Star Wars: The Age of Peace

The guest quarters that were assigned to us were simple but functional. It was a neutral ground designed to accommodate visiting dignitaries or mediators, guests, and anyone important coming here off-world. The room's design was a blend of practicality with a touch of subtle elegance. The walls were smooth, carved from a pale, iridescent stone that shimmered faintly under the soft glow of recessed lighting coming from the fixtures on the ceiling. A large, circular table occupied the center of the room, its polished wooden surface reflecting the light coming from above as if waiting for us. The table's edges were etched with intricate patterns, something that probably made sense for those who knew the planet's past, but for me, it was just... nice.

Still, it also showed me that they weren't poor. The fact that soft cushions lined the floor and the back of every chair was telling. They were made of rich, woven fabric, their colors softened but strong enough to remain warm—a mix of deep blues and earthy browns that seemed to absorb the room's quiet energy. I don't know what they were made out of, but they were clearly luxurious by the touch—something that would only be present in my parents' abode.

Looking outside through a large panoramic window, the horizon was now a mix of fading oranges and purples, the last rays of daylight giving way to the imminent night descending onto us. For a moment, I just watched the city, its streets illuminated by the flickering lights coming on, the different speeders going past, and the occasional flare of a departing shuttle. Above us, covered by clouds, I could almost feel the orbital station, filled with just as many lives as down here on the planet. The whole experience helped me smooth out my senses, realizing I felt... I felt my powers reach a new height for some reason.

"Come, sit with me." Master Skywalker said, pulling me out of my strange trance.

He had already sat at the table, his presence as calm as ever; even after today's tiring and somewhat tumultuous experience, he looked unbothered and full of energy. Still... there was something more to him. He looked at us as if he was more interested in our performance than the issue at hand. My thoughts were reinforced at once when he just smiled, meeting my eye as if hearing my thoughts.

Yeah... His role was clear—he was there to listen, to watch how we would handle this moment ourselves.

I was the first to sit, easing onto one of the cushions with an unreadable expression, at least as best as I could manage it. My mind was still turning over everything from the negotiations and from what we had learned. Seeing this place and feeling the soft cushion, I was now sure that the people of this planet did enjoy some large profits, something they failed to mention to us. It also could be that they didn't and built this room to impress guests... but from what I gathered from them via my powers, it said otherwise. So, thinking it through, I leaned back slightly, my fingers tracing the edge of the table as I waited for the others.

Vila followed soon after, though her movements were less controlled than mine or Iowi's, enjoying the feeling as she was still barefooted. Maybe it was her first time in such a place as she was momentarily lost in it, exploring the room to its fullest. Finally, she plopped onto the chair next to me with a slight huff, her lekku swaying slightly with the motion. Her arms crossed briefly before her chest, pursing her lips, probably annoyed that others could have it this good... Then she let them rest on her lap, her fingers drumming an absent rhythm against her thigh.

Her expression quickly smoothened out, throwing away her somewhat jealous thoughts as she glanced at me, then at Iowi, her sharp eyes narrowing for a moment as if she were trying to read his thoughts. But for once, she didn't say anything. She simply exhaled, her shoulders slumping as she let the annoyance leave her body, especially as it turned out we did work as a good team today.

Iowi was the last to sit down. He hesitated before finally lowering himself to sit opposite us, his back remaining straight, his hands pressed together in a meditative stance. His breathing was slow and measured, a deliberate attempt to center himself as he probably experienced the most shock among us three. His eyes were closed for only a moment, his brow furrowed as if he were wrestling with something. Probably the same kind of thoughts that were in Vila's mind only a moment ago. Yet, when he opened them, his gaze was steady... but there was a flicker of uncertainty there, a crack in the armor of his usual composure, which I could pick up on immediately. He glanced at Ben, then at us, his lips pressing into a thin line as if he were holding back words he wasn't ready to say. Maybe they are more alike with Vila than I first thought so...

"So," Vila started, rolling her shoulders, "we actually did something right today."

"We did find something interesting." I snorted lightly. "And I was starting to think we'd be stuck in that chamber listening to old men shout at each other for the rest of our lives," I added with a slight joke.

"It was annoying..." Vila smirked but then grew more serious. "I could feel their..."

"Jealousy. Anger." Iwoi nodded, and they were right. I felt it maybe more than they did. The two parties were arguing... because they were afraid the others would get more profit than they and then become their master. It was... stupid. So stupid. They were wrecking a symbiotic existence because of paranoia. Just look at this room... They had something great going on...

"But..." Lia leaned forward slightly, her lekku twitching. "What's with this foreign stuff? Even though we found the saboteur, even though we gave them proof, neither side backed down today. They just shifted their anger somewhere else."

"Anger has to go somewhere, and it is not that easy to let go of it." Iowi exhaled through his nose, finally meeting her gaze as if lecturing her. "That's because anger is easier to hold onto than reason. They don't want to be wrong."

"Oh?" Vila arched an eyebrow. "And you do?"

Oh boy... Don't start it; today was going so well. Trying to caution her, I gave her a warning glance, but to my surprise, Iowi didn't rise to meet her bait. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, considering.

"I'm... starting to understand that being 'right' isn't always the same as doing what's best." His voice was low, but there was a vulnerability to it that hadn't been there before. Interesting... "Today, I saw what happens when people cling too tightly to their own ideals. And... It was thought-provoking."

"Huh." A brief silence followed before I leaned back slightly, rubbing his chin. "Well, that's progress."

"..." Iowi didn't react to the tease, but Vila, surprisingly, Didn't let the moment pass without a jab. Instead, she glanced at me, speaking.

"Alright, genius, since you're enjoying this, what's your read on the situation?"

"Well..." I let out a long breath, drumming my fingers against the table before speaking. "Look around us. This is luxurious. I don't know how well you know it, but to build something like this is not cheap. Just to put it into perspective, this room could be worth of a small ship."

"No way!" Vila gasped, but Iowi simply nodded, agreeing with me.

"Yeah. Master," I looked at Ben, "Valkyss... If my conjecture is right, does this planet feed the nearby systems?"

"..." Master Ben, still silent, gave an almost imperceptible nod to my question.

"Then," I continued, "The dispute that started within them was enough for one of their clients to strike."

"Why?" Vila asked first. I glanced at Iowi, who was considering it, and I waited for him to speak, but he just signaled with his gaze that I could continue.

"It is clear Valkyss has been selling their products for a high price. As the dominant agricultural planet, they can put other sectors under their rule via proxy. Via selling food."

"Many planets were ravaged in the Vong wars," Iowi agreed. "Some had their ecosystems ravaged by the battles. It is highly possible that those worlds can't feed their population by themselves... and must import food from planets like this."

"And then they pursue profits." I nodded. "They keep raising prices, chasing bigger and bigger margins. Then we get to a spot where they start arguing with each other because of it. A third party, who was exploited by the need to buy food from Valkyss, smells the powderkeg and then goes to ignite it."

"But... wouldn't that hurt them? Wouldn't them make them unable to buy the food?" Vila asked, and her question was valid.

"On the short term," Iowi hummed, crossing his arms, "Maybe. But maybe they are desperate. Angry. Hateful. Those can cloud their judgment."

"..." Listening to him, Vila tapped a finger against her thigh, squinting a little before speaking. "So, what's the next move? Find the saboteur and expose which world paid for it? So these two get together in the name of protecting their planet?"

"No," I shook my head. "We don't want to ignite a war."

"We must not." Iowi agreed firmly. "You have an idea?"

"Maybe..." My gaze flickered between them. "The origin of this issue is still that they both want to hold power. They don't trust each other. My bet is that, even if they show they would stand up to outside threats, I bet they are looking into if the saboteur was hired by them. If we can push them toward solving that problem together, it might open up a path for them to negotiate their own grievances later without needing us. But we also must make them come to the realization that the root of it all is their own greed."

"Easier said than done..." Vila exhaled, listening to me. "Get them working together so they stop seeing each other as the problem? Why does this sound familiar?"

"..." Iowi gave a slow nod, glancing at Master Ben for a moment. "It's risky but logical."

"Interesting," Master Ben finally spoke, his voice breaking the conversation. "And who among you is going to try and convince them of this?"

The question hung in the air, each of us looking at one another. Then, Vila grinned.

"Kael should do it."

"What?" I blinked my eyes. "Why me?"

"Because," Vila said, stretching her arms behind her head, "you're annoyingly good at getting into people's heads without them realizing it. You can plant the idea before they even know it was yours."

"That would be a bit too much, but I concur with the rest." Iowi, to our collective surprise, gave a small nod. "Kael should do it."

"..." I raised an eyebrow. "You...?" I wanted to ask if this was just another way for him to test me... to make my trip, but... I didn't feel like it. Looking at him, Iowi met my gaze with something that almost resembled... respect? No... acceptance? Maybe.

"You've proven you can read the room better than any of us." He conceded, "If there's a way to turn their focus onto a shared goal, without going to war, you're the one who can make them see it without pushing too hard."

"..." I studied him for a moment, looking at Master Ben, but he just smiled before giving a slight nod at me. So... I wasn't going to skip this, huh? "Alright. I'll try."

Hearing me say it, Ben leaned back, his expression remaining unreadable. But there was a quiet satisfaction in the way he observed us.

"You all did well today," he finally spoke more than a few words. "And you just proved you can work together when it counts. Remember that."

True... Thinking about it, the conversation naturally faded, the tension that had long been present between us slowly subsiding. I knew it was not entirely gone, but it was no longer such a dividing wall. Of course, Vila or Iowi would never say it out loud, but something had shifted between us towards a bit more... positive direction. Our dispute wasn't over, though. But... Maybe it improved a little.

"Let's get some rest," Ben said, standing up. As we prepared for some shuteye, Vila gave me a nudge.

"Hey, don't mess this up tomorrow. Break out a war, and Iowi won't let it go!"

"Ugh..." Kael shivered, flinching. "No pressure, right?"

"I heard that," Iowi muttered, not that far from us, simply crossing his arms and shaking a head before walking past us to go and meditate.