Fwurg

[Maria Latharion]

((OOC: This topic is private between Maria Latharion and Serrah.))

The café was a quiet small place. It looked insignificant from the outside. The interior made use of different types of wood and had forged iron decorations, it gave the place a warm cosy feeling.

Maria sat in a booth in the back of the café. A waitress, wearing a short skirt and an apron with the logo of the café on it, guided Serrah to Maria when she arrived.

"Serrah, you look well. Please, have a seat." Maria greeted her. The waitress took a paper notepad and a pencil from her apron, ready to take their order.

"I'll have the Jamaican blend, please." Maria said to the waitress.

((OOC: Sorry was a bit later then planned))

[Serrah]

Serrah arrived with a veolian woman wearing a military outfit including light armor. The woman seemed to be armed only with a side arm.

The two of them followed the waitress to the back of the café. Serrah looked a bit suspicious at the decor.

"Maria, it is good to see you.", she said as she sat down. The veolian woman took up position a few steps away from the table, with her back to a wall. Now, Maria could see the insignia on the armor is that of House Nehket.

"I'll have a simple black coffee.", she said to the waitress. Clearly surprised by the fact that the waitress used a paper notepad.

After the waitess left to see to their orders Serrah slightly nodded towards the veolian woman, "Aeka insisted I be accompanied by a bodyguard.", she said. "I think she worries too much. Though I must admit that I hadn't expected you to be in contact with us, or anyone for that matter. Your retirement so quickly after the shift of power on your world can not be a coincidence. I am glad that you are still alive."

"How is miss Hunteria doing?"

[Maria Latharion]

"Emily's doing fine, as is Nina." Maria said as the waitress went to get their orders.

"You needn't worry, Serrah. My retirement didn't have anything to do with the change in power. Besides simply killing me wouldn't have any benefit for the ACA. I'm not a threat, my help in putting them in power proves that. But I can understand Aeka's reasoning." Maria glanced toward the bodyguard. "I would like to ask you to send her away though. I'd rather not cause any trouble for anyone." She looked into Sarrah's eyes insistently as she spoke the last sentence. It seemed innocent enough to the untrained eye. A more observant person would conclude Maria wanted to talk about something that wasn't exactly public knowledge.

She looked at the body guard. "No offence to you, miss."

[Serrah]

"None taken, ma'am.", was the short reply of the bodyguard.

Serrah gave a small nod to the bodyguard, who then moved away a small distance. Just enough to give the two some privacy, but close enough to be able to interfere if necessary.

"You have a strange notion of what the duties of a bodyguard are, Maria. But she's over there now, and I am sure that she will try not to listen in.", Serrah said with a cheerful voice. "What is so secretive that we have to sit in this strange café?"

[Maria Latharion]

"Strange café?" Maria asked clearly not understanding what Serrah meant.

She then lowered her voice. "Actually it's about you and Aeka. I don't wish to cause trouble for you two, quite the opposite in fact. I'd like for the two of you to be happy, but I fear there are obstacles you will run into. Even if you already have, I'd like to help solve them."

"You love Aeka, don't you?" Maria looked intently at Serrah.

[Serrah]

"Well yes, any café where they use actual paper to write orders on is going to have a difficult time to make a profit. Or it might be only for show, with a durasheet layer that is actually used to write on...", Serrah mused with a half smile, "That would work."

Serrah leaned in a little, to makes sure she doesn't miss anything. Looking straight into Serrah's eyes, Maria sees a hint of sadness in Serrah's eyes, though that is quickly replaced by clearly visible worry.

Before she can respond, the waitress returns carrying a small tray with two cups on it. As she leans forward to place the cups of coffee on the table, Serrah leans a little towards the waitress, seemingly very interested in the contents of the tray.

Just as the waitress is about to leave, Serrah addresses her: "Miss, could you get my bodyguard a glass of water?" With a nod, the waitress goes about her business.

Serrah put some sugar in her coffee and started stirring. "Maria, you have beautiful eyes. Are they still your natural eyes?", Serrah asked while stirring.

[Maria Latharion]

The hint of sadness didn't go unnoticed by Maria. Nor did the fact Serrah didn't answer her question.

Maria's eyes looked at the bodyguard, then turned back to Serrah. "Look closely and see for yourself."

Upon examining Serrah would see lettering and numbers on the outer edge of Maria's irises. They looked like product code specifying focal length, imaging resolution, spectrum range and other optical specifications. Along with a manufacturers name: Tiresias Ocular Technologies. Serrah could also see some minor adjustments being made by a shutter in Maria's pupils.

As Serrah leaned closer to see these things Maria whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

"Is she preventing you from answering me honestly? Don't answer, just nod if she is."

((OOC: I'm not entirely sure how much internal politics there are in House Nehket, but the Veolians seem like they have those to me. ;)))

[Serrah]

((OOC: You are right. House Nehket is, like all the other houses, filled with ambitious veolians that all want "The usual". There is no way they are all getting that, so there's politics and rivalry like there is no tomorrow. As always, nothing is as simple as it appears, and this situation is no exception.))

Serrah did not nod. But after a very short glance towards her bodyguard, she did lean in a little further so her mouth was nearly next to Maria's ear.

Then she poke with a soft voice. "Please, play along with me a little longer, even it it seems wrong.", her tone sounded concerned.

Then, she sat back normally, her face still a smile. And as if nothing happened she carefully picked up her cup of coffe and blew on it to cool it down.

"That must be very useful, to have your eyesight enhanced beyond what your normal eyes would see. Is year hearing similarly enhanced, Maria?", she asked.

[Maria Latharion]

Maria took a sip from her own coffee, she wasn't to pleased by Serrah's reaction.

But she decided to wait and see. She could always use the ace up her sleeve if it took to long.

"You can relax Serrah, there's no need to be nervous." Maria said, having assumed the strange errors and stuttering were because of nerves.

"And to answer your question, no my hearing is natural. It does go through a signal-processor before reaching my brain though. Are you interested in cybernetics?"

[Serrah]

"I must admit that I am more than a little interested in cybernetics. Ever since doctor Assilion examined me, actually. I really liked the way she could change her eyes and hands to help her in her work, as if she has dedicated herself to a singular purpose. Though I am also a bit scared about the idea of having machines inside of me permanently."

Serrah blows on her coffee again to help it cool down.

"I am a little nervous because of what's going on, that's all. The imperial council has been discussing the not-so-recent elections for a while now, and it is not clear why it's taking so long."

Serrah thought her options over a few times, and finally decided to just hope for the best. Remembering her dinner with Maria an Emily a while ago, she recalls promising Emily that she would ask her permission before hitting on Maria. She hopes Maria remembers as well, since it will clue her in that Serrah's proposal is not what it seems.

Serrah had a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke very softly, hoping that Maria's hearing was good enough: "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, so here goes."


She puts the cup of coffee back on the table with a steady hand. And then proceeds to speak in a normal volume again, making sure to do so when her bodyguard is looking at the table.

"Maria, would you like to take a walk around the district with me?", she asked accompanied by a weak smile, "I have heard that they small parks around are very secluded."

She gets up and extends her hand to Maria, as if helping a date to get up, mostly as a ploy to look more intimate than the pair really was. She bends over a little as she does so and whispers: "And my bodyguard would be culturally obliged to follow us at a distance so she doesn't interrupt our intimate liaison."

((OOC: The strange behaviour of Serrah will be explained momentarily if her plan works, if not, we'll see what happens next ^_^))

[Maria Latharion]

((OOC: Unfortunately for Serrah, Maria is quite insistent on maintaining her monogamy. Time for a card trick.))

The change in Maria's expression, when Serrah attempted her move, was so small one would almost miss it completely. Almost.

She nearly slapped the Twi'lek in the face for what she suggested, but refrained because of how rude that would be. She would never do anything that would call into question her loyalty to Emily. The mere suggestion had insulted her.

"I do not take kindly to being ask to perform an action that calls into question my loyalty to Emily, Serrah. Aeka will hear of this." Marias tone was cold and unforgiving. Leaning back into her chair she crossed her arms.

"Nathan, we'd like to talk privately."

[Nathan Miodrass Asillion]

From the table behind Maria a massive cyborg stood up and turned around. The fact he had been able to remain unnoticed by both Serrah and her bodyguard spoke volumes about his identity. What really identified him though was the unmistakable weapon that hung from his belt.

Marias ace was non-other than the Astrian Jedi Padawan Nathan Miodrass Asillion.

"As you wish, milady." He replied, before approaching Serrahs bodyguard.

"Jedi business, I need you to follow me outside." His ordering tone left little room for arguing. Refusal was probably a bad idea.

((OOC: Abracadabra, how's that for an ace? Also: Rejected! XP))

[Serrah]

((OOC: For other readers: the introduction of Nathan was discussed via PM.))

Maria's tone and the sudden appearance of Nathan made Serrah's expression turn from a little nervous to fearful in an instant. She visibly shrunk away from Mari and shifts on her chair to be as far away as possible from Nathan.

Serrah's bodyguard seems unaffected by Nathan's presence. She looks over the cyborg Jedi, her eyes momentarily lingering on his lightsaber. Looking up to the massive cyborg -- with his physique she has to look up to look him in the eye -- she remains silent as she puts her hand on her side arm, ready to draw it if necessary. Instead of moving she remains standing where she is.

[Nathan Miodrass Asillion]

On seeing the bodyguard's hand move to her weapon, Nathan's hand moves towards his lightsaber.

"Drawing that weapon would be a very bad idea. You are coming with me one way or another, but if you try to draw you won't be leaving in one piece."

Nathan took a step closer.

"And if you're stupid enough to try to point it to someone other then me, you'll be leaving in a bodybag. Now are you going to cooperate or do I need to arrest you?"

By now the other patrons and the employees of the café had realised something was going on. A tense silence had taken hold as people watched the scene unfold. The only person that wasn't tense was Maria.

[Serrah]

The bodyguard continues looking Nathan in the eye, even when he obviously tried to provoke her by stepping into her personal space. She does not move away, nor does she draw her weapon. The only thing she does is reply.

"I will resist your unlawful attempt to arrest me.", she spoke clear enough for the whole café to hear it.


The small exchange between the Jedi and her bodyguard give Serrah the time to recover a bit. She sits up straight and starts paying attention to the situation and her environment again.

[Nathan Miodrass Asillion]

"I have not yet attempted to arrest you miss. I have merely asked you to leave at the café owners request.

As the owner has denied you access to this café, if you choose to stay I, as a Jedi, am obligated to uphold the law by arresting you. As you are currently trespassing on private property.

But by all means, feel free to resist. I don't mind throwing in a resisting of arrest charge."

Nathan explained, also so the whole café could hear. Then he turned to Maria.

"Would the insurance cover any damages, should it come to that, milady?"

[Maria Latharion]

"Yes, it would." Maria replied, taking a sip of her coffee.

[Serrah]

((OOC: Ok I'm done with you changing the world without consent of the other player!

The fact that the café is owned by Maria would have had a very strong impact on the behaviour of my characters since the café is not neutral ground. The same is true for the presence of a Jedi, having someone with the power to destroy worlds sitting next to your booth tends to influence your actions.))

Serrah looks at Maria with anger.

"What?!", she shouts as she stand up, "You ask me out here under the guise of a private conversation to harass me, to threathen my bodyguard and to trick her into committing a crime?!"

"Good friend you are! Screw you Maria!", she spat out as she walks past Nathan.

The bodyguard quickly follows Serrah out of the building, as requested by the dramatically revealed owner.

((OOC: This roleplay is over.

This matter has been discussed out-of-band and resolved to the satisfaction of both involved parties.))