Alderaan - Love and Intrigue

Gil considered himself on duty often, but that didn't mean he was always on duty, now was a perfect example. While one of the Rist's in attendance may be up to Something there were still plenty of time for him to take an hour or two to enjoy the festivities as well as a meal and leave them in the hands of the Royal guards.

Winding his way through the busy fair grounds he stopped by stalls to browse a bit and occasionally pick up something to munch on. Fair food would mean he'd have to spend more time on mornign PT, but it was good to splurge every now and then.

"Hello Gil, how have you been?" Kellen looked sharp in his custom tailored jacket. Obviously the Professorship paid quite well.

"I hope none of my cousins have been giving you too much trouble?" He smirked and had a look at the stalls offerings. Tasty morsels by the dozen it seemed.

"Never any problems Lord Rist." Gil replied as he turned and offered a nod of greetings to the other man. "At least nothing that's not easily smoothed over." Even if it sometimes took a boot or three to someone's face.

"Come back home from work for the party then?" Maybe he was plannign to get married?

"Glad to hear it." He extended a hand. "And it's good to see a familiar face. Yes, indeed! My aunt wished for me to be here." He gestured around. "So here I am."

Some fried spicy pork caught his eye. "One of the perks of my job is that I can get away with doing it from just about anywhere. So I'm taking the opportunity to examine some artifacts that were found here during the recent fighting." That was probably the last time they had seen each other, Kellen having come home to fight for House Rist.

Gil took the offered hand and shook it, thoguh it wasn't nessacarily something he did on the regular. "Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at that. "Is she hoping for a certain outcome? Or do you think she just wanted to give you a bit of a breather?"

"Well, work and vacation then at the very least." Gil added pickign up some of the spicy pork for himelf, may as well after all.

A considered pause. "Hmm, I think she'll be happy as long as Rist comes out of this well. If she ends up with more ties to Royalty all the better."

He tucked into some pork too. "It's quite nice to have some time at home where I'm not having to shoot anyone. Actually I've stumbled onto some nasty business already. Someone stole one of the artifacts from the Alde Museum. I'm going to help track it down, well hopefully!"

That was enough answer for Gil and he nodded and offered a single word. "Luck."

"Shooting people is a nice change of pace from hitting people with a stun baton, but I can understand the sentiment." Gill mused, perhaps a try at humor? "A theft you said though, will you be requiring my assistance?" He wasn't much of a detective but sometime a good kick could get you some of the info you needed.

Kellen chuckled at the joke (or honest job evaluation). After another mouthful of spicy pork he nodded. "Early days yet, and I'm not sure where it is all leading at this point, but I would certainly appreciate your assistance. There are very likely to be some situations that require your special set of skills."

"Thieves aren't usually the type to give something back without a bit of proper encouragement." Gil agreed, the edge of his lips twitchign up for a moment. "so do feel free to let me know."

Takign a bit of his own meal he glanced around. "Is this the type of work you usually get into when off planet hopping for your studies? Or is this the side projects between lectures and grading papers?" He asked after he finished chewing.

Nodding his thanks Kellen took his turn eating as Gil asked his question. He chewed thoughtfully.

"Not often, but it has happened before. Usually I spend my time researching new finds, or studying old forgotten artifacts that everyone else missed. Or I'll work on a dig and unearth things for myself. Sometimes though, well, there are plenty of beings out there who like to own pieces of history for themselves." He waved vaguely around. "They want something unique for their hallway to show off to their friends. Throw in the Sith and Jedi and *their* love of running off with ancient Lore." Kellen sighed and sipped at his water.

"Sometimes being an Archaeologist is more about rescuing artifacts from idiots than learning from the past."

"The way you say it makes me think people have just gotten more idiotic as time goes by." Gil mused, thoguht honestly he liked to think people had always been idiots and the only thing that changed was the locations and technology.

"sounds like you don't tend to get boared though, with all that digging and researchign and stuff." Not quite his cu of tea, but at least he understood how someone could find it interesting.

"Hah. Yes, sometimes I do. People are capable of convincing themselves of the stupidest things one can imagine. And yet some achieve great feats of imagination, engineering, and wonder." He sipped his water.

"You are right my friend. I rarely get bored these days. Not now that I can tell the administration a rather firm No and get away with it." With a chuckle he returned to his pork. After finishing a mouthful he gestured around.

"Are you enjoying all of this? The festival?"

"Well you only need to be in the military for a few weeks to learn that. I suppose you do make a good point about what people can do though, when they wish to." He added with a slight smirk.

"It is good to hear your words are starting to carry a bit more weight though." It really was.

"As for the festival? So far, though I admit I'll be able to tell you more after I see just how many beautiful women are here to try and marry the prince."

Kellen smiled at that. "No shortage that I've seen my friend. And only one will win his hand. So, many eligible ladies to meet." He took another mouthful, almost finished now.

"What shall we try next? Did anything catch your eye amongst the stalls?"

"I'm not to picky when it comes to food, being this is a festival and all though I think it's time for somethign fried?" All the best faire foods were fried after all, at least supposedly.

"I think I saw a stall doing some fried meatpies over there." HE gestured towards the east. "If you're game at least."

"Fried meat pies? My arteries can take it. I might have to ask you for a sparring session later though Gil. 30 year old me can't pack in as much food as 25 year old me could without a couple of hours hard exercise." He grinned and followed Gil's lead.

"Sure, I'm sure he can set something up at least as long as we can find the space for it." He smirked slightly and shook his head. "Hopefully old age hasn't slowed down your punches as much as your metabolism."

Keplen was about to provide a witty comeback but decided to take the whip gracefully instead. He laughed. "I suppose we'll see. I'm probably a bit rusty, it's been a while since I last punched someone in earnest. Most of my last tour was blasting things with a blaster rifle."

"Not a bad thing." Gil repleid as they arrived at the stall and he ordered a pair of the fried pies. "Means it's peaceful if you're not havign to punch people in the face. Or at the very least that you learned some restraint."

"And all that shooting is practice of another time, and just means things didn't get too nasty, when you're in close and..." He shook his head. "Well you know."