Post by Mara on Sept 16, 2014 16:17:38 GMT -5
[...from x]
She stared upwards in amazement at the tree towering over her, so tall that at her current angle she could not discern its apex. Its foliage was a deep green with a tinge of blue; the branches were spun all around the thin trunk, draping their luxurious leafiness in every direction. Below, giant ferns were encroaching on the pathway meant for visitors, lightly brushing her dress. Head still tilted towards the heavens, she closed her blue eyes and inhaled the beautiful and pleasantly spicy scent of the plant life around her. It was truly a marvel of nature, just like everything she had seen and had yet to see; every further step showed her something eclipsing the last.
Though she hadn't been in need of her services since entering the arboretum, preferring to keep to herself, Ofi the avian-like AER droid had continued to stay near the senator. She was currently perched on the woman's shoulder, all her senses alert for danger as Ina strolled along the walkway. An attacker could be lurking behind any tree or large bush. And with all the high-profile guests currently filling the large space, any number of them could have sparked the attention of an evil interloper, and she would not allow Ina to get caught in the crossfire. Somewhere in the thinning crowd behind them also moved Mal Denton, the senator's other bodyguard, a redundancy in her security detail that Ofi had learned to accept.
Irrina Icharus was glad she had accepted the Caamasi senator's invitation to come to the opening of the new Cassoria Arboretum. It was satisfying to just be able to relax for a few hours and get away from the daily grind of her political life on Coruscant. And though she wasn't always attending sessions, she did have a rather full schedule what with committee meetings and other related necessities. Even when she had the chance to partake in things close to her heart, like delivering supplies to the needy or speaking out against slavery, it invariably became a chore for one reason or another. But this trip to Caamas for her was all enjoyment and required zero strings. The Arkanian Offshoot was on the closest thing she could call a holiday without being on a true vacation.
The Cassoria was the largest of its kind to have been built on the jungle planet that was also free to the public. A pet project of Senator Tranic Vel'lik, he had used some of his own funds as well as held various fund-raisers to get the massive undertaking that was to become the arboretum built. He believed very strongly in allowing all beings the chance to discover the beauty of his home planet of Caamas, something that Ina had agreed with wholeheartedly, becoming one of his first supporters. It would give visitors from all social classes the chance to see all the native fauna without having to venture out into the wild jungles; instead, they could gaze at the wondrous plants from the safety of the stone pathway winding through the massive arboretum. And funded by a generous grant, there would be absolutely no fee for anyone who wanted to spend some time its peaceful embrace.
However, this night was an anomaly. Being the eve of the grand opening, the Caamasi senator was holding a star-studded event to thank all of his donors and backers. Various other senators, politicians, Caamasi leaders, high class aristocrats, and anyone else who had any ties to the Cassoria had traveled at Vel'lik's request. With every being dressed in their finery--Ina being no exception, clothed in a simple clingy shimmersilk dress in a sapphire hue that set off her eyes--the whole occasion was quite the spectacle. After some refreshments, there was a brief ceremony welcoming everyone and cutting the ribbon to officially unfurl the arboretum, reporters with holocams recording the whole thing. Then all the guests were given their liberty to wander through the hundreds of acres of jungle at their leisure to see for themselves what their hard work had wrought.
Having fulfilled her societal niceties to senator Vel'lik as well as others who had come up to her, Ina had taken the suggestion to heart. Though it was refreshing to engage in conversations that did not have the least to do with the Republic and politics, she had been eager to see what the Cassoria had to offer. She had been one of the first ones to leave behind the lobby area and lose herself among the various trails through the lush foliage. Ina had gazed in awe at every successive sight, pausing to take in the wonder. But she had slowly moved on, going deeper into the arboretum. And now she stood at the side of the path, basking in the aroma of the giant tree before her, its shade dappling the pale white skin of her arms.
She stared upwards in amazement at the tree towering over her, so tall that at her current angle she could not discern its apex. Its foliage was a deep green with a tinge of blue; the branches were spun all around the thin trunk, draping their luxurious leafiness in every direction. Below, giant ferns were encroaching on the pathway meant for visitors, lightly brushing her dress. Head still tilted towards the heavens, she closed her blue eyes and inhaled the beautiful and pleasantly spicy scent of the plant life around her. It was truly a marvel of nature, just like everything she had seen and had yet to see; every further step showed her something eclipsing the last.
Though she hadn't been in need of her services since entering the arboretum, preferring to keep to herself, Ofi the avian-like AER droid had continued to stay near the senator. She was currently perched on the woman's shoulder, all her senses alert for danger as Ina strolled along the walkway. An attacker could be lurking behind any tree or large bush. And with all the high-profile guests currently filling the large space, any number of them could have sparked the attention of an evil interloper, and she would not allow Ina to get caught in the crossfire. Somewhere in the thinning crowd behind them also moved Mal Denton, the senator's other bodyguard, a redundancy in her security detail that Ofi had learned to accept.
Irrina Icharus was glad she had accepted the Caamasi senator's invitation to come to the opening of the new Cassoria Arboretum. It was satisfying to just be able to relax for a few hours and get away from the daily grind of her political life on Coruscant. And though she wasn't always attending sessions, she did have a rather full schedule what with committee meetings and other related necessities. Even when she had the chance to partake in things close to her heart, like delivering supplies to the needy or speaking out against slavery, it invariably became a chore for one reason or another. But this trip to Caamas for her was all enjoyment and required zero strings. The Arkanian Offshoot was on the closest thing she could call a holiday without being on a true vacation.
The Cassoria was the largest of its kind to have been built on the jungle planet that was also free to the public. A pet project of Senator Tranic Vel'lik, he had used some of his own funds as well as held various fund-raisers to get the massive undertaking that was to become the arboretum built. He believed very strongly in allowing all beings the chance to discover the beauty of his home planet of Caamas, something that Ina had agreed with wholeheartedly, becoming one of his first supporters. It would give visitors from all social classes the chance to see all the native fauna without having to venture out into the wild jungles; instead, they could gaze at the wondrous plants from the safety of the stone pathway winding through the massive arboretum. And funded by a generous grant, there would be absolutely no fee for anyone who wanted to spend some time its peaceful embrace.
However, this night was an anomaly. Being the eve of the grand opening, the Caamasi senator was holding a star-studded event to thank all of his donors and backers. Various other senators, politicians, Caamasi leaders, high class aristocrats, and anyone else who had any ties to the Cassoria had traveled at Vel'lik's request. With every being dressed in their finery--Ina being no exception, clothed in a simple clingy shimmersilk dress in a sapphire hue that set off her eyes--the whole occasion was quite the spectacle. After some refreshments, there was a brief ceremony welcoming everyone and cutting the ribbon to officially unfurl the arboretum, reporters with holocams recording the whole thing. Then all the guests were given their liberty to wander through the hundreds of acres of jungle at their leisure to see for themselves what their hard work had wrought.
Having fulfilled her societal niceties to senator Vel'lik as well as others who had come up to her, Ina had taken the suggestion to heart. Though it was refreshing to engage in conversations that did not have the least to do with the Republic and politics, she had been eager to see what the Cassoria had to offer. She had been one of the first ones to leave behind the lobby area and lose herself among the various trails through the lush foliage. Ina had gazed in awe at every successive sight, pausing to take in the wonder. But she had slowly moved on, going deeper into the arboretum. And now she stood at the side of the path, basking in the aroma of the giant tree before her, its shade dappling the pale white skin of her arms.