One Thousand Voices | Laneya

[Darth Metus]

C I T Y​

O F ..I N D U S T R Y​

Region: Mid Rim
Local Time: 1023
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

Druckenwell was known for many things...

Save for a decent cup of caf. As a metropolitan planet, Druckenwell was a leader of industry and commerce within the Southern Systems. Its reconstituted shipyards became legendary for forging the first Confederate fleets decades ago. As a result, all manner of business flowed through the world - making it a literal commercial hub. Yet, despite its gilded reputation, sprawling skyline, and countless storefronts, Rience struggled to find a relatively common resource. Upon setting foot upon the world, all the caf he had been exposed to tasted like dirt.

On the list of priorities, a decent cup of the life-sustaining beverage was not the most paramount. However, as the meetings drew to a close and the man found himself free for a few hours, the question eventually wormed into his head. Was it something to do with poor water quality in the city? Or was it that he hadn't been going to the right places? The political entities and corporate honchos he had spoken to had droids which made caf on the spot. Thus, their recommendations were often chain establishments that could be found anywhere.

Following a whim, Rience decided to ask someone who would truly know - a local serving as the receptionist to his final stop of the day. Her recommendation was for a diner in the seedier part of town, and she swore on everything the trip would be worth it. She even lauded the establishment for having light entertainment in the form of singing waitresses. Actual waitresses, and not the scantily-clad entertainers of red light districts. With nothing else better to do, Rience opened his umbrella and braved the afternoon rains.

In short order, he did indeed arrive at the diner in question; and straightway he stuck out like a sore thumb. It appeared as though the diner was a watering hole for the working class of the planet - the ship-hands, port workers, servicemen, etc. And thus, heads briefly turned when the sharply dressed male strode inside. However, the attention was fleeting, but it was not to their meals that they returned their gazes to. On a simple, elevated platform, a young woman was singing her heart out - and every man, woman, and child seemed transfixed on the performance.

Rience promptly shrugged off his outer coat and seated himself at one of the furthest booths. Whilst awaiting service, he did hearken to the performance ever so slightly - and it was then that he felt a tug upon his mind. T'was if his brain had suddenly became feline and a laser pointer was lighting up the stage. The man shrugged off the sensation and guarded himself further, yet, curiously, the source seemed to be the song blaring from the microphone. The Warlock raised his eyebrow inquisitively and awaited the conclusion to the performance.

There was applause of the likes he hadn't seen since the last election cycle. But, in the end, all went back to their meals and the star of the show resumed her other role. When she eventually made her way over, Rience offered a polite smile. "That was a lovely song." he began. "Rumor has it your caf is just as nice. Is that true?"

 

[Laneya Wexler]

This was the dream. For a sixteen year old, having a full-time job doing exactly what you loved to do, and getting paid well to do it? It was a dream! Sure, there were some pretty gritty people to deal with here and there, but the tips were nothing to shake a stick at, especially if Laneya had just been on stage before she started working tables. That unnatural allure that spilled from her lips every time her vocal chords vibrated in some musical form worked wonders in a place like this. People came here for the food and the entertainment, and at least half of that was on par every time, which kept them paying good. Which was why the brunette remained here, working in a joint like this.

Or at least that's what she told herself day in and day out. Fact of the matter was, Lana was a sixteen year old girl. A girl who had no choice but to work in a somewhat shady environment just so that she could keep a roof over her head and food in her belly. She was young, and she was alone, and after a year of all of this? It was taking it's toll on her.

And yet, no one was the wiser over the fact. Lana remained warm and pleasant to be around, her sets were performed with passion and fire, and she kept up with the daily influx of patrons as they spilled in and out of the place. She had learned how to keep up her own spirits a long time ago, and this given situation was no different than (semi) growing up had been. So when it had been time for her to get on the little make-shift stage, she hadn't hesitated a wit. She had taken her place and settled right into a jazzy little number that she could croon with sickening ease, and as she watched the patrons in the room lean in just a little to be that much more absorbed, a clearly visible smirk lined Lana's lips for just a moment.

She was in her element with music, and when it was done she left the stage with that much more confidence because she knew just how much more receptive most people would be of her now. Don't think she hadn't noticed the sharply dressed newcomer; the moment those doors had opened, her gaze had shifted even if no other part of her had. That was the type of person this place never got, hell most of the people in the place - working or otherwise - were hardly even ever near a person of such caliber. So, when none of the other girls had stepped up to the plate to take orders? Well, Lana was hardly shy.

"Hello there, stranger." she let out, though the way the words came from her, it was as if she wasn't speaking to a stranger at all. Though before she could continue her spiel, this man had spoke up and not only compliment her, but questioned her as well. Laneya blinked once or twice, and then she smiled easily enough and nodded her head. "Well thank you very much, and to answer your inquiry? We have people crawl into this place just for the caf," she answered him. "If that tells you anything."


Tag: [member="Rience"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Location: Local Diner
Local Time: 1028
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

Radiance.

Following the performance, the young woman promptly descended from her platform and was the first to make her way over to the Lord Commander's seat. As she moved, it seemed as though the "spell" that her melody cast had waned almost immediately. Given her clear youth, it was good that the soiled workers were not drooling over her beyond the performance - but the reality caused the Warlock's eyebrow to quirk ever so slightly. Beyond the thunderous applause at the song's conclusion, there was...nothing. Chatter returned. Boisterous laughter. The clatter of silverware upon plates. Yet, the energy of the diner faded in an instant.

When the woman began to answer his question, Rience took it upon himself to pry ever so slightly. He did not invade her thoughts or any such breach of decorum. Rather, he expanded his perception of his surroundings. In doing so, he could feel that which made others...stand out...just a bit more easily. In the case of the young performer, it was much akin to her person becoming a radiant candle in his peripheral vision. There was no doubting that which made her special - but how did someone like that end up in a diner such as this?

As she spoke, her words were a stark contrast to her surroundings as well. Whereas her co-workers' chatter was the most broken Basic he had ever heard, the young woman spoke quite well. Curious indeed. "Stranger?" he began, offering a warm smile. "You may call me Rience. What is your name, young lady?" She then, of course, spoke highly of the caf that he had come all this way to sample. However, given the...caliber of client she most likely was exposed to, crawling into the diner for a cup was most likely a sign of drunks. He didn't remark on this aloud, but simply nodded as she lauded the beverage.

"Well, that's the second solid recommendation I've heard today. Could you start me off with a cup? And do you have any recommendations for what I should try alongside it?" Having never eaten at the diner before, he figured it would be safe to go off of the young woman's knowledge. However, it the end result was a flip-flopped stomach, he could always crawl back to the Obsidian sick-bay later on. Maintaining his smile, he then posed a simple question to sate his curiosity.

"How did a singer like you end up...here? If you don't mind my asking of course."

 

[Laneya Wexler]

"Stranger," the young waitress had confirmed, and nodded her head even in the same moment. After all, the pair of them were not acquainted, so that made them strangers. However, as this particular patron continued to speak and even introduce himself - or at the very least give her a name to work with - Lana shook her head just slightly though she smiled in slight amusement. "I'm Laneya, though as my name apparently sounds too high class for most people's tastes, everyone around here just calls me Lana." It was an easy simplification of her name, and honestly didn't even originate here, though the people surrounding her day in and day out seemed to pick it up quickly enough on their own. No, the nickname had originated in the group home she had come from.

The switch of topic back to the situation at hand made the girl shift on her feet and look all the more amused. "See? I'm telling you, you won't find a better cup anywhere else." she both assured and promised. Hey, a dive like this had to have at least one staple worth venturing here for, and while some would argue that it was the entertainment, Lana would defend the caf with her dying breath if it came down to it.

The fact that this Rience ordered a cup brightened the girl's smile a bit more, and she put the information into the clearly rundown, old, yet somehow still functioning datapad she had in her hand. "Food wise? I think today's special will go good with it, and if you're daring I'll leave it a surprise and let you be the judge when it all comes to the table." Bold, but Lana was very confident that the meal would deliver and impress. And if it didn't? Well, then he wouldn't have to tip her and she'd do some tweaking to his bill.

While she was working in his order, his following question seemed to throw her. Lana's fingers ceased against the pad and she looked up over the edge of the device to see him, but didn't really lift her head any to do so. For a time she was quiet, and she seemed to take in his appearance, the way he was dressed, and she suddenly seemed a little guarded. She was a sixteen year old girl who had been cast out from the system she had grown up in, after all. "This is just where I ended up," she did at least answer, "Got offered a job, and I couldn't refuse it, so here I am." Now she lowered the pad and loft a brow slowly. "Why do you ask?"


Tag: [member="Rience"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Location: Local Diner
Local Time: 1030
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

Out of Place.

It seemed as though the more that the young woman spoke, the more she stuck out like a sore thumb. Following the Lord Commander's introduction, she returned the gesture by presenting her own name. This was coupled by a quick explanation of why she went by another name - Lana. Those about her in this sordid environment considered the name of her birth too "high class." In essence, from the moment she drew her first breath, she did not belong here in some seedy diner. "It's a shame that they think that way. Laneya is quite the lovely name." His remark was as kind as it was genuine - coupled with a toothy grin to boot.

Of course, the reason for his voyage into the diner soon came to the forefront of their encounter once more. Laneya continued to present her case that the diner's caf was to die for - and she did so without use of that innate talent of hers. By now, Rience had relented and ordered a cup - a fact which seemed to thrill the young woman to no end. She quickly tapped the order down on...what could only pass for the most dated datapad the Lord Commander had ever seen. How she could even get work done on such a device was a small miracle in of itself. Nonetheless, his question regarding a companion meal to the beverage was answered...vaguely.

"Hmm..." he began, tapping his chin in mock thought. "I surmise I'll have to take your word for it. But only if you join me while I eat." The request was most likely one that she received quite frequently following a performance. No doubt those who were intoxicated by her talents...or otherwise intoxicated...would have asked for more of her attention over the years. However, 'twas Rience's curiosity regarding her state of being that prompted his request. And, unlike the drivel which dominated the diner, he had a medium that was not easily refused.

He did not speak further until she gave the bare bones explanation as to why she had ended up in this place. Fate had rolled the dice of her life and this is where she ended up. The fact that she couldn't refuse it - as opposed to pick up some other line of work - spoke volumes. Rience was no sage, but he was not stupid either; he knew what being hungry and out of options felt like. "Well. The reason I ask is..." he said, reaching inside his coat momentarily. There, he produces a silver creditchit and lays it flat upon his dominant hand. "Is that I believe that you are far too gifted for a place like this. Why, I reckon, that you are gifted in the same way as I."

On a whim the chit hovered off the surface of his palm. Only an inch - but enough to illustrate his point. "Should you be willing to join me for breakfast, I'll duly compensate you for your time of course...What do you say?"

 

[Darth Metus]

Location: Local Diner
Local Time: 1030
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

Out of Place.

It seemed as though the more that the young woman spoke, the more she stuck out like a sore thumb. Following the Lord Commander's introduction, she returned the gesture by presenting her own name. This was coupled by a quick explanation of why she went by another name - Lana. Those about her in this sordid environment considered the name of her birth too "high class." In essence, from the moment she drew her first breath, she did not belong here in some seedy diner. "It's a shame that they think that way. Laneya is quite the lovely name." His remark was as kind as it was genuine - coupled with a toothy grin to boot.

Of course, the reason for his voyage into the diner soon came to the forefront of their encounter once more. Laneya continued to present her case that the diner's caf was to die for - and she did so without use of that innate talent of hers. By now, Rience had relented and ordered a cup - a fact which seemed to thrill the young woman to no end. She quickly tapped the order down on...what could only pass for the most dated datapad the Lord Commander had ever seen. How she could even get work done on such a device was a small miracle in of itself. Nonetheless, his question regarding a companion meal to the beverage was answered...vaguely.

"Hmm..." he began, tapping his chin in mock thought. "I surmise I'll have to take your word for it. But only if you join me while I eat." The request was most likely one that she received quite frequently following a performance. No doubt those who were intoxicated by her talents...or otherwise intoxicated...would have asked for more of her attention over the years. However, 'twas Rience's curiosity regarding her state of being that prompted his request. And, unlike the drivel which dominated the diner, he had a medium that was not easily refused.

He did not speak further until she gave the bare bones explanation as to why she had ended up in this place. Fate had rolled the dice of her life and this is where she ended up. The fact that she couldn't refuse it - as opposed to pick up some other line of work - spoke volumes. Rience was no sage, but he was not stupid either; he knew what being hungry and out of options felt like. "Well. The reason I ask is..." he said, reaching inside his coat momentarily. There, he produces a silver creditchit and lays it flat upon his dominant hand. "Is that I believe that you are far too gifted for a place like this. Why, I reckon, that you are gifted in the same way as I."

On a whim the chit hovered off the surface of his palm. Only an inch - but enough to illustrate his point. "Should you be willing to join me for breakfast, I'll duly compensate you for your time of course...What do you say?"

 

[Laneya Wexler]

The compliment to her name had been appreciated, enough so to earn a much less professional and certainly more genuine smile from Lana. It was nice to hear that someone could appreciate the root of her name, rather than scoff at her for it and dismiss it - and her - due to some ridiculous theory that it was too posh and therefore made the girl think she was better than anyone else. Which was ridiculous twice over, considering she worked in this place willingly. But despite all of that, she didn't focus on the compliment to her name for very long. When the offer to sit and join this patron during his meal came up, Lana loft a brow in reaction at first.

This was indeed something she dealt with quite often, yes. Swooning patrons from either her vocals or whatever drivel they had pumping through their veins at the time, or even a mix of both on occasion. But naturally she would turn them down with a polite smile and an easy excuse, then be on her way to return to her tables. In this moment however, the typical denial that she would have usually had on the tip end of her tongue did not make it past her teeth. She did stand there in obvious thought, and while it would seem that she was debating an answer, really she was trying to figure out why she couldn't seem to politely decline the invitation as she usually would.

In fact, Laneya felt quite rude for standing there so long in silence, but it was a silence driven further along when the display happened right before her. The chit had of course drawn her eyes; the girl would be the first to admit that she was only merely making ends meet, after all. But any and all scrutiny in her expression was immediately replaced with first shock, then confusion when the object hefted from Rience's palm. Lana's gaze shifted instantly from the display to the man's face, and without moving her gaze again the girl slowly sat in the seat across from his. The order for his meal had already gone to the kitchen via her datapad after all, so for the moment, she had time.

"Alright, you most definitely have my attention..." Not that, that wasn't painstakingly obvious. It was also an answer to the question he didn't really ask; They shared a similar talent, though there was a very defined difference between them. This man obviously knew what it was, and knew how to control and use it to boot. For Lana it had been a lot of accidents, a lot of things she didn't understand. The only thing she had control over was the use of her voice. So to come face to face with someone who could do something like this? She wasn't quite sure what to think at the moment.


Tag: [member="Rience"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Location: Local Diner
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

It wasn't the first time.

The expression of confusion...of wonder...which dominated the young woman's features was a familiar one. It took Rience back to the first time he had ever encouraged a younger soul to embrace their Sensitivity to the Force. The circumstances were far less benign then than the present. In fact, it was after a world had been practically raised to the ground. The flames were yet fresh upon the structures as a far younger Rience lowered himself to a crouch before a young man. He plied the same "trick" - levitating a creditchit and offering to show the boy more.

How some things never changed in the Galaxy. There would always be those who were blessed by the Force's embrace - and there would always be those who would guide them accordingly. After the display of his own talents, the young woman began to slowly descend upon the seat and ultimately settled before him. She earned a genuine, toothy grin from the Lord Commander in light of this. Soon, the creditchit settled upon his palm and he laid it upon the table thusly. "As promised, this is for you." he began.

His hands then came to be neatly folded upon the tabletop as his gaze locked upon her eyes. "When you sing...and when I raise a coin...we are both in touch with the same power. It is called the Force." As he began to speak, his dominant hand rose and began to move absently, as if illustrating his words. "Those who are blessed with such a touch are called Force Sensitives. And this is a gift far too precious to squander in a diner." He chuckled softly at the thought and pushed the credit forward.

"I can take you away from all this. I can show you how to master this blessing of yours. You'll be free to determine your fate - you'll bow to nothing." His fingertips raised from the creditchit and both hands returned to being folded atop the table. "Alternatively, I can leave you with thorough compensation for your time. The choice is yours, Laneya."

​

 

[Laneya Wexler]

It was an incredible thing, to be face to face with someone who could do such things. Naturally Laneya had grown hearing stories of such people, about their sorcery and tricks of the mind. Yet never once, not one time did she ever consider what she could do with her voice as such a thing. Yes, she knew what it did, but had never understood how it worked. It had merely just been something that was, nothing more or less. Though now, hearing Rience speak...clearly it was something much, much more.

Lana's gaze fell to the creditchit, and while she did not reach out to take it she did study it very intently. But she wasn't looking at it for what it was. In that moment it was as if her mind was second guessing what was being said to her, questioning and testing the things she had just been told. She was looking for some sort of trick, some gimmick that would make the thing lift the way it had, but there was nothing.

So once again Lana's gaze shifted, this time so that she met the gaze of the man across from her instead. "Where would I go?" she at least had the mind to ask. "This has been my home, my every day in and day out. I wouldn't know what to do, or where to start anywhere else..." They were valid questions and concerns, considering how her life had been. She had been doing everything in her own power to survive here, and had been doing an okay job of it. But she was young, and the promise of something more, something better was very obviously tempting to her.


Tag: [member="Rience"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Location: Local Diner
Tag: [member="Laneya Wexler"]

Indecision gripped her.

Though the young woman made no movements, the totality of her attention was upon the creditchit. Her gaze was fixated upon its form - but her expression looked beyond it. Such was it to be lost in thought, and the Lord Commander could not blame Laneya in the slightest. After all, it was not everyday that a well-dressed stranger waltzed in and offered to flip her life upside down. It was wise that she did not immediately make a decision. Wiser still that the first words that came in response were not an affirmation or a declination.

Rather, a question of details.

As the woman spoke, his eyes met her gaze as she adjusted her attention. "As this is your home, then I'm certain you're familiar with Druckenwell's current state." he began. Once more, his offhand moved absently, punctuating his words with motion. "That it is a Confederate world and so on. Well. Among the Confederacy is an order called the Knights Obsidian - perhaps you are familiar to some extent?" For but a moment, he settled his hand back down upon the table.

"I am apart of this organization. There is where you would go. As opposed to seeing the walls of the diner, we would first go to Geonosis. From there, as my charge, I will take you with me wherever I go. Missions. Diplomatic ventures." His fingers absently moved in a small circle, denoting etc. etc. etc. "And...as this is not a religion like the Jedi or Sith, you are compensated for your efforts as well. You'll have ample means to venture out into the stars should you choose."

His chin raised. The ball was in her court once more. "So, what say you Laneya?"

 

[Laneya Wexler]

If there was one thing she could say confidently about this entire encounter, it was that Rience had not once withheld information from her. Anything she asked, he answered, and he didn't just skimp on details. He was making sure she was informed, that she understood what was being laid out in front of her, and what the choice was.

Honestly for anyone else, the decision would have been easy. The chance to get away from this cesspool, to go and learn new things, meet new people, see other places, and be compensated for their time? They'd have jumped all over it. But for Laneya, her focus wasn't on those factors. Sure, all of those things would be brilliant, amazing really especially for someone like her. But getting out of this place for her meant something else. It meant starting over again. It meant giving up what she had worked very hard to get and keep. Not just her life here, but her small reputation as well due to the very thing that had started this conversation in the first place.

However, Rience had said she would be his charge, that she would remain with him, and that right there was the real selling point. Lana was still young after all, and being alone all of the time was hard on her for a variety of reasons. She had grown this far without a family, she had come here and had no choice but to survive on her own. So the idea of someone else being around, someone who could teach her as well as help look out for her - she wasn't helpless after all - it was honestly an offer she did not want to refuse.

"I know a little about the Knights Obsidian," she had been silent for quite a long time, and when she finally spoke up her tone was softer. "Not enough to impress anyone, but enough to know they exist." Her fingers thread together and she laid her hands in her lap as her brow creased. "I don't quite understand why you're offering this opportunity to me. I don't have much to offer to an order of the Confederacy." She was agile, and ridiculously flexible - both physically and not - but that was the extent of it really. "I don't have any fighting experience, and all I really have is my voice..." Well, that's all she knew how to do, for now at least.


Tag: [member="Rience"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Doubt.

Though the Lord Commander had not been on the forefront of the Order's recruitment efforts, he had been privy to the successes and the failures. For most who had been dealt a rather sordid card in life, a new direction was sorely craved. Those who had been enslaved, downtrodden, or bereft of opportunity often leapt at the Obsidian Path. Within the Knighthood, there was stability. Community. A purpose and meaning. A future. Thus, as Rience presented the offer to the young woman, there was a small part of him who anticipated a similar result. All that he had to offer was a far cry from the surroundings they sat within. All he had to offer was as gold compared to the grime of this corner of Druckenwell.

Yet, as he posed his final question, he could feel a cloud erupt into being about her. T'was not mighty nor thunderous, yet doubt obscured her thoughts. There was a conflict roiling within that the man could not immediately see. And as the young woman responded, it was beginning to make sense. Spurned forward by instinct alone, the Lord Commander reached out. His hand hovered over the credits for a moment, yet continued past them until resting upon her shoulder. "You, unlike many others in the Galaxy, were born with a gift. A gift that you already know."

"That Voice? You are giving yourself far too little credit Laneya. Knowledge comes with time and exposure - yet that no one can teach. I offer this to you so that you can take that voice, take your gift, and make it even greater. Not only that, but you would have a fitting home among us. The one thing to know most about the Knighthood, is that none of us are ever alone."

"So what do you say? Will you follow me?" As he posed the question once more, the man gave her shoulder a light squeeze and offered a warm smile. At the very least, she could say he was the definition of genuine.

[member="Laneya Wexler"]​

 

[Laneya Wexler]

She had listened to everything that had been said to her intently. The hand to her shoulder had not made her flinch, or shy away, in fact it had been quite comforting if she were being honest. It had been quite some time since anyone had laid a comforting hand on her, and it showed on her face even though she tried hard to seem unphased. However, it wasn't any of those things that got a serious reaction from her. No, it was the last of what had just been said to her that seemed to really push this offer one way rather than the other.

When told that no one was ever alone? Laneya's head had lifted just a little more and her expression softened severely. For a time she just stared across the table, seeming to take those simple words and run with them. For a girl who had never had a family, much less experienced one? That was probably the most alluring thing that could have ever been said to her. It was most definitely the way to close up a recruitment pitch, and was written plain as day all over her face.

"Alright," the word slipped past Lana's lips and for a time seemed to be like all she was going to say. But her head bobbed once and the hands she had, had in her lap came up to rest on the table - still threaded at the fingers, but visible now. "Alright, I'll go with you." she told him. Her gaze then cast around the diner for a moment before settling back on Rience once again. "How does this happen? What do I need to do now?"


[member="Rience"]