Him

Mas was always the extroverted type, especially with their female counter parts. Palpatine wasn't eligible for his own Jedi "companion", but somehow his best friend was lucky enough to get Marilla. What was it about her that made him so… crazy?

"Hello." She leaned in courtesy.

"Marilla, huh?" Mas said extending his hand, this was to him one of the best parts of being a finalist, having your own kind of servant.

"Yes." She took the hand shaking it.

"This is my friend Palpatine," Mas patted Palpatine on the shoulder "you'll eventually be serving us both, if needed." He chuckled.

"Yes, we've met." Marilla smiled. Palpatine felt his blood rushing up to his cheeks. "What would you like me to do first Master Mas?"

"Master?" Mas laughed once more. "All right… I guess my room needs some cleaning."

"What?" Palpatine rushed to protest. "That's not her job." He recalled the night before. That was her job, sort of.

"It's all right. I'll do it. Just make sure you keep it clean afterwards."

"Okay." Mas said as Marilla exited the room rushing up to his messy place upstairs. "Palpatine!" he said indignant. "You'll get your own Jedi soon enough."

Palpatine grinned, while turning to see Marilla up the stairs talking to some of her fellow Jedi friends, laughing. What a beautiful laugh.

Palpatine's first class of the new year was Naboo's History of Politics. This was a class Palpatine was looking forward to, anything that mentioned power and the Senate, was indeed something he was interested in. Classes such as Galactic Economy or Language Mastery 101, which he had failed once before, were not on his pocket of dedication. Heading to class after breakfast he looked for Mas, but there was no sign of him.

He learned about explorer Kwilaan, who discovered Naboo a long time ago when on a mission for the Republic. The worst part of the class was the inevitable talk of the Gungans and their political relations with the humans of Naboo. Palpatine found these creatures disgusting and one of the main reasons why Naboo wasn't a more developed planet. He told his professor, of his view, but the old man just shrugged and continued on with the class. No one ever listened to him, everybody in TU just saw him as a troublesome boy.

He exited class and went straight to the back garden of the main building. There he found some piece to sit down and draw something. Palpatine loved to be alone, as much as Mas was the fun company he craved for, alone was better. He could focus on his future, hopes and dreams and think about what a busy day wouldn't let him do. To support his thoughtful spirit he would often draw. Usually he would mimic the clouds, or draw planets, but what he really liked to do ware modern designs of new weapons. Not just small laser guns or shooting darts, but actual big explosive things.

"Hey!" he looked behind him. Where Marilla stood holding a few archive books. "Have you seen Master Mas? He asked me to pick up some of these at the library but I can't find him."

There was no explanation for Palpatine's lack of words at that moment. "Huh… I… Haven't. No."

"Oh well… I guess I'll just wait for him in the classroom."

"Huh… That's okay, I can keep them." He volunteered.

"Oh no! It's my duty! I'll do it!" she said smiling.

"But I'm guessing you have to go and write thank you notes for all his holiday girlfriends, so… that's a lot of work just for the day."

"How do you know?" Marilla squinted her eyes.

Mas used to write notes for all these different females he met during his school break. They all stated the same thing "Dear Shadu/Tanyah/Blakey/Lindah/etc…, We spent some serious time together, and I could have never asked for a better week. It so happens, I've been called to attend a decade long mission in Endor where I'll be able to assist defenseless and hungry ewoks. I shall never forget your beautiful eye(s). Please accept this written apology, I know it's not enough to compensate for lost times, but just know that I love you. Yours Truly, Mas."

"I've been there last year, I did them in exchange for a semester of Basic Gungan Dialects homework. There's something about girls and ewoks you know…" Palpatine said.

Marilla laughed at that. "You're very funny, Palpatine!"

He chuckled "Oh, I doubt that."

She sat down next to him. "I guess I'll just rest for a moment. I mean, Mas is probably getting to now the new students." They both laughed. She put the books down next to them. "What are you doing?" She asked looking at a blank paper in front of him; a circle had been drawn onto it.

"Just something I like to do." He said quickly shoving it into his bag.

"Can I see some more?"

This surprised him, why would she ever want to see his drawings.

"I don't have them here."

"Why do I feel like your lying to me?" She bumped him with her left lekku. He stared at it, fascinated. "You can touch it if you want." She said smiling.

"Oh no, that would be - "

"Weird, it's okay. Kids are always asking if they can feel them in the Academy. I'm used to it. A girl even made her hair look like my lekku one time. It was strange but secretly very funny." She giggled.

He pulled his hand away from the grass and touched her purplish lekku. It was soft and warm, and beautiful. There was a pulse running through them, it was her blood and her heart making themselves noticeable through the different parts of her body.

"I think you own me some of your drawings, now." Marilla said winking.

He looked down at his hands and the dirt and grass under them. He went for his bag and took out some random papers. Palpatine immediately regretted it once she picked them up. He had never showed them to anyone, much less an almost stranger.

"Wow! These are really good." She shuffled through some plans of ships and their shooting cannons. She reaches a drawing in blue paper where there's a circle like in the paper before, but this one is painted in greyish and red tones. "What is it?"

Palpatine leaned in to see it.

"Oh… It's a moon."

"Which one?" she asked analyzing the drawing.

"I think it's the second moon of Naboo."

"Did you do it?" her eyes were fixed of the paper.

"Yes…" he said blushing.

"It's beautiful, and it's so simple. You know what I've always wondered?"

Marilla stared at Palpatine, her eyes shining in excitement.

"What if a moon fell on us? Would there be a black hole like when a star dies? I mean, what is there inside the moon? Is it like a planet? For all we know it could be a weapon to all of us… It's just so fascinating…" She looked down to the drawing once more. "I've never been to a moon before."

There was a moment of silence between them. Palpatine thought about her words. A moon… it could be anything, really.

"Can you teach me?"

"What?" he asked pulling away from his trance.

"To draw?"

He looked at her, his heart pounding.

"I guess…"

"Great! We could do it at night, unless you're too busy of course."

"No it's fine." He said.

A bell rang coming from the main building.

"Oh, I have to go. Mas needs these." She picked up the books.

"Wait," he called still siting. "if I teach you to draw could you please tell more me about the Jedi?" More than fascinated by a Togruta, Palpatine was fascinated by the Jedi and the so called Force. This was his chance to learn some more.

"Sure! See you tonight by the Lasay Lake?"

Lasay Lake was a beautiful place of nature a few minutes from campus. Palpatine didn't go there that often. It must be closer to the Jedi's new place. "All right." He smiled.

"It's a date!" she leaned in, like she usually did, and ran towards the building behind them.