Ask Junkyard Adventures

[Zana Ari]

“Look, I really need this,” Zana was practically pleading with a very unamused Toydorian, “It’s for a great cause!” This was all a lie, of course. Truth was that she was attempting to get a huge edge in her university applications by programming an exceptional droid and getting it standardized for wholesale. Junkfort Station was a very sketchy place, but she knew it had some 'low cost deals' on droid parts from all over the galaxy. She was already toeing the line by being out here by herself when she logged that she was on some mundane Jedi mission.

The twi’lek found herself in a rather shady market area lined with stalls of what looked like parts from all over the place. She pointedly chose to ignore the fact that most of these were probably stolen. Zana had no way to afford an information matrix center off the shelf, so this was her next option.

“I don’t sell to toddlers,” The Toydorian drawled, “Tell your daddy to come fork over some credits if he wants the IMAC because your cute little girl routine isn’t working.”

Zana’s jaw tightened as she glared at the alien. The temptation to use mindtrick was almost overwhelming, but she closed her eyes and exhaled. The twi’lek shook her head and walked away form the stall gloomily, making her way towards the next one that had some more minor parts.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

While Zana might have been unwilling to swindle a swindler, Cairo had no such moral compulsions. Hell, he might have done it himself, had she not beaten him to the punch. Twi'Leks usually make a good distraction for pickpocketing, though. Something about those lekku held the galaxy in a chokehold. She had such a presence, naturally.

Wait.

It was her.

It's not possible, is it? At the very least, it was incredibly statistically unlikely. That was the nature of the Force though, right? Putting the unlikely together at the least opportune of times? Because, truly, it was. Cairo had shown up to the spaceport to follow a lead about his mother. She had disappeared off the face of the Galaxy when he was abducted. Now, he had the first tangible lead to follow in years, because of his new position of authority in Hapes.

He had found a ship recently registered in one of her common pseudonyms, with a docking registration that led back to here. She was likely long gone, but...anything was better than nothing. This was the first lead he could follow. And now, the Jedi he had met on Ithor was at the exact same place. It couldn't be just a coincidence.

Cairo approached the Toydarian nonchalantly, gently wiggling his fingers to 'sneakily' lift some of the credits through the Force from the Toydarian's filled till. When they were in his hands, he approached the droid salesman, fanning a was of cash made with the money he had just stolen. "Yeah, lemme get that IMAC."

"200, pal."

"Two-hundred? For that broken-down piece of crap?" Mind tricks didn't work on Toydarians, but maybe good ol' haggling would. "I've got a good 150 for this." Zana was already walking off. Ugh, he didn't have time to do both. "Alright, whatever, 200."

Cairo took the part and hid it behind his back as he approached Zana, like it was some toy he had just won. What the fuck was this thing, anyways? "Zana," Cairo flashed a grin, trying to keep his excitement measured. His voice was smooth, but rasped with a tinge of nervousness. To see her again after Ithor - it was like seeing a spirit for real. In confirmed everything he had experienced had actually happened.

He pulled the IMAC from his back. "Gotcha something!" Oh Andraste's Breath, was it weird that he did that? Would he think he was like a freak for being here? No, be cool Cairo, don't freak out.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana was in a rather pouty mood after failing to get the IMAC. She would have to go back to the drawing board, or scrounge up some more credits to get the parts she needed. The twi’lek was gloomily looking at plate casings when she heard her name. When she looked up, her golden eyes widened and her jaw visibly dropped. She thought she was seeing an illusion or someone was playing a trick on her. She almost didn’t recognize him out of that Imperial uniform, but the face was the same. This was what he looked like when he didn’t have the weight of an entire battle and chaos on his shoulders all at once.

Yet she couldn’t deny that initial slight spike of fear. Was he here to finish what he began? No. She couldn’t think like that. His face suggested none of that. Were they still Jedi and Sith here or just Zana and Cairo? The twi’lek quickly shut her brain off, not liking the spiral it was going in.

She didn’t even realize when she took several steps forth towards him, her shocked expression changing into a smile, “Cairo!” She said excitedly, “You’re all right!” Relief bled into her tone, and he would notice he was the sole focus before she even looked at what he got. Zana almost stepped forth to hug him, but she abruptly stopped herself, feeling decidedly awkward all of a sudden. Her face was suddenly hot and she looked down towards where he offered the IMAC, the very same one she had been trying to haggle for.

“How did you get that?!” Zana said with a gasp, glancing back towards the Toydorian. He looked perfectly content and without a dazed look. That meant…

“You paid for it?!” She almost screeched. First it was just her face, but now her entire body was heated up from overwhelming emotions all at once. Zana could only stare at it for a while, “I-..wow..” She said quietly as she took it, smiling nervously at him, “Th-Thanks…”

Zana eyed him for a moment before she blinked a few times, “Wait..does that mean you saw me trying to sell that really lame sob story to that merchant?” She couldn’t help but laugh at the image, mostly from being embarrassed at herself. It was a lighthearted, carefree giggle, so far removed from the wars and pain the two of them faced every day in their chosen paths.

She finally caught her breath before reaching into her own bag, pulling out his dogtag, “Still have this,” Zana said with a smile before stashing it back, making it clear she had no intention of giving it back.

“What’re you doing here?” She asked curiously, unable to keep a hint of nervousness out of her tone. Was this going to be an invasion?

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Cairo touched the plate of the dog tag, running his fingers along the metal chain until she put it back in her bag. "Hey, you're gonna keep the IMAC and the dogtag? You definitely owe me a gift now." He laughed, playfully pushing her shoulder as he said it. He took the opportunity to stretch out his arms, and offer her a hug. It was so nice to see her - so unexpected. It was a sign of something.

But Cairo had a reason for his visit here. As much as he just wanted to linger here, with her smile, he had to get going. But...maybe a Jedi would be helpful in his quest. "Someone important to me went missing." He refrained from speaking about his mom too much with anyone, when he could avoid it. He liked to avoid being too personal. He supposed she had already seen him at his most vulnerable, though. On Ithor. He noted the nervousness in her voice, trepidation at the thought of another Imperial invasion. Was that what she thought of him - that he was a harbinger of doom and destruction?

That was what Ithor had felt like, to be fair. He thought about that day a lot. He thought about her a lot. "I have to go look for them here." He paused, considering whether she would welcome such an invitation. "You can come with, if you want? Tell me more about what the fuck an IMAC does." Cairo could fly a ship, but he damn sure could not built one. The engineering specifics of the crafts were far above his mental pay grade - he could barely land a skiff half the time.

"You know, I..." He rubbed his neck sheepishly, as he scanned the area around them. "I never heard from you after Ithor." They had no one way to get in touch with one another. Though, now that he had that weird walkie-talkie mask, that could change. "I'm glad you're okay. I worried about you....all. All of you."

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

There was almost a look of relief when it was clear Cairo had no qualms with hugs. She quickly got over her embarrassment and embraced him, feeling elated at the opportunity to see him again. The last time she had done this she was sure she would never see him again or in the worst case scenario he would be punished for what he did. She drew back after a moment, though her smile faded slightly when he explained why he was here.

Though he was vague on who went missing, Zana could sense the profound emotions in him as he uttered the words. As acolytes and padawans, they had less direct control over how they came across. Topics of severe distress always pulsed differently. Zana thought back to her own life and the search for any member of her family. She thought back to how she snuck off Yavin, hijacked a ship, landed on Korriban, hijacked a Sith ship to take into Sith controlled Ajan Kloss all to retrieve a picture of her and her family.

“Of course I’m coming,” Zana cut in before he could even finish, “And let’s be real,” She smiled sadly at him, “I owe you my life. Many people owe you their lives. I’m always going to be indebted to you, so I may as well keep the dog tag,” Zana laughed softly as she began to walk with him. She wouldn’t ask any probing questions about who he was searching for, but she knew it was critical.

The twi’lek also felt sheepish when he spoke next. Zana blinked a few times, her face flushing a shade of purple for a moment, “I…I didn’t know how to get a hold of you. I was so afraid of anything coming back to you if I tried. I thought the Sith would find out and they would…” She grimaced, “I thought I doomed you. I kicked myself so much for not pushing harder for you to come with me. I felt like I just..ditched you back there and it bothered me every day,” She sighed, “I’m so glad you’re okay, Cairo,” She smiled then, “The others all made it okay. I have a collection of thank you letters from the parents and drawings from the kids for you, you know. You’re a real hero to them.”

She hadn’t been to this station before, but everywhere looked rather sketchy. There were shady characters walking all around, the smell of spice lingering in the air. Zana scrunched up her face and coughed a few times as she walked through a cloud of spice. Her head felt a little light just from that alone as she waved her hand to disperse it.

“You got a sense of direction or a clue to go by?”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Cairo felt the inverse. He owed Zana his life. She could have struck him down, in his conflicted state, with ease. He couldn't had let those civilians die, if he had found them. He would've been captured - either by the Jedi, or by the Sith. He wasn't sure which would've given him a worse fate.

As Zana's cheeks began to turn a luscious shade of purple, Cairo felt the heat rising from her in their hug. He pulled back and brushed his fingers against her cheek, a grin rising as he realized that she really was happy to see him. He almost couldn't believe it. "I wanna see to see those letters. Did you write me any?" Cairo had written a letter to her, but he had never intended to send it. He thought they'd never meet. So, knowing this, he stuffed all of his truth into the words of his letters. It spoke honestly of his feelings about Sith, about his friends, about his queen Charlotte, his sort-of Drug Master Veles, his always-assembled Squad, and his family. But now, he was almost too nervous to talk about any of it.

He did have a clue to follow. And he had a fun way of getting it - a disguise! He reached for her hand, to pull her through the crowded streets of the spaceport. It would be a fun surprise. And, he wanted to hold her hand. The first time their skin had touched, it was when Zana tackled him. It felt like a lifetime ago, and his hand felt far warmer this time than then.

"Yeah. But, uh, we might need to lie or cheat a bit to get it. Jedi are allowed to do that sometimes, right? This will be perfect." There was a back-alley casino Cairo had heard about, one where the owner smuggled and laundered the winnings into legitimate businesses for the benefit of small crime operations across the galaxy. Having a partner would be even better - they could enter together as a couple. A pair. Cairo looked back at her as they ran threw the streets together, mesmerized by her smile and sunlit gaze.

"Just trust me." An echo of their conversation on Ithor, this time in a far more positive light.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana chewed the inside of her lip as he asked if she had written him a letter, her face remaining that deep shade of purple, “Well I definitely tried to look you up on Spacebook and GalaxyGram,” She admitted sheepishly, idly toying with one of her lekku,”Did...you?” Zana asked shyly, feeling almost silly about visiting all of this.

Before she could comment about the spiced air, she felt him grasp her hand. The simple gesture sent a jolt through her, but she didn’t have a moment to dwell on it. Zana returned the grasp, allowing him to lead the way. As he mentioned lying and cheating, Zana couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “We’re not tree hugging hippies, you know,” She said with a grin, “And I’ll have you know, I’m technically not supposed to be here,” She said quietly, as if that would really impress him.

Zana didn’t know about where he was going, but she did pause to look at him when he said to trust him. She had done this before, and he came through in every way possible, “I trust you,” She said as she had that day, glancing towards the casino. There was a bouncer at the door that looked at them suspiciously. Zana still kept her hold on Cairo’s hand, looking at the orcolan bouncer. As he opened his mouth to say something, the twi’lek swiped her hand.

“You want to let us in.”

The orocolan’s eyes glazed over. He repeated the words and stepped aside, letting the two in. Zana glanced over at Cairo and flashed a smile.

“Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

She had committed herself to helping him. Why? He couldn't fully understand, but he appreciated it immensely. "Cool. Let's go!" Cairo watched, impressed, as she easily manipulated the guard into letting them enter. Once inside, the back alley parlor seemed far larger on the inside than the out. Illegal slot machines joined the frantic, pulsating club music that covered the whole floor. People drank, people danced, but mostly, people were throwing around a lot of money. Cairo's eyes widened - he hadn't exactly prepared to drop a ton of money just to get some information.

"We're, uh, looking for the owner. Big Mikkian lady named Dalia." He gestured with his arms to signify her size - wide, tall. Bigger than either of them. He looked down to notice they were still holding hands. His index finger curled around hers, before he pulled his hand away from hers to point towards a sabacc table. "Have you ever played this? It's a really tough game..." He trailed off.

He was nervous, truth be told. He wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to hear. He didn't know if he even wanted to hear about his mother. What would she think of him, now? What would anyone? He chased away those thoughts to look back at Zana. He wanted to just talk, honestly. Talk through everything happening in his life with someone. Even with his closest friends, he still felt like he closed himself off, too afraid of the consequences of true vulnerability. Zana felt safer. They had shared a moment of vulnerability before.

"What are you doing out here, anyways?" The IMAC, sneaking away from the Jedi...she was up to something. Maybe something totally innocuous. "And what the hell does an IMAC do?" He began to sweep the floor of the casino, eyes darting around as he looked for anyone who looked like they could be management. He didn't exactly have a plan to get them an audience, but it likely would figure itself out. Things usually seemed to.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

“And what’ll we do when we find Dalia?” She asked, a bit of nervousness bleeding into her tone. While she was willing to do some shady things here or there to complete an objective, she wasn’t about to kill someone in cold blood. There was a sense of guilt from the line of thought. Cairo wouldn’t do that, would he? But he was Sith. Surely he knew what Sith did. Was he an accessory to their crimes? She had to push the thoughts away, trusting that he had noble intentions here.

Zana looked at the sabacc table, “I’ve played it a few times, but these people are betting some really big things,” She blinked a few times. The small models of items suggested that’s what was on the table, and some folks had ships and what looked like little buildings on the line. The most she could bet was whatever was in her pocket at the time.

The twi’lek could actually feel Cairo’s palm getting sweaty, and she quirked a brow, glancing over to look at him, “Hey, you all right? Whatever we’re doing…you do want to find this person, right?” She asked as she looked dead into his eyes. If they were going to commit to this, she wanted to know that his heart was actually in it.

Zana kept looking for a Mikkian as they walked, her face turning a bit purple when he asked about the IMAC, “Okay, you’re going to think I’m a total geek,” She forewarned with a sheepish smile, “IMAC is an information matrix center. It’s what controls the actions of a droid and is a part of the central processing unit. It’s what links a droid to a central command center. They’re super expensive and I wanted to come here to get one for a cheaper deal. I wanna make a new droid model to use as part of my application to get into South Point,” South Point was a galactically renowned space station that trained the best minds in the galaxy. It was reputed that Emryc Thorne graduated from it, though it was not in public records that there was an Imperial branch. It would betray just how academic Zana was to even have her eyes on such an exclusive university, “If it’s impressive enough, it might help me get into their Engineering program,” Her face continued to turn purple.

Cairo was going to think she was soooo lame. Why was she so damn worried about him thinking she was cool?! The twi’lek cleared her throat, looking away as she spotted a lot of tentacles walking behind a row of slot machines.

“Hey I think that’s her!” She pointed as she looked towards Cairo to see how he would approach.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

"We need to find a way to, uh, purchase information off of her?" He frowned as he thought about that. He didn't have any money. And he wasn't eager to probe her mind for the details - it felt too violating outside of the strictly necessary or military needs of the Empire. Did that justify it? "I didn't think we would find her so fast."

He paused to listen to her excitedly gush about the IMAC. Cairo knew nothing about droids, but he wished he was an expert just so he could talk to her. "Oh wow, you're applying to South Point?" How smart was this chick? "Will they still let you be a, you know..." He didn't say 'Jedi' out loud, but he hoped his conspicuous eye wiggle could communicate his point. And here he was, potentially corrupting that. Putting her in harms way, again.

No, that wasn't quite right. She had volunteered to help him. And even if she didn't know everything about why they were there, he wasn't dragging her to do anything especially wicked. Just a bit of harmless information gathering. But as he continued to reflect on her question, and on the situation he was in now, he began to feel that she deserved to know what she had gotten herself into.

Did he? Did he actually want to find his Mom, after all of this time? After all of his journeys as a Sith? "I'm certain." He looked at her, his eyes growing wide. "There's something I should tell you." He leaned in to whisper into her ear, his soft, full lips almost grazing her cheek as he went past. He gently moved to brush her lekku to the side so he could - a gentle inversion of the violent tug that had inspired their strange mission on Ithor.

"It's..." His breath was hot, and his voice full of worry. "We're looking for my Mom. She sold me to a Sith, once. It's why I'm a part of the Order." Or so he thought. All he knew is what the Sith had told him, and that he hadn't heard word from his mother since. He pulled back, unsure of why that felt so private to share. But, he was glad he had. Only Altair and Charlotte had heard about his mother, his origin story, and then, not even the full stories yet. Duty so often came in-between the time for intimacy.

"I've felt so...torn. Since before Ithor." He didn't know what direction to go in, when everyone seemed unsatisfying. Should he continue to climb through the Sith, would he become colder, more violent? Would leaving the Sith even offer him anything? "I know that seeing her will help me decide what to do next. On my own terms, you know?" In truth, he had longed for his mother's love in the interceding years. Close bonds with acolytes and friends had closed the wound, but the sharp pang of betrayal he felt from her was harder to heal. A childish part of him hoped that they would meet again, and it would be as it had always been. That she would forgive him for the evil he had done, or just love him anyways.

"Follow me?" He wasn't certain on the best way to approach, so he would, as usual, lie. He approached her, smiling, hopefully with Zana in tow. "Dalia?"

The Mikkian's eyes narrowed as she saw the two teenagers bound towards her. "Who let these kids in here?" She snapped her fingers, and two bouncers seemingly materialized out of the ether to throw them out.

Cairo raised a hand. "Wait, wait, we're entertainers!" He pulled Zana forward with him, slowly coming around to a plan. "Psychics. We can read palms, tell the future..." He nodded to Zana.

"Just let us show you our act? Preferably in your office?" Eyes began to wander towards them, as this commotion started to draw attention.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Purchase information??? She looked from herself to Cairo and then back down to her pockets. Neither of them looked like they had any money. Their only option was to sell the IMAC, and she was about to bring that up as an option when he talked about her getting into South Point. Her face turned purple again and she smiled shyly, “They will yeah,” She nodded, “I just have to get in on my own,” Which meant taking on a big debt or getting some great scholarships.

She was ready to start moving in the direction of the Mikkian when Cairo abruptly stopped her. Zana turned to look at him the same time he was leaning in. As a result, his lips almost brushed near her own, the subtle sensation causing her to catch her breath. Her eyes widened as her face turned several different colors as she realized he was only trying to whisper to her. This time, she didn’t wince when he touched the lekku, a far cry from the time he injured that very same appendage. The bruise had long since disappeared.

However, her face changed when he revealed the truth of what he was searching for. Her expression darkened and she abruptly turned to look at him, grasping his wrist to stop him from proceeding further, “Cairo, she made a choice,” She said, pain leaking into her voice, “She made a choice… I don’t think you’ll like what you find,” Zana knew he wouldn’t listen, and she chewed the inside of her lip, “My mother sold me and my siblings to the Hutts. The Jedi just so happened to be there to intercept. They always had a choice,” She sighed, slowly loosening her grip on him but never taking her eyes off his, “Just…just be prepared for any outcome, Cairo. Truths like these can devastate…and maybe it’s what the Sith want you to do all along.”

She looked at him for a moment, “I said I will help, and I’ll do that no matter what,” She reaffirmed sternly before nodding for him to lead the way. As Zana watched him fib, she briefly thought back to how terrible she and Thelian were at bullshitting. Fortunately, she had long since learned to keep a straight face for any new nonsense role she had to play as a Jedi.

“Really?” The woman said with a scoff, “Do I look like I was born yesterday?”

Zana drew in a deep breath, “Here’s a prophecy,” She began, “You’re about to be busted by the Alliance because you have XD model surveillance cams likely with jailbroken terminal chips which actually alert their central intelligence command. And that’s just your surveillance equipment, want me to get started on the rest?”

The Mikkian’s jaw dropped. She quickly ushered the bouncers away, looking around nervously and trying to act like everything was normal, “Those damn jawas!!!” There was visible panic on her face as she angrily whispered, “Who do you work for?!”

“Hm? We’re just kids, remember?” Zana grinned, “Maybe let us into your office and we’ll tell you?”

The woman gritted her teeth and did just that, leading the two into her quarters. She slammed the door behind them and plopped down on a chair across from the two.

“Tell me what else I got that’ll be traced,” She ordered grumpily. Zana said nothing. The woman’s jaw tightened as she crossed her arms over her chest, “Fine, what the fuck do you guys want?”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Shit. She really knew what she was talking about with those computers. She'd really go places, with a big ol' brain like that. She had totally rescued them. With a breath of gratitude, he playfully punched her shoulder as they walked back towards the office. As they sat down, Cairo responded strongly to the hand they were dealt. Zana had applied a nice bit of leverage.

Cairo pulled out a pair of sunglasses and slid them onto his face, as he folded his hands in thought. He took on the gravitas of a man older than himself - the type of dignified private eye or mafia type one would see in an old holofilm. His time had finally come. He could play the role of a secret-agent or crooked PI-type. It was a dream come true.

"Jailbreaking an Alliance security system is a serious crime. One me and my colleague here can overlook in exchange for some information."

Dalia scoffed at Cairo's display, but she couldn't deny the seriousness of the charge. Having already been arrested for such a crime before, and the entire establishment being an illegal casino, she did not like her odds against the system. "What's to stop me from taking care of you two, right now?"

Cairo grinned. "You lay a finger on either of of us, two squadrons of armed sector rangers burst into here. Do you really want to add murder to the charges?"

Dalia's frown deepened. It was an obvious bluff, but it wasn't one she could risk calling. Even if they weren't sector rangers, it was clear the girl had some knowledge of the establishment, some connection to a power that would come searching for her should she go missing.

"You said information?"

"Now, with your little threat, the price went up. Information, and two thousand credits in chips for the casino." She scoffed again at the statement, but Cairo's look remained unmoved. He continued on. "What can you tell me about...'Nambi Misone: The Many-Handed Matron of Mayhem'?" Cairo sighed as he read it. His mother's pseudonym. It sounded so stupid now, when he read it aloud. "Have a sale manifest that says she...gambled her ship away here."

Oh, mom. Classic.

"Wait, you're with her?" Dalia's face tightened, and a look of fear appeared to her face. "Look, fine, I don't wanna hurt nobody or get hurt? Why don't I give you those credit chips, and you all be on your way?" Cairo's eyebrow raised at the nervousness now apparent on the Mikkian's face. What had his mom done to her? Or, whoever was using her name?

"You didn't hear it from me, but...she was here. All I can say." Before the pair could protest, they were pushed out the door, information and credit-richer.

Cairo looked at their bag of credit chips, and the casino at large. "That was...weird." He pulled out two chips. "You wanna play some slots and talk?" They needed to recap, find another tree to bark up. Maybe gather information around the casino. And, he had a lot of questions about her knowledge on being sold out by one's mother. He gestured towards a table.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana was beyond impressed at how Cairo quickly adjusted to the new bullshit game they were running. She couldn’t help but bite back a smile when he donned the sunglasses and came across as a super secret agent. She kept her gaze trained forward after that, though she couldn’t keep the shock off her face when Dalia refused to divulge more information. She could sense raw, genuine fear from the woman at the mention of what she assumed was Cairo’s mother.

Since Cairo didn’t press things further, neither did she. Zana followed him out and glanced over her shoulder towards where Dalia closed her office door behind them. She walked with the Morellian for a moment before she eyed him quietly, “Hey, how come you didn’t….just pry the information from her?” Zana couldn’t believe she was even asking that, “I mean, I’m glad you didn’t, but…you could have,” It’s what Sith did, wasn’t it? The twi’lek couldn’t contain her curiosity at his actions, "Dalia was seriously spooked by the questions.."

“And I’ve never gambled before,” Zana admitted with a sheepish smile as she followed Cairo, “People at the academy would have my hide if they found out,” She chuckled softly, “But maybe you can show me how?” She had walked past a few tables that looked like card counting games. Zana had full confidence in her ability to play anything involving math or counting, but her luck wasn’t the best.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Pry the information? Oh shit - he had completely forgotten that power was within his repertoire of skills. Far from a sign of nobility and mercy at this moment, it was more like...an oversight. He put his face into his hand and groaned. "Ah, fuck. Totally forgot we could've done that." Still, she raised a good point. Perhaps it was for the best that they didn't - if only because it seemed a little brutal. Besides, now, they could actually just talk for a second. It was all he wanted to do, anyways. Talk. Share with someone.

"Yeah, she did seem scared. I wonder if anyone else here has heard about her...But, hey, at least she confirmed that she was here, right?" It was a step of progress, if not an entirely satisfying result. His mother's whereabouts eluded him. But he had found a curious piece of the puzzle - his mother inspired terror in this seedy bar. Maybe it was the same elsewhere, too. It was something to chew on, at least.

But to this moment, the pace of their interactions had been so...rapidfire. With a moment of downtime, Cairo could actually get to know Zana. He didn't want to keep her if The Jedi were looking for her, though. "You're not in a rush to leave or anything?" He supposed not, since she had volunteered to continue gambling with him. He smiled when she asked about gambling - The Jedi really sheltered their people, huh?

"Yeah. I can teach you the ropes." He passed by a spinning roulette table, pulling her close to him to whisper. And, just so he could be close to her. "The house always tries to cheat you. Unlike most, we can make our own luck." With a small wiggle of his fingers, the roulette ball skipped out of its spinning wheel, flicking to the other side of the table before landing elsewhere. The crowd gathered around the table erupted into guffaws, cheers, and boos. Cairo smiled. "It's easy."

He slid in to a small slot machine, holographic images of fruit and candy popped up on screen, enticing them to sit down. He absentmindedly flicked out a 10-credit piece, placing it gently into her hands. "This one's stupid." Slot games were more private, though, and he hoped to enjoy a moment of relative privacy with her. "Just put the credit in the slot and pull on the handle."

He pulled up a seat beside hers, at their little corner booth. "You know, what you said about my mom..." He looked up at her, gaze alight with the neon colors of the casino. "It sounded almost personal." He didn't want to pry, but he did want to learn more. He placed a hand - artificial, cold, unfeeling, onto hers, before he realized just how surprising it is. Even if it looked just like his skin, the mere presence of the hand made him almost feel like a monster. He pulled his hand back, settling it gently on the machine's table, next to hers.

"Does it have anything to do with why you're a Jedi?" Cairo had been abducted, sold into the Sith. Had she undergone something similar? Perhaps that would explain their odd meetings - the Force, working through fate. Maybe they could teach each other more than just how to gamble or what an IMAC was.

He relaxed into his seat, the first time he had felt relaxed around Zana. He was able to fully appreciate her, then: her sharp, golden gaze. Her soft, kind smile. Her muscles. There was an obvious strength that lingered beyond her kindness, a high quality of spirit that he had seen in her on Ithor. Now, he appreciated it with new eyes, and he saw her for how beautiful she really was.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana’s jaw dropped when it turned out that he outright forgot that being an evil Sith was an option. She rolled her eyes and lightly shoved him, “You’re ridiculous,” She couldn’t help but actually laugh softly at that. Zana shook her head, surprised at herself for even smiling at this. When they were both caught in a war as teens, it was hard not to find some things absurd and funny at times.

She eyed him curiously as he asked if she had to go somewhere, and she smiled at him sheepishly, “Well, I’m sending periodic status updates about the 'mission' I’m supposedly on, so I’m good,” Zana was happy that the teachers weren’t as tech savvy as her. They wouldn’t question or look into where the messages were coming from.

Zana stood in front of the slot machine, taking the chips and stuffing them in. She pulled the lever and watched different pictures line up, winning her nothing, “Okay so it’s a strawberry, a grape and a mango,” She said, excitedly, “Do I win those? Like snacks?” She looked at him, genuinely excited at her luck.

However, she didn’t look away when he shifted topics. She was silent for a moment as she looked over at her mangoes and grapes, “It.. was personal. I shouldn’t have said that,” Zana sighed as she sat down next to him, “My father got in with the wrong crowds in Ryloth and was killed when I was little. I had a lot of siblings and our mother couldn’t take care of us and tried to sell a few of us to slavers. There…” Her jaw tightened as her fingers gripped the armrests, “There was high demand for little twi’lek girls in the slave market so she sold some of my sisters and I to a Hutt. The Jedi were on an undercover mission to bust that operation and they caught my mother in the act. They realized I was Force sensitive and found me a home in the academy. They also took my siblings away from my mother to get them into the foster care system.”

Zana sighed, “I’ve never been able to find my siblings again and I have no desire to ever see my mother again,” Her face darkened as she thought of what her life could have become if the Jedi hadn’t intercepted. Zana looked at Cairo, smiling at him sadly, “I’m sure it was nothing like that for you. The Sith… they are known for taking Force sensitive children. We’ve lost several of our younglings on Dantooine and other temples. The Jedi used to do the same, but I think it has changed over time.”

She realized she was revealing a lot more than she ever had normally to anyone. Zana took the moment to simply look at him, seeing well beyond just the scared boy back on Ithor. Seeing beyond Sith. Seeing beyond Jedi. She saw just Cairo, and it’s all she wanted to see. Zana didn’t even realize when her hand reached out to gently rest over his, a bit apprehensive but there all the same. There was a nervously shy smile on her face, “I….I don’t want to have to suddenly say goodbye to you this time, Cairo.”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

Cairo listened intently to her story. It was...inverse parallels. Both sold by a mother. Cairo hadn't been saved, spared by The Jedi. He wondered, now, who he would be if the Jedi had rescued him then. But there was no use in trying to change the past. Cairo could change the future. He could change his fate. He could change the fate of the Sith. Perhaps his dream was still the naive ideations of a teenaged boy, but he realized

He smiled, gently, as she turned flush and nervous at their hands touching. Then, she said something that almost stopped his heart. She spoke what they both were thinking.

“I….I don’t want to have to suddenly say goodbye to you this time, Cairo.”

He spun his chair towards her, to fully face her. With his right hand, he gently ran his fingers up the nape of her neck, sweeping her face to lock eyes with her. Teal eyes met gold, as excitement rushed to him. Zana and him had shared something on Ithor. Here, again, they were sharing. With each other, they just...let their guards down. It was almost mystical - and it helped explain why neither of them wanted the moment to end.

"Then, don't."

He wanted nothing more to sweep her into his arms, to whisper sweet nothings to her as they held one another. His hand cupped her head, once more brushing her long lekku to the side as he rose to his feet. He wanted to lock his soft, full lips against hers; he craved nothing more than exploring the extent of their obvious chemistry with one another. He wanted their shared, longing glances and moments to be something more. Perhaps not a relationship, or anything so serious, but he wanted their connection to be more than brushed against each other and held hands.

So, he acted. He was taller than her, forcing him to lean down just to be near her. He moved his hand, cradling her neck as he felt goosebumps rise from their touch. They could feel each other's breath, warm, nervous, delighted, on each other. He closed his eyes, thick eyelashes batting down against the rays of light around them.

He kissed her. It was gentle, tepid, exploratory...the soft touch of a young man who wanted to respect her boundaries. Should she reciprocate, he would deepen the kiss, pulling her whole body closer to him as their lips wrapped around each other.

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana could only stare at him, surprised by her own actions. Cairo’s hand felt warm under hers, and she had no desire to move it. They were so vastly different, and yet he lingered in her thoughts far more than she would ever admit. Or perhaps she just did admit it. The twi’lek’s eyes widened when he reached out towards her, but she didn’t move from his touch. Jolts ran through her body where his fingers brushed against her skin and her sensitive lekku, and she found herself wanting to lean into it, to feel it embrace her entirely. Her eyes widened when he spoke. What did that mean? Was he going to stay longer? She watched him as he rose to stand, never breaking eye contact.

Her face was turning that shade of purple as he stood up, watching the way he looked at her. That same desire reflected in her fiery golden eyes. When he leaned in, she closed her eyes, meeting his lips. She didn’t even realize she had wanted this so much until it happened, that she had craved it like this until right this moment. Zana’s hand came up to clutch at the front of his shirt to hold him in place as she deepened the kiss, forgetting about their surroundings. She forgot about Jedi or Sith. She forgot about the war. She forgot about her precious IMAC. She forgot about all of it, focusing only on tasting Cairo and acting on desires that set her ablaze in ways she never could have expected.

At some point she stood up so he didn’t have to bend down quite as far, bringing her other hand up to slide up along the back of his neck. Her other hand continued to fiercely grip the front of his shirt as if afraid of letting him go. As if she feared he would simply disappear again. Zana pulled back just a bit after a while, nibbling along his lower lip shortly before she sighed against his mouth and murmured quietly, “We’re…not supposed to do this…” She half whispered, her tone entirely unconvincing. Zana kept her grip on him, tracing feathery soft kisses along his jaw, “We’re supposed to be enemies..” She knew she was lying to herself, and he would hear it clear as day.

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

He didn't realize how much he had wanted this moment until it had happened. That was another thing they had shared - obviousness towards their obvious chemistry. Cairo pulled her closer, tighter, his hands around the small of her back to support her.

Cairo pulled back as she did, listening to her as she spoke. She was right - of course - that this was something neither of them should be doing. She was also correct in that neither of them really cared about that, as they remained trapped in their moment. Cairo smiled. He felt at ease, around her. He was glad he had made a move, showed his interest to her in a definitive way. But as the moment passed, his thoughts returned to his mother, and the curious situation they found themselves in. He turned his jaw up from her, teasing it away from her, as his hand swept for hers again. "We're doing a bad job of that, huh?"

He hoped to leave her wanting, anyways. He scanned the perimeter of the casino, considering their options. There was a mission at hand. His mind felt jumbled, trapped in an impenetrable fog that the confusion of the day. Her presence had cleared that fog - he wanted her. But he needed to focus, even at the expense of this particular moment. Quietly, he hoped that there would be more. More normalcy, in general, he hoped for. That would likely never be the case with them, Jedi and Sith, but it made the whole prospect more exciting, no? Trapped on opposite sides of the war, but longing for each other?

"So, uh, gambling? Got the hang of it now?" He let go of her, his smile dipping slightly at the words. "You know, this is my thing and all, but I'm totally at a loss for what to do next." Obviously, he wanted to keep making out. It distracted him from figuring out the next steps for his plan to find the mother who abandoned him.

"I'm so tired, Zana." He said, quietly. He was physically exhausted - in between two jobs as an administrative official on Hapes and the Empire. But he was more mentally exhausted, tired of keeping his guard up around all of those close to him. He was tired of hiding who he was; both as an undercover-type agent, and as a boy who just wanted to have a good time. "Can we, uh, get some coffee or something?"

Absentmindedly, he slid another credit into the slot machine, pulling the handle once more. His grin returned, and he playfully ran a hand around her cheek. "Unless you're done with me, now?"

@Sreeya

 

[Zana Ari]

Zana was entirely caught up in the moment, clearly crossing into boundaries she didn’t explore very often. She was left staring stupidly when he pulled away, a deep flush rising against her cheeks. She mentally berated herself for getting swept up like that - they had a mission to do! Zana blinked a few times and cleared her throat, recalibrating mentally to focus back on the task at hand. She watched him slip another credit chip in and run the machine again.

She could tell he was holding a lot of things back, and she couldn’t place what. There was also a tremendous amount of guilt she felt for even crossing that line with him. In the end, it was true they were on opposite sides of the war. Nothing made sense with them, and they were blurring lines that were drawn for a reason. Zana stared at him for a moment, making him face her to keep him from focusing on the slot machine.

“What’re you doing, Cairo?” She asked bluntly, “What’re you really looking for here? Validation?” Zana paused for a moment, thinking back to the moment they shared, “...Distraction?” Did he mean to kiss her because he liked her or was it just a thrilling thing to do because he wasn’t supposed to? Her golden gaze fixed on him, piercing enough to see right through him.

He would have his chance to respond, but a few moments later a few people several feet away could be overheard talking about the ‘Matron of Mayhem’. Zana’s gaze flicked up towards there, spotting two Rodian that were just leaving the casino. She looked at Cairo for a moment before turning to follow after them, “Come on.”

If the two pursued the Rodians successfully, they would hear them talking about the Matron and the Blue Quarters. Zana slowed down her walk, glancing at Cairo, “The Blue Quarters?” She asked as a whisper, “That’s…that’s a slaving district.”

@Fine Dining Set

 

[Cairo Kisufi]

"No, no." He shook his head at her comment, slightly taken aback by her directness. It was bold. It was hot. And he appreciated her piercing through the fog of his own confusion and pity party by asking something so straightforward. He slipped his hands into his pockets, sheepishly. "I've just..."

Best to respond to directness with directness? He took his hands from his pockets and cupped hers once more, his face turning serious as his teal eyes met hers. "I've thought about you a lot since Ithor." That meeting had been to brief and violent to actually establish a connection. That Cairo had opened their conversation by choking her, through the Force, hadn't helped. But she had a natural air of command to her, a quiet strength that made Cairo want to stand at attention, listen to every nerdy word that flowed from her mouth. This moment had not been a distraction or mere validation, but something more. Or, at the very least, something different. "I don't know what it means. But I'd like to explore it..." Just saying those words made it feel like an impossible task. "If that's alright with you." Still, that didn't feel direct enough.

"Zana, can I take you out on a real date after this?" He blurted it out, mouth moving faster than his mind on nervousness. His face reddened, a blush appearing on his cheeks. "Uh, we could see a movie or go to dinner or just hang out or go to a concert or something..." He rubbed his neck, as he strained to think of more ideas. "Just us. Zana and Cairo. No wars or giant mysteries." He hoped that was clear enough. He wanted to explore this chemistry outside of their extraordinary circumstances. And, he was growing to enjoy this nerdy girl; no matter his personal confusions or misgivings about his life right now, he knew he would regret it if he didn't ask. He wanted to know her better, and he hoped she felt the same.

......................................

Slaving district. Oh shit. Another lead to follow. "Good ear." He looked at her, once more, with her IMAC in tow. "Can you, uh, slice into stuff? That could come in clutch at some point." Good to know up front if it was possible. As they approached the Blue Quarters, they would hear more chatter about it. There was an event there, today, they would hear. A gladiatorial bout of some kind, an honor proving by the enslaved, droids, and volunteers altogether. The Rodians dipped into an unmarked building at some point during their walk, an eyestalk sensor popping out and assessing the two before the door beeped open.

"Let's check out the area before we follow them more, yeah?" Better to be prepared. The space station darkened as they wandered, leaving behind the bright lights of the casino and market district for the colder, quieter, and bluer Blue Quarters. The streets were, largely, empty; save for the occasional speeder bike that whizzed by their path, they were alone. Maybe most of their attention was on that gladiatorial bout, where the Rodians had gone to?

Cairo spotted a pair of protocol droids, powered down behind the windows of an empty storefront. Perhaps they were shopkeeper droids or the attendants of some slavemaster. Either way, their knowledge could be useful about what was happening here. He checked once for cameras, before gesturing at the pair of droids. "These things could have some intel." Given her interest in droids and engineering, he hoped she would be able to salvage something from them. Otherwise, his main plan was to power them on and bullshit about until they inadvertently spilled important information. Protocol droids seemed to have a tendency to do that.

@Sreeya