Private Black Jaga

[Ayumi Pallopides]

The sounds of the city were always a welcomed sensation. Denon was different depending on who you talked with. Upcity was compared to much of the world... vastly different as they had focused on infrastructure, industry and economy. Crime might be there but it was in balance among itself.. with the gangs dedicated to the accumilation of credits and order... it helped that the entertainment district had its own enforcers of course. Ayumi's tower was central but the real enjoyment was the artificial ocean of the Upcity. Where the district had been able to thrive thanks to the older senator that Ayumi had worked with. Denon stood and avoided the rest of the other more well known districts. The former senator was lounging on the celeste as above the skies were clear.. the artificial sun warm and bright from the dome shield that helped seperate it from the rest of the world.

"Lady Ayumi there is a message for you." She said it and looked at the twi'lek Cato who delivered it. Her assistant presented the datapad with a smile for a moment as Ayumi brought the shades over her eyes up and took the datapad as she was looking over the message. Her eyes flicking across it for the moment before she groaned internally... externally she wasn't going to give the joy of seeing her dislike it... she had to go and help if she could. "You did tell them I am retired?" She said it and the twi'lek shrugged her lekku for a moment. "I reminded them.. they said you were still one of the better negotiators that they had met." SHe winced at that and was slowly rolling over to get up as she stood there and spoke. "Fine fine, but send a message to what few friends we still have. See if they can pass it along for one of the senators to come and help."

She was standing there as she got a towel while starting to walk across the deck of the yacht. The sounds of other people from the Upcity in their own boats were all around the bordering waters. Cato following with her as she was toweling off some of the former senators hair and shoulders. Ayumi's eyes flicking as she tapped the interfaace at her ear with the holographic overlay that allowed her to set the course and compose the message. Asking for a senator who can help with diplomatic talks. She didn't want to do some things but standing there as the shuttle came she entered while wiping her feet off. Then she was getting dressed as the ship soured over the districts towards the private hanger on the tower at the central district of the Upcity.She rolled her shoulders as the sight of the tower was coming into view.

"Have fun storming the castle." Cato said it and Ayumi grumbled as she was turning around to look at the twi'lek. "What you aren't going to come and help... aren't you supposed to follow me anywhere?" She said it and the twi'lek gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Maybe... but I like living... and prefer not to go to a place where the best form of entertainment is drinking alcohol so strong it kills any bacteria just by inhaling it." She said it while Ayumi finished getting dressed in her bodysuit with the long coat. Adjusting her hair so it went over her shoulders with a utility beld that might be needed. "Fine... need to find a new assistant anyways." She said it and the twi'lek looked at her as they went to the ship to head out. Her waving. "Love you too boss, now go and knock em dead." Ayumi grumbled more as the ships doors closed before she could say anything.

The trip there was fast enough, the world was lush, vibrant and just shy of being outside alliance space... if their expansions continued it would likely end up under the alliances control eventually. She looked out the window of the ship as she could see the grass sea... massive, golden and green. Stretching from horizon to horizon as far as anyone could see as she came out and stood there. The massive blades of grass whistling as the wind sent them around in waves to the point it could make soft solunds. The grass held massive beasts with purple red hair and she knew many of the people out there moved around as the herds migrated across the massive seas. THe coast a far off place but she was looking more towards the rest of the starport that they had. Here in the middle of the tall grass it was one of the few on the world.

Kandria Praste

 

[Kandria Praste]

In her home office, Kandria Praste crossed her legs. Her chair - made of a reliable steel and bubble-like cushion - swiveled as she did so.

There was the soft tapping of her cream-colored nails in her datapad as she opened up a message through the Alliance's secure Senate communication.

A response to her query. The blond woman's dark eyebrows went up, far past her reading glasses. She was impressed..well, more than that. She was surprised, elated.

A Jedi had agreed to assist her in these negotiations. A Jedi Master. It was Master Pallopides.

On the way, said the quick reply from Ayumi. Very succinct.

Kandria tossed the hair at her shoulder and removed her reading focals, her other hand closing softly around the cup of stim caf that had just been heated for her.

"Danva," she called down the hall outside of her office.

Her aide - a human male in his 20s appeared, rolling up one sleeve of his dark business shirt.

"Yes?" he said, the light from the window behind her reflected in his eyes.

She leaned forward as she sat up and started pulling on her dark coat, to wrap it over her red dress.

"Can you order a transport out to the starport? They've sent someone over, from Coruscant."

"Oh?" He said. "Already?"

She smiled and nodded. "Mhm. Ms. Pallopides. Remember, um…the Senator from…Denon? About your age?" She brushed her hair off her neck.

"Huh." He shook his head, too preoccupied to remember. "Okay. Uh, I'll call the ride. Oh! Good luck."

With that he was gone, and she was gathering her bag to leave her home.

On the ride in the transport over, she relaxed in her seat and crossed her legs again, her heel thumping against her shoe.

A Jedi Master would make these negotiations…smoother.

Ayumi Pallopides

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Kandria Praste

The message came and someone was coming... that helped a little... she didn't know who it was though which only meant she would have to work at this. Standing there while she breathed in the scents of the grasses and in the distant farmland.. Hetzel was beautiful and it along with its moons were practically made to produce more then enough food... to the point they had been used in the past to feed several sectors while building a surplus. THe former senator stood there for a moment longer as she made sure her cloak was up with the higher collar and secured... the bodysuit under it having her belt and small protection measures. She was a force user and had been a battle meditator but didn't use a lightsaaber and hadn't been in the order just one of the Republics tool for trying to survive. "Alright... whoever you are." She said it and looked at her chrono as she waited and prepared to move in but wasn't rushing it yet.

 

[Kandria Praste]

Hetzal Prime.

Kandria reviewed every piece of information she had on file for the planet as she made her way to the Outer Rim.

Hetzal had a major role in feeding nearly every planet in the Outer Rom plus a few planets of the Mid Rim, making it probably the most significant agricultural exporter of the wilder region, just out of New Republic reach.

However, the news cycles of food disruption and civilians in fear had been hard to ignore. Though it technically lay outside of the Senate interests, food security was a problem Kandria took very seriously, especially on her own homeworld.

As she thought of all this, Kandria had changed into a more appropriate outfit on the ride over, slipping on a gray flightsuit and black boots. She was aware things were done…differently..in the Outer Rim without the protection of the Senate with them.

Danva had slipped a stinger pistol into her belt before sending her off, and this she was sliding into place as she floated down the ramp of the transport as it touched down in front of the waiting Jedi Master at the starport.

Kandria took in the younger woman's flowing dark hair and high collar as she approached her with a hand extended.

"Ah, you have no idea how grateful I am you're here, Master Ayumi." She shook her hand, smile flashing. "Of course, all of this is off the books..I know you aren't with the Order, operating by your own means…so I believe we'll be on our own here. But it's really an honor to assist you with…any of this. You can just call me Kandria."

She did notice the Jedi had no lightsaber, which she found odd, but perhaps it was hidden away for the delicate nature of negotiations.

Ayumi Pallopides

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Kandria Praste

She shook the womans hand and gave a nod of her head. "Well I am not much of a senator anymore, the Republic is gone and the Alliances senate is a stranger beast thaat pumps out a few. I've seen at least three denon senators in the last two years." She said it more amused. "But Hetzel was one of the pieces for something we were trying to do on Denon so I made contacts here and one fo them reached out. Said something was happening and help would be needed... and I know the Alliance is always complaining about funding and feeding people but don't utalize anything if it doesn't come from one or two companies in the galaxy."

She said it and walking a little she looked out. "This world though... so much food production it is ideal but it is also incredibly.... boring usually. If there are issues it should be able to be handled quickly enough." She said it and debated with herself... she had come cause she was asked but that didn't mean she had to want to see some of the people she had once known.... not everything ended in good terms.... still walking as there was a transport for them to travel on. "So which world is it thaat you represent?" She said it and hadn't known who her few contacts would be able to slip the message to but she was glad it was someone she hadn't met before... meant no history.

 

[Kandria Praste]

The other woman slipped a piece of hair behind her ear and walked quickly to keep up with Ayumi's confident stride.

"Oh, there is something happening all right," she declared, coming right up alongside her Jedi companion, looking into her eyes.

"Millions - maybe a billion people - rely on this world to source their food to them, and now there are entire transports getting blown up or otherwise being deterred from leaving the atmosphere! Engine failures, crops going rancid overnight…" She let out an incredulous laugh, one that said she found it not at all amusing, but deeply alarming. "There are strange things going on here, Master Ayumi. You can…bet your life on it!" She shook her head once more.

Her tone softened and she watched their feet trample the yellow grass underneath them as they ambled toward the transport. "Oh, I'm from Jerrilek," she said, a bit more lightly. "You probably know it…um, from the holonet."

She cleared her throat as if to sing. "Stay in Jerrilek…never come back!" she said in a sing-song voice, mimicking a commercial she had personally helped produce to boost tourism. "We're in…we're in a bit of a slump, at the moment," she said with a shrug to the Jedi woman.

Ayumi Pallopides

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Kandria Praste

She gave a nod to that... to both. A serious situation and well she did know the tourism game.. it could be fun. "Oh hahaha yes... but only because it was more amusing. After the Republic fell... I mostly have stayed on Denon and built up the district. We have been working on advancing what we can... we wanted some tourism as well." She said it and walking as it came to one of the outlying buildings. She looked at the ones who were there and noticed two things... one was the transport that had been set aside for them... and the second was who was there. "Shala."

She said it and looked at the farmer, tall with golden brown skin and muscled arms. Long dark hair and a hat for the sun while she was wearing a several sizes too tight shirt and shorts pair. Ayumi remaining there for a moment. "The message didn't say you were going to be here." The woman looked at her as she spoke. "Ah princess, if I sent the message you never would have come." She said it with a wider grin and Ayumi remained stiff. "Damn right last time I had to work with you on anything it didn't go well."

The woman shrugged looking at her. "Come on, it wasn't so bad." Ayumi looked on at her. THen she looked at Kandria with a look. "If she is here then the things plaguing the world might not be as mysterious." The woman gave a face and held her hands up. "Hey now... didn't you hear I am reformed, got myself a nice little farm and everything. I am legit and respectible now." THe way she said it was more sleazy and Ayumi rolled her eyes. "Do they know you?" She moved towards the transport and stepped on it crossing her arms while keeping her eyes on the woman.