Private Seas of Change

[Judah Dashiell]

SERENNO

​

Maneuvering between the Corporate Sector and the High Republic left little time. It left little in the way of a proper waypoint as well. The Corporate Sector was fine and well with a miriad of expensive steakhouses and lounges but he didn't want a first date to be in the space.

He would be spotted. Being spotted would lead to complications.

Not that he was embarrassed or trying to hide the fact he was on the date. It came more from the fact he had yet to tell his sons. Being well-known in the Corporate Sector meant someone would end up telling Makai before he had the chance.

If there was a chance to tell anything. A first date. Meant the evening could go either way. It was bad enough to have a therapist pick his intentions apart with a woman twenty years his junior. Iandre Athlea also had to show, and while she did not seem the type to humor him, there was the possiblity she said yes as not to hurt his feelings.

Silverware clinked and low conversations filled the space as he waited. To be fair, his meeting had wrapped up early, allowing for extra space in his schedule.

Dressed in a simple black suit, Judah kicked back with his whisky, doing his best not to look at his datapad.

Part of this was the entire getting out there thing that Tannor Grene harped on every session. The man practically jumped overboard in shock on the yacht when he had been told.

What did that say about him?

Iandre Athlea ​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre paused outside the restaurant for a moment before stepping inside.

It felt strangely unfamiliar.

She had attended diplomatic galas, state dinners, military ceremonies, and enough formal receptions to fill several lifetimes. Those had always come with expectations. There had been titles to remember, conversations to navigate, and responsibilities waiting the moment dessert had been cleared away. This was none of those. This was simply...a date. Not just any kind of date, though. The first real date between her and Judah Dashiell.

The thought drew the smallest smile to her lips as she smoothed an almost nonexistent wrinkle from her dress before taking a quiet breath and making her way inside.

She had left her robes and armor behind for the evening. Her days of wearing those were becoming less common. Instead, she wore a long emerald-green dress that gathered naturally at her waist before falling in gentle folds to her ankles. The sleeves reached just past her elbows, simple and elegant without drawing attention to themselves. A modest slit along one side made walking comfortable without being ostentatious, while a pair of understated gold earrings and a delicate bracelet were the only jewelry she'd chosen to wear. Her hair, usually tied back or braided for practicality, had been left down in soft waves over her shoulders.

The hostess scarcely had time to greet her before her eyes found Judah. Following her to the table, she couldn't help but remember the evenings she had already spent with Judah.

He looked exactly as she'd expected him to: composed, professional, and trying very hard to appear as though he wasn't waiting for someone. A warmer smile found its way onto her face.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting long." she said as she approached the table. "You look good, Judah."

There was the faintest hint of nervousness in her voice as she came to a stop beside him.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

As she approached, Judah had caught sight of her and quickly stood. Their table was against the glass wall, overlooking the expansive city of Carannia and beyond that, the glittering sea the city bordered. The sights in his opinion rivaled that of many in the Core, although he was biased, the Core had never vastly appealed to him.

"Not long at all. Had free time in my schedule so I arrived a little earlier than anticipated."

Moving to pull out her chair, Judah offered a scoff in reply.

"I look how I do everyday. You on the other hand look stunning. Green seems to suit you."

He motioned for her to take a seat. The old salvager was wise enough not to push his greeting with kiss on the cheek or a hug. Didn't seem they were in that space yet, if they ever would be. This was getting out there and his expectations were low. If the night was filled with lively conversation he would consider it a win.

Once she was seated, he settled back in across from her.

"Thanks for joining me. I hope the location is suitable."

Iandre Athlea​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

A faint blush warmed Iandre's cheeks at the compliment.

He said he looked the way he always did. She wondered when she'd stopped saying the same thing about herself.

There had been a time when robes and armor were as much a part of her identity as breathing. Tonight they remained folded away, replaced by emerald fabric and a nervousness she hadn't expected to feel. Judah hadn't changed for the evening. She had.

She wasn't sure what that meant yet.

"Thank you." she replied, accepting the compliment with a warm smile before taking the seat Judah had offered. It still felt a little strange allowing someone else to fuss over her again, but not unpleasant. Simply...a new experience again.

She looked across the table at him for a moment, studying him in a way she never had during receptions or council meetings.

"You look different tonight." she observed thoughtfully. "Not because of the suit." A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You look...more relaxed." She searched for the right words. "Like you're not expecting every conversation to become a negotiation."

A quiet laugh escaped her.

"I'm not sure that's the right way to describe it." She tilted her head slightly. "But it suits you."

Her eyes wandered briefly to the city lights shimmering beyond the glass before returning to him.

"And this place is wonderful." she said sincerely. "Thank you for inviting me."

There was still a trace of nervousness in her smile. First dates, she was discovering, were far more intimidating than diplomatic summits. Yet as she settled into her chair and looked back across the table, that nervousness had already begun to give way to quiet anticipation.

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

“I do anticipate a great debate between getting the layer cake or galette for dessert, but beyond that I am expecting no massive negotiations in my near future. Unless you surprise me and break out some debate sheets.”

Pausing as the waiter brought over two glasses of flat water and their menus, along with a small spiel of chef’s experimental dish for the evening, subjects were changed away from business.

“No need to thank me. I’m the one in your debt, I should be thanking you for joining me. Part of me expected you not to show, but I had a feeling you are not the type to merely ghost an engagement.”

Picking up the whisky he had ordered before she arrived, he gave a small nod towards her.

“So, what have you been up to since we saw one another last? The Commonwealth Gala. An interesting event, quiet.”

Iandre Athlea ​

 

[Iandre Athlea]

Iandre accepted the glass of water with a quiet nod of thanks before turning her attention to the menu. Her eyes drifted over the offerings, though she couldn't say she was truly reading them yet.

A small smile appeared at Judah's confession.

"If I didn't want to be here, Judah..." she said gently, looking up from the menu, "...I wouldn't have accepted your invitation."

She held his gaze for a moment, letting the sincerity and truth behind the words settle between them before taking a small sip of water.

"As for what I've been doing..." She smiled thoughtfully. "I officially...well...I suppose I temporarily stepped away from both the Lilaste Order and what remained of the Diarchy." There was no bitterness in her voice anymore. Only acceptance. "I needed some distance to figure out who I was without either of them."

Her fingers rested lightly against the edge of the menu.

"I spent some time on Naboo." she continued. "Caught up with Aiden Porte. He's become a good friend through the Jedi, and...I think I needed someone who understood where I'd come from without trying to tell me where I should go next."

A hint of amusement returned to her eyes.

"And..." she said, a playful smile finally breaking through her lingering nervousness, "I also met one of your children." She looked over the top of the menu with quiet satisfaction. "Balun." The smile grew just a touch. "He's a good man."

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Stepping away makes sense. I guess that is the trouble with anything you emesh with in life. When it ends you have to figure out the who and what in terms of next steps."

It sounded like a self-imposed therapy session in his eyes. Or one without declaring it as such, especially considering she had met with another Jedi. It would only make sense to seek out another in a similar field of...could it be considered work? He could never tell.

Gaze had flicked to the menu, silently debating between some type of fried meat dumpling or a summer salad for his starter when Iandre Athlea dropped a bombshell.

She had met Balun. Presumably on Naboo. Or maybe at some type of Jedi training.

A small cough of surprise. He quickly tried to cover that cough by taking a sip of whisky, that only made it worse. Soon he was coughing in earnest and the whisky went down the wrong direction. Growing red faced, he struggled to breathe properly.

He looked like a damn fool.

Before she could do anything though, he waves away her concerns. Only thing to do was to try to regroup and breathe normally again. It would take a moment.

Deep breaths. Maybe he would try to talk.

"Balun, huh. How did I come up?"

Clearly the lack of oxygen made him forget about the last name and how formal introductions went.