The Show Goes On

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie stepped over to Aela and looked down at the photo she was holding.

"Yes, that's him." She said, nodding with a small smile. "During a vacation."

The blonde stepped behind the desk then, drawing the tall shades back to reveal the small terrace behind her office. A small area as it were, but one of splendor. Vibrant flowers grew freely there, a small fountain in the middle that birds would occasionally land at to perch and bathe.

"But we didn't come to see me work, did we?"

Her hands pushed open the window outwards, letting the gentle breeze and sweet scents push through the office.

"You should see the nicer parts of the palace. The amphitheater is a wonder, where they put on shows and plays. Then there's the actual gardens to walk through. Of course there's the throne room which is a sight on its' own. Of course you might like the archives and library."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"That's true." She glanced at the picture one more time then slowly turned towards Jamie.

Her padawan popped open the window, allowing a small breeze to rush into the room. She smiled for a moment, then slowly stepped over behind the desk. For a moment she simply looked at the grounds beyond the window, then listened to Jamie describe all the features of the palace.

"Hm." She thought for a moment. "Naboo doesn't have a royal family."

Not really in the traditional anyway. "Does the monarch actually live here?"

Obviously others worked within the grounds of the palace, that much was clear, but did the King or Queen of Naboo actually get to enjoy all of this splendor while they were in office? Aela wasn't quite sure she'd be comfortable with living in a place so filled with strangers.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie nodded. "Yes, if they choose to, though it does make things easier if they reside within the palace." The girl leaned on the sill, glancing towards Aela. "Less work for the RSF to look after if the security of the palace and monarchy was all together." Not that Jamie could take the Jedi for a tour of the personal quarters of the monarchy. It wasn't exactly open for the public to view on a whim after all, but Jamie was familiar with its' design and overall look.

"Aside from the overall aesthetics of the palace itself though, it is no more lavish than a typical noble family's estate such as mine."

She rested her head atop her hands, looking out at the terrace. "Though there is certainly no shortage of things to keep ones self entertained while here."

And the monarchy wasn't constrained from leaving the palace either, they were as free as any citizen to enjoy the many wonders Naboo had to offer, and with a bit more discretion to see it as they pleased.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela frowned for a few seconds. "Seems a bit busy for a house."

That was really the only thing she could think of. Sure it would be a nice place to live, great views, wonderful gardens, a good amount of protection, but also a lot of strangers. She supposed it wasn't really all that different from living in the Jedi Temple, but something felt...off about it all. Eventually she shrugged, realizing that living in a palace like this was probably not meant for someone like her. The Jedi Master may have been nobility but that didn't mean the traits rubbed off on her.

"Well." She nudged her padawan. "Why don't we go check out some of those things."

A smile broke out on her face. "Maybe starting with the gardens."

She had always enjoyed gardens as a child, the island that she had grown up on had practically functioned as one.

"Maybe we can find something to eat on the way." She said noting a slight grumble in her stomach. "I'm kind of hungry."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie had never really thought of the palace as being too busy. It was a central hub of Theed, and Naboo itself. It was only logical that it would be active, though the RSF did a fantastic job of keeping everyone safe. Those who arrived at the starport were thoroughly screened, and those allowed inside the palace were monitored if they arrived without escorts, and sometimes, depending on the escort, even with.

She herself was hardly aware of just how the RSF did its' job, all she knew was that they did it well enough that she rarely noted their presence when it was not required of her. "Alright." She said, "Was there something in particular you'd like to have? The staff here are capable of making just about anything, provided the ingredients aren't something scarce. I can request food to be brought to the gardens."

Turning, she scooped up the comlink from her desk and slipped it into her front pocket, ushering for Aela to follow her out so that they could head for the gardens.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela perked an eyebrow for a moment. Staff? She hadn't expected there to be cooks around, though she supposed that it made a bit of sense. Her lips thinned for a few seconds and she thought about what sort of things she would like to eat.

After a moment she sighed and continued to follow along with her padawan. "Just get me something...Naboo."

There, that was the best choice. She was here to tour the planet, or rather that was what she was doing now. It hadn't been their original intention, but since they were touring the palaces and walking along Theed she might as well add some authentic cuisine to it as well. She was sure that with everything they had here Jamie would be able to get her something delicious.

"Representative of the planet." Aela added. "Maybe something you grew up eating."

Though she doubted Jamie's mother cooked, perhaps her family had a particular chef they'd used?

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie giggled. "Very well, roasted Rootjigger it is. Insects that are quite the delicacy here. You'll love them."

Of course they were not, in fact they were pests if anything. The younger Jedi thought to herself for a moment or two of what to ask for, and then reached for the comlink she had moments ago stuffed into her pants pocket. Adjusting the frequency channel she called for the culinary staff, speaking in her native language before disconnecting the call with a smile.

What Aela actually would get would be a surprise, but suffice to say it would not actually be bugs when the time came.

"About thirty minutes. They'll meet us in the gardens."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

She gave her padawan a face.

"One of these days I'm going to take you to a planet." As they stepped forward she continued. "Where all they eat is a weird kind of goo, and they sleep on the floor, and there's biting bugs everywhere."

She glared at her padawan. "And when you complain, I'll just remind you of all the times you've teased me."

Aela would have to do some peeking around for such a planet, but she was sure that in the whole wide galactic scape of planets there was at least one such world that had all of those things and probably more. She smiled at Jamie and then started to walk a bit faster than her padawan, not really knowing where she was going but wanting to display that she was still in charge.

"That will teach you." She said with a grin.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie squinted her eyes towards Aela as she hurried to catch up to the other girl who was about to walk in the wrong direction.

"I'd just sleep on top of you, in that case, just so I had some cushion to lay on, and the bugs got you first."

The girl made an indignant hmph, "And then I'll remind you that you chose to go there!"

Turning down another wide corridor Jamie snapped her fingers several times and called after Aela to get her attention. "This way, princess. You're going the wrong way!'

A shake of her head followed, before she broke into a brisk walk to make the other girl have to rush to catch back up. Eventually the hall came to an intersection, and a large double door separated the interior of the palace from the gardens. The doors were already open, as they were typically left. A wide stone pathway winded about through the perfectly landscaped courtyard, separated by hedges formed into figures of various sizes and shapes, several modest trees stood up at the edges of the area leading to the gardens just beyond.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela followed after Jamie, her eyes setting on the garden path before her as she let out a quiet hum of appreciation. The Naboo were certainly experts at creating a certain kind of aesthetic quality, something that she could dearly appreciate. Jamie's people had a way of making everything look simply...stunning. It was a wonderful quality really, though she couldn't help but wonder if it hid some sinister quality that they didn't want anyone to see.

The notion was silly of course, especially given how noble her padawan was, but a lifetime of fighting Sith had jaded Aela just a little bit. "I'll kick you."

Aela finally responded as she stepped forward and headed towards the gardens.

"One thing you have yet to learn is respect." She stuck out her tongue. "Do you treat the Monarch the same as me?"

Aela had no idea if the current King or Queen was even present anymore. "Surprised you still have a job with this kind of attitude!"

As she spoke Aela began to examine the various plants within the gardens, her gaze falling from twisted vine to branches that reached towards the heavens. It was all rather unique, and half of her couldn't believe it was entirely native to Naboo.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"I have plenty of respect for those deserving of it." The blonde cocked her head to the side and flashed a quick narrowing of her eyes, adding a small hmph to the expression before circling around to the other side of Aela. "Of course not. Not only are they the elected leader of my people but this is also my job." She smirked, "You, on the other hand, are just my pain in the rear sister. Older maybe, and of separate families, but hardly my boss."

A sarcastic smile of innocence followed.

"This way, there is an ancient tree near the edge of the courtyard, still alive today. Exactly how old it is we're not certain, but it still blossoms bright petals off its' branches every spring, and the lands keepers have made the area around it into a rather pretty scene."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"I happen to be your teacher." She reminded Jamie.

That was how they had originally met after all and even though Jamie was now a Knight there was still plenty of things that her padawan didn't know. Half a dozen techniques that Aela had yet to teach her plus a few things like the mysteries of the universe that she had decided to keep from Jamie.

Of course perhaps it would soon be time to throw that in as well. "If I'm such a pain in your rear then maybe I shouldn't be teaching you at all!"

The older woman claimed as they rounded the corner and came upon the tree that Jamie had spoken of just a few seconds ago.

The Jedi Master let out a breath, her eyebrows raising someone as she looked upon the foliage. The tree was beautiful, surrounded by half a dozen flowering bushes and overarching branches. Aela let her eyes follow the curves of the tree for a moment.

"It really is pretty." She said quietly.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"You wouldn't be a good teacher if you weren't a pain."

The blonde wandered over to one of three small benches in the area, a small colony of vines growing around the feet of the bench from beneath the ground. Her eyes lingered on the tree for a few more moments, its' grandeur still overwhelming even despite the hundreds of times she had seen it. The age of it, the beauty and the size were all things of marvels. Having survived dozens of generations, plagues of war and disease, it still stood tall.

"Besides you know I love you."

Jamie scrunched her nose, "Even if you like to think you are always better than me."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"There's no thinking to it." The older woman said quietly, a small smile touching her lips.

The Gardens were quite lovely, something beautiful to look at and observe. She wondered just how long all of this had been here, if some of the plants and trees were from times of the Clone Wars and before. Naboo had a long history, like many worlds within the mid-rim. She frowned for a moment, glancing around for a moment more before looking at her Padawan.

"So." She began. "What will you do?"

Aela didn't want to press her padawan, but at the end of the day she was here to help Jamie. "Stay here?"

Part of her couldn't help but think Jamie would be miserable doing such a thing.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie blew a gust of air from pursed lips, a slow shake of her head and roll of her shoulders followed shortly after.

"I don't know." She said honestly. It was a difficult thing to answer. "On one hand, my mother is right. This is my home. I grew up here, it's all I ever knew. I belong here. I can do real good here, even more so now, thanks to you." Her hands fidgeted with one another as she spoke, rolling one over the other trying to find someplace that felt right to settle them. "I know that if I stayed, I could do more. It would be safer, something I am sure my parents and Kurt would appreciate. The Alliance, the SIS, they need me less as a Jedi on the ground of a warzone than they do as an envoy or ambassador for Naboo and the Alliance."

The girl drew in another deep breath and considered the other side of the same argument.

"And yet, on the other hand, I want to see the galaxy. I want to learn about the other civilizations, cultures, planets and species. I want to see things for myself, to try and break away from the insular culture that Naboo has always been to the outside. I want to help build relations from outside the palace. I want to offer a hand to those that need it not just at home, but anywhere I find myself. I just..."

She trailed off for a moment, before sighing. "I don't know."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela listened quietly, nodding.

It wasn't too long ago that she had been at the exact same cross-road that her padawan had been. She'd faced a decision that she found impossible. Leaving SIS, the Jedi Order, practically moving away from everything that she had known for most of her life.

There was no doubt in Aela's mind that Jamie would make a fantastic Diplomat, that she would work diligently as an ambassador and likely create great relations with a dozen different entities throughout both the Alliance and the Galaxy itself. Yet it wasn't exactly what she wanted. Jamie had a strong sense of duty, but she also had passion for exploration. The key fact of it all of course was that her Padawan was still objectively very young, some would argue too young to hold any sort of official position.

Though of course to Aela that was nonsense. "I see."

She said quietly, musing for a moment.

"Acting as a diplomat." Aela started. "Doesn't necessarily mean you'll stop exploring. You'll still meet other species, people who you have to talk to. Visit worlds for negotiations, set up trade relations."

She shrugged slightly. "And there's always vacations."

 

[Jamie Pyne]

"It's a lot to think about. Yes, it's still traveling, but it wouldn't be traveling for me. It's not quite the same. But it is a compromise of sorts."

She shrugged. Splitting her time would be more difficult than she imagined. It was hard to take the best of both worlds. Perhaps if she were born of a species that lived a longer lifespan she could accept living her life in stages. Unfortunately humans were a short lived race in the galaxy, one of the shortest, in fact. That meant she had no time to squander the time she had.

"We'll see."

For now the best she could do was take things one step at a time. Jamie knew her responsibility to Naboo was heavy. It wasn't something she would decide after a brief argument with her petulant mother immediately following her abduction and rescue. It was the wrong time to make such decisions. Besides, she was supposed to be showing Aela around Theed, not moping about in the gardens like a scolded child.

Jamie raised her head to see two approaching members of the palace staff pushing a small cart towards the girls.

"Looks like they were faster with the food than I anticipated. Want to eat out here or inside?"

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

She glanced around the garden. "Out here will be fine."

For a moment Aela couldn't help but feel concern for her padawan. She knew that Jamie would ultimately make the best decision for herself, and even if she didn't it wasn't like she was locked into doing one thing for the rest of her life. Still, being at this sort of a breaking point, standing at a fork in the road and not knowing what to expect next? It was difficult to say the least.

Impossibly so.

The Jedi Master let out a sigh and then shifted slightly, stepping to the right as the attendants came into their section of the garden. She could smell a whiff of food, and her stomach slowly began to growl. A thought struck her for a moment, her head swiveling back to Jamie. "When do you want to go to Wroosti?"

She asked.

"If you still want to go that is." She'd have to return sooner or later, otherwise her classes would start to wonder.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

The blonde stood up, brushing off her hands and adjusting her shirt. Her hands fell clasped together in front of her as the staff stopped with their cart.

"Good afternoon, Lady Pyne." The man said with a cheerful tone. "Two medium rare pan-seared spiced Shaak, orange glaze sauce and accompanied vegetables. A fresh wild berry side salad with blush dressing and two glasses of Blossom wine."

Whether Jamie was more excited for the wine or the Shaak was difficult to tell, but the gleam in her eye left little else to the imagination.

"Fantastic! Thank you!"

Attached to the side of the cart were two trays, utensils, and napkins which Jamie carefully removed and setup beside the bench so that the two could sit comfortably. In short order after having dismissed the staff she had poured the wine and set the two dishes atop the tables for Aela and herself.

Jamie held up her glass with index and middle fingers towards Aela. "Welcome to my home."

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Jamie Pyne"]

"Thank you." She assumed Jamie would answer her question later, though a suspicion formed that perhaps her padawan was already feeling a greater sense of Duty to Naboo.

She had never really had alcohol before two or three years ago, when she'd started working undercover. Those times had been...interesting, and mostly consisted of drinking hard liquors that would make one regret their next morning. The last time she'd had anything to drink was on Borleias with Jamie, and that too hadn't ended all that well.

Aela leaned slightly and sniffed the contents of the glass. "I've never had wine."

She said with a frown.

"I guess it's better than Whisky." Aela took a small sip of her drink, quietly smacking her lips afterward. "Not terrible."

The Jedi Master noted with a hint of amusement in her tone.