Disclaimer: I do not own any of Star Wars, the right of ownership of Star Wars belong to Lucasfilm and I guess Disney too. The only thing I own is the characters you do not notice and the plot.
Year: 14 BBY
Chapter 37: Dinning with Amelia
Mark and Rachelle walks into a fancy diner, or more likely a restaurant for those that made it rich. There was a political discount that any Galactic Senators, former Galactic Senators, Current or former Chancellors and Vice Chancellor gets a discount. Now along with the Clone Wars and the war they are currently entering. The restaurant offers a discount for anyone within the Grand Army of the Republic.
Everything in the room looks grand and very expensive. It looks like the glasses people are drinking from and the plates might be worth more than some of the newest Speeders that the Jedi Temple has gotten.
Rachelle and Mark walks their way to a booth near the edge of the room that is not stack by a window looking out into the air traffic of Coruscant. Amelia Zane was dress in a pale red dress that have golden ruffles along the neck hole, sleeves and hem of the skirt.
Looking around Mark notice that most people are dressed up fancy and here he and Rachelle is dressed in a simple tunic with a robe. Mark is wearing a pale tan tunic with a dark brown robe and dark brown pants. On his feet is a black boots that he always wears. Around his waist is a slightly darker tan belt that holds his Lightsaber on. Rachelle on the other hand wears a darker tan color tunic with dark brown robe that matches Mark's robe. On her feet, similar to Mark's, where black boots. The pant she was wearing matches her tunic and belt.
Mark sits down at the booth, nearly startling Amelia who was looking at the Holovision that was station at the booth. Rachelle slides beside him as he sits down. "I think this might be a bit to fancy for my taste. I have to say, even for you this is a bit too fancy mother." say Mark looking across his mother. Amelia Zane even through she is a Senator and have a lot of money, she is not into much of a fancy stuff. Yes slightly more fancy stuff than what most have she does not mind, but fancy to be blown out of your mind does not describe anything that his mother likes.
"Ah the style is not my taste, but the food and drinks here are great. So I say the taste of them makes up for the overly stated grand look that the restaurant is tried to pull. You know that there are at least 4 of these restaurants within the planet. Through this is the closet to the Jedi Temple, but the sad part is that as you say to fancy. The others are died down a bit.
"Then why you didn't go to one of the other 3?" ask Mark. "Like I say it is closer to the Jedi Temple." say Amelia. "Next time, I think we prefer to meet in the less fancy. I saw the other ones, there are not even as half as fancy as this one and the quality of food and drinks are exactly the same. Even through this is the first one that was ever made." say Rachelle.
Mark right eyebrow raise about. "How did you know that?" ask Mark. "Master Aluna and I had to protect a group of Senators that had a meeting in one of the other restaurants. "Well, it seems like you and Celestia had easier missions, but when I was your mentor, you get the rough one instead." say Mark lightly smiling as a waitress walks by.
"What might I get for you… Oh my you are Master Zane." say the waitress. Mark pinches his nose a bit. Why can't he just be like the other Jedi who does not have so much fame? Sometimes he swears he has more fame than Anakin and Obi-wan who were very famous due to their actions in the Clone Wars. Mark figures due to him finding out the whole Clone Wars was a plan by the Sith who was Palpatine and him taking the Sith down made him more famous, in that case dubbing him the Hero of the Republic. Through that fame does come some negative attention to those who have an extreme dislike to the Jedi Order. Nothing he hasn't handled before.
"Sorry miss, but just because I am how I am I shouldn't be regarded more than anyone else. I would take some Lemonade." say Mark lightly. "Sorry, I usually not this way, but my family consider you one of the best things that happen to the Republic. My mother used to hated the Jedi Order back in 22 BBY, but when you came in and change the rules, my parents was happy to see my brother." say the waitress. "Its understandable, everyone looks upon someone as a hero. Just because you look up to them like that does not means that they are even more special than you. Most would like to be treated with kindness and respect like everyone else." say Mark.
No ought he does not like how his fame gets to him, he also understand the reason behind some beliefs. Everyone has a hero and when they meet them they always treated them with more respect, but in all sense any right minded person would not want to be a glory hound because they got fame from doing great deeds because of a war.
The waitress taken everyone else drinks orders and promise to be back. As the waitress leaves, Rachelle places her head on the shoulder. Amelia just smiles as she sees this. "I knew you two would eventually get together. It was funny watching you two being blinded by your own feelings and then when Rachelle finds out what she was feeling and she was trying to hide it." say Amelia.
"I swear this must be the worst kept secret ever. I swear I even think some of the Jedi noticed it before we did." say Mark as he put his right arm around Rachelle. "You think." laughs Amelia then stop before speaking, "Even through you were a harder for most to read, but not for your dear old mom."
"Yeah speaking of that, what is with you betting on my love life?" ask Mark. "I wouldn't worry about it." say Rachelle a bit. Amelia looks at him with a slight smile. "Do not think too much about it, Mark. It was just a friendly game between us. Nothing serious. We did not bet that much. Only 50 credits each. Plus me and my friends back on Bakura did it with the rest of the members of our families. It nothing but a game." say Amelia as she smiles.
Mark nods at this as their drinks were getting served. Mark looks down at Rachelle who was staring at the Holovision that was on the other side of Mark. She still has her head rested on his arm. Mark looks at the Holovision and notice that there was a movie on it.
Mark figures that there was hardly to do at these restaurants while waiting for a meal. After they order their meals he pulls out a Holobook and presses a button to activate the screen. The screen was a holographic projection.
"You know if you 2 are bored these Holovisions comes with trivial games." say Amelia. "That is okay, with how my month been, I hardly have time to read this book that I started." say Mark. Rachelle sits up straight and looks at Amelia. "I will play." say Rachelle always willing to test her knowledge. "Warning you Rachelle, Mom is a queen at those games." say Mark as he slide his hand down to turn another page in the Holobook.
Another thing Mark does not like about places like this, the food take so long to cook. Yes, he is very patient and could wait hour to a few hours for food depend on what is being made. He was assured by his mother that they take so long to cook it just right. As he was reading, he smiles as Rachelle and Amelia was going at each other answering trivial questions.
Amelia Zane is a very intelligent person. As knowledgeable as Mark is with the Force his mother is as knowledgeable in bunch of random things on the same level. Mark often called her the walking library, due to the vast knowledge she have stored in her mind. She also has great memories. Even for something so trivial that she learned when she was a little kid she could pull it up at any given time without that much trouble of remembering it, most likely where he got his great memory from.
He still remembers when he first meets Rachelle unofficially of course. He remembers in great detail walking down the hall with some of the Council members when a female Zabrak rush out of the room complains about her Padawan. Mark remembers looking into the room and seeing the Padawan who he would later found out her name was Rachelle Hunter.
It wasn't until after the meeting that he officially meet her and learned her name. From that moment, he guessed his future was change. How much, he was unaware of. He thought she would be another Padawan; rather she will be great or not did not matter, that he will train so that she could be the best she can be. Yes he was expected relationship that could be compared to either the relationship he shares with Kento Marek or the relationship with Jenna Farlay. Indeed his relationship went through both of the steps, but Mark remember finding himself being protective over Rachelle, more so than he have with his two former Padawans.
Now he knows why he was like that. He looks up from his book and finds that both Rachelle and his mother were going at it. There were 8 buttons that were hook up to the Holoscreen that is currently be used. 4 of them were in front of his mother and the other was in front of Rachelle.
"Hey this lousy game is wrong! The Force is not some mystical thing it is what binds everything together in the universe…I mean universes. That was not even an options." say Rachelle glaring daggers at the Holoscreen for the wrong question. "Rachelle, not everyone is a Jedi. To those who lack the knowledge of the Force think it is some mystical or mythical thing." say Mark as he looks at the Holoscreen. "They really should seek the knowledge before they put it in the game." say Rachelle crosses her arms tightly and pouted like a little kid that is not getting her way.
Both Amelia and Mark laugh at the look on Rachelle. "Now cheer up, no one likes to see you upset." say Mark. "Hmm, maybe a kiss will cheer me up." say Rachelle lightly. Mark shrug and bends down and engulf her lips once more. He breaks the kiss off. "Better?" ask Mark.
"Way much better." say Rachelle with a big smile on her face as she return to leaning on Mark's arm as Amelia put the trivial game away and turn the Holoscreen on. As soon as she did this their meal arrives and they begin to eat it.
Mark has found out that his mother was right; the meal was great to eat. Through he prefers her cooking over most or that of Padme's mother, Jobal. "Well this is pretty good." say Rachelle as she slowly eats the food as if she was testing it. '
During the time that they eat, Amelia Zane was telling Rachelle about the Zane family in more details. Mark found that Rachelle was eager to learn about his family. So even after they got done eating, they sit there and talk. Mark who feels too tired to stay there asked Rachelle to move so that he could get out.
"Where are you going?" ask Rachelle looking up to him. "I am tired, I am going back to the Jedi Temple." say Mark after he kisses her on the lips a bit. "Here I'll come." say Rachelle. "No, that is perfectly fine if you want to stay and chat with Mom." say Mark lightly. Rachelle nods to this and sits back down. Mark knows his mother would drive Rachelle back to the Jedi Temple.
As he was about to leave Rachelle tosses him the keys. Mark caught it in his hands and put it in his robe pocket.
Mark walks through the walkway between the tables and to the lift ignoring all the looks he is getting. As the lift was going down Mark draw his hood up above his head. He walks out into the Speeder and opens the door and duck into it. The Speeder has a transparent roof on it. He pulls out the key and put it in the ignition and starts the Speeder.
He then merge into the air traffic and head to the Jedi Temple. He turns the radio on as he lean back in the seat and watches the air traffic lanes. Another good thing about being a Jedi with learning patient is that being in a congested traffic as often seen on Coruscant does not bother you as much as most everyone on the planet would be.
He made it to the Jedi Temple and parked the Speeder among the other Speeders within a hanger of the Jedi Temple. This hanger was usually use for Speeders for the Jedi Order to use while on the planet. Mark got out and hands the keys to a male human who was standing in a booth. He is not a Force Sensitive but an employee of the Jedi Temple. He is a manager of the hanger and also the mechanic. There are a couple managers for each hanger. There job is very easy, their job is to make sure that all the vehicles or ships within their hanger is working and keep track of it.
"So where is Master Hunter?" ask the male as he put the key in a slot on the wall. "With Senator Zane at the restaurant. They are talking." say Mark. "I have been hearing this rumor since I came to the temple today for my shift. You know me, I am not much for rumors, but I heard that you and Master Hunter is dating?" say the male looking at Mark. "News travels fast. Well, do not work to hard." say Mark. "Do not have to worry about that. One of the many reasons I like the nightshift. All I have to do is check the Speeders, hardly anyone leaves during the night." say the male.
Mark nods to this. "You know, you are one smart man, but earning without working for it is boring." say Mark. "So true, that why I have my shifts changed a lot. Well see you later, Master Zane." say the male. Mark nods as he waves goodbye to him. Mark walks out of the hanger. That person began the job in 17 BBY and Mark taught him about working on Speeders so that he could make a little bit more money. A hanger manage does not need to be able to work on Speeders but to make sure that they are operational. If they do not know how, they can call a mechanic that works for the Jedi Temple in.
Mark made his way to his quarters. He presses his thumb to the pad and the door slides open. As he enters the room he tosses his robe onto the couch and over to the sink to grab a drink of cold water.
He walks over to the couch and flips the Holovision on to watch some of the HoloNet News. He leans back in the couch sipping some water while watching the news. He sits there for an hour and half before he begins to doze off. When he was about to fall asleep he felt someone touching his shoulders and kissing his cheek. "I through you say you were tired, Master." say Rachelle. "You called me Master again." yawn Mark slightly. "Sorry, I did not mean to, habit. You got to give me a break it haven't been a whole standard day yet since you told me that I should call you by your name." say Rachelle.
Mark takes her hand is brush his lips against the top. "Highly understandable, old habits die hard." say Mark lightly as he looks up at her. Rachelle sits on the couch and looks at the screen. "Your mother already having visions of our wedding." say Rachelle with a slight of a blush. "Well, I am one of her sons that have yet to get married. Plus, if you asked anyone in the family, they think I am Mom's favorite." say Mark lightly.
"You do not think that is unusually? We just find out about our love, and we do even know what might be happening in the future. As much as I hate to admit it, but we might now worked out and that will break her hopes. Even through that I dream one day to be your wife." say Rachelle blushing a bit.
Mark looks at her with a little smile. She was right about that statement. No one knows what will happen in the future, but he highly doubts that they will fall in love. Through the Force he can sense that her love for him is either as strong as or stronger than his love for her.
"Do not worry about what the future might hold. It is just as dangerous as holding onto the past. You believe so much into what might happen into the future, you forget to live out the present. It is good to have dreams, but they must not overrule your thoughts. It might guide you, but nothing more." say Mark wisely as he takes Rachelle's right hand into his. She was sitting facing him on the couch with her legs crossed.
"Well at least I could still dream." laughs Rachelle. "Everyone has a right to dream about something they want. One of my dreams is to hopefully spend the rest of my life with you." say Mark lightly. Rachelle had a big grin when she hears this. She hugs Mark and gives him a kiss on the lips. After that Mark got up and went to bed.
Rachelle sits with her back against the arm of the couch as she thinks what life would be like if they ever decide to get marry. She already knows that they work perfectly well together.
With a long sigh, Rachelle stands up and walks to her room. She hopes that the dreams she has will come true. There is nothing more she wants to do, but be by her lover's side for the rest of her life. That is the main focus of her dreams, part of those dreams are to also help her lover make the galaxy a better place.