Ask [Berchest] Inside Jobseekers

[Julian Fellstar]

It was a warm night outside, but Julian couldn't feel a thing inside the temperate Starseeker's Bar within the Berchest capital. He had been there for several hours, his companion running considerably late. Their meeting was of utmost importance and he was already on edge, a single slip up and his life (and even worse, his reputation) would go up in flames. The tall man had his face concealed under a hood, his presence here could not be compromised, his large lightsaber hidden within his robes.

Where in the galaxy is she? At this rate the drinks will kill me before any authorities...

The bartender, who Julian learned was named "Goral", sauntered over with his fifth drink of the night. The enormous Berchestian was the silent type, thankfully, serving Julian's drinks without a peep, his long scrappy beard flowing around as he moved up and down the bench.

With a nod to the bartender, he began to sip on his new drink while scrolling through his HoloFeed. Only looking around to keep and eye on a rather unruly group of delinquent Berchestians who were beginning to get on the nerves of the other patrons. The venue had filled up considerably over the course of the night, with many citizens coming in after a long day of work.

As he began to lose hope that his companion would even show at all, he felt it... the force stirred around him, she was here...

He looked over at the Rodian labourer sitting next to him and waved his hand across his face.

"It's time for you to leave and spend the night with your family"

The Rodian promptly sat up and waddled out. After all, that spot was about to be occupied by someone who was far more important.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Busy. Her days were always busy. After having Rattatak stabilized there was still a lot to do. Endless meetings and matters to tend you and the dry, bleak landscape of the planet could be suppressing from time to time. That was exactly why Celeste was always starting to reach out as soon the time and the situation allowed it.

She enjoyed traveling through the galaxy, seeking for pleasant distractions and interesting opportunities and today was one of those days when something extremely interesting was supposed to happen: She had been contacted by someone on Berchest who just happened to look for influential help and even if the mission was supposed to be covert, she was not only confident, but also positively excited to answer the call. Networking was important, she knew that better than most people and even if Berchest hadn't been on her top priority list of affairs, she knew that the collaboration was potentially promising for both, her company on Kalist IV and her position on Rattatak.

She had run late and was not exactly delighted about her delay since the matters on Berchest seemed rather pressing. The delay had been caused by nothing else than a malfunctioning circuitry of her ship and in the first hours of her flight she had been rather pissed, because the Rattataki engineers had been once again lacking the skill to fix it fast enough.

Now that she had landed, however, her mood had improved drastically. The planet was incredibly beautiful and she had caught herself observing the landscape thoroughly after they had entered the atmosphere as if on the lookout for a possible residence. Admittedly, she couldn't see that much as it had been dark already, but since she was probably staying here for a little while, she knew that this would change in the morning.

She approached the designated rendezvous point (which was a bar right in the capital) dressed neutrally. Obviously, she wasn't wearing her Sith uniform and she was also not dressed in her Rattataki senator attire. With the black leathred dress, she had chosen something simple and yet elegant and powerful. It was always good if people knew they shouldn't try to mess with her in any way, but at the same time she was trying to keep a low profile, because she knew that rumors always spread fast. Her lightsaber was not on her, but her designated body guard carried it for her. It was still concealed and Everett would keep his safe distance. In fact he was not even entering the bar, but he would stay close, at least close enough for her to reach him if anything was about to happen.

When she approached the bar, she could already sense a admittedly powerful presence and so she knew that she was in the right place. Once she entered, her eyes immediately fell on the ashen haired man with the imposing build that seemed to be expecting her urgently. "I'm terribly sorry for my delay. There had been technical issues" she apologized while she elegantly slid in the seat across him, a charming smile on her lips.

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian attempted to remain nonchalant at Celeste's arrival, partly because he didn't want her to realise how frustrated he had been, but even more due to the fact that he had never properly seen her face before, he was surprisingly caught off guard. She had a certain charm about her, and although she was clearly laying low, a prominent sense of power and importance that he admired was present. As she elegantly walked over, he signalled for Goral to return and serve his companion.

"Pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh ma'am, no worries at all, I have been sufficiently entertained in the meantime"

He indicated toward the rowdy group in the corner, two of them had begun to torment an elderly looking couple on a nearby table. Julian wanted to intervene but knew that he had more pressing matters to attend to. He subtly slid over a memory chip that she could insert into her Holodevice. He kept his hand over the chip to avoid any suspicious gazes until she was able to take it.

"This contains the details of our 'friends' that have entered the capital. Their leader, Vaarshun, is an experienced infiltrator who specialises in destabilising governments. He has already begun his job, you may have noticed a bit of unrest on your way in, I hope this hasn't inconvenienced you Ms Stythani."

He took a sip of his drink and quickly scanned the bar once more, most of the patrons were now observing the delinquents, however, none of them took action. Since the arrival of Vaarshun's crew, the capital was not as safe as it had been. An increase in theft, burglary, assault and even murder, had left everyone far too cautious of their own safety to act on behalf of others. It made him somewhat regretful that his home was in such a state, but he knew it was necessary for the sake of his dream. I will right these wrongs and make it up to you Berchest, I promise...

He smiled at Celeste, not wanting her to feel the internal conflict he was experiencing. Julian loved his home, he just hated those in power and their inability to join the fold of one of the galaxy's factions. Neutrality would leave Berchest in the dust, no protection or trade deals left them open to forceful invasions and piracy, this would not do.

"I haven't forgotten my promise to you either. Once we finish up here, I'll accompany you to Rattatak, or wherever else you wish."

Shouting had begun in the corner, with a brave onlooker finally standing up to the rowdy crew. Julian smiled at this, he felt a sense of pride when his people showed their true courage.

"There is a backroom over there just behind you, we can sneak in there when this situation inevitably blows up and speak a bit more openly."

Judging by the current scene, it wouldn't take long for this to happen at all...

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

So this was the Berchestian noble in need of influential support. How interesting. Especially that even though they had been purposely scheduled this meeting secretively and concealed it from the public, he clearly had something powerful and significant on him.

To her it was a little obvious that he had been waiting for some time and she assumed that he wasn't fully pleased, but he did an impressive job in hiding possible displeasure. She also questioned whether this bar had been very entertaining, but they could speak about such things once the more pressing matters were tended to. "The pleasure is all mine. I thank you for the kind invitation" she replied sweetly while understanding his hint with the hidden chip. Of course she was about to do him a favor with her work here, but she could notice a Nautolan sitting a little too close for her taste, which was why she placed her words carefully.

She softly placed her hand on top of his, all perfectly inconspicuous. For outsiders, the way the two were interacting would seem like they were on a date and she was flirting with him. She had mastered the arts of keeping up appearances and so she slid the chip back to herself while using the other hand to play around with a strand of her hair. She hadn't had enough information on how covert their meeting should commence, and so she was assuming that the highest degree of secrecy applied for now.

Once he went on, more and more interesting details were revealed. Since she had taken the direct route to the bar in the night, she had not encountered much turmoil or anything, but it was good to know that the infiltrator had already begun his mission. She listened attentively, the smile still on her lips until she signaled her understanding with a nod, but before she could request further information, some passive aggressive shouting was starting to fill the bar. The blonde shifted her gaze onto the scene in the back of the room and apparently a brawl was about to begin in no time.

She directed her gaze back at the tall Berchestian and nodded again before she already got back to her feet. "You're right. We have a lot to discuss and it's better to move the conversation to a private place. Seems like now is a good time to vanish". Her voice was low and the shouting was clearly loud enough to cover her answer while the main attention of the whole bar was focused on the group of men anyway. She turned around and immediately saw the door he was talking about, so she wasted no time before grabbing his hand and pulling him with her. If someone would unexpectedly notice them, they would probably assume they were up to something else, so everything seemed fine for now.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian blushed as she placed her hand on his, his usually stoic demeanour faltering for a second before he regained his composure. It's all an act after all, and she's very good at this. He was appreciative of her instincts and confidentiality on the matter, he was putting an awful lot on the line here.

As Celeste stood up, the first punch was thrown in the corner. Ah, right on cue... As the brawl began, the two hurried toward the backroom. Julian didn't both hiding his blushing face this time, as nobody appeared to be watching.

There were several backrooms in the bar, unfortunately for the duo however, they had accidentally chosen what appeared to be a cramped broom closet. It was dimly lit with with cleaning utensils all around them on the walls. Julian scratched his head at the silly blunder on his part.

"Ah, sorry about this, looks like I sat next to the wrong door..."

In his defence, this wasn't his favourite venue in the capital. In fact he was a regular at several of the other establishments. He chose the venue to avoid any familiar encounters. He had friends at his usual spots, however, he was more concerned about the jealous "friends" that would have been rather unhappy to see him with another woman, especially one far prettier than any of them. He stifled a chuckle at the thought of their reactions. He continued in a hushed tone, only inches away from Celeste.

"Now that we have some privacy, we can go through the specifics of the plan. The reason I chose a venue within the capital, as opposed to my family estate, is that we need to retrieve something nearby.

"Our target here is the access codes to the capital's prison, a facility run by one of the royal Berchestian families, known as the Barxes family. They run all the on-world prisons and are the only ones with access to them. Their eldest daughter, Ezra, in particular is responsible for the codes. To say that she doesn't like me would be an understatement, she loathes my very presence..."

Julian chuckled slightly, the proud royal had thrown a tantrum when she discovered he had been sneaking around with her younger sister, Esther. In his defence, Julian was not a big fan of being used as a political pawn to be married into another family, Ezra had already been cold to him from childhood and was only willing to marry him to empower her own family. Still, an insult was an insult, regardless of how he dressed (or in this case, undressed) it.

"The stars have aligned for us it would seem, there is function happening at the Barxes residence right this very moment. It's an event to celebrate the successful operation of the planet's prison network over the last hundred years, quite ironic considering what we plan on doing.

"I have been invited to attend and, due to my family's standing, I am entitled to bring an additional guest. I must thank you for not arriving too swiftly, I do have a reputation for arriving at these events fashionably late..."

The noise from the bar was intensifying, it seemed that several others had joined the conflict.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The door they had chosen looked perfectly inconspicuous, just like the other doors that were scattered in this particular bar, but once Celeste opened the door, she couldn't help but to scoff. Even though nobody appeared to be watching when they entered, they would make the right impression if they were either found inside or caught leaving it, that was for sure.

"Don't worry about the...meeting place. I can handle business conversations professionally everywhere" she replied confidently, trying to remain serious, but she immediately started to chuckle as their situation was indeed a little amusing. There were just a few inches between them, but while she could stand rather comfortably, the tall man in front of her seemed a little constricted.

As he went on, the grin never left her face. He was clearly no uptight, conventional type of a Royal, but rather a very refreshing, apparently extraordinarily humorous type. "I've got to admit that your story sounds very intriguing. I would love to know all the spicy details, but I'm afraid we don't have that much time. If she loathes you that much, I assume she wouldn't hand the codes over that easily, so it seems like we have to be careful and perhaps even stealthy with our approach, right?". It didn't seem like their first objective would require a fight, so she would probably leave her saber behind in the hands of her bodyguard. She was still curious to learn the details of his interesting back story, but perhaps the would find some times once they had access to the codes.

Celeste nodded, her eyes still lingering on the Berchestian. "Oh, it really seems like we have met on the right evening then. I would love to accompany you to the happening, but I would quickly tell my men to fetch me the right attire for such an event first. Also, before we get started, you might have to fill me in on the details. Who is inside that prison? Or do you simply want to come into possession of the codes?". Even though she was still keeping her charming smile, her eyes shifted into analyzation mode. If she was supposed to help him, she would have to know all the details and his true intentions.

For now, it had seemed like his case was worth the support, but even if she was versed in reading people, she had been deceived before. However, she was 99% sure that this man wasn't like that and that's why she wasn't too misstrusting. "However, I'm already glad that I can assist you with maintaining your reputation", she added with a wink, referring to his apparent well known manner of arriving late.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian couldn’t help but crack a smile at her responses, she was an impressive and important figure, yet had a great sense of humour about her. He felt comfortable in her presence, something that was a rarity for him these days. He didn’t sense an ulterior or sinister motive, it relieved him to find this. His face was angled down due to the tightness of the area, something that was annoying him but clearly amusing Celeste.

“Oh don’t you worry, I’m sure there will be time for me to fill you in on all the gossip after this. But sadly you’re right, it’s going to be a bit more complicated than that. We have one ace in the hole here though, she hates me yes, but her younger sister Esther dislikes her just as much.

“You could say there is some contention over who will inherit the role as head of the Barxes family. Esther is the only other person who knows about this plan and is all too eager to show the world that her sister is far too incompetent to lead the family.”

It hadn’t taken much to convince the younger Barxes to join the plan. During one of their “evening encounters”, he had made a joke about humiliating Ezra in front of her family and peers, it was actually Esther who brought up the prisons as a way to do so.

“Oh understood, I’ll also have to change out of this fit, something about ‘keeping up appearances’ and all that. In regard to the details, that’s where it may get a bit morally ambiguous…

“The reason we’re stealing these codes is so that Vaarshun can stage a prison break. It’s a risky plan that will require delicate timing and precision, and it also places lives at risk, but ultimately it will be worth it. I’ve had to think long and hard about how far I am willing to go to achieve my goal, but I decided that the ends absolutely justify the means here. A temporary suffering to bring about a greater change.”

He moved aside his cloak for a moment to reveal his lightsaber.

“It will be neigh impossible to walk in while armed, however, I have a good relationship with the doorman and he owes me, he won’t check me on entry. If you have a weapon I’ll be able to smuggle it in, but it needs to be small and light to avoid suspicion.”

Several moments after she answered, it occurred to Julian that the noise from the bar had died down and, rather suddenly, the door handle started to rattle as somebody began to open it. There was nowhere to hide and no lock to use, the pair had to act fast.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Something was pressing against her back, poking her right in the spine, so she was forced to move even a little closer to reach behind her and push it back in place before glancing up to him again. "Oh wow. I sense drama. But hopefully advantageous drama. It is remarkably helpful to have an ally on the inside, but when we find ourselves surrounded by influential nobles, we still have to be careful. Are you sure that you can trust her? ", she asked half curiously half worried, since the consequences could be fatal if this younger sister would prove disloyal.

Once he went on, she still studied him attentively. She also took a few more seconds to consider what he just said before starting her own reply. "You are very ambitious, fully determined and I appreciate your honesty. The endeavor sounds tricky, but I have to admit that delicate timing and precision are my strong suits. It feels weird to say, but after all, this is not my first political coup and you really seem as though you want to overthrow the existing structures to improve the overall conditions. Some sacrifices have to be made for many higher purposes, but you can count on me" she promised him honestly, almost a little solemn. It was true though. From what she had heard, he was pursuing a dangerous plan, but it would be for the best.

She couldn't fully overplay her slight surprise regarding the lightsaber. So her assumptions were true, after all, but just like her, he didn't seem to possess a clear alignment. "Perfect! If we can smuggle something in, it's even better. Otherwise I would have relied on the Force only, but with that prospect, I would either hand you my own lightsaber, or if it should be even smaller, I would bring my vibro-knives with me".

She had just finished the sentence, when the doorknob began to rattle. Well that was a little problem...However, she was oddly used to keeping up appearances and so she didn't even have to think twice before starting her planned diversion. In one swift motion she closed the distance between their bodies, skin pressed against skin while one hand found its way to his back and the other was already buried in his hair. She threw him an apologetic look before she pulled him down a little, pressing her lips onto his before she started to kiss him passionately. She was used to quick thinking and decision making, but she hoped that the noble would understand her sudden move.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian didn’t have time to respond, her reflexes and intuition caught him off guard, that being said it wasn’t like he was complaining. He openly embraced her actions and more than did his part to keep up the appearance. She’s definitely a quick one, quicker than me at least… He hoped her eyes were closed, at least so that she wouldn’t see him blushing once more, he felt like a teenager again with the way he had been acting so far.

Slowly and deliberately, he pulled away to see who had opened the door, expecting to see Goral the bartender there, ready to kick them out.

He did not expect to see one of the town’s guards staring them down menacingly. “What’re you two delinquents doing? Stop that at once and get out of he-OH… My apologies Lord Fellstar I didn’t realise it was you!” The guard had a look of genuine shock at seeing Julian’s face, although that shock didn’t seem reminiscent of what Julian was actually doing.

“Sir, please refrain from such actions in public venues, people may talk… more so than usual…” He bowed quickly and went to leave before turning back, “Also, you are expected at the Barxes residence, the party is in full swing and chatter over the intercom seems to indicate that the hosts are getting annoyed at your lack of presence.” He turned and bowed respectfully to Celeste before finally departing.

After the coast was clear, Julian let out a hearty chuckle at what had just transpired. “It looks like we got lucky there, better a guard than the bartender, he seems like the sour sort.” He turned back to Celeste, who’s face was mere inches away from his own. He took a moment to look into her eyes, they were a beautiful and unusual shade of light blue, he wasn’t sure how long passed before realising he must have looked quite foolish. Slowly letting go of her, he quickly sorted his outfit before giving a cheeky grin.

“I must say, that was quite impressive, you didn’t even hesitate for a moment, you have amazing eyes-INSTINCTS…” He smiled at the blunder before going on. “Anyway, it appears that it’s time for us to get our outfits in order and head over before the Barxes’ send an angry search party for us!”

He politely made space for his companion to leave the room first. “Oh also I wouldn’t be too worried about Esther betraying us, I have a conveniently incriminating recording of her insisting on us undermining her sister, she would be arrested as an accomplice.” He chuckled once more.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Was she sorry for what she did? Partly maybe. Normally it wasn't her way to ambush men like that, but she hadn't had any time to ask for his permission and judging from his reaction, he wouldn't even complain about her actions anyway. Celeste had no problems with being persuasive and she didn't even need the guard's reaction to know that their performance had been extremely convincing.

When he pulled back, she glanced innocently up to the man who awkwardly realized that he had just caught a noble he apparently knew well. She kept herself from laughing as long as he still eyed them, but once he was gone, she couldn't keep it together anymore. She chuckled amusedly while relaxing a little, relieved that their diversion had worked and a little satisfied that her quick instincts had saved the situation.

His next statement made her laugh even more though. It was a genuine laugh, which she still tried to control as they were in a more or less public space, but the man's little blunder was extremely charming. She was not laughing at him, but she was rather delighted that he appeared to be someone completely honest. She was definitely not trying to mess with him, but it was cute that he had lost himself in her eyes so quickly, that she had completely caught him off guard. "Thank you very much. I have to admit though, that your performance was very convincing as well" she replied softly, not wanting to make things awkward, but genuinely wanting to tell him that he had also acted quickly and persuasively.

"As pleasant and cozy as this first meeting was, I agree. We should get going, or we are likely to encounter some sort of angry mob it seems" she replied while leaving the cabinet with a cheeky smirk, inconspicuously pulling her dress in place. She turned back to him with a nod then, hoping that he had enough leverage on the sister. "Perfect. It seems like we are ready to commence then. Where do we find their residence? I need to give my men the coordinates so that they can bring me my gear". She immediately pulled out her comlink to reach Everett and her crew on board the ship to inform them of the newest developments and to give them the right orders, once Julian would have quickly clarified the situation with the smuggling of weapons.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian smiled on the way out of the small room, thankfully the bar appeared to be empty now, he assumed that the guards had dispersed the patrons after the scuffle. The bartender was in the corner, furiously cleaning the mess that was left behind, all while cursing the guards for shutting him down for the night. Julian thought it would be best to steer clear of the man and head straight out. Once outside he finally responded to Celeste.

“I appreciate the compliment, who knows, we may have to perform the act again before the night is over!” He laughed before straightening up and getting serious. “That all being said, we’re going to have a tough and dangerous night ahead of us so it’s best to prepare everything you need before we arrive at the residence. The Barxes family are running the function in their mansion, it’s in the northern district in town, I’ll mark it on your holopad.”

Julian had noticed a suspicious presence the moment the duo left the bar, although he could not make out the exact appearance of the man, he could feel something dangerous in the man’s possession… a lightsaber! Without dropping character, he gently grabbed Celeste by her hands, imitating an intimate moment to avoid suspicion.

“There is a man just down the street with a lightsaber in his possession, I don’t feel any hostility coming from him, a friend of yours? Or are we about to be attacked?”

Julian kept a smile on his face the entire time, although he was more than ready to drop the niceties if it was necessary. Behind that smile was something new, something dangerous that the world rarely saw from him.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Where there had been turmoil before, there now was a strange tranquility in this bar. Apparently, the rowdies had been dealt with and all that was left was a grumpy barkeeper. Celeste followed the Berchestian outside, immediately realizing that the night skyvwas clear enough to reveal beautiful constellations of stars, which she immediately interpreted as a good sign for their endeavor, even though she wasn't superstitious at all.

Once outside, his response immediately made her laugh again. "Oh my...and I thought you very different than most men" she replied with a cheeky grin while overdramatically rolling her eyes, perfectly aware that he was indeed not one of those guys and that he was only joking around, but she couldn't let this comment slide. He was back at the serious business anyway and even though she didn't lose her smile, she was listening attentively again and quickly regaining her focus.

However, the concentration and seriousness didn't last very long as he was apparently mistaking Everett for a nearby foe, and him grabbing her hand caught her slightly of guard this time, but she wouldn't let him notice. She chuckled slightly, softly stroking the back of his hand with her thumb before clarifying.

"This is indeed a dear friend of mine. Someone who stood by my side since my first day on Rattatak". Her voice was soft and she reciprociated his smile, although his had become rather dangerous. He was ready to fight if necessary and she was convinced that he was indeed skillful. Their mission wouldn't be easy, but she was very optimistic. "I will hurry to grab my necessary belongings. Do you think we can smuggle in my own lightsaber?" she asked again, because the broom chamber incident had denied him the chance to answer that question before.

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian relaxed at the clarification, it would have been quite awkward if he had cut down one of Celeste's oldest friends, not the greatest impression to make that's for sure. "Well that's good to hear, I definitely would not have spotted him had I not been trained for it."

Slowly letting go of her hand, he went on. "I can definitely smuggle in a single lightsaber, any more than that would be quite difficult. Very few people know that I have one myself, and even then, those that know are loyal to me. It is actually not too uncommon for lightsaber-wielders to appear on planet, usually just passing through but often in contact with nobles. I wouldn't be surprised if we meet a few force-users at the party."

He looked around, the only people in the vicinity were drunk patrons from the venue who had not yet cleared out. Further down, the delinquents from earlier were being questioned by the guards, Julian noticed the one that caught them in the broom closet was absent though. No doubt he's off to report to Ezra like a good little dog... He turned back to Celeste.

"My family owns a tailor nearby, where I will be collecting my outfit from before heading over to the function. I'm sure you have access to your own clothes but, you're welcome to accompany me if you want to try something new."

He quickly sent a message on his Holopad through to the store owner to prepare the outfit for his arrival. "The store is closed, but the owner will open it up for my arrival. Would you like me to store your lightsaber now, or would you rather hold onto it until right before we enter?"

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She couldn't help but to chuckle again. It was obvious that he was a little on edge, but regarding their mission, it was better to be careful after all. "Everett, my bodyguard, is one of my best men. I trained him in stealth, so I've got to admit that you're very perceptive" she replied, a sweet grin still on her lips while she gave him this honest compliment.

She listened to him attentively, considering her options before she nodded while sending a quick message to Everett. He wasn't far away, she assumed. He never was. She knew it was sometimes hard for him to leave her side and so she already knew how he would react if she would confront him with their plan, but they didn't have another choice. Also, Celeste could protect herself. That was something he knew better than most anyway.

"No, Lord Fellstar, I trust you. I'll give you my lightsaber right away" she replied with an honest smirk, but almost a little solemn. She was excellent at reading people and that was why she was so sure about confiding him her saber already. However, she had chosen this formal way of addressing him to tease him a little.

Glancing over her shoulder and realizing that Everett was already approaching, she went on: "How could I refuse such a tempting offer? Thank you very much for the invitation. I would actually love to accompany you since I believe my usual attire wouldn't fit the Berchestian society perfectly". His offer was indeed kind and she was delighted to accept it while still smiling.

However, as Everett approached them with a misstrusting look, her smile slightly faded and she took on a more serious fassade herself. "Thanks. I'll accompany him directly to our next target. Wait at the ship and keep the communication channels open. If we require backup, I'll send for you" she told the tall bearded man who wouldn't let Julian out of his eyes before he raised an eyebrow at her. 'It's okay. You can leave' she telepathically added, her tone even more serious and almost a little bossy. She wouldn't let him cause a scene now, no matter how worried he would be. There was no apparent danger ahead, and after a few more seconds Everett nodded with a quiet growl before he left as quickly as he had come. "As you can see, he can be a little overprotective and he's not much of a talker, but he is loyal" she explained to Julian, before her smile reappeared. "Alright. So shall we go?".


@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

In most cases, Julian would have been quite wary of a stranger giving him so many compliments. Usually strangers knew who he was and what his family owned, there was always an ulterior motive. But this felt different for some reason, he felt like he could trust Celeste, that she meant what she said and there was nothing sinister behind it. He smiled in appreciation, he had worked extremely hard to get to where he was, the compliment went a long way for him.

Her willingness to hand over her lightsaber did shock him. The lightsaber was a sacred item to those who possessed them, he would probably behead a stranger for even suggesting it to him, it seemed the trust truly went both ways with the duo. Good to know, looks like I won’t need to watch my back with her, if anything she’ll be watching it for me. He nodded happily.

His smile vanished instantly as the large man approached them. Julian was a very friendly person in public, but he also knew when the time for laughs and smiles weren’t required, this was one of those times. He could sense the hostility in the eyes of Everett. Celeste clearly trusted him with her life, but that didn’t mean Julian trusted him with his. Their eyes didn’t leave one another’s for the entire confrontation.

Although Julian’s face was straight and unemotional, his eyes were piercing and menacing. This Everett was clearly dangerous, but so was Julian and he wanted the man to know this. He had so much riding on the success of this mission and would not allow anyone to stand in the way, the stakes were far too high.

Julian’s smile returned when the man turned to leave, and once he was out of earshot, he chuckled loudly. “I don’t think your friend likes me very much” he laughed to Celeste. “I’m sure we’ll become the best of friends over time though!” He did not want to worry his companion.

He nodded at her suggestion and began to lead the way towards the tailor’s, keeping a casual, but hushed, tone as they talked along the way. “When we arrive at the party, I’ll need to make contact with Esther as soon as possible. The sooner I get the access codes, the sooner we can get out of there and move onto the next phase in the process. I’ll point out who is who when we arrive so you’re fully aware of who we’re dealing with.”

He went on as they turned a corner, nearing the shop now. “There is one man we really need to keep an eye on. His name is Crassus, he’s Ezra’s head of security and he’s one of the force users I mentioned earlier. He’s a very large man, taller and bulkier than myself, but he’s also deceptively fast and wields two lightsabers with ease. He doesn’t like me very much either.” He added the last part with feigned sadness before chuckling. In truth, Crassus despised Julian. He was the epitome of loyal to his mistress, her disdain for Julian carrying over tenfold to her pet.

When they arrived at the shop, the doors automatically opened at their approach and Julian led the way in. The inside of the shop was rather luxurious, white marble was the most predominant colour, it looked like a shop fit for royalty, and it was exactly that. There was a large variety of formalwear all around, the Fellstars prided themselves on making the nobles in Berchest feel more important than they were. It was an easy way to stay in their favour, ‘wearing a Fellstar’ was something they would state proudly and it made him laugh every time.

His white-plated protocol droid approached the duo, Julian’s outfit hung on its arm as it neared. “Thank you Sooty, it looks magnificent. I’m going to go put it on, my companion here will want to pick something out for herself, no need to charge her, it’s on the house.”

Julian smiled and gave a polite bow, before walking into the change room with his outfit. It was a white suit with cold chains along his right-hand pockets, also adorned with gold cuff links moulded into the Fellstar insignia. His boots were a silvery-gray that were deceptively light and quiet, something that he was certain would come in handy tonight.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It wasn't hard to tell that there had been a certain suspense when Everett and Julian had met for the first time. It was slightly amusing for Celeste, because she had seen Everett as misstrusting as this several times before, but this time there was also something more to it. He hadn't been distrustful alone, but there was also this hint of jealousy in his eyes.

He and Celeste weren't involved like that, but he always behaved as though they were. He was not only protective, but often even possessive and Celeste had warned him about that several times. Yet still he couldn't fully overplay it. It was alright for her, as long as he would still obey her commands and refrain from interfering without being asked, so she simply let it slide for now, but once they were alone again, Julian's remark made her laugh wholeheartedly. "That's something I definitely want to see. If you manage to win him as a friend, I swear I would believe you're an actual wizard" she replied while catching her breath. The sole thought of it was just hilarious. Everett despised most men, especially once they started talking to her. So good luck, Julian.

She nodded to signal not only her understanding, but also her agreement with the outlined plan while they were moving into the direction of the tailor. His remark about this Crassus was interesting and she immediately got an idea. "This Crassus sounds...very charming indeed and not at all dangerous. Not that I want to brag, but from my experience I can say that I'm not only good at distracting men, but I'm also quite versed in charming them. If he's a Force user, I can't mindtrick him that easily, but I have recently realized that I don't even need the Force to aid me with that". She was really not trying to brag at all, but she wanted to draft a possible plan. If he would manage to talk with Esther, she could keep this guy busy with ease. At least she was hoping that it would be rather easy and that he wouldn't suspect anything.

Once they had reached the tailor, she followed him inside, her smile genuinely broadening.the variety was huge, for men and women both and it all seemed extremely luxurious and high in quality. "It was clearly a good decision that I have followed you here, but I cannot accept your kind offer. You will repay me enough when you assist me on Rattatak, so there's no need for you to be so generous. I bet the materials cost you a fortune" she immediately responded, her gaze directed back at him. This would really be too much to accept. However, she was already falling in love with a dress to her right and she couldn't wait to try it on herself, once they little dispute would be settled.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

“I have no doubt that you’re incredibly capable when it comes to convincing men, but you may struggle with this one. He has eyes for nobody but his beloved Ezra, unfortunately for him, she sees him as nothing more than a guard dog. Regardless, he is fiercely loyal and will kill at a snap of her fingers.” This reminded Julian of one last potential danger.

“Crassus alone will be difficult to deal with if it comes to that, but the real problem will be if his subordinates are there also. The Golden Guard is a three-man unit led by Crassus and you could say they’re the household guard of Ezra’s estate. I didn’t mention them earlier as I heard they were recently out on a mission, but they’re extremely efficient and there’s always the possibility that they could be back already.” If it came to a fight, Julian would prefer not to face them all at once. He was extremely capable, but fighting four trained warriors would be pushing it, even with Celeste on his side.

After getting changed and walking back out in his new garments, he sighed at Celeste’s comments. “Now I understand why you’re saying this, but I insist that you accept my offer. Trust me when I say this business makes plenty of money from the snobby customers that come here often. You are not inconveniencing me at all by accepting, if it makes you feel better about it, just look at it as you doing me a favour by promoting my product even further.” He winked at her when he said this, making it quite clear he wouldn’t take no for an answer on this topic.

As he awaited her answer, he took a moment to place his lightsaber inside his suit jacket. His lightsaber, The Fellstar, was extremely large compared to most, the hilt as long as that of a greatsword. He chose this design to accomodate for his large size, he wanted to take advantage of his reach, his strength making him more than capable of wielding the blade with ease.

He placed the lightsaber in a hidden pocket within the jacket, the material and design doing a fantastic job of concealing any bumps caused by its presence. There was another pocket on the other side of the jacket that Celeste could use for her own saber.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She threw him a challenging look, but didn't lost her smirk while doing so. "I always love a good challenge, she replied convinced, but she could hear the seriousness in his voice. He actually seemed a little worried about him, so they definitely had to be extremely careful. "Okay, so let us prepare for the worst case scenario just in case...However, if they are still busy with that mission, I wouldn't complain. I'll definitely see what I can do about this Crassus and you'll try to reach the sister as soon as possible. If nothing seems to work, i have something very effective with me" she elaborated before she made her way over to him.

She looked around to check whether someone was in front of the shop, but as the coast seemed clear, she rolled up the dress a bit, revealing a little vial strapped to her thigh. "A Rattataki delicacy. Extremely lethal, but the right dose can sedate any man, regardless of their size and muscle. Even better: If you apply it carefully, you'll only weaken your target, making it drowsy enough not to realize anything that's actually going on". She wanted to list as many possibilities as possible to ensure that they were not only on the same page, but that they could spontaneously decide to change plans if necessary.

Celeste was hoping that it wouldn't even come to a fight at all. It was already late and it seemed as though they had a few more intense hours ahead of them, so an escalation was the last thing they needed. Once he started to change his attire, she was inspecting a bunch of dresses but they were all extremely beautiful so it was actually hard to decide. When he came back, however, she had picked one, but before she could change herself, she was literally amazed by his suit. "Okay wow. Now I'm honestly impressed and I don't only mean the suit. Nobility suits you!". Her remark was completely honest and she was not trying to flatter him, but it was truly impressive what clothes could do. "And alright. I have a feeling that you're not accepting any 'nos' so I'd rather hurry".

With that, she disappeared into the changing room as well, struggling just a little with the zipper on the back, so that she decided to rather ask for help. She had chosen a dress that would perfectly fit his suit. After all, she was his company for the night and with the glittery gold shade of the dress, her attire was the exact same shade as the details on his suit. "I'm ready to go once you help me with the zipper" she approached him with a smirk before turning around to let him help her.

@Shwanman

 

[Julian Fellstar]

Julian raised an eyebrow as Celeste revealed the vial, she was definitely prepared and that relieved him. He also hoped that it wouldn’t come to a fight, but considering what they had planned, he knew some form of conflict was inevitable.

Julian smirked at her reaction to his outfit, doing a mock twirl to show it all off. “My Lady, you flatter me.” He also appreciated her agreeing to his demands. It was his turn to be impressed seeing her approach him, she was absolutely stunning and her choice of matching him made it even better. He stayed calm (barely) as he helped the young woman with her dress, trying to be as respectful as possible. Although he knew she was just playing with him.

When he was done (something that shouldn’t have taken as long as it did), it appeared that everything was finally in order, except one last thing. “Looks like all that’s left is for me to store your lightsaber.”

This was the point of no return, every step they took from now on would have to be calculated.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

His little exaggerated remark concerning the flattery made her chuckle yet another time. So far, she had to admit that she was enjoying his company a lot. If they weren't on an important mission, this night could have been a lot of fun and a very pleasant distraction from all the business she had been dealing with lately, but the unfortunate truth was, that there was also a lot of complicated work ahead. However, she was still optimistic that they would still have a interesting night, and perhaps, if the mission would turn out to be a success, they would even have some time to enjoy the conveniencies of the event.

She could not only see but sense his slight nervousity when he helped her with the dress, but it made her smile just another time. From what he had told her so far, he wasn't quite inexperienced with women, but his reaction right now was charming nonetheless. She turned back to him, immediately offering him her lightsaber, so that he could safely store it for her until they would manage to smuggle it into the residence. "Well, then it seems like we're good to go. May the Force be with us", she replied, repeating those well known words with a little smirk. Even without being superstitious, a bit of luck could come in handy, considering what they were up to. She glanced up to him with a warm smile, signaling that she was indeed ready to go "Lead the way. I just hope the other nobles won't be too mad considering your delay". Truth was, she was also curious how they would react in terms of his female company...

@Shwanman