Ask Corellia Dropping Off Peas in the Bar

[Casany Praxor]

Spoiler: Music IC

“Never open with dialogue,”

the Bothan corrected with that smug smile of his. “You gotta just give them a look like you have been all over the galaxy and back around again.” Smoke drifted up from between his lips to cloud his countenance but there was really no hiding his pompous mug.

“Thanks,” his less than enthralled listener replied from the adjacent bar stool. “But I didn’t ask you how to pick up love interests at the bar. I asked you if you know anyone who wants to buy what’s in this bag? Gonna look this time or force me to down another shot?” She asked after downing her third vodka.

The Bothan shrugged as though refusing his advice was the woman’s loss and no other’s, then finally he looked in the little velvet bag meant for a handful of credit chips. “They look like peas.”

“They are peas. Just, uh…” Casany cleared her throat of all doubt, blinked and hoped for the best. “…Magic peas. Eat one and it’ll make you never wish for spice again. You’ll be crawling on the ceiling, eating juice and dancing in a supernova. At least it will feel that way. So what do you say?”

It was the Bothan’s turn to blink in a rather unimpressed way. “I think they look like peas, I hate peas, I’d rather drink juice than eat it, you’re more full of crap than a constipated Hutt, they look like peas and I need to piss.”

And just like that the Bothan waltzed away to leave the woman to her bottle of vodka with the only empty stool beside her in a crowded Corellian cantina at night.

“Di’kut,” she told her empty glass. “Oh well, at least I have you, my one and only friend.” Along with a bag of peas, of course, and a concealed pistol amid a casual outfit that concealed her status as a Mandalorian. Maybe if I had mentioned that much the pisspot would have bought the peas?

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

In truth, Zaia had no idea what she was doing on Corellia. She’d hitched a ride to the nearest system, and here she was. Normally she’d be looking for a job to pay for her next ride out of here and to save up to buy a ship, but this place? It looked like all the somewhat decent jobs were taken. Or just nonexistent. She’d probably be asked to go on a spice run or something, not what she had in mind. All of a sudden, she found herself missing the backwater worlds she’d been on, despite all the boredom.

Then something caught her eye. A bar. Though she didn’t drink, it seemed like a decent place to wind down for a bit and get to see what people were like here, despite her misgivings. She squeezed inside and looked around for a seat. It seemed like all the tables in the back were taken, which was bad enough, and she was starting to turn some heads. Then she realized it was probably her armor, which clearly marked her as a Mandalorian. Wonderful. The only seat Zaia could find was one right at the bar, from which a disgruntled-looking Bothan had just gotten up from. A woman with an empty glass sat next to him, and she had in her hand a bag of what looked like… peas? Maybe it was better not to ask.

Not having much of a choice at this point, Zaia headed over and sat down. She took off her helmet and placed it on her lap, holding it in place with her left hand.

“I’ll just have, uh, water.” The bartender gave her a look and passed her a glass. One look at it made Zaia want to gag. It looked like it had just come from a swamp, and judging from what she’d seen of this planet so far she couldn’t even say that it wasn’t plausible. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

That empty glass got filled real quick. That bottle of vodka had just hit the halfway mark, though it wasn’t all her. The Bothan might have hated peas but he had not declined those shots. Where he was gone, that empty stool got filled real quick.

Cas might have made the same pass, maybe worded her sales pitch in a different way to this newcomer, could have made an offer that one couldn’t refuse and, heck, considered playing the intimidating Mandalorian card after all. That would not have worked.

Sitting beside her was a Mandalorian in the flesh, or at least more armor than her counterpart. Helmet off, this blue beskar babe looked like she belonged in a clothes shop more than a suit of armor. A teenaged seamstress, maybe.

“Ordering water at a bar like this,” Cas mused as she sipped on clear liquid just a bit stronger. “In a getup like that.” She shifted on her stool enough to take the gal in from head to toe. The iron in the helm and arms was unmistakable. “Something tells me you’re either as lost as a kitten or trying to find one of your own.”

The words came out playfully enough, albeit with a hint of teasing, as if Casany Praxor was just some nobody patron on a planet who had no clue what it meant to be a Mandalorian. Many of her own would think so.

There she sat drinking away, dressed head to toe not in armor but in cargo pants and a red poncho. Sure, there was a golden sun for a brooch pinned to it, the sigil of Clan Praxor, but she doubted her counterpart would recognize that. Guess I really am just a gal in a bar…

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia jerked her head up as she heard the woman next to her speak, nearly spilling the glass of water in her hand. What did you expect? the voice inside her screamed. You’re at a bar, for goodness' sake! She had been so worried about… she didn’t even know what, being spotted? that she hadn’t been paying the least bit of attention to what was going on around her. At least the woman didn’t sound threatening, but who would know who she really was? Corellia, from what Zaia had heard, was full of scoundrels who would take advantage of anyone they should come across. But from her tone, the woman seemed to be teasing her. Not in a malicious way, at least, that was a plus.

“You could say something like that. A little bit of both, if I’m gonna be honest,” she replied, giving the woman an awkward smile. For the first time, she really got a good look at her. Her clothing seemed to be that of a local, but the pin… Zaia had seen it somewhere before. What was it? The answer was floating in her head somewhere, just out of reach. Maybe it was something back at home, on Mandalore? No, that couldn’t be possible. What would a Mandalorian be doing in a place like this without her armor? Then Zaia realized that she probably looked like an idiot sitting there staring wide-eyed at the woman. She shook her head at herself.

“I’m sorry. I thought I saw the symbol on your pin somewhere before. I can’t put my finger on where, though.” Zaia paused, then stuck out a hand. “I’m Zaia Krodas. Nice to meet you.”

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

A little bit of both. That was a line if ever there was one and little did anyone know how much it applied to Cas herself. A woman. A Mandalorian. A little bit of both. While she busied her eyes with the vodka in front of her, instinct drove her gaze toward the woman beside her after catching her ogling with the corner of one eye.

Cas glanced at the brooch on her poncho as if she had forgotten it for the moment. For anyone to recognize that symbol, even a Mandalorian, they would have to have encountered it up close. The sigil of Clan Praxor was not on any mural, was in no book, and if it was not pinned to the living like Casany Praxor then it was pinned to the dead. The long, long forgotten dead…but not forgotten.

“There’s only one way you would have seen this symbol, lady,” Cas sighed as she slid liquid down her throat. Her tone was half-interrogative, half-welcoming, and truly what better way to sum up her state? “Either you fought with me in a firefight or against me.” Then their eyes met; brown into grey-blue, like four family heirlooms bereft of value. “Or you were on Mandalore when our people sought and fought to reclaim it.”

Four fingers thudded the counter just then for another glass. Cas filled up two and slid one over to her newfound friend. “Casany Praxor.” She raised hers. “To the Mandalorians!” Not waiting for her drinking buddy, the alcohol was introduced to her stomach. “The live ones and the dead ones.” And maybe they are one and the same.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Our people? Zaia blinked at the woman’s words. Then it clicked. And the woman’s name only confirmed it. Casany Praxor. It was a lovely name, and one she vaguely recognized. She caught the glass with her hand and raised it to the toast.

“To the Mandalorians!” she agreed before taking a small sip. The taste of the liquor nearly made her spit the drink out, but she forced herself to drink it for the sake of being polite. She hadn’t encountered another Mandalorian since she’d left her clan, and she wasn’t about to give this chance up over a mere beverage. Once she put the glass down, Zaia drummed her fingers on her helmet, looking down at it before fixing her gaze once more on Casany.

“You’re Clan Praxor?” Zaia asked hesitantly. Her memory was coming back to her, and from what she remembered, what happened to them wasn’t pretty. “I thought Clan Praxor…” What other way could she put this? “disappeared. A long time ago.” She reached over to take another sip from her glass, but then realized that any more would probably knock her out. And that would put her in a pretty awkward position considering the can of worms she’d probably opened. But if Casany was truly from Clan Praxor, then Zaia was speaking to a living legend. The people of Zaia’s own clan had always valued the teaching of Mandalorian history, and although Zaia didn’t know too much about Clan Praxor, she was aware that they were greatly respected for the role they played during the war to reclaim Mandalore.

“I don’t think I’ve met any of your clan before. I’ve only heard stories. Personal accounts. But if you truly are Clan Praxor, then it’s an honor to meet you.”

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

Casany thought little of the obvious fact that this young lady beside her wasn’t much of a drinker. A couple of drinks more and that would change quickly enough. What gave Cas pause was the comment on her own clan.

Disappeared. The word was bitter as bile. The Praxors were dead. There was only one left and that one sat on a stool in some rundown bar on Corellia. If this Zaia Krodas had never met her before, had never seen a corpse of her clan, it was yet very possible she had found them out after Casany’s escapades on Mandalore. Twice over. Twice failed.

“Honor?” Cas chortled, almost spewing vodka from her lips. “Is it really?” She gave Zaia her full attention now. This was sizing up to be an interesting encounter indeed. “My family grew up on Mandalore, fighting with weapons and forging armor. Come the Purge, we hid in the stars like most of our people. Then some kriffers came along to blow up our one and only home.”

She might have taken a shot to that but had her fair share of shots and then some. “I roamed those stars as a bounty hunter. Didn’t much care who I hurt. Then I met more of us. I met Laren of Clan Vano, hell knows where he is, and joined our kin in the homecoming of our homeworld. That didn’t get far.” She snorted.

“Solus and the Orar’da’yadr came next, the would-be champions of Mandalore and Mandalorians, yet they are somewhere where I am not. No, no, I’m here sharing drinks with some chick who doesn’t even drink.”

Catching herself, or hoping to, Cas licked an apology from her lips. “Never mind that spiel. If you see honor sitting beside you then there it is. What’s your story? ‘Krodas’ is not a name I know of but that’s not unusual among a people who have not yet fully come out of hiding.”

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia listened to Casany’s story, letting her speak without any interruption. It was what the woman deserved— her undivided attention, after all she’d been through. It was much more than what Zaia had imagined at first for sure. The woman’s home had been destroyed, she’d been a bounty hunter, the other Mandalorians she’d met were gone… and she was here, with Zaia, probably in pain for things that were out of her control. She would have apologized for bringing the subject up at all, but Zaia realized that there was nothing she could say to make up for any of the things that had happened to her. In Zaia’s opinion though, if Casany had been able to make it through all that and was able to be here and talk to her today, alive, it was honor sitting beside her. She didn’t say it out loud, though.

“My story?” Zaia echoed. It was the first time someone really asked about her, and she didn’t know what to say to that. “Well, I can’t say it’s as action-packed as yours. I pretty much spent my entire life on a ship. Trying to stay hidden, you know, so we had to move around a lot. The only places my clan let me outside were on planets in the middle of nowhere, and they would train me there. When we flew to systems like this, they would tell me to stay inside the ship ‘for my own safety.’” Zaia made some air quotes at that, then sighed. “You probably haven’t heard of my family. We’ve been in hiding since the Purge. The few of us that dared to walk in the open with this—” she gestured at her armor, “were hunted down and murdered. They wanted the beskar. So I guess I can’t blame them for keeping me inside.”

She turned her helmet in her hands so that she was looking down at the front of it. “I’m not going to let that happen to me. Or to any other Mandalorian, if I can help it. For now, I just need more experience.” Glancing over at Casany, Zaia gave her a sideways smile. “I’m well aware I have a lot to learn about the galaxy. I’ve missed out on a lot.”

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

Cas nodded as Zaia opened up, hearing the beats of her story as though Cas was drumming them herself. They had already struck a parallel: the Praxors stayed hidden by staying put while the Krodases did so by keeping on the move. Cas listened on while stealing a glance at the bustling bar. Two outsiders in a bar that doesn’t belong with us.

Zaia couldn’t have been a couple of years below or above twenty. She lost no points by having less action and adventure in her tale. They would come. What else could a Mandalorian want in a universe as crazy as this one?

Blinking inebriety out of her eyes, Cas trained them on her vod’s beskar. True, Praxor had not heard of Krodas but that did not mean there was not a song and a story sleeping in that armor. Cas had no doubt that Zaia lived within it. I do too. It’s in me and on me even when it’s not.

“Spoken like a true Mando,” she grinned. “You sound like me ten years ago. Ten days ago, even. The truth is there is no escaping the blood that boils in our veins, no running from the echoes in our bones of our brethren shouting for us to kill and claim and conquer.”

She caught herself again, licking spiced vodka from her lips. “Fire and blood…but not yet. Such passion led to the Purge and here we are…two sisters of battle, one with a little more experience under her belt, the other soon to have it, hone it.”

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the moment, maybe it was both, but Cas slapped a hand on Zaia’s shoulder and realized she had been referring to her as “vod” all this time. “Own it…as though we already own the stars.” Then she downed her shot and used the other hand to steady herself on her stool.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Fire and blood. Zaia had heard the stories over and over, and she realized that it was true what Casany said. That the passion for war was so ingrained in their blood that it had led to the Purge. The Empire had targeted Mandalore for a reason, and it was because they were afraid of what might happen if the people turned against them. One Mandalorian, one clan was dangerous enough, but a whole planet? The Empire would have had a hard time controlling that. And what they couldn’t control, they would destroy.

Zaia felt Casany’s hand grip her shoulder, and when she looked over at the woman she thought briefly that she was about to fall off her stool. Maybe all that drinking was starting to get to her. But there was something else behind this light embrace. Even though they’d just met a few moments ago, they’d poured their life stories out to each other, drawn to each other because of a shared heritage. Maybe we were meant to have met, Zaia mused. But then she caught herself— she was starting to sound like a Jedi. She’d always believed that nothing was predetermined, one’s destiny prewritten. That she would instead have to carve her own path in the galaxy. If there was one thing she could control, it was herself. And that was enough.

“I’ll own it, alright,” Zaia replied with a smile. She raised an eyebrow at Casany’s empty shot glass. “I hope you’re not getting more of that. I’d hate to have to drag you out of here.” Shaking her head in amusement, she put her own hand on Casany’s arm.

“But hey, if you ever need a hand, send me a transmission. I’ll find a way to get to you. In my opinion, in times like this, the least we can do for our people is to stay together.” Maybe she was getting all mushy because of the (very limited amount of) vodka she had, or perhaps it was the wonder of finally being able to meet another Mandalorian that wasn’t part of her clan and hearing her story. Either way, Zaia meant what she said. Maybe coming to Corellia wasn’t so bad after all.

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

Zaia’s concern was met with a giggle. “Oh, I own this glass, this…this stupid bottle…even the stool I parked my ass on.” Cas offered a shrug as though the galaxy was paying for trillions. She would be fooling no one, not even herself, if she claimed to not be feeling the effects of high-percent vodka right about now. Though maybe it was more than booze that had launched an affectionate hand on another person’s shoulder, Mandalorian or not. Maybe it was the Force...then again maybe not.

When the gesture was returned it was all Casany Praxor could do to sit there silent and still, motor functions as frozen as a naked Twi’lek on Hoth. She wasn’t ready for that; wasn’t ready for the touch of someone else. It almost unnerved her were it not for Zaia’s gesture about a whole other kind of hand.

“You got that right…and the part about the vodka, vod.” Absentmindedly Cas turned the empty glass on the counter, debating whether to polish off the bottle but thinking better of it. She didn’t want to pass out in a place like this, particularly without her arms and armor, even with the arms and armor on the stool right beside her own—living and breathing.

Then her gaze drifted toward that velvet bag built for credit chips. “Say…” Cas cleared her throat. “...You wanna buy some peas?” She blinked. “Hold that thought. Got a ride? Mine’s in maintenance. Get me out of here and I’ll show you a zone where people like us can roam free without being harassed by bartenders or Bothans…eh…so to speak.”

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

For some reason, when Casany referred to her as vod, Zaia couldn’t help but feel like the woman really was of her blood. It was strange. After all the civil wars Mandalore had been through, its people were still one and the same, she thought with a small smile.

When Casany mentioned the peas, Zaia stared at her in confusion before remembering that the woman had been trying to sell them to the Bothan earlier. What those peas actually did, Zaia had no idea, but if she would be helping her out… then her internal debating was interrupted when the woman asked about a ride. The offer of going to a place where she didn’t have to worry about getting unwanted attention was tempting to say the least, but it was unfortunate that she didn’t have a way of getting there.

“I wish,” Zaia said with a short laugh. “I hardly have enough credits to get to the next system on a civilian transport. Not nearly enough for a ship of my own. I’d like one someday, though.” She tapped on her helmet, then glanced over at Casany. “I should have enough to buy some of your peas. Considering you have a, uh, somewhat reasonable price… Dank farrik, I really need a job.” She muttered the last part, rubbing a hand on her forehead. Letting out a sigh, she turned back to Casany.

“Yeah. I’d love to take you up on your offer, but I don’t have a ride just yet. I’ll have to figure something out,” she said with a shrug.

@Die Shize

 

[Casany Praxor]

No ride? No sweat. Except I'm sweating a hangover that may just be inevitable. "Ehh let's just hop on my bird once she gets patched up overnight instead. You got a place to stay? If not then you can shack on the couch in my motel room, free of charge of course.”

Whatever the outcome to that offer, Cas continued. “And forget the peas,” she dismissed with a wave, slightly surprised that her hand was not blurry by now. “Okay, well, maybe just a sample?” A single pea slid across the counter beneath a brave finger. The pea was orange but otherwise kind of shriveled kind of like a green pea. “Eat it and if you like it we can talk business.”

Shrugging off whatever verdict might become of that next endeavor, Cas would provide her comlink number, pocket her peas, down her shot, pay her tab and take the bottle of vodka with her on the way out. There were still some souls to drown.

[EXIT CASANY PRAXOR]​

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia let out a quiet sigh of relief when Casany offered her ship to give her a ride, and even a place to stay for the night. It was far better than the place she’d had in mind. The inn she’d passed on the way to the bar, well, it looked like a place that was crawling with smoke, spice, and criminals.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I’d love to,” she replied. Casany was being awfully generous, and Zaia was about to offer at least some form of payment when the woman slid a single orange pea over to her. Zaia eyed it carefully, then shrugged mentally. She’d eaten plenty of strange things when she couldn’t afford more, and though she hadn’t had anything like this pea before, she trusted Casany enough to assume that it couldn’t be that bad.

“I’ll give this a try sometime later. Thanks,” she said with a grin, giving the woman a pat on the shoulder. She put the pea in her own pouch, then placed the helmet back over her head as she stood up from the bar stool. For now, she’d go out and look around, maybe find a quick way to earn a couple credits before she went over to the motel. And as for Casany, Zaia had the feeling that even after they would part ways once they were off Corellia, it wouldn’t be the last they would see of each other.

//End of thread//