Chalk and Cheese

[Jack Sparrow]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]'s Place
Wherever That May Be
Evening

Captain Jack Sparrow, Senator of Kashyyyk, tucked the bouquet of mixed flowers beneath his arm and exhaled into the palm of his hand. With a satisfied nod that his breath remained inoffensive, he rang the bell. It was 7:59pm, give or take some scattered seconds. In his non-floral hand he held a bag that contained a plate of various local cheeses, some crackers to accompany, four silken scarves in blue, purple, gray, and puce, and decorated with muted paisley designs that he'd procured from a very colorful and rather dainty Rodian shopkeeper named Fancy, and a container of refrigerated whipped topping.

Seraphina, it was understood, would be supplying the rum, and anything else she felt the pair might need in order to enjoy an interesting and potentially adventurous evening together.

For his part, Jack had no love whatsoever for Jedi, Sith, or whatever other affiliation Force-users chose to identify themselves as. To him, they were all manifestations of supernatural powers that couldn't be controlled. He'd never met anyone who could live properly with such abilities. All the Force-users he'd met were violent, depressed, power-mad, egotistical, and holier-than-thou, or at least -he. Nearly all were orphans with a grudge against someone, and for beings who purported to be able to feel something that flowed through everything, most of them seemed unable to be at peace with themselves for more than a few minutes a month or to get along with anyone. It was uncanny, as if they were all nothing more than a collection of plot devices.

Seraphina, though, seemed different, at least at the outset. Not only was she physically lovely, she also seemed to possess a sense of humor and a flirtatiousness that he found lacking in nearly every other sorcerer he'd met.

He smiled as he waited for her to answer the door, and hoped this wasn't all a ploy to slice him in half, or melt his brain with her powers because that, he mused, would be unfortunate.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek had taken note of the Senator of Kashyyyk a time or two during her time in the Republic, having guarded Senate hearings and other various gala events for them, though she'd never talked to the man personally until very recently. He seemed a nice enough guy, and though she had originally been joking about the rum and date, he'd made a sincere offer and she was not one to refuse a kind offer and a gentle smile. Perhaps he was a bit too suave, but she didn't mind. It never hurt to let loose and relax now and then with some polite conversation and a few drinks to loosen things up.

The man knocked on the door of her apartment she had rented temporarily on Chazwa away from the lunacy of the ongoing civil war. That was some crazy bit of business, though none of hers. At least not anymore. Sera looked at the clock. 7:59. Wow. I guess he takes these things more serious than he lets on! The woman stood from the plush creme colored couch and headed towards the door to greet her guest. Drawing a single deep, anxious breath she opened the door to reveal [member="Jack Sparrow"] before her, flowers in one hand, and a rather plump looking bag containing who knows what else.

"Evening, Jack." Her voice was warm and inviting. She turned to the side and gestured with her arm for the man to come inside.

 

[Jack Sparrow]

With a polite bow, Jack followed [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] inside, stopping to lean in and give her a kiss on the cheek.. He took in his surroundings quickly, scanning for the most likely place to hide an assassin, visually assessing the floor-to-ceiling clear doors that led to a balcony to see if he could simply dive through them if needed, or if he'd need to try and open them first, a glance to the ceiling to see if there was anything to swing from (there wasn't). It wasn't that Jack was immediately paranoid, it was more a long-held habit of his to analyze any new room for structural defects, potential traps, and convenient places to escape through. Contrary to romantic holo-novels, the life of a pirate wasn't all buckling swashes and easy plunder, as the scars on Jack's body could attest.

Doors to various other rooms stood in several places around the apartment, but Jack filed them away for future exploration as he placed the bag on a low table in front of a sofa and took a seat.

"Evening love," he said. "I've brought us a few things. Actually, I believe I've brought everything we'd discussed previously." With a grin, he began pulling objects out of the bag. "Whipped topping. Might want to refrigerate that. Scarves," he tossed all four to the Twi'lek with a devilish grin. "You can handle those for now. I may ask for them later. Cheese, crackers, and...that's it." The cheese was on a plate, so Jack unwrapped it and began placing crackers around the assortment.

For his date, Jack had changed from his normal, everyday wear and instead had donned clean black linen trousers outside of low black leather boots, a loose-fitting white shirt open at the collar, a stylish double-breasted blue vest with black pinstripes, and a high-collared black jacket with blue trim on the cuffs and collar.

"Now, I believe in an earlier conversation you said something about rum?"

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek pressed on the door with her index and middle finger, letting the momentum shut the door with a soft thud. Turning back to the man she noticed his head twitch and bob back and forth a number of times, as if looking for something particular within the apartment. There wasn't a whole lot to take in, really. She mostly lived on Phindar, though occasionally rented an apartment here or there, depending on how long she expected to be in one space.

The apartment was ordinary, a table and four chairs in the kitchen - all the basic necessities. The living area contained a sofa, love seat, a and long knee-height table that faced toward the outer wall where a HoloProjector would play the various assortment of HoloVids she had brought along to keep herself entertained. A subscriber of HoloFlix, she could just as easily watch any other videos that may be more to the liking of her date, the fine [member="Jack Sparrow"].

While her bedroom door remained closed, mostly to not scare away visitors at the sheer clutter contained within there, the balcony was open, separated only by a thin white curtain that danced about in the evening breeze. Her hand extended as he offered her the whipped topping, promptly placing it into the fridge after being handed the scarves as well. Those she was a bit curious of, but simply smiled and nodded.

Returning back from the kitchen she brought along an assortment of rum, whiskey, and brandy. "Let's see...I have both Corellian Brandy and Rum, Chadian Rum, some Twi'lek Liquor - though I don't recommend that unless you intend to get inebriated right out of the gate." She laughed, knowing just how potent the stuff was. She rarely drank it herself. "There's also Bothan Brandy, annnnd," She had to read the bottle to remember what the last item was. "Oh! Right, Ithorian Mist."

With the bottles tucked under her arms, held between a few fingers, and one tucked into her top she placed them around the long table in front of the couch in a neat little display, placing the cheese and crackers in the middle like a masterpiece of artwork. Sera then turned back to Jack, smiling at his attire. She'd opted for a deep v-cut sparkling red corset with a pair of black, form-fitted pants that met just at the bottom of her top. Knowing that Jack stood about four or so inches taller than she, the female had opted for a pair of 3" black pumps to stand just a bit more at eye level with her date.

"Make yourself comfortable! I'd give you a tour, but you can more or less see the whole place from where you're standing." She laughed, a warm, genuine smile on her face. "If you're hungry, I can make us something, or we can order food from someplace?"

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"It's a night of romance and relaxation, love," said Jack with a grin. "Asking you to cook would be very inhospitable, unless you wanted to impress me with your skills. You look...transcendent, by the way. Now. As I'm unfamiliar with the local fare, I shall leave it to you to find a menu. I myself have no allergies or aversions, and I do love good seafood, if that helps. As for a drink, I believe I'll start with the one that was down your corset, and therefore closest to your heart."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek couldn't help but laugh, his words were both entertaining and charming.

"Well, my culinary skills may very well kill you, and not in a good way. So I recommend unless you're seeking an adventure in awful dining, we should put in an order."

The bottle that had been resting between her chest and corset? Ah! That had been the Ithorian Mist!

"As for the drink you're after, that would be the Ithorian Mist. It's a bit strong on its' own, I typically mix it with Jogan Fruit Juice, but that's up to you."

Sera wandered into the kitchen to grab a pair of glasses and proceeded to fill them each with four cubes of ice, filling each three quarters full before returning to Jack, optional fruit juice in hand. "Yes or no?" She held it up in offer. Not one to be outdone, should he refuse she would see him drink for drink - a sort of unspoken friendly competition.

[member="Jack Sparrow"]

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack watched his host walk into the kitchen, taking in the sight of the skin-tight pants and heels (not to mention everything attached to them) as they moved gracefully across the floor.

If there was such a thing as a professional drinker Jack would likely have earned a shiny timepiece for services rendered by now, but he'd only just arrived at Sera's apartment, and should the drink prove as strong as she'd indicated, one or both of them might find themselves asleep or otherwise unable to hold up their end of the date before long, especially since they hadn't eaten yet.

"Aye to the juice," said Jack. "Let's try a dram at first and see how she treats us."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

With a smile and a nod the Twi'lek turned to the table, placing the two glasses down before filling the final quarter glass with the Jogan fruit juice. A quick swish of the glass to mix it a bit and she turned to offer the drink to Jack. The sugary sweet Jogan juice typically took away a bit of the bitterness of the Ithorian Mist, giving it a slightly sweet, slightly sour mix, yet still mighty powerful if one wasn't careful. On the grand scale of things though, it could hardly stand up to the Twi'lek liquor.

Sera held her glass towards his to toast. "To a night filled with potentially bad decisions."

[member="Jack Sparrow"]

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"And to the hope that we remember them fondly," added Jack, clinking his glass against hers. He took a healthy drink of the stuff, holding it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. Even with the fruit juice, which was a bit sweet for his tastes, the Ithorian Mist tumbled down his throat like a liquid avalanche. Jack blinked heavily, holding back a cough, just as a burning sensation, like whiskey compounded with gelignite, crept back up his esophagus. A single tear collected in the corner of the pirate senator's left eye.

"Well," he said quietly. "That's Ithorian Mist, is it? The...Ithorians. Those are the ones with the two mouths, yes? Big, hammerheaded people, the Ithorians. This...would...suit them." He smiled at Sera, all lips and no teeth, trying to will the tear back into its duct as he awaited her reaction to the liquor.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek gave a smiling nod to the addition of the toast by [member="Jack Sparrow"], lifting her glass in unison.

Sera lifted the concoction to her lips, taking in the pleasant scent of the juice and alcohol combined; It was something she was quite fond of. She then took a small sip, far more conservatively than Jack. Her lips widened in a smirk behind the glass as the man struggled not to choke on the strength of the alcohol. Her index finger released its' grip on the glass, leaving the other digits behind to maintain hold, while pointing to her date. "If you think this is tough, I look forward to watching you try the Twi'lek Liquor. That will really put you in your place."

She nodded with her head, gesturing for him to join her as she headed toward the couch. Pink legs then folded beneath her as she took up a space to make sure there was enough room for the Senator from Kashyyyk to sit as well. "So, I understand you're running for the Supreme Chancellor for the Republic now?" Her expression changed briefly, the left side of her lip pulling back as her neck strained to make an almost pained gesture. "That's going to be a tough roll to fill, what with everything going on lately." She held a finger to her lips; "Though, we needn't discuss work if you'd prefer to keep things more cordial. I wouldn't be offended."

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack took the offered seat next to [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]'s, taking another sip of his drink.

"Nah, it's fine, love, so long as we don't let politics become the only thing we discuss." Jack picked up a piece of dark yellow cheese and popped it into his mouth. It had a sharp, peppery flavor. "It's actually a very easy roll to fill, truth be told. Well, for me at any rate. For one thing, no one is expecting me to win. If I do win, no one is expecting me to accomplish anything, so anything I actually do get done will be seen as a major victory. And then there are those who think I'm going to do something truly horrible." He grinned. "Those are my favorites. If I do they'll say they knew it all along. But ah," he held up a finger. "If I don't? Then they'll be waiting. Waiting for Supreme Chancellor Sparrow to set fire to the Republic." He picked up another piece of cheese, but this time he leaned over and offered to place it into Seraphina's mouth.

"It's the Jedi issue I could use guidance on. Me whole life I've had nothing but bad words for them, and Sith alike. But if and when I am elected, I'm going to need to deal with them, not as individuals, but as groups. Large, sorcerous groups. And truth be told, I've no idea how to approach that."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Jedi were notoriously known for being skiddish of politicians. Despite the events of the Clone Wars occurring over 850 years ago, the Order, and many like it, were still incredibly distrusting. In a away it was a bit understanding as to why. In one swift action nearly every Jedi and Force sensitive being in the galaxy had been brought to extermination. Quite a frightening prospect - One that the Jedi had saw fit to never allow again. Sera saw both sides of the argument, the fear of Force users, and the necessity to have them.

The Twi'lek leaned her shapely pinkish head towards [member="Jack Sparrow"], accepting the delightful bit of cheese from his hand with her mouth. She smiled, chewing quietly for a moment as she listened to him speak, swallowing and waiting for him to finish before she opted to offer some input.

"Well, judging by recent events, that bar is set fairly low. So as long as you don't become another Lasedri, I think your deeds will be considered a step up." She winked, making as light of the situation as possible, despite its' grave consequences that it had held for the Republic. Despite no longer being affiliated with the Republic she still kept contact with the Order on some level, and had access to the HoloVids of the ongoings.

"As for the Jedi like yours truly, we're pretty similar to anyone else on the street really. We have feelings, thoughts, emotions, desires. Some of which, depending on the Order said Jedi belongs to, some of those come with limitations and restrictions set forth by the code that individual follows." She scoffed, her thought shifting to that of the Sith. "The Sith however, simply desire power - to rule over others and to proclaim dominance across the galaxy."

Sera held a bit of curiosity as to why Jack had such feelings toward the Jedi, and more specifically, the Order as a whole. "What though, if I might ask, do you find unpleasant about Jedi?"

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"The whole..." Jack made wiggly fingers in the air with his free hand. "I like my mind like I like modern romance novels, love. Unread." Sighing, he continued, "It's not that they do. It's that they can. It's that they can leap tall buildings, and link their minds to fight as one, lift speeders, fighters, and call on unnatural, superhuman reserves. It's cheating, but not proper cheating, savvy?" He finished the liquid in his glass, relishing the burn that slid down his gullet. "That kind of power demands to be used, says I. It builds up. It needs an outlet. Some, like the Sith, need to show off big, make sure everyone sees them and how powerful they are. Jedi, though, they crave challenge, opposition. Moral opposition. Give them a proper moral fight, a big fight, the longest odds, and they'll leap right in, glowing swords lopping of hands left and right. And if they don't see a big enough challenge, they'll create one. Not all," he added. "Not all. Some of them. Enough of them." He wrinkled his brow and pursed his lips, then visibly brightened, if not changing the subject then subtly changing its direction. "I didn't know about the code, though. Is it a contract you have to sign? Is it legal? Binding?"

If Sera had any empathic abilities, she could feel that this wasn't just a superstition or mindless fear; something deeper lurked within the pirate that colored his perception of users of the Force.


[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek mused over [member="Jack Sparrow"]'s words for a few quiet moments, munching on a bit of cracker while she contemplated his concerns and how best to answer in hopes of alleviating some of his worries.

"Well. For starters, simply because we can doesn't make us troublesome. Just as easily as we can interfere with the minds of people, senators can be bought. Corruption at the highest levels that can cascade into at its' worst, war. War that will inevitably cost the lives of millions of soldiers, thousands of civilians, and hundreds of Jedi that selflessly give their lives to the Republic, sometimes in vain."

It was a double edged sword, much like any other power, physical or not. Power at its' core came from one's ability to manipulate or control through force or intimidation or deceit. The Jedi were one side of the coin. True Jedi would never interfere in the minds of others without just cause and necessity.

"Jedi don't strive to create challenges. We seek to learn from the Force. The difference is in the intent there." She picked up a bit more of the cheese and sandwiched it between two different types of crackers, leaning over to offer a bite of it to Jack. "I've never drawn my weapon before I was forced to. That is how a true Jedi acts. To act otherwise is not to be a Jedi. One can call themselves as they see fit, but actions matter most."

Explaining the Jedi Code to someone incapable of feeling or using the Force was a daunting task. She decided it was best to keep it short and to the point. "The Code is something every Jedi is taught before and above anything else. It explains the very fabric of the Jedi, what we are, our core values. It's not so much a legal contract as it is an honor bound requirement. Think of it as the same way members of the Republic military, or members of government are sworn in to service. They agree to uphold the values and responsibilities imparted to them. The Jedi Order has similar values that we label as our Code."

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack accepted a bite of the proffered cheese and crackers, listening to Seraphina. He knew his opinions were colored by his past experience, but pushed the memories down.

"Actions matter most. They do indeed," he said. Jack rubbed his hands together. "And for my next action, I say we put aside this deep conversation for now, and order some food before we pay closer attention to the bottles on yonder table. But first," Jack reached over and took one of Sera's hands in both of his, kissing it. "Thank you. For listening and for trying to help me work it all out. The ill winds of time have blown dark clouds 'cross my memories, to use a stream of sailing metaphors, and it's been a long time since I've fathomed their depths. Should I get elected Supreme Chancellor, I've a feeling I'm going to need to reexamine some of them. 'Course," he added with a wink, "if I don't, I can leave them buried and carry on as before! Now. What shall we order?"

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera could have blushed, though her pinkish skin tone would have disguised it regardless. [member="Jack Sparrow"] had a way with words for sure. There was elegance there she rarely found on anyone else. Each word flowed to the next with a certain pizazz that was both entertaining and graceful.

"Well, since you seem to be on a bit of a roll with the sailing and ocean metaphors, I know of a pretty wonderful place that serves fresh seafood, if that's your sort of thing. It's quite good." She tapped a finger on her chin, running through her memory of other nearby places as well. "There's also a really great exotic food import nearby. A bit pricey, but that comes at the cost of bringing it to Chazwa."

Tossing one pink leg over the other the Twi'lek leaned back in her seat and took another sip of the Ithorian Mist. "Whichever you prefer."

 

[Jack Sparrow]

"Let's go with pricey, love," said Jack, reaching for a bottle at random from the table. "We've discussed politics; that makes this a business expense. Chadian rum," he smiled, looking at the label on the bottle. "Funny stuff, this. Did you know it's blue because of a strain of intoxicating plankton found only on Chad? Same stuff they use for Chadian dressing, only for that the intoxicating part's been burned away." Jack poured some into his glass and swirled it with the remaining ice cubes before taking a sip.

"I've a thought: give them a call and ask them to bring dinner for two, chef's choice. Then, I should very much like to hear an exciting and not at all sad story involving your lightsaber, because I've always found them fascinating, if poorly balanced and terribly dangerous." For Jack, a blade meant a vibroblade, not something that could accidentally lop your own head off if you handled it wrong. "And, somewhere in there, I should also very much like you to kiss me, if you've a mind, because your outfit is driving me mad with desire."

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek let out a jovial laugh. She could not once recall ever being asked to kiss someone. Not once, and she had a perfect memory. One that operated much like a databank of knowledge, able to recall moments, memories, names, and events at a whim. The woman bit at her lower lip for a moment, before leaning in toward the man. "Mad, huh?" She whispered quietly in his ear. "Well, we can't have that, can we?"

Her maroon lips pressed lightly, teasingly against [member="Jack Sparrow"]'s cheek, moving ever closer to his lips, kiss by kiss. Her hand reached over his, taking the glass from him and setting it down on the table, her eyes still focused on his. In a flash she had turned her body, throwing one leg over the lap of Jack to the opposite side, straddling him. "I didn't know that about Chadian Rum. You learn something new every day." Her head lowered, pressing those same maroon lips lightly against his for but a moment before pulling back. "Shall I call them now then?"

 

[Jack Sparrow]

Jack felt goosebumps rise as [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] drifted across his face, and his eyes widened as the flexible Twi'lek moved atop him. Her gentle kiss stirred him into action. He placed his hands on her hips, adjusting her slightly on his lap, and leaned forward to return her kiss, longer this time.

"I think perhaps dinner can wait a moment or several, love. Maybe work up a proper appetite." He kissed her neck then, lightly, in a manner similar to the one she had shown him, before finding her lips again, this time passionately.

Slowly he moved his hands from her athletic legs to her backside, shifted his weight, and stood, allowing her to wrap her limbs around his waist and neck. Pausing to scoop up the four scarves he'd brought, he carried her across the floor, kissing her once again.

"Door," he muttered, squatting a bit so Seraphina could reach behind her and open it. "Thank you," he said between kisses.

If the room was a mess, the pirate/senator did not seem to mind.

*****​

Later

Still damp with sweat, Jack looked over at Sera. He would have wrapped his arms around her, but he was still tied hand and foot to her bedposts with the scarves he'd brought; Sera, it turned out, was as flexible as she was capable of tying knots.

"Well," he breathed. "That was...something. Quite a bit of something, actually. Wait!" he cried suddenly. "The whipped topping! We forgot the whipped topping! Good thing I've nowhere else to be, and also, you still owe me that lightsaber story. How's the appetite now, love?"

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera turned over to face Jack, her head resting in her palm as she watched him struggle a bit to free himself before she finally released the knot holding his arms with her free hand. He could manage the ankles on his own. A small gasp escaped pursed lips at the revelation that they'd forgotten something during their bedroom escapade. The Twi'lek laughed, falling back onto the pillow beneath her head.

"Good times easily distract." She offered a warm smile. "As for the appetite, I'd say now is a good time to put in that call; Gives us time to compose ourselves while we wait."

The wonder slid out from beneath the covers of the bed and turned to face [member="Jack Sparrow"]. A hand lifted toward her mouth, biting down on one finger as she looked him over, a quick smile darting across her face. Sera giggled like a child after getting a treat before turning to scoop up her clothes that had been strewn about the room.

"A lightsaber story huh? Are you familiar at all with Jedi Lore during the period of the Clone Wars?" The story of how she obtained Jedi Knight Aayla Secura's lightsaber was of particular note, full of adventure, near death experience, and reward. Something she figured Jack would appreciate, even more so if he was familiar with the Twi'lek Jedi.