Taras looks out the viewport by the landing ramp and frowns, casting his gaze out over the mining operation. He briefly searches the Force to see if stepping out here is a horrible plan , and if nothing comes up, he releases the landing ramp and heads outside, probing outward this time to see any Force users present.
Cardis continues his search of the city, looking for further signs of the Hutt. He knows he must be careful, since crime and lawlessness are rampant here.
Praxis will close his eyes for a second, and conceals his party with the power of the force.
vs. Will defense of anyone in LoS. If it isn't enough to beat someone's will, only they can see through it.
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
You disembark the Scimitar Taras reaches out with the Force and finds no one in the area, with the exception fo yourselves, who is a Force user.
Praxis cloaks the group as they begin to walk through the site.
One of the huge machines pauses in its loading and the driver steps out. He is wearing a hazmat outfit with a re-breather. He calls out to one of his companions in the dump truck.
[bigger]"Hey, Al, it's quitting time! Let's head back to the mine and get some dinner! G!#&@$n bastards have us working in these conditions it's ridiculous".[/smaller]
Al, puts the truck in park and lowers the bed turning off the engine so they can hear each other better. "Yeah well, now that the CSA has taken over this operation, it'll get worse before it gets better. We're lucky they gave us supplies and medicinal spice! Glad they didn't give us that black market crap. I guess we'd be less productive that way..."
They start to head away, presumably to the mine.
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side - Skydove Freight
Cardis Rin, or is it Kadavo Spectre, is certainly ghosting through Tel Bollin. It's a good thing too, the amount of swoop gangs here you would certainly have run into trouble. Trouble that would be difficult to handle without your compatriots around.
Taras glances to his companions and raises an eyebrow. "Do you think this is worth investigating? It could be everything, but it could be nothing."
Continuing to carefully move about the city, he continues searching for signs of the Hutt - or the meaning of "Fallen Warrior".
Noss ponders Taras' question for a moment, "CSA's likely to be getting their sticky fingers into all sorts of shenanigans around here, a quick look won't hurt." he suggests, twitching his robe and commenting to Praxis, "Nice trick."
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
You follow the miners to the edge of the mine shaft mine where they enter a small building. You hear other voices coming from within.
The voice of the man named Al responds, "You think that the CSA is really gonna come and inspect?"
The first voice responds, "Oh yeah. The whole capital is a mess, nobody's workin' they need us to be productive".
The voice of Jer, "What about the Hutt? I thought he made a deal with..."
The first voice cuts him off, "Yeah he did. A deal with a guy who died from the plague, the Hutt really gonna take on the CSA? They have a blockade on the damn planet!"
A new voice, "Well it's not just the quartz worth money. I was there. Harris sold that Hutt rights to the spice. That's what the Hutt is after. That spice is worth enough to kill or die for".
The first voice scoffs, "Well I guess we'll know soon when we see who shows up..."
Noss sidles up to the building, beside a small window and leans in, listening....
... and leans back , frowing, thinking hard, looking about... before muttering to the others, "What are they mining here?"
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side - Skydove Freight
Cardis spends some time listening to the locals but does not find an answer to his question.
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
"When they separate, we should snag one for more detailed answers." praxis suggests quietly, stifling a cough.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Undaunted by his inability to learn anything thus far, Cardis continues his search. He knows that perseverance will lead him to his quarry. There were no other options - for failure would surely have lethal consequences.
Taras listens in to the conversation, and nods to Noss and Praxis. "Sounds like we've stumbled on a quartz mine that isn't making much profit, and a spice mine that is... Sounds like 'Al' knows more about what's going on, but 'Jer' could be easier to break. The one who saw the deal, though... He might be the best target."
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
After 45 minutes of banter and dinner the men step out of the building, you assume, to get some rest as you saw campers a mile away from the site of the mine proper. There were another 10-15 men milling about that rea when you flew overhead.
The men, all six, walk in small groups of to back to that area.
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side
Indeed persistence does pay as Cardis discovers that the Fallen Warrior is a cantina, smack in the worst section of Tel Bollin, well, now it's the worst section anyway.
Allowing himself a small smile, Cardis examines the area around the cantina. Run down, dangerous - a Hutt's paradise. But first - could he get in and not attract attention?
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
After 45 minutes of banter and dinner the men step out of the building, you assume, to get some rest as you saw campers a mile away from the site of the mine proper. There were another 10-15 men milling about that rea when you flew overhead.
The men, all six, walk in small groups of to back to that area.
Watching the men leave, Noss nods at 'Al', "Let's follow Al there, wait for him to be alone and grab him. "
Hoping his bounty hunter disguise holds up, Cardis walks into the cantina, with enough swagger to show he belongs, but not enough to be sending a challenge.
Taras nods with Noss's plan. Simple but effective. "If he doesn't separate before they get to their homes, let's survey things there and grab him if we can."
Praxis nods, maintaining their force stealth.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
Al splits off rom Jer and you are able to easily overtake him.
Now that you have him, where do you want to question him? If you stay here you will likely attract attention of more workers who have access to heavy duty machinery...
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side the Fallen Warrior
Next to the sign for the Tavern there are two other signs, NO DROIDS - NO PLAGUE CARRIERS - NO EXCEPTIONS. The one regarding the droids was professionally made, the other, scrawled on the side of the door in black chalk.
As you enter the Tavern you see it's a rough crowd comprised mainly of swoop gang toughs. There are some others in the crowd though, workers who stick together in groups and likely other local off worlder toughs else they would not be here.
The barkeep literally serves drinks with two armed guards behind the bar with him, something you've never seen before.
Based on your swagger no one challenges you, at least not yet.
The place reeks of spice. While no one here seems to have the plague, a full half of those here seem tweaked out, as if they are one something as they are hyped up wrestling or screaming bets on those who are wrestling. There is no cage or stage, these people are just wrestling or boxing in areas cleared on the floor. One third of the furniture in here is busted up, probably due to the brawls which probably break out quite frequently.
Besides the Humans present there is a drunk Ithorian sprawled in the corner, a pair of Bothans engaged in a low conversation, and a couple of small aliens whose race you don;t even recognize playing a game a holo table.
Now that you have him, where do you want to question him?
When Al wakes up, he's in a dangerous-looking, dimly lit room with three foreboding figures looking down on him. Taras folds his arms and lets out a snort. "So, he's awake. What do you want to start with, Salacious? Ghost? I've always wondered how long it would take a fusion cutter to get through human bone."
Noting the large figure in the back of the room, Cardis moves to the bar and sits down on an open stool, motioning the bartender to him.
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
"Hey, hey wait aaa wait aa minute. Who are you guys where am I... what's..." He already looks terrified.
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side the Fallen Warrior
"Never seen you here before pal, where the hell'd you come from?"
"Offworld. I took care of a bounty for Miko the Hutt, and when I come back to get my pay, the CSA kriffing blockades the planet. To top it all off, the Hutt wasn't where he said he'd be, so I haven't even gotten paid. Now I'm stuck on this rock and I've been trying to find a cantina that doesn't look like it was used for a plague house. You've got something to drink back there, right?"
Cardis spins a quick yarn that doesn't stray too far from the truth. After all, the best lies always contain some truth.
Noss leans in , "Pardon my friend, he's a little bloodthristy. Me, I just want information....which you will give....immediately."
Noss regards the man like he would a bug, giving him a few moments , then asking, "Tell us everying you know about the mining operation, the CSA invovlement and the spice deal.... Quickly!" he says, his smooth, oily conversationaly tone changing to a hissed command at the end.
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side the Fallen Warrior
"You made it through the blockade?" he exclaims incredulous of the statement.
Despite his disbelief, the entire place stops and becomes very quiet awaiting your answer...
Sithspawn, this guy would misinterpret what I said...
"You've got the order of events wrong, there, my friend. I got here, and then the CSA blockaded the planet. Believe me, if I could get through the blockade, I already would have left for Nar Shaddaa or someplace else. I'm as stuck here as everyone else."
I hope that convinces everyone. I do not want to have to run from these guys trying to kill me for my ship.
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
The man clearly shaken by the threat as well as his current predicament spills what he knows...
"The mine was owned by a local consortium until the plague broke out. The the the CSA took it over a few weeks ago when they they they set up the blockade to recoup credits...
Uh a week before that, the the the Hutts made a deal with the consortium to buy all of the spice and to tell their otehr customers that the spice just ran ran ran uh dr.. dry.
So we don't know if the Hutt is gonna come back or or or the CSA is gonna come or what".
You see the look of fear in his eyes but a question is there as well, it seems he dare not ask it!
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side the Fallen Warrior
The place gets noisy once again as your explanation seems reasonable. The barkeep serves you a drink and moves on to the next set of customers.
"Where did the Hutt go?" Taras takes a step toward the man, his hand straying toward the sword on his hip. Seeming to stray, at least--he consciously lets it drop, staring at Al through his helmet's reflective visor. "Answer that and then ask your question."
Cardis pays for his drink and takes a sip, taking a casual look around the bar. Phew. Glad I avoided that unpleasant situation.
Endregaard - Day 3 - Afternoon into Evening - Somewhere North of Tel Bollin
"I.. I... I don't know. I'm just a machine operator. I just know what I hear and see nobody really tells me anything direct ya know?
Are you guys, are you guys gonna let me go? I know it's a stupid question but I didn't do anything and maybe if you let me go I can help you".
Endregaard - Tel Bollin -- Afternoon Day 3 - North Side the Fallen Warrior
As you sit and sip a human approaches you and sits down next to you, "Nar Shadda huh? You with the Hutt then?"
Taras leans forward meancingly, and actually draws his sword by a couple inches. "And how exactly could 'just a machine operator' help us?"
Sizing the human up, he said, "I work for them every now and then. Hutts tend to pay very well for bounties. The name's Kadavo Spectre."