Xaviera Alessandra

Background

Xaviera Alessandra is the current High Queen of Aedrius and doubles as the island-nation's Galactic Senator. She is married to the Corellian Jedi Master Kal-Dar Tarn, who rules at her side as the High King of Aedrius. They currently have two sons, Xacarias Alessandra and Darien Alessandra, and are expecting twins. They reside in the Queen's Manor on Pu'uhonua, the main island in the chain known as the Tallian Isles on Corellia. Although recognized to be Force Sensitive, Xaviera has not undergone any training at the request of the Order of Shala'ia.

In the Senate, Xaviera is considered to be one of the most popular and influential of delegates. Her alleigance to Supreme Chancellor Idanian is well known, as are her close ties to the Coruscanti Jedi Order. She holds several high ranking positions, including appointments to the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Committee on New World Discovery and Exploration, and the Senate Committee on Refugees.

Although a diplomat by nature, Xaviera is able to defend herself sufficiently. She is skilled in the use of both the Aedrian Bow and twin sai blades.

Xaviera is also the owner of the HMSS Iola, which she uses primarily for transportation between Corellia and Coruscant.

Strangely, despite being surrounded by Jedi and their beliefs, Xaviera still holds true to the native religion of Aedrius, seeing the Order of Shala'ia as sacred and holy.

Family
Xaviera is the daughter of Adonia and Ariston Alessandra. Before the Alessandra Assassinations, she lived at the Queen's Palace in LaLexra on Aedrius with six other siblings, including: Apollonia, Azarias, Eudora, Narkissa, Cynea, and Dareios Alessandra.

 Throughout her life, Xaviera has been married three times. Her first husband was Mano Iaelde, who helped in the plot to assassinate her family. She married her second husband, Josias Dareth, in order to bring the Aedrian Civil War to a close. After arriving in the Core, Xaviera later fell for her Jedi guardian, Kal-Dar Tarn, who she married just shortly after her coronation. Because of their marriage, Xaviera is now the sister of Kara Tanris, as well as the daughter of Thorin and Nalia Tanris. She is also related to Skyler Starfire as a distant cousin. Today, she lives at the Queens' Manor with a handful of her closest friends who she considers family. This includes her two sons, Xacarias and Darien, her husband Kal-Dar, along with Wildra Kallia,  Srinica Keldronna and her daughter,  Adrian Halkias ,  Mathias Damokles , his wife Rozsa, and their twin daughters.

Attendants and Guards
As numerous assassination attempts have been made on Xaviera's life, she is closely guarded by both her husband and her Crown Guards. In addition, her handmaidens are also trained in close-quarter combat and often double as decoys. While on Coruscant, she is rarely left alone and is always in the company of her Guard Captain, Adrian Halkias. Standard protocol dictates that the Senator is accompanied by her Guard Captain and four additional guards. Additionally, while on Coruscant, Xaviera is often in the company of at least two of her three handmaidens: Acacia Andreou, Lavila Desma, and Zeria Xanthis.

Alessandrian Tattoo
As an infant, Xaviera was given an Aedrian Raptor to represent her spirit animal. Etched into her skin on her right hip, it glows a faint violet and pink. The raptor, one of the most sacred of creatures on Aedrius, is believed to represent the immortality of the Alessandra dynasty.

Crowned Queen of Paradise: Grass Skirts and Silk Gowns
Author: Lokita Maxca

Galactic senator, single mother, political leader - Xaviera Alessandra is happy being labeled as ‘anything but ordinary.’ But that’s not the whole story.

Xaviera Alessandra sits easily at a café bar in a local restaurant in LaCerra and playfully recites the list of labels she’s been handed over the years. "The wild child," she begins, "Smart girl, defiant girl... it’s really very narrow and slight the way people want to define you..." She greets everyone that pass with a smile, "Sure, we all want to simplify things, and they’re all likely to be right, but..." There’s always a but.

For those who don’t know, Xaviera Alessandra is the recently crowned Queen of New Aedrius, a chain of islands off the coast of Coronet that have gone from uninhabited oases to thriving centers of paradise thousands are clambering to get on just a wait list to visit. She’s a political leader in the galactic senate, responsible for the creation of the Liberty Alliance along with co-founder and close friend, Senator Alia Turin (who has since passed away). The coalition became one of the main parties during the height of the Mandalorian Wars, opposing any violent action taken, and instead, demanded diplomacy and time for negotiations. With the backing of the Jedi Council, the Liberty Alliance became a force to reckon with, granting Xaviera and her allies a great deal of respect throughout the Republic. Her willingness to speak out, and knowledgeably so, on political and ethical issues alike turned her into a true adversary few senators dared take on as an opponent. "That’s the romantic version, yes," she says with a laugh, "But when it came down to it, I had an opinion just like every other senator, a people to represent honestly, and a strong desire for peace. I simply fell into a less than conventional category that the Senate wasn’t too familiar with. It gave me that extra little edge I needed to make my voice louder than my opponents."

She takes an offered drink from a passing server, little umbrella and all, and takes an easy sip. It’s been a long week, having just returned from Coruscant doing "millions" of interviews for a variety of fund-raisers and charities, many to help support post-war recovery efforts. "I’m no saint," she claims, reminding me of her several holovision spots, along with her pair of photo shoots for a new line of makeup she just recently opened. Tomorrow she’ll be flying back to Coronet to discuss a new trade-rights treaty between New Aedrius and the rest of the star system, including Corellia, Selonia, Drall, Tralus, and Talus. Don’t ever say royals don’t work hard. Some do. From this side of the fence, though, she shows no sign of exhaustion, with her recognized beauty unfettered, along with a warm, ready laugh that melts all prior thoughts of interviewer frost.

"I’ll admit, most of my influence did not, and still doesn’t, come from me personally, but the popularity fame gave me." While not all of us may agree with that, it can be noted that Senator Alessandra is one of the most well documented and photographed of all current representatives, receiving a variety of ‘awards’ ranging from Best Dressed to Galactic Persona’s Top 100 Sexiest Women. "Oh by the Goddess," she laughs out loud, "That was an interesting day when I got that call. I was completely flattered, but had no idea how to react. I guess my narcissism got the best of me that time," she admits with another giggle. "It was because of public favor from those kinds of things that got me so much recognition. Few keep track of the daily workings of the Senate, which gave our politicians a certain sense of isolation... they could make decisions for themselves and not for the people, simply because, their people didn’t care. So it was an obvious threat to hundreds when I could call on public opinion and use it to tear down ridiculous arguments and proposals." Prom-queen of the Senate?

"Well I had to do something. At first, I only was taken notice of because of the loss of Aedrius. But everyone just felt sorry for me, they didn’t take me seriously. I was, after all, just a grass-skirt wearing exotic islander from the Mid-Rim. And with the war raging on, everyone was caught up in the storm. Simply shouting and screaming wasn’t going to get me noticed either."

She asks how I have been enjoying LaCerra. Fantastic, I tell her, as if it were from a dream. "That’s what we are aiming for," she states between sips. It is no lie. The Tallian Isles are, for a lack of a better term, without boundaries, a true fantasy brought to life. The people cannot be any friendlier (or beautiful), their words no warmer or inviting. The pure, white sand beaches seem endless while the glittering turquoise water goes on forever. But behind the laughs of the locals and the smile of their fortunate queen, no darker could a story lurk. "The Aedrius I was born to no longer exists," Xaviera states somberly. Destroyed by Mandalorians in an act of violence and power. "They wanted to prove their merciless strength to the Republic. What better way than to obliterate a nearly defenseless playground for the galaxy?" Yet, she still called for peace when most expected her to scream for war. "They were still sentient beings. No matter how violent, reason would have eventually reached their leaders. We were just never given the chance or time."

But the destruction of Old Aedrius was only the conclusion to a horrifying end. "We had just come out of Civil War, one that killed half of the population and leveled our respectable fleet." She does not speak of her family, nor would I dare to bring it up, but as the tale goes, she is said to be the last of one of the largest royal lineages known to the galaxy. Murdered, all 132 of them, on the night of her wedding when she was only 18. A traitorous general had made a violent reach for power, nearly extinguishing the beauty of Aedrius in the bloody conflict that lasted for nearly two years. His death was said to mark the end, though it was not until Xaviera’s marriage with Josias Dareth, the assumed regent, did the fighting stop. "It was the easiest solution. He wanted my title, I wanted my thrown back, we both wanted the bloodshed to stop, so we compromised." Civil war hero?

But, she acknowledges, that the compromise was made in vain. Only three months after her marriage did the Mandalorians arrive. "We only survived because of the Jedi. The Council had foresaw the destruction and sent two guardians to warn us of the coming catastrophe. But it was only a day in advance, giving me enough time to draft only a handful of evacuation ships into service." 1,409. That was the number of Aedrians that made is safely off the planet and into hyperspace. The death toll was in the hundreds of millions. One of the greatest tragedies of the Mandalorian Wars.

"Life went on though," she says with contagious optimism. Though it was monstrous what happened to her people, their love for life is addictive, making it hard to imagine such cruelty was ever performed on them. "It’s our culture. Living in paradise, surrounded by constant beauty, makes most take it for granted. But we were different. Each generation was taught to appreciate what the Goddess has given us for that one day, for as we have now realized, it can all change in a matter of seconds." Philosopher? "And it pays off too." She went on to describe her encounter with Mandalorian ‘diplomats’ who approached her, asking for the release of prisoners-of-war that were long overdue. In exchange, they gave the Queen a gift of their own, the release of their own prisoners – over 3,500 prisoners, all of Aedrian blood. "It simply proved us right. Despite the Mandalorians being perceived as dogs of the battlefield, unable to be reasoned with... they displayed mercy and compassion. There was no arguing for my people, no debate, they simply gave them up." That took the population of LaCerra from 1,500 to over 5,000 overnight, more than tripling their numbers. "There was no greater way to bless our nation."

She’s sweeter than you’d imagine and easy to be around, despite the reputation she has following about her. But she is different, a bit more complex than your typical senator or holostar celebrity. Though it could be her simple attire, a bathing suit and sarong, that charming little umbrella, or the generous heat of the tropical sun, some combination of the above renders the preconceived ideas of her as an ‘intimidating woman of politics’ somewhat hard to believe. "No one really wants to think of me this way. The fiery regal senator from an island kingdom is ten times more romantic and epic than just the figurehead of some family." And when she says head, she’s not joking, though we might be disinclined to agree with the stated lack of importance in just ‘some’ family.

"The Royal Family of Aedrius is really a combination of four lines," she tries to explain. "There’s mine, the Alessandra dynasty, that includes just myself and my son, Esias." Esias, though not the blood son of Xaviera, was adopted almost three months ago into the royal family, making this lucky, little survivor, soon to be five, the heir to, arguably, one of the most beautiful kingdoms in the Core. "Then there are two equal houses, each ruled by a separate woman, the Dual Duchesses – Srinica Keldronna and Rozsa Damokles, along with their immediate family members. They both serve as appointed representatives in the senate. The fourth, the Kallian line, is headed up by Diantha Kallia, the Countess of Aedrius. Wildra, as she’s better known amongst my people, serves as the governor of LaCerra and takes complete command of the isles in the event that both duchesses and myself are absent. We refer to each other as brothers and sisters, as if we come from the same parents." If there is one thing true about Aedrius, it seems as if they do nothing conventional. Amazon? She laughs, "Most people do mistake our society for being the modern-day amazon culture, but in reality, we’re just structured around our mothers instead of our fathers. Matriarchal, it’s seen everywhere. Men and women are equal, society simply prefers men to be in some occupations and women, in others."

But beyond the apparently misguided idea (or fantasy) of being an amazonian queen, Xaviera is probably most well-known for her oftentimes thought mystical connection to the Jedi. "That is the tabloids painting legends and myths about my allegiance to the Jedi. It’s simple. I owe them my life and the lives of my people, even if it were only in the thousands. They have been on our side since the beginning and I consider them noble partners." Though more often affiliated with the Jedi of Coruscant, officially, she has also declared an alliance with the Corellian Jedi Enclave. "When we were given land on Corellia, the Jedi here immediately came forth and offered their help. They became critical components in the construction of LaCerra, many of them giving up months of their time to volunteer their services here. I do not think I could ever repay them in full." But some speculate that the precious island queen has more than just official relations with the enclave here.

"You’re talking about Kal-Dar, aren’t you?" She pointedly asks with a blooming smile. Was I being that obvious? "Kal-Dar has his own story of heroism and glory. He is one of the Heroes of the Republic, renowned for his exciting adventures and epic battles with the many evils of this galaxy. [Laughs]. The tabloids just like to use our close proximity to make their sales go up. Everyone wants that legendary story of a princess falling in love with a Jedi. And if they can make it realistic, it sells... a lot." Maybe she was right. Everyone wants the forbidden love story, including me. "The unfortunate truth of the matter is, I have no time for a man. Somewhere between both representing and ruling a nation, raising a child, and rebuilding a culture, I don’t think I can schedule any time in with any man."

After taking a turn as the popular prom-queen of the Republic senate, defying military leaders in one of the bloodiest wars yet seen, and fortifying the public image of the Jedi Council, what’s a girl to do next? Not even Xaviera knows the answer to that. "We’ll have to let fate decide. When you’ve experienced as much as I have, you stop trying to forge your own path, and let destiny take you along for the ride." 

Dream Queen: From Princess to Queen, Alessandra's Hero Life
Author: Ralo Minxz

“Have you ever done spice before?” “Spice?” Xaviera Alessandra, Senator of the Aedrian Monarchy, replies. “No. I’ve got more important things to waste my time and life on.”

We have been sitting on the observation deck of her sailing yacht since this morning, with the famous “Island Queen” having decided to offer me a tour of the outer Tallian Islands. With no threat of rain or even a hint at clouds, the lagoon beauty has her silver aviators on, hiding those mahogany eyes from me. I’ve been trying as hard as I could to find some dirt on the Senator and the going has been rough for me so far. She seems to be as clean as the waters we are sailing on.

Two days earlier, Senator Alessandra wrapped up a bill in the Senate calling for an increase to Core tax rates on mega-corporations – “Revenue,” she explained to me while onboard the HMSS Iola, “It’ll generate credits that we can pump directly into infrastructure and exploration projects.” Ever since her nomination and subsequent appointment to the Senate Finance Committee, the regal Senator’s political focus has shifted towards more monetary matters. And thank the stars for her simplistic, transparent approach. “I hate the complex webs traditional politicians try to weave to confuse their constituents,” she said while I studied the interior of her royal warship. “I’m on the people’s side. I don’t need or want to lie to or trick them.”

Senator Alessandra, as every human male over 16 knows, is one of the most prominent if not beautiful of delegates in the Senate. The household name Xaviera Alessandra has made for herself stems from two sources: her popularity in the world of politics and law along with her impossibly contagious charisma. And talk about a babe! With a smooth, tanned face, a pearly-white smile, a body to die for, and a squeaky-clean fairytale-worthy reputation that I have been attempting to ruin for the last few days.

Although she’s only lived on the Tallian Islands for half a decade now, you wouldn’t know that from the way she talks about them. Somewhere in the midst of her chaotic life, she has found time to become one of the leading experts on everything there is to know about the enigmatic Corellian isles. “I just think it is important that I know what is in my people’s domain,” she explained while trying to justify why she knew the solar jellyfish cycle (which glow, by the way). “Aedrius was an island world, but every isle was different. The locals of each knew their land and their surrounding waters as only experts could. That aspect of our culture has not changed.” When I tried to label it obsessive and definitely in need of psychotherapeutic intervention, she simply laughed at me like I was telling a joke. I was hoping she’d threaten to throw me overboard to get eaten by the sharks. “There are no real predators in these waters,” she then told me. Imagine my disappointment.

You haven’t even smoked pan once?

Nope, stuff smells awful.

How about death-sticks?

They were outlawed on Aedrius.

Not even tried them when you came to the Core?

My drug of choice was dance and music, sorry.

Have you ever been arrested?

No.

''How about traffic tickets? What’s the worst moving violation you’ve ever gotten?''

My brake light was out once when I was on Aedrius. Didn’t write me a ticket, though.

''Um, how about urinating on public property? Have you ever done that?''

What do you mean, on public property?

Like a back alley or on a park bench.

I guess, like, forests or in the woods when I’ve gone camping.

''That doesn’t count. What about drinking? Have you ever been drunk?''

On Aedrius, the way you could tell the difference between locals and tourists was that only tourists would be drunk. As a matter of pride, Aedrians aren’t suppose to need alcohol to have fun.

Come on, am I suppose to believe that?

I could just be making my answers up to annoy you.

Ok, so you’ve probably been drunk before and maybe watched some porn.

I suppose that is up to you for interpretation.

''So if you’ve been drunk, what’s the harm in saying it? There’s nothing wrong with it.''

Can I ask you something?

Sure.

Where did you get those surf-shorts? I would love to get a pair for my husband.

Xaviera Alessandra is nothing short of used to these types of interviews. A clever strategy she employs is one of sincerity, allowing the public to see the quirky, human side to her. “I don’t like those Senators who think they are too good for everyone, who walk around, acting like their pits don’t stink,” she said while sipping on a virgin pinacolada. When I asked why she hadn’t put any Tallian Rum into the drink, she tapped two fingers on her taut belly before winking. I think my eyes got as large as my shades before asking if she was pregnant again. “No!” She said with a laugh. “I’m still trying to lose the rest of my baby fat.” Even though I knew her husband was the one and only Kal-Dar Tarn, a Jedi Battlemaster that could probably tear my head right off my shoulders with his mind alone, I couldn’t help but check out the fine beauty bathing in the sun next to me. When I asked her what the hell she was talking about, she grabbed at some of her bare tummy skin and pretended it was fat.

Speaking of Kal-Dar Tarn. “Ahh, here we go,” she said with a smile as she eased herself back into her white lounge chair, tossing her loose hair over her shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for these questions.” When I reminded her that she was the one who kept their relationship hidden for so long, she merely shrugged while stirring her drink. “Kal-Dar is a very private man and even shies away from the spotlight his own reputation casts,” she said, as if thinking there were some way she could justify keeping their romance hidden from the press for so long, only to suddenly inform the entire Republic that she was getting married to him. “I was madly in love with Kal and while I was immune to the gawking media, he wasn’t. I didn’t want him to shy away from me too.” Ok, well, maybe I can forgive her.

Yet, despite the high praise she had for her husband, he was not on the islands this week. “Even though he is now King of Aedrius, he is still dedicated to serving the Galaxy and the Corellian Jedi Order. As much as I like having him around, I won’t forbid him from leaving my side to make a difference in lives beyond Aedrius.” Her answer got me thinking… could she actually command the legendary Kal-Dar Tarn to do anything? “Yes,” she said simply, taking another sip of her drink before asking me if I was hungry.

Today’s lunch was what the Queen referred to as classic Aedrian cuisine. There was some kind of white fish with a name that had one too many vowels, lathered in an orange passion-fruit paste with tiny red, edible blossoms coloring the warm sauce. There was also sweet potatoes that was the strangest, most vibrant color of purple I had ever seen, a platter of raw fish that was a bit too coppery for my taste (but don’t tell the Queen that who must have eaten more than half at the table), a seaweed salad that had the sweetest papaya seed dressing I had ever tasted, and a large container of blue rice that was a native species of Aedrius introduced to the islands recently in a massive agricultural project headed up by the regal Xaviera. And don’t forget the fruits. Every shade of red, orange, and pink. Their names? “I probably shouldn’t even tell you,” the Queen had said. “You won’t be able to even pronounce their names.” Ouch, talk about blunt.

“Darien Alessandra,” she said, grinning wildly after I asked about her beautiful two year old son. “A complete angel of a toddler. Doesn’t fuss, doesn’t cry, always wide-eyed and curious about everything,” she said with obvious pride written on her face. Despite the busy schedule the Queen normally ran, she reassured me that she always had time for her sons. “Esias and Darien have become my everything. They’re never far from my thoughts, no matter if I am on Corellia or Coruscant.” Although she admitted wanting to keep Darien on the Islands until he was older, Esias has been a common companion of the Senator’s to the Capital. “He loves the Senate more than I do,” she admitted with a laugh as we walked along the stretch of beach she called Kihola on the island of Kaila. Frankly, I didn’t know which view was better: the pristine island oasis spread out before me or the beach princess walking at my side.

Was I falling in love?

“I wouldn’t encourage it,” she warned me with a wickedly perfect smile, as if she heard that kind of question all the time. When I asked her if it was because her husband would sever my head from my shoulders, she only laughed. “No, but I probably would.” And judging by the rumors that she had taken on one of the Republic’s Most Wanted, Darth Bandon, I didn’t want to put her words to the test. “I’ve taken up blades against sith warriors before,” she said almost casually. “But I was at the side of trusted Jedi companions. I could not have done it without their help.”

That was when it became official. I was in love.

“Maybe you can duel my husband for my hand?” She suggested as she leaned over to pick up a sand-smoothed shell that glistened pink in the afternoon sun. Why couldn’t I just duel her? “You’d lose,” she stated rather matter-of-factly. With just a pair of surf-shorts to act my armor, I wasn’t ready to take on this warrior queen. “Other delegates began to respect and listen to me more after that,” she explained. “I was no longer the prom-queen of the senate, but someone who had first-hand experience in the wars the Republic had been fighting for so many years. Those who weren’t afraid of me became my allies.” And talk about a long list of powerful allies. Publically acknowledged as a strong if not incredibly loyal friend of the Supreme Chancellor, Senator Alessandra’s political party, the Liberty Alliance, has continued to benefit from her leadership. Every election cycle only seems to add additional Alliance members, with more and more candidates being elected and joining Senator Alessandra’s ever-growing party.

“No, I would never,” she exclaims after I asked her if she would run against the current Supreme Chancellor. “Idanian is a strong and capable leader. All of my hopes and dreams for the Republic are invested in him right now.” As I try to convince her how good she would look on a collectable Republic coin, she did not seem ready to budge on the issue. I gave up after she threatened to maroon me on the island with no clothes. But if that was the penalty for disobeying the Queen of Aedrius…

“Actually, I am no longer the only source of judgment,” she said as she tried to explain the recent transformation her kingdom was taking. “The Aedrian People are in control of their own fate now. I am always there to help, to guide, lead, and to inspire, but my role as Queen has become increasingly ceremonial.” Her words were modest at best, for it was well known that her ‘advice’ was often all a session of Parliament needed to pass or block a piece of legislation. As Queen, her handmaiden later admitted to me, Xaviera still wields a considerable degree of influence. Although considering how much of an influence she has in the Republic Senate, it is little wonder she has so much pull on her own islands.

“My husband and I both,” she corrected me. “As King, he officially possesses only a handful of responsibilities and powers, but he is so well-loved and admired by the people, there are few who would even think of denying his leadership.” But surely, if it came down to it, the people would always follow their Queen? “Not necessarily,” she corrected me again. “I am no longer in direct control of legislation, but any big decisions or rulings we make come from the Monarchy of Aedrius, not just me. Kal-Dar and I rule jointly.” I took another look at her then. Sure…

“It’s true!” She said laughing while batting her hand at my shoulder. I was inclined to believe her in that moment. “The Jedi were initially regarded with a bit of suspicion, but after a time…” she trailed off with a smile. “They fell in love just as I did.” And love was just the beginning of it. Ever since Queen Alessandra’s marriage to the Jedi Battlemaster Kal-Dar Tarn, her entire line has become infused with the essence of the Jedi. “That’s a romantic way of putting it, yes,” she said while talking about how it would be likely that Darien would be Force sensitive and may train to be a Jedi like his father. “Kal’s sister, Kara Tanris, is also the heir to the Aedrian Throne. She could act as Regent until Esias comes of age to rule.” Royal Jedi… did it get much better than that? Wait, yes… hot, royal, Jedi.

But was there more to come?

“I hope so,” she exclaimed with a wide grin. It’s little wonder why. It was typical in Aedrian culture to have four to five children. “I want seven,” she quickly said, as if having already thought it through. I remember stumbling at that point during the interview. I could not imagine her balancing the demands of the Senate plus that large of a family. “My mother was able to rule an entire planet while raising seven children,” she explained. “I am merely representing one that is a fraction of its original size. I can do it.”