It's Getting Hot in Here (Galactic Alliance Meet and Greet)

[Ryn'Dhal]

As a fellow padawan, [member="Nubica Felidae"], approached him, he was in the middle of covertly draining his glass of water. Hearing her soft footfalls moving close, he ensured his mask was firmly in place, before turning to face her from his perch. He slipped down to ground level, and offered a bow. "My robes are for my own social comfort, and for that of those around me." His voice, slightly distorted from his mask, held a soft, soothing, musical quality. His golden eyes seemed to dance with light and life through the thin slits of his mask.

"Padawan Ryn'Dhal, of the Silver Sanctum. At your service." He was quite warm and inviting despite appearances, though it was obvious by his previous lack of interactions that he was not one to force his company upon another. One was likely to be able almost hear the smile in his voice as he spoke, grateful for the conversational partner at this social event. "May I have the pleasure of your name?"

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica smiled. He was certainly polite and that was never a bad thing. She bowed, as was her custom, a short bob - but a habit she'd yet to grow out of.

"My name is Nubica. Nubica Felidae. I'm a Padawan of..." she paused. Once upon a time she'd have said the Republic Order. But now? She felt like a Jedi of the galaxy. "If you don't mind me saying, you don't sound too comfortable here."

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

A soft laugh was offered in reply to her assessment. "You would not be incorrect my new friend." It was proving to be a good exercise in Tapas. He had learned that the Force could help in moderating body temperatures, enabling one to survive in extreme conditions. The heavy robes, the mask, his already natural warmth, and the ambient temperature of the location here at the hot-springs, made an ideal environment for lower-level self-training of Tapas.

"Elevated temperatures are definitely friendly on my kind, especially in conjunction with our orders propensity for heavy robes." the padawan intoned, a warm smile still evident in his voice.

 

[Felicity Mason]

The blonde looked up, startled as a man entered the conversation. She sank a little deeper under the steaming water, but that didn't seem to do enough to hide her embarrassment. Was her intense sadness really that obvious? Did she honestly look hurt, even when she made herself smile? She was no good at this. Hiding her emotions. Not like her mother was. Not like a good Princess should be.

"It's nothing," she insisted, knowing full well that anybody could see how she was lying through her teeth, "I'm just a little bit homesick, I suppose."


[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James pulled in slightly closer. Her pain was like a beacon that he could have seen from a mile away, his Force Empathy was like a faucet with a broke handle--always on. And he couldn't--ever--resist helping anyone. Especially a lovely lady.

His Force aura, usually bleeding with charm was replaced by a softer emotion--compassion. Something that he normally felt in undertones with everything he did, this time was the focus of all he was about to do.

"I remember when I lost the person closest to me," he said in a barely audible whisper, "it seemed like the worlds were screaming bloody 'ell. Pain was all I knew for months, I wallowed. Then I realized," he lifted her chin slightly with a gentle hand, "That weren't who she wanted me to be. I had to become a better man than that. I had to be the man she remembered. And to do that, at times," he took a long draft on his cigarette, "a lot of times, I gots to forget. I go to events like this, I drink. I smokes. I do what I can to forget, cause its what I has to do to be the one she wants me to be," he paused for a moment, lost in thought, then the spacer shook his head, "ye understand what I am tell ye, miss?"

[member="Felicity Mason"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

If her husband saw this, he might get jealous. The young woman smiled at that thought somewhat. Owain was cute when he was jealous. Didn't the idiot know? She only had eyes for him. Still, it was nice to get attention now and again.

"Are you telling me to drink and smoke to forget?" she raised a thin blonde eyebrow, "And how can you forget a whole planet? How do you move on from losing your home? Knowing you can't go back?"

Well. Alright. Theoretically she could, but the risk was great. If she was caught, if someone recognized her as the daughter of the last Queen, who knew what could happen. She might be tortured, killed, or worse, used as a puppet like Andromeda. She's rather risk death or dismemberment than betray her people like that.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Felicity Mason"]

James gave a sad smile. His usual whimsical and humored expression was replaced with pity, compassion, and sadness. She bore the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he knew it. He had idea of what that felt like--loosely. Not to mention he could feel it waving off her like a beacon of agony. He took a step closer, the ever-present and sweet smell of alcohol and tobacco was mixed with calogne. He was no master, he was no commander like the Jedi, however he could feel the life being drained from her by the pain. And it was agony for him because he could feel it too. He adjusted the cigarette between his lips and cleared his throat, he could tell she really wanted to know and wasn't just asking.

And because of that he had to try. He had to try to help her forget, even for a moment. "If ye really want to know, close ye eyes."

 

[Nubica Felidae]

Nubica’s interest was piqued — and she was not one to avoid a conversation.

“You’ve opened up the question — so I feel obliged to ask it. When you say, ’my kind,’ I’m guessing you’re not run-of-the-mill human like me. I’m from Naboo by the way — although I left there when I was quite young.”

Her tone was friendly and conversational and she hoped Ryn’Dal would not take offence.

[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Ryn'Dhal couldn't help but smile more behind his mask at [member="Nubica Felidae"]'s question. "No, I am afraid I am not human. As I said, I wear my mask and my cowl almost as much for my own comfort as I do for others. I've found that parading around in the open tends to cause distraction." His face tilted slightly at the mentioning of Naboo. "That is a world I've not visited yet. I myself, was born on Nar Shaddaa. I was fortunate to have been liberated into the Jedi Order when I was."

After a brief moment, the mask tilted, head angling towards the opposite shoulder. "I will ask what I perceive is your unspoken query. Would you like for me to remove my mask?"

 

[Chevu Visz]

Chevu recoiled as Anton mentioned the plight of the slaves on Isis, and her deep brown eyes burned with a new intensity. Sentient trafficking was an abhorrent crime that needed to be stopped. Everywhere. Not just in Alliance space.

"As a former slave myself, I find slavery to be the most detestable practice," she said. "Please, Anton, tell me what's happening on Isis. Perhaps the Alliance can help somehow?"

Her dark eyes followed Nikola as the young Forcer joined Gabriel in his pool. Her apprentice was curious about Gabe, of course. Everyone was. She couldn't help but wonder if Gabe felt totally alien in this place, or even in his new body. The collar around his neck looked tight and uncomfortable, and Chevu longed to rip the fething thing right off of him. When the Kiffar hybrid's honey-brown eyes met hers she gave him an almost apologetic smile. It was nice to see him out of his cell. She was sure that once people got to know Gabriel, they would trust him, and find him to be the kind and gracious man that she'd met on Taris.

[member="The Revenant"] [member="Crix Meriet"] [member="Nikola Ticon"]

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix was right it seemed, an ex-slave. if she hadn't stated it herself the fire in her eyes would have done it for her. He'd have to be careful she didn't fathom who he was before [member="Thais Kallisto"] had been dealt a blow, he doubted she'd react well.

None the less he bowed his head at her 'revelation' "Truly you are right it is vile, my dear Toby here was a slave" ... still was in truth ... "And the trauma left him mute, among a swath of other effects it is a damaging crime" He lent back pulling Toby's head into the crook of his shoulder, couldn't have his T accidently giving the game away. "Would that the slaves on Isis suffered only that ... Before I begin I must confess I was once a guard of Thais Kallisto's Mines, she is the princess and by far the worst offender, I was young then and slave labour was all I'd known but then the rebels against the monarchy opened my eyes to the better way and now I hope to do some good to absolve the evil I condoned ... As I was saying the conditions in the slave camps are abhorrent regular beatings for trivialities, death disease and thats just from the solid facts" He made a show of gulping then kissing T's head "Dark rumours circulate of slaves being fed meat from their own dead, of staged 'accidents' put in place to keep order and recently there has been talk of the princess trying to use the skin of the Gultree natives to make blaster proof ..." He made a show of heaving "...Sorry ... Blaster proof clothing" He lay back with a 'sad' sigh "Of course there are rebel pockets and factions but they are at present disjointed and under manned and armed, having fractured in the wake of the ex-king and queens execution" He couldn't call it murder here "They need help from a higher power"

[member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

The girl gave a nervous smile. Close her eyes? Last time someone told her to do that, she got kissed. But she did it, feeling very foolish.

"Don't kiss me," she warned, "I'm a married woman. My husband would flip."

Of course, her husband wasn't a space wizard, like this guy. Honestly, Owain wouldn't be able to do much even if he tried. Still, this guy didn't know that. She was more than willing to let him think her husband was a big bad space wizard too.


[member="James Justice"]

 

[Gabriel Sionoma]

Gabriel smiled at the questionable philosophy between him and his brother. He appreciated the confidence, though he didn't feel it well earned. "We always have a choice Nikola. I made mine and I'm living with that. In the end, we must learn to accept fault for our effects on others, no matter whether intent was there or not." He splashed his face with water, rubbing his beard. "But I appreciate your words of confidence, I hope that I can earn it one day." He listened intently as the young man spoke of Chevu and he smiled in response, going from stern to understanding. "Yes. I suspect many will be in debt to her, without ever having known it. But I envy you, Nikola, and all the growth you and Chevu can obtain together."

Looking back to Kiyron, Gabriel rubbed his nose and inhaled. "Well, a doctor can look at a gunshot wound or a stabbing and see the scars, defer to the nature of the wound. Having been the Warmaster of Yuuzhan Vong, I've seen my fair share of amphistaff wounds." He pointed towards the healed wound. "But even beyond that, the alien creatures leaves pieces of themselves in the wake of their absence. You carry it well, but you carry it nonetheless. And I can sense it. And I'm glad to see you survived it, not many do." Departure from the Yuuzhan Vong, while still inherently attached, gave him a telescopic view of the remnants of the Yuuzhan Vong. Even in death, they could still be sensed for the void they once left. And for the former Warmaster, he was so in tune that it was sometimes distracting. Especially around people like his son.

For every wayward glance he caught from the Mirialan, he let a small smile show. He was happy to see her about and enjoying herself, as fiery as he recalled with words spoken over a dinner table.

[member="Nikola Ticon"] | [member="Kiyron"] | [member="Chevu Visz"] | [member="Ijaat Akun"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Felicity Mason"]

James chuckled, genuinely amused, "I am better at this game than that, miss. If I wanted to kiss ye, I already would have."

He put two fingers on either side of her temple. The touch sent agony through his body and he gave a soft gasp. Her pain was palpitate, but he forced himself to press on. Drawing it out like poison from a wound, he felt it flow out of himself, released into the air. In return he gave her what he had most of; joy, humor, lightheartedness. He wasn't good at many things, but he could make people feel what he wanted them to, that was for sure.

When he finished James felt weak. He struggled to prop himself up on the edge of the spring as his head spun and he fought to remain conscious.

 

[Chevu Visz]

Chevu's face twisted into a horrified expression as Anton detailed what had happened to his lover Toby, now apparently a mute. Her face fell even further when described the atrocities inflicted on the rest of the slaves on Isis. Unsanitary conditions were the usual fare but fed meat from their own dead? Skinnings? Their plight affected the Mirialan so deeply, she felt her eyes brimming with tears.

"This Princess Kallisto must be stopped," Chevu declared, her teeth gritted with anger. "Her slaves must be freed, and the woman should be jailed for her inhumanity."

She wiped away a tear that threatened to fall and continued in a shakier voice. "Can you give me any information about the whereabouts of this hellhole on Isis?"

[member="Crix Meriet"]

 

[Crix Meriet]

Crix put his head onto Toby's as she boiled over. Turning his face from her view so he could smile, she was eating his poodoo like it was sweet roll. He had expected it would be harder than this. Then again she was but one and she would need a whole faction to topple Kallisto and her bed whore. He supposed he would have a harder time with some of the others.

Then he hugged Toby tightly, well as tightly as he could with a busted wrist, and lifted his head.

"Sorry Chevu ... Talking about this stuff just makes me think of everything ... " He sniffled "Everything that T must have gone through and I can't comprehend the man I love suffering and I ... I just needed to remind myself that it's over for him now and he's here ... that we are both here ... together" That much was true Crix could not recount his atrocities without fear for Toby creeping in. It didn't change anything slaves were slaves they were meaningless but Toby captured the last of the decency left in crix before his father drove it from his mind. Toby was an exception, a slave through error in some regard, he had to be slaves were filthy, low life forms and Toby was not. But error or otherwise his Darlin' was a slave he could never bare to release.

He coughed "Sorry Back to business"

"The mines are everywhere and I can never gather which are the crucial ones Tales of the atrocities here and her cronies commit are screamed from every camp, The rebels may know better but as I said they are fractured and paranoid so they don't talk to me" Anton had screamed that four or five times as his nails were ripped off " I put all the things I can gather on my blog, mostly tales from whistle blowers, or escapees but the occasional picture I snap when I sneak in ... I can send you the details if you need me to"

[member="Chevu Visz"]

 

[Felicity Mason]

[member="James Justice"]

This was... This was just like her Daddy did! Every time she was sad, every time she cried, every time she was afraid- But this wasn't half as extreme. He did not hold her pain inside himself and keep it. He did not carry the weight of someone elses sadness inside of him like her father did. The blonde blinked, confused. Why was she thinking of her father at a time like this?

Well, that was just part of being homesick. Her father was on Naboo too. Watching over mother grave. Every. Single. Day.

"Why would you do that? she asked quietly, "You owed me nothing."

 

[James Justice]

[member="Felicity Mason"]

"Urqua. I need urqua," he murmured as he struggled to stay on his feet.

The spacer grabbed a nearby glass of alcohol and downed it. The duro who had ordered it gave him a dirty look and wadded away. James grabbed another half empty glass and swallowed it. As the burning liquid went down his throat he began to feel a sense of releif. He started sighing in contentment as he lit a new cigarette and wreathed himself in smoke. The sweet tobacco flooded his lungs and gradually eased his mucles and nerves. In a minute he had halfway burned through it.

At last his mind cleared. He could think strait again at last. The spacer looked at the princess and gave a tired smile.

"I help ye because you are a good person," he said on a soft gravelly voice. His hazel, stormy eyes were clouded with compassion, "I help good people. And a suffering person--I can't ever stand." He glanced around and lowered his voice. "I broken every law in the galaxy at one point or another. But I done it for good reasons. Reasons to help. Reasons to make the common folk's live better." The near-human flicked the ashes off his cig and splashed water on his face. "Ye understand what I am telling ye?"

 

[Felicity Mason]

As he staggered about, trying to recover with alcohol and smoke, Felicity stared, completely bewildered. This was not normal. This was not what regular people did. It was what heroes did. What her mother would do.

"Yes. I understand," she responded quietly, "Thank you. Mister...? I'm so sorry. I don't think I got your name."

Of course, she hadn't introduced herself either. That could come later. Maybe if she was lucky, he wouldn't recognize her name.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Felicity Mason"]

He chuckled softly, "My mistake, miss, how rude of me." He considered offering her a cigarette then thought better of it, "James, Captain James Justice. I own a," he searched for the right word. What was his business at this point? A military? Privateers? Shipping? Smuggling? "A shipping business," he said at last. She was clearly a person of power. He had probably violated some of her planetary laws. It was best if she thought better of him.

He leaned back on the rock wall, calm and at ease. The ache was wearing off and his charismatic way was covering him again, a strong, likable, almost irresistible energy in the Force. It was building to its full power, slowly, as he recovered. "I help the common people when they need it most. I deliver aid, food, medical supplies, and the like--when they are in war-zones or famine--or the like of course. We fight off pirates." He chuckled, letting a stream of smoke out of his mouth, "we be crazy, looking for danger. Going head first into spots when the others run away. Why?" he swept his arm wide, smoldering cigarette between his fingers, "cause we wants to help the common folk when they need it most. Ye understand?"