Private A Pattern Begins

[Meri Vale]

Nar Shaddaa never slept.

It only shifted—noise folding into noise, light bleeding into light—until the senses dulled from overload rather than rest. Meri stayed close to the solid, familiar presence beside her as they moved through the middle city, letting the press of bodies flow around them instead of through her. She focused on details that made sense: the rhythm of foot traffic, the pattern of illuminated signage, the weight of her notebook tucked securely under her arm.

Crowds were more manageable when she could observe rather than engage.

The stalls here were less chaotic than the lower levels, but no less strange. Half-repaired devices, antique-looking components, things that pretended to be history, and things that actually were. Meri slowed near one display without quite realizing it, her attention caught by an astrogation chip etched with markings that didn't match any modern cartographic standard she recognized.

Her fingers twitched, resisting the urge to touch.

She became aware of someone standing close—too close for comfort—before any sound reached her. Meri stiffened, shoulders drawing in slightly as she turned just enough to acknowledge the presence without fully facing it.

She listened, not to words at first, but to intent. To the way the attention felt directed, focused not on her but on the notebook she carried, on the way she had paused instead of passing by. Her grip tightened unconsciously.

"I'm just looking," Meri said quietly, the words automatic, defensive, without being hostile. The response she received confirmed what she had already suspected: this wasn't a chance encounter. Her pulse ticked up, but her mind stayed calm. That usually meant something mattered.

A request followed. Transport. Protection. A place missing from the charts. An artifact older than the records that pretended to define the galaxy now. Each piece fit together too neatly to be a coincidence, and yet none of it felt exaggerated. If anything, it felt restrained—carefully presented.

She hated that part of herself that leaned in at the mention of lost worlds.

Meri lowered her gaze for a moment, grounding herself, then looked back up. "Why me?" she asked, softly but clearly. The answer—nonverbal, implied, tied to her earlier hesitation and what she had noticed without realizing—settled in her chest with quiet weight. She exhaled slowly.

Nar Shaddaa's noise pressed in again: passing speeders, distant sirens, voices rising and falling without meaning. The city didn't care what she decided. It never did. Meri adjusted the notebook under her arm, fingers resting along its worn spine. "I don't make decisions quickly," she said after a moment. "And I don't take jobs I don't understand."

She paused, eyes flicking briefly to the space beside her, then back again. "But I will listen." It wasn't an agreement. Not yet. But it was enough to keep her standing there, instead of disappearing back into the crowd.

RedSword77

 

[RedSword77]

The city had changed in the last twenty-five to fifty years. Being in hibernation mode, the droid had missed a lot. RED-1 stayed close to Meri, a familiar presence being beside her, as they moved through the middle city, letting the press of bodies flow around the large droid instead of colliding with them. RED focused on what still made sense, the rhythm of foot traffic and the pattern of illuminated signs lining the walkways. Crowds were easier to manage while the droid was moving; people instinctively stepped aside.

The stalls here were less chaotic than those in the lower levels, though no less strange. Bizarre devices sat beside antique-looking components. Some feigning history, others genuinely old. RED-1 slowed near one display without quite realizing it, attention drawn to Meri as she studied an astrogation chip etched with markings that matched none of the modern cartographic standards.

RED watched as a male Twi'lek began speaking to her. As per standard protocol for RED, it began to watch for signs of deceit from the Twi'lek. There was none as they talked. They were on R&R for a time, and RED was looking forward to it, then things started to turn as Meri spoke to the male Twi'lek. GuffinMac was the name of a male historian of some sort. As they talked, RED just kept watching the area.

GuffinMac tilted his head a little, looking at RED-1. "Interesting droid you have." He stated with a smile. This chip contains map data, but some of the astrogation charts are missing, so the map is incomplete," said GuffinMac. "My sources and study say there is an ancient artifact on the planet. I don't know how long it is from Nar Shaddaa to the mystery planet," he explained. "Can you get this chip working and fill in the blanks?" GuffinMac asked, looking at the chip.

RED spoke up. "Master Meri, the astrogation charts are centuries old, I do have some charts I can add that I have stored. it might give you what you need Master Meri if you would like," added RED in his calm and professional voice.


Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri listened without interrupting, her attention fixed on the chip resting between them rather than on the faces around her. Nar Shaddaa's noise pressed in from every direction, but this—this was familiar. Incomplete data. Gaps that meant something.

She took the chip carefully, turning it just enough for the etched markings to catch the light. Her brow furrowed, not in confusion, but in concentration.

"It isn't broken," she said quietly. "It's…selective."

Her thumb hovered over one section, never quite touching. "These omissions aren't random. Whoever made this didn't erase the route—they obscured it. Like leaving landmarks but removing the paths between them."

She paused, then nodded slightly, as if confirming something to herself.

"If you fill the gaps directly, it won't work," Meri continued. "The original data was probably designed to resist straightforward reconstruction. But if you layer compatible charts—older ones, from before standard hyperspace lanes were enforced—you can sometimes infer what's missing by what still aligns."

At RED-1's offer, she looked up at him, relief flickering across her expression. "That would help," she said softly. "A lot."

Her gaze returned to the chip.

"I can try to reconcile the patterns," Meri added. "But it will take time. And…we shouldn't do it here." She glanced around the crowded walkway, instinctively drawing the chip closer to her. "Places like this notice when something stops being ordinary."

RedSword77

 

[RedSword77]

GuffinMac is a historian and archaeologist. Looked back at the two first at the droid, warily, then at Meri with a smile. He was hiding something. Meri and RED could tell he was good at persuading people to do things they might not normally do. The two adventurers had seen this before in their travels, and RED could tell by watching the Twi'lek's body language.
"I would like to hire you for your services for a simple transport and navigation job. For a planet that has been off the astrogation charts for centuries, a planet on which I am looking for an ancient artifact," explained GuffinMac, looking at Meri. He spoke in a cheerful, friendly tone. "And you're pretty lady too". GuffinMac added with a wink.
There was a growl from RED, who stood at full height and leaned in some, making the droid's size apparent. The droid's eyes turned red and flashed like lights on a police speeder or droid. Red spoke with a warning. "I am not allowed to kill you, Sir. But you dont need a hand or fingers to live." The warning was absolute, with no wavering in the droid's tone.
GuffinMac stepped back, raising his hand in serinder. "I meant no offense, Miss. Please call your droid off. I will not harm you," He pleaded with Meri, fear in his eyes and his hands trembling.


Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri felt the tension spike before the growl finished echoing.

Her shoulders stiffened, not in fear of RED-1, but in sharp awareness of how quickly things could turn wrong in a place like this. She lifted one hand immediately, palm angled toward the droid in a small, precise gesture meant to calm rather than command.

"RED," she said quietly, firmly enough to be heard without raising her voice. "Stand down. Please."

She didn't look away from GuffinMac as she spoke, though. Her gaze stayed steady now, the earlier hesitation replaced by something more grounded. Not anger. Boundaries.

"I don't need protection from compliments," Meri said, evenly. "But I also don't appreciate being addressed that way in a professional conversation."

She took a half step forward, enough to place herself clearly in the exchange without crowding him.

"You're asking for transport and navigation to a planet that's been missing from the charts for centuries," she continued. "That's not a simple job. And people who call it that are usually leaving something out."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, not accusing, just observant.

"You don't have to explain everything," Meri added. "But you do need to be honest about the risks. And about why you want us, specifically."

She paused, then finished calmly:

"And if you're trying to persuade me, flattery isn't the way to do it."

Meri lowered her hand only after a beat, trusting RED-1 to read her tone as clearly as her words. She waited then, patient and watchful, giving GuffinMac space to decide whether he wanted to continue the conversation truthfully—or not at all.

RedSword77

 

[RedSword77]

GuffinMac raised his hands in a surrender. "No, no, not trying to sweet-talk you or con you. Just trying to get some help with this research, and I will pay you for your work," he replied. "I have a good ship at the docks and several universities that will fund me well," he explained "You will see. I speak the truth," he said as he picked up his pack and started to put things away.
RED-1 looked GuffinMac over and paused. "He does speak the truth; he is not lying," the droid said with little emotion in its tone. "But, Sir, if you try or cause harm to her, it will not be suitable for you to live." The droid warned. She is well-liked by many. With the Droids thinking that was not a lie, and there was a crew that would not be happy if she just disappeared.
"I understand. I don't have a custom YT-2400 called Vagabond in port pad 53." The Twi'lek explains as he finishes closing everything up. "So you coming?" He asked with an exsided tone. It was his first chance to get to the artifact. The artifact would be an essential find for historians.

Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri did not answer right away.

She stood there with her hands folded around her notebook, eyes lowered as if she were studying the scuffed floor between them, but in truth she was listening to everything at once. The cadence of GuffinMac's voice. The way his excitement bled through his attempt at calm. RED-1's assessment, precise and unembellished, carried more weight with her than the Twi'lek's assurances ever could.

When she finally spoke, her voice was quiet but steady.

"I understand why this matters to you," Meri said. "Finding something that's been lost for that long…it changes how people understand the past."

She looked up then, meeting GuffinMac's eyes only briefly before shifting her gaze back to neutral ground.

"But I need to be clear," she continued, choosing her words with care. "I'm not a hired hand who disappears into dangerous places without knowing where I'm going or why. If I help you, it's because the work itself matters, not because I was pressured or flattered into it."

Her fingers tightened slightly on the notebook's spine, then relaxed.

"I'll come," Meri said at last. "On the condition that everything stays transparent. Where we're going, what you expect to find, and what risks you're aware of. No surprises."

She glanced at RED-1, just for a heartbeat, reassurance and trust passing silently between them, before looking back to GuffinMac.

"And if at any point this stops being about history," she added softly, "I walk away."

The words were not a threat. Just a boundary, stated as plainly as she knew how.

After a moment, she gave a small nod.

"Lead the way. Pad fifty-three, you said."

RedSword77

 

[RedSword77]

"Agreed, young lady, I have nothing to hide. The biggest problem I normally have is large animals trying to eat me when I explore." GuffinMac replied, walking through the crowd. toward the ship pads or bays, the walk took 20 minutes, a long 20 minutes. The streets were crowded with all sorts of races. It was a typical spaceport, a little off the normal space lines. not so far as to not be in reach of supplies, but to stay unnoticed if you wanted to.

RED would at times walk in front to part the crowd so they could walk through. There was only one Quarren who tried to push RED aside when RED was in the front. First with one hand, then with two, RED just looked down at the Quarren. It did look comical, the Quarren pushing RED. Who then decided that messing with the droid could be a bad idea? "Stupid droid, go walk into a trash compactor," the man said, walking off.

RED spoke up as they walked. " GuffinMac, are you sure you are alone, and no one is reaching to the relic you are searching for?" The droid was direct in his questing. and looked at GuffinMac intently.

GuffinMac looked over at RED and answered, "No, I don't believe so," almost as if he were questioning himself.
RED stopped for a moment, then seemed to be thinking. "We have five men behind us, and they have been following for 15 minutes. Call me paranoid, but they stopped when we stopped, but are still watching us." RED informed the others.


Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri slowed half a step without meaning to, her gaze drifting just enough to catch reflections in a viewport and the polished edge of a stall canopy. She did not turn around. She never did when she was trying to be sure.

"I don't think you're paranoid," she said quietly, pitching her voice low so it blended into the surrounding noise. "Crowds don't move like that unless they're waiting for something."

Her fingers tightened briefly around the strap of her bag before she forced them to relax.

"If they've stayed back this long, they're not looking for a confrontation," Meri continued, thoughtful rather than alarmed. "They're watching to see where we go. Or who breaks formation first."

She glanced up toward GuffinMac, then back ahead, eyes scanning for wider intersections, security posts, anything that might change the flow of foot traffic.

"We shouldn't acknowledge them yet," she added after a moment. "If they think we've noticed, they'll either peel off or rush us. Either way, it gives them control."

A small breath.

"But if they keep following once we reach the pads," Meri finished, calm but certain, "then this isn't just curiosity. It's about whatever you're carrying. Or wherever you're taking us."

RedSword77