There was a knock at Anakin's door, followed by "It's Ocean Elf, may I come in?"
"Yes," he replied.
The elf entered, looking serious, about to say something. Her expression changed to confusion when she actually saw him.
"I was going to let you know that Mr. Insidious is dead." she said matter-of-factly.
"I’m glad he is dead," Anakin said, his voice no longer covered by a respiration mask, but his own. Elf could also hear that he could breathe on his own. "All that is left of my injuries he said, "are my cybernetic limbs." To prove this, he presented his right hand to Elf. "You can shake my hand now. He said "you don’t have to be afraid. Now that my suit is gone, I am scared to walk. I only wish I did not have to undergo any more scrubbing."
"If you're suddenly this well off, you should not require that procedure." she replied coolly. "Well, I'm off."
"Now that you have healed me, it is time to find a new emperor. One that is kind,, And will allow skin graphs when needed."
"I didn't heal you, I only destroyed Palpatine." said the elf. "The rest is up to you." She turned to leave, but he spoke again.
"Hopefully, this emperor can find some healthy skin on my body with which to do the grafts."
"That's up to someone in the medical field, not the new emperor." Elf replied, glancing back over her shoulder to address him, then tried to leave again.
"The necrosis itches terribly," he said.
You mean you're actually healing on your own all of a sudden, all because Mr. Insidious finally bit the dust. Itching is not a sign of necrosis, it means you are healing." said Elf. "And it should be your family you're seeing now, not me. I'll go get them."
He called after her.
"Wait! Did you find out the results of your test?" He asked. "Do you have the force?"
Elf turned back and gave him a strange look. "How would you even know about that?" she asked suspiciously.
"My hearing," Anakin said with a kind smile, "is very acute little one. I hear everything that goes on."
The elf made a squirming motion and grimaced. "Ugh! Well, I don't like that. Nobody can keep a secret from you, heck, you can probably hear everyone eat, drink, and - hiccup from anywhere in this building."
"I am glad I am healing, but the healing process itches! See if you can go find a medical droid, so that they may see if there are skins on my body that can be used to graft. Will you help us find a kindly emperor?"
"That's up to your family. I wouldn't know the first thing about how to get into such high places of government. I'll let everyone know you require the droid, but I've done all I can for you and it's time for me to go back home." she said." She turned to go.
"Wait!" Anakin called her back again.
The elf heaved an annoyed sigh. "What!?" "
"I can’t help it if my hearing is a cute. The building is so large, and the ceiling is so high, that sounds literally Carrie’s."
You 'can't help this,' you 'can't help that,' 'Do this for me.' 'Now it's time to do that.'" The elf said, clearly getting irritated. "Look, I only came by to tell you Sidious is dead. My job is done and I can't help being weirded out by your supersonic eaves-dropping capability.
"Anyway," he continued, "didn’t you say something about helping us to find an old shaman?"
"You're the one who said it, not me." said Elf, "And that was before you practically healed yourself. Now it looks as though you might not need him after all."
"Can you at least help us look for an emperor?" Luke asked approaching Anakin, but looking imploringly at the elf.
"If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times, no, I cannot. I don't know anybody out here, so haven't the foggiest idea where or how to start with that." She sighed wearily, "I might manage the droid, but that's it." with that, she left abruptly.
"She's a tough one to try and get to know." said Anakin.
"Compared with so many fly-bies who threw themselves at us, that is for sure." Luke chuckled.
Anakin grinned slightly in bemusement. Those little galaxy-hoppers are useless. They weren't interested in helping us, only trying to get with you or me, and some of those girls hated Leia."
"Oh, yeah! Because they thought they should have the force instead of her. How pathetic." Luke snickered.
They talked and laughed until eventually Luke said, "I am glad you are healing."
"Me too, Anakin replied.
"Medical droid's here," Elf said matter-of-factly as she returned,, "He’s going to take a look and see if there is any skin that can be grafted. I'm off."
As the droid approached Anakin and the elf was about to leave, an old man, of about 60 years of age entered, leaning on a Walkingstick.
"Who are you?" Elf made way but looked warily at him.
"My first name," he said, "is the same as my predecessor, but my middle and last name are completely different. I am your new emperor, Sheev Alderaan."
Utterly baffled at how this was all happening, Elf said, "Well, I guess that settles it then, I'm called Ocean, and I'm pleased to meet you, sir."
"Likewise." said the new emperor.
"I'm just on my way out."
"You're not going already?" Luke protested.
The elf looked at him. "I've already been here far too long."
Can we at least keep in touch?" Luke asked.
"If you like." the elf replied. "I'll leave my business card for you on the dresser in the room where I was staying."
"We will be," Anakin added.
The elf turned to look coldly at him. "That offer is not open to you, Mr. Skywalker. Good night."
With that, the Ocean Elf left the room abruptly.
Anakin sighed, hearing her quick decisive steps echoing down the hall.
"My goodness! SHEVE said,, staring deep into Anakin’s pure blue eyes. "It looks as though you have healed well."
"He has indeed," the medical droid replied. "Alas, there is no skin with which to graft. We will have to let this heal on its own. Very soon it, there will be healthy tissue."
"I hope so," Luke said.
"I will also ban those laws made by my predecessor, and put new ones in place. I saw a little of the annihilation of my predecessor, and I would like to thank the Elf that helped you achieve it, Anakin, and congratulate you on healing so quickly after your combat with him."
If you can manage to catch up with Ocean," Luke grinned.
Anakin sighed. "We lost her. She's never coming back."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Emperor Sheev, "She may feel differently in the morning when she is well rested. "I will pay her a visit then and thank her in person. Perhaps we can come up with a reason that will make her want to stay.."
But she said she's leaving tonight." said Luke. She may have already gone."
Quick footsteps were heard running down the hall, and Ocean Elf appeared in the doorway. "I almost forgot - " she said, holding out a pair of ear plugs. "These are for you, Anakin," she deposited them on a shelf near the door. "At least you won't be able to hear everybody snoring." With that, she turned abruptly to leave.
Luke and Sheev burst out laughing.
Even Anakin couldn't help himself. But he didn't want her to leave like this. "Ocean!" he called after her, "Wait!" "Have a nice life!" she called back coolly and hurried away. "After all this, you'd think she'd get to like me even a little," Anakin said dejectedly. "I thought we were becoming friends when she came to visit me yesterday afternoon. She was so kind then."
"I'll be back, I really want to try catching her before she leaves. When I come back, why don't you tell me what you know about her," Sheev suggested, "If I can persuade her to stay the night, I'll talk to Ben and Yoda as well. We'll even have time to plan in the morning if she sleeps in. After all, we should celebrate the end of tyranny, and since she was an integral part of it, surely she won't want to miss it."
The fact Sheev would even propose a celebration of any kind already showed him to be completely different from the previous emperor.
Luke and Anakin agreed.
At the droid's insistence, Anakin agreed to call it a night and get some sleep.
Sheev just managed to catch Ocean Elf as she was about to transport herself back home.
Ocean," he said.
She looked in his direction, startled. "Yes?"
I just wanted to ask you to come to a celebration we are planning, over the end of Palpatine. Also, if you would come to my coronation as well. Anakin couldn't have done this without your help."
Do you know when they are taking place?"
Yes, the celebration of Palpatine's end will be tomorrow, but the coronation will be probably about two weeks from now."
"If you really want me there, I can make it tomorrow night, but would like to go back home between then and your coronation. I've been away too long and without the ability to contact anyone."
"I definitely understand. Thank you. The celebration tomorrow night will be like none other."
So Sheev did manage to persuade Ocean Elf to stay one more night. Then he went to the meeting room to meet Ben and Yoda. After some further discussion and becoming better acquainted, they too, retired for the night.