Ask Tatooine The Gunman, The Jedi, And The Credits

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera stepped into the Belching Frog Saloon in Mos Espa Tatooine and not a single head turned her way. Dressed in her dirty green armor with a woolen poncho covering her head and hair, she looked just like every other wandering mercenary that would visit the bar in the middle of the day. However, the Jedi Councilor was no wandering mercenary. She could have strode into the bar with her lightsaber blazing and demanded the surrender of Jedi capturer Preef Callo. She probably could have taken him in a fight as well if the conditions were right.

But that's not how Hera did things.

It was not that the Jedi known for her boisterous personality and uproarious laughter was a cautious or subtle person. In truth, Hera's movements now reflected her innermost feelings. She felt more at home with the scum and villainy of the galaxy than she did with the average holier-than-thou Jedi Knight. Unblooded children could not compare in her opinion to the experience and brotherhood that mercenaries held with their respective groups. It was this mindset that caused Hera to have a deep respect for Preef Callo, even if she did not agree with everything he did.

The money had already been agreed upon ahead of time, the wire transfer sent over and the Padawans returned to the order long ago. This meeting now was merely a formality, a formality that Hera had requested herself. It was a sit-down confirming that Preef was pleased with his payment -though of course he was or he would have released the Padawans- and to establish a more friendly set of relations between the Jedi and the people Preef represented.

A set of relations between Preef and Hera, specifically. And with this in mind, Hera sat down in the booth Preef had told her to meet him at.

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

Three padawans.

Preef had traded three padawans for a crapload of credits he already had way too many craploads of. He even gave them their lightsabers back. Had he gone soft? Too old? Time was that Jedi Masters avoided him as if he was the Eternal himself. Now this one requested to meet with him. Had already paid him, even. Coming to his turf, to his saloon, surrounded by his enforcers, was om any logical sense a death wish since she didn't even bother to delay payment.

Such nerve.. intrigued the old rodian.

He wouldn't even let her sweat and mere moments after Jedi Master Albion sat down in the booth, the old rodian joined her on the opposite side and placed a bottle of Chandrilan Brandy on the table alongside two glasses. "You must be the Jedi," it wouldn't go passed Hera that the saloon seemed to become a tad quieter as multiple of Preef Callo's personally selected gunslingers focused their attention on the boss' meeting. Preef had a bad history with Force users suddenly lashing out at him during ordinarily casual conversation, so he had made every precaution.

He smiled as he opened the bottle and poured two glasses, "I'm Preef Callo." The one who had once been a member of the Collective, the ruling council of the Five Syndicates, and the boss of the Crymorah Syndicates. Three of whose families, the Zaa Fenn, Mothkari and Xaa Hafven, had now followed him into the employ of the Hutt Cartel. The rodian had been known as the fastest blaster in the Outer Rim -if not the entire galaxy- and had featured many a HoloNet western movie and comic book. These days he seemed to be "retired" though was rumored to have lost none of his signature speed on the draw.


@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera remained very quiet and very still as Preef announced who she was to the bar. To the untrained eye, she might've looked tense. Like a coiled spring about to explode with power. However, to the being across the table, it would be overtly clear what was actually going on inside the Jedi Councilor. She was trying, and would soon fail, to contain an uproarious outburst of laughter.

Then it came forth, first in a snort then in a fit of giggles. Hera Albion was laughing. Reaching out and grasping one of the glasses Preef poured, Hera raised it and declared, "To your health, Mighty and Famed Preef Callo!" Then she downed the shot in a well-practiced motion. The more time she spent around her Padawan (@Zay) the more Hera found herself drinking. Perhaps Leon was a bad influence on her after all.

Leaning back in the chair, Hera adjusted her blackened goggles covering her Arkanian eyes before attempting to 'shoot the shit' in an attempt to break the ice, "You know, I saw a knock-off holo-film about you! They had some other Rodian playing you and, while he looked the part, by the Force his voice was insufferable. Ah, but I didn't come here to talk your ear off-" At that, Hera would set her glass down gently and lower her volume to something more appropriate for a private conversation.

"Tell me, do you still have grand ambitions?"

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef liked this one as she laughed and gave a toast to his health. He had intended to sip his brandy, but got tempted to join the Jedi's mirth and slung back his glass before refilling it with a satisfied sigh. "Made a lot of credits with those movies," he smiled, knowing that accessing them would be nigh impossible with Republic, ISC and Imperial oversight of the banks that held his fortunes. Still, it wasn't like he needed the credits. He made more than enough working for the cartel and selling jedi padawans to an Order that was eager to buy them.

Then suddenly the Jedi got serious to ask whether he had grand ambitions. Him. Legendary Gunslinger and chief enforcer of the Supreme Mogul who ruled thousands of planets in the Outer Rim. This Jedi Master was completely different than the ones he'd had in his custody.. well, perhaps that Leon kid did share some traits in common.

"You're asking a rodian who has everything," he looked around in an almost theatrical manner, "A home, a crew, multiple fortunes and a reputation in the galactic underworld second to none," that last word would be the only time he admitted that despite all signs to the contrary, Preef only worked for Nor'baal out of a mutual benefit. He had once viewed himself as untouchable even by the most terrifying of Force users and that was the only concession he would now make in his old age. Force users, be it the Queen of Dathomir or the Sith masquerading as an independent politician, were in his experience proven to be impulsive egomaniacs. He had no reason to think this Jedi Master wasn't influenced by the Force in the same kriffing way.. "if I have grand ambitions? Tell me what you think I have yet to accomplish in my storied life."

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera tapped on the table rhythmically as the Rodian spoke, watching him closely as he outlined all the great things and people whom he had possession and influence over. He scoffed and seemed even a little offended at Hera's question. Then, as he shot a question back at her, the Jedi could only smile and laugh gently. "Forgive me, I did not mean to question any of your achievements. It is more a question I ask to ground myself."

Tracing a finger around the rim of her empty glass, Hera continued, "I am what I am, and what I am is a Jedi. Surrounding me at all times are men and women who want nothing more than power. Oh, their words are couched in certain ways, 'I want the power to help others, the power to learn more, the power to be great.' It's inspiring to hear someone else want something other than power, then come away contented after achieving their goals. Especially when that someone is you!"

Sighing deeply, she added, "I envy you, I truly do. When you eventually leave this galaxy, you're going to die a legend. Some may call you famous, others infamous, but legendary either way." There was something sad in Hera's tone, though her face didn't reflect it. It was almost as if she didn't know how to not smile.

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

Preef slung back his drink and refilled his glass as the Jedi kept rambling and rambling. "I try not to focus on my death," the rodian looked at her with a berating expression as he said it and suddenly put his glass back on the table to look aside for a second. The gunslingers on his payroll would even be a match to the Supreme Mogul's personal retinue, so Preef was confident that if this Force user was focused a bit too much on ridding the galaxy of his green ass, then they'd be able to neutralize her before she fully got to use her powers.

Call it an insurance policy.

"Tell me, Jedai, why did you ask for this meeting?" he doubted it was to get his autograph, but he had spice shipments to protect and the cartel's will to enforce across Hutt Space, so his time for trivialities was limited. "Don't tell me you paid a shitload of credits for those kids just to get an autograph?"

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Leaning back in her chair, Hera shrugged in response to Preef's first words. She watched him look at his men, and she knew the subtle hint that came along with it. Not that she cared, Hera was not some Sith Lord high off his own fumes. Hera had no ill will nor ill intentions toward Preef. In fact, as the Rodian decided to poke her in the direction of the point of this whole charade, Hera grinned and stopped playing icebreaker games.

"I want money. Credits are a powerful tool in the galaxy, and without them, the Jedi are no more than a religious cult with a little bit of political influence. You, Preef Callo, have been nothing but a drain on my finances so far. A drain I cannot fault you for, my own stupid padawans got themselves into their mess. But I want to fix that problem. A deal between you and me, what do you say?"

Now came the dangerous part. The deal had been offered, but it was presented in Preef's den, surrounded by Preef's men. If he wanted to, he could certainly take Hera hostage here. However, Hera hoped Preef would see the value in working with her rather than against her. She hoped.

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

For a moment the rodian seemed perplexed. She wanted credits? She had paid a fortune in order to get paid a fortune in return? How dire was the state of the Jedi that they needed to work and earn back the ransoms they paid...

"What can you offer that I need, Jedi?" aside from the obvious being a Force-sensitive enforcer.. but something told Preef that a Jedi enforcer wasn't open to do the things the cartel usually tasked their enforcers with. Cut off limbs, kill, threaten children, murder families and put pressure on gangs to keep the spice flowing the way the cartel wanted it to flow. The rodian remembered all the evil things he had done during his time as an enforcer of the Crimson Dawn and moreso when he had wrestled control of the Eriadu underworld in the early days of the Zaa Fenn's rise to power. No, the Jedi would more than likely come with something else.

What else was there? Could they perhaps get him a pardon? A clean slate? Or.. his thoughts drifted momentarily to his son. Could she train Jon in the Force, teach him to control it and shield himself from the Dark Side. The way that padawan had said it could be done? "How hard is it to resist the so called 'Lure of the Dark Side' for you Force sensitives?"

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera smiled as Preef spoke, their conversation was nearing the point where real work could be done between the two of them. Then, he asked her a question she did not anticipate. The smile disappeared from her face for a moment as she responded, "It is harder for some than others, and for those that fail, the Darkness tears them apart inside until they become nothing but a husk of themselves." Tapping on the table, she added, "May I ask as to why you ask this?"

Waving her hand, she continued as well, "What I can offer, by the way, is someone who could protect and help you against the Sith should they seek revenge for Darth Draugr's blunder. You are strong in ways that I am not, but I am also strong in ways you are not, if you understand my meaning." And she knew Preef would.

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

The Jedi's answer visibly worried the legendary gunslinger. It was the only worry the old rodian had ever since he found out that his son was Force sensitive. His little guppy, becoming like Darth Raze and Empress Andruil. Or to a lesser degree like that First Blade of the Sith that the Jedi was referring to as Preef's mind expanded on his worry. Darth Draugr had been overconfident and stupid, something Jon -Preef thought- was too smart for.

"I don't want that," he replied suddenly, referring to the thing Hera said she could offer. "-I want you to make sure he won't fail." It was clear that his mind was still very much with the answer she had given to his question and he took a holo-device out of his pocket and put it on the table. "I need you to train my son." the holo-device sprung to live and displayed the buste of Jon Callo.

Preef then refilled his drink, realizing that he needed to explain a bit more for this to make any sense. "I'm an old man, jedai-" he smiled, "-so if the Sith come they come. But my son is a much better man than I've ever been-" and that Preef Callo was a murderer, gunslinger, robber and syndicate boss was no surprise, "-so this Dark Side cannot corrupt him." It would break Tumi's heart.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Preef Callo, legendary gunslinger, wanted Hera Albion to train his son to be a Jedi? Now that was a sentence Hera never thought she'd hear in a million years. Yet here she sat, prepared to make backroom deals with an intergalactic gangster, being asked to train his son as an honorable monk. It was almost comical. Though, despite Hera's gentle smile, the Councilor did not laugh.

"The Sith will come." Hera said, slowly and deliberately, "I cannot prevent that, any more than I can prevent the twin suns of Tattooine from rising and setting. However-" She paused, refilling her own drink and taking a sip, "I can prepare your son for that day. I can give him all the tools necessary to resist the Dark Side so that when that day comes, he will be ready." At that, she downed the rest of the drink and smiled even wider.

"Shall I go to him? Or shall you send him to me?" These were to be Hera's last questions. The mission had been assigned, and Hera would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy a damn fine mission.

@Eccles

 

[Preef Callo]

A sense of relief washed over the old rodian as he heard the Jedi agree, but it was her last question that suddenly make him shake his head. "I'm not in contact with him," he said quickly, but also with a noted pain in the heart, "best he doesn't know that we met." the rodian suddenly shoved the drink away from him as he was reminded of how long and how far he was from his beloved ranch, his wife and the son that despised him.

Preef know that Jon hated him because of his past actions. And most likely would disapprove of his current ones, too, he thought, as he looked around the saloon and at the many expert gunslingers and Mandalorian warriors in his emply. Murderers every single one of them. "He's a ranger in the Tashtor Sector of space," the rodian shared with the jedi, who would most likely know that Tokadana was one of that sector's main planets. He was wary of sharing more, because if the location of his old ranch became known to the criminals Preef associated with, then the safety of his wife would be in grave danger. After all, if you can't outdraw the quickest draw, you can instead hold his wife hostage to make sure he won't go for his blaster at all.

"Find him. He'll be amenable to your creed," the old man smiled nostalgically, "He always does what is right, that one." so unlike his father, in a way. Then the rodian took a datacard from his pocket and handed it over to Hera. "As long as he remains a good man, montly payments will be made to this account." Preef wouldn't forget that he'd pay for his son to not fall pray to the Dark Side of this Force. He just hoped that his son would never found it.

/end thread
@Black Noise