The Seventh Knight

Introductions

Varnak Mid Rim28ABY

Saskia leaned back in her chair, leg crossed over her knee as she watched Ushar and Ap'lek lose yet another Sabbac game.

"How do you always keep winning?" Ushar grunted, tossing his cards on to the table.

"Just raw sex appeal," Saskia drawled, snatching the credits from the center of the table and piling them in front of her. Vicrul stood over her shoulder, chuckling, "She's got you beat there." Kuruk's snicker was heard from his place on her other side, leaning against the bar behind her.

"Dirty cheat," Ushar muttered.
"Dirty? yes. A Cheat? no," she laughed and Ap'lek's hand rubbed a light circle around her knee as he chuckled. Trudgen and Cardo sat at another table nearby, grunting to each other as they arm wrestled, discarded credits between the pair.

Vicrul turned away when Ushar suggested another game and Saskia followed Vicrul's movement, feeling his curiosity, ignoring Ushar when Vicrul approached Ren, behind them.

"Check it out," Vicrul nudged Ren.

"Hm, what is it, Vicrul?" Ren asked before looking over where Vicrul pointed.

A disheveled young man approached the group, tattered jedi robes hung from his body, one eye swollen with a cut, debris littered his shoulder length hair. Saskia's interest was piqued and the three other men around her immediately perked up with her.

The three stood from the Sabbac table in unison, approaching Ren as he spoke, "Well look who it is," Ren chuckled, "Ben Solo." Ap'lek and Ushar took up positions behind Saskia's shoulders, following her as they stood around Ren. The boy approached, Trudgen and Cardo circled up behind him and Kuruk stayed leaning where he was, always less than a few feet from Saskia.

Saskia folded her arms, leaning against the bar behind her back, as Ren spoke to the boy. She recognized him from a few years ago on Elphrona. He grew taller, sure, a bit more aware of himself but his eyes danced around the room and he held himself with uncertain anxiety. His unease soaked out of him.

The knights would tear the boy apart if he didn't settle his anxiety, she'd seen it before. Young men heard of their crew, wanting desperately to fit within them and not making the cut. The bond between the knights had nothing to do with it, they simply weren't strong enough.

"You took your time getting here. Lucky you caught us. We're leaving soon," Ren told him.

"I was held up," the boy replied, defensively.

"Clearly. Looks like something chewed you up and spit you out," Ren waving a hand at the boy's appearance.

"No that's not what happened. It was –" The boy fought back, shoulders tense.

"A joke. It was a joke, kid." Ren laughed.

"oh, right of course," Ben exhaled, his entire force signature was desperate.

Saskia sighed, dramatically tilting her head at Vicrul, who shook his own.

Ren removed his mask, "Here relax. The mask's kind of intense – that's the point—but you and me, maybe we're gonna be friends. Snoke says so anyway." Ren shrugged.

Saskia tensed at Ren's mention of Snoke and Ap'lek by her side noticed immediately watching her movements, he filed the information away to ask about later.

"You came looking for the Knights of Ren. Not many do that, and most end up regretting it real quick. So, what do you want, maybe-friend Ben?" Ren asked the boy.

Ben glanced around nervously at the surrounding knights, his eyes resting for a moment longer at the slimmer frame of Saskia before replying, "I want to.. travel with you. To learn. I can be useful. I'm strong in—"