Junction Sun & Starlight [ME][TSO][THR][TSC] | [Empty Hex][Dahrtag][Iphigin][Phu]

[Colette]

Katherine Holt

So what was actually being said was that Katherine hadn't felt personally fulfilled until she had found Torin. Colette listened but she found the difference between happiness and her work difficult to distinguish from one another. It wasn't that she didn't desire these things — the hormonal response to this very conversation was proof of that — but in the long run it was more that she saw duty as being the foremost experience someone like her could have.

It was a great honor to live for others, and she didn't really want to change that.

"I'm sure I will, some day." Colette shrugged and took another swig of her bottle. "I would love to have someone around that was there when I went to bed and when I woke up. Someone that was there, who I could hold and kiss and rely on, but…"

"I also know the kind of life I lead right now, and I don't want to stop that either. And my duty to others outweighs my desire for love. At least right now, you know?"

 

[Elian Abrantes]

Guinevere Cavello
​

"Um..."

"Sure."

"A small sip would be advisable, I can tell this is the first time you've had this." Elian said with a smile as he watched her take the glass. And based on her reacting, he was completely right. She coughed, and doubled over, his eyes went wide with panic for a brief moment. Oh no, I killed her!!!

​

"Oh dear...." Elian exclaimed as quickly moved to her side, giving her back a gentle rub and pat, helping her where he could. And to be honest, he couldn't help but laugh. "I'm so sorry."

Elian cleared his throat and took the glass from her. "Are you okay?"

 

[Guinevere Cavello]

​

Her coughing quickly turned into laughing at the sound of him laughing. Her cheeks blushed pink with embarrassment but she was still grinning when she sat up straight and looked at him.

“Why do you drink such things?”

She knew her parents would not approve and perhaps it was rebellion she felt coursing through her veins.

Elian Abrantes

 

[Vatrës Dhalis]

Vatrës shifted closer as Hasuras Na-Gerra reached for her, allowing his arm to circle her, gargantuan hand resting on her hip. She lifted her glass in a silent toast when Gerra introduced her to Darth Prazutis . "Something like that," she mused in response to Prazutis' suggestion that she was bringing the light of Vahl to all. "Not all will be wise enough to accept the goddess' light. Some will only get to experience the heat."

She smiled vaguely. It may have been slightly unsettling, to see such a pretty smile at something as distressing as burning the rot of corruption away. But she was among the Sith; she was certain they had seen, said, and almost certainly done worse.

"How do you know our Champion?" Vatrës asked curiously. "No, wait. Let me guess -- " Her gaze drifted between the two men, equal in height stature, both bound by muscle. " -- same gym?"

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Friends! Kasir Dorran
Objective: Have a Good Time

​

"Uh, Kasir... Kasir. Wait, hold on. Just... Okay, but..." Cali hopped from one foot to another as she bounced from side to side trying to coax Kasir into position or in some semblance of "dancing."

Finally she stopped in front of him as he asked if it was a trap. "Look, Kasir, yer too tense. Yer too tense. Ya gotta think of this like a battle, but not one where ya kick down a wall or stand there screaming as lightning hits ya, okay? Ya gotta envision it like... if ya don't move, ya die." She brought up her pink fists as she stood before him. "Like, imagine my fists are like massive tree trunks -- a trap designed to turn ya into jelly. Ya gotta lean or hop to the side. Hop! Don't fly or whatev'." A quick jab toward Kasir followed.

"Okay, now, like, imagine if they just kept comin'. No, don't ask, just imagine!" Cali jabbed again, then followed one hand up with the other in quick succession. "That's right. I jab right, ya dance left. I jab left, ya dance right. Footwork's the same as fighting, Kasir. Gotta stay light and mobile. Loosen up. Don't worry so much about where or why; just flow."

"As for yer objective," Cali paused briefly and looked up to the side for a moment. "Uh, yer motivation is... well, to survive, I suppose. If ya stand still ya die, remember? An' then ya gotta imagine there are strange little creatures around ya. They're tryin' to grab ya, so you twist away. Twist. And then ya lift your arms and stretch to try and grab one to the left... then to the right... and back to the left." The Zeltron had thrown up her hands while she swayed side to side to help give the man a visual.

"And stay limber! Go with the flow. Don't give me that look, big buy. This isn't Jedi surrender. Ya know it takes more self-control to move like this than it does to do yer best statue impression. Seriously! Bet ya feel it in yer muscles after a few minutes of this workout."

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Naniti Mercy Varin Mortifer Seren Gwyn Rayia Si
​

It was also worth noting this was the first time in months, if not longer, that fate decided to bring their little group together. Like restoring a constellation scattered across the systems; which was partially true given their nature, and expansion of the Covenant.

His gaze flicked to the drink in Mercy’s hand; there shouldn't have been anything.. inherently wicked about the Core's Empress and a morning cocktail.. but history had taught him that events tended to escalate when she was involved. Well, one could only speculate how the day might unfold.

“Experience, then. Fair enough. I’ll add it to the list of things you were right about. quite fortunate, I suppose, that impromptu curricula.. arrive in person, yes?” His lips curved once more. “Well, if this were the future of diplomacy, the archives would certainly make for entertaining reading.” For him, at least; no one was unaware of how much time he spent in them, regardless of the world he found himself on.

When the question of Naniti surfaced, Lysander immediately found his mind scrambling for some sort of fib; anything really to deflect the nature of his pulse. Some narrative of duty.. a neat little obfuscation even. A reflex, perhaps, and pride demanding he keep some secrets close. But he knew better; Mercy had a way of bulldozing through walls with nothing more than a glance.

“She has been.. elsewhere. And I assumed she would remain..” The words withered on his tongue. He didn't need emerald eyes to tell him the truth; his own blood gave him away. A Force signature reclaimed the space around him, and the landscape suddenly improved. Genuine light graced his features. “Unexpected arrivals might become my favorite genre.”

The Sith drifted toward her without thinking, guided by the magnetism of a smirk. Fortunately, studying the waves offered a few much needed seconds to reclaim his composure.

"I don’t know. I’ve been distracted by a suspiciously attractive Togruta approaching from the shoreline.”

Attention skimmed the drinks before climbing back to the familiar blue gaze. Then, more conspiratorial. “Still investigating."

 

[Elian Abrantes]

Guinevere Cavello
​

“Why do you drink such things?”

Elian eyes, darted back and forth between her intoxicatingly beautiful smile, and the glass in his hand. "Well, I honestly don't know?" Elian voiced honestly with a smile. It was a purely simple question, yet he found himself unable to answere or formulate a good response in his mind. One of the brightest minds in the Academy, and he was stumped with a question about whiskey......for a moment.

"Well, I guess, its....I mean..." Elian looked from her to the glass once again. "I mean it does have a small burn to it, but to me it tastes good, and uh, makes me feel good." Elian nodded quickly with a smile on his face.

"But you can't have anymore." Elian said as he turned away from her, teasing her all the same. Hiding his glass, while he was sure she wasn't going to ask for anymore. It was still funny. He laughed and turned back to her, shaking his head. "So, what's new with you? How's uh...engaged life?"

 

[Aiden Porte]

Dreidi Xeraic
​

"Hard to ignore advice when they swarm you and declare an intervention."

Aiden took a sip, and smiled. "Well, it looks like its working, maybe?"

"Oh, gods no." Aiden shook his head when she mentioned puberty and the like. "Please, I would choose not to think about that, at least for a very long while. My little girl, will remain a little girl forever. She's not growing up." The Jedi Knight teased and laughed. "I mean I know it won't last forever." Aiden shooked his head, smile still on his face, as he glanced over to Lira, briefly.

"But I am glad to see you are settling down with a family, I wasn't sure that I would see that side of you. Lucky partner of yours, and a talented one to capture your heart. I remember there were many chasing after you back in the day."

"Truth be told, I didn't think it was going to happen either, ever. There was a series of mishaps there." Aiden shook his head, as he looked up towards the sky for a few moments. "But, I got lucky, realy lucky. But you will be fine, its good to catch up." The Knight voiced sincerely.

Aiden took a glance around. "This place has its own extravagance, I couldn't help but come to see, curious for myself. Still, Naboo is home, and truly nothing's every going to beat that place." The Jedi Knight glanced around, company and all.

"What can you do?" He looked down to his drink, titled his glass as it swirled around before raising it to his lips.

 

[Guinevere Cavello]

​

Gwen watched as he struggled to explain why he bothered to drink the foul liquid. It made him feel good. That made sense to her. At this point in her life she wouldn't mind escaping into something that made her feel good. Not that it would ever be allowed. Taza was probably already losing her mind looking for the lost princess. She knew there was going to be hell to pay for this stolen moment with him.

He took his glass away and she stuck out her tongue at him in a childish way. She was certain if she wanted more he would let her have some, but returning to Taza buzzed might be a horrible idea. Or maybe it would be a great idea because then she'd been too drunk to listen to Taza yell at her.

"So, what's new with you? How's uh...engaged life?"​

Her childish grin flickered on her face, quickly replaced with something softer and more miserable. For one fleeting second she wanted to say it was fine, or it was lovely, and pretend to wear the mask she had to wear for nobility. Elian had never cared about masks before though and he was the one person in the entire galaxy she actually trusted with her secrets. Before she knew it she was telling him the whole awful truth.

"It's awful." Her voice was a whisper and her eyes found the ground, her feet playing in the sand while she spoke. "Lord Atria doesn't really want to marry me. His brother arranged the union but he is determined to escape it. We are trying to find a way out, but I know it won't end well, for me at least."

She went quiet for a second, just watching her feet as she drew hearts in the sand. "I always thought this would be the most romantic time in my life, like all those love stories I've read and watched. It's not though. He doesn't want me and when my parents find out I don't know what they are going to do."

As long as they were dwelling on the dark subjects she figured now was a good time to probe to make sure he was truly alright. "Enough about my silly troubles. How are you Elian? Really? You seem different. Still the same wonderful Elian I know, but I can see pain in your eyes."

Elian Abrantes

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Beachside Bar
Objective: Soak in the Sun & Enjoy Some Drinks
Outfit: Link
Tags: Colette​

“Yeah, I know what you mean. I suspect if I hadn’t met Torin when I did, I wouldn’t be far off from that exact same mindset.” If she was being honest with herself, Katherine knew there was nothing to ‘suspect’, she knew it for sure. The third attack on Coruscant would’ve still happened, the guilt still would’ve eaten away at her, and she still would’ve driven herself to a point of making herself unwell.

But Torin had been there to stop her, to pull her back from just spilling over the edge and falling.

“Feeling like you can’t afford to take a day off just for yourself, because what if that one day just happens to be when everything goes to hell?”

Katherine’s words drifted for a moment, as she took a more hearty swig of her drink.

“Hopefully you find someone who won’t ask you to stop, won’t ask to weigh the scales in their direction. But rather help you find a balance, one where duty and responsibility aren’t the only things revolving around you.”

The redhead stared down at her glass, realising it was now barely a sip away from being empty.

“So, got anything else in mind you wanna do before the gala? Or shall we simply continue sitting, talking and drinking?”

 

[Elian Abrantes]

Guinevere Cavello
​

Elian's eyes widened just a bit, the sudden revelation that things were not as good as they could've been, or well...should've been. It hit Elian slowly at first, watching her reaction, looking towards the sand.

Drawing hearts, talkinga about how this was supposed to be the most romantice moment of her life. Elian knew they had talked about it briefly before. Long before all of his troubles had started, and he knew she had reseverations then. As it was all laid out now, he felt so bad, sorry for her. He couldn't imagine being in an arranged marriage, as she was going through. Sure, if the two individuals liked each other, but if they didn't.

That's gotta suck.....

He reached for her hand, that was drawing in the sand. "Hey...." Elian showed a small apologetic look. "I'm sorry. That's awful." He let go of her hand and put his arm around her. "It's gonna be okay. These things, have a way of working themselves out." He hoped, as he thought of things he could do to help, but unfortunately their wasn't anything he could do.

He let out a small sigh, giving her a reassuring squeeze with his arm. "I'm still here, if you ever need anything. I'll do what I can, if I can do it." He didn't want to promise something he couldnt' keep. False promises were the worst of things.

"Enough about my silly troubles. How are you Elian? Really? You seem different. Still the same wonderful Elian I know, but I can see pain in your eyes."

"Stop, your troubles aren't silly. They are a lot worse than mine are. I'm doing okay, all things considered. I mean....." He raised his arm, that was replaced. "Things are going to be okay. I'm just trying to, stay afloat. You know?"

Still...

Gods....

He missed his friends....

 

[Kasir Dorran]

Cali Ziiva​

He tracked the trajectory of her pink-knuckled jabs the only way he knew how. But the Sangnir's subconscious screamed for a standard defensive parry, or some open palm redirection used to neutralize a threat. Seizing her wrist would've sufficed too. Fortunately he hadn't given in to any counterattacks; it was a good thing he could actually obey his own voice rather than some laws of a warrior's code.

Boots scuffed the floor once more. Tap tap. "If I don't move, I die?" Kasir blinked, expression a mask of stony concentration. The internal processor clearly hit another snag. "That sounds terribly dramatic, don't you think? Your fists do not possess the mass of tree trunks."

He didn't sway; he pivoted.. robotically. When she commanded him to twist, he followed with an exaggerated lunge, core muscles locking as if bracing for impact. Movement to the left was followed, an arm shooting out in a stiff motion, fingers spread wide. "If your goal was to make me look like some spooked bird, consider it a complete success."

More steps, but this time he didn't worry so much about the perimeter, or others nearby. Normally, he'd never been the type to overthink his movements anyway. The music, or whatever rhythm the Pink One was sync'd with, bled into his own awareness. Kasir's posture softened just a little; shoulders dropped a micron lower.

"There." He shot a sideways glance, dark eyes wide. "My evasion patterns are adapting."

Colorless lips twitched; he snapped them back into a stoic line. "Just keep moving. It's significantly easier to follow you than the music. But Cali? If you tell a soul that I managed to do this," voiced thoughtfully, "I will deny it until the stars go cold. I have quite a long time to keep up that charade, you know." Not that their worlds really overlapped. Their alignments ran in opposite directions.

"If you tell me how long until the chocolate sundaes, I believe I can continue a while longer."

 

[Skadi Lightbane]

Tag: Aerik Lechner
Wearing: This, underneath a pale blue beach wrap dress
​

Skadi had been to many places in her time since leaving Toola - but a place such as this, had not been among them. The ferry ride to the beachside resort had filled the young Valkyri with awe; the waters had been so beautiful, the blue sky so clear. Those who were around her - complete strangers - seemed blissful and carefree, and wore an array of outfits that Skadi had a hard time not gawking at. Not that she was wearing anything different than they - but she had chosen a beach wrap dress, one that had been suggested to her when she’d been researching what sort of outfits to wear to a beach. She’d also picked out a bikini set - her first ever, but that was hidden underneath the beach dress for the time being.

Once the ferry reached the jetty, Skadi was among the rest who disembarked, and her golden eyes scanned the jetty for a familiar figure, one that drew a genuine smile to her face. She wasted no time in getting free of the throng and onto solid ground to find her place at Aerik’s side. He was wearing more appropriate clothes for the occasion too, instead of their typical Sith apprentice attire.

Once beside him, Skadi’s eyes were drawn toward the water, watching the waves break against the black sand beach beyond them. She listened to the sound of it, inhaled the scent of salt and a myriad of other things. It was all so new for her that she wore an expression of open awe upon her pale face.

On the shoreline, not too far from them, music could be heard, along with laughter of people enjoying a carefree existence. Servers carried trays of drinks to awaiting guests, and all that seemed to matter here was the warmth and finding oneself in good company.

Aerik gazed at the waters with her, taking in the sights as well, before remarking that the water never seemed to end - that you’d expect to see the other end of it, but you never did. And indeed, it was a sight to behold; in a way, it reminded Skadi of the vast ice and snow plains of her homeworld, where sometimes the land and sky met, and one could not tell the difference between them. But here it was a much more beautiful and tranquil sight. It was warm and pleasant. No frigid temperatures to fear, or blackout blizzards to snuff out the lights.

The waves rolled and crashed against the beach, and Aerik continued. Skadi only listened, content to simply exist in the moment with him. Soon though, she could feel his eyes on her, and it drew her to pull her gaze away from the water and towards him.

“Come on, if we are staying here for a week, you should probably meet the ocean before it sneaks up on you.”

A bright smile filled Skadi’s face at the amusement she saw dancing in Aerik’s eyes, and she unashamedly slipped one of her hands into his own.

“Lead the way!” she said, a touch of cheerfulness in her accented voice. “Do you think it will be warm or cold? The water, that is…”​

 

[Colette]

Katherine Holt

There was still an undertone of negativity for this conversation that Colette couldn't help but notice. There was no need for a 'day off just for yourself' because Colette already took care of herself by taking care of the problems that pressed not just her but the rest of the Order too.

In honesty the continuing misunderstanding angered her just a little the deeper it went. There was no 'I' to take care of because Colette had always been raised to see 'us.' The individual would never matter more than the collective and that was something she held close to her heart as who she was. The Jedi Order was Colette, and Colette was the Jedi Order. There would never be a point when she wasn't a mirror of the Jedi Order unless she left it. Until that day all of her actions reflected upon it, and all of its actions reflected upon her. And that wasn't just because she was a councilor, it was just part of what it meant to be in a group.

Taking care of the group inherently meant taking care of herself.

Needless to say, it was very welcomed when Katherine changed the topic.

"I've made no plans." Colette admitted and shook her head. "I'm fully content just sipping my water and talking about what has happened since last."

"Tell me more about Torin."

 

[Aerik Lechner]

Wearing: This | Weapons: Lightsaber | Knife
TAG: Skadi Lightbane​

The moment Skadi slipped her hand into his, Aerik accepted it without a second thought. The gesture felt natural now, but the trust behind it lingered in his thoughts. Skadi knew what happened on Brosi. She knew exactly what he was capable of when control slipped away because she had been there to stop it. She had seen the worst of it, and yet she still placed her hand in his and told him to lead.

The thought stayed with him as he guided her away from the arriving guests and toward the beach below. The wooden planks of the jetty creaked softly beneath their feet while music drifted across the water from farther down the shoreline. The scent of salt grew stronger with every step, mingling with flowers and food he could not identify. Waves rolled steadily onto the black sand before retreating again, leaving behind a shimmering reflection of the morning sky. Guests wandered between cabanas and loungers while others had already ventured into the shallows, seemingly unconcerned with anything beyond enjoying the warmth of the day.

When Skadi asked about the water, Aerik followed her gaze toward the ocean. Another wave rolled across the shore before retreating again, only to be replaced by another moments later.

"It should be warm. At least close to shore. The deeper water gets colder, but not enough to bother you."

His eyes remained on the water for a moment before a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth.

"You should not drink it though. It tastes terrible."

The warning sounded completely serious.

"I know because I tried."

There was no embarrassment in the admission. If anything, Aerik sounded mildly annoyed that the ocean had managed to trick him once already. By the time they stepped off the last stretch of boardwalk and onto the sand, another wave had pushed farther up the beach than the one before it. The water rushed toward them, hesitated, and then slipped back toward the sea.

His thumb brushed lightly across the back of Skadi's hand as they continued toward the shoreline.

"And do not trust the waves either. They look harmless right up until they decide otherwise."

Amusement crept into his expression as another wave broke against the shore.

"You will probably learn that one today."

Aerik's attention drifted farther down the beach where rows of loungers and umbrellas overlooked the water. Some were already occupied by guests enjoying the sunshine while others remained empty, waiting for someone to claim them.

"We should probably find a place before everyone else does."

He nodded toward a pair of loungers positioned near enough to the water that they could watch the waves roll in, but far enough from the growing crowd that they would not be buried beneath the noise of the resort.

"Unless you intend to spend the entire day standing here staring at the ocean."

The amusement remained in his eyes as he looked back at her. Given the expression she had been wearing since stepping off the ferry, Aerik was not entirely convinced that was not her plan.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: CT-312 //: Seris Mataan //:

The hug was welcomed, but unexpected. She wondered if Seris had read her mind or maybe the awkwardness in her stance. Either way, the hug was returned, and Quinn settled back to where she was sitting, her book still left abandoned.

While Seris enjoyed the view for a moment, Quinn let her eyes settle on the guard who was doing her work. She hated that 312 felt she needed to stand a ways away from her. She had assumed there was an understanding between them, that her place was at Quinn's side — not the perimeter.

Frowning, she parted her lips to call for the soldier, but was interrupted by Seris. Quinn turned her head to see where the girl had been looking. There was a hint of embarrassment as Quinn placed her hand on the cover and slid it away from the two of them. She laughed slightly and shrugged.

"I've read it a few times, already know what happens… but for some reason I'm not enjoying it as much as I did before." Her smile softened, waning at the edge of her lips as she looked away.

Perhaps in her mind, the characters were just a fantasy of hers. Wondering if it was at all possible that someone could see beyond the predisposition of evil the Sith were given.

She tilted her head and shrugged.

"I think it's time for me to find a different story to indulge in." Her gaze drifted back out to the ocean as she paused, mostly trying to mull over the several Lady Velvet books she had.

"I also closed it immediately because you had shown up. I wouldn't want to keep you waiting." Smiling, she let herself brush her arm gently against Seris as she enjoyed the closeness.

But as she enjoyed this moment, something in the back of her mind raised a bit of awareness. The Force shifted, adjusted differently. She couldn't pinpoint it, but it made her worry for a moment.

Because of this, Quinn looked to 312 and masked the gesture with a brush of her hair back. Blonde hair found its way behind her ear, where she lined her thumb with the top of the curve and dragged it down.

A quiet and hidden gesture, the two had come up with so that 312 could take note that she was needed to come closer. Something made Quinn feel unsafe, but through their bond, 312 would know that Seris was not the source. Quinn kept eye contact with the clone for a moment until she looked at Seris and smiled.

"I'll introduce you to 312," her head nodded towards the soldier. When she drew close enough, Quinn would beam and introduce the two who were currently the young Queen's favorite people.

"Seris, this is 312 — she's head of my security, someone I trust my life with… and 312, this is Seris, she's someone who has been quite the reprieve from my troubles in the High Republic."

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Friends! Kasir Dorran
Objective: Have a Good Time

​

"Of course it's dramatic, but I thought it'd help frame things," in a way he could understand, Cali finished mentally.

Not that Kasir understood at all, but at least the man was moving. It was a start. A very rough start.

Cali's smiled brightened even if Kasir called them 'evasion patterns.' Yeah, alright, his evasion patterns were adapting. Whatever floated his marshmallows. This was the first hour of the first day trying to dance, after all. A cutey had to be patient. She'd been patient with the Jedi Master; Cali would manage to weather the deadpan looks of Kasir.

Astutely enough, they both had the same idea. Coaxing him to act wasn't doing so well, but Kasir was a sharp one. He could watch her movements. So the pink woman started far, far subtler techniques than lounging and, uh, whatever that arm thing had been. "Like this, Kasir." Her body bopped from side to side, legs springy, arms impossibly wavy, smile disgustingly happy.

Even as she continued swaying and winding her hands up and down in the air and along her body, Cali listened to what Kasir had to say. And, of course, what he had to say was a threat on her life. Okay, well, actually it wasn't. Just a promise to deny everything that happened. Her pink mane flopped to the side as she nodded. "Uh, yeah, Kas, do ya know how long that is? That's a really long time. Like super mega O.M.C. long. Ya got any plans for all that time?" Did people plan for long periods like that, or did they just stop caring because they had time to do everything eventually? Why did he even have that much time? Could she bottle it? Not that she wanted all the naughty people in the galaxy living that long, but a cutey wondered.

"Oh," eyes darted to the side suddenly, "um, five minutes? One more song! Come on, Kasir, watch me." Cali brought her hands down near her waist and started rocking her shoulders as her hands circled in and away from her center with a light bop to her knees. This was easier, right? Less moving around and just moving in general. Somewhere to start.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Taiia Mataan //:

There was something in the quick response that settled Allyson. Yet in the next breath, her jaw dropped as she looked at Taiia. She was in disbelief that she was the reason for the embarrassment when she was doing nothing wrong. Before Allyson could protest further, Taiia brought up that time. The one that Allyson was referring to, but she didn't think the woman would fully remember.

It was an awkward time for both of them. A moment where feelings finally bubbled to the surface — the same emotions that Allyson tried to run from for so long. Without realizing it, Allyson gave her wife's hand a comforting squeeze — in her own way of apologizing for the terrible moment.

Though Allyson would heavily disagree, she was being impossible. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought. The way she remembered this was mixed signals and near-death experiences. They had both almost died, and the thought had made Allyson reason that she was in love with the woman. The sentiment was shared, but they still seemed to have misunderstood each other.

"Like we were," Allyson mused, "Seris is young, and at this age it's a bit confusing." She thought quietly, remembering that Taiia was roughly Seris's age when they had met… and Allyson further remembered how much older she was. Groaning quietly, Allyson didn't voice what she remembered.

"She'll figure it out, she's smart… like her mother, who she takes after." Allyson brought Taiia's hand to her lips as she gently kissed her knuckles. "I'll behave around her," Allyson paused, "Well, I'll try to."

"Can't promise anything for her brother, that's a situation she'll have to get used to with time, I guess…"

Allyson chuckled; she did find more common ground with Caelan. The boy was carefree, which was a good thing in this day and age. Though she figured he would harden sooner than later… a thought that made Allyson's heart ache. But that's how it was in the galaxy. No one was safe from it; you had to fight to retain that small semblance of happiness.

Looking towards Taiia, she appreciated the woman's calm, though remembering that time when their first time together was abruptly interrupted by the Obsidian order. As frantic as Allyson had been during that time, she did find Taiia's way of sinking into their blankets adorable.

But everything Taiia did was precious to the Corellian. Though this was a perfect time to tease the woman.

"I don't remember too much about what we were arguing about… and what I was being impossible about…"

Her lips curled mischievously, "But I do remember being with you and how embarrassed you were the moment the Obsidian Knights cut through the little flimsy tent of ours."

Allyson laughed, "Probably not how you'd like some of your squires to find out about us… Hmm?"

As much fun as the jesting was with her wife, something caught her attention. The Corellian raised a brow, sensing something embedded in the Force, hiding and bending the way the light moved around their ( Lorn Reingard ) form. Allyson pulled Taiia closer, placing herself slightly in front of the woman. Despite knowing that Taiia could easily defend herself, there was something protective in the Corellian that bled through.

She didn't mention it just yet, but Taiia would be smart enough to know that Allyson had picked up on something.

Her eyes moved, stopping in the area where the hidden Jedi stood. She didn't know him too well, but the fact that he was hiding was suspicious. There was no reason, especially since, from her understanding, others from Naboo were here.

In just that moment, the covered cybernetic would get a flash reading of a post from Commonwealth security. She raised a brow and logged the name for later. She relaxed slightly, figuring that security would handle him. If she needed to step in, she would, but for now Allyson was on vacation with her wife.

"Sorry, it seems there's an unwanted visitor... or someone who wishes to remain hidden and watch."

 

[Taiia Mataan]

//: Allyson Locke //:​

Taiia felt the squeeze of her hand and glanced toward Allyson, a knowing smile tugging briefly at the corner of her lips. She knew exactly what memory had surfaced. It had been awkward. Wonderful. Terrifying. Looking back on it now, she suspected neither of them had possessed the slightest idea what they were doing. "Like we were," she agreed softly. The comparison felt painfully accurate. For all their wisdom now, for all the years behind them, they had once been every bit as confused as Seris was. The difference was that time had smoothed the rough edges of those memories, leaving only the warmth behind.

"She'll figure it out." There was quiet confidence in her voice. "Eventually she'll realize that most people are simply making it up as they go." Her smile widened slightly. "Some of us are just better at pretending otherwise."

The kiss to her knuckles earned a look that was equal parts affection and skepticism. "You'll try?" One eyebrow lifted, the expression alone making it abundantly clear how little faith she had in that particular promise. "I am comforted by your dedication to the effort." The dry humor lingered only a moment before Allyson brought up Caelan, and that earned an actual laugh.

"Oh, Caelan already knows." There was no hesitation whatsoever. "If anything, I suspect he finds this entire situation far more entertaining than Seris does." A dangerous glimmer of amusement entered her eyes. "In fact, I am reasonably certain he has spent the last several years attempting to embarrass his sister whenever possible. This simply gives him new material."

The mention of the tent immediately drew a groan from her. "Oh no." She already knew where this was going, and the look she gave Allyson was one of pure betrayal. "Allyson." The warning came far too late. As soon as the story was mentioned, Taiia covered her face with her free hand. For all the trials she had endured in her life, for all the horrors she had faced across the galaxy, somehow that memory remained among the most embarrassing.

"They did not cut through the tent." She lowered her hand just enough to look at her. "They very deliberately cut through the exact section of the tent we happened to be occupying." There was a difference. A very important difference, at least to her. The fact that Allyson was laughing did not help. "Do you know how difficult it is to maintain any semblance of dignity when half your students are suddenly standing outside your sleeping quarters trying very hard not to look at you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. "They failed, by the way." For a moment she looked as though she might continue defending herself before finally surrendering to the absurdity of it and laughing quietly.

Then she felt the shift. It was subtle, not the presence itself, but the change in Allyson. Taiia knew her well enough to notice the moment her attention moved elsewhere, the way she shifted slightly, the way her posture changed, the protective instinct that had never entirely left her. Taiia followed her gaze without turning her head immediately. The Force brushed gently against her awareness. Hidden. Watching. The sensation earned little more than a thoughtful expression. She wasn't particularly concerned that anyone attempting something hostile on a beach filled with Force users, royalty, Mandalorians, and enough security personnel to invade a small moon was either remarkably confident or remarkably foolish. Possibly both.

When Allyson pulled her slightly closer, the smile returned. "An unwanted visitor?" She tilted her head slightly. "On a beach full of politicians, royalty, Jedi, Sith, Mandalorians, and at least three people who are probably here under false names?" The amusement returned to her voice. "That hardly narrows it down." Her fingers squeezed Allyson's hand gently. "Though I admit the hubris to think you can hide in the presence of some of the most skilled force users in the galaxy is quite impressive." Her gaze lingered briefly on Lorn Reingard before returning to her wife. "Leave it to Commonwealth Intelligence. I intend to enjoy my vacation." A smile touched her lips once, but her green eyes turned to the shrouded figure once more briefly; if anyone threatened Allyson or her children, the Commonwealth would be the least of their worries.

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[Aselia Verd]

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Wearing: [X]

The sand was strange. Aselia had expected heat had half-braced for it, the reflex of someone who'd spent enough time on sun-scorched worlds that burned through boot soles and punished bare skin. But Gilaria's black sand offered nothing of the sort, and she found herself standing at the edge of the beach just long enough to confirm it before moving on, dark hair lifting slightly in the coastal breeze.

She moved through the crowd with the easy, unhurried confidence of someone who had long ago stopped caring what strangers thought of her. The black bikini was a practical choice she burned easily, and full coverage on a beach was its own particular misery, but practical had nothing to do with the way she carried herself. Head up. Shoulders back. The kind of posture that came not from training but from having decided, somewhere along the way, that she had nothing to apologize for.

The Force was loud here. She noted it the way a seasoned sailor noted weather cataloguing, filing, not reacting. Several presences were heavy, the kind that made the space around them feel different. One in particular carried a weight like a collapsed star. Aselia didn't linger on it. She spotted the navy towel first. Then the orangey-pink umbrella. Then Adelle, already settled and basking, and something in Aselia's chest eased in a way it rarely did anywhere else.

She picked her way through the thinning crowd and came to a stop beside the lounger, close enough that her shadow fell across Adelle. She stood there for a quiet moment, taking her in the glareshades, the golden light catching her features, the particular quality of stillness she had when she allowed herself actually to rest. Aselia reached down and brushed her fingers lightly along Adelle's shoulder before finally letting herself sit on the empty lounger beside her, dropping her bag into the sand.

She pulled her own glareshades up and looked out at the water. The waves were slow and unhurried.

"You look very peaceful," she said, the corner of her mouth curving. "I almost brought a datapad, but I figured you might throw it into the water..." Her eyes cut sideways to Adelle. "It's good to see you relax; you work too hard." She turned to look at Adelle as she leaned back on the lounge chair, yea she needed this.

TAG: Adelle Bastiel
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