Ask Cold Hands, Cold Heart

[Cassian Graves]

A politician's work was never done. Obligations made inevitably came knocking, and typically at the most inopportune moments. The man Cassian was beholden to was no ordinary citizen either, but a commander within the Onderon Military. Not a man that you wanted to have as your enemy, simply because he certainly could make a nuisance of himself if he wanted to. Middle aged and divorced with no prospects of an active social life on the horizon, he had all the time in the world to make Cassian's life miserable.

That was the trouble with politics. People expected you to keep your word, and if you didn't, say goodbye to re-election.

This particular obligation led Cassian to Rhen Var, more specifically to Pietri Dane, an old friend from his days serving in the Onderon Royal Guard. It had been years since they'd seen one another. A lot had changed since those days, but hopefully, if one thing could remain constant, it was Pietri's loyalty to the Free Worlds Alliance. Rumors suggested otherwise.

After three days in a compact light freighter, the Zeltron was afraid he made for miserable company. He'd hardly spoken to the pilot or the woman he was escorting to Rhen Var, a special agent with the IIA. Cassian had never been fond of space travel. Lifeless durasteel, drafty hallways, and inescapable confinement set him on edge. It always had, ever since he was a child.

As the light freighter entered the planet's atmosphere and snow covered mountains grew visible through the ship's viewports, Cassian attempted to strike up a conversation. "I hope the cold won't bother you?" he asked the Togruta, tugging a dark overcoat on.

@Altaris

 

[Akira Tay]

While Cassian might’ve feared that he made for miserable company during the flight to Rhen Var, Akira was almost certain that she had been markedly worse

It didn’t seem to matter how many times the Togruta had found herself traveling through hyperspace, for the sensation was always one that she found less-than-pleasant. Surrounded by nothing but the lifelessness of space, trapped inside a durasteel box that left her feeling nothing but downright claustrophobic. For someone of tribal heritage, raised on the rolling grasslands of Shili, it was perhaps the very antithesis of what she found comforting and familiar, and it wasn’t long before the Togruta started to become notably antsy within her section of the ship.

As a result, there was a clear sense of enthusiasm from Akira as the ship began to approach Rhen Var - regardless of the very clearly frigid climate. The Togruta had come dressed appropriately for the climate - a thick, fur-lined coat pulled over her clothes - keeping her warm and having the added benefit of further concealing the blaster pistol that was strapped to her hip. Her outfit was accessorized with the Akul-tooth headdress that Akira wore at all times, as well as a few bracelets made from smooth, wooden beads on her wrists.

Akira glanced over towards Cassian when the Zeltron spoke, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Me? Nah, I’ll be fine.” She said, slinging a pack over her left shoulder. The ship began to drop down towards the estate in the distance - making a slow descent towards the landing platform at the edge of the property. “It’s you I’m worried about.” She said - her grin spreading wider to reveal the points of her sharp canines. “Not the perfectly warm, lavish palace you're used to back on Onderon. Sure you ain't going to catch a cold?"

@llamallove

 

[Cassian Graves]

"Don't worry about me," he replied, adopting the same lighthearted tone she had used. "I'm as fit as a fiddle." An over-indulgent fiddle with dull, fraying strings according to Kiacro and his mother and their uncompromising standards for everyday living. "I'll have you know that I've never been sick a day in my life."

Cold pervaded the cargo hold, even before the ship's boarding ramp had been lowered. Rhen Var was as inhospitable and nigh uninhabitable as Cassian had been led to believe. It was a desolate planet, with oceans of solid ice and frozen tundra that stretched for hundreds of miles with no end in sight. At night, temperatures reached sub artic levels. It was astonishing that anyone could live here amongst nothing but snow and ice, much less thrive here.

Nestled deep within a valley with snow swept mountains on three sides lay a small citadel. A haven of hope in an otherwise bleak world. Glowing, inviting lights that promised warmth and comfort shone from inside the citadel's windows, its residents already preparing for the frigid night that lie ahead. Darkness was almost upon them as the last rays of dying sunlight disappeared behind towering mountain peaks.

Waiting for them at the bottom of the boarding ramp was Pietri. Dark strands of wild, unruly hair stuck out from beneath the fur ushanka he wore, a bulky, wool-lined jacket covering the length of his tall and muscular frame. Apart from the wrinkles that had formed around his eyes and the beard he had grown, he was virtually unchanged.

"Cassian!" he greeted, breaking into a smile. The two old friends embraced, laughing and clapping one another on the back as if days instead of years had passed since they'd seen one another. Once they had pulled apart, Pietri's dark gaze settled on Akira, awaiting an introduction.

"Pietri, this is..." Cassian began, stopping short as his blue eyes stared down at the Togruta. My friend? Assistant? Associate? Or did he tell Pietri the truth, that she was an intelligence agent working with the IIA? Espionage was her area of expertise. He would leave that up to her.

@Altaris