A Quick Chat

[Ashin Varanin]

"[member="Tobias Wraith"]?"

The questioner was Alec Rekali, a rep for the people that owned this place, planet, and system, in that order. Scumbag spacer was the dress order of the day.

"I'm Captain Alec Rekali," she said, entering the training room. "There's a problem involving you, fifty thousand credits, a twenty-four-hour grace period, and a threat to my clan's territory and the whole Yavin Academy."

He seemed like the sort of person to cut to the chase, but then again, she didn't really care what sort of person he was. Time was of the essence. Pressure on.

"Do I have your attention?"

 

[Tobias Wraith]

Tobias Wraith wasn't the type to meditate, despite his best efforts. He had only been freshly promoted to the rank of Knight, and had joined a whole other Jedi Order. Still spinning from the events of the past few weeks, he had come back to his old home on Yavin IV to simply find a center. After years of being on the run, well he found himself having that exact same feeling again. So he was there in the training room, with the lights off attempting to find his center.

Attempt being the key word.

The door opened, and he stood and spun around to face the woman who had entered. She spoke, and he felt a familiar headache forming.

"Yes, it's a Twi'lek named Anaya Fen. She's a Sith Master who knew my father and managed to get me to take money from her company while I was just a smuggler. You have my full attention."

Wraith took a step forward, whatever smile there turning into a hard line.

"What do you need from me."

[member="Alec Rekali"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tobias Wraith"]

Good; he could be direct, roll with a punch. That might go a long way toward sorting this out. She hadn't expected someone this collected. "Depends on if you're in a position to pony up fifty grand within twenty-three hours and thirty minutes. If you are, this all goes away. If you're not, my job's to make sure this doesn't put the Academy and the Yavin system at risk -- and Fen has pretty much guaranteed that it will."

She came a little closer, doing her level best to read him. The Yavin system was fairly well defended -- there was even a theatre shield these days, and planetary emplacements -- but it might be vulnerable to a subtler infiltration than the one Fen had tried.

"I speak for the clan father on this, and he's authorized me to do pretty much whatever I have to do if you're not in a position to pay. Up to and including giving you the money straight up, or expelling you from the Yavin system. My question to you is, what's going to satisfy Anaya Fen? Because if she makes a move and collateral damage happens on Rekali turf, it's war. And believe it or not, the clan isn't in the mood to go to war over a Jedi's gambling debts."

 

[Tobias Wraith]

"I understand, this is your turf." He had been a smuggler, he knew the rules of the game. How many times had he run through interdiction units and blockades, or had similar situations pop up? A few times it had been for those traveling with him, or unlucky patrons at bars he had frequented. Only twice had it been him, and the beatings that had happened hadn't exactly been fun. If he pulled his shirt up, he could show a few nice scars and burn marks from the men who had "taken" the money out of him. Toby shuddered at the thought, but was grateful for the terms that had been negotiated before this had been brought to him. Thank goodness she only wants me or the money, I can handle that.

"No, keep your money. I don't gamble anymore, and haven't in some time. This isn't your mess, and I'm sorry you got involved. Had I known she could track me, I would have gone far away from any Jedi sanctuary." His face was calm, but his heart was beating a little faster. Tobias didn't want to leave, but it appeared he had no choice.

"So I guess I gather my things and leave? Or am I required to go to her?"

[member="Alec Rekali"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tobias Wraith"]

"She never mentioned it. If twenty-four hours go by and you haven't paid what you owe, she'll be coming for you and anyone who gives you shelter. And, possibly, anyone who's given you shelter. So there's a risk to just expelling you. That's why, far as I can tell, the safest course of action is for us to give you what you owe. At which point," she said firmly, cutting off any reiteration of his refusal before it could happen, "you would owe us the fifty thousand, with far more reasonable terms than hers. Fifty percent compounded per day is what she said, starting tomorrow. Ludicrous rate, but you've got a Sith Lord's back up on a matter of principle. And that takes some doing.

"So. Do you go running, knowing that your debt will jeopardize your ability to do your job for the Order? Or are you going to accept the Rekali clan as your creditor instead of Fen? We have no special interest in holding this over you or controlling your actions, and we don't care about fifty thousand credits. We mine fething Corusca gems. I'm giving you the offer because it seems like the safest one."