Act 01: Heavenly Bodies

[Captain Larraq]

The Myrkr Campaign
Act 01: Heavenly Bodies

Blue, red, and yellow lights played along the floor. Purple, green, and orange lights danced along the walls. Dozens of other colors shifted and moved along the ceiling. He could feel the music vibrating within himself as much as he heard it. The low frequency vibrations filled the room pervaded all things. “Bass” it was called. Larraq had never been overly fond of it, but he knew how it tended to effect the women who came to such establishments.

The club smelled of drugs and sweat. Sweet odors mingled with each other as drops of liquid spilled from one drink or another. Women moved and pulsed with the rhythm of the room. Dark hair, light hair, no hair. Pale skin, dark skin, pink and green skin. Yellow and blue, human and alien. The women pulsed and moved in a thousand different flavors and styles. Some wore outlandish gowns appealing to their species. Others wore seductive skirts and dresses from Coruscant stores and popular culture. Others wore nearly nothing, dancing in only a transparent body glove or having stripped to their undergarments.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq sat on a dark red leather sofa on the third floor of the establishment. A tinted window let him look down at the pulsing mass of people below him. Various glasteel and metal cages and platforms ascended and lowered themselves through the air above the main dance floor as gogo dancers gyrated within their confines. A circular railing protected the drinkers and dancers on the second floor from violently joining the horde of bodies on the floor below them. And in the VIP booth where Rygel Larraq sat alone, there was only a circular table and a leather bench that wrapped around it. The VIP booth he resided in was a permeant rental of his. A... Fringe benefit. And a tax deductible one, apparently. Something about 'therapeutic treatments' and emotional health. So long as his company paid at least 200,000 credits for his 'medically necessary treatments', they avoided over 800,000 credits in taxes.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq took a sip from the swirling mix of colors that was his drink. <I'll never understand taxes.> He thought to himself as he silently thanked his lawyer for the 'perks' owning a room in this establishment provided him. The drink danced along his tongue and shifted flavors as he let it sit in his mouth a moment before swallowing the contents. The music, muffled from the private confines of his booth, has actually at a pleasant decibel instead of the usual earsplitting roar.

The rest of the circular, red booth was empty. Larraq could still see the smudges on the glass table where the barback had wiped down rings of moisture and taken his discarded drinks from the room. Unlike the other VIP rooms at this establishment, whose dark confines often swelled with merrymakers eager to violate whatever sanitation or public behavior laws this planet enforced, the booth owned by Rygel Larraq was quiet and secluded. A place where the Mandalorian could relax and enjoy the show made by the mindless droves below.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Occasionally he brought business partners here. Other times he hired 'professionals' to help distract one of his guests as he gained intel on the man or woman. Bribes and blackmail were as much a part of business as paychecks and tax evasion. And Rygel Larraq had long ago took it upon himself to master every aspect of successfully managing a business.

Larraq had brought himself here to unwind. A long day of contracts and paperwork had taken their toll on his patience, and his fingers still ached from the hundreds of signatures he had performed over the course of a days work. There were many days when Larraq missed the simpler days of commanding ships and drilling crew in one maneuver or another. This was quickly turning out to be one of them.

 

[Captain Larraq]

The brief flare of an open flame illuminated Rygel Larraq's face as he lit a cigarette loosely pressed between his lips. I sharp breath of air followed by a stream of thick smoke erupting from his nostrils marked the beginning of his relaxation. This was not the life he had set out to live. Mandalorian by birth and by choice, he was always and forever a soldier first and foremost. Even if he didn't always act like it.

His father and mother were soldiers. His sister and brother were soldiers. Larraq... Larraq was a businessman. He had the mind for it and he had the heart for it. What had started as a means to an end, as a way to better provide for and empower his clan had turned into empire building, pure and simple. Larraq had become a true capitalist along the way. And he wasn't always happy about it.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq absently thought about his projects on Obredaan as his left arm reached out to lean against the back of the booth and his right rested against the table and loosely held the cigarette between two of his fingers. The hint of movement and the sudden increase in decibel of the music drew his attention to the now partially opened door. A young, pretty face looked back at him. A coy smile and a flirty black dress scampered into the room, followed by two cohorts with obviously similar mindsets.

The perfect distraction.

 

[Captain Larraq]

The three of them obviously felt they were being daring. Sneaking past the bouncer and slipping into a VIP booth for some excitement. Two human girls with amber skin, one with red hair and a black dress, the other with light, sandy hair and a frilly skirt with a white top. The last of the trio of troublemakers was an orange-skinned Togrutian in a red and gold dress. The three of them hurried in, drinks in hand and giggling amongst themselves as they quickly closed the door.

The red haired woman found her way to the booth first. She sat well enough away from him to not intrude on his personal space, but close enough to show obvious interest. “Hi.” She said, as if it was clever. “I'm Firaxa. This is Brilla.” added as she smiled at the woman in the skirt. “and A'denla.” she said smiling at the Togrutian. “Our friend, Kei'ta, said you looked like you could use some company.” She said as her smile got even bigger.

 

[Captain Larraq]

That explained it then. Larraq thought to himself as he quietly took a sip of his drink. The barback had let them into the VIP floor. That meant that they were either here to get in trouble and have a little excitement, or they were expecting to be paid for their time with him. The smiles on their faces and the subtle glances at one another for acknowledgement and encouragement told him which of the two it was.

“I'm Larraq.” He said with a polite nod as he took another drag from his cigarette. “Let me get you ladies started on the next round.” He said as each of them beamed with excitement. Their fun little venture had paid off and, at the very least, their new host would be buying the rounds for the rest of the night. Pressing a small button built into the wood and metal frame of the table, Larraq keyed the intercom and placed his order for the bartender. “I'll take three Twi'lek shooters, four Bandomeer specials, and a Wayland slammer.” He said into the air. A friendly voice acknowledged the order. From the looks on their faces, only two of the girls recognized all the drinks he had ordered. The brunette must not get out quite as often as her friends.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“So what do you do, Mr Larraq?” Asked the Togrutian, her gaze drifting down to his shirt, then back to his eyes. Glancing down for a second, Larraq realized that he was still in the officer's uniform he had worn to work. If half inteligent, they would know that he worked for a private military in some formal capacity. They hadn't appeared to recognize his name, so they likely knew little to nothing of the inner workings of Mandal Hypernautics and her security subsidiary.

“I work with a private military and contract to Clan Dem'adas.” Larraq said to the women. No need letting them know just how many zeroes were in his bank account. The last thing he needed was one of these women chasing after him for financial support. “So tell me, what do you wonderful women do?” Larraq asked them as he shifted his gaze between the three of them.

 

[Captain Larraq]

The brunette in the skirt and blouse sipped shyly at her drink for a moment before speaking up. “I'm a tatoo artist.” Brilla said finally, seemingly unsure how the 'handsome man in a uniform' would respond to the work she did. Larraq flashed a practiced smile at the young woman. Her profession made her choice of attire a little easier to understand. Her shoulders and upper arms were likely covered in tatoos. Thus the blouse that covered so much of her skin.

“Always a valued profession among the clans. You'll have to show me your work sometime.” Larraq said to her, watching as she tried to figure out if he was being honest or polite. “Sure thing.” She said, her left hand moving to touch her thigh where Larraq could only assume a rather impressive tatoo was hidden.

 

[Captain Larraq]

A'denla, the Togrutian finished off her drink before realizing that it was her turn. “I'm a sniper.” she said flatly. “I do private contracts and some mercenary work on the side.” She continued as she sat her drink on the table and glanced at the door to see if her replacement was here yet. Looking back at the table, she squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose in a slightly adorable way. “I think I took a job from Clan Dem'adas once. Helping to deal with the Fel Empire that tried to spring up when the Sith Empire collapsed.”

Larraq grinned at her for a moment before responding. He actually had to admit a genuine interest in the woman. Anywhere else in the galaxy, and this conversation would not be happening. Even in Hutt Cartel space or in the deep of the Galactic Fringe, you cannot find a more open an accepting culture. Violence is a part of being a Mandalorian as much as freedom is. Nearly every Mandalorian was trained to be a competent warrior. It was simply a part of the culture. As such, those who find themselves gainfully employed in a violent job have far more social prestige than anywhere else in the galaxy. Telling a Mandalorian that you are an assassin would be like telling a Republic Citizen that you are a Surgeon.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“The Fel Empire was a fragile one. They went the way of their big brother without a single major conflict. I think the most fighting we saw took place when we secured Muunilist.” Larraq said as he took another sip of his drink and returned to what little was left of his cigarette. “That's a pretty competitive job market you got yourself into.” Larraq said to her. “What's your longest shot with a confirmed kill?” He asked with a moment of genuine intrigue. Hyperion Security was always hiring skilled marksmen, and he could think of more than a few reasons to keep a beautiful and deadly sniper on his payroll.

The Trogutian's eyes searched the corners of her vision as she appeared to think about the question for a moment. “I think my best kill was somewhere in the 3.2km to 3.5km range.” She said at last. “Though I clipped an officer at 5km once!” She added with a brief light in her eyes. Clearly, the woman loved what she did.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“That's not bad at all.” Larraq said to her with a fare bit of honesty. “If you're ever short on contract, you should give Hyperion Security a call. They should have some fairly steady work for someone with your skills.” Larraq added as he stamped out the remains of his cigarette in the ashtray and picked up what was left of his drink. Turning to Firaxa, Larraq asked, “And you?”

“I do porn.” The redhead blurted out proudly. To which Larraq spat out his drink in a violent spray. A chorus of laughter soon followed. Larraq looked her over once more while he wiped his lips dry. “Just kidding.” She said with a grin from ear to ear. “But I've got the body for it, don't you think?” She added, jutting her chest out in the process. Larraq nodded with a smile of his own as he acknowledged the quality of her physiology.

Larraq laughed heartedly as he wiped the remains of his drink from himself and the table. “So what do you really do?” Larraq asked Firaxa when he finally free of the burning sensation of alcohol in his nasal cavity. He was surprised to find himself engaged in the conversation with these women. He rarely found such 'social creatures' to have a value beyond the purely physical. “Besides have a body for porn.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“I'm a mechanical engineer.” Firaxa said with a satisfied grin. “I build and repair custom speeders and own my own shop.” She added as Larraq smiled at her. Truth be told, he was almost a little disappointed that someone in her profession hadn't recognized him. But then again, until recent years he wouldn't have been able to identify the head of MandalMotors or MandalTech either. So maybe he should cut her a little slack.

“That's impressive that you've got something to call your own.” Larraq said to the energetic redhead. “Running your own business isn't always easy. Competition is a queen and a half, advertisement costs are through the roof, and you never know if your most recent gamble is going to pay off.” He added with a bit more honesty than he had intended. It was unusual to find women that were actually worth holding a conversation with in these kind of establishments.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq looked up as the door opened and a young blond woman in a skimpy skirt poked her head in. “Sorry to interrupt.” The young woman said apologetically as she shouldered her way into the room. “I wanted to make sure I wasn't walking in on anything.” She admitted as she turned to face the four of them, tray of drinks held in front of her with both hands. “But your drinks are ready Mr. Larraq.”

Larraq smiles at the nervous girl and waved her in. “The three Twi'lek shooters.” Larraq said gesturing to the far side of the table where his three guests were seated. “The Wayland slammer.” He added holding his index finger in the air to signal that the drink was to go to him. “And a Bandomeer special for each of us.” Larraq finished.

 

[Captain Larraq]

The young girl smiled and a twinkle danced across her eyes as she moved forward and began placing drinks. “Would you like me to turn up the music in here Mr Larraq?” She asked as she worked her way through the placement. The music was still muffled slightly by the sound-proofing of the rooms and allowed for Larraq to hold a conversation with his guests. He was about to tell her no, when the Brilla and A'denla seemed to perk up. “I've been wanting to dance all night.” Said Brilla. “Is it alright if she turns up the music Mr Larraq?” She asked.

“Sorry to disappoint you hun, but I don't dance.” Larraq said apologetically to the pair. A slight pout crossed Brilla's glossed lips. “But we can go ahead and crank up the music for you two. Anything you want the DJ to play?” Larraq asked the pair of girls. The blond barback folded her carrying tray under her left arm and pulled out a small notepad and pencil, as if she were about to take an order.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“Um... oh! Danger Avenue, the Popo Shuffle, and the Sith Slide!” Brilla said enthusiastically. A'denla had a look of obvious disdain cross her face before proclaiming, “No, scratch that. What's playing now is fine.” Brilla pouted again briefly before finally seeming to accept her judgement. “You guys never let me play my music...” She said dejectedly.

“No. And for good reason.” Firaxa said, finally joining the conversation. “It's terrible.” A'denla and Firaxa laughed with each other while Larraq chuckled along with them. Brilla simply shrugged and began bobbing her head in rhythm to the suddenly louder music in the room. The three of them acted like they had known each other for a very, very long time. It was actually kind of heartening to see.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq knocked back his Wayland Shooter and began to slowly sip away at the contents of the Bandomeer Special that sat before him. The girls assembled before him likewise worked at their drinks as the conversation devolved into whispers between the girls and rhythmic body movements in synch with the music flooding the room.

“So what brings you to Adumar?” Firaxa asked as her two friends discussed music artists and song remix's over their drinks. The two women smiling as the alcohol caused a flushing of their cheeks and their bodies subconsciously moved rhythmically with the sounds coursing through the speakers. Larraq's own toes tapped along in synch to the beat pulsing through the floor.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“This booth has been available to me for years now.” Larraq said as he nursed his drink. “I was in the quadrant for business anyway and figured I would take the time to relax and enjoy what was mine.” He continued as he enjoyed the flavor of his drink as the cold liquid lingered on his tongue long after swallowing.

“You must be quite the busy man.” Firaxa said as she continued the conversation. Her body pointed at the man and her chest thrust out ever so slightly. Her body language was one of obvious attraction and interest. “Adumar is so far from the core of Mandalorian interests. I can't imagine what could have brought you out here.” She added as she scooted closer and sipped at her drink.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq pretended to have trouble hearing her over the sounds of the music and scooted closer as well. “As an advisor and military contractor with Clan Dem'adas and Mandal Hypernautics, Adumar is actually a very central location.” Larraq explained between sips of his drink. “ Between its closeness to the Republic's border and the factories of Mandal Hypernautics that exist on the planet, not to mention the sizable colony put up by Clan Dem'adas, the planet is actually quite important in my social circle.”

“I would never have thought as much.” Firaxia said with a smile before sipping daintily at her drink. “Most of us from Adumar consider the planet to be... remote. We generally cannot recall the last time the planet held any importance before the 'clans came and annexed us.” She said with a hint of confliction over the matter.