Not So 'Commenor' Anymore - The Power of Industry Grows

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

He was starting to realize that Kay was the type of woman that he should have avoided. He was almost too relieved when she decided to stay rather than leave.

As she approached him, he tried to act surprised as she apologized. Of course this would be the outcome. He was stringing her along masterfully, although there was a bit of guilt that he was the very person that she had always feared. What would happen to her when she learned of his true nature, he thought? Would the place she retreated to in her mind become more entrenched?

Why do you care?

He didn’t, and that was why it was pointless to think about things like that because he knew where those thoughts could lead to.

When she finished speaking and sat on the edge of his landspeeder, Jorvan leaned up and smiled at her, “There’s nothing to apologize for. I understand where you’re coming from completely.” His eyes left her, while he stared at the sky for a bit. “Truthfully, I was the same way for a while. It was my late wife who brought me out of my shell, but for a long time I had a problem trusting people.” Jorvan was speaking honestly for the moment. “You see, I was raised in the countryside with my mother. That was before my father learned of my existence. We lived in seclusion so I didn’t have many friends growing up, but when my father brought me to live with him in the capital, I tried to befriend everyone that was around me. Servants, slaves, street urchins, it didn’t matter. I just wanted someone to talk to. Well to make a long story short, it was one betrayal after the other, and after a while I just stop believing in people. But like what I told you, Julia told me. No matter how much I tried to push her away, she just nagged at me and nagged at me until I finally gave up and just let her in.” Jorvan’s gaze returned to Kay with a humorous expression. “So is my nagging working a bit right now? Still don’t feel that little connection?” Jorvan chuckled a bit and patted the spot beside him on the landspeeder. “Well even if you don’t, just humor me for a while. I feel like if I close my eyes, you won’t be there when I wake up.” He patted the spot beside him again. “Come on up here, I won’t bite. Let’s trade a few stories while we wait for your friend in the meantime.”

He wasn’t interested in any stories from her, but the close proximity was a nice trade-off.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was glad that her apology was accepted. There was always the off chance that it wouldn't be and then she'd feel even worse. She slid back on the hood until she was beside him, though as expected, she didn't lay down. She brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on them while she listened to his story.

Then it was her turn. She kept her eyes straight ahead while she spoke. "My husband was strong in the Force. So much so that he caught the attention of a powerful Sith Lord. He received a lot of training, though I kept my husband from surrendering to the Dark completely. So...there were many attempts to get me to change my ways or stop interfering, but I couldn't. I didn't want to lose him and he didn't want to lose me. Killing me was out of the question as that would ensure that my husband would turn against him. So, the Sith Lord chose to try to tear us apart. He came close once. He changed his appearance to make him look like my husband. I was so foolish to fall for it. My husband caught the two of us kissing on the couch and it was only then that I had realized my mistake. But in the end even that trickery failed. All the time when my husband wasn't training, we were trying to free ourselves from him, no longer wanting him to run our lives. But the Sith Lord was always steps ahead of us. He knew what we would do before we did. He killed my husband in the end, after beating us both till we were both near death. My husband made him swear an oath to let me live. And although that oath is still upheld, I know that the Sith Lord is still out there somewhere. Lord Ferus confirmed that to me. So I have to be careful. I don't want it to happen again. I don't want to live under someone else's control. I don't want to be tricked into being unfaithful. So that's why I keep at a distance....I'm afraid that history would repeat itself."

Kay took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She's talked about it before, but never in so much depth. And never quite to a stranger. "You can sleep. I won't run. I promise."

She often snuck out in the middle of the night to run from Mythos' palace, but it wasn't as though her ship was silent. Kay figured that she'd wait until Jorvan was asleep before calling Terrac. It would give more time for the blockade to end anyways.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

He supposed it was wishful thinking that she would lay down beside him so easily. She was always making him work for the things that really shouldn’t have required any effort. When she started to speak, Jorvan could feel his body getting tired a little. He had said he was feeling drowsy earlier, but the pills were really taking effect. He thought he would have had more time before he felt the urge to nod off, but he supposed that was karma for at least one of his lies.

As she told him her story, he listened attentively, although he was mainly listening for things he could use to manipulate her later with. Sadly, her story wasn’t unique and Jorvan knew of many who had been used and abused by the Sith. He thought what happened between her and husband was tragic, but such was the times when the Jedi allowed the Sith to remain unchecked. Although that seemed to be changing lately with a string of notable Sith defeats, but how many times had the Sith been defeated only to rise again even stronger?

He gave her a sympathetic expression when she finished. Even if he was slightly numb to her loss, he knew it hadn’t been easy for her to tell this story to him. He thought he had finally broken that barrier between them. She might not trust him completely, but she at least had let down her guard slightly. And that little opening was all that Jorvan needed to seep in the cracks and influence her.

He was quiet for a while and then he said, “Well, I can’t say I disagree with your caution after hearing your story but…” He leaned up so that he was shoulder to shoulder with her and he looked at her with a serious expression. “How long can you keep on running like this? How long can you keep living scared? It’s okay to be cautious, but you’re doing more than that right now. You’re letting this man control your life, even though your husband sacrificed himself so that you can keep on living. But what you’re doing right now isn’t living. I’m not telling you to go crazy and party every night, but-” He elbowed her side playfully. “Nights like these aren’t so bad every once and awhile right? Have more of them and learn to rely on the people around you. Even if this Sith lord manipulated you in the past, have confidence that you can deal with him in the future. And even if you can’t deal with him just quiet yet, you have me right?” Jorvan tapped his chest with an arrogant grin. “I might not be a force user but I know how to hold my own. You’ll see when we finally go on a few missions together.”

Jorvan chuckled as he laid back down, “The point I’m trying to make is, just don’t let fear control your life. Open up more. Trust more. Relax. Eventually good things will come your way. Just be patient. Even if you get burned a few times, that’s life. You can’t avoid that.”

But she could avoid him and do herself a future favor, but he wouldn’t tell her that obviously. While he waited on her response he closed his eyes a little, although he didn't plan on going to sleep.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Had she been running and living scared all this time? Kay figured that she was keeping herself busy helping others. It helped her to forget, kept her occupied and from being selfish. She had already exiled herself for a number of years after her husband died. And that, she felt, was very selfish of her to do.

[member="Jorvan Hatha"] elbowed her side again, and she just gave him a little smirk. She was going to respond to what he said about relying on others, but then he kept talking. As far as she knew, she did rely on others. She had....well sort of a family. Close friends really. But one had even adopted her as his sister. She saved them and they saved her. That's how it worked.

Kay sighed. "I suppose..." And she just left it like that after seeing that it seemed as though Jorvan was falling asleep. She waited for a few more minutes, watching the ships high in orbit as they looked like moving stars in the sky. Jorvan's breath seemed even enough. So quietly she slid off of the hood and walked about twenty feet before she pulled her commlink out and signalled Terrac. "Hey, it's me. Is the blockade still up?"

"Well they aren't around me, if that's what you mean, doll. Where are you?"

"I'm by the Cliffs. I don't have enough fuel for the bike and Jorvan's speeder broke down. Can you come get us?"

One could almost hear his eyes rolling. "Out on a date were you? Didn't you know that it's a school night? You've got an election campaign to plan, doll. I'll close her up and be there shortly, blockade or no blockade."

"Terrac, I didn't even agree to run in the race yet. You can't just-"

Terrac was quick to interrupt. "Politics is in your blood, doll and you know it. You love helping people and you know this planet well. You have the power in more ways than one to stop the Sith from taking over, so use it!"

Kay sighed once again. It seemed that everyone had an opinion on what she should be doing. "Alright...I'll run. But it's not up to me on whether or not I get elected....See you when you get here."

She pocketed her commlink and then made her way back to the speeder. She sat up on the hood again, taking another peek to be sure that he was still sleeping. It seemed as though he was. Now to wait for Terrac to come. Maybe she'll search the holonet on Jorvan before she went to sleep. At least then she'll know what kind of a person he was and if he was hiding anything. She could always get a slicer to help too.

Almost 15 minutes later, The Free Lady could be heard approaching from the city.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

He hadn’t meant to fall asleep but he supposed that it was a message from the old gods. Get your priorities in order. Now that he could think with a clear head, it was foolish of him to try to sleep with her so soon. Not that he made any progress towards that happening anyway, but Jorvan knew it was better to build a better relationship with her first. Focus on friendship. Focus on earning her trust and devotion. Things like sleeping around could wait. For now, he had to focus strictly on business.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.”

Chacha sat at his bedside while she offered him a glass of water to help with his hangover. “You’re two for two now, you know that right?”

Jorvan rolled his eyes while he took the glass. “How’d I get back?”

Chacha shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. You knocked at the door, I answered. I stop paying attention to you after I tinkered with the landspeeder. If you couldn’t handle business after that…” She covered her mouth with a snort and Jorvan let out a sigh because he knew this was going to be a frustrating morning.

After he showered and got dressed, he left the hotel with a few of his lieutenants for a meeting with a local crime lord. He was no one important in Jorvan’s eyes, but it was good for appearance’s sake, that he made an attempt to play nice with the criminal factions that were already on Commenor. War would be at their doorstep eventually, but for now they had a purpose in his schemes.

When it was around lunch time, Jorvan went back to his hotel room and changed into something more comfortable. A t-shirt and a pair of jeans, although he decided to walk around in his boxers once Chacha left to go take care of some business.

He stared at his comlink for a while and wondered how soon was too soon? Should he call Kay immediately or should he wait awhile? He thought on it for a bit and decided to go with his gut.

Call her.

Whether that his common sense talking or he was just eager to see her again, he wasn’t so sure, but he dialed up her number and waited for her to respond nonetheless.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had spent the rest of the night talking with Terrac. They spoke in depth about the past day. At first she thought Terrac was being a little over protective. But then he tossed her a datapad. "I took the liberty of contacting Ultimatum and had him look into your stalker. He's bad news."

She poured over the details. Some of it was fluff about his businesses, but it was the highlighted crime reports that caught her eye. Nothing was ever proven, but there were accusations of extortion, bribery, kidnapping, assault, theft. The list went on. "So was I his next target then?"

"More than likely, doll. But if you could get him onto your side so that you could...have control over what he does. It'll pay off in the end. You don't want to have him as an enemy just yet."

"What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying. You have a campaign to win and work to do. The time to start is now."

Kay frowned as he tossed her her commlink next. She stared at it. Should she call [member="Jorvan Hatha"] or not? Her answer was given when he had called her first. Was he reading her mind? She hesitated for a second before answering. "Hey...How's your hangover?"

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

While he waited for her to respond, he stared out at the city and wondered how long would he be stuck here? How long would it take for him to have Kay under his influence? Chasin City was a nice city for the most part. There were places you go to have a good time and unwind, but it was no District 9 and it was no Coruscant either. Jorvan’s heart had always lied in the places where there were slums and ghettos. Places where he could drive to from time to time and remember where he’d come from or how far he’d actually gotten.

Oh, he was the son of a Serenno count, and he was raised in luxury, but there were times when he didn’t have that. There were times when he too had that hunger in his eyes to “go out and get it”. He wasn’t raised in the streets, but the streets accepted him when there was no one else to lend a hand. And now he was going to lend that same hand to the criminals of the Commenor. Not the big dawgs, but the little fish who were struggling on the corners. The stick-up kids and petty nickle and dime sellers who were risking their lives over chump change.

He was about to help them eat good off the streets and one way or another, Kay was going to help him.

As she finally answered his call, there was a smile while he still looked out the window, “Hangover?” he chuckled a bit. “Well it’s still kicking my butt a bit but it’s not as bad as it was this morning. Thanks for dropping me off by the way.” He started to remember parts of last night, including a certain conversation about her running for president, but he decided it was better if he didn’t tell her that for right now. “The reason I was calling you though….” There was a pause, while Jorvan considered his words a bit carefully. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out for a bit again? Maybe lunch, and if you had time, maybe we could drive around the city and you could show me some of those building locations you were talking about. You know, for Lusha?”

He was talking about the conversation they had at the restaurant where Kay had offered her opinions on where the scenic locations were, although he really wasn’t entertaining thoughts of bringing Lusha out here.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Terrac stared at her while both he and [member="Jorvan Hatha"] awaited her reply. He slowly nodded his head, giving her the answer that he wanted her to give. Since when did he become her boss? Well he was older and knew more about life than she did. Of course if she knew any better, it was almost as though he was setting her up with Jorvan. Or perhaps he was trying to reign her in even more.

"Umm...Yeah, that sounds great. I will meet you outside of your hotel in about a half hour." Terrac nodded his approval. But still he remained standing there as though he was waiting for Kay to mess things up.

She set her commlink down on the table and then headed towards her quarters. The old man followed. "Make sure that you pick something out to show some skin."

"Terrac! I am not getting romantically involved with him. I won't even pretend it. I have a campaign to run, remember?" Kay closed the door as she started to go through her small selection of clothing, most of it of the upper class merchant variety.

"Yes you do, and this is part of it, doll."

"No it's not! And since when did you become my campaign manager?" She was beginning to wonder what had exactly happened during that blockade. Was it only the officers that came to talk to him and search the ship? He did say that they were asking about her. Terrac had been acting a bit differently since then too. It could be just nothing, but there might be something there. And so far as she could tell, he wasn't talking in code.

"I'm not saying to trust him completely. But if he keeps the other criminals in line, then it wouldn't hurt to have him on your side. It's better than an all out war on the streets."

"Terrac...I'd rather them all be gone. Like before."

"You're living in a dream world, doll. Time to wake up and face reality. Life's not perfect, so deal with it."

Kay frowned slightly before stepping out of her quarters. She didn't like how things were changing. And it gave her a bad feeling. She hated not having control and little by little, her control was slipping away. Terrac curled a finger under her chin and lifted up her head.
"You'll be fine, doll. You'll set things right in the end. Just be patient and be smart."

"Okay." She walked by him and picked up her satchel and commlink before exiting her ship to head to Jorvan's apartment. There was plenty for her to think about while she was on her way there.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

After how last night had went, Jorvan didn’t think Kay would refuse his offer. Sure, a certain scenario didn’t play out like he wanted it to, but they had at least broken down barriers and opened up to each other. She had told him about her husband’s death and he had told her a little of his childhood. They were making progress.

"Umm...Yeah, that sounds great. I will meet you outside of your hotel in about a half hour."

Of course she would say that. It was only smooth sailing from here, although he wasn’t sure on how to broach the election situation with her. Would she be suspicious of him if he offered her financial aid, he wondered? He wouldn’t tell her about the other stuff he would do for her behind the scenes, but surely a donation or two from him wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. The majority of his money was from his illegal operations, but he was making a fortune from his legitimate businesses like Hatha Industries and Lusha too.

He would just ask her over lunch, he thought. Casually mention he overheard her speaking about it while she was on her comlink.

“Well look at you grinning over there.”

When Jorvan ended the call, Chacha stood in the doorway of his bedroom with a crooked smile. From the blood stains on her shirt, he took it that her meeting with one of the crime lords didn’t go as planned.

“I take it everything went well,” he said sarcastically. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms expecting another back and forth.

Chacha didn’t disappoint. “I take it you’re trying to change the subject,” she smiled. She took off her shirt, exposing her bra, and sat on the edge of the bed, motioning for him to toss her a fresh shirt. Sometimes he wasn’t sure who was the master and who was the servant.

“So what happened? I told you to hold off on your antics until Flex arrived. You think the few sects we have here are enough to handle the backlash if you mess anything up?”

Chacha rolled her eyes as she slid out of her jeans. “Yeah, yeah yeah, quit ******* nagging me. So what happened with Ms. Goody Two-Shoes? Don’t tell me she’s really giving you another shot?”

Jorvan snorted as he shook his head. “Who said I messed anything up?”

While he looked for something to wear, he filled her in on what happened between him and Kay last night, and he told her of how he thought they were slowly bonding and making that connection where he could manipulate her further down the road.

“If you say so,” Chacha only responded. She seemed like she wanted to say something more, but what he was wearing seemed to catch her attention.

​

​

​

“Well don’t you look nice.”

“I try from time to time.”

Jorvan waited outside in front of the hotel, looking for Kay’s landspeeder or speeder bike or whatever she was coming to pick him up in. It wasn’t as if he could use his landspeeder that was still being repaired.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay actually arrived on foot. She was fond of walking, taking public transport. And if things went the way that Terrac and others had hoped, being able to have this freedom was soon to disappear. And besides, the little restaurant wasn't far enough away to warrant hiring a landspeeder to take them there. Her Force signature was shrunk down to the size of a small tree nut. It wasn't as though she was around trusted friends, afterall. She was in public.

[member="Jorvan Hatha"] soon appeared and she was glad that he was dressed up. It meant that she wasn't overdressed. At least not too much. She bowed her head in greeting to him as he approached, just like she did with pretty much everyone.
"You look very dapper this afternoon. Lunch is just a short walk this way and then we can either walk or take transport for your scouting for Lusha. So...shall we?"

Of course she took the lead, keeping it all business. But in her mind Kay was trying to figure out how to approach things. After last night's events and then with her conversation with Terrac, she didn't know what to say or how to act. So she just stuck with her instincts, though she knew that Jorvan would probably be the one to break the ice.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

When Kay appeared around the corner, Jorvan blinked, a bit surprised at her clothes and a bit surprised that she was walking around instead of pulling up in some type of transport. She gave him a compliment on his appearance and he started to do the same for her, but it was something about her clothes that bothered him for a reason. They were a bit proper. A bit prim. Compared to the casual way she dressed yesterday, today he felt like she was the same Kay from the restaurant. The one that was determined to be reserved and distant.

He looked at his own clothes and realized that maybe he was being hypocritical. He wasn’t exactly dressed too comfortably either. Maybe they both were in that “try to impress each other” stage, although he knew that was mostly one-sided for the most part.

He gave her a compliment on her wardrobe nonetheless. “Well you’re dressed pretty radiantly if you don’t mind me saying. I’m surprised you don’t mind the attention to be honest. I figured you were the type who liked to dress down and blend in when you were away from business, sort of like last night, but maybe you have a date planned for later?” he chuckled. “You’re not meeting some guy afterwards are you?” He didn’t think she was, but the thought reminded him of another question. Who was that Terrac guy she mentioned a few times last night? He thought he might have seen him when the ship came to pick them up from the canyon, but his memory was a bit hazy on that.

After a while he said, “But I think its best if we get a transport for later when we’re scouting locations. I feel like you’ll be inconvenienced if we walked everywhere, although if that’s what really you want, I certainly wouldn’t mind. I’ll let you be the decider, just no speeder bikes." He shook his head with a snort. "We’ve seen what happens when you get behind the handlebars, although I'm not sure if I trust you in a landspeeder either." He was still ribbing her about last night, while they got a bit closer to the restaurant.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

When Kay appeared around the corner, Jorvan blinked, a bit surprised at her clothes and a bit surprised that she was walking around instead of pulling up in some type of transport. She gave him a compliment on his appearance and he started to do the same for her, but it was something about her clothes that bothered him for a reason. They were a bit proper. A bit prim. Compared to the casual way she dressed yesterday, today he felt like she was the same Kay from the restaurant. The one that was determined to be reserved and distant.

He looked at his own clothes and realized that maybe he was being hypocritical. He wasn’t exactly dressed too comfortably either. Maybe they both were in that “try to impress each other” stage, although he knew that was mostly one-sided for the most part.

He gave her a compliment on her wardrobe nonetheless. “Well you’re dressed pretty radiantly if you don’t mind me saying. I’m surprised you don’t mind the attention to be honest. I figured you were the type who liked to dress down and blend in when you were away from business, sort of like last night, but maybe you have a date planned for later?” he chuckled. “You’re not meeting some guy afterwards are you?” He didn’t think she was, but the thought reminded him of another question. Who was that Terrac guy she mentioned a few times last night? He thought he might have seen him when the ship came to pick them up from the canyon, but his memory was a bit hazy on that.

After a while he said, “But I think its best if we get a transport for later when we’re scouting locations. I feel like you’ll be inconvenienced if we walked everywhere, although if that’s what really you want, I certainly wouldn’t mind. I’ll let you be the decider, just no speeder bikes." He shook his head with a snort. "We’ve seen what happens when you get behind the handlebars, although I'm not sure if I trust you in a landspeeder either." He was still ribbing her about last night, while they got a bit closer to the restaurant.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked down at her dress. Maybe it was a bit too much. But she didn't have much in the way of clothes and there was hardly any down time to warrant casual wear. Besides, the two outfits that she wore yesterday were her most casual, and she didn't want to wear them two days in a row. She offered up a small yet embarrassed smile. "Well, I don't draw up that much attention. Most are used to me by now. And no, I'm not meeting any guy after." She smirked a little at the very thought. Her plans for later were much different. She had to contact the Elders, schedule a meeting and get her campaign under way. That is if she didn't back out first of course. And besides, she figured this was more or less a business type lunch anyways.

She smiled to herself as she thought of the speederbike incident. Although it was kind of mean. At least she showed him that he didn't have her all figured out like he expected. "We'll hire out a speeder and let someone else drive. How's that?" Kay brought [member="Jorvan Hatha"] to a small restaurant that was quaint, but offered a nice view of the street for people watching.

She had her own little table that she tended to go to by herself, so the server was a little surprised to see her with another, let alone a man. "Lovely to see you, Miss Kay. Can I get you your usual?"

"Yes please. At least for my tea. However I think that I'll have the soup of the day instead of sandwiches this time."

"As you wish, Miss Kay. And for you, sir?"

Kay was a little nervous as to how this day would play out. She had to do her best to not lash out if she felt the need and to try not to shut herself down. Hopefully it wouldn't be too difficult.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

"Well, I don't draw up that much attention.”

Well she could say that but she didn’t notice the people that were checking her out from time to time. Maybe she was one of those women who didn’t know they were attractive until someone spelled it out for them? She couldn’t have been that unaware, seeing as how she seemed to be a pro at rebuffing his advances all of the time.

“Well, if you say so,” he only laughed.

In response to her idea about hiring a driver, he nodded, “That can work.”

They continued towards the restaurant and Jorvan got the feeling they were being watched for some reason. He looked over his shoulder and noticed that a few of his men were in disguise, walking a distance behind them. He told Chacha he didn’t need an escort, but maybe she was starting to realize the consequence of her actions? Now that she had butchered that crime lord there was a risk of a turf war, although Jorvan wasn’t too worried about it because he could handle himself.

As they entered the restaurant, Jorvan was pleased with her choice. Smaller places like this were preferable over the type of restaurant that Amanda ran, where it was larger and the patrons were the type of people that he tried to avoid on a daily basis.

He noticed the waiter’s look of surprise when they were seated, and Jorvan thought maybe Kay had often brought a different company here. Maybe that Terrac person or someone else that he wasn’t aware of.

In response to the waiter’s question, he said, “I’ll have what she’s having, but instead of soup, I’ll take the sandwiches.”

While the waiter left, Jorvan stared out at the street for a while enjoying the scenery, and then he said, “This is a nice place you’ve brought us to. I can appreciate the view and-” Jorvan looked around the restaurant and nodded towards some of the patrons. “Much more better company than yesterday, right?” He was speaking of the stuffy suits who were at Amanda’s luncheon, although maybe Kay might have fit into that category too, although Jorvan didn’t put them in the same category. After what she showed him last night, he knew she was much more uninhibited than she let on.

“Truth be told,” Jorvan started. His gaze returned to the street and there was a little commotion over a fender bender. “I actually overheard bits of your conversation last night while I was dozing off and on. I didn’t hear all of it but ‘Alright...I'll run’ keeps ringing in my head for some reason. Is there any truth to this? Are you really thinking about running for president?” His eyes came back to her and there was a genuine look of curiosity as he waited for her answer.

He was hoping she would run, because if she was elected, she would become that much more valuable to him in the future.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay followed his eyes as he looked around the restaurant and nodded to people. It was almost as if he was looking for someone. "This is one of my favourite places to go for lunch. I only go to Amanda's and other restaurants like it for business meetings." It wasn't as though she was super rich and could afford to go to high class restaurants anyways. Her credits were hardly used on herself.

And then [member="Jorvan Hatha"] asked about her running for President. That caught her by surprise as she thought that he was asleep when she spoke with Terrac on the subject. Well, she would know better now in case Jorvan ever passed out on her again. "Well.."

The server soon appeared with their tea, giving Kay the extra pause that she needed as she tried to figure out how best to answer. She smiled in thanks and then poured them each a cup, before taking her own and holding it in both hands with her elbows propped up on the table. "...I was thinking about it. But it's not an easy thing to do. I need permission first, and then there's the campaign which thankfully is only a standard month long. I'd have to have someone fill in for my current job if I am elected and then get used to living in a building again, as opposed to a ship. Although I'm sure that I will still have plenty of travel. But then I'll lose my privacy too. Small prices to pay though, in order to help people." No doubt she'd be too busy for any time to herself anyways.

She sipped her tea, taking a peek outside. The commotion seemed to have died down, which was good. The last thing that she needed was for her small lunch to be disturbed.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

She was developing a habit of bringing him to her favorite places. First her secret little hideaway on the beach and now this place. He looked at her and maybe their little talk from yesterday had left a stronger impression than he thought? She was certainly more relaxed today. More comfortable. As she poured him a cup of tea, he almost forgot that he was here to grease her up a bit. Maybe, that wasn’t even necessary at this point? The fact that she wasn’t dodging his questions was very telling.

He thanked her for the tea right before she said, “I was thinking about it. But it's not an easy thing to do.”

She said more, but that was enough for him to have an answer. While she continued to speak, he smiled and nodded every once and a while, but in his head, his mind was in a different place. How much money to donate? What other candidates could be blackmailed to drop out of the race? What other politicians could be threatened to support her candidacy? There were a million questions, and by the end of the month, he knew he could have a million answers. She wasn’t the first politician he had helped to power, and while she didn’t accept his help yet, he knew she would be the recipient of it either way.

In response to her words, he stroked his beard and looked at her thoughtfully, “I think you should run,” His expression was a bit serious. “These are dark times for the galaxy and the Sith are running amok with the Mandalorians competing for a close second in being a menace. The Republic isn’t what it used to be. The desire to protect everyone is there, but do they have the actual capability?" Jorvan shrugged his shoulders. "That remains to be seen and until then, it would be better for places like Commenor to be under a strong government that can fend for itself. A Strong leadership.” Jorvan pointed in her direction. “A leadership that people can trust.”

He set down his cup and looked at the fender-bender through the window for a while before he said, “It’s true you’ll have to give up on your privacy, but you know it better than everyone else. Sacrifice comes with the territory when you’re trying to help others. I’m sure being chained to your office will suck for a while, but just look out there in the streets and see your reward. It could always be worst. Fender-benders like these are a god-send compared to the everyday problems that other people are dealing with."

Jorvan offered her a sympathetic smile, while he shrugged his shoulders. "The choice to run is always yours, but I think Commenor would be better with you than without. That might be putting pressure on you, but I'm not very good at lying. I can only speak the truth and the truth is that Commenor needs you. I think you have to step up to the plate."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay stared at her cup while he spoke, lifting her eyes on occasion when certain points were mentioned, such as the Sith and the Mandalorians, as well as the Republic and it's capacity to protect all that they need to. She sipped her tea, having heard all of this before from Terrac and others. But she was reluctant. Even though she knew that [member="Jorvan Hatha"] and the others were right, she was still hesitating on jumping in with both feet. How many pep talks did she need? And would she be good enough? Maybe the best leaders were ones that didn't covet the position, but acquired it through knowledge and skill.

Their soup and sandwich had arrived, the server having caught the tail end of Jorvan's words. He looked to Kay with a bright smile and nod, after all, just knowing that a future President frequents the restaurant was enough to gain a much larger customer base. He then left them to eat.

Kay set down her tea and then picked up the spoon, dipping it into her soup. It looked creamy and hearty, just what she needed. "You're probably right." She ate the spoonful of soup, taking a look outside as the commotion outside was now over, with them shaking hands before parting ways. Some sort of deal between the two parties must have occurred, showing that diplomacy still had a place in the Galaxy. "When I represented Commenor in the Senate and it was a part of the Republic, things were good. We did well at keeping smuggling to a minimum, Crime Lords and gangs were pretty much non-existent. But then I was fi--I quit, and left out of shame. Only in the past month or so have I returned, and things have changed. Maybe it's because the Sith territory has edged closer, but there's a darker undertone to the cities and the Crime Lords have come. Who knows what else is out there..."

She had another spoonful of soup. She liked this side of Jorvan. It was easier to communicate with, when she didn't have to worry about him just trying to sleep with her or teasing her about not sleeping with anyone else. Perhaps some of what she had said last night sunk in with him. Terrac was insistent that she kept him on her side, and for this moment, it was easy. Hopefully the rest of the day goes just as well.

"I have friends and allies almost everywhere. If Commenor needs something to help keep it safe, I can get it with little hassle. But one step at a time. No point in making plans before the election." Kay had seen campaigns but had never gone through one herself. They involved press conferences, debates, and of course touring the planet's largest cities. At least she had a ship for it already.

"How's your sandwich?"

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

"You're probably right."

Jorvan knew he was right, but he was glad she was seeing things his way.

When the soup and sandwiches arrived, he listened to her attentively. She spoke of things he already knew but it was a certain sentence of hers that caught his attention for a little. “But then I was fi--I quit,” No, that wasn’t what she was about to say. She was about to say fired, he thought, but when he really thought about it, it really didn’t make any sense. She was too good of a senator and the people of the Republic respected and admired her. Add in all of her brave and reckless actions to go against the slave traders, than it seemed even more ridiculous.

But he was nitpicking. Even if she got fired, what did it matter? She could easily climb her way back up to power and he was in her corner. She had nothing to worry about.

In response to her words, he grinned, “See this is why I wanted to invite you out for a bit. I knew if I talked to you, I would be in better spirits. You have a type of way of putting me at ease, although I know that’s not your intent. Truthfully, you’re not the only politician I know of. I’m acquainted with many actually, and I won’t deny that it’s mainly for business reasons and connections. But when I speak to you, I feel like I’m speaking to a real person and not a robot. When you say something, I feel like I can believe it. You seem ‘real’ if you know what that means.” He started to chuckle a bit after realizing he had probably chose the wrong terminology. “You might not know what that slang means now that I think about it, but you gist of what I’m saying, right? You wear your opinions on your sleeves and I really respect that. Admire it even.”

He was quiet for a while, while he sipped his tea and thought on her question about the sandwich. He told her it was satisfying before he asked her, “So have you had a chance to speak with Asha, yet? I’m not sure if you ever got the chance to learn her name, but she was the teen from yesterday. You know her band took home first place, right? I was actually going to swing by her home sometime this week to speak with her parents about singing a contract, but you’re welcome to tag along if you want. I know you two have a special history.”

 

[Kay-Larr]

She raised a brow slightly as he spoke of her putting him at ease. She tended to have that way with people, though in truth she always assumed it was just the tea that she served. Even the most dark of souls that she had come across tended to cease wanting to kill her or fight her after having a cup of tea. Maybe it wasn't the tea afterall?

Kay continued to eat her soup as [member="Jorvan Hatha"] spoke of politicians and how she was different. She knew what it was like to hit rock bottom. She knew what it was like to struggle and to be oppressed by others more powerful than herself. Every position that she had gained in life was earned through hard work, it wasn't given.

She was about to say as much when he spoke about Asha. Did he still think that her going to the concert was a ruse to draw him to her so that she could seduce him? Hopefully not, but she felt as though he was testing her anyways. "I tried to reach her this morning, but she was still sleeping. I thought that I'd try again later this evening. It's wonderful to hear that they got first place and that you wish to sign her." She smiled a little, though she was unsure if Asha's parents even survived the mission that she was rescued from. Wasn't it just Asha and her brother? She raised her cup in a bit of a toast. "I wish you both much success and look forward to going to more of her concerts when I am available."

As for going later in the week, she wasn't sure whether or not she could. "I'll see what I can do about joining you, but I have a lot of planning and scheduling to do if I get permission to run. I'll have to go out there and earn the support of those that don't like me. Not everyone approves of me here. Somehow I'll have to change their minds."

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

As she started to answer his question about Asha, he started to think a little about the teen and wonder if she was ready for the big move. She couldn’t stay in Commenor if she wanted to make it big. She would have to go to Coruscant or Denon, where Jorvan would have to link her up with a record label and a manager.

While Kay continued to talk, he wondered if his joke from last night was still on her mind. She had took it horribly to be honest. But when he thought about it, maybe it was a godsend, because it led to him giving her his little speech about her needing to open up more and she had ended up falling for it hook, line and sinker surprisingly.

When she told him, “I'll see what I can do about joining you but-”, Jorvan didn’t really think about the “but” that came after her statement. He was already making plans for her to tag along although she didn’t know it yet. He smiled in response to her words. The statement “Not everyone approves of me here,” made him laugh inwardly especially. If only she knew what he was up to. Those people disagreeing with her wouldn’t be disagreeing with her for much longer.

“These people who you need to work on,” he said. “The dissenters, I mean.” He had finished his meal and was dabbing at the edge of his mouth with a napkin. “How about you let me take care of that? I’m not a politician exactly, but I have my ways of convincing people to make the right decisions.” There was a humorous look in his eyes, and he wondered how this woman would have felt if she knew she was sitting across the table from one of the crime lords she had always been fighting against.

If only.

“But let me not bore you with this political talk.” By this time, they had both finished their meal, and Jorvan was motioning for the waiter so he could pay for their bill. While he was waiting for the waiter to arrive, he said, “So are we still hiring a landspeeder for our little adventure around the city? Any particular driver and company you had in mind? I have to admit I’m not use to using these type of services, so you’ll have to take the lead on this one, unless-” He started to chuckle a bit. “You wanted to take public transportation or something. I’m not sure how you arrived at the hotel to be honest. Did you walk the whole way there?”