A City in the Clouds - New beginnings and old affairs

[Re Enray]

​

The sun was about to set on one of the floating cities (Not the Cloud City, mind you) that orbited the planet Bespin, one of the Galay's largest and most well known gas giants. The many domes and towers shone in golden light, and the streets were very peaceful and quiet. Spaceships and speeders flowed in and out of the docks in a steady pace and some citizens were outside walking, socializing or simply enjoying the warm weather.

Among them was young Re Enray, leaning to the railing of his third storey balcony and looking far into the horizon. He wondered what was behind it.. Well, he knew there was nothing but clouds as far as the eye can see, but that certainly wouldn't stop him from dreaming. Dreaming. Re's imagination had always been strong, and he had often pictured himself fighting the forces of evil with the ancient Jedi knights, traveling aboard spaceships, discovering new worlds.. No. Re was destined to become a gas merchant, like his father before him. A gas merchant, just think of how exciting that sounds! No, he didn't want to be a gas merchant either. But ever since the death of his father last year, the family business had been ran by a bloody protocol droid.

Re walked back inside and took an elevator downstairs. "I'm kinda hungry, do we.. have anything edible in the house?" The question was meant for 77-LOM, the same droid that.. Well, ran the family business. "No sir, I'm afraid n-" Re sighed. "Why would I even ask.." He walked out the front door, taking a quick look of the street around him. Now then, if I'm fast enough I'll still be able to get a Jogan fruit or two. He started rushing towards the marketplace near the docks as fast as he could - After a while of running he came across an open area with large fountains in the middle.

 

[Alfie Mischa]

Few mere hours before...​

​

"So, I have the spot?" A young man in a classy suit, and a velvet jacket asked a manager, who's face had a look of strange confusion but acceptance none the less. Mister Mischa had a whole presentation set up before the aging man, who owned the local food court surrounding the small office they were currently standing in. "I suppose, but if you don't make any sales in the next three hours I'm gonna have to give the position to someone else, ya know." A grumpy voice echoed lightly, "Oh, you will not be disappointed, sir!" With a happy, and quite goofy grin planted on his face, the young candy man took his holo board and slid it back into his suitcase, then went for the door in a hurry. "Kid," the owner said with a small smile. Mister Mischa turned back for just a moment with a small hopeful sparkle in his eye. "good sales." With a returning smile, he walked out the door and went to set shop.​

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Present time...​

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Near the front of the food court, the new and locally advertised candy booth was open for business, selling a range of candies - hard candies, almost none-breakable (to the human jaw) jaw breakers, chocolate, small drink packets, lollipops - almost everything you'd find in an actual candy store, that was candy! Most of the things on presentation in front of the booth were special items, almost perfected, but in need of testing. That was just one of the many reasons most of the candy was so cheap - momentary effects would take place as soon as they left with it in their mouths! It was a wonderful business, already blooming with credits and customers. ​

​

Bustling behind the small counter that he had rented, Alfie prepared a small bag of various chocolates and a single card with a velvet and light purple design, reading simply, "Mischa​" in basic text. Another small handful of credits later, another man was off with the chocolates and making silent remarks about how it wasn't a realistic feeling he got from eating the chocolate. One of the food critics that have been trying to spoil him out of free food, probably. After just a mere moment of no one coming in, the man behind the counter wearing the strangely remarkable top hat began to melt and paint chocolate onto various fruits for later purchases - and if not purchases, then perhaps self feeding. ​

​

A common customer would be [member="Re Enray"] by the small looks of the common folk on this floating city, and hopefully, it would continue to be this way.​

 

[Re Enray]

Re walked through the plaza until reaching the marketplace. He did indeed find the Jogan fruits he was looking for, although the Toydarian salesman was already packing his things. After a brief moment of negotiation and some wasted credits, Re did in fact walk away with a nice snack. He was already on his way back, when the purple sign caught his attention. Or was it the hat? Go figure. Re went to greet the merchant: "Hey. What do you sell? Just out of curiosity, I guess."

[member="Alfie Mischa"]

 

[Alfie Mischa]

One pair of busy hands wrapped, organized, and cleaned up small bits of crumbs on and nearby the stand as people walked about, each hand wrapped in what seemed to be a tight fitting glove - it's material nothing close to metal or leather. Just finishing wrapping another bag of chocolates, he heard the lovely voice that was a new potential customer stopping by his way. It wasn't uncommon for that question to be asked - especially around these parts of towns where some people wanted to know what they were buying, or at least wanted to waste some time acting interested as they had nothing better to do.

Looking up with a polite smile written on his face, he answered in a quick and fluent tone. ​"Scrumptious chocolate, never ending jaw breakers, ice cream that never melts! I sell just the right candy for almost everyone who comes buy. How can I help you?" With a single hand, he waved over the advertised products in front of him - those aren't samples, you know! Very cheap, and a promise of flavor for almost every type sat ready for selling.

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

Re eyed the man's selection for a moment, trying to decide whether he should buy something or not. Obviously, it'd be rude to leave now that he'd been given a personal introduction of the goods, but had he ever cared about being rude to strangers before? Nah. "Oh.. Just looking, thanks. Maybe another day!" Master of awkward conversations. Re slowly left the market area, returning to the plaza. He decided to sit near the fountain and relax for a moment, before returning home.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Re Enray"]

Sorel left the restaurant swiftly. It had been an awkward experience and she wanted to put it behind her. Plus, she had an Enclave to find. All she knew is that it was somewhere in the clouds. She contemplated hiring a speeder car and allowing the Force to navigate. It was as good an option as she could think of. After all, there was no known public record of its location and so she couldn't exactly ask someone.

She walked into the plaza and was drawn to the serenity of the fountain. She recited the Code in her head and walked over to the flowing water, keen to dip her hand in it. She saw a man sitting there and smiled by way of a reflex. "It's very calming isn't it," she said, her hand pointing to the fountain by way of explanation.

 

[Re Enray]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

People slowly flowed out of the plaza as the sun set and the streetlights turned on. A bunch of Bith musicians appeared to be setting up their equipment near the marketplace, and some people gathered them, waiting for the show. Re had been enjoying the peaceful atmosphere around the fountain for about ten minutes, when another person joined him. Another potential awkward conversation. "Oh, hi.. Yeah. It is. Do I know you?" She looked about the same age as him, and he wondered if they had attended a lecture together at some point.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

[member="Re Enray"]

Sorel gazed into the flowing water as she spoke. "I don't think so," she replied. "I'm not exactly local. In truth I'm not local to anywhere, so it's possible we met before, somewhere. Just not here. I only arrived a short while ago." She was about to explain why she was here but she held her tongue. He could be a First Order representative for all she knew. Alerting the Knights of Ren she was on one of their planets wasn't exactly a smart move.

She also glanced down to be sure her saber was still hidden - which it was. Confident her identity as a Jedi was not obvious, she turned to face the man. "Do you remember where you might have met me?"

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"Eh.. No. Forget it." Re looked away for a moment, wondering what time it was. The band had started playing in the backround, and that killed every bit of peaceful atmosphere that was left. He turned back to Sorel, continuing "So, what brings you here? Looking for some sweet deals in the gas industry?"

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel had to suppress a giggle. The idea of being in the gas industry? It seemed as far removed from what she was here for as anything. She blocked out the noise of the band and removed her hand from the cool water of the fountain. It had certainly killed the tranquil atmosphere. "I'm here looking for something. Something that's supposed to be in the clouds around here. And that's the challenge. There is no precise location, I just have to go looking. And trust that I find it of course. But if it's my destiny, then I'll find it, I'm sure of that." There was a look of defiance in her eyes, as if she would not accept the likelihood that she was going to be successful.

"Are you in the gas industry?"

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Re arched a brow. What could she be looking for on this god-forsaken planet? He'd been living on Bespin for all his life, and had never noticed anything but fluff and clouds as far as the eye could see. Before Re could say anything in response, he was cut short by Sorel's question. He took a moment to think before answering "No. My dad was, but I'm not really the type. I mean, I know everything about gas.. But it's just gas. There are more important things in the Universe than that."

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel finally allowed a smile to cross her lips. If he'd been serious about gas, she would have kept it off her face, but given he was OK to accept it was nothing special, she allowed her true feelings on the subject come to the surface.

"I can't say the subject excites me. I mean, don't get me wrong, its useful and important. It's just not my thing. And to some people, it probably is very important. Just not to me. So, what about you? What ranks higher than gas on your list?" She moved over and sat next to him as they continued their conversation. "But you can tell me to mind my own business if I get too nosy."

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

Re left out a nervous laughter. "Anything, really. I don't have much to do, other than studying, and things like that." He paused to think again. There wasn't much more to say, so he begun to stare into the sky again.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel nodded. She did her own share of studying, albeit it was quite probably a very different sort of learning to the young man. "So are you expected to go into the family business, to follow your father?" There was genuine interest in her voice. Of late, she'd not spoken to a lot of people and enjoyed simply talking, without any agenda.

"Me? I'm going to find this place then move on. It's a lonely life, but once I find the answers I seek, I'm sure it will all change. At least, that's the plan."

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

[member="Sorel Crieff"]

"I guess that's what they expect from me, yeah. And.. Good luck with finding whatever you're trying to find." I really should be going now. Re stood up, adjusting his scarf. "Well. It was nice talking, eh.. What was your name again?" Master of awkward conversations.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

The sound of the band playing was now slightly irritating, but Sorel gave the young man her full attention. "My name? It's Sorel. And it's always good to speak to a friendly face. So thank you too. And I'm sure that if I'm supposed to find the place I seek, then I'll find it. If not?" She shrugged, "Well then, it simply wasn't meant to be, was it? Oh, and I'm sorry, I've been rude. I never asked your name."

[member="Re Enray"]

 

[Re Enray]

"Oh, I'm Re." He looked over his shoulder. "But yeah, I have to go now." He waved Sorel goodbye before walking away to his direction. He tossed the band some credits on the way.

 

[Re Enray]

Re casually walked back towards his home, noticing an odd vehicle parked at the end of the street. It seemed larger than an average speeder, and was equipped with weaponry. No police or military markings either, it's got to be in private use. Re went to touch it's shining metal plating. He wondered how driving a thing like that would feel. Anyways.

As Re came to his doorstep, he was surprised to find three strangers standing around it - Two male Weeguays and a woman wearing what looked like Mandalorian armor. She was busy talking into her comlink: "Did you find it yet?" Find what? After following the situation for a while, Re approached the group.

"Erh.. Is there any way I can help?"

The two others that weren't occupied started to talk to each other, fully ignoring Re. "Who's tha'?" Re coughed: "I, uhm.. live here, can you let me through?" The woman, who had apparently ended her conversation, was now walking towards him. One of the Weeguays spoke up "The boss didn't say anything about a kid, what should we do?" Re was utterly confused. Are these clowns breaking into my house? "We'll stick with the plan. Resh, escort our friend out, please." The second, larger Weeguay started to approach our hero with it's pistol drawn. Wait, pistol? Re rushed away, trying to outrun the man. At least he knew these streets like his own pockets, unlike the guy behind him. He'd come to the conclusion that the attackers were bounty hunters or mercenaries, but had no idea what they were looking for in his home.

Re stopped at the end of an alley just a few houses away. Either I lost him or he stopped following me. His mind was full of questions, but before he could think about anything, he noticed a familiar face in the pile of junk just next to him. It was his service droid, 77-LOM. "Slom, what the hell are you doing in there? Who were those guys? What did they do to you?"

 

[Re Enray]

Upon closer inspection Re noticed the droid had been deactivated. Sighing, he dug the remote from his pocket and typed a command in it. Soon enough, Slom sprung up. "Master Re! Thank the Maker, it's you! Those people just rushed in like madmen! I tried to stop them, but they had me shut down and thrown in here with this.. Scrap metal!" Re was clueless. What even..

"So what are they after, and why didn't they just come and ask nicely?"

The droid cocked it's head, cluelessly staring at Re with it's visual reseptors.

"Alright. Look, we've got to do something, let's go get the police."