Private A Deadly Dinner Party (SJC)

[The Lorekeeper]

A Deadly Dinner Party

Josh Dragovalor | Ura Iolar | Kranak Vizsla
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On the holodisplay, the figures of a petite Sephi Jedi master and a protocol droid appear, of whom the latter begins to speak:

“Greetings. As you are likely already aware, you are being sent to the planet Hapes to assist in resolving a dispute between two members of the Consortium. The one who invited you is supportive of further trade negotiations with the Concord, though her political rival is much more wary. The Hapan upper class are notorious for their cutthroat politics and struggles for power, and as such another part of your mission is to protect your host until the dispute is resolved.

They are fiercely independent, but show them that the Concord is willing to foster relations with more members of the Royal Court. Not everyone will have the same opinions, but our assistance in mediating this conflict is an opportunity to demonstrate our goodwill.

As further thanks for our involvement, you’ve been graciously invited to attend a dinner party. Be on the lookout for anything suspicious, but do show respect to your hosts and the Consortium. We wouldn’t want to become entangled in any undue political troubles. That is all for now, may the Force be with you.”

Spoiler: OOC

This is the opener for the assembly mission A Deadly Dinner Party found here. Other than the prompt, it’s up to you guys to see the story through. Naturally don’t derail things in bad faith, but otherwise let it develop however you want, and have fun with it!

Original Prompt: You have been sent on a diplomatic mission to Hapes, to help mediate in a dispute. As a way of saying thanks for taking on this task, you are invited to dinner. The host, a wealthy politician from an influential family, was also the one who requested Jedi involvement. Due to security concerns, your secondary mission is to protect this person. However, during dinner the politician you were supposed to keep safe falls dead on her food. The entire security detail trains their guns on you...

 

[Ura Iolar]

Ura sighed a little as she just, well, sat there. It wasn’t like she could do much at a dinner party except sit and talk, and even then she wasn’t a political kind of person. So she sat there, having her body formed to look like she was wearing a formal dress. Notably for those that knew her though she hadn’t tried any patterns with the green crystal mass she had. She was... having trouble controlling it that day. At least to that much detail. Either way, she’d just have to tell Karra Tor after the mission.

Despite her issues, Ura was trying to have fun. Listening to everything going on, and trying to understand the political aspects of the two sides of things. It seemed to be pretty smooth so far at least. Ura looked over at the other Concord members there, seeming nervous but calm at the same time.

“I can’t believe how smoothly this is going. Maybe we won’t actually have to get involved.” Of course though, her eyes would catch others walking around. She did her best to take them all in. To pick out unique features not only physically, but within the Force around them. Honestly, considering what she was told about Hapans, Ura was expecting more shouting. Maybe even lightfoils. Soon though, she heard a scream.

Ura turned, seeing the person they were supposed to protect face down on the table. She then heard something else. Blasters. Pointed at... them? Poodoo! This wasn’t good.

“Stay where you are Jedi!”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Never assume, my Padawan. Assuming makes... Well, you get the idea" the Jedi Master gently chided with a wry smile. Josh was no stranger to Hapes. He had been involved with their leaders for many years, though he wasn't as familiar with the current crop. The time of Relina Zhan and her party had long passed, and Josh's name had likely long faded into memory with the politicians of the Hapes Matriarchy. But for all of his accomplishments with them being lost to the flow of time, Josh still felt a kindred spirt to them and wished to help if at all possible. Hopefully though, this would go without a hitch, as Ura put it.

Unfortunately, it did not.

Dinner had been nice, even if he tuned out a bit during the political jargon, but it was soon spoiled as the one they had been secretly assigned to protect fell. Josh slowly stood to his feet, keeping his calm as even to his surprise, the entire security detail fell upon them with blasters pointed.

"Hold up, hold!" the Jedi cried out, calling for a ceasefire as he placed his hands up. "Hands are up! Yes, my hands are up. Ura, Kranak, hands up. Ok, no need for violence here. I am moving very slowly, I am not attacking. If you do not shoot, I do not shoot. You will not like me if I shoot back, so just..."

He made been slowly making his way to their quarry as he talked to keep them occupied. Once he reached them, he slowly reached a hand down to take their pulse. He stopped and frowned when his hand touched the pulse.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me."

Dead. Poisoned. Unknown if the security in here were responsible or not. He needed to find out. Aggressive negotiations it was. The Jedi suddenly held out a hand and yanked the blasters of one of them out of their hands. But just before the rest could fire on him, he lifted a finger.

"Nah uh uh! Have you never watched a Jedi fight? Historically speaking, one Jedi can take out an entire army. And you've got three here. I am quite literally battle-designed to deal with blaster fighters."

Despite his exaggerated mannerisms, the Master was as calm as could be. He was upset, but there was a time and place to let out one's emotions... This wasn't it. "Let's be honest. You fire on me, then you admit to guilt in our friend's murder and on top of that you'll be dead before the other two can even activate their glowy swords, and before you can tell your side of the story. If you value your lives, you'll talk to me. You know what I want. I want information on what happened here. Our friend here was poisoned and I am very unhappy about this fact. So you can either tell me all you know, OR! You can shoot me."

He held his arms out side to side and craned his neck forward invitingly. The Jedi was putting on a show, but it was their call as to how it ended. "SO COME ONE AND COME ALL! WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO SHOOT THE JEDI? WHO IS GOING TO RRRRROLL THAT DICE? We can be reasonable adults and talk, or you can gamble like it's Nar Shadda. Come, come! Don't keep a grizzled young guy waiting! Decision's yours."

Ura Iolar Kranak Vizsla

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

THE DINNER PARTY

Location: Hapes System, Hapes, V.I.P’s Mansion
Local Time: 19:20
Date: -DATA CORRUPTED-
Primary Objective: Help the Jedi Mediate Hapan Dispute
Secondary Objective: Protect the Hapan V.I.P
Equipment: Loadout 2 (All weapons (including grenades, vibro-knife, tactical hatchet) -save for a concealed A180- are left back at the ship. Vambrace gear retained. One spare magazine for the concealed blaster pistol retained.)
Tags: Ura Iolar | Josh Dragovalor

The dinner party was proceeding smoothly within the stunning dining hall of the V.I.P’s mansion. The guests and the host were conversing with one another as they dined on a variety of fine dishes cooked up for the dinner party. The food was accompanied with the beverage choice of the guests. Alcoholic beverages of various types were the choice for most of the guests. Everyone was having a good time, or so it seemed so from the outside.

The giant Ori’ramikad was seated to the left of the Master Jetii Josh at the large dinner table. With a watchful gaze, he was scanning the room to detect anything suspicious that endangered the VIP’s life. At the time he was still wearing his helmet, only moving his eyes to survey his surroundings, with some help from his HUD. From the outside, the giant would appear as if he was simply meditating. Kranak heaved a sigh of relief after seeing nothing was out of the ordinary. The guests and the VIP were safe, with a security detail watching over everyone.

The Mandalorian somewhat despised the scene. It all seemed fake to him. Those smiles the guests gave one another. It all felt dishonest to him. But maybe that was just him. Attending a political dinner party wasn’t something he did all the time. He was a Bounty Hunter and a Mercenary. He was used to chasing armed and dangerous individuals in the underbellies of cities in Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa and the likes; all cannoned up and proceeding with extreme prejudice.

At least the dinner party was proceeding without any complications and the VIP was safe. The dinner party would be coming to an end in the next twenty minutes.

“I can’t believe how smooth this is going. Maybe we won’t actually have to get involved.”

The giant gave a slight nod of the head to Ura’s statement as he lowered his head to remove his helmet. He had to stay “respectful” towards the host and the guests throughout the dinner party. That meant dining with them as well, all mannered like.

The helmet depressurized with a soft hiss. The Mandalorian then set his helmet besides his dinner plate; the obsidian black tinted visor facing him.

“Never assume, my Padawan. Assuming makes… Well, you get the idea.”

Those were some wise words. Unknown to Kranak at the time, the Master Jetii would prove to be right with his statement a few moments later.

The giant was about to take a bite from the meat dish from his plate but he paused as he heard something slam on the table, to his right. The slam was accompanied with a woman’s scream shortly after. He quickly put down the cutlery on his plate and looked to his right to see what was going on.

The guests were looking shocked and frightened towards the female Hapan politician they were tasked to protect. The VIP’s head was slumped over her plate. She was not moving. “Haarchak!” he silently cursed under his breath. He swiftly stood up from his seat to check her condition. He was about to walk towards her but the giant was nailed on the spot after hearing more than a dozen blaster carbines clangor; the security detail unsafetied their weapons and pointed at the Jetiise and the Mandalorian.

“Stay where you are, Jedi!”

Shouted one of them. The Master Jetii cried not a moment later as a response to the security detail’s command.

"Hold up, hold!" the Jedi cried out, calling for a ceasefire as he placed his hands up. "Hands are up! Yes, my hands are up. Ura, Kranak, hands up. Ok, no need for violence here. I am moving very slowly, I am not attacking. If you do not shoot, I do not shoot. You will not like me if I shoot back, so just..."

He followed through with Josh’s instructions and held his hands above his head. Josh then slowly walked towards the VIP to check what was wrong with her. Most of the blasters were pointed at the Master Jetii while he checked the VIP.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me."

That did not sound good. The VIP was not moving and by the sounds of it, she was in critical condition, or worse…

Then suddenly, the Master Jetii held out his left hand and pulled a blaster carbine free from the hands of a security guard in the room.

"Nah uh uh! Have you never watched a Jedi fight? Historically speaking, one Jedi can take out an entire army. And you've got three here. I am quite literally battle-designed to deal with blaster fighters."

The giant Ori’ramikad barely managed to suppress his laughter. The Jetiise were strong, formidable foes as they were recorded in Mandalorian history during the ancient Mandalorian Crusades of old, but none had the might to take out an entire army worth of troopers. Not on their own.

The Master Jetii continued to sow doubt into the minds of those that were part of the security detail, trying to prevent a firefight from happening.

"Let's be honest. You fire on me, then you admit to guilt in our friend's murder and on top of that you'll be dead before the other two can even activate their glowy swords, and before you can tell your side of the story. If you value your lives, you'll talk to me. You know what I want. I want information on what happened here. Our friend here was poisoned and I am very unhappy about this fact. So you can either tell me all you know, OR! You can shoot me."

He held his arms out side to side and craned his neck forward invitingly. The Jedi was putting on a show, but it was their call as to how it ended. "SO COME ONE AND COME ALL! WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO SHOOT THE JEDI? WHO IS GOING TO RRRRROLL THAT DICE? We can be reasonable adults and talk, or you can gamble like it's Nar Shadda. Come, come! Don't keep a grizzled young guy waiting! Decision's yours."

There was no telling what the security detail’s intentions right now. Were they a part of the plot to assassinate the Hapan politician they were supposed to protect or were they genuinely not a part of the plot? They had to find out one way or the other but it was in the giant Ori’ramikad’s character to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. He quickly started to weigh his options as he eyed the security detail from head to toe that he was facing.

The men were well dressed; their white, ornamental uniforms clean. They were all well-groomed, as much as you would expect from a professional security detail. They gave off the impression they were disciplined and perhaps skillful with their weapons, but he assumed they hadn’t had sufficient combat experience to fight the three of them; two Jetii and a Mando.

And there were at least a dozen of them. Josh had disarmed one of them, pulling away the man’s rifle using the force. So that more or less left them eleven armed individuals to deal with. There were more outside the dining hall, but it would take them some time to react to a firefight here. That would give them enough time to deal with the eleven of them within the dining hall.

He wished he hadn’t left his more powerful gear behind in the ship. But he had to. They would not have allowed him to enter the mansion carrying along an armory worth of weapons, ammunition and grenades. This was a dinner party after all, not a battlefield.

Though he had managed to sneak in one of his blaster pistols with him before the dinner party started. His vambrace gears were also left intact, much to the security detail’s dismay at the start of the party. They did not dare to ask the Mandalorian to remove said armor pieces before attending the party. They were content -or seemed like they were- with the Mandalorian leaving most of his weapons at the ship before the dinner party began.

Trying to unholster his concealed blaster pistol would not be swift. He wasn’t really a fast draw either, at least compared to his counterparts in the Vizsla’s of Roon. He would have to use his vambrace gear to occupy them long enough to get a grip on his blaster pistol. A blast from his left vambrace mounted repulsor would do the trick, if it came to that.

The security detail still kept their blaster carbines trained on them; the chrome coating at the barrel of the carbines shone under the bright lights of the dining hall. It was uncertain what would happen next, but the giant was ready to take action if the guards decide to open fire at them.

 

[Ura Iolar]

Ura just stood there, still as she could be right now. Her hands were raised in the air, though it didn't matter as much for her thanks to being a Lervon. But she'd soon be met with another shock. Master Josh. He was.... She didn't even know how to say it. He was acting.... He seemed to almost make a game out of messing with the guards and keeping them on their toes. He even encouraged them to shoot him! She couldn't imagine her Master ever doing this before, but it almost seemed natural to him. He usually was so calm and level headed, and it surprised you to see him like this.

As she stood there, the fingers of her hands also seemed to disappear. She wasn't sure if anyone there would know why, but she was getting ready, just in case they had to fight their way out.

The guards meanwhile started to lower there weapons slightly, at least until one that seemed determined spoke up.

"Put your hands behind your head Jedi. We have to take you in."

Josh Dragovalor Kranak Vizsla

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

TAG: Ura Iolar Kranak Vizsla



All that, and still they were told they had to be taken in? Hands behind their back and all? The Jedi just stared at them with eyes half-lidded. "So what you're telling me, is that the person we were assigned to protect was just murdered. The culprit could be in this very room, or you could be working for them. And you expect us to surrender with our arms behind our back, no way to defend ourselves if you decide to shoot us in the back?" Josh pointed out bluntly, looking them dead in the face. "I can't tell if you're sus, braindead, or if you think me for a fool. If you have someone you want to take us to, then you escort us armed and fully capable of defending ourselves. If you insist otherwise, then the most likely scenario is you're working for the killers."

He wagged his finger left to right, making a few disapproving clicking sounds. "Which is bad. Because then I'd have to be the one making the arrest. Then I'd have to take you to a higher authority on Hapes to be tried. Or well, I would but then you will probably do the generic bad guy thing where you, y'know. Shoot me. Shoot at me and I do the thing where I go HMMMM, PSHEW, PSHEW!" he cried out at the end, making lightsaber motions with his hands. "And then you're either dead or just having a really bad day. And I would really rather not have to deal with the paperwork involved. I don't like paperwork, I doubt you like paperwork either. You get what I mean?"

The Grandmaster gave a dramatically huffy sigh. "So can y'all just give your sides of the story and give us some diplomacy for once? Because you are really looking prrr-etty suspicious right now. And don't give me that sob story about "Oh but you could be the killers!" because I literally could have pulled out my glowy sword and killed them and any witnesses in like, three seconds tops. I literally don't even know how to make poison, nor do I gain anything from the VP's death. Hell, I gained more from her being ALIVE!"

He shrugged his shoulders. "That's literally the whole reason I'm here."