Connection - a star wars fanfic

In The Dark

"Great friends will always support you in times of need."

The bodyguard leapt after the Togruta, keeping to the shadows so that she may discover their motive. She couldn't see much of their figure, just the silhouette with two striking horns as they stalked down the empty corridor.
Steadying her breathing, Asaari came closer, but then the Togruta turned off around the corner into the vast conference room. Quietly, the bodyguard pressed her back against the cool metallic wall and slowly made her way to the edge of the hall. It was silent except for the Torguta's dull padding footsteps and the distant chatter from the dining room.
Why would they be in here? The conference room was private and was only reserved for the senator's meetings. The only hall that led out circled to another set of balconies and the guest bedrooms, and Asaari had no record of a Togruta staying in there.
The sanitary smell of the wall was starting to annoy her nostrils but she could not turn around until the Togruta's footsteps faded; that way, she would not be spotted. She considered going into the ventilation system but it would be hard to track their whereabouts from such a high, concealed perch.

Suddenly, a second pair of footsteps merged with the first, the sound sounding alarms in the bodyguard's head. Asaari was sure she had walked in on a secret meeting and tensed her legs, preparing to spring into action if the pair had sinister intentions.
There was still no speech, and she found that the other pair of footsteps were coming closer.

She glanced around, thinking swiftly, then, deciding to confront them, strode out from behind the wall.

Asaari found herself nose-to-nose with Nik.

His gold and amber eyes blazed in surprise, then settled into a cool, sly smirk. "What are you doing, lurking around? Are you finally tired of Senator Amidala?"

"You're the one who's lurking around..." Asaari said quietly, lifting her head in confusion. The Togruta had vanished into the other hallway.

Nik craned his neck to follow her gaze. "I'll assume you didn't come looking for me, so who are you looking for?"

"That Togruta that just passed you. They're supposed to be in the dining room."
Nik waved a dismissive hand, looking on in amusement. "You're paranoid. They've probably forgotten where the bathroom is."

"Why are you here, then?" Asaari questioned, arching her eyebrows. "Have you forgotten where the bathroom is, too?"

"I'm going to the dining room to see if everyone likes the food," Nik said innocently. He then added under his breath, "And maybe steal a glass of wine or two."

"Off you go then," Asaari said, watching him pass like a bird of prey. He mocked her with another smile before setting off in his purposeful gait. The bodyguard made sure he turned the corner before hastily making her way down the other hallway.

Tuning her senses, she tapped into the Force and attempted to sense where the the Togruta had run off to. Teachings from her old friend came back to her in a blur, and she unconsciously clutched the hilt of her lightsaber as she weaved through the line of rooms.
The Force led her to the back, where another hallway circled through the servant's quarters, the kitchen, and to the dining room again. It told her that the Togruta had briefly paused in the middle before they had presumably gone back to mingle in the crowd of senators.

Asaari cursed inwardly. What had they been doing? It seemed unlikely that they were just going for a stroll in the dark. She forced herself to stop, just as the mystery senator had stopped, and take a breath. She surveyed the area for any clues, switching on the globe of light that sat on the cabinet pressed against the wall, but found none.
The bodyguard may have been overreacting like Nik had said. Nevertheless, she lingered in the hall. Perhaps meditation would help her find answers. But Asaari had to get back to Padmé so she couldn't afford to lose time.