A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Velusia is a wonderful place. It is a sparsely populated water world with numerous volcanic spires rising from the ocean floor forming a tapestry of islands. Scattered among the islands are a few pristine beaches where one can, on one of the world’s typically balmy evenings, watch the twin moons rise gracefully over the water. All in all, it’s a serene, sedate world; and, therefore, oddly incongruous with its most famous residents, the pirates of the Crimson Ferret’s Revenge.
For the most part, the pirates love their adopted home, finding it a place to retreat from a galaxy full of perils. The Revenge returns after most missions to allow the crew a time for rest and relaxation, and, in many cases, for recovering from wounds received in the pursuit of booty.
However, unless you have a true love to walk hand-in-hand with down the beach and occupy your time, rest and relaxation in a place like Velusia can only last so long before it becomes somewhat… tedious.
Sure, there’s liquor to be had, but, that’s about the limit of the entertainment available. And really, when you get right down to it, if there’s anything worse than a bored pirate, it’s a drunk, bored pirate; a fact that can be demonstrated by the alarming frequency the local bars find themselves in need of repair.
Furthermore, the pirates of the Crimson Ferret’s Revenge are @#%$ good at what they do and often have pockets full of credits just waiting to be squandered. Sadly, Velusia is just no good for that.
After receiving numerous complaints from the local citizens about property damage and hearing members of the crew complain constantly about how bored they are, the Captain assembled his most trusted advisers to determine what was to be done. He set them about on a fact finding mission, of sorts, to determine what it would take to make the crew more content.
What they wanted was obvious – to be entertained. And they were more than willing to spend their credits for the privilege. They wanted more bars for drinking, more restaurants for eating, more lusty wenches for.. well.. the things you need lusty wenches for, and a place to lose what credits they may have left after indulging in the first three – they wanted a casino. Now was that too much to ask? No. Actually everyone thought it was a great idea.
To this end, after a considerable amount of drinking, cussing and discussing, it was agreed that a resort was needed containing: an upscale hotel, various bars, a luxurious spa, a burlesque theater, virtual reality suites for indulging private fantasies, and nightclubs for dancing the night away; all based around a massive casino solely for the use of the pirates, their underworld compatriots, and their specially invited guests. The next questions were how and where.
Where? Not Velusia. The pirates considered what building a complex like that on Velusia would do to the planet. Even if it was to be a private resort, eventually, more and more would come, bringing unwanted attention to their hideaway planet. No, Velusia needed to remain a quiet backwater world just like it always had been.
In fact, the wisdom of making the resort planet-based was questioned. On any desirable planet, such a complex would fall under the jurisdiction of some form of local authority; and, if there is one thing pirates hate with a passion; it’s local authority.
That left, of course, space.
After where was decided, the how came easier. The pirates would acquire the largest hyperspace capable platform they could find. They would place it in some remote, out-of-the-way corner of the galaxy and modify its interior to meet their needs. Additional room would simply mean acquiring another vessel and attaching it via a modified docking port.
Simple plan. Difficult execution? NOT, when the Pirates of the Crimson Ferret’s Revenge and the criminals of the Galactic Underworld put their heads together!
Cloud City, Bespin.
The shuttle touched down gently in Port City. Its passengers rapidly disembarked and quickly disappeared within the bustling crowd. They would go their separate ways but ultimately end up in the same location, a small apartment rented for the occasion.
The occasion was acquiring a behemoth, Lucrehulk-class LH-3210 cargo freighter. The massive vessel was to become the centerpiece of the pirates’ newest project.
The freighter was the property of Waynetech and was sky-docking at Frost Industries massive shipyards for a major refit. The fact that the majority of interior had been gutted and that there were hundreds of construction droids of all descriptions swarming all over it fit well with the pirates’ plan.
Jon Paolo had been in Cloud City for two days, gathering information and supplies that the team needed for the heist. He now sat patiently in the apartment sipping a glass of rum on the rocks, waiting for the team members to begin drifting in.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)OOC: NPCing Devorah with permission just for the moment.
--------------
Nathaniel Alcine's head couldn't seem to crane far enough as they walked through Cloud City. It was so... foreign to him! A floating city in the clouds! It was... it was beautiful, he thought, though he didn't say it aloud. Nate's expression more than spoke for him though as he and Devorah walked toward the rendez-vous point with Exile. Dressed in non-descript clothing and sporting a wide, and low-brimmed hat to hide his glowing eyes from easy view, he and Dev didn't look like the wanted pirates that they were.
After a short period of downtime, the Crimson Ferrets had a big project on their proverbial plates. Nathaniel was thrilled about that, just as he was enchanted by Cloud City.
"At last, eh, Be'l?" he remarked. "Some action."
He also didn't say it but Nathaniel was glad for this job because it gave them time together, away from Velusia. Since learning that she had a son, things were just a little awkward between them. Nathaniel was uneasy around Drake Zy though it wasn't really the boy's fault, nor his mother's. It all tied into Nate's own childhood, making him wary. It would take some time to get them back to where they were; in his own youthfulness, Nathaniel had to hope that the job would draw them closer again. He wasn't used to scrapping it out with her anymore, and he wasn't sure he liked that conflict back.
.:Voice of an angel:. .:Body of a goddess:. .:Yours...for a price:.
Posts: 72
(9/23/07 12:54 am) Reply
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Gods, the arguments had been endless. The bickering, the sniping...in spite of everything they had worked through and gotten over just to be together, one night had changed it all.
Her son had changed everything.
For the better, the young woman thought, the little boy's easy, happy grin floating through her mind's eye. Drake was a wonder, in spite of his rather dubious parentage, and she loved the little boy more than her own life.
Devorah was glad, however, to just get away from Velusia and everything there. Everyone was going stir-crazy on the planet, finding themselves with money to burn and no place to burn it. The orbital platform plan was brilliant...and some of the women of the Revenge had their own idea for part of the space.
A burlesque house.
She was a singer and a dancer, Raven was a hell of an entertainer, and Serrena...well, that girl could relieve an entire battalion of a month's pay and still have them begging for more. Devorah shook her head lightly, frowning at the lock of shimmering white hair that had escaped her tight braid. Undercover had taken on a new meaning with this assignment.
Underneath her loose, shapeless dress, she was clad in a black bodysuit, the clingy fabric smooth against her skin. Their TIE/Ds were safely stowed away and hidden in the city, ready and waiting. Devorah reached out to take his hand, impatiently pushing the loose lock of dyed hair from her cheek.
"We're going to be late for dinner, darling..." she quipped lightly, her voice pitched higher than normal.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)Cloud City, Bespin
The VCX-350 Corellain light freighter cut its way through the clouds heading for cloud city. The entire city was a miracle of technology floating high above the planet. No sooner had the city come into sight than several cloud cars appeared and surrounded the freighter.
" This is cloud city patrol to unidentified freighter, please give your details, we don't seem to have you on our log for arrival?"
Kane reached for the controls and opened a comms link to the cloud car. " Sorry patrol one, this is James McCall from Smart Droid Corporation, the ship you originally had down on your arrival log broke down and I had to hire this on short notice, over?"
The cloud car pilots response was prompt and professional, " Copy that, we will escort you to the dock where your credentials will be checked to ensure you are the real Mr McCall, Over"
Kane set the 350 down and was soon greeted by two friendly but stern patrol officers. They took away his documents to confirm his identity while Kane stood idly marvelling at the wonder of this amazing city.
Moments later one of the officers returned with a smile on his face. " here are your documents Mr McCall, sorry for the delay, please proceed and enjoy your stay in cloud city"
Kane tipped his head slightly and thanked the guard. " I'm sure I will, this place is amazing"
Kane made his way from the dock and headed toward the designated rendezvous with the pirates involved in the up coming raid.
Passing through the vast halls Kane began to wonder about buying an apartment here, he knew he would soon find out how lavish they really were.
The Mando'ad stopped at the door to the apartment they were meeting in and knocked. Kane listened intently for movement, suggesting the occupants had heard and were on their way to greet him.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
It was all well and good for the human members of the expedition to hide their identities by covering their faces, changing their dress, dying their hair, and slipping by unnoticed. With so many humans wandering around on such diverse business, one more human--or even half a dozen--attracted little notice.
Alema, by contrast, attracted attention naturally. Even setting aside the vivid and exotic tone of her skin, her normal mode of dress didn't help. Her choice of plain trousers, a dress shirt, and boots was so unusual for a twi'lek that it caused people to take notice, to look twice. How, then, was she supposed to blend in?
The answer was simple, certain, and deeply disconcerting. Alema needed to look like all the other twi'leks, indistinguishable from the slaves, consorts, and courtesans wandering the halls on the arms of wealthy businessmen. Humans had little trouble distinguishing one another, but to many of them one blue woman was as good as another. A moment's admiration and no further consideration.
Alema decided to simply be one more wealthy, well-tended slave. From what she'd seen on her first master's arm, no one really took slaves seriously. A well-ornamented slave on her own was always assumed to belong to someone else, off on some errand for an indulgent master perhaps.
She'd disappeared from her allies' shuttle to find someplace suitably private to prepare herself. She'd be spending more than a day here, and had to be properly composed or the security would pick her out of the other slaves.
The clothing felt the same, the same sort of gown her master had always been proud to see his slave wear. Soft fabrics to wrap over her skin and show the world the beauty that one man was wealthy enough to own. The dark, rich midnight blues set off the vivid tone of her skin, making it more of an ornament and accessory for her gown than any jewelry. She wore flat shoes with thin soles to muffle her steps into the quiet, respectful paces of a well-trained courtesan.
The last touch was the one she'd avoided most scrupulously for years. The headdress that most twi'leks wore offworld was to Alema a mark of their servitude. No matter how richly detailed, no matter what jewels or lush fabrics it featured, it was the proper garment for a twi'lek in her proper place. Alema pulled it over her lekku and slipped her fingers into the earcones to check that the personal comm she'd installed was mounted properly. She strapped the small, heavily-modified datapad she would need for her work later to the inside of her upper thigh. She was a criminal, a slicer and a pirate, but no one here needed to know that.
When she emerged from her room, she looked no different from any other pampered consort. She joined two other twi'lek women, one lethan and another rutian, as they were headed to a small and little-known temple to their goddess. She explained in their own language that she had just arrived and was hoping for a place to continue her devotions. One shiver down her left headtail informed the other two that this was a lie, and when she pulled her right over her shoulder she made a quick gesture with one hand. I need to hide. Please help me, it said.
In only a few moments they were laughing and chatting, for all the world looking like nothing more than a few slaves of the same house taking time to devote to their goddess. As she knelt beside them in the temple, she could feel their respectful curiosity. The lethan laid her hand across Alema's in mute sympathy.
She probably thinks I'm trying to escape my master, Alema thought. She's a lethan. She will likely never be free and she knows it.
Even though it meant suffering scorn and the burden of caring for herself, even though it risked dishonoring her whole family by abandoning her duty, the lethan probably wanted her own life, too. Alema understood.
Forgive me, Ryma'at. I was selfish. But these people need my help now. I will serve them as best I can, and I hope that someday I will earn back what love of yours I may have lost.
She left the other twi'leks an hour later. They would likely never see each other again, but long friendships were rare among slaves anyway. They had promised to pray for her.
By the time she reached the apartment, Alema had recovered the old grace and submissive air of a highly-trained and perfectly controlled courtesan. The others had never seen her this way, but she could not allow that to color her actions now. She was grateful that Calina was going to be helping out. At least it meant that her current appearance and demeanor would not cause Jon to take notice of her. With luck Calina would arrive soon after she did and keep his attention where it belonged.
Alema gave a slow and modest nod of greeting to Kane when she saw him at the door. She didn't look to see his reaction, since today she would see enough of her friends' surprise and shock at her appearance to last her a lifetime. No matter. She had agreed to help.
When they entered the apartment she pulled her eyes up from the floor to greet him. "Afternoon, Jon," she said coolly. "All still according to plan?"
Space Cowboy
Mando Pirate
Just Good Looking
Posts: 38
(9/25/07 1:35 pm) Reply
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Draven had no reason to hide his face, he was new and little known. He wore the same black muscle shirt as always. He was impressed by this little hovel. A nice place with quite a few bars. He had just left one and entered another one.
He approached the bartender and ordered an corellian ale. He sat there sipping his ale. Waitting for word from the other Ferrets on their meeting time and place. The outlaw didn't care one way or other has he spotted a cute little blonde. And he guesed enough the blonde was like him.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)"Least the... weather's nice, right?" Nathaniel said, lamely.
He didn't like the tension between them at all, and had to find some way to make things better. Nate just didn't know how. Devorah was enthused at finding she had a son, and remembering that she'd had Drake. Nathaniel was just... afraid. No matter how much he'd been through, no matter how much he'd grown into being seen as a man, he was afraid. His own childhood had been terrible, and given half of his hertiage, Nate felt he was rightly scared to be around Drake much.
But I've got to find a way to make this better, or I'm going to lose her, he thought.
Nathaniel sighed as they entered the apartment complex where they were supposed to all meet. He knew he had to pay attention to what was going to be going down, but for now, all he could think about was all that was awkward between he and Dev.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Kane caught the nod from Alema as he was about to enter the room. A slight tilt of his head acknowledged the twi'lek beauty that he had recently seen hold her own in a bar fight. . Kane stepped aside to allow Alema to enter first. Normally he would have done this out of pure courtesy but since his run in with Malice, he wasn't quite himself. The gesture was more for brownie points and to check her out from behind.
" hmmm, nice piece of flesh" he thought before questioning himself as to why he would think something like that.
" okay let's get down to business, unless we are waiting on stragglers?
Again he wondered why he had not broken the ice with something more appropriate.
Edited by: Kane E Smart at: 9/26/07 4:38 am
CFR IF #9 'Wolf' Fallen Black Wolf Sky Angel
Posts: 76
(9/25/07 7:35 pm) Reply
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Blend in had beent he order of course for Calina blending in was different given her life on Naboo and her family's proper standing among the royals and nobles of Theed. It had been a part of her life she ahd keep from everyone including her old master or trainer, Jon.
She had seen his family's business and knew not hat he was from a well to do family much like her own but it was different for her. She was a Gvnege Waya, a fmaily from not only royal linage but of noble birth. this was a life and titles she had left the day after her parents death.
But blending in came much simpler now for as a Waya she was allowed ot move through places like cloud city with no real questions asked. No asking a noble girl from Theed was grounds for trouble for a person of lesser birth. Calina knew she would have to dress in the very clothing style she had avoided not only since her departure from Naboo but also from the day she was born.
Having left the little shuttle every one had come on she moved off to a room that was rented out to her uncle's family and their small business. Changing into a golden cream dress that was fitting of royality and noble blooded women. She then pulled on a pair of matching gloves that left her fingers on her hands exposed. Near her neckline and worn around her neck was a gold metal collar that joined to the golden silk fabric in the shape of a fan.
Pulling her hair half way back she left a bit of the golden blonde locks down to cover her neck and drap onto her bare shoulders. Pulling on a pair of boots that were soft soled, she slipped a dagger into each boot, then strapped her blasters to her thighs thankful that the gown though it hugged her chest and upper form was rather loose and long in it's skirt regin. It helped to conseal her guns, Leaving ehr whip back at home she left the rooma dn headed for the meeting place were most of the pirates were gathering.
Walking throught he door after it had slid open she spotted Alema and smiled, Walking over ot the Twi'lek she let ehr eyes glance toward Jon for a brief moment before she turned to her friend and one of the people she would be covering with her weapons. "Hey not to late am I?"
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Jon heard the knock at the door and breathed a sigh of relief. They were finally beginning to arrive. He opened the door and there was Alema with a gentleman he hadn’t met but from his description was probably Kane Smart.
Jon offered his hand and introduced himself, “Mr. Smart? I’m Jon Burke. We’re very happy you could join us in our little project. Please come in and make yourselves at home. There’s food and drinks in the kitchen; feel free to help yourself.”
Alema’s cool greeting didn’t go unnoticed but there was nothing Jon could do about that situation now.
“No changes, Alema. Everything is going according to plan. Was Tessa on the shuttle?”
Jon hated that he couldn’t tell Alema how beautiful she looked or how much he missed talking to her; but, the worst part was the fact that she seemed to have an acute disdain for him. Some day he was going to have to force the issue and try to get her to have a long talk. He valued her friendship too much not to try.
Nathaniel, Devorah, and Calina arrived shortly and Jon welcomed them and showed them where the food and drinks were. Jon smiled warmly at Calina but refrained from teasing her about how beautiful her dress was. Part of his problem with Alema seemed to stem from his friendship with her and he didn’t want to make things more uncomfortable than they had to be.
“You guys try to relax while we wait for the others. Oh, and you should eat all you can. I don’t think the freighter has any provisions stocked on it during its rebuild and it may be awhile before we can get a supply shuttle from the Revenge. We’ll go over the plan one last time when everyone is here.”
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Blending in was never difficult when nobody really cared who you were. Except when you had a fascination with the Cloud City. The woman had been three places in her life worth recognizing, Tatooine, the Revenge, and Velusia. She'd never quite understood what all the fuss was about, when she wasn't working, she'd loved to simply be bored on the beach. These pirates were a gruesome, excitable bunch, always on the go, always coming back with some retarded chore that got dumped on her lap. The misery of being property. Cloud City fascinated her, she didn't quite understand how they could make a city just "float," but then, she couldn't understand reading about how cities could be built on worlds completely made of water. She wasn't primitive, she just had little experience beyond Espa.
Kari walked slowly through the streets of Bespin, for once wishing she could hide the band of steel around her neck, so many of the slaves here were so pampered, she was obviously just another brothel girl. She shrugged, life aboard the Revenge had not been hard, and she was growing somewhat affectionate to the Ferrets, even the ones that passed her off and tended to look through her instead of at her. At least here Serrena wouldn't have her dancing for money she would never see, she hoped. She didn't know what to think of the woman she had been charged too. The woman was exotic with her fiery eyes and dances that Kari was always having trouble learning, if money had been the issue, Kari was quite sure Serrena could have made exponentially more, but she had no choice in the matter, so she never openly argued her point.
The blue silken pants hugged against her legs softly, the most cover her body had seen since she was a teenager, and perhaps her body had grown accustomed to it, she was becoming annoyed even with the smooth fabric rubbing her legs. The white shirt she wore was equally uncomfortable, it was heavier than she liked, but nonetheless, she put up with it, and it provided the girl with some meager decency that the collar and her earrings had always been used to remind her she never actually had.
She came to the door of the meeting room and stopped abruptly. She was unsure if she should just go in, she was part of the Revenge's crew, but second-class citizens weren't always welcome to their business deals. She sighed, simply barging in would probably get her fussed at, but maybe they'd let her stay since she was already there. Knocking and asking was vastly more polite but then, they'd probably be just as weary to send her back to the freighter. A simple, sun-blazoned hand knock softly on the door a few times, then she creaked it open and slowly peered through the opening, glancing around and waiting to be addressed.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Ellie had never been to Cloud City, and as much as she wanted to explore, there would be no time for it - at least, not a proper exploration. She was there on business, and that was that.
But being off the Crimson Ferret's Revenge meant she had to retrieve the flightsuit she loathed so much from it's crumpled place on the floor of her closet. It was a task done grudgingly, and she had looked longingly at her assortment of brightly colored dresses and coordinated outfits that had to stay behind.
After arriving on the shuttle, she had disappeared into the crowds of the city, putting some time between her arrival on Bespin and her appearance at the designated apartment. It was nice to be out of the confinements of the ship, and Ellie wanted some time to herself - a break from being Tessa, even if it was only for a little bit. She'd finally gotten used to responding to her supposed name, but still had to constantly remind herself not to reveal too much to anyone. She supposed she'd tell everyone who she really was eventually, but it didn't see to matter too much in the long run.
She was thrilled to be apart of something so much more exciting than her usual slicing jobs, but was anxious for things to get started. Her hand rested lightly on her computer, tucked safely in a side pocket. It was rarely out of her sight for a more than a few minutes, and was more protective of it than usual now that she was out in public. Her own safety hadn't really crossed her mind - she was too caught up in the excitement of everything. A real job - not just boring bank security.
As she waited for the time to pass, Ellie spent her time mostly just looking - Cloud City was a unique sight, and with no one paying her any mind, she was free to wander as she pleased.
Finally on her way to the apartment, Ellie caught her reflection in a large pane of glass, and sighed inwardly. The flightsuit was a dull green, and hung off her petite frame awkwardly. She'd tried to compensate for the size by hooking a utility belt around her waist, but it only further accentuated that the flightsuit was made to fit much taller and larger. On the bright side of things, there were plenty of pockets to store anything she might need. She'd settled for tying her hair back into a haphazard ponytail. A few strands had fallen loose and fell framing her face. Oh well. Everyone else would be blending in too, and, by Ellie's reasoning, would therefore wearing something equally shapeless and dull.
However, upon arriving at the apartment, it was clear this was not the case. Ellie had to do a double-take when she saw Alema - who had passed up her normal clothing for a beautiful full length gown. Calina was dressed equally as nice - and the pair left Ellie feeling like she had gotten the shaft.
She arrived just into to hear Jon ask about her. "I'm here. Late, I know. Sorry." Ellie shrugged, but didn't offer an explanation. She didn't have much of one to give, anyway.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)“Mr. Smart? I’m Jon Burke. We’re very happy you could join us in our little project".
Kane extended a hand in greeting. " It's always a pleasure to be part of something big, I've never been a big fan of resting on my laurels while others enjoyed the spoils"
Looking around the room, Kane was quietly impressed with the apartment. Suruptitiously he was taking in all the faces in the room. They were all pirates and some known to Kane, either through similar causes or regular visits to Velusia.
The well dressed Mando'ad helped himself to food and drink before settling down on a vacant seat to listen to the genreal chit chat and plans for the raid. Kane knew his part, he was to pilot the Behemoth, something that wasn't new to him. His time at the Seperatists had him onboard and even in charge of Mandalorian and Trade Federation craft for various reasons over the years. Kane had also taken the liberty of having Nell access the control layouts of the particular ship they were acquiring. He'd spent hours going over them to ensure he made no mistakes and made a clean and fast get away.
Looking to young Nate who had just entered the room, he nodded and greeted the young half breed. " Nathaniel Alcine, might have known you'd be in on something this big. Word is spreading throughout the galaxy of yours and the Iron Ferrets exploits. You have impressed some of the more dubious business owners that deal in spice, ships and arms, myself included.
Infact I'd like to speak with you after this about an acquisition of something important and profitable. Something that I can assure you will top up the pirate coffers and keep you in comfortable surroundings for sometime"
Kane made it no secret that he hired the best to do his bidding when he was to busy to indulge himself, and was always happy to assist others. The old you scratch my back and I'll pay you well, was something the Mando'ad had come to live over the past few years.
Kane looked up when the two women arrived late, they were both young and beautiful, but one in particular caught his eye. She wore a collar, the obvious mark of a slave, but who on the Ferret owned a slave?
Kanes eyes wandered from face to face before speaking, " So who does the slave belong to?"
Kane detested slavery and had even bought their freedom in the past. Many had not known how to react and pledge to be his eternally, but Kanes abrupt manner soon had them thinking otherwise. The Mando'ad then drifted off in thought, wondering if all those he had freed, had remained that way!
Edited by: Kane E Smart at: 9/26/07 4:58 am
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Kari stood in the doorway, having caught the man's eye as well, but she said nothing. She was expecting to either be pushed aside or welcome with some small flick of a wrist, but to not even be addressed somewhat hurt. She glanced at the man she knew was the bounty hunter, she'd caught passing glances of him before. She heard the question, obviously not addressed to her, but she didn't want the silence to prevail too much longer, it had a choking effect on her far worse than any collar.
"I belong to Serrena, but I do generic work on the Revenge, Master."
She resumed her silent posture, quietly awaiting either admittance or rebuttal. She was a one of decent posture, rather tall, not un-proud of herself. She carried with her the fact that people trusted her to get things done, even the small, behind the scenes things that make life easier on the Revenge. She didn't want too much more attention, she just wanted to get out of the doorway and off to a quiet corner where she could learn her part in this without too much formality involved.
Her deep brown eyes glanced at the bounty hunter again. It was a thoughtful glance, she wondered why the man cared so much as to ask who she belonged to.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
"I belong to Serrena, but I do generic work on the Revenge, Master."
Kane was shocked to hear her say she " belonged" to Serrena. The Mando'ad would never expect Serrena to keep a subordinate slave. " My name is Kane, please address me as such, I am not your master and nor would I ever indulge in such practices, now please join us"
Kane held out some food for her, know that she still thought like a slave he knew the only way to get her to take it was to tell her. " Eat this". Deep inside he seethed and began to wonder how he could buy her freedom as well. Perhaps a deal with Serrena where Kane paid her upkeep so she felt free and Serrena still retained ownership?
For the moment Kanes mind was not on the task at hand as her stared at the collar on her neck. He had hoped she would pick up on the fact that slavery displeased him, but that probably wouldn't matter to her!
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
The woman quietly turned just enough to close the door with a soft push, then turned and began to walk towards the desk. She glanced up only once, at Kane, while she walked, then took a seat two away from his, her posture still that of someone who, despite the circumstances, remained dignified. She took the food from him, almost insulted that he thought she had to be told to eat something before she would, the fact that he had offered it had been well more than enough. She wasn't, by any means, an idiot, just a victim of Tatooine's long standing traditions toward most women. "Thank you, ma-" and she stammered to cut herself off. That was an ingrained habit that was going to be difficult to break for this singular man.
"And just because you don't indulge in the trade doesn't mean you don't afford the respect of a free man." It was, partly, an emboldened statement, she hated being corrected when she was right in the first place. She tried to hide her tone though, others that knew her might be upset, and the wrong inflection might have pissed him off just enough to give up his courtesies, something she enjoyed.
She nibbled quietly on the food, looking almost like a little squirrel. She was hungrier than she thought she was. She caught herself and stopped, she didn't want to give the wrong impression that Serrena wasn't taking care of her, she was living well by collar standard, for the minor exception of these high-class ones on Bespin. She gave another side-long glance at the bounty hunter. She was quietly suspicious. She also thought he was handsome.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)"I belong to Serrena, but I do generic work on the Revenge, Master."
Nathaniel was as shocked as Kane was by what the new girl said. That didn't make any sense to Nathaniel, that his sister would keep a slave, not after what they'd been through, growing up! He turned to Dev with eyebrows raised, seeking some sort of confirmation from her... as if she'd know anything about it.
He looked back to Kari. "Um, hey. I'm Nathaniel. Serrena's... brother."
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Alema was relieved that Calina arrived so soon after her. She really didn't want to have a conversation with Jon about... well, about anything that her appearance would bring to his mind. It was best to allow him to distract himself with Calina, and he seemed more than happy to oblige.
Tessa was also a welcome addition. She and Alema had very little in common, but Alema enjoyed an opportunity to help a fellow slicer find work. The other... it took Alema less than a second to fully appraise her. She belongs to Serrena?
The twi'lek supposed it wasn't unreasonable, but couldn't suppress the dark horror welling up inside her at the idea. She'd never imagined that Serrena would be interested in owning another thinking creature. For now all she could do was hope that this girl's interpretation of the situation was incorrect. After all, this one wouldn't be the first free woman aboard the Revenge to view it and its crew as a master to be served.
Some people were born to serve and obligated by fate and character to do so. Just the same, Alema had been bred for finer servitude than this girl. Not for the first time Alema noted with shame how much she truly owed to her mother. By training her as hard and meticulously as she had, she'd groomed Alema for purchase as a consort and not a common dancer or whore.
Didn't stop it from happening, Alema thought bitterly. But that was my own fault. If I'd stayed where I belonged that would never have happened.
She kept her eyes locked on this young woman, and made no secret of her careful study. Alema knew how she looked today, and hopefully it would make her less intimidating to the well-heeled slave girl. "Lia'ry, what's your name?" she asked gently.
Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 9/26/07 11:53 am
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Kane raised an eyebrow at the slave girls retort and bowed his head. " I apologise for my abruptness"
Kane hoped he sounded sincere enough to boost the womans rising confidence, then he offered to serve her.
" Let me get you a drink, what would you like?"
The well dressed Mandalorian stood in anticipation of her answer. This too would surprise those who knew Kane, to see the warrior bounty hunter pandering to the needs of another.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
There was suddenly more attention around her than she felt comfortable with, and her posture more than showed it. There were three people giving her strange looks and such things she was mentally unprepared to deal with, usually such confrontations had come one on one, not all at once. She glanced at the Twi' Lek that had called her something, but she didn't know what, the only person here that didn't seem at least a little intimidating to her at the moment.
With a quiet, shaky, docile voice that had the fear of a child about to be stricken by its parents, she spoke out, her eyes and her head looking away from the others.
"My name is Kari," and again, she had to stifle the urge to give the woman a dominant title, she was willing to guess the same action would come from the blue lady as it had from the mando. "And no, I'm not thirsty." She crossed her arms and started to ball up her legs below the chair, a protective habit that she had kept since childhood. She naturally slept in such a position. "I'm sorry if my words have displeased you."
She glanced, a little shaken, a little frightened, towards Alema, she had a gut feeling the woman understood Kari's plight. She wouldn't verbally ask for help, that was beyond her mind's capability, but her eyes glistened with a desire for assistance.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
The look that Kari and Alema shared was unmistakeable and the sentiment behind it was one Alema knew well. Her submissive stance melted a bit into a practiced respectful courtesy. "Mr. Smart," Alema said. "You're very generous, but the poor thing only just arrived. Perhaps we should give her a moment of peace to settle in?"
As far as Alema was concerned, most free creatures should be left to their own devices barring some specific duty stating otherwise. Enslaved creatures, though... they deserved her consideration and care, particularly since any "good" slave was not inclined to seek it out herself.
She turned to Kari. "My name is Alema. I'm working with them as well. If you need anything don't hesitate to seek it out or to ask someone who can get it for you. You haven't displeased anyone, lia'ry," she added.
Edited by: Alema Nilim at: 9/26/07 1:19 pm
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Kane didn't really know what to do when Kari balled up for security. He knew the others would be taken aback by Kari's actions. Kane spoke in soft friendly tones " Kari, that's a lovely name" Kane extended a hand toward the woman. " Kari, take my hand I want to show you something"
Kanes hand twitched as one of Malices visions flashed in his mind. Women and children dieing in rivers of blood, so real he could smell the smoke in the distance, the burning flesh, the death in the air. Kane broke into a sweat, his palms became clammy and just as quickly Kari came back into view.
" please" he said almost pleadingly.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Kari watched as the man extended his hand. She shot a glance, almost wanting reassuring from the woman who, from the response to her earlier looks, knew what she was going through. It was her first taste of doing something without total supervision, and she was failing at it miserably. Had she been a cat, her ears would have batted backwards at the command, a deeply insecure moment. She placed her hand inside the bounty hunters, quietly waiting for whatever it was he had to show her. She shot another glance at Alema, trying desperately to calm her nerves. She did not quite trust any of them in the room, save maybe the Twi' Lek, which was unusual because she normally had an extreme disgust for them. After a moment, she spoke again, still stammering from nervousness.
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
Alema offered Kari a slow nod in response to her unspoken appeal. The twi'lek knew that Kari likely had little if anything to fear from Kane, but she likewise knew why the slave girl would have great difficulty realizing this. There was little enough encouragement she could offer, but it would be there whenever it was needed.
She found herself sharing Kari's anxiety, which came as a dim surprise. She truly empathized with so few people, despite her careful attention to their feelings. This, though. This hit a little too close to home.
Her gaze left Kari to watch Kane again. Alema wondered if the man knew how frightening this was for a lifelong slave, and whether it would make a difference if he did.
Time for some action
Kane couldn't help but glance at Alema, her look conveyed her message of understanding for Kari. Kane gave a little smile and blinked slowly to acknowledge his understanding.. Kane turned and walked to the nearest window leading Kari to take in the view. Jon had chosen a spectacular location for the meeting, the magnificent panarama quickly swept away further visions that threatened to torment Kane.
" Isn't it beautiful? I find something this beautiful takes away my fears and torments, let it take away yours. You know you are among friends now?"
Kane fell silent and let the breath taking view speak for itself.
Edited by: Kane E Smart at: 9/26/07 3:00 pm
Re: A New Haven (TGU/CFR/Invite)
The view outside was not Tatooine's setting suns, but it had the effect. Her mind was lost in the view, and she quickly forgot the trial she had just been through, if not her own station in life. She glanced from the window to Kane, then back to the window, her hand planting against the screen glass. She stepped away after a moment, her despair nearly gone. Her hand slipped quietly away from Kane's, an act that took literally all the courage she had. She quietly walked back to her seat, whispering a quiet "Thank you, Mistress," to the woman, the first Twi' Lek the woman had ever trusted. She sat back down in her seat and glanced around, her face once again stoic, losing all of its confusion, even if, inside, she was still very, very confused.
Email This To a Friend
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies