Private Bridges of Starlight and Water

[Sibylla Abrantes]

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T H E E D
Royal Conference Room
Interacting with: Aurelian Veruna John Locke
Items: x x x x x

The soft hum of the fountain in the Royal Conference Room was the only sound that filled the silence. Warm afternoon light spilled in through tall windows, glinting off polished marble and the gold filigree of Naboo's crest set in the table before her.

Sibylla sat at the conference table reviewig the notes on her datapad, the dark length of her chestnut hair left to flow freely in thick waves from under the elaborate jeweled headdress and veil she wore. On her lower lip was a maroon Scar of Remembrance, and her clothing was far more elaborate for her official capacity as the Interim Queen, heavily embroidered Karlini Silks that flowed to the ground with a soft swish with every motion she took.

She'd invited Interim Chancelor Aurelian Veruna to the meeting, not just because of his role as Interim Chancelor, but because by all rights, he was the elected King of Naboo. Especially when it dealt with the powerful man they were to meet shortly.

"It is the hypergates that interest me," Sibylla relayed to Aurelian quietly, providing him the datapad displaying the profile of John Locke. CEO of Locke and Key. Visionary. Pragmatist. A man whose reach into the hyperlane infrastructure had made him a figure worth both admiration and caution.

Her father's words echoed quietly in her mind. Build the bridge before you need to cross it.

She intended to do just that.

"But I am also interested to see what he may propose as well."

Though Naboo's green laws forbade heavy industrialization, sustainability did not mean stagnation. If Locke's new hypergate technology could be adapted within the High Republic's standards, it might offer the key to keeping trade routes secure despite the Empire's renewed aggression.

Hazel eyes rose to the door as as Corde announced their guest's arrival.

"Show him in," Sibylla said softly, rising to greet the man whose innovation might help safeguard the future of Naboo and perhaps the Republic itself.

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: Royal Conference Room
Tags: Sibylla Abrantes | John Locke

Aurelian leaned back, the datapad resting loosely in his fingers as he scanned the file. He let out a soft, considering hum. "Hyperlanes, then," he said, letting the word hang in the air. He glanced at Sibylla, a trace of a grin catching his eye.

As he kept reading, the grin faded quickly into genuine thought. John Locke's profile was certainly impressive; perhaps too impressive. He was a visionary and a pragmatist. But men who build empires on innovation rarely do so without demanding a significant price. Naboo had always guarded against that kind of costly bargain.

Aurelian set the datapad down, drumming his fingers quietly on the table's gilded edge. "There is profit, of course," he murmured. "New lanes mean faster trade and more reach for the High Republic. But if Locke gets his way, he holds the keys to every gate we build. We'd be trading our sovereignty simply for convenience."

His gaze drifted to the window, where the afternoon sun painted the lake in bands of gold. Aurelian smiled faintly, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Still," he added, "if the Empire is closing its fist again, perhaps we need a few devils who know how to keep doors open."

The subtle shift of boots in the corridor caught his attention just before Corde announced their guest. Aurelian rose smoothly beside Sibylla, straightening the cuff of his dark jacket. The emblem of the High Republic gleamed faintly at his breast. He leaned toward her just enough for his voice to carry low. "Let's see what sort of man our innovator really is."

When the doors opened, Aurelian's smile returned; easy and utterly unreadable. "Mr. Locke," he greeted the man stepping into the golden light. "Welcome to Naboo."

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