Snake eyes

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“What?! Two ones?!”

A scruffily dressed man flailed his arms about in the air as he was yanked from the 'craps table by two heavily built guards. The spindly-legged gambler whimpered and strained to reach the table as his life savings were shuffled in by the dealer - he'd just lost over 2 million credits on the roll of two die. At this, Vega smiled.

The Lord had been watching in silence for some time as the has-been grew luckier and luckier, winning more and more and eventually increasing his profit ten-fold. Sadly for the tweed-clad peon, a Force user was tampering with his game. Now, to say that the staff wouldn’t have noticed would have been stupid because they would, of course, have been watching over every single square inch of the ship. Vega imagined even that some of the dealers would tamper with the games on occasion – an excellent way for the Order to trawl in a bit of cash.

Never the less, the liner was impressive. As Vega strolled across the main casino deck, approaching the modest looking bar at the far end of the room, he took in the smell of freshly polished wood and cigar smoke. The atmosphere was very fitting, and all of the uniformed croupiers had that subtle shifty undertone about them that one would expect from such an establishment – or at least this was Vega’s opinion. He refrained from prying into their thoughts to test his theory further.

“Jack Daniels,” he murmured to the tender at the bar as he leant against the counter.

No strange looks from anyone, surprisingly. His attire was fairly formal this evening; grey trench, white shirt and dark trousers with stiff boots. Admitedly the scars around his eyes and nose caused a brief thought of apprehension from other patrons, but somehow when he smiled their worries about him just seemed to fade away.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Clinging like a second skin, her shimmering ice-blue full length dress accentuated her every curve, hugging her hips with each slow, measured step. The hunt was on tonight but for what or whom, she didnt know. Something had drawn her here, something intangible. Possibly, it had been her own restlessness or the thought of some future excitement. Either way, she was here now and fully intended on enjoying her night.

The Saiatah High Roller was everything it professed itself to be. The furnishings were exquisite, speaking volumes of the monies and thought that had gone into such a venture. Picking her way through the gambling tables, she heads for the bar, her attention straying momentarily as a thin, shabbily dressed man was physically escorted from the room by two well built males. Hmm, I wonder what time thier shift ends? Stepping up to the bar, she slides gracefully onto a stool and places her order.

"Corellian whiskey."

No "please" or "thank you", tonight. She wasnt in the mood to be polite or to put up with anyone that wasnt handsome, rich and charming...in that exact order. Turning slowly on her stool, she places her back to the bar as her cool blue gaze sweeps slowly over the other occupants of the area.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega's eyes slid sideways from the scene with the unfortunate patron to a figure that had just slipped onto one of the stools near to his. Cerulean gown, silvery hair; pleasant. The barman placed down the Jack Daniels, shortly followed by the Whiskey for the woman – to which Vega handed him sufficient credits for both before lifting his drink and taking a slow sip.

“I’m not even going to try to come up with a cheesy line to satisfy your curiosity as to why I bought you that drink,” he said to no person in particular.

“Let’s just say I’m bored.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Her head turns slowly to appraise the male that just bought her the drink she had ordered. He was not overly tall but with good height nonetheless, around six foot two or three, she would estimate. The blonde hair was obvious but from this angle she couldnt see what color his eyes were. And if the size of his trench coat was anything to go by, not to mention the lack of space in the coat sleeves, this guy was built like the proverbial ox. From the side, she could plainly see one scar running down from the corner of his eye and perhaps one more disappearing over the bridge of his nose. Not that it mattered. She found scars exciting, a perverse sort of testament to a males' hormone level and masculinity.

She swivels her stool only slightly towards him but returns her gaze to those trying thier luck at the various gambling tables. Quoting him, she replies rather drily, "Because youre bored? I would have found it much more flattering if you would have said something along the lines of, "I thought if I bought you enough to drink, you might plaster some of those curves around me later tonight."

[Dasquian Belargic]

[delete me :x]

[Vega Van-Derveld]

“I’m not so brazen as to assume that you’d want to do that,” he lied. In truth Vega thought the world of himself, and assumed that every woman in the universe wanted him.

He turned on his stool to get a good look at the woman, fully facing her now. A lop sided smile worked its way onto his lips.

“Lord Van-Derveld,” he said with a slight bow of his head, “A pleasure to meet you, I’m sure.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Im sure it is your pleasure...just how much remains to be seen."

With her peripheral vision she notes that he is now fully facing her and she swivels her seat towards him, her eyes flicking over his countenance. Two sharp blue eyes meet her own and for one brief second she is startled. His irises are elongated, like a cat's eyes, something she hadnt expected. A matching scar runs down the corner of the opposite eye and the scar across the birdge of his nose extended further than what she had first seen. No matter. They gave him a rough and rugged look, just the way she liked. No typical pretty boys for her, she preferred real men, the ones who had seen battle and faced it unflinchingly.

When he smiled, it lit up his face and caused the scars at the corners of his eyes to rise and lift, easing just a touch the sharp line of his jaw. The wide white smile and crinkling eyes had the right effect on her and to her own amazement she found herself smiling back into those cat-like blue eyes.

"Lord Van DerVeld, hmm? Is that an honorary title or did you earn it the old fashioned way by killing someone and taking it? If so, then Im very pleased to meet you."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

The look returned from his new acquaintance pleased him to no end. His own self-righteousness had been reaffirmed by her obvious interest.

“I earned it by slaying hundreds,” he said casually, taking a small sip of his drink.

“But of course it is also an honour to have it too… who would not be thankful to be termed a Sith Lord.”

[Gitane Van Derveld]

A small growl slipped from Gitane's throat as she eyed the woman openly flirting with her husband. Despite how much she loved Vega, his flirtatious attitude wore her patience at times. She smirked lightly and gathered the collection of credits she'd earned before making her way to the scene.

"Enjoying ourselves, are we, dear?"

Gitane looked to the woman with a sweet smile as she wrapped her arms around Vega from behind. She brushed a kiss against his neck, her eyes staying on her, taunting that Gitane owns what the other cannot have.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Enjoying ourselves, are we, dear?"

A soft touch against his skin, and Vega turned his head slightly to glance back over his shoulder. The Lupine smiled offhandedly and leant his head back that little bit further to set a light kiss against the line of her jaw.

“I was just getting to know Miss…”

His voice was a murmur as he spoke to Gitane, though when he turned back to look to the blue-gowned woman it rose back to being audible once more.

“You didn’t say what your name was.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"No, I didnt."

Her eyes had shifted and followed the newcomer as soon as the woman had made it clear, through body language and eye contact, that she had every intention of joining thier private "discussion". The strange white-eyed female stared boldly at her as she came up beind the self proclaimed Sith Lord and draped herself around his waist possessively, almost desperately. There was a touch of impatience to her tone and Daiq smiled inwardly. So, this wasnt by any means the first time Lord Van DerVeld had slipped his shackles and went in search of entertainment. So much the better. Any male who was kept "satisfied" and she used the term loosely, wasnt apt to seek out other female companioship. And seeking was what Van DerVeld had done. She could almost smell the testosterone as it oozed from his every poor. He was there for the taking and take him she would even if it were only for the night.

The females' thoughts again intruded into her mind. "cannot have" echoed again and she let a matching smirk dance across her lips. The Sith Lord had openly acknowledged the woman but had made no direct move to include her verbally, nor had he responded to her physically other than a small peck on the cheek. Hardly a lovers' caress. No, he was after something more, something better and he had sensed it in her. Dozens of attractive women filled this vessel and he could have picked and chosen any of them to bed for the night, had he wished to do so. Lord Van DerVeld was playing for higher stakes in this game and she was going to deal herself into this hand.

With callous disregard to the females' pathetic attempt to disuade Van DerVelds' libido, Daiquiri picks up the drink he had purchased for her and takes a casual sip before tossing him a brazen wink.

"Its Daiquiri...just like the drink."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

As with the majority of the population of the universe, this ‘Daiquiri’ could be read like a book. All it took was the subtlest of efforts on Vega’s part and he had penetrated the membrane of her mind to her inner-most thoughts on the situation at hand. The amused him greatly, yet he made no mental or physical show of this – Gitane, he knew, could tell what he was thinking more easily than anyone else, thus he did not wish to show how much this whole scenario was entertaining him to her.

“Daiquiri,” Vega said, letting the name roll off his tongue.

“Then you may call me Vega,” he said, noting the first name ‘basis’.

“And this is Gitane,” he said, eyes sliding towards his apprentice and wife.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

That Van DerVeld found this situation vastly amusing and entertaining didnt escape her notice, no matter how hard he tried to disguise it. Any hot blooded male that had two females staring daggers at one another had to be exciting in some way, shape or form and he was no different despite what he thought of himself. Oh yes, she had picked up on that right away. He highly prided himself on his sexual conquests and prowess. Quick images of supple, naked women had for one split second flooded her mind in the instant that this "Gitane" had distracted him, allowing her to glimpse his formost thoughts. And that was how he thought of her, as a "conquest". Wouldnt he be surprised at some point during this trip to find that he was the conquest, that he was servicing her and not the other way around, the way he assumed it to be?

Her plans of this voyage being solely for pleasure hadnt changed one whit. She would amuse herself with him and perhaps several others, depending on her current wants and desires at that particular time, but yet......

Something more continued to niggle at the back of her mind, a feeling, a sound, like that of a clock slowly ticking off the seconds. She would have to quiet her mind and her thoughts to reflect further on what this insistent little nagging itch was. But until that time, she had an altogether different "itch" she wanted scratched.

"Charmed." The single word rolled past her lips like the sands of Tatooine fanning out in a land speeders' wake. In that one breath she both acknowledged the other female and dismissed her as abruptly. That done, she again focuses her attention on the male, careful though to keep her force senses tuned for trouble.

"Vega.....short, sweet, yet it has a strength to it. It suits you."

[Gitane Van Derveld]

The woman, this Daiquiri, was starting to drive her temper full-force. Despite the sickeningly sweet smile that remained plastered across her lips, in her eyes, sparks of anger were quite visible. Gitane let her arms drop from her husband's waist and moved over to stand beside the woman. She looked her over coldly before leaning her head close to Daiquiri's ear and hissing into it lowly.

"Petite salope... There's no sense in building yourself up to face such a fall when you cannot have what is already taken."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Ah, it was time’s like this that made Vega the man he was today. Women squabbling over him, wonderful. He turned so that he was leaning sideways against the bar, watching Gitane. His eyes moved from his wife to Daiquiri and back again as his lips cracked into a fanged-grin.

“Thank you Daiquiri,” he said, before adding, “Only it seems it would be in your best interest not to complement me.”

Upon saying this he gave a nod towards the enraged woman standing by her.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"If he is so "taken" as you put it, then why is he here buying me a drink and flirting when you were just steps away? Could it be that hes not as taken as you seem to think he is?"

Pulling her gaze from Lord Van DerVeld's face she turns her own slowly up to the female who is standing too close for her own safety.

"If you value that green hide of yours, you'll get out of my face right now. Otherwise I'll be wearing you on my feet the next time I take "your Man" out dancing. Kapish?"

Her own anger was piqued but only slightly. Not by any verbal threat or words this semi-crazed female was babbling but by her proximity, by her foolishness in thinking that she could infringe upon space that was already occupied by someone else. In other words, getting in her face was a mistake that this "Gitane" would only make once. She would not be given a second chance. Blue eyes hone to a razors' edge as she stares insolently back into the angry countenance of Van DerVelds' companion. With deliberate slowness, she pronounces her next words clearly.

"If memory serves, I do believe I saw a rug tossed down in the entrance foyer. Why dont you go and lie down on that and wait until youre called?"

[Gitane Van Derveld]

Gitane grit her teeth, her arms folding beneath her chest as she kept her eyes locked with the woman's. She refused to stoop so low as to throwing a tantrum, and wasn't in the greatest hurry to cause a scene. She tilt her head, an eyebrow calmly lifting as she pulled a sympathizing face.

"What makes you think he wasn't simply taking pity upon seeing you so dreadfully alone? Wouldn't have wanted you crying of your misfortune and be embarassed, now would he?"

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Hmmm. A Sith Lord and pity, crying and embarrassed? Lets play a game, shall we? Three of these words belong together and the fourth doesnt belong in the same sentence, much less uttered with the same breath."


Standing, she lightly brushes past Gitane while dipping two of her fingers just inside the deep front "v" of her gown. With a quick flick of her left wrist, a small metallic card appears. Boldly, she leans into Vega as her left hand drops down to his trousers, neatly despositing the card into his right front pocket.

"You know where to find me. I'll see you again...soon."

Gliding past Vega, she gives the gambling tables a once over before chosing one that has a most delectable dealer. With one perfectly manicured finger, she lightly taps the table top, indicating that she wants in this game.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Watching as the woman walked away, Vega smirked. He took what was left of his drink and finished it off with a quiet yawn, before looking to Gitane.

“That was… interesting,” he said with a slight hint of a snigger.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

The old-fashioned game of BlackJack did wonders to restore her good mood, especially since she was winning and winning big. To her credit, using the Force to win a card game hadnt entered her mind nor would she even if it had. To tweak the force for such a trivial pursuit was beneath her. Buth then she was one of the lucky ones when it came to games of chance, cards in particular. It was rare in a game of poker that at any one time she could not at the very least have a pair of Aces or three of a kind smiling back at her. Lower straights and full houses were her usual pat hand, although an occassional flush would pop up from time to time. She smiles as the dealer pushes the winnings from the last hand into her pile. Picking up two shiney credit chips, she slips them into the dealers hand as she rises from the cushioned chair to address the other players who had so recently and most generously filled her pocket.

"Gentlemen, it was enjoyable and I thank you. Perhaps we could do this again tomorrow night? No? Ahh, well, my lose then, isnt it? Goodnight."

With a final nod for her unlucky opponets she turns back to the dealer.

"If you would be so kind as to deliver the winnings to my suite, after your shift ends, I'll buy you that drink you were wanting."

Turning on her heels, she walks from the gambling arena and gets onto a lift heading for the upper deck.

[Gitane Van Derveld]

Gitane turned to look at Vega, a light snarl coming from her mouth. She let her arms drop to her sides and walked past her husband, purposfully bummping into him.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

He pushed himself up to his feet and looked towards Gitane as she walked away.

"Oh come on! I'm just trying to have a bit of fun and relax" he called out to her through the Force.

[Gitane Van Derveld]

Her eyes squeezed shut for a moment before Gitane stopped walking. She sighed and sent her thoughts into his mind.

"You were having your "fun" right in front of me, and even at my expense. Not the best start to any relationship."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"You think I was really being serious there?"

He leant back against the bar once more and folded his arms over his chest.

"You know I couldn't ever have feelings for anyone else but you."

[Gitane Van Derveld]

Gitane turned slowly to look at him, anger slowly withdrawing itself from her features. She moved back through the thin crowd and back to Vega, her eyes looking at his.

"Whether it was true or not, it still hurt."

[Vega Van-Derveld]

"Well then I apologise," he set one hand against her waist and nudged her in a little.

[Gitane Van Derveld]

Gitane poked her tongue out at him as she moved closer, nearly sitting on his lap by this point. She placed a small kiss on his lips and made a pouting face.

"You're just lucky that I love you so much."

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

She had set her suites' computer the moment she had walked into her lavishly furnished room. Sunlight dancing warm across her face was one of the few ways she enjoyed waking in the morning and at the exact time she had specified, the blinds covering her large viewing window retracted silently, letting the glow of the planets' sun wash over her nude body. Her eyes flicker open then slowly she begins to stretch, coaxing her body to wake as well but still semi-relunctant to give up that delicious half dream-like state of being.

The space beside her was vacant and had been before she went to sleep. G'hon, the dealer who had delivered her winnings from earlier that night had also delivered a personal and private "performance", keeping her entertained for several hours. But once his "encore" was over, she had smiled, slipped another 1,000 credit piece into the palm of his hand and sent him off with a gentle slap on his tight deirere. He would have only been in her way now and she liked her morning routine just the way it was. Personal toiletries came first with the like of brushing her teeth and hair, then half an hour stretching, with some of the moves made more for those with double joints. Next was her hour or two of meditation, the emptying of her mind and the tuning in to the Force, letting it whisper its stories, secrets and directions to her attentive conciousness. And lastly was her shower, a long and relaxing affair, letting the pulse of the water work out those kinks that her yoga-type stretching had not.

Her morning rituals completed, she orders breakfast to her room and munches on the assorted fruits while scanning over the new messages that her datapad has insistently beeped out that she received while she slept. An interesting one from Shadowfaene catches her attention and she draws her legs up, tucking them onto the chair seat as she settles back to read it.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

The request from Hera was short and sweet. "Get back to ShadowFaene, pick up "Better Days" and head for the East Space Port on Coruscant. Further instructions waiting at SFF."

Uncurling her legs, she gets up and begins packing, tossing her personal items and clothing, without thought, into her bag. Leaving out her "traveling garb", she pulls the inauspicious garments on and grabs her bag as she heads out the door of her suite. She makes no explanation for her sudden departure to the clerk who worriedly queries if something was wrong with her room but asks only that a transport be made available immediately. The clerk cashes in her chips then signals to a bellhop to carry her bag to the small four-seater craft waiting to take her to planets' surface where she can hire further transport to her destination. As the small ship swings out from its tucked in berth against the large pleasure vessel, she smiles to herself. She had left one item behind...a small gold card that held been placed into Lord Van DerVelds' front pocket. And it had not been returned.

[Vega Van-Derveld]

Vega smiled to Gitane and nodded somewhat. As he glanced around, his mind wandered somewhat. Tonight had been fairly interesting, and with this little card in his pocket he felt as if he had something new that he could 'explore', for lack of a better word. Seeing not fit reason to stay within the confines of the casino any longer, the Lord and his companion departed for their ship to return home to Fascinataru where Vega could mull over the evening's trangressions.

For now.