RPG THREAD: Fortune's Fools Cantina (open to all characters)

While enjoying his drinks Solus allowed himself the luxury of dwelling on past events that had lead up to this moment. There were many reasons he was still alive today...but one of them he did not expect to come up with.

Sakki....she had betrayed him and tried to kill him or supposedly had till now, but he knew her well and she wouldn't do a job half heartedly like that.

Had she shot him the way she did on purpose so as not to kill me? The thought haunted him for a while and he wandered if he would have done the same given the situation. If that was true...then what was his vengeance aimed at...

He shook his heard to clear his thoughts. It won't help you if you keep thinking like that...but I will find out why it happened...

Scanning the cantina he noticed a familiar face, Tyre he thought. A smile slowly crept at the edges of his mouth. He stood up with his drink in one hand, helmet in the other and casually walked over to his booth.

"Tyre my old friend how goes business?" Giving a lop-sided grin he sat down opposite him, he knew that Tyre often got annoyed with him being there but he also knew that he was a good customer...

[Tyre]

So, finally you noticed me. A cookie for you.

Once Tor has come here it was going to end in a touching reunion one way or another, and Tyre was glad that his old acquaintance was apparently only being civil. Also he seemed to have a bad attack of the blues, the kind that is usually preceded by a brush-off by some lady.

"Su'cuy, Solus," Tyre nodded in his perfectly polite way, that some people found almost insulting. "Business's going this way and that way, thanks for asking. And how are you doing?"

"Ori'jate ner vode, vor entye" Solus Tor replied in mando'a
Very good brother(in the mando sense), thanks

"May I ask if you wouldn't happen to have any SFOR Carbines around, I know they're old but they were outlawed for a reason..."

He leaned a bit further forward hushing his voice slightly
"I do believe I may have use for such a weapon in my new employment...well when I'm employed that is."

Leaning back once more he called for a round of drinks for them both. After discussing business he'd return to his safe house and get ready for the next day to meet with that assistant lady.

[Adma]
-Red Flare Business Tower-
Adma looked at her list of appointments and found the person she least liked and took them off.

“Tomorrow then, I’m sending you the address and the appointment information right now."
(OOC: continue in new thread)


[Hec and Balin]

Hec grinned and pulled Yuno closer to him.

“Of course I did, how could I not?” He told her before giving her a kiss. Balin had been watching Yuno more than Hec thought. There was something in the way she acted around the old man that wasn’t genuine. And while he couldn’t blame the girl for faking feelings for a crazy old gangster, there was something a little unnerving about her from time to time. But Balin never said anything. He felt sorry for the girl.

“A little too old for you isn’t he?”

"I'm an adult by Mandalorian standards."

Sixteen should not be an adult by anyone’s standards. Balin thought to himself while he threw back the rest of his drink. He noticed Catra smiling at him through the bottom of his glass. He lowered it and returned her gesture with a small smile of his own. He wasn’t sure how he felt about ‘an adult by Mandalorian standards’ smiling directly at him like that.

“Balin, what do you think of E’cho?” Hec asked him. Hec had already made up his mind on E’cho, he was just playing around and acting unimpressed to make the man sweat. Balin studied E’cho for a moment to humor Hec. He looked strong, laid back, and strangely optimistic.

“Catra has a point,” he said as he picked up a glass of water and took a sip. Balin suspected that Hec wanted him to use his ‘Lorrdian Powers’ to detect if E’cho was a mole or not. As far as Balin was aware there was nothing about E’cho that concerned him. Hec built up his heightened awareness too much. He wasn’t a force sensitive, thank god.

“What are you good at son?” Hec asked E’cho. Hec thought he looked promising, but he didn’t just hand out jobs on a whim. Usually he just passed hopefuls onto Adma, but for some reason he was in a particularly good mood and felt like handling the situation himself.


[Saki]

“Most things are,” Saki replied to Grit’s comment about civvy life.

“Grit… tell me more about yourself,” Saki wondered for a moment if there was a last name but she had a feeling there wasn’t. He was in the army and mentioned something about going as a number instead of a name. So did that mean he was a clone? Saki had never paid much attention to the war. Nothing either side was fighting for had peaked her interest. She could have asked, but she’d just let Grit explain it himself. The corner of her mouth twitched a little and had briefly been a bit of a smile.

For a moment Saki thought about pulling back on Kou’s goggles and snapping them back on his face. She thought better of it. Saki could tell the red head was agitated that Grit hadn’t really paid much attention to him. She had nothing against Kou, but part of her enjoyed bothering him from time to time.

“Are you a Mandalorian?” Saki asked Grit. She acted as if Kou hadn’t asked the same question moments before.

[Tyre]

So, you're about to be employed by one of our dear ganglords. For some reason Tyre didn't feel happy about it. Having Tor - and especially Tor with a SFOR - around could result in large-scale destructions, so it would be yet another factor to keep an eye on. I could use some more eyes, 'cause I keep running out of them with the problems amassing at this rate.

"SFOR Carbine, you say... right now I don't have any, they've become quite rare of late. But I happen to have a 9118 and I can even make it much less loud. Or I could contact some large-scale dealers and ask for a SFOR if you insist." Tyre picked up the glass and rolled it in his hands, but didn't drink. "May I ask, is it Red Flare or Scourge you are going to work for?"

Let it be Red Flare, please. At least they try to act civilized.


[Yuno]

Ah, so of course you did, you old prick. No one threatens me and walks away with it. No one raises his hand to me and lives long and happy. Let us see how you'll enjoy my ruining your life, shall we.

The Twi'lek returned the kiss to Hec, and as he was busy recruiting another thug she chose to stay beside him. Sooner or later she'll find the way to destroy him... until then she'll be nice and pliant. Yuno started massaging Hec's shoulders.

“Balin, what do you think of E’cho?”

“Catra has a point.”

Balin was a strange person. Yuno has always wondered how much did he see or feel or whatever Lorrdians do to read others; as far as she knew the lawyer could tell pretty exactly if one was hostile or lying or not telling everything. She also noticed the wary glances he casted her from time to time. But he never said a thing to Hec, of that she was certain. He has also never tried to make approaches to her, not even as a joke, as most of Hec's employees did. That she did not understand. And what she did not understand made her nervous.

Yuno hardly deigned to look at Catra (what to look at - hired muscle is hired muscle, even if it's a tomboy in armor) and switched her attention to the scarred one. He looked... as a bright spot. In her life she's seen a lot of mobsters and gunmen of any kind, and this one despite the broken nose, tattoes, orange goatee, scars and tough looks had something disturbingly likeable about him. Some inner dignity, was it? Maybe an ex-soldier? Yuno blinked and smiled at him. If she were about to cornute Hec she'd probably consider this guy as a choice... but she was not. Not now. She wouldn't want to drive Hec mad or make him more suspicious then he usually was. She would a very good girl... up to a certain time...

E'cho relaxed a degree into his seat and watched the interactions unfold infront of him. He may not have had the senses of a Jedi, might not have the near-psychic sensitivity to emotions that Lorrdians had, but even despite his... accident, he still retained the skill that defined most of his brother clones out there--the ability to read the slightest shifts in body language.

Catra, for instance, clearly recognized his name, or at least the word it's derived from. He faintly wondered if he'd have to endure a bombardment of curious questions after this meeting was over. He could handle that. Questions were easy, and he had a few of his own. The way she looked at the businessman, for instance. The hesitant and not-so-approving way Balin reacted towards her was also worthy of question. But he wouldn't ask, he decided. Not unless a few probing questions were sent his way, at least.

The impulse to stare at the Twi'lek was there as well, but he suppressed it. Staring was rude, he knew that better than anyone, and he had a feeling she didn't quite ... appreciate that sort of attention. He didn't know why, but instinct never let him down before. He met her eye for a brief moment, and then moved on.

He quietly sized up his possible would-be boss. Hec screamed filthy rich old man secure in his fortune and status. E'cho had a feeling that while he wouldn't like working for him, the pay would be good, and he'd do almost anything for a good salary.

"Balin, what do you think of E'cho?"

E'cho shifted in his chair. The stuffing pushed into his back in the most uncomfortable way, and he had a feeling that was the point. Were he the kind to fidget or scare, he was sure he'd be producing enough energy to power the cantina. Fortunately he wasn't. Instead he rested on the things he knew as fact, as opposed to the irrational worries that most sentients seemed so keen to indulge in. And the facts were: His life wasn't on the line, and a job opportunity fell in his lap out of thin air (or Mandalorian armor). Conclusion? Life is good.

And did the Twi'lek dancer just smile at him?

He let his eyes slide away to look at no one in particular as a small smile bloomed over his face. Yes. Life is good.

“What are you good at son?”

E'cho's attention snapped to the old man, Hec, and locked eye contact. He knew some sentient cultures across the galaxy considered direct eye contact rude or agressive, but he gambled on the chance that this old man would appreciate his ballsy attitude.

"Diplomatic mediations," he said with a small shrug and an embarassed grin. "I'm good at those." He pauses to rub the back of his head and scratch the itch at the base of his skull. Then E'cho leaned forward, and his mood dropped a few degrees. The humor completely gone from his voice, he added: "I've done my fair share of debt collection and enforcer work for a few Hutts in the Red District. I know my weapons, I know my credits, I know my spice, and I know my Huttese, Basic, and Bocce."

And then he relaxed into the incredibly uncomfortable chair, again, as if he were sitting on expensive cushions and not the cheap osik they really were. An artless, truly genuine smile returned to his face.

"Oh, and I play a mean game of Sabacc."

Tor sighed when he heard Tyre mention his lack of SFor's, he really did love those things...almost more than verps...almost.

"Well, if you can do what you say you can with that 9118 carbine I'm interested, if you would be capable of including this list of modifications as well..." Tor passed a datachip to Tyre.
"I'd be very interested, keep me on the list for that SFor still."

He noticed Tyre was still waiting for him to answer his own question.

"You yourself should know that if I'd be working for either that there is only one option...after the way Scourge so rudely asked for my resignation...I have a feeling even Contardi knew nothing of it."

He glanced in the direction of Sakki and Kou, he noticed they were talking to someone proabably a recruit,

He shrugged then continued.
"Not that it makes any difference in the end...they crossed me and well...I'm a fairly civilised man aren't I Tyre I can't possibly see why anyone would want me dead."

He smirked, maybe he deserved it, recruits didn't last long as partners with him...well with the exception of Sakki...

The only one that was still alive and well to this day she was excellent at what she did and he respected her for that. Which was why it was a complete suprise when she tried to waste him, everytime he thought about it the more he doubted that she had done it on her own whim...he'd ask her someday.

"Anyway, I'll keep in touch I am needed elsewhere Re'turcye mhi ner vode." He left enough credits to pay for the drinks and walked out...again...the final de ja vu for the day

"There were the only place I had to turn after the war." Grit said, nodding. "My squad and I were betrayed- we left the army as the chancellor declared empire. But a mandalorian took us in, and gave us a life. A real one. Names. A family. He taught me to speak the language, how to live the code, and helped me build my own armor." Grit took a deep drink. "I'm a mandalorian, thanks to my adoptive buir." Kou was annoyed with him, he could tell. But without much knowledge of
conversation, the man would have to specify why he was annoyed. Saki, on the other hand, had asked him to say more about himself. It was a first, being asked for something besides reports and updates.

"As for me, I'm a certified marksman with the dc-17, I held the rank of seargent, and I'm qualified for every environment known to sentient." Now put the brakes on before you look stupid. He chided himself. She said stuff about you, not your kriffing training readout. "I also like being outside for sunrise and sunset, and hold an appreciation for a simple meal and cold drink."
He said, not used to talking about such things.

[Hec]

Despite Yuno’s hands massaging his shoulders Hec’s face looked tense with what might have been a hint of displeasure. It wasn’t clear if it was aimed at E’cho. It almost looked like Hec was focused on something else. He nodded his head slowly a couple times when E'cho mentioned credentials.

"Oh, and I play a mean game of Sabacc."

Hec cracked a smile and gave a hearty laugh.

“I think I’ll hire you,” Hec said relaxing and inhaling on his cigarra and then letting it out.

“You smile too much, but I’ll take a grain of spice,” he chuckled while he kept the cigarra in his mouth.

“Balin, get a round of drinks,” Hec said in a gruff but cheerful voice.


[Balin]

Did the old man forget that there were droids and waitresses for that? Balin mentally shrugged and got up. It hadn’t been the first informal request he had received from Hec and certainly not the last. The worst had been when Hec told him to walk his mangy hounds. Stupidly, Balin had tried to round them up. In the end he just called up someone to walk them for him.

Balin didn’t mind it really. He could use some time away from the booth. Or was it that he just didn’t have the backbone to refuse Hec and was in denial? His wife had thought that was it. Maybe she was right. When she left the apartment they had once shared he had told himself that the quiet wasn’t all that bad and that now he didn’t feel guilty about coming home to a worried and unhappy partner.

Balin stopped right outside the door to Hec’s private room and turned to one of the guards. He was a lawyer, not a waiter, and definitely not Hec's lap dog. He'd prove it right now.

“Hec would like a round of drinks for his guests. I’ll be at the bar,” Balin told him. He smiled a little to himself and started to walk away with a stronger stride. But Balin quickly stopped and turned back to the guard.

“My briefcase is in there… I know it’s not your job, but could you bring it out for me?” Balin said as he felt around in his pockets for a credit chip. He pulled out one that was worth more than the job required but handed it over anyway, regrettably.

Balin noticed a man leave the bar and took his empty stool. He recognized the man he had just sat down next to and smiled and offered his hand out to greet him.

“Tyre, it’s good to see you,” Balin said.


[Saki]

Saki noticed Solus leave again. It was clear to her that he wasn’t going to drop off the face of the planet. She had a strong feeling that she’d see him again. Saki focused back on what Grit was saying. So he was a clone. It was a little hard to believe. Maybe it wouldn’t be if she ever ran into someone who looked exactly like Grit.

Saki nodded a little. He didn’t seem too different from her. The only difference was he had more hope that her. It wasn’t that Saki hated her circumstances. She was fine with what she had. It wasn’t the best, but there was a lot worse. And if doing whatever Contardi told her to do kept her where she was, then she’d make the occasional sacrifice to stay in her good graces.

Saki took another drink from her glass and didn’t say anything. She wasn’t opposed to continuing the conversation but she wasn’t going to all the sudden change and become the person who kept the conversation up.

"You smile too much, but I'll take a grain of spice."

E'cho faintly wondered what he just signed himself up for, but then quickly decided that the knot in his gut was just nerves and nothing more. If he had a penchant for sensing bad things, he couldn't remember, but he was sure he'd find out soon enough.

Irregardless, he took the hint and sobered up a bit, though he couldn't help the slight quirk of his lips. Near constant habits were near and constant, after all.

"Thank you, sir," E'cho said. "I'm told a nice smile can help me charm my way out of any situation, but I'll try to tone it down around you, boss."

He rubbed his hands together, unmoving though his eyes watched Balin grudgingly leave the room, and quickly pondered the situation. What now? he wondered. Did he go ahead and ask what his first assignment was? Did he leave a contact number and skip off to go do whatever not-so-urgent business he didn't have to attend to?

Appearing too eager wasn't exactly a positive impression he wanted to give, not to mention it wasn't in his nature to bow and scrape for scraps, anyway.

The highly uncomfortable chair squeaked as he turned to Catra. "Looks like we're going to be coworkers," he said with raised brows and an amused yet very-serious expression.

[Tyre]

Tyre put the glass down on the table and picked the datachip.

"I'll see what I can do about the SFOR, but don't count on it too much. All right, come in a couple of days and I'll have a nice 9118 waiting for you."

"You yourself should know that if I'd be working for either that there is only one option...after the way Scourge so rudely asked for my resignation...I have a feeling even Contardi knew nothing of it."

Should I, indeed? So, the rumors were right. Tyre smiled without a hint of amusement. It's just so funny when people start thinking that if you're collecting information, you must be collecting all the details of their lifestories as well. Is it a kind of vanity or just a psychological thing? Perhaps both.

"Not that it makes any difference in the end...they crossed me and well...I'm a fairly civilised man aren't I Tyre I can't possibly see why anyone would want me dead."

Now, what an interesting question, why anyone would want Tor dead. Tyre could name at least five without much thinking, according to Tor's track record, and he surely didn't know all of it. He only shrugged in a no-idea-not-me-at-least-for-now way. Huh, the man's in real bad blues... He wished Tor good luck and watched him walk away, only to find out that his place was taken by another familiar face.

“Tyre, it’s good to see you.”

It was Balin, Kohler's lawyer, and he also didn't seem to be in his best mood. Tyre didn't even had to guess what happened - there were no sounds of a fight from upstairs, so it wasn't about witnessing another grimly scene, thus Kohler must've tried to use him as a lackey once again.

"Oh, Balin... The boss, is it? Asked to fetch his girl's shawl or something?"

The Lorrdian was a nice man, as nice as a lawyer could ever be, but he wasn't used - and apparently had no will to get used - to all this traditional mob muscle-flexing and sabre-rattling. Tyre'd like to help him, but he had no idea how.

[Balin]

Balin gave Tyre a face that meant the Mandalorian had guessed it right on the mark. He exaggerated it enough to look a little goofy. The lawyer had seen plenty of Hec’s outbursts to know that saying no to Hec came with its consequences.

“The only difference between an errand boy and a lawyer to Hec is one wasted years of their life in law school,” Balin joked.

“He asked me to get drinks because hiring a man suffering from amnesia calls for celebration. Hec didn’t hire him to think or remember things for him, but the man shouldn’t be working for gangsters. He should be getting better,” Balin voiced his opinion on the matter casually with tone of slight concern. He often empathized with people too much. It was an easy thing to do for him. He had seen more in E’cho than he had let the others know. Hec wouldn’t have cared and he didn’t want to put E’cho in an uncomfortable position.

“I got one of the guards to get him his drinks. I don’t think Hec will miss me. Maybe he won’t even remember I was there with a few more drinks,” Balin said. He looked over and saw the guard bring drinks into the private room. He got a feeling that the guard wasn’t going to come back out with Balin’s briefcase despite the tip he had given him.


[Hec]

“You can go to Miss Rhys in the business tower and make it all legal tomorrow,” Hec told him. Catra or someone could give him the information. He was done with business right now. One of the guards outside the room brought a round of drinks for everyone. He set one down at Balin’s empty seat. Hec thought he told Balin to get drinks. Balin’s briefcase was still at the table. He’d be back.

“Have a drink E’cho. It’s on me,” he told him. Hec didn’t even stop to think if Catra was too young to drink or not.

“Maybe we’ll even play a little sabacc later,” Hec said laughing as he discarded his cigarra onto a droid.


[Saki]

Saki felt a little strange being quiet around someone who didn’t know her. Kou was wrapped up in whatever he was doing and it didn’t look like he’s be joining in on the conversation so soon. Saki guessed she could say a little about herself since he had told her about himself.

“I was born on Coruscant. I haven’t had any sort of training that you might have had, but I’m capable,” Saki tried to figure out if he wanted to talk about himself or his creditials. She wasn’t sure what she’d rather talk about, probably not the later.

“There’s not much of a sunset or sunrise here, but there’s plenty of the simple things,” Saki told him.

[Tyre]

Tyre couldn't help grinning when Balin made a face, but tried to keep a friendly look. He had no intention to offend the Lorrdian.

"Well, you see, for him it's a way to emphasize his authority. All the mob bosses are archaic in their ways, and most of them are quite sensitive to the others' selves. When they feel they can use you in any way they want and you wouldn't dare to resist it, they start behaving like this. If they feel a... core in you, a kind of aura that says "don't mess with me", they tend to be sensible and not lord over you. Usually, anyway." Tyre's smile became more wry as if with some distant memories.

"And don't say that it's easy for me to talk because I'm a big bad Mandalorian guy who killed enough people to populate a dozen minor colonies. It's not about the violence or a brutal force. The most fearsome creature I've ever met was an elderly librarian, a wrinkled frail little old lady who could tell off emperors and warlords as naughty boys... But probably I shouldn't lecture you like this, sorry," Tyre sighed and shook his head.

The guy is so good-hearted that it is almost hard to believe. He even cares for the guns for hire. He really shouldn't be involved in all this mob stuff.

The Mandalorian thought he needed to change the topic. Balin was feeling down enough without his preaching, it seemed, and his stupid grins didn't convince Tyre.

"That amnesia boy you mentioned. Is it the one that went in with Catra?"

[Jenya Dae]
Jenya's shift had finally started, not that she enjoyed her job at all but it was better than sitting around doing nothing.

The Zeltron, fully dressed in the required uniform slightly adjusted to suit her tastes more of course, thought to herself of how uniforms were such dull mundane things it almost depressed her when thinking of it. Hmmm... She looked for a booth that had not yet been attended to, noticing two men sitting at one having a friendly conversation. A mandalorian...and...a mark. She noticed a man in a business suitand wondered if he might have anything valuable, then reminded herself of the all seeing mando sitting opposite him and thought better of it.

As she approaced the two she overheard something about amnesia but pushed it aside as trivial.
"Excuse me sirs, is there anything I can get for you?"
She noted the business man for future reference, she'd ask around perhaps she could find a job more to her suiting, besides why else would someone like him bother talking to mercs and the like if they didn't have their hands in a cookie jar of sorts.

[Balin]

Balin nodded his head a little. He knew what Tyre was talking about. He could understand the reason behind it. Balin thought about say ‘Why cause more trouble if it really isn’t such a big deal?’ but perhaps that would confirm him hardly having a core. He kept his mouth shut. He shook his head when Tyre apologized.

“Yeah, his name is E’cho. He didn’t give a last name. Balin told Tyre. There was something strange about E’cho. He didn’t seem as mature as he looked, but the amnesia could be responsible for that. Balin got a drink from the bartender and pick it up to his mouth. He paused and looked over at Tyre.

“What does ‘E’cho’ mean?” he asked. He had noticed Catra’s mood sink as soon as she had heard it. Not that he had been staring at her. It had been such a drastic change that it was hard for him not to notice.

Balin turned to looked at the waitress and gave her a polite smile.

“I’m fine miss, thank you,” he told her. Balin wasn’t sure if Tyre needed anything or not.

The dancer, he decided, made him uncomfortable. The proferred alcohol would only make things worse. Now was as good as any to make a polite exit, with or without Catra. She could take care of herself, anyway. Right?

"I'm sorry sir," E'cho said in the most apologetic tone he could manage, "but I try not to drink... I like to keep sharp." With hands on his knees, he offered a small shrug. Then, with a soft grunt, he rose to his feet.

"And, if you don't mind, I'd better get going. I have a few... loose ends to tie up before I set up that appointment with Miss Rhys for first thing tomorrow." He tried for enigmatic, but he wasn't sure if he nailed it. He did manage to suppress the urge to smile, though. "So, I'd like to call a rain check on that Sabacc game."

He waited for Hec's approval, to be sure that the old man was not, in fact, having second thoughts, before he left the back room. On the way out, he paused to nod to the guard at the door and take in the change of atmosphere in the cantina.

Grit

Grit smiled. "Simple things are good. They help me to enjoy the present, and live life instead of wasting it." He said to Saki. "I knew some folks at one point, back in the day. Not regular army, but
they sure were capable. My training is some high end stuff, but I'd trust you to back me up no doubt." Grit sipped his drink, enjoying Saki's company. "Would you like to take a walk with me later? See what sunset there is here?" The question was out of his mouth far ahead of his better judgment, which reacted with nothing less than frantic blustering after it caught up.
Of all the kriffing.....a date? A date!? Have you lost your cloned marbles? You just asked a woman you met only an hour ago to go take a walk with you! Are you off your kriffing emplacement or what? Grit had never felt so nervous, not even facing off against droidekas.



Alara

Voices talked outside her cell. "Scourge may want this blue one.....likes exotic types and the lizards didn't find any zeltron last raid." "She fits the bill- easy on the eyes, meek and cowering, no fight in her to speak of....." "You have a deal then. Have the merchandise ready to pick up tomorrow." Alara could only hope this scourge was not a cruel person.

[Kou]

Jiro Kou was pretending to be engrossed in his datapad, but he was deleting old inbox message one by one just to pass the time while he listened to Muscles McGee talk about his vast military career and fancy Mandalorian adoptions or whatever it was that happened to him. Kou looked over at the ex-soldier sharply when his list of expertise moved from various soldiering skills to personal taste. He peeled his goggles off of his eyes and glared, silent, as Grit went on to invite Saki on a walk to look at the sunset.

Kou's mouth was in the process of opening to say something snarky when his datapad rumbled in his hand. He checked the new incoming message and his expression went from sour to bright. "No time for crappy promenades, Rookie," Kou said, a malicious grin spreading across his face. He leaned toward Saki and Grit, pointing to his datapad. His voice lowered. "We have a job to do. A big one."

Kou finished his drink and pocketed his datapad. "Cont says you can come if you want," Kou told Grit, referring to their boss. He knew full well the word that sounded similar to the shortened version of Contardi's name, and he was sure not to use it around her. "Saki, you in? I'm going to go stake out a spot."

Rising from his seat, Kou rummaged through his pocket to find a credit chip to cover his drink. He couldn't care less of Grit came or not, but he hoped Saki would accompany him, if only so he knew she didn't take up Grit on his offer to go do something pointless like watch the sunset. He gave the two of them one last look to see who was coming with him and left the table, heading for one of the exits.

[Catra]

Yuno smiled at E'cho. For some reason, it made Catra's brow arch and her back straighten. E'cho was fresh meat that Catra had just hunted down, and while she had no big qualms with Hec's Twi'lek dancer, she didn't like that smile of hers. Did she smile like that at everyone? Catra hadn't a clue. Glancing from E'cho and back to Yuno, Catra relaxed, feeling ridiculous. He wasn't her type, was he? Besides, she belonged to Hec, as sad as that was to Catra.

Sitting back, Catra ran her hand over the dome of her helmet as E'cho talked about his areas of expertise. He worked for Hutts? How did he ever get out of it? Catra blinked several time, the only indication of her surprise. If she really wanted to get At'buir worried about her, she should be taking up jobs with Hutts...

Oh, but she didn't want to associate with them! She would just take on the dangerous missions for now, and hopefully with E'cho. "Kandosii!" she told E'cho as he remarked about their working together. She didn't mind using a word he possibly didn't know since he called her "pateesa" earlier. At any rate, her tone of voice didn't betray any dirty language.

Shab, the man wasn't kidding when he said he had a charming smile. Catra didn't even notice Balin leave.

A round of drinks appeared for them. Catra took one but hesitated before drinking it as E'cho refused. She wondered if she could have his, but then he said he was going to leave. Catra wanted to talk to Mr Kohler first, so she reached out and touched E'cho on the sleeve. "I'll meet you outside in a few minutes and tell you where to meet Miss Rhys."

Catra took a sip of her drink and looked at Mr Kohler over the rim of he glass. "I hope I wasn't too forward in bringing him to you, sir."

((OOC: Using Jarlon in here. If I don't depict him right, let me know? I'll change it. Mmmmk.))


"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes and tell you where to meet Miss Rhys."

"'Lek," he had said to Catika as he left. Yeah.

Why had he replied in mandoa? Probably because she had said kandosii earlier. She was a Mandalorian after all, she should know the language. And what's done was done. He couldn't take it back, and he probably wouldn't have if he could.

Standing there, unsure of where to wait--the bar? a booth? the front door? by the Bimm Band?--he briefly scanned the crowd... and recognized a face. A face that, had E'cho not had his wonderful makeover via a grenade, a gas explosion, a chem spill, or whatever it was that left it's print on half of his head, looked distressingly like his own.

He immediately returned to the back area, strategically positioned his back to the crowd, and found himself directly in front of the muscular man that guarded the door. Instinctively, he did a quick once-over. His inspection, however, was not discreet, and in return the dark-skinned bouncer leveled a blank stare squarely in his direction.

E'cho smiled sheepishly, and scratched the back of his head as he shrugged.

"Want a drink?" he asked, as if he had meant to wander over to this man for impromptu conversation. "Non-alcoholic. I know you can't booze on the job, but you're looking a little..." E'cho searched for the right word. "Haryc?"

"Lookin' a littl' what?" the dark-skinned muscle man grunted.

"Tired?" E'cho arched a brow. "Well not... tired." He frowned. That didn't sound right.

"Ain't tired," the man said. "Bored."

"Ah," said E'cho. Bored. That was the word. "I worked a job like this before."

The man said nothing, but stared. E'cho took this as a pleasant sign to continue.

"Yeah. Stood around. Flexed a few times. It lasted about a month."

"Really," the man replied flatly.

"My contract was... re-examined after a misunderstanding." He scratched the goatee on his chin. "It involved two Rodians, a Twi'lek, and a few misplaced bets."

"Bets, huh." The man's eyes narrowed, and E'cho couldn't tell if he was suspicious or interested, or both. "On what?"

"Some Pod Racing circuit on Ord Ibanna."

The man's narrow eyes brightened just slightly, but E'cho caught it and knew he was on to a safe topic. So the man liked racing, or at least watching them.

"What was the misunderstanding?"

"Well, it all started when I checked in for work an hour early..." And here, E'cho weaved an epic tale of drunken Rodians, a manipulative Twi'lek dancer, a couple of Gammorean gamblers, and his unwitting total-lack-of-receptiveness to female attention while on the job, which somehow spiraled into not one, but two full-scale brawls over booze, bosoms, and blinking pod racing statistics.

((OOC: Jarlon's just perfect, don't worry.))

Tyre

When Balin told him the boy's name, Tyre nodded with a suddenly intent expression. That must be not a name. A nickname, maybe? No one's going to call a child like this. No surprise Catra's mood sank. And his face - very familiar. I've got to have another look at him.

"It means 'lost, disoriented, lonely, mourning, devoid of lust for life'. A strange name," Tyre answered. "Would you call your child 'Grief' or 'Sadness'?"

Pink skin, professional smile and a sweet if a bit bored voice:

"Excuse me sirs, is there anything I can get for you?"

Ah, and that would be Jenya the waitress. A very nice girl, if you don't mind having your creds stolen by a pretty gal. Tyre curtly smiled back and shook his head.

"No, thank you, I'm fine. So," he turned back to Balin, "Kohler hired him, right?"


Yuno

Yuno noticed the Mandalorian girl tense. Was she jealous of E'cho? How very cute. The Twi'lek mentally grinned. If not for her current plans she would play with these kids, both so young, so seemingly tough and so naive. That would an exciting game...

But no, she had no time for this now. Now she had do make some arrangements to get something much more delicious. Revenge. Focus on it, girl. And to make them she has to get out of here. She had to make Hec let her go somehow.

"Shall I dance another one, honey?" Yuno asked, bending down to Hec's ear.

[Jenya]
After hearing a refusal from both of the men Jenya made a visible pout in annoyance.

I can't believe it! Am I losing my touch?
Jenya shook her head, no it wasn't that certain people must have caught a whiff of the lighterning of their pockets...didn't they know what a pathetic salary a waitress got here? No matter I think it's about time I made a visit to Scourge concerning my current employment dilema.

She walked over to C202, requesting for the droid to take over the rest of her shift. She couldn't offer creds or use her pheremones to persuade her, but the she had an understanding with the droid and one day somehow she was supposedly meant to pay her back....how she didn't know.

She did laugh a little to herself as she seemed to have rubbed off on the droid a little, while she watched her flirt with some of the cantina's patrons. Hopefully that wouldn't get her into to much trouble.

Checking her datapad for where she could meet her contact within scourge she walked out the back door dreaming of all the heists she'd pull off while employed by Scourge...

"Ok, I'm in. Lead on, sarge. I mean boss." Grit said, correcting himself. Again? AGAIN? Sir, or boss, never sarge. Grit mentally kicked himself. "I can do recon- just tell me where to set up shop. I've also got a good nose for concealed weapons- the seps liked to have their non droid auxiliaries run around in civvy garb, used to give the infantry fits at checkpoints."
Grit assumed Kou knew where he was going, and followed. "If things get hairy, I got your back.
I won't let you down on this."