Chapter Two: Sundari, Mandalore
"We are approaching the city of Sundari." said a smooth female voice as Senator Padmè Amidala's Naboo Royal Starship approached Mandalore. They brought Padmè so they would have an unassuming ship so that people would think they were on a diplomatic mission.
"Finally!" Ahsoka moaned, throwing her hands in the air.
"You've technically only ridden for 10 hours out of a 22 hour trip," Farah said, rolling her hazel eyes. "We left in the evening yesterday, you went to bed earlier and you slept in!"
"Maybe I did. But I seem to remember laying in bed, awake for an hour hearing you wash your hair!" Ahsoka smirked, not looking up from her holobook.
"Hmph!" Farah sniffed, turning back to her holobook.
"Come on girls; we have to get along!" Padmè said, smiling in a strained way. She was getting tired of the girls constant bickering.
"Yeah, we're gonna be in pretty close quarters for the next few days," Anakin said, tossing down the datapad he was holding.
"I still don't know why I'm even on this mission!" Farah muttered.
Anakin looked at her with interest, "Are you Mandalorian, Farah?"
"What? No. I'm from Raxus-" Farah started.
"That explains so-," Ahsoka started to cut in.
"-and my name's Fair-ah, not FAA-rah," Farah finished, glaring at Ahsoka.
"Oops, sorry," Anakin said sheepishly.
"Its okay, Master Anukin," Farah smirked while Ahsoka rolled her eyes.
"Haha, very funny," Anakin rolled his eyes. He then turned to Ahsoka, "Hey what's wrong, Snips?" She seemed a little off balance since Farah mentioned she was from Raxus, the Separatist capital.
"What? Oh, nothing…"
Suddenly, there was a ding.
"Oh, that means we need to go get our bags. We're landing soon." Padmè said. The group nodded and left.
Ahsoka made her way to her room.
I wonder if I'll see Korkie, Soniee and the rest of the gang. She smiled at the thought. She liked the determined little group of students, willing to save their home at any cost.
"Hey Snips; why are you so smiley?" Anakin seemed to appear out of thin air.
Ahsoka jumped; her master caught her off guard. Realizing it was Anakin, she calmed down. "Is there a rule against smiling?" She raised her eye-markings.
"No, it's that you just don't really see people smiling much these days. What's your secret?" Anakin asked as he raised his eyebrows too.
"Umm, being me." Ahsoka darted into her room, which happened to be next to Anakin's.
"Whew," Ahsoka let out a sigh of relief. Why was her master acting so weird? She didn't really care, but seeing as Anakin's moods tended to affect her, sometimes even unconsciously, she needed to be careful. Ahsoka gathered her thing's and made her bed.
As she turned off the light; she vaguely realized that she was in the same room that she stayed in the last time she rode in Padmè's ship; when was trying to stop the Senator's assassination.
Ahsoka flushed when she remembered how she acted the last time. She had done nothing wrong, but bursting into Padmè's room in the middle of the night was embarrassing times ten.
Thank the force that-
Suddenly, she bumped into Farah in the hallway.
Farah frowned, "Your master and Senator Amidala are waiting outside."
Ahsoka shrugged, "Sorry 'bout that. I'll move faster next time."
Farah raised her eyebrows, "I hope so." She whirled around, her long hair slapping Ahsoka in the face.
Ahsoka bit her lip and reached up to touch her stinging cheek. "Nice vibro-whips," she smirked.
"What are you talking about?" Farah snapped.
"I'm talking about your hair!" Ahsoka snipped.
Farah rolled her eyes, sped up, outpaced Ahsoka and exited the ship.
"Hey," Ahsoka cried, "wait up!" Running faster, but the red-headed padawan was already gone. Ahsoka sighed and exited the ship via the landing ramp. Her friends (not counting Farah) were loading their few bags onto a small Mandalorian Palace Transport. She placed her bag next to the others.
"The Duchess is waiting," said a man wearing elaborate Mandalorian Royal Guard Armor in a deep voice. The only part of him that was visible were his light brown eyes.
"Far be it from us to keep the Duchess waiting," Anakin said as he was about to board the transport, but instead gestured for Padmè to go. "Ladies first!" he said, taking the senator's hand and helping her up before jumping up himself. Ahsoka and Farah traded looks before boarding themselves.
The moment they were all seated, the transport started forward with a jolt.
Ahsoka giggled when she noticed that none of them had moved the slightest when this had happened.
What are we, holotoons? She settled back and prepared to enjoy the ride.
They had apparently forgotten how lovely Sundari- the capital city- was. It was almost a miracle how this modern, sparkling, black domed metropolis had sprouted out of almost nowhere in the stark white sand deserts that had been left over after the Mandalorian Wars. The rectangular and cube shaped glass buildings glittered in the sunlight, speeders cruised by easily in the cool air and civilians talked happily in cafes. Padmè smiled when they passed by the Sundari Mandalorian School, where she had helped eradicate the slabin-spiked Ardees Beverage Tea. Those same children, who had been poisoned, were now having a happy recess, frolicking and joking around. One of the teachers looked up and waved. Padmè happily returned the gesture.
Finally, they made it to the Mandalore Royal Palace.
They disembarked from the transport and were led to the throne room.
"Presenting the honorable Senator Padmè Amidala and Master Jedis Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano and Farah Danew," said a deep, untraceable male voice.
Anakin rolled his eyes. "Jedi is one of those words that you don't have to add an S to make it plural." He muttered.
"Hmnn, I wonder where the Duchess is? Master Yoda said the she would meet us." Farah said.
Suddenly, a tall young woman and man, presumably aides of the Duchess, rushed forward.
"Greetings," said the woman, "I am Surinsen Aridas, the Duchess Satine's secretary. This is my brother Palord. The Duchess is, we're sorry to say, being held up in a prolonged meeting." She had a light voice, fairly long black hair pulled up into a high ponytail, squared bangs and piercing green eyes. She was wearing a plain white dress with a silver belt.
"Yes. We have been instructed to show you to your rooms. Please, follow me." Palord said. He was a perfect gender-swapped copy of his sister, only he was wearing a white shirt and pants with a silver belt. The Aridases seemed to be fraternal twins, from what the Jedi could guess.
They showed them to a large, four bedroom suite. The room had light pink shimmer-silk curtains with gold tie-backs, end tables with small lamps, bookshelves and keepsakes.
"I hope you will be comfortable here," Surinsen said, "Call me or Palord if you need anything." She and her brother then bowed and left the room.
"So," Farah said, crossing the room and casually locking the door, "Why exactly are we here?"
"Because we need the Duchess's clearance to go to Concordia," Anakin said calmly as he flopped on the sofa, "as that was the last sighting of a darksaber."
"You know; a battle between a lightsaber and a darksaber would be epic," Ahsoka said, raising her eye-markings.
Farah snorted, "At this rate; that battle will happen…"
Well, there's chapter two! Look out for the next chapter! R&R please!
