XXXVI: Blaster Talk

"Rebecca, time to eat." Okins called from the kitchen as he took  a tray out of the oven and set it on the table. Rebecca came in and sat down. She peered over at small paper bags sitting beside the table settings.

"Um, Daddy? What are those for?" She asked, pointing to the bags.

Okins dished out the meal. "Those are 'emergency meal removal bags' in case things go sour."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "So they're barf bags."

"No no no....you make it sound so gross when you say it like that."

"Because it is?" She asked, eyeing the meal in front of her. "Do you really not trust yourself with food?"

"My skills are a little rusty." He replied and sat down. "C'mon, try it."

Rebecca hesitantly scooped up some food onto her fork and put it in her mouth. She chewed it slowly, trying to keep her facial expression pretty neutral. After a few more chews, she finally swallowed it and leaned back in her seat.

"Well?"

"It was...oh kriff..." she said, then quickly downed most of her beverage.

"That bad, huh." He asked. She nodded. Okins threw his napkin onto the table. "Well  there's the diner down the next block. Let's just go out."

"Good idea." She agreed. Together they quickly cleaned up from the failed dinner attempt and left the apartment for the landing strip where they grabbed a speeder to the restaurant.

"I was thinking..." Okins began.

"Uh oh..."

"I think it's time you learned to defend yourself."

Rebecca blinked, inquisitive. "You mean...self defense class or something?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of weaponry. It's time you got yourself a blaster."

"...a....blaster??" Rebecca asked, unsure of how she feels about owning a weapon. "This has "Aria Brisard" written all over it, doesn't it..."

"Oh no, she had nothing to do with this. I want you to have a blaster. It's a good weapon and handy to have when you're alone."

"Daddy, I don't like weapons. What good is having one when I probably will be afraid to even touch it, even fire it?"

"We'll have to build up your confidence, that's all." Okins said. "Just think, in time you'll be just as comfortable wielding a weapon as I am." He grinned at his daughter until he saw the unimpressed look on her face. "Okay, maybe not that much. The point is you'll be able to protect yourself. What happened on Corellia will never occur again."

"Do I have to have one?"

"Yes. We'll pick one out after we eat." He said as he landed the speeder. "Tomorrow you and I will head to the range to start practice."

Rebecca sighed and followed after her father, now with little enthusiasm. "Joy."

XXXV: New Home

"I uh...hope you don't mind the mess." Okins said as he switched the light on in the spare bedroom of his Coruscant apartment. "I know it's not the fancy, frilly, princess-y paradise you've been stuck in for the last few years, but..."

"It's fine, Daddy." Rebecca said. She walked inside and placed her bags on the bed. "I think it'll be a nice change."

Okins nodded. "I'll start moving my junk out over the next few days. I've been needing to go through this stuff anyway. But for now, I'll let you start to settle in."

Later that night Rebecca tossed and turned in bed. Events from the last several days kept tolling on her mind. Finally she propped herself on her elbows and looked at the chrono sitting on her nightstand. 0100 hours. She sighed and threw the covers off of her. Deciding that a drink of water might calm herself down, she crept out of her bedroom to the kitchen.  On her way there, she passed by her father sitting on the couch working late. He looked up as she went by.

"I thought you went to bed hours ago. Are you alright?"

"I can't sleep." she replied as she poured herself some water.

"Is it not comfortable in there? He asked, setting his work down.

"No, it's fine...I'm just a bit restless, I guess." Rebecca walked over and sat down on the couch beside him. "Can I stay with you for a while? I don't want to be alone..."

"Sure, sweetheart." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'm afraid what I'm doing isn't very interesting though."

"That's okay." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I don't mind..."

Okins held her closer and returned to his work. "You're going to be alright, Rebecca. Just give it some time." He said, reaching for another stack of reports. "And if you--" He paused and glanced at her when she didn't respond to him before to find she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Okins kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Rebecca."

XXXIV: Reunion

Deroh Okins turned the corner to return to Rebecca's room when he was met in the corridor by Aria Brisard. She immediately stopped him in his tracks.

"Satisfied?"

Okins shrugged. "I did what had to be done." 

"Playing judge, jury and executioner? I think you did it a bit too well. We could hear your victim's howling all the way down here."

Okins gave a dark smirk. "That means I did it right."

Aria shuddered. "You're lucky Becky didn't hear it. I think she's been through enough for one night."

"Kriffing..." he sighed. "Is she awake?"

Aria nodded. "Just a few moments ago. Luckily for you, she was spared the trauma. The medical officer is with her now."

"Good." He tried to push his way past her but she held her own. "Brisard..."

"You can't go in there dressed like that! Are you crazy?" she said. "Look at yourself!"

Okins glanced down at his bloodied uniform and sighed. He unfastened his uniform tunic and tossed it aside revealing his black undershirt. "Better?"

"I guess so." She examined him. "There's still some splotches on your pants."

"Kark it. If she asks, it's a drink." He pushed Aria aside and opened the door. Rebecca was sitting up with her back to the door. The medical officer was completing his examination so she didn't hear Aria and her father enter the room. Okins and Brisard stood off to the side and waited for the officer to complete his check up. The man soon finished and saluted to them on his way out.

Okins watched Rebecca for a few moments. Even though her back was to him, he could still tell she was distraught. A few sniffles were audible and she kept rubbing her eyes. He stepped forward to the bed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Becky..."

She whirled around to see her father standing beside her. "Daddy...?"

Okins nodded and opened his arms to her. She then quickly jumped off the bed and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest and crying.

"Shh..." he said, consoling her. "It's alright, I'm here. You're safe now, and I promise now that I'm here no one will harm you again."

XXXIII: Retribution

(Reader's discretion advised.) 

"It's about time you two got here." Commander Desro said as he rushed Admiral Okins and Aria Brisard through the winding corridors of the naval base. "We were beginning to get worried."

"Coruscant isn't exactly a small jump away." Okins said. "I thought Rebecca would have clued you in on our arrival."

Desro shook his head. "She hasn't said a word."

"Where is Becky? Is she ok?" Aria asked, worried. "We were able to hear some sketchy audio on our flight from her com-link. Reception wasn't too good. She must've left it on during...whatever happened."

"Relax, Commander, for the most part, she's alright." Desro said. As they entered the medical wing, he stopped them in front of one of the patient rooms. The door had a fairly large window, and once they approached, Aria and Okins were able to see Rebecca lying on the medical bed inside.

"Can we go in?" Aria asked.

Desro nodded and opened the door. "She's resting for now. We gave her some pain medication so she should be out for another hour or so."

Aria walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. She looked over at Rebecca and saw a bandage over the side of her friend's face. She gently put her hand over it, and turned back to Desro. "She hit her head?"

Desro nodded. "Either she was struck with something hard by her assailant or she just hit the ground. She was down when we found her."

Okins picked up his daughter's hand and grasped it tightly. When her arm moved, the sleeve of her medical shift slid down her arm revealing a large bruise just below her wrist. He motioned to Aria to check her other arm. An identical marking was visible. "She's all bruised..." He spun around to Desro. "Are these the only ones?"

Desro shook his head. "There's some lighter ones at her shoulders and legs and..." he slid his finger along his neck to demonstrate, "a slight cut on her neck...wasn't deep enough to make her bleed, thank the maker for that. Whatever was pressing there wasn't there for long."

Okins placed her hand back down on the bed and pulled Desro out into the hall. "What exactly happened here? Tell me everything."

Desro shrugged. "To be honest, we're not exactly sure. She rung the gate for entry. The trooper on duty then commed back to the central office for a confirmation. By the time they opened the gate, she was gone. They called me down to the gate, we heard a scream and then there she was in the alley at the end of the road."

Okins rubbed his forehead. "The local authorities need to nab this bastard."

"We've detained him, sir."

Aria stood and joined the men in the hall. "Wait...you have him? He wasn't gone when you arrived?"

Desro shook his head. "No, the man was on top of her when we got there."

Okins flexed his fingers, angry. "Who did this?"

"I believe his name is Jeref Ulmeran." Desro said, scratching the back of his head, "At least...that's what the guard said.

"Ulmeran?" Aria asked. Who's that?"

"A dead man." Okins growled as he started towards the detention wing. Aria quickly ran up and stood in his path.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to teach this bastard a lesson." He said, removing his blaster from his holster.

"You can't just go shooting people!" She exclaimed.

"Watch me."

Desro stepped forward. "I'm afraid she's right, Admiral. His lawyers were already called...he's the local authority's problem.

"Not anymore he isn't." Okins turned halfway to look Desro in the eye. "That man assaulted my daughter, he's my problem; and now he's going to pay for it."

"Let me come with you." Aria said.

"NO. You stay here with Becky. She needs you."

"But sir..."

"That's an order, Brisard! Now step aside!" He pushed Aria out of the way and stalked towards the brig.

Aria sighed and returned to Rebecca's room. She stopped next to Desro and patted his shoulder. "I hope you've got a body bag ready."

~~**~~ 

Admiral Okins stood at the doorway to Jeref Ulmeran's cell and waved the trooper on watch to open the hatch. The door then slid open and he stepped inside. Jeref was lying on the bench with his eyes closed. His hands, bound by restraints, were resting on his stomach. As the door closed behind him, he started to get a strong whiff of alcohol coming from Jeref. When Okins got close, Jeref opened his eyes and sat up. He eyed the admiral and scoffed.

"What, the Empire not have enough for you to do or something? They have to send an admiral down to interrogate me?"

"No, I'm here on my own. Don't let the uniform fool you."

"Well I should warn you..." Jeref smirked. "You can't hold me here for long. I've called the best lawyers in the city. They're no doubt working on my release now."

Okins ran a hand over his blaster slowly, trying to keep his temper in check. "Well, let me break it to you this way. I wouldn't count on your fancy lawyers to do any good, not after what you've done."

"Why don't you refresh my memory, pops."

"Why don't you wipe that smirk off your face before I shoot it off." Okins snapped. "And lose the attitude. You really think this is funny? I'm not at all laughing."

"What, so I got a little over-excited with a girl. There's no harm in that, right?"

The little restraint that Okins had left snapped. He reached forward and grabbed Jeref by the front of the shirt, then hurled him across the room. Jeref struck the opposite wall and as he slid down to the floor his head struck a bolt on the wall. The cut started a small stream of blood trickling down the side of his face.

"What in kark's name do you think gave you the right to go around attacking ladies off the street?"

Ariam rubbed his face, smearing blood onto his hands. "She was promised to me. Her...grandmother and I had an agreement."

Okins grabbed the front of the man's tunic again and slammed him into the wall a second time, holding him in place. "What kind of agreement?" When Jeref wouldn't speak, Okins shook him violently. "Answer me!"

Jeref swallowed. "Elsa...told me about Ariam Vorru's plans. She said if Ariam couldn't have her, I could." He coughed. "Vorru's...rejection was broadcasted all over the INN a few hours ago. That makes her mine now. Just taking what belonged to me." He tried to wrestle himself from Okins' grip. "And get your hands off me, old man. I'm not your problem."

Okins pressed him tighter, circling his fingers closer to Jeref's throat. "That's where you're wrong," he growled. "That girl you assaulted tonight was my daughter; that means you are my problem. Your ass is mine..."

"I'm not afraid of you, pops."

"Not yet," Okins growled and glared down at Jeref, his eyes full of anger. "Now you get to suffer twice the pain you just put my daughter through." Using his free hand, Okins snatched up his blaster and pressed it to Jeref's head, right between the eyes. "I hope you've made peace with your maker...by the time I'm done with you, you'll be dreading the day you were born."

Screams were heard in the brig corridor for several minutes followed by two blaster shots. Finally, Okins stepped out of the cell, the front of his uniform covered in blood. As he passed the trooper standing watch,  he pointed back to the cell.

"Bag, tag, and trash him. That's an order."

XXXII: Emergency Call

(Younger/sensitive readers may not wish to read past the divider.)

Rebecca rushed about her bedroom trying to pack as quickly as she could. She feared her grandmother would have left the gala almost as soon as she herself did and would be arriving home any minute, and worse, possibly bringing both Ariam and Moff Vorru with her. Rebecca tore through her closet, throwing the dresses and gowns she was planning on taking onto the bed and purposefully leaving anything Ariam had gifted to her behind.  Next came the letters she had been receiving from Aria and her father. She opened her nightstand drawer and took out the giant stacks. Once those were packed, she moved on to the silver jewelry box given to her by her father on her birthday. She opened the box and packed all of its contents. Finally, she removed the bottom layer revealing the hidden comm unit. The original note was still attached:

Becky, 
You're twenty-one now! Congrats! You reached a great milestone, it's just unfortunate our circumstances prevent me from spending this day with you. 

I'm sure Granny-Goodness hasn't yet given you one of these, so let me be the first. It's a comm unit. But don't get too excited...I'm giving this to you for emergency uses only. There's two frequencies programed into it: the first is mine. The second goes to Aria. One of us will answer. And if we don't? You have permission to knock our heads in when we see you. That's a promise. When things get truly unbearable where you are, I WANT you to call. I'll come get you and you can stay with me on Coruscant, guardian-ship be damned.

I'm sorry this needs to have limited use, but it's for the best. The last thing you need is Granny destroying it for "fraternizing with the enemy", as we military folk call it. I look forward to hearing your voice, no matter the circumstance of the call. 

Happy Birthday, 
Dad 

The time read 2200 hours, not too late to make a call. She tore the paper off and dialed with shaky fingers. Static was heard as she waited for an answer on the other end.

"Okins here." 

"Daddy?" Rebecca asked, her voice stressed. "I need your help..."

~~**~~ 

Coronet City's streets were nearly empty as the time drew closer to midnight. Rebecca walked briskly towards the central naval base on the edge of the city. Every few steps she stumbled slightly from being weighed down by her travel bags. She stopped at one of the street corners for a quick break and to check the time. 2430 hours. Taking a deep breath, she pressed forward, starting to avoid the main roads as she passed by the Vorru estate. From the distance, she could see several speeders still parked in the front and was surprised the gala was still going on so late, especially since she had fueled the flames by departing so unexpectedly. She did feel relieved upon seeing her grandmother's speeder still there, meaning she hadn't been home. Rebecca felt a small twinge of guilt not saying goodbye to her, but pressed onward anyway, knowing all too well that her grandmother would use every bit of persuasion to keep her from leaving.

As she turned another corner, she smiled, seeing the base's armored gate in the distance. Almost there. Her father assured her over the comm that the base never closed. An officer was always on duty, and they were awaiting her there. Because of this, she slowed her pace down. Her feet were hurting thanks to her heeled shoes and her arms were tired from carrying the heavy bags.

Halfway to the base, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Something isn't right... She turned her head slightly and noticed a male figure stumbling down the sidewalk behind her. Getting nervous, she quickened her pace. He quickened his.  As she continued walking, she grabbed the comm from her pocket and dialed.

"Brisard here." 

"Aria?? Are you guys here yet?"

"We're on route, Becky. We'll need another three hours. We were coming from Coruscant."

"Can you get here any faster?" She asked, clear fear in her voice.

"Becky, what's wrong?" her father asked.  

"I think I'm being followed..." she replied, quickly stowing the comm back in her pocket and leaving the connection going.  

She hurried as fast as she could to the gate and upon arriving hit the comm button requesting entry. As she waited, she heard the footsteps get louder and louder. Her heart racing, she fled down the nearest street in hopes of losing her stalker. Not sure where she was headed, she made an error and took an immediate right turn into a dead end.

"Great..." she mumbled. Wondering if she was able to lose her stalker, she turned around slowly and froze upon seeing the man's silhouette standing in the entrance to the alley. He stood there for several minutes staring off in her direction. Suddenly he started stumbling his way into the alley. As he drew closer, she started to back up and search for a way past him.

"Well, well, well..." he said. His speech was slightly uneven and slurred. "What a coincidence it is, finding you here."

"Who are you?" she asked, "What do you want with me?"

"You know, I was sitting at the bar downtown, drinking to the worst misfortune for our mutual friend Ariam Vorru...when lo and behold; the holo broadcasts live from some lavish, gaudy party he's throwing and there you two are, front and center."

"What about it?" she asked, backing further away as he advanced.

"I was...a little surprised to see him shove that ring in your face." He smirked. "No matter. His loss...."

Rebecca shot him an angry look. "I'm waiting for someone. If you don't mind," she said, trying to shove her way past him. Before she could get very far, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back against the alley wall. As he leaned his head close to hers, she turned her nose away, trying to avoid getting a good whiff of his strong alcoholic breath.

The man eyed her from head to toe and grinned. "It appears that fodder Ariam was too good for you, eh? I guess that means you're all mine." He yanked her forward and planted his mouth on hers.

Rebecca immediately began to struggle against his grip. When she finally broke free, she once again tried to get out of the alley, this time crying out for help. She made it a few feet before tripping over her heels. On the way down, she hit her head on the ground, dazing her. Her assailant took this opportunity to pin her to the ground, and as she lay there she felt a sharp object press into her neck a little.

"Don't struggle, Rebecca. It'll only make it worse for you..." He grinned deviously at her and whispered into her ear. "You know, I could have us wait this off until we're both official...but why? I couldn't bear waste this perfect opportunity."

Horrified and frightened, she made one last-ditch effort and used her free hand to slap the man as hard as she could across the face, hoping it would loosen his hold on her long enough. To her dismay, it did little damage.

"I guess you want it rough then. Alright, I'll play your game." He grinned and swung, striking her in the head. Rebecca cried out in pain as everything went black.

OOC Post: Reader Discretion

Hey readers. I just want to let you know that the next two blog entries will either in part or completely deal with a violent/criminal situation. The first of the two will be uploaded within the next few hours. There will NOT be any explicit details on the action but the suggestion is there. I'm trying to keep it vague enough that everyone should be comfortable reading and still understand what's happening. I'm sure most of you are mature adults and won't get upset about reading something like this, but for my younger audiences and those who don't enjoy reading or imagining suggestive material, reader discretion should be advised. The idea here isn't to offend, rather to tell a story. I will put a note in the blog entries before it happens as a reminder for those who wish to continue reading or not.

Much of Becky's back story is still in the planning/now-what stages. This point we're maybe a third of the way through, but as far as I can tell, these will be the ONLY two posts to deal with this type of sensitivity. However, these upcoming posts and "Final Decision" (the previous entry) will be background info and brought up again for a future storyline that will occur in the twitter-feed in the maybe-near future.

If anyone has questions or comments about this or about any of part of her back-story, feel free to direct message me or leave a note below. I enjoy hearing from you. 

Thanks,
Becks.

XXXI: Final Decision

Rebecca stared long and hard at the ring presented before her. As she stood there, guests observing were cheering, whistling, and the photographers were flashing their cameras nonstop, taking in every second to be sure not to miss a single moment.

The ring, it's gold band and three large set diamonds shimmered in the light hanging above. She looked at it, admiring its beauty but at the same time feeling a sense of disdain from it. The segment of conversation between Ariam and her grandmother echoed in her mind. She knew what her answer was but felt unable to speak.

Feeling frozen, she looked back up at Ariam, and when his eyes met hers he smiled, believing all too well he knew what her response was, that she was just too surprised and overjoyed to answer. Ariam removed the ring and returned the box to his robe pocket, never averting his eyes from her own. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

Rebecca watched as Ariam leaned forward and took her hand gently. However, before he was able to slip the ring onto her finger, she jerked her hand out of his grasp and reach. Her outburst started commotion among the guests and Ariam himself.

"Rebecca, give me your hand."

Rebecca kept her eye contact with Ariam and slowly shook her head. By now she could see the smile on Ariam's face had completely faded away.

She backed away as he stepped closer, "I'm sorry," she said quietly, then quickly turned and pushed her way through the crowd. Her grandmother's shouts were still audible as she ran from the ballroom and out of the estate. 

XXX: The Gala

Ariam Vorru squeezed his way through the crowded ballroom in search of his father. As he maneuvered around groups of politicians, holo-news reporters and fellow aristocrats, he spotted Moff Vorru instructing one of the attendants in the corner of the room and made his way over.

"Father, have they arrived yet?"

Moff Vorru waved off the attendant and turned to his son. "Not yet. I'll be informed when they do."

"But they truly are coming, aren't they? This whole affair is pointless if Rebecca doesn't arrive."

Moff Vorru put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Relax, Ariam. I informed Elsa, she promised to have Rebecca here."

"Then why isn't she?" Ariam shifted slightly."This is a big moment..."

Moff Vorru led his son into the hall away from the guests. "You need to relax."

"I can't." Ariam said. He started pacing back and forth impatiently. Every waiting moment seemed like an eternity. "I want to get this over with..."

"Making a proposal unnerve you that much?"

Ariam shook his head. "No...but I feel as if the ring is burning a hole through my pocket..." He sighed and checked the time. "Blast it all, where is she?!"

Moff Vorru sighed. "I'll check with the doorman. "He put his hands on his son's shoulders. "Do me a favor, alright? Go back inside, have a drink, and take a deep breath."

Ariam nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, father. I'll...be a lot calmer once she arrives."

~~**~~ 

"Hurry up, darling." Elsa said as she hurried Rebecca out of the speeder and into the Vorru estate. "We're very late. Fliry and Ariam are waiting." 

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Rebecca replied, rushing as fast as she could without tripping over her own feet. They were met by Moff Vorru as they approached the ballroom. 

"My dear Fliry, I apologize for our tardiness." Elsa smiled apologetically and discreetly nodded towards her granddaughter. "We've had some problems getting started today." 

Fliry smiled at both women. "Fear not, ladies. Everything is fine now that you're here." He offered a hand to Rebecca. "Come, milady. Ariam has been waiting for you." 

Rebecca gave a small smile back. "Then we shouldn't keep him waiting." She responded quietly.

Moff Vorru led the group into the ballroom. Ariam spotted them from the bar and rushed over.

"Thank the maker you're alright. I was getting worried."

Elsa embraced Ariam in a brief hug. "Just some minor complications getting started. Nothing to worry about."

"Good, good." Ariam stepped forward and grasped Rebecca's hand, kissing it gently. "My dear, you look...most exquisite this evening." He said, flashing a debonair grin at her, causing her to blush.

Elsa quickly stood forward, interrupting. "Ariam, Rebecca's been feeling a little blue all day. Perhaps you could cheer her up a little." She nudged his arm.

"With pleasure." he grinned and took Rebecca's arm. "Come, my dear. Lets see what we can do about this mood of yours." Rebecca glanced behind her briefly as Ariam led her to the dance floor. He slipped his arm around her waist and grasped her hand. "Now...what seems to be the trouble?"

Rebecca shrugged a little as the music started up again. "Have you ever had one of those days...where nothing seems to go right, and all you want to do is go back to bed and wake up some other day?"

"Mmm," he nodded, pulling her closer. "I think I can relate to that."

"Well that's how I feel." she sighed. "I shouldn't have come. I'm not really in a party mood."

"We all get like this sometimes, my dear. It'll pass. And if you'd like, I'd be happy to cheer you up some."

"Feel free to try.." she replied quietly. Ariam continued to twirl her around the dance floor, and as the dance continued, Rebecca glanced around her taking notice on more and more people watching her and Ariam's every move. "Is it me or are we being watched?"

"Oh we are." he gave a small grin. "I believe we're going to be the most exciting bit of news at this event."

"Why?" she asked, looking around nervously at the reporters and photographers.

"Young love. There's no sweeter subject to report about." He said, leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. The cameras began flashing nonstop. Ariam held the kiss for a few moments, but then broke off when he didn't get much of a response from Rebecca, him contributing her lack of emotion to her mood. He then turned to the reporters and chuckled. "There's a kiss for your front page."

The lights in the room then dimmed and all attention went to Moff Vorru who was standing on a raised platform in the front of the room. "Lords and ladies, I have some announcements to make. First, I know there has been much speculation over the future of my career. I can safely guarantee I will not be stepping down as Moff of our great society anytime soon." He raised his wine glass for applause. When the noise calmed, he motioned for Elsa Everon to stand beside him. "Second, as you know Lady Everon has been a proud supporter of my campaigns. We are both proud to announce that my son Ariam has been chosen to take my place as Moff when I do become eligible for retirement." He made another pause when the audience broke into applause. "And for the last bit of news, I believe my son Ariam has his own announcement to make."

The lights shifted and centered around the cleared middle of the ballroom where Ariam and Rebecca were standing. Rebecca looked around, feeling increasingly uncomfortable at every eye in the room looking right at her. When her gaze finally fell back on Ariam Vorru she gasped and covered her mouth, for he was positioned down on one knee in front of her, holding out an open black velvet box. She found herself staring down a gold diamond ring.

Ariam cleared his throat. "My dearest Rebecca...you are a lady of pure beauty, caliber, grace and virtue. You have no faults, and I do believe it was destiny that brought us together. Everything you do brings me great pleasure, and I am blessed that you will be my wife."

XXIX: The Arrangement

"Well Ariam?" Elsa said, standing in front of Ariam. "What are you going to do about this?"

"Jeref Ulmeran has nothing on me." Ariam scoffed. "I'm not concerned."

"You should be." Elsa said. "What if Rebecca starts taking interest to him? The man wants to see her. I can only say no to him for so long. Eventually he'll get fed up and search her out himself."

"Well by then she'll be off the market."

Rebecca awoke to voices downstairs and rolled over in bed to get a glance at the chrono on her nightstand. It read 12:30 in the morning. Who in kriff's name is visiting at this hour? Rebecca sighed and got out of bed. Grabbing her robe, she wrapped it around her and quietly crept downstairs towards the parlor where the voices were coming from. The door was slightly ajar, and as she approached the doorway she recognized Ariam Vorru's voice. Both excitement and curiosity got the best of her as she put her ear to the opening and listened.

"When are you making this happen? Even if Lord Ulmeran is shoved aside, there will be other suitors, Ariam. They could come in droves."

"Are you saying I can't handle the competition, Elsa?"

"I'm saying be careful."

"I always am." Ariam grinned for a moment, then the smile faded. "However, you are right....Jeref Ulmeran won't be the last." He stroked his chin, thinking. "I may have to push things up. I know Jeref. The man can be....relentless, when it comes to what he wants."

Elsa raised her brow. "And you're not?"

"Well, lets just say, my moral compass points much higher than his own. All of his family work and think alike. They chase after whatever obsesses them until something...or someone else, catches their eye."

"So?" Elsa took a seat beside him. "What do you plan to do about this?"

Ariam remained silent for a few moments. Meanwhile outside the room, Rebecca leaned against the wall, trying to make sense to what her grandmother and suitor were talking about. She had never heard of a Jeref Ulmeran before that night. Rebecca sighed, coming to a conclusion that Jeref was part of another one of her grandmother's crazy schemes. She quickly turned back to the door when Ariam spoke up again.

"I'll confer with my father. Next weekend...I'll throw another gala at his estate. I'll do it then. All you need to do, Elsa, is make sure she attends."

"You're throwing a gala? That's very high profile."

"And a reporter from each of the major holo-networks will be there. This is a big deal for us, Elsa. Our two families uniting will be the best thing to happen for the Corellian aristocracy since before the Empire was founded. I want this to be well known, as I'm sure you do as well."

Elsa nodded her head slowly in agreement. Her expression turned into a grin. "Not to mention further your career..."

Rebecca listened for a few more moments before backing away from the parlor slowly. It was then that she believed she knew why Ariam was being so forward with her during their outings. With her understanding that the greater good of the aristocracy was something her grandmother obsessed with, it was clear to her that her relationship with Ariam was serving as political tools only, and at that moment Rebecca came to the conclusion that she wanted no part in any of it. Feelings of heartbreak and betrayal overwhelmed her as she  quickly turned and raced up the stairs to her bedroom as Ariam and Elsa continued.

"There is...one more thing I need from you, Elsa."

"Name it, Ariam."

"There's of course the chance, however slim, that Rebecca could refuse me. I need you to make sure she cannot."

"Ah..." Elsa nodded, deep in thought. This was a tricky situation to rectify. There were many legislative barriers to maneuver around. After several moments, Elsa spoke up again. "We could write up a betrothal arrangement. Her consent isn't needed for that course of action."

"Is that still legal?"

Elsa grinned. "I will make it legal. Just leave everything to me..."

XXVIII: Male Competition

"I appreciate you letting me stop by, Elsa. Especially at this late hour." said Ariam. He stepped inside the estate and followed Elsa to the parlor.

"Well, it isn't every day that I meet with friends mere minutes away from midnight," she replied. "And on top of that, I have something important to tell you as well."

"Oh?" Ariam asked, "Sounds like I'm in trouble." He teased.

"You might very well be." Elsa said, motioning for him to sit down. When he did, she continued. "I know you and Rebecca haven't been courting very long, but have you any future plans?"

"I believe you know my future plans in regards to your granddaughter, Elsa."

"Indeed I do, Ariam. However..." her voice trailed off for a moment. "There is a new complication. How long do you expect this courtship to last?"

"Elsa, you yourself told me not to rush into this. I believe your exact words were...'Rebecca is a kind, sweet, and tender young woman, but she needs her time. She's afraid of strangers..."

"Why is it, Ariam, that you remember all of that yet important orders from your father slip right by?"

"What can I say...when it comes to my future bride, she becomes my top priority."

"I can see that." she said. "well? How does she feel about you? I assume there's love involved."

Ariam let off a smirk. "oh yeah..."

"For kriff's sake, Ariam...you didn't take her to your bed yet, did you?"

"Not until the wedding night, Elsa. "I respect her, and our society's expectations."

"Good." she rose from her seat and began pacing the room, "Now, I mentioned before that there's a new complication. How soon are you going to be making these wedding plans?"

"Well a few more months perhaps. I've seen her only a few several times. Why, what is 'complication'?"

"You're familiar with Lord Jeref Ulmeran? He's from your rival family, a few years older than you...better career reputation..."

"He's also a scoundrel with a shadier mind than my own. What's that bastard have to do with this?"

"He's your new competition. Jeref stopped by today. He too would like to have my granddaughter for his bride."