Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

After cleaning up and changing into more appropriate clothing (plus the addition of her Lancer, which she would not make the mistake of leaving behind again), Jocasta headed off to the Silver Spires for the lunch date she had surprisingly been able to make arrangements for earlier this morning.

Checking in with the concierge, she was led to a turbolift that took her halfway up one of the spires and into a small, private dining room.

There, she was greeted by Prince Gaul already seated and a table set with an assortment of meats, cheeses, sauces, and what appeared to be a fresh loaf of Alsakan bread.

A protocol droid pulled out her seat, which she gracefully accepted and addressed the Prince, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me Prince Gaul, I appreciate you making the time." She looked at the spread before them and added in jest, "I hope you don't plan on asking me to make you a sandwich..."

"Why would I ask you to make a sandwich? Are you a sandwich making prodigy?" he asked warmly.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:46 am

"Why would I ask you to make a sandwich? Are you a sandwich making prodigy?" he asked warmly.

"I suppose it's just a joke in the Lowlands... or even just in my family. When I was a little girl and I would try to sneak into my father and brother's meetings and one or the other would tell me to get in the kitchen and make them a sandwich. But maybe that's because I was never interested in their work in finance." She mused.

She took a loaf of bread and cut off two thick slices. "From what I saw yesterday and from your reputation, I believe you are a forthright man. So, may we address the rancor in the room?" She smeared a dollop of anchovy paste across one of the slices of bread and began layering meat and cheese on top.

"Currently, I have the limited perspective of a lowly lieutenant in the ADF. If I am to be courting your brother and delving into the middle of this, I should have a deeper understanding of what's going on. Will you answer my questions with candor and help me gain more insight?" She tops off her sandwich with some grilled vegetables and the other slice of bread, looking at Gaul quizzically.

"I can try, please continue with this pleasant interrogation," he responded.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 11:03 am

"I can try, please continue with this pleasant interrogation," he responded.

Jocasta smirked at his riposte. "Well, if this is to be an interrogation, let's start with an easy one, so that I may learn with whom I am speaking. If given the opportunity and hindsight, would you go back and change things regarding your engagement with Yulastranza Ulgo?" She takes a bite of her sandwich and waits for his answer.

"Knowing what I know now, yes, would I be happy about it, no, but I am not happy now, so it makes little difference," he said to her.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:07 pm

"Knowing what I know now, yes, would I be happy about it, no, but I am not happy now, so it makes little difference," he said to her.

Interesting she thought to herself, self-sacrificing... more interesting, he thinks letting Duke Ulgo get his way would be an acceptable solution.

"Follow up question, what happened between you and Yulastranza, or was it what happened between you and House Ulgo? Also, you should try the pickled porg, the sourness pairs nicely with the malla jelly." She suggests before taking another bite.

"Yulastranza is a great woman, wonderful. I can't or won't get into those details," he said kindly.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 12:56 pm

"Yulastranza is a great woman, wonderful. I can't or won't get into those details," he said kindly.

Chivalrous, but less than helpful.

Although, while not explicit, it doesn't seem Yulastranza was the cause of the split.

"Okay, then how about some fairplay before we move on with "the interrogation", do you have any questions of me?"

Gaul took a sip of wine and then said after a moment, "No, I am good you are here for my brother and you seem to have all the qualifications for a suitor. I am curious to find out the point of this meeting."

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:01 pm

Gaul took a sip of wine and then said after a moment, "No, I am good you are here for my brother and you seem to have all the qualifications for a suitor. I am curious to find out the point of this meeting."

"The point of this meeting was to gain some perspective from the man with the view." She holds her hand out to indicate Gaul.

"However; if you aren't willing to speak about House Ulgo, which I will respect your decision, I'm not sure how much light you can shed on our current predicament."

She takes a drink of Corellian Ale, "You see, an hour or so ago, I was in the fair grounds where protestors were singing the glory of Duke Ulgo and calling the Panteers cowards. A protest that turned violent and caused injury to Prince Joran."

She pauses a moment to let that sink in, "Yesterday, I found out a trooper I had led into battle agreed with these same protestors... As an Alderaanian and as a soldier, I am disturbed by this direction we're heading in and as an officer in the ADF, I'm trying to gather as much information as I can so I can do my duty for the Republic, for Alderaan, and for the Crown."

Gaul sipped more wine and said, “Yes I am aware of the attack on my brother, or the incident at the Festival as I am sure it will be portrayed by our PR team. You think House Ulgo is agitating the populace or some movement has latched onto the friction between our two houses to push their agenda?”

“I assume you turned over or at least let your superiors know of this troubled soldier and he gets the treatment he deserves?”

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 5:29 pm

Gaul sipped more wine and said, “Yes I am aware of the attack on my brother, or the incident at the Festival as I am sure it will be portrayed by our PR team. You think House Ulgo is agitating the populace or some movement has latched onto the friction between our two houses to push their agenda?”

“I assume you turned over or at least let your superiors know of this troubled soldier and he gets the treatment he deserves?”

"Please do not misunderstand, I have nothing to suggest House Ulgo is directly behind the protestors or the unrest, but the Duke's threats to the Crown and the stance they have taken over these past few years certainly have not eased tensions. They use his name as a call to arms.

At the beginning of the festival, a prominent member of House Rist went on the holonet and talked about how Yulastranza Ulgo needs to be married to Joran or the war-hero Bouris Ulgo won't take it sitting down. What other kind of message is that supposed to send except that we need to submit to Ulgo?" She gathered herself for a moment as she was becoming incensed.

"As for the trooper I spoke of is part of one group of protestors that is disgruntled with the presence of the Imperials. I only learned of his involvement yesterday, and it is being handled."

"Yes I saw that, it was, well it exists. I am not sure I take the words of a confused suitor all that seriously but yes I am concerned about these protestors especially after today. Is that what this is about?" he responded.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:07 pm

"Yes I saw that, it was, well it exists. I am not sure I take the words of a confused suitor all that seriously but yes I am concerned about these protestors especially after today. Is that what this is about?" he responded.

"What this is about is I am a Lieutenant in the Alderaan Defense Force before I am a suitor. My duty to the people of Alderaan comes first and foremost. What I have been seeing is a serious threat to the safety of the people and I can not stand idly by.

I was hopeful that if I could find out more about why you broke off your engagement, that I might have my concerns validated and know to keep pursuing this path, or if not, that I might glean some insight that would put me on the right path.

Some people may judge you for breaking off the engagement, but I don't. Given how Bouris Ulgo reacted afterwards, I feel like there must have been something that you saw or something you sensed that told you House Ulgo should not be so closely linked to the Crown. Threatening war with his own people because of his own interests, he might as well be a Sith Lord ordering another invasion.

I know that you are a patriot, you have served Alderaan diligently in the Galactic Senate and you are willing to sacrifice your own happiness to maintain peace for the people. I personally may not agree with giving in to a tyrant like Bouris, but I understand the call to the greater good and I respect your intentions.

What this is about is getting your advice. Not as a suitor, but as a fellow patriot."

"My reasons were purely personal, Lt. Teraan. As for resisting Duke Ulgo, if he resorts to violence or conflict then it should be countered with every measure of our being. My advice, if you feel you have a reason to resist Bouris Ulgo, then do so. You don't require my permission for that," he said placing his glass down.

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:06 pm

"My reasons were purely personal, Lt. Teraan. As for resisting Duke Ulgo, if he resorts to violence or conflict then it should be countered with every measure of our being. My advice, if you feel you have a reason to resist Bouris Ulgo, then do so. You don't require my permission for that," he said placing his glass down.

Jocasta was disheartened. This lunch had not gone as she expected and she was questioning some of her presumptions.

"I apologize, I did not mean to force you to discuss a personal matter so heartlessly. I had thought there were other forces at play, but I believe I have been chasing phantoms.

It is a pitfall of being a soldier that when we see a problem we must search for a solution.

I hope that you can forgive my impertinence."

"I am sorry to disappoint you," he responded honestly.

"I am not sure what forces you are seeing or phantoms you are chasing but if they have merit then by all means pursue them. I can gather you think House Ulgo has a plot or is behind these protestors, it crossed my mind but seems too circuitous for the Duke. Does not mean he isn't doing them, just not what I would expect. Houses are large though, you should see the Panteer tree, there could be rogue elements at work."

Dapper Dog wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 9:01 pm

"I am sorry to disappoint you," he responded honestly.

"I am not sure what forces you are seeing or phantoms you are chasing but if they have merit then by all means pursue them. I can gather you think House Ulgo has a plot or is behind these protestors, it crossed my mind but seems too circuitous for the Duke. Does not mean he isn't doing them, just not what I would expect. Houses are large though, you should see the Panteer tree, there could be rogue elements at work."

"Yes, I believe I will need acquaint myself with more of those involved and do my due diligence before diving in so head strong.

Please, let us enjoy the rest of our lunch."

/scene?

/scene