Ask Nar Shaddaa Gilded Nights

[Oren Zapan]

​

Nar Shaddaa, the moon that never slept, nor the crime. It was a planet full of towering atmospheric-scrapers, filled to the brim with people and technology. Neon lights danced and a thin layer of gold covered the top most structures on this immoral planet, but who was it fooling? It was a gilded planet, whose gold was so thin and worn, that not even the slimiest landspeeder dealer would attempt to pawn it off. But, here he was--sitting alone at an upscale bar, in a hotel fit for the wealthiest crimelords in the galaxy.

The lighting was dim, and the music was low and mellow. Oren didn't like it here, he could feel the pain that these criminals brought onto the world, the smug and arrogant attitude was enough to nearly make the Jedi Master barf, but that didn't matter now. He was here because he had a job, to keep an eye on some mob boss for the Rangers--as part of his plea deal. He didn't mind the work, if it meant he could help clean up the streets. So he sat, alone at the bar, dressed in a suit, his normal brown hair slicked back--his saber hidden away in his jacket.

"Another gin on ice," he'd say, towards the bartender, his mechanical hand tapping against the top of the bar, he'd peer back, his hands leaning against the top with a sigh. If only he knew what the night really was going to bring.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Tonight Lilith wore a simple but fitting red dress, and went by her birth name that she hadn't written anywhere in a very long time: Aelia. She was with a mob boss, and for a reason probably not expected by most people. She was clung to his arm, fake-laughing at his jokes. Although what wasn't fake was the spice and alcohol running through her veins. There was a lot of it, more than a girl her size should be able to handle, and she knew the mob boss knew that. Luckily for Lilith, she had the Force to help her process it quicker so she could remain focused on her job, albeit still impaired.

But something had been pulling on her mind for awhile, and she didn't want to admit what it was nor did she want to go towards it but her mob boss "date" had dragged her there. Now she was facing the very Jedi that had broken through her shell too much for her own comfort. She knew that even if she was hiding her signature, from this close he'd more than likely be able to sense her through their abnormal connection.

It was the worst possible situation and forced Lilith to consider killing him.

But it couldn't happen now, and because Lilith was Lilith and didn't sit around, she took action quicker than what was probably healthy for her. She excused herself with, "Oh Becken, I'll get us more drinks" and moved towards the bar straight for Oren. The aggressive route usually turned out for her. She couldn't help but pause and stare at him however, as if to tell him he'd made a huge mistake without verbalizing it.

Then she moved even closer and sat on Oren's lap if he did not push her. Even if he did push her, or try to stop her, she'd still get exactly what she wanted out of this situation. She'd lean in, placing a hand on his face exactly where she knew would be the most uncomfortable, leaned in and kissed him. No words, just her lips against his, the taste of his breath against hers, the feeling of his body against hers.

Becken noticed this instantly, walking over to Lilith, grabbing her arm and pulling her away aggressively, no matter where she was at this point. "Who the kark are you?" he asked Oren, clearly pissed. His intoxicated "prize" for the night was not his ire since he assumed she couldn't think for herself, but this man who dared to touch his prize? That was a different story.

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren felt something through the force, a familiarity that he hadn't felt in two years. He was a little older now, though his face bore a few more wrinkles than she most likely remembered. He watch a streak of red move towards his direction, the fabric of her dress shaping around her cures as she walked.

With each step she took it seemed time had been moving slower, until the point she reached his lap it seemed it was only the two of them in the galaxy at that point. He felt her lean in, her pale slender fingers running up against the pits and divots of his right cheek, the same scars that she had caused all those years ago.

Whether it was an instinct or the few glasses of Gin he had drank before hand, it seemed his active decision making skills had been limited. His hands would move towards her waist, hugging up and around her waist as she pressed her body against his own as her lips met his own. His eyes closed as he leaned into it for a few moments, unsure of why he did so.

"Who the kark are you?"

Oren's eyes would open to catch the mob boss he had been investigating pulling Lilith away from his lap, his eyes sharp and face steaming red with emotion. The Jedi Master would simply raise his hands, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "I'm wondering the same thing," he'd say with a smile, looking towards the woman before turning back to the mob boss, "This is awkward..but, I'm Jex Nazier, journalist with the Nar Shaddaa Inquirer, you're Becken Tharsh, correct?" He'd raise from his seat, holding out his mechanical hand towards the man, "I'd understand, given what just transpired, but would you be willing to answer a few questions I have for a piece?" All he needed was a recorded confession, and the rangers would be able to nab him once he returned to the core worlds.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Lilith was unsure why the Jedi had just... allowed her to kiss him, and even kissed back. She could still feel the warmth from his arm around her waist. She hadn't asserted the Dark Side over him, but perhaps the why was something she shouldn't dwell on now. It could be all together unimportant; it seemed the Jedi had his own training in deception, which almost impressed her, but he was still a stupid idiot to her.

Becken grinned at the Jedi's words, but in a way akin to a darksider. "Sure fella, come to my room at 11PM sharp and you'll get your interview." The mob boss chuckled and turned around, dragging Lilith with him. Of course, she allowed him to do so. She turned her focus away from the Jedi for the time being, knowing that Becken's body guards wouldn't allow the Jedi to get close before the meeting.

But Lilith could not leave the matter alone for too long, because that was who she was. After awhile, while Becken was busy chatting about some sports and placing bets, Lilith excused herself. She walked past Beckens bodyguards, looked over to see if she could catch Oren's glace before leaving the bar. If he caught her glance it'd be completely up to him if he followed.

She'd lead him up a flight of stairs if he did, making sure to keep a distance and if he talked, she'd completely ignore him. It wouldn't be until she got to the privacy of her hotel room that she'd finally speak. "Leave," she said, a single word in almost a demanding voice. She knew the logical thing would be to kill him, or allow him to get himself killed by going to that stupid meeting, but she simply couldn't help give him a chance.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren might have been clueless at one point his life, but two years in the detainment center would sharpen your skills when it came to dealing with criminals, he technically was one himself, so when Becken grinned his foolish smirk, Oren knew his very intention at that moment. The Mob boss was by all accounts a despicable person, he was responsible for countless human trafficking rings within the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim. It was said wherever his smile turned, countless women would vanish into the night.

He could feel Lilith, and the strange look she had given him, but she wasn't her self at that moment, he could smell the spice and the drinks when they lips were pressed together. The Mob boss didn't know what he was getting himself into, but Oren sure did. Things would have most likely been grave if she was just some normal girl, and he would most likely survive--but, the Master knew that if Becken tried something, he wouldn't live to tell the tale. I need to do something, for the two of them.

He watched as the mobster and the girl turned away and headed back to their table as he sat back at the bar. The bartender would slide him his drink, as he raised a brow, as if he had seen it countless times before. But, Oren said nothing and instead down his glass as he watched some random game that was playing on the screens above the bar. He could feel her eyes peering towards his back, and he would turn to see her gaze, and he instinctively got up to follow. Heh..maybe I am really stupid.

He would slide a few credits onto the table, his gaze peering towards the mobster before following her out into the lobby, and up the stairs--the silence filling the tension of the room and it all. He would be lead through a hall of doors, trailing only a few feet behind the woman as she walked. Her door would open and he would enter, her room, he could see the bed and the view that looked over the hopeless city, and in front of it all was her.

"Leave."

He could feel the power behind her words, echoing the same sentiment he had heard two years prior. It hadn't been his intention to see her, but it seemed the force had drawn them back together for some reason. "I wasn't tracking you," he said in a soft voice, as he looked over the young woman with a somber eye.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

The young Sith stirred when he said he wasn't tracking her. She turned around on her heels, grabbed a vase by the door with the Force and smashed it into the wall near him. "YOU IDIOT! THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" The vase smashed into a million pieces, the sound of the glass settling to a stop filled the air between them for a handful of heartbeats. Perhaps someone would hear it, but the hotel was made for millionaires and so the walls weren't thin.

Lilith tried to calm herself, sitting down on her bed and cradling her head. "You're going to go back and report this sighting to your Order," she started, clenching her teeth together and digging her fingers painfully into her head for how stupid she was about to be. "If you don't leave now, I'll have to kill you. That or Becken will do the job for me."

She sighed, regretting using the Force to help the spice along in this moment. It wouldn't hurt to be a lot less sober in this clear moment of weakness and stupidity. For a second she fought against it, but resisting wasn't one of her strengths, and so she grabbed for the drawer on the dresser near her bed. A bottle of pills clattered against the side of the drawer as she picked it up and popped it open, throwing one pill at the Jedi Master—in hopes it'd hit him— before grabbing a glass of water off the dresser for herself.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

The Jedi's face didn't flinch as the vase went zooming past the side of his face with a loud thunderous crack. He could hear the pieces slide across the marble flooring of the room, a thousand little pieces broken and separate. That's how he felt his life had been, a few times in his life--broken and unrepeatable, but he hadn't given up, and he hoped she wouldn't either.

To him this was more than becoming a Jedi or finding the lightside of the force, it was about helping someone that seriously needed a lending hand, to show them that someone gave a damn about who they were. He wasn't even sure why he had put some much effort into this, most of his Jedi brothers and sisters would have struck her down by now, but here he was in a hotel room with a girl that burned his face and left him half-blind, and he wouldn't change a single thing about it.

He could feel her tension, the pain radiating from her body would rattle his lightside core, as he took a deep breath, as she commanded him to report the issue back to the Order and that she would have to kill him, her fingers pressing against her skull. He'd take a deep gentle breath, as he centered himself, ignoring the order and his own ties, everything. But, as he did so, he felt a small little poke against his blind eye, which caused him to lose focus.

He'd peer down to see a small pill laying in front of his feet. He would slowly approach, his toned prison body shifting with each step. "This isn't about the order, or me preaching to you." He'd say in a soft tone as he attempted to sit at the end of the bed, a few feet away, giving her space.

If she would allow it, he'd continue with his words, "I just want to make sure you're okay, you can talk to me." A small smile forming on his lips, as the markings on his face glowed a gentle pink, "That was a good shot." He'd peer back towards the pill on the ground.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Lilith popped her pill and drank down the entire glass of water, sensing him getting closer but not stopping him. By the time she lowered her glass, he was at the end of her bed. She shot him a glare and looked away. "But this is about your Order. Why would I talk to you when I know everything will get back to them?" she hissed.

She wanted to believe that he just wanted to make sure she was okay, that he wasn't just here to make her open up so he could report everything, but how could she? All he'd done up until now was preach to her, tell her to turn herself in and imply that she could be saved.

And it was all a lie; Talak had made that clear. The Jedi would never accept her even if that was something she actually wanted, because she was a slicer, murderer and criminal. How could she turn to the light with no guidance? There was no hope for her.

Lilith slammed her empty glass down on the dresser, but that was when he said something about a good shot. She looked at him for a second, blinked and smiled slightly from the shock of the joke, but turned away in hopes he didn't notice it. That joke had caught her off guard, but all she answered with was, "Do you have brain damage or something from what I did? You've sat on the bed of someone who just said they'd kill you."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren had no intention on telling the council about his meeting with her or her master, he knew the judgements and actions and fervor that would be generated by anything he gathered would destroy any good will that he had tried to build with the two of them, specifically with Lilith, he wouldn't risk their safety by reporting any information. A soft sigh would escape his lips, as he caught the soft smile escape the woman's lips, but acted as if he saw nothing. She has appearances to keep up after all.

After a few moments he would turn towards the girl, a wide smile forming on his face, even after years in prison he would still seem youthful as all getup. "Brain Damage.." He would raise a brow slightly, as he tapped his mechanical hand against the pit of his chin, "Well..I did hit my head pretty hard on my fall, so maybe I do," he would let out an infectious laughter, something which he hadn't done in a long while. It felt good to be there, with her, everything else seemed to matter little at that moment. He didn't have much to add, he would let the quietness and closeness between the two of them do the speaking.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

His laughter was stupid. He was stupid, but maybe she was stupid too because no matter how much she fought against it she also laughed. Her laugh was soft however, nothing close to his. She found light in the joke but everything always weighed on her. It made it impossible to truly enjoy anything.

She also felt the weight of the additional spice hit her. Her body already felt warm, in a blanket of spice, and this only added to the heaviness of it. Lilith sighed after a second, realizing that maybe she couldn't scare him off. Had he seen through her lies? She actually wanted to kill him, but she wasn't sure she had it in her.

"You're stupid. And the worst Jedi I've ever encountered. And your order should kick you out. And your order is stupid. And I hate your guts," she said, crossing her arms and spitting out everything that she could at him.

"But if you wont karking leave..." Lilith went up to the end of the bed, slipping a few of her fingers down the front of his shirts collar and pulling him forward as hard as she could so he'd fall on the bed. Since she was much smaller than him, she had to use the Force to bolster her strength, otherwise he wouldn't go anywhere. It wasn't like she wouldn't make this as aggressive as she could possibly make it anyway. "Then at least be useful to me for once."

If he didn't fight it, she'd curl up beside him after. Both her hands grabbing a handful of his shirt and her head burying into his chest near his neck. He was the only person in the galaxy she felt comfortable being physically close to, even if she didn't want to admit it—not even to herself. She didn't mind the smell of him either, and his warmth was better than any spice could provide. Lilith sighed again, muttering how stupid he was.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

His heart raced as he felt her slender hands pull into his shirt, wrapping around his broad chest as he was pushed towards the bed. His lone eye peered towards the woman half his age, as his hand slightly trembled for a moment, he thought of Nash for a moment and their time on Rishi, as well as the rest of his order, and The Rain. You're always carrying this burden alone, trying to help everyone all the time... The Cathar's words would echo through his mind as he wrapped his hands around her shoulders. He had never done something like this, and he knew he couldn't.

"We can't," he'd say in a gentle voice as he felt her hover over top of him, her head burying into his chest. "I care about you, but I can't do it like this...it wouldn't be fair to you or myself," he'd say in a heavy breath. She was around the same age as his own apprentice, and it felt wrong to do so. he would pull himself up from the bed, his mechanical hand attempting to raise her chin up to stare at him. "I'm seeing someone, someone that I care about deeply. I feel the same way with you, but it's different." She reminded him of his own student, and the care he felt for her, he'd do anything in the galaxy to help her if he needed--and the same was extended to Lilith if she'd accept.

"I want to be there for you, to listen to your problems, and to help you with your past..If you'll let me." He'd sigh, "This isn't about the Force, or politics or any of that nonsense for me."

He could hear the knocking on the door, and the sound of Becken muffled. "Hey baby, you in there...open up."

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

The fact he didn't want to provide her warmth and comfort was not surprising, but she had at least gotten a few moments of it which was more than she could've wished for. She was satisfied with that bit she'd managed to steal, though his words made her frown.

"I can't, what did you not understand before?" She sighed. "What if what I tell you is ripped out of your mind? What if someone changes your mind about your misguided..." She looked up at him, could she even say the word? Despite not sensing he was lying, senses weren't perfect. Greater Force users died by having their senses tricked. "Whatever this is," she finally added. If he didn't already realize that her paranoia ran deep, then he'd learn it now.

Then she was reminded of something, and she gave him a glare. If he truly cared or not, it wouldn't excuse what she'd learned either. "And I know you lied to me before. My master made it clear that I cannot be saved. What's stopping you from lying about this too?"

Before they finished their conversation, she heard knocking and Becken's muffled voice. She thought he'd holocalll her first, but this provided her an opportunity. One she wasn't deeply happy with, but the correct one and she knew it. Lilith reached out with the Force and the door slid open with Becken standing there, staring at the scene of this reporter on the bed of the women he considered his property.

"That's it, I'm done with you," the mobster growled, stepping into the room, grabbing his blaster and leveling it at the "reporter". "Grab her," he added. His bodyguards nodded and went up to the bed to yank Lilith off. Of course, she wouldn't resist, not yet.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

He had expected her answer and response to the situation. Her master had abused her and damaged her, and filled her mind with paranoia and fear, it isolated her from everyone, but his own bidding. It was a tragic situation, one that would take years of guidance to make a dent, and a lifetime to maintain. He wouldn't give up on her, even if she tried to get him killed or hurt every single time. But, he didn't have time to say anything.

He watched and as expected she'd open the door with the force, allowing the gangsters to storm into the room. Oren would raise slightly from the bed, as he saw the gun raised towards his head. He wasn't sure what the girl had in mind, was she trying to get him killed--probably. Or was she trying to prove a point to him, to get him to break his code?

His hands were raised slightly, as he eyed the reporter with his lone eye. His fingers would tingle slightly, as he called out through the force, "You don't want to do this.." If the suggestion worked, he would follow it up, "You want to head to the Core Worlds Immediately..."His eye would shift towards Lilith, hopefully she would give him a shot to show her that there were other ways of defeating criminals.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Lilith felt a streak of anger as the Jedi sent Becken away. A lot of people were stubborn, but it didn't mean they all had training to fight against mind tricks. Obviously Becken had had no encounters with Force users yet and he wasn't as bull headed as he looked, and so the mobster said to ignore his orders and walked out of the room. His minions looked at each other confused but followed their boss out.

"WHY?!" Lilith screamed, "You've just wasted my time! There's no way the core worlds have anything on him, and even if they do there's a chance he'll go somewhere they'll never find him" she growled. What a complete waste, she thought; the words churning in her mind over and over.

The idea of chasing Becken came to her, but even if the Jedi was weaker than her, he'd still be able to waste a lot of her time. It was likely he'd be able to waste enough to let Becken go. She'd have to track the man down later, once the Jedi left.

She grabbed the empty glass off her dresser and chucked it at Oren's head as hard as she could. "IDIOT!" she screamed, pushing herself up against the front of the bed after to lean her back against. "Now both our times have been wasted. Mine with Becken and yours with me..." she added, cradling her head because she felt more comfortable when her face was somewhat hidden.

The Jedi hadn't even said much. He babbled on about her being able to talk to him, but she couldn't. Of course... it was not lost on her that he hadn't attacked, or that she felt...somewhat comfortable near him but it still felt pointless. Why did it matter if she felt that way near him? What good would it do for her?

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Lilith had a habhit of throwing things across the room, mainly in his direction. So when the gangster and his men left, he knew all to well what was about to come. He tried to step out of the way, but felt it hit across the side of his head with a thud, before falling to the ground and breaking. His heand rung slightly and he felt blood dripping down the side of his head, though it wasn't anything too serious. He'd wince slightly, as he listened to her yell and scream.

"Have some faith," he'd smirk, "We're still going to get that scumbag," he'd say in a gentle tone, "You have his keycard, correct?" If she did, he would motion her out into the hall and towards the direction of his room. "I got a tip off, that he was working a sale for a buyer in Corellia, if we can nab the time and exact location, I can relay it to Rangers..and they can take him in peacefully." He would wait for her to open the door.

"There are multiple ways to take down bad guys, and by taking him in alive, the Rangers can get access to contacts, names, and other rings..we kill him, and all that information is lost."

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

His answer actually made her perk up. "That's..." she started but trailed off. That's an idea, she thought instead. She reached into her bra—a not too uncommon place to store things when a woman didn't have pockets—and pulled out a keycard.

Lilith got up from the bed, completely ignoring that she'd actually managed to hit Oren and walked past him. Once out in the hallway she went quiet again, because she wasn't about to risk people overhearing them. She slid the keycard over the door panel and it beeped, hissing opening for them. She could've sliced through the thing too, but that'd be risky since people did come up and down these hallways without warning.

Once they got into the room she started to rifle through it, almost frantically until she finally found a datapad. She held it up so Oren would see, but her grip on it was iron tight, and finally she spoke again, "I don't think your plan is that good." It'd seem like it'd come out of nowhere, but it was something she'd almost instantly thought of. It just took her some time to decide to say something to him, and she wanted the datapad in her hand first. "The rangers may not be able to get any information out of him. I could rip it all out, then kill him and every single person involved. More lives would be saved that way."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren would peer towards the datapad, and then towards the woman. It seemed she didn't like to make things easy for the man. But, being a Jedi wasn't easy. Is this what you saw in store for me Master..running through hotels trying to save people that might not even want to be saved? He'd smirk softly as he thought of the little Chadra-fan. I miss you..

"You never think anything I say is good," he'd retort with some wit as he found himself at least comfortable enough to display some of his more eccentric humor. "So why start now?"

He listened to her as she questioned on whether or not the Rangers could even manage to get anything out of the man. "Well, even if they weren't able to, they could seize warrants for all of his legal front businesses and his homes..are you going to kill innocent people in an office, all because their boss hides information on a random Data-chip there? And by killing him and everyone involved, how does that help those women get home? Are you going to spend the credits to find their IDs, to find families, get them in treatment centers or are you going to kill the men and leave them to fend for themselves?" He wasn't trying to be mean, but provide a broader picture.

tag: @Dread

 

[Lilith Vye]

Lilith thought on his words for a second. He wasn't... wrong. For once in their entire history. Right now she was powerless in government matters, but it might not be forever. She and her master were still working towards an Empire.

Though she paused for a handful of seconds. Maybe she was a bit young to rule? She had just been one upped by information that maybe she... should've already known. She thought on it for a second but ultimately shrugged, many Empire's had young people in positions of authority.

After clearly being in thought for short time, Lilith grabbed a datachip from her bra, plugged it into the datapad and downloaded the information. That is, unless the Jedi decided to stop her. It wouldn't take long so afterwards she tossed the datapad on the ground to Oren's feet. "Fine, have your government deal with this then."

She had the information in case the rangers slipped up, and the job was done so Lilith simply walked past the Jedi out of the room. A tiny part of her wanted to stay to question him, to probe him about his thoughts just as her master did to her, but another part told her it was pointless. She sighed and started to walk down the hallway. "Let's not meet again."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

Oren watched as the girl contemplated his words, but wasn't quite aware of what exactly it was. She was an enigma to him, while she seemed conflicted, he wasn't quite sure where she stood. He watched as she made her decision, and began to download the files onto her own chip, before she dropped the datapad towards his feet.

He would snatch it up as she began to make towards the door. He wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if it was even worth doing so at this time, so instead he simply watched with a slight frown. "Let's not meet again," her words rung through the air, leaving him with a pit in his stomach.

He would take a heavy breath as he felt out with the force, and if she was open to it, she'd hear a gentle message, We tried that before...see you around kid. He would open his eyes as he looked towards the pad. He managed to avoid bloodshed today, and possibly even get a message across to The Rain. He would step out of the room--he had a few calls he needed to make.

/END

tag: @Dread