Dorn: A Star Wars Story

35. Negotiators, Part I

Naboo.

Now that was a planet I hadn't been to in a long time.

Getting onto it without causing a stir was looking to be a challenge until Jag reminded us with the unbridled enthusiasm of a boy getting to go home that his mother was Naboo and that she had, following the death of his father, returned to Naboo and that if there was one person who could get us onto the planet, it was him.

"I put in some questions to some old school friends," Jag proffered as we all stepped aboard the Bracca.  This time, Sevens was coming along as another cover, much to the chagrin of his first officer, and the rest of the squad agreed to go undercover with me in case stuff got messy. Horran, Nyra, Rook, Bast, and Carmine were the only boots on the ground besides me, Jag, and Sevens, but Farthen planned to keep the Summa close, just to be safe. Novaran had wanted to come, but we all knew that a Chiss would likely draw too much attention in this setting and convinced him, begrudgingly, to stay behind. We even brought Peek along in case there was anything that we needed cracked in a timely fashion. "We have a location. There's a banquet hall in the Lake Country. We'd need an in, but my mother agreed to help us out considering she's... Well, a staunch Imperial through and through."

"Married to Jhared Montferrat, you had to be," Horran muttered before turning apologetically to Jag. "Sorry, kid."

"It's fine," Jag sighed as we took our seats and Sevens took the cockpit. "My father was a very demanding person. I loved him. He loved me.  He loved my mother, but the Empire always came first, and all of us had to be dedicated to the cause."

"That why you're here?" Rook asked, leaning forward, elbows on his thighs.

Jag seemed to take a minute to consider it like he hadn't before and he finally nodded, "Maybe."

The Lake Country of Naboo was stunning.  Small estates dotted the landscape amidst pools of beautiful deep blue lakes that stretched for kilometers in every possible direction. If I was ever allowed to retire, I wanted to live there. The Bracca was allowed to land at one of the larger estates that belonged to the Veruna family, the maiden family of Jag's mother, and it was Lady Veruna who rushed out to greet us - well, mostly Jag. "Let me have a look at you!" Lady Veruna grabbed Jag and started looking him over, and I could see the exasperated look he got on his face that seemed to be tempered by the fact that he missed her. "Thank the stars, you're alright..."

"Mom, I'm fine," he took her wrists and lowered her hands from his cheeks so that he could turn and introduce us, "This is Ithan Ruana. My teacher."

"And a good Imperial," she nodded and looked me up and down like she was appraising me more than anything else. "Jag has sung nothing but your praises. Come. Let's get you all cleaned up and ready for this ball. Jag shot me an apologetic look as we went inside of the absolutely beautiful home. 

Stained glass windows depicting various forms of Naboo wildlife and, to my surprise, a king caught the light and shimmered the images across river stone floors that were polished to a perfect shine. There was a natural sense of grandeur, wealth and status without gaudiness that I so often saw on Coruscant, and it was welcome relief. There were all sorts of busts around as well of deceased family members, and one that caught my eye was of a young woman, an infant held in her arms with the name Nisé etched into the base.

"My aunt," Jag nodded to it as his mother dragged Nyra off to prepare her first. "And her unborn child. They were killed by her fiancé when she tried to runaway with her first love. I never got to meet her, but everyone said that she was brilliant and kind."

"Don't know how you could ever do that to someone you loved," I murmured as I traced the lines of the lifelike bust with my eyes.

"Neither do I," Jag admitted as he looked around the large sitting area. "It's been a long time since I was here last. My father was alive and I was begging him to let me see his Destroyer. Feels like a lifetime ago."