On the Errant Venture,
The turbolift slowly opened, revealing the Diamond Deck of the Errant Venture. Luke and Mara stepped out of the turbolift. The surrounding area, while obviously decorated in a costly manner, was in a state of disarray. Droids bustled around the corridors employed in a variety of tasks from painting to cleaning, from rearranging furniture to arranging bouquets. In the midst of all this chaos, Booster Terrick was loudly debating with his major domo, Nawara Ven. Nawara's lekku twitched in irritation as he watched Booster pace around him. Nawara happened to glance towards Luke and Mara. The Twi'lek grinned menacingly. He interrupted Booster's tirade by tapping him on the shoulder and pointing at the Jedi. Booster looked at the Jedi and then turned back towards Nawara, ready to launch back into a heated argument. He stopped in mid-motion, and whirled around to face the Jedi. He approached them rapidly.
"What are you doing up here? Who told you to come here?" Booster demanded.
Luke looked at Booster in a mixture of shock and suspicion. Mara fixed her gaze on Booster. She stared unblinking at the large man until he stepped back involuntarily. She began speaking in a cool, no-nonsense tone.
"You told me to come up to the Diamond Deck when I requested your ship to pick us up."
"My ship being used as a taxi service!" Booster exclaimed looking at Mara, "That's not normally what I do, but I guess I made an exception for the two of you."
"It's not everyday that you get the privilege of transporting Jedi," Mara retorted.
"True," Booster said, "At least not real Jedi. I seem to be carrying a Jedi wannabe on the Errant Venture far too frequently, but I do not often receive the task of transporting real Jedi."
"Your son-in-law Corran is a real Jedi," Luke said softly.
"CorSec can't be real anything excluding real annoying," Booster replied, "But that's enough unpleasant business. Welcome to my ship. I apologize for the mess but apparently Nawara and his crew have fallen behind on the renovation process."
"I had my part of this job done a month ago," Nawara said softly. "You were the one who failed to sign the requisition forms."
"Only because you didn't give them to me until a week ago," Booster said in irritation.
"They had been sitting on your desk in the office," Nawara deadpanned, "It's not my fault you only check the desk twice a month."
Luke sensed hostility building, and he took steps to prevent a confrontation. He stepped between Booster and Nawara. He was tempted to forcefully cool their tempers, but he resisted that temptation, especially after the hard look Mara shot in his direction. Luke took a deep breath and plunged into troubled waters.
"What is all the renovation for?" Luke asked innocently, "Why all the rush? I thought the Diamond Deck was already outfitted quite nicely."
Nawara replied first, "Next week the Smuggler's Alliance is holding an important meeting here on the Venture. Booster will be serving as mediator and host for the event. In order to smooth over potential hostilities, Booster is having the rooms refitted to fit each representative's, ah, personal preferences."
Booster cut in, "A renovation that will now likely not be completed before we open up the Venture for the conference above Coruscant. It seems there is a pressing situation developing, but even I could not pry the details out of Talon Karrde. Mara, I don't suppose you know what all the fuss is about?"
"Talon Karrde does not tell me all that he knows or suspects, even half of that information would be years in the telling. Something has put him on edge thought, because for the last two weeks I have been unable to contact him directly. He seems to have shut himself in his bridge on the Wild Karrde and is not replying to anyone," Mara replied.
Luke glanced at Mara, "This meeting on Coruscant, is that the reason why you were pushing for us to take a vacation?"
Mara looked at Luke sternly, "I have a hard time believing that you, Luke Skywalker farm boy, just asked that question. I was pressuring you to leave for your sake not for the meeting's sake. I am fully capable of going to Coruscant on my own, Master Skywalker. I would never mislead you unless it was for your own good."
Luke frowned at the last sentence. Booster suppressed a chuckle at the Jedi Master's uneasiness. He led Luke and Mara towards the opposite end of the Diamond Deck, leaving Nawara to deal with the droids. Booster looked back at Luke and Mara.
"The New Republic doesn't need to fear for its safety with you two around, but it may have to fight for its sanity or at least its composure."
"I hope that remains the case," Luke replied, "The New Republic has seen enough terror and warfare; it's time to receive good times as hazard pay."
Mara watched Luke with sympathy. Luke was one of many who had lost much in the war with the Empire, and all the hazard pay in the universe couldn't put it all right again.
She whispered to herself, "I hope you are right, Luke, but I doubt the universe will give us much time for joy before launching us into the next series of battles. The enemy may change, but the fight remains."
The turbolift slowly opened, revealing the Diamond Deck of the Errant Venture. Luke and Mara stepped out of the turbolift. The surrounding area, while obviously decorated in a costly manner, was in a state of disarray. Droids bustled around the corridors employed in a variety of tasks from painting to cleaning, from rearranging furniture to arranging bouquets. In the midst of all this chaos, Booster Terrick was loudly debating with his major domo, Nawara Ven. Nawara's lekku twitched in irritation as he watched Booster pace around him. Nawara happened to glance towards Luke and Mara. The Twi'lek grinned menacingly. He interrupted Booster's tirade by tapping him on the shoulder and pointing at the Jedi. Booster looked at the Jedi and then turned back towards Nawara, ready to launch back into a heated argument. He stopped in mid-motion, and whirled around to face the Jedi. He approached them rapidly.
"What are you doing up here? Who told you to come here?" Booster demanded.
Luke looked at Booster in a mixture of shock and suspicion. Mara fixed her gaze on Booster. She stared unblinking at the large man until he stepped back involuntarily. She began speaking in a cool, no-nonsense tone.
"You told me to come up to the Diamond Deck when I requested your ship to pick us up."
"My ship being used as a taxi service!" Booster exclaimed looking at Mara, "That's not normally what I do, but I guess I made an exception for the two of you."
"It's not everyday that you get the privilege of transporting Jedi," Mara retorted.
"True," Booster said, "At least not real Jedi. I seem to be carrying a Jedi wannabe on the Errant Venture far too frequently, but I do not often receive the task of transporting real Jedi."
"Your son-in-law Corran is a real Jedi," Luke said softly.
"CorSec can't be real anything excluding real annoying," Booster replied, "But that's enough unpleasant business. Welcome to my ship. I apologize for the mess but apparently Nawara and his crew have fallen behind on the renovation process."
"I had my part of this job done a month ago," Nawara said softly. "You were the one who failed to sign the requisition forms."
"Only because you didn't give them to me until a week ago," Booster said in irritation.
"They had been sitting on your desk in the office," Nawara deadpanned, "It's not my fault you only check the desk twice a month."
Luke sensed hostility building, and he took steps to prevent a confrontation. He stepped between Booster and Nawara. He was tempted to forcefully cool their tempers, but he resisted that temptation, especially after the hard look Mara shot in his direction. Luke took a deep breath and plunged into troubled waters.
"What is all the renovation for?" Luke asked innocently, "Why all the rush? I thought the Diamond Deck was already outfitted quite nicely."
Nawara replied first, "Next week the Smuggler's Alliance is holding an important meeting here on the Venture. Booster will be serving as mediator and host for the event. In order to smooth over potential hostilities, Booster is having the rooms refitted to fit each representative's, ah, personal preferences."
Booster cut in, "A renovation that will now likely not be completed before we open up the Venture for the conference above Coruscant. It seems there is a pressing situation developing, but even I could not pry the details out of Talon Karrde. Mara, I don't suppose you know what all the fuss is about?"
"Talon Karrde does not tell me all that he knows or suspects, even half of that information would be years in the telling. Something has put him on edge thought, because for the last two weeks I have been unable to contact him directly. He seems to have shut himself in his bridge on the Wild Karrde and is not replying to anyone," Mara replied.
Luke glanced at Mara, "This meeting on Coruscant, is that the reason why you were pushing for us to take a vacation?"
Mara looked at Luke sternly, "I have a hard time believing that you, Luke Skywalker farm boy, just asked that question. I was pressuring you to leave for your sake not for the meeting's sake. I am fully capable of going to Coruscant on my own, Master Skywalker. I would never mislead you unless it was for your own good."
Luke frowned at the last sentence. Booster suppressed a chuckle at the Jedi Master's uneasiness. He led Luke and Mara towards the opposite end of the Diamond Deck, leaving Nawara to deal with the droids. Booster looked back at Luke and Mara.
"The New Republic doesn't need to fear for its safety with you two around, but it may have to fight for its sanity or at least its composure."
"I hope that remains the case," Luke replied, "The New Republic has seen enough terror and warfare; it's time to receive good times as hazard pay."
Mara watched Luke with sympathy. Luke was one of many who had lost much in the war with the Empire, and all the hazard pay in the universe couldn't put it all right again.
She whispered to herself, "I hope you are right, Luke, but I doubt the universe will give us much time for joy before launching us into the next series of battles. The enemy may change, but the fight remains."
