Hoth: Blood and Ice

((Expecting, although also public and stuff!))

The busy rush of feeding breakfast to all the refugees is already over when Tethys wanders into the mess in search of a hot drink with which to warm herself up. No part of the common area is not crowded right now, ever, but at least the mess isn't nearly as packed as it is at meal times.

Which is why, when she sees the pale blonde woman's profile again nearby, after weeks of quick run-ins here and there that have only served to strengthen the nagging sense of familiarity about that face (faces?), the mess area is calm and quiet enough that she can actually walk over and just... ask.

"Excuse me. I don't think we have been introduced, but--do I know you?"

Lucinia herself had picked one of the quieter times to grab some kaf, the better to avoid any, ugh, PEOPLE! Unfortunately, it seemed her gambit was spoiled as she was accosted by this dark-skinned, ugh, JEDI.

She turned, narrowing her eyes at the semi-familiar women; this close, and the yellow in them very much stood out. "I expect you do." She said, her tone matching the ambient temperature of the base. "As the Malveaux family is known beyond the borders of the Empire. Lucinia Malveax." She sorta introduced herself with a slow nod.

"However, I don't know you, except as one of the prosecutors in that criminal case a while back. How interesting that must have been." With eyes still narrowed, Luci smiled.

"That is one word for it," Tethys agrees, brows arcing wryly. "Tethys Carrack, of the Jedi. I--"

About to offer Lucinia her hand, Tethys suddenly halts, as if she's forgotten what she's doing mid-action. "Wait. Malveaux?" Her dark gaze sharpens, picking over the points of Lucinia's features, her coloration... height is no help, she's only seen holos...

The Jedi looks a bit like she's just met a ghost, or a mythological creature, and she's not sure whether to believe it.

One aristocratic eyebrow went up. It took a moment, but Tethys' recognition was as much a clue as her name. Red lips briefly parted in surprise, and then pressed together in... well, resignation seemed most likely.

"Oh. Tethys." Lucinia said. "Master to a young rather feckless Jedi by the name of Byron, perchance?" Her lips curled up into a smirk.

"He's not--"

Well, all right, he can be. Sometimes. But this Malveaux stranger doesn't have the right to talk about Byron that way!

Tethys shakes her head slightly and begins again, composing herself. "Yes. Byron Mik is a Jedi Knight now, but he was my apprentice." She cocks her head, inspecting Lucinia. "I suppose you must be some relation of the Sith student called Drascovina Malveaux."

Drascovina! Drascovina...! Thinking about the rapturous way Byron would pronounce those ridiculously spiky and overly-numerous syllables is almost vicariously embarrassing...

The aborted sentence earned a slight increase in smirk. "A Jedi Knight now. Well! How very good for him." She practically purred.

Slowly, she inclined her head. "And yes. I am Drascovina's older sister. She's actually here, you know. You could meet her, if you wanted."

Tilting her head, she regarded Tethys, still smirking, but through narrowed eyes. "What would you think of that? You could communicate your approval back to Brian. I suspect he'd very much appreciate that."

So the marvelous, ethereal, perfect Drascovina... has a sister. And presumably also parents. Aunts, uncles, cousins? What a strange thought. Are they all this pale, too, I wonder?

"Byron," Tethys corrects Lucinia automatically in a neutral tone, even though this is obviously bait. "Your sister is--" she blinks. "Here? On Hoth? Byron didn't mention... but no," her voice softens, "how could he? We haven't had comms since the shipwreck."

She shifts her tea to her other hand and makes herself take a sip. "Hm. Is she, ah... well?" Other than being stuck here like the rest of them, apparently.

"Byron. Whatever." Lucinia flashed grin, and her hand crept towards her mouth... but no laugh came. Not yet.

"She is well. As well as any of us." Lucinia acknowledged with a nod. "Although really, perhaps you should ask her yourself."

Her red lips pressed together, some of her edged humor vanishing. "Ah... so you haven't heard from him, then? I see." A moment passed, Luci's brow creasing. "We should like to know if you do. I think they should talk."

Tethys shakes her head slightly, reacting naturally to the first thing Lucinia has said to her like one normal person speaking to another normal person. "No. The last message I had from him was a few weeks before the Hoth departure. I'm not sure where he'll be now. I know the two of them talk... ah, probably oftener than he records messages to me, I am sorry to say."

Her brows draw together a bit. "I've wondered for many years if I'd ever actually meet your sister, you know."