Chapter 10

Amidala walked down the Ch'hala tree lined grand corridor on her way to the Bail Organa's senate office. Their leaves rippled in different colors around scattered groups of people talking, arguing or discussing. Amidala had an earlier scheduled meeting with Senator Bail Organa to discuss the growing financial strain on the outer rim, or at least that was what he thought it was to concern. The young woman at the reception desk ushered Amidala and the four Noghri guards into the office's Oro wood lined conference room. She then offered them some refreshments before assuring them that the Senator would be right with her. Raka and the rest of the Noghri took positions around the room. Raka for one was spoiling for a fight after the incident a few days before. It turned out that the Battle Droid had been programmed to specifically target the Noghri and fire when they moved after Isard uttered a keyword. That there was nothing Raka could have done to avoid the ambush did nothing to improve his mood. Amidala strolled around the long conference table looking over the titles of the many leather bound books shelved around the room. Half way through her inspection she took a seat in the middle of the table facing the door. She had been seated for scarcely a minute before Bail swept into the room.

"I apologize for your wait I was on the com with my daughter," Bail started, "I am afraid that there will be some more people joining our meeting in a few minutes." He sighed before continuing, "The Director of Intelligence and Grand Moff Tarkin will be joining us to discus diverting funds to a few classified defense projects."

"Since we have a few minutes there is something I would very much like to discuss with you amongst the two of us." She paused letting her eyes pierce into his, "How could you let her run for the Senate? You are putting her in unspeakable danger, if Palpantine were to find out" his laughter cut off her diatribe. The look she gave him assured him that nothing about this situation was funny. He held up his hand to hold off the onslaught brewing in her eyes.

"I assure you that I had absolutely nothing to do with it," his speech still had a humored tone to it as he slipped into a seat at the end of the table to her left, "I found out about it when the Alderanian Parliament sent me a list of approved candidates." The smile that still hadn't left his face turned positively rueful, "which my name wasn't on I might add. Apparently there is a desire for young blood."

"She isn't old enough to run, how did she get past that little obstacle," she made it quite clear that she still didn't find any of this amusing.

"She isn't old enough yet, but her birthday falls on Empire Day the same day new senators are installed." He shook his head, "in roughly eight months when Leia celebrates her birthday she will be sixteen and old enough to serve in the Imperial Senate." Another chuckle, "Reminds me of another young woman I once knew, however if you think you can talk her out of it please try." Her rebuke was cut off by the entrance of Bail's receptionist who announced Director of Intelligence Armand Isard and Grand Moff Wilhuf Tarkin. Tarkin moved to her right sitting opposite Bail at the other end of the table. Isard sat opposite Amidala smiling icily at her as he sat. Bail in an attempt to keep things from getting hostile asked that they proceed with the agenda.

For Van Rosser everything was right in life, he was the Captain of Lady Amidala Vader's personal flagship Serenity, and just last night the woman he loved had agreed to marry him. ShannaFuqua had several months ago after a night filled with heated passion confessed that she was not using her real name, and that she was not really an Ad exec. That conversation came back in striking clarity as Van road the lift down to the lobby:

The two lay together on a sea of red shimmer silk in the bed chamber of her plush apartment. From the panoramic view panes the night time lights of Imperial Center danced across their entwined naked form. His fingers made their way through the shock of white in her hair before drowning in a sea of black. He had just broached the subject of marriage. She looked up at him from her place on his chest and for the first time since they had met little over a year ago he saw uncertainty in her ice blue eyes. When she spoke the crack in her voice scared him, "You know that I love you, right Van?"

"Of course, Shanna," his confusion was evident on his face, "where is all of this coming from?"

"I've -," she hesitated moving away from him and pulling the sheet up under her arms. When she looked back at him her face was positively tortured. "My name isn't Shanna," She looked away as tears started to traverse her face, "and I don't work in advertising. My father is a high ranking Imperial official. This name, this life, this apartment are all my secret; a way for me to escape the responsibilities of who I really am." Van had by this time gotten up and put on a pair of underpants.

"So," he started pacing the room, "was I just supposed to be some fling." He was obviously angry.

"Yes," she sobbed out, "but," she was starting to have trouble keeping her breath, "it wasn't supposed to happen, I couldn't stop thinking about you and," again she lost control, "and." Shanna was cut off when warm hands cupped her face.

"Do you love me?" he queried warm brown eyes looking into hers. All she could do is nod yes, "I've said things in confidence do they stay between us?"

"I would never betray your trust," she answered wrapping her hands around his, "you have to believe that."

"I do."…..

Now after months of begging she had finally agreed to marry him. He exited the lift and proceeded to the outer walkways oblivious to his surroundings. Rosser proceeded into the early morning air enjoying the sounds of Coruscant in the morning. He strolled to the southeast corner of Shanna's building and stood on the corner of the elevated walkway. He stood entranced by the view as the predawn light snaked its way down the canyons of the city wide planet. Then with the intensity of a laser beam the sun peeked above the horizon shooting light through the crevice on which the captain stood. Van took the cleansing light full in the face basking in the glow knowing that this is what it meant to be happy. He leaned his head back in pure bliss just as something knocked into his back sending him tumbling over the side. Van Rosser had time to feel only shock, fear and the wind on his face before he slammed into another walkway fifty stories below.

It had taken two days for one of the Crescent Moon ships to come and pickup Wrenga, Breanna, and Crosby. A day's worth of arguing between Amidala and Vader to decide that Breanna and Crosby would stay on the flagship for now. Worse it had taken Wrenga less than a day of tracking to find Armand Isard's security leak within the fleet. Considering that he had started at the top that was a very bad thing. The captain of the flagship had an ongoing affair with Yasanne Isard, Armand's daughter. That he didn't know who she was didn't matter. As is stood Wrenga was leaning against the wall in the building lobby waiting for Captain Rosser to leave. While he waited he had to wonder how dense the captain really was. This apartment building was far too expensive for the low level advertising exec she claimed to be. The rich tapestries covering the windows and marble counter tops attested to that.

Wrenga was saved from his musings by the appearance of Captain Rosser exiting one of the turbo lifts. The captain seemed to be walking on a cloud the utter peace of a man who was content with the universe as a whole, a man in love. Wrenga shook his head as he fell into step a short distance behind him. The captain exited the building and started to walk down the elevated walkways of this upper level housing district. Wrenga stopped at the door to allow an old woman carrying some groceries to come through. He then took his time following and then leaning against the building as Rosser stood on the edge of the walkway. Jix was paying little attention to the other pedestrians between himself and Van, so when a girl took two steps and then shoved the captain off the walk it came as a complete surprise. It was perfect he would latter admit, when the captain screamed in shock it looked like she was trying to grab him back from the abyss.

The girl who sported striking red gold hair and the lithe body of a dancer strolled back towards Jix with the nonchalance only smugglers and teenagers could accomplish. Jix slowly committed her face to memory realizing that she couldn't be more than fourteen or fifteen, while a crowd gathered to look over the edge at the misfortunate man. As she passed Wrenga she looked back over her shoulder and he caught the glint in her green eyes.

Bail was surprised the civility in the room had lasted as long as it had but before long Amidala and Isard were firing allegations back and forth. Tarkin contented himself to sit back in his chair and watch something akin to concern on his face. Bail for his part just wished to stay out of the line of fire, while Amidala thought nothing of angering the Director of Intelligence Bail did not have a Sith Lord in his corner.

"I should expect as much from Lord Vader's plaything," Isard spoke with a derisively aloof tone. Amidala placed both hands on the table and slowly stood. Her face showed the same cool mask of the Lady Amidala Vader, the eyes however burned with pure hatred.

"If you will excuse me gentlemen," she glanced briefly at Tarkin and Organa who both nodded in acceptance, "I will be taking my leave of you." She started to her right around the table, Raka placing himself immediately behind her to the left. Tarkin took care to place his hands flat on the table in plain view as they passed.

"I am not finished speaking with you Lady Vader," Isard stated while starting to stand. Amidala continued towards the door with Kavish taking up a position ahead and to the right of her when they reached his position. Amidala's other two guards preceded her through the door but Armand grabbed her arm as went to pass through. She looked down as if inspecting a bothersome bug. "I tell you this isn't over," he threatened but immediately released her as Raka seized and applied pressure to his wrist.

"You had better hope it is Armand," Amidala spoke over her shoulder as she exited.

Raka watched her leave and allowed the door to slide shut before looking back at Isard. Armand Isard fell to his knees with a scream the same time a snap was heard throughout the conference room. Upon seeing the Director's bent arm Tarkin and Organa realized that the Noghri had snapped his wrist with a single movement. Raka then slowly drug his finger across Armand's throat. "You have been warned," he growled out before following the path his mistress had just taken.

Lord Vader looked up as Wrenga entered the apartment then offered his hand to Amidala. "Please excuse us my dear I need to speak to Jixton alone." She took his hand and allowed him to help her up from the couch. "I don't intend to keep you out of the loop," he started sensing her desire to stay, "I would prefer to relate the situation to you without the gory details." Amidala nodded once in understanding and quietly left the room, Jix watched her leave the room. "Raka," Vader called the head of Amidala's guard, "I want you to listen to this." The Noghri warrior came to stand next to Lord Vader, both waited for Jix to begin. "Well Jixton, where is Captain Rosser?" Wrenga turned to them clearly still confused by the Lady's actions; he took a moment to clear his head and began.

"He's dead," he answered bluntly.

"How?"

"He fell fifty stories to his death," Jix replied

"Accident or suicide," Vader questioned.

"Assassination," Wrenga said, "and the girl who did it was good. If I hadn't been watching him closely I would have assumed suicide myself."

"Girl," Vader grated, "describe her."

"Red hair, slender, reminded me of a ballerina," Wrenga shook his head as if trying to fathom it; "she was so young fourteen, fifteen tops."

"Should The Lady Vader's guard be concerned about her," Raka asked in his gravelly voice.

"Yes," Lord Vader replied, "this means the Emperor himself was involved. He turned to look at Wrenga, "What about Yasanne Isard?"

Wrenga shrugged, "never saw her."