Love In A Faraway Galaxy-AnakinxOC

Chapter 29-Mandalore

They burst from the hyperdrive corridor with a swift jolt that sent a bolt of nausea through Cassandra's belly. She gripped the armrests in a white-knuckle grip and swallowed. It didn't usually hit her so hard, but turbulence struck Obi-Wan's small shuttle worse than it ever had the Millennium Falcon.

Goose, sitting on Obi-Wan's lap, swiveled her head to look at Cassandra. She mewed inquisitively, her chin resting in the crook of the Jedi's forearm. Porggy had to stay behind at the Temple with 3PO. The Flerken was allowed to come with them to Mandalore as back up security for Cassandra. If anyone tried anything funny, Goose would eat them.

Cassandra swallowed again and her stomach settled. "I'm fine." She told the concerned Flerken. "Just a bit of car sickness, er, I guess spaceship sickness."

Goose rubbed against Obi-Wan's chest. The Flerken had made herself at home with the Jedi to the point she was a little bit jealous. 'Ken's stealing my Flerken!'

"That's why I suggested the nausea suppressors." Obi-Wan chimed in, hitting buttons on the control panel.

She glared at him. "Ken, being a know-it-all isn't an attractive trait in a man."

Obi-Wan guided the shuttle into the planet's gravity field. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I'm not trying to woo you with the depths of my knowledge."

Cassandra smirked, amused. "I'm in no danger of being wooed by a man who spends an hour combing his beard every morning."

"Image is everything, my dear." Obi-Wan replied cheerfully, unfazed by her attempts to goad him.

Unfortunately, that was true.

Society placed an inordinate amount of value on a person's looks. Cassandra, at Obi-Wan's assistance, had donned one of the fancy dresses given to her at the El-Arda palace. Duchess Satine adhered strictly to formality. In order to be taken seriously as the Jedi's political aide, Cassandra had to look the part.

The shuttle sank quickly through Mandalore's light atmosphere. Obi-Wan adjusted the speed so they didn't crash into the sandy ground below.

Mandalore was so...flat. Cassandra couldn't think of a better word to describe it. The dusty earth stretched into a hazy horizon. "This place is a wasteland."

Obi-Wan sighed at her lack of tact. "Refrain from making such comments to the duchess. They will not be well received."

Sunlight glared off the huge black dome in the distance. The bright light made it hurt to look at anything. Summoning a pair of sunglasses, she slipped them over her nose "What is that?"

"Kavala, our destination." Obi-Wan joined a thin stream of traffic heading toward an opening in the dome.

"That's the capital city?" She said, incredulous.

It looked like something out of a bad sci-fi.

"Mandalore's terrain is harsh." Obi-Wan explained. "It's not safe for people to live out in the open which is why the Mandalorians built these domed cities. Kavala is the largest but there are others scattered across the planet."

Maybe Cassandra shouldn't be surprised. If the environment kept deteriorating on Earth, they might have to live in domed cities like these too.

The shuttle flew into a dark tunnel, the low ceiling making her feel claustrophobic. Cassandra held her breath until they shot out into the open.

Buildings of white stone and gleaming steel jutted up from the ground like fingers pointing to the glass ceiling far above. The dome allowed in natural light, which helped with the cavernous feeling of Kavala.