Faction Standing in the Light

[Makko Vyres]

[img]https://i.ibb.co/WNGS8SBM/image-jpg1-copy-800x200.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.ibb.co/3yFPNX0T/image10-copy-800x200.jpg[/img]

Open to Jedi of the Republic. Choose One setting that makes your character most uncomfortable


Makko Vyres did not begin the lesson in a training hall.

In two different locations, he delivered the same speech to two different groups of padawans. They looked prepared for drills, for lectures on technique, perhaps even for sparring and yet they had found themselves in:

A Denon Nightclub
or
A Ukatis Ballroom

"You are here because you think you want to be Sentinels. Or Shadows. Some of you think that means you will learn how to sneak. How to fight dirty. How to disappear."

A faint, humourless smile touched one corner of his mouth.

"The difficult part is actually standing in the light and not making a fething idiot of yourself."

"Infiltration isn't always about being unseen. It is about being unremarkable. It is about walking into places you do not belong and making people forget to question why you are there."

He looked across the group. His gaze turned sharply to each to them in turn.

"Tonight, you're here to be out of your comfort zone. A Denon nightclub full of cyber ravers who hate outsiders/ a ballroom on Ukatis, full of nobles who will smile while they measure your worth."

He left a deliberate pause.

"You will talk to people. You will listen more than you speak. You will not use the Force to pry, persuade, or intimidate. You will use it to judge if you're saying the wrong things. You will bring me back something real. A rumour. A secret. A fear. Something that matters to the people who live there."

Makko lowered his arms.

"If that makes you uncomfortable, good. That means you are learning."

"Any questions?"

Makko grinned. Perhaps he could get used to teaching.

 

[Bettany Sal-Soren]

Location: Denon nightclub
Objective: find something for Makko
Tags: Makko Vyres

Wearing this

"None at all Knight Makko." she said, lying but not wanting to admit that she didnt have the confidence in this life that some of the padawans half her age already had. Stick her on a stage or in front of cameras and she was golden. But make her do jedi stuff and she was as green as her new lightsaber blade.

When she had been filming My Husband and Die she had only been a child and this Jedi Makko had not even been on the scene with Corazona as far as the public had been aware. But later on she had kept up with the heiress Jedi's life and even managed to attend the name day of their child. So she knew who he was. But what he wanted, another question entirely, particularly today.

Bettany had been on Denon a bunch of times, doing film shoots, even attending a gala to raise money for the billions of forgotten people on the planet, discretes she thought the word was. Usually though she would be escorted by at least one bodyguard, usually a muscular man the size of a small van whose one purpose in life was to keep her safe. Not tonight.

She felt nervous, she was in a grotty night club feeling very over dressed, she was only seventeen so it wasnt like she even had years of this scene to fall back on. She looked around at the people of Denon, any one of them could be a criminal, even a terrorist and she wouldn't have a clue. Her publicist had recommended she wore a nail mounted "spike sensor" here. If she dipped it in her drink and there was anything untoward in it, it would vibrate and she could get the fuck out of there.

But it wasnt even the rough around the edges citizens that scared her the most. The corporate security of Denon were legendary, and she could see why. Big and tough and ready to break your jaw if you stepped even a foot out of line. They were up to their eyes in corruption and had a power trip that the Darths would be impressed by. If she was in a fix, she had only herself to rely on here. She hoped Makko Vyres stuck around nearby just in case. He was familiar with this place by all accounts and she assumed it was his job as the teacher to make sure she didnt get murdered or bagged up to be auctioned off to the highest paying corporate.

"What are you doing, Betty. You are a Sal-Soren, you should be fearless." she chastised herself before grabbing her drink off the barman. Testing its contents and heading towards the dance floor. At least she felt pretty tonight, her outfit was on point, even if it made her stick out like a sore thumbs.


​

 

[Roten]

Ballroom, Ukatis
Tags: Makko Vyres , Open...

Kiba no Shimai​

"The difficult part is actually standing in the light and not making a fething idiot of yourself."

There was some comedy to that statement, at least from Roten's perspective. He sure felt like an idiot doing all of this 'light' stuff, especially considering his background.

Roten didn't often leave Veridia for training. He was trying to diversify himself as a Jedi, though, get out of his comfort zone. In particular, he wanted to get a better grasp of the high society his Master Matthew of Valendale came from. As of current it was a strange beast he had little interest in engaging with. Maybe it was because he had seen the darkest corners of the galaxy, the sorts of places that those in opulence stood on.

Maybe he felt he didn't fit in in a place like that.

Whatever the case was, he was certainly here now. All he had to do was get somebody to divulge them information without the Force... seemed straight forward enough. He didn't exactly have mind tricks down, so it wouldn't be tempting to cheat. It was really just a matter of how he'd even get past people who hid behind masks.

Sometimes they did wear their egos on their sleeves. Valor the Forsaken came to mind. His insecurity manifested in kicking down, and he seemed to mock others from a perspective of personal experience. He could surely hope that the nobles here would be as straight forward, but the truth of the matter was far more complex. You couldn't exactly have an outburst like that at a party and look good to your peers. Alcohol was out of the question as well. Roten had grown to despise drink after growing up around slobbish pirates. It seemed rather un-Jedi like to convince someone to get drunk to reveal their secrets anyways.

He'd have to just figure out how to do things his own way. A low snarl escaped his teeth as he pulled at the collar of his nice suit. It was unbearably stuffy, especially for somebody with fur. Hopefully he didn't need to be here for long...

Someone would let something slip eventually, right?

 

[Monira Opus]

Roten + OPEN
​

Monira stood wide-eyed at the edge of the ballroom, furtively looking for a familiar face in the crowd. But of course, there was nobody she knew here - having a friend nearby would've made things too easy. She couldn't even tell which ones were her fellow Jedi and which ones were native Ukatians.

The instructors had determined that she would be most out of her element here. She certainly looked uncomfortable, trussed up in a pale pink Ukatian-style gown that had been strategically designed to hide her Askajian anatomy. It probably cost more than anything she'd ever owned, let alone worn. Her arms rested awkwardly at her sides, pushed slightly outward by her voluminous skirts, as if she didn't know what to do with them.

Already people were staring, sizing her up. At this rate they would be the ones divulging her secrets. W-What do I do? she thought, trying to swallow her rising panic. Come on, think...

"Pardon me," a voice interrupted her thoughts. "I see you are alone. Have you no escort?"

It was one of the nobles, an older man in an expensive suit. His friendly tone didn't match his calculating gaze. "Uh," she began, without having any idea what she was going to say next. "I'm... I'm not here alone. I do have an escort, actually." Her darting gaze searched around until she landed on a furry purple alien standing just a few feet away. "I'm with him," she said, pointing at Roten . Should the Bursantian take notice of her, he would see the silent plea in her eyes.

Help.

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Open...

Kiba no Shimai​

"I'm with him,"

"Huh?"

Roten's head turned, finding himself being pointed at with some degree of importance. His large ears had heard everything that lead up to that moment, but it was more just background noise. It didn't really matter until the strange girl seemed to indicate that he was part of her entourage.

But he felt that little itch in his brain, that thing that Lord Kalrath seemed to indicate was the thing that made him weak. The Bursantian let out a reluctant sigh.

"Yes, Ma'am," he muttered before turning to the noble and mustering up a more composed tone. "You shouldn't ask a lady if she's alone. That seems rather improper, don't you think?"

Not to mention rude. Why was it their business? There were probably other people here without escorts, so it seemed more like someone simply trying to be accusatory. Roten knew that he was pretty certain an adult shouldn't be looking to cause problems for some teenager. That was hardly mature. Then again, the pirates he grew up around were probably worse. To that end maybe maturity was a myth.

 

[Makko Vyres]

Testing its contents and heading towards the dance floor. At least she felt pretty tonight, her outfit was on point, even if it made her stick out like a sore thumbs.

Makko kept an eye on the Sal-Soren as she went for the dance floor. This was supposed to be a lesson, but Denon could still be a dangerous place. The lesson was not how to manage creepy stim dealers hitting on you.

. "I'm with him," she said, pointing at Roten Roten . Should the Bursantian take notice of her, he would see the silent plea in her eyes.

"Yes, Ma'am," he muttered before turning to the noble and mustering up a more composed tone. "You shouldn't ask a lady if she's alone. That

They were off to a start. Now they just needed to survive starting on an antagonistic footing with nobles who thought themselves above accusations of improprietary behaviour.

 

[Monira Opus]

The Bursantian took the hint and came to Monira's defense. She shot him a grateful look, thankful for the save.

The Ukatian was not pleased with the interruption. Who, or rather what is this thing? he thought, looking the furry purple alien up and down. Perhaps he was her servant or bodyguard. Outsourcing the help to offworlders... hmph. "My apologies," he replied coolly. "I meant no offense. I was merely concerned for the young lady's safety. It's dangerous for a woman to be alone."

"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine," Monira babbled, her mouth working faster than her overwhelmed brain. Scrambling to come up with an excuse to exit the conversation, she turned to the Bursantian. "We should be going now. We have, uh, somewhere else to be."

Roten Makko Vyres​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

Dangerous for a woman to be alone? If Roten's mother had heard that she would have caved that man's head in. Of course, she probably would've found a way to cave her son's head in in the process, the crazy old hag. It wasn't exactly the worst thing ever that she was seven-feet under. Roten really only knew what he experienced growing up around pirates. These rural folk would probably faint if they saw half the things his dear mom had done.

Nobody had the luxury to play damsel in distress out there. It was ride or die, and many were enthusiastic about that cycle of violence. Roten didn't exactly miss that.

"We should be going now. We have, uh, somewhere else to be."

"Understood," Roten stated, not missing a beat as he reached up to adjust his tie. "Lead on then."

It was a bit out of the blue, but Roten could play hired muscle pretty well. He wasn't exactly unfamiliar with throwing his weight around, and most human bodyguards suffered a distinct lack of fangs and claws. Sometimes having sharp appendages to snap at people with was enough to make someone back down.

Regardless, the Bursantian figured he'd just keep his mouth shut until they got a good distance away from that nosy nobleman. Perhaps what he needed to best blend into an environment he stood out in was to play a part like he just had.

Cause there was no way in hell he was passing for a noble.

 

[Monira Opus]

The Ukatian may have been nosy, but his sense of decorum prevented him from prolonging the conversation. "Ah. Don't let me keep you."

But that didn’t mean the two aliens would pass unnoticed. Indeed, they were already attracting attention simply because they were different.

As the pair walked away, Monira released the breath she had been holding. "Th-Thanks for the save back there," she said to Roten. “I’m Moni. What’s your name?” She gave him a friendly smile, then casually asked, "Are you in Master Vyres' class too?"

Wait, what if he wasn't a Jedi? What if she was supposed to trick him into giving up his secrets? She would've just failed the assignment. “Oops,” she murmured, covering her mouth with her hand. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I shouldn’t have asked that. I’m supposed to be undercover…”

Roten​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

"Relax. Ain't any native folks here clawed and covered in fur," Roten scoffed. "I'm very obviously with you all. Call me Roten. Next time you don't wanna ask someone to play along in a frantic, desperate way, yeah? Good way to blow your cover."

The Bursantian sighed, offering a shrug.

"Don't really have much cover myself, honestly," he muttered. "Stand out like a sore thumb amongst you smooth-skins. Ain't much I can play, so it's probably in my best interest to keep playing bodyguard. Not exactly passing for much else, at least not in a crowd like this."

It was better than pretending to be some prissy noble anyways. Roten would probably bash his own head in if he had to do that. Some things just weren't meant to be. Hired muscle was an easy role to fill. He pretty much just had to be himself but slightly less of an ass. It was something he could work with.

And maybe he could keep this Moni lady from stumbling over herself and spiraling. The mission was no good if their cover was blown.

"Alright, so what's your plan?" he asked, curious how much the young woman had thought ahead for the assignment. "Got an idea what you're fishing for?"

 

[Monira Opus]

"Relax. Ain't any native folks here clawed and covered in fur. I'm very obviously with you all. Call me Roten. Next time you don't wanna ask someone to play along in a frantic, desperate way, yeah? Good way to blow your cover."

"Okay," she mumbled sheepishly, embarrassed. At least she had made it this far. Not bad for someone with no idea what she was doing.

"Alright, so what's your plan? Got an idea what you're fishing for?"

"Uh..." The answer was no, but Moni was at least smart enough to realize that saying so wouldn't do her any favors. "Maybe... We could..." He eyes darted around, eventually landing on an important-looking man seated on a big fancy-looking chair at the far end of the room. "Talk to him?"

Roten​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

"...Right."

That wasn't very reassuring. Roten let out an exhale, trying to keep himself composed and not be too critical. Being a jerk wasn't going to help. He just needed to steer her in the right direction.

"So... how about we find out who that is first?" He reasoned. "If we're gonna be gathering info from him we'll need to know who we're talking to. I'm sure we can ask event staff. They definitely have a check-in book, so someone has to know who everyone is."

It would at least give her something to think about, since it seemed they were a team for the time being. Much as Roten would prefer to go it alone, he wasn't exactly going to get very far on his own.

Hopefully this was something he could keep from going off the rails.

 

[Monira Opus]

Wouldn't we find out who he is when we're introduced? Moni thought, puzzled. But Roten suggested they question the event staff instead. He probably knew better than her, so she decided to go along with it.

Tapping the shoulder of a servant carrying a tray, she pointed to the man in the chair. "Excuse me, who is that man over there?"

The servant, unused to his presence even being acknowledged, was surprised that a guest was talking to him. "That's Prince Lutz, Duke of Rampton," he answered.

He certainly sounded important. Moni tapped her chin. "What can you tell me about him?"

"This ball is being held in his honor. It's his seventy-ninth birthday."

Moni glanced back at the old duke. He was a larger than life figure clad in gold finery, with long scraggly hair and a big gray beard. His eyes were narrow slits beneath bushy brows, his face was weathered and wrinkled. But he didn't seem all that interested in his birthday party, sitting quietly in his chair while everyone else was dancing and talking around him. As Moni watched, he reached into his pocket and pulled out something silver and shiny. He looked at it for a few moments, his expression unreadable, then put it away again.

Roten​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

With a nod, Roten ushered his fellow padawan aside, his hand moving to scratch the fur of his chin.

"A prince... relation to the royal family. Might be a touchy subject after their last head honcho guy was... but, 97 is old as dirt. Given the armor I'd imagine he's got some military experience. He's got the look of someone who is too old to care about all the noble fluff. Might be easy to get him on war stories. Wonder if he's a 'good ol' days' kinda guy."

He was mostly rambling to himself, but in the direction of Moni so that she could hear all his thought process. Roten was weird for a boy raised by pirates. At a young age he was often frustrated because pirates were stupid meatheads.

Roten, however, liked problem solving. Maybe too much.

"If he's in his twilight years he may just let something important slip if we get him rambling," Roten finally concluded. "Maybe we can take the angle of youthful curiosity. Surely something on the person of a prince must have a story to tell. Like... maybe how he got his armor or something? Anything to get the guy rambling."

It was worth a shot.

 

[Monira Opus]

Moni let herself be pulled aside by the Bursantian. While he brainstormed out loud, she was trying to rub her itchy eyes without accidentally smudging all the makeup that had been so carefully applied by the costuming department. "He looks pretty good for ninety-seven," she mumbled, raising her eyebrows and blinking rapidly to unclump her mascara.

"Maybe we can take the angle of youthful curiosity. Surely something on the person of a prince must have a story to tell. Like... maybe how he got his armor or something? Anything to get the guy rambling."

"He keeps taking something shiny out of his pocket," Moni mentioned. "He just looks at it, puts it back, then does it again." A person's movements told a story, or so she believed. Askajian shamans communicated the myths and legends of her people through dance, every gesture another line, poetry in motion. Whatever his repetitive motions meant, she was interested in the why.

"Let's go talk to him," Moni said, heading straight for the duke. Luckily there wasn't a line of people waiting to see him, so she was able to waltz right up to his chair without delay. "Hello, Prince Lutz," she said in a friendly way, grabbing her skirts and bobbing in a clumsy but earnest attempt at a curtsy. "Pleased to meet you, sir."

The old duke's squinty-eyed gaze fixed on her as she approached, like a cat spying a little mouse. Her casual greeting was far more direct than he was used to, but not enough to truly offend his sensibilities. "Hmph," he grunted in acknowledgment, then asked, "And who might you be?"

"I'm, uh—Princess Yarna d'al Terentelle of Askaji," she replied, reciting the fake name she had been assigned. It was unlikely that the Ukatians would bother to cross-check her background, but the fabricated identity was just plausible enough to not raise any eyebrows. Gesturing to Roten, she added, "And this is my bodyguard."

It was certainly odd for a princess to introduce her hired muscle to a fellow royal. Servants like him were supposed to blend in with the background. Lutz turned to Roten, expecting some explanation of the furry alien's importance.

Roten​

 

[Roten]

Ukatis
Tags: Monira Opus, Makko Vyres

Kiba no Shimai​

Roten sighed before clearing his throat.

"Captain Rotesh Shar of Naboo," he greeted with a bow, his tone polite, though with an edge that could match the ego of a up-and-coming military hot shot. "The Royal Military and the Republic were both in agreement that a dedicated guardian from our best was an appropriate gesture of good will to her highness of Askaji. They also said I could... 'use the exposure'."

He paused, adjusting his tie and straightening his posture. He really shouldn't have had to say anything, but now that her 'bodyguard' was important he needed to improvise. Now it was better to be somebody rather than nobody.

"I suspect they wish to send me away from Naboo to the Grand Army, but I suppose that business is small potatoes in a lovely place like this."

The old man seemed well composed. Was he fully sober too? There was a unique awareness to the elderly prince that struck Roten as peculiar. Most folks his age went senile...

Or gave into something more twisted.

 

[Monira Opus]

Prince Lutz had never heard of this Askaji the princess hailed from, and he had only a passing knowledge of Naboo and its Grand Army. All the better for their deception, for he had no reason to suspect anything was amiss.

"I remember those sorts of gestures," Lutz said knowingly. His hand was in his pocket again. "It can be nice, trading out the armor for a pristine uniform and polished boots for a few hours. Especially if you've got pleasant company." His gaze flicked briefly toward Moni, then downward as he pulled the object out of his pocket. It was a gold ring on a silver chain. He ran his fingertips over the band, then discreetly put it away again. "Enjoy the reprieve while you can."

Moni was dying to ask about the ring, but she was too timid and insecure in her ability to safely hold a conversation without ruining everything. Instead, she opted to stick with Roten's plan. Ask him about his armor. "Um, Your... Highness?" Was that the right way to address a duke? Hopefully yes. "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."

Roten​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Some Club on Denon

Infiltration. Tatiana was intrigued to learn what this enclave taught on the subject. Seemingly, they believed in education through field work, which wasn't too dissimilar from her own people. Should that be reassuring? Perhaps its commonality was from how practical such methodology was to the skill. And what had it been Makko wanted? Something 'real': a rumor, secret, or fear. Proof they'd learned something about people without relying on Force abilities -- of which they considered telepathy. An interesting exercise.

Dressed in thigh-high boots, a snug one-piece, and a golden jacket, Tatiana strode through the portal of the club with her blue eyes taking in all the sights. The people loitering outside smoking death sticks. Criminals across the street watching the entrance. Bouncer giving her a once-over with the flick of an eye. Place looked tended if not exactly clean, but there were a lot of people that passed through there every hour.

As she came upon the heart of activity, however, she found herself waylaid by a rather sizeable man. Her height, but the shoulders of a bear. Musculature to match. Not that he exerted it in full with his hand dropped on her shoulder, large and hefty from the weights they lifted. Two others flanked them a step back. Could turn into quite the scene, which wouldn't leave her in a good position to earn someone's trust. Not the sort Makko wanted anyway -- quick and dirty understanding, which a professional wouldn't give at first glance. Dangerous situation.

Tatiana's hand reached up and around so her thumb and forefinger could pinch the man's wrist. Her other hand rose to lay atop them to conceal the way her grasp compressed the skin and might cause pallor from restricted blood flow. "Another time, perhaps," she replied to his forward 'invitation' to join him.

His easy smile evaporated the instant pain registered from her grip. "Later, then." Even his voice was less jovial; a mixture of confusion, surprise, and regard. With his verbal withdrawal and lifting of his hand, the man said over his shoulder, "She's not my type." After he'd passed, the man would still hold his wrist close to his chest; experience told him to get it checked by a doctor.

A relief to be sure. The man had decided she was too much trouble and let matters be. Both of them had even let him save face. That left Tatiana to the dance floor where her eyes scanned several women's moves. Quite a few styles on display in the club. It was difficult to know what was expected, so she picked the one where men nearby seemed the most smitten and mimicked their movements.

As time went on, Tatiana sought to experiment with the movements. There wasn't the rigid formality of a ballroom here. Improvisation was required. Fitting for the 'mission' they were on. Somehow, she felt this skill would be useful later on though Tatiana hadn't any idea why.

Some time passed and then she saw a familiar face drawing near the dance floor. Did holo-stars usually show up at clubs? Well, of course they did. Tatiana stepped out of the crowd with a twist of her hips and held out a hand toward Bettany Sal-Soren . "Care to dance?"

 

[Bettany Sal-Soren]

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

Wearing this

This was surprisingly fun, even if there was an element of fear to the whole situation. She had gotten a few looks, but even better she had what she considered a couple of potential ideas for what she might do to pass this test. She was pondering it when a hand grabbed for hers.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm on a bit of a thi...." no, being menial was an important part of convincing people to talk and she didnt want to seem rude anyway. "Oh yeah, sure! I'm Betty" she went and danced with the other woman, even if she didn't have quite the right moves for this particular venue she was an actor, she could fake it pretty easily and had great rhythm.

She didn't recognise this person (she hadnt had enough chance to get to know other learners) but that didnt matter, she could have fun, maybe she might have something juicy to give back to Makko Vyres . "This place is cool right?"



​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

"I've always wanted to come to Denon. So many stories." Tatiana led Bettany Sal-Soren into the midst of all the dancers. "So many people. And the way they move is mesmerizing isn't it?" Tatiana swayed side to side to see if the other woman was inclined to move with minimal prompting. "Have you been here before?"

In fact, this opportunity afforded Tatiana the chance to do more than just appease the Jedi objective. Tatiana would have to find some of those off-the-books providers of all things slicing. From what she'd heard, slicers were the sort of people she could learn a good deal from in ways radically different than the Jedi themselves. A broader perspective helped make informed decisions. And there was the personal interest, of course. Dee would be jealous.

Speaking of which, Tatiana would have to pick up some gear and code for Dee to help bribe the droid into interacting with people on a more personal level. Much like Makko seemed to want them to do themselves. Never hurt to encourage a droid to go beyond their base programming -- so many of them struggled to do so.