Chapter Text
Hapes looked exactly like it did the last time he had visited. Clear skies, pristine buildings, beautiful women, barely clothed men -- same as always. One glaring difference from his last visit stood out to him though; his best friend had become the Queen Mother of the Hapes Consortium. Jacen still considered her his best friend even though they hadn’t had a chance to catch up since the war with the Yuuzhan Vong ended; that was one of the main reasons for his visit. He had seen news of her coronation when he returned from captivity, he had seen her across chambers during crowded meetings and briefings surrounded by Hapan guards, but now he just wanted to see her. Jacen realized he hadn’t had a chance to really talk to her since the mission to Myrkr.
The city of Chume’dan was busier than he had ever seen it and he figured it was because of the Marauders’ Masquerade, a festival that spanned four nights and the main excuse he had for visiting. His reason had been to see Queen Mother Tenel Ka Chume Ta’ Djo, the excuse he told everyone was he wanted to go relax and enjoy himself for the first time after the war ended. Most of the people he told about his trip though -- his parents, Jaina, Tahiri, Zekk, Lowbacca, Uncle Luke -- they all knew his reason.
The Queen Mother’s head social secretary greeted him at the main entrance of the Fountain Palace and the expression the man made when he realized who he was looking at was an expression Jacen couldn’t actually read. Amusement? Disbelief? Disgust? Solo had noticed that Hapans tended to invent new expressions on the fly and he had stopped trying to read them years ago.
“Pleasure to see you too, Mister Vessau. It’s been far too long.” Jacen said, as he pasted the biggest grin he could manage on his face.
After one of the royal handmaidens showed him to the stateroom that would be his for the duration of his visit, Jacen found a mask on the neatly made bed. It would cover only the top half of his face and was made of a dark green velvet, shots of silver and shimmering black thread weaving their way around the mask in meticulous curls with larger spirals above his eyes. The shape was asymmetrical, there were taller flourishes of velvet on one side that would reach above his head while he wore the mask and along the top curve of the tallest flourish was a carefully arranged set of black and green feathers. Black gemstones outlined the bottom edges of the empty eyes and the ties to hold the mask on were a thick black ribbon. He briefly wondered where the item had come from as he turned it over and over in his hands, studying it. It took care of his mask for the festivities, at least.
He placed it on the dark purple and gold comforter that covered the bed and sat down beside it, dropping his shoulder bag on the ground. Jacen figured between the big duffel bag laying at his feet and his smaller shoulder bag, he had enough clothes and things to amuse himself with while Tenel Ka was busy for the time he was staying there. With a sigh, he locked his hands behind his head and laid back, his gaze meeting a canopy above that matched the comforter below him.
It felt good to be doing absolutely nothing. The war left no free time and the celebrations and briefings after the war had left no free time, so this was a very welcome change. As he laid sprawled out on the lush Hapan furniture, he closed his eyes and faintly reached out to his surroundings with the Force. He could feel how much activity was going on in the massive dwelling around him and a bright spot in all the madness was the Queen Mother. Jacen sensed her and gave her a nudge through the connection they had always shared in the Force -- seconds later he felt one back, acknowledging that she knew he had arrived. A smile crossed his face as he left their connection wide open, sensing a sudden warmth knowing that she was so close. It had been too long and he suddenly found himself excited for the evening ahead. Just feeling her presence wasn’t enough -- he knew it was her and she was near, but seeing her with his own eyes would make him even more comfortable than he already was.