Complication

[Victer Dejan]

Big, dramatic life changes create chaos. It took several days for life to resume pace normal after Razielle wed the Hapan Prince. Unlike Adraudia, and, to a degree, Razielle, Prince Tristan was damn near stereotypical obnoxious royalty. Nonetheless, Victer behaved, regardless his personal feelings regarding Hapans in general.

He'd instructed Rish to hold all his calls and holed himself in his appartment across the street from his office. He'd had a com put in, but it was unlisted. The only person who knew the number was Rish. They'd both gone nonstop for nearly a year, although Rish had a vacation after the trade agreement was signed. Victer had not. Not yet. She had asked where he was going to be, and he simply said asleep.

The first day, Victer spent much of 24 hours with his face in a pillow, with intermissions for most of a bottle of wine, some fruit, and a book. No noise except for the normal chatter from the street. The next day was much the same. He managed to sleep until nearly 8. 6 hours of continious sleep was unheard of. He made himself a cup of tea and spent thirty minutes staring out the window at the skyline from the couch.

He'd bought some food that would keep decently the day before he started to be at "asleep" and was now working through a tart filled with a local fruit. Victer sighed contentedly. He put his feet on the table wiggled his toes. It amused him for a few minutes before he turned his attention to a new book. Noon rolled around, so he figured it proper to put on some pants, and pour himself a tumbler of Corellian whiskey. It was superb, and the price reflected it. He sipped at it very slowly and let the gold liquor roll around his mouth and across his tounge.

The comm beeped. Victer looked at the comm and back at his tumbler. He sighed.

"Hello Rish." Victer sounded dissapointed.

[Adraudia Basillie]

I knew it! Adraudia's voice boomed over the comm. I knew you were having an affair with Rish behind my back!

It was so fun to tease Victer because the Queen managed to always catch Victer when he was looking for Rish, or annoyed that it was Rish on the other end.

[Victer Dejan]

Victer nearly dropped the comm. He slowly began to laugh until he couldn't breathe.


"My Queen. I appologize." He said after he caught his breath. "How can I serve you?"

[Adraudia Basillie]

You can serve me lunch? she chuckled over the comm. I figured you have to make it up to me now since I'm a jealous wreck over you.

Adraudia enjoyed the candidness between them much. It certainly helped their relationship to be so open with one another. Which is why this lunch would be important. The Queen was going to reveal more of the inner workings of Onderon, and if Victer could not handle it ...

She'd not like to think in those terms. At least not yet.

[Victer Dejan]

"I think I can manage lunch." Victer said with a chuckle. He looked at his reflection in the food warmer and had to stop himself from sighing. He had taken a shower and was clean, but his hair was a catastrophe.

"What would the Queen like to dine on?" He asked.

[Adraudia Basillie]

Whatever my good Captain wishes, she purred. Adraudia also wanted to make all accommodations in Victer's favor. Anything to help ease him into the more serious conversation planned.

[Victer Dejan]

Victer paused.

"I'll pick something up on the way over."

Perfect. See you in an hour, Captain. The connection went dead, and Victer put down the comm. If she wanted to see him truly sweat, it would have been 15 minutes, but Adraudia didn't play that sort of game.

Victer called in an order to a small resteraunt that he and Adraudia had eaten at before. But first thing was first: he needed to repair the damage from the herd of cows that had visited him in the night. But, it turned out, no matter how hard he tried, the cows had won, and his hair looked a bit more disheveled than usual.

He picked up the food 40 minutes later. The guards gave him a nod on the way into the palace and he headed to Adraudia's room.

[Adraudia Basillie]

The door opened before Victer had a chance to knock. His radiant Queen waited, leaning against the door, in a simple powdered blue dress and bare feet.

"You are early," she commented with a smile. A waif of lunch touched her nose and her smile grew further. "You went to the restaurant where we had dinner together for the first time."

[Victer Dejan]

Victer hadn't realized it, but yes, he had. Victer smiled.

"I try to be punctual." He added. Adraudia let him into her extensive quarters, a home within the keep. It was complete, with an office, a pair of bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen and a dining room. One skill that Victer had never mastered was cooking. He could make edible food, but it was plain and functional. He left cooking to the experts.

Victer could tell there was something on the Queen's mind, but she would tell him in her time. For now, it seemed there was no crisis on the horizon. While she got the plates he studied her streched figure from behind the silverware drawer.

He served the food neatly, as if it were being presented. He made sure the contents of the plate flowed in a pleasing fashion. It was nice to have time for the details.

[Adraudia Basillie]

It was apparent in Adraudia's face that she appreciated the small touches of Victer's presentation. Small triangular shaped toasted pits surrounded three dollops of flavored hummus in the center. He garnished the plate with yellow kiwis, cucumber leaves and sprouts.

"This is all so lovely." She closed her eyes and the assortment of aromas made her stomach growl with want. When she opened her eyes, they followed Victer to his seat across from her. "I'm glad I could share lunch with you."

[Victer Dejan]

"I'm glad I could too." Victer said, and took a bite.

"I was a little surprised. You want to talk about something." Victer wasn't normally this forward, but he had one of those mental itches. It was one of the risky ones, too.

[Adraudia Basillie]

Victer had picked up on her duplicity quickly. It was not a surprise seeing how close they had become.

She dabbed a piece of bread into a green dollop of hummus with a frown, "Yes. There's a great many things we need to talk about."

[Victer Dejan]

"I see." If it wasn't one thing, it was another.

"It has something to do with whatever other pudding you and Razielle have your hands in, doesn't it?" He knew Salem had something to do with it, but wasn't sure what.

[Adraudia Basillie]

Knowing his thoughts, Adraudia nodded. "Yes. He knows. Prime Minister Ave ... Salem, he's quite adept at using the Force. He was trained on his home world of Arkania, to better serve his people. Eventually he went to different worlds and offered his services. It was a political maneuver to help Arkania maintain good relations with other planets."

[Victer Dejan]

Victer thought about Arkania's position. It dovetailed well with Onderon's. Onderon was rich in biological resources, while Arkania was still a strong mining and manufacturing source. There were likely more than a few of Onderon's beasts winterized for Arkania pounding across the tundra.

"And I suppose the time has come to join your cadre." Victer's voice was rather serious. He'd been playing his cards close to his chest since arriving on Onderon, except for his adoration of the Queen.

[Adraudia Basillie]

She felt utterly defeated. Just that small explanation of what was going on behind the castle walls had already boxed Victer into a corner. "You were going to find out eventually. You're far too intelligent and observant to not put the pieces of what's really going on here ..."

[Victer Dejan]

"I'm not seeing any disadvantages here." Victer grinned. "The only reason Minister Ave hasn't warmed up at all is precisely for that reason. The longer I was on the outside, the more of a threat I was to whatever his plans might be."

[Adraudia Basillie]

Had Adraudia been worrying needlessly, she wondered. Victer seemed to be taken this well, but the layers of deception that revolved around the monarchy went much deeper then the good Captain was aware of still.

"True. And considering we've become close, he has concerns that might affect my training."

[Victer Dejan]

"Training?" Victer asked. He didn't know she had any sort of training involved.

"What kind of training?"

[Adraudia Basillie]

"Yes," she answered before taking a nibble of her bread, "To properly utilize the Force for the betterment of Onderon."

Adraudia gave him a kind smile, "I've been trained in many forms of combat by the best soldiers. This is no different to me. It is a tool that I can protect myself and my people."

[Victer Dejan]

"That would explain your display during the festival." He said. Adraudia smiled micheviously.

"Remind me not to be on the wrong side of a knife fight with you. I'm better with a blaster than a knife."

[Adraudia Basillie]

"Well, there are ways to deal with those sorts of weapons too," said then Queen, smiling over her glass of wine before taking a sip. She set the glass down and continued.

"Salem also is training Razielle. The three of us are trying to make Onderon prosper. Prove to this sector that their eyes should not simply glance over my world on a star chart."

[Victer Dejan]

"They're not as much. I think out trade agreement with Hapes is proof enough. Honestly, I can see why we're proceeding slowly. The political and military situation outside of Hapes is volatile." Victer shrugged.

"Besides, for the next year we're going to have our hands full with Hapes. I get the feeling change is coming." Something had told him that the current Royal line was done in Hapes. Strongly.

[Adraudia Basillie]

She could see it in Victer's eyes. He knew something was about to change, but he wasn't sure what. He had marvelous instincts that would only continue to grow if they could be molded and focused.

"Yes, things will continue to be interesting with our new allies. And honestly, every thing has a time and place, darling. Things might seem to move slowly, but the wheels are spinning far, far faster then anyone realizes."

[Victer Dejan]

I didn't build a trade network by being impatient. Victer thought, but held his tongue.

Adraudia suddenly seemed much more dangerous. Certainly, she could have nearly anyone put to the death, but that was too clumsy. No, the Hapan Royal family would be systematically extinguished through a series of unfortunate "accidents." Fact of the matter was that they'd always squandered their potential with isolationism. From what Victer had put together, the Hapans had vast mineral and gas wealth that was barely touched. They could be a third force in the galaxy.

The look on Adraudia's face was nearly predatory. It... excited him.

[Adraudia Basillie]

Adraudia sensed that she had wounded Victer, but there was something about the shift in his eyes that his pride had only been bruised briefly. His mind had definitely shifted sharply in direction.

"What I've spoken of pleases you?" This conversation had gone far better then she had hoped. Already possibly scenarios of the Hapans demise had gone through his head, she could see it. His eyes always grew darker and more distant when he was debating possible outcomes of resources and trade agreements.

But that was mere scant moments ago. Now they were filled with long lusted desire that hadn't been quenched since the two of them started their affair.

[Victer Dejan]

"My Queen, I think it would be absolutely stupid to do anything else." Victer's grin looked rather wolfish.

[Adraudia Basillie]

I was quite the fool to worry so much...

"I'm glad you feel that way. Now you can be part of our plans and help see our vision to fruition." Her food had been forgotten, and the Queen rested her chin on top of her hands, devouring Victer from across the table with her eyes.

[Victer Dejan]

That look was rare, but not entirely unfamiliar. It was the look of a victor staring at a prize. It was just fine with Victer.

They leapt at each other. Each cleared their side of the table of obstruction. It wasn't how Victer had pictured it, but he found it to be more appropo.

[Adraudia Basillie]

There was concern knocking at the door, an armored fist clanking against the sturdy wooden frame. "My Queen?!"

The door had been locked for privacy, but that didn't stop the guard from jiggling the handle. "Ah he'rd a loud crash! Are ya all right?!"

"Bloody hell, not again!" She snarled with contempt, thoroughly sick of being interrupted once again! Adraudia pulled herself away from Victer's groping hands and straightening herself proper, just in case they managed to barge in. "We're fine. Captain Dejan clumsily dropped one of the trays, and while trying to catch it, snagged the tablecloth and then everything went toppling onto the floor."

The jiggling stopped. "Shall I fetch Jaynie ta help wit tha', yer Majesty?"

"No," she answered with a despondent sign. "I'll deal with it. Thank you, Jarrsel."

"As ya wish, my Queen."

And then it was silent.