The Grapes of Roth
Pre-KotFE RP. Title is thanks to @saljamka, pls yell at her about it. RP with her Jutt, @grievous-girl‘s Malanah, and @lisipuska‘s Mok.
Word count: 3932
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Mok hung around the large golden statue of the Hutt in the Promenade, having already had a drink—or a few—earlier as he waited for his brother and their lost-and-found younger sister. Unlike the previous occasions when he had met with Jutt he wasn’t wrapped up in robes or hiding his identity with a hood.
The petite Zabrak wore what was likely a literal tonne of jewellery and an almost dainty robe with a couple of layers of thin robes draped around himself. And as much as he’d prefer to be barefoot he knew better than to do that on Nar Shaddaa and was wearing expensive sandals. All in all, Mok looked like a small, golden prince with only the decorated sabrestaff at his hip denoting his status as some sort of Force user.
"Well, look at you." A familiar voice said, "A regular little prince."
Jutt stepped up to his brother, still with cane in hand though he hardly needed it now. They didn't look particularly related, and that fact was shown off even more through their clothing. Where Mok was a sparkling vision, Jutt was more likely to be mistaken for a farmer. He gave his brother a small smile, and a nod of a hello. "I almost didn't recognise you."
Malanah had been going about the Promenade half in shopping for supplies and half in waiting for Mok and Jutt to arrive. She did not have to wait long, looking over the pair from below as she remained on the upper level; looking down. This was very creepy of her, just to stand there and… watch; that she knew all too well. But what could she say besides an awkward hello followed by several awkward questions?
She wouldn’t know till she tried, with a sigh to her chest Malanah took off towards the nearby staircase, walking down slowly with golden robes and glittered hood covering most of her person. She knew Mok and herself shared a similar fashion style, but that left a curious notion… as to how alike she and Jutt were.
“Oh! There you are!” Mok said with a chuckle and turned on the spot, arms extended for an embrace. He paused briefly to take a look at the other Zabrak. “My, my, don’t you look... drab!” With that he stepped forward and gave Jutt a big hug despite his state of dress. “You haven’t seen our sister anywhere, have you?” Mok pushed himself off Jutt lightly and then adjusted his brother’s clothes.
"I look clothed, Mok," Jutt said, shaking his head but letting his brother fuss over him. "I haven't seen nor heard a peep."
That peep came very quickly upon the Brothers, along with her scent; her blooded bond. “Greetings…" Her voice was tender and her face soft, peeking out from the golden shroud about her head. “I… I’m glad to see you both made it safely here.”
“I’m clothed, too, but I’m not so boring,” Mok said, and then turned to Malanah and grinned, flashing his sharp canines. “There you are, darling! And oh yes, we got here just fine.” He hadn’t even asked his brother; Mok simply assumed the trip went well. “And you’re here in one piece, too. Are we all up for drinks, then?” He asked, as if he was completely and utterly sober.
"I'm not going to carry you if you fall over drunk, Mok. That said, I wouldn't mind," Jutt said, though kept his gaze on the young woman who just arrived. "Miss."
“S-Sir.” She gave Jutt a confused but civil smile before giving him a bow. Was… it weird to call him "sir"? “Em,” she cleared her throat, rose up from the bow, and looked to Mok warmly. “I would not mind a mild drink. I believe the local cantina has a wonderful yearly brew from the Core Worlds. Um… Corellian, I think.”
“Corellian Ale, darling?” Mok smiled and nodded towards the Slippery Slopes cantina nearby. “That’s a pretty nice one. I think I’ll have wine or… No.” He tapped a foot on the ground. “Something spicy. And you, Jutt?” He asked but he already started to walk off to lead the group.
"I'll take a small brandy," he replied, giving another glance towards Malanah as he walked after his brother, catching up to him easier than he might have done last time they met, cane tapping against the ground as he did.
Malanah trailed behind the two males, hands crossed and eyes set up to them, studying them. She looked nothing like Jutt and she looked nothing like Mok. Where had genetics taken the divinations for such contrasting peoples? It brought out a small smile as she walked with them in thought. “Th-There is also a um… I can’t quite remember what the barman called it, but the drink had a pleasant fizz to it all.”
“Something fizzy?” Mok pondered over what the drink might be and adjusted his draped robes as they entered into the cantina. It was as lively as it ever was with a live band playing in the back and a handful of bartenders serving their customers. “I’m not sure what it could be, darling. Shall we grab a table out of the way?”
"Somewhere far from the band, hmm? So we're not shouting all over each other." Jutt looked back over his shoulder to her. "I'm not sure what drink you're thinking of, but maybe the barman knows?"
“Perhaps. Or maybe they can make something similar.” Malanah didn’t give her drink option more thought after that, keeping her mind set on the brothers before her. She did not stray far from them as the three strode to a quieter part of the cantina, thankful that the entertainment’s bass was far enough away now to not pound into her chest like some wild beast, for her heart was doing plenty of that already.
Mok found them a table in the quieter part of the cantina and set himself down, adjusting his robes as he did so he wouldn’t give his brother and sister a little too much of himself to look at, and then pulled the menupad on the table over, tapping his order in first. For once he orders a strong drink that isn’t a wine, and also a couple appetisers. Mok then sets the menupad back down and gestures at it.
“Order what you like,” he says, “there’s descriptions and pictures of the drinks and food too, darlings.”
Jutt nodded as he sat and tapped at the pad quickly before sliding the pad towards Malanah. He knew what he wanted and it wasn't the first time he'd been here. He glanced slowly around at the other patrons, both people-watching and looking out for any potential threats. It was still a cantina on Nar Shaddaa after all, fights were par for the course.
"So," he said, tilting his head while watching a loud patron yelling at the circular bar. Literally yelling at the bar. "Here we all are."
“Warm.” Malanah’s own tiny fingers slide across the menu, ordering more food on top of what Mok had ordered, and ah—! It was a soda, some weird, green hued… milk soda? Huh, the things you find on Nar Shaddaa! She smiled. “S-Space can be so cold even in a temperature controlled cabin. Being here is a decent change.” She slid the menu to Mok before going to her credit purse, drawing out a few to go ahead and pay for her added foods.
“Oh yes! You’ve been travelling, right?” Mok asked with a gentle smile, and then looked over their orders before sending them off. “Darling,” he nudged his brother’s leg with his toes, “she’s gone off to wander around space. Can you imagine that, hmm?”
"Hmm?" Jutt turned his head back to Mok. "Oh, Yes. Yes, very... adventurous of you."
“I-I suppose… We’ve been keeping to primarily safe areas of space, for now, so it’s not too wild or adventurous.” She gives a shy look over to Jutt; not making eye contact with him. “Y-Yet, heh. Do you… travel?” She didn’t want to eye the crimson male too much, as not to make him feel awkward, but she couldn’t quite peg what exactly he did for a living. A cane meant nobility or maybe a cripple, and both could get somewhere in high standing. But he was not so elaborately dressed as Mok, so maybe a merchant?
Mok leaned his elbows on the table and rests his chin in his cybernetic hands, keeping quiet and listening to the conversation for now.
"I've been known to travel. Not often of my own volition, at least not until more recently," Jutt said, turning his head finally to properly look her up and down. She looked a lot more like Mok than she did himself. Here they were, all three related through each other but the anchor point between them looked nothing like the other two. He let a small smile take over his previously distracted expression.
"Travelling tires me out." He paused. "Actually, no, I take that back; the destinations always tired me out. It was the idea of where I was going that made the journey so bothersome."
“W-What kinds of places did you go to, to draw out such… tiredness? S-Someplace boring?” At seeing Jutt smile she could not help but her own grow a tad wider; more confident and comfortable. “I’ve not discovered a boring place yet with my Captain. Tell me more of your travels? H-Have you and Mok been on any endeavors together?” From what she could gauge on the brothers they seemed close… ish? She knew Mok was raised by Jutt for a time, but other than that he did not say; in what she could only assume to leave her room to find out on her own.
"Well, let me posit a question to you in response to that. What are you generally doing on the planets you've been?" Jutt asked, distracted again by the drinks being delivered, though the food was still being prepared. "Endeavours? Well..." he gave a sideways look to Mok. "That's difficult to answer."
“Delivery. Um, transport.” Smuggling. How many good words could Malanah use to cover the not so nicely colored jobs Tooth took on from time to time? Well, now Tooth and she took on from time to time. She brought her lips into a thin line as she thought. Nope, no good way to explain that. “M-My Captain and I take goods to and from planets, usually hired by smaller parties or individuals. Freighter business.”
She followed his gaze to Mok, a brow ridge raising curiously. “A-And if my question is too difficult to answer you do not need to say. I was just curious.”
“Your question? Oh! If Jutt and I’ve gone anywhere to do things, hmm?” Mok spoke up finally and pulled his glass over closer to himself. “No, not really. In fact, we’ve only recently started contacting one another again. Long distance relationships, even with family, aren’t always… easy to uphold,” he said.
It was true although for all sorts of reasons Mok hadn’t mentioned. The fact that he thought his older brother was probably dead for most of the twenty years was, well, one of those reasons. He smiled gently at Jutt and took a sip of his drink, waiting for him to either continue what he’d begun to oh-so-vaguely explain, or to swiftly change topics.
"I'm glad to have found you again," Jutt said, reaching his hand up to pat his brother's shoulder. The older Zabrak took a breath then focused back towards Malanah.
"So you go to places, do what you must, then leave promptly. My work forced me to go to places, not nice places, and stay there for some months at a time usually."
“Like… a soldier? You get stationed planet side at forts, an Officer, or—?” Mok had also told Malanah that he and Jutt could not meet up all that much, but again it was simply left at that. If Jutt was part of the Republic, and Mok being a Sith Lord, then the obvious rift between them and the meetups would be the faction split. But… they were together before any split. What caused the separation?
“S-Sorry if my questions cause discomfort. I just… There is so much I wish to know about you both, a-and I fear that time will not be kind.” She went to take a quick sip from her green drink, eyes lowered downward.
"I suppose like that, though I always thought of it more like babysitting, or trying to wrangle a gaggle of younglings." Jutt said, taking his drink to sip while he thought. "You lot stop fighting in the back. I swear I will turn this civil war around." he sighed, "One of those things where you forget how bad it is until you decide to try again. Then it all floods back to you, but by that point it's much, much too late."
He waved his hand, dismissively. "Dear, it will take a lot more than this to make me even mildly uncomfortable. After all, Mok is my brother." He added, downright smirking. That was something they had in common, vast amounts of sass.
Younglings. Civil war? Jedi? She didn’t see a Lightsaber on his person, or maybe she missed it? No, more than likely he left it be somewhere before coming to the Moon, for it didn’t take to kindly to Jedi walking about its business. Malanah’s eyes went quickly down Jutt’s person, trying to find any clue to-… then she caught the metal leg. Her gazed snapped away and listened to Jutt as he spoke on.
At his smirk she smiled back. “You two seem very much like… the other half of each other. It’s very… comforting.” Comforting as in how possibly she could be accepted into the flock as a family member? She questioned that many times before today. Mok had been so welcoming and accepting to her, even when barely knew her, so maybe (if he and Jutt were so similar) the oldest brother might be open to accept his unknown little sister? She couldn’t ask, not outright; that would be rude.
“S-Speaking of comfort, how has the capital been?” Her question was turned to Mok, tilting her head. “I must admit I sometimes miss Dromund Kaas’s material comforts, when compared to a starship. If I want things from home I have to have them imported through 3rd person channels.” Or ask Tooth, but the man had enough work as is… on top of other things; so she didn’t bother him to much with her creature comforts.
“I inherited all the sexiness, obviously,” Mok said with a light chuckle, and then plucked some snacks from the plate as the appetisers may have arrived by now. “And the capital? Oh, about the same as it’s always been. Dark, rainy, and subsequently wet.” He paused for a moment. “I’ve got a boyfriend though,” he added as it was obviously some sort of important galactic news.
"Sometimes I have moments where I miss the old place," Jutt said, taking a slow sip from his drink purposefully, for dramatic effect. "Then I ask the healers for slightly weaker painkillers— Hang on a second, a boyfriend? Where did you find one of those?" Jutt asked, quickly turning his head to Mok when he realised what it was that he'd actually said, raising a brow.
“Indeed!” The sister’s eyes went wide at hearing the news, another smile coming to her face. “N-Not that I’ve been looking for one myself, but they are such a hard treasure to find these days; boyfriends. Who is he? Where did you meet him?” Malanah seemed to glow at once, not physically of course, such an affectionate subject bringing the female out of her shell. “Is he handsome? He must be to match your own beauty, heh.”
“Of course he is!” Mok laughed and munched on an appetiser. “You met him, Jutt! That handsome Zabrak with all those… horns,” he smirked. “I met Zaol in the Nexus Cantina, actually. Spoke with him a little over comms and we met for a few drinks. The second time we met, though, was excellent. We had this grand spar outside in the jungles. He only won because he kept telling me all the things he’d do to me…" Mok took a deep breath, smiled, and bit his lip. “He’s nice.”
"First of all, I'm glad you stopped when you did. Secondly, look at you, all lovey-dovey," Jutt said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Honestly, I was expecting a different name to fall out of your mouth."
“The important thing is that he makes you happy… and by that little look on you face,” Malanah smirked and sipped from her glass till it was empty. “He must be making you very, very happy. Do you have a holo of him?”
Mok nodded and took a small holocom from his belt, pulling up the holo of his boyfriend. “That’s him,” he beamed, and then looked between Jutt and Malanah. “Now, Jutt, I know you don’t have anybody with your silly ‘no attachments’ rules,” Mok tutted, “but, Malanah, how about you? Any new men or women in your life?”
The blush could not have come quicker to Malanah’s face even if she tried, words fumbling about as she spoke. “M-Me? I… well… sort of?” She shrugged tightly then went to timingly stuff her face with chip after chip form one of their food choices, trying to fill her mouth with anything but words. “T-The man I am traveling with, the one I told you about Mok, he… he…" More chips and the blush intensified. “We are not thing! I-I don’t think he can do… things. S-Sorry, I’m blabbering again.”
Although it was likely inappropriate, Mok laughed a little too loudly; honestly, the alcohol that was already in his system could be blamed for some of it. “What do you mean he can’t do things? Is he missing some parts?”
"Mok, that's impolite," Jutt said, shoving Mok's leg under the table. "You should know better.”
“I-It’s alright… He… his legs and waist are replaced with cybernetics. He had an accident.” She seemed to shrink in the chair, tiny legs pulling up to where she hugged them to her chest. “L-Long before I meet him… he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Enjoys it actually. A-And it’s not like I need those parts to like him…"
“Oh!” Mok covered his mouth with one of his prosthetic hands with beautiful gold filigree. “Oh my stars, sorry! You can like him, darling, and I don’t think he needs those, ahem, parts to like you back… In case you were concerned about it.”
"I don't think she was concerned about it, a little uncomfortable in the spotlight, I think." Jutt said, looking across to her. "Would you prefer to change the subject?"
“Maybe. It just feels… a tad odd to talk about him, l-like this. He… yes, new subject.” She stopped herself at that, clearing her throat and making a quick order of water from a passing waiter droid. The blush remained there for the longest time afterward, but Malanah tried to not notice it. “Why don’t you tell me some more about you, Jutt?” She turned her attention back to Jutt, not herself.
“Oh yes! Do tell,” Mok said, grinning at his brother. “I’d like to see how much you can talk about yourself.” He chuckled and thanked the server droid once their food arrived, happily diving into his own food.
"I doubt I could do any better than you, dear brother, you do like the sound of your own voice in casual conversation. Myself, I prefer heated debates if I'm going to talk at length."
“…Maybe you… you could tell me about your mother?” That was very blunt, very sudden, but she had to know; and if Malanah was going to ask one rude and upfront thing it would be about their shared Mother. “O-… Our Mother? I’ve always day dreamed about her…" Her round eyes were soft, trying not to appear forcefully about it; never knowing what could be a trigger or not.
"Well," Jutt rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands, searching through his memories until something stuck. "It's been a while since I thought about her. Protective is the first word that comes to mind, right after that would be stubborn although that's a given. I wouldn't say angry," He said, furrowing his brow, "Passionate would be a better fit. Not a very good slave." Jutt added mixing a small smile with a sour expression surprisingly well. "I hope I didn't ruin your daydreams."
“No… no you didn’t ruin it.” She had closed her eyes, building a woman’s face in her head; piece by piece. As the face became a shape, Malanah’s lips became a smile. “She sounds wonderful… proud and strong. ‘Tis much better then how the Lords described her to me.” The sister opened her eyes again, more like a little crack as she looked back to Jutt. “Do… do we know her name?”
"Her given name was Ven."
“Ven.” Malanah’s eyes closed again, putting the final piece into the puzzle. She nodded and turned her smile to Jutt, calm and collected. “Thank you for sharing that, sharing her, with me.”
“That’s a nice name,” Mok commented between stuffing his face, eloquently of course, with food. He might’ve been small but he still ate like a Zabrak.
"I suppose she'd be Ven Roth, really." Jutt tilted his head towards Malanah. "Do you have a second name?"
“I… I do not.” She shook her head and thought for a long while. “… I have never needed one before. With the Sith as their slave, I was just ‘the girl’. With my old friends I was simply ‘Malanah’. I… I never thought about a last name till Mok found me in that dress store. I-…" Her eyes went wide as the thought struck her, like a slap to the face. “…Am I a Roth? I-I mean… can I be?”
“Hmm?” Mok cants his head to the side a little and takes a few sips of his drink. “I guess you are part of the Roth clan, so why not?” He shrugged. “I’ve got my mum’s Rattataki name because they figured it’d help me blend in better. Then I grew hair and horns and stuck out more than anyone else.”
"Then you decided if you were going to stick out you may as well go all the way, hm?" Jutt said good naturedly, before addressing Malanah again. "You're Roth by blood, I doubt anyone would object. Welcome to the family." Jutt said, raising his glass and giving a nod and smile towards her.
Malanah lifted her cup to that, smiling back to Jutt and Mok. “T-To family, to the Roths.”
“To the Roths,” Mok said with a smile and lifted his own drink. “Does this mean we all get drunk tonight?”
"I think you're already well on your way, Mok. Hardly fair with that head start of yours." Jutt said, though that didn't stop him having another drink from his glass.
“Heh, shall I be the sober one that drags you lot out of here when you need to get back to your ship? Heh, and so the youngest shall be the leader.” Another smirk, another sip from her water, and all (for once in her life) felt right.
