Public Cultural Exchange [Vonnuvi]

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Cultural Exchange
Speaking to Efret Farr and Odett Hallisk ​

Brows shot up in an open expression. Phoebe was about to raise her hands to answer the Jedi when Odett posed the second question (/statement). She put her head on a slight tilt whilst listening to what he had to say with a soft but awkward smile on her lips. Once it seemed like the two had finished their piece, she replied by raising her arms with open palms disarmingly.

"No no, I think there's been a misunderstanding. The overcapacity is in cargo space in a few of our shipments from the core." She offered the Jedi an understanding smile and a nod "We don't actually sell our own products like that. Starlines offers transportation services."

She then looked to the representative of the IGBC with an innocent shrug "I don't know about navigating blockades. We tend to avoid shipping between warring parties. I'm pretty happy to leave that sort of work to the large intergalactic companies."

Maintaining a relatively friendly demeanour, she offered the duo another shrug "To be honest, I wasn't really involved in that cancellation. I think it was an electronics company of some sort. I'd guess its a matter of resource allocation, there's probably a decent demand for parts and stuff for repairs. Especially after that horrible attack on Coruscant" Upon the mention of the attack, her lips formed a thin line and she shook her head.

Not staying down for too long, however, Phoebe's mood soon brightened once more. "But hey, it's probably for the best that those parts goes to repairs or defence or something. And now, maybe we can help refugees move their stuff to safer areas. At least if we can make it work logistically. Getting everything gathered up and packed in a safe way could be a bit of a hassle. Maybe we could turn it into a joint venture if a few Jedi wanted to help or the IGBC wanted to pitch in?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber

"It's nice to meet you, Resh." Valery chuckled and beamed a warm smile. It was to be expected that he seemed a little caught off-guard — she had chosen to approach him when he was deep in thought. She also understood that he likely hadn't expected her specifically, but that only made her even more glad to have approached him. The last thing she wanted was for Jedi to believe her to be unapproachable. Or worse, that she saw herself above interacting with fellow Jedi.

"Have you talked to any of the locals already? Or seen some of their artifacts?" This was a cultural exchange program, after all. If he was here, it likely meant some kind of interest in these things.

Or his Master had forced him to attend.

Resh | Open​

 

[Colette]

Odett Hallisk / Efret Farr / Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

A 'herdship' was a fascinating concept, but one that Colette wouldn't dwell on. Many things with a '-ship' in it were things that eluded her right now, and quite frankly she didn't know if all of them were things she needed in her life.

The only real solid -ship she needed were relationships, obviously, but the rest such as spaceships could suck an egg.

At the very least the environment here was nice. Colette picked a flower off of one of the trees and listened to the conversation between a nearby trio. One of them was called Odett Hallisk, the other one was called 'Phoebe' and the last one was Jedi Master Efret Farr.

It was overall a rather boring conversation as far as Colette was concerned, but then it seemed to move into talks of 'business' and while at least one of them was a certified, badge-wearing man of capital and other such nonsense, the other two didn't necessarily strike Colette as one.

"You know…" Colette spoke to the listeners and signed to Efret at the same time. "This is a cultural exchange and not a capital exchange."

That sounded A LOT better in her head.

"Can't business just… Take a backseat? Just this once?"

 

[Efret Farr]

Efret bowed her head again, this time to Phoebe. "Ah, my apologies."

As she listened then to the blonde's business proposition, she realized that Empathy was starting to prick ever so slightly at her skin. Something was wrong here—something about Phoebe. A cultural exchange event on a remote island on a relatively remote planet was a strange place for an employee of a shipping company to be sent to try and recruit collaborators for their scheme, however well meaning. It could simply be opportunistic but Efret doubted that.

"Regardless," Efret added after a short beat. "Ms. Rosswell. Many, if not all, of the residents that did not evacuate Coruscant before the invasion either did not wish to leave or cannot afford it. I don't know for certain, but feel intuitively as if that situation hasn't changed. On top of that, the New Jedi Order has many intensive repairs to fund and man." She inclined her head and smiled. "Which brings me to suppose while I do not speak from a place of authority nor promise that my Order would be amenable to your suggested joint venture should it come through an official channel. Further, should Starlines Interconnected be interested in charitably funding such a collaboration, I'm sure that some Jedi and civilians would be very interested in the opportunity."

Then, a padawan joined in the conversation. What she had to say rose the master's brows. "Yes, um, well," she agreed slowly, glancing between the two businesspeople as she did. "There is some wisdom to that sentiment...which was perhaps lost in the question." As always, the voice coded into her interpretation unit was mostly levelled and bland without being completely monotone but what the assistive technology lacked in personality her facial expressions made up for. Efret looked moderately socially horrified.

Odett Hallisk Ines Pen-Ar-Lan Colette​

 

[Brennus Faran]

Tags: Cato Harth | Eloise Dinn | Heraha'uvi'nerhar
​

He sensed it before he heard it, the tensing of a trigger finger, the ionizing of tibanna, the spike in adrenaline, and finally, the shot. In a blur, Brennus wheeled around to where the aggravating girl had moved, his mater's saber igniting with a snap-hiss and painting him in its golden glow. The Padawan waited for one heartbeat, then another, eyes sweeping the shadows.

"Not here to hurt anyone, huh?" Brennus snarked up at taller Padawan from across the way, silver gaze flicking down to the prone thief she'd just dropped with a kick. Bren chuckled dryly just as a warning washed over his senses. Pivoting around, his blade danced through the air to turn back a burst of red bolts, deflecting two, and batting the third back to the shooter.

With his own blade, the bolt would've sailed back into the thief's blaster and disarmed them in a single movement. With Thoril's though, his control was ever so slightly less, and the red bolt struck squarely in the shoulder, sending them tumbling to the floor with a cry of pain as Bren internally grimaced.

"Two down." He called out, keeping his eyes on the shadows, and well away from Cato or the girl's face.

 

[Cato Harth]

Eloise Dinn - Brennus Faran​

Eloise was the first to encounter one of the hidden culprits. She took him down swiftly, as did Brennus a moment later. Cato was up on one of the catwalks by now, and ran over to the railing to check on the others. They seemed more or less unharmed. "Well, these guys certainly aren't too worried about damaging the goods, are they." As he spoke, a third thief ran up behind him, trying to put the Jedi into a grapple. Cato felt the arms wrap around his head and neck, and reacted quickly, leaning over and using the thief's momentum against him, throwing him up and over the railing. He hit the ground, probably broke something, and promptly fell unconscious.

Then, the sound of numerous raised and charging blasters filled the space. Cato ignited his saber, "Watch out!" Suddenly bolts fired out all across the warehouse in a desperate attempt to take out the Jedi interlopers. Cato leapt off the catwalk, deflecting a few shots on his way down, before moving to get better cover. There were more in here than he could have realized, and they were prepared for their arrival. One more mystery to add to the pile.

 

[Odett Hallisk]

/:/ Pabu /:/
/:/ Tag: Efret Farr Ines Pen-Ar-Lan Colette /:/
__________________________________________________________________________​

The ongoing conversation among the trio could only be described as increasingly curious, as Miss Rosswell ( Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ) put her hands up disarmingly, which was quite an odd gesture to make if one had nothing to hide. Upon his sideline observation, he also noticed a number of warning signs, as the discussion proceeded between 'Miss Rosswell' and Jedi Master Efret Farr over a number of topics until settling on a joint-venture to assist with refugees. ​

​

"Miss Roswell, your responses are truly captivating from the standpoint of the Banking Clan. I am confident that Starlines Interconnected, a company within the Alliance, would be well acquainted with the initiatives of SELCORE, an Alliance-Based Program started by King Alicio Organa of Alderaan, which actively supports refugees and humanitarian endeavors. However, there was no reference to any collaborative efforts?" The Muun inquired with genuine curiosity to Ines Pen-Ar-Lan . ​

​

Attempting to seek clarification on the intentions of the Alliance-based shipping company representative in proposing a joint venture involving refugees, while tactfully avoiding any reference to the predominant refugee organization within the alliance.​

​

He offered a small smile towards Colette as they approached, quite annoyed with the talks of business at a cultural exchange. "Miss, you are completely mistaken. The culture of the Banking Clan revolves around business, and as a result, we are actively participating in it." He spoke in a condescending manner, emphasizing the Muuns' cultural approach to business and their intention to provide a broader perspective on the galactic exchange.​

​

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Cato Harth Brennus Faran
​

"Not here to hurt anyone, huh?"

Eloise just stared at him, scowling. She could have cut the guy's hands off. Hell, she could've cut his head off. But kicking him in the face still wasn't good enough for this jackass.

Until he deflected a blaster bolt into another thug's shoulder, who fell down on the ground crying in pain. Then Eloise laughed at him.

"Watch out!"

Her howls drew the attention of the other thieves, as a hailstorm of blaster fire rained down on the Jedi. Eloise took cover behind some crates, which were luckily not populated with more hidden criminals. Small mercies.

Cursing, Eloise waited for the storm to abate before she left cover long enough to throw her lightsaber at the group. It only took down a couple of the thieves before boomeranging back into her grasp. But it temporarily scattered them, giving the Jedi a few seconds to act while their enemies lost cohesion.

"Sact rais!" she shouted without thinking, lapsing into Shaalite as if she were giving orders to the army back on Zaathru. Force, she hadn't done that in forever... Hopefully her tone made the meaning clear enough.

"Get them!"

 

[Brennus Faran]

​

Bren met the other Padawan’s downward glare with one of his own, but when she laughed at his slip, he found it hard to let out any sort of anger. Unfortunately for him, it was actually kind of funny. A small smile even dared to drag at the corners of his lips before his senses flared again.

Cato cried out, and the world around them became a storm of red blaster bolts. The gold blade moved in his hands, practiced technique overcoming the awkwardness of adjustment as he turned back the tide. An admittedly expert throw from a saber opened a window for him that he leaped through, dropping behind a crate of his own.

His muscles tensed, his grip around the saber tightening as bits of crate were shorn away by superheated blaster bolts. He was about to move, but the girl screamed something just as the torrential downpour of munitions began to wane, but Bren couldn’t decipher the words for the life of him.

“What?” He yelled back, confused, almost annoyed that her call had stopped his move. When she translated, he just felt stupid. Maybe she hadn’t noticed. Get them. He could handle that.

Bren leapt over the crate, deflecting one bolt back at the shooters, then another, and another, gold batting back red as he landed and kept pushing. The storm of gunfire dwindled as shots were returned to sender, then intensified as more guns turned on him.

“Your move!” Bren shouted out, keeping the attention on himself as he slowly slipped behind another crate, tilting his head the instant before a bolt slipped his guard, narrowly missing him.

Cato Harth | Eloise Dinn ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Pabu
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Heraha'uvi'nerhar

Arriving at the location, there was an investigation on stolen artefacts from Pabu. There was a disagreement happening between Eloise Dinn and Brennus Faran which seemed to cause Lily to feel a little awkward. She had signed up for doing the investigation because finding something that had been stolen and returning those goods was important. It was a Jedi's duty to maintain peace but offering harmony and giving peace of mind was important. She felt it fell to them to do things like this, even during war time.

However, she remained quiet, she hadn't wanted to interject and force others to understand her views when they had not asked her for them. When the Chiss man leaned in, Lily blinked and then smiled politely to him. "Oh... Not sure. This operation seems to require a lot of skill, which leans towards it coming a bigger operation. But without seeing the security setup and where these items were taken from, it could have been easy enough for a lower level job." Lily whispered back as thought about the likelihood of it being a bigger operation.

The others were heading to a warehouse and Lily made her way there, not jumping in, figuring that she could make sure that all the exits were covered and that the criminals did find an opportunity to escape. Looking over to the Chiss, "I'm Lily. What's your name?" She asked curious since they were assigned to be working together and she was curious about him.

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Cultural Exchange
Speaking to Efret Farr and Odett Hallisk | Greeting Colette ​

Seeing the Jedi apologise, the woman shook her head and wagged her hands "No, no need, it's quite alright" before looking to the Muun as he inquired about Starlines connection to Selcore. For a few moments, she remained silent whilst letting her gaze rest on him as if trying to figure out what his angle might be. Before too long, her brows rose with amusement and she chuckled "What can I say, we haven't reached out to them for this project."

Phoebe could likely have gone on about how most capitalists worth their salt would understand that many businesses did activities such as charitable efforts without involving government committees - but then, she decided not to. Being a good saleswoman included knowing when to stop: This one had already made some hasty conclusions earlier. With that, she left the answer brief.

Colette arrived at an opportune time and made sure to let the trio know what she had on her mind. Phoebe didn't even attempt to hide her amusement and ceded the Jedi the point with a tilt of her head. A brow rose over her right eye when hearing Odett respond, causing her to let out a soft "I don't think she's mistaken. The spirit of this event, it is not quite... well, this"

Then, the seemingly more senior Jedi spoke of wisdom in a way that only Jedi could. When she mentioned that those who wanted to run likely already had, the girl shone up as if having something to say in response. It was only when Efret mentioned that resources were being stretched thin that she let out an understanding "Ah" with a nod. As if going through an emotional rollercoaster, she shone up once more upon hearing of potential success if going through official channels. When the woman had said her piece, Phoebe offered a calm "I understand, with limited resources, there's only so much you can do. I'll just say this, then I'll stop talking business:" whilst giving the newcomer an apologetic look.

"We'd never replace a cargo hold made for parts and wares with people, it's simply not safe. This is meant to transport the things that had to be left behind. It's easy to forget how some families on the run can't grab more than some ID-papers and a stuffed toy sometimes. But hey, we'll figure something out. I was hoping to speak to some people here to get some insight, y'know, with generational knowledge and all."

With that, she let out a sigh and turned to Colette, angling her hat to let the brim shield her eyes from the sun as she did. "Have you seen or heard anything interesting so far? I picked this up, the gentlemen over there made it." she said, showing her new necklace before pointing to a middle-aged man by a stall.

Spoiler: OOC note

Hey, noticed a bit of a timeline issue as I wrote my post. Efret responded to Colette's arrival in the beginning of her post and replied to the charity segment in the end. Odett referred to what Efret had said at the end of her post in the beginning of his own but didn't recognise Colette's arrival until the end of his post.

I've taken the liberty to arrange the sequence of events in the order that seems to fit what the characters said. Hope this works out for everyone. If not, let me know and I'll have a look at editing.

 

[Colette]

Efret Farr / Odett Hallisk / Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

Anyone even remotely proficient in the force could feel the frustration that bubbled under Colette's fake smile as Odett talked. He was a peddler of death, a proselytizer of destruction; vermin that couldn't be stomped to death because of how important they'd made themselves to the ecosystem around them.

Don'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon't.

He talked down to her. She wanted to punch him in the face for that alone and then maybe ask him what good his so-called 'capital' had been in that moment. But… That's not what Valery would have done, and as such Colette would slowly nod with clearly held back disdain when Phoebe pulled her back from it with a simple question.

"I found this flower." Colette said and raised it for the rest to see. It made signing a little more difficult, but she tried nonetheless. "It's a local plant with no real uses except smelling good. They use it in some of their seasonal festivals."

For a moment longer she glanced over at Efret with a weak smile. She put the flower down on a nearby patch of dirt for the insects to eat and then turned to sign at Efret.

<Sometimes, less words can do more. Be bold, be blunt.>

It was just an observation. The Jedi Master seemed to favor flowery words and sentences, and Colette absolutely did not.

 

[Resh]

Valery Noble​

"You too," Resh said, easing up some as the conversation hit a more natural stride. He looked around at the gathered people; Various different species, most of them tending stalls or other venues displaying the respective culture of their people. Others milled about, trying different cuisines or listening to traditional music or admiring relics, fashions, and goods.

"Not really," He shrugged, "I was just… watching." The padawan supposed he was curious about it. What better way to understand the interest than to go see it for himself? But Resh lacked the initiative to really put himself out there. Like he needed permission to show some expression. "Anything... cool?" He asked stiffly, searching for conversation, or justification to go see for himself.

 

[Efret Farr]

Phoebe's response seemed reasonable. It melted away the master's suspicions for now. She was more than happy to let the conversation to drift into her area of expertise now, but she did want to revisit it, privately, with the Director later, if not just to attempt soothing his offense. Muun culture did in fact revolve around economy and finance. Regardless of their means to either of those ends, and how those means were judged by other cultures of the galaxy, the muun way of life ought to some extent be respected by outsiders.

Efret smiled at Phoebe's pretty necklace. She watched as Colette set down the flower she had picked and then—

<Oh,> she thought visually.

The master suddenly felt self-conscious, and then she felt bad about feeling self-conscious. On top of that feeling, a memory began to surface in her mind. She forced it away and likewise made herself smile but said nothing. She hoped someone else did.

Odett Hallisk Ines Pen-Ar-Lan Colette

Spoiler: OOC note

omgosh, Ines is totally right—good catch! sorry for responding to posts out of order. that was an accident. I've gone back and edited my previous post to reflect the actual order of events

 

[Odett Hallisk]

/:/ Pabu /:/
/:/ Tag: Efret Farr Ines Pen-Ar-Lan Colette /:/
__________________________________________________________________________​

"Intriguing, Most Intriguing" was the only response that was given to Miss Roswell ( Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ) as they provided the Deputy Director with a rather straightforward explanation for the absence of SELCORE in their joint-venture for refugees - they simply did not reach out to them. ​

​

This was particularly puzzling considering that SELCORE was not a government entity, but rather a collaboration of businesses and sponsors under the overarching leadership of the King of Alderaan. It seemed illogical to avoid contacting those with expertise in the matter, especially if one intended to capitalize on certain areas of concern for their own gain. ​

​

They decided not to pursue the matter any longer, as it could potentially dampen the atmosphere of the cultural exchange, ultimately benefiting no one present, especially not the Banking Clans.​

​

"I do not have any expertise in these matters, so I shall bid you farwell for now." Odett decided to part ways with the group ( Colette , Efret Farr ) in order to engage in discussions with other representatives, as the conversation was shifting away from business-related matters.​

​

It only took a few moments to arrive at the pair of Valery Noble and Resh , as they were engaged in their own conversation. "Grandmaster Noble, what a surprise to see you so far away from the war front." He offered a low bow, in respect to the prowess of the lead council-member. ​

​

 

[Cato Harth]

Eloise Dinn - Brennus Faran​

Each of the Jedi put their skills to use, dodging, blocking, and deflecting whatever came their way. The thieves were many, but their plan seemed to rely on little more than numbers combined with surprise. As the Jedi began to counter, the thieves became more chaotic and disorganized, searching for self-preservation rather than a unified strategy. Then, one did something particularly daring.

"…Grenade!" Cato called out as he saw the detonator clicked against the ground next to him. He dove for cover but the concussive forced sent him flying into one of the support beams. As he recovered from the ringing pain in his ears and bones, he quickly checks himself for shrapnel damage. The knight sighed in relief as he seemed more or less in one piece.

Pieces of cargo flew all across the room, decorating it in shards of wood and metal… but nothing else. "The hell?" Cato crawled over to one of the destroyed containers, oblivious to the gunfire still happening around him, "…These crates are empty." He turned toward the warehouse entryway facing the seafront, and saw some of the criminals now making a break for it.

To a large cargo truck, and a set of speeders.

 

[Eloise Dinn]

Cato Harth Brennus Faran​

“Your move!”​

Aw yeah—

"…Grenade!"

Oh f—

Eloise dove back into cover as splinters and shrapnel went flying through the air. She was quick to peek out, surveying the damage as soon as it began to quiet down. Cato had been painfully thrown against a support beam, and Force-knew-what had become of the complaining dude from earlier. She crept slowly out of cover, her lightsaber growling in her hand.

The fight was dying down, though. She could tell by the half-hearted bolts that came her way, easily deflected or dodged. Seeing shadowy figures racing toward the entryway, she followed them and saw the getaway vehicles.

"Hey, master!" She'd forgotten Cato Harth's name already. "They're getting away, and I can't drive!" Yet she took off running toward the nearest speeder, punching the thief who tried to beat her to it in the face before hopping in.

 

[Brennus Faran]

"…Grenade!"

Panic rose in Bren’s chest at the call, the last he’d heard it, the man who had been more brother than mentor had been ripped apart and he had been alone. He didn’t know these two, but he feared for them more than he did himself. He moved slower than he should’ve, trying to be sure the other Padawan was clear before he threw himself into cover, and he paid for it.

A piece of shrapnel tore a wet, red line on his cheek, and another dug into his thigh, missing anything vital and simply painfully lodging itself in the meat. Adrenaline pumped in his veins, and as quickly as he’d hit the ground, Bren was up again, ignoring the pain and sprinting after Eloise towards the speeders.

"They're getting away, and I can't drive!"

She couldn’t drive?

If the situation had not been so intense, he might’ve laughed at that the way she’d laughed at his less than elegant deflection. Instead he deactivated the saber in his hands and clambered onto the bike, ignoring the flare of agony in his leg or the crimson rolling down his pale cheek as the speeder came to life in his grasp.

“On, now, hurry!” He barked as the thieves in truck began to speed away, the engine on the cargo hauler whining as it strained under the weight of their loot. The speeders didn't seem to be armed, but they were Jedi, and the girl had a mean throw, they could figure it out as they went.

Cato Harth | Eloise Dinn ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Cultural Exchange
Speaking to Efret Farr and Colette | Bidding Odett Hallisk farewell ​

A flower. Phoebe's brows rose with interest as she leaned in to get a closer look. "It seems the two of you have something in common" she spoke idly whilst looking at it. Without leaning too close, she sniffed. The reaction was mild: she leaned her head to the side and raised a shoulder in half a shrug "I wonder how it would be for tea"

Leaning back, she observed the newcomer sign something to Efret. For some time, Phoebe looked to the Master with eyes wide open as if trying to discern what her facial expression was telling before offering a polite smile to match that of the Jedi. She threw an awkward glance to the three of them. The break in their chatter was broken when Odett took his leave. No real surprise was seen in her reaction as she offered him a nod and an enthusiastic "Nice day to you!"

After throwing another glance to Efret, the girl looked down to the flower "It's kinda nice, isn't it? These flowers just sit there and make people happy through their aroma and vibrance, never even nearing doing anyone any harm. It's pretty nice to have that as a theme running through your seasonal festivals" A chuckle escaped her - by no means a floral expert, the flowers could just as well be some sort of weed or a meat eater.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber

Valery chuckled, "I haven't actually taken a look yet myself," she admitted. To some, it might be strange for her to be here in the first place. She was usually the type who would have gone after the artifacts or been out there somewhere, putting herself face-to-face with the Galaxy's most dangerous people.

But after Coruscant, this was a much-needed break.

"Do you want to take a look together? I'm no expert at what they have here, but maybe we can learn together." She offered the Padawan a smile but caught a glimpse of someone approaching in the corners of her eyes. Odett Hallisk confirmed that her presence here was surprising.

"It's important that I take some time away from the front as well," she explained politely. "I don't believe we've met though..." Valery said, her voice trailing off in hopes of an introduction.

A quick one, she hoped, because she didn't want to leave the Padawan hanging too long.

Resh Odett Hallisk | Open​