The Tigeress and The Desert Fox

[Lorraei]

Location: Private Spaceport on Antecedent
With [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

All was in readiness. Lorraei paced through his AT-360 Light Frigate once more. The entire interior of the vessel had been reformed to suit his work as a Companion. What once consisted of a common room, a kitchenette, a bathing room and five individual bedrooms had been completely remodeled. The kitchenette remained unchanged, the rest however, was done away with. The bathing area was larger, able to accommodate multiple persons should the need arise. Two of the bedrooms had been melded into one master bedroom, complete with a king sized canopy bed and mini bar, which took up much of the left wall. What remained had been transformed into a lavish apartment.

Along the right wall, two bookshelves capped a main bar. Perhaps bar was an inaccurate term, it was more of a counter with a few shelves above it and a fair selection of wines, whiskeys, rums and other alcohols. A variety of glasses and mixers sat in neat racks along the countertop. A bucket of fresh ice stood at one end, should it be needed.

The apartment itself was littered with divans, small couches swathed in rich silks. Tapestries and throw rugs decorated the room in brilliant reds, purples and blues. In the center of the room was a sitting area which sank into the floor. A small table rested in the middle of the sunken circle, which housed a surprise for his guest.

Lorraei completed what must have been his seventh inspection. Jasmine burned from several holders on low tables around the room. The evening meal was ready and waiting. The tea for the greeting ceremony was brewed. Everything was in readiness.

"Why am I so nervous then?" Ray mused aloud. He checked the Datalogger on his arm again, any minute now the most influential client he had ever had would be arriving.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Chiasa had very nearly called this off. This may well have been the biggest mistake and waste of credits she'd made to date. She could just comm in and cancel. Not that she'd get her money back, or dream of asking for it, that would be terribly tacky, but she found herself.. Nervous. This was distinctly out of her comfort realms. While the Oiran Guild House had an impeccable reputation, the idea of her paying for any kind of relationship was, well ludicrous. All she had to to was go to any place men gathered and tilt her hips or cock her head or just give a certain look and they would be falling over themselves for her attention.

But.

But they were uncivilized, and they all wanted things. And quite frankly as she moved up the ladder within the Red Ravens she found herself increasingly paranoid. Did she really know who the people around her were? Who they worked for or had worked for before? Who'd gotten a hold of them and shoved coral or dark magic into their brains and left with with a sleeper agent, a ticking time bomb? Who was the old fashioned sort of criminal who believed in promotion by bumping off the person above them?

In short she felt the need to always be on, to always have her public mask firmly in place and almost never relaxed anymore. It would be.. it would be a relief to have somewhere where she could just relax, and have actual company. Maybe even a conversation. That would be fantastic. So she didn't call it off. So she did show up on time, dropped off by one of the luxurious Dragon Palace Casino speeders and flanked by the two robotic canine RICO units that were her constant companions because she couldn't afford to not have bodyguards and couldn't stand the oppression and unpredictableness of organic ones. They would stay outside of course.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

The Datalogger on Ray's arm pinged once as the proximity sensors of his ship informed him of the speeder that had just arrived. "That must be her." The man mused as he started across the vessel to the entrance ramp. His dark eyes swept the apartment as he went, "The cups! How embarrassing that would have been." With a quick gesture and a minor effort of will, two tea cups left the bar, drifted through the air and settled on the center table. Ray nodded to himself, satisfied with his handiwork and opened the passenger ramp.

Reaching the bottom of the ramp, Ray swept into a stately bow before his guest, "Good evening my lady. I am very pleased you have chosen to come. Please come in. Be welcome in my humble home." Straightening, he offered his arm to his guest, and lead her in to be seated at the sunken center table.

Ray tightened the sash on his red and purple robes. Retrieving the tea pot from the bar and returned to the low table, smiling in a charming manner. He filled his guest's cup, "No doubt you have questions my lady. No doubt you have reservations. Please feel free to ask anything you desire. Your comfort is of the utmost importance."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Chiasa inclined her head gracefully to [member="Lorraei"] when he bowed.

"Thank you."

She replied, taking the arm that was offered and allowing herself to be escorted up the ramp and in to a sunken table. The two droids at a discreet signal had peeled off and would maintain watch over the ship until their Mistress' exited.

He cut a fine enough figure in his robes, and she could find nothing to complain about in regards to his appearance. Pretty faces were easy to find though. If she'd been so inclined instead of her two canine droids she could have traveled about with a gaggle of shirtless, well-built men. At least this one was less likely to knife her in the back. The red and purple clashed somewhat with her natural colours, but they were striking on him, and her inner vain butterfly couldn't help but run through clothing cuts that would compliment his style should they attend a function together.

While all this was running through her mind she was also considering how to reply to him. Yes I'm uncomfortable and I'm more uncomfortable now that you've brought attention to it did not seem like the correct and diplomatic answer.

"Mmm, some."

She allowed in regards to both the questions and reservations.

"While the Guild has an impeccable reputation, I cannot help but note that the majority of the clientele,"

She'd respected them enough not to have their systems hacked and the client list forcibly taken. She may have had the place and companions staked out to make sure that they were not in fact too involved in any one groups politics or acting as a front for anything.

"are male. One suspects that what a man primarily wants and what a woman primarily wants from a Companion are two different things for the most part. At least if the woman in question is me. It will be more a case of.. learning each other and seeing if we are comfortable than a simple question and answer I suspect."

Do not touch me. At least not yet. Tell me who you are. Show me a person I can relate to and be comfortable around.

 

[Lorraei]

.

 

[Lorraei]

Ray's smile deepened. He had a fine smile, at least in his opinion, his cheeks dimpled in a boyish fashion. Mentally he chastised himself for being so blunt. He should have chosen his words with more care.

"You are, of course, quite correct my lady. A large majority of our clients are men. Unfortunately you are likewise correct that most of our clients seek us out for very base reasons."

He strolled back to the bar. Every movement was poised and elegantly slow. Either though his connection with the Force or his Zeltron parentage, even he wasn't sure which, Ray was very good at reading the underlying tension and emotions of those around him. So far he had done a poor job of making his guest feel at ease. He returned to the table carrying a small wooden serving tray, upon which three earthenware jars rested.

"Milk and sugar for your tea? Many find my choice in tea to be a bit... strong. I suggest the citrus blossom honey personally."

The tray was set closer to his guest, taking a seat opposite her. In part sitting across for her gave the lady a respectful space between them, on a selfish level it gave Ray a lovely view of her.

"That is very reasonable, taking time to learn of one another. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lorraei paused to sip his tea, savoring the rich, spicy flavors.

"Would you care for something to eat my lady?"

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

She had to admit, for all her uneasiness and her words.. He was very attractive. It wasn't just his face or his clothes, she liked the way he smiled and the way he moved. Gods knew she recognized when a show was being put on, hadn't she been trained to do the same?, but it was a good show all the same.

"I do not mind strong."

Subtle flavours also had their place, but such simple choices could oft times offer insight into the person making them. Bold immediate flavours. An interesting choice for someone who changed themselves to fit whoever was with them. But perhaps he did not. Companions got to choose their clientèle after all, perhaps he only choose those who he meshed well with. Chiasa was a fan of neither milk nor sugar, but was going to accept the sugar when he offered her her first choice, honey.

"I will take your suggestion, you surely know what goes with your own flavour better than I."

A small spoon of honey was added to her tea, stirred. Seeing that he was drinking his, she judged it safe to go ahead. She'd been unsure of how elaborate the tea ceremony would be, but apparently it was just sitting down together and drinking tea. That was.. Easy. Nice. She raised the cup, inhaling delicately to test the scent of it. It did smell strong, spicy and rich, decadent. She liked the subtler notes the honey added to the aroma as well. The sweetness, but also the slight citrus. As all seemed to her liking, she brought it to her mouth and sipped. The taste was as rewarding as the scent. It was strong, and might have trouble pairing with things, but on its own it was lovely. She made a small appreciative noise in the back of her throat, almost a hum.

"It is nice, you have good taste."

There was something inherently comforting about a cup of tea, and the Twi'lek began to relax. Likely the point of the tea ceremony.

"I had not eaten yet."

She allowed. It was a straightforward question he asked, but oh she was used to guarding her answers, making sure whatever she said could be twisted once she found out what the other person wanted.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

Lorraei sat back, lounging, or at least apparently doing so. His left arm stretched across the back of the bench seat, his tea cup held loosely in three fingers of his right hand. His eyes gave him away however. There was a distinct eager quality to his gaze as he watched Chiasa sip her tea. When the little hum of enjoyment escaped her there was nothing Ray could do to contain the satisfied smile that emerged on his lips. He nodded graciously when she complimented his tastes. A rare compliment for a man in red and purple robes.

"I am very pleased you like the tea, lady Kritivaas."

He paused to drink from his own cup again. He held the cup out before him, idly swirling the drink in his loose grip.

"Tea is very healthful, did you know? It is said to reduce the risk of heart illnesses. The caffeine content is lower than that of coffees and shown to reduce stress. Why it's even proven to reduce bad cholesterol levels. A remarkable beverage really. I imagine that is why Oiran house insists on serving it as our greeting ceremony."

His gaze turned back to his guest. For a moment he had concerns about whether or not to go through with his idea for dinner. Chiasa hadn't actually answered his question, merely gave a remark that might be passed off as an answer. She was accustomed to having every word and action reviewed and scoured for inconsistencies or flaws that could be exploited. Lorraei could sympathize to an extent. His own experience with such treatment came at the hands of Jedi masters and resulted in stern lectures or punishments such as fasting. Her experiences, suffice it to say, had much higher stakes involved. None the less she had given a round about answer so he in turn would provide a meal in a round about fashion. In time.

"Might I share a secret with you, lady Kritivaas? Nothing morbid or untoward mind you, but one that would get me in grievous trouble should the matrons of Orion house find out. I do not provide a tea ceremony as the Guild requires. Giving the way my home is decorated,"

He paused long enough to gesture to the sunken table and then encompass the apartment itself, full of low couches and sitting pillows.

"I would be required to kneel beside you somewhere while I served you tea. They drill us in how the tea should be poured. The proper angle of the arm, how to approach so that we are discreet in our endeavor, and even how much tea is to be poured. In and of itself, a lovely show. Meant to provide a closeness and welcoming display. I hope you can forgive that I did not see fit to greet you in such a manner. I find this is more honest. Simply sitting, having a chance to relax, and enjoying the moment. Or have I assumed to much? We could start over if you wish. I wouldn't mind kneeling for you."

His smile turning mildly mischievous.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

She listened with polite interest as [member="Lorraei"] extolled the virtues of tea. His obvious pleasure at her enjoyment, and the lazy languid way he played with the cup made her more open to listening that she might otherwise have been. She didn't much worry about whether or not things were healthy, other than to maintain her figure. Chances were she'd be dead long before anything like bad cholesterol had the chance to finish her off.

When he asked if she wanted to know a secret her head would cock slightly, one brow raising. She always wanted to know secrets, important or not. Knowledge was power. Every little kernel of it. You never knew when something would become relevant or what you could deduce from a seemingly innocuous statement. Her eyes followed his hand as he gestured to the settings.

She was interested in how the Oiran Guildhouse trained it's members, interested in how it aligned with her own experience in the Dance House she'd been raised in. Apparently Ryloth was a kindler, gentler place these days. with the unwanted, the desperate going to the guild. She did not see how it could possibly accomodate those numbers, but one never knew, it was possible she supposed.

She likened his description of what the tea ceremony was supposed to be to a dance. Two steps to the right, half a step forward, a la seconde, piroutte, a terre and on and on, all mapped out like clockwork. It was beautiful, and it took skill, but it was in it's own way soulless.

His last comment was unexpected enough, given the prior tone of the conversation when discussing tea, that it actually won a faint blush from her.

"You have not assumed too much. I.. prefer this. Honest and simple is.. a refreshing change."

She was not giving him much, considering how much he had said, but it was still a fairly large allowance from her. One did not complain. Not like this in any case. It was one thing to make ones ire known with razor sharp tongue aimed at those who could correct the situation, this was something else. Something a little more intimate, a little more personal, and she was not sure how she felt about it yet.

 

[Lorraei]

It was as though time had slowed. Lorraei became harshly aware of every single beat of his heart. He wanted to savour that moment for his entire life. To relive that brief glimpse of a blush for all his days would be a life of perfect contentment. But time continued it's forward march, nothing could alter it's endless advance. His heart had decided something then and there, as Lorraei had seen that brief unguarded reaction. It would be a long time yet before his mind was informed of the heart's decision.

Ray forced his eyes closed for a moment, mentally bringing himself back to the conversation at hand, "Well, lady Kritivaas, I am pleased you find my relaxed style to your liking. There is a time and place for standing on ceremony naturally. I find that it distracts from actually getting to know each other in situations such as this."

Lorraei flowed out of his seat. The tea cup set on the table before Chiasa as he moved. Once standing, Ray turned to face his guest, "In the spirit of honest and simple encounters, my lady, I have prepared a very simple dinner for us. Perhaps rustic is more appropriate than simple."

He flashed a charming little smile as he turned away, moving to the bar once more. There he retrieved a covered tray from a refrigerator hidden in the front of the counter. He returned to the table and set the tray off to one side.

"Something less formal. After all we are here for quiet and relaxation. Not to fuss over five forks and seven spoons and when to use each one."

Lorraei chuckled slightly, hoping for the hundredth time she didn't react poorly.

"You don't mind rustic and informal do you, lady Kritivaas?"

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"When there are no eyes it is preferable."

This was both admission and warning. It was a glimpse at a side of the Twi'lek few saw because by nature, when they saw her, eyes were on her and her masks were firmly in place. Warning so that if she saw him again and they were not alone.. He would know what was expected.

"And yes, one has always found excessive silverware to be something of a waste. Imagine the time spent setting the tables alone."

Of course this was half the reason it was done. To show that one could spare the cost of the time and manpower. It still struck her as somewhat ridiculous. If one needed to show off wealth there were certainly better ways to do it. Of course there was a time when she'd lived in the desert and eaten only what she could scavenge, no cutlery involved at all. This may also have had something to do with it.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

Ray laughed light heartedly. "Speaking as one of the poor fools who has been required to set such tables I'll tell you this, it takes far to long and is never truly appreciated. For a small group it is not so difficult a task. When you have to set ten places with all the odds and ends, it becomes tedious and frustrating."

Lorraei gestured towards the covered tray, "This is much less tedious. Admittedly it is also meant to be more intimate."

He smiled sheepishly as he moved the tray within easy reach. Ray removed the cover and set it out of the way. Beneath was nothing fancy, in fact the food wasn't even cooked. Yet. Sitting in unceremonious piles was four ingredients. A marinated red meat cut into uniform cubes. A lightly seasoned shellfish, clums. Finally two vegetables, cut into neat slices. A dozen steel skewers rested in a small dish before these ingredients.

The meal might not be elegant but it served Ray's own interests almost perfectly. It provided a mild tone of intimacy. For they technically were sharing a plate, and would have to lean in toward one another as they made their meal. A closeness without actually changing the distance between them. On another level, one geared to make Chiasa more comfortable eating with him, there was no possible way the food could have been tampered with. Not without a very serious risk to himself.

"Ta-da." A small, nervous chuckle escaped him. He looked up at Chiasa once more, carefully watching her reaction. He may also have started praying silently. Hoping the idea was received well.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

The sheepish smile won him more points from the Twi'lek. Oh his smile had been charming before, with the dimples and such, but it was a calculated move. Likely he knew precisely what he looked like and the effect he had on both men and women when he gave them his slow, elegant, measured smiles, boyish as they were. That one though, had not been intentional. It had slipped through. And little by little, bit by bit her own guard was lowering. Not entirely of course, never entirely.

"Trading tedium for intimacy seems a rather good move to me. Certainly I know which I prefer."

A subtle flirtation, gods knows she'd extended little enough encouragement his way. Yellow eyes watched with interest as he moved to unveil the meal he had planned. She was curious as to what he though of as rustic. One brow rose slightly at the reveal. A slow smile followed however, which ought to allay any concerns over what she thought of the meal.

"Not what I was expecting. In a good way."

And it was, this was.. fun. And a good political move on his part. Not that he could afford to poison her, since both the Ravens and the Guild itself would be out for his blood within twenty-four hours, but it was an appreciated gesture all the same. Or perhaps he'd never even thought of such a thing. Maybe it was just her, and the paranoia again. Quite possible.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

It was Lorraei's turn to give a brief unguarded blush. His mind ran away with itself for a half second. Thoughts of exploring her preferences ran rampant before he derailed the train of thought with a slight shake of his head. Stay focused, he reprimanded silently. A quick glance left him blushing to his ears, Chiasa sat watching him with a small smile on her lips. For the first time in years Ray had to wonder if he was in over his head. She was good at this subtle game of flirtation. Maybe better than he was.

"Well," He was still nervous, only he was no longer sure why. "I am pleased you find my little surprised to your liking."

He leaned forward, one hand fidgeting with the center of the table. His focus was shot. His eyes kept trying to watch what he was doing without looking away from the soft smile on Chiasa's full lips. What was it about her that had him so flustered? He had served Twi'leks before, male and female alike. He had served for dangerous guests of all kinds. Yet she had thrown him off his practiced game without seeming to try. How embarrassing.

Finally the center panel came loose, beneath lay a small grill built into the table. Coals rested below the steel grates, perfectly laid out and glowing.

"Rustic as it were. You see my family are nomads of the deserts on Tatooine. This is how we have always cooked. Much less refined then you would find here on Antecedent. Have you ever cooked this way, my lady Kritivaas?"

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

The blush was adorable, it reached almost to his ears. And she'd hardly said anything. Her attention turned to the past at his question. Had she? She didn't remember the time she'd lived with her birth family well. She remembered simple foods, but not cooked like this she didn't think. What she'd once clung to for comfort when first sold she'd later rejected and forgotten as a life that had turned its back on her and could not save or hurt her. The Dance Hall had no such thing of course.

When she'd been in the desert?

There had probably been at least one fire and one stick at some point. There wasn't much to burn though, and rarely anything worth cooking. Insects. Some plants. Rarely anything more than this. Just enough to survive, enough to get by.

"Nomads? Interesting. I lived in the deserts of Ryloth, for a time. It was even less refined. I do not think I have ever cooked this way, no."

She rarely spoke of the desert. To mention it at all was a bending of her usual modus operandi.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

Sweet progress, the salvation of his endeavor. Most would not see a reason to be excited by such a small detail as 'I lived in the deserts of Ryloth, for a time.' But here and now that little piece of knowledge was worth more than water to a desert dweller. It was insight, privileged knowledge that might never be shared with anyone except a Companion. Here and now that alone brought a smile to Lorraei's lips.

"I have never seen the deserts of Ryloth. I might have to see them now."

Lorraei turned his attention to the tray and began assembling kabobs with cubes of rich red meat.

"I enjoy cooking this way. There isn't much stress involved. It's not very difficult or complex. I think you will enjoy it. It's rather relaxing in my opinion."

Lorraei set the first kabob on the grill with a sizzle. It wouldn't take long for the hearty scent of cooking meat to fill the relatively small ship. He took up a second skewer and offered it to Chiasa, "Would you like to try your hand at it, my lady Kritivaas?"

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"Most visitors find the Floating Rock Gardens quite a sight to see. I spent much of my time in the Bright Lands which are rather.. less hospitable."

Eternally baked by sunlight, almost nothing lived there. It was where Twi'lek where exiled to if they were meant to die. Of course she had gone there of her own free will and lived. He'd been raised a proper desert nomad, so perhaps he would be fine. She watched his clever fingers as he put together the kebobs. Even before he spoke she'd noted that it was soothing in it's way. Repetitive, easy, but with worthwhile results. No real thought needed, you could just.. switch-off.

"Chiasa will do."

She commented, accepting the skewer. As much as my lady Kritivaas had a nice ring to it, it was something of a mouthful, and he'd likely earned the right to some familiarity by now.

"I rarely cook anymore.. On my ship if the journey is long enough."

She commented, as she alternated between vegetables and meat. Without conscious thought she arranged, balanced, angles and sizes matched, colours alternated. She was not in fact very good at not thinking. At just doing things without planning.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

"Ah yes, the floating rocks. They are a wonder to behold. The Companion Guild trains us in a temple there, but I imagine you knew that."

Lorraei flashed a smile, his unconscious boyish grin. "I'll say this though, lady Chiasa, gilded bars are still a cage. Once we had our freedoms back I didn't stay to admire any more of the planet."

Absent mindedly he picked up the kabob on the grill and turned it to another side to continue cooking. Ray took up another skewer and started building a second one. His had no symmetry like Chiasa's had. There was no pattern or order as he made his meal. He wasn't even watching what he was doing, simply trusting his hands to move in a suitable manner. There were much more interesting things to watch, nimble and delicate orange fingers for starters. Again his mind ran off with itself, thoughts of his caramel tanned hand meshing with brilliant orange fingers. Lorraei forced the thought away. Flights of fancy would only hinder the progress he had made in forming an actual connection with the lovely creature across from him.

"It's a shame you do not have more time to cook for yourself. Then again you must have a thousand other important things that keep you busy."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"I did."

she allowed with a slight tinge of amusement. She'd wondered if perhaps he'd been trained in one of the off-shoots of the Companions guild when he'd said he'd not seen the deserts of Ryloth. She supposed for a desert-bred nomad though, the tamed floating gardens hardly counted. Countless tourists walked them every year. Other than heat exhaustion and dehydration for the most unsuited, who would swiftly be found and tended to, there was no danger there. For her, whatever wonder the spectacle might have caused was lost when it was so.. harness, declawed, tamed.

"Freedom is.. for me at least, all that matters at the end of the day. I think almost every action I have taken has been motivated by the search for freedom or the struggle to hold on to it. There is a poem I like, it goes;

We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams;—
World-losers and world-forsakers,
On whom the pale moon gleams:
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems."

Skewer was placed carefully on the grill, parallel to his original one. She nodded once at his words, offering a rueful smile.

"It is hard to justify leaving all the matters that demand my attention to cook, particularly when for most it is a good thing not to be bothered with such details. Who am I to complain that a world class Chef keeps me from the satisfaction of cooking for myself when others have no food at all?"

She shrugged once. She wasn't the sort to go and give away all she had to those who did not have, but neither was she going to complain.

[member="Lorraei"]

 

[Lorraei]

Lorraei lend forward, listening intently as Chiasa recited a poem. Poetry had never been one of his strengths while studying art and music among Coruscant's universities. It had always felt like you had to invent some form of code with the visualizations in order to craft a memorable poem. Hearing Chiasa's recitation however, was a thing of bliss. Oh what a grand evening it would be to listen to her speak in such a fashion. At some point his hands had stopped moving, distracted as he was by the simple sound of her voice.

All good things come to an end, as the saying goes. Her poem was done and his obligations as a host returned to the forefront of his mind. It would be rude not to carry on the conversation after all.

"That was a beautiful poem, lady Chiasa. Admittedly I may be partial for the speaker."

He flashed another of his winning smiles, all dimples and bright teeth.

"I'm afraid my food may not measure up to a more classically trained chef. I am, after all, not but a humble nomad. My choices in art falls more toward music. Though I have been known to take brush to canvas when I find a particularly elegant model."

His smiled again, his gaze intent for a moment.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]