I Have No Hometown

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Tula had been planning this for weeks, and surprisingly all was going to plan.

Save credits. Don't make yourself suspicious. Stay on the master's good side for a while. Don't tell anybody. These were a few rules that Tula had set for herself the second time she tried - and failed - to escape. Save credits because you don't know how long you'll be on the streets. Don't make yourself suspicious or you'll give yourself away. Stay on the master's good side for a while so he is unsuspecting and can turn a blind eye on you. Most importantly, don't tell anybody because you can't trust anybody.

This is the third time Tula will attempt to regain her freedom, and knowing her master's patience, it very well may be her last no matter how good of a dancer she is. She was going to make this count.

No one else in the club had tried to escape as hard as she has. Usually it was one and done, they had learned their lesson, lost hope, and never attempted again. But Tula would never rest until her body was her own to command, rid of the price her master had set for her, and the feeling of hands wandering where she didn't want them. So, with the final tie to her cloak, she accepted the seal of her fate, no matter what it would be.

This was goodbye. But, whether it was to the life of slavery or to her own life, she did not know.

It was so late in the day when Tula left that others had considered it to be the twilight hours. The natural rays of their sun had only just begun to bask themselves along the dirt-collected sides of the surrounding establishments. The soft light replaced the loud colors of neon signs that beckoned travelers in every what direction with promise of rest and pleasure. Tula had only seen twilight through the blurred window of her small quarters, with her muscles sore and the rush of the night finally coming to an end with the beginning of the day. Seeing it as she stood outside, however, and feeling the gentle rays hit her pink skin was an entirely different feeling. She nearly cried. It was beautiful.

The night before, she had made sure her master had more than enough to drink, hoping that it would keep an alcoholic like him knocked out cold for longer than usual. Taking steps out onto the empty street, Tula looked over her shoulder at the source of all her pain and said a final good riddance, though in her mind it was not too eloquently put.

Tugging at the hood of her cloak, she draped it over her lekku and began to walk, keeping a careful look out for any of her master's lackeys. During opening hours, he would place a few non-suspecting men to be posted outside in case any of the girls tried to run. This was how she first got caught. Tula also did well to cover up as much skin as possible. As far as she knew, she was the only pink-skinned Twi'lek in the area. She stood out incredibly, like highlighted words on a page. Tula had procured an all black outfit consisting of pants, a long-sleeve, gloves, heeled ankle boots, and a headscarf in an attempt to hide her face, lekku, and lack of hair better.

Tula didn't know where she was going or where her destination was. She just wanted to get away.

[member="Tristram Senan"]

 

[Tristram Senan]

Snow falls over open white.​

Gray stone holds against the siege of chilling wind and wedging ice.​

A structure stands artificial and natural ahead.​

A quiet voice calls out imprisoned.​

Who is it?​

​

The first rays of dawn strike against closed eyes. Tristram wakes up. Where was he? He began to look around and listen. Busted crates and scrap metal rested all around him. Voices of the living and rattle of machines echoed in from beyond scorched metal walls. He was in a warehouse. An abandoned warehouse it seemed. Then the memories began to flutter back as his mind fully roused with his body. He was on Nar Shaddaa. He had come here to gather some intel, meet a contact, and drink. The only part he ended up getting to do was drink. The contact had asked him to meet them at some strip club that doubled as a pleasure house. He waited for hours but they never showed up. All those credits wasted in the advance payment. He needed to have that contacts name stricken from the Order's list.... Wait why should he even do that much? He was the only member currently. No, better to have it recorded even for his own sake in case he forgot.

Getting up and dusting himself off, Tristram began to think back on the night. The drinks were good and he didn't over do it so his hangover was so mild right now he almost didn't notice it. Years of drinking too much though had given him too high a tolerance. How was his body in as good of shape as it was? He recalled barely dressed women dancing and waitresses who were the same. A vague memory of the color pink kept coming up. Why did he keep thinking of pink? There weren't any Zeltron women there that night. Some big name had shown up and requested them all before he showed up. Only reason he knew was because one of the regulars kept grumbling about it as he grabbed every rear end that walked by him, male or female. He did remember though the owner kept pushing him to buy a round with one of the girls. That led to the drinking challenge and the owner getting drunk under pretty fast. The one who kept serving them had switched out who was getting the watered down stuff. Who was she again? He just couldn't remember with his head still being fuzzy. Maybe his hangover was worse than he thought.

The streets were fairly calm in the twilight of a new day. The only ones out were people needing to get to jobs revolving around serving the soon to rouse business crowd in the morning, going home after working the night jobs, or people like Tristram who were just up for no real reason. So it was fairly calm and empty for as busy a place as Nar Shaddaa was. He began to walk along with no real plan in his mind. The whole point of this trip was already a bust so he needed to sort out where to go from here. Eventually he saw the club he had been in the night before, and someone completely covered up sneaking out. Interesting. Could it be one of the girls making a run for it? The female employees were slaves after all so it made sense. Good for her if she was running for it. But then someone seemed to follow her out. It was one of the owner's boys. She had been seen. Not good for her.

Tristram quickly made his way to cut off the cloaked person. As he came out of an alley right in front of them, they ended up bumping into him. He staggered a bit in the way a drunk might. He caught a glimpse of the person. They were nearly covered up from head to toe but he got a good look at their eyes. He knew those pretty eyes from last night. And around them he could see a bit of her skin. Pink. It finally connected. This was the waitress from last night. She was a pink skinned twi'lek woman. That explained a lot. He gave her a friendly smile as he spotted the one after her begin to round the corner. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into the alley he had come from. As he did this he said in a low voice, " Stay quiet and against the wall. He might walk past if you do." He gave her a wink to let her know it would be okay. Pressing a hand against the wall, he leaned in close to her as if the two were having some kind of little affair in the alley. A passerby would probably just think the two were about to make out or something more carnal.

[member="Tulahi'rani"]

 

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Tulahi'rani supposed she would have to find a way to get off-world. The only problem was, was that she didn't have any clue as to how any of that worked. The Twi'lek was cooped up at the club for nearly every second of her enslavement that she wasn't sure if she could operate a speeder. Her expression darkened. It might be in her favor to ask somebody to take her somewhere, but who in the entirety of Nar Shaada could she trust? What meager amount of money she could offer will no doubt be tripled by her master as a reward to anyone who would return her if his own men couldn't. As far as she knew, all the pilots around these parts were men who were travel-worn and seeking company that she wasn't willing to offer up. Chit.

As she sorted through her thoughts, she was taken by surprise and knocked into unceremoniously. A soft gasp left her mouth as she steadied herself, her golden eyes raking themselves over a human male's unsteady figure as her scarf loosened slightly. Her shoulders tensed and a flash a fear glistened in her eyes. Had someone come to collect her so soon? Was she that careless? After taking a few steps back, she managed to get a good look at him.His rugged appearance was enough peak her interest, even a slight feeling of familiarity. He seemed to be drunk, or recuperating from the lasting effects of alcohol. Her pink nose scrunched up slightly. He definitely smelled like an abundance of alcohol.

Thinking nothing of it, she started to walk around him, only to be met with a firm arm around her body and a gentle lead back into an alley. Tula began to panic, her brain immediately going to the worst case scenario. Her gloved hand reached up to grip the hand resting on her shoulder, squeezing tight in hopes that he would release her.

"Stop! Get awa-"She started, but his voice accompanied with a strange wink cut her off instantly. He was.. going to help her? As they entered the alley, she looked over and saw a familiar figure stalk down the street she had just come from. Her shoulders sagged - feeling the man's arm leave - and the heat of embarrassment flushed over her face. He was going to help her because someone had noticed her leaving. Tula huffed at her carelessness.

Originally, she thought the man told her to stand against the wall because her dark clothes would blend into the shadows, but when his arm replaced itself by her head she immediately realized she thought wrong. Tula pressed herself harder against the wall as he leaned in, her face heating up again at their closeness. Tula's hands came up and placed themselves against his chest to keep him from moving forward. From a size view, it looked believable enough whether she meant it to or not.

"What the kriff are you doing?!"

A familiar tune reached her ears in the form of a high pitched whistle. The man that was searching for her often whistled; often enough for it to be a warning of his approaching presence. 'Oi, Tula! Where'd ya run off ta, eh?!' She heard him call out. He sounded drunk too! Was everyone on this forsaken planet drunk at all hours? 'C'mon, sweet cheeks, masta's missing ya! I 'on't hurt cha.'

All her years spent around this man taught her that he wasn't a stupid fellow. He noticed detail; probably how he noticed that Tula was planning to leave in the first place. His master chose a good right hand man. Tula's golden eyes looked back up at the man, a bit perturbed at the fact that his gaze hadn't left her face. With a huff, her hand found its way to hit hair and tangled itself in his black locks. The only catch was that she gripped his hair not too comfortably and tugged him down so his face was near her neck. Make it believable, she reminded herself.

[member="Tristram Senan"]

 

[Tristram Senan]

The woman was taken completely off-guard and misread what Tristram was doing at first. That was understandable given the nature of Nar Shaddaa. He had seen his share of people in alleys doing exactly what she thought he was trying to do. Thankfully most women either would groin the guys or hit them with a stun stick they had hidden on them. The few who didn't have a way though he had made sure to help out. It was only okay to get all hot and heavy in the alley if both parties consented after all. Course she hadn't given her consent before he literally pulled her into the alley so he might need to evaluate some of his current choices.

The struggling though quickly shifted into reluctant acceptance as a whistling echoed around and a voice called. Tristram didn't care for what he heard. No it was more than not caring. He really didn't like it at all. It gave him a few ideas of what he wanted to do to the guy if he ever got his hands on him. This Tula though was finally getting into the act as she got her hand in his hair and pulled his face down by her neck. A smirk crossed his lips as he got a rather impish impulse that he couldn't resist. In a whisper so that only she could hear it he said, " Careful I like it a little rough." With that he gave her neck a playful nip. This was what got him into trouble all the time, but he couldn't resist teasing people. He had been that way his whole life even when he was learning from his late master.

The sound of footsteps though reached his ears from right next to them. With Tristram's face buried into Tula's neck, he couldn't see who it was. But he didn't have to wait for an answer to the question of who as the whistling from before started up. After a couple of seconds the looker said, "Wat cha doin' an' who with?" Seemed they hadn't tricked him or at least for long. Tristram straightened up and looked to the man. He gave him the kind of smile you only saw on someone who got caught getting frisky would have. " Oh you know. Smashing." As the last word was said Tristram's hand was on the side of his head and slamming it into the wall. Before the daze could wear off, Tristram's other hand hit him square in the jaw with a fist. The guy hit the ground with blood rolling the side of his face and his eyes glossed over. He was still breathing but definitely out cold.

Replacing the smile with a friendly one, Tristram turned to [member="Tulahi'rani"] . Shaking his now scratched up hand, he said in a friendly tone, " Now that he is dealt with. How are you doing Ms. Tula? Need any further assistance? I'd be happy to help if I'm able." Hopefully she wasn't too mad at him for the whole dragging her into an alley, pinning her to a wall, and then nipping her neck thing. He absolutely wouldn't blame her if she was but he would rather not get slapped in the face right now. After the briefest second though he remembered something. " Oh right. Do you have any kind of tracker on you? Might want to deal with that before you do anything else."

 

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Feeling a gentle bite on her neck, Tula let out a soft yelp and pulled back slightly. Her face heat up once again, her cheeks becoming a lilac hue to accompany the look of shock on her features. She was minutes from being taken back to her master and most likely killed for her insubordination, and this man decides to bite her?

...

Tula refused to admit that she liked the bite at least a little bit, and she wouldn't dare to say that the raspy whisper in her ear got her into a bit of a mood. She just wouldn't.

The heavy footsteps and loud whistling of her pursuer caught her attention. They had been found, though not surprisingly, since not much gets past Rhackam. Tula summoned up the strength to push her savior out of her space and stand up straight, turning to face the right hand of her master. Her hood and headscarf had fallen off to pool around her shoulders and blanket her lekku.

'Come now, sweet'art, an' the masta' 'ont hurt cha. You 'ave my word.' Rhackam mocked, raising a dramatic right hand. Despite his joking manner, he was a pretty spry for a skinny fellow and managed to pack a punch. The Twi'lek knew from experience.

"Your word means jack chit, Rhackam." Tula spat, her hands clenching into fists. Though the poison in her voice was evident, she still managed a soft, leveled tone. "I am not going back." At this, Rhackam's face darkened heavily, the creases and wrinkles on his face making him seem more monstrous than usual. He hated it when people told him no. It was at this moment that Rhackam acknowledged the man accompanying her.

'I don' believe I gave ya much ova choice, sweet'art. Wat 'cha doin' an' who with?' Before the Twi'lek could answer, [member="Tristram Senan"] stood in front of her almost protectively. Their confrontation ended with three hits; her savior hitting Rhackam twice, and Rhackam hitting the ground with a gush of blood streaming down his face. Tula didn't bat an eye, accustomed to fights breaking out, and simply looked on with satisfaction mixed with pity. When Rhackam hit the floor, she took a few steps forward to examine his body. Unfortunately, he was still alive, but Tula didn't believe that she would be able to handle a death on her behalf, no matter who it was. They had to get moving before her master realized his most trusted man isn't coming back for a long while.

Her protector turned back to her and offered up more assistance. Tula's spirits lifted a bit. Perhaps she should take this chance to get off world? The man in front of her already managed to protect her once and he did say he'd be happy to help her again. The Twi'lek bit her red painted bottom lip anxiously. She'd decide in a second, but she had to do something first. Facing him fully, Tula looked up at him for a moment before balling up a fist and aimed at his face in a clumsy punch. It was weak, but it managed to land.

"That was for biting me!"

 

[Tristram Senan]

Tula seemed to get some enjoyment out of watching this Rhackam getting knocked the kark out. It was understandable as to why given her circumstances. The man had antagonized her in this brief meeting and who know how much before it. For that reason alone it gave Tristram some satisfaction in having gotten the chance to do to him what he did. Brawls were common enough in bars, but no one expected the guy trying to get lucky in the alley to suddenly slam your head into a wall. This was the first time he had done it personally, but he had seen it happen a couple times when he went looking for a place to stay the night after drinking. Always surprising what comes in handy from those nights. But the young woman was free enough for now and that was what mattered.

A feeling of anxiety came from Tula. Tristram's interest was perked, and even more so when she fully faced him. The weak punch certainly did hit his jaw, but it was mostly just noticeable. The spot she hit was getting red but it wouldn't likely stay that way for more than an hour or two. She explained it was because of his little love bite earlier, and this just got him laughing. It was funny how much spirit this pink skinned twi'lek woman had despite what had to have been years of enslavement. This was just the sort of attitude he loved to see. It was the kind of one he had thought to look for in some companions. After getting his laughing under control with some tears in the corners of his eyes, he smirked to her and said, " I did tell you I like it rough Honey Bee. Now I want to give you another little love bite." He gave her a little wink and made sure to flash her his teeth as his smirk turned into an impish grin. Oh how he couldn't help himself with the teasing.

Tristram bent down and picked up the unconscious male off the ground and heaved him over a shoulder. He turned his attention to Tula and said, " If you would like my help Honey Bee follow me." He began to walk down the alley back the way he had come. The abandoned warehouse would be a useful place to figure out the plan moving forward and hide the victim of his sudden violence. As he walked along he said in a friendly tone, " You probably don't remember but we met last night. Name is Tristram, but I also go by Nighthawk when I don't care to share my real name. What about you Honey Bee? What is your name?" Aside for the fact he was carrying someone on his shoulder, it might feel like this was an every day stroll through a shortcut by the way he spoke. All the while though he kept his eyes open and watched for prying gazes. Once he got to the end of the alley he stopped and held out his arm so he could keep her from going past him. Peaking around the corner he checked to make sure the club wasn't being guarded. Thankfully it wasn't so he hurried on and into the abandoned warehouse he had spent the night in for some reason. He had slept in far worse places though.

[member="Tulahi'rani"]

 

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Perturbed at the man's laughing, Tula's face heat up and her red lips pouted. She assumed her punch wasn't threatening at all to a human his build - he was much taller and at least 70% muscle, which was more than the petite Twi'lek ever would be - but she hadn't expected him to find it so pathetic it was humorous. Her temper sparked a little bit, and she advanced again.

"What is so funny? I am serious!" Her voice was raised, but again not by much. Tristram just continued to laugh; harder, by the sound of it. With an irritated huff, Tula crossed her arms under her chest and turned from him, wishing she could sink into the ground and disappear right about now. She was very self-conscious about the way people would never take her seriously. It lead her to being easily taken advantage of, be it her generosity or amongst other things. Her pink lekku twitched in irritation as she waited for him to collect himself, her golden irises watching the scene progressed and eventually died down.

The Twi'lek huffed again at his cheeky response. Her cheeks were once again a soft lilac hue. "Keep your distance from my neck, human, or I will show you what rough truly is." she mumbled as she fixed the scarf around her head once again. Tula had meant for her statement to be threatening, but she hadn't mastered the art of tracing innuendos quite yet, despite her 'job' being in a place where sexual innuendos became reality in some cases. As she settled the hood of her cloak over her head once again, she took the opportunity to examine [member="Tristram Senan"], who was lifting up the unconscious body of Rhackam like a sack of potatoes, properly this time. He had a shaggy head of hair and was definitely bigger than her in height and weight. She had noticed before that the tops of her lekku reached approximately just under his jaw. Tula felt so small compared to him, but she couldn't help but feel more protected. Tulahi'rani had decided to go with the human. Hopefully he could get her off world without any more incidents.

"Last night?" The Twi'lek pondered for a moment and reevaluated the events of last night as they walked. Her eyes widened slightly and her mouth shaped an 'o' as she finally placed the face. "Yes, I remember now! You drank with my master. How you are fully-functional currently, I do not know. I assumed that all you humans were highly susceptible to alcohol."

Tula had to mildly speed walk in order to keep up with the man's - Tristram's - strides. "My name is Tulahi'rani," she said, stopping when his arm blocked her from the view of the street. Out of curiosity, she peeked left and right and even to the tops of the buildings. "I am known by most as Tula. Or 'girl'... or schutta... amongst a plethora of other names." The Twi'lek mumbled the last part, doing her best to push away any feelings of self loathing. She was nearly free; she had to leave that negativity behind. Tula went silent as she studied where she was being lead, humming in piqued interest at the warehouse.

"What are we going to do here? And what will happen to Rhackam?"

 

[Tristram Senan]

Oh how this little Honey Bee was fun to tease. Her reactions to his laughing and to his little promise of another nip of her neck was just the best. Tristram was having to remind himself that he was trying to get her out of a bad situation not try to get as many blushes as he could get before she huffed off. Of course he could aim to do both and was tempted to do just that. The main task at hand though was sorting out what to do with this guy and then how to get her off moon. Once they realized her and Rhackam were missing they would be out looking in force.... Wait, that gave him an idea. A fun idea.

As Tristram dumped Rhackam onto the floor in a back room of the abandoned warehouse, he turned his attention to Tula. He gave her a friendly smile and said, " So your name is [member="Tulahi'rani"] then? Pretty name. Whatever others used to call you, I'll just call you Tula or Honey Bee. Most likely Honey Bee." He patted her shoulder gently. " Now for Rhackam here, I had an idea. I figured we could use him to buy us some time and throw them off our trail." He paused here. This was going to be the tricky part of the plan after all. He knew she wasn't going to like this. " To pull it off though I'm going to need you to marry me." And there it was. He knew she didn't want to be tied down this close to freedom but he needed to make sure they didn't leave a trail behind or much of one if they did.

Tristram turned around feeling a bit embarrassed at having basically just proposed to her. Sure it was part of the plan and it could all be reversed later, but it was still marriage. He went about going through Rhackam's pockets to gather up whatever he could find. Hopefully the man had his identification on him along with some extra credits. Yes it was robbery, but the man deserved it. At least that was what Tristram kept telling himself. Wouldn't be the first time anyways he had gone through someone's pockets. Times sure got dark there for him in the past. For now he needed to wait for Tula to tell him what she thought. He was going to get smacked again for sure and this time she might do more than just leave his skin a little red for a bit.

 

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Tula's silence was deafening in the confines of the warehouse. Her internal rage gradually exuded out of her petite form, first appearing in her golden eyes. What was once her youthful glint was now changed into a wild spark. Then it was her tightening jaw and clenched fists, followed by the twitching of her lekku. Vocalizing her discontentment came final.

"EXCUSE ME?!" The Twi'lek screamed at Tristram's hunched form, surprising even herself at her volume. Was it possible to see red? She approached him and roughly grabbed his shoulder, forcing him up on his feet and pushing him so he turned to face her with more strength than she was aware she had. Rage was evident on her usually pleasant face. Millions of thoughts were going through her mind at high velocity. She couldn't think straight about anything except his 'brilliant' plan.

"Marry you?! How does marriage correlate to getting on a ship and going off-world?! Who are you to demand my hand in marriage?!" Tula continued to rant, shoving Tristram's chest. Tears of frustration began to appear in the corners of her eyes. "First you have me against a wall, then you bite me, and now you demand I become your little wife?!" Tula shouted furiously, flailing her arms down in a mini-tantrum.

A piece of debris on the other side of the warehouse was flung against the wall, following Tula's arm movements. Despite the loud volume, she didn't notice.

"I refuse to have another master when I have not even been freed from my first one! How dare you! Do you believe that I owe you a favor?!" The raging Twi'lek shoved [member="Tristram Senan"] again, but this one was noticeably stronger. Tula was disheartened. She thought she finally had a chance at freedom, a chance to venture out and find her family after being stolen from them for so long. As soon as she saw that chance, she was being tied down again. It was extremely frustrating.

 

[Tristram Senan]

Looked like Rhackam did indeed have his identification on him. Tristram pocketed it as well as about 300 credits that the man had on him. Seemed like a lot of pocket change to have on you on Nar Shaddaa, but the fact he also had a blaster pistol on him and a vibroknife sort of explained why he felt okay having it. The weapons would also be good to give to [member="Tulahi'rani"] so she at least had something for her own protection and also would be disarming the unconscious man. He didn't find much else though, but he wasn't given the chance to sort out his next move as Tula suddenly yelled behind him.

The amount of strength that Tula exhibited as she began to scream at Tristram was surprising. When she punched him earlier it didn't seem like she was holding back that much but now she was actually able to get him to move. Looking at her face he could see the amount of rage she was feeling as easily as he could sense it off of her. She thought he was playing her for a fool and trying to take advantage of her. It was understandable and why he was a little worried about how she would take it. But he had not expected this kind of a reaction from her. He also didn't expect for that debris to go flying off on its own like it did. Could she be force sensitive? Maybe. Actually that might explain that weird dream he had before waking up.

Her shove caused Tristram to stumble back a bit. The amount of strength she had suddenly gained had to be another sign of sensitivity. He would need to address it later and find out for sure. But for now he had to calm her down. He gave her a warm smile. He knew it might not make her feel any better, but he wanted her to know it was okay to express herself. " I'm not trying to tie you down Honey Bee. The reason I asked you to marry me was because it will help buy us more time once we get you off world. The first thing they will do is check the port and see if any twi'lek by your name and description came through. You have a memorable skin color after all, so why not use it to our advantage?" He paused there. He wanted it to sink in that he actually had a plan and wasn't just taking advantage of her.

" I took his identification." Tristram went on as he pointed to Rhackam. " I'm going to put him in a crate too. After that we will get married and have your name legally changed to mine. Then we go to the port and I pay for 2 sets of flights. One I will use his name only for 2 seats and ship the crate on that flight. The second flight will be the one we actually take and will be under the names Mr. and Mrs. Senan. They actually check identification thoroughly at the port to watch for escaping slaves so we need to be legally married to get you the identification you need to board a shuttle with me. When they ask for your description they will hear that a twi'lek woman matching your description was at the port. They will also find the flight with his name for 2 seats, and then they will assume the two of you ran off together. By the time they figure out you aren't with him we will be somewhere safe. It will waste their time before they can get to properly tracking you down." There was a lot of explaining, but she deserved the details. He should have started off with the explanation though. " Do you see why I asked you to marry me now Honey Bee?"

 

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After she had her fill of ranting and bombardment of accusations, Tula began to listen. Her heart was still racing and she was slightly out of breath, but she attuned her ears to [member="Tristram Senan"] 's explanation. Admittedly, she thought walking into a ship and leaving was the plan that would get her home to Ryloth. The security checks and something as simple as her skin color would have given her away in an instant. She hated being wrong, but in her situation, Tula couldn't afford to make any wrong moves. The Twi'lek felt foolish. She needed his help in any way he could offer it. At least he didn't ask for much of anything else, she noted with relief.

After he finished explaining, Tula remained silent for another moment. Her shoulders sagged and every tense part of her seemed to relax. Would marriage really be so bad? Tristram seemed like a good hearted man. It could be easily annulled anyway. And if it got her off this forsaken planet, she'd honestly remain married as a thank you.

"I hope you do not do this to every woman you rescue. I see myself in a strictly monogamous relationship." Tula teased, the corner of her red lips curling slightly upwards. Her arms wrapped themselves around her body, accompanied with another heavy sigh. Her cheeks flushed lilac. It would seem that she would be getting married today. It may not be what she had imagined for herself, but being taken into enslavement wasn't exactly her life goal either, so she accepted the fact that the universe would throw whatever it had in her direction. This would lead her into a new adventure.

"And I may have given you my hand in marriage, but do not expect it to be consummated, human." She was teasing again, her smirk evident on her face, though she was still mostly serious. After a moment, Tula removed the hood and headscarf from her head and loosened one of the ribbons gently tied around her lekku. It was easy enough to rip into two small parts. Tula gently took Tristram's hand and tied one of the small pieces of ribbon on his finger where a ring would usually go.

"I do not believe we have time to search for rings. Perhaps this will suffice for now." She handed him the piece that was meant for her and held up her hand, looking up at him expectantly. She briefly wondered about her mother and thought about what she would think about this entire situation. From what she remembered, her mother was a shameless romantic and would most likely find it amusing. Her father would be livid, though a protective kind as all fathers are to their daughters.

"I feel foolish for never thanking you." Tula said softly, a quiet giggle making it's way through her speech. "First you save my life, then you bite me, and now you are choosing to marry me for the sake of my freedom. You humans really are unpredictable."

 

[Tristram Senan]

Tula was still tense and upset as Tristram had been explaining things earlier. After he had finished though she remained quiet. He didn't like that because it meant she might reject the idea and if she rejected it then he would need to sort some other way out. The plan might still work if they didn't marry, but the issue was that there wouldn't be extra steps her pursuers would have to go through on finding them. Maybe he should just drop the whole marriage plan and hope they got enough time to sort things out on their end. It was something he was definitely considering seriously as she just continued to remain quiet.

Then Tula suddenly seemed to lose all the tension in her body. She agreed to the plan and seemed to be starting to loosen up. A smile was starting to form and then she blushed. Oh how adorable that blush was. Tristram needed to be careful here as the more this girl spoke the more he was starting to think that they shouldn't get divorced right away. A laugh escaped him though as she mentioned the consummation not happening. He smirked to her and said in response, " Don't worry Honey Bee. You are the only damsel in distress this drunken knight has ever wished to marry." He gave her a wink then went on. " And you say we won't consummate it now, but wait till the Honeymoon."

Oh Tristram was having fun teasing her back. This whole scheme might be more fun than he thought and it would be entirely due to the company. She tied a piece of her ribbon around his ring finger and then handed him a piece to do the same for her. It was a sweet idea and she was right about them not having time to find proper rings. A real Honey Bee this one. She was efficient at making sweet things and packed a real sting if you upset her. She might not agree with the name, but it fit her well for Tristram. With a warm smile on his face he tied the ribbon around her own finger. As he did he said, " Forever and ever or until you are done with me then [member="Tulahi'rani"] ." He gave her another little wink. " I'm not human by the way. Well not fully human. My mom was Pantoran. Get me in brighter light and my skin and hair will have some blue to them. Also my mom was from a noble family, so I guess that makes you part nobility now too eh?"

Tristram squeezed her fingers after he got the ribbon tied. A little gesture to let her know he wouldn't take advantage. That was a real issue after all given the situation. He turned around and picked up Rhackam off the ground. Thankfully a still intact and only lightly scorched hover crate was nearby. He dumped the man inside then sealed up the top. Who knew what the warehouse was used for in the past, but the crate was designed to transport living things so the man wouldn't die in it from lose of air. He looked to Tula and said with a smile, " Let's find someone to marry us now that won't ask too many questions."

 

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Tula laughed this time at his rebuttal, a grin forming on her face. Things were beginning to really look up for her thanks to Tristram. Had he never, quite literally, bumped into her, she would have most likely been in the process of torture before death right about now. No, this wasn't what she quite expected - as a young Twi'lek, she imagined herself being married once to the man of her dreams and she would continue to live happily ever after, adventuring through the universe together - but she will gladly take this new adventure in stride. Even if it isn't the kind of marriage she hoped for, she will be happy to be Tulas'enan for now.

"You must know that I have high expectations, Mr. Senan," she noted as he reciprocated the act of - literally - typing the knot of her piece of the ribbon. The genuine smile that graced her face was once again a smirk. "I am a tough girl to persuade, especially when it comes to intercourse. Please know that I will be very impressed if you manage to do so. And if you are a good husband to me, I will consider keeping you around. You must be useful for something... like cleaning." A laugh escaped her again, feeling something in her gut do flips when she saw his smile and the makeshift ring, gently returning the squeeze. The air was light around the two soon-to-be-weds. This was the free-est that Tula had ever felt in her life. Yes, this union will be a happy one.

Though, Tula couldn't help but be shocked when she was told about his nobility status. "Pantoran nobility? You appear so dirty and unkempt... I never would have guessed!" The Twi'lek was half-serious when she said this. She wasn't one to talk, though, considering the kind of life that he was rescuing her from. She wanted to ask him all kinds of questions about the life of a noble, but with the limited amount of time they had, she settled for asking at a later time. The woman watched on as Rhackam was stuffed into a crate, stifling a laugh as the lid was placed. Meeting [member="Tristram Senan"]' 's eyes, she started to make her way to the exit of the warehouse.

"I believe I know a place. There is a woman who performs unions quickly and for a fair price. I will make sure she will not gossip."​ A mischievous glint shone in her golden eyes, before her lips pouted slightly. As they exited the warehouse, Tula replaced the hood and scarf. "However, be warned. She is an... overly available woman. She tried her hand at me once before at the club-... but that is a story for later. Come." The Twi'lek took Tristram's hand and lead him down a series of streets and alleys.

 

[Tristram Senan]

As they began to walk out of the warehouse, Tristram wrapped an arm around [member="Tulahi'rani"] waist and pulled her in close. With the other arm he pushed the hover crate. He gave her a smile and said, " Part of the act Honey Bee." Was he taking advantage of the situation? Oh definitely. He was enjoying having his arm around an attractive woman even if he was the only one who would know she was with all of the clothing covering her up. He just hoped she didn't catch on to him doing this for himself and not for the act.

As they walked along, Tristram remembered Tula's earlier comment about his heritage. Now might be a good time to talk about it while he let her lead him to wherever it was they were going. " My mom was my Pantoran parent, and she was from a noble family. My dad was just a trader and smuggler. He never did say where he was from though originally. I think he was born and raised traveling around. He went to Pantora and spent some time there. My parents fell in love and then eloped together. So I technically am of noble blood and with the marriage being official her relatives technically can't disown me. So yeah, noble here." Not much of a story but it was still interesting to think about. Every so often a noble and a commoner would run off together but it as a bit unusual that his parents eloped. Most of those relationships didn't end well either, but his parents had remained together and strong until their deaths.

Tristram wondered what it would be like to be married. It was a bit of a strange thought to him even now. Being a former Jedi it was odd how many little rules and habits still stuck with him even after he abandoned the order. He had no issue with having a fling, but the idea of being in a committed relationship was just not something he ever thought he would experience in his lifetime. He glanced at Tula and have her a smile. She must think he was making stuff up. It was not like he had any physical proof to back up his claim other than the blood in his veins. Who knew what she thought about all of this.

 

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“Well, I hope you are satisfied with a common schutta like me, your highness.” Tula teased, settling into his side comfortably as they walked down an empty dirt backroad. Her gaze went down to the ground almost shamefully. Hearing that Tristram was at least part-noble made her feel less than, even though she knew it shouldn’t matter. A lot of her life was spent keeping her head lower than others, she couldn’t help but feel a little insecure about herself. The Twi’lek felt dirty and used, like she deserved to be isolated; as if no one would want her. A heavy sigh escaped her lips and she pushed those thoughts away. Pulling [member="Tristram Senan"] under an archway, she stopped in front of a bead decorated curtain, aged by time. A laughing couple who seemed rather young burst from the other side and scurried off past Tula and Tristram.

“We are here. Do not take anything to heart, and please let me do the speaking. The Matchmaker never fails to verbally attack me ever since I rejected her at the club.” Tula smiled almost apologetically as she pat his chest, pushing away the beads and walking in with her head held high. There was a noticeable pep in her step and extra sway of her hips. Matchmaker, the woman famous for quick and legal unions, enjoyed exploiting people’s insecurities. Tula has to present herself as confident or she will fail.

The room was well lit by old fashioned candles that hung around the walls and stood on dense metal tables. It was a makeshift altar and aisle. It wasn’t a holy place, per say, as one would expect. Not even a little bit. An erect figure stood in front of the altar, flipping through an old book with pages that were crinkled and yellowed in age. It was a woman who im didn’t seem to be much older than either of them and, like Tula, was covered head to toe. Noticing another couple walk into her domain so soon after the other, her book slammed shut with dust radiating from it.

“Tulahi’rani. I never thought to see you here. Has one of your patrons gotten you pregnant this time?” Her rasp, yet strong, voice snapped.

 

[Tristram Senan]

Tula's comment about herself got a smirk out of Tristram. He said to her, " I would rather have a common schutta as a wife if she is half as delightful as you are than some stuffy noble woman any day." A squeeze of her waist followed along with another wink. At this rate she was going to think he had some kind of tick or something that needed to be looked into with all the winking going her way. As they went along a few people looked at them, but it was not because of her. They were wondering why he was pushing a hover crate down the street. The interest always faded after a few seconds though as some other oddity would come along and catch their interest. This was Nar Shaddaa after all a city filled with odd things and even odder people. Tristram just focused on keeping Tula close to him because he enjoyed the skinship with his soon to be wife and because it allowed him to make sure no one was about to do anything to her without him being able to stop it.

Soon enough they arrived where they were going. [member="Tulahi'rani"] pulled Tristram through an archway and could see a worn bead curtain. He left the crate in an out of the way spot as she spoke to him. Seemed there was a bit of a history between her and the person they were meeting. It also seemed a little odd to him that whoever it was had it out for her now after being rejected. Not the first time he had heard that sort of story, but it was not one he expected to have show up in these circumstances. He just gave her a nod in response and planned to let her do all the talking. The little pep in her step and the extra sway of her hips caught his attention. He found himself just staring for a moment before he followed her into the place.

Tula wasn't wrong about this Matchmaker. The first thing that happened as soon as they noticed who had entered was to insult Tula. That irritated Tristram a bit for some reason, but was also just too good for him to pass up commenting on. He was a tease at heart and just couldn't help himself at times like this. He walked up next to Tula and wrapped his arm around her waist yet again. As he squeezed her he said, " Not yet but fingers crossed for after the honeymoon. Right Honey Bee?" With an impish smirk he gave Tula a wink. He was enjoying this too much right now and knew that it was going to annoy the pink skinned beauty he had his arm around right now. Another little thought crossed his mind to add to the teasing and yet again he couldn't help himself. He took her chin in his free hand and tilted her lip up so he could lay a quick kiss on them. As their lips parted, they both now had some red paint on them. He was definitely going to be in trouble for this one but it was completely worth it.

 

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One moment ago, Tula had a quick witted reply to serve the Matchmaker. Through her, she was sure that this is where she developed sarcasm and quick wit. The older woman had been a loyal customer to the club for reasons Tula did not know and seemed to have taken a special liking to the pink Twi’lek. Ever since Tula rejected her, albeit lustful, confession, her visits became scarce and hostile whenever the woman did show up. This union will be the first time Tula has seen her in months. By now you’d think a grown woman would get over something as silly as ‘no’. Tula rolled her eyes.

The quip was stolen from her mouth when her soon-to-be husband spoke, her words turning into air as she sighed heavily a moment later. She should have known he wouldn’t follow her directions. Why couldn’t she have found a quieter fiancé? Tula shifted slightly as he held her waist again, surprisingly having gotten used to it in their little time together, and turned to look at [member="Tristram Senan"] , but what was meant to be a look of irritation turned into a shocked expression when his lips met hers in a kiss.

“Mph!” she squealed. Her shoulders tensed and her eyes stayed wide open, too shocked to breathe even though their lips were only briefly pressed together. There had been times that Tula felt as if he was pushing it, but this was really hopping the fence. As Tristram pulled away, she noticed that her lip stick had rubbed off on him. She couldn’t help but think it was endearing in a sort of way. The Twi’leks face turned into a severe shade of lilac at the thought of what he would look like with her lipstick on his cheeks and neck. She pushed those thoughts away as soon as they were created. He seems to have enjoyed himself, Tula noted, too much in fact. The Twi’lek’s lekku twitched in irritation and she gave him a look that matched, accompanied by a weak punch to the chest.

“Watch yourself, Senan.” Tula reprimanded, pushing him away to walk down the aisle towards Matchmaker, her hips swaying slightly more with the irritation giving her the energy. Giving the older woman her undivided attention, Tula jut out a hip and placed her hand on it as she reached her pedestal. She wanted to get straight to the point before their time ran out.

“I am not here to exchange pleasantries. This is business, and I am in need of a union to get off this planet legally, so this is what will occur. You will marry me off to this idiot behind me,” she pointed over her shoulder to Tristram. “I will pay you for your time, we will walk out, and you will never see me again nor speak of this to anyone. Need I make myself clearer?”

The Matchmaker was silent through the entire engagement, an uninterested yet fierce gaze flicking between the couple. A hint of jealousy passed through her body as she reluctantly nodded once. The woman had lost, there was nothing she could do about it. The quicker the Twi’lek got out of her life, the quicker she could possibly find another person to yearn after.

“Aye. And this is the buisness you’ll be doing, then?” Matchmaker nodded her head towards Tristram, an unimpressed look on her face. “I’ve seen better.”

 

[Tristram Senan]

The kiss was brief, but it was something else. Tristram had kissed other women in his life, but with Tula it felt different. He couldn't exactly place why it was and it just made him want to kiss her more to figure it out. She didn't seem as into it as he was though as she gave him an irritated look and a soft punch to the chest. If that was all he might have believed that was how she felt but the lilac color that had come over her skin told him a different story. There was a possibility here for something more. Was he okay with that? Should he be okay with it? Answers were something he didn't have right now for those questions but he was going to find out.

A smirk was all [member="Tulahi'rani"] got from Tristram as a reaction to her comment after the kiss. " I think I'd rather watch you Honey Bee. Your ass is the real treasure to behold here." That wasn't a lie or at least not to him. The woman had a nice butt and the rest of her figure was just as wonderful. A beauty who began to show how independent she was despite all that time as a slave girl. Tristram knew if he wasn't careful then a woman like this could sweep him off his feet and take hold of his heart for an eternity. Hopefully she didn't realize that because with how much he wanted to tease her right now he couldn't handle her getting aggressive with affection.

The hybrid watched and waited as Tula flat out told the matchmaker what she was going to do. No room to complain or argue was given. This pink skinned woman was going to be one heck of a mother when she had kids. And mercy to the poor soul that married her.... Oh right, that was him right now. A slight affectionate smile formed on his face as he just watched her taking control of her life. This was his Honey Bee that he had come to know since the night before. She was no dainty creature who smiled and waited to be saved. Not even when she was working the night before was she like that. No, she understood how important freedom was in life and she was taking her freedom back with her own hands. He might have given her some help with it, but he never would have been inspired to if not for the fire in her heart.

The matchmaker seemed to realize what Tula was really like as well and offered up no resistance to wedding them despite the history between the two women. As she spoke, she made a jab at Tristram. He didn't care because she wasn't wrong. He wasn't much given how unkempt he was and how chaotic his life remained. A former alcoholic who still liked to drink and got drunk enough to pass out still. A former Jedi who had held a torch for his late master even now in ways. A man who didn't even know how his parents died or what turned his brother to becoming a wanted criminal and didn't seem to care enough to find out even though the lose of his family had left a hole in his very soul. She could do better and deserved better. But he was what she had right now so he would just have to do until she was done with him.

There was one effect the woman's words did have on Tristram though. He felt that need to tease his soon-to-be wife yet again. So without missing a beat he stepped in place next to Tula as he said in a tone that was as joking as it was serious, " You are wrong there. I couldn't do any better. Honey Bee here is the best thing that has ever happened to me or will happen to me. Just take a look at her and you will say the same." He wrapped his arm around Tula's waist against and squeezed gently. A warm smile was on his face. No doubt she wouldn't think much of this. She would probably think he was just taking advantage of things to get his hands all over her. And she wouldn't be completely wrong. But even then it was different than those patrons from the club. He was staying respectful and trying to help her cause even in his advantage taking where they only wanted to sate their carnal desires. The difference didn't matter though right now. They were going to be wed regardless of his intentions and she would do whatever it was she wanted once they were free of Nar Shaddaa.

 

[increllable]

In the short amount of time that the Twi'lek had known Tristram, her face had not known its' natural skin color. She found herself constantly blushing from either embarrassment, anger, elation, or shyness. As she looked back at her life, she realized that the last time she had blushed happily was when she was a small child with the flush of youth dusting her pink cheeks. Tula was unaware of the youthful glow she had slowly regained after stumbling into the rugged man standing beside her at the altar. The fire in her soul, although always lit, had a bit more spark than it did when she was in shackles.

Initially, she despised all his teasing and innuendos. He was so dirty, unkempt. He smelled like alcohol and seemed like he couldn't get his life together. He was on Nar Shaada, after all, and no one with good intention came here. She hated the chit-eating grin that he would always sport, flashing his teeth at her. The way he would confidently hold himself and how he couldn't keep his damn hands off her body was the most irritating thing she could think of.

And yet, she found herself becoming accustomed to it. Not even a full day and she was allowing herself to adapt to this man, the idea of a domestic relationship, to Tristram Senan; and in a few moments, she would be Tulas'enan. Tula was comfortable with this man, her soon-to-be husband, and found herself reclining into the arm that was secured around her petite form. As the universe would have it, the former slave girl was having all her dreams made into creation. Perhaps not in the way that she expected them to, but she will take what she got and forever be thankful for it. Now that she thought about it, how did someone go about thanking someone for risking their life for yours? Marriage was a big deal, at least to Tula, and also a huge sacrifice. The Twi'lek had not even though of asking if he had someone else even though he said she was the only one he wanted to marry. It could have been his ever so charming silver tongue. How did Tristram even feel about all of this? For all she knew, he could be completely opposed to this and drop her off on the next habitable planet or moon as soon as the were free.

Except, he said that she was the best thing to ever happen to him, and as he said this, Tula felt something bubble up in her chest and a small tug in her gut. The Twi'lek couldn't really place it, but she knew she was happy. For the first time in what seemed to be an eternity, Tula felt wanted, and not for the release of carnal desire. A tear nearly escaped her golden irises, but the smile was evident on her face as he said this.

The wedding would continue.

The Matchmaker glanced between the two with an uninterested gaze, tapping her finger impatiently as they seemed to just stare and smile at each other. It was disgustingly sweet.

"Are you two just going to ogle each other are you going to get married? Sheesh... couples these days." The older woman mumbled, opening the large book once again and holding her hands out. "I see that you two are in a rush, so I will skip the whole picking out a dress and getting a witness business and get straight to the point. State your vows, and for your sake, make them short."

Tula turned to face Tristram, fully this time. Taking his hands in hers, she exhaled slowly. There was a sense of elation and yet she was scared; almost as if she was scared this wouldn't be real. Was this what her mother felt when she married her father? Her eyes flit up to peer into [member="Tristram Senan"] 's.

"From this day until our last, whether it be through hardship, circumstance, or death, I pledge myself to you loyally, Tristram Senan." Tula said proudly, her chest and head being held up higher. The Twi'lek grinned happily, now. "And as your wife, I do expect the same."

 

[Tristram Senan]

Seemed that Tula was becoming more and more comfortable with Tristram as the two spent time together. She was leaning into him as he held her and she even smiled at his comment. It was meant to tease her while still being kind of serious, but she just looked at the seriousness of it. The two of them together like this was even getting to the matchmaker which was a victory in and of itself right now given the history between her and Tula. His urge to tease the older woman was growing but his desire to tease Tula, while not lessening, had shifted. It had become more intimate in nature to him than playful with the way she was responding now to it. It was throwing him off a bit.

But all of this was strange to Tristram right now. He never expected himself to be married nor to actually feel this sort of intimacy. It was more akin to how he felt towards his late master if not nearly as complicated. It felt more bonding for him to tease [member="Tulahi'rani"] than it had earlier. For him teasing was sort of a way to defend himself from attachment, from responsibility, from himself. He was no longer a Jedi and refused to become one again, but that detachment they pushed and sense of responsibility over others still were a part of him. He could escape those teachings drilled into him no more than he could his bitter sweet memories of his master. Drinking had been an escape, an excuse, a lessening of himself. It was a way for him to move away from being a Jedi yet fulfill those desires of detachment and responsibility. People didn't get too attached to a drunk or expect much from them no matter how fun and friendly they might be. Teasing was something he had always done and it just helped serve those goals that drinking was meant to achieve.

Yet look at him now. Tristram was wedding someone. Even if for reasons other than romantic or carnal desires, the very act was a form of attachment and responsibility. Things would be expected of him and he would always be attached to her from now on even if they turned right around and divorced immediately after being wed. It was the opposite of what he had done until now and it was by his own choice. The realization of this had been sinking in since he first thought of the idea. No perhaps it had been begun to sink in years ago and he just hadn't noticed until now. Despite the habits of his old life, he craved to be free of the shackles that were the Jedi Order. It was why he had teased her so much. It was why he must have teased a lot of women over the years. He wanted them to become attached yet was pushing them away. He could no longer do that from this day on though. He needed to step up and be more than he had been until now. It was just another change in himself that he needed to make, he knew he needed to make, but had denied since the day he turned to drinking.

As Tula turned to look at him fully, Tristram's expression changed. It become more melancholy yet warm. It was as if he was seeing a sunrise again for the first time and seeing hope for more dawns to come while remembering the perpetual darkness that had been life for too long. As she took his hands in her own, he made sure to squeeze her fingers. She spoke her vows and it seemed as if she was aiming for the long haul rather than a momentary thing. She deserved the same from him and the knowledge that she was free to do what she desired. Even leave him. Once she finished he said to her, " I pledge my loyalty and support to you Honey Bee in everything you do. I pledge to allow you all of the freedom you deserve. I pledge to give you a smile every time we are together at least once. I pledge this from this day until the day you are done with me. Be that tomorrow or my death." Fear was rather foreign to him, but a tiny bit of panic bubbled up as he spoke. Shifting from the seriousness he gave her a smirk and added, " I look forward to getting some from you our honeymoon as well." A wink followed. Change is not sudden and habits die slowly.