|
|
Post by tress on Aug 18, 2011 17:04:05 GMT -5
"Ah." he said, he didnt know the difference, but who was he to speak on kuati fashion. He was still remembering that last one he had seen her wearing, took him all of the trip from her rooms to her offices on the Array to...show her the stitching was poorly done.
"Im sure i have no idea of what you mean... " He took a swig of his drink and looked innocent. " I was just reacting to an unexpected situations that needed to be fixed. What happened afterward was totally his fault and so did the hours that followed come to think of it. Though he did smile at her next comment.
"Its good, i like seeing things....." What was that? "Why would i do that for? I have my own thank you very much and barring that i go without." he smirked at that one. "Almost like what i am doing under these robes."
"Why not? I seemed perfectly able and was force to stand the ridicule of being transported around on a pink ship..." he glared at her. It had been a good retaliation for all his pranks before, besides the color could be stripped so he took it as what it was.
"Yes, was thinking that." he tells her smirking over the thought. "Besides they don't know our involvement of the plan, yet. So you go and I shall be your telbun on this one. Will get to go places with you that way and just sit back and get a feel for things. "
"Good, if there are more than one here we shall take them. Otherwise we have to stop on the way to Corellia. " The ships were a combined effort almost, with KDY supplying the engines and power source. What Rendili had didnt come close, so they had to work with someone that did. KDY was chosen over their excellence......which nine out of ten Imperials agree.
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 19, 2011 15:24:19 GMT -5
"Ah." he said, he didnt know the difference, but who was he to speak on kuati fashion. He was still remembering that last one he had seen her wearing, took him all of the trip from her rooms to her offices on the Array to...show her the stitching was poorly done.
"Im sure i have no idea of what you mean... " He took a swig of his drink and looked innocent. " I was just reacting to an unexpected situations that needed to be fixed. What happened afterward was totally his fault and so did the hours that followed come to think of it. Though he did smile at her next comment.
"Its good, i like seeing things....." What was that? "Why would i do that for? I have my own thank you very much and barring that i go without." he smirked at that one. "Almost like what i am doing under these robes."
Khari simply smirked at the initial statement, it was easily his fault and he knew it, it showed in his denial - though she suspected that was for the benefit of any prying ears that might have been listening in on their conversation. She had particularly gossipy house staff, both organic and non. While they might have gossiped amongst themselved, each and every one of them knew to leak information that could damn her would mean the termination of their contract - and indeed every other contract they might attempt to garner afterward, if not their life.
It really was that cut and dry, talk not, lose not.
"Yes, I suppose you don't, you were only standing right beside me at the time. Convenient how things just...fall apart or act strangely when that's so." You really should get that checked out, I would like to avoid another bout of that 'occular discomfort' when next I am attending an important meeting." Her words were as dry as bone dust, her look highly suspicious. He would know exactly what she meant, though admitting it was another thing entirely.
Now convinced that the container's lid would hold, she stood up and fetched a few more useful items from a storage cabinet across the other side of the room, the comment about his state of dress beneath those robes the reason for her mischevious expression. He was so obviously trying to provoke her, she could either rise to it or better it. Which one she chose depended entirely on her mood - and today it was a good one. Unpredictable news for him.
"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were getting very attached to those robes? Remember, ten paces behind me at all times, unless called upon." Collecting up the few small items from the storage container, Khari paused with deliberation, straightened, and then turned back to look at Tress, sitting there rather nonchalantly with a drink in one hand, like someone who had just remembered another little fact they needed to share with someone. "Oh, and only speak when you're spoken to. Nobody likes a chatty breeder who doesn't know his place."
The choice of words had been a play on his own, he who often commented about how telbuns were seen little more than 'breeders', live stock to be utiilized when the time was most prudent. They were, in Khari's opinion anyway, a little bit more than just that, and the term always sounded far too crass to her well attuned ears. This was simply to wind him up.
Making her way back to the edge of the bed, she supposed she was done now, setting each thing out before rummaging around for where she'd left her personal comlink, that pointed jab at her brightly coloured revenge had almost sailed completely over her head. It would have become apparent in her acknowledgement, when the focus returned to her eyes and she simply stood there and stared at him for a second or two.
"What ridicule? Did it stop Cian Praji from accompanying you to that seedy little den on Coruscant? Did you somehow lose all your credibility as an upstanding citizen? A crime lord's heir? No....but they will remember you."
Extending a hand his way she took the glass from him, then set it down safely on the antique bedside table. Settling beside him comfortably, sliding one hand over the top of his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze, Khari shook her head and sighed, if they continued down that road they might as well have never agreed to a truce in the first place.
"Forget that. I would rather spend what little time we are going to have with eachother for just that, us. Which brings me to the next part of what I have to ask - and truly? I am so very sorry in advance." All grave expression, it would become apparent just why in the next few heartbeats, and it didn't please her to have to tell him this in the slightest. But it was one genuine reason why she had thought his choice in ship was so well made. "As acting senator for Kuat, my mother is not only obliged, but required to either make the journey with us, or send someone applicable in her stead. I am needed to make the journey for business reasons, those apply souley to myself and you as a silent partner. What happens on Corellia may well be closely tied with what I wish to ask of the Jedi. That matter is where she comes in. My word alone might not be enough to give them cause to act."
She hated to have to do this to him, to them, so soon after they had been married - a trip with the in-laws didn't exactly spell out much time for either of them. And while Anara knew about the marriage, she certainly hadn't approved. Khari suspected that had Tyber not been present and correct to distract the woman, that she really would have kicked off and halted everything before it had started. As much as she hated to admit it, Khari owed Anara now.
Stopping wasn't something she wanted to do, linger on this one and someone might get in there before them. While everything was pretty much a done deal, every hour that passed brought with it new developments out of Corellia. Better that they meet the Jedi there then, perhaps, it was almost neutral ground and the same restrictions did not apply in some sectors on world. Jedi also had the added bonus of being able to travel unseen if they so wished, the kuati hoped they had the sense to do just that, as opposed to causing a scene. The details were not important yet, what was most pressing was getting in touch with them to begin with.
"We have the resources, so we can take three...if they are expecting us, I can't imagine they will mind under the circumstances. And as for the Jedi..." She had been sifting through everything she had placed on the bed the whole while, and had now felt something vaguely comlink shaped bump against her hand beneath a pile of clothes she had deigned 'not essential, but would probably take anyway.'
Thumbing the communicator on she waited for the answer on the other end. It took less time than she thought
"Mina, you're still awake, wonderful." Khari intoned, hearing the growingly familiar tones of her PA on the other end. It was now the night cycle on that part of the KDY array, and the young woman would probably have been about to turn in for the night. However, there she was answering her communique and sounding as bright as was normal. "I have a small favour to ask, I will compensate you for the time in lieu. I need you to get in touch with Grand Master Caitlin Windancer, I will be sending you some information shortly that I wish you to convey in your message. Inform her that this is of the utmost importance. The rest will be in the information I send."
For a short moment, the feed went silent as the woman on the other end was obviously searching around for her datapad, Khari intended to send the information straight to her, everything else had been prepared in advance. They had been building up to this, now it was time to see if the Jedi could take responsibility for their actions...or for the actions of their breakaway orders.
"Windancer, of the Jedi Order?" Mina replied, sounding a tad confused. It didn't matter if she was, her job was to do as she was requested, not to ask undue questions.
"The very same."
This time, there was no hesitation, belaying Khari's concerns that she might have to, yet again, go in search for a new assistant.
"Of course, Lady Vestra, I will do so as soon as the information arrives."
Content with the answer, Khari thumbed the comlink off again and deposited it next to Tress' half empty glass, appropriating that item forthwidth and drinking the remaining contents. The amber liquid burned all the way down, he would have to be a fan of whyren's reserve, wouldn't he? But it hit the right spot nevertheless. She needed that, this was all becoming very tangled.
"Best to get the ball rolling. I will send the information and request those vessels, then we have to get ourselves to the spaceport." Another burdened sigh escaped her, what a temptation it was not to simply flop back onto the bed and catch up on all that sleep she hadn't had for the past goodness knows how many nights. Well, there was a good distance back to the array, they could always stow her mother in one of the storage compartments and catch a few zee's then. Chuckling away to herself at that thought, they would never have heard the end of it. Not that they need worry too much about that, they needed to bring the troublesome Rhy Knylenn with them as well, drop him off along the way. At least the ships they were taking were big enough to lose anyone on for a good few hours.
****
Aboard the Array, Khari's personal assistant set to work recording and sending the following encoded message.
FAO: Grand Master Caitlin Windancer
Greetings Master Windancer, My name is Mina Cyori contacting you on the behalf of Lady Khari Vestra, CEO of Kuat Drive Yards. Lady Vestra would like to meet with you regarding an issue of some weeks passed, that she believes your order should be appraised of in it’s entirety. She wishes to stress it’s importance, and the importance of your swift response - She will be travelling to Corellia within the next few days to attend a series of business meetings there, but will take time out of her schedule to meet with you also, so that you may discuss this matter in somewhat neutral surroundings, though I regret I am unable to give you anymore details on the subject at this moment in time. If the specified location inconveniences you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me here, direct at the frequency I will send along with this message. Thank you.
|
|
|
|
Post by Caitlin Windancer on Aug 20, 2011 13:40:44 GMT -5
(Cross posted from Bakura thread)
Cait's eyebrows raise higher and higher as she listens. When the message finishes she says to herself. "Now that is interesting. I wonder what the CEO of the KDY wants to talk to me about. I better contact her right away."
She checks the frequency that was given her in the message and dials it in to answer. She sends an encrypted message to that comm frequency.
"This acting Grandmaster Caitlin Windancer of the Jedi Order. I would of course wish to talk Lady Vestra if she has she wishes to talk about something important. Though I'm a little confused why she would want to talk to me. I don't normally have dealings with the KDY. But if there is something I could help her with I will do my best to try and help her. The only problem is I'm no where near Corellia at the moment. I'm taking care of an important security matter on Bakura and can't leave until that is taken care of. Perhaps we could arrange a meeting when I get back or could she come to Bakura? If that is not convenient maybe we could make some other arrangements to meet?"
She then waits for an answer.
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 21, 2011 12:26:40 GMT -5
Surprisingly, Mina hadn’t waited long before the reply came back, she had been closing down things for the night when the comm began to bleep incessantly, demanding attention. When she returned to the desk, there was a message waiting for her.
What she read was polite enough it was just not what they had wanted to hear. She didn’t wish to be the one to tell Khari the bad news. Though the Jedi master had been anything but against the idea of meeting, a delay was so clearly not what the CEO was after, especially considering there was still a great big gaping reminder, of why the meeting had been suggested in the first place, stuck to the side of their main spaceport.
Forwarding the message on to Khari, she decided that this was probably best said in person, the woman would only try and take over anyway, she’d save her the fuss of being the go between for now. Now, and finally, she could get some sleep.
****
Khari handed over another of the containers to one of her staff who had been loading them into the back of the speeder, and then turned back to see Tress standing there in the doorway, still swathed in gaudy purple and red, though he was minus the ridiculously tall hat and veil this time.
“That’s the last of them, I promise.” She said, gesturing placatingly over the amount of items she had wanted to bring with her, this really was scaling it down for a trip like this. They’d definitely need the bigger ship. Sauntering her way back over to him, she slipped her arms around him and then rose up on her tip toes to kiss him softly, not merely an attempt to wipe that look off his face. “And I made sure to bring something else for you to wear too, in case you were curious. It’s not all going to be business, and those robes are going to get you all the wrong attention should we decide to go and let our hair down, believe me.” She really wasn’t lying, she’d had terrible trouble when travelling with her former telbun, people’s curiosity seemed to know no bounds. Many would simply stare, others, look genuinely contemptuous for a variety of reasons...the rest didn’t bear thinking about.
A bleep drew her attention to her comlink, and she pulled it free of her pocket to cast a curious eye over the message there. It was forwarded from Mina; their reply from the Jedi order it seemed. Taking a few seconds to read it, and then re read it, Khari’s brow furrowed for a moment or two there - this was not as favourable as she might have liked, but Mina had been right to pass this along without response first.
“The Jedi are apparently too busy to deal with random acts of terrorism from their quarter.” She said with a sigh, then turned the screen around to show Tress. When she was sure he’d read it all, she keyed in the frequency. It was time they had a little talk, this Jedi and she. For an accord to be struck, they needed to deal with the matters as they arose, it was already too late for Corellia, who else had to suffer before they took stock and did something? They obviously couldn’t count on the Empire.
“Master Windancer? This is Khari Vestra, I received your message naught but a moment ago, and I was hoping we could come to some sort of arrangement about this meeting. This simply won’t wait.” She said in as plaintive a tone as possible.
“I realize you are in the middle of something and for interrupting I apologise. It’s somewhat ironic, when you consider it really, I would be doing much the same were it not for a rogue Jedi and his apprentice. The past few weeks have been trying at best, sheer outrage at worst. My homeworld’s most influential people are in uproar over how this situation has been dealt with, by the governing bodies that are supposed to protect us from just this kind of issue. The fact of the matter is, we can no more deal with this effectively, alone, than you could stop the sun from rising on the world you currently sit.” Idly she wondered if this would actually get through, if the issue that the Jedi master was currently facing had anything to do with this impending war...which brought Khari firmly to the door of her next issue. “Not a standard week after we suffered the atrocities we did, than Corellia is dealing with the same rogue Jedi in much the same way. Who do you suppose we look to to deal with these people? The empire? They have proven themselves unfit for the task and I could give you evidence to prove that theory true. Mercinaries, perhaps? It all comes with a price. Yet you...self proclaimed guardians of the peace, are too busy to deal with something that could well tip the balance of the situation on Corellia, into full scale war?” And there it was, as pointed and as plain as the hand she could have held in front of her face. “I will be on Corellia for as long as it takes to conduct my business, but this meeting should happen sooner rather than later. The Kuati people intend to take this futher, Master Windancer, I only hope that you are not standing on the wrong side of the fence when this breaks in the senate.”
On that much, she was sincere, it wasn’t a threat, just a simple fact. Corellia was under pressure on all sides and the Empire under scrutiny for what had occurred. What could be more pressing than all out war?
|
|
|
|
Post by Caitlin Windancer on Aug 21, 2011 18:42:57 GMT -5
(Cross post from Bakura)
"Lady Vestra. I'm willing to meet with you. I'm just not sure yet what the problem is you are talking about. Part of your message was very garbled and hard to understand.
No need to apologize interruptions seem to be a constant part of my job. It must be very serious if you are contacting the Jedi Order about it. "
"Rogue Jedi and apprentice?" The frown can be heard in her voice at this. "This is news to me. I did hear of the attack on the array from a friend of mine who was there passing through; hoping to get his ship upgraded. He arrived shortly after the attack happened. He told me that there had some sort of explosion on the array. But this is the first I have heard that a Jedi was suppose to be involved."
At Khari's next words Cait says incredulously. "Excuse did you say Coreilla was attacked also by the same person? I haven't heard anything about this. But then again I have been traveling in hyperspace.
Corellia is at the brink of war? I'm sorry Lady Vestra this the first I have heard of any of this."
"No, not too busy just short handed. The galaxy is a big place and the Jedi are few. We do what we can but we can't be everywhere. I certainly would like to avert a war if possible."
"I would like to meet with you but I'm not sure how we can do it. While the business here will only take me a few days at the most to do. Where I'm at is the backend of nowhere. The closest system to Bakura is Endor and that is weeks away from here. If you have suggestion on where we could meet that would be closer and sooner. I would be happy to hear it."
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 22, 2011 13:32:21 GMT -5
Khari didn't know if she was too incredulous to laugh at what she had just heard, or if she should do so simply out of the necessity to do what seemed right. Was this woman telling her what she thought she had just heard, or had she heard wrong.
Utterly astounded, she looked sidelong at Tress - who was at present standing outside the comlink's field of reach - and shook her head slowly, returning her attention back to the device in her hands a heartbeat later.
"Excuse me, Master Windancer, but did you just state that you were unaware of the latest developments concerning the Corellian crisis?" She asked, almost feeling foolish for doing so, it was really that surprising. A Jedi Master - THE Jedi master - unaware of what was going on in the galaxy, wasn't something she had ever expected to hear. She didn't know how the force worked exactly, but she had imagined they would have felt something! The Jedi had always been so quick to intervene in most conflicts in the past.
"That you are completely unaware of any of that which I have just told you?" The disapproval was abundantly easy to hear, and Khari wasn't ashamed to show it either. This just cemented what she had thought all along, that the Jedi turned the other cheek when it came to reining in one of their own. It would have made her blood boil under anyother circumstance, but she was required to keep a cool head.
"As for the issue with my message, perhaps the jedi should invest in more proficient upgrades in order to keep abreast of the situation in the future. Evidently, as I have just witnessed, it would be worth your while." Came the precise clipped tones of her core accented voice, she really wasn't messing around now. This one sought to give her the runaround, but she had heard every excuse in the galaxy, politics was not her chosen career for one simple reason, there was enough labyrinthine issues in her life without the senate adding to it. Her mother's career had offered her insight however. "And speaking of things worth listening to; I wished to meet and discuss the pending crisis meeting in the senate...You do realize that this could have dire consequences for your order? Whatever your opinion of me, I wished to offer to you a chance to avert this crisis before it picks up momentum, and believe me, Master Windancer...it will. Politics this poetent waits for no one, Kuat has spoken, we are most decided on this matter and someone must answer for the crimes committed in our system. I would rather that someone was Kage Dooku himself, than the whole order who refused to aid us in bringing him to justice." She had to understand how this would look, if they sat idle and allowed the Kage to repeat his actions on countless worlds.
What she didn't want to be doing was adding insult to injury. But she did nevertheless.
"I am well aware of where Bakura is, thank you very much. Do I look like the sort of person who grubs around in the dust and dirt on some backward forrest moon? Absolutely not. Endor is hardly the place for a civilised meeting, wouldn't you agree? I have property on Bespin, you and your...associates, are welcome to frequent it and meet us there. " That was as compremising as it came, she would open her home - one of them at least - to these beings, trusting that they would take care of it. And if they didn't, it was just another thing she could add to the list of discrepancies. Finally, the suite at bespin's cloud city had some use. Tress would, no doubt, enjoy that trip, there was enough going on in the various entertainment centers to keep them amused during downtime. She felt like a gamble herself.
|
|
|
|
Post by Caitlin Windancer on Aug 23, 2011 1:08:44 GMT -5
(Cross posted from Bakura)
"Lady Vestra, that's exactly what I'm saying. I haven't recieved news of any kind including the news about Coreilla. That something of this magnitude has happened and I wasn't informed of it distrubs me greatly. I was suppose to get a daily update on all news and any other important Galatic events. Nothing was even mentioned about an attack on Coreilla the last report I recieved this morning. Some one and I are going to have words when I get back to Yavin about this and why I wasn't informed. I see that I will have to do some corrections and adjustments to procedures when I get back to the Temple so this doesn't happen again."
From Cait's tone of voice is evident that the person who was suppose to keep her informed is going to have a lot of explaining to do why they didn't bother to tell her about this. Her eyes narrow at Khari's comment about their equipment. The problem wasn't on her end but she doesn't wish to get sidetracked into non-important issues about whose equipment is at fault. But all she says is "I will take it under advisement with my second in command, he is in charge of such things."
"This sounds serious indeed if the Senate is involved. Dire consequences for the Order? Crimes? How is the Order involved in this?" She sounds puzzled.
"Kage Dooku? Of the Gray Order? He is involved in this? Wait. Back up a minute. Are you telling me he was the one arrested by the Empire for the attack on the Array and they let him go? And that he then attacked Coreilla?" She sighs.
"Corey what mess have you gotten yourself into now?" She thinks.
"It is understandable that you would want justice for the damage done to your system. My apologies, I think understand now why you are so upset about this. Corey, Kage Dooku can be very difficult to deal with at times. What is it you want me to do for you?"
"Then you are one of the few people who do. Most people have never even heard of Bakura. I wasn't suggesting Endor there are no accommdations there that would be suitable. Hmmm.... Bespin? Yes, it would definitely be a better choice. I should be done here in a few days. Would a week from today good for you to meet on Bespin? I thank you that is most gracious of you but that is not neccessary my family owns property there that I can use if I need it."
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 23, 2011 3:36:16 GMT -5
Tress had been bored as Khari had packed an obscene about of clothing to go on such a small trip, did she think all that was necessary? Either way it was now done with and he had to figure out where on his ship it would all be stored. One whole cargo compartment on his ship wouldn't store all that, well they would figure something out.
The rest was just listening to the conversation she was now having with a Jedi Master whose name he had forgotten.
He caught her sideways glance and smirked, but shrugged and let her deal with it. He was thinking ahead, wondering what if anything the Jedi Order would consider important enough to get involved in? Seems like some heavy trouble on the horizon for Corellia or possibly the Republic.
He mouthed the words, "Settle down, love" to Khari over her tone to the Jedi. No, need to make enemies so soon when they could come in handy soon enough. Later, was another difference, he thought, adding a wink to his beautiful wife.
Laughter escaped him before he covered his mouth, he stood and walked closer to her wrapping his arms around her from behind as she finished her talk with the esteemed Jedi on the other end.
Bespin was a perfect place, somewhere out of the way, but still lively enough to draw a crowd. Only thing troubling him was the Consortium didn't have a presence there. All the more reason to visit he thought sobering and sitting up.
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 23, 2011 9:13:27 GMT -5
Tress had been bored as Khari had packed an obscene about of clothing to go on such a small trip, did she think all that was necessary? Either way it was now done with and he had to figure out where on his ship it would all be stored. One whole cargo compartment on his ship wouldn't store all that, well they would figure something out.
Catching the look in Tress' eyes, shortly followed by those mouthed words, she sighed and seemed to slump visibly. Maybe she was being a little harsh.
But was that really undue? These beings called themselves the guardians of the galaxy, upholders of the peace, and here their leader stood, stating to her that she knew nothing of what had transpired. Not so much as a shred of evidence - save for this supposed friend Windancer had aboard the KDY orbital array at the time of the disaster. In the end, she nodded away his caution, understanding what he meant completely.
Grand Master Windancer, was also keen to get her point across.
Completely ignoring the first few sentences for the sake of saving the woman her utter contempt, she focussed on the things that really did matter. Despite how much Tress was laughing in the background over her outburst. Even she had to admit, had she been observing that little display of ire, she would have found it mildly humerous herself. She did, however, resist the urge to smile at the thought.
"You know of another Kage Dooku? The very same, I suspect, but I digress; He has been somewhat of a problem to the Corellian authorities, yes. And to answer your question, he was arrested and detained by the Empire, only to be released days later, on what grounds we are uncertain. But it has become clear to us that the Kuati people cannot rely on the Empire to keep their promises. Therefore the natural progression was to bring this matter to the attention of the GA." She paused, letting some of the basic facts sink in, then proceeded, "And inevitably that lead us to you. You are, after all, Jedi, are you not? Who else would know how to deal with a rogue one of your kind save for yourselves? Unless, that is, you're still considering this a non issue....the senate will find that very interesting."
That much went as well as could be expected, but the Jedi was intent on ruining her mood with her apparent lack of knowledge, and patronizing tones. If Caitlin learned one thing this day, it would be that you never acted superior to someone who considered themselves far more superior by far. Firmly in the boundaries of that little equation sat the Kuati upper classes. Mix in a little incredulity and you had yourselves one interesting concoction, but never once did it seem pleasant.
"You will find I am full of surprises, Master Windancer. A standard week from now sounds agreeable." True enough, that would give them enough time to appraise the Corellians of what they had learned and garner more support in the process. The Jedi had backed themselves into a corner on this one. "Bespin it is. I will be in touch with specifics, and I look forward to reaching an amicable solution to this hienous problem. Until then." Curtly, she shut off the comlink and drew herself up proudly again, that woman was detestible. Like most of her kind, she should have belayed that all knowing tone of her's, especially since her sources and intel seemed to be woefully inept.
For the shortwhile, it didn't matter, they needed to get to Corellia and thanks to her 'essential' packing, they'd already been running behind schedule. Her aide would have sent word ahead of them confirming their impending visit to survey the lay of the land as it were, they would have also given instructions to spare the vessels required for this journey. They only thing that was most perplexing of all was that when she had sent word to Anara, she hadn't been able to raise her on her personal or 'official' comlink frequency.
The last time she had seen her mother, she had been speaking to Rhy Knylenn...
Ah - Khari surmised a second later, perhaps she didn't want to know why Anara wasn't answering her comlink. Even less, was her inclination to go looking for the woman where they had just come from. She would try and raise her again on the way to the spaceport, at the very least they'd meet aboard one of the vessels they intended to take.
Opening the door to the speeder, surprising the driver by essentially doing his job there, she gestured to Tress to get in with her. The boredom would be lessened once they arrived where they needed to be.
"So it looks like I'll get chance to view that property of mine on Bespin after all. Could be fun...all those gambling tables in the entertainment quarter, nightlife...hopefully better than what I experienced on Obroa Skai. Though I have to admit, the company was enthralling and we did make some interesting entertainment of our own." She had, idly in the weeks past, wonder if the owner of that hotel had managed to keep ahold of the lease on the place after their rather explosive exit. Tress certainly hadn't been kidding when he said he'd raise the place to the ground if she had given the word. What Khari had settled for seemed more than enough to give the man cause to apologise. The debt collectors were still chasing him across the stars.
Making herself comfortable in the back seat, she glanced at him in wonderment, her mind turning back to the chore it would be to endure Anara for all that distance - as if her entire childhood hadn't been enough - on what was essentially their honeymoon. There was, as the saying went, no rest for the wicked, nor the business savvy. A sizable ship like the one they had decided upon would be more than enough to lose Anara in, though the woman had an uncanny knack for locating her whenever it was least convenient. Unless, of course, she had another reason to be absent.
"Did your grandfather leave after last night?" Khari asked him curiously, it had occurred to her that there had been no one out of place at that meeting earlier, so he hadn't listened in by actually being there. If Tyber was a man of his word, he'd been geunine about taking a comfortable retirement and Tress seemed more than in charge of all things Zann Consortium. "I don't recall you getting a chance to see him off. Will he go back into hiding now that some know of his continued existance?"
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 23, 2011 17:01:28 GMT -5
It was time to move on with other things, Bespin and the Jedi would be one of them. Corellia and the GA another, though his thoughts were on CSA and its annual vote. After that was done they could really move on to the next step of their plans. Things were set, and nothing could stop them even if they tried. Only thing bad about things was the time frame of everything else happening.
When they started moving to the space port, he saw her make a call or two on her comlink and wondered why she got no answer. Though in time she would tell him if it was important for him to know. For the moment he enjoyed the quiet ride with her, even reaching for her hand and relaxing while there was time to do so. "Starting to like the quiet times." he said speaking out loud.
"Though those fun times are fun, don't get me wrong." he said with a chuckle. "Never been to Bespin so it will be a fun adventure.
"Just don't buy, the Jedi not knowing what has been happening. Have they barricaded themselves so much within their walls that no news gets to them?" Had to be a ploy to see what we would give out, maybe slip of the tongue or something in a bid to get more info form someone contacting them out of the blue. "We will have to watch them more closely, i don't trust them one bit."
He looked her way and blinked, come to think of it he hadn't heard from him today. Wasn't a news flash, but did make him wonder where he was if Anara was at the meeting. "Dont know, havent heard from him today, but Anara was ok so he has to be around somewhere...." he reached for his comlink and called with no answer. "weird." so he left a message for him to receive where ever he was.
"He will stay here from what i understood of his plans, better to be close to us." he winked at her. "Keep him close so he is safely away from trouble. Though is your mother is coming with, he might tag along. So i suggest they go on another ship so we wont be bothered as much...?" he was asking her opinion as she might need her mother on some official capacity as Senator or something.
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 23, 2011 19:17:13 GMT -5
She cocked a curious eyebrow at that, though squeezed his hand reassuringly, quietly confident that she'd got his meaning in essence anyway. It still didn't stop her from voicing her immediate thoughts though, she was who she was and didn't plan on changing anytime soon.
"I hope that's not your subtle way of saying you like me best when I am silent." Chuckling slightly at that, despite the haughty 'nose in the air' posture she uptook at that moment, "I get inventive when I am left thinking for too long, don't forget that." Of that he already knew too well, and it could go either way depending on her mood. Good and he got everything he wanted and more, bad...and he'd probably end up with a pink citadel to go with the now defunct paint job on his ship.
She relaxed a second later, letting him know it was all a facade, sinking back into the comfort of the seat at her back.
"Nor I to be perfectly honest, I bought the property on a whim. For all I know, ewoks could have apropriated it and turned it into a miniature home from home. I trust their security is better than that, though." Time would tell on that one, she had offered it to the Jedi to use if they so wished, she could stay anywhere, but assuring the grand master a place to stay was as good as pinning her feet down to one place. Give her no excuse and she couldn't back out of a meeting.
His suspicion was well founded, Khari agreed completely, there was something up there. It just didn't feel right, she couldn't quite place it, but there had been something disturbingly real about the Jedi master's response. Maybe she was being honest, but then she had every reason not to be, especially when she appeared to have not only known Dooku's name, but been on familiar terms with him.
"There was such a time, where by a being couldn't so much as sneeze in this galaxy without someone linked to the Jedi knowing about it." She said with a disdainful laugh, it was a sign of the times. "I don't for a second believe she didn't know anything...did you see the subtle change in her expression when I mentioned Kage Dooku? And then to show such surprise. I wonder about them, their link. I will definitely be keeping an eye on that. Far greater than this supposed Jedi link aboard the array at any rate."
And that in it's self raised new questions, how many Jedi had been present on the array at the time then? Was this a joint effort, cajole Kuat back into the GA and away from the empire that would 'betray' them hours later?
Shifting in her seat she slid closer to him, content to reside at his side, a little closer than they would have publicly. It was going to be difficult, not least of all on Tress, having to don that disguise each time he needed to attend an official function with her. But they stole moments wherever they could, and as far as closeness went, a telbun was the ideal disguise.
Pensively she nodded, she was still getting no word out of Anara and when he had tried to reach his grandfather too, she put two and two together. But seriously, how well had those two known eachother? He'd seemed pretty sure he could have quelled Anara's protests against this marriage the day before. And for a second a trickle of concern laced it's way through her common sense...it certainly wouldn't be the first time a Kuati had thought about offing someone who was a nuisance, but Tyber wasn't, and they had seemed on too good terms for that.
"Barely married for a day and you're already suggesting ways to avoid the mother in law. I knew I made the right choice." Khari enthused with a smirk that bled into her words, but her expression grew more serious a blip later. "He's going to find her talking to Rhy...isn't he?" She did not want to hear that headache, suddenly she was glad to be travelling in the opposite direction. Drawing him closer, she groaned at the thought of that potential social explosion waiting to happen. "Do you think we can swap? I'll wear the invisibility robes and you do all the talking."
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 25, 2011 15:43:12 GMT -5
He thought on it for awhile, giving her the idea of him really struggling with answering. "I like it when your vocal." he said at last with a smirk, though he was really talking about the quiet times of not running off somewhere to get something done. Lately thats what it felt like.
He remembers some of those inventive scenarios and chuckled, "I'll keep that in mind, though some of them were just to good so i might leave you to your own devices sometimes. See what trickery you come up with."
Yes, it was what had crossed his mind while hearing the conversation. The worst part was as she had said, the look that crossed the Jedi Master as she heard Dooku's name, they led to other unanswered questions. Could she be working with him? Could they know, but not tell anyone his where abouts? Would they side on the side of justice or to protect one of their own go against them. "Yeah, something is off. I don't need to warn you about their abilities....reading your thoughts? This is going to be hard on both of us." he chuckled sinisterly. There were techniques on confusing them, blocking them even for non-force sensitives. He would have to brush her up on them on the trip.
"Not, avoiding really, more like stirring clear of her...ok, avoiding her is apt in this case." he added with a laugh. The woman was opinionated, headstrong and vocal in her speech. Took some getting used to when all you wanted to do was shoot her with a stun bolt every time.
"Not our problem, Rhy should be heading to the outer rim by the end of today. Kept busy out there enough to not bother anyone." The rest wasnt his concern or her he didnt think. Her mother true, but it was best to let them deal with things themselves.
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 25, 2011 17:26:09 GMT -5
His smile was infectious, and she caught it forthwith, he wasn't the only master of double entendre, so she took that and ran with it, acknowledging it in kind with her response. "Truly? I will remember that next time bellendy is asking if we require assistance."
A swift smirk later and she left him with his thoughts there, watching the lush vegitation rush by in a blur. She had picked a spaceport out of the city limits with one purpose, to draw as little attention as possible. With the upheaval that was going on, there would be a strong media presence, and with them wishing to keep much of the proceedings underwraps until the opportune time came for them to be far more open about this grand business venture.
It had taken some doing, but she had finally been able to reach Anara. And, with a lot of cajoling, had managed to arrange for her to meet her aboard the vessels that would be taking them to Corellia...and then on to bespin. That little detour she would have liked to avoid, at least with her mother in tow. However, such things were necessary, and they needed the cantankerous old woman on board.
"I have been left to my own devices all this time. What you need to be asking yourself is when the trickery begins. I still haven't forgotten that incident with the Imperial regent." Still smiling satisfied with her work, she looked back out of the viewport again, they were almost there.
That aspect of the journey was at the forefront of both their minds then, no surprise really, since the reaction the grand master had given had been less than encouraging. Perhaps her intention had been to deliberately unsettle, Khari wasn't sure. In any case, she wanted to go into this with her eyes wide open, and while she had no previous experience dealing with Jedi in such a direct manner, Tress seemed a little more knowledgeable in the subject, so she would seek his council on the matter. It wouldn't do either of them any harm to refresh their skills there.
What she did seem most disturbed by was the thought reading aspect of it all. Just how deep could a force sensitive being dig into one's psyche? And however deep, what would they then be able to turn against her. A little too much, she feared...even Tress didn't know the full story.
"I heard they could only pull those tricks upon the weak minded, but you seem to know a tad more than I. Just how much would a Jedi of Windancer's calibre be able to ascertain from say...one such as myself? Any thought...any actions she could dictate?" She knew a little, if she was being truthful, but just how much was fact and how much was fiction. There were all kinds of supposed force blocking precautions out there on the open and black markets. It was sorting the good from the dud really.
"Don't worry, I forgive you...I think the majority of Kuati would forgive you for that small oversight. She's an...acquired taste, shall we say. I wouldn't normally say this, but I feel very sorry for her telbun." There was little love lost between parent and child there, but then there was a lot more to that story that she wasn't divulging quite yet. Tress knew some of it, naturally she hadn't been able to keep that hidden. And in all honesty, she saw no reason to. But it wasn't a subject she was too fond of. Anara was a necessary evil, and that was that.
The thought of Rhy out there in the outer rim was what had her cracking up completely - the entire highly strung veneer crumbling away from her persona completely as she creased over in laughter.
"You think so do you?" Another bout of laughter overtook her for a moment, and for those seconds, all that could be heard was that chuckle, her shoulders rising and falling with the effort to get herself in check again, "I have seen that man cancel an entire high profile function because he had one hair out of place. Can you imagine what he's going to be like on some back water world? Because I can...and it's starting to hurt my ribs!"
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 25, 2011 18:18:27 GMT -5
Droid would need to be scrapped if he did that again, last two times was enough to seriously consider it. "I will scrap him if he does. The first time was funny in its way, but no more...". This time it was different, didnt really know how, but it was.
"I have no idea of what you mean..." he tried to act innocent. Which wasn't the smart thing to do since he had told her from the start. It was the outside world that knew nothing about it and he had played it off as something entirely different. "..It was just a case of technical problems. I have had my hearing implants fixed since then." he looked her way finally and laughed. "Come on tell me it wasn't funny." Pushing her was going to make this trip fun.
"Don't know really, though from what Urai has told me they could be talking to you and skimming the thoughts from your mind." What he said was something he should know about. " More like truth or lie, you talking about Dooku and wanting him dead....they can sense that. Anything else and he was pretty much lost at.
"Think of a list, anything really, something your thoughts are focused on. Might be hard to talk about something while focusing on something else totally unrelated, but it works i am told." he shrugged. There were possibly other ways, some sort of disruptor you wore that denied them their abilities.
"Good, that pinch in the lobby of your hotel was the most telling thing about her. Plus its fun to rattle her cage on occasion." he smiled remembering the many times and the night before was the worst no doubt. He would call her mom or mother sometimes too just to mess with her over the whole deal.
"He wants his families honor and respect back, its his simple driving need in life. To belong and to show others his worth almost." he had explained the plan and Rhy was on board, now as she said it was up to him to stick with things. Either way in a few months "they" would be in control."
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 25, 2011 19:19:17 GMT -5
Leaning back in her seat as she twisted to face him fully, she adopted a mock-outraged look, then lightly slapped his arm, "You most certainly will not! I feel bad about taking his only company away from him, we should accept next time and I won't hear a word to the contrary." Shaking her head adamantly, she looked the other way, but only to conceal the the laughter that was bubbling up from her throat, just begging to be let out. Of course she wasn't being serious, but it had been worth it just to see his reaction. She had an uncanny knack for making the completely bogus sounding incredibly serious.
Or, he would push right back. Tress did just that.
Remaining aloof, and still looking the other way, Khari made a point of jutting that perfectly formed chin of hers up at a jaunty and very haughty angle, ignoring his jibes as if they hadn't hit their mark. And they had, so very very well.
"Funny is not the word I would have used." She said with an air of disapproval, which in it's self was entirely false. She could remain angry at him for a time, but it never lasted, and while her ire at the time had been born of embarrassment - and possibly a good measure of the element of surprise - she had seen the funny side. Finding the composure enough to break the facade and look back around at him, she added, "Do you have any idea what the range on that remote was? I had to walk from one side of the medcenter to the other before I realised I was just going to have to go back and take it from the medic who's sweaty little palm's you'd left it in. For all I knew I could have been the other side of the array and it would still have worked."
She might even have enjoyed it, were it not for the fact he was trying to look like he was living it up inside a bacta tank at the time. Now that, that had been funny. She still had the holorecording...one day she'd share that with him, just to see him cringe.
"Oh very well, it was funny..." the Kuati conceeded with a sigh to signify her supposed submission - it didn't last long. "...easily as funny as my mother taking a liking to you enough to pinch you on the backside. She likes them about your age you know....spritely!" Never a more pleasant a tone had been used with him, so saccharine and filled with mirth that it couldn't be anything but amusement with a sting in it's tail. This was a game for two and two would play that game, she gave back every bit as good as she got.
That unsettled her to a certain degree, she was confident that she could keep her mind off everything she didn't want the Jedi to learn. But would that mental barrier simply act as a marker to display that she did have much that she would keep from them? What she didn't want to do was get so bogged down in the complexities of keeping your mind focussed on certain things, whilst speaking of other things entirely, lest she forget what she wished to discuss - and the point to it - in the process.
"And what of those force dampening devices, creatures...did not Thrawn, himself, keep pet Ysalamiri for that very reason? So I heard rumours, anyway. Is there any truth to their ability to inhibit a being's connection to the force?"
Her candor was real enough, it was an interesting and prudent question, very little was beyond her reach in terms of the price it would cost to get such a creature. No doubt it would be high, she didn't know what the current galactic laws were on keeping such things, and she knew even less about what Ysalamiri liked to eat. The only pet's she had ever had were completely domesticated. The odd felinx or two...until they had decided to destroy her antique couch one evening.
That mention of her wanting Corey dead made her scoff outright, "I would think that was a perfectly reasonable solution to an outragous injustice. I have little to hide where the Kage is concerned. But the mere fact I ask that the Jedi aid us in this, should be indication enough I am said reasonable person, that I wish to look into every solution before settling on my initial option."
The speeder had begun to slow to a steady halt by this point, and the far understated spaceport loomed over them forbodingly.
"Just don't get your fingers too close to the bars, Tress, she bites...I've seen it a hundred times or more." Her caution was real enough, that woman had made great men disappear for far less. Unfortunately, that trait seemed to run in the family...a subject she would broach with him, when the time was right. Whenever that would be. "I don't want to lose you."
The door to their speeder opened with the sound of exhanging air, and she nodded towards the spaceport entrance, her hand sliding over his where it rested upon the seat. "Shall we?"
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 28, 2011 18:11:07 GMT -5
"No." he liked the droid as a companion but he would not bother them anymore. "I told him he was free to come and go, but to knock next time he enters a room where we are at. Old friend or not, I will scrap him...." he told her threateningly joking since she turned away. The tone of his voice would make her think he meant it, but once she turned back and saw him she'd know he was teasing.
He remembered being stuck in the liquid, tasting it while she was outside 'Lording' it up. Remembered everything up until they gave him sedatives but the last thing he did remember was giving the remote to someone in the medical staff. So something had happened then? Long range, something the store keeper had promised him. "So i get blamed for getting shot and being dipped into bacta and someone else doing something?" he shook his head. "Thats a shame." he wanted her to admit it was fun, up to a point.
"Now that wasn't funny, Khari. That was shameful, and old respectable "Senator" pinching a naked mans backside." he leaned back in the chair and steamed over her doing that.
"Those little reptiles work wonders, though they will asked why we are so precautions." though he was concerned how it might seem to the Jedi. Would they speak freely or think to keep things from them or maybe think its a possible attack. He liked the idea of keeping themselves save from outside influences but it could be to much to soon. "Could be better to make them feel like we are unprepared"
"Music playing in the background? With some underlining sonic interference, could make them lose their concentration....never tried it of course, but we can test it out there if you want." though have the Ysalamiri could be used as a fall back plan.
"I've had all my immunity shots, don't fret." he told her reaching for her hand and pulling it up to his lips. After placing a soft kiss there he whispers. "You wont lose me, we are a team."
"Lets go then. " he said standing and offering her his hand to help he stand. "Need to see where your mother is, too. Want to do things before this meeting starts....."
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 29, 2011 10:00:54 GMT -5
"Does he need a wipe?"
She, herself, had been joking the entire time, apart from the part where she had said the droid had asked them for assistance - he had. So when he added that he was adamant about scrapping the unwitting droid, she did buy into it for a brief moment. At least until she saw his face. Smiling thinly at her own ridiculousness, Khari shook her head slightly, then continued: "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to give his memory a small wipe, he does have a nasty little habit of wandering in unannounced. I could recommend a few of the best droid workshops, get him a small reprogram."
It bore a little looking into, she supposed, it depended how sentimental Tress was over Bell and his current memories. It mattered little to her if the droid remembered what she'd had for dinner last week. More that he could have recited the colour of her underwear had he been asked directly.
Yes, a wipe really was the way forward.
"You're forgetting one small detail, Tress." Khari chided him, wagging one finger in his general direction, and then moving it away before he made a grab for it or something akin to swatting. "In your 'drug induced stupor - which I assure you was completely faked since I asked them to give you a stim to wake you up a little - you whispered a few little instructions to that doctor...didn't you?" Pleasantly, she settled back, then slowly, precisely, folded one arm over the other, the smugness just oozing from her demeanour while she watched him. He had been caught out there, but it didn't take a genius to work out no person in their right mind would be handed a remote to just play with, without first knowing what it did. Or...in this case, believing they did.
She had expected him to pick her up on the issue of her mother again though. The younger Vestra really couldn't make excuses for her, Tress was right on that count, but still wrong on another, which made things interestingly fun. Far be it from Khari to attempt to tell Anara what she was doing was unseemly though, especially after agreeing to the entire scenario that had seen the earlier mentioned topic too.
He had talked himself into a corner there, and she wasted no time in letting him know it too, good humoured or not, Khari couldn't help herself at times like these.
"Easily as shameful as the young, respectable senator walking, next to naked, through a hotel lobby." She quipped, then shot him a wry glance, she wasn't defending the old hawk bat's actions, but it did put things into a little bit of perspective for him. For all her faults, these really weren't Anara's worst moments. He might find that out the hard way, though she really wished he didn't.
It was almost a welcome respite when the conversation had turned to how best to protect themselves, or rather their minds, from the Jedi. What Khari, herself knew about them was minimal, she had seen the holo documentaries, read reports, even spoken to a couple on occasion, but it seemed to her, that unless you spent a considerable ammount of time around their kind, a regular being was often very much in the dark. They had a tendancy to give her a case of the creepies. People often feared what they did not understand but no one was infallable.
A hand raised to her chin in thought for a moment, and she had already decided that the first option wasn't going to give off the best impressions, especially if the Jedi learned of it, or somehow sensed their lack of force connection.
"You're right, Ysalamiri are overkill, in any case, if anything happens to us, it will look worse on them than it will you or I. Though those techniques you mentioned would be appreciated. How fast can one learn such things?"
She still hadn't told him why she wanted to learn, though his assumptions could go either way, suspicion, or assume that she merely wanted them to keep their nose out of her business, their plan. It was wrong of her to keep that information from him, she knew, and perhaps she was also in denial, it seemed a lifetime ago that she had done what she had, taken those steps to ensuring she got to where she wanted to be at the behest of another. Many people had done likewise before her, though perhaps not exactly that way, and not but a few weeks ago had they seen it exacted on Kaur of Kuhlvult. And lest she forget what she had done to Taru.
No, that was different, Khari told herself, that had been self defense.
"Would the sonic interference work?" She tried, tucking an errant strand of ebony hair behind one ear and shoving her prior thoughts firmly to the back of her mind. Hopefully, that would be exactly where they stayed.
Accepting his help she rose from her seat and they made their way over to the spaceport, if all had gone according to plan, there would be a private shuttle waiting to take them to their rendezvous with the vessels at the old imperial transfer point in orbit.
"I don't think we'll need to worry too much about where she is, she always seems to make it to a destination on time regardless of her lack of communication. I have never known her to be late to something as important as this." Her eyebrows rose at the prospect of doing something else in the interim. They would have a few moments leway before departure that could be best used doing something other than standing around. "She will get my message, I have a feeling that after that discussion she was having earlier, we really don't want to be disturbing her." Khari couldn't repress that shudder threatening to break on her person, what either of those two, Rhy or Anara, saw in eachother was completely beyond her. And yet it was somehow ideal, they were both loud and annoyingly intrusive for a start. Which had her smirking immensely when the idea of sending someone back for Anara crossed her fractured mind.
"We could always send Bellendy back to find her, he's always so willing to help." If he agreed to that, the droid really might end up as scrap, but the idea had her laughing away to herself.
"In the meanwhile" She slipped an arm through his, unrecognizable as he was in that getup, it wouldn't have seemed too out of place, "What are these ideas of yours?"
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 29, 2011 15:01:45 GMT -5
"No, he doesn't need a wipe...." he turned to look at her and totally misreading the situations, chuckled. "Oh, a memory wipe?"
"No, he is as good as he is over never having been wiped. Something Tyber wanted to check out, see if he learned from its mistakes and evolved from learning those things." Past experiment, he might have thought to create a new breed of pilot droids or something. Whatever the case, Bellendy was the only one still left functioning.
He felt uncomfortable, "Is that your commlink?" he tried to change the subject and reached for his own. "Could be your mother calling, but either way its a nice time to see if she picks up again." commlink in hand he shakes his and brings it to his ear. "Hello, anyone there...." looking straight forward he tries something else, "So you think we are almost there?"
"Hey." he looked hurt. "I had just made a daring medical facility compound escape to the the love of my life. I used what i had on had...."
"It would be wise to have some around just in case, we could be walking into a trap or someone uninvited showing up..." he didnt want to come out and say the Jedi were working with Dooku, but there was that possibility.
"We could send Bellendy, but judging by his name she might get ideas, that or he will end up scraped...." he thought it over and shook his head. "No, we will give her some time to finish up. It might have something to do with being a warm and loving mother figure for Rhy's brothers." he laughed at that one. "Good thing i told him she would make a better guardian..." he send Khari a wink.
He pulled her along conspiratorially and lowered his voice. "Well, it has something to do with being alone with you. Honeymoon trip to Bespin. City in the clouds. What better romantic spot that that...."
|
|
|
|
Post by kharivestra on Aug 29, 2011 19:06:04 GMT -5
"It's not my commlink as you well - hey!" The exclaimation left her lips when he took ahold of the small device she'd left sitting next to her on the seat, and started to turn it this way and that to 'check' it was working. It was functioning just fine, he just didn't like admitting he'd been caught out. And he knew it.
Snatching it back from him, she pocketed the comlink before he could resume his faux meddling. "Never assume I don't know what's going on in that devious mind of yours, I've had years of practice getting to know my own." chin jutting proudly, she left it at that, he knew precisely what he'd done, and that she had gotten him back for it in kind. She always did.
A gentle squeeze of his hand was the reassurance she would have rather reaffirmed another way, but out in the open it wasn't the wisest thing, the idea of what he'd done did make her giggle inwardly though. How he had managed to get all that way without being arrested or at least returned to the medical facility, Khari might never know. The addition of the extra had was what had caused the corners of her lips to curl upwards slightly, yes they hadn't stayed on much longer after his arrival...and then Anara had shown up. Grimacing, she put that thought away to the darkened recesses along with that awful one she'd had earlier. Maybe they did need to talk?
He had continued before she'd gotten chance to speak up, though the words had been on the tip of her tongue the whole time, how could one put it exactly? By the way, here's some information that could potentially ruin me? It didn't exactly flow easily.
Caught in her own train of thought, his meaning didn't catch onto her, until a few seconds later, the noticable pause causing her to deflect attention by waving it off, as if she had been looking at something far off in the distance curiously.
"Uhh, yes....wait, don't they require those tree's to live long happy lives?" Watching the look on his face shift, she continued poste haste, "I saw it on a holodocumentary once...don't ask, it was a long and very boring day. Such was the case before I took that extended trip to obroa-skai." He would know what that meant, and it wasn't a deliberate attempt to stroke his ego either, she meant it. Life had certainly gotten more interesting with him in it and showed no signs of calming down.
"Would you be able to pull some strings and find out at short notice, perhaps get a few of the little...things." Doing the rest wouldn't be too difficult, insurance really, he had hit the nail on the head with the thought that they could be walking into a trap, irrispective of if they had arranged the location or not. Jedi were wily beings, who could quite literally talk their way into anywhere if they put their minds to it. What she wanted to do, was find a way to make sure they couldn't put their minds to it - then mass produce it.
There would never be another disaster like the one Dooku had caused, so long as she was at the helm of KDY.
"They must surely know we would take some form of precautionary measures in security, particularly after all that happened. Though it might ease the way a little if we were up front about that. As you said, the less premeditatively like a trap this looks, the better." And it wouldn't be, that was the ultimate irony of all.
Khari blinked, drawing back to almost trap another chin beneath her's in her haste to look so bewildered - or disgusted, she wasn't sure which. Surprise really was the word of the day and they just kept coming. Though really, had she not noticed that about the droid's name? That was a lie, she completely had, but hadn't said anything, that would also be unseemly and she wasn't that at all.
"Tell me that is not why you named him that..." She almost visibly baulked at that, and was trying not to laugh like a school girl at exactly the same time, her shoulders shook a little, as if she was about to do just that, but all that came out was a muted semblance of what would have been laughter. "...I think she draws the line at droids...I hope she draws the line at droids. Oh stars, why have you even put that thought in my head?!"
If he had or not, didn't really matter, what remedied it was what he said immediately thereafter, but even so, she felt like she needed to pluck her brain from her skull and let it settle overnight in a vat of industrial sized cleanser. Her amusement was completely born of the fact that Tress had just told her, essentially, how that executor deal with Anara had come about. Though she was more than shocked to hear that Rhy had even considered her a choice to begin with, for a start, she had no telbun to educate the pair of upstarts - both under the age of ten and very rambunctious with it, she had encountered them at functions where the younger members of the ruling households had been allowed. It wasn't a particularly memorable experience except to say, they were exactly like their big brother at that age. Khari didn't like to speculate, but she suspected the cause was poor choice in telbun, attaining one for their looks rather than actual intelligence or character, a trait the Knylenn's were well known for preferring, and that had made them turn out the way they had.
"As I said earlier, that was sneaky, devious and one of the many reasons I love you. But you never told me that he had considered signing them over to me! What on Kuat possessed him to think that would be a good idea?" And did she really want to know? That was a question that was pregnant with the possibility of surprise in it's self!
A gentle tug on his arm and they were moving off into the spaceport, which was expectedly quiet so early in the day, the rush would begin a little later than this and be centered around Kuat city it's self, they were least likely to be hampered here while waiting for Anara to show. Hearing his suggestion, her lips parted to voice a barely audible "ah." a pure understatement, if ever one existed, but it was all for the benefit of those few people hanging around and who would glance over from time to time. Not at him, mind, he was all but invisible...she should have thought of that herself. She had, in her younger teens, adopted that very disguise just to sneak out and sneak into places she wasn't supposed to. To this day her mother, nor indeed the telbun charged with looking after her, had no idea. She felt rather proud of that subterfuge, less so that she'd actually the sympathy to extend to Tress right now, in knowing just how hot, stifling and uncomfortable he must feel right now.
"If it was alone you wanted, then you only needed to ask"Khari purred quietly so that only he would hear. "The shuttle then, I can tell the crew to find something else to do for a while...or if you can last a little longer, there is a small cantina around here somewhere." she visible began scanning the immediate area, spying said cantina not too far away...it looked quaint at best, at worst, like it could use an overhaul, but people like her weren't supposed to travel out this far to places like this, what did she expect?
"But you're going to need to get your plan together fairly quickly. By the time we reach Bespin, I plan on making the most of it." If he was raising an eyebrow at that, he would have been right to do so, the tone in which she had spoken those words was all suggestion, something for his hungry mind to devour along the way. And if he caved before that, all the better. "It's no grande terrace on Obroa Skai, but I think we can better that, don't you?"
But she had scarcely begun making her way in the right direction, when another inconspicuous looking landspeeder pulled up, causing her to instinctively glance round in the direction of the sound, only to see Anara stepping out of the back moments later.
Inwardly, Khari groaned, her shoulder's slumping just a measure.
"Impeccible timing, as always." She muttered under her breath.
|
|
|
|
Post by tress on Aug 31, 2011 10:07:57 GMT -5
He was having fun messing with her, peering into her commlink and shaking it to see if it rattled. All the things someone's child would do when they found something they didn't know about. He was even thinking about thwacking it on the seat to see if it made it work when she snatched it out of his hand.
After a rude noise directed her way, "Yeah, if the extent of your devious mind is painting my ship pink....you have a long way to go, wife" it was a bold challenge, one meant to distract from her earlier comment again. He was reaching still to move past him having to profess.
"So i hear, some sort of nutrient system of sorts." He wasn't that knowledgeable on them, just heard about them. Seen them sometimes with the various underworld types he'd been in business with.
Obroa skai, brought back memories. He couldn't remember before that, he felt like a drifter until she came along. Since then it had been nothing but excitement, intrigue and heart stopping jealously ...well, one time and that was quickly over after he had been dealt with. An evil chuckle escaped him before he stopped.
"If we rush over there and show enough credits I am sure we can get some, just means going the opposite way. So its going to be cutting things close. " he thought for a few seconds. "Unless we send something fast to pick them up and meet us at Bespin?"
"Thats true, and after what Dooku did they shouldn't blame us for doing so...." he thought that over and nodded. "Ok, that makes sense. If they don't agree or demand us to get rid of them. It is a sign of their evil intent." not really, but it could lead to wonderful excitement. "Some men equipped with weapons Jedi find hard to defend against should be included with the small security detail we plan on bringing along..." he was smirking now.
He laughed and nodded, "Take a look at his profile next time he's near. Urai always said he looked...well, i am sure you get the picture." to the rest he wasn't even going to answer that one, wrong topic to be speaking about. No telling what they woman was into.
The conversation turned to Rhy and his brothers needing a guardian. It was true, Khari had been the first to be suggested.
"Love you, too. Something about your position bringing them a better starting off point. Under your supervision they would be accepted, though your mother is the same and she raised you to be where you are. Which was why i had to tell him Anara would a be better choice. " which was selfish of him, really. "I wanted you to myself..."
"Yes, alone time..." he answered quickly looking around. "Thats exactly what i need with you. Some alone time with no mother in law to bother us." were they talking about the same thing? Why need a cantina? Werent they going on a trip to Bespin?
Ah, they were he understood now. "Bespin will be ready by the time we get there, it was more the trip to i was looking forward to really. Its one of the reasons i wanted mommy dearest on the other ships...being that its a dangerous mission. She must understand if something terrible were to happen its best not to have everyone on one ship...." he smirked at that one. Would she buy it or not?
He looked over as Khari spoken, he was to keen on what he had bee thinking about when he saw Anara step out of the speeder, followed by Rhy of all poeple. "Stars! The fool should have been light years from here, whats he still doing here?" he said to Khari in an angry hiss.
"Rhy, what are you still doing here?" the tone in which he said it meant he was less than pleased. Hard to tell with how he was dressed in his telbun robes.
"I was just escorting, Anara and i will be off now." Was all he said after a kiss on both her cheeks. The way he held her said it all and the whispered words more so. Then he was off.
|
|
