Tyrian purple, Palpatine´s niece (OC), 23rd vignette of 25: answer

What a great read, as Dooku puzzles over Vere's true relationship to Sheev & Sate's commentary. Dooku's observations are astute but you can tell he does not know what conclusion to come to.

 

Dooku sure meets interesting people in unexpected places

 

Nice, always good to see a fresh take on Darth Tyranus.

 

WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: Nagina aka Veré can really confuse the people around here. A trait she shares with me, by the way.

earlybird-obi-wan: That should teach him entering the bedroom of his master!

Darth_Furio: Thanks for the praise and stopping by! I was a bit scared that I was stepping on thin ice with my latest fanfics and the cameos famous canon characters had in them.

 

I have a vivid memory of writing a great commentary to this very interesting update, some days ago. Alas, somehow it doesn't seem to have made it to a stored/published state on these boards. Frustrating!

It is in a way a comedic scene, yet, also chilling, from Dooku's thoughts, Palpatine's reactions, and the clear impression you give of how important Tyrannus actually isn't in the scheme of things for his master - he may treat him partially like an ally, or a student, but in the end we can already glimpse that he's not part of the endgame, even if Dooku refuses to acknowledge it (but should be smart enough to know!), while Nagina is of interest and importance to Sheev.

 

DarthUncle: I am glad you faced the tedious task to formulate another feedback for my update. Another great analysis of yours. Van harte bedankt mijn lieve schat!

 

Surprise everybody, especially Kahara & DarthUncle:


Title:“Die another day”, a Nagina vignette

Author:@AzureAngel2

Co-Author and editor: DarthUncle

Time frame: The story takes place about 19 BBY, many weeks after Palpatine made himself emperor.

Planet of choice: Lothal

Summary: The Royal Imperial Academy is the first step stone for a young officer cadet. Even though the Coruscanti born man is not supposed to be on any missions yet, he has gotten one anyway. The more it continues, it seems it will either cost him his life or his loyalty.

When you were young and your heart was an open book
You used to say live and let live
(You know you did, you know you did, you know you did)
But if this ever-changing world in which we live in
Makes you give in and cry
Say live and let die
(Live and let die)
Live and let die
(Live and let die)
What does it matter to you?
When you got a job to do
You got to do it well
You got to give the other fellow hell
You used to say live and let live
(You know you did, you know you did, you know you did)
But if this ever-changing world in which we live in
Makes you give in and cry
Say live and let die
(Live and let die)
Live and let die(Live and let die)



An order is an order. But now it seems that Beowulf Yularen, your promoter, signed you, his star pupil, on a suicide mission. Not bad for a newly minted cadet officer of the Royal Imperial Academy. You are not cross though. The opposite is the case. It is an honour for you to serve a purpose, any purpose after a time of turmoil and corruption in this galaxy. This is why you enlisted in the first place. You hate chaos and what the Separatists did to your beautiful home planet, the seat of government. That you were chosen to be a future ISB agent is but a little extra.

“I am coming for you, madame,” you promise softly into the mic that is connected with the storm trooper helmet of your comrade Cumberlayne Aresko. “I shall get to the bottom of this. It will be either your undoing or mine.”

Mistress Samye just had the nerve to mention 'Operation: Cinder'. Without Yularen you would not even know about that cursed code name and what it incorporates.

“If you want to join this crying game at the beginning of your military career.” Fear and calmness clash in her voice that is made for singing cheerful children songs. “But I would hate to die very confused. Might I know your name, sir?”

You have to admire her guts. She could run, she could demand your instant death by another Imperial code name of meaning. Instead she politely requires your name. And out of respect, you give it. Accompanied by a chuckle. “Officer Cadet Kallus. But you might address me as Alexsandr.”

While you hang up on her and Cumberlayne, you cannot help to be intrigued about the middle aged woman. She is nothing that you expected her to be. And a voice of reason in the back of your mind tells you that she is by far too clever to beKrennic’s mistress. Your case file about her seems to be misguided altogether.

You yank the closet door open and stare into it.

Not that you are a beau or narcissistic ass, but you would like to make a lasting impression. If she really is the Emperor’s niece, which would make her the best kept state secret of all times, than you have to keep up appearances. It is your duty to do so.

Finally, you chose to wear a field uniform with a dark chest plate. You are not entitled to wear it yet, but Yularen equipped you with it anyway. If you survive that mission, you will work even harder to earn it one fine day.

Mere computer nerds like Dravits Draven or, even worse, to impossible Berch Teller, who never sticks to the rules, should not be allowed to wear this uniform.

“Drav and Old Belch,” you mutter darkly, when you think about your fellow academy members, who are many terms ahead of you.

Rumour has it that those two are foster brothers, but you never believe the things you hear through the grapevine. You always check things out for yourself, if you believe them to be worth your time and attention. Until now cadet life has been too hard and demanding for idle inquiries on private issues.

But with notorious 'Drav' and 'Old Belch' things are different. You can smell that they are rotten fruit. That they do not believe in the Empire as they should. Their hearts are still those of Republicans. You analysed their daily conversations with others too well.

There is also a third guy, that joins them on their free evenings. A red haired Corellian by the name of Crix Madine. He is a shadow scout and he is much younger than his pals. If you will learn to understand the secret of their friendship, you might be able to present Yularen three traitors. They have not committed any crimes against the Empire yet, but they are all too liberal in their views.

You will wait for the right moment for their exposure to justice.

First, you have to get to high ranking officers like Commander Orson Callan Krennic. For an engineer he enjoys too many privileges. There are also points in his curriculum vitae that you do not understand. Your superior at the newly founded ISB has given you facts that badly match together.

Krennic was born on Lexrul as the son of bio-dynamic apple farmers. But he spent most of his life in the outback of Chandrila, before he earned a place in the Galactic Republic’s Future Program on Brentaal.

You smirk, while you put your dura steel helmet on.

Of record the much celebrated genius was kicked out off the study program for two years. His nocturnal carousing and the suicide attempt of a young girl had been his downfall from grace.

Dishonoured, Krennic had to return to Lexrul, where his mother lived after her divorce. There he became the lead singer of a local band called 'Lost River'. He had the looks of a star and outstanding musical skills. Actually, he was able to play a lot of instruments – the e-guitar, the mouthorgan, flutes, keyboard and even the Growdi Harmonique. But it was his smoky voice, that gave him power over the audience.

Fame kicked in quickly. He and his band toured the Outer Rim for two years, consuming a lot of drugs all the way.

And suddenly, Krennic was back on Bentaal as if nothing of significance had happened. He studied hard and made up for the lost time within half a year.

His record remains spotless ever since, but you, of all people, never believe in coincidences.

Now you are about to meet the woman who might be able to fill all the gaps in. But you cannot handle her like a common thief. Mistress Samye is a player of a different league. She needs to be handled with greatest care.

When her name popped up during your Krennic investigations, you thought he would have brought immunity for her as well. But now that you know that she might be trulywho she claims to be – the very Palpatine the public knows nothing about – you think it was the other way around. She might be the very one who smoothed out the way of the commander right from the beginning.

When you leave your cosy motel in the middle of nowhere, you decide against an air craft. It is a bright and sunny day. An air speeder is much more of your liking.

Once you are seated you let the engines howl.

While the peaceful landscape with its vast, open skies runs by, you remember the actual words of 'Operation: Cinder' are, “If an Empire cannot protect its Emperor then that Empire must be deemed a failure. It collapses not only because its central figure is gone, but because it must not be allowed to remain!”

Something tells you that Mistress Samye needs to be protected as well. Who ever gave you the order to investigate on Krennic himself had hoped you would find out about her, too. That you even might harm her. But your oath forbids you to act out against the Emperor.

Bizarre stone formations are scattered throughout the grass sea, but you pay them very little attention. Something more pressing is on your mind.

Perhaps it is better when you and Krennic sit down together and make a pact tonight. In the name of the Emperor.




Sources:
The James Bond movie song “Live and let die” from Paul and Linda McCartney (1973)
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Excellent musings by Kallus on Krennic and Nagina. LOL on Krennic being a member of a music band

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: Thanks for such a sweet, thoughtful comment!

Right now I am starving for positive feedback because the Christmas situation is very bleak and tears me apart. I thought it would be sufficient to gather a supply of light and warmth in addition. But I was wrong.

@DarthUncle gives his best though, but he wants me to see a doctor anyway because I have been seriously ill the past days. Right now things are a bit more in balance, but he wants a medical checkup on me anyway and I might not be able to travel on to his family in the Netherlands as originally planned. At least I am not contagious.

 

Title: “Digging in the dirt”, a Nagina vignette

Author:@AzureAngel2

Co-Author and editor: DarthUncle

Time frame: The story takes place about 19 BBY, weeks before Palpatine makes himself emperor.

Planet of choice: Coruscant

Summary: Breach of duty is something that a Falleen prince will not accept by anyone around him or his precious niece. The responsible ones will get their punishment. But the lady who helped the child in distress is now at the focus of the master criminal. Who is she? Why are her personal files guarded like a state secret? And for what reason would the Supreme Chancellor intervene?


One way or another I'm gonna find ya
I'm gonna get ya
One way or another I'm gonna win ya
I'm gonna get ya get ya
One way or another I'm gonna see ya
I'm gonna meet ya
One day, maybe next week
I'm gonna meet ya, I'm gonna meet ya
I will drive past your house
And if the lights are all down
I'll see who's around

One way or another I'm gonna find ya
I'm gonna get ya
One way or another I'm gonna win ya
I'm gonna get ya, get ya
One way or another I'm gonna see ya
I'm gonna meet ya, meet ya
One day, maybe next week
I'm gonna meet ya, I'm gonna meet ya,
And if the lights are all out
I'll follow your bus downtown
See who's hanging out
I'll walk down the mall
Stand over by the wall
Where I can see it all
Find out who ya call
I will drive past your house
And if the lights are all down
I'll see who's around



The evidence is clear. There is no mistake about it. The duty of care and supervision got thoroughly neglected by the two kindergarten teachers, who were in charge during the school excursion to the Galactic Museum. One flirted with a museum watchman and the other one was checking her data pad for private messages.

Your fist comes down on your desk, the sound of it startling your gathered minions. They behave like a bunch of birds, ready to flee the scene.

Normally, you guard your feelings better. As a prince of royal House Sizhran it is your duty to keep up appearances. You have to be a good example of sang-froid, self-control. But so much incompetence annoys you.

You pay a little fortune for Savan’s upbringing here on Coruscant. A glitch like that should not have happened. Not to your precious niece, who attends the Senate kindergarten since the start of the Clone Wars.

“Buy the place!” you command your secretary. Then you lean back in your office chair, intertwining your well-manicured hands. “Then kick the current headmistress out and have her replaced by somebody competent!”

You cease speaking for a while, staring into the Coruscant air traffic that can be witnessed through the panorama window.

Even after the incident at the museum the galaxy went on with its business as usual. The Separatists fought their battles with the Clone troops of the Republic. Speeches and debates were held in the senate. The distress of a little girl did not matter to anyone but you and the kind lady that helped her.

Lost in thoughts, you start tapping your index fingers against your lips.

“A warning example needs to be set here,” you growl to yourself, but loud enough for everybody present to hear.

More plans ripen in your chest.

“Leave those two teachers alone for now! They have been fired straight away when my complaint came in. Take a week’s time to have the blond one killed in a street robbery!”

“Mistress Perry,” confirms your secretary with a nod.

As if you would care for her name. Or her life. “I want that data pad which seemed to matter more than Savan.”

Your reptile eyes narrow.

“As for the Twi'lek, wait until the morning. Then let her disappear. Jabba the Hutt is always in need of humanoid girls. I want to deepen my positive business relationship with him. If she dies in the process, fine. They never last long, those dancers. Not since he has a rancor to feed.”

Your secretary bows and disappears. A very insightful man. You like to have him around. He gets matters done in a quiet, discrete way. You should give a little raise. He deserves it.

At the door, the tall Muun turns around. “There is a problem though, sir. Concerning the identity of the human woman, who took care of your niece.”

You lean on your desk, your fingers splayed wide on the expensive Wroshyr tree surface. “What problem?” you inquire politely.

The elongated skull tilts a bit. “Not only are her personal files carefully guarded by the Child Protective Services, but as it just occurs, from a much more powerful source.”

You get up from your chair, curiosity pricking you like thousand acupuncture needles. “By whom?”

“Obviously,” his already pale skin seems to lose more colour while he is speaking, “By somebody within the office of the Supreme Chancellor.”

This is unexpected news!

You remain standing, your exquisite robes shining in the afternoon light.

“Do you want me to deepen my research?” asks your secretary.

The kindergarten teacher you saw on the security camera footage looks not like the usual type of concubine. She is pretty much overweight for the average human woman, but you must admit that she has a sweet face. You bet that she also has other treasures to offer as a lover. Who in the most powerful office of the galaxy would protect her privacy? It looks a bit like abuse of authority.

Reckless, you start walking the office, you arms crossed behind your back. The handwoven Vjun tunic whispers softly in your wake.“Who exactly is blocking your request?”

“Several government sources, really. The Republic Strategic Information Service included.”

You press a button on your desk and the holo image of the kindergarten teacher appears, frozen in your most favourite posture. She dries Savan’s tears with a fresh handkerchief.

She does not look like a woman who goes around. Not her. The way she took care of Savan showed you that she is nothing but a professional in her teaching position. Somebody close to the head of state must cherish her for her personality to put the stakes so high.

“Will further investigations cause me any trouble?” you muse.

“That is hard to say, sir. Even though I was discreet, there is an invitation for dinner addressed to you.”

That announcement takes you by surprise. “By whom?”

“It appears that it is from Sheev Palpatine himself.”

You have been trying since years to catch this man’s attention and failed. Now you have it. For an identity check, you have ordered.

“Why have you not informed me about it earlier?” you say to your secretary.

The Muun holds up his data pad. “The invitation came in when I was about to leave the room, sir.”

For this you cannot, will not blame him. You start scanning your office. “Is there any way that the Supreme Chancellor is watching me in here?”

“Negative, sir. You have one of the best security systems available on the black market. But it is a strange coincidence, true.”

You walk around the desk and sink down in your leather chair again. “Answer that invitation immediately!” you order. “When and where am I expected to be?”

“It is actually highly unusual. This invitation is for tonight. The Supreme Chancellor would like you to visit him in private quarters. He will do the cooking as long as you bring along some vintage wine.”

You amplify the teacher’s face. Her eyes are very expressive and so is her smile. Could it be really that the elderly senator has fallen for it?

Sheev Palpatine is known to contact an escort service from time to time and has proven to be very generous to the ladies who went out with him. But you know nothing about his preferences. Not really. There are whispers that he has a long-enduring affair with his senior administrative aid, Sly Moore.

Just thinking about the bald headed Umbaran gives you the creeps. She is the total opposite to the lively, affectionate kindergarten teacher. An ice cube has more emotions than that spectre.

“Whom do you have on the case?” you check.

“Myself, sir. A lot of our sources would not take the job. They seemed scared out of their wits when they gazed at her photo material.”

You should have been informed about it much, much earlier, but your secretary seems to have feared you had much on your mind since Savan was brought back home by her nanny and your best driver. He means well, but he assumes too much at times.

Your focus gets back to the stranger.

“The evidence suggests that they are indeed lovers.” A smile blooms on your face, sending a red glow through your skin. Your pheromones seep into the air all by themselves. “Who would have thought.”

In his youth the Supreme Chancellor had been a good-looking man, not only by human standards. You have seen old holo material. He used to have blazing red hair and an amazing physique. The years in the political arena have truly taken their toll on him.

“Perhaps you bring his youth back to him, you lucky woman!” you praise the holo counterfeit of the brunette, who looks in her late thirties.

Your secretary takes a step forward to bring himself back into your attention. “Shall I continue my investigations, sir?”

“There is only one reason why the Child Protective Services would have a hand in here,” you state.

“She is a juvenile delinquent?”

“Nonsense. They would not let her work in child care and if that was really the case.” Regret fills you, for you have an idea. “That we cannot find her directly means that she spent time in the foster care system.”

Your secretary looks uncomfortable.

Just last month an under-age girl escaped from one of your slave auctions. Her track ended at the office door of Mistress Shift, a notorious Naboo woman. Since then your property was gone without a trace. It was as if she had never existed in the first place.

You run your fingers through your silky pony tail.

“Nowadays Coruscanti seldom notice a distressed child. Especially humans, when it is up to an alien race. But she did. Not because she is trained. I would even go so far that she is familiar with panic and much darker things.”

Those might be far-fetched assumptions, but in your guts you feel that you are right. Something bad seems to have happened to her around Savan’s age. It left an imprint on her and made her the person she is. Helpful, friendly and empathic.

“This is perhaps why old Palpatine wants to protect her from the rainbow press and his political opponents.”

Normally, you prey on the weaknesses of others. But in this case you cannot. This woman was kind to your niece when nobody else was. She even did the right thing and stepped straight to a museum guard, to have Savan’s kindergarten group found. Leaving her own wards with her able colleague.

“Please tell the Supreme Chancellor that I am already engaged in family affairs tonight and that I would like to see him next week. That would suit me much better.”

You need more time to find out more about the woman, who seems to be a guardian angel. Only then you are prepared to meet her lover, who protects her so loyally.



Sources:
Cover version of “One way or another” by Until the Ribbon Breaks (2014)
Wookieepedia – The Star Wars Wiki
Jedipedia, a free German Star Wars-Encyclopaedia

 

Excellent bit of speculating and nice to decide not to jump at Palpy's bidding until he has more information.

 

@WarmNyota_SweetAyesha: To write Xizor was unexpected fun. It is a very unusual approach, but in the end he is also an uncle who adores his niece. Here ends what he has in common with Palps.

 

I never much cared for Xizor, but you make me think a bit more from him would be a great read!

Also, nice way to show his 'galant' but cold ruthlessness, where he realises something about Nagina from having encountered a situation with a slave he lost!

 

@DarthUncle: I start feeling sorry for making your care for SW scum and villains, dear husband.