A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
Seemingly motionless among a sea of starships and satellites above the twinkling world of Brentaal, Sel Zonn Station grows larger in your view every second. A central pylon forms the bulk of the stations mass, and three landing platforms leading to docking bays extend from the central section, equidistant from one another and jutting out into space. The dorsal side of the station features a disc-shaped secondary structure, on top of which blinking lights indicate the presence of a landing platform reserved for wealthy patrons.
Your ship docks with the station when you hear klaxons sounding in the hangar and hear the distinct sound of heavily armored boots marching in to surround the ship. Once in place, you hear a command issued by the new visitors. "Power down your vessel and come out with your hands up!"
You’ve spent a long day polishing droid parts and performing various odd jobs at a back-room storage area in Mechanical Allies Droids, a repair shop in a seedier part of Sel Zonn Station. The 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, your mysterious new benefactor at Sel Zonn station, steps in and asks you to check in on a transport with her. It is due to arrive any minute now.
As you make your way to the hangar, you hear klaxons sounding in the hangar and see a squad of stormtroopers quickly march in and surround the ship. Once in place, you hear a command issued by the new visitors. "Power down your vessel and come out with your hands up!"
Allerick looks quickly up, then hunches down. "Keep your eyes down. Looks like the white hats are arresting more travelers. I wonder where they put them all, with as many as they cart out of here."
A low rumble emanates from the throat of a lean, scaly-skinned traveler. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, looking around at the other passengers to see how they are reacting.
"Can't even travel two systems over without an inspection, cabin search, delay for approval, and another search just for good measure!"
He turns back to face forward and taps his claws rhythmically on his armrest. After a few moments, he stands and picks up his shoulder pack.
"I guess we don't have much choice in the matter."
He gazes hesitantly at the exit door....
Sitting peacefully in her shuttle seat, Tamara Kess was meditating. To the outside observer, she seemed peacefully asleep amidst the sprawling deck of the passenger transport she had gained passage upon. In reality, she was aware of events around her on a level different from most beings in the galaxy: she was attuned to the Force.
Not much at all, given her need for secrecy. Even here in the Outer Rim, the Empire had spread their iron boot of tyranny and species-ism, and as she knew all too well, the Emperor's Inquisitors kept careful watch for any Force Sensitive, especially Jedi.
Jedi, thought Kess. I hardly have the right to call myself that. I skulk and hide, layer fake ID on top of fake ID. Some righteous protector of the galaxy I am.
As the shuttle comm system came online to announce the ship's arrival at Sel Zonn Station, Kess came out of her meditative trance. Stretching her fake sleep away, she stood, eager to get into more open spaces once more. Shaking her long, blond hair out, she bound it once more behind her head. Checking, then re-checking the tools and equipment on her belt, she sighed satisfactorily. All still there. She gave a quick glance to the blaster strapped to her thigh, still a new sensation to her. Every spacer has one, they say. Guess I can't go without if I want to sell the deception.
At least she'd had the opportunity to dirty the thing up a bit, make it look more...well, junk-like to be frank. She'd never gotten proper training with a blaster, being a Jedi Padawan, after all, so taking steps to blame her poor aim on the crappy blaster she owned was definitely worth the time.
She gave her last moments to checking her 'customized mining glow-rod' that she kept across the small of her back on her belt. Quick inspection would reveal nothing but what she said it was. In reality, however, it was a sham. A deeper inspection would reveal the truth of what it was: a lightsaber, weapon of the Jedi Knights. Any loyal Imperial that discovered this fact would report her to the ISB immediately, and necessitate her equally as immediate departure from that sector of space.
Let's just hope I don't have to go through that this time, she said, as the ship docked with the station. Almost immediately, alarms rang out. Hearing a commanding voice booming from outside the ship, she cursed under her breath. "Emperor's black bones..."
A low rumble emanates from the throat of a lean, scaly-skinned traveler. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat, looking around at the other passengers to see how they are reacting.
"Can't even travel two systems over without an inspection, cabin search, delay for approval, and another search just for good measure!"
He turns back to face forward and taps his claws rhythmically on his armrest. After a few moments, he stands and picks up his shoulder pack.
"I guess we don't have much choice in the matter."
He gazes hesitantly at the exit door....
The captain, a mild-mannered Duros dressed in a flight suit, begins to power down and secure the vessel. It is readily apparent he is nervous.
While mentally running through the usual explanation for his unusual weapon, Surussk reaches into a compartment of his belt for his weapon license. His dark green scales have made him a target of investigation more and more frequently in recent times.
"I guess the 'doshan reputation doesn't help avoid suspicion, either," he mutters under his breath, finally fishing out the license.
The Imperials didn't like aliens, that much everybody knew, but an alien carrying a KX-60 with an attached vibro-bayonet was sure to draw stares from anybody, let alone officers.
Surussk turns to the nearest non-human passenger, sparking some idle conversation.
"Looks like we get the welcoming committee. Hope they have some chewgrub left, I've heard good things about the Imperials' spreads."
Shaking her head, Kess put her 'annoyed spacer' look back on, hoping nobody noticed the slip earlier. Wishing for the days when she could wander the galaxy as herself like a proper Jedi, instead of dressing like a poor, grubby looking spacer, she ambled in the direction of the exit, and presumably, the captain as well.
The Duros captain finishes with his shutdown procedure and stands up from his chair. He smoothes out his flight suit and walks determinedly to the exit. He fingers the control pad and the cabin slowly equalizes pressure with the hanger. As the landing steps descend to the floor, a stormtrooper aims his blaster rifle at the captain and barks a command:"Hands in the air!"
The captain readily complies. Before too long, the squad's officer speaks. "Captain Maal. You are hereby placed under arrest for trafficking in illegal contraband. Exit your vessel now!"
The captain's head slumps and he shuffles outside. Several stormtroopers board and take positions fore and aft.
"This ship is impounded. Take your belongings and move along." The stormtroopers wave their blasters around and shove passengers in the direction of the exit. "Move along!"
Inwardly relieved, Kess moves swiftly out of the ship. Thank the Force for small mercies. As Tamara walks, she does her best to observe the crowd departing, as well as the hangar. Old habits die hard, and no amount of playing spacer would remove her master's awareness training from her instincts now.
Sehrin leans nonchalantly against a crate as he stands in the company of Allerick and Maya."Hope you weren't hoping for a shipment from that spacehunk." He says as he watches the scene unfold out of the corner of his eye.
"This isn't good, is it? Are we smuggling? Listen, I can't get thrown in jail! I'm not a person who can stand being confined again. I can't go back to jail again!" Allerick starts to get hysterical, his voice rising. He realizes this a moment too late, clapping his hand over his mouth and making small whimpering noises.
Maya pulls Allerick and Sehrin aside as Allerick's hysterics begin.
"Relax my friend, pull it together. We are only here as observers. I'm looking for a few more like-minded individuals who can help me. Give me a hand and scout out the new arrivals and let me know if you see anyone that looks capable and preferably less-inclined to freak out at the first sign of trouble."clips Maya quietly as she glares at Allerick. With that, Maya breaks off and starts scouting the passengers as they get off the ship.
As you are disembarking, the stormtroopers herding you out and barking orders. More scrutiny is given to non-humans and licenses are checked and rechecked.
As you exit the ship you see a mother with two smaller children pleading with the stormtrooper officer. "I spent the last of my credits for transport for my family. What am I to do now?" she wails. He responds with contempt, "Next time don't deal with alien criminals.", and then walks away, leaving her to fend for herself.
So here you are, stuck in a remote space station with only the possessions you carry and a useless, non-refundable ticket to whatever your final destination was.
Maya pulls Allerick and Sehrin aside as Allerick's hysterics begin.
"Relax my friend, pull it together. We are only here as observers. I'm looking for a few more like-minded individuals who can help me. Give me a hand and scout out the new arrivals and let me know if you see anyone that looks capable and preferably less-inclined to freak out at the first sign of trouble."clips Maya quietly as she glares at Allerick. With that, Maya breaks off and starts scouting the passengers as they get off the ship.
Allerick takes deep, raspy breaths for a moment until he begins to calm down, then glares back at Maya. "Well, maybe you should have TOLD us BEFORE we were here, eh? Before the white hats showed up and started arresting people?!" He turns to watch the passengers while still muttering about pompous bosses and unnecessary tests of loyalty.
Seeing the exchange between the stormtrooper and the family, Kess' heart is torn. She wants to help them, but can't afford to draw attention to herself. Damn the Empire for forcing me to live a false life. Damn them for their uncaring step as they trample everything underfoot. One day, it won't be so easy to walk over these people, I promise that.
Forcing herself to turn away, Kess moves away from the docking ramp, but halts in mid-stride only a few feet away. I can't do it. I just can't turn my back on these people. But how can I help them without drawing attention to myself?
Turning back to the ship, Kess puts a quick plan together. Approaching the mother, she says, "Ma'am? I found this by your space in the shuttle. You must have dropped it." Handing the mother a pouch with 100 credits inside, Kess forestalls any response by saying, "Don't worry about thanks, ma'am. Just doing what's right. Take care." With that, Kess leaves once more.
Nudging Maya, Allerick points at the woman by the family. "That one just gave that woman a pouch. You think she's smuggling and foisting her loot off on that poor woman with her children? Terrible, horrid people!"
Sehrin scoff's at his companion's behavior."You're a neurotic one, Allerick." he states the obvious as he has noticed the same scene unfold."More likely she sympathizes with that poor family. Where's your heart?" He jests, placing an elbow gently into Allerick's side. "She looks like the most likely candidate, and quite possibly any number of those aliens who the white hat's are harassing."
Sehrin scoff's at his companion's behavior."You're a neurotic one, Allerick." he states the obvious as he has noticed the same scene unfold."More likely she sympathizes with that poor family. Where's your heart?" He jests, placing an elbow gently into Allerick's side. "She looks like the most likely candidate, and quite possibly any number of those aliens who the white hat's are harassing."
"Oh you think she's giving them creds, but its more likely to be spice or glimdust or any number of illicit substances, just hoping that THEY'LL get caught instead of her! I've seen that type before, all happy and offering, but deep down evil, I tell you!"
Surussk exits the ship, weapon license dangling uselessly from two clawed fingers in anticipation of a questioning session that appears not to be happening.
Seeing the exchange between the two female humans ahead, he studies them both momentarily.
"The spacer looks like she's uncomfortable in those clothes," he murmurs under his breath, refocusing his study on her. Her posture, expressions...her rigidness.
His face stuck in the grin his people always wear, he approaches her as she walks away from the unfortunate mother.
Catching up to her as she walks away, he matches her stride and says quietly, "That was unusually nice for a spacer. Kindness like that is rare these days...it would seem to this outsider you might have some kind of moral code to stick to."
Trying his best to approximate a human wink manages to draw a few stares. He glances back at the stormtroopers behind them.
"What do you say we stick together for a bit to find a way off this rock we're suddenly stuck on? I know my people aren't known for their warm hearts, but give me a chance."
"Oh you think she's giving them creds, but its more likely to be spice or glimdust or any number of illicit substances, just hoping that THEY'LL get caught instead of her! I've seen that type before, all happy and offering, but deep down evil, I tell you!"
"Come now Allerick, Smuggling isn't such a terrible way to make a living, don't act so above it." He says simply as he watches the trandoshan approach the human." Besides she doesn't look the type. She hardly looks like a philanthropist either in those scrummy spacer threads though." He seems to almost argue with himself. " Those two just might be what we're looking for Maya. Would you like me to shadow them?"
"Oh you think she's giving them creds, but its more likely to be spice or glimdust or any number of illicit substances, just hoping that THEY'LL get caught instead of her! I've seen that type before, all happy and offering, but deep down evil, I tell you!""Come now Allerick, Smuggling isn't such a terrible way to make a living, don't act so above it." He says simply as he watches the trandoshan approach the human." Besides she doesn't look the type. She hardly looks like a philanthropist either in those scrummy spacer threads though." He seems to almost argue with himself. " Those two just might be what we're looking for Maya. Would you like me to shadow them?"
Maya huddles closer to Sehrin and nods her head in agreement. "Don't spook them. If they are like-minded individuals, odds are they aren't the trusting type." she offers.
Stepping back a bit to include Allerick in the conversation, she states "If we get separated, meet back at the droid warehouse."
With that she turns and works to blend into the crowd so as to trail the unusual pair without being noticed.
Allerick frowns as his employer disappears into the crowd. 'Conspiracies and lurking about. It's like I never left corporate life...'
He looks around, notices that he's suddenly alone and begins to walk after the 'smuggler' and the big alien, intent on keeping an eye on them.
Eyeballing the trandoshan, Kess gives a curt nod. "I might agree to that. As for the kindness, well, I was raised to treat the less fortunate with compassion, unlike the Empire. Might be more accurate to say that I don't haven't had the heart drained out of me by the Imperial Academy, though."
Sehrin Blends in with the crowd apart from the other two as to avoid suspicion
Maya attempts to blend in with the crowd and surroundings so as to not be seen:
Eyeballing the trandoshan, Kess gives a curt nod. "I might agree to that. As for the kindness, well, I was raised to treat the less fortunate with compassion, unlike the Empire. Might be more accurate to say that I don't haven't had the heart drained out of me by the Imperial Academy, though."
1d20+7
He seems sincere enough. I could use some talk to help me loosen up, anyway. Remember, Kess, think spacer, not Jedi. This will help.
"I hear there's a bar around here with a good stock. What do you say?"
Turning to walk, eyes still checking every corner, Kess says to the trandoshan, "Call me Eyva Varik. And you?"
"Surussk. Just Surussk. A drink might be good, lead the way."
"Surussk, huh? Pleasure to meet you. Come on, I think it's this way."
With that, Kess walk off to find a likely looking spacer bar.
Tamara and Surussk, an unlikely pair if there ever was one, exchange small talk as they check directories and ask some of the locals en route to the nearest watering hole. Gundark's is the best choice considering their positive view towards non-humans.
It doesn't take a trained eye either to spot a human male with an indignant look on his face following you. He has a slight build and middle height with white hair, cut in a wild bushy style, and sporting a five o'clock shadow. He wears slightly worn corporate attire, a dark sweater and dark pants, stained with unidentified materials, all wrapped around a somewhat soft middle section. He looks to be quite anxious about something, looking twitchy and sweating quite profusely.
He follows you into the cantina...
Speaking quietly to Surussk as the pair enters the Gundark, Tamara says, "Looks like we've got a follower. Seems like he's glued to me, by my guess. Disheveled, older...not likely a spy. How do you think we should handle this?"
"I saw him too, he's really bad at trailing. He's bad enough that I say we watch him a little longer before making a move. He's either a fool or he wants to be seen and either way, this trip is getting stranger by the minute"
Surussk approaches the bar, catches the attention of the person behind it, and calls out, "I'll have a Fogblaster, and uh, whatever she wants."
"Just Corellian ale, thanks." Speaking aside to Surussk, Kess says, "Let's just stay at the bar for a bit, then. See if he approaches us."
The distraction of the bumbling Allerick certainly made shadowing the pair easier. It worked so well that for a moment he thought the disheveled man might be doing it on purpose. He dismissed the thought rather quickly as he noticed the rather obvious pit stains. He enters a bit after Allerick relatively unnoticed. He makes his way to the bar and sets on the side of Tamara. He's a regular here and the bartender knows his poison as he delivers a tall glass of Corellian Ale. " Good choice sweetheart" he mentions to the lady, doing his best to make idle bar conversation with a stranger. Apart from this he sips from his ale and keeps an ear open to the pair.
Allerick enters the cantina, moves toward a table with a view of all the exits, sits down and watches his coworker play the dastardly cad. He scowls again, hunches down and watches all the exits.
Perception:
Allerick enters the cantina, moves toward a table with a view of all the exits, sits down and watches his coworker play the dastardly cad. He scowls again, hunches down and watches all the exits.
Probably conspiring to split the loot they smuggled! Or to kill the lady and the kids to get back the loot they had to foist off on her to make their escape?
Tilting her head slightly at the stranger's comment, Kess replies, "Glad to see someone in this place that likes a normal drink. One thing, though," Kess says, picking up her glass. "Don't call me 'sweetheart'." With that, she drains the glass completely, pounding the empty glass down on the bar, and signals for another.
A young woman with short black hair and functional work attire enters the cantina and scans the room as she heads to the bar. The Devaronian bartender recognizes her and offers a greeting. They exchange small talk and he offers her a Lomin Ale, a frothy, green brew. She hands over some credits while leaning in to whisper something to the bartender. She then takes her drink and heads over to an isolated booth near the back of the cantina.
To the young man at her side, Kess says after she finishes the drink, "So, what's your angle, smooth tongue? Bet you don't just chat up every pretty lady to walk into the room." She flicks her eyes back to Surussk for a moment, checking on him, before she turns more fully in her seat to the object of her question.
1d20+7
To the young man at her side, Kess says after she finishes the drink, "So, what's your angle, smooth tongue? Bet you don't just chat up every pretty lady to walk into the room." She flicks her eyes back to Surussk for a moment, checking on him, before she turns more fully in her seat to the object of her question.
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?"
Downing his drink quickly after seeing the human beat him to the bottom of the glass, Surussk motions the bartender for another. Keeping his eyes on the smooth-talking man and his ears on the fool at the table, he sips the new drink moderately.
When he sees Tamara glance toward him, he lets out a low chuckle. "Don't let me interrupt! I've never seen a human courting ritual!"
Although his reptilian mouth is permanently stuck in a semblance of a human grin, Tamara and Sehrin get the sneaking suspicion that it just widened a little bit.
Allerick begins to get that itchy trouble feeling. He pulls at his collar, scratching his neck nervously. Under the table he loosens the hidden holster holding his hold out blaster and gets ready for trouble.