((Aliso City, Hillview Hotel))
Kalen couldn't afford to stay at the fancy Flitz hotel up the hill because the price was too high since he wasn’t a 'member'. Member of what? He had no idea, it had all sounded mighty shady to him. His digs here at the Hillview suited him just fine, it was cheap, cleanish, and the owner had allowed him to keep the same room each time he completed or returned from a 'contract'.
He was relaxing on the small sofa in the corner of the hotel room when his commlink chirped.
'Hey, kid, you there?' It was the voice of one Furious' goons. Furious had been the cagefighter from the encounter at the spaceport the week before. He had met Furious the same day he had collected his first major bounty, bought a ship, and had gone out of a date with the daughter of the local tailor(Corra). That had also been just a few days before being inducted into the Brotherhood, as an associate of House Ventress.
'Yeah, hey, whats up?' He replied after retrieving his comm from his pocket.
'Oh you're there, great. Hey, Furious and I have gotta head off world tonight for some business. He's got 2 tickets to the Pinnacle Banquet at the main hall up the hill from you. Did you want em? They're the hottest tickets on the Aliso social scene this month.' His pals goon urged him.
Kalen raised his eyebrow and smiled. 'Yeah, for sure, I'll take em, thanks brother. Very generous of you...' he said, using the term "brother" colloquially as he had heard several others do over the past few months. It felt natural enough, and was in keeping with Jedi traditions to refer to someone that way.
Furious knew that Kalen was seeing his tailors daughter on the side. And to be honest, he was more interested in getting back at the tailor. Having one of his guys dating her almost made up for him overcharging Furios a few weeks ago on some alterations. And he had actually told his henchman to say, 'Have fun kid, but stay outta major trouble, I'll leave the tickets at the front desk for you...and this time....maybe bring her home before the suns up this time Mr. Romance' Furious could be heard bellowing in laughter as his goon closed the comm.
Kalen sighed....his friend hadn't been lying when he said he had 'eyes all over the city'. Regardless of his big friends ribbing, he immediately called Cora on her comm. 'Hey, do you have time to talk about those alterations?' He used the code they had came up with during their second date 3 nights ago.
"Yeah Kal, dads in the back right now, that dinner was so good the other night. Are you back already?' Cora said somewhat absently as she was sewing a complicated inseem as she spoke.
'Yeah, the courier job was a quick one. So, hey, got any plans for tonight? Apparently I got 2 tickets to the Pinnacle Ball tonight. Wanna be my date?'
'The Pinnacle Banquet you mean? You? Have tickets?....Yeah, Holy Sith, of course I want to go. Are you serious? Or are you playing with me Kal?' Cora rambled.
"I'm serious, apparently a friend doesn't need his tickets and gave them to me.' Kalen replied calmly, though he was quickly realizing maybe this Banquet was a bit of a big deal.
'Holy Sith! This is so cool, ok, ok, I'll come to your place to get changed right after work. The Pinnacle?....you and me this so awesome? Kk, gotta go, I have to figure out what I'm going to wear...see you in a couple hours. Kk bye.' Cora said speedily. For her, this was the most auspicious social event she had ever attended, and she realized it. For Kalen it would also be the biggest, and most important social event he had ever attended, but he had no idea yet.
((3 hours later))
After having a passionate 'dress up party' in his hotel room, Kalen and Cora got dressed into what they planned to wear to the Banquet. Cora wore a blue and gold flowing, ankle length dress with slits up both thighs and puffy shoulders. It had been a design of her own making, and she had last worn it a few years prior, to her cousins(the cobblers son) wedding.
Kalen wore the new generic but professional looking formal attire he had purchased from Corra's father the week before. It was a dark blue tunic with gray pants and a black belt. He planned to wear his shiny scale pattern Armourweave Cloak as an accessory, and for safety of course.
Corra scrunched her nose a bit as Kalen finished dressing and then looked to her for approval.
'Whats wrong dear?' He tried the "dear" honoric on Cora to guage her response as he was genuinely starting to fall for her.
'Ahhh, nothing, I dunno...it just seems kinna plain is all babe.' Cora replied as she walked over to him and straightened his cloak before kissing him.
'Well...should I wear my medals, and my pendant and my medallion then, ya think?' Kalen asked, not wanting to appear 'underdressed'.
'Uh, yeaaaaah, you're....like, taking me to a fancy banquet Kal. Of course you wear all your medals..." She gave him the 'gosh your naive' look that Kal was quickly getting used to.
((2 minutes later))
Now fully adorned with his 'medals' on. They were actually just carefully crafted, stamped circular and triangle shaped pieces of durasteel attached to red, blue, and green ribbons respectively. He wore them on his left beast. The pendant was actually his grandfathers Jedi Pendant and was 3 inches wide, and was worn on a chain around his neck. The small bronze coloured medallion which he had explained to Cora was called the 'Lifesavers Medallion', he wore pinned to his right breast. He had earned that last one by risking his life to rescue the crew of a downed shuttle during a storm back on their small colony in the other galaxy.
After hearing this Cora kissed him again, and before they jumped back in bed, Kalen mentioned he didn't want to be late and they gleefully departed.
((1 hour later))
After arriving and being allowed in at the front desk(Furious having dropped the tickets off himself), the 2 lovebirds grabbed some snacks and a few drinks. Kalen had noticed the tables all had assigned seating. After about 10 minutes of trying they were able to find their seats in the large hall full of banquet tables and people.
Corra was busy ooglin all the local underworld celebrities in attendance. Pro fighters, underbosses, pirate Captains, a Commander from the Ventress fleet, Colonels from the Asdendant Legion. Aside from the underworld types she recognized the Deputy Mayor of Aliso, financiers and a few famous diplomats in the room as well. She would look back on this evening years down the road and realize that this had been the night she had fallen in love with Kalen.
He was apparently the kind, optimistic, yet somehow rugged and mysterious 'bad boy' she had been looking for her entire adult life. He last relationship a year before, had beem with a smuggler who was later caught and was now rotting in a prison on Arx. It was obvious that Kalen was a good person. He also had these clear connections to the 'Brotherhood', and Clan Plaguies that owned the city, and she couldn't figure it all out, adding to the mystery about him. This and Kalens cute face and innocent naivety only made her more into him.
After finding their seats, at a table with the bounty broker/contractor Dath Kossir no less. They proceeded to make small talk and eventually sat down to eat. Kossir had heard about Kalen being 'inducted' and even offered him a lucrative contract doing VIP security work the following week. Kalen had graciously accepted the offer, it was a 4 day conference of bankers, financiers and politicians, and Kalen would be a guard for the House Ventress delegation.
Cora in the meantime had begun chatting up Kossirs date, both complimenting the other on their hairstyles and dresses. During dinner their had been speeches by several people up on the dais. At one point Kalen even had his name called along with 4 others, the speaker simply mentioned that they were -new members- and should be recognized. Kalen eventually stood, and gave a curt wave after Corra had slapped his arm and given him a -look-.
The person giving the speeches was the Deputy Proconsul of Clan Plagueis, Kossir had then explained. Kalen didn’t recall filing out any paperwork or joining anything called Clan Plagueis recently, only House Ventress, but he dismissed it at the time. The sour bubbly alcoholic beverages he and Corra had been drinking up until then likely played a factor in his nonchalant attitude.
After dinner and Kossir and Kalen went to the bar to refill everyone's drinks. As they neared the bar the 2 were stopped by 2 large human males and a Trandoshan. One said 'Are you Joss?'
Kalen felt a bit apprehensive but responded "Yes, can I help you?" He was getting ready to retreive his saber with one hand and his pistol with the other if neccesary. He had seen a bunch of gangster holovids in the last few months...he knew how this was going to go down. Or so he thought.
One of the human males reached out and handed Kalen a datalink pad. "Boss wants to see you tomorrow morning....and stop hanging out with this loser by the way.' He laughed as he glared at Kossir who scowled in return but didn't dare say a word in retort.
Kalen read the datalink after thanking the messengers. It didn't appear to be too serious, it looked like someone from House Ventress had reviewed the info he had given them about his past. They wanted him to come and 'test' for a few different jobs in the organization. Apparently, they had openings for 'gunboat flotilla leaders' and 'capital ship navigation officers' that they thought he would be ideal for. He put the datalink in his pocket, and headed back to the table with a fresh round of drinks.
((2 hours later))
After spending the rest of the banquet listening to speeches and dancing to high brow chamber music, the 2 smitten lovers had gone back to his hotel room again. As Corra was getting out of her formal attire, Kalen had simply sat on the sofa, staring at the datalink that the bosses goons had delivered. It was the biggest opportunity Kalen had been presented with since arriving in this galaxy. One offer would see him deploy with 'the fleet' for a 6 month tour on a Star Frigate. The other would see him in charge of a gunboat flotilla that operated as security for the Aliso system. He would 'command' the flotilla from the Pinnacle. Which meant he could come home to Corra every night after work. Well he could if they got their own place together that was. He usually didn’t do things on a whim, but Kalen decided to go with his gut this time.
"Hey hun...if I got a...you know, more permanent job...say here in Aliso City...would you...I dunno...want to maybe, move in together?" Kalen fumbled the words out of his mouth. He was a novice at this romance thing, but he couldn't help but -know- that Cora was the one for him.
"Sure, I'd love to babe...but you're going to have to speak to my father about it. You know how much he hates the idea of me dating...you know...someone like you or your friends....now turn the light off and come to bed." Cora growled at him playfully.
'Someone like him or his friends, why whatever does she mean?' Kalen thought to himself before Cora grabbed him and pulled himself onto the bed.