The Jedi Civil War (Book 3)

[Akirapryde]

Meetings & Secrets
Republic Senate Building
Coruscant, Galactic Republic

The past weeks have been one trial after another as Nabrina continued her search for the elusive Shadow Stalkers. Her personal quest along with her duties of being Senator has started to take there toll on her as she looked up with disappointment in her heart. "Thanking for taking the time to see me Senator Delishta. I am sorry that this had been a waste of your time" Nabrina said softly as she slowly rose from her chair.

Being used to freshman Senators seeking advice, opinions or information has become par for the course for her career. Senator Delishta nodded her head slowly, "think nothing of it child." The seasoned Senator said with a smile across her weathered face while she too slowly took to her feet. "Like you, I too had heard the rumors of these Shadow Stalkers for some time. Just like you I have not been able to either prove or disprove their existence in any fashion." She turned her head to look out the large bay windows with a slight frown, “It would appear we are in for more rain tonight.” Commenting on the dark clouds growing on the horizon then turning her gaze back to the freshman Twi'lek Senator.

Nabrina looked out over the clouds, “Rain should be seen as a gift. We believe that the rain washes away our pain, suffering and offers promise for a better tomorrow. Rain is something that Coruscant has needed for such a long time.” She nodded softly returning to the issue at hand, then politely shook hands with one of the oldest members of the Republic Senate. "But about these Shadow Stalkers, I have talked with so many members of the Senate, members of the military command and even those from the Jedi Order. It seems that so many have heard rumors and stories of them. No one seems to have any hard factual information on them." She half turned and look down as a thought crossed her mind, "In times such as these, wouldn't that be cause for alarm?" She turned her eyes to Delishta as she continued to entertain the thought. 'How could a paramilitary group such as them exist and operate without anyone knowing about it?'

Delishta frowned at the comment, "Child I know you are new to the senate so I am going to give you some advice.” She said softly walking from behind her desk, only stopping when she was right in front of Nabrina, “I have seen this many times before. Chasing phantoms and ghosts can cause one to over look their own duties to the people who elected them." While she has answered questions like this before from so many just like Nabrina, but this young freshman Senator had something that they all lacked. She possessed determination of the heart. She looked in to Nabrina's youthful eyes and saw something that laid just below the current disappointment. Nabrina would not stop till she found what she was seeking, despite the cost. 'I must stop her before she throws her own life away' Delishta thought then smiled once more, "Tomorrow we have that big debate over the Narrows Bill. Would you like me to help go over the under lining changes with you tonight?" Delishta added hoping to win the young Senator's support for her war funding bill and at the same time, keeping her from harms way.

Shaking her head softly while she started to put her things back in her shoulder bag, "I am honored that you would offer your time. However I have a meeting with Senator Marisula tonight." She said softly then added, “You have already given me more then enough of your valuable time.” She and her aides had already gone over the bill three times and knew all there was to know about it, to know it had to be stopped. She felt deep in her heart that this war had to be stopped before it ripped the Republic apart at the seams.

'Senator Marisula sits on the Budget and Appropriations Committee' Delishta thought carefully. She knew that Marisula had asked questions before regarding certain budget issue regarding the war. And more than once he had raise concerns regarding missing supply shipments. This did not bode well for Delishta or her 'friends'. "hopefully you will not bore him with questions regarding these Shadow Stalkers” she said laughing off the meeting while hiding her own concerns.

Nabrina laughed, "oh no." She attempted to lie and Delishta caught it as the words crossed Nabrina's lips, "there were issues in the up coming budget that I wanted to address with him regarding taxes of my people." She hoped her lie had held up though she had no idea that Delishta knew she was lying. Nabrina smiled as she picked up her shoulder bag and tossed it over her shoulder then nodded, "I shall not keep you any further Senator. Thank you again for your time in meeting me." She said then continued her turn and slowly walked out of the office.

Once more another meeting that had gotten her no where. She heard the door close behind her as she turned and walked down the hall to the lift. Waiting at the lift already was a Rodian messenger holding a small package. She walked up and stood on the other side of the hallway of him. Something deep down in her heart warned her to use caution. She didn't make eye contract with him as she let her gaze fall upon a sculpture displayed in a small alcove next to the lift landing. She heard him great her friendly, she simply nodded, “Good day” was her flatly reply. It was a Rodian who had first enslaved her and her family. He had taken pride in selling her on the market. Nabrina drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. 'That was a life time ago' she thought trying to release her fears of this simple messenger.

She forced her thoughts on her task, she had been spending a great deal of time meeting with Senators, Contacts and Jedi alike. Some have heard of the Shadow Stalkers while most had not heard anything about them at all. Not one person ever found any trace that they even existed. This simple fact only drove her forward. She believed Ubaah and his friends had told her. They gave her a wealth of information to work with. He knows they exist so she has to find proof of it. However now that the quest has started, she finds herself personally wanted to know the truth about them and if they had any link in the assassination of her friend and predecessor. She owed Ubaah at least that much. She owed her people that much.

She heard the chime of the lift and followed the Rodian in to the lift. He moved to the back of the lift and nodded at her with a soft smile on his short little mouth. He motioned for her to follow but she only nodded back and turned once she entered the lift and faced the doors. Her mind was completely else where trying to figure out what her steps will be in her next meeting. She knew that Senator Marisula had some information for her. It was him who had asked for the meeting. He said he had something of the 'Gravest of Importance' to show her. She had to get home and change before the dinner meeting. It was going to be a long night and she already knew it.

Delishta watched the young Twi'lik Senator walk out of the office while she leaned on her desk. It was only when the door close did she let her smile fade in to a frown. She slid up off the desk and walked back around the desk. Once more taking her seat back in her chair she let out a long slow breath of disappointment. Leaning over to the side she opened the middle drawer as far as it would open. Reaching her arm up and behind the drawer almost caused her to nearly slip from her chair. She carefully pulled out a hololink that had been secured to the backside of the drawer. Setting it carefully in the middle of her desk directing in front of her, she reached down her blouse and pulled out a small locket.

Opening it she looked at the two holo images of her grand children. She smiled as she gazed at them. They were so young and had such promise for the future. It was because of them, that she did everything she did. She had to ensure a future for them. She took a breath and flipped one of the images over and retrieved a small datacard from the locket. She closed the locket and let it dangle freely while she picked up the hololink. Flipping it over she removed a small cover that hid the energy cell. There next to the cell was a small slit that was just big enough for the small card. She slid the card in very carefully then she returned the cover back to its place. Next she flipped the link back up right as she activated it. Within a moment a ghostly blue image of a woman appeared. Delishta knew her handler all too well as they had worked together for nearly a quarter of a century. It was a sad case of business but she knew what had to be done now. "We have a serous problem" Delishta said coldly.

Walking from the lift, he watched her closely making her way to her airspeeder. He slowly walked next to the wall with his package to avoid drawing unwanted attention to himself. Despite his eyes being fixed straight ahead, he was paying very close attention to what she was doing. As she walked up to her speeder he took noticed that her driver/bodyguard was not waiting to depart like normally. He turned skillfully and silently in to a small alcove and took a knee as to inspect his boot. Focusing his sight on what she was saying he could see her lips move as she formed words. For a Twi'lek she was very attractive which made this job that much more enjoyable.

From her lips and those of her driver, he could tell that he was being pulled for the night on some other assignment. Her driver was offering to get her a new bodyguard or that she should cancel her plans tonight. She dismissed both suggestions as he knew she would. Her driver attempted to argue but she only waved off his fears and concerns. He knew that she would not fear for her life, he knew that she would no care of what reports stated who was still after her. It was because of these reason why she would make such an easy target. He shook his head as he pulled up his comlink and activated it. He spoke in code letting the others know what was going on and that tonight would be the best opportunity to make a move on her. He didn't wait to hear a reply as he turned off his comlink. He slowly got up turned to leave the area. He would catch back up with her once she left the building. He had all the time in the world to do what needed to be done, she was not going anywhere anytime soon.

Just as he had planned, he went and got his speeder bike and waited for her to leave the Senate Building. She was so predictable in her movements and this made her very vulnerable. The traffic was light so he had to follow her from a slightly greater distance than normally he would. In the end he followed her right to her home and sped off to his preach where he could keep better eyes on her. From a nearby building he had a perfect view of her entire apartment. From there he had already spent many days watching her and getting her routine down to a science. It was a persons normal routine which could end up in life or death in his business. Learning what a person would do at what times was just as important as learning about their security. It wasn't hard but it was time consuming, and it made all the difference in the world for those like him.

From his little preach he was able to see her walk in to the apartment and enjoy a conversation with her aide and friends. He thought it was odd that she would have a Bothan as an aide as well. But she was not your normal everyday Twi'lek Senator either. That was his draw to her. As the rest of her day went on, he watched her meeting with a few Twi'leks about slave trade and them coming up with some list of slaves that should be freed. She was one of those persons who were visionaries. They never placed their own safety about the needs of others. He nodded as he watched her conclude her meeting, “Tonight, death will be coming for you young Nabrina.”

From his advantage point he was able to watch her go about her normal routines as if everything was going normal. However, there was no way for her to know that tonight her life was going to change drastically. As her day wind down, he could see the drain it had on her. She was spent, and yet still she had her diner plans and a date with destiny. He watched her while she walked in to her own bedroom and tossed her coat over to a chair. He smiled as her flop backwards on her bed and lay there for a moment. He couldn't help wondered what it would feel like to lay there next to her. To hold her in his arms. Sadly it will be something that he will never be able to enjoy. Their orders were clear and that had nothing to do with them. He heard that toll tail buzzing sound which told him that he was getting a call on his comlink.

“Yes, what do you have for me” he said in to the link while he continued to watch her rolling over and picking up something from the nightstand.

He knew the voice on the other end of the link, “Tonight is going to be the night. After dinner most likely.”

“I understand” he replied softly as he watched her digging in the nightstand from something. After finding what she was looking for, she rolled back over to her back and gazed up at it, “I will remain here and watch her.”

“We all think you are going too attached. Remember this is just like any other job. Maybe someone else should fallow her from now on.”

“No, I'm cool, I know she is just another mark.” he paused as he zoomed in trying to see what she was looking at. He could tell it was a holoimage of a Twi'lek woman. He also could tell that she was crying as she was looking at the image. “Don't worry, I will take care of her when the time comes” he said coldly.

“That is not what we're worried about. Don't get sloppy!” on that the link went dead.

He continued to watch her as she pulled the image down to her breast and held it tightly. Her tears were washing down the sides of her face. He repositioned himself so he was more comfortable while he watched her laying on her bed crying. He set the link down and replaced it for a canister of water. Slowly he took a drink while as he tuned in the bugs he had planted in her room some time before. He could hear her talking to herself. She thought she was alone, but he was there with her. Hearing her every word, and seeing her every movement. It was if he was standing there right next to her looking down upon her. “Don't worry, soon your pains will be gone” he said softly as he just set there watching and listening to her.