A notorious den of degeneracy

[Lilla Syrin]

“I’m quite mad and even I know that you don’t want to lie down in an alley on Nar Shaddaa. The sort of diseases we have here won’t bother killing you slowly. They’ll just punch you in the face and steal your arms. Do you have any idea what price a disease can get for arms?”
― Dray

Nar Shaddaa was a large moon that orbited Nal Hutta. The other name for Nar Shaddaa was “the Smuggler’s Moon,” and it was apt, for most of its denizens lived there because they were connected with the illegal trade that moved through Nar Shaddaa every day. Running spice, running guns, fencing stolen treasures and antiquities…Nar Shaddaa saw all of that and more. And the nature of the urban sprawl earned it a second nickname – “Little Coruscant.”

The moon was also a convenient stopover on the way to the Outer Rim. It was a place where few questions were asked and criminal transactions were as convenient as a galactic senator’s loyalties.

The spaceport was crowded with every kind of sentient species and droid model that Lilla had ever heard of – and a few more besides. The air was thick with spices and a dense melange of language. Lilla took in her surroundings and was appalled that as each ship disgorged its passengers with no pretence of courtesy, the travellers blended into the muddy stream of life here: pushing, shoving, appealing for passage, or simply standing still and waiting for an opening.

There was no need to pass through security or to change currencies. All forms of credits were accepted here. Lilla considered hiring a speeder but one look at the never-ending stream of traffic, provoking a dozen potentially fatal near-misses every minute, she decided better of it.

So, Lilla walked quickly through the packed streets of Nar Shaddaa’s Promenade. Her unassuming features and nondescript Jedi cloak allowed her to blend easily into the crowd.

The moon was a landscape of unfettered urban sprawl, marked by towering sky-towers crammed way too close together and gaudy, glowing billboards that dominated the horizon as far as the eye could see in every direction. Lilla did not see it as a homage to the Republic’s former capital world; in her eyes it was more akin to a grotesque parody.

For Coruscant had been designed with an eye to aesthetics: there was a pleasing flow to the cityscape and a consistent and complementary style to the architecture. The city was carefully divided into various districts, making it easy to navigate. The pedestrian walks were crowded but clean, the endless stream of air-speeders overhead stayed within the designated traffic lanes. On Coruscant, there was an unmistakable sense of order and purpose.

Here on the Smugglers’ Moon, however, it was a glorious free-for-all. Run-down residential buildings were scattered haphazardly among seedy-looking commercial structures; factories abutted restaurants and clubs, with no regard for the toxic clouds of filth spilling out over the patrons. With no traffic rules in force, air-speeders and swoop bikes darted and dived in seemingly random directions, sometimes flying so low the pedestrians ducked and covered their heads.

As Lilla turned a corner, she realized someone was following her. She hadn’t actually seen anyone on her tail, but she could sense it. She could feel eyes watching her, scoping her out, measuring her as a target.

At street level, everything was a chaotic mishmash of bright, flashing colours. A constant assault from an army of pink, purple, green, and blue signs and billboards provided perfect camouflage for whoever might be following her.

And Lilla knew it would not be easy to pick someone who looked suspicious out from the crowd. The population of the Smugglers’ Moon was as varied, unpredictable, and seedy as the surroundings. It was a common gathering place for criminal elements from all corners of the galaxy: slavers, pickpockets, hustlers, stim dealers. Any and every illicit activity was tolerated on Nar Shaddaa, provided someone got their cut.

[member="Seto du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

The whole ordeal of the past few months weighed heavily on Seto's shoulders and mind, of course this had called for a proper vacation to ease the young Inquisitor's tormented mind. It wasn't an obvious ploy for Seto to return back to Nar Shaddaa by requesting for missions specific to this area. Seto figured he would eventually need to come up with better excuses than 'There were credit trails that needed to be confirmed that connected to Governors'. But for the moment he had quite a bit of leeway and with the current happenings within the Empire Well they wouldn't mind my escapades for the time being​.

The badly filtered air filled Seto's lungs as he quickly walked away from his ship, the personal landing pad had belonged to a brutish fellow before the fellow met an unfortunate end by firing squad. The current owner felt a dept of gratitude was in order for the young Inquisitor that saw through past owner's execution.

The streets filled with people of almost all walks of life and Seto could not but smile inwardly, the emotions of so many beings gave Seto a 'homey' feeling of sorts. It was personal experience that with so many conflicting emotions Seto could hide himself easily enough, and with some very persuasive talents he possessed it was also an almost limitless supply of possible employees.

Seto patted his vest down and assured that the creases were gone he moved into the crowd, he easily maneuvered himself through the crowd to reach his intended location. His clothing were anything but inconspicuous, quite the opposite in fact, with his expensive suit and obvious appearance of wealth Seto felt assured with his cover. Not like I'm digging deep into my acting chops Seto thought, bemused with himself.

Keeping himself reasonably distant, his current objective revolved on getting the attention of his target. His detail report on the matter was substantially ineffective and his Intelligence woefully unreliable but such a challenge was welcomed by Seto. A now things are slowly moving into place Seto quickly moved forward, up ahead of his mark and found his spot.

Street performers were common place and here in the busier section of the city, everyone attemptied to swindle or cheat their way for a quick credit grab. The young Inquisitor quickly found a spot, a fresh deck of Sabacc cards in hand he moved and set up his small table. His hands flushed out the cards and a few people stuck around to watch Seto skillfully perform small tricks with the cards. Shuffling and stacking the cards expertly between his hands and fingers, the small crowd slowly grew larger, all understanding the games were about to played. The small credit heap next to Seto didn't hurt either.

"I've got a chance of a life time my fellow honored guests," Seto declared, he gestured for one of the crowd folks to step forward a gruff looking male eyeing Seto's stack of credits, "You'll pick a single card, place it back into the deck and if I cannot correctly guess on my first try, I'll give you one hundred credits!" Seto explained.

A lot of people perked up, including Seto's current challenger, an easy one hundred credits with no expense seemed almost too good to be true, "-Unless you give a second chance, I'll triple that reward if I fail again. But if I guess correctly you owe me one hundred credits," Seto added.

This time an obvious nervousness sprouted from the man, Seto gently coaxed the fear away by pushing forward the credits the man could possibly win. Sometimes the Force wasn't needed for simple mind tricks, but unfortunately for the crowd Seto intended to use the Force differently. "Ready?" Seto asked finally, the man nodded in return.

Already shuffled Seto held out the deck of Sabacc of cards, fanned out, and the man gently picked one out. "Now show it everyone but me of course," Seto instructed, giving the man a chance to do so before he gently place the card back into the deck.

Seto closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, he felt the emotions of excitement and dread, strangely enough he also felt bloodlust but what he was looking for was for that strong Force User. He knew he couldn't be evasive but under the guise of being a street performer and such an obvious trick with the Force shouldn't set off too many alarms. A simple Force probe of the area, nothing complicated but unique due to its range.

A smile tugged the corners of Seto's lips as he shuffled through the cards to find the correct one, "The Ace of Coins perhaps?" Seto asked, the collective groin of a few crowd members gave away the answer and the man nodded sullenly.

"Who's next? No charge to play! And perhaps you want me to guess two cards this time for twice the reward?" Seto called out. His game was simple, keep attracting more players and keep using a quick Force probe to correctly guess the cards. Eventually Seto figured that his target would come to put an end to his shenanigans, either to stop his parlor tricks for the sake of decency or to reprimand him for using his talents in such a mischievous way.

Honestly Seto knew his skill of a gambler was indeed great, and combined with his aptitude of the Force the thought of retiring and becoming a professional gambler gave him some serious credence. Not like the galaxy was running low on cheaters, swindlers, charlatans and whatnot but Seto would confess that the Inquisition gave his life a sense of order.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

A crowd caught Lilla’s attention. Sure, the whole place was crowded, but this was different — there was an energy being generated by something or someone.

She glanced across and her initial suspensions were confirmed. Someone was at the centre of the crowd and from their reaction, something exciting was happening. But exciting and legal rarely went hand in hand in this place, so Lilla moved closer.

Which is when she felt the Force ripple from the centre of the group and she suspected foul play. Moving even closer she sensed someone was definitely using the Force, and although unable to detect how it was being used, she quickly surmised the who.

So she moved to the front of the crowd and casually drew her cloak open, revealing her saber, dangling from her belt. It typically drew attention in a positive way.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

"Perhaps next time!" Seto called out to yet another saddened challenger.

Another man approached the table and Seto knew this was an entirely different challenger (beside from the obvious tailored suit) and attempting to act too abrasive or fool around too much might not a wise move. Unfortunately caution was thrown to the wind and Seto embraced this new challenge. Gesturing with his hands he showed the new man the full deck, Seto's smile large and his teeth gleaming from the lights.

The man picked out four cards and calmly placed them back, "Four cards? I guess you need a quick refresher on the rules?" Seto asked.

The man only glared but a smile emerged like a dagger, "No, I figured you can guess four cards easily enough, I'll go all in for this bet," The man explained.

Seto's grin only grew larger, "Of course! How can a man such as I refuse? And I'll give myself only one chance as well," Seto added, his eyes closed as he slowly probed the crowd once more to confirm the four cards.

Eyes opened wide when he realized his target had moved directly in front of him, her saber in display to him. Well, didn't expect that and with a quick flick of his wrist Seto grabbed the four cards from his deck. Thankfully the crowd hadn't noticed the saber but Seto knew he needed to clear out this crowd quickly.

"And are these your cards?" Seto asked, he leaned closer to the man doing so and Seto reached forward with his free hand.

"No," The man responded, his smile grew wide as he grabbed his newly won earnings and quickly pocketed all the credits into his pant's pockets.

Seto lightly clasped the man's right shoulder and nodded mournfully, "It appears I lost and along with all my credits! Sorry folks but today this lucky fellow is our winner!" Seto moved back and gave the man some space before quickly walking around and approaching the young Jedi woman.

"Well I guess I won't be able to pay for my University anymore, so do you want to donate to the 'Displaced Youth for College' fund?" Seto asked, slowly he bowed in respect,"-Or perhaps a game of Sabacc? It's so difficult to find a good challenge these days!" Seto added, his smile small but his eyes glanced repeatedly down to the saber.

"I'm sure we can be civil, honest and good nature discussion about my interesting business practices."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla had underestimated how focused the young man was on his game of deception. She wondered when was the right time to step in and made the conscious decision to bide her time – to see how things played out. She did not condone foolish people losing their credits through fair means or foul – why anyone entered into a game of chance was beyond her comprehension – surely both parties know the game is rigged. It’s only the ‘how’ that varies.

So, she watched as a well-dressed newcomer challenged the young hustler. The gambler seemed too assured. Surely, he’d seen what was occurring? Lilla wondered who was about to fleece who.

Which was when she became aware that the young hustler became aware of her presence. She had flustered him. The crowd might not be able to tell, but she could. No doubt because she was the only one looking for it.

Was that the reason he lost? Or did he throw the hand on purpose to avert suspicion? Or did the newcomer cheat the cheater?

Lilla allowed the crowd to disperse before speaking to the young man, but she did speak to the winner. She closed her cloak, to hide her saber and smiled at him. “You want to donate your winnings to a charitable cause,” she said and her smile broadened when the man nodded before walking away.

“Now, you,” she said, her voice calm and friendly. “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you? The path you’re walking? The inevitability of your actions?”

Her smile returned as she faced the young man. “I’m Lilla by the way, and given I have no pressing engagements, you can tell me your name and how you ended up here,” she waved her hand to indicate the location, “And why you’d risk a sure-fire path to the dark-side for a handful of credits.”

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

Seto whirled around and gave Lilla a questioning gaze as he maneuvered himself to stand in front of her once again and with a shrug, "I'm not here forcing people to go against their nature, or maybe there is some goodness deep, deep, very deep down in everyone," Seto countered as he gave a small sigh.

He collected his cards and patted them down inside his chest, "Well Lilla, my name is Seto, Seto Du Couteau." He gestured with his right hand outstretched for a quick handshake, "-And I'm just trying to catch a break from this cruel Galaxy, it's so difficult to have fun these days!" Seto explained as he gestured for Lilla to walk with him and away from their current spot.

Hustlers and Street performers don't get along with the local gang enforces and I don't want anybody asking for protection money, the thought fueled Seto's eagerness to leave the area. "My old Master, bless his heart, never finished my training and after the disappearance of some very important leaders my old Older fell to pieces. So forgive me when I say; I'm just enjoying myself mostly," Seto briefly covered his backstory, Well, mostly true anyways I mean I could add a few more details.

"You seem like a very nice person, but I'm a risk taker, a gambler, so forgive me once more if I don't find the notion of 'Walking into the Dark Side' like some sort of bogey man," Seto explained as he dug up a small datacard that he stolen from the man now donating his credits to charity, "-Besides I risked it for a much larger sum of credits!" Seto added cheerfully with a wink and smile.

Maybe I should have held off on that last point, don't want to cause scene Seto mused wearily.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla’s face was relatively impassive, but every now and then, an eyebrow twitched in response to what Seto said.

Lilla bowed slightly as Seto introduced himself and also shook his hand. Then she allowed him to steer them from the spot and followed willingly, keen to hear what the young man had to say.

“I’d say that using the Force to deceive is the issue here, not whether people want to gamble or not. And I’d suggest everyone has good and bad in them. It’s how we deal with those two that defines who we are. Everybody is capable of kindness and a lack of compassion. Everyone. But we choose which to exercise – nature does not force us, we have a free will in this regard.”

“And it’s interesting to hear that you differentiate being a Jedi and having fun as two separate things. I have fun – and I follow the Code. Again, through choice. For I know the consequences of ignoring the signs.”

“You may not have heard of Jedi Master Tolaris Shim. She did a lot of work on what constitutes a fall to the dark side. There are four stages, and I won’t bore you with the details, but I suspect what I am about to say will resonate.”

“Stage one is temptation. Because a Jedi is in tune with the Force and can use it to whatever ends they see fit, situations arise that tempt the Jedi toward selfish applications of the Force. Now, does that sound familiar? And your predilection to taking risks, that’s where stage two would come into play.”

Lilla eyed the datacard Seto now brandished. “I suspect that’s a key piece of evidence in my argument? Yes?” Her right eyebrow was now in danger of disappearing under her hairline.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

"Ha, ha, huh," Seto's laughter sounded weak and with a sigh his thumb pressed down on the center of the datacard and with a snap it was no more. Seto grabbed each piece with each hand with a small showey gesture he threw both away, "Like magic it's gone!" Seto's grin grew smaller doing so, perhaps waiting for a very large exasperated sigh from Lilla.

"So what you're saying is; if I'm not careful with how I influence myself, I may wake up one day, with an unquenchable urge, to be really really evil?" Seto's laughter grew stronger as he offered a questioning shrug. He did not know of Master Shim, but he was aware of these teachings. Rather, I skimmed them in passing Seto corrected himself.

"I find it dull when people paint the Force as they do my hair, black and white, not that I find my hair dull of course but still," Seto explained, his eyes stared directly into Lilla in a form of a challenging gaze, "-But color me surprise to hear that Jedi partake in fun activities, so would you like to play a quick and small game with me Lilla Syrin?" Seto asked.

His hand dug out from one of his vest's pocket a single coin, it was an old piece of history from his family but for now it served him differently. An engraved dragon's head on one side and the other side an encrusted ruby. "Chance is a quite unbiased and perfect to make a bet." Seto explained, "You'll flip the coin and I'll catch it," he added with a wink and growing smile.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla’s smile did not falter. She was, if nothing else, patient, and never saw speed as a virtue when it came to pursuing the right course. So, she would not give up on Seto, nor berate him for not instantly falling into line with what she was recommending. Every Jedi, in her opinion, walked their own path. She could indicate a general direction of travel, but not map out each step, or even every way marker. That would be for Seto. But she would not allow him to ignore the warning signs and would be persistent and consistent in her advice.

“In many ways. You are right. The subtle changes would not be obvious day to day – but would be cumulative. And, of course, it is highly unlikely you would see the urge as being evil. Take arguably the most famous Sith in history – Darth Vader. He saw himself as someone who was doing good. He believed he was bringing order to the galaxy…peace. He could not see his actions for what they were – and saw anyone that opposed his desire to bring about galactic harmony as an enemy not just of himself, but of peace.”

“Still so sure you can be stronger than the dark side, which will seduce you, if not overtly than covertly. Offering you solutions to problems that you encounter. Resolutions the light side cannot offer, given its strong moral code.”

She smiled at his infectious enthusiasm. She was not going to convince him today, tomorrow or any day. He would need to sway himself, all she could do was remind him from time to time.

“A quick and small game?” she echoed. “OK.”

She watched him fish the coin out of his pocket and listened.

“Chance is a much-abused term,” she said. “Used as an excuse for a lack of commitment or an excuse for poor choices. To paraphrase an old Jedi Master, “In my experience, there's no such thing as luck. But I’ll play along regardless.”

Lilla took the coin and flipped it a metre of so into the air, stepping back slightly, to allow Seto to catch it.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

She is insufferably adorable Seto winced inside, while certain cases he once felt the urge to ignore almost all this fuss about the Force and where it leads. But recently he found it difficult to drown away his subconscious and his own life getting entangled into positions where a stronger sense of morality would had helped. That's in the past, so focus on the now Seto reprimanded himself as he nodded slowly at Lilla. He missed the simple days of his past.

The coin tossed up and Seto simply prepared his right hand to catch it, but he maintained a steady gaze towards Lilla. His fingers held another duplicate coin he kept hidden beneath his sleeve, it would be but a simple trick to switch out the coin and Seto would know exactly what side would face up. It certainly was dishonest but Seto needed the certainty of the outcome to prepare himself.

Seto kept his smile up and as the coin began its drop back down, he felt something off and with a small sigh he put his arm down and let the coin continue to fall. His head dropped slightly and a laugh escaped with a nod of approval, "You're right, I guess I can't always believe that I can see the path I take or even see where it leads me, but that's a chance I'm willing take," Seto admitted. His hand dropped the duplicate coin into his pocket as he gestured towards himself.

"It seems to me you care somewhat about where I take myself, but will you take a chance on me?" Seto asked, his gaze returning to meet Lilla once more. His smile long gone and now replaced with a more thoughtful expression but not so remorseful about almost trying to pull a fast one over Lilla but a more curious look to see what happens next.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Even a gullible onlooker would be prepared for some trickery – be it sleight of hand or use of the Force. Lilla suspected this was a show that Seto had used numerous times before. And as such, she had zero expectations that what was about to happen would have any connection with chance.

“I care about everyone. Which is not a way of dismissing you, but a fact that should be self-evident. So, by definition, I care about your future, your welfare.”

“But that wasn’t your question, was it? You want to know if I’ll take a chance on you. My honest answer is no. But a ‘no’ that reflects a disbelief in the notion of chance. I am happy to invest time in you – to show you things you want, but more importantly, things you need. If that is what you truly wish.”

Lilla smiled warmly.

“People trust their eyes above all else – but most people see what they wish to see, or what they believe they should see; not what is really there. A wise Jedi taught that we should not trust our eyes – for they deceive us.”

“But I shall add to that - and hopefully give you something to reflect upon. We are never so easily deceived as when we imagine we are deceiving others.”

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

So the greatest trick I've ever pulled was on myself? Seto lowered himself and picked up the coin, the head facing up he stood back and put the coin back into his vest pocket. His hand rested on his chin as a smile grew back, commentating "You know you are too sweet and it's making my teeth hurt," the joke brought out another soft chuckle from Seto as he rest both his hands on either side of him.

Nodding his head once, "I've only served under two Masters for a very brief period of time and, well, combat and the application of the Force in combative roles were my only lessons. Discipline and strong mental focus was all that was required of me to learn the Niman Form, not that I mind of course, who wouldn't want learn 'The Way of the Rancor'?" Seto explained as he took a small step forward.

"But it is clear my previous Masters that I served never talked about the Force in the ways you have," Seto added, offering a small bow, "If you are a Master seeking someone to serve you than allow me a chance to learn from you," he offered to Lilla. "You will find that if you ask me a question I will give you the truth, even in my tricks if you were to ask if was cheating I would always answer honestly," He added, extending his hand outwards to her.

"So what do you say Miss Lilla?" Seto asked.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla paused momentarily. Not because she was weighing up the pros and cons of taking Seto as a Padawan – that was never going to be a debate in her mind. But rather, she was evaluating how much Seto wanted her as a Master. It was a two-way process and in true partnerships, both sides learned things. Her only question was one she could not answer herself. And asking Seto would not solicit an honest answer. Not because he might lie – she had no doubt that whatever he said he meant – but she was wary that he was, as she had already eluded to, fooling himself to an extent.

And so, time would provide the answer to her question. If he prevailed, and became a Knight, he was sincere in his desire to be a Jedi. If not, then he would walk a different path. Not the wrong path – simply his path.

“Then I shall be your third. Third time’s a charm, they say? We shall see.” She smiled as she spoke. “Now, what do you know of the Jedi Code?” For her, it was more important than any saber technique or Jedi ability. The future of the galaxy rested on a Jedi understanding its tenets.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

"The Jedi Code I skimmed over when doing some light research," Seto admitted, "-And there was some chant I read to help with the whole memorizing aspect of it but if you're looking for a deeper introspective I have none," Seto added with shake of his head. Truthfully he did feel the gaps of his knowledge but combat training often took precedent over all things. I guess they really only wanted to forge us into weapons after all.

"But what I do remember vividly was how at odds I felt with much of the readings when it came to self indulgence," Seto started as he looked off towards a rather busy shopping center nearby, "-As you can obviously guess I rather enjoy indulging myself, from clothes to foods, in fact there is a place that makes great chocolate not too far from here," He explained further with a small smile.

"It won't take me long to memorize the Code of course, I can be quite studious when the times call for it," He added quickly, Seto knew he wasn't exactly the 'Jedi' type but Seto enjoyed the challenge. Plain brown robes and back to military rations, the joy Seto thought wearily.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla smiled – she was doing a lot of that recently. It was good that their relationship had started with a truth. It would have been easy for Seto to lie – but he didn’t. It was a promising start, but Lilla recognised it was just a start.

“The thing is,” she began, “It’s definitely not something you can pick and choose from The Code is all or nothing. And if, having spent time better understanding the Code, you decide it is not for you, then that is OK. Believe me, it would be better to walk a different path, one you’re comfortable with, than the route of a Jedi. Not only for you but other Jedi. For one of the tenets is about respecting other Jedi. Because anyone who meets you might never have met one before. So they’ll assume you are the standard. If you behave out of line with the Code, that person will believe all Jedi behave that way.”

“And, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the Code is not about remembering, it is about understanding. Reflecting, internalising and putting into practice. It will make you a better Jedi and keep you alive. Trust in the Code and trust in the Force. Then you won’t go far wrong.”

“So what is it with you and self-indulgence? And, to be clear, there is nothing in the Code about chocolate, so we’re safe to go and buy some, if you’d wish.”

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

"Darn, I had a bunch of note cards just ready for such an occasion," Seto half-joked, despite his rather lackadaisical approach to most important things, he kept a strict code of having clear and concise reports and research materials when the mission called for such detail work.

"Well I'm always up for new experiences, and becoming a Jedi was on my bucket list anyways," He explained as he gestured for Lilla to follow him. He enjoyed food, in fact Seto found that most of the best restaurants never had wars or battles nearby. This galaxy wasn't in a constant state of war but sometimes Seto felt otherwise and it always surprised him to see planets untouched by war or guarded by a well armed fleet.

Seto had often thought about his rather eccentric life style and strange habits but in the end he always found that it was better to end up wrong than end up wondering if he'd be wrong. "And I always wanted to try out everything really, and thanks to my particular upbringing and one unfortunate incident, I've always been on a path to find something fulfilling," He explained, in all honesty it sounded as a weak justification for self indulgence. But for Seto he wouldn't regret his first time entering into a swamp infested with Vong monstrosities or nearly dying of thirst on the sands of Tatooine.

"And the chocolate at this place is astounding! The way the Chef prepares his sweets ,and perhaps thanks to the Force being able to sense the emotions, this Chef's passion makes one wonder if you too might one day find yourself crafting something for others to enjoy," Seto added as he continued to walk forward through a much less crowded area of the plaza.

"Also don't worry about the bill, my treat,"

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla suspected that Seto was a more serious and sensitive character than he presented. In one sense it would be hard not to be. But in another, she had a small measure of the young man.

She smiled at his flippant remarks and let them go – there was no value, in her opinion, in pressing the point.

So, instead, she followed him as he led the way to the chocolatier par excellence. “I suspect the path you were on is this one, so no major detours necessary. It’s just that not everyone realises that what got them here is perfectly suitable to take them forward.”

“Don’t be me, or what you perceive the perfect Jedi to be. Be yourself and follow the Code, that’s all anyone can ask. And I suspect where you end up will be fulfilling.”

“And I have a confession to make. I don’t precisely have a sweet tooth. I like chocolate, don’t get me wrong, but I do not have a weakness for it. So, I appreciate your offer to pay – and I accept. So tell me, what’s the best thing on the menu there?”

A few years ago, Lilla would not have even considered a sweet treat, so her tastes had certainly changed – and no doubt this delight would push her further down to path to chocolate loving paradise.

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

The small store seemed rather inconspicuous, rather the owner tried hard to not attract too much attention with little in the way of lights or signs. Even for Seto he often felt saddened by the owner's interest of keeping a low profile. He approached the door and gestured for Lilla to enter, offering a large smile and enjoying the smell of chocolate and sweetness that intoxicated the air beautifully.

"Oh trust me, I have no problem being myself, but sometimes I find myself stuck in areas I rather not be apart of," Seto briefly explained, "-But for the moment, this area here in particular I almost wish to never leave, though of course if my teeth fallout I might begin to second guess myself," He added with a small laugh walking in after Lilla.

The shop appeared quite clean and sterile for the customers, chairs and tables simple and most of the counter appeared spotless but soon the eyes wandered to the more stained areas of this shop and noticed from where the rich aroma was emerging.

An older man dressed with a standard white baker's uniform worked on his creations and preparing all sorts of sweets, but the white clothing had more various colors than the original white. The grey hair tucked neatly into his cap and his beard as well covered with a simple stained white net as the man continued to work, despite the two new occupants.

"Now for a specific treat, that is very hard for me to answer for if you enjoy different fruits with chocolate or different combinations of cream and jelly with chocolate there's something here for anyone to enjoy, but personally for me what I enjoy the most is-" Seto started to explain as he moved closer to one of the glass counters and pointed towards one of the chocolates in display. "-Is the White Chocolate Ball, or the 'Great Snow Ball'," Seto simply beamed as he looked at the delicacy.

"It's not real chocolate," The old baker muttered, still only working on his chocolate and other bake goods near him.

Seto chuckled, "He's a true professional, Mr. Oro here, but don't let his gruff exterior and tone fool you, his grand-daughter asked for white chocolate a few months ago and just like that the man produced perhaps the best white chocolate in the entire system," Seto complimented as he turned to face Lilla once more.

"And I also recommend another grand-daughter favorite, she so aptly named the 'Bantha Poo' is rather unappealing to look at but simply tastes heavenly," He added with a small grin as the old baker only 'ruffed' in response and non to please with Seto.

Seto moved closer to whisper into Lilla's ear, "But in my honest opinion he might have named it that so there will always be some whenever his grand-daughter would visit," Seto faked whispered, knowing full well the old baker would hear.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla entered the store behind Seto. The smell was evident from half a block away, and she wondered how anyone with a sweet tooth could resist shopping here daily – if not more frequently!

It was a store of two halves. Where customer’s interacted, it was scrupulously clean. But where the confectionery was made, it was a different story. Nobody could accuse the owner of failing to put his heart into the creation – the mess was a symbol of the care, attention and love he clearly put into his inventions.

Lilla listened to Seto’s suggestions. Fresh fruit was still a novelty to her – given she hailed from Tatooine. If she ever had fruit as a youngster, it was preserved – typically dried – and therefore rarely succulent.

“You mean jam,” she said smiling, referring to Seto’s recommendation of jelly. It was one of the few ways of eating fruit she had experienced. And she had been raised to call it jam – or marmalade for some fruits. But fruit and chocolate sounded odd to her brain, and so she glanced at all of the wonderful treats on display in the glass cabinet in front of them.

“White chocolate?” Lilla gave a small shiver at the prospect. She’d nibbled it once and found it too sweet for her taste-buds.

“But Bantha Poo? That seems to be calling to me.” In truth, it did not look appetising, nor was it the actual size of bantha poo – given it would cause someone to become a diabetic after just one helping. “So, I hope his grand-daughter has had her fill today, for that’s what I choose.”

[member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

"Oh that's a great choice," Seto started as he simply chewed down the little ball of white chocolate before walking over to the cleaner side of the counter. "-Apparently our baker here wanted bring out a certain warmness with the cinnamon in it, suppose to remind you of where Bantha's live like on Tatooine, regardless an amazing treat," Seto finished as he quickly started to pay for the treats. Mr. Oro only wearily handed Lilla a small plate with her chosen treat, he quickly returned to check on his baked goods in his oven.

The amount of credits spent mattered little to Seto, in all honestly he enjoyed giving people like this Mr. Oro a very handsome tip. As far as Seto was concerned, this was how to use credits, spend them and spend them wisely. His fingers rolled the white chocolate ball before enjoying that treat as well.

Seto gestured for Lilla to join him at a table, his hands placing down a couple cups of water for each of them as he sat down. "As you can see I'm quite a favorite customer here," Seto chuckled before cleaning his fingers as he nodded approvingly at Lilla's choice of chocolate. He should really change the name he mused silently.

"I also know of an amazing tailor here that can provide a stunning robe for you," He suggested placed both hands forward apologetically, "No offense to your robe now, it is no doubt practical, just wondering how someone close to my age isn't trying to look like some graceful Jedi noble hero person like on the Holo," Seto explained with a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips again. A simple way to see how the lines in the Jedi Code were blurred, or rather interpreted differently, important details in Seto's mind as he wasn't about breaking any lines only understanding the limit.

Terrible way to stand out if you're the poster child for "How not to Act as a Jedi" for the younglings, or "How Not to Interpret the Jedi Code".

[member="Lilla Syrin"]