We Like Balls [Galactic Alliance Fund-Raiser Gala]

[Dayn Wren]

Her laughter made him smile. Again, it was highly preferable to a drink in the face. Though they seemed to be past that point now. They were building some sort of understanding. The more time that passed, the better he got to know her (spoiler alert). So far that was working in her favour. Despite all the interruptions and outside forces wanting to have a little fun with their squadmate, things seemed to be going well.

She was a good dancer. Better than him, he thought, but he knew enough to keep up and lead well enough. Maybe her dance-steps weren't perfect, but to his alcohol-fuelled gaze she seemed fantastic. He was too drawn into the moment to notice any sloppy moves or limbs moving in strange ways.

Lilin seemed to see the humour in the foot-on-foot moment as well. When she teased him, he laughed with her. There was something about the way she said 'silly pilot' that kept his smile up longer than usual. "Duelling, are we?" he remarked while he re-positioned his hand based on what she had said. Now that she pointed it out, he noticed his arm had been shaking slightly. Was he not used to dancing? Was she making him nervous? Maybe.

Much like their first conversation, things seemed to get better after they got over that first awkward speedbump. Their movements seemed fluid, the two moving together. Her mischievous smile stole his breath away for a moment, though he tried to prevent giving any of that away on his expression. The music was steadily becoming background static.

Lilin moved closer to him. Aedan's hand shifted from being on her waist to the small of her back. She was moving towards him on her own, but his hand seemed to encourage her chosen path. They soon reached a point where there would be little space between them to move towards. There was no hesitation in Aedan either, although he was pretty sure he had stopped breathing. He didn't really have time to think about what he was doing. It just happened. Mind and body stood without other option, he just had to do it. Aedan's head leaned in slowly towards her, while his other hand shifted from holding her hand to a soft grip on the back of her head. Pulling her close to him, finally, he kissed her

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[James Justice]

James watched as another woman walked across the ballroom. His eyes sank into her every inch, savoring and taking her in. She had curves in all the right places and her black dress made that even more apparent. The way she was moving made it clear she was free for the night and looking for more trouble than she knew was good for her.

He wheeled around and came face to face with his daughter. How did she get here? He was sure she found a way of less ethical devices. He smirked, he had crashed more than his fair share of balls and parties both under age and at the age requirement.

"Ain't it too bad there ain't anyone in this ball who stands a chance, eh?" he bantered back before taking another drink. "Ain't no one here."

[member="Jessica Justice"]

 

[Dayn Wren]

NPC Post - Ailish Lochlan

Ailish took a deep breath and straightened out the lower edges of her dress. She was a little late, but she was here now. Business had delayed her, but it couldn't wait. Lochlan Apparel was still a fresh company with few holdings. That meant when something came up she was the one who received a call. Technically they could call her brothers as well but they would likely be busy shooting down TIE fighters and blowing up tanks, and probably not know what the kark the caller was talking about. This time it had been something about a botched shipment, and an explosion of coloured balls that painted everything bright blue or pink. Rookie mistake, but it hadn't been hers. These things weren't supposed to be shipped together anyway.

Unlike her brother she hadn't received any invitation to this fancy party. The company they ran together with their third sibling was far from being on anyone's radar, so that wouldn't get her in either. Fortunately for her, her brother had an invite and had been able to squeeze her in as his plus one. If not she would have had to dig deep into her savings.

And now the young Lochlan stood outside, about to walk into a world of politics and business. She had never attended a party of this magnitude before. Ailish felt nervous, but tried to not let it show. Was she dressed appropriately? The long-haired blonde wore a white, long sleeve, v-neck dress. It wasn't very long. She had been so confident when she left the hotel, but now, seeing all of the fancy suits and dresses she was having second thoughts. Pull yourself together. You're supposed to be some kind of fashion designer, right? Confidence confidence.

Spoiler

Tonight wasn't about pleasure. She'd have a drink or two, but she was on the clock. There were people otherwise hard to get a meeting with that she knew would be here, and she planned to take advantage. Deep breaths. After providing the men at the entrance with her credentials she walked inside. The place was bustling with life. Loud noises, of both music and chatter washed over her. After another deep breath, Ailish walked into the lion's den.

 

[Armand Temi]

Sylvia slowly walked through the crowded ballroom, skirting around weaving bodies, cigar-smoking Captains and intertwined couples. Having been a little late to the festivities, it seemed like everyone around her was twice as drunk as she was. But there was a quick remedy for that.

A double Dark Side Daiquiri, or maybe even a shot of nikta would help her catch up. Her best friend Muriel would be proud of her for wanting to dive right in. The last time they were out together, she had to pry Sylvia out of her shell and onto the dance floor. But then she’d met Marcus and… well honestly, she’d had a blast that night at the wild Soceras night club! Not so stuffy after all, Devil.

And in a perfectly timed coincidence, the redhead spied James Justice, the owner of the Angel’s Den. Finally a familiar face, but would he even remember her? He probably spoke to hundreds if not thousands of patrons a month. I suppose it’s worth a shot, she thought. He was talking to a woman, but when did James Justice not have a female by his side? In fact, at the Angel’s Den, he had a multitude of lady friends surrounding him at all times, all the colors of the Twi'lek rainbow in fact. The perks of owning a night club, she supposed.

Walking over, nearly tripping on a broken champagne glass on the way, she stood next to Justice and the girl who… well, looked vaguely like him in a way and said, “Mr. Justice, what are you doing all the way out here and away from the Angel’s Den? Who is going to corrupt all of those young and pretty Soceras customers while you're gone?"

Oh my stars, where did that sassy remark come from, thought Sylvia already blushing now, her cheeks as red as her flame-orange hair? Not even a drop of alcohol down her throat yet, and here she was making a fool of herself. Hopefully, Justice wasn’t offended at her attempt at friendly-flirtation.

[member="James Justice"] [member="Jessica Justice"]

 

[Liliane]

The whole party was a blur, a noise, a static. The girl lost all capability to focus on anything other than the two; alcohol was a little bit too much for her. Everything happened in a crazy fast pace and she couldn't even tell what was real anymore. The warmth of being so close to another person didn't make things better and let's not even talk about the warmth inside her. Everything went blurry, but when the mind failed, her heart kept on beating. And she was sure the decisions her heart made were far more real than any of her logical moves would have been.

So without hesitation, she let the man do what he did. Even before the kiss, she could understand what was going to happen and she didn't have anything against that. Because obviously her moving closer to Aedan also pushed the situation in that direction. She wouldn't stop the train anymore. What was happening was happening.

She leaned towards the man, letting her small body move even closer to the man's large build. Her lips moved automatically as if she was born with the knowledge of how to kiss a person. The softness of his lips was a surprise to the girl, but obviously she had no time or chance to show off any emotions at that moment other than passion. Was that truly what the Dark Side tasted like? Had she served the wrong side of the Force all that time?

Her lips were attached to the man's, enjoying the moment. She couldn't see anything as her eyes were closed, but even if she could have, she would have most likely only seen a blur of actions going around them, people socialising, music playing and lights shining at everywhere she looked. But none of that mattered on this very moment.

She was sure she wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else or be anybody else that night. No matter how scared she was, she could feel like there was no other way to be than to be a Jedi. She'd never cared about avoiding passion as a member of the Order and for a reason. She was glad and thankful.

As moved her own hands tighter around the man, she could only feel happy.

[ [member="Aedan Lochlan"] ]

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

"Best time to arrive, Liam," she said, handing off her coat to be hung, thus revealing the little, deep red dress she'd chosen for the occasion, on top of black heels, and beneath loose blonde locks, "when the party's in full swing." Putting a hand on his upper arm, she stood close and glanced around furtively; she wasn't big on public displays of affection, but once certain she hadn't yet gained anyone's notice from her arrival, she gently pressed her lips to the corner of [member="Liam Quez"]'s mouth. Just the corner. Any more than that, it might go on too long and she'd run the risk of an audience.

"Come on, I've already felt Mama here. Time to see who else we know, and find Alen," she fiddled with the lapels of the jacket that topped off the suit she'd insisted on wedging him into before turning around, tossing him a secretive smile over a bare shoulder, "he'll be so surprised!", and diving into the fray. Let them see her. Let them do a double-take. Let them think that they could have sworn they just saw [member="Spencer Varanin"] in a black dress. It was fun taking advantage of how eerily alike she and her mother looked.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

Loske stood there contentedly while [member="Owen Holst"] found her amusing. She glowed. The fact that he wasn’t grossed out by her potential crossing over the line with appropriate talk (wedgies typically not a part of small talk) was a good sign. Ride together, die together, appreciate each other’s bad jokes together.. etcetera.

Oh man. He asking for a pie pun. He was just….cannibalism? Really? At least her pun would have some merit in the conversation after that. And she couldn’t help it.
“You’ve got a lot of crust asking that.”

She couldn’t stand it any longer, and as perilous as it was to teeter forward she reached for the buffet, leveraging an empty plate and quickly placing finger foods galore on it. Baby sized vegetables (just for show), small brownies, cookies, and to humour her companion, a slice of the overstuffed blueberry pie. “Dunno though,” she lifted the plate to eye level as if examining the pie intricately, like a scientist. “You bleed blue?”

Encouraging herself to step away from the table, for fear her plate may become overstrained, she perilously teetered back to Owen. It was a good thing she’d practiced in these sky highs a bit before coming to the party, or she would have been on her face by now. Perhaps she was over analyzing, she didn’t quite look like a newly born deer, rather some vixen beyond her imagination. More humble than her maternal donor, she was mostly unaware the impression of her femininity may have. Save for the compliment from Thirteen.

Lifting a cracker with a slice of white cheddar on it to her teeth, she crunched down and peered over the protein and carb combination toward the dance floor where her cerulean gaze widened. “Ohh oh oh! Look.” She used her nose as a ski-jump pointer toward the spectacle of their wing friend and his mistress amidst the crowd. Quickly, she set the cracker down and turned the wrist holding her plate upward, fingertips squished together and striking the sleeve of her dress slowly at first.

“Deserves a clap, if the struggle was as real as you say.” She explained; thankfully the fabric and weave of her dress making it a mostly inaudible gesture. For Aedan’s sake.

 

[Micah Talith]

Juggling the apple from one hand to the next, cadimonious eyes would twinkle in growing mirth as the Talith’s mind would concoct a plan in motion. [member="Loske Matson"] was by one of the buffet tables, in the company of another man. While he wasn't sure if that was her beau or merely an acquaintance, her body language suggested that at the very least she was familiar with him.

Tongue in cheek, the Talith took to scouting the area. There were a few more patrons of the gala surrounding her. A buffet table to her right. Another at her back. A few waiters here and there offering appetizers as well as champagne in flukes.

“Hmm…” he tossed his apple from right hand to left. She had a platter in her hands. Cheese and crackers. Time to play that little game.

With a little boy grin, Micah lifted his right hand. Just as she was about to take another bite of the cracker, he gave it a little tiny jerk. Enough for it to slip from her hand and back onto her plate.

Maybe he could bait her into grabbing more…

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]So he’s a rogue, interesting job change there Mr. Janes.[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] Allyson thought quietly to herself as she gathered her mental health. Kaili had left her for the moment and Asmus as being his charming self. An unbearable grin spread across her face as she listened to him talk about how dapper he was and how special and heroic the Rogues were. Of course Allyson knew all about this already after seeing a wanted talented pilot’s poster. She was talented and she remembered flying in the shuttle beside Asmus back a few months or so ago. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Before she could remark, a familiar feeling returned to her and she looked towards Kaili who had gone off and grabbed a drink of her own. Color Allyson surprised, but there was Kaili introducing herself with this sense of confidence she hadn’t seen from the girl. Eyes blinked rapidly as she leaned over slightly and stole a quick sip of the concoction she had ordered. Brows raised and she nodded seeing that Kaili had ordered the fruitiest of the fruit drinks there were. Coughing back slightly the sugar content she looked towards Asmus again. “Rogue eh? Cleaning up your act? Nice, I just applied to them once I heard they were extending their roster to eighteen. Oh and yeah you look pretty sharp in a dress uniform good job.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Remember Kaili again she smiled. “Like she said this is Kaili, she’s my…” Allyson pondered on if she should share that bit of information with Asmus. Looking back at the girl then back at the boy she wrinkled her nose. It was going to come out sooner or later. “Asmus, Kaili is my girlfriend.” With that, she hooked her arm into Kaili's and smiled. There was a soft kiss to the girl's cheek and then she pulled her close. "Though she seems a bit more involved with the alcohol than I had expected." [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt][member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Kaili Talith"][/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Allyson Locke"] [member="Kaili Talith"]

Asmus didn't even bat an eyelid at the revelation. Couldn't really, not in this millennium, and certainly not with how he conducted his own private life. "A pleasure to meet you Kaili, Did you both go on the pre-lash? and for a formal event as well!" Asmus replied, tone full of mock incredulity. There was a touch of disappointment that didn't make it to his features. Allyson was fun, and particularly pretty in an elfin way. A touch of confusion did manage to make its way to his eyes. Locke hadn't exactly come across as the settling type. But then who can control when they fall hard in love?

The look was well hidden behind the grin that split his face. "You applied! Now that is exciting news. I mean, I'm sure you'll do just as fine in the formal uniform too. Why don't we grab a table, another round and all have a catch up about where we've been and where we're going? And I can be properly introduced to your lovely self Kaili."

Asmus didn't actually have a one track mind. He was just an easy going individual. Storytelling and a good chin-wag was an easy way to hold his typically short attention span for a good while.

 

[Tarok Vassket]

Tilzi Marte exuded both a faint dark-side presence, as well an air of nobility as she swept into the party. She was known to the Kathol Outback as an explorer, occasionally seen over the last few years at the courts of Empress Teta. Her family was supposedly middling nobility on that world, though her aunt had taken her in from less fortunate relatives, still a frequent custom within the tetan nobility. That was, in some respects, quite true. Her sisters on Aaris III were not really interested in material possessions, not in the way the rest of the Galaxy was. She had gone there to further her training with a small cabal of Krath.

It had been her tetan aunt's wish to attend to ball on behalf of the Marte family, who had quietly made a minor donation to the Alliance coffers. Her family there were not overly fond of the New Jedi Order, but they were perhaps even less fond of the One Sith. She appraised the room as she headed towards the bar.

She was of course garbed in designer wear, Force forbid a member of the nobility - even at their mid standing - wore the same dress to two balls. Even two on different sides of the disk. As she often did, to complement her fiery hair, she wore dark emerald green. It was a form fitting v-neck dress with a satin finish. No sequins, nothing so gaudy. It brushed the floor as she walked, but whilst tight to the hips gave enough room around her feet to dance. It was set off with a stunning statement necklace. A swathe of green stones that encapsulated her neckline and highlighted the plunge of her dress.

Her youth had taught her to fight deadly beasts of the jungle her tooth and nail. Her later upbringing had shown her how to dress for an occasion and use far more items of cutlery that she had ever dreamed necessary.

She drew the attention of the male behind the bar with relative ease. She stood tall over those beside her, bright hair and tattoos helped, but not as much as the air of command she carried. Particularly when it came to males. Misandrist views had been stifled during her time on Empress Teta too. Barely.

"The cocktails seem popular, what would you suggest?" she asked politely.

 

[Kaili Talith]

Pre-lash? Kaili didn’t even know the meaning of that. A wide yet very content smile spread on the girl’s lips as she put her drink to her lips and chugged what remain after Allyson had taken that one taste from it. She had glared the Corellian in an attempt to steer her away from it but it had been in vain. A small portion, which was still a portion too big, was taken away and Kaili would never ever regain that. In any case the confusion and whatever other emotion Asmus portrayed was more than lost on Kaili. In that regard she was far gone; swimming in dizzying clouds of citrus and tomatoes in a milky way of intoxication.

She gave Asmus an actual thumbs up and tried to set off towards the nearest booth with an uneasy balance. Allyson had her arm hooked to Kaili’s to help the girl from falling. It helped. They reached a booth, the girl took a seat and waited for Allyson to take the seat next to her. A hand patted at the soft leathers. Once all were collected she placed both elbows on the tables and propped her cheek by the palm of her hand. A finger stirred around the sticky edges of her glass.

“I’m okay, I haven’t had that much to drink.” Spoken like a true Kaili who had too much too drink. “Pretty-... Pretty good stuff though, I must admit.”

“This buzz thing ain’t so bad. Just gotta… Gotta get used to it. Not let the buzz, uhh…” Kaili paused as a very confused expression look fell over her. “What was I saying? I can’t… Hmmm…”

[member="Asmus Janes"] // [member="Allyson Locke"]

 

[Sal Katarn]

The half-breed picked out approaching footsteps from the milling mass. Hairs prickled up along the back of his neck. He glanced up from the table, eyes narrowing on an approaching figure. One of the Rogues, a woman, early to mid twenties, with skin the color of fresh snowfall and a crop of auburn hair like autumn leaves. Armed? Possibly.

She'd a cherubic face, but there was a hungry look to her eyes that said she hid horns somewhere beneath the fiery locks. Sal idly tapped the Mistress of Flasks with a forefinger, watching the girl approach. He knew that look, had worn it more'n a couple times himself, right now in fact. Well, hell, he hadn't come in here looking for any of that, but if it happened to fall into his lap he sure wouldn't complain.

Uniform said more'n likely this was just a quick buzz. One n' done. Fine by Sal. Pilots like the Rogues didn't stick around anyplace for too long, s'why they tended to inbreed. He wouldn't be too long in town away. ​Just passin' through.

He raised his chin slightly, smoke curling from the cig in his right hand. Bad intentions crept their way onto his face.

[member="Tela Uolmi"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus had just finished a job in the Eriadu System when the news of the galactic bash had emerged on the holonet. The advertisement boasted a manor on the surface of Sullust and some sort of fundraiser that would benefit the Galactic Alliance, but he hardly cared for the details. All he knew was that he was going to attend the ball, with our without the nominal fee that was supposed to be paid at the door. In fact... He already had a plan.

A resounding boom told the slicer that the ship had left hyperspace just as he finished buttoning up his dress shirt. By the time he was pulling the jacket about his shoulders, Marcus was already on his way back to the cockpit to guide in his approach in the suit that he so rarely got to wear. It was there, on that orange marble, that his fun awaited. The approach seemed effortless, and within a rather crowded lane of traffic that was moving towards the party, his ship fit in particularly well. Visions of exotic dancers and drunken brawls filled his head, but he knew that this would be a more up scale scene than he was used to. Suits, dresses, and a whole gang of security would be keeping this event under a watchful eye and all he wanted to do was enjoy his time.

The landing pads were crowded with service droids moving to refuel vehicles and as soon as he stepped off the ramp, he could already hear the booming of the music that was hidden within the walls of the immense manor. A stream of guests moved towards the large doors of the volcanic palace where a group of security stood to verify the logs of each and every potential party goer.

This guy sure knows how to pick a spot...

He walked on, and soon he found himself nearing the line and the potential problems that might arise upon not having the entry fee on hand. Of course, most of these people had wired over the smattering of credits that the host organization had asked for in return for a reserved spot among some of the galaxy's elite. A simple few steps towards a large pile of supply creates hid his actions well, and he withdrew the datapad that he had concealed within the inner pocket of his jacket. He set to work nearly immediately and was soon able to pull up the network which was being used to transmit the guest list to security in every nook in cranny of the party. He knew whatever he did he would have to do it quick lest he trespassed in the connection path too long and the goons got suspicious. In a matter of seconds that would appear to be a slight malfunction with their own datapads, Marcus typed his name into the registry and immediately withdrew from the network. Now came the dreaded wait.

Soon, he faced an imposing Duros who scanned the list for his name and Marcus sat helpless in the hopes that his trespass had paid off. Within moments, the results spoke for themselves.

Not only had he evaded whatever stock security system had been placed within the network, but he was comfortably ushered into a main hall that was lost in a deep red magmatic hue. With his troubles now far behind him, he set off for the bar and a good time!

 

[Armand Temi]

As Sylvia talked, she suddenly stepped on more broken glass. Are these Rogues animals, she thought? Where did all of this broken glass come from? Moving away from Justice and his companion, the redheaded girl adjusted her heel.

There, better, thought Sylvia, getting her shoe back on her foot. Now not so embarrassing. But the crowd swelled, and she lost Justice and his daughter in the well of sentiments and humans.

Sylvia straightened her dress because she couldn't help it, it felt way too short. Almost considering leaving the party for a moment, she stopped and composed herself. Moving back to the entrance, the redhead didn’t want to leave, but only sought to find a quieter place. But the place was too raucous and sanctuary would not be found. Turning to order another drink, she was completely ignored by the bartender. Breathe, Sylvia, maybe its time to go.

Until she turned around to the entrance and saw a familiar face. No it couldn't be?

Could it?

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus adjusted his tie once as he finally emerged on the large bar that seated many a patron, both drunk and aspiring to be. A vast array of multicolored spirits rested on shelves that seemed to extend on for several meters and it seemed to be that this spot was where everyone was making their way upon entering. And what a place to be! The constant rain of confetti had only made itself apparent in the dimmed lighting when Marcus had checked his sleeve for any imperfections that would surely have been forgotten in his eagerness to get into the ballroom.

He held an index finger up to the bartender, and although he was ignored several times, he soon gained the man's attention. Before he could utter any sort of order, however, a glass was placed in front of him. It hardly mattered what was in it, Marcus nearly chugged it in an effort to feel the effects of the night early on. He recognized the taste, but he couldn't place a name for the life of him.

The crowd in the dance hall was lost in many conversations and quick brisk dances that were quite different from the club scene. Where one might find a convulsing pit of bodies in a club, patrons danced in couples and with varying degrees of skill. He could only assume that some of these people were dedicated soldiers invited for the publicity benefits. Unbeknownst to him, a servicewoman must have certainly noticed his rather discreet entrance.

[member="Sylvia Nuru"]

 

[Dayn Wren]

Aedan could not remember the last time he had felt as good as he did when he felt her returning the kiss. It almost felt as if part of his mind shut off. He hadn't exactly expected to be rejected, but still it was a move impossible to make without making oneself at least a little vulnerable. Although he had been the one to lean in for the kiss, she had signalled her intentions in the moments before. Of course, he could have misinterpreted it. In his state it was amazing that he had even picked up on it at all. But he had felt it too. The whole thing felt like a team effort.

It was turning into one of those moments he just didn't want to end. Her light body fit so well up against his. Aedan pulled her even closer. Man, she was good. Lilin gave him tunnel vision, all he saw in this moment was her. People were dancing on around them but it felt like no one else were there. He couldn't even see [member="Loske Matson"]'s slow-clap in their honour.

When he at last leaned backwards he looked down at her with a warm smile. "You're a good kisser" his voice was marked by his irregular breathing. He blamed her for that. The irregular heartbeat too. Aedan felt like a little mess. With all this alcohol coursing through his veins he wasn't equipped to deal with all of these things washing over him. But it was a good mess. It was a happy mess.

His eyes found her eyes. A moment later they dropped to her lips. Those lips. Again, he smiled - at this point it was hard to do anything but. Then he kissed her again. It was just too good to stop.

He was probably drunk. She was probably drunk. What would she think the next day? Drunk-Aedan imagined Sober-Aedan would want to kiss her again. Was it a heat of the moment thing? Was there more? His mind could get lost in such thoughts, and he brushed them aside. He didn't want to spend this night in his head, and risk having it all fly by before he could realize it. He appreciated the moment.

"You never told me where you live, by the way. Do you live on Sullust by any chance?" he asked with no agenda in mind whatsoever. These days, suppose Aedan would call Naboo his home, though really, it was more like wherever the fleet was.

[member="Lilin Imperieuse"]

 

[Armand Temi]

What a small galaxy, thought Sylvia. If that was really him. She squinted her eyes – it was crowded and dim in the large, raucous ballroom – maybe the dark-haired man who’d entered the party, just resembled Marcus.

But no, the closer she got, the more she was sure it was him. The redhead pilot felt the sudden need to freshen up, but she was slightly afraid of losing sight of him. Straightening her dress, she walked over to where Marcus stood at the bar. She recalled that when they’d left the Angel’s Den, he promised to give her a night to remember, but honestly she’d drank so many double Tatooine Sunrises, she remembered bits and pieces, all of it fun of course. She knew he was a slicer, but beyond that, she didn’t know too much about him at all.

She flushed red with the memory of the two of them intertwined in her hotel sheets on Soceras. She was not drunk enough to ward off the jitters, but here goes nothing, Sylvia thought.

“Marcus Lok, did you hack your way into another party again?” she asked with a teasing wink. It was a lucky guess as she had no idea he really did slice his way into the Alliance ball.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Liliane]

After the kiss, Lilin could feel like it wasn't enough to satisfy her passionate feelings. But she had to stop. Otherwise, who knows what could have happened? She opened her eyes and looked into those of the man's, thinking she could drown in them. Of course she noticed what the man was looking at, but she didn't really care at this point.

She, too, wondered, how all of this had happened and if it meant anything. In this case, it looked like there were two days this could go -- whether it was just a one-time thing and she would get destroyed by the New Jedi Order or it would become a longer thing and she would be destroyed even more. Both of these were rather terrifying, so that was not a thought for that night.

"You, too," she replied to the man's compliment on her kissing. To be honest, at this point she didn't even understand how there was a difference between good kissing and bad kissing. At least to her, it was all natural. Maybe some people were just extremely sloppy with their mouthwork? Or whatever else the reason, she could assume she didn't belong into the club of bad kissers.

The passionate moment was gone and she could feel the adrenaline pumping away very slowly. It was time for a normal chat once again. Could she manage to keep herself from bursting into another amorous moment, though?

"Well, I don't live in the Alliance, I live outside. Enemy territory, so I can't really talk too much about it. But I spend a lot of time on Sullust." She realised they were still on the dancefloor, so she slowly started moving again to the beat of the song. "Unlike you, I guess," she decided to add, knowing that just like she herself, the Rogue Squadron spent a lot of time on missions around the Galactic Alliance space and even outside it.

[ [member="Aedan Lochlan"] ]

 

[LT-137]

In seeing the moment of hesitation grip Alex's lithe figure, I softened my dour visage with a pleasantly warm smile. It was more than likely she had thought my deed was to relieve her of her justly earned prize, despite the opposite being my intent. Thus, when she thrust the two Glencairn's in my direction, I offered nothing more than a token gesture of appreciation and took them into my possession. It was the least I could do before her attention had adverted into the undulating ocean of dancing men and women, seeking out a place for the two of us to sip upon the divine nectar of the Corellian Gods.

Doing as I was bidden and following after the golden-clad Vision, I couldn't help but notice the affectionate embrace shared between one of my fellow co-pilots and a radiant woman - who was framed in a brilliant aura of shimmering light that caused my eyes to ache. Such a reaction caused me to recoil in momentary agony, unsure of what transpired just then and whatever it was had taken completely by surprise. In that blinding flash of light, I was lost amidst the sea of rippling flesh - unsure of where I was and what I was doing.

My gaze flicked from person to person, seeing only strangers around me. It was unfamiliar, and I had to escape. My heart began beating faster and faster until the rhythmic pounding had started to pulsate behind my eyes. Panic had overtaken my senses, as I pushed my way through the crowd. It was my blade that killed her and left her to die. Now this was her punishment for the blackest of betrayals. I was guilty and deserved that woman's retribution, even if she was longer a part of the living world. I could see my secret shame reflected in their eyes as I wormed through the teeming masses, each and every soul glaring back at me with an accusatory stare. They knew. They all knew!

No. They couldn't have known. I told no-one of my crimes. Not even the Alliance, when they had stitched me back together after that woman had left me fractured and broken. Their glares came from my panicked deeds, and how rudely I pushed through the crowd. As reason slowly began to fall back into place, calming the storm that raged beneath my breast - I turned to those I offended and offered my deepest apologies and made the off-handed remark of being slightly claustrophobic. They turned back to their dance with all the weak chinned grace they could muster, liberating me from their noble persecution.

When my senses had returned, I found myself standing before the table that Alex had appropriated for this night's festivities. Several chairs surrounded a large cloth covered table, affixed with dozens of meaningless affectations that would not likely survive the coming celebration(s). Placing the two crystalline tulips down upon the fabric covered surface, I moved in behind the woman that had been keeping me company and snaked my hands onto the sanded surface of the wooden chair.

"A perfect spot to enjoy some of Corellia's finest," I said, letting my lips curl into a mischievous grin. "Well done."

Tensing my fingers across the smooth surface of the chair, I pulled it free from it's resting place and slid it across the floor. Lifting a hand from the polished surface, I made the gentlemanly gesture of offering the seat to my companion.

"It's yours if you want it, Alex."

| [member="Alexandra Russo"] |