Ask Chasing Shadows

[Covax]

The droids had done their work. Cleaning an polishing the long forgotten room. As well the rest of the "Zann Palace", once the home of Grace Zann. One of several vanquished or banished leaders in the syndicate. Now it was little more than a hotel for pirates, scum, and well, criminals. His kind of people.

It also happened to be neutral territory. Far from Level 1313 and Omega, as well as the spies slithering in Hutt controlled space. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.

Covax sat the end of the table facing the panoramic view windows. Not because he wanted to see the view, but because he wanted to see his guests coming. They were several of the most skilled and perhaps deadly criminals and assassins. The thought of it made him smile thinking of how much shit Aska would be giving him for doing such a move. Or, how he might have beat her to the punch.

The sight of incoming ships brought him back to the present. Waving over the Crisp-E server droid. "Make sure the bar is fully stocked."

@Phoenix @lizziie @Sreeya

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra had stayed away from the Zann Consortium when it had been run by Grace Zann, and that wasn't by accident. The woman had been a danger to the entirety of the Syndicates, and she hadn't wanted her named tied anywhere near it.

Now that she'd vanished, however, things were a little different. Plus she wasn't here to meet with Grace Zann, but Covax.

She arrived to the board meeting a tad bit early as was her wont. She always said that time was money, and running on time had been a priority in her business before she'd joined Crimson Dawn. Nothing had really changed in that regard since joining.

The door slid open and she made her way inside, smiling and greeting the man in question. It took no guess to know who he was, but she opted for an introduction still.

Nice to finally meet you. Terra, as you probably already knew, she said, moving over to look at the window for a moment and letting Mars introduce herself.

 

[Acklay]

Similarly to Terra, Mars had kept a good couple of meters in between her and the Zann Consortium. Something about trying to unite several syndicates together under her leadership seemed very fishy, and Mars was sure that if she'd continued further there would have been some double-crossing along the line. It wasn't to say two different syndicates couldn't get along, but in the end, everyone had their own interests they were going to put first.

"Mars," she piped up right after Terra. Her eyes fell back to Covax after wandering around the room, and she gave him a polite smile. Though she knew the name, Mars was unfamiliar with who the man was exactly, but since Terra seemed to like him well enough, that was good enough for the cyvorg. "Fancy place you have here."

The woman went and stood behind one of the chairs at the table, and placed one of her metal hands around the back of the seat while she waited for the final arrivee to show.

tags: @Phoenix @Taz @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

He walked in fashionably late. Contrary to his usual style, Edin actually strode in without any armor on. In fact, he wore a neat button down and some jeans. If this was neutral territory for criminals, it wouldn’t matter whether he wore his helmet or not. He was tired of hiding and he was confident enough to watch his back.

The Firrerreo pulled up a chair and plopped down, setting down a giant rainbow colored slushie on the table. It was obvious he stopped on the way here to grab the drink. His icy blue gaze flicked across the others, giving a nod to Terra and Covax before he looked at the woman he didn’t recognize.

“Basilisk,” Edin stated simply as he reached for his oversized slushie and pulled from the straw. This would be the first time Terra would also learn that he was Basilisk, the infamous assassin that had sniped the former Chancellor, a famed Mon Cala Admiral and also helped bring down Zaa Fenn.

@Taz @Phoenix @lizziie

 

[Covax]

Perhaps Hypori was not the best place for the this little gathering. The Consortium was so danger to the syndicates, the other syndicates took care of the problem before it became a repeat performance of Zaa Fenn. "Fucking Gareth", the former merc muttered.

Covax stood then as the first of his guests entered, quickly followed by her partner. The Tiefling, Terra, he knew about. The Cyborg he didn't completely know, but admired the handy work. But, was also of the opinion IIana could have done better.

The towering human stood as Terra entered first. Giving the Ringleader a warm smile, "I did, but it's a pleasure to finally meet you all the same." He said honestly. "Please." He said as he gestured to the seats around the table. Then turned his attention once more to the other.....woman.

"Mars?" He question with a raise of his eyebrow. "Covax." He said, "Can I ask, who did your work." Asking with real interest. He looked around then, "It's a dump." He retorted to Mars' statement.

The criminal Vanguard then sighed as the Firrerro made his entrance. Then glanced over at Terra, somehow surprised that the Ringleader obviously knew of the slayer of world leaders. Then thought better of it. "Wonderful. Drinks?" He asked, waving over the droid once more.

@Phoenix @lizziie @Sreeya

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra took a quick glance out the window before moving over to slip into the offered seat, leaning back and making herself comfortable, tail snaking out under the armrest and up into her own lap where she toyed with the end not unlike most humans might tap their fingers or twiddle their thumbs.

The final member of their meeting came in and she was a bit surprised to see Edin here. They'd worked together when she'd taken over the Blue Stars and he was certainly good at what he did, but he wasn't exactly a big name. That was, until he introduced himself by the name that everyone knew him by. Things clicked and internally, Terra's mouth dropped open... but externally, she managed to keep her sabacc face on.

Nice to see you again, she said to Edin. It seemed that maybe she was seeing who he really was for the first time, though. She wondered which face was the mask and which was the real. Perhaps it made no difference in the end, she was impressed either way.

Covax asked about Mars' cybernetic work, which Terra had never thought to ask, and then proposed drinks for everyone.

Tiefling trashcan, she said to the droid, ordering her favorite drink: a mixture of a Red Rancor and a slew of strong liquors that was particularly for people with two livers.

Quite an interesting group you've pulled together here, she said to Covax. While she had the most cursory idea of what this was about, there were still many details that were missing to her. In particular, she found it interesting that Edin was here given his reputation for independent work. She was curious if he'd been convinced to sign on with... whatever they were discussing.

@Sreeya @Taz @lizziie

 

[Acklay]

Basilisk. So this was the man that had put a bullet through the old Chancellor's head? Mars' eyebrows raised ever so slightly, and she gave the man a short upward nod of her head after he made his revelation. She didn't know him by any other name, unlike the others, so this was her first impression of the renowned assassin.

The man's presence - not to mention Covax being the one to call her and Terra here - begged another question. With names and reputations like theirs, what was in store for this meeting? The cyborg could feel the phantom buzzing of anticipation in her metal extremities.

"Most of it was originally installed when I was a kid," she answered vaguely. There was a lot more to the story than that, but she didn't need to go all into that. Bryn would be in prison for the rest of his life anyways, and there was no need to damper the mood by casually bringing up childhood trauma. "Grew outta that, got what I have put in, and nowadays I do most of it myself."

Mars was far from a pro ripperdoc, but she knew her body and her cybers well enough to maintain her current state. Back when she'd run with her old gang, she'd even worked on others a bit, but that was years ago at this point. The woman had her eyes on some new tech too, but it wasn't quite within her budget yet.

"Just a vodka," she told the droid. The woman pulled out the chair she still had a hand on and swiveled it around so she could take a seat.

tags: @Phoenix @Taz @Sreeya

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin simply gave a smile and a peace sign at Terra. He drew from his slushie again, politely shaking his head on the drinks. While he wasn’t a big drinker in general, with Joiner drinks all around, he was especially wary these days. The assassin checked his comlink as the others talked, making a few adjustments on his idle game that he checked now and then.

“So, why’d you drag us all out here?” He asked after everyone got the smalltalk out of the way.

@Taz @Phoenix @lizziie

 

[Covax]

Covax thought he noticed the slighted twitch in Terra's expression as she came the realize who Edin was. But if he did, it was gone in a blink.

In any cause, he was suddenly more interested in Mars and her answer to his question. "A woman of many talents." He said, honestly admiring her ability to work on herself. " If you're looking for something a little more cutting edge, Dr Morata is a close personal friend of mine. Perhaps I can make an introduction?" He added. Then gave Mars a wink the very eye Doc had replaced when she saved his life.

As the others sat down, Edin would unsurprisingly move the meeting along. When it came to work, the assassin and the Vanguard were very much of a like mine. Direct, and to the point. It was in fact Aska's influence on him that made him try to "work the crowd", so to speak.

Taking his gamorrean brandy from the droid after the others were served, Covax to his seat once again. "To the point than." He said with a sigh. "As you are all well aware by now. The so called alliance between the syndicates has been broken. Unsurprising, after well. After everything."

He paused a moment, letting the others think about the events. Callo crossing the Empress, Gareth's mass genocide attack on Cala. The subsequent man hunt afterward, and finally, the total shit show that was the Zann Consortium.

@Phoenix @lizziie @Sreeya

 

[Acklay]

An introduction to the former CEO of MorataCorp? Mars was definitely listening, but she had her reservations. Perhaps she'd take him up on that off, perhaps she wouldn't.

Either way, they were moving on. Mars got her glass of vodka and swirled the liquid around in the cup while levying her eyes on the man as he spoke. She was well aware of the things he spoke, but didn't think much about it. The cyborg woman just waited for him to finish his thought.

tag: @Taz @Phoenix @Sreeya

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra sat back and settled in for whatever the pitch would be. She was a big fish in a small pond, and she was working to break into a much, much larger pond. This may well be that opportunity. A man from a shattered Cartel, she wondered if he was trying to begin his own group from the ground up.

She waited patiently for the pitch, half-expected Edin to tell him to spit it out.

Time would tell the answer to her questions. Indeed, it was no surprise that the alliance between the Syndicates was broken. It had always been tentative at best and was never going to last.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin quirked a brow. There was an actual alliance? He understood that to be some nonsense phrase that was never adhered to for as long as he had been involved with the Syndicates. In other news, water was wet. He reached for one of the snacks on the table and started to open a bag of chips, the crinkling of the aluminum loud and obnoxious against the silence of them all waiting for Covax to continue. Once the bag was opened, he politely offered some to the others.

@Taz @Phoenix @lizziie

 

[Covax]

Covax glared toward the assassin, and ship chip bag. Fine, to the point than.

"I'll get right down to it then." Covax said, still glaring at Edin. Then back toward Terra and Mars, since they were he really needed on board with with this little venture. They had the manpower, and the smuggling operation necessary for the next phase of his plans. "Like the Crymorah, the Crimson Dawn's leadership have vanished. As well as Grace, and that mad dog Pyke leader. In fact, all that seems to remain is the slug. Who seems to be taking this opportunity to claim as much as he can for the Hutt Cartel."

"So, Terra, Mars. We are what remains. Our little slices of the galaxy we have carved out for ourselves. But, sooner or later. That fat slug will come for what's ours. Alone, he might just take what we have worked so hard far." Ok, he stole it. Perhaps for the second time. "But together, together we can control what is left of the other syndicates and rival that warm." He said with a grin.

Now he looked only to Terra. "You have the men, I have the money. You have a prime location to launch our little venture, I have the plans for the ZC fleet, and a plan to take hold of what remains of their assets. Let the slug have the map. I want the spice and the slave trade."

@Phoenix @lizziie @Sreeya

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra took some of the offered chips, trying to at least crunch them quietly as she sat there listening, mouthing a "thank you" to Basilisk.

Truth be told, she did have her own apprehension about the Hutt Cartel. They were the only one of the other Syndicates really making moves at the moment, but she didn't see them looking for a turf war at the moment.

She thought about the remainder of his proposal, but she didn't leap out of the gate. The spice was a valuable asset to be sure, but she already had her own designs on that. The flesh trade... well, she'd never been the biggest fan, but Astria was always pushing her to delve deeper into it.

My network has access to many things... including the plans for the Consortium fleet, she said, revealing just how extensive her Crimson Dawn influence had become. They may not have been the flashiest organization, but sometimes the shadows was where real power was.

Do you have influence with the remnants of any of those shattered Syndicates? she asked. Bodies and knowledge were what she was more interested in than anything. Just because the leadership had fallen apart didn't mean there wasn't room to annex and grow. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if he was just in the wrong place and the wrong time or an actual bad luck charm for the groups he was a part of.

@lizziie @Sreeya @Taz

 

[Acklay]

Mars remained quiet while Covax spoke, and moved only to pinch a couple of chips out of the bag that Basilisk offered to her beforehand. She felt a little underwhelmed by his proposal and Terra sounded to her like she felt the same. Additionally, Mars had reservations about the slave trade. It wasn't something she particularly liked, and though it was tolerated by a good majority of the Syndicates, she would be more than happy to do away with it.

For now, the cyborg woman remained quiet and continued to swirl the vodka around in her glass.

tags: @Sreeya @Taz @Phoenix

 

[Covax]

He sat there, stone faced. Even a slight smirk on his lips. He was sure it was a good deal for an up and comer like Terra. However, that smirk quickly faded.

"Is that right," He retorted. This was turning into Kessel all over again. Covax has no idea the Tiefling had the info broker in her pocket. But, there was little doubt. If she had the plans she got them from Nymeria. Terra had managed to cultivate quite the organization in the belly of that old mining outpost.

"No." He replied flatly. There was no one, those in the originations he knew were either in the wind, or in the ground. Save for a few other mercs, like....well like Edin. "As it seems you have better spies then I. You're likely aware I don't." He gave a sigh and a kind of mused half laugh. "It would appear I've wasted your time."

@Phoenix @Sreeya @lizziie