Take Off The Mask

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

The city really did have everything, a little slice of Zeltros with a bit more class.

Alric liked it. "Anything you want to see?"

He has seen most of Vineta himself of course, having been here before. Alric didn't particularly find favor towards any part of the planet, though of course he did enjoy going out on the lake. Danger would probably feel differently about that of course, she didn't like water in quantities over what found in a bath tub.

"We're going to the Opera tonight." He'd already booked the show. "The Jedi, the Sith, and the wardrobe."

An excellent show from what he heard, apparently comedy.

"Apart from that you can pick whatever." Alric said with a smile.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"The Jedi, the Sith, and the wardrobe?" both of Danger's brows rose in an expression of amusement. A small snort came from her pert nose, the crows feet at the corner of her eyes creasing.

"That sounds like the start of a cantina joke," she would say, rubbing her palm up and down his upper arm, feeling the fabric shift as she did so.

"And just what is it about?" one could see the tension ease away from the sparkle of her emerald eyes. Now if they could just keep her mind from wandering and worrying about Myra too much. Unlikely, but Alric was sure to do his best.

"As for what to do... hmm.." the Queen of Trade gave a small twist of her arm, bringing the wrist comm and miniature datapad with holographic display up.

"Let me see what else is available around here."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"I assume its about a Jedi, a Sith, and a Wardrobe." Alric said plainly with no hint of amusement or humor.

In truth he actually had no idea at all that the play was about, he'd just heard it was good and thus decided to get the tickets. Extracting the plot orm the title wasn't too difficult, after all how many different story elements could there be when something was called...well that. He frowned for just a moment and then shrugged.

"We'll see." He said as he poked Danger's side. "No need to spoil the surprise."

The less one knew the more exciting it would be. The reviews he'd read had all been rather vague too, not giving away any story elements but instead praising the director as well as several of the actors. Apparently the lead was played by a Chiss, something that Alric found very interesting given the fact that the species wasn't exactly known for its creative instincts. He smiled slightly with amusement, picturing a monotone Chiss giving a speech. "We could just wander through the market."

He offered.

"There's a few specialty shops we can go to, buy some things for a little more fun tonight." He waggled his eyebrows.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger vacillated between enjoying surprises and not. Mainly because the woman hadnt really been the sort to be surprised much at all in her life. Alric had changed that, as had Makai when he gave her the green stone bracelet she wore. It took her some time to realize they were just token touches of affection. Alric certainly enjoyed providing a wealth of surprises. The Ice Manor, her engagement ring, everything else that had followed after like the Farm.

"Alright, walking around until the show it is." Danger went drawling out. At the mention of the speciality shops, Danger gave another chuckle, bosom lightly shaking in her mirth.

"Perhaps... maybe find somethin a it more comfortable." It was actually a wry nice day out today. They had arrived at a good time where there weren't that many residents or guests out.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"More comfortable huh?" Of course the Market had all sorts of stores, including those of more...focused repute.

He smiled slightly at the thought as he gently nudged her forward, not wanting to stand there and stare at a map all day. They had time enough to walk around, and if they wanted to they could look into any of the stores along the way. Vineta wasn't really all that large after all, smaller than most settlements, just very well put together.

"I can pick it out for you." He leaned in close. "You can model for me."

The Tetan smiled.

They hadn't been allowed a moment of alone time for...well what seemed like ever. Myra wasn't a strain on their relationship, but ti was nice to simply have it be the two of them again, if only for just a little while. He smiled as they wandered past the first of the shops. "I think there's a costume store somewhere..."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

A costume?

"Oh no," Danger was quick to say, taking a few quick steps to catch up with her husband. Behind the dark shades of her sunglasses, the Queen of Trade gave the Tetan a distinct look. "No costumes." humor coated the edge of seriousness in her voice. Costumes were just not her flask of whiskey. It just didn't go with what Danger figured herself to be. A slinky vinesilk robe or, in special occasions, the hug of delicate black lace did the trick. Otherwise, Danger wasn't one to really explore such things. The woman rarely wore underwear at all to begin with!

Some would call it a distinct private joke, but her momma had long ago given Danger the advice that one shouldn't be caught with theri pants down wearing holey underwear. Being an entrepreneurial women like herself, she didn't wear any at all. Since then it has been more of a special occasion than actual daily commodity. Certainly helped in letting things breath.

"We can do just fine without." she gave him a pat on his arm, bosom shaking a bit as she chuckled.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Fiiiiine." Alric strained the word, though of course he gave no serious objection.

Instead he simply smiled. They wandered forward for a few more minutes, finally breaking away from the hotel streets and into the markets. Things were a bit busier as they moved into that section, though not by much. This time of year Vineta generally quieted down a bit, and with the war between the Alliance and the First Order things were becoming more weary of vacations as a whole. Still, they were hardly alone as they began to wander through the countless stalls and storefronts.

"Fruit store." He pointed out. "Suitcases, tailor, and look, an antique store."

He smiled. "Want to go buy some old things no one wanted?"

That generally wasn't something they did, but it might be fun to just look.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"How about the fruit store." there was something about the thought of fresh fruit that always appealed to Danger. Perhaps it was because of the fact she grew up on the arid Tatooine.

"Let's see what we can find, hmm?" of course the boutique would have a wide variety of choices from the local sectors and shipped in from elsewhere in the 'verse.

"Maybe buy a few things and keep looking at the rest of the shops." they weren't in a rush, and save for wondering how Myra was doing, had all the time in the 'verse to simply enjoy being with each other.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Sounds good to me." Though of course there was a little detail he hadn't quite told Danger.

Though they were probably the two richest people in the entire galaxy, Danger never really liked spending money. Either because of her upbringing or simply because that was who she was, Danger didn't really enjoy overspending on...anything. Alric was a bit different of course, splurging on anything and everything. That wasn't to say that Danger was cheap or anything, she would buy things when necessary or properly priced, but she was more careful.

Vineta though?

Well Vineta was expensive. There was no room for bargaining, and almost everything that was for sale within this place was considered rare or special. That meant the fruit store wouldn't just have the common types of fruit you could find, but have every kind of fruit you could find.

And they would be expensive. "There."

He pointed the store out.

"That one." Easy enough to find.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

With a warm smile, Danger caught sight of the store the Tetan had pointed out. It was a quaint little boutique, but by the decoration and set up, one could easily tell that this was a particularly high-end store. Certainly not your corner market stall that would sell fruits.

The door gave a soft silent swish as it slid open for them, bringing with it the comfortable chill of the air conditioner. Immediately the nose was hit by the tangy, fruity scent of produce. There was a wealth of color throughout the store. While the boutique was small, it had several small stands with fruit and vegetables on display. Not your everyday choice but certainly the ones that would befit a more high-class pallet.

"If your fruit stands look like this..." Danger began with a small joke, chuckling as the attendant gave a small nod, "Welcome to Sieio's produce. Please, do come in."

"Thank you," her drawl conveyed her gratitude, the Queen of Trade ambling inside along with her husband to get a good look around.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

To say that the place was a little bit overstocked was an understatement.

At a glance Alric could tell that this place had pretty much every kind of fruit one could ever imagine. He spotted Krayt Dragon Fruit, Felucian Apples, half a dozen different things that he had never even imagined. There were even a few that he didn't recognize, though one in particular caught his eye.

He gave Danger a gentle tug and dragged her over towards the left of the store. "This is Tetan Star Fruit."

They were incredibly rare, and actually quite seasonal. Empress Teta had grown their star fruits almost since the beginning of the planet, or at least that was what everyone said. They hadn't really been all that rare up until relatively recently. When the Republic and then The Mandalorians had invaded Empress Teta many of the trees had been destroyed. In fact the damage to the various Orchids and the like had been so severe that only the botanical gardens had some of the trees left.

Many of the once flourishing Orchards were still regrowing.

"Must've cost a fortune to get." He whispered to her. "My sisters and I use to pluck these off trees."

Something that was impossible now.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

[SIZE=9pt]“Did you now?” Danger gave a smile, watching the Tetan lightly run his hands over the waxy surface of the yellow Tetan Star Fruit. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“Pluck them off the trees or go climbing after them?” Alric in the past rarely spoke about his sisters. Their loss had hit the Tetan hard. However, as the years went by and mellowed him, he spoke more and more of them with the same affection and care he did of Rose and Lily. Even Fiona, the daughter that they lost at stillbirth, had taken some time before they were both able to have an open conversation about her. Now with Myra in their lives, it was easier. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“How were you as a child?” wanting to hear more about his childhood, Danger followed up with the question. Her hand went reaching out to pluck a Tetan Star Fruit for herself, bringing it up to her nose to take a deep inhale. It had a lemony sweet scent. Like a mix of peaches and citrus. How curious. Paw paws and cactus fruit were the norm for Tatooine. Tiny red spheres surrounded by thorns but sweet to the tongue. [/SIZE]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He was quiet for a moment. "Both."

Alric answered finally in regards to climbing trees. Some of them had been short enough to take the fruit off standing, well for his sisters anyway, but most of the time Alric did indeed end up climbing. He had fond memories of doing so, though of course his mother had always disapproved quite a bit. He had been the 'future' of the Kuhn family, and climbing trees didn't set well with that status. He frowned for a few seconds as he remembered those early days.

"I was a good kid believe it or not." He told her truthfully. "Quiet."

A shrug. "I was supposed to take over the family, it was my Sisters that got me into trouble."

They did so on purpose of course. Both of his sisters had wanted to make sure that their little brother didn't end up too hard or dispassionate. Their father had been a cruel man in many ways, and his sisters had feared Alric would end up the same way. In some manner he had, but in many others he'd become better.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"What's one of your fondest memories of Fiona and Violet?" Taking the fruit from Alric's hand, Danger provided a half smile. She would buy him the fruit, both of them actually. They could each have one and eat it while they went from shop to shop. Likely someone would protest if they brought sticky fingers into a boutique, but they'll figure out a way.

"Tell me more about them." it had been painful in the past to talk about Alric's older sisters. To this day, Danger could recall the pain in Alric's voice when they were in Tatooine, and he had been hallucinating due to the Aspha.

Moving towards the counter, the vendor gave them both a smile.

"Find everything you need?"

"Just about," Danger replied, placing both fruits on the counter.

"These two please."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He shrugged. ”They were kids.”

Responsible kids, but still kids.

”They knew what my father was, saw what my mother wanted. They knew what I would turn into in time.” He left vague just what that was, but from context it was easy enough to tell that whatever Alric had been intended for he likely would not have been the same man that he was now. ”They tried their best to make me live life.”

It was really the best way to describe his sisters.

Their greatest fear had been their little brother becoming like their father, or worse. Thanks to them it had never happened, but Alric had considered more than once what could have been had it come. ”They were simple. Didn't want a hand in politics or companies. They just wanted to live.”

Simple as that.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"A hand in politics..." hmm, that was a curious thought. The vendor stated a rather exorbitant price for the Tetan Star fruit, prompting the arch of auburn brows from Danger at that. Wide green eyes went swiveling over towards Alric, and the corner of her mouth twitched.

"You're an expensive man," came her tease, moving to her small clutch that had a few credit chips stashed into it. It might have been all of fifty credits, but that was rather expensive for two pieces of fruit.

"Mighty grateful," Danger offered with a small smile of gratitude to the vendor, her plainclothes keeping the Queen of Trade under wraps for the present time.

"I could never see you in politics... not that young. You were too feisty."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

”By then my sisters had already gotten to me.” Alric said in response.

That was the point really, he was an aggressive person by nature, but his father had always wanted to mold Alric into something else. He wanted his son to be a new force for Empress Teta.

”Wasnt about me.” He explained. ”It was about the best for Empress Teta.”

The Tetan shrugged. ”My father wanted me to be a politician, a hard one. My sisters didnt.”

That was really the core of it.

”I would have been good at it.” He glanced at Danger and grinned.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Well, " taking one of the Tetan Star fruits she'd just bought and handed it over to her husband. The other she kept for herself. "Considering how you dealt with the One Sith, I believe it."

Alric always had that sort of edge that allows him to deal with a broad spectrum of leaders and situations. He might have been raised as a Tetan noble, but in his youth, well, he'd been forged on fire and brimstone in the wake of the Battle for Empress Teta. The deaths of his sisters had left a savage wound in him as a young man -- but the death of his father had set him free. Free of expectations and duty. Or maybe he had merely left it all behind in the fiery ruins that had crumbled his family estate into brick and ruin.

"We might have never met,". She added, the corner of her mouth twitching upward. A small nod, and another smile of thank you to the vendor, and the woman gave a small nudge for her husband and she to head towards the exit.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He doubted that.

”Oh i dont think so.” He gently bumped into his wife. ”I think some busy body trade Queen would have xome knocking eventually.”

He flashed a quick smile her way.

Danger was known for being...well all over the place. ATC was a business that was quite literally everywhere, and that was no exaggeration. She has fuel stations, trade bases, everything under the sun and more.

It was who she was.

”Then you would inevitably have been attracted to me, story as old as time.” He grinned again.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]


"Busy body?!!" Danger gave a mock gasp of affront, bringing the sunglasses down the bridge of her nose a few centimeters with the push of a finger. Green eyes glittered at the Tetan, watching the amusement reflect in her husband's eyes.

"Oh so sure about that?" she called out, full hips swaying in their slow amble outside of the fruit boutique store. Up ahead were other smaller stores, each, of course, carrying niche and rather expensive products from around the 'verse.

A particular interesting boutique specialized in Corellian Flame Gem light sculptures. Taking a bite from the sweet fruit, Danger came to a slow stop, observing the small floating, glowing statues through the view glass.

"What makes you think I'd come knocking?"