Chase Fashion Presents: A Charity Gala

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

There'd been a time, not so long ago, when Mara had been the face of humanitarian reconstruction on Coruscant. That was before a lot of injuries, an expensive private war, a long fall to the dark side - and a proposal. What [member="Hylocereus"] Valkner saw in her, she really had no idea. They'd been different kinds of philanthropists. Hylo's quiet, consistent, humble approach had always embarrassed her a little.

[member="Damian Starchaser"] though...

The landlord's fiancee entered the gala in a black dress that showed off her scars. She might have exhausted her resources on a vendetta, but her stocks were refilling her slush fund well enough that she could attend functions this. She made a beeline for the hors d'oeuvres. Mingle, Hylo had said. Get out there and socialize with people you're not paying to kill bucketheads.

All right, so he hadn't used those exact words.

 

[Hylocereus]

The Gala was AMAZING! Hylo was so excited that everyone had come to his place. He looked around the room and wondered at it all. "I can't believe they came here to see plants!" Hylo had said. Alright so there weren't here exactly to see plants, but Damian had said that plants would impress people and while Hylo was skeptical of this statement until he saw some of the looks his garden was getting.

"You look gorgeous," [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] looked absolutely stunning and despite any scars, which Hylo thought looked a little like bark but would never express that thought aloud, the young man absolutely adored his fiance. His eyes almost never left her and since she had said yes to his proposal neither did the goofy smile on his face.

For this event he was wearing one of Chase Fashions suits, although Damian had played a little joke on him and given him one that was slightly green in color. In Hylo's opinion it clashed with his new red hair that he'd grown specifically to impress Mara. That plan had obviously worked as she said yes to his proposal. "So food and then mingling," he nodded firmly adjusting the tie at his neck pulling on it a little staring at the tables of food his mouth practically salivating.

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Hylocereus"]

"Food is the plan, but watch the sugar. You're driving home tonight. Oh, wait."

Mara scooped up a champagne flute and presented Hylo with a slice of cake on a tiny plate. She eyed her fiance's vaguely minty suit.

"Once I get a little tipsy, remind me to tell your boyfriend that the suit definitely clashes. You look like flaming celery."

She looped one arm around Hylo's waist, slugged back half the champagne, and looked for trouble.

 

[Hylocereus]

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

Hylo giggled as he ate the cake, sugar having an effect on his species that alcohol did on humans. "Celery is a hardy plant, its stalk firm and hard, and the leafs can add a very mild spice to food." He nodded is approval at the analogy as he felt Mara's arm scoop around his waist. In retaliation he put an arm around her shoulders and turned to smile at her.

Chlorophyll rushed to his cheeks causing him to blush green as he moved about with Mara. Two peas in a pod, even humans had plant sayings and Hylo approved. "And may I say that your eyes look like particularly inviting soil today."

See it used to be that Hylo would get all insecure about comparing Mara's eyes to dirt, humans didn't like that, but the truth was... "I love you dear."

 

[Luther Lewis]

It seemed that food attracted wealthy people as much as it attracted flies. There was none of the latter, fortunately, and Isabella was lured in as much as anyone else. It looked like the benevolent host had spared no expense in feeding the guests. She gawped at dishes laden with an uncountable number of meats, steaming broths and cheese platters. She ignored them all and made her way to the dessert table. She stuffed her face with sweets until she realised that she didn't look particularly dignified. She nibbled daintily at a tart, cursing and blessing her sweet tooth.

She looked at the others who had gathered around the table. [member="Hylocereus"] had arrived, the nearby plants seeming to swell and bloom at his approach. The man ("how does one classify a plant-person?" she thought) was caught in conversation with [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]. Isabella knew little of woman, the SIS had a large dossier on her, but she hadn't read it. "I'm such a poor agent" she thought as she popped two sugar cubes into her mouth. The room was bright in this section, and was hurting her Chiss eyes. She stayed, despite the pain. Her vision was poor anyway.

She swore she saw [member="Claire Organa"] pass, but couldn't be sure. Noticing her glass was empty, she went on a hunt for more booze. She dodged past [member="Damian Starchaser"] and [member="Coren Starchaser"] deep in conversation. She passed [member="Rosa Gunn"], only knowing her name by eavesdropping on drunk nobles. Her partner was called Seyton Gunn or [member="Seydon Gunn"] or something like that. Now where had the couple found their drinks? She couldn't find a waiter for the life of her.

She finally intercepted a waiter hurrying across the floor. "Ahhh perfect timing" she purred. "What do you have there?" she said, motioning to the drink on his platter. The waiter hesitated then said: "It is the Crème D'Infame, miss". "Oooo" she cooed. She didn't know what it was, but it sounded fancy. "I'll have that, thank you" She grabbed the glass from the platter. "T-that is not for you, miss" the waiter spluttered. "That drink is for Miss [member="Cassandra Paige"]!" She ignored him and eventually he left, presumably to fetch another glass.

She made her way back to the table, this time towards the cheeses. [member="Joza Perl"] was there, sampling the selection. Isabella, who knew nothing about cheese, stared at the spread in dismay. There were so many cheeses, how did one know which to eat? She turned to Joza. "You look like a woman of refined taste. Which cheese would you recommend?"

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa halted her approach to the bar, a smile curling her lips as his presence washed over her, colour rose in her cheeks. Triumphant, deft fingers caught a champagne glass from a passing tray abd she adjusted her course.

The kind thing to do would be to find Seydon directly, maybe reward him with a kiss and then drag him round to speak to the nice people. Instead she planned to make him work for it, he had, after all made her walk in alone. She scanned the crowd before making a beeline towards the food tables, passing [member="Damian Starchaser"] and [member="Coren Starchaser"] as she did.

A moment of recognition and she doubled back to them. If she'd been playing less attention to [member="Seydon Gunn"]'s whereabouts then she would have caught the tension between the two before she interupted. "Good evening gebtlemen." Her smile dropped. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting, something?"

 

[Damian Starchaser]

[member="Rosa Gunn"] didn't come out of nowhere, but it was a close thing. Damian managed to change his expression to a smile and cordial one that he so often practiced. He could keep his cool in front of assassins and crime lords there was no way he's let his uncle of all people break his composure. "Not at all Mrs Gunn," he said cooly extending his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I must say I was intent on talking to you tonight." She ran a charity organization, a non profit and Damian wanted to help her with that as best he could.

"About your charity of course," he said with a charming smile, "Chase Fashion has a number of Bantha Ranches in our possession, wool and leatehr being plentiful from that creature." Already the meat was mostly spoken for having a contract supplying McYodas, but there was more uses than just meat and leather for a Bantha. "We've recently begun a new process which has seen us with an excess of blue milk. Dairy not being our business we thought perhaps you could use it in your endeavors. And of course we'd be willing to provide funds for safe transfer and the logistics of the matter."

He pretended to remember Coren was still there, as if in the conversation he'd forgotten the man was there. "Oh sorry I'm being rude, allow me to introduce my Uncle [member="Coren Starchaser"]," he said stepping aside and letting the two meet and greet properly.

 

[Itash Mecetti]

Charity.

Eye-roll, yawn, stretch, carry on.

But then the reality settled in that some large names would be present at this event. Prime opportunity to network and Tash supposed that throwing some money at this... charity would be good for his deductibles. Or so the people from administration on Etti liked to tell him, so why not? Didact Defense Solutions would get a healthy tax break, he'd be able to get in touch with some more big names that might need security, the... children (?) would get money for... pie?

He wasn't really sure what the charity was about honestly.

The ticket was passed to the doorman, coat was given to an attendant and Tash was off into the hall itself. Busy, plenty of people around, which was good. It told him this wasn't a complete waste of his time.

What to do first? Drink, yes.

That would presumably make this entire thing more bearable. Maybe after that check out the greenery, this entire complex was apparently something of a technological oddity that assisted with food crops... or something. Tash settled himself down at the far-end of the bar, finger up and ordered himself a drink. Then turned a bit, letting his back rest against the counter.

Already people-watching and seeing if there was anyone interesting in attendance or maybe someone he knew.

Not that Tash was expecting it- the circles the exiled Tapani nobleman moved around in were less than interested in giving money away.

 

[Seydon of Arda]

There was general mingling, crystal-stem glasses, narrower than most fighting knifes, tinkled and laughed in time with brief person-to-person salutes, as light drinking eased the gala into a softly buzzed mood. Seydon had given up trying to taste his way through a rich sampling of champagne. A single bottle-full represented fuel transit at least a third of the way along the Mara corridor. The buffet was equally well appointed, with offerings between Falleen salads to Mon Calamari ‘hotter’n’ever’ shrimp and scallop-root soup. Or ‘Ocean Carmine’, the establishment preferred. He sampled with the end of his pinky, tasting that they’d neglected salt in favour of a sodium substitute and had robbed the spicy Calamari cayenne of its legendary bite.

Placid faces passed by. A few locked in practiced expressions: politely engaged, hint of bemusement around the lips, eyes glassy. There was one Tapani ([member="Itash Mecetti"]) with almost novel boredom, nursing himself on suitably expensive honey-wine. Seydon counted the Tapani fortunate he brushed shoulders with lax civilization: elsewhere, in stricter settings, that subtle, contemptuous mixture would have signaled an insulting loss of face and an escorted trip behind the nearest woodshed. To ‘hash out’ the wordless insult more equitably. Seydon paused, caught a blend of off-the-shelf Corellian shampoo, careful watermelon-mint perfume, and an old, almost permanent hydraulic-fluid glaze on the air. He stepped out, sliding through the crowd.

He found Mara D’Lessio Merrill, in company with a handsome youth with hair that reminded Seydon of autumn, in an eddy between cliques. He coasted up, snagging a glass from a passing waiter.

“Don’t leave me alone,” He muttered out the corner of his mouth. “I can’t find Rosa. Everyone else is a stranger. …And hello.”

[member="Rosa Gunn"] [member="Hylocereus"] [member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"]

 

[Mara D'Lessio Merrill]

[member="Hylocereus"] [member="Seydon Gunn"]

"Why Hylo, that was downright suggestive. Good man."

She let go of her fiance and swapped her champagne flute for a small plate of the cheese that everyone was raving about. Between one blink and the next, Seydon Gunn - the Dunaan of Arda, Seroth Ur-Rahn, one of her father's oldest friends, once her aunt's favorite contractor - appeared from nowhere.

"Good to see you," she said and meant it. "I'll keep an eye out for your wife. Hylo-" She snagged his elbow. "-meet an old friend of the family. This is Seydon Gunn, the monster hunter. Seydon, this is my fiance, Hylo Valkner."

Not the most auspicious surname, but Seydon had never struck her as the type to judge.

 

[Hylocereus]

Hylo tried one of the cheeses. Okay it was good, but it wasn't the meat or dirt that he craved. Not that he thought there would be any good dirt to be had at this event, and besides it wouldn't be proper to strip down and roll in it even if there was. Mara had never really enjoyed rolling around in dirt like him, although he was convinced he get her to try it. He pondered Mara for a moment with a smile as she mentioned his suggestive little quip.

That's when a white haired man, who apparently had lost his wife and knew Mara, appeared. He seemed a nice enough sort to Hylo whose elbow was snagged by Mara bringing him in close to her as she introduced the two. "Uh Hello..." he said an embarrassing flower sprouting out of his hair.The sugar was getting to him, as clearly indicated by the chlorophyll flushing his cheeks and making him blush. He gulped hard hoping Mara didn't eat this one. At least not in public!

"I'm Hylocereus Valkner, but everyone calls me Hylo. It's a pleasure to meet you sir." He extended a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Gunn."

[member="Mara D'Lessio Merrill"] [member="Seydon Gunn"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Cassandra paid just enough attention to catch that [member="Damian Starchaser"] was blushing at her. Well, that was a not uncommon reaction, just reaffirming what she already knew. There was no denying that Cassandra Paige was gorgeous.

(Of course, her personality could use some work. Not that she cared.)

She nodded absently, making various 'I'm paying attention to you but not really' sounds. And was frankly vaguely relieved when something... someone... whatever.... else caught his attention. She offered him a small smile and a nod, eyebrows up as if she hadn't just been letting everything he said go in one ear and out the other. Other than the phrase 'tax right off' she'd already forgotten everything in a blur of 'blah blah I'm very boring and probably righteous blah blah.'

Her attention did sharpen back on [member="Joza Perl"] a moment later. Grey eyes went from distant and frankly vaguely vapid to cold and snakelike.

"Oh, well," she murmured sweetly right before the zeltron sauntered off. "Thank you. It's good that some people can enjoy things like that without concern. After all, avoiding it probably wouldn't change anything for someone of your build, I'm sure. Very sturdy."

She turned back to the bar, wondering just what in the world was taking her drink so long. She glanced around, noting that clearly they had what she had ordered because someone else had one. Tapping her toe on the railing beneath the bar, she drummed immaculate nails against the lacquered surface-

And paused mid tap.

A small smile curled over her lips as she pushed away from the bar. Threading her way through the crowd up behind him, she leaned over, not touching him, but mouth close to his ear.

"Should I be concerned about men in red masks at this event as well, Lord Mecetti? Or do you think we'll be safe here?"

[member="Itash Mecetti"]

 

[Itash Mecetti]

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

He froze.

Then relaxed and tilted his head a fraction to accommodate her whisper. "Mm, well, danger has a way of following me around." Maybe she was one of those dangers, tough to say, but from their limited amount of interaction Tash had the distinct feeling there was more to her than she let on. It was, in fact, what kept him interested and engaged.

To a point.

He made some space for her to settle down next to him at the bar and turned to study her. "A sight for sore eyes, miss Paige, truly that is what you are." His gaze swept towards the crowd and Cass would know exactly his opinion on these people.

Finally the bartender came around with the requested drink for Cass with much apologies and sputtering, but Paige seemed content to ignore him utterly and simply take her glass in hand. "Walk with me? I hear these gardens are a sight."

Anything to avoid listening to the mindless rattling of these... people.

His drink was already snugly occupying a place in his hand after all.

 

[Sal Katarn]

[member="Ereza"]

The Mirialan yuppie had lost his accompanying friends somewhere in the middle of the gala, off to dance with those Tapani nobles, probably. Alone, Kai had wandered away from the gala and the familiar faces of fame and fortune, with too many questions about where he had been for the past two years.

Eventually he found himself standing in a deserted section, hidden by shrubs from the rest of the gala, watching the thrum of life just beyond the bay window. Lines of traffic criss-crossed between towering skyscrapers. They flowed swiftly, the blood of commerce. Billions upon billions of people going about their lives. No matter how many times the galaxy tried to destroy the city planet, the people always seemed to spring right back up. Resilient.

My city.

My planet.

He had traveled the galaxy and could afford to live anywhere, even the famed Cloud Nine resorts on Bespin, but Coruscant was his home and the Mirialan refugees were his people. They'd come in a flood after the Sith and Jedi war left the planet in shambles. The people of Coruscant were of many species, but even they forgot that they too were once immigrants. Mirialan refugees needed protection, sometimes outside the bounds of the law. And Kai and his family would be there to give it to them.

A shimmer of gold in the corner of his eye disturbed his brooding, he turned to see a blonde woman, with a striking pair of mismatched eyes. What's more, he did not recognize her. Some new heiress, or outer rim corporate exec?

He nodded a hello.

 

[Ereza]

Green.

That was the first thought that circulated her mind when the man stepped into her view. The second was how well the stage of plants seemed to suit him. The third was a running recollection of studies on galactic civilizations and for some reason the name for his people didn't surface readily. Ereza eyed the man in much the same way a nexu might eye a potential meal.

She smiled faintly, no teeth shown, mismatched eyes curious.

"You prefer plants over people as well?"

[member="Lin Kai"]

 

[Joza Perl]

An unfamiliar voice interrupted Joza’s selection. Luckily, the voice was talking about cheese.

The Zeltron looked up from her plate to find [member="Isabella Fonti"], a young Chiss woman holding a glass of something probably expensive.

“Taste, sure.” She shrugged after looking the other woman over. A lot of words had been used to describe Joza Perl and refined was not typically among them.

Thumping a hand lightly against her chest to clear her throat, Joza pointed to a plate of off-white cubes. “I like these.” She took one and ate it. “Also these.” Her next selection was something of a mix of orange and white. After finishing that one, she sighed and turned back to the Chiss while cleaning her teeth with one of the toothpicks.

“What’s your name, cheeka?”

 

[Sal Katarn]

"Sometimes."

A smile cracked his lips. Not the debonaire too-bright grin he put on for the others. Just a smile. Cautious. Curious.

"We're both green after all."

Growing up in an immigrant family, he'd heard any number of slights used against Mirialans. "Greeny" being a favorite. He remembered the day a group of bellhops had called his father that one day, when they thought he could not hear. He also remembered when his father bought the hotel they worked at immediately afterward.

Money did have its uses.

"New to Coruscant? I don't recognize you."

[member="Ereza"]

 

[Rosa Gunn]

Rosa accepted Damien’s hand with a knowing smile. She had interrupted something, but this one was clearly well practised at playing ‘the game’ as it were. Put on a good enough mask and no one would ever know the truth of the matter. It was all politics. Whether this was an event to raise money for charity or not, it was still politics.

Rosa tilted her head as Damian wasted no time plunging into the topic of business, interest glittering in her eyes. Before she could respond, he switched the topic to the man standing at his side. “Hello Coren.” Rosa’s smile widened as she extended a hand. “I’m surprised we’ve not met sooner considering the mutual friends we have. How are things in the Outer Rim?”

She turned her attention briefly back to Damian. “I’d be more than happy to discuss ways we could use blue milk. Iron Chef produces rations for the Foundation so perhaps we can work some products that we can utilise in these.”

[member="Damian Starchaser"] [member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Was he going to die here? It seemed so. What he needed to do was get back out onto the battlefield. It was so much safer for him. But what Damain was offering here? That was a lot of good work. “I’m a soldier, and an explorer. I do that well.” He looked at the nephew… thing. “And protected. I might have an offer for you. We can use some of this for a team I’m putting together.” Well, two teams, one that is more obvious than the other. It didn’t make that much of a difference, but Coren was keeping one on the down-low from everyone.

Looking at the younger Starchaser, he nodded. “A chrono for operatives. That’ll be very useful!” And he meant that bit. “And that umbrella, heard reports. Thyferra, yeah?” He was definitely interested in that fight. Hell, could this kid even fly? If he was fighting with an umbrella. Then they were saved/interrupted by [member="Rosa Gunn"].

“A pleasure, Rosa. I’ve been dealing within the Alliance more often, recently. But they’re doing well. A good group of people keeping the group assembled, as well as it can.” He grinned before looking at Damian again.

Are there… dark siders here?

[member="Damian Starchaser"] [member="Itash Mecetti"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

She managed to keep the smug off of her face, but allowed pleasure at his comment to curl her lips up at the edges.

Considering how long it had taken to get her drink, Cass considered ignoring the man and declining to tip to be her tip. It was all of the generosity she had in her for someone who couldn't even bring a single glass in a timely fashion. It was positively magnanimous of her to not put him in his place or make a scene and get him fired.

Also, that wasn't the face she wanted to show to [member="Itash Mecetti"].

Wasn't that generous?

Taking a sip carefully, she smiled at him and inclined her head.

"If my Lord would like, it would be my pleasure," she demurred.

When he offered his arm, she took it, rising back off of the barstool and following his lead. She had exactly zero interest in the gardens, truth be told, but she knew she'd managed to get his attention and there was no way she was letting that slip away. The Paiges were well liked and respected, but it was only in her grandmothers time that they had become rich enough to be considered 'worthwhile' in the circles people like Itash took for granted. While Cass knew she belonged there, there was still a divide between rich, corporate families like the Paiges and old blood.

She wondered briefly, if not for the first time in her life, if with the correct calculations, she could bridge that.

"You've been doing well, I trust, since that deplorable scene on Etti?"

Of course, it hadn't been all bad.