The Emperor's Ball

[AMCO]

Location: Ballroom
Interacting With: [member="Muad Dib"] & [member="Vereshin"] | [member="Shoma Ike"]
Wearing: Custom Suit with Shimmersilk Half-Cloak.

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Turning towards the newcomer, a smile danced across the young Knight's lips, his own unadorned right hand reaching forth to grasp the Sorcerer's bejewelled one. "I don't believe we have, I am Adrian Vandiir ..." Squeezing his hand firmly, he let go, pointing towards his conversation partners. "... and this is Prince Shoma Ike of Atrisia and Muad Dib of... somewhere." Eyes sparkling with amusement, he moved sideways, allowing his, going by his presence, fellow Sorcerer to join their little circle.

Nodding towards the newcomer, Adrian continued where he had left off. "As I am sure Vi here can attest to, the Sith Empire is rather... liberal when it comes to what one is allowed to study, and the experiments one is allowed to carry out. I have never once faced consequences of even reprimand for my projects, though that might be partially due to my tendency to use laboratories and ritual chambers all of my own." Not something every Sith could afford, that; familial wealth certainly had its uses. Smiling mischievously, a glitter of humour in his eyes, Adrian spoke with audible amusement. "Personally, I've found that looking at the Emperor from a distance does wonders for the state of one's neck." Of course, it was highly doubtful if the young Sorcerer would even be allowed to approach if he tried. In circumstances such as these, he might, though it was better not to invoke the annoyance of such a powerful personage with purposeless chatter.

Expression more curious than disturbed by Vereshin's apparent disregard for sentient life, Adrian stroked his chin in thought. "An interesting perspective, that. Personally, I make sure to source my test subjects from the penal system for the most part, though my relative lack of animal experimentation has more to do with practicality than ethics eccentricities. I'm fascinated with sentience, you see, and prefer to imbue anything I create with it when possible."

Noticing the Prince surreptitiously backing away, Adrian was both surprised and not. On one hand, the youth seemed exceptionally polite, but on the other experiments on sentients had a tendency to make people... uncomfortable. Even when the tests were held up to the highest of ethical standards by (virtually) only forcibly experimenting on criminals and other lowlifes.

 

[Preliat Mantis]

Preliat frowned, realizing his mistake. Realizing he had been approaching him the wrong way. He dropped his tone, to his usual low, gravelly tone.

"All your efforts will never bring what you had back. And it will never replace it. Nothing in your life ever will."

He somberly turned his head towards the direction of the party, the balcony providing a secluded area for which Preliat could easily stare at Yasha from afar.

"What is done, is done, and irreversible, despite claims otherwise. But I think you can finally start to live your own life. And not this...pursuit. And I want to give you something that I never had, Koda. Something that I chased for years."

He turned back to stare at Koda.

"I will give you the ability to find your place among your people. We need you, Koda. Even if you don't think so, you are a Mandalorian. In fact, I would argue that you're one of the best."

The Wolf took sigh, sitting on a nearby bench, looking inwards at the party.

"I won't stop you from leaving. But you can't keep running from all that pain, Koda. Eventually, it will find you. It will find you, and break you. If it can break me, it can break you. You'll come to realize the glory, the fame you've been seeking- all it is- is temporary. Ethereal, fragile. And there will be another to replace you. And you will be forgotten. But if you come with us, we can give you, a life. People."

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Letting Avacyn speak​

Outdoor dining and bar​

[member="Ishana Pavanos"] | [member="Krest"]​

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"Considering the amount of spying you've done on me and the tricks you played on me while I was in need of direction, you can be rest assured that it felt very satisfying when the last piece of that bridge became the last pile of dust to be taken away by the wind." The event Avacyn was referring to, despite not mentioning it directly, should've been quite simple for Krest to figure out. Whether he was truly remorseful or wrapped himself in deception made not a single difference to her, the view she had was clear. He wasn't to be trusted, he never was and never would be. He may have been her teacher and the one who had introduced her to the notion of being a Sith, but that did not weigh up to the other things he had done in even the slightest of ways.

The woman's eyes angled downwards to watch the movement of his arm with hawk-like eyes, only returning her attention to him once he had returned it to his side. "Some things are better off being left as a distant memory. I do not know what you want from me, nor do I have any interest in knowing, but I certainly know what I want. Perhaps we are not enemies in this very moment, but I have no desire to ever see you again. When trust is lost, it doesn't come back." It was difficult enough for a Sith to trust anyone, but those who Avacyn had lost her trust in were stones she wouldn't hit herself twice on. "And just in case you get any funny ideas, I will tell you right now. Seek me out again and I will be even less friendly. Seek out my wife again..." She turned her head towards the table once more, this time looking at Ishana and seeing how she was disassembling the communicator. Then, back at Krest. "...And you become an enemy."

The zabrak finished what he had to say before he turned to leave and while he did so the woman's eyes stared holes into his back until he was far enough removed from the table for her to know he was out of their hair. With a face that had a tidal wave of emotions etched onto it she turned to face her chair, then sat back down with a deep, disappointed sigh. Avacyn's eyes closed, she took a deep breath, and when she opened them back up the corruption had dissipated, leaving only the brilliant emerald that had always meant to be there. Kaalia had awakened from her short slumber, and the woman's facial expression shifted to one that showed her apologetic mood. "Waffles. Yeah, that sounds, that sounds good," she said, her vision affixed to the bar for a moment before casting it downwards in front of her, seeing the table but staring blankly.

"Miala, I am so sorry. If there would be just one moment in time where I felt like I don't deserve you, it would be now." She had gone as far as she needed to go, but she hated having Sith dealings with her wife there to witness it all. It was something of which non-Force Sensitives could only see half of the full picture. Ishana wasn't lesser for it, though, it was much like how one avoided going into detail on a complex topic another didn't understand. "I know how it makes you feel. That depressing, irrational feeling, I hate seeing what that does to you. You're amazing, please don't forget that." Kaalia looked deeply into her eyes while she said that with a passion that couldn't be faked. "If you want all the reasons why though, let's wait until we get home. The party would be long over by the time I'm done." The last thing she wanted was to put a damper on the night, so with a statement infused with a bit of humor, although it was awfully close to the truth, she cleared up her personal rainclouds and reminded herself of the good things of tonight.

"You know what, let's do that. I don't know about you, but I think I'm ready to get my dance on." They would do it at home in their living room after a few drinks sometimes, but it was much more special in a place like this, on a night like this.

 

[Yasha Cadera]

The upbeat music cat-walked upon the duo of Yasha and [member="Lady Kay"], as they were joined by [member="Kaine Australis"] and the fatigued [member="Adara Raxis"]. Even the energy of the Dark Lord wasn’t enough to keep Adara from a yawn, and taking a header into Baba’s shoulder to hide it.





“Oh, there’s my beautiful ad’ika. Come here, sunspot. Let Buir take your shoes, you can walk around in your stockings.” Yasha took Adara up in her arms, propping the girl and her fluffy dress on her hip. Pulling off Adara’s shoes, she passed them to Aiya. Cradling Adara in one arm, Yasha tapped at the girl’s nose and chin to elicit a giggle and a call of,





“Buuuir.”





“Buuuuir.” Yasha imitated, nuzzling her nose to Adara’s. Rocking back and forth to the music, holding her blessed girl, Mand’alor the Infernal enjoyed a rare treat of being a mother, before one of the nannies descended. Adara cuddled into her mother, cheerful, yet tired.





“Thank you, Kain’ik. I saw you and our Lady Princess get announced…”





“You did, Buir? You really?” Adara perked up, craning her head to the side to view her gold-draped mother. Yasha hugged Adara tight and spun around, kissing Adara’s forehead then smudging the black lipstick away with her free thumb.





“I really really. You were perfect, ner ad’ika. And your Baba was the perfect father.” Yasha snuck her family closer to her, bringing Kay and Kaine in for a familial embrace.





“Thank you, Kain’ik.” Yasha whispered in Kaine’s ear, the daughter they raised between them.





“And we saw you get smoochies from Alv-Alvarex!”





Yasha’s face stiffened, her shoulders rising up. “Oh! You saw… our…” Her cheeks brushed with a soft pink, and a gentle smile took to a downcast chin. “You need to meet him, Kain’ik. You and Kay should spend time with Alvarex on Mandalore.”





Something in the way she softened only deepened, when the Prince came into view. To one who knew the Infernal so well, the gentle change would tell the Warmaster much. A quickened pulse, the pout and purse of her black painted lips, the way she held Adara in her red dress…





“So you’re not dead…” Yasha spoke in Epicant to [member="Alvarex Zambrano"], clamping her lips down tight as she set Adara on the floor. “Not that I thought you so weak a warrior that a few minutes in a dance would do you in, but one can never be too thankful that someone survived without you… not without you-without you but lacking your presence. Oh… now I’m rambling.”





Yasha stopped the flow of her native Panathan language, and hissed out a breath. She nodded her brow, her smile morphing from the deep grin of the dance floor to a tender pressing of the lips he kissed so sweetly. “Sir Pepper.”





There was love here, in this small family. The parental love for Adara, and Kay’s love for Yasha. The love of children for their parents, companions and battle-vode to each other… and a fledgeling bud on the vine, sparking between blue and amber eyes.





“Good evening, Prince Rexalex. How doooo you do?” Adara smiled and curtseyed, smoothing her dress as she spun around in a fluffy circle. “Are you going to kiss Buir again? Can you wait till I’m in bed? Buir kisses are yucky…”





Yasha coughed and knelt down beside Adara, putting her hand on her child’s back. “Even when they’re Adara kisses? Mwah! Mwa-mwa-mwa-mwa!” Peppering her daughter with kisses until the child giggled. Yasha scooped Adara up and spun her around to a host of happy squeals.





“Say goodnight, Dar’ika. Time for your goody bag from Fiolette, and your bed.” Adara pouted, but kissed all present and hugged Kaine and Kay around their necks. She even hugged Alvarex! Task done, Yasha passed Adara to Aiya and gave her one last kiss, so the adults could enjoy the ball.





“We were about to take a walk in the garden, Alvarex. Join us? It’s perfect, Kain'ik can have Aunt Kay’s arm,” Yasha swept beside the Prince, and threaded her arm through his. “And I can take yours. Taeli was telling me there exist flora on Galidraan I’ve never seen before. There’s even some flower petals that fluoresce in the moonlight! Can you believe it!? Ah! I’d love to see every single one of them! And then grab some seeds and grow my own in my garden… but. I’m ensuring that all viable greenspace on Manda’yaim produces edibles, but I’ve been dreaming of the chance to have a proper decorative garden of my own. Come, come see. The hedges are supposed to have this amazing aroma and…”





As Yasha spoke of the wonders of horticulture, her true life’s passion blossomed before Kaine, Kay and Alvarex’s eyes. Duty held her firm in her dangerous throne. If the Mantle passed to another, what would Yasha Mantis become?





“… I am particularly excited by this flowering vine, which releases its’ pollen at night, and you can strain it from the air and turn it into medicines, but the pollen floats and it’s supposed to glow like pyre flies and I’ve never seen it for myself. Come on! Come on you three, please? We’re going to miss it.”

[member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Fiolette Yvarro"] [member="Abel Australis"]

 

[The Major]

Galidraan
Blakeslee Falls Estate
Undisclosed Hour, 853 ABY
Interacting With: [member="Tez Bola"] | [member="Shoma Ike"]
Commentating on: [member="Muad Dib"]
Morale: Neutral (rising)

The further they closed the gap towards the intended target of noble persuasion the more malevolent the twinkle was that could be found within the Major’s eyes -up until a hoarse attempt of a discreet whisper held her at bay before the final sprint past the breach. Nervousness was smeared all across this Ball, but in these conditions the First Order’s own self styled Merovingian found it was best to cast oneself in the deep end of the wolves’ glen. Soon, Tez would learn to do the same or drown in the sea of utter insanity that was politics and spycraft. The taller of the two espied her companion, watched her sweat a little while looking for more booze to ease the transition -but the reality was that altered perceptions never helped anyone accomplish anything other than ruin. Smirking, she replied to one of seer’s questions:

“I know of one of them.” It was magical response. The kind that was beautifully, frustratingly vague. “The grinning one I know as Maud, or the Mad Mouthpiece. A brilliant operator by every account, and as much a wildcard as he is dangerous. I’m quite a fan of his. However, I very much doubt that is his actual na-” At this point, an Atrisian Prince had caused a stir -stepping on the back of Sybil’s foot while in the midst of his own retreat.

She flinched, split in a grimace, and internally cursed the fact that her heel was exposed for the abuse. A glower fit to split phrik armor in twain faded as she turned and realized who it exactly was that had been so clumsy. Prince Shoma apologized and bowed. Sybil, ever a slave to formality, returned the gesture with an Almanian styled curtsy.

“It’s quite alright, Prince Ike. In crowded conditions such as these one is prone to not depart without at least a few scars.” As the Major spoke, her eyes flickered up and down the young prince’s form, taking in the details in his presentation.

“We both just arrived -thank you kindly for asking- but the impression in the air is that the evening is rife with potential. How about yourself -ah my manners. Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Director Shepard, of the First Order Security Bureau. This is Tez Bola, a Coruscant heiress currently visiting across the galaxy, taking stock of the various players, nations, and whatever other dull flotsam you can imagine tends to clog the workings of our strange universe.”

One could almost see a slight, ripper grin flash across the Major’s otherwise smooth, unassuming face as she gave out the information regarding her role. Normally, she would never lead a conversation with her name or occupation, but in this case it occurred to her that his reaction could be priceless.

 

[Hira Mitsae]

[member="Umai"]

It was pure discipline that allowed him not to show the disappointment.

Instead the hunger slowly faded away and left plain old Julian.

Except.

He was nothing ordinary. "Mmm, I feel da, das be a shame." His hand reached out, stroking the line of her jaw as she mentioned the tome. Now that made him curious again and plenty. "But da is interesting... ya ya." He pondered on it for a while. In truth Julian had wanted to string this out a little bit more. A little bit... longer. But the mention of the tome had solidified his interest in her.

So it did.

Leaning in, cheek brushing cheek, lips almost touching her ear like in the beginning. "Gives me an idea, yah?" Tugging her closer to him. "Ya can show me da tome, maybe, mmhm. Somewhere private, eh?"

A chuckle there.

"I be worth ya while."

It might have been just a quirk of the way he spoke. Or maybe he truly meant that he was worth it. Who could know with one Julian Imani?

 

[Armand Temi]

Location: Ballroom, Blakeslee Falls Estate
Objective: Make a hasty exit
Dress: Red and Black Gown
With: [member="Primat Ren"]

If anyone in the upper echelons of the Ren could see the pair, alarm bells might have gone off, the same as they did when her father had warned her of getting too emotionally attached. Sighing and holding Primat as they swayed to the music, Varas realized that she was too far gone in her dependence. To pull away from her Brother would be far too painful and what purpose would it serve?

Appeasing her callous creator? Ministering to Sieger Ren, a figure she barely knew and had no demonstrative connection to? They might as well both be statues! Cold stone or marble, standing only as a reminder of all of the things she wanted but could not have.

Varas did not want Primat to witness the frustration on her face over these thoughts.

“I do,” she said, attempting a smile before she took his hand again and headed towards the exit. As a serving droid rolled close, a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice atop its flat-head, the Knight of Ren snatched the bottleneck so they’d be able to enjoy its sweet, bubbly contents once they piled into the speeder limousine.

~~ sortir en vitesse ~~​

 

[Vereshin]

Location: Ballroom
Interacting With: [member="Adrian Vandiir"], [member="Muad Dib"], [member="Shoma Ike"]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smbyxlBlds0

As Adrian gripped his hand to shake, the ends of Vereshin's mouth curved upwards in a smile which revealed a mouth of black teeth. The other sorcerer shook his hand firmly and exuded a tasteful confidence which Vereshin found endearing. The two delicate rings on his hand glistened beneath the light of the chandelier. He released his grip on Adrian's hand and raised the glass of wine to his lips, savoring the refreshing taste in a longer sip.

"A pleasure, Adrian." Vereshin responded with a further smile, a charming, non-threatening smile. Placing a polished shoe forward, he stepped into the space where Adrian had allowed him to join the circle.

"Certainly, the curse which earned me the rank of Sith Knight took years to create." He tilted his glass in the direction of Maud and nodded in agreement to his advice regarding the dedication required to practice magic. The stark white hue of Vereshin's skin and his thin figure made his dedication to his craft more than apparent, as well as the price he had paid to earn his skills. "The corruption you see now was earned in recent years." Extending his free hand, he splayed his skeletal fingers beneath the light, black veins barely visible beneath his pallid skin.

"Persistence is key when practicing heavy magic." He said to Maud as he looked at the shape of his hand beneath the glow of the chandelier. "With enough dedication to a singular craft, years of practice make up for the lack of a broader focus." Having never branched out from the metaphysical branches of sorcery, Vereshin had never been concerned with amassing power bases or winning wars, which had paved the way for the power he had gained as a mage. "I've never been interested in power in the form of authority, only in the form of knowledge." Taking another sip of wine, he spoke to Maud assuredly and raised an eyebrow in an expression of thought.

"My dedication to that area has proven to be my strongest asset when advancing my skills." As he spoke, he noticed Shoma backing away out of the corner of his eye. The young prince seemed put off my the conversation, or perhaps he had not understood what the others were talking about. Vereshin was not particularly good with teenagers and did not have the faintest idea of how to properly talk to a child.

"Why does that always happen?" With an eyebrow raised, he spoke with a tone of dismay as he watched Shoma leave. When Adrian made a comment regarding the Emperor's height, Vereshin chuckled in amusement and brushed back his hair. "I think I'd be too frightened to stare at his majesty for too long, lest he stare back." Vereshin joked, his tone lifting at the mention of [member="Darth Carnifex"]. The sheer size of the Emperor was enough to make the small mage take a step backwards.

"Indeed, although the more combative Sith are not always sympathetic to the belief that victory need not be attained through violence." Vereshin's tone dropped to a wary volume as he elaborated on the liberties enjoyed by the Sith in their pursuits. "At least in my experience." He said to Adrian as he looked down at his glass, which was almost empty. "Like you, I use prisoners of the Empire to experiment with the properties of the sentient essence, although I am mostly interested in the essence of the deceased, as opposed to the living." Speaking eloquently, the words rolled off his soft voice as a waitress walked by.

"I never experiment on animals, however." Vereshin shook his head as he placed his glass on the silver platter which the waitress carried. "I am designing an amulet which allows the user to contain a spirit and commune with them from the safety of their own home." On the topic of experimenting with the essence of the deceased, Vereshin found the opportunity to mention his most recent development. "I am hoping that it proves to be an effective means of necromancy." His tone lifting in excitement, he rolled back and forward on the heels of his feet as he reveled in joy at the chance to talk about his work.

"I'm afraid I don't have a ritual chamber, just a chart carved into the floor in my attic." Holding a hand to his mouth, Vereshin covered his black teeth as he blushed. "For small rituals I use my coffee table." He laughed. "I quite enjoy that actually, it's nice to have a cup of tea while conducting." Dimples etched into the sides of his cheeks as he admitted his lack of assets. Having been born to a harlot and a local blacksmith, Vereshin grew up without wealth or a surname. "... but that's enough about me, tell me what you are working on, Adrian." Turning to face Adrian, he tilted his head as he listened intently, the effects of the wine having made him rather jolly.

 

[Valgærd]

I sensed his disappointment.

Never had I felt particularly robbed or jilted by the fact that I hadn’t been raised among other witches. In fact, sometimes I’d felt quite proud of myself—of how far I’d come—despite my guardian trying his best to keep my past hidden from me.

You can take the witch away from Dathomir, but you can’t take the Dathomiri out of the witch, it seems.

But now, for the first time, I regretted that a little. The doubts came rushing back. I'm not a real witch, am I? I wasn't raised among them, I don't know all their customs and rituals. At the exotic man’s suggestion, my eyes flicked back up to his.

“Show you the pages of a tome filled with magic reserved solely for a daughter of Dathomir?” I asked, “betray the secrets of my mother’s way of life, potentially drawing the wrath of the guardians of such secrets?”

The words were ones that would often precede a sharp ‘no’, outlining precisely why such would be a bad idea and why I wouldn’t do it. However, my tone, rather than being indignant or offended, held a sense of allure,

“that sounds like a positively dangerous idea.” I continued, my fingers lightly trailing up his neck to rest at the base of his skull,

“… I love dangerous.”

​

[member="Julian Imani"]​

 

[Abel Forsworn]

Location: the room of people who hate interpretive dance
Objective: DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION

Nothing like being brushed off for being a drunkard. Which wasn't completely true at the moment, but hey, the night was still young. As he left the vertically blessed Sith Emperor, he made his way along to pluck another two drinks from a passing tray. Draining one in a single draught he returned it to the server with a wink before moving along once more.

The evening was quite fancy, the etiquette nearly flawless, the sense of fashion up to par, the civility and manners unparalleled. It was nauseating. Hiccuping he placed his empty left hand over his mouth. Then again, perhaps the nausea was the several different liquors utilizing many different flavors. Shrugging his massive shoulders he took another drink and grinned as he saw the clustered group of mandos beginning to move through the room for one of the exits.

His long strides ate the distance between them as he joined the moving mando caravan. Having missed the little Adara and her exit, he instead noticed the other uniquely tall man in their midst. Then again in the company of the evening perhaps he wasn't uniquely tall. Chuckling he approached the group and addressed [member="Alvarex Zambrano"] with a smile.

"Oh hey! Prince man! You're gonna strike out anyway, come dance with someone who'll kiss you back! Trust me, Yash'alor doesn't put out. My brother's been trying to bang that for YEARS."

Winking at the man with the most beautifully smooth jawline he had ever seen he resisted the urge to reach out and touch the smooth skin. The phrase smoother then a baby's bottom came to mind, but he ruefully shook his head in disagreement. His eyes landed on [member="Yasha Mantis"] and he gave a sheepish grin realizing what he had just said in front of her. He gave an abashed look.

"My apologies ner Mand'alor, I meant no offense. I was just offering to strengthen our .... relations with our party hosts ..."

He tossed a not so sly wink at Alvarex as he looked among the rest of the group. Yep, his brother, ole [member="Kaine Australis"] , was there, clearly freed of his babysitting duties finally. Perhaps they could kick the party up a notch. As he was about to throw a verbal barb at his much older and wearier and clearly aged brother he paused as his attention was captured by [member="Lady Kay"] . Thrusting out his arm he passed his drink to Kaine before taking a knee before the , unbeknownst to him, Queen of Commenor and aunt of the Mand'alor.

"My Lady, your beauty stills my heart, your face in the moonlight is like a goddess revealed to be worshipped. I shall request a dance to show the room that you are glorious and stand triumphant amidst such as those who are gathered. To take joy in the midst of Sith is to say you cannot take my happiness. And I shan't take no for an answer. I shall wait with baited breath until you agree madam."

And so Abel took in a breath and clearly held it. Unfortunately he had not the lung capacity he once had and was also unprepared to hold his breath and gasped out. He raised a hand pausing any comments.

"Wait wait, that was a trial run, now I shall hold my breath."

And so he once more held his breath, prepared to turn as blue as a chiss until he had received the answer he sought ... Or until the liquor boiling in his gut threatened the rebellion on the man.

 

[LT-137]

Outer Rim Territories // Galidraan // Blakeslee Falls Estate // Ballroom.
The Gilded Mercenary | Twisuns Praetor of the Sun Guard | Invited on behalf of the Sith Empire.
Evening's Attire - [Link.]
Interacting With: [member="Astrid Gray"]

​

Although the foyer was populated with nobles and foreign delegates from every corner of the burgeoning Empire, Khonsu paid them little heed. These socialite leeches weren’t worth the countless credits they poured into dwindling veneers; nor were they worth the effort of acknowledgement. Sure, that act alone could be misconstrued as arrogance or pretension, but to Khonsu? They weren’t worth his time, especially when there were more important figures that awaited him further within the Estate. The Emperor himself was supposedly here. Doubtlessly everyone that consorted around him, as the Sun Guard made his way through the crowd towards the main event, gathered in the hopes of basking in his gravitas. It was unlikely that such eventuality would ever come to pass, but the Thyrsian imagined that wouldn’t stop them from trying.

With a subtle shake of his head, Khonsu moved towards the ballroom and the twinned set of marbled stairs thereafter. His eyes never wavered from his intended destination, despite the several smug glances he received from the small groupings of Echani. They looked down on him with raised noses, and were tempted to spit in disgust - but knew where they were - which kept them from debasing themselves in front of others. Even though the Bengali Uprising had been millennia ago, the hatred between these two genetic cousins still burned strong; especially when the world of Thyrsus was under Echani rule. It was a fact that festered within the Sun Guard’s heart and reminded him of his youth.

As swept by the sneering, alabaster facades, there was a brief moment of anger that burned bright, and hot - before being replaced by equal measures of pain and sorrow. His fingers danced across the concealed cufflinks beneath his flowing tunic, before brushing along the grafted skin wrapped around his wrists. He’d never forgive them for what they did to him. He’d never forget what the Echani did to his people in the past, or what they were doing in the present. Everything Khonsu was working towards - was to see the scales of justice balanced between the Daughters of Eshan and the Sons of Thyrsus. Perhaps, should those white-haired devils survive the coming maelstrom, their two peoples could work towards a more agreeable - if not peaceful future.

Like those that sought to bask in the glory of the Emperor’s presence, it was unlikely that the threads of fate would ever allow for such seeds to bear fruit.

The Gilded Mercenary shook his head once again to clear his thoughts, and shake off the lingering memories of the past. Yet, as his thoughts began to drift back into reality, an all too familiar presence slithered into his mind - filling the receding tide of recollection with his aetheric shade. It was that of his Master, the Lord of Lies himself - [member="Darth Prazutis"]. What a momentous occasion this evening turned out to be. Not only was he able to glide through the teeming masses of socialite leeches with ease, which would not only allow him to be in the same chamber as the Sith Emperor - but his secret Sith master as well. His words were measured and raced through his mind like a wisp of smoke; beckoning him to come forth and join his company at the earliest convenience.

The temptation to rush towards his master’s side like an obedient dog was strong, as there was a chance that the Sun Guard could find himself taking yet another step towards his lofty goal. But, as the seconds began to pass and the dance floor began to populate with more and more bodies - Khonsu figured that such a request was a test of sorts. Would he become like those that milled around outside, latching on to those with power in the hopes of earning some for their own? No. the Thyrsian was better than that - and Prazutis taught him better than that. He visualized that such a deplorable act would be seen as a sign of weakness, and one that would see his position within the Brotherhood compromised beyond repair.

That wasn’t something he could afford at this stage in the game. Not when he had come so far, and after he had done so much to get here.

There was a small, measured sigh of relief that slipped through Khonsu’s lips as he felt the presence of his master withdraw from his mind. The rush of sensation that flooded in his master’s wake, and the overwhelming scent of alcohol and perfumes, was too much for his burgeoning mind and the latent power that resided within. He needed something to offset the ache that began to build - and found himself drawn further into the ballroom’s embrace as he searched for a flute of champagne. When he had found one, the Gilded Mercenary quickly snatched the crystalline chalice from a platter and downed it in a single motion. He relished the taste and focused on the seemingly endless stream of bubbles bursting inside his mouth.

It was enough to tear his attention away from the agony that threatened to overwhelm his senses and allow the Thyrsian to better focus on his surroundings. With a thin-lipped smile and a whispered gesture of thanks, he returned the empty flute from whence it came - and allowed his gaze to flicker back to the shifting assemblage. When he did, the Sun Guard found himself standing almost face-to-face with a woman adorned in a garish ensemble, who bore a small smile on her face. She asked him to dance, and it took him a moment to consider her offer - which ended seconds later as he raised a hand to accept her offer.

Khonsu had only known of the woman through association with the Sith Empire but never had the pleasure of meeting her until now. She was Astrid Gray - or at least that’s the name he saw whenever the Sun Guard found themselves in Sith-Imperial ports, where the local establishments tuned into the Sith-Imperial News Network.

“It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Ms. Gray,” the Twisuns Praetor said, as he matched her smile. “And I would be honoured to dance with you.”

"Shall we?"​

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wasn't sure of what to do with the bouquet of blue roses that [member="Tom Taff"] had given her, other than smell them of course. And she did so. That is until [member="Kaine Australis"] and [member="Adara Raxis"] came by. She offered them small smiles, yet Kaine seemed to read her mind as to how she felt in this place. She could see it in his eyes. "Good to see you again too, Kaine."

Her attention was turned back to Adara, [member="Yasha Mantis"] , and yes, even [member="Alvarex Zambrano"] as he approached the group as well, giving him a small nod in acknowledgement. Yasha seemed to stumble over her words, though Kay didn't understand them when she wasn't speaking basic. But what she did understand, she responded to it. "Going to Mandalore would be nice. Hopefully my wardens won't mind." It didn't take a genius to figure out who she was referring to.

Before Adara could go, Kay seperated her bouquet in half and held them out to her. "Here...A beautiful young lady deserves beautiful flowers. These come from my home. I'm sure that your nannies can show you how to dry them so that you can keep them forever." She kissed her forehead just below her crown. How long would it be before Adara grew taller than her great-aunt? It was hard to say.

And just as Kay was about to take Kaine's arm, [member="Abel Australis"] arrived. Was he drunk? She wasn't sure. But he sure smelled of booze. His actions upon seeing her, his words, his kneeling and holding of his breath, it caught Kay by complete surprise. Her jaw dropped slightly before she looked to Kaine, the older gentleman seeming to be as equally surprised, if not angered too. Yet she remembered what Yasha had said while they were in the powder room. Abel had been striking out all night. She had pretty much told her to dance with him. Perhaps there was something to that, just as there was with [member="Jor Kvall"] when he had wanted to speak with her earlier. So it wouldn't be wise to turn him away.

"No need to hold your breath. I'll dance with you. Just...fair warning...I tend to step on toes at times." Kay wasn't the most graceful of dancers for she tended to think about it too hard. Maybe tonight it'd be different.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Fiolette Yvarro"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Darth Prazutis"] [member="Kaine Australis"] [member="Adara Raxis"] [member="Yasha Mantis"] [member="Lady Kay"] [member="Alvarex Zambrano"]

"Yeah, it is," Taeli said, smiling as they spun through the dance. She had also come to that conclusion that this was their first dance, although she had not reached the same place as suggesting they add a ballroom to their vacation home. That was an odd one there.

"I think a ballroom would clash with the whole tropic/vacation home vibe Genesia has," she laughed. As the waltz came to an end, a much more upbeat and jazzy tune began, she got very excited. Jazz was always her favorite genre to listen to, well besides classical, but especially jazzy music performed by a larger grouping of musicians. She could also feel some of the tension still lingering in the place, and she could see several... incidents that almost had her rolling up her sleeves like Yasha seemed to be about to do.

She let it all out in a breath through her nose, counting silently to five in her head. Blinking, one of her familiars had keyed into a certain Zabrak who seemed to be making the rounds. Someone was being sneaky it seemed.

"I suddenly find myself a little thirsty," she said. "Luv, you wouldn't mind going to get me a drink maybe? Just some water would be nice."

 

[Jor Kvall]

Do not let a man hold on to a goblet,
but let him drink mead in moderation,
let him talk sense or be silent.
No man blames you
of bad manners,
that you go early to sleep.

-House Kvall saying

He who cannot control his cup, becomes like the fat one​

who never satiates his stomach, or so Jor thought.​

There was [member="Abel Australis"], acting the ass, all out of sense,​

his foolish fawning on [member="Lady Kay"] an affront to the ears,​

while Jor watched with tight eyes.​

​

Too bad, what the drink does to men​

revealing their disposition, wrecking their fortitude​

giving Jor good reason to retire soon.​

Sadly this condition seemed common amongst his kin.​

A blessing and a bane both, to be upbeat and giddy​

at the taste of tihaar.​

​

But Jor found himself​

missing the merriment and mirth needed to endure​

standing amidst this social situation,​

a feeling which he feared no drink could deluge.​

The door demanded his attention, and he did move for it.​

 

[Strider Garon]

After a rigorous frisk by the security official Strider Garon was allowed to enter the ball. The suit he wore was black....sharp-looking, and well-fitted, even his long black hair was well groomed and oiled. Exactly the sort of thing that a woman would pick out for her man to wear to a formal event like this, though he had no female companion with him. Still, it fit well, it made him look very handsome, and when he smiled at the handsy security officer, it was a little bit magic that escaped from his grizzled veteran facial features. "Listen son, it been a long time since I had been touched like that" Strider gave him a seductive wink before moving on. Poor man was all sorts of confused but to his credit he kept a stern cold face upon him.

The old man just laughed and kept walking. Strider needed the quick snip of humor to distract himself from inwardly battling with himself on why the hell he was here. These formal get togethers of other culture's upper crust of society were not functioned that sat well with him. He was not a noble or some rich c#*$% that liked to flutter around like a peacock. He was just a soldier. A killer. A mandalorian. What the fek am i doing here? He questioned himself as he strode further into the main lobby. He caught sight of Yasha Mantis. The mand'alor was jaw dropping gorgeous, a sight to be had for sure. But even then she was not why he was there. She was more than capable of taking care of herself. Long have the days gone when she needed protection. A tinge of pride plucked at the old man's cold heart. Wasn't the invitation alone, he knew little of the host but the curiosity of it all that someone would actually invite mandalorians to such a formal setting was hard to not witness.

Maybe that was just the simplicity of it. He was curios. Didn't hurt that the room was filled with beautiful women , enough to keep him occupied from violent thoughts. Like the thoughts of putting fist to face when his eyes scanned over the familiar features of Prelait Mantis and other sheb lickers that have turned their back on the mandalorian empire for self righteous ambition or what ever other excuses they could come up with.

Strider focused on the bar and plotted the quickest route to it. He needed a drink, some liquid courage to hold him proper among these people. Liquid spirits to tame the savage.

 

[Koda Fett]

Koda took a moment. He allowed himself to sink into thought, to think as to whether the decision he had seemed so content on making was truly the right one. Had he been neglecting some biological roots, denying himself a sense of happiness he hadn't yet known of, was leading the life he had only some pursuit, and would he truly be forgotten with time? Possibly. It didn't seem to matter, though. Fett had his mind made since the moment this conversation started. Too stubborn to be persuaded, even if presented by logic. Maybe he was too similar to his template. There weren't many definitive answers, or so it seemed.

"Your people aren't mine." Fett replied, his tone had carried the same aggression to it. It was apparent he wasn't entirely pleased with the current company- that was an easy guess. He made his steps forwards, out of the way, and beyond Preliat. Fett wasn't returning to Mandalore. Sorry.

[member="Preliat Mantis"]

 

[Salara Zambrano]

"Always," Salara practically purred she ran a hand along one side of his chest, while Invicta ran hers along the other. The two women then walked around him as they joined their hands together, and gave another look to their husband. "I trust the Mandalorians and the Exiles know their place in all this." Whispered Salara while Invicta made her disapproval known as she pulled Salara into her embrace.

The petite woman drew the other onto the dance floor once more. The upbeat rhythm of the song gave way for their dance, Salara on her part felt elated with each movement a feeling that Invicta mirrored. Each step for either woman seemed effortless and perhaps it seemed that way but certainly, the petite woman got better with her steps, smoother as the dance went on. Invicta then turned and motioned for their husband to join them as Salara made room for him. The sounds of the saxophone and the top hat seemed to anchor each part of the dance.

It'd been such a long time since either of the three had had this sort of opportunity. A moment to pause as Salara readied herself for the next steps, Invita smiled and playfully gave Salara an eye roll as she watched the other woman for another moment longer. Once she saw the dance steps that the brunette performed she moved to imitate them as best as possible. Then they came together, hand in hand - twirling out for their husband to catch them in either one of his massive arms. Now they were entertained, and as once more their hands came together this time joined by their husband.

It made Salara wonder why they didn't do this sort of thing more often.

[member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Invicta Zambrano"]

 

[Tez Bola]

[SIZE=12pt]Galidraan[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Blakeslee Falls Estate[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Interacting With: [member="The Major"] and [member="Shoma Ike"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]In the Vicinity: [member="Muad Dib"][/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Status: TBD[/SIZE]
[SIZE=12pt]Outfit[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Akin to a rushing pack of wild bantha, a shade of scarlet spread across the sienna colored cheeks of the alleged heiress. Tez longed for the ability to mumble choice words solely for her auburn haired compatriot but held back for fear of being heard: she had no way to gauge how well the prince’s hearing was. It was at this point that Tez stared down two possible ways of proceeding: either she played the scripted part of debutante in Sybil’s play entitled [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]Life: A Parody,[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] or she laugh the comment away with her signature charm. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]“Heh, what charm?”[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] she internalized. [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]“It’s easy to charm regular folks, and another to charm royalty- no matter the age.” [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]Well, the night was still young.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Tez beamed a wide smile, blush be damned, and nodded in greeting. Her teeth were a striking white against the bold pigment of her maroon colored lips. She wasn’t sure if it would be customary in her case to follow suit and curtsy, though it would be difficult in her svelte dress, or to hold out her hand. Sybil, in typical fashion, had omitted several key facts on the way to this ball. “So lovely to meet you, Prince Ike,” Tez said genially. “This is indeed a rather exquisite affair. I dare say it rivals the little get togethers Mother and Father would throw back in the old days. They were humble folk and absolutely adored having company over. It’s quite possible that your parents may have met mine ages ago. Anywho, I was just telling Sybil of all the wonderful game and aperitifs that would be served. Oh, and speaking of, I do beg your pardon as I help myself.” She then paused the conversation and lifted another glass of wine held aloft upon a tray from a conveniently timed passing server. “Thank you. Now, [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]do[/SIZE][SIZE=12pt] tell me all about your home-world. Atrisia, is it?” Tez stole a glance at Sybil and hoped she was mastering her role. [/SIZE]

 

[Ria Misrani]

"I am doing quite well," Alvarex answered Adara and then a light chuckle, "I'll be sure to save those for after you've gone off to bed, how about that?"

Another moment, and the Prince rose to his feet and his baby blues were now drawn to the amber hues of Yasha's eyes, "glad to hear that the rumors of my death have been somewhat exaggerated, and yes I survived. Believe me if I can survive mother Invicta and mother Saijo's disciplines, I find that a dance shall not do me in. At least, not without a little more effort on an entirely different dance floor." He then cleared his throat, "for the record I mean the battlefield." The man hated his father in the moment, find a deserted bedchamber... you raunchy son of a-. Alvarex then thought on the offer from Yasha, "a walk in the gardens doesn't sound so bad, could use the fresh air I suppose." He agreed and then as Yasha went on about the gardens, the Prince seemed delighted in her enthusiasm.

And then an upstart rushed in, the man knew not his name until later.

He had comments about Yasha, then added he was a brother.

Alvarex knew two things, Yasha's honor had been insulted, "my good sir, I would strongly advise you to hold your tongue." His eyes drew to the man [member="Abel Australis"], "no need, sir." His words then were to [member="Kaine Australis"], "or for any sort of physical violence."

"Or perhaps I can hold it for you." The Sith Prince moved to wave his hand in his attempt to silence the man. If he didn't then he was sure other methods, more crude certainly could be done. Abel on his part would feel as if the wind was taken from him and his mouth would no move but no words would flow. "Now then, I heard we were to tour the gardens? Yasha, I would certainly love to hear more about them."

Shame that [member="Lady Kay"] would not be joining them. He had hoped to try and ease her mind, another time.

 

[Abel Forsworn]

Rising from his kneeling position with a huffing inhale he grinned a sloppy smirk as he opened his mouth to speak. Yet a vise like grip seemed to settle around his throat, air constricting for a moment. Before the light headedness of having held his breath mere seconds before combined with the forced hold on his person made him totter, which had absolutely nothing to do with the amount of alcohol consumption he had partook of, he was able to breath somewhat normal. However it seemed his tongue had grown heavy and his vocal chords had ceased to function correctly.

Looking between [member="Kaine Australis"] with a hand still curled in anger then to the Sith Prince [member="Alvarex Zambrano"] who had just finished his little statement, Abel knew who to blame. Unable to vocalize his feelings he instead relied on the only hand language he knew, which thankfully was universal. Slowly he raised his right hand and clenched his fist. Then his middle finger eased free to wagyle to and fro for the Prince. Still smirking he turned his back on the Prince, looking at [member="Lady Kay"]. Extending his right hand now that his signing was finished he nodded mutely to the dance floor that was still mostly empty.

He gave [member="Yasha Mantis"] a short nod and his brother a wink before waiting for the Queen to take his hand and join him in taking to a bare section of the dancefloor.