Why Do We Scream at Each Other?

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

There was no immediate response from the Umbaran once Taheera stood up and became defiant. He simply watched her, staring her back down with eyes that showed little sympathy or concern at this point. She clasped her hands behind his back, attempting to goad him into answering by calling him shy. The good guys always tried to get the big bad to mess up by taunting him. Sending their enemy into a blind rage so he would slip up and could be defeated. But Tyrin read those books, and he wasn't about to fall for it.

"I see your moment of crisis is resolved." He commented. "Will you be leaving the refresher now or are you content to remain here for the rest of the week?"

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Darth Janus"]

Myrtle-ellipses narrowed. She rocked back and forth on her heels once, not breaking the stare-down. If his tactic was to distract her out of her teenage-like emotional breakdown, it worked. But she still didn't know anything about him.

And it was more frustrating than not being able to tie her shoes very well.

But it was also helping her to focus her energies and attentions on him, instead of her own doubts. But did he really have this all planned? With a second display of surprising speed since she met him, she lunged forward to wrap her arms around the stiff and stern man in a sincere hug.

"Thank you," she spoke against him a moment. "But do you always not answer people's questions?"

She couldn't help the last part.

And no, she didn't wash her hands and face after being on the refresher floor.

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Tyrin's gaze remained fixated. He definitely wasn't about to back down from this. Sure, he was generally as spineless as a Sith Lord could reasonably be, but that didn't mean he had to double over for everyone who showed slightly more backbone than him. Unexpectedly, she chose the next moment to leap at him with arms wide open in a hug. This would mark the first time in some years that an entity of any sort had given Tyrin a sincere hug. It was at that precise moment that Tyrin's heart grew three sizes larger and he immediately turned to the light side of the Force.

Well, not really. He just stood there rigidly, arms pinned to his side like they were. He didn't quite know how to respond, given the infrequency of the event presently transpiring. Tyrin tried to ignore the smell of cleaning fluid and toiletries that clung to the woman. If he hadn't personally overseen the cleaning of this bathroom, he would have been utterly revolted and said something along the lines of "unhand me at once, you emotionally unstable strumpet." However, Tyrin expected a great deal more tact from himself.

"Please let go of me."

The answer to that question was yes, incidentally, but that would have caused a paradox.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Darth Janus"]

"Almost," she didn't move for a few beats longer after his request, arms giving him one last good squeeze, well, as good as her gangly, new arms could.

And a beat longer.

And a beat long--

"Okay," she released him and stepped back. She had a feeling he didn't get those too often. She went to move around his side and out of the refresher. "Am I going to have to watch you do paperwork at your desk the entire time I'm here?" Twin-chestnut brows lofted in mild-amusement. Eyes swept beyond his shoulder, briefly. She hungered to explore this place.

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Janus silently eased his formerly tensed up muscles once Taheera had finally released him from that abysmal vice-grip. Or maybe he had secretly enjoyed it and deplored that very fact because he felt it endangered his image as the astute, calculating Sith Lord that he was. Cramming these thoughts and feelings into an obscure repository within his mind, Tyrin got back to business. Namely, keeping this whimsical creature entertained before it broke something.

"Not necessarily." He answered, checking behind him when he noticed her gaze flicker past his shoulder.

No one had seen that hug, right? Then they would have to pursue employment elsewhere.

"Why, do you have somewhere you'd rather be?"

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Darth Janus"]

She nodded, timidly at first, then with more enthusiasm.

"Yes. I would very much like to go outside and....explore the city?" Did she really need to ask him for permission? Maybe she should assume no and accept the consequences later. The stern-man never really answered questions, anyway.

"I am going to explore the city." She nodded once to herself, excitement practically beaming off her face oddly like a smiling sun-emoticon. If the clone even knew what that was.

She was on the verge of having an experience very much like this (just throw in a few jawas and gundarks):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zh-0dRS-4U

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Taheera Sollo"]

Explore the city. Fine, so long as she stuck to the upper levels and administrative districts, Tyrin supposed there wasn't much harm in it. He would have to accompany her. They would also need guards, just in case. It made little sense to Tyrin to go anywhere without armed escort. He was important, or so he liked to tell himself. At any moment, an attempt could be made on his life, and he'd need his trusty droids to keep a lookout and absorb some of the damage should he come under assault.

Now it looked like they would be busy keeping tabs on this woman as she ran amok Coruscant.

"Well, if you insist." Tyrin said, not wanting to deal with escape attempts if he had said no. "Just stay away from the lower levels."

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Darth Janus"]

She flinched as if she was going to hug him again but managed to hold herself back, barely. The smile on her face widened at the first part but faltered at the second. "Lower-levels?"

Stay. Away.

WhywhywhyWHYwhyWHY?

Did he know that she would fixate on that? That's like saying don't think of a red-elephant with yellow polka-dots or don't touch things with a wet-paint sign.

"Okaaaaay," she responded and tried to shrug it off. "I'll get my stuff," skipping down the prestigious halls of the sith lord, she skidded to a halt outside of his office and pulled a smaller bag out of her larger one, slinging it over her shoulder. Without waiting for her escort, the bubbling-with-excitement clone skipped past Sheila wondering if she would be just fast enough to slip past the white-haired sith.

She went to push past the exit doors and bypass Tyrin's security.