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Lindoro spent the next hour and a half meditating while waiting for Menaria's return. While sitting in his room on the floor, his mind tumbled through the day's events including the conversation with Delak.
'He thinks we are meant for each other as well. I did feel it through the Force. It did guide me to her. It has never failed me before. Why am I doubting it? Am I doubting the Force...or myself? I know I should not doubt what I felt or what I am still feeling.' He sighed as he pulled his legs up to his chest and encircled his arms around them. Laying his head upon his knees he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift.
Menaria found him in this position when she finally made it back to their quarters.
"Master?" She called out into the darken room. Lindoro had not turned on the light and it was barely lit by the lights from outside the window.
"I am here Menaria. Just meditating." Lindoro said absently as he glanced up to find her looking down at him.
She knelt beside him and eyed his face. The shadows from the room gave his face a ghastly look. He had the shades drawn to allow what light from outside to shine inside.
"Are you all right? We can meditate here if you like. That is since you are already comfy and such." Menaria said with a little humor.
"That would be nice. If you don't mind.." Lindoro's voice was still sullen.
Menaria smiled once more as she risked the next words. "Only if you don't mope. You do know that it makes you look twice your age, Master. You almost have as many wrinkles as Master Yoda."
Lindoro's eyes focused, immediately causing the dullness to brighten. "Menaria!" He gasped out, but her mischievous expression was just too much and he cracked a smile.
"Now that's better!" She grinned widely at her success.
Lindoro put an arm around her and drew her closer to his side. "You are too good for me."
"Nah, not really Master. We are meant to be together. I sense that now. You were right about what you said the other day. The Force brought us together. You to teach me..." Her eyes twinkled with mischief once more. "...and I'm to keep you from being a grumpy Master." She snickered as he playfully pushed her away some.
"Me grumpy! Now see here!" He chuckled with her as he took in a deep breath and slowly released it. 'Yes, she is good for me. She reminds me of who I should be...myself.'
"Well then let's meditate. Tomorrow I take it you will be busy with your friends in making these banners?"
"Yes, Master. If that will be ok. We have some ideas and it will probably take most of the morning if not all of it. Will that be all right with you?" She asked as she sat back down in a comfortable position to meditate in. "I know you have lunch set up with the Senator. I'll await your return to do the katas."
"Yes, I don't mind you doing the banners with your friends. I'll just spend some time either in the Room of the Thousand Fountains or in the Temple Archives. I'm not sure how long Senator Palpatine has planned for lunch, but I will return when I can."
Menaria smiled and then took on a thoughtful look. "How is he? He sounds quite interesting."
"He seems to be so far. I can't really say until I get to know him better. I will give him a chance. I usually don't associate with politicians...that is unless I'm forced to." He smirked slightly causing Menaria to chuckle.
"I don't think there are too many Jedi who does like to associate with them." Menaria commented.
"Well Padawan, your Grand Master, my Master, does and on a regular basis at that. He has numerous senatorial friends."
"I can't wait to meet him! I... I hope he won't be disappointed in me?" Menaria asked.
"No, he's already impressed that you were able to rein me in to begin with." Lindoro chuckled at that.
Menaria sighed with relief. "Great! We three can spend time together once he returns...well that is once your two spend time together first. You haven't been able to be with him or visit him in such a long time." She said as she remembered the fact at the last moment.
Lindoro's expression softened at her consideration. "Thank you Menaria. We will appreciate that, wholeheartedly."
The two then meditated for a while. Once done the two decided to call it a night.
"Goodnight Master!" Menaria called out after she finished up in the refresher then headed for her room.
"Goodnight Menaria, sleep well." He said to her as he took his turn in the refresher. Once done, he went back into his room and stripped down. Climbing into his bed, he pushed the troubled thoughts that threaten to invade his calm and happy moment. 'Not now...and hopefully not ever again.'
Sleep was slow in coming for the weary Knight, but finally he was able to relax enough to fall into the embrace of the welcoming darkness. 'At least here nothing can bother me...'
Menaria easily fell into a blissful sleep. Dreams came and went for the young Padawan. Only a few seem to stand out more than the others. One was dealing with the celebrations for next week and the other dealt with a man she had never met before but looked vaguely familiar.
It was turning out to be more than just a dream, the latter one. She and her Master was on a planet with another man she did not know. "You are the turning point for him...you know that don't you?" A voice said from somewhere, a voice that sounded familiar but not quite familiar.
Then she was overlooking a river while standing on a bridge.
The next instant, she felt a slight sting on her neck and reached up to find a dart of some sort. Pulling it out, she turned to see where it had come from.
A man that she had never met, but looked vaguely familiar stood standing there with a small blowgun. A smirk was on his clean-shaven face. The man stood just a little taller than her. His golden blond hair rose and fell off his shoulders in the cool breeze of the night. His one green eye shimmered brightly and held an unreadable expression. The other had a patch over it. It appeared that the scar that ran down from the right eye to his jaw line was the reason for the patch.
"Well, well, a Padawan..." and that was all she heard as the darkness took her and she fell into the man's arms.
A scream woke Lindoro from his deep dreamless slumber. Fumbling out of bed his feet got tangled in the sheets, he landed hard on the floor. "Umpf!" He got up totally forgetting that he was only clothed in his undershorts.
Running to his Padawan's room he turned the lighting on it's lowest setting. He hastened to her bedside and saw her in the middle of the bed thrashing about. 'A nightmare...' He sat on the edge of the bed and took her shoulders in his hands.
"Menaria, easy, shhhh it's only a dream." He said quietly as he gently shook her.
"Noooo! Noooo!" She called out as she tossed her head left and right. Sweet mingled with her hair causing multiple strands to stick to her forehead and over her eyes.
Lindoro lifted her up from the bed and pulled her into an embrace. Pushing her dampen bangs aside.
Menaria!He said sternly as he tried to reach her through their bond. He felt fear and confusion coming from her end.
Menaria slowly open her eyes gasping wildly. "M..M..Master?" Her green eyes were blurry as she tried to look upon the Knight's worried face.
"Are you all right? That must have been some dream, Padawan." He smiled down at her. Though he was still concerned, he tried to be calm about it.
"Yeah...I'm fine Master. Thanks. It was just a dream...though it felt so real. I don't like those types. Especially the bad ones." She mumbled the latter part and only after that did she realize that Lindoro was still holding her against him. He had no clothes on except his underwear. His warmth seeped through her night shirt and she could feel his muscles as well. Gulping, her face turned to a deep crimson in color as she stared at his broad smooth chest. The dimness of the light provided more than enough view of his hairless deeply tanned skin.
Lindoro chuckled at her grumbling. His eyebrows knitted with confusion as he watched her turn red. And then it also dawned on him. "Umm sorry. I was just reacting and didn't think to grab anything to put on. I didn't know what had happen." He stuttered as he laid her back down on the bed and tried to cover her up with the sheets, but he got one of her legs caught up in them. "Umm I'm going to let you handle that. Goodnight." He hurried out of the room and nearly ran back to his own.
Closing the door behind him a chuckle escaped from his mouth as he climbed back into his own bed. 'Guess I should start sleeping with pants for now on.' He chuckled some more and drifted off to sleep again.
Menaria watched her fleeing Master. After hearing his door close, she finally took a well-needed breath. 'Good grief! I'm a sad sight! Jeez...' She giggled at her Master's own reaction. 'Well at least I'm not the only one still having to get used to our arrangement.' She giggled some more as she straighten out her sheets and curled underneath them. Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep; the nightmare was forgotten.
Morning came and went as Menaria planned and worked the banners with her friends.
Lindoro spent most of the morning in the Room of the Thousand Fountains under the largest tree there in the immense room.
His thoughts were unsettled as he once more found himself replaying the meeting with the Council and with his friend. 'I do hope things go well with Delak. I am sure it will. His assignment didn't seem all that difficult.' He sighed as he relaxed on his knees. Within an hour he had drifted into a deep trance.
Several hours later, voices drew him out of his reverie. He glanced through some of the bushes that encircled the large tree. Lindoro was hidden in their great growth of foliage. A Padawan and two initiates were walking down the pathway along side of the bushes discussing something heatedly. He listened in as they walked by.
"I still say he's fallen to the Dark Side. The Council just keeps him here so they can keep an eye on him. He's too dangerous to turn over to the Senate." The Zabrak Padawan stated as he fingered his braid thoughtfully and looked at his friends.
The human female initiate who looked around nine or ten off to his left shook her head. "He can't have fallen, think about it. The Council has allowed him to take a apprentice."
The other initiate, a human male around ten nodded in agreement. "Yeah Zalan, they wouldn't have allowed that to have happen."
The Zabrak looked haughtily at his friends. "Well you don't know what happen yesterday do you?" As his friends shook their heads, he smirked. "He supposedly attacked a Padawan right in front of the Council Room's doorway!" He said briskly but not to loudly.
Lindoro flinched at those words. Whatever else was said could not be heard as the trio had passed further down the pathway.
'Great! Another rumor to be exaggerated and to be spread throughout the temple.' Sighing, Lindoro got up from his kneeling position and headed out of the room. His obvious relaxed mood shot by the Padawan's words.
Checking his chrono, he realized he had just enough time to go and check out a speeder to head over to the Senatorial building. Heading down to the platform, he thought about the upcoming lunch with Senator Palpatine. 'I will see how it goes. If things seem to feel right...maybe I can talk to him.'
Knight Stani received the datapad back from Lindoro and waved to the taller Jedi. Lindoro waved back as he walked to his assign speeder. Hopping in, he took off and joined the line of traffic heading to the Senatorial building.
Concentrating on the Force, Lindoro did not pick up on any 'follower' this time. 'Maybe Master Yoda was able to convince the other Council members...' Lindoro hoped as he followed the flow of traffic.
A new sensation filled him... Freedom. As he traveled with the others to his destination, he drank in the new feeling. 'If they have taken off my trailer... then maybe they do trust me!'
He whistled a merry tune as he found an open place and parked. As he entered the building, the familiar tug from the Force drew his attention from behind him. Turning around he spotted Knight Ris walking up the grand steps. His happy mood evaporated as disappointment and anger replaced the feeling. 'Damn them' He cursed under his breath and headed toward the first open turbolift that would take him to the 100th floor. 'I should have known...stupid of me to even think that they would have trusted me!'
He came off the turbolift in a huff and nearly ran over several senate aids. He mumbled an apology and proceeded to the office of Senator Palpatine.
Once there, he took in the beauty of the room. The set up was similar to the Alderaanian Senator's office; statues and pictures on the walls. The only difference was that the room had several different plants arranged in the center of the waiting area.
"Can I help you?" An elderly woman said from a desk aligned against the far- left wall. Her silvery hair was done in a bun. She stood up to meet the Jedi, who in return bowed the traditional greeting. The woman was dressed in a pale silvery shimmering green gown with full flowing sleeves.
"I am Jedi Knight Lindoro D'Lockens. I have a one o'clock meeting with Senator Palpatine." Lindoro stated smiling warmly in response of her cheerfulness that she exhibited.
"Ah yes, he is expecting you. I am Sherina Louis. He is finalizing some paperwork and it will be only a few more minutes. Please, take a seat and as soon as he is done I will let you know." Her dark brown eyes reflected the smile that played on her lips. "We hardly have Jedi come visiting. It is always a pleasure to meet one of you from the Order. I hear it is a hard life that is being a Jedi." She said as she retook her seat and eyed the Knight.
Lindoro smiled back and took a seat on one of the multiple chairs in the room. He took the one closest to the aide's desk to continue their polite discussion.
"Yes, ma'am. It is a hard life but honorable. I have enjoyed my life as a Jedi." Though he said it calmly and with a serene outlook, inside his stomach clinched at the somewhat lie. 'Right now I am not...' He then nearly did a double take on his own thought as Menaria's face flashed before him. 'That isn't true and you know it...maybe what had happen these past 6 years were bad but not right now. You have a Padawan and you know you are enjoying the time with her.' His thoughts battled as his eyes dimmed slightly.
"Ah a man dedicated to his work! How so similar you are to Senator Palpatine. That man has spent time after time divulged in his work. Hardly ever takes any time off. Poor man..." She smiled sadly as she shook her head. "Hopefully one of these days he'll take a vacation."
Before Lindoro could comment, her desk beeped an incoming call. "Excuse me a moment." She then took the call. Lindoro could here her say 'yes' and then 'no' then 'right away I'll let him know' as she ended the call. "I have to go and pick up a file for the Senator. He said he'd be right out in a few minutes to get you. I'll be right back. Oh the caterer will be here shortly as well." Sherina then smiled and left the room.
Lindoro immediately got up from the couch and paced over to examine the multiple pictures on the walls. Several he recognized from Naboo. He smiled as he recognized the famous waterfall. He reached out and gently touched the scene. 'Soon Master, soon we'll be together again.' He thought as his smile widen.
After a few moments he then walked over to the small window that showed the several layers of Coruscant's traffic. He unconsciously started chewing on his left mustache as he thought about the lunch with Palpatine. Putting his hands inside the sleeves of his robe, he waited patiently. 'Why am I nervous? He's just a Senator...' He felt a strange feeling filter through him as he realized that he wanted to make a good impression to the Naboo Senator. 'Why? He isn't nothing special...' He thought, but another thought shifted through his mind. 'He could be. He could be the one to help alleviate these feelings, the only one I can talk too'.
He chewed harder on the mustache as he fingered the inside of his robe's sleeve. 'I shouldn't hold onto much hope...lately all my hopes have been dashed away like a wampa does his prey.' He sighed and lowered his head slightly, still chewing on his mustache.
Lindoro spent the next hour and a half meditating while waiting for Menaria's return. While sitting in his room on the floor, his mind tumbled through the day's events including the conversation with Delak.
'He thinks we are meant for each other as well. I did feel it through the Force. It did guide me to her. It has never failed me before. Why am I doubting it? Am I doubting the Force...or myself? I know I should not doubt what I felt or what I am still feeling.' He sighed as he pulled his legs up to his chest and encircled his arms around them. Laying his head upon his knees he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift.
Menaria found him in this position when she finally made it back to their quarters.
"Master?" She called out into the darken room. Lindoro had not turned on the light and it was barely lit by the lights from outside the window.
"I am here Menaria. Just meditating." Lindoro said absently as he glanced up to find her looking down at him.
She knelt beside him and eyed his face. The shadows from the room gave his face a ghastly look. He had the shades drawn to allow what light from outside to shine inside.
"Are you all right? We can meditate here if you like. That is since you are already comfy and such." Menaria said with a little humor.
"That would be nice. If you don't mind.." Lindoro's voice was still sullen.
Menaria smiled once more as she risked the next words. "Only if you don't mope. You do know that it makes you look twice your age, Master. You almost have as many wrinkles as Master Yoda."
Lindoro's eyes focused, immediately causing the dullness to brighten. "Menaria!" He gasped out, but her mischievous expression was just too much and he cracked a smile.
"Now that's better!" She grinned widely at her success.
Lindoro put an arm around her and drew her closer to his side. "You are too good for me."
"Nah, not really Master. We are meant to be together. I sense that now. You were right about what you said the other day. The Force brought us together. You to teach me..." Her eyes twinkled with mischief once more. "...and I'm to keep you from being a grumpy Master." She snickered as he playfully pushed her away some.
"Me grumpy! Now see here!" He chuckled with her as he took in a deep breath and slowly released it. 'Yes, she is good for me. She reminds me of who I should be...myself.'
"Well then let's meditate. Tomorrow I take it you will be busy with your friends in making these banners?"
"Yes, Master. If that will be ok. We have some ideas and it will probably take most of the morning if not all of it. Will that be all right with you?" She asked as she sat back down in a comfortable position to meditate in. "I know you have lunch set up with the Senator. I'll await your return to do the katas."
"Yes, I don't mind you doing the banners with your friends. I'll just spend some time either in the Room of the Thousand Fountains or in the Temple Archives. I'm not sure how long Senator Palpatine has planned for lunch, but I will return when I can."
Menaria smiled and then took on a thoughtful look. "How is he? He sounds quite interesting."
"He seems to be so far. I can't really say until I get to know him better. I will give him a chance. I usually don't associate with politicians...that is unless I'm forced to." He smirked slightly causing Menaria to chuckle.
"I don't think there are too many Jedi who does like to associate with them." Menaria commented.
"Well Padawan, your Grand Master, my Master, does and on a regular basis at that. He has numerous senatorial friends."
"I can't wait to meet him! I... I hope he won't be disappointed in me?" Menaria asked.
"No, he's already impressed that you were able to rein me in to begin with." Lindoro chuckled at that.
Menaria sighed with relief. "Great! We three can spend time together once he returns...well that is once your two spend time together first. You haven't been able to be with him or visit him in such a long time." She said as she remembered the fact at the last moment.
Lindoro's expression softened at her consideration. "Thank you Menaria. We will appreciate that, wholeheartedly."
The two then meditated for a while. Once done the two decided to call it a night.
"Goodnight Master!" Menaria called out after she finished up in the refresher then headed for her room.
"Goodnight Menaria, sleep well." He said to her as he took his turn in the refresher. Once done, he went back into his room and stripped down. Climbing into his bed, he pushed the troubled thoughts that threaten to invade his calm and happy moment. 'Not now...and hopefully not ever again.'
Sleep was slow in coming for the weary Knight, but finally he was able to relax enough to fall into the embrace of the welcoming darkness. 'At least here nothing can bother me...'
Menaria easily fell into a blissful sleep. Dreams came and went for the young Padawan. Only a few seem to stand out more than the others. One was dealing with the celebrations for next week and the other dealt with a man she had never met before but looked vaguely familiar.
It was turning out to be more than just a dream, the latter one. She and her Master was on a planet with another man she did not know. "You are the turning point for him...you know that don't you?" A voice said from somewhere, a voice that sounded familiar but not quite familiar.
Then she was overlooking a river while standing on a bridge.
The next instant, she felt a slight sting on her neck and reached up to find a dart of some sort. Pulling it out, she turned to see where it had come from.
A man that she had never met, but looked vaguely familiar stood standing there with a small blowgun. A smirk was on his clean-shaven face. The man stood just a little taller than her. His golden blond hair rose and fell off his shoulders in the cool breeze of the night. His one green eye shimmered brightly and held an unreadable expression. The other had a patch over it. It appeared that the scar that ran down from the right eye to his jaw line was the reason for the patch.
"Well, well, a Padawan..." and that was all she heard as the darkness took her and she fell into the man's arms.
A scream woke Lindoro from his deep dreamless slumber. Fumbling out of bed his feet got tangled in the sheets, he landed hard on the floor. "Umpf!" He got up totally forgetting that he was only clothed in his undershorts.
Running to his Padawan's room he turned the lighting on it's lowest setting. He hastened to her bedside and saw her in the middle of the bed thrashing about. 'A nightmare...' He sat on the edge of the bed and took her shoulders in his hands.
"Menaria, easy, shhhh it's only a dream." He said quietly as he gently shook her.
"Noooo! Noooo!" She called out as she tossed her head left and right. Sweet mingled with her hair causing multiple strands to stick to her forehead and over her eyes.
Lindoro lifted her up from the bed and pulled her into an embrace. Pushing her dampen bangs aside.
Menaria!He said sternly as he tried to reach her through their bond. He felt fear and confusion coming from her end.
Menaria slowly open her eyes gasping wildly. "M..M..Master?" Her green eyes were blurry as she tried to look upon the Knight's worried face.
"Are you all right? That must have been some dream, Padawan." He smiled down at her. Though he was still concerned, he tried to be calm about it.
"Yeah...I'm fine Master. Thanks. It was just a dream...though it felt so real. I don't like those types. Especially the bad ones." She mumbled the latter part and only after that did she realize that Lindoro was still holding her against him. He had no clothes on except his underwear. His warmth seeped through her night shirt and she could feel his muscles as well. Gulping, her face turned to a deep crimson in color as she stared at his broad smooth chest. The dimness of the light provided more than enough view of his hairless deeply tanned skin.
Lindoro chuckled at her grumbling. His eyebrows knitted with confusion as he watched her turn red. And then it also dawned on him. "Umm sorry. I was just reacting and didn't think to grab anything to put on. I didn't know what had happen." He stuttered as he laid her back down on the bed and tried to cover her up with the sheets, but he got one of her legs caught up in them. "Umm I'm going to let you handle that. Goodnight." He hurried out of the room and nearly ran back to his own.
Closing the door behind him a chuckle escaped from his mouth as he climbed back into his own bed. 'Guess I should start sleeping with pants for now on.' He chuckled some more and drifted off to sleep again.
Menaria watched her fleeing Master. After hearing his door close, she finally took a well-needed breath. 'Good grief! I'm a sad sight! Jeez...' She giggled at her Master's own reaction. 'Well at least I'm not the only one still having to get used to our arrangement.' She giggled some more as she straighten out her sheets and curled underneath them. Closing her eyes she drifted off to sleep; the nightmare was forgotten.
Morning came and went as Menaria planned and worked the banners with her friends.
Lindoro spent most of the morning in the Room of the Thousand Fountains under the largest tree there in the immense room.
His thoughts were unsettled as he once more found himself replaying the meeting with the Council and with his friend. 'I do hope things go well with Delak. I am sure it will. His assignment didn't seem all that difficult.' He sighed as he relaxed on his knees. Within an hour he had drifted into a deep trance.
Several hours later, voices drew him out of his reverie. He glanced through some of the bushes that encircled the large tree. Lindoro was hidden in their great growth of foliage. A Padawan and two initiates were walking down the pathway along side of the bushes discussing something heatedly. He listened in as they walked by.
"I still say he's fallen to the Dark Side. The Council just keeps him here so they can keep an eye on him. He's too dangerous to turn over to the Senate." The Zabrak Padawan stated as he fingered his braid thoughtfully and looked at his friends.
The human female initiate who looked around nine or ten off to his left shook her head. "He can't have fallen, think about it. The Council has allowed him to take a apprentice."
The other initiate, a human male around ten nodded in agreement. "Yeah Zalan, they wouldn't have allowed that to have happen."
The Zabrak looked haughtily at his friends. "Well you don't know what happen yesterday do you?" As his friends shook their heads, he smirked. "He supposedly attacked a Padawan right in front of the Council Room's doorway!" He said briskly but not to loudly.
Lindoro flinched at those words. Whatever else was said could not be heard as the trio had passed further down the pathway.
'Great! Another rumor to be exaggerated and to be spread throughout the temple.' Sighing, Lindoro got up from his kneeling position and headed out of the room. His obvious relaxed mood shot by the Padawan's words.
Checking his chrono, he realized he had just enough time to go and check out a speeder to head over to the Senatorial building. Heading down to the platform, he thought about the upcoming lunch with Senator Palpatine. 'I will see how it goes. If things seem to feel right...maybe I can talk to him.'
Knight Stani received the datapad back from Lindoro and waved to the taller Jedi. Lindoro waved back as he walked to his assign speeder. Hopping in, he took off and joined the line of traffic heading to the Senatorial building.
Concentrating on the Force, Lindoro did not pick up on any 'follower' this time. 'Maybe Master Yoda was able to convince the other Council members...' Lindoro hoped as he followed the flow of traffic.
A new sensation filled him... Freedom. As he traveled with the others to his destination, he drank in the new feeling. 'If they have taken off my trailer... then maybe they do trust me!'
He whistled a merry tune as he found an open place and parked. As he entered the building, the familiar tug from the Force drew his attention from behind him. Turning around he spotted Knight Ris walking up the grand steps. His happy mood evaporated as disappointment and anger replaced the feeling. 'Damn them' He cursed under his breath and headed toward the first open turbolift that would take him to the 100th floor. 'I should have known...stupid of me to even think that they would have trusted me!'
He came off the turbolift in a huff and nearly ran over several senate aids. He mumbled an apology and proceeded to the office of Senator Palpatine.
Once there, he took in the beauty of the room. The set up was similar to the Alderaanian Senator's office; statues and pictures on the walls. The only difference was that the room had several different plants arranged in the center of the waiting area.
"Can I help you?" An elderly woman said from a desk aligned against the far- left wall. Her silvery hair was done in a bun. She stood up to meet the Jedi, who in return bowed the traditional greeting. The woman was dressed in a pale silvery shimmering green gown with full flowing sleeves.
"I am Jedi Knight Lindoro D'Lockens. I have a one o'clock meeting with Senator Palpatine." Lindoro stated smiling warmly in response of her cheerfulness that she exhibited.
"Ah yes, he is expecting you. I am Sherina Louis. He is finalizing some paperwork and it will be only a few more minutes. Please, take a seat and as soon as he is done I will let you know." Her dark brown eyes reflected the smile that played on her lips. "We hardly have Jedi come visiting. It is always a pleasure to meet one of you from the Order. I hear it is a hard life that is being a Jedi." She said as she retook her seat and eyed the Knight.
Lindoro smiled back and took a seat on one of the multiple chairs in the room. He took the one closest to the aide's desk to continue their polite discussion.
"Yes, ma'am. It is a hard life but honorable. I have enjoyed my life as a Jedi." Though he said it calmly and with a serene outlook, inside his stomach clinched at the somewhat lie. 'Right now I am not...' He then nearly did a double take on his own thought as Menaria's face flashed before him. 'That isn't true and you know it...maybe what had happen these past 6 years were bad but not right now. You have a Padawan and you know you are enjoying the time with her.' His thoughts battled as his eyes dimmed slightly.
"Ah a man dedicated to his work! How so similar you are to Senator Palpatine. That man has spent time after time divulged in his work. Hardly ever takes any time off. Poor man..." She smiled sadly as she shook her head. "Hopefully one of these days he'll take a vacation."
Before Lindoro could comment, her desk beeped an incoming call. "Excuse me a moment." She then took the call. Lindoro could here her say 'yes' and then 'no' then 'right away I'll let him know' as she ended the call. "I have to go and pick up a file for the Senator. He said he'd be right out in a few minutes to get you. I'll be right back. Oh the caterer will be here shortly as well." Sherina then smiled and left the room.
Lindoro immediately got up from the couch and paced over to examine the multiple pictures on the walls. Several he recognized from Naboo. He smiled as he recognized the famous waterfall. He reached out and gently touched the scene. 'Soon Master, soon we'll be together again.' He thought as his smile widen.
After a few moments he then walked over to the small window that showed the several layers of Coruscant's traffic. He unconsciously started chewing on his left mustache as he thought about the lunch with Palpatine. Putting his hands inside the sleeves of his robe, he waited patiently. 'Why am I nervous? He's just a Senator...' He felt a strange feeling filter through him as he realized that he wanted to make a good impression to the Naboo Senator. 'Why? He isn't nothing special...' He thought, but another thought shifted through his mind. 'He could be. He could be the one to help alleviate these feelings, the only one I can talk too'.
He chewed harder on the mustache as he fingered the inside of his robe's sleeve. 'I shouldn't hold onto much hope...lately all my hopes have been dashed away like a wampa does his prey.' He sighed and lowered his head slightly, still chewing on his mustache.