Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

Curiously, there was a tent in the snows just ouside Varas Point Beach. Perched on a little hill and adorned with the Czerka logo, the small dwelling housed one Imperial citizen.

A square sign hammered into the ground nearby proclaimed 'Czerka Beach Studies Unit - Do not Disturb' and it was near that sign that Jan, dressed in her usual dress but with some Czerka brand heated stocking was lying. A huge scope was pressed to one eye as she swept her gave back and forth across the shield and the beach.

Outside - Cold.

Inside - Warmth.

Outside - The poor and unfortunate & her

Inside - The Sith, laughing it up with their sandy sand.

Her hands tighten slightly on the scope.

"We will fight them on the beaches!"

Lucinia was not often one to visit the beach; she usually had enough of sand during her visits to Korriban. On the other hand, the cold was going rather impressive. More than that, though, was curiosity. The idea of using repulsor technology to create a beach on a cold planet like Ziost was something she had to see.

How to dress for the beach was an interesting question. No doubt a swimsuit of some sort would be required. But there would still be the walk from the estate to the speeder, no matter how close the driver brought it to the door. Besides, the estate itself was far too cold for wearing a swimsuit. And so she sat in the backseat of the speeder, fully wrapped in thermal cloak for her trip to the beach.

Almost there, Lucinia suddenly sat up. What the...? "Pull over there." She pointed. The driver complied at once. Well, she'd wanted to see curiosities. This qualified.

Lucinia stepped out of the speeder, pulling her thermal cloak more tightly around herself. Frowning, she marched up the little hill. "Excuse me." She called, frowning. "Whatever are you doing?"

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:Snip

"Hmmmm?"

Jan swivels, her huge scope now pointing at Lucinia and giving a fascinating insight into the Sith's pores.

"Madame."
She points at the sign

"This is a research institute."

Frowning, Lucinia crossed her arms over her chest. In her layers, it look her rather like a large bundle of cloth. "This is a tent." She said. "It is not even a particularly large tent." She turned her gaze on the scope. "And you seem to be looking at the beach."

One thin eyebrow arched dramatically. "What sort of research are you claiming to be doing? Anthropological, I suppose?"

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:Frowning, Lucinia crossed her arms over her chest. In her layers, it look her rather like a large bundle of cloth. "This is a tent." She said. "It is not even a particularly large tent." She turned her gaze on the scope. "And you seem to be looking at the beach."

One thin eyebrow arched dramatically. "What sort of research are you claiming to be doing? Anthropological, I suppose?"

"Well the size of tent is largely unrelated to the quality of the fieldwork....and a tent can be a research institute if it has a sign."
She rolls her scope before collapsing it down and giving the bundled up Sith a look.

"It's an....anthropological, geological, electromangentical cross study of the inter-play between beaches, climate and happiness."
Eyeing Lucinia

"For instance, you would be somebody who can go to the beach, while I am someone who currently cannot."

Jan Melmoar wrote:"Well the size of tent is largely unrelated to the quality of the fieldwork....and a tent can be a research institute if it has a sign."
She rolls her scope before collapsing it down and giving the bundled up Sith a look.

"It's an....anthropological, geological, electromangentical cross study of the inter-play between beaches, climate and happiness."
Eyeing Lucinia

"For instance, you would be somebody who can go to the beach, while I am someone who currently cannot."

"Oh, is that what it takes? A sign?" Lucinia smirked. "I think it takes rather more than that. Funding, for instance."

The skeptical eyebrow went back up as Jan listed the various disciplines. "How fascinating." She said, her tone falsely enthusiastic. "I can't wait to read the paper. But you're right. As Lucinia Malveaux of House Malveaux, if it pleases me, I can visit the beach." She tilted her head slightly. "And who am I addressing?"

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:Snip

"Funding is my middle name!"

At the mention of 'House Malveaux' Jan's face warps into a very broad and friendly smile and she extends a hand....while still prone some distance away.

"Wonderful to meet you Lucinia of House Malveau, I'm Jan Melmoar....the representative and researcher from Czerka Corp."
At the mention of 'Czerka Corp' the tent starts playing the traditional Czerka business jingle.

"Buy Czerka, if you want it well.
Buy Czerka, because it's so swell.
Buy Czerka, send your enemies to hell.
Buy Czerka!"

Frowning, Lucinia took a few awkward steps closer to that extended hand. One booted foot hit ice, and she almost fell, arms coming up to maintain her balance. Narrowing her eyes, she glared suspiciously at the other woman, as though she blamed her for causing her to slip.

But it was only for a moment. "Czerka, you say?" Lucinia's eyebrows went up; both of them, this time. "So you may actually do research. I mean, not now, of course." She smirked, waving a hand at the tent. "But some of the research Czerka does, well..." Lucinia's lips curled upwards. "Your company does have a reputation."

She tilted her head. "Is there anything you're working on here? If you tell me, I might be inclined to be friendly." Lucinia's alto voice was almost a purr.

The cold bothered him. Even with fur, the Cathar species evolved on a savannah-like planet, and even when he grew up on Ord Mantell, it was usually a lot warmer than this. Why in the kiltik-infested wastes would Jan even want to be on the beach in the middle of the snow? After the headache of getting cleared by the bureaucracy that morning he'd just gone along with it; maybe get a good lunch, or kick up his feet in whatever passed for a Czerka branch office... Sure, the promise of artificially created warmth was fine, but for now while Jan was doing her "research", Rax had been standing near her "sign", rubbing his forehead. He just had a mildy stern look, rubbing his arms for warmth as Lucinia came up to investigate. For now he was content to watch things going on, muttering to himself in Cathar about contracts and getting them in writing so he knows full well what kind of insanity he's getting himself into in the future.

Lucinia had been doing her best not to look at the Cathar; that was the proper noble thing to do, after all.

Still, curiosity was a thing, especially for her. She shot him a quick sidelong glance. "And the Cathar is your research assistant, I suppose?" She asked Jan, although it was certainly loud enough for the Cathar to overhear.

Rax let out a chuckle and dark smirk, blue eyes looking over the white-skinned Sith. "Of a sort," he commented, sure that she'd ignore him. "I'm making sure she stays out of trouble."

Rax Nam wrote:Rax let out a chuckle and dark smirk, blue eyes looking over the white-skinned Sith. "Of a sort," he commented, sure that she'd ignore him. "I'm making sure she stays out of trouble."

"Hmmm..." Lucinia turned her green-eyed gaze on the Cathar. Her eyes narrowed, but there was a touch of amusement in her wintry smile. "And just how successful have you been, Cathar?"

His eyes flitted over to hers, still unflappable. He was used to the disapproving gazes already. "Mmm, well, she is not dead, yes?" he said with a wry smirk. "I would say I am doing well then."

"Now now, Rex has been wonderful. Not enthusiastic, but wonderful."

Beaming at Lucinia's mention of Czerka and clearly taking it as a full compliment

"Oh yes, Czerka's reputation as a tough but fair corporation specializing in personal defence and protection is well known!....We also conduct beach research, that is a thing we sometimes do."
Again she points at the sign...I mean, she had a sign, this was clearly official and everything.

"As for working on....well I have people for that, we're making some wonderful advances in the field of handheld munitions....and beaches. But I am primarily here to lend aid and advice to those planning to compete for the Dark Council....and Rex is my local....partner."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Now now, miss," he protested with the typical Cathar purr to his voice. "I am as enthusiastic as the time needs. If I go any more, many peoples seem to see it as aggression."

He gave a grin to Lucina at Jan's statement however; he didn't bother correcting anything, as it just seemed fun to him to mess with the locals. Let the Sith interpret it however she wanted.

"Local partner?" Lucinia echoed. She looked at Jan. Then at Rax. Back to Jan. Rax once more. "How interesting." She said, one eyebrow going up. It had been a curious pause, and the Cathar's grin was curious as well.

She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts, her blonde hair swirling about. "What do you mean 'beach research'? It seems to me that you're just watching people in their swimwear. Warm. Having a good time." She smiled. "That does sound pleasant. I can hardly wait." Her tone grew decidedly teasing.

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:"Local partner?" Lucinia echoed. She looked at Jan. Then at Rax. Back to Jan. Rax once more. "How interesting." She said, one eyebrow going up. It had been a curious pause, and the Cathar's grin was curious as well.

She shook her head, dismissing the thoughts, her blonde hair swirling about. "What do you mean 'beach research'? It seems to me that you're just watching people in their swimwear. Warm. Having a good time." She smiled. "That does sound pleasant. I can hardly wait." Her tone grew decidedly teasing.

Jan doesn't fully mask a glare at such beach supremacist attitude.

"One day I shall lie upon that beach in comfort! One day I shall feel the sandy sand and the warmy warmth so denied to me!

You are more than welcome to enjoy that beach madame, as is your right. But one day I shall sit upon it, you having kept the sand warm for me!"

That was more or less the reaction Lucinia wanted. "Oooohohohoho!" She laughed, one gloved hand coming up to the corner of her mouth. It did nothing to disguise the peals of slightly mocking laughter.

She smiled down at Jan. "Well, perhaps when I am there, I shall wave to you. Like this." Raising one hand, she gave a little wriggle of her fingers. "And you can admire my fashionable swimwear."

Her lips pursed, amused. "Although, I believe Sith are allowed to bring guests. If they are so inclined."

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:That was more or less the reaction Lucinia wanted. "Oooohohohoho!" She laughed, one gloved hand coming up to the corner of her mouth. It did nothing to disguise the peals of slightly mocking laughter.

She smiled down at Jan. "Well, perhaps when I am there, I shall wave to you. Like this." Raising one hand, she gave a little wriggle of her fingers. "And you can admire my fashionable swimwear."

Her lips pursed, amused. "Although, I believe Sith are allowed to bring guests. If they are so inclined."

"......"

Jan's cheek twitched....no...no the Sith had to be playing with her, using the beach as part of the cruel dark side game.

...It was visibly painful for her not to ask for beach access.

"I only admire Czerka brand swimwear madame...part of the contract."
She looked from Lucinia to the distant beach and back, sighing.

Rax wasn't surprised that Jan was being played with. He didn't want to embarrass her by starting a fight though so he just sighed a bit as well. Since Jan seemed to not want to ask to play the Sith's game, he couldn't really bring himself to either, in case she was looking to debase them both.