Open I(S)Ce and Sand

[Theo Magna]

How could a place be both a desert of black sand and yet still colder than he had ever experienced before in his life? By being in the northern hemisphere of Socorro apparently, which had the distinction being both. Theo was already regretting not equipping something with a thermal layer underneath it as he trudged his way along the sand toward his mission.

Being a royal guard had involved a lot less trudging through sand but he supposed that was the price he had to pay to head out into the Galaxy to help protect the people of the ISC. He wasn't about to stand aside and let criminals and terrorists ruin the ISC, not when it had grown quickly into something that the Galaxy could be proud of, not when it had grown from the fruits of the labor of a brilliant man he had the pleasure of meeting.

Probably wasn't the time to be reminiscing though.

The smuggler's tavern that he had been directed to looked like the most inviting place in the Galaxy to the young ISC Ranger even if some of the scum hanging around the outside of it gave him unfriendly looks. Stepping inside, Theo made sure to wipe his boots of both sand and stray snow (because of course) before stepping deeper inside. The laughter and easy atmosphere of the place died down as Theo stepped up to the bar.

He... was really uncomfortable with everyone staring at him and it caused him to almost trip up over his own feet before he managed to save it and, instead, kind of just do a weird little shuffle step.

Loads better.

Stepping up to the bar, he smiled underneath his helmet before deciding that was dumb and instead clearing his throat a little bit. The barman just stared at him, having already been looking at him since he first came in.

"Hello." he spoke in his naturally cultured Naboo accent, "I would like to buy some drugs."

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music IC

Vayla was used to unfriendly looks. Anytime she decided to don her white robes and waltz around one world after the other she would often be taken for a Jedi. Well, she was a Jedi, no doubt, but couldn’t she just as easily be pinned as a priest or something such? Why was it that any time someone saw someone else in robes they were suddenly a Jedi?

Well, whatever, this was not a problem to worry about now. There were just as many times when Vayla decided to don tan pants and a black leather jacket. That time was now. Today, the Jedi could not afford to be taken as being just so, so one would not find a shiny hilt hanging at her hip. They would simply find a Pantoran posted at the bar with a half-finished drink on the counter.

The looks she had received in that tavern were far from unfriendly. No, they had been a tad too friendly. A leer from this guy, an ogle from that guy, and it was all the woman could do to keep her head down and ignore them all as the only guy she spoke to was the bartender.

He had poured her a gin and tonic. It wasn’t half bad and the taste wasn’t her concern. What was her concern was when her contact would be showing up. Any minute now… Vayla checked the time just as someone approached the bar beside her stool.

The individual was not the one that the Jedi had been waiting on, seemed to be not much of note beyond anyone else, until he spoke seven syllables that almost made Vayla spit her gin out. Well...that’s one way to get noticed...

“You would like to what, pal?” The bartender double-checked, looking left and right as if searching for sanity. Or making eye contact with bouncers. Maybe readying the scatterblaster beneath the counter? "I'm a little hard of hearing so you're gonna have to repeat that."

Though, for all Vayla knew this was the beginning of coded conversation and both the patron and the barkeep had been planning this all along. Her only involvement in the matter was to keep her head down.

@Nefieslab

 

[Theo Magna]

Apparently the bartender was determined to play his role to a T and Theo could honestly applaud his enthusiasm with his role. Of course, Theo hadn’t actually told the bartender what the cue would be but he had assured the man that he would know it when he heard it. The actual code was slightly less attention grabbing but Theo was happier using it… and the bartender probably was too.

“No?” he did his best to sound disappointed before shaking his head, “Oh nerf-stake, well it was worth a try. How about fruit tea? Have you got any fruit tea?”

The code – fruit tea – was spoken and suddenly the bartender looked both happier and madder at the same time. Through gritted teeth, the bartender shook his head and muttered the counter phrase.

“We don’t carry that kinda kark here, core-kid.” He gestured over his shoulder, “Want to check in the storeroom with me?”

Theo smiled, once again underneath his mask but this time when he spoke the smile was clear as he was led into the storeroom.

“I would be delighted.”

Stepping into the storeroom, Theo’s smile dimmed and he scanned the room quickly. He wasn’t fool enough to think that the same man who had turned informant on the smuggling scum in the main room wouldn’t think twice about turning on him. When he found no surprises, he crossed his arms and frowned underneath the helmet.

“Which ones looked alarmed when I asked for drugs?” he asked bluntly, “I’m playing the rookie to spoke them on purpose – which ones looked alarmed? And where is the other guy? He was supposed to be here first.”

Theo might not be great in social situations but he was no novice when it came to actually running an operation and this was exactly what this was.

@Die Shize

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music IC [Recurring]

Fruit tea? Vayla fought against looking between the two men. You could learn a lot from someone’s countenance but she had to settle for sensing these souls with something more subtle. What nagged at her was how this supposed simpleton who had pranced up asking for drugs and then fruit tea was suddenly permitted a tour of the storeroom.

All in all, it was such simple conversation, words exchanged across the counter, that the only persons who would have cared to think about it were persons like Vayla. She sipped her drink, a bit more of a kick than fruit tea, and looked around the main room as the two men disappeared into the storeroom.

The bar's entrance gave way. A lone man entered. Is that him? She wasn't given an appearance; she was informed that he would find her.

Beside the man was a table with a handful of patrons looking Vayla's way. No. Not me. At the bar. At the storeroom. It didn’t take a Jedi to sense what they were feeling. Two of them removed an arm from the tabletop to disappear beneath it. And ready blasters.

“Excuse me, barkeep?” Vayla called just loudly enough to catch his attention. Her glass would be empty by the time he returned. “Another one.” And as he would prepare her drink she would take advantage of their proximity. “Table in the corner. Your left of the entrance. I think those boys may be looking for trouble.”

@Nefieslab

 

[Hypaxian]

"Keemon donocha phabeka." the diminutive alien smirked, as he pushed his credits across the table, raising the stakes further still. "Mile- Aium? Lio niaanba unbu lelumule Hypaxian, buibu lelumule." the Ortolan responded, matching the bet from its opponent. Now in the penultimate hand of the game, Hypaxian was bluffing like no tomorrow, he had to throw this hand, top the pot back up to get the ante down, and get the Twi'lek to his left-back in the game for the next hand.

I will have that reflux capacitor damn you! he thought to himself, as he lost the hand, and the Twi'lek smirked, with the next and now final hand being dealt. "Tohso ootay ji yihis! A canalilean soc, dei sodsa, canalilean ba." the obese Twi'lek merchant gloated, as it placed the capacitor down as its ante, and reentered the game.

"Biweoo bunno natka- kloonkee, dohdola!" he slammed his fist on the table, the barkeep doing nothing, as he did not speak Huttese "BARKEEP! Listen to me you lickspittled slime," he switched to basic as the barkeep looked up at him from his station "DRINKS! A Shadwarian Hyper-Carnel Floot for me, and whatever this," he waved a dismissive hand at his gambling buddies "...these ones want. Oh, and a plate of fried Shaak fillets, a bowl of Groop Root and a Harmonic Stew." he sat back in his hoverchair, crammed a nala frog into his mouth, and smiled.

"Mee yatuka. he sneered, pushing his card into place.

 

[Theo Magna]

When the bartender left the stock room, Theo didn’t wait around for the man to come back in. Instead he drew one of his stun batons and prepared to use it – the chance of being double crossed was high enough that he wasn’t going to go into anything unprepared. Moving to one side of the door, he activated the stun baton and waited.

After a few moments, the bartender came back in and Theo stayed out of his eyeline until he was certain he had come in alone.

“So who’s reacted?” he asked, causing the man to jump slightly, “How many?”

The bartender blinked a few times before nodding.

“There’s about three of them, someone at the front of the bar seemed to know what you meant by that.”

Interesting…

“They a regular?”

The bartender shook his head and Theo nodded in understanding. Not a regular suggested this wasn’t just another thug looking to get their rivals in trouble but someone who didn’t like any of it happening at all. Thinking of his options, Theo took a deep breath before removing a small tracking device from his pocket and holding it in his left hand.

“Invite them into the storeroom – make it look like you’re double crossing me.” He instructed the bartender with a touch of nervous energy making itself known in the Ranger, “Some of them will end up stunned but the plan is to let one of them run. Sound good?”

Theo noticed the bartender nod before he focused on his breathing instead. This… had a lot of opportunities to go wrong but Theo was not above taking risks.

@Die Shize

 

[Vayla Mirana]

Spoiler: Music IC

The bartender nodded at the tip he was given; a warning worth more than credits. Instead of reaching for a scatterblaster beneath the counter, however, he went for the storeroom. To in turn warn his friend, no doubt.

Sipping her drink, there was a voice behind Vayla. She turned to discover a Shawda Ubb with an obnoxious tongue. He certainly had a way of ordering drinks and that was probably why the bartender had barely looked his way.

Moments later and Vayla watched the bartender reenter the main room with the corner of her eye. He was heading toward the tables. That’s when the Jedi silently applied the Force to her hearing without turning her head or leaving her stool...

“Shadwarian Carnel Floot—we’re out of the ‘Hyper’ mixture—and a round of beers,” barkeep spoke sullenly as he handed from a tray. “And a plate of fried Shaak fillets…” He hesitated before handing that over. “...Along with a generous tip to me for your bad manners, bud.” Addressed to the Hypaxian (@Nor'baal).

Whatever the outcome of that conversation, the bartender moved on to the corner table with three individuals as cautious as hunted Shaak.

“Here are your beers,” barkeep spoke sullenly as he handed from a tray.

“We didn’t order any beers…” One of the thugs spoke warily.

“Sure you did,” barkeep insisted before whispering. “Guy in the storeroom is looking to buy...but he’s just looking like he is… Dumbass is a rookie Ranger. You three will chew him up.”

“What’s your angle in this?”

“Oh, a modest tip for the tip. Any intel he has is money enough for you guys. So what do you say?”

There was no more talk but there were footsteps and they were coming toward the bar. Vayla heard it all as she sipped on her drink, watching four figures enter the storeroom...and readying herself to do the same.

@Nefieslab @Nor'baal

 

[Theo Magna]

Theo wasn't really very happy about the situation but the fact was the partner he had been here to meet hadn't shown up and he had already tipped his hand. It was annoying but Theo wasn't about to try and cut his losses and run - they had better speeder bikes than the one he had managed to rent out here so even if he managed to get it working, it wasn't going to go very well.

Short chase and being blasted to death was not a good option when he had the chance of taking them by surprise in a confined space. In such a space, the fact that they outnumbered him would count for less than it otherwise would have. If push came to shove, he would have to go lethal even if he didn't want to - he had approval to use lethal force if his life was in danger but he really didn't want it to get that far since, well, that meant his life was in danger.

Withdrawing both of his stun batons, Theo took a deep breath and refrained from activating them. Instead of sparking batons of stun energy, they were just durasteel batons and here he was in a dark storeroom. When the door opened, he let the first of them take a single step into the room before attacking, kicking the man in the gut. As the man bent over his leg from the attack, Theo's left baton cracked him across the back of the head, sending him tumbling to the ground unconscious.

With his right baton he spun it in his hand and jabbed it backward into the forehead of the second thug, sending him stumbling backward and taking the third man with him. The two thugs poured out into the bar proper in an explosive display of cursing as Theo stepped out after them. He stood over them and cracked his neck slightly, all traces of his previous nerves gone as he stared them down.

"You are under arrest. Place your weapons on the ground and kneel with your hands behind your heads." he commanded, activating the stun batons as he did so, "You have five seconds to comply before I will have to assume you mean to continue to try and do me harm."

It didn't take even two seconds for both of them to lunge for their weapons and Theo knew it. Lashing out with his foot, he kicked the pistol out of one of the men's hands before he was suddenly tackled into a wall by the other one, who had seemingly decided that his pistol was too far to go for. Grunting as his back hit the wall, Theo slammed the butts of his stun batons into the man's exposed kidneys, causing him to howl in pain before he spun the batons around to instead drive both of the stun points into the kidneys instead.

As the man who tackled him fell away, out cold, Theo looked up to see the third man speeding out the door. Taking a deep breath, Theo deactivated his stun batons and started after him.

"Apologies for the bar."

@Die Shize