Freedom At Long Last

[Ren Vist]

Finally, after four long years of torment and agony, freedom was his. He never thought that this day would come, a day where he could walk free of his Master's clutches. He could still remember the sound of blaster fire filling the halls of the facility he was kept in, like a prize rat to be exposed to all of his Master's machinations. He could feel the Force roaring through the facility, the Dark Side being let loose unchecked. And yet still the heavy boots of the Mandalorian boarders pressed ahead, shouting commands in their odd tongue. The fighting went on for some time, and then there was silence. It wasn't long after this sudden silence that the surviving Mandalorian party stumbled upon the lab chamber he was in, strapped to the table and still recovering from the latest round of experiments. For some reason they let him go. He heard something about one of their girls, also a subject under his master's control. The Mandalorians left and Ren could remember walking through the halls as if detached from his own body. He remembers all the bodies. Dozens of dead Mandalorians. And one dead Sith.

Ren snapped out of his stupor of reminiscence once he finally reached the main entrance to the prestigious establishment that now stood before him. A six-story-tall hotel home to some of the most luxurious amenities on Serenno. The Purple Rose. It's been five days since he finally walked free for the first time in years and after much self-convincing, he'd decided that perhaps it'd be best if he took some time to try "relaxing". The concept was so alien to him that stepping inside of the five-star hotel seemed almost intimidating.

As he passed through the front doors and into the main halls he was genuinely taken aback by just how much nicer it was inside than it was outside. While outside it shared the steadily growing commonness of other Imperial designs, but the hall was decorated with marble and fabrics, and as he slowly ascended the steps, the dark wooden desk drew his attention as it was clearly designed to. Several hotel staff members and even a few guests passing through the hall paused to take in Ren, contorting several of their pleasured grins into wary frowns. His armor was no different than the typical dueling armor worn by most Sith, but it was draped with tattered blood-red capes that hung from his shoulders and waster. Two curved saber hilts rested on his belt, and the mask he wore to hide his disfigured visage was cold and glaring, inhuman in every conceivable way. He could feel the pressure of their gaze, of their judgment. So be it, he thought, glaring at them all from under his mask, let them judge me. I doubt any of them could have survived my trials.

He approached the dark wooden desk and look at the receptionist who was already watching him approach. However, much to her credit, her clear hesitation was quickly replaced with a friendly and professional smile, the green-skinned Mirialan putting on her peppiest voice. "Hi, welcome to The Purple Rose! The hotel is broken up into several sections with the adult-oriented lounge and bar off to our right, along with any other... comforts you may be interested in. The Spa and Pool are directly behind me down the hall, and all of our rooms are accessed from the left wing entrance here!" She explained, gesturing in turn to each location. Ren found her enthusiasm both strange and vexing, but he understood the importance of being as welcoming and polite as possible with clients. "Will you being spending the night with us this evening?"

He pondered the idea for a long while but to be frank, Ren wasn't sure he could quite feel comfortable here. Acclimating to society would take time, and he had no interest in spending what few credits he had on some frivolous room if he didn't end up wanting to stay here afterward. "I think I'll just rest in the lounge for a while. I'll return if my feelings on the matter change," he replied, his voice coming out unmuffled but metallic and hoarse from behind his mask. He could see clearly the momentary discomfort in her expression, feel her tense up as he sounded almost as unnerving as he appeared. He sighed, the sound coming out as a mechanical rasp as the receptionist admitted him into the lounge. He walked towards the door and reached to push it open, and once more he was reminded of how stiff some of his movements felt, even after all of these years of getting used to his ever-changing body. Yes, it would take time for him to hone this form once again, it was inactive for far too long and put through far too much. Every inch held together by his former Master's scientific genius and Ren's own power over the dark side. It was so fundamentally woven into every fiber of him that it was nigh impossible to conceal it for long periods of time. Any force sensitive near him could feel the Dark Side holding his body together, could sense the discomfort in his movements, despite his efforts to move with calmness and reservation.

Ren reached out and grabbed the handles of the heavy and finely designed doors that would lead to the lounge and bar area, and pushed them open before striding down towards the music and laughter beyond. Yes, all of his bitterness was well founded, but he was free now. Finally free.

@anzat17

 

[Serie Fond]

Serie was more than a little excited to get the invite from Abigail to come to her new hotel. Serie was almost a little jealous that she hasn't invested in something like this already. Although she considered to herself that if she did own something like a hotel it would probably eat up way more of her time than she would be comfortable with. That being said, she still somewhat liked the idea of being a business owner, though she knew nothing about it really.

As she walked into the hotel, one of the front servicemen seemed to recognize her and quickly ushered her to the front of the line. She smiled pleasantly at him as she walked over and handed him her identification. He barely even looked at it, seeming to already know who she was and what she was doing there.

She took the room key from the man after he was done with her information and grabbed her bag. As she did so she almost bumped into a rather strangely masked man. Something about him however made her extremely curious and she decided to run with curiosity as she normally did. She smiled thinly at the man and nodded towards him.

Excuse me. I do apologize, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. She said, doing her best to engage him in conversation. While to some people he would be quite the intimidating figure. To Serie, who had seen some pretty crazy things happen in the galaxy by this point in her life, was not intimidated. If anything she was intrigued by his style and the fact that he wore a mask similar to Vincent's made her subconsciously want to talk to him even more.

 

[Ren Vist]

As Ren pushed the door open to the lounge he felt a sudden bump, a moment of contact with another person. His breath hitched, his body reflexively pulling away from the sensation as his head snapped to look towards the source of the unpleasant surprise a bit faster than he had wanted. It took a mental count to three in order to calm the sudden surge of panic, and he felt inwardly frustrated with himself for being so easily startled. If he had to spend the rest of his life living with the traumas of his past he would lose his mind.

He looked the woman over, staring for a moment at the thin smile she wore, the tone of voice she used to portray herself as amicable. Was the bump some planned method of engaging him, perhaps because she wanted something or had heard of recent events? Or was it perhaps truly just an accident? He finally spoke, his voice starting as a metallic growl that transition into speech, although that transition was far from smooth. "Perhaps in the future, you will be more mindful of where you step. Even if this is now a unified Empire under one banner, I would not be shocked if many have chosen to preserve their ways since being Exiles. Some would not take so politely to an... innocent bump."

He shifted away from the door to better face her as he said this, taking her in. At this point in time rarely anybody here on Serenno would be a nobody, not in this part of town. Ren wondered who this woman was and why she was here? Who were her connections? He cursed at himself internally and his paranoia. He was here to relax and try to move on from his past. He was finally free, he could finally truly be a Sith. Sith. How much his world had changed in those few years, and here he now stood, idly conversing with some random woman he did not know in a hotel he could just afford if he chose to. Still, he found it odd that she would choose to speak so politely to someone else she has met, even if they did belong to the same Empire, no matter what their roles in it may be. And more than anything else, how she could put on a smile while looking at someone like himself.

 

[Serie Fond]

She tilted her head slightly to the side as the man spoke. She found it quite curious that he didn't know who she was. She felt like she was probably one of the more popular people among the Sith, she had been a apart of it since it was not the Sith and instead the exiles. Her eyes narrowed slightly as his remarks.

Indeed. And they'd probably crap themselves if they realized they were bumped into by Serie Fond i would think. She said, still smiling at him. She wasn't particularly offended by his comment, she knew people were ignorant, and more often than not they thought much more highly of themselves then they ought to. Especially among the Sith. She had humble beginnings however. She didn't have anything handed to her that she didn't earn herself. She had come from literally rags, and was making her way the beat she could admist the inherent successes that others seemed to all share in. She didn't care for money. It was meaningless. It was a means to an end only for her. And the end always justified the means in her opinion.

And may I ask, whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with today? She asked, still smiling and her eyes narrowed, studying the rather interesting man. She hoped that by dropping her name now that he might recognize her, or a t the very least the name.

 

[Callen Shaw]

Calen had met the owner of the hotel that loomed before him a couple of times. They weren't friends or anything but this place had already begun to build a reputation of being rather interesting. So it made it an obvious choice during his time on Serenno.


He had spent the last year grinding away as a low-level member of the Cartel. He could feel it, he was on the verge of something big. That's what had brought him to Serenno, but his business was wrapped up for the moment which left him some time to relax a little bit, unwind. Which usually meant getting horrifically drunk and go from there.


He walked into the hotel lobby and up to front desk. He smiled warmly as the woman at the front desk greeted him. “ Hi there. I just need to check in. The name is Calen Shaw.” He spoke as he turned slightly to get a good view of the lobby. It was impressive, to say the least. “Here we go, Mr. Shaw.” She said sliding a key across the desk. “ You are all set. Please let us know if you need anything, and welcome to The Purple Rose.” She finished, smiling professionally. “Thanks, doll.” He said tucking the key into his jacket pocket.


He made his way to the lounge, excited to drink somewhere other than the Toasted Twi’lek. It was great and all, and it was home but the change of scenery was nice. He spun as a finely dressed woman passed him. The change of scenery was very nice.


He wore a nice black sport jacket with matching slacks. A year ago he couldn't have cared less how he looked, relying on his charm, not his fashion? Things were changing. If he was going to make it big he needed to look the part as well.


He stepped into the lounge, walking past a masked man and a woman speaking to him. Only these new Sith characters would walk around wearing something so creepy looking as a mask in a bar, but who was he to judge. They did kind of all gave him the creeps though. Between the Sith and the Jedi the Galaxy was quickly filling up with weirdos.


Putting the two out of his mind he turned towards the bar and the dancers beyond.


He was in heaven.

 

[Ren Vist]

Ren was no fool, and it did not slip past his notice when the woman he was speaking to slowly began to tilt her head as he warned her against needlessly bumping into strangers. She was thinking, clearly, but of what he couldn't piece together yet. Was she taking some degree of interest in him, or was this planned? Was he just being paranoid, haunted by his past, or was there some credibility to his worries about this woman's intentions?

However, it became clear to him once she introduced herself that she was clearly used to receiving some degree of respect from others that she stumbles across, and that kind of arrogance could be found only in a Sith these days. That or a crime lord, he supposed, but she was far too open about her identity to be a member of a major crime syndicate. No, she was proud of who she was and expected her reputation to proceed her. Unfortunately, Ren had no idea who this woman was, and he doubted this was for a lack of her notoriety. He'd been practically cut off from the outside world for years, and the only times he was let loose was to perform tasks for his Master just so he could return.

Still, despite not knowing who this woman really was, or just what she had a reputation for, an egotistical viewing of one's self like that surely only came from reputable deeds. He would have to tread lightly with this woman, this Serie Fond, and would most certainly be doing his research later. He had just escaped the clutches of one cruel Master with far too much time and power on his hands, and the last thing he intended to do was fluster another temperamental warmonger. Still, she seemed rather calm and polite for someone who was likely well known for being quite the opposite.

Then she asked for his name, and before he could stop himself the answer that had been drilled into his mind for years began to quickly slip from his lips. "Subject 8-", and then he stopped, catching himself before he finished the humiliating designation, loathing building inside of him. He had to stay calm, reel it in, tame the madness before it leaked out of him like a sea of darkness. I am free now, I am free. I am no longer his pet, no longer held in his bonds. Orphus is dead. After what felt like a long moment to Ren, though he assumed only a couple seconds had passed, he managed to bring his emotions under control once more. The cool composure returned, his breathing steadying as he idly registers the individual walking past him into the lounge.

"My name is Ren Vist, though I am unsure how many would relieve themselves upon stumbling across me. Apologies if it is... of any offense I suppose, but I can't say your reputation has preceded you in this particular case." Ren cursed at himself internally once more, fully contemplating the repercussions of his lack of control. In that momentary lapse of restraint, he's sure that his hatred began to radiate, and if she was Sith she may have felt the sudden surge of dark side power, not out of strength but because of an inability to contain himself. It would make him look weak and unprofessional. "I've been out of touch with recent events for some time now."

 

[Abigail Nimbus]

Abigail exited the dungeon with a slight spring in her step, a mischievous smile etched all over her face. She stopped in front of a mirror as she strolled down the lounge, checking herself just to make sure she didn't leave much of a mess - wanted to look presentable after all. Tonight had been a good night for her so far, they had finally finished the sauna yesterday so she had spent most of her morning in there, followed by some dancing and, well, they all knew what she got up to in the dungeons. She had been in the middle of her fun down there when one of her staff had knocked on the door to inform her that Serie, whom she had invited a few days prior, had finally arrived. However she felt before was multiplied by infinity, she finally got the chance to gush a little at what she's achieved with one of her friends and see what they thought of it. Despite that, she didn't want to brag, no one likes a bragger unless they're exceedingly nice in every other area.

Seeing that she was nice and fresh, she turned on her heel and started to make her way toward the exit, but then a very familiar face caught her eye. She shifted her gaze toward the chairs next to the stage, and to her surprise, there was Callen Shaw, one of her associates from the Cartels. Looking at him admiring the dancers, she got an idea for a little fun. Abigail moved into the shadows, silently approaching the chair like a creepy womp rat looking for food. As she came up behind him, she bent down and came in right next to his ear.
"Enjoying the show?" She asked politely, though with how close she was, she might as well be shouting at him. Abigail readied herself to move in case he reacted drastically.

@Raydo

 

[Serie Fond]

Series eyebrows raised slightly as the man began to say something about subject 8. Though he cut himself off directly after, she had a feeling that there was a lot more to that story the what she was seeing so far. She could still tell that he hadn't recognized her or her name. Which she wasn't offended by, just more or less curious how he hadn't.

It was as he spoke that she could feel the dark side on him. Though he wasn't trying to radiate any energy she could still tell that he was perhaps upset with her, or maybe her bringing up something about his name.

Ren is it? I guess I can't hold it against you, forgive my being brash. Would you care for a drink? My treat. She asked happily. If he was out of touch with things that was his problem to solve. Hopefully he didn't continue to radiate like he was though, as Serie spotted the one person she had really came there for.

She gestured for the masked man known as Den to follow her to the bar as she crossed the floor rather quickly. She saw Abi seem to be engaging one of her patrons in conversation.

She's gonna make a great business owner. How many other ones do you see walking around their lobby being sociable with her guests? She thought to herself as she approach the two. She did recognize the man as the one who had passed her in the lobby a few brief seconds ago. She nodded at him first then looked at Abi with a gentle smile on her face.

Although she was feeling rather confident and outgoing today, it seemed like her anxiety got to her a bit just then as she went in to hug Abi and became somewhat self conscious. She most definitely was not used to being a socialite, and the .ore in the spotlight she was putting herself, the more she realized how nervous she was getting. She did her best to hide it though as she pulled back from the hug with Abi and looked back at Ren.

Abi, ren. Ren, Abi. He's another one of your customers. We almost bumped heads in the lobby due to me being so busy staring at this amazing marble you managed to get. She said, introducing the two of them and trying to move things along in the course of conversation. She couldn't help herself from the marble comment though, as she was already again staring around the nice lobby and bar area like it was her first time off the outer rim again.

She then realized she hadn't introduced herself to the man that Abi was talking about and her face became a little flustered as she got more anxious again.

Where are my manners? Serie Fond, it's a pleasure. She said smiling and daintily extending her hand, leaving it face down and relaxed towards the younger man.

 

[Callen Shaw]

He left the bar, drink in hand. He took a sip of the dark amber colored liquid as he sank down into one of the many chairs that were scattered around the lounge. Now, this was something he could get used to. Callen was used to his entertainment establishment to be a bit more...wild but he forgave the Purple Rose for the time being. No place was perfect.

He was enjoying a particularly attractive Twi'lek dancer as she gracefully made her way across the stage when there was a loud yelling in his ear. Callen had grown up on the roughest of streets on Coruscant. He rarely got scared, but Abi caught him at the just the perfect moment of relaxation that it about pulled the spirit from his body. He instinctively reached for a gun that wasn't there, knocking the glass over that had been resting on the arm of the chair. He jumped and spun, seeing who had snuck up on him. He muttered a quiet string of profanities "Hutt's ballsacks you scared me, Abi." he said offering the woman a smile. He looked down mournfully at the spilled alcohol on the floor. "And you owe me another drink!" he added playfully, already making his way back towards the bar. Even if she didn't do the right thing and replace the drink he would be getting one. He didn't plan on being sober for too much longer during this trip.

"Hell of place you got here." he told the woman just as they were approached by the pair he had passed earlier. He had never seen a woman with blond hair and pale yellow eyes. It was quite captivating. He stood by politely as the two women exchanged a hug and she introduced Abi to the masked man.

The blond haired woman then turned towards Callen and extended a hand towards him. He flashed the woman a charming smile. "Yes. You. Are." he said taking her hand in one of his, he bent down slightly, lifting her hand to his mouth and gently kissing it before letting go and standing up straight. "Callen." he said, giving her his own name. He nodded towards Ren in greeting.

 

[Ren Vist]

It only took a few moments for Ren to fully reel himself back in, tucking the darkness deep within himself once more. His sanity was shotty at best, and he recognized this, but he had to do the best he could to stay composed at all times. That was how he was going to grow in this new Sith Empire, and that was how he wanted people to perceive him. Always in full control of himself and the situation around him.

"You really don't have to, I'm not sure I plan on stayin-" And she was gone. He turned and watched as she headed off further into the lounge after something or someone that she had glanced over at. Ren let his head go slack with a sigh and a grumble, watching her go. He certainly didn't feel like stepping on any toes, and even though he wasn't quite brushed up on his manners, he figured turning down a free drink from someone in a social setting could come across sour. He grumbled to himself once more and began to follow her, muttering under his breath the whole way, "All I wanted to do was sit in a nice dark place, alone, at a table, and drink my problems away. But nooo, now I need to drink with others."

Ren made an effort to keep his posture perfect, his stride even and cool, staring straight ahead as he watched Serie hug another woman before turning back towards himself for introductions. So she was the owner of this establishment? Her resources must have been considerable to achieve something like this. "Pleasure to meet you," he said directed at Abi with a gentle upward nod of his head. Ren then noticed the other man, the one he'd caught out of the corner of his eye from before, and returned his nod, though he felt something turn in his gut when he watched the gentlemen kiss Serie's hand. Repulsion? Ren began to wonder what other side effects his time with Master Orphus would have on him.

"So you're the owner of The Purple Rose? It's an impressive feat, you must be proud to call it your own," Ren said, turning his gaze back to Abi. He was aware that he was already in the middle of this now, and he might as well take the opportunity to make the most of it. At the least, he could learn more about what Sith society is like, and at best he may be able to culture a relationship with potential allies. Still, four years of torture and seclusion made him feel rather introverted, and he did his best to avoid coming across as awkward. This was going to be a long night.

 

[Xhexania]

Casually, and with a strong conviction of her own self, Xhexania entered the bar; quickly finding a spot at an unused table. The Darkside was present, it's embrace she quickly welcomed. It was a welcoming change that she didn't have to mask her presence within the Force, to many people with high visions of collecting lightsabers polluted these times of comfort. Propping her bare feet upon the table, she leaned back in her chair; scanning the area around her. She wasn't actively searching those that walked her own alignment, rather she was searching for a waitress to serve her. Upon spotting one, she whistled first, following it with gesture of a wave that resembled 'get over here'. Surprisingly, the waitress ignored her, opting to serve a group of richly dressed individuals.

"Typical," she spat retrieving her feet from the table. Standing up, she made her way toward the bar itself; never taking her caustic eyes off the waitress.

"Your poison," the barkeep inquired. Looking over his stock, she frowned finding nothing to her fancy; settling on a glass of some blue liquid drink. "Ah! Good choice lass. Very popular with the ladies this one is," he said pleasantly before turning around to fill up a frosty mug for her. "New here, eh? I'll give you the newcomer's special. Two credits."

Extending her tongue, she tasted the liquid feeling a wave of disgust wash over her. "Two credits for this piss," she said dropping two bits on the bar counter, "I'm not sure which type of ladies fancy this, but I would hazard a guess not your traditional high class broads." Before the barkeep could formulate a response, Xhexania detached herself from his presence returning to her seat.

With shoddy drink in hand, she once more propped up her feet; struggling to consume her beverage.​

 

[Callen Shaw]

With introductions out of the way, it was time to get to the fun part. “Well, I am going to get us a round of drinks,” he said to the group, flashing another smile before making his way to the bar. He normally wasn't so generous, mostly due to the fact that until recently, he had been broke but that was changing.

He leaned up against the bar as he waited for an annoyed looking Twi’lek to finish with the bartender. She received her drink, decided she instantly disliked and stomped back to a table. “Another happy customer, huh?” He joked with the bartender, chuckling as the man let out an exaggerated sigh. “What can I get for ya?” The bartender asked. He ordered a round of shots for himself and the group he had just left. “Bring a round of those Miss Sunshine too” he added, nodding back towards the Twi’lek. He thanked the man, sliding some credits over the counter before returning back to his group, carrying a tray of shot glasses.

The clear liquid smelled awful, and probably tasted like the stuff you would use to strip paint from a starship. He set the tray on a nearby standing table near the group and passed out two shot glasses to each person. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He took his own glasses in his hand before raising a glass “To the Purple Rose” he said before slamming back one of the glasses. He looked over and made eye contact with the Twi’lek woman and raised the second glass towards her from across the bar before throwing it back as well.

He let out a choked laugher as it burned it's way down his throat. He looked towards Ren, making sure he had partaken in the first round. That guy sure looked like he could cut loose a bit.

@Swamp Witch @TheBrokenMadMan @anzat17 @Caramel Raccoon

 

[Abigail Nimbus]

Abigail, for all her quirks, still liked to think of herself as fairly dignified and adult when she needed to be. That said, any pretense of dignity went right out the window when Callen leapt from his seat, the hairs on the back of his neck practically leaping off the skin as Abigail doubled over in roaring laughter. She was cackling like an old witch for what felt like 10 minutes when she finally forced herself to stop. She scoffed dramatically at his protestation that she scared him.
"No duh, that's the point Cali," She stated, grinning madly at him as she pulled him in for a hug, "I missed ya." Then he had to ruin the heartwarming moment by complaining about his drink. "You can get it yourself lazy ass."

Pulling back, she was about to say something else when another set of arms hurled themselves around her. Abigail would have stiffened up if she hadn't sensed Serie's signature barreling toward her, but lucky for the woman, Abigail already knew she was here (the whole reason she left the dungeon in the first place). She reached up and held Series arms in her hands tightly, returning the hug before turning toward her and her guest. "Hey stranger," She greeted warmly, running her hands up Serie's arms to calm her nerves a little. "You ok? You seem a little nervous?" Serie was quick to introduce her to the guest behind her, though Abigail had already found her attention wandering to him in the small space of time between and hug and hello. There was something...off, about this guy, he seemed strange in the force, like an aberration. It reminded her of Kano in more than a few ways...perhaps there was more to him than met the eye.

If anything, he was polite, offering a hand and congratulations on the hotel, both of which Abi took with a smile. "It took a lot of work, I'd be remiss to call it my achievement alone," She admitted, thinking back to all the workers and builders and the grueling 6 months it took to get this place up and running.She could still remember the look on their faces when they saw the building in it's original state, half a floor missing, crumbling floors and walls, the poor buggers looked like they were going to have a heart attack. The mention of drinks brought her back to her Hutt butt standing behind her, and Abi was quick to facepalm at forgetting. "Serie, Ren, this is Callen Shaw, I used to work with him when I was in the Cartel," She explained, gesturing toward the man, only to find that he had instead moved toward the bar. "He's also a prick with a lust for booze."

She couldn't complain too much, at the end of the day, he came back bearing drinks of all shapes and sizes, and even had a Liqueur for Abigail, bringing a warm smile to her face. "To The Purple Rose, and the friends who helped make it possible!" She exclaimed, taking a quick sip of her drink - not much of a shotter that one.

@anzat17 @Caramel Raccoon @Raydo @Swamp Witch

 

[Serie Fond]

Serie felt warmer as her friend began to stroke her arms. Abigail was alot of things to alot of people, but Serie liked to think of her as her closest friend. And possibly more further down the line. She thought to herself before turning her attention back to the rather charming man Abigail had been entertaining a few moments ago.

She almost blushed as he took her hand and kissed the back of it gently. Compared to the majority of people she had met within the Sith Empire, she had almost gotten used to being relentlessly hit on and in rather aggressive manners. The soft approach always worked on her though, and as he added his line and ordered them drinks she figured she just might want to join him.

Perfect. I owe you a drink. She said turning back to Ren. You owe him a drink. She then said, pointing to Abigail and then Callen. Her finger stayed pointing at him though, and she gave him a quick subtle half smile. And I think if you get the first round, the next will be on me.

The group made their way to the bar and she was quite interested to hear more about this Callen fellow. Abigail mentioning that they had worked together during her time with the hutts.

If you don't mind my asking Callen, she said after they finished the first round of shots, what do you do for a living? I mean, I know you work for the hutts but what exactly do you do? Wait let me guess! Hmm. She said pausing for a moment to check him out head to toe. Smuggler? You've got the looks and the charm for sure. She said with a quick wink and playful punch to his arm.

 

[Ren Vist]

Ren watched and listened as the group shared kind words and decided that it was time for drinks. Ren couldn't remember the last time he'd even had a drink, and here he was with a group of strangers about to share the tray that Callen was now bringing towards them as they lightly shuffled along. And then it arrived, and shot glasses were passed to each of them, including Ren. One by one he watched them down the liquor, and he noticed Callen watching to make sure that Ren drank his. Very well, let the looks begin.

Slowly, Ren reached up to his mask and grabbed both sides, thumbing at the disengagement locks on either side of his temples. There was an audible click followed by a sharp hiss of air as several parts of the helmet popped out of their holdings until the whole thing easily lifted off. His hood fell back as the helmet was removed, and for the first time in days, his skin felt fresh air. His hair was short and cut poorly, once a bright auburn now faded and streaked with silver from stress, a massive hairless line stretching up the middle of his head thanks to a scar. Every inch of his skin was scar tissue or stretched thin. Crescent incision scars wrapped under his burning orange eyes, the whites bloodshot from the strain. A thin white line wrapped around his entire face that almost seemed to imply at some point his face may have been actually removed. A long curling scar reached up from the right corner of his lips, and on the left two thin holes exposed the inside of his mouth. Several spots dotted his skull that were meant for implants, the devices long removed and now replaced with obvious metal caps.

He didn't bother looking at the group as he did so, instead deigning to down both of his shots before the second round even begun. "Yes, I believe I do indeed owe him a drink," Ren finally said, his voice no longer metallic but still cold, now clearly filled with a strained rasp. This was his life now, and he would just have to accept that, as he did the torment long ago. He had his scars, but he was determined to not shy away from the world like some wounded animal. At least, that was what he was trying to convince himself of. "So, all of you, tell me more about yourselves."

 

[Xhexania]

With the contents of the glass coming to an end, she dabbled with the idea of ordering a second round, but grit her teeth at the prospect of relinquishing more credits for something so distasteful. Having roamed and haunted the swamps back on Dagobah for so many years, drinking boiled swamp water tasted far better than this ending drink; even with all the little, tiny, floating objects on the surface of the boiled salvation to ward off dehydration.

With a small sigh and low incomprehensible murmur, she once more retrieved her feet, only this time the waitress who snuffed her first attempts arrived placing two small shot glasses on her table. "Courtesy of the gentleman at that table," she said quickly before scurrying off to more important customers.

Xhexania looked up in time to make eye contact with the man, returning his gesture with a small nod. Grabbing the first glass, she downed it quickly; feeling a burning sensation descending down her throat and coming to a rest in her stomach. Despite the drink's kick, it was far better than her first drink and she wondered if the bartender had conjured up his story about ladies preferring this drink just to make a sale and rid himself of the liquid garbage.

Exiting her table, with second drink in hand, she walked toward the small group of people amassed at the gentleman's table; finishing the round before arriving. "I've heard it said that good manners is like an endangered species in the galaxy, hard to believe it ever exists and even rarer to experience," she said to the man. "But usually good manners comes with a catch, like no good deed goes unpunished," she continued, "But thank you none-the-less. Usually I don't offer up my name freely, but you did buy two rounds so in essence you paid for rights. I'm Xhexania."

Roaming her eyes across the others seated, she smiled with no true feelings behind it before they rested back on the man. "And you are," she inquired.




@Raydo / @TheBrokenMadMan ​

 

[Callen Shaw]

The masked man removed his mask revealing a scared a weathered face. If he was expecting a reaction out of Callen, he wouldn't find any. He had worked all types during his time in the Cartel. He had grown to appreciate those who society would turn against. He didn't really care how anyone looked as long as they had their uses. The man quickly downed the drinks, eliciting a cheer from Callen "There we go...now its a party!" he said laughing warmly.

"I am never opposed to being owed drinks." he answered Ren. Already ready for the next round.

He looked towards Serie as they sat down at a nearby table. He smirked as she looked him over, guessing what he did for a living. "Flattery, I like you. " he said playfully, winking at the woman. "I do a little bit of everything. I find its better to keep an open mind than to lock myself into a label." he answered vaguely. While truthful, another part of it was that he took orders like everyone did, but that took away from the glamor of it all which didn't seem like any fun for anyone. "But what about you, Miss Fond? How do you spend your days?" he asked.

He listened as Serie answered, catching the Twi'lek moving towards them out of the corner of his eye. He watched as she approached. She was different that than the rest of the people in the bar. She had a certain...wildness to her. "Tell you what, you promise to not tell anyone I have manners and we will call it even." he said, smiling again. "Callen." he said giving her his name "Its nice to meet you, Xhexania." he said pulling a chair over to their table "Its too good of a night to drink alone, care to join us?" he asked.

 

[Serie Fond]

Serie had to admit that she was having alot of fun. Her new acquaintances seemed to be rather interesting people and she never dis shy away from strange or interesting people. Taking another shot she winced slightly as the alcohol burned her throat. She was loosening up already thanks to the social lubricant and was feeling a little bit more chatty than usual.

Well isn't that interesting. We share the same line of work. She said smiling at Callen. She got the impression that they both seemed to dabble in the same sort of nefarious side of the galaxy at times. Although recently shed just been a regular old tomb raider, she had to do some rather not too legal things for credits not too long ago. She'd have to get his number. For professional reasons she tried to convince herself.

And nice to meet you Xhexania. She said to the twi'lek introducing herself, smiling pleasantly at her. She had the look of a Sith but Serie didn't recognize her. She figured she must have been spending time at one of the other temples off planet from korriban or junction. Regardless she liked meeting new Sith, especially when they weren't asking to be her apprentice. I'm Serie.

 

[Abigail Nimbus]

Abigail listened with a vested interest as Serie asked Callen what he did - she was quite interested to see how well his levels of bullshittery had improved since she had last seen him. Sure enough, his silver tongue had sharpened somewhat since their last meeting, half truths and vague answers fluttering into her friend's ears while she lapped it all up. Of course, Abigail could not stand for this, Serie did not deserve to be taken in by such vile trickery!! She deserved the truth! And by that, Abigail meant she just wanted to torture Callen with embarrassing stories. She cleared her throat and took a quick sip of her drink before piping up.
"I think what Callen means to say is that he does the janitorial work for the Hutts, with the occasional job on the side," She teased, chuckling as she poked him in the arm. "I'm surprised they even let him near cleaning equipment after seeing the squalor he lived in, the first time we met, his apartment had clothes strewn all over the place, old food boxes lined the counter, bed covers were all messy, floor was dusty and little bit moldy." Of course, she would put her hands up toward Serie in an 'I kid, I kid' gesture. "No, really though, Callen's a good kid, he has a bright future ahead of him when he can be bothered to get up off his ass."

She took a moment to withdraw from the speech and glanced at Ren, observing his face, the deformities and the cuts and abhorrences dotted all over his skin. Whatever had happened, he had come out of it looking worse for wear, and Abigail felt a need to help him heal from whatever it was. She telepathically gave him the code for her floor, asking him to come up and see her later so they could talk, before turning to a Twi'lek that seemed all too happy to insert herself into their little gathering. She would've admonished her for the manners, but at the end of the day, it was Callen that invited her with that drink, so it wasn't really bad manners since you were already in the conversation. She extended a hand toward her, a shake being offered. "Abigail, nice to meet you Xhexania."

@anzat17 @Raydo @Caramel Raccoon @Swamp Witch

 

[Ren Vist]

Delightful, another individual to join in on their little evening here in The Purple Rose. The red-skinned Twi'lek looked far more vicious than anyone else at this table, though Ren had learned over the years that he should never underestimate others based purely on their looks. He gave her only a brief nod and nearly shivered from the sensation of the cool air brushing against his finally exposed flesh. The others had not seemed to be moved by his appearance, and much to his own surprise he felt grateful for that. Had he truly been so apprehensive deep down to let others see the way his body had been marred? Perhaps he was afraid of looking weak. Perhaps he did not want to be seen as a victim.

As if the surprises could not stop for tonight, Ren felt the press of another's mind against his own, and on pure instinct alone raised his guards to try and protect himself. Still, it took only a moment for him to register who the thoughts belonged to, as well as the fact that they carried a friendly invitation, not a psychic attack. He was sure his discomfort must have been visible, but he forced himself to relax and return to the conversation.

"There are worse jobs to be had than doing the dirty work of others," Ren remarked, nodding his head towards Callen, "Especially if you are good at what you do and more clever than your employers. Of course, if you'd prefer more freelance work you could always consider independent bounty hunting."

Ren lifted his hands towards the nearest waiter and waved them over, gesturing at the round of drinks they had all just had and hoping she was competent enough to understand he wanted more of the same. He figured he might as well pay his debts now and get it over with, besides, this seemed like the type of group that liked to imbibe perhaps just a bit too much. The faster he got them inebriated the faster he could depart and see what this Abigail Nimbus wanted. Luckily it appeared that the waitress understood and would be returning with the tray of drinks any moment now.

Ren sighed, hating the way it came out weak and rasping and lifted his cold orange eyes back to the rest of the group. What a peculiar party he had here. Peculiar indeed.

@anzat17 @Raydo @TheBrokenMadMan @Swamp Witch