Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Durasay Mixo]

Even with everything going on, there was always a need to relax. To enjoy a beverage. It was a shame that he had to bring a bottle of Pantoran eiswein from his own selection rather than buying from a wide selection.

Even worse that he didn't have proper glassware. A sleeve of red plasteen party cups, the design ubiquitous throughout the galaxy.

He sighed, pouring himself into the cup. "Doesn't really let the wine breathe..." he muttered to himself.

[Jan Melmoar]

"My my my, waste of a perfectly good drop." A voice from behind Durasay quietly tisks as Jan sachets into view.

"Are things really so dire in the camp we've returned to our college roots? Desperate times indeed."
The Czerka director hops up on the table and crosses her legs.

"Then again, I never did go to college. And I notice you have more than one cup, perhaps I could trouble you for some of that fine eiswein?"
She shakes a small metal container.
"I've got cheese from Utapu."

[Durasay Mixo]

"A classic combination." He grabbed another cup from the sleeve, and poured her a glass from the bottle. "If it were the academy days, I think we'd be be settling for two cred fred wine." The Pantoran smiled, handing over the red plasteen.

"Good patrol yesterday. We make a good team, if that and the battle to break the blockade say anything."

[Jan Melmoar]

Jan smiles widely, unsealing the container and offering Durasay a slice of an extremely pungent orange cheese with the Czerka logo.

"Surprisingly good, you know what you're doing. And you're not afraid to put it on the line. I do hope The Turtle wasn't too badly harmed. It has a fine crew."
She swings one of her legs gently as she ships from the cup after using it to salute the Pantoran.

"You've had quite the career, if you don't mind me seeing. Politician and war-hero." She glances down at his lightsaber. "Among other things."

[Durasay Mixo]

"Brief stint as a hired gun, smuggler, ne'er do well with a heart of gold, Miss Melmoar. I can read you my whole CV, if you'd like." He took the slice of cheese, tipping it to her in response to the cup salute.

"First thing we learned at the Academy in Capitol City. If you're going to lead, lead from the front. Best way to know the mettle of your team is for them to know yours." The Pantoran took a thoughtful bite of the cheese, the sharp salty tang quite a contrast to the sweetness of the eiswein.

"She's seen worse. The crash this time was still a better landing than on Bankor. Took a direct torpedo hit up the thrusters as we broke through their picket defense." Durasay smiled at that. "Been with Czerka your whole career? You strike me as someone who's got professional military in their blood."

[Jan Melmoar]

"It's a miracle she's in one piece then."
Jan playfully shakes her head regarding the CV before shrugging lightly.

"My, and good at reading people too. Yes, I served in Imperial special forces for a decade, it made for interesting times."
Nibbling some of the cheese.
"Many of our leaders only led from the front because they were determined to personally kill as many enemies as possible. Still, I suppose they were better than the ones drinking bloodwine behind the lines as reporting every engagement as a magnificent victory. Ghastly people."

Looking back to Durasay.
"I decided I wanted to be paid a little more for every shot at me. Going private has been wonderfully refreshing. I suppose you did something similar, although the ne'er do well parts of our lives seem to have occurred at different times. And please, 'Jan's is fine."

[Durasay Mixo]

"Have to get good at it. Spend enough time hustling for jobs in every spaceport from Corellia to Tatooine, you learn real fast to read people and situations. The surprising part was how often I fell back on that in the Senate, or was it how useful it was?" He laughed, and then refilled her cup before filling his again.

"Well, Jan, I hate to say it, but I think there's the same kinds of commanders in every outfit. The Empire certainly doesn't have a monopoly on back seat generals or leaders hungry for bloodshed." He lifted his cup to hers.

"To ne'er do welling?"

[Jan Melmoar]

"Well, as a Czerka director, we do know about monopolies."

She knocks her cup to Durasay's, raises it high and then takes a deep drink.

"Maybe you're just the sort of person I was supposed to meet. Of course, that depends on whether one believes in destiny.
My partner has been working on that little question for some time, whether destiny is a collection of individual wills, the will of the force or something else."

Waving a hand airily.
"What do you make of it?"

[Durasay Mixo]

"Now that's a hell of a question. If yiu asked me that fifteen years ago? I'd say wholeheartedly the will of the Force." He drank deeply from his cup. "Ask me after Bankor? I'd say it was a collection of wills." Yellow-amber eyes met hers.

"I'm old now. I've seen things. Been all over the galaxy. I think the answer is a bit of both. The Force works to bring beings together, but it doesn't, if you'll pardon the expression, force anyone into anything."

A tilt of his chin, pondering his next words. "The Force presents us with opportunities, and asks us... what choice will we make? Do we trust it, and by extension ourselves? Or do we say no, and take another path. The stream keeps going, changed slightly by our little ripples." The Pantoran grinned.

"What do you think?"

[Jan Melmoar]

"Interesting, very interesting."
Jan gestures with her cup.

"I deeply dislike the idea of the force controlling everything, it goes against just about everything I believe in."
She pauses before starting to smirk.
"And yet...I've seen far too many coincidences, particularly around force sensitives, to discount it. So I find myself conceding that perhaps things happen for a reason and we are presented with choices not through random chance but something...else."

She shudders and drains her cup.
"It's probably comforting to force-sensitive folks, but it can be rather unpleasant for us little people. However, speaking of opportunities."
Her grin turns woolfish.

"I might just have something for you, if your word still carries weight with the Republic."

[Durasay Mixo]

"I don't know how much weight it carries. I still have friends in hihh places, and my partner runs a corporation in the name of the Organa. Rugged textiles and clothing." He watched Jan, regarding her reaction.

"I can get that. But it's not that things are preordained. The Force doesn't control history or the future, it just is. Everything we do on an individual level, that's what decides things. Every being is a captain of their own destiny."

A smile. "There's no such thing as 'little people'. We aren't gods amongst mortals."

[Jan Melmoar]

"You should tell that to the Sith dear, they might disagree."
She flashes Durasay a smile before leaning in and lowering her voice. Clearly, she liked what he'd had to say.

"What if there was an opportunity, one of those 'once in a generation' opportunities, a 'the force has willed it' opportunity, hmmm? The foundation of a new corporation, one going big. But one that will also of course need serious customers lined up across the galaxy. Maybe a little seed money too if you're comfortable operating in the nine-zeros range."
Gauging his reaction in turn.

"Getting in at the bottom floor could be extremely lucrative...for the right people."

[Durasay Mixo]

"Well clearly I can't say yes or no with just a low description like that. And speaking to my partner would also have to happen before hand. We're a team, so decisions like that would be joint." He smiled, then turned somewhat serious.

"So. What's the operating plan for this new venture? What markets, what products?" He kept his voice low to match hers. "I'm a man who likes as much information as possible."

[Jan Melmoar]

"Oh my partner and I are the same way, some things simple make for terrible surprises."
She waggles a slice of cheese before chomping down.

"Initially we'd be talking weapons, both supply and development, with all markets available. But it's not just a weapons company, I find corporations work best when their components all support one another. So there will be commercial banking, import/export, service and security provision, mining, agriculture. Seed funding will be considerable, but you understand how important having the right contacts at the beginning might be."

Daintily sipping from her cup.
"And of course, we wouldn't want to take sides in...all of this. I don't really think it's appropriate for businesses to weigh in on political and ethical matters."

[Durasay Mixo]

"Oh my partner and I are the same way, some things simple make for terrible surprises."
She waggles a slice of cheese before chomping down.

"Initially we'd be talking weapons, both supply and development, with all markets available. But it's not just a weapons company, I find corporations work best when their components all support one another. So there will be commercial banking, import/export, service and security provision, mining, agriculture. Seed funding will be considerable, but you understand how important having the right contacts at the beginning might be."

Daintily sipping from her cup.
"And of course, we wouldn't want to take sides in...all of this. I don't really think it's appropriate for businesses to weigh in on political and ethical matters."

That last bit concerned him. After all, corporations had as much say as some Planetary governors. Some even had seats in the Senate.

"Given what is coming, taking sides might be as simple as preserving life versus an extra galactic threat or hidden enemy. The Republic and the Sith Empire have a truce as of now, and it would be in the best interest of the galaxy to maintain that."

Credits had never been Durasay's greatest motivator. "But as I said, I'll need to talk it over with my partner. There's not a lot of overlap between her business and this venture, so there shouldn't be a conflict of interest there." He offered a smile to Jan.

"But consider me tentatively interested in pursuing this opportunity."

[Jan Melmoar]

"Well tentative buy-in is better than none. And there's no rush at all...well, the price will go up some, but with more information you'll know if it's worthwhile or not."

She double finger guns Durasay with a rapid 'pew-pew-pew'.

"I'm just thrilled you listened, simply thrilled. Why, this whole expedition has taken on a new and more hopeful light."

[Durasay Mixo]

"I'm always willing to listen to opportunities. I may have gone respectable, but still a scoundrel at heart." He grinned, refilling her cup before refilling his.

"Your cruiser is nice. I mean, she's no Turtle, but she is annice ship." There was mischief in his eyes.

[Jan Melmoar]

"Ohoohohohoho!"
Jan pauses, sighs and then accepts the refilled cup.

"Sorry, force of habit. I won't speak to how she compares to the fabled Turtle, but she meets my needs beautifully. Heavily armoured, even more heavily armed. Ample living space. And she doesn't stand out. The Bottom Line can slip into any rim system with minimum fuss, and there are few pirates who would dare take her on. Maybe one day I'll move onto something bigger, but for now she does quite well."

Cocking her head.
"I suppose you came across your ship in your smuggling days? It seems well suited for that, but then the poor thing has also served in outright wars?"

[Durasay Mixo]

"Ohoohohohoho!"
Jan pauses, sighs and then accepts the refilled cup.

"Sorry, force of habit. I won't speak to how she compares to the fabled Turtle, but she meets my needs beautifully. Heavily armoured, even more heavily armed. Ample living space. And she doesn't stand out. The Bottom Line can slip into any rim system with minimum fuss, and there are few pirates who would dare take her on. Maybe one day I'll move onto something bigger, but for now she does quite well."

Cocking her head.
"I suppose you came across your ship in your smuggling days? It seems well suited for that, but then the poor thing has also served in outright wars?"

"Nudimsu's ship. I met him when I was fresh out of my tour of duty. Went from a proper soldier to a smuggler pretty easily. But yes, that's the short of it. Smuggling, transport and ferry for hire. And then service at Bankor. She held the line against the invaders." He nodded in response, beaming with pride.

"She's gonna outlive her crew, we'll see to that. Likely get passed on to Nudie's kids, if he ever has any."

[Jan Melmoar]

"Nudimsu's ship. I met him when I was fresh out of my tour of duty. Went from a proper soldier to a smuggler pretty easily. But yes, that's the short of it. Smuggling, transport and ferry for hire. And then service at Bankor. She held the line against the invaders." He nodded in response, beaming with pride.

"She's gonna outlive her crew, we'll see to that. Likely get passed on to Nudie's kids, if he ever has any."

"A fine inheritance, sentimental but also....practical."
Jan takes another sip, slightly more pensive.

"Do you have children of your own? I hope they won't be put out if they miss out on a ship."

[Durasay Mixo]

"A fine inheritance, sentimental but also....practical."
Jan takes another sip, slightly more pensive.

"Do you have children of your own? I hope they won't be put out if they miss out on a ship."

The Pantoran beamed, pride swelling in his chest, eyes catchling the glint of lighting. "Two. A set of twins. Lucrezia and Cesare, the apples of my eye, and truly taking after both their mother and myself. The Force is strong with them." He looked to Jan, watching her reactions as he spoke.

"They will make their own ships, I'm sure. Or perhaps they will take after me and seek out the future Captain of the Turtle for their own adventures." He took a long drink from his. "What about you? Children of your own? And I would love to hear about your partner."

[Jan Melmoar]

The Pantoran beamed, pride swelling in his chest, eyes catchling the glint of lighting. "Two. A set of twins. Lucrezia and Cesare, the apples of my eye, and truly taking after both their mother and myself. The Force is strong with them." He looked to Jan, watching her reactions as he spoke.

"They will make their own ships, I'm sure. Or perhaps they will take after me and seek out the future Captain of the Turtle for their own adventures." He took a long drink from his. "What about you? Children of your own? And I would love to hear about your partner."

Jan delicately arches an eyebrow.
"It must be nice to be able to say 'the force is strong with them'. It's far more impressive than saying they're smart and kind and good looking and all those other things children inevitably are to their parents. Still, I can appreciate the satisfaction of seeing elements of oneself in one's progeny."

She gestures with her cup at Durasay's questions.
"No, no children of my-our own, not yet. But it is something I've been considering. I've reached a point in my life where I've become concerned with legacy. I've thought it would be nice to adopt someone strong in the force, give them a bit of a leg up."
Despite herself, Jan's expression brightens slightly. "Well, I'm always happy to talk about my partner. Now she is strong with the force. Charismatic, brilliant, focused, devilish. She's practically perfect."
Glancing back at Durasay.
"You might have had the pleasure, Lucinia Malveaux?"

[Durasay Mixo]

"Briefly, during our patrol. I thoighr I picked up on something but I didn't want to presume." He nodded, and his smile warmed when he heard the way she described Lucinia. Something about the way people in love talked about each other was just so reassuring to the man.

"That's all anyone can do as a parent. Try to provide a strong foundation for one's children, and pass on everything we know and have. Legacy, like Destiny, largely will then take care of itself, we give it the right push though."

[Jan Melmoar]

"You've never felt the pressure to...." she gestures with her drink "Miro-manage? I find it hard to imagine just giving the next generation a push and hoping they'll do alright. There's so much resting on it."

Clucking her tongue.
"What if they fail? I'll have nothing, and worse I'll have raised someone useless. It's a depressing thought."

[Durasay Mixo]

"There's always the temptation. To hover. To decide for them. That path can lead to resentment, to turning away from family." He shook his head in reply.

"You have to trust them. You have to love them. You hope for the best, that they've listened, and respect what you've said, what you lay out. Eventually, though, we will have nothing, because we will be gone. And what they carry from us will be those lessons, and hope." The Pantoran offered a reassuring smile.

"We are what our children surpass. All we can do is give them a map, and our guidance for as long as we live."