Nar Shaddaa

It was a fine restaurant, but not too upscale. And therefore, quiet enough for Niall's tastes.

He was still dressed in his more casual Alderaanian clothing, the fine blue tunic and jacket. The collar had been folded down, though.

Niall sat in a private corner booth, knowing that the server would direct Arsele to him when she got there.

That proved correct shortly as a young woman in a powder blue tank top and cream coloured skirt was shown to the table, handbag over her shoulder as she approached with a smile.

"A nice uptown restaurant on a relatively nice day too; Lucky me with the trifecta of nice company too."

Properly, Niall rose to his feet as Arsele approached, his etiquette as impeccable as ever. He chuckled at her words, even as he favored her with a bow in the Alderaanian style. "Your luck always was good." He said with a wry twist of his lips. They smoothed out a moment later. "It's good to see you again, Arsele."

He gestured to the opposite side of the booth. "Please, have a seat. And tell me what you've been up to, lately. I've heard nothing." He waited for her to sit before seating himself.

Arsele slid into the offered seat, smoothing out the fringe of her skirt before scooting her chair in, "Mmm... I suppose it has been a few years, to say the least. Even before I moved here. Are you still living on Alderaan then, Nin... Niall?"

She barely caught herself there.

Niall's lips twisted as he caught the almost slip. He took his own seat on the other side, his posture relaxed for him, straight but with hands folded in front of him. "I never came up with a good nickname for you. I tried Elly, but..." He spread his hands. It had been too close to Aly.

"But to answer your question, yes and no. When I was sixteen, I went to the Military Academy on Coruscant. And after that, a few years wherever I was deployed." He paused a moment as menus were delivered. "Then, two months ago, I was back home for medical leave. I... stayed on, for the funeral."

"Hers? I am sorry Niall," she said, reaching across to put a hand on his. "And sorry I was never able to properly send my condolences."

"Thank you." Niall said, lifting his gaze to meet hers, smiling. "And I understand. It's enough that you're here now. Really, thank you."

He leaned forward just a little. "I got him, Arsele. Yesterday. Well, me and a few others. But we captured the man who killed her." He leaned back a little, looking stunned. "I'm a little unsure how I feel about that, actually."

"M... Man that killed her?"

Her brow furrowed, "I had heard she died, but your family did not share the... circumstances with me Niall. She was murdered?"

"Oh." Niall looked stunned. This time, he put his hand on hers. "I'm sorry, Arsele. I wouldn't have wanted you to find out that way."

He sighed, nodding. "But it wasn't murder, not exactly. One step away from it perhaps." He paused a moment, pressing his lips together, gathering himself. "A bounty hunter had pursued their quarry into a crowded bar. He threw a flash grenade, and then started firing." He swallowed. "Rayne stumbled into the way."

Arsele nodded slowly; That was murder in her book, but that was besides the point.

"I... see. And he was here, on Nar Shaddaa?"

Niall nodded. "Yes. It's where she was, too. On break from university, or so I understand." He frowned. "Why here... I don't know. I suppose she just wanted a change." He looked at Arsele, his grey eyes curious.

"It's a good place to get away, find some freedom. Even if it comes at a price. Sometimes more literally than others I suppose, unfortunately."

"I see." Niall said, regarding her. After a moment, he smiled. "I think I understand. It's not what I would have done, obviously." Since he'd joined the Republic military, after all. "But... I think it fits you. Suits you, even." His tone was warm.

He sat back, folding his hands in front of him once more. "So, I take it you come here often? I mean, Nar Shaddaa, of course, not this restaurant."

She blinks at the indirect question, "...I live here, actually. Have an apartment and everything, out in the red light district; Been renting the place for fourteen months now."

"I see." Niall said. He didn't seem particularly surprised; it had been one of the possibilities, after all. "And I assume that this apartment is provided by a corporation that you show up promptly every morning at oh-eight-hundred standard to work for?" He gave her just a hint of a smile. No way for the Arsele he remembered; that would be far too mundane for her.

Arsele rolled her eyes in response, "As if; I work two and a half jobs to pay for a flat smaller than your parents' dining room back home. Still... it feels like home at least."

"Two and a half?" What was the half? Something had crossed his desk about another blonde Alderaanian 'chick' securing a bounty. Niall put the thought aside. "Well, I always thought that dining room was too large, anyway. Although I suppose it made sense when they were hosting one of their larger parties."

His expression grew more thoughtful. "Do you think you'll ever go back? Perhaps someday? Or... it's not home anymore?" His tone was just a touch wistful.

"Well... more like two and three halfs I guess? I guess it might be nice to give up the grind and crime and stink of this place; It's not like I never miss home. But..."

Her own sigh was less wistful, "I just never liked the thought of not having freedom, of needing to keep up appearances; Even with just you and Aly here I already feel the old pressures to straighten up and be more respectable..."

"I see." Niall nodded, his lips twisting sympathetically. "Well, don't feel pressure on my account. I know it may not have always seemed like it at the time, but I did appreciate our adventures, authorized or not."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "It's funny. Each of the three of us lives somewhere else, now. Aly because she was taken out of the system." He sighed. "You, because you chose to leave it. And then me, who bought into it entirely." He spread his hands, smiling. "I daresay there's something of significance there. I'm just not sure what it is."

"It's not you, just like it's not her; You two just bring up old memories is all. Part of my choosing to leave was leaving things behind, after all."

Niall's lips twitched. "Well, I won't bother to ask you what it was you were leaving. I feel it all the time." He looked down at his menu with a sigh. He should really pick something soon...

He looked up, his expression thoughtful. "Arsele... you've been here a while. Are you at all familiar with the name Andrei Vedantam?"

Her nose wrinkled, "Yes... I suppose you could say that. One of those sorts of names that gives Nar Shaddaa it's reputation."

Niall nodded. "Yes. Just so." He is silent a few moments. "I asked because he was the target of the bounty hunter that killed Rayne. And that she was talking to him." He is silent another few moments, his hands clenching on the menu, knuckles going white.

He looked up at Arsele. "I just wonder what he was doing there. Was she going to be his next victim? Was it all just chance? Or is there some order there? I think that's wishful thinking, though." He sighed, his lips twitching. "Sorry."

"She was talking? With him?"

A deep frown.

"...that doesn't seem like it makes a lot of sense. And not random happenstance."

Niall's glance got a bit sharper. "Yes. That's just what I thought." His lips pinched together for a few moments. "I wanted to look into it further, but I fear that I've asked enough favors of Republic intelligence. I thought that you might know someone who did that sort of thing."