DISCLAIMER: Star Wars and all publicly recognisable characters, names and references, etc are the sole property of George Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd, Lucasarts Inc and 20th Century Fox. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters (Shal-Nyx Cael), the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. The original character of K'yllyn Myrrdin is the intellectual property of Caeryn Myer, and is used with permission.
A few weeks later...
"Now, Pro-Consul, if you add the stipulation that the native forests of Cala as designated by the environmental protection declaration are under the protection of a specific organisation consisting of both Cala and Caja representatives, you'll stop the discrimination claims before they start."
The dark haired man rubbed his temples. It was well into the middle of the night, the great hall only having six people in it, the others having given up to sleep some time ago. His voice cracked as he spoke, "But those are private lands, the owners have assented to the declaration in order to stop tree poaching."
Crys Stoforn sipped from a cup full of the native tea. "But if you agree to section 43 with the clause to unify the governments into a more socialist organisation rather than imperial, the lands would default to government control anyways, thus removing the claims of private property."
Rasacha cast a tired glance at the Jedi who, at the moment, was digging through a stack of datapads for a particular passage of law. "Isn't discrimination inevitable?"
Shal-Nyx Cael drew a breath, taking her response straight from her Jedi training. "No, discrimination is not inevitable. If one opens themselves to paranoia and mistrust it is only logical that they will eventually perceive discrimination also."
Rasacha and Stoforn fell silent.
Sitting back in her chair, realising she had not slept for over 14 hours, she closed her grey eyes, crossed her arms and asked, "This unified government will be representative?"
"Yes."
"There will be a Chancellor that stands at the head of the representatives but hold no more power than they?"
Rasacha chewed on his lip.
"Pro-Consul?"
Finally he managed, "Yes."
"Then the details of the issue of private versus public ownership should be handled within that body of government, the current Cala laws staying in place until that point."
Silence.
"Vice-Chair Stoforn?"
"If there is the opportunity to fine tune the law after this, yes, that's fine. Caja assents."
~One less wall to climb over.~ Her body was begging for rest, something beyond the Diplomat Shuffle. "What's next?"
"Master Jedi, you look worn, may we offer you something to revive you?"
Shal-Nyx raised her eyes and gave Rasacha a half-smile. "Your offer is generous and I think I would indee-- " she paused, suddenly remembering that she was no longer permitted caffeine, "but I can't. Thank you though."
Crys Stoforn rocked back in her chair and gave the Jedi a questioning look. When the grey eyes neither flinched nor threatened, she made a mental note to talk to her. "We have yet to handle the economies and finding a balance in the money values."
The pro-consul nodded. "I think that may be too much for the late hour, and the treasurers have retired for the night; perhaps we should do the same."
Shal-Nyx nodded in quiet assent.
Crys Stoforn shrugged. "Probably. So, after breakfast we reconvene?"
Standing, his robes thoroughly wrinkled, Rasacha nodded. "Yes, until then I wish you both a good night."
"Madame Knight, I would speak with you!"
Walking through the garden, taking in the cool night air and enjoying the pale blue sheen of the moon on the stone pathways, Shal-Nyx turned to face her apparent visitor, bowing as she recognised the blonde hair of the Caja woman. "Chairwoman Stoforn, is there a problem?"
Catching her breath, the elder blonde nodded. " I wanted to talk to you."
"It is late and I am tired, if possible I would like to continue this at another time."
"Yes, I know, you're not used to the amount of energy pregnancy takes from us."
Shal-Nyx froze in place, her Jedi countenance replaced with shocked dismay.
"I have two at home, I know the signs. Why are you here if you knew?" The blonde woman, her posture less bent over than her fellow people, was stronger, and at this particular moment, it was nearly aggressive as she pressed the questions boldly.
"Because it is my job and duty as a Jedi... and there are a few individuals I want a safe distance away from before I tell them."
The shoulders relaxed back, she was satisfied with the honest answer, "This is your first one?"
Shal-Nyx shrugged and sat down on a stone bench, gesturing for the other woman to join her. "Child rearing is often reserved for those Jedi who are not active in the Order, madame Stoforn."
"Please, call me Crys."
Studying the blonde, her senses telling her to trust her, the Jedi sighed. "Shala. I'm a little overwhelmed, not that you seem surprised about it. If nothing else I could certainly do without the debilitating side effects."
"Do you have someone to take care of your needs? Is the father aware?"
Running a hand through auburn hair, she hesitated, not liking everything laid out on a platter to a person who had been a stranger only 24 hours ago. "Yes, and I will be fine."
"It's the other Knight that's here, isn't it... ? I had wondered during the introductions, but I didn't want to assume anything."
~So much for privacy.~ "Mada-- Crys, we're here to settle this treaty and get your planet into the Republic with as little trouble as possible. I truly do appreciate the concern, but I cannot involve you in my affairs."
"You'll need someone to tend to your medical needs."
She sighed, resisting the urge to will the woman away, this is not what she wanted to deal with in such an exhausted state. "Yes. But for the moment, I do humbly wish that you excuse me for the evening. Like I said, I'm a bit overwhelmed and need to sort out other issues before I deal with a healer's 'ministrations.'"
Stoforn nodded and stood, finally backing off. "My husband is a doctor, I'll have him to help. Anyways, I'm here if you need me for anything, staying in the main house."
Standing herself, Shal-Nyx bowed her head politely and turned to retreat to the little cottage, saying a brief, "We'll talk again then. Thank you."
Upon arriving, slipping through the door, she noted with some chagrin that the fire had gone out. Stripping the outer layers of clothes off and laying them across the weathered wooden bench in the bedroom, she walked quietly over to the sleeping form of Qui-Gon Jinn in the great room, kneeling down to push hair out of his face, "Are you awake?"
"Not really," he said, half-asleep, stirring. "What took so long?"
"If I were any better versed in these people's laws I could represent them myself in the Senate... it's tedious, mind numbing and painfully detail oriented that... you're not going to leave me any options, are you? I get to do the Diplomat Shuffle 'til they agree."
Opening eyes to regard her, he murmured, "I'd take away your lightsabre but you'd just find a way to build a new one."
She smacked his arm. "Thanks, now scoot a bit."
"Yes, pet."
Pushing himself aloft with his arms and rolling a tad to the side, he watched as she knelt down, testing the outermost cushion before trusting it with her weight. Sliding up against his chest, the warmth of the blanket and his flesh reminding her precisely how tired she really was, she sighed deeply, relaxing the tenseness from her muscles. "So, why are you out here?"
"There was something in the bedroom; I saw it move when I came back after talking with the Consulate police."
"Aw, is the big strong Jedi afraid of the little critter?"
Qui-Gon pursed his lip. "No! No, I'm not, I just didn't want to take a chance with, uh, well-- "
"Don't even work me into this explanation. If it's that much a pest we'll shut the door and deal with it tomorrow. Now hush and be a good pillow."
Having lost the battle (not that he was trying to win), he smiled and settled back into sleep, noting with increasingly incoherent thoughts that her body temperature seemed warmer than it had been before.
"What in the hell-- ?!"
Shal-Nyx, trying to preserve the dreamworld he had just shattered with his shout, mumbled, "Problem?"
"There's something on my hair."
"Something?"
"Something."
Half-opening her eyes, squinting at the sun peeking through linen covered windows. "Is it moving?"
"Kinda. Do you mind?"
Telling her mind to recall this moment with comic clarity, she edged up into a partially upright position, sliding out of his arms. Seeing the "something," she immediately broke into a fit of laughter.
"What? What is it?"
"Ssshh," she reprimanded playfully, reaching hands to carefully pick up the creature that had curled up in Qui-Gon's brown hair. Cradling it in her arms and laying back down, she grinned as she proclaimed "It's a cat."
"Excuse me?"
Shal-Nyx scratched its chin, eliciting a monstrous purr. "Was this what startled you in the bedroom? A cat?"
He bit his lip, refusing to satisfy her teasing.
"That's what I thought." Backing to lay against him once more, the small grey and white creature happy for the attention in her arms and kneading at her shift, it cast a sleepy gaze up at Qui-Gon, giving him a plaintive meow.
His expression softened drastically; as long as she wasn't dramatically opposed to the cat's presence, he probably shouldn't complain. In fact, if it made her less aware of all the changes her body was throwing at her, it was likely a blessing in disguise. "I probably shouldn't have done that, its actually early."
Being the sudden victim of a licking bath, Shal-Nyx smiled. "What? The shout? Yes I suppose we could all have done without it. Hmm, this is something different... "
"Hmm?"
"I'm not nauseous."
He lifted his head up to peer at her over her shoulder. "Really?"
"No... oh, wait, maybe not... "
The cat meowed sympathetically.
"Well, I don't have to be at the palace until later and since I'm awake now a shower might help."
Refusing to let her go for the moment, he nuzzled her neck, kissing her, the salt of her skin sweet on his lips. Closing her eyes with a contented sigh, she relaxed her head into the pillow, willing him to continue. About to roll her gently onto her back and caress her face, he froze as a distinctly fuzzy little paw slapped him on the cheek.
"The kitty seems to object, pet."
"So I noticed. If you'd like I could bathe you."
Her expression was amused. "You're hiding from the cat again."
"No, I'm offering to pamper you... you're saying no?"
Taking a long glance at the ceiling, the cross beams of weathered wood catching her eye long enough for her to think if she really was foolish enough to decline him, she brought up a hand, brushing across his lips with lithe fingers. Half of her wanted nothing more to plunge into those cerulean blue eyes and forget that she had a treaty to settle, which was not to forget the fact that her Jedi robes were gaining a new found tightness. The other half was screaming duty at her, keeping her on task, demanding that she maintain the thoughtful frown made famous by the Order. She chuckled, scooting the cat onto an unoccupied pillow and sitting up. "I'd be foolish to, really. Yes, come and pamper me, my love, then maybe perhaps a discussion about trade and tariffs won't be so tedious."
However, before she could stand, Qui-Gon had scooped her up, carrying her to the stone tiled bathroom, his less than subtle thoughts of ravishing her bringing a gleam to her crystalline grey eyes.
Curled into a ball, her long tail wrapped around her paws, a purr rumbling quietly in her throat, the cat perked her ears back towards the echo of laughter coming from the back of the cottage. Licking a paw, she dropped her head on the pillow and went to sleep.
Someone had to keep the bed warm.