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"Master Ti."
"Master Windu," the Jedi greeted, turning slightly to show that she had noticed him.
Mace watched the Togruta calmly, noting the number of documents on the table around her. He knew that she was the most involved of all in the defence of the clones, they all knew that, but she was going to wear herself out spending her time in the Archives going through everything she could find related to obtaining sensitive rights for populations for whom it had been difficult to achieve.
"I haven't eaten yet, would you like to join me?" He finally offered, keeping a reasonable distance.
He had learnt to keep his distance, his smell was, for lack of a better word, oppressive. The Omegas generally tilted their heads away from the barely contained aggression he gave off and the Alphas generally adopted a defiant attitude that did not help things.
The two of them got on quite well from his point of view but they were not that close, even though they had shared one of her Heats a few years ago. Their relationship was professional but had just never evolved beyond that, not even really into friendship, even today he would define them as colleagues and he knew she would be the same. He saw how she shook her head and listened as she answered what he had expected to hear:
"Thank you for the offer, but I still have a few things to check."
"I see. I admire your dedication... however, you should know that the way in which you are becoming more and more secluded is a source of concern for your peers, you're not alone in your quest to find the most satisfactory solution possible for our troops."
"It's not just the troops," she replied, her tone serene even though her shoulders were tense. "There are children there, babies, I can't-"
"I doubt any of them would want you to faint for lack of rest or food on their behalf. The pace of decision making in the Senate is slow, for better or for worse, committees will be set up, many meetings will be held, propositions of bills and amendments will be raised and discussed before votes are taken, we have time."
"You know the Kaminoans, I'm worried about what's going to happen now that they know they have nothing to expect from the Republic in the future."
Mace understood... but on the other hand, they had already been paid or had received promises to pay, exactly the same as ten years ago when someone commissioned the clones, the clones were just a contract for them to honour and they did not like wasting money and time in vain, he doubted they would do anything to alienate the Republic.
"Would you be more at peace if they left Kamino? We can't take in everyone, but perhaps the younger ones could be taken in by the Temple, as they wouldn't have to become soldiers."
"... You know what, I think I'd love to eat with you," she finally said with a cunning smile that he returned. "Please let me just put all this away and I'm coming."
"Please allow me to help you," he said as he slowly approached, sorting the datapads alphabetically out of habit and taking them to a shelf that had been left empty especially so that those who had started reading could resume without wasting time the next time they came.
As she stood next to him and activated the automatic title scanner so that the documents would appear unavailable in the registers, Mace was surprised to find her scent changed from the last time he had met her without there being dozens of planets between them.
For an Omega, she did not have a very distinct smell, in fact it was very dulled compared to what he remembered from the time they had shared a night together.
"I was taking medicine to mask my smell on Kamino, the effect will still take a few weeks to fade completely," she explained without him even asking. "It was something they would use against me to try and dismiss my positions and arguments as emotional and irrational, you know how Mandalorians are."
"I can't say I know them particularly well as a culture... nor that I'm suffering from it in any way," he admitted, soothed by her amused laugh.
"They would respect you a lot though. You're our leader and a great military leader."
"And an Alpha," he concluded, having understood without her needing to say it.
"Precisely. They seem to like headstrong people with a fiery temper."
"It's definitely not me, you have to describe Skywalker."
The knowing, impish look she gave him left him pleasantly surprised. He had always found there was something seductive about her restraint, especially as the Togruta had even genetically developed more intense primal instincts than most other species in order to survive their natural predators on Shili. He admired those who knew how to control themselves even in the hardest times and carry out their duty without complaint.
A subtly sweeter note in her scent reached him and Mace realised he was projecting a few too many things around him and came to his senses, bringing his thoughts back to safer grounds.
"Your aura is gentler than I remember, the disappearance of the Sith we were all worried about seems to have really lifted a weight from your shoulders," she said to help him change the subject and save face.
"It's true that although there are plenty of concerns... it's a rather satisfying conclusion. The Force is so much lighter that I can't help but be optimistic. After you."
She got into the turbo lift before him and as she turned when he joined her, he noticed that she was smiling.
She had such a beautiful smile, he really hoped she would start taking better care of herself from now on.
Always putting the well-being of everyone else before yourself... that was expected of a Jedi, but they were not so desperate at the moment that they could not allow her a more comfortable balance.
And if she did not stop, well, someone else would have to take care of her one way or another.