Sailing the Seven Seas

[Tmoxin Temi]

Location: The Seven Seas Resort on Leritor

The beauty of the Seven Seas Resort was impressive. Tmoxin Temi, Vicerene of Lok, had been so taken with the resort during the Confederacy masquerade ball that she booked it for a vacation with Derek so they could catch up without the background noise of politics. Yet no masks would be worn tonight.

In fact, she resolved to come clean to her companion about anything he wanted to know. While Tmoxin could survive among a social milieu built on an ice-thin layer of trust, she knew that did not last. Eventually you fell and succumbed to the freezing water of betrayal.

She would never do that to Derek. He’d always been the one lighthouse she could sail back to in her fog of confusion and self-manufactured misdeeds.

The Hapan Dark Jedi had lots of surprises planned, but first they had dinner reservations in the expansive ballroom on the main floor. Tmoxin wore a more revealing gown now that she and Derek finally weren’t in a meeting room or other such sterile bureaucratic atmosphere. White and form fitting, it clung to curves sculpted from years of military service.

Her red hair had grown out from the shorter style she’d worn previous. Tmoxin had let Derek go down to the ballroom first, so she could take her time getting ready. With an anticipatory smile, after entering she looked around for the man she’d met, as fate would have it, killing a hutt with her bare hands as they both escaped an exploding pleasure yacht. Derek would have information of the Confederacy advancements, and the Hapan ruler was especially keen to know just what their Vicelord had been up to, filtered through the Kiffar’s strong intellect and instinct.

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Stepping from the circular stair way of the resort he took a moment to run a hand down the front of his suit jacket as his eyes flickered over the decadence of the foyer. A small sigh escaped his lips at the small trip that he was engaging in. The duties of the Viceroyalty and leading the system of Siskeen had a weight that had settled upon his broad shoulders. Yet he was neither bowed or cowed by the responsibility. Bit that was not to say he did not need moments of respite. His head turned to look from when we he had come. The red headed Hapan woman always seemed to offer respite that was both enjoyable and challenging. And it would be a lie if he was to say he didn't enjoy the stolen moments the two were able to share.

Moving along he found his way to the dining area, empty of any save himself, and moved to one of the waiting tables. Taking a seat he took in the ambient setting with a twitch of his lips. Cooly romantic with obvious beauty. A reflection of the woman he yet waited for. Releasing the buttons of the jacket he leaned back, his mind flickering over the message he had received from [member="Tmoxin Temi"] during the first meeting of the Viceroyalty. Unanswered questions were apparent. The will placed the two upon unexplored footing. Before that point their relationship was undefined, just moments taken vigorously when presented as two strangers slowly revolved around one another to learn more of one another. Strangers no more, instead they were intimate friends who had not yet placed a descriptive label on what they were. One thing he did know was that he had feelings for the Hapan, and he believed they were shared. Though with Tmoxin you could never be sure what machinations were at work beneath her gaze.

Eyes turned to the entrance where she had appeared. The relative size of the room cloaked him in it's massive sprawl, yet their eyes met mere moments later. As she moved to join him at the table he stood, his eyes following the accented curves the dress drew the gaze to. A swallow was followed by a grin. She was an enigma. Warrior and regal. Regardless of the title thrust upon her, she was a woman like no other.

He moved from around the table and reached out to collect her hand within his own and bowed to press warm lips gently against the silken skin. Rising he shook his head slightly.

"Tmoxin, you are ever a sight. A dash of water to a man in the desert."

Reaching out he slid a chair from the table for her to be seated in which he would slide it in before moving to his own seat, a flush of genuine pleasure and excitement flashing through his body and leaving a hint of a flush upon his face.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin appreciated the exclusiveness of The Seven Seas. As she approached Derek in his sharp, dark blue suit, she scanned the room for signs of the Force, but the two of them were the only Masters in the room. One could think that the pair was most powerful of all inhabitants of the resort, but Tmoxin preferred to believe that they would be under no threat.

As much as she enjoyed Hapes, she felt on firmer ground now back in Confederacy space, though hesitant and given enough glasses of wine, felt forthcoming enough to recount her entire trip.

“I like to think I’m the water to your fire,” she said teasingly, recalling some of their earlier encounters together and how steamy they had been. Fire was one of Derek’s favorite metaphors - it was one of the things she loved about him; The elegant word play that left a lasting impression.

Like the perfect gentleman he rose from the table, his lips brushing hers, causing an immediate tingle of electricity, and as Derek took her hand, Tmoxin slipped into the chair with a graceful sideways motion. And as they locked gazes the expression on his handsome face made her want to skip dinner altogether and rush right back to their luxury suite.

A server came by and glasses were quickly filled with Smuggler’s Red. “Talk to me about anything but politics, love,” she suggested gently. By that request she made a reference to the tense Viceroyal vote recently. “How is Siskeen? Any grandiose projects happening in the south?"

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

Her light innuendo again caused a slight heat upon his face. They had shared many things together. A raging battle upon a ship that cumulated in a hutt's death, keffi riding in the foothills of her ranch, a walk upon the beach in the rain, and even swimming under a waterfall. Theirs was the uncomplicated relationship of security forged in intimate, private moments. And yet they also shared the responsibility of authority granted to rulers. While this didn't necessarily add to their relationship, neither did it fully detract from it.

He gave a curt nod to the server who left them to their own devices. He felt the curious, and even covetous, gaze from several of the other diners within the room as eyes greedily raked upon his form and the curvaceous red head across him. While he noticed the interest, his attention was well and fully upon the Hapan across from him, sharing the sentiment shared by those in the room that [member="Tmoxin Temi"] was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon.

A sly smile crossed his lips at her request. Another well founded notion he shared with the lovely woman. There were times for business, but when he had these quiet moments with Tmoxin, he wished to share their lives, not their jobs. Taking the crystal flute in his hand he lightly swirled it before raising it slightly.

"To stolen moments."

Tipping the flute he let the wine rest for seconds in his tongue before swallowing. Placing the flute down he carefully laced his fingers together before him. What was going on in Siskeen? Other then preparation for war? His eyes lit up at the other projects he had yet to share with someone he was close to.

"I may have a few plans unfolding in the South. We are funding a new station in orbit around Olanet. It's going to be an astronomical research and observatory. I believe that for minds of the young, and young at heart, to be able to reach their aspirations of gaining the stars a place for the daydreamer, the romantic, and the scientifically minded should have a Haven that's their own. It's also going to have a floor that's only reinforced transparisteel. Imagine a panoramic view of the stars ..."

He realized he was speaking a little too fast and tilted his face down for a moment. This was a passion project of his and was reveling in the opportunity to share it with someone he loved. Looking back up he smiled again at the woman across from him that managed to get him out of the veneer of the polished aristocrat that he had worn for quite some time.

"And how goes your endeavors, Ms Temi? I've heard whispers of intrigue."

He in turn offered her the opportunity to regale him with stories of her own travels, whatever she wished to share. Her voice was music to his ears and he felt he could listen to her for hours.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Tmoxin watched Derek sip the sanguine colored liquid, and for a moment she longed to trade places with that glass, recalling intimate moments with the Kiffar’s tongue.

“An observatory? I would love to attend the opening ceremonies for that.” She could write off the trip to Siskeen as a business expense, and quite honestly the thought of a romantic night making love to Derek somewhere inside the facility gave her a shivering thrill.

She smiled at the Viceroyal with a day-dreaming wistful expression, her index finger tracing the lip of her glass, but her brow furrowed when Derek mentioned intrigue on Hapes. She would have a difficult time hiding the anxiety on her freckled features, but she did her best.

“Hapes was very good. I’m happy to report that I’m no longer estranged from my family. I spent time with my sister and visited Fountain Palace, even securing a meeting with Queen Badeaux on behalf of the Confederacy. Furthermore Tha’ga and I were successful in establishing the Hapan Heritage Council which seeks to preserve our cultural values, our matriarchy, long-standing customs and traditions.”

Tmoxin raised her own glass to her lips, but took a nervous gulp, and as she placed it down on the white tablecloth, her hand trembled a little as she asked the next question.

“What intrigue did you hear about?”

[member="Derek Dib"]

 

[Derek Dib]

His lips curled up at the expression that flickered across her face, Tmoxin's eyes following the motion of his lips upon the flute glass. He shared her shiver as her finger lightly traced the rim of her own glass slowly. Leaning back in his chair his crimson tinted eyes traced her face and trailed along her neck, swallowing at the memory of the taste of her skin. She affected him more then he would admit to any other, yet surely she knew the emotions she illicited within him.

A genuine smile as she spoke of reacquainting with family and her own roots upon Hapes. Tmoxin was many things, but a Hapan was one of the first elements that she was made of. He was glad she had reconnected with them.

The nervous gulp and shaking hands revealed that perhaps his question had unanticipatedly struck an unintended chord within her. His hand snaked across the table top and his fingers threaded between hers, a light squeeze of her hand.

"Certain civil unrest on Hapes. Though if you would rather speak of more pleasant and less hazardous topics, I'm more then willing."

A server began to approach their table.

[member="Tmoxin Temi"]

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Derek knew how much Tmoxin valued her privacy, and this was one of the reasons she gravitated towards him. And so for a moment, she felt that she was off the hook so to speak, that she did not need to reveal the civil unrest had been at her behest.

But his fingers laced between hers after his hand slid across the table, that familiar energy, both known but primal and wild to the core, the animal attraction she had for him, balanced with the respect only awarded to another woman in the Hapan’s mind…

Sighing and squeezing back, she said, “No. As much as I would enjoy discussing other topics, I have something to tell you. About Hapes.”

The server interrupted and Tmoxin exhaled. Orders were requested.

“I’ll have the chicken glazed with lipana berry sauce.”

Smiling back at him, the redhead continued, “I only hope it doesn’t change how you view me. I hope when we look each other in the eye at night, its with the same trust and passion.”

Lives were lost on Hapes, innocent lives. It was something the Vicerene had to come to terms with. She'd prided herself on never acting like a member of a darkside cult, slaughtering wantonly. But one could argue that this had happened.

[member="Derek Dib"]