Escape With Me

[Darth Inheris]

Sitting by the door to the entrance of the ‘Breakout Box’, Saorise glanced around as she looked about the space they’d found for tonight. She’s heard of these breakout boxes before, blindfolded and led into a room, you’d solve puzzles under a timer and try to escape from whatever room it was they’d locked you in. A curious little exercise she had to admit, but one she knew would make for some solid entertainment for the holos.

She knew what the show was about, she felt in herself even the slight oddity at her, and not to mention the Emperor, signing up to appear on it. And yet, she knew little united an empire like a royal wedding. Now it was just the royal dating too that had been added for effect. A clever move, she had to admit, a great game that would keep all eyes on the Emperor’s emotions and away from the violence that continued on their borders. It was still politics, it was still power, but now it had a friendlier face.

She’d be showing hers tonight.

Whether or not she wanted Varyn’s hand, whether he wanted hers, that was all neither here nor there. What this promised was a way to the top, short, sharp, slightly gaudy even, but effective. Should she win, that was.

And really, it was a strong way to consolidate the leadership of the Empire.

It was a different tact she was playing, perhaps. Why worry playing romance when you could achieve a real political boosts for yourself and your people by leaving it in capable hands?

Still she'd known Varyn quite some time over the years, hopefully would lessen the nerves that she'd seen on the last few broadcasts. And hopefully that meant he would equally get a laugh out of the absurdity of the situation, one she herself reflected on as the young attendant (that had been vetted more thoroughly by Imperial Security than she believed she'd seen anyone ever be) handed her a blindfold.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn had known Saorise for several years, and he had to admit that he was surprised when she opted to sign up to be on this show... what was it called? Date the Emperor? Emperor's paradise? He couldn't remember... or chose not to. The point was that he had been surprised she had signed up, but it was also somewhat nice to see a familiar face.

After several more unhappy arguments with his chief of public relations, he had been convinced that bread and circuses was still the way to go, so he'd made his way to the next set of dates. The truth was that the first ones could have gone much worse, and this one he actually half-expected to go well. Still, to say he was looking forward to it would have been quite an overstatement.

The two of them were led into a room blindfolded, and although he didn't like blindfolds, with one of the Royal Guards standing at his side, he assumed it would be fine.

A voice came over the speaker overhead that counted down until they could remove the blindfolds. Varyn found himself oddly excited, and began hoping this would be an entertaining event.

3... 2... 1... begin, the voice said, and Varyn quickly pulled off his mask. The room was surprisingly busy with scattered furniture, small trinkets, and pictures hanging on the walls. The first thing he noticed was that the pictures appeared to all be of the same man, and identical except for the positioning of his hand. Each hand had a different shape to it as if he were signaling something with it. @Nightfall

 

[Darth Inheris]

Drawing the blindfold off her face as the announcer finished, Saorise blinked a couple of times under the rather harsh lights of the space, taking in, like Varyn, the pictures in front of them, the first clear figures for their little faux escapade,

"Not the worst place I'm sure either of us have been locked up" she commented jokingly, fully aware she was on live television. It was something she had a hard time letting go now, acting natural, herself, instead it felt like she was being recorded all the time ever since that business with Jacob Tagger. Only difference now was that she really was. Stepping into the true limelight was almost a reprieve, made her anxieties real, instead of just something in her mind. Keeping affable and light was part of the job today, not just because it was a date, but she had an audience. And who didn't want to be loved by the audience?

She left a moment for Varyn to respond if he wanted to, Saorise moving to inspect the hands on the strange portraits. The little symbols they formed didn't mean anything obvious to her, but that didn't mean they weren't some sort of clue,

"Still, it's been too long" Saorise added, looking back to Varyn "You've certainly found yourself in quite a place. What's stranger, finding yourself on the throne or on this reality show?" she queried with a dry smile, a little verbal jab, but she thought it better to acknowledge the shared oddity of it all early and let things progress from there.

A bench to her side was covered in bric-a-brac and oddities, but what caught her eye wasn't the papers, or the plastic jewellery they'd scattered across it to give the allure of wealth, but a book. Inscribed as the diary of a Mr Simmons, it was apparently the journal of the man in the portraits. A widower, and fearful ever to leave his house should he meet the same fate as his late partner, he communicated to many on the outside world with hand signals.

Well, that was nice and clear.

They could decode the hand positions now, a four digit code. But what did it link to?

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

It was actually rather nice, if he was going to be on this show, to be on it with someone that he knew. He didn't respond to her comment about being locked up in places, as he wasn't sure anything he had to say was quite appropriate, but he also didn't object to her statement either. Some things probably shouldn't be said on an intergalactic broadcast.

On the other hand, her comment about being here vs. on the throne was a surprisingly easy one. Learning to be on the throne was very weird, but nothing like this. This show was everything he was uncomfortable with.

Definitely this, he said with a nod as he made his way over to look at the book she was holding. He knew she was already putting together that it was some sort of code, so he began scouring through the room for something it might go to.

After pushing aside a piece of furniture, he discovered a loose floorboard and pried it up with the tip of his sword. I think I've got a lockbox. Code might go to that, he said, though he already knew that the key to their escape wouldn't be inside. That would be far too easy.

It's good to have you back. I was a bit surprised to find out you wanted to come on this show, he said. But not unpleasantly surprised, he added.

 

[Darth Inheris]

She smirked at his response, before passing over to him and the newly discovered lockbox. The case itself wasn't large, and generally unadorned, weathered to look older than it was. But the combination lock on the front was straightforward enough, especially now they had the code unscrambled.

Entering it in, there was a small click as the lid to the case popped open. It wasn't the key to their escape, no. But it was still a key,

"And now to find door number 2 then" Saorise muttered dryly as she held the key up to the light, looking for any distinguishing marks that would point them in the right direction. For there weren't any obvious doors in the current space. Wherever it went was hidden better than that,

"Well, I'm glad to know I can still surprise then" she looked back to Varyn, turning herself back to the conversation "But no, I admit, it surprised me as well. But perhaps it had been too long since I tried something like this. I'm sure you can sympathise, no?" she added. From both their ends their involvement had come as strong recommendations from PR advisors, and yet both were in powerful enough positions to refuse it, should they have wanted to. And yet here they stood, she was curious enough to want to know why he hadn't. And curious enough to force herself into understanding why she hadn't either. Hopefully her question would prompt that kind of response.

Still, she was aware enough to know that it could never be that simple, certainly not what either of them could say on live television.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn snickered as she said that it was a long time since he had tried something like this. Yeah, he'd never done anything like this before. He'd barely been on dates, let alone on holonet.

Certainly her unspoken question wasn't one that he couldn't answer here and now, but that didn't mean he couldn't find some sort of response. No, I can't say I've done something like this before, but times are ever evolving, he said vaguely.

He began to paw through the rest of the room, looking for what they could use for the key. Without an obvious door, he had to guess there would be something. That was when he saw markings etched into the bottom of one of the desks: to use the key, find the thing that must be re_d.

The thing that must be red... or read, he said, not sure which it meant or perhaps both. Any red books around here? he threw out as an option.

 

[Darth Inheris]

Another clue, she was curious as to how long this would go on. Because despite the collection of objects throughout the place, she felt they must be running out of things to stuff clues in,

"Oh good a riddle. Never been my forte I'm afraid" she admitted, glancing down at her book. The journal she'd found earlier was a scrappy brown leather thing, and after decoding the pictures had probably outlasted its usefulness "No my brother was always quite good at them though, an artists mind, clicked for him somehow" Saorise followed through gritted teeth, looking over the room for what the next clue would be. She didn't often speak of her family, but the memory had slipped out. She nearly caught herself as she'd said it. She'd hardened her heart greatly since then, though perhaps it had merely been distance that had bore that than anything else,

"Though I think the answer might be a little more obvious than that anyhow" she said with a little cockiness as she turned to the corner of the room.

A clock, quietly ticking away at the rooms edge, red hands just about to strike twelve. How passé,

"Let's read the time, shall we?" Saorise mumbled as she pulled away the hands to show a keyhole tucked away behind them. Perhaps she had picked up a little from the boy in those younger years,

"Care to do the honours?"

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

Varyn's ears perked up slightly as she mentioned her brother. He couldn't recall her ever mentioning a brother before, but he realized he also knew very little about her. She had been heavily involved in Kuat's efforts and her family was important on-world if he recalled, but that was about where his knowledge about her had ended. It was odd that they had both been in the Empire for so long and worked side by side on critical projects to know so little about one another.

I hope some of it rubbed off on you, he said, somewhat jokingly. Riddles weren't his specialty either, and he would have preferred to manage to free themselves from this room without having to use a lightsaber. But then, the attendants would eventually remove them if they were too slow.

Good catch, he said, looking up at the clock and putting the key into the keyhole. It plugged in and with a creak and a hiss a door slid open on the other side of the room.

Is it that simple? he asked. You know, for not being the puzzle person, you seem to have gotten by just fine, he teased. They had managed to clear the room without too much difficulty, which should give them at least a bit of time to talk before their time came to a close.

 

[Darth Inheris]

“And you’re not so bad yourself, Emperor” in any other situation a little sting like that might have been bitten back, but she was feeling confident. Perhaps it was unwarranted, but then again she’d find out soon enough. The pure display of theatrical confidence had given way to an easier, honest one, which consciously she hadn’t really noticed until now.

Curious. But good. Useful, even.

With the rooms hidden exit sliding open it marked the end of their little Breakout Box escapade, charming as it was she wasn’t the least bit disappointed to see the light outside,

“Anyway, all good things...” she said, gesturing to the door for him to move through. Glancing around she caught the glimpses of the cameras mounted in the rooms corners. As much as she acted like they were always there, she still knew the difference, and part of her wished there could be a moment without them. But that wasn’t the name of the game here.

Passing into the next room, it was a little debrief space, see your time, your score, have a chat and get your photo taken. If the room itself wasn’t a bit much this was,

“I don’t imagine it I’d be out of line to say this isn’t what either of us would have picked” she said as they wandered out “what would you have picked? If it was your choice” it started easy but she meant to go a little deeper “drinks? Opera? Or just sitting down and getting some work done? It wouldn’t surprise me if it was that” she played it teasingly but she knew Varyn’s dedication. Even if they claimed the same ideals, it seemed he’d never stopped. And here she could play off her prying as a bit of performance. Just depended if he took the bait.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Rask]

The door slid open, and Varyn felt a bit of relief to have made it out. The two of them seemed to make quite a proficient team together, which he had always known. They weren't unfamiliar with one another.

As they made it out, the cameras continued to whirr in the air around them, trying to get every angle or shot that they could. He rolled his eyes behind his mask, wishing for a bit of relief from the media circus that seemed to be his life lately.

Where would he be if he could have chosen anything for their date? He didn't know, probably something simple and understated. He supposed saying "somewhere the cameras aren't" probably wasn't an acceptable answer. Maybe a nice dinner out in the open air on a beautiful world, he said with a shrug. What about you? he asked.

 

[Darth Inheris]

"Well I'd have appreciated the ball setting that I saw you dancing at the other week, I've always felt comfortable at those" she replied casually "but somehow I don't imagine they're exactly your setting" she added quickly. That whole world was what she had lived in for quite a large portion of her life. Even her Sith training hadn't quite managed to break her preference and comfort with it. It was what she knew, and she knew it well. How to play it, run it, how to win it, she wouldn't have said it had ever come naturally back then, plenty of hard work and pushing had put her in a position where it did now.

Still, Varyn's answer maybe wasn't what she would have guessed for him either. The man was an enigma, as much to the public as to her,

"I wouldn't have picked that for you though. What draws you to it?" maybe this was time for both to open up a little. She knew she could be just as aloof at times. Frequently, even. Tedious as the holo format was, it still tuck them together, good excuse as any she supposed. And as much as she tended to get what she wanted, when it came to allies she tended to play it safe, lest the worst come to pass. And the worst with Sith meant too often things a tad more threatening than simply not speaking to one another. that said, Varyn was no typical Sith.

@Phoenix