Social - The Cloud City Cantina 26.0 The Rise of Pullman (NEXT TRIVIA NIGHT: TBA) (2025)

Dardola's reckoning, part 1 (a combo with Lady B )

Dardola made his way through the university quadrangles, glancing at various alien species as he searched for Tia. Tia Graul, was not usually a pupil of this particular school, as she was enrolled in the most prestigious University on Coruscant, still aspiring to become Ambassador of Nubia meant taking political and historical courses on that particular world. The young senator approached a busy looking Ishi-Tib at the reception desk clearing his throat "excuse me, I'm looking for Tia, Tia Graul, would you know where she may happen to be""MISS Graul" the receptionist began sounding rather irritated the young man had called Tia by her fist name "should be finishing with her studies very shortly, try the Aquarium, Miss Graul is preparing for a very important exam on the marine life of Nubia" The receptionist seemed rather proud of this, as to suggest Nubia's ocean life was the best in the galaxy."Thank you ma'am" . Dardola soon found the aquarium after following signs to the general area. Tia was standing in front of a huge tank, watching various fish and sharks and sea mammals.Tia herself, pretended not to feel his prencence, and startled at his greeting."I didn't man to scare you" Dardola coloured and wraps his arms around her from behind, kissing her cheek.He then glanced at the tank "what are you watching?""Waiting for the Dralzak sea dragon, to come around again" Tia smiles, snuggling back into him, comfortably."Drazlak Sea Dragon?" Dardola was curious"mmhm, a typical Drazlak would eat a Sando Aqua Monster for breakfast" Dralzask did not seem to notice Tia's gleeful tone of power dynamics. But instead was more interested in showing public displays of affection, reaching down to kiss Tia's neck."Look, there he is!" Tia pointed, not responding to advances, again totally unnoticed by the Belassan native. The Dralzak was indeed a massive specimen of a creature,"There can be a whole nest of up to 50, imagine...the poor little fish that's lured there"But Dardola still wasn't listening, but was getting unusually aroused the more he smelled her skin.Finally she pulled away and looked at him, "listen babe, have you eaten?""no, it was a long session today, lots of waiting around too""good" she said grasping his hand with a smile "because I have a special dinner planned, it's time you officially meet my mom, and maybe if father's around have a catch up with him" she leaned up to kiss his cheek softly."I don't know...after...after what I did" he lowered his head.Tia squeeed his hand in reassurance "it will be fine, trust me..."She gazed at him, and this made him relent, "ok""exellent"

The ride to Nubian estate was quite away from the university but a pleasant one, on realising they were headed for the main Royal residence, Dardola began to get nervous, he had never been invited there before, but Tia her best to reassure him. On arrival, security checked the guest over, and once satisfied, allowed Tia and the senator continue. Tia gave him a quick tour of the many paintings and muriel's along the way in the cosy residence, Sharing Nubian culture as well as Graul history. Before long, they arrive at large double doors."Relax" Tia could sense his anxiety, "everything will be fine.They enter into a very large and comfortable sitting room."Dantius, please meet Bellorum, my mom"

Bellorum didn’t stand, instead she remained seated until Tia and the young man entered the sitting room for introductions. She warmly embraced her daughter, Bell had been totally opposed to Tia being alone with this sleemo during the ride over from school, so she wanted reassurance that her daughter had not been harmed in any way.

“Welcome to our home, Tia has told me so much about you,” Bellorum said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

“Please, have a seat,” she motioned to a nearby chair. Damned if she would have him sitting next to Tia.

There was a tea service sitting on the table beside Bell’s chair, she reached over and poured tea into cups. “I’d like to know more about your family,” she said while handing Dardola his cup.

Bell picked up Tia’s cup and nodded to Aryan’s chair to her right.

This evening was planned knowing that Aryan wouldn’t be home until much later, and it was agreed upon that this was a situation for Bellorum to handle.

The Dark Lady settled back in her chair to drink her tea while waiting on the man to speak.

Dantius momentarily froze, he was certainly intimidated by this Chiss lady., But did not want to show it in front of them, so he hastily approached the seat and sat down, and began to sweat behind his neck.Tia hugged her step-mother warmly before she sat in her father's seat and sipped the tea; "delicious as always" she primmed, setting the cup down,

Dantius, knew of Bellorum a little, and always admired her from afar, and now in her presence he wanted the chair he was sitting on to swallow him whole, her manner was polite, but something was...off"It is really nice to meet you Ma'am, Tia has told me so many things about you too, uh, Many wonderful things" his hand shook, making his cup rattle slightly. He steadied himself by setting his own cup down.See AlsoStar Wars Skeleton Crew Episodes 1 & 2: Breakdown and Easter EggsA brief history of the infamously terrible ‘Star Wars Holiday Special’Lego Star Wars 75290 - La Cantina De Mos Esley - 21 Minifigures -Neuf et scellé! • EUR 539,90The Galaxy's Edge Reference You Missed In Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Episode 6 - SlashFilm

"I come from a long line of Architects, some of Bellassa's finest, My Grandfather built the fine crystal dome, you may have heard of it? I was the first in my family to enter politics, it was overwhelming when I won the election"

"youngest ever" Tia interjects

Dantius blushes at this and cleared his throat "well, yes, but one mustn't boast"

It was now Dantius realised he was separated from Tia, Bellorum clearly wanted them apart, and this made him more on edge.

Bell’s eyes were fixed on the man while he spoke. She wasn’t asking questions to learn more about him, in fact within moments of Tia telling her about what had happened, Bell had a complete dossier on the fool. It was something. She felt that any responsible parent would do no matter the circumstances.

“Surely you have aspirations of higher office, or have you considered the direction you have in mind for your career long term?”

Dardola picked up his cup, taking a sip of tea to moisten his throat again, setting it down again, glancing at Tia before back at Bellorum, "I'm just happy serving my people, ma'am. It is the interests of Bellassa I am concerned with, I...I....really have no aspirations for anything higher, politics is purely about the people for me" he glances at Tia again, if only to escape the Pantoran's gaze "and I would like a long term future with Tia, she's my world" he smiled at her with adoration.

Tia herself made a bashful smile at this. It was all a ruse, you had your chance She thought inwardly to herself. Still, for the moment she had to play the dutiful, sweet girlfriend.

“I see,” the Dark Lady said softly, glancing over at Tia.

“How is your tea, Dardola?” Bellorum asked. “It’s a blend grown locally that I’m partial to,” she said while looking at the man over the rim of her own cup.

The fool probably had not realized that he was bringing drugged… yet. She’d used a paralytic toxin that would start out with numbness in his mouth, then throat…

Tia keeked at Bell with a small smile.

"It's delicious, you must be a tea connoisseur" he began to smack his lips and clear his throat. He began to feel hot, but whether this was due to nerves he could not tell. He drained the rest of the tea setting his the cup down again, once again clearing his throat

"is is hot in here or just me?" he glanced at Tia. "Everything seems normal to me, my love" she smiled, a twinkle in her eyes"do you want some more?" she glanced at Bell again "mom, is it hot in here?"

“No,” Bell answered. “Not at all.” She picked up the teapot and refilled the man’s cup. “You should drink up, clearly you have a dry throat,” she said, adding a subtle Force emphasis to make him drink.

Bell stretched out her hand, palm up, and an orb of flames appeared. The flames lovingly caressed her hand as they swirled and danced.

“My children have always loved this,” she said lazily and lobbed the orb of fire into the fireplace to create a blazing fire. “I believe that should make it a bit warmer in here, no?” She asked Tia.

Dardola's eyes widen at what he saw, Bellorum had conjured up fire from nowhere, and this was no mere trick, this was real flame. He had in his studies heard of Night Sisters, but these rumours said they were all but extinct. He wanted to run. Run fast. But his legs would not carry him, instead, he felt compelled to drink more of the tea, which only aided in making his mouth and throat even more dry than it was, causing him to cough,

"Indeed mother!" Tia said with a nod, sipping her own tea again. "Nice and cosy"She turned to the direction of Dardola "oh she is no night sister, beloved. She is far greater than that" her smile that formed was thin, cruel looking.

She read my thoughts! Dardola twitched, he was imagining all this surely, the flames, his girlfriend reading his mind. It had been a long day after all, he was tired. It was that or this was payback for his cheating ways. He cleared his throat again, unable to process his thoughts further, and took another sip.

Bellorum’s tea cup neatly lifted from her hands and with a slight flutter of her fingers, the cup settled itself on the tray.

She softly laughed over being called a Night Sister’ “You disappoint me, foolish boy,” Bell said and pointed to the cup in Dardola’s handcausing it to burst into shards.

It was a skill she kept mostly to herself, but there was something oddly satisfying about shattering things, and porcelain required almost no effort on her part.

“Let’s take him downstairs, Tia,” Bell said to her step-daughter. “Up we go,” she said and Dardola’s weakened body levitated as if a puppet.

Tia couldn't suppress her giggle as she crinkled her nose at the pathetic man now levitating in the air "good idea mother"

she approaches Dardola, tilting her head slightly, cupping his face "don't worry darling, The empress is renowned for being a great hostess"

with a smile she opens the parlour door, "you heard her, Senator, let's move"

"wh-where are you taking me?" Dardola murmers with dread

Bellorum ignored the question and walked to the back stairway, her captive dangled in the air behind her.

It was tempting to drop him down the stairs, but he wouldn’t suffer enough.

He would suffer for betraying Tia.

"this way, darling" Tia gestures with a small smile

"wait until the senate hear about this!" Dardola growls "Empress you are not only violating every treaty on the rights and protections of senators the galaxy over you are in fact declaring war on Bellassa itself! I beseech you to rethink before you make anymore mistakes!...The emperor! I demand to speak to Aryan, he will put a stop to this madness!"

“Aryan? Are you really so stupid to think that you are on a first name basis with Tia’s father?” Bellorum shook her head, this guy was full of himself.

“Violating a treaty indeed…” she murmured and gestured up. Dardola was suddenly yanked upwards and smashed his head on the ceiling.

Before Dardola could respond to this, he heard the crunch of the impact of his skull on the ceiling, then he felt the throbbing pain, this caused him to immediately pass out.

Tia raised her brow at this "seriously...this was the man I was in love with?" she asks at Bellorum"what shall we do with him?"

TO BE CONTINUED...