Chapter 32 – Shili part 2

I've seen two reviews about the way I write the dialogue in paragraphs. I've seen how it's done in other stories and I find the way I write things somewhat easier at times both to write and read, but that's just my opinion. I feel like I would copy others too much if I change my writing style.

Nevertheless, I've done things a bit differently in this chapter. I've tried to write a few parts in that other way, with the dialogue split up. I'll just see how this goes. I might keep writing future chapters like that or I might combine both a bit. Larger conversations I might keep in one paragraph. I'll also keep several spoken sentences by two or more people together to avoid short paragraphs. For instance: something that would only be one sentence. I think it looks a bit messy if you have a bunch of loose sentences in a row.

So, basically this paragraph is a bit of an experiment. I'll see what everyone likes better. Note, I won't rewrite my past chapters. I'm going to keep those as they are. In the upcoming chapters however, I'll vary a bit with the writing style.

I don't know, I'll just see how everything goes.

Wanli8970, in the things I've read about the Akul they are always portrayed as vicious and cunning predators. I don't really think that they would let anyone ride on them. Still, I appreciate the suggestion. I might do something with the whole riding thing in another chapter.

I think I've talked enough already, enjoy the chapter.

;-

Ahsoka and Lux had left the royal palace after they had finished Ahsoka's tour. The two of them had gone to one of the main shopping areas of Corvala, to a restaurant Ahsoka's sisters had showed her.

Ahsoka looked around the place. It wasn't the biggest or most expensive place in the city, but the food was great and the servers were nice. Her sisters visited the place frequently and Ahsoka could definitely understand why. She and Lux had just placed their orders and were now waiting for their food.

Lux noticed something as he looked around as well, and what he saw made him a little uncomfortable. "Uhm…Ahsoka?" he asked her. Ahsoka stopped looking around. "Yes Lux?" she asked as she focused her attention on him.

"I'm sure you've noticed, but… There's quite a few people staring at us." Lux replied. Ahsoka sighed and glanced around again. "Yeah, I noticed." She said, a slight tone of annoyance present in her voice.

Lux gave her a slightly questioning look. "Do you know why?" He asked. "I've become quite a well-known figure on Shili." Ahsoka replied. "Because you saved the princess, right?" Lux asked her. Ahsoka nodded. "That is one part. I also managed to prevent a massive accident at a construction site. Ever since that, just about everyone in the city has heard of me." She explained.

Lux was a little amused by her reaction. "People know you as a hero, what's wrong with that?" he asked her. "Nothing really, I don't mind." Ahsoka replied with a smile. "But there are occasionally a bunch of people staring at me and whispering behind my back. That's does tend to get a bit annoying." She continued. "Yeah, I know how that feels." Lux replied with a sigh.

Ahsoka looked at him curiously ."How so?" she asked. "When I first started as the Senator of Onderon in the Republic Senate, I got a lot of weird looks from a bunch of people. It made me very uncomfortable at times." Lux explained.

"Well, that's understandable, considering everything that happened." Ahsoka replied. "But it hasn't been all that bad, right?" she asked. Lux shook his head. "At first it wasn't easy. People didn't trust me because I used to be a Separatist. But I got a lot of support from Padmé and she introduced me to a few other Senators like Bail Organa and Ryo Chuchi. Things got better after that." Lux replied with a smile. "That's good to know." Ahsoka said smiling as well.

Their food was delivered and they thanked the server. "You were right, this place is good." Lux said after trying the food. "I know. My sisters showed me this place when they first showed me around the city and I've stopped by here a few times ever since." Ahsoka replied. "I can understand why." Lux said with a smile and they finished their meal.

;-

After they had finished their meal the two of them headed to a nearby park. The place was full of life and not just with nature. Both Ahsoka and Lux smiled as they saw large groups of children running around the park. Most of the children were Togrutan, but there were other species as well.

Ahsoka chuckled as she and Lux stopped walking to let a couple of children run past. A moment later an older Togruta came up to them, a female with a bronze coloured skin.

The Togruta looked at them with an apologizing smile. "Sorry about that. They are really excited to be out here." She said. "This little field trip was delayed a few weeks and now that it's finally here," the woman took a deep breath before continuing, "we can barely keep them in check. They're just running all over the place. I hope it doesn't bother you." She explained.

Ahsoka couldn't help but smile. She could sense that the woman cared a great deal about these kids. "Don't worry about it." She replied. "I like children so it doesn't really bother me." As she said this the woman's face lit up.

"Well, that's a relief." The woman replied with a sigh. "These kids can be very energetic, but unfortunately not everyone likes that." She explained.

"That's just their loss then." Lux replied with a smile. "I'm glad to see so many children just having a good time. There's too much bad things happening in the galaxy." He said as he thought about Onderon. "People are still worried about being attacked unfortunately. It's good to see these kids just having a good time." He thought with a bit of regret.

The woman smiled at them again. "Yes, you're right." She replied. "Well, I hope that the two of you have a nice time and… Kids! Don't eat that!" she suddenly yelled at the kids a short distance away. "I have to go." She said quickly and walked off.

Ahsoka and Lux looked at each other a moment before laughing. "Come on, let's go over there. That looks like a nice place to sit down." Ahsoka said as she pointed at a nearby tree. Lux nodded in return and they walked towards the tree.

They both sat down and Lux rested his back against the tree. Ahsoka then laid her head on his shoulder and smiled at him. Lux wrapped his arm around her in return. "I can't tell you how glad I am that you and your sister invited me here." He said with a smile.

Ahsoka chuckled. "I'm really glad that you're here as well." She replied with a smile. "Back on Onderon I could sense that you were a tad stressed. So I was pretty sure you would enjoy a little break." She told him.

Lux sighed. "Was it that obvious?" he asked her. Ahsoka flashed a teasing smile and nodded. Lux chuckled as well. "You're right, a little break was just what I needed. I just wished it could've been a bit longer." He said with a hint of regret.

Ahsoka knew what he meant. Lux had gotten a message earlier about some urgent meeting he had to attend. This unfortunately meant that he had to leave tomorrow morning. "Don't worry Lux, I understand." She replied. "You have it very busy right now as a Senator."

"That's an understatement." Lux replied. "But I'm glad that you understand." He continued. "Things on Onderon and in the Senate are quite crazy now and I tend to keep busy. Because of that we don't get to spend a lot of time together." He said with regret in his voice.

Ahsoka sighed. "Lux, don't worry about it." She replied as she played with his hair. "Your duties as a Senator have to take first place. You shouldn't forget about your duties just for me." She told him.

Lux held her a little closer. "I know that. I know how you feel about these things. I'll make sure to act like a good Senator should and provide the best I can for the people of Onderon." He replied with a smile.

Ahsoka smiled back at him. "That's good to know." She said. "I'm sure that you'll be able to do so. The people of Onderon don't have anything to worry about." She added as she gently cupped his face.

Lux leaned in and kissed her forehead, causing Ahsoka to giggle. "I'll do my best for you, I promise." Lux replied in a serious voice. "I know you will." Ahsoka replied as she leaned in and kissed him. Lux didn't hesitate to return the kiss.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying the beauty of the park and the excited children running around. Despite the peaceful setting, there was still something gnawing at Lux' thoughts. Ahsoka could sense that he wanted to ask something of her. "What is it Lux?" she asked him.

Lux looked at her. "Well, I've been meaning to ask…" He began, "have you decided what you want to do yet?" he asked. When they had previously discussed this, Ahsoka hadn't really given him a straight answer.

Ahsoka sighed and looked at the sky. "I'm not really sure yet." She replied. "I've been named an advisor to the Royal family thanks to princess Vashee. I've helped my sisters with a few of their decisions before." Ahsoka explained. "Other than that, I'm mostly busy training with the H'Raani M'Kai and practicing with the Force on my own. But I'm not really sure what I want to do after all that." She told him.

Lux nodded, he could tell that she was still trying to sort several things out. "Looks like we're both still trying to fit in in our new places, huh?" he asked.

Ahsoka thought it over for a moment. "I guess you're right about that." She replied. "It's still somewhat difficult to adjust after…" she paused for a moment. "Well, all of the things that happened." She said as she looked him in the eyes.

Lux smiled and gently rubber her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure it out." He replied. "After all, you're one of the strongest and smartest people I know." He added.

Ahsoka chuckled at his comment. "Thanks Lux, that really helps me out." She replied. "Things are still a little confusing at the moment. I'm getting some weird vibes from the Force too, like something bad might happen soon." She continued.

Lux looked at her with a concerned look in his eyes for a moment. "She told me about another time she had bad feelings from the Force. That was when Padmé was almost killed by Aurra Sing." He thought to himself. "Well, whatever it turns out to be, I'm sure that you can handle it." Lux said.

Ahsoka smiled again. "I'll do what I can, like I always have." She replied. "I know my own strength and I have a lot of powerful friends and connections now, so I suppose that everything should turn out fine." She added as she thought about Zaa and her family and Shaden and his fellow warriors.

"You see," Lux replied with a smile, "I doubt that there's much to worry about." He said. Lux gently cupped her face with his free hand and looked her in the eyes. "When both of our lives settle down some more, I will take you away somewhere." He told her. "We'll go on a nice vacation somewhere beautiful, just you and me. That I promise."

"I'd really like that." Ahsoka replied as she hugged Lux a little closer. Lux hugged her back and the two of them stayed there for a while.

;-

A few hours later

Ahsoka and Lux were both smiling widely as they entered her house. They had just returned from their long day of sightseeing. "Today was great Lux, I had a lot of fun." Ahsoka said as they walked into the living room.

"I had a great time as well." Lux replied. "I've been so occupied with all kinds of paperwork the past weeks that I really needed a break like this. Thank you Ahsoka." He said.

Ahsoka chuckled a bit. "Well, it was my pleasure Lux." She replied. She looked around the living room. Her father was sitting on a chair and she could sense her mother in the kitchen. "Hi dad, we're back." She said to her father.

Haymish smiled at the happy look on his daughter's face. "I see honey. Looks like the two of you had a good time." He replied.

"We sure did." Ahsoka said as she and Lux sat down on the couch together. "The stories I've heard about Shili turned out to be true. This really is an amazing planet." Lux said with a smile. "I'll definitely try to plan a longer visit next time." He added.

"That's good to hear." Haymish replied. "Ahsoka, your mother is working on the dinner right now. She wanted to make something special. Could you go and see if she needs anything?" he asked his daughter.

Ahsoka nodded. "Sure, I'll take a look." She replied. "I already thought that I smelled something good." She added with a smile as she walked into the kitchen.

Haymish turned to Lux. "Lux, do you mind stepping outside with me for a moment? I wanted to talk to you about something." He asked the young Senator.

Lux was a little surprised by the question, but answered nonetheless. "Not at all, sir." He replied. Haymish nodded and got up. Lux followed suit and they both walked into the garden.

Once they were in the garden Haymish turned around to face Lux. The human Senator could tell by the stern look on the Togruta's face that this was going to be a very serious discussion. "What is it you wanted to talk about sir?" He asked politely.

Haymish looked him over for a moment. "I know that my daughter really cares for you, Senator." He began. "But right now, I'm going to play the protective father for a moment." He said in a very serious voice. "I want you to be honest with me. Do you truly care for my daughter, or are you just leading her on?" Haymish asked.

Lux was a little bit taken aback by the question. He sighed before answering. "A few of my old friends might do something like that. One of them once did and I did not speak to him since." Lux admitted. "My father taught me to always treat a women with respect and not do anything shameful that caused them harm." He explained. "I care deeply for your daughter and I would never do anything to harm her again. I made a terrible mistake on Carlacc, but I will never repeat my stupid actions from that time. I love Ahsoka and I will do what I can to make her happy. I would bring shame to my father's memory if I did otherwise." Lux said in an equally serious tone.

Haymish didn't reply for a few seconds. Then he nodded and smiled. "A good answer, just what I was hoping for." He replied. "After everything my daughter's been true, she deserves to be happy with someone like you."

Lux nodded. "Thank you sir. I promise that I will do whatever I can to make sure that she's happy." He promised. "Ahsoka has saved my life multiple times and she has done so much for my homeplanet. I owe her quite a debt and I will definitely repay it." He explained.

Haymish nodded at him. "That is good to know." He sighed. "Ahsoka's been through enough suffering already. She always puts herself at risk." He said sadly, thinking back to the condition she was in after Felucia and the stories she had told her family.

"That's just how she is." Lux replied. Haymish looked at him with a slightly questioning expression. "Ahsoka is very selfless, I learned that when we first met." Lux explained. "She's not afraid to risk her own life to protect others. It worries me greatly whenever she does something reckless in order to protect other people, but I wouldn't want her to change in any way." He admitted with a smile.

Haymish smiled at Lux' statement. "I have to agree with you. I couldn't be more proud of her for doing whatever she can to protect the innocent people around her." He replied. "But still, as her father, I can't help but worry for her safety." Haymish looked Lux in the eyes. "So tell me, do you intend to marry my daughter?" he asked him with a smile.

Once again, Lux was surprised by the question Ahsoka's father asked. He smiled at the Togruta. "Yes, I do, but not yet." He replied. His reply earned him another questioning look. "There is too much going on in my life right now. Because of the war, my duties as a Senator keep me occupied most of the time. I wouldn't be able to be a good husband for her anytime soon." Lux explained. "And besides that, I can tell that Ahsoka still needs time to sort things out for herself. She's obviously still somewhat troubled by everything that happened." Lux said.

Haymish chuckled a bit. "I'm starting to like you more and more, Senator." He replied. "You certainly prove to be a respectable young man." He said with a smile. Lux smiled at the compliment as well, silently very relieved that Ahsoka's father thought well of him.

At this time Ahsoka walked out into the garden. She frowned when she sensed the slightly remaining tension in the air. "Is…something wrong? Dad? Lux?" she asked a little confused, looking between the two men.

Haymish looked at his daughter. "Don't worry dear, everything's fine." He replied casually. "The two of us were just having a little talk." He said. "How is your mother doing?" He then asked.

Ahsoka looked at her father for a moment, sensing that it had been more than a simple 'talk'. "Dinner should be ready by the time Marina and Lilo get back." She replied nonetheless.

Haymish chuckled. "Alright, shall we go back inside then?" he asked the two teenagers. "You're in for a treat. My wife's Akul-meat stew is an old recipe passed down in her family. It's truly extraordinary." He said to Lux as he walked back inside.

Ahsoka walked up to Lux and gave him a questioning look. "Don't worry Ahsoka, everything's fine." Lux said. "We just talked a few things over."

Ahsoka looked at him for a moment. "Alright then." She replied with a sigh. "Come on, let's get back inside." She said. Lux nodded and they both went back inside as well.

;-

The next day

The evening and the following morning had gone by in the blink of an eye. Ahsoka now found herself at one of the landing sites of the palace, about to say goodbye to Lux. "Why can't the good things ever last?" Ahsoka asked herself. The transport ship that was going to bring Lux back to Onderon had just arrived. This truly meant that their time together was over for now.

Ahsoka looked at Lux as he talked to one of the staff that had come along with the ship, a wave of sadness rolling over her. A moment later Lux walked up to her. "Well, I guess this is goodbye." He said with a sigh.

Ahsoka sighed as well and nodded slowly. "I suppose so." She replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Lux smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll meet again." Lux said in a slightly teasing tone. Ahsoka frowned at him as they both thought back to when he said that before. After that they both laughed at his joke.

Ahsoka sighed and wrapped her arms around Lux' neck. "You'd better keep your word." She replied teasingly. Lux chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Don't worry, I will." He said with a smile. "And I will fulfill my promise from yesterday. When things settle down for the both of us, I'll take you on that vacation." He told her with a smile.

Ahsoka smiled when he said this. "I'll be looking forward to it." She replied with a hint of excitement in her voice. "I'm sure it will be great."

One of Lux' assistants called to him that it was time to depart. "Alright, I understand." He replied. Then he turned his attention back to Ahsoka. "It was wonderful to see you again Ahsoka and it was great to meet the rest of your family." He said.

"It was great to see you as well Lux." Ahsoka replied. "Take care of yourself." She leaned in and kissed him. Lux returned the kiss without hesitation. A few seconds later they broke the kiss and let each other go. After that Lux turned around and started walking towards the ship.

When Lux reached the top of the ship's ramp he turned around and waved to Ahsoka. She smiled and waved back. Lux then entered the ship and the ramp closed up. A few minutes later the ship took off and left Shili.

Ahsoka looked after the ship for a moment before turning around as well and headed back to her mother who was waiting with the speeder.

;-

That's it for this chapter.

I have a bit of mixed feelings about how this chapter turned out. I didn't have that much inspiration for it and I've been busy with school so I couldn't really think a lot about the story. Still, I think it's alright.

Starting from the next chapter, we'll enter a new 'arc'. The next chapters are all linked together, but I'm not going to spoil what will happen.

On the downside, I have a couple of tests coming up and the amount of studying I have to do is quite ridiculous. I strongly doubt if I have any time to write. I expect to be updating either this story or Mysterious Ways in about two to three weeks.

Until next time.