"How would you like to die?"

Avin turned her head quickly to look in the boy's direction. A breeze had picked up along the railed promenade and whipped the blue scarf covering her hair as she stared at him. "What?" she said, thinking she had heard him wrong. "How would you like to die?" he said patiently, his green eyes slightly closed as he observed her. "Em, I don't know. Why would you ask that?" Avin said, with a nervous grin hoping for a joke or a smile to sweep across his face. "I'm just curious." he muttered looking down as if he was disappointed. "Curious about death?" she asked. "No," he said sharply "curious about people." The wind wrapped around them both as they stood with their backs to the shore, facing in towards the compound. The weather of Phelarion was always temperate if windy and was an ideal place for a holiday with privacy. The compound was a home away from home for many of the houses, a safe haven in a seaside port. Avin had been told never to leave the area but a walk right outside the compound walls where the guards could see them was safe. A long silence stretched out between the two of them and Avin began to feel distinctly uncomfortable. He was different to the other boys in their circle, especially since they came back from the academy for designated holidays. Avin's parents had decided not to send her to the academy unlike the rest of the children and now the children of the other families never let her play in their games. Usually he was alone and so was she, it seemed perfectly logical that they could be friends. The sinking feeling in her stomach suggested otherwise as she tried to close their first real conversation. "I think we should go back now." she suggested. "Wait." he commanded, pitching his voice in a way that made the twelve year old girl freeze immediately. "We haven't even walked down the promenade. Mother told me to make friends so let's keep going."

Avin was afraid of Brendol's mother, she was very tall and thin unlike her mother who was very round and spoke softly. Mother had encouraged her to make friends in the holiday compound while the adults were talking. She wasn't allowed to read books all day or play games by herself. What if Brendol's mum spoke to hers and was angry with Avin? Her mind made up, she strolled forward into the wind beside him. Both children were in the standard grey tunics which were in fashion for aristocratic children and their clothes flapped around them as they strode along the pier. Avin's trademark silk scarf trailed in the wind. It was a gift from Naboo and her mother insisted she wear it as she hated the bland clothes many people wore here. They walked on in silence until a ship from the docking port at the end of the bay lifted off in flight. She looked at him shyly out of the corner of her eye as he watched the ship begin its ascent towards space, his red hair whipping forward into his eyes as he tilted his head upwards. "Will you learn how to fly one of them at the academy?" she said softly, not wanting to break his concentration. "Yes. Of course." He said, looking at her sharply. "I already learn theory of space travel and we will begin flight training in 3 terms time. My tutor says a solid knowledge of physics and the right physical training is very important for our work. I'll begin training early as I am the top of my class, of course." Avin's father had told her boasting was only for fools but Brendol's academic ability was well known amongst the families. It was one of the reasons she had asked him to walk with her. They walked on again in silence, the faint sea spray making the air slightly salty. "Why did you not go to the academy?" he asked again making the question almost a command. She could see why he didn't have many friends. "M- My mother wanted me to be an artist. My father wants me to be a diplomat. Either way the academy wasn't for me." He stared at her, his head tilted as they continued their walk. Avin could see the solid back obelisk at the end of the pier now and relief washed over her as this trip would soon be over. When she looked back at him he was nodding. "Father said we will need them." "Need what?" she said puzzled. "Need artists, teachers, musicians and so on." he paused "the correct artists and musicians. The type that will give the people something beautiful and inspiring while they work. Father says we will need all types of people for our new world when we begin to create it so long as they are efficient. So your parents were correct to send you if you have talent. Do you have talent?" She nodded slowly at him, afraid if she spoke he would ask her more personal questions. They had reached the end of the pier now and the black statue stood out against the backdrop of the dark blue choppy waves of the sea. He reached over and solemnly touched the monument. A large plaque was placed at the bottom and Avin bent over to read it. The plaque was in standard and the words were etched deep into the glittery black stone.

IN MEMORY OF MY HUSBAND

GRAND MOFF WILHUFF TARKIN

WE SERVE THE EMPIRE FAITHFULLY

She read it out loud to Brendol who had leaned over her to read it as well, his pale face scrunched up against the cold wind. She had a sudden strange feeling so she asked: "Did you know him?" "He was my grandfather." he answered, straightening his back with a proud flick to his head, "My grandmother had this erected after he died. She named this whole port after him." Avin was impressed. Everyone knew the name Tarkin and her parents spoke about him like a saviour, one of the most important men in the galaxy. It was true that any families with access to the compound were part of the grand houses of the inner rim. Some of them had scraped through the fall of the galactic empire while others had fallen into obscurity. Avin didn't know why Tarkin was so famous and she definitely didn't want to ask in case she would sound stupid in front of Brendol. She looked at him again, he held his hands on his hips as he surveyed the port. From where they stood the port closed in from every side, like arms thrust out. Sheer grey mountain walls loomed over the port while lush forest growth spread out along the corners of the enclave. The high walls compound of the stood right at the centre, a permanent picture in Avin's memory. The armed guard in their navy uniforms were tiny specks on the upper walls. Soon she would go back to school and not see any of these other children or guards for another moon's cycle. In her school on Naboo there was no talk of the empire or discipline. There were no marches and once a week they all learned a new song from a different part of the galaxy. She couldn't wait to go back. Brendol's high voice interrupted her thoughts. "Father said it is our duty to uphold our family name." His face was pulled into a haughty smirk but he wasn't looking at her but at another small trading ship flying in for docking. Once again, Avin found herself feeling deeply uncomfortable at these glimpses of his sudden overwhelming feeling. It reminded her of the way the adults sometimes spoke and of that time she found her mother crying in the bathroom after a dinner party. Brendol was half-way through circling the obelisk when a sudden thought appeared to occur to him. "Your name is Shuah, is it not?" She nodded. "That isn't a name of one of the old houses." She nodded again and explained. "It's my father's name. My mother's house is from Naboo." He raised his eyebrow looked mildly interested. She continued. "Her house was – is house Palpatine."

He came back to stand on her other side and stared right into her face. Slowly, the sides of his mouth creeped up until his face was transformed by a huge grin. She smiled back as she was swept up in his sudden open glee. Her mother had told her to keep that name to herself as much as possible but something in the boy, maybe his pride, made her feel like sharing too. "You are Emperor Palpatine's granddaughter?" he asked and his voice rang with excitement. She shook her head and his smile slid slightly downwards. "His brother was my grandfather," she explained. He nodded again in turn and held out his arm to her. For a fraction of a second she hesitated and then took it, allowing him to lead her back down the pier. He placed his hand upon the top of her forearm and Avin suddenly felt very grown up. "And he was also a commander in the empire?" he prompted. She bit her lip. "Eh, no. he was – a musician." His arm around hers tightened as he suddenly broke into gales of laughter. She smiled back and nudged his side. Their pace swung into step in a way which Avin began to enjoy "Really?" he asked when he got his breath back. She giggled in turn. "You know, you are very pretty." He said, almost as an afterthought "Your scarf matches your eyes." Avin avidly remembered his mother calling her plain at one of the dances the previous year and she knew it was time to change the topic. "So," she said as she smiled at him "How would you like to die?"

"I wouldn't." he said.