You're Not...

[Haytham Kaze]

It had been a long time ago that Haytham Kaze, or rather Darth Soranus had made plans to travel to Zeltros. When he had made that plan, he was a Jedi Padawan and that had been after a particularly interesting exchange with a Sith Knight that had tried to use the Dark Side to seduce him. After resisting her efforts, he had found plenty to do with Jedi Archives and in classes -- Such as staying away from the battlefield.

He didn't want to encounter her on the battlefield. Recently however, he had left the Galactic Republic's Jedi Order. He had joined Vassara Raxis's crew and she was to train him, but alas, before they had been together for more than a month, she had been slain by his new... Mentor, he supposed. The Herglic, Darth Orcus. A powerful Sith Lord who held the same goals as Haytham.

He had landed his starship at the spaceport nearly two days ago.

He wasn't particularly as to what he should be doing to wait on the planet. So he did what every other person that was on Zeltros did.

He went to the club.

Or was it a casino? He couldn't really tell, it appeared to be both a club and a casino equally, neither had more characteristics than the other did. As he normally did when entering an establishment like this, he looked about the interior and headed to the nearest counter, black jacket concealing the ebony hilt on his waist and the blaster pistol in the small of his back.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

After a long and particularly heated argument with her mother, Joza was in no mood to go to work. The young Zeltron had been chomping at the bit, trying every which way to convince her mother that letting her leave was a good idea. But her mother refused, not willing to let go of her daughter easily. And who could blame her? The path of a jedi was dangerous, and her daughter had been sheltered by the hedonistic, soft ways of Zeltros her entire life. Even after her daughter was found to be force sensitive, she was still reluctant to let the girl go.

Joza had grown increasingly frustrated over the years. As a child she wanted to leave Zeltros for something greater, and ever since she discovered that she could become a jedi, her desire to leave only burned brighter. Still, there was the issue with her mother. She could just leave on her own, but she wouldn’t feel right doing that.

She tried her best to keep a smile on her face, her body swaying as she walked through her section of the club, a tray of drinks in her hand. She would get scolded by her boss if she didn’t look appealing or open enough, so she did her best to surrender to the heavy pheromones that seemed to be emanating from all directions.

And then she felt something. The Zeltron nearly dropped her tray as she recognized how familiar the feeling was, however faint. It was the same feeling she got when she had literally run into the mysterious jedi a few years back. Steadying herself and her tray, the pink-toned woman followed the feeling carefully, weaving her way through the thick crowds. Her eyes landed upon a young man with dark hair standing with his back to her. Swallowing her nerves, she approached him from the side.

“Drink, Sir?” She held the tray out to him slightly in one hand, doing her best to appear as approachable as possible. Physically it wasn’t that difficult—her waitressing dress was colorful, tight and hugged her curves. Mentally she wasn’t prepared.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

While he waited, Haytham mulled over what he was doing there. Should he have contacted his friend before traveling to Zeltros? It probably would've been better to do than going to the planet alone... What with the pheromones of it's inhabitants and stuff. Rolling his shoulders back to get a tense feeling out, he sighed when he felt the sensation minimize. Glancing about the fairly large room, he felt a presence out of all of the bodies in the room.

Of course, he felt everyone's presence, but those were the feelings of regular people. No one who was actually special. No, he felt another one, above the rest. It was a Force user he knew, but it didn't feel as it should, at least, it didn't feel trained. Grey gaze setting on the closest patrons, he looked upon every one as if that would help him discern who he felt the Force potential from.

It was always so exciting to encounter someone who had the Force and didn't know it. Or had the Force and didn't want to it. At least, he thought it would be. He hadn't met people like that before.

Before he had even realized, the presence he had felt previously was extremely close. He hadn't been paying attention? And when he looked to his other side, he saw the naturally pink Zeltron waitress and blinked. She was... Beautiful of course, did that even cut it to cover all of... That?

Probably not.

He looked her up and down multiple times in those few brief moments when he was speechless, before he regained his composure and offered his most charming smile. "Yes, of course," he said as his eyes settled on her own, a hand placed on the counter so that he may lean on it. "What was your name?"

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza paused for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat as he spoke to her. He’s actually talking to me. She hadn’t had such luck with the jedi she ran into a while ago who refused to speak. She returned his smile, albeit a little forced as she removed one of the cocktails from her tray, setting it next to his hand. He seemed friendly enough, but as he looked her up and down she wondered if he had other intentions in mind. Not that she blamed him entirely, he was on The Pleasure Planet and she was intended to look pleasing to the eye. Regardless, she brushed those thoughts from her mind for the time being.

“I’m Joza. Joza Perl.” She did her best to calm the butterflies in her stomach, her smile become a bit more natural. She let her emerald eyes search him briefly, realizing that he was rather good looking.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Exhaling a breath of air, he watched her tentatively. Was he only infatuated with her because he was on Zeltros? He was certain that if they were on another planet he wouldn't be that interested, at least, that's what his pride told him. But deep down, he knew he wouldn't be able to help himself from at least looking.

"Joza Perl," he repeated after her, testing out the name for the first time. It looked as if he were testing out the name, getting used to it even. "You have a lovely name, Joza Perl," he said with a knowing look as he looks into her eyes. Looking past her, he looked to the other patrons and he glanced to the cocktail that she had placed in front of him.

"Tell me about yourself, Lady Perl," he said, still maintaining that charming smile which soon turned into a genuinely warm one.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza arched a thin brow for a brief moment, shifting the weight of the tray more onto her shoulder and less onto her wrist. She watched the man carefully, noting his relaxed demeanor. The atmosphere of Zeltros had the power to pacify even the more aggressive people, and she vaguely wondered if he was just a naturally calm person, or if he had succumbed to the pheromones.

“About…myself?” She seemed a bit dumbfounded, as if unused to the question. Normally when a patron flirted with her she would play along for a bit before excusing herself, keeping up the playful ambiance of the club. She’d nearly lost her job over throwing out one to many sneers or eye rolls, so she made sure to keep a smile on her face, even if forced. There was something about the way he looked at her that drew her in, though. So she stayed.

“I’m afraid there’s not much of a story behind me. I’ve lived here all my life with my mother. I would like to leave, one day though.” A pause, and she wondered if she should have said more or less. Revealing her own aspirations this early on, to a stranger no less would likely get her laughed at, and she didn’t think that her waitressing career would survive another punched customer. Feeling a little bolder, she prompted him. “May I know your name?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham hummed softly as he listened to her. As a waitress he was certain that she got hit on a lot. Probably too much. But on this planet and looking like she did at the same time? Yeah, that'd be impossible to imagine he figured. She repeated his question aloud, yeah, now he knew his previous thoughts were true.

In response, he nodded his head as if to encourage her to speak.

Soon enough she continued to speak, but it was more or less a generalization. He supposed that's how it would normally be for every day people. Would his life had been like that if he stayed on Dromund Kaas? That was just another question that he didn't have an answer too. "Many people would like to leave their homes one day," he said with an amused look crossing his pleasant features as she asked him that next question of himself.

"Haytham Kaze," he said in that soft voice of his.

"Where would you like to go? When you leave, I mean."

Then, he gave her a look as if to say that he knew more than he was letting on, but that was only a look. Would she even be able to tell? Who knew, but that smile returned anyway.

@@Joza Perl

 

[Joza Perl]

Her emerald eyes narrowed not in hostility, but rather curiosity as she pondered his question. He gave no hint that he was having a laugh at her, but the young Zeltron kept her caution raised somewhat. And that look that he was giving her…did he feel the same presence about her that she felt around him? To her it was similar to the mysterious jedi at its core, but different. She had only felt it a handful of times, and she’d be damned if she let this meeting go to waste.

Her eyes left his for a moment as she glanced swiftly from one side to the next. With no boss in site, the pink-skinned woman set her tray of drinks down on the counter. “To be honest, I haven’t thought it through yet. Have you ever gotten the feeling that you should be a part of something bigger?” She leaned onto the counter as she spoke, her bust spilling forward and giving her conversation partner a rather…generous view.

Realizing how her tone had become a bit too serious for the upbeat nature of the club, a scripted smile appeared on her face as she ran a hand through her red locks. “You know, do some traveling. Zeltros is nice and all, but I’d like to see more of what’s out there.”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

The newly made Sith Acolyte remained quiet for the next few moments. He was simply watching her, and with a quick glance around the room she seemed content to relax for the next few moments. Perhaps now she wouldn't seem so uptight? He smiles when she leans over the counter, his head tilting to the side ever so slightly, utilizing all of his willpower to not allow his gaze to slip downwards.

After she asked the question, he couldn't help but to chuckle a bit. But when he stops he looked at her with a semi-serious look as he said, "I am apart of something bigger, Lady Perl," he said as a grin spread across his lips a mere moment after he spoke the words. Pausing for a moment to think on her last words, he hums softly, the humming taking on a thoughtful sound to it as he spoke.

"Zeltros is lovely," he said in his soft voice. "But I'm certain I could help you decide on where to go when you do leave," he said as his head straightened out at last.

"What... Interests you Joza Perl?" He said as he closed the small distance between them ever so slightly.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

A pang of regret hit Joza in the chest as Haytham chuckled, and she regretted revealing a bit of her actual thoughts, rather than keeping things superficial. But the feeling of remorse was cut short when he spoke, his words and the grin that followed resonating with her. “Joza.” She spoke softly. “Just call me Joza.”

When he began to close the gap, Joza’s gaze lidded ever so slightly, her full lips parting as she formed her response in her head. Something about this man and this conversation kept pulling her in, a keen spark of interest in her eyes. Zeltros was lovely, yes—but in her eyes, that’s all that it was good for. It was a naïve thought, but she figured that she had no need for pheromones and relaxation. It would only hold her back.

Instead of answering his question directly, she tilted her head to the side and stared at him silently, as if she was trying to stare into his soul. After a few moments, her intense gaze softened and she inched closer, placing her fingers delicately onto his chest. “You’re…” she muttered softly, her lidded gaze locked onto him. “You’re a…” The whispered words came to a halt as she snapped back to reality, withdrawing her hand quickly with an embarrassed look.

“My interests…I like…exploring. And…learning. I’ve been studying combat.” Her words were unsteady, and she used them to try and shield herself from her embarrassment, though it wasn’t working quite well.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham had been fairly surprised that she had been so accepting of him, especially when she had placed her hand on his chest. Smiling in reaction, he couldn't help but move that hand that was propping him up against the counter and place his elbow on it so that his body was closer to it. But as she spoke those words slowly, he felt the confusion and then she pulled her hand away. For a brief moment a childish like pout came to his face, but he wiped it away as he looked back up to her, tearing his gaze away from the place her hand had been on his chest.

"Oh," he said as she finally answered his question and told him what she was interested in. "I've done a lot of learning," he said with a smile. "Not to mention exploring, I've been in almost every region of the Galaxy," he said. Reaching forwards, with a gentle grasp he wrapped his own hand around the one that had been on his chest and he watched to gauge her reaction.

"And..." he started slowly, "The thing I'm the best at is combat," he finished.

Stepping in closer to her again, if she had allowed it previously he would've placed her hand on his chest again. "Try and figure out what I'm feeling," he said. "Dig deep into yourself first."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

The young Zeltron watched him carefully, unsure of what direction this conversation was taking. One thing was for sure, and it was that they were both skirting around something bigger. And adventurer, he was then? She wouldn’t lie, he did intrigue her…why else would she still be here? When he grasped her hand, she felt her heart leap in her chest and the heat rush to her face, unable to keep her teenage hormones from flaring at the gentle contact. She couldn’t help but find this mysterious stranger alluring, and in the back of her mind she was irritated with herself for it.

Swallowing thickly, Joza allowed him to touch her hand to his chest. She let her eyes flutter closed and relaxed her shoulders, releasing some of the tension she didn’t know she was even holding. She focused on the feeling she had gotten from him, the feeling that had led her to him. The same feeling that led her to run into the cloaked jedi who let her drag him along the streets of Zeltros as a child. It was through him she had vaguely become aware of her ability, but since then she had no idea what to do with it.

Her eyes flared open and she pulled away again, this time taking a step back. Feeling someone’s gaze on her, she searched the room until she spied her boss a little ways across the floor giving her that look. “I shouldn’t…” She spoke softly, cradling the hand that had touched Haytham’s chest. Quickly she turned away from him, picking up her tray of drinks and balancing the weight between her hand and shoulder. She was about to walk away from him, but she hesitated and turned back toward him, leaning in close.

“I get off work in a half an hour. We can talk more then...here, or somewhere quieter if you’d prefer.”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Humming softly as he watched her, Haytham frowned when she removed her hand again, but he didn't make a move to bring her back. Unluckily, before he could even get an answer from [member="Joza Perl"], she had looked away and had seen her boss. He didn't get an answer. Did she feel anything? Had she done it correctly? He didn't know, but as she started to go on her way, he immediately extended his own presence in the Force to her own to gauge her impression of him.

But before he could even do it wholly, she turned around and spoke again. This time she was telling him when she would be free, and he couldn't help but smile as he nodded his head. Glancing about the spacious room, he spotted a staircase and pointed in that direction and said, "On the second floor," he said as he turned away and eyed the cocktail on the counter.

In the space of the thirty minutes, Haytham finished the cocktail and headed up the stairs. Once he was at the top of the platform, he found a private room for the two of them and sat upon a chair outside of it as he waited in the hallway. Closing his eyes, he surrounded himself in the Force as he waited, something he wouldn't normally do.

 

[Joza Perl]

The rest of Joza’s shift went by as a blur, and yet she found it rather easy to keep up her pleasant facade. Her mind was still geared toward Haytham and the powerful, familiar feeling that emanated from him. She didn’t even seem to mind when a more brutish, intoxicated patron pinched her behind, an action that would usually earn a tray-smack upside the head. But she only wandered back to the bar in order to refill her tray, letting security deal with the man.

When at last her shift was over, Joza hastily made her way upstairs, wading out of the thick cloud of pheromones on the lower floor. The effects could still easily be felt on the second floor, but at least it was much quieter. When she finally spotted him, Joza felt her stomach began to squirm. All she wanted was to leave Zeltros, and now she was face with the very real possibility that she could. Hesitation and doubt took over for a moment. Sure he was nice to her, but it could have easily been a farce. And now she agreed, insisted that they leave the safety of the crowd to speak privately.

While she acknowledged that the situation did seem suspicious, excitement and wide-eyed curiosity won out. She approached him, a small smile on her lips. “Did you enjoy the drink?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Whilst he had been meditating he was thinking. Thinking of what he was going to say to [member="Joza Perl"] when she came up the stairs. Extending his presence out in the Force, he sought out her presence, tracking it and to make sure she was safe and didn't feel troubled. Haytham had realized long ago it was easy for him to feel responsible for people that he took a liking too.

Sighing, he soon slipped out of the meditative trance when he realized her presence was growing closer to him. Opening his eyes slowly, he had pulled himself out of the trance just as soon as he heard her steps approaching him and she began speaking.

Pausing before an answer came to mind, he was unsure as to the answer, before he realized she had given him a cocktail and he smiled and nodded his head. "It was fine," he said as he turned his head to look at her, a smile crossing his features as he waits.

"You didn't tell me what you felt before."

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza stared at [member="Haytham Kaze"] for a few moments, hoping that he wouldn’t bring his previous question up. She let her gaze drift over to the wall, trying to organize her thoughts. She was both excited and frustrated by this feeling, the fact that she was unable to explain it causing her irritation. Hopefully she would get answers.

“Years ago I ran into a jedi here on Zeltros. We didn’t speak, but I felt something from him. Like his presence, but stronger. It sound silly, but it’s almost as if he was extending his will, his being from his body.” She paused, wondering if she had used the proper words to explain it. Slowly, her gaze returned to the dark haired young man and she continued. “I felt the same thing from you. The same presence, and I was drawn to you. Even with all of the pheromones, I could still feel it.” She paused again, giving him a once-over to see if he had any weapons on him. She didn’t see anything, but anything he had could have easily been concealed.

Her gaze flickered back toward him, a bit of harness flecking her green eyes. “Are you a jedi?”

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham hummed softly as she spoke. She still didn't answer his question but he supposed it was for good reason. Pushing a clump of that black hair out of his eyes, the young male sounded almost thoughtful in the sound that he was making. She spoke of a Jedi that she had met, or rather felt before. He didn't know, it didn't matter at that point he decided.

"Yes, I understand. I was doing the same -- to make sure you were safe," he said softly. His grey gaze looked her up and down again, wondering if there was any difference to her appearance, but whether there was or wasn't didn't matter, he was just always trying to find differences. He didn't like to miss things.

And then she asked him the fateful question.

If he was a Jedi.

A smile came to his lips, and he mulled over the thought, unsure as to how to proceed.

Once he had decided he answered as simply as he could.

"No. At least, not anymore."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Safe? Joza’s eyes widened and she looked momentarily confused. She hadn’t expected him to say that, but then again she didn’t know what to expect from their encounter. Still, her visage softened at the thought. She watched him carefully, as he ruminated over her question, wondering if she had said something wrong with each silent moment that passed.

When he answered, her brows knit in confusion. Not anymore? What did that mean? Without thinking, she took a sudden step forward, one hand reaching out for him as if to touch his chest once more. But she stopped short, pulling her arm back.

“What do you mean ‘not anymore’…? I don’t understand.” A thin cloud of distrust appeared in her eyes, her body language signifying that she was now cautious.

[member="Haytham Kaze"]

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Haytham watched her attentively. His head tilted to the side as she immediately went from being forthcoming to suddenly pulling away. Not physically of course, but rather, he sensed her emotions through the Force. He was perceptive in that way. Sighing he folded his arms over his chest as he began to think of a way to phrase his next words.

"It means what I said. I was a Jedi Padawan of the Galactic Republic's Jedi Order. Nearly two years ago my Master, the leader of the Jedi Order at the time disappeared on the battlefield," he said with a wistful look taking over his features. "I made myself promise that she would be the one to Knight me and name me 'Jedi Knight Haytham Kaze'" he said with air quotations and all. "It's been a long time and I came to the decision a while ago that that is a promise that cannot be fulfilled."

He sighs. Why was he even saying this to a person he met less than an hour ago? He still watched her attentively however, to gauge her reaction to his words.

"So now I am my own person." He hums thoughtfully as he wonders if he should talk about the others who had become his Master if only temporarily. "I wander the Galaxy helping those who need it," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not to mention the Galactic Republic is falling apart."

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza listen intently, though one could see in her eyes that the gears in her mind were turning. Was his story unique? Or did such things happen often when one walked the path of the Jedi? Maybe her mother was right. Maybe it was too dangerous. Slowly and deliberately, Joza made her way over to Haytham and seated herself next to him. The caution in her eyes was still present, but it had regressed somewhat. With continually slow movements, the Zeltron placed a pink hand on his chest for a third time.

She wouldn’t try to hide her fear from him. But he’d be able to feel her intense curiosity along with it. Concentrating deeply, she vaguely became aware of her own force, and by extension, the one surrounding him. It was similar to the feeling she had felt before, but more…fleshed out. Through this she was able to feel tinges of sadness, pain, anger, hurt…she wondered how much more there was, but that was all she would allow herself to feel for now. Such emotions were usually masked on Zeltros.

She didn’t remove her hand from his chest, but rather tilted her head up to look at him, her face softer than before. “Why have you come to Zeltros?”

[member="Haytham Kaze"]