The Star Wars Iconic Characters and the Lords of the Expanse: Hunting Grounds...

[Dorn Tavers]

Arani laughs. "I think we should just let Sia-Lan think she's responsible. It won't cost us anything, and it'll make her so happy!"

Dorn laughs with her, his eyes full of amusement.

"It won't cost anything except maybe my sanity, but it's a great idea. Just remind me to duck once Sia starts bouncing off the walls with joy."

As the couple enter the elevator for the ride back to the suite, Arani squeezes Dorn's hand. "You're the one running a risk here, not me. We petty noblewomen are free to become attached to whomever we like. In theory."

She sighs as the elevator approaches the correct floor.

"Sen won't be happy." Before Dorn can protest, she places one finger on his lips. "Don't try and tell me you don't care what he thinks, because I know how much his opinion means to you. He won't like it. But I think he'll want to see you happy . . ." Arani flashes a wicked grin. "I guess you could say he'll be of two minds about it."

"Well, if Sen wants to see me happy, then his wish is about to come true. I hope he'll enjoy it as much as I am."

Dorn grins as they walk toward the suite, doing his best to push all thoughts of the Jedi ideals that Sen exemplified out of his mind. There would be time enough for those thoughts in the days and months ahead. For now he couldn't think of anything but the noblewoman on his arm and the extraordinary feelings she had awakened in him.

Arani stops Dorn at the entrance to the suite. "Just one more moment when it's just the two of us." She stands on tip-toes, and kisses Dorn quickly, then straightens his collar. "There. We're ready."

Dorn takes a steadying breath after she kisses him and then smiles into her eyes, taking her hand in his own and bringing it lightly to his lips.

"You are beautiful, Arani."

His gaze lingers on her a second longer and then he is turning to tap the entry key beside the suite door. As the portal opens on the world they had so successfully escaped for a short time, Dorn smiles again and gestures to Arani in the same fashion he had when they had left to catch a sunset.

"After you, my lady."

 

[Kelko]

Kelko eases up on his grip - but only slightly. He hadn't gotten to be as old as he was by being a sucker. Course, I'm not all that old, truth be told. He allowed the Zabrak to do the dealing, and watched him warily, even as he picked up his cards. It felt good to win a hand for once, but it would've been better had it been against Deel. The rodian suspected the Twi'lek had cards secreted away on his person some place, but had never been able to figure it out. I will one of these days, he promises himself.

Then the door slides open with a hiss, and Kelko relaxes as he sees the familiar sight of Arani and Dorn. Kaz would never try anything with others around.

"How was the walk?" he asked the two lovebirds, carefully arranging the cards in his hand. "The weather nice?"

 

[Arani Korden]

Dorn takes a steadying breath after she kisses him and then smiles into her eyes, taking her hand in his own and bringing it lightly to his lips.

"You are beautiful, Arani."

His gaze lingers on her a second longer and then he is turning to tap the entry key beside the suite door. As the portal opens on the world they had so successfully escaped for a short time, Dorn smiles again and gestures to Arani in the same fashion he had when they had left to catch a sunset.

"After you, my lady."

"Thank you," Arani says with a wink, and she steps inside.

She can't help but be startled when she enters. While everything looks the same (Kaz and Kel are still playing Sabacc) there's an obvious tension in the room. Obvious if you've got gobs of Sense Motive, at least.

She looks helplessly at Dorn for a moment, finding it hard to believe that anyone could be unhappy when she's feeling such joy.

"Is everything alright?" she asks cautiously. "Where is everyone?"

 

[Arani Korden]

"How was the walk?" he asked the two lovebirds, carefully arranging the cards in his hand. "The weather nice?"

Arani relaxes. "The walk was . . . amazing. It was so beautiful. Everything was so beautiful."

Time to indulge in the time honored duty of all new couples, and annoy the hell out of everyone around with our blissful smiles.

 

[Sen Udo-Mal]

Sia-Lan sighed and then threw her arms outward as if the embrace the air. "But Sen, if you don't experience some strong emotion...well, wouldn't you really not be experience anything about life? How do you know you're alive unless you embrace everything around you?"

Doing a few lazy spins, she continued to talk, more thoughtful than anything. "I'm not just talking the hormone talk, but the emotion in everything...like exhilaration in when you do something exciting or laughing when something strikes you funny...things like that. I suppose the key is moderation, but not at all times, surely not at all times or we'd be stuffy staid Jedi. And certainly no fun at all."

Sen thinks about what Sia-Lan has said for a while, debating in his mind(s) her ideas of what it means to be a Jedi... in one mind he debats the pros and cons of emotions, joy, right and wrong, etc... while his other mind thinks ...we have spend to much time away from our masters... padawan's cut lose without guidance or direction *sign* I will have to just trust in the force and... hope.

 

[Dorn Tavers]

Arani relaxes. "The walk was . . . amazing. It was so beautiful. Everything was so beautiful."

Dorn smiles blissfully at Arani, even though he is addressing Kelko.

"It was incredible, Kelko. The weather, and everything else, was absolutely perfect."

Dorn glances toward his Rodian friend to say something else but pauses with a mildly confused look on his face as he notices something slightly unsettling.

Why in the name of the Force did Kaz just twitch like that?

Dorn looks back at Arani, suddenly understanding why she seemed startled just a second ago.

"So...Kelko...Kaz...how's that friendly little sabacc game going...?"

 

[Arani Korden]

"So...Kelko...Kaz...how's that friendly little sabacc game going...?"

Seeing the comprehension in Dorn's eyes, Arani smiles grimly.

"If you've got this, I'll try and deal with Sia-Lan. I'm guessing she's still at the gym."

Arani reluctantly pulls away from Dorn, but stops when she reaches the door.

"I won't be long. I'll see you soon, alright? Bye."

And she's off.

 

[Sia-Lan Wezz]

One hand on her hip, the other threading her fingers through her auburn hair, Sia-Lan sighed almost forlornly. "I know about the Jedi Code and all...Jedi Master Odan-Urr's influence of non-emotion...but if you look in the Jedi Code it doesn't say anything about forgetting how to feel."

Her fingers ticking off each one as she spoke, she went through each part of the code...wincing a little at the parts where she definitely needed some work in (Conquering Recklessness and Curiosity). "I think as long as the one you care about understands that Jedi are first and foremost a Jedi, and anything else second...a union should work. Don't you think so, Sen?"

Cerulean blue eyes watched the fight on the mat as she spoke to Sen.

 

[Sen Udo-Mal]

Coming out of his deep thoughts, Sen focuses again on Sia-Lan and says "You make many good points Sia-Lan, I will not deny you that. I simply am too young too understand the challenges that we Jedi might face. So I simply wish to express cautious where strong emotions are involved. We as still Padawans and have much to learn, especially how to avoid temptations of the Dark Side of the Force. Strong emotions can lead so easily to those darkest emotions that we all feel at times. I suppose that I have always felt that to become a Jedi I must control all strong emotions, at least until I better understand the Force and the Universe that we live in."

 

[Rorworr]

Rorworr blinks, more than a little surprised at Vor'en's sudden disappearance. He jumps back up to his own feet, and again tries to topple the soldier.