A Gambler's Paradise

[Arekk]

NAR SHADDAA​

The Hawk's Den​

The Hawk's Den was considered a gambler's paradise and a masterpiece of architecture and modern entertainment after a week of their grand opening. It boasts two levels and five hundred different amusements that, according to the holo-brochure, would take a standard week and a half to fully experience. It includes one themed restaurant, a cantina-sports bar, a massive lounge and a dozen separate gambling halls. There's also an exclusive casino—that catered only to VIPs including crime lords and Bareesh Kajidic members.

The gambling halls offer a variety of card games, including Liar's Cut, Sabacc and Death Star Bluff, with an entire wing devoted to Pazaak tables. High-tech gaming machines provided games of electronic chance such as StarSlot Machines Blinkodes, Warp-top, Spatz, the Jubilee Wheel and the Orbiter. Games like Holo-Wing, Shockball 3 and Rancor Hunter could be played against live or computer-simulated opponents. The tables of the median, comfort-oriented halls were fitted with adjustable dampener fields to eliminate background noise, and localized, voice-operated lighting could be dimmed or brightened to suit individual players. Smoke-filled areas could be purified in nanoseconds with miniature air processors. Scattered throughout one could find waitress hurrying about with trays full of patron’s orders. Stationed at strategic points one could also fine various security guards.

At the front of the main hall was the large sports bar attended to by several bartenders flanked by the massive lounge, waitressed by Togrutas, for the more privileged customers. In the rear was a smaller, cozier bar with three bartenders and a half a dozen waitresses.

Upon entering, one's ears were immediately assaulted by the racket of noises; the beeps and clacks of gaming machines, the hoots, hollers and grunts of gambling aliens with an undercurrent of music.

But most importantly, guests from all across the galaxy came to The Hawk's Den in the hopes of finding their fortune and had already established itself as the location for meeting of underworld business-beings and other criminals seeking to become millionaires or someone that could have a steady and generous income. Everyone knew that this was the perfect place to be on the Smuggler's Moon if you wanted to look important.

[member="Scourge"]

 

[Scourge]

Why do you do the things you do?

Because I can, now shut it

There’s more to you than killing… Please Scourge go to Voss the Jedi can hel-

No!

As Scourge entered the Hawks den casino he scanned the immediate crowd for bounties. Sure enough there were a few, but they were small time. Still Scourge needed the credits, he was in a casino after all. So, he approached a gangly looking Rodian with a decent price on his head.

“We can do this two ways Sleemo,” The Vong announced to the bounty

“Echutah!” The Rodian cursed, he knew what the red clad Mandalorian armor meant and he wasn't ready to pay the price. Faster than light the Rodian spun round from the slot machine and began to book it.

“I love it when they run!” Scourge cried out merrily.

The hunt was on. The small Rodian dove into the crowds in a attempt to lose scourge. The Mandalorian activated his HUD and it began scanning for the Rodian once more. The HUD tracker outlined an individual in red and Scourge was on him in a second. He shoved his way through the crowded casino buffet and reached the red highlighted individual. The Rodian spun in a flash withdrawing a small holdout pistol.

“Wrong move bub!”

Even faster, Scourge’s hand shot to his hip, but not before the Rodian managed to squeeze a round off. People in the crowded buffet began to panic at The sound of gun shots. The blast hit Scourge in the gut and he grunted in pain. Scourge withdrew his pistol and hip fired it into the Rodian. The alien’s chest cavity exploded in a red mist of gore and blood. Holding his gut Scourge limped his way over to the dead Rodian. He reached into the Rodian’s pocket and withdrew it's ID. Scourge scanned it along with a picture of the Rodian’s corpse then sent them both to the local authorities. Immediately one thousand credits were transferred to Scourge’s account. Still holding his gut, Scourge looked down to inspect the wound.

“There has got to be a better way to make money,” He said as he saw the mangled flesh and blood seeping out of his side. Scourge sat down at the buffet and began to treat the wound.

[Member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

The alarms of the casino went and the private security staff hired by the Rogue Padawan had initiated its countermesures to assure everyone's safety by heading straight towards the source of the gunfire. All the doors magnetically closed so no one could leave the premises and the heavy turrets aimed at the Mandalorian dressed in crimson colors that was sitting by the buffet treating his wounds. Ar'ekk's small private group of former military men that served in the battle of Malachor V alongside the young warrior arrived to the scene and aimed their heavy blasters to their objective but not before notifying their now boss of what they were facing.

Silence spread through The Hawk's Den as he made his way through the crowd of people until he reached the location given by his fellow employees, a lightsaber ignited held in his right hand by the time he showed up. His face, although concealed by a half-mask, showed virulent anger and hate. No one was going to ruin the several business meetings within the establishment and he would make a very good point in that moment to whoever was behind such altercation.

"You. I want to hear a very good reason of why you are causing a major havoc inside my casino. The answer better be satisfactory or I swear I'll slice your body in half." He said in a calm yet murderous tone to the Mandalorian, pointing his index finger directly at him.

You could tell that Ar'ekk was respected amongst everyone present in there. No one dared to interrupt or say anything as he would lay a wrath upon them that they would never see it coming. A few months living in Nar Shaddaa can change a man's life completely and this was a good example: Of a good man who once swore its loyalty to the Jedi Order but now compares only to any other criminal trying to make a living in the underworld yet pieces of that good person remained within him.

[member="Scourge"]

 

[Scourge]

Scourge rubbed a bit of Bacta gel on his stomach. He grunted in pain as the gel began to foam up and seal the wound. While Scourge dressed the wound, all over the casino durasteel shutters slammed shut. Automated blaster’s targeted the Vong Mandalorian and he raised his hands slowly. Trained guards approached with rifles raised. Scourge made no move to rise from his seat at the buffet, partly because he was afraid his guts would go spilling out of his stomach and partly because he didn't want some trigger happy fool to shoot him again.

Feth Scourge thought to himself. His mind began to race as he attempted to think of ways to get out of his current situation. As his mind panicked the calming melodious voice spoke up, reassuring him that if he were to die at least it wouldn't be alone

I sense a chaotic presence approaching She told him

I have no time for your riddles! Scourge thought and the voice ceased, leaving Scourge alone to face whatever came next.

Silence spread across the casino and the crowd of onlookers began to stir, parting ways like the red sea to allow for what, Scourge could only imagine. He figured it would be a Hutt or some brutish enforcer. Instead a man with extensive cybernetics and a lightsaber appeared before him.

"You. I want to hear a very good reason of why you are causing a major havoc inside my casino. The answer better be satisfactory or I swear I'll slice your body in half." The saber wielding foe said vehemently, his voice seeping with anger.

Not a Jedi then, at least not a very good one… Scourge thought about the man. Scourge slowly, ever so slowly reached into his armor. The guards immediately raised their rifles once more and trained all guns on Scourge.

“Now, now boy's,” Scourge growled in as soothing a tone as he could manage “I have here a license to hunt in Hutt space. This comes directly from the Bounty Hunters Guild. Issued by the big Wook himself,” Scourge finished and withdrew the small holopad from his armor. He raised it high into the air as if it were a proclamation from god himself. Scourge could only hope it would bring him his deliverance. “That Rodian there had a price on his head, which was placed by the big Hutt Gorba himself,” Scourge said hoping it would be enough to stop the force user from cleaving him in two.

[Member="Ar'ekk"]

 

[Arekk]

At the mention of Gorba The Hutt and for his major surprise, Ar'ekk ordered all his men to holster their weapons but keep an alert state inside the casino until everything was under control. He began to walk towards the Vong Mandalorian with a slow yet menacing pace, the hissing sound made as he breathed was regulated through the half-mask he wore. The young warrior snatched the holopad from Scourge's grasp and gave it a brief read, acknowledging the information provided and understanding the situation.

It was known that he wasn't a very big fan of altercations because they attracted a high amount of unwanted attention and that would ruin his business and income drastically. Anyone willing to perform contract kills must wait until their objective(s) have left the premises.

"You see now... I understand you're doing your job but there's a set of rules here in this territory. My territory." He began to speak loudly enough for everyone to hear.

"But I don't want corpses laying around the businesses I own. Not only you're scaring my customers, you're messing with my credits. No one gets in my way when it comes to money."

He walked closer to the Mandalorian that struggled to remain in a comfortable position as he tried to treat the wound left behind by the Rodian's early shot that hit his guts. With a swift hand gesture, a medic came to his rescue and began treating his injury that posed no threat to his life.

"Bring him to the VIP area, make sure to confiscate his weapons and hand them back once he leaves. Get things back to normality, we're losing credits as we speak." The young Jedi commanded to a squad of armed men who promptly raised the durasteel protections and proceeded to let business flow as usual, all turrets going back to normality as well.

Ar'ekk disappeared as he blended through the crowd watching the commotion and headed for the aforementioned location where he would be expecting his new "friend".

[member="Scourge"]

 

[Scourge]

Scourge was promptly raised from his seat by a pair of large bouncers. They removed his pistol and wrist launchers. After he was stripped of weaponry they began to drag him towards the VIP area. Scourge cursed his luck for the hundredth time. He attempted to break free of the bouncers grasp, but found their hands locked iron tight. Even if he did break free he was unsure he could stand, so great was the pain in his stomach that he thought he might faint. Not that it mattered, he was sure he would meet his end in the VIP area. The Jedi did not seem one to be trifled with and Scourge had done quite the trifling…

What Scourge found in the lavish room was not what he had expected. The bouncers set Scourge down on plush fur cushions and promptly left. A large hookah sat on a table nearby, A beautiful Twi’lek serving girl stood timidly in the corner, and a rich ornate chandelier illuminated the room. Scourge moved his hand to remove his helmet, but remembered the woman in the room. It was against the Mandalorian code to let Auretii see his face, but he was dying damn it. He removed the helmet than wiped the sweat off his brow. He beckoned the girl over and she approached carefully.

“Pressure, here,” Scourge said pointing to his wound. The girl placed a hand on the bloody bacta bandage. “Harder!” Scourge grunted.

She did as commanded and scourge bit his fist as the pain rocked his body. He felt his abdomen and knew the wound was clean. Still he needed to stop the internal bleeding. He withdrew a small syringe from his armored coat pocket and motioned for the Twi'lek to move her hand. He jabbed the needle into his stomach and almost screamed as the drug went to work. The internal bleeding stopped and the wound cauterized from the bacta, Scourge could now rest easy. Now he just had to wait for the Jedi...

[member="Ar'ekk"]