Ask Nar Shaddaa Move Along

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music IC

On Smuggler's Moon, one street was just as seedy as the other.
The Mandalorian walked those streets, crept those alleys, until he saw the building that had been promised him.
And I found it.

The cantina was inconspicuous enough, which meant maybe not much given the villainy that stained the walls and bathed those streets in piss and blood.

To a Mandalorian, this was just walking through grass, only the grass was small, and the grass could burn beneath the flamethrower.
My kinda cantina.

It really wasn't.
The music was not his thing, there was too much liquor and not enough beer, not enough fists being swung, but it would do.

Yet, the cantina had the right kind of scum to get the job done—or so the Mandalorian was promised.
They'll do.

Heads turn the Mandalorian’s way as he enters, looks behind his black visor, sees some faces scowling, others ogling.
He saw men and women but none of them were Mandalorian.
I am.

Black and gold bore the Mandalorian, armed and armored him, in beskar and beskad, in blaster and black cloak.

“I’m Endyr Ratheon.”
He told the cantina, didn’t care if that name meant something to his audience.
“I need to hire some muscle. I hear this cantina has the men for it."
He looked left. “Or women.” Looked right. “No droids.”

“I’m worth twenty blasters, buckethead,” called an Ishi Tib. “I’m all you need.”
He rose from his stool.
“I’m a good shot and a better man than any Mandalorian.”
Smiled something cruel.
“And I got more balls.”

Endyr wasn’t sure about that. Biology was never his calling.
“That so?” He stepped forward. “How many balls you have?”

“Huh?” The Tib scoffed. “Three, of course!”

-POP!-

That’s the sound of a blaster going off, Endyr always thought.

“Count again.”
He looked away from the wailing Ishi, holstered his blaster pistol.
“I need to hire someone with more balls than him. There’s credits to be made up front and at the end. Who’s in?”

They could doubt him, doubt the beskar if they were dumb enough, but credits flashed figures beside a blaster begging for someone dumb enough to go the way of the Ishi Tib.

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

Crux’s eyes were glued to the Huttball game on the viewscreen in front of him. The score was close— two to one, with the increasing possibility of it becoming a tie as one of the Zappers raced across the field with the ball tightly in his hands.

“GO GO GO!” he yelled, pounding the table with his fist as the Feeorin ran. The other held a shot of vodka. He was just about to cross the line when he heard someone announce themselves behind him. Heads around him turned and Crux was forced to do the same, annoyed that some Rando Mando had just interrupted the game. Apparently his name was Endyr Ratheon; he announced it like he was someone who actually mattered. People with the ego of this man wouldn’t last long with the Hutts. Karking son of a bantha. But he was looking to hire, and Crux was looking for a new job.

An Ishi Tib beat him to the ticket, but after an interesting conversation about how many balls he had, he was soon out of it. He raised an eyebrow. That’s gotta hurt. Crux’s gaze went back to the Mando. No one else was speaking up, so he decided to do it instead. Whatever this job is, it can’t be worse than washing a Hutt.

“I am,” he announced, downing the rest of his vodka before grabbing his rifle and getting up from the stool and looking into Ratheon’s visor. Black, gold, red, or blue, Mandos all looked the same, and the only way he could tell them apart was because of the color-coding. “What kinda job you got, Mando? Killing some woman on Lothal?”

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Hmm, chickendruk, every one of you.
While someone dragged a writhing Tib away, nameed Tub for all a Mandalorian knew, the cantina kept quiet, heads turning back to that watery piss called vodka.

Then, a voice. Was there a man behind it?
One stood up, claimed to be one anyway, but then there’s that Ishi Tib.

The guy looked like he could hold himself in a fight.
But he also has the face of that one guy who found my fist.

“Nope,” Endyr answered. “That was last week’s mission. Today’s a different chapter.”
In the book I’m writing, bound in black and gold, surrounded by the skulls of my enemies.
He didn’t think his employee would be ready to hear that one just yet but maybe later.

“Hmm, let’s see…”
Trailing off, the Mandalorian tilted his head; when your face consisted of black iron and a visor just as dark, well, a Mandalorian emoted in what way worked well.
“Bit of an escort job, bit of a tailing job. Target’s a big fish. I’m the shark…”
There’s that trailing off again, that Mandalorian emote.
“...You’re the bait.”
Second thoughts? Remember those creds, bub.

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

This job sounded all well and good until Ratheon brought up the bit about Crux having to be the bait. Great. Another one of these. The irritating way he was tilting his head was about to make him go insane too, and he was starting to regret picking this up even though he was in need of some credits.

However, he didn’t show it on his face. “How much were you paying again?” If the Mando really was targeting a “big-fish” like he’d said, the sum should be quite a bit. Add on a little extra for that whole bait plan, and he would be in, even if he found himself disliking this man more than most. What he wasn’t going to admit was that whatever he was paying, he would take it anyway. A ship wasn’t going to fuel itself, unfortunately.

After he responded, Crux cocked his head.

“Five thousand more and you got yourself a deal.” A little bargaining couldn’t hurt, and he only wanted a little more than the base amount. He still hadn’t gotten over the fact that he had to be the bait, and he would make sure that he was compensated for it.

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

Endyr Ratheon didn’t much care about songs or stories unless they involved his people, the blood and sweat they spilled, in years past and in the present day thanks to a Mandalore who wasn’t afraid.

One truth the Ratheon learned from those tales was that there was man and then there was Mandalorian.
Which meant that this man standing before the Mandalorian was weaker, lesser, and as small as a Herglic was if the Herglic was not a Mandalorian.

However, he didn’t show it on his face; too much visor, not much eye.
“I’m paying a kalooka-badoonka amount of credits.”
That sounded big-fishy enough to present parties, he thought.
Moving along.

“Deal.”

After all, it’s not like Endyr could actually pay the guy.

“We’re heading to Emases Street. That’s a no-go area for people like me.”
But taking the armor off would be like taking his own skin off.

“Spice ring owns that neighborhood and a captain runs it, but don’t know where. You’ll shadow his lieutenant, find out where he goes, and I’ll watch your pretty head from the rooftops.”

Though it wouldn’t be pretty if a bolt kissed it.

“Let’s go. My enemies aren’t gonna kill themselves.”
He shrugged.
“But I wouldn’t hold it against ‘em if they did.”

The Mandalorian looked away, saw an Ishi Tib curled up in a corner, and suddenly Endyr’s crotch was itchy as he made his exit and didn’t look back at the chicken shack.


@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

Crux rolled his eyes once he put on his helmet and slung his rifle over his shoulder. That was quite a pipe dream.

“Wouldn’t life be so easy if they did,” he agreed. Following Endyr out of the cantina, he took out his datapad to find the location of the street. Not too far, not too close, a good walking distance away.

“So what’s this lieutenant look like?” he asked as they moved out. He ignored the fact that the Mandalorian had announced their entire plan to everyone in the cantina, and that if there had been anyone in there who was in league with the spice ring, they’d probably sent a message already. He would work around it— and he would expect Endyr to do his part too.

“And what should I do once I find the hideout? You want the captain alive or dead?” Assuming he would be there, and what Endyr wanted all this for. If it was simply a grab and run, it would be easy enough, but Crux had the feeling that the Mandalorian was after something more than just spice. Whatever it was, he would have his share.

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC

“Besides a di’kut with no dick?”
Endyr shrugged.
“A di’kut with no dick.”

That Mandalorian head tilt again.
From Tub’s Tib balls to this? I’m gonna have to think about somethin’ else for a bit.

The lieutenant’s actual description was provided to Twenty One Questions; though, to be fair, the questions did make sense.

Fortunately, the pair had the element of surprise as they moved along.

Endyr was a bold man but he wasn’t dumb enough to raise his voice in a cantina with patrons too busy with their own conversations and music blaring from above.
He had given them an entrance but scum like them had lost interest after an Ishi Tib lost his balls.

“Alive for now but, if I change my mind, I’ll try to call ahead.”
On dirty duracrete, the Mandalorian stepped over a dead dog, victim of a shooting, but he didn’t care to glimpse what species.
It just wasn’t Mandalorian.

“As for the hideout, once you find it, I’ll drop in from above and you can sit at the bar for a drink for all I care. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

They crossed a bridge to another street.

They were effectively in even more dangerous territory now and would be parting ways for the duration of the mission in a moment.

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

“What the hell’s a di’kut?” It wasn’t any species that he’d heard of before, and he was done with the conversation about balls. Then he realized that this man was not taking his question seriously. At that point he gave up. I’ll find this lieutenant, with or without your help.

At least he gave him instructions for what to do when he found the hideout.

“Aye aye, Mando. I’ll see you there.” With that, the two men would part ways, and Crux would be on his own on Emases Street. O-kay, where to start? He wouldn’t have to wait long to find where, because he saw a decently-sized line winding down one corner of the street. When people came out of the building it led into, they all suspiciously had their hands shoved in their pockets or a cigarette in their mouth. There it is.

He got into line, ignoring the looks the others gave him. He wouldn’t have to do it for long. For so many people in the line, there was a surprisingly short wait.

“I’d like a hundred boxes of cigs,” he said once it was his turn. Hopefully that would be enough. That earned him a few looks from the Caphex dealer. He was even lucky enough to have the credits on him— they were technically for some new parts for his ship. He wouldn’t actually be spending it all on spice, though it was tempting.

“You throwing a party or something?”

“That’s right. Inviting almost everyone I know. In-laws, friends of friends. Gotta give ‘em the good stuff.” Crux was definitely not a good liar, but the Caphex seemed too busy to care.

“Well, I don’t have that many on me. Definitely not giving the rest to one customer. But I’ll tell Lieu Lou to bring you some. For now you can wait there.” He pointed to a spot near the door, and Crux gave him an ok-sign with his fingers. Lieutenant Lou. I wonder which came first. The Caphex pulled a Zabrak aside, said something while looking at him, and the latter left. When the Caphex looked away, Crux would slip outside, making sure that he was a good distance behind the man, and followed.

“I’ve found the lieutenant,” he would tell Endyr through comms. “Should be at the hideout soon.”

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

A Mandalorian moves along the roof.
He’s quiet, despite the armor, or because of it.
Silent as the night, even though it was daytime.
Black of night and gold of sun.

There’s a chimney—it’s in his way so he rounds it—ducks beneath a camera—swings a fist.

-POP!-

That was the sound of a guard’s nose going off, Endyr always thought.

The guard drops, blood spewing from whatever that dog’s nasal system was exactly.

A Mandalorian moves along the roof.
This one is a different one because a Mandalorian knows how to move.
He spots his fish—not the big fish, the small fish—and looks.
Douchebag's quick, I'll give 'im that.

The streets are messy, winding alleys and crooked corners, but a Mandalorian knows how to see.
He’s got eyes on top, sweeping for a wide view, and eyes on bottom, because Crux can move too.

“Good. I still want him alive—for now—so make sure you don’t get made or you don’t get paid.”

More likely he’d get killed one way or the other but, worst comes to worst, the Mandalorian would just have to kill more dogs than intended and be even quicker than Crux in a crunch.

“Hmm, I got eyes on an armed patrol at three o’clock, headed your way, not sure why. One of them’s a Rodian. I hate Rodians.”

A Mandalorian moves along the roof.
Kicks a bird, didn’t mean to, it was in the way of his foot.

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

The Mandalorian actually wasn’t joking this time, and Crux could see the patrol heading right for him. Just my luck. The Rodian appeared to be their leader, and he reluctantly stopped to wait for them. A shootout would give Lieutenant Lou a definite reason to raise his guard, and by then the bounty hunter wouldn’t be able to find him anymore.

“What’re you doing here? This place is off-limits to anyone but us.” The Rodian patted his pistol, and the other two thugs raised their blasters. In turn, Crux raised his hands.

“Sorry. Just wanted to head home the short way. It’s been a long day.”

“Take the long way, then. Get out of here.” Crux nodded, turned around and made as if to leave. However, he had no intention of doing so. When he would have been taking his first step to get out, he took out his vibrosword instead and slit the throat of one as he quickly moved to face the trio.

“Blast him!” the Rodian cried, but by then Crux had already disarmed the second one, knocking him to the ground and stepping on his throat before he could scream. He heard a shot, and saw that it was from the Rodian. Kriff. He would soon find his head rolling on the ground, but the damage was already done. The lieutenant was long gone, and Crux only had the general direction he’d gone in.

“Blasted idiots made me lose him. You have any luck from above?”

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC

The Mandalorian actually wasn’t joking most of the time.
He just cracks jokes as he cracks bones like one cracks cork from wine.
He wasn’t a pansy like a certain Mandalorian.
A Mandalorian with not enough black, too much red.

She was next.
For now, Ratheon wanted that Rodian.
Unless the di'kut beats me to it.

Great. Douchebag got himself made.
Wasn’t that the total opposite of what his commander had said?
Dogs and jackasses, every one of you drukheads.

The Rodian spoke.
The Mandalorian was already in motion.

Another guard dog.
No, just another dog.
-POP!-
Another dead dog.

The body falls from the edge of the roof but a hand grabs it, lands it and doesn’t look back.

Blasterfire just then.
Damn it, shortshebs!
The Mandalorian would remember this.

“Luck’s for chumps, di’kut.”
A Mandalorian scoffs, spots a dot, sees his target not far off.
“I got black wings guiding me.”
He doubted Cruts would recognize that as being a Mandalorian’s visor.
Didn’t much care, didn’t really give a kriff either.

“Got Lie Lou too.”
Mr. T scans this street and that alley.
“West. Seven o’clock. In thirty seconds he’ll round a corner that I can’t see so hitch your tits and pucker up, blowfish!”

A commander was a coward if one only commanded from the throne.
Rooftop to rooftop, the Mandalorian was running too, and a Mandalorian could move.

Spoiler: Dice Roll

Result: 15
Reason: does the mango spot the lieutenant

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

“You’d better be right.” Crux sheathed his sword, turned in the general direction that Endyr had specified, and took off running. He looked up, saw the Mandalorian slipping in and out of shadows on the rooftops, but didn’t miss a beat when he looked back and once again caught the figure of the lieutenant turning a corner. Keep running, lieutenant.

Soon the man had turned again, and Crux stopped a little before to see the building he was standing in front of. It looked like a warehouse of sorts, and at its entrance was a keypad. Lou looked left and right before typing something in, and the bounty hunter had enough sense to see what it was with his HUD before turning it off as the door opened. Wisps of smoke and loud music blared from the interior. What did I expect?

“I’m going to head in. You coming?” He gave Endyr the password, and seeing that no one else was around him, he walked up to the door and put it in. He readied his rifle, expecting to be faced with a room full of angry gangsters. To his surprise, no one even batted an eye, and he was able to walk in without any opposition at all.

“I’m in. Looking for the captain now,” he relayed to the Mando, looking around for anyone who might fit the description. Then he noticed Lou talking to someone in the back of the room.

“Who just orders a hundred packs? You sure you heard ‘im right?” The Duros scowled.

“I’m positive. He said he was throwing a party or something. And he had the credits.”

“Fine. But keep an eye out for him next time. I don’t like it.”

Spoiler: Roll

Rolled 18 for entry

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Movement just then.
Not just a Mandalorian.
He tilts his head, looks left, finds his friend.
Only it wasn’t Krux—it was some Ithorian.

-POP!-
There goes that Ithorian’s left tooth.
And this Mandalorian didn’t even know that Ithorians had teeth like that.
Then again, he didn’t know Ishi Tibs had three balls until he made one do the math.

“IT’S A TRAP”
A Mandalorian calls to his helmet.
That was after a fist whizzed by his ear—almost nailed it.

“CRAP”
Another fist, another whizz.
He finds another chimney, ducks behind it.

“POP QUIZ”
-POP!-
Foot finds a knee, fist finds an eye, leaves that tough guy to go blind.

“I'll be in in a moment.”
He took Kruts' password and would remember it.

“There were snipers on the roof. Keyword: Were.”
A Mandalorian moves along the roof, finds a door, approaches it.

“Look for one ugly karking Chevin and that’s your captain.”
A Mandalorian’s voice couldn’t much emote but there’s your Mandalorian.

Puts in the password.
Password works.
Systems are a go.
Go in, Mando.

“...Uh…”
In a room, a Mandalorian blinks and thinks.
“...Wrong room?”

“Huh?”
A pair of naughty Nagai pirates sync-speak, Tweedle Dum looking at Tweedle Dee, a crate of stolen spice between each.

They look left, look right, look into a Mandalorian's black eye.

-POP!-
-POP!-

Two dead dogs and counting, leave no witnesses and all, a Mandalorian enters a hall, hugs a wall, listens in.

"Yeah, Lou said get all that sugar, spice and everything nice to Floor 4."
"I thought he said Floor 6?"
"Kriff... Now I don't know which floor it is..."
"Why are we even doing this?"
"Lieu says one thing, Cap says the other, none of my business."
"Sooo which one do we pick?"
"Your mother's left tit. Let's just get this over with."

"Di'kut," a Mandalorian comms while pursuing two morons.
"Target should be on Floor 4 or 6. I'm about to find out which."

-POP!-
-POP!-

Spoiler: Dice Roll

Result: 16
Reason: does the mango encounter el resistance...o?

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

“Heading for six.” The Mando had stayed for long enough on the roof— it was Crux’s turn to have the high ground now. He headed up the stairs, getting a few strange looks but no one tried to stop him.

Until he got to the door on Floor Six.

“Who’re you?” said a cross-armed Ishi Tib, and Crux couldn’t help thinking of the crying one from before. Do they really have three balls?

“None of your karking business.”

“I can’t just let anyone in the room, you know. Your name and rank or you’re going back downstairs.” Sure about that?

“I’m the captain.”

“No you’re no—ahhh!” Crux grabbed him by the front of his tunic and tossed him to the ground.

“Let me— SECURITY! SECURITY!” screamed the Ishi Tib, and the bounty hunter lifted him up and pushed him over the stairs. He would have a nice, long fall, and meanwhile he could look around that room.

Inside were stacks of crates, nothing special. But in the back of the room was a Devaronian with a smile on his face that Crux had seen plenty of times— the hunter’s before making a kill.

“I’ve been expecting you... Ratheon.”

@Die Shize

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Spoiler: Music OOC [Recurring]

“So be it,”

said Ratheon. “Door #4 it is.”

The Mando had stayed for long enough on the roof—It was Crunch’s turn to have the high ground now.

Endyr headed downstairs, getting a few strange looks, but a left kick and a right hook left two guards with no nuts ‘cause a Mandalorian fed ‘em theirs.

Need some new material.
A Mandalorian tells himself.
Or just a girl to make squeal.
He would do that tonight—right up against a bookshelf.

A Mandalorian doesn’t know why blood sometimes pumps his blood up.
He just hopes this mission doesn’t get screwed up by Captain Klutz, the Di’kut.

Floor Four was much like any of the previous floors filled with dic—
Stop it.
A Mandalorian stops a man from calling security by plugging a bolt into his knee.
Hand over the mouth, can’t afford a shout.
“Is the Captain in that room? Nod once for yes.”
The dog nodded like a dog about to get a pat on the head.
“Good enough, I guess.”
-POP!- goes the head.

Scratches that dog’s name off the list, steps toward an office.

And a door opens.
And he steps in.
A captain is frightened.
It's not the lieutenant...

It's him.

The Mandalorian.

“Captain Karkface,” calls a Ratheon who can longer wait.
“Time to make— hey wait…”

A Dressellian turns.
It’s not him.

“...You’re not the Captain…”
“Correct, Mandalorian.”

"..."
"..."
-POP!-

@Sicadorito

 

[The Storyteller]

He’d been warned about this. And he was trained for it.

There were always those who dared to threaten the Wendigos. The occasional challenger would show up unannounced, and it would be Rajko’s job, along with a few others like him, to send whoever it was crying home with their tail in between their legs. He’d fought Force-sensitives, Yautkans, even a Deucalian, coming out victorious each time, but never had he tried his hand at a Mandalorian. Until today.

A shot went off, but, like the joke it was, it went right over his head.

“You missed.” He pulled out his own blaster, firing a single bolt at the Mandalorian’s left shoulder before he dropped into a combat crouch, ready to react to any sudden movement he might make. Give it all you got, Mando.

@Die Shize

 

[The Storyteller]

Spoiler: Music OOC

Floor 4
Crux
The Devaronian​

Chell, they called this cat, and he felt like one.
Well, ya could skin a cat, once said a father to his son.
Hmm, yeah, a bolt in Daddy’s skull put that myth to bed.
There he is, the Devaronian…and my what horns on that head!

“I’ve been expecting you…Ratheon…”

Chair pivots, it’s broken.
“Wait…lemme try that again…”
Chair pivots, still broken.
Devaronian almost pitches a fit.

“KRIFF. Mother kriffing chair-kriffer just gimme a sec—”
Struggling.
“—Know there’s a swivel system here somewhere installed this thing myself just shut the kark up for a second.”
-Sniff-
“Okay, that’s better, karkin' hope so anyway.”

Throat clears some.
Chell wanted a better office than this but they wouldn’t give him one.

“I’ve been expecting you…Ratheon… At last you have fallen for my— GAH KRIFFIN’ KARKIN’ COMLINK stupid thing clicked me outta the KARKIN’ script GAT DERN IT—”

@Sicadorito

 

[Endyr Ratheon]

Floor 4
(meant Floor 6 on my above ST post)
Endyr
The Dressellian

Spoiler: Music OOC

He trained for this. And he’d been warned about it.

There were always those dicks, di’kuts and douchebags who dared to threaten the Mandos.
‘Cept dogs weren’t very threatening to Mandalorians.
They were just, well, dead.
Another dead dog.

“You missed.”
“No I didn’t, dikut.”
Computers. They worked, sure.
‘Cept when they did not.
-POP!-

That was the sound of a computer exploding, Endyr always thought.

Maybe his enemy was behind the desk.
Sparks in the face were tickly...at best?

Meanwhile a Mandalorian is back in a hall behind a wall.
His own blaster bolt took out a PC (pun intended).
His enemy's grazed his shoulder like a scraped cheek.
Only a Mandalorian’s shoulder is beskar, Kesbar.

“Hey, kriffface!”
A Mandalorian exclaims to the office boss.
“Ya like grenades?”

-TOSS!-

@Sicadorito

 

[Crux]

Any potential fear Crux might have had of this Devaronian promptly turned into disappointment and disdain as his would-be opponent struggled with his chair.

“Really, dude? You made a whole script for this?” He was tempted to throw his hands up. “Mighta thought you were menacing at first, but you look about as threatening as a Jawa.” He frowned from beneath the mask. This clearly wasn’t the captain— couldn’t be. Maybe Endyr had found him after all, and this was just a cronie.

“In case you din’ know, I’m not even Ratheon. This look Mando to you?” He pointed at his helmet, regardless of if the man turned around or not. “If you’re not gonna take this seriously I’m heading out. I have more important things to do than joining your theater production.” He was a horrible actor anyway, and he had a captain to find.

“Karking idiot.”

@Die Shize

 

[The Storyteller]

Floor 4
Endyr
The Dresselian
​

What the hell’s a di’kut? While he was curious, Rajko couldn’t spend long dwelling on the thought as the Mando fired back, this time frying his computer. No one had ever tried that before— this was proving to be interesting already. Even more so when the black-armored man pulled out a grenade.

The room exploded behind him as he dove out, and the building shook. But surely so would the Mando as Rajko fired two shots at his feet before landing. It was a rather ungraceful one and his legs felt like they were on fire from the sudden heat, but he was alive and that was all he could ask for.

“Should never have come here, Ratheon. Whatever you’re looking for is already long gone.” He didn’t know what that was— he wasn’t informed, but he assumed that most others would have evacuated the building already after hearing the shots, and definitely would be running out now after the explosion. Half the stairs were missing, and what used to be his office had opened up into the floor below.

The Mando would pay for that. In the hall they were now in, there was little space for either man to go, and Rajko would make sure that he knew it. He once more fired two shots at Ratheon, aiming for his chest this time and aiming to kill.

@Die Shize