Sehrin raises a brow at the lady and drinks casually upon his frothy beverage." Something tells me you're more than just a pretty lady." he says as he finishes off the ale and Waits for a refill. He Extends a hand and smiles charmingly "Sehrin Starwind, and you would be?"
As you are engaged in small talk (and flirting), the bartender comes over and provides you refills. "These drinks are compliments of the little lady in the corner booth. She'd like some company if you don't mind leaving the bar."
Sehrin Nods to the bartender and smiles."Let us join the kind lady." He offers, waiting for the two to move past before motioning subtly to Allerick.
Allerick sees the motion and sighs heavily. 'The conspiracy thickens...' he thinks, as he stands and moves to join the party in the corner. He keeps his blaster loose in his holster though, no sense in trusting too soon.
"May as well thank her for her kindness," says Surussk gruffly, adding, "and see what her angle is" under his breath.
Nodding to Tamara, he picks his drink up and begins walking toward the lady.
"Might as well see where this takes me, since I'm stuck on this rock for at least a few days," he thinks out loud, taking a long draw from his glass before reaching the booth.
"I understand thanks are in order. It's unusual that a perfect stranger buys a Trandoshan a drink for no reason, but I doubt that your intents were only to brighten my day!"
Taking a seat across from her, he continues:
"I bet you already know this, but I'm Surussk. Your name is...?"
"May as well thank her for her kindness," says Surussk gruffly, adding, "and see what her angle is" under his breath.
Nodding to Tamara, he picks his drink up and begins walking toward the lady.
"Might as well see where this takes me, since I'm stuck on this rock for at least a few days," he thinks out loud, taking a long draw from his glass before reaching the booth.
"I understand thanks are in order. It's unusual that a perfect stranger buys a Trandoshan a drink for no reason, but I doubt that your intents were only to brighten my day!"
Taking a seat across from her, he continues:
"I bet you already know this, but I'm Surussk. Your name is...?"
Maya motions everyone to sit and eyes Surussk incredulously. "I can assure you I do not know who you are, where you are from, or what you are doing. I can tell you that you don't fit the normal profile of the type of travelers we normally get so I thought we could enjoy each other's company and share some interesting tales. My name is Maya and I live here on this station." she states and offers a nod of greeting to the new arrivals.
Allerick scowls as he sits down at the table. "I'm Allerick, former starship designer and now current broke resident of the back end of nowhere."
Once everyone sits, Maya raises her drink in a toast. "To friends we've lost and friends we've gained." After the toast, Maya takes a deep pull of her Lomin Ale and then speaks to the new arrivals."So what brings you to this remote station?"
Extending her hand to the man, Kess grips it firmly. "Eyva Varik." At the bartender's arrival, she glances quickly in the direction of the whispering woman, and narrows her eyes. "Very well, then. Let's see how this plays out." Standing, Kess moves, drinkless, to the table.
Extending her hand to the man, Kess grips it firmly. "Eyva Varik." At the bartender's arrival, she glances quickly in the direction of the whispering woman, and narrows her eyes. "Very well, then. Let's see how this plays out." Standing, Kess moves, drinkless, to the table.
"Myself? I'm just drifting along, as it were. Looking for work where I can get it. This was the cheapest ride, so I came here. Why do you ask?"
-MM
"Myself? I'm just drifting along, as it were. Looking for work where I can get it. This was the cheapest ride, so I came here. Why do you ask?"
Maya considers Tamara's response and offers "I am seeking others in helping do some work and run errands for me. Are you interested in employment with me? It would certainly be an adventure."
Considering the woman carefully, Kess thinks to herself, It seems okay. The Empire employs professionals, and almost certainly wouldn't work with someone like this crazy looking old man. I can't let my guard down, though. One slip, and it's bye bye for me. Resting her hands firmly on the table, Kess says, "It sounds like a job I can do. Anything would be welcome at this point. Long as Imperial attention is staying elsewhere, that is, I'm in for it."
"Keep your voice down!" Allerick looks around quickly, "The Empire has eyes and ears everywhere and they're ALWAYS listening."
"I didn't mean to stay here, and I don't intend to stay for long. But transport costs credits, which are one thing I lack
"I might be interested, assuming it'll help expedite my escape from this rock. Do you have any details now, or when can we get them?"
Maya speaks to Surussk, "For now, I have mostly grunt work and errands on the station. From there, who knows. I have to know I can trust you first." and smiles warmly at the Trandoshan.
She turns to Tamara and offers, "I could use the help. Unfortunately, as Allerick stressed, Imperial attention is a bit out of my control and could turn on us in a moment's notice." She considers Kess for a moment and quietly questions,"Is there a reason you avoid the Empire?"
"Of course there is, Maya! She's a smuggler! You and I both saw her foist the smuggled goods off on that woman and kids to avoid Imperial attention!"
"Of course there is, Maya! She's a smuggler! You and I both saw her foist the smuggled goods off on that woman and kids to avoid Imperial attention!"
Maya shakes her head at Allerick. "You see conspiracy behind every corner! We all have secrets and she can keep hers if she wants but smuggling is not one of them. She was trying to help, in her own way, from someone hurt by the actions of others, simple as that." Maya does her best to assure everyone that she doesn't share in Allerick's outlandish accusations.
"You have a place to stay and some spare credits if you want. Understand you are with people you can trust." concludes Maya.
"Fine. She might be a saint but when you've been bitten as many times as I have by the machinations of strangers, you learn to keep your eyes open for trouble. No offense," he mutters to the newcomers.
"Fine. She might be a saint but when you've been bitten as many times as I have by the machinations of strangers, you learn to keep your eyes open for trouble. No offense," he mutters to the newcomers.
"No offense taken Allerick. I'm sure we've all been burned at one time or another."
After imbiding her fair share of drinks, Maya offers to relocate to her domicile. "It may not be much but it's a calm retreat from the storm." With that she settles her tab with the bartender and heads to the exit.
"Let's just say I'm not on their good side, and leave it at that, hm?" Kess raises an eyebrow at Maya and Allerick. "As for you, Allerick, was it? I gave that family money to help get them off the station. I'm no smuggler, not by a long shot, and I don't appreciate being likened to one. Despite your misgivings, however, I am willing to cooperate."
Standing as Maya does, Kess follows her out of the Gundark.
Allerick follows as well, keeping his eyes open and scanning.
Perception:
Allerick follows as well, keeping his eyes open and scanning.
Perception: 1d20+4
Maya brings you to the back warehouse that serves as a storage area for Mechanical Allies Droid repair shop. This shop is operated by a Twi’Lek named San. It’s one of the very few businesses on Blue Deck run by a non-Human on the station that hasn’t been shut down by the Empire for some minor infraction, and in several cases, where the owners have been carted off by stormtroopers for suspicion of treason.
Maya has had you running minor errands and polishing more droid parts than you care to remember. During the downtime Maya warns you to stay wary of the civilians in black armbands – members of the COMPNOR snitches who watch for any sign of disloyalty and report it to Imperial troops in return for for payouts. With most of the former Separtists rounded up from the station, it seems they’ve widened their criteria lately, and often target homeless and non-humans.
So the days have blurred together lately and you’ve been huddled in a steamy and decrepit warehouse that Maya has apparently been squatting in for a while. Broken droid parts are everywhere, and every dayshift, you stow your bedding foams under crates to hide them. You’ve been washing in the public washrooms – something not totally uncommon in a busy starport where flight are occasionally delayed.
This area definitely seems to be safe enough for now – located well away from Blue Deck in the decrepit underbelly of the station, not much work has been done on it since the war, and it is falling apart.
“The rent is cheap!” Maya told you, but most importantly, she said, it’s off the books. You don’t need to check into a hotel, and you can lay low until you decide you want to continue your journey.
Maya met you a few times for drinks at Gundark’s Cantina, a popular and noisy bar with a wide ranging clientele located on the posh Blue Deck Promenade, where you all first met. She's always generous, sending you to buy the table drinks but giving you too many creds and refuses to take change. It’s charity, but she always tries hard not to humiliate you. She just seems happy for the company, to hear more about you, but too often these have been dead end conversations, where you’ve all agreed to keep your secrets. While some of you have offered to exchange items of personal equipment, she’ll never take it. “No, these are dangerous times and I’ve got what I need. You keep that.”
After your first week of monotony, Maya shows up and is clearly distracted. She moves you out of your warehouse near Mechanical Allies, and through a maintenance hatch in the floor of a little-used service hallway. The hatch drops into a section of residential hallway in which the blast doors in both directions have malfunctioned, locking closed. She shows you into an actual apartment that she says belonged to a maintenance worker. It’s clean, recently lived in.
She says her boss found your bedding foam and you should to stay away from the warehouse, and to meet her at Gundarks at 7. With that, she says she has to take care of a few things and that she will meet you later.
Kess sits contemplating the apartment that Maya has put them in. "Oddly clean for an area like this." Not to mention oddly available. Something is definitely going on. She's been far too generous with us. I don't like it. Not one bit. I feel like I'm being set up for something, and that means trouble I don't need. "Still, it's better than sleeping on a warehouse floor, I would say."
Allerick will head to the bar at the pre-approved time. However, he'll loosen his blaster in its holster, since something smells funny.
Allerick will head to the bar at the pre-approved time. However, he'll loosen his blaster in its holster, since something smells funny.
Chuffing her breath out in a whoosh, Kess puts her head in her hand. Under her breath, she says, "Now I'm thinking like Allerick. Get it together, Kess." Raising her head back up, Kess heads out to the Gundark with Allerick, blaster, 'glowrod', and all. She keeps a wary eye out for the night. Something doesn't sit well with her.
Tamara and Allerick, having joined up at the bar, turn to look as the door hisses open. You see a terrified Maya standing in the door. Simultaneously, the dark night is lit up, accompanied by a familiar "PWEE, PWEE" sound. Maya screams out and pitches forward, leaving the door jammed open.
Instantly alert, Kess looks to the entrance for trouble, ready to go at a moment's notice.
Init
Allerick gasps and dives under the table, drawing his blaster as he does, holding it tightly against his thigh, shielded from view.
Perception
Allerick crouches, rubbing his sweaty left palm on his pants while his right holds a blaster steady against his leg, waiting for the inevitable attack.
Perception 1d20+4
Allerick crouches, rubbing his sweaty left palm on his pants while his right holds a blaster steady against his leg, waiting for the inevitable attack.
Shoulder pack hanging, Alistair walks towards the cantina, his hands in his coat's pockets as he keeps a brisk enough pace. 'I have to admit I am curious about these new 'friends',' Alistair thinks to himself. Despite his apparent preoccupation, however, he keeps his eyes and ears alert, discreetly taking in his surroundings as he makes his way to the appointed meeting place.
Regardless of his expectations, what he finds there catches him by surprise as he quickly hides behind the first thing he can find. 'A shoot-out...?'
Shoulder pack hanging, Alistair walks towards the cantina, his hands in his coat's pockets as he keeps a brisk enough pace. 'I have to admit I am curious about these new 'friends',' Alistair thinks to himself. Despite his apparent preoccupation, however, he keeps his eyes and ears alert, discreetly taking in his surroundings as he makes his way to the appointed meeting place.
Regardless of his expectations, what he finds there catches him by surprise as he quickly hides behind the first thing he can find. 'A shoot-out...?'
1d20 + 7
1d20 + 7
Allerick is just remaining put for now. However, if he sees anyone who might be a threat, he'll snap off a shot on stun...
Attack: +1 if within close range
Damage: +1 if within close range
Allerick is just remaining put for now. However, if he sees anyone who might be a threat, he'll snap off a shot on stun...
Attack: 1d20+2 +1 if within close range
Damage: 3d4 +1 if within close range
Stone's rolls:
Perception 1d20+7
Initiative 1d20+7
Colvin travels down the hallways nearing the Gundarak. Hearing the sound of blaster fire, he steps into a doorway for cover and pulls his own blaster. He tries to peer down the hall to see what is going on as if it does not involve him he can always come back to look for Maya another time.
Initiative -
Perception -
Tamara will duck behind the nearest open cover, peering about to find the assailant. Behind cover, she pulls out her junky looking blaster.
Cut to scene: A group of human males emerge from the dark alleyway directly opposite the door to Gundarks. They are wearing grey uniforms with a distinctive black armband on their left arms and are all sporting blaster pistols.
Alistair and Stone immediately recognize the group as COMPNOR - a mercenary security group that are sympathetic with the Imperial managers on the space station.
Colvin sees the group as well and keenly observes several agents from the group hiding in the dark alleyway, obviously covering their advancing comrades. He also glimpses several figures in the alleyway directly opposite him in the "T" intersection, obscured by darkness and doorways.
"Did you see me tag her in the back? They said she was tough but I vaped her good!" gushes one of the agents as he reaches Maya's position.
As the COMPNOR scum was caught unawares, Allerick uses the advantage of surprise and blasts the braggart in the chest. He crumples quickly in a heap on the ground next to Maya.
With that, chaos quickly ensues as the remaining COMPNOR agents at the doorway take cover where they can and begin firing indiscriminantly into the cantina. One shot blasts a smoking hole in the table Allerick is using for cover.
Top of the order:
Alistair
Stone
Allerick
Tamara
COMPNOR
Colvin