Ask Acquiring Muuny

[Karys]

THEME l Muunilinst, Intergalactic Banking Clan Headquarters
​

Karys had met with Master Antik, a ruling member of the Zygerrian Slave Council to understand the politicking that would be required to sway a banking clan to financing his endeavors. He had come dressed for the role of a representative to a labor acquisition and investment firm, Zygerrian Limited. The firm was a shell company of course, a mask used to move funds for the Sith Order that wouldn't be so easily traced back to them. Master Antik had been the one to draw up the paperwork, ensuring that all the right boxes had been ticked or checked to avoid suspicions being drawn to the company. Despite this, Karys found only frustrations on Muunilinst, the Muuns didn't deviate from letter of the law mentality. Appointments were necessary and influencing the minds of the Muuns was next to impossible. They were too focused on their tasks and intelligent to be broken so easily.

Karys had established a meeting with one of the minor clans to discuss financing corporate expansionist policies. Unfortunately, the next available appointment was in three years, four month, and thirty-six days.

It had left Karys more than annoyed and researching alternative means of acquiring what he would need in order to finance his goals. He tirelessly looked into other banking worlds but found that most of them maintained a sense of morality that the Muuns thankfully lacked. Karys was quickly realizing that without leverage he would be shut out of beginning his own goals for an extended period, it was unacceptable.

He muttered a silent curse aimed at the misfortunes of his ancestors. He'd have to find dirt on a Muun it seemed.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

The Force was a funny thing as was its relationship with the Sith. The Sith tried to claim it had no real mastery over them, but as far as Kaldar was concerned, this was just children playing denying a parent was there if they refused to look at it. Yes, it obeyed their commands, but it ultimately pulled the strings.

That was why there was no doubt that it was the Force that had landed two Sith from two different sects in the same place with similar needs. It wasn't coincidence in a galaxy with quintillions of beings.

But Kaldar had his own means and interests in what he hoped to accomplish. His own leverage to get through the door was a combination of his influence with the new Queen of Onderon calling in favors and the Nagai Supreme Leader Arcturus calling in his own favors finally got Kaldar enough interest. After all, the "fixer" for two such dangerous people certainly wasn't someone to be trifled with, right?

At least that was what Kaldar hoped people would think.

He'd set up an off the books meeting with one of the Muun bankers who had set him on the right course, but he still had a lot of work to do. As he was starting to leave, his eyes fell on none other than a Pureblood Sith. He knew that they were... around, but they were few and far between. Kaldar thought back to his time among the main forces of the Sith and the only two he had met were Azar and Cyu. He knew there couldn't have been many of them left, though not all were true members of the Sith Order anymore. Many lived their days trying to blend in with the rest of the galaxy and plenty of people didn't even remember what a Sith was anymore. Not the species anyway.

Kaldar did, though, and as he started heading toward the exit, he came to a stop.

Hey, you got the time? he asked. It was a completely innocuous question.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys had been sitting at his table reading on his EZPhone. He was looking any information he could pull in regards to Muun banking clans and recent indiscretions. There wasn’t much. Frustration was welling up in Karys’ chest until someone spoke to him.

Golden eyes broke from his screen, perhaps a little more sharply than he’d intended. They fell upon a human man, not much older than him. Karys glanced back at his EZPhone and read the time.

“16:46 local time, 13:46 galactic standard.” Karys replied cooly.

Then Karys’ quickly looked the man over. He was dressed for a meeting of some sort clearly. Karys smirked and shook his head.

“If you’re trying to get a meeting, I hope you’ve been on the schedule for a while now.” He told the stranger. “I represent the Zygerrian crown and even a minor banking clan gave me a three and a half year wait.” He explained before tapping at a corporate symbol on the front of his briefcase for emphasis.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

He could feel that cutting gaze golden gaze as the Sith's eyes flicked up to him. It was easy to miss, but it had a certain edge to them that Kaldar knew too well. It was the edge of someone who took in and evaluated threats and it wasn't even particularly tempered. To a normal person, it probably would have gone unnoticed, but that wasn't Kaldar.

Zygerrian, huh? he said, head tilting to the side. They weren't well liked and while most anything went on Muunilinst, there were plenty of people who would have immediately turned his nose up at him.

Sounds like you just need the right leverage, he said. Of course, that single word "leverage" had all the weight in the galaxy behind it. It could be anything from run of the mill favors to kidnapping and murder. Kaldar wasn't afraid to deal in any of those, of course, and it was just a game of figuring out how far his new compatriot would go.

He slid into the chair across from the other man, not missing a beat before proceeding. Zygerrians weren't known for their ethical practices, so even if this guys wasn't a member of the Sith Order, he still might not be afraid to get his hands dirty on behalf of the slavers.

What's your funding about? he asked. Sure, it may have been direct, but most people who were either powerful or represented the powerful didn't like having their time wasted. Which of these the man fell into was yet to be determined, but time would tell. Time and an attentive ear.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

“Mmm, Zygerria.” He confirmed at the human’s question. “I’ve been in their employ for two or three years now.” He explained. “What about you? Whose interests do you represent?” He asked calmly.

Karys took a more relaxed posture in his chair as the human began a more casual conversation. He wasn’t actually relaxed of course but he hid that tension. This human was chatty, he had a lot of questions, he was too interested. Karys’ gaze softened, a smile touched his face, he nodded to the chair across next to him. It was an invitation to sit and chat about business, innocent enough.

“I’m Karys by the way.” He stated as a brief introduction. “And I was just beginning to look into that.” He replied with a smirk. “Zygerria expects results and not excuses. Their retainer is enough to keep me from freelance work.” He explained briefly as he tapped the back of his EZPhone. “And I couldn’t find anything useful to leverage against them. So, alternative means it is.” The tone confirmed what the other man had suggested.

Over three years was an unacceptable time table.

However, when the man asked about what he was financing, Karys’ smile faded. He didn’t frown but his expression turned neutral and he simply shook his head in reply.

“Sorry stranger. That’s client-agent confidentiality.” He explained with a shrug. “I’d prefer Zygerrian secrets unsold and my head still attached to my neck.” He quipped, an interested grin re-emerged onto his face.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar waved away the objection and "apology." Ah, of course. Plenty of things aren't confidential, but if this is then no worries, he said, moving along from it as if it were nothing. Proprietary? Illegal? A little of both? With Zygerrians he guessed it was a little of both.

Kaldar, he said, extending a hand to the other man. Karys.

I represent some entities deep in the Outer Rim on Saijo, he said. Despite everything that had happened with the Nagai over 100 years ago, most people seemed to have forgotten about it. Most people had never heard of the planet, and that was just fine for Kaldar. The more mystery, the better.

I'm looking for some leverage as well, although the kind I'm looking for isn't usually... for the faint of heart, he said. It was not outright incriminating, but the man would have an idea and the opportunity to back out if he saw fit. If Kaldar had read him right, though, he'd have no interest in doing that.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Karys smirked as the man seemed to drop the line of questioning. He was curious but not that curious it seemed. Good. “Yeah, it’s not personal. Just part of this line of work. I’m sure you understand.” He replied with a shrug.

When Kaldar offered Karys his hand to shake, Karys smoothly took it. His hand engulfed Kaldar’s, and the humans hand disappeared for the brief moment introductions were passed.

Karys quirked an eyebrow ridge at Kaldar’s response. “I’ve done work out in the Outer Rim before, near Rattatak. Tough place. Never heard of Saijo though.” He replied cooly. “But if you represent a client in lawless space, you’ve got to be good at what you do.” Karys stated offering the man a genuine compliment.

At Kaldar’s less than subtle suggestion, Karys would give an amused chuckle. An interested grin crossed his features as he placed his forearms and elbows on his knees and leaned in. “The Zygerrian Crown expects results, it doesn’t care how they are achieved.” He replied, it was an unspoken acknowledgment of what Kaldar suggested.

Karys was in.

He glanced around, they were in a public area. Karys didn’t feel like dealing with peace keepers or banking clan agents. He nodded his head towards a space port exit.

“Ships docked not far from here. It’ll give us some privacy to discuss business.” He offered bluntly.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Of course, he said nonchalantly. He'd pushed the line once, and that was fine. Not even anything that was really enough to raise eyebrows.

Well thank you. I am, he said with a smile that was one part cocky and one part endearing. He wasn't lying, but he certainly had his way around getting what he wanted. And he would only get better with time.

My kind of attitude, he said with a slow nod as if to say "oh yeah."

Lead the way, he said, motioning toward the man to lead the way toward his ship. Of course, getting into ships with strange men wasn't wise, but Kaldar was part of the reason that it wasn't wise, so he figured he could handle himself if things went sideways. After all, what was the worst that could happen...

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

At Kaldar’s agreement, Karys snapped up his phone and briefcase. He would guide them towards the docking bay his ship was at. There was no hesitation when he scanned his thumb print to bypass security measures. The entry way to his ship slid open and Karys walked in ahead of his temporary guest.

He hung his sports coat on a hanger and gestured for Kaldar to make himself comfortable. The living space was connected to a dining room which was adjacent to an oversized kitchen. Every surface was meticulously clean and spoke to an individual who cared about the details.

“If you need it, refresher is that way.” Karys pointed down a hallway as he walked in the kitchen. “Normally, I cook for guests.” He explained. “But we’re on limited time and I think we’d both prefer our clients remain satisfied.” Karys continued. “So you’ll have to settle for a snack instead.”

Karys would emerge from his kitchen with a bowl willed with a mixture of honeyed nuts and vegetables. Each of them had been rolled in a particular spice which caused a blend of crunch, sweet, and heat that he rather enjoyed. It was a finger food to eat while discussing their plans.

Karys slid the bowl onto the dining room table and took a seat. He’d pop a few of the snack food into his mouth before speaking.

“I’d suggest knocking over a few of the smaller banking clans.” He began as he placed his blaster pistol on the table in front of him. It was a sign of good faith and not particularly a threat. Plus, Karys was never truly unarmed, he always had the Force. “If we target a larger one, it’ll draw too much attention.” He continued, pointing out the obvious. “I was about to reach out to a contact on Zygerria, Slave council member, a Muun. They’re well connected and could point us in a solid direction.” Karys explained. “Unless you have a better idea?”

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar took in the entire place as he arrived, measuring the best ways in and out, how to escape and where to fight if it came to that. Of course, the idea that it would come to that was utterly absurd to anyone except him, but he never excluded the possibility.

Fingerprint scanner, dining space, living space, all nice enough but not overly indulgent, he thought to himself, considering what it also meant about the man he was about to get into metaphorical bed with.

His host laid out some snacky foods, and once Karys, himself, had partaken, Kaldar took a couple to pop into his mouth. Oh this wasn't going to be good. He was going to eat way too many of these if they just sat in front of him...

Kaldar's eyes fell to the blaster pistol that the man placed on the table in front of him. His gut dropped in that way that it did before a fight when your heart skips a beat and you feel things are about to escalate. Then, he realized the act was not actually done in aggression or as a threat, though his internal guard didn't particularly drop.

Kaldar pondered for a moment the proposal that Karys made about robbing the banking clans, and it occurred to him that the two of them - while they had differing goals - were not incompatible goals.

I might, he said with a nod, looking thoughtfully toward the table before pulling out his EZPhone and pulling up a news article.

See these two companies. Two of the intermediate and smaller Clans, but if they were to join together, they would become the third largest group on the planet. And the head of Ischigi Clan is old, frail, and going senile. If we can leverage Takinashi Clan into a hostile takeover, I can get us a foothold in the new company and I'm sure I could see to it that you got your loans, he said. It was bold, there was no question about that, but bold was the name of this game. The galaxy was all about leveraging your hand, and Kaldar intended to do just that and his initial meeting with one of his old master's old contacts had set him on the path.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

While Kaldar sized Karys up based on his living accommodations. Karys did the same by watching Kaldar when he waited to eat until after Karys did. Observant and cautious. The faintest of grins tugged at Karys’ lips. Good.

“Poisoning acquaintances is bad for business.” Karys commented off-handedly. “Plus, I’m always looking for reliable partners.” He explained briefly. “It makes these big jobs a little easier.”

Karys listened to his new-found partner’s counter proposal. He didn’t talk of money or loans, he talked of footholds and power. Kaldar’s plan reminded him of Azar on Zygerria, or how the pair of them had operated on Panatha. It was a power-grab. Karys was intrigued.

“I like it.” He replied cooly. “Pushing a Muun to cannibalize a lesser clan isn’t hard from what I understand. They only need to see statements and profit margins to be interested.” He continued as he popped a honeyed vegetable into his mouth. “I’d offer to have financial histories forged but that would just lead to further complications down the line.” He mused. “We could either steal them or be very convincing.”

Karys was fine with either choice. He was more interested in seeing which option Kaldar would choose. What kind of man was he?

“There is one other issue,” Karys pointed out. “This whole plan gives you all the power and control.” He continued. “What’s to stop you from, oh I don’t know, fucking me over after this?” He queried before his gaze turned to the snack bowl.

“You finished or would you like a to-go-bag?” He quipped with a smirk.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Hmm, Kaldar hummed quietly with a smirk at the mention of poison, but he offered no other response or insights into his thoughts on the matter.

He listened to what Karys said about the clans, and they seemed to be in agreement.

We could, he said in response to forging documents and whatnot, but Kaldar had an even more... vicious plan. Unfortunately, it was a step beyond even what they had discussed so far. But he wasn't worried. Any man who was observant enough to notice Kaldar's concern about poison was no stranger to murder.

But with Ischigi Clan's patriarch next to useless, all we have to do is go to Takinashi Clan with the plan and then off Ischigi's successor: his son. No strong leadership, ripe for takeover, he proposed.

Ah, and then came "the question." But Kaldar was a quick witted one.

It's always nice to have a reliable partner, he said, almost exactly mirroring Karys's sentiment from earlier in answer to the Sith's own question.

Besides, why would I? he asked with a shrug. You're after money, I'm after a foot in the door. It's a win-win and keeping a, hmm, vibrant partnership alive benefits everyone, right? he asked with a cocked head.

No, I really shouldn't, he said, waving off any more of the snacks that he could easily continue to pack away.

 

[Karys]

Murder. Now this was proving to be an interesting venture. Even before he had become Sith, Karys had engaged in murder to ensure his own ends. Now it was just plucking off a single man to achieve his ends. Karys leaned back in his chair, there was no need to act like he was considering Kaldar’s offer, his face gave his answer. A smirk on his lips and his golden eyes taking on a vibrant hue. Kaldar didn’t need to sell the plan anymore.

“I have something that can make this even easier.” Karys stated calmly. “It’s a gift from someone very important to me.” He explained as he opened his briefcase, positioned it so Kaldar couldn’t see the lightsaber hilt within, and popped open the compartment.

He’s pull out a chrome flask and place it on the table. Then he’d close his briefcase and place it under the table before taking the empty bowl to the sink. Karys would come back with a single transparisteel vial and pour the other dose of Azar’s potion into it.

The thick, green, viscous liquid filled the vial. Karys watched Kaldar from his peripheral, the potion oozed with the taint of the dark side. An alchemical creation that had incredible value.

“Do not waste this.” Karys warned as he pushed the vial over to Kaldar. “It will alter your appearance to another species for a single hour.” He explained calmly. “The transformations will hurt beyond anything in your wildest dreams.” He cautioned. “But it does work, I used it on an elimination job. No need to worry about cameras.” He assured.

Karys realized this likely would give a little more of his hand than he would have otherwise liked. But he’d prefer this job to be done quickly, he needed that financing to get things rolling. If Kaldar recognized this for what it was, it would be a problem for another day.

“I think we have a deal, Kaldar.”

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

It seemed they had a deal, and that was a plus. It seemed the man even had something else that could make their job easier, though as he pulled out said special contraption, the Dark Side oozed off of it. Okay, so Sith confirmed, he thought to himself.

His eyes dropped down to the glass bowl that contained the liquid. It was a vibrant, almost glowing color that was unsettling to say the least and could have done anything.

He looked at it for several moments, then back at Karys, then back at the liquid.

I'm not drinking that, he stated deadpan, and it wasn't entirely clear if it was a joke or if he was being serious. In part because Kaldar himself wasn't sure if he was joking or serious. His hesitation was... severe. Not to mention the fact that no normal, non-Sith, would even consider just casually drinking this... neon potion of transformation and torment.

What's wrong with... you know, a mask or something? he asked. Though he had to admit, if the potion did what he said, it was more useful than a mask. By a wide margin, but still. Maybe if he saw Karys drink it first... maybe.

His hesitation was severe and that was as a Sith. It was an alchemical concoction that could do... well, anything.

 

[Karys]

Karys watched as Kaldar inspected the potion. The human’s gaze flicked between him and the neon green viscous liquid. At his response, Karys couldn’t help but give an amused chuckle before he shrugged.

“If you’re uncomfortable you can watch it in action.” Karys explained as he put his flask onto his hip. “But keep that dose, consider it an investment in our fruitful partnership and potential future endeavors.” Karys explained. “You’ll find it far more useful than any mask, I assure you.” He continued. “People remember masks and they remember faces, with this it won’t matter. You’ll change back by the time anyone can report anything anyways.”

At that Karys would stopper the vial for his newfound partner and gently push it towards him. Then he’d take a step back and cross his arms. “So what do you know about Ischigi’s schedule? Security? Entourage?” Karys asked, his mind turning back to their plan. “Is there a time when he’s most vulnerable during the day?” He continued.

So far Kaldar had been the one with the plan, so Karys expected him to have some information to back it up as well. So long as Kaldar could provide that, Karys didn’t mind getting his hands dirty. Brains and brawn made for a potent combination.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar was still not sold on this, although watching Karys do it first would at least help alleviate his concerns. It actually raised an idea in his head: he should learn how to cast better disguises on himself with illusion. It might come in handy, although he still wasn't certain that "they'll remember a mask" was such a good reason. What he did think was that if they were looking for the completely wrong suspect, it might even further lessen their odds of ever finding the truth.

He did, however, reach out and take the vial, slipping it into his hand and holding it there for the time being. He wasn't one to completely give up a potential advantage, and although "trust" was too strong of a word, mutual benefit was likely on the table. He would just... wait and see what happened.

Recon is the next step, he said. Although his contact had put Kaldar on the trail of who was weak, the informant didn't do his own recon, and Kaldar had just left the meeting.

This was a recent tip, and my informant doesn't do that kind of recon himself, he said with a shrug. It would come down to them, but the payoff was... far too good to pass up.

I have some basic information about where he lives and his security, but that's about it, he said.

@Apollyon

 

[Karys]

Recon, the most boring part of these jobs. Karys didn’t let his displeasure at the thought touch his face. Instead, he simply nodded in agreement.

“Your informant doesn’t do recon? Odd.” Karys off-handedly replied. “How solid is the information they gave?” He wondered aloud with a shrug. “Regardless, you know his home address and his security set up. It’s all we need to get the rest in order.” Karys stated finally. “After you.”

Karys would ensure he had all of his things in order. He’d discreetly as possible pull the hilt of his lightsaber out and slip it into his chest holster beneath beneath his jacket. Karys would reholster his blaster pistol and follow Kaldar back out into Muunilinst.

“What kind of security are we looking at here?” Karys asked as they moved to the coordinates. “If we can get in, I suggest getting the disagreeable work done asap.” Karys suggested. “I’d prefer to provide results to the crown sooner rather than later.”

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar's face didn't flinch in response to the comment about the informant not doing recon. Certainly not when they were a leading "legitimate" businessman. They didn't get into those kinds of things even if they did know who was hurting currently.

Very, was the only response he gave in answer to the question about how reliable the contact was. It was the meeting Kaldar had gotten, and it was the foot in the door he had needed. Leverage, leverage, leverage was the name of the game, and Kaldar found new and creative ways to use it all the time.

Small security team, he said. Even with the rivalries on Muunilinst, most people weren't seeing real threats. It wasn't like he was the President of the ISC or something.

Usually two men on at any given time, he said. Really, Kaldar probably could have - and maybe even should have - done this himself, but there were more reasons than just that to partner up for this job.

The trick is we want it to look like an accident, he said. And that was the trick. There were plenty of ways to go about doing that, and Kaldar had done it before, but he was always open to new suggestions.

He started heading in the direction of the home as they spoke.

Ideas? he offered, letting the other man come up with some ideas before he moved on to some of his more "staple" ways to accidentally kill someone.

 

[Karys]

Karys’ eyes flitted about the high rise corporate and apartment buildings of the capital city. He hummed slightly as he listened to what Kaldar said, it was a habit he’d picked up from Azar. Only he’d began to do it while thinking, Azar hummed when he was genuinely happy. When Kaldar finally asked for his input, Karys’ response was a question in reply.

“How many falling deaths do you think occur here?” He asked as he nodded towards an apartment building. Each apartment had a balcony to step out on, some seemed more in disrepair than others. “Accidental, suicide, otherwise?”

Karys felt the implication was clear.

“You blend in easier than I do.” Karys pointed out. “Slipping into a crowd and disappearing is key for whoever draws the guards away.” He continued. “You draw his security detail off, I ensure our friend has an accident, and then we ensure our clients are both satisfied, yeah?”

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

He listened to what the Pureblood said, smirking slightly as he asked about "falling" deaths. Although making sure it looked like an accident or suicide rather than foul play could be tricky, Kaldar had confidence they could figure out a way.

I'd argue your potion makes you a better candidate for blending, he said. It was hard to argue with. If they were going to directly see the face of someone it was better to have it be the shape-changer. And although he was carrying it, Kaldar still wasn't convinced about the idea of drinking it.

Besides, this won't be my first time breaking in somewhere. And I can just cover up my face, he said. If he was spotted, the idea of making it look like an accident went somewhat out the window anyway.

They came to a stop near a towering building filled with apartments. Kaldar stopped and looked up to it, taking a deep breath and pondering how they'd manage this.

We're going to have to find a way to draw his guards out and gain access to his penthouse elevators. The guards are in a small antechamber around the turbolift... apparently, he said. It would actually make things quite difficult to access such a secured area. They'd have to get creative.

We might be able to access a lower floor and climb up to the top, he said.

@Apollyon