[Day 6 - Late Evening] Nightcap

[Riss]

"Tell me what you want or don't," she says, that cutting-off tone to her voice as her hand leaves Aurilie's shoulder so that she can flag down the bartender. Poking at the top of the counter she gives a signal for what she wants to a familiar tender and settles her hands down in front of her. Staring forward as she adds, "what I need is a drink."

[Zeno Thul]

"I want to know everything I can about him. Who he associates with, where he frequents, what speeder he uses to get there. Anything that can help lead to the worms trying to incite civil war," he says. "Because that's what needs to be stopped at all costs."

[Riss]

"At all costs, all costs.. no, not all costs," she says, grabbing her drink from the tender she sets it down on the counter. Hands laid flat on either side of it, "Just.. humor me. What do you plan to do if you find him, mm?"

[Zeno Thul]

"Me? I won't do anything personally. Honestly, I'm predisposed to getting the information to Republic agents that I know are looking," he says with a shrug. "The 'at all costs' was more a figure of speech to imply the direness of the situation. This is my world and I will protect it to the best of my ability, but I'm not a criminal. Just morally questionable at times."

[Riss]

"You're not selling me hard on the idea that I should trust you with anything. Good thing I barely have anything I could give you. So when I tell you, you're asking the wrong girl? It's two-fold," she says, taking her drink into hand she puts the glass to her lips and doesn't pull away until the liquids gone.

"You throw out a threat, say it's not a threat. Say at all costs, say it's just a figure of speech, I'm finding this all just about as shady as I always expected a Thul would be so, I'll figure out how to best help Alderaan on my terms. Not yours," she groans a bit as she pushes herself up onto her feet, off the stool. Stepping around next to Aurilie she leans in and gives her a kiss on the cheek, "I'm gonna go take a walk, okay?" she says softly, waiting for confirmation, and then would depart.

[Zeno Thul]

"I'm honestly trying to work with you. It's up to you if you want to be a cynic and only read negativity from a situation. You came to me originally because you saw something other than your prejudice, and I followed through. Now you want to avoid me over some word choices even after I helped you out," he says, with a shrug. "I've got my integrity even if you can't see it over the chip on your shoulder."

[Aurilie Alde]

"Of course..." She would say after the kiss from Riss and glanced to watch her go. While she would like to think that cooler heads would prevail in such a situation, Riss had been through a lot and she wasn't going to wrangle her back to the negotiation bar when a walk would likely do her more good.

"...I'd consider this a recess from the negotiation for now..." She said after a sigh. "Despite what it may look like, I'm sure she has the perspective, just a decision needs to be made and likely on her own terms."

[Riss]

Riss- half walking away does call back over her shoulder, hand coming up to help her voice project, "It's the Empire at your back that's got me worried," and in an effort to get further away faster slips between two folk whom are chatting. Glancing to one, giving his tie a little cleanup. Passing the other a smile, and then disappearing into the surrounding people before she would certainly make her way for the door to get those steps in.

Riss leaves.

[Zeno Thul]

"She's as selfish as I used to be," Zeno says with a shrug. "Keeping her family a secret, asking for a favor, agreeing to help me out with the issue around Thul, then backing out of it after I fulfill my end. Her word is worth nothing and she just proved it."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie took a slow sip of her brandy before setting it down and placing her hands together. "I'm a bit surprised that she was willing to talk something out with House Thul, given her previous history and recent circumstances. You have to understand that these scars run deep. She wasn't directly involved with the choices of her House but it doesn't change the fact that she lost her family. On top of a few surrounding associations too, as she just pointed out...She was willing to meet up to work out something, I'm sure."

[Zeno Thul]

"That is something for her to deal with on her own then. Understandable, but it doesn't change the immediate threat to peace on Alderaan. I don't hold a personal grudge against Lanar. For me it was just another conflict in a life full of it. I've lost plenty of family myself to Republic forces, but I don't hesitate to work with them when it helps my family and home. Being stuck in the past doesn't make a better future." He takes another drink from his glass.

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie found herself glancing back in the direction where Riss walked off to. "...She's not stuck in the past, far from it. I'd say that this has far more to do with her future than some petty grudge to what happened to her House years ago. If that was actually the case, she would do far worse than playing volleyball and having drinks."

She sighed. "Personally, I think it would be better to know the particulars with Bryson and all options of his fate with guarantees even. Leaving this to the devices of a larger body leaves a lot of uncertainties."

[Zeno Thul]

"I don't have the authority to pardon or prosecute. And if I'm asking the question, then you know others are looking. At this point the man's fate is not in my hands, and he has used false evidence to implicate my house, so I'm not keen on a pardoning option. But the more she delays the more likely he'll be seen as a loose end by conspirators or get picked up by someone unscrupulous. Jail for falsifying evidence seems preferable to dead for running with the wrong crowd," Zeno replies. "Not turning him in or pointing out his accomplices is more life threatening to him than protecting him, and risks drawing her in as an accomplice."

[Aurilie Alde]

"No, I didn't think so," she said with a faint frown. "I wasn't thinking that there was the possibility of letting him off entirely once official channels are involved. Perhaps she was hoping for options, I can't say for sure. I know I was hoping there would be more options, at least. However, I refuse to believe that she's doing this as a sort of collaboration to sabotage Alderaan."

[Zeno Thul]

"I don't think she is either. But when you protect a criminal, sometimes the law throws the book at you too. People who have only been looking out for family and friends have been charged in the past. I'm saying I don't want that to happen. With investigations, options tend to get worse rather than better with time. Who knows... if he were to turn witness against those that put him up to the stuff he did it might work out better for him."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie frowned softly at that and nodded before picking up her glass again to take a good sip. "That was one of the options I did suggest earlier but that's something that doesn't exactly have many guarantees attached to it either. I think Riss has already spent more than a few occasions going by just chance alone and it hasn't been kind to her so far. So, I can understand how something like this might sound dubious." Perhaps twice as much coming from a Thul, too.

[Zeno Thul]

"There are no good choices for him. And like I said, the longer she waits the worse they'll get. He's already guaranteed he'll end up hunted, in prison or killed by someone by doing what he's done. He's either profoundly misguided or intentionally destructive as an individual, either of which only serves to hurt those around him. Some may believe that his house is at fault, which potentially could lead to war. What kind of person intentionally takes actions that threaten to bring war to his own doorstep during a time of peace? Imperials, Sith and Mandalorians do and they are vilified for it in these parts."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie had to admit to herself if it were anyone else, she had likely favour Zeno's side. Her sentiment might have been a little skewed at the moment. "I do agree that expediency is everything here. Perhaps in some small way, the Festival has provided some spectacle to distract a few people. I imagine that once it clears, everything will be made obvious to even our guests or more likely, it will be far too late. I've already made the urgency of the matter clear to Miss Riss and I have confidence that won't linger any longer than it needs to."

[Zeno Thul]

"I hope not. You can probably get through to her better than I can," he says. "But it's not unheard of that a Lanar turns on a Thul. Even if she wasn't part of that decision, it seems like she doesn't care to be different than those that made it. And the truth of the matter is that I still would have helped even if I knew her family. That's all in the past."

[Aurilie Alde]

Aurilie found herself frowning faintly at the mention of it being in the past, she didn't seem so convinced. She did glance back at the direction to where Riss departed, now starting to wonder if she was supposed to keep negotiations on the table or she was supposed to cover her escape. Picking up her glass, she finished the contents of it and asked for another.

She let out a small breath before speaking again. "So, while you wait for Miss Riss to provide you with a response...I hope you've been finding the festivities to your liking? I know that you mentioned that you're unused to the celebrations. There is also the matter with the arrangements too with the twins, of course."