Beneath the Stars they dance

[Yoru Shakou]

There was something to be said about hosting formal dances, and that was if they were popular, you might as well make it an event. That was exactly what the Baroness had done; as there had been so many clamoring to attend her first formal ball that it was only sensible to prepare and host a second one. Of course it had to be done quickly, she couldn't just let the desire and spectacle of it all die down so quickly. It had only been a few days since the previous one, though the estate was already in top shape and geared up to begin the next night of festivities. A smirk crossed her lips; even though the galaxy was in turmoil with countless factions fighting among themselves for galactic dominance, the Baroness and the Magrath family stood ever eternal in their system of Avidon. The large estate looked out over nearly endless tracts of fertile land; of which field after field grew the textiles and foodstuffs that had made the family rich.

Of course as always these events had more than just one reason to be hosted. There was always the chance of meeting a new associated that could aid her growing business in someway; or a new and unknowing pawn could appear at just the right moment. As always the Baroness would keep her sharp eyes open for those that could possibly benefit her in some way. As she stood silently upon the veranda that over looked the large entrance to her home, she watched those that arrived. Her golden eyes glancing over each and every being that stepped over the threshold of her home. The nexu at her side purring and slightly growling each time someone knew came along. Her hand rubbing its head the only thing keeping it from jumping down and finding its next plaything; which it so often did.

A small smirk crossed her lips at the thought of allowing her nexu to find a new toy; though that could be problematic in the long run. Perhaps she would allow it loose in the slave pens later after the event had finished and all had returned home. For now she had people to welcome, the thoughts of the night returning to her as she turned from her silent post as she moved inside. Her gown flowing across the marble floors of her home as she approached the balcony that overlooked the grand entrance just within the doors. Her fingers tapping out against the balcony railing as she watched her servants welcome her guest.

Spoiler

• [member="Særa Ayña Savan"]
• [member="HK-36"]
• [member="Tamara"]
• [member="Eternae Raziel"]
• [member="Alexandra Cinthra"]
• [member="Tal Kyramud"]
• [member="Enigma"]
• [member="Jate Kar'ta"]

 

[Saera Willamina Savan]

A single colorful Esfandia-Class corvette had soon come into view from over the horizon, suddenly growing large yet still small in the grander scale that was the property. A heavy elevator lift dropped from the bottom of the hull, revealing two tall armored and well-robed figures in Malfrost signature platemail, one small girl in-between them. As the elevator finally touched ground, the girl stepped forward from it, leaving the two bodyguards to recede with the platform back into the belly of the ship. With a slow and churning hum, it was once again gone, slowly fading into the distance.
Saera had been invited to some form of formal event, no doubt because of her recent inheritance of virtually all of RRDI's stocks and thus ascension to fortune-100 chairmanship. She was specifically instructed that no bodyguards or firearms were allowed. Despite the minor discrepancies involved in the unattended presence of a minor without legal guardian, she had managed to discuss it with the party staff beforehand and have an invitation rearranged so that her mother could likewise attend. Going off of the stance that her mother had in terms of the Force, the young Vinferalathi had almost nothing to fear. As she gleefully pranced aloft, the girl was revealed to be wearing a black shimmersilk kimono with beautiful, flawless embroidery, a white fur mantle and an assortment of red lotuses and cherry blossoms in her hair. Sweeping sleeves blanketed her arms, and around her waist was tied the colossal nigh-three foot long daitessen which had secretly actually housed seven small shoto-sabers build into the thick, metallic spines. It was both her primary means of defense and her badge of office within Clan Malfrost, whom so heavily revered the use of specific exotic weapons to denote social and martial status. Besides that, she toted along a somewhat heavy glass orb that glowed in a manner inconsistent with nature, a relic certainly none would see threatening. If necessary, the fan would be voluntarily left behind while the Sith Orb was dragged about innocently in her possession.
Saera, in all her childishly innocent radiance, had found herself alone in the main hall, only the strangers that were service droids and manor staff to guide her.
"U-uhm... excuse me? This is the right time for the... party, right?" said Saera in the predictably timid, bashful voice.

[member="Baroness Magrath"], [member="HK-36"], [member="Tamara"], [member="Eternae Raziel"], [member="Alexandra Cinthra"], [member="Tal Kyramud"], [member="Enigma"], [member="Jate Kar'ta"]​

 

[HK-36]

[member="Særa Ayña Savan"], [member="Baroness Magrath"]

"Indeed it is, young one."
A dull drawl came from between the people as the slender, tall armored figured appeared among a group nearby, the grey cloak cascading off of the armored being's shoulders giving a bit of a shimmer as it settled from its movement, there was a cane in his hand, but besides that and his armor there wasn't anything else visible on him that would suggest weaponry. Of course the droid disguised in his fully concealing armor had the built-in wrist vibro-blade and wrist repeater, not something he could really leave behind, but he rarely used it anyway, few people knew of its existence. Other than that, between plates of his armor there was hidden the hilt of his training lightsaber, he really doubted he would need it.

"Quite a curious party favor to be bringing along."
The armored machine quipped, the cane raising momentarily to point at the crystal ball she was holding.
"Next thing I will know, it will be bricks that children of next generation shall bring to parties."
He commented.

The droid's faceplate was hidden behind a helmet, but his keen photoreceptors and sensors gave Saera a quick scan. Whether he found the fan with shoto-lightsabers would be unknown, it was something he kept to himself.

The mask that hid his visage would pull back mechanically, retreating into the collar of his armor to reveal the faceplate behind, that of sleeker modified HK unit. The Iron Knight waved off the servant droids, letting them know he could handle this, giving a nod to Saera and extended out the palm of his gauntlet to her,
"They call me HK-36, veteran of wars long passed."
He introduced himself somewhat vaguely, plus he wanted to omit the part about being an Observer of the Protectorate, some hijinks could surely result from hiding that!

Through all of this Saera would be able to sense a faint aura of the light-side emanating from the droid. Not from his lightsaber, the blade wasn't activated after all, but somewhere from his belt, a trinket he has began to carry with him once more, a gift from the Jedi Order. The Sigil of Hope.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

Alexandra for once did not have her robes as she normally did. No, instead she wore a elegant dress, though it remained a pure white like her robes were, and her cloak and hood which she kept wrapped around her with the hood up. She wore near no makeup though and the only alteration to her appearance was that of her hair. Though it was pulled up in normal fashion, though instead of silver like her eyes were it was jet black due to the coloration provided by the liquid like creature that lived with her through a symbiotic relationship. Her silver eyes, which contained flecks of orange in the pupil but not the iris, scanned over the area as she noted several people such as [member="HK-36"], [member="Særa Ayña Savan"], and [member="Baroness Magrath"].

She entered the room an removed her hood but not her cloak remained around her, keeping it on until she found a place to put it where she could sit. With it on a chair she sat and watched the others for now, keeping her eyes on the area around her, watching those that were there.

 

[Jate Kar'ta]

Instead of many who arrived by ship or speeder, Jate Kar'ta arrived on foot. It was a long walk from the spaceport to here but she didn't arrive in her dress. If she did it probably would have been ruined on the way from there to the gate of the estate. After finding some sufficient bushes to change in and a place to stash her armor and gear, she was let through the front gate with invitation in hand. She was so happy she chose to wear formal sandals instead of high heels. She never wore high heels before and probably would have fallen by now. These were much more comfortable and she might even be able to dance in them (if she knew how to dance.)

Jate's bright orange gown could be seen plainly in the distance like a beacon. Even from the door of the estate, any Force User with any practice could sense her unease. She's never been to anything like this before. When she took the gig she thought it was simply going to be a small formal party. However after some research she found this was going to be a full blown ball with important people from all over the galaxy coming to participate. That and the sheer number of Force Users went to a manageable two or three to an astronomical infinity! She hated Force Users! However she will honor her contract and she really needed the credits. She thought that being paid to do the one thing she loved would outweigh the awkwardness and close proximity for Forcers. This may also be a chance to meet new employers for any hunting jobs.

When Jate finally arrived at the base of the stairs she looked up at the large building. It was hard to believe that only one person owned this. She was dressed in an orange gown. It didn't have as much volume as other dresses as it made it easier for her to move around in but the bottom of it was laced and embroidered in various shades of red to give the appearance of flames. She drew comfort from the thought that this dress was her mothers. She used it to get into a ball to do an assassination job. Jate smiled from the thought. She didn't plan on killing anyone today but she was prepared. Her weapon and her musical instrument she were one and the same. Her bes'bev, a Mandalorian war flute, was in a simple brown scabbard worn on her back. Her orange scarf was cleaned and wrapped around her neck, the ends hanging behind her back. She didn't play with her long, wavy, orange blonde hair hanging behind her back too much but she gelled some tips together and died them red to make it look like flames.

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again with new determination. Playing music was something she loved, one of the few things that brought her joy ever since her mom died. She was getting paid to do it and she'll rock this show. Jate climbed up the steps to the door and saw that there were already some people here for the party. She went up to the greeter at the door and said, "My name is Jate Kar'ta. I was hired to play for the ball. Where do I play?"

[member="Baroness Magrath"]

 

[Onrai]

With a soft smile, Circe appeared, giving a grin as she twirled around wearing the little black dress. Eying Alexandra, she gave a pert smile, giving a chuckle as she looked through the entire area. No one would know that she and her dress were one, or that her Echani-like appearance was thanks to an illusion. So long as no one with powerful White Current abilities was safe, she'd be fine.

"Hello, Alexandra. Would you like to meet my daughter? I see she is here too."

[member="Alexandra Cinthra"] [member="Særa Ayña Savan"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

Alexandra looked up at [member="Enigma"] and smiled, laughing slightly as she glanced over the woman. "You know, you dont have to show up everywhere i go im starting to think you have separation issues." She tapped her fingers slowly before speaking once more to her. "And sure, i dont see why meeting your daughter would end so badly."

[member="Særa Ayña Savan"]

 

[Saera Willamina Savan]

Saera

"Quite a curious party favor to be bringing along. Next thing I will know, it will be bricks that children of next generation shall bring to parties."

"It's just a good-luck charm...." Saera innocently replied, a warm smile coaxing her face. "I-I'm Saera Savan... nice to meet you." The girl placed her hand cordially in his own.
Saera had noticed the slight radiance of the droid's item, but it did not really bother her. Fortunately, it was unlikely he had any ability to detect her relic's own. She then turned over to the doorway, where she had heard more guests enter. The feeling of the ebb and flow of the one woman's aura was unmistakable at any given range. While she couldn't use it on herself, the girl was properly educated on its ways. Her mom was here. She seemed to be with someone else as well. Saera didn't like that too much, but unlike her maternal mother, she was much more cunning and reserved about it, plotting and scheming her way into scrying information from their heads.
"Mommy!~" she said, running into [member="Enigma"]'s arms, tails abound. Her arms wrapped around the witch's torso as she came to rest the right side of her head just beneath her bust. "Who's your friend?" she said innocently but inquisitively, the dark orb still tucked tightly under her arm.

 

[HK-36]

[member="Særa Ayña Savan"]
Nodded at her introduction,
"May it bring you as much luck as heavy it seems."
He would quip to the young girl, shaking her hand softly,
"Pleasure to meet you, young lady Saera Savan."
Savan
It hit the droid then, her green skin, and that name, the name he has sworn vengeance against when he witnessed the burning of Endor and its natives being skinned in order to satisfy sickening orders from Circe Savan, to make plush toys out of the skins of Endor's natives. He chased after that name throughout Galaxy to bring her to justice, even infiltrated the Confederacy to make it so. In the end he has gotten his vengence and Circe has paid for that crime.
And he knew she survived it, he saw her on Dagobah during the rising of undead, he heard her being called by name by Zaiden the Umbramancer.
Could her lineage been extended as well?

"Mommy!~"
The droid looked towards the Echani woman the little fox-person ran up to, he took the picture of her, just to be safe, but looked away soon enough.

It could be just coincidence, in the whole Galaxy "Savan" wouldn't be a name of just one person. Could it be coincidence they had the same skin color as well?
Either way, HK has collected from Circe payment for her crime already, it was not his place to persecute her or her family any further than that.

The droid walked into the crowds, disappearing among the masses of people, he was looking for their host, [member="Baroness Magrath"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

[member="Særa Ayña Savan"]

"Lady Alexandra Cinthra, a pleasure to meet you miss. I am a friend of your mothers on a... personal level." She smiled at the fox-girl, looking at [member="Enigma"] with a curious glance as to the nature of the child and whom she had come from. "I must say though, you are far more beautiful than your mother, even when she was in her prime." It was nothing more than kind hearted joking to pass the time, a little poke at Circe's pride while also keeping the conversation active.

 

[Saera Willamina Savan]

Saera frowned, turning up to @Enigma.
"I don't like her," the girl whispered, "You've never told me or Mommy Ashe about her."
Saera innocently let the ball slowly slip from her grasp as she pretensively slipped her other arm around her mother's body, slowly and carefully pulling up the strange woman's dress with her gaze until the ball fell with a light thud and rolled off into her leg. It ever so slowly drained her of her life force with each moment of contact, unbeknownst to any but its wielder. Even touching it to hand it back to the girl would further its functions. She didn't like this woman, [member="Alexandra Cinthra"], and wanted to see her spited if ever so harmlessly enough.
"O-oh, no..." Saera jostled, as the orb fell and had rolled off to its destination.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

"Thats a shame as i was your mother's most recent host, i mean i know you probably dont have to like me but still a shame." Alexandra felt the orb hit her and picked it up, looking at it closely as she studied it. "Huh... wonder what this little thing is... either of you seen it before?" She tapped it lightly a few times, trying to see what its purpose was or if it was just something that someone dropped and found enticing.

[member="Særa Ayña Savan"] [member="Enigma"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Alexandra Cinthra"] [member="Særa Ayña Savan"]

"she's your grandmother in a way, Saera. Don't be so cold." She whispered to her daughter, reaching to pick the orb up. "I believe this was my daughter's, Alex. I suppose she's your grandmother in a way, which means you should be nice to her." She ran a finger over her daughter's tails, trying to call her.

"Let's not be any tension-makers, alright? My family's already dysfunctional as-is." She smiled.

 

[Yoru Shakou]

With as many guest that had arrived, the Baroness had in her own choice decided to stay back for her own amusement. She did enjoy watching how others would interact with each other before she made her own presence known. Though she had no doubt that those that could even sense the force or were strong enough to delve deep into it could easily sense her careful movements above. Her hands running along the railing of the balcony that made its way around the entirety of the ball room. Her golden eyes peering down from her perch above as she watched the guest move about. A small smirk crossing her lips as she allowed her fingers to tap against the railing. Her other hand hanging down in a mindless thought as it scratched the head of the Nexu that stayed beside her.

As she continued to watch, her attention was pulled to the entrance as a young woman in orange made her own presence known through the color of the gown than anything else. Quietly motioning to the droid that was watching; the protocol unit would be the one that would guide young Jate to her destination to the band stand. While the ball hadn't begun in full; a few members of the entirety of hired musicians were playing a few notes of the 'higher' musical arts. It was at the Baroness' own decision and rather determined hatred for the new style music that was often heard across the galaxy.

Quietly as she listened to a few of the string musicians that were skillfully plucking their violins as they waited for the conductor to arrive. In the mean time the guest seemed to find their own way to each other to speak. This was merely more than enough for the Baroness to make her own intuitive deductions about those that had arrived with invitations to the event. Of course the young girl with green skin and tails calling an Echani woman was more than enough to bring about a form of inquisitive nature.

Spoiler

• [member="Særa Ayña Savan"]
• [member="HK-36"]
• [member="Tamara"]
• [member="Eternae Raziel"]
• [member="Alexandra Cinthra"]
• [member="Tal Kyramud"]
• [member="Enigma"]
• [member="Jate Kar'ta"]

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

Alexandra's eye shifted to gaze at [member="Baroness Magrath"] after a moment, watching her while also letting Circe and her daughter converse. "Dont worry miss Savan, no harm no foul, im sure there was nothing that could be done sense she dropped it. Accidents are just that, accidents and i hold nothing against an accident so i must say i am glad to meet you..." She didnt know this girls name past she was a Savan ([member="Særa Ayña Savan"]). "... Im sorry, whats your name miss?" While her words and eyes returned to the two, her mind remained on the Baroness, studying her presence in it and wondering about her. She did touch at the Baroness' mind for a moment, wondering if she was sensitive to such probes and if such would be noticed visual or mentally.

[member="Enigma"] [member="HK-36"]

 

[Saera Willamina Savan]

"Saera," she growled, "Saera Savan...."
The young foxtress did not like her, not in the slightest. She was so... pretentious. She sighed in disdainful acceptance, quickly fetching the orb from her mother's hands before the poor thing drained herself dry into it unknowingly and let down her immersion. At least taking a small piece of [member="Alexandra Cinthra"]'s energy was worth the while. Now, as to how the two were lifting a nigh twenty-five pound ball of enchanted metal like it was an air balloon was completely beyond the girl.
"Mommy," Saera carefully asked [member="Enigma"]. "If she's my grandmother, why isn't she green like us?"
Why don't I believe you....

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

"Well, i'm glad to meet you miss Saera, and sorry about my appearance, i'm not the same kind of species as you, i'm an Echani." She looked at Saera fully and waved her hand to a chair, motioning for her to sit. "Come now, i cant be that disgusting looking, i mean i can become green but that's normally a sign of me being sick not a normal coloring of my skin. I'm pretty sure we don't want that now do we, at least not in this place as it would be quite rude to the host who seems to be just watching from her little corner of the room. And its ok if you don't want to think of me as a grandmother, honestly its weird enough for me to hear seeing as you're probably... half my age? Just call me Alexandra, that's fine."


[member="Særa Ayña Savan"] [member="Enigma"]

 

[Jate Kar'ta]

While the greeter was less than helpful, someone was looking oit for her when a protocol droid arrived to escort her to the band stand. She could hear the sounds of a few other musicians as they tuned there instuments and prepared for the night's ordeal. Thanking the droid, she walked for a moment until she found a chair with her name on it. She took off the scabbard across her back and pulled out her bes'bev, an ancient Mandalorian war flute. Its origin and duel purpose was obvious with one end of the flute possessing a sharpened end. Though some nicks and scratches from past brawls can be seen, it was polished specially for this occasion.

The instruments/ weapon drew some odd looks from the others. Secretly she relished those looks put outwardly she pretended not to care as she flipped through the sheet music. Jate may not have had the education these others had but she had talent, practice, and skill. Plus she can read and write music. These all seemed like fairly standard ballroom music with some parts were she wasn't needed so she can have a break and mingle. Satisfied that she knew the material, she pulled out her bes'bev and began to do a functions check of her instrument. She began to play a song to warm her up and make sure everything was working optimally. It was a sad, bittersweet, short tune that she made up herself. It stood out from the others for it sounded like an actual written piece than simple tuning and warm ups. Maybe the sound of the flute can draw others in.