Your Promises, They Look Like Lies...

[Alkor Centaris]

"First one's on me, bub."

The barkeep grunted in his direction and the tired man offered a half smile, half nod in response. The credit chip hit the counter in earnest, however, and he slid it toward the man. "Open a tab anyway," he asserted, "one won't be nearly enough." This prompted a hoarse laugh from the obese man as he poured the drink.

"It never is," he responded with a grin. "Otherwise I'd be out of business. Drunks keep my pocketbook full." He placed the drink down and snatched up the payment quickly. "I can afford to let one or two go. Besides, you look like death."

Alkor smirked at some unspoken joke. "I appreciate that," he stated simply. There was no point in regaling the man with his story. He doubted sincerely that his 'friend' would have any real interest in it anyway. As he lifted the ale to his lips, his bright blue eyes lit up. "Ah gods, Corellian," he let out a euphoric sigh. "I haven't had Corellian in years."

He accepted his credit chip back with a look of contentment plastered on his face, then slid it into the folds of his cloak. "Thanks again," he muttered as the proprietor shuffled away to one of his other customers. Alkor swiveled round in his seat and turned his gaze to the scene unfolding behind him. A friendly scuffle had quickly escalated into a brawl, and two large Trandoshans were at work peeling the culprits off of one another.

Emotion was a strange thing, Alkor mused. People gravitated between different phases of morality, and at each of them, they experienced a new array of feelings. There was a great deal of strength to be harvested from that, but there were also ramifications. As the smaller of the two- a Rodian- was detained, the bouncer slugged him in the fact and spat a string of curses in a foreign tongue. Alkor nursed his drink indifferently.

"Alright, kids, take it outside," the bartender called from behind Alkor. "Swear to the force, if ever a day goes by that someone doesn't start something in my bar I'll close up shop and run for the Senate."

"Easy there," another customer chuckled, "booze is much safer than politics, pop."

"Aye, and it tastes better, too," Alkor added with a snort.

"Cheers to that."

They drank. "Hey," the other patron hissed toward Alkor, who turned his gaze toward the sound and quirked an eyebrow. "Is that, I mean, are you one of them Jedi?" He asked. Alkor blinked, then looked to his hip where his lightsaber was on display for the world. He quickly shifted and drew his cloak. "Why did you not jump in and end the fight?"

"It's not Jedi business to break up barfights," Alkor answered, but without much enthusiasm, "and I'm not a Jedi besides."

"A Sith?" The man asked with a wary expression, and several heads jerked in their direction. Alkor threw up his hands. "Kriff, will you quiet down? No, I'm not a bloody Sith. Just mind your drink."

Alkor turned away and took his drink in hand. "I'll be over in a booth," he announced to the bartender who simply nodded. He could feel several cold stares as they followed him. "Dromund Kaas is not a friendly place, he muttered to himself. "I should have stayed away from here."

 

[NightSister]

Adali looked up at the man beside the bartender with an expression of curiosity. She knew more than anybody that there were plenty of titles between Jedi and Sith and she wanted to know where exactly he fell. She fixed her hair, stood up and walked slowly towards [member="Alkor Centaris"].

"You certainly don't look like a Sith," she said drily. "You don't much look like a Jedi either. So what's your story?"

 

[Alkor Centaris]

The mood fell bland in the moments that followed, and several onlookers watched as the two bickering youths were shepherded out of the bar entirely. Meanwhile, whispers rose around the bar area and some louder talk about "that bloke with the lightsaber" caused the Corellians hairs to stand on end. It was bad enough to go from one place to the next, but to be unable to drink in relative peace was deplorable. He sipped without enthusiasm at the drink that only moments before had given him great pleasure.

It was then that a young woman walked toward him and solicited him for information about himself. With a loud gulp, he sent the alcohol into his gullet and he wiped a sleeve across his face in a noncommittal manner. "I'm just a guy trying to get by in hard times," he answered. "It's usually considered good manners to introduce yourself before you ask people about themselves. I mean, at least across most of the galaxy."

He turned his gaze toward the woman and eyed her with quiet consideration. She was young, but that rarely mattered. Her outward demeanor belied a glimmer of inner strength, which caused him to be increasingly wary of her. "And you're not even trying to hide that you're a force sensitive," he sighed. "Lucky me."

I always run into the crazy ones, he thought.

 

[NightSister]

Adali shrugged. "Adali Renning. Force sensitive, like you said. Typical manners aren't my thing, nor is typical anything.Happy?"
Silence.
"Okay, now do I get to hear about you? I'm sure it's fascinating."

[member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Alkor Centaris]

[member="Adali Renning"]

Alkor gestured to the seat adjacent after her introduction. "That will do for now, I suppose," he responded. "Alkor Centaris," he gave his name. Thankfully, times were interesting and old news rarely kept up with the newer headlines. His name might have carried a darker weight in the Corellian system, but to the younger generation and on a world so far from the Core, it was unlikely that his reputation preceded him. "What part of my story were you interested in?"

He finished the remainder of his first drink and hailed the server droid, which quickly acquiesced to his call. His glass was swept from the table in a fluid motion, and his gaze returned to Adali. Despite outward appearances, Alkor rarely placed a great deal of trust in anyone who showed interest in his past. The people who wanted to know about you wanted to use that knowledge. That was what made Sith so self destructive. Knowledge was power, and power left to itself corroded even the strongest men.

When the droid returned, Alkor accepted his drink but did not immediately start on it.

He studied her posture and expression. A font of potential, certainly, but she displays the patience of a novice. It could be an act, but I'm not making any quick judgments.

"Care for a drink?" he asked suddenly.

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Kurayami had been to this bar before and saw no reason not to return, besides he had done a bit more mapping of the ruins. This time he remembered to bring a rope so he could climb down the way in he had found. The last time he had been there he had mapped only the easily accessible areas, this time he had searched much more thoroughly and slowly as the SSC was keeping tabs on the situation here. He wanted to learn all he could of the ancient ones who had built the temple. He was kicked back in a booth, Jenni's saber at his left hip in easy reach, T-6's in their respective holsters on either thigh, and a datapad in hand. His helmet lay on the seat next to him and a glass of Namana liquor sat on the table in front of him.

He was scanning through the data collected and figuring out where it fit in with the data collected his first time here. Eventually growing tired of this he sent the data to his transport via an encrypted Holonet link. Let the damned computer sort the info for him so he could make sense of it and learn from it later. Raylia knew that he had gone back, not that she approved, but he had a promise to uphold and he always honored his word. What finally brought his attention away from his screen though was talk of a Sith or Jedi in the building. The Jedi part was one thing, the Coalition had plenty of those of varying credos, what they did not have was Sith.

He picked up his helmet and clipped it to the right side of his belt, making his way towards the man who seemed to be the center of this...debate? Misunderstanding? Whatever it was, this was the one it focused on. He walked over to the bar and took a seat next to the man, setting his drink down as he did so. He glanced at the man beside him, an odd looking fellow indeed. He shrugged, looking odd was not something that determined one's alignment. Kurayami took a pull from his drink before addressing the man.

"So, someone thinks you are a Jedi or Sith and you say you are neither. You also are a Corellian eh? I suppose having your home planet cut in half would cause people to leave it behind no? Don't feel bad about it, I don't. Kinda feel bad for my family that lived there while I was off gallivanting around the galaxy at the time though. Poor bastards had no chance to leave. Nice to meet you by the way, name's Kurayami Bloodborn. Apprentice in the Silver Sanctum Coalition, and ex Republic Commando. What brings you to Dromund Kaas friend?"

He fixed his dark brown eyes on Alkor and offered a slight smirk, one that often was found gracing the features of a Corellian brother. One could have easily guessed at his military background given the close shaven hair and goatee at only 1/8th inch. He may have a slight presence, or more than a slight presence in the Force, he didn't know or care. Besides, even if he did he had no idea how to hide such a thing.

 

[NightSister]

"No thank you, I'm flying home and I don't fly well after drinks," Adali said quietly. "It's nice to meet you, Alkor. I'm wanting to know what you call yourself, if you're neither Jedi nor Sith."

As she said this, [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] approached them. She fixed her gaze on him for a brief moment, and then turned back to [member="Alkor Centaris"], wanting to know how he would answer.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Cut in half?"

Alkor snapped his gaze toward the other man at around the time he said those words. The entire world seemed to slow down as he recognized the words, and digested them. I had heard something about that, he thought, but it seems as though it was true. "Serves them right," was all he said. The universe had a strange sense of justice, and Alkor internally laughed. "I left Corellia a very long time ago, and I never went back. I hardly feel bad."

It was a strange thing for any Corellian to say. Alkor spoke to Adali again, then took a sip of ale. "What are you doing in a bar if not drinking?" She was even more suspicious now. "Hard to think you got lost and wandered in."

It occurred to him that she probably sensed him, then sought him as an explicit action. That made him even more uncomfortable. "I call myself a Force User," he answered. Dark Jedi was hardly a commonly accepted vernacular, especially in Alliance territory, or any place policed by Jedi. Alkor was not afraid to accept what he was, nor was he against admitting it, but the newcomer had introduced himself as a member of the governing body and such information could lead to otherwise avoidable conflict. "I'm not interested in the religious entanglements of Jedi or Sith. That's my stance."

He then glanced up to Kurayami and his brow furrowed. "I feel like... you seem familiar to me." He staved off the sinking feeling and shook his head. "I've been wandering for a long time, now. I try to get a drink where I can. You said you're with the Coalition here, right? I heard they're Jedi, but you don't fit the bill."

 

[NightSister]

"First off, I was drinking until about thirty minutes ago," Adali said, laughing. "I needed a while to recover before I flew home and before you came in, it was a pretty comfortable environment to recover in. Second, bars are a great place to encounter people. That's supposed to be some sort of way to enhance my Force-skills - meeting people. When you're neither Jedi nor Sith, as you are, the only thing left to do is build on your powers."

It was interesting for her to watch how he reacted to everything he said. Meeting people may have enhance her Force-skills, but reading people and learning to understand them was part of her own little skillset - and Force or no Force, it was an invaluable skill.

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

"Yea some Sith superweapon or something. I forget exactly what happened there. Just know that was the end result."

Sure an odd reaction for a Corellian to have, but not everyone born there held a great love for it. He shrugged, had it not been for the family he lost, it would have bothered him less. He sipped at his drink while he listened to Alkor speak. So he had left and never returned? Interesting, most people would go back even if just to see what the planet was like since they had seen it last, revist old haunts if they were still around, those kind of things.

"If it weren't for the family I lost, I'd have pretty much the same outlook as you on it. Tragic? Sure, but the universe will do what it sees fit to how and when it wants."

The young lady certainly seemed...well direct was a good word. She was succinct and to the point when addressing people it seemed. Not that such an approach was a bad thing, but to many people it could be unsettling. It seemed almost practiced to him, something she did while looking for information. If she was a spy or some other agent or just an odd girl, he didn't much care. He wasn't on the clock anyways, thus the Namana liquor. So he identified himself as a 'Force User' whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. But his outlook was similar to Kurayami's own.

"Part of the Coalition, sure, Jedi? No, not quite. Not all are Jedi, the majority sure, but we have some more neutral people in the ranks and a few ex-Sith I think. I haven't had any Force training as of yet, only ever a few minor visions and maybe times I used things without knowing it. Don't care much for Jedi or Sith code. To me, it's the Force. If you use it for good or ill is entirely dependent upon the individual. People change over time though so such things aren't always a good indicator of light or dark. Duality just makes it easy to keep people fighting for the side you want them on."

Then came the line that made Kurayami pause with his glass halfway to his mouth. He quirked an eyebrow when Alkor said that he seemed familiar. Not by his looks but he 'felt familiar'? What did that even mean?

"Okay, well for cryptic hello and how are you's that goes down on the top of my list there. What do you mean by that? I don't recall seeing you around before...then again I am known to drink a bit more than I should more often than I should, so there are many things I don't remember later."

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Fair enough," he conceded. It was not unheard of to hear that she had been there before he started drinking. He hardly took the time to notice everyone in the bar. Whenever he entered an establishment for recreation, it did not receive the scrutiny of a battlefield. However, her assessment of increasing her powers seemed flawed. If she intended to meet a master to expand her knowledge, that was one thing; simply socializing did scant little to empower anyone. Alkor on the other hand put very little interest in power through the Force. Willpower was the pool from which all strength stemmed, and refining that resource was something he placed far more value in. "You're interested in getting stronger," he surmised.

He folded his hands and rested his elbows on the table. His gaze hardened on her and he let out a long, thoughtful sigh. "Yes, that feels right."

After a moment, his eyes slid shut. "The Jedi have a rule about taking apprentices above a certain age. It's because the young are malleable, without preconceptions, and innocent. Perfect for indoctrination. It's difficult to pour ale into a glass that is already full." He gestured toward his drink. "It's one thing to seek knowledge, it's another entirely to gain it. If you want to learn, forget everything you think you know. Otherwise, there is only pain in your future."

After he finished, Alkor sat back and cupped the drink as he stared down into it. "Your senses are the first weapon that force training sharpens," he responded. "You can feel things as they happen, or see things that others can't." As he explained, he indicated Kurayami with a quick flick of his wrist. "I can't explain it if you're not trained. Eventually, you'll understand what I mean. Suffice to say, the force exists in all things. Like a chain, things are interlocked and held together at specific points. I don't know how, because I haven't ever met you before now, but it feels as though the connection is strong between us. It could be that you're Corellian."

Of course, Alkor doubted that. He had met many Corellians, and none of them caused his senses to run rampant this way. It was sharp at first, like a headache, but it gradually dulled. He had never experienced it with a person, but there were times and places that had inspired a similar phenomenon. He kept his thoughts on this to himself, though. "But, you should be wary," Alkor cautioned the man. "The darkness is very real. I've seen it. I've felt it. I've tasted it. It is a power that consumes."

He sipped his drink. "Power is a tool, but even tools can be fashioned to look alluring."

 

[NightSister]

"I'm not an Initiate, I understand how the Force works. My master and I don't believe in traditional learning methods - I told you, I don't like typical. That's why I'm here instead of at Coruscant still serving the Jedi Order." Indeed, the Jedi were much too traditional for her - she like to consider herself a force they couldn't contain. "I also understand the darkness - the only way to truly understand something is to experience it first-hand. I call myself Dark Side but really, I just have a greater understanding of the Force - both sides. As for power - we all need something to strive towards. That's just what I chose."

Well, not really, she supposed. She had no family. She was no longer a Jedi. The only thing left was the Force and its power.

"Oh, and no, I'm not Corellian. I came to Coruscant when I was small, but before then I lived on Tython. Perhaps that's it - Tython is a rather unusual planet in many ways."

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

He listened to Alkor, still unsure of how to respond to everything. He continued to nurse his drink, he knew that soon the hallucinatory effects of the Namana liquor would kick in, which was a nice change from the normal drunkenness followed by massive hangover that resulted from too much time spent in a bar. Again, Raylia would not approve, but that was easily enough dealt with later. And lots of flowers, apologies, chocolate, and promises that it was a one time mistake and he didn't know what the effects would be. It had a chance, however small of working.

He lowered his glass and was getting ready to respond when the young woman decided to speak up again. Here she was on a Coalition owned planet, openly talking about her darksided nature. How would the higher ups deal with this? Would they be okay with her or would that have issue with it? Or would they just brush it off as an after effect of the planet itself and the Dark nexuses contained within? He didn't rightly care right now. Not really his area of expertise.

"Yes, I know of the rule that was traditionally follwed about only taking in young children to be trained. My case is a bit odd though as I chose my master for the most part. Even had I been assigned one when I was first told of my sensitivity over a decade ago, I doubt I would have stayed with the Order as time went on. If there is good and evil and everyone has some of both within then why not try to balance the two within oneself? Would that not be a form of peace?

I have read much about the Force and both the Light and Dark sides. I have heard of such things referred to as...Shatterpoints was it? Something along that line. Sounds like a rather useful ability. And I have felt the changes you speak of before, but never attributed it to the Force as such, I had only a faint idea. The saber I carry once belonged to my first girlfriend. She is no longer alive sadly, but she wanted to delve into both sides to understand them more fully, I promised her to carry on her work. She was the first one who noted my 'latent potiential' as she called it, but our relationship was not common knowledge at the time so she refrained from training me openly. I sparred with her many times, though and she remarked on it one of those times when I reacted to a move she hadn't made yet. I chalked it up to commando training and having learned her patterns, which lead to the remark in the first place. I just never put faih in being 'special' like the Jedi seemed to be. So I never really pursued it further.

After a mission on Korriban to do some digging on the ancient Sith, I had visions of past events and possible futures, I heard the voices of thousands whispering to me about my weakness and how they would forge me into an unstoppable force. Powerful beyond compare. Power is not what I seek though, I seek only knowledge, and my COrellian nature along with a single minded focus helped me resist the pull. It was strong but I managed to only escape with a headache worse than any other I have experienced.

Connection between us? I suppose being Corellian could be the cause of such things, but it seems...strange that would be the only reason. If I feel so familiar to you certainly there must be more to it than that, right? Something farther back perhaps, or maybe I just remind you of someone you knew before you left Corellia. Many possible influences though. Either way not the most important piece of the puzzle."

The high was certainly setting in, he felt quite nice, and a bit numbed to sensation for the moment as he took another sip. Whether the rambling was because of this was anyone's guess, or if he was just saying whatever came to mind as it came to him.

 

[Rayliav'enci]

It had been another long day in the clinics but this trip, Raylia had compensated for the immense pull of the darkside by donning a headdress that held a gleaming green jewel that bolstered her resolve and kept the taint at bay. She still chose to sleep on the Coalition carrier in orbit where her room had been consecrated by her as a sacred space but at least she did not tire nearly as quickly as she had on the first trip here.

Kurayami had messaged her about a little bar that had looked good near to where she was treating patients and after they had closed down the triage for the day, Raylia had cleaned up and headed over. The tall, deep blue Twi'lek glanced around the dimly lit place, but her gaze feel quickly on her target. Kurayami was sitting with a couple people she didn't recognize but he was an easy going sort and he liked to talk. That went double if he had a drink in his hand. He was Corellian after all.

She made her way across the room, dropping her bag on the floor, the unfastened flap askew to reveal typical medical supplies a field medic would carry. Her loose fitting robes were clean but wrinkled from sitting wadded up in the bottom of her satchel. She chuckled and shook her head at Kurayami's drink, she would know that beverage anywhere.

"I see you're having a good time."

She waved the bartender over and ordered herself something decidedly less narcotic and flashed a bright smile at the strangers he was talking to.

"Evening all. What are we drinking to?"

 

[Keira Priest]

When it came to those she considered her students Keira was rather fickle. There were those she was content to let roam the galaxy as they pleased, trusting them to take care of themselves and not cause any trouble. Others required more careful supervision, whether due to their naivety or their nature otherwise. Of course, the number she had taken under her wing at the present moment only amounted to four, but for someone like her that was more than enough. Especially when one of them was entirely new to the ways of the greater galaxy, not to mention the Force, and the other one that reminded her far too much of her younger self. Both required their own sort of looking after at times, which she was at the very least willing to grant.

And [member="Adali Renning"] was certainly a character to watch over. She moved with a surety and purpose that spoke to a sort of brash attitude she wasn't sure how to gauge just yet, but she knew that it would end up getting the girl in trouble at some point, just as it had done herself in earlier years. Eventually she had learned from her mistakes, though her scars and cybernetic arm made it clear there had been a number of slip-ups along the way. Now, at least she was sensible enough to come to the bar with her lightsaber concealed on her person, the only other piece of weaponry she carried being her combat knife, which was also tucked away. Dark jeans, a white tanktop and a black leather jacket made for a rather nondescript ensemble, the way she liked it.

When it became apparent quite the gathering had accumulated she meandered her way over to where the three found themselves, standing behind and just to the side of her most recent apprentice, making her own study of those present. Jedi. Or at least, that was what she had pinned [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] as, given both his presence in the ethereal and the way he held himself. Within a few seconds another approached, and she had to suppress a sigh and a quiet curse. Fantastic. She had never gotten on well with those of any Order, least of all those that called themselves Jedi. If this would make for anything, it would certainly be an interesting encounter. Hopefully not a violent one, but she wouldn't complain if a conflagration of that sort were to spark.

Her gaze lingered on [member="Alkor Centaris"] for a few seconds longer than was standard, but soon enough moved on. His aura was decidedly dark, some part of it striking a chord within her, a darkness of her own still lingering stubbornly within her core even after all these years. Finally she deigned to speak, her words carefully articulated, "I would advise not making conversation so freely about these things, Adali. Not in a place like this."

[member="Rayliav'enci"]

 

[NightSister]

Adali considered what [member="Keira Ticon"] said. She didn't really like being reprimanded and not defending herself but at the same time her master was more likely than not correct. "Sorry, you're probably right," she said quietly. "Do you know a better place to converse freely?"

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Kurayami was surprised at [member="Rayliav'enci"] showing up, though to be honest, he really should not have been. As he had told her about this great little place he had found, apparently. Wow this was a good batch of Namana liquor then. He was only three quarters through his first glass and already it was hitting him. He made no attempt however to hide his happiness at seeing Raylia again.

She looked tired, but much better than last time they had been here. He robes were wrinkled but that wasn't surprising if she had been taking care of the wounded, but they were clean at least, so he figured she had changed before coming. He continued to drink as she greeted those gathered here, a bright smile breaking out when he responded.

"Raliav'enci! It's good you are here! I mean this place is kinda depressing but hey they got good booze at least. Well what I'm drinkin' is less booze. Anyways, hope your day was a fun one. Mine was interesting, but at least I remembered to take a rope this time. Lots more data from the tmeple though I forget which one. That's all processing on the ship right not. But yea what am I drinking to? I dunno, does a Corellian need a reason to drink other than breathing? Oh and my new friend here Alkor..Taris..or something or other. It's okay this is only my first glass. Might want to wait between tonight."

[member="Keira Ticon"] made her way towards the group right around this time and spoke to the other girl from before as if she were in charge of her. The look she gave him was one that was trying to place who or what he was. To this he had a very eloquent response as was his wont.

"Hey lady! Easy on the death glare there, I mean I'm jus' as human as Alky-boy here. Well I think he's human at least. I just wanna learn things an' live an' have a good time with my girlfriend and other friends? Is that so wrong. I'm nots Jedi or Sith, I'm just me, only Kurayami Bloodborn. Girlfriend is gonna teach me stuff 'bout the light side, but i don' see it that way ya know? To me is more like, there's the Force, right? And then you got people who use the Force, and some of them are good but some are bad. But some do what the situation calls for. They use light and dark, but that isn't the Force that is light or dark, it's the people using it that are good or bad. We use the labels to keep people on the side of the cause we fight for, those in the middle are the outliers. But why? Shouldn't everyone try to find that balance between good and evil in every situation and go from there? If you gotta kill a bad person is it not a good deed? If you kill a good person is it not a bad things? So you use the Force to make sure you eliminate the bads without hurting the goods and if you have to use evil means to get rid of the bad then that's still good. So you helped good with a bad thing. See?"

After such an enlightened and eloquent speech who would ever believe this man had a drinking problem?

 

[Alkor Centaris]

He was about to speak when someone new approached. The Twi'lek woman apparently knew Kurayami, and was kind enough to smile as she asked what the occasion was. Alkor nodded in her direction, but was not slow in changing the direction of his gaze. The younger and less experienced of the force users was blissfully unaware of the darkness that danced beneath the surface, but someone who had more training would easily see through him. No amount of defensive body language would help him evade her senses, if she decided to probe further. Instead of attempting to hide it, however, Alkor continued to drink as though nothing were wrong.

In fact, nothing was wrong. He had not given cause for alarm, and he had no intention of causing a scene.

"Life," Alkor responded gruffly to her inquiry. "Good a cause for drinks as any."

He instantly reevaluated the situation. Too many more bodies blessed by the force could spell disaster for this bar. Big egos quickly warred against each other, especially when they were polar opposites. Fighting his way out was not out of the question, but it would not be an easy feat from behind enemy lines- which was where he suddenly felt like he was.

[member="Keira Ticon"] It was at that point another woman swept onto the scene, and she quickly hushed the younger woman when she spoke about the darkness. Alkor instantly recognized her for what she was. They had similar presences, though hers was decidedly more reserved about the taint that lingered within her soul. It was there, however- Alkor knew what he was looking for. Their eyes locked for a moment as she stared for more than a moment, though his expression remained stoic. "Like what you see?" he asked distastefully. In truth, he knew she was not appreciating his aesthetic.

But words were powerful things, and choosing them carefully was paramount.

At this point, Alkor had pushed his drink away and had no intention of indulging further. His hands rested in his lap, beneath the table and out of sight. They were in a place that granted him quick and easy access to his weapon, if the need arose.

The rest of the scene had gone eerily quiet. Like the eye of a storm, the calm had fallen on them. The coming moments would decide just what kind of day that it would turn out to be. Liquor sloshed across the floor from the glass of one man, too drunk to realize that he had tipped his drink too far. His eyes were glued to the conglomeration of force sensitives on the darker side of the room, a palpable tension growing apparent even to those who lacked sensitivity. "Want to take bets?" the barkeep whispered to the drunkard.

"No, but I'll have another shot of whiskey. Mine seems to have evacuated from my glass." The two men laughed.

 

[Rayliav'enci]

While most of the time she would lock down her abilities and purposely try not to read others, there was tension in the group and it wouldn't take a sweep of the room within the throes of empathy for her to know there was a hair trigger among those gathered around. She took in a long, deep breath and let it out with her whole body relaxing. Perhaps she needed to calm the situation and from the vibes she was picking up second hand, throwing sabers and titles wasn't going to do anything to bring the mood down to something more along like calm.

She smiled again, her green eyes shining.

"Come now. We are in Coalition territory and while the Silver Sanctum are peacekeepers here, the Coalition is far more diverse in their ideology. There's no need for hackles to be raised. Besides, I'm just a medic archaeologist getting a drink with my guy at the end of a long day in the clinic. Come on, I'm buying the next round."

She did not know these people but she had been getting to know the people of Kaas City and more fighting and strife was not what they needed. Raylia wasn't looking for a fight and would rather just have a couple, catch a transport up to the carrier and sleep off a long day than engage anyone in this place. Her easy going ways radiated calm, and she dug a few credits out of her pocket to throw down for the bartender in order to refill everyone's glasses.

 

[Keira Priest]

"You don't need to apologize. Just be mindful. I trust you to exercise your judgement." There were a number of individuals in the galaxy that didn't take kindly to people such as those gathered, and that was something [member="Adali Renning"] would have to learn through trial and error just as much as their time spent together. It wasn't a lesson to be had here, and she would leave the brief conversation at just that. More important things remained to contend with, those more pertinent than a caution that was best saved for a later date. The present company had her a touch wary as it was, and for good reason. While barfights were some kind of entertainment they also drew attention, and she was in favor of not having to deal with any local law enforcement.

When [member="Kurayami Bloodborn"] offered his own explanation as to his alignment and philosophy of the Force as a whole Keira listened silently, an amused smile just barely turning up the corners of her mouth. None of it was information she had asked for, but she wouldn't necessarily prevent him from speaking either. His viewpoint held similarities with her own, in truth, though she would never admit as such unless prodded herself. Once he wrapped up what amounted to a speech she remained quiet for a few more seconds. "While I don't exactly disagree with you, you'll have to excuse the fact that I didn't come here to discuss philosophy. I've found that bars don't often make the best venues for talks like that."

Her head inclined just slightly at the rhetorical inquiry offered by [member="Alkor Centaris"]. "I've walked down the same path you're on twice and nearly died both times for my trouble. I don't believe in preaching or trying to convert people, but don't be surprised if you find yourself dying young. The dark isn't the greatest at giving back what it takes, then again, we both know that." She would leave her commentary as to his chosen alignment at that and nothing more. Her presence here was intended as nothing more than a watchful eye and perhaps a conversation or two, not provocation of any sort.

[member="Rayliav'enci"]