Ask Fuel For Thought

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Guinevere's hesitancy melted away like fresh snow on a warm winter's day as Kalique's compliment took to heart. Her rosy cheeks blushed the same shade as her dress, building her budding confidence sky-high. It was definitely reaching outside of her comfort zone to be seen in something so revealing, but the form-fitting fabric did more than just boost her confidence, it made her feel sexy.

To Guin, Kali seemed like an expert in all things stylish, and therefore she immediately took a seat in front of the mirror sporting a bodacious smile. "Ooh yess, that sounds amazing!!" she giggled, imagining how many heads they would surely turn when they entered the room. The agent would have been mortified by the attention before she met Kali, but somehow this woman just knew how to make her feel like a million credits.

Thinking about the mission again, the agent contemplated what Kalique said for a moment. "That could work, yes. Now that we know a little more about his interests in the occult, It might pay to come up with an interesting cover story that would draw his attention our way and away from the dozen or so others that would be wanting to talk to him."

Guin had little to no experience dealing with such matters, other than the occasional readings she might have come across. Unless of course, you counted watching several very real-looking holomovies such as the Swindie Anna Jones trilogy.

Catching a glimpse of what magic Kali was working on her, Guin could barely smile any more than she already was. "Kali...I don't know how to repay you for this!" She was simply stunned before giggling again with a fantastic idea to share. "If you ever find yourself needing a side job, you should go into being a stylist girl."

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

She began to brush Guin's hair and was careful not to hurt her by pulling out hairs. She then switched on the curling iron and parted hair accordingly, a selection of clips, ties and braces was on the table already. "Hmm that's a good idea. Actually, we could spin something very dark that is just prone to pique his interest. I could make him forget right after we have what we need" she mused, beginning to curl strands of her hair with her gaze overly focused.

"We just need to consider one thing. Maybe he's more than an occult fanatic...maybe he's a dark sider himself. Then we probably can't be as subtle". She threw in, adding some spray to fixate the first curls. "I've studied ancient Sith runes...what if we found a veeery interesting book because we trade such things ourselves? We could fake a photo if you have journal or something...I could burn it into a cover...". She was adding more and more ideas while she continued with the rest of the hair, finishing up a few minutes later.

She was very amused by what she said about her styling skills, but despite appreciating the genuine compliment, she shook her head. "No no no...I'm glad I'm not in this scene anymore". Despite wearing such dresses and a little makeup to such fitting occasions, she had no urges to dress up like that often. Once done with the hair, she pulled out a make up palette and started with her foundation. "Do you think it's a good idea to ask him whether he'd meet us outside somewhere tonight? I can test whether he's force sensitive rather quickly if we find a way to separate him from the rest".

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The agent listened closely as Kalique did an amazing job with the makeover so far. "Totally," she said in response to the journal idea with a cheerful smile. It was a little scary to be rushing into a big hall with such a potentially dangerous man sitting not very far away, but having seen her friend in action, they'd surely overcome whatever unfolded she thought.

"Heh, you know it will be funny to see his reaction to finding out you are an Imperial Knight. If he is a Sith sympathizer, it is imperative that we take him down as you know. I'll bring a few toys just in case, either way."

She sat there pondering the last question for a few moments, it was quite risky if indeed he was but then again it would be safer for the others attending. "In that case, we'd need damning evidence in case things go South otherwise it could just look like the empire beat up one of the first citizens of the planet for no reason. Perhaps we can wear recording devices? you'd need to be wary of what you said, of course, but I think it might be a good idea."

Of course, even if the man himself was legit, there was always the risk of some dark-sider user attending the auction themselves, for their own ends. The pair would need to be extra careful, but successfully executing the plan could deliver dividends for them both.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique finished up with the light yet elegant make-up before she added some special effects with the perfectly red lips she gave her. "There. It fits the shade of your dress perfectly and all the men will turn their heads for you", she said rather lightheartedly, enjoying the last quiet minutes before they'd get going.

"Can you fetch me the journal?" she then politely asked her before they swapped places and Kalique quickly worked on her own hair and make-up. "Oh I'm sure he'll be absolutely displeased with that revelation so we should indeed be careful" she agreed with her, a few scenarios playing in her head.

"You know...such powerful and influential people never come unprepared or unprotected...I'm afraid he might have this place infiltrated to some extents as well". Of course those were just speculations, but they literally had to be prepared for whatever he'd throw their way if it came to that.

"But yes, agreed. Let's collect some footage. Do you have button camer- Nevermind. I'm completely convinced you have some very sneaky tech items" she amusedly replied, carefully twisting her own hair before she tended to her make-up. "How late is it? I believe our friends wanted to pick us up at half past". She was almost done, but still had an 'ancient artifact' to create. "Okay let me mutilate that poor notebook". The leather like envelope was perfect, so she carefully started burning its edges before she wanted to trace a rune. "Should we stage a photo here in the room to claim we've brought it?".

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

Guinevere couldn't help but blush at the thought of all those eyes being on her, a light giggle following soon after. "Thank you again, Kali." Spinning on her heels in front of the mirror and looking up and down the blonde was starstruck by her own reflection. "Oh yes definitely!!" came the reply as Guin shuffled off to fetch the journal, returning shortly afterward with it in hand. Naturally, a cheeky smile appeared as she spotted Kali again "Oooh, looking stunning there yourself Miss Demici."

Taking said button cameras out, she moved to Kali's front and started to clip the recorder into place. With a small click and a light touch to slip it into cover and activate it, only the two of them would ever know it was there. "All set," she said quite pleased with her work.

Looking at her phone Guin nodded, "Oh yeah, they should be here in a few minutes." As for the notebook, she would happily leave that in the expert hands of the knight as she pulled out Kalique's phone from the dresser to take said photos. "Sure thing, you set it and I'll snap it." Since it made more sense for the pics to be on her phone rather than Guins.

A few minutes later a knock echoed through the room pulling the agent out of their fun little party and back to reality. "Oh, they're here!" Quickly checking herself in the mirror once more, she couldn't help but like what she saw before heading to the door with a bottle of newfound confidence.

Opening the door she found two dashing Nautolans dressed to the nines in what must have been quite expensive suits. "Hiii, you must be the friends ...uhh.. she was talking about, don't worry, she's right behind me somewhere." Guin nervously tried her best to stall them from looking in until Kali was finished and ready and with some luck might introduce her to these two handsome men.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The way Guin was marveling at herself in the mirror made her smile. "You're very welcome" she warmly replied before finishing herself off and starting with the journal then. It didn't usually take plenty of concentration to conjure fire for her, yet drawing the delicate lines of the runes was somewhat challenging.

"Okay there we go. If he can read it, we can be fairly certain he's deeply involved in some shady business and even if not, like if it only piques his interest, it might still be worth a thorough investigation. He's dealing with artifacts, someone is definitely working for him or he's the one sensing something about them...maybe he'll even sense my necklace" Kalique mused, rambling on for quite a bit until she noticed she was doing the same thing Guin always did with her tech.

"Oops, sorry. Journal is done and I'll stay vigilant" she concluded with smirk, approaching her suitcase and pulling out some perfume that she sprayed against her neck. "You want some too?". They had to be enticing on all levels, so this was perfectly summing it up.

"Oh thank you" she happily replied at her genuine compliment and waited for her to equip her, before she offered another "Thanks a lot!". Kalique then set the photo up and checked that it looked as natural as possible while Guin already announced their dates.

Now she had to hurry. Guin tried her best to stall them, and as she nervously glanced back, she gave her a curt 'stay calm' glance before she approached their dates with a warm smile. "Good evening Gentlemen! You look absolutely stunning.." she sweetly remarked, slipping right into her role and out of the door. Her new found friend immediately offered an arm and she took it, following all parts of the Serennian nobility code she had grew up with.

"Thank you so much for the kind invitation tonight...I still can't get over this pretty necklace" while both men were stunned by their appereance, Guin would soon notice that her date was also absolutely nervous. "I...Hi. Nice to...uhm, meet you. You look lovely. I'm Yukan" she introduced himself with blushed checks, awkwardly offering his arm to Guin.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The internal relief when Kali finally joined them at the front door was immeasurable, to say the least. Naturally, Kalique got on well with her date for the evening, the charismatic pair already being acquainted made such encounters easier to manage. With her own little awkward silence, Guin smiled as this Yukan blundered his way through his introduction in a funny kind of cute way.

"Hello Yukan, you uhm.." the initial nerves of the night were shining brightly already, but the agent was determined to do well. "...You look very handsome, and uhhhm.. my name is Guinevere." A small piercing smile smuggled its way through her nervosity, but fortunately, the Nautolan seemed equally relieved that his own date was suffering from a similar dilemma.

The second man was simply in awe and was smiling from ear to ear, considering himself so very lucky indeed. "Oh you must forgive me for not introducing myself earlier, my name is Baspa." Likewise, after their brief introductions, he offered his arm to Kalique.

Guin reached out to take his arm, nestling into his shoulder for comfort as they turned and started their walk together. The trip to the upper floor where the function was to take place was rather uneventful, in a good way.

Baspa being the more confident of the two, spoke in a cool calm, and collected manner as the lift raced upwards. "Thank you both for coming tonight, it means the world to me. I hope that it won't to too boring for you, but you'll be rubbing shoulders with some of the rich and famous on worlders. But don't worry, I'll keep you safe." Of course, he meant safe from dreadful table conversation and dance floor trauma, little did he know how woefully underprepared he would be if things got out of hand.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

It was slightly playful to watch Guinevere struggle for words and she was a little confused about how she used her real name, but assumed it had slipped out due to the nervousity. Kalique knew her last date had been ages ago, and admittedly, she felt very weird playing her part given that she was looking forward to the nightly exchange with Jonathen via her phone, yet she would at least have plenty to explain.

"Ohh, Baspa. That's a beautiful name" she softly replied, keeping it all charming as she said, "My name is Claire". They didn't need her real name and even if this cover identity play was Guinevere's thing, she didn't mind keeping up the appearance. "Oh no, thank you for the very kind invitation!" she politely replied, continuing the conversation while Yukan and Guinevere chose the silent treatment, which then again, was super adorable given the constant nervousity she perceived from them.

It was absolutely ironic how Baspa offered to keep them safe as he had little clue about how he was with an Imperial agent and a Knight undercover, but it was simply better of they didn't. "Oh thank you...that's very kind of you. I'm afraid we might find this all a little overwhelming, but it's nice to know that we're not alone" she warmly smiled at him, keeping it all polite while playing her part.

They moved into the lift and then upwards until the doors opened to the event. They were being led into a vast, pompous meeting hall with white and golden decorations all around and just like predicted, it was as if a hundreds heads turned as they entered, marveling at the newcomers with interest, envy and desire. This would be an interesting night, yet with so many people, they had to be very careful. "Our table is up there", Baspa lead them onwards, greeting a few attendants here and there and Kalique politely did the same until they reached their assigned spot.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

As the quad moved into the larger room, Guin was taken back by the crazy amount of wealth that seemed to squeeze into such a place. Beautiful women and handsome men all dressed exceptionally well and ready for a good night were mingling and starting to find their way toward their seats. Despite her own wishes to simply blend in with the crowd, Guin did notice how many eyes they drew, which both scared and encouraged her as she stepped up for the mission.

At the far end of the room, a man arrived in the most expensive suit Guin had ever seen with the finest trim to boot and took center podium waiting to speak. Not long after, a bell rang to signal the guests to properly take their seats as the event would shortly begin.

The girl's dates reached the spots first and pulled their seats out before taking their own once the girls had gotten comfortable. Guin couldn't help but smile and offer her thanks as Yukan did this, this simple gentlemanly act was not expected, but most welcome.

Baspa turned to the group and spoke lowly to avoid interrupting the other guests. "There will be a short introduction but then the first few items will be offered up for a bid. Then dinner will be served, followed by the grand finale items including yours truly." Kalique would remember the prized item around her neck was one of the items being auctioned last. Unless she had wished to purchase it herself or find another to do so, she'd soon be parted with it but not before a chance to wander with it.

Guin looked to Kalique before making a brave decision to speak up herself rather than relying on her friend to handle all of the talking. With a little nervous tweak to her voice, she inquired softly. "Do you think...uhm..that we'll be able to speak with uh other people during dinner or is it like super formal?"

The pair of Nautolans chuckled under their breath before Yukan leaned over, offering his hand for Guin to take again for comfort. "Well, yes. The dinner is formal but there will be some mingling opportunities before the last lot so if you were hoping to find out who is interested in such items that would be the best time."

In the background, they could hear the opening remarks being made as the house rules were laid out. Their paddles were before them and there were no limits on bids, although they were relatively high to begin with. Guin being pretty skint herself, did not plan to do any such bidding wars and was rather content to start sipping on the bubbly that was being offered by the attending staff walking by.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

They entered the luxury filled room and Baspa quickly ran them through the time table. Kalique had her eyes on the stupidly expensive for another moment, rage boiling up under the surface as she had seen how severely the majority of the planet suffered while this luxury oasis was drenched in abundance.

"That sounds lovely", she remarked, her voice being in a perfectly faked shade of delight while she let him guide them towards the table where she then elegantly took a seat. She greeted those she passed politely, obviously playing her role lf the grateful date.

The event was about to commence and the attendants quickly took their seats. Guin inquired whether they'd get the chance to mix and mingle and it seemed like they'd have to wait for dinner to be over, which Kalique didn't mind per se. However, as a whole flock of waiters and waitresses piled in and offered the overview over the 9th course meal, Kalique threw Guin a glance.

She could be patient, but this was torture... well maybe they could slip away at some point to powder their noses or to catch some fresh air and they'd run to someone interesting then...for now though, this all meant playing the waiting game. Shortly after, the first course was served and obviously, the portion was no larger than a tablespoon.

"Wow....that looks fantastic!" she had been served similar food on the countless galas she has to attend, yet she had never grown less annoyed if dinner turned into a half day long marathon of courses. Sticking to their cover identities, she didn't go full noble etiquette mode, but she rather tried to adapt what she saw all around. "So...what was your favorite spa treatment here so far?", she asked the two, a practices smile on her lips. She noticed how nervous Yukan still was and how he tried to steal a glance of Guin every now and then.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The opulence of the room was far beyond what the middle-class agent was used to, but she did everything in her power to maintain a level of modesty despite this. Stealing a glance at Kalique, Guin was likewise unsure about the length of their expected stay at the tables. With any luck, she thought, they'd be able to sneak around and gather some valuable information or even utilize their newfound friends that seemed overly eager to impress them.

Baspa smiled at the question. "Oh the mud baths definitely, although the salt scrub was a close second. How about yourself?" The second Nautolan nodded in agreement, adding his own thoughts. "Those were great, but did you try the steam room and massage? simply the best."

Guin caught a few glances from the cute Nautolan, which brought a blush or two to her face. In turn, a smile broached his as they shared a happy moment together. Goaded on by a little audacity and how adorable it was, Guin slid her hand out along the table and over Yukan's own.

The first few items were sold quickly, with several competitors across the room vying for financial dominance or even just getting a thrill out of being the winner. Once that was out of the way, the first few courses of dinner were about to be served when a tall and menacing man approached the table behind Baspa. Those with strong hearing would understand that the man had just been summoned by none other than Lord Tryst himself.

With a tense posture and barely holding the shock at the invitation, Baspa turned to the others. "Umm sorry, but something just came up and I have to leave. Will you be alright with Yukan here while I'm gone?" Was this the opportunity that they had been waiting for? If somehow Kalique could swing the invitation to include one or both of them, they'd finally have their meet. If not, it was worth attempting to follow him just to find out what could be so important.

Guin waited to see how Kali might respond.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The food was indeed delicious, but on the inside Kalique found herself getting a little antsy as this reminded her of her childhood quite a bit. It would take literal hours, perhaps the whole night, and while she could be patient, she was annoyed by having to keep up this constant charade of actual liking what happened here.

The rich had nowhere else to be, no work to do tonight, or those who did just absent-mindedly typed messages back and forth on their phone. From the sheer looks, different demeanors and behavior, she could already tell a lot about who was with whom, who was a politician, who a shareholder, who an entrepreneur and so and and so forth.

The conversations around she overheard every now and then aided her game of gathering information, but so far everything seemed fine. She kept feigning interest in the conversation at their own table while she actually listened all around between the auctions.

"Oh you're sooo right. Like they're all great...although this Endor Sauna today was simply incredible" she replied with a wide, warm smile, which wasn't even a lie. The smells had been uncannily accurate and had reminded her off Endor, and thus of Jon, but those were the lovely details she kept to herself. Kalique's emerald gaze then darted over to Guin, waiting for her opinion before suddenly, they'd be interrupted.

Kalique's heightened senses obviously picked up the one and only name she was most interested in and so she had to resist the urge to let anything of it reflect in her expressions. "Is...is everything alright?" she sympathetically asked, her tone soft as she gently placed a comforting hand on his arm. This was their chance. But what where they supposed to do?

She couldn't use the Force without giving herself away, especially after she had carefully masked her presence so far, and so the two women couldn't just discuss their plans at all. "You know you don't have to go through it alone. After all, we've came here as a group. Is there anything we can do to help?" she started with empathy and comfort, hoping this would help.

Leaning closer, only for him to hear, she then even softly added, "You seem...tense. You can get support if you need it". This way, she argued for her case but left it to him in the end, however she already had a plan B in mind. If he'd evade the question and refuse the help, they could still follow.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The slightly worried Nautolan forced himself into a warm smile as he looked back at the girls. "Uh..yeah everything is peachy." But even Guin could see that he had become quite startled. The 'messenger' looked anything but, a menacing glare radiated off his firm and muscular face without even trying to appear intimidating. It was clear from his stance that there wouldn't be long before Baspa was going to get into trouble if he tried to delay much longer.

The Nautolan listened as the honeyed words that Kalique spun took hold of his soft little heart. The wheels of thought rolled, a plan formulating, and shortly a smile appeared. Holding out his hand for her to take, he replied. "Maybe there is something you can do." Whisking his body around to face the other man, Baspa put on a brave face. "Everyone knows she's wearing the prize of the night, if she leaves with me, it will naturally stir up gossip and interest in the stone and thus its value."

Nothing.

If he'd been hoping for some kind of reaction from the stone-faced man, Baspa would have been disappointed. "Uhh..and of course I will need my assistant and his uhh..." The blue-faced Nautolan was completely winging it at this point. "And it wouldn't be right to leave his date here all alone, that would probably offend his lordship. No, we will all come...if that's okay?."

The 'messenger' stood in silence, slowly turning to walk signaling that they should all quickly follow. Startled slightly, Guin looked to Kalique and then the boys, wondering how she had been roped into this. So much for hiding in the shadows being back up, she thought. But on the flip side, it was kinda cool to be at the forefront of the mission in a way she hadn't been before.

Yukan offered his arm for Guin, which she readily took and snuggled into with a small smile peeking out. He was such a kind-hearted gentleman and she was completely lapping it up. Since it was only a short walk to the exit and along a corridor to a lift to the floor above, it wasn't long before they were knocking on the private room above.

If they were impressed at the opulence on the floor, this room was literally and figuratively on another level. And yet despite the immeasurable wealth that lined each inch of the splendid room, standing near the window looking down at the goings on at the tables was an older man dressed relatively casually.

Strangely if Kalique would notice that her connection to the force seemed to weaken slightly. There was nothing immediately telling why this was the case, nor would anything about Tryst give her reason to suspect it was originating from him. But something about this place was causing it and that alone would likely create unease as the group was being introduced.

With a booming and crystal clear voice, Lord Tryst shattered the silence without even looking back. "I am paying you to work Baspa, not engage with the off-world hussies. If I don't get the results you promised, I'm afraid your family will suffer for it."

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

There was not a single facial muscles that flinched from the stern looking, even menacingly towering messenger and yet her soft words reached Baspa. The poor man was in severe distress, apparently just as surprised about this urgent, requested meeting than the rest of their group.

It was his own fear that made him, probably the prospect or not having to face his potentially dangerous boss alone and so while quickly making something up right on the spot, they were all in. Not that the messenger was really delighted, but he didn't stop them and so Kalique threw the Nautolan a reassuring smile before they went off.

Those change of events meant an immediate change of plans and so they did. They followed the messenger and while all both, Guin and the men were nervous, Kalique didn't have a great feeling about this either. Apparently, they were getting the chance to meet the boss in person, but apart from the cameras, they didn't really have time to prepare.

Kalique was extremely careful and so she masked her presence within the Force completely. However, as they ascended in the lift, something started to feel really odd. She could feel how the Force was suddenly shifting and soon comprising her like a veil, dampening her connection which wasn't good at all.

She had no chance to throw Guin a look and obviously didn't want to risk using the Force either, so her muscles just slightly tensed up as they walked. The closer they got, the more affected she felt and so she had to keep a straight face despite the racing thoughts. They were being led into an incredibly expensive room that seemingly lacked nothing, but Kalique's emerald gaze was immediately on the older man.

Was this going to culminate into an escalation? Well, not yet, but Kalique wasn't happy with what was happening here at all. They were adressed rudely, and Tryst wasn't happy to see them at all, yet Kalique resisted the urge to speak up and sticked to her role instead. "How disappointing", Tryst carried on, face still directed at the window. Now Kalique was quickly glancing over to Guin, mentally preparing for whatever might have to be done.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The stage was set for confrontation and yet, at least for the moment, none came. No matter how brave of a face Guin tried to mask herself with, she couldn't shake the terrible feeling that enveloped her after entering the room. Yukan may have been literally holding her, but it was entirely her confidence in Kalique to see them through this mess that prevented the agent from simply buckling at the first sign of trouble and running.

Likewise, the Nautolans were in a sorry state themselves, doing their best to hold to some standard of control. "Of course, Lord Tryst." Baspa spoke with a broken uncertainty, strained upon his lips. There would be no doubts as to who held the reigns of power in their dynamic nor would his better allow any such notion to thrive.

Guin saw the mute concern in Kalique's face and said nothing herself, doing her best impression of what she thought a clinger-on might do. Fortunately, that was quite easily done, given she was actually quite terrified already and so being stunned into silence was a readily available emotion to display. If they looked closer, they would see that all around them were arrogant displays of power, of wealth, and history.

The man was immensely proud of his family and past, long had they been a major part of the politics of the world, and the fact that he was quite used to always getting his way immediately was obvious. Guin wondered if this was the type of person Kalique had to deal with back home, feeling a sense of frustration on her behalf.

Breaking the silence that had filled the void in the meantime, Baspa continued. "I'm sorry my lord, but the empire has always been a step ahead of us. We're trying, but it's becoming increasingly more difficult to find the types of artifacts you seek in the wild." This was not the answer that would satisfy Tryst and everyone knew it.

With a raised but poised voice, his lordship at last turned to face them with a laser focus on Baspa. "We cannot afford failures or delays, I cannot use these baubles that you find." An underlined irritant was bubbling to the surface, and they didn't have to wait long to find out what it was.

Pulling a small handkerchief from the top drawer, he placed it gently upon the desk and unwrapped it to reveal the metallic contents. "My entire life has been beneath the oppressive boot of the Sith and now the Empire is poised to do the same. If you cannot help me discover an artificial connection to the force, then I will find someone who can." The lord's iron gaze shifted toward Kalique as if deconstructing her entire being, how she stood, her appearance, and more.

"Speak. You have something to say?" he murmured with an icy tone.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Whatever was in this room, it made Kalique nervous. She tried her best to keep her inner tension at bay and while her features didn't give anything away, her mind was on full alert. She had a bad feeling about this and neither one of the boys nor Guin seemed to see it any differently.

Her eyes remained on Tryst before her emerald gaze flicked over to his bodyguards or associates. She also quickly scanned the room for whatever caused this weird feeling inside her and within the Force, but couldn't make out anything. Baspa was then forced to reply, but Kalique didn't need to assess his inner nervousity as his immense uncertainty was reflected in the way he spoke.

She inhaled slowly and kept herself centered, her muscles were still tense and her mind on edge so that she was ready to pounce whenever. There was something dominant about the Lord's demeanor that made her question whether this natural authority just came with his years, or whether there was more to it. For now though, she quietly observed, even if the Nautolan's struggle was a little painful to watch.

The power hierarchy here was clear, but suddenly they all learned a whole lot more about Tryst. Now that just raised countless more questions though, even if she gained some clarity on the mysterious Lord's standing, but what bothered her most was the metallic content on the table.

As he then even adressed her, she toyed with a few possibilities. Deal with this as quickly as possible before any of this could escalate? Well, possibly, but it was better to gather some Intel first. "I...honorable Lord Tryst...I'm not sure whether this is my place to speak" she replied, purposely pretending to be shocked as this fitted her role better. She lowered her gaze, stepping closer to Baspa as she began this little game. She was still in front of Guin which was good as she still needed to ensure she was definitely safe.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The lord's gaze bulldozed its way through Baspa's confidence, turning the man from the soft-spoken and kind-hearted person that she knew, into a timid, scared little boy. Tryst scoffed at Kalique's response, indeed finding it somewhat amusing. "Perhaps I should work with the woman, Baspa. She seems to know her place better than you do."

But such frivolities only lasted a second, before the menacing cold glare returned. "Kill them," he said with a flick of his finger. The armed guards swiftly moved in to draw their blasters a few meters away before suddenly stopping in place. "Now, stop." the lord commanded and the guards obeyed. "Clap your hands." strangely enough, the loud echoes of clapping filled the air as the guards complied.

"You see Baspa, this is my place and you will do well to remember." The lord lowered himself at last into the chair, taking a seat. Content with inflicting his personality upon the group, Tryst was quite confident that there would be no more arguing coming from the Nautolans.

Pointing to Kalique, he beckoned her forward with a cold smile. "You will also speak when I command it. Do you understand?" He paused briefly before looking down at the table before him. "I see Baspa has adorned you with a precious stone already, but tell me. Which intrigues you more? What story do you think these hold?"

He stopped again, with his face tensing up just slightly. "Speak or lose your tongue."

Guin could only watch on with Yukan's tight grip holding her upright. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something curiously shaped. It was some kind of ornament, perhaps something that had come up on another one of Baspa's digs but she couldn't quite place it from this distance. And she certainly didn't want to risk the lord's wrath by wandering into his room, at least not yet. With a sudden realization, she turned her body slightly toward it before flicking back. Hopefully, that would be enough.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The tension within this very room had already been high, but as the dear Lord Tryst suddenly began to play a game to display the power he wielded her, Kalique tensed up even further. She was incredibly close to lashing out and dealing with the Lord and his thugs before he suddenly changed his mind.

Her expressions shifted to feigned fright, however on the inside, frustration was bubbling up. It was fairly easy to tell he was dangerous, but she still couldn't place his persona in a bigger scheme and she had a feeling that this piece of imformation would actually aid the Empire, so she held back, however stayed ready.

He beckoned her forward and so she immediately did, her head submissive lowered but her she was fully aware of every movement all around them. The Lord had no idea who they were and this was their advantage. If they could gather Intel, or perhaps even more, their mission would be even more successful than assumed.

She wasn't happy with bringing more distance between her and Guin, yet she slowly nodded as he adressed her. One false move and she'd knock him out. However for now, she intended to continue this game. Her gaze now fell on the metallic stone in front of him and suddenly she understood. This was it, this was exactly what caused those inhibitions within the Force, but obviously, she couldn't let any of what she sensed bleed into her behavior.

For all he knew, they were two business ladies and nothing else, so as he urged her to make a choice, she slightly lifted her head and dared to study the stone for a moment, just like he wanted her too. She held her tongue like instructed and while she didn't coil the Force around her just then, she was ready to do so if the situation asked for it.

She couldn't tell whether he commanded the Force, but what his outline about what he was looking for had indicated, he wasn't, so she was confident to deal with all of them if needed. Still, she couldn't deny that as close as she was to the stone right now, it was quite unpleasant to stand in its surroundings.

He forced her to speak and so while she played her part, she slightly flinched. Her gaze drifted from the stone on the table to the one she wore, slowly reaching for it. "They are-" she quietly began, pretending to be quite intimidated, so that she had to clear her throat.

"...both intriguing. The one I wear is bright and a beautiful sight to behold, yet the one on the table is perhaps even more alluring to to its purist simplicity. It may be bleak, but perhaps that's why its secrets are even more valuable". She carefully replied, slowly shifting her gaze onto the Lord as if daring to meet his gaze for the first time.

@Xorism

 

[Guinevere Delevigne]

The Lord Tryst sat there in silence studying her response with keen interest, ignoring the rest of the party for the moment. A subtle shift in his face revealed the first sense of approval that she might have seen thus far. "I quite agree, sometimes simplicity conceals the true nature of things. Something, perhaps, you have experience with?" His stance adjusted forward slightly in the chair.

Did he know more than what he was letting on or perhaps he was simply fishing for answers to an unasked question? The masked derision caught Baspa off-guard as he simply couldn't imagine why the lord was so very interested in his date and model. They were however quiet silent lest his wrath be redirected in their direction once more.

A test ensnared within a juxtaposition laid bare, the lord remained focused on Kalique. "What does the force mean to you? And more importantly, how should it be used?" Although affected by the stone, she might still sense his subtle fidgeting under the table hidden from sight although his intention was still quite expertly shielded.

Guin stood back watching and waiting just slightly out of sight. The tech queen wasn't about to leave her friend in the lion's den without at least trying to do something to help. What they seemed to be lacking was information and fortunately, that just happened to be her specialty. She thought to herself, just need a little more time.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

As much as Lord Tryst was seemingly assuming he was in full control of this situation, Kalique made sure she was the one actually pulling the strings here. A simple misstep and their endeavor could fail, so she was carefully about what she did and said.

She swallowed slowly, making it seem like there was a lump in her throat while she seemingly slightly squirmed under his piercing gaze. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, mostly avoiding eye contact with the Lord. Guinevere was attending to his firewall, this she could notice even if she was pinned down by this intense conversation, so she knew she needed to buy them more time.

"I don't...think so" she quietly admitted, as if afraid because she didn't meet his expectations, but that wasn't all of it. "Or well...actually. she suddenly added, clearing her throat again.

"I've learnt that during my years of work, I did encounter interesting findings that looked like nothing at all at first sight". By disclosing this statement, she was keeping thr dialog open for what she had to offer, which was obviously the faked grimoire. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling he was teasing her and she didn't like this game.

"The Force?" now this was getting really interesting, but she had to continue this conversation. "The Force is mysterious and hard to grasp for us mortals. This is what I've always believed". Why...why was he so nervous? "I don't know a lot about it...but I feel like it should be used to help. It might be a gift only the fortunate have received, but they should never abuse that power". She kept purposely vague, assuming he'd ask for an elaboration.