Poise and grace under duress had always been some of her strongest skills, even without relying on the Force to fortify her. But not even the Force could calm her racing mind as she was being silently escorted through empty, stately halls on an unfamiliar world. Sakiko Ryuuzaki's frantic heart beat just as wildly in her chest, but only slow, careful breaths escaped her, leaving her dutiful escort none the wiser.

"Just through these doors, Miss," the kind, old human gentleman softly directed her with an extended hand, coming to a stop himself just before the doorway. His deep purple tunic with delicate crimson trim led her to believe he held a higher rank than a mere attendant, but he performed his duties with honor nonetheless. Sakiko graciously nodded her thanks to him and hesitated only a moment more before she stepped through the wide, yawning doors, continuing on into the bright, grand throne room.

Where the walls and periphery of the room were decorated with large, intricate paintings and ornately carved statues and busts, the central desk, behind which sat a slight, older human woman, was simple and understated, calling little attention to itself compared to its ostentatious surroundings. The woman, too, was no more elaborately dressed in purple and crimson than her attendant, briefly engrossed in a display embedded in the desk. At finally noticing Sakiko's approach, though, the woman righted herself and met her gaze with a soft smile in greeting. Despite her noticeable age, her dark yet graying hair was still wavy and full as it sat atop her shoulders, and her skin had a warm, caramel glow to it. It wasn't until Sakiko stood merely a pace before her desk that she recognized not only the woman's Rys'tihn Crest pendant sitting atop her breastbone, but also her intensely green-brown eyes...eyes she had met once before years ago.

The woman's expression similarly neutralized as she slowly stood from her seat, appearing to realize Sakiko's identity in turn. She appeared breathless and wordless with surprise, prompting Sakiko to speak first and cordially introduce herself.

"Your Highness," Sakiko began with a deep, respectful bow, "my name is Sakiko - "

"- Ryuuzaki," she interrupted with an air of awe, confirming her knowledge. The care with which she spoke Sakiko's family name was faintly comforting, quickly establishing a sense of familiarity and connection between the two who had been complete strangers mere moments before. But just how, exactly, did she know who she was?

Stepping around her desk to stand just before Sakiko, the woman maintained a pleased smile, swiftly tucking a stray gray curl of hair behind her ear. "It is a sincere honor to meet you, Miss Ryuuzaki," she continued, her voice not belying the excitement in her eyes. "I am Queen Imalari of Paneau...and I am a Rys'tihn. When I was a child, my great-grandfather told me many times the story of the Loreean woman who had saved his life and the life of his father. Even the very day that he took his last breath, he reminded us all of the promise he'd made to you...and how fortunate am I to be the one to finally fulfill that promise."

Sakiko's heart swelled with memories as she recalled his caring eyes, his sweet voice and his vow she hadn't considered in so many decades. Her breath only left her softly. "...you're Wil's descendant."

Imalari gracefully nodded with a wistful smile, her eyes pleasantly glinting. "Anything you ask," she needlessly repeated Wil's promise to her, "...it will be done. So what is it that brings you to me today? How may I help?"

An icy chill gripped her deeply in her chest once more, a faint echo in the Force she had been following for days. "I am looking for my son, Hadrien, Your Highness. He left Loreena on a historical expedition a few months ago, but he became separated from his fellow Loreeans after they encountered an uncharted asteroid cluster. They lost track of his ship somewhere in this sector about four days ago, and...I fear that something may have happened to his craft that has stranded him in an inhospitable environment. Somewhere very, very cold."

Imalari considered her thoughts briefly before she returned to the other side of her desk, punching in a few codes as a light blue holomap appeared in the air between them. "This is Paneau," she pointed to a small representation of the planet in the center of the map, "and just beside it are Salastryn and Demmar. They are both very temperate, like Paneau. The only location that may fit that description...is here. Jiri IV." Imalari swept her hand to a tiny moon at the sector's edge that orbited a ferocious, churning yellow gas giant, its lone partner in the immediate vicinity. "Jiri Prime has swallowed most of its moons over the centuries after its central star collapsed over a millennia ago. Jiri IV gets its thermal energy from the reflection off the gas giant's atmosphere, which isn't much, so it remains a frozen, barren wasteland with dangerous storms. If you're looking for someplace cold in this sector...it would be Jiri IV."

The small white sphere that spun beside its yellow companion sent a frigid shudder up Sakiko's spine as she studied it, perhaps a gentle nudge from the Force that she was finally on the proper track to find her son. She willed her fluttering heart to settle, carefully focusing and preparing herself for the objective at hand.

"What else may I provide to you?"

Imalari's sincere offer took Sakiko by surprise. The gracious Paneau queen had already given her more information than she'd arrived with, and yet she remained intent to offer more? Initially, Sakiko prepared to refuse her, but the longer she thought, the more she wondered...

"Can you spare another ship and crew? Extra sets of eyes would be more beneficial than just one."

Imalari answered immediately. "Absolutely. My daughter Echo and her wife Volta are excellent pilots. They would be more than happy to aid in your search."

Sakiko visibly recoiled. "If Jiri IV is as treacherous as you say, I do not want to put your daughter in that kind of danger. I won't ask that of you or your family."

Imalari merely smiled to dismiss her concern, shaking her head. "Extreme conditions are their specialty, actually. Echo enjoys any kind of challenge sent her way. And Volta is Arkanian; she can see in the infrared spectrum. In the constant whiteout storms there, Volta could see things others might miss. You should have her with you."

Although not entirely at ease with it, Sakiko eventually nodded to accept Imalari's offer, much to the queen's delight. "I'll contact them at once, then. They will be here in no time. And while we wait, I will accompany you to the hangar to see to it that your ship is well supplied and in excellent working order for your trip."

As Imalari extended her hand toward the door, Sakiko watched a flurry of choreographed activity take place. A number of guards she hadn't noticed suddenly appeared before and behind them, their hands empty of any weapons, as other officials hurriedly sent out messages from consoles on either side of the room. Imalari began forward, and Sakiko closely followed, being led out the same direction from which she came.