Private Sister City

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Private landing pad on the outskirts of Beshnia Alpha, capital city of Lujo
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh moved briskly towards the private landing pad, her datapad raised as she surveyed updated reports from some of her colleagues regarding viable locations for the ambitious project they were about to undertake. After her rendezvous with Faith Organa , Alicio Organa , and Isla Draellix-Kobitana on Alderaan, there had been some discussion about the possibility of building a sister city here on Lujo, which would be inspired by Sanctuary City and the incredible work that the Organas had accomplished on their own planet.

Since that day, plans had been put into motion, and Tiresh had successfully garnered the full support of both Houses as well as the Grand Patriarch of the Ashmaarians. They had completed the first rounds of fundraising, raising enough capital to begin the first phases of development, and so Tiresh had officially invited Alicio Organa to come and visit Lujo to bring his critical perspective and experience from the development of Sanctuary City. They had a promising location scouted out, about 100 miles from Beshnia Alpha, the capital city of Lujo. One of their top engineers had already begun to draw up initial blueprints for the city, but Tiresh wanted to pass everything by Alicio, knowing that ignorance could cause significant problems down the road, and that he could help them avoid such problems.

Behind the Senator followed a smallish and rather bulky man with a gruff-looking exterior. His name was Trulian, the chief project engineer who would be overseeing the designs. To her other side stood a very tall Ashmaarian, who's movements almost seemed to be in slow motion compared to everyone else. His name was Druff, and he was the representative of the Grand Patriarch. His purpose was to fully understand everything that was going on and to report back to the Grand Patriarch. His objective was to ensure that the building process honored the land and the planet in every aspect of their values and culture.

"Alicio's shuttle should be landing momentarily." Tiresh commented as they reached the edge of the open landing platform. It was a nice, warm day with a light breeze… very standard weather for the planet of Lujo.

"Alright…" Trulian responded in a rather gritty voice, "We'll take him out to the proposed site, and I can run him through the current designs and schematics… See what he thinks of what we've got so far." Tiresh nodded and looked up as the shuttle began to make its approach.

 

[Alicio Organa]

ON A SHUTTLE, EN ROUTE TO BESHNIA ALPHA
​

Main datapad? Check. Loaner datapad? Check. Warm coat? Check.

Feeling a little under-qualified?

Check.

Alicio ran through his mental checklist one last time as his personal shuttle broke the upper atmosphere of Lujo. With a pursed smile, Alicio took in the sights as the craft descended. Plenty of water, wrapping the horizons and snuggling the landmasses of the planet. That would be good for trade, sanitation, irrigation...

The Alderaanian stopped himself. No, the shimmering oceans were a lovely view.

It wasn't long before Beshnia Alpha was within view. From a distance, it reminded Alicio much of New Aldera, the capital of his home planet. The same rustic, yet advanced feel, but Beshnia Alpha was much smaller, and had towering stone structures, revealing a deep history.

The shuttle touched down on the landing pad gently, and the exit ramp hissed open. Count Organa stepped off the vehicle, thanking his pilot for their smooth landing. He had a datapad cradled in one hand, and a second one on a clip at his belt, underneath a blue coat with a fuzzy trim. His eyes found Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix quickly, and his frown of concentration lessened as he walked over, and bowed.

"Senator Kobitana!" His voice was a little excited, as he drank in the atmosphere of a new planet. "Thank you for inviting me to your world. Lujo looks lovely from the air."

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Private landing pad on the outskirts of Beshnia Alpha, capital city of Lujo
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh smiled warmly as she approached Alicio Organa and returned his bow with one of her own.

"Alicio! Welcome to Lujo! And please, do call me Tiresh." Her gaze drifted quickly back towards Beshnia Alpha and the surrounding mountains and ocean vista. "Yes, it is our little piece of paradise! I'm sure it is much more humble in its nature compared to the majestic cities and infrastructure of Alderaan." She let out a warm laugh, "Lujo, in many ways, is a celebration of its own natural beauty and sweeping landscapes. I am so pleased to have you finally visiting our shores!" She turned and motioned towards the two men beside her, "Allow for me to introduce you to Trulian. He is our Chief Engineer who will be overseeing the cities development. I'm sure the two of you will have much to discuss!" Trulian grunted a rustic greeting as he nodded his head in recognition of Alicio. "And this is Druff. Druff is the official overseer appointed by our Grand Patriarch of the Ashmaarians to make sure that everything we do honors the land and the values of our people." Druff offered a slow bow of his head, "It is nice to meet you, Mr. Organa." His voice was deep and had a somewhat watery tone to it.

As Druff spoke, Tiresh quickly swiped some details regarding the Ashmaarian species subtly to Alicio's datapad for him to overview at his leisure. It might be helpful for him to know how strongly they valued the preservation of the land.

"How is Faith doing these days? And how is the hospital progressing? I hope that our staff and volunteers have been helpful? They truly love the spot you picked out for their offices… the view of the coast is quite exquisite!"

 

[Alicio Organa]

Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix asked Alicio to use her first name, and his face showed a bit of embarrassment. He was still getting used to talking with people of importance on equal terms. It had even taken some time for Alicio to stop referring to his cousin Faith as 'my Queen'.

He was swept up in the senator's enthusiasm immediately, sharing her joy as she described Lujo in it's splendor, and listening intently as she introduced her two companions. He was new to politics, but he felt very much at home in that moment, echoing the two peoples' greetings back at them, nodding sincerely at Trulian, and inclining his head to Druff. "My gratitude to you for allowing me to visit, Overseer. I will strive to treat your land and waters with kindness while I'm here."

He noticed Tiresh send him something, and checked it quickly after his greeting. Information on Ashmaarian culture. He sent a smile the senator's way, but put away his pad quickly again. He'd already done his research. Long nights of interviewing members of the Kobitana Foundation about their world, in preparation for this day.

"I recently accompanied Queen Faith to a senate meeting on Coruscant. She seems... stretched a bit thin, but she's incredible at hiding it. I don't know how Faith can balance being a monarch, senator, and humanitarian, all at the same time." The softening of his eyes betrayed the fact that he admired his cousin deeply. He could only hope to be half the person she was someday.

"As for the hospital, it should be fully operational in a month or so. Thanks to the extra hands, we're a few weeks ahead of schedule, and the medics you sent are going to help enormously until we can secure permanent positions."

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Private landing pad on the outskirts of Beshnia Alpha, capital city of Lujo
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh nodded knowingly at his remark about Faith Organa . She completely related to such realities, and these days it seemed like politics within the Senate was reaching a feverish high.

“Queen Faith is a tremendous inspiration to all of us. She is always a symbol of grace and reason, and I personally am very grateful for her. I think we all are feeling similar pressures these days. I hope that will soon change, but who knows such things.”

She smiled with excitement at the news that the hospital would soon be operational. It was also very encouraging to hear that the Foundation had been a help in their efforts.

“That is wonderful to hear on all accounts!” She said warmly. “And how are you doing? It seems that Faith is empowering you more and more each day. I hope it isn’t too much to say, but I think she has big plans for you, Alicio.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, almost like a sister would, looking at him with sincerity, “And I know first hand that taking on greater responsibility can cause tremendous growing pains. If you ever need someone to process with that is more on the outside of your immediate circle, I am more than happy to be a sounding board for you… if that is something that would be helpful. I know it was for me.” She smiled warmly. It was apparent to her that the Queen was grooming him for greatness, and such transitions could be daunting.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio nodded as Tiresh shared her own view of his cousin, and the situation of all lawmakers in their day and age. He hadn't been doing this for very long, but he felt it as well; the pull every which way, the pressure of a galaxy in turmoil, and it's civil servants trying desperately to keep it all together.

It was a lot for a junior politician to comprehend.

Some nervous tension in his shoulders released as Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix laid a hand on them. As she spoke, Alicio's face morphed somewhere between a grimace and a smile; the senator had hit the nail perfectly on the head. A hand crossed his body to grasp his elbow, and Alicio found something convenient to look at in the distance.

"I can only hope to rise up to meet Faith's expectations," he stated in a prideful voice, tinged with pain. "And lighten her load a little. Then I can prove her trust in me was well-placed."

Perhaps she'd notice Alicio had sidestepped the question of 'how are you' entirely, despite how desperately he wanted to get everything off of his chest. "I will take you up on that. Thank you, Tiresh. But for right now, we may wish to get started with the task at hand. I would hate to keep your entourage waiting."

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, flying towards proposed location of city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh nodded in agreement at his proposal to continue on with their intended purpose for the day. Such a chaotic and nuanced world of politics was truly a daunting endeavor to step into, and while she didn’t want to cause Alicio any uncomfortable or unwanted attention, she truly wanted to be of assistance in any way that she could.

However, she didn’t want to overstep either. She knew that Faith Organa was investing a lot into him, and so she would leave it up to Alicio to initiate any such conversations related to the pressures he might be experiencing related to political responsibility. She knew that there were some things that were daunting to openly process with those who were closest to you, and so a more distanced ear might feel more safe in some regards.

“Yes! Let us continue.” She motioned for all of them to follow her to a nearby landing pad where a Munto LF-class Escort Transport awaited them. As they approached, she continued to speak, “We would like to begin by showing you a location that we have scouted out for the building site of the city. Once we arrive, we can process the validity of the location as well as show you some preliminary schematics that Trulian had begun to develop with his team of engineers. We would love to hear all of your feedback. Nothing is set in stone yet, and we truely value your input and experience.”

Trulian piped in, “You won’t hurt my feeling, lad, so don’t hold back.” He laughed loudly as he slapped Alicio on the back rather hard. As they entered the transport, Alicio would see that the ship had been modified with a large viewing area in the center of the floor of what would traditionally be a cargo hold. Around the duraglass viewport there were elaborate chairs that could be adjusted to provide better viewing angles. There was also a small glass table that could be extended above the lap of each chair.

Tiresh motioned towards a chair for Alicio to sit in as she and the others all took their seats around the viewport.

“Alicio, would you care for some water or any other refreshment?” Tiresh asked as the hanger door closed and the shuttle began to rise up into the air, heading south as the city passed by below them in the viewport. She beckoned an assistant over and requested a glass of wine for herself.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio followed Senator Kobitana dutifully as she led the way to the escort carrier, casting a sideways glance at the technical marvel of war they would be having their civil planning meeting within. There was something poetic about the thought: if Alicio were a writer, he may have come up with some clever adage about it.

But he wasn't, so he wouldn't.

Count Organa produced his datapad, and began pulling up his notes, in preparation for viewing the plot, and the schematics. He was about to respond to Tiresh, before the larger man, Trulian, slapped his back. He stumbled a bit, but caught himself quickly, smiling at the easy atmosphere. "Of course, Trulian. I won't pull my punches, but I'm sure you and your people have done an excellent job already. I may just have a few suggestions."

He preferred the ribbing and joking to the stiff protocol of Alderaanian nobles any day.

Alicio sat quickly when prompted, flipping down his table to rest his datapad upon, now shining with tabs upon tabs of his own personal notes. He stared down at the floor, noticing the transparent belly of the beast, and looking down upon the city of Beshnia Alpha as they passed it.

"Water would be lovely." Alicio addressed the servant directly, with an apologetic upturn of the mouth. "Or tea, if it wouldn't be too much trouble." It was a well-known fact that Alderaanians loved their warm drinks and fine wines, and Alicio was no exception.

"Before we get started," Alicio said, looking around the group, "How did you manage to convince the Houses of Lujo to fund the project? City building isn't a cheap endeavor, after all."

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, flying towards proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Soon, a cup of hot tea and a glass of water were both placed on Alicio's table in front of him by the assistant. Tiresh took a small sip of her wine, then placed her own data pad down in front of her and prepared herself to take notes. She looked up and listened to Alicio's first question, nodding as she responded,

"Good question. We have multiple revenue streams we are pulling from. I have been facilitating some elaborate fundraisers throughout the core, which has generated some significant capital that is going towards the initial building phase of the project. We also have another industry that is native to Lujo which as proven quite helpful in funding our humanitarian and defensive efforts. I will let the Overseer share more." She nodded to Druff with a smile.

Druff nodded, then turned to face Alicio, "Ashmaarians have a self-generating oil within our skin. We are a species that spends most of our time in the water, and the waters of Lujo have a unique particle in them that gets absorbed into our skin. During our lifetime, the particles are compressed and rubbed in the oil, which forms a layer of oil overtop the particle. This layer eventually hardens and crystalizes, and then new layers form on top of that layer, and so on and so forth for years upon years. Eventually, by the later half of our lives, these particles have become pearls. The skin of one Ashmaarian contains thousands of these pearls, and it results in a naturally protective armor that is built right into our skin." The Oversee extended his arm as he spoke, slowly turning it in front of the Count. He then pulled out a knife from his belt and jabbed it down into the skin of his forearm. The knife was unable to penetrate his skin. "Sorry for the violent demonstration, but I have found that it is the easiest way to understand what I am referring to." He said with a warm smile, "These pearls are referred to as "Ashmaarian Pearls" for obvious reasons, and they are extremely rare and exclusively native to the Ashaarians who live on Lujo. With the horrors that are being perpetrated across the galaxy, and because of the threats which are beginning to advance even against core worlds in the Alliance, we realized that our way of life was in danger. And not only ours, but there are many innocent worlds which are in danger as well. And so we have decided, as a species, to allow for the pearls in our bodies to be harvested upon our death, so that the money that our pearls generate may go towards preserving our way of life for future generations as well as the ways of life of other peaceful systems and species." He put the knife away, then looked back and Alicio with fondness, "Tiresh has gone into great detail at describing the wonderful work you have done on your planet. It is our great honor to help establish a similar city of refuge here on Lujo."

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio figured that extraplanetary sources would be pooling income for the city's construction, a similar initiative had been used by Faith during the charity drives to fuel Sanctuary City's construction. But the additional raw resource from the Ashmaarians was news to him. He turned his attention from his host to the Overseer.

He'd heard of the fine pearls in his research of Lujo; while unfamiliar of their biological origins (Druff's display with the knife had made the noble jump slightly), Alicio had heard that poachers and killers had been plaguing the native peoples of Lujo ever since the discovery of the gems. "That is incredibly noble of the Ashmaarian people, Overseer Druff. Not many can claim to have sacrificed as much for the galaxy's downtrodden." He was impressed by the altruistic nature of this planet, but had expected as much from his talks with Tiresh. Perhaps Lujo and Alderaan were even more similar than he'd previously thought.

Alicio felt his smile fade a little as the conversation once again turned to him. "I am a small part of Sanctuary City's success. And I hope to be a small part of this new sanctuary's success as well." He mentally kicked himself. Learn how to take a compliment, Organa.

The young man busied himself quickly by picking up his tea, and sniffing the contents, before taking a tentative sip. The barely audible 'mmm' under his breath betrayed his pleasure at the taste, but his distant stare afterward betrayed something else on his mind too.

"There is a lot of trouble in the galaxy indeed. The Second Great Hyperspace War still rages, tensions mount with the New Imperials, not to mention the strife within the Alliance itself. The people need places like this more than ever."

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, flying towards proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

All three of the beings present nodded in solemn agreement regarding Alicio Organa ’s observations. Tiresh tapped the glass in her hands lightly with a finger as she mused upon the comment, “Yes.” She stated with a sigh, “It is an unfortunate sign of the times that such cities must be constructed in the first place. We might not be able to keep the chaos from occurring, but we can surely help to pick up the pieces that the chaos leaves behind in its wake.”

The beautiful ocean continued to speed past them in the viewport at their feet. Tiresh dreamed of a day when the Alliance rose about it’s self-interested bickering and self-preservation at the expense of others. Would her dream ever be realized, or was she chasing after an illusion that would never materialize? Or worse… in her pursuit of such a towering summit of the possibilities of the future, would she ultimately loose herself and become the very thing she is contending against? Her eyes settled on the ocean below them, her face expressing the heavy burden that she carried.

A dull beep sounded in the hangar, followed by the voice of the pilot, “Senator Tiresh, we are five minutes out.” She shook off her ponderings and took another sip of her wine, “Looks like we will be arriving shortly! Are there any other questions you have for us before we begin, Alicio?”

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio felt the mood in the ship darken considerably, and felt a touch of guilt at his part in it. But he discarded his guilt with another sip of his tea. These talks needed to happen. Tiresh's response had Alicio nodding grimly. "Peace is a constant game of catch-up," he noted.

There was a brief where everyone seemed to pause, thinking about things beyond the carrier. Alicio was thinking of the people. So many families from every stretch of the Alliance and beyond were struggling through hardship. He wished he could help them all somehow. He knew he couldn't, but he wanted to try.

He was thankful for the pilot's update, shocking him from his dour mood, and returning his attention to the matter at hand. Tiresh's question made Alicio ponder a moment, before replying.

"What attracted you to this area? Why choose this, over every plot of land on Lujo?"

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, hovering over proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Trulian immediately spoke up in response to Alicio's question, "We wanted to find a location that was remote, but not too remote. Every off-worlder settlement we build must be signed off by the Grand Patriarch of the Ashmaarians. He is the one who is the steward of the land and natural resources of Lujo. So this is one of three locations that he signed off on. Also, it is located in a valley at the bottom of a mountain range with a large ocean front. There are fresh-water rivers that run throughout the plot. We think that the layout will help with natural water run-off, and it also has some great clean water sources we can take advantage of… underground wells as well as the rivers of coarse. So the general idea is that the city will be stretched out between the bottom of the mountain range and the ocean, with room for future expansion taken into account…"

He slide a map of the plot over to Alicio's data pad so that he could see it for himself...

After a few minutes, They had arrived. The starship ascended higher into the air until the view below them through the viewport reflected the map that Alicio had received.

Tiresh leaned forward, rotating her chair so she could get a better viewing angle. "Ohhh. That is very nice indeed." It was the first time she was viewing the lot herself. "Not that I know much about the intricacies of city planning, haha!" She took another sip.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio nodded in thanks as Trulian offered a map and an explanation of the area. Laying the paper out on his table, Alicio used his gloved hand to straighten it out, until he could see the geography in it's entirety. He thought about what the man had said, staring at the paper in concentration.

And he quirked a smile. Not bad. Not bad at all.

"Well, that's problem number one out of the way," Alicio noted, shooting Trulian a congratulatory grin. "There have been horror stories where cities have been built with no planned access to clean water. Still, rivers tend to be magnets for waste, so a few good filtration systems will be a must."

The more civic systems in place, the better. Anything the refugees could do to keep their hands busy, and get some credits in their pockets.

The noble watched as ground zero appeared before the ship, and much like the senator of Lujo, Alicio was transfixed. He stood up from his seat, walking over the transparent belly of the ship, staring down upon a promising patch of land. But instead of looking at the ground itself, Alicio was imagining the city built atop it.

"Problem number two," Count Organa began, "is economy. Many refugees will have lost everything before they come here. Donations will slip through a person's fingers like sand unless they can use them to create a stable foundation."

"You have yourselves a bounty of land on the windward side of the mountains, and direct access to the ocean for shipping. I couldn't think of a better place to set up a farming town."

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, hovering over proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Trulian nodded at Alicio’s observations, scratching his scruffy chin as he didn’t even bother to look down at the viewport as he had seen the land himself many times already. Instead he took notes from Alicio’s observations and recommendations. “Very good. And there are excellent opportunities for fishermen as well in the open water…” He jabbed his finger down on the map, signaling at the ocean front. “Now we will surely have some Infrastructure occupations available as well, and that with the combination of farming opportunities as you suggested, as well as fishing… is that a solid enough foundation to begin with? We assume that there will naturally immerse many entrepreneurial business ventures from the inhabitants themselves, such as restaurants, repair shops, clothing boutiques and the like. So we are not sure how much initiative is required on our end right out of the gate for those needs?”

He then jumped out of his chair and landed on the viewport with a solid thud, hitting a command on his data pad which caused a holographic image to be overlaid on top of the viewport that Alicio was standing on. The image appeared to be 3D rendered on top of the actual ground below with geographic accuracy, meaning that even if the ship moved and the view changed below them, the holographic image would move along with it and remain accurate. Currently there was not much actually being rendered, just some basic zoning ideas for commercial and residential use, some suggested locations for governmental and city buildings, such as utilities, a very small spaceport, and some other things.

Trulian shoved the data pad into Alicio’s hands, “Your turn.” He smiled gruffly, “Do whatever you like… you can add building and structures, change zoning regions… rename structures…” He pointed out the basic controls for Alicio to know how to adjust the rendering and either add, edit, or remove elements.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Remembering his state of dress, Alicio removed and folded his winter coat over his chair neatly, responding to Trulian as he did. "Thankfully, most of the job market will fill itself out after that. Farming and fishing require land grants and fishing territories, but most other businesses only need a building or two to get organized. As a foundation, as long as you have agriculture in mind, the city should be fine."

But then, the key to visualizing the city was literally laid out before him, in the form of an interactive map overlaying the floor. Alicio didn't have to pretend to see the city anymore. He could see it clear as day.

Alicio floundered a bit as a datapad was forced into his hands, and he smiled apologetically. "Oh, I can look over it, but I'm sure you've done a great job placing things." He looked down at the pad, and frowned. "Although..."

With practiced fingers dancing across the datapad's surface, the city below them began to shift. The business sector was tidied, and placed around the river, following the contours of the water. The residential area ringed it, and Alicio planned room for local markets, small parks, and water features.

He was Alderaanian, incorporating nature into a city was their specialty.

Finally, he added more farmland along the ridge, taking advantage of the extra mountain rain, with plenty of room to expand. Giving back the datapad, Alicio seemed a bit sheepish. "See? Didn't need to change much."

"I'd say this project is ready to break ground. Now, all there is to do is christen it. What names do you have in mind for the city?"

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, hovering over proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh watched on, mesmerized as the projection covered the viewport. This was her first time seeing the technology they had acquired in action, and it was truly a visual experience that she enjoyed. She listened as Alicio and Trulian talked, and then she watched intently as Alicio expertly adjusted the image as if he had already mastered the technology. As he worked and made changes to the layout and design of the city, his experience was explicitly on display. It was very impressive.

“You are an invaluable asset to this city, Alicio! Wonderful!” She said as she stepped off her chair and down onto the glass herself. She absolutely loved the tasteful changes he had made, especially the integration of nature into the design.

Trulian scratched his chin as he continued to take in the changes that Alicio had made. “Very smart…” He said, pointing to some changes specifically, “Yes, these are very good changes.” He smiled and slapped Alicio on the shoulder roughly, “I would try to recruit you, but Ms. Kobitana here would likely have my head!” He let out a billowing laugh as he looked over at Tiresh with a playful nod.

“Something like that.” Tiresh teased. “He is needed elsewhere.” She gave Alicio a wink and a smile.

As Alicio asked about possible names for the city, Tiresh nodded, “We would like to keep within the same theme as Sanctuary City, as we feel it would be beneficial for them to be easily identifiable with each other. We also want to honor the pioneering work that you and the Queen have achieved.” She opened her data pad and looked at a small list, “Our current possibilities are Phoenix City, which highlights rebirth from the ashes… Hope City, which highlights the desire to provide hope to those who have lost it… or Sanctuary City of Lujo, Which would strongly connect the two cities and could become a growing movement for cities in the future that carry the same heart and DNA. We would want to receive the blessing from you and Faith before we moved forward with something like that of coarse.”

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio continued his shy grin as he was praised, attempting to brush it off as he returned to his chair. But inwardly, he was glowing. "The hard work was done by your people, Tiresh. I just organized."

He then nodded to the Senator as she intercepted Trulian's job offer, shadowed by seriousness. He was needed elsewhere indeed. Alicio lightly touched the datapad connected to his side, thinking about his responsibilities, both on this trip, and beyond.

"All fine names, Senator," Alicio offered, gesturing a hand to Tiresh. "But you should be the one to decide, of course. I said before, naming things is not my specialty."

"Although, if I had to give my opinion, I enjoy either of the first two. Despite our cities being linked, this place should have it's own identity. Something for the displaced to rally behind."

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Munto LF-class Escort Transport, hovering over proposed location of refuge city
Objective: Overview designs to build a "sister city" on Lujo, inspired by Sanctuary City on Alderaan
Tags: Alicio Organa ​

Tiresh thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded confidently,

“Hope City.” She stated, her eyes looking down at the massive project that was about to begin below them. “I like the sound of that very much.”

The other two nodded in agreement. “Here’s to Hope City! And to the partnership between Lujo and Alderaan!” Trulian said loudly as he turned and grabbed his glass from his chair, raising it in a cheers and waiting for the others to join him in.

“To Hope City.” Druff said with a smile, raising his own glass.

Tiresh raised hers as well, a big smile spread across her face. This is what the lived for… moments like these.

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio picked up his tea as the calls to toast gathered in the ship's belly. He raised it as the others did, feeling cameraderie warm his chest.

"To Hope, then. May we find it in these trying times." He took a sip of the tea, then gave the room a full smile, before looking to Tiresh.

"And if we cannot find hope, we will just settle with building it."

As the ship was returning from it's expedition to the foundations of the newly-christened Hope City, Alicio sidled next to Tiresh, a small package in his hands. He seemed completely relaxed, even a bit playful, but inwardly, Alicio was nervous.

"Oh," he exclaimed. "I nearly forgot! Queen Faith instructed me to give this to you." He handed the small package over. Inside was a thin holotablet, with an invitation to the Queen's birthday on it, and another message.

'We must speak in private'

"Go ahead and open it." Alicio flashed Tiresh a serious, iced look, before returning back to his jovial persona.

Hopefully, she got the message.

- Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix -