Ballroom Waltz

[havenn]

The night was young as a upper class party went on in a floor of one of the many skyscrapers on Coruscant. There were many famous people from Senetors to Holonet stars. Due to a certain string of events Haven somehow managed to get into this party. The blond entered the room and looked around "Not really much my style" he said to himself.

He didn't care much for these fancy things as he grew up on a farm in a small town. He did take a liking to the expensive clothing as he was in his fitted suit and was getting some stares from some of the other guest. He smiled a bit as he ran a hand through his hair trying to fix it up just a bit. His gold eyes looked around the room as he found a waiter who offered him a glass of wine. He took the glass and brought it to his lips and took a sip. it has a very sweet taste to it.

[onish]

Gasan sat on a posh sette, brandy snifter in hand as she artfully swirled the contents before indulging in its aromatic properties. Taking a drink and sighing happily, Gasan congratulated herself on her accomplishment, namely, being at this particular party.

Gasan was feeling heady and it wasn't the drink, there was so much star power around her. The connections she could forge this night might well launch her career! Looking around she saw people who carried clout in every imaginable circle.

A laugh that was the very definition of 'obnoxious' brought Gasan out of her thoughts. She'd nearly forgotten about him, her date. Technically, she was merely serving as an adornment on his arm tonight. This was troublesome to the Zeltron because he seemed disinclined to introduce her to the people she most wanted to meet. Instead, he'd sequestered her to this little sitting area to show off to his peers.

Well, she wouldn't let them hold her back for long, there was no way she was going to waste this night listening to political stalemates, no matter how good the brandy was.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Lyn Bondara was perhaps more comfortable with parties than many other women in the galaxy, Twi'leks like herself or otherwise. That stemmed from practice. In short, she was used to them. They came with the territory, which always struck her as odd. To be a reporter didn't seem as if it automatically made you 'someone.' But like it or not, her capacity as a reporter for RNN had made her into a person of note. Apparently she even had a small but dedicated fan club, something she'd only noticed with the advent of 'we love you Lyn' signs in the window during a morning broadcast.

The bottom line was that this wasn't her first party. Ever since her mother had married into a wealthy family, she'd been learning such things as proper etiquette. She knew which fork to use at which time, and how to behave properly. Combine that with her face on the news regularly, and she merited attention. Strange universe.

At the moment, she was wearing a long black silk evening dress worthy of a Twi'lek. It was cut low in the back, revealing her smooth purple skin, and the front was structured to make the most of her cleavage. It was hardly extensive, but it was there. Her main appeal didn't lie in size, it lay in her slender grace. Yes, that was her appeal, that and her mellow curves and her winning smile. It was quite safe to say she looked ravishing. Certainly she looked befitting of a visitor to a high society event.

She sipped the glass of wine she was holding. A sweet yellow liquid from Chandrila that she was partial to. She doubted it was any personal intervention by Senator Dialin, but he was aware of her tastes, and he was renowned for throwing an excellent party. Of course it was slightly odd to think a Senator and a journalist could possibly be on those kinds of terms. If he thought that gave him a free pass from her, he was wrong. Lyn had every intention of getting to the scoop in any story, regardless of party invitations and drinks. Everyone in the field knew that too, it was a fact of life now. Lyn Bondara was a good reporter.

The purple Twi'lek looked around the spacious sitting room, letting her grey eyes rest on every single occupant in turn. There were two candidates for discussion that seemed likely. One was a blonde human man in a well-cut suit, and the other was a Zeltron woman who looked rather bored, sitting down.

She opted for the Zeltron. Someone had to make the poor girl feel welcomed. A few leisurely strides later, and she was standing there by the woman.

"Hello, I'm Lyn Bondara, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before at any of the Senator's parties."

[havenn]

Haven stood by the bar as he took another sip of wine as he wondered why he even came to this party. As he took a look around he saw his friend who invited him, he was a human merchant who he was good friends with. He walked over to him and the man was not alone his daughter who was about 7 was with him. Haven greeted his friend with a smile and the two began talking about wheat as the merchant was one of the biggest sellers of crops on Madalore.

Haven and the man shared another drink as he noticed the young girl was looking up at him. She blushed and asked Haven if he would dance with her on the ballroom floor. Her father laughed with jolly and said for Haven to go on. Haven not one for making somebody feel sad smiled at the kid and said sure.

He took her by the hand and she only came up to his waist and long brown hair. As they got to the dance floor he looked at the band and told them to play a upbeat song. People in the crowd watched them as the band began to play. Haven took her hands in his as they began to dance together on the floor. The crowd clapped with the music as the two danced and cheered them on. It might not of been normal to see this at a upper class party but it was starting to turn into a normal party seen one at a festival. The girl giggled as Haven spun her around as the dance went on. After the song finished the crowed applauded them as Haven knelt down to eye level of the girl and thanked her for the dance.

The girl smiled hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek and ran back to her dad excitedly. Her father laughed as he wanted a dance with his kid next. Haven smiled as he wished he was a father as well. Not a five seconds later women around his own age began to crowd around him asking him for a dance as well.

The blond blushed as a the women gathered all around him not. Before he knew it a young Togruta woman grabbed his hand and dragged him to the clearing and began to dance with him. The two danced to the upbeat music. She was fast in her dancing which forced Haven to pick up his game to keep up with her. Still in the middle of the dance a Zabrak woman took him from the Togruta and began to dance with him. She held the man close to her body they danced. This process went on for a couple more songs as he was snatched up from one to the other.

After he danced with around 5 different women the blond had to excuse himself as the band decided to go back to the normal music. The blond was in great shape but after that he felt like he just ran a mile under a minute. He went back to some of the tables and sat there as he ordered a glass of water from one of the servers.


(The song played)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljmpKk4F30s&feature=related

[onish]

Gasan was debating how bad it would be to ditch her date so early on and whether she would need him for future party invites when a twi'lek approached her, and not just any twi'lek, it was Lyn Bondara! By far the best reporter the network had.

Her date and his constituents quieted at Lyn's approach. Reluctant to say anything in the presence of a reporter, particularly one with her reputation. What a wonderful effect she had on them!

Gasan stood up and offered her hand to Lyn, "Of course! I loved your peice on the Jedi. I'm Gasan, the pleasure's all mine." Happiness radiated from the Zeltron, too pleased to control herself better.

Just then the music switched to a livlier beat. Not what Gasan had expected at a party with so many blase individuals. She looked to see who had the gumption to instigate such a thing. A blond human male was dancing with a young girl. Gasan was equally surprised to see the child in the midst of such a party.

There was something endearing about the scene and Gasan's memories drifted back to her own childhood and the many father figures who had cared for her. The dance over, Gasan was unsurprised to see the man flocked by women. She also noticed several aghast individuals, displeased with the lack of decorum.

Unwilling to relinquish the reporter's attention she turned back to the woman, "Tell me, have you met that gentleman at one of the parties before? He seems rather," she searched for the right word, "down-home, and I think, his charming niavity may get him eaten alive here."

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Lyn smiled a little whenever her reputation proceeded her. And it was nice to be complimented for her recent article on the Jedi Order. She'd been rather proud of it. She bowed her head a little to indicate she was honored, and her lekku made very subtle movements almost of their own accord to indicate she was pleased.

"Delighted to meet you Gasan."

Lyn looked the blonde man over as she pondered Gasan's question. Had she ever seen him before? She was wracking her brain trying to remember if she had, but she was drawing a blank.

She smiled as she watched him dance with the little girl. No, she hadn't met him before. But he seemed a good sort, if a little behind in his dance with a Togruta woman. There was something you didn't see every day at a society party. Possibly someone with the senatorial delegation from Shili. Outside of diplomats and Jedi, you didn't see an awful lot of Togrutas. Certainly they weren't as widely distributed as her own species.

She also had to admit the music was rather catchy, if quite... quaint. Gasan was right, in this crowd that down-home trait would probably get him eaten alive. Certainly he wasn't blending in. In fact, she was actually wondering how he'd gotten into the Senator's party. Or if the Senator would tolerate his continued presence.

"Well Gasan, I think we'd better go see if he needs a benefactor to keep him in this party. I can't say I mind the music change, but some others might not be so impressed. Time to go shelter him from harm." Lyn winked at the last part before moving gracefully across the room towards the man, now that the dancing was done.

The assembled musicians lapsed back into a waltz far more appropriate to the setting, and Lyn found herself timing her steps with the music, almost dancing her way over to the blonde man.

"Well, that was quite the show you gave us. I can't say I've ever seen that happen at one of Senator Dialin's parties before. You must be new here. I'm Lyn Bondara." The purple Twi'lek journalist held out a hand to the human.

[havenn]

The young blond smiled as the waiter brought him his drink. He took a long sip from the cool liquid and smiled with a sigh of relief. As he put his glass down he looked at saw a couple very pretty women walking over towards him. The first one to speak was a Ti'lek woman who seemed so familier. She spoke about the dancing that just went on in this party who for the most part woudn't like it as much.

He smiled "Well truth be told I wasn't expecting so many other's wanting to dance with me as well." He reached out and shook her hand "Oh yes I have heard of you Lyn, your pretty famous on the holonet." He stood up and pulled out some seats for them, he may have grown up far from the city but he knows his manners, even if it took them getting beat into his head by his adopted mother.

He offered his hand to the other woman "I must have really made a impression on some of these stuffy politicians here, I have been getting some cold stares for a while now." He sat back down in his seat "I really don't know why I am here, a friend of mine wanted me to come and join him." He nodded toward the man and his daughter "He is one of the biggest crop sellers on my planet." He laughed "I guess not many people here care much for a Mandalorian here."

He took a sip of his water "If people don't know who you are they won't judge you, most people think of us as brutes who can only fight but there is so much more to us that that." Haven's bright smile was showing "I always found a bit of fun in danger but" he looked at some of the senators "These people have no sense of fun." He looked at the two and got a real good look at them which caughed his cheeks to turn red "S-so umm what brings you two here." After taking a look at the two women his shy nature was beginning to take over again which must seem odd to most people. "M-my name's Haven Dragneel by the way."

[onish]

Gasan followed the twi'lek, smiling at the way she moved across the floor. The zeltron was quite sure she was going to like Lyn Bondara very much. She'd always suspected that Lyn would be a joy to meet in person, unlike some famous individuals. There was something very real about the reporter while she was on the air and it was only intensified in person.

Reaching the man she listened to the exchange between the two.
A Mandolorian? How could he say that so casually? And what WAS he doing at a republic party, aside from drawing attention to himself?

As a zeltron, Gasan attempted to remain nuetral but it was difficult to do that and keep up with all the rumors and news. Still, it was hard to think the human wished any ill will on them. She didn't read any malice in him at any rate, not that it was impossible to veil such things from her.

She could understand the appeal of danger. One of her favorite past times was base jumping. And although she herself had never been much of a combantant, she knew plenty of Zeltrons who did enjoy a good fight. Nothing he'd said so far was unnnerving and she rather liked his style. The stutter he picked up at the end was curious though, and he was begining to put off a nervous energy that ignited Gasan's own apprehensions.

Gasan decided to take her cues from Lyn who undoubtedly had a better grasp of the threat he may pose. "I'm Gasan and I'm here to meet people and enjoy the evening. So far so good," she smiled with some effort, his discomfort impacting her own comfort level.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Mandalorian? What was a Mandalorian doing on Coruscant in a Senator's party? That was downright scandalous given the Mandalorian uprising underway.

Out of nowhere, Lyn produced a small pad of paper and a pen. Furiously one moved upon the other, scrawling out letters in the aurebesh that summed up the situation. This was a scoop, the kind of thing you didn't encounter every day.

Would she report on it? Possibly. She had to determine if it would hurt the Republic, and she'd only know that once she evaluated the story she had to work with.

"Tell me then Haven, are you in a clan or in service with the Mandalorian military? Have you ever taken part in actions against the Republic? Why do you consider yourself a Mandalorian?"

And are you loyal to the Republic?

That was the most important question of all to Lyn. In her eyes, nothing was worse than subverting the Republic. Democracy. Freedom. The values she held dear.

She settled into the seat that had been offered for her, resting one leg over the other and balancing her pad on her slender thigh.

[havenn]

He was a bit nervous just chatting with these women but as soon Lyn took out her work things he had a sigh of relief. Her doing her job was much more easy on him than him trying to entertain them both and try to flirt which he was horrible at to begin with.

He listened to her first question "I from the Dragneel clan and all Mandalorian's are a part of the army which includes myself." Her next question he thought for a second "Against the republic, no I did some bounty hunting and caught some criminals and turned them over to the republic for credits." He looked at her "I follow the Resol'nare the six actions in basic." He smiled "Speak Mando'a, defend myself and my family, I will raise my future children as Mandalorians, contribute to my clan's welfare, wear the armor, and rally to Mand'alore for his cause."

"I am not wearing my armor at the moment because I was asked so I would not frighten the senator here." He took a drink of water "I know alot of how the media portrays my people as the rabid animals who thrive on war." He looked at her "Do I seem like a threat to you."

"But if I have to choose where my loyalties are at, I will choose Mandalore and fight for my people." He nodded over towards a group of Senators giving him cold glares "Look at them, Democracy can be good but you let these people most who never fought a single battle carry the lifes of so many soldiers and willing to kill them to advance their own careers." He looked at the two of them "Democracy is a slow process where nothing gets down as everybody squabbles with another." He like most Mandalorian hated the whole system "They are corrupt and I have no feelngs one way or another if they were to be killed, I won't be scared off by some fools who grew up with a silver spoon in there mouth." He smiled once again "Even though I am willing to go to war I have my own morals and code of honor." He reached into his pocket which seemed to make some of the other guest a bit on edge "I don't hurt kids and I don't kill for fun."

He pulled out his shades and put them on his face as he leaned back and ran his hand through his hair again "To be honest all I really care about is settling down with a good woman on a farm and raise our children together." He sighed "I'm 25 and still unmarried , I don't know I was just never good at the whole flirting thing, I can fight hand to hand with a T'surr, be outnumbered by pirates, but when im with a woman I get nervous, like right now I am talking to you two and I am a bit on edge" he said with a weak laugh.

[onish]

Gasan relaxed as Haven did. Now picking up on Lyn's excitment, she watched as the reporter scribbled on her notepad. Wow, Lyn really loved her work. The zeltron settled into a seat, curious about these answers herself and thrilled to have the opportunity to see Lyn in her element.

His answers weren't exactly all that reassuring. It was no secret what the Mandalore wanted and the man's own beliefs called for the same - the end to a way of life that at least half the galaxy adhered to. It wasnt' that Gasan couldn't see his point, she was more than a little tired of the posturing and lack of progress, but was death and destruction really the best motivator?

Then the man went off into another tangent. A peaceful farm and a lovely family. The dual nature of his desires made the zeltron chortle. Honestly, the whole institution of marriage was laughable to her, but she was unsurprised to see the human hung up on the idea like so many others. Truly, the entire subject of romance seemed to degrade even the most sensable, pragmantic individual into a self pitying heap. Why should the Mandalorian militants be any different?

She covered her mouth, not wishing to interupt the interview, as that seemed to be what this had become. She was eager to see what the reporter would pursue in her line of questioning.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Lyn raised an eyebrow at first. And then a second one. However at one phrase, they both fell, and her jaw gritted. "Democracy is a slow process where nothing gets down as everybody squabbles with another."

Democracy was the very lifeblood of freedom. Unless everyone had a voice, a say in the government, you would wind up with tyranny. The Republic itself was founded with that in mind. Everything she believed in was under attack.

"They are corrupt and I have no feelngs one way or another if they were to be killed, I won't be scared off by some fools who grew up with a silver spoon in there mouth."

The purple Twi'lek woman's grey eyes narrowed and grew hard. No one came into a High Coruscanti affair and proceeded to insult both democracy and the Senate. Not in front of her. Not here, and not now. A quiet fire blazed in her eyes as her defiant streak came out.

"Now listen here," she jabbed a finger into the human's chest, "The Galactic Republic is the greatest government ever to exist in the galaxy. The Senators are great men and women who work for the good of the galaxy on a daily basis. Even at this very moment there are Republic soldiers working to keep the galaxy free. In contrast, your people have been responsible for the deaths of millions of innocents all in the name of extremist ideology that glorifies destruction. You just hide behind the pretense of family. Well I call that cowardice. I also think you're a coward for bending your own will to the whim of what one single man tells you to think. That's called tyranny, and that's exactly what the Republic stands in opposition to."

Lyn took a breath and stowed her notepad away again, the only pause she'd taken in her whole rapid-fire statement. You couldn't tell from looking at her, but she was as tenacious as a rancor in a debate. It showed on those rare occasions when she had the chance to do something more than deliver the news with a smile.

"I don't know if they teach manners where you come from, but you are a guest here. And a guest should be mindful of his behavior and gracious to his hosts. Instead you come in here as an enemy and spread sedition. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Lyn rose to her feet and turned, walking off sharply. She knew exactly how she was going to report this one. "Uninvited Mandalorian Spreads Sedition at Party." This was going to provoke a long and hard look at the time-proven dangers of the Mandalorians. And an examination of what happened when you welcomed them.

It was dangerous for the Republic to be at the crossroads of a two-front war. And with the Jedi sitting out the fight? Doubly dangerous. But what could be done? With his attitude, Haven had proven quite definitively the Mandalorians were a danger to the Republic. Indifferent at best and hostile at worse, with a track record for violence. She could only hope the Jedi would see the need to intervene soon and help throw the tide of the war in the Republic's favor.

That was their only hope it seemed. Otherwise nothing lay on the horizon but endless war. War the galaxy couldn't afford.

[havenn]

To say the least Haven was surprised by reporter's drive and fire in her eyes as she stuck her finger to his chest and began to chew him out. She had the nerve to look him in the eye and call him a coward, few people would dare say that to a Mandalorian in his face, Haven didn't even take it like a insult he was becoming very attracted to this woman, she wasn't like most people who said one thing she told them straight was on her mind.

He was wide eyed as she kepy going and spoke about his manners. Now where did he hear this before as he thought about it. She even told him he should be ashamed of himself thats when it hit him, she sounded just like his mother. His mother litterly had to beat some manners into the boy and was far from being soft and gental in her approach. As the young reported got up and began to walk away he looked over at Gasan "Wow" he took off his glasses as he was still awe struck by what she just did.

He spoke "Damn, what a woman" he said watching her leave with a smile on his face. He sighed a bit as he put his elbow on the table and rested his head on his palm. "So much passion but still so naive when it comes to the real things." He looked at Gasan "I did plenty of work for those so called great men and woman she speaks of, and plenty of them have more than a couple ghost in their closet." He looked around as a body guard was coming his way "Oh goody" he said with a annoyed face. He was a very big man as he looked down at Haven and told him he better be a good boy or else.

The blond's eye twitched and he said "Make me dog" the man went to his holster to threaten him even more but Haven was more quick. He reached down his leg and pulled out his vibroblade knife from his boot and brought it to the man's side as he grabbed the blaster from his holster in less than a second. He smiled "You spent to much time in these safe worlds and you way to slow." He smiled "I made a promise not to cause to much trouble and I don't go back on a promise." He handed the man's blaster back and handed over his own knife that he had pointed at the guy's side.

He sighed and scratched his head "Great I wanted to make a good impression not be more of a disturbance." He watched as the man went away as he looked around and none of the crowd saw what happened and only Gasan saw. He sat back down "Your a Zeltron, would you tell me the best way of going and talking to her?" He had no experiance and was asking for help from someone who was a master.

[onish]

Gasan watched wide eyed as the reporter laid into the Mandalorian and then stormed off. Too stunned at first to follow, and then the guard came. The Mandalorian didn't behave any better at that, actually pulling out a knife. Gasan wasn't even sure how he'd gotten into the party with that thing. At least he turned it over.

She was still trying to decide what to do when the Mando had the balls to ask her how to approach the reporter. It was just too much, the Zeltron fell into a fit of laughing. Of course he'd get the hots for the woman who just tore him a new one!

Gasan gasped for breath and shook her head, "Oh, oh! Oh, you can't be serious! I'm a Zeltron not a miracle worker!" She wiped tears from her eyes and straightened up from being doubled over with laughter. "Seriously, you approach her and she'll have you forcibly removed from the grounds, maybe the planet. Course, a guy like you that might be your idea of foreplay. Nothing like a good game of hard to get."

She grabbed a glass from one of the circulating waiter's trays, this party was even better than one with an open bar. Downed the contents, "Listen, she's made up her mind about you and she's not going to listen to a word you say unless her reporter instincts tell her its information the public needs or you tie her down and leave her no choice. And before you think I'm seriously suggesting that, I'm not. Now, it's not that I don't like you or this hasn't been fun, its been loads of it, but you're not exactly good company to keep."

She got up to go. Found him interesting but she was there to impress people who could get her work and being around him too much could cost her opportunities. Had spent just enough time with him now to have great stories to share and get people's interest. Everyone was going to want to hear her account of what happened between the man and the reporter.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Lyn Bondara closed her grey eyes and took a series of calming breaths. She was not pleased at all. A perfectly good party, completely soured. How was it someone like that had even gotten in? And why? Who attended a Senator's party if they didn't even like the Republic? There were treaties the Mandalorians had signed, treaties governing their conduct. And just like that they'd been swept away.

If this was the way all Mandalorians were, than she'd have a hell of a time getting along with them. She could remember her history courses quite clearly. The Mandalorian Wars had been quite grave, and had led directly into the Jedi Civil War. All those lives lost... It showed the dangers of a destructive ideology. And he had the nerve to condemn democracy? Maybe he'd forgotten that the Mandalorians had lost and the Republic had won, not once but twice.

Small consolation.

The purple Twi'lek ran a hand over her lekku and found herself another glass of wine, this one red. She preferred the sweetness of the yellow she'd had before, but the point remained. It was alcoholic and she needed a relaxing drink. Badly.

She sank onto a plush sofa, placing the wine glass on the end table and producing her notepad again. There was an opinion piece in this. She'd jotted down Haven's statements about democracy. And that was going to be the crowning jewel in a scathing critique of the new Mandalorian rebellion underway.

They didn't share values. It all boiled down to that. One side wanted totalitarian bloodshed and the other wanted everyone to be equal and have a say in government. One said tradition, the other liberty. Duty, freedom. Rigid structure, tolerance. They seemed to be quite incompatible.

'Alien' was a term you could rarely use. There were many cultures throughout the Republic, and almost countless beings. There was no single idea of normal. But even under those circumstances every being could agree on one thing: democracy. When that received opposition, then it was permissible to call the deviation 'alien.' It was foreign, and not welcome.

Lyn certainly had no intention of welcoming that kind of treachery.

[havenn]

The blond sat and listened to what his new friend Gasan said after her laong bout of laughter " Maybe me already has her first impression and might try to kick me out." He thought about it for a second if she did try and physically throw a punch at him she would have it all looks,talent,brains, speaks her mind, and can fight pretty much a staple of any man would want.

"She seems like she could fight and to be honest I woudn't mind having a fight with her, nothing is more hot than a woman who can kick my own ass." He smiled "It wouldn't be much fun if everything came easy now would it?" As Gasan he nodded and bid her farewell as he looked over at Lyn who was now sitting on a sofa alone as he began to think of the best way to do this.

Risk getting thrown off the planet, not to big of a deal, woudn't be the first time he would make a quick escape. He did feel a bit nude without his knife on the other hand, no suite, no wepons, and no tech to help him other than hand to hand combat. He sighed "Well got no other way than to come up cold." He stood up and walked over to her "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot shall we start over." Not the most complex way of doing things but it was all he had.

He pulled up a chair in front of her "Can we talk again, please, I promise I'll be a good boy." If he had a tail it would be wagging because he was having fun, mix of first time flirting with a little bit of danger added on to it, who woudn't love it. He took off his glasses and put them back in his vest pocket "I will be on my best behaviour and mind my manners" he smiled innocently.

He grinned "I will answer any of your questions you got for me" he was like a small child. "Name it and I will tell you anything, no lies and thats a Mandalorian promise and we don't ever break one."

[onish]

Gasan shook her head as the Mandalorian set off to try speaking to Lyn again. She admired his tenacity but she really didn't see this relationship working out. And that was outside of her usual misgivings about relationships.

Conceivably, there was some possibility of one of those explosive, quick to burn out flings but even that didn't seem terribly likely. But the family and kids the boy claimed to desire, she couldn't picture it. She could see him getting arrested before the night was over though.

Whatever, it wasn't her concern. She'd give him half a chance to talk to Lyn again before she started telling people about what happened. After all, depending on how things fell out people might be dying even more for the story.

Gasan looked around for the guard that had taken Haven's knife. She was curious if he would tell anyone about that incident or if for the sake of his pride he would say nothing about the mad Mando. He'd have a lot more to worry about then that if the story got out, and Gasan just might spill it herself if the circumstances were right.

Finally, Gasan spared some thoughts for Lyn herself. The zeltron had been surprised by how vehement she had become over the issue. It wasn't like Gasan didn't know the reporter was fiercly for the republic but the twi'lek had brooked no arugments, hadn't even stuck around for a rebuttal. To be fair, the man had been insulting and callous and Gasan didn't see open discussion influencing his opinions any more than they would have the reporters. But somehow Gasan was disillusioned. Looking back the bias and slant in the republic news seemed laughably obvious.

Gasan pondered what to do. Coruscant had seemed the ideal place to be informed, but now she realized the information was filtered. It was still her best bet for stardom and it wasn't like she'd been relying on politics and government to help her help others. She thought about the Jedi, they were based here and hadn't allowed the media to shape their opinions or decisions. She could strive to be like them.

The Jedi were always a curiousity to her and even more so since moving to Coruscant. They seemed so beyond worldly things to her. She'd like very much to speak with one at length but they rarely took her seriously the few times she'd run into them. She just couldn't wrap her mind around their way. But then, she didn't really understand most people. Certainly not the mandolorian she'd just met. Suddenly, she was feeling rather alone in the universe. She began to wonder, for not the first time nor even the thousandth time, if leaving Zeltros had been a mistake.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot shall we start over."

Lyn scowled at the human man. By no stretch was she happy about this. Story in it or not, she was irate. Contrary to popular belief, she did have a bad side that people could be on. Haven was definitely on it.

"Can we talk again, please, I promise I'll be a good boy."

The Twi'lek woman glared, and the slight twitch in her lekku showed she was mad. Any other Twi'lek in the room would now to leave her alone. However the non-verbal message of lekku were lost on humans like Haven.

She let her eyes send the message there.

It was quite tempting to simply say 'no' and tell him to go away. Certainly that was what her eyes and her body language said, but she was far too polite to say it aloud. She'd been raised quite well.

"Frankly Mister Dragneel, I have no desire to talk with you. You've insulted your hosts, you've insulted the Republic, and through that you've insulted me. You have a lot of ground to make up for."

"I will answer any of your questions you got for me... name it and I will tell you anything, no lies and thats a Mandalorian promise and we don't ever break one."

Lyn raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? As I recall, you all promised in the form of a treaty to disarm and disband. You don't seem to have kept that one very well."

The reporter folded her arms and stared witheringly at the human who was considerably taller than she was. She wasn't intimidated. She was mad. His very presence now seemed to be an insult, a slap in the face to her. Wasn't it bad enough that he'd scorned democracy and the Republic? Now he had to go rub it in her face?

She leaned forward, resting her forehead on her outstretched palm. "What do you want?

[havenn]

As he looked at her he could feel the anger from her, she had a sense of danger around her that just made him like her even more. As she went onto another tear about how great the republic was, it was a bit old for her to talk about it so blindly devoted but the passion she had for it was a very attractive area about her. Anybody who would would do that was somebody worthy of respect in his eyes "Well lets cover that ground shall we."

He sighed "Well Mandalorians have a hard time breaking time breaking old traditions, besides Mand'alore signed it, we just follow orders like any soldier would, he calls for another war we go at it until a new Leader is in charge." He looked at her "And for the record if you look back at our last talk I said Democracy can be a good thing, it's just slow, when you have one leader things get done far faster."

He looked into those fire filled eyes, he didn't see a ounce of fear in her "On the topic on your Democracy isn't it supposed to bring every race together despite their differences, isn't that kind of you being a bit bigoted to my own culture as you insulted what my people believe in." He laughed "From what I see your alot like like Mandalorian yourself, you have no fear in your eyes, the passion for what you believe in is astounding, and I have a hunch you know how to handle yourself in a fight if the time ever happens."

"But I do not like the Republic because I seen the slums of the city, the republic doesn't care much for what happens there, and it doesn't even enforce it's laws." He looked at her "Your on planet on Ryloth how long have your own people been selling their own as slaves, even when it's long since been outlawed, same with it stopping slavers on so many planets but your Republic does little to save kids from a lifetime of suffering and humiliation." His gaze got colder "I wasn't born a Mandalorian, I was born a slave on Corellia and tested like a lab rat treated not even like a living being." He pointed at her "Where was your Republic, they couldn't save me or the other children that was with me as I watched them die during their twisted experiments." He sighed as he calmed down just a bit "I was saved when a Mandalorian found me on their ship when I was to be sold to a Medical Lab, that man gave me my name and raised me as his son." He ran a hand through his hair "I owe nothing to the republic as I was saved by my family and taken in their culture as one of them."

As she asked him what he wanted he said it plainly "You interest me and I wanna know more about you." He took out a cigarra "Want one?" He lit his and took a deep long suck and let the smoke out. "I still do business with the Republic, as people like me who catch those underground bastards who do so much evil, while in turn they pay me."

[onish]

Gasan kept half her attention on the two. The twi'lek was way beyond steamed and the madder she got the more aroused the mando became. She began to wonder if she should find someone to get rid of the mandalorian. This could get ugly fast.

Then again, maybe it would make things worse if she did that? He'd undoubtedly put up a fight. She should just let Lyn shoot him down, and hopefully that would be that. But just in case she kept her senses attuned to them, ready to intervene the moment things got out of hand. She was quite sure she wasn't the only one watching them closely either. It seemed most of the party was discreetly watching the two.