Private Spiraling

[Vince]

Spiraling

Lounging in the vicinity of Yuri Maji ​

For the last few months, the Onderonian Crown Prince had been put under the microscope. After an incident during the early parts of summer, the Court had to take measures. Consequently, he had publicly made a pledge to not drink for a year. It was a pledge which the young Royal had kept. The salient understanding which he had not abided to, however, was socializing across boundaries set by class, occupation and background.

Having snuck out of the palace during the dark of night, the Prince had moved through the narrow Iziz pathways and back alleys until he arrived at Vogmel's Alehouse. Vogmel, a larger than life Azumel still had it in him to run the place with the vigor of someone half his age. When the Prince first entered, wearing a large shawl with a deep hood covering many of his features, the owner's eyes moved to watch him. A careful look would also reveal a technologically advanced visor-like device covering Vince's eyes. It would not be long before the Azumel's eyes returned to the glass he was pouring.

Confident and slow strides soon brought the Royal to the bar. Keeping his head fixed forward , it was hard to tell where he was truly looking - but the calm and polite tone compensated for it "Fries, please. Fries and sparkling water."

A friendly chuckle and a smirk were thrown his way before Vogmel spoke a simple "Sure, kid" With quick steps, Vogmel moved to peer into the kitchen and drop off the order before returning out to bring out a bottle "Make yourself comfortable. I'll bring the fries right to ya in a min or so"

The icognito Royal offered a nod and a toothless smile "Thank you, I will wait here."

 

[Yuri Maji]

For some reason Yuri loved it when his journeys brought him to Onderon. There was something about the planet that he loved, he just couldn't place his finger on what it was exactly. Perhaps just the overall atmosphere... or perhaps the comparatively cheap cost of the 'activities' that he enjoyed. Probably just the former.

The smuggler adjusted his tank top and holster as he took a seat by the bar. He finally got that one peaceful job he was looking for and now he had some cash to waste. At least he was responsible enough to put most of it away for all the important things before he ended up on another planet again after a week-long bender. Last time that happened, he was one of the most wanted men on Denon. After ordering himself a beer, he glanced around the bar to get a lay of the land. The cloaked figure didn't draw much attention from him... until he paid attention to the questionable attire.

"Either you were hittin' death sticks while playin' 'Strills and Temples' or you're trying to hide from someone... I sincerely hope it's the former 'cause hot damn, man... you could do a lot better." He remarked with a chuckle as he extended a hand for the stranger to shake. "Name's Yuri." He introduced himself before nodding to the man's drink. "You know, that usually goes better with some ice and a shot of whiskey." He remarked as he helped himself to a long sip of his beer.

The mutt tried his hardest to see the face hidden under the hood of that horrendous cloak. Anyone looking to hide their face like this was guaranteed to not be a boring individual.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

A knowing smile formed on the Prince's lips upon hearing what the guy seated next to him had to say. His eye-wear didn't offer much space to throw glances: Thus, he looked to the man directly and shook his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you Yuri. Drinking is off the table tonight. We-..." he paused for a brief moment - this was hardly time to use the royal we. Quickly pivoting, he continued "...we can share the fries though. Tomorrow is an important day. Got to look presentable."

Shuffling in his seat to directly face the Shistavanen, Vince leaned his head to the side "What do you know of hiding, and how would you see me improve?"

Just as the question was asked, the barkeep arrived with the fries. The young Royal produced a few credits from his inner pocket before shuffling the plate in between them. After giving the stranger a nod to eat, he took a single bit himself, followed by a clunk of water.

If someone expected to see Vince right there and then, they would probably notice that it was him. For by now, he had shown most of his face aside from the segment around the eyes and the top and sides covered by the hood. For someone not expecting it: Well, he had succeeded in staying incognito thus far.

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri was taken by surprise at the man's offer of sharing the chips... as well as his calm and friendly demeanour. Guy was definitely hiding from something or someone, nobody was this kind out of the blue. The Shistavanen's mind started to turn around who this person could be. "Oh no, enjoy your chips, man! I got my own food comin' out soon, don't worry about me." Yuri insisted with a toothy grin and a wave of his hand.

Just as the stranger asked how he could improve on his disguise, the bartender, noticing the smuggler's words, stopped at their spot with a confused look. "What food are ya waitin' for?" He asked as he set a glass down. Yuri blinked at the question. "Uh... I ordered a cheesy nuna burger and chips a few minutes ago with one of the waiters. Could swear I saw her take it to the line. The Pantoran with the tank top?" He answered as he faced the man for a moment. The bartender spared a quick glance at the kitchen before returning his focus to the smuggler. "I'll go check on it for ya." He put the glass away and slipped into the kitchen, leaving Yuri and the stranger alone again.

"Sorry about that." Yuri spoke with a raised hand. Finishing his beer, he faced the stranger again with an amused expression. "First things first, you'd be surprised how well a change in hair colour can go. Bonus points for you smooth skins, ya can also grow a beard. Add some glasses or a hat and you got your face sorted." He explained with a liberal sprinkle of experience in his voice. "Second, get an outfit that's completely different from what you'd usually be known to wear, bonus points as well for somethin' that'll blend in easily." He raised a finger and was about to speak when the barman returned.

"Apparently she didn't drop ya order off at the kitchen, really sorry about that. She just started a week ago, she's still learnin' the ropes. I got the kitchen on it, sorry for the wait." He explained. All according to plan. Yuri lightly shook his head as he looked at the man. "Oh, don't stress about it. While you're here, can I get another beer and..." He glanced at the stranger for a quick second. "A shot of tevraki whiskey on the rocks for my buddy here, gotta put those sparkles to good use." The bartender went to get them their drinks as Yuri turned back to the stranger... with a rather smug grin.

"Lastly, you gotta get a different name and accent, of course. 'Cause I don't think 'Vince' is a good alias." He answered with clasped hands and his full frame facing his new friend. "Stop me if ya heard this one before. A certain rebellious prince with a rather distinctive voice and accent, after a certain mix-up a few months ago, proclaimed to the galaxy that he'll cut back on his drinkin' and shenanigans. Skip ahead a bit, said certain prince is gettin' antsy and wants to mingle with the common people, like me and these fine specimens of society, as he loves to do. But a big event is just around the corner, apparently tomorrow, and a hangover will be bad for the recorders... and his face is widely known locally. So said prince dons a cape and a hood like some Jedi to try and blend in so nobody will notice him. Luckily almost everyone around him is either too drunk or too distracted to care." He explained quietly and calmly with utmost confidence as he leaned an arm on the counter.

Their drinks arrived and he thanked the bartender with a smile and a handful of credits before turning his focus back to the stranger. "Either Ma got me hooked on watching too much news... or I got this little conspiracy theory wildly wrong." He raised his glass to the man and took a long sip, maintaining eye contact through it all.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

Without seeing the eyes or the immediate area around them, Vince's reaction to when Yuri declined the fries would have been hard to read, had it not been for the easy shrug and subtle sidwards nod to indicate that he didn't mind. The same gesture, along with a light "Not to worry" was offered upon the Shistavanen's apology about the burger ordeal.

The increasingly surprised eyes remained well hidden behind the device during the methodical dismantling of his disguise. Vince chewed a fry with a smirk appearing on his lips as he leaned back on the bar stool. "Quite the theorist indeed. Very analytical. You do seem like a big fan of the Royal family. Personally-..." he paused whilst shaking his head, smirk lingering and still comfortably seated "... never read those articles. Perhaps the Prince just wants to spend time with his people. Get to know them personally, rather than through the lens of a second- or third-hand story."

Although he lacked both experience and interest in politicking, the Prince sure didn't make it obvious that he had been found out. Instead, he allowed the hypothetical explanation of his intents to linger whilst moving on. Shifting in his chair, he leaned forth against the bar counter with one elbow whilst letting his other hand hang idly by his belt - at least after grabbing another fry to snack on along with a nod for the stranger to grab one himself.

"Tell me about your Ma. It is not everyday that people bring up their parents to someone they just met." he spoke with interest

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri kept a close eye on the man for anything that could confirm his suspicions. Apart from a light shift in his posture, nothing seemed to nail it down. He was starting to worry that he might have embarrassed himself. "In all honesty, I don't care too much about the Royals, I just like staying up to date on the news. Kind of a big deal with the work I do." He admitted with a shrug as he took a long sip of his drink.

The stranger offered a chip once again and this time the Shistavanen relented with a chuckle. He popped one into his maw as he watched the man's hand on his belt. An old habit kicked in as he scanned for any outline of a weapon against the man's robes. In close quarters like this, a vibroblade was arguably one of the most dangerous weapons in the galaxy. He want on to ask about Yuri's mother, earning a laugh from the smuggler. "You got a point! But nah, me and my folks were just open with each other, it's somethin' I don't even think about, really." He admitted with a shrug as he faced the man once again.

"Ma was the political one. Anything goin' on the news, you'd hear from her first thing in the morning. Somethin' that rubbed off on me, it's always good to know what's goin' on in the galaxy. Like Manaan. Dunno if ya heard what went on there, but I was in the middle of that mess. Was doin' a delivery to a customer there when a bunch of tin cans showed up and wrecked the place." He leaned in with a finger raised at the man. "I'm tellin' ya now, that would never have happened if I checked my feed that day. That kinda stuff doesn't just happen outta the blue. Lost my damn ship and half of my stuff with that evacuation." A strong hint of annoyance bled through in his voice.

Sitting back, Yuri helped himself to another sip as he watched the bartender place his food in front of him... only that wasn't what caught his attention. The reflection in the mirror behind the bartender was what drew his focus for a brief second. Brushing it off for the moment, he offered the stranger a fry back in return. "It's only fair, man. Help yourself." He insisted as he took a few chips and dropped it into his mouth. "Oh, before I forget. Last thing about goin' incognito..." He gave a toothy grin, a golden tooth glimmering in the bar's light, as a finger pointed at the mirror in front of them. "Attention to detail is essential, Vinny." He spoke softly with all the confidence in the world.

Immediately he turned his attention back to his food. "Don't worry, by the way. Secret's safe with me. In all fairness, this is the chance of a lifetime. I get to talk with someone on the servin' side of my little guilty pleasure." He reassured the man, biting a massive chunk out of his burger. No need to spoil the fun for either of them, he did have a number of questions for the man.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

Another fry was gobbled up as Yuri moved on to mention his mother. A familiar chuckle was allowed to escape as well. Perhaps the two of them had something in common. Any potential sense of familiarity would be hard to detect regardless - for without letting his eyes show, the Prince had a much easier time hiding his expression. The distancing would be even harder to notice upon the mention of Manaan. But like he so often did, Vince would wait for the other party to say their piece.

Not the slightest bit of surprise crossed his face upon being offered a fry in return. "Thank you." As he ate the fry he was offered, he kept listening peacefully but let out a genuine laughter upon hearing the Shistavanen call him 'Vinny'. Quickly, he brought the arm which had been resting on the counter up to cover his mouth. Momentarily, it looked as if he was going to say something but he stopped himself to let Yuri speak.

"Does that guilty pleasure have anything to do with what you were doing on Manaan at all? The news of it were hard to miss. Horrible ordeal, that was - there were so many dead. It is a good thing that our Prince went there in the defence of the Selkath. But a true shame that he failed in keeping them safe. The brutality in the attack was staggering. It is good that you made it out unscathed."

He paused for a moment to take a sip of water. Unless he had been interrupted, he would continued. If he were interrupted, he would let it be unsaid for the time being. "These Mandalorians" he shook his head under the hood "They are so different than the ones we have dealt with in the past. They usually care so much for honour - in a way, Onderonians do too - but this grouping..." a sigh escaped him as he paused. "Anyways. What is this guilty pleasure of yours?"

 

[Yuri Maji]

He raised an eyebrow as he listened to the guy, watching him from the corner of his eye. It was a surprise to hear that he, or "the Prince", was on Manaan. He missed that bit in all the chaos that was unfolding. He let the man finish as he chowed away at his meal. With a finger raised he swallowed the last bite of burger and wiped off his maw. "Did you miss the whole part about me stayin' up to date? I mean, come on, how many people do you know personally who watches the news... who isn't sixty?" He answered with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"But... you got me. I may or may not have been dealin' with some funky cargo." He admitted with a shrug, smearing a chip through some sauce on his plate. "Ever heard of 'Maji Transport Services'? You got enough creds, I'll move almost anything. It's the sketchy stuff that'll cost extra." He explained to the man. He took a long sip of his drink as he mulled over what Vinny said. "You got a point, though. These guys are a bit off. Not how I know 'em to behave. Real uptight bunch." A scoff and a smile emerged as he stared into the last sip of his drink.

"You're wrong about one thing, though. Honour don't mean jack. Respect and loyalty's what matters. And I don't know enough about these guys to figure out if it means anythin' to 'em." He remarked, motioning to the bartender to get him another refill.

Glancing around them, he gave the man a tap on the shoulder. "Come on, it's gettin' stuffy here. Let's get a seat somewhere." He suggested as he nodded to a secluded table away from the growing crowd. He was rather curious about the man's presence on Manaan. Did he deploy with the Alliance, then?

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

A hearty chuckle was allowed to escape him as the sarcastic question was posed - and then another one as he offered a low "You would be surprised."

Had he heard of Maji Transport Services? Vince looked to the Shistavannen for a few moments. Behind the device, his brows fell in contemplation. While the answer had not come immediately, it would still be a shake of the head. An amused smirk then appeared when Yuri was open enough to mention the sketchy stuff to the man whom he believed to be part of the planet's ruling class.

The young Royal offered a nod when the entrepreneur suggested that they find a better spot. Quickly picking his fries and his drink up, he lead the way in the direction of the table Yuri had nodded to. Instead of taking the seat by that table, however, Vince sat down on a chair by the table next to it - it was one step closer to the growing crowd and would likely get noisy a little earlier. But it was also a little more open where Vince sat, but with a curtain around the half of the table stuck into a booth with a rounded sofa. A railing along the ceiling indicated that the curtain could be closed around the table completely to create a full circle.

"On a personal note: You are on to something when it comes to the importance loyalty, but do you really think the part about honour was that far off? Remember that we are talking about Mandalorians. They have a tendency to concern themselves with honour - or at the very least what they perceive as honour. Some would say that it is a core part of their culture."

A finger was raised before an answer could be offered, an indication that he had another thought to add: "Let us not even go into respect. Anyone who is willing to massacre people on the scale that they did upon leaving, or burning the crops and silos of a bunch of farmers, do not even grasp the most basic concepts of respect."

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri followed after the man to the desired table, however he found it odd that the guy decided to sit away from the chosen table. His choice of seating made it obvious that he wanted to not only remain hidden, but probably also have a quick escape if needed. Yuri decided to not care about any of that and plopped himself down onto the sofa with a satisfied sigh. "I ain't in the mood to shout. Plus this seat's amazing." He mumbled with a smile as he rested his head back.

Vinny went on to comment on what he thought of Yuri's comments. The Shistavanen snapped his head back with an open mouth, however he was halted from chiming in. Good timing, too. He nearly divulged a bit too much info in that impulse.

"Oh, I'm with ya there. Exterminatin' a bunch of people for no reason ain't right. I've met a few Mandos in the past... and every time they did somethin' like that, there was a decent reason to. The Honour thing's just my own input on it. That's just a way for people to get to ya." He spoke with a scratch at his chin. He had plenty to say on their current topic, it was just a matter of saying it without blowing his own cover.

He stared idly at the man in thought, helping himself to a sip of his drink. "From what I know, in the past their enemies loved to throw their honour in their faces. Use it as an advantage to get one over them. But you're also right, in a way. Everyone needs a code. At the same time... you can also understand why they're so heavy-handed these days. Sith wrecked their worlds, Imperials betrayed 'em, the Alliance saw 'em as a threat and turned on 'em as well. I'd probably do somethin' similar if someone karked me over like that." He remarked with a shrug, glancing down to his drink. He didn't have to know that Yuri did, in fact, do something similar.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

Vince did not try to hide his mixed emotion upon hearing of the decent reasons to massacre people. He leaned his head to the side with a skeptical tilt and almost pained grimace with the mouth but decided against interrupting Yuri as he spoke.

Then they came into the topic of honour. The Prince consumed a few fries and had another sip of water as he listened to the Shistavannen. But his eyes stayed fixed on the man on the couch throughout. A bit of confusion manifested in his eyes upon seeing he shrug - but the expression was well hidden behind the device. What was not hidden was how he leaned back against his seat to consider Yuri's words.

Finally, he leaned forward again "Morals - and honour - are like newspaper subscription. Not only do you need to have found the right paper for you and enough interest to buy it, but you also need to be able to afford it. Yuri, you are making a good point. For a people who have been on the receiving end of the bad for such a long time, there are remarkably many Mandalorians who have stayed true to their honour and their ideals. It is a testament to the strength of their people. But it would not be right for us to put all the blame onto these ones who have lost their way." he trailed off for a bit with eyes emptily staring onto the curtains behind his companion.

"But we shall not be arrogant. They still have agency, they still have a choice. The horrors they commit are done with their own agency." A brief pause ensued before Vince looked to the Shistavanen and spoke with a serious voice "Yuri. If you are ever pushed to the point where you might lash out, please, find someone who are not in the same position as you to talk to." he indicated to himself upon saying 'someone'.

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri's head was turned away in thought as he listened to Vince, the dude had some good points to make. However, he lost Yuri when he mentioned finding help. He had to stop himself from letting out a snarl towards the man, though some wrinkles on his maw remained as he gave a sidelong glance. "The hell you know, Vince?" He muttered with a cold voice.

He turned to the man with both hands grasping his drink. "What the kriff's talkin' gonna accomplish, huh?" However unintentional it might have been, Vince's words struck a chord deep within Yuri. Not the meaning behind the words, but the memories it resurfaced. "Talkin' won't fix anythin'. It won't make things right in the galaxy. It won't give back homes and people. Talkin's for the people who are too scared to skip the pat on the back an' do what needs to be done." He took a deep, shaky breath as his pale, golden eyes glared into Vince's soul.

"Ya know who was true to her ideals? Ma was. And where'd that get her? Her clan threw her out over somethin' that wasn't her fault. Her best friend killed her like a mongrel on the side of the road. Maybe... maybe the real arrogant people here are those curtain-wearin' moof milkers with their glowsticks and that pretentious little senate of theirs." He took a long sip from his drink as he scowled at Vince for a few long seconds. Ironically, he was proving his companion correct and he didn't even realize it. "For all the talk they do of wantin' to save the galaxy... there's still a lot of bad right under their noses. A lot of bad that a few blasters and thermal detonators can sort out real easy." He pulled a cigarette from a packet and lit it with a shaky hand, frowning hard as he sat back against the couch.

He scratched his head before looking at Vince. He might have given a bit too much info to the guy. "So do me a favour... don't talk to me about ideals and sufferin' when you've been livin' the high life away from all the karked up stuff this galaxy has to offer. Me an' mine didn't go to war against the Imps and the Sith just to get criticized by some pompous palace roaches talkin' down from their little ivory towers." With a harsh exhale, he looked down to notice that his cigarette went out. He tried to strike his lighter, but his shaking hands made it too difficult.

With a sigh he tossed the lighter and cigarette on the table and crossed his arms, glaring at his unfortunate companion caught on the receiving side of his controversial thoughts.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

It was clear that the Prince was taken aback by the anger as he leaned back a little as if flinching from being a few inches too close to an explosion - but far away enough not to fear being hit by the shrapnel. His face, however, remained still and just like before, he listened in silence. Some liked to describe the Crown Prince as a good listener but the attentive eyes remained hidden behind the device. Hidden, until he heard of Yuri's mother. Vince's hand ventured up and pressed two buttons, causing the strap to loosen up a little. He then easily brought it down to hang around his neck over his chest. Sympathetic and kind blue eyes quickly met his angered companion and the young Royal hopped in onto the couch to get a little closer. Still, he remained in silence for the time being. It was obvious that Yuri had not said his piece yet.

The talk about the Jedi and the Senate didn't provoke much of a reaction. Vince did very little to indicate that he agreed. But his sympathetic and concerned look never faltered as he listened. When the Shistavanen finally finished with speaking of pompous palace roaches, sorry brows rose as the Prince let out a surrendered sigh whilst turning to look out over the growing crowd.

A little bit of time would be allowed to pass before he looked back to Yuri "Sorry... about your mother." It was the first thing he said to break the silence. Knowing a bit about the Royal family, one would be aware of the fact that Vince had lost his father - but the circumstances were shrouded in mystery with the official explanation remaining 'sickness'. "It is never fair to lose a parent this early. It still hurts, doesn't it?" Vince looked to the man with eyes which shared in his pain as he reached over to give him a couple of pats on the back before retreating back to his part of the sounded sofa. A forced smile appeared on his lips and a small nod was offered.

After looking away for a second time to give himself some time to ponder the Shistavanen's words he mused an unassuming "The intention was never to talk down to anyone. Between the Onderonian Courier, the Iziz Daily, the Gazette and the extended family the Crown is constantly made aware of its flaws. The Prince in particular. He is in no position to judge anyone." A tiny bit of insight into his own insecurities were offered. At this point, the precaution of referring to himself in third person could almost seem overplayed had it not been for the risk of others at the bar overhearing them.

Not pausing, Vince continued whilst shifting his weight on the sofa "You will never tear down the Jedi or the Alliance with brawn. You tear them down with words." Vince would allow the words to simmer for a bit. Something had obviously triggered the young man to burst out in anger: The Prince was now approaching the same topic again, but from an angle which was likely less provocative.

"You know the anger you just felt? It might fuel you during battle - but it will never bring you where you need to be outside of it. And that exact rage is what might drive the Mandalorians who attacked Manaan. If there's something you wish to accomplish, you need the clarity of mind to see how to get there. And that's where it is good to have a person to talk to."

There were many directions where the conversation could go. For now, Vince waited in order to give Yuri a chance to speak and to gauge his reaction.

 

[Yuri Maji]

The fuming Shistavanen didn't falter as Vince extended his condolences, even dropping the hood to let them literally see eye to eye. When he commented on losing a parent, Yuri's demeanour shifted somewhat as his scowl softened up a bit. With his anger dissipating, his senses came back to him. The prince lost someone too. He vaguely remembered reading somewhere about it. He couldn't remember the article, but he did recall thinking how polarizing it was that he and a royal, of all people, weren't that different.

It reminded him how, despite the direction of this conversation, it was still a highlight in his life. Meeting someone this important face to face.

Vince continued to give some insight and advice to the Shistavanen, even earning a snicker from him. He waited for Vince to finish before voicing his thoughts. "Ya know, the way you talk, you almost sound like you want the Alliance gone." He joked, looking back at his cigarette. With steadier hands, he managed to light his cigarette this time.

Letting the nicotine do its thing, Yuri let out a sigh before returning his attention to Vince. "There's a difference between unbridled rage and focused anger. I was taught to hate what I shoot at. Makes it easier, supposedly. Jury's still out on those crusaders, though." In the back of his mind, he was considering rolling with them. If nothing else, just to use them as a means to an end. The whole 'crusading' thing wasn't his style. He sat in silence for a few moments before glancing at Vince again.

"You lost your dad, right?" He asked softly, sitting back with a deep drag. "Ma was killed by a Jedi. My auntie, to be precise. You haven't heard of the great Valery Noble, have ya?" He gave a smile which quickly disappeared. "I gotta admit, I didn't exactly see myself spillin' my life's story to some random guy in a bar. Usually when that happens, it's someone I've slept with." He joked with a laugh. "It's cool, though. I get to knock 'meet a literal monarch' off my bucket list." He continued with a raised glass.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

The joke that he sounded as if he wanted the Alliance to fall was met with a shake of the head and a chuckle. But he remained silent to let the other say what he wanted to say. Vince contemplated what Yuri said on rage but did not show much of a reaction from the get-go.

He did react upon receiving the question on his father: A small nod. A bit of a frown appeared upon hearing that his mother was killed by a Jedi and it only deepened upon hearing of Valery Noble's part in it. The noble had been in the world of courtly intrigue and diplomacy all his life but keeping a good poker face had never been his strong suite. It was clear as day that he was troubled.

The frown soon gave way to a smirk and a chuckle upon hearing the Shistavanen's joke. His eyes had fallen to gaze upon his drink for some time and remained there even after the other appeared to be finished. A clear - almost relieved - "Not yet" was the first thing he said. After waiting a few brief moments, he looked up from the drink and onto his new companion. He seemed happy in a way "There is only one monarch, and that is the Queen. Having met her family only means that you have met Royalty."

It was nothing but a tangent - but one which the young Royal left with reluctance. For the other topic was heavy indeed. Once again, a bit of silence was allowed to linger between them. His eyes had fallen back onto the drink. "More than heard of her" his kind blue eyes quickly shot up to meet Yuri's. "We fought together on Contruum, and then on Manaan. We met during their games on Dxun."

As if expecting the other to want to cut in, Vince raised a finger and continued quickly "When the Dark Empire attacked, it was the Alliance who came to our defence." A solemn looked passed his eyes briefly "It did not matter how much we had trained. How potent we hade become in battle. Onderon would have fallen without their aid. So many of our defenders perished." So far, the Prince had avoided using personal pronouns for himself: There had been no I's, me's or my's. He was a royal and as Yuri had noted, he had not changed the way he spoke. In the same vein, he had never dropped the royal we. Still, he left it unsaid, whether he referred to the Onderonians as a people or just himself.

"Yuri" he spoke, his voice more stable than when speaking of the hardships that had been endured. His eyes once more faithfully looking to those of the Shistavanen "Are you looking for justice?"

 

[Yuri Maji]

Vince corrected Yuri about meeting a monarch, but Yuri just brushed it off with a wave of his hand. "Eh, semantics. It's in the same ballpark." He commented, sitting back. He tensed up, however, when Vince admitted that he had not only heard of Valery Noble, but he knew her personally as well.

He gave a wide-eyed glare with pursed lips as he listened to Vince's explanation of how they met. The Alliance saved Onderon from the Dark Empire. He couldn't exactly be angry at that, as much as he wanted to be. If it wasn't for the Alliance, Onderon would be looking a little bit different. He remained quiet and let Vince say his two creds. But the last question made Yuri shift a little in his seat as he looked away for a few moments.

"Call it whatever the kark you want. Revenge, justice, pick the hottest buzzword for this year." He turned to look at Vince. "I'm gonna make her hurt. I'll kill her world like she killed mine. I don't care what it takes from me, I'll burn every outpost, temple and home, I'll kill as many Jedi as I have to, and I'll make sure she's there to see it all." He practically hissed as his hand carefully rested on his pistol, just in case Vince tried to be a hero.

"And I really hope that you're not gonna try and stop me. If you think that's a good idea, just keep in mind that I got a rather nasty surprise I can call in with the tap of a button." He warned, glaring at Vince. As cool of a guy as Vince was, he was friends with the enemy. And he had no reason to do Yuri any favours.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

The threat was met with the same friendly gaze that the Prince had offered since taking the device covering his eyes off. "What?" a sense of genuine surprise could be heard in his voice and seen in his expression. "Did you think that we would try to arrest you? Tackle you to the floor and put cuffs on you in the name of the Queen?" an amused smile finally appeared as he let out a light chuckle. He had shown a multitude of emotions and could easily appear as someone who was poor at hiding what he was feeling. At the same time, he had neither displayed fear nor aggression.

Vince grabbed a few fries and leaned back against the sofa. The buzz around them grew louder as yet another band of merry youngsters walked in, soon followed by a few freight captains. He glanced back and brought a hand up to hold the hood back to see what was happening better. "If this keeps up, these will be going back on sooner rather than later." he picked the device which had covered his eyes back up to show the man was he was talking about.

Letting go, he let them fall back over his chest. "Revenge and Justice are also in the same ballpark." he echoed Yuri's own words from earlier before letting his lips form a flat line and brows to rise whilst nodding his head to the side - letting the Shistavanen read between the lines on what he meant to convey: There is still a difference between them. He moved on to what he apparently thought was more important. "Anyways: You should care. People like us, we have a duty. A duty to the parents we survived. You may pursue revenge all you want. Maybe you will loose an arm or a leg. That is fine, in the grand scheme of things. But if you start to loose who you are, and the inherent goodness that is instilled in you; well, then your mother lost something more than her own life that day."

Heavy footsteps could be heard coming closer. A trio of freighter captains were coming towards their corner of the establishment. Vince let out a sigh and leaned forward, both to put the last couple of fries back on the plate, but also to prepare taking the eye-device back on. Before doing so, however, he looked the Shistavanen in the eyes "And Yuri, believe us when we say that we can see that there is good in you. You have a tough exterior, but there is good in you."

 

[Yuri Maji]

Yuri's entire presence shifted when Vince started to laugh. He stared at the man with confusion as he tried to wrap his head around what was going on. "That's... exactly what I was thinkin'." He muttered, glancing around them. So the prince wasn't going to arrest him as an enemy of the state? He was, quite frankly, unnerved that the prince was this nonchalant about the direction their conversation was going.

Vince kept going, speaking some choice words which had Yuri pondering for a few good moments. He only shifted to look around with the remark about the growing crowd. The mention of losing who he was as a person in this pursuit for vengeance brought a silence to Yuri as he sat back and lit another cigarette. Vince was right. He had seen what could happen to someone when their desires overtook them. Both as an addict and as a Mandalorian. His people were so enveloped with a desire for war against the Alliance, that being in Tor Valum sometimes felt like he was a stranger.

At Vince's compliment, Yuri snapped out of his thoughts and gave a toothy grin. "Vinny, you clearly don't know me that well. I'm a beast, I'm a dog, I'm a mother-karkin' problem." He quipped with outstretched arms. Giving one more look at the crowd, Yuri shrugged and rose from his seat.

"Let's get outta here. Place is givin' me bad ideas I'd like to not have." He wandered over to the bar to pay for whatever him and Vince had outstanding and walked back to meet up with Vince. "I got some drinks on my ship. Unless you got another idea?" He remarked, leaning back with his hands resting behind his head.

Vince

 

[Vince]

Spiraling

Talking to Yuri Maji ​

Brows, more startled than amused, rose upon hearing the Shistavanen's response. The grand gesture with the arms along with his own description of himself had the Prince let out a low "Oh" before offering a courteous and almost awkward smile. The sympathetic glint in his eyes, however, remained consistent throughout. Although surprised, it was clear that he did not look like he was judging the man next to him, or thinking any less of him.

For once, Vince was about to interrupt the man as he suggested that they leave but failed in doing so before he had already left to pay for them. Upon the other's return, the young Royal stood up, now with the eye device back on. But he did not move with him to leave. "Yuri. You have threatened to call in a nasty surprise with the press of a button. You have claimed to be a beast and a problem. And you say that this place is giving your bad ideas. Before we entertain the idea of leaving together, we would like to know a bit more about you and what ideas you are getting from being here." Although the words may have seemed confrontational, the tone and the manner in which they were conveyed were still largely rather mellow.

 

[Yuri Maji]

Upon reaching the exit, Vince stopped to ask Yuri a very reasonable question. He stared at the prince with an unimpressed expression and a raised eyebrow, patiently waiting for the man to finish with his concerns before answering. Yuri crossed his arms and faced the prince fully with a shrug. "Well, seein' as you're that concerned. I would like to avoid the near-constant temptation of spice and the desire to fall back into my previously destructive habits of gettin' high and drinkin' so much that I border on alcohol poisoning, which would result in me wakin' up broken and in a stranger's bed, most likely with several companions of the two-legged variety. Good chance of it being on another planet as well." Yuri's weight shifted and his arms instead lowered to him grasping one wrist by his waist.

"I've been tryin' to get clean and keep myself out of another bounty board, and stayin' in a rowdy and lively joint like that is exactly what will result in me going down said destructive route." Yuri spoke with a clear and uncharacteristically professional tone. He scratched the side of his head and looked around for a moment. "Now, I got a question for you." Rather nonchalantly he drew his pistol and trained it on Vince's center mass.

"You've been disturbingly nice to me and you barely know me. You don't know me from a bar of soap, but you act and talk like we're old friends and you just got my best interests at heart, which really isn't somethin' strangers just do on a casual night out. What the hell's your angle, silver spoon?" He asked the prince with a more threatening tone. "And this is just in case this was all some sort of elaborate scheme to get me arrested. I ain't in the mood for a fight tonight." He continued, casually twirling his pistol around his trigger finger before he slid it back into his holster. He was fast enough on the draw if this was, in fact, some messed up ruse to lure him out.

Vince