A Correllian's home is her Castle

[Drystan Marakos]

The alcohol had done its' job, dulling the blonde woman's senses enough that she wasn't so in-tune with The Force as she might have been otherwise. Her experience in body-language, readying and analyzing a person's responses and facial expressions, was a powerful skill indeed.. but, all the same, she was more engrossed in the social atmosphere and missed Allyson's internal dialogue completely.

Drystan listened as Ally explained a bit of her mischevious nature, and offered a giggle in response - "You're terrible!" She said, rocking in her amusement. She was obviously somewhat intoxicated.

"I... um... I can... do things too?" Drystan said, hazel eyes sparkling with amusement & a devilish streak. Allyson's glass was near empty.

"Would you like another drink?" Drystan asked, simultaniously stretching out with the Force and crafting a picture in her mind... Channeling the image through the Force by stretching out & into Allyson's mind, slipping through the small window created by the pilot's intoxication and crafting a sensory illusion which the both of them would see:

The glass in Allyson's hand would begin to fill, as-if an invisible hose had been attached and was pumping a gallon of liquor into it - the level of bourbon rising quickly to fill the glass, pouring over the rim in a deluge of alcohol; spilling over the brunette's hand and into her lap in an unending torrent of booze. The smell of the bourbon, as well as the feeling of liquid pouring over her hand, would be entirely real; a bubbling sound reached both their ears, completing the illusion. A heartbeat or two after Allyson's reaction, Drystan would break concentration and allow the illusion to fall. ​

A practical joke, between two practical jokers.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson raised an eyebrow as she questioned what Drystan meant by she could do things too. Before Allyson could question it verbally, the drink in her hand began to fill. She watched as it filled on its own and instantly her mind questioned its ability to do so. The drink filled and was getting to the point where it was overflowing. She brought the glass to her lips, but even then, it spilled. A part of her mind told her this was a lie and an illusion, but because she was intoxicated her mind moved slower.

The illusion fell after Allyson tried to dust off the liquid that spilled. When it fully fell, Allyson was able to realize that it was a lie, just as her mind had initial expected. Sighing softly, she chuckled and shook her head. “That was good. I had a feeling, but my mind couldn’t catch up in time before everything seemed to go downhill.” Allyson ran her hand through her brunette hair and smiled. “I would like a refill though if that’s at all possible.”

The Corellian shook her glass towards the blonde woman.


[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

With a grin, Drystan reached out, taking the offered glass from the Corellian pilot. She topped off both of their glasses from the large bottle sitting on the table, and offered Allyson's back to her.

"Can... I ask you something?" Her tone of voice had changed, as-if she weren't sure if it would be a good idea... but the Jedi Knight felt comfortable speaking with her friend. "I... have something I'm kinda working on... and I was wondering if you could help me."

Sitting back in her chair, Drystan took a sip from her glass, albiet a smaller one - she wasn't interested in becoming black-out drunk; she was having fun and wanted to pace herself. "I... am curious. Speaking... politically..." Aware that such a subject could be, at times, touchy, she was attempting to be as diplomatic as possible, "What kind of things do you find to be important? What... makes you care?"

[member="Allyson Locke"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson watched as her glass was filled mostly, there was a happiness that lingered in her that she was home already, and she didn’t have to wobble her way down the hallway. At this point of her drinking she probably wouldn’t end up back at her place anyways, her mind wandering other places for just a moment. Drystan spoke, bringing the Corellian back from her daydreams. “Politics?” The Corellian asked to verify that’s where the other Shadow wanted to take the conversation.

She brought the amber liquid to her lips and she hesitated for just a moment. There wasn’t much that made her care, she functioned simply and did her work. Only a few things in this galaxy made her passionate and Allyson wondered if it was because a part of her lost hope after Corellia burned. It was only as of recent that she began to trust the Jedi again – not questioning their motives. If this was a few years ago, Jyoti would have never gotten her to step foot into a temple.

Mulling over the question, Allyson shrugged slightly. “Not much does. I care about what would affect my friends and people I love.” She took a sip and then looked at Drystan. “I haven’t looked into politics much, I’m a soldier so I really never had a choice. The people in charge told me to fight, I fought. They tell me I’m not valuable, then I’m not to them. Never figured my opinion counted much.” It was the truth. “So what makes me care, depends on how it affects people that I cherish, if that makes any sense.”

Allyson laughed at herself. “I feel like an idiot on how I answered – I’m sorry.” She continued to smile, “What about you? Tell me about your project that you’re working on. I care about what you do, so whatever it is you know I have your back.”

[member="Drystan Marakos"]

 

[Drystan Marakos]

Sheepishly, Drystan grinned at Allyson's question - her companion had been surprised by the topic, and while it might not have been the blonde woman's intention to startle the Corellian, she appreciated the honesty behind Allyson's words. It was certainly a sensitive subject in any galaxy.

Drystan watched as her fellow Shadow mulled the question over then eventually answered, and Drystan softly chewed her lip... She, too, had been a victim of a careless system which drove it's agents to become machines; placing the Galaxy upon their shoulders with little compassion to their well-being, so long as "The Mission" was completed. The Alliance had been infamous for such wayward thinking... and she had memories of such times & places she, too, would rather forget. Her hazel eyes gazed with some emotion into Allyson's face, and she was drawn to tell her friend at that moment that she was valuable... truly valuable... but only smiled. "No... not foolish or stupid at all. I understand... I was told the same."

Drystan shook her head, bringing her glass to her lips and drinking, savoring the flavor of the drink, then swallowing.

"My desires, my feelings, were never important either... In fact, I see those days as dark ones - by The Force, we survived against all odds... and we are not machines, or tools. We're living human beings." She shrugged, then laughed at Allyson's question.

"My... project? You'd really like to know?"

Drystan's eyes were downcast, but she glanced at Allyson through a thin veil of blonde hair, giving her a strangely mysterious and darker look.

"Well..." Drystan took a breath... then exhaled. "Alright." Carefully, she swirled her glass about in a circle, gathering her thoughts.

"I'm working undercover... except, this assignment is a bit different than the ones I've done before. I suppose I shouldn't say much, but I can tell you it's a group you probably haven't heard of before. They're well-funded and dangerous... very dangerous."

Her eyes were serious, and held Allyson's intently. After a heartbeat, Drystan shrugged, and the moment passed.

"The reason I asked about politics, is because you can expect some big changes on Coruscant in the next few months. There's a chance... a chance, this group I'm working with may be able to change the political discourse on Coruscant for the better... and if they succeed, it will be big."

[member="Allyson Locke"]