"Respect is not something you can force someone to give you. It must be earned."
The Jedi mount a rescue attempt to free Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi from Separatist custody, desperate to free him before his star cruiser reaches the Citadel, a prison designed to hold Jedi.
Meanwhile, Serra Winters, acolyte of Darth Tyrannous, has been stationed on Raxus to oversee the Separatist's Senate and learn how to be a politician as well as a combatant. She is impatient to return to the war, displeased with fighting political battles. She does not suspect the war is coming to the capital of the Confederacy of Independent Planets.
Lyrii turned the pendent of the necklace in her hand, supposing it was pretty enough. The pendent was made of three blooming roses of ruby with thorny silver vines that twined together to form a roughly circular shape. She set it back in the package it had arrived in and wrote on the datapad beside her. She wrote a general description of the gift, the name of the sender, the date it had arrived, and a word-by-word copy of the message the trinket had come with. The jewelry wasn't imbued with the Force so she wrote "No Force" on the line under the classification Jewelry: Necklace.
"Not another one," Serra Winters bemoaned from behind her handmaiden and foster sister at the sight of the box.
"Yes another one," Lyrii disagreed as she finished filling out the details.
"I don't believe it!" Serra complained, "How much more stuff am I going to get? I'm just turning thirteen!"
"Thirteen is an important year for a Serennian," Lyrii quoted for the third time. "It is when one stops being considered a child and starts being considered a young adult. You'll go from Count Dooku's ward to heir."
"And since my legal guardian is Count Dooku, the leader of the Confederacy of Independent Planets, many people send gifts in hopes of currying my favor or his," Serra quoted back, hearing it for the third time. "So I'll be getting all of those gifts in addition to the normal presents given to an heir of one of Serenno's Counts."
"If you know already then why are you asking?" Lyrii couldn't help but point out.
"Because at this rate I'm going to need another suite of rooms for all the gifts," Serra snapped as she stalked over to the window and dropped into the window seat.
Lyrii shook her head sympathetically as she finished recording the gift and stood with the necklace in hand. She entered the walk-in closet, which had clothes on one side and accessories on the other. The shelves had never been bare, but Serra preferred wearing her black and silver combat garb for everyday use given its comfort and durability. She did have two dresses, simple but elegant things made to give her as much freedom as possible but she had no cause to wear them yet. Her normal accessories included half a dozen various necklaces, bracelets, and a silver circlet.
However, the gifts lavished for her birthday had… cluttered the space. A plethora of necklaces, rings, circlets, headbands, bracelets, hairpins, and brooches laid every part of the half denoted to accessories. It was stuffed to the seams as the jewelry was pressed against or on each other to save space. Even with jewelry boxes and necklace stands, there simply wasn't enough room.
The fashion accessories included everything from purses, hand fans, gloves, parasols and sunglasses to hats, ribbons, muffs, watches, stockings, shawls, and scarves. Shoes, everything from slippers and sandals to pumps and stiletto heels covered the shoe rack, lined the top of it, and formed small column of pairs on the ground. Lyrii stepped over the shoes on the ground and approached the shelf with other necklaces, taking care not to let her sleeve brush against the shelf with rings for fear of starting a small avalanche of precious metal and jewels. That, of course, did not begin to cover the tunics, coats, skirts, shorts, and dresses on the other half of the closet.
Serra might have a point, Lyrii thought as she laid the necklace of ruby roses on the shelf with the others, setting it on top of one with jade leaves and another with golden wings.
This wasn't all of them either. A pattern had developed. Serra would get seven or eight presents a day, which included accessories and clothing, but also had flowers, mirrors and vanity sets, a desk, and works of art: small sculptures, paintings, vases, and other things of the like. Serra had liked the desk, and after disabling a listening bug on it, allowed it to stay in her room.
She was most interested in the potential of the books some gave her, but since the people didn't know what genres she liked to read they were normally varied books on poetry or bland nonfiction. Serra was also interested in exotic foods (mostly candy and other deserts), but they were confiscated because it would be difficult to screen them for poison. Their pandering was a wasted effort.
Serra had no interest in jewelry or clothing, even jewelry imbued with the power of the Dark Side. Like her mother and master, she believed it was foolish to rely on the power of items instead of your own. The items became a crutch, rendering one helpless if the items were lost or damaged.
Lyrii did her best to keep it all sorted, necklaces on one shelf, rings on the other, and so on, but she was starting to have trouble. Many of the people who wanted to curry Serra's favor hadn't met her and so got her clothing and accessories (including makeup and perfume which Lyrii did not want to get started in due to the quantity of it) because those were things budding women normally liked. Not Serra.
"I wish Dooku hadn't abandoned me," Serra sighed as she stared out the window, looking over the urban sprawl that surrounded the Separatists' Senate Hall.
Lyrii felt a twinge of sympathy for Serra as she walked back over to the desk that held the necklace's box. Dooku had said she would be sent to combat the Republic, but he had changed his mind before she could initiate Dark Starr's hyperdrive and sent her to Raxus, where she had been for the past two weeks. She wanted to kill Jedi. Sith had to be political creatures, pulling the strings from the shadows, but Serra most certainly was not. She wanted to make use of the war.
"I can't believe I've gotten so much stuff since I got here," Serra grumbled, eyeing the closet.
"You may have only been on Raxus for a few weeks but have been Dooku's apprentice for over three months," Lyrii chided. "Dooku's been accepting gifts on your behalf for some time."
"Don't remind me," Serra muttered.
Even Dooku had seemed surprised by the outpouring of gifts she was receiving, but had not commented on it. That was probably for the best.
Serra had yet to actually attend a session of the Confederacy Senate, but had met several of the Senators in passing or at social gatherings. She'd mostly caught up with lessons like courtesy, language, history, and everything not combat related. Between them and her normal Force and lightsaber exercises, she hadn't had much chance to explore Raxus. Her thirteenth birthday party would be held in three weeks, though Dooku was handling the arrangements. Serra wondered what the Sith Lord thought of it.
"I'm going to go shoot," Serra announced as Lyrii picked up the box.
Lyrii glanced up, having to look around a vase of everlillies, blueblossoms, purple passions, and rojos in the process. Serra had taken her WESTAR-35 blaster pistol from the holster and was checking the power gauge.
"You're supposed to be nice, Lady Serra," Lyrii warned.
Serra snorted. "That doesn't mean I'm going to fall behind on my practice. I don't care what looks he gives me, I won't neglect my gunmanship. There is no rule saying I can only carry a lightsaber. My mother had many weapons and it never hurt her."
Lyrii sighed softly. Serra was putting more effort into battle practice, not just the Force, probably because of Cad Bane's victory over her. However, she had sent Serra to be a politician. She was missing her master's point again.
Serra paused briefly and then holstered the blaster back on her belt on her right hip, opposite where her lightfoil was clipped. "Or not. Lyrii, we have a guest. Let her in when she knocks."
Serra dropped back to the windowseat. Lyrii dipped her head in acknowledgement, glancing at the door. She tried to extend her senses but couldn't sense what Serra could. If Serra's power was a flame, hers was a small ember. Lyrii had never minded the mismatch. She focused on her lightsabers and what limited power she had was enough to enhance her swordsmanship. The rest was Serra's domain.
Lyrii felt the presence of someone in the hallway a few seconds later, but they were almost at the door by then. She waited until she knocked before she was started to walk to the door and manually open it. She had no right to flaunt her minor Force-sensitivity.
"Senator Bonteri," Lyrii greeted Mina Bonteri, "please come in."
Bonteri smiled as she entered, "thank you Lyrii."
Lyrii was briefly surprised Bonteri recalled her name. Few Senators did. Bonteri noticed the box the necklace had come in before looking to Serra.
"And hello Miss Winters," Bonteri added.
"Senator Bonteri," Serra copied the greeting as she stood. "This is a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you? Have you come with a Name Day gift for me?"
Serra didn't think she had gotten one from Bonteri so far. She really didn't have room for any more. Bonteri detected the note of wariness in Serra's voice, as she thought she might.
"On no, my dear," the senator assured her. "I had a feeling you have had more than enough."
Serra exhaled, glad for that. She really had.
"Now, now," Bonteri chided lightly as she approached. "Think of the Senate Hall as another battlefield. It's still a bad idea to show your frustration."
"I know," Serra tried to show her frustration. "I've been told that before."
It was a very strange battlefield. At least on the frontlines she could shoot back. Here? Her lessons weren't helping. The Dark Side produced vivid emotions, far more then her mother's teachings had. How did Dooku keep so cool? Serra supposed she could ask him, but wasn't sure what kind of a response she would get, if any. She understood Dooku was too busy to hold her hand and expected her to learn herself. Her mother had often been away tracking bounties, especially after the Clone Wars had started. Heather had been of great help to the Separatists, hunting Republic targets – especially Jedi.
Serra wondered if she should ask Bonteri how she remained so cool and calm. Even though she favored peace with the Republic, she was a god source of information. She seemed more than willing to help. Of course, everyone was more than willing to help, trying to get her favor.
For her part, Bonteri held great respect for Dooku. He had been brave enough to leave the corrupted, twisted Republic, and organized enough to keep the Confederacy united while overseeing the fight for their freedom. Since Serra was Dooku's heir, it was only natural she teach her what she could. A part of her wondered if she couldn't convince Serra that this war had gone on long enough. She was unable to convince Dooku of it. Would Dooku listen to his ward if she did ask him to stop? It would certainly get the Senate's attention. Serra also seemed like a nice enough girl and she didn't mind helping her.
Bonteri understood why Dooku, who had no family, would adopt someone to succeed him, but didn't understand why Serra. Her mother Serena, who Bonteri knew was a former Jedi named Heather, had worked as a bounty hunter for Dooku since the Separatist Crisis, making sure things were in place for the succession and probably killing a few choice Republicans who would get in the way of her mission – and credits. Bounty hunters were like that. She'd switched to hunting Jedi after the Clone Wars began. Was this Dooku's way of repaying the loyalty of one of his allies? There were ways to help Serra that didn't involve making her the heir to the Confederacy.
Bonteri recalled the first time she had crossed paths with Serena. She remembered the former Jedi gripping the back of Lux's shirt in one hand as she pinned the five-year-old boy to her chest. Her other hand held the knife she had pressed under her son's chin, and she cordially asked Bonteri to put down the blaster she had picked up in self-defense. She wanted her acquisition, not Lux's life, but if she had to kill him she had to. Bonteri had seen her a few times while she was in Dooku's employ, but had not spoken with her. Bonteri was certain she'd say something regrettable if they did meet face to face.
"Have you kept all your gifts?" Bonteri asked her.
"Hmm?" Serra blinked. "Um, yeah. What else am I supposed to do with them?"
Bonteri supposed Serra did need help and explained, "you're supposed to regift them."
"I am," Serra said blankly.
"Of course," Bonteri assured. "No one expects you to keep all of them. Have you been keeping track of who has given you what?"
Serra nodded.
"Good," Bonteri knew that would help. "Now, you should keep at least one memento from the more powerful nobles and senators, especially if you have any from Serenno's nobility, those you're likely to meet in person."
Serra wished Bonteri hadn't mentioned the Great Houses. The other five Dukes backed her master, not so much her. Dooku had a nephew – Serra's cousin she supposed – Adan Dooku. He and his mother weren't on Serenno, but they were natural-born Serennians and blood kin to House Dooku, two things Serra wasn't. The other Dukes were very much aware of it.
"You should also keep very old things," Bonteri continued. "The rest you regift as a show of your favor. You just have to make sure you don't regift the gift to the person who first gave it to you. It's all a game of favors."
"That sounds… incredibly illicit," Serra responded flatly.
Bonteri thought about it. It hadn't changed since the days of the Republic. "I suppose it is. Would you like some help?"
"Yes." Serra didn't take long to think about it.
Bonteri chuckled. "Let's see what I can do to help…"
I am sorry. I've been meaning to post this for some time but there was school and I backed myself into a corner. I do battle scenes much better than political maneuvering so it took me forever to come with the details for the story-line. I didn't want to just half-ass it, so hopefully it will be worth it despite the delay.