Dance the Night Away

[Joza Perl]

The nightlight on Sullust couldn’t really compare to that on Zeltros, but then again few places could. And while Joza always wished she could work her way out of the nightlife scene for something more, she found that she missed it dearly. Her homesickness began to wane as she threw herself into her studies, desperate for a distraction but not desperate enough to return home. Although her mother would certainly welcome her back with open arms, she would feel like too much of a failure.

And so she’d discovered Diamond Dust, a club in one of Sullust’s underground cities. It was somewhat of a comfort being around nightlife again, even without the constant pheromones blanketing the streets. After some hesitation, she had arranged to perform there, her heart fluttering at the thought of dancing on stage again. It was something she’d always enjoyed doing on Zeltros but hadn’t had the opportunity to since coming to Sullust.

The pink girl combed her fingers through her hair, trying to increase the volume of her natural waves. Again, it had been a while since she’d worn this much makeup or put this much effort into her hair. The combination of her nerves and excitement gave her butterflies, something she felt before every performance. With a short sigh, the Zeltron adjusted the veil around the lower half of her face before pausing and reaching for the eyeliner once more.

She nearly jumped when the music began to play, the sound of stringed instruments reaching her ears. Turning quickly toward the stage entrance, the coins sewn into her costume audibly jingled. Biting her lower lip, the pink girl took in a deep breath. What if someone recognized her? Should she really be doing this? It was just dancing, after all. Did the Jedi have a law against that? Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, Joza slowly exited the dressing room and made her way on stage.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd4zxdwr_X0[/media]​

As she moved, her body fell into the natural movements of the dance. Her hips swayed casually while making her way across the stage, taking her time. Shaabi was a slower, more relaxed dance. Her arms moved gracefully, framing her body and face as she moved with her back to the crowd. Gradually she began to add in modest isolated chest and hip movements, nothing too big for now. She was content to let her dance build with the music. It wasn’t overtly sexual, moreso mischievous.

[member="Briar Thorn"]

OOC: Open to anyone who wishes to join!

 

[Briar Thorn]

[member="Joza Perl"]

Sullust, the capital planet of the Galactic Aliance, and the government that Lothal belonged to now. Briar had always dreamed of the day he would get to leave his home in the rural regions of Lothal and get to see what the capital was like for himself. He had worked so hard for this moment. All the broken droird, all the shot equipment, all the grounded vehicles, he had repaired them all for a fee that might have been too low for the amount of work required of him to do it. He didn't mind that though, because he got to practice. He had finally gotten enough credits saved up to support living on his own and had managed to find a ship willing to trade work for transport. So here he was, fresh from the grain farm on Lothal to the bustling capital city of Sullust.

Briar hadn't known where to go and just marveled as he walked around for hours. He had taken everything in with the wonder of fresh eyes. He had never seen so many people in one place before, or so many different races together. He felt like he was looking out across a field of mixed grains that all seemed to wave in the same direction when the wind blew. He eventually found himself in this place called Diamond Dust. Someone called it a club, but he didn't know what that was. He thought that it would be like the cantina back at his home town when he heard they served drinks there, but it wasn't. The place was completely different from the cantina. It was alive and full of energy. The people all talking and dancing and drinking and just enjoying life. It just seemed to pump him full of energy.

Briar eventually found himself sitting right next to the stage. He had ordered a beer and just gotten it when suddenly things changed. The attention of the club that had originally been focused all over the place was suddenly all on the stage he was next to. He looked in a mixture of puzzlement and wonder as music began to play. Out of a curtain, a Zeltron woman in a veil came out. She had her back towards everyone and began to dance in a way that he had never seen before. It was nothing like the way people danced at the fairs back home or like the way people danced in the club. It was much more precise and measured. It flowed with the music as if her body was being moved by the sounds. It was alluring and he found he couldn't take his eyes off of the dancer. His entire focus was on watching her and only her.

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus Janes, nephew of one of the founders of the merchant fleet - Kairon Rees - was not a big fan of Sullust. Yet the crew of the Quintessence had visited the world frequently. With so much of his time spent in the confines of a cramped smuggling vessel, Asmus always liked to get some fresh air and stretch his legs on the surface of worlds he visited.

No chance on Sullust. The constant shifting of tectonic plates and the virtually constant volcanic activity made the surface a daunting and deadly environment for even experienced travellers with the right equipment. How exactly was one supposed to get some tan back when shut off deep under the ground?

Still, the atmosphere in this district was actually starting to go up a notch. Whole groups of partygoers prowled the city centre, screaming in-jokes at each other cross the streets that no others could fathom.

Asmus himself was drawn to the Diamond Dust. His first night on Sullust had been a rather protracted one and he had to admit he was feeling a touch delicate and was drawn by the delicate rhythm. At first he'd thought to hang near the bar. However there was an absolutey exquisite creature dancing on the stage. All graceful hips and subtle shifts and she moved in time to the music, Asmus almost didn't notice the bartender until someone pulled at his embroidered, green jacket.

[member="Briar Thorn"][member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Her back was still to the crowd as her hips rose and fell rhythmically, shifting from side to side. Her arms reached above her head, hands fluttering in pretty repeated movements as she took her time. Already she felt tension release from her shoulders, partially from dancing and partially from the massage-like treatment her muscles were getting. The way her body moved was intended to look casual and improvised, even if she had practiced this dance over and over and performed it in front of people before. For the first time in months she began to feel like she was in her element, even if it was only for a few minutes.

Joza continued her subtle movements, mainly focusing on her arms, wrists and fingers. The natural flow of the dance started with isolating muscle groups and joints, moving them individually and connecting with a smooth transition. It started with the roll of her shoulder, rotated with her elbow and ended with a more dramatic flexing of her wrist and fingers. It almost made her look as if she was reaching for something and pulling away at the last moment.

When drums began to resonate louder with a marked increase in tempo, Joza’s hips matched their pace. As the music crested, the Zeltron dancer would turn on her heel and face the crowd, the slides of her chest and circling of her hips becoming a bit more pronounced. There was more energy to the dance now, but it still retained its mischievous mystique. It was certainly sensual, but in a subtle way. There were certainly dances on Zeltros that were far raunchier and sexually driven, but the allure of Shaabi came from how playful yet subdued it could be.

She moved closer to the edge of the stage, playing the crowd with a few enticing moves. Her back would arch down gently, followed by soft undulations of her bare stomach—all connected in one smooth, unbroken movement. They were simple moves layered over each other, but the dance never appeared overly complex or overstimulating. Wandering closer to the other side of the stage, she briefly locked eyes with the young blond man who was staring at her. Joza smirked under her veil, eating up the attention. Typically she was impartial to having the spotlight on her, but it was different when she was dancing.

[member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Briar Thorn]

[member="Joza Perl"]

The dancing was amazing. The flowing motions of her body moving in sync with the music was just simply amazing. He knew going to a city would let him see things he had never experienced before, but he never dreamed he would see something like this. He could take his eyes off of her. Something about it seemed to just draw him completely into what she was doing. He had completely forgotten that anything aside from the artistic performance in front of him existed. Nothing could pull him away from watching this through to the end, not even death.

Briar watched as the dancer got closer to where he was sitting. He said in a voice that he thought was more hushed than it was, " Beautiful...." He noticed her eyes lock with his for a moment and couldn't help but blush. He didn't know what to do, but just sit there and keep watching. Whoever this woman was, she had gotten his interest. He wanted to know what kind of person it was that was able to dance so beautifully.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Joza Perl"]

Asmus would have ignored the tug on his sleeve and moved to find a seat near the stage. Unfortunately there was something of a crowd down there now. A close up view of those sensuous hips would have made his evening, but it seemed perching on the high stools at the bar afforded him the best view for now.

"You ordering?" a gruff voice from behind lifted Asmus from his reverie.

"Right, right," Asmus replied without shifting his gaze. "Whiskey off the rocks, and an ale," he ordered. "Is she...who's that?"

"Dunno, new here. Fourteen credits please."

"Fourteen?" the scoundrel replied incredulously, but his slid the credit chips from the pocket of his long jacket and slapped them down on the bar behind him without complaint. No point ordering a drink for the beautiful creature on the stage. Way out of the league of a smuggler like him, as sharply dressed, charming and comely as he thought he was. Instead he just settled back against the bar and drank it all in.

 

[Oozak]

Maximo had been performing since he was a teenager. But only at cantinas. He had never actually been to Sullust before, but had always wanted to. It was a beautiful planet, much more bright and alive than he'd expected it to be. Maximo had signed up to perform a keyboard solo. The song was an old Tatooine folk song, but it was still a classic for any cantina! He was excited to show his skills off at a large nightclub like this one.

"Chuba!" (Hey you!) a large Hutt yelled at Maximo.

"Is it my turn to perform sir?"

"Peedunkee, caba dee unko!" (Boy, get in here!)

This was it! It was finally time to perform at the big club!

"Let's do this!"

 

[Joza Perl]

​

The bright lights, the vibrant colors, the music…it was almost as if Joza was back on Zeltros if only for a few minutes. She felt more confidant right now than she had in months. This was something she knew how to do well, and it was refreshing not feel frustrated with her own work for once. The Zeltron tossed her head back and forth with the music, red waves bouncing back and forth as she did so. She hadn’t heard what the young blond had said over the music, but the awestruck look on his face was enough to satisfy her.

As the dance began to wind down, she scanned the crowd watching her. She was worried that someone from the Galactic Alliance would see her, but she didn’t see anyone she recognized in the throngs of partygoers. Of course that meant nothing, it was a crowded place and it was difficult to see everything with the strobing lights. She didn’t let her concern show in her dance, and honestly she was feeling too good to worry much about it.

When the music came to a halt she slipped off stage, making way for the next act. Normally she was uptight, wanting to be taken serious as a Jedi and not looked at as just a Zeltron. But even a Jedi needed to relax sometimes, right? She pulled the veil off of the lower half of her face as she made her way back to the dressing room. She didn’t really like dancing with cloth over her face, she found it hot and uncomfortable. Dabbing at the thick liner around her eyes with a cloth, Joza hummed softly as she wondered what to do next. She really really didn’t want to leave now, as wound up as she was. With the exhilaration of the dance was still pumping through her body, she figured that a drink or two couldn’t hurt.

She quickly stripped out of her colorful, skimpy outfit in favor of a tight black dress—not much more conservative, but it was graciously loaned to her by one of the other dancers. Pausing to look at her reflection in the small dressing room mirror, she ran her fingers through her hair with a frown. Even with all of the product that she had used, it was starting to become messy. Gathering her thick hair back, she twisted it upwards, using a handful of hair pins to hold it in place. After a few spurts of hairspray and some smoothing, she was satisfied with her messy bun. After a few dabs of translucent face powder—the stage lights were hot!—she was satisfied.

After primping, Joza found her way back onto the main dancefloor as another Zeltron performer took the stage. She paused to listen for a few moments, smiling as she vaguely recalled the tune before scanning the thick crowds. Alright, how’s about that drink…

[member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Maximo-925"]

 

[Briar Thorn]

[member="Joza Perl"]

The music playing in the background, the dance in the central stage enchanting the audience, and the dancer who was the one making Briar's heart race. Everything had been so new and fresh to him since he had landed on the planet. He had just had his first flight through space to land and see a city so large for the first time in his life. The endless steel and stone packed full of people like the largest grain silo he had ever seen. It was a night of firsts for him, but the part that he was never going to be able to forget even a single detail of was this beautiful dance being performed by an even more beautiful woman.

Briar watched as the dance ended and the dancer left the stage. He was stunned in her absence. Wait, she is gone. Why is she gone? She can't be gone. He left his beer where it was and went up to the counter to ask the barkeeper if she would be back or when she would be back. He wasn't getting an answer out of them man at first, but after several minutes of none stop badgering he finally got his answer. She wasn't going to be back ever. It was a one time performance he had just seen. He was never going to see it again. He left the counter in complete disbelief that he could never experience this feeling again.

Briar walked around a bit aimlessly around the club until he found himself bumping into someone. He said in a truly apologetic tone, " Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. Are you alright? Can I get you a drink to apologize?" He turned to look at the person he had bumped into as he spoke. It was a pink skinned beauty. He blushed a bit as he looked at her, partly out of feeling bad but mostly because of how attractive she was.

 

[Azimuth Industries]

He couldn't believe he'd let them drag him down here.

Oh, the surface of Sullust was nice enough. Angry rivers of red through volcanic rock. A planet as sullen as he felt. On the surface there was work to do, calculations to be made, droids to be calibrated and overseen. Down here though, the Givin wrankled.

Ni'gel sat with a number of other Hegemonic Automaton employees at a table in some lecherous cavern city deep below the surface. The air stank of heady pheromones. Ni'gel sank deeper into his seat, pale, skeletal form swaddled in properly sombre garments, trying his best to not draw attention. He hadn't brought a rebreather and shuddered to think what the pheromones were doing to his system right now.

Blasted Zeltrons.

Deep set eyes stared balefully at the wooden table. Ni'gel began counting the grains, determined to not let his gaze be drawn to the lewd show on center stage.

"Look at that," murmured on of his... colleagues. They began to shift in their seats, nudging one another with elbows and smiling like madmen.

At what? Wondered the Givin, eyes moving of their own accord. At what?

He stared at the stage with a slowly dawning mix of horror and revulsion. A Zeltron writhed about, body contorting in the most unseemly manner, bare but for a few paltry scraps of cloth. Skin on display for the galaxy to leer at.

Ni'gel made a strangled sound that didn't quite make it out his mouth. What a licentious jezebel. Thankfully, she soon ceased her gyrations and moved off the stage. The Givin shook his skull woefully, clawed fingers scratching the wood table as he pushed up.

"I... need a drink."

He moved to the bar amidst a series of jokes made by his colleagues at his own expense and seated himself on a stool.

"Seltzer water please."

 

[Jericho]

Spoiler

​

Finally running weathered hand through his jet black hair. The giant of a man sat back and enjoyed taking down a venturing sith in the area said to belong to the One Sith. Jericho beat him to the last of his life and whisper but yet another name one who suppose to know the where about of his eldest daughter Asha.

There was a howl to the west. One of his brothers. Far away. But there none the less. A hunting call for the pack. Wolves weren't the lone creatures that romantic stories created them out to be. Wolves hunted in packs. To see a lone wolf was rare. Seeing one meant that there were others. If not. It meant that this wolf had done something to be thrown out of the pack. Thoughts moved to his own people and that of that of his own secret order gathering the information needed. He had been a lone wolf for awhile after the death of his first master. And then he'd found a new pack with the with the Silver Sanctum.

His short rest done, he'd slowly get back up, making sure to keep his footing that the weight of his body, saber and mask didn't crumble the flatland on his feet.

With the small walk out complete the warrior was back to his ship and flew to the closest city in Sullust. Joined by a few merchants who gave him the odd stare. People in this land weren't as tall as other places. But even then Jericho was considered a giant. Standing at 6'6 and bound by muscle. A terrifying figure wrapped in a jedi robe and armor cover in sears and burns both from fire and lightsabers as he entered the bar his presence was known and many stared for but a moment until Jericho caught their gaze and the instantly looked away. The warrior shook his head and went to the bar and took a seat ordering himself a glass of tea.

He took off his mask and set it to the side but his hood kept his face hidden from the light. As the relishing feeling of calm went over him, he felt a presence, a familiar one....He could not remember of whom as of yet. But it was a sensation that triggered thought.


[member="Asmus Janes"]
[member="Briar Thorn"]
[member="Joza Perl"]
@Ni'gel
[member="Maximo-925"]

 

[Joza Perl]

This place really is crowded… Joza tried to wriggle her way through the sea of people, edging her way towards the bar. It didn’t really bother her much, and she found that she was actually content with just being close to this many happy people. Maybe the pheromones had something to do with it, but it had been a long time since she felt this good. Being on stage was like a release, and her only regret was that tomorrow she’d have to put her Jedi robes back on and reassume her duties.

The pink woman made a startled noise as she bumped into another body, turning in time to hear the man apologize. She blinked for a moment before a slow smile spread across her face. This was the guy from before, the one she had locked eyes with right? She shook her head softly, still smiling. “I’m fine. A drink sounds lovely.” Her grin began to fade as she felt a certain presence enter the club, but she couldn’t identify it. It was vaguely familiar, enough to cause her to scan the throngs of people to see if she could identify it.

Coming up short, Joza turned her attention back to the blond, her smile a little more calm and self-assured as she noticed the tinge of pink on his cheeks. “You have a name, stranger?”

[member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Jericho"]

 

[Briar Thorn]

[member="Joza Perl"]

She really was beautiful and he was still blushing. Briar couldn't help himself as he stared at her, his eyes locked with her eyes. He just stood there for a moment before he finally said to her, " Briar, Briar Thorne. That is my name, because I have a name and so do you..... What is your name?" His blushing got a little darker as he finished talking. He had said his full name. He hated his full name. Why did his parents have to do that to him? She was going to find it silly and laugh, he just knew it. Everyone always did.

Briar said a little awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head, " So, um, that drink. What would you like? What can I get for you? Something exotic and colorful, like you.... Wait, I didn't mean that, well I did, but... um....uh....." He shifted nervously as he turned as dark a shade of red as darth maul himself would have been. He was just so nervous talking to her. She was just so beautiful and he didn't know what to do.

 

[Oozak]

Maximo sat at a table, having a drink. He noticed a couple embracing. It was the other Zeltron that was performing and some other guy.

It seemed like everyone was in a relationship except Maximo. He had always wanted to have children with a woman, but had never found love.

He ordered a couple more drinks. Everything was getting blurry. Had he had too much to drink?

"Die wanna wanga."

It was a Hutt, maybe a bounty hunter?

"You know, I'm sick of having bounty hunters on my tail all the time."

The Hutt became angry, and punched Maximo in the face.

Maximo attacked back, a shun kick and then a spit in the eye. Maximo did have an obscure fighting style, but it worked.

"Yoka to Bantha poodoo!"

The Hutt pulled out a blaster, but Maximo kicked it out of his hands and aimed his EE-3 blaster rifle straight in the Hutt's face.

"Sweet dreams, you weak scum!."

Maximo blasted the Hutt straight between the eyes.

Of course, everyone looked.

"Sorry about the mess." he said to the bartender as he walked out of the bar.

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Joza Perl"] [member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Maximo-925"] [member="Ni'gel"] [member="Jericho"]

Thanith made his way into the Diamond Dust club on Sullust. He had been keeping a low profile for a while now. Even going as far as to intentionally dress in rags. Just as much to end up on an Alliance world as far away from former affiliations as possible.

He made his way first over to the bar. He smirked at the odd looks as he ordered a whiskey. The cred chip he set on the bar for the moment at least halting the scoffing looks as his drink was given to him. Taking it Thanith moved over to the main stage to watch the show.

 

[Azimuth Industries]

The refreshing taste of carbonated dihydrogen oxide ran down Ni'gel's throat, soothing away tension over skimpy strumpets. Perchance the evening might calm down. Ni'gel hated excitement.

Of course, it was at that moment that a blaster shot rang out absurdly close to the Givin. Ni'gel spun on his seat, clawed hand thrown up in some forlorn attempt to waylay certain death.

"Landau's problems," he swore.

When he did not die instantly, Ni'gel peered over his arm and saw the form of a dead Hutt lying in a sort of gelatinous pile. Some yahoo was pushing his way through the crowd. Clearly an assassination of the most outrageous ineptitude.

The gallant Givin pointed with a shaking clawed finger toward the fellow.

"Stop that man!" he shrieked.

[member="Maximo-925"] | [member="Briar Thorn"] | [member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Asmus Janes"] | [member="Jericho"]

 

[Oozak]

Maximo escaped through the crowd, managing to reach the outside of the bar. He quickly hopped into his vehicle, a Swift Assault 5 hovercraft.

There were two police officers running towards his vehicle, weapons in hands.

Maximo fired the blaster cannon atop his hovercraft, killing both of them.

Swiftly, he drove away from the scene, off into the night.

 

[Jericho]

After taking a sip of his warm tea; a series of events happened and ended with a small pink human like being scurrying into a large tank and killed the policemen coming to figure out the situation. Jericho blinked and smacked the man next to him on the back of his head when he shrieked to stop the man. The warrior sighed lightly then pushed his tea aside and ordered himself a water instead. While on the outside screams could be heard as a tank drove by, the warrior sighed and rubbed his eyes then lightly sipped his water.

[member="Joza Perl"] [member="Briar Thorn"] [member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Maximo-925"] @Ni'gel

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza continued to smile as she watched the young man interact with her. His nervousness was apparent, and had she been a manipulative woman she certainly would have capitalized on it. Instead, she only chuckled, finding him rather adorable. “Briar, then. It’s nice to meet you.” She hesitated for a moment, figuring there was no harm in giving him her name. “Joza Perl.” She offered before tiling her head toward the bar, indicating that they should head in that direction. She hummed softly, wondering if she wanted something strong or something sweet, or both.

Before she could answer, a blaster shot rang through the air followed by a shriek. Her head whipped around in a startled fashion, trying to locate the source of the noise when she spied a man pushing his way through the crowd, a blaster in his hand. People around them began to mill about nervously, some unperturbed and some beginning to panic. When a few more shots were fired outside of the club, Joza didn’t wait for management to try and clear the club out. Whatever was going down, she wanted no part of.

She looked around frantically, trying to see through the swarms of people rushing toward the exits. The back entrance. She remembered suddenly, recalling the door she had entered the building from earlier. It would lead to a different street than the one where all this ruckus was going on. Grabbing Briar’s wrist, the Zeltron pushed her way through the crowds as she attempted to drag him along, moving through some of the employee areas of the club toward the back door.

[member="Briar Thorn"]

 

[Azimuth Industries]

A flat hand smacked into the back of Ni'gel's skull. It didn't hurt given his exoskeletal structure so much as jerk his head forward, causing him to smack his forehead into the tall glass of seltzer water. The glass cracked slightly.

Ni'gel groaned, clutching at the front of his skull, cavernous gaze meeting that of the bartender. The bartender in turn looked between Ni'gel and the broken glass and held out a hand, palm up.

"That'll be ten credits."

The Givin bristled, jabbing a long finger at the man sitting beside him who'd seen fit to smack him upside the head while a murderer ran off, presumably scot-free.

"Ten credits, but he manhandled my personage in the most uncouth manner," he spluttered.

"Ten credits."

Ni'gel gave a defeated sigh and fished inside a pocket. It figured. A city might spontaneously combust and if Ni'gel were present all beings would lay the blame at his feet.

He dropped the coins into the bartender's hand with no small amount of reluctance.

[member="Jericho"]