Imperial Palace- Bastion

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Jaina had had a while now to actually start picking up on this whole empress thing, so she was glad to have a break for something more normal. Also, she was maybe a little self-conscious (this was rare) because no one from Fandom had actually seen her since everything had happened, and she remembered how different Tenel Ka had seemed after being

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[weetuskenraider]

Well, yes. Even knowing about the situation, it would have still thrown Tahiri for a loop to show up and get greeted by a bunch of Imperials.

As it was, when her portal showed up and she stepped out, blinking, she had to spend some time adjusting to the smells of an urbanized planet, which she'd almost forgotten.

"Hey," she said with a half smile, looking a little bit awkward and self-conscious herself.

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Well, Jaina was at least immediately trying to do with the awkwardness.

"Come here, you," Jaina said, though she was already heading over for the appropriate hug greeting.

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Hugs were good! Hugs helped!

"Wow, it's good to see you again," Tahiri told her, instinctively going to hug her back hard, though she seemed to remember and ease up just a bit. "Look at you, all . . . empressy and . . . wow."

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"Yeah, it's weird," Jaina said flatly. "It's allll weird."

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"I bet." Tahiri pulled back to get a good look at her. "Are you starting to get used to it?"

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"Partly. On the plus side, ever-changing pregnancy side effects have helped me get used to the empress stuff better because at least that weirdness stays somewhat stable," Jaina admitted.

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"Which is saying something about the pregnancy side effects," Tahiri concluded.

Something kind of unsettling.

[solo_sword]

If that was unsettling then Tahiri probably wouldn't have wanted to see that brief time where Jaina would just start tearing up over literally nothing. (Jaina was pretty sure that was over?)

"I don't know how anyone does this on purpose more than once," she said. "Want to see your room? Catch up on the way with fancier scenery?"

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"Because they decide it's worth it?" Tahiri guessed, shrugging, then laughed. "Sure, lead the way. Um . . . people aren't going to start wondering if I've figured out how to be in two places at once, are they? Though that might not be a bad thing, necessarily."

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"I wouldn't be mad if people thought that," Jaina said, leading her inside the palace, and while the place was nice Jaina thought it was very Imperial-looking. "In here, Jag's got the place locked down pretty good with his people, who know who you are and won't say anything. Outside, everyone sees me and my you together enough that I don't think anyone would really bother to look enough to realize you're not her age. And if they do, they'll probably think you're a double."

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri's eyes widened at the sight of the place in a very country-mouse kind of way, so if anyone had been paying very close attention right at that moment they might have guessed she wasn't the Tahiri who usually hung out here. She got that dialed back down quickly enough, though.

"Ooooh, Imperial intrigue, sort of," she said with a chuckle. "Safe to say I never anticipated being part of that, but I don't hate the idea, especially if it's to your benefit."

[solo_sword]

"Careful what you wish for," Jaina said dryly. "Though I appreciate it. I swear I'm not biased when I said this, but Jedi intrigue was a lot more fun and if I didn't have a Tahiri around I think I'd be going a little crazy."

That was entirely possible, too.

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"Good," Tahiri said with a sudden burst of decisiveness. "I'm glad you've got that. With her around, I mean. I'd worry about you a lot more if you didn't. Actually, it's probably a good thing for both of you."

She shook her head and did a slow turn in place, really trying to take in the whole palace.

"I still can't quite believe you actually live here."

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"The place I grew up in was a lot, but then there's this," Jaina agreed, stopping at a turbolift and hitting the button. "There's a whole wing that handles all the governing stuff, and where our offices are, and then the living quarters are totally separate from that. Also the gym, because I needed one."

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"Of course you needed a gym," Tahiri laughed. "The biggest place I've ever lived is probably the Academy back on Yavin, but that's nothing like this, of course."

Ancient Massassi temples didn't exactly have the same kind of design aesthetic, for one.

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"Also, surrounded by much less jungle." When the turbolift showed up she stepped inside, making sure Tahiri was in before hitting the button. "I can't really complain about this place, really."

Though she sort of wanted to, but that was because she felt sort of petty about the whole situation.