(A/N: With all chapters dealing with cultures I am unfamiliar with, I research as much as I can, approach it with an open mind, and this one is no different. I have attempted below to accurately depict a meeting with Chinese officials as respectfully and accurately as possible with a lot of thought and care. If I offend anyone, I apologize in advance and will happily work to correct the error. Now after that preamble…I hope you enjoy the chapter.)

I am so not prepared for this.

"Don't worry Ezra. Palpatine has been laying the groundwork for this ever since we began setting up Project Insight. He's been in constant contact with President Zhou working towards today." Jon informs me.

"That must have taken a lot of work." I reply as we slowly continue walking between the hedges.

Alyssa nods as she keeps up with Tommy and I. "It's been very difficult to get him here, let alone without the notice of any prying eyes."

Yeah. The Council has no idea.

If they did I wouldn't be here. I'm no diplomat.

"I'm very worried about my impression with them." I admit to the group.

I'm not prepared. I don't know social customs, or how to be respectful or…anything really.

The biggest things I know about Chinese culture Dad taught me, years ago: Modesty and societal harmony.

I know Dad was involved in China's darkest day domestically because he referred to it vaguely a few times. Never got more than that.

"You'll be fine." Alyssa reassures me.

"Be respectful, listen to what they have to say, be honest and things will fall where they may." Tommy advises me.

I turn slightly to look at Tommy. "Have you interacted with Chinese officials before?"

"Not at this level. But I have worked hand in hand with those equal to me in the general hierarchy of things." He explains. "The cultural difference is the biggest hurdle I've found. They're good people by and large."

Everyone has their bad apples.

The hedges open up as the path open up to the left, revealing a small, tree surrounded lake as well as a bodega guarded by both men in suits and—

Chinese soldiers in full military uniform. Armed.

"—text and say we're here." Tommy asks Alyssa, whose nose is already in her phone.

As she does that, I turn to Jon. "Do they know I'm coming?"

"Yes, hence the extra security."

My reputation proceeds me.

I need help if I'm going to get through this. I don't know if I can do this by myself.

"Am I going in there alone, or can you all come with me?" I ask Jon.

Tommy turns to us as Jon shakes his head. "No no, this is…this is basically an off-the-books summit. You have to be cleared to get in there."

No.

"I'm going to need help though. I have no idea what I'm walking into. Can you at least maybe, I don't know…try? Please?"

Tommy's face reveals his surprise for a moment before he replies "Yeah, I mean I can try. No promises though. You won't be alone in there Ezra. Palpatine's in there, as well as Director Kallus and Grand Admiral Thrawn."

Interesting.

Alyssa's phone pings before she announces. "They're ready whenever we are."

"Let's go then." Tommy motions for us to start towards the bodega before allowing me to turn to Jon and Alyssa.

"You'll be fine." Jon encourages me while shaking my hand and clapping me on the shoulder. "Just be honest and you'll win them over like you won us over."

Okay.

Implying that initially, they were hostile towards me.

Alyssa hugs me before I can say anything. "You're gonna do great. I know you will."

"Thanks." I chuckle before returning the one-armed hug.

"The red tie will help." Tommy says, working to further ease my concerns, causing me to glance down at my tie, lanyard with my basic info on it behind the transparent case.

"Oh! Before I forget." Jon bursts out suddenly just as I move towards the bodega. "Thanks for saving us when Maul attacked."

Alyssa lights up. "Oh, yeah!"

"You're welcome." I turn back and smile at them. "Part of the job. Thanks for staying on my behalf."

"You heard about that?" Alyssa replies as I feel Tommy and Jon's surprise through the Force.

Ignore the rising tension off behind you Ezra…

I nod. "Yeah. Not a ton of people fight for me, so I appreciate that you did."

"They would if they knew who you actually are Ezra." Jon insists.

Beside me, Tommy comments "We should get going."

"Go, go." Alyssa waves us off before I fall into sync with Tommy as we stride down the brick-laden path towards the bodega.

Well…here goes nothing I guess.

The two military guards don't move and the Secret Service grabs the door for us, ushering us inside. I get a glimpse of a small foyer, also guarded by both Secret Service and military guards before in the room beyond everyone stands.

Breathe.

Exhaling once, I follow Tommy in as the room is revealed to be well furnished and quite full as Palpatine approaches Tommy. "Tommy, thank you very much for retrieving him."

"You're welcome, Mr. President." Tommy says in a very formal tone while shaking Palpatine's hand. "If it's possible sir, Ezra requested that I stay and help advise him through this meeting."

Multiple translators beyond the two Americans speak to men in suits before Palpatine gives me the briefest of glances. "And why would he do that?"

"He feels unprepared sir, and I believe wants to make a good first impression as well as every effort to help this go smoothly."

The Chinese delegation, when you account for all the support staff is over twenty deep.

I release more of my tension out into the Force as Palpatine replies. "That's thoughtful of him. I'll ask President Zhou."

Palpatine turns back to his Chinese counterpart, who gives him a simple nod as he looks right at the three of us, me standing behind Tommy.

Tommy then stands aside and Palpatine's face splits into a smile. "Ezra…it's so good to see you, my boy."

"Thank you, Mr. President." I nod respectfully before Palpatine moves to shake my hand.

"It looks like Maul's attack has left you no worse for the wear. I daresay that you look even stronger than the last time I saw you."

"I'm close to where I was sir. Not quite there yet though."

Still haven't put the pedal to the floor yet and pushed my personal bests. I'm still building strength.

"Might I introduce my friend, from the People's Republic of China, President Zhou." Palpatine takes a step back before Zhou bows his head respectfully.

I return the gesture before saying "It's an honor, Mr. President." As soon as the words are out of my mouth a translator relays the words to Zhou, who smiles and extends his hand to me before saying something in his native language.

"It is a great pleasure to meet you as well, young man." The same translator says to me as I shake Zhou's hand. "Your deeds belie your age."

"Age is very important in Chinese culture." Tommy helpfully explains for me. "It is very important to be respectful to those older than you."

I'm the youngest in the room. By maybe a decade at least.

I nod as Tommy is introduced to the Chinese President by Palpatine and take a step back only to hear a familiar voice. "Mr. Bridger."

Kallus.

"You gave us all a great scare, but I'm glad to see you well." He says as I turn towards his extended hand.

I return the gesture and smile. "I am well, hope you have been as well."

"The world is a very complicated, interconnected place." Grand Admiral Thrawn says behind Kallus before stepping up to greet with as well. "He, as I have kept busy during this time."

Their campaign has been focusing on their areas of expertise.

"I can only imagine. Thank you for having me, and for setting this up." I say to both of them.

"Oh, we're not responsible for this." Kallus reveals.

Thrawn adds. "The President has called in a few favors and has shown a willingness to take a lesser economic deal in exchange to get everyone here today."

Oh.

Before I can respond, Kallus motions for me to turn back to the Chinese Delegation. When I do so, I see that they're all eying me before Palpatine takes point. "Ezra, accompanying President Zhou is some of the most senior leaders of their country's National Security Commission."

Once Palpatine is done speaking, they all bow, almost as one before I return the gesture. "An honor to meet you all." I say humbly before my words are translated and most of the Chinese delegation moves to sit.

I don't have a ch—never mind.

A chair is summoned from nowhere for Tommy and I a few feet back, completing a circle with Tommy on my left and Thrawn on my right.

"We were just about to be served another round of tea when you arrived," Thrawn reveals. "It's custom to accept it and empty your cup. Not doing so is considered rude."

I indicate my understanding as multiple staff members serve Palpatine's people while military officials serve their counterparts.

I'll finish it all then.

Once everyone has been given cups of tea, complete with saucers Palpatine takes a moment to savor the drink before speaking. "Just before you arrived Ezra President Zhou and I were speaking of your father. Apparently, you look quite like him."

"Yes," I confirm for him. "He spoke one or two times of dealings in China. I don't know any specifics though."

Interesting that they mentioned that.

One of their Security Commission might have met him back in the day.

"Unfortunately—" Palpatine turns to Zhou. "—his father has come down with terminal cancer while imprisoned. How is he, Ezra? Unfortunately, I haven't had a moment to check into the situation."

Thrawn taps my arm for an instant, causing me to hesitate before answering "He's about the same, his condition hasn't deteriorated. The therapy he's been on appears to have helped things. Although I too haven't checked in the last week."

Been too busy.

My statement gets translated, and a member of the Security Commission comments on something before a translator asks me "What has occupied your time that you haven't checked on the status of your father?"

Thrawn taps me again, once more causing me to hesitate before replying "I've been working to try and track down the whereabouts of some items that were stolen from the Jedi Temple."

He's trying to tell me something.

The translation occurs before Palpatine adds "I assume you mean the items that were stolen from you, as well as the Temple?"

Tap.

…

"Yes sir. I've been using some avenues the Jedi have to locate the beskar that was stolen from me, as well as the lightsaber I used from when I was a Sith. Maul took both before vanishing."

A moment passes as the translation occurs, then another moment lapses before another Security Committee member comments.

Oh…I think I get it now.

"Our consulate in Sundari was contacted by our Mandalorian counterpart." The translator begins. "Apparently a bar of the Mandalorian Iron was stolen in the Sith Lord Maul's assault."

They already know.

I take a beat, expecting Thrawn to tap me only for him to hold off before I confirm the statement. "Yes sir."

"Did you have any success in tracking down the beskar?" Kallus leans over and asks me.

"No." I shake my head. "I have a suspicion, but nothing definitive on the subject so I'm looking anyway."

The room is silent except for the translation attempts before Palpatine motions to speak. "If I may—" Zhou nods his approval. "What's your suspicion?"

Wait…

"I do not believe Maul would trade in the beskar for cash or gold or another form of currency. It has more value to him holding it over my head."

…

Zhou comments something to his personal translator, who speaks directly to me. "Like blackmail."

I nod while taking the customary beat. "Precisely."

He's basically extorting me.

The next to speak is someone on the Security Committee, followed by the conversion to English. "We can utilize that intelligence to our advantage in looking for the Iron."

"That would be greatly appreciated, thank you." I smile and nod in thanks before another Security Committee member comments on something.

"How did you acquire upon the Iron? The Mandalorian people are very protective of the ore."

"A close personal friend of mine comes from a Mandalorian family, and she entrusted me with the iron. I know that outside of Mandalore, the mine in China is the only one on the planet." I elaborate. "Hence their protective nature."

"How did you know that?" Thrawn asks quietly as my statement is being translated. Another translator comes up over the top of the initial one, and I pause to give everyone time to gather some meaning.

The Force reverberates with the Chinese delegation's surprise, causing me to shift in my seat before answering Thrawn. "My friend told me as much. I took a course in Mandalorian history as well sir."

Multiple members of the Security Commission move to talk amongst themselves, and Zhou turns his head to listen in on the conversations.

Oh boy. I hope I didn't just mess up.

Nervously I sip my tea, which actually is quite good before Thrawn turns to me. "I think you've impressed them."

"Really?"

"Before you arrived they spoke of you with a touch of…shall I say, healthy fear. I don't think they were prepared for you to come in so well informed."

They expected Vader to walk thru that door.

"You have quite an ability to surprise Ezra." Tommy jokes, which gets me to laugh despite myself, along with Thrawn and Kallus.

The conversation is steered back on track when one of the translators says "You spoke of a class. You're being educated?"

"Why yes." Palpatine takes the question for me. "Ezra has successfully completed a full year of college, or higher education. This past grading period he achieved the highest marks he could achieve."

Zhou replies very quietly, in English. "Congratulations. Well done."

I nod my head in respect to the compliment. "Thank you, Mr. President."

I don't know how much English he knows…or if he needs the translation at all.

I shouldn't focus on that. I need to stay in the here and now.

"Is it your behest or that of the Jedi that pushed him to be educated?" One of the Security Committee members asks through an interpreter.

"The Jedi made the decision for his education to continue. My interactions with Mr. Bridger have been few and far between, regrettably." Palpatine answers after taking a moment to clear the air.

Zhou's brow furrows before he asks something. "And why is that?"

The Force quickly focuses on me, and I exhale before answering. "Well, for starters I don't like to talk all that much sir. And beyond that, I believe it is a bad idea to align too closely with any politicians. I have no desire to seek power and don't want anyone to get an idea that I do."

That would only cause problems for me.

Once my statement is translated, multiple Security Committee members look surprised, as well as Zhou himself.

I did it again.

Eventually, the internal discussions die down and they settle on a question. "Before your question, if I may, President Zhou and I have discussed this matter, Ezra." Palpatine informs me.

Oh.

"Now what's the question?"

"The boy has no desire to seek power? From you or elsewhere in the world?" An interpreter answers Palpatine.

Yes—I—hold on.

I have to be careful with how I say this.

Now this can get lost in translation easily.

"Yes." I nod once. "I have no desire to seek power."

"You didn't want to say yes, then no?" Tommy reads me perfectly.

Turning to him, I nod. "Yes, I caught myself and thought how easily that could be misunderstood and lost in translation."

Our exchange is interpreted as I sip the last of my tea before I catch Palpatine send a sly smile my way.

I think this is going well.

"More tea sir?"

"Yes please, thank you. It's delicious." I confirm with a smile before my cup is whisked right away.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Ezra." Palpatine says warmly. "President Zhou's delegation brought it along as a gesture of goodwill." He then turns to his counterpart. "You used a specific term, what was it again?"

Zhou replies before a rapid exchange is bantered about. "xin yi, good intentions and a hope for blessings."

Oh, okay.

I nod to indicate my understand before Palpatine takes hold of our conversation once again. "I believe we can use this as a jumping-off point for why we are all here today." He pauses while his opening statement is deciphered. "I've informed President Zhou of your desire to look for your brother in mainland China, and explained that we have used our own security apparatus to search for him here in the United States."

"We would not ask this of them if we were not willing to do so ourselves, first." Thrawn enhances the point.

Palpatine inclines his head as the translation is going on in real-time. "I know they have questions, so I give the floor to you—" He motions to Zhou. "—my friend."

Zhou accepts the metaphorical totem, then immediately follows up with his first question.

"Wait before you reply." Thrawn advises me, voice barely above a whisper before the first question comes in.

"What reasoning do you have that leads you to believe that your brother would be hiding out in our sovereign territory? Our state has informed your Order that we stand in staunch opposition to any and all former Sith remnants."

Oh…kay.

I let out a breath then answer the question. "I have put much thought and spent a lot of time on the matter. To put it simply, it's a math problem. Your nation has well over a billion citizens in it, and if I personally needed to hide somewhere in the world my first thought would be to hide in that region of the world."

My new cup of tea arrives, and I take it with thanks before sipping it as my statement is decoded and debated before Zhou has the final word and the next question comes in.

"So this belief of yours isn't rooted in prejudice or injustice or discrimination. It is in math, in probabilities, in an idea."

Yeah.

"Yes," I confirm before a thought hits me. "I—"

I think we're looking at this differently. I don't believe Palpatine's done the job right in conveying my actual goals here.

The Force reverberates as the entire room seems to get hung up on me stopping my own sentence. "Ezra?" Palpatine prompts me politely.

They think this is a power play by me. They think I'm trying to stick my nose in their country, where it has no place being.

"I, uhm, sir." I begin, then swallow nervously as my mouth is suddenly bone dry. "Forgive me, Mr. President. I think we're misunderstanding each other. May I ask them a question?"

They may not be receptive to that. Better to ask and get shot down in flames.

I sip my tea before feeling Thrawn, Kallus, and Tommy all eying me with a combination of curiosity and anxiety. "You've noticed something." Palpatine infers.

I nod as the Chinese contingent continues debating with each other before the decision clearly is thrown to Zhou, who nods.

"Yes, you may ask us a question young one."

Wait…

"Thank you." I say graciously. "I believe that my intentions have been misconstrued. Are you under the belief that I am trying to gain power in your country? Because I am not. I am only trying to find my brother. I am not looking to interfere with your internal affairs. I believe strongly in your sovereignty."

The Force surges with the interpreter's anxiety before Kallus looks at me. "You think that this has been understood as an American incursion into Chinese affairs?"

"Misunderstood, yes." I confirm. "It might not even be the American part, it could be viewed as a Jedi issue as well."

It's not that either.

My words have sparked up a great debate in our foreign counterparts, who are talking very rapidly except for Zhou, who is eying me with…

Yup.

My Force probe confirms my hunch that he's more curious than anything else before my answer comes. "Yes. If that is your intention, then we do believe that we have been working under a misunderstanding."

"Oh." Palpatine comments.

I open my mouth to reassure them, then catch myself and wait a moment before replying. "I am only looking for my brother. Once I do that, we can debate further on how to proceed. But the Jedi Order has looked for him for over six years now with no luck. Mostly without asking for my input. Only recently have they brought me into the search, leading us to now, today."

My latest statement begins being translated before Palpatine looks to me. "Why did the Jedi only now bring you into the process? I must say, the lengths the Jedi must go to are incredible. I was under the impression that they always worked in concert, as a team."

"It took them a long time to fully accept my conversion and transformation, Mr. President. Understandably, I might add. I hold no ill will towards them on the matter."

I need to let everyone catch up.

I sip my tea as it seems that Kallus, Thrawn, and Tommy all are having their cups taken up for more I assume before the debate across our circle stops.

"We would like to thank you, young one for stating your belief that we were working under a misunderstanding. In undergoing the delicate work of politics using different languages, things can get lost in translation." The interpreter next to President Zhou looks directly at me. "Now, I believe the President has something to say."

Alright.

I smile and signal my understanding. As soon as Zhou registers that, he begins speaking very quickly to the Security Commission.

…

He's still going.

The security commission is listening intently as Zhou is forcefully stating something before slapping the back of his hand into his palm, once, twice, three times.

Oh boy.

Zhou keeps on going, tone rising as he continues speaking yet maintaining a civil tone. His point seems to come to a crescendo before he stops speaking, and the Security Committee is left mostly nodding and seeming to agree.

"President Zhou has this to say: The People's Republic of China has no place for an individual like your brother, Elias. We do not wish him to be hiding in our midst, and if he indeed is inside of our borders, I want him out."

Ok—

Zhou holds his hand up to me, indicating that he's not done before the interpreter continues. "For many decades my party has worked to build our country up to greatness and prosperity. The last thing I want is Elias building a power base under our nose and striking out at what it has taken us all so long to accomplish. That is why I am here today. I know that we do not agree on all things, but I am glad to hear that we agree to respect each of our nation's independent sovereignty and autonomy within our own borders. I believe that we can work out an agreement that allows the Jedi to search only for Elias Bridger using our surveillance capabilities. And that if we find him, we can meet together again and debate what to do from there."

…

Uhh…yeah. That sounds great.

I look to my left, then right and eye Kallus, Thrawn, and Tommy before Zhou says something quickly. "The President is speaking to you, young one." The interpreter reminds me.

"I, uhm." I sputter, then gather myself. "That sounds like a plan to me. But I'm not the one in charge in the room I'm afraid."

"No, I believe that we've come to an agreement." Palpatine agrees with me before adding on a smile at the end.

We have?

In the blink of an eye, Zhou gets to his feet and shakes Palpatine's hand before—

Whoa.

Zhou strides right over to me, a smile on his face and extends his hand to shake. I get to my feet and reciprocate the gesture before the entire Security Committee stands and begins applauding.

"Very well done, Ezra." Thrawn commends me as Zhou and I continue shaking hands. "Very, very well done."

A brief conversation ensues between Zhou and his personal interpreter before the interpreter approaches cautiously.

He's small. All of them are really, I don't know if one of them is above six feet tall.

"The President would like a picture to commemorate your coming to an agreement. Is that acceptable with you?"

What?

"Uhh, yeah. Sure." I nervously laugh. "Yeah, I can take a picture."