The Capital

The Coruscant skyline shined through the hotel window, the neon lights of the below underworld mixed together with the white glow of the luxurious high rises. Commander Iras Luando was on leave, she had been rocked by the business on Cerea, and her head was a mess. She found solitude in coming to the capital and acting like an ordinary Imperial citizen. This hotel was her favourite place to lay low, the interior of the building was modelled off the white sterile design of Alderaani rooms.

Iras lay flat on her bed staring at the ceiling. The Commander felt calm, she couldn't hear the march of troopers or the scurrying and squeaking of a MSE droid. Only the humdrum of the traffic, the sound was like white noise, oddly relaxing for her. Then there was a knock at the room door, Iras sighed. Had she been called off leave already? She made her way to the door and opened it to a nervous-looking employee of the hotel. "Miss Luando?"

"It's Commader Luando."

"Apologies Commander, I know you requested for all room communications to be switched off but we have received an urgent message."

"What is it?" Luando huffed.

"Commissioner Wyke has requested a meeting with you. He says he has been trying to contact you since you arrived on Coruscant ma'am. He insists that it is an urgent matter," the employee explained. Wyke - she had heard many things about this man, nothing particularly good. He was a close friend of Grand Admiral Abalam's, Wyke effectively was his inside man in the Imperial Security Bureau. What he wanted from Luando she couldn't even speculate.

"Fine then. Let him know I'll meet him at the Kabray Club, I expect him to know where that is. Tell him I will be there in about three hours' time please."

"Very good ma'am. Apologies again for the interruption, is there anything else I can get you whilst I am here?"

"Apology accepted, I will take tea, please. Thank you." Luando said to the man with her head held high. The employee gently bowed and made his way to get some tea for the Commander. Iras quickly closed the door and returned to her bed, sitting on it.

TBC