The Dark Academy on Korriban

That was a little too obvious a way to pretend empathy, dear.

"Certainly. But they have been successfully playing both sides for years to preserve their ridiculous lifestyle."

She remarked, quelling revulsion welling up.

"There are always those who would seek to leech off of the powerful when they are fighting. The Republic has left them alone to suck out their lifeblood for many generations. It makes disposing of the fattened slugs a bit more difficult, but ultimately not impossible given time."

"And dedication. There's no certainty that the Empire would not accept the same complacency, weighing costs and benefits. All men are corruptible."

"Their ways do have appeal. The Empire needs to make sure it is not developing the same dependency that the Republic has. Ultimately succumbing to such vice is a weakness. One that when purged, could lead to a better Empire and galaxy."

He chuckled, "But I wane philosophical. "

"There's a non-philosophical solution too. An Imperial commander with enough firepower and not enough shit to give."

Moyr mused, resuming eating.

He chuckled, "That might work too, but it would weaken the forces of whoever tried it significantly. Unfortunately the fat slugs are not so easily boiled."

He took another bite, "You seem to dislike the hutts a great deal."

"A succinct observation, Syl. I don't know, maybe what they have been doing on Ryloth to girls below my age is a factor?"

She raised her tattooed-on brow.

"Or my rage against their fashion crimes, most notably the brass brasserie fetish."

He smiled a reserved smile, for despite the joke it was not a humorous subject. "I could definitely see why one would hate those. Though you must have to put yourself through an ordeal to get in and out of your clothing every day. Perhaps some of their sadism spilled over onto your fashion sense."

"If you want to believe that's the reason."

She chuckled, then took a sip of wine that came with the dinner.

"I actually like when people make superficial assumptions about me."

He chuckled, "I know better than most the advantages of making others underestimate you. Quite useful most of the time, though it unfortunately has the side-effect of making it difficult when you do want people to find you impressive." He said with a wink.

"There are ways to come around of even that."

She smiled sweetly, her tails' endings plaiting on her cleavage.

He smiled suggestively, "If one is given the opportunity that is."

"But of course."

She returned the smile.

"Though death is when opportunities run out. Before that, even unlikely can happen. In the galaxy as big as ours things one-in-a-million happen daily somewhere out there."

"None of us are promised tomorrow." He said with a smile.

Then with a bit more charm he asked, "And what would you say the chances of us having a romantic endeavor would be?"

She considered pretending to be flabbergasted at his audacity but decided against it and just pout-smirked.

"Define endeavour."

He chuckled, "A mutually fulfilling exchange that lasts as long as it remains such."

"Exchange? Feels like a transaction. Are you trying to but me with some strange coin, young master Torsin?"

She returned the chuckle.

He chuckled, "Doesn't need to be coins that are exchanged."

He winked, "But to say any more probably wouldn't be appropriate in a public setting. In private, however, I'd be more willing to divulge the nature of the agreement."

"Shady businessman, I see."

She made a cute pout of disbelief, but then her expression turned serious.

"Partnership, Syl. I hold only so much interest in casual dalliances. And for that to be romantic, you have to figure out what the word can mean beyond being a linguistic simulacrum denoting transacting fluids."

She pushed the chair away from the table with her fingertips.

"I hope you enjoyed the meal. I think I will now leave you with that food for thought."

He bowed his head nobly as she stood up and gave her terms, "I wouldn't have it any other way Moyr. Truly, thank you for the food. I hope I haven't offended you with my simple teasing."

"We both like teasing, Syl."

She sent him a silent kiss right off that cute pout, then turned around and walked away, raising her hand to wave as she was departing. Her hips' motion was a final corroboration of her last words that evening.

/exit

He smiled as she walked away.

Unwieldy that one is... I think I like her.

He chuckled as he finished his meal in solitude.

/scene