A/N: Hello out there in fanfiction land! Today, Wednesday, is my birthday. And I would like reviews. (Yes, I am a review grubbing h0r. Not.) This chapter is my birthday gift to you!
Thank you to: Pirate Rhi (Not sure I can promise that... but I hope you like it anyway...), Crydwyn (Enjoy!), Tiamath (Your review made me gloat to myself for a few minutes. AAaaah:reader love:), Knight Queen (Doing my best to keep up a steady posting schedule as well as writing the story!), Kenobi-girl1 (I hope I have a gift for story telling... I know I try. No other stories, unless you like other fandoms...)
You know, I think I'm finally getting to the plot. Certifable plot. With like, a villan and a victim and Jedi antics. But not until the chapter after next. Eee! Enjoy! Please tell me what you think!
Wolford Valeska scanned the trickling lines of people slowly making their way down from the cruiser, looking for a small band in drab tones. He didn't mind the wait, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the spaceport, with the various duty-free shops that lined the walls, the wide bright causeways, and the people hurrying from place to place. Some people even managed to take a more leisurely stroll – but he watched those people carefully, more likely to be planning some sort of heist of tourist's pockets. Wolford spotted his visitors at the end of the straggling line and stepped out of the eves of the spaceport to meet them.
He had used his clout as the former chief of police to get into the hanger to wait for his grandbaby, but he knew he could not use it to get his guests out. He approached the small band of Jedi as the man he knew to be Qui-Gon Jinn chose a low traffic area to stand in, as if a rock parting a stream.
"Great welcome and many lucks," he said in a respectful voice, bowing his head in a sort of reverence. The Master bowed his head as well, but it was his granddaughter who returned the traditional greeting.
"Many thanks and many returns," she said in a tentative voice, strong enough to be heard. The other small girl looked at his granddaughter in surprise, but he paid her no mind. He was so proud of his Lilia, she had grown so much in the two standard years since he had seen her last, she wore her robes so well and hadn't forgotten her native customs. He smiled again and allowed his moment of indulgent pride to pass. He looked up at the Master Jedi.
"Master Valeska," Qui-Gon said in greeting. "It is good to see you again." By lifting his hands out of the cuffs and shaking them free, he managed to draw Wolford's attention to the whole of the party. "This is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Good to meet you, sir," said Obi-Wan, holding out his hand. Wolford chuckled and shook the young man's hand.
"Good to meet you, son!" he said heartily. "You look hungry, I know just the thing to feed you tonight at the party! Who is this other young thing?" he asked, gesturing at the girl he had noticed earlier.
"My other young traveling companion, Maela Nuccio," said Qui-Gon by introduction.
Maela looked up at Wolford and smiled. "Nice to meet you," she said. "Many returns?" Wolford chuckled as she was so unsure of the response to the greeting.
"Studying up on Floresan customs, hm?" he said. "It is good to meet a friend of Lilia's," he said. Both girls smiled. "Well now, good friends, you must pass through our inspections. Despite my lingering prestige, which allowed me to meet you here, I cannot help you through them." He picked up the cases that the girls had been carrying, one in each arm, and looked back at the group. "But, perhaps, you have your own prestige to help you through them." Wolford chortled and lead them over the checkpoint, the one that frequent travelers used. He handed the bags he had been carrying to the guard there. "I will meet you on the other side," and he exited through the entrance to the guard's post.
"Master Wolford's youngest daughter is Jedi Knight Albina Valeska," Qui-Gon said, mostly for Obi-Wan's benefit.
"Can I see your identification?" asked the guard. Qui-Gon produced a thick packet, holding all of the ids for the group. He handed one to Lilia, and she handed it to the guard.
"She's my aunt," said Lilia. "She visits me when she's at the Temple." Maela received her identification disk next, and moved down the line to the next available table.
"Master Valeska looked curiously at Lilia, Master." Obi-Wan stood by Qui-Gon's side as he supervised the search of the two girls.
"Master Wolford, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon placed his hand on his Padawan's shoulder affectionately. "He will insist that you call him by his first name. Floresa is home to a hospitable people, seeped in tradition. As for his curious look, do you think he poses some threat to us?"
"Of course not Master," Obi-Wan said, embarrassed. He paused, forming his next phrase carefully, afraid that he would be intimating something that he did not mean. "It's just… I wondered what he was thinking." Obi-Wan moved forward to take the place where Lilia's search had finished, Lilia moving down the line to the side.
"I believe we have the ability to tell you," said Qui-Gon. "Maela?"
Maela's eyes grew wide and she felt pleasure spread from her inside out at being asked her opinion. A Master wanted her opinion! Maela saw that her search was finished, her bag resealed, and Qui-Gon approached to take his turn at the inspection. She took both hands and felt her arm muscles creak as she drug the bag off of the table and let it swing to the ground. "Pride," she said finally. She had known the answer since she saw the man. Maela turned to Lilia who smiled. "Your grandpa is proud of you."
"I know," said Lilia quietly. "He's proud that I am a Jedi. He says so whenever I see him."
"So you see, Obi-Wan, not so much a mystery." Qui-Gon said over his shoulder as his search commenced. At its completion, he picked up his bag, and caught the eyes of everyone in the group. He started towards the next room and the next line, something Maela felt her pleasure fading at the sight, but a uniformed man stopped Qui-Gon.
"This way sir. You do not need to speak with immigration."
"The Jedi Order thanks you for your Cooperation," said Qui-Gon graciously, and the man lead the group behind the people at desks who were questioning all of the holiday seekers and immigrants, towards the front of the building, and out into the sun. Maela slowed down as they passed the desks, trying to see what they were asking, and what they were working on, but was hurried forward anyway.
"Do you require transportation?" asked the man, standing rigid at attention. Qui-Gon looked at his insignia.
"No thank you, Captain. We have someone waiting for us."
"Jon," cried Wolford, lifting himself from the molded chairs that sat along the front windows of the building. "I'm so glad that you helped them past immigration!"
"Wol," said the man named Jon affectionately, a smile cracking the professional exterior. Maela smiled as well – there was a long relationship between the two, it felt surer than her relationship with Maela, and even Obi-Wan's relationship with Qui-Gon. "I didn't know that these were your Jedi."
Wolford laughed aloud, indulging his younger friend who smiled also to see his friend so happy. "Only this one," he said, squeezing Lilia around the shoulders. Lilia cringed at the touch and Maela felt sorry for her. "Meet my granddaughter, Lilia."
"Welcome and luck," Jon said, stooping slightly to her eye-level.
"Thanks and returns," said Lilia shyly.
"Well, we have to get going," said Wolford. "The naming ceremony is this afternoon and we have to get ready." Maela could tell that he was immensely proud of the naming ceremony, probably his whole family. She was glad. Families were worth pride.
"Of course," said Jon. "I have to get back to work." He smiled again and returned to the building.
"Jon is such a nice boy. I met him when he was a rookie in the capital. He proved himself worthy over the years to work spaceport security. Hard worker. Nice family," said Wolford offhandedly. "The motor is this way." He grinned and Maela knew he was hiding something. "And there's a surprise waiting." It was a happy something.
The walk was short, and the parking space prime. There was a person leaning against the 'motor' – as Wolford had described it – who Lilia recognized at once. "Aunt Bina!" she shouted, dropping her bag and running to close the distance between them. The woman kneeled and opened her arms for a hug.
"Is this Knight Valeska?" asked Obi-Wan.
"It appears so, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. Wolford had picked up Lilia's bag and continued towards the motor with a wide grin. Qui-Gon spoke to Albina. "We were not expecting you here." Maela was bursting with questions, but she kept silent. They weren't questions so much, she thought, as wanting to be seen. Ever since they got to Floresa, no one seemed to see her.
"It's merely a layover on my way to important negotiations to be hosted on Corelia," said Albina off-handedly. "How could I resist the chance to see my whole family at once?"
"I do not blame you," said Qui-Gon laughing. The laughs echoed in the duracrete structure and reminded Qui-Gon of where he was. He gave his case to Wolford, who had opened the rear hatch of the motor and starting stowing the bags.
"It is only for today, I understand you will be staying for two." Qui-Gon nodded to the implied question. "I'm to receive a transmission from the Council tonight regarding the details of the summit to be meditated on in transit."
"Will it take you away from the celebrations long, Bina?" asked Wolford.
"No, father, not for long," she assured. Albina turned to her niece. "You and I have parts to play in this naming ceremony, are you ready?"
Lilia made a face, and Maela tugged on her sleeve. "I'll be there," said Maela. "You don't have to worry." Maela remembered what Qui-Gon had said the night before, about how she would want to be treated, and she tried to tell Lilia. She hoped Lilia appreciated it.
"Everyone in the motor," announced Wolford. "We've got places to go and people to see!" Qui-Gon climbed into the passenger seat, with Albina and Lilia in the middle pilot seats, with Obi-Wan and Maela in the back. Maela strained to hear what was going on in the rest of the motor.
"Don't worry," said Albina to Lilia in an undertone. "This will be painless. You have to dress up, you have to wear a remembrance, you'll light a candle, and then you just stand around looking pretty." Lilia didn't say anything, but stared at her clasped. Albina redirected her attention. "Well, Qui-Gon. Long time, no see."
"You know Knight Valeska?" asked Obi-Wan, speaking slightly above his normal volume to be heard above the noise of the engine.
"Oh, Force, yes," said Albina. "And call me Albina. His first Padawan and I were the best of friends." Albina looked back at Obi-Wan, turning around in her seat. "Though, she was never abused as you were."
"That was a training injury," said Qui-Gon. "And there is a bacta shortage. This chaperoning mission was deemed a low priority."
A dark look passed over Albina's face. "Yes, I am aware. That is part of the reason that I am heading to Corellia."
"That's been all over the news," said Wolford, turning towards the conversation slightly, yet somehow never taking his eyes off of the air traffic. "Something about a syndicate problem, possible war."
"Yes," said Albina. "The situation is turning quite tense." That comment silenced the conversation.
"What's the naming ceremony for?" asked Maela, suddenly. She was uncomfortable with that particular silence, and besides, she had been wondering, ever since she read the description of it. "The file already said that the baby's name is Braidyn."
Albina laughed. "Direct one, isn't she?" Maela didn't like the comment that was directed towards Qui-Gon. She narrowed her eyes. "I didn't catch your name." Maela didn't answer right away, she didn't think that she really should have to after Albina said that about her.
"Maela Nuccio, meet Albina Valeska," said Qui-Gon. Maela glared at him through the seats, but wasn't sure he noticed. Albina did, though.
"You're not going to be the center of attention here, Maela," she said. "Braidyn will be first, as it is his Naming. Yes, he has a name, but his Naming is his formal introduction into the family, and his formal introduction into society. Lilia and I will probably be next, as we are relatives that are not seen often. But you and Obi-Wan will probably not be paid much attention to." She said this all in a rather stern voice. "It would behoove you to find a way to entertain yourself rather than resent the fact that you are not the center of attention."
Maela raged silently. She wasn't trying to be the center of attention! she thought as blood flushed her cheeks, radiating heat and her head filled with anger that prevented her from hearing the rest of the conversation in the car. She just wanted to know what was going on! She only asked a question! She knew she wasn't going to be the center of attention, it wasn't her family. She was just trying to know what was going on! Maela stared out the window of the motor all the way to Wolford's house, and the only one that noticed was Obi-Wan, who touched her shoulder and asked if she was all right. She nodded, but didn't look at him. She didn't want to cry aloud.
