Public [Zinder Event] Ilum's Grand Life Day Extravaganza!!! [Zinder Event]

[Warpriest Prime]

"We Are, All Of Us, Stardust. Held Together By Love For An Instant~"
​

O B J E C T I V E | Mistletoe or Mistlefoe
L O C A T I O N | Winter Forest
D R E S S | Ha'rangirs Regalia

Imperius Indomitus | Eira Dyn

O P E N​

Bright, azure eyes swept across the snow-laden woods as Dima padded further in, her claws crunching lightly through the frost. The illuminated forest was alive with holiday cheer, soft lights draped from tree to tree, holo-lanterns shaped like fat little shinies hanging low, and laughter echoing in the cold air. People skated on the ice rink cut clean into a frozen lake, their mirrored reflections twirling beneath them. Others played strange holiday games she didn't quite understand, tossing rings onto antler-shaped posts or chasing each other with jingling bells.

It should have been fun. It looked fun. But every time she drifted toward something interesting, sleds, dancing lights, a booth serving steaming treats...she noticed it: pairs. Couples everywhere. Hands held. Arms linked. Foreheads leaned together. Even some of the warriors she knew had arrived with...someone.

Her gaze flicked toward Jorryn Fordyce , who had shown up with a pretty girl named Kirie . They disappeared somewhere between the lantern trees the moment they arrived. Others had dispersed with partners, friends, or packmates.

And then there was Dima.

Awkward. Four-armed disaster. Social hurricane. Currently twiddling her claws in a way that would have made any Mandalorian elder pinch her ear for looking like a shy cadet.

She hugged herself tighter as a snowflake landed on her nose and stung. She cursed softly, well, as softly as one could when one's breath naturally exhaled smoke and embers. Wearing a cute dress had seemed like a brilliant idea until reality arrived in the form of Ilum's "stab-your-soul cold." Her scales felt like they were going to crackle right off her body.

She could have dressed warmly. But no, Prime had insisted on looking dazzling. Being warm was apparently optional. She glanced towards a lass who wandered through the woods as well, Eira Dyn , the towering xeno waving at her as they walked in a similar direction. "Sup...get stood up too? Same..."

As she trudged through the woods, a bit embarrassed, a bit lost, she spotted someone else wandering alone among the trees. A tall figure swaddled in a heavy red robe and fur, dragging a massive bag of something crystalline behind him. Definitely not one of the usual partygoers. Definitely not dressed for fun. Definitely radiating a kind of presence that did not match the cheerful aura around him.

Dima blinked. Then blinked again.

Well. At least she wasn't the only solitary weirdo tonight.

She lifted a hand and barked out, half whining and half theatrical proclamation, "Colder than Hoth out here, I swear! Where is the spiked hot chocolate when you need it!?"

Her breath escaped in a plume of smoke and tiny sparks, as if her own fire was also shivering. She rubbed her arms, trying, and failing to warm herself. The stranger was just within earshot now as he stepped into the glow of the lanterns, the heavy bag slung over his shoulder.

Dima squared herself, adjusting her dress, trying to look less like a freezing lizard and more like a confident Mandalorian demigoddess.

"Hey red!" she called to him, voice warm despite the cold. "You lost, or just dramatically hauling that bag around to impress the ladies? Cause if so...eyyyyyyyyyyyy~"

 

[Olyssandra]

Location: Ice Skating Cave - Ilum
Attire: Jumpsuit
Notable Equipment and Effects: Midnight Harmony (2)
Thread Objective: He was a Skater Boi and I was a Skater Gurl!
Tag: Tintinallë Nyxara Hyartë Vaelune

Something came over Olyssandra as the first Quendesh that she had ever seen apart from herself stepped into view.

As Tintinallë introduced herself, Olyssandra stood breathless, a tremor of disbelief pulsing through her diminutive frame. Her electric blue-hued gaze widened as she took in the other Quendesh. The elleth was breathtaking in the most literal sense. Her eyes were wide and large like her own, her skin was porcelain with a touch of pink around the ears, and her nose formed a perfect, delicate button.

It was like looking into a mirror, but one that reflected a stunning echo of her own genetic inheritance.

“Tintinallë…” Olyssandra tested the name on her lips, the syllables flowing with perfect instinct for a language she had only ever spoken in a refresher’s mirror. Of course, she was aware that the Cradle had not only made her with Quendesh blood, but had also etched the lexicon and phonetics of the Quendeshi language into her mind.

After all, the day might come where the Kainate needed an assassin to infiltrate Quendeshi society, and she would be a pre-ordained instrument for such a task.

And yet, Olyssandra pushed the thought from her mind, along with its strange contradictions. Her features instead went flush with excitement, and without another word she took a swift, impulsive step forward, arms outstretched…

And threw herself directly into Tintinallë’s chest!

 

[Reina Daival]

Tag: Open
Location: Objective 1
Outfit

She had waited. And waited. Watching the couples and pairings wander through the woods past her. Some of them faces she had recognised from swiping on herself. The idea that she'd have come across one of them without a partner was seeming more and more naive as the minutes trailed out to what must have been...a hour? Two hours of her just standing in the cold. Hoping and waiting. But there was only so much time someone could waste on a lost cause as she exhaled some warm air into the palm of her hands, rubbing them together as the enjoyment of seeing the frost and snow was slowly starting to wane on her, as annoyance and frustration started to slip in, evident by the way she tugged the little pom-poms off her outfit, chucking them off to the side.

"...Trying to dress up nice is a waste of energy. Wonder if Acier is doing better. Saw him on this stupid app.""

The Ersansyr shook her head, brushing the frost and snow off her shoulders as she deemed it best to just walk back to her ship and head off world. There were better uses of her time than just wasting it here. There were credits to be made, training to be done. Maybe it was Reina's own fault. She should have set up plans, instead of hoping that something would come together. Instead of hoping that luck would come her way, she should have tried to take control of things once more. Either way, there was a lot of things she should have done, things that were too late to change.

None of it mattered as she made her way back to her ship. This had been a wasted venture for her, and she was doing her best to not let it get to her. This was all part of her journey. A lonely journey, but one that at the end of the day was Reina's alone. Today might be someone's grand life day extravaganza, but for her? Today was as typical as any other day.
​

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

Tags: Eenia Vahn

Adelle stood in the line to get ice skates, more than a little apprehensive. Phantom's claws dug into the shoulders of her blue jacket as she moved with the line, Nia beside her. They'd worked together often enough so when Adelle had seen her healer friend on the Zinder app, she had shot a message the blonde's way to see if she wanted to hang out. But that wasn't why Adelle was nervous.

She'd never ice-skated.

Or rather, she didn't remember ice-skating. There was a lot she didn't remember.

The idea of it sounded fun. Gliding across the ice effortlessly, a physical activity that didn't require absolute concentration, and some of the tricks you could learn and do on skates were impressive. It was the kind of thing that Adelle would gravitate towards--on flimsiplast. In practice, Adelle couldn't remember setting foot near ice in the past decade with the intent to be recreational. And Phantom, in a thicker, fluorescent cold weather service vest, could feel her nerves. Adelle felt a tail lash against her face, an impression of doing her best not to hurt Phantom in her attempts flashing across her mind.

"Have you ever skated before?" she asked Nia. Their turn to get skates came and Adelle grabbed the nondescript black pair offered. Blades had been bolted to the bottoms of boots, a blunt serration at the curved part of the metal towards the toes. So this is what ice skates looked like. She walked over to a bench with Nia and began to replace her knee high boots with the skates.

 

[Fallon Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: OBJECTIVE 2 ICE RINK
Objective: Dance, maybe chat to someone cute
Loadout: here Wearing this
Tags: Saul Whesai

"A jedi thought you look like a monster?" she laughed "They must live a very sheltered life because real monsters look like... well... not you." she gave a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. There was nothing about him that bothered her despite her initial suprise. He was struggling to skate with her and she joked internally to herself that perhaps he was the one going with the damsel in distress.

"So I take it you arent a fan of Jedi? Shame really." she made a popping noise and pointed at herself in a "thats me" manner. She wouldnt give more details, technically she wasn't a Jedi, that was a different sect, with different tennets. She was an Ashlan Lightbringer and very proud of it, but it could sometimes be polarising given the reputation of the crusade.

"It's good that you still put yourself out there though, seeing as your last experience with a woman didn't go to plan, I respect that." she turned towards him and began skating backwards to make conversation easier. "One of my mother's is Countess of an old ice world and her castle was right by a lake." she added. Explaining the ease she found herself on the ice.

 

[Eurydice]

For once, Eurydice found herself missing the company of Darth Nefaron. Not for her Master's sparkling personality and kindly mannerisms, but simply because he'd abandoned her on an unknown world.

Because at this moment, among the thickly forested woods of Ilum, every tree looked the same against a snowy white background.

And Eurydice was hopelessly lost.

Whomever Nefaron had gone to meet with, he'd made it clear that her presence was neither desired nor required. The girl was quick to make herself scarce, figuring that a walk along the frigid landscape might be easier on the senses than some of the more crowded venues at this…celebration.

Which brought the unsettling idea to mind - did Nefaron have a lover?

Where she came from, matches were made by an individual's parents. Mixers, in a sense, were rather common. Not unsupervised, though.

“I don’t know how to talk to girls!”

Tiny hairs raised at the back of Eurydice's neck as a voice wavered through the brush. Excitement prickled along her skin, nerves dancing from both the prospect of being lead back to civilization and the horror of being perceived.

Anxious, she took a step back, and the sole of her boot threaded into a winding, gnarled root. Eurydice stumbled against the trunk of a tree, the impact shaking loose the snow that had gathered over its branches, and unceremoniously dumped a pile of cold crystals over the Seer.

Fantastic. Now she was lost, awkward, and colder.

Varin Mortifer

 

[Naniti]

"If I get too hungry, I'll gnaw on you."

Her blue eyes peered out at him from under her brow as she fought to keep the smile as small as possible. Naniti wasn't a cannibal -- or a carnivore of sapients, as it were. Though they'd never openly discussed the possibility, so as far as Lysander knew maybe there was a chance she could be? Even if he was certain, the joke had legs to stand on.

Of course, Lysander had a lip of his own, didn't he? The Togruta squinted her eyes at him for a second. Then she straightened up with a lift to her chin and hands on her hips. "Dastardly." Wait, which word had she said? "You want to try and trip me on the ice, Lysander? You think your moves on a dance floor got you covered. Out here it isn't cheating." Her smile broadened. Dancing on the edge of a knife; was he just as good at that as he was with a Waltz? Perhaps they'd find out.

"You think Kyber crystals go missing after an event like this?" Naniti looked around at their surroundings of the crystal cave where the lake resided. "I hear there used to be traditions of picking crystals here for lightsabers." She wasn't entirely sure if people still did that.

"Then again, sharp as their edges can be, sometimes you find something just as brilliant already by your side." Her eyes slid back to Lysander hopeful he'd pick up on the fact she was talking about him now.

While he'd gone with a fashionable black cardigan, Naniti had opted for a white one above fitted, but loose nearly-black purple leggings. They studied on a world that could get bitter cold already, so this was hardly new weather; but that didn't mean Naniti couldn't have wished for warmer weather. It'd give her plenty of excuse to stay close though. She'd have to start playing it up soon.

Lysander von Ascania | Corazona von Ascania | Madrona A’Mia

 

[Varin Mortifer]

OBJ: Are you my Mistletoe or Mistle-foe​

Okay boy, calm down, there's no need to panic.

He heard a slight snap followed by a soft thud which he then saw some snow fall off of a tree.

His gaze darted in the direction of some brush that just obscured who was behind. His brow creased as he glared in the direction as he slowly approached.

“Hello?”

He spoke softly as he peered over the brush towering over the lady. His coal like eyes softened to a dark brown as they gazed over to where her boot had caught.

“Do you need assistance?”

He stepped over the brush slowly extending his hand. The air around him became warmer loosening some more snow above him. A slight drip hit his head and sizzled before another pile of snow tumbled on his head. The cold was sharp and surprising causing his shoulders to tighten behind him and his head to twitch forward.

“Aaaah damn it.”

He tugged at the back of his jacket to let the now melted snow trail off his body, before extending his hand out again.

“You seem a bit lost. I must admit, I think I am too.”

Eurydice​

 

[Saul Whesai]

Saul had no real proof that he was taking to the last Zinder event was a Jedi except her dress, but it made sense. Just that it made sense. Just like Fallon being a force user made sense.

Her laugh made Saul smirk as he had to admit that he was having fun. Fun that would stop when he split his head open, but still, it was fun. "Glad you don't hate what you see. You aren't bad looking yourself, Bubblegum." Reaching out, he squeezed her hand as they made their made their way around the ring. For the first time in a while, the Android could say he was truly happy.

The Android didn't look shocked when Bubblegum outted herself as a Jedi. "Figured there was a reason you had those abs." He shrugged her question, trying to answer back with his personal views in a way that would make sense to her. "I don't think all of them are horrible if that's what you are asking. They are on a spectrum just like any group. I've met one who gave me a ship design job I held for a bit. Then some think they are superheroes, but they hurt more when they try to help. And then there are the snobby ones... Needless to say, you are coming up the leader board despite the false start." It was true, Saul's heart was becoming open to her, and he wasn't complaining about it.

He could help but look envious as Fallon easily switched around on her skates, wishing he could do the same. "Next time we do this, if you want to do something like this again, we are doing something on flat ground where you can't make me jealous so much." A chuckle came out of his mouth as she talked about being from a royal family. "Well, that does make sense, your Highness. Seeing as your makeup's perfect and you don't have a hair out of place, it does seem like you are from royalty." For a while, he just left it at that, enjoying her company as they skated, or in his case, tried to skate around the rink. Eventually, he let Bubblegum ask whatever question she wanted. "Well, I know at least some things about you. If you want to ask anything, now's the time."

Fallon Draellix-Kobitana

 

[Eenia Vahn]

Objective 2​

TAG: Adelle Bastiel
Wearing: [X]


This was all like nothing Eenia had ever seen before. Sure, she had seen her fair share of snow over the years, but there was no immediate memory that came to mind about seeing people skate on ice. A million and one bad scenarios along with a plethora of questions had come to mind when her new friend Adelle had messaged and asked if she wanted to go.

How did the ice not break? How was it thick enough to hold a single body, much less several? Who in their right mind had decided they wanted to tempt fate, strap a blade to their feet, and scoot across frozen water? There were plenty more questions, but the curiosity along with the promise of Adelle's company had made her happily agree to join in on the event.

“I have never even witnessed skating before, much less tried it.” Nia admitted sheepishly. “But I'm not afraid to try and see how bad I am at it.” Sheepish or not, the blonde grinned. Adelle wasn't familiar with Eenia's struggle with physical coordination, but she was about to see it first hand for sure.

“What about you?” She asked her friend then. “Have you been skating before?” Nia wasn't sure if it would be better or worse if neither of them had ever done this, but it promised to be entertaining either way!

 

[Fallon Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: OBJECTIVE 2 ICE RINK
Objective: Dance, maybe chat to someone cute
Loadout: here Wearing this
Tags: Saul Whesai


Bubblegum? Did he just call her that? She supposed she had been called worse, but bubblegum? Her mother better not hear of that or it will be her callsign on her need insurgents mission. "I'm certainly not royalty" she replied, trying to distract herself from the litany of compliments she was receiving, something she was quite unused too in her line of work. "Mum was an important naval officer and a planet made her a Countess as a thank you, thats all. The castle is beautiful though." she did sound a little bit like a princess living in an ice castle but she was a soldier too and she was very proud of how hard she worked.

"hmmm...." she said, putting her fingers on her chin. "Alright then, I'll start with the big one, Ashla or Bogan, light or dark? Or neutral I suppose. Oh, and what do you do?" He had casually mentioned doing something like this again, a clear expression of interest. For Fallon's part she hadnt decided whether she was attracted to him yet, but she wasnt "unattracted" so if he wanted to make the effort to get ti know her then she would reciprocate and keep an open heart and mind.

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Naniti​

A lone brow quirked at her comment, conjured by curiosity, amusement, and.. disbelief, all at once. Lysander’s lips parted, ever ready to deliver some clever little riposte, but the words never took form. Certainly a rare pause for the blonde, but it wasn’t the first time in recent experiences the acolyte left him speechless. Maybe her audacity was colder than Ilum? He’d just have to keep an eye on his ribs!

His usual composure had already softened, but naturally he'd still try to downplay the playfulness with a tiny shrug of one shoulder. "Hey, I'm.. just curious to see how your moves hold up when challenged. That's all."

He traced the edges of the lake as it came into view, then shifted over to the cave. “Hmm,” he murmured, one hand brushing a stray strand of hair from his face. “I mean, I suppose anything could vanish, given enough.. opportunity.” A crystal, a relic.. a blue-eyed Togruta. ”People always find a way to take what catches their eye, no?”

The lift of his cheekbones suggested a whisper of mirth. “Flattery before a duel? I didn’t know that was part of your strategy.”

Beneath the scarf brushing against his neck, the crisp Ilum air continued nipping at him.. but he barely registered it; his attention was rooted entirely on Naniti. That white cardigan had a soft, almost Ashla-sympathizer vibe. But against violet tones, it deepened the richness of her hue.

Well.. he supposed he could let her skip the all-black rule just this once.

The pair approached the skating rink, and he guided them toward the area where skates were lined up on racks. Wasting no time, he began to inspect the different sizes, before finding his. Part of their conversation from a recent visit to Korriban had been sitting in the back of his mind ever since he spotted the cave earlier. “We should totally hit up the cave gift shop on the way out.. and leave with a little souvenir.”

Sliding onto a bench, he pulled off his boots and began lacing up one of the skates.

 

[Madrona A’Mia]

Ilum
Objective 2: Skate and Observe
Tags: Open

​

Finding that skating was enough like dance, the arboreal woman picked up easily on the skill. Her proprioception was finely tuned from well over a century of life, so she made the activity look natural. As if she’d been navigating the ice with blades on her feet for many years. The moment Lysander von Ascania was planetside, A’Mia noted his presence but soon realized he was not alone.

A placid smile remained in place as she zipped around the rink, occasionally leaping into the air and twirling, enjoying herself simply for the sake of it whilst her little helpers collected data throughout the forest and around the rink. Upon Lysander’s approach with his companion, Naniti , the arboreal woman slowed her pace a bit to cruise by the edge where they made to pick out their skates. A’Mia waved, her long slender red-brown fingers wiggling energetically before the woman zipped off again. Though she was quite fond of the boy and would ordinarily have no problem interrupting whatever he was in the middle of, she had recently developed a bit more tact around respecting the sanctity of interpersonal time shared between two people.

At least, she extended that courtesy to people who mattered. The rest of the event goers were fair game for snooping on. It was all for the sake of science after all.

​

​

 

[Naniti]

"If you want to see my moves, Lysander, you're going to need to be fast on your feet." A little challenge never hurt. Most Masters didn't go with a 'little' though so it often hurt quite a bit -- if you survived. Thankfully, while Lysander was showing her some techniques, he wasn't a formal Master with an 'image' to uphold. They could just be. Which Naniti had grown to like in ways she couldn't express over time.

They got along so well Lysander totally understood where a Togruta was coming from about crystals. Even caught the flattery so he wasn't obtuse. If she'd known what he'd been thinking about her choice in color, however, Naniti would have revised her earlier statement: he wasn't completely obtuse. Some Sith hussies just let it all hang out there, but Naniti had gone with the subtler covered (it was cold!), but accentuated. Black was a terrible color when you were trying to show off your body -- it hid too much contour and depth!

"Are we dueling now? First blood or incapacitated?" she asked quickly as though eager, but not with a coy smile or slow warmth. For a moment the Torguta Acolyte wanted him to think she'd taken it completely on its face -- they were going to fight while skating right here and now. Then a lekku twitched. "I'll take every advantage I can get," she added with a smile.

Fortunately, Lysander knew where they were going. Maybe she'd been too occupied staring at him or the people in the rink to really look around for where the skates were. There were some pretty skilled people out there. Then her blue eyes settled on the different sizes before them.

While Lysander looked at size, Naniti's hands plucked her's off straight away, but then spent time to turn them over and inspect the blades. She actually went through three before she joined Lysander in heading for the bench. "Absolutely! You always have to hit up the gift shop when you go somewhere new." You didn't always have to buy something elaborate, but you had to at least look. There might be something truly unique not purchasable anywhere else in the galaxy.

After they sat down, the Togruta actually leaned over to angle the blade of Lysander's skates up for her visual inspection before he managed to get it all the way on. And, no, she hadn't asked. "Good enough," she muttered. "You got lucky. Not everyone maintains their skates. Didn't I say you'd need to be fast if you wanted to trip me up out there?" No, you couldn't blame the equipment for your personal failures, but you could blame the equipment if it was falling apart and left you with serious physical injury.

Naniti glanced up from getting her gear on when her blue eye spied a... She turned her head and looked over at Lysander. "Do you know her?" she asked mildly. Did he know a Neti? Maybe she shouldn't be surprised given his noble background, but she was.

Lysander von Ascania | Madrona A’Mia

 

[CT-312]

//: Quinn Varanin //:
//: Ilum //:
//: Attire //:
//: Objective 2 - He was a Skater Boi and I was a Skater Gurl! //:

[ Before ]

Zinder.

That damn app.

CT-312 still didn’t understand the point of it. She didn’t care to. Romance, matching, dating… None of that was ever covered in her training. Nothing in the protocols, manuals, or even drills touched on any of this. It wasn’t part of life that she’d been created and conditioned for. The only reason she had ever used the app in the first place was because of a side mission. Creating a bare-bones template of herself so BARCA could fabricate a convincing catfish profile of their intended target.

Somehow, in a twist the Scout still didn’t get how the fake profile managed to lure Jorryn Fordyce . She hadn’t expected that. And definitely didn’t expect BARCA to decide— randomly and unhelpfully— that since CT-312 had already made one template, it might as well upload a real profile too.

The Scout only found out about her profile when the swipes started rolling in. Out of nowhere, BARCA started pinging her with notifications. Deciding to notify her of: Every. Single. One. CT-312’s brow twitched in disbelief as she scrolled through the list. It had to be “user error”. People pressed things by accident or not understand how the interface worked. That was the only reasonable explanation.

Among the list, a familiar face and name on her real profile this time. Jorryn. “Definietly a misclick.” CT-312 muttered to herself. Dismissing it immediately. Ignoring the app entirely again. She’d deal with it later.

Another ping lit her HUD. This time CT-312 froze. [ QUINN VARANIN ] Blinking twice. Then again. Then a few more times. Her brain could not process what her eyes were seeing. Why would the Princess swipe on her? Eyes reading the profile. Repeatedly. Was this a prank? Someone pretending to be Quinn?

Negotiations. End in private.

Right. That made sense. It was normal that serious negotiations happened behind closed doors. Private and always controlled, away from potential risks. Highlighting one’s skill was just another form of professionalism, and the Princess excelled at speaking. It was one of her strengths.

But still, only one way to confirm if it was a fake. CT-312 swiped. Match. Later on, after a brief and cautious exchange, the Scout realized with confusion and relief that it truly was the Princess. Not an imposter. Not a trap. Just Quinn. Though perhaps, she too had misclicked on her profile? CT-312 made a mental note to explain that her own profile was never meant to be public. A misunderstanding on multiple fronts.

As of lately, CT-312 could sense something was off with the Princess. She was still trying to understand emotions and feelings that she couldn't categorize or name. Through the bond or not, the Scout picked up on Quinn’s facial micro-expressions and the subtle tone shift in her voice when she spoke. The changes were in small precise ways that immediately caught CT-312’s attention. It was obvious to her that something was off. Wrong. Something weighing on the Princess’s mind lately.

Normally the Princess would give clear and logical reasons why CT-312 needed to remove her armor which made sense to the Scout, be it for diplomatic or social events. This time though when Quinn asked, before she could justify it, CT-312 just simply complied.

No explanation was needed. Not when something as simple as letting Quinn dress her seemed to ease the strange weight that she had been silently carrying, if only for a moment.

—
[ Current ]

A muffled huff was let out into the thick scarf around her neck. The tan fabric was wrapped high, covering her lower face from the nose down. Every exhale warming the inside. So here CT-312 was, standing at the entrance of a crystalline ice cavern on Ilum. As skaters drifted across the frozen lake, her lenses cataloged their movements in the background. Tracking patterns and motions while it built profiles— BARCA, silently acting as her second set of eyes.

CT-312 stepped toward the rack of skates. Bypassing the longer bladed white boots and reaching for the black boots that were shorter bladed. She could feel someone looking her way. An attention she wasn’t used to. As she began walking back, a sudden thought broke through her mind. Confirming this was indeed Quinn and not an imposter, so this was…

Her steps stopped.

‘Date?’ Confused. Was she on a date? Officially? CT-312 gave a faint shake of her head. “...No.” The quiet mutter muffled into her scarf, spoken for no one but herself. She wasn’t built for this. She wasn’t… suitable. There were better options out there. More fitting options for the Princ—

Leaning back, she called out toward the trooper.

"312," Quinn pointed to her skates as she pouted slightly. "My hands are cold. Can you tie these for me?"

The Scout’s ears perked, brushing the thought away as her attention snapped toward Quinn who was sitting gracefully on the bench. Her white skates were already loosely laced. CT-312 crossed the short distance. Blue eyes drifted over Quinn’s attire. Unsurprised by her claim of cold hands. After placing her own skates off to the side, she sank into a quiet kneel in front of the Princess. CT-312 tugged the sleeves of her jacket higher, revealing the wrist-straps of the worn black trooper gloves she always wore.

Undoing the straps, her right hand tugged around the finger tips of her other glove. Pulling the leather until it slackened. She brought the glove’s loose finger edge to her scarf, gripping it between her teeth to tug it free completely. Her left glove dangled lightly from her mouth. The scarf slipped just enough for the cold to slip through. For the barest fraction of a second CT-312’s face showed. Only visible to Quinn. She released the glove from her bite, letting it fall into her waiting hand. CT-312 pulled the scarf back into place as she removed the second glove. “Hands?” voice low enough to be private.

The Scout gently gathered Quinn’s hands. They weren’t cold. Not even slightly chilled. Her brows dipped in mild confusion. Maybe the cold wasn’t physical? Just to be certain, CT-312 lifted the Princess's hands to her cheek. Warm. She enclosed them within her own hands and leaned in. Pulling the scarf down, her face once more appearing for the briefest moment between them, just long enough to let out a slow exhale of warm breath drifting across Quinn’s fingers and hands. Her breath faintly fogged between them. CT-312 drew the scarf back up. “Just in case.” She slid her worn gloves over Quinn's hands, the residual heat trapped in the fabric passing quietly from her to the Princess. The thought that Quinn hadn’t brought her own pair was unexpected, but she didn’t question it.

CT-312’s eyes focused on the skates. Her fingers worked swiftly as she tightened the laces with precise tension. Each loop, pull, and knot was perfectly secured. “How does it feel?” Glancing up to see if there were any signs of discomfort on the Princess’s face. Her eyes went back to the boots. “How do you feel?” Checking them twice as her fingers went over. Not too tight. Not too loose. It should be comfortable and stable. Only once CT-312 was satisfied with the fit did she rise and sat beside the Princess. Her own boots came off easily, putting on the skates and lacing them up just as quickly.

As soon as she was done, together they approached the rink. CT-312 stepped onto the ice first. Knees slightly bent, weight centered. The blade bit into the surface of the ice. She tested the inside edge, then the outside. Adjusting the angle and applying different pressures, shaving multiple thin curls of ice. CT-312’s balance adjusted naturally, muscle memory waking. Content with the quality of the blade, she extended a hand toward the Princess.

Soft. Steady. Certain.

“Skated before?”

 

[Darth Nefaron]

SECOND DATE: Corazona von Ascania

"An honest conversation, it seems."
​

Originally, Nefaron had thought to tempt the Jedi down a dark path via the simple act of revenge. However, things had changed with the revelation that she was now carrying a child. As she had put it, there was a strength to the familial bonds that the Corpse Lord so hated, just not the sort that Corazona might have hoped.

​

"You spoke of your actions as selfless, as actions taken to save your homeworld. Admirable, if not for the fact that you deceive yourself. Was Ukatis truly better before? When that fat, corpulent King sat on the throne and exploited the peasantry? The rebel forces didn't simply appear overnight; they were a response to a tyrant the Jedi allowed to sit on the throne. Hypocrites to the end, it seems."

Nefaron brushed the remark aside. It seemed politics were impossible to avoid, but this wasn't the point of his little speech. Cora was his focus; the events on Ukatis were merely a prelude to this moment and what was to come in the following months.

"You restrained your power, bound yourself to rules that those who lack your abilities will not follow, those I will exploit at every turn. You could have prevented what happened on Ukatis with a swift stroke of your lightsaber; you could have even taken the throne and made your world a paradise."

Nefaron stood and paced away for a moment, dead eyes looking off into the forest.

"But this is the past. The future remains, and so I ask you again: how will you protect your child? No, the question should be What are you willing to do for your child? Is their life more important than the group of children in your care? What if I made you choose?"

Turning around to face her, the Corpse Lord showed his open hands to reveal he came with no weapons, no toxin, no awaiting legion of troops in the woods.

"Hypothetically, of course. Merely think on it. You'll come to the same conclusion that I would."

How could you ask a mother to choose others over her own child? Jedi or no, the bonds of family were strong, so strong that Nefaron had to cast his Apprentice into the darkest pits, force him to endure unthinkable torment merely to break the conditioning of a man akin to a father for the boy. Still, that was a boy devoted to another Dark Lord who, despite his claims of honor and nobility, was just as cruel as Nefaron. What of a child raised in a loving home by two Jedi, two heroes who would give everything to defend life?

But would they sacrifice their child for the sake of duty?

Nefaron knew better. He had studied it more times than he could count.

"You face more threats than I, Corazona. Carnifex, Strosius, even that fool Dorran. They'll come for you, given the chance, especially when they learn of your child. That potential cannot be ignored."

If the child was force-sensitive, of course. Two parents with the ability to wield it don't guarantee a child with those same abilities, but it was more than likely. What Sith Lord wouldn't jump at the chance to take the child and mold it into a servant of immense power? Nefaron certainly wouldn't, but that was not what he was suggesting; in fact, he was about to make an offer that was likely unheard of between a Jedi and Sith.

"With the Alliance's collapse, my focus is on my enemies within the Empire and upstarts in the High Republic. I know you have ingratiated yourself within the Republic, seeking to rekindle the fires of hope. They cannot stop the tide of darkness. But perhaps you and I might make that possible."

Make no mistake, Darth Nefaron was a being of untold evil. A nightmare made flesh, he would see the Dark Side consume the galaxy for an eternity.

But not as a puppet. Not as a servant of an Empire held together by spite.

This was his galaxy. He would be the one to claim it.
​

"I know you hate me. You look upon me with disgust, and yet I may just be your greatest hope in building a life for your child and seeing men like Carnifex fall. I am not asking you to fall to the Dark Side, but I am asking you to aid me in destroying my enemies and keeping that pathetic Republic safe for a time. Then perhaps we might die together in some final clash, but until then we have a common cause."

The Terror Lord approached, standing before the Jedi with his hand extended, the surest sign of a formal agreement she was to get. Perhaps it was a deal with the devil, but in a galaxy full of devils, was it not better to trust the one you knew?

"I will only offer this once. An alliance to destroy threats that we both face, instead of killing each other. Think of what we could do together."

 

[Adelle Bastiel]

​

Tags: Eenia Vahn

Nia answered negatively and then asked if she'd been skating. Adelle paused for a moment and then chuckled to herself.

"Hail Mand'alor, we who are about to die," she said quietly. To Nia, she said "I can't remember ice skating. I think my parents took me to a rink in Coronet City, before I went to train with my Order. But my memory's . . . not the greatest."

No need to open that can of worms right now. That . . . That was a prospect she'd have to work up to. She'd very carefully kept all her Force Sensitive friends at a distance. And it had taken a crisis for her to even open up to Leigh, a combat droid she couldn't affect. Skates laced snugly, Adelle stood up carefully, testing her weight and balance on the thin blades. Walking was a challenge and the ice would be vastly different, but she was pretty sure she wouldn't end up with broken bones.

Phantom twitched an ear uncertainly and hopped down onto the bench, curling into an observant loaf.

"Right, okay," she said, walking to the edge of the lake. Adelle turned back and held out a hand for Nia. "I promise not to bring you down with me when I fall."

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Naniti | Madrona A’Mia ​

That challenge from a few moments back wasn’t lost on him. The Togruta’s words pricked his senses more than Ilum’s cold. An internal smirk followed, but it never really touched his lips. She didn’t seem to be bluffing either, which only made it better, considering thrived in such conditions, so naturally he accepted whatever she was proposing. It was layered.. audacity, confidence, and, most appealing to him, a spark of mischief.

He leaned back on the bench, adjusting his weight as while securing the laces. The sounds of skates scraping along the lake and laughter echoed, foreign as much as it was welcoming. Certainly not a sound he never heard on the frozen nether of Desevro.

“Incapacitated,” he said finally. Just confidence paired with a note of amusement. “For sure.”

While the duel might begin on ice, the stakes he felt weren’t just about falling or winning..

Something softer revealed itself for a during her inspection. Of course he was lucky. Anyone could see it.. she was here, leaning over him, making the simple act of checking skate blades feel.. somehow personal. And oddly cute. He wasn’t about to voice that out loud, of course. Some things were better left dangling.

“Guess I got a lucky break.”

Unfortunately, he hadn’t exactly considered inspecting them himself. Thoughts were elsewhere, revolving around her warmth, or maybe the way her lekkus moved. Still, that was no excuse. A Sith, trained for years now in vigilance.. he should have done a better job One more point in favor of Naniti.

“We’ll see how fast you are out there. Though something tells me I’ll be the one setting the pace.”

From the edge of the awareness, he caught the wave from a familiar Neti and he followed up with a crisp two-finger salute, just enough to say, I see you, one of the homies. Detentions, the very literal murder of Ukatis' King, business dealings on Brosi, the road had been anything but ordinary. And with that.. came a surge of gratitude, knowing she was on his side. It all passed in a blink, and his attention returned to Naniti.

A shrug.. easy and offhand. "Yeah.. she's cool."

First skate feeling snug.. the explanation followed next. "A’Mia is one of the instructors at Kor’ethyr Academy.. and my business partner."

Moving on to the second skate, fingers pulled the laces tight; once done, he rose with a wobble but caught his balance easily.

"One slip and that cardigan’s going to match the ground perfectly,” Lysander said with a crooked smile. "Since you're dressed like a snowball."

 

[Lily Decoria]

​

Location: Objective 1 - Ice Rink Cave
Outfit: Dress
Tag: Shan

Lily took the bouquet, smiling wide as gave them a small sniff as she listened to the explanation for why Shan had selected these flowers in particular. Lily's smile only grew larger as she could hear and see the nervousness of her date washing all over him. It was cute and she was always amused in seeing his reactions to her presence, to the way she would flirt and tease with him. Looking down at the flowers, Lily smirked and looked over to Shan, "They also seem to be lilies... Like my name." The Echani giggled, "they are gorgeous, you are very sweet for bringing them. I didn't get anything for you though... I figured it would be awkward exchanging presents before the skating part?"

There was a little guilt since Lily didn't want to make things one sided or that she was someone inconsiderate or not thinking of ways to display her interest and affection with Shan.

"Only considered the dress to wear for several weeks before this event. Wanted something that would work while skating but something that you would find appealing but wasn't as risqué as my previous style of dresses. I want your eyes on me but don't need everyone else staring." Lily explained, there was a slight flush to her cheeks as she was feeling the butterflies in her stomach thinking about the step that she wanted to mention today with Shan but that was something she wanted to wait on.

Taking his hand, Lily guided Shan towards the ice rink. "Ever been skating before? I tried it a few times back on Eshan when I was younger but it was tricky, harder than attempting to dance or ballet." Lily giggled slightly, admiring the crystals that glinted in the light as they headed towards the rink.

 

[Nitya Xeraic]

The longer she skated, the more the movement became its own quiet rhythm. The sounds of the festival—laughter, music, merchants calling their wares—faded into a distant, glittering backdrop. Nitya let her breath fall into time with the glide of her blades, each exhale curling into the cold like a small offering to the cave's shimmering stillness.

Light fractured off the crystals overhead in soft blues and golds, catching the threads woven through her dark hair, reflecting off the faint glow of her eyes. She moved in a smooth arc around a cluster of skaters, adjusting her balance with instinctive grace. Though the ice was crowded, she felt untouched by the chaos—moving through it the way the tide moves around stones.

For a brief moment, she drifted to a quieter edge of the rink, where the noise softened and the reflections beneath her grew clearer. She lifted her gaze to the stalactites above—the way they pulsed with captured light, as if the cave itself breathed.

Her reflection stared up at her from the ice: calm, golden-eyed, solitary. Not unhappy. Simply… present.
A woman returned to the world in small, careful steps.

Nitya turned again, letting herself glide backward for several lengths of the ice, her posture steady, her hands relaxed at her sides. A pair of skaters wobbled past her, laughing breathlessly, and she moved aside to give them room, a faint smile touching her lips.

When she spun back into a forward glide, she let her eyes wander—not searching, but observing. The crowded rink was filled with pairs and trios, with bursts of energy and hesitant steps, with strangers meeting, failing to meet, or circling each other in soft, accidental patterns.

But she remained alone.
And for now, that was fine.

Solitude didn't feel heavy here.
Not burdened.
Not cold.

Just open.

She slowed her skating to a gentle, leisurely pace—neither stopping nor rushing—giving anyone who might cross paths with her time and space to do so. She didn't look around expectantly. She didn't press into the crowd.

She existed within the moment, ready for whatever the Force chose to weave next.

Whether someone drifted her way…
or the night remained quiet…

Nitya let her movement, her breath, and her silence remain a soft invitation.

@open