Considering this was the first day of his new job, Zekk thought he should be more nervous than he did. As it was, Zekk stood in front of the full length mirror on a wall in his lush apartment on Hapes, checking to make sure everything was in place. He was wearing all black, like normal, and his silver lightsaber swung freely at his waist, befitting the new personal bodyguard to the Queen Mother of Hapes.

A few weeks ago, Tenel Ka has contacted him asking for Zekk's help. She was afraid her personal security for has been infiltrated by a mutinous faction that seemed so popular on Hapes. Tenel Ka wanted Zekk to not only keep her safe but to investigate these accusations before she got rid of the entire staff. Having nothing else to do, Zekk jumped at the chance to help his old friend. The demand for Jedi had decreased in the few years since the war with the Vong and Zekk didn't feel ready to take on an apprentice.

Not like there are any. Zekk thoughts with a wry smile. There had been a hit to the already dwindling apprentice population during and after the war with the Vong. Zekk and his fellow Jedi blamed it on the bad publicity. Master Skywalker said it was because we lost so many young people in the war. Whatever the reason, Zekk was afraid her would live to see the end of the Jedi.

Zekk checked the chronometer on the small table near his oversized bed and realized that if he didn't leave now, he'd be late. Doing a final check of his appearance, Zekk tightened his customary ponytail and grabbed his black cloak off the back of a chair, throwing it over his broad shoulders as he left. Luckily his apartment was in the private wing of the Fountain Palace so his walk to work wasn't long.

When Zekk arrived at the Queen Mother's personal offices he found then in a flurry of activity, even at the early hour, a bit taken aback at how many people there were milling around the large open room. Zekk did a quick visual scan on the outer office, looking for Tenel Ka's personal assistant.

The room was large, yet there wasn't much in the way of furniture. Zekk noticed how drastic this scarcity was compared to the rest of the lush palace. There was a small, cluttered desk at the end of the room in front of the large wood doors that let to Tenel Ka's office suite. That's where her personal assistant has told Zekk to meet her at 0800 hours this morning but at 0805 she was absent. Then again, she was probably lost in the sea of dignitaries, common folk, royal army and other palace workers that had crammed their way into the room for whatever purpose.

Zekk pushed his was through the crowd unnoticed. It was slow going but he finally made it to the other side and stood near the assistant's desk. Maybe if he stood here awhile she's see him and allow him an audience with Tenel Ka.

Strange he thought to himself with a smile that to think one day I would need to request an audience to talk to Tenel Ka. His smile grew as he reflected silently on the first time he'd met Tenel Ka on Couruscant all those years ago.

He'd been running late to meet with Jaina and Jacen Solo, his best friends. They were to meet in a busy square near the Chief of State's palace. Zekk has decided to drop in on Jaina, Jacen and their friends, literally, from above. The moment his feet touched the ground, however, his arms were tied in a tight fibercord to the sides of his body and he found himself flat on the ground. When he looked up he found Jaina and Jacen in tears from laughter, their Wookiee friend, Lowbacca, with a look of surprise on his face and this wild looking, stunningly beautiful, even at that young age, girl standing over him holding the other end of the fibercord.

Zekk was shaken from his memory by a hurried female voice. By the time he tuned it in, the voice was mid-sentence.

"…been waiting to long. The start of the week is always hectic. Go ahead on it. Her highness is waiting for you," Tenel Ka's young assistant said as she sat an armload of papers down on her heavily cluttered desk.

Zekk just briefly nodded, hoping not to take to much time. He took a deep breath as he walked to the large double doors leading to Tenel Ka's office. For some reason he was suddenly nervous at seeing his old friend after so many years apart. He pushed the doors open and walked into the expansive room.

Tenel Ka sat silently at he desk reading something laying flat on her desk through seeing lenses, a consequence of a half successful assassination attempt that left Tenel Ka partially blind at times. Zekk was amazed at how silent the office was compared to the other room. In fact, the only noise came from an open door where sounds of birds and trickling water floated through from a private garden outside. Tenel Ka looked up as Zekk slowly crossed the office toward her. She stood, put the lenses down and came around her large desk to greet Zekk. Instead of shaking his hand or some other formal greting like Zekk thought he'd receive, Tenel Ka embraced Zekk in a large, firm hug.

"I am so glad you are here, Zekk. Thank you so much for helping me," Tenel Ka whispered in his ear.

Zekk had to suppress a shudder of pleasure as he felt her warm breath on his neck. She smelled so sweet in close contact with him. He'd never noticed it before now. Zekk returned her hug a bit less fiercely, as he was there to do a job. And he'd always considered Tenel Ka to be off limits, as Jacen had held such a claim on her when they were younger. It was then, when thoughts of Jacen filled his thoughts, that he really noticed Tenel Ka, as she pulled away from the embrace.

Her thick red-gold hair was loose and hung down her back in waves to her waist. She was not wearing the Dathomirian armor Zekk was used to seeing her in. She was wearing a long, flowing gown of emerald green that floated around her at the slightest movement. Her amputated left arm was hidden in the long sleeves. The neckline was cut low, showing off her tanned skin, and around her neck was a simple silver chain holding a large gem of Galinore in a strategic place to cause men's eyes to wonder just a bit farther down. The gem matched the tiara nestled in her hair. She was the true vision of a Queen, and absolutely breathtaking.

Zekk inhaled deeply to regain control of himself and smiled at Tenel Ka, hoping to mask what he was currently thinking. After all, it wasn't long ago that Tenel Ka had professed her love to Jacen in front of all their friends, including Zekk himself, only to have Jacen tell them he was going to Tatooine to "ponder his true place in the universe". While she'd hadn't spoke about it sense then, Zekk could still see the pain deep in her eyes. He wondered if she would ever trust a man again.

"I'm glad I could help. What would you like me to do, Your Highness?" Zekk asked, trying to remain business like, when all he wanted to seem to do was grab her and kiss her.

Any joy that was still in her face disappeared as Zekk spoke, and her usual serious demeanor returned. "Please, Zekk, call me Tenel Ka. You may be my bodyguard, but you are my friend first and foremost. I already sent you all that I know when I first contacted you. I guess I would just like you to keep an ear to the ground and speak with some members of my guard. I trust that if you find anything you will deal with it personally or speak to me about it. I'm putting my trust in you Zekk. I wish I had time to investigate myself, but other things have my attention tied at the moment, I'm afraid to say."

Zekk bowed stiffly to Tenel Ka and turned to leave. The sooner he started his mission, the sooner he could be away from her intoxicating scent. He was stunned when she reached out and grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Is there something else, Tenel Ka?" he asked, turning around and shaking his wrist loose.

"Why are you so formal, Zekk? You do not need to stand on principle in front of me."

"I thought the sooner I started, the sooner I could end this threat to your life. That is all."

Tenel Ka only nodded. She didn't say anything else and Zekk decided to take his leave at that moment, as another urge to kiss her swept over him.