. "The Chosen Apprentice/Chapter 44"@en . "14"^^ . "The Chosen Apprentice - Chapter 44"@en . . . . . "That evening Sona went down to her room to collect the few belongings that were there. As a Padawan she would be on a different level of the Temple and she created quite a sensation as she walked there, mostly caused by the thin braid beside her right ear. Black tipped with gold. Jenai cornered her, she herself had a Padawan braid, but it was not tipped with a contrasting colour as Sona\u2019s was. \u201CYou too?\u201D she asked. Sona nodded. \u201CIt still feels kinda strange,\u201D Sona confided. \u201CLike it\u2019s not real, it didn\u2019t really happen.\u201D \u201CIt does,\u201D winced Sona with a grin. -- \u201CTrust me,\u201D Mothma reassured, \u201Cwe do.\u201D --"@en . "The Chosen Apprentice"@en . . . . "That evening Sona went down to her room to collect the few belongings that were there. As a Padawan she would be on a different level of the Temple and she created quite a sensation as she walked there, mostly caused by the thin braid beside her right ear. Black tipped with gold. Jenai cornered her, she herself had a Padawan braid, but it was not tipped with a contrasting colour as Sona\u2019s was. \u201CYou too?\u201D she asked. Sona nodded. The two girls were hugging and laughing then ran off together earning a reprimand from Sarib for almost knocking her over. They stopped in Sona\u2019s room, then went off to Jenai\u2019s then finally walked up together to where their new rooms were located. \u201CIt still feels kinda strange,\u201D Sona confided. \u201CLike it\u2019s not real, it didn\u2019t really happen.\u201D Mischievously Jenai gave Sona\u2019s new Padawan braid a sharp tug, she cried out in pain. \u201CThat make it real?\u201D Jenai asked. \u201CIt does,\u201D winced Sona with a grin. -- If the Senate\u2019s morning session had been a surprise, then the afternoon one was even more so for Bail Organa. Amedda\u2019s long resignation\u2019s speech hadn\u2019t been a surprise, neither had the nomination of Stokra for Chancellor when the call for the election had been made. But what was surprising was when Senator Perenine of Avingnon\u2014a weather vane if he ever knew one\u2014put forward the second nomination: himself. Danta seconded it and while the Gungan was talking Bail happened to catch Mothma\u2019s eye across the chamber. She winked at him, should he have expected it? He had given no hints or even thoughts other than wild speculation. Did he even have a chance against Stokra? Duly, Bail brought his pod forward to accept the nomination but he was still slightly stunned. He expressed this to Mothma and Danta when they were talking later. \u201CWhy didn\u2019t you run this by me first?\u201D he asked her. \u201CYou would have tried to talk me out of it,\u201D she countered. Bail considered this was a possibility but chose to say nothing on it. \u201CStill,\u201D he continued, \u201CI don\u2019t know why\u2014or even how\u2014you got Perenine to say it for you.\u201D The young woman smiled. \u201CI thought you were the one who knew more about politics, Bail,\u201D she said. \u201CIt was a stunt, to show we have something bigger than we actually have. Besides,\u201D she added, \u201Cthere\u2019s no need to worry, as long as we have the numbers she\u2019ll side with us.\u201D \u201CAnd what makes you think that?\u201D Bail asked. \u201CTrust me,\u201D Mothma reassured, \u201Cwe do.\u201D -- The next day the election was broadcast live from the HoloNet in one of the large rooms in the Jedi Temple. Many Jedi came in and out of that room to see the results from time to time yet when a critical stage was reached in the counting of the votes the room was full to bursting. Obi-Wan scrambled over a few knees to sit beside Anakin and Sona. \u201CHow is it?\u201D he asked. \u201CIt\u2019s close,\u201D Anakin said. \u201COrgana and Stokra are neck and neck.\u201D His only interest in the election extended as far as to Stokra not winning, anything else to him was inconsequential. For a moment Obi-Wan watched the two of them, talking to each other as if it was perfectly natural. And, Obi-Wan suddenly realised it, it was. While he had hoped that Anakin would open his eyes to what had been developing between himself and Sona, it had never occurred to Obi-Wan that Anakin would go ahead and do something without telling his former Master. Was it because of the way that he knew Obi-Wan would react? No, there\u2019s more to it than that, Obi-Wan thought, Anakin\u2019s letting go, something I never thought he would do. He examined them for a moment longer, he knew they still had quite a way to go before they knew each other as he and Anakin had done, but the potential was there like a wide road leading them both through the Force. And leaving me behind, Obi-Wan mused, perhaps I\u2019m the one with trouble letting go. In many ways she\u2019s a perfect foil for him, he said to himself, Anakin\u2019s still so impulsive, yet Sona\u2019s so quiet you hardly notice she\u2019s there sometimes. And there certainly is something between them, something that even I missed\u2026 As Dekau, the Vice-Chair of the Senate, received a new transmission a hush fell over the room, all eyes on the holoprojector. The Ithorian began to speak. \u201CMembers of the Senate,\u201D she said, her five throats making her voice somewhat distorted, \u201CI have the final results here. The new Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic is\u2026\u201D As she spoke several Jedi in the room shouted and the words were drowned out. Obi-Wan called for everyone to calm down but by the time they did Dekau had finished speaking. \u201CWho is it?\u201D Sona asked, looking at the two Jedi alternately. \u201CIt\u2019s not him,\u201D Anakin said, smiling as he noticed the Alderaan pod enter the arena."@en . . .