Ascending Isolation

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 5


"I can definitely see why you are so attracted to this place, Malicar, and your headquarters are perfectly located to take advantage of the natural beauty it offers. I am impressed so far,"

Malicar met her gaze with a smile of his own and responded, “You are not an easy one to impress, Karisa. It pleases me greatly that you approve.”

He was in a decent mood and the smile was genuine. Banking the Shadow Hammer subtly left, he circumnavigated the ship around the island and then slowed its progress to a stop and the powerful repulsors gently descended the modified light freighter towards its awaiting landing pad atop Interstellar Shipping Headquarters.

Light Freighters, Freighters and Courier vessels were constantly streaming from the landing bays surrounding the Interstellar Shipping Headquarters. The shipping company was as busy as it had ever been with hundreds of small contracts and a dozen very large contracts. The shipping company’s earnings were higher than they had ever been, but Malicar took the success all in stride and changed very little about his operations other than to accommodate the volume they were seeing.

As the Shadow Hammer settled down atop the headquarters, the ship was quickly attended to by droids and Chiss as they disembarked from the loading ramp. Malicar led Karisa across the top of the landing pad. The fresh saltwater air hit them as they disembarked and the temperature was warm, but pleasant as the suns dipped down past the horizon and twilight settled in. Staying behind with the Shadow Hammer, the pair of security detail gave their goodbyes to Karisa respectfully and then stayed behind.

Coming to a turbolift, Malicar placed his hand on the maglock sensor, spoke his name and allowed a laser to scan his glowing eyes. Promptly, the lift doors opened allowing the two to step inside. The lift only took them down a pair of stories before opening into a lavish hallway. Malicar explained, “This was once the series of penthouse suites of Kaadu Grand Hotel before we took it over. I left the suites intact for select employees and guests. Let me take you to your suite…”

The shipping mogul and crimelord led them down the plush carpet and to the end of the hallway. He withdrew a passkey, opening the blast door to her room. They entered and he slipped her the passkey. As the sun began to dip down past the horizon, he looked to her and said, “There are dozens of fine restaurants on Kaadu Island if you wish for something specific. Otherwise, I invite you to join me at Noblisse, which is at the base of this building. I have reservations set for another hour and a half. Tomorrow, we can see to your supplies on the far side of the planet…”

[member="Karisa"]​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Day 5
w/[member="Malicar"]
~


Karisa continued to be impressed with the shipping mogul and his vast operations from what she'd seen as he brought the Shadow Hammer in on final approach and landed atop the headquarter's main building. There were vessels of all sizes docked as well as coming and going at the private starport. She definitely could see now why Malicar was a busy man. The Vesnam had many irons in the fire as human's say.

"You have done well for yourself and family. This is quite an achievement," Ari replied as the two Chiss stepped into the turbo lift. "How fortunate you were able to reallocate the previous hotel for your company's purposes. Sounds like just good business sense to me. A few tweaks and voila, instant accommodations to fit your needs," she finished with an approving nod.

After Malicar opened the door to her suite, the Sabosen walked past him and into the room. Karisa's crimson orbs did a sweeping peruse of the nicely appointed accommodations as her booted feet gravitated her towards the large transparisteel window like a magnet. The view was spectacular and the sunset... It rivaled those often seen on Sposia, well almost. Of course, she was biased.

The Chiss beauty stood with her hands upon her shapely hips and let out a contented sigh, then after a moment or two she turned around to fix her glowing red gaze upon the handsome host.

"That sounds like a plan, and dinner downstairs with you at Noblisse will be fine," she smiled. "What is the dress?"

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 5



"You have done well for yourself and family. This is quite an achievement. How fortunate you were able to reallocate the previous hotel for your company's purposes. Sounds like just good business sense to me. A few tweaks and voila, instant accommodations to fit your needs,"

Malicar nodded in appreciation and added, “Thank you.”

"That sounds like a plan, and dinner downstairs with you at Noblisse will be fine. What is the dress?"

Smirking, the Chiss replied, “Whatever you wish—you are my guest. But if you want to know what others will wear, it is an elegant-formal setting. If you did not bring such items, I already had a small selection in your size hung up in your closet.”

With a mischievous grin, “I assure you, nothing too scandalous, Lady Sabosen…of course, for the remainder of the trip here, I may call you 'Kari' for a bit of anonymity.”

Before turning on his heels, “Rest, enjoy yourself. You are quite safe here. I will come escort you down in an hour and a half then?”

[member="Karisa"]​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Day 5
w/[member="Malicar"]
~

"That was considerate of you, Malicar. I appreciate the thoughtfulness," Karisa smiled back politely, then added. "I will certainly give your choices a gander... I am most curious to see what your definition is of not too scandalous," she teased with light amusement to be noted in her glowing red orbs.

They followed the Vesnam as he turned to exit her quarters. It was hard not to ogle his fine physique as the shipping tycoon strolled out with a sexy confidence oozing about him.

"Kari will be ready with bells on."

~*~​

​

When the door chimed, Karisa gave one last look at herself in the mirror, then stepped out of the bedroom and called out in a sweet tone, "Enter."

The Sabosen was wearing one of the evening dresses that she found hanging in the closet as Malicar promised. It was a sleeveless, black satin gown that hugged her curves as if it was made specifically for her with a slit in the front that ran nearly all the way up to the bodice that showed enough of her long, tone legs to pique the imagination most likely. The outfit made her feel a bit reckless, but for some reason not too uncomfortable. His reaction might though.... He had a way about him that did that.

"Well... Do you approve?" she inquired, doing a slow twirl in front of the transparisteel window with the island's lights twinkling in the background.

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 5




The crimelord stared in the mirror for many minutes, looking at himself dressed in the all black suit that hugged his powerful frame. He liked this suit, but had never worn it before. In fact, there were beginning to be a lot of things that Malicar was doing for the “first time” around this Chiss. Females easily found themselves at Malicar's side and in his bed. They simply filled a need he had and then were discarded...this was different. The Chiss noble had spent more time with the Sabosen recently than he had any other female he had encountered. In truth, he was not sure what was going on with him, thinking about her the way he did.

This is going to bite you, Malicar. You are creating a weakness for yourself. This Sabosen noble is going to get you killed…

This was the internal monologue that constantly surfaced when he was alone, but when he was with Karisa, these voices faded to the background. Shaking himself from his reverie, the crimelord made his way up to the penthouse suite he provided for Karisa. His hand hovered above the chime for many moments...

I should put a bolt in her head and get rid of this weakness. She makes me vulnerable…

He forced down his internal voice faded and his hand pressed the chime.

“Enter”

Malicar stood for a few moments in minor shock as his eyes drank in the Sabosen in front of him wearing the dress he had seen on many women before...but never worn like this. The Chiss noble before him had transformed into one of the most beautiful, sexy creatures in Malicar's existence. The shipping tycoon, Chiss noble, and crimelord stammered, “Approve? You are the very definition of beauty and sensuality…”



[member="Karisa"]

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Late Day 5
w/Malicarhttp://starwarsrp.net/user/20825-malicar/
~

Karisa felt immediate heat warm her cheeks as the Vesnam's crimson eyes raked her over. It wasn't hard to see that the shipping tycoon indeed approved of how she looked as his red orbs glowed with a rich and full intensity. No male Chiss had ever reacted that way towards the Sabosen before. To say it made her feel uncomfortable was an understatement, but the feeling wasn't all bad. In fact, Malicar's reaction made the doctor's heart race a bit and stomach flutter. This all was very uncharacteristic of the normally cool, calm, and collective Chiss doctor. This man was just hard to ignore and not react to.

"Thank you, Malicar. You are too kind," Ari smiled demurely, hoping the blush on her face had dissipated by now.

Reaching over to a nearby side table, Karisa picked up a waiting clutch purse, then she strolled over with the gracefulness of a dancer to where Malicar was standing. "I must say I very much like the cut of your suit on you as well. Tall, dark, and handsome as human's say you certainly are tonight," she complimented openly, then slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.

"I am ready, if you are?"

~*~​

It had been a fine dinner. The food was delicious and the company, well the more time they spent together, the more chemistry seemed to be made between the two Chiss nobles. Yet, the conservative Sabosen still could not let herself take that next step. She had to admit the warmth of the tender kiss upon the back of her hand as Malicar bid her a good night at the door to her suite had the good doctor silently wishing it had been on her lips instead.

Under the luxurious covers of the soft bed, it was easy to fall asleep, maybe too easy especially with all the fine wine devoured with their meal. A fairly contented dream soon though turned into a full blown nightmare. It was the usual one stemming from the former CMO's time as a POW of the Sis-ruuk after the Battle of Bakura. This particular nightmare though had been a bad one as it was very vivid.

Karisa awoke suddenly in a complete fright state and let out a loud, blood curdling scream as she sat bolt upright in the bed. She was trembling uncontrollably by now in a cold sweat, hair and nightgown clinging to her body, hugging herself when someone entered the room....

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 6

Malicar’s eyes shot open. His chronometer chimed an alarm that was triggered from the penthouse where Karisa was staying. While security was not monitoring her, it did pick up screams of alarm—and a scream had indeed triggered that alarm. Dressed in a simple black tank top and loose black pants, the crimelord bounded across his room, snatching up his heavy blaster pistol from under his pillow as he went. Tearing out of his quarters across from Karisa's, the crimelord waved his hand across the security panel that granted access to her room where he came in the penthouse space with his weapon at the ready.



Assessing that there was no threat in the room, he placed his heavy blaster pistol onto the bedside table and slid next to her on the bed. The blast door closed behind him, thrusting the two into darkness. The room was lit only by moonlight from the main window. He could see the Sabosen visibly shaken, sitting up from her slumber. His strong arms wrapped around her attempting to comfort her from whatever it was that had her shaken. He said softly, “You are safe, Karisa. You are safe…”

[member="Karisa"]​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Early Day 6
w/[member="Malicar"]
~

Teary eyes tried to focus on the shadowy figure that walked into the moonlit bedroom with what seemed like urgency, but the person who had responded was just a blur. Karisa tensed at first when a pair of strong arm came around her in a comforting embrace, then she relaxed against him when the familiar and soothing voice of the Vesnam spoke her name softly with the message she was safe.

Some time passed until the Sabosen calmed down; cries softening to whimpers, then to hiccups followed by heavy sigh. The trembling of her body had finally ended as well. She tried to concentrate on Malicar's steady heart beat and breathing. His warmth about her was like having a security blanket on.

As the Sabosen's dark head finally rose up from where it had been resting against the bare shoulder of the shipping tycoon, she wiped the moisture from her face with the back of her fingers, then gazed up apologetically with a hint of embarrassment etched in her glowing reds.

"I- I am so sorry I disturbed your sleep," Ari choked out quietly with a sniffle to follow as their crimson eyes met in close proximity. "I am much better now. Thank you, Malicar," she offered appreciatively with the smallest of smiles while putting a bit of space between them, then the Sabosen gave an explanation for what had happened to cause him concern enough to respond.

"You see, I have bad dreams from time to time ever since... Bakura." The last part coming out in a whispered breath. It always made a chill run down her spine in terror when the planet's name was uttered, and with that Karisa shivered noticeably.

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 6

The crimelord knew the source of her anxiety. Karisa had spoken of her time in captivity days before. He answered quietly, still close to the Sabosen, "You did not disturb me, Karisa. Sleep can be gained another time. You have spoken of your time briefly on Bakura...I am sorry that place still haunts you."

Pause. Traumatic stress disorders were a common thing in his line of work. He could not say how often he and his Consortium may have been the cause of it, but such was the way of things.

"I am in the next room. Across the hall. Or I can stay, if that would please you..."

​

Malicar rose to leave, trailing a steady hand across her back.

[member="Karisa"]​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Early Day 6
w/Malicarhttp://starwarsrp.net/user/20825-malicar/
~


Haunt wasn't the word she'd use rather terrorize was more like it, but in the end the reaction was al the same. Karisa knew distance and time from the event would help to alleviate the rawness of the pain and angst suffered at the hands of the Ssi-ruuk, though complete healing.... Who knew if the Sabosen would ever find true relief or resolution. It wasn't only the doctor's body and mind that had been affected by the torture and torment... The Chiss' belief in the ideals of the Red Flame had been placed in doubt as well, and that was like ripping her very soul apart.

Karisa just nodded to the Vesnam's statement, then she watched him get up to leave. A panicked feeling began to develop as the warmth Malicar generated gave way to the coolness of the nighttime air in the vacated spot between them. Also the thought of not wanting to be alone all but consumed her in the vulnerable state she was in at the moment. He was a comfort to her like no other had been, whether Karisa liked it or not.

She bit her lip and suddenly reached out to catch his hand as it left her back and he was a step away.

"Stay..... " Ari uttered in a soft plea. "At least till I fall asleep again."

With that said, Karisa moved over in the bed to allow room for Malicar to lay down beside her.

"Hold me, please?"

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 6

Her hand caught his as he retreated…

"Stay...at least till I fall asleep again."

Malicar stopped in his tracks and looked back at the vulnerable noble. Her eyes were pleading. Every criminal fiber in his body screamed at him to keep walking. But a small place in his heart won the day…
He watched as she made room for him on her bed.

"Hold me, please?"

She was not in a good place. The strong Sabosen noble had chinks in her armor, just like anyone else. No one wanted to be alone in this galaxy, especially when it got rough. He could only imagine how alone she felt with the stodgy Sabosen Ruling House. Malicar had to admit--he knew the feeling. He reflected that he was truly alone in this galaxy despite always being surrounded by others. Eriate, his sister, was very close to him, but even she had found companionship in Tswer. He was happy for her, but he would never let her know that…

No words needed to be spoken. The Vesnam noble nodded and slid gently into the bed and under the sheets with Ari. Gently, he snuggled up to her, in the most gentleman way possible, when within an intimate proximity as they were. His body temperature was much hotter than hers and he could feel her slightly shivering. It was difficult being this close to the Sabosen noble with her faint perfume aroma and with him able to feel the silken negligee against her, but the Chiss crimelord curved his strong impulses. Malicar wrapped her in his arms gently, providing whatever support and comfort she needed…

[member="Karisa"]​

​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Day 6
w/[member="Malicar"]
~

The normally strong and staunchly independent Sabosen had never needed anyone before, but this night she most certainly did. All the silent suffering had finally caught up to Karisa and taken its toll on her making the Chiss vulnerable and wanting of something more than she had presently in her life. She wanted to feel alive and not merely make the motions she was.

As the Vesnam got into bed under the covers next to her, Karisa had rolled onto her side to face away from him so he could spoon from behind. When his strong arm came to rest over her side loosely to effectively hold her, she grabbed his hand with hers and brought it up her chest to rest just under her chin as if pulling up a security blanket snuggly...

~*~

​

What came next for the two Chiss nobles... Well, that was to stay between them. The full implications of their time spent together on Dremulae were not known yet, but Karisa at least knew she didn't have to be alone anymore if she didn't want to be. Malicar had opened the door to new possibilities and a different enlightenment.

That was just it though, the First Daughter of House Sabosen's destiny wasn't truly her own to decide... or was it? Time would only tell.

 

[Malicar]

Interstellar Shipping Headquarters - Dremulae

Planet of Dremulae - Day 11

The Eclipse Consortium crimelord stood with his arms folded as he watched the hoversleds go back and forth loading up one of the IST-450 Purrgil Freighters with the supplies that Karisa needed for her House Sabosen. It was not until the early morning that the couple finally got around to actually completing the deal. This was primarily due to Malicar putting business aside for the last 5 days, both legitimate and illegitimate. This was done so that he could spend time with the Sabosen noble who came padding up beside him. His arms slid around her waist and pulled her close. An involuntary smile came to his face as he considered the time they had spent together, day and night, enjoying all that Dremulae had to offer—the beaches, the clubs, the restaurants and the scenery.

Malicar was quite sure that neither he nor Ari anticipated where their time together was going to lead. But it led them down a path that, by all accounts, was forbidden love. With her path “set” as the First Daughter of House Sabosen, she would never be allowed to be with a minor noble with a reputation like Malicar’s. In fact, she was to go through with an arranged marriage—neither one of them brought up such things during their time together. On the flip side, Malicar had never had a weakness for a Chiss woman. Until a week ago, he would have never considered allowing himself to be weak and vulnerable enough to fall for Karisa…but here he was, quite smitten.

Having her pulled close to him, he whispered quietly in her ear, “I know you love your family. I know you have a life there…but if you want a different life, I can give you that.”

Pause. There was a stillness between them, but Malicar needed to make sure she understood, “All you have to do is say the word and I will come for you, no matter where you are, no matter the circumstance. I will be there...”

In truth, Malicar wasn't sure what frightened him the most: her saying no to his offer...or her saying yes.

[member="Karisa"]​

​

 

[Karisa]

Dremulae - Interstellar Shipping Headquarters on Kaadu Island
Day 11
w/[member="Malicar"]
~


The last five days since that fateful night that brought them closer, the two Chiss nobles had enjoyed each other to the fullest. The Vesnam had all but ceased any business affairs just to make her his top priory. That spoke volumes of where she stood in Malicar's mind and perhaps heart.

If Karisa was honest with herself, this was the happiest she'd ever been. And, Malicar would be able to tell in the way her demeanor had changed. She had blossomed right before his eyes in his midst. The Sabosen was so much more free and uninhibited since meeting him, and she loved the feeling, yet it troubled Karisa at the same time. How could she just go back home and simply slip into her old life after this like nothing happened? Because duty was drilled into her very Chiss soul that's how. The Red Flame had always burned brightly in the Sabosen's world. It didn't mean she had to like it.

Malicar pulled her in close. His whispered words and the meaning of them registered fully especially when Karisa gazed into his glowing red orbs and saw something that if she wasn't mistaken could only be love?

Her hand cupped the side of the Vesnam's bearded face with a loving touch. He would see that same look in her eyes if he dare look close enough.

"I do... And I know you would, if only I ask," Ari smiled softly, then she pressed one last tender kiss to his lips leaving the man with something to hopefully remember her by. After a few impassioned moments, the Sabosen reluctantly ended the kiss and pulled back. "Clear skies, my beloved Malicar."

And with that endearing farewell said, Karisa stepped away and walked with purposeful strides towards the waiting freighter full of medical supplies acquired for the Ascendancy and House Sabosen, then the proud woman disappeared up the boarding ramp without looking back; the whole time she was biting her lip to keep threatening tears at bay. It would be hard to forget the shipping tycoon and their time together in paradise. He had definitely made an imprint on her for better or worse.

Again, time would only tell what the future held for Malicar and Karisa; two star-crossed lovers. If only...