Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

Bran needed a little time to prepare, to acclimate himself for the evening's event. Not that Bar Shaddaa would be anything like a royal mixer, but it had certain important similarities, including the presence of a stiff drink, sitting on the table in front of the Ulgo noble. His face showed a sense of trouble as he contemplated the earlier events of the day.

Omamdri figured a little pregame wouldn't hurt anything as the mixer promised to be a rather stressful event.

He walked in the bar this time accompanied by a waist high vaguely canine Droid at his side its metallic paws clicking slightly on the floor.

Omandri looked about the bar seeing who was there and saw a particular Ulgo that he had crossed paths with earlier that day. He put his hands in his pockets and made his way over to the noble "looks like you're taking earlier harder than I thought Brannis." He said forgoing the formality of titles.

"Ah, Doc!" the parliamentarian welcomes Omandri warmly, choosing a compromise on titles. "Good to see you. Please sit, join me, and, uh..." He chuckles. "Yeah, earlier was... surprising, I think it's fair to say."

He smirks at the shorthand but says nothing of it as he sits "Well its public knowledge the Princess greatly enjoys the company of Miss Beniko. She's never served on a front, seen what they're capable of. It's not surprising she would see the Empire in a softer light." He said ordering a light drink good for relaxing.

Alpha trotted up next to him and sat curled under the chair his singular photo receptor scanning the area.

Bran grimaces. "A young, sheltered princess is one thing," he grumbles, "but her saying things like that makes it harder to discredit that street-performer of a protest-leader. The answer to 'you sold out to the empire' can't be 'they're not so bad,' right?" He grimaces again and takes a drink, though it's a noticeably small one: he's annoyed, not despondent.

Omadri nodded along "well it can be, eventually. But it takes a lot of growth and understanding from both sides. Right now is not the best time though when fresh from conflict. The people need time to heal. If there is actual evidence the Empire isn't as evil as we think it is then I'm willing to hear it. I've studied enough cultures to know many fight over wars of ideology where both sides think the other side is evil with no chance for redemption. Neither society usually makes it out alive." he says a little somberly as he takes his drink.

"I don't like the Empire anymore than you do Brannis but I'm also no fan of war so if its possible a real peace can be reached I'll listen."

Bran looks at Omandri with a mix of hope and skepticism.

"Doc, you're right. Eventually, things'll be different. But politics is the art of right now, when the threat to peace isn't war with the Sith, it's angry Alderaanians. And they're mostly angry at the Sith, so let's use that to keep the peace, keep the Republic intact, and fix less immediate problems less immediately."

Omandri leaned back in his chair taking a long sip from his drink "Well sure I can see that. But thinking in the long term, if peace is the goal as Alderaan and the Republic claim then further demonizing and villianizing the Empire now to smooth things over with the populace will only make things harder down the road if we do try and make a lasting peace."

"What's this 'as Alderaan and the Republic claim' business," Bran asks seriously. "You're still a part of both of those, right Doc?" After half a heartbeat, he raises a hand and lowers his head. "I'm sorry. Getting too defensive."

He takes a longer drink this time and then sighs.

"I'm worried that there isn't a 'down the road' to worry about if we can't calm the frayed nerves that we're dealing with right now," Bran says quietly. "I don't think we have time to convince war-weary people to 'be reasonable.'"

Omandri didn't react to the accusation, it was a heavy topic, emotions were guaranteed to run high "No need for apologies, you are a true son of the Republic confronting something like this is likely to be difficult for you." he said in a measured tone "Alderaan is my home Brannis, I served the Republic for six years. I know not the longest stint of service but Trust me when I say I love this planet and want what's best for it." he took a drink as a pause.

"There's always a down the road to worry about. It can be hard sometimes to think down the road when problems are big but we always need to find a way to solve problems that won't make more problems later." he set the drink down and turned toward him "I know i'm almost an outsider at this point and you've been here in the mud, in the thick of it fighting to keep this place together. I respect that but sometimes when we are in the middle of problems, in the thick, that's when its hardest to see clearly." he let out a long breath of air "I don't mean to talk to you like a patient or to act like I know the answers." he paused a minute thinking "Just its a delicate situation and I think more complex than people are making it seem."

Bran's face is hard as he listens, but he nods.

"I'd like to think about the long term, I would. Be thoughtful, analytical. That's more or less what I'm trained for." He heaves a sigh. "But I had to bomb Sith positions in Alderaanian villages, Doc. The people out there, who work so I get fancy training to protect them, and I helped blow up their homes. And I'm a hero, because I blew up so many damn Sith. That's..." He shakes his head several times.

"You find a way to get through the now and have a better later, I'd love to hear it. If I never fly another combat mission on Alderaan it'll be too soon. But I can't go out there to tell people, 'no, calm down, it'll be fine.' I'm not sure I believe that. Maybe 'breath, listen to the right people, we can get through this'... I think that's the best I can do." He looks at Omandri thoughtfully, a touch of 'lost' showing in his eye.

Omandri listened not moving ir making a sound ti interrupt as Brannis talked "It's certainly a bit of a quagmire. I'm working on some things, hoping I can figure out what's going on."

He sighed and took a drink "it's a big problem, I'm good at solving problems but the biggest hiccup here is that I don't have all the pieces. Still things that need uncovered before I can really move forward."

He gave the other man a pat on his shoulder "Just...keep your head up Brannis, we'll get through this is we work together." He said with a smile

Bran gives him a serious look and nods. "If I can be helpful -- through my house, or my parliamentary resources --please let me know." After another nod and a sigh, Bran looks to the side then back to Omandri.

"Speaking of working together, I need to ask about courtship and the succession." He sounds like he hates to do it right now. "Of course we greatly value our alliance with House Rist, and we want to make sure that we're on the same page. And, ah, I'm sure you're well aware that my uncle has a fairly specific set of acceptable outcomes around those issues." The look on Bran's face isn't apologetic, but it is much softer than might be expected from an Ulgo.

Omandri gave a look of oh great time for business and leaned back more in his chair his mood seemed more disinterested"I assume he wants someone with an Ulgo name marrying someone with a Panteer one and further wants that person sitting on the throne of Alderaan." He took a sip of his drink "at least thats the vibe I get from the information I have so far."

As Omandri's interest cools, Bran closes his eyes and nods. "I know," he says quietly.

After the Rist man speaks, Bran replies, 'That is probably the ideal outcome." The Ulgo man makes a face of... consideration?

"My honored uncle is not the only one who feels a lot of expectations were created with the royal betrothal. A lot of... concerns... calmed or put to rest. But the prince's... surprising choice," he characterizes the event carefully, "opened up a lot of unpleasant possibilities at a most inconvenient time. And I think, as this morning illustrates, it is critical that House Panteer show it hasn't been compromised by Thul and the empire."

Omandri sighed a little "so while I agree with the sentiment of not trusting House Thul and wishing that Gual had made better choices." He paused a little a sense of determination coming through "I don't agree with House Ulgo stirring up unrest, I can understand displeasure or even anger at what happened but this planet has seen enough war and to be pressing into another conflict amongst our own members is misguided." He said using softer words than he felt.

"I hold no ill will toward you and yours but the thought of Alderaan going to war against itself is a, distressing thought."