I'm starting something new here. XXX marks an explicit scene that's been left out. It can be found in my "Smut" collection on ao3. It may be found here: collections /SMUT_These_are_all_the_explicit_scenes_that_are_left_out_of_my_regular_stories . I am FictionGarden on a o 3.

Come over, Sheev's message read.

Come over.

I can't do that, we're on Bail's corvette. We don't want him to know I routinely spend time in your bedroom.

After that dinner, he'll expect us to have a meeting. He doesn't have to know it's in this glorious tub.

Oh?

Yes. Come over.

Well, who could resist that?

Sereine tapped lightly on his cabin door only to receive another message.

It's open. Come in and lock it behind you.

Sereine wandered through the suite toward the sounds of water dripping and the trail of steamy vapor that clouded the viewport. She entered the refresher to find her Palpatine relaxing in a tub of steaming water, scented with a mild additive that felt vaguely masculine and comforting to her nose, quiet jets giving the water a gentle current.

"Well. I don't have this in my cabin. Kind of you to invite me to share." She bent and gathered her waist-length curls preparatory to putting them up.

"Wait," said Sheev.

She glanced up. "Hmm?"

"Undress first. I want to watch you."

She smiled and complied, folding her dress and setting her clothes on the vanity table. Then she bent once again, collecting her hair and rolling it into a thick rope. She stood up and tied it in a knot at her crown, twisted and tucked the tail under, and secured it with a clamp she had brought for the purpose.

"Very nice," he purred behind her.

She turned to see physical evidence that he did, in fact, think exactly that.

"Sheev," she scolded. "Can't you wait until after the bath?"

"I haven't been able to touch you for the better part of a week."

Sereine smiled and stepped over him into the tub.

XXX

She turned on her side and snuggled against him, melting into the warmth of the water. "Oh, this was such a good idea. I just itched to touch you all week."
"I think celibacy is easier when you're gone," he said. "Although it has been a good trip. Fun, and … informative."

"I don't know what to think,enSheev," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

"No?"

"It'd be all right for your career if we handled it right, but I don't know about mine. I got into this to reppeople,not legislation, and now my office is getting too many requests, and now here's Bail with this one. I hate to say no toBail."

"You just said yes to Bail."

"But I'm not a PR firm, and I don't want to intro every stupid little piece of legislation every client of mine has. I run campaigns, I guide careers, and I pick the politicians who are going to carry us into the future. I don't want this muddling that up."

Sheev suppressed a snort. She was nothing if not self-important, this little rep who knew nothing of the Force.

He went with, "If it's not a prestige bill, you won't do it. Even if it means backing out on Bail."

"That's about the size of it. I'm not one hundred percent sold on the idea of you doing another one so soon after the Emancipation Act, either. I told you you were going to get a million requests to cosponsor things after that, and here we are."

"'Reine, that's influence. Ineedthat."

"We need to be judicious about this." She thought some more. "And I don't want to be accused of starting a trend on the floor that's going to end up being called atrocious, and my name's associated with it."

Sheev shifted his shoulder under her weight. "So, even if I want to do it, you won't, is that it?"

She raised her head to look at him. "It needs to be done, it's good, Bail's right. It's just bad timing for my career, and a little too early for yours." She kissed him. "But I'll do it if you ask me to."

"Just not if Bail asks you to." He smirked.

"You know I'll do anything you ask me to. Just about."

He turned on his side to get her off his shoulder. "My question is,shouldI ask you to? I'm talking aboutmycareer, not yours. What do you think?"

"It's not going to hurt you to come out against corporatism,Zora. Career-wise, it's a good move. It's a good move for the Republic, and thinking people are going to see that. Slavery last year, corporatism this year … you're branding yourself a man of the people, the right way, and we're managing popularity at the same time. That's difficult to do. Most people who try it get called ugly names while idiots vote for the Trade Federation and the Banking Clan to keep on exploiting the poodoo out of them."

Sheev closed his eyes, enjoying the water, and thought years ahead. If it worked out as he intended, the earlier he set himself up as a victim, the better, the more convincing.

TheTrade Federation'svictim.

Yes, he needed this. Bail Organa had played right into his hands. Unfortunately, the King didnotneed it, and it would only help Lord Sidious as long as he remained Senator.

"Sheev, are you asking me to help you? Do you want to do it?"

"Yes …" he said slowly. "I do want to do it. And I need to punch the Trade Federation in the side when I do it."

Sereine kissed him on the Temple. "You're wonderful, Sheev. I'm so proud of you."

He had to carefully relax his features every time she said that. To have a puny being like her condescend to a power she could not even fathom rankled, rankled.

But, as long as he needed her, he needed her.

"I just don't know how we're going to do it without getting you recalled," she said.

And then she sat up suddenly, sliding across the tub with a rubbery sound, making waves. "Oh, yes, I do!"

Sheev had seen that look on her face before.

"I knowexactlyhow we're going to do it. We're going to kill two convors with one stone."

Palpatine sighed. "The last time I heard that, I absolutely hated it. And the time before that."

"And the first time got you elected, and the last time made you a household name. Now, if we do this right, we don'thaveto ask the King. We just go right over his head. We can go right over his head, and you're free to say whatever you want."

Sheev slid his fingers into the soft hair at the back of her neck and caressed, quirking his brows at her. Whatever was in her mind, he was not catching on. And, as per usual, she would tell him only when she was ready.

She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "This time, we're going to make the whole Republic fall in love with you."