A new home - An old friend

[Amelia von Sorenn]

It seemed as though that with the more things changed, the more they had stayed the same. The Commenor Systems Alliance had fallen, collapsed beneath the heavy footfalls of the Sith; and now those same conquerors occupied the world that once stood at the center of a vast space of neutrality. Not that long ago the same fate had befallen Alderaan, the world struck down by the Sith and she in her own way betrayed by the Royal House - those that had brought about their own fall and had lead Alderaan to its destruction.

Shaking though memories from her mind, she took a moment to remember the clone that she had to waste. A shell with few memories, a sacrificial lamb for the slaughter before she brought her own House low. Sighing softly as she stepped out onto the balcony, she looked over the surrounding land, her golden hues falling upon the city that sprawled out among the hills. The world was one of history, an old history that stretched back to a time when the Damorian Manufacturing Corporation called the world home - some of the old infrastructure of that corporation was now integrated into the various operations of her own corporations.

Then her mind went blank and she carefully shuttered the thoughts and emotions away before a soft smirk pulled at her lip. Her own position was secured through a heavy hand, having brought the remnants of her own personal forces as well as the Dimean Order to this planet. Now she reigned as the Archduchess of the world - having since silenced many that would have otherwise risen against her - as well as bringing some moniker of order with the collapse of Commenor.

Slowly she pivoted upon her hind foot, no more hiding her face when it came to others as she had once done to ensure none thought her living. The ruse of her death still needed at that time though now no more. Stepping forward, she brought herself in, carefully closing the large doors behind her that lead to the balcony. With a simple nod, she stepped forward again, her voice carrying upon the silent night softly.

"Welcome old friend, its a pleasure to see that you managed to survive the fall of Olympus as it were."

Her smirk grew slightly as she stepped around the heavy desk, her eyes remaining focused upon her. As always she had a horrible habit when it came to drinks and always ensured that a special cabinet was installed. Her hand pressed against the edge firmly to reveal the various drinks and refreshments on offer, as well as her old favorite. Carefully removing the crystal decanter from its resting place and pluck a glass down for herself to set aside, she looked over her shoulder.

"May I offer you a drink?"

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

It had been a few years since Jairdain had spoken very much with Amelia. That didn't mean she disliked the woman or felt anything adverse to her. Work had kept them separate and then she had taken Brad away for two years. Their sudden return had been as much of a shock to people as Amelia's had been. Then things had changed and eventually the Sith attacked.

Now Brad himself was missing, another of her past loves had essentially had her wipe and alter his memories of his entire life. That included the relationship they had and it all contributed to the lost feeling of Jairdain.

The invitation to meet with Amelia was quite surprise to her, but she did not decline.

No longer was she the advisor to the missing prince, but had more returned to her Jedi roots. Not adopting their traditional garb again, she continued to dress like she had while on Commenor and wore the more traditional outfits of her people. She might be the last of them, but she wanted to carry on a piece of them.

"I barely escaped if the truth is known."

The offer of the drink ​came and she nodded.

"Something more than juice this time, please."

[member="Amelia von Thrune"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

"I would offer you my drink of choice, though I do not think you'd be capable of finding it palatable to your tastes."

Her smirk remained as she walked over to a more comfortable setting near a fireplace. Setting her glass down, she poured her drink of choice, watching the sanguine liquid fill the long stem glass before setting the decanter down. Moving in a fluid motion, she took a moment before looking over the various drinks she had on offer. Many of them were just as old as she, and she felt it was needed to bring down one such gem from a long by gone era.

Carefully she plucked a long stem glass from its resting place in one hand, the other taking down a nearly eight-hundred year old bottle of blossom wine. With the glass coming to rest on the table, she looked over the bottle, her hand carefully brushing a bit of dust from its label before smirking softly. Her hands moving over the bottle before she looked to her guest.

"I had hoped to open this for a special occasion, though I believe our meeting merits such a flavor."

Slowly pulling the wrapper from the cork, she popped the bottle open and carefully poured out the perfect amount. With the bottle coming to rest next to her decanter, she carefully took both glasses in hand before offering Jair the one meant for the woman. Amelia took a soft sip of her own, savoring the flavor before carefully running her tongue along her upper lip.

"It does my heart good though seeing that you survived; of course I'm sure you can easily ascertain the reason as to why I invited you here."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

Not entirely unsure what Amelia meant, Jairdain could only assume she meant blood of some kind. It had been offered to her before and she had declined the offer then. However, a vial had been given to her and she still had that locked in the chest it had been in originally.

Whatever drink was decid​ed on, she knew it was going to be something of exceptional quality.

"What is it?"

This meeting was differ​ent than their previous meetings. All of them had been clear in meaning, but this one wasn't as clear to her.

Accepting the glass, Ja​irdain took a sip of the wine and enjoyed the flavor of it.

"Thank you, it is delicious. And to be honest, I really have no clear idea. Theories, but nothing solid. I say the same to you, I'm glad you made it away from Commenor before the sith attacked."

[member="Amelia von Thrune"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

"Blossom Wine, nearly eight-hundred years old."

As she took her seat, she carefully took another sip of her own sanguine liquid, savoring its flavor once more before setting it down as she took a moment to admire the roaring fire before them. A moment like this was something that she could see herself enjoying for as long as she could draw it out, though there were other things at hand that needed to be taken care of. With a soft sigh, she shifted in her seat, setting one leg over the other as she leaned back, the armor she had so missed fitting perfectly upon her form once more.

There were times she wished that her guest could see, be it some vain need to show herself off or for a more altruistic means - she lamented the fact that her friend was blind. Taking a moment to pause, she kept her attention upon the fire before finally breaking the silence.

"I had been away, hidden within the Dimean System at the far end of the former territory of the Commenor Systems Alliance. I had thought of bringing those I could muster to its defense; though something within stopped me. Now I find myself here in Damoria, just a stones throw away from Commenor and yet I can not find myself the reason to claim anything more than neutrality during the Sith occupation."

Taking a sip of her own drink, she set it down before waving a hand for a moment as if in a bid to clear the air.

"More importantly, I called you here to offer you a job - that being as the Adviser of the Archduchess of Damoria."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

Unlike the previous evening they had together, Amelia was not exuding the same sexuality. Back then Jairdain was glad to be blind, but sometimes it was as much of a curse as it was a blessing. That wasn't on her mind today though. More to the point, she wanted to know what Amelia actually wanted from her.

Listening to the answers provided, she sipped again at the drink given to her and nodded.

"Commenor always wanted to be seen as neutral. I hardly think they could blame you for doing the same. The day they were attacked, I was on Commenor. Luckily I wasn't caught in too much trouble and was able to make an escape with some refugees."

Transportation then int​o Silver territory and Jairdain had yet to return to Commenor.

What Amelia said after came as a real surprise. Jairdain was one to listen to her intuition and follow her feelings when it came to herself.

"I am honored you would think to offer that to me. Right now though, it's too soon for me. I'm not yet recovered from a few things that have happened. Commenor being just one of them."

[member="Amelia von Thrune"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

In some ways she was disappointed that the offer was not taken, however she understood that the woman had her own reasons to not jump at the chance once it was offered. With a soft sigh she took another sip of her own drink, finishing the sanguine liquid before setting the glass down. While she often did exude a form of sexuality, in times of business she kept it to a minimum or in this case nonexistent. Once more carefully removing the stopper from the decanter, she poured herself another glass before setting the crystal vessel back to where it had been resting previously.

With the glass now cupped her in her hand, she carefully picked the new few words, always one to ensure that her words were measured before given. Leaning back slightly and shifting, her left leg now resting upon her right leg, she sipped again. Her eyes closed for a moment before she opened them, a soft smile upon her lips.

"I did not expect you to immediately take the offer; though in some ways I am disappointed. Of course I respect and understand your reasoning - after all, the ashes of Commenor are still warm and the fires of vengeance burn brightly in many hearts."

Setting her glass down, she brought her hands to rest one on top the other before continuing.

"The offer will remain should you deem to take it up in the future. Of course you're more than welcome to remain on Damoria - though I understand if you feel the need to return elsewhere and be away from what was once part of Commenor's outstretched hand. I would caution though that you not act brashly, least too much of the Crown Prince had rubbed off on you in more ways than one..."

Her lip curled into a soft smirk, that same sexual aura slipping from her for a moment at her little joke.

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

One of the various abilities Jairdain had was picking up on the emotions of others. So when Amelia was disappointed she didn't accept the offer, she felt it too. However, there was also understanding to it.

"Thank you for the understanding. It is something I will keep in mind for the future and will consider it when I am ready to settle down into a new position."

​Listening to what else Amelia was saying, she understood what was meant on both counts. Shaking her head though, nothing of the points that were said really were issues for her. She smiled slightly when Brad was mentioned.

"No, it really does not matter to me that these lands were once under that of Commenor. As for the Prince, I rubbed off on him far more than he did me."

Her face grew sad at the​ thought of him. He was currently missing and Jairdain had no idea where to start searching for him.

[member="Amelia von Thrune"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

"Truth be told, even I am not sure how long I will reside upon Damoria. It may be that a whim will take me away, perhaps even to some ancient homeworld of my own kind."

A soft smirk had crossed her lips again, her glass brought up as she took another sip before setting the glass down. Her hand lightly rest upon the arm rest, her eyes focused upon the fire that roared in the fireplace before her. Taking a soft breath, she thought on the ancient world, a burning husk now though a place that she had thought to claim at one point in her life.

"There is a world far in Wild Space, someplace ancient and left unknown for an eternity. It was the homeworld of my kind and perhaps I may find myself leaving this world behind. I thought I had found my place in this galaxy, though both times its proven to be less than that. Alderaan; once a home as I had thought turned against me for speaking out against a House that brought the world to ruin - and now it seems that those of Commenor would rather shun me for neutrality than taking up arms against the Sith."

Shifting slightly in her seat, she uncrossed her legs for a moment before recrossing them, leaning back and bringing her arms up. Her hands came together, her chin resting upon them as she sighed.

"What do you plan to do now? Will you find yourself searching for the Prince, or will you define yourself beyond the role you held with Commenor?"

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

"My own homeworld has been destroyed and so far I am the last known of my people. If the chance was given I would certainly return, but that isn't option. All I have is what there is now. It might seem odd to mention that, but it says I am unable to return to what might be the ancient world of my people."

It would be interesting to know where Amelia came from. Well maybe not her personally, but her people. In a way Jairdain could place herself in the other woman's shoes. She had no one place she could call home, but she had places she could stay on a couple different worlds. None were fully home though.

"Quite often it are the things we go through that require us to find a new place in the galaxy. Sometimes it is because of our own actions, others not so much. As long as you know when it's time to move on and not dwell on the past, you can find your place eventually. As I see it, my time with Commenor is coming to an end. At least in the aspect of being Brad's advisor."

Taking a sip of her drink, she paused to give Amelia the opportunity to continue. She asked what she planned to do now or if she planned to search for Brad. Shaking her head slightly before answering, Jairdain set the glass down to give Amelia her full attention.

"Right, I need to escape and get away for a time. A great deal of things have happened to me. Commenor and Brad missing are just two aspects."

Falling silent, she wasn​'t sure if she should speak more on what troubled her.

[member="Amelia von Thrune"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Finishing her drink, she set the glass down slowly, her golden hues focused before her into the fire as she permitted a soft sigh to escape her lips. Once more she shifted, her legs uncrossing before crossing once more and she leaned back into a more relaxed posture. Reaching over, she lift the decanter from where it sat and carefully removed the stopper, slowly pouring herself another drink before setting the vessel back down. There was always a sense of what she needed to do next and now she was more or less lost.

"There always was a plan and now I've not one in mind. Perhaps it is for the best, a moment of silence to allow myself to refocus and change things that have happened. Reach out to those that have been wronged and attempt to produce an olive branch in some means to them. Then again, it may be best to remain in Wild Space for some time."

With a soft smirk she took another sip, knowing that she had the means and enough followers still at her back that she wouldn't find a problem traveling through that region. Of course there could also be those that would otherwise take her overtures of bridge building as a threat. With another sigh she took a sip of her drink, savoring the sanguine liquid.

"If its an escape you seek, why not keep me company? Not as an adviser - as a friend..."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

She didn't sigh or anything, but enjoyed the silence between them while Amelia poured herself more of her drink. Taking the last sip of her own, she set the glass down and listened to what was said. Pausing to think of how to phrase her thoughts, Jairdain would appear to look at the fire as well. Slowly her words came to her and she spoke with a sense of confidence. Having been in situations similar to her friend, she felt herself able to speak freely.

"Long before we met, I travelled around with no plan in mind. This lasted for about three years and then I found the Jedi on Voss. With them I realized I wanted to be more or less a diplomat or consular. So I continued to focus on that and went to several meetings between various governments, including that of Commenor. It took another few years, but Kay must have remembered me. And well, you pretty much know the rest."

When the offer was extended for her to say, she fell silent again.

"I could for a time, but once I decide what I'm going to do with my life...unless it is staying on as your advisor, I will move on."

[member="Amelia von Sorenn"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

"Perhaps though wandering can be a plan in and of itself. A moment, be it brief or of some length, to ensure that an individual knows what they want to do in a galaxy that is filled with so much chaos. Then again for some it is merely more difficult to find their place than others. As I've said, I thought I had found my place and yet here we are, meeting on this world that will only host me for some time before I must move on."

Bringing the glass back to her lips, she took another soft sip before setting it back down upon the table between them. Her finger slowly moving along the rim of the glass and creating a melodic hum as she closed her eyes for a moment. Her mind seemed to reach out as much as it could, though it didn't seem as though she was attempting to peer into Jairdain's mind; rather testing her limits before her eyes shot open once more.

Golden hues remained upon the flames that danced before her, a finger still softly running along the rim of the glass before it slipped away as she took a deep breath. There were things she had hoped to change, and things she had hoped to control. There was a time when she wanted the best for Alderaan and Commenor - though now she appeared to be jaded with those worlds. She had thought of them as homes; though now saw them as failed in their attempt. Perhaps there was no place for Pacifism or Democracies in the Galaxy any more - the track record of just how many of those institutions had fallen whilst Autocracies and Empires reigned and thrived spoke for itself. How long would any such rebellion against the Sith or First Order be capable of lasting, was a question she thought upon for some time now.

Breaking the silence, she kept her attention forward.

"Would you consider joining me as a friend and not an adviser? Perhaps there may be something yet in Wild Space that seeks you out - or perhaps you would find a new calling in such a remote location."

[member="Jairdain"]

 

[Jairdain]

"I don't think I would wander on purpose. Stability is what I need now. Probably I will return to Voss for a time. It is under the control of the Sith, but I highly doubt I would be discovered there. I also have the ability to keep hidden. There was a time before we met that I was sith and they taught me a great many things."

A small hint at the plans Jairdain was considering. There were other options, but a return to Commenor or the Silvers wasn't an option right now. The two places she thought of as home, she could not go to at the moment. If Amelia was able to read people or pick up on emotions, she would be able to tell that Jairdain was on the verge of a breakdown. Something even she did not know.

"Amelia, you and I have always been friends even if we have had very little contact. Our jobs keeping us separate and all, but still close together. Now we each have the freedom and ability to branch out. I feel I need to get my life in order before I can make any decision regarding my future. Find Brad and...find out what happened. Right now, I can spend some time with you, but my calling is to leave this area. I don't know why exactly. Maybe the Force is speaking to me and is guiding my life for the moment. It's done that before and I am sure it will do it again."

[member="Amelia von Sorenn"]