Ask Kaas Afternoons

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri wasn’t going to admit how long she had mulled over the message on her NalPhone before eventually pressing ‘send’ and inviting Varyn out for the afternoon. Nor was she going to admit how much her face lit up when he replied back to confirm he would be there.

It had been weeks since they had returned from their mission on Korriban, and beyond briefly meeting during that party on Serenno, they hadn’t much of an opportunity to see each other since. She had spent countless hours pouring over that decrepit tome she had looted off the Sorcerer, her elevation to Champion and Altair’s liberation from New Alderaan had been at the forefront of her mind for days following.

Nevertheless, Vahliri had finally gotten some free time, and decided to reach out to Varyn once again. Unlike their past meetings, however, there was no underlying mission or objective behind it. Instead, the half-Annfyn hoped to simply spend some time with him - totally not a date - and suggested a coffee shop within the Eastern District of Kaas City.

Vahliri arrived a few minutes beforehand, snagging a table the moment she saw an opening. The half-Annfyn arrived at the coffee shop in her usual style - dressed in a long-sleeved crop-top and a pair of form-fitting jeans. Her black hair was pulled back into a half-up-half-down ponytail, while a few golden bracelets dangled loosely on her wrists.

She almost subconsciously lifted and ran a hand through her hair, tucking one of the loose strands behind her ear before glancing down at her commlink - scrolling across it while she waited for Varyn to arrive.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

So Varyn had very nearly come in Sith robes, but ultimately decided it probably wasn't going to be for the best. He didn't have a lot of fancy clothes, so he wore a pair of jeans, an open, button-down shirt with a black t-shirt underneath.

He'd not been to Dromuun Kaas since that fateful day that he'd helped blow up the academy. He tried not to think about that too much now. It was "in the past" as he said it, but he knew that wasn't true. He'd past the husked and demolished remains of the building on his way here.

But that wasn't his concern. He was here to meet Vahl, and that was a lot more fun. He hadn't had a lot of time to see her since they'd bumped into each other at the party.

He glanced down at his datapad to make sure he had the right direction and then looked up at the location. His gut was churning a little bit, and when he saw Vahl a moment later, it churned all the more. Wow, she looked really good...

He smiled and waved as he made his way over. Hey! Good to see you! You look great! he exclaimed, sliding in to take a seat across from her at the table.

 

[Darth Tempest]

A few minutes passed, and Vahliri largely spent that time scrolling through her Nalphone while she waited for the other Champion to arrive. She picked up on the sound of footsteps approaching and finally glanced up - amber eyes fixating on Varyn as he waved. Her lips immediately tugged up towards that sideways smile and expression brightening.

Before Varyn could slip into a seat or she could second guess herself, Vahliri rose up from her own and stepped forward to meet him - pulling the fellow Champion into a tight - albeit brief - hug, giving him a good squeeze before releasing. “It’s good to see you,” She said, lingering there for a moment before sliding back into the seat across from him.

“You think so? Her lips tugged visibly wider at the compliment from Varyn, unable to help the bit “Way better than the armor,” She added, gaze lingering on the button-down he wore for a few moments.

She glanced to the side just then, spotting a waitress that had noted them and began to make her way over to take their order. Vahliri looked back to Varyn in the meantime, “How have you been since the party, Champion Atrix?” She said playfully alongside a bit of a nudge with her arm across the table, fully aware of his recent elevation to Champion. “Congratulations, by the way.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

He was pleasantly surprised when she stood to hug him, and he returned it with a firm squeeze of his own before releasing her. His smile was even brighter now as he slipped into his chair.

Hey, that armor is sexy. I mean, have you seen it?! he said with a laugh. It did look good, though the helmet didn't exactly do any favors for his hair.

And to you, Champion... he frowned momentarily ...you know, I don't actually know what your last name is, he said. They really hadn't known one another that long, so it wasn't all that preposterous.

But like, congratulations anyway, he said with a snicker. I guess Master Andoral thought we did a good enough job, he said. Did your scars heal up? he asked, suddenly thinking about looking at those scars... he shouldn't have been, and his mind pulled out of that after the most fleeting of moments.

The waitress arrived a moment later and Varyn let her order before ordering a caramel latte for himself.

So you spend most of your time out here on Kaas? he asked. I haven't spent much time here, anything good to do? he asked.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri’s smile grew wide when Varyn went on to insist about the sexiness of his armor. There was the faintest twitch of the half-Annfyn’s fluted ears when Varyn began to laugh, and she couldn’t quite help the way she lingered on the sound - endearing in ways she didn’t realize it could be.

It didn’t take long for Vahliri herself to crack - giggling softly as she shook her head a bit. “Nah,” She said, glancing back to Varyn with a playful glint in her eye. “Maybe the guy wearing it, though.” She threw in a wink with that, her eyes lingering on his own for a long moment without an ounce of shame.

“Kahtal,” She said with a smirk - her voice slipping ever-so-slightly towards that natural Induparan accent as she spoke the surname. The half-Annfyn scoffed and shook her head a bit when he mentioned Lord Andoral. “I would fuckin’ hope so! After all the nonsense we had to deal with,” Her eyes narrowed a bit. “And I still don’t forgive you for the damn Hssiss showing up.” Despite the expression, her tone of voice and the way her lips twitched upwards indicated she wasn’t entirely serious.

Vahliri gestured down towards her ribs where the lightning had struck, grimacing a bit. “Not bad. Hurt worse than it scarred.” She offered him a bit of a smile, her gaze shifting to the waitress when the woman approached. The half-Annfyn ordered herself cappuccino before looking back to Varyn.

“Yeah, for the most part. Obviously because of the Academy..” An almost bitter shift in her voice just then. “..And since then I’ve been staying in temporary housing.” Of course, with her elevation to Champion and university decisions rapidly approaching, the half-Annfyn anticipated that would be changing before too long.

The grin returned to her face when Varyn asked his question, “Well lucky for you, I happen to be well acquainted with the place.” She pondered for a moment before speaking again. "Could do some exploring - see what looks fun." She tapped the table. “There is this new club in the eastern district we could hit up later,” She suggested. “Hear it’s pretty nice. Annndddd,” The half-Annfyn leaned forward across the table a bit. “I never did get a dance with you.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn wasn't sure, but he was pretty sure he blushed when she mentioned him being sexy. Having a girl like her this interested in him felt a little bit too good to be true. It is too good to be true, you idiot, she's a Sith and you're a Jedi, he reminded himself before promptly shoving that thought aside.

Um, excuse me. We didn't have any Hssiss show up, Miss... as he said the next part his voice went very high in a mocking tone, and he raised his hands up by his face Oh this is going to be so easy!

It was Sith that showed up, not Hssiss, he said, shaking his head in "disapproval."

He nodded as she mentioned housing, not really having any comment since he was going to come out and say "oh yeah, by the way, I opened the door for the guys who blew it up."

No, we didn't, which is a real shame, he said. Maybe we'll go to the club and... but his voice trailed off and his eyes got distant. He was suddenly very far away and he blinked several times, face becoming far more serious.

He was silent for several moments, staring blankly at the table before he looked up at her again.

I... I think something's wrong with my dad, he said. I'm sorry... you're great and I want to spend more time with you but... I need to go to Coruscant. I'm sorry... he said, pushing himself up. Getting to Coruscant alone was no easy task as either a Jedi or a Sith.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri groaned, her eyes narrowing upon Varyn as he continued to argue the point. “They were STILL trying to kill us, Var! Same damn difference!” She huffed, only to blink a few times as a realization dawned on her - brows furrowing at once.

“I do not sound like that!” She exclaimed, pointing her index finger at the fellow Champion. She flashed him a bewildered and entirely offended expression, which was promptly undercut by the way her lips seemed to crack upwards after all of two seconds.

She shook her head, giving an over-emphasized roll of her eyes. Nevertheless, the smile returned and a playful glint in her eyes followed when the topic turned to dancing. It was abundantly clear that it was something she loved - owing in no small part to her Induparan upbring - and the thought of dancing with him was something that has lingered on her mind far longer than it should have.

Before she could continue that part of the conversation, Vahliri stopped dead in her tracks - the words falling flat in her throat the moment that Varyn seemed to drift away from that moment. She didn’t miss the exceptionally serious look in his eyes, and it was an expression that caught the half-Annfyn entirely off guard.

“Varyn..?”

What the fellow Champion said next visible surprised her - honeyed eyes growing wide as she stared back at him. She didn’t question what the Champion had felt or how he had felt it, but she immediately didn’t doubt the seriousness behind whatever vision he had received. She watched as Varyn rose up from the table, a thousand thoughts racing in her mind with split-seconds of consideration.

Before Varyn could pass her end of the table, Vahliri abruptly seized his wrist - her fingers wrapping around his forearm and holding him in place. “Fine.” She said flatly, her tone entirely serious. “Then I’m coming with you.” It was a declaration of fact more than anything else - and the tone of her voice didn’t indicate she was leaving him much room to argue. Pugnacious and headstrong to her core, it was unlikely that arguing would get Varyn anywhere even if he tried.

She rose up out of her seat, staring directly at him. “Getting to Coruscant isn’t going to be easy, and if something is wrong..” She paused, shaking her head a bit. “I’m not letting you go it alone.”

The half-Annfyn jutted her chin back in the direction of the Starport. “So come on.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn's head was spinning as he all but stumbled away from the table. She caught his wrist and told him that she was coming with him, and for a moment he barely even heard her. He should have objected - his dad knew that he was a Jedi - and he didn't know what other information risked being found out if she went. He didn't know what kind of danger it would place his dad in, and at that moment, none of it even came to mind.

All he could think about was how to get back. How to get to Coruscant as a Sith. As a Jedi. Neither was allowed there now.

He finally looked back at her, and she would be able to see near-panic in his eyes. He'd lost his mom already, and his dad was the only person left in his life. Even if they rarely saw each other or talked, it was still his dad.

Vahl... he didn't even know what to say. I need a ship, he said after a moment, trying to steal his mind and failing.

He started walking immediately, following her motion toward the starport. He was a man on a mission, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

It can't be tied to the Empire, he said. Which also meant they needed a smuggler of sorts, and Varyn had no qualms about how to obtain one. Mind trick would be his preference.

 

[Darth Tempest]

In that moment, Vahliri really didn’t need to dig for information. She didn’t need to ask any questions or for Varyn to elaborate about what was going on. The half-Annfyn saw clearly enough the near-panic that was etched into the Champion’s expression and reflected in his eyes, and that was all she needed to know to get a move on. There was a renewed sense of urgency in her steps as she moved in the direction of the starport - weaving her way through the crowds of pedestrians that filtered towards the coffee shop they had just departed and all the other strip-mall stores that surrounded it. The half-Annfyn didn’t quite realize she hadn’t actually.. Released Varyn’s wrist yet, a woman on a mission and entirely new objective burning on her mind.

As she walked, the half-Annfyn pondered their options. While having no link to the Empire was obvious.. It also presented a multitude of challenges - striking off any vessel they might’ve had access to as members of the Sith Order, as well as Vahliri’s own personal ship with its Imperial tags. Perhaps they could’ve taken an Imperial ship into Consortium space - and she was confident her own connections on Indupar could score them a vessel for the Coruscant leg of their journey.. But it would take time. Time which she presumed Varyn didn’t have. It really only left them with one option.

“Dock D85. That is where most cargo vessels from the Corporate Sector land.. And everyone else trying to fly under the radar.” If they were going to find an unmarked vessel or a single smuggler on Kaas, that is where it would be.

Minutes passed before the pair finally reached their destination - and Vahliri’s gait didn’t slow the entire way. It was abundantly clear that her mind was made up on this and she was moving with purpose. As per usual at this hour, the spaceport was brimming with activity - various traders and imperial officers mulling about their business. While it meant that no one really paid them any heed, it also left them with the challenge of actually finding a vessel to transport them.

“Maybe..” She muttered, looking around for a moment or two, amber eyes scanning the assembly of ships before finally settling on one in particular. “There.” She jutted her chin - gesturing to one freighter in particular. From the looks of it, the ship had already been cleared by security and the serial number along the side indicated the vessel was coming from the Corporate Sector - and thus with no Imperial tags to be seen.

And then.. Vahliri spotted the owner of said ship, slowly making his way up the durasteel ramp. A Toydarian.

She grimaced, looking back at Varyn. “We won’t be able to influence him..” Her gaze lingered for a long moment, before proceeding to jut her chin towards the cargo compartment, still open for a few more minutes. It wouldn’t take long to piece together what she implied.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

The duo looked around the area for any ships that they could use. As they found a "target" Varyn reached up, rubbing his face with his hands. He took several deep breaths, finally using his brain rather than simply moving based on his emotions. He wasn't a very good Jedi, was he?

We're not threatening him. Or stealing it, he said, though the second part was said with a little bit less conviction. He stood there for a minute, looking at her face and knowing she wasn't having any of his objections.

Fine, but we're returning it! he said, pointing a finger at her. He didn't waste any more time after that. They were Sith, and the only actual sneaking they had to do was once they were walking aboard the ship.

They're going to try to shoot us down, and I'm not that great of a pilot, he pointed out. He hoped she was a better pilot. If she had a ship of her own, then he was hoping that would be a "yes."

He headed for the cockpit and slid into the passenger's seat, pulling up the navicomputer. We'll need to make a rapid jump before they can intercept or ion us, he said, his mind starting to transition to mission mode. Survival mode.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri listened as Varyn valiantly attempted to protest what they were about to do - though it only earned the fellow Champion a blank and unamused stare from the half-Annfyn. “Of course we aren’t going to kill him!” She exclaimed back at him, shaking her head. “I’m not going to risk my neck - or yours - to return the damn ship and get caught. Miss me with that shit.”

“Stop being porg-shit for like, two seconds.” Vahliri finally grabbed his wrist and tugged the other Champion along as they made a break for the ship’s cargo compartment. Even if they were Sith, Vahliri made a point to wait until they weren’t being watched before slipping inside - having no desire of being seen or recognized boarding, especially considering they were likely about to draw quite a bit of attention to their soon-to-be-stolen ship.

The moment she was aboard, Vahliri concerned herself with handling the Toydarian who was also aboard. It didn’t take long for her to intercept the man as he was moving through one of the ship’s narrow corridors. Almost at once, his eyes widened in shock upon seeing the half-Annfyn in civilian clothing. “The fuck!? What the hell do you think you’re–” Before the Toydarian could finish his sentence, Vahliri brushed her hand across the side of his skull - the Force flowing from her fingertips and coiling around his mind. Even if she couldn’t influence him through any mind trick, that didn’t prevent the half-Annfyn from knocking him unconscious.

The Toydarian fluttered his wings a few more times before slumping to the ground - listlessly drifting off to sleep. If Varyn didn’t actively help her do it, Vahliri would merely grab the pudgy dude by the ankles and drag him towards one of the three ship cabins. Once he was inside, Vahliri drew the lightsaber from her belt and swiped it across the key-panel for the door, locking the man within the room. With that out of the way, she finally found Varyn once more - blinking a few times when he admitted he wasn’t a fantastic pilot.

“I can fly it,” the half-Annfyn said confidently. Had those words from Vahliri been spoken in the presence of any of the AcoSquad, there likely would’ve been immediate uproar - but Varyn simply wasn’t privy to just how wild of a pilot the half-Annfyn was - not entirely different to how she piloted her speeders. Slipping into the pilot’s chair, Vahliri settled herself behind the controls and latched onto the steering. Within moments of the engines firing up, the half-Annfyn began to guide the ship out of the spaceport, careful and meticulous to slip out of the bay without hitting something.

Before proceeding to absolutely gun it.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Kill?! he exclaimed. I said we weren't going to threaten him, I guess I see where your mind's at, he said. They could fight over returning the ship later, and before anything else could be said, she was dragging him into grand theft freighter.

This really just wasn't much better. Before he could object again, she was assaulting the poor ship's owner, and he was helping her drag him into the room, searching him for any communication equipment or things that might let him control the ship. He tossed several things of food into the room with the unconscious body and they closed it.

Varyn felt terrible.

And then the memory of his dad came back, and he accepted that it was worth giving the poor man a bit of a headache.

He slid into the copilot's seat and started pulling up coordinates when she took off. Oh. Oh no. He'd forgotten. He'd forgotten how terrible of a pilot she was. Absolutely suicidal with the way she flew.

HOLY KRIFF, VAHL! he shouted, nearly thrown from his seat before slamming himself back into it and buckling up with not only the lap belt but the over-shoulder straps used in dogfighting as well.

He leaned forward, trying to reach the console to make the calculations for the jump.

A little more to the right, he instructed so they got the vector right, to which Vahl yanked the ship to the side like an absolute mad woman.

I SAID 'A LITTLE'! he said as ion fire slapped by on the edges of space behind them. On the bright side, no one was going to be able to predict where to fire to hit them because Vahl flew like she was on about fifteen crates worth of spice.

When he saw the right vector, he reached up and pulled the lever back. The stars turned to streaks as the ship leapt to hyperspace.

He let out a heavy sigh. Wow. Nevermind, I'll fly next time, he said.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri was more than happy to seize control of the ship controls as Varyn so kindly - maybe a bit unwisely - suggested. While the fellow Champion might’ve considered the half-Annfyn’s piloting skills to be suicidal, she was fully confident in her abilities - only reinforced by the fact that her daredevil tactics had actually led her to victory above Kashyyyk.

The fellow Champion might as well have been talking to a durasteel wall as he shouted in Vahliri’s fluted ears - though the shouting elicited the same irritated flick and flattening that often accompanied any loud noise in close quarters. Instead, her attention was fixed straight ahead as she flew the ship out of the spaceport and ‘skillfully’ away from incoming cannon fire.

A combination of zig-zagging through the air, banking to one side or the other and a unnecessary-but-totally-necessary roll made their stolen freighter incredibly difficult to hit - up until the precise moment that Varyn snagged the controls to make the jump into hyperspace.

It wasn’t until they were at least a minute or two into Hyperspace that Vahliri finally released the controls - engaging the auto-pilot as they traveled through the stars. The half-Annfyn glanced over at Varyn - taking note of his words, the lack of color in his face and the totally unnecessary belts he engaged to strap in like this was a fire-fight.

“What?! You said they were going to shoot at us - I made sure they didn’t hit us!” She said entirely serious. “Damn - not everybody flies like an old lady with arthritis, Varyn.” The half-Annfyn looked him dead in the eyes as she said it, making it abundantly clear what she thought of the fellow Champion’s skills behind the controls.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was glad they were in the smooth travel of hyperspace, not having to worry any longer about her insane flying. He was definitely taking the controls next time.

Not everybody flies like a crack-head who's been on a ten-day spice bender either, he said, equally deadpan and shook his head.

He started pawing through the transponders, making sure everything was in order for when they arrived on Coruscant. Fortunately, the peace treaty had made travel from the Empire to the Republic significantly easier for the average civilian... which they were pretending to be.

Coruscant, he thought to himself. He hadn't been home in several years now, and he barely even got to talk to his dad since he'd gone undercover. Now that they were in the peace of space, the thoughts came creeping into his mind. Including concerns about Varyn's real origin coming out to Vahl. He had to make sure that didn't happen.

After a few moments, he just sat back limply in his chair. He couldn't shake the call of the Force in the back of his mind or the cry that it held.

I don't know what we're going to find, but... I think it's going to be very bad, he warned. He couldn't sense his dad in the Force, but he told himself it was just that he was a galaxy away. He couldn't admit that he was probably lying to himself.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri continued to stare blankly at Varyn, her head tilting ever-so-slightly to the side when Varyn compared her to a crack-head. “I think what you’re trying to say is,” She cleared her throat, her voice suddenly twinged with both the best and worst Varyn accent she could muster, “Thank you Vahliri for flying us safely through Imperial artillery fire, actually hauling ass and getting us on the way to Coruscant”. Pretty sure that’s what you meant to say.” She said it entirely seriously.

With that, the half-Annfyn reclined back in the pilot’s seat. It would be hours of traveling through hyperspace, and everything up until the tail end of their journey wouldn’t require her to actively be manning the controls and meant that had an opportunity to relax a bit. Her amber eyes lingered out the viewport for a long moment - mind traveling to their destination ahead. Despite its galactic significance, she had never stepped foot on Corsucant - and where it not for the circumstances at hand, the half-Annfyn probably would’ve been looking forward to the opportunity.

She glanced back to Varyn when the fellow Champion spoke, her lips tugging downward at the words. Vahliri was silent for a long moment after that - not entirely what to say in response or what would bring the Champion any measure of comfort in that moment - especially as she didn’t know exactly what it was he felt in the first place. After a pause, the half-Annfyn reached forth and placed a hand on Varyn’s shoulder - giving it a firm squeeze as she looked at him. “We don’t know what we’ll find until we get there.. We shouldn’t make any assumptions.”

Vahliri rose up from her seat, smiling faintly down at him. “We have hours until we get there.. Should try to relax a bit, at least until we get there.” The half-Annfyn jutted her chin out of the cockpit, hoping to get Varyn to take his mind off things at least momentarily. “Come on. See if there is anything stocked in the kitchens.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn nodded as she mentioned he shouldn't assume the worst. What was she supposed to say? It wasn't fair for him to put that on her, after all. She hadn't signed up for this, she'd wanted to go to a coffee date, not steal a ship, fly to a hostile world, and comfort someone whose father was probably dead.

Even that final thought made a lump rise in his throat. There was no way to avoid the fact that this was the same feeling he had had the night his mom died.

Yeah, let's go check it out, he said. He couldn't deny that her touch on his shoulder, small as it may have been, was an encouragement. It made him feel not quite so alone in this whole mess.

Thanks for coming along, Vahl, he said after a moment, standing and heading after her toward the kitchen area. He pawed through the refrigerator and pulled out a soda, cracking the lid and draining down the start of the can.

Well, maybe I can show you around Coruscant, he said. Not that they were going to be particularly welcome there as Sith, but that didn't matter. They could just be two teenagers out for a good time.

Although... where I'm from you might not want to hang out, he added after a moment. He wasn't from the upper layers of the city or even from the surface. Level 498 wasn't as bad as some of the lower levels, but it certainly wasn't "nice" by anyone's stretch of the imagination.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri glanced back at Varyn when the fellow Champion abruptly thanked her for coming along. The words were enough for the half-Annfyn to pause in the corridor leading to the kitchen, amber eyes fixing onto him for just a moment. Despite whatever she might’ve hoped for when she suggested going out for coffee, the half-Annfyn hadn’t hesitated in joining Varyn for the trip to Coruscant. The half-Annfyn decided at that moment she was going to be there for him, and whatever they found when they reached their destination, Vahliri would be there for that too. "Of course," She smiled at him, reaching over to his shoulder a squeeze.

With that, she continued along into the kitchen - gaze locking onto the fridge positioned against one of the walls. While Varyn grabbed himself a soda, the half-Annfyn began rifling around for anything that looked edible and not-too-old. In the end, she pulled out two sealed cups of fruit - tossing one to Varyn as she went on to open her own.

“I’d like that,” She smiled back at him. “Never been to Coruscant. Or any city-planet like it, really - except a few blocks walking around Taris.” She recalled that field trip with Tiamat that briefly brought her to Taris, something that felt like ages ago at this point.

She shook her head a bit. “Indupar isn’t like that at all. Even the big cities don’t have the same towering skyscrapers or urban sprawl.” The planet was known for its elegant and naturalistic culture, something that bled over prominently into its architectural styles as well.

“Oh?” She grinned back at him. “I think I could cut it.” The half-Annfyn took another bite of her fruit before waltzing over to the caf machine - opting to brew herself one considering she didn’t even get a chance to drink the one she ordered back on Kaas.

“Tell me what its like.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was surprised when she said she'd never been to an urban sprawl. Dromuund Kaas had some large cities, but he supposed it wasn't the same. Taris was definitely like Coruscant, though. Varyn had been right "at home" there and not always in the best ways.

Huh, I'm surprised. I pictured Indupar as this, industrious city world, he admitted. Apparently he had been dead wrong in that assessment. He caught the cup of fruit and peeled it open, taking a sip of the juices and chewing a few pieces of the sweetened, heavily preserved fruit.

I dunno, he said, shaking his head as she said she could cut it in the underworld of Coruscant. You richies never come down to visit, he said, making a tisk noise with his tongue.

It's... he said and paused. He didn't even know how to describe it. Nothing down there is big market. Everything's run by small timers just trying to scrape by. It means a lot of the local shops and restaurants, everyone knows you, he said.

You know, it's huge, but it almost has a small feel within... two or three blocks. But if you step outside your pocket, you can just keep going forever. Get lost. No one will know you and you become another face in the crowd about two blocks out from where you live, he said. It was an odd feeling and he hadn't been old enough when he joined the Jedi to have appreciated it for what it was and wasn't.

And it's always dark. Only artificial light down there, he said. Not to mention the spice addiction, crime, and general complete poverty. But those were the negatives he wouldn't focus on. It's like Taris Lower City if you've ever been there, he said. If she'd only briefly been to Taris he doubted it, but who knew.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but blink a few times when Varyn gave his description of Indupar, a smirk spreading across her lips before the half-Annfyn promptly shook her head. “Really? Couldn’t be farther from the truth.” She jabbed a few pieces of preserved fruit with her plastic fork, happily munching down her sweet snack. “I’ll have you know I visited the lower districts of Dahonis City all the time,” The half-Annfyn said with a huff - only to promptly blink a few times and narrow her eyes. “And I’ m not some richie!” She grumbled.

Despite her protests, the half-Annfyn listened intently when Varyn began to give his description of Coruscant and where he grew up - genuine interest in learning more about the fellow Champion bleeding in at that moment - leaning forward as he spoke. She couldn’t help but smile a bit when Varyn mentioned finding your own little pocket within such a large environment - a few blocks or less that truly felt like home.

“Just briefly. Only walked a few blocks there before leaving.” She said in response to his mention of Taris. They hadn’t lingered there for very long during that field trip, and truth be told Vahliri wasn't entirely sure what level they had even been on in the first place. After a few more moments, Vahliri poured two small cups of Caf from the pot - not really asking if Varyn wanted one but simply brewing it anyway. She grabbed a few packets of cream and sugar and walked back to where he was standing, extending the cup to him.

“Indupar is.. Beautiful. Pristine even in the biggest cities or the capital.” She leaned her lower back against the counter, nursing the cup in her hands. “No towering skyscrapers or overcrowded districts. Just the open-air plazas and gardens, the bustling medinas you can let lost in,” She smiled a bit. “Dahonis City has these lantern-lit canals that crisscross through the entire city, so you can get practically everywhere by boat. Used to watch the gondolas pass by my window when I was little.”

She shifted a bit where she was sitting. “I always loved to get out of the cities, though. Indupar is a tropical world, so it doesn’t really get cold like other places.” Of course, the humid and oftentime muggy climate didn’t come entirely without complaints. But it was the environment she grew up in and had grown accustomed to all her life. “Countryside is filled with rainforests and jungles. Chains of waterfalls that seem to go on for miles without end.”

“Nobles and the wealthy often build their vacations home out there - close enough that you can still hear the waterfalls raging outside your windows.”

She shrugged a bit. “It’s been a while since I’ve been back there.” The half-Annfyn smiled. “Maybe I’ll get to show you around some time.”

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn listened closely as she described what Indupar was like. He'd never been to a planet quite like that before. It sounded like what he always heard Naboo was like in the holomovies, but holos weren't the same as the real thing.

It sounds great, he said, taking the caf she had put out and taking a drink.

I'd like that, he said with a smile when she mentioned showing him around some time. He could tell that she missed it, and he couldn't blame her. It sounded great, it sounded like she had a great family, and it sounded like she was really happy. It seemed the Force had other plans for him in every way.

You could go back, you know? You're a Champion now. Lots more freedom to make your own path or whatever, he said. It was appealing. No rules or restrictions in place, just the chance to be or do whatever you want.

He heard a beeping from the cockpit, signaling they were approaching Coruscant and sent a glance back in that direction.

Remember, we're trying to be incognito here. No flying like a maniac, he said.