Severance

[Khari Vestra]

Location: Tekshar Falls Casino, Kuat City, Kuat


As days went, this wasn’t the worst that Khari Vestra had ever had to go through, but nor had it been the easiest. What had begun as little more than a family tiff, had soon transgressed into something else completely, culminating in a spectacular argument that had seen her brought up in the worst of light. And by none other than her own parent, too. Embarrassment didn’t begin to cover what she felt right now.
It was that same embarrassment that had bid she leave the vaulted halls of her family’s extensive estate, outside Kuat city, for the city proper, and to this popular casino, hidden beneath one of the city’s most beautiful waterfalls. It was to this same waterfall, that the establishment owed it’s name. And while Kuat’s elite came here to unwind and place a bet or twenty, she hadn’t enough of the inclination to do likewise.
No inclination and now, little more than a paltry amount to bet with to boot.

Here, at least, she could sit in one of the casino’s many cantinas and at least buy herself a relaxing beverage or two, while away an hour, maybe more, and work out where she was going to go from here. A burden-laden sigh escaped her lips as she rested against one such bar top, watching the benign-visaged tending droid swivel her way and ask one of it’s many pre programmed obligatory questions.

“May I take your order, M’am?”

Apathetically, Khari waved one slender hand in it’s general direction, she could already feel the onset of another haughty sigh brewing in her throat.

“Surprise me.” She replied, noting the droid’s pause while it, no doubt, attempted to work out if that was just some new concoction that had become fashionable lately, or she genuinely meant for it to pick something at random. In the end, the latter won out, and it returned with a glass of something decidedly cyan in colour.
A sip later, and she was pleasantly surprised. That was no mean feat, it took a lot to surprise her these days, much less impress her. It did little to un-sour her mood, however, as she recalled the argument that had lead to her arriving here in the first place.

Anara Vestra, her own mother, had practically cut her out of the family heirachy all together for what was essentially a fixable issue. Now, as a result, she was denied both title and inheritance. And she recalled the superior way in which the older woman had delivered the news to her, too. That whole speech about her finding her own way in life, as if she’d actually worked for anything she owned! Anara hadn’t spent more than a day in her entire lifetime working for what she had, that was all the work of those she employed, while she just sat back and reaped the benefits. It didn’t matter how those came in, so long as they did, was it so odd of Khari to assume that life was rightly her own, too? Somehow, the notion stung her, it was selfish, she knew, but the woman had really bent her highly refined nose out of joint. Something needed to be done about that.

Pivoting to face the room, she cast a critical eye around the place as casually as she could make it appear. The place was quiet this time of day, hardly a soul here, they were all out enjoying the fine Kuati weather, or at the tables, anticipating a fun day’s persuits. Right where she should have been, not seething away in here by herself, contemplating if she should auction off her Telbun to the highest bidder in the vain hope it might garner her a few credits more. Were things really that bad? Yes, if she didn’t figure something out, they would be.

Another long sip of her drink and she had made her mind up, this was actually the best drink she had tasted in a long while, barring those rarities she’d had imported at her residence - no, former residence as of a standard galactic week from now. This was going to be interesting. No staff, no time to cool her heels, she was either going to sink or swim.

“No sense in wasting time here, then.” The thought was uttered only for herself, the barest hint of a murmur on her lips, but it marked the start of something new. And there really was no time like the present. She would finish that drink and then make a move.

 

[Tress]

What brought him back to Kuat of all places in the galaxy, he really didn't remember. There was to much mixed emotions about the past and his forced exile. The plan had always been to come back and reclaim or put to rights what had happened to his family. Had taken him the better part of a five years to set things in motion, acquire the information he had needed and a name to the one behind the ruination of his house.

All this started with a denial of a lady of the Ten. The top nobility and wealthy of Kuati society, his refusal to one in particular had damned his family and everyone he loved. She had taken her anger out on them and him in the long run. He lost his job in the Kuati Security Force, the same position his own father had held before him. Well, now was her turn to pay.

Anara Vestra, the target. The one responsible for his ruined life.

He was here for retribution, for.... revenge.

Information brokers had given him the necessary details about her and her family. From business dealings, to residences she owned. Even the name of her only daughter. That was his target. His life on Kuat was now ruined, but the life he could forge from the kidnapping and ransom of Khari Vestra would more than make up for things.

It's why he found himself following her from her apartments to the casino and why he was sitting not to far away from her. Sooner or later, she would end up away from the crowds and he would be able to then enact his plan.

 

[Gabora]

These casinos are rigged Arasa thought to herself as she drunkenly stumbled about with a bottle in her hand. This was officialy the lowest she has sunken in her life. Recently, Arasa had gambled roughly 80% of what little creds she had left. Ever since the Sith kicked all the Mandalorians off of the planet Mandalore. There she left her farm and her Machine shop.

Loosing her footing, Arasa quickly tripped to a wall and caught it, leaning on it so she wouldn't fall. She looked up and saw a sign "Tekshar Falls Casino." The casino part didn't excite her as much as the thought that there was a bar in there. Arasa shook the bottle in her hand and heard that it was empty.

Slowly and erratically making her way to the bar section, Arasa tripped and fell just a few inches from the bar stool. She climbed it with great effort before taking a seat and slurring "Give me one of theash" wile pointing to the label on her bottle.

 

[Khari Vestra]

Draining the contents of her glass sip by sip, it didn’t seem to matter how she did it, it always looked effortlessly elegant. Something she was going to have to lose if she wished to pass for someone who wasn’t of her ilk. There were many in the lower echelons of Kuati society who would have jumped at the chance to single her out and make an example of her. Ironic, since that seemed to be what her mother wished to do with her regardless. A lesser person might have given up, but Khari was related to her, and by blood alone she was predisposed to never giving up. It was her birthright and she wouldn’t be denied what was meant to be her own.

While her mind had been tripping over life’s new little nuances to be learned, she’d completely missed the sight of another woman swaggering her way across the bar floor, only to make it to the counter top and let herself be heard. It was the clink of a bottle, placed none to gently, upon the metallic bartop that caused Khari to lose her train of thought, and slide a sidelong glance in the newcomer’s direction.
By the looks of things, she wasn’t the only one having a bad day. There, just over a couple of meters away, stood a woman who was drunkenly slurring something at the tending droid, and just as it had with Khari, it paused and then turned back to serve up another of whatever that empty bottle was she clutched tightly in one hand.

She hadn’t meant to stare quite as superiorly as she did then, it was all to do with the way she held herself, she supposed. Something ingrained in her from the get go, and therefore yet another thing in a whole list of them she was going to have to unlearn if she wanted people to take her seriously, or at least earn acceptance.
Acceptance, such an ugly word, and one she’d never needed, nor had the inclination, to use in reference to herself. Credits and reputation spoke for her...but not anymore. The dark haired Kuati averted her gaze, hoping she hadn’t been spotted, partially because she didn’t know what she was in for, the woman across the way looked well equipped enough to be proficient in a lot more than she was, and while Khari might have been able to hold her own to some degree, she had no intentions of starting a drunken bar brawl.

So where to from here? Did she even have enough credits to her name to place the minimum bet at any of these tables? Unlikely. The fact of the matter remained, she needed these few credits to get herself set up, at least temporarily, and stop wasting her time here, sulking. If she was determined not to look like the spoiled brat so many thought she was, then she needed to stop acting like one.

“The list just keeps getting longer.” She muttered into her glass - it was almost empty now, and whatever was in it had made her a tad woozy.

That was the problem with drink, it had side effects, and one of them happened to be thinking yourself invulnerable in your joy-filled stupor. No surprise then, that she had turned, lazily to the other woman and commented nonchalantly off the cuff.

“I would save your credits for the tables, drinks are always on the ones with the winning streak.”

Something had been nagging at her, though. A small inkling of a concern, that didn’t really deserve the title at all. Tables away, and only visible because of the scant amount of people who were drinking at this hour, sat a human male enjoying a quiet drink. He was, so far as Khari could see, alone, as were they all it seemed. Nothing remarkable about that. But she couldn’t help but think she had seen him somewhere before, perhaps she had passed him in the street? She certainly wasn’t acquainted with him, and he, so far as she was aware, had not worked as a member of her personal staff.

The small semblance of a frown creased her brow but for a moment, right before she glanced down at the remaining cyan liquid, now forming a richer hued ring in the bottom of her glass. Maybe she had time for another after all.

 

[Tress]

Sitting close by a couple of tables away from his target, he was afforded a better view of things around her before she was. It was why he had sat there to begin with, to get a better vantage point. So he noticed the woman with the bottle a few seconds before she sat at the bar.

Her slurred voice asking for another bottle of whatever liquid spirits she had previously partaken in. Saw his target glance in her direction and still drinking from her own drink. He wondered if this would be a long night or just the beginning of a binge of the wealthy throwing their money around.

A few tables down from where he sat, seemed to be a group of young wealthy Kuati enjoying spending their parents wealth in another wasteful night out. The greed, the assumption of everything is their right grated on him. This was one of the reasons he was exiled and his families reputation destroyed. Cause the upper class thought everyone existed to serve them and their needs.

Turning back from the party goers, he saw Khari looking at him. A raised brow in silent question was his only response. What was she thinking? Could be one of many possible things. Maybe he could use this as an excuse to approach her? Motioning over a passing serving droid, "That woman at the bar, refill her drink whatever it was." he said passing a few credits over onto the tray it carried.

 

[Gabora]

When Arasa received her drink, she began to guzzle large swigs of it in a short amount of time. Taking a breath, she partially heard a woman tell her to save her credits for the tables. A little ticked off, Arasa quickly swiveled the bar stool around and explained "I had credsh. Tablesh rigged or shome oshik" (Osik: Dung). She leaned over to the brown haired woman and continued "I come here with, uh." Arasa counted her fingers and held up 8 of them "Thish many thoushand." She held up 3 fingers and continued "Now I got this many hundredsh."

She finished off her bottle when a serving droid came to her and set down another bottle of what she was drinking. It explained in it's artificial voice "Courtesy of the gentlemen over there." The droid pointed off to a man some tables away from the woman she was just talking to. Arasa wondered why someone, especially someone on Kuat, would get her a free beverage. But hey, free alcohol.

Arasa decided that if a guy buys her a drink, she at least has to go talk to him. Who knows? Maybe he would have a job for her.

With a small grumble in her stomach that gradually evolved into a quiet belch, she got up with drink in hand and slowly made her way across the room and through the maze of tables and chairs. Arasa plunked down in the chair on the other side of the table from the man and asked "I shuppose you are the jagyc (Male) who bought me this drink? I should warn you first that I am Mandoa, sho if you think you getting lucky, don't. That shaid, what can I help you with? Need shome one brought to you or shomething?" A casual smile formed on Arasa's face.

 

[Khari Vestra]

Khari leaned back, visibly trying to avoid a hit that wouldn’t have reached her, when the woman beside her thrust out one hand, holding up eight fingers in signification of what just what she’d come in here with, it was certainly enough to hold your own at some of the tables out there, and then deducted what she had lost. Ouch, it wasn’t a small amount to the average denizen, it wasn’t small to her either, so maybe this woman did have a reason to be here, now, drinking her life away while she contemplated her next move, after all.
Schooling her features into her best sympathetic expression, she nodded hastily, the action teasing free a few, previously immaculately coiffed strands of hair from where the bulk of it was clasped, neatly. If she had thought she had it bad, this one might have had it worse. Then again, the one beside her didn’t look as though she didn’t have a game plan for gathering more in the way of credits if she really wanted to. This was a practical woman, and for a moment, Khari found that she was actually a little envious of that fact. Particularly as she was feeling a little less than useful right now.

Time to buck up her ideas.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude, it’s not been the most productive of weeks for me, either.” She admonished, finishing up her drink and placing the glass down on the bar top, just in time to see the serving droid float by and hand the other woman another bottle of whatever she had been drinking prior.

Overhearing what it had said, she frowned, then cast a glance back over her shoulder to where the lone man was sitting at one of the nearby tables. Ah, perhaps she had misjudged him, too. Seeing things where there was nothing was another forte of hers, but it was good to be suspicious, it kept you alive on this world. Anyone, even your own flesh and blood, could become your enemy in the matter of time it took to secure a business deal - it was just that simple.

Deciding it didn’t matter, she turned back and slid the glass across the bar, within reach of the serving droid, hearing the woman beside her making her way across the room to the gentleman who’d just bought her that drink. Idly, she fumbled in her pockets for the cred chip she’d sequestered there earlier, slender fingers closing around the bulk of it and the card she still had in there with it...
The one that was linked directly with her family’s accounts. No doubt her mother had had the thing blocked and void, but it never hurt to give it one last try, especially since it would irk the woman immeasurably to loose so much as a single credit to someone she was so bitterly at odds with.

A moment more and she’d offered it up, the droid taking it away and swiping it through the transaction device inset on it’s control panel. To her utter surprise, it still worked, or would for this transaction anyway, Anara’s staff would be on that in a second, which was why she had to make this quick.

“That will be all for me, thank you.” Khari intoned imperiously, snatching the card from the droid’s hand, before it had fully let go of it, and turning sharply on her heel to leave the bar, in turn, leaving the bar’s only other two occupants in her wake.

Holding herself aloft, she strode out into the main room, amid the gambling tables, casually observing various denizens squandering away their life’s savings, all mingling with those who’s idea of a small bet ran into the thousands. They wouldn’t see her making the same mistake, she wasn’t that desperate just yet.

 

[Tress]

A sigh of irritation escaped him as the incompetent droid offered the drink to the wrong woman. Now what? Well, it was to late now so he offered up a nod as she turned to look his way. He would have to think of something if she decided to come over to thank him. Just another delay in his plans.

With a small grumble in her stomach that gradually evolved into a quiet belch, she got up with drink in hand and slowly made her way across the room and through the maze of tables and chairs. Arasa plunked down in the chair on the other side of the table from the man and asked "I shuppose you are the jagyc (Male) who bought me this drink? I should warn you first that I am Mandoa, sho if you think you getting lucky, don't. That shaid, what can I help you with? Need shome one brought to you or shomething?" A casual smile formed on Arasa's face.

He stood as good manners dictated he should, then he got wind of her and almost took a step back. It wasnt that she stunk, cause she didnt well she did of liquor, but he hadnt expected it to be quite that strong. "I did buy the drink, yes." he listened to the rest of her intro, a slight grin playing on his lips.

"Please join me?" he offered her a seat, while he glanced up at this target, Khari. She was just making her way towards the casino and he didnt want to lose her. Losing her meant he had to spend time finding her and on this world he didnt want to chance that. Sitting facing mando on the other side of the table he laid it out flat for her. "That woman at the bar you were speaking to, I am being paid to follow for her family is concerned about her. She is already started to suspect me so...." he spread his hands and hoped this wouldnt backfire on him. "If your not doing anything or busy, I'd like to offer you free drinks or payment for following her or befriending her for the time being."

There it was out, well, not really. Though, if the mando agreed to work with him for a few hours this could work out for his benefit if things went on plan. He needed Khari out of the casino and away from everyone so he could strike, once he had kidnapped her he could finally set to reclaiming his new life.

"So do you accept or not?"

 

[Gabora]

Listening to the man's proposal, Arasa mulled it over to the extent her intoxicated mind could. She then asked "How do I know you don't jusht want to kyr'amur (Kill) her? I know enough about you people to, uh..." Loosing her train of thought. "You people value credsh more then anything elshe. The shtereotypesh are their for a reashon. bantov (nevertheless), I'll befriend her ash much ash I can now." The last part she mumbled. "If you were going to kill her, like hell you would tell me." Arasa was exceedingly drunk, that was established, but she was not stupid.

With great effort and the use of both arms, Arasa climbed off the chair. She turned back to the man at the table. "My price is 500 creditsh an hour plush expenshes" She said with a smile as she held up the half empty bottle, signaling what she considered "expenses."

Before the man had a chance to confirm the agreement, Arasa did a 180o and walked in many directions at once, but mostly in the general direction the woman she first talked to headed. This is good, She thought. I need the credits. But this better not be some big plot because of some stupid business deal, or something, or I'm going to "befriend" him with my boot up his... Arasa suddenly plowed herself into a wall unintentionally. Shaking her head, What was I thinking? Oh yeah! Befriend woman.

 

[Khari Vestra]

Lost in thought, she had barely taken two paces across the main room's floor, when the sound of something clattering over resonated from the immediate area. Wondering if she had breezed passed something fast enough to knock it flying, Khari whirled round in the direction of the commotion. What she saw wasn't, as she had suspected, a jarred chair or tipped waiter's tray, but the woman she had encountered at the bar moments ago.
There she stood, shaking her head, but miraculously still on her feet despite her obligatory drunken swagger. It was quite the perplexing sight, folks like these didn't see a show like that too often, and understandably so, it was drawing a fair bit of attention.

Without rhyme nor reason, Khari couldn't even begin to wonder why she had done what she did next, perhaps it was out of pity? But whatever the reason, she saw fit to swiftly move back the way she had been, and offer the woman a steadying arm.

"Are you alright?" The words left her lips in a cautionary, but nonetheless concerned tone, "Do you want some water or...."

Cutting that sentence off she left it open, wondering if she'd actually just ask her for another drink, something the woman clearly didn't need. Another thing she probably didn't need was all these people staring in their direction. Glowering at the nearest onlookers, there was no need to say a word when her expression said it all, it worked for the most part, with people turning back to their game and conversations one by one.

Content she had done a good enough job, her gaze flitted back to her drunken counterpart, partly wondering how she had managed to keep her balance for all this time, and partially not wishing to know the answer. Trouble was, there was only a few conclusions you could draw in that reguard. One of them happened to be a highly combat efficient being, the other was a permenant drunk. Khari didn't know which this woman was, and frankly, didn't care so long as she wasn't staring down the business end of a blaster anytime soon.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Canting her head to one side, in the direction of the voice that had just got her attention, a small groan eminated from her in those moments. Heading in their direction, two security personnel, both of them looking suitably burley enough to handle a difficult customer or two, were motioning in their direction. Just her luck, maybe she could talk her way out of this one before it made the holonet news? Then again, her people skills tended to lack outside her usual social circle.

The two KSF personnel drew closer, emphasising the point she knew they were trying to get at.

"Is she with you? We're going to have to ask her to leave, miss. She's had enough." The taller one of the two, immaculately dressed and aproximately around his late 20's in age. Khari had to admit, for someone holding such a position, he looked a little wet behind the ears, hardly intimidating, were it not for his size.

"No, well, yes, but we were just leaving...no need for your assistance, gentlemen."

Despite the awkward reassurance, neither of the men looked convinced, but Kuat was a strictly matriarchal world, when a woman said she didn't need assistance, it was taken on face value. Still, the pair hovered near enough to keep an eye on them both, and showed no signs of going on their merry way.

 

[Tress]

Five hundred credits an hour, plus expenses? What did she think she was...Boba Fett? All he could do was shrug and accept for the time being, she would just be a means to an end really. How much can a drunken woman do really?

He sat there nursing his drink, keeping an eye on things. He was far enough to not be suspected of following anyone, but still close enough to trail them both if they left. Though in truth it was only Khari he was particularly concerned about. There wouldn't be another time like this for him to enact his revenge.

What happened next was to good to be true, the drunk mando walked straight into the wall. He hadn't had much to laugh or find humor in life in a long while, but this had him chuckling to himself. What have i gotten myself into? he thought.

When Khari moved toward the staggering mando, all he could think of was maybe he had made a mistake. Her antics had drawn the attention of the local KSF officers, something he didn't need. If he was lucky they would arrest the mando for being over the limit, and he wouldn't have to pay her. Then again as he listened in on the conversation maybe she would get paid.
If Khari escorted her out and away from everyone, maybe he could still make things happen.

Standing he paid for his drink and skirted around everyone keeping to himself, it wouldn't be wise to advertise his presence on world when he'd been exiled. Waiting by the door, he wondered what they would do.

 

[Gabora]

"No, no, I fine." Arasa answered, with a smile, the trailed off question of the woman she was supposed to keep occupied. "I be fine now." She didn't even relies the crowd of onlookers watching her.

That's when the guards showed up.

Arasa didn't like how they acting. Like they where better then them. Maybe that was the alcohol thinking. When neither of them showed signs of leaving, Arasa got a wonderful idea. She turned to the woman with a sly grin on her face and whispered "Get ready to run." With one smooth motion, Arasa impacted her right foot in the crotch of the right guard and right hooked the face of the left. It was as if she wasn't drunk at all. Grabbing the hand of the woman, she ordered "Follow me" and pulled the her out the room and into a large hallway through a crowed of people. Having recovered quickly, the two guards made haste in chase, recruiting two more.Taking a left through a door, Arasa and the woman entered another, thinner hallway. On both sides were guard rails separating the stone walkway with what looked like an indoor forest. Arasa jumped over the railing and pulled the woman down with her. They both hid in the bushes as the squad of security men ran past. When they where in the clear, Arasa turned to the woman and introduced herself in nearly understandable basic. "I am Arasha of the mando clan Chezb. Who might you be?"

 

[Khari Vestra]

Get ready to run? Those words barely had enough time to register with her before the mando woman executed precisely the thing that was giving them a reason to run in the first place. She didn't even have enough time to recoil and insist that this woman wait before doing anything rash, either. And just like that, it was done - her counterpart delivering a swift, but firm, kick to the guard's groin.

He went down on his knees like a dead weight, clutching the offending area with a strangled curse of pain.
Khari went to raise her own hands to her mouth in gaping shock, but found one of them grasped tightly by the woman beside her, tugging on her arm with the insistence to make haste. She didn't need asking twice! One glance up and she could see more security personnel heading their way at a full tilt run. There wasn't much time to think about what she had to do, or even why she was running, she just did, legs working furiously to keep up with the one holding onto her hand like a vice.

Bursting out through the doors of the main room and into the busy hallway, she could feel herself clip people on the way past, the exclaimations and insults hurled in their general direction all the way. Normally she might have felt the compulsion to at least hurl back an apology, but not today. Her adrenaline was high and she wasn't about to get caught by those guards back there, not now it looked as though she was third party to some...well, what was this? There would be time to ask that later.

Careening around a corner, they hit the establishment's indoor botanical gardens, the mando vaulting the rail with all the agility that came with honed practice. Khari, on the other hand, wasn't used to leaping around like a gymnast at a moments notice, so when she was pulled, she fell head over heels over the railing, landing unceremoniously in the bushes on her backside, with a winded 'thud'. Debris crunched beneath her weight, the foliage breaking her fall and concealing them both at the same time, she didn't dare move for fear of discovery, so she just lay there for several long moments, listening to the steady dialogue of her hammering heart.

Hurried footsteps grew closer, and she was sure they were ripe for discovery, but to the relief of them both, they passed on by, rapidly disappearing into the distance. Now she could express her discomfort.
Pulling clumps of leaves and sticks out of her now less than pristine hairdo, her expression was akin to that of a child about to throw a gigantic tantrum. Her clothes were muddy and torn, and she was pretty sure her backside was cultivating a rather nasty looking bruise right now. This had to be the worst day ever.

Her friend, though, didn't seem fazed in the slightest, even introducing herself with an accent tinged to a point where Khari couldn't pinpoint it, exactly, not at first.
Suddenly, she forgot how ridiculous she must have looked,

"Clan? You're Mando'a?" Whatever reputation the Mandalorian's had on countless worlds, there had been one of their kind whom had once, in times long since passed before Khari's birth, saved the majority of the orbital shipyards surrounding Kuat proper. But now she was staring, perhaps a little dazed and forgetting herself.

"Khari," She introduced herself, debating on whether to use her real name or simply pluck another out of the air. In the end, the truth won out, "Of the household Vestra."

She might have smiled, but currently she was flexing her legs experimentally, checking herself over to ensure nothing was broken. Thankfully, that bush had broken their fall well enough to prevent that.
Casually, she cast her dark eyes up, trying to mentally estimate how far they had fallen.

"Do you want to explain why, exactly, we were running back there? I had that one in hand, you know." She the realized how imperious that sounded, much like everything else she said, it was a blazing big stereotype that could only have been made worse, had she stuck her nose in the air whilst saying it. "Thank you, by the way...I think."

Disentangling another clump of shrubbery from her hair, she began to dust herself off, however they did this, they were both going to look a little bit of a mess. But they couldn't sit here in the undergrowth all day, it wouldn't take the guards long to relocate them.

"We should probably leave as inconspicuously as we can. If, we can."

 

[Tress]

It had happened so fast that he didn't really think he'd seen it. These sort of things didn't happen everyday and he was shocked still as he watched on. One second the two woman were there talking while being shadowed by two guards having told them to leave. Then next sent one guard down with a swift kick to the groin, the other was taken by a fist to the side of his face. That was when both were off running and he could only stand there in confusion.

Sithspit!he thought as he realized they were getting away from him. Thinking quickly he reached for a gas grenade and rolled it away from him as the timer counted down from ten. Ten seconds to get away and cause a panic to cover the girls escape. Turning he moved quickly away.

He skirted the downed men and ran parallel to the running woman, weaving in and out of the crowds. Doing that in a casino caused alot of attention, but just as he was getting noticed there was a small bang and gas started to fill the end of the room. The gas wasn't lethal just meant to grab the security guards attention.

Though he lost the girls he was chasing during the upheaval he had caused. He decided to wait outside where he could get a better look as they casino was evacuated. There was already whispers of it all being a terrorist attack lead by a mando and a female accomplice.

 

[Gabora]

"Because, my way was more fun." Arasa answered the kuati's question. "And nice to meet you."

She gazed up at the wall, "We can get out of thish, no problem." and began to climb it. placing her feet on anything that could support her and grabing anything she could get a grip on, Arasa finally made it to the top of the wall. Wrapping her legs around the walkway guard rail, she leaned back until she was upside-down with her back to the wall. She offered her hands to Khari explaining "Grab on and I can raishe you up."

After they where both out of the flora and on the walkway, Arasa quickly and suddenly turned around began to engage in regurgitation over side of the walkway. After it was out, Arasa tried to catch her breath. "I'm... okay... now..." she said after she wiped her mouth clean. "I'm surprised I didn't do that sooner."

After a moment of trying to relax, Arasa heard screaming outside the room they where in. "That can't be good." she said to herself.

 

[Khari Vestra]

Fun? She thought to herself, with the usual helping of sarcasm - if that was fun, she'd hate to see what the girl did for thrills. In any case, it was astounding she was still standing after having appeared as drunk as she had, maybe that was a mando thing, too. Khari resolved to debate that later, right now they had the small problem of evading security and getting out of this place without anymore mishaps.

"After you, then." She motioned in an overly gracious way for Arasa to take the lead. She, herself, wasn't exactly dressed for climbing or any form of atheletic activities, so this was going to be entertaining...for onlookers.

As predicted, the mando made it up to the walkway with very little problem, scaling the distance like a nexu up a tree. So effortless did she make it look, that it had the Kuati wondering if she would really have that much of an issue. Thankfully, Arasa was kind enough to extend a hand or two in her direction, hanging from the railing with a sure footing. Khari accepted, her hands gripping the other woman's arms in a wrist to wrist grip. A second later, and she was topside again, standing on the walkway, brushing the rest of the dirt and debris from her torn and disheavaled clothes. She turned to speak to her new found friend forthwith, but found her doubled over the same railing, wretching.

"Thank you, I'm not sure I could have made-" The sight stopped her mid sentence, and for a second she considered asking the inevitable 'are you alright?' - but the answer was no, she clearly wasn't alright and she wasn't as impervious to the alcohol's effects as Khari might have thought. That earned her a rare glimmer of a sympathetic expression, somehow she couldn't really see the mando appreciating it, so it was sheathed again just as quick.

All thoughts of the grimness she'd just witnessed went right out the proverbial airlock, though, when the cacophony of screams and commotion began to filter through from the other end of the hall, emanating from the main casino room. While Arasa was quick to give voice to her suspicions, Khari wasn't nearly as forthcoming, more accusatory, but that was just her way.

"Not friends of yours, I take it?" It wasn't an entirely serious statement, and she could feel a devious smile tug, gently, at the corners of her mouth.

"Come, we can get to the main exit through the atrium, we don't need to go back in there." They didn't need to go that way and find out what all the fuss was about, at least, that was the plan until people began to pile through the hall doors - some of them literally tripping over each other in a bid to escape the plumes of...what was that, smoke? Gas?
She was with Arasa on this one: definitely not good!

"Well, it looks like your shipment of fun just arrived...shall we be leaving now?" She already was, whilst beconning the mando to follow her, one good turn deserved another, sort of. But for whatever reason this one had latched onto her, she wanted to find out, curiosity was a bad thing at the best of times, but sometimes it paid off. And that was part of the problem, who was paying Arasa? She wasn't a fool, but the woman had seemed intently focussed on getting her fill of booze until she had unceremoniously face planted a wall. You didn't tend to do that unless you were firstly drunk and secondly moving with a purpose. That and Mandalorians didn't seem to show up around here too often, unless they were on a job. Then there had been the mad dash to get away from security...Khari would never be able to show her face in here again after that one. Not that it mattered.

"Quickly now,before our friends work out where we are dawdling!"

When she was sure she had the other woman's attetion, she set off again, this time at the same dead out run they had made their way here. The distance wasn't nearly as far, the large transparisteel doors that opened into the botanical display room, also lead directly to the main entrance and outside. Barely a few meters ahead of the oncoming throngs of people, she wasn't satisfied until she'd felt the crisp chill of the outside air kiss her face. With the evacuation going on, they'd at least be able to slip away quietly, and all going well, unseen too.

 

[Tress]

The waiting and nagging notion that he had some how lost them in the chaos hit him from all sides. Only now did he realize they could have slipped out a side entrance, but he was committed to the make shift plan he had concocted.

He kept looking around, well away from the main thoroughfare. His eyes mainly on the front doors of the casino at the people rushing out in waves seeking escape of what they thought was an attack or gas leak. Whatever the case he was just looking for one particular woman in a throng of faces running for their lives.

"where in the nine hells are they?" he thought to himself.

He was just about to sneak off to the side entrance when he caught sight of a dark headed woman almost hurrying a person behind her. There she is, and still with company, too.

Did he wait until they were on their own? Did he offer some assistance in the meanwhile in the form of some speeder or taxi for a get away? He felt the last one a better option. Signaling a taxi as he moved towards it, "A hundred credits for no questions ask with another at the end. I need to pick up two woman and get us away from here." he passed over a hundred credit stick. The driver hesitant for a moment, agreed when he had payment in hand.

"There those two at the front..." he told the driver as they lifted off and as it moved closer to the crowd, Tress opened up the hatch and waved to the Mando woman hoping in her drunken stupor she would remember him. "Over here ! Hurry !"

 

[Gabora]

(Sorry about taking so long. It's finals week at collage.)

Without thinking, Arasa jumped into the taxi and pulled her new friend behind her. She sat down and studied the face of the helpful guy, like she should of in the first place. With a look on her face, Arasa noticed that it was the man who secretly hired her.

She began to speak, "It's y-- *Blegh*" but what came out of her mouth where not words. After a moment of emptying herself a little on the floor, Arasa finally gathered herself up, caught her breath, and began to speak. "I--I'm okay. I'll pay for that." After a few moments she explained to Khari, "This is the man who bought me that drink, before."

With a almost obvious nod, she signaled to him that the deal was still on. She looked out the window and asked "Where are we going anyway? Will there be drinks? I pretty much through up everything I have drunk"

 

[Khari Vestra]

One moment they had been making a bolt for the exit, the next a speeder taxi had pulled up, crossing their path when the door was flung open wide. Not knowing what to expect, and being a little more than vexed at why the cab had ground to a sudden halt in their way, she really wasn't expecting what they got. But evidently, that didn't matter to the mando...nor should it, Khari thought, she had vomited earlier like she'd been drinking her own weight in lumen ale, what was another bout of throwing caution to the wind?

Before she could advise against it, however, Arasa had pulled her headlong into the speeder taxi, and they were away. Too bemused to ask questions, Khari was looking out of the windows as they sped away, noting they'd been just in time to avoid the wrath of several armed security guards, who were now exercising a little crowd control. This was going to be all over the holonet by evening - she groaned inwardly when she realized that they were likely to be suspects if just for the fact Arasa had kicked that man square in the crotch. The following chase didn't make them look anymore innocent.
But now she was suddenly aware of a short exchange going on next to her, between their would-be rescuer and her mando comrade here. Thankfully, Arasa was quick to explain things, and that was when Khari tilted her head to regard the man properly for the first time, drinking in the familiarity of his features.

Ah, so it was that man from the bar.

The way in which Arasa had spoken of him wasn't just drunk bluntness, it suggested she wasn't exactly well acquainted with him, since it was abundantly clear she didn't know his name. Well they were even on that much, then, Khari had remembered seeing him at numerous points during her excursion, but not to talk to. It had raised a small hair of suspicion with her, as it did now, but as yet he hadn't given her a reason to be sure of that inkling.

"So it seems." She responded cooly to Arasa, though the icy suspiciousness was reserved purely for the stranger. To which she added for his benefit, "And does he have a name, this man?"

The speeder was showing no signs of slowing, and the driver appeared to want to remain well out of this one. His eyes hadn't once flickered to the back-view display, even when it had been painfully obvious Khari was watching him. She knew the route, though, so that could work to her advantage. There wasn't a chance in the nine hells that she was going to blindly trust anyone just yet. Even Arasa, her motives, fuelled by alcohol or not, remained cloaked.

"That was a well timed pick up..." For all intents and purposes, they were headed right for the nearest starport, but there was still time to deviate, so she could have been wrong. Maybe the mando had left her ship there, goodness knows why it had been allowed direct access to Kuat, proper. Few had that luxury, especially when they weren't natives. Most were required, by law, to adhere to the strict traffic system, which required them to leave their ships at one of the systems orbital docks and take the shuttle to reach Kuat or any of it's shipyards.

A sudden wretching sound yanked her out of her reverie, sound, sight and unfortunately sense of smell, drawn to another of Arasa's less charismatic moments, which she took as well as the last one. As the pungent acridness reached her olfactory, though, Khari was holding a slender hand to her own mouth and nose in a bid not to follow suit.

"Don't you think you've had enough for one day?" Came the muffled reply to the mando's hopeful statement concerning more drinks. She then looked at the man again, "Maybe we should stop here? I can find my own way back and have a medical droid here in moments."

Not that a droid would have been able to do much, save for give the woman something to stave off the hangover for a little while. But that wasn't why she was making the suggestion.

 

[Tress]

He was looking at them waiting, until his..employee entered dragging along the woman he was after. A quick start that ended with one throwing up right in the taxi. The stench was foul, like she had tried to drink every alcoholic beverage in the place or several for that matter.

He moved out of the way and dared a glance at the other woman, who he knew to be Khari Vestra. "Welcome, seems you two need a quick escape." he stated the obvious before signaling the driver to take off.

He turned back to the mando woman again, "Away from trouble it seems. I got a ship waiting at the space port. If i can drop you ladies off along the way, just say so." The thought about payment was the furthest thing on his mind, but he nodded back to her.

"Tress Odak at your service." he said smoothly turning back to Khari. "And you are?" he kept looking at her and contemplating if he should just do it here and now.

He had thoughts of drawing his blaster and holding her hostage for the foreseeable future, but then what of the mando woman sitting next to her. She was getting paid, but would she find his intentions at odds with her conscience.

"We are almost there." he told Khari as she expressed her thinking of getting off then and there. "Just a few more minutes."

In the end he did pull his blaster and aim it at Khari. To the Mando woman all he did was shrug, "You have earned your fee and a bonus." he looked her way never letting his aim falter. "I could use someone of your....uh, skill if your looking for work."

This was it, after years of planning he was on his way to get revenge on the family and woman who had ruined his life. Anara Vestra, Khari's mother would pay dearly for it.