The grin grew wider, revealing a perfect set of white teeth. “I’m glad to hear it, Master Jedi. Anything else just wouldn’t be proper.”

The sun was shining bright as they stepped out onto Administration Plaza. Elzar looked up, enjoying the warmth on his face, and watched wispy clouds scudding across a sky as blue as an Ankarres sapphire. It was true what they said: Valo was a paradise, its capital city—Lonisa—nestled next to an inland lake so large it might as well be an ocean. Crystal-clear water on one side, forest-lined mountains on the other, and air as pure as Elzar had ever smelled, even on Naboo where he had first served as a Jedi Knight, taking a much-prized position at the Gallo Temple.

No wonder the Senate had chosen Lonisa for the first Republic Fair in generations, a slice of heaven in the Outer Rim, now the focal point for the festivities, celebrating the Republic in all its infinite glory. Science. Innovation. The arts. The cuisine. Its streets were bustling as they headed toward the sumptuous hotel where the Togruta delegation would be staying. They could’ve taken a speeder, but Samera liked to walk whenever possible, just one of the qualities Elzar had come to appreciate. She was exceptionally good at her job, always managing to keep her cool when everyone else was running around like a headless lemock. He’d felt the connection from the moment he’d arrived on Valo. The playful smiles. The gentle jibes. It felt good, the tonic Elzar had needed since the dedication.

Since his vision.