Post Date Interview: Solone Wren

[The Storyteller]

Serenno – immediately following the latest results announcement​

Titus Fez lounged in the dressing room, leg folded over the other, as he read the latest tabloid. Once again, his stunning performance during last week’s interview was omitted. He frowned and shook his head, tutting to himself. These critics wouldn’t know true talent if it came and bit them in the as-

A loud knock on the door cut his thought short. With an exasperated sigh, he waved to the attendant droid to open the door and let in whomever was disturbing his alone time. The underpaid (read: entirely unpaid) intern beckoned to him that it was time to go on stage for this week’s interview. He flopped into the cushioned chair and faced away from the cameras, counting in his head for the perfect moment. The lights cut on and he slowly, dramatically turned the chair around to face the cameras. He smiled to an imaginary audience, waving to the sounds of clapping audio clips. His teeth shined with a brilliant white sheen and his makeup was absolutely perfect, as was his well-coifed hair.

”Emperor Rask still hasn’t found true love,” he began, the smile on his face shifting into a deep, well-practiced frown. ”And, unfortunately, his list grows shorter and shorter.”

”Tonight, we’ll talk to this week’s loser about what went wrong and how she failed to snag the Emperor’s heart.” He rose and gestured dramatically to the side of the stage, where Solone would promptly be shoved into the light and the full view of the cameras broadcasting to the entire galaxy. ”Ladies and gentlemen, the Keeper from Krownest, the Wondrous Mandalorian Marauder and this week’s fabulous failure: Solone Wren!”

Solone’s entrance was accompanied by more clapping clips, and even Titus joined in, albeit far more slowly and solemnly. When Solone approached and took a seat, he would follow suit. Crossing one leg over the other, he looked Solone in her eyes before he spoke. ”Solone,” he began, rhythmically drumming against his leg with his fingers, ”This must be devastating for you. Please, tell us what’s going on in your mind. We’re dying to know.”

@GABA

 

[Solone Wren]

It was a let down, but at the same time almost relieving that she didn't make it to the next round, if the cameras and eyes were nearly as bad as the show itself on a regular basis, she wasn't sure how she could handle such fame and spotlight while being the Emperor's girlfriend. However, from what she had heard, rumors from people on the set that this may have been an upset and she had a fairly good following. It is what it was and she had known by now she would be branded dar'manda by this stunt she pulled off on getting a date, albeit disastrous with the Emperor of the Sith.

She stood ready on the side of the stage where the host was preparing for the show to start, a follow up to rub in how she lost to the other women so far, but this was the holo, she knew how to play this game as she waited for the cue. Someone came by and powdered her face, carefully making sure the dark make-up didn't stain her white dress as the lights changed, the music played and the host begun the show. There was hard shove from behind her as someone didn't think she would move fast enough, but luckily, she took it in grace as she entered the stage with a smile, walking over to the seats where Titus stood and seated himself once she had done so. He began digging into details immediately and she watched him, waiting for him to finish speaking before she took her turn.

Solone placed a hand over her heart, "It has been ever so devastating, Titus. Us Mandalorians live and die for battle, for war, and I thought love was one battle I could win with the Emperor, but it seems I am not worthy for him." she spoke, her basic was heavy with an accent, bowing her head slightly before looking back at Titus, "A shame really."

@Painus

 

[The Storyteller]

Titus kept his legs crossed as he watched Solone speak, his eyes trained on her with practiced (and well-rehearsed) grace. He was a television personality; this was his job and dang it, he was going to be big after this show was over. Solone’s voice was thick with accent, and Titus had to spend a little more effort than he wanted to understand her, but he was no stranger to foreign dialects. Even though his own accent was stripped away by years of practicing a neutral, easy-to-understand tone, he still held a great appreciation for the way people sounded. That, and everyone loved an exotic person. It made ratings go up, up, up.

He mirrored Solone’s body language and placed a hand over his own heart, frowning deeply in response to her disappointment. ”A shame indeed,” he said when it was his cue to begin speaking again, ”Personally, you were one of my favorite contestants. Alas, the people have spoken, and now you get to explain why you did the things you did for us.” With that, he gestured towards the large screen behind them, and a clip from Solone’s date with the Emperor began to play.

On the screen, Solone paced around nervously as she waited for the Emperor to arrive. Fidgeting with her bracelet, walking back and forth stiffly. She looked extremely awkward and hilariously uncomfortable, eliciting some laughs from the audio clip to emphasize that it was funny. When the clip had finished, Titus turned back to Solone and smiled. ”What was going through your head when you decided to come onto this show? Surely you should know that your people have likely exiled you by now, so why were you so nervous to meet the Emperor? Is he that scary to you, because I thought Mandalorians feared nothing?”

@GABA

 

[Solone Wren]

Solone gave a small smile as Titus told her that she was one of her favorite contestants and thanked him, but let him continue on with speaking as she rested her hands back in her lap as he turned the attention to scenes from the show. The Mandalorian woman turned slightly to watch the clip, easily remembering how she felt during that point in time as the whole situation was very hard to forget; there was a laugh clip while she paced and she turned to look at Titus when he brought questions, inquiring what she was thinking about during this time and leading up to it.

"Well, Titus, I came on this show for two reasons, my first, of course was to explore my options, you see Mandalorians, we don't necessarily 'date' as we do decide our partners by their prowess in battle. This," she gestured to the clip, "This was something new, different, and clearly not well taken by my family, but Mandalorians, we're theatrical, they'll get over it." she smirked, but she knew they wouldn't get over it and it would mean likely death if she ever returned to her homeworld. She was unsure how she really felt about that, nor was it in her nature to decide how she felt about.

"Second, I did this to better know the Emperor. I wasn't fearful in meeting him, as I was more nervous about being without my armor. We live in our beskar'gam, we die in it, but I'm getting used to civilian clothing," she motioned to her current white dress, "Now, I understand why Imperial women have such a hard time choosing what to wear." she laughed and a laugh clip was added as she cupped her own cheeks for a moment, feeling slightly bashful about admitting that on the holo-interview. She shifted in her seat, leaning forward some, "But, Titus, with how that date went, I wish I did have my beskar'gam." she told him.

@Painus

 

[The Storyteller]

Titus continued to remain silent as Solone spoke, nodding along knowingly as she explained her reasons for wanting to be on the show. She was exploring her options? Huh, well, he supposed that the mortal enemy of the Mandalorians was certainly the furthest option she could have picked to shack up with. Of all the contestants, she was certainly the biggest wild card and surprise entry. The others were varying degrees of edgy Sith or otherwise unremarkable, but someone whose leaders had, in the previous months, assassinated the last Emperor? That drew crowds and made ratings spike.

”Theatrical, huh?” he said, raising his brows quizzically, ”Yeah, they’re sure theatrical at burning Sith worlds, aren’t they?” A laugh clip played, though Titus simply cleared this throat to continue speaking. ”So you’re telling me you’ve never shacked up with another Mandalorian? Not good enough in battle to get a partner for a little lovin’?” He paused to allow her to answer his question before following it up with another one, ready to ramp things up and get some melodrama going.

Before he asked his second question though, he gestured towards the big screen again. ”Well, let’s take a look at why you wished you had your armor, shall we?” The screen opened up to the two zooming along in the speeder when suddenly the camera shakily focused on the rancor they had been watching. The beast roared and charged towards the speeder, eliciting a gasp clip to play. The screen paused there and Titus turned to look back at Solone.

”You know, Solone,” he continued once she had finished, ”I really gotta ask – why did you leave behind your armor? You all live and die in it, so does that mean you’re not a Mandalorian anymore? How does that work; how do you think your leaders would react?” He smiled at her for a moment before continuing, ”And how the heck do you prepare to face a rancor without any gear?”

@GABA

 

[Solone Wren]

She gave an forced smirk when he commented about the theatrics of the Mandalorian conquering of Sith worlds, but he continued, inquiring if she ever did get with one of her own and as much as she tried not to let that question eat at her, it did. The woman smirked, glancing away, pretending to have to think on it, when really, she knew who she had chased after, and she knew she would never be worthy of them, the echos of her elders scolding her for even given thought to those she had sought. Family was an important tenant in her clan, the pressures were there and when she did not meet them, or embarrassingly never made the right moves. "Well, lets just say, I have not seen enough battle to even have just a little bit of lovin'."

Once she answered, her attention was turned to the screen, the holo-clip displaying the moment the rancor had discovered the intruders and started to chase after them, even then, it caused the Mandalorian to grimace. She turned to look at Titus as he continued the interview, asking about her armor, her smile returned though, nodding as she took in all the questions he spilled to her in this odd situation.

"Titus, I will admit, when I learned I would be on the show, I watched an extensive amount of holo-romcoms and romances...and none of those women were wearing armor...and I doubted the Emperor would want to have a date on the battle field...I think," she paused in her own thoughts, wondering how that would even go over on the holo. "It definitely would not be for families..if it were." she smiled, and a laugh track followed, "But! Its nice not having people stare at me in anger or fear when I wear it. This," she gestured to what she was wearing, "Works just fine, and as for my leaders, Titus," Solone gave an exaggerated shrug, "I doubt they even knew who I was before this show."

She turned her attention back to the screen, the clip on repeat of the last few seconds of the rancor charging at the group, "How the heck does one prepare for angered rancor?!" she repeated the question, it sounded more fascinating in her accented tone, "I was worried, not only for my well being, but for the safety of Varyn and the others, but I am glad we got away from the creature in the little damage as we did."

@Painus