The Senator And The Jedi

Chapter Seventeen: Ill And Dreaming

Lux

Two days passed, and Lux showed no sign of getting better. Instead, he seemed to be getting worse. Jobal had confined him to his rooms – and he wasn't about to question it. The woman was a force to be reckoned with when she was right; her word was law as far as anyone under her jurisdiction was concerned.

"But I'm fine!" he insisted as he was pulled away from his desk and bustled unceremoniously back into bed. "I can work! Onderon and Naboo are both counting on me – I have to make sure these negotiations with the Queen close with a trade agreement satisfying both sides, or–"

"Oh, I'll have none of that!" Jobal exclaimed. "You're not a Senator right now. You're a young man who's come down with a nasty fever, and not allowed to leave his bed. You take that back to Chancellor Palpatine if you want, but no authority lesser than him will get you out before you're well again!"

Lux sighed. "Yes, ma'am," he said, choosing to admit defeat and sliding back down under the covers. It was comfortable, after all... A nap suddenly seemed like a very good idea.

The matriarch of the Naberrie family put a hand to his forehead and then to his cheek, checking his temperature. "You're burning up with a high fever, Lux. I sent Annina downstairs to get you some hot soup – she'll be back with it soon. There's nothing like it for a nasty cold."

And with that, Jobal walked over to the doorway. "And you just have to call if you need something," she said, and left the room.

Lux was beginning to feel himself dropping off. He felt bad about being sick, because it was interfering with his duties to negotiate on behalf of his people, but he was coming to realize that it couldn't be helped.

He should probably rest and recuperate now, while he had the chance. His life as a Senator – and probably one of the youngest people working full-time in the Senate – was nothing but busy, and he was tired.

And with that thought, Lux fell asleep. And while he slept, he dreamed...

"Everything is going according to plan. He suspects nothing," someone said. "Soon, we will overthrow this alliance once and for all, and you can reclaim what was once yours."

The voice was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He tried to look around him, but everything was veiled, as if he was seeing through cloth. But it looked like his room on the estate.

"You have done well, Myarra. And you will be compensated accordingly."

That voice. I know that voice. Whoever was answering the first person spoke in a way that almost seemed to herald danger.

There was a sharp intake of breath, and he heard footsteps coming towards him. "He's waking up, Master."

"Then you know what to do."

And suddenly, he felt excruciating pain in his left shoulder, like some sort of white-hot needle was being jabbed into his flesh. He couldn't help it – an agonized gasp escaped his lips.

Then, for a few terrifying seconds, his body convulsed this way and that. He was unable to gain mastery over any of his limbs – and that lack of control was far worse than any pain he was experiencing now. He was completely paralyzed.

Then, all of a sudden, everything was gone. Sitting up and trying in vain to see what was around him properly (his eyesight was still darkened and blurred), he ran through a list of toxins and narcotics that could have that effect on someone.

Just as he was coming to a conclusion, he began to drop off again. "No..." he whispered, trying to fight the strange groggy feeling that was under no condition normal sleep. But it was ever more insistent.

A hand was placed on his forehead. "Sleep, little Senator. Sleep."

He suddenly knew that there was something important he was missing here, something he couldn't possibly forget... But he was too late.

Darkness closed in on his vision.

Lux awoke again to the sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Yeah," he called blearily. "Come in."

The door opened and there was Annina, carrying a steaming bowl of soup on a tray. She nudged the door closed with her hip and walked towards him.

"Sorry if this took long," she said. "I don't think Jobal knew I was still finishing my extra research for the Legislative Youth Program."

"Your aunt's told me about that," he said, curiosity getting the better of him. "What's it like?"

"I'm not really the person to explain it," she said, setting the tray down on the table next to him and tucking a piece of hair the color of meiloorun honey behind her ear with her free hand. "I mean, you've been immersed in politics your whole life... But I was more of a late bloomer. I joined the Program just two years ago, and Aunt Padme joined it when she was still a kid."

Lux could tell that she was holding back. She was shy about talking to him; no doubt p worried about getting off on the wrong foot again, like what had happened earlier when she had tried to help him.

"Just... Talk to me," he said, smiling at her. "Let's forget two days ago and move on. It never did anyone any good to dwell on the past."

Annina looked at him, a bemused smile on her pretty face. "You speak with a wisdom I haven't seen before in people our age, Lux."

He chuckled, smiling too. "Yeah, seeing more than you can handle at once and hanging around with all the wrong people will do that to you. I find myself talking nonsense more and more... I must be getting old!"

"You're not getting old... just evolving." She sat down next to him on the bed, taking a datapad he hadn't noticed before off the tray of food. "But anyways, I wanted to ask you: I have a project to do for the Program about the general dynamic in governing bodies. Do you think you could help me out...?" She looked away for a moment. "I mean, you're a Senator. You would know all about it."

"Why didn't you just ask Padme?"

"Because I interviewed her for the last couple of assignments, and I think my instructor is getting tired of it," she said. "So... Would you consider it?"

"Sure." He smiled at Annina, and shuffled to the edge of the bed, reaching out towards his desk. "Just let me get my work."

*FIRST OF TWO CHAPTERS!!! YAY! You guys happy?

The reason I gave you guys two chapters is because I pretty much felt bad, because there's no Luxsoka or really fun stuff happening in this one. So I decided to wait until I finished the second one before posting anything.

But the bit about Lux's dream might become important later on. So keep that in mind... Now go on, pip pip! (I've watched altogether too much Doctor Who today... *sighs*) Enjoy the next chapter!!

Bye!