New Friends...

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Undercity of Taris​

Halmo'de sat at the back table, nearest the kitchen, which would lead to a back alley, where he had a landspeeder hidden away. To his right, roughly four meters was the large U-shaped bar, lined with your typical Tarisian rabble. In front of him we're three more booths identical in his own, each occupied by locals, digging into their meal and swilling down their beverage of choice. Halmo'de sat with a small platter of local appetizers, as he chowed down on Tarisian Poststickers. A hand was never too far away from the 2Lc Compact Carbine he had folded and hidden behind the platter, obscuring it from barside view. Underneath his heavy coat he wore his usual black armor, also concealing his lightsabers, completely from view. The booth he sat in covered him from the front as well. To most, he just looked like a typical Echani, save for his yellow eyes. They were a full Amber color, as he was trying to maintain a low profile.


Given that the Hutts and the Exiles were fairly chummy these days, a Hutt agreed to provide some overwatch for the transfer of credits, with a small cut for himself from both parties, of course. Whoever the Hutts sent hadn't been spotted yet, but perhaps that was for the best. He waited quietly, attempting to hear the music over the drunken rabble.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Moments went by and nothing of note happened, save for some spat at the bar between two patrons. It was hardly any concern for Halmo'de, as he chomped away at his Poststickers. Steamed and peppered cabbage wrapped up in a lightly fried dumpling, seared to a crisp on one side were a delight to his senses of smell and taste, but he was not taken away from his duties, his eyes scanned the room consistently for friend or foe.

 

[Oondo We]

Drosla Raksu, the Trandoshan arms dealer with whom Halmo'de was meeting, walked confidently in through the front entrance to the bar. She was dressed in a flashy gangster's jacket and pants, cockily flaunting her success as an arms dealer in these mean Tarisian underworld streets. At her hip was a holstered, illegally-modified 4-C blaster pistol which packed a little more of a punch than its factory standard counterparts. Drosla peered around for a moment studying the faces in the bar until her eyes caught sight of Halmo'de sitting discreetly in the back. She looked back and indicated for her henchman Oondo to follow her. Oondo nodded silently and followed her. He was dressed much more modestly, carrying a factory-standard 4-C pistol, as well as a knife tucked into the back of his belt.

As Drosla approached the exile's table, Oondo sat down at the bar nearby, keeping them to his left so that his blaster on his right hip was concealed from their view. The Trandoshan sat down with a heavy thud and smiled wickedly, because she was physically incapable of smiling any other way. "So, you must be the customer. What can I do for you?"

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de finished his last appetizer as a Trandoshan and a Rodian walked in and began scanning the cantina, presumably for him. Quickly he slipped his compact Carbine into the seat next to him. As she sat down, he returned a malicious grin to the Trandoshan, not because he had no choice, but because he chose to. He leaned forward, and scanned the henchmen, noticing his pistol. They were both clearly armed, and rightly so. Hal wouldn't trust himself either.

"I'm in the market for some powerful explosives. Boomas to be specific. I trust that is something you deal in?" Halmo'de spoke, with a deceptively calm tone in his voice.

@Sarkastik Worlock

 

[Eisa Nimbus]

Cautiously sticking her head through the main threshold that lead into the bar, a young fiery haired teen looked around the gathered patrons for a moment before retreating back to the street, her gaze shifting up towards the large neon sign that hung above the premises, displaying in bright bold colours The Gauntlet, looking down at the pen ink scrawled on the back of her hand to double check it was the right venue she was to instructed to meet at. "Yep Definitely the place" she spoke aloud before walking into the bar, with a slight spring in her step, somewhat pleased with herself that for once she had been able to get to where she was supposed to be going without wondering off, however the day was still young.

As the the teen made her way to the bar she could see that a few of the patrons were eyeing her up, whether is was down the bright combination of Yellow, orange and red shades that her hair was dyed with, her age or more likely the erratic choice in clothing, combining leather trimmed black combat trousers with a pink shirt under a black vest and a blue denim backpack hanging loosely over her shoulders. Yet the curious glances in her direction were only met with a wild smile across the teenager's features, at the moment she was in a good mood following a busy morning of drawing in the sidewalk with her chalks, someone even gave her some credits thinking that she was homeless, the sentiment behind that going completely over the teenagers head.

Jumping onto the bar stool, the young teen waved over the bartender and asked for a Sunfruit liqueur as she placed some credit chips on the counter, before proceeding to spin on the stool whilst she waited for her drink. As she spun round she could see the Exile she was to meet up with speaking to a Trandoshan in a corner booth, but opted to do nothing for the time being, she was waiting for her drink after all. Hearing the familar sound of glass clinking with the wooden counter top, she spun round back to face the bar tender. "Yay! Can I get some more straws please" she spoke to the bar tender who gave her a questioning look, "need to make a silly straw!" she added in response, to which the bar tender rolled his eyes in resignation and dumped a handful of straws infront of the teen, who in turn laughed excitedly as she started to push the straws into each other.

 

[Oondo We]

The Trandoshan nodded softly and scratched her cheek pensively as she listened to the exile across he table from her. "Perhaps I could get that for you. But I'm sure you know that kinda firepower ain't cheap. What kind of quantity are we talking here?" She licked her lips with her reptilian tongue.

Over at the bar, Oondo occasionally glanced over at them. He chose not to drink, preferring to stay alert during meetings such as this. His boss over at the booth never fully filled him in on her plans, so he remained prepared for things to go south at any moment. He didn't notice when the young exile woman sat down at the bar.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de curled his lips into a grin when she brought up price. "I've done my homework. Boomas is up there, but it's not pure Kyber. Trust me, I have enough. I'm looking for one standard pound, enough to level small infrastructure. What's the damage?" he asks, moving the exchange along. She obviously didn't carry it on her, and that meant they would either have to move through the Tarisian Undercity, or she would have to send someone to retrieve it.

 

[Oondo We]

Drosla laughed quietly as she heard him speak so confidently. She was glad that he was prepared to pay up, that meant he would be worth double crossing. She began sizing him up for a fight in her head as she spoke. "Well it seems like we've got a high roller here. I'll get you a pound for 1,000 credits even." She crossed her arms, confident in her pricing, though she'd be willing to bargain with him for a bit just for her amusement.

Over at the bar, Oondo glanced back at the two sitting in the booth. He could tell they were negotiating price now, based on his boss's body behavior. He hoped she didn't do anything to mess this up, because it hadn't even been his idea to go on this job in the first place. Oondo just wanted to get paid and get out of here.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de's grin widened at the price, and with a curt wink, "Deal. I have it with me. It's yours the moment I see the product, my dear," he spoke with a calm but firm tone. No money would exchange hands without the explosives in clear view. In his periphery he saw an Exile that he'd meet weeks prior, when Andraste ordered the operation. Perhaps the Hutts need their Basadi elsewhere. It was no matter to him, but he would remember the owed favor.

"Keep that Rodian in the corner of your eye." he spoke, telepathically, followed by the ever so subtle nudge toward Oondo, making sure she knew the exact individual he meant.

@Plebometer

 

[Oondo We]

Pleased that he agreed to the price, she laughed softly. "Good! I'll get you the product..." Drosla then narrowed her eyes, before adding, "Just as soon as you show me you've actually got the credits." Her eyes flicked up and down from his eyes to his jacket, where she assumed he was holding his credits. She slowly placed her hands on the edge of the table, acting as if she were simply making a show of being adamant about her demand, but simultaneously getting her hand closer to her blaster holstered at her hip.

Oondo rested his elbows on the bar counter as his thoughts began to wander. He was staring in the general direction of the booth where Halmo'de was, but his focus slowly drifted to other things, so he didn't notice the telltale sign of Drosla preparing to double cross their customer.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de's eyes never left the Trandoshan. His piercing gaze could be felt through the Force,but the Trandoshan would perceive it as a gnawing fear of the kind of torment that would befall her were she to continue inching toward her waist. That feeling of fear soon manifested as a full burning sensation underneath her scales. As he lowered his hand to his pants pocket, he pulled to him two Platinum '500' credit chips and held them up into her view, as he dropped the gaze to pull his blaster silently into his lap underneath the table. He,then, placed them between his Gi and his durasteel chestplate, and nodded toward her. "I trust you don't just carry high grade explosives with you, like it's a blaster on your hip, do you? If I'm wrong, you've earned my respect," he jested.

 

[Oondo We]

Oondo's focus returned as he saw their customer pull out two platinum credit chips. He smirked, thinking he'd receive a cut of that once their deal was done. He turned slightly toward the booth, waiting on Drosla to signal for him to retrieve the product. But she had her own hidden agenda as she grinned wickedly at Halmo'de, but her grin faded as he mentioned the word 'blaster'. An alarm went off in her head, prompting her to reach for her blaster, intending to pull it quickly and burn a hole in his chest if he didn't do that to her first. Oondo's smirk disappeared as he saw his boss pulling her blaster on the customer. Oh kriff... He was too taken aback to think to pull his own blaster in a timely manner, so he just sat there in disbelief.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de's arm thrust forward, gripping the Trandoshan by the throat and ripping her upwards toward the ceiling with the Force. If the action of being yanked upward, as if she were just dropped from the gallows, the collision with the roof would break her neck the rest of the way. Reflexively, he kicked the table upward to face her henchman in the event that he drew and fired is blaster. Flipping the lever to release the spring that allowed the barrel to swing into place.

"Draw your blaster and die, Rodian!!! Your employer is dead, you dont owe her your life. Bring me to what I need and live." he demanded, keeping an eye out for any froggy patrons with an itchy trigger finger.

 

[Oondo We]

Drosla didn't stand a chance, flying upward into the ceiling. Her neck snapped loudly, angling her head at a freakish angle. Then she dropped down back into her seat, her hand twitching from the sudden brain trauma as she laid there. After a moment, the shaking ceased and she was dead.

Oondo jumped in his seat as he saw Drosla get destroyed by their former customer, now enemy combatant. He shook slightly with fear and held his hands up reflexively in surrender. "Uh y-yeah. Whatever you say, just don't kill me." He had no intention of challenging a jedi, exile or not, especially not when he was caught off guard like this. "I'll take you to it, it's right outside. No funny business." He slowly got off the bar stool, hands still raised, ready to lead Halmo'de to the product.

 

[Oskar Atia]

Oskar was on Taris to help deal with some local disease on the world's lower levels, when a call came through about a man using magic to throw a Trandoshan to the roof. It was a big shocking but clearly it meant Exiles where here. With his fellow Jedi, Oskar figured they better handle this situation quickly before any one else got hurt. Who would have guessed they would have to hunt down some Exiles on a poorly done imitation of Coruscant. Thankfully Oskar had most of his gear on him, expect for his rifle but his lightsaber was hidden on his back by his suit.

Oskar's hair was pulled back and his pair of sunglasses in his breast pocket the Jedi was confident in their ability to handle this situation. With Steila and his other Jedi friend, Oskar was ready for the fight that was sure to come. Heading down the street which the bar was located. There was several parked speeders between the side walk and the street. Oskar would place the himself on the other side of the parked speeders to provide some cover if the Exile came out fighting.

Already he could feel the fear growing within the bar, for sure there was something dark inside. Whatever was happening Oskar hoped they were ready to face it. There was a alley next to the bar that was connected with apartment complex. No doubt filled with drug addicts and criminals. Not that Oskar looked down on this world, but there was much that needed to be done to help lift these people out of such a sorry state.

"Alright guys the fighting is happening in there ready to go handle this problem?" Oskar said turning to face the door as the speeder provided cover as he crouched next to it, already taking out his pistol in his right hand, while his left hand was reaching for his lightsaber just in case.

His head was really the main thing that could be seen above the speeder that was touching the ground. Oskar wasn't aware if there was any other exit's in that building so he would be ready for any surprises. But thankfully these speeders provided cover against that angle also. This speeder is currently three speeders from the door, once you walked out of the front door to the left Oskar was there.

@TenthCodex @Black Noise

 

[Steila Yurel]

Taris, what a sad world. It was worse than the darker sides of Coruscant, because at least on Coruscant you could manage to escape from the underworld. But here, the people born poor were stuck living in wreckage and swamps, while the wealthy enjoyed their lives in high skyscrapers. It disturbed Steila, and she wasn't afraid to show it.

She was dressed in her normal outfit, her pistol and vibrosword hidden with her robes. Many did not think much of her, just thinking of her as a normal blind girl. That was good, because she didn't want any attention drawn to herself. They had been sent to try and help the poor with any ailments afflicting them, but their plans had changed when Oskar got news of a Trandoshan being thrown to the roof. Eagerly, the group made their way over to the location of the crime, Steila ready to help out however she could.

Hiding behind a small speeder, Steila was quick to pull out her blaster pistol, opting for a more ranged approach.

"Ready when you are, Oskar." Steila spoke in a quiet tone, peeking out from the side of the speeder to observe the front door. When Oskar was ready to move, she would follow him like a shadow, making her way with him to the front door. She knew a fight would be happening soon, and the whole place just didn't give a good feeling.

Hopefully in this fight Steila would manage to keep her emotions under control.

 

[Halmo'de Torobah]

Halmo'de nodded, and motioned for @Oondo We and @Eisa Ti'Varnus to move toward the kitchen, and got up to leave through the back. The Echani would lead them through the kitchen, to the roof access ladder of the bar.

Hal knew the Undercity was not known to be the most secure of places, but those lovely overglorified missionaries were always poking their noses where it didn't belong, and it was better safe than sorry. No need to stay in one place too long, and if it came to it, he would fight in the environment of his choosing. If he could outmaneuver them, and finish the mission to fight them, he would choose that option.

 

[Oondo We]

Oondo took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he started walking towards the kitchen. His mind raced with possibilities as to how this situation could end for him if he wasn't careful. He couldn't help but glance at the Trandoshan's corpse as he walked, wincing at the brutality of her death. He didn't even like her, but he couldn't help feeling a little bad for her. All the more reason for him to keep his hands up as he walked into the kitchen with the two exiles behind him. As much as he hated being the one with a blaster pointed at him, he intended to do whatever it took to survive this, even at the expense of his pride.

 

[Artyom]

Artyom stood on the balcony of an apartment one story up from the roof of the bar next door. He had accompanied Oskar and Steila on this mission, but elected to keep a distance between them at all times. In addition to Oskar, Art too sensed the darkness welling up inside of the bar. Mercenaries? Possibly. Exiles? Hopefully. It had been five years since Artyom's last serious lightsaber combat, and with the death of his mentor, Evalyn, the Jedi was looking to blow off some steam.

Killing an Exile was just what he needed.

The darkness seeping from Artyom could be sensed easily by anyone inside the bar looking out. It could be that he would pose a threat, or an ally, depending on what approach was taken. Either way, there would be violence. Pulling out his two lightsabers, the Jedi prepared himself to jump onto the roof. If nothing emerged from the bar beneath, he would need to make his way in from the top.

 

[K'ed Lors]

Once again, K'ed Lors was out on the job, the somewhat acclaimed Bounty Hunter - at least, within such circles as Nem'ro the Hutts Court, walking down the street, keeping to one side so as to attempt to keep some semblance of cover, eyes scanning for prey. With the current state of the galaxy, one could never be lax - who knew when a target might turn up, it just seemed to be the way of things.

At his hips he had his twin set of CRS-2A Blaster Pistols, with a concealed Stinger Stun Blaster tucked into his belt. His Dewback Armour was assisting in beating away the suns rays, plus the wide hat he wore was doing noo end of good in assisting him in keeping a low profile. He had been tipped off about some Exiles dropping off some sort of cargo, and given the state of unadulterated bliss his Hutt Masters and the Exiles now enjoyed, K'ed was confident that - should he keep an eye on things and ensure the Exiles mission passed without incident - there was some sort of benefit in it for him.

Bored as he was, he had yet to figure out what that benefit might be.

He watched as a young female drew her pistol, ducking behind a speeder to ensure she was not seen by her target, and within an instant, K'ed to dropped into cover - ducking into an alleyway just being Steila, his pistols drawn. Depending on who, or what, she was targeting - K'ed would be ready to react.