Capricia...




Vinda's bodyguard had not shifted from his vigil, keeping ever vigilant for signs of recovery, he'd been a permanent fixture in the room, brooding impassively as the walls themselves.

His gaze unwavering.


Until now.


Achinta smiled and looked down at Scipio, and felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders, the relief must have showed, as she grinned back at him.

A wealth of understanding between the two passing silently with only a simple look.


He slid his hand over hers and felt her pulse strengthen, the warmth of her touch...

As the word spread, overjoyed, the rest of the family began to pour in, but the bodyguard still did not shift his gaze...


Achinta had never felt more part of a family than now, and it stirred within him feelings he never knew even existed, he gave her hand an affectionate squeeze, and grinned back , and then gestured with a nod of his head...

"Welcome back Scipio..."


He said to her over the excited chatter...


"...we've been waiting" and with that, he reached down and kissed her forehead softly.

Bonadan...





"I am sorry Natalya, that I was not there for you, I cannot begin to know how that must have felt"

The holographic visage of her Mother flickered slightly as she spoke, Nat broke away from the figure's gaze and found herself looking down at the floor, suddenly feeling very exposed...

"The very fact I am here talking to you now, indicates that Sal" Her Mother stopped, smiled a little and corrected herself "Salazar, was successful, which I always knew he would be..."

Nat glanced up sensing her Mother's hologram had trailed off slightly, and despite being merely a holographical representation , Nat could see something held within her eyes...

"I created this Holocron to help you, as best as I could, for I knew my time was limited.."

Nat stared at the figure intently as she spoke, and as its words sunk in, she realised their significance...


....She knew?...

...How?...


Nat's expression betrayed her thoughts, and her Mother nodded as she spoke...

"I knew I would not live to see you grow up Natalya and it broke my heart. I had a premonition from the Force, but despite this I did not know how or when exactly it would happen, all I knew was that I had been given the grace to prepare, which I did as best I could, such as it is"

The woman tilted her head to one side as her eyes searched Natalya's , and a sudden sense of sadness emanated from within them...

"My Daughter, you are even more beautiful than in my dreams" The visage smiled kindly...

"Stand up and let me take a look at you" It asked suddenly , the smile broadening...

Feeling slightly embarrassed Nat stood up gingerly and felt somewhat under-dressed...

"If I had known I was going to meet you, I would have dressed for the occasion" Nat started , awkwardly brushing aside a strand of loose, towel-dried hair away from her face, as she watched the hologram look at her...

"A sense of humour too..." A flicker of amusement spread across her Mother's face...

"I see a lot of your Father in you.." She continued, and then the smile faded a little... "That's not necessarily a good thing" She added, causing Nat to let slip a nervous snort of laughter..

"I take it, from that response, you already know your Father is Seth Vinda, Natalya" Her Mother asked, with a wry smile...

Nat nodded slowly and replied "I figured it out, eventually"

"Good. This saves a lot of time" Her Mother said quietly, "For I did not know what Kalatan would have told you"

The figure's expression grew serious... "I am also sorry you would have had to bear the brunt of his hatred for your Father, Natalya..."

Nat's response was barely audible in the quiet chamber, a whisper...

"It was....difficult"

Her Mother smiled sympathetically , and nodded, her expression wistful, "Know that if I could have changed things so you and I could be together in person, I would have done so. I want you to know that whatever happens, you are my daughter, and I will always love you Natalya, as your Father does also.."

A rueful expression crept across Nat's face as she spoke in response "I'm not so sure of that, he's very stubborn you know"

The visage rolled its eyes and chuckled...

"My child, you have no idea..." She said playfully , and then added "Give him a chance Natalya, you both need each other, now more than ever"

Natalya looked up towards her Mother's hologram at this remark, and saw the seriousness within her gaze...

It nodded as it spoke...

"I know you will become a strong and powerful Jedi, Natalya, but time is against us, and you have much to learn.."

As Nat listened, she knew her Mother had foreseen much more than what she was letting on. Her fateful encounter with Ishara, her journey to Brion, Sal's guidance, had all led her to this point, and she knew deep down what she wanted.

Her Mother's words rang true, not because of some prophetic vision made years before she was even born, but simply because Natalya already knew deep down, in the very fibre of her being, what she wanted to be...


Jedi.



It was almost as if everything had converged to this point, and for the first time, Nat felt a clear direction.

The visage smiled, as if sensing this somehow...

"I will help you as best I can Natalya, but as you can guess my responses are limited. You must seek out someone who can teach you properly. You must seek out a Jedi Master, a woman whom I foresaw would complete your training..."

Natalya's eyes widened as she listened to the visage speak...


"You must seek out Leia Organa Solo"













Early evening...






Sipping a fresh cup of Caf, Natalya sat outside on her balcony watching the busy Bonadan traffic come and go against the amber haze of the setting sun. The silhouetted high rise buildings seemed to pierce the sky like jagged black fangs.
Nat gazed absently into the sunset, narrowing her eyes a little in reaction. Her mind felt like it had reached its bursting point with everything she had learned, she had needed this time to digest everything the Holocron had told her.

There was a soft chime inside, the door alert, and Natalya knew who it was without even having to look.

"Its open" She answered softly...and eventually the figure of Vinda emerged from the large plexi-glass doorway leading to the Balcony.

"I came to apologise for earlier, its been a trying few days..." Came the rather gruff voice of her Father.

Nat nodded slowly and took a small sip from her Caf, and smiled affectionately "apology accepted, and I am sorry too, I should have been more responsible" and then motioned with her hand at the table and chairs beside her..

"Take a seat"

As if sensing something different about her, Vinda seemed to take a moment to study Nat carefully before sitting down beside his daughter.

"I knew it was you" Nat said eventually, her voice calm and direct, as she turned her head to fix him with a purposeful gaze of her own.

"Its not a big surprise I guess after everything thats happened" Vinda returned glibly, his eyes meeting hers.

Nat gave a wry smile and looked down for a moment before speaking "Thats not what I meant" And looked back at him pointedly "And you know it"

Vinda narrowed his eyes at this and leaned back into his chair, perhaps sensing what was coming...Natalya looked down into her cup, and seemed to lose herself in the brown and white swirls of her drink and began speaking...

"I first realised I had abilities that others didn't when I was eleven. Until then I had either simply not understood I was any different, or had attributed anything strange to one off flukes. I was sent to a CSA training facility by Kalatan, and we were put through many tests, but it wasn't until I got into a fight with one of the girls in my dormitory that I learnt I had something the others didn't..."

Vinda sat quietly, listening intently...

"She had been on my case since I started, and I had simply had enough, we started arguing and before I knew what was happening I had sent the girl flying into a wall on the other side of the room, it shocked me, and the others..."

Nat's smile was rueful "On the plus side, they did leave me alone after that..."

This raised the hint of a smirk from the otherwise impassive Vinda...

Natalya continued..."The Force is strong in me, I know it, you know it, and my Mother knew it.."

The Vinda-Corp figurehead blinked , frowning slightly at this remark...

"I want to learn to how to use it, be trained properly" Nat took another sip from her cup, and then looked up to see the look of disapproval upon her Father's face...

"I want to be a Jedi"

Vinda, looked down and sighed "Natalya I thought we discussed this, I don't want you to be a Jedi, its too dangerous, I don't want you to end up like.." he stopped abruptly, as if suddenly realising he'd just gone down a one way street backwards...

"Like Salazar" Nat finished his words for him, and he looked up at her in genuine surprise, a small part of her rejoiced at finally rippling the businessman's usually unflappable exterior...

She smiled "Yes, I know" she said, and slowly arose from her chair, speaking softly as her eyes watched the sun slide lower..

"I felt it"

"Then you know exactly why I don't want you to end up like him" Vinda's recovery and response was swift...

Nat smiled to herself and turned back to face him...

"I have made up my mind, Dad" She started, her tone almost serene..."but she told me you'd be against it"

Vinda looked up at his daughter blankly.. "She?...Who?..." He started as he watched Natalya leave the balcony and enter the apartment...

By the time Nat returned with what she had gone to fetch, Vinda was already out of his chair, looking both angry and more than slightly confused...

Natalya held out the Holocron to her father and watched in amusement as a look of faint foreboding crept across his face...

"Mum told me to give you this"

Vinda simply stared at his daughter dumbfounded, and that small part of her rejoiced triumphantly once more.

Enter, the Noble House


The man leaned on his walking stick, his fingers caressing its covering diadem, as he waited for a secretary named Zara to inform him as to the availability of a one Mr. Seth Vinda.


"Who shall I tell him is calling?" the secretary asked and the man smiled.


"Mr. Stettin, Visician of the Noble House, Capricia."


The secretary frowned at her lack of recognition of the name but Caprician titles were confusing anyway.


As she looked to her terminal facing away from Mr. Stettin, her eyes narrowed as if reading something that had just popped up.


"Mr. Vinda indicated that he does not have much time but he does have a few moments to see you."


The man bowed in gratitude and allowed himself to be led into the rather large chamber that was Mr. Vinda's office.


"Mr. Stettin," Vinda started without preamble, evidently busy preparing himself for the next round of tactical meetings with the Imperials, "I do

not have much time, so if you'll be brief, I should be able accomodate you needs whatever they may be.."


Mr. Vinda's voice trailed off and Mr. Stettin smiled while glancing around at the various choices of seating he could select, "How generous of you. Even though you've not heard what my needs may be, you are prepared to be accomodating. Brave, if a bit foolish."


Before Mr. Vinda could respond, Mr. Stettin held his hand up. "I realize that I am taking your words literally where you were only trying to be polite to a complete stranger."


That seemed to take the fire out of what was building up to be an annoying rejoiner from Mr. Vinda but the mogul was still annoyed. If the man had not been rather exceedingly polite in his tone and mannerisms, he might have still had the man dismissed. In any event, he still might.


"Mr. Vinda."


Stettin paused. How does one begin to describe the type of life one has led? How does he convey the necessity of what he has been doing all these years in the framework of this simple meeting? To a complete stranger?


How could he make this man understand?


Stettin decided that the simple approach would be best and so, after being seated, he started. "Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would push heaven and hell to get it? It did would not matter if you knew how to use it, liked using it, or enjoyed having it... but, simply, the mere wanting was reason enough to go lightspeed, full steam ahead, and take it?"


It was perhaps a strange beginning and the man smiled disarmingly, acknowledging that fact. "You do not know me. In fact, you can have me thrown out of your office whenever you feel the need to do so. I will not be angry with you. Disappointed, maybe, but not angry."


"The stakes are, of course, the highest stakes one can bet upon. I would not dare disturb your very valuable time with anything less. Your accomplishments, namely, this Commonwealth, Your legacy, namely, your daughter and your soul, namely, what you would or would not do to protect the first two.


I know this sounds very strange and very ambiguous and I do apologize for this. But I have been the cautious type my entire life and I really do

not wish to change that aspect of my personality this late in my life. I beg of you to bear with me for a tiny bit and, after what I've said, you want nothing to do with me, I assure you, you will not see me again.


I can see from your expression that my remarks so far seem quaint, eccentric perhaps, and are not really all that moving to you personally for I am an unknown and you are secure in your position, in your wealth and, also, you may feel, in your future.


Perhaps I seem as a salesman to you and, if so, I assure you, I am quite an unaccomplished one. I detest the act of trying to convince another to purchase something they never knew they needed until they meet a salesman.


I am not prepared (as yet) to offer you anything. But, if I did make an offer, it would not be to offer you something you were not already giving yourself.


Unfortunately, it is not peace of mind. Believe me when I say that I do wish I could offer that. But, hopefully, ...hopefully, what I can offer, should I offer, can be of benefit to you in the form of experience.


For you see, Sir, I am dying and I do not have much time. And while you may express your condolences for my condition, it is ultimately of no real
relevance to you."


Mr. Stettin smiled, "However, I can assure you that it is of the utmost relevance to me."


The visitor fell silent taking stock in the adornments of the office. He noticed a plaque reflecting a single overhead light dedicated to that piece. It was a starship dedication plaque. It was dented and scored but the name was unmistakable: Nostromo


"Your finest hour," Stettin remarked, pointing to the plaque.


"Perhaps it is fitting, then, to ask you, in light of your coming meeting with the Imperials of how best to destroy your enemies, just how far will you go with Belgardi Universal?"


The man leaned forward on his cane, "The Empire wants to glass the planet and these men wish to illicit your aid in doing so. My question to you, sir, is... what will you do?"


It was a different question that the one asked before on the surface. But, when the earlier words spilled across Mr. Vinda's memory, he realized they were not all that different.


Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would push heaven and hell to get it? It did would not matter if you knew how to use it, liked using it, or enjoyed having it... but, simply, the mere wanting was reason enough to go lightspeed, full steam ahead, and take it?

Mr Vinda's private office...





Vinda stared distractedly out from one of the massive windows within his office, lost in deep thought.

He was supposed to be getting ready for another round of meetings with his Imperial guests, but was finding it hard to focus.

The corporate mogul realised in a brief moment of awareness he had lost all track of time, and upon reflection found he could not gauge just how long he had been standing at the window like this

It was no surprise. After all, talking with someone you loved, who died many years ago would probably have the same effect on anybody.

A maelstrom of emotions simmered beneath the surface, many he had thought long forgotten , or perhaps closer to the truth, had purposefully forgotten, selective amnesia perhaps. The subtle traces of a smile flickered across his lips at this thought.

The mind had a marvelous capacity to deceive itself.


He took a sip of brandy from a square glass, he was holding in his right hand and found his thoughts once again drifting to the night before...














"You don't know how good it is to see you Seth"

Vinda looked up at the visage but said nothing, concentrating his gaze upon the figure before him.

"I always knew you'd age well" She said as she walked around him, studying his appearance.

Vinda remained quiet, and typically impassive.


Natalya Severina stopped and tilted her head as she spoke...

"After all this time you have nothing to say to me?" She said curious, with a wry smile

"I'm having... difficulty finding the right words" Came the businessman's somewhat cautious response, to which Natalya laughed...

"Am I to understand , I have rendered the great Vinda , speechless?" She mused , clearly enjoying the moment..

"This I find hard to believe" She added playfully.

Her face grew sad, as she looked upon him.

"You really have nothing to say to me, Seth?" She asked, the sound of disappointment held within her voice... "after all these years?"

The question hung in the air , expectant, hopeful, but seemingly unable to bridge the space between the pair from across the room, let alone the best part of twenty years...

"I do have one question" He said eventually, his tone, business-like...

Natalya looked up, brightening up a little...

"Oh?"

The businessman seemed to take a moment to gather himself before speaking...

"What the HELL are you thinking!" He bellowed...

The figure blinked at the outburst...

"Twenty years!, TWENTY YEARS! And now THIS?" He continued angrily...

Natalya stiffened slightly as she listened to the tirade...

"After you get yourself caught by Aramaya, I am left, hanging , not knowing where the hell you were, wondering whether or not you were even alive, and when I do finally get you back , I lose you again!"

The corporate figurehead began to pace up and down the chamber as he vented his frustration...

"I move on with my life, putting you , and that lunatic behind me, and suddenly I find I have a daughter! Nineteen years, NINETEEN YEARS OLD! Thats nineteen years I can never get back! Why did you not tell me about her? why?"

Natalya opened her mouth to speak but Vinda cut her off before she could answer...

"We finally get some kind of relationship going, and now I find out both you and your jedi-idiot Salazar, are putting ideas into her head about becoming a Jedi herself , are you crazy? after everything thats happened, after all that poor girl's been through! Don't you think she's been through enough!"

The hologram stared at him and nodded as she replied...

"I know you're angry Seth but-- Vinda however interrupted her again "you're damned right I'm angry! Its bad enough I lost YOU! but now I have to face losing her! I can't do it, its reckless and irresponsible"

He stepped forward, jabbing his finger at the visage, as he fumed...

"You and I both know what dangers there are out there for someone like her! Do you know she's already been attacked by a Sith! Already! and she hasn't even been bloody trained yet! And you want to put her into the middle of all of that!"

Vinda continued pacing back and forth angrily...

"For what? a pointless 'war' both sides have been fighting since... only the gods know when!"

"No. I won't allow it!"

"Its not your decision" Came the Natalya's firm reply...

"You're damned wrong about that!" He threw straight back, visibly shaking with anger, and his eyes glowered at the holographic image standing before him...

Natalya's eyes met his gaze, and he broke away, as if in an effort to regain his composure...

She watched him reach into his pocket, retrieve his cigarra pouch and then pick one to smoke.

The hologram let slip a faint smile as it watched him place the cigarra into his mouth and light it, just catching the glint of the very worn chrome lighter he always carried.

She recognised it instantly.

It was then, she realised.

Natalya moved closer to the corporate mogul, her holographic visage shimmering next to him as he looked up.

"I'm sorry, Seth, its difficult for me to appreciate how hard this must be for you, for you both" Her voice was softer now and carried with it, understanding.

"Understand, that if I could change things so that the three of us could be together, I would. Believe me when I tell you I did not know what would happen, only that something would happen, and I was given only a small amount of time to prepare for it. I only learned I was pregnant shortly after my capture"

Vinda said nothing, but merely stared at the flickering image sullenly...

"You are wiser than this, Seth. You are a force user also, and you also know how dangerous the Sith can be, do you think it is fair for Natalya to be unprepared? " Vinda moved as if to reply but the hologram lifted her hand up to silence him for a moment... "Yes I know you feel you can protect her, and I am sure you could, for a while, but even you know, you cannot do so all of the time"

Vinda looked away into space at this, and Natalya continued...

"And it is precisely for this reason she must be allowed to start her training. You know as well as I do how strongly the Force flows through her, and in her heart she is good, she could do great things, but only if given the chance, she needs guidance"

The businessman sighed and took a long drag on his cigarra, as she continued...

"But most of all she needs you, Seth, she needs your support"

He turned to face her abruptly as he replied...

"She has it!"

"But not if she decides to be a Jedi?" Natalya returned sharply...

Vinda simply scowled at her in response, and Natalya continued unabated, sensing she was getting somewhere...

"I've only really known her for a day, if that, but even I can see she is just as stubborn as you are"

Vinda looked up somewhat taken aback, and opened his mouth to object, but was once again interrupted...

"What do you think will happen if you refuse to let her do what she has already clearly made her mind up on?"

Vinda knew the answer to this already, and cursed under his breath...

From the very first time they had met , he had never been able to win an argument with this woman.

Nor evidently, with a twenty odd year old hologram version of her.

His reaction did not go unnoticed from Natalya... "Exactly. All you would succeed in doing would be to alienate yourself from her further, and then the one thing that scares you the most would happen, you really would lose her"

Vinda looked up at her in surprise, and Natalya smiled affectionately as she gazed into the old man's eyes...

"Yes, I get it, you silly old fool" She said softly, and brushed a holographic finger across his lips.

In that moment, for a split second, he would have traded everything he owned for that touch to be real.

"I've...missed you" He said eventually, with a loud sigh.

"And I never could say no to you" he muttered grumpily, relenting with a rueful, and somewhat reluctant smile...


Natalya's however was playful and broad, and her reply along with it, simple...


"I know"












It was the comms buzzer that brought him from his thoughts and into the present, along with Zara's voice.

"A Mr....Stettin, a Physician of the Caprician Noble house is requesting to see you, he says it won't take long"

A puzzled expression crept across Vinda's face, both at the name and at the title...

"I have a few moments, send him in" He replied as he straightened his tunic, and took a final swig of his drink, before placing it upon the desk beside him.

He was in the process of gathering his things in time for the next meeting, when the visitor was shown into the office...

The Corporate mogul inclined his head in greeting as the visitor stood before him, "Mr Stettin, I do not have much time, so if you'll be brief, I should be able to accommodate your needs, whatever they may be"

Vinda watched as his visitor carefully selected his seat, and began to speak...


The corporate figurehead listened intently , somewhat taken aback at the stranger's directness and the more he spoke the more Vinda was beginning to think he was in the company of someone very peculiar indeed.

The man had even pre-empted his objections before he could make them, but something held within the man's eyes told him he was sincere, and the corporate figurehead elected to remain silent, until the man had said his piece.

As it turned out, he had a great deal to say.

Vinda watched him closely, becoming more intrigued by the man with every passing moment, until he seemed to focus his attention upon Nostromo's dedication plaque...

"Your finest hour" Stettin said, gesturing with his cane...

"Perhaps it is fitting, then, to ask you, in light of your coming meeting with the Imperials of how best to destroy your enemies, just how far will you go with Belgardi universal?"

Vinda stiffened at these remarks...

How in the hell did he know about...

Stettin continued....

"The Empire wants to glass the planet and these men wish to illicit your aid in doing so. My question to you, sir, is...what will you do?"


Vinda stared at the man cooly, very conscious of the fact that there was an apparent security leak, and his mind raced ahead at the implications...


"Mr Stettin" he started eventually, his mouth enunciating the stranger's name as if to burn it to memory...

"I must first congratulate you on your sources, I do not know how you have gotten hold of this information, but I would very much like to know how" He smiled faintly.

"However, seeing as you already do know, I suppose my refusing to talk any further about it would serve little purpose"

He reached forward and selected a cigarra from a cherry-wood humidor placed neatly upon his desk, and after careful consideration, selected an appropriate specimen , slowly cut the end off with his cutter, and placed it thoughtfully into his mouth.

"would you care for a Cigarra?" Vinda asked congenially, and turned the box around to face his strange , but yet evidently, well informed visitor, before lighting his own.

He directed his gaze back at the man sitting before him, taking a few long drawn out drags upon his cigarra as he did so...

If Stettin knew as much about people and their mannerisms, psychologically speaking, as much as he seemed to about Commonwealth affairs, he would have gained an idea already to the answer Vinda had in mind.


Vinda was a pragmatist.


Often overlooked, the reverential treatment given to his almost ritualised form of cigarra smoking he seemed to take great pleasure in, served a greater purpose than just mere enjoyment, and it had been put to great use throughout Vinda's life, whether in the boardroom, or in the middle of a conflict. A deceptively simple, yet very effective trick he had adopted long ago.

It bought him time.

Time to consider his options, weigh them up, and formulate a response, without rippling the surface, or giving anything else away, although it only gained him a short amount, for a man like Vinda, that was all that was needed.

The corporate man blew a plume of blue smoke in front of him as he spoke.

"To answer your question, Mr Stettin. I would ensure that those who mean to do us harm, would be a threat no longer, and if that means the permanent removal of Belgardi...

...so be it"

He leant back into his chair, and took another drag from his cigarra as he waited for the man to respond.


Pragmatism.

"To answer your question, Mr Stettin. I would ensure that those who mean to do us harm, would be a threat no longer, and if that means the permanent removal of Belgardi...

...so be it"



The Visician raised an eyebrow at the undertone of vehemence in Vinda's voice.


"How very mercenary," he simply commented.


He sat there for a moment as if at a loss for words until he smiled and reached out, "I believe I will have one, thank you."

Stettin took the cigarra and, following Mr. Vinda's example, took his time in unwrapping and lighting it. "I find that, when I am beset by many pressures and I am emotionally running ragged, it is good to simply step back, hesitate and assess. The simple pleasure of waiting sometimes carries it's own reward.." his voice trailed off as he began to savor the flavor of the very expensive cigarra.

"Ahh... excellent. Excellent, indeed."

Mr. Stettin sait down leaving the Corporate Mogul to remain standing and in the dominant position if he so desired, "You do have good taste, Mr. Vinda. Good taste, a good company, good friends, a good goal with this grand Commonwealth, dare I say, a good daughter?"

"I can see your suspicions rise every time I make a comment about something I probably should not know but, for the moment, I beg, let's assume I do know and that after this meeting is over, I will let you know how I can accomplish this. Please, I beg of you, relax. I am not out to do you or you loved ones ill."

Mr. Stettin became a little more serious, "But I am after the truth. However, if you desire to lie to me, you only do yourself a disservice."

"In any event, back to the subject at hand. As I said, you have good friends, family, company and Commonwealth. So, it stands to reason that you have a good heart as well, yes?"

As Mr. Stettin looked at his own clouds of blue smoke, he turned a questioning glance to Mr. Vinda, "So you would advocate the destruction of Pavo Prime just to get the few people who dealt treacherously with you?"

"Very practical of you."

"You must obviously realize that the Jedi would move against you then, yes? So it would only make sense to isolate and contain their threat so you can carry out your very practical plan of ridding the galaxy of Belgardi, yes? It also makes sense that some Jedi would resist such efforts so..."

The Visician's voice trailed off.

"The practical thing to do with the Jedi would be to eliminate them, yes?

And what would that do to your budding relationship with your daughter?"


"Please do not think that I say these things to upset you, but to merely illustrate how practical actions, for practicality's sake alone, can come back on you.


The Empire callously crushes any dissenting voice because it is the practical thing to do. They will destroy a world to snuff out a few militants because it is the practical thing to do.


And since you are the linchpin of the Commonwealth, the public face of everything this Commonwealth is trying to achieve, stand for and, yes, protect, governments are looking at you wondering: What sort of Commonwealth are you building?


Did you destroy the Corporate Sector Authority because they were evil or because they had hurt you? Because you had a personal vendetta to settle? Are you going after the destruction of Pavo Prime because a few people at a company located on the world hurt you? Or because that world truly represents evil?


You have personal courage. This I have seen. You will put yourself in mortal danger, even sacrifice yourself on behalf of those you consider your friends and please know, the Capricians will be just as loyal to you. Even to their own destruction because that is who they are.


But you are also a man in pain and others can discern this. Your outrage at the terrorist attacks is no secret. You are angry and you want to strike back and with such devestation that no other terrorist group would think to attack Commonwealth or Vinda Corporation installations again.


The Imperials awe you, treat with you and yet push you towards total the obliteration of a world. The Imperials do not need due process or even proof to launch such an attack. They've done it before and will probably continue to do so.


So, what makes Pavo Prime so different? What prevents the Empire from simply sending their own warships and fleets to attack Pavo Prime and Belgardi and be done with it? Is this corporation such a nemesis that the Galactic Empire must run to meetings with other governments for support? Why do they need to come here and treat with you?"


Stettin smiled a self depreciating smile, "What makes you so important?"


"So their Supreme Commander comes in his flagship, no less, to visit you. The great Empire has put it's spotlight on you, brings up the pain that is still fresh in your memory, stirs up your anger, appeals to your sense of working together to get the bad guys, deigns to ask your opinion... to look to you..you for support and then subtly interjects a proposal that you are sure to approve."


The Visician leaned foward, "In all of this, have you ever asked yourself why?"


"What does the Empire gain from having the flag of the Commonwealth intertwined with that of the Empire in the destruction of Pavo Prime?


The Caprician Visician stops and looks at the cigarra in his hand. "This is truly a good cigarra."


As his questions (hopefully) penetrate the man that Vinda Corporation is named after, Stettin rotates the cigarra slowly in his hand.


"Perhaps the Empire wishes to isolate you from the Coalition, the Jedi and their ilk?


And, perhaps, you will simply go along with it."


The older man declared darkly, "For you do want to destroy Belgardi badly and because you want this to happen, how far are you willing to go to get it?


Or, to put it another way, how much are you willing to sacrifice to get it?


Your good taste?

Your good company?

Your good friends?

Your good family?

Your good heart?

The good of the Commonwealth?"

"How very mercenary of you"


Vinda did not react to the comment, after all, he'd heard worse, but simply watched intently as Stettin reached for a cigarra himself, following his own ritual.


He smiled inwardly, recognising the display for what it was.


It was at this point his fascination at the man seated before him grew even more.


Who was this person? but perhaps more to the point, what were his motives?...

At one point, the corporate man had the distinct impression he was being mocked, but he pushed his annoyance away, wondering where this was all heading.

He listened as the man spoke further, becoming more and more alarmed at Stettin's words, and as his visitor finished Vinda suddenly found himself admiring the man.

There was a moments silence as the corporate mogul took a deep drag , and began to chuckle, clapping his hands together as he replied..

"Bravo, Mr Stettin, very good, I have to admit, you certainly know how to illustrate a point"

He grinned , and let loose a plume of smoke swirling upwards...

"But you have made many assumptions, and perhaps you misunderstood me"

The businessman walked back around to his desk and sat back down into his chair, the leather creaking a little as he leaned back into it.

"I have no intention of glassing Pavo-prime, nor being a party to it, and I do not believe wiping out an entire planet full of people for the sins of a few is the right thing to do, nor would it get us anywhere, especially after seeing some of the intelligence the Empire itself has provided"

He paused to take another toke on his cigarra and flicked the ash into a small black ashtray settled upon his desk as he continued...

"Since we are speaking candidly, my personal preference would be to act as an intermediary factor, between those on Pavo-prime, and the Empire itself, I am hoping I can convince our Imperial guests that it can be turned around, in short, I would be pushing for Pavo-prime to become part of the Commonwealth, it already has sufficient industry and infrastructure in place, and I am sure I can convince the Imperials it could be put to good use, for mutual benefit all round."

He stopped and smiled faintly... "Though, of course this is not guaranteed by any means, the Empire will do whatever it wants, I can only agree or disagree. I hope the innocent people on Pavo-prime will not come to harm, and it will probably come down to us to ensure they do not"

Vinda leaned forward and met Stettin's gaze..."But make no mistake Mr Stettin, I want Belgardi, his position has been made clear, and I want to know who is behind these attacks, and I believe he will be able to shed some light on this"

He took another long drag , his expression thoughtful...

"I am well aware of the company I keep at this moment in time, The Empire will try its best to , conjole, undermine, and coerce to ensure its interests are met, of that I am under no illusions"

He stubbed the remainder of his cigarra out , and studied the man seated before him for a moment before speaking...

"As for the Jedi, perhaps that is down to the people of the Commonwealth to decide, I am wary of us heading down the same path the New Republic found itself, I am not anxious to return to the days of civil war, it is my firm hope that we can tackle the issue of force sensitives within the Commonwealth more responsibly"

He looked up at his seated visitor and smiled slightly...

"Does that answer your questions, Mr Stettin?"

Bonadan



Stettin smiled at Mr. Vinda's rather pointed question and nodded. "I do not expect you to be a perfect man, Mr. Vinda. But, I do expect a certain amount of substance behind the ideals you support in public. It is important because if you are to see your people through the bad times as well as the good, you cannot... you must not sell or barter away that substance.

That is what people will remember of you by. That is what people will love you for... and yes, at times, that may be what they will hate you for.

I know this well and it is a very important consideration to me personally.


So, then, why am I wasting your very precious time?


Now, let me tell you a story that will explain my presence and questioning of you. I beg of you to bear with me yet a little longer."


The Visician extinguished his cigarra in a portable recepticle and sighed. "Six million years ago, there was a world not unlike this one. On this world, the people's understanding of the universe, their understanding of themselves and their place in the galaxy were all starting to bud. Old beliefs being challenged by new discovery. It is a debate as old as time itself, morality verses reality, science verses religion and things of that nature. This world, unfortunately, suffered a plague that destroyed everything. It is not known if the plague was manufactured or natural but I have seen the records and they do not paint a pretty picture. These poor, desperate people came to the conclusion, after years of trying, that they could not defeat the plague and so put their remaining resources into a project.


When my people discovered this world and it's ruins, the records were very contradictory split between those that were against the very nature of this project and others that held it up as their last, best chance for survival.


We did not know, at first, what this project was and probably would not have known if not for our technology.


Believe it or not, for all our advancement, we had never heard of the Force. In our time, we called it the Nephys. There had always been people who had extraordinary abilities but we simply attributed these to flukes in nature. Awakened parts in our own genetic makeup.


And so, after several instances of adversaries employing superhuman powers, the government decided to create a new race of beings. We were already moving far ahead of the droids of today exploring the creation of artificial intelligence. At the time, still believing these people with superhuman powers were simply flukes of nature, we created our artificial race of beings we called Retainers. You've met one during the conflict with the Yuuzhan Vong, Hespante. His construction is like that of your hardlight project, if I was to compare him with anything of today. In any event, the Retainers were tasked with the care and teaching of our children. The thought was that if a child grew up with a certain respect for life...all life, they, even those with superhuman abilities would become productive members of society."

Stettin smiled, "Yes, we were on the far left in dealing with force sensitives, thinking that simply growing up in a well adjusted environment would solve the problem. And, at first, it did. The Retainers became an integral part of our society even holding office themselves and even leading those who were responsible for their own creation. As I said, we did not understand this Force and now, today, I see that dealing with force sensitives has moved all the way to the right of the spectrum. You deal with the force sensitiveness but not so much with the sensitive. You train and teach along a course designed to focus not only their powers but their mind which instills a sense of detachment. While I have personal misgivings about this approach, I cannot really judge for we failed just as miserably.


In any event, what we failed to take into account was the fact that despite our Retainers, we could not ensure every child had the best experiences growing up and, inevitably, some of those that slipped through the cracks were force users.


It was about this time that a Retainer was working on this dead world I mentioned in the beginning. Well, he died. Or, rather, he was killed and you can imagine the shock this had to our entire society.

It was unheard of for a Retainer to die much less be killed. How would one go about killing such a being?

To make a long story short, what we found was that this project of that dead world was centered around DNA acceleration. At least, that is what we called it. They basically thought to advance themselves towards the next step in their natural evoluation well ahead of time. They felt that in this advanced state, they would be able to contend with the plague or leave it behind.

It worked in that they escaped the plague and they became non-corporeal beings. But what did not advance was their thinking and, when they turned their attention to the interlopers on their dead world, they found the Retainer and felt threatened by him. And so they destroyed him.

So, imagine our society, beset by budding force users with abilities most in our society did not have and now attacked by a race of beings not unlike those supernatural written of in religious books.

How do you kill a supernatural being?

We attacked both problems simultaneously. We created the Solarians to deal with the Angelis and we created the Capricians to deal with the force-users.


The Solarians were beings like the Retainers but were more rigid in thought and more powerful in deeds. We created a race of intelligence beings to be our soldiers much in the same manner as some did with human clones in your time. The Capricians were a genetically engineered race designed to push the limits of human potential and were powerful telekinetics. They were designed without midichlorians and we felt this lack would serve them. We did not realize that the midichlorians were created by life and so, in creating the Capricians, we gave yet another vehicle for midichlorians to appear. "


Stettin eyes misted, "Do you know how long it takes for a highly advanced society to die, Mr. Vinda?

Let me assure you, not long. And I saw it die ember by ember, whole areas drowned out by war, brutality, and hate on a scale unimaginable. There was a saying that states that the higher the civilization, the less evidence of it's existence will remain.


And now, now there are only relics.


Everything my people were... everything they worked for ...everything that they were ...simply wiped away by time.


In the end, the Angelis attacks stopped but what were we to do with the Solarians? They began to supercede our own laws and enforce their own laws called Edicts. It further ripped us apart and the Capricians soon became a race within our grand society in it's decline. Noble House was the last project to be created and each Visician had their charge to look after, their portion of our society.


After all these eons, I am all that remain. I exist as a Simulacrum but I was once flesh and blood like you. It was not in us, after so grand a colossal failure, to compound it by copying the ambitions of those who became the Angelis. We did not seek to accelerate our own evolutionary advancement but we did work to change the nature of our existence for we desperately wanted to ensure that our people, our loved ones would have people toiling for their betterment even if in the shadows.


I was the leader of that society when it fell and I was Caprician. My portion to look after was Capricia.

And, after all this time, I am dying. The mechanism that has kept me alive after all these millenia must be reset. Perhaps, after a few million years, it too will fail but I find myself with a decision of passing away quietly and letting the technology fade away or to continue the project. Where do I look for a successor?

And so, I look to you, Mr. Vinda. While you are not Caprician, you do have a vested interest in the world. You are also branching into technology that is not so unlike my world at the time and you are truly trying to build something that will last. So, I wanted to take your measure before proposing this.


What this means for you is that were you to accept, the matrix would be inserted into your blood and upon the death of your body, a complete reconstruction of your existence will take place allowing you to survive and act for the betterment of what you have set up. How you do this, in public or private, I leave to you.

But it also means that you might see loved ones grow old and die while you survive to guide their progeny.

Believe me, it is a painful sacrifice but against so much sorrow, there is joy in seeing what you start, flourish and grow. This is not immortality but a lengthening of your life as you will, eventually die even in Simulacrum form. Even your Achinta Vega will eventually die for all his replaceable parts. But what has helped keep my life going is the fact that there has been no one trying to devise ways to destroy or kill a Simulacrum and that any knowledge on how to do so has been lost for ages.

Should you not accept, please know that I will understand. I just felt that to simply fade without making the offer would be such a waste.


So the question comes down to this: Mr. Seth Vinda, what do you want?"

Vinda's eyes widened as he listened to Stettin's version of Caprician history.


He had long given up trying to gain a reading on his Caprician visitor, realising very early on the man was not one who could be, at least not via the Force.

The Corporate man had already learned this from his experience with Hespante.

Tricky, these Simulcrums...

Vinda smiled to himself inwardly as he heard the man speak. Knowing instinctively that even if he had the 'real' flesh and blood version of the Caprician sitting before him now, he probably wouldn't be able to read him very well anyway.

Whether one wanted to read a person's feelings and motives, or even influence them, depended greatly on just how strong minded an individual was.

This, Stettin, did not strike Vinda as being weak in this regard.

Still, in spite of himself, what Stettin spoke of, was certainly interesting enough not to call security.

Whether the Vinda-Corp figurehead believed all of it , was another thing altogether.


He made a mental note to pass on the information to Section anyway.

To acquire, even a sketchy single perspective of Caprician history from this individual , was probably far more than anyone else knew.

He waited and listened patiently until Stettin , (Vinda felt at least ) revealed the reason for his visit.


Become a Simulcrum!?


Vinda leaned forward from his chair as the enormity of both what the proposal meant, and the manner of how it would be put into practice hit him.


He tilted his head, gauging the Simulcrum sitting down opposite him , and studied the man with a look of both incredulity and fascination.

When weighed against the terms of his own life, such as it is, this man was practically offering him immortality, or at least something not far off.


His mind raced with the possibilities....


Vinda frowned heavily, and arose from his chair, turning his back to his guest for a moment, to the view of Bonadan's capital city instead.


What he could achieve!...


The Commonwealth...


Natalya...


He turned sharply round to face Stettin once more, as if attempting to read him one last time, while the visitor's words reverberated around his head...


"Mr. Seth Vinda, what do you want?"


The Corporate man leveled his gaze directly towards the Caprician Retainer...


...and told him.

The Viscian, Stettin, left the offices of Seth Vinda feeling like a tired old man. For a long time he had tried to guide the Capricians through the ages and now, on the cusp of their reentry into galactic society, it was time to pass the responsibility on.


A new breed of man would be needed, especially in light of all the changes this association between Capricia and Vinda Corporation were working to bring about.


But, as with all responsibility, nothing can come of anything without conscious choice.


This entire visit was not so much for Seth Vinda's benefit as much as it was for Stettin's. He wanted to be sure that he was comfortable with his decisions and now, with that business taken care of, he could fade away.


To be sure, there were Simulacrums who tried to take matters into their own hands to poke, push and prod the Capricians into faster change. But such shortcuts often led to heartache.


He remembered...






*


Noble House - Capricia



The mansion had gone quiet as the air circulators turned off one by one.






Government Office of Territorial Affairs


A lone bureaucrat brought up the electronic pending application for turning a site into a historical landmark. The home, having been built long before the times of the Clans and before Molinjar, was quite a coup indeed as the man eagerly worked to have the application approved.


Upon approval, the man was promoted.