Mace Windu liked to think of himself as a not unreasonable man. Stern, yes. Firm, yes. Unreasonable though? Never. He understood that The Republic was a vast and chaotic entity, that any organisation tasked with charting its course must be prepared to make compromises and concessions. Still, there were, he felt, limits even so.
Currently, he stood in the Papa Sheevs in sub-basement four of the Jedi Temple. All about him staff were putting up decorations and altering the decor of the restaurant.
"I must protest," he said flatly. The employees looked up briefly and then continued as if he had said nothing. With one exception.
"What seems to be the problem, Master Windu?" said Sheev Palpatine.
There was to Mace's mind something, wrong about the restaurateur. Nothing he could put his finger on, as it were, just something about the man that rubbed him the wrong way.
"This celebration, must it be done, here?" said Mace waving his arms indicating the black and red bunting going up about him. The shadows the decorations made were strange and unnerving.
"Oh Master Windu, Darth Valen's day is celebrated the Galaxy over. It is a day for celebrating love in all forms. Loves gained, loves held, loves to be, even some reflection on loves lost, hmm?" said Palpatine.
"Valen was a Sith," said Mace.
"He was, was he? Strange, I thought the Sith were all lunatic fanatics or shadowy figures. Valen, by contrast, is quite the colourful character." said Palpatine.
"I am well aware of the stories. It remains that Valen was a Sith. That's what the "Darth' title means." said Mace.
"It does? How fascinating. Learn a new thing each day. Thank you, Master Windu. So, you object because the Sith were your enemies?"
Mace nodded. "Any mention of the Sith and their ways is perilous. You think they are passed, but ideas do not die. Darth Valen's day makes a deadly cult seem harmless lovable even."
"Yet the Fall of Valen describes heroic self-sacrifice, to preserve the Jedi order no less. For a mythical enemy, Valen seems to have had rather curious values? An allegory perhaps, that there is good in everyone?" said Palpatine.
"Hmm," said Mace. It was true. Of their ancient enemies, Valen had been one of the more unusual.
"And everyone loves it. No pun intended. And the cooking, so wonderful, a delight." said Palpatine who walked over to a basket filled with heart-shaped objects. "For example, here we have Alderaanian Peach Tarts. Surely even you, cannot object to one." as he waved the confection at the Jedi.
Mace regarded the tart with suspicion. He took it and bit. It was delicious.
"Eat it and think of love," said Palpatine.
Mace nodded. He did love The Republic, warts and all.
"Very well, I suppose it is tradition, after all," said Mace.
Shmi looked at the large bouquet of brightly hued but utterly mismatched flowers. It was quite unlike the other offerings she had received from other admirers. Yet, for all it's hideousness, she suspected Bron's was the most heartfelt.
"Tell me. How do Mandalorians traditionally show affection for one another?" she said almost laughing.
"Not with foliage. Uh, we charge each other's weapons," said Bron nervously.
"I don't have any weapons," confessed Shmi.
Bron smiled. "No weapons? That will not do. Come Shmi, let us find you an altogether more appropriate gift."
The couple left, the floral monstrosity discarded and soon forgotten.
Millicent sighed as she flipped through ancient 2D renditions of Darth Valen. She selected a few that may be useful and wondered how they could be rendered for a modern advertising holo. She regarded the ancient Sith warrior of legend.
"Just you and me tonight. Figures," she said. Oh well, she no longer would be looking forward to a night of drunken leers and catcalls. That was something at least.
The knock at the door almost made her jump. The door opened and Lance, one of the Deliverators stuck his head in,
"Oh, You're still here. So, a bunch of us are going to a club and I thought, maybe you, might want to come with us?" said Lance.
Millicent looked up. Lance was a good looking human. Still, he was a Jedi apprentice of some sort.
"I thought Jedi were not allowed to ask someone out," she said.
"Ah, um, no, of course not. This is, um, totally different since we are all going and thought you might want to come too. Because it's bad luck to spend Valen's time alone. Which is why we've asked you to come out with us." stammered Lance.
Millicent stood up, "Okay, I'll come out with you, and everyone else of course. Because to be alone on Darth Valen's night would be lame." she said.
"Yes, good. Let's get going, so we catch up with everyone. That way, that way, it's allowed." said Lance.
Millicent smiled and put on her jacket, "Okay, but to be honest, I am not a fast walker. I may hold you back."
"In which case, I will keep pace. 'Everyone has their own pace' after all." said Lance.
"Is that a Jedi saying?" said Millicent.
"Why yes. Dukar the Penitent," said Lance.
"Tell me more."
Ithil stood within a local Burger Thing and waved a limb at the large dripping pile. "They are not selling?" she said.
Her sisters chittered nervously, "No, the endos..."
Ithil clicked disapprovingly "The what?"
Her sisters looked at one another, "The incubators?" one tried. At Ithil's waving, she tried again, "Hosts? Snacks? Customers?"
"Yes, Customers. The customers have not been buying them?" said Ithil.
"No sister. They seem to be reverent and in awe of it, but they do not buy." one said.
Ithil walked about the display. It was in a prominent position, artfully arranged and yes, dipped in the vanilla icing many sophonts craved. She scuttled into the rear room and checked.
'132 days since the last customer eaten' the sign proudly proclaimed. This was their best branch too! She returned and regarded the mass of smeep hearts dipped in icing.
"There must be something we are doing wrong," she said.
Sheev and Grissol shared a celebratory drink at Hyperfusion after another successful and profitable Darth Valen's. Grissol looked up from his bowl.
"Here's to love!" the Hutt boomed.
"Yes, to love. Did you know that Darth Valen was one of the Sith?" said Palpatine.
"A Sith? Really?" said Grissol.
"So say the Jedi," said Palpatine.
"I would guess that they know. Wait, aren't they those cultists you told me about?" said Grissol.
"Yes, I should ask Hugo about it I guess," said Palpatine.
As Sheev passed his glass to be filled the door of the restaurant burst open. It was Selena, a Gollian and Jedi Master.
"Sheev Palpatine! No longer will you and your kind seduce the Jedi from the Path of the Light!" she said.