Of Fallen Stars | The Confederacy

[Vidalu Na'an]

Otor reached the food tables he spotted a noticeably scarred woman in working clothes standing by the tables and serving other partygoers. Assuming the woman was another server for the party Otor walks up to her and asks, "Um, hello there. Tell me, what is your most exotic meal here?" He ends his setence with a bit off-putting Belugan smile and waited for a response.

Location: Lyceum, near the kitchens
Attire: Working Wear
Tags: [member="Kei Raxis"], [member="Otor Blank the II"]

Na'an stared blankly at the Belugan addressing her for a second. Not because he was a Belugan, mind-- as a former Jedi, she'd received basic training on the etiquette of other species, and if anything, his inhuman appearance was a welcome distraction from everything else in the room. No, she stared because his question seemed to be...well, a little silly.
"Um..." she looked around at the pastries, then back at the squid-faced alien. "We're not doing full meals? I mean, the doroon makes a great dessert, and...uh, those ones on the right are made with fresh Kaminoan shellfish, I think? But it's clearly all just--"

It was only mid-sentence that Na'an realized that she was probably being rather rude. She colored, and bobbed her head quickly to hide it. Of course this guy knew they weren't serving full meals, he had eyes didn't he?
"My apologies," she said quickly, "Sir. If you are asking my recommendation, I would recommend the seafood rolls. Most kitchens don't have staff capable of retrieving and preparing deep-sea Kaminoan fare. It's...uh, very deep down, see."

 

[Otor Blank the II]

Location: Lyceum

Goal: Continue Enjoying Himself

Tags: Vidalu Na'an

------------------------------------------

"Ah well, my mistake," he says with a smile. "I will take the rolls then." As Otor picks up his food he looks at the woman, noticing her scars. "Where does a food caterer like you get scars like those? Are you catering for Hutts?" He says it as joke, he hasn't talked to anyone all night and honestly he needed to. Getting Quarzite into the confederacy wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

 

[LE-03 (Leigh)]

(sorry, wrong character)

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

Location: Lyceum, near the kitchens
Attire: Working Wear
Tags: [member="Kei Raxis"], [member="Otor Blank the II"]

Aaaaaaaand there it was. Na'an reflexively reached for her left ear, as if tucking a strand of hair behind it--a strangely feminine gesture for her, but it gave her an excuse to turn the false pinna away from prying eyes. Of course the first noble to actually speak to her any further than 'is this gluten-free?' would find her scars interesting.

Imagine, she thought, if he got one good look at what's under the eyepatch.

"I get around," she said quickly. "It's a rough galaxy out there for a farmer who doesn't know how to take a punch or two."

Absurdly, she realized that the alien wasn't that far off about her having worked for Hutts. He was about fifteen years too late to be right, and Karre Noba was much more pleasant than the average slug...but still. A lot of these high-society types didn't like to acknowledge the stranglehold the Hutt Underworld had on the type of people who'd be working a party, rather than attending it. The Belugan had some brains.

 

[Otor Blank the II]

Location: Lyceum

Goal: Pry The Worker

Tags: Vidalu Na'an

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"Really, a farmer? Well your farm must be nearby then, or at the very least very secluded. Most agricultural operations are tightly held by governments or corporations. On top of that some of these foods go for a high price on the open market, so either you have the seeds and haven't been killed for them yet or you bought them, which means you got quite a budget for this operation of yours." He then points to the seafood rolls. "And how you got these escapes me. Getting on Kamino is a chore itself, at least from what I've heard, and if what you say is true and the shellfish in these rolls of yours really are so hard to get, then how did a simple farmer like you ever catch them? Did the shellfish give you those scars?" He chuckled a bit and and then gave an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry, please excuse my prying, I'm just very curoius." He was curious, but it wasn't innocent. No farmer gets scar like these, especially a scar in which they'd have to cover up their eye. What did this supposed farmer get herself into?

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

Location: Lyceum, near the kitchens
Attire: Working Wear
Tags: [member="Kei Raxis"], [member="Otor Blank the II"]

He wasn't going to let this go. If anything, he now seemed to suspect...something...shady. If she didn't address this, who knows what assumptions he'd make next. There was nothing for Na'an to do but to meet his eye and give him a something he'd be satisfied with. Whether this noble was playing games with the help or was genuinely trying to figure her out, she'd have to play along. She took a deep, shaky breath, then stopped fiddling with her hair and turned to face the Belugan.
"I apologize for my lack of clarity," she replied, her good eye steely. Inexplicably, the nerves in her gut seemed to have quieted themselves. "I'm here representing Noba Tritacale, of Dantooine. My employer only provided the flour used to make these pastries, and sent me and my associates here on her behalf to gauge its reception at this event. If you're looking for the seafood divers, I'd have to direct you to the hosts."

She smiled widely, despite not feeling quite in a smiling mood. "So no. It wasn't the shellfish who wrecked my face...although, I suppose, you could accurately call them casualties of my previous employment."

As she spoke, she tried to remember what she had been taught about Belugans. Were there Force-Sensitive Belugans? Would he be trying to Feel her out next?

"I don't believe I caught your name? Perhaps I can send the host in your direction--"

 

[Otor Blank the II]

Location: Lyceum

Goal: Pry The Worker

Tags: Vidalu Na'an

------------------------------

"Oh no no no, calling the host won't be neccesary." He declines the offer with a slightly less friendly smile. "Now you said you're employer is from Dantooine? Do you mean the Dantooine on the complete other side of Galaxy, deep in Sith space? That Dantooine? Because let me tell you it would be a logistical nightmare to try and cater from Dantooine to here. Can't imagine this would be profitable after all the money it would cost for space transit. Surely it isn't?" Something was up here, and Otor didn't like it. He didn't come here to pry a lowly waitress but here he was, might as well follow through.

 

[Vidalu Na'an]

Location: Lyceum, near the kitchens
Attire: Working Wear
Tags: [member="Otor Blank the II"]

Na'an stiffened, her mouth tightening into a thin line. On the surface, this line of questioning seemed like a concession--hell, Noba would likely be thrilled someone was asking business questions that could lead to a trading contract. But the look in the Belugan's eye hadn't changed at all. If anything, he was now dead-set on following this line of thinking right back to her, somehow.
She had to play it cool. Keep this professional, no matter how rude this squid got. He was, for all his lack of manners, still her better.
"Our operation is small, but many of our shipments range widely out of the sector," she said, focusing on keeping her voice light. "It's surprisingly easy for a single freighter to slip through Sith space unmolested, if you know what you're doing."

She bent momentarily to retrieve another tray from under the table. When she straightened, she placed the tray--thick with still-warm cheese tarts--in front of the Belugan with a firmness bordering on aggressive. "My associates and I know what we're doing. So Ms. Noba determined that the potential of this event were worth any additional costs. How are the seafood rolls treating you, Sir?"

 

[Krystal]

[SIZE=11pt]Krystal can’t help but sway along to the music that is chiming out, muffled though it is in the gardens. She had been drawn in by the serenity it seemed to offer her -- a small oasis amid the bustling festival. Her long dress whispers softly behind her as she wanders among the fairy lights and stunning statues. Krystal’s long hair is tied on top of her head, and her white gown has threads of silver and gold woven into it. She sparkles in the soft light amidst the flora. [/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Only hours earlier had Krystal arrived at Nivek, having heard of the festival for months leading up to it. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the gorgeous scenes that greeted her upon her arrival -- the towering opened buildings, the twinkling fountains. The statue of Artemesia, who seemed to be watching over them. Krystal had spent so long in dense metropolitan cities that Nivek seemed to be a breath of fresh air. Here there was no assignment for her, no bounties to chase. Just the city and the stars above.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]As she was getting ready for the festival, it occurred to her that perhaps, going on her lonesome, she would seem out of place among couples or friends. Krystal had been travelling solo for so long now that this rarely bothered her, but at a festival of thanksgiving it seemed perhaps she would stand out. But what could she do about it? This wasn’t going to prevent her from enjoying herself… so she continued to dress. It had been so long since she had gone to a formal party that the hems on her favourite gown were coming undone. There was no time to fix it tonight, however. The raw edges of her cape sleeves and the long skirt would simply have to add length to the dress, causing it to drape along the cobblestones and fall over her fingers when she walked. She wore no jewelry save a simple silver locket she never took off. Her blue eyes were framed with a silver eyeliner, and her high cheekbones highlighted with a smudge of sparkles. Her long sleeves concealed thin knives, as they usually did, but Krystal carried no blaster or other weapons on this peaceful planet. Indeed, she took nothing with her as she left her ship but a small purse, containing only what she needed for the night.[/SIZE]


[SIZE=11pt]Krystal first went to find herself something to drink. Nothing too heavy -- Krystal never felt at ease when her head was fuzzy -- but something to lighten the mood nonetheless. Satisfied with her sweet drink she had purchased at one of the stalls, she noticed the idyllic gardens across the square. Heels echoing along the stones as she walked towards the tall hedges, she began to feel herself relaxing into this environment.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Here, she can finally breathe.[/SIZE]

---
Krystal's Dress (my design)
--
[member="Kelsie Sylvan"]

 

[Kaden Farr]

Capital City Fountains
Nivek
Wearing: xxx

Tag: [member="Maur"]​

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​

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​

Maur, it was an interesting name, but at least she could hear. The pad came out so she could communicate, and Kaden laughed at her assertion about not having the coin to cheer the woman up.

"Don't worry, I do," he said and flagged down someone that could get them two more pints.

The idea was pretty simple at this point. Kaden put the plan together as they walked over to [member="Carbon"] and [member="Vyra Silara"]. Alcohol would cheer them up, so getting everyone drunk was as far as this plant went, but considering Kaden was not that long out of hell, it seemed like a great plan to him. The Mando could not remember the last time he had been drunk, or what the occasion had been.

He offered the drink as he approached.

"Care for the local fare? My name is Kaden, this is Maur, and we are the cheering up party. Our job is to make sure everyone has a good time."

 

[Maur]

"Care for the local fare? My name is Kaden, this is Maur, and we are the cheering up party. Our job is to make sure everyone has a good time."

Maur's ruff had fluffed out as she realized [member="Kaden Farr"] was taking two pints of a very strong liquor to a woman who looked like she, at most, drank a glass of champagne in a night. The other had a mask over his face so Maur was truly wondering what his plan was. She watched from the bench as he approached the couple not far off, weaving through the crowd.

Then the human opened his mouth. Maur snorted through her nose and put the datapad up to her throat once more.

"Don't blame me, I've no part in this," she said. "This is your self-appointed herculean task."

[member="Carbon"] [member="Vyra Silara"]

 

[Genesis Rostu]

Location: The Gardens, Nivek​

Tag: [member="Valencia Hadley"]​

The jesting could never hide the hurt.

The Grand Marshal had a suspicion that this was where she wanted to be. That the Viceroy had not reached out in order to simply wander about the hedges without addressing the elephant in the room. On that day, upon the sandy shores of Scarif, the scab that had been their relationship had been pricked. And from that moment, Genesis could hardly keep the woman out of his mind. Old regrets made themselves manifest at nearly every hour; and knowing that they both resided on Manda only seemed to make the memories all the more vivid. She was so close - so close now that, if she hadn't reached out...he would have eventually done so. Now, as they strolled throughout the garden, it seemed as though they were laying themselves bare before one another. At first, the Clone greeted her with a jest - one that illicited a small smile from Valencia as he approached. But when he spoke her true name, Haddie, the light of the moment waned.

The spotlight had been cast upon the past with the utterance of a single word, and the tone had been set from that moment. They walked, together, as they had so many times before. Valencia strolled with her arm laced through his own; though, she had yet to hand him her shoes yet. The Clone, briefly, mused at the thought of just how many times he had come out of one of her functions carrying her shoes into the car - and then carrying her out of it upon arrival at their lodgings. Ah how she so hated the jokes he'd make all the way up the stairs. Those days were so much simpler. So much brighter. And, despite the fact that they lived within a nation of utmost corruption at the time, they seemed to get by just fine. Genesis just...let the ideals worm into his mind too much. He let the soldier's mentality become his foundation - to the point where he may as well have been a fanatic.

For only a crazed fanatic would have let Valencia go. And that was exactly the folly that was his sin. He admitted it bluntly and openly to the woman. He admitted that he should have followed her lead. He uttered the truth that he knew had caused so many years apart from the first person to ever love him. And it cut him to watch the pain erupt across her face. All that practiced poise shattered in an instant as she settled herself down upon the stone seat. Her voice was devoid of that honeyed political chime that she had cultivated in front of their mirror. When she spoke, her words were...raw. And all that he could say, initially, was "I know." A ragged sigh fell from his lips as he joined her on the bench. Her tired smile was as a hot blade dragging over his chest. For a moment, he said nothing more, but rather reached out until his hand was upon hers.

"I never wanted the stars." he began. "Titles, money, glory...all of that is good and all...But what I've wanted all this time was to just...carry your shoes after the galas and to make you look good during them. I should have trusted you. I should have."

"And if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of my days making it up to you."

 

[Valencia Hadley]

​

Location: The Gardens, Nivek
Tag: [member="Genesis Rostu"]​

​

As he came to the seat beside her and slumped down into it, she felt that tired smile falter once more. She could keep the polite banter up so long as he kept his distance, so long as he wanted to pretend that there wasn't so much left unsaid between them... If he could just pretend that things between them were as they should be now - colleges and neighbors, and not all that they had been to each other. As his hand reached out and took her own, she suspected that he was unwilling to let that happen. She suppressed that ragged sign that threated in her chest and just leveled pale blue eyes up into his own.

She adjusted herself a touch, lifting one of her legs to tuck up under her as she sat sideways on the stone bench, regarding him for several long silent moments once he'd finished speaking. It was so tempting to just accept... She could just tell him 'yes' and they could have what they'd had. She could just nod and take his face in her hands and kiss away that pain that lingered in his eyes. She could pretend that nothing had changed and they were sitting beside one another on the edge of their bed after a long night scheming and plotting their futures in the Empire, dissolving into fits of laughter and falling into one another's arms...

Instead, she wrapped both hands around his and held it gently in her lap, both of their fingers brushing the rough fabric of the shimmering dress. Her voice came quietly, seeming to match the dim light and calm that had settled around them in the small nook she'd managed to situate them in. "Gen; you're... You were my everything, and I had to start from scratch again when I ran from you. I have spent years building what I have now - and I'm not willing to start from scratch again. If you want to be part of this then we need some ground rules. And I need you to be on board with every last one of them before I'm willing to give even an inch."

Her eyes were hard now, gleaming dully in the light from the warm yellow bulbs above them. Neither her hands nor her voice wavered, not this time.

 

[Genesis Rostu]

Location: The Gardens, Nivek​

Tag: [member="Valencia Hadley"]​

He didn't realize how much it had cost.

When the Clone hearkened to the call of the old, Galactic Republic, he did not realize that he was shattering the totality of their world. He always...assumed...that Valencia's talents would have cultivated a reality that did not need him. In fact, save for the dirty work which launched their careers, there were moments when a much younger Genesis deluded himself into thinking she did not need him. She was the pinnacle of strength, poise, and intellect - what need did she truly have for a soldier at her side? Yes...what they had was genuine, but the Clone never thought that her world would have been bereft without him. That her goals and plans would have been broken. Yet, as she said those words, he realized that he had done more than wound her heart.

For quite some time, he wounded her everything. He chose shattered ideals and left her alone. Devoid of it all. And yet...she still took his hand? Still reached out despite the pain he caused? Still...even permitted him to call her by her name? The pain within the sable depths of his eyes was stinging, but he did his absolute best to adopt one of the same poker faces that Valencia had cultivated. If he wanted to make up for all that he had done wrong, there was a chance. But he had to comply with everything she said. There...there was no mirth or light in her voice when spoke. Only the iron confidence of the Viceroy who had ascended despite him. Her hands grasped his own with purpose.

And thus, when she would next speak, Genesis would surely listen.

"I understand." he began, pausing only to clear his throat slightly. "Name it."

As the words formed and fell from his lips, he could only imagine what the demands she had in store were. Valencia would not speak so soundly if it were something as simple as carrying shoes or attending galas. Ground rules...may be implying limits. Walls. Areas where, as of now, he was not yet welcome. And given the circumstances, Genesis wouldn't blame her or argue with anything she demanded. The fact that she clutched his hands in her own was sufficient for him. Knowing that she would even entertain him being apart of her world again was enough to illicit accepting whatever she wanted.

 

[Valencia Hadley]

​

Location: The Gardens, Nivek
Tag: [member="Genesis Rostu"]​

​

When he instantly agreed he would be able to watch as tension melted from her. The grip on his hand that had been so firm and borderline pleading loosened and she bowed her head forward. Perhaps if she'd paused to think on it, she might have realized what she'd been afraid of when she'd spoken last... But she hadn't given herself so much as a moment to contemplate it. Now she let herself mull on it for a moment - even if just for that silent moment before she'd address him again. She was terrified that he'd say no to her... He never could say no to her, no matter the ridiculous things she'd suggested in the past.

Whether it had been spontaneous weekends running off to niche corners of whatever planet they happened to find themselves on, or that wicked business that hung over their heads even to this day... He never said no to her. They disagreed, certainly - he was as stubborn as an ox and she was as fluid as a summers breeze and at times it nearly brought them to blows... But when it really mattered, when she truly needed him, he couldn't seem to say no to her - and she'd grown to trust and need that. She'd learned to count on it... And then it hadn't been there. The memory was painful and she felt herself balk from returning to it as she raised her chin and her eyes, looking at the man that sat before her while she shoved it to the back of her mind.

"Your position is one that is incredibly important, and I daresay that mine is as well. People here don't know me by that name you keep using, and there's a reason for that." Her tone was pointed as she gave his hands a gentle squeeze. Valencia took a small breath before continuing, her voice low and the importance of what she spoke came through all the clearer as a result. "What we did... It would ruin me. The Confederacy is a warring group, to be sure... But they wouldn't condone what we... Of what I did." She sat back a touch and carefully moved his hand from her lap to the space between them, leaving them both holding the weight of their hands between them. "I'm Valencia Hadley - and unless we can be sure that we're alone, I can't be Haddie. You understand, surely?"

It wasn't a difficult request, but it was the starting point where she needed his agreement before she moved on. If he couldn't promise her this small thing, then there was no use asking for the rest.

 

[Genesis Rostu]

Location: The Gardens, Nivek​

Tag: [member="Valencia Hadley"]​

What they had done…

The Grand Marshal had stood before the mirror many times in the hopes of justifying his actions. Of speaking to the reflection in such a way that he might convince the imaginary jury that the blood which stained his hands was no different than any other day. In fact, ever since returning to the Confederacy, he likened the vicious act they had committed to the necessary brutality of the local Obsidian Knighthood. In the face of corruption, the militant order would stop at nothing to root it out - even if it meant destroying a life in the Petranaki Arena. Was...was their transgression any more heinous that this? Was their extermination of a corrupt official any different than what their current state condoned?

There had never been a day where he was able to convince himself that their actions were just. For, even though the end result was "positive", the motivations were avarice plain and simple. It was not justice which drove the young couple to extinguish the aging man. Nor a sense of duty or national pride. No. It was purely done to propel their careers to the next level. And as a result, the chance that that evil would see the light of day haunted Valencia. Perhaps that was the Crux behind the change of name, and not the fact that she had been teased during her youth. Regardless, as her hands yet clung fast to his own, Genesis simply nodded.

"That is understandable. Of course I agree, Valencia." The name felt strange upon his tongue, but he would learn to love it all the same. "I would never want to put you in danger...so of course. Of course I agree."

Part of him wanted to believe that it would be as simple as this...but this was his Haddie he was talking about. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Valencia Hadley]

​

Location: The Gardens, Nivek
Tag: [member="Genesis Rostu"]​

​

It was another weight lifted, and though her new name sounded strange on his lips, she allowed herself to feel another measure of relief. It was... Almost too much to hope that it would all go smoothly. What had sent her running and what had made him stay was still there between them - but if he was so willing to say yes to her again... She didn't want to hope, she didn't want to let herself believe just yet that it could all be this simple.

"Thank you, Gen." Her voice raised to a normal level once more as she sat herself up straight, adjusting the grip of her hands to instead lay her fingers in his palm. She let out a sigh she hadn't been aware she was holding and even allowed herself a small smile. It felt wonderful to have him here, so close, and for some reason so willing to be agreeable. It felt like old times... Like something she never thought she'd get to feel again, and it was a touch intoxicating if she was being honest.

"I also want us to take things slowly if we can." The blonde tried not to let that mirth in her eyes fade as she said it, even as she felt herself panicking a touch in the back of her own mind at her words. She didn't want to take her time. The Viceroy knew that, based on the look in those dark eyes of his, if she asked it of him they could be as they were even now. She wanted that. She wanted to melt into him and let him do the work to help her forget about the last few years... But she couldn't. Not yet. Not when everything was on the line - not again.

"I need us to at least try and give one another space - I want to relearn who you are now, and I want to give this a fighting chance... Because if I just let things be the way they were and it falls apart again-" She caught herself as her words began to speed up, that panic she'd been fighting starting to make her tone a touch higher pitched. She slammed her lips shut and looked down at their hands, a sting behind her eyes making the panic die as she grew angry with herself. One slow breath... Two... Three... She raised her gaze to his once more and that panic was gone, a steely resolve in its place. "We can't rush this."

 

[Genesis Rostu]

Location: The Gardens, Nivek​

Tag: [member="Valencia Hadley"]​

It made...sense.

Emotion and Logic went to war in the Grand Marshal's mind. On one hand...the desire to return to the way things were was a thunderous voice within the man's head. He wanted to walk the same path that they had before - of spending every free moment they had within mere inches of the other. After she reached out on the datapad...he had, for more than one moment, entertained the thought of parking his fleet within the Manda System for ease of being closer. But the logical part of his brain was working overtime to shut that down as swiftly as possible. Deep down, Genesis knew that they were both not the same exact people as they were years prior. Aside from the chasm that had been torn between them, each now had literal millions of responsibilities to attend to.

Valencia didn't realize that, in the turbulent landscape of the Galaxy, taking things slow was exactly the way things would end up being. They could pretend that the past several years had not occurred...But at the drop of a credit they could be tugged away by their "lofty" mantles. The clone didn't state as much in response to her words, for he understood where she was coming from. Valencia...needed to protect herself. The fact that she was this open meant that what she felt hadn't changed over the years. But he watched how much it hurt her to say as much. He witnessed the pain that flashed within those blue eyes he adored. She...she wouldn't be able to bear such pain a second time.

And though he had no intention of every making the same mistakes again, Valencia had to come to terms at her own pace. Genesis could understand that. And he would respect that. He had to. Reaching, he gently brushed her cheek with his fingertips and offered that warm smile of his. "Val." he began...it would take some getting used to saying this over Haddie, but the sweetness in his tone was genuine. "I'm following your lead, plain and simple. We walk as fast as you choose."

"Besides, the slower we go, the longer my kitchen isn't defiled by tea and the supremacy of caf can be upheld." He saw...just how much her composure was almost lost. And he would be a poor helpmate if he didn't at least try to return a smile to her face. If that meant challenging her beverage of choice, so be it.

 

[Kelsie Sylvan]

"That's what I think!" Kelsie exclaimed, grinning widely to Niklaas. She enjoyed being around someone like herself, willing to do new things and have fun. She was the type to do things on impulse -- after all, there were so many new things to try and experience in this vast galaxy. She'd done a lot in her life, but being cooped up in a facility for most of your life was a good way for someone like Kelsie to develop an insatiable wanderlust. She was young and wanted to live a fruitful life.

She wanted to stay with Nik for a long time, and she'd probably drop whatever she was doing to go with him if he was the one asking her. But as she looked out at the star-filled sky her mind wandered to her other, new responsibilities. She was only taking a short time off of her assignment with the Dauntless of the CIS -- she'd have to get back soon. She'd have to tell him, but for now she wanted nothing else to matter.

Kelsie leaned on Nik just slightly, still stuck to his side as she listened to him. "Well I'll have to show you some incredible places..."

[member="Niklaas Azthal"]

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Fountains



Refreshed and dressed up for the evening, Adelle wove her way through the crowds of festival goers. Vendors and stalls hawked their wares from the sides of the roads, offering all manner of liquors, sweet treats, and souvenirs. She stopped at a stall offering necklaces and bracelets from a local jeweler, showcasing the local gemstones. The credit chits inside her bra felt like it was burning a hole in her skin. Still, she had the whole night ahead of her to go. There were drinks to be drunk and food to be eaten, music to dance to and flirting to be made. Adelle nearly stepped back into the flow of the crowd before realizing that Na'an would miss most of it, working at the catering table Noba had rented.

On a whim she picked a simple chain with a silver star pendant. A bright purple gem sat in the middle of the star, its facets winking in the twilight. The vendor slipped it into a small bag and handed it to her. Adelle headed to the massive Lyceum building for the second time that day, prize in hand.