| abstract | - Coruscant: West Tower of the Palace - Public Landing Pad Although this Landing Pad is expansive, it is easily dwarfed by the mountainous construction of the West Tower of the Palace of Coruscant that stands over it. A conglomeration of smaller spires and wide buildings all constructed of glimmering silver durasteel and interconnected through a complex series of open-air bridges, the Tower rises almost a kilometer over the platform of the Landing Pad. Its heights are ringed with ragged wisps of cloud, and at the very summit of this momument to sentient engieering the crimson flag of the Republic hangs from the domed building of the Senate. Off to the right, the East Tower of the Palace rises alongside its sister, equally tall and imposing. This Tower is crowned with the open columns and pointed roof of the Supreme Court of the Republic, and a smaller blue flag hangs from its summit: the Seal of Republic Law. Between and surrounding the Palace just below the altitude of its heavy foundations, the City-Proper spreads out: an ocean of silver and light lapping at the Towers' feet. Congested air ways approach the Palace from each of the cardinal directions, breaking off into smaller lanes to access local buildings in the Sector. The Landing Pad itself is simple in its construction. Large enough to house the contents of a small fleet of Capital ships, it is little more than a vast, flat platform supported by heavy columns that disappear into the confusion of the City below. The north end of the platform joins to the lowest floor of the West Tower in a wide, open throughfare. The vast landing pad shimmers with heat beneath Coruscant's midday sun, creating a layer of air just above the plasteel almost too hot to touch. The woman that walks across the pad towards the Public Auditorium does not seem to mind the heat; Karin's garb is loosely fitting hiking gear -- perfect for the season. The midday hour finds Briseis uniformed once more, her hair tightly braided and her boot newly polished. She looks every inch the soldier, save for the deep tiredness that is marked on her facee and the slight limp that comes with every step as she favors her left leg. She moves forward from the direction of the capsule train, crossing not toward the auditorium, but toward the clear doors nearby that mark the Guard Headquarters. Karin's dark gaze picks out the other woman and her steps steer her in that direction. A hand is lifted in a brief wave and her dark voice calls out, unusully softly and bereft of humour: "Briseis!" She walks up the the other and levels a look on the Guardswoman. "I'm glad to see you are unharmed. Are you doing alright?" Briseis startles and pauses, drawing to a halt as her gaze moves to note Karin. There is a moment's flickering hesitation before she clears her throat and greets, "Lady Morrow-- thank you, yes. I'm fine." A pause and then she wonders, "And you?" The woman's nose wrinkles at something Briseis says, and her gently insisting voice immediately reveals the reason for her displeasure: "Briseis, please, call me Karin. We know each other well enough... and both of us just lost someone we held very dear." Briseis presses her eyes closed for a moment at the last, lips drawing into a thin press as she breaths and steadies herself. When she looks at Karin again, her eyes are bright with tears that are not allowed to fall. Her voice grows quieter. "You've heard, then?" "I have." Karin's voice is sad. "I recieved a letter from him. It would appear that he knew what was about to happen, or, at least, what risk he was about to take. I'm sorry, Briseis. You were... there when he died?" "Oh," Briseis murmurs with a brief nod. "Of course." There's a pause, and Bri's jaw tightens slightly as she dips her head and her gaze away. "I did not see him die," she clarifies. "At least you are safe," comments Karin. "He would have wanted that. I hope the Republic will give him a hero's funeral, for if any deserved it, he did." "Yes," Bri answers with another short nod. After a moment she looks up to Karin and adds, "He requested that there not be one." There is a moment's visible struggle on her features before she adds, "I don't think his body will be recovered. I'm not sure--" She breaks off a touch helplessly. "Oh, did he. Well, his wish must be honoured, of course." Karin's brow furrows at this and the woman falls silent for a while. Her hand tugs thoughtfully at her ponytail before she continues at Briseis, tone slightly lighter: "Why don't you and I go to the place where it happened and lay down a wreath. That would be a fine gesture." "The planet is not safe," Briseis answers, and she lifts a hand to scrub at her face before adding, "I would like to find-- I would like to do something, for those who knew him. I don't know if the Jedi would want-- I haven't spoken to them about it. But I think. Um. I believe he would have preferred to be remembered as a Jedi." Karin nods at this, thoughtfully, and continues on a glum note: "What I do not understand is why this was done, and... who did it. Do you know? At the very least the Jedi should make an attempt at catching the person behind this evil scheme." "Oh, yes," Briseis responds quietly. She shifts slightly, adjusting the press of her weight. "It was the clone, Petrus. Myriad. He is-- Haquien." There is a brief pause, and then, firmer, "Haquien had told me he had gone to the dark side. I don't know if he survived." "I don't know much of this dark side that the Jedi speak of," Karin muses. She hooks her hands into the pockets of her trousers, teeth chewing gently on her lower lip. "They claim it's dangerous. But I have met quite pleasant people who had, allegedly, gone dark, as they put it. But that is Jedi business." The lady offers a lithe shrug at this, communicating her own ignorance of the matter. "I think that it may become unavoidably all our business," Briseis answers, watching Karin. "There have been those-- I would have said the same of. Recent events have made me think differently." Karin regards the other woman thoughtfully for a while. "Who disappointed you so much that you changed your entire opinion of them?" A raven brow quirks with curiousity at Briseis. "I have seen -- a reckless thirst for vengeance. And violence," Briseis answers quietly. "Uncaring." A pause, and then she lifts her chin just slightly. "I know that Haquien chose death rather than fall to it. And I know that if there is anyone's judgment who I-- trusted. It was his." "Yes. Yes, I valued his opinion very well, too." Karin tilts her raven head in agreement with the other. "If Myriad hasn't died then he must be brought to justice. I hope the Jedi have more luck catching that monster and his kin than they have until now." Briseis nods several times and is, for a moment, silent and still, her expression lost to dim thought. Karin reaches out a hand to squeeze the other's shoulder in comfort, should she allow. Then her gaze flicks to the side. "I must be going now, or I will be late for a meet. Take care, now, Briseis." Briseis nods quickly, glancing toward Karin before she goes to quickly interrupt, "Have you met his family, at all?" Karin pauses and lets her hand fall, slowly shaking her head. "I never met any of his family, no. Funny, though. We weren't that close, but you should think that he would have mentioned them. He never did." Her brow crinkles in thought. "Did you?" "No," Briseis answers with a short shake of her head. "They did not-- approve, I think, of many of his choices. I have been thinking of visiting them. To see if they would like to-- attend, whatever memorial is arranged." A brief pause as she watches Karin, and then she shares, "They live on Paxo. His father is employed by Incom." "Visit them, on Paxo?" Karin shakes her head at Briseis. "That is hardly wise. You should meet on neutral ground, if anything. But if you are determined to go to Paxin anyway I can travel with you, if you want. I know a few ways into the city that may run beneath the government's radar." Briseis rubs her hand across her brow, frowning. "I know," she answers with a brief shake of her head. "It would be an intensely stupid decision. I just--" Her hand drops to scrub across her mouth and then swing free at her side. "I dislike the idea of informing them by message. His sister, at least-- They should know." Her gaze lifts to Karin, entreating. "He died a hero. They should know." "They should know," the lady agrees. "We can take my Torrent to a landing site outside of Paxo city. The way inside is easy enough, getting out may prove a little harder. I can, perhaps, get my hands on some less than true identification. If it is really this important to you, I will try?" Briseis nods again, and there's a flicker of relief in her expression. "Thank you," she says. "I may also-- I know someone. I'll ask about identification as well. And I should speak to the Jedi, properly, about what should be done--" A brief pause and then she adds with firm conviction, "And to Moff Tarkin. State funeral or no, he deserves some recognition. Restoration of his rank, maybe." "Again, I could not agree more. I must leave, now, unfortunately, but as soon as I find out about papers for the two of us I will contact you again. May the Force be with you, Briseis." And with that, and a nod, Karin turns to leave for the auditorium. Briseis nods in reply, her gaze lingering on Karin's departing form for some time before she stirs to turn to her own tasks of the day.
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