A Voice like Booming Thunder

[Ghorua the Shark]

LOCATION: ROD & HERRY'S, COURSCANT
CURRENT MOOD: AMUSED

Ghorua brushed a bit of dust off his shoulder as he sat down, thanking the server. He hadn't worn a suit in years, it seemed. He hadn't had need of one. Being a bar performer/bartender/bounty hunter didn't require a three-piece suit. But he had gotten this one tailor-made just a few days ago. The massive Herglic felt strangely comforted by the soft cloth of the dress clothes. He looked like a bouncer, or a weightlifter on a business day. His teeth shone white against his ebony skin and dark suitcoat, giving him a very polar color scheme.

The Shark had been searching for a new job for a few months. He enjoyed the bounty hunter business, sure, but the danger of it all was exhausting. The colossus needed something in his life that didn't require him to risk life and limb to put food on the table. Thus, he came across Helen, and her radio show.

Ghorua's mother had always told him that he had the voice of a holonet announcer. His dad would say he sounded like a smooth-talking rancor. The thought of his voice comforting people over the air instead of striking fear on the battlefield was comforting.

The place Ghorua had chosen for the interview, Rod & Herry's, was a classy restaurant on Courscant's upper level. It served cuisines from all across One Sith territory. Fancy wasn't what one might expect of a ten-foot tall Herglic, but it suited him well. He seemed to almost ooze confidence as he nodded to the server, asking for water as he waited for his possible employer.

- [member="Helen Louie"] -

 

[Helen Louie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6J8x4oAyLk&ab_channel=DBoneDnB%27n%27Dub

Music busted loudly from Helen's ship, bass vibrating the highly decorated metal. Two pairs of tap shoes were rapidly dancing away, and in them moved Helen and a blonde haired friend who seemed to be even more associated with cake, as she literally WORE it with designs on her dress, bows, and socks. The two circled each other and did a small bow as they tied and separated, finally finishing off with a few claps of the metal heeled attire. "Phew!" Helen huffed with a wide smile on her face. "Good dance, I gotta dash!" Helen continued with a smile painted on her face. The friend smiled and clicked her shoes once, then headed off into one of the rooms on the ship.

Interview time! Helen rushed her way into a pair of black shined shoes and ran out of the freighter, onto the road and down to Rod & Herry's down the street. She was dressed well - maybe even too well for just an interview! A white shirt spiraled with near invisible veins, covered with a black coat including shining sleek barrel cuffs, a pair of plain pants that fit her just loose enough, and shoes. Before anything could go wrong, she got a waitress to seat her at the table.

Her face kept calm and smiling. This man before her was obviously something else! Something she would like to have on her crew just for those looks, of course! She kept standing with a hand extended before her and to the shark like creature before her. "Helen Louie, nice to meet you, Ghorua."

{ [member="Ghorua the Shark"] }

OOC: Please excuse me if I change the structure and fancy details of my replies randomly. I'm experimenting!

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua stood as Helen approached, waiting for her to sit before taking his seat again with a sharp smile. Let it not be said that the Shark didn't have manners. He took another sip of his water before bringing out his hand to shake. He kept his grip delicate, to avoid crushing her hand to dust. That wouldn't leave a very good first impression.

"Ms. Louie." The Herglic's voice was deep, but oddly smooth. He spoke softly, but his words still carried, resonating from the chests of those who could here. "Thank you for meeting with me. You look lovely." He gestured to her dress, and smiled warmheartedly. "I'm not used to such formalities."

The waitress came by again with menus, and laid them in front of the two. Ghorua took one, and perused the goods. Exotic meats and vegetables from all across the galaxy greeted his eyes. The sight of steak gave him vertigo. He had to close his eyes, and fight back the uncomfortable stabs behind his eyes. He didn't like admitting that he was a vegetarian. It would absolutely break his 'dangerous predator' aesthetic. But he couldn't help that whenever he tasted, saw, or even thought about blood, he began to lose control. He wouldn't let that happen. Not again.

All of this thought process was veiled behind his smirk, as he ordered. "I'll have the garden salad, thank you." He waited for Helen to order respectfully. He would enjoy today. This was a nice dinner, that might lead to a nice job. He didn't want to mess this up.

- [member="Helen Louie"] -

 

[Helen Louie]

Helen loosely spread her coat, then unbuttoned it as she remembered to, less it be ripped in half due to her larger appetite. Against the social need of sexually assigned clothing, she kept herself simple in what she thought fit best with her strange form. A suit, in this case, did her nicely. With a smile on her face from the well-mannered and obviously good voiced man, Helen looked down to the spread menus and picked one up with hopefulness. Seeing the generous amount of options, she picked what she knew best.

"I'll have the poppers, mozzarella sticks, a small bowl of the specialty spicy beef soup, breadsticks, crackers, and... let's see. The meat mix salad with extra dressing and cheese, one of these shown sandwiches, and a cup of cola." She smiled to the waiter, then looked at Ghorua reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm paying for my own stuff." She said with a tiny smile, sliding the menu to the side.

She had a stomach to back up what she ordered, and a huge exercise program to help her adjust to her unhealthy eating habits. When you began to own a cake company who specialized in almost every desert in the area, you had to work out or you'd DIE from all the samples you get to try. "So," She started with a small brush over a non-existent goatee before her hands clasped in front of her. "What got you interested in Cake Bake Radio?"

{ - [member="Ghorua the Shark"] - } ​

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

The waitress walked away, a confused look in her eye. She must have expected the orders to be the other way around. Ghorua had expected her to be more formal, but was happy when she showed her weakness for sweets. Perhaps one shouldn't judge a book by their cover. A strange revelation for a being with such an unappealing cover himself.

Ghorua kept his smile as he talked. "I am at a bit of a crossroads in my life, Ms. Louie. I'm... dissatisfied with my current occupation. Kill this, strangle that... It gets tiresome. I want to find a less violent way to put food on the table, and your radio station was the first thing to catch my eye."

He took a sip of his water as he continued. "I figured that I might as well try to set up an interview, and here we are. I hope to take the cake." He laughed out loud, perhaps too loud. A few nearby patrons covered their ears in disgust, and the staff looked his way angrily. The Shark kept his smile as he looked around apologetically. His dark eyes sparkled with humor. ​"My apologies, but the opportunity was there. I couldn't resist."

- [member="Helen Louie"] -

 

[Helen Louie]

The young radio host felt her cheeks grow to a soft pink taint, and a bold smile filled her face. She enjoyed when someone could joke about, and personality was a key importance when you were to go about and make your name across the galaxy in the CBR. Many times she had found herself seated with droids, artificial laughs and a terrible sense of humor. It was good to find someone with... taste. ​

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"Nonsense, that's what the radio needs." She spoke with a lace of happiness in her voice. The waitress was hurried to come back and deliver the drinks, to which Helen gave a quick 'thank you,' and took a sip from her brown fizzing liquids. "I understand where you're coming from, Ghorua. Many people who come to speak on the radio find few credits in the killing business. It's almost an everyday job, from what I hear. At the radio station, you can feel free to hop off the bandwagon and have a little fun in your life." ​

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She tipped her drink toward herself, then put it on the table again with a soft thump. "There are just a few things you will have to understand if you are truly open to the position. We travel almost every week, which means less visits to your friends and family if they cannot find themselves chasing after you. If that's a sore subject, I apologize, but that is probably one of the most concerned obstacles."​

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{ - [member="Ghorua the Shark"] - }​

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua's expression didn't change. His face was as jovial as ever, perhaps it even brightened. But his eyes held something darker. A hidden murk, something that told Helen she had struck a small nerve.

"No, that, uh... That won't be a problem." The sadness in his dark eyes passed, replaced again by a spark of life. "As long as I get days off every now and again. I am a bounty hunter by trade, and it's tough to escape that life."

Ghorua smiled as the food was brought out. They were quick here, there was no denying. Ghorua's salad was placed before him gingerly, while food was almost shoveled in front of Helen. Ghorua chuckled at the sight. The smell of cooked meat in her dishes made him nauseous. He had to take another sip of water to hide the weakness before he continued. "Now, you tell me, I am curious; What compelled you to start this 'Cake Bake Radio' of yours? I'm curious."

- [member="Helen Louie"] -

 

[Helen Louie]

Without a doubt, Helen's expression saddened. The mere thought of the beginning to small radio success was a sad story, as many people had. Yet, she still found hers the most terrible. Slowly her hands grazed against the silver on her plates and bowls, and steadily she began to scoop and stab pieces to fill her mouth as she spoke. She, luckily, didn't spit all over the place as food chewed up in her oral cavity. ​

​

"It was a long time ago, I think... when I was eight, or so." She let out a parting sigh and ran a hand through her hand, straightening it back into it's sweep. "On my home planet, where it's told is in another dimension, the cabbage heads attacked." She paused, then looked up as she slid large popper into her mouth and spoke as she chewed it. "We thought, my brother, father and I, that they'd never come. My brother and I needed to help pay for things, for ourselves, so we started to make radio in hopes someone would buy us out. But..." She let out a tired sigh and nibbled on another piece of food. "They took him, while I was sleeping. I could hear the crinkly wetness of their morning dew laugh escaping the work yard, and that was the last I ever seen of him."​

​

She took a moment of silence, then looked up with a pair of sad eyes and a trembling lips, trying to get herself together. "Of course it doesn't matter. I have a radio now, to remember him by. No need to talk about why I made it anymore."​

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{ [member="Ghorua the Shark"] }​

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Spoiler

Everything will make sense later if you stick with the show!

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[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua listened, his smile melting into a small frown. He didn't understand half of her poetic language, but she was obviously going through a lot. Perhaps they weren't too different, the two of them. Helen had layers. Like a cake.

Ghorua reached across the table to take her hand gently. He looked into her eyes, pitch black meeting dark chocolate. "I'd bet your tired of hearing this, but I'm sorry. Thank you for sharing." Ghorua wouldn't press any more into the subject. Sharing that much must have been emotionally taxing.

Ghorua's bowl in front of him was large, to accommodate his size. The silverware, however, was normal sized. The well-dressed behemoth struggled to pick up the fork. Once he got it into his grasp, he plunged it down into the green of his salad, bringing it up and into his mouth. He tried a smile again. "So, how is the food? Up to your standards? They say Rod & Herry's has the most diverse palate in the sector. From what I've seen you order, it appears to be true." Ghorua kept his smile, but his outward joviality had diminished slightly.

- [member="Helen Louie"] -

 

[Helen Louie]

She blew air from her mouth as she waved her hand, almost looking like programmed motion of smooth actions. "I'm used to hearing the sorrow things, and all, but it's nice to hear that people actually mean it." She tipped her drink forward and back, starting to spiral it, only to break it as she sipped on it. ​

​

"Honestly, I'm leaning more toward Rod's bit since... I don't know, tastes sweeter? Unless I got the menu items mixed up." She rolled her eyes at her own annoyance as she shoved more food into her mouth with handfuls at a time, though always seemed to keep a perfect eating mouth, no bulges, and no really visible spit ups. "Which is kinda why I got what I got, but I mean, I respect anyone who doesn't like it. It's their opinion and you have to accept that. It's a real vital thing in radio. Gets you most of the credits." She rubbed her fingers together with a giggle, staring at the void dark eyes of her potential partner. ​

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"So, could you tell why, besides you magnificent voice, why I should hire you to work at the radio instead of the next person who asks for the job?" She didn't ask the question usually, but due to several complaints of families and their missing children who came to work for her, she decided it would only be best to start asking the proper questions before REAL lawsuits pushed against her. The kind of stuff your social fame couldn't push up against.​

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{ [member="Ghorua the Shark"] }​

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

Ghorua the Shark contemplated the question while munching on another leafy green. The smell of the meat in Helen's food sent stabs of uncomfortable pain behind his eyes. His nausea was well-hidden behind his smile, however. It was a genuine grin. He was happy. Wonderful food with a wonderful woman with wonderfully angry people around him. What more could he ask for?

"Well, besides my magnificent voice," he laughed, said voice bouncing in a mute glee, "I am quite strong. I could double as security, perhaps help you deal with the 'cabbageheads' if they decide to attack again. Having a guy like myself around tends to ward off criminal activity."

The behemoth wiped his mouth on his napkin, and continued. "And, if you require..." Ghorua hesitated for the first time in the interview. He debated something in his head, and seemingly steeled himself. "I am a bit of a vocal performer. If you require something like that, I can also be of use." The Shark quickly moved on.

"And, if I get this job, I'll be sure to take you out for food like this more often! As long as you pay for your own smorgasbord, that is! You'd drain my pockets faster than you can fill them!" Ghorua laughed again, light-hearted. He enjoyed her company in a purely platonic way. She had inner demons, like him, but kept it buried for the sake of the people around her. He could understand that.

- [member="Helen Louie"] -