The Sheep amidst the Wolves.

[Kenrath]

Marcus nodded.

"I am familiar with the First Order but not that specific member. They sent a delegation to Bastion a while back. I don't think I have ever heard of this Castor though."

He chuckled.

"I don't really follow groups on the other side of the Galaxy from me. Even if they are supposed to be an ally."

Giving a sigh Marcus took a sip of his drink.

"Ah yes polite conversation seems to be an increasingly rare trait these days. Makes me miss the old days when you could meet a foe on the battlefield and still treat each other with respect."

He smiled.

"You know who was really good at that? Corvus.......I met her when we invaded Contruum. Even has enemies trying to defeat each other we were able to have a rather polite conversation during the encounter. Anyway so how does a Tomb Raider end up a Queen?"

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie tilted her head towards Marcus, a curious smirk on her face gave tell to the coming quip.

"Yet you follow me, and here I am on the other side of the galaxy with you."

Word was that the Sith had allied with the First Order, harboring some of their more notorious Sith Lords within their borders. It was one of the reasons the Alliance had pushed so very hard into the war with them, to root out the Sith as an added measure of cleansing the galaxy. But that war was long, and trying, and yet still there was no foreseeable victor in sight.

Thankfully for the time being, since Hoth, things had quieted down some. Perhaps both behemoths were licking their wounds.

Time would tell.

The younger woman, unable to hold back the burst of jovial laughter at Marcus' comment set down her utensil and dabbed the napkin over her lips. Clearing her throat Jamie settled her left leg over and across her right, her hands placed on her knee as she shot a glance to the man beside her. "Well, sort of unexpectedly, really." Jamie hadn't run for or campaigned to become queen. "After I returned from Hoth, it was nearly time to elect a new monarch. It would seem that my tenure as a council aide and advisor, as well as speaker on behalf of the King and the people of Naboo had not gone unnoticed." Pausing for a moment the girl sipped from the glass. "The other noble houses all convened in my absence and nominated me for the position. Seemingly overnight it was decided that I would be the next queen, even before I knew myself."

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

Marcus chuckled.

"You have I have a vested interest in. The First Order not so much."

He paused listening to her story. It was an odd situation to say the least. To come back from what he figured was a battle to find out your home wants you to take up the reigns. He was not afraid to admit he was a little jealous. No world he had ever liberated or freed had ever wanted to see him again much less wanted his council.

"An elected Monarchy. That is still a concept that puzzles me. Then again I guess it is no different than you and I. I am sure our relationship would be puzzling to more than a few people if they knew."

He chuckled.

"So your people recognized your contributions to the previous Monarchy and felt you were destined for greater things. I see you also devoted a little more time to your training as well. I have to say I am a little jealous. I was holding out hope you would have let me finish your training."

He smiled giving her a playful wink.

"Have you thought about what you are going to do when your time as Queen has ended? Where does Jamie go next? Back to the Order maybe?"

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"More frightening than puzzling, I would think." She said with regard to what others might perceive their friendship as. Jamie knew full well that Marcus was Sith. It was not a subject in question. Likewise he knew she was Jedi. Still, the idea that each could sit down beside the other seemingly without ulterior motives was comforting. It gave hope to her that perhaps it was not impossible that both sides of the Force could co-exist in the sentient races across the galaxy, if each side were open to peaceful discourse. It was a bold assertion, but one Jamie greatly wished for.

Jamie paused for a moment, taking in a breath and a glance out towards the horizon. It was a perfect day. Just the right amount of sun, compliments of clouds, fresh air, polite conversation and delicious food. Her trips away from Naboo were not always filled with so much splendor. What she could get she would take without question or hesitation.

"I suppose." Turning back to the man she flashed a brief smile. "They must think something grand of me to put forward my name without my own input." To her, being a fair and ethical person was above personal gain. What was right was the answer, not what was good for herself. She had always served with that ideology. It apparently had paid off. "We both know you can't direct my teachings, Marcus. It would cross roads I'm not willing to travel. But I do appreciate the sentiment. As for what I plan to do after? I'm not certain. I was never a member of the Order in earnest, more so a guest. Perhaps I will travel more, dig deeper into the mysteries of the galaxy."

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

Marcus chuckled.

"Converting you was never in my plans Jamie............spending more time with the however."

He smiled.

"That has always been the plan. I have taught more than one Jedi the way of the sword regardless and without impact on their particular loyalties."

He waved as if to wave the topic off.

"That's not important though. What is important is that you are here, the view is one of kind.......the landscape isn't bad either, and we have a good meal in front of us."

Marcus leaned back taking a sip of his drink.

"Let's focus on the moment and not the past or the future."

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"Not every fight can be won with blade and blood, Marcus." She spoke with a soft confidence to her words. There was no amount of training that could hope to change her mind on that particular aspect of life. Still, it was obvious to her that the act of teaching her wasn't what he had on the agenda, as the idea was quickly dismissed. What he wanted was in fact a far more dangerous thing. To simply spend casual time with her as something as friends would pose a difficult and unique set of problems, not the least of which being that they served polar opposite sides of a timeless tug of war between light and dark.The Sith, upon discovering her would likely not take too well the idea of a Jedi mingling among them, nor would other Jedi find much comfort in Jamie associating with a Sith.

And not just that, but any attempt to see one another would mean visits similar to the present, in secret, outside the far reaches of both stretches of territory held between each allegiance. Eventually that would become increasingly more difficult to disguise as Queen of Naboo.

The girl would have spoken up, said something about the dangers of their meetings, but Marcus cut her off before she had the opportunity to raise the concern. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, part of which had been pulled inward. She gave a nod in agreement, turned her attention outwards for a moment, breathing in the air of the afternoon, and wondered just how she managed to get herself into the situations she often found herself in.

[member="Vengeance"]