The Alderaanian Incident

Alina, Alderaan, And All Other Forms Of Trouble

"Indeed, Master Talon. The state of Master Litaari's hair was simply frightful this morning." Kaliana Zalia remarked as she lifted her cup of tea and sipped it delicately.

"So glad you agree." Anna Talon, just about her only friend, answered in a rather posh accent. "Is this Corellian tea? It's quite delicious."

The other Jedi nodded, her light brown curls bouncing at the movement. "It is my favourite. An acquaintance sent me a new blend." She explained.

Anna nodded, her own elaborately styled blonde hair barely moving underneath the weight of the Senator-ish clips on top of it. "I see." She answered politely.

This very tedious conversation between the two prudishly polite Jedi was abruptly interrupted as the door of Master Zalia's quarters flew in, sweeping a number of exotic potted plants over. Kaliana put her tea down with a sharp bump and stood up, reaching for her Lightsabers, but Anna placed a hand on her arm.

"Calm down, my friend. It is only another antic of Alina's." She sighed, rolling her eyes at the mention of her powerful but brash older sister, with whom they were both acquainted, and of whom they both disapproved.

"Speak of the devil..." Kaliana muttered, sitting back down with a sigh.

"What? I forgot my key!" Alina, a dark-skinned Iridonian with a flowing white cloak and a cheeky smile, blinked innocently from the doorway.

"You did not have to damage my quarters. If you had knocked and stated your name, I would have opened the door." Kaliana scolded, and then, when the Zabrak only rolled her eyes, she added, "You owe me 10,000 credits in damages."

"Whatever." Alina shrugged. "Anyway, guess who has news from Satale?"

"Grandmaster Shan. And one would assume that you do." Anna put in, 'correcting' her sister.

"Yeah. So 'one' would be right." Her sister mocked in return. "Looks like Kali and I get a mission!" She grinned, throwing an arm about the shoulders of the unsuspecting Kaliana cheerfully.

"Kaliana. My name is Kaliana. Now, what mission is this?" The Jedi answered, edging away and wondering why she had to work with someone who was as much her opposite as any other Jedi could get.

"We are going to Alderaan!" Alina told her, in a mildly excitable tone. "More fun than the Temple, right? Get packed and let's go!" She sang out, giving absolutely no details before heading back out, skipping happily over the broken door.

The two Jedi still in the room looked at each other and rolled their eyes as Kaliana began to gather up her belongings. "Mend my door for me while I'm gone, please." She implored her friend.

"I'll try to see to it. I apologise for my sister." Anna answered with a nod.

It was much, much later when two figures in white robes walked in silence up the steps to House Organa. It was growing dark on Alderaan, and Kaliana had advised the quiet approach, in case people were sleeping. Alina was, it seemed, for once, listening to her. Then the other woman nudged her out of the blue.

"What?" She hissed, trying to keep the noise down.

"Mind you don't tread in Nexu shit. It would ruin those boots." Alina whispered in teasing tones, before gesturing at Kaliana's tan boots and giggling to herself.

"I am more concerned with you offending one of the nobles." Kaliana responded sharply. She was,  Alina noted bitterly, the kind of person who memorised every single culture's etiquette codes and practises,  just for this sort of mission.

"Pfft, like I would offend anyone! I'm an ambassador of the Jedi Council!" She 'reassured' her.

A guard who had been regarding the two whispering woman in their fancy robes and cloaks with uncertainty, having mistaken them for two drunken noblewoman, sighed with relief and ushered them inside. They were led to guest quarters, since 'Lord and Lady Organa are otherwise occupied and will attend to you in the morning'.

Unfortunately, Kaliana thought to herself as Alina muttered a quip that sounded something like 'I've heard that about the Alderaanians..." Through the darkness, they had to share the room.

It was only after fifteen minutes of chatter and jokes, followed by some complaints about Alderaanian silk pillow cases and horns not mixing, that Alina shut up, presumably sleepy at last.

Once there was actually some peace, Kaliana settled down to sleep herself, and she only awoke again when she grew restless, thinking she could hear someone talking.

"Got it. Agent Death out." She heard distantly as she blinked sleep out of her blue eyes.

"Huh?" She mumbled.

The pale figure standing at the end of her bed innocently smiled at her. "Trouble sleeping, Master Zalia?" The figure asked her in a soft sweet tone.

After the sleep fully cleared from her eyes, she recognised the small, pale woman as Jedi Master Litaari, an eccentric Jedi healer who was the main reason Jedi didn't go to the Medical Centre. Who was apparently stalking her now.

"I thought I heard..." She began, only to be cut off.

"Nightmares, I'm sure. I could give you a sleeping potion, to take care of things." She offered.

"No, thank you." Kaliana answered carefully, well aware that Litaari's 'potions' had been known to send younglings on 'magical journeys' and sounded like something Alina's sister Liya would smuggle.

The Jedi at the end of her bed inclined her head towards her in a way that implied she was looking at her, though, due her long fringe hanging over her eyes as usual, it was impossible to tell.

She never failed to make the usually calm Kaliana uncomfortable. How did she even see? She claimed it was the Force, but Kaliana was of the personal opinion that she was absolutely crazy. "Uh...I didn't know you were on this mission too..." She muttered.

"Emergency back-up. Grandmaster Shan reconsidered sending the two of you alone. Alderaan is a very volatile system."

"Okay then..." She nodded dubiously. Litaari had just...turned up again as Satale Shan's 'Special guest', like she managed to with all the important meetings.

"Oooh...Is it breakfast time? I'm starving!" A voice chimed up from the other bed. Alina was awake, and obviously didn't care that there was a conversation going on, or that someone had just appeared in their bedroom.

Just as Kaliana prepared to rebuke her, Litaari cut in. "Actually, yes. The guards were going to come and wake you up, but I offered to come instead." She smiled, which was a little creepy when they couldn't see her eyes or the rest of her expression.

Alina didn't seem to care. "Great!" She bounced out of bed to start her day. Master Litaari watched for a few minutes then walked out, leaving Kaliana alone. She sighed. "Why do I have to work with those two...? Creepy and crazy, really?" She muttered to herself.