Coruscant 21 BBY (late afternoon)
"I think it is sweet that he asked you to dinner," Lubov's mother, a native of the planet Naboo, said in a way that was not like the Hapan's.
Her mother was completely unaware of the culture differences between Hapes and Naboo. For one thing, women did not have to act so delicate and they did not have to get married just because they were getting on up in age. She was from a different planet and had taken her years just to understand that Hapes was not Naboo in any way, shape, or form.
"I do not," Lubov replied as she ran a brush through her red hair. "He is repulsive to say the least and he has not yet proven to me to be worthy of my attention."
"Why must you be so difficult?"
"Because I have a girlfriend back home that I love more than anyone else in the galaxy. I do not need a male to make me feel loved. Mother you of all people should understand that I have no interest in men what so ever."
"Yes," She sighed looking back to her daughter in disappointment. "I am just worried about you, you need to settle down at some point dear. Don't waste your life on this job."
"Mother, I am going to settle down when I want to," Lubov retorted. "I shall do as I like and please do no tell me otherwise. I am far old enough to make my own decisions."
"I just wanted grandchildren." Her mother said in new and somehow sadder tone.
"Well, perhaps Alexi can give you grandchildren." Lubov argued. "He is the one who all the girls love and the one you speak of so highly at home. I do not understand why you are concerned with my life when you have him to fuss over."
Her mother remained quiet as her eldest child zipped up her little black dress. Her daughter was a beautiful woman that could get any man she wanted but she pushed them away for her fantasies over other girls. It was what scared her most that her daughter would end up dying alone with no man by her side to give her children.
She would live out the rest of her life at that HoloNet station and do nothing but stress over writing articles on whatever the hell it was that she wrote about. It was sad to think that her daughter was going to be alone for the rest of her life when here she was happy and unafraid to die alone.
Perhaps that was the problem? Her daughter was not worried enough about her future that she refused to see that it was a problem to not get married and have children. It was the point of her life as a woman to want children. Why did she not want to have children? To be honest with herself why was it that her daughter liked girls over boys in the first place?
"I am just worried about you dear," her mother finally admitted with a heavy sigh. "I just want you to be happy with your life."
Lubov sighed deeply her mother was trying to make her feel guilty for not wanting to "settle down" at the age of 25. She had plenty of time to settle down when she was older but for now all she wanted to do was get famous and wealthy. That was the point of life wasn't it? To become immortal? To be remembered forever, no matter what just to be remembered as the person who did whatever the hell it was that she was meant to do.
It would be a miracle if her mother ever accepted that much of her. If she ever accepted the fact that there was no such thing as settling down to her. She was going to live her life the way she wanted not the way her mother wanted.
"Mother I love you," Lubov said at last. "However, I am a grown woman and I should be able to make my own decisions when it comes to my love life and not worry about you interfering."
"I love you too, Lubov, I am so sorry for not being a good mother." Her mother said cutting off the connection before Lubov had a chance to say something.
Her mother always enjoyed leaving her in situations where she felt guilty for just being honest with her. Was that what she wanted? For her to feel guilty of nothing other than speaking her mind? Perhaps it was and she was just wasting her time her trying to explain it to her.
Lubov checked herself in the mirror in her one bedroom apartment on a rather cheap side of Coruscant. It was not a bad neighborhood; it was just not what she wished she could have. She wanted a luxury apartment and here she was living like the average citizen of the Republic.
The black dress she wore had been made somewhere in the outer rim and had been cheap for her. Nothing special about the dress other than the fact it made her look like a Holofilm star. She wanted to look special considering the restaurant she was going to. It amazed her that Artier had even managed to get into this place without the help of someone higher up in the HoloNet organization. He must have connections; either that or he stole the reservations from some poor couple that did have reservation to whatever restaurant that he had reservations for.
As she locked the door of her apartment and began to make her way to the restaurant she could not help but find herself wondering if this was a good idea. She liked Artier, however, she started feeling like she was setting him up for disappointment. The guilt was not something that she was going to let eat her away, she just had to tell him lightly that she had no interest in him or well all men at all. Perhaps that would make him feel better? Or maybe it would make him feel worse about himself? No, she could not think of this right then and there she had to focus on the job at hand, which was getting to the restaurant to begin research with Artier.
As Lubov exited the taxi she fixed her dress and headed to the entrance to wait on Artier, if he was not already here.
The restaurant had at least one hundred humans and other species inside of the place wearing the finest clothing in the galaxy. They all were rich looking with their fancy dresses and suits, their jewelry and the food they ate. The food of which was probably priced higher than her apartments rent per month. Perhaps it was a bad idea coming here with the fact that she could not even afford the basic salad at this place.
"Little lady are you lost?" A male Quarren asked coming up from the entrance of the establishment.
"No," She replied. "I am waiting for someone."
"A date?"
"Sort of,"
"Well then why not wait inside?"
"Because I am not sure what the reservations are under."
"Well if that is it why not tell me who you are waiting on?"
"I am waiting on Artier Mills," Lubov said grabbing the stun blaster she hid in her dress just in case this Quarren tried anything on her.
She always kept a blaster with her, just in case. Coruscant was not known for being peaceful among the species, she had to make sure that she was safe and not in any danger. With the blaster she felt safer going out of her apartment and not afraid of any criminals that could steal her money or do worse to her. She was not going to be physically harmed; she would never allow that to happen to her again.
"Artier Mills?" He repeated in question form. "The Correlian humanoid?"
"Yes," She replied cautiously.
"In that case then you are lucky to be the date of him this evening," He said in a nonchalant voice that rose concern in her.
"Why?"
"Because he is rich."
"Well, that explains the fancy restaurant."
"That and the fact that he comes from a long line of illegal drug traffickers."
"He deals in drugs?"
"No, his father and his grandfather do." He told her the whole story about how Artier's family had risen to power through drug trafficking.
And how that they were wanted on at least twenty-two planets for death stick selling. Whoever this man was he knew too much about Artier's family for her liking. Though he seemed sincere with his information, she could not help but find herself not trusting the Quarren. She already did not hold him in high regard before and now here she was having a conversation with him about Artier's family's drug charges.
Her mother would be so proud of her for bringing home a rich man, no matter how he earned his fortune or whether it was illegal or not. This was going to be a lovely evening after learning all that she had from this Quarren. Perhaps she would just not bring this up? No, she would ask him how in hell he had gotten into this fancy place without trouble. He would probably lie and tell her that a friend had given him this information. And then the evening would go on with her knowing everything about his family and him having no clue what she knew and what she could do about it.
She could finally have the story that brought her the fame and riches she desired. She exposed a drug ring she could get what she wanted and nothing would ever go wrong with her again... but there was also the case that this whole story was false and that this man was crazy and was just making up shit to make her feel uneasy. She hoped the latter.
When Artier showed up it had been at least fifteen minutes since she had arrived and had the conversation with the Quarren male. She had just decided not to pay attention to what the man had said and just focused on what was important; helping Artier with his article.
"I hope you weren't waiting too long," Artier said as the two entered the fancy restaurant. "'Cause that is an awful way to start off a date."
"This is not a date sweetheart." Lubov reminded him as the waiter escorted the two Journalist to their table.
The whole restaurant smelled of expensive perfume like the smell of the gardens of her backyard back home on Hapes. The species were all there just chatting with each other wearing clothing that was what everyone in the galaxy dreamed of being able to wear. None of them aware that anything wrong was going on outside of their chats, just sitting there talking about what they were going to eat or what they were going to do when they got back to their homes. Nothing in their conversations about the man that had told her about Artier.
"What do you know about this guy?" Lubov asked Artier.
"I know he is a Jedi and that we call him the hero with no fear sometimes on the HoloNet." Artier said as if he did not much care about their research. "I know his master is Obi-wan Kenobi and that he is famed for doing some crazy shit on the battle field."
"That is why they call him the hero with no fear." Lubov said as if he had not already known that. "He does crazy shit that no sane man would do and then when he comes back we all treat him like a god. It keeps the ratings high and the public happy so no one is getting hurt by our twisting of his story slightly."
"No one knows anymore than we do?" Artier asked.
Lubov took a sip of her sweet wine and simply nodded. "The Jedi are very secretive about everything, even if we were able to have a chat with this Jedi our chances of getting information are about as slim as you getting a date with me."
"But this is a date," Artier countered with a cocky grin on his face. "Otherwise I assume you would not be so attainment about this not being a date. Just admit it Lubov and it will make things a whole lot easier for the both of us."
"Whatever you say," Lubov said as she took another sip of wine.
hey guys hope you liked the chapter and if you did review our something. lol whatever you want i really don't care. anyway hope to get an update soon! :)