.

But if Master Windu was going to create waves where Anakin was concerned, Obi-Wan shuddered to think what Padme was going to do.

He didn't need the Force to tell him something bad was going to happen, and in this twisted version of the galaxy, Obi-Wan knew it would if Padme caused problems for Anakin.

Alliance Command and the Jedi Council had understood the danger posed by the FTL drive, and they had immediately prepared a ship for Padme to ferry them there without trouble without wasting any time, while at the same time Padme had been given a good reason to go to Corellia in the first place, but while the arrangements had been made, they had gotten word from Ahsoka that Anakin was on Jedha.

Of all the things he'd been expecting, it was safe for Obi-Wan to admit he hadn't expected that.

Why would Anakin go to Jedha in the first place? He had no reason to, but after hearing that he'd met Gerrerra, it was safe to say Anakin was on the side of the Rebellion. The Jedi had immediately contacted Gerrerra in the hopes of arranging a meeting without going through the trouble of going to Corellia, unfortunately he had been lost, and they had no idea where he had gone.

And now Anakin's presence was just another question to add to the list of things they needed to say to him in the hopes of finding out where they stood. They needed to know why he'd gone to the Holy City, they did know he had been seen close to Saw Gerrerra's men, they just didn't know why else he had visited.

They had given the resistance leader a message to pass onto Anakin, but nothing had come from it. Anakin had gotten away somehow without anyone being able to stop him, but with so few Jedi on Jedha it had been a slim chance to begin with. No-one knew what Anakin had been doing on Jedha, although Obi-Wan had a feeling his former apprentice had gone there to investigate what the Empire was doing there, but he had no idea just what Anakin had been doing since the Empire had risen although information gathered by Alliance intelligence showed Anakin was actually a part of a resistance cell on Corellia.

That was good news, for it showed that Anakin was aligned with their agenda, and he would know of the dangers posed by the FTL ship. So why hadn't he done anything? Alright, granted; the Alliance's intelligence network was still growing, and there was a chance Anakin was doing something and they didn't know it. Obi-Wan hoped that was the case, he didn't imagine for a moment Anakin was just ignoring the problem. Yes, Anakin had trusted Palpatine when he was in his apprenticeship in the Order, but Anakin was a realist at heart. He would know Palpatine could not be trusted because of his Sith nature.

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, slowly exhaling through his mouth as he pushed himself further into meditation. He would have to wait until they reached Corellia to get the answers.

XXX

"Oooh, oh, oh…Anakin!" Shanna moaned in delight while her trim fingernails dug deeper into the skin of Anakin's back while he thrusted harder into her, and she bucked her hips into him while he pounded her.

Anakin grunted, suckling her sweaty skin, nibbling away at her breasts which made Shanna pant in delight and pleasure before they reached their newest orgasm together.

Once the two lovers were sated, Anakin rolled over Shanna, gasping for air while he held her to him.

"Mm," Shanna purred, hugging him gently. "That was amazing."

"You've got that right, beautiful!" Anakin murmured, kissing her temple.

Shanna lifted her head and smiled at him before she kissed him gently on the lips before she pulled away and rested her head lightly on his chest.

"I noticed that you were distracted at dinner, but I didn't want to say anything," she commented slowly, hating to ruin the perfect mood but she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Indeed she noticed that he seemed to sigh at the question, and he became tense.

"Anakin, don't shut me out," she chided him gently, lifting her head to look at him sternly. "I love you, and we've got plans to get married. I don't want there to be moments where you refuse to tell me what's wrong."

Anakin sighed again. "Okay…I was thinking about the things I saw on Jedha, how the Jedi were trying to contact me….," he shook his head.

"What?"

"I'm also worried about the test flight. It's been long enough since it was announced, but there's been no sign of anyone trying to destroy the ship itself; while I think those senators who make up the Rebel Alliance are dreaming their precious utopia will return, some of them are not stupid. They'd know of the danger the ship's engine poses, and what kind of things Palpatine would make of it. If there are Jedi in the Alliance, they would know like I do, as a Sith Lord he'd be drawn to power. The test ship's drive will allow him to spread his Empire into parts of the galaxy, maybe even beyond…and nothing could stop him," Anakin said, shaking his head while he thought about the doubled security of the test ship, and the lack of any real sabotage attempts, "I just don't get why no-body has tried anything."

"Yeah, now that you mention it, you're right, it is weird," Shanna commented. "Maybe they'll try when we fly it?"

"Don't say that, please. I want us to live together for a long time."

Shanna grinned before she sobered a little. "Do you miss it?" she asked hesitantly, realising she had Anakin where she wanted him, and she also realised she had never asked the question before.

"What, being a Jedi?"

"Yeah."

Anakin blew out a breath, thinking about the question while he chose his words carefully. "Yes and no, really; I don't really think about the Jedi. I suppose I miss the community of the Order, but I don't miss their rules, their code. While the code governed and protected the Jedi, it also restricted them. I've put a lot of thought into the Order's biggest problems. Many Jedi would say their code is perfect, that they are the epitome of Jedi evolution, but its a facade. In truth, they are afraid. The Jedi were governed by fear, Shanna; they were so shattered when they fought the Sith a millennia ago, so many of them turned to the Dark side. They purposefully rewrote the code to stop themselves from falling in love. It worked, for a time. By teaching their students a much greater discipline to hold in their emotions, they stopped many of their number from falling to the Dark.

"It didn't always work of course, even with those who grew up in the Temple itself. A few Jedi would either leave the Order or be expelled, or would simply be cast out because they weren't good enough or weren't what many of the Jedi Masters wanted in a student, but I have my doubts and opinions about that; it would be just like the council to be so short sighted. They never tried to train the potential apprentices to see if they could make a greater contribution, and what made it worse was the Council would send them to the Agri-Corps when there were so many other institutions which could use their help.

"Some of the initiates who were cast out could have become doctors, nurses, or members of the law enforcement agencies. They're usually unstaffed. But one of the biggest problems with the Jedi Order is they worked for the Senate. They followed the Senates' doctrines, their orders, and there was nothing in between. The Jedi could have helped solve trillions of crimes, murders, rapes..but they didn't. To make matters worse, the Jedi were feared and hated throughout the galaxy. The fear stems from their power of the Force.

"When the Jedi tore the Force away from me, I lost a good part of myself. Shanna, years before I met you, I was able to perceive things before I even knew they were there, and I had sharper reflexes. When the Jedi were finished, I needed months just to get my skills back to a certain level, but while I lost my abilities, I still had my piloting skills and my judgement. Do I hate what the Jedi did? Definitely. Do I pity them for what's happened to them? Yes, but its their own fault. If they had been more aware of what was going on around them, changing gradually instead of living in a cold marble temple on a virtually deadened world covered by city blocks with no contact with the rest of the galaxy, then maybe Palpatine would have been defeated long ago," Anakin finished.

"Do you really believe that?"

"I honestly don't know," Anakin replied, hugging her to his chest.