The Sorcerer's Apprentice -- LinaOrgana's First Fanfic

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
Post-TPM. The Council appoints a young Jedi Knight to be Chancellor Palpatine's bodyguard. No spoilers that I know of. Rather pointless, unless you want to read into it some kind of message about rascism working both ways. Palpatine's dislike of nonhumans versus an alien's mistrust of the human race.

My first SW fanfic, although I've written fanfiction for other stuff, so don't be too tough on me. Feedback is much appreciated, especially if I've made any canon or continuity errors. Zara's species is my own invention.

=============================================

Zarabi shifted impatiently from one foot to the other and tried not to look outside. Several years had passed since she'd last seen Coruscant. She hadn't set foot on the city-planet since she'd been partnered with a Master for her real-world training. Zara had been to several planets she'd disliked the look of, but they were all downright scenic compared to the fearful symmetry of Corsucant.

She turned her back to the window and focussed her eyes instead on a large flower arrangement in the middle of the Chancellor's waiting room, using the relaxation techniques her Master had taught her in order to calm her nerves. It was difficult for her to feel comfortable on a human-dominated world, but it looked as if she were going to have to get used to it. Not all Jedi could wander the galaxy the way Master Kang-Lin Lung had.

Footsteps were approaching. Zara stood up straight and pushed her not-yet-shorn padawan braid over her shoulder just as the door slid open, revealing two human figures.

The taller of the pair stepped into the room first and gestured towards Zara. "Your excellency," Mace Windu said. "I would like you to meet Jedi Knight Isel Zarabi. Zarabi, his excellency Supreme Chancellor Palpatine."

Zara bowed. "An honour, your excellency," she said respectfully.

She straightened up and gave the Supreme Chancellor a fast look-over, too fast to be called staring, but enough for a quick-eyed Jedi to take in a lot of details. He didn't look too different from the last chancellor... elderly and white-haired, dressed in the dark blue robe of his rank. He smiled at Zara pleasantly enough, but was not quite fast enough to keep her from noticing the surprise in his expression.

"Likewise, Mistress Zarabi," he replied. The smile dropped for a moment as he added, "I do not mean to be rude, but are you human?"

Zara attempted, successfully, as it turned out, not to bristle. "No, your excellency," she said. For a breif moment, she thought she felt a twinge of displeasure from the Chancellor at her reply, but it disappeared so fast she couldn't be certain. "I am Pleuran," she told him.

"Ah," the Chancellor nodded. "Yes, I remember meeting your world's representative shortly after my election last year. Senator Merchay, wasn't it? No insult was intended."

"None taken, your excellency," Zara lied sweetly. She'd long ago given up on getting visibly annoyed with the inevitable way humans reacted to her. Pleurans rarely left their homeworld, and Zara's cynical side had sometimes wondered if it wasn't entirely because of the way other species treated them. Except for their colouring, it was easy enough to mistake a Pleuran for a human adolescent... but that didn't mean that you needed to treat one accordingly.

"Well," said the Chancellor, turning to face Master Windu. "I appreciate the council's concern for my welfare, but I really don't think I need a Jedi as a bodyguard."

"It is only a precaution, your excellency," the Master told him. "The Sith seem to be targeting high-profile politicians. We'd prefer to assume wrongly that your life is in danger than to assume wrongly that it is not."

"Yes," the Chancellor glanced at Zara, "but..."

He wouldn't say it aloud, of course, but Zara was nearly certain of what he was thinking. "Your excellency," said Zarabi, "I assure you I am an adult of my race and a fully trained Jedi Knight. I'm quite capable