Private Appearance and Decorum

[Desric Terassi]

It was a mixer and a painfully posh one at that - one of the more exclusive clubs in the upper parts of the Uscru Entertainment District had been closed to the hoi polloi for a whole day in preparation so that everything could be cleaned to a polish, the usual drinks replaced by expensive beverages with suitably sedate alcohol contents, and the staff groomed and prepped.

Compared to a normal opening day, the lights were raised - the kind of people the club pandered to this evening expected to see well enough to subtly scrutinise each other's attires. Decorum has to be maintained, after all.

With the exception of the serving staff, most present were there by virtue of birth, not merit.

Desric was certainly no exception, having had an invitation all but thrown at him by his grandmother with the understanding that he get to know people worth knowing. Deciding that he might as well dress the part, he had opted for a pristine white jacket and trouser combo subtly accentuated by a bit of gold and pink inner lining most visible at the collar.

A peculiar necklace was hidden beneath his jacket, resting on skin in the absence of a shirt.

All things considered, keeping the attire perfectly clean was an impressive feat.

---

"Truly fascinating, Lord Vulker. I had no idea your great-great-great grandmother was so accomplished an architect! To think she designed the entire estate herself." Smiling warmly, he shook his head. "Ah, but I am hoarding your attention, am I not? How unseemly! It would not do to deprive the rest your company - I hear Baron Norgend has taken an interest in Hapan Symmetricalism."

Thankfully, the man took the bait, ambling off to test the good Baron's patience. Taking a glass from a server to look busy, Desric took the opportunity to survey the crowd for someone less sleep-inducing.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

This was the most at home Cora has felt since she'd settled on Coruscant. It was at her family's behest that she'd joined the New Jedi Order, a move crafted to inject Ukatian relevance into the Galactic superpower. Ever the dutiful daughter, Cora was all too happy to oblige. This venture would give her a chance to not only explore more of what the galaxy had to offer, but to do so while strengthening the name of her family.

That being said, it had been a massive cultural shift for her. For a girl who'd grown up with her own wing in a spacious estate, the suddenly spartan life of a Jedi was…jarring, if not fascinating. Although she approached her tasks and comrades with vigor, this invitation could not have come at a better time.

These were her people. This was a situation she understood how to behave in.

Cora received a martini from a passing waiter, hand brushing against another who'd reached for the glass next to her own.

"Oh, goodness. My apologies!" The blonde smiled graciously, cradling a thin stemmed glass between two fingers with a practiced, elegant precision. It was more of a decoration, really.

She noted, positively, that he was dressed well—several of the young men in attendance were positively gaudy. For this occasion, Cora had chosen a sensible yet modern sweater and skirt ensamble made from Denebrillan Star silk. Not particularly flashy, but the luxury fabric spoke of wealth and status where words would simply be unseemly.

"Corazona of House Ascania, Ukatis. Charmed." She held out a hand, wrist angled downward.

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

As his hand brushed against hers, Desric felt a not unpleasant tingle; not of the wishy-washy romantic kind, mind you. Rather, he was fairly sure she was fellow Force Sensitive. Emphasis on fairly, given his somewhat lacking training.

"Think nothing of it." Like the blonde, Desric seemed more interested in holding the martini than drinking from it, at least for the moment - and like her, he too discreetly assessed her attire without finding it wanting. A solid combination of modern and tasteful made of high-quality materials. An excellent choice for this kind of event.

"Likewise." Noting the sideways-facing palm, he shook her hand with appropriate firmness, an easy smile on his lips. "Desric of House Terassi, Serenno. It will be interesting to see how your homeworld adapts to Alliance membership, no?"

His home of Serenno rested beneath the iron sun; a less desirable situation, in Desric's opinion.

While he spoke, a subtle gleam entered his cybernetic eyes as relevant information was overlaid directly onto his perception. It quickly became clear that his first impression had been correct - the eldest child recently turned Jedi.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

At his introduction, Cora smiled with practiced politeness. Not that she had to try with Desric, but simply out of habit. She'd been in the company of so many unpleasant aristocrats that it had become necessary to develop an arsenal of courteous, graceful gestures when a genuine reaction would be too unladylike.

"Lovely to meet you, Desric of House Terassi." Cora took a cursory sip of her martini, using the drink as a brief excuse for lack of conversation. Serenno...Serenno….ah yes, in the Outer Rim. A world of lush forests and mountains.

A thoughtful expression creased the gentle features of her face, as if she were ruminating on her homeworld's bid of Alliance membership. Once the tiny sip of alcohol had been diluted with enough saliva, she swallowed subtly. She'd never been fond of the taste, nor the burn that followed.

"We are certainly hopeful that soon, Ukatis will join with the Galactic Alliance." A bright, toothy smile accompanied her response. At present, Ukatis sat on Alliance borders in a relatively advantageous position in a burning galaxy. After the Confederacy dissolved, so did their protection over Ukatis. A series of heated debates took place over the course of a year, and ultimately they'd elected to reach out to the Alliance for protection. The discovery of Cora's Force sensitivity had her family all but clambering to send her to Coruscant as an envoy, eager to curry favor both domestically and with the Alliance.

"I myself have recently joined with the New Jedi Order, as a means to help ease the way for Ukatis." She gave the martini glass a gentle swirl. "I must say, the Jedi there lead quite the adventurous life!"

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

Meeting her smile with one of his own, he nodded his head subtly. "It seems an almost foregone conclusion - but the terms are another matter entirely. One of the reasons you are here, I imagine?" They would want to build as much goodwill as possible as the talks went on, of that he was sure; maximum sovereignty, minimum obligatory contributions.

Was Ukatis valuable enough for a truly special arrangement? Probably not, but they would try.

"A tad bit too adventurous for me, I fear." Chuckling softly, he gestured in the general direction of their Temple. "War tends to knock on their door whether they want it or not - personally, I much prefer a ball or a boardroom."

Raising his glass as if in toast, he smiled again. "Not that I do not appreciate those who keep my boardroom safe."

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora chuckled softly, a faint tinge of crimson flushing her cheeks. "Right you are. Transitions tend to flow more smoothly with an envoy." Whether or not she could make a difference as an envoy remained to be seen. Ukatis' status as a small, relatively unknown and admittedly unimpressive world had not escaped Cora's notice. It only meant that she had to work all the harder to become someone—something—valuable.

Raising her own glass, she mirrored his gesture. "Heavy is the head, I suppose."

Instead of venturing another sip, she played idly with the toothpick in her glass, swirling the speared olive along the perimeter of the drink. Suddenly she halted, body seizing as she now regarded Desric with a narrowed, vaguley suspicious gaze.

"I did not realize that the Jedi kept you company in your...ah, ahem, bedroom."

The pink flush of her cheeks returned as she coughed awkwardly.

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

"Quite right. Save a Senator, if you ever get the chance." His smile made it clear that he was halfway joking - but only halfway, as there had been a higher-than-preferable mortality rate in that profession in recent years.

Initially befuddled by her reaction, he blinked his eyes and then smiled.

Taking a step closer to see how off-kilter he could make her, the smile turned into a mischievous smirk. "I did not realize that was what you meant by 'adventurous lives', but to each their own." The gleam in his eyes made it clear he was teasing her, at least if she wasn't too distracted to notice. "I am flattered. Really, I am."

"... but I said boardroom, not bedroom."

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora fidgeted when Desric moved just a tic closer, the sudden gesture causing the liquid within her martini glass to jump.

Clearing her throat, she idly smoothed the arm of her sweater in an attempt to placate her own embarrassed nerves. Though she quickly regained much of her composure, Cora's cheeks remained tinted with a splash of pink.

"I-I did not mean to imply, nor offer such services." Pursing her lips, Cora forced a small chuckle. It wasn't necessary, seeing as how Desric was more amused than offended.

"Regarding your boardroom—what is it that you do?"

People liked to talk about themselves, so she hoped that this would serve as a measure of distraction from her earlier blunder.

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

Perhaps it was not very gentlemanly to tease her in this manner, but Desric could not help himself - it was just so fun. Besides, he could justify it to himself as a way of studying the behaviour or others. Even if that was just an excuse.

Still, he was not entirely merciless - and had no desire to foster any ill will in her.

Even if she looked cute while flustered.

Even so, his smirk held just long enough to communicate that he knew what she was doing. "I hold an executive position in the Globex Corporation. Public Relations, primarily - but not exclusively. My family has significant holdings across the Galaxy, you see; learning how to manage such assets is far more important than mastering, say, war or espionage."

You could count on one hand the number of Terassis that had served in the military. Any military. Ever.

"Staying far away from both the New Imperials and the Sith is an added benefit, wouldn't you agree?"

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

To her fortune, Desric had taken the bait. Knowingly so, if his charming grin and perceptive gaze were anything to go by. Cora landed on her feet, regarding her conversation partner with a gracious smile.

"Fascinating." No, not particularly. "I can imagine that your work for Globex has furnished you with an appropriate skill set in that case." Perhaps there was a thread of familiarly she and Desric shared—they were both scions of wealth, pursuing their particular paths with intention to bolster their family's strength.

"The Confederacy managed to reform the Ukatian military during their heyday. Now that their protection has waned, my people have a renewed interest in martial prowess. Fortunately, I was spared the military boarding school." An uneasy smile tilted her lips, recalling how that particular fate had befallen some of her siblings.

"My father had considered sending my brother Dominic to an academy in Imperial space—but that plan was scrapped once we began to pursue Alliance membership."

She sipped at her martini, carefully this time. Ilum had been quite the deal breaker- if there had even been any deal in the works at all.

"Do you have siblings, Desric?"

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

"If nothing else, I will have made valuable contacts along the way." Would she be one of them? Only time would tell; whether they would meet again and whether she would prove to be important were both still up in the air, so to speak.

What was certain was that he much preferred her company Lord Vulker. Ugh.

"A harsh transition, I imagine - and an Imperial academy would have been harsher still." He would never understand why some aristocrats wanted their children beat into a soldier's shape; was that not what droids and commoners were for?

"I had a brother." Pausing, he made sure to gauge her reaction to what was to come. "He was a Sith Lord, of all things."

Desric's voice was neutral, but it was clear enough he viewed his late brother in a positive light. The same could not necessarily be said for the Order he had been a part of - nor the experimentation he had engaged in.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Deseic's mention that he had a brother earned a sympathetic frown and gentle eyes from Cora. She couldn't imagine losing one of her siblings.

His next admission was rather unexpected. Cora had anticipated Desric's late brother to be in similar standing—something to do with Globex, at least. While she had yet to encounter a Sith in the flesh, she'd understood that they were the antithesis of Jedi. Cold, cruel and destructive, Sith were only concerned with power, uncaring of whoever they had to step on in their pursuit.

She blinked at him, not exactly smiling but not frowning either. There was no shame in Desric's tone, which confused her further.

"I…see." She intoned politely, but without much substance. "I am sorry to hear of his passing." Was she?

"You two were…close?"

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

"Yes, especially before he joined the Sith. He faked the documentation for my alleged non-Sensitivity, you know." Briefly, his glass would hover in front of his hand before he grasped it again. One of the few simple tricks he had mastered.

"He even had the records permanently sealed after the Sith started getting desperate for recruits."

That alone might reveal that Sith Lord was not the highest title Desric's brother had held.

Smiling wryly, he took a sip from his drink. "Of course, I am not so sheltered as to think he did no wrong. He never hurt me or anyone close to him, nor did he support the Sith Empire's warmongering, but he had a hand in many... projects."

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The revelation that Desric's brother had been a Sith Lord—and one in apparently high standing, at that—was still reeling through her mind. Ukatis had been under the jurisdiction of the Confederacy for years, and there were Sith Lords among their ranks. Even after their influence had fallen away, Cora still had mixed feelings.

Clearing her throat, she fixed Desric with a courteous smile. "It sounds as though he was a good brother to you." It was the most factual, non-confrontational line she could come up with. The implication of projects had not been lost on her, given the horror stories she'd heard. Organics twisted into monsters beyond belief, crimes against nature...she did not wish to know the specifics.

"He went through great pains to keep you safe, it seems." That thought pulled a soft, genuine smile to her lips, if only because she'd been reminded of her own siblings. Her gaze swept to his hand with the glass, recalling how he'd caused it to float unaided moments ago. "Are you self-taught, then?"

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

Perhaps it was for the best that Desric himself did not know the details; not as pertains to the truly horrid deeds, anyway.

"That he was - and that he did. I shudder to think of what being conscripted into the Sith Order must be like. I have heard few to no good things about their Academies." Monstrous institutions dedicated to outputting merciless killers, or so they said. He had been fortunate enough to never set foot in any of them.

To make matters worse, they were hardly famous for adapting their tuition to individual preferences.

'I would really rather not be on the frontline' would likely be met by scorn or violent punishment, if he was to guess.

"Not quite, I have been taking courses with the Golden Order here on Coruscant and on Denon." His genuine smile made it clear that their teachings were more palatable. "They are far newer and less experience than Sith and Jedi alike, but tuition is bought with credits or merit, not allegiance. I have no real desire to involve myself in endless conflicts."

He much preferred cheering the Jedi on from the sidelines. Preferably far away from the action.

Corazona von Ascania​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora nodded all too easily in agreement regarding Sith academies—granted, she'd yet to actually encounter a Sith in the flesh. All she had to go off of were stories…and those tales never casted Sith in a positive light. Still, the topic made her uncomfortable, not just given the Sith's reputation for violence, but due to her own lack of knowledge as well.

"The Golden Order." Cora echoed, looking a little more at ease with the change in topics. "Father considered sending me there once my affinity for the Force had been discovered—however, he settled on the New Jedi Order due to their affiliation with the Alliance." Politically, it made sense enough. Cora hasn't been particular, excited that she'd get a chance to discover something new and represent her people at the same time.

"Imagine, we could have been classmates." She smiled amiably at that thought, wondering if she would have preferred rubbing elbows with other well-to-do youths against the more martial Jedi. "I take it that The Golden Order was a good decision for you, then? How are you finding the lessons?”

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

"As could we if I had sought out the Jedi - let us hope their teachings suit you better than they do me!" They were not the emotion-suppressing beacons of austerity of yore, but he had to imagine they were still a harsh transition to nobility.

Still, his first impression was that she should be more than capable of excelling, even in a somewhat alien environment.

Even though he did not comment on it, he noted the lack of agency she seemed to ascribe herself - it seemed her path had been carefully chosen for her by her parents. He himself had been more fortunate, in that regard; while expectations were high, he had long been given the freedom to choose his own path, so long as he did not endanger himself, anyway.

As his grandmother would put it, 'you cannot learn to govern an estate without governing your own life'.

"Very much so. They do not necessarily know as much as the older, more secretive Orders, but what they do know is relayed with the quality one would expect of a premier educational institution." In addition to the small groups the Jedi usually used, the Golden Order held lectures on a variety of subjects - and provided digital teaching materials.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Though sheltered, Cora has been at least vaguely aware of the general reputation of the Jedi before she'd been slated to join their ranks.

"I'd imagine that some of those older, more secretive orders are particularly monastic. Fortunately, the NJO appear a little more…casual in that regard. At least when compared to the orders encompassing the Silver and Ashlan Jedi."

Cora took another cursory sip of her martini, finding only a quarter of the liquid gone by now.

"Alliance Jedi seem free to go where and do what they please, provided they stay within the confines of planetary law and uphold the reputation of their order." Accusations of war crimes notwithstanding. "Quite a few are entangled with one another—some, even married with children."

It was more of a thought than anything, but Cora's cheeks flushed for the second time today at the implication—or rather, the implication of the implication.

"Not that—that's not what I've joined them for, certainly not!"

Would a Jedi even make a proper husband?

Desric Terassi

 

[Desric Terassi]

Casual indeed, though you still became subservient to the rules of others - not a desirable situation to the Serennian. Not when teachings with no strings attached were an option. Still, the New Jedi Order did not seem the kind to harshly penalise leaving the Order, so the commitment was not immutable - and so he nodded in acquiescence.

"Fair enough, though I admit that I was and am more concerned about getting entangled in various conflicts."

If there was one thing he had learned from his brother's fate, it was the value of some level of neutrality.

"Oh?" The mischievous smile returned as he saw another opportunity to tease her. "Not in the market for a Jedi husband - or wife - then?" She did not seem the type for casual sexual relationships.

He certainly doubted her family would approve of such things.

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

To her misfortune, Cora had chosen to take a sip of her martini at the exact moment Desric decided to probe her statement a bit further.

While she didn't spit out the drink in a most unladylike display, she did choke on it. For a moment, at least, until a few discrete thumps of her fist against her chest helped to dislodge the offending liquid. Her cheeks were burning bright red now, especially so given that her reaction has garnered a few glances from those nearby.

"A-absolutely not!" She insisted with vigor. Marriage was something Cora had pictured would come in time—distantly, of course. Still, it was not lost on the blonde that her age was creeping into the territory were she'd be considered marriageable by Ukatian standards. "I was simply stating a-an observation! My work within the Alliance is to support my world and it's people. Finding a s-spouse is the last thing on my mind!"

Bravely, she took a healthy swig of her cocktail, coughing again as it cut a truly acidic path down her throat. After steadying herself, Cora sought to set the record straight.

"When the time comes, my father will likely select a suitable match for me." That wasn't to say that she couldn't find her own, but the pressure to marry would eventually force her hand.

Just thinking about it conjured up…feelings.

Desric Terassi