A Padawan and a Corsair Walk into a Bar...

[Vic Starfallen]

In a gesture of good will towards the Alliance, King Starfallen had decided to provide some supplies to the Jedi enclave on Ossus, as well as a couple of relics from the world that might of interest to the Order. Vic was no Force wizard and as many Albars, she didn't really care about it. They tended to be fairly neutral about such matters; even though at this point they were actively building ties with other Alliance worlds as active members of it.

As long as she could continue to travel and get to beat some bad guys on a semi regular basis, plus have some good leisure time, the Tainar Corsair was good with her job. Since it wasn't a big diplomatic thing, the King had turned to some of the Corsairs, but for once, their familial bond had seen him specifically ask for her to handle the delivery. She had played emissary a few times, and was good with making a pit stop and check a new place, before she would go to inspect some shadier places, including the Boreal Galaros (https://theholo.net/forum/showthread.php?58022-Way-Over-Limit).

It was easy to get clearance to land, likely facilitate by the Alliance presence at the enclave. Vic wasn't going to mind some stuff going the easy way. She really had no idea what to expect of her visit there; but it was part of why she had chosen the Tainar Corsair life after all. Staying in one place wasn't her style. New horizons and new people kept things interesting.

Once her freighter had landed, she talked with some of the dock's employees and explained her situation. She was told that they'd shortly fetch a Jedi to speak with her. The redhead (https://i.vimeocdn.com/video/678506983_780x439.jpg)thanked them, and then worked on having the supplies unloaded for those would be handled directly by the present personnel.

[Cleo Némain]

it was strange to be actually doing official Jedi stuff. Cleo always had it in her head that she was a Learner and that meant keeping her and her sorts from public sort of things better left to the Knightys and the like. But there weren't a whole ton of a lot of them and so... Welp, sometimes the Pada-...Wa--na....-its?- Got left to things. Which Cleo was definitely a part of! Yup! Official like and all! Which... kinda left her wondering about the Jedi as a whole if they'd let someone like her be in charge of meeting an off-worlder but it must have not been so serious if they let a Cleo do it, right? Right!

Either way, Cleo wanted to make the best of impressions. The. Best. So she'd put on the robes of her Order that morning and had avoided spinning around and around in them - Okay, not entirely. She'd one it once or twice once they were put on to watch the fabric swish and twirl but that was it - but once settled into her skin and the material coverings Cleo had to admit she looked almost respectable-like.

She was all sorts of glad that she was to meet her - what was the word? Guest? No no. That weren't right! Kriffin fluff bargas!!! She couldn't remember!!! - What the freg everrrrr - The representative she was supposed to meet andgreet - was already landed. It made things easier when folks were busy doing something rather than waiting around to make introductions.

Cleo licked her hand and ran it through a particularly troublesome patch of her russet hair that didn't want to go and cooperate and it should. Was the best of first impressions on her mind as she stepped up to the landing pad and eyed the very oh so fancy lady overseeing the cargo unload. She had reddish hair, kind of similar and and echo of Cleo's own vermilion mop. Alike and yet different. That was the way of things, wasn't it?

"Allo!" She called and instantly felt bashful for it. "'M Cleo, offa Jedi rep-re-sent-ish."

She tried oh so hard to make the word come out but it just wouldn't go and behave! So she tried again, hands splaying wide despite the robes that hid her arms.

"I am'a 'ere to welcome ye's ta' Ossus! Sa' Welcome!"

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic was helping unload and signed off some paperwork for the supplies that would be distributed across the enclave, overseen by both Alliance and Jedi crews. She liked remaining hands on with menial tasks. Even though she was a cousin of Varyan's, the Starfallens had most often been a house that encouraged its members to work hard, and in the redhead's case, party even harder. The thought always made her grin, and she hoped that the Jedi wouldn't be super stuck up. She had heard some stories about the old days that sounded more like monks and nuns than anything else.

When she heard someone call out, she turned on her feet and looked at the Jedi, at least she thought saw given the robes. The outfit almost seemed at odds with the lively cute thing that spoke with quite an accent. It amused her that her welcome committee was another redhead. She liked the little coincidences that could punctuate one's day.

She bowed her head, unsure of what position the girl had in the Order. There was a youthful eagerness about her, but really Vic wasn't good when it came to factual knowledge of the Jedi.

"Nice to meet you, Cleo. I'm Vic."

Vic wasn't the kind to be all titles and stuff, so she liked that the Jedi was on a first name basis for the introductions, and she matched it.

"Thank you! I'm the emissary sent by King Starfallen from the Albaryn system. I've already sorted out the supplies with the docking crew; but I still have a few items for the Jedi Order."

Not one to feel bad for asking questions, she did exactly that.

"I don't really know what I'm supposed to do, just give it to you? Bring it to your temple?"

She gave a mischievous grin to the girl.

"I'm a Corsair, not a historian, so all this Jedi-ness is new to me."

[Cleo Némain]

"Ah... urhm... welp..." Cleo stammered. Well not stammered, that meant she wasn't sure of what she was saying and as it stood Cleo was very very sure that she was unsure.

She shrugged both shoulders, as just one wasn't going to do in this situation.

"That kinna stuff is nah m' usual Jedi-nessess, Miss Vic Corsair of the Starfallen Albaryn. Then 'gain... nah sure wha' is 'm usual."

Cleo felt a laugh bubbling up insider of her at a joke her mind went and made that hadn't gone and formed along her lips yet. Something about how it certainly wasn't lifting rocks or such, something only those who had heard old stories of Jedi and their training and myths and such would get. She weren't sure why it so funny, but something in the galaxy had made it that way and Cleo wasn't one to argue with it.

"Y' kin jus' leave th' crates where they are, though. Someone's gonna come get 'em, I think. People are always movin' stuff 'round here so don't you worry 'bout that none."

Made sense to her, at least. She hadn't been given any sort of direction about the cargo, well... aside from the person cargo who she was talking to.

"As ferra us? Welp, 'm supposed t' show y' roun'? Give a bit a' tourish, iffin tha' makes sense? Only if y' want, though. I kin try an' leave out th' borin' stuff, if y' like."

That last bit she said all secretive, as if it wasn't exactly allowed, though given that this was the first time she would be showing someone around Ossus, Cleo had a feeling that any and all rules were hers to set. All the better then that no one else should care if she broke a few right off.

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic hadn't known what to expect from Jedi. She was mostly familiar with tales and grand legends than the real deal. It was a good opportunity to see the Enclave for herself, and for her system. She knew that she might not meet what criteria some people had for proper ambassadors; but her royal cousin and the other Corsairs trusted her and that was all that mattered to the strong-headed Starfallen.

The redhead tilted her head and grinned to the padawan before her. She was a cute thing, really. There was something just irresistibly quirky and adorable about her.

"You can call me Vic. I'm not so big on titles."

She knew proper protocol and could present wonderful manners when it was required; but her adventurous life had her enjoy remaining laid back when possible.

She nodded at the mention of the crates. She called back to some of her crew members to relay the information. And one of her fellow Corsairs, a young Togruta girl named Alira, walked up to them to hand Vic a medium size box, larger than a jewelry one, but still on the smaller size. Vic and Alira exchanged briefly, before Vic returned her attention to Cleo.

"Thank you for the input. I will let the crates be moved as you suggested. I would prefer to hand these directly at the Temple, if that is possible. These are a few special tokens from King Starfallen to the Order, besides supplies for the Enclave."

She had no problem telling the padawan what the content was; but she didn't volunteer it either, not wanting to get into an expose of it unless necessary.

She chuckled at the girl's manners regarding the upcoming tour and supposedly "boring" stuff. She liked the potential for mischief with that one.

"Well I'm all for touristy stuff. And having no idea what to really expect, I'm fairly curious about what you can show me, boring, not boring, or even outlandish!"

She winked at the last part.

[Cleo Némain]

Vic. V-ic. Vi-c... That was an awful short name weren't it? Didn't leave a whole lot of space and breathing room for interpretation. As the fancy lady went on explaining about the particular box she wanted to and keep with her, Cleo tried on the name, tried to make it fit the person in front of her... and it did. Did and did not. No one had really ever gone and told Cleo what to call them, after all. Oh, there were introductions and the sort, people saying what they'd been named and how their lives made their name work for them and then Cleo went and made it fit in her head. True, the one she'd come up with for Vic was a bit mouthy, heavy on the tongue and didn't taste right... but just Vic? No no, that wouldn't work, it didn't fit quite right in Cleo's head and that meant... well, she wasn't sure what that meant, but to one little Jedi - that Jedi being herself, mind you.

What it was at the moment, however, was all kinds of distracting. Almost enough that she almost missed Vic's opinion on what she'd like to see. Boring wasn't an issue, not boring wasn't an issue either. That at least, Cleo seemed to think fit the both of them right then and there.

"Ri'..." The word turned into a note that droned for a bit too long and then Cleo had to force it to stop by nodding a twinge. "Sa, 'm thinkin' th' compound proper like firs', maybe a bit offa peek atta Whaladon - even iffin it were betters when it was sailin' - anna then th' templeish bitish proper like... then... urhm, Crystal Lounge? Yeah, that'll be good. Should be times to get s'm foodstuffz then anna the cantina-fateria thingie is kinda jus' there for eatin', nah s' much assa interestin'..."

Cleo realized she was counting the places on her fingers as she rattled them off and looked up quick towards the Vic-Lady again.

"Orra, we can go t' drop off y're box firs' if ye need?"

[Vic Starfallen]

So far, Vic was grateful that the padawan who acted as her welcome committee and guide was rather chill. By all means King Starfallen's cousin knew how to be a proper lady, and her years training as a courtesan with Countess Tel'Kharn had consolidated such delightful manners, even when used in the most perverse ways. Yet her inner pirate and adventurer liked low-key interactions and behaviors. She hadn't been cussing like a drunken sailor so far, so she considered that she was doing well. Really, her cousin and her people trusted her with her ambassador work in between scouting missions; so she wasn't too self conscious about her interaction with the Jedi.

It was simply a matter of fiction versus legend given that she had never really met other Jedi prior to her visit to Ossus.

She canted her head to the side as she listened to Cleo. She nodded in agreement, a twinkle in her bright eyes appearing soon. She loved exploring new places; and she couldn't wait to see more of the Jedi Enclave.

"That sounds great! Crystal Lounge? That reminds me of..."

She bit her lip and chuckled.

"Let's say that it used to be the name of a five stars brothel in my home system a decade ago."

Maybe she shouldn't have talked about it around people who had been known for their monk ways for centuries; but heck, the Albaryn system refused to associate shame and stigma with sex; so she had no reason to censor herself.

"Anyway, I think that dropping the box would be a good idea before the tour. And I think my stomach leaped in joy at the mention of food," she added with a chuckle before tucking the box under her arm.

[Cleo Némain]

Bro-thel? Cleo mouthed the words, letting her brain taste them when her tongue couldn't. If it was worth five stars then no matter what it was, it must have been a nice thing. Five stars was a lot of stars, enough to make a smallish galaxy, even, or maybe just a very cramped system. Cleo wouldn't really know. While she'd explored places before the Jedi had settled on Ossus, it had only been so far as the fleet had gone. Before that it was all Nar Shaddaa, all the time. Still, she'd seen stars, even kind of up close! So she knew how important they were for making the galaxy work and spin. Of course, there were lots of stars. Maybe only five wasn't that amazing. She was very mighty tempted to ask about that, if five was good and if it was the best of a brothel type or if they could be better. Oh! Maybe it was all in the name! She'd heard MosMos jokingly call Dessles Bro once. But what did that make a Thel?

Her mind stopped trying to herd that batch of tookas when Vic- Vic-a? Vic-Just-Vic? Vicorsair? - Oh! She liked that one - set them upon a destination.

"Ri'! Temple ferra box firs', anna then Crys'al Land - err - Lounge."

She forced herself to say the last word proper like. Wouldn't do no good to go and have someone who weren't familiar with Ossus go and get lost because she said something off. That only worked for fellow Jedi. Of course... they all rolled their eyes... Was another one of those things Cleo never understood. It meant something. But nothing that mattered right then and there!

As her mind wandered, Cleo ventured off towards the Temple, a few steps taken before gesturing for Vicorsair (Hmmm, maybe? Not quite right.) to follow.

"'M kinna sorry, 'm nah th' bes' atta tour guidin'. Kinna keep t' m'self. Don't go very far, y'know? Was told t' stay outta trouble, so I try. Dun always be a success at tha' though."

She looked over her shoulder and then to her side as her new cohort easily caught up to her scampered and skipped steps that seemed to try and linger on the edge of the path rather than take it directly. Cleo liked seeing which stones her feet could stand on and if she could get to one to the next with a grassy patch between before she was forced back to the trail proper.

"Wha' bout'chu? I dunno much 'bout corsair stuffs. Y' getta see a lotta neat thin's?"

[Vic Starfallen]

Vic took in how Cleo mouthed the word "brothel" and she got even more curious about her. The redhead loved getting into trouble - and dragging others along with her. She raised a brow as it seemed the word puzzled her. She smiled sweetly even though her mind was always leaping to the gutter, her favorite place.

"Have you heard of brothels before?"

She nodded when the Jedi confirmed they were headed to the temple first to deliver the diplomatic gifts. Also Cleo's accent was freaking adorable. She fell in stride with the girl, appreciating the tour guide.

"You're doing just fine! I Wouldn't really know where to start and would probably end everywhere a visitor isn't supposed to go," she replied with a chuckle.

"Trouble, mmh?"

Now this was getting interesting.

"What kind of trouble do you generally get yourself into?"

She grinned when Cleo asked about her life as a corsair.

"I travel a lot, both for diplomatic missions like this one; but also to seedy places. I like the traveling part and seeing lots of new places and people. I like how versatile the job is. I'm not good at staying put somewhere. And I like a good brawl, among other things."