Ask Nar Shaddaa She's Poison but Tasty

[Param Vour]

The music played in the streets of Nar Shaddaa. It was live music, and a crowd had gathered in the courtyard of a relatively large commercial area. Param couldn't help but dance as she made her way along the outside walk-way. Hips swaying, whole body twirling, the works. The hood of her black, crop hoodie kept her face relatively hidden from onlookers, though her silver hair spilled out onto her chest. Loose grey sweat pants showed a very relaxed demeanor, while also accentuating just how fit she was.

She'd been through so much. Had it been months? A year? Param could hardly tell, and she didn't quite care. A new confidence had overcome her. Between her training as a Sith, and getting in touch with her echani roots on Eshan, there was a confidence in her not seen before. So much confidence in fact, she was on the Smuggler's Moon without a single weapon on her person. What did she need them for? She could turn a man into a pretzel with her hands, and deflect blaster bolts with them too.

Param made her way to a particular shop, the neon sign outside showing "Flowers and Seeds." Dancing through the door and up to the counter, a human woman came out from the back room. "Param! How's the garden!?" she asked excitedly.

"Hey Mel, It's great! Everything is growing real nice," Param answered, with a beaming smile. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter and her chin in her hands. Her hips still moved to the sound of the music outside. It'd be quite the show for anyone coming into the shop. "Got the message that my order came in?"

"Yeah! Let me go get it," Mel said, turning and heading back into the back room.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Ever since Kai almost died from creepervines while busting Flexo out, he was completely fascinated by the plants. He couldn’t think of a cooler defense mechanism around his assets. No one expected to get wrecked by a plant. It was ingenious. The problem was that Kai was as skilled at plants as he was with Force powers. The plant constantly died and he only managed to keep one alive for a few days where it almost bit his finger off.

He planted some seeds in a makeshift pot but needed plant-specific food and care to raise it. Flexo’s suggestion of giving it pizza just wasn’t going to cut it. This was all exactly why Kai found himself in the most unlikely shop ever - a garden store. He hardly paid any attention to the music and dancing outside. He had a job to run later that night and he wanted to get everything for his precious creepervine first.

Upon opening the door, Kai was greeted to the pleasant sight of a woman slightly bent over the counter. He stared only for a moment before looking towards the backroom as Mel was coming back out, “Mel! It died again!”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Mel was just out of the back room when the voice rang out. It was such a familiar voice. Param knew it. It sent a shiver up her spine, a stirring in her stomach like something with soft wings fluttering in it. She turned to face Kodi, her face contorted in a loose of astonishment and worry. What the hell was he doing here!? She thought she was over him, thought she was going to take the time to forget him. Should have known, that smirk, that eye, ears and tail, this boy wasn't that easy to forget.

"Ko-"

"Yeah, be there in a second Kodi!" Mel called, placing the box on the counter, bumping Param's arm. Param turned to the box, looking up at Mel with a confused look. She'd forgotten what she was there for. "Here's your order Param. Blossom tree, fruits, veggies, flowers, and some creepervine seeds."

"Uh... thanks," Param stammered, grabbing hold of the box, turning back to Kodi. She was about to ask what he was doing there, but Mel broke in, talking to him first.

"What have you been feeding it? Have you been watering it? Creepervines really aren't that hard, Kodi," Mel chastised. She pointed to Param. "She's even grown one in a climate it doesn't even grow in." Param felt her cheeks flush. Just throwing her under the speeder like that. Really Mel? Param stole a quick glance at Mel, enough to see Mel wink at her.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai stood there in stunned silence for a moment when the girl with the nice butt turned around. It was her. His ears noticeably flattened, and his hair rose slightly. His mind flashed back to memories of those yellow eyes and the Gammoreans eviscerated on the ground. Kai kept his cool, managing a polite smile before his gaze flicked over to Mel.

“I mean, I’ve been giving it beer,” He shrugged vaguely, stuffing his hands in his pockets, “I think you’re just giving me crappy seeds,” Kai said. Every now and then his gaze flicked back over to Param. Their last few encounters always went to shit, and he kept running into her. However, despite making him uneasy because she was a Sith, she hadn’t outright done anything to harm him. His posture visibly relaxed and he cleared his throat, taking a few steps towards the counter.

“You must have terrible luck to keep ending up back in Nar Shadda,” He said to Param with a grin as he forked over some credits to Mel.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

"Crappy seeds my ass! Don't feed plants beer!" Mel yelled, taking his credits and moving into the back to grab him yet another package of seeds. Param turned, making sure she was beyond the backroom. How many seed packages has he gone through. Param turned back to Kodi when Mel was out of ear shot.

"It's the easiest place to get things," she said, forcing a smile. She had no idea what to feel. Part of her wanted to just leave, forget he ever existed; the other half really wish he's throw her onto the counter and forgive her for whatever it was she did wrong. "You've been feeding creepervines beer? What is wrong with you? Who told you that was a good idea?" The look Param had on her face was one of curious astonishment. For once, it was her that knew something that he didn't.

She tried very hard to keep memories from their last encounter from coming up. They'd do no good. It was clear she wasn't going to be able to forget him, and that they'd keep running into each other.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai wasn’t sure how he felt being stuck here alone with Param while Mel was in the back. The Fiani rocked on the balls of his feet, his tail lazily swishing side to side as he waited. When the Sith pointed out his poor creepervine practices, his eye narrowed, “Do I look like someone that gardens?” He shot back, finding the idea preposterous, “I just want my little creepervine buddy to thrive and mess up anyone that tries to touch my stuff,” It was a solid plan. Why did everyone else insist it was a bad idea?

He was surprised he was even blurting all this information. It wasn’t easy to brush aside what happened back at the fair. Mel returned and he grabbed his supplies. Kai turned to Param for a moment, standing there as if he had a lot to say. In the end he cleared his throat, “It was…good to see you again. Have a good one,” He said politely before turning to leave.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

His justification for wanting a creepervine to thrive was admirable. Param couldn't help but wonder how much of Kodi's stuff was stolen from other people. It didn't matter really. Him being a crook didn't stop her from liking him. It was like a blessing and a curse at the same time. When it was good, it was good. When it was bad, it was really, really bad.

She was lost in thought when he began to leave. She should let him go; let him be. They weren't good for each other, fate had decided that, right? She blew it, time and time again. He was walking away. She could feel he wanted to say more, but how could she ask him to stay? How could she tell him she was sorry. Param had seen what using the darkside did to one's eyes; she knew now what Kodi had seen that night, but she knew now to never regret what she was.

"Wait," Param said quietly. She picked up her own box of seeds, and hurried to catch up with him. "I'll show you how to take care of creepervines... if you want?" It was almost a plea. Please don't leave her, please don't do that again. Why couldn't he see she was sorry.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai was almost out the door when Param spoke up. His ears swiveled and he turned to regard her. He almost thought of making up some kind of excuse, but he studied her face. Kai wasn’t the type to trust anyone, and he still didn’t trust her. However, he had seen that look before - it was the look of someone that was trying to make amends. It was a look he never gave anyone, but he knew it when he saw it.

“Yeah, sure” He said after a moment of silence, offering a faint smile. He started walking back towards his ship. He drew out a cigarra and lit it, taking a drag.

“How is your…training going?” Kai asked, feeling entirely awkward about even mentioning it. What else did Sith do? He figured they just spent all their time trying to lift rocks while looking constipated. It wouldn’t take long to arrive at the ship and she would recognize it as the same one he stole with her still onboard. It was outfitted with new gear and a new paintjob, but it was the same ship. She would notice rows upon rows of Emryc Energy cans and protein shakes. Kai grimaced at the sight.

“Not my stuff,” He blurted out quickly, leading her towards a dedicated little space with a plot area for the creepervine. Param would see a weak little plant there that curled and flexed very faintly but was close to death. Sure enough, there were bags of chips, pizza and even cat food around it.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param hurried to catch up with Kodi, her stomach fluttering. Just as she exited the store after him, she turned back to Mel. "Thanks, Mel, I'll text you the progress!" Whatever Mel said in reply she didn't hear. She walked beside Kodi, holding her box of seed packets. What ever she did to deserve this second chance, third chance was it? She was happy she did it.

"It's... okay," she said, unsure of how to answer the question. "I went back to Eshan recently. It was a nice get away from... everything." She didn't want to talk about her master or the Sith with Kodi. She wanted to tell him about all the fun stuff. "Got tipsy and took down a crime family on a beach resort planet, just me and a group of other girls." She pulled out her EZPhone, pulling up a selfie of Cyu, Anai, and her in bikinis on Vaynai with drinks. A four armed masseuse was in the background. Param showed it to Kodi.

The ship looked totally different, but still the same. It was the same rust bucket that he'd stolen back on Nar Kaaga, just with quite a few improvements. She wondered whether or not they were real improvements or if Kodi just thought they were and added them anyway. The bundles of energy drinks and protein shakes surprised her, the bags of chips, pizza, and cat food floor her.

"Please tell me you haven't been feeding your creepervines that," she asked, pointing to the mess by the plot.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai glanced over at the selfie, his eye narrowing suspiciously as he looked at the girls, “Cherry..?” He mumbled under his breath, though he said nothing else about it. Cherry was a Sith and so was Param. Did all Sith know each other?! Kai made a mental note to avoid pissing anyone off. It was probably best if Param didn't know about his run ins with others in the Sith Order. He didn't need these scary women comparing notes. He could already imagine every single person in that picture shooting lightning at him at once.

His shock therapy line of thought crashed when Param called him out on his shitty plant care habits. Kai crossed his arms over his chest, scowling, “Look, it said it needed electrolytes and the energy drinks have that, so I don’t see the problem,” It was sound logic in his mind.

He reached over to pet the creepervine, thinking it was weak anyway, and it promptly snapped at his finger. The Fiani let out an involuntary fox yelp, drawing his finger back that was now bleeding. He growled at the plant, “You traitor!”

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

She thought she heard him say something under his breath. No she definitely did, but what it was she didn't know. With his narrowed eye and concentrated brow. Was... was he committing a picture of her and her friends to memory? Param quickly put the EZPhone back in her pocket, a flush growing on her cheeks. "If you're gonna try to remember it, I can just send you a new one," she said turning to the boxes and bags of junk he had fed his poor creepervine so that he wouldn't see her blush. She had no idea that he was just recognizing someone in the picture instead of storing it mentally.

Param placed her own box down next to the plot, and began moving all the pizza boxes and chip bags. His comment about electrolytes made her stop in place, slowly turning back toward with with absolute astonishment written on her face. Just in time to see his finger get nipped by the dying creepervine. Any thought of going further down the electrolyte hole was promptly squashed by one of the cutest fox yelps she had ever heard. She couldn't help but giggle, even as he spoke the plant like it owed him anything after what he was trying to feed it.

Moving over to what at one point was a kitchen but now looked like thirteen young men had made themselves dinner and never picked up, she picked up a rag that looked to be clean enough. She had to dig a bit for some soap but she found some and got the rag soapy and damp. Param took Kodi's hand and wrapped the finger in the rag, applying pressure to the actual wound. "Whatever it was, never listen to it again. It's okay though, we can fix this." Realizing her hands were lingering on his, she hesitantly let go and turned toward her box of gardening stuff.

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai heard her remark, “Remember what?” He asked with genuine confusion, completely missing her read on him assessing the image. If she thought he was scoping everyone out, she would be sorely disappointed.

The ship was a complete mess and it was clear Kai was a slob. He gave little regard to picking up after himself unless something started to rot and stink up the joint. She would spot his clothes strewn about in random places, underwear and shirts all piled up inches next to the perfectly empty laundry hamper.

By the time Param walked back with the rag, she would spot him in the middle of brandishing a knife menacingly at the plant as if it was a stick up. He quickly put the knife away, still casting a glare at the evil plant as if it did him a great wrong.

Kai watched as she fixed up his finger, surprised at the show of compassion. Weren’t Sith supposed to..not be like this? Maybe this was why she was still an acolyte. His gaze flicked from where she was working to her instead, observing her quietly. When she looked up, she would catch him blatantly staring at her. Kai cleared his throat, feeling just as awkward as she did as she pulled away.

“Uh..thanks..” He mumbled quietly, looking back at the plant.

“All right then, let’s see you do better,” Kai said with a scoff.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

The small, fleeting moment she caught him staring made whatever the hell was fluttering in her stomach worse. Though, it didn't last long as she pulled away. Param was doing a lot of mental gymnastics to ignore the absolute mess that was the ship. If she could enter her brain into the olympics, she'd earn gold, silver, and bronze. The last time she was on the ship, it was relatively clean. How could a boy this charming and cute, choose to live like this. Though his clothes did make for a nice carpet.

She knelt down next to her box, and the menace of a malnourished plant. "Can you get me a cup or bottle of water?" Param asked, flashing a quick glance up at Kodi. She opened the box and pulled out a tub of plant food and her pack of creepervine seeds. Looking around, it wasn't hard to find an empty chip bag of the smaller variety. She rolled the sides down, forming it into a sort of bowl and began scooping plant food into it from her tub.

"It's alright little guy, we're gonna make you big and strong in no time," she said quietly to the creepervine. She thumbed two new holes in the plot on either side of the existing vine, dropping a creepervine seed from her own shipment in each and covering them back up. "You're gonna have to forgive your dad. He just didn't know any better."

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai shrugged and stepped away to come back with a cup of water. Even by the time he came back, the plant already began to look better. He crouched down next to her, staring in wonder, “How’d you do that?” He asked with his eye wide with surprise. His tail was energetically waving back and forth as he watched with interest. Kai had been attempting to do everything about this plant for weeks and was on the verge of giving up, and within 5 minutes Param managed to make it more lively.

“Gardening just takes patience I don’t have,” He said after a moment, apprehensively reaching out again. This time the creepervine only waved around instead of snapping at him and he was able to touch it. Kai gave a bright smile at the sight, “Look at the little guy go!” He said cheerfully, toying with the plant gleefully.

After a moment he turned to look at Param again, realizing that a whole ten minutes passed without anything hostile happening. Kai sat down fully on the floor next to her as she worked on the plant, “So did you come out all this way just to get plant seeds?” He asked with a skeptical grin. No doubt she was up to no good - why else would anyone come to Nar Shaddaa?

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param took the cup of water, dropping a small spoonful of plant food into it and mixing it with her finger, smiling as she slowly sprinkled it over the plot. A warm smile spreading across her lips as the creepervine seemed to sway happily. "Just a little love, a little water and some minerals that plants actually need," she said softly, turning her gaze to him. The energetic swishing of his tail made her giggle.

"It's just a little patience. Then there's all sorts of things you can do," she said, watching the creepervine wave and sway. "I can make a pretty mean spiced tea from my garden." She pulled out her EZPhone and navigated to the gallery, pulling up a picture of her echani styled pagoda with a surrounding garden of made up of various flowers, pepper plants, and even a couple creepervines. She handed the phone to Kodi while she prepped the plot area to be a little more clean than it was.

"Hm?" she hummed at his question, noticing that he had sat down on the floor with her. "Oh yeah! I can't get some of the exotic seeds anywhere but Mel's shop. I kinda needed to get a couple droids too to help maintain the garden when I'm gone." To Kodi's credit, he had positioned the plot underneath a light. She reached up and turned the light on, bathing the creepervine in light. It looked content like it was taking a tiny sun bath. "Besides, Nar Shaddaa is the only place I can that Tattooine Stir Fry."

"So," Param started, pointing at the chip bag full of plant food. The blue minerals very much looking unsafe for humanoids to eat. Her tone of voice was like a bubbly teacher explaining how to do simple math to a classroom. "Water every other day, 12 hours of light, 12 hours off. Once a week, mix a spoonful of plant feed into the water." She then pointed at the plot. "And I gave you two of my seeds, so you should have three growing strong in no time."

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai wasn’t exactly a big tea guy. Let’s be real, he chugged alcohol and now, thanks to Flexo, he was hooked on Emryc Energy. The Fiani listened to Param’s explanation for being on Nar Shaddaa. However his brow rose at the mention of Tatooine stir fry. Kai couldn’t help but start to chuckle, “The best place for Tatooine stir fry…is Tatooine, you dork,” He blurted out. For a moment, he looked concerned - he just called a Sith a dork. However the thought made him start to laugh even more, and he had a little laughing fit before he shook his head, “It’s so easy to make,” It was one of the rare things he could actually whip up and it wasn’t just all for show.

When she started giving him instructions, he actually brought out his datapad and started taking notes. He wasn’t going to remember a single bit of this without clear instructions. He hastily scribbled everything down with a stylus in his left hand. After it was done, Kai looked at her again, managing an appreciative smile, “Thanks a lot..Param..” He said quietly.

There was a moment of silence and he wasn’t sure what to say. She had helped him with the plant as she promised. Kai stood up and looked over at the plant, “So uh…I guess you have a lot of shit to do, so I’ll let you back to it,” He muttered. She had already gone out of her way to help him with this bogus plant, no doubt he was taking up a lot of her time.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

She giggled at his Tattoine remark. Of course he didn't remember. "The noodles you bought me my first time on Nar Shaddaa were Tattoine Stir Fry... you dork," she said, silver eyes playfully glancing at him. "I've been hooked on spicy food and drinks ever since. I had a cocktail garnished with a hot pepper." He would see her excitement grow as she explained. She used her hands to show the size of things and to try to manifest a picture between them but to no avail.

Param stood up, looking at her box of seeds. She already had all the seeds she needed, really. She'd made this trip several times before. It was a given; if you spent time with Kodi, he would always leave with something of yours. The sacrifice of a few exotic seeds for one night where they could have an actual, normal, nice time together was well worth it in Param's mind.

"I guess you have two choices then. You can cook me up some Tattoine stir fry here, or take me out for something better," she said. "I'll leave the box with you, too. I have enough as it is."

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai gave her a half grin, “I remember. How could I forget that episode of your eyes and nose running all at once..” He smirked. But that didn’t change the fact that Tatooine was the absolute best place to get the stir fry. Nar Shaddaa was a close second, but not quite the real deal.

He was amused by her presenting the two choices to him. He originally believed she had some kind of agenda, but by now he began to wonder if she actually wanted to…hang out with him. If there was something Kai was notoriously bad at, it was reading women. However, since she spelled out the options, he knew the one to go with.

“I’ll make it, of course,” He said with confident scoff, “I’ve actually been to Tatooine,” Kai said as he walked back towards the kitchen area. Thanks to Flexo, despite the complete mess, the kitchen was actually stocked up on ingredients. Kai cleared off the counter, and pointed to a stool, “Take a seat, young acolyte,” He said with a dramatic voice.

He opened a cabinet and drew out an apron that belonged to Flexo. Kai looked down and rolled his eye. Of course this was the apron. She would be able to tell right away it wasn’t Kai’s and belonged to someone much larger than him.

He put on music that often played at a cafe where he worked, setting out the pans and ingredients. Within moments, he laid out the curry paste, garlic, spiced meats and a whole array of items. As he worked, he made a show of flipping and tossing the knives, easily twirling and spinning them as he often did on the job. It was his sidlian tricks he often did for extra tips, but this time he actually knew what he was doing for the cooking as well.

At one point he fried up a little piece of meat, balanced it on a knife and pointed it at her, “Catch!” He said as he hurled at her to see if she caught it in her mouth before he returned to cooking.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Param Vour]

Param's face lit up with a beaming smile as he chose to make the stir fry for her. He actually remembered too. Kodi probably had no idea just how much that meant to her, and she wasn't about to tell him. When he offered the stool, she walked over and took it, adding her own impression to the mix. "It's more like 'Sit down, apprentice, there is much to learn," She tried her best to deepen her voice for the impression of her master. She knew he had no idea about the reference, but Master Thel was about as stereotypical Sith as it got. If Kodi caught a glimpse of her enamored eyes he'd see clearly she much preferred his rhetoric.

The apron killed her. Not only was it far too big for him, the message on the front made her lose it in a fit of giggles. "Who does that even belong to!?" she cried, unable to stop her giggle fits. They only stopped when the music started and Kodi began his show. It was impressive. She had no idea he could cook like this. It was fun and entertaining.

He said 'Catch!' and it caught her off guard. She definitely wasn't ready at first, but the moment the piece of meat entered the air, her echani reflexes kicked in. Param caught it flawlessly in her mouth, chewing it happily with a smile while raising her arms to an imaginary cheering crowd. It was delicious. When she had finished chewing, and swallowing the delicious morsel, she rested her elbows on the counter in front of the grill, resting her chin in her hands. "Where'd you learn to cook like this?"

@Sreeya

 

[Z'Kair]

Kai was thrilled to see the food land where intended. She would taste an explosion of flavors, and it was distinctly homemade instead of the fast food taste of what she tried before. He looked down at the apron and shook his head, “My buddy Flexo,” He said, “He’s…a business partner,” Kai said. He didn’t feel like going deep on the information sharing and revealing his new pirate enterprises. Based on his tone, however, Param could guess Flexo was a fellow crook.

He kept humming to the song as he rapidly sliced up the ingredients and cooked. Soon the entire ship smelled incredible and the sizzling sounds of him sauteing food resounded. Her question caught him off guard. He paused for a moment, staring at the pan. He could answer honestly - that it was his mother. However, he knew that would invite follow up questions, and it was too painful of a topic to address. Especially with his mother being a slave and Param being a former slave. After the episode at the fair, he was wary of what he shared.

“It’s a practice called sidlian,” Kai explained confidently, which was true, “A lot of Fiani know it,” He said with a grin, “I learned the tricks, but I’m an okay chef. You’re just in luck because I happen to make a mean Tatooine Stir Fry,” He said as he drizzled some curried sauce all over it.

Afterwards, he scooped them into bowls and slid one towards her. For drinks, he popped open a can of Emryc Energy and offered her one if she wanted, otherwise there was cheap beer. If she expected any sort of class here, she was mistaken. Kai sat down across from her, “What do you think?” He asked after she had her first few bites, “I made sure it has a solid kick, but it shouldn’t make you cry through your nose this time,” He said with a fanged smile.

@TheDudeMike