D2, ME - Vipers in Dresses

[Arsele Girard]

Arsele had not expected to find herself back at the Viper this evening again. But then, she hadn't expected to be contacted by another childhood friend from Alderaan that morning.

Thus it was she found herself standing inside the entrance in the blue dress she'd be wearing for work.

[Alysele Cortess]

Alysele Cortess, Jedi knight, was doing something that Arsele would not have thought. Gambling. The cards seemed to love her, except for an occasional meanie.

She was wearing a white dress, though her lightsaber was still obivously hanging from the side.

Looking up from her gambling, she saw a childhood friend. "Arsele! Nice to meet you. Niall mentioned you're on the moon." She smiled happily at the older woman.

OOC:
D2 ME Gambling, Yellow Viper, Cool (Presence), betting 100 credits: 3eA+1eP+2eD 1 success, 2 threat


Won +80 credits

[Arsele Girard]

...even Alysele was taller than her now. Welp, these things happened. Giving her a smile, Arsele walked up and gave her old friend a hug.

"And here he never mentioned you were here to me at all, the cheeky nerfherder. It's been over a decade, and you're all grown up!" she said as she pulled back from the hug to look Aly over.

[Alysele Cortess]

"He's boy, well a man now, I guess. And you know him. He gets distracted easily." She hugged her back fiercely. Ten years... a lifetime!

"Well, you look great!" She smiled at the other blonde. "Always have though."

[Arsele Girard]

"Even with all the bumps and scrapes I used to get?" she said with a slight smirk. "Anyways, I have a table reserved for us already if you want drinks or food. Don't let me rush you though, if you were in the middle of playing."

[Alysele Cortess]

She gathered her credits that she won. "Nah... don't want to overdo it. I seem to be favored tonight, and that's good enough for me." She smiled, and waved to Arsele to lead the way. "And yeah, always. The bruises made you look so brave, all the time."

[Arsele Girard]

Arsele chuckled and nodded before motioning Aly to follow, leading her upstairs to a small semi-circular booth, where the music was quieter and there were less half-naked dancers.

Taking a seat Arse smoothed out her dress, after scooting across the upholstery.

[Alysele Cortess]

She sat down opposite of her once upon sister in spirit. Aly eyed the woman up and down. "It's good to see you again. I thought we'd never meet again, when I heard you left home."

[Arsele Girard]

"Me leaving home? You were the one who disappeared so young, Aly. And you didn't write or call much either! Not that I blamed you; We knew you were taken away for 'special training', so I figured you were just... you know, busy."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly smiled, though it wasn't an honest one. "Yeah... it wasn't my choice though." She looked at the other woman, pain in her eyes evident. "Busy... yeah, something like that. And contacting others was... not exactly a popular activity. Attachments are frowned upon."

She looked at the menu, debating drinking something to take the pain away.

[Arsele Girard]

Arsele gave a small nod; That had kind of been the impression Aly's family had given, or at least as far as what they would give.

"I won't pry; Seems like you must have had it rough. Hopefully coming here was more under your control?"

She didn't specify whether she meant the cantina or Nar Shaddaa itself.

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly smiled. "Somewhat... the order had me on a leash for the last year, since my graduation to Knight."

She looked down at her hands for a brief moment, before looking up. "But yeah, I was glad to come here.. especially when it turns out there re old friends here." She smiled brightly at Arsele.

"I'm happy to meet you.. for other reasons than just friendship. I hope you're willing to help an old friend?"

[Arsele Girard]

Arsele's eyebrows went up, "Hm? Well, you know I would be willing, for you. But I don't know how someone like be could help a full blown Jedi knight. I mean, unless it's something pretty mundane; I don't have a lot of firepower or credits or favours to throw around."

Not that she wasn't curious of course.

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly smiled. "Oh, a Jedi often needs help...and sometimes friends." She smiled happily, before sighing and pulling out a small datapad.

"I don't know if you've kept up with home politics, but I've... been asked a favor from a friend. Pay a visit to the Thul-s. You know, the exiled house. See how they were doing."

She pulled up some information, names mainly, and slipped it over to her conversation partner. "Basil Thul... a bit of a weak loser, but heir to the house. He was killed yesterday, by an assassin, singing praises of Lady Thul. Want to find out what happened, and... well, you're pretty and competent. I'm hoping you can help me find some people. For example... Devi, was an associate of his."

[Arsele Girard]

House Girard had been fairly close to House Thul in the recent past... so the request made sense. Arsele had even met Basil at a party once... though news of his death was certainly new.

"I... did know Basil, as a distant acquaintance at least. Devi Linwell I know only by reputation. Hm... Why does that not surprise me that he was a client of hers..."

Arsele put her chin in her hand thoughtfully.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Well, from the 15 minutes I spent with him... she was his chem dealer." She scrolled down on the pad. "The assassin was skilled... annoyingly so. Otherwise..." she hesitated how much to go into. "He had a house full of unconscious guests. I brought a few things away, as well as the guest list. Not sure if it means anything. I was hoping you might know more about House Thul, or know someone who does."

She sighed. "I'd also like to ask whether there's a place where I can make some holo calls? Long distance? Want to talk to the parents, but don't want it recorded in the compound... the Order is not exactly fond of my continued attachment to home."

[Arsele Girard]

"You can make untraceable holocalls on board my patrol ship if you want Aly... But why are you looking in to this? Was it brought to your attention by someone? Were you already checking in on him?"

...honestly, Arsele wondered how much she could help with a situation where someone could afford to hire a skilled assassin.

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly frowned and avoided Arsele's eyes. "I'm... helping my family." She finally confessed. "They asked me to contact the Thuls. I am not sure how much you keep up with home, but... we're in a bad spot." Her frown deepened. "He was killed in front of me. I want to know what happened, and whether it can ripple back to home."

She raised a hand and tucked a loose strand away. "I want to find out what is happening with House Thul currently. And since Basil was here, I was hoping you heard some rumors perhaps.

[Arsele Girard]

"Honestly, you probably know more than me, Aly; I am somewhat of a black sheep amongst House Girard. So I'm not terribly up to date on House politics. And Basil... he's been a bit of a skeev ever since I met him, so I never did want to get to involved with him..."

Arsele reached out and put a hand on Aly's; Even for a Jedi, seeing someone killed in front of you must be hard.

[Alysele Cortess]

"Perhaps... but I was hoping you would know more of this place." She smiled at the touch. "Sorry for barging in on you with favors... this wasn't how I pictured this to be."

[Arsele Girard]

"I can do... something Aly, I promise. If there's one thing I've accepted out of life, it's that things rarely turn out like we want them to; I mean, what else would find an Alderaanian noblewoman living in a tiny apartment on the Smugglers Moon? But that also means I know the value of friendship all the more; And friends help each other. Even if they have to get their hands dirty."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly smiled, it seemed like a weight has fallen off her shoulders. "Life can be fickle, I certainly understand that." She slowly raised her eyes to the other woman. "And thank you for your help. Now, enough about me. Tell me about yourself! What..." she gestured outwards to the... everything. "Here? With you?"

[Arsele Girard]

Arsele gave a chuckle; There was a touch of bitterness to it, "I can't help feeling like you're already disappointed in me. And certainly telling you more about my life isn't going to improve that."

[Alysele Cortess]

Aly smiled. "I'm not!" She said, trying to convince herself. "You had your reasons, I'm sure." She leaned back, moving away from the touching for now.

"How about we drink something while we talk? I'm paying... least I can do after ambushing you out of nowhere."

[Arsele Girard]

"That'd be nice; And you don't have much to worry about in that regard since I'm such a lightweight."

She grinned.