Faction Standing in the Light

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus

Kiba no Shimai​

"I was wondering... H-How did you get your armor?"

Lutz's brow furrowed. He wasn't quite sure what she was asking, so he went with the most literal answer: "It was made for me by my blacksmith."

Oh boy. This wasn't working out so far. They needed something to justify such a question.

"I suppose you aren't very used to seeing this sort of armor, huh?" Roten mused. "The Askaji are pacifist. I doubt anything of the like have circulated your people for a few thousand years."

That was all made up on the fly, but Roten just rolled with it. He was, at least, good at lying. You tended to be growing up around thieves and criminals. You had to know when someone was trying to stab you in the back while not showing your own hand. Otherwise you wound up dead.

He had, of course, taken note of the ring. A memento from a spouse who passed on? Humans used rings to sanctify their unions, so perhaps that was the case. He wasn't sure, but he'd keep such an observation in his pocket for later.

"It's immaculately crafted," he noted, returning to the notion of the armor. "Has this set seen combat, or is it ceremonial? I recall hearing that the folks here have armor for several occasions."

 

[Monira Opus]

"But we aren't pacifists," Moni protested, missing the cue that Roten was lying to save her. "Our tribes fight all the time. We go to war too much, actually. At least, that's what I think." She nodded at Lutz. "It's true that we don't wear armor like yours. All that metal would get too hot in the desert. We wear special suits designed for the dry heat, and to protect ourselves from blaster bolts and vibroblades."

Prince Lutz stroked his beard to hide his smile. He was initially a bit disoriented by the twists and turns the conversation had taken, but he had been able to parse what he thought was the dynamic between these two. The "princess" was a kind little fool, and her "bodyguard" was brash and eager to impress. It was all very amusing.

"It's immaculately crafted. Has this set seen combat, or is it ceremonial? I recall hearing that the folks here have armor for several occasions."

"It is ceremonial," Lutz answered. "If you like, I can give you the name of my blacksmith. He's made all my armor. I used to keep his identity a closely guarded secret, to prevent anyone else from making use of his services. But now that I'm old and not long for this world, it seems a shame to not pass his talents on to the next generation."

Moni glanced at Roten. Was that enough to count toward their assignment?

Roten Makko Vyres​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

Well, that backfired. Roten offered a sigh.

"My mistake," he apologized. "I suppose I still have much to learn. My experience doesn't tread far from Naboo."

That was fine. He could be the fool here, just as long as they could take something away from all of this. And sure enough, it seemed they had a lead on information.

"If you like, I can give you the name of my blacksmith. He's made all my armor. I used to keep his identity a closely guarded secret, to prevent anyone else from making use of his services. But now that I'm old and not long for this world, it seems a shame to not pass his talents on to the next generation."

"I would be honored to know," Roten answered. "They are an artist. It only seems right that people know who crafted such impeccable wears."

A man who was learning to regret the greed of his youth. It was good that he now sought to give flowers to his blacksmith, but it was clear he had once horded many things to himself as a young man. Roten had lived in the aftermath of those pitfalls. All the things his own mother selfishly horded, even from himself, simply to satisfy her own greed...

Maybe he had some neglect issues he needed to meditate on. That was best left for another time.

 

[Monira Opus]

"He is called Fergus. His forge is offworld, on the planet Iphigin."

Moni wasn't sure if they would each be required to bring back a secret. With Roten taking credit for learning who had made the armor, she decided she had better uncover a secret of her own.

"What about your ring? Did he make it too?" she asked.

Lutz palmed the pocket containing the trinket protectively. Then, slowly, he relaxed. "No," he said softly. "The ring was given to me some fifty years ago." He reached into his pocket and pulled it out for her to see. "'Tis a simple, blunt thing made of steel and silver. It won't fit my fingers anymore, so I keep it on a chain."

Moni sensed there was something special about it. "Is it magic?"

The prince decided to humor her. "You could say that. It was given to me by a beautiful enchantress. So long as I have this ring, her spirit will be near to me. If I am ever in need, I can call upon her and she will come to my aid."

Eyes wide with wonder, Moni's gaze shifted from the ring up to Lutz. "Have you ever used it before?"

"Oh, yes. Many times." He tucked the trinket away again. "If you will excuse me, I am very tired. Thank you for the pleasant conversation."

Roten​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

Roten simply offered a dip of his head in respect before he turned away, walking back to a discrete part of the ballroom. He had hated every part of that process. It was made more difficult that he had very little means of coordinating with Moni, and she seemed to miss a few of his ques. He couldn't help but wonder how much of an alibi she had pre-planned.

It didn't really matter. They had gathered information successfully.

"That went well enough," Roten reasoned, stretching a little to stave off his stiffness. "What we got should be enough, yeah? It's not like we were looking for anything specific or incriminating."

 

[Makko Vyres]

Roten Monira Opus

Makko was enjoying a glass of something bubbly all by himself.

"So," he asked of the pair.

"What did you learn? And what did you learn about blending in and learning things?

 

[Monira Opus]

That wasn't so bad, Moni thought as she walked away from Prince Lutz. Considering that she had gone into this with no plan and a minimal amount of preparation, it was a miracle that she hadn't been exposed as a fraud and thrown out of the party.

Now that she had obtained a secret, she needed to bring it to Master Vyres. The instructor sat alone, sipping from a bubbly glass. Moni approached him eagerly, a nervous yet hopeful smile on her face.

"So. What did you learn?"

"The ball is a birthday party for a man named Prince Lutz. He's really old, but nice." Moni's hands fluttered excitedly as she spoke, the gestures expressing what words could not. "He has a magic ring. I don't know if it's actually magic, though. If it was, I couldn't sense it with the Force."

"And what did you learn about blending in and learning things?

That was a harder question to answer. "Uh..." She rubbed her arm. "That... pretending to be someone I'm not is easier if I have help?"

Roten Makko Vyres​

 

[Makko Vyres]

Roten Monira Opus

"And what was the story you offered when you were pretending?" he asked, slipping in another question.

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

"Told us about his blacksmith," Roten stated. "He said he used to hide the man's name, but chose to let it slip so others could learn of his craft. Fergus of Iphigin."

Roten offered Moni a glance before he spoke to her.

"I'll... let you explain the ring, I guess..."

She had mentioned not feeling any magic. He wondered if she had picked up on it's significance. It was her discovery, so she should really be the one to share it. Even so, he could at least be ready to assist if he needed to.

 

[Bettany Sal-Soren]

Location: Denon nightclub
Objective: find something for Makko
Tags: Tatiana Sah

Wearing this

It was more comfortable dancing with someone than alone in this alien place so Bettany quickly adjusted her rhythm in time with Tatiana Sah and began dancing with her as they moved around.

"Here or Denon in general?" she asked over the music. "Never to this club, but sure I've been on Denon before. You?"

Her head snapped rounds as she noticed what felt like a unknown hand invading her space. She was about to scowled when she noticed it was just someone's tail as the danced completely oblivious to her. She wished she wasnt so on edge here, perhaps even that she had brought some of her anxiety meds but it wasnt a good look to be taking pills in a night club, even if they were entirely legal. She grinned to herself and shook her head.

"I dont usually do places like this, you having a good night?" she wondered how she somehow could go from a nervous celebrity to a jedi investigator. For now dancing would have to do.


​

 

[Monira Opus]

"And what was the story you offered when you were pretending?"

"I said that he was my bodyguard," Moni pointed to Roten. "And he said we Askajians are pacifists. Which isn't true. But that's okay, because I corrected him." She beamed, oblivious to the fact that she had just admitted to her teacher that she had almost blown Roten's cover.

She wasn't the brightest lightsaber in the bunch.

Makko Vyres Roten​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana smiled as she danced and listened to her companion ask questions. "In general. The nightlife. The scenery. The technology. Has everything a woman could want." If the Core wasn't flagged as a risk -- especially for someone associated with the Republic -- she would have visited Coruscant as well; but she'd also heard its social scene wasn't what it used to be under Imperial rule. Certainly a thriving locale though, Denon.

The blonde laughed. "It's wonderful! You don't get to dance like this where I'm from. What about you? From far away?" Not from Denon from what Bettany had just said, but that left a whole galaxy to choose from. From the way she seemed to look at her surroundings, a packed room like this didn't seem her every-day either. Didn't hurt to try something new. Tatiana certainly did as often as she could.

Bettany Sal-Soren