Star Wars: Starkiller

'I never thought I'd come here, not voluntarily at least, but work is work I guess...' I thought as I adjusted the hood covering my face, while the freighter lights flashed as it began the descent towards the spaceport. 'Damn it, I should have asked Organa for some mask to keep any Imperial officer with good eyesight from stopping me. Oh, well it's too late for that anyway.'

The air in the ship was charged, with the constant murmur of passengers filling the cramped space. A mix of workers, tradesmen and a few faces that clearly didn't want to be recognized shared the journey with me. The atmosphere was becoming tense as we approached the planet. It was no surprise; the Empire's controls on the routes to the Core worlds had tightened after recent events.

"The Empire has started taking stricter security measures since that robbery on Aldhani, eh?" thought I, as my gaze drifted to the window. The ship broke through the upper layer of Coruscant's atmosphere, revealing a world completely covered in lights, structures, and endless levels of metal and glass. "Although, being honest, I'd do the same if I saw a group of disorganized guerrillas manage to get past my defenses."

The bad thing about the new security measures is that I was forced to leave the ship with PROXY on Centax-1 to avoid inconvenience so I had to take a Passenger liner that will take me to the planet.

However, my thoughts were soon interrupted by the sight that revealed itself to me once the liner descended into the planet's stratosphere. 

The infinite towers of Coruscant emerged like colossi on the horizon, their silhouettes silhouetted against a sky that never seemed to darken at all. It was as if the planet itself never rested. It was... overwhelming.

---

Once it landed, I began to mingle among the people, as I tried to find who was supposed to take me to the client.

Terminal 5C at the Coruscant spaceport was a hive of activity: hundreds of thousands of passengers arriving, departing or just transiting. The buzz of charging droids, automated announcements in Galactic Basic, and the clatter of luggage composed a chaotic symphony that, surprisingly, seemed to have an intrinsic order.

'Focus,' I reminded myself, as I scanned the endless mass of moving bodies with my eyes. I had to find the contact who would take me to the client. According to Organa's instructions, the driver would be waiting for me at one of the exits, where the drivers usually formed a line with holographic signs in their hands.

I arrived at the designated area and observed the line of drivers, each holding a sign glowing in different languages: Galactic Basic, Durese, Dosh, Bothese and even Ryl. Some drivers looked impatient, tapping their foot on the ground, while others simply waited with neutral expressions. It was then that I saw him.

A human man, with silver hair and a firm bearing, he perfectly matched the description in the holophoto Organa had sent me. His Caucasian skin and carefully groomed features conveyed the precision expected of someone accustomed to life in the capital.

'That's him,' I thought, as I approached. It didn't take him long to notice my presence, his eyes fixed on me with a faint glint of recognition.

"Greetings, sir. My name is Exmar, do you need me to help you with any luggage?" he asked with a formal tone, befitting the denizens of the Core.

"That won't be necessary. Just take me to the car." I replied, keeping my voice low and my tone firm.

The man nodded briefly and, with a polite gesture, indicated for me to follow him.

"Follow me, please, sir."

As I followed him, I managed to notice something though.

'His body is very stiff and his body language conveys discomfort, hmph, it's probably nothing, but just in case I'll have to keep an eye on him more.

Outside, the main entrance to the airport opened up like a giant mouth swallowing and spitting out people and vehicles relentlessly. Cabs, speeders and transport droids stopped, accelerated or hovered in perfect synchrony. Passengers hurriedly descended, while others tried to climb in loaded with suitcases, packages and even cages with exotic creatures.

What really caught my eye, however, was the panorama of the city. From where I stood, I could see the skyscrapers of Coruscant rising in all directions, structures that seemed to be competing to touch the clouds. Each building glowed with its own light, reflecting off the windows of passing vehicles.

"So this is what civilization looks like," I thought, as a little shudder ran down my spine. There was something about that monumental scale that was both fascinating and terrifying.

As I climbed into the car, Exmar set the vehicle up with the same efficiency he had shown before. The doors closed with a soft hiss, and the speeder soared into the busy skies of the city. The overhead avenues of Coruscant were a maze of lights, vehicles, and floating rails that seemed to defy the laws of physics. From the backseat, I watched as the capital of the Empire passed before my eyes, imposing and unattainable.

'This is Coruscant, huh? Not bad.' I thought, as the car turned onto one of the main roads. 'I'll send the signal to the client that I'm on my way, I thought as I slyly pressed a button on the communicator Bail Organa had handed me to communicate with the contact.

---

A beep sounded on the device Mon Mothma was holding, it alerted her that the person Bail had gotten her was on the planet already.

'Everything will be all right.' The senator thought constantly as she wandered around her house, spinning in circles, nervous about meeting the person who would be in charge of protecting her, nervous because she didn't know this person as well, but she had no choice, it was either that or she would have to talk to Luthen and to be honest he didn't trust him enough to give her this task so she had to turn to one of the few allies she had left in the senate.

---

"Well, here we are." The driver said dryly, stopping the vehicle in front of what appeared to be an apartment building. From the outside it didn't look like much: a plain structure, with no ornamentation or indication of being more than a functional place.

I saved my thoughts for later, as Exmar was opening the door for me, I descended from the vehicle with calculated movements, and as soon as I set foot on the ground, I was greeted by the figure that appeared to be my client.

The woman who approached me was human, of average height, approximately 5'7". Her slim, slender figure, along with her elegant bearing, suggested someone accustomed to moving in the highest circles of society. Her hair, a light reddish-blonde shade, fell perfectly coiffed, and her skin, clear and flawless, confirmed my theory: this woman was someone of affluent class, perhaps more important than she appeared.

"Welcome Twilight, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, I am Senator Mon Mothma." said the woman with a polite tone, warm but cautious. Her voice reflected hospitality, though something in her gaze revealed to me that she harbored a latent distrust of me.

'Twilight?' I thought in confusion until an expression of recognition graced my face. 'Ah, she probably means the alias Senator Organa gave me, right.'

"The pleasure is mine, Senator." I replied while shaking my confussion off, taking her hand carefully and depositing a light kiss on the back of it.

"Oh my..." The senator reacted with a slight blush that colored her cheeks. "Pl-pleasure to meet you too." She added in a somewhat awkward tone, averting her gaze for a moment.

'What? Too much? That's not how you greet royalty, is it? 'Maybe I made a mistake,' I thought, somewhat confused by her reaction.

"Senator, I'm sorry if I overstepped." I said as I knelt down with a solemn gesture. "I beg your forgiveness."

The surprise on her face was evident, her eyes widened slightly, and her tone became hurried. "T-that won't be necessary, Twilight. Take it easy. In fact, I'm flattered by your behavior. It's not so common these days to see people with that kind of manners."

"Now..." she said, extending a hand toward the door of the building. "Would you be so kind as to come with me?"

"After you, Senator." I replied, bowing slightly in respect. She nodded with a slight smile before leading us inside.

Stepping through the entrance, I was met with an apartment far more imposing than the exterior suggested. The space had high ceilings that accentuated its grandeur, and the windows offered panoramic views of Coruscant, with the endless parade of air traffic streaking across the skies. The predominant tones were beige, white and gold, creating an atmosphere of restrained luxury. Furniture with modern lines and elegant decorations, such as abstract art and stylized vases, reinforced the sense of opulence.

However, one object in particular caught my attention almost immediately: an ancient sword displayed in a lighted display case. Its design was imposing, and the wear on the blade spoke of thousands of years of age. Although it was clearly restored with great care, nothing could fool the Force, and that weapon emitted a dark, dense energy that was impossible to ignore.

My concentration must have lingered longer than it should have, because the senator approached, positioning herself next to me.

"Do you like it?" she asked in a curious tone. "It's my husband's. He likes to collect historical pieces, so I gave it to him as an anniversary present. It's a very special blade, according to whoever sold it to me. It was wielded by a Massassi, one of the ancient warriors of the Sith race. From what I was told, it probably dates back to the Great Hyperspace War, over 5,000 years ago."

'An original Sith sword. 'Interesting,' I thought as my gaze remained fixed on the weapon. 'That explains the Dark Side energy it emits. But how would someone not Force-sensitive be able to perceive something like that? Either the salesman knew exactly what he was offering, or he was a Jedi.'

"Would you like to have a caf?" The senator offered, interrupting my thoughts, to which I nodded.

Minutes later, she returned with two cups of caf, the warm aroma filling the space.

"Do you like it with sugar, or...?" She asked.

"Sugar is fine, thank you,. I said, smiling gratefully. She smiled back before sitting down across from me.

Silence settled between us as we drank. Occasionally, the senator would look away from her cup and toward my hood, as if trying to catch a glimpse of my face.

"You don't need to be so cautious. As long as you're here, you can relax, Twilight." She finally commented.

"I'm afraid relaxing is not part of the agreement I made with Senator Organa, Senator." I replied, setting my cup down on its saucer carefully.

"Yes, speaking of which..." Her tone changed slightly, taking on a more inquisitive tinge. "I've been wanting to know, how much did Bail Organa tell you?"

"Just the basics. He said a friend of his on Coruscant didn't feel safe and needed someone to watch it's back. If you fear for your safety, you can rest easy. Until I walked through that door, I had no idea the client was you."

"That reassures me, actually," she replied, nodding slightly. Then her face became more serious. "However, I think if you're going to protect me, it's only fair that you know why I don't feel safe, despite living in one of the best areas of Coruscant and holding the rank I do in the Empire."

My senses sharpened, and I leaned forward slightly. "What do you mean?"

Mon Mothma lowered her voice, leaning toward me with an expression laden with concern. "I'm being watched."

Her fingers fiddled unconsciously with the rim of her cup as she continued. "For a while now, they've been increasing security at the Senate. Every time I go, I never encounter the same people twice. Except for my fellow senators, everything else is constantly changing: the Senate staffers, the security guards, even some aides. They're all new faces."

Her gaze hardened, and her tone shifted from concern to a tinge of urgency. She wasn't just sharing information; she was handing me a puzzle she'd been trying to solve for some time.

"Besides..." she added, leaning toward me over the table cautiously, as if she feared the walls themselves might hear. Her whisper was almost imperceptible. "The Imperial Senate itself assigned me a new driver. It's the same man who drove you here."

That revelation cleared up some things that had been niggling at the back of my mind since my arrival. I had noticed certain strains in the chauffeur's demeanor, small details that now clicked because of the information.

"Are you saying he's a spy?" I asked quietly, matching her tone.

"I don't know," the senator admitted, her eyes searching mine frankly. "But I don't trust him."

"And you, do you trust me?"

The question hung in the air. Mon Mothma was silent for a few seconds that felt eternal. Her eyes roamed my face, analyzing every detail, as if searching for answers to questions I had not uttered. Finally, she spoke.

"Trust is a two-way street, Twilight," she said serenely, though her tone hinted at an underlying wariness. "However, I do not distrust you. Not completely, at least.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have told you this."

Her response, though carefully measured, was worthy of a seasoned politician. It didn't answer my question directly, but it made clear what I needed to know: the door of trust was ajar, and it was up to me to decide whether to walk through it.

"In that case, I guess I'll have to take the first step." I replied.

With deliberate calm, I brought my hands to my hood and pulled it down, revealing my face. My hair, longer than usual, fell in disarray, and my beard, grown during the harsh weeks of confinement, added a rough air to my appearance. Traces of my time in prison were evident, but I was not ashamed of them. I had learned to wear my scars, visible or not, as reminders of what I had endured.

"It's nice to finally meet you Senator." I said in a neutral though slightly more jovial tone than before, while the senator seemed to have frozen, analyzing my facial features until she eventually smiled.

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