Ahsoka
Half a standard hour later, Ahsoka and Lux were en route to Naboo. But, even in such a short period of time, they were mostly caught up, and Lux was in the process of telling a hilarious story about a recent diplomatic mission to Pantora.
"Oh, Force, and he actually said that?" Ahsoka exclaimed, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. He really knew how to crack someone up.
"I know!" Lux said. "Who would have expected an Umbaran, of all people, to have that kind of a vocabulary? I certainly didn't!"
"It sounds a lot like some pirates I ran into back on Florrum..." She laughed, falling back in her spot on the common room couch. "And here I though politics were dull and boring!"
"And they are... Most of the time," he added with a chuckle. "So, enough about the dull and boring life of the politician. What's happened to the Jedi Padawan, who's been away freeing systems from the Separatists' evil reign with her Master, fighting for what's right wherever she goes?"
Ahsoka smiled at his description of her role in the war effort. "That's a pretty extravagant way of putting it. Although that's technically the Jedi and the military's goal in the war, it's a lot less pretty that than that. The HoloNet has a bad habit of completely over-exaggerating the war effort, and therefore the public only gets a censored version of each battle we win or lose."
"I know. But even so, it's the fact that you're working towards making the galaxy a better place that counts," Lux said with a sweet, gentle smile that made her want to swoon.
"Well, you are too."
"But you're doing more good than I am. You're actually out there," he said, gesturing out the viewport, outside which the stars were flying by at the speed of light. "You're out in the far reaches of the galaxy, helping people. The best I can do is help pass a bill to send a better security force to one planet or another."
"Maybe," Ahsoka said thoughtfully, "but I think you're doing more good than you know. It's true that the Jedi are more hands-on about fighting the Separatists, but I think that the Senate has a different kind of strength. And, because you're a politician, you have that strength as well. I can see it in your eyes."
She moved one hand from her lap onto the couch, but found that instead of worn leather under her fingertips, she could feel flesh. She then realized that she had accidentally put her hand on top of Lux's.
She felt heat rise in her cheeks. But then, as she looked shyly up at him, she found him smiling at her. A moment later, his fingers linked themselves with hers, and she closed her eyes, leaning back in her seat.
For a while, they sat in a comfortable silence. Ahsoka basked happily in Lux's presence, which was wrapped around her like a blanket. But then, she remembered that she had been supposed to check in with the pilot.
"Lux," she said quietly, but there was no reply. She opened her eyes, sitting up carefully. His breathing was slow and steady, and, based on the readings she was getting on his conscious self through the Force, she realized that he had fallen asleep.
Poor thing, he must be exhausted after what he went through today, she thought. It would be cruel to disturb him now that he's finally getting some rest.
Carefully, Ahsoka began to work her hand out of his. When her fingers were free, she watched his hand close into a fist, as if realizing that it no longer had anything to hold onto.
She pulled herself gently to her feet, making sure she didn't rock the cough too much with her movements. But, as soon as she had gotten up, Lux shifted.
"Don't go," he mumbled.
She couldn't tell if he was awake or if he was simply reacting to something in a dream, but she answered him anyways. "I'll be back," she whispered.
Then, completely without thinking, she smoothed his bangs aside and kissed him on the forehead. Then she got up and walked a few steps away, hitting a button on her comlink. Since Lux didn't want her to leave – and she couldn't deny that she didn't really want to leave either – she was going to contact the pilot from there.
"What's our status?" Ahsoka asked into the comlink.
"Nothing is out of the ordinary, Commander Tano," came the reply. Although it was a Clone's voice, there was something off about it... a subtle difference that she couldn't quite place. "We'll be arriving on Naboo in four standard hours."
"Very good, mister...?" She trailed off, not knowing what this particular Clone's name was. She had never cared much for numbers, and, as her Master had always instilled a sense of fellowship with the brave men in the 501st, she always asked for names.
"CT-7783, sir. Lieutenant... uh, Skyle."
"All right. I'll check in with you in another little while. Report back to me if anything happens that I should know about."
"Sir yes sir, Commander."
Closing the comm channel, she walked back to the couch. Taking her Jedi cloak from the armrest, where she had put it at the beginning of the journey, she threw it over them both like a blanket. She looked at Lux, who was sleeping peacefully, and suddenly felt a little drowsy herself.
Sighing contentedly, Ahsoka snuggled down next to him. A few minutes later, she was asleep.
But unbeknownst to the sleeping Jedi and Senator, a few minutes later, the pilot, Skyle, walked from his post on the ship to the common room. On soundless feet, he strode into the room, looking at the two young adults snuggled up against one another.
He smiled, taking off his pilot's helmet. As he did so, he freed a mane of golden-brown curls and waves from their confines inside the borrowed head covering. A pair of blue eyes twinkled out from under a few stray locks, and he pushed them aside to reveal a thin scar over his right eye.
"I knew it," he whispered, and, taking one more look at Lux and Ahsoka, he returned to his post.
*I BET YOU CAN ALL GUESS WHO THAT WAS!!!!!! Anakin has entered the scene! Because really, you couldn't have expected me to write a fanfic about Ahsoka and omit his presence entirely! (With the exception of the first chapter, of course...)
But why could he be piloting the ship, instead of a Clone Trooper or someone else? I guess you'll all just have to wait until the next chapter XD
Bye!