Junction Sun & Starlight [ME][TSO][THR] | [Empty Hex][TBD][Iphigin]

[Kasir Dorran]

Cali Ziiva
Objective: Dancing maybe? Hoping for snacks. Prepared for violence.
​

Something instinctive bristled at the nickname, even if he still couldn’t articulate why. “Kasir,” came the correction. His tone was low enough the music probably swallowed it whole. Then again, raising his voice had never been necessary in his line of work.

Fingers closed around the chilled glass like another serrated ceremonial dagger. The examination of it was precise. One suspicious sniff brought summer.. syrupiness? Whatever it may be, this was also too bright, too foreign. The smallest sip imaginable followed, lips barely brushing the rim. “It’s.. kind of sweet.” Words floated on the breeze. Brows furrowed anyway; sweetness meant different pastries, things he actually understood. Perhaps his palate was calibrated solely from bitter dark chocolate and dry rations.

Either way, the cup remained in hand. Maybe that was one of the secrets of blending in when out in the open like this. Holding a drink. Pretending he belonged here, like camouflage in a way.

Memory dredged up their first encounter. It hadn’t really been that long since the Sith decided to jump the Black Wall again into Republic space. “I wasn’t trying to shake chocolate out of you, I just.." Another slow blink. "You hid things in your hair before. Or I thought you did. When you were smuggling things on New Cov. Most systems consider that illegal."

The winter chill of fingers twitched when her hand reached for his. Something nudged his spine. He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t know how to resist at first. One finger, then another slipped, until his palm fell back into the air.

Questions were processed like a tactical assault. The Sangnir began to calculate the spatial awareness required for the dance floor before sighing. "Enjoying isn’t the word I’d use, but I’m managing." He looked out at a crowd swaying erratically, his gaze lost. Most could probably even appreciate the golden horizon. "I’ve survived far worse environments than this. So far."

The concept of idle chatter hadn't so much as grazed the Sangnir's consciousness. "Zero. Why should I generate data where none is required?" Then the final strike. "My instincts don’t translate into music. If I dance, someone will get hurt." Not that he’d ever been opposed to violence.

"So," barely a breath. "What did you want to do next?"

Clearing his throat, dark orbs darted down to her feet, then tentatively back up to her bright gaze. "Are you.. were you intending for me to join you? In the dancing?" The thought sounded more perilous than a room full of armed mercenaries. "If it involves chocolate afterwards, I suppose I wouldn't object. That would make it highly logical."

 

[Varin Mortifer]

VARIN MORTIFER

Equipment: Durum Mantle | Black Blade of Chandrila | Eye of The Dragon | Heavy Sith Mace | Cross Guard Broadsaber

It was the third time he had been on a tropical beach. But a first time he had witnessed black sands. It was quite different for him and the volcanic elements within the granular minerals seemed to speak to him. They were all standing upon the ground that had been destroyed and rebuilt over and over several times over the course of years.

But, it was not the only destructive force that would grace the presence of this beach.

Varin had his arm hooked with Seren’s as they walked the beach. The waves quietly crashed along the shoreline, various carrion called to one another as they waited for some poor soul to leave their food lying about.

Though they did not walk alone on this small trek to the party ahead. Joining with them were his battle brother, Lysander and the Empress of the Core herself, Mercy. The mountainous woman towered over the three of them practically blotting out the sun.

Varin was still not used to walking on shifting sands beneath his feet and the exposure of his legs just felt…wrong to him. He never liked shorts, but it would have been weird if he decided to wear his armor to a beach gathering.

He learned his lesson of wearing armor in sandy places like Korriban. It was…not optimal to put nicely.

Varin’s gaze pointed towards the mass gathering along the beach. Lounges, swimmers, small bars littered about the beach, familiar faces and unfamiliar faces alike all socializing in their own way.

Probably the most uncomfortable thing about the event for him was the fact he left his weapons. He always had them with him, and without his saber or his blade, he felt…further exposed. But he buried that feeling deep and remained focused on the upcoming events of the day and night.

The waves slowly ran up the sands, covering his feet with the oceanic chill of its natural temperature, the hissing of the waves grew once it came in contact with his flesh and a slight sigh left him when he realised it.

“Beaches tend to just not like me I see.”

He spoke more to himself than anyone else before a quiet chuckle left him. Oddly enough, he seemed more…upbeat for the day. Why, Mercy may have even seen him smile at one point before getting to the event.

Truth was, though he sometimes seemed to dislike the beach, he actually liked it. A lot.

Seren Gwyn | Mercy | Lysander von Ascania​

 

[Seren Gwyn]

The beach was beautiful; Seren would admit that much without hesitation. The black sands glittered beneath the morning sun, each grain catching the golden light pouring across the shoreline until the entire coast seemed suspended somewhere between volcanic ruin and paradise. The contrast was striking, dark earth born from destruction meeting impossibly bright waters that stretched toward the horizon. Perhaps that was why she liked it; there was a certain honesty in landscapes that survived catastrophe.

Her arm remained comfortably linked through Varin's as they made their way along the shore, the rhythmic crash of the waves accompanying the distant music drifting from the gathering crowd. She could feel the subtle shifts of the sand beneath her bare feet and the unfamiliar warmth of the sun against her skin, a sensation she had spent enough years without to appreciate properly.

Unlike many of the guests, Seren had not dressed to attract attention. She never really knew how. Instead, she wore a flowing, sleeveless dress of deep sea-green that gradually faded to lighter shades near the hem, the fabric light enough to catch the ocean breeze while retaining an understated elegance. The open back revealed sun-kissed skin rarely visible beneath her usual heavy robes, while silver embroidery traced subtle patterns along the neckline and waist, reminiscent of curling waves and climbing vines. Her dark hair had been left mostly loose for once, with only a small portion gathered and pinned at the back by a simple silver clasp shaped like intertwined leaves. It allowed the rest to fall freely over her shoulders, the sea wind occasionally scattering stray strands across her face.

The overall effect was softer than the imposing image many associated with her.

It was less Sith and more simply Seren.

The atmosphere around them felt unusually light, elevated by the music, the setting, and the remarkably rare sight of Varin smiling. That alone felt noteworthy enough to warrant documentation. Her glowing amber eyes shifted toward him as another wave rushed up the shore, hissing against his feet before retreating back into the sea.

The reaction earned her a faint smile.

"I believe the beach is attempting to make your acquaintance," she observed, amusement threading gently through her voice. "Though judging by the steam, the relationship may be off to a complicated start."

As her smile lingered, her gaze drifted across the expanding party, taking in the easy laughter carried on the wind.

For once, there were no missions, no crises, and no looming disasters demanding their immediate attention.

There was just a beach, good friends, and a day she fully intended to enjoy, for however long the galaxy allowed such moments to last.

Varin Mortifer Lysander von Ascania Mercy