Voice of Naboo
Mandalore
Interacting with:
Aether Verd
Items: x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x
The silvered transport slipped through Sundari's traffic lanes with none of the pomp that usually heralded Sibylla's arrival, but that was decidedly the point.
There was a reason why there was no diplomatic shuttle with Republic Insignia announcing the arrival of the Voice of Naboo or an Ambassador to Mandalore, expecting a delegation or the crowd of elders below under the shadow of the capital's domes. Instead, Sibylla had chosen her personal transport, a sleek little vessel whose polished lines still carried the unmistakable chrome aesthetic of Theed Engineering. Only its transponder and security clearances betrayed that its passenger was anyone of particular consequence in respect to the Treaty and Aether himself.
For once, Sibylla was quite content with that as her hands moved readily over the controls as Sundari filled the viewport, familiar in a way she had not quite expected after so much time away.
Home would have been too simple a word for it.
Naboo would always be home. Its lakes, mountains, sprawling vineyards, and the pale stone of Theed were stitched into the very fabric of her. Yet Mandalorian space had become something else over the years. Something she had cultivated carefully, and sometimes painfully, through diplomacy, stubborn persistence, friendships, disagreements, and more lessons than Sibylla cared to count.
Perhaps that was what made it feel like a second home.
Not because it had ever been easy, but because she had grown here.
And Shiraya, it had been too long.
Her responsibilities as Voice had kept her anchored to Naboo far longer than she intended. There had always been another meeting, another Senate matter, another report requiring her attention. Her duties had changed, and with them, so had the manner in which she could serve as Ambassador. In some ways, the distance had only strengthened her friendship with Adelle. Their correspondence had become increasingly candid and grew into a respected friendship and professional collaboration that Sibylla valued considerably more.
Still, comm messages and holocalls were poor substitutes for actually being present. Especially when it dealt with Ace and Aether. Family was important, and Sibylla knew what that importance weighed in light of everything so far.
So she had sent word ahead to Aether, relaying that she was coming to Sundari and hoped he might have time to meet with her.
There was much to discuss and some conversations deserved to be more than words or holorecordings sent across encrypted channels. Ace, certainly, but not just Ace. The Republic was shifting beneath her feet. Trouble gathered along its borders, questions surrounding the Jedi grew more complicated, and the movements of powers across the galaxy had begun forming patterns Sibylla did not particularly care for.
And Aether was someone whose judgment she had come to respect deeply. More than that, somewhere through the years of working beside Mandalorians rather than merely negotiating with them, Sibylla had come to look toward him as the sort of leader from whom she could still learn.
The landing indicators flashed green.
Sibylla eased the transport toward its assigned berth, watching Sundari rise around her through the viewport. Unable to help herself, a faint smile touched her lips.
And as the landing gear engaged with a gentle thunk, Sibylla drew a deep, slow breath.
It was good to be back.
