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Post by tress on Apr 5, 2011 19:48:35 GMT -5
"Resorting to blackmail?" He asks seeing her pat her pocket. "Maybe it would be a better idea to get away from the diplomatic game and fall back on the tactics my family are well known for. What do you think. It would be helpful if that weren't to get leaked...."
He supposed what he said was blackmailing her over nothing really. She wouldn't send that out or have even actually recorded it. Though then again she was who she was for a reason. Devious, smart, dangerous. Did he forget to mention sexy as hell making him beg as he was trying not to do...well openly in any case. Though it appeared not to be working.
How to retort? What would make her forgive him and how to say it without sounding like a complete ....Zann. He saw her get closer and pulls off the mask. He had taken a breathe but still. Eventually he points up and he himself floats higher. Waiting for someone to open the hatch, hoping it would be her and waiting for this next part. It was going to be so ...Zann after all.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 6, 2011 6:20:15 GMT -5
Khari chuckled a tad ominously, diverting her gaze for a second or twi in order to give him an admonishing shake of her head.
"Not at all, what possible end would blackmailing you bring? It would damage this alliance irripairably, to some degree at least. This isn't blackmail, this is a reminder." She intoned imperiously, though her voice had lost that undeniably sharp edge. She wasn't really going to hand that evidence over, in fact, she had every intention of scuttling the footage...but perhaps after she'd observed it again on a high resolution vidscreen in his presence. That scene had been priceless, too good to go to total waste. "I actually thought it would make excellent campaign material should I ever wish to stand against you. "
Conspiratorially, she leaned in to whisper into the small intercomm mic on the tank's control pannel, keeping her eyes on him keenly interested. All that he needed to know he would find there.
"And you and I both know how much I enjoy doing an avid variety of things against you."
Leaning back to get him in perspective, she allowed him to mull that one over in silence, bare hints of a smirk playing across her full lips and brightening her otherwise haughty features, restoring her demeanour to more of it's usual bent. It was in this that she realized just how stressful the past few weeks had been, to the degree where returning to the usual swing of things had seemed more like a homecoming than returning here in the first place. But where else would she be but here? Well, she could think of a few places she would like to be right now. Sight travelling the full length of the tank, she considered just where those places were, and how long after his treatment they could make a break for it.
No rest for the wicked, though, she thought sadly.
But he was still going to pay for the gundark comment. Provocation had consequences - those were his own words, it was about time he lived by his own rules then. Now that had her inner self smirking deviously, she could use the time to plot.
Khari blinked, frowning at his hand signals there. He wanted out so soon? And why would that be?
Following his small float to the near surface with her sight, she watched as he made motions towards the hatch that signalled he wanted someone to open it. Was everything ok in there? If not, why hadn't he said something through the rebreather's inbuilt speech functions? The answer was simple: Tress wanted her to go up there and open the hatch manually.
"You must think I was born yesterday. You're not done, not by a long shot, so state what it is you want and i'll consider it." To be certain there was no genuine problem or reason he couldn't communicate with the comm, she checked the instrument panel and found that everything seemed to be working fine, from what she could tell anyway. The fact there was no mass panic from the doctors or nurses that passed was also a good indication that were something up, they'd be here to sort it. But Tress hadn't answered her yet, and he was still there, waiting for her to make her move.
To add to it all, when she turned round again to face him, his newly partially submerged stance put everything of a 'sensitive' nature right in line with her face, therefore as she was confronted with his full glory she could only raise both eyebrows in surprise. She wasn't going to stand here, talking to his crotch, it only usually gave two answers anyway and neither were verbal.
Her eyes lingered on the veiw for a little longer than she should have, before travelling up to where his shoulders and head bobbed just above the surface of the bacta line. Trying to get his attention with a wave, she gestured that he should float right back down again...his shoulder wasn't going to heal that way.
But he was as stubborn as she was.
"Fine...but i'm not coming up there." Hitting what she assumed was the extraction switch, she heard a brief cycling of the cylinder locks and the hatch hissed open, sending a fresh wave of pungently clinical bacta scent wafting through the ward. The kuati woman held her breath at that point, the smell stung your eyes after a while, but she could do without it stinging her lungs too.
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Post by tress on Apr 6, 2011 16:25:05 GMT -5
Well, now she had him intrigued. Not blackmail she said, nut a reminder. A reminder to what, exactly? Would she bring it up all the time so he can remember what? Oh forget it, the unknown with her was always the best. She would bring it out when he least expected it and have him stumped for a few moments. That or he would distract her which always led to fun times.
But as he floated he still thought and wondered what she would do to him. It made him want to get her back and she hadn't even used the recording on him yet. Strike first, they always told him. Maybe he should. This game of oneupmanship was all about getting the other. He had something planned, now just waited for the right time to do it.
By then he had already removed his mask, air bubbles surfaces as he waited. He heard her speak and still he waited, but still put his hand under water and pointed for her to come up to talk to him. This would only work if she was close. Its why he wanted her up there with him, for what he had to say was secret only to them. He could say it out loud, but that would be problematic with the TEN and possibly with his family. Better to wait.
Well, that forced his hand. Going under again he looks at her through the glass and glares. Secretively taking in some of that disgusting tasting bacta. After this he really was going to have bacta breathe for weeks.
Resurfacing he reaches up with his good hand and pulled himself up all the way over the lip of the tank and squirts her with the full contents of his mouth.....
"Just giving you a taste of your own medicine." He looks around and whispers just for her benefit. "Come back later and i promise a bigger mess...." with that he sinks back down and reattaches his mask.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 6, 2011 17:18:59 GMT -5
Evidently she had foiled his initial plan, because no sooner had he surfaced than he ducked back under - a wise move, or so Khari thought.
What he was really doing was a mystery to her, and she paid his avid glare little mind, save to savour that momentary lapse of victory when she felt disconcerted for reasons she wasn't entirely sure of.
And then Tress resurfaced.
Watching in a form of bemused stupor as he lifted himself up, with his good arm anyway, to grip ahold of the tank's lip, what ensued thereafter couldn't have had her more angry if he'd shattered the tank and completely flooded the ward floor. Somehow, this was worse. But it couldn't be anywhere near as bad as the taste of that bacta. She noticed far too late that his cheeks were bulging with whatever he'd drunk in, right before he spat out the contents of his mouth, squirting the clinically sterile smelling bacta all over her, splashing the top of her head before she'd had chance enough to recoil out of range.
Sliding back very fast she bit out a curse that would have made a swoop racer blush, fists clenched and posture stiff, Khari would have shook with rage if she hadn't thought it would draw more attention to herself. Blue liquid drenched her already agitated hair, dripping down her face and onto her clothing, dribbling in sinuous ribbons of cerulean over just about any surface it could manage to. For the short ammount he'd subjected her to, the result was quite spectacular.
Spectacularly stupid on his part.
The rapid rise and fall of her shoulders could have told everyone around just how angry she was, not to mention very embarrassed. He'd certainly excelled himself this time but that would only up the ante. Slowly, and with every scrap of dignity she might have had left in her, she reached up and wrang a thick shank of her hair out, the bacta spattering on the tiled floor with irritating little splashes.
"Later?!" Khari squeaked just a tad too high pitched for her own liking, "What on Kuat do you think I would want to come back later for, a full cleansing? Oh no...you have gone too far this time. Wringing out the opposite side of her hair to the same effect, she kept glaring back at his self satisfied little expression, already plotting her revenge when her gaze dropped suddenly...ah yes, she had - foolishly so - decided to wear a light coloured gown today. Not only was it completely stained, it was now somewhat transparrent....this day just kept getting better.
Looking back up, she crossed her arms rather promptly to hide her blushes and frowned darkly. She was turning to leave him there stewing in his own mess, when something made her pause. Something that had she been in a better frame of mind, would have had her positively giggling with deviousness.
"When you wish to apologise, I am sure it won't take you long to find me, just follow the stench of bacta!" Really, she chided herself, they were behaving like a couple of children, but with adult sized get-me-backs.
That sensible moment wouldn't stop her from what she was about to do though. By the time she had left the medcenter and had managed to check into the best hotel the array had to offer, she was on the comm to one of the crews down at the construction docks. She would see how he'd like this for size...being a Zann he might even appreciate it, in time.
"Yes, docking bay 1377, that's the one...Senator Zann requested a few cosmetic modifications that are to be given priority. Paintwork mostly, perhaps a few furnishings...the scheme? Alderaanian blossom pink..."
Moments later saw Khari hitting the sanisteam to rid herself of that damned bacta smell. Then she would be able to settle down, relax and deal with those reports, safe in the knowledge that whatever happened, Tress was going to get the surprise of his life eventually. She only hoped she had a holocam there to record the reaction.
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Post by tress on Apr 7, 2011 1:34:50 GMT -5
He saw his mistake to late, but smiled with the satisfaction of a well played ploy. There she was raging and she couldn't do a thing about it, boy would he have made a bigger deal than he already had. No, this was going to be a long drawn out match between them and to the victor goes the spoils.
Wait, who had one?
He backed up against the rear of the tank, just for safety none the less. No point in making things easy for her if she started shooting up the place. The look in her eye said she would have if a blaster had been handy. Hey why was she looking at him there for? He turned pale as a thought came to him. She wouldn't dare.
Apologize? Why should he? She started it. So he stood there floating but gave her a pose, like the ones seen on holodramas. A challenge and a threat to her and all who went against him.
****
Two days had passed, the slowest and most boring of his life. No visitors had come to see him, not even her ... the one he had so much fun with. Where was she? Oh, he got reports from the nursing staff telling him that while asleep she would come to check on him, but never while he was awake. Which hurt....ALOT ! Woman could hold a grudge.
Though, finally it was his day of 'coming out' and he was going to make a big spectacle of it, but 'she' still didn't show up. No one did for that matter. All they did was allow him the use of the refresher and had him wait for the Doctor to give him his final check up.
Laying there in his medical gown, his backside visible for all to see had him thinking. Why leave the backside open to the elements. The answers he came up with were better left not spoken or honestly thought of for to long. Left on his own waiting for things to happen, he made use of a data pad he flirted for with his entourage of admirers as Khari called them. He was looking up where she was, making discreet inquiries of her whereabouts and safety. So it was during this time, a need for escape hit him hard. He wouldn't admit it, but he missed her so he planned quickly. With the classic move known as "The back door hatch" he made his move.
While everyone was busy he made his way out the side exit, what made it spectacular was he did it all only wearing his medical gown, his tailpipe seen by everyone if they looked and the looked alot. Making his way up turbolifts and through long hallways he reached his destination. The walk through the entry way of the grand hotel was....fun.
Many stares from the affluent and well to do of Kuati society got a perfect view of his, uh- impressive ass-ets as one older lady whispered to him. The other said, 'Hello cheeky' It was accompanied by a very debasing pinch to his rear. What was with all these over sexed older woman on kuat? He was still rubbing to ease the pain as he reached Khari's room. A single digit pressing a button alerted those inside of someone at the door. "I missed you." was all he said when he saw her, there as good as an apology as she ever was going to get. Truce or let the games commence.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 7, 2011 11:08:18 GMT -5
The next couple of days had passed in a blur, during her daily visits to the medbay to check on Tress, she had also dropped in on Klask. The man had been kept heavily sedated due to the extent of his injuries, and looking at him it hadn't been hard to see why. Any stress would hamper the man's recovery and they couldn't have him dying on them yet. While it would lend credence to Khari's ever increasing mistrust of the Jedi, or force users in general, she wasn't about to wish the old man dead. Too many people had died already. Picking her moments carefully, she had checked on Tress when he was either resting or sedated for intensive aspects of the long 'soak', yes she was still angry, yes she had picked her moments well and for those reasons, but it wasn't as if she was about to stop caring about him. She more than cared, and hopefully, he got that.
The majority of her time had been spent looking into the incident reports sent in from various divisions of security, the main investigation was starting to build up a bigger picture of what had been going on in the hanger and behind the scenes leading up to the stand off. Khari was now more than nintey eight percent sure that the body of the telbun found in that hanger, did not belong to Arri, was not her. What she wanted to ask the pathologist, was to run tests for any signs of excellerated cloning procedures, since the obvious evidence pertaining to any cosmetic alterations of a surgical nature, had turned up blank.
She was about to send off that request when there was a buzz at the door to her hotel suite. Having dismissed her personal staff for the day in the belief that Tress would, at some point, find his way here, she checked her chrono and frowned a tad, this was earlier than she expected, he wouldn't have had time to head down to the docks and collect any of his belongings and then reach her here....
Putting that curiosity out of her mind she rose from the plush divan she had been resting on and crossed the floor, light on her feet. Activating the door lock, the durasteel pannel slid aside to reveal Tress standing there, still dressed in his medcenter gown which gaped at the back, revealing his rear to pretty much anyone who cared to look his way....and they did. Especially one of her more eccentric of 'neighbours' - a member of the Kadnessi clan, who were renound for their high opinions when it came to anything KDY did in the way of alliances with others, the conversations they had engaged in recently had been interesting to say the least. But now, the Kadnessi woman was passing when she stopped dead in her tracks and simply 'stared'.
Khari didn't know if she should smile or if she should gape - the latter was far too unseemly for her ilk. Instead she merely inclined her head slightly affirmatively, then stepped outside the door to walk around him in a small circle, just the once, before reassuming her position in the threshold.
"Did they not return your belongings, Senator?" She asked rather bemused, but not wanting to give the old Kadnessi anything to talk about either, and so she waved him inside. "Come, i'll see what I can do about that, have them bring you something over."
Once the door had slid shut, she relaxed a little, unable to keep herself from smirking at the thought of his interesting little journey here. Had he taken a speeder or had he simply walked here? Either way, she couldn't imagine anyone willing to take him anywhere but the nearest galactic asylum dressed like that.
"I have to commend you for your interesting choice of apparel, it takes courage to carry off an outfit like that, you appear to have it in an abundance." The hardness in her voice and eyes softened then, dropping the pretense that had grown so weary to deal with throughout their encounters - but of course he hadn't tasted her revenge yet. That would come though. "For the record, I missed you too."
Stepping up to meet him, she placed a soft, reassuring kiss upon his lips, then drew back to glance curiously at his injured shoulder.
"Like new? Or are you due back for further dunkings?"
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Post by tress on Apr 7, 2011 15:01:39 GMT -5
"I would be in your debt for forever and a day, thank you." He says sincerely as he stood up straight as she circled him. He was past embarrassment at this stage, just wanted to shower the used feeling of those old ladies staring at him. "Interesting patrons you have here in this hotel. Particularly two older woman downstairs i just had the privilege to meet."
Stepping past her and walking inside the room, he looks around and keeps going. "One of them pinched me..."
"Between waiting and fawning female fans, there was no one to give me proper thing in which to dress. I made my escape and this was the only thing i had on." He tells her, his tale. "Hard part was walking cause i had no credits. Everyone staring and knowing they were catching glimpses of my exposed backside"
The kiss was sweet, nothing more then a brushing of their lips together, but it lifted his spirits. He would have returned the kiss, though the bacta was over powering his senses. He would have liked to enjoy her....all of her, but priority was a cleansing shower first. Maybe she would help with his back."Shower" he asks waiting to see how she would take it. Was it a comment or question?
*coding courtesy edit*
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 7, 2011 18:55:50 GMT -5
Khari's chuckle echoed strangely in the foyer to her suite, the place was woefully minimalist, as per the usual design, with a few added extras, she wasn't planning on staying her for long but it was something of a permenant reminder that this really wasn't her place.
"Well, they have to find some way of passing the time between interesting ventures or flights. If an interesting, virile young man happens to walk past them dressed in little more than a longish backless shirt and no pants, who wouldn't be tempted to look?" She mused, trying to hide the amusement in her voice and failing miserably. He had her on the comment about him being pinched - she wasn't about to get jealous over something so small as that, besides, it was hilarious.
"Really? Did you get a good look at them, I'll have them arrested at once." Khari teased, this time making no attempt to hide the smirk that was gracing her lips.
With a wave of one hand she did, however, grant him one small mercy of an apology, it was the least she could do, he seemed genuinely bemused by his encounters. Clearly he'd never spent much time on Kuat or in it's capital of an evening, had he frequented some of the higher class casino's, she very much doubted he'd be surprised by anything right now.
"I'm sorry, it's just you seem so astounded, and I will be honest so am I. How did you make it that far without being eaten alive?" A fresh wave of laughter errupted within her, and brought forth by her own volition, she gently patted him on his good shoulder, as if to congratulate him on a job well done. And it was, she hadn't laughed like that in days, even now he did some good and he probably didn't realise it.
Arching a slender eyebrow Khari led him into the main room, rather than stand out there in the hall and gather dust. Or indeed letting the overwhelming smell of bacta fill her olfactory before she could do much about it. His suggestion couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
"Through there, fourth door on the left. I would ask if you wanted to rest, but I know just how difficult that bacta smell is to get out once it's stuck." Khari wasn't going to deign that word with anything more until she had confirmation of just how he'd meant it. Though gone was her earlier frostiness, she was genuinely glad to see him up and about.
Peering at him expectantly, she wondered if he would ask or expect her to do the running for him. If he left her standing there then the games would probably start anew...but as yet he didn't know about what she had done earlier. She even felt a little bit bad about it, well, it wasn't like it couldn't be undone at the mention of it in the right ears. She'd even cover the expenses.
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Post by tress on Apr 8, 2011 13:28:06 GMT -5
He supposed it hadn't been his brightest idea to escape in nothing but a medical gown, but he had few choices at the time. Still didn't excuse the behavior of the old decrepit kuati ladies. That sort of helping had he hadn't needed, but some kindness from them, some motherly concern....what was he thinking, well this was kuat after all. They birthed their child and that was it, moved on to the next play thing.
"Yes." he tells her when she asks their names. "One i heard being called Anara. A forward woman if there ever was. The one that pinched me as a matter of fact. Have her arrested." Short dark hair, beauty mark on her cheek, wealthy by her dress. Yup, Anara was her name.
"This is no laughing matter, Khari."
He looked at her, waiting standing there and nothing. Maybe he had been vague in his silent question. Could be a direct one was needed, after all she might still be holding a grudge. Oh, what he wouldn't give to be that grudge.
One last chance, and since things had changed. He would take on the role of a woman in a situation like this. "I might need a soak...." he tells her as he spins and walks away. Untying the gown he wore he looked over his shoulder at her and batted his eyelashes at her. "Care to join me?" if he could have swayed his hips as he walked away, he would have.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 8, 2011 15:02:48 GMT -5
It was more than she could do not to gape when she heard what he'd said. Khari knew that name, she knew it because it was her mother's name and the discription he had just given her was exactly that of the woman she had instantly called to mind. As were her actions...yes, that was her mother alright, had been that way for decades, more to her pity. What he'd just told her came as little surprise, though she was a tad indignant about it.
"Anara? You're sure of that?" She asked, rearranging her hair out of uncomfortable habit with one hand, "This Anara, did she happen to also have a ridiculously large entourage of people with her? Say, a host of official looking people, maybe a holonet newscaster or two?"
In fact, the kuati was bemused as to why Tress hadn't really recognized who he may well have bumped into - that said, he was new to the senate, the Imperial one at that and Anara, well, was not. Though she was about to be inducted into the Imperial fold, would there be a more official alliance between Kuat and the Empire. For now, though...that was GA territory, of sorts.
"I think I might know her...tell me, in your scant political career, when you are not pressing your particulars up against transparisteel, have you heard of Senator Vestra?"
Khari begged to differ, "Well I have to admire their taste the view is...spectacular."
He was already meandering in the direction she had pointed him dubiously, wondering if that had been an invite or not - and not wishing to invite herself if he was just going to launch into another one of his name-calling expeditions.
She had a few saved up if he did...and then there was his ship, she really was starting to feel bad about that, though why escaped her, he had done what he'd done and now so had she. Fair was fair, no one got one over on her lightly.
Oh how was she not supposed to laugh at that blase display of mockery? It was hilarious, as was the way he seemed to saunter off in that direction. If he was mocking her she found it amusing, but his invitation seemed serious enough - just as serious as she was thinking of joining him in there. Now that was more like it.
It was the casual way in which he flipped that gown back over his shoulder that had her breaking silence and chuckling away with something akin to diseased glee.
"Of course, but only if you don't start using my makeup." Keeping that air of near regal amusement about her, she followed him into the other room, which was far more ornate than the rest of the suite for reasons that puzzled her. She wasn't a designer but the necessity to scrimp on other areas and decorate this one out of all had her scratching her head a tad.
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Post by tress on Apr 8, 2011 15:59:18 GMT -5
Shrugging all he could do at the time was swat her hand away and make his escape. He just looked at the older woman to remember her face to tell Khari. Though come to think of it, there had been some people around her as if waiting on her. "Could have been possibly, Why?"
"I never got to take my office officially as you very well know, was sort of into things at the time. Something i quite enjoyed as it made miss something that might have been boring." remembering back to those first days was bringing a smile to his lips. They way they had met, and acted around each other. what happened afterward was some of the best times in his life.
"Senator Vestra?" an aunt perhaps, or a cousin.
He saunters off and would have had a spring in his step but for the action would have made her change her mind. So he was on his best behavior.....well, mostly.
Entering the the room she had pointed out he stops and looks around. Kuati really knew how to make them, room was spacious and richly made up. A tub in the middle is what caught his eye and he made his way toward it dropping his gown on the floor somewhere along the way. "I envy you now. Have you used this?" He asks over his shoulder as she entered. He wasted no time and started the water running, letting the running water slide through his fingers.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 8, 2011 17:08:33 GMT -5
She was smiling even before he'd asked the questions, lost in her own little reverie about those days. Obroa-Skai had been more than she had bargained for, but what a bargain that was. She had, of course, met him there, and if she recalled things right, slapped him almost immediately after, managed to make an entire club full of people gawk in their general direction and bring out the assertive person in him. Well, she thought, he had rather surprised her with the whole Zann thing, how was she supposed to react? It wasn't as if she hadn't been honest about where she was from. Yet the way that night had ended had been explosive for more than just the expected reason. The staff from that hotel were probably still recovering from that outing...it was a wonder that hadn't been leaked to the holonet news, though if her subtle threat about the owners debts had been anything to go by, he wouldn't dare.
Now she had focus, he'd still been somewhat oblivious to what she was getting at, Khari hadn't made it easy for him really, knowing who she was talking about, but her's was a methodical mind, she went through the motions, often visibly, first discovering all the facts as they were presented or came to light.
"Yes, my mother happens to be Senator Anara Vestra of Kuat...did I neglect to mention that?" Tilting her head an edge when she caught up with him, she managed to catch his gaze with her own, "Not that I am surprised, it is a fact I try and disassociate myself with wherever possible. She is, shall we say, a law unto herself as you have seen first hand - excuse the pun."
A law unto herself didn't really cover the half of it, she was old style Kuati, a matriarchal society at it's hey day Anara had grown up in the lap of luxury, much like Khari herself but with one vast difference. The values she had been taught, or at least adopted as her own at some point, were woefully true of the time. Men were, for all intents and purposes, little more than playthings to her, inferior little playthings that were there when they had their uses, dismissed when they didn't. It was a set of values that still held sway over parts of the upper classes, but Khari herself had witnessed that side of things, taken what she would from it, and tried to live her own version. Not that she hadn't held true to some of those traditions mind, but she wasn't about to be kicking Tress to the curb when she'd simply 'had enough' - having enough wasn't something she could imagine feeling in any case, there was a lot of him left to discover. What they had ran deeper.
"You wouldn't like her, trust me...no matter how much she liked you."
Looking down into the inset tub, it was large enough to accomodate a family of wookiees. And then again she had images of the afforthought traditions entering her head...well there was definitely room for all of that.
While he ran the water, she pirched herself on the lip of the tub just admiring him for a while and doing so unashamedly, what did she have to hide here, after all? But as yet made no move to undress herself, she was still content to look...
"No, at least not yet. I had a sanisteam to get rid of the bacta smell but then my exposure to it was somewhat...reticulated, wasn't it?" Frowning at him sagely, she tutted, recalling when he'd taken to squirting the foul smelling healing liquid all over her, "Then I sat back and looked over the reports from the hanger as and when they came in. You know we weren't the only ones to notice the suspicious circumstances surrounding the odd positioning of Arri's body? A one Captain Banner decided to perform a little on scene investigation of his own...I think we might have ourselves a decoy, i'll let you look over the info later."
Finally she rose, turning her back to him for the moment, undoing the ties at the front of her simple shimmersilk robe and letting it fall off her shoulders, revealing her pale flesh to him in a fluid movement as she let it drop to the floor. Her hands reached up to unclasp her hair and pull from it the intricate pins that had held it aloft, eventually letting it cascade down about her shoulders. That was when she looked back at him...and then her eyes dropped to the water.
"Tub is overflowing..."
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Post by tress on Apr 9, 2011 4:31:48 GMT -5
Shocked he couldn't even answer.
A mother that was Senator and Khari herself the head of a galaxy wide shipbuilding empire. What had he gotten himself into. With his families reputation it would appear he was in it for the money and power, hoping for a possible union. When in fact all he really wanted was the woman he was looking at, she could be broke, poor and living in the dredges of society and he would have still seen what was inside her.
Don't ask him to describe what he saw, cause he would only shrug in response. It would be like asking the a non-force user to describe the force. They could tell you something they read somewhere, or heard in a Skywalker holodrama but the truth was they couldn't really tell you. Khari and him, just worked somehow and he for one was glad it did.
Though maybe he should reconsider with this influential family of hers. Would they even accept him? Would they even care his mother was of the influential Odak family from the Core. That his father unlike his grandfather Tyber Zann was a respected military officer on Anaxes. A veteran of the Yuuzhan Vong Wars, just as he himself was.
No, problemly not, not these stuffy uppity Kuati that they were. Well besides Khari, she was grounded, more accepting. She did look past his last name and see him for what he really was. Whatever that was, he should ask her someday.
On the other side of the tub, he watched her as she spoke. Everything in the other room having been forgotten for the time being. His thoughts now were on apologizing to her. How he was going to do that was .....well, he was doing this one the fly. Let things progress how they may and hope for the best, though he would still give his verbal apology
"I'm sorry for the way i acted by then...." short and sweet, but there it was. Sincere and fromt he heart. A short step in the right direction he hoped. Hope that was enough, or should he have apologized for everything he had done? "And I wish to thank you properly for saving my life back there."
He wasn't sure what was more focus catching. The sound of her soothing voice as she told him what she had done, which he nodded to by the way. He would gladly go over the reports with her later. Though that wasn't what was on his mind just then. No, it was her disrobing that just shattered every thought in his head. Made him stare like as if seeing her for the first time. She was for the lack of a better word, just.....WOW.
Her last comment made him strudder and hastily turn off the faucet and look at her again. Offering her his hand he helps her into the tub, "Not to hot i hope?" he asks, cause its about to get absolutely heated soon, he thought silently.
Stepping in he tries not to notice what was just below the waters surface, or how her skin had turned rosy with the temperature of the water. It brought a groan of delight from him as he settled down. "Feels nice..."
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 9, 2011 13:58:31 GMT -5
By the way there ensued a long, drawn out silence, Khari knew that she had surprised him with that. And in knowing that she had, it told her that he was also considering all the variables again, there had been reasons why she had left so much of her life to speculation. Some associations were better left out of the picture, her mother just happened to be one of them. The woman was something of a lush in every aspect, exercising her power and wealth in myriad ways that had her daughter rolling her eyes and shaking her head. While she did like the odd extravagance, she also liked to downplay things in favour of retaining some anonymity. Privacy was a luxury since her ascent to prominence, one she wished to cling to for the obvious reasons.
Would he, then, reconsider what they had together? Maybe, acceptance was a dirty word on Kuat, one the upper crust of society never took well. She had rather hoped that with the likes of Rondi Elrath and those like him, all of them young and up coming, things might begin to change for the better, but as long as people like Anara existed, the old ways would reign supreme.
But Tress need not have worried about her acceptance, it wasn't a case of acceptance at all. While Khari did accept him for who and what he was, she had grown to love that in all it's capacity - even the times they would do nothing but dig at eachother, if he didn't have that in him, it wouldn't be him. And she couldn't have that.
She turned to face him then, paying no mind to either of their state of undress, and smiled warmly, if a little bashfully. He wasn't the only one who should be giving apologies, she had been just as bad, if not worse, in her tactics. And she was really going to have to remedy that little issue with his ship before he laid eyes on it.
"Anytime...and for what it's worth, I'm sorry about the thing with the bacta treatment, I was just a tad...uhh, testy shall we say." Imperious, haughty, livid...all those words had come to mind, but the one that came out downplayed that as well. Apologies: another thing that didn't come easily to a Kuati, if at all.
"Speaking of bacta, let's get rid of that stench shall we? Unless we want our gracious hotellier to believe his suites have been utilized as an emergency medcenter."
A small chuckle left her lips, and she gestured to the tub, lightly tapping her feet against the tiled floor to test just how much water had escaped the tub in Tress' dazed moment. The light, residual splash was little to worry about and she could mop it up, or at least get a cleaning droid on it, when they exited.
He was still staring, and truth be known she wasn't exactly averting her gaze either, but there was no shame in that. She found him immeasurably good to look at - amongst other things - what could she say? Accepting his help, she stepped into the tub, testing the water with one foot lightly, wiggling her toes in a little innocent display.
Looking up, a mild concern crossed her face for a second there. While the bacta had healed the majority of the wound to his shoulder, there was still a faint incision line. That would, with further, milder patch treatment, fade after a while, but just seeing it on him was a painful reminder of just how close she had come to losing him for good. That was an ache she hoped never had a chance to blossom into a full blown pain.
"Are you certain you are ok? You don't need anything for your arm?"
When Tress appeared more interested in other aspects of this moment than he did concerned about any pain he might still be in, she left it there, answering in stead, his question about the temperature.
"Not yet...but that could change." Khari said, apparently reading his mind while she settled down at one end of the tub, looking up at him with those dark eyes of her's as invitingly as he'd glanced her way earlier.
Changing the paint job on his ship could wait for a while, they weren't going anywhere.
He had sunk down opposite seconds later, she would have moved, making this little moment of theirs a tad more intimate, but he seemed to just be relishing the fact he was now sitting in a tub full of anything that wasn't bright blue and seemed to glow with a light all of it's very own. Not that she blamed him, she had spent time in bacta tanks before now, that smell was a pain and a half to get rid off, nothing a long soak wouldn't sort out.
Around the edge of the tub, on a ridiculously ornate kuati-marble plinth, stood various concoctions that could be used to scent the water or were simply just ridiculously priced soaps. It was all on her tab anyway, he could help himself to whatever he needed, or...as her mind was gradually considering, he didn't have to.
"You know," she casually reminded him, "In all this drama concerning our force using 'friends', it almost escaped my attention that as per out agreement, you still have 48 hours on the cards. And far be it from me to tell you how best to use them..."
It never was a good thing to just leave it up to him, plans he'd said last time they'd had a moment alone together, big plans. What those entailed she didn't know exactly, but she'd had an inkling to say the least. What he intended to do now, though, Khari wasn't sure if that changed plans or what.
Taking ahold of the soap, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye candidly, "...I could always help you get rid of that irksome bacta."
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Post by tress on Apr 12, 2011 19:20:59 GMT -5
Sinking into the warm water with a sigh, hes eyes closed with the feeling of it all. The warmth of the water seeping into his bones. Easing muscles and relaxing him. When he opened his eyes he saw her looking at him and noticed where she was looking at. His wound, now pink with new skin and a scar where they had to operate on his shoulder. A few more dunking or a Acta patch should make him back to normal. Though for now it was just tender and tight as new skin was.
Moving his arm with a wince he shrugs and nods. "Should be OK, its healed somewhat. A few more treatments and I will be up to spec." his foot makes contact with her and he grins sweetly at her. Wondering what she was thinking. Yes, he still felt some pain with it, but only when he moved it fast. It will pass with the healing of it, if not he would get it looked at.
"Sorry, what do you mean not yet?" he had been focused on where his feet were, and of her really. She was right in front of him, back against the tubs wall and the water covering almost all of her. "My mind was wondering..." change the subject, he thought, but she beat him to it.
He had thought she had forgotten all that, but maybe not. He would have reminded her sooner or later. "I thought you had forgotten, but this helps me out more...." he said as she reaches for the soap. "If you wash my back, i will return the favor.....enthusiactically" He scooted up closer to her and turned to offer his back to her. "Consider this the start of the 48 hours..."
Back to her he settles his hands on her legs waiting for her to begin.
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 13, 2011 10:39:18 GMT -5
"So the doctors informed me..." Khari nodded sagely, and then caught what she supposed might be surprise, "...oh yes, I checked, I'm not a complete iceheart you know."
That was putting it plaintively, she had checked on his progress throughout the week but had timed it carefully, he'd really managed to irk her through his earlier actions and there had been little else on her mind when she'd done what she had. And she still had yet to undo the work on his ship - though there was one good thing to come of it, at least it had a nice new paint job on it, the last had been a little shabby to say the least. Even if it was more senatorially apt.
Whatever the case, that was besides the point, Khari was going to have to come clean about it sooner or later and since they were in possibly the most apt place for 'cleaning' as it were, there really was no time like the present.
"Tress there's something I have to tell..."
But he had got in there first, speaking at the same time, his tone louder than her own, muted one - muted out of caution if anything else. Her, actually concerned about what someone would think of her actions outside the realms of business, this was still a new notion to her, one that was proving more interesting as the days wore on.
Her words had long since died on her lips in favour of those she would prefer to speak, and speak them she did. But it wasn't to the detriment of the others, she told herself, there would come a time when she could pick her moment and confess that his ship might look a little rosier than when he left it last.
"Meaning that could change of course,” She said keeping her demeanour smugly aloof “What did you think I meant?”
She knew and he would know that she knew, they were of like mind on that one, and she hadn't forgotten about those fortyeight hours he still had owed to him. That was why she had suggested what she had, it would keep him occupied for the time being. Not that that took much doing on either count, it just grated against her sensibilities that she, Khari Vestra, was washing the back of an offworlder. The difference came where it counted, this was an offworlder she loved, and he'd just been through the wars through no fault of his own, in this instance, she would have offered regardless of their wager.
"But no no, you go first, you said your mind was wondering? What, prey tell, was it wondering, exactly?" - and it better not be, 'we should collect my belongings from my ship' she added as a mental after thought, she would have those belongings brought to them before they went back down to the hangers themselves.
He had thought she had forgotten all that, but maybe not. He would have reminded her sooner or later. "I thought you had forgotten, but this helps me out more...." he said as she reaches for the soap. "If you wash my back, i will return the favor.....enthusiactically" He scooted up closer to her and turned to offer his back to her. "Consider this the start of the 48 hours..."
"Forgotten?" her exclaimation was all agast, though it was pure fakery that had her turning her nose up at that notion. "Please, credit me with some memory capacity, you're a little hard to forget. Actually, come to think of it, you are pretty much impossible to forget, but I wouldn't want to inflate your uhh...ego."
Her visage brightened with a signature wry grin, while their earlier time had been cut short, it had certainly been memorable, Khari would have been lying through her teeth if she told him that would never happen again, not just because he would, no doubt, attempt to repeat that performance, but mostly because she might even insight it there somewhere along the lines. For now though, injury had put pay to some of the more acrobatic activities, but that didn't mean they wouldn't have any fun.
Patiently, she waited while he scooted over to her, turning so that his back was now facing her. Khari held back a giggle when he looked back over his shoulder like that, it was a rather comical look for him that so clearly mirrored what she had done earlier, but looked far more amusing on a man than she could ever have made it appear. Gesturing for him to move back toward her a little more, she crooked a finger in a come-hither movement until he was right where she wanted him.
"You know me, Tress, I'm a regular philanthropist. Why wouldn't I want to help?" Slipping a hand past him she motioned for him to pass over one of the unusually brightly coloured soaps, he was probably going to come out of this smelling like he'd just walked out of a den of ill repute, but it certainly beat the smell of bacta, which seemed to attract the elderly if his tales of how he had arrived here were anything to go by. Khari wasn't sure she would ever be able to look her mother in the eye again if what he'd said had been completely honest.
She took the soap from him then, resting her chin on his good shoulder while she spoke, lathering the object between her hands, "This isn't going to take fourtyeight hours, planning on letting me in on what you intended to do with the rest of them?" Her voice was saccharinely sweet all over again, she didn't even know if that would work on him, probably not, but it was worth a try.
Reclining back against the tub wall, she spread the soap in slow circling motions over his toned back, taking her time over things in a way she would have rather liked herself, and he had said he'd return the favour. When she'd applied enough of the soap that she could really go to town, Khari set it to one side and continued on, massaging his back until a lather formed there too.
"Just so you're aware, I'm so keeping that holorecording I took earlier for entertainment purposes...did you want me to concentrate soley on your back, while you have me being helpful and all that?" She whispered cheekily into his ear, lips brushing the gentle curvature of it's shell. There was always a catch with her, but he was no different, and she couldn't have resisted the urge to remind him of what she'd taken earlier.
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Post by tress on Apr 13, 2011 16:55:07 GMT -5
Actually he hadn't known of he visits or her checking up on him. Its what really made up his mind about the escape. Thinking she had spent all that time angry with him over the things he had done. If he would have known, would he had still made the trip to her? He thought so, yes. Would rather be around her than medically minded people poking him and prodding his shoulder. This way he was away from it all and still "recuperating"
"Never thought you were, just wondered and dreaded...." he stops and covers up his unease with a grin. "...well it doesn't matter now."wasn't going to say he thought he had lost her over that whole fiasco at the med center. He wouldn't have blamed her, but he would have suffered emotionally over it. Possibly make poems of her beauty, her smile, but they would have been awful he had no talent in that area.
"Honestly?" He looks at her grinning. "It wondered to poems for some wild reason and no, I wont be going into detail" With that he turned around and gave her his back to wash. Forty eight hours all his to do what he wanted. What had been the beat about, he had forgotten really. Seemed like ages had passed since then, but he would take the time he had left to make it up to her and apologize in every way possible. Then a thought struck. "But you can bribe the details out of me, then i will reveal...all"
"Ego has always been inflated, but its out of sight as the moment." He slaps the waters surface lightly, thankful for it being there. Having seen her her just moments ago in all her splendor had certain....effects on him. It wasn't as if she hadn't noticed either, or if she did he was looking at his egos possible deflation.
Shrugging his shoulder since the other was hurt, he then reached for the soaps she wanted. Handing it over his shoulder he looked at her for a moment. "You are a wonderful woman, but in this case you might be seeking revenge or some sort of payback for my antics at the medbay." Turning forward again he finishes. "I really am sorry for all that, if you didn't believe me the first time."
"Truthfully?" He says his eyes closing at the touch of her chin on his shoulder. "I am going to spend that time making things up to you in the only way i know how....." he says his hands closing around her ankles to pull her legs onto his lap. Her legs legs around him he settles more into her. "...yes, that's right. Going to tease you to frustration. Taking you to the brink and and leave you wanting. Force you to chose between accepting my apology or being denied. Which as we know is going to make things so much interesting for the next forty eight hours." Slides his hands up her legs before stopping. "Hope you rested, I know i did."
"Remember the terms of the deal? I lead you follow...and is that blackmail? " he turned to look back at her, while feeling her lips continue on their sinful torment. "What did you have in mind, my telbunny?"
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 13, 2011 19:11:28 GMT -5
Dreaded? That had her a tad confused, but when she considered what she had done, it made much more sense. That and he had said what he had in the medbay with a strong conviction about him...at least until he'd pressed his bum cheeks against the glass of that -
To no surprise of her own she found herself chuckling at that thought, and had to excuse her actions.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh, it's just....when you did that...in the bacta tank and said what you did, I thought those doctors were going to censor that vocabulator and section you." Another chuckle escaped her, and she shook her head to will any further laughter away, "I wouldn't have let them do it mind, but at the time.."
She could have been livid about it, she could have berrated him mercilessly for what was potentially a political suicide, but since that holorecording wasn't going to see the light of day, it really didn't matter. Though she would hold onto it just for the purposes he would later mention, but with no malice.
When he had said that what he had in store could be bribed for, however, her laughter stopped completely. Bribery was it? Well then that changed much and it was a simple case of working out what his poison was. And with him, it could be the obvious, or it could just as soon be something obscure just to vex her.
Smoothing the soapy lather over his shoulders, taking extreme care with his injured one, she took the time to consider just where that could go and the obvious answer was the one that had presented it's self from the outset.
"You already have a full fourtyeight hours, what good would bribery do? Unless you're hankering for longer of course." She pretended to consider this, expression thoughtful even if he couldn't see it, then leaned back in to murmur darkly and seductive against his earlobe as she had before. "You'll be waiting a long time Zann, a very long time."
It was the splash that had her gaze flitting down again, the suds that obscured the majority of him beneath the water had been something of a visual deterrant, but that cleared the water for just long enough to send her eyebrows up. And up was the operative word.
"You might wish to rethink that statement, but any further inflation and your ego might need dealing with."
Tutting mock chidingly, she turned her attention to his shoulderblades, working her hands down his back until they dipped below the surface of the water, arms wrapping around him. But it was then he moved slightly away, the need to say something else apparently had taken over in his mind, and little did she realize, it was going to make her feel even more guilty about what she'd done to his ship. But that was cosmetic, it wasn't as if it couldn't be undone.
The kuati winced, visibly too, no disguising that as anything other than what it was would have let him mistake it for something else, now she was going to have to come clean if he asked. And she hoped he didn't. Holding up one hand, she hoped to halt him before he finished, but when he did with that...what was she supposed to then but accept it?
"I believe you, it's fine...really...but there is something I should tell - " his slight shift had managed to cause the suds to part again and to her own dismay she was staring...again. "-Never mind, what were you saying?"
Her instant reaction was to be indignant, accept it or be denied? No no no, that wasn't how it worked, not at all - and yet she knew it would. But he didn't need to know it.
"Hold on just a minute, let us go back a bit," Khari began imperiously, "You are basically saying to me, accept your apology or else? What makes you think I wouldn't accept and spoil all your best laid plans? If that is indeed the stipulated rules of that agreement." Now she was feeling particularly smug, he'd stated them himself, he couldn't go back on them.
Oh yes he can, her mind's little voice of knowing chimed in a second later, he's a Zann.
"Change those rules and i'll remind you of that bacta tank incident at the worst possible time!" Childish, positively futile, but it might just work. What had really caused her to react thus, was that little inflection at the very end of his question - that, her haughty mind kept shouting, was not her title.
Making her hands vanish beneath the surface of the water again, extending them in his general direction she exacted on him something far more sinful than that of her lips against his ear.
"Remember what happened last time you called me that? You ended up with a lap full of ice...I happen to have a dispenser full of ice in hoth-sized ammounts just out there. Be nice now."
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Post by tress on Apr 13, 2011 19:49:38 GMT -5
"At the time you were mad at my actions so might have....?" he finishes her line of thought out loud. He wouldn't have blamed her for it, well to much at any rate. Though it would have upped the stakes in the game is she would have stood by and let them do it, but with a sigh he tells her. "I wouldn't have faulted you if you hadn't don't anything to stop them from trying."
He really had alot to make up for. The saving of his life alone was worth it, the rest was owed less but nothing less than the best apology for her. He owed her that much and more. These next forty eight hours were going to be about her, though he did imply differently he thought deviously. Let her think what she would, in the end or knowing her before then she would figure things out.
Oh, no.... she mistook him on that one. No bribery was intended, but she was right in that someone would be waiting a very long time before things came to a conclusion. She would soon find out, just how much a Zann gives back to fix a wrong. This was for him to so he would make it memorable for them both, there would be talk and thoughts of what would happen for years to come. "All I will and have to say is you are mistaken, but i will soon clarify somethings for you and make amends at the same time."
"Accept them if you think it will spoil my plans, i will still do what i want and you will go along with things or breach the terms of the deal that we struck." Yes, he had heard that smugness from her just then, but now it was his turn to spill a bit of it himself. This was basically his game and had been since the restart of the forty eight hours. "Shall i remind you of the rules?" Basically he had been a Zann when they had discussed terms and slipped in a Zann Clause of his own. Where he could stretch the time frame longer if he was feeling devious and adventurous. It was low handed, so he was holding on to that marker.
Now was the time to be smug, so he was as he turned around just to wrap his good arm around her just so he could pull her around to sit in front of him. Changing things up he lifts his hand to brush the hair from her cheek. "Have i told you recently just how beautiful you are?" he wasn't even going to answer her this time, but continue on with their bath. "Don't forget my chest, telbunny." It would get things more interesting anyway if he ignored her and said that same word to her again. "Don't glare so much either, you'll get wrinkles."
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Post by kharivestra on Apr 14, 2011 11:55:28 GMT -5
To say that he was up to something would have been stating the obliquely obvious. What she was getting at was the fact that his deals with her had a nasty tendancy to change at the halfway point, and since they were nearly there, she wanted to protect against any little clauses he might have thrown in for good measure. Extending that timescale was one of them, and she knew the rules well. Nobody went into an agreement, however enjoyable, blind, especially not her.
"I remember them well, don't you fear." She was quick to remind him, thus ensuring that he didn't change those rules where he sat there and then, "If you have forgotten them, I could always recount them for you, too. All of them"
Khari peered at him then, a daring look glinting in her otherwise dark eyes, daring him to change the rules again or try her to see if she was bluffing. It wasn't the case, and while the challenge was fun, she had no doubt that whatever he had planned would be enjoyable on many levels. But he really was going to have to stop with the names, if anyone caught wind of just the tale end of that in a conversation, goodness knew what would happen after. At least, that was what she told herself, truly, it was just about how the term irked her no end.
Scooping up handfulls of water, she let it trail down his back in warm trickles, washing away the soap suds and with it, the detestible scent of bacta. There was actually something rather theraputic about doing this, not that she would have admitted as much, that was unbecoming of her.
Khari helped him move her so that they were now sitting face to face again, the tops of her knees barely breaking the water's surface when he drew her near. It would have been easy to end up in a tangle of limbs, but the tub was spacious enough to accomodate them both, twice over. However when she saw him reach out to her, she forgot the mechanics of it all and focussed on what really mattered; him.
While his compliment was appreciated, having the desired effect on her that it always would do, she knew better. He meant it, but he had said it at a time that negated his necessity to answer her statement, what she had asked of him. And inevitably, the price she would pay would come thereafter.
He said it again.
Blood silently simmering, her eyes narrowed slightly as she pressed her lips into a thin, uncompremising line. "I have a name, I suggest you use it." Her tone was unimpressed, though the slight tinge of exasperation at the end did behold some amusement - he was just playing with her, trying to get a reaction. It was the latter half of his statement that made her drop her guard completely and simply act.
"You..." she said tersely, splashing up some of the water in his direction, "...are lucky you're still injured!"
Jabbing a finger against the center of his chest, she scowled at him sharply, then leaned slightly to the left, where behind him, a full length wall mirror panel stood fixed against the wall. When she straightened, her frown was gone, but her glare remained as it had been this whole time.
"None yet, I'm doing well. But do you know what they say keeps you young?" Her hands beneath the water had gone wandering again, and pretty soon they were going to find their mark right about.....then. "No...neither do I, but we can always speculate."
Completely innocently, she withdrew her attentions then, instead reaching for the soap all over again and complying with his request to wash his chest...well, she was only adhering to the agreement, wasn't she?
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