500 Republica

Crom'nen had to take his eyes of Ludo when the Bothan Senator began to climb the stairs to the balcony where Crom'nen had chosen to wait. In truth, Crom'nen had not yet bothered to do a full background check on the Bothan. It was a shame. Crom'nen hated to interact with someone without knowing everything about them first. He bowed his head, in his typical greeting. Senator Stay'lod, welcome. I trust things on Bothawui are quite. It's been a couple of decades since I've had the pleasure.

The two Jedi spotted Seleevan Khar among the guests at almost the exact same instant, and made immediate eye contact. Kel did not need to exchange a single word with his younger counterpart, Jordan immediately knew what was expected of him.

=Jordan Halcyon=
Slipping through the crowd as unobtrusively as possible, he made his way to the outer edges of the circle of onlookers that was beginning to form around Koronov and Cass. He kept his presence within the Force dampened as much as he could without endangering his own awareness of his closest surroundings, and there was no ill intent in the Knight's motives, only curiosity and a determination to watch and observe. Opportunities like this were exactly why Master Raganella had brought Knight Halcyon with him in the first place: to gather information and allow Kel the freedom to mingle as an emissary of the Jedi and the Republic, without distraction.

###

As the Senator from Alderaan was announced, Kel's head spun in surprise. This was a development of which he had not yet been advised, and he stretched out his neck in an attempt to see over the crowd and catch sight of the newcomer. Almost immediately, he spotted a blonde-haired young woman in a light blue gown, and then there was a light tap on his shoulder, and the Jedi Master glanced to his left. Aylee was motioning for him to follow her; apparently she was having similar thoughts about the importance of this new arrival. It had been years since Alderaan had held its historic place among the Republic worlds. Princess Thul's appearance was a surprise, but it was the happy kind.

A man in green Jedi robes approached Her Royal Highness. He looked to be in his early thirties, was just under six feet tall, and had short brown hair, deep twinkling blue eyes, and the telltale crooked grin of a Corellian. Notably, his lightsaber was not visible, but otherwise he appeared to be a Jedi. Kel had chosen Form Zero for the evening, it seemed. "Welcome to Coruscant, Princess." He said warmly as he extended his right hand. "I am Jedi Master Kel'Al Raganella." He motioned to a young, blue-skinned Twi'lek woman in a sleeveless white dress who stood at his side (but not so close as to imply anything beyond a professional relationship between the two). "And this is my friend, Aylee'saresh. She is first secretary to Senator Dmitri Koronov of Corellia."

=Aylee'saresh=
"Pleased to meet you, Your Highness." The Twi'lek said simply, as she executed a complicated and graceful bow in ancient Coruscanti fashion.

###

=Sara Ruluwoor=
Finding that all three of her companions had melted away into the crowd at almost the same instant, their smaller sizes making it easier for them to force a pathway through the throngs than it was for a Selonian, Captain Ruluwoor instead stood still and used her height to her advantage, searching the room for acting Senator Bel'fima. Admiral Korr had given her explicit instructions to deliver a message from the Corellian Defense Forces to Ryloth's representative. After a few moments, she spotted her target, deep in conversation with a Rodian, and approached the pair, stopping at a polite distance.

A good man? This innocent country Rodian might not know a good man when he sees him. But, from what she knew of the human, it was safe to say that he was better than many, if not good. She handed the glass of champagne in her left hand (from which she had not even taken a sip) over to the Rodian, but continued to leave her right hand somewhat flirtatiously in the crook of his elbow.

Well, any companion of Master Nadon is a friend of mine. Would you mind introducing us?



Dunn turned his back to the Senator and began to lead him to the stair.

Kel'Al was stunned. His use of the lightwhip was not exactly a secret, but he had been out of the public eye for almost five years, and no one outside the Jedi Academy on Corellia had seen him use the weapon in even longer than that. In fact he had been trying to cultivate the idea that he was more of an academic than a warrior. He had not expected anyone outside his circle of friends to have paid any attention to his obscure skillset. But apparently this young Senator had a knack for remembering the unusual. "You are correct, although I try not to play favorites with my weapons." He flashed a toothy grin. "A well-rounded Jedi should have mastery of as many varieties of weapons as possible, whether it be a lightsaber, a lightwhip, a blaster, his fists, or his mind and words." His right hand dropped subconsciously to where his saber or whip hilt ought to have been hanging from his belt. "I'm afraid I'm not equipped for show and tell tonight, but if you're ever on Corellia, the archives at our academy have quite a collection of light-weapons, and if you're extremely lucky, you might even catch me demonstrating the whip to our students." He winked.

=Aylee'saresh=
"Please, Standash, call me Aylee." The Twi'lek's lekku twitched in amusement. She'd never entirely embraced all these formal titles, and while she took great care to be a model example of high courtesy, she was also quite relieved when she had an opportunity to drop the formalities, and speak like a real person. "I believe I speak for almost everyone in the Senate when I say it is a pleasure and an honor to see Alderaan represented among our ranks once more. Alderaan is one of Corellia's oldest allies." She shot a glance over her shoulder toward her employer, and was not surprised to see that he was surrounded by a small crowd, including a large Vor, a strange man with red eyes, and the young Senator from Yavin, S'daya. "I must insist on introducing you to Senator Koronov later tonight, whenever he has a free moment."

Cass doesn't resist or struggle. In fact he seems to be enjoying this.
I look forward to hearing my charge. Especially here in front of the Empire. Cass nods to Nicademus From what I have heard, even they no longer treat people like this. Arresting without cause, interesting course of action... And to do it so publicly in front of the rich and powerful. Few things surprise me, but this does.

My ticket passes all examination, I have threatened no one, and you are unable to find a weapon on me. I even helped your cause, i helped you find two weapons that were snuck in.

Ar'lah was a green skinned Twi'lek, native actually to Coruscant, not Ryloth. She was older and heavier now than she once was, when she had resided on this jewel of the galaxy. She had once been well known in political and social circles of the upper echelon in the Capital. She was a lobbyist, one of the best. Moreover, she was a lobbyist without a cause, but with pull. She had made lots of money as a lobbyist for hire, one without loyalties, but was the person who got things done.

That was until that lack of scruples got her in trouble. She hired herself one time to many. She didn't know that they were terrorists, not at first. Then she thought that she could control them, manipulate them. It worked. It wasn't an issue. But the terrorists were also working for that dreadful doctor...

That was how she met Crom'nen. He was seventeen, a prodigy, and a Senator's aide. He had been sent to her under cover, by Republic Intelligence. But she saw that he was capable of so much more. She had enticed him, taught him the lure of power, but alas, had never been able to bed him. He had tricked her, bested her. He killed the doctor and arrested her. She had never been beaten by anyone before. She had never lost. That drove her obsession with him. After ten years in prison, she got out on a technicality. She pursued him, but he had become so much more that she knew. He arrested her again, this time to a prison on Ryloth. Then she had been disappeared, sent to a hole of his making.

Now she was out. Ar'lah would serve him, out of her obsession mixed with fear of him. She would serve him well, and serve herself. Tonight, her job was simple, to mingle. She had taught the once innocent Crom'nen about influence, power, corruption, manipulation, and everything else it took to be successful in politics. It was safe to say that she hand changed the course of his life. Now, it was the time for her to put those lessons to use for herself.

Ar'lah spotted the battle of wills between the Vor and the human, the conversations among many of the galaxy's elite, and a creature the likes of which she had never seen. She approached it, not knowing it was a Vong.

Hello, how are you this evening?

-Koyi-
"Great! Follow me hotstuff'!"

And she bulldozed through the crowd with the grace of a very polite tractor. Crom'nen was her target, she thanked, sayed hello and welcommed her way through the crowds untill she got to the man. He may have been in a conversation, sure, but when a large and loud beauty comes your way, you usually give her her own space in your conversation, or she simply takes it.

-Koyi-
"Crom'nen, excure me for my intrusion. I am Koyi Zitan, finally I meet you in person."

Then, she stepped aside to show up her new chewtoy.

-Koyi-
"And this lovely lady with the hulk beside her is Aya D'Ordinii of MandalMines."

Cass smiles. The crowd was starting to mermer. There had been no charge filed against Cass and they were taking him. This was not the actions of a Republic.

Your search has found nothing, and yet I am still under arrest? With no charge or grounds for a search either... This is very despotic of you. In view of all these people! You are brave.

The crowd begins to grumble directed at security. "This is a republic!" "There are rights" can be heard among other things.

It seems the people maybe be noticing... And it doesn't seem that they are too pleased...