The ship to Alderaan was crowded. The election took place only a few days before the festival and a lot of Alderaanians came home. It was Obi-Wan's first solo – mission and he was excited to be here even though it was just a honour task since Alderaan was one of the most stable democracies in the republic. br

Still, it was his first solo-mission and he surely wouldn't miss a few peaceful days on a beautiful planet full of Jedi-friendly people. He would be back with Qui-Gon and life-threatening chases through small and slimy sewers soon enough. br

He stepped off the ship and took a sharp breath. Aldera, the capital of Alderaan was beautiful. The tall, curvated buildings and the fusion between them and the environment was breathtaking. Obi-Wan had seen a lot of planets in the last years but none of them had been like this. br

'Jedi-Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi?' Asked a young man in a formal, Alderaanian robe. His dark hair fell a bit into his face and his dark eyes showed a polite interest in Obi-Wan. br

'Yes?' br

'I'm adjutant Bail Organa.' He bowed his head slightly: 'Welcome on Alderaan.' br

'Thank you.' Obi-Wan mirrored the gesture. br

'Do you have any baggage we need to wait for?' br

'No, I don't.' br

'Then let us go, the Queen awaits you.' they left the spaceport. Obi-Wan looked around, then said: br

'This city is beautiful.' Bail shot him an amused look. br

'Different to Coruscant we try to live with our environment, not on cost of it.' br

'A wise philosophy.' Obi-Wan agreed, just with the smallest hint of a smile in his voice. He caught Bail's eyes, who smiled back. br

They entered a parking place and Bail led him to a speeder. br

'Our transports are occupied with a storm at the South Fjords.' He explained. Obi-Wan swallowed. He just hoped that Bail wasn't a reckless pilot. Flying was as good as any other transportation as long as no one tried to do something fancy. br

Bail, however, turned out to be a steady pilot and they reached the royal palace without any incidents. br

Bail was greeted at the gates before the guards let them in. From outside the palace looked not different than the other buildings in Aldera, but its interior design was classic and rich and reminded Obi-Wan of pictures he had seen in history books. br

'My people are very proud of our architecture.' Said Bail, who must have noticed Obi-Wan's awe: 'There are not many places like this and certainly not on Coruscant.' br

'You spent a lot time on Coruscant?' br

'I'm also Senator Antilles' adjutant.' Now, Obi-Wan remembered that he had seen Bail once before when he and Qui-Gon had attended a Senate Council. br

'Of course. Forgive me my forgetfulness.' br

'There is nothing to be forgiven. I imagine even a Jedi has flaws.' It was a polite answer but Obi-Wan could've sworn that the corners of Bail's mouth had lifted a fraction. br

The Queen received them immediately and lay emphasis on the fact that she and all of Alderaan were honoured to have a Jedi as their guest and then told him, that if he needed anything adjutant Organa would be there for him. br

'Thank you, your Highness.' Obi-Wan bowed and the Queen nodded in a way that clearly said that he was dismissed. br

Outside the throne room he turned to Bail: br

'I would like to speak with the election officer.' br

'Of course. If you would follow me.' br

On the way a young woman, who wore a robe similar to Bail's, stopped them. br

'Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Adjutant Behren Antilles.' Bail introduced them. They both bowed to acknowledge each other, before Behren turned to Bail and gave him a folder. br

'The latest meteorological reports on the storm.' br

'Thank you, adjutant Antilles.' After she had left Obi-Wan asked: br

'You seem to have major troubles with this storm.' br

'Unfortunately.' Bail answered: 'Storms like this one only happen every thirty or forty years but this one is particularly strong. We fear that it may reach Aldera and cut the Northern continent off from space traffic.' br

'Will that delay the election?' br

'No.' There was it again, the slight curl of Bail's lips that was barely visible: 'But it would delay your return to Coruscant.' br

'An unfortunate event, indeed.' Bail caught the light, dry tone and the spark in Obi-Wan's eyes and they shared a smirk. It was weird for Obi-Wan to have someone who was amused at his humour, especially someone he had just met. Qui-Gon usually didn't react at all. br

br

Obi-Wan met the election officer and some of his aides, who showed him how the election would proceed and everything else. Bail left at one point because he was needed elsewhere. They would see each other the next day, when the election took place. br

Obi-Wan used his free evening to walk through Aldera. The city was really breathtaking and mire, the air was fresh as if he was somewhere in the open landscape. He wondered briefly what Qui-Gon was doing at the moment, before he returned to his quarter and then to bed. br

The next morning, the sky was overcast with dark grey clouds and a sharp wind swept through the streets. br

The task of a honour observer was mostly to stand around and watch. The election proceeded in an exemplary manner, which was what he mentioned in his report to the Jedi Council and the Chancellor. He sent both reports to Coruscant and had a brief talk with Qui-Gon where he told him that he may come back later because of the storm that caused havoc upon Alderaan. br

br

'I'm sorry I'm late.' Bail's hair was a bit in disarray but his clothes were impeccable. Obi-Wan had come to suspect that you could crawl through mud in these robes and still look presentable. br

The flushed complexion looked very attractive on Bail's dark skin and contrasted nicely with the light grey of his clothes. br

'There is nothing to be sorry for.' Obi-Wan replied politely. He was curious. Bail hadn't told him where they would go tonight, he had simply said something about 'showing Obi-Wan one of the symbols of Alderaan. br

They used Bail's personal speeder again and the wind, even harsher now than in the morning, made Obi-Wan draw his robe more tightly around his body. br

'Where are we going?' Obi-Wan asked to distract himself from the constant lurch the speeder made in the wind. br

'Latli's.' Bail turned hiss head slightly to see Obi-Wan's blank look and a smile graced his lips. br

'It's a restaurant, actually the restaurant here in Aldera. We value good food as much as our architecture and the Grass paintings.' br

'I'm not here for my own pleasure.' br

'Look at it as your duty as a guest: you admired our architecture and now you have to admire our food.' br

'To fulfil my duty as your guest.' Obi-Wan repeated dryly. br

'Exactly.' Bail answered in the same dry voice. br

br

Latli's was a decorated in a style similar to the Royal Palace. Low laughter and talk mixed with the faint noise of moved dishes. br

'May we?' Bail asked with a smirk in his voice. br

'Of course.' Obi-Wan replied in the same tone. br

'Can you suggest something?' br

Bail didn't even look at the menu card. He simply told the waiter to bring them: br

'Malla with gorak and flatbread and chimbak. For both of us.' br

Malla turned out to be petals that tasted harsher than one would have guessed from the delicate look and completed the soft gorak, which was a fowl, and chimbak was a thick, red wine with a sweet aftertaste. It tasted deliciously. br

'You seem o enjoy your meal.' Bail observed. br

'It is wonderful.' br

'I take it as an even greater compliment since you must have encountered various planets and their cuisines during your missions.' br

Obi-Wan laughed. br

'I have to thank you. It was an honour.' br

'No, please, the honour is on my side. I haven't had such an entertaining evening in ages.' br

Obi-Wan could only agree. Discussing politics was a lot more interesting when your partner actually cracked a smile or two at your dry remarks. br

br

It rained when they came back outside. Bail had raised the shield of his speeder before they left the parking space. Rain and wind battered at the shield and Obi-Wan once more knew why he preferred other transportation than flying. br

'You don't like flying.' Bail observed. br

'What gives you the idea?' And maybe there was a hint of panic in his voice because at this moment a stiff breeze made the speeder lurch. br

Bail laughed. br

'You look at a speeder like other people look at a rancor.' br

'You seem to like it.' br

Bail shrugged. br

'It's as good as any form of transportation, but if you're ever come to Alderaan again you'll have to visit the grassland and ride a thranta.' br

'If this storm is ever over, you mean.' Obi-Wan countered with a smile. br

''The harder a storm is the sooner it will be over.' Is an old proverb here on Alderaan.' br

Bail landed the speeder in front of Obi-Wan's quarter. The downfall was so heavy by now that Obi-Wan couldn't see the door from the speeder. br

'Do you want to come in?' Obi-Wan asked: 'It would be foolish to fly in this weather.' br

'You're right.' Agreed Bail and followed Obi-Wan inside. br

The few metres between speeder and door were enough to get them soaked to the skin. The door closed behind them as Bail pressed Obi-Wan against a wall and kissed him. It was only a short kiss but long and intense enough to leave his senses tingling. br

'Is this okay?' asked Bail panting: 'I mean is it allowed for you Jedi…' br

'Yes.' Obi-Wan said bemused: 'We're allowed to have sex.' br

'Good.' Replied Bail huskily: 'Because I waited fort this the whole night.' br

br

Three days laterbr

'It's been an honour, adjutant Organa.' br

'We are honoured.' Bal leaned slightly forward as he said: 'I hope I'll see you on Coruscant when Senator Antilles returns for the next term.' br

'I hope so, too.' Obi-Wan answered, smiling, before the shuttle door closed. br