The streets of Nar Shaddaa always reminded Aska of Coruscant, despite the short amount of exposure she had had from it’s surface. Towering buildings, brightly coloured holo-boards, soaring speeders and almost every species in the known galaxy walking the multi-tiered platforms that went from the surface of the moon to the tops of the clouds. The biggest difference that the young woman was able to compare of the two civilizations was the god-awful smell. As she came close to the edge of the walkway, leaning on the railing and peering out over the industrial sector below, Aska took a couple steps back and covered her nose in a vain effort to protect herself from the aroma drifting up from below. Despite everything that may have taken place during her very short time on it’s surface, she missed Lothal. The quiet plains, the clean air and the lack of that toxic stench. It had been a few weeks since she had left Lothal behind, along with the dead pirates that her and the Sith had eliminated. Sith. It was a new word she had learned since she had arrived on Nar Shaddaa. One evening in her now favorite cantina, Deskar’s Place, she had met an old woman who told her stories of the Jedi Knights that now roam the galaxy in an effort to enforce peace and settle disputes of planetary governments, crime lords and even simple colonies alike. But with every faction that rises, another rises to face it and that faction was the Sith. If she listened to the old woman and took what she said at face value then the Sith were an entity that should be scourged from the galaxy and their teachings forgotten. It was hard for Aska to accept that, however. While Xath had not settled well with her, she didn’t believe he was what the old lady had claimed. She always could have been wrong, though.
The whistle along the platform sounded for three short bursts, signaling that it was shift change on the docks. With a sigh of relief, Aska made her way to the lockers to change out of her work gear and make her way to Deskar’s for a pint. Every day she worked here made her desperate for one by the time she was off duty. She had just stumbled across the job shortly after arriving and despite hating it, she was making enough money to buy a few changes of clothes, keep food on her table, and rent an apartment that could provide said table. Closing her locker after changing into her casual clothes, Aska strung the black leather jacket over her shoulder and made her way back out to the platform after clocking out. In the far-from-fresh air, she pulled a small package from the jacket pocket before flipping it open and pulling a cigarra out with her teeth and lighting it before replacing the pack in her jacket. It was a habit she had picked up at Deskar’s, though one she wasn’t proud of. Nevertheless, it made her feel good. Damn good. Like it was something she had always done.
The music at Deskar’s was exceptionally loud tonight, some small time bounty hunter had pulled off his first successful job and he was celebrating. No one was leaving the bar sober tonight, and that suited Aska just fine. As she was sitting at the bar, another cup was placed in front of her by the Besalisk bartender. Deskar Tong. Closest thing to a friend Aska had on the Smugggler’s Moon.
“From the show off again. He’s pretty adamant on getting your attention, Aska,” Deskar said with a smirk. “Just please don’t leave him here for me to clean up this time,” he continued, slapping the bar softly as he started to walk away. Aska chuckled and pulled the drink to her before lifting it up to her nose. Sweet smelling liquor, not her preferred choice though it was still exceptionally better than the smell of the air in this quadrant. Looking down the bar to see the young hunter smiling at her as he raised his own cup, Aska looked him dead in the eyes and began to slam the drink. Not once did she break stride and not once did she break her stare. Slamming the cup down, she raised her left hand and flipped the man off only finally giving him the smile he had hoped for from the beginning. Pushing back from the bar but remaining in her seat, she plucked another cigarra from her pack and lit it before turning her attention to the pod races on the display.
“Oh come on, is that really how you’re going to thank me?” Aska hadn’t noticed the drunk hunter had made his way over to her, pushing himself in next to her place at the bar and disgruntling the rather rough looking Selkath at his side.
“I think it was a perfectly reasonable response, actually,” Aska replied, not taking her attention away from the races. The hunter leaned on the bar and motioned for Deskar to come over before looking back to the woman.
“Oh please, you’d love a night with me. That’s a promise,” he attempted a coy smile but all Aska wanted to do was smash his head into the bar. Extending his hand, he held it there for a moment. “I’m Terrik, by the way. Terrik Deadshot, they call me,” he exclaimed, puffing his chest out slightly. Aska only allowed a momentary glance at his hand before returning to the display.
“I’m sure they do,” By now, Deskar had arrived. It was clear he had overheard the arrogance of Terrik and the look on his face showed exhaustion. He had seen this happen a couple times since Aska had arrived, and it hasn’t ended well for the man yet.
“Y’need something, Terrik?” Deskar asked as he took Aska’s empty glass. He met Aska’s eyes for a moment and caught the slight smirk she had given him before sighing and looking back to the hunter.
“Two shots of…. No, four shots of your best Correllian Rum! And replace the ladies drink, my good man!” Terrik said loudly for the people around him to hear before slapping the credits on the counter. While the people in the area simply ignored the obnoxious brag, Deskar simply hung his head slightly then nodded.
“I’ll get that for you right away,” Deskar replied before looking at Aska one more time. “And I’ll get the mop,” Aska couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. Terrik, however, simply raised an eyebrow before calling out after him.
“A mop?! What kind of rookie drinker d’ya think I am, Besalisk?!” he said with a laugh before returning his attention to Aska. “I’m a bounty hunter, y’know. I’m going to be joining the Guild very soon,” he bragged.
“Believe me, everyone here knows that already. You’ve made sure of that,” She just wanted him to go away, but she would let him buy a few more rounds before she crushed his heart. Or skull, whichever seems the most satisfying when the time comes.
“You almost sound jealous!” Terrik placed his gloved hand on her shoulder. Cringe. “What d’you do, gorgeous?” He came in too close for comfort.
“I’m a dock worker,” Aska replied plainly, shrugging her shoulder to have the man remove his hand. He complied begrudgingly.
“Yea, you’re definitely jealous,” Terrik said with a laugh as Deskar returned, placing the four shots and Aska’s glass before them. He met her gaze one last time, almost pleading her to not make his night more stressful than it already was with this fool in his bar before leaving to deal with his other patrons. Reaching for a shot, she picked it up and poured it back into her mouth as Terrik did the same.
“Jealous?” she replied through the burn of the rum before pulling the second shot towards her. “It doesn’t seem to me like there is much here to be jealous of,” Terrik, finally showing signs of losing interest in the woman, gave a much less coy smirk but one of simple arrogance.
“A dock worker like you? You wouldn’t last ten minutes out there. You know what, you probably wouldn’t even last five,” Aska finally gave this man her full attention as she turned in her chair and locked eyes with menace. Pulling the second shot up to her mouth and slamming it back down on the counter, she stood. He was slightly taller than her, but only by a couple inches.
“You don’t know a thing about me, Deadeye. You don’t know where I come from, or what I’m capable of. Maybe you should walk away before I make you regret speaking to me,” The threat was plain but Terrik took no heed.
“Listen to her, Terrik,” Deskar called from down the bar as he was cleaning a glass.
“Who say's I don't already? Look, you think you're hunter material? Why don’t you try it out?” Terrik said as he slapped a bounty puck down on the counter next to the shot glasses. “I’ve got another assignment. Easy job, actually. Mirialan woman named Kiriena Buli. Bail jumper. Pretty much just a catch and release, really. I’ll tell ya what. This is your’s. Prove you can do it and I’ll vouch for you in the guild,” Aska looked down at the puck before picking it up. It was heavier than it looked. Solid, too. “If you mess this up, though. You…” Terrik reached his hand back to Aska’s hip. ’Skull it is,’ she thought.
“Deal,” she replied before bringing the bounty puck up and slamming it into the side of Terrik’s face. He hit the ground hard, blood spilling from a gash beside his eye but quickly scrambled to get back up. He couldn’t, however, as Aska quickly brought her right foot around into his abdomen. And again. And again. Finally, the man stopped moving and instead groaned in excruciating pain. Aska turned back to the bar and saw Deskar bracing himself on the bar with his upper arms and hanging his head to the floor. Tossing a couple extra credits on the counter and grabbing the drink Terrik had bought for her, Aska waved with her free hand. “Sorry about the mess, Desk!” she stated before slamming the drink and resting the glass cup on the counter once again before leaving the bar.
“Aren’t you always,”
The whistle along the platform sounded for three short bursts, signaling that it was shift change on the docks. With a sigh of relief, Aska made her way to the lockers to change out of her work gear and make her way to Deskar’s for a pint. Every day she worked here made her desperate for one by the time she was off duty. She had just stumbled across the job shortly after arriving and despite hating it, she was making enough money to buy a few changes of clothes, keep food on her table, and rent an apartment that could provide said table. Closing her locker after changing into her casual clothes, Aska strung the black leather jacket over her shoulder and made her way back out to the platform after clocking out. In the far-from-fresh air, she pulled a small package from the jacket pocket before flipping it open and pulling a cigarra out with her teeth and lighting it before replacing the pack in her jacket. It was a habit she had picked up at Deskar’s, though one she wasn’t proud of. Nevertheless, it made her feel good. Damn good. Like it was something she had always done.
The music at Deskar’s was exceptionally loud tonight, some small time bounty hunter had pulled off his first successful job and he was celebrating. No one was leaving the bar sober tonight, and that suited Aska just fine. As she was sitting at the bar, another cup was placed in front of her by the Besalisk bartender. Deskar Tong. Closest thing to a friend Aska had on the Smugggler’s Moon.
“From the show off again. He’s pretty adamant on getting your attention, Aska,” Deskar said with a smirk. “Just please don’t leave him here for me to clean up this time,” he continued, slapping the bar softly as he started to walk away. Aska chuckled and pulled the drink to her before lifting it up to her nose. Sweet smelling liquor, not her preferred choice though it was still exceptionally better than the smell of the air in this quadrant. Looking down the bar to see the young hunter smiling at her as he raised his own cup, Aska looked him dead in the eyes and began to slam the drink. Not once did she break stride and not once did she break her stare. Slamming the cup down, she raised her left hand and flipped the man off only finally giving him the smile he had hoped for from the beginning. Pushing back from the bar but remaining in her seat, she plucked another cigarra from her pack and lit it before turning her attention to the pod races on the display.
“Oh come on, is that really how you’re going to thank me?” Aska hadn’t noticed the drunk hunter had made his way over to her, pushing himself in next to her place at the bar and disgruntling the rather rough looking Selkath at his side.
“I think it was a perfectly reasonable response, actually,” Aska replied, not taking her attention away from the races. The hunter leaned on the bar and motioned for Deskar to come over before looking back to the woman.
“Oh please, you’d love a night with me. That’s a promise,” he attempted a coy smile but all Aska wanted to do was smash his head into the bar. Extending his hand, he held it there for a moment. “I’m Terrik, by the way. Terrik Deadshot, they call me,” he exclaimed, puffing his chest out slightly. Aska only allowed a momentary glance at his hand before returning to the display.
“I’m sure they do,” By now, Deskar had arrived. It was clear he had overheard the arrogance of Terrik and the look on his face showed exhaustion. He had seen this happen a couple times since Aska had arrived, and it hasn’t ended well for the man yet.
“Y’need something, Terrik?” Deskar asked as he took Aska’s empty glass. He met Aska’s eyes for a moment and caught the slight smirk she had given him before sighing and looking back to the hunter.
“Two shots of…. No, four shots of your best Correllian Rum! And replace the ladies drink, my good man!” Terrik said loudly for the people around him to hear before slapping the credits on the counter. While the people in the area simply ignored the obnoxious brag, Deskar simply hung his head slightly then nodded.
“I’ll get that for you right away,” Deskar replied before looking at Aska one more time. “And I’ll get the mop,” Aska couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. Terrik, however, simply raised an eyebrow before calling out after him.
“A mop?! What kind of rookie drinker d’ya think I am, Besalisk?!” he said with a laugh before returning his attention to Aska. “I’m a bounty hunter, y’know. I’m going to be joining the Guild very soon,” he bragged.
“Believe me, everyone here knows that already. You’ve made sure of that,” She just wanted him to go away, but she would let him buy a few more rounds before she crushed his heart. Or skull, whichever seems the most satisfying when the time comes.
“You almost sound jealous!” Terrik placed his gloved hand on her shoulder. Cringe. “What d’you do, gorgeous?” He came in too close for comfort.
“I’m a dock worker,” Aska replied plainly, shrugging her shoulder to have the man remove his hand. He complied begrudgingly.
“Yea, you’re definitely jealous,” Terrik said with a laugh as Deskar returned, placing the four shots and Aska’s glass before them. He met her gaze one last time, almost pleading her to not make his night more stressful than it already was with this fool in his bar before leaving to deal with his other patrons. Reaching for a shot, she picked it up and poured it back into her mouth as Terrik did the same.
“Jealous?” she replied through the burn of the rum before pulling the second shot towards her. “It doesn’t seem to me like there is much here to be jealous of,” Terrik, finally showing signs of losing interest in the woman, gave a much less coy smirk but one of simple arrogance.
“A dock worker like you? You wouldn’t last ten minutes out there. You know what, you probably wouldn’t even last five,” Aska finally gave this man her full attention as she turned in her chair and locked eyes with menace. Pulling the second shot up to her mouth and slamming it back down on the counter, she stood. He was slightly taller than her, but only by a couple inches.
“You don’t know a thing about me, Deadeye. You don’t know where I come from, or what I’m capable of. Maybe you should walk away before I make you regret speaking to me,” The threat was plain but Terrik took no heed.
“Listen to her, Terrik,” Deskar called from down the bar as he was cleaning a glass.
“Who say's I don't already? Look, you think you're hunter material? Why don’t you try it out?” Terrik said as he slapped a bounty puck down on the counter next to the shot glasses. “I’ve got another assignment. Easy job, actually. Mirialan woman named Kiriena Buli. Bail jumper. Pretty much just a catch and release, really. I’ll tell ya what. This is your’s. Prove you can do it and I’ll vouch for you in the guild,” Aska looked down at the puck before picking it up. It was heavier than it looked. Solid, too. “If you mess this up, though. You…” Terrik reached his hand back to Aska’s hip. ’Skull it is,’ she thought.
“Deal,” she replied before bringing the bounty puck up and slamming it into the side of Terrik’s face. He hit the ground hard, blood spilling from a gash beside his eye but quickly scrambled to get back up. He couldn’t, however, as Aska quickly brought her right foot around into his abdomen. And again. And again. Finally, the man stopped moving and instead groaned in excruciating pain. Aska turned back to the bar and saw Deskar bracing himself on the bar with his upper arms and hanging his head to the floor. Tossing a couple extra credits on the counter and grabbing the drink Terrik had bought for her, Aska waved with her free hand. “Sorry about the mess, Desk!” she stated before slamming the drink and resting the glass cup on the counter once again before leaving the bar.
“Aren’t you always,”
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