Adventures at Starbux

[Asemir]

OOC: Open to all.

I'm bored. Plot? What plot?

"Yes?" he said as he looked up from his mug of kaf. His ruby eyes looked the interloper over, noting the dimples and smile, all mixed with the innocent-yet-awed look children take when they speak to adults.

"Mister," she said hesitantly, "can you help me?" She pointed out of the cafe's window and towards one of the few natural trees located in the city. "My cat. He's stuck."

His gaze followed the little girls finger and he sighed. The tree was huge, a relic from a bygone era, with sturdy branches sprouting from its massive trunk. The bark was like leather and the leaves were full and healthy. His eyes traveled upwards and he spied the hunched, cowering form of a small feline. It was some ten meters up.

Asemir Lor'kora sighed again. The task was as asinine as it was easy. He could use the Force, snatch the cat, and set it down safely on the ground. He wouldn't even have to leave his seat. But that would betray his true nature. It would show others what he really was, and he wanted to avoid that at all costs.

He looked again at the child, and was highly tempted to refuse her request, to tell her no. He was an adult, doing adult things, busy with an adult life. He had no time to assist her child requests. Tell her to find her parents, or to find the local fire brigade. Surely they were better suited for this sort of thing?

The child blinked happily with her large child eyes.

"What's your name?" Asemir asked gently.

"Christa," was her reply.

Glancing around the small kaf house, Asemir noted the non-interest in the other patrons. They were all engrossed in whatever conversations or projects or drinks they had. Well, not all, there were a few that were watching the exchange curiously. The cynical side of him thought maybe "Christa" was really a decoy intended to lower his guard.

Man, was he starting to get paranoid. Asemir sighed a third time in as many seconds. "Where are your parents, Christa?"

"At work," the girl replied, innocently and without deceit. As innocent as a child.

Perfect decoy, Asemir thought.

"Will you help me Mister?"

The Forgotten took another glance around and rubbed his temples. What other choice did he have? A child was asking him for a simple request. To turn her down would be monstrous. Then he smirked, which he was sure the child took as a good sign. Monstrous. A funny thought. Given that he had slaughtered children and mothers and fathers in his long years of life.

The universe was full of surprises.

Asemir shut down the data pad he was reading and stood. "Very well, I'll help you, Christa. What's the cat's name?"

Christa smiled and took Asemir's hand. "Mr. Fluffy."

"Of course," the Ingr'Nysk muttered.

 

[Arage Bao]

For some reason beyond his comprehension Jared sat at a table and was sitting… coffee? Well at least it was some variation from all those bars, and wodka he had been visiting and drinking lately. It seemed he had lost his touch on originality, because every time he wished to speak, meet or interact with someone he ended up in a drinking establishment, or a dancing club.

Which really started to bother him, because didn’t he have anything better to do than spent his nights hitting on a female barkeep and spending his money on cheap drinks? Questions, questions, questions. But man, was this coffee a treat for the tastebuds. While drinking his drink, the proud Lord was trying to read a book.

Yes, after a day of hunting artifacts in a tomb, starting wars or profiteering from them, and fighting zombies in the Coruscantian Underworld… a man just wants to sit down quietly, sip from his coffee and read a good book.

It was just a little bit hard to concentrate, with that little girl yapping about her cat to some guy who was accidently also trying to drink some coffee. He did not really seem that amused at the girl’s request, and Jared could relate to that.

A man needs to take his mind off things once in a while, without an eight-year old begging for help for her stupid cat. He was half of mind to throw a kinetite ball at the tree, and watch it burn.

Then again… it would probably cause too much of a ruckus and he was here for some quiet R&R with his book. Not to cause a riot, and get arrested by the cops. Again he took a sip from his coffee… where was he actually?

The question surprised him, because Jared literally did not even have a clue where he was. For all he knew he could have been in Horde Space, sipping from his cup while secretly being surrounded by Vong.

Jared thought about that for a second, and then shrugged. Damn Vong. Then he turned the page, and continued to read.

[member="Asemir Lor'kora"]

 

[Lord Eclipsion]

Sokrai glanced out of the corner of her eye the weird conversation between the man and this small little girl. She turned around, and looked out the window, and noticed in a tree a small, quivering cat. She shrugged it off, as she began walking over to the counter. Behind the desk, the clerk was passed out on the granite counter, snoring rather loudly, and his face was surrounded by a pool of drool. Annoyed, Sokrai yanked up his head by the dreadlocks on his head. " Gah, wha'? " He mumbled, and then to her utter surprise, he fell right back into to sleep, while being held up by the hair. She groaned, and dropped his head onto the counter with a BANG , and sat down back at her table.

[member="Asemir Lor'kora"]

 

[Asemir]

As Asemir led Christa by the hand from the kaf shop, the distinctive smack of head-against-granite echoed through the shop. He turned, saw a blue-skinned woman walking away from the unconscious form of the clerk. He glanced at Christa, who was humming a happy tune. This was adult business. He should check on the clerk. He should question the woman. No, Asemir decided, he should not. If he did, there would probably be a fight, another brawl, and his peaceful stay on this world would end abruptly.

He kept walking, and soon they reached the tree.

"Mr. Fluffy is up there!" Christa cooed as she pointed upwards. The cat seemed tiny, cowering among the limbs and leaves.

Asemir handed the girl his datapad. "Hold this," he said as he developed his plan of attack. The lowest branch was a few meters above the ground. He could jump, grab hold of one, and hoist himself up. Then he could grab another begin the long climb. It would be simple. No need for safety harness, no need for look-outs or the Force or anything else. Just simple, physical exertion.

It didn't take the Forgotten long to reach the limb on which Mr. Fluffy resided. The branches were sound, the bark rough and stable, and the cat compliant. At least, the cat was compliant until Asemir reach his side. The little feline reared up, hissed, his fur puffing up and making him look gigantic for a kitten. Asemir reached out with one hand, hesitated, and that proved his undoing.

Mr. Fluffy lashed out with one paw, claws extended, and the little razors scored the Forgotten's slate-blue flesh. Pain was nothing to Asemir, something to simply acknowledge, catalog, and overcome. Even so, he grunted, more from surprise and incredulity than agony. This little fur ball had hurt him! He, take of lives, slayer of armies, had been attacked by a five kilogram creature! Hilarious.

"C'mon," Asemir muttered to himself as he inched forward. Mr. Fluffy retreated steadily, venom in his eyes, his hiss broadcast to everyone that he was in no mood to be rescued. "Fething cat..." Asemir thought as he reached out again.

This time, when Mr. Fluffy attacked again, the Forgotten was ready. The cat was fast, but not faster than a Master Forgotten who was ready and prepared. Asemir jerked his hand back, the cat's paw striking nothing but air. Even as Mr. Fluffy recovered from his missed attack, the Forgotten lashed forward with his own hand, intent on grabbing the creature by its neck. His hand would easily take hold of the cat, immobilizing it, and he would then be able to descend the tree and complete his quest.

At least, that was the plan, and no plan survives contact with the battlefield. Mr. Fluffy, unlike other members of his species, was not as coordinated as Asemir had hoped. His missed strike unbalanced him completely, and he failed his feline heritage. The cat, yelping in surprise stumbled and then teetered over the edge of the branch. In any other situation, it would have been a hilarious spectacle as Mr. Fluffy flailed wildly, but not in this circumstance.

Christa watched in wide-eyed horror as Mr. Fluffy plummeted to his doom, ten meters below.