Faction A New Dawn l Alliance Inauguration

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Senate Plaza, Coruscant
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Escort: 4/4 Wolfguards as Honour Gard (they are watching her from a distance)
Tag(s): Aerarii Tithe | Djorn Bline

To tell you the truth, it was fun for Ingrid to see the former Moff jump a huge by hearing her voice. Especially because she really had no harmful intentions towards the man. Well, her only back intent was to get to know Tithe because she had heard a lot about him and read even more in the files. So she was curious, there are few people who get the woman’s attention, Aerarii Tithe was one of them.

Since they were not in the Empire, she had no intention of correcting the man that she loved the Overlord title more than the Regent one. The regent was too ruling for the woman. She didn’t like being reminded that she had to replace Tacitus. The man was visibly afraid of her, she couldn't blame him. Few know what a woman is capable of and it is really good to be afraid of her. Tithe seemed like a smart man who could measure the consequences and what he was up against. In any case, this was commendable.

The red-hair woman smiled at the man's words and shook her head slightly. She knew that many people thought that the Emperor was already dead, but she never gave up hope that one day her ruler would return. Although the delicate point is that what will STRATCOM do in this case, if he ever returns.

”Truth be told, my title has not changed within the Eternal Empire in recent years. I have been the Overlord since I became the right hand of the Emperor. With this position is that in the absence of the Emperor, as regent, I have to rule the country. But diplomats believed that the title of Empress Regent was much more expressive to outsiders than Overlord. That is why everyone outside the borders can know this title.”

She explained briefly why she was not really sitting on the throne. Fortunately.

”How are you feeling in your new life? I have to admit, you are a very impressive person, Mr. Tithe. Many were surprised by your betrayal, but as far as I was concerned, I was surprised that it didn’t happen sooner. I read reports on events at the PL. It was already clear there that this was going to happen. I was actually amazed that you did not leave the planet with Lord Malicar or Lady Karisa.”

She let it appear in her voice for a moment that she really found the man fascinating. Meanwhile, her eyes saw movement from the corner, she glanced for a second, as if she had seen a familiar person, but the man whose woman's gaze stopped was Djorn Bline . She didn't recognize or know him. Ironically, Djorn and Ingrid had known each other very well for years, but neither knew the other’s real name or what the other person looked like. So now, in the absence of this knowledge, they were only strangers to each other.

​

 

[Faith Organa]

A slow patient walk as information passed to her on where to find Chancellor Adhira Chandra and the rumor that Senator Tambor was seen looking defeated and cranky. How did one tell if Gat Tambor was cranky? She smiled at her own question.

As she got closer to the meeting area Faith could hear the voice of Adhira addressing a question that often came up when someone wanted to throw a curve ball. But skilled as she was Adhira gave the answer that would only put off the questioner until another time.

Faith got in line to speak with the Chancellor. As she watched those around her she understood that Gat Tambor was now speaking with Adhira. Oh to be just a bit closer to hear what was said between them. Were the words as cordial as she imagined or were they filled with subterfuge and pleasant little barbs.

Ahh politics, the food of which great novels were made of. She stepped past security and smiled. She would speak next.

 

[Renata Westaway]

They know how to throw a party, Renata mused as she jammed her clutch under her left arm and collected the champagne flutes carefully from the bartop. The liquor, the ballroom, the dignitaries. What am I doing here? She carefully carried the champagne flutes away from the bar, making her way through the clusters of individuals chatting and plotting and scheming. It was some feat to carry four glasses of champagne through a crowded ballroom without spilling a drop, and by the time she arrived back to the rest of the quartet -- Ariel Yvarro, Vidia Vudrirn, and Gunnar Madine -- her fingers ached where each of the four stems were jammed between her fingers.

"Here we are," said Renata, offering the flutes around. "Now, how are we doing this?" she asked, glancing around the small group. In case they didn't understand, she clarified: "Is this going to be a drinking game kind of situation, or Diplomatic Reception BINGO? I've got cards in my handbag." She brandished the clutch, the sequins sparkling in the light.

For her part, Renata had settled on a crimson evening gown for the occasion.

"Is Tagge here?" Renata asked Ariel. The other Moff had engaged in some kind of diplomacy with the former chancellor, so she wondered if he had any insights to share about his successor. "What do we know about the new chancellor? Is she open to discussion?"

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //: Ballroom //:
//: Loske Treicolt //: Djorn Bline //:

The bubbles were always the best way to mend friendships. For once, she actually felt like she and Loske were back to where they were. There was no more fighting, no more tears, and no more running from the blonde. Even though things had gone belly up for her mission, the spy wasn't upset about it. Having Loske back in her life helped provide some stability for the Corellian; there was a normalcy to everything. A soft chuckle escaped the woman's lips as she took another sip of the champagne. "Well, if you're stuck being my chaperone, I don't mind it - promise I'll make it up to you." ​

​

Seeing the exasperation from the Kiffar, Allyson followed her eye line and saw Djorn. Another failed mission. At least Djorn was on the side of the good guys? Allyson didn't want to think about his allegiances now; all the woman wanted to do was enjoy her friend's company, maybe meet someone. Shaking her head slightly, the last thought needed to flutter away and into the void. The last thing she needed was someone else jumping into her messed up life. She didn't say anything, but let the blonde continue to ramble with the influence of the alcohol. ​

​

Allyson bobbed her head back and forth as Loske explained the flow of how everything had been. For Allyson, things were mostly battle battle battle and never-ending along with an emotional roller coaster. She smiled, though, with an agreeing nod. Her arm crossed her chest as she continued to sip the champagne, fingertips dug into her bicep as she thought about the stuff she had missed out on. When she thought about those, she tried to think about how she recovered, possibly saved lives. It was the only thing that let her sleep at night through the nightmares. ​

​

"Networking?" Allyson spoke, surprised as she pulled herself from her own thoughts. She glanced back at Djorn, who was talking to others. "Well, it's part of the job. Spies and Intelligence Agents, especially the ones that go into the field like Djorn and me - we are quite charming." With that, she hopefully drew her friend's attention. When the blonde looked, she would see a dashing smirk. One that many fell for, and with her brows lofting up and down quickly. A small chuckle as she nodded. "Networking is how we figure things out. Also sets up relationships that we can--" Allyson trailed off as Loske spoke again and then pushed away from her seat. "Oh, oh, we're doing this." ​

​

Allyson downed her campaign quickly and followed after Loske. The woman was determined and fast. Had the Kiffar always been this fast when she walked, or was Allyson just out of shape? She stood beside the woman as Dijorn was addressed. Giving the man a quick wink, she knew he would recognize her - they worked together long enough. ​

​

"Hey, Djorn, never fancied you to walk away from that really comfy chair in the Empire. Good to see you." She patted his arm and then grabbed another couple of champagne glasses and offered Loske one, as the other was sipped casually waiting for the blonde to do her thing. Green eyes wandered through the crowd as she started to look for different familiar faces. There was one she wondered if it was too much of a long shot to run into the Kiffar at the party. Allyson mused about the chance encounter though on the Prosperity.​

 

[Djorn Bline]

Location: Ballroom
Objective: Poker face
Tags: Loske Treicolt | Allyson Locke

His life consisted of phantoms, all of them appearing before him whether it was in the haunting dreams at night or in the flesh as tonight with two women he recognized, with the blonde bombshell someone he was more or less friendly with...depending on which persona she was talking to. He made some sort of imprint on her, and the same was reciprocated on him. But why? Was it because the time they "knew each other" before the realization of the New Imperial Order and the rebirth of the Alliance? She was an honest soul, made him wonder if she ever gotten away with a lie? Well, she did back on Vicondor with her trap. A taint on her honest record, but who was he to judge? He lost track of the lies he sold, the many times he took advantage of one's trust. Sometimes he felt like a psychopath with this work, always repressing his emotions and comforting himself that he did it for a great purpose.

Another reason why he was grateful for Rowan Corde, even if the Atrisian hated him. He could at least unbottle his emotions and not be casted aside for his sins.

Why are we here? Just to suffer?
​

"Loske," his tone friendly while being surprised to see her here. More so with Allyson at her side, he wondered how she got back in the graces of the Alliance. Mission accomplished and all was forgiven? "I can say the same thing, I don't think wine suits your buds from what I remember," again remembering she hated the taste and smell of alcohol. He figured she would be with the Jedi or somewhere far away from here, a stage that was nothing but politics and scheming. "Allyson," acknowledging the Corellian, looking down at his arm she patted with confusion before looking back at the pair, "one thing you'll know about me is that I don't care much for power or how big my chair is. I'm a man of ideals and duty...being honest," that last bit meant for Loske as he would probably doubt anything he said. Even if he said the sky was blue, she would check before believing him.

"I came with Irveric, wanting to show him my support with the mutuality between the Alliance and the Order. Hopefully your newly appointed Chancellor feels the same way." All of that? Lies. A lie that would become a great web, for the known Galaxy to experience. A lie he would help to web. All for what? Again, it was all for what he believed was right.

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

LOCATION: Ball Room
OBJECTIVE: Mingle
FOCUS: Ingrid L'lerim | Djorn Bline
POST: III

Tithe’s panicked heart rate began to tamper off as it became clear that Ingrid was not here to kill him. Still, he remained on guard. A man in his position could never be certain of the changing allegiances around him.

“I, ah, well, what can I say - I do what I can,” he fumfered in reply. “But yes, that Lord Malicar , why he sure is something isn’t he? A real eye for profits, I'll tell you that.” Tithe hadn't heard from the shipping magnate in some months. But based on what he knew of the Chiss, he would have found a way to profit from the New Imperial occupation of the Braxant Run.

“Now tell me, Lady L’lerim, if I could be so bold,” he added. “Who is your running your accounts over at, err, no wait, it’s coming to me - HPI Consortium. Because I’ll tell you what, a company of such stature should not leave their finances in the hands of a hack.” He had resisted discussing business opportunities for almost a full minute, a feat which must have been a personal record.

He noticed Grand Moff - or rather, former Grand Moff - Djorn Bline entering the ballroom. His positions was not dissimilar to Tithe’s, only he had sided with the New Imperial Order rather than the Galactic Alliance. Both men were now traitors in the eyes of the Sith Empire, unable to ever return to the life they once had. It was, however, comforting to know that he wasn’t the only person to turn their back on the Sith.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: The Senate Plaza, Coruscant
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Escort: 4/4 Wolfguards as Honour Gard (they are watching her from a distance)
Tag(s): Aerarii Tithe | Djorn Bline

The unknown man eventually did not come to them, but changed direction and joined Allyson Locke and Loske. She did not know any of the women personally, but she knew a great deal about them from the files. But now she didn’t deal with them, she continued to focus on Tithe. The red-haired woman saw exactly when the man calmed down and probably realized that Ingrid wasn't a threat to her today.

”Actually he was. Unfortunately, Lord Malicar and Lady Karisa are dead. After the Emperor's disappearance, there was a coup attempt in the Eternal Empire, Lady Karisa were killed by the traitorous soldiers, and there was an explosion in the main building of Lord Malicar's company where he was found dead. His body was never found.”

These were public data, Malicar’s case mainly because it didn’t happen in the EE area either, but it was already possible to know about the coup, unfortunately. Yet Blackwatch did everything it could to keep this information out, but they failed. The deaths of both people were quite sensitive areas, they will be difficult to make up for because they were important players in the Eternal Empire.

So far, the woman had spoken coldly and distantly, with a perfect poker face, but when Tithe started talking about the deal, she smiled involuntarily. It made her face much friendlier, more direct. So she no longer looked like the cold, inaccessible person, but much more human. She shook her head a little, yes, that was the former Moff she was reading about.

”So we're already talking about the business? Very well, and yes, you know well HPI does the accounting and invoicing of its subsidiaries. But I’m really open to opportunities, if you and your company are able to make the financial affairs of the Consortium and its subsidiaries better, then the HPI Consortium would be happy to hire your company in matters like this. And they would work with you to be even more effective.”

​

 

[Loske Treicolt]

// CORUSCANT // BALLROOM //
Djorn Bline // Allyson Locke

"Loske,"
"I can say the same thing, I don't think wine suits your buds from what I remember,"

“From what you remember?” She simpered jovially, crossing her arms over her chest with a non-commital shrug. A majority of their interactions had her trying to force some kind of drink down her throat, only to hate most of it. The other ones meant they were getting ambushed –– either by thugs in a back alley en route to a shipyard or by her own people with smoke bombs. “I imagine your memory is quite good for picking up and collecting details. Honoured to be in one of those pockets. Does that mean we’re friends?”

"Allyson," "one thing you'll know about me is that I don't care much for power or how big my chair is. I'm a man of ideals and duty...being honest,"

The champagne that hadn't settled in her stomach bubbled out in a laugh, finding humour in the notion of honesty for someone operating in Intelligence. Now she knew the magnitude of that world, or at least..understood the necessity of partial data and storytelling. Usually, she'd start her next sentence with no offense but she meant every offense. She wanted it taken. Harboured. Recognized. Once again calcifying the idea that she'd be a terrible spy; her emotions were too genuine. And her opinions forthright. And she’d taken the betrayal of Allyson personally, and been upset once she found out Djorn’s former position within The Sith Empire. Ashamed that she’d always been so open.

"Being honest." She repeated in a low, thoughtful voice and accepted the flute from Allyson. Instead of consuming more of the sparkling wine, she used the glass to gesture between the pair of agents. If she kept drinking at the same pace as when she'd arrived, Maynard was going to have to collect her much sooner than she had planned.

Now that she'd dipped her toes in the world of clandestine operations, it was both aggravating and fascinating.

"I guess there has to be some level of truth in everything you do, even if it's just in the motivation."

"I came with Irveric, wanting to show him my support with the mutuality between the Alliance and the Order. Hopefully your newly appointed Chancellor feels the same way."

"That's nice of you," Loske admitted dubiously. Though a chill crept through her at the idea of sharing proximity with The Imperator. "You looked kind of focused a few seconds ago, we're not interrupting anything, right? Kind of weird we can just..talk like this after all that’s happened.

Does it ever get to you?” The question was more for Djorn than it was Allyson. And like all other commentaries from the would-be Kiffar, it was rooted in genuineness.

 

[Alex Locke]

//: The Outlander Club //:
//: Avoid All Eye Contact //:
//: Qell Auraeli //: Caldon Tenneth //: Frea Sheplin //:

Everything was like a blur, and at least Qell was there to make things a little bit better to understand. Officers and the High Admiral were the last people she thought she would be meeting at this time. Heck, she just graduated and barely even got an assignment. Her salute dropped as she listened to Qell introduce herself. Alex quietly chastised herself as she realized she had forgotten to do so. Still, to the high admiral, she was probably a nobody anyways. The chaos her cousin caused the shared last name could still be on the tongues of many. ​

Alex let herself fade into the background as she noticed Frea appear; her focus was on Qell, which was expected for the most part. The entirety of the group was quite outgoing, except for Alex. Only Qell knew anything about the young Corellian, and a part of Alex was okay with that. There wasn’t really anything interesting about her, so she figured it was probably for the best. ​

Having so many people around her, it was easy to practically disappear. Not to be rude, she did offer a wave to Frea since they were schoolmates for the most part. Still clinging slightly to Qell, a voice called to her, and she looked in the direction of the Jedi. He was the same one she had run into down by the food and drinks. A thousand questions flooded her small mind as she tilted her head slightly and stared at him for a moment. ​

Once more, remembering her manors, she smiled and, with slender fingers, brushed aside some of her blonde hair that had fallen from her neatly regulation done bun. Another soft smile spread across her face as she stepped towards him and waved. “Hi, you can call me Alex.” Whew, she remembered to introduce herself this time around. Mentally, she gave herself a high five and fanfare, but she did her best to remain collected on the outside. Despite moving forward, one of Alex’s hands reached out and gripped the hem of Qell’s uniform top carefully. A small comforting notion as she talked to the Jedi. ​

“What’s your name?”​

 

[Djorn Bline]

Location: Ballroom
Objective: Poker face
Tags: Loske Treicolt | Allyson Locke

"That's nice of you, You looked kind of focused a few seconds ago, we're not interrupting anything, right? Kind of weird we can just..talk like this after all that’s happened.

“No,” he calmly, casually lied to the blonde. Another person would’ve lied just to be polite and considerate, yet he lied not just for that but to keep his cards hidden below the table. Should they discover his true intentions, they would’ve been strict on Tithe and devalue him whatever influence he has in the Alliance. Surely they wouldn’t cast aside a man of his talents?

“No, I was just trying to find a table to reserve, if possible,” a “table” for him and any Imperial personnel here in attendance. Keep on selling the lie, make it sound somewhat plausible. This was a ball for a special occasion, who’d think he was being skeptical?

“Well, you were just doing your duty. It’s what soldiers do, I can’t blame anyone who does their duty. I’d be hypocrite in criticizing someone who does, but I can criticize people doing a lousy job,” again, that last bit was for their encounter on Vicondor. He was honest in his words, again. He remembered when Tavlar defected based on his ideals. He remembered every soldier and Sith spitting venom at his transgression, and he wasn’t one who participated in those gatherings. The man did it based on duty, not to a nation based on damnations organized by individuals who thought above mere men like Djorn and Irveric, the man did it based on ideals. The Imperator and Snake were soldiers at the end, fighting for what was right. It was more than enough for Djorn to respect Irveric.

“Plus, I did came to you at Bastion, so it’s not like we haven’t talked since that day,” and offered a shrug at the end of it. Their talk on Bastion was decent, calm and casual. It left them both knowing more about each other as the two were married to their respective significant others.

Does it ever get to you?”

A vague question, if he were to be honest. He could, however, decrypt its meaning. Maybe.

“Does it ever get to me that you tried to have me captured?” his tone was casual, no hurt was to be minced with his words. “I don’t think it does, although I’ll admit I thought we’d actually meet for what you said. Part of me doubted you, but I took a risk at the end,” risks were something he wasn’t unfamiliar with. Thinking about it it now, he was surprised Loske taking initiative before he did. He could’ve, but he didn’t. Was it because he cared too much? Imprinted by whatever time they spent in the Outer Rim? As much as he tried to close his heart and repress it with the cold, he was, as the old saying went, only human after all.

“Still think Irveric would’ve taken the shot?”

Picking up from their last talk, not so long ago on Bastion.

 

[Caldon Tenneth]

Alex Locke

It took him a solid minute.

It felt like three hours.

Caldon managed to bring himself back to the moment after the momentary stun from seeing so many individuals of rank. That momentarily impulsive idea that had prompted this, the one that had seemed like such a good idea at the time...

Well, it HAD seemed like a good idea.

After he had recovered himself, he gave a nod towards the other assembled individuals before noticing that the woman he had followed stepped forward towards him, fingers brushing some of her loose hair aside. As she introduced herself and asked him his name, Caldon’s stomach felt like it had blue butterflies flying around inside it.

He made a motion to wave before realizing he still had the plate of food in his hand. He gave a slightly awkward smile before setting the plate on a small table close by. He turned back to face her and slid a hand up to behind his head.

“I...uhm...I’m Caldon...Caldon Tenneth...”

 

[Ariel Yvarro]

​

BALLROOM
​

"Ryssa apparently met with the Chancellor while she was still Senator of Balmorra, but all she said was that the woman should've been chancellor from the start," Ariel told Renata, which meant that Ariel didn't have a clue personally if the new Chancellor would be open to discussion. Then Renata inquired about Tagge, "mhmm I haven't seen him? There are a lot of people here so he might be wandering about the place- or maybe he's at home having a smoke."​

​

Ariel took the flute but she wasn't sure what to do with it so she just held it. "I'm also not going to be surprised if you actually have the cards in your handbag, however; perhaps we just play this cool? This feels like one of those upper class parties from university, the kind where only the posh soroities and fraternities attend." Ariel stared at the flute and her lips shifted to the side. She handed the flute to Renata, "you might want this later in the evening."​

​

"Your dress looks fabulous by the way, Mof- uh, Renata?"​

​

"Does it matter if I address you as Moff here? Am I breaking protocol or something if I do?" Ariel was a little out of her element honestly, she was used to diplomatic functions and how they operated. She knew how to attend a party and enjoy herself, but it felt as if she was being asked to combine the two and quite honestly it was just a bit much for her brain to comprehend. Although, she swore, she could hear her older sister mock her. For all the intelligence in the world, Ariel lacked sorely in social skills. "Would this be a bad time to admit that I skipped out on the aforementioned posh parties and spent time reading?"​

​

She looked over at Vidia Vudrirn and gave a warm smile, and then cleared her throat as she surveyed the room once more. "Well, the Empress Regent is there." Ariel quietly gestured while making a whisper to her colleagues, "and there's a small group there." She turned around and pointed toward a set of folks speaking with each other. "And then we have the entire party so, we can split up? I-" Ariel took back the flute from Renata and chugged it down in one go. "Right, time to go make friendly with ... someone."​

​

With that, Ariel turned around and pressed onward.​

​

Interacting with: Renata Westaway | In the vicinity of: Loske Treicolt | Djorn Bline | Allyson Locke | Aerarii Tithe​

​

 

[Loske Treicolt]

// CORUSCANT // BALLROOM //
Djorn Bline // Allyson Locke

She’d meant more than the trap that had been set. She’d meant for all the lies that built up to build the human beneath. The same mental miasma Allyson had fell victim to. Which identity was she at the end of the day? Had Allyson Locke been a lie? Loske was working to prove that false, even if it was just to herself, but it was hard.

“Does it ever get to me that you tried to have me captured?”
“I don’t think it does, although I’ll admit I thought we’d actually meet for what you said. Part of me doubted you, but I took a risk at the end,”

“No, not that one instance.” Loske corrected, clicking her teeth against the rim of the flute but still staying her gullet. “All of it. All the untruths you have to keep track of. I’m not in that world, obviously. I think you witnessed that plainly enough -- but it seems like a lot. Your convictions have to be stronger than your character –– one’s got to be more steadfast in the end, right?”

“Still think Irveric would’ve taken the shot?”

“The way you use his name makes it sound like a man-crush.” The Jedi simpered teasingly, finally taking a small sip of the libation. “And yes, I do. I’m not nearly as close to him as you are, of course, but there’s an inarguable sense of self-preservation around him that probably dominates any of his decision makings. That and revenge.” Perhaps the entire motivation behind the schism. Whatever the original intention, Loske had surfed that wave as a means to an end. Hunting down The Sith and exterminating the darkness once battle at a time. “His convictions seem stronger than his character.

An entertainable hypothesis, anyway.”

Waving her hand, she ushered the thoughts along to navigate the discourse away from the Imperator. He was a consequential person and she didn’t have the stomach for it right now. “I don’t want to talk about politics.” The blonde admitted, tucking a loose strand behind her ear and looking away from the conversation for an interval to punctuate her impatience with the topic. The Imperator made her uneasy, the future made her uneasy.

Despite herself, she smiled.
“Bad choice I guess, on a night made to honour politics and their evolution.”

Individuals needed firm foundations to stand on in order to move forward. From Chancellor to Imperator, those were the recognized foundations.

 

[Djorn Bline]

Location: Ballroom
Objective: Poker face
Tags: Loske Treicolt | Allyson Locke

“No, not that one instance.” “All of it. All the untruths you have to keep track of. I’m not in that world, obviously. I think you witnessed that plainly enough -- but it seems like a lot. Your convictions have to be stronger than your character –– one’s got to be more steadfast in the end, right?”

He couldn't help but raise a brow momentarily when approached with that question. Why did it matter to her? Did she care, or just wanted to know more about him for her own interests? It was a question he was rarely asked about, and yet it was one that always made him reflect on his decisions and past. His hands were dirty, a common soldier’s wasn’t based on their innocence and how naive they were. Djorn once was a man like that, and now? Nothing but filth from the lies and murders he committed.

If it wasn’t for one particular tragedy in his life, he wouldn’t have kept going. His convictions and that tragedy made it personal for him.

“It’s based on the will on the person, I suppose. How loyal you are to your beliefs and to your country. I was like that in the Empire until Tavlar showed me the flaws and corruption in its pillars,” and realizing that truth made the hate in his heart grow, angry to realize he was just a tool for the machinations of a select group that thought to be more than him; but still he retained his core beliefs.

“The way you use his name makes it sound like a man-crush.” “And yes, I do. I’m not nearly as close to him as you are, of course, but there’s an inarguable sense of self-preservation around him that probably dominates any of his decision makings. That and revenge.” “His convictions seem stronger than his character. An entertainable hypothesis, anyway.”

“Hmph,” a slight chuckle escaped from him from her tease, she always carried that sense of humor no matter where she was in. “The Imperator and I have...some history long before his defection,” and he wouldn’t go into further detail, wanting to remain secretive of his past. The two men had served before with Djorn being a young Scout Trooper in Tavlar’s unit. Camaraderie that had yet to be shaken. Djorn saw much of himself in Tavlar, both men proud of their service and keen to the progression of their ideals. Their convictions contributed much to their characters, yet humanity still resided in them.

But would he had taken the shot if in his shoes? Loske was certain in her words, but...how could someone shoot someone meaning to them?

“Our convictions makes us who we are, Loske. How can we be anything without yearning for something important to us?” a philosophical answer and question without directly commenting on Irveric’s character.

“I don’t want to talk about politics.”
“Bad choice I guess, on a night made to honour politics and their evolution.”

“Came to the wrong place and time, kid.”

Then his lips mouthed an interesting question.

“Do you dance?” and his eyes wandered towards the main gathering of invitees dancing in the ballroom before his eyes returned to hers.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

// CORUSCANT // BALLROOM //
Djorn Bline // Allyson Locke

“Our convictions makes us who we are, Loske. How can we be anything without yearning for something important to us?”

Yearning was the core of Loske's entirety these days. Yearning for the nuances to seal themselves away and the galaxy operate in peace. Yearning to just wrap up in a homestead and build a family. If one jurisdiction wanted to regulate in a different way, that was fine, so long as the citizens had a say and suppression was over. She pinched the space between her eyes and took another drink of the bubbles.

“Came to the wrong place and time, kid.”

The would-be kiffar only smirked and shook her head at Djorn's recognition of the inappropriateness of the conversations she didn't want to pursue, based on the evening's agenda. The inclusion of kid was a subtle invitation of familiarity to his tone. Similar to the syntax he'd adopted as a so-called smuggler along the Outer Rim. Loske understood now how foolish she'd been to trust him then, listening to the anecdotal bits of advice on subtlety and intergalactic covertness.

"Those were the days." Came the murmur, and she ran her fingers through her hair to distract her from a trip down nostalgia's road.

“Do you dance?”

She'd happily let her eyes wander to the subtle movements and interactions about the entertainment floor, and snapped a shocked look over at the blond imperial. It only took a second to smooth over the bemused knot to something more understanding, and she grinned wryly. Surely he knew the answer to that, merely from a preference of activity perspective.

"With you? No."

That level of intimacy would open up a course for dialogue she wasn't sure she could handle. Probably more tips and tricks that she'd pretend to ignore, but would suffuse themselves into her behaviour unconsciously. Like the good, accidental student she was.

Looking over to Allyson, her brows arched and she tilted her chin in the Corellian's direction, by way of explanation. To push the point further, she moved to link her arm with her friend, ready to end the conversation and withdraw. She'd intercepted the Imperial enough to dissuade his pursuance of another interaction, and it was starting to tread into familiarly murky waters.

"Only with my evening's date. Wouldn't want my husband to get any wrong ideas, Djorn."