[D2 EE] Preparing for Battle

[Zeno Thul]

In just a few hours he would be charging into the killik's den. And he needed to prepare for that. So he sat with his girls and talked about everything they did that day.

He didn't expect it would actually result in his death... but if it did he wanted to have one more moment with them.

Kasha was explaining a craft booth they had visited in the fair grounds. "... and then we put glitter stars on it. It's got you and mommy on it. Opila drew mommy and I drew you."

Opila held the piece of heavy craft paper up to him smiling. "It's for you, daddy."

He took the drawing and smiled at it. "It's beautiful. I'll hang it up in my study as soon as I can. But until I get the chance I want you to keep it safe for me, okay?"

Nodding and then taking it back to keep it safe, Opila nodded to him. "Okay, I will."

[Nudimsu]

Nudimsu had taken some time here, staring at the garden and the flowers. It was joyful, relaxing and quaint. With the afternoon the way it was, to walk along here again without the crowds was enjoyable. Serene, even. Nothing to abstract his view of everything, but merely the peaceful life around him. Of course, he found his way into a the courtyard along the way where a Sith of all things was playing with what could logically be seen as his spawn. As he walked thru the side of the garden, he nodded his head politely at the two as he crossed. He was not one to make waves where he could, after all. All he said with a nod was. "Good evening. Rather enjoyed your poem this afternoon." He paused and stared at him.

Whether or not he was serious was not immediate apparent on his face. It was a simple look, staring at his face, reading the temperature of him and the spawn.

[Zeno Thul]

The twin girls look at the newcomer and are quiet, but not seemingly scared or bashful. Just kind of observing for now.

"I appreciate that. It wasn't all that good, but if some appreciated it then it did it's job," he replied. He couldn't quite place the voice but he thought it sounded familiar.

[Nudimsu]

"It had solid rhythm to it and, although I could care less for the subject matter, it was still had the proper flow and consistency of a good poem. Not to mention it had some surprisingly well thought out mental imagery. The metaphors you were using were well placed and allowed it to be visualized within ones head with little effort. That made it rather enjoyable to listen to." He looked at each of the spawns and stared back at each one of them for a moment, looking at them back with his deep red eyes. It was often hard to tell were his irises were during the whole matter, and where his gaze was focused. He didn't recognize the man all that much, himself. He hadn't met too many Sith outside his brief time serving in Ascendancy's Air Force, and the agreement with the Sith barred them from entering Csilla without express permission.

After that, maybe Nar Shaddaa or thru random trade contracts.

"Sorry, I did not mean to disturb your time with your family. Family is very important, after all. It was happenstance for me to across you, and I have been told I need to be more communicative with my thoughts sometimes."

[Zeno Thul]

"No worries. It's a public place and there's nothing wrong with meeting new people," he replied.

"This little one is Opila," he says, putting a hand on top of her head. But she moves away from his hand and checks to make sure he didn't mess up her hair.

"And this is Kasha," he continues, putting a hand on her back so he doesn't muss her hair, learning his lesson.

"And formally, I am Duke-Consort Zeno of house Thul. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

He looks to the girls and they greet him as well, in unison. "Good evening."

Zeno smiled then looks back up. "There were many good poems told. I cannot claim to know much about yours though. I recognized the language of your people but I don't actually understand it."

[Nudimsu]

"Prirnu'dim'suazzo. Or, Nudimsu for sure. A pleasure to meet you three." He does a polite nod, but nothing more formal than that. "Yes, Cheunh is a particular difficult language to grasp for those without the proper means to speak it. I have heard it takes many years for humans to start to grasp the words, but they would never be able to speak. Not for a lack of trying or intelligence, but they lack the proper voice to hit the tone of the words, which are critical to the meanings of the words."

He spoke those words with a bit of pride in his voice. "I wouldn't worry too much about my poem, though. It meant something to me to write the words and speak them. If others enjoyed it, I am glad for them. Though, it did make me realize how little I focus on my hobbies nowadays. Poetry not being one of them; would probably explain my stress of late. I imagine such things must be hard for you with these two around. I understand that, even with nobility, the responsibilities of parenthood are rather time consuming."

[Zeno Thul]

"I find time for hobbies, but I usually spend a lot of time with my gems," he says, pulling them into a hug. "They are everything to me, and if I'm bad at poetry because I spend time with them, that's a skill I can gladly do without."

[Nudimsu]

He watched the hug with a long pause. Not that he wasn't hugged before by his family, in rare private moments, but the Sith were not particularly that fond of tenderness. They were ruthless and proficient in everything they did, which is good, but that emotional baggage that came with it was just too much for him. Something about their powers caused them to need to lean on 'negative emotions' or something. It was something he had heard in passing, while preparing for his trip. Maybe living on this planet for too long has warped his sense of being as a Sith. It was a fear he had already started to deal with himself. Slowly turning from who he was when he left into who he was now. Leaving what made him Chiss and becoming more like the other, smaller races. Maybe it was the effect of the "peaceful" aspects of this planet that got to him. Which means wrapping up this mission getting out of here before prolonged exposure occurred was the wisest course of action for Nudimsu.

' "Family, as I said, is very important. Hopefully they one day fully comprehend how lucky they are to spend time with you; poetry be damned for their sake." He stood there thought. He sat there and thought if there was more to speak on. The matter of curiosity had been settled and he spoke his mind. However, he did not seem to immediately wish to return to being alone, and there was some sort of social obligation to maintain conversations a bit longer. Had to think of something. "Has the festival treated you well? It is a curious one to see. A week celebrating a emotion; everything shutting down just to put on this pageantry. Not to dismiss this planet's culture, but the meaning is lost on me, beyond the more significant aspects at play here in this particular celebration."

[Zeno Thul]

"It's a ridiculous over celebration. But it is a tradition, and it serves many purposes. It improves morale of the people, promotes improved birth rates, and is a great opportunity for the nobles houses to politic and form marriage alliances." Zeno seems to be neutral on the idea of the holiday itself.

"Are there any major celebrations of comparable size on your homeworld?"

[Nudimsu]

At last, someone who could explain this damned thing in understandable terms.

He nodded his head and actually smiled at this explanation. "Thank you, Duke Zeno. Durasay has spent some time trying to explain this to me, but could never properly do so in a way I felt satisfactory. To answer your question, our people have no such things here by comparison. Time taken away to celebrate would take time away from our Duty. Not to say we do not have them at all, of course, as we celebrate the victories in our House as well well as our marriages. They are mostly kept within the Houses involved only, however. Nothing is celebrated across the Ascendency in such a way that would take up the time of everyone. It would be a insult to the Duty of those who must be vigilant and dutiful in their tasks that they can be pulled away for a week from it and expect nothing could go wrong without them there."

He looked out into nothing thoughtfully, running the numbers in his head about the potential population boom on this planet after a week promoting the act of copulation. Assuming, of course, they were all drunk and lacked the proper prophylactics. Lots of factors to consider for this. Was this how they maintained enough volunteers for their defense force? Many things to consider about this. Could be worthwhile to check the birth records of the previous year to confirm that they were...what was it, 9 months for a human? Sounds accurate.

"Is that how your children were concieved?" He turned to him, asking the question rather honestly. "No, I suppose not; you don't seem to be swayed by these sort of things."

[Zeno Thul]

"Their birthdays are near that period, but it's not because I felt sentimental about the holiday. We just made a plan for children that happened to line up. But I do understand the draw people feel for it in sentimental terms. It is tradition and creates experiences that leave behind pleasant memories," he says with a nod.

"Though as a former Sith I learned to feel everything more deeply. Passion is my strength. I love my family deeply, I hate my enemies with fervor. But my duty to my family and politics on Alderaan require a more considered approach than in my past."

[Nudimsu]

He listened and nodded. He may or may not have been honest with it, but it truly didn't matter. He was still more fascinated with the use of a holiday to sway emotions in such a way than anything than to worry about something like. Using lingering feelings of a mandated event to manipulate humans into certain acts. Whether procreation or purchasing something as a obligation to that event. Just fascinating to think about. Oh, and a social stigmatization for those who don't wish to do it. Putting pressure on them to act in accordance with things. This was rather ingenious; how could humans come up with this?.

Though, a interesting point. "The temperament of ones emotions are important, after all. My people are taught that at a early age to keep our feelings in check, as they often lead to brash and quite often destructive decisions. My being here was, of course, being such a event. Feelings can only get you so far, and to pull from them for strength is something I could not hope to rely on. Though I do not doubt your strength or the benefit of using them, it all sort of feels like some unreliable cosmic juggling event where you pull from different aspects of the same power and you never know which aspect you'll get. At least, that is what has been explained to me by a few people who use it somewhat regularly."

[Zeno Thul]

"The wider you can cast a net, the more likely you are to catch different types of fish. Then you can just choose those you like and toss the rest back."

[Nudimsu]

"It makes sense. Suppose more you work a muscle, the stronger it becomes could apply as well." He said. "Still, hard to rely on someone else when you're in a tight spot, much less a metaphysical power source." He paused and shrug. "Though, it seems to have worked out for you. Suppose you don't miss being out there in the Empire, then? Front lines, I assume. Suppose not, when you have such important things in front of you."

He looked on at him with a nod. "Well, I've already taken up much of your time. Maybe we will meet again while I am on planetside. You've given me something to occupy my brain with while I'm here, so the I'm not perpetually walking around in boredom, so you have my thanks. I owe you a small favor for this, should my exploration on this festival and its effects prove fruitful."

[Zeno Thul]

"Of course. It was a pleasure meeting you Prirnu'dim'suazzo," Zeno said with a nod. "I look forward to talking again if the opportunity arises. I hope it does."

The girls wave at him with small smiles. "Byyye."

[Nudimsu]

He had mispronounced his name, obviously, but he could leave it alone. He nodded his head at the two girls and gave a small smile and waved at them. They were rather cute, after all. "Until that time, then, should the Force or whatever will it."

Haven't even considered that part of my life yet. Finding a mate is too tiresome, though; who'd want to get bogged down with that, anyways?