The Shadow of Csilla
The evening light over Moenia had softened into gold and pale blue by the time Shade reached the edge of the landing promenade. Naboo always had a way of lingering over the day, ensuring it never ended with any sense of abruptness, but instead faded and eased itself into a quiet reflection that fostered the dangerous illusion that nothing urgent could possibly exist under skies like this.
She knew better than to be lulled by such beauty.
Shade moved along the stone walkway with unhurried purpose, her coat settled neatly against her frame, while her boots made barely a sound against the polished marble. Around her, diplomats drifted between terraces and aides murmured into discreet comms while speeders passed overhead in gentle arcs, creating a scene that was as peaceful as it was cultivated. It was precisely because of this curated tranquility that important, often dangerous things were arranged here.
She stopped near the observation railing that overlooked the lower docks, where a few Republic craft waited in orderly silence. Somewhere among those ships sat the corvette that would take them to Bestine, and somewhere beyond that lay the asset they were meant to retrieve, but she knew that somewhere between those two points, everything they had planned could go terribly wrong.
Shade rested her hands lightly on the railing and waited, though she knew she would not have to wait long.
Footsteps approached from behind—measured and confident, neither hurried nor hesitant—but she did not turn immediately. She recognized the cadence from the briefing notes she had reviewed earlier, having learned long ago that people often revealed much in how they moved before they ever spoke a word. When she finally turned, her crimson eyes met his with a calm, unwavering focus.
"Commander Kej," she said, inclining her head in a gesture that managed to be polite without feeling overly formal. "Shade."
There was no preamble or unnecessary courtesy between them, only a shared sense of mutual acknowledgment. She shifted her weight slightly so they stood side by side, both facing the open view of the docks and the lake beyond, rather than squaring off like two negotiators across a table.
"I've reviewed the preliminary intelligence," she continued quietly, "and our target has been mobile, cautious, and very aware of who watches them, which tells me two things." Her gaze drifted across the distant landing pads as she clarified her thoughts. "First, they are fully aware of their own value, and second, someone else is just as aware of it as we are."
She folded her hands loosely in front of her, the serenity of the view contrasting with the weight of her words. "Bestine is not a world that is forgiving of mistakes, given its crowded corridors, competing interests, and far too many places for a target to vanish, and if this mission turns into a chase instead of a clean extraction, the odds will shift against us quickly."
She turned her head slightly toward him, studying his expression without making her scrutiny obvious. "So before we board," she said, her voice remaining steady and thoughtful, "I want to understand how you prefer to work when things inevitably stop following the plan."
A faint pause followed her question as she let the weight of the inquiry settle between them. "Do you favor speed, pressure, or patience?"
It was not intended as a challenge, but rather as an essential form of preparation.
"And," she added after a moment, her tone softening just slightly as the breeze stirred lightly through the promenade, carrying the scent of water and flowers, "I would much rather have that conversation here, under open skies, than ten minutes into hostile airspace."
Shade waited, attentive and composed, ready to listen to his response. The mission had not technically begun yet, but the critical choices that would shape its success or failure already had.
Fervos Kej
She knew better than to be lulled by such beauty.
Shade moved along the stone walkway with unhurried purpose, her coat settled neatly against her frame, while her boots made barely a sound against the polished marble. Around her, diplomats drifted between terraces and aides murmured into discreet comms while speeders passed overhead in gentle arcs, creating a scene that was as peaceful as it was cultivated. It was precisely because of this curated tranquility that important, often dangerous things were arranged here.
She stopped near the observation railing that overlooked the lower docks, where a few Republic craft waited in orderly silence. Somewhere among those ships sat the corvette that would take them to Bestine, and somewhere beyond that lay the asset they were meant to retrieve, but she knew that somewhere between those two points, everything they had planned could go terribly wrong.
Shade rested her hands lightly on the railing and waited, though she knew she would not have to wait long.
Footsteps approached from behind—measured and confident, neither hurried nor hesitant—but she did not turn immediately. She recognized the cadence from the briefing notes she had reviewed earlier, having learned long ago that people often revealed much in how they moved before they ever spoke a word. When she finally turned, her crimson eyes met his with a calm, unwavering focus.
"Commander Kej," she said, inclining her head in a gesture that managed to be polite without feeling overly formal. "Shade."
There was no preamble or unnecessary courtesy between them, only a shared sense of mutual acknowledgment. She shifted her weight slightly so they stood side by side, both facing the open view of the docks and the lake beyond, rather than squaring off like two negotiators across a table.
"I've reviewed the preliminary intelligence," she continued quietly, "and our target has been mobile, cautious, and very aware of who watches them, which tells me two things." Her gaze drifted across the distant landing pads as she clarified her thoughts. "First, they are fully aware of their own value, and second, someone else is just as aware of it as we are."
She folded her hands loosely in front of her, the serenity of the view contrasting with the weight of her words. "Bestine is not a world that is forgiving of mistakes, given its crowded corridors, competing interests, and far too many places for a target to vanish, and if this mission turns into a chase instead of a clean extraction, the odds will shift against us quickly."
She turned her head slightly toward him, studying his expression without making her scrutiny obvious. "So before we board," she said, her voice remaining steady and thoughtful, "I want to understand how you prefer to work when things inevitably stop following the plan."
A faint pause followed her question as she let the weight of the inquiry settle between them. "Do you favor speed, pressure, or patience?"
It was not intended as a challenge, but rather as an essential form of preparation.
"And," she added after a moment, her tone softening just slightly as the breeze stirred lightly through the promenade, carrying the scent of water and flowers, "I would much rather have that conversation here, under open skies, than ten minutes into hostile airspace."
Shade waited, attentive and composed, ready to listen to his response. The mission had not technically begun yet, but the critical choices that would shape its success or failure already had.
Fervos Kej
