Galactic Alliance Chief of State Wynn Dorvan plopped down on the sofa in his small sitting room, with a cream filled pastry and a cup of sweetened caf. He propped his feet up on a pouf and lounged back, feeling delightfully undignified. Voting had officially closed all across the Galaxy a few hours earlier. By the end of the week, someone else would be Chief of State. And he would be free.
Although he wasn't sure what he would do once he left office, he knew it would be something of his own choosing. Perhaps he would give himself full-time to his work in the lower city of Coruscant.
His pet Chitlik, Pocket, climbed out of his pocket and sat eyeing his pastry. Placing his cup on the caf table, he broke off a piece to feed her. Outside his one-way window, traffic streamed by in orderly, soothing lines. He smiled.
The doorbell chimed and he rose reluctantly. Pocket clambered onto his shoulder. He palmed the release and the door slid open to reveal a beaming, green-skinned Twi'lek woman.
"Congratulations, Wynn!" Desha Lor gushed.
"What are you talking about?"
"Come see, Silly." She slipped past him into the sitting room and turned on his holo-vid screen.
The familiar elephant-like face of the Chevin reporter Perre Needmo filled the screen as Wynn followed Desha. A sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach.
"This astounding turn of events is due to a Galaxy-wide write-in campaign," the big man on the screen snuffled.
"No," groaned Wynn. "Please tell me he's not saying what I think he's saying."
Another chime sounded and Desha opened the door for Wynn's two current Jedi attachès, Seha Dorvald and Jysella Horn.
The young women giggled as they hurried into the apartment.
"So, how do you like the surprise?" cooed Jedi Dorvald.
Wynn wondered what Grand Master Skywalker had been thinking when he assigned two attractive young lady Jedi to him at the same time. Surely, he could have reworked the rotations to avoid this inappropriate situation. Having Natua Wan and her Falleen pheromones had been problematic enough. The young women were competent Jedi, but the tabloids cared only for appearances, finding scandals where there were none.
"He's about to find out," whispered Desha.
On the screen, Perre Needmo was listening to someone through his ear piece.
"Excellent," he said. "I'm pleased to report that we have an exclusive interview with Chief Dorvan's top aide, Desha Lor. She was on her way to congratulate him when she spoke with one of our reporters about his unprecedented victory."
Desha's smiling face appeared on the screen. A young Chev male addressed her.
"Miss Lor, did you take part in the write-in campaign that got your boss re-elected?"
"Well, I did help, but I really can't take much credit. Honestly, all we really had to do was spread the word and make sure everyone knew how to write-in a vote on their planets. Some systems still vote by a show of hands or other appendages or making a lot of noise. We had to make sure those people knew how to introduce Chief Dorvan's name at the right time."
"It sounds like you had an efficient organization. How many people were involved?"
"Ten of us in the main group, and we recruited local support in the systems. Don't ask for names- I'm sworn to secrecy."
"There are many beings who would say that the Galaxy is in your debt. Was Chief Dorvan such an obvious choice?"
Desha's lekku twitched. "I'm not sure your boss would approve of that question. But in answer, I will share a report we received from a system where paper ballot voting is used. Election officials issued a statement approximately three hours after voting had begun in their first time zone explaining that Chief Dorvan's name was missing from ballots not because of a printing error but because he had decided not to run for re-election. They received several thousand complaints- beings who missed our voter education videos, apparently." Desha's eyes twinkled. "The Chief got over 90% of the vote on that planet. Of the remaining 10% or so, most were blank ballots from those confused early voters."
The Chev nodded. "No one can deny Chief Dorvan's popularity. He won every system except Kesh and took all the rest by over 75%. How are you and your boss going to celebrate?"
"I'm going to try to take him for a night on the town- with his security of course. But if you know our Chief, you know that's easier said than done."
"Thank you for sharing with our audience, Miss Lor. Please give Chief Dorvan our sincere congratulations as well."
The screen switched back to Perre Needmo, who continued to share anecdotes from the election, demonstrating the Galaxy-wide support for Wynn's re-election. Stunned speechless, Wynn dropped onto the pouf, staring at the screen without seeing it. The little Chitlik on his shoulder chittered her protest at the sudden change in altitude.
"It's okay, Pocket," Jedi Horn took the Chitlik in her hand. "Let's give your daddy a minute to process this."
"A Galaxy-wide write in campaign?" Wynn finally managed. "I need an afternoon in a therapist's office, not a night on the town."
"But, Wynn, people are expecting you now." Desha took his limp hand. "You're so cold! I guess you really are in shock." She picked up his other hand and rubbed them both vigorously. "Just come along and be your usual calm, put-together self."
"Calm, put-together," he mumbled. He had never felt less calm and put-together in his life, not even when he'd been tortured and used by Abeloth and her Sith. A sudden tickling sensation on his cheek brought him abruptly back to reality. The startling reality that Jedi Horn was kissing him.
"I guess I can let you have him, Jysella," Jedi Dorvald was saying. "After all, Valin and I are practically engaged and I really don't need two men. As long as Desha doesn't mind."
"And if I do?" Desha sounded less than pleased.
"You know, Desha," Jedi Horn draped an arm around his shoulders and tucked Pocket into the pocket of his tunic, "I think that reporter was right. The Galaxy owes you. Master Skywalker says that candidate from Kesh was backed by a bunch of Sith who don't want to play by the rules."
Wynn took a steadying breath. As far as his political situation, he supposed he would survive. Perhaps he could persuade the Senate to change some of the laws regarding write-in campaigns to avoid such situations in the future. However, if Jedi Master Corran Horn heard the faintest rumor of inappropriate behavior on his part…
"Are you worrying about Daddy?" Jedi Horn was leaning on him now. "He's not that scary. Besides, you aren't doing anything wrong."
Wynn stood, placing himself out of her reach. "If you ladies will excuse me, I need to make a comm call."
He left the three women watching his holo-vid screen and stepped into his bedroom. Ten conspirators. And he knew who was at the top of the list. He punched a number into his comm link.
"Hello, Princess."
"Wynn! I just heard about your victory," Leia Solo's cheerful voice came over the comm.
"And I heard about the write-in campaign."
"You're well-liked. Han says 'how could anybody not vote for the man who fixed traffic on Coruscant?'."
"You're not fooling me."
There was a moment's silence.
"Do you know what would have happened if you hadn't been re-elected?"
"Jedi Horn mentioned Sith."
"I'm sorry, Wynn. But the Galaxy needs you."
He frowned with a sudden realization. "Those 'voter education videos' Desha made. I knew I should have vetted them personally. That's how you campaigned, wasn't it?"
"Maybe."
"Jedi Solo," he paused as the full weight of reality started to sink in, "if the Sith really are up to something, I'll need the Order's assistance."
Signing off, he reluctantly returned to the sitting room. His gaze fell on his half-finished cup of caf. Although he disliked waste, he knew this evening was going to require a much stronger brew. As he picked up the cup, he noticed the three women clustered on his couch with Jedi Horn in the center, holding a comm link. Wondering what sort of mischief they were plotting now, he fixed himself a cup of strong, unsweetened caf.
Back in his sitting room, Jedi Horn was answering an indistinct voice on the other end of her comm call. "That's wonderful! Thanks for your help, Daddy. We're going to tell him right now!"
"Tell who what right now?" Wynn didn't think he could handle anymore "wonderful news".
"You're going on a cruise," Desha practically squealed.
"We're coming with you," added Jedi Dorvald.
Wynn blinked. "That's very… inappropriate."
"Don't worry, you'll have your own room," Jedi Horn assured him. "See, I called Daddy and he called Master Luke. He called Leia and she talked to Han. He called Lando and asked about a spot on a cruise."
Wynn rubbed his forehead. That communications trail made even his bureaucracy-trained mind spin.
"Maybe Valin can come, too," Jedi Dorvald grinned.
Jedi Horn made a face. "I don't want to bring my brother on a romantic cruise."
"When does the cruise leave, Jysella?" Desha interrupted.
"Tomorrow. We'll have to catch a shuttle to Lando's main planet in the morning. Oh, and it's the Love Commander's yearly 'Winter Wonderland' cruise, too."
"We'd better get ready," Jedi Dorvald jumped up, then glanced at Wynn. "Do you think the Chief knows how to pack for a cruise?"
"I can manage," he assured her, "but I already have plans for tomorrow."
"Nothing official," Desha insisted, "and your charity work can wait a week."
"You can't cancel," moaned Jedi Horn, "I'll have to comm Daddy, and he'll have to comm Master Luke, and he'll have to comm"-
"All right! All right!" Wynn raised his hands in surrender. "I don't think there is anything pressing that requires my physical presence for the next few days. Why don't you ladies go take care of your packing?"
Author's Note: I love the characters and overall plot of the Fate of the Jedi series, but I wish the ending had been different- and that Mara Jade was still alive to be with Luke and Ben. Fortunately, in the Love Commander collection, there are only happy endings.
Even if Wynn has to accept another term in office for the good of the Galaxy.
Thanks for reading and God bless you! (The next chapter will have Skywalkers- lots of them.)