"He wants to show off his new prizes," Arihnda Pryce said with her hands firmly planted on the table between them. "It is in more than your best interest to go."

"But the Emperor did not invite me," Thrawn replied. He had arrived at Lothal not too long ago with the Seventh Fleet to take care of Lothal's 'rebel problem', and already he was being called back to Coruscant.

"Grand Moff Tarkin did," Pryce said. "And the Emperor will be there. You should go."

Thrawn threw his hand in the air dismissively. "The other two new Grand Admirals will be there," he said. "I do not need to go."

"That's exactly why you need to go." Pryce leaned over the table as if trying to get him to comply with her large, blue eyes. "You might have the Emperor's favor, but you need other allies besides him."

Thrawn was silent. Arihnda Pryce had promised to guide him politically when he agreed to have Lothal be the basis of his TIE Defender project a few years back. Though many of the maneuvers that she had Thrawn go through he did not understand, and he no longer had Eli Vanto to explain them to him, she had kept her word.

He was now one of the three new Grand Admirals recently promoted. And she claimed Emperor Palpatine wanted to show him and his new comrades off to the senators, Moffs, and other dignitaries that deigned to join the gathering he was creating.

"I suppose you will want to go," he finally said.

"Of course," Pryce answered with a smug smile. That had been the deal, after all. She would help his political acumen and he would get her into places she might not be able to otherwise.

That was how, after only two weeks after being stationed in orbit above Lothal, he was now in the Imperial Palace, shoulder to shoulder with the Empire's elite. Governor Pryce was off with whomever it was she wanted to speak with. And Emperor Palpatine was not, he noticed, showing anyone off, despite being close by. Thrawn disliked these gatherings. He found them meaningless and boring.

"Oh look," said Grand Admiral Mariff, one of the Admirals already in standing. "Here comes the Light of the Navy now." His voice dripped with sarcasm as his gaze shifted to the entrance of the great hall.

"Why do they call him that?" his wife asked, tilting her head to the side. "Stars, look at them. Even here, they look like backwater yokels." She clicked her tongue derisively. "She isn't even wearing a hairpiece!"

"Take another look at him, darling," Mariff said to his wife. "Then ask me the question again."

Many of the people whom Uriellien Viita passed by were looking at the man again, some of them not even trying to hide it. His golden curls shone around his head like a halo, his smile shined on anyone he laid his sky blue eyes on.

The woman on his arm looked like she had stepped out of the portrait from his office. She, too, had golden curls, all of them amassed on her head naturally and falling down about her face in delicate tendrils. She wore a purple gown that made her pale skin look like alabaster, her bright blue eyes scanning the crowd, her smile just as sunny as Viita's.

Viita made his way over to the Emperor and bowed deeply. "Your Majesty," he said, his voice song-like with a slight accent.

"Grand Admiral Viita," Emperor Palpatine said, enunciating each word as he spoke.

"May I present my sister, your Majesty." He pushed the woman with him forward slightly. She gave a deep curtsey, placing a hand on her heart. "Luxsolaria Tristaine."

"Yes," Palpatine said as the woman rose. "The years have been good to you since we last met, I see."

Her eyes went wide in surprise and a blush rose to her cheeks. "I am surprised you remember, Your Majesty," she said in the same sing-song accent as her brother. "That was so many years ago, and such a small thing."

"No service to the Empire is a small thing, Madam," Palpatine replied with a smile. "Creating curriculum for children of the Empire's future is as important as many military endeavors."

"I am sure there are some here who would disagree, your Majesty," she replied, though it was obvious she was pleased with his praise. Her smile was even brighter than it had been upon entering.

"Not in my presence," Palpatine said.

She laughed, bowing her head in acquiescence. "Of course not, Your Majesty."

He nodded to her in return, then turned his attention to a newcomer.

Viita turned to Mariff and Thrawn. "Sola," he said, looking down at his sister adoringly, "you remember Grand Admiral Mariff," he gestured to the older man.

"I do," she did the same curtsy, albeit nowhere near as deep, with her hand on her heart to him.

"My wife," Mariff brought his wife forward, "Amahria."

Amahria inclined her head slightly to her, a small smile on her face. "Aren't you a sunny thing?" she said with raised eyebrows.

Luxsolaria smiled back, unabashed. "Should one not be sunny when one has been complimented by the Emperor?"

The older woman's small smile faded from her face as she nodded. "Yes," she said. "I suppose one should."

"This," Vitta gestured to the alien next to Mariff, "is Grand Admiral Thrawn."

The Chiss inclined his head politely. "Madam Tristaine."

"I've heard a great deal about you, Admiral," Luxsolaria said, her smile still wide. "All good."

Amahria gave a small snort.

Viita held his hand out. Thrawn took his forearm firmly in greeting and noted that Viita's was overly enthusiastic. His grip was slightly too tight. Not tight enough to be a challenge, but tighter than it should have been to be a friendly hello. The smile didn't leave his face.

"Thrawn, Viita." The voice of Grand Moff Tarkin broke through the din of the crowd. The tall man wended his way over to the group. "I am glad you both accepted my invitation."

"Of course," Thrawn replied.

"I'd never say no to a party," Viita said. He looked around the hall and leaned in closer to the center of the group. "Even boring ones."

His sister giggled.

"Madam Tristaine," Tarkin greeted her. "I'm surprised to see you here. I would have thought your husband would not have wanted you to attend."

Her sunny smile faltered for a moment. "I am an adult, Grand Moff," she said gently. "I am allowed to go wherever I wish."

"He didn't want her to attend," Viita confirmed, a warning in his voice. "I brought her anyway."

"Good," Tarkin said, inclining his head toward Luxsolaria. "Because we are starting a game of Snooks and I know how much the two of you enjoy that."

She clapped her hands together in delight. "Oh, Snooks!" Looking up at Viita she added, "Maybe the party won't be so boring, after all."