Arbinger and Deltina walked out of the Soleil du Ciel and into the private spaceport of the Rocknai family, connected directly to the private chambers of Kahama. The gleaming steel of the port was that of every port in the galaxy, except this shone with an inhuman shine of tireless work and effort.
"The finest androids money can buy," the prince said as he saw Deltina look around in somewhat startled wonder. The man wore a blue cloak today, with matching breeches and vest. Adorned with just simple rubies, he was still able to swagger as if he owned the palace, which, in reality, he did. "Please, follow me to my more…accommodating chambers. I would like to ask your advice for something." Deltina skipped up past the prince to the door as Arbinger slowly stalked towards them.
"Come on, Arby!" Deltina yelled. "See! No lasers!" And with that both she and the prince waltzed into the next room, and Deltina stopped and made a small squeak within her throat. Arbinger hurried his pace slightly, reaching into his pocket for his saber. "Arby…Arby look at this…" Deltina slowly pointed all across the room. The prince only smirked and walked towards his bed. His 15-foot square bed, containing double mattresses and silk sheets. The four-post bed stood close to 20-feet tall, and was located with the headboard against the right-hand wall. On its left stood a dresser level with the bed, made of pure Yavin forest oak, a very rare breed of tree. On the bed's right stood a grand wardrobe of the same wood. Three shelves high, it was neatly packed and probably stock-full of more of the prince's finest silks. On the opposite wall, or rather, against the opposite wall, lay a 64" holographic table projector, capable of projecting a full-scale battle spanning half the galaxy in full, 3-dimensional color. On the far wall across the door, lay two very large leather couches with a coffee table made of native Sigma IV wood, surrounded on either end by two small holographic chess games. Upon the walls lay magnificent paintings, some stretching to what would seem to be the early years of da Vinci and Michelangelo. The prince took a seat on the spacious bed.
"So, you like?" Kahama's mouth quirked into a small smile of superiority. Deltina could only nod, her mouth still gaping wide, while Arbinger only returned Rocknai's smile with a cold stare of his own. "May I offer you a drink? Perhaps some lunch? We have much to do before the day is out."
"Like what, if I may be so bold to ask," Arbinger slowly walked to one of the couches, examining the room with his eyes, still suspicious of any traps. Deltina still stood dumfounded in the doorway.
"Well, I'd first like to give you a tour of the palace and then the city. Arbwignia certainly isn't as grand as Coruscant, but I'm sure you'll find it accommodating enough. And then, I'd like to ask your opinions on a ball I'll be hosting tomorrow evening. In celebration of the founding of Sigma IV. I'm sure your…experiences…can add a certain flair which none of us could imagine." At the mention of a ball, Deltina shut her mouth in a loud clack and start bouncing around the room.
"Ooh! A ball! A ball! Can we go Arby? Please!" she whined as she was bouncing at Arbinger's feet. "We can get all dressed up and meet some rich people! It'll be fun! Please!" Arbinger sat in silent thought before acquiescing to her plea.
"So long as you do nothing foolish," and by that he meant no stealing, "…then I suppose it is alright if we attend the honorable" he stressed that slightly "Prince Rocknai's ball. That is, of course, if we can find proper attire for the evening."
"That won't be a problem. I'll have my personal dresser outfit you in the finest money can buy. But please, before we begin our tour, would you like something to eat?" Kahama smiled ostentatiously at Deltina.
After their extensive tour of the palace, through dining rooms, ballrooms, and entertaining rooms, they left to the city of Arbwignia. The city was much less polished than the palace, but it still looked better than most of the higher places of Coruscant. The trio, along with Rocknai's bodyguards from the ship, traveled down the main street. Arbinger and Deltina were looking around, she with enthusiasm, he with plans of ambush and attack. They were only shown a small portion of what they had seen from one of the balconies of the palace. The cleanest streets, serving only the finest of the city's inhabitants. There were breweries, meat shops, dairies, rarities, and almost anything one could dream of.
"As you can see, Arbwignia is quite well off. We are easily able to provide for the entire province as well as make plenty of money off trade. If there is anything that you desire, please, just ask, and it shall be given unto thee." Kahama again gave Deltina that sleazy smile, but she paid little attention as she stopped and stared into a dressmaker's window.
"Oh! Ohohohoh! Arby! Arby I want this one!" She jabbed her finger into the window several times at a gold low-neck dress, embroidered with blue sapphires and red rubies along the bosom and down the sleeves. It was slit up one side to the knee with silver thread up the slit. "Oh please! It's so beautiful and I'll just be a hit with everybody and please!" Arbinger was about to nod before he looked over at the prince.
"You said you're paying for all of this?"
"Why yes I am."
"Then you may have it Deltina." She squealed with delight and bolted into the store and started jabbering at the clerk for the dress. Kahama emitted a chuckle and followed after. Arbinger took a spot leaning against the corner of the store and an alley. His mind started to drift before he heard a voice behind him.
"Please, sir. Are you the Jedi everyone is talking about?" Arbinger turned on his heel and had his lightsaber's hilt next to the speaker's face, ready to just activate it and let it puncture a hole in the cloaked face.
"Who are you?" He held his lightsaber steady.
"There is no time for names. Please, I wish your help. If you are of a good heart, I shall meet you again tomorrow night, behind the palace in the garden. I'll find you." She began to reach for the hand that held her throat, but Arbinger let go and she scampered off into the alley. He turned back around and saw Deltina and Kahama walking out of the store, laughing and smiling.
"Oh yes! Quite a fine story. In fact, once I-" the prince was cut off as Deltina ran to Arbinger.
"Isn't it just beautiful! I'll bet you'll drop dead once you see me in it!" She smiled very slyly and then grabbed his hand. "But come on! We still have to buy you something!"
"That's quite alright." Arbinger slipped out of her grasp. "If you don't mind, I think I'd like to tour the city alone. I'm sure I'll be fine, unless Your Highness believes his protection necessary?" Kahama chuckled again.
"No, it is quite alright. I'm sure you can find your way back. Come, Deltina, let us get you fitted perfectly for tomorrow night's ball. A lady requires much preparation for such an event, but I know for a fact you'll require much less time, as beautiful as you are now." Arbinger tensed slightly at the prince's last, but they had already turned away and began walking back to the palace, Deltina's arm linked in his. Arbinger had to shake his head before he could move on. Deltina always liked to flirt with a man at least once during a job, and as long as she didn't get herself hurt, it was not his place to interfere.
He walked along the main street until he found a decent sized side street, into which he turned and began to look for a bar of sorts. Work was always easy to find on any planet, if you looked in the right place. Every place he saw seemed to serve only folk of the upper crust. Able to pay, yes, but most likely unwilling to and without want of a mercenary. And if they did, it wouldn't be worth his time. Arbinger then turned onto a dingy alley and saw one bar situated in the middle of the short path. The Diluted Wine, its holographic sign showing a cup of water and wine pouring into one glass, the two flows intertwined. Other than that, it reeked of old beer and sour tempers. Definitely a place of business. Arbinger waltzed into the bar, and all music and chatter stopped. The musicians turned with their horns towards the door, the patrons with their glasses. All of the eyes held a glare of uncertainly, most added with hate and scorn. Arbinger glanced around before taking an empty bar stool isolated from anybody by two stools. As he sat down, the music resumed and the talk slowly gained speed.
"Strongest ya' got. Clean glass." Arbinger followed the bartender's movements until he was satisfied, then took the glass in one hand and began to raise it to his lips before a large fist hit the bar.
"We don't take kindly to your folk 'round here." The offender was a three-eyed Gran, wearing their traditional black garb. "Why don't you just get out of here!"
"And exactly what do you mean by 'your kind'?"
"You know what I mean, Jedi." The name echoed in the air and the tension thickened. "Now get out and don't look back!"
"I don't want any trouble. Why don't you just sit back down and mind your manners."
"Nobody wants any trouble, so get out of he-" An orange bar speared out of the midriff of the Gran. A few of the crowd gasp and the rest backed away as Arbinger sheathed his lightsaber and took his first sip of the glass that was still in his hand. Again, the music resumed its playing as the body was carried away by two of his former comrades.
"So, bartender," Arbinger whispered at the shocked bartender, "you heard any good business offers lately?"
"Well, um, I've heard someone speaking after what you're already hired for. And also," here his voice lowered, "I've heard something about the rightful heir to the throne and usurping the prince. Strange rumors. Best kept quiet round these parts. You didn't hear it from me." The bartender turned away from Arbinger as he finished his drink. He set down some credits, both for the drink and the information, and walked out the door, heading back towards the palace. Perhaps there really was a reason he didn't take too well to Rocknai.