Rayna waited on the edge of the landing pad as the incoming shuttle touched down and the overhead door closed. This was one of her maintenance bays north of the city and tended to get less use than some of the other, above ground ones. But it was always at least minimally staffed and Rayna made sure to use it just regularly enough to make an incoming flight like this not worthy of extra notice.

The shuttle shut down and two women came down the ramp. Rayna recognized Brianna. The other woman, also carrying a lightsaber, must have been the one who called when they got into the system. They were also joined by a blue and white R2 unit. Rayna smiled. Only one droid that could be.

Rayna approached them and Brianna grinned at her. "Hello there!"

"Hello," Rayna said. "It's good to meet you in person. Welcome to Naboo."

Brianna leaned over slightly toward R2. "That's not the line," she whispered. R2 whistled back, something that sounded mildly scolding. Brianna straightened up again. "Beautiful planet. Hope we won't spend the whole time underground."

"Ah, no. I told Sabé you were coming. She'd like to have dinner with you tonight at the Guest House, if that's all right."

"Sure, sounds like fun. I heard the food is pretty good."

"Great. I assume this is R2-D2. I'm sure she'd love to see him too, if you wouldn't mind bringing him."

"Oh, Squatty? I dunno, ask him, I don't tell him what to do."

"Oh." Ryana looked down at R2 again. "Would… you like to have dinner with Sabé?"

R2 twittered and tweeted. "Great!" Brianna said. "Sounds like a date. This is my friend Elena. She's cool."

"Welcome to Naboo."

Elena gave her a small nod. "Thank you."

"Follow me this way. I'll show you what we're dealing with and then get you settled before dinner." Rayna led them out of the hangar to a nearby hallway, through another couple of hall connectors and finally to an underground track where a hover cab was waiting. They got on board and Rayna pressed a few keys to get them moving.

"Are there a lot of these tracks?" Elena asked.

"They connect all of our underground facilities, at least here in Theed. Sabé started having them cut out during the Imperial era, to move Naboo resistance members and any other anti-Imperial personnel who found themselves on Naboo. After the Imps pulled out, she had them developed into bigger security facilities with tracked cabs connecting them. There's a facility under most of the places she frequented when she was Director, like the Palace, the Political Museum, and the Guest House. I usually work out of the Palace, but I'll work under the Guest House if we have notable guests. Or, your dad and his friends."

Brianna snorted. "Yeah, they do need some babysitting."

"Everyone loves them here."

"Oh, they're definitely lovable, no doubt about that. They just need babysitting."

The cab stopped and Rayna led them out. "We're at the complex under the Guest House. There are some secure rooms down here you can stay in. You can drop your bags later. My office is this way." They exited the tracks into a brightly lit hallway and turned right. Rayna punched in her security code to a door on the left and ushered them inside.

"I figured your office would be deeper into the maze," Brianna said.

"When I work down here, it's usually because I need quick access to the tracks and the Guest House."

"Fair."

Rayna pulled up a holomap of the swamps. Elena took a seat and R2 rolled up next to her. Brianna seemed interested in the blank walls.

"No wall art even?"

"I'm not usually here. I'm usually in my main office at the Palace."

"Does that have wall art?"

"I - yeah a few things, I guess."

"Ah, very good." Brianna finally sat and focused on the map. "So, Blue Shadow Virus, huh?"

"Well, we don't actually know what's going on there. Sabé said the facility never got dug up after the Clone Wars and we're getting underground energy readings there. We're not supposed to be looking there, since it's Gungan territory, so I don't have much. Sabé said she thought Palpatine must have had it constructed while he was still Senator."

"Sounds about right."

"She figured it wouldn't be a hard task since apparently he had a Super Star Destroyer buried on Coruscant."

"Ha. That's totally true. You should ask Wedge and Tycho about it next time they're here. They were in close proximity to the emergence. And then you should ask Wedge about how the captain of that same Super Star Destroyer surrendered to him in his teeny tiny X-Wing a few months later. Which gave him certain rights and privileges. And that's how my sister-in-law's parents got married."

"I'm…sure that's an interesting story."

"Fighter pilots are the craziest people you'll ever meet. Also, if Wedge happens to tell you who Lieutenant Kettch is along the way, tell me."

Rayna frowned. "Why? Who's Lieutenant Kettch?"

"I don't know. No one will tell me!"

"They're not going to tell her that," Elena said.

"Listen, you never know."

"Anyway," Rayna said, trying to redirect the conversation, "Director Wessiri said she thought this might be related to some project you're working on with her."

"Did she now? And why did she say that?"

"I don't know. The only other information I have is that a Gungan patrol went missing in that area a couple of days ago. We lost a droid patrol and the Gungan Security Chief really wanted me to just let it go. Which was odd."

"Missing Gungans, huh?" Brianna turned to look at Elena. "Boss Lady and I are gonna have some words." Elena raised an eyebrow. "Right! So!" Brian a slapped her hands on the table. "Maybe, maybe not, Blue Shadow Virus. Sounds like fun, let's go check it out."

"You have dinner," Rayna said.

"Oh yeah." She looked at Elena. "Hey, maybe you can check out the nightlife while we're at dinner."

"I don't think we've had any night time issues in the city," Rayna said.

"I'm not going to bars by myself."

"Oh, come on. We gotta find something cool and fun to do when we're done here."

"There aren't really any bars in Theed," Rayna said.

"What? How are there no bars? Isn't this the capitol?"

"It's more of a cultural city."

"Bars can be cultural," Brianna muttered. "What do you do for fun around here?"

"I work."

Brianna rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine, what do normal people do for fun around here?"

Rayna pursed her lips. "There's the Royal Naboo Orchestra."

"As much as I love a good symphony, that's not the live music I had in mind."

"There's the museums, parks, art galleries, and lots of restaurants."

"What kind of restaurants?"

"A lot. There's a really good seafood restaurant on Calla Street."

"Sold! Seafood on Calla Street. That's what we're doing. You should come hang out."

"I'll probably have to work."

"You can work when you're dead. You should come hang out."

"Isn't the phrase, 'you can sleep when you're dead'?"

"That too, you should come hang out. Hey, listen, while we're checking out your thing tomorrow, can you do me a favor?"

"I… suppose. Sure."

"Cool. Squatty over here used to have jet packs. Lost them somewhere along the way. I suspect Bail Organa. I assume he got them here. Can you put them back on?"

"Jet packs?" Rayna looked at R2. "What did you used to do here?" He twittered. "Ohh, Nubian starship mechanic. That's why you would have jet packs. Yeah, sure. We can refit him."

"Fabulous!" Brianna nodded at R2. "See, I told you I'd get you your jet packs back." R2 tootled at her. "Listen Squatty McSquatFace, you can go back to Coruscant and babysit those five yahoos anytime you want to, I don't tell you what to do." R2 blatted. "Ha!"

"What did he say?" Rayna asked.

"The same thing he always says when he wants to sass me." Brianna raised the pitch of her voice. "Your dad's still my favorite!" She grinned. "Turd."

"Right. Well." Rayna turned off the projection of the map. "Why don't I show you to your rooms, and I'll come get you when it's time for dinner?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Brianna followed R2 off the secure elevator and turned a corner into the Guest House main lobby. Wes and everyone else had described it as fancy and it certainly was. Lush, deep colored carpets, intricate moldings, and sparkling chandeliers. It was fancier than any other place she'd ever stayed. Not that she ever had much opportunity to stay someplace fancy.

They came into the lobby and a young blonde woman behind the desk looked up and greeted them. "Good evening! Welcome to the N'Callah Family Guest House. Can I help you?"

Brianna leaned over on the desk. "You must be Eris." She stuck out her hand. "Brianna Skywalker."

Eris' face brightened with a large smile as she shook Brianna's hand. "Yes, Rayna told me you were coming! Though you have other accommodations. I'm so glad to meet you!"

Wes sure wasn't kidding when he said 'bubbly.' Brianna pointed down next to her. "My squat friend here is R2-D2."

Eris peered over the counter and smiled down at R2. "Hello there!"

R2 tweeted back at her. "Totally a missed opportunity," Brianna said. R2 squawked and Brianna turned back to Eris. "He says hello and it's very nice to meet you."

"I'm so glad you decided to visit! Your dad and his friends are so lovely!"

"Just like a bunch of coconuts."

"When I was a little girl, my grandfather used to tell me stories about the Jedi. It must have been so exciting to grow up like that."

"'Exciting' is hardly the word I would choose." R2 blatted softly again and Brianna ignored him.

"Oh." Eris finally did something other than smile. "Why is that?"

Brianna suppressed a sigh. At this rate she was going to have to re-educate every person in the galaxy, one by one. "Stories have a way of not matching reality, you know?" Eris continued to frown. "I just don't put people on pedestals, you know. Inherently unstable places. Wouldn't want anyone to fall off and get hurt, right?"

"Oh. No, I suppose not."

"But enough about that." Brianna leaned farther forward. "My dad's friends said that you are the go to person to find out what's cool and fun to do around here."

Eris brightened again. "Oh yes, I've given them many recommendations!"

"Rayna clearly doesn't know what fun is. So what do you do for fun?"

"Lots of things! The parks, the museums, all the restaurants and festivals. There are canoe tours on the canals and some wonderful hiking within a couple hours of the city, including along the base of the waterfalls."

"Ooh, see, now that sounds fun."

"You want to know what my favorite thing is though?"

"Tell me."

Eris leaned forward. "Up in the northern latitudes, there's a ski resort. It has a huge lodge with cozy fireplaces and the best hot chocolate."

"Sold."

"That's not the best part. The best part is that while most of the slopes are for skiing, there are a few smaller hills dedicated to sledding."

"Sledding? Like on snow?"

"Yes! Have you ever been?"

"I have not."

Eris gasped. "Really? You've never been sledding?"

"I grew up in a literal jungle where my only forms of entertainment were my own imagination and seeing how much I could get away with harassing other people."

"Oh, you must go! It's mostly kids up there, but I've seen - and I've been - plenty of adults with no kids."

Brianna grinned. "That sounds amazing. You should keep a list. We're gonna hang out. Maybe not today or tomorrow. But we're gonna hang out, so you keep a list of all the cool, fun stuff to do." Brianna slapped the desk. "Right, my friend and I got a dinner date, so we gotta split." She waved as she walked away. "Don't work too hard!"

Eris waved back. "It was nice to meet you both!"

Brianna took a quick glance back at the desk to see if she was out of ear shot, then looked down at R2. "She seems nice." R2 twittered at her. "Hey, you should be proud of me. Being nice to people is not on the list of things I'm good at." He tooted. "Whatever."

Brianna approached the host at the entrance to the dining room. "Hello Miss," he said. "How may I help you?"

"My squat friend and I have a dinner date with Lady Sabé."

"Ah yes. I believe Lady Sabé is already seated. Right this way Miss."

"And friend."

He took a hesitant glance at R2 and looked back at her. "And friend, of course. This way please."

Brianna followed him through the main dining room while R2 trailed behind. They wound their way toward the back of the main room and to the left. The main dining room was about a third full, with groups spaced evenly around the room. Brianna caught bits of conversations as they passed by. One group was talking about a museum tour they had planned for the next day. Another couple was scouting out a wedding venue. A third group was gossiping about some law enforcement issue in their home city. The lives of normal people. The host stopped at a side door and ushered them inside. An older woman seated at the far end of the table stood to greet them.

"Good evening my dear. Thank you for joining me. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"Well, I heard the food was top notch."

She gave Brianna a pleasant, but bland, diplomatic smile and motioned for Brianna to sit. Brianna only half listened while a human waiter reviewed the menu, poured her a glass of wine, and served them. R2 moved around to stay out of the waiter's way. Brianna could tell the instant Sabé recognized him. Her whole sense in the Force exploded with joy. Interestingly, not one face muscle moved, not even a bit. Ever the professional spy, she was practiced at not letting others see her emotions or thoughts. Non-Force user others, anyway. R2, for his part, didn't make a chirp. Practiced spy as well.

"Will that be all, my Lady?"

"Yes, thank you Alomar."

"Very well. Enjoy your meal." He nodded to them and closed the door on his way out.

Brianna saw the security light click on above the door. She was about to make a comment about Sabé not standing on ceremony when she jumped out of her chair and knelt to the floor.

"Oh, my dear little friend, I'm so happy to see you!" She gave R2 a huge hug as he twittered and chirped and rocked back and forth. "I've heard you've had quite the adventures since we parted!" R2 whistled and tweeted. "Oh, yes, he does love you so. And I promise we will catch up, but for now, I simply must meet your friend." She stood up and looked at Brianna. "Do forgive me. It has been a while."

"Not at all." Brianna took another sip of her wine.

Sabé reseated herself. "Back in the day, one or the other of us was almost always with Padmé. Sometimes we switched in the middle of a mission. We'd have to, shall I say, trade notes when we got back together, if you know what I mean."

"I'm pretty sure this one and Wedge have been trading notes on my dad for forty years, so, believe me, I get it."

Sabé smiled and gave R2 another pat on the head. "Delightful. Padmé would be so grateful." R2 gave her a long whistle. Sabé sipped her wine and took a few bites from her plate. "I understand you are an excellent student of your family history."

"I like to make people think I know a lot about the Clone Wars. Really I just know what shenanigans Anakin Skywalker was up to at any given moment."

"I also understand you have a rather… unique perspective on those… shenanigans."

Now Brianna was a bit curious what they'd all been telling Sabé about her. "I feel like temporal distance is an analytic advantage."

"I should like to hear about it."

Brianna paused for a sip. "I tell the whole thing, you know. All the way from trade route taxation to teddy bears with spears. Usually with a large digression in the middle to Mandalore and the Darksaber just because I think that stuff is cool. How long do we have?"

"As long as you need."

Brianna picked up the bottle of wine and noted the label. Chirismay. "Is there more of this?"

"As much as you like."

"Fabulous." Brianna topped off both their glasses. "Girl, get comfortable. It's story time."