A Million Credits

[Victor Tanner]

Nar Shaddaa.

A more odious, opportunistic and overflowing place would be hard to find in the Galaxy. Nar Shaddaa, or the Smugglers Moon, was a den of foul deeds and fouler beings. Yet there was always opportunity to be had, for those willing to take the risks. The broadcast of The Great Hunt had brought beings of all walks to the Moon, from Cartel to bounty hunter and everything in between. People came to sell secrets, make pacts and break bread with those who would help them. A million credits was no small sum, even split multiple ways. The coming months would bring more and more people to the sprawling city, this was only the beginning.

It was in one of the many hundreds of sprawling Cantina's in which Victor Tanner sat, nursing his drink as he had the broadcast on repeat, the flickering and stained screen not doing Gulla the Hutt any favours on the looks front. Though no one was really looking at the vast slug, they just heard his voice on repeat in their heads.

"A million credits." Whispered Victor, more to himself than anyone else. The Cantina, Kla'hoon, was less busy than the others. Partly due to the awful service, partly due to the fact it was frequented by Cartel members. It never paid to get on the bad side of one of the Cartel, so unless folks had business or were looking to make friends they generally went to one of the more welcoming bars in the sprawling district.

Spinning around on the stool, Victor leaned himself back to prop his elbows on the counter. His faux Bantha-hide jacket fell open, his blaster sitting neatly in it's holster under his arm. With a narrowed eye and raised brow, he scanned the denizens of the establishment. He, like everyone in the galaxy, wanted his shot at a million credits, but was wise enough to realise he couldn't do it alone. With his ship being unloaded for the night, he decided to wash away the travel with a drink and relaxation.

Wouldn't hurt to make a few friends, though. "A million credits." He whispered once more.

 

[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

"Listen," Davik arched backwards, away from the somewhat feminine Gamorrean, "-It's not that I don't like you." He found his way blocked by fellow cantina patrons, oblivious to his dire situation. "urrsh v'lch" Davik's admirer said in Gamorrese, her departing lips showing a row of rotten teeth and way too much excess saliva to handle. "It's just that if you sat one me-" as he said it, Davik noticed that the other Gamorreans in the room suddenly grabbed their drinks a little tighter... "It's just that-" he grinned, seeing an opening in the crowd forming, "-bye!"

With a dash that would make a podracer jealous, Davik sprinted across the cantina towards the counter, dreading that he was being followed by three angry Gamorrean brothers with literal axes to grind. Instead, loud laughter erupted from where he had stood and as he reached the counter and turned around he watched the green alien giants smack each other silly from amusement.

Davik sighed, "I hate Gamorreans." Only now did he notice the lean human sitting on the stool next to him, his mind clearly somewhere else. "Let me guess," Davik tried to reshuffle his deck to make him look like a professional again, "offworlder?" @TheWonderousBat

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor chuckled as he heard the man beside him. "Buddy, I think even Gamorreans hate Gamorreans." He offered, a swig of his drink following swiftly. He drew his attention away from the crowd and settled it on the human beside him. He shook his head softly, resting his drink back on the counter.
"Nah, born right here. Well...Not -right- here, but on Nar Shaddaa." He offered a lopsided grin, twisting in his stool to rest his legs back under the counter. He waves at the serving droid as he drained the last of his drink, the wheeled hunk or circuits rolling to fetch another for him. He settled his green gaze on the man beside him fully, appraising him. He paused for a while as he studied him, making no attempt to hide the fact, before he finally spoke again.

"No matter how much time I spend off-world, I always end up missing this place. I don't know if it's something in the air, or the fact there's no such thing as a quiet night, but I end up yearning to return. Blast, likely just because I get sick of talking to myself on long runs." His voice was low, drawn out and gravely. He wasn't drunk by any means, but he was obviously enjoying himself as his drink arrived, taking a deep mouthful of whatever lay inside.

"You from around these parts, or just visiting?"

 

[Spectre (Old)]

Jack Lawson was in the cantina was as well, he was sitting at a table off towards in the rear in a corner, with the rest of the table's seats empty, in a more obscure position, he had a drink of Corellian Brandy on the table, and as he was slowly sipping his drink every now and then, he had his eyes all over. The boardcast of the Great Hunt was going on, Lawson already heard it so he paid no mind to it. Lawson saw one person (@Victor Tanner) and he looked like just another patron. He saw another person who was speaking to a more feminine Gamorrean, from what he could make out that he human fighting off the alien's advances. Lawson would be lying if he said he didn't get a chuckle out of hold it unfolded. After that, nothing worthwhile was going on. So Lawson turned his attention back to his drink, but not without giving occasional glances towards those two humans.

Lawson was wearing his normal, dressy attire. He looks like he is dressed to stroll out on Corellia or even Coruscant, rather than Nar Shaddda. He had his armored vest over his outfit, and his others usual equipment, seeing as how anything can happen on Nar Shaddaa.

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

Amidst the rough, truly ghastly cantina, Ruba would be perched on one of the "hutt manageable" seating arrangements within the cantina, overlooking the fellow scum of the Cartel. Usually, a fight or fifty would break out in the course of a day, and this one happened to be rather amusing. Gamorreans had always amused Ruba as a child, so ponderous and stupid. He wondered why high ranking Hutts would hire these dumber-than-rocks brutes to safeguard their treasuries. Maybe less of a maintenance fee, but the higher-up hutts have nothing but money. You would think they could find something better than that.

As the commotion died down, Ruba returned back to his drink. Pulling out his datapad, Ruba would once again look over his contacts and lists, as he often did, looking for opportunities. He spent some time trying to network out, picking up some friends and potential business partners interested in continuing possible endeavors together, but no alerts yet. His face would be replaced with a grimace, he felt insulted. Nar Shadda is not a friendly place, even worse for a hutt with no friends.​

 

[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

Davik tried his best not to smack the stranger on the nose for his foolish love for the Smuggler's Moon. Really, who was this guy kidding? Davik lived on the lower levels of Nar Shaddaa for just over two decades and he sure as hell wasn't reminiscing a return to the factories that destroyed his father's lungs and his mother's hands. Bloody spacers, always the romantics without any shred of a realistic worldview. Guess long hours in hyperspace does warp your head. Davik wouldn't know, ofcourse, he'd never been further from Shaddaa than Hutta. "Born and raised," he sighed, "-about three-hundred levels below our feet."

To avoid any awkward talk about life on the lower levels, Davik turned slightly away from the spacer stranger and viewed the crowd. To his own surprise he immediately spotted an abnormality. Well, two, actually. At first glance the Hutt didn't seem so strange, yet Davik in his short time on the upper levels had never before seen one unaccompanied, friendless and seemingly depressed. "Heh, look at the Hutt-" he tapped the spacer on his shoulder and pointed towards Ruba, "-you only see Hutts that despressed after they tried to seduce a Twi'lek popstar." he grinned, satisfied with his own quip and signalled the barman for a glass of spiced bantha milk. "-unsuccesfully."

The other abnormality was a human in absurd dress, equally as lonesome as the Hutt. "Heh," Davik couldn't surpress a mocking laughter, "-and that guy looks like he was turned down by the Hutt!" His laughter was disrupted by the barman pushing him for some credits for the spiced milk, which Davik only reluctantly tossed over. So far, the upper levels were quite enjoyable as long as he managed to get out of any more Gamorrean troubles.

 

[Charlie Quentel]

Charlie half groaned and half sighed as he sat at the bar arms crossed and head down. He was only mostly asleep though to anyone looking he'd appear to be completely out. To be honest he wished he was. He'd bee here drinking for the better part of a day by this point and he'd only managed to get hammered instead of completely smashed. The Hutt slicer had heard of this place after joining the Cartel and so far he'd taken advantage of the bars friendly nature to cartel associates.

His nap was slightly interrupted however when do dude started making chit chat right next to him. Like he wasn't even there! They seemed to be just shooting the druk and mentioning some of the bar's customers...still not including him. What was he chopped nerf liver. He wasn't gonna stand for. He quickly raised his head and almost instantly regretted it as he almost feel out of his seat. Charlie looked to the 2 of them, local boys if he remembered, though now it felt like hours since they had mentioned it. He'd point at the one closest to him, the spacer with the beard. "Hey look here man, like I'm here too ok. I think we can all agree that Nar Shaada is a crap place full of crap people, who work for a bunch big space slugs or something. You feel me man!" As he finished he picked up the glass of whatever he had been drinking and took a big swig. He nearly spit it out, but managed to swallow and looked at the bar tender scowling. "Hey! When the hell did I order Onderion gin! I don't even like gin man...you guys like gin?"

He didn't know if the other 2 would even acknowledge him but he went right back to swigging his gin at least trying to finish it before he could order something he actually liked. Hmm maybe some Devaronian rum. Yeah that sounded good...real good.

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor followed the man's outstretched finger with a grin. The smile was swiftly stifled as it landed on the Hutt, the spacer shaking his head as he leaned over to mutter. "I wouldn't be pointing that finger no where, buddy. Never pays to make fun of a Hutt." He whispered over the wave of chatter in the Cantina, before adding "Even if he does look as though he lost his favourite Twi'lek." He hid his chuckle behind another swig of the drink, draining a mouthful as he eyed the Hutt a while longer. He could never tell one from the other until they opened their mouths, but he was sure that he'd not seen this particular Hutt before. His nose twitched slightly, gaze hardening a touch before he was directed over towards the Human tucked away in one of the booths at the back. "Blast, look at him. Might as well just paint a sign on his back saying 'rob me.' Reckon he'll last the night in that fancy getup?" He grimaced at the thought. Always pays to dress up a little when making first impressions, but Victor never bothered with such a formality. He was a spacer through and through, no suit or fancy fabric was going to change that.

His gaze once more settled on the Hutt, mouth opening to speak to the man beside him when the drunkard suddenly woke up. Victor grimaced and grumbled at the man, chuckling once more. People always came to enjoy themselves on Nar Shaddaa, but clearly this man was enjoying himself more than most. "Nah, never fond of it pal." He offered with a slap on the shoulder, hopping down from his stool as he dragged the collar of his jacket up a little higher. He straightened the holster under his arm, draining the last of his drink as he turned to wink to Davik. "Might as well try find some work, eyh?" He said, sauntering towards the despondent Hutt.

He came to a halt a couple paces from the creature, waiting until he was noticed before bowing his head respectfully. Drawing himself up to his full height, he spoke in his gravelled tone once more. "Illustrious evening to you, mighty Hutt. If it please you, I would share a drink and talk business. If there is no business to be talked of, this humble being would dare to want to be introduced to one so grand." He once more bowed his head, this time to hide the grimace on his face. He'd worked with enough Hutts to know they liked the royal treatment, but it never got any easier to swallow. He lifted his head once more, the grimace now replaced with an easy smile. He'd find some work tonight, even if it killed him.

 

[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

The reaction from the spacer surprised Davik visibly. Sure, the Hutt Cartel the moon and many sectors surrounding it, yet that didn't make every Hutt some criminal kingpin. The only Hutt he know was Miwa, but aside from owning the rather sizable debt on Davik's name that oversized slug didn't seem so powerful. Can't make that many friends with a scrapyard, or enemies for that matter.

He was about to say something about it when they were -quite rudely- interupted by some drunkard who didn't quite like the Onderon gin he ordered. There was something off about him, too forthcoming and too black-and-white in his opinions, that made Davik frown initially. "The fancy dress over there looks like he'd enjoy some gin," he suggested, pointing once again at the well-dressed man drinking his brandy in solitude. "Might attract some fiiine-" he dragged out the word and winked suggestively, "-Twi'leks offering to spend some time with you."

Davik was about to turn back his earlier conversational partner when the latter got off his stool and straightened the holster underneath his arm. "What the-" the spacer said something about work and winked, super weird, before walking over to the Hutt. "-Kriff." With a sense substitute shame he watched how the spacer made a fool of himself bowing to the Hutt and spoke to him as if he were a slave to a powerful master. Davik couldn't understand this kind of treatment towards a Hutt so ugly and so without entourage that if a bar patron decided to kill him and dump him down the levels the Supreme Mogul might never hear of it, nor care for it.

And yet he received special treatment. Davik decided he would have none of it and remained at a distance, sipping his spiced up Bantha milk with his left hand as he suddenly became acutely aware that he needed his right hand free to draw if the need would arise. "Hmpf, the hyperspeed definately turned his brain to mush."

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

The men kept frequently exchanging glances with Ruba, whether Ruba felt angered or flattered he didn't know, but one of those men began walking up towards his direction. Slowly placing his hand on his dt-12 blaster pistol, just for safety precautions. As the man approached him, he would bow and say the following < Illustrious evening to you, mighty Hutt. If it please you, I would share a drink and talk business. If there is no business to be talked of, this humble being would dare to want to be introduced to one so grand. > after he spoke, a silence would fill the air. Cutting the silence, Ruba spoke, a chuckle under his breath. < Spare me your fake courtesies, boy. If I know one thing, it's that people don't bow to hutts like me out of respect. > he'd follow with a chuckle, showing a warm presence to the man. One oddity the man might find, was that Ruba fluently speaks the common tongue, something you do not find common among the hutt species that is far too proud to waste time learning any other language.

How odd it was indeed, was it the cosmic power in the sky? Or a lucky coincidence? He recalled minutes before of the need of work, and now this man came up to him discussing.. business opportunities? He pondered in his head if he could read his mind, but soon diminished the idea as the man didn't seem much of the force-type fellow he's run in to before. No, this man was rough on the edges, not pampered in a temple. Cutting the silence once more, Ruba would speak, in a rather welcoming tone of voice < Well, I don't see why not, eh? > whistling over one the twilek girls, Ruba said < two kamikazes, on me > as he returned his gaze to the man in front of him to speak < Business hm?.. what kind of business are we talking about? >

@Victor Tanner

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor straightened himself, smoothing down his jacket as he tugged the collar upwards. He relaxed, shoulders dropping as he gave another easy smile. "Forgive the formalities. Fair few Hutt have taken offence at me just wandering up. There's only so many times a man can rely on his luck to hold." He chuckled, swaggering to sit on a nearby stool. He let the jacket swing wide, arms forearms leaning on the table a respectable distance away from the Hutt. He may seem alright, but can never be too careful.

Victor offering a wink to the serving girl as she walked away, dragging his gaze back to the conversation. "First thing, names Victor. Not the best, but better than boy, aye?" The spacer chuckled again as he reclined in his seat.
"Secondly, that depends on the type of Hutt I'm talking to. Whether or not you're a Hutt who likes to take a little risk, or just relax in his Palace and let others make moves against him...?" Victor let the question hang in the air. He was playing a dangerous game and he knew it. Goading anyone on Nar Shaddaa was always a risk, but he seemed to be taking more and more risks these days. Had to keep the credits flowing somehow.​

 

[Spectre (Old)]

Jack Lawson, as he was continuing to enjoy his drink, was still taking occasional glances ahead. In addition to the two people that he saw earlier, he then saw the space go over to a Hutt, but before that he saw... isn't that the Charlie guy who Lawson met one time? Lawson couldn't make out what he was saying with the distance and the rest of the noise in the bar getting in the way of that, but it appears he can't handle his alcohol and barely averted making a fool of himself, maybe. . He saw one of those people pointing at him, but he didn't care, as Lawson is a person who tends not to really care what random people thinks of him. Lawson would take one more sip of his drink, only discover that it ran dry. Seeking more, he then heads over to towards the bartender. He would make it a point to try and avoid Charlie. Lawson would sit on a stool, with there being one stool in between where he took his spot and Davik. He would then address the bartender. "Corellian Brandy, again if you would" he said with a bored tone. He would then have to wait for the bartender to prepare his drink, Lawson would be turning his head outwards in the cantina, looking in different directins while waiting, hopefully the bartender will make it quick.

 

[Charlie Quentel]

Charlie shot down the rest of the Gin as the bearded guy gave him a friendly slap on the back. He only kinda caught what the other guy said, something about giving his drink away? Charlie wouldn't even think of it, he'd rather drink something he hated than waste the credits giving it away. Ugh he grimaced as the thought about credits. He was going to have to cut back on drinking like this if he was going to keep paying Mary's medical bills. Well soon he would. As another person stepped up the bar Charlie swore he recogonized the dude. Then he noticed the way he was dressed and the haircut. "Holy karking crap man! Is that you Jack? Man why's a fancy guy you like you drinking in a dump like this!" The bartender of course gave Charlie a scowl at the mention of his cantina being a dump but Charlie was now to excited to notice.

He turned to the other guy still at the bar and nudged his arm. "Yo man this is Jack he's a cool guy, we're slicer bros man. We're gonna hack the planet at some point man, inn't that right Jack....Jack....we're gonna hack the planet right man." He moved closer to Jack and nudged him to obviously get his attention. "Hack the planet right man!" He looked back to the other guy, "Yeah man he's Jack...I'm Char...uuugh..I'm Charlie....wait who're you again?" Charlie asked the question as if he should already know...but of course he wouldn't. He ordered another drink, just a local Hutt brewed lager this time and kept grumbling to himself. "Yeah man gotta hack the planet.....hack the planet....or something...."

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

Ruba could only laugh. Replying with a sarcastic tone of voice < Even if I had a palace, I wouldn't leave my enterprise entirely in the hands of boys with small brains and trigger fingers. > pausing, taking a swig from his drink and throwing it on the floor, he would continue to speak < Pleasure to meet you, Victor. You can call me Ruba > sighing very loudly, the hutt would look at the floor with defeated eyes < Now that you know I'm unguarded, not rich, and not too particularly favorited among my own kin, what kind of business could you possibly want with a drowning fish like me? > Ruba asked the intriguing man, awaiting a reponse.
​

@Victor Tanner

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor watched the glass shatter to the floor, keeping tight hold of his own as he drained another mouthful. He tilted his head, listening to the Hutt as it spoke. His eyes flared with curiosity, a hand once more scratching at the scar on the side of his cheek.

"Ruba it is. I've gotta ask, what made your kin turn on you? Never really heard of a Hutt on the outside. Sure, you lot have your scraps for power that turn a bit bloody, but not outcast and such." The smuggler drained the last of his drink, setting the glass down on the shelf beside him. He adjusted himself, the leather of his jacket creaking as he did so. He made sure to keep the rest of the Cantina in as much of his sight as he could. He noticed the fancy dressed fellow had left the confines of his booth, the drunk shouting something about someone. No such thing as a quiet night on Nar Shaddaa. He sniffed as he turned back towards Ruba, his back now leaning against the divider behind him as he stretched both arms out behind his head.

"Sounds like you need as much as you can get, Ruba my ... Hutt. I wandered over with mind of asking if you'd front some cost in return, but I get the feeling that you've not the creds for what I fancied. What business did you do, before you ended up slamming Kamikaze in a Cantina, then?"​

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

The mans curiosity for Rubas life intriguied the hutt. Why did he care about his kin and why did care about his previous life? Did Victor see something in Ruba, or is he too drunk to know the difference. Pondering these thoughts, Ruba would take a deep breath and unfold some of the story on to the curious man. < You see, I was really in the wrong place at the wrong time... > he would pause, wondering if this relative stranger needed to know such details. Luckily for the man, the hutt reached a pont of uncaring that he decided to go ahead and tell him anyways. < I was working under Colimma Besadii Diori at the time, and let me tell you, he's just as ruthless as the rumors make him out to be. I don't think there was a day when I was in his palace when there wasn't someone being executed, he had a bloodthirst unlike anyone I have ever known > taking another drink, Ruba would continue < Working under him wasn't the best, he already didn't like me because he felt me untrustworthy > Ruba would laugh, seemingly trying to convince himself of something < Me? untrustworthy? He was delusional. Well anyways, sometimes I would have to refill his drinks for him. I may or may not have been talking to a wealthy businessman who offered me a very plentiful amount of credits if I killed him. Let me just say, if I was given that amount I wouldn't be sitting here with you today. > leaning in, in a much quieter tone, Ruba continued < I took up the offer, and got my hands on some Synox, a deadly odorless and tasteless toxin. Unfortunately for me, the man was murdered by an assassin hired by the hutt. They also picked up records of me visiting the estate. Luckily, they weren't able to see the botched assassination but my presence was enough to put a bounty on my head. > Taking another drink, the hutt would sigh and in an exasperated tone, would continue < So here I've been, lurking in the shadows, bouncing from system to system. I've been thrown in too many prisons to count, the fact I've made it out every time amazes me to this day.. The fact that I am even on the smugglers moon could be my death. > taking a final swig of his drink before setting it down on the table next, he'd say, opening his datapad < The work I do is pretty much any opportunity that I am given, if that's smuggling, stealing, pawning, whatever really I can do. I've been staying on the far outer circle of the Cartel, but I am ready to start a new chapter in my life, I'm tired of the small life. I am ready to step into big game business... >​

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor listened as the Hutt reeled off his tale. He inwardly winced at a few points, visibly so at the mention of daily executions in the Palaces of Lorda Besadii. He'd near enough thrown his lot in with Colimma, buying and running his spice for a month now. Sure, he worked through an intermediary, but it was all Colimma's product at the end of the day.

"Hope I'm never on the receiving end of the chop, then." He mutters, waving down the Twi'lek once more. "Another two kamikaze, gorgeous." He winked once more, never one to rest on his laurels. He twisted back to face Ruba, his eyes flickering over the Hutt in thought as he spoke.

"Quite the tale you've got there, friend. You're a lucky Hutt to be alive for sure. You've any tips on working with Colimma, other than not to try an poison a bloody Lorda of a Kedidic?" He chuckled, though the statement was serious enough. He slicked his greased hair back once more, lips wetting in anticipation.

"At least you've not lost your hunger for work. Gets me thinking. If you ever need a pilot with some discretion, let me know...The Spice running isn't as sweet of a job as it used to be. Too many fish in a tiny pond. You, er .. " Victor leaned forward, his voice hushed over the din of the room. Ruba could hear him easy enough, though. "You ever hear of any weapons getting run while you worked next to Colimma? Thinking is, a big score like that? Could well earn a few credits. Stang, might even put you in Lorda Besadii's good books again." He stretched back, lopsided grin on his face as the Twi'lek arrived with their drinks. He slipped some money on to the serving tray, collecting his own as he took a swift swig. He needed credits, though he wasn't going to let Ruba know that he was near desperate for work. He swiftly tilted his head though, an after thought striking him.

"Don't mind the curiosity though. Just never much heard of a Hutt in your situation. Ones I work for are well secured in their own little gigs or dead." ​

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

< Tips on working with Colimma? > Ruba paused, puckering his lips < Fake your death and change your identity. > Ruba couldn't have said it more sternly. As he was listening to Victor, he could tell he's good in his own criminal right. Ruba figured out he's actually working under Colimma, though a low position and only for the transport, still working under his huge criminal wing nonetheless. Ruba got to know Colimma, he was inside of the wing, seeing the deals and the way Colimma used his power. Once Victor started discussing what the topic at hand was primarily focused on to begin with, Ruba responded < Yes, while Spice Trading is still a profitable industry, you have to be in the top 5% to be making any real profit. The rest of the people actually doing most of the work end up getting the smallest cut down the road. Unless you want to go independent of course, which is risky, considering you'll likely be swallowed up by a larger competitor. > as Victor leaned in, Rubas anticipation rose, Victor spoke of an arms selling business, wondering if I knew of such an enterprise being looked at by the higher ups of Colimmas enterpise. < The arms selling business believe it or not is in its infancy. It's only been mentioned a handfull of times by people looking to start arms trade with Colimma. Luckily for us, Colimma is stuck in the past and doesn't see the profit in the business, so he chooses to shut it out. If he sees the profit it makes, maybe I can get on good terms with the lorda again. > his eyes would grow wide with joy < yes, yes yes!! Victor you're brilliant, if I can get good with that fat fool again, I can finally quit lurking and get somewhere! > pausing, realizing his ambitions were somewhat too loud, quieted down and became calm again, taking a swig of the kamikaze and setting the empty glass down. < Tell me Victor, you're a good pilot right? You've obviously been in the smuggling game for a while, I've had some insider access so I can find profitable clients, would you be interested in becoming business partners? > Ruba had a crooked smirk on his face, eyes crazy with excitement. It would appear this man would help him get his fire back.

​

@Victor Tanner

 

[Victor Tanner]

Victor raised a brow at the mention of faking his death. It took him three years to get the contacts in with Colimma, he'd be blasted if he'd dash them first chance he got. But Ruba had opened his eyes for sure. Perhaps the Hutt's weren't the only ones who could make money in this Galaxy. Everyone had to come from somewhere, of course.

He chuckled at the exclamation, glancing around with a steady hand straying to his blaster. He made no move to pull it, but with Ruba's story he didn't want to take any chances. Such a budding partnership being dashed against the rocks would be a foul thing for both of them, especially if it came at the end of a blaster from some two-bit gangster overhearing them.

"I've been in the smuggling game as long as I could walk. Pa' was a cracker, a salvager of big rigs after the war. Soon as I could I took to the stars with a crew off this very moon. Only been the last ... two month or so I worked the coin to get my own ship." Victor took a long slow sip of his drink, letting it wash down as he grimaced. Strong alcohol. "As for being a good pilot? You know everyone you meet calls themselves the best? Well, I am the best." He chuckled once more, his demeanour relaxed. Anyone with an eye for such details would notice his hard, green gaze darting the exits and entrances, his posture arranged so he could twist and turn in an instant. He may well come across as just another Spacer, but he was prepared for anything. Or so he thought.

"Way I see it, Ruba, is we're both starting from nothing. Credits I had were blown on The Hog and Whistles. Don't get me wrong, I'm not begging on street corners, but I need some money. Like you say though, Spice is just pissing credits down the drain at this point. With a little inside information..." Victor grinned, nodding towards Ruba as he continued "We'd do well enough. Couple runs in the Outer Rim to ... establish ourselves, before we hit up Lorda Besadii and see if he wants a piece of the proverbial pie." He leaned to cross his legs, mottled boots laying open at the calf. He drained another few mouthfuls of drink, the alcohol working to relax him a fraction.

"'Course, with your ... history, we take our time. But if you're willing to pump some credits beside mine, or some information, I'd be happy to call you partner. Fifty-fifty split, running costs taken before?" Victor sniffed once more. He was jumping the gun, getting well ahead of himself, but he knew full well how rare such a conversation like this was. He inwardly chided himself for being too eager, though adopted his usual easy smile.

"That is, if we like working with one another of course."
​

@Ruba the Hutt

 

[Ruba the Hutt]

It was good to see confidence that Victor had in his piloting skills, thing is that every pilot he's ever met said that they're the only best, but he had higher hopes for his potential counter-part. When Victor brought up how he burned his credits on a ship and droid, it caught Ruba funny, as he owns the same ship < Funny enough, I own that same ship. It's actually parked out back behind this lovely little establishment > taking his final shot of the Kamikaze, Ruba continued speaking as the Twilek girl walked away with the drinks. When the man began speaking of the more in-depth details of how the business would be operated, Ruba listened and responded < Yes yes, sounds fair. I believe we should continue this discussion in a more discreet location perhaps? > Ruba spoke, offering a word of approval from Victor.​