An Arrangement

[Judah Lesan]

Salvator City, capitol city of the planet Sposia. The world was lush, and the scenery which was afforded from the view of the shuttle which carried Pard'amo'nuruodo and his son Tora'aro'nuruodo was absolutely breath taking. The water systems, mountains, and forests which surrounded, and ran through the city in some places, were some of the most beautiful the cluster of planets which made up the Chiss region of space had to offer.

As a child, Tora'aro'nuruodo remembered running through the forests which were just outside the city. The estate of Mitth'oru'sabosen lay just on the outskirts of the city, overlooking the oceanside. The view boasted a full range of mountains to take in as well. The property high in value, and spoke to the affluence of the family. Aro, his given name, had never cared about the wealth of the family. It was improper to make that a deciding factor in one's relationships. The simple truth was his father was a good friend of the Chief Justice, which afforded him invitations. Ones which Aro fully enjoyed.

One of the forests housed an old tree fort where he would escape while the father's would talk adult things. Aro would escape to his world in the woods and imagine what it would be like to fly through the stars, defend his home, and discover new worlds. Thoughts of the crisp, cool water, perfect for a late afternoon swim, came to mind of the young Chiss fleeter. He would always put in where the bank of the river was open enough to relax, he had marked it with a large moss covered boulder and a log leaned against it. If there was time, Aro was determined to find the old place.

The attendants of the house had been expecting the arrival of the two men, as Aro's mother had arrived ahead of them. As the shuttle landed on the pad next to the estate, the young Chiss felt a bit nervous. Why? It had been some time since he had been to the estate. Life had changed for him once it was time for his enrollment in the academy. The young Chiss was expected to follow his father's steps and take his rank and position someday. The pressures of performance were high. Here, this estate, was a part of his childhood when things were much different, and the cares of his current life were nothing more than a fantasy.

"Don't look so nervous. You would insult our hosts if you looked anything but elated to be a guest on this estate," the commanding voice of Pard'amo'nuruodo bellowed.

An obedient nod was given as a simple answer, and Aro fixed a pleasent look to his face. Of course he was military now, and his visage was permitted some stoicism. Shoulders back, back straight, head forward, and chin slightly up, the pair of Chiss fleeters, dressed in complete uniform descended the ramp where the Sabosen family stood waiting. The heads of the two houses would greet each other first before others would be permitted to do so.

Crimson eyes searched for the female daughter which was to greet them as well, [member="Brask'ari'sabosen"], though he was mistakenly looking for what he remembered. What his eyes happened upon was a fully mature looking woman, of the same age as him of course. For a brief moment, a pleasantly surprised look formed on the face of the young Chiss male.

"Her figure was not shaped like that last time we met, it's curvy," he mused to himself privately. However his father noticed and gave him a quick glance indicating the boy needed to quickly cloak his musings which were showing on his face.

Once the fathers had given their greetings, the rest of the families were permitted to do so. Stepping forward to greet the female, Aro gave a friendly nod.

"It has been quite some time has not, Brask'ari'sabosen? Would it offend you if I offered to escort you back to the estate from here?"

 

[Alleycat]

Brask'ari'sabosen had been summoned to Sposia by her father and told it was concerning urgent family business. She hoped it didn't have to do with the matter of marriage again for she wasn't quite ready yet to put her life's work on hold for that nor did the doctor find the promise of love and what came with it appealing; more a hinderance really. Men didn't have to sacrifice anything except their freedom, and some didn't for that matter. It was just the way of things, though hardly talked about openly in their society. It would come to reason though with all the uncertainty with the One Sith's occupation of Csilla and the working alliance with the Chiss Ascendancy now, the Chiss Ruling Families were taking their own cultural alliances and futures more seriously more than ever. Hence why she was standing waiting for the inevitable to happen. This couldn't be anything else especially with Aro's mother arriving earlier as well.

As the glider descended to the landing pad carrying members of House Nuruodo, nervous fingers fiddled anxiously with the fabric of Ari's formal robes of their noble house showing off the Sabosen family colors of brown and gold. The guests arriving were not strangers to the young doctor or her family, though the younger of the two Nuruodo males Ari had not seen in a decade just before the teens had gone off to follow their occupational paths. She had a feeling that an arrangement had been made between the two influential fathers for their children to unite their Noble Houses in a stronger alliance. It could be worse, at least the two weren't complete strangers, though after all this time they would be strangers none the less.

Ari's time while at medical school and subsequent residency and fellowship had matured her and made a fine doctor & medical scientist out of the once tomboyish Chiss who used to climb trees and collect frogs and other small critters to study scientifically; sometimes dissect. Her love of anatomy and physiology, and the way cells worked made it an easy choice to go into medicine and not into law as both Ari's parents had done. It also allowed the young Sabosen to get out of the shadow of her father, Mitth'oru'sabosen, who was Chief Justice of the High Court, and her mother, Drak'eri'sabosen, who was Head Professor of Law at the University of Sposia. She wondered curiously how Aro was handling filling his father's boots as a fellow fleet officer.

Crimson eyes carefully yet thoughtfully looked upon Aro while the families exchanged their salutations. His family had much to be proud of it from what she saw and understood. The childhood acquaintance Ari remembered from so long ago had definitely gone from a gangly boy dreaming of the stars into a handsome young man and accomplished fleeter with the CEDF from the accounts shared with her by the elder Sabosen upon Ari's arrival from Csilla that morning as she was stationed there working at the Biosafety Level 4 lab outside of Cspalar.

Pard'amo'nuruodo was in fine form as was her own father as the two long-time friends began to chat and make their way from the landing pad to the house. The wives followed leaving their offspring to bring up the rear of the procession.

"It has indeed, Tora'aro'nuruodo, and no I would not be offended," Ari replied in their spoken tongue of Cheunh with an equal nod, then she began walking along the path their parents were taking keeping an appropriate distance between her and Aro yet close enough they could speak freely.

"You look well, Commander. I take it life amongst the stars suits you?"
__________________

 

[Judah Lesan]

Did it suit him? Yes, but at the same time he found it difficult to serve with his own father. The dilemma was a unique one. On one hand he enjoyed his post on the flagship. Anyone would envy the status he received from serving as command staff for his father. That was really the other point of the matter, he served his father. While other males were establishing their careers as independent adults, Aro found himself under the scrutinizing eye of his father. It was a difficult post as the expectations were higher than for others.

"The stars are wonderful, the ship spectacular, serving under my father is not quite at the same level. He expects more of me than any other of his staff. The inequitable treatment is not ideal."

Aro found himself more candid than he should have been, but the truth was they both knew why they were meeting as a family. Had this been a casual affair his mother would not have been invited. With the recent occupation houses were making alliances at a high rate, and protecting the culture through procreation of high importance. The match would be seen as powerful. The son of the High Admiral, and the daughter of the Chief Justice, bringing together the military and the legal system would potentially threaten House Csapala's grip as the primary ruling house of the Chiss people.

The distance between the two was awkward at best because of this knowledge. Aro found the conversation to be one of necessity, yet because they had been acquainted when younger, he was genuinely interested in it. Rumors of Ari's accomplishments had reached him as well. Her research was on the verge of a break through, one he was certain she felt interruoted in discovering because of this meeting. Aro hoped there would no ill feelings toward the fathers for what they were planning.

"I hear you are on the verge of a major breakthrough in regards to your research. It seems the council was wise to fund your proposal."

[member="Brask'ari'sabosen"]

 

[Alleycat]

"I can certainly sympathize with your predicament , which is why I chose the path I did, well among other reasons of course, but it did have some baring on my decision," Ari replied knowing full well she would have never been a good lawyer or teacher anyways. Medicine was indeed her calling especially on the scientific side as evidenced by her achievements on the infectious disease side of healthcare for the Ascendacny.

Brask'ari'sabosen almost sighed with disgruntlement audibly, but held it in. How did [member="Tora'aro'nuruodo"] know so much about her work at the lab since it was supposed to be top secret, or at least a security clearance level above his pay grade? Meddling fathers on many fronts it seemed!

"Yes… I must say my work is-was coming along nicely, though with the One Sith commandeering most of my time now my projects are on hold. I must say it's a bit frustrating, though I am dutiful in whatever task is given me by my superiors."

The doctor wasn't sure yet what to think of the darksiders, but as a scientist she enjoyed seeing things from their point of view and learning new things from them as well. It also scared her a bit what the Sith were wanting to achieve, but that was for her ears and eyes only and not to be shared.

After the families entered the Sabosen estate, they went straight into the dining room that had an ocean view. They would share in a meal first, then get down to the business at hand.

 

[Judah Lesan]

The Sith. They had come in fast, and in what seemed like a short time, had negotiated an occupation of Csilla, or were attempting to. Aro's typical stoic facade soured slightly at the mention of the darksiders.

"The High Admiral will never admit this openly, but he fears they will take the best of our officers and place them in their military. You can already see how this occupation is interfering with our current projects. The force users especially are causing much trouble for the navy. We will adapt as our people do, but we've been drawn into the events of the Galaxy again it seems."

Aro followed the rest into dining room where the seats were set as they should have been. The Sabosen's were showing off their wares certainly as nothing was spared. The meal itself was one which would have bosted of a celebration of some kind. It only served to confirm the suspicions Aro had in regards to why they had been invited. As Aro sat across the long table from [member="Brask'ari'sabosen"], he knew he was looking at his future spouse. There was an order to things, but the ever dutiful Chiss would do what was demanded of him, though he feared the Sith would be taking him from the Asscendancy.

The meal had been one filled with polite banter, but it was clear the conversation was filler for the conversation which would take place over dessert most likely. When the plates had been cleared from the main course, Aro's suspicions were near confirmed as the fathers excused themselves to the study. Breathing in deeply, Aro released it in a slow sigh. He looked to Ari, she was beautiful, but still a stranger in near every way.

"I wonder what they are discussing," he asked rhetorically as he lifted his hot drink to lips. He would not play at Ari's intelligence any more than that. They both knew what would be announced when the father's returned, or called the rest of the families to the study to join them.