Tea,Scones and other Adventures (Ahani)

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien was sat alone in the finest tea room on Skye. He refused to drink tea in any other establishment with the exception of his own home. He had up until a few moments before been talking to a rarther paranoid snitch. There had been a string of money getting lost in the Skye stock market and it seemed Lucien's snitch had been siphoning funds out of the market and sharing with an extensive web of other wrong doers.

The snich had hoped that coming clean to Lucien would absolve her. She had gone off to the toilet minutes before and was yet to return. Lucien took another sip of tea ... He did so hope she enjoyed her stay in prison.

He laid his cup down and began to refill it, as he did so he glanced over to the other side at the half finished cup of tea so carelessly abandoned by his companion. It was a shame to see good tea wasted. Lucien gestured a waiter over whilst he placed sugar lumps into his tea. The server came over and Lucien slid an envelope with the details of each member of the crime ring into waiters breast pocket "give my regards to the good captain and apologies again that his birthday present is so late " Lucien spoke softly barely looking at the server at all.

The waiter nodded and moved away, he was one of Lucien's many agents. Now that the sour business of dealing with criminals was done Lucien could enjoy his tea.
[member="Ahani Najwa"]

 

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

Skye had been one of those names Ahani chose, because it reminded her of a moment in time when the sun was bright and her mind intact. The planet Skye must have some decent atmosphere to speak of, or the Echani woman would find whomever named the planet and make them fix it. Even so, she'd walked into the hotel with two of her Handmaidens in tow. One was an elderly woman who looked unusually similar to Ahani herself, and carried a full bag slung over her shoulder, another in tow behind on wheels. The other was a fresh faced, nubile young thing whose towering height and set of her shoulders dictated a military forbearance and the keen constant sight of the bodyguard. "Check us in." Ahani nodded to the two Handmaidens, both dressed in matching white and grey robes and trousers and they went off with an efficiently crisp bow.

Ahani Najwa was nearly as much of a sight in person as through the Force. Her silver hair had been braided intricately around the base and crown of her head, a knotted cord of silver metal looped round her neck with a jewel or two tied in to the necklace cord. She'd been dressed in a bateau-collared navy blue gown, which drifted to her knees in a soft and moveable fabric. The sleeves, which bound to her wrists with silver bracelets were slashed pleasantly to reveal near-white skin, a couple of pink scars peeking out from the slits in the sleeves for those who prided themselves on observance.

She moved with the self-assurance and natural born pride of an apex killer, staring the room down with a casual dominion as if daring another predator to assert itself and discover whether they could exist in tandem within the space. In the Force, the woman was a gravity storm in a nebulous region, a terrible bastion of passions well placed and the will in which to work those passions well. The decimating colours of her presence licked and scattered round her in a frenetic competition with the sliding diligence of her brain. A muscle twitched in her hand and neck and walked straight to a free table beside [member="Lucien Cordel"], already set with afternoon tea, sitting down as the server cleared his throat and walked up.

"Pardon me, ma'am this table is reserved." The server bent so as to speak softly, and avoid an embarrassing situation.

"Reserve another one. This one's mine, there's three of us. My Handmaidens are checking in. You may go." Her tone - silk sweet and adamantine gave the man pause as her hand flicked out at the wrist in adieu. He stood straight and motioned to another of his colleagues to set up another reserved table. Placing two lumps of crisp brown sugar in her commandeered teacup, Ahani poured herself a cup of tea and sat back in her chair, deflating just a little.

"Tea. Honest tea." It smelled like finer memories and greater chances, she put it to her lips and sipped quietly as a delight stroked her forehead. "Better than that hot leaf juice they served on Roon... I am going to like it here." She said to... no one in particular.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien smiled as the lady who had just took the table next to his own put the waiter back in his place. Lucien often had to remind the members of the under classes of their place, he recalled only yesterday being intercepted by one of the most sour looking sectaries Lucien had ever met. He was about to enter a meeting between the chief of police and the mayor of the city of wings, the secutry had made to roach but quickly engaged her brain she did tell Lucien that he couldn't enter. Lucien had cooly replied that the sectary could no longer count himself as employed and walked into the meeting.

Lucien fiddled with the cuff link on his right sleeve it was early summer on Skye so Lucien had opted for a light cream suit with a salmon coloured shirt. He had paired this enable with a silver and pear tie pin and cufflinks and as ever bore the signet ring identifying Lucien as Skye's lord.

It was not often that Lucien interacted with members of the public but this lady seemed somewhat above the general rabble and she interested lucien .He put his cup down and turned his head "hello, I'm Lucien Cordel, A pleasure to meet you" he smiled before continuing "I would like to personally welcome you to Skye and may I recommend you try the scones they are divine" having said his price he returned to his own tea.

 

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

"A personal welcome from a man I just met. Day's rating better than last thursday morning." Ahani put her teacup down with a little chink on its saucer and looked [member="Lucien Cordel"] over. He seemed the sort of politician or businessman whose word meant law. Solid, withstanding, intriguing in the middle of the series of supple backbones she'd spied on the planet at large. Flashing on his signet ring Ahani barely recognized the crest of Skye. Or would have not recognized it at all had it not been displayed everywhere including two clothing shops and a market place. "Lord of this planet, are you? Or overly fond of your home world?"

Sipping her tea, Ahani held the cup and saucer in her hands and peered at them. Such fragile things, like most of these human worlds they had no staying power in a fight. She could crumble the tea cup in the palm of her hand if she wanted and didn't mind bleeding on the tablecloth. She set the saucer and cup down, picked a scone and bit. Pleasant surprise! The decidedly well-dressed man was right, these scones were worthy of a galactic invasion, had the planet not already been under the protection of the Fringe Confederation! Her face went through the visible shock and acceptance of supreme delicious flavour. A tiny chirp of delight came forth from her vocal cords.

"Lady Ahani Najwa. Matron of House Najwa and House Keth. Master of the Obsidian Order or Templar Order or whatever the xhar'chath named it now and wearer of solid sole boots. Better for kicking. You know how long it's been since I've had a decent tea?"

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien smiled at the ladies sarcasm, he was pleased to see that some people were capable of retaining a backbone in his presence. It was refreshing to talk to some one who retained a degree of dignity. The lady asked if he was lord of the planet "my lady you wound me, I must talk to my press officer about my exposure ... I am indeed the lord of this planet and two others" Lucien wore a rare smile, he smiled many times but most times it was forced. It concerned Lucien that the dated crest of Skye was better known then he was.

It was true indeed true that this particular tea room used very delicate china. However it was elaborate and traditional just as Lucien insisted. It was rare indeed to find a tea room that still used proper China. The lady introduced herself and it seemed she boasted many titles as well
"Well Lady Najwa, what brings you to Skye, if I might venture to ask?" Lucien was farther unengaged for the day and was coming to think this lady might prove to be good company.

 

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

"Don't feel too bad, I just got here." Ahani slung her arm over the back of her chair and smirked at [member="Lucien Cordel"], "Your press secretaries haven't had the chance to indoctrinate me yet, Lord Cordel." The two Handmaidens came to Ahani's table and with a bow to their Matriarch, sat down. The younger poured more tea for Ahani and for the elder, then served herself once her elders were served. Ahani took up her cup again and sipped the tea, letting the cup settle on the saucer as it floated within reach in mid-air.

"My son, actually. Cloned his dead wife and good mother I am, couldn't leave him to pick her up or the poor man'd be fit to be tied. He's a real emotional thing, probably sell half his fleet to get her back. My little Admiral. I mustn't have disciplined him enough as a child. Then again, Palpatine was Emperor when Manu was a child." Shaking her head, she picked a piece of parsley off the side of the tiered tea platter and let it veer into the air and up, until it landed on a man's petit four three tables over. Ahani smirked. Within the Force, Ahani's presence was old a celestial bodies: She was a survivor this one, and she enjoyed her hunts. This man seemed to have the quiet flicker of one who knew the thrill of consequence and action. Ahani tipped her head to the side.

"I was a Commander in the Imperial Navy Commandos, stationed on Atrisia in Emperor Kahoshi's Honour Guard but with Kahoshi dead (I wasn't there at the time) and my son still whining, the machinations of the once great Empire became domain of the Fringe Confederation. Took some time to run intel on the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and the Sith Empire but I'm back and wondering where the next stop is on my whirlwind tour."

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien smiled politely "I see" he let his own cup remain floating. He usually zoned out of conversations on peoples private lives. In his experience they usually consisted of boasts and triviality such thinks did not interest Lucien. This woman seemed different though.

She mentioned a son called Manu "My friend Mikhail Shorn has spoken with your son I believe, I myself have yet to meet him" Lucien took another sip of tea "I trust you have had no problems whilst on Skye " problems were not something Lucien enjoyed and as such very few people who caused I'm problems liked the outcome.

Lucien thought for a moment. This woman seemed powerful and thus would be a good person to have as a freind . He had an idea "If you have time there happens to be a gallery on the main square and it has just recently been refurbished, they have an exposition of previously unseen art from the time of the first republic. It opens to the public next month but I could take you to see it if you today if you wish"