Chapter Two: Politics

I handed Zenbel'tak the Jedi with instructions to clean and lock him up then to change into his bodyguard guise. I, on the other hand, would have to go deal with the one of the worst types of warfare there was, politics. I shook my head sadly as I walked to the cockpit.

"I would be heading to Yavin except for one problem," Mav said as I walked in. I raised one blond eyebrow. "The senators over there have orders to take you on board and head straight back to Corsicant." By you they meant Chief-of-State advisor Leah Zalom.

I sighed. "Is there anyway of convincing them otherwise?" It was Mav's turn for the raised eyebrow. "I really am going to have to board a ship full of people who are as charming as snakes aren't I?" I asked unnecessarily.

"Yep! An get me an autograph while your at it." I backhanded him across the head, just hard enough. As I turned to leave he was rubbing his head with one hand and preparing the ship for 'cargo' transfer.

Finally back in my room I got myself a cup of café and sipped it. Café calmed me down, unlike with most humans who seemed to only wake up after a cup or two. I would need all my wits which meant a calm mind and body, no adrenaline.

I was very proud of my room, with all its secret compartments and disguises. From the one in my wardrobe I pulled out an auburn wig with hair long enough to readch my waist, some silver ringlets and a gold dress. Carefully and quickly I separated the wig into two pieces and used the ringlets to hold the hair in place. Then I stripped down into my mini combat suite, which was more like a short and short sleeve shirt combo, and slipped into the dark gold dress. I had to look in a mirror to make sure I got the wig on right. There was a mirror hanging over my makeup stand. From the stand I pulled a small container that held contacts that made my near bronze colored eyes to turn purple, and finally from a hidden drawer I pulled out a dark gold half-veil with silver embroidery that was the same color as my ringlets and the patterns on my dress. Satisfied that no one would recognize me I left my room. Only to halve to go back and change shoes. Even I can forget things.

Zenbel'tak stood outside my door waiting for me. He was dressed in a black combat suite with a vibrosword across his back; extra ammo packs hanging off his belt, and two blasters, one on each hip. All in all a very impress look. "Nice," I said. "Maybe your appearance will scare them so much that the politicians will hide in their rooms the whole trip," I added hopefully. Zenbel'tak's mouth didn't even twitch. I hated sometimes how good he was at playing the bodyguard.

Mav's voice rang over the inter ship comm. "We're attached to their ship, you can board any time now." I sighed again.

"Come on lets get this over with." My Major Domo went through the airlock first. When I saw who was my 'welcoming' committee I wished that I was Nalli Illan and not Leah Zalom, I so wanted to blast that face. Senator Orshi Alcan of Bakura. But the only thing I could do was climb out of the airlock and greet him with all the courtesy of a fellow Court member, my natural accent hidden behind the Couriscanti one.

"Senator Alcan, what a pleasant surprise," I said bowing slightly.

He woke up alone in a small room strapped to a bed. And he hurt! Was it because he had used the Force? No, it was because of the woman's blows he decided. He had never fought someone like that before; she was as strong as a Jedi and could touch the Force. But she didn't use it. Why? He wasn't sure.

He tried to reach out for the Force to better see his surroundings but could not feel it. No! Where was it! He could feel the panic begin to set in. But before it could do anything else a sound alerted him to an opening door. Part of the wall slid away and the room was lit with light. He had to close his eyes from the suddenness of it.

"So, you're finally awake Jedi," said a woman's voice in a strange accent.

He opened his eyes to see a young woman with long auburn hair, a gold dress and long half-veil. "Who are you?"

"Your parole officer. Now, what were you doing on Yavin 4?"

"None of your business."

The woman's violet eyes narrowed. "Were you searching for the weapons cache?" She has almost no funny bone, he decided.

"Maybe, but why would I tell you anything?"

"Because I'm the one keeping you alive," she said with a smirk. She walked closer to him and tapped something next to the bed, an IV. "Good night Jedi. What's your name?"

He could feel the darkness gathering at the edges of his conscience. "Tren," he said, falling into the darkness.

I left the Jedi, Tren, in the room within mine and left to go meet with my sister Serra, the Chief-Of-State.