Authoress' Note: Of course, I do not own Star Wars, or the characters who actually show up in SWTOR. I do, however, own all OCs.
"There's so many people, Master!" Lutha exclaimed, peering out of the viewport of the starliner that was descending through the atmosphere of Coruscant. Her wide eyes took in the sheer number of buildings on the capital system of the Republic, while her Force connection indicated the massive amount of life on the planet's surface.
He nodded. "It can be overwhelming for a while - all that life and noise. But you get used to it and then the quiet of Tython seems odd."
Lutha pressed her nose against the transparisteel, straining to see more. She could not imagine ever getting used to this mass of movement. So many species and languages, all straining to be seen or heard, all fighting to rise to the top, like a mass of dogs tussling over a carcass, was both fascinating and frightening.
The public transport they were on glided swiftly up towards a massive round domed building made out of stone the color of the setting sun. Lutha easily recognized it from holo-pictures - the Senate building of the Republic - but she had never realized just how vast the place was. Every representative from every planet and their families and entourages could be housed inside the massive structure and there would still be room to spare. A thrill went down her spine as she felt her master in the Force, a calm point in all this chaos.
"Ready to disembark?" he asked, smiling.
"I guess exploring isn't encouraged?" she replied, looking wistfully in the direction of the ruined Jedi Temple.
Eronno shook his head. "No, Lutha. Not there. You're not ready yet. Too many street gangs... and bad memories."
"Were you there, Master?" she asked quietly.
He shook his head. "I felt it, though. A scream through the Force, a ripple of pain. So many died... Friends of mine. And yours, I think."
She nodded. There is peace, there is peace.
"Come on; I want Emil to meet you," he told her, standing up as the transport stopped.
A female voice over the speaker system announced they had docked at the Senate district and the starliner passengers should disembark. A moment later, she repeated the announcement in Huttese. As the two Jedi picked up their travel cases - only one each - Lutha tugged her tunic into place once again. She was used to the soft, loose clothes of the Jedi, and the more restrictive Senate Aide uniform she now wore was irritating. Along with multiple other passengers, Rey and Sunspell stepped onto the platform and walked away from the transport hub. Her master pointed out the sights of the grand avenue: the statues of past Chancellors and heroes of the Republic, the fine restaurants and gift shops, and the museums dedicated to the history of every known sentient species. Lutha nodded mutely, feeling more than ever that the weight of these billions of souls packed into the planet-wide city was crushing her.
They eventually came to the far end of the Senate Promenade, where on the steps of the Senate building itself, security droids were processing and clearing visitors, aids and tourists to enter. Though the droids did their work efficiently, the line was still long, and gave her ample time to observe the crowd. They stood, patient, grumbling, excited, or awed, in fifteen lines, each separated by the purpose of those who wished to enter. The tourists on the far right were from many walks of life and of every species.
Many had children with them, and almost everyone carried a holocam to take pictures. In the Senate staff line where the two Jedi stood, most of the sentients were well dressed but without pomp or elegance, and managed to look bored without having any expressions on their faces. The crowd and the magnificence of the Promenade were nothing new to them and had lost their charm.
"Republic ID card, please," chirped the security droid to Lutha, holding out an arm-like receptacle with a scanner attached.
"Oh, sorry." She scrambled to get it out of her pocket and placed it on the scanner. The droid's optical sensors scanned her face at the same time, checking the match. "Sunspell, Lutha. Please step through the substance detector."
Lutha walked slowly through a doorway made of metal. This was one of the newer additions to Senate security, as Supreme Chancellor Janarus had instituted new methods to search out and destroy channels of illegal spice trade, which often funded war criminals and Sith. As a show of good faith, the Senators had voted to place scanners at the entrance to their own building, to show that they and those who visited carried none of the addictive substance. The light above the scanner showed green as Lutha stepped through, indicating she was clean.
"Welcome to the Senate," the droid said politely as the next sentient in line stepped up.
As they walked quickly up the steps and through the actual doors of the building Lutha sensed a faint use of the Force, emanating from her master, but she could not quite identify what he was doing. Rey led her through the press of the crowd at the anteroom with the calm assurity of an old politician. Though at first, there appeared to be no room between the bodies pressed together like jolo fish in a can, as master and apprentice moved forward, gaps became visible and they slipped through. Now she understood - he was using the Force to influence the minds around him to take one or two steps to the side and form a path for himself and Lutha. A small skill, but apparently useful, she noted.
Once out of the main traffic jam, he led the way down long hallways, up turbolifts, down secondary hallways, and through so many auditoriums, cantinas, conservatories, and shops that she had entirely lost her sense of direction by the time he opened one last door with a security card and stepped into a luxurious room. Lutha followed, looking around and wondering how Senators justified "needing" so many possessions. The carpet was dyed peridot green and made from real regor cat fur. The walls were overlaid with holographic paint, which could be changed at the push of a button, and currently shimmered in a pattern of blue, yellow, green, and brown Corellian stripes. A table of fine dark wood ran the length of one side of the room, and on this were carefully placed intricately plated delicacies from every Republic system, and carelessly scattered datapads and info discs. On the other end of the room stood three small curved couches made of a semi-precious metal and covered in dark green cushions, placed in a circle to facilitate conversation, but not to obscure the view of the large holoscreen on the right wall. A large window of transparisteel made up the entire back wall, allowing the natural light of the morning sun to make the whole chamber just slightly less formal and more elegant.
The only person in the room was a human male of about forty years old. He was dressed in the informal version of Senate robes, but a closer examination revealed the materials were of inferior quality and the cuffs of the sleeves were slightly frayed. He was handsome enough by capital standards - tallish, thin, and round brown eyes - but his black hair had long since gone grey and begun to recede. "Back so soon, Eronno?" he laughed, standing up from his seat at the table. "I thought your report would take at least a month."
"Unlike the gossips of Coruscant, the Council only wanted relevant facts and very few details," her master smiled, shaking the man's hand like an old friend. "How did the hearing on Tibulus go?"
The smile died on the man's face. "Mandalore refused any mitigation, and they have most of the Core Worlds behind them. Doesn't look too good if it comes to vote."
Eronno gave him a reassuring gentle punch to the shoulder. "You'll win them over, Emil. You will."
"Is that the Force talking, or your lousy instinct?"
"Both," the Twi'lek chuckled.
"The same instinct that makes you so rude you don't even introduce people?" the other inquired, gesturing at Lutha and politely nodding to her. His eyes twinkled with laughter again; evidently, his emotions were very mobile.
"I'm sorry; Lutha, this is Senator Emil Farrel of the Corellian system. Emil, my padawan Lutha."
She stepped forward and began to bow lightly, following Jedi etiquette, but Senator Farrel shook her hand instead. "Not here," he warned her seriously, though he was still smiling. "Jedi manners work better on Tython if you want people to like you. And if you want people to believe you're on my staff, a good Corellian handshake's the way to go."
Eronno nodded, confirming the Senator's advice. "'When on Mirial, get a tatoo,'" he quipped, quoting a common travel guide joke about the green-skinned race.
Senator Farrel chuckled. "You two must be tired after the long ride, and the traffic on Coruscant would put a Killik nest to sleep! Do you want to eat first or sleep?"
"To talk, actually," Eronno replied. "But I'm not opposed to eating and talking."
"Good." The Senator ushered them to the table and moved his datapads out of the way. "Come on, dig in. It's just appetizers, but they always bring enough for a Hutt clan."
Eronno began filling a cut-glass plate with food and Lutha followed his example. "Speaking of, where is everyone? I'd have thought you'd keep someone on guard, after that Rattiskan fiasco."
"They're all in the side rooms. I wanted space to pace and think. I'm writing a speech on war preparedness for the Corellian council, and I want to deliver it during recess next week." Farrel took a few of the various bite-size treats, but he hardly tasted them. "What did the council say? Have they seen anything?" For a moment, his cheerful expression dropped into intense gravity as he looked at his friend.
Eronno shook his head. "The Emperor clouds everything. They can see what might happen, but everything's so dim and unsure, they think it's better not to reveal it at all."
"Clouded information is better than none!" Farrel retorted sharply. But he shook his head quickly. "I'm sorry; I was snapping at them, not you."
Eronno shrugged. "I know. And I told them that - not quite that way - and they still refused. Even Master Shan just looked grim and shook her head. I think in some ways, they're as frustrated as you are that their powers are failing them when we need them most." Lutha almost choked on a bite of Mandalorian chorral steak tartar. She had never heard a member of the Jedi Order speak so disparagingly of the Council before. Eronno glanced at her and noticed her barely concealed frown. "No Jedi is infallible, Lutha. If any master taught you that, they were wrong. Jedi always make mistakes. It's the great ones who admit that, which is why I admire Master Shan so much. She's one of the humblest Jedi you'll ever meet."
"And one of the main reasons the Republic isn't publicly blaming the Jedi Order for the Sacking of Coruscant," Senator Farrel added. "Still, I wish she'd give us something."
Eronno crossed his arms. "Unless the council could give you Imperial plans, routes and troop movement schedules, I doubt you'd want to know what they've seen."
"Fair enough," Farrel shrugged. "So what did they tell you?"
"Not much. They were more interested in my intel than in giving me news. But they did warn me about Kal-Dishnen." Eronno picked up one of the datapads and began a digital search. "Master Kiwiiks and her padawan escorted her through some rough territory in the Mid-Rim, and she said that her mind was dark. She's hiding something." He showed the datapad to the Senator, pointing to one line of data. "And she dropped off the grid for a few hours a few months back. She's been doing it ever since."
"Blast it!" Farrel swore softly, reading the data on the screen. "She's a relative of Cor Adaslt; she's got access to more than the usual courier clearance. Dassan!" He pressed a button on his wristband comm and almost yelled into it. "Take a squad and find Kal-Dishnen. Now!"
"At once, Senator," came the response. A moment later, a squad of eight green-armored Corellian Guardsmen came out of one of the side rooms, armed to the teeth and led by an older human female in captain's regalia. She briefly saluted the Senator, then led her troops at a brisk pace out the door and down the hall. Their heeled boots clicked sharply on the metal floor, reminding Lutha of her own usual gear and making her Senate Aide robes feel that much more uncomfortable.
"Eronno, if they catch her, this isn't going to be pleasant," Farrel hinted, standing up.
The Jedi Knight considered for a moment, then nodded. "Lutha, there's a possible spy that we have to interrogate. I don't really want that to be your first experience as my padawan."
Lutha suppressed a shiver. Eronno seemed so kind and compassionate; how could he speak so coolly about mind probes and truth serums? "Master... you wouldn't-"
"Not torture," he cut her off quickly. "Never torture. But there are techniques in the Force. You'll learn them someday."
"Just not today." She said it as a statement, not a question. I really thought he saw me as someone who could be useful. Guess I was wrong. He's just nice enough to make sure the Council didn't send me home. Lutha tried hard not to let the bitter tone of her thoughts show in her voice. "What if I went exploring?"
He nodded, a relieved smile replacing his gravity. "Sure. Stay in the Senate though, until I get you a security pass."
She bowed with what felt like stiff correctness. "Yes, Master."
She opened yet another door as she checked her wrist-mounted datapad. Still no message from Eronno to tell her it was alright to come back. It's been more than an hour; does he really want me to just entertain myself like a child while he- She stopped herself abruptly. Patience. He's testing my patience, to see if I am a child. Alright, then I'll be the most patient padawan who ever left Tython. She looked up from her datapad, and blinked in surprise. Even the tech support room is huge here. The room was about fifty meters long and thirty wide, lit by the glaring yellow scovo bulbs in the ceiling. The floor was cover in unappealing white tiles, and so were the walls, giving the room a depressingly sterile look. There were about three hundred sentients, all seated in cubicles facing brightly colored monitors and talking into headpieces in every language of which she knew. And this is just for Senators and their staff. I wonder what planetary networks look like.
A male Twi'lek burdened with a rotund figure and official robes came forward. He spoke in annoyed Huttese. "We're very busy, little girl. Go play somewhere else."
"I was just looking," she explained in the same language, gesturing to her uniform. "I won't bother anyone."
"Huh," the official huffed. He waddled away, muttering something about the stupidity of hiring children. Lutha smiled at his back, wondering what he would think of the younglings on Tython, who were trained almost from birth to be mature and serious.
"Excuse me?" a polite voice came from one of the cubicles. A human boy of about fifteen or sixteen had taken off his headpiece and was studying her curiously. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Me?" Lutha repeated, confused. Did I break some obscure etiquette rule? she wondered.
The boy stood up, stretched and came to stand next to her. "I just thought... I mean..." He hesitated, his grey eyes staring intently at her. "Have you had any training? With the Force, I mean?"
Lutha blushed red with shame. So much for posing as an aide. "Yes, but I'm not sure how you knew that."
The boy grinned broadly. "Ha! Takes one to know one! How long since you switched?"
"You're a Jedi? Wait, since I switched what?" Lutha mixed her responses.
"To the Service Corps, of course." He frowned. "You're not a padawan, wearing those clothes."
He's not wearing official robes, either, she realized, now noticing his cheap and mended tunic and pants. He failed the tests, and they didn't let him become a real Jedi. Her mouth tightened. She had barely avoided that fate, and she felt sorry for anyone forced to leave the Jedi. I must not look like I'm gloating. "Actually, it's just that my master prefers not to attract attention here."
"Oh." His smile visibly dimmed. "That makes sense."
He was hoping for a friend, someone who's also been rejected. She held back a pitying frown. If Master Eronno hadn't asked for me, I might be doing his job. Suddenly, him testing my patience doesn't feel so bad. "My name's Lutha," she said softly, holding out her hand.
"Elam," he replied, shaking hands. "Nice to meet you."