Bottoms Up

[Fynn Draygo]

Not too long ago he had been living a comfortable life, an officer in the Imperial Navy, a bright future ahead of him, maybe even a comfortable political career somewhere down the line. Then Medriaas had happened and he was left unable to live in the Empire.

He had left, and stayed mostly outside the empire, avoiding planets where the Empire's influence was strong, for a deserter like him was a easy target for bounty hunters, soldiers, and Sith. But now, after months spent recovering from his near death experience on Tatooine, he didn't care. Bedridden and entirely useless, he had spiraled into a depression, and the first thing he had done after recovering enough to travel was make it back to the Empire. Even if it put his life at risk, he wanted to visit home once more, to enjoy, however briefly, his old life.

That's why he was here, at a dingy old cantina on Coruscant, one he had frequented a few times during his time in the navy. He risked being identified, but he didn't really care. His injuries had left him haggard and skinny, a shell of the man he had once been, and combined with his overgrown beard, and the cheap prosthetic arm that had replaced the right one he had lost, he was probably a completely different man from the one that anyone could recognize.

All he wanted to do was have his drink, and for a whilw forget everything that had happened since Medriaas.

@Lucid

 

[Jacob Tagger]

Jacob hated the underbelly of Coruscant. It smelled, it was cramped and everyone, everywhere wanted to knife you. He felt as though he should have had a mirror strapped to his head as he walked so he could always see behind him. The Force was good, but with Jacob's limited experience with it, not good enough. Eventually though, he made his way to the cantina where he was to meet his source.

An ex-imperial officer in the Navy, wounded and bitter, he had some valualbe information about the Medriaas conflict that Jacob needed. He was constructing a three part series on the callous and inhumane actions about their Sith overlords and this would be a juicy detail. The trick would be getting the man, Fynn or something, to go along with being named and interviewed publicly. That would be the trick indeed.

He shoved the door of the cantina open and nearly gagged on the stench of rotten beer and the unwashed bodies of countless beings from hundreds of species. Liquor would do well to deaden his sense of smell and he wandered up to the bar to order one. The only occupant there was a man who looked like he'd been through the wringer more than once. Dark shadows under his eyes, reeking of booze and a cut-price prosthetic arm. How lovely, his source was waiting for him already. Jacob ordered two drinks, one for himself and one for the other man and took a seat next to him.

"You must be Fynn," he said, kindly. "I believe we need to discuss how to go forwards. As the story has developed, it needs something more impactful and I think you might just be the person I need. I won't lie, it's not going to be easy, but if you could speak about the Medriaas situation from the standpoint of an officer who was there as a part of my publication, it would give it so much more firepower."

He tensed, prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. Who knew what the battered man would do.

@Wit

 

[Fynn Draygo]

Fynn was ignoring the man who suddenly showed up and took a seat next to him, focused on his drink. But then the man mentioned Medriaas and something within him flipped. Feeling an anger at the presence of the man that he couldn't really explain, but he was suddenly very very annoyed by the fact that he wasn't being left alone.

He didn't really know the man's intention, but in that moment he felt like a cornered animal and he pushed off from the bar as he got to his feet and turned to face the man with a snarl on his face. "There is no Mediraas, not anymore." Picking up his glass, he downed whatever remained of his drink and kicked at the legs of the seat the man was sitting on and tossed the glass back at the bar as he turned and making his way away from the bar and the man.

@Lucid

 

[Jacob Tagger]

This was not exactly how Jacob had wanted things to go...though, truth be told he wasn't all that surprised. Veterans like this one were often cagey about their experiences and, if the cheap prosthetic arm was anything to go by, life hadn't been particularly kind to Fynn since. He waited, downing his beer quickly as the man headed for the door. When he pushed it open and stumbled out, Jacob sighed and flipped a coin to the barkeep.

He followed the man out into the street and grabbed his arm, turning him around. "How can you possibly say that?!" His voice was accusatory. "Hundreds of millions died there! You can't just deny it, no matter how painful it is to you! You have a duty to make the Empire be held accountable for their crimes!"

Jacob continued to stare at the other man, his hand vicelike on Fynn's arm. The Force began to swirl around Jacob. A fight wasn't what he wanted but if he had to make the man see sense, he would.

@Wit