“Hey Tahiri! Hiya Ro-Tahn it is very nice to meet you! Okay so I bought a buuuunch of candied apples and you can have one! They all have some weird flavors or just some yummy sounding one! Don’t worry about me, I can go back to the stall to replace the one you got so that way I can try it myself!” Sofila grinned as she seemingly not took a breath in the entire exchange until she was done. She was still breathing.
Sofila looked up from the table and glanced around. Then, she saw a familiar figure with someone she had not yet met. Oh? Did Anders have a son?
“ANDERSON!” Sofila shouted as she was halfway standing up from the bench and waved over to them.
“Hey! Come over!” She grinned, she doesn’t mind Anderson. She did get a little mouthy with him when they met but Cole shot her down with a glare. “Okay! So some of you have met him but I don’t think you two have?” She looked over to Mikhail and Ro-Tahn
“This is Anderson! And that issssssss-” She trailed off, gesturing to the Zabrak.
<@837236610684813342> <@432543120635461643> <@244244163002892288> <@1056685516441006091> <@301514304845381632> <@160141735354171394> <@375384499770359819>
Anders winced at the sudden increase of volume. Why could people not relegate their louder tendencies into an inside voice? Much less Sofila.
Then again, perhaps Scimitar’s possession had some lingering effects on her psyche?
“Draca, ma'am,” Draca gave a slight bow out of respect. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Anders eyes glanced over the table. Some, such as Tahiri, he recognised as part of his team searching for Scimitar’s artifacts. Others he had worked with or met before, such as Mikhail from Socorra’s party, or even Young Bril.
Speaking of the Zabrak, upon first glance he looked hardly any different. Yet, he had a more aged, learned look in his features. His eyes carried a certain wisdom they didn’t hold when they last met.
Then there was the golden-skinned Nautolan who appeared to be glaring daggers at him. Had he done something to offend her? Someone she knew? The possibilities were endless.
“Indeed. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance once again,” Anders said with a smile.
Daggers was an understatement. The look on Minnow’s face was a flat, deadened thing of no mercy that was seen by Bril on the battlefield and, somehow, none of the others present. It was a look Anders was quite familiar with: that of someone perfectly comfortable with killing, and that of someone wanting to him him.
“Stay where you are, hut'uun dar'jeditt,” the small Nautolan said in steady yet eviscerating tones. “Say hello if you must be you,” her seafoam gaze focused specifically on the Chiss, “can’t sit with us. You aren’t welcome here.”
She had shifted her body despite still sitting, enough that the majority of her turned torso could block Bril’s, and weight shifted not into the bench but onto her legs, tensed with preparation to move. Beskar vambraces barely peeked out from under her fluffy-cuffed pink coat.
Cole gave a raised hand toward Anders before lowering it once more.
Sofila was happy to see the leader of their previous mission however Minnie and Bril were evidently of a different mindset on the high inquisitor.
He sipped his water bottle, content to remain out of whatever was about to occur.
“My dear, if you are going to insult me, at least do it in a language I am familiar with. Not everyone is as familiar with the mother tongue of the Mandalorians as you are. Was the lack of beskar not enough of an indication for you?”
“Anders, please…” Draca slapped the palm of his hand to his head. “Maybe we should just go…”
Elly set her now empty bowl down on the table and watched Anders approach. She had never voiced it but she wasnt his biggest fan. Her and Taldryan had never gotten along and she hadn’t exactly forgiven then for their attempts on both her and her brother’s lives. So when Minnie went off on him in her native tongue, Elly couldn’t supress the chuckle that escaped her lips.
“I am not yours,” hissed the Nautolan, “and I am not dear to you, you coward Sith.”
Bril was already beginning to feel uneasy when both Draca and Anders approached the table, more so about the latter. He placed his drink down and turned his head to regard the two of them with tightening lips. Although his standing with Draca could best be described as tense due to their last encounter, he presently held no love for his Sith mentor.
And it seemed his Nautolan held an even stronger disdain for Anders. Red-hot vitriol seeped across their bond, prompting Bril to reply with a calming sensation that he hoped would temper the flames that were building within her. Her use of the term “dar'jeditt” made him tense a bit and grit his teeth at the implication the term held. That look in her eyes … he hadn’t seen it since they fought alongside one another and, more distantly, when she challenged him in a bid to preserve her brother’s honor.
One hand found its place on Minnow’s side, offering a gentle caress. Then, he sighed, effectively quelling any discomfort he felt while rising from his seat to regard Anders with the same stare that many an opponent in the Belkada fighting rings had seen from the still undefeated shockboxer.
“Don’t call her ‘dear’ again,” he began. “Your recklessness on our last mission already hurt one woman I care about. If you so much as think the wrong thing in her direction, I’ll make sure you that you never consider doing so again.”
His words carried bite to them, of course, but they were spoken with a level of certainty that suggested that he believed every ounce of what he was saying. Did he know something they didn’t? Or perhaps the young man had become so confident in himself that he knew that he could follow through on his promise?
And without missing a beat, Bril shifted his attention to the other Zabrak, and dipped his head to show the horns crowning his hairline and peaking out from his locs. “Draca. Good to see you on slightly better terms. We have to stop meeting like this.”
<@837236610684813342> <@244244163002892288>
Anders paused for a moment, but then released a low toned chuckle. My, oh my. There were aggressive this bunch, weren’t they? He hadn’t even needed to say anything and the majority looked ready to defend each other like a pack of animals.
It was a pity that they hid behind one another for support instead of relying on their own strength.
He opened him mouth to speak, but was silenced when a hand slammed on the table.
It wasn’t from Anders. Much to his surprise, it was Draca.
Draca, of all people.
“Can we not just get along… FOR FIVE MINUTES!?” The young man’s pupils dilated, his teeth bare. “Why does everything have to be a threat? Or a fight? Or bringing up old wounds? You know what? It doesn’t matter. If that’s the way its going to be, then fine…”
Draca turned and placed his hands in his robe pockets and retreated away from the table, shaking his head.
“You do understand, of course, that we arrived with the intent of being cordial,” Anders stated. “Instead, we are greeted with insults, chuckles, and hostility. I rather had hoped especially from you, young Bril, that you had matured in your travels. It appears I was mistaken. I bid you all a good evening, for whatever it is worth to you.”
Anders turned and followed after Draca.
The Mirialan’s brow furrowed at the hostility between Minnie and Anders. Especially the words that Minnie used in Mando'a.
‘Coward Sith.’ Sofila was obviously taken back.
What the kriff? Where was that coming from? Anders reply did not help as she opened her mouth but instead, she kept her anger down and her jaw hardened. Maybe she was reading too much into it. Then things got worse when Bril’s body language against Anders wasn’t well-intent. Bril brought up about Anders’s recklessness. The man got reckless? That was something she needed to see because she did not think that would be in his book.
Her body tensed when Draca’s hand slammed against the table and her hands nervously went underneath the table, slightly scratching but she felt the fabric and stopped.
Instead, her hands went back up to above the table and grabbed one of the plastic containers and started to pick at the corner of it, where it opens and closes. It would make an annoying crackle sounds. Oh! Maybe she could still gift them! She grabbed two random containers and quickly ran to Anders and Draca.
“Ah, hold up!” She was in front of them, her vibrant purple curls bounced with her movements just like her personality.
“Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t know… most of them would have a problem but uh- Here!” She grinned, handing the candied apples to them. “I am not too sure but I tttthhiiiinnnk that one is caramel apple with crushed peanuts and the other one is caramel apple with marshmellows! I am really sorry, I thought we could hang out but uh- Yea! Oh, my name is Sof- Wait! I think I have seen you! You were with Melissa when I shouted at her to use her tongue instead of her teeth!”
Draca balked at Sofila’s last sentence. Of course he remembered that day, how could he possibly forget.
“Oh, yeah… um… miss…” Draca pursed his lips.
“Sofila,” Anders chimed in. He handed Draca his toffee apple. He wasn’t the biggest purveyor of sweet produce. Draca, however, was. “Lady Sofila that is.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Sofila, ma'am,” Draca then looked at Anders. “What did you do? Bril said you hurt a woman he cared about. What did that mean?”
Anders shrugged. “He is going to have to be more specific than that.”
“Spare me,” Bril lifted a hand dismissively when Draca went on about his issue with their inability to ‘just get along.’ “You have no place to demand that of me or Minnow given what he did.”
Old wounds implied that they had healed in the first place. This wound was still fresh, still raw.
His attention went to Anders, next. “I don’t care about you being cordial. You think you can stroll over here, put on your best attempt at being polite and everything is going to be forgiven? You’re the one who needs to mature. If you think that’s how any of this works, then you clearly aren’t as mature as you like to pass yourself off as.”
Sofila, as always, spoke far louder than she needed to. When she mentioned Melissa while pursuing Anders and Draca, his lifted an eyebrow in surprise. What was Melissa doing hanging out with Draca?
“And don’t apologize for us, vod,” Minnow added, addressing the Mirialan partially now. “I meant exactly what I said. If you wanna continue to associate knowingly with a man who actively harms even his allies and has so little disregard for others as to shrug off ‘being specific’ about which time he hurt someone, then that’s your prerogative.” Seafoam eyes pinned the Zabrak teenager. It might have been amusing, were the difference between he and Bril not so stark. “And hey, Draca, was it? Maybe, Draca, before you go yelling at folks, you should ask yourself and the man this apparently keeps happening around why ‘everything has to be a fight, or a threat, or bringing up wounds.’ That’s a pattern, yanno. And the common denominator isn’t most all the other people you meet.”
“L-Lady Sofila!?” She stammered in surprise. “Now wait one-” She couldn’t finish it as Minnie, Bril, Anders, and Draca continued. Her brows furrowed and her fists clenched.
Sofila became cold and quiet as she listened.
“….I harmed my allies.” She looked over to where Tahiri and Elly sat. She looked down at her feet unable to look at Cole before she looked back over to Minnie. She knows she has hurt Cole many times. She couldn’t face him.
“No. I tried to kill my allies.” Sofila confirmed. “Tahiri? The beautiful woman right there?” She gestured to the Torguta.
“She killed one of our teammates in our last mission, an ally. Straight to the karkin’ heart. We had to bring him back to life and now he’s all weird and kist. You don’t see me ripping her throat out.” For kist sake.
“Mr. Anders’s cannot read minds so of course he is not going to now who you guys are talking about.” Sofila paused for a moment.
“If Mr. Anders had a good reason behind hurting someone you two cared about, maybe let him know who and hear him out instead of being deaf. I lost count how many people I hurt. If I bared scars for every one I hurt, I would have no unmarred skin left.” She stopped and took a deep breath. Then her friendly smile returned to her face.
“Okay! How about a small exercise. Let’s all sit in a circle and talk this out as calm and possible as we can without turning this into a karkin’ kriffin’ frakkin’ kistin’ bomb, yes? If it turns out he did it on purpose or whatever, then I dunno, punch him?” Sofila joked.
Maybe.
Yea, she was joking.
She wasn’t.
“Or at least stop insulting each other long enough that someone can walk away calmly.”
Cole added on passively, not quite wanting to correct Sofila in front of everyone that Anders absolutely could read minds. The Chiss had the Force and was a High Inquisitor.
He watched Sofila carefully. Did she really want to bring this up.. here? He shifted to his feet, stepping away from the bench.
**Even though the sleek black vornskr had gotten some of his scratches in, he’d wait patiently for his purple haired friend to pet him.
As everything was going on,, his ears perked forward, listening intently to the tones of the voices around him, as he lay just a few feet away. When his purple haired friend jumped up from the table and swiftly ran over to the two newest beings to have approached, and were now leaving the table. He felt the tension rising, along with other very strong emotions through the Force. Getting up, looking to his Alpha first, and feeling no sign of her telling him to stay put, he slicked up to Sofila, almost appearing beside out of no where. He bumped her hand with his nose, making a huffing sound, as if asking, “Are you ok?”**
Why she was jumping to defend Anders when the details of her and Tahiri’s actions were so radically different was a mystery, to him.
“He, in fact, can read minds. And he enjoys it. I watched him turn someone’s brain to mush doing it.”
Draca shook his head. Oh, he heard Minnow and no longer had an interest in talking with anyone. Yes, he was aware of what Anders was, what he did, sometimes even how he did it. Yet, the man had taken him in as an eight year old boy and raised him without corruption, as a Jedi. A Jedi. A Sith raising a Jedi. Yes, Anders had done many horrible, twisted things, but there was a part of Draca that still wanted to jump to Anders’ defense.
Anders always had reasons. Draca didn’t necessarily agree with them, nor his methods, but he wasn’t a mindless monster like he was being made out to be.
“It’s not nice, having someone you care about be insulted in front of you,” Draca spoke in a tone that wasn’t angry, but melancholic and disappointed. His fists clenched at his side before he took a deep breath. There is emotion, and there is peace. Acknowledge it and move on. “Let’s go…”
Draca handed the apples back to Sofila and left. If all they were going to find was hostility, then there was no point staying around them.
Besides, Anders had a task to complete.
The Inquisitor meanwhile, felt anger coil inside him like an inferno in his heart. It was one thing to insult him. He took such things in stride on a daily basis, but Draca? The boy who was practically his son?
Anders turned his face towards the group, his teeth bare, his crimson eyes covered by an amber hue.
The dark side begged him to make them suffer. Tear their minds asunder and cut their tongues from their mouths for their verbal lashings. He was an Elder now, he could do it. Very easily. Justice demanded it.
No.
He was Vice-Chancellor. He couldn’t risk a diplomatic incident. Draca would also not approve and he did promise the young man he’d try to not cause trouble if he could help it.
Whatever he had done, Draca did not deserved to be punished for it.
He followed after Draca. He was more important right now.
Minnow remained tense while Sofila made her fraking case, only growing all the tenser, until she was as rigid as the beskar'gam she bore, when the Mirialan spoke of Tahiri killing a teammate, herself trying to kill others.
The other Zabrak youngling walked away, and those red eyes bled amber.
Minnow was standing before she knew it. Her arm was up. The other was reaching to activate a control on her vambraces, except Bril was still holding that hand.
She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Needed to fight those eyes, that putrid burning orange that haunted her dreams, her home, their halls, the graves.
Bril behind her.
Not again.
Hateful, murderous orange orbs met seafoam of equal defiance, though she was shaking where Bril held her, quaking in her furry magenta boots. Still she stood there, ready to fall.
And then the jediit bastard just turned around and walked after Draca.
Minnie’s chest rose and fell in sharp staccato under her many layers. She watched until they were one meter away, then two, three, Zuska whimpering after as if sad he’d been ignored.
Mikhail took a long, long sip of his cider. The cup remained raised, even after he drank some of it, if only to shield his face from the arguing that seemed to erupt from nowhere. He remained stock still, noting that Cole behaved in a similar manner.
Now the discussion of killing allies, that caught Mikhail’s attention. He shifted slightly, scooting away from the larger group uncomfortably. He watched everyone carefully, who knew who had another saber like that Bril? At this rate, it may be the safest course of action to flee now before violence sparked a saber to life.
When the conflicting parties split, and the two walked away, the tenseness of the Arkanian settled only slightly. His focus was on Tahiri, Sofila, and Bril. All now known concerns. Their partners would also be noted and filed away, just in case. For what was supposed to be a social gathering to enjoy a culture, Mikhail was finding himself quite in over his head here.
He took another long sip in the silence that followed their departure, fist clenched around his cane on his lap.
The shock and pain of realization flashed across Bril’s face when he picked up what Minnow was truly feeling in that moment, prompting him to squeeze the hand he held tightly while looking at her.
No.
The feeling of complete, unwavering rejection shot across their bond to hopefully nip her thoughts in the bud … to shock her out of the frighteningly destructive state of mind she was in. He knew exactly what it was as soon as he felt it. That rage, that acceptance of one’s inevitable death. The Force lived in all beings, and that meant none were beyond the reach of the Dark Side’s honeyed lips and caustic grip. He was sure she wouldn’t see it that way, but there was no doubt in Bril’s mind that that what was happening to her. Gentler, more soothing sensations drifted across and lingered within their consciousness’ communal space with an effervescent lilt.
What began as a squeeze of the hand transitioned into a proper hug, the kind of tender embrace that was a plea as much as it was an attempt to steady her and ground her in something other than the justified, yet nonetheless treacherous feelings she harbored.
“Hey, focus on me. You’re here, with me, i'shur'slari. Breathe.”
He started to hum the same lullaby he hummed to her so many nights ago, when he held her in his arms just as he now was. In that moment, it was as if there was no one else present, not while he was ensuring his Nautolan was okay.
The Nautolan was tense a moment longer in the sudden embrace, visibly struggling not to shove Bril down or go after Anders, as if the threat of those poison orange eyes couldn’t be let stand, even when they were gone.
But after a few moments she did breathe, lowering her firing arm and grasping Bril’s sleeve.
Unlike her focused partner, though, Minnow was like a live nerve, too aware of everyone around them and their threat. She wriggled to show she wanted to be let go of after only a few more moments, and looked over the table and its occupents, as if trying to decide whether or not they were enemies too. Mikhail was just the picture of a meme, hiding behind his drink. Cole was alert like her. Elly sat there with her second or third bowl of cakes. Tahiri? Sofila? Could she even trust them?
And of course Femi, all but forgotten in her carrier on the tabletop, pawed at the inside of her bubble as if sensing parental distress.
<@216702440140046336>
Bril instinctively pulled away from Minnow upon seeing how tense she’d become. He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck and looked around at the others. His Nautolan wasn’t the only one feeling tension.
“My apologies, everyone,” he said while shaking his head. “We’ve history with them, as I’m sure you can tell.”
To that Minnie just gave a small grunt, headtails cramped tight under her kitty-eared hood. She watched and waited, in case hostility continued.
Sofila was stunned when Draca shoved the apples back in her hands.
“W-wait they are gifts-” She couldn’t finish it when they left. Then Anders’ that look of hate and anger, she felt her own darkness rising in her. Then she felt something familiar by her side. Her head slightly turned to Cole.
He was right there.
‘I got you.’ His voice echoed in her mind. Something he said a few days ago that made her break. She took in a deep breath to calm down. When she did manage to calm down, she took a few steps back and started to load the wagon with apples again. If no one wanted them, there was no need for it to be on the table. So now they were out of the way.
The Mirialan sat down on the bench at the picnic table and glanced towards Bril at the mention of them having history with them.
It didn’t sit right with her. All she knew right now was that she could use a spar.
It was going have to wait. She shouldn’t spar when so high on emotions. Something she learned the hard way and was still struggling to make a new habit of.
They didn’t kick her out. So she was here to hang out. She glanced over to the apple cider with her pink irises before picked it up, knocked it back, and coughed.
Kist. That wasn’t the alcohol one.
Cole brushed his hand against her arm as Sofila returned to the table. She sat down too quickly and he wasn’t keen to just yet, remaining stood beside the seat he’d occupied beforehand.
He was going to ask if she wanted to go but it was hard to judge when she started drinking and was low down. And hard to murmur something quiet without notice with people staring. Cole’s eyes flickered over to Minnie, uncomfortable. It was hard to not recognise the posture, the preparation to.. do something. What was hard to determine but that made her unpredictable and Foxen’s little sister was likely to be someone dangerous too if the siblings were anything alike.
Was the drink a test? Cole forced his gaze to Bril instead, keeping Minnie in his line of sight but ensuring that he wasn’t as prominently staring as she was. Hopefully she wouldn’t expect him to react in time to prevent anything if something… did kick off.
“Then that can remain with them. No one needs to make any new history today, I’m sure you’d agree.”
He kept his gaze on the Zabrak before him but the words weren’t quite for him.
Minnow’s eyes went to Cole. While they hadn’t gotten to chat much, she did know him from Sofila, and from Foxen’s comments. Allegedly, he had a hair trigger too, but he wasn’t a jediit.
“Already made some, apparently,” her tone was fairly flat, a little distant, none of her normal bubbliness, and her gaze switched back to the Mirialan, then Tahiri, then back to the Mirialan. “You consider that you’ve apparently hurt allies and she has killed one, intentionally, forgiveness for Anders doing it?”
“i’m not going to go and attack them, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” Bril replied while folding his arms affront his chest. “But history is always being made. And without so much as an apology for nearly killing my sister and threatening her on a different occasion, I have no intend to play nice with someone who thinks that being cordial is sufficient cause to let bygones be bygones.”
Sofila felt Cole’s touch and it immensely calmed her down fast.
That was until she heard Minnie. Sofila leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. She started to rub her face and pushed her hair back. The Mirialan suddenly looked fatigued beyond belief.
“Welcome to part of our lives. Tahiri had no choice, it was a trial. As for myself, I lost control years ago. The Force and I aren’t exactly buddies. I was only asking that maybe we should’ve hear his side? I wasn’t saying forgive him but to listen. Honestly, I feel like no one is listening anymore.” Then she laughed bitterly, “Including me.”
Sofila started to scratched at her arms but she felt the fabric and stopped.
“I have … hurt people. We can’t control the Force that easily. Tempers flare. Emotions heightens. No one has the perfect control. Kist happens, especially with the missions we take up. Kark, even the best sniper in the entire galaxy can make mistakes.” She shifted uncomfortably and her arms crossed.
Part of her wished she doesn’t do anymore missions that’s related to Scimitar but the other part of her knew she needed to see this through. To see him dead. The knowledge and power he possessed was too dangerous to keep alive.
Bril spoke up and Sofila sighed softly as she leaned back, her expression changed to sympathy. She remembered when Asani got attacked and how… she herself, reacted.
“I am sorry for your sister.” There was nothing else she can say or do. It still confused her, if it was intentional wouldn’t Anders be the kind to remember who it was he harmed? Especially since Bril and Anders seemed to know each other before?
The Mirialan said nothing else and let it drop. Their mind was set harder than a goddamn starving Rancor finally finding food. Sofila was trying to do better about hearing both sides especially with her new position but it seems she was not going to get that today.
And that was okay.
She was learning.
Cole remained stood but placed a gentle hand to Sofila’s back for a moment. That.. Hearing her talk like that was a new thing. A good one.
It was progress even in an overall quite poor moment.
“No one was suggesting forgiveness.” Cole emphasised. It hadn’t been his suggestion either, though it had been interpreted that way.
The Human finally shifted to sit down beside Sofila.
“But they aren’t here now so unless we’re keen to find other people to dislike..” He trailed off, not particularly having a clean change of subject to move them to. This was never really his thing, peacekeeping. Hopefully it’d be enough.
Elly had been silent through the whole ordeal. She had been polite. She focused on her food and did her best to tune out the anger, the hatred, the threats of violence, and the reminiscing of past violence. Once she ran out of fish cakes, she had nothing to do but drum her fingers along the tabletop, each serious of taps louder than the last.
This was supposed to be her send off from Holmes, from her home. She was planning on hanging out with Erinyes for the last time in quite a while, and when that went wrong, she tried to pivot into this. She had her favorite food. She had her favorite drink. She even had friends for once. It was supposed to be working out.
But no. Yet again, it had all gone to shit. Elly rubbed her hands over her face and failed to hold back a very frustrated growl, her more Firrerreon side rearing its uncivilized head. She took a long, deep breath and tried to use the lull in conversation to her advantage.
“Y’know what I do when I get stressed or angry? I take a walk or do some exercise,” Elly said out of the blue. “Sitting around here is just gonna give you guys the opportunity to get lost in your own negative thoughts.”
“We don’t need to hear his side,” Bril interjected, though he spoke without the same bite that Minnie did. He was stern, but not aggressive. “I was there when it happened. He knows exactly to whom we were referring, and he chose to play coy because he knew it would provoke a reaction. And he got one.”
He had planned to say more, but when he heard Elly’s comments, he decided against it. He knew she was right despite on some level not wanting her to be.
“…I could use a drink.”
And without another word, he plucked the flagon that Minnow had pushed from the table and took a swig of it.
Meanwhile, Femi, ever the resourceful tooka that she was, had somehow managed to escape her carrier and hopped out on the table. Once there, she made an effort to prance around the edges of the table, booping any stray hands she found with her head to ensure that she was given the attention she had been denied for what surely felt like ages, now, for a tooka.
The way Minnow gazed at Sofila indicated not all was well. Whether or not that was because she blamed her for losing control or because she was still trying to make excuses about hearing out a man who willfully hurt whoever he decided to. Who did that instead of believing them.
Her aliit.
But with three other people trying to defuse and avoid and drink, there wasn’t any more to be said now, obviously. So the small Nautolan just sat stiffly back down, sticking out a hand to pet her tooka daughter when she made rounds by her.
She didn’t say anything about Bril taking the drink instead of the Mirialan. She was not drinking around these people.
Likely not around Sofila again, if she even invited her over again, at all.
“If you want us to leave, Elly, that’s fine,” Minnow said slowly, working to thaw her tones. “But moving around is just gonna make me more primed to fight off a threat. Soldier’s instincts,” she added in explanation to the lawyer.
The Mirialan gave the human a small smile. “This won’t break friendships. It takes a lot more than that. Well. For me at least…” Sofila explained softly and it was true. How many times has Asani crossed the line and she still loved her the same?
It was true to all of her friends.
She’s not even sure how they feel about her now.
Maybe she’ll lose some friends today.
Sofila laughed softly to Elly trying to ignore the tension, “I used to the same until uh-” She cringed. “Had a bit of an injury. Doing things angry can… complicate things.” Sofila’s brows furrowed. She was still processing WHAT to do because she used to turn to spar everytime. Or running. Or jumping off the orbit.
“But right now, I’m learning to walk away.” Then she chuckled to Elly, “Not run. But yes. It is hard for me.”
Sofila’s hues went over to Bril. He sounded.. familiar. Someone she despised.
“Don’t worry. We’ll go. I’m-” She couldn’t even finish it. Her body was shaking. She could feel it. It was so close. Right there. All she had to do was to succumb to it, after all, anger is not that nasty of an emotion-
She snapped out of it and looked over to Cole, “We’re leaving.” She got up from the bench and took the wagon.
“You stay,” Minnie argued, standing too. “They’re your people.”
Elly just sat there looking at the rest of the group for a moment as they continued to bicker. As they all threatened to leave her the table. A pained, amused, exceptionally sad smile flashed across the lawyer’s painted lips. She looked down at her half empty bowl and just sighed, her brain already trying and failing to healthily rationalize what was going on.
A tear fell into her bowl, and she sniffled, quickly wiping her eyes before standing up. “I hope you guys can figure-.. figure it out,” she said, her voice cracking. She couldn’t stay and listen to this any longer. She stepped over the bench she was once sitting on and began her journey to the streets she used to call home. What a kriffing night.
Throughout the entire discussion, and the slight confrontation, the Togruta siblings had stayed quiet…
Ro-Tahn kept munching on the fish cakes and drinking the regular apple cider, having noticed that Tahiri had stolen his spiked cider. Normally he would have teased her about it, and would have tried to steal it back from in a most playful manner, but the look he had seen in her eyes before his sister turned them away and down, along the expression on her face told him more than he liked.
So instead he sat back in silence, watching and listening, while also trying to tune in to his sister. He wasn’t as gifted or skilled in the Force as Tahiri was, which he completely fine in, but at the moment he wished he communicate with her through his mind. They had found that although that he hadn’t the talent for it, Tahiri had insisted on him training his mind so that none could enter it unless he let them, and that’s exactly what he wanted to do with her. However, she either didn’t see his subtle hand signal, or she was ignoring him, nether of which was a good sign.
I’ve only ever see those blazing Sith eyes when she’s in combat, or when she doesn’t care who sees what the rituals did to her. What the is going on to cause her eyes to shift so suddenly? Opening his own mind as best he could, he left a simple message in Togruti if she picked up on it, “Sa'mahr, yeh yehsa?” (Sister, you good?) If she received the message, Tahiri gave indication or answer, instead she just stayed motionless, almost as if she had been rooted to her seat, the only evidence of movement came from her eyelids, and that of her chest rising and falling. Softly sighing, Ro’s slightly coy smile surfaced again, and he went back to drinking and eating, finishing his bowl of food, and looked around for more. He noticed that his sister had only eaten half of her bowl, so he snatched it up, seeing if it would break whatever spell she was under. He was disappointed that gained no reaction, so he shrugged and continued to listen and eat.
-------------------------------------------------
The Elder held the flagon of spiced cider in front of her, she had wanted a taste earlier, and had planned on stealing a little swig now and then from her brother, hoping to cause a bit of a friendly distraction and get a laugh out of everyone if Ro started teasing her, as he always did. However, when Sofila told everyone about herself, and then Tahiri killing a teammate, the cider never reached her lips. She just froze, not knowing what to do. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opened herself to the Force and the emotions of those around her.
The amount of hostile rage, regretful sadness, and other emotions turbulently mixing almost overwhelmed her own emotions, especially the one of protectiveness and justice. That was an emotion she was all too familiar with, as it was also a founding moral and the base of an unfulfilled promise to her dying father. She suddenly had the feeling to choke the Chiss’ neck herself. Her eyes shot open, and stared straight at her brother. The coy smile that always played on his face, no matter the situation, disappeared instantly, replaced only by concern. Seeing that in his face made her vision shift from the red she was seeing to the wetness that followed as she quickly turned her eyes and head downwards, realizing that her veil concealing the very bright thing that marked her as a Sith went down. She never liked that look in his boyish face, seriousness and concern was something she didn’t like seeing on him. Her hunter instincts could feel the eyes upon her from certain individuals, especially from the young Nautolan. The feelings she felt now, those that were, and weren’t her own, made every fiber of her being want in that moment to disappear and never be a worry, or a wedge to anyone ever again.
She sat there, instead, listening as the rest of the group made their case to try and simmer the whole situation down, while slowly trying to get a grip on her own feelings. Gripping the flagon harder was the only way to stop her body from shaking, from showing any sign that she was in distress. The woman wanted so bad to just down the entire drink and change the mood, but somehow she knew that that wasn’t going to work. Besides, she had never needed liquid courage before, as drinking any alcohol, alone or with others, had always been just an enjoyment, and she wanted to keep that way. Thus after Femi came by, rubbing against her hand, she relaxed a little and reach a couple fingers out to scratch at the tooka’s silky fur. She took one last sense of the feelings coming from the group through Force, while keeping her own emotions in check this time, before finally withdrawing into herself, slowly building up the walls again, that had been hard to take down.
What she had to become, all to protect those she loved and cared about, was now, she felt from one or more of the people within the group, was in the the way of everyone having a good time. The biggest thing she didn’t want to get in-between was Bril and his i'shur'slari, Minnow. The woman couldn’t bring herself to get in the way of their happiness, if Minnow hated Sith and wanted nothing to do with them, no matter who they were and who they were associated with, then Tahiri would not force her to become friends. Making up her mind as everyone argued over who was to leave or not, but unfortunately not before Elly got up and left the group. Looking up, her Sith eyes now veiled and hidden again behind the guise of her wise grey colors, she took a deep breath, slowly unwrapped her hands from around the flagon and stood up, turning to Bril and Minnow.
Her voice was soft and gentle, snagging a little on the words, while her face was trying to convey things were alright, a mask of light happiness, with the genuine smile, that probably looked more sad than anything, “Thank you for the food and cider Bril, Minnow. It was a wonderful to finally meet you, I hope we meet again, under better circumstances.”
Then turning towards the young man who’d been sitting next to Elly, flashing him a small apologetic smile, “It was very nice to make your acquaintance, Mikhail. Sorry, this became a bit heated and awkward, most get together’s aren’t like this, I promise.”
“Sofila, Cole, it was great to see you two again, I’ll have to hit you up some time for one of those interesting caramel apples, though right now I seemed to have lost my appetite. I’ve seemed to have out stayed my welcome for today. Thanks again everyone.” Before anyone could say anything she threw her cloak over her shoulders and began to walk back the way she and Ro had come from.
Barely a yard away, she opened her mind up a bit and sent a message to Bril, hoping that he was open enough to receive it, “Bril, i'shur laktu sharee dyne fikde kosta'et ah'doz na pur Tai'shan. I'shuree jenorkosta shar nok I'shuree ah'devsta et i'shar. Bril bez i'shar. Shuree larsla yot sha'furn shuree tul fro i'shar to'npk na shureen tul meni'hiso nuin. Tuhash tze'tlesu meni triktu coila shuree. Oen'furnek coila geti i'shuree ameeno'nop, shuree fo'tlesu meni uael. *(Bril, I’m happy you have run into a warrior and attractive soulmate. I understand she feels I’m a danger to her. Protect her Bril. I hope that sometime I can gain her trust and we can become friends. Please don’t be sad for me. Good journey for now my godson, I will be around.)*” Even though she left her mind open in case he answered back, Tahiri barely got around the corner, before the air shimmered, the edge of her Krayt Dragon cloak the last thing seen as she disappeared from sight.
-------------------------------------------------------
Ro was stunned for a moment, slightly confused as he munched on the last mouthful of the fish cakes from his sisters bowl. Quickly getting up, he swallowed hard, almost coughing on the cakes in his hurry, before taking the last gulp of cider. Laughing and skipping backwards as he waved at everyone, “Umm sorry, it was nice to meet all of you. Thanks for the food. Guess I better catch up, for such a tiny little meh'a (woman), she moves fast.” Turning around he paused at the corner, confusedly looking around and bouncing in place for a moment, before walking off, a low but loud call, followed by a small whine before fading into the distance, “Tahiri? Sister? Where’d you go? Oh come on, I don’t want to play seek and pounce now, I’m too full for this. Tahiri?”
-------------------------------------------------------
**Meanwhile, the dark vornskr could feel his Alpha’s turbulent feelings, he stayed back from the group, watching each of them in turn. Watching and waiting for anything to happen. Suddenly, the emotions were lessened, or more focused, as she became more sad, then protective. Slinking forward, being careful not to scare or seem like a threat to the smaller animal on the table, he sat on his hunches and laid his head on the bench, till the tooka came closer. Perking up, he stretched his nose up to the edge of the table, sniffing the tooka as she went by. The tooka paused for a moment to sniff his nose and then after a moment of thought, she brushed her head against the vornskr’s slightly wet nose, earning a little nudge and a tiny lick, before moving on to greet the next person.
Finally a little bit of a happy emotion came across their link, before fading and the sadness returned. With a huff, Zuska rested his head back on bench, till perking up suddenly when Sofila stood up and packed her wagon of odd smelling treats. Ears swiveling as another, a taller female got up from the table and actually left. Then to his sudden surprise, his Alpha stood. Normally he could feel when she wished to leave and thus would have been ready, but he just watched in confusion as she got up and left, then her brother left. Getting up, Zuska wines a little, going up to Sofila first, waiting a moment to get a pet before heading over over to the tall Zabrak and the Nautolan, looking from one to other for a pet. Once he began to feel the link fading more, he trotted after his Alpha, stopping for a moment to look back, then he too disappeared into the crowd.**
Cole wasn’t sure who’s people Minnie exactly meant but he had been ready leave tk leave the table for several minutes already and didn’t hesitate to follow.
He wasn’t exactly sure what specifically had set her off but there was one or two things Cole knew would have. It was for the best.
His eyes had cast over Elly and Tahiri’s brief exits from the table, giving Mikhail a short nod of recognition before following wherever Sofila took them.
Sofila looked shocked to Minnie at the ‘your people’ comment as she glanced over at the table. They were more… Bril’s people. Minnie’s people. Elly’s people. It wasn’t just her people. Sure, there was some strangers at the table for her such as Mikhail and Ro-Tahn, but it seems today was not going to be the day she gets to know them. It seemed Elly had made her leave first, crying. The Mirialan’s jaw looked so tight that it could snap.
Sofila was losing control.
She was trying to leave because she felt close to losing her temper. Still does. Sofila gave Zuska a quick and small pet and they left.
By the test of the Force, she saw Anders and Draca while they were making their way to the hotel they were staying at. Sofila stopped in her tracks. Her brows furrowed. She was a bit calmer now but still angry. Was… this even a good idea?
“I - I want to talk to him. But if they see us… they may hate me. They might already do,” her voice was low.
Sofila looked over to Cole, “And he was angry when he left… I’m not sure if approaching him is the best idea at the moment.” Then she looked down to her feet.
“And there’s the concern if I don’t like his answers…. I almost lost control back there,” Sofila grimaced. <@432543120635461643>
Cole had kept close to her side, doing his best to ground her where he could. Small touches, but kept quiet. Kept them small, careful. Aware of the crowd around them and anyone who’s eyes seemed to linger a moment too long. Nothing struck out though. They were okay and there was method to the direction Sofila led them in. He was unsurprised by the destination.
Anders and Draca. He knew Anders loosely, though the man was the reason they were even here. A respite from the stress of the mission.
“He was angered by Bril and Minnie. If that is placed onto you, then whatever his answers are don’t really matter.” Cole reached out, anxious of the crowd but pushing through the scream of paranoia and entwining his fingers with hers. She needed him, with her. Not sitting at the edge jumping at the shadows. You’re just putting both of you at risk, there’s enemies, they’ll see. Know your weaknesses. Idiot, let go of her, its not safe, not secure. Flaunting it like a fool, stop stop st-
“If I see you start to lose it again, I’ll take us away. If you really want to do this.” He gave her hand a squeeze, gaze over the crowd more than her for the moment but he’d keep watch. Keep them safe.
Sofila was surprised at feeling his hand grabbing hers and interlacing their fingers. Her anger almost dissipated. She… was not expecting that from Cole. Not in public places. Sofila winced at the idea of him trying to take them away if she starts to lose it.
She didn’t want to accidently hurt him.
It took her awhile before she swallowed and gave him a small nod.
“Okay.” With a soft inhale, Sofila made her way over to the pair. Her grip on his hand tightened. But she was still paying attention. He may want to let go when they got close enough and she would let it happen.
“Mr. Anderson and hello Draca. May… we- I-” She corrected herself, unsure if Cole wanted to know answers too. “- have a moment of your time?”
<@837236610684813342> <@432543120635461643>
One by one they all left instead. Elly had tears in her eyes, Tahiri radiated something so heartbreakingly sad and guilty and glad all once, Sofila and Cole were gone. Only Mikhail was left, and he was so shy and stiff, and she’d driven away the friend he’d come with. Bril had barely gotten to introduce her to a woman he loved dearly. They were all gone.
Empty places at the table. Empty chairs. Bowls left half eaten, cups still full.
Empty places at the table.
Empty –
Gone in a blink–
Orange eyes–
Minnow’s shoulders hitched, then shook. A hand snapped up to smother, clasping over her mouth tightly, trying to hold the sobs in. It didn’t help. They wracked her frame anyway as she sat back down at the empty table with all those empty places and half eaten plates and half full glasses, only three of them left of so many more. It wasn’t a choice. Her legs went out. She hunched over, curling in on herself, shaking and crying in muffled, wracking gasps.
Stop it stop it get a hold of yourself! She had to tell Mikhail she was sorry. She had to try and salvage something for him. Run after Elly and see if she wanted a hug or to go shopping. Ask Tahiri for those stories about a baby Bril and get a billion holos of Zuska and Femi together. Sofila–
She couldn’t think about her right now.
But none of it was happening. Because she couldn’t breathe.
Both Anders and Draca were in some sort of a heated distraction when Sofila’s voice was heard.
Odd, she never usually struggled for what to say.
Anders connected to the Force, feeling the torrents of anger and rage swelling within young Sofila’s soul like a hurricane with no eye.
“Of course,” Anders’ eyes had, mercifully, returned to a crimson hue. “Though, if I may make a suggestion? Take a deep breath.”
“Yeah,” Draca nodded, folding his arms across his chest. “We aren’t mad at you. It’s just… what the hell was that?”
<@432543120635461643>
Oh. She did not mean to intruppt their dicussion
I am a karkin idiot.
Sofila grimaced at the suggestion. Was it that obvious? She nodded and took in a deep breath.
Held it instead of releasing it.
Then just-
“Kark, I don’t even know what the kark happened, I thought everything was okay but he was saying something about you attacking his sister- which I didn’t even know he had a sister so that- I don’t- I just- And now I may have lost a friend but that’s my fault- I forget that Minnie- I-” She let out the rest of air she had.
Her mind was getting foggy.
“If it’s alright, I would like to hear you side of the story… if you remember. Apparently it was Bril’s sister? Was there a lot of missions or tasks that you and Bril went on together with a sister of his?”
<@432543120635461643>
Cole remained at Sofila’s side, holding her hand still and keeping an eye on.. everything. His eyes rarely rested, even if he didn’t do much to turn his head. Priority order was Anders, the largest potential threat followed by Sofila unless she started getting aggravated. Then Draca, and then the crowd.
His free hand still into his pocket to avoid fidgeting.
“I’d like to know that too,” Draca stated.
“I know nothing regarding a sister,” Anders answered, placing a hand under his chin. “Bril and I have worked together for the Envoy Corps once and I do not recall a female Zabrak there. Unless… he does not mean family by blood?”
Sofila paused for a moment. Oh. She never considered that. Being raised in an adopted family, she never stopped to think if it’s blood relation or not.
“It’s possible? I mean Asani and I are sisters but we are not blood. Neither are my Buirs- oh um, Mando'a for mom and dad in case you didn’t know- I am getting off track- But… we’re family.” Sofila smiled softly thinking about what family brings.
“…So is there any allies that you shot while on that mission?” Cole prompted. There couldn’t be that many times Anders had specifically shot allies around bril on a singular mission.
One would hope such a thing would be an isolated incident. It wasn’t like he hadn’t done so before, though it was with reason.
“There was… one incident. We were searching for the whereabouts of an archaeologist and he had been kidnapped by…” Anders stopped himself. “Actually, with permission, it may be best to show you all instead.”
<@216702440140046336>
Sofila blinked in confusion. Oh neat! They had a video of what happened?
“Oh! Sure! Okay, well I don’t have my datapad with me to access anything at the moment. We could meet up at the hotel or do you have your datapad?”
“No, no. I mean with the Force,” Anders had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.
“Ah, right.” Cole commented, side glancing Sofila. He wasn’t sure if she’d be open to such a thing but it was*a clearer version of events than word of mouth if the memories weren’t manipulated in anyway. His gaze flickered over the crowd, *looking visibly this time.
With a crowd here, it was unlikely this would last long nor be anything other than stated. It’d be stupid to pull such a stunt in public with so many witnesses and if there was anything Cole had determined of Anders, the man wasn’t an idiot. The only other issue would be the crowd itself but it had been quiet. Nothing had happened.
He released a slow breath, “If Sofila agrees, I’ll witness it as well.”
Sofila winced, “Oh.” She… wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Kriff. Why couldn’t that mission happen to have a camera somewhere instead.
Sofila knew that she never had a good mental barrier but her mind was always loud that it wasn’t an issue.
Cole spoke up first, and now it was in her hands. She looked over to him with uncertainty before looking back to Anders.
She barely knew the Chiss, but his hugs weren’t that bad.
“Okay. Let’s do that.” <@432543120635461643> <@837236610684813342>
Anders closed his eyes, connecting all four of their minds together as his memories flashed before them.
A Chiss, going by the name of Sival. Maybe they knew her? She had gotten worked up and chased a Pirate outside of a building they were in. Anders had left BUDD-E and pursued. He had struck out with Lightning like she had intended to, but had struck her by accident.
An accident. One she used to further power herself as they both electrocuted the Pirate together. He then went to execute her but… she… tried to…
Block him?
“He was leaving! We don’t have to kill everyone who dares come near us! What is wrong with you?!”
Anders pointed his lightsaber at her. What was she doing? Interfering?
“I think the better question is what is wrong with you?He was a pirate. Regardless of his intent, he associated with pillagers, murderers, kidnappers, and much worse. You were willing to let someone like that flee without reprimand. Do you remember the look on the Urchin’s face when she told us what they’d done?” Anders stepped closer to her. “What I have done might be seen as cruel, but I have prevented these pirates from inflicting harm upon hundreds, if not thousands others. Justice is not always pleasant, but it is fair.”
Anders deactivated his weapon. Coming up must be the threat Bril spoke of.
“Oh, and Sivall? Lance at me like that again, and there will be consequences.”
The link ended, and all four were brought pack to the present.
Sofila grimaced at the sudden push of the image. That Chiss… Siv? That was Auntie Siv? She had no idea that her and Bril were so close. What the kriff? Is Anders sure that this was the same woman? Sofila flinched at seeing Siv being hit by lightning. She knew exactly what that felt like and it made her sick to her stomach, being hit like that.
But… this didn’t seem intentional. The Force was difficult to control after all. Auntie Siv seemed to use this to take down the pirate they were chasing. Then Siv tried to block from Anders killing the Pirate? What the kriff-
It seemed that Anders and her had shared the same anger. What was Auntie Siv thinking?! They were not good people! Siv, no.
What does that say about herself? That Siv wanted to save someone bad and she wanted them dead? Was… she a horrible person after all?
Then sure enough, came the threat. Her anger flickered again.
He threatened her aunt.
But she-
Now she was even more confused than usual. Sofila winced and tried to take in a breath. It ended up sounding like a shuddering inhale.
She got his side of the story.
And now she regrets it.
Cole grimaced still at having his sight concealed by the vision but remained still for it.
Anders had been trying to perform a mission with typical expected requirements. Kill the threats or they will either gather others or become one again, pirates didn’t kark around with their victims. The threat wasn’t even stated what those consequences would be.
He felt more confused, than anything else. He glanced around again upon the connection ending, confirming everything was still the same. Was it nice to make the choice to let people live, sure, but it was a stupid decision for the sake of ones own survival.
The lighnting was the worst part of it all. Sivall’s ability to redirect it was admirable but the fact Ander’s had missed was poor judgement on his part considering her proximity. Lightning was a wild thing. Even seeing it had the hairs along his arm raised, tension building in Cole’s shoulders that he tried to ease away.
Sofila was struggling. Their hands were still entwined so he gave a gentle squeeze.
“Well. That was messy.” It was a poor summary, but still accurate.
<@216702440140046336> <@837236610684813342>
Bril barely had enough time to register the mental message Tahiri had sent him before his attention was pulled back to the present, back to his Nautolan. He felt it across their connection before he heard it: like a nigh-impenetrable shell of beskar'gam had melted away to expose the tender, wounded flesh beneath.
He took a breath while sitting next to her and lifted a hand to palm her back in a gentle caress. “It’s okay, pur'ka. I’m here. Everything is going to be okay.”
There wasn’t much else he could say in that moment, not when she felt like this. He’d learned that sometimes it was better to just be present as they had been so many times before for one another, and how he had assured her he always would be.
While she sobbed, he began humming the same lullaby he’d hummed for her weeks before.
“It was an accident…” although, Draca shook his head. “Was the threat really necessary? Hell! Was the killing necessary?”
“You know how I feel when mission parameters are tampered with,” Anders responded with the calmness of a man with authority. “Young Bril was there. He inquired about it, hence my surprise at his actions. Either he has been lied too, or something else his affecting his emotional state.”
Sofila could feel Cole’s hand. The squeeze. Then his voice. It wasn’t to her, but it was still his voice.
‘It was an accident.’ Sofila listened. But.. she- Pieces. She needed to piece the pieces together. She glanced around at their surroundings and people were slowly becoming less crowded. It was getting late and colder. She frowned at the mention of Bril. She doesn’t know him enough. But if she had to guess-
“I don’t know.” She started and looked back over to the group.
“Maybe he doesn’t know it was accident? Does Auntie Siv even know it was an accident? Has anyone actually talked to Auntie Siv, calmly, about this!? Did you even apologized to her? Yes, it wasn’t intentional but you still caused her pain.” Sofila was exasperated. She would hate it if other people was standing up for her and fighting for her when really, it was none of their business.
And here she was, sticking her nose in business where it didn’t belong. Kark. How kriffin’ hypocritical of her.
All because of this mess. And now, she may had lost a friend. Or two. Anger was peaking. Her squeeze on Cole’s hand was becoming more tight.
“I’m SO not in the right mindset for this right now. I hope that everyone as adults can figure this out instead of bearing teeth and barking like kriffin- By the suns- I need to fight.”
“Sof.” Cole said softly, giving her hand another squeeze and pulling her arm, to draw her a little closer. Away from Anders and Draca. There was a gap in the crowd.
If she snapped, they’d leave. Like he’d promised her.
As with other times, Bril’s choice not to offer overmuch in the way of promises or platitudes and simply offering her someone to lean on seemed to have a much more stabilizing effect. The tiny Nautolan’s adorable pink gloves were swiftly covered in snot and tears, and the plush fabric was awful for it, not wipeable or absorbent like cotton would be, more just smearing between her face and their surface. As her sobs began to slow, the sense of revulsion got more pressing, and even though she was still hiccoughing and crying openly thanks to the general lack of eyelids, she peeled her face from its mucus muffled confines and began trying to get her gloves off just by flapping her arm hard enough, an almost tantrum-like effort of pure frustration.
Eventually she gave up and used her teeth, gross as it was, to pull them off at one finger and then threw them off to the ground in a fit of pique, quickly snatching handfuls of napkins left at the empty table with empty places and empty chairs and stuffing her bared hands back underneath the wood before any passersby or Mikhail could see. She hunched back over, the curl of her spine leaning back into Bril’s light touch, permitting and asking for it to stay, and began the stupid stupid process of trying to clean her face off while it was still actively leaking.
“I’m–” she tried to say between nose blows, “sor–” was she? No. Yes. No. “Frak!”
“You don’t have to say anything, pur'ka. It’s okay.”
Bril reached into his bag to fetch a small hand towel and his thermos. He twisted off the cap and poured some of the water onto the towl, then handed it to her. Surely, that would work better than what she was using.
All he cared about now was ensuring she was taken care of. Nothing else mattered.
The Nautolan made a series of clicking noises and another few grumbles of Mando'a, but somewhere in there was a thank you sort of sound. Minnie finished cleaning herself up, hood getting pushed back and makeup smudged before all was at least tidied. She used some napkins to blow her nose again, leaning into Bril more fully to tuck under his arm.
And then miserably looked at the empty table and poor Mikhail just there with Femi.
“Sorry, Mikhail,” she apologized, only able to imagine the sheer awkwardness he’d be suffering. “Uh. If you wanna leave, it’s okie. Fem, cmere.” She clicked at the tooka to come away from the Arkanian man and let him flee already.
<@160141735354171394>
Draca tensed when she said she needed to fight. He looked back and forth between Sofila and Vole, then to Anders and back again.
The Chiss remained unperturbed, simply looking at Sofila with a blank expression. “I understand what you saw may be difficult to comprehend. Sival got herself taken as a hostage which led to that entire situation unfolding. If you need to take your leave to think, then do so. You have my side of the story and you may share that with your group. Draca and I will not be returning to that table.”
<@216702440140046336>
The Mirialan didn’t notice Cole saying her name but the squeeze of her hand and the slight tug. She only took one step back. Refused to budge anymore. Sofila shook her head. What karkin’ table? Everyone is gone.
“No,” she snapped. Then she grimaced at the tone. “Sorry,” her voice was softer as she cleared her throat, correcting herself.
“I meant to say everyone left.” There was a moment of mental debate. Should she thank him? Cuss him out? Wish him a good day? She can’t be mad at him. He gave her exactly what she asked for.
“Thank you. See you around.”
<@432543120635461643>
Cole nodded to Anders and then Draca. He had been present for little more than for the sake of it so wasn’t sure if a verbal exit was needed, hoping that the quietness wouldn’t be taken with offence. Less so about Draca, but having an High Inquisitor dislike you was less than ideal.
With Sofila’s compliance meaning he didn’t have to manhandle his partner, Cole stepped away from the group with their hands were still entwined, pulling her along after him.
<@837236610684813342>
Mikhail had gathered what information he could from the group. None of it was flattering. Neither was his ungraceful escape from the scene, simply walking away with a cider in one hand, and his cane in the other.
He was not one to fall into the vice of drinking, but sometimes it was nice to reach out and embrace the oblivion that came with it. Now would be one of those times.
The Arkanian disappeared into the remnants of the Expo silently, having spoken not a word since settling down with everyone.