Public The Exhibition of Light

[Del Mirah]

Tags: Katherine Holt

"I can see the merit in that," Del admitted. While she doubted her ability to go toe-to-toe with a Trandoshan, she fully believed she could outsmart one before a fight even started. Still, the thought of being the weak link in a team irritated her pride.

She watched Katherine out of the corner of her eye, weighing the woman's words. Katherine was clearly the more experienced warrior, so her perspective carried weight, even if Del wasn't quite ready to give up on wanting raw physical power.

She kept up her skipping pace, her short legs working double time to match the redhead's stride. "Niv Hani," Del repeated. It was frustrating to realize she didn't recognize the world. She prided herself on her knowledge of the galaxy's layout, but Katherine's mention of a second, secret location was even more maddening. Del's mind began to spin with possibilities, cataloging hidden sectors and uncharted systems. She had half a mind to interrogate the woman, but she fought the urge. If she wanted to actually keep a friend, she had to stay on her best behavior.

"What is Niv Hani like?" Del asked, her voice reaching that familiar, high-pitched clip of excitement. "Is it a hub for your species? Are there more people with wings there, or are you a singular anomaly?"

She didn't wait for an answer before the next set of questions tumbled out. "How far is it from the Mid Rim? Does it have a formal academy, or is it more of a wilderness settlement?" Del clutched her datapad tighter, her thumb hovering over the stylus as if ready to take dictation on this new discovery. She was fascinated, her clinical interest in Katherine's origins momentarily overriding her earlier feelings of loneliness.

 

[Novac Lyrikal]

Novac has never really been to a event like this, they had event on his homeworld, but nothing like this, its almost hard to know where to start...almost. he of course had to see what ships where on display. 'hmm, not really my style, not bad but,' he thought to himself. of course he'd never fly, let alone own one of these, but it was fun to imagine anyways. hes been on the hunt for a new ship anyways.

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Tags: Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata | Sorta-Kinda: Aurelian Veruna

Adelle laughed softly. “You have a ways to go before you’re ready to be the teacher, ad’ika. And I’m still a student of life. You never stop learning.”

When he stopped at a vendor showcasing N-1 starfighters, she stopped with him. N-1s had vivid memories, mostly of alcohol and a surprise cat—and that hadn’t been the strangest part of that interaction—but Adelle also remembered a red and black N-1 and its redheaded pilot.

“Don’t underestimate them because of their lack of weaponry. They are incredibly fast and maneuverable,” she said. “Agility and speed can often make up for a lack of raw power. Case in point…”

She gestured to herself then looked back at the ships. “Their speed has led the High Republic to create an N-1 Racing League. Their first race was held a while back. Haven’t heard about any further races but if I catch wind of another one, I’ll take you. We’ll support the Mandalorian N-1 racer obviously.”

Movement from a large croup caught her attention. Uniformed warriors strode through the crowd, parting it like a vibroknife through butter. They were keeping pace with someone inside their ring, a set distance from the obvious VIP like satellites in orbit. Adelle caught a glimpse of dark curly hair and elaborate tailoring.

Only one person fit that description.

Adelle offered a polite nod toward Aurelian but made no move to stop him. His pace and direction said only one thing. And who was she to stand in the way of a quick escape?

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Adelle Bastiel | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

The King cut through the crowd with purpose, his guards acting as a obsidian plow against the sea of onlookers. He was nearly clear of the area when a familiar face registered through the gaps in his security detail. He raised a hand, and the formation stalled, opening a small pocket of space on the promenade.

"You are following me again, aren't you?" he asked, a knowing grin breaking across his face as he looked at Adelle. His eyes shifted to the blue and white Togruta standing beside her. He recognized the man from the arena. Anyone capable of stopping a boulder from crushing a friend-adjacent deserved a level of respect that Aurelian usually reserved for people who didn't bore him. More importantly, the man was massive.

Aurelian stepped forward and placed both hands on the Togruta's shoulders, physically steering the giant into a position that completely obscured him from Chuchi and Emberlyn's line of sight. He used the man as a living shield, checking over a muscular shoulder to ensure they didn't see.

"Perfect. Don't move," he muttered, finally feeling like he had enough breathing room to relax. He turned his attention back to Adelle, flicking a thumb toward her large companion. "And who is this?"

​

 

[Chi Chuchi]

Well there was a man that liked to have things both ways, Chuchi thought as she gave the king another shallow, yet courteous bow. "Sounds like just the insight we need." She went along amicably while watching him leave, she wondered if the case of Crystal Bloom Wine she and Makai had sent to the palace had arrived, and made a mental note to check.

Sighing, she turned to the woman he'd indicated, giving her an appraising look. "Something tells me he's fleeing you more than myself." Looking around, she spotted a blessedly empty table with a few chairs surrounding it. "Would you mind if we sat? I need to get off my feet and we can talk about your view on ships, or people?" She offered, leaving the possibility open to Emberlyn if she felt like opening up to a stranger about people in general or a certain man in particular.

Emberlyn Kislo Aurelian Veruna

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Aris Noble Vess Sadragen

"Aris!" Zaiya beamed at the Epicanthix's arrival, and the way her mottled spots and their edges shimmered with a vibrant, joyful teal and gold in bioluminescence was mesmerizing, if distracting.

She clearly was happy to see him, handing him the snack he had just taken a bite out of for him to enjoy.

"Here you go! It is tasty isn't it?!" She sang, smiling widely even as those opal blue eyes swung from her boyfriend over towards Vess.

"Oh, well... the churro seemed like a Greg since it was stuffed with chocolate," Zaiya explained, making absolutely no sense to anyone, but in her mind, it did.

"Vess, this is Aris. Aris, this is Vess! I was just chatting with her a bit while looking for you," she explained, although the Lovalla did then lean forward a bit in concern from what she felt from him earlier.

"Everything ok?"

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Tags: Aurelian Veruna | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

It shouldn’t have surprised Adelle that Aurelian stopped his escape to speak with her. They’d been working in the same circles nowadays that seeing him was a more regular occurrence than not. Still, the King of Naboo was a busy man and Adelle knew his attitude toward most people that held political roles. She just hadn’t included herself among the exceptions.

“You wish,” she retorted, smiling nonetheless. “I’m just trying to do my job.”

His eyes drifted to Kael a moment before he maneuvered the Togrutan around to stand between himself and whoever he’d been trying to escape. Adelle raised her eyebrows. Kael was taller than her, true, but his montrals only barely reached higher than Aurelian’s head.

“That is my adopted son, Kael,” she said, a perverse amusement in her voice. “Kael, this is His Majesty, King Aurelian Veruna, a—what was the term you used? ah—‘friend-adjacent’ of mine.”

“Who are you trying to outrun this time?” Adelle teased. “And did you leave poor Sibylla behind to deal with it instead?”

 

[Aris Noble]

"That makes sense." It did not make sense.

He took up the churro, idly eating it on and off as he glanced about the crowd again. Listening. It seemed his worries had been dealt with properly, so he could relax some. Just a bit. "Hello Vess. .. Ah, no. Nothing now at least. Just a disturbance that the locals had taken care of." He gave Zaiya a smile before glancing back to Vess.

"Are you looking for someone specifically? I could help." He motioned to the crowd that barely made it up to his chest. "Eye in the sky."

Vess Sadragen | Zaiya Ceti

 

[Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata]

Secondary Weapon: Paired Beskar Tonfa
Kael let the King move him to block the line of sight, though he did move his hand down to the pomel of his tonfa. He listened quietly to the two of them talking. When his Buir introduced him, he bowed his head slightly to keep blocking the sightline. He let his deep voice rumble out, "Pleased to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Kael Varr Bastiel, of Clan Skirata." After the brief introduction, he let his body relax while he listened to the two talk, keeping his eyes out for any threat, just as much as the King's guards. His eyes kept drifting to the N-1 displays, thinking one would be great for a personal craft, one day. Maybe he could figure out how to up-armor one to match what the Empire has.

Adelle Bastiel Aurelian Veruna

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Adelle Bastiel | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

Aurelian stared at Kael, his gaze lingering on the Togruta's hand as it rested near the tonfa. The Mandalorian habit of treating every social interaction like an impending skirmish was becoming a familiar exhaustion. He turned back to Adelle, his brow furrowed in genuine disbelief.

"A fething son?" he asked, the word landing with an incredulous edge. "How is this the first I am hearing of this?" He took a second, more thorough look at the younger warrior. Kael's attention was already drifting toward the starfighters, leaving Aurelian feeling momentarily ignored by a teenager in a cape. It was a refreshing change from the sycophants.

"I would never," he said with a chuckle when she mentioned Sibylla. "She isn't here today. I do, however, have a very chatty cousin who I wish to avoid discussing ships with." He glanced back over Kael's massive shoulder once more to ensure the coast was clear, dismissing the threat of Emberlyn's lectures for the moment.

He turned his full attention back to Adelle, leaning in slightly. A slow, shit-eating grin spread across his face as he let the mischief take over. "Sooo," he drawled, his voice dropped to a conspiratorial level. "Who's the father?"

​

 

[Merryn Sellek]

Aurora Industries Catalog
Interacting with Casaana
​

While the young sales associate hadn't locked down the transaction with Makai Dashiell about the Archadia, the day still hadn't been a loss for her or her sales commission. A few parties had been interested in some of Aurora's fighters for their security forces, and some freighters had been slated for sale to a shipping company in the Colonies. All in all, not a bad day for her. A young woman bounced up to the desk, asking for one Bevelle-class freighter, please and thank you, and she definitely appreciated her very similar energy to herself.

"Well, hello!" she greeted the girl, sliding the order form onto the counter for her. "The Bevelle is certainly one of our more popular products, and I'd be happy to arrange one for you, Miss. In the spirit of the fair, Aurora is offering a small discount for ship orders, so instead of the usual 15,000 Galactic Standard Credits or 3,000 Underworld credits, you can purchase one for 12,000 Galactic Standard credits or 2,500 Underworld credits. Once the credit clears and the papers as signed, we can have it delivered to the spaceport, hangar bay, or property that you designate."

---

Merryn was still waiting to see if Lord Carnifex would indeed be needing service, or if other significant customers might appear, when the announcement came that both the Rosaria-class from Aurora and the new U-Wing iteration from Theed Engineering had been selected by the High Republic for the commission. While she was certainly surprised that she and her staff hadn't interacted with the judges, she was elated that the galactic democracy had chosen their offering. There was also a small sense of smugness creeping that they had been chosen over both rivals and up-and-coming competitors, her datapad buzzing with the statement from the Mahporeem delegation.

Even as Aurora began drafting their own formal thanks to the High Republic for the consideration and selection, she had to wonder about the Imperial Remnant and their statement. Even if they had officially offered payment for losses, neither Merryn or Lady Raaf would have accepted displacement or compensation for the lost contract. The whole point was to start establishing a market share within the High Republic and relations with the democracy for eventual expansion and business. Mahporeem wouldn't have been able to afford the price demanded from either the COO or CEO to offset that desire.

To her wife Ivalyn Yvarro , a message would be sent: 'Got the contract!'

 

[Casaana]

Oh, that was lovely! The sales lady was very upfront, unlike when Casaana had been given the little child treatment when buying other things, like guns or a missile launcher for her Zephyr. No 'you're going to hurt someone,' 'what could you possibly need that for,' or 'how did a teenager get all this money,' here. Though she guessed it was pretty obvious she was a Jedi given her clothing and with them being on Naboo.

"Thanks!" She told the nice sales lady and dug around in her pockets for the required credits, slowly putting together most of them before breaking open the envelope Braze had given her to complete the stack. "There you go!" She then filled out the paperwork for delivery and handed the credits over, practically vibrating with joy at the prospect of starting the next steps towards her vision.

Merryn Sellek​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Tags: Aurelian Veruna | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

The position of Kael’s hand near his weapon, non-lethal though it could be, didn’t escape Adelle’s attention. She supposed that being among so many people, being physically touched and moved without his say-so, had got him on edge. But he responded politely enough and some of the tension left him. Good, he was regulating himself. Adelle noticed his attention returned to the N-1 displays and a thoughtful look settle on his face. She filed it away for later.

"Sooo," he drawled, his voice dropped to a conspiratorial level. "Who's the father?"

The absolute mischief on Aurelian’s face did not disappoint. Adelle arched her eyebrows even as she grinned slyly back.

“That,” she said, “would be telling.”

Still, she didn’t want Kael to think that she thought their familial relationship was just a joke. The smile faded as she continued quietly.

“The Mandalorian that first mentored him dropped him in the wild and disappeared. We don’t know what happened to them. Kael survived on his own for five years before I found him.” Adelle had thought he’d been adjusting to crowds of people rather well, which is why she had brought him here. “It’s been … a learning experience. For both of us.”

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Adelle Bastiel | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

A huffy laugh broke from Aurelian at her retort of it being telling. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "That would be most unfortunate for whoever you were dancing with at the Commonwealth wedding," he replied. "I do intend to dig into that soon enough." The playful edge softened when she began the brief synopsis regarding the Togruta's past. Five years alone in the wild explained the young one's rigid stance and awkward demeanor.

"On his own for five years? I can tell," Aurelian joked, casting a glance toward Kael. The Torgrutan remained fixated on the ships, seemingly immune to the royal presence standing inches away. It was a stark contrast to the way the rest of Naboo tripped over themselves to gain his favor. "You may want to set him up on a few more play dates," he added, nudging Adelle with a grin.

The King stepped around his living shield to address the distracted warrior directly. "Kael, if you ever need anything, you let me know," he called out, raising his voice to cut through the hum of the starfighter displays. "You saved her life in that goat thing. I owe you one."

Gratitude wasn't a currency Aurelian spent often, but the debt was real. He watched the Togruta for a reaction, curious if the offer of a King's favor would finally pull his eyes away from the chrome hulls of the N-1s.

​

 

[Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata]

Secondary Weapon: Paired Beskar Tonfa
Kael paused a moment as he analyzed his Buir’s and the King’s statements. Sensing a history between the two of them and mentally marking it to ask Adelle later he almost missed what the king was offering, pointedly ignoring the jab about play dates. “I will keep that under advisement, your Majesty, however my only thoughts during the Verd’gotten were for all of us foundlings to survive, first among which is the woman that took me in and adopted me.” Kael glanced back towards the N-1’s, “I have been told that your starfighters are fast enough to race in… how much, even for a decommissioned one or two, would it cost me to procure one or two to possibly… upgrade, for my purposes, if I may be so bold as to ask? I was thinking if I added some armor, some weapons, and maybe even meld two together into a personal craft for myself when my mother needs me to be elsewhere. If it’s too presumptuous of me to ask, I understand… but I’m sure you can understand that I’m starting out a bit behind the curve as far as our society stands… of course what better look for the adopted son of a diplomat to show that not only did he build his personal ship himself, but also built it with parts from both our expansive territories.” Kael was dressing up his language somewhat but it wasn’t everyday you spoke to the king of a planet.

Adelle Bastiel Aurelian Veruna

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Tags: Aurelian Veruna | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

Aurelian mentioned the wedding in the Commonwealth and Aselia Verd , though not by name. The mischief faded a little from Adelle’s smile as it softened in memory. That had been fun. The work hadn’t but it was an easy contract, mostly just playing security theater and being allowed to enjoy the reception as well. And while she hadn’t known Aselia that well at the time, it hadn’t been an awkward evening at all.

She wondered if Aselia still had the dress.

“I’m surprised you were able to take your eyes off— your companion at all,” Adelle said teasingly, correcting herself to omit certain names. “Should she be worried about this newfound interest in mystery women?”

The very generous offer of a favor to Kael did surprise her though. Sibylla had said Aurelian had been concerned and he’d taken a moment to be uncharacteristically sincere but Adelle hadn’t actually thought his concern had been that much. But then he said ‘the goat thing.’

Adelle huffed a sigh. Correcting him wasn’t going to do any good and would likely only encourage him.

Kael seemed stiff in his response. But she also got a better understanding of why Kael was looking at N-1’s. She had, admittedly, forgotten that working on machines and doing mechanic work was how he had survived through winters during his five years alone.

“Relax, Kael,” Adelle said. “Aurelian appreciates respect but you don’t have to try to speak courtly for him. In fact I think he’d prefer if you didn’t, but I could be wrong.”

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Adelle Bastiel | Kael Varr Bastiel Skirata

Kael's formal delivery earned a slow, appreciative look from Aurelian. These Mandalorians certainly knew how to drill discipline into their young, even one who had spent years talking to trees, or whatever he was doing on his own. The boy's manners were impeccably stiff, a quality Aurelian found both impressive and slightly tragic.

Turning back to Adelle, a knowing glimmer returned to his eyes. "You are correct, it was difficult to keep my eyes off my companion," he admitted. "But we both shared a mutual curiosity regarding how our dear friend Adelle was faring. To our surprise, you were doing quite well." He offered a brief smile before Adelle attempted to settle Kael's nerves.

"You are not here on official business, Kael. You may speak with ease," Aurelian added, waving off the ceremony. "Only Adelle is required to speak courtly to me." He let out a quick, dry huff of a laugh at his own expense. Bad joke.

The King stepped closer to the Togruta, his gaze finally joining Kael's on the gleaming chrome of the starfighters. These vessels were the pride of Naboo, engineering marvels that balanced lethal speed with unmatched elegance. "They are fast. Some of the best starcraft in the galaxy, in fact," he murmured. Aurelian placed a firm hand on the young man's shoulder, his tone shifting toward a rare moment of genuine generosity.

"I am currently procuring my own royal fleet," he revealed. "As part of that contract, I'll be receiving several new N-1s. Adelle has my assistant's contact. Tell her where you would like them delivered and I will see to it that two new ships are sent your way." He watched the boy's reaction, nodding as if the matter were already settled. "Modify them however you see fit and send me the invoice. The crown will cover the costs. We are even then, yes?" A sharp clap of his hands punctuated the deal, effectively closing the debt.

​