The Hapes Consortium Masquerade Ball

[Renato Sarkin]

Renato walked casually around the room stopping for a moment to grab a glass of champagne to sip as he passed through the crowd making note of different people as he went by giving a polite nod to different groups.

It was not until he passed by two in particular, [member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"] and [member="Darth Tsolan"], that he stopped beside them as they danced raising his glass to them with a smile and a nod before moving on.

Renato curiously wondered what the nights events would bring. As he went around the room he had noticed a few tremors in the force from various guests. Luckily his would not be noticeable at all unless he was standing beside you for any length of time. Others however it seemed reeked of it as if wearing it like cologne. It made Renato wonder if the hosts of such an event had any idea who all was there as surely a few of them would not have been received in as nearly a friendly manner.

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

[member="Renato Sarkin"]

Seeing him, she thought "he looks alright, why not?" She approached, not knowing of his connection to the Sith. "Hello there"

 

[Anastasia Rade]

She had been thinking of getting some nice silk sheets or something but something told her that was not what Cryax had taken it as. Ana would have to ask him later what he had in his mind. She was pretty it was unpure thoughts not that she minded though.

Her hand in his Ana followed him up the winding staircase to the second floor which she found to be empty for the time being. There were numerous closed doors on this level so the possibilities of what they could find was endless.

Upon opening the first door on the right she found it to be nothing more than a walk in closet filled with towels, fancy soaps, and a few other things she had never seen before.

Ana knew she ought not touch anything but she couldn't help up but reach out with her free hand and touch. "I don't know what these towels are made of but you have to feel how soft they are."

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Tiger and Lili]

The two young Togorians had been biding their time, waiting for the party to end and the stealing the food. They hid in a closet up on the empty second floor, believing themselves to be secure they decided on taking a nap on some of the towels. But now Tiger was being rudely shaken awake by some rude woman and her Chiss compatriot. Tiger got up and jumped down onto the floor and stared irritably at the pair of lovebirds. Lili had been awoken by the commotion and after she noticed the two people she got up on all fours on the towels, her tail poofed up to make herself intimidating. Tiger somehow could feel the woman might be dangerous, but the other one was a beta man by every definition. He would be the first to die.

[member=Cryax Bane] [member=Anastasia Rade]

 

[Cryax Bane]

Cryax chuckled as Anastasia started peeking around in the Hapan closets. She was being irresistibly cute. He ducked into the closet, joining his girlfriend.

"I want to feel how soft you are." He grabbed Anastasia and pulled her close to him with a grin. "I've heard that in Hapan society females traditionally have all the power. The men are mainly used for breeding." He raised an eyebrow at her mischeviously. "Since we're here on Hapes, maybe tonight I could be your little..."

He suddenly stopped. They weren't alone in the closet. The Chiss looked around and saw two small wildcats in there with them. Cryax grabbed a broom.

"Well, what have we here?"

[member="Tiger and Lili"] [member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Letting go of the towel she wrapped her arms around him and lightly kissed him on the lips. Ana could put the pieces of the puzzle together well enough to know what he was thinking. Before he could finish though she turned to see what made him stop.

"Awww, they are so cute!!" She smiled brightly at the two kittens whom were being way to cute. The way they tried to poof themselves up make themselves look terrifying didn't work. It made them look even cuter! "No,no put the broom down." She stated taking the broom away from Cryax.

"Can I pet you?" She slowly reached her hand out to the little kitty. It was pretty obvious Ana had a soft spot for animals.

[member="Tiger and Lili"] [member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Vulpesen]

"Actually, yes it has. I just find the strange things enjoyable." He smiled and placed a kiss on her cheek as they danced a bit closer. "I'm sure there's quite a few. Lets just hope they don't pump into each other and catch the place on fire. I'm actually enjoying my not being a sith right now. Its relaxing. Much better when people aren't running around trying to shoot at me."

[member="Alexandra Lianne Feanor"]

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

Renatro stops his tour of the crowd as he is approached and spoken to. Turning so that only the part of his face that is cincealed is showing Renato circles the young girl disappearing in and out from behind others in the crowd taking full advantage of any effects it may have.

"Good evening My lady what brings you to such a place of cloaked debauchery and hidden sin." "Surely you feel out of place in such a world of hidden dangers masked by smiles."

Renato grins mischieviously as he stops just behind and to the right of the woman rasing his glass to her with a slighty bow.

 

[Sicarius]

Complex problems often had simple solutions and this one was no different. Reaching inside his clothes, he began pulling out the large, carefully folded bag and the large number of soft handkerchiefs he'd hidden on his person. A quick gauge of the number of cloth pieces and the number of crystals told him he should have the appropriate ratio to get the job done.

From there it was a simple matter to gather the materials and make his way out to the beam. He moved low and quiet along the beam. It was almost two feet wide so he had no worries about balance, he just needed to worry about stealth. A moment or two was all he needed and he was above the chandelier.

The goal was easy enough in concept, difficult in application. The wind crystals on the chandelier, the ones he was after, chimed easily when the air moved around them. The only way to successfully get them was to move quietly and slowly.

The chandelier easily had a large number of the crystals hanging from it which made the job harder for Sicarius. Fortunately, he knew he was quick with his hands and very dexterous and, with care and caution, felt he could get the job done right.

He sat on the beam and anchored his heels. From there, he opened the bag and made sure the container was open. Once done, he snagged a few cloth squares and leaned back to hang upside down from the beam.

The chandelier was close enough to be reached by hand, but the lowest crystals would require him to shift and stretch a bit. With this in mind, he opted to work the outer edges first.

The outside ring held the larger crystals, each was very thin, though supposedly very strong. Using the cloth square to muffle any noise from the crystal, he held his breath entirely and slowly, ever so slowly, reached out his hands. Careful fingers covered the crystal in soft cloth and unhooked the crystal from the chandelier with negligible sound. He pulled the crystal closer and fully wrapped it before pulling himself up to carefully set it in the bag and breathing. After making sure the crystal was secure, he leaned back to repeat the process.

It was painstakingly slow and his heart was racing between the held breaths and the risk of being spotted, but the potential payout was worth it all. Soon enough he had perhaps four or five of the largest, peripheral crystals in the bag and muffled. A huge success, but there were far more to go.

[member="Selka Ventus"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

With the troublesome trio successfully guided away from the man who had now disappeared from the last place they'd seen him, Selka found it prudent to be elsewhere. Her champagne flutes, one half-full and one nearly full, found their way back onto a tray, to the irritation of a server; Selka sauntered off mock-tipsily.

She began to look around.

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

[member="Renato Sarkin"]

"I figured I should get out and at least try to have a good time. A long quest has its disadvantages to your social life. Don't worry, I've handled worse than some of these people." As the quartet moved to the next piece,she said "Pardon my boldness, but would you care to dance?"

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

Renato chuckles as the young woman.

"You know what they say about dancing with the devil don't you?"

Renato extends a hand to her with a sly grin.

"Life is the quest my young friend." "A journey to filled with the glorious fruit of experiences both acceptable and forbidden." "Which path is it you travel?"

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

She takes his hand "Though It has been said my soul is muddled with gray, I walk the path of a Jedi Knight. However, I'd say I'm worth trusting. I can feel the force within you, do you travel a similar path?"

[member="Renato Sarkin"]

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

Renato pulls on Nefertari twirling her around until her back presses against his chest whispering into her ear.

"Who said it was your trustworthiness in question?" "My path is my own and I have no soul to muddle." "Do not fear me dear child if I wanted to harm you I would have by now."

Renato shifted whispering into the other ear not letting her move yet.

"So knowing what you know now will you flee or do you stay and be tempted by the very presence your Masters teach you to free and loath?"

Renato switches back to the other ear

"Does it make your senses tingle knowing your enemy is so near." "Do you wonder how many of us there really are here in the house of our enemy so bold to walk into the lions den without a care."

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

[member="Renato Sarkin"]
"Many don't trust Jedi" She wouldn't flee, though she would grow tense. "The dark side is a powerful adversary, but there are ways to beat it; and if necessary, I'll do that again." She didn't say anything for a moment "Oh well, let's forget our differences for tonight and have fun"

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

Renato chuckles still whispering

"It is not the dark side or the light that makes an adversary dangerous child." "It is the will of the adversary that makes them dangerous or not." "It is the extent of which they are willing to go to achieve their goal." "Of course I bet your Masters would not teach you that."

Renato spins around Nefertari still holding her hand to face her at arms length leaning down to kiss her hand before closing the distance leaving mere centimeters separating them able to once again whisper.

"It is our differences that make it fun."

Renato raises the hand he is holding placing it on his shoulder slipping his other hand to the small of Nefertari's back as they begin to move with the music.

"What would your Masters say now if they saw you here with me." "Would they be forgiving, would they understand, or would they seek to control you out of fear?" "More importantly would they trust you to not succumb to the darkness you all fear?"

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

[member="Renato Sarkin"]
"Some would understand, others would probably faint from shock...I'd sort of like to see that" she'd giggle

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

Renato smiles when Nefertari giggles not letting the continued conversation interrupt the dance.

"Careful now enjoyment in the discomfort of your Masters is a path to the dark side child." "You wouldn't want to disappoint them would you." "To walk the path to decadence and desire." "To find pleasure in the pain of others." "And they call me the monster."

Renato chuckles.

"Where is it that taught you such ideals?" "I think I would rather like it there." "Such a place of knowledge and growth it must be."

 

[Nefertari Sovint]

[member="Renato Sarkin"]
"Oh, many places. I wouldn't say I enjoy others' pain. I guess some things just sort of...rub off on you. Having a Sith Lord as a sister was an interesting experience I can tell you that."

 

[Renato Sarkin]

[member="Nefertari Sovint"]

"One sister embraces life and freedom and the other a life of overbearing old codgers micromanaging your every thought and action." "I wonder how it must have impacted your parents?"

Renato cocks his head to the side thoughtfully.

"One should not have to chose between one's blood and following ancient ideals." "Are you still close to your sister?"