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Laeonas Tannaras

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Even relaxed, the open hostility falling away, their argument persisted. Her defense was decidedly unimpressive, and he wore his feelings on his brow as he looked over at her, aquamarines narrowing. "If I plead before a judge that only some of my friends were murderous pricks, but some were innocent, and that the gang we'd been butchering for the past few weeks were just as bad, how do you think they'd react?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. He was being generous with the framework he provided-- it actually implied that both sides were equally culpable, which he didn't believe for a second.

"If that shit helps you sleep at night, go ahead and swallow it, but at least try and make your Flavor Aid a little sweeter before asking me to drink it." he declared, before letting out a sigh, pressing his fingers to his temple. It was a pointless discussion-- neither would move each other from their position. She couldn't convince him that the regime responsible for hundreds of his sleepless nights, and more importantly, the deaths of millions of innocent people, didn't deserve to be mercilessly destroyed.

But he wouldn't be able to convince her that the institution she had dedicated years of her life to serving was a fundamentally evil monstrosity that ought to be laid to waste. He'd only learned to argue this long thanks to his many, many disputes with his master over the years. He knew when conversations could be productive and when they were utterly pointless. He didn't care if she bothered to grab the last word-- he wouldn't respond any further.

He couldn't help but smile at her joke and subsequent wink. For all her faults, the Sith seemed to have a sense of humor as dry as his own. He'd slipped from blood thirst to wit in a matter of minutes-- it was a testament to his volatility.

His subsequent breakdown came suddenly, but the tears baited for a moment as she suddenly moved forward. His eyes widened and he instinctively took a step back, but she carried no saber and her stance wasn't one of combat, her arms spreading wide open. No, this was something else, something he hadn't received in a long, long time.

She was shorter than him, smaller than him, but in her embrace it didn't seem so. For a moment that tall, broad shouldered man with the raven hair and sharp jaw was a sniveling boy again, scrawny and spindly and pale as milk. Cutting through all the pain and hate-- for his enemies, for his homeworld, for the family that had left him and his mother to rot-- that was all there was. A boy trying his best to grow in a galaxy that seemed to hate him far more than he had ever hated it.

"...I've tried making it one." He declared, looking down at her, the wiping his tears off on his sleeve. "But I still tried to kill you. Tried killing a woman who'd never done me wrong, because the people she worked for were evil." He said, breathing heavy. "If you hadn't locked me up in that stasis... I'd have been a murderer." Laeonas confessed, choking up a little.

"...why are you even helping a crazy bastard like me?!" The Brentaalan suddenly asked, looking down at her with a confused expression. "What kind of woman hugs a man who just tried splitting her open from ti-" he began, before minding his language. "...from brain to butt?" He finished, silently thanking his master for trying to correct his foul mouth. He never held to any of her lessons... until now.

Until now.

Until now he wouldn't have given a second thought to killing the woman who now had her arms wrapped around him. He never would've considered the possibility that amongst his enemies there were those worthy of more than merciless slaughter. Laeonas had never once bothered talking to any of his enemies, trying to understand their point of view. They'd only ever been met with brutal reprisals. Just like Celeste, just like the other Sith, just like the rival gangs of his homeworld...

...just like the girl he'd verbally assaulted.

"...do you actually... actually think I'm not a bad person?"





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Celeste Stythani

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Was it right to do that? Yes. But was it clever? Oh no. Offering this hug was risky and he could possibly flick his vibrosword and started attacking her again, but she somehow felt like he wouldn't do such a thing. He was in a very vulnerable state and she was not going to abuse that, but she was literally trying to help him right now. The question, however, was, whether he would let himself be helped.

The question be raised about whether she was able to sleep hit her right in the face because yes, especially after Kashyyyk she had asked herself that question over and over again. Instead of giving him a reply though, she kept silent and let her actions be the answer, as in this case, action spoke louder than words anyway.

She held her breath for a second, waiting for his reaction, but he didn't seem appaled and so she did wrap her arms around him. "It's okay" she replied softly, even though the truth was that it wasn't. His aggressions were misplaced and stupid...he had completely freaked out and lost it and she condemned that blind hatred, but she was not going to dwell on it.

It had happened and even though he had actively chosen violence, it didn't mean he was a bad person and that he was lost. He might have descended the wrong path, but it wasn't too late. "This kind of a woman", perhaps a sometimes too naive kind of a woman, but she knew it was the right thing to gave him a chance.

She pulled him close for a moment before she let go, allowing him to pull back as he started asking her questions. "You are not a bad person..." she replied calmly, her light blue eyes meeting his aquamarine gaze.

"There is a darkness in you...I can literally sense those raw emotions but even if you have done a few things in the past that weren't exactly pleasant, but this doesn't mean that you're a bad person either. It's never to late...see: You have reflected on those incidents and you know exactly what happened. You may be emotional and impulsive, but that's also not a purely bad thing either. You've been wronged a few times and you've made terrible experience, but it's never to late to stop fighting for the good". She was not going to hold extensive monologs, but she felt like saying those things would help...she was convinced he could be helped. The crazy bastard part might have been true...but no, she wouldn't give up on him.

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He listened to her for a long time, and just stood there for an even longer period, resting his head and hearing the Sith's words. She reminded him of a few people-- the few positive influences in his life, it seemed, but more than any other, "You... you remind me of my master." He said, smiling bitterly. "She was also big on the whole non violence, diplomatic approach... something we disagreed on." Laeonas declared, before letting out another sigh.

"Sol, if she could see me now... what a fucking mess, crying in the arms of a woman I just tried to murder." He muttered, before glancing back down at her. "You and her would get along pretty well. Could probably spend hours talking about what a mess I am." he said, laughing again before he finally pulled away. There was no longer any bitterness in his words, only a melancholic tone that dripped from his voice.

"I thought I wanted to make the galaxy a better place by wiping the lot of you out... but if you're a halfway decent person, how many others are like you, sprinkled throughout your ranks?" He speculated, wracking his hair as he did so. "I'd have to pick through every last one of you fuckers before deciding on who ought to go home, and who ought to be tossed in a ditch." The man went on, before letting out an exhaustive sigh.

"No matter who I wind up fighting, innocent people get hurt." He said, before his eyes narrowed. "I thought I was fighting for the good when I was fighting you. How many people've you hurt that didn't deserve it? I'm guess your saber's handle isn't made of human skin, so you're better than a good chunk of your comrades." He went on, wracking his hair as he stood there. "Am I supposed to perform a background check every time I fight one of you guys? Do I ask them what they think about Firrerre? How comfortable they'd be setting a family on fire? Set a million families on fire?" He further questioned, not really asking her.

Things had been so simple up until now. The Sith were evil, they were the enemy. They were his enemies. They had wronged him in the worst way possible. They had wronged millions of people, slaughtered countless innocents. He'd never really had any strong moral principles up until he'd met the Sith, and seen how categorically evil each and every one of them had been.

And by merely acting merciful and treating him with kindness, Celeste had shattered his only strong moral principle.

...but, had she?

Sure, she was alright. Perhaps fighting was pointless-- perhaps the best way he could be a better man was to put aside violence. He could go home-- use the credits he'd accumulated over his long criminal career to buy himself and his mother a good home. Perhaps he could meet his father, and assume his place as his rightful oldest son and heir... or at least, connect with his family.

...but...

His gaze slowly turned back up to her, aquamarines carrying a look of curiosity behind him. "How... how many of your comrades are... like you?" The Brentaalan asked, quizzically. "how many genuinely want peace? How many of them care about other people's lives?" Laeonas asked, before his eyes narrowed. "Don't bullshit with me. Don't cover for them-- tell me what you think."





@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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As they lingered in that weird, yet somehow tender and powerful embrace she could feel his inner tension fading away further while he fully calmed down. The hostility directed against her was finally replaced with this wild stream of emotions, however it was more sentimental and soft instead of aggressive.

As he suddenly mentioned his master, she slightly tilted her head to the side, wondering whether that was a good thing or not. When he elaborated though, a warm smile landed her lips. "Oh I would have really loved to meet her" she replied with a slight smile while she attentively studied him for a moment.

His next remark was making her snicker, but only because he started laughing too...otherwise she wouldn't have joined in on that after all. True, he was a mess, but it was not like this was a bad thing. Everyone had good and bad days and well, he definitely had several issues to fix, but he had obviously reflected on a few things already.

She took a step back as their talk continued, she listened attentively on what he said and took a moment to ponder on her response. The answer were definitely not easy, but it really seemed like he was actually looking for an actually helpful response and so she let out a deep sigh at first. "I...no. I'm not saying you should run background checks, but perhaps it would help not to judge someone because of the banner he or she is wearing...some never had a chance. Like I said, some even believe the Empire is good and like I told you, it does good things, but there are just very few that are committed to starting genocide. They are people too, and everyone deserves a chance" she finally replied, her voice soft while the smile was still on her lips.

There was no perfect answer, but it was definitely one answer. He had more questions though..."I cannot give you numbers...not even estimations. My honest opinion is that many people are indeed reasonable and will allow a dialogue. But what could be problematic is blind loyalty and we have that a lot after all. I'm not going to lie to you, but I can definitely tell you that overgeneralizing is not the way". What was he expecting? That she would give him like a percentage? Unfortunately, she could just speak for a few decent Sith, but all the soldiers woukd still act differently. "We all make our mistakes. But hope is not lost". After all, their fight had turned into an interesting conversation and it seemed like his heavy resentment had been shattered.

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Laeonas Tannaras

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He cringed as she described how the Empire was a mixed bag and not an irredeemably evil institution, and his initial instinct was to react the same at her "everyone deserves a chance" line. Growing up in the slums, Laeonas was used to making excuses for awful behavior, but there was a line that even people as wretched as he was had to draw-- between those who did evil because of circumstance, and those who did it because they wanted to. There would always be irredeemable pieces of shit that could only ever be put down, and up until now he'd thought the entire Sith order belonged in that category.

Though as he thought on it a bit longer, he considered how she had acted. "I suppose you practice what you preach-- trying to rehabilitate a guy who would've turned you into chopped suey." He said, another dry joke escaping his lips. Laeonas wouldn't have hesitated to kill if he were in her position. The Jedi had always taught him that violence ought to have been a last resort-- a lesson he'd never committed to.

He listened to her describe the Sith as a whole, and his hope for an easy answer was dashed to pieces as she described the empire and it's servants. "...it's all so goddamned complicated." He cursed in frustration. "Why can't the lot of you fuckers just all be evil so I don't have to feel bad?" He lamented, wracking his hair again. Laeonas had always developed techniques to depersonalize the violence he inflicted on others, to absolve himself of any actions he'd otherwise find evil or detestable. He didn't need to change, didn't need to feel bad or dwell about all the people he hurt or killed-- he could just keep on keeping on.

Now though? After his exile he'd been forced to acknowledge the terrible things he'd done. The one group he still felt comfortably dehumanizing was the Sith, but Celeste had shattered his conception of a monolithically evil organization. But the Empire as a plurality was still evil, without question. Even if there were people like Celeste within it who were good, they couldn't stop the atrocities and horror that the Sith perpetuated.

"...maybe my masters were right-- no matter who I'm doing violence against I ought to feel bad about it." He said. "I'll... I won't judge people I meet before I know them anymore. I won't hate them or try and kill them just because of who I think they might be." The Brentaalan declared. "But I can't stop fighting. As long as the Empire keeps waging war, I'm never going to be idle." It was a compromise between his principals and his need for retribution.





@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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She coukd just see it in his eyes. His past had visibly marked him and shaped each and every single one of his strong beliefs. He had witnessed terrible things, he had experienced terrible stuff and he was mistreated over and over again. Yes, it did make sense...

And yet she was overly grateful that she had managed to convince him to at least try to see things from a different light and that there were plenty shades of grey when it came to the dark. Not every Sith promoted genocide and meaningless slaughter and not everyone was promoting violence anyway. You just had to take your time and get to know the individuals behind the banner, behind the ranks.

As he shared his dry joked she started to chuckle, slightly shaking her head in amusement. "Well yeah. Either that or I'm just enjoying to play with fire" she jokingly added as well, but of course it was partly the truth. When she had went for the hug, she had gone all in. He could have stabbed her or taken advantage of her disadvantageous position one way or another, but luckily he hadn't. Instead, he had listened.

"Why can't we just all start to talk to one another again? And to listen?" she asked back, replying to his rhetorical questions with something slightly provocative, but not at all in a negative way. She wanted him to ponder on that slightly philosophical question and asked him with a warm smile.

She was positively surpised about the compromise that followed after he had apparently gained an important epiphany. Did he actually change his radical opinion so quickly? She was not questioning that at all, as she was just happy that he was admitting that after all and so she rolled her shoulders before she quickly glanced to one of thr tunnels. "I'm glad you think so. I'll call that a definite success and yes, no one forces you to remain idle. It's never wrong to fight for one's beliefs as long as they are not radical..." she smirked, as another idea formed in her mind. "Are you up for a few drinks? We've got some fine Rattataki liquors" she then suggested. She wouldn't want him drunk, due to his instability, but nothing was wrong with socializing after that admittedly intense interaction.

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Playing with fire? "I could say the same about me." The Brentaalan answered. She could've just as easily used the moment of vulnerability in that embrace to delve into his mind again. The work the grandmaster had done was effective, but Celeste was skilled enough that she might be able to slip between any unsealed cracks. Displaying such vulnerability had been a risk they'd both taken-- and now, there could be trust between them.

And beyond trust?

Her question of dialogue brought an amused look to his face, but as Laeonas realized she wasn't joking, his expression turned skeptical... and than, quizzical. The man had been about to dismiss the question out of hand, but her asking left him curious: what did anyone get out of resorting to violence first? "I attacked you because I didn't think there was anything to listen to." Laeonas confessed. "I figured whatever you'd have to say would be window dressing to justify evil shit."

"Besides, I'm better at hurting people than I am at talking things out with them."
He'd add, smiling so he could try and put it off as a joke, even if it was genuine self deprecation.

Her acceptance of his newfound position was a relief, though her last word made him smirk. "Radical is relative. If you told a crow that eating the dead was wrong, he'd call you crazy." The man joked. He wasn't sure where their conversation could go from here, and he readied to withdraw back to his chambers-- but Celeste's next offer caught his attention like nothing else could.

"...you've got booze?" He asked, turning to her, eyes wide, a look of skepticism mixed with childlike excitement dancing in aquamarine panes. "These fuckers haven't told me where their liquor's at and I've been here two months! I've been rationing out the Dack Janiels in my liquor cabinet for 6 weeks!" Laeonas complained, though a manic grin had spread across his lips.

"If you're looking for someone to get shitfaced with, you found the right bastard." He declared. This was going to be fun.





@LadyRen
 

Celeste Stythani

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His statement seemed utterly right. He too, was apparently one of the risky types, but that was fully okay. The trust they had established was still fragile, but she was normally excellent at reading people and right now there was no threat present anymore. He had calmed down and the tension in the atmosphere was finally overcome, which was relieving. Trust was always mutual, but they seemed to make progress fast and she was grateful for his openness in that regard.

A rather warm, if however, still soft smile was on her lips as she kept listening to him. "Honestly, I get that. With your experience, it's no wonder you've assumed that. I'm glad you did that in the end though. It seems like this has spared us some limbs" she replied humorously, hoping to lighten the mood further with that. "But see! Talking is not too bad and you're seemingly getting quite good at it" she then added truthfully as her smile widened.

She chuckled at his joke about the crow and understood the symbolism, yet the way his eyes lit up as she mentioned the alcohol, made her even chuckle stronger. "Well of course we do! See, another reason to talk to me. I've got all connections" she answered with a cheeky wink as she gestured to him to follow her into the tunnels. "And I live your new found enthusiasm! So let's go" she then added enthusiastically herself as she began leading him out of the arena and into the direction of her private quarters. Quite close to them, they would find the supplies and she knew exactly where the best stuff was kept. "Two possibilities, you choose: We can either hit it off with a bunch of people and join a real...well let's call it 'party' ooor we grab a few bottles and head to a calmer place" she then declared, curiosly waiting for him to choose.

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Evidently, the Sith shared his black sense of humor, and he grinned at her joke about the limbs they'd saved. "Let me know if you'd prefer I relieve you of a few." He said, before waving off her words. "You wouldn't say that if you knew me a few years ago. Ever been to Brentaal?" He asked, curious if she had ever visited his homeworld-- or was at least aware of his people's notoriously ear grating speech.

"Of course you do-- stingy pricks around here decided to keep it from me though!" He said with a scowl. "They ought to have given me a bottle-- if I were in a better mood, I might not have tried gutting you." He said, maintaining the scowl for a moment before he broke out into another fit of laughter, making it obvious that he was joking. "When it comes to drink, I'm always enthusiastic." Laeonas quipped, following Celeste out of the arena and back to the cache.

"This isn't even that far! I'm ashamed that I never found it myself!" He declared, but his complaining stopped as his eyes ran over the various wines, spirits and hard liquors. "Nectarwine, Correllian ale, Dorian Quill-- is the Merenzane gold?!" He questioned, grabbing the bottle and letting out a joyous laugh. "Imperii theotoke y Sol," He whispered a prayer in his native tongue, before turning to Celeste, considering their options.

"They didn't tell me where any of this was for weeks, and now you want me to drink with them?" He asked, pursing his lips. "...sure, I suppose." Laeonas added with a shrug. "I'll leave it to you to get some people together-- make sure they can handle their liquor. No fun in playing drinking games with people who pass out after three shots."





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Celeste Stythani

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It wasn't unexpected that he quipped back in dark humor and she just joined the chuckling, before she raised an eyebrow in terms of his question. "Brentaal? No. Sounds about time though. Perhaps you can show me around" she then replied, throwing him a smile and she was actually honest with that request. Celeste loved discovering new places and so why not? Yes, he had mentioned a few unpleasant things from his past but after all this could be fun.

They started to walk while he shared his little anecdote about the relation between drinks and his mood and she immediately joined his laughter. "I see. Next time I'll offer a drink first. I'll keep that in mind" she playfully added, but even though it sounded all lighthearted, she was not yet letting her guard down. Her gaze might not have seemed attentive, but she was carefully studying him just in case.

As he complained about not having stumbled upon it she stiffled another laugh. "In your defense, the door isn't truly obvious". She led him in and gestured for him to choose whatever he wanted. "Help yourself". As hospitable and polite as ever, she even offered the man that had tried to gut her drinks from their storage room...well well. The tides had turned.

When he finally decided on what to do, she nodded, leaning against the door frame. "First of all, the Rattataki are always down to party. Second of all, they are masters at handling the drinks, so you better get ready. They are also quite competitive" she winked at him, before she pushed herself of the wall. "Give me half an hour and we'll meet in our tavern" Of course she was referring to their makeshift bar room on the first level and before gathering the people, she planned on changing her attire. If they were about to get hammered, then they'd better to it appropriately.


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"Show you around?" The Brentaalan said with a snort, chuckling at the idea. "Well, I can show you a couple marble statues, a cathedral or two, and than we can spend the rest of the day walking through the tenaments. Maybe we'll only get robbed twice if we're lucky!" He joked, mocking the entire idea of returning home unless it was absolutely necessary. He loved his mother and he came home to help support her financially-- Deus knew, her wages couldn't cut it-- but returning to that cesspit of a world for any other reason was laughable. He'd always made a point of targeting tourists whenever he was in the mood to steal a wallet or two.

"Whenever I wanted to stop a fight back home, I'd always offer drinks. If a problem can be settled over a bottle of wine it ain't worth killing over." He declared, though if a situation had already escalated to near violence, there was rarely anything that could be done to stop it. Every man and woman styled themselves a king or queen, their person a nation they held dominion over. Any slight or insult would be greeted like an international incident.

"Don't have to tell me twice," he said with a chuckle as the drinks were offered, nabbing a few bottles. Bottles of liquor he and his friends used to have to spend weeks prepping to rob from a liquor store or scrounging enough credits together to buy just a single bottle. These days he had enough disposable income to buy liquor as he liked, but he'd never stopped treasuring these bottles, and his appreciation had intensified with his thirst over the past few weeks.

"How do these people have such great
drink?" He asked, marveling at a half century old bottle of Nabooine Wine. "It takes weeks for a ship to arrive at port, but this stuff... Sol, I'd have to pay a fortune to get my hands on it!" He exclaimed, before letting out a bought of laughter. What did it matter how they got their booze? It didn't; they had it, and that was all that mattered.

"Masters?" He repeated, before glancing down at a bottle of spotcha-- 45% alcohol. "...we'll see." He declared, grabbing two bottles, and casually levitating the others with the force. As she mentioned the tavern, he grinned again. "Been a really, really long time since I met anyone outlasted me at the bar." He said, before chuckling again. There was more that could be said, but he was thirsty-- and right now he was a disheveled mess.

"See you in a few!" He called as he moved down one of the hallways. He'd wash up on his ship, and get changed into something a little more... appropriate.





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Even though Celeste was usually well informed, she knew admittedly little about Brentaal and she immediately wondered whether the whole planet was like that or whether her companion had literally just seen the shadiest corners. She still couldn't hold back with the amused chuckling. "Oh see? Doesn't that sound lovely", she sarcastically replied while they made their way through the deserted corridors.

What he mentioned in reagrd to the fight was true and she met his statement with an amused nod before they had finally reached the chamber and he selected his drinks. "I know...I mean the majority of the drinks is important but the Rattataki liquor is as strong as it's good" she said to him, grabbing one fruity mixture for herself.

It wasn't hard to figure out that he was indeed loving this plan of ending this night with a few drinks and hopefully a great mood and admittedly, she was excited to see how this would continue. After he was done picking a few things she led him out again and locked the room, because usually some of the guards started raiding the supplies otherwise.

"Bold claims...I'm curious to see" she playfully teased, nodding before they split up for now. She immediately headed upwards towards her room and changed out of the training clothes and into an attire fit for the occasion. It was a native, tight fit leather dress, so nothing too fancy but definitely an uncommon sight outside Rattatak.

Once freshed up, she started strolling through the tunnels to check who was still up, but the closer she got towards the bar inside the Cauldron, the louder it got, which immediately told her that they had enough people gathered already. A smirk crossed her lips and while she waited on Laeonas, she engaged in small talk at the doors. It seemed like they had chosen the perfect day as there were enough people inside to have a good night, especially because the majority wasn't notfully hammered yet and it seemed like the get-together would get in full swing soon enough.

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He cocked an eyebrow at Celeste's joke. He knew she wasn't being serious, but even the idea of his homeworld being a vacation spot bewildered him. "Most chicks I knew always wanted to take vacations to Chandrila, or Zeltros." He'd declare, before adding, "So did all the lads, but we care a bit less about the finer details." He added. While the upper classes might have had distinctive roles laid out for their men and women, the grim realities of day to day life beneath the shadow of their palaces shaped everyone to be as hard and cold as stone.

As they separated, Laeonas made his way back to his ship. Flicking on a few lights, he would find his way into the refresher and clean himself up. He as usually took awhile to just stare at himself in the mirror. Fingers traced along the grooves of muscle and the cuts of his scars. No more had been added tonight-- not yet, anyway. The Sith-- Celeste seemed genuine. She'd offered drink, and had had so many opportunities to kill him-- opportunities she hadn't taken.

And yet part of him still screamed, "Cut open one'f tha lines in tha 'yperdrive and pour fuel inta tha bottles. Grab some of yer melatonin' and spike 'er drinks until she's 'alf passed out, than squeeze with tha force-- they'll say she choked on 'er wine." Equally vile thoughts penetrated his mind, as he stood there, sick to his stomach at the suggestions his mind cooked up. Up until a few hours ago he'd have considered those thoughts appropriate-- at least when it was a Sith he was thinking about.

"She could've killed ya." He muttered to himself, over and over again. "She still can." He thought. "It don't matter-- she invited ya to a party. Go out'f courtesy at least." he told himself, tapping his foot. "Invited ya t'a trap. She prolly went ta meet Kat right after-- told 'er ya'v gone mad, th'at she's gotta put ya down laike a dog." The paranoia in his mind ran circles around him. He ran circles around himself, weaving tails, justifying the violence he was concocting post-hoc. He'd never seen it like this before, but now, now he looked back on his life and it repeated over and over again. Whether he was beating up a kid because they had a toy that he really wanted and they ought not to have had it, or when he was in the middle of busting the kneecaps of a guy who didn't pay protection money-- because he spent it on deathsticks, and that meant it was okay.

He looked back, and he only had one word for all of it.

"Horseshite." He spat, shaking his head. "Utter fuckin' HORSE SHITE!" He shouted, before slamming his fist into the mirror. He was breathing heavily, blood trailing down his fingers and than down his wrist. Pulling back, he stumbled, falling and landing on his tailbone. "FUCK!" He shouted, blood trailing along the tiles. He looked up the mirror, down at his hand, felt the throbbing pain on his behind.

"This is all you've EVER GIVEN ME!" He roared to himself, slamming his cut fit into the floor. "Always BLOODY, always hurting, knocked on my ASS!" He shouted, tears streaming down his face. "I'm not FUCKING DOING THIS ANYMORE!" He roared. The last time he'd said that, he'd been whimpering, asking himself to stop, asking himself to be better. He didn't ask now-- he demanded it.

"You hear that?" He said, slowly staggering to his feet. "You raven haired, baseborn piece of shit? I'm not hurting anyone anymore! Nobody who doesn't deserve it-- and I'm doing a LOT of thinking before I decide they are!" He ranted to the air. His own voice didn't answer-- because it was his voice that was speaking. He wasn't mad-- at least, not in the "multiple people in his own head" sense. No, it was only him-- it had only ever been him.

--------

When Laeonas arrived at the party, the only hint of his outburst in the refresher was a bandage wrapped around his palm. He'd taken a few painkillers to dull the aching in his rear, and he walked with the traditional confidence that he always wore in situations like this. he was wearing a half open, half dressy sweater-shirt, sleeves cut at the elbows. He usually never went out in public showing much beneath his shoulders, but the Rattataki were a barbarous people with weird choices in dress.

Aquamarines glanced around the room until he spotted a familiar face, and a grin spread across his own as he joined the small group of chattering Rattataki-- and the Sith who he'd been so desperate to stop from doing just that. He tensed up for a moment-- would they come down on him if she gave a signal? Was Kat waiting to haul him off and throw him off the mountainside?

"Shut up and trust her." He told himself. With that, such thoughts were banished, and he took a long, deep breathe, before tapping her on the shoulder.

"Ayy."





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The mood was already good and light and the more people entering, the louder it got. For now, she enjoyed not being in the middle of the actual action, as she was still waiting for Laeonas. However, she was already taking a few sips of the fruity liquor she had chosen for herself to match the already slightly lowered inhibitions.

She was engaged in an amusing conversation with a local, held in their native tongue while he kept helping her improve the pronunciation, until she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head and her smirk widened as she realized that it was indeed the exact man she was waiting for.

"Oh look at that. You came and you look absolutely ready to get started!" she mentioned enthusiastically, switching back to galactic basic while she brushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. She immediately noticed the bandaged hand and raised a brow, before she figuredb that this was probably not the place to ask.

She gestured for him to follow her and assumed he did, before she confidently headed towards the bar. "I really hope you're ready" she said to him, glancing over her shoulder, her voice raised to overcome the existing level of music, background noise, chatting and laughter all around.

She led him to the bar and ordered two shots of Rattataki desert liquor in Rattataki again, and a few seconds later she already handed him one glass. "To new...friends and a fun night!" she cheered, in a particularly good mood already as the atmosphere here was simply infectious.

She didn't even fully know what to expect of tonight, but it still seemed like he was here to prove that he could easily keep up with the Rattataki when it came to drinking. While they were still at the bar, there were already countless people happily greeting her and the first was already offering them to join their game. "Up for a drinking contest?", a middle aged Rattataki -one of the usual guards- asked her. She immediately raised a curious brow at Laeonas, however she already seemed to know his answer.

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His grin widened as she commented on his apparent readiness, glancing down at his outfit. "I didn't keep you waiting an hour just so I could show up unprepared." He teased, before following her gaze down to his fingers. His grin twitched a little, but he turned his gaze back up-- he wasn't in the mood to talk about what had happened, or to make up a lie. "Don't think I've ever seen a fit like that," he said, gesturing to her dress. "Native, I'm guessing?" He asked. Laeonas hadn't been especially impressed by Rattataki fashion as of late, but even he had to admit that the dress looked impressive.

He followed behind as she made her way to the bar, taking the shot as it was offered. As he brought the shot glass up, the smell of the liquor burned his nostrils, and he couldn't help but grin. As Celeste gave her toast, he threw the glass back, aquamarines widening as he coughed a little, which transitioned into a chuckle. "Shite, th'at's intense!" he exclaimed, failing to modulate his accent as he did so.

At that, a few of the Rattataki around him began to laugh. His cheeks flushed red for a moment-- he hadn't reacted so poorly to a drink since he was fifteen-- but he answered their laughter by ordering two more shots. As the glasses were filled, he summoned one to his hand with the force, prompting a couple of gasps in surprise-- and he shotgunned both of them in quick succession. He groaned, eyes welling up with tears, but he grinned triumphantly as he stood, and a couple of the Rattataki bellowed out in support.

"Deus almighty, that shit's foul!" He exclaimed, before letting out a belch. When he heard the guard's voice offering up a challenge, he turned, aquamarines squinting before widening in recognition. "I know you!" He exclaimed, pointing a finger at his chest, which seemed to amuse the older man. "I've been asking you to tell me where your liquor is for weeks!" He declared, to which the guard just rolled his eyes. "Can you blame me? You don't really come across as a guy with a leadbelly." He declared, which prompted a few chuckles from the Rattataki around him.

It was true-- in spite of the Brentaalan's habits, his appearance didn't betray his alcoholism. His face was pale, not flush, his stomach was smooth-- and with the minor amount of makeup he wore, the heavy earrings dangling from his lobes, and the fancy, foreign clothing he wore, it was natural for the Rattataki to assume his was of a fruitier taste in drink.

Laeonas stared down at the man-- of a wider, heavier frame, obviously much older, who'd apparently been handling this kind of drink for most of his life. It had been a long time since Laeonas had been faced with such a challenge-- and instead of shrinking away, he met it with a wide, almost manic grin. "So, you're picking me cause I look like an easy win?" He asked, cocking his head. "Looks can be deceiving, old man." He declared, wheeling to the side to face the bartender. "Bring out your strongest liquor!" He commanded, before turning his glance to Celeste. "We're not stopping until one of us DROPS!"





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It was obvious that he wasn't going to elaborate on the bandaged hand, and despite her curiosity she was still fine with that, considering their circumstances. However what she also noticed was his reacting towards her dress and she really couldn't help but to chuckle a little. Most men probably wouldn't complain when seeing a woman in a tight, black leather dress, but no, this was no over-the-top fetish wear, but a normal, Rattataki style outfit. He didn't seem too impressed, but it made her laugh nonetheless. "Oh yes, native. We don't import textiles here" she explained as they made their way over to the bar.

She wasn't surpised by how the shot affected him. She fully grimaced, even coughing a bit as the burning liquid ran down her esophagus. She felt a hearty pat on her back as one of the bystanders tried to comfort her. "Well done, woman. You're getting better at this!", he laughed in the common tongue, but not in the mocking way. After all, Celeste hadn't even been able to swallow that stuff at first, so this comment was indeed appreciative. Still coughing, she started laughing, amused about Laeo's reaction as well. "Ugh...I know. It feels like it's killing you from the inside". She earned mostly laughter, but a few scoffed and shook their head. Yeah...for the Rattataki this was nothing, for outsiders almost deadly.

She followed the playful between the guard and Laeonas with curiosity, however hoping that the dark haired man knew what he was starting there. "Well, well. Seems like it's settled then" she replied with a big grin, however briefly raising an eyebrow at the Ex-Jedi before she slid into a bar stool to save herself a front row seat for this spectacle."Let's go, gentlemen. I want a fair fight". She still had her own liquor bottle in one hand and asked for a glass before she poured it in. She was going to keep up, but with her own, fruity pick instead of that devilish stuff and she would not end up unconscious...this wouldn't end well. To match their amusing level though, she emptied the first glass quite quickly while she watched the two men drink, but as she suddenly realised that this might have been way too much in such a short period of time, it was already too late...Well, seemed like the night would definitely be interesting.

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"You obviously have your priorities straight," he joked, half teasing, but also half genuine. If it were up to him to choose what to import, liquor would always come ahead of textiles on the list-- coming from the man whose hunger for new outfits was almost as insatiable as his thirst for liquor was unquenchable. Hedonism characterized the Brentaalan's lifestyle, and he sat down at the bar he readied himself for the night of indulgences that would follow.

As the shots went down his throat, he turned to Celeste, who seemed to be struggling just as hard as he was. That was a good sign-- she'd been doing this for months, if he was struggling as hard as she was than he was actually doing pretty well. Her words brought a grin to his lips, a chuckle bellowing out, followed by a belch. "Worse 'as tried ta kill me," he declared, before nodding for the bartender to pour him another glass. "Ai welcome tha challenge!" He boasted, not even trying to modulate his words. The bravado won a couple of cheers from the Rattataki, and the Brentaalan began to wonder if these people weren't as savage as he had thought.

--

As the guard and the foreigner prepared themselves, the bartender gave a knowing look to the older native. Pulling out a bottle, Laeonas' eyes would widen. The glass was old and weathered, obviously used and washed out plenty of times before. There was no corporate branding or logos or recognizable names on the front-- instead a label, poorly pasted on, with a skull and horns marking the beverage for what it was-- a hazard.

Laeonas briefly turned to Celeste, finding his confidence wavering, but she merely raised an eyebrow. He'd accepted the challenge and upped the stakes-- to back down now would be an act of supreme cowardice. "...has that got a name?" He asked, returning to the more intelligible, emotionally subdued speech his master had taught him at the Jedi temple. The bartender answered with a shrug, replying in heavily accented basic, "Blend's an old one. We don't bother naming it cause of how few drink it."

"And how fewer live." The guard quipped, a grin on his face. Laeonas' eyes bulged at that, which prompted a few of the Rattataki spectators to laugh in amusement. The bottle's seal was unbroken, but after cutting it and popping the cork, the tender poured two shot glasses. Even just popping the cork, the scent and strength of the drink would waft into his nostrils, setting them alight.

"Imperii theotoke, serve meii," He whispered a quiet prayer, one of the few coherent phrases he knew in his tongue. Grabbing the shot glass, he clinked it with the guard, before shotgunning it back.

Laeonas' eyes widened as he felt the liquid catch in his throat, burning-- and he spewed the liquid fire from his mouth. The crowd gasped or laughed, while the guard-- visibly struggling-- brought it down. He poured over himself, coughing heavily and trying his best not to immediately vomit, but he kept the drink down, while the crowd laughed and jeered at the foreigner's failure. All the while, Laeonas coughed and coughed, eyes blazing in frustration.

The guard seemed ready to call it, but Laeonas, in the middle of his coughing fit, clinked the glass on the counter, turning back to the bartender. The crowd was once again left surprised as the man rasped out a "More!" The fire in the Brentaalan's eyes was clear to see. Reluctantly, the bartender poured another shot-- one he expected would be a waste-- but Laeonas would astonish the crowd by shotgunning it back.

He visibly shuddered as the drink burned down his throat, and he fell upon the counter in a panting, coughing, belching mess. The entire crowd was left surprised-- and than, they cheered. They'd expected that he'd drop after the first shot, but the foreigner had maintained his consciousness... somehow.

"ANOTHER!"
He exclaimed, sitting back up, though wobbling a little. The guard wore a shocked expression on his face, but he didn't back down, belting the same phrase in his native tongue at the bartender. The two opponents kept their eyes fixed on the other, and each would throw back another shot.





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So was it clever to empty the glass that fast? Probably not, but it was too late and the men were already at it too...so well, she was in the middle of this mess. So why not just vibe with it?

She giggled amusedly as the Rattataki next to her whispered some meaningless trash talk into her ear, but she was quite suprised that the one man actually rooted for Laeo...he mentioned something about him just looking like someone who could take it, which made Celeste raise a curious eyebrow.

Admittedly, judging from his rather slender frame, he hadn't had enough body mass to keep up with the broad shouldered guard and since Laeo had mentioned that he hadn't even gotten drunk in quite some time...well...the odds didn't seem to this favor. But Celeste too wanted to cheer for the understood and so she kept encouraging him from her bar stool.

It took approximately 2 minutes and she could feel the alcohol's influence from 1 to 100. Her head began to spin, her vision grew blurry and she was decently inebriated, but this didn't stop her. She watched the drinking pair excitedly, before she couldn't help but to join the trash talk. "Come on you two!! Is that a prissy or a drinking competition?!" she teasingly yelled, a big grin on her lips before she threw the bartender a seductive grin. "Bring out the good stuff! Mixing drinks is even better...and I take one too!". As if the first idea wasn't too bad itself, the second was even worse, but she'd figure that out soon enough. "Yeah you pussies! Swallow that piss!!", the one next to her chimed in loudly, addressing the two man with a big, smug grin. "Give us a good show!", another one bellowed.

So far everything was still funny and she only felt those effects so strongly because she hadn't had any practice in months. The bar crew cheered in unison, roaring for more drinks all around. The atmosphere was getting more heated, but definitely in a good way and she was excited to see where this was going. The guard was definitely a steady contestant and he seemed to take the shots well right now. He kept swallowing the highly concentrated liquor without grimacing, yet one could see that he was slowly getting intoxicated in his gaze. "Anotheeeer", the crowd began to roar as the next shot was down and it seemed like the whole bar's focus was on the brave drinkers.


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Aquamarines blazed at the older Rattataki as he moved for another shot, downing the glass' contents with a grimace. Bold, old-- fat. It was a fool thing to accept his challenge, Laeo realized-- but what the hell did that matter?! He'd been faced with a challenge-- backing down would've made him look soft. That such a heavy amount of alcohol now flowed through his veins only strengthened his convictions.

All around people were yelling and encouraging them-- and the closest was Celeste. Glancing at her, Laeo blinked and turned his head-- for before him seemed an entirely different woman. Only now did he see her as she was in that tight fitting dress, smiling and laughing along.

His lips curled up in a grin, and as the others bayed for him to continue, the matter of victory suddenly felt much more personal.

"Hurry up!" He called to the bartender, who promptly poured him his shot. He raised the glass in the air for all around him to see, than brought it to his lips. Rather than shotgun the glass, he slowly and deliberately allowed it to flow down his throat. All around, the people would gasp at the display, watching as Laeonas treated the burning booze in his mouth like Blue Milk or Orple Juice in it's strength.

As he finally gulped it down, he stifled a shudder, closing his eyes before his mouth opened. "GaaaAHAAH!" He groaned, aquamarines lighting open and lips curling up into a wide smile. "Ya sure th'at was tha right bottle, tender?!" He asked, looking out to the crowd. "Ai'd thought th'at was yer strongest liquor! Ai wonder if Ai should down another shot just ta make it fair?!" The Brentaalan called, and the shock and surprise from the crowd gave way to a roar of applause. Even his opponent wore an expression of begrudged respect-- but he couldn't tolerate such a challenge.

"Don't get cocky just yet, boy!" He said, a smirk on his face as he turned to the bartender. "ANOTHER!"





Player Roll for Drink tolerance: 19

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With her own blurry image, everything just seemed funnier, especially because the obvious verbal competition continued. She didn't pay too much attention to the Rattataki around her, as her slightly fuzzy mind was even already beginning to get trouble with comprehending the basic that was spoken in Rattataki accent and so she rather gave her full attention to the eager contestants.

Instead of stopping her own intake of alcohol, she kept taking a sip herself with each and every shot they took. Obviously, her fruity beverage wasn't as highly concentrated as that devious liquor, but her own wits slowly faded away. As she met Laeo's gaze, her smirk immediately widened and without even knowing why exactly, she gave him a cheeky wink. Of course she was hoping he would win - wait...did that even make any sense? She couldn't even tell, but she thought it would be fun if the underdog won. And Laeo wasn't just brave, but holding on well!

Truly impressed by his performance so far, she kept on watching as attentively as still possible. Alcohol had always had affected her quickly, but this still didn't stop her from continuing. As Laeo started taunting the bartender and the crowd, she couldn't help but to laugh. She really admired that confidence and soon the laughing turned into a cheering again. "Refill! Refill!" she joined in, completely forgetting to uphold the usual reputation she had built up so far. After the next shot, the guard was starting to grimace a little and she could literally see him beginning to stagger while the pit of his stomach probably began to churn. Her smirk switched to slightly mischievous. He was still standing, but even he would begin to crumble sooner or later she thought, and so maybe rooting for Laeo would turn out to be the absolute right call.

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