Ask Credits and Control

[Darth Tempest]

.

Even for the Dark Lord, it was all-too-easy to vanish on a place like Cinnagar. Stretching across multiple continents, the capital city of Empress Teta was a monstrosity of Durasteel skyscrapers, factories and urban sprawl. An amalgamation of luxurious, aristocratic estates and putrid slums - buzzing with activity from billions of sentients. Even if it was nestled at the heart of the Republic, Tempest had no difficulty arriving on the planet and going about her business - confident that she wouldn’t be recognized amongst the seas of people.

Centuries of development had transformed Empress Teta into an important manufacturer for the Republic - and it was for precisely that reason that Tempest had turned her attention to the Deep Core world. Ensuring a stable flow of revenue was high amongst her foremost priorities as Dark Lord, and she had every intention of dipping into the bountiful Carbonite reserves of the planet to do so.

Despite the followers under her influence, Tempest made a conscious decision not to contact a single member of the Sith Order to complete her objectives on Teta. The Order needed resources - but there were levers of control that the Dark Lord hesitated to relinquish to anyone she couldn’t - not completely - trust. The safest hands would always be her own. They would keep her in control and with power over any potential rival.

Thus, Tempest instead reached out across the Dark HoloNet - commissioning a regular criminal to get the job done. Coordinates had been sent to Jackie, leading the Chiss to an abandoned warehouse within one of the less-reputable portions of Cinnagar. Of course, the contact had left out any details of who was hiring, or who would be waiting within the warehouse for the mercenary to arrive.

 

[Jackie O]

It didn't matter where you went in the galaxy. A slum was a slum. In that way, Jackie was never too far from home. He had never been to Cinnagar or anywhere on Empress Teta before but felt he had been here all the same.

Jackie was desperate for work. With the Hutts breathing down his neck to repay owed money, he was incredibly motivated to dig himself out of the hole he had dug for himself before it turned into a grave.

He entered the abandoned warehouse. He kept a hand on his blaster. He wasn't exactly spooked out by this place, but having a weapon handy when stepping anywhere in the underworld never hurt. He wore black pants and t-shirt, leaving his tattooed arms exposed. They covered his body all the way up to his neck. It was his attempt at hiding the scars from his past.

"Hello?" he called out.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

It didn’t take very long for Jackie to receive an answer to his blind call into the warehouse. His voice echoed across the empty and metallic interior of the building, and was quickly accompanied the casual tap of footsteps moving in his direction.

Within seconds, the Chiss would see the figure that stepped around a nearby corner where she’d been taking cover. The half-Annfyn was dressed in a rather standard and unrecognizable blastvest and pants, coupled with a brown poncho that covered the upper portion of her poncho. Her hand rested warily on the grip of a blaster pistol strapped to her belt, just on the other side of the vibroblade she carried.

The Dark Lord of the Sith had every intention of seeing this project through with her own two hands - and zero intention of letting Jackie know who he was working with. Instead, the half-Annfyn merely nodded to him. “You sign up for the Cortosis Contract?” She asked after a moment, waiting for his nod or word of affirmation before removing that hand from her side arm.

“Akali,” She said after a moment as an introduction, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Apparently, our target is some Mine Baron holded up in the Royal District. Particularly, the deed to a mine and refinery that operates on the eastern continent of Teta.” The half-Annfyn glanced back over her shoulder. “Non-engagement is preferable, according to the employer.”

@Raydo

 

[Jackie O]

His footfalls echoed as he stepped to the middle of the warehouse, the woman stepping out an instant later. He stared out at her with a blank red stare, looking down at the hand on her blaster.

"You must watch too many holos..." he said, eyeing the room. "This warehouse and that entrance are a bit overboard...Not to mention creepy as fuck." he said,, adopting a bit more of a relaxed posture, his own hand still not straying from his blaster.

"Yea..." he finally answered. "Jackie..." he responded to the introduction.

As she explained the job, he took a cigarette out and lit it, the end flaring before he exhaled a puff of smoke. "Sounds straightforward enough," he said before following her gaze over her shoulder. "You waiting for someone else..." he asked, hand twitching slightly towards his blaster. He was relaxed, but it would be clear enough to her perception of the signs of distrust.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Not like I picked the location,” She muttered, slowly easing off from her guard. The woman clearly appeared to be on edge from the moment she stepped into the warehouse, and the creepy vibes that the environment elicited likely had something to do with it. Nevertheless, the woman had no intentions of attacking Jackie anytime soon.

“You could have been Tetan authorities,” She said flatly. The woman clearly didn’t trust that Jackie was her contact until that moment, and still wasn’t entirely sure he wasn’t followed. Her gaze flicked down to his side arm.

“We’ll need to bypass security and break into the estate. I have the coordinates to the place on me,” She slowly reached for her belt, pulling out a datachip. One that was promptly tossed to Jackie.

“I suggest we don’t travel together - especially if you’re as trigger-happy as you look.” She took in a breath. “Wait until nightfall and rendezvous at the entry point.”

 

[Jackie O]

Jackie sensed the tension from the woman, which in turn kept him on edge, even if he feigned nonchalance. He let out a chuckle. "Just as likely for you to be the Tetan authorities." he thought out loud.

They stood for a moment before she started to reach for her belt, Jackie's fingers twitched, but she only tossed a data chip in his direction. He caught the thing in his offhand. Seemed like a simple enough plan. He wished that the employer would have let him form his own crew. This woman gave him the creeps.

He frowned slightly. "Hey, I haven't shot at you...yet." he said. "Guess I'll see you tonight then" he said, turning to leave. He would find darker clothes, more suitable for sneaking around at night and relaxing the rest of the day until it was time to meet his newfound partner at their rendezvous spot.

Later that night, he would follow directions and arrive at their meeting spot. "Let's get this over with.." he said, pulling on a mask. "Which way you want to make entry?" he asked, peering out from behind cover at the mansion.

@Altaris