Chapter 11

As Jagged's shuttle left the docking bay, Soontir felt the knot of tension tighten. Jagged would be holding a press conference prior to the arrival of Jaina and the rest of the Fels. If the reaction was unpleasant, he could adjust plans so Jaina could avoid it. If Jagged had known how the morning would play out, he would have taken Jaina in the first shuttle. Soontir shook his head, resigned that nothing would go the newlyweds' way today.

The shuttle that arrived in system was all too familiar to Soontir. "That is Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano's shuttle." Shawnkyr took another step towards the viewport, watching the shuttle make its way to the landing bay, and continued. "He's here for an alliance. The Chiss would rather cement an alliance than risk having your family and Jaina consider war. Your family knows too much, and Jaina has proven her ability to fight the Chiss and win. They aren't willing to have that kind of loose end."

Even forging an alliance would be tricky. The Aristocra was used to dealing with Jedi. However, Jaina was not her uncle. She was too perceptive, and tended to assume everything was a trap and work from there. Soontir had no idea how Jaina would respond to a Chiss on board the Pellaeon's Legacy. Worse, he had no control. There was nothing he could do to shield Jaina from the interaction he knew she'd been dreading. They had thought Jagged would be there to serve as a buffer. The pitfalls of scheduled press conferences… The only reason the Aristocra would arrive now would be to avoid dealing with Jagged directly. He clearly anticipated an easier time negotiating with Jaina. It had been no secret that she was arriving on Bastion with Jag, but her appearance was tentatively scheduled for the afternoon conference only.

Halfway to the landing bay, Soontir was joined by Jaina. If she was nervous, it wasn't showing. Her sabacc face was carefully in place. He offered his arm, and she accepted with a small smile. The walk was completed in silence. Out of the corner of his eye, Soontir noted the deep crimson gown Jaina wore today. Again, her hair was up and curled, although today's style was far more elaborate than any he'd seen on her previously. Small flowers were carefully placed throughout, their delicate white standing out dramatically against her dark hair.

Before he knew it, they were passing through the doors to the landing bay and he had just enough time to whisper the proper greeting for an Aristocra before Jaina released his arm to stride confidently up the aisle created by the elite stormtroopers standing in formation through the bay.

As Chaf'orm'bintrano strode down the ramp, the politician's mask that Soontir had seen him use so many times was firmly in place. If he was surprised at the warmth in Jaina's greeting, he didn't show it. Rather, he politely bent over and kissed the back of her hand before responding, "Lady Solo, it is a pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Formbi." From the slight rustle of movement in the stormtrooper ranks, the Aristocra must have realized he made a mistake. Jaina had enough familiarity with the Chiss to understand their culture reasonably well. The formalities of court life amongst the Chiss were new to her, but she had followed Soontir's instructions exactly. Formbi, however, had utilized the greeting for an Imperial baroness, not a duchess. It was a subtle and simple mistake. But it was a mistake that gave Jaina the edge. Formbi would have to tread more carefully, as everyone in the hangar was aware of the inadvertent insult.

He was too seasoned a politician to allow the error to throw him off stride for more than a moment. As they walked toward the back of the hangar, Formbi had engaged Jaina in a discussion of her family, particularly the Jedi Grand Master. She gave nothing away about the true nature of her departure from the Jedi Order, or her disappointment at being denied the rank of Master. Even though she knew the game, Soontir knew that the denial of that title had hurt deeply.

"I must admit, Aristocra, that I had not expected you here." Jaina's voice was level, giving nothing away.

"The Chiss have learned that it is… unwise to keep ourselves wholly separated from the galaxy. Given recent events, it was felt that an alliance should be sought with the Galactic Empire." Formbi was on guard, unwilling to give away anything that wasn't immediately obvious.

"I am sure Head of State Fel will be most interested in your proposal. I will bring it forward at tonight's council meeting. Please, allow my staff to arrange quarters for you on Bastion during your stay." She led the Aristocra to the conference room just off the hangar, where Shawnkyr and Syal had supervised the hasty preparation of refreshments. She handled the conversation masterfully, carefully keeping the discussion flowing on neutral topics. Soontir stayed clear of the conversation as much as possible. The Aristocra was courteous, but Soontir knew there was more to this than met the eye. There always was.

It wasn't long before General Antilles summoned Jaina to the afternoon press conference. Formbi had insisted on taking his own shuttle to the surface, leaving Soontir with Jaina as they made their way to their shuttle. Once up the boarding ramp, he enfolded Jaina in a tight hug. The young woman was formidable, but even the strongest of people needed support. Support he was more than willing to give. She gratefully returned it before marching into the cockpit and promptly removing the crew member sitting in the pilot's seat. Soontir chuckled as he took the copilot's station.

"But, Your Grace, my orders…" The young pilot was clearly no match for the Solo Glare. He wilted before he'd even finished his protest.

"Lieutenant, I've flown my way through more wars than you've lived through. No one, and I mean no one, takes the pilot seat from me." Soontir wasn't unwise enough to point out that she would have to argue with Jag for that privilege. That glare was not anything he wanted sent his way. Soontir couldn't wait to see it used on the moffs.