Private Take Two

[Mischa Korvan]

RAVEN
THE EMPIRE
THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
TAG: Varos Ignacious Korvan

EVERYBODY​

There was only so much resting and thinking you could do before it got boring.

So Mischa took to the nightlife of Ravelin. Nothing a couple of drinks and wild living wouldn't cure. Help her forget about the issues surrounding the sudden death of her entire squad. She was going out of her mind in the solitude of her home, trying to figure out how to get a message out to Alliance space without getting hounded by either ISB or the Knights.

Let them hound her to the bar, then.

The club was on proverbial fire when she stepped through the doors in form-fitting jeans and a crop top, the bass reverberating into her marrow while the energy within the building was equally contagious. The Stormtrooper-on-leave couldn't help but dance her way over to the bar.

"What'll it be, sis?" asked one of the tenders as he leaned on the counter.
"Hit me with an Outer Rim, bub." as she bopped to the beat in one spot.
"Brave gal, ey?" he smiled as he flipped out a glass and started to whip up the cocktail.
"You dunno the half of it, son." she chuckled before she glanced around at the crowd while bopping.

And that's when her heart sank into her shoes.

It seemed the Knightly Order did have her followed, because not far from her down the bar, stood none other than the Lord Varos Korvan, drink in hand. Well at least it wasn't some old dinosaur of an Imperial Knight. Could have been worse than mister Pretty Eyes.
"Here ya go, doll." the tender said next to her while he slid the drink towards her.
"Thanks, chad." she said, flipping over some credits to him, but he shook his head.
"First one on the house."
"Keep it for my next one then." she said with a smirk before taking her drink and bopping over to the Knight.

"I hope you weren't trying to hide, Sir?"

 

[Varos Ignacious Korvan]

Location: THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
Tags: Mischa Korvan

It was not often that Varos had the opportunity to unwind. Normally he was playing his part in the greater workings of the Empire as an inquisitor, which took its own unique toll on even the best of Knights whether they knew it or not. For most, they became engrossed in their duties; so much so that it was all they lived for. For others, their personalities would slowly but inevitably shift into the grimmer side of reality. Seeing the threats that beset the Empire on any given day tended to have that effect on people.

Tonight was not quite so demure for him. He, quite simply, just needed a break from the monotony. He had finished his interrogations of several suspects over the preceding few weeks; ranging from a husband and wife who were suspected of harboring Sith relics, the interrogation of a supposed Jedi who turned out to hold actual latent leanings to the Dark side, and getting involved in an escape attempt proffered by the friends of said Jedi within an Imperial Blacksite. It was a hell of a time to be sure.

He let out a weary sigh as he nursed his glass of Serennan port, taking a moment to lean on the bar in front of him. For some inexplicable reason, his thoughts drifted back to a woman he had interviewed. A woman who served within the 501st, and who had gotten caught up in far worse events than he had. ‘Mi... Mischa?’ Yeah that was it. He couldn’t explain why, but he found himself thinking of her quite often as of late. Of the trauma she had experienced, and his inner hope that she would find peace.

Then there was of course the uncertainty that surrounded the events of her mission, and the fact that she was not the sole survivor of that crash to begin with. He still meant to follow up on that, if only to ensure that--

"I hope you weren't trying to hide, Sir?"

He perked up with a small start, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Great... am I hearing her voice now?’

It didn’t take long however for him to dispel such nonsense. He glanced over at his side to find the very woman who had briefly occupied his thoughts standing before him. Let it not be said that a Knight cannot be surprised...

“Corporal Aiden.” He remarked, his voice barely loud enough to be heard over the music. His lips creased into a faint smile as he added: “Trying to hide...? Heh... No.” He let out a soft chuckle, his volume rising slightly so as to be more effectively heard. He paused for a moment. Did she think he was following her? “Contrary to popular belief, Knights drink alcohol as well. I must admit though, I did not expect to run into you here.”

His eyes appraised her for a moment before he added: “How is your leave going?”

 

[Mischa Korvan]

RAVEN
THE EMPIRE
THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
TAG: Varos Ignacious Korvan

EVERYBODY​

He looked like he was on another planet.

His initial acknowledgement couldn't even be heard over the beat of the music, but he looked thoroughly confused. But when he spoke again, she could actually hear him as she sipped on her cocktail.
"Trying to hide...? Heh... No. Contrary to popular belief, Knights drink alcohol as well. I must admit though, I did not expect to run into you here."
Really?
"Oh? Didn't know this place was popular enough for someone of your...standing." she smirked at him with a quip. "All due respect, of course." she added for good measure.

Him looking her up and down, however, had Mischa thinking that she first needed to get a buzz going before going that route.
“How is your leave going?”
Thank you for at least sticking to a normal question.
She didn't realise, however, how she had her frustrations pent up until she opened her mouth to answer him.
"I'm going out of my mind. The fool that came up with the idea to forcefully put a soldier on psychological leave, didn't really think it through very well. I'm bouncing off my walls." she vented. "How much longer before I can get back into the field already?" Well done, Misch. Well, let whoever all were having her followed know how bad it was for mental health to be isolated with your own thoughts for so long.

It was shit.

The sooner she got a gun back in her hands with new armour and got back in the field, the better for everyone. Either that or she'd ending up drowning herself at the bar.

Pull it together, girl.

"Anyway, port is for old people." she started, her smirk back on her face. "You want to drink alcohol, you should at least have something decent." She downed her cocktail before turning back to the bar. "Hey, bub, can we get two Jet Juices, please? On that credit of mine?"
The tender smirked at her.
"I swear you're Corellian, doll." he said as he whipped out two glasses.
"Since when did Corellian become worse than Bastion born and bred?" she mused before turning back to Varos.

"Call it morbid curiosity, but what do you Knights even do in your free time other than...drinking old people drinks?" she asked him. "You even have proper free time to start with?"

 

[Varos Ignacious Korvan]

Location: THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
Tags: Mischa Korvan

"Oh? Didn't know this place was popular enough for someone of your...standing... All due respect, of course."

“None taken.” Varos replied with a faintly sheepish grin. Despite the rather dignified manner in which Varos carried himself more often than not, even the upper echelons of Imperial youth were not immune to their unique brand of rebelling against their parents and engaging in activities such elders disapproved of. The only difference was, they typically had more money at their disposal to get up to trouble, and usually appeared to be less out of place to the average Imperial citizen. Of course, Varos wasn’t the worst of those he grew up with, but he had gotten into his fair share of mischief. One could do regrettable things drunk on port just as easily as if they were drunk on ale or whiskey.

After inquiring about the forced shore leave Mischa had been assigned to, it became obvious quite quickly that she was, at least on the surface, ready to get back out into the field. While Varos did not run into those who crossed paths with him often, he knew enough to understand how common the feeling was. The Empire prided itself on the level of training and discipline it instilled within its soldiers, so it was only natural for such ones to grow stir crazy when not plying their trade.

"How much longer before I can get back into the field already?"

It would seem her earlier reticence at his presence had subsided a bit already. Whether she realized it or not, it would seem the shore leave had already done her some good. “Hard to say really. Each person is different. But you have to admit, not everyone has gone through what you have.” Varos kept his tone light. While he certainly knew how to ‘turn it on’ when it came to be intimidating and authoritarian, he equally was adept at projecting the very image of Serennan grace and courtesy. And objectively, he wasn’t a bad man - simply a product of his upbringing. It wasn’t hard for him to be his natural self; the groomed heir of Serennan nobility and the New Imperial Hierarchy.

That much was demonstrated by the easy smile he afforded her, his lightly stubbled cheeks creasing into a pair of shallow dimples set further back on his jawline. He took a sip of his port, and casually spun the glass by its stem as he sat it down. He spared a glance at the deep-hued contents within before he looked back up and spoke again: “Can I assume you’ve been meeting with your rehab liaison regularly? I can say that his report is weighed heavily in determining a service member’s redeployment.”

That segment of the conversation would come and go, with Mischa changing the subject somewhat abruptly, and ordered a set of new drinks.

"You even have proper free time to start with?"

Varos chuckled lightly at the question.

“You mean aside from interrogations and torture sessions?” His tone carried a hint of sarcasm as he made a show of rolling his eyes backward as if considering his answer to the question. “I must say, I enjoy in-person theater. I believe the holonet has robbed most people from the joys of actually enjoying the performances of those in the moment.” He spoke with some unknown sentiment behind his words. Was it a memory of some bygone age? Perhaps some lost moment in his life that he felt was behind him; just beyond reach? The moment came and went just as quickly, as he spoke again: “And as creepy it as it may sound, I enjoy people watching in establishments like this. Too often, i speak with people when their guard is up, and when they expect that I will order them imprisoned as if they were party to some coup d'etat. I rarely ever get to see people in their true element. It’s... refreshing, if only briefly.”

Despite the faint smile that remained on his lips, his words once again carried a somber edge to them as they trailed off. He was quick to recover. “But you are right - I rarely ever have time to engage in recreation. I’m only here for today in fact - duty calls me back out to the borderlands out west, to assist in the reconstruction of the region now that the Chiss Uprising is nearly done for.”

 

[Mischa Korvan]

RAVEN
THE EMPIRE
THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
TAG: Varos Ignacious Korvan

WRITING'S ON THE WALL​

Oh yeah, he definitely needed better drinks than port.

Port was taking away whatever personality he may have had as he got all studious on her.
“Can I assume you’ve been meeting with your rehab liaison regularly? I can say that his report is weighed heavily in determining a service member’s redeployment.”
Mischa snorted. "The Empire shouldn't have shrinks. The ones they have, are not very good at it." she quipped. She had tried to diligently go to her rehab meets, but damn. The wispy-haired old man continuously asking her to describe the macabre scene of her dismembered squadmates eventually drove her to bounce off the walls.

And here was where she ended up - with booze.

To the bartender's credit, he was quick with their drinks. The bright orange beverages came sliding towards her along with a wink. Mischa grabbed both and turned back to the Knight.
"Put down that old-man drink, jeez. Here..." she quipped as she shoved one of the Jet Juices into his hand before he continued to answer her question.

“You mean aside from interrogations and torture sessions?”
A smirk appeared on her face along with a raised brow.
"I sincerely hope that's not a kink of yours." she teased before taking a sip of her drink as her head still bopped to the beat of the music. His response surprised her, however.
“I must say, I enjoy in-person theater. I believe the holonet has robbed most people from the joys of actually enjoying the performances of those in the moment.”
"Damn, really?!" she exclaimed, the sudden joy in her voice surprising even her. "If you like some pantomimes, there's this obscure little theatre not too far from here that has the best comedic plays." she blurted before she could stop herself. "That is if you don't mind the area too much. It's not exactly...posh." Well done, Misch.

Eventually, his face fell slightly before he recovered. It wasn't lost on her, however, as she was not even close to intoxication yet.
“But you are right - I rarely ever have time to engage in recreation. I’m only here for today in fact - duty calls me back out to the borderlands out west, to assist in the reconstruction of the region now that the Chiss Uprising is nearly done for.”
She regarded him for a heartbeat, recalling the comforting hand on hers during her debriefing. But she had been around enough men in her career to know that pity would be an insult.

Instead, she grabbed hold of his wrist and pulled him toward the center of the club's main dancefloor, drink still in hand.
"If you going back to death and destruction tomorrow, then you better hang loose while you still can, Knight Korvan." she told him.

Might as well pretend to be harmless in her current state so that they would lessen the guard on her.

 

[Varos Ignacious Korvan]

Location: THE FLAMING NEXU | RAVELIN
Tags: Mischa Korvan

Unsurprisingly, it would seem Mischa had avoided attending her appointments with the rehabilitation liaison. Varos was no expert, but it seemed to him to be a classic case of denial about what she’d gone through. But she also had a point.

Wounds needed to heal, and constantly bringing up the source of such mental scars didn’t always have the effect such ‘experts’ intended. He made to sip his drink when Mischa shoved one of the drinks she had ordered in place of his glass, causing the port to skid across the table and spill copious amounts of its contents.

He blinked incredulously, and craned his head to meet her eyes as he finished his answers to her questions, grasping the drink she offered instead and taking a sip on occasion. The drink was certainly different than what he usually enjoyed, bearing a mixture of flavors that were meant to hide the alcohol content. He didn’t usually enjoy such drinks, for he appreciated the flavors and rich textures of well aged drinks.

But he could still see the allure for those with weaker constitutions.

Suddenly, it would seem something he said had struck a note within Mischa, for she rather excitedly mentioned a small theater that she loved going to for comedic plays. The outburst evoked a faint smile on Varos’ lips, but then he responded as he did about his brief layover and business on the Western Frontier. But it was then that Mischa did something he did not quite expect.

"If you going back to death and destruction tomorrow, then you better hang loose while you still can, Knight Korvan."

‘By the Emperor...’

She grabbed his wrist and led him to the dance floor. His instincts almost commanded him to react to the gesture and decline her invitation, but she seemed so...

Happy, and was clearly enjoying herself. That brought up the unspoken fact that it was often Varos’ reality that he denied himself the simple pleasures the general public within the Empire were free to enjoy. But it wasn’t out of some need for compliance as the Jedi of old, or due to some internal sense of self denial. He simply rarely had time for such things - at least, that’s what he told himself.

But as his body moved in rhythm to the music in front of Mischa - who by her own rights was rather beautiful when she was smiling; he couldn’t help but challenge that mindset. Was he really all that busy? Or did he make himself that busy? How many opportunities had he missed out on in his young life to experience happiness and companionship?

That line of thought was not particularly appealing to consider, for he was fairly sure what the answer was. But that didn’t matter now.

What did was that he was with a young woman who wanted to be with him. He had given her an opening to excuse herself and find more engaging company other than himself, but instead she had decided to make him a part of her evening.

“Knight Korvan."

“My name... is Varos.” It almost felt like he forced the words to loose from his lips, akin to a forced cough. It was likely against all manner of regulations for a member of the Inquisition to fraternize with someone subject to an investigation so recently, but he couldn’t quite pull himself out of this situation either.

He... really didn’t want to.