The Courtship of Princess Palpatine - Game Is Closed!

THE COURTSHIP OF PRINCESS PALPATINE



You are cordially invited to an open event by the Princess Palpatine, a courtship that will decide the rule of our beloved Galactic Empire and the end of this needless Civil War. In the name of the late Emperor, I beseech you to come and meet with myself on
Naboo, his only living blood relative and heir. I ask you as a potential suitor, as one with the necessary experience, skills or following to be a candidate for my hand.

Yours,
Ederlathh​

 

Palpatine is dead.



Byss has been destroyed, and the last of his clones lost. Indeed, even before then, in a rumour that is growing in strength, his bodies were sabotaged, unable to hold his great power.

Why is this news mere rumour?

Because of the chaos of the aftermath, of course.

The Empires collapse after the Battle of Endor will be remembered as slow in comparison to the carnage that has erupted now. Thirteen warlords immediately declared themselves in the Deep Core - the powerful Pentastar Alignment closed its borders - the Imperial Ruling Council named an Emperor - Coruscant was thrown into turmoil by revolution against the Grand Vizier; himself declaring for the throne.

In the middle of it, blood-crimson Sentinel droids bearing the face of Palpatine issuing orders of genocide - obeyed more often than not, Operation Cinder striking worlds as far removed as Mon Calamari, Naboo and Vardos; notwithstanding their prior allegiances.



Even moreso, those who refuse to acknowledge the death of the Emperor, expecting another miraculous return; Governor Adelhard and his Iron Blockade of the Anoat Sector, Grand Moff Tolruck of the Kashyyyk slavers.

So in that chaos, one could be forgiven for the announcement that Palpatine’s grand-niece, missing for some four years, has resurfaced and is courting - at the early age of fifteen, on the cusp of sixteen…

This is the Courtship of Princess Palpatine.

You have received her invitation.

Good luck!

 

This Game Will Open on 1st January 2023 - if you’re interested… let me know!

 

OOC: I should say that there are zero limits on gender or species in this. Ederlatth is not her uncle.

 

THE SHEET!

Name:
Age:
Species:
Appearance:
Bio:

 

The Cast

Name: Ederlatth Pallopides
Age: 15 (nearly 16)
Species: Human
Appearance:
Bio:
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ederlathh_Pallopides

Of course… it doesn’t tell you what has happened in the last four years…

And she won’t be just telling anyone.

 

Name: Sybelle
Age: ?
Species: Chiss/human
Appearance:




Bio:
Recently suffering from a personal loss, Sybelle had taken on some dodgy work that she wasn’t entirely proud of. She used her skills of altering her appearance to carry out hits, and was involved with a few sketchy criminal organizations. She changed her identity often and kept in motion to avoid anyone from learning who she was.

She was on Naboo when a man approached her about a job. One where her actions wouldn’t be considered illegal. All she has to do was pose as a handmaiden to a Princess, Sybelle would stand in for her as a body double when necessary, and protect the Princess with her own life.

 

Suitor Number One

Name: Irek Ismaren
Age: Teenager
Species: Human
Appearance:
Bio: The child of what was often considered the Emperor’s concubine, Rogana Ismaren, his mother nonetheless leveraged her position and knowledge of the Imperial Court’s inner workings into connections and power in the post-Endor Empire. If that wasn’t enough, the rumour that his mother has in her grip most of the Death Star designers, and that her son is a powerful Dark Jedi, it seemed only prudent that he be invited, and by proxy her.

Additional Photo:

Roganda Ismaren, his mother.

 

Suitor Number Three!

Name: Mas Amedda
Age: Middle age
Species: Chagrian
Appearance:
Bio: The Grand Vizier and de jure Emperor of the entire Empire, the fact that he is a nonhuman undermined what should have been a matter of fact. In the absence of the Emperor the Grand Viziers have oft ruled, whether it Mas Amedda or his rival Sate Pestage. With the death of the latter along with Palpatine - and loss of Byss, the Galaxy Gun superweapon and the core of the Imperial Navy - Mas is the last Chagrian standing, and even that is seemingly still insufficient to secure his rule. Defending Coruscant from uprisings and civil war, the Grand Vizier has agreed to attend only on the basis of it being a holographic appearance, and therefore the Princess should come to him for the, in his words, ‘inevitable coronation’.

 

Suitor Number Five

Name: Scarev Quest
Age: Middle age
Species: Human
Appearance:
Bio: Advisor Scarev Quest is the current head of the Imperial Ruling Council; the Emperor of the Crimson Empire, a narrow band of territory extending from the Core to the distant Rim. Among his allies include powerful shipping magnates, non-human worlds in the Inner Rim, and command of the legendary Death Squadron of Darth Vader, now ten Star Destroyers in all and commanded by the Avenger. His invitation was originally for his late master Carnor Jax, the self-styled Dark Lord of the Sith, but Quest attends in his stead, surrounded by rumours of just how precarious his position with the Council truly is…

 

Suitor Number Six - GM Approved

Name: Sinclair Eldar
Age: 26…or so, not really sure
Species: Human but what matters is Mandalorian
Appearance:





Under the helmet, human appearance, a scar that runs from his left temple, over his eye, across his nose, and onto his right cheek. Medium length reddish brown hair and golden eyes. Well built from constant training.

Bio:

Sinclair Eldar, born….well even he didn’t know. All he knew is that, one day, the Clan Eldar forces raided one of the abandoned mines scattered across the surface of Concordia. A mine that happened to be his home. By the time the raid had ended he’d been one of only a handful of child survivors. One of the lucky ones as his ferocity as he fought for what he thought was his home impressed a large warrior with the black on green cat head on his pauldron and chestplate. That one had simply knocked him out, with a move he’d never seen.

When he’d come to he was in a building, on a cot. The armored man was there as well, without his helmet on. It was explained to him that his naive and undeveloped battle prowess had impressed the man enough that he’d been claimed as a foundling. He understood the system and was simply glad to be alive. The next several years had been nonstop training from before dawn until well after dark.

It was only in the second year of his training that he realized, found out, that the one who had taken him was the Clan Chief of Clan Eldar. Which only served to deepen his resolve to become the strongest, smartest, and best warrior that his trainers could make him. Five years after he’d been taken he took part in his first raid. Which was where he got the scar across his face and a lesson to always respect the tricks that older and wiser warriors knew. He’d killed his foe but not before he’d gotten that scar.

In the ensuing ten years he’d risen through the ranks of the Clan, first raiding then leading squads on raids. From there he began to lead raids, then coordinate raids, until he found himself kneeling before his father, being anointed with the title of Clan Warleader. He was his father’s right hand, dealing Mandalorian justice on their foes, Mandalorian or not.

It was a surprise, however, when a report of an unknown droid airdropping in over the Clan Hold reached his ears, a year later. He’d intercepted the droid, destroying it before it could close on the Hold enough to scan it well. When he landed in it’s debris, he’d stirred the debris with one armored foot, finding a diplomatic case. What truly surprised him was that the case had his name upon it.

When he’d opened the case it made him chuckle, before he brought it to his father. After a few moments of laughter between them they had agreed it would be of interest to find out what this Courtship was about. Which is why he found himself behind the controls of his Aka'jor-class shuttle, enroute to where the missive had stated.

 

Suitor Number Seven – GM Approved

Name: Aryan Graul
Age: 47
Species: Human
Appearance:


Bio: As the son of a wealthy entrepreneur, politician, and businessman, it was said that Aryan Graul had a silver spoon in his mouth from birth. His father groomed him for greatness, and it came as no surprise when he followed in his old man’s footsteps to become the Senator for Nubia in the Imperial Senate. This was the first time a father and son pair had served consecutive terms in the system's history. Aryan held his position for nine years during the height of the Empire… until the Emperor disbanded the Senate prior to the Battle of Yavin.

After disappearing from the galactic stage for several years, Aryan resurfaced on his homeworld of Nubia and now utilizes his charisma and charm as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Graul Enterprises. The sprawling corporation, under his father’s leadership, specializes in shipping and mining operations for Nubia, Corellia, and many of the surrounding sectors. Their influence in the Core is unrivaled, having first contributed to the Old Republic before offering services to the Empire and the fledgling New Republic as well.

But there is always room to expand and achieve more.

Aryan suspects that’s what ultimately led to the generous invitation he received from the apparent grand-niece of the late Emperor Palpatine.

Someone saw a golden opportunity to merge two powerful juggernauts of the modern age. As a staunch Imperialist, he's not entirely opposed to the idea—although he did balk at the stipulations. They expected him to become a suitor to court the Princess’ hand in marriage.

He almost declined the invitation out of principle; he is a married man, after all.

However, in the end, he was unable to shake his curiosity about the existence of an Imperial heir. It has the potential to spark the beginning of a new era, both for the galaxy… and himself.

It alluded to adventure and the freedom he currently sought from the mundane life of a business professional.

Above all else, it is an opportunity to rekindle his youth...

... and perhaps prove his worth.

Full Bio Found Here:
https://boards.theforce.net/threads...rd-winning-game.50056964/page-2#post-57763292

 

Suitor Number Eight

Name: Rae Sloane
Age: Late forties
Species: Human
Appearance:
Bio: One of the few full ranked Admirals still loyal to Coruscant, Rae Sloane is known for her stalwart service to the Empire - but also as the commander who ordered the withdrawal from Endor. With that order also given by one Captain Pellaeon, the retreat became a confused one, refused in part and obeyed by the rest by individual interpretation. Thus that piece of strategic logic became a rout, one which the Empire has never recovered from. Working behind the scenes to support the Empire, Rae has emerged atop the infrastructure that countenanced Operation Cinder, the genocidal murder spree that ripped across the galaxy in recent months. With the death or capture of her rivals in the abortive Imperial Future Council at New Republic hands, she’s seized their following and it is said positioning herself to be the newest Grand Admiral of the Navy… and clearly has no interest in marrying a teenager.

 

Suitor Number Ten

Name: Ephin Sarretti
Age: Teenager
Species: Human
Appearance:
Bio: A gawky, lanky young man from Sartinaynian in the Pentastar Alignment, Ephin Sarretti is one of a new generation of Imperials who has come age during the decline of the Empire, and is unattached to the loyalty that Palpatine once bought in ending the Clone Wars. Indeed, he sees the Empire as what it became, not what it aspired to be. With that mindset, and what with Ederlatth looking for a representative from the powerful fourteen-sector state, Ephin received an invitation that wasn’t so much directed to him as at anyone placed to respond. His family and other likeminded reformist Imperials hesitatingly suggested the young man, and as a condition of his attending have sent him a chaperone.

Chaperone.
Lady Colla.

 

https://boards.theforce.net/threads/the-courtship-of-princess-palpatine-ooc-thread.50058331/

 

A few days earlier

Ederlatth, the infamous Princess Palpatine, winced as she drew her dress over her bare arms. They were still scarred, and she’d have to take care to wear attire which concealed the injuries she’d inflicted.

“Don’t,” she said to Sybelle, scolding her handmaiden. The other woman had come at a recommendation to act as a decoy and body double for her, in the great tradition of the monarchies of Naboo. Notwithstanding that she was clearly member of the same species as the late Grand Admiral Thrawn - a fact that caused Ederlatth to flinch every time she saw Sybelle - the woman did look like her, and as long as she had the necessary contact lens inserts and skin colouration, she was a perfect match. And that was in-spite of being, as far as Ederlatth could tell, an older woman.

If anything, when she was all done up, Sybelle looked more like Ederlatth than herself, because her public persona didn’t have scars. Sybelle could go bare-armed, making it less likely someone would notice that the real princess was hiding them. “And no, I’m not discussing the cuts.” The angle was such that Sybelle would know they weren’t self-inflicted, but that was as much as Ederlatth was going to give.

Not that she needed to get dressed to send the missives… but the heir to the Galactic Empire - such as it was - wanted to get in-character as often as possible. In that moment, she had settled on twelve suitors. Twelve people who had the ability to reunify the Empire and save the galaxy from this ruinous war.

The Grand Vizier, the Crimson Emperor, the Shadow Admiral, the various corporate tycoons and remaining Imperial Senators of a half dozen species. Ederlatth was no human supremacist, and save for Thrawn’s species, had no issues with any individual aspect of galactic society.

When she was eventually dressed, Ederlatth sat at her writing table and drew up the messages. It was time.

Emperor Palpatine had been dead a mere four months now, but the death paroxysms of the Empire had birthed coups, warlordism on a scale far beyond that of the post-Endor era, and genocidal campaigns by officers obeying the Emperor’s Will. But they still had Coruscant, and Kuat and Fondor too, let alone a stretch of loyal systems running from Yag’Dhul around the Core as far Rimward as the Corporate Sector. If the Empire could come to terms, it would be a major galactic force for change and order.

Ederlatth wanted that.

Reaching out for Sybelle, needing her hand for support, but ignoring whatever the woman would say, she keyed in her private password and sent the messages out.

TAG: @CosmoHender, @Mitth_Fisto, @HanSolo29, @Silvertough, @darthbernael

OOC: Next update will be the start of December, but please do a full response to your receiving the message (however you did), and your decision and trip to Naboo. You may make it as detailed and lengthy as you like.

Please keep in mind that much of the galaxy is independent of the Empire and not aligned with the New Republic, so it is a very messy and dangerous era.

@Lady_Belligerent, your TAG is different in that you are detailing reaching Naboo, and reacting to this point. You may provide as much information about your mysterious benefactor as you wish, and if you want input, let me know as I already know their true identity (but Sybelle won’t(!))

 

This was such a fun combo to write with our GM @Sinrebirth

Sybelle and Cuf
Nubia

The garden was Sybelle’s safe haven. It was a place where she could relax and find peace if she was burdened by problems.

Today wasn’t one of those days, instead she was peaceful and happy. She’d managed to obtain a valerian herb, and now she had a thriving crop that would soon be harvesting. The flowers and roots would be dried and most would be used to make sedatives.

It was when she was inspecting her plants when she felt a vibration from her pocket as her datapad pinged. She wiped her hands on her apron, and checked the message.

The message birthed a holoprojection.




"Greetings."

She wasn’t sure what to think about the mysterious image, the voice was possibly male, but why were they concealing their appearance?

“Hello,” Sybelle answered with a slight hesitation, “do I know you?”

"No," he said, an alien spice to his voice. "Not at all, in-fact, but I've heard of you, in the shadowed places, and I know you've been here, in those shadows, alone, for some time..."

"... looking for someone, with the funds that Ashaiya Graul secretly set aside for you all those years ago... to no avail, at that..."

Her expression hardened with concern, how would this stranger know her personal business?

“You must have confused me with someone else, uh… sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” Sybelle didn’t have a quick excuse that didn’t sound lame, and it was imperative that she at least learn this person’s identity.

"Cuf," he said, drily, faintly amused. "That's my name."

"But as a close personal friend of the Graul family, perhaps I should just tell you that I have a lead to your sister."

Sybelle had never seen this close personal friend of the Graul family, and she was certain his name had never been mentioned in her presence. But, how else would he know she had a sister?

“I’m surprised we haven’t met before,” Sybelle smiled, “especially since I’m also a close personal friend.” She gave a small shrug and decided to just see what this Cuf had to say.

“What’s your lead, Mr. Cuf?” Sybelle asked and smoothed her skirts over her lap. Her knee jerk reaction was to cut the transmission and be rid of this crackpot.

She couldn’t though. Not while she had a nagging feeling that he might know something about Sadie.

"I know where the Chiss hid her."

He said it simply, using the forbidden word.

Her species, named, where it had never been before.

Nobody knew what Grand Admiral Thrawn had been, his species was from the Unknowns, much like her parents, and her.

It was a word this man should not have known.

Strangers didn’t typically comm out of nowhere, much less ones who know a great deal more about you than they should.

“So far you’ve said nothing to convince me you know where this alleged sister is,” she responded. “I hope you can appreciate that your name dropping, and using terms that most aren’t aware of, has made me very skeptical. I’m also aware of how things work, so just tell me what it is you want from me?”

"I want you to protect a woman that you happen to be a very close, strikingly even, physical match. She is seeking a body double, a handmaiden in the style of Naboo."

He paused.

"I can pay you, if you'd rather not have just the personal incentive, of course..."

Sybelle’s forehead creased in disbelief, a body double? She couldn’t imagine what made this man think she was qualified for such a position.

“Why me?” She finally asked. “I’ve never done anything like you’re asking me to do before, and are you saying her skin is also blue?” It was almost funny, the thought of her being anyone’s double.

"You look like her," he said simply. "Surely facial colouring can do the rest?"

"Ederlatth Pallopides, a distant relative of Emperor Palpatine, is making a play for the throne," the man said. "She is hiring, and you look very similar to her, to human eyes."

An image replaced him. It was a young woman, and yes, she did look like her. Sybelle would need to look a lot younger, mind you.

Curious, no doubt.

So her mysterious benefactor wasn't human?

"You can take 50% of her fee, which is a small fortune, and I'll give you all the data I have on your sister... where the Chiss are hiding her, specifically, even the name of the Ruling Family who had taken her in."

An ominous pause.

"Do we have a deal?"

Of course she knew how to use cosmetics, and various other things, to disguise herself. Sybelle had been doing that for a long time, it was just what you do sometimes to survive.

This sounded like a fairly easy job, so maybe she would take this opportunity. The credits were always nice, but she did have a feeling it was a path she needed to take. If the information on Sadie is true… no, she chided herself against getting her hopes up. Everyone she cared about always went away. If nothing else she would find out how this person knew so much about her.

“Very well, Mr. Cuf,” Sybelle nodded, “you’ve hired a handmaiden.” Saying the words gave her a momentary rush, a nod from the Force, maybe?

“I need to know when and where to go, and if I will need to arrange my own transport.” She was mentally ticking off what needed to be done to prepare, which wasn’t a great deal. Sybelle had traveled light for years.

"I'll send you over the data."

His hologram began to fade out.

"A pleasure to be working with the daughter of Sev'rance Tann after all these years."

The line cut.

“How?” She asked aloud to herself. How did he know so much about her?

Sybelle started by researching Ederlatth Pallopides; she'd need a catalog of holos to copy her appearance and mannerisms.

The actual job should be easy enough, giving her enough time to find out how Mr. Cuf knew so much about her.

How difficult could working as a handmaiden be?

Tag: @Sinrebirth @HanSolo29

 

IC: Sinclair Eldar
Location: Mandalore

He was a Warleader, not a bureaucrat and Sinclair’s office reflected that. His desk was mostly clear, only a computer system embedded in it with a holo terminal at the corner. Along the walls hung blasters, swords, as well as fangs and claws of various beasts, long since cleaned of viscera. As with any other Mandalorian, he wore his armor, his chair set to take the weight and size of it. Unlike those damnable Death Watch idiots, however, his helmet was perched on a stand on one corner of his desk and not planted on his head.

A chime sounded, his fingers tapping the admittance stud even as the fingers of his other hand pulled up images from the holo display that was also flashing to get his attention. One of his lieutenants entered, saluting in the clan’s style, “Warleader, there has been a disturbance. What appears to be a probe is descending on the keep. It doesn’t have the configuration of any other clan.”

Sinclair’s scar torn eyebrow arched, “Why would a simple probe be worthy of my attention, aside from the fact that it is headed towards our keep?” As he asked, his fingers brought up the targeting array for one of the Keep’s turrets.

Holding up one hand the lieutenant spoke, “Because the probe has been broadcasting, omnidirectionally, that it is here seeking you.”

”Me…interesting.” Sinclair muttered, turning the turret’s autotargeting off, standing, and lifting his bucket from its frame. ”Perhaps I shouldn’t disappoint it then.” his lips turned up in a twisted grin, scar tissue pulling at one side of them, before he settled his black and gold helmet on his head.

When he reached the flat roof of the Keep, the lieutenant by his side, the other man glanced upwards, pointing into the sky. Sinclair’s helmet zoomed in where the other man was pointing as he looked up. Distance and direction information was displayed, telling him the probe was still far enough away that seeing what it held and then deciding could be done before it was a threat to the Clan.

Holstering his blasters, he glanced over at the lieutenant, ”It’s calling for me so I should be the one to respond.” Straightening his frame he ignited the booster on his Z-6, the jets lifting him into the air.

The tracker in his helmet guided him on a course that would have him meet the probe outside where the device would be able to scan the Keep. When he reached it, his eyes narrowed, seeing the design that was very reminiscent of the Imperial one. ”I am Sinclair Eldar.” he called out to it on the same frequency it had been broadcasting its message.

The device seemed to ignore him, trying to maneuver around him as he repeated his own message. The airborne ‘dance’ as the probe and he moved continued for several minutes, each time with him keeping it just out of scanning range. Finally, annoyed at a robotic device that wouldn’t respond to the one being it had been calling for, he drew one blaster, firing into its optical sensor as well as where he supposed its guidance module was housed.

He swooped, following the probe as it fell from the sky, trailing smoke and debris. Stopping himself several hundred meters in the air, he watched as the probe impacted on the rocky soil only a short distance from the keep. Waiting until he was certain that it had ceased movement, he descended, lightly touching down on the rocks, where others of the Clan, his father included, had gathered.

Nodding in respect to his father, he approached the ruined probe, using the toe of his armored foot to shift debris. The smoking debris eventually revealed a hardened case, with his name embossed upon it. Glancing back up at his father, he pulled the case out.

Ten minutes later he and his father were looking at the case that had been passed through every sensor the Clan had and was now sitting on his father’s desk. “It has a handprint sensor, son. I’d suspect it is keyed to your handprint.”

Nodding sharply, Sinclair pulled off one gauntlet, laying his hand on the sensor. There was a sense of warmth as the plate lit and then the case clicked open. Laying the lid back, a portable holo array lit, revealing a being in formal clothing. The being spoke, in basic, in a formal tone. He listened to the message twice before he closed the lid once more.

”This has to be a joke. Why would a princess, a Palpatine, invite the warlord of a Mandalorian clan to court her?” he knew nothing of courtly matters aside from the business of running the clan and it’s war operations, he was not a suitor by any means.

His father, sitting back at his desk, steepled his fingers before him. “She might not be the only worthy there. This could be advantageous to expand our sphere of influence, whether the girl chooses you or not.” He looked up at his son, “Go, court this girl as best you can, and see what or why people have been gathered. I doubt that a potential marriage is the only reason you’ve been called and that you are not the only one.”

Saluting, bowing his head, ”As my Clan Lord commands.”

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

~ Prologue ~

IC: Aryan Graul
Nubia

* * *​

Special Delivery

No one sent physical letters anymore. Not only was it a waste of resources and credits, but it was far more convenient to receive digital media through an electronic device; such as a datapad or comlink.

So, when the personalized letter arrived at Graul Enterprises, complete with a handwritten address and gold trim, it went unnoticed for a standard week before Aryan Graul discovered it on his office desk at the bottom of a pile of flimsies.

He was the Chief Operating Officer of the company, but that hardly attested to his organizational skills. It was by chance that he found it while searching for an overdue invoice. His fingers brushed against the ornate envelope as he pulled it aside, his brow furrowed with curiosity. He did not waste any time tearing it open. The rarity of such a delivery was a spectacle in itself, and he found himself unable to resist.

The main text was in the same script as the envelope, neatly drafted by a delicate hand:

You are cordially invited to an open event by the Princess Palpatine, a courtship…

An incredulous snort issued from his lips before he could finish reading.

Courtship?

He instinctively twisted his wedding band around his finger in dismay. Someone must have thought it would be humorous to play a cruel joke on him. It was insensitive, especially after everything he’d been through.

Heartache.

Grief.

Guilt.

With an audible curse, Aryan tossed the letter back into the pile on his desk and reached for his morning caf. He was content to forget the whole thing and carry on with his duties.

Except the woman’s name continued to needle at the back of his mind for the rest of the day.

Princess Palpatine.

​

* * *​

Nightmare

He awoke with a start, his breathing coming in short, rasping gasps. A light sheen of sweat covered his flesh, causing the bed sheets to cling to his body as he sat up and ran a hand through his damp hair. He needed a moment to calm his nerves and forget…

… but he couldn’t.

It was always the same; the same horrors that haunted his mind and soul.

Black tendrils reached out for him from the Darkness, threatening to overtake him and drag him down into the abyss. The Darkness had a name, but he dared not utter it aloud for fear of summoning it to the physical realm.

It was his burden to bear.

His nightmare.

"Aryan?"

Lyz Graul rolled over and rested a hand on his shoulder, her eyes reflecting her concern even in the pre-dawn light. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, non-committal.

​

"Yeah, I’m fine."

She offered a small smile, but she didn’t seem entirely convinced. Nevertheless, she afforded him his space and laid back down on the pillow beside him.

In truth, Aryan wasn’t fine. The nightmares were becoming more frequent and vivid. Sometimes he wondered what was real… and what was fantasy. The line that separated reality from a delusion was beginning to blur, and that scared him more than he cared to admit.

Was he losing his mind?

He meditated on that notion, playing through the different scenarios in his head. That’s when he remembered Princess Palpatine and the letter.

Sleep eluded him for the rest of the night.

* * *​

Sojourn

"It’s a week, Aryan," Lyz said with a twist of her lip, trying to justify the length to her husband. "You knew this was coming up. We had it scheduled for months."

Inhaling sharply, Aryan turned on his heel and focused his gaze on the latticed window along the adjacent wall. It didn’t provide a memorable view of the Nubian countryside, but it was enough to help him clear his thoughts. He was still weary after his restless night, and he felt unsettled. His cognitive abilities had apparently suffered as a result.

What else would have led him to forget the Corellian 'sojourn' his wife and daughter had planned to tour various university campuses?

Maybe it’s your declining mental state, a tiny voice inside his head goaded him with a mirthless sneer.

Aryan quashed that thought and adopted a wan smile to ward off his insecurities.

"I know," he murmured in a low baritone. "I guess I’m just trying to adjust to the idea of staying in an empty house for a week without you two."

"Dad," Jalynn drawled in the typical condescending tone of a teenager, practically rolling her eyes. "You won’t be alone. You have Gram, plus the business. That’ll be enough to keep you busy. We’ll be back in no time."

The business.

Aryan inwardly cringed at the dull monotony that awaited him at the office, though he wisely held his tongue. He wouldn’t dare express those sentiments in front of his wife and child, not when the company was the only lucrative thing they had at the moment.

But perhaps there was something else lingering on the horizon.

A unique but favorable opportunity.

Once again, his thoughts went directly to the letter and the elusive Palpatine. She was allegedly the late Emperor’s heir. Was it possible for certain facets of the Empire to still exist out there? Beyond what he was already aware of?

And if he found success as one of her suitors, could he potentially forge an alliance between Graul Enterprises and her province to become one of the most powerful entities in the known galaxy—

"Dad!"

He jolted from his reverie and glanced down into his daughter’s eager gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lyz silently scrutinizing him.

"You still with us?" Jalynn questioned, her voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I’m ok, honey," he muttered quietly, forcing a grin on his face to ease her worry. "I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. You just focus on your studies and make the most of this trip. It’s a big decision, but I know you’ll do great."

Jalynn was silent for a moment longer, still unsure, but then she rushed forward to throw her arms around his neck.

"Thanks, Daddy!"

Lyz, for her part, angled her chin and looked at him knowingly.

After they embraced and exchanged their farewells, Aryan remained standing on the front portico to watch his wife and daughter depart. He went through the motions and waved as their speeder accelerated into the valley, but it was apparent that his mind was elsewhere.

On Ederlatth Palpatine and her attractive offer.

​

* * *​

New Beginnings

He returned to the office later that night, long after the administrative staff had retired for the evening. A single light globe illuminated the small space in an amber glow while the only sound came from the distant hum of a cleaning droid further down the main corridor. It was peaceful without becoming a distraction—just what Aryan needed to sort through his turbulent thoughts.

Despite his best efforts, he finally admitted to himself that he had become obsessed with the letter; it was time to do something about it.

He perused the words again, the flimsi pinched between his thumb and forefinger:

You are cordially invited to an open event by the Princess Palpatine, a courtship that will decide the rule of our beloved Galactic Empire and the end of this needless Civil War. In the name of the late Emperor, I beseech you to come and meet with myself on Naboo, his only living blood relative and heir. I ask you as a potential suitor, as one with the necessary experience, skills, or following to be a candidate for my hand.

It still sounded ludicrous, but he couldn’t deny his calling.

Ultimately, he was unable to pinpoint why he felt compelled to accept. There was no single reason; it was a conglomeration of different elements. From the hope of installing a new Empire under his lead to escaping the monotonous routine that awaited him each day at the office, it was a form of liberation. At this point in his life, he sought an adventure unlike any other. He wanted to retain his youth and prove that he was still capable of making a difference in this galaxy.

Or did he simply need to demonstrate that he wasn’t mentally compromised? That he wasn’t suffering from the lingering effects of his ordeal in Imperial custody… or the fallout from the loss of his son?

​

He needed a fresh start; something that provided stability and reliability.

And so, Aryan Graul carefully folded the letter and placed it into his jacket pocket before hastily scrawling a note for Lyz to discover upon her return. He then retreated from his office and returned to the estate to pack a travel bag for his trip to Naboo.

It was time to embark on a new beginning.

TAG: @Sinrebirth