Public Bar and Recreational Zone

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre had noticed that an increasing number of people were traveling to and from the station to Bastion below. After pulling a few strings and getting permission from her master, she arranged a small treat for one familiar face. She didn't know what his name was, just that he had been hanging around often enough that even she had noticed him.

Giving one of her men the message, she sent him to find the stranger. He would be invited to join her and the other men in the cantina. If he accepted, there would be enough food and drink involved for him to have a full belly and a tipsy head, finally.

Making sure all the food was cooked just right, she waited for all of them to arrive. Even though her group would be around, they would leave the two of them alone. They just wanted to protect her and keep an eye on her. Allowing this, even if she could take care of herself, made it feel more like a family gathering than dinner with a stranger.

Saul Whesai

 

[Saul Whesai]

Saul resisted to urge to groan as he was once again turned away from the security gate. Either having an all-metal exoskeleton was enough to trip the sensors off, or the galaxy really hated him today. Sighing, he plopped down on the bench. wondering if his luck would get better just as he saw the man in a suit that screamed government security approaching him. Today was about to get a lot more interesting.

The Cyborg had half a mind to fight his way out of the station as the security goon escorted him into a sectioned-off table in one of the station's better restaurants, the kind of place that Saul in his ragged clothes was very not supposed to be in. The only thing that stopped him was that trying to escape would have... political consequences, and the last thing he needed was another crosshair on his head. The person who waited for him looked... young... like they weren't out of high school yet. Maybe it was just the braids making her look more like a kid rather than a romantic partner and apprentice to one of the most powerful leaders in the galaxy. Squinting, he wondered if this situation was one of those reality prank shows as he slowly approached the table. "Umm... Hi... I'm guessing you wanted to see me Miss...?"

Just by seeing his body language, Iandre could see that this new guest didn't know what to expect out of this meeting. It was also clear he wasn't used to the whole "escort" treatment, but as he was invited to sit down, Saul hoped this wasn't some elaborate plan to arrest him for going to that Starship Show with a fake ID. If that was the case, at least he would maybe get one last meal before being shunted off to the deepest, darkest dungeon the Diarchy had available.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

"Iandre Athlea. Don't worry, I'm not going to bite."

Offering him a seat, she took hers back when he joined her.

"Order whatever you want. Treat's on me. I'm curious."

Leafing through her menu, she made her selection and closed it. Placing it on the table, she leaned forward slightly. Her grey eyes were friendly, and she wasn't trying to be threatening to Saul. With a calm voice, she was not being confrontational either.

"I've seen you around. Both on the station and on the planet below. Relax."

Shrugging her shoulders a little, the former Jedi was at a loss for words. They were strangers to one another, and she was just trying to be friendly and wanted nothing more than to get to know the other people within the Diarchy.

Leaning back in her seat, she crossed her arms and drew in a breath to let it out slowly.

"I want to know more about you, I guess."

Saul Whesai

 

[Saul Whesai]

Saul couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, wanting to say "You might not bite but your security people most definitely will..." but refrained from snide remarks. Whatever this young woman wanted to know, she was going to probably get it. Fighting his way out of here would be more trouble then it was worth. Ploping into the chair, the Cyborg squinted as he tried to figure Iandre out. What could she want with a piece of junk like him?

After she introduced herself, he cautiously let his name slip out of his mouth. "Just... call me Saul." Her smiling eyes and posture did a little bit to calm his nerves and make him believe he wasn't going to get Greedo'd under the table. As she talked about how she was just curious about him, Saul smirked a little like she had made a funny joke. "It was the eyes, wasn't it?" Taking a lot longer to look at the menu as he tries to figure out what half of these items were, he tried his best to put his best foot forward, pulling his hood down to reveal his shaggy purple there. "Sorry, I'm just not used to the red carpet treatment or people wanting to know the ghoul that I am... Usually when I get people sent after me, it's to capture me or push me to someplace that doesn't disturb their daily life. So... What are you...? I'm guessing you aren't normal by the... guards surrounding you. Whatever she was, he knew she wasn't normal.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

He was looking at her as if she were a puzzle wrapped inside an enigma. Maybe she was to him, but all the while he was trying to figure her out, she wasn't keeping anything hidden. Even if the man couldn't use the Force and she didn't think he could, he should be able to pick up on her honesty.

"It is nice to meet you, Saul."

Her hands were clearly on top of the table, so if he was worried about her shooting him, that should tell him he was safe. While she didn't return the smirk with one of her own, she maintained her friendly attitude and look.

"Not just the eyes, Saul."

Shrugging slightly, she allowed him to finish before replying to the second part.

"You're no ghoul. Rakghouls hail from Taris, and you don't want to meet one of them."

The Diarchs also came from there, but that was common knowledge. Trying to get a read on Saul, she sensed he was telling the truth. Even if it reflected poorly on how others treated him. Iandre wasn't about to treat him like that. It wasn't polite or in her nature.

His question caught her off guard, and she was silent as she considered her answer.

"What am I? A former Jedi from a distant time, an officer in the Lilaste Order. My guards? Well, they go with me pretty much everywhere. I tend to get into trouble, and they dig me out."

Her master had assigned the guards to her; she just got to pick them out. They had been recruits with her, and they had trained together when they all joined the Order.

Saul Whesai

 

[Saul Whesai]

Saul wasn't worried about getting shot, atleast not right now. It was clear that Iandre was here for business, though Saul could only guess what that buniness is. Hopefully he would find out before the first course came out.

"Its nice to meet you too Iandre. And youre right, I don't want to meet one of those monsters..."

Saul's question tried to cut right to the core of why they were here. Why was a accomplished Jedi wanting to take with one of societies bottom feeders.

"Oh you are with the people who make the elemental swords. Always wanted to play around with one of those things. So... You still haven't told me why you want to talk to me."

He guessed it was to offer him an merc contract but who knows. Maybe this out of time Jedi would surprise him.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Iandre Athlea]

"But I did tell you. I'm curious about you, Saul. What you do and what motivates you. The Diarchy and Order are home to me. Is there anything I can do to make you feel the same?"

Glancing over at him, Iandre tried to gauge his mood. Not using the Force on him, she was putting her people-reading skills to the test.

"Elemental? Nah, it's plasma. Emitted by a crystal. Mine is a dueling kind. After dinner, I'll let you look at it if you want. They are dangerous for sure. I'll supervise you, though, so you won't hurt anybody or anything."

A server took their order and walked away. When he was gone, Iandre looked at her uncomfortable guest.

"I'm exactly what I told you and curious about you. I've gotten to know a few people of the Diarchy; you're next on my list. I suppose."

Saul Whesai

 

[Saul Whesai]

With every word that came out of Iandre's mouth, Saul got more and more confused. This was the first time he had been told he was apart of the Diarchy. It was hard not to think of this as some sort of press gang attempt but Saul tried to push it out of his thoughts since he knew Iandre seemed like she actually wanted to get to know him despite not knowing what sword he was talking about. The Cyborg only hoped he could make this conversation less of a slog for both of them. It was time for him to explain the way out of this verbal hole.

Taking a breath, he decided to start slow. "I was talking about the LO-09m's. You know, the vibroswords you can put special capusals in the hilt to give the sword special properties but yeah, I would love to see what weapon you use." And now it was time for the hard part. "I'm not with the Diarchy, atleast not yet... I'm thinking about it, though, staying in the Diarchy for... someone." He wasn't sure if Liin Terallo would like to be talked about with strangers, but he had to give Iandre something to chew on. Lying probably wasn't going to get him anywhere with a Jedi being his conversation partner.

He didn't know where this Jedi got her information from, but it was certainly... incomplete. Guess they had both gone into this meeting expecting something that wasn't true. He only hoped the food came out soon because all this trying to explain himself was making him starved.

Iandre Athlea

 

[Laphisto]

The cantina was alive with the low murmur of voices, a haze of smoke clinging to the rafters as soldiers in ashen-grey armor filtered in behind Laphisto. Their presence drew more than a few curious glances, but the High Commander strode with quiet certainty, his heterochromatic eyes scanning the room. The weight of Vexis Station still lingered on his shoulders, though he carried it with the same composed bearing that had seen him through worse.

He approached the bar, resting a hand on the counter with a faint smile. His voice carried just enough authority to silence nearby chatter."Give these men and women free drinks for the night on me. Consider it thanks for their service."The barkeep gave a hurried nod, and a ripple of cheer passed through the armored soldiers. Laphisto clasped forearms with their battalion commander, a brief but firm shake, then turned as if to take his leave. Yet something in the Force tugged at him an unseen current pulling at his gaze.

He paused, brow lifting ever so slightly as his eyes settled on a familiar figure. There, across the room, sat Iandre Athlea and not far from her, Saul Whesai . The faintest flicker of the Force rippled through his vision, brushing against the edges of their presence, testing alignment, probing for shadows or light. A low chuckle escaped him, quiet but genuine, as he started toward them. "Ian. I'll admit, I never thought I'd see you here of your own accord." His tone carried a mixture of relief and wry humor, tempered by everything they had endured on Vexis Station.

His gaze lingered on Saul for a heartbeat longer, studying the man with a soldier's instinct before shifting back to Iandre. There was no judgment in his expression only a quiet curiosity."Am I interrupting something?" he asked, the question delivered lightly,there was a tinge of sorrow on his force presence but he was mostly hiding it

 

[Saul Whesai]

As the awkward silence drifted between him and Iandre for a couple of minutes, the cyborg was glad for the interruption of the horned... different colored eyed... Diarch soldier...? At least that's what he seemed to look like with that armor on. Saul quickly refocused on him, glad to have a distraction. "No, you aren't. Me and Iandre were just talking past each other. And you are probably right, she really needs to drink some more. It might improve her life." Putting a hand out, Saul scanned over his face. From the scars, he could at least guess that he was definitely a fighter who knew his stuff. The cyborg wondered what his history was and how many tales he had to tell. "I'm Saul, by the way. Iandre wanted to meet me so here I am, by hook or by crook." Maybe this man could hold up a conversation better than Saul and Iandre could.

Iandre Athlea , Laphisto

 

[Iandre Athlea]

This whole endeavor of hers was starting to fall apart, and Iandre just wanted to fade away into oblivion. That, of course, wasn't a real option, and she would be lying if she actually wanted it to happen. Embarrassment filled her, and she tried to hide it by focusing on her food and drink while Saul spoke.

"Sorry, I've just seen you around a little and thought you were part of the Diarchy. Good to know you're thinking about it, though."

Mentally kicking herself rather hard, she fell silent and looked around as her master arrived with some of the Order's soldiers. Not an uncommon sight in the bar, but it still caught her with a bit of surprise. When he approached, she saw this as an opportunity to make the situation less odd.

"Not at all, Master."

Thank you. This was getting weird. How do I talk to strangers and not make them feel like I'm interrogating them?

Motioning to Saul, her cheeks might have darkened a little.

"We were just chatting and I offered him some food."

At least, Saul agreed with her that they were talking. His additional comment about her drinking more got him a dirty look, but she kept her mouth shut.

Laphisto Saul Whesai

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto let out a low chuckle, the sound rumbling from his chest as he gave Saul a respectful nod. His other hand reached out to muss Iandre's hair in a familiar gesture, a dry grunt escaping him as he drew a chair toward their table with a tug of the Force. The metal legs scraped softly across the floor before he lowered himself into it, settling in as though he intended to stay.

"Well, if you don't mind," he said, heterochromatic eyes flicking between the two of them, "I'll join you."He glanced first to Iandre, offering her a brief, knowing look, before turning back to Saul with a faint curve of his lips. Extending a taloned hand across the table, he inclined his head in proper introduction."High Commander Laphisto," he said evenly, his voice carrying both the weight of command and the ease of conversation. "Leader of this fine organization at your service."

There was no arrogance in the statement, only a soldier's plain honesty. His gaze lingered on Saul with a spark of curiosity. "I couldn't help but overhear your remarks about our equipment," he added, one brow rising slightly.Catching sight of a passing trooper, Laphisto motioned for them to pause. With a wordless exchange, the soldier unslung their sheathed blade and placed it in his waiting hand. Laphisto turned it carefully before offering it out toward Saul, handle-first, his tone carrying a note of quiet pride.

"It's a fine design, though what you're looking at is the newer model," he explained. "Fitted with an Aetherium power cell my own contribution to its development. Gives it the capacity to incorporate two separate effects when needed. Balance, adaptability... qualities we hold in high regard." His mismatched eyes studied Saul closely as he relinquished the weapon, as though gauging not just the man's reaction to the steel, but to the Order itself

Saul Whesai Iandre Athlea

 

[Saul Whesai]

The Cyborg couldn't help but chuckle as he watched the Dragonman giving Iandre a nuggee, only stopping and getting interested in his nuna salad from a combination of her dirty looks and the Apprentice's party looking over at what was going on to make Iandre so upset. Come on Saul, don't get thrown out an airlock tonight... Noting the chair come across the floor, Saul guessed this man was a lot more powerful than he let on. Turning back to

His assumptions were correct when Laphisto was introduced as the Supreme Commander of the Lilaste Order. He had heard the grand poobaa's name in passing during the ship and weapon technology shows that he went to in the past. It was nice to put a face to the name. His hands couldn't help but grip the table as Laphisto drew the sword from his soldier's scabbard, ready to throw the table over as a shield in case he had to take the whole bar on.

Thankfully, Saul wouldn't have to cause a full bar firefight, raising an eyebrow as the blade was offered. Getting up, he quickly said to the young woman across from him, "I usually get crew chief positions on the various starships that operate out of here. It's why you probably see me a lot." That and Liin, but she didn't need to know all the details about his life.

Taking the sword, the Cyborg moved to an open area and took a couple of practice swings. It would be clear to both onlookers that Saul had held a blade before. And the Supreme Commander was right, of course; he could feel the blade's balance in his hands, and its quality was about as good as it was going to get. Still, he was more used to shorter blades, and the heft of this big beast of a blade wasn't something he wanted to deal with in a combat scenario.

Handing the blade back to the uniformed soldier hilt-first, he came back to sit at the table. "It's a good blade. It's a little longer than I would use though. It would be painful to run with." Pulling the sewn-together rag that served as a poncho, they both would see loops holding two short swords forged from scrap iron, a couple more primitive throwing knives on one breast, and a customized blaster pistol on the other. This wasn't an intimidation exercise as much as showing off what his preferences were. Heavy weapons that weighed him down weren't his style.

It wasn't until he focused on the Supreme Commander for the second time that he saw something sparkle and reached around his back, plucking something from his armor. What he now held in his hand was a piece of paper with writing in green and silver glitter, saying "LAPHISTO IS THE BEST DAD EVER!!!" and covered in hand-drawn pictures. Some of the more standout works were Laphisto beating up on a group of Mando's single-handedly in a wrestling ring and blowing up a Two-Legged Walker just by pointing at it. In the center was him lifting a young teenage boy with a mop of bright orange hair onto his shoulders. The Cyborg couldn't help but smile at what he saw. From the increased laughter at the bar, it had been on the Supreme Commander's back for a while. "I take it your son made this in art class today...?" Saul had heard rumors that the head of the Lilaste Order had been built up so much that he made some of the soldiers under his command... naturally... but this is the first time he had heard of a son. For the kid's sake, Saul hoped that the man in front of him was a good father, as he was a warrior.

Iandre Athlea , Laphisto