For a Good Cause

[Caliban Antares]

Senate Building, Hanna City​

Cal had arrived on the planet a few days ago, meeting some Senators and others, and had been surprised when he returned to his hotel to find an invitation to an event that was taking place that night. It was one of the Senators who had met who had extended the invitation to him, and as he arrived at the event he was on the lookout for the Senator to give them his thanks.

He entered the main ballroom housed high up in the Senate building, finding the large filled with beings dressed in their formal best and gentle music playing in the background. The event had been setup a long time ago, in the days of the United Protectorate, a charity fundraiser to generate funds to send aid to various backwater planets affected by the conflicts that had been errupting across the Galaxy. With the recent birth of the Republic from the ashes of the Protectorate, the event had been kept on schedule. It will Cal with hope, knowing that even political turmoil the likes of which they had gone through recently hadn't kept people from doing what was right.

Walking through the chambers, nodding the few he knew and identified, he made his was to the bar and stepped up to it when the Twi'lek in front of him collected her drink and walked away. "Corellian brandy please." He turned around to lean against the bar as he waited for his drink to be made, observing everyone and keeping an eye out for anyone of interest. This was an opportunity to continue what he had begun with his meetings, and he wasn't going to let the opportunity pass him by.

Collecting his drink, he thanked the bartender and began walking away from the bar. Time to socialize old chap, let's make some friends. God knows we need them.

[OOC: Open to Republic characters only.]

 

[Braun Stoker]

She was late, Braun thought to himself as he waited quietly on his speeder bike outside of the hotel that had been chartered by the Navy to house some of the officers in preparation for some soiree that the upper echelon of society had prepared for the people of the Republic. As an officer of the Grand Army, he and Alema were unknowingly on the distribution list for invitations. Braun had a feeling that his good friend Senator Alton Hawkes, of the hosting planet, had something to do with his invitation. His new residence, and most of his non-combat assets remained on this planet, like his speeder bike that still sported the old Republica Symbol.

He was dressed in the double breasted uniform of the Grand Republic, his unit patch on his left arm with his Lieutenant bars being sported on his collars. His hands were exposed to reveal his burnt and scarred hands, but he would soon put on his ridding gloves to hide them once again. The lights of the Gala could be seen from down town, Braun thought to himself as he lifted the visor of his riding helmet. He had brought an extra large riding helmet to accomidate the other Lieutenant's Lekku as the rode downtown.

He waited patiently, watching his holo clock on the bike's dashboard as he awaited his friend's arrival. His uniform's collar felt tight around his neck and the accolade pins jabbed his chest uncomfortably as Braun mentally prepared himself to go to his very first "party". He was a mechanics son and a soldier, no politician. This was the battlefield of the senators, not for the soldier. He kept his view on the main entrance awaiting his "date" to the ball.

[On the way to the Ball]

@Sandshark @Wit

 

[Alema Torr]

"Ji cuna tonka!" Alema shouted into her closet. After hearing she would be invited to the formal gala by her friend from Corellia, the Twi'lek was ecstatic. She had never been to an event as grand as that- she didn't expect she'd ever see how the rich lived, even if she became a successful commander. But now she had the opportunity to enjoy something she'd only ever seen in holopictures. That morning she decided she would spend the day at the gym to work away her nervous energy, but after coming back and taking a shower in the refresher she opened the closet and her rented dress was gone.

It had to be Ensign Kanti. The other officer was her roommate here at the hotel, and from the start they had butted heads. She was part of an aristocratic family from the Sith Empire's old heartland and her opinions on Twi'leks were, to put it bluntly, unsympathetic. Once she discovered Alema was going to the gala, she'd become furious and their argument had nearly resulted in a brawl. Obviously this was her way of settling the score. Alema had scoured the room top to bottom, to no avail.

Normally she wouldn't care about something like this. She was proud of her Navy regalia. So proud of it that out of the 7 pairs of clothes she owned only 1 wasn't an issued garment. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She had to represent her crew and herself in a way they would appreciate... And, perhaps somewhere deep down, a part of her really wanted the chance to play-act nobility.

All of a sudden she saw something she'd missed before. A spill of fabric sticking down from the air circulator vent in the closet. Wasting no time, she pried off the grille and... Yes! This was it! She pulled it out carefully and inspected as much as she could. Her dress was simple but elegant, consisting of a main dress with a tasteful neck, a pair of long arm-warmers, and a shawl with a collar. Putting it on made her feel good. It wasn't quite the same as wearing her naval uniform. People respected her when she wore that, and she felt purposeful in it, but this dress made her feel tall. She could stand up to a senator and look him in the eye in a dress like this.

"Oh kriff, I need to get downstairs!" She hastily grabbed a credit chip and stuffed it into the bust of her dress, then rushed out to meet Braun.

She burst out through the main entrance, dashing past confused patrons as she made a break for the street. She caught sight of Braun almost immediately, seeing as not many people were waiting in the landing area at this time of night. "Lieutenant! I'm sorry I'm late. Something came up." Her breathless run from the hotel and the look on her face suggested there was more to it than that, but she didn't admit to it just yet.

[On the way to the Ball]

@Tetsu @Wit

 

[Jurya Kelborn]

"Will I do, Mira?"

A critical eye ran over the mirror; the woman was relatively tall, and with long limbs, the Hapan female was downright willowy. She was invited to this... gala of sorts, now that her ambitions had run the grapevine. It was hardly a surprise; here was an opportunity to meet key members of the galaxy, and in turn be seen for once in something more fanciful than the legislative courts of Hapes.

She pursed her lips once, and the protocol droid beside her gave a slight bow, her mechanical voice a slight deeper in pitch than most standard models; Jurya supposed the droid was the closest thing to a friend as the woman had allowed herself, and though she had the recommended standard of five friend-like individuals, each served their purpose.

That they were worth her time now was a different matter entirely.

"You are sufficient, madam." The droid's tone seemed amused.... though some of her functions seemed to be perpetually amused at her mistress' seeming to care of her opinions. She was also programmed to understand fashion and current affairs, and as such she was indispensable to the young woman.

"Excellent."

-------------------------

It wasn't long before her personal transport dropped her at entrance. She flashed her invitation, and was admitted...

To a world that she had not anticipating setting foot in for many years from now. She stood tall, long dark hair pinned up and away from her face and neck. Makeup was minimal, meant to enhance, but the deep sapphire silk was meant more than just to enhance. Against the rich tones of her skin, it seemed to glow. Minimal jewelry stood in her way as well; the effect was meant to blend in with most of the wealthy pushers and shovers, without being as overdressed as some seemed to be for such a refined gala.

She strode towards the bar, head held high and face set in neutral passivity. Her ears perked at the sound of someone ordering a Corellian brandy; lips curled, and her warm voice lifted towards the server as well.

"One Corellian wine, please." Eyes glanced to the young man that ordered before, and then slid away. It was an invitation to conversation at least. She was told she could be off-putting at times; she hoped her understated appearance would make some amends to that. It was time to rub shoulders with the galaxy's finest. When the glass was set beside her, she carefully lifted it to her lips, and allowed a private smile to appear, just for a moment.

Business first. Then leisure.

@Wit

 

[Alton Hawkes]

Alton Hawkes was at the charity event in his own native Hanna City. He was dressed in a tuxedo, his normal hair also combed and gelled nicely. He was already in the ballroom, already had a glass of corellian brandy in his hand. He would right now be slowly navigating through the large amount of people who are also formally dressed as well. The Chandrilan senator was all for supporting a good cause especially in these times. People need all the help they can get.

Lots of people here, Alton thought. Lots of noise as people converse as well as people doing their own thing. Alton so-far hasn't seen any faces he can recognize from where he's at as he would be looking around. Maybe he might soon enough as other senators were invited here as well.

His glass feels a bit on the empty side. Maybe he would go back to the bar for a refill.

OOC: You can tag me if you'd like to start a conversation with me.

 

[Braun Stoker]

Alema was not by any means extremely late. Braun had been enjoying the quiet evening that suddenly erupted into a not so quiet evening. The young Lieutenant bust through the doors like a bat out of hell. She was dressed well, and not in her uniform as he had been expecting originally. The gown was a welcome change to the dark coated dress uniforms that republic officers were known for wearing; Though Braun figured the outfit was no more comfortable than the uniform. As the Lieutenant approached him, she offered an excuse to her tardiness, to which Braun waved his hand in dismissal.

“All is forgiven Lieutenant Torr; the weather was nice this evening and you clearly have had your hands full.” He offered, detecting her twinge of annoyance at something other than simple errands interposing her preparation. “You look well worth the wait,” he complimented kindly as he shifted forward in his seat to make space for the Twi’lek and her dress. “Go ahead and hop on, Sorry if a bike makes the dress difficult, it's the only vehicle I own” He apologized as he offered Alema the accommodated riding helmet. “I usually only need a vehicle for one person,” He admitted as he slipped on his black riding gloves and awaited the lieutenant’s mounting, if she held no complaints of the bike that was.

It was a Sith Order vehicle, still black and sleek like much of the Order’s old equipment. The insignia of the Order still printed on the side, though it had a strip of white paint over top of it from where Braun had tried to cover it up some. One could not escape their past it would seem. The bike itself was a simple design, and there were no protrusions that might damage the dress in transit, or so Braun hoped as he turned on the temperature-controlled seats and activated the ignition.

If she was not opposed to their means of transportation, Braun would kick the bike into gear following the Lieutenant finding her seat comfortably. “Hang on, the streets of Hanna City can be pretty crazy with traffic, not that we are already late or anything” he lightheartedly joke as he would, under the approved condition, reeve the bike’s accelerator and begin the trek to the party. His hat was securely in the side “Saddle” bags of the bike for when they arrived.

@Sandshark

[On the way to the ball]​

 

[Tarrius Drast]

Civilized space, once home to the Empire, before that the Republica; the ghosts of his bloodline. It had been decades since he had set foot in the Core Worlds, he had been ten years old when he ran away from home. It felt alien to be here now, he felt alien and unwelcome. For years he had hid his name from the galaxy, but now a Drast sat within the ranks of the Republic--to the aging man it didn't feel right.

He could see their faces all around him, mother, father, sister, his aunts and uncles--they most likely perished years ago, yet he could feel their ghosts still haunting this sector. The aging officer had almost refused to be present, but his superiors stressed that it would be important for their forces to be there. So Tarrius was present, though sitting in the back of the bar, close to the Bith band that was playing a gentle melody. With a glass of Alderaanian gin in hand it felt like he had been taken back to the years on Nar Shaddaa. Playing Huttball and enjoying the comfortable life with luxoury. Kal Gast...he smirked at the memory of his past alias. He ran a hand through his greying black hair and peered down towards his dress blues and the shining Balmorra Service Ribbon. He felt awkward in the uniform and he hoped to simply blend in. Let the others enjoy the night, his family had their chance years ago.

 

[Alema Torr]

Alema wasted no time hopping on the bike behind Braun. She seemed surprisingly comfortable on the speeder, or maybe unsurprisingly, considering her checkered past. "Don't worry, I've ridden worse than this." She said, by way of reassurance, before slipping on the helmet and gripping her friend tightly for security. "Thanks for the helmet!" She shouted over the roar of the speeder's engines starting up. She had no idea where he managed to get it, but she was happy it fit.

Soon enough they were soaring through the air, weaving in and out of Chandrila's sky-traffic lanes on their way to the destination. To her it was almost astonishing how little traffic there was. Of course, the only Core World she had ever really navigated was Coruscant, and the whole city was a nightmare of weaving speeders and spaceships dodging through narrow city towers. Chandrila was more serene.

The city was thick with stately towers, but they rested firmly on solid ground. The dirt below the streets poked through in medians and plentiful parks, giving Alema the sense that Chandrilans cared much more for the world they lived on than the Coruscanti did. Even in the dead of night, enough light spilled down from the sparkling high-rise buildings to illuminate a world of nightlife below. She couldn't make out any figures as they whizzed by overhead, but she spotted numerous small pavilions crowded with dancers and outdoor plazas packed with dining patrons.

Soon enough the Senate building came into view. It stood out not merely for its size, but because it was in the center of a large open space, separated from the other buildings by wide avenues on all sides. "Down there!" She shouted excitedly, even though Braun probably knew exactly where he was going.

@Tetsu

 

[Braun Stoker]

The Lieutenant wasted no time hoping onto the back of his seat. “Well I guess that makes two of us,” he commented, thinking back to some of the rust bucket galvanized vehicles he had worked in back on Corellia. The engine roared to life as the swoop came to life. It was a simple model of vehicle, but useable. He heard her mention the helmet, and he felt a little embarrassed to say that he had bought the extra one with her noggin needs in mind. “No problem!” Response back over the accelerator as they took off into the night city’s sky lanes. The traffic in weather could not have been more perfect for a speeder bike ride, Braun thought to himself as he focused on driving the vehicle. They passed a number of cafés and bars sporting bright lights and performers, as many establishments did in “civilized” space. He remembered the first time he had taken the time to explore Hanna city, and all the strange places he had gone. It was a bustling city to be sure.


Braun dropped the vehicles altitude as he flew down into unoccupied space. He as a mediocre pilot, but when it came to land vehicles he was one of the best drivers in his platoon. He had at one time been a tank commander for the empire, but that time was long past. They skidded over top of the patrons and shops, getting a good view of the city night life before ascending again to continue their course. The city truly was something to take in. This place was so peaceful in comparison to the wild and bustling Cornet city of his home world.


After driving for a time, Alema shouted out that their destination was near. “Alright, Hang on!” He tried to warn as he dove the bike down and made a quick turn to put them on track for the valet. It was a quick aerial maneuver that was more fun than it was dangerous. He pulled the bike up to the front pavilion of the senate house, where the party was being held. He put the bike in park and offered to help Alema climb off, as she was wearing a less than mobile outfit. He turned the bike off and handed the Keyes politely to the young valet, who was kind enough to hand him a ticket with the number 203 written on it to indicate his vehicles parking place. Braun tipped the fellow with some credits he could amount from his pockets and offered his arm to Lieutenant Torr.


“Ready?” He asked as they would make their entrance into the party, unsure if he was really ready to go inside.


[Party Time!]


The senate house had been decorated to be like a huge ballroom. The crystalline aesthetic and the high class clothing made him feel out of place. In his mind he was still just a scrappers son from a place that could never amount to such grandeur. He glanced at Lieutenant Torr, unsure of her disposition. It was about this moment that they entered, that Braun would notice a few familiar faces around the room. He saw one Lieutenant Drast, a fellow for whom he considered to be a true brother in arms. They had fought together on Balmorra and their uniforms carried the same service ribbons for that service. He was a good man, despite his unwelcoming appearance he now wore on his face. Braun also recognized Senator Hawkes of Chandrila, a personal friend of his that had helped him join the republic in his hour of need. He was an honorable statesman, though he did not know about the rest of the room.

@Sandshark @TWD26 @Wit

 

[Valiance Waszylla]

Oh, a party? How delightful! Valiance never got invited to these things when he had been a scholar, or even a student in the great libraries of Obroa-skai, though that might have been the fact that he hadn't really been interested in other people at that time of his life. His mind had been a trap of knowledge, yet it was a double-edged blade in that his hunger was unable to be satisfied. While his peers went out and partied and danced and made fools of themselves, as all youths did, Val had stuck to the straight and narrow and was seen by many to be quite boring, in fact. Well, he wouldn't be that way TODAY. No, today he had a secret weapon, not his on point choice of bow-tie secret weapon, either. No, this one would make him the life of the party. There was no possible way that this could be a bad idea or fail in any way, he was a GENIUS.

Stepping in to the room, he smiled at all the well dressed men and women that were already mingling. He always wore his suit and bow-tie, even in casual settings, so this was in no way out of the ordinary for him. Under his arm he carried a box, one that security had been sure to check multiple times for any possible threats. Of course there wasn't anything dangerous, Val HATED those kinds of things as being rather uncivilized. No, he took everything out that the box contained and freely let the security check it until they were satisfied. Walking up to the bar, as he found himself thirsty, he looked around as he set the box down to order his favorite caffeinated fizzy drink. He didn't really drink alcohol, it gave him a headache, but he LOVED the carbonation of his preferred drink. He saw his friend and fellow Senator Alton nearby, waving over for him to join him. He'd be fun for what he had planned, plus his glass looked a bit empty, if he was seeing right. That just wouldn't do.

@Faster Than Light

 

[Alema Torr]

As they entered the senate ballroom, Alema couldn't help but gasp in awe of the wealth displayed there. Noticing her mouth was wide open, she shut it with a click of teeth and her expression became stern. Gawking was a sure sign that she didn't belong, and coming here wasn't just a favor to a good friend. As much as she was happy for Braun, she had a mission here tonight: convince the Senate that her vision of the Republic was the right one.

With that in mind, she looked for a way to get near someone in power, and judging by Braun's behavior it looked like he might be it. "Do you see anyone you recognize? I think one of them is the Senator from Chandrila, right? I saw him on a holovid while I was getting ready." She'd actually spent time during the week memorizing their faces and some portions of their public appearances, just to make sure she rubbed elbows with the right ones. She wasn't sure who would be the most receptive to her new ideas, but she suspected Hawkes would be the easiest to convince. She also managed to spot an officer who seemed to be sulking away from the others. She wasn't sure who he was, but Braun was giving him quite the stare a moment ago. Another veteran maybe. She made a mental note to ask sometime later.

@Tetsu

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal shared pleasantries with a few officials and aides he had become friendly with during his visit to Chandrila, weaving in and out of conversations till he found himself back near the bar, though his drink was barely touched. He was about to bid farewell to another recent acquaintance when he almost backed into a tallish woman. It took what little was left of the nimbleness that was left from his military days to prevent either of their drinks from splashing over them.

Steading himself, he took a step back to give her some room and quickly checked to make sure he hadn't accidentally spilled any of his drink on her, preparing to apologize nonetheless. "My sincere apologies ma'am." He said, his tone somewhat formal. Even though it had been years since he had left the military, it still showed in his mannerisms, the way he spoke and the way he carried himself. As they said, you could take the man out of the army, but you can't take the army out of the man. "I hope I didn't make you spill any of your drink, or spill any on you?" His hand went towards his pocket to pull out the fresh kerchief he always carried on his person, ready to offer it to her if she needed one.

He had come here to try and make allies, and here he was already making a scene. This was not the best start to the night. Not the best start at all.

@Killa Ree

 

[Jurya Kelborn]

It was fortunate that both he and she were rather quick on reflexes; she had slid her drink to one side of her when he moved the other direction, both brows raised a fraction at his sudden and profuse apology. Interesting. Thankfully, none of his brandy had spilled on her dress, either, though such an expense was an unfortunate but rather common side-effect of bringing your drink with you.

"It's perfectly all right; I should have kept a better eye on my surroundings." Her gaze met his firmly, a smile perched on her lips. Her hand once more grasped the stem of her glass, holding it aloft so he could see that not a single drop had been spilled, or seemed to be on her. A cursory glance over the rest of her outfit showed no evidence of stains or spills, so the brief tense line of her shoulders relaxed.

She could play the role of a socialite just for tonight. After all, she was here to make acquaintances and cement future alliances; why not start with a promising-looking young man? Though perhaps he was military... interesting.

"All seems to be well; very light on your feet also." She tilted her head slightly to one side, eyeing him once more to allow him the room to introduce himself. She, too, had noticed some others arriving, some faces she knew that were strictly based on hearsay, others that could be identified from stance alone. But for now, this male held her attention. She offered up one slim hand instead, allowing the smile to linger.

"Jurya. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mister...?"

A basic introduction, but for now it would have to do. And perhaps learn more about this crush from the man before her. Tonight seemed promising for an interesting divergence from her usual evenings, anyways.

@Wit

 

[Braun Stoker]

“Senator Hawkes? Yes I know him, he’s a good friend of mine.” Braun explained in response to Alema’s comment. He watched her expression as she mentioned the senator and he thought that she seemed interested in the fellow. “Would you like me to introduce you?” He inquired with a head gesture in the general direction where the senator resided. He waited only a moment for a response before making his way over toward the senator, who was now being gestured to join, what to Braun thought was, another senator.

He would happily accompany Alema over to the pair of senators, though he was confident in her boisterous personality. She would surely be a fast socialite. She was free to stop him and suggest another course of action.

@Sandshark @Faster Than Light @Insalius

 

[Caliban Antares]

Cal was relieved to hear that neither of their drinks had been spilled on her. The concern he had in the matter had been genuine after all and not for show. As she raised her glass to show that nothing had spilled out, he smiled and nodded before taking the proffered hand as she introduced herself.

By then he had observed her long enough and heard the way she spoke and carried herself to take a stab at guessing where she was from. It was one of the things his aides had tried to drill into him before he reached Chandrila, understanding the customs represented by the various cultures present in and around the Senate district. He did not want to accidentally offend someone due to ignorance. At least not through lack of trying to overcome that ignorance.

Taking the hand, he gently touched it with his lips, a formal and deferential greeting in many of the inner rim worlds, one of which he guessed she was from. As he did so he introduced himself in return. "The pleasure is all mine ma'am. Caliban Antares at your service."

Spotting someone in the distance who he wanted to ignore, he casually shifted a little to the side to avoid their line of sight. Unable to think of no better way to avoid them than to appear to be in conversation, he pressed forward with the one he was only involved in. "Forgive me for being forward, but was that an Inner Rim accent I caught? I've heard everyone on Chandrila is skilled at studying how people speak, but I don't know if I have the ear for it."

@Killa Ree

 

[Keira Zale]

She was admittedly ashamed to be late to this, especially as she was the Chancellor. Keira was a busy woman nowadays, constantly going to different planets and putting out fires. The transition from independent planets going Republic had been tougher than she expected. There was a lot of baggage for some of the planets, and the Republic now inherited problems originally managed by Mandos or Sith.

She was dressed in a simple gown, her hair done up in curls. She hadn’t had too much time to prepare for this, and she was just getting off a conference call right before this. Keira quickly slapped on a smile, genuinely happy to see all those gathered here. The Republic was truly forming, and with it came new soldiers that wanted to join the cause.

Keira couldn’t help but ponder on how this started from so little. The galaxy had changed fundamentally from when she first thought about a career in politics. She was still figuring things out day by day, but she knew she could count on those around her to see things through.

She made her way over to the bar, ordering herself a drink. She caught some of the others in conversation already, but her mind was elsewhere. The war declaration on the Jedi wore heavily on her mind, and it made it difficult for her to truly enjoy herself. She had those within Jedi that she considered friends, and they were in danger now.

Keira sipped from her drink, and took in sight of everyone, her mind always pondering the next big move to make.

 

[Alema Torr]

Braun knew a Senator? This was probably the best news she'd had all night. "Yes! I'd love to meet him!" She realized she sounded way too enthusiastic, and caught herself before she said anything even more embarrassing. "What I mean to say is, I'd like to meet the people here, if you can introduce me. Otherwise I'd just be following you around all night like a lost monkey-lizard." She smiled and self-consciously pulled her lekku forward so they crossed over her shoulders and lay over her chest.

Filled with a mix of resolution and nervous energy, she put her arm around his and tugged him forward towards the two senators. "Come on, let's go mingle."

@Tetsu @Faster Than Light @Insalius

 

[Alton Hawkes]

The young Senator took another sip of his glass of brandi, occasionally glancing around the place. Still hasn't caught anyone familiar to him with his eyes yet but... oh wait. He as soon as he caughta glance of his his friend Valiance Waszylla, distinctive as always even in this setting with all the stimuli, he'd turn his attention towards hin, smiling happy to see him, walking closer and then greeting him "Oh hey there nice to see a familiar face" he said.

Alton has seeing the gentleman more and more often lately. They are good friends at this point. Can't He'd join Valiance at the bar. "How are you doing?" he asked, "Mind if I ask what's in the box." He'd look down briefly at the box, then back at Val "A gift for someone?" he half-jested in a friendly manner. Maybe it's a gift for a lady friend of his who is coming today. Somewhat plausible, he guesses. Who knows. One more sip of his brandi and it's pretty dimmished, good thing he's close to the bar. Alton hasn't noticed the two Lieutenants approaching him yet.

@Insalius @Tetsu @Sandshark

 

[Ryker Knight Victor]

Ryker hated wearing his dress uniform; it was itchy, tailored a little too snug, and the stiff collar rubbed his neck raw after he wore it for a few hours. Not to mention, most of his awards had been Imperial in nature, and it felt kind of tacky to wear them now that he was no longer an Imperial. Instead, he decided to go slick, and his dress uniform remained untarnished by such little medals and pins. Not like he had many people to impress at this ball – he tried to remain out of the political sphere as much as possible. It was too cutthroat and irritating to deal with; being in the military was simple, minus trying to herd cats beneath him while balancing unrealistic expectations from those above him.

But hey, at least the food’s free.

The senate building on Chandrila was exactly as he imagined it: vaulted ceilings, ostentatious displays of wealth to woo the big wigs, gaggles of people chattering to themselves about political moves or whatever rich people discussed. Ryker felt a little out of his element, but that’s often the situation he found himself in, these days. Soldiers weren’t politicians, but they knew enough to maneuver around things. Besides, it was a chance to see an old buddy of his.

Ryker made his way toward the bar, as any reasonable soldier would do, his first inclination being to grab a beer. As he got to the front and ordered his drink, he sighed and spoke to the person next to him, ”These things are just the worst, aren’t they?” He looked over and nearly missed grabbing his beer from the bartender, realizing he’d just said that to the Chancellor. ”I mean, the beer here. Not, uh, not your fundraisers, Chancellor. Ma’am.” He punctuated his backpedaling with a courteous head nod, cursing himself internally. Situational awareness, man, c’mon.

He stepped out of the line beside the Chancellor, awkwardly clutching his beer. Nearby, he spotted Cal, who was deep in conversation with whom he only assumed was another Senator. He wanted to shout out to his old friend, but that seemed a bit uncouth. Instead, he quietly took a sip, glancing between Cal across from him and the Chancellor beside him, wishing he’d stayed home tonight. The more he looked around the bar, the more he realized he was alone. There was the Vice Chancellor, and there were a few other big wigs. Shit.

@Sreeya @Wit

 

[Jurya Kelborn]

The smile warmed when she realized the male before her knew protocol, and more importantly, was very polite about it. She had had her doubts initially arriving here, and spotting so many males about... but perhaps he could be useful to her cause. At least he didn't seem too disenchanted right off the bat. And with a pleasant accent too; he was well-educated, probably in a manner similar to hers.

She took a sip of her drink first, more so to buy time with a response than because she was thirsty. But one moment was all that was needed; when she did respond, her voice was lightly amused.

"A keen ear you have, Caliban Antares. I am from the Inner Rim; though if you guess from which planet, you'll very much surprise me."

It was then hazel eyes connected with one male that seemed to glance at her companion, and an idea formed in her mind. It seemed there were others here that would mutually benefit her arrival here; not only other senators, but those that emanated a very militaristic air.

Considering the faction orientation of her people, getting to know the crowd was even more important. And with such an intelligent young man at her side, no less, it would make for a smoother evening than the Kelborn had anticipated.

"I'm supposing you're deeper in the Core than I," she responded, tilting her head slightly to lean and offer a conspirational whisper. "But don't tell a soul... I am completely unfamiliar with most here. Are you, too, a representative?"

An innocent question, asked with an open face and guileless expression. And the fact that she didn't have to look down to meet his gaze was all the better; some of her kind specialized in looking down at others, but this one was a curious man. She looked forward to any debates in the future, he would be a formidable foe. And the others within the room seemed to be pairing to talk as well. Perhaps he would be kind enough to introduce her, or if not, she wouldn't mind a bit of talking herself.

@Wit