Round Two

[Solaris]

Adarlon, Minos Cluster
Balderdash

"This is stupid," Katarina muttered to herself in Bocce. The woman had impulsively entered herself into a damn fool childish date... thing. She had pulled strings to get the Jedi to send a man named Pax Sator, a friend of hers that she had kept in loose contact with over the years. They had entertained the notion of a romantic relationship many years ago, when both were much younger and much more naive, but neither had broached the subject since. Katarina had regretted letting it go, though, and finally worked up the nerve to ask him out on a date.

Sort of. He thought it was a mission. In a way, it was... just not the kind he thought.

He was five years older and a millennium younger than her. Of course, Katarina looked much younger than that. She frowned at the mirror, not for the first time wishing she had at least some wrinkles, gray hairs, some normal sign of aging. She had to admit, she was getting tired of looking at exactly the same face for the last fourteen, fifteen years. It wasn't just superficial, either. She'd enjoyed youthful health far beyond when her body should have begun to falter, despite having been practically at war for the last decade.

Katarina reminded herself to not mention the war, or fighting, or anything like that. For an ordinary woman, that might not have been hard - but for someone who had almost nothing but the war in her life?

This was going to be much more interesting than it should be. And by 'interesting', of course, she meant 'painfully, excruciatingly awkward'... but it helped that Pax really was quite cute, and when he let himself relax was a great guy to be around.

Katarina smiled wryly as she sat down in front of the mirror. She'd applied a lot of cosmetics before, but generally to disguise herself for an operation - and looking plain was much wiser than looking attractive. To make herself look pretty, that was... new. And awkward. She set out her disguise kit, looking at herself in the mirror and wondering where to begin. Katarina looked in her mid-twenties, about average height and soft-looking, even rather curvy if she didn't dress like a man. She supposed she was attractive, with hazel eyes and honey-brown hair down to her shoulders, full lips and a pretty face - her beauty had resulted in so many insinuations about inappropriate conduct in her professional life over the years that she hated her looks. Still, she knew how men were... and it couldn't hurt to make herself look halfway decent. Katarina experimented with the make-up a few times, then wiped her face and went with just some lip gloss, mascara, and eye shadow. She looked this way and that, inspecting her reflection with a critical eye and decided she didn't look like a street-walker, then got up and opened up her compact wardrobe.

Katarina pursed her lips thoughtfully as she pulled out the thin drawers of the suitcase-sized wardrobe, checking out her slim selection of garments. Did everything she owned have to look like she spent most of her time knee-deep in muck and slime? She rifled through the clothes critically, noting with disdain how stained and torn very nearly every piece of clothing she owned was. Was she really that much of a slob? Katarina sighed and dropped down onto the hotel bed. Small wonder she was single - though that hadn't bothered her much at all before, when she thought about it she couldn't help feeling a little down. Katarina picked out a white button-up blouse that had only a little tear in one of the sleeves, then a pleated skirt and black thigh-high stockings with her usual black-plated dark gray boots. She looked herself in the mirror, figured she was at least passably cute, and then rolled up the sleeves to cover the tear. Katarina smiled wryly at her reflection. Pax didn't stand a chance.

---

Katarina checked the tiny flat disc chronometer adhered to the inside of her left wrist and frowned at it a moment. Where was he? She was only fifteen minutes prior to the appointed time, he should be here by now?

Then she realized where she'd picked up that habit and couldn't help but giggle a little. She was military and had been her whole life. He was not, of course he wasn't, and most troopers didn't show up a half hour prior to non-duty things anyhow. Katarina forced herself to try and relax, sitting back and trying not to pay attention to how truly terrible the music these days was. The Glow Dome nightclub was dimly lit and fairly crowded, with throbbing music and holographic lights flashing in hypnotic, mesmerizing patterns overhead and around the dancers. Katarina smiled tightly as she watched the praters, halfway people-watching and halfway scanning the crowd for potential threats. "Eet's not like I'm dzat hard to spot een 'ere," she muttered under her breath. "'E best 'ave some better plans dzen dzees!"

 

[Apollyon]

A meeting, a contact, Pax was to meet with a woman named Katrina Forge for an information exchange or at least that is what his mission directive was. The name of his contact rang a bell for some strange reason, he had the faintest of memories about a woman he had met with a similar name; but this being her was nearly impossible. Pax had grown tired of standing in front of the meeting place; it was a nightclub on the planet Adarlon, simply known as The Glow Dome. Through the Force Pax had witnessed several attractive young ladies enter the nightclub, completely bypassing the line; an injustice in his eyes. While Pax himself couldn’t understand why he had been told to wait in this “line” which never seemed to move, the other pedestrians seemed to completely understand. Many of them took a step back, completely intimidated by his fearsome appearance; this in part was due to his outfit of choice, the Mindseye Mark I Battle Armor.

After a few more short moments Pax had grown extremely fatigued of waiting in this eternal line, it was worse than his time spent on Boonta; at least on Boonta he was on constant guard. Pax began to slowly push his way to the front of the line, no one seemed to issue any protest while on his path. However this did not mean his journey was a short one, the line itself was nearly a city block in length and its width caused beings to become pressed against the safety rails. After roughly fifteen minutes Pax had managed to push to the front of the crowd, the bouncers, each armed with live weaponry; hand selected those who could enter. One instantly remembered Pax as “the freak in the armor” and demanded angrily in some foreign language for him to return to the back of the line. Pax raised a single eyebrow in mock curiosity; he brushed the bouncers mind with the Force allowing him to have slight influence over the man.

You want to let me into this club. Pax stated

I want to let you into this club. The bouncer mimicked in a monotone voice before allowing Pax to exit the masses and enter The Glow Dome.

When Pax entered the prestigious establishment, he was instantly overtaken by the heavy beat of several different types of music all meshed together in some unholy orgy for the senses. Pax stood at the entrance to the club for several minutes, his Mindseye Helmet activated and giving him an accurate layout of the entire area thanks to the loud music that looped. He clearly saw the Zeltron female walk up to him, her hand ran down his chest plate, her eyes dilated, she was high on the emotions in the room.

Mmm, I do love me a man in uniform. She cooed into his ear.

Tell me soldier, why are you here alone? Do you want some company? She asked with a devilish smile spreading upon her pink lips, her hands delicately running towards his lower extremities.

Pax turned his head towards the woman, a single image flashed on the outside of his visor; the image of Katrina Forge.

I am looking for this woman, have you seen her? Pax’s synthesized voice inquired.

The Zeltron stepped back, half bewildered by his lack of arousal through her approach and half intimidated by his cold reaction. She took three steps backwards before darting away from the strange man, back into the sea of faceless humanoids that inhabited the dance floor. Pax returned his attention to his search, scanning individual faces through the information fed to him through his armor, until after a few moments the armor identified his contact. Pax walked rigidly through the crowd towards Katrina Forge, stopping a few steps away from her, he nodded to identify himself as the man she had been looking for.

I am Jedi Master Pax Sator, I understand we were to meet? Pax inquired as his visor slid down revealing his facial features.

 

[Solaris]

Katarina arched an eyebrow at her date, her lips pressed together in a tight, disapproving line. After all that work and stress she put into looking presentable, he had the nerve to show up in full combat load! As if this were a battle instead of- instead of-

"Pax?" Recognition dawned, and with it a smile across Katarina's face. She downed the last of her drink and hopped down from the stool, looking up at the Jedi Master. "Eet ees you! And a Master, too!" She caught him in a tight embrace, inordinately glad to see an old friend from the good old days. Seeing Pax brought back a flood of memories from Tython, and of old friends long dead. Between the alcohol and the pent-up emotions, it was simply too much for Kat's composure. She buried her face in his chest, heaving shuddering sighs as she tried not to cry. "Believe eet or not," she said, her voice somewhat muffled by his armor, "I meessed you."

 

[Apollyon]

The entire scene changed, suddenly this Katrina Forge, was pressed against his chest, overwhelmed with emotion; perhaps it was the alcohol? Something seemed off, this Katrina seemed as is of she personally knew him, would the Jedi Council honestly send him to meet someone he knew? Sure it could make things smoother, but there were always...implications. Either way Pax began to race through his memories, searching for a face to match the name.

Pax's head drifted downwards, through the Force he saw the vaguest hints of Blonde through the thick blue overtone. Her hair reminded him of someone that he once knew and her accent definitely rang a bell or two. Suddenly it dawned on him, this woman was the young woman he dueled on Tython, woman he had been interested in years ago, this woman was the Katrina Forge he knew; what were the odds?

K-K-Kat? Pax questioned in disbelief.

Pax slowly allowed his hands to touch her shoulders, he rubbed them slowly in an attempt to comfort her. Pax really wasn't sure how to react, he had never had to comfort a woman crying from a mixture of joy and booze, he didn't know what to do in reality. So Pax simply lowered his face towards the crown of Katrina's head and planted a single small kiss there in a hope she would either snap into a blood rage or calm down enough to begin collecting information.

Kat, let's sit down. Pax offered before awkwardly shuffling towards the nearest open booth, Katrina still attached to his chest.

 

[Solaris]

Kat's skin flushed red and she shivered a little at his touch, and when his lips touched the top of her head the butterflies in her stomach went from flying in tight formation to executing a re-enactment of the Battle of Yavin. "Z-z-dzat sounds like a good idea," she stammered in agreement. She hadn't anticipated this reaction - or at least a reaction that strong. Damn, she had it bad. Katarina forced herself to take a deep breath, and let herself take comfort in his presence. Practically everyone Katarina had known from before the Purge was either dead, missing, or fallen . . . it had affected her more than she thought to find someone intact and still alive, more or less. She regained her control, mentally reciting the Code as a sort of mantra to keep herself calm.

But not too calm. She had plans for tonight that bordered on the diabolical, and she needed the courage-fortifying effects of both alcohol and emotion to carry them through.

Katarina dropped her arm to his waist as she walked beside him, pulling Pax in close where he could smell her light, sweet perfume and couldn't help but be aware of the shape of her body. She was ordinarily much more reserved, but the disinhibiting effects of alcohol were well-documented - and besides, Pax was an old friend and 'the one that got away'. She slid into the booth first, patting the seat beside her for him to sit down next to her.

"'Ow 'ave you been?" Kat asked nervously when they were seated, leaning towards him and tilting her head a little to the side as she smiled her small, reserved, and indescribably alluring smile. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, drinking in all the changes the years had wrought in Pax. He still had the same square jaw and shockingly white hair she remembered, and he was just as fit and muscular, but the years had not been terribly kind to her old friend. Not only was there more wrinkles in his skin and pain in his movements, but she caught a glimpse of what he hid beneath that visor. Katarina reached up to touch Pax's face, letting out a small sympathetic noise. "Your eyes . . ."