The Senator And The Jedi

Chapter Three: Meeting An Old Friend

Ahsoka

Ahsoka piloted her fighter toward Lux Bonteri's residence, one of the many luxurious apartments in 500 Republica. She bounced up and down in her seat; nodding her head along to her personal music selection from the HoloNet.

She was both relieved and excited. Although she had been careful to keep it secret, she had missed him terribly. The last time they had spoken for real, he had been so... distant.

Well, she could understand why. It had been back on Onderon. In an effort to save Steela Gerrera, the leader of a resistance movement who was romantically involved with Lux, from falling to her death, she had ended up being the one who killed her. Or, at least, that was the way she saw if. If she had been more focused, then she was certain that she could have saved her!

After Steela's untimely death, although Lux had still had a smile for her, it was oftentimes tinted with sadness. She was sure that somewhere, deep down, he blamed her for his girlfriend's death.

When she had last seen him, it had been right after he had given his first speech as a Senator about three months before. She and Anakin had been watching from Senator Amidala's Senate pod. Thankfully, though, she had been sitting behind her Master and the Senator, and free to gaze dreamily in Lux's direction.

When she had gone to speak with him along with Padme and her Master, they had said a few words, but the lovely sparkle he always had in his eyes when he saw her had been completely absent. It had almost been like he didn't know her.

R7 beeped suddenly, breaking her out of her reflections. She looked up, realizing that he was bringing the ship into a landing cycle on the platform nearest to Lux's apartment. Suddenly nervous, she clenched and unclenched her fingers on the steering yoke.

What if he's not happy to see me? She asked herself. If he's as distant as he was last time I saw him, I don't think I'll be able to bear staying near him for as long as I might have to. I wouldn't be able to put myself through that.

But he did ask for you personally, remember? Another part of her conscience piped up. Maybe his emotional clutter is all in the past now.

"But still," she answered the second voice aloud as she pushed open the hatch to get out of the ship. "I don't know what to expect."

Suddenly, she picked up on a familiar presence in the Force. Her eyes widening, she jumped out of the starfighter to find Lux Bonteri staring at her from the other end of the platform.

He looked completely shocked to see her, but then, a huge smile appeared on his face. "Ahsoka!" he cried joyfully, breaking into a run.

The sparkle in his eyes is back, the second voice whispered triumphantly.

Hardly a moment later, he enveloped her in a hug. She sighed, relishing in his embrace. She found herself wrapping her arms around him too, but the next thing she knew, he picked her up, swinging her around in a circle.

She gasped, holding on tight. A giggle escaped her lips, and he laughed along with her. When he finally put her down, she was sure she was smiling like a lovesick schoolgirl.

"It's so good to see you," Lux said, loosening his hold on her just enough to see her face. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too," she replied softly. Their faces were mere inches apart, and she had to resist a sudden urge to kiss him. That was strange. Jedi never had impulses like that.

Lux and Ahsoka stared into each other's eyes for a few moments, but she knew that this was too much. Reluctantly, she pulled out of his arms, walking back towards her fighter to get her bag out of the back.

As she closed the hatch on the luggage/spare parts compartment on the back of the fighter, he said, "I was worried that it wasn't going to be you for a moment."

She turned around. "What do you mean?"

"Well..." He ran his fingers (attractively) through his bangs, which were still almost the same as they had been back on Onderon. "I was worried that the Jedi Council wouldn't send you. I mean, we're closer than Jedi and Senators usually are, aren't we?"

"I guess so," she replied carefully. She didn't know what he meant by 'close'. As in 'we're friends' close, or as in 'we're more than friends' close...

She didn't want to think about that. She was a Jedi, after all. She wasn't even allowed to think about it.

"I'm just about finished packing," he said suddenly. "Care to go inside?"

"Sure," she said with a smile.

She could already tell that this was going to be a great trip.

*I FINISHED THE CHAPTER!!! *crazy laughter* Hope you guys like it! I'll get to work on the next one as soon as I can, and update UAAT as soon as possible. Bye!*