In the Company of a Pop Star

[Kori Buor]

Mandalore​

Speeders flew overhead in lines of traffic in the night sky of Sundari. The brilliant kaleidoscopic lights of the city reflecting off of the metal surfaces of the skyscrapers, classic Mandalorian cubic design mixed with the tall elegant spires of Republican artistry and craftsmanship. It made for an interesting combination of architecture across the surface of Sundari; the old mixed with the new. Even now, what was being called Rennaissance-style Mandalorian architecture, a mix of the classic angular Mandalorian design with a more contemporary Coreworld feel, were rising up over the capital city.

For Aethon Kast, one of the few Protector-Errants of the Dominion, the change of his homeworld was a particularly fascinating thing to behold. As the night lights reflected off of his warm metallic cherry red and gold armor, he watched, helmet off and slightly mesmerized, as the air speeders sped on by. Behind him, the thumping beat of a bass could be heard reverberating through the building. It seemed that even on the balcony, the noise from the club wasn't completely diminished. The noises of the club patrons cheering and talking could be heard echoing out of the open doorway to the external balcony.

Aethon was waiting for Vesper Almec, the Mandalorian Pop star, to finish her night out enjoying herself before they went on a mission. The woman was a recently promoted Captain in the Dominion Military and knew how to handle herself in combat, what more her charisma as a celebrity made her all the more valuable to the Dominion, and on this particular night, to him as well. It was getting close to the hour they were supposed to meet, but the man wondered silently if Vesper would be on time; he knew all too well that time could get away from one at an enjoyable party. If she was late, he'd enjoy himself and wait, maybe even get a drink down at the bar.

At the very least, the music was good.

@Relent

 

[Logan]

The sound of bumping music and people having the time of their lives could be heard even outside. Vesper was standing on the terrace of her private room at one of the more prestigious clubs here on Mandalore, staring absent mindedly out at the skyline as she finished sipping on some dark Mandalorian liquor out of a glass. The concoction was a mixture of several things one of her friends had thrown together and labeled "Endor Juice." Whether or not it was made with real Ewoks he had left to the imagination.

She let out a long sigh, her mind drifting to the idea of having a cigarette. For a long time Vesper would only have the occasional smoke, maybe a couple times a month. Anymore, though, her life seemed more stressful and she found herself craving them more often. She did her best to curb the amount of course, Vesper didn't want to damage her primary source of income: her vocal chords. But there was something to be said about the relieving feeling of a quality cigarette to calm the nerves. A sauna for the mind that only occasionally lead to cancer. Worth it, if you asked her.

Just as she was beginning to fish around in her pockets for her pack, the thing Vesper had been waiting on finally arrived. A small speeder decked out all in black floated up to her terrace, the driver - some guy in black and white suit - hoping out of the driver's seat and motioning that it was Vesper's to take.

"Thanks for dropping off the car Mikken, it's been awhile since I've driven myself somewhere." Vesper said with a smile, stepping up on the railing of the terrace and dropping down into the seat of the speeder. "I'll catch you later."

Checking her chrono, Vesper saw that she was running... relatively on time. She was supposed to meet a man named Aethon at a different club across town, one that was a bit.. below her normal haunts when it came to privacy and high society. Oh well, it wouldn't take her long to get there. Not with the way Vesper drove, anyway. Pulling up to the balcony where Aethon stood around a minute or so before they were scheduled to meet, Vesper hopped out and over the railing and greeted her fellow Mandalorian brother with a smile.

"Nice to meet you, Aethon I presume?" Vesper reached her hand out to shake Aethon's, something she just considered good manners. "Name's Vesper," She said it despite knowing that he probably knew that already. Definitely knew that already. "We going somewhere?"

@Kori Buor

 

[Kori Buor]

As the speeder arrived, Aethon looked inside to see that it was, in fact, Vesper Almec. Checking his chrono, the Mandalorian was rather surprised to see that she had arrived almost on time. Giving a happily surprised smile back at the blonde woman, the Protector nodded his head, extending a gloved hand to shake hers. He didn't expect the woman to have such refined manners, of course, his preconceptions of pop stars made him think that she was too used to having people bow down before her. So far, it seemed, his thoughts had been incorrect, which was a relief.

"You would presume correctly," he replied back, giving her small hand a good shake. He was surprised by the strength in it; Vesper didn't play around with her grip; it wasn't some dainty thing like she was afraid to break him, like some of those Alderaanians would give. Clearing his throat before he spoke again, he'd give another nod of the head. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Vesper. And yes, we're going somewhere, if you don't mind driving."

Assuming she was, Aethon would take a seat beside her. "We're going on a bit of an adventure. There's a ship waiting for us at the spaceport. You know the world Falleen? It's right outside our territory on the Corellian Run. Perfect place to expand to. Mand'alor wants in-roads to start being formed. He was non-specific as to how, just that we get it done. My guess, be diplomatic, but if we can't, start shooting. So long as the Dominion has a way to establish order and control on the planet..." He paused, looking at the woman who still appeared to be in her casual night out clothes. "Do we need to stop somewhere to get your armor? Or do you wanna just go like that?"

@Relent