Ask Head of the Table

[Tacitus Agrippa]

Tacitus had arrived first.

While he was not the main party of the meeting, he was acting on their behalf after being sent to the city-like planet with a few missions. From the missions, and taking stock of what he had seen on the lower levels, Tacitus could see that there was room for improvement. Rather than waiting for confirmation on exactly what Preef actually wanted, Tacitus had shown some initiative and he was going to be showing more.

Which was either going to work for him or it was going to get him shot to death by the fastest gunslinger in the Galaxy. Either way he was going to be remembered for awhile, either as another kill on Preef's blaster holster or as someone who was going places.

Sitting at the end of the table? Nope.

He made sure that there were no chairs right at either end of the table so that he and his allies would be sitting across from the people they were going to be meeting. Tacitus himself sat in the centre on one side, waiting for people to arrive. He had told his allies to arrive before their counterparts so he poured himself out a small measure of whiskey as he waited.

"Not be long now..."

Death or promotion.

@Faust Rex @The Captain @Rhogar

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Taldorak would whistle as he entered the room, his arsenal of weapons happily clinging to his belt or his cuirass, the man refused to be naked without them. As the visor focused on Tac, the grin would be audible beneath the helm "Well, well, well. Guess this can count as a respectable place." he said with a light chuckle as he stepped around the table. He would spin every chair so that it faced outward, before taking his spot at Tac's immediate right.

Giving the chair a full spin, he came to a stop with his boot up on the table. "So. Who are we killing today? I even put on my killing gloves today to mark such a special day." As he spoke he would remove the peacemaker, giving it a once over before holster it. With the way he was sitting, he could actually shoot the man sitting across from him without ever drawing.

@Nefieslab @Faust Rex @The Captain

 

[Vri Nama]

Well, Tac had finally decided to either deliver his masterstroke, or get them all shot by jealous Syndicate higher-ups. Regardless, this was going to be one helluva party, and Vri had no desire to pass up on this sort of meeting. She'd grabbed her spikiest leather jacket, polished her piercings, and made sure her signature 'hawk was in pristine, neon-purple condition for this get-together. It wasn't everyday you got to meet (or maybe fight) Preef Callo, as he was practically deified by the Rodian-heavy Son-Tuul Pride gang. Vri didn't exactly see him that way, but she'd seen some of the Preef holovids, safe-for-work and otherwise.

Not bad.

"Tac, Tal!" As much as she hated PDA, you didn't burn through two establishments with someone without developing a little appreciation for them. "We gonna party with Preef after this when they hand us control of Coruscant?"

She was only semi-joking, the last party she'd thrown with these two after the drug den operation was something to remember, she still had the bruises. Granted, she actually didn't remember that much detail wise, but that just meant she could imagine all the details, and she had a very vivid imagination.

@Faust Rex @Nefieslab @Rhogar

 

[Tacitus Agrippa]

Respectable as kark considering every person in the room so far had killed at least five people in the last two days. He was saying 'at least' because he didn't know what either Tal or Vri actually got up to in their free time and he didn't think he wanted to know either.

Why ruin the mystery?

"If this all goes right? It's gonna be a boring day." he admitted to Tal, leaning back in his own chair slightly as he waved at Vri as she entered as well, "What I'm going to do is have the five leaders of the five biggest gangs between levels 1300 and 1000 sit opposite us and I'm gonna give them the same choice I gave the over of False Life."

He took out a cigara and lit it, not caring about the 'no smoking indoors' rules that Coruscant apparently played by. They were around level 800 so he doubted most people cared all that much about such a small law being broken.

"They flip for us? We let them keep their shite and Preef Callo's pockets get heavier each week." he shrugged once, "If they refuse? I want you two to gun them down right here and now."

He took a pull on his cigara.

"Everyone down for that kind of hostile takeover?"

Not that anyone currently in the room actually knew how to do a legitimate business version of a hostile takeover anyway.

@Rhogar @The Captain

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Tal nodded as Tac spoke "Boring, eh? That how you want it to go? Ahhh so give em the choice or get popped by yours truly, I like it." he would then once more check over his weapons, making sure each of them were primed and ready to go, just in case.

As Vri entered the room Tal's arms would spread and he whooped in greeting "Vri! My favorite Rodian!" he wasn't lying. He thought most of the frog people were weird and nasty but there was something charming about a purple hawk having, tight leather wearing, spice addicted frog lady. He had some kind of vivid dreams or maybe memories of some kind of party. Or maybe that was just the spice talking, who knew?

Glancing back at Tac he would shrug "I mean, even if they do agree, I gotta admit, its been about five hours since my last kill and I am feeling kind of twitchy. Might just slip and shoot one anyways, that cool? And come on, Tac, you know I am always down for anything hostile."

@Nefieslab @The Captain

 

[Vri Nama]

"Tal! My third favorite human!" She was just having him on, she didn't know that many humans and the few she did she didn't bother to rank, not worth the effort. These two? They were alright, for monkeys at least, good in a fight and easy on the eyes, her favorite combination. When she was done returning Tal's hug, she sat down on the other side of Tac, giving his shoulders a little brush with her hand as she walked by. Because why not?

"You think big, Suit, I gotta respect that." She put her foot on the table and clicked the heel against the surface, causing a short blade to spring out of the sole. "I should have a good line under the table from here, just say the word."

With that, she tucked her blade back into her boot and put her legs back under the table. Even without her helmet and carbine, Vri figured she had at least five ways to attack under, over, or through this table to get to the guys on the other side.

@Nefieslab @Rhogar

 

[Tacitus Agrippa]

Tacitus knew exactly what was happening to Tal and he had no desire to let the Mando scratch his itchy trigger finger just because he hadn't killed anyone recently. The man was a good heavy hitter and Tacitus was glad of him when the blaster bolts started flying but he was beginning to realize that bringing him to a sit down was probably a bad idea. Fortunately for Tacitus...

"Look Tal - real talk? You too Vri." he waved so that the both of them would come closer so he would only need to say it once, "Odds are good that at least one of the reps sent here today is actually a killer because the real leaders actually don't agree to the terms."

Which means they were going to likely try and take a shot at him... he sighed a little bit and straightened his suit. It was armored but in such a way that it didn't look like it was. Thankfully that meant he should be able to tank a hit from whatever weapon the killer had managed to sneak in.

"Let them take a shot at me - when I go down, you two light them up." he told them, gesturing to their seats, "Get ready cus here they come."

Pressing a button on the intercom built into the table, Tacitus nodded as the doors to the conference room were opened and five sentients entered to sit opposite them. They were the representatives of the five major gangs within the territory that Tacitus was seizing in the name of Preef Callo and the Five Syndicates.

Not letting them get too comfortable, he eyed them up. A Nikto, a Falleen, a Barabel and two humans. The Nikto represented the Lower Level Bouncers - a gang responsible for muscle mainly both legit and criminal. The Falleen part of the local gang the Black Enders, smugglers by trade but recently branching out into making their own drugs. The Barabel was a representative for the ambitiously named Blackened Jet Empire, who were pretty good at getting ships through patrols above to dock them lower down. The two humans were from different gang, the man from a local gang of cyber specialists closer to hacktivists than true criminals and the woman from a gang called the All Seeing who liked to steal hard-to-obtain items.

That the woman was missing an eye was an irony not lost on him.

"So sentients... I have gathered you here today so you can agree to the terms that have been set out. 40% of all weekly profits are paid up." he smiled a little thinly, "This is not a chance to barter. This is where you swear to agree to abid by these terms on pain on death."

One by one, they agreed to the terms in the name of their gangs. When it came to the Barabel however, he merely nodded once before standing in a blur of motion, a hold-out blaster already up and firing. Tacitus grunted in pain and went sprawling to the ground as the bolt slammed into his chest over the heart, the Barabel laughing at his pain as he did so.

Spoiler: Do they accept? All but one of them.

All but one!

Spoiler: Pics and gangs

Nikto for Lower Level Bouncers
Falleen for Black Enders
Barabel for Blackened Jet Empire
Human woman for All Seeing
Human man for hacktivists

@Rhogar @The Captain

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Tal would lean in and listen to what Tac had to say and truthfully, he wasn't too thrilled to let his best buddy get shot. But, he'd listen to Tac's wishes and just answer with a nod. As the group entered, his boot remained on the table, and like Tac, he too also understood the irony of the eyeless woman. Unlike Tac, he'd have a good ol chuckle at her expense before glancing at Vri and waving an eye over one side of his visor and laughing even harder.

When it came to decorum of agreements and oaths, Tal would have likely already been asleep if not for the excitement of Tac's confession. He was going to be able to kill. With a yawn, the boot dragged across the table as each person spoke and as the Barabel fired, his laughter was cut extremely short as Tal really laid down the pressure on the trigger. Firing five times through the holster, all five shots would hit the same spot, with the last three punching through the thick hide and piercing his brain.

Now it was Tal's turn to laugh as he rolled over the table, boot connecting with the jaw of the Nikto to send him sprawling before he grabbed the hair of the one-eyed woman and slammed her head down roughly into the table. "Naughty naughty, looks like you lot don't want to play fair!" before the woman could even start to recover, he slammed her head down again and drew his dagger, plunging it into her good eye. Not enough to kill, but boy she was blind now. "All of you, throw down your weapons or the hag cripple dies!" he'd start to twist the the dagger to elicit the most horrid scream of all.

@Nefieslab @The Captain

 

[Vri Nama]

Just when she was starting to think Tac was the most sensible person in the room, he decided to try something like this. Letting the assassin take a shot at him was risky in more ways than one, since a blast vest wasn't infallible and the guy could just decide to skip the formalities and blow Tac's brain's out. It was sort of thing she would do if she was forced to come to a shakedown meeting like this.

Before she could voice this concern, the guests arrived and Vri had to do the two things she hated most in the galaxy, sit still and shut up. The actual process of giving oaths was mercifully short, but when it came time for the big lizard to bend his knee, he decided instead to try and gun Tac down. He barely got off his shot before Tal practically destroyed his head and subdued the rest of the table with frightening efficiency, blinding the human woman in the process.

"You call that diplomacy, Tal?" She asked redundantly, leaning over to help get Tac back on his feet. Even with a blast vest getting shot hurt like all fark, she knew that from experience.

@Nefieslab @Rhogar

 

[Tacitus Agrippa]

KARK.

Getting shot hurt like a motherkriffer and there was no two ways about it. He wasn’t going to be able to get any bacta right away either because he refused to show weakness like that. The growing bruise and light burns on his chest through the armor was enough to make him think of reconsidering but he didn’t in the end.

With Vri’s help, Tac hauled himself back up to his feet but he was already too late to stop things from escalating. He growled, drawing his pistol and gesturing to the Nikto, human man and the Falleen.

“Get the kark out of here and remember the new agreement!” he barked at them, “NOW!”

With the three gang representatives out the door, he scowled at Tal for a moment before shaking his head and falling into his seat heavily. Placing his blaster on the table, he opened his jacket, waistcoat and shirt to check on the impact site on his chest. His tattoos made finding most of the damage hard but it didn’t look life threatening.

“Tal… you were only supposed to kill the one who rejected the offer.” He shook his head, “Just karking kill her. We’ll need to kill her gang off now as well…”

He was thinking already about the next steps, even though he grabbed a glass decanter from the table and poured out a trio of whiskey glasses.

“Alright… alright I’m going to go and smash the hell out of the Blackened Jet Empire. I got a ship that packs a punch so I’ll disrupt their primary lanes.” He took a gulp of whiskey, “Tal, Vri – You two are going after the All Seeing. We know where they hold their vault so you’re going to gun down anyone in your way and steal it all.”

Another glass of whiskey was needed.

“Sound good?”

@The Captain @Rhogar

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Tal's blood was rushing, but there was some relief to the initial alarm as Tac got to his feet. "You whole, Tac?" he laughed as he glanced at Vri "I graduated Mando High with an A+ in Mandalorian Diplomacy." His visor would trail after the three that left and boy did he have the woman pegged all wrong. She wasn't some hardass with a patch. She was nearly begging for her life.

At Tac's orders, he sighed "Sorry, love bug, Captain's orders." she screamed as he pushed the knife through, killing her. As she stopped moving he pulled her off the table and discarded her. "Really? Just the shooter? Damn, I really misheard that then. I thought you meant 'them' as in like.. the room. Show em a little of the tickle tickle punish I do, little razzle dazzle. But you just meant the lizard. Got it."

Tal would remove his helm as he set it down beside him on the table and took a long pull from his. He scratched his bearded chin, smoothed out his longer braids before draining the glass with a second sip. "Yeah, I could do that."

@Nefieslab @The Captain

 

[Vri Nama]

Vri figured that Tac wanted at least some of the gang leaders dead, namely the ones that refused to roll over on their bellies and give everything to them, but she was aware enough to know anyone who did agree to work for them was probably supposed to walk away alive. So, gouging out a potential revenue source's one good eye was probably not the best idea. Still, this meeting wasn't a complete bust, they had at least three bosses scared kark-less and she got a chance to see Tac's bare chest while sober.

The man was inked from the neck to the beltline, and probably further. Damn.

"Hmm?" Ah yes, business, or more specifically putting other gangs out of business. One of Vri's favorite pass-times. "Crack the vault, steal the cut we were supposed to get, kill everyone that gets in our way, gotcha. Who knows, we might walk away with more creds now than we would have gotten if she was alive."

It was an optimistic, slightly morbid thought, but it couldn't hurt to be a little hopeful.

@Nefieslab @Rhogar

 

[Tacitus Agrippa]

His chest hurt but it wasn’t enough to get him too bothered, though he knew he was going to need to apply some bacta or burn cream. It wasn’t a second or third degree burn but it was still going to be very uncomfortable if he didn’t do anything about it. The bruising he was just going to have to accept as the price of doing business and try not to get shot in the chest again.

It took a second glass of whiskey to calm him down, the adrenaline from being shot kind of a big deal even if he hadn’t thought so before. Rolling his head, he stood up from his chair and downed the last of the whiskey. He tossed Vri a wink when he caught her looking at his ink before doing his shirt back up.

“I’ll touch base with some informants and get the information we need to hit out at them.” He assured them both, “I’ll call when I’ve got the info. Personally I’m going to enjoy cutting loose on the Blackened Jets.”

He really wasn’t calling their tiny gang an Empire. Instead he nodded to both Vri and Tal and started to head off.

“Don’t worry about cleaning up – these kinds of places have maids used to this kind of shrak.”

/End Thread

@Rhogar @The Captain