Private Rebuilding

[Cassian Abrantes]

It had been a few days since their return from Wielu. Too much had gone in during that short time and even more had transpired since then. Aurelian was on a warpath, rightfully so. He didn't care much for him and even he sympathized with him in regards to bring the Black Sun and the Sith to heel. That was a step above his pay grade though, as it wasn't up to him to declare war on the Sith. Was she acting alone or did the Black Sun hire her. Cassian wasn't sure and he wasn't going to try and figure it out. He had more important things to worry about. He would leave that sort to his sister and them to figure out.

Guilty had partially tore at him, while protecting the dignitaries and such was important. And this was his sister he was talking about.

Ground forces on Sepan took a pummeling, and he knew he should've been there. In his newly grounded position as General. He should've been there....

He walked past the ceremonial caskets of those that were lost and he felt the ringing in his hear. The pain in his heart.....

He wasn't a fool, he wasn't saying if he was there things would have changed. But perhaps less lives would have been lost.

Whatever he knew, war was coming now. If it wasn't already here on some capacity it would be coming soon. Right now his task lay with building a team of individuals as they would now reach into the Empire Territory, to save those High Republic civilians that were held captive.

His contacts put him in touch with a slicer, by the name of Aren D'Shade

Cassian was dressed rather casually as he waited in Theed Square for this individual.

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Naboo is a wonderful world to visit. That was precisely what Aren was doing. Of course, she was also meeting a new contact for business. Something she was always looking for. More connections led to more work, which kept her out of trouble far better than when she didn't have any. A recent encounter had brought some of her operations to a screeching halt. At the moment, she was essentially homeless and needed a new hideout to well...hide in.

When a Cassian had reached out to her, she wondered how he had learned about her. Having given out her information to more people than she probably should have, she was sure one of them had provided him with it. If she were honest, she wasn't worried about meeting this man. It was going to start in public, but she had the feeling it would need to be moved to a secure location. Nobody asked for a slicer and held a conversation in the open. That was asking for trouble.

Once she had the name of the person she was going to meet, she did some research on him. He was a noble from Naboo. A general in the Grand Army and overall a great guy. From all the study she did of him, he didn't appear to have any form of dirty laundry. Unlike the last noble she had dealings with. Thinking about Andulf, she wondered what had happened to him. Just another part of her life that was in the past and not to be worried about now. His problems were his now, and they had gone their ways.

She had been able to pull up what he looked like from his military records and would be able to spot him at the square. On her hip was a simple blaster, and her bag of tools on her other side. She wore a brown leather jacket that appeared to fit her like it was a second skin. She had a white shirt on under that and tucked into black pants. She forgoed the headphones, wanting to focus on him rather than her music.

Walking up to him, she waited for him to notice her before introducing herself.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Cassian looked over as he noticed the girl approaching at his side, based on what he knew this was definitely her. She had the look about her and he hoped this would go off without a hitch. The General stood up and showed a smile and nod. Cassian extended his hand towards her.

"It's good to finally meet you, Miss D'Shade?" Cassian spoke unsure on whether she preferred that or just first name basis. It didn't bother him in the slightest either way. "Shall we take a walk?" He spoke with a light and easy tone.

"I trust you found the trip well?" The was the first of many questions for her, while he was sure she had questions for him. He was gauging her, seeing about her poise, status and most of all if she could be trusted.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Accepting his hand when he offered it, Aren shook it and then let go. He was several inches taller than she was, so she looked up as he spoke. Her brown eyes met his green, and she gave him a friendly smile to match his tone. They had exchanged a few messages before this was all arranged, and when he asked to take a walk, she agreed right away.

"My trip went well. Thank you."

Sometimes, the everyday, customary conversation was lost on her. Meeting people in person sometimes threw her for a loop, and for the moment, she wasn't sure how to act. She usually only had her droids as companions, but it was just her right now.

As he gauged her poise, she walked with confidence, looking ahead at where they were going.

"I've never been to Naboo before. It's lovely."

Deciding to try and make the talk light, until they reached some private place, she mentioned the first thing that came to mind.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

"My trip went well. Thank you."

"I'm glad it went so." Cassian said with a smile, taking note as she carried herself rather well. Granted there was much more to discuss and more to talk about.

"I must apologize for the scrutiny and secrecy surrounding my contact. I greatly appreciate your trust in me to arrive as you have." Cassian spoke honestly and truthfully as he didn't wish to cause her distress but he had to be honest in regards to him contacting her. He was sure she thought it strange that a member of Noble house, much more the eldest son was contacting someone of her stature. Not that he had anything against that, he just had to make sure she knew he meant no ill will.

"Naboo is a lovely place, you should take the time to explore. There's much to discover here." Cassian looked over to her with another smile. "Do you your dealings have you travel often?" The General inquired as he had to know what he was working with in terms of commitment.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

The simple pleasantries were out of the way, and she glanced at him from the corner of her eye as he apologized. Turning her gaze to the front again, she allowed him to finish before speaking and answering his question. She shrugged a little at the apology and accepted it as he intended it.

"Same to you, Cassian. Inviting a woman you hardly know to stay on your planet."

Closing down, she didn't say more for the moment. She had yet to figure out where she would be staying while working for him. Keeping that to herself for now, she wouldn't keep it secret if he asked, but she wasn't going to tell him on her own. The fact that he was a noble did not cause her any discomfort, and she treated him like she did any other organic. As a person should be treated.

"Depending on how busy you keep me, I'd like the chance to explore. No, actually. My work doesn't get me out as much as it could. Most of it takes place on the holonet, and that can be accessed almost anywhere.

"It does happen from time to time. Like for you."

Exactly why he needed her to come to Naboo was mostly unknown to Aren, but she didn't have any place to go. Other than temporary hideouts and the couches of friends. It probably would not be too hard to find a place to stay here, but she wasn't looking forward to trying.

"Where would you suggest exploring first?"

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

"Depending on how busy you keep me, I'd like the chance to explore. No, actually. My work doesn't get me out as much as it could. Most of it takes place on the holonet, and that can be accessed almost anywhere.

"It does happen from time to time. Like for you."

"There's plenty of places here, the art and science museum is one of them. I'm not too sure what sort of things you enjoy? What do you like doing?"

Cassian asked, and he found more words as he offered a quick apology. "Forgive me, before that we need to get you settled in if you are willing to take the job. I can provide you with a place to stay for up to three months, that would be the time frame. I can pay you half in advance and the rest when the contract is up. We will be dealing heavily against the Empire and the Black Sun Syndicate, covert dealings. I need someone with your set of skills to have my missions go more successful."

He knew it was a lot to take in, and he didn't mean to pile this on her like this. She seemed to be a bright woman, and he wasn't gong to lie. She had a beauty to her, that he noticed right away. Yet this wasn't for pleasantries, this was for the Republic and for Naboo.

That was, what mattered first and foremost.

"I won't do anything to jeopardize your safety, I will keep you safe, on my honor."

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

She was happy to have an everyday conversation with Cassian. It didn't revolve around work, and she felt she was moving in the right direction in her exchanges with him. He started answering her question, and the museum certainly had her interest. Maybe not the art aspect of it as much as the science, but she would enjoy visiting it with him. Then he asked what she liked doing, and before she could answer, he stopped her.

Glancing around, Aren picked up that this was probably going to contain something they wouldn't want other people to hear. Nobody was paying the two of them any attention, and they kept walking. The best way to blend in was to act normal. Not that she does that as easily with her purple hair, but she wouldn't change that unless she had to. It was one of the things that made Aren who she was.

Listening to the proposition, everything sounded good.

"Which Empire? There is more than one."

Smiling a little, the money technically would not be an issue, but he didn't need to know that. Her skills were with technology, and her master had set her up for more than a lifetime before he died. Again, that wasn't anything Cassian needed to know. At the moment, his offer of a safe haven was far more important than anything else.

"I appreciate that, Cassian. Do you have a work area for me?"

Hoping that the answer would be yes, she looked up at him. She'd had to leave most of her gear and gadgets behind.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

"Which Empire? There is more than one."

"The Galactic Empire, as I said majority of our work will be on a covert basis and as need to know as possible. I can trust your discretion, I'm going to assume?" Cassian voiced with a calm demeanor and smile on his face. Some would say he was taking a risk, a big gamble for someone of his stature. However he didn't seen it like that, elsewhere there had to be a leap of faith sometimes.

If this ended sideways, he would learn from the mistake.

"I appreciate that, Cassian. Do you have a work area for me?"

"I do, I have something set up on our estate in Deeja Peak a place where you can do your work at your own pace. A room will be procured for you here in Theed for your stay. As well as provide transportation for you."

Cassian smiled as he held out his hand towards her once more. "Miss D'Shade, do we have a deal?"

 

[Aren D'Shade]

"You gave me your word on your honor. I might not have the same credibility as you do, but if you'll accept the same from me, then I give you my word. I won't break that. Nobody but us will know of this and anybody else you bring into the mission."

Stiffening up just slightly, Aren attempted a slight bow to indicate when she gave her word. With his assurance of a place to work and sleep, she nodded and returned the smile. Accepting the hand, she gripped it with confidence, which should show him he had made the right choice and offer.

"Please, call me Aren. Formality is only needed some of the time. The rest of it, I don't think it is. Besides, I've been calling you Cassian, and you didn't correct me. Lead on."

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

Cassian showed her a good smile and he nodded his head. "Sounds like a good deal, Aren."

About a week had gone by since they had first met. Cassian had did everything he had swore he would do and more. He gave her time to get settled in as he didn't want to drown her in work or anything of that sort. This was a new place to her, and something she would have to get used to in her own time, so he didn't press that issue at all. They had a business partnership and he hoped with all his honor that he could trust her. Truth be told there was still much that he didn't know about her.

Today wasn't too bad of a day to spend some time and get to know one another better. He did catch when he mentioned the Naboo Center of Arts and Sciences, she did perk up a little bit at that. It was probably something, or maybe nothing at all.

Cassian arrived at her home, doing the polite thing and asking her prior if she would want to go and maybe see it. For all he knew she might've gone already. The Former General gave a small knock at the door and then took a few steps back, as he waited for her.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

In the week that she had been on Naboo, Aren had found a solid routine to follow. She would wake up, travel to the estate, and focus on the job she had been brought in for. After working for a few hours, she would take a break and get familiar with the people she was working with, who weren't many and for good reason.

In the evening, she would travel back to the room where she was sleeping. Somewhere along the line, she would get dinner and some new clothes since she had arrived with just what she was wearing. Keeping to a subdued fashion, she found herself in black pants and a white shirt. Her coat and shoes were what she usually wore, and they didn't need to be replaced.

When Cassian knocked on her door, she tossed her bag over her shoulder and opened it.

"Thank you for the invitation, Cassian. I've been looking forward to this since you asked. How was your week?"

Making sure she had her key with her, she pulled the door closed behind her as she joined him on the small porch. Her eyes sparkled a little, and that lent truth to her words that she was looking forward to this adventure together.

"Is it far?"

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

"Thank you for the invitation, Cassian. I've been looking forward to this since you asked. How was your week?"

"It's not issue at all." Cassian said, showing her an easy smile and a slight nod of his head. "You look nice." He spoke with genuine words, offering her an simple, yet easy compliment. "Shall we?" Cass led the way as he held his arm out for her to take if she wanted. "It's not terribly far from here. But the walk is nice." He voiced with a smile as any day on Naboo proved to be a good one, except when it was raining.

Cassian didn't care for the rain too much, even though they needed it at times. Today the sun was out and there was a nice cool breeze that blew in from the North. It made the sun ray's not so powerful and a comfortable day for everyone, depending on what they were wearing.

"My week has been prodoctuve, other than the fact that I got demoted from my position as General. That's a story for another time perhaps, besides that unhappy news. I have to say I'm doing rather well."

Truthfully was he, no.....

He masked it pretty well, yet when he caught the stares from those that he knew and they wondered why he was demoted. There was no offical reason, and only Cassian and one or two others new the reasoning behind it. Since it was so secret, everyone would assume it was something of a corrupt, underhanded nature.

The once considered honorable Cassian Abrantes was now met with some looks of uncertainty or even disgusts as some chose to feed those rumors. Like he had become some sort of brigand or something else....

"How about you? I hope you settled in nicely? I trust everyone has been respectful and such?"

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

"Thank you. You do as well, Cassian."

When he offered her his arm, she took it gladly, and that sparkle remained in her eyes. The walk was lovely, and she noticed some of the rather nasty looks he was getting from people. Then he answered her question and told her it was a story for another time. Tilting her head in curiosity, she allowed him to finish that statement before making one of her own.

"I'm going to hold you to that, sir. I'm glad you're doing as well as you say you are."

He wasn't ready to tell her, but it would come, and if he didn't, she had her ways to get that information. Not that she wanted to go that route just yet. Aren wanted to hear the reason from him and nobody else. The pockmarked people who stared at them could only guess at what had happened. Even she didn't know and didn't care why. If he had done anything horrible, they wouldn't be walking together with their arms linked.

"I have settled in nicely. Been able to get some delicious food, and your people have been polite and helpful. It hasn't happened often that I need help, but once in a while, a hand has been needed—just part of being on a team. One person doesn't know everything, and we have to share. You did well in picking your team."

Feeling the breeze on her face, she turned it just slightly to allow it to blow her hair back behind her. Their eyes met, and she couldn't help but smile at him; then she looked forward again. No sense in her falling head over heels because she wasn't watching where she was going.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

"I'm going to hold you to that, sir. I'm glad you're doing as well as you say you are."

"Sounds good to me."

He caught her look of curiosity, if the short time that he had known her he had picked up these little nuances about her. Give his constant training as a soldier and his ability to read a room and identify danger. There were something more to her that he didn't know, but who would want to reveal all about themselves in the first week of their meeting. While Casisan wasn't playing a game, he left that for others to do. But he had to find out certain things, just to see how real the person was.

"I have settled in nicely. Been able to get some delicious food, and your people have been polite and helpful. It hasn't happened often that I need help, but once in a while, a hand has been needed—just part of being on a team. One person doesn't know everything, and we have to share. You did well in picking your team."

"That's good to know. I'm glad everyone is being respectful and not being too questioning." Cassian chuckled lightly as they moved down the sidewalks. It was nice, speeders passed by, people were laughing and smiling. They weren't thinking about him or the dark events that had taken place. They were just...living.

That was good enough for Cassian to enjoy.

"I'm glad you think so, everyone is pretty dedicated. I should be considered very lucky, but that's the years of team building and creating friendships whenever and wherever possible. Have you met a lot people in your travels?"

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

Aren was far from unemotional, but she didn't get much chance to express them. Her droid companions weren't human and didn't elicit many reactions from her. In the week she had been on Naboo, she had to reintegrate herself into normal society quickly, relearn how to express her feelings, and sometimes her thoughts. Almost sticking the tip of her tongue out of the corner of her mouth when he agreed to tell her later, she kept it inside and smiled instead.

When he mentioned people not questioning her, she looked at the ground before addressing that small elephant.

"With my skill set, I've learned to make sure people can't find out much about me. Call me paranoid if you want."

Keeping her hand on his arm, she enjoyed the warmth and touch. Maybe more than she should have, as he was technically her superior. Even with that being the case, she didn't know how much he actually knew about her or her past. She might be willing to talk to him about it, but she wasn't going to volunteer that information right away.

"I haven't done much traveling. As I said, most of my work can be done remotely. I did meet some Jedi on Commenor, and I worked for a noble from Alderaan. Most of the other work was done on Denon."

There was not a word that was a lie, and if he tried to read her expression or body language, he could tell she wasn't lying, but also not telling him the entire truth. Accurate but not lying.

"I think you are lucky. You have a good group of people working for you. I don't have many friends. Gives me the chance to come and go as I want, I guess. Nobody to ask where I am or keep an eye on me."

Perhaps a touch of loneliness filled her voice, but she didn't dwell on that emotion for long. She had company right now, and he was changing her life. Probably for the better, and she didn't realize it at the moment.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

He studied her in that quiet way of his, eyes steady, the corners of his mouth barely shifting when she spoke. Cassian didn't interrupt, but she could tell he was listening, really listening, weighing every word as though filing it away. When she looked down, he tilted his head slightly, as if he might catch what she was keeping from him in the spaces between sentences.

"Paranoid," he said at last, low and measured, "That is just another word people use when they haven't lived the same life. You're careful. That's different." His tone carried no judgment, only the flat certainty of a man who had lived too long depending on the same instincts.


Her hand lingered on his arm. For a moment, he let it stay there, the warmth grounding them both in a way that was almost unfamiliar to him. A soldier, agent, eldest son, he didn't often have the luxury of simple touches. At least not in lights such as this.

"You've done more traveling than you think," he remarked after a beat, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Not every world leaves the same mark, but every one of them changes you. Commenor, Alderaan, Denon… you've seen enough to know people, and that's what matters."

He angled his head, considering her again with that same sharpness. "As for not having many friends--" his voice softened, though it carried the edge of truth she couldn't ignore, "that might keep you alive. But it'll also kill you in other ways if you let it."

For the briefest moment, he almost looked as if he might reach for her hand. Was it instinct, or the need to reassure her that she could potentially consider him a friend. Instead, he shifted his weight, his gaze fixed ahead at the Naboo skyline, golden and serene. "Luck doesn't have much to do with the people I have around me," he admitted. "They're here because they chose to be. Same as you."

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

He basically pinned Aren with his observation, but she wasn't ready to tell him everything. As he didn't press the issue, she kept that old life to herself. Was she the same person who had left the Sith? She didn't think so, but that path was a part of her, and she would be foolish to think it hadn't left a mark on her. It wasn't something obvious, but once you start down that path, it's difficult to leave it behind, even though she had tried.

"I am careful. It's more than that, though. As you said, that's for another time."

Giving him a wink, she expected him to say something similar to what she had. Then again, they were different people, and he might not think like she did.

"Knowing people is one thing. Friendship is another. I can probably count on one hand the number of people I would consider to be friends."

Maybe that was normal, but Aren didn't think so. She felt most people had grand social lives, and she was the one left out of their circles.

"What about you? Have you travelled much?"

In the effort to make things equal, she asked him almost the same question. As somebody in the military, she felt he would have seen more places than she would imagine. And she could imagine quite a few. Probably more than she had travelled to.

"How would it kill me?"

Glancing up at him, she felt his shift and caught the look he had.

"You can, you know."

Opening her hand, she offered it to him if he wanted it.

"I still think it's partly luck. How else could you have heard about me? And then reached out. Perhaps, I'm the lucky one..."

Not finishing the thought, they continued the walk to the museum in an unhurried manner.

Cassian Abrantes

 

[Cassian Abrantes]

He glanced down at her open hand, a faint crease forming at the corner of his eyes as though weighing the gesture. After a moment, he dismissed it with a simple smile and small nod as he looked forward. He didn't want to portray the wrong feeling or emotion, so he opted to not take her hand at this juncture.

"Travel comes with the job." he said, voice even. "Some places blur together after a while. You see the same kinds of people, the same patterns, just different backdrops. Still, I'd be lying if I said there weren't moments worth remembering."

He gave the faintest shrug, as though not wanting to commit more than necessary, and let their steps fall back into rhythm.

"As for luck…" his mouth pulled slightly, not quite a smile. "I've learned it's usually timing. Right place, right time or wrong place, wrong time. People call it luck when they don't have a better word for it."

He glanced at her sidelong. "Maybe that's how it worked for us." The museum loomed closer now, its silhouette framed in soft light ahead, giving their conversation a natural pause. The kind of pause that could go either direction, into something deeper, or left comfortably unspoken.

The steps slowed as they reached the front of the museum. Its entrance rose with quiet dignity, carved stone and tall columns softened by time. The faint hum of evening traffic around them faded once they stepped inside, replaced by the hush of a space meant for reflection. Cool air brushed over them, carrying the faint scent of polished floors and preserved history and sound of technology. Wide halls stretched ahead, banners displaying fragments of the past such as star charts, relics, and the faded insignias of old governments long gone.

He gave her arm a gentle squeeze as they entered releasing himself from her touch, not abruptly but with the subtle finality of someone adjusting to a new setting. His eyes scanned the displays, expression thoughtful.

"Places like this…" he murmured, "I feel like they tell you more about what people wanted to be remembered for than what they actually were."

The artifacts gleamed under carefully placed lights, each one carrying weight, each one with a story attached.

"What do you feel like seeing first?" Cassian asked, looking over to her with an easy smile.

Aren D'Shade

 

[Aren D'Shade]

While she might have been slightly disappointed he didn't take her hand, he also didn't remove it from his arm. They remained that way as they walked together. He was taller than she was, but Aren kept up easily. That answer he gave was rather vague, but she didn't honestly expect him to spill all of his information to her. The two of them had just met and were still figuring out how to build a good relationship.

"Oh yes, there were some moments worth remembering. And some worth forgetting."

Chuckling a little, she shook her head slightly.

"I did get my name out there quite often when I was first getting started in my work. So I got lucky when you came across that information and reached out."

Joining him with a shrug, it seemed like they moved together quite nicely.

"Timing could also be an option, but I don't think so. Maybe some higher power threw us onto the same path, with this being the outcome."

What that outcome would be in the end, time would tell, but Aren had some hope that her future was going to be improved, just by knowing this man. His squeeze wasn't missed, and she looked forward to the next time they could have that connection again. She had no doubt it would happen again. She didn't know how far it would go, though, and didn't want to cross any lines until they no longer mattered. Until then, she would honor his unspoken request.

"Isn't that the case with history? It's written by the victors who leave behind what they wanted us to see."

Agreeing with Cassian, she had a calm smile. Nothing outlandish or obscene. Something simple for what she was feeling. Tilting her head up as he asked what she wanted to see first, she gave it a short thought.

"The science section. Then, if there's time, you can show me something famous that's held here. If you had your choice, what would you see first?"

Cassian Abrantes