Faction Evening on Veradune | United Protectorate of Sovereign Systems

[Zarrah Vex]

Objective: Enjoy a Nice Evening
Location: Veradune
Attire: Relaxing Casual
Tag: OPEN | Kalit D'wari | Garrion Der Rædwulf | Dalvos Thrakan

Zarrah listened to Kalit's questions with the same attentiveness he had afforded everyone else's stories. There was no embarrassment in what he asked—only genuine curiosity. She found that refreshing. When he spoke of finding comfort on Veradune, her smile returned. "I'm glad to hear that."

She looked briefly toward the forest beyond the firelight, where the towering trees stood like quiet sentinels against the night sky. "I hope it continues to feel that way." Her eyes settled back on the Jawa. "Everyone deserves at least one place where they can put down their pack, stop looking over their shoulder, and simply exist." The smile softened. "Perhaps Veradune can become one of those places for you."

His next question lingered a little longer. Why are we supposed to fight the Sith? She let the silence breathe for a heartbeat before answering. "Because they don't simply want to rule worlds." Her voice remained calm, absent of anger or theatrics. "They want to decide how people live on those worlds."

She rested her forearms lightly against her knees, gazing into the dancing flames. "I've spent the better part of this year watching their borders. Listening. Observing. You begin to notice patterns." Her eyes lifted again. "Towns grow quieter. Trade changes. People become careful about what they say, and eventually about what they think. You can feel the difference even before a shot is fired."

There was no hatred in her expression. Only certainty. "I don't fight them because I enjoy fighting." A faint smile tugged at one corner of her mouth. "If that were true, I'd probably still be flying starfighters every day." The humor faded naturally. "I fight them because I like evenings like this."

She gestured around the bonfire. "People from different worlds sharing stories. Meeting strangers. Laughing over ridiculous gifts from eccentric guests." Her fingers briefly tapped the pocket containing the painted stone of the judgmental tooka. "I'd rather live in a galaxy where someone thinks that is a worthwhile use of their time than one where they're afraid to hand a stranger a wrapped box."

She looked back toward Kalit. "You asked why." A gentle shrug followed. "That's my answer."

Her attention shifted to Garrion, giving him a small nod of agreement. "You said something that struck me." She folded her hands together once more. "Understanding why we fight matters just as much as understanding that we fight." She had known soldiers who had forgotten that distinction. Some had become little better than the enemies they opposed.

Turning back to Kalit, she smiled once more. "As for being useful..." She shook her head. "Don't fall into the trap of thinking usefulness only comes from carrying a blaster." She nodded toward the fusion cutter resting in his hands. "Garrion speaks very highly of your work as a mechanic."

There was an easy confidence in her voice. "I've commanded ships. Believe me when I say captains tend to sleep much better when talented mechanics are nearby." A quiet laugh escaped. "The galaxy has never had enough people who know how to keep things running."

She leaned back slightly, the warmth of the fire settling comfortably against the cool Veradune evening. "So keep asking questions." Her orange-gold eyes reflected the flames. "Travel. Learn. Fix things." Another smile. "If, after seeing more of the galaxy, you still decide this is a cause worth standing beside..."

She inclined her head respectfully. "...then you'll do so knowing exactly why." To Zarrah, that was worth far more than blind loyalty ever could be.

​

 

[Jayna Ismet-Thio]

Objective: Enjoy the bonfire
Location: Veradune
Outfit: Casual Outfit
Tags: Viari Banu

Jayna hadn't expected just how soft Viari's embrace would be. One broad wing settled across her shoulders with the effortless ease of a warm blanket, each feather brushing gently against her jacket. Though Veradune's evening wasn't particularly cold, she immediately found herself relaxing beneath the comforting weight. It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. It was...nice. Very nice.

A quiet giggle escaped her as she instinctively leaned into him, discovering that the curved hook of his beak rested almost perfectly against her shoulder. Somehow it fit there naturally, as though Rishii greetings had been designed with exactly this sort of embrace in mind. Her thoughts wandered, unbidden, back to the snow where they'd first met. I should have asked then… Back when Viari had explained that his feathers kept him warm, she'd wondered what they might feel like. Now she knew. She couldn't help smiling to herself.

When he finally drew back and spoke again, Jayna blinked at the unfamiliar choice of words. "Remarkable. Friend-Jayna has blossomed..." Heat immediately returned to her cheeks.

”Blossomed?" She wasn't entirely sure what that meant in the way he'd intended it, but she was fairly certain it was a compliment. It also sounded...a little adult.

Her embarrassment melted away, however, as she watched his ear tufts angle outward in what she now recognized as his version of a smile. Jayna answered with an especially bright one of her own. She nodded thoughtfully when he spoke of making new friends. "I'm glad you've met more people." There was genuine happiness in her voice. "Everyone deserves good friends."

She glanced toward the fire for a moment. "I've made a few too." Her smile became softer. "And...had a few adventures." A tiny sigh escaped her. "Mostly I've been training." The words carried more weight than they appeared to. "Since my mother went missing." She left it there. The whole story wasn't one she enjoyed telling anymore, especially to people who hadn't lived through pieces of it alongside her.

After a quiet moment she looked back to Viari. "I guess that's something we have in common." A sympathetic smile crossed her face. "Looking for family." She shrugged lightly. "I have people searching for my mom for me." There was gratitude in her voice, even if it didn't completely ease the ache. "Sometimes I wish I could just go out looking myself." Her lips pursed briefly.

"But everyone keeps telling me that isn't very smart." Another small sigh. "I suppose they're right." Her eyes drifted downward. "She didn't leave on her own, after all."

Thankfully, Viari had already given her something happier to think about. She laughed lightly. "I think Hurákan might actually be wiser than either of us." The thought alone made her grin. "I'd love to meet your friends. When the time is right."

Her attention followed his eager gaze toward the feast. His excitement over something as simple as shared food and music was infectious. She couldn't stop smiling as one of his wing tips brushed against her hand in encouragement. "Come on then."

Without hesitation she gently took hold of the edge of his wing, careful not to disturb the feathers, and guided him toward the growing crowd around the bonfire. "So..." she asked as they walked. "Are you hungry first?"

She glanced toward the musicians. "Or would you rather listen to the music?" A mischievous smile appeared. "I should warn you..." She pointed a thumb toward herself. "I do not sing."

There was enough confidence in the statement that it was obvious she'd already accepted that particular limitation. Her gaze lingered on the dancers circling one side of the fire. Another blush slowly spread across her cheeks. "...But..." She suddenly found the packed dirt beneath her boots incredibly interesting. "I..." Her fingers tightened ever so slightly against the feathers she held. "I'd...really like to dance." A tiny smile crept onto her face before she finally looked back up at him. "Just...with you."

Realizing how that sounded, she hurried onward before her embarrassment could fully catch up. "And the drinks!" She pointed toward a table where pitchers and bottles had been arranged. "We should probably be careful with the...adult stuff." Jayna lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I've seen enough adults to know they start doing very strange things after they drink too much." She frowned thoughtfully. "I just don't know how much 'too much' would be for you..." Her head tilted. "...or me."

The uncertainty lasted only a second before her smile returned. "So maybe we start with food instead."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

A quiet laugh escaped Iandre as she slipped her hand into his.

"I won't wear you out quite that quickly." she replied, smiling up at him. "I'd rather you stayed awake long enough to enjoy the evening."

She let him lead her toward the music, though the warmth creeping into her cheeks betrayed just how easily his teasing found its mark. When he lowered his voice, she looked at him for a moment before a small, knowing smile appeared.

"You seem awfully confident in your ability to read me, Mr. Dashiell."

There was just enough mischief in her expression to suggest she wasn't planning on making it easy for him.

Then, after another step closer, her smile softened.

"...Though I suppose standing a little closer to you wasn't exactly a drawback."

The admission came almost casually, as though she'd only realized it after he'd pointed it out. She met his eyes for a brief moment before looking toward the small dance area again.

"Just don't let your knees give out before the first song is over." she added with a quiet laugh.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Seo Linn]

Seo's smile softened as she listened, quiet laughter escaping her when Ace delivered his dry commentary with all the enthusiasm of someone auditing a tax ledger. She dipped her head politely toward the little protocol droid, the corners of her eyes crinkling with genuine amusement.

"I am beginning to think you enjoy pretending to disapprove far more than you actually do," she observed warmly. "Someone has to make sure Dalvos doesn't spend every credit on impossible ideas." Her gold eyes drifted briefly across the colorful packages scattered throughout the gathering before returning to the little droid. "Though, if you ask me, I think even you know tonight has been worth it. I haven't seen this many strangers laughing together in quite some time."

Only then did she turn her attention fully back to Dalvos, and the warmth in her expression deepened almost immediately. "I was hoping to see you again as well," she admitted without the slightest hesitation. "When we parted aboard the Copper Rose, I found myself looking forward to that invitation to Veradune far sooner than I expected. It seems the Protectorate was kind enough not to make either of us wait very long."

Her gaze traveled naturally over him once more, lingering for a moment on the careful way he still favored his injured leg despite trying not to make it obvious. She remembered helping him into the cockpit, remembered the exhaustion behind his smile, and remembered wondering whether she would ever have the opportunity to see him under happier circumstances.

"You do look much better," she said quietly, her voice carrying unmistakable relief. "Not completely recovered, but certainly better than the stubborn man I left insisting he was perfectly capable of walking on a leg with a hole burned through it." Gentle affection slipped easily beneath the teasing. "I'm glad you listened to the healers, even if they had to insist on your behalf."

The unopened gift remained between her fingers as she slowly turned it over, considering it with playful curiosity. "I was thinking I might save this until later," she confessed, lifting it slightly between them, "but now I believe it would be much more enjoyable to open it while you're standing here." Her smile brightened as she met his eyes again. "If you've managed to embarrass yourself by giving me something scandalous, I'd rather watch you explain it in person. And if it turns out to be something thoughtful..." Her voice softened just enough to leave little doubt about her meaning. "...then I'll have the chance to thank you properly."

For a few quiet moments she simply looked at him while the celebration carried on around them. The crackling bonfire, the conversations, even Ace's occasional commentary seemed to fade comfortably into the background. It surprised her how natural standing beside him already felt, especially considering they had first met while crawling through a dying warship under enemy fire.

"I've been thinking about our conversation aboard your ship," she admitted after a moment. "Not only because of everything we shared about our pasts, although that mattered more than I think you realize. What stayed with me was how easy it all felt." She smiled almost to herself before continuing. "Most of my life has been spent moving from one responsibility to the next, always preparing for whatever danger waited around the corner. I don't often meet someone I can simply... enjoy talking with." Her gold eyes lifted to his again, openly affectionate now. "You made that feel remarkably effortless."

Without seeming to think much about it, she reached over and lightly rested her free hand against his forearm, the gesture gentle and entirely natural. "So no," she said softly, "this doesn't feel awkward at all. It feels more like picking up a conversation that I wasn't quite ready to end."

Her attention flicked briefly toward the elaborate glass in his hand before returning to him, amusement dancing across her features once again. "And for the record, I still intend to collect on that tea. Dinner as well, if your confidence about those remarkable steaks wasn't simply part of your smuggler's sales pitch." A small laugh escaped her. "Although I should probably warn you now that you've set rather high expectations."

She tilted her head slightly, studying him with a warmth she made no effort to disguise. "I already find myself looking forward to spending more time with you, Dalvos." There was no embarrassment in saying it, only simple honesty. "So if these mysterious gifts are part of some grand plan to help you learn more about people..." She glanced down at the unopened box before looking back into his eyes, her smile becoming wonderfully genuine. "...you should know the feeling is entirely mutual. I'd very much like the chance to learn more about the man who thought confusing an entire Protectorate gathering was the proper way to introduce himself."

Dalvos Thrakan

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"First off, I am extremely confident in my ability to read you. How well? I never said I was good at it."

Stepping onto the small wooden dance area, he kept ahold of her hand to lead, the other going on her hip. It seemed he was going to need lessons if he kept dating Iandre Athlea . Dancing he did every so often but not often enough to be a super star. He had the ability to look proficient for about two songs before things starting falling apart.

A small scoff at the mention of falling out before the first song.

"I have better endurance than that. One song. I'm beginning to think you're making fun of me. That's alright. When my old, broken knees prove you wrong by the end of the evening I'll have some small victory to celebrate."

The old salvager easily began to lead her into the first song.

"Besides, its not my knees that are bad. Shoulder. Messed it up twice and it likes to protest."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre laughed softly at the distinction, allowing Judah to lead her onto the small dance floor without hesitation. "Confident in your ability without making any promises about the accuracy. Understood." Her grey eyes carried a warm glimmer of amusement. "At least now I know how seriously to take you the next time you tell me you've figured me out."

Her free hand settled comfortably against him once his hand found her hip, and she fell easily into the rhythm that he established. There was something pleasantly familiar about dancing with him, enough that she didn't have to think about where to place her feet or how close she ought to stand. She had asked him to dance because she wanted to, and Judah's earlier accusation about wanting him close had been considerably nearer to the truth than she had admitted.

"You're the one who keeps insisting you're an old man." she reminded him, her smile widening slightly. "I only said I wouldn't wear you out quickly. I thought that was rather considerate of me." There was affection beneath the humor now, rather than any real jab at his age. "But if proving me wrong gives you something to celebrate, I'll happily allow you your victory."

When he clarified that it was his shoulder rather than his knees that bothered him, her expression softened with interest. "Twice?" she asked as they continued through the dance. "There sounds like there's a story behind that." One she would like to know.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Dalvos Thrakan]

TAG: Seo Linn


He grimaced at the memory. The healers were, in fact, very insistent; of course, a couple night's rest was in fact what he needed to make a - mostly - full recovery, but getting him to believe that had been the hardest part. It was certainly feeling much more spry than it had before Seo's healing touch,
but the lingering soreness reminded him to take it easy.

Davlos's smile tilted, a little crooked, as her hand settled lightly against his forearm. He didn't pull away. If anything, he leaned into the contact just enough that it wouldn't be obvious he was doing it on purpose. "Well," he said, glancing sideways at Ace with exaggerated gravity, "you heard the lady. Even the droid who lives to disapprove of my spending habits has to admit the return on investment is looking solid tonight. Sentimental. Value. See?"


Ace's vocabulator gave a distinctly unimpressed sound that remarkably emulated a snort. Davlos ignored it with a small roll of his eyes.

His gaze drifted back to Seo, warmer than the banter suggested. "You make it sound like I did something clever. Most of the time I'm just throwing things at the wall and hoping one of them sticks long enough to start a conversation. The fact that it worked this time…" He gestured vaguely at the scattered boxes and the laughter still rolling through the clearing. "Well. It worked, didn't it?"


He took a small sip from the elaborate glass, buying himself a second. When he spoke again the humor was still there, but thinner around the edges, like he couldn't quite keep the seriousness completely at bay. "As for the conversation on the Rose…" He gave a short, self-conscious huff of laughter. "Yeah. That was… different. In a good way. Most people either want the smuggler version of me or the 'former Dark Hand now working for the Protectorate' version. You just… asked questions and actually waited for the answers. Even the messy ones." His white eyes flicked to hers, then away again almost immediately. "I don't usually get that. So if it felt easy, that's… probably more your doing than mine. I'm still figuring out how to talk like a person who isn't constantly calculating exit vectors."


He lifted the unopened box still resting between them with a slight tilt of his head, the rose-gold of his sleeve catching the firelight. "Go on, then. Open it. I've already prepared myself for whatever cosmic joke the universe decided to put in yours. Worst case, I get to watch you try not to laugh at me. Best case…" His smile softened, the flippancy slipping just enough to let something real show through. "I get to hear you say thank you. Either way, I'm not complaining about the company."


He shifted his weight carefully, still favoring the leg, and let his free hand rest lightly near hers on the crate without quite taking it. "I'm glad you're here, Seo. Really. Even if I'm still not very good at saying it."

 

[Garrion Der Rædwulf]

Leaning back, Garrion exhaled. The sun had long since dipped over the horizon. He'd gotten to see some new faces, and meet with his newfound comrades. He continued conversing, though, his conversations turned more towards small talk and the occasional story when prompted.
He had a lot of material to pull from, given his rather extensive campaign history. Some stories proved more interesting than others of course, but that was all part of dipping your toes in the water of conversation.

When something stuck, he'd go with it. If his ramblings earned a yawn, he'd get to a stopping point before allowing someone else to speak.
After some time of this, a realization struck Garrion: He enjoyed this. Truly. He was finally experiencing something he'd locked out of his life, and after he'd gotten a taste he found himself wanting more.

Yet... tonight was only the beginning of something greater. There was much more in store than only campfire stories, drinking, and gift-giving.
He was now a member of the Protectorate, and judging by her 'pitch', he had an important role to play in organizing the forces if it were ever to strive to be something... more. Something more organized, something... new. A sword, one forged to fight against tyranny wherever it may be found.

Garrion spoke with... not quite a finality, but... something close to it:
"I... find myself enjoying this company. More than perhaps I'd like to admit, but... I sense there is no shame here in sharing that. Truly, I look forward to working with you. All of you. What we're building, it's something that must last... and I believe everyone here is willing to commit to the cause."

Making an incredibly rare exception for once in his life, the old man poured himself a shot.
He didn't bother standing, or getting up Infront of the campfire. He didn't want to make the moment about himself.

"A toast." He offered, to those nearby. "To freedom, something they can never take away..." His gaze drifted to Ra'a'mah as he finished "No matter what they tell you."
With that, he took a drink. He... didn't care for it, but, chose not to spit it out. He swallowed it, much like the bitter pill he'd swallowed in signing up for a cause such as this.

"Tomorrow there'll be more of us," He added. "Telling the story of tonight."

He let his words sink in for a moment before ellaborating:
"There will most certainly be songs of victory, and tales of great battles... but those aren't what we'll look to in times of desperation. We shall draw our inspiration from times such as these... Simple people, enjoying simple comforts, seeking to pave the way for those wanting a simple life."

As he finished, he seemed almost... embarrased. Reserving himself, he toyed with his fingers, looking back down at the fire.
Still, he was happy to have spoken. Regardless if it was... admittedly cheesy. He'd enjoyed the moment. That was enough.

Kalit D'wari Ra'a'mah Zarrah Vex Vulpesen

 

[Seo Linn]

Seo's smile softened at his admission, and the hand resting against his forearm remained exactly where it was. She had noticed the subtle way he leaned into the contact, even if he seemed determined to make the movement small enough to escape notice. Reading people had been part of her life long before she became an investigator, and Dalvos was not nearly as difficult to read in moments like this as he seemed to believe. She did not call attention to it. Instead, her thumb brushed lightly against his sleeve as she glanced toward Ace. "I think you're going to have to concede this one," she told the droid with quiet amusement. "Whatever the financial losses might have been, people are talking to one another who probably wouldn't have otherwise. That sounds like a successful investment to me."

Her gold eyes returned to Dalvos as he spoke about their conversation aboard the Copper Rose, and the teasing in her expression gradually gave way to something warmer. "You don't have to calculate exit vectors with me," she said simply. There was no grand promise attached to the words, only the quiet certainty with which Seo tended to say the things she genuinely meant. "And I don't think listening to you was anything remarkable. I wanted to know you, so I asked. You trusted me enough to answer." Her smile deepened slightly. "For what it's worth, I liked the person I found underneath the smuggler, the intelligence operative, and all the other versions you apparently keep prepared for different corners of the galaxy."

When he finally encouraged her to open the box, Seo looked down at the little package she had been carrying around since crossing the clearing. She withdrew her hand from his forearm only long enough to work the wrapping free, lifting the lid with considerably more ceremony than the tiny mystery gift probably deserved. Whatever anticipation she had been cultivating lasted precisely until she saw what was inside.

Seo stared.

Nestled inside was a wide bracelet composed of several interlocking metal bands, each decorated with polished stones in shades of gold, amber, deep red, and a particularly enthusiastic orange. Fine chains connected the bands together, ending in tiny metallic charms that chimed softly whenever she moved the piece. It was unquestionably gaudy. It was also, much to her amusement, beautifully made and entirely wearable.

A laugh escaped her before she could contain it. "Oh, Dalvos."

She lifted the bracelet from its box and held it toward the firelight, watching the stones catch the shifting glow. Seo normally favored practical clothing and very little jewelry, which made the extravagant little thing almost comically unlike anything she would have selected for herself. Yet there was something about it she genuinely liked. Perhaps because it had been entirely random. Perhaps because of the man watching her reaction with such obvious anticipation.

"No, I'm keeping this." The declaration came before he could possibly apologize for it. Seo slipped the bracelet onto her wrist and secured the clasp, then turned her hand once to inspect the result. The collection of charms immediately gave another delicate little chime. Her smile widened. "It is completely excessive, far brighter than anything I normally wear, and I'm fairly certain my sisters will try to steal it the moment they see it." She looked back at him, amusement and affection warming her expression. "Which means it is perfect."

She deliberately rested her newly decorated hand beside his upon the crate, close enough that their fingers brushed. "Thank you." The words carried considerably more warmth than the bracelet's value alone warranted. "Now you've received your best-case outcome, although I'm afraid you also had to watch me laugh at you. Apparently, the universe decided you could have both."

Seo allowed their fingers to remain together, making no effort to disguise that the contact was intentional. She had spent enough of her life surrounded by uncertainty that she had little patience for creating more of it where none was necessary. Dalvos interested her. She was attracted to him. More importantly, she genuinely enjoyed being with him, and nothing about the short time since their first meeting had made her inclined to retreat from that.

"I'm glad you're here too," she told him, her voice quieter beneath the noise of the gathering. "I wasn't certain when I'd see you again after the Rose. I hoped it would be soon." Her fingers shifted until they rested lightly over his, not quite taking his hand unless he chose to meet her halfway. "Then you arrived riding a forklift in rose-gold robes with a small fortune in questionable gifts, so I suppose I should have expected subtlety was never going to be part of this."

The teasing smile remained for another moment before softening. Seo's gaze held his without hesitation. "I meant what I said on your ship, Dalvos. I like you. I liked you then, and I'm very happy to discover I still like you when neither of us is bleeding." There was no embarrassment in admitting it. If anything, saying it aloud seemed to settle something comfortably within her. "I don't know what that becomes yet, and I don't think we need to decide tonight."

Her thumb moved lightly across the back of his hand as the newly acquired charms chimed at her wrist. "But I am looking forward to seeing where we go."

Dalvos Thrakan

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I was thinking not wearing me out was only for your benefit. As in, you want to monopolize my time, hence keeping me relatively alert would only be for your benefit." Continuing on, the salvager couldn't resist teasing her more. "I have so little to celebrate. Appreciate you letting me having this."

Chuckling he shook his head. Gently he lead her on the small dance floor, moving around in an unhurried fashion. There was no real specific dance he was following. Again, he was good for about two songs before women realized he was kind of stumbling through the motions of a real dance.

"First time I injured it was when my military career ended. Second time was on a business trip. My son sounded the alarm back at home and I got rescued two weeks later. Delayed medical treatment was the nail in the coffin and its just arthritic now. Sorry both stories are lacking. Clearly you can see I was a horrible fighter pilot...well, to be fair the second time was a personal yacht but not my fault."

Iandre Athlea ​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

"Monopolize your time?" Iandre repeated, a smile slowly spreading as she let him guide her around the dance floor. "I invited you all the way to Veradune and brought you somewhere you hardly know anyone. I think I've already been rather successful at that." There was enough truth beneath the teasing that she didn't immediately look away from him. She was enjoying having him here, perhaps more than she had expected when she'd first extended the invitation. "Keeping you alert simply means I get to enjoy my success a little longer."

His claim of having so little to celebrate earned a quiet laugh from her. "Then I suppose I'll have to be generous and let you have this one." She followed his unhurried lead easily, making no effort to turn the dance into anything more elaborate than it needed to be. There was something pleasant about simply moving with him beneath the music.

Her amusement faded into genuine interest as Judah explained his shoulder. Ending a military career with the first injury was unfortunate enough, but the second caught her attention for an entirely different reason. "You were stranded for two weeks before anyone reached you, and you think that's a story lacking something?" Her eyebrows rose slightly. "I'm beginning to wonder what qualifies as interesting by your standards."

The smile returned as he defended his abilities as a fighter pilot, and Iandre gave a slight shake of her head. "I wasn't going to accuse you of being a horrible pilot." she assured him. "Although you've now made certain I'm curious about how a business trip ended with you stranded long enough to permanently damage your shoulder." Her grey eyes remained on his as they continued around the floor. "You can't give me half of a story like that and expect me not to ask for the rest, Judah."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Dalvos Thrakan]

"I concede nothing," the small droid stated with surprising resolution, ocular track twisting away in a surprisingly defiant maneuver.

"You wouldn't believe the variety of random items I've accrued during my time roaming the galaxy. It's common to give gifts, tokens of appreciation and the like all up and down the Rim; heck, some places the tokens are the currency, kinda like dealing with Jawas-" He paused, glancing at the Jawa seated with Ra and Vulpesen. He cleared his throat. "Not all of them, I mean, it's... specific to certain places and cultures. I haven't met him, yet." He cleared his throat after casting a quick, assessing glance toward Kalit.

By the time he turned his gaze back, he saw the box opening, his mouth half-open with some prepared protest on his lips... which utterly died when he saw the metallic confection she held in her hands. He gave a soft sound of triumph, and one hand clenched into a victorious fist, before he quickly changed the gesture to smoothing out his pants. "Oh, would you look at that? Why, I wasn't sure if it would suit you... but I am pleased it's caught your fancy." He cleared his throat a little, though he couldn't keep the big foolish grin off his face. He lightly placed his hand on top of her own, and released a huge sigh of relief. "I'm glad it worked out," he added, in a quieter voice. "Because there's some very frivolous items in circulation right now that I'm not sure I could've survived being in that box. And no, I'm not going to tell you what they are."

He cleared his throat again. "I've learned there's time for subtlety, even if I'm not awfully good at it. I find it's a lot easier to sneak something by when there's something big and flashy to distract you from it. I always liked magic tricks, card tricks, coin tricks, that kind of thing. Ironic, right? But there's a fascination for me that isn't present in even the most powerful exercises of the Force... A cunningness, a clever edge, like trying to unravel a puzzle with my eyes. Looking for the trick, the distraction... where the real magic comes in." The smile on his lips was a bit wistful. "I used to uh, busk for creds with a little stand on Dantooine; weather was nice enough to sleep outside, usually, so it was more like camping with the occasional party. I figured if I got really good I could make a life out of it." He laughed again, but softer. "It was nice... but too slow. I had big ambitions, back then. I suppose I still do, even if they're a little more vague, now." He gestured around with his glass, after draining the last of it, then set it atop the remains of the pallet. "This, though. This is definitely part of them. Places like this... but..." He gestured expansively, "Everywhere."

Seo Linn

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"You want to know more about my old man aliments and how they occurred?"

He was completely amused by her request. Judah had figured crash and not being found right away was more than enough to cover the situation .Not for Iandre Athlea it seemed. Brain racked to see if there was something he was missing. The crash wasn't something he thought of daily, nor was it something he dwelled on.

"Was on a ranch selling sustainable products, exotic animals out in a jungle. Packed up the ship and went to leave. Kind of spaced out messaging the kid and crashed into a mountain peak. In my defense the jungle was extremely thick and humid. Crashed, hurt the shoulder more, got infected in the lovely jungle weather."

Judah chuckled at this retelling, odd he would find himself dancing and telling this story.

"I was supposed to pick up Makai and meet Danger Arceneau. Makai called Danger and told her, she sent out some probes and rescue crews to get me." There was a small pause and a deep breath. "Wife left after that....very long story....and I moved myself and Makai to Mon Cala to recover but ended up staying until he was grown."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

"I was curious about the shoulder. You're the one who keeps insisting on calling them old man ailments." Iandre reminded him with a soft laugh, continuing to follow his easy lead around the dance floor. The explanation that followed earned a steadily more concerned expression as what had initially sounded like a simple accident became considerably more serious. A crash, two weeks waiting to be found, an injured shoulder and an infection developing in the middle of a humid jungle was certainly more of a story than Judah had made it sound.

"You have a rather interesting definition of a story lacking anything." she observed. There was still a touch of amusement in her voice, though it had softened considerably. "Being stranded for two weeks after a crash is enough without making it any more dramatic." She could imagine how quickly an injury that might otherwise have healed properly had become something permanent under those circumstances. At least Makai had realized something was wrong and known who to contact when his father failed to arrive.

The mention of his wife leaving afterward softened her expression further. Iandre didn't immediately ask what had happened. Judah had already called it a very long story, and she wasn't going to turn an otherwise pleasant dance into an interrogation about one of the more painful periods of his life. "Mon Cala became home because of it, then?" she asked instead. "You went there intending to recover and ended up raising Makai there."

There was something about that she found quietly telling. Judah had spoken before about the mistakes he'd made, particularly where his sons were concerned, but whenever he talked about Makai or Balun, the choices he'd made for them seemed to matter far more than whatever inconvenience those choices had caused him. Her smile returned as they continued moving with the music. "I'm beginning to think you have a habit of accidentally finding permanent things when you aren't looking for them." The observation left her lips before she considered how easily it could apply to more than planets or homes, and the slight warmth that entered her expression suggested she'd noticed the implication too.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Seo Linn]

Seo made no attempt to interrupt him. Somewhere between the Jawas, magic tricks, Dantooine, sleeping beneath the stars, and whatever larger ambition he was trying to put into words, she realized Dalvos had a habit of wandering through a conversation much the same way he seemed to wander through the galaxy. One thought caught another, which pulled him toward a story, which somehow circled back to the point eventually. Perhaps he was a little scatterbrained. Perhaps there was simply more going through his head than his mouth could organize at once. Either way, Seo found herself enjoying it. She stood beside him with the ridiculous bracelet chiming softly at her wrist, listening with a small smile as he happily carried her from one subject to the next.

There was something endearing about seeing this side of him after their first meeting. On the Copper Rose, she had met the man beneath exhaustion, pain, and necessity, when neither of them had much reason to maintain appearances. Tonight she was beginning to see the person who existed when there was no emergency demanding his attention. He collected useless treasures because they carried stories. He liked sleight of hand despite having once trained among Sith who could manipulate the Force. He had apparently spent part of his life sleeping outdoors and performing tricks for credits because, for a time, that had seemed like enough. Seo liked these pieces of him. More than that, she liked how freely he offered them once he started talking.

When he spoke about wanting places like this everywhere, however, Seo's smile softened. She understood what he meant without requiring him to define the ambition more precisely. People gathered without a mission hanging over them, laughing around a fire, exchanging absurd little gifts and meeting strangers because someone had given them an excuse to speak. There were considerably worse things to want for the galaxy. "I think I understand," she said quietly when he finally reached the end of the wandering trail. "Maybe you don't need to know exactly what the ambition is yet. Wanting more places where people can simply be together without wondering who is going to hurt them next seems like a worthwhile beginning."

For several seconds, Seo simply looked at him. The firelight caught in his platinum hair and reflected from the rose-gold fabric he had chosen for the evening, and she found herself remembering their conversation aboard his ship. She had been attracted to him then. She had known it, accepted it, and left it alone because they had met in the aftermath of a battle while he was injured and exhausted. Tonight there was no collapsing ship around them, no wound beneath her hands, and no question in her mind that she still felt it.

Seo had never been a woman inclined to run from her own feelings once she understood them.

She stepped closer.

There was no sudden rush to the movement. Seo simply closed the remaining space between them until she stood directly before him, her gold eyes holding his. One hand reached down and took his, guiding it gently to rest against her side. She gave him every opportunity to pull away if she had somehow misunderstood what had been building between them. When he didn't, the faint smile on her lips warmed.

Her other arm slipped around his shoulders, fingers settling lightly against the back of his neck. The gaudy bracelet he had accidentally given her chimed softly beside his ear, drawing the smallest amused breath from her before her attention returned entirely to him. "For someone who claims he knows how to use distractions," she murmured, "you haven't been particularly subtle about looking at me tonight."

Seo leaned in and kissed him.

It was not hurried or demanding. Her lips met his with a warm certainty that made her intention unmistakable, lingering long enough to enjoy something she had been considering since he first admitted how pleased he was to see her again. Her hand remained against the back of his neck while the other rested lightly upon his shoulder, allowing Dalvos to decide whether to deepen the contact or simply accept what she had offered.

When Seo finally drew back, she remained close enough that his hand was still against her side and her arm still rested around his shoulders. There was no embarrassment in her expression, only warmth and a hint of satisfaction as her gold eyes searched his white ones. "I thought I'd save you the trouble of trying to figure out whether I was interested," she said softly, the corner of her mouth lifting. "I am."

Dalvos Thrakan

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"There's no reason to be dramatic about it,. Especially when I caused this crash."

Gently he swirled her around to the music, timing it where Iandre Athlea fell back towards him just as the music left a crescendo. Mellowing back out, his simple leading around the dance floor resumed.

"Mon Cala became our permanent home because I didn't want to return back with all those memories. Fresh start. We lived on a private island and since Makai is half-aquatic he had a blast. It was peaceful, which is what we both needed."

There was a small chuckle at the 'finding permanent things' when he wasn't looking for them. A fair assessment.

"So does that include you? A permanent fixture in my life now? Just tumbled in like all the rest of my life events huh? "

A small pause.

"You can stay as long as you like."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre followed easily when Judah turned her with the music, the motion drawing a quiet laugh from her before she settled back into their previous rhythm. His explanation of Mon Cala made sense, perhaps more than the practical necessity of recovering there ever could. "Then it sounds like you certainly made the right choice." she said. "Not because leaving was the only way forward, but because you recognized you both needed something different. A private island on Mon Cala doesn't sound like the worst place in the galaxy to begin again."

She had expected some response to her observation about permanent things. She hadn't expected Judah to turn it back upon her quite so neatly. Iandre's eyebrows rose as her grey eyes found his, amusement immediately touching her expression at the description. "Tumbled in?" she repeated. "I seem to remember you inviting me to dinner. I hardly think you can claim I simply happened to you."

His final words softened some of the humor in her expression. You can stay as long as you like. There was enough sincerity beneath the teasing that she didn't want to answer it entirely with another joke. At the same time, neither of them needed to turn a pleasant evening into a conversation about what this might look like months or years from now. They had only just begun exploring whatever was developing between them, and Iandre was discovering that she rather liked not knowing exactly where it would lead.

"I'd like to see where this takes us." she said after a moment, her smile returning as they continued moving with the music. "No plans, no expectations about what it has to become. Just enjoy where we are and see where we end up." Her gaze remained on his, warmth evident without asking anything more from him than he was already offering. "So far, I happen to like where we're going."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Dalvos Thrakan]

When she stepped closer, his breath caught in his throat. For a moment, objections warred behind his eyes - what could he offer her? No stability, no normalcy, no-
But she knew all this. And she chose anyway.

His hands settled around her waist as she moved closer to him, encircling her lightly, protectively. "Like I said, subtlety isn't my-"

And then her lips touched his, and his thoughts scattered like embers before a breeze. His lips still carried the sweet and tangy flavor of his drink, all sweetness and no burn, the drink bereft of liquor. There was a softness to him, a certain cultivated gentleness, at odds with the faint scent of machine oil and woodsmoke.

When their lips parted, the buzzing look in his eyes was a purely chemical high, and his gaze was cloudy with joyful confusion.

"I, uh." A pause, as if trying to fit his words to her own. When did words become so hard? "Me, too," he replied instead, a floaty smile on his lips. He didn't quite let her go, though his arms loosened a little, giving her space; but not too much. His eyes flicked between her smiling lips and her lovely eyes, and he added, rather breathlessly, "I appreciate you clarifying that for me." The laugh that bubbled up behind it rose unbidden. His robes were shockingly soft to the touch, the material feeling like layered silks that slid over each other like oil on water.

A moment later, and he added sotto voce, "But I certainly wouldn't mind another clarification or two?"

Seo Linn

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"I did invite you to dinner, but I think its a fair assessment to say you tumbled in before that."

Met on a humanitarian aid mission to Ithor. An odd crossing of paths when Iandre Athlea was involved with the Diarch and the Diarchy as a whole. Judah had came to distribute food for refugees and try to get those off world who wanted to leave. A complete mess of a time. However, he would saving the arguing for the future. They could go back and forth about who tumbled where.

"I agree. Don't have a map so I'm just enjoying the journey along the way."

A philosophy he had actively tried to implement over the past four years. Some days were better than others but Judah felt over the past year the philosophy had really come in to play in his life. That he was finally understanding the meaning to stop and enjoy even the most mundane things in his life.

"You'll have to come out to the Corporate Sector sometime."

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre considered his argument for a moment before conceding it with a slight inclination of her head. "All right. Perhaps I tumbled into your life first." There was amusement in the admission, especially since arguing over precisely how they'd entered one another's lives seemed increasingly pointless. Ithor felt rather distant from this evening now. She certainly hadn't expected the man she'd encountered amid refugees and humanitarian relief to eventually be holding her in a dance on Veradune.

His description of simply enjoying the journey earned a warmer smile. It was a sentiment she was beginning to appreciate herself. Iandre had spent so much of her life knowing where she was supposed to go next that uncertainty had once felt uncomfortable. Lately, she was discovering that not every destination needed to be decided in advance. Whatever was developing between herself and Judah seemed better suited to discovery than planning.

The invitation to the Corporate Sector caught her interest immediately. "I would like that." There was little hesitation behind the answer. After all, Judah had already agreed to cross the galaxy to spend an evening on Veradune because she'd asked him. It seemed only fair that eventually she venture into his corner of it.

"You did say you wanted to see everything in my orbit." she reminded him, her grey eyes meeting his as they continued their unhurried movement with the music. "I think that entitles me to a look at yours." A touch of playful curiosity entered her smile. "Besides, you've seen me on Veradune now. I admit I'm curious what Judah Dashiell looks like on his own territory."

Judah Dashiell