Private Edge of the Abyss

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

Mistral sat in the office as he was thinking about it... about all of it, the revelations settling like dust in the still air. The datapad felt a heavier than it should. The job had seemed so simple, easy credits just prove infidelity, But now it was something far more sinister. Human cargo. Nar Shaddaa credits. Dark Water Islands. Where no one went because it was bad and on a world like Spira that could mean a whole lot. He glanced at Ana, her calm presence a steadying force even in the tension of the room. She was right waiting was the move, but not idle waiting. "We have a location," Mistral said, his voice low but clear in the quiet office. "Dark Water Islands will be the place to go after."

He turned to the casino owner, whose expression was a mask of controlled fury and grim acceptance as Ana spoke. "Your wife may believe she's being rescued. But no one offers that many credits out of kindness. They're buying something leverage, access, silence." His mind was already turning over the next steps. They needed eyes on the islands without tipping their hand. They needed to know who else was moving around but that was part of it and only a small part of it. "We'll have to wait a little, once they realize who I was and make a move on the office we can move to the island and get as much information as we can and make a plan to get to the Dark Water Islands."

"Question is" Mistral said, turning to the quiet enforcer who'd just reentered the room. "You know the undercurrents here better than most. If someone's using your boss's name to move slaves, they won't be subtle for long. They'll get bold. And when they do, we need to be there before they realize they've made a mistake." The man looked at him and didn't make a scene of taking an order if that was what it sounded like. The man acknowledged the purpose of it. He looked back at Ana, then to Kono, whose usual cheerful demeanor had hardened into something more serious. "We split our focus," Mistral decided. "Ana and I will scout the island quietly. Kono, you keep ears to the ground here."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the window, where the paradise of Spira continued to sparkle in the twilight. "This started as a marital suspicion," he said quietly. "Now it is a lot more complicated." He just wanted one simple thing. The need to rub his temple with his hands was there. He waited for a moment though but there was a plan as the owner spoke. "Yeah, that is usually how things go, we'll keep in touch and if anyone comes here looking we'll be able to handle them." He had a look with a nod though but Kono and Ana were there as he debated with himself mentally. "ALright then lets go and see what we can do."

Meanwhile the backstage hallway was quiet after the commotion, the distant hum of the casino floor a muffled backdrop to the tense silence between them. Ghen'ni leaned against the wall, one lekku twitching slightly the only sign she wasn't as composed as she looked. Jackie stood half-turned toward the door, his posture rigid, as if any moment could demand his attention elsewhere. He didn't look at her, but he didn't walk away either. "You didn't have to intervene," Ghen'ni said, her voice softer than it was on stage. "I had him." He remained there. "It's not about whether you had him," Jackie replied, still not facing her. "It's about the rules."

"Rules." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Always the rules with you." There was a pause. She pushed off the wall and took a step closer. "You know, I hear things up there," she said, nodding toward the ceiling, where the luxury suites lay. "People talk when they think you're just part of the scenery." Jackie's head tilted slightly. Listening. "The bosses wife... complete shutta by the way but you're all looking for her." Ghen'ni continued. "She wasn't just steping out to meet someone. She had him meet her on the regular here as well. Met with offworld types. Quiet ones. The kind who wear expensive clothes but carry cheap blasters." Now he turned. His expression didn't change, but his focus did sharp, intent, fully on her. "When?"

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana had been quiet while Mistral spoke, not disengaged—never that—but listening in the way she always did when the shape of a problem finally showed itself. Not the noise. Not the emotion. The structure underneath.

When he finished, she didn't answer immediately. She set the datapad down on the desk with deliberate care, as if to ground the conversation in something tangible, then lifted her gaze to the casino owner first, acknowledging the weight he carried in this without softening it. "Your wife may think she's choosing freedom," she said evenly, voice calm but precise. "But someone framed that choice for her. People don't leave lives like this unless they're convinced the alternative is safer—or inevitable."

Her eyes shifted back to Mistral. "You're right about waiting," Ana continued. "But not passively. If they believe they're operating under your name, they'll test boundaries. That means pressure. Pressure creates patterns."

She stepped closer to the window, looking out at Spira's flawless twilight—the kind of beauty that made people forget how much rot could exist beneath it. "The Dark Water Islands aren't just avoided because they're dangerous," she added. "They're avoided because they don't answer cleanly to anyone. That makes them ideal for handoffs. Transfers. Things that don't want witnesses."

Her attention returned to the room, settling briefly on Kono, then the enforcer, then back to Mistral. "I agree with the split," she said. "You and I move quietly. No official inquiries. No visible preparation. If we look like we're hunting, they'll go dark. If we look like we're ignorant, they'll get comfortable."

A pause—then, softer, more human. "And if she believes she's being rescued," Ana added, "we may be able to reach her before she realizes what she's actually being sold into." She inclined her head slightly toward the owner. "That window won't stay open long."

As the decision settled and the room began to shift toward motion again, Ana didn't miss the undercurrent—Jackie's return, the tension threading back into the building like a held breath. She glanced once toward the hallway when the voices filtered faintly through the walls, then back to Mistral. "Whatever they're doing," she said quietly, "they're already too confident. That's the mistake we're waiting for."

And when the plan finally moved forward, Ana was ready—focused, composed, and already several steps ahead of the trouble that she thought was still hidden.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

It seemed more and more that they were all in agreement on that as he moved. Mistral going with Kono who was nodding and seemed prepared for anything.. he had a job. "I'll have to tell grandma and she might not be happy about the Dark Water islands being involved but if there is anyone who can tell you what to expect or who to avoid it would be her." he said it while walking and Mistral gave him a look. "It will be okay, if you reveal all of this that helps her, better it makes you look like the hero. You are stepping up to protect your people before there is a danger and a threat." He said it while patting the big mans shoulder when they walked.

"Plus you can show her your fancy suit." That seemed to get a grin from him as they were walking out the door and Ghen'ni was at the end of the hall as Kono breathed into his hands and spoke. "How do I look?" He was asking both Ana and Mistral as the man spoke with a grin. "You look good, just be yourself and say hi. Worse she can do is say nothing while best case scenario you learn her name." He said it while they were walking and the twi'lek offered a smile as Mistral passed. "Hello." He said it and walked while Kono spoke with a nod. "Hi... hi. I'm Kono and loved your performance." He said it offering a big smile as the twi'lek looked at him for a moment.

"It is always nice to meet a fan Kono thank you." She said it and it came off a mixture of rehearsed and genuine, the mechanical beginning but she was seeing he wasn't being like others... nor his size being a factor as he just smiled at that. THe handshake was there and he backed up a little to go around her towards the door. "If you ever get a chance, I run a food speeder. Make the best skewers and fish on the island." He said it and was proud rubbing at his shirt like it was a suit jacket to be fancy. Ghen'ni gave a grin. "Perhaps I will if they ever let me out." She moved towards the offices and private rooms while Mistral looked at him. "See just be yourself and people like that."

He said it while moving towards the doors on the casino floor with a look.

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana walked with them at an easy pace, listening more than speaking as the plan settled into something solid. Agreement didn't need ceremony; it showed itself in movement, in how no one argued the next steps anymore.

When Kono mentioned his grandmother, Ana glanced toward him, her expression thoughtful rather than wary.

"If she knows the Dark Water Islands, then telling her is the right call," she said calmly. "People who survive places like that do so because they understand patterns others ignore. Warnings. Customs. Lines you don't cross twice."

She looked to Mistral briefly, acknowledging his reassurance to Kono with a faint nod.

"Protecting your people before the danger reaches them is exactly what a leader does," Ana added, her tone steady but warm. "If she sees it that way, you won't need to convince her."

As the joking shifted to Kono's suit, Ana's mouth curved slightly—not quite a smile, but close enough to count.

"It suits you," she said simply. "Confidence helps. Even when you pretend you don't have it."

She slowed near the end of the hall when Ghen'ni came into view, letting the moment belong to Kono without stepping into it. Ana watched the exchange with quiet interest, reading posture and tone the way she always did. When Kono asked how he looked, she answered without teasing, without embellishment.

"You look sincere," Ana said. "That's rarer here than style."

As Kono spoke to the Twi'lek singer and then moved past her, Ana inclined her head politely to Ghen'ni—acknowledgment without intrusion—before continuing with Mistral toward the casino floor.

When Mistral remarked that being himself worked, Ana gave a quiet agreement.

"It usually does," she said. "People notice when someone isn't trying to take something from them."

The doors ahead opened back onto the glow and hum of the casino, and Ana let her attention sharpen again, the warmth of the moment folding neatly back into focus as they stepped forward.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

"Well hopefully, we'll see what grandma knows." he spoke with a nod of his head though... she would have information or better. Mistral was looking at more of it as going through and out of the casino was better. the three of them at least hadn't had problems. Kono seemed happy on the walk back towards the restaurants and his food was better. Giving a better bounce to the large mans step where he was going. He had a few ideas and as the building came up there was a few others there. THe men who had taken the selkath directed him around the back as Mistral was looking and took in the scene.

The smells of the spices was there from the food being cooked. The selkath suspended upside down as there was the man from earlier sitting behind him. A plasma torch in hand and the old woman stood there as Kono stopped and held his hand out for them to stop. Staying there but motioning with his fingers to stay silent. THe old woman still walking around sweetly for a moment while she looked at the fish man upside down. "Now, you understand what I am saying yes?" She said it and there was a protocol droid there in case but the selkath nodded as it spoke. "Yes, I understand you." THe droid spoke as she clapped once.

"Good, then listen when I say this, you are going to speak on way or another. I paid for your release for a reason and so you owe me and information can be as valuable as credits." She paused a moment while tapping the man on the shoulder. "So I am going to hurt you until you talk, you can stop it whenever you want just tell me where your boss is or whoever you answer to. I'll be fair, street level people don't always know the big bosses." She had a small nod of understanding to that as she came around. "My grandson is going to use a torch on you, a real good one too made by those mandalorians for their metal... whatever it is called."

She said it and Mistral raised an eyebrow at Kono who was there and he hadn't signed up for torture. He didn't want to get on their bad side but this was... Kono placed a hand on his shoulder looking at him and Ana. "Trust." He whispered it as the old lady was speaking. "SOmething interesting about these torches though, twenty thousand degrees, impressive huh. Enough to turn beskar steel into melted butter." She said it and there was a moment as Mistral was listening.. she showed she knew the name, the word for beskar but played feeble. "It won't hurt at first. It's too hot, you see? The flame sears the nerve endings quickly, killing them. You'll go into shock... and all you'll feel is... cold."

She said it and patted the selkaths shoulder as the droid spoke but when the selkath refused to speak she sighed almost disappointed. Then the sound of the torch igniting came and the first sizzle as the man pointed the torch at a table. The sound of sizzling... the smell of meat and a scream when the selkath winced and convulsed.... Mistral confused for a moment but then he saw the man holding an ice pop to the selkaths back as he pulled it away with the torch and the woman looked at the fish man again. "SOmething to say..." She asked it and he seemed to be holding back for a moment when she did it again a few more times.

"Good eats." Kono said it pointing towards a table while he was leading them to be able to sit and the meats were being switched out. On the table they were nicely cooked while being served with some drinks to the others at the table to were getting some and it was clear as Kono sat down this was theater to many of them and for them. A private joke when they were not in view of their grandmother or the selkaths line of sight. Just tough and able to resist the convulsions while he is being tortured in front of them practically. The old woman looked for a moment and she was disappointed when the selkath passed out. "He is strong or more afraid, guess after lunch we'll have to do something more." She said it and came to the table with the last of the meats being served. Offering smiles while the others were sharing the food.

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana stopped when Kono signaled, her body going still without hesitation. She did not need the gesture explained; the shift in the air was enough. The smells reached her first—spice, oil, cooked meat—layered over something sharper that her mind filed away without naming. She watched.

Not the torch at first, not the Selkath's suspension or the old woman's performance. She watched the structure of it: the spacing, the droid's placement, the way the threat was delivered with sweetness instead of rage. Theater, yes—but disciplined theater. Controlled. Designed to extract, not to indulge.

When the torch ignited, Ana did not flinch. Her eyes narrowed slightly, focus sharpening as the truth revealed itself: ice, timing, shock without damage. Fear curated. Pain implied, not yet spent.

Only when Kono leaned in and whispered trust did she finally breathe out, slow and measured.

She followed when he guided them to the table, her movements composed, unhurried. Sitting did not mean disengaging. If anything, it gave her distance—the kind that made patterns clearer.

When the Selkath finally lost consciousness, and the old woman declared her disappointment, Ana lifted her glass but did not drink. Her gaze stayed on the matriarch as she approached, offering smiles and food with the same hands that had orchestrated terror.

When Ana spoke, it was quiet, pitched only for Mistral and Kono beside her. "This isn't cruelty," she said softly. "It's leverage wrapped in ritual. She's teaching him what power looks like here—and reminding everyone else who owns the consequences."

Her eyes flicked briefly toward the Selkath, then back to the old woman. "Notice she stopped when he passed out. She wants him alive. A message can't travel if the messenger breaks."

She finally set her glass down, fingers resting lightly against the rim. "After lunch," Ana continued, "she'll change tactics. Fear loses effectiveness once it peaks. She'll offer mercy next—or certainty. That's when people talk."

A pause. Not judgment. Not approval. Just clarity.

"Your grandmother understands something most don't," she added, glancing briefly at Kono. "Violence is expensive. Belief is cheaper. And it lasts longer."

Ana leaned back slightly, accepting the plate placed before her without comment. The scene continued around them—smiles, food, quiet dread—and she remained exactly what she had been all night: Present. Observant. Unmoved—but not untouched.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

Kono looked at her. "You scary like her sometimes but there is always more to it." He said it as there was all the food being served with a look over many parts of the table. The different foods and the different ones were there with Kono. Mistral knew a few of them mostly from brief interactions, less from their distance as some worked in the outer areas of what they had or even the interior sections of the island where it was jungle preserve to give a feeling of nature for a price. Kono spoke. "It all looks great." he said it and only stopped to get up when their heads turned. Mistral paused for a moment and rose from his seat with a nod of his head.

"Thank you." The voice was softer, firm but still softer when it came and he turned around to see what a zeltron had called a tragic masterpiece of ruined beauty. On her left side, she remained angelically beautiful, possessing the flawlessly smooth, classical features which her mother and son had. Her hair was the color of aged metallic gold with it darker the deeper you looked at it and her eyes were a pale, striking amber. However, her right side was hideously scarred, the result of an old torture where the hutts used acids to burn the strength out of her. The acid melting her exotic flesh into a mottled pinkish, white mass of puckered and bunched tissue.

The scarring is dense and extensive, covering much of her torso, chest, and back. Notably, the hutts flinched at the total destruction of her exotic looks; they avoided her face mostly, leaving her facial features mostly intact with her eye untouched, her nose unblemished and her lips. Even her hairr wasn't ruined by it but her cheeks, her forehead, her eyebrow and jaw. The rest of the side of her form was ravaged. She stood there as along her arm was the same going to her hands where the nails hadn't grown back they were just blunted from being torn out and she offered a smile while Kono was helping her to the table. "Mother says you and Mistral have been working?"

She said it while looking over at Ana and there was wonder but nothing more when she could take a seat. Mistral offering his while she patted him. "No for my savior, sit, enjoy." He looked at her while she looked at Kono who was in a seat at the head cause it was the largest and he wasn't looking up at her gaze... his grandma coming over to the other side as he slipped out quietly to some laughs and smiles so she could sit down. "Hana, it is good you are coming outside at least... and yes me and Kono are making progress. He is a natural when it comes to investigating and gathering information." He was it as the large man got a seat but also a hug sitting down.

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana rose as the woman approached—not abruptly, not out of surprise, but out of respect.

Her gaze did not flinch when it traced the scars. It did not linger either. She took in the whole of her as she stood: the bearing, the presence, the way she held herself despite what had been done to her. What registered first was not damage, but endurance.

When she spoke, it was calm and even, pitched for the table rather than the room.

"It's good to meet you finally," Ana said, offering a slight, genuine inclination of her head. "Your mother speaks of you with pride. And with concern—the kind that never really leaves, even when it learns to be quiet."

She waited until Hana was seated before taking her own seat, hands resting lightly near her plate, posture composed yet open.

"We've been following threads that don't always want to be seen," she continued, her tone thoughtful rather than clinical. "Nothing finished yet. But enough to know where not to rush."

Her eyes flicked briefly to Kono—the affection in the room unmistakable—before returning to Hana.

"Your son has instincts people spend lifetimes trying to learn," Ana added. "He notices what others dismiss. And he listens. That matters more than force, most days." There was no flattery in it. Just truth, offered plainly.

She let the moment breathe, then softened slightly, the edges of her formality easing. "I'm glad you're here with us tonight," she said. "Places like this can feel…smaller when you don't face them alone."

It wasn't pity. It wasn't admiration framed as spectacle. Just acknowledgment—of survival, of family, and of a woman who had earned her seat at the table as much as anyone else present.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

Mistral had a small nod of agreement with Ana while he was looking at the others who all seemed to acknowledge but weren't not going to say anything. Kono breaking some of it. "So we learned a few things, those weird fish guys are called selkath and Ana thinks they are doing a lot more. The owner at the Lux, his wife is involved with something happening therebut he seemed shocked and resolved when he learned about it." He said it and his grandmother was looking at him for a moment but offered a nod of her head to continue. "THey are coming from some place called Nar Shadda off world and going to the Dark Waters." He said the last mostly ready for reproach at the moment as his grandmother seemed to be thinking about something.

"If an offworlder group wants to operate in the Dark Waters, they are going to be in for a surprise but it is not enjoyable to hear they are doing such things." She seemed to be thinking about it and looked at the others. "When you get done here make sure your people know we are stopping more of it. Step up the interruptions if you have to but I want as much information as you can get. see where these street thugs go to, who they talk with and map it. WHen you find someone who looks important well you know what to do." She tapped a finger for a moment. "But anyone trying to go there is never a good thing. I wouldn't recommend it even with an army." She laughed to herself though while looking at Mistral. "Is that where you are planning to go next?"

She said it and he looked at her. "Eventually, we'll likely have to but we are going to have Kono watch my office, when whoever is doing it sends their people. me and Ana are going to go back to the island where they were and investigate there. Get as much information as we can and then we'll make a plan to go there. We don't have nearly enough information to survive a place where Kono says we shouldn't go." He said it as the truth and she looked at it. "Well Kono knows what he has been told, the truth is in centuries past it was a place of war where we would lure offworlders trying to overtake the planet. Eventually some did but the real nasty ones we could lure there. Tsunami's, electrical storms go around between the island chain and all of that open sea makes for something interesting."

She said it as Mistral was thinking about it, usually storms grew until the struck land but if they went through the island chains on a directed path it could in theiry keep growing and growing to a certain point which would be the islands... which would contain them. "We would see people invade and let the storms drown many of their ships even the fancy ones. Enough so that the people on the islands are some of the more brutal living in the constant storms and adapting what washes on their shores. Sometimes trading weapons and armor and sometimes people if they had managed to survive." She said it and looked at Kono with a smile. "Your grandfather used to say he loved it there but loved when he was able to leave and come here with the sunshine."

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana listened without interrupting, her attention moving between Kono, his grandmother, and Mistral with the same quiet precision she brought to data streams and threat assessments. The Dark Waters were not just a location; they were a pattern—one with history, intention, and consequences written into the environment itself.

When she finally spoke, it was measured, her voice steady enough that it didn't compete with the gravity of what had been said.

"That explains the confidence," she said, thoughtful rather than alarmed. "Anyone operating out of Nar Shaddaa and aiming for the Dark Waters isn't improvising. They're choosing a place that eats mistakes—and assuming they won't be the ones making them."

Her gaze shifted briefly to Kono's grandmother, acknowledging both the warning and the lived knowledge behind it.

"Storm systems that don't break, terrain that punishes excess, and people shaped by constant pressure—it's the kind of environment traffickers think they can hide in," Ana continued. "But it also means they leave very distinct traces. Supply lines tighten. Movements become predictable. You can't vanish completely when the sea decides who survives."

She turned slightly toward Mistral, aligning with his assessment rather than challenging it.

"Going back to the island first is the right call," she said. "If they believe the Dark Waters are untouchable, they'll be careless everywhere else. That's where we learn who's funding them, who's moving for them, and how desperate they really are."

Her eyes returned to the matriarch, respectful but unwavering.

"Your people stepping up pressure here forces mistakes without forcing confrontation," Ana added. "Anyone important will react when their margins get squeezed. That reaction is what we watch for."

A brief pause, then something softer entered her tone—not reassurance, but honesty.

"When we do go to the Dark Waters, it won't be to fight the sea or the storms," she said. "It will be because we already know who we're walking toward—and why they thought that place would protect them."

She inclined her head slightly, a gesture of respect rather than agreement.

"Until then, patience is the weapon. And information is the blade."

Ana settled back, composed, fully present—not eager to rush into a legendary graveyard of ships and bodies, but clearly prepared for the moment when waiting was no longer the safest option.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

There was a look. "Business later and talks of anything. now eat." She said it as Mistral didn't argue or try to talk back. The big man Kono digging in when all of them were there. Even the selkath seemed to stir for a moment but then he was still upside down and stayed passed out. Mistral was looking at it as he was served more then he knew what to do with but he wouldn't insult for it. The plate piled with sides, meats and more. The drinks for all of them were there and it was fresh pressed fruits, no alcohols for them here but there was a sense of community as the entire family that was here talked and laughed. Kono was talking with his mother but also his brothers and sisters who were at the table. Mistral got to know a few more of them as the older ones the uncles who oversaw different areas of the island itself were here mostly for the meeting and food. They seemed to be looking at many more aspects of the islands here aside from the shops. From inside of the building from time to time various children would come out and either get food or ask their parents questions but then return inside.

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana accepted the shift without resistance.

When the matriarch spoke, authority settled over the table like a held breath, and Ana followed it instinctively. Strategy could wait. Patterns could wait. This this was part of how power actually functioned here.

She took her seat and allowed herself to eat.

Not hurried. Not performative. She sampled what was set before her with quiet appreciation, noting flavors, textures, and the care that went into the preparation. Fresh fish, spice layered with restraint, sides cooked to feed bodies that worked hard rather than impress palates that didn't. This wasn't luxury. It was sustenance with pride in it.

She listened more than she spoke.

Kono's laughter came easily, full and unguarded, as he spoke with his mother and siblings. The brothers argued amiably over portions. One of the uncles gestured animatedly with a skewer as he talked about tide damage to a southern pier, another muttering about shipping schedules and storm repairs. Children drifted in and out like small moons, tugging sleeves, stealing bites, being scolded softly, and fed anyway.

Ana watched it all with an expression that softened by degrees.

This was not chaos.
It was structure. Organic, lived-in, resilient.

When a child paused near her, staring openly, Ana inclined her head just slightly and slid a piece of fruit across the table toward them. The child hesitated, then grinned and took it before darting back inside. A few amused looks followed. Ana didn't comment.

After a while, she spoke—not to command, not to analyze, but to join.

"This is good," she said quietly, meaning the food and far more than that. "You can taste when something is made to last."

Her gaze moved briefly across the table—over the uncles, the siblings, the quiet coordination of shared space.

"I've been in rooms where everyone talks about protecting their people," Ana continued, tone calm, unforced. "Very few actually sit down with them like this."

No flattery. Just observation.

She took another bite, then added softly,

"Thank you for sharing it with us."

After that, she let the conversation flow around her again—present, attentive, grounded—one more place where Ana proved she understood that intelligence wasn't only gathered in offices or data streams.

Sometimes, it was earned at a crowded table, over food meant to be shared.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

Mistral was able to eat more... he managed it... he didn't know how but there was sometimes, somethings you had to dig down deep to do and he managed to clear his plate. The different styles for the meats were nice and he could see some of the children were with Gweyn. He rarely called her by her name... less so in company of others who were her children and grandchildren. The revered matriarch though her years have silvered her thick, wavy hair now elegantly pinned with fresh hibiscus blooms and intricate shell combs her presence remains commanding and distinguished, radiating the quiet authority earned through decades of guiding her family. Her warm, sun-kissed remarkably smooth, flawless skin bears the soft lines of laughter and wisdom, framing deep brown eyes that sparkle with kindness yet hold an unyielding strength, capable of settling disputes with a single knowing glance.

She draped herself in a flowing saree-inspired garment of vibrant island fabrics she had changed into inside for the night air, rich in patterns of turquoise waves, emerald fronds and golden blossoms, the material cascading gracefully over her fuller, grandmotherly figure, accentuating her poise without ostentation. She was like many of the others, deceptively physically fit even at her age. Where Kono was graceful and able to move despite being a mountain she was like an ultra fine wine and age never slowed her down when she wasn't letting it be used as a way to masque her movements and plans. Adorned with heirloom necklaces of polished pearls and woven leis, she moves with deliberate grace through village gatherings, her voice a soothing melody as she directs family activities from communal feasts to traditional crafts ensuring harmony and tradition endure under her watchful, loving control.

She offered a smile looking at him and the others with a nod of her head while she walked. Seeing Ana had eaten as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "It is always good to share with friends." SHe said it with a small grin on her face though as she moved past her daughter and Kono making sure they ate. Mistral thought for a moment he heard something stir for a moment and wondered if their guest was waking up but that wasn't it. The tropical night air hung heavy with the scent of salt and jasmine as she rounded the shadowed corner of the restaurant's palm-lined pathway. Moonlight filtered through swaying fronds, casting elongated silhouettes across the stone tiles.

Her rich, dark chocolate skin gleamed with an almost ethereal sheen under the silvery glow, accentuated by intricate tattoos in dark ink that contrasted sharply against her ebony tone like liquid etched into velvet. Drawing from ancient geometric and tribal motifs, bold bands encircled her upper arms in sharp, angular patterns of interlocking triangles and zigzags, while symmetrical lines traced down her shoulders and across her collarbone, extending subtly along her torso and thighs. These designs peeked provocatively from beneath the draping fabric, visible on her exposed midriff, arms, and lower legs, adding layers of mystery and danger to her silhouette.

Emerging fully into the open exterior dining area, she paused, her sharp eyes scanning the scene with calculated detachment. The solid black silk sari enveloped her statuesque form like liquid midnight, its sleek fabric whispering softly with each deliberate step. Narrow silver trim gleamed faintly along the borders and pallu, harmonizing with the sheen of her tattoos that caught stray light, turning her skin into a canvas of shadowed intrigue. The pallu trailed over one shoulder, framing her poised neck adorned only with a thin silver choker, while the tattoos' geometric precision evoked a sense of ritualistic power, as if marking her as an untouchable predator in this paradise turned perilous.

Her gaze lifted to the long banquet table dominating the area and all of the people there, draped in crisp white linen and laden with an extravagant amount of platters of glistening tropical fruits, artistically arranged grilled seafood, meats that were carved and taken, crystal bowls of vibrant salads, and decadent desserts. Flickering eyes reflected the light like they were torches and low-hanging string lights cast warm amber pools amid the darkness, overlooking the inky darkness created by the islands interior that whispered and seemed to drink the light relentlessly. The full chairs suggested an interrupted gathering, heightening the intrigue as she walked and was greeted by... and greeted the others with a smile on her face.

In the corner of the table, the macabre sight drew her focus: a Selkath suspended by its webbed feet from a sturdy overhead beam, unconscious and dangling limply. Its mottled blue-green skin glistened with moisture, elongated head tendrils drooping, venomous barbs inert along its limbs. Shallow breaths heaved its chest, a captive alien from Manaan's depths now helpless in this terrestrial lair. The tattoos on her thighs shifted subtly as she tilted her head, lips curving into a faint, knowing smile that revealed no surprise only cold satisfaction. Her presence commanded the attention like a conductor orchestrating from the shadows, the ink on her skin flashing like hidden blades, underscoring the tension between opulent beauty and lurking menace as distant waves crashed in approval.

Mistral looked at her with some wonder as Gweyn spoke with a smile on her face. "Ah my dear Aya." She had a small smile on her face when she walked over to her with hands going to her shoulders... a small subtle pinch for a moment. "You need to eat more my dear. You are all skin and bone under there. To much time spent diving for riches." She said it while looking over it all. "I wanted you to come here after Kono spoke to me. These guests have need of your boat and your discretion my dear." She said it in a way it sounded like polite conversation and a suggestion but Mistral could hear it underneath it all. That beskar steel tone that had left no argument or room to question.

The old woman looked at Mistral and Ana with a look as she turned her head taking everything in and offered a smile. "Aya here will make sure you two get to and from the island and she has some more recent contacts in the Dark Waters that will be able to help you." SHe said it while walking as Kono smile but got a hug from the woman. "Aya, you came back. We'll have to catch up when there is more time." He offered a smile though while giving her a seat to eat.. she had been told to eat and there was already a plate made up for her when she looked at it. THen at a goblet with a smile on her face. "Well we'll do that Kono, after this hopefully."

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana rose slightly from her seat when Aya was introduced, not a complete stand, not formal deference, but a gesture of respect that matched the gravity of the moment.

She took Aya in without hurry. The tattoos. The posture. The way menace and capability were worn like a second skin rather than a performance.

Ana had seen predators before: corporate, military, criminal, but this was something older. Someone who did not need permission from systems to move through them.

When Gweyn spoke, and the decision was made, Ana did not interrupt. She listened. She understood exactly what was being offered—and what was being expected.

Only when the matriarch finished did Ana speak, her voice steady and clear, pitched to carry without demanding attention.

"Thank you," she said first, inclining her head to Gweyn. "For the trust. We will not misuse it."

Then her gaze returned to Aya, not assessing, not challenging, but acknowledging competence when it stood plainly in front of her.

"Discretion and difficult waters tend to go hand in hand," Ana continued calmly. "If you're willing to take us where most people refuse to go, we'll follow your lead."

A brief pause. The faintest, genuine curve of her mouth—not warmth exactly, but recognition.

"And we'll eat," she added lightly, glancing toward the plate already prepared. "I've learned it's unwise to ignore good advice in a house like this."

She lowered herself back into her seat, hands folding neatly as the evening shifted once more, plans set, paths chosen, alliances quietly sealed over food, moonlight, and the promise of storms yet to come.

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

Mistral gave a nod of his head to that and he looked at Aya and Ana and then the rest of the food... he wasn't going to lie to himself that he was just glad there wasn't more being piled on the plate but Kono looked at him. "Don't worry little brotha... I'll get you a container but you got to be sure to bring it back. Grandma doesn't like them being missing for long." There was a laugh but he took another bite before he sat there and the others were leaving for a time. THeir children heading off with them and the selkath was awake.. mostly hanging there suspended when they finished. Gweyn moved over and looked at him as she held a hand up and the droid was coming back.

"Ah you are awake, ready to talk. I can give you some food, maybe some of this crisp, clear, refreshing water... if you talk to me nicely I'll throw in some ice." She said it and Aya looked up for a moment as she spoke. "When we are done here just tell me what you need. She wasn't very specific and my boat is good but if I need more shielding or weapons I would rather know now... rather then later." She said it offering a look that was focused while she took another bite with a grin returning when the sounds of the selkath struggling was therre. She sipped her drink before Kono was bringing out a box to store the extra food."

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana listened without interrupting, letting the rhythm of the space settle again—the scrape of chairs, the clink of containers, the wet rasp of the Selkath waking behind them. This was not her terrain, and she did not pretend otherwise. When she spoke, it was measured, practical, and honest.

"You're right," she said to Aya, her tone calm and grounded. "You know these waters, these people, and the way trouble moves here far better than I do. I'm not going to guess at what keeps a boat alive in the Dark Waters."

She folded her hands lightly, eyes steady rather than sharp.

"What we need is discretion first, mobility second, and the ability to leave quickly if things turn bad," Ana continued. "No show of force that draws attention. No unnecessary noise. If shielding or weapons are standard for surviving out there, we trust your judgment."

A slight pause, then a faint, respectful nod.

"We're not going in to challenge anyone. We're going in to see who's there, who they answer to, and how they move. If that changes, we adapt but quietly."

Her gaze flicked briefly toward the Selkath, then back to Aya.

"Tell us what you'd take if you were making this run for yourself," she finished. "That's what we need."

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

The woman looked at the pair of them more and she spoke. "First I wouldn't be going, even prepared, the people there don't like each other so imagine how they are with outsiders. Second I would if I had to go come in from the north because of the danger of the island in the eye of the storms that is there. It isn't a good place even if the one who was put there is long dead. To many things go missing in the vicinity." She said it while she sat there and the selkath had gone quiet like it was contemplating its options and Gweyn remained there as she looked at him. Mistral was helping scoop more of it into the containers with Kono who spoke.

"Grandma calls them bad and no one wants to willingly go there but my grandpa came from there most say. He always talked about it like he missed it." He said it remembering as Aya had a look. "There are some, on the fringes of the islands. Smaller communities that are not as... violent but it is difficult and when you are rebuilding almost seasonally your homes you learn to get the resources that you need. We can be fast and quiet getting around. I'll make sure we have the weapons just in case.... but." She pointed at the pair. "She might like you enough to invite you for food... I love my boat more. You break it, I'll break you in ways you won't get to just walk off from."

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana inclined her head slightly as Aya spoke, accepting the warning without flinching. There was no bravado in her response—only adjustment, recalibration.

"That tracks," she said quietly. "If the place were survivable by reputation alone, we wouldn't be talking about it like this."

Her eyes lifted briefly at the mention of the northern approach and the storm-eye island, committing it to memory rather than questioning it.

"North approach, then. Fast in, faster out. No lingering near anything with a story attached to it," Ana continued. "We're not looking to test myths or become one."

At Aya's pointed warning, the corner of Ana's mouth curved not in amusement or challenge, but acknowledgment.

"Your boat sets the limits," she said evenly. "We move within them. If discretion keeps it intact, discretion is what we'll use."

She glanced once toward the Selkath, then back to Aya, steady and sincere.

"We're guests in your waters," Ana added. "We'll act like it."

A beat. Then softer, but no less firm.

"And if anyone invites us to eat, we'll remember who got us there alive in the first place."

Mistral

 

[Mistral]

Ana Rix

She gave a small grin to that and it was more of a 'good' type look. She didn't need to say it and based on what she was seeing.. she didn't need to repeat herself. Mistral was known at least for being professional which helped him and the other well if she was here there was skills. Kono came back with a look at he leaned over and tapped Mistral. "Brotha man, you have eight guys, just went into your building with twelve securing the block. Whoever you pissed off they ain't playing around. Even that Jack guy was observing from the cafe where we were. he doesn't even pretend to hide it and he ain't afraid of my cousins."

Mistral looked at him. "THank you, we'll use them coming there tog et to the island if that is alright with you." He had the containers and Kono looked at them. "I'll get those in your cooler don't worry." He said it as Aya nodded getting her food to go as well but she stopped near Gweyn and got a hug from her. THen looked at the selkath who was being stubborn about talking still. "it is impressive but wait until she starts taking limbs, when the empire tried to blockade us cannibalism was a dangers... now we have all these happy meals that arrive in ships right to our doorstep." She said it as the selkath seemed to go wider eyed and Aya turned looking at Mistral with a wink.

"A shame." He said it while walking behidn her and Ana would be there she was killed and quiet in that stealth way he was half expecting her to just appear beside him. The woman was leading the way towards the docks as they were passing through crowds of people. The air different when night was falling and twilight hours meant golden rays coming off the ocean. The docks were beautiful with all of the boats a some were traditional and some repulsor... the good ones a combination. As the golden dusk light of Spira's setting sun bathed the docks in warm amber hues, glinting off the turquoise waves lapping at the piers, Mistral and the others emerged from the shadows of a nearby palm-fringed walkway.

The towering Karkarodon shark woman moving with a predatory grace could be seen on the docks first she stood out, her sleek, muscular form cutting through the humid evening air like a fin through water. Her skin is a smooth gradient of deep slate gray along her back fading to pale underbelly white, dotted with subtle bioluminescent freckles that catch the dying sunlight in faint sparkles. Sharp, angular fins protrude from her forearms and calves, edged in translucent teal, while her face is fiercely beautiful with wide black eyes gleaming with intelligence, a broad maw lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth flashing in a confident grin, and gills flaring softly along her neck.

She was wearing a form-fitting aquatic harness of dark leather straps crisscrossing her toned torso, adorned with iridescent shells and utility pouches, paired with a loose sarong for at best modesty. He knew from a few he had seen they were sometimes like wookiees. Water droplets still clinging to her skin from a recent swim, refracting the golden rays like tiny prisms as she approaches the boat with effortless, rolling strides. Her head turned though when she caught the scent of Aya as a grin that looked a lot more sinister then intended he was certain showed. Rows of teeth, all gleaming white and her hand came up to wave showing the webbing between them.

In the softening glow of the ship lighting though the other crew member came into view, where the sun's final rays paint the endless blue waters in molten gold and long shadows stretch across the pristine white sands, Aya stepped forward and onto her boat as the navigator smiled and she could Mistral noted turns heads even among the resort's exotic visitors. This rare Twi'lek boasted four elegant lekku instead of the usual two long, sinuous tendrils cascading from her head like living silk, each adorned with intricate golden bands and subtle azure tattoos that swirl in hypnotic patterns down their length. Her skin is a striking vibrant blue, smooth and flawless, shimmering faintly under the warm light as if dusted with aurodium.

Sharp, expressive features framed her piercing emerald eyes: high cheekbones, full lips curved in a knowing smile, and delicate brow ridges. She was clad in adventurous yet revealing attire a cropped leather corset in rich chocolate brown, laced tightly to accentuate her lithe figure, complemented by fitted pants tucked into boots, arm wraps, and a wide belt heavy with pouches and a holstered blaster. A ornate headpiece crowns her lekku, catching the sunset's fire in its metallic embellishments. As she moved on the boat, her four lekku sway gracefully in the gentle sea breeze, casting playful shadows on the hull. Mistral looked at her, cast a glance at Ana and he was ready. "Permission to come aboard."

 

[Ana Rix]

Ana absorbed the rapid shift in circumstances without visible reaction, but her focus sharpened the moment Kono spoke. Eight in the building. Twelve on the block. Jack watching openly. That was not pressure—it was a message.

She adjusted her pace slightly as they moved toward the docks, aligning herself beside Mistral with the kind of quiet synchronicity that came from long habit rather than conscious effort. Twilight painted the water gold, beautiful enough to be dangerous, and Ana let her gaze skim the boats, the crew, the exits—cataloging without staring.

When Mistral asked for permission to come aboard, Ana spoke just after him, her tone calm and unhurried, carrying easily over the salt air.

"We won't take more space than we need," she said, eyes lifting briefly to the shark woman, then to the Twi'lek navigator with the four lekku. "And we won't bring trouble to your deck unless it follows us there."

A pause—measured, respectful.

"If it does," Ana added, a faint edge beneath the courtesy, "we'll make sure it disembarks quickly."

She inclined her head once, a gesture of acknowledgment rather than deference.

"Thank you for the lift," she finished. "We'll be ready to leave as soon as you are."

No hurry. No fear. Just readiness, standing easy at the edge of the gangway as the last light of Spira's sun bled into night behind them.

Mistral