Ask Not Every Laundered Dollar Is Wet

[Aadya Rasheer]

The city of Worlport was actually fairly decent as far as random places Darth Stolas asked Aadya to go. Leaning against the outside of the coffee house she'd just exited, the young acolyte looked out across the throngs of people milling around Morro Spaceport. Most of them were tourists, looking to get their pockets cleaned out at one of the numerous casinos that called Worlport home.

Aadya was here for much different reasons. At the request of her master, she and another Sith by name of Jaikus Altaris were to establish a foothold on Ord Mantell - discreetly, of course. In a place like Worlport, it shouldn't really be too difficult. Despite the city's glamorous façade, criminality was only ever just around the corner.

Their target was one of the local trading companies, to move their way in to give a legitimate front for whatever Stolas might need it for. The methodology was one of the numerous reasons Aadya respected her master over nearly every other Sith she'd ever met. Where another might use a chainsaw, Stolas would use scalpel. There was always reason, intelligence behind the steps. It's how Aadya approached problems, too.

For now, she sipped at her drink and waited for Jaikus to arrive, mulling over plans on how to go about their objective. She'd never met the man before, but from what she had been able to figure out, he seemed competent enough.

Should that prove to be false, well, every operation had a range of acceptable causalities.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus had arrived in the city of Worlport only a few hours prior, his ship touching down within the busy spaceport. It was a city that was known for its numerous casinos and a lively nightlife, and yet the reasons for the man’s visit were more business than pleasure. He had received the request from Darth Stolas to establish a foothold on the planet through one of its many trade companies, and Jaikus accepted the job without much hesitation.

He had, after all, some experience of his own operating within the criminal elements of society. It was something he had done extensively on Axxila, establishing a network of informants and spies within the shadowport’s underworld. It made him prime candidate to help establish this foothold on Ord Mantell, and it meant that this operation wouldn’t be too difficult, if all things went according to plan.

The difficulty was, that typically, they didn’t.

This was an operation that required a degree of subtly and Jaikus dressed accordingly – exchanging his usual armor for simple yet stylish clothes to blend in with his surroundings. The Axxilan strolled through the streets of Worlport in a pair of slim-fitting dress pants and white button-up shirt, coupled with a navy-blue blazer worn over the top. His look was accessorized with a standard chrono in his wrist and a few rings on each finger.

The ensemble certainly exuded an area of professionality, but it wasn’t one that made him stick out any more than any other businessman that strolled through the streets of Ord Mantell. His lightsaber, along with any other weapons, were safely tucked away within his jacket and out of sight. Weaving between the crowds of people, Jaikus eventually made his way towards the coffeehouse where Aadya waited. From the looks of it, the Axxilan had made a stop at a similar establishment on the way – holding an iced caf in one hand as he walked.

Citrine eyes casually flicked between the dozens of men and women of all different species, attempting to pick out the woman based on the general description he’d received. He had never met or see the Acolyte, but from what he had heard, the woman seemed to be skilled in her own right and Jaikus had no doubt her assistance in this mission would be valuable. If nothing else, the fact that she had survived as Stolas apprentice spoke a great deal to the woman’s abilities.

Arriving towards the entrance of the coffeehouse, it didn’t take him long to spot the woman leaning against the building, distinctly separated from the ever-shifting crowds of people and matching the general description of who he was searching for. Sauntering his way over, Jaikus leaned his weight against the wall beside her – taking a sip from his caf before turning to glance at her.

“You must be Aadya.” He stated, a polite smile brushing against his lips.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Aadya saw him first. Eyes drawn to Jaikus like magnets, it was easy to make him out in the crowd. People like Jaikus and Aadya, they walked different from everyone else even when they weren't trying to. Most people wouldn't notice, but she did. She smirked slightly as he approached.

Mhm, She muttered idly, finishing what was left of her drink before tossing it adeptly into a trash bin a couple meters away. Jaikus, I presume. Her tone was even, if not a little bored. Introductions could be so tedious.

Checking her chrono with a grimace, Aadya looked down the busy thoroughfare towards a few of the tall buildings overlooking the casinos. What are you thinking? A vague question, but it would be clear to anyone with a brain Aadya was talking about their mission.

Her attire matched the vibe Jaikus had gone for, mostly. Business but still informal, though if Aadya were being objective, she looked better than he did. Well, hotter at least. Well... yeah no, definitely hotter.

There's a couple different trade orgs down that way, shouldn't be too tough getting in. She said, turning her eyes to Jaikus'. Finding someone willing to submit or someone with enough skeletons in their closet to listen to reason probably won't be an issue. Our issue is going to be getting high enough on the ladder for it to be worth the time.

As she started walking towards the high buildings, Aadya glanced out of the side of her eye towards Jaikus. We could also just kill someone and put in a puppet, if you aren't squeamish. You kind of look like you don't like getting dirt on your shoes, though. Her tone was playful, but not overtly flirtatious despite the fact that she was willing to ditch the mission and pull Jaikus down the nearest alleyway. All that matters is we succeed.

Aadya would continue walking, waiting for Jaikus to offer insight into what he thought the best option would be. They were in no real rush, after all.

@Altaris

 

[Jaikus Thorne]

Jaikus offered the woman a light dip of his head, leaning his weight against the wall behind him. “A pleasure, Aadya.” The Axxilan kept the introductions brief yet polite. They were here to do for a purpose, after all.

He arched a brow, listening quietly for a moment as she spoke. It was clear that was carefully considering her every word, mulling over every option and method available to them. He did not answer her immediately, instead turning his gaze to the path ahead of them.

He casually sipped down the last of his iced caf, disregarding the lidded cup into a trashbin that they passed. As he walked, Jaikus kept both his hands tucked neatly against the small of his back – slender fingers clasping together.

“Finding a willing participant may be easier than you think,” He finally spoke, keeping his eyes trained on the casinos ahead. “The executives of these trade orgs are motivated by their own pockets, above all else. We need simply convince them that working for us would be more profitable than not.” He shrugged slightly. “Shouldn’t be terribly difficult.”

The Axxilan couldn’t help but smirk when she mentioned not wanting to get dirt on his shoes. “I’m not opposed, if the situation calls for it.” There was a playful glint behind his eyes for a moment, briefly turning his head to look in her direction.

“Forcing a puppet into place would be the fastest option,” He spoke, tilting his head to the side slightly. “Though perhaps not the most effective. Not only does it create unnecessary complications, a pre-existing contact will have more connections and pull within the organization. Which better serves our needs.”

He nodded slightly at the last thing she said. While he had his own ideas, how they went about this ultimately wasn’t as important as the end result. With that, Jaikus turned back to face the path ahead. There were multiple high-rise buildings to choose from, home to some of the more prominent trade organizations on the planet. Adjacent to them were the bustling casinos of the city, overflowing with tourists and wealthy businessmen alike.

“Do you have an organization in mind?"

@Logan