Anonymous Contact

[Sebastian Thel]

​

Another notification sprung up on Sebastian's inbox. Scrolling through messages on his communicator, he reviewed the coordinates sent by the anonymous contact with whom he had conversed for weeks. Space soared beyond the thick pane of the shuttle, separating him from the technology within and a indigo blanket, dotted sparsely with searing white dots.

Xone: "Just arriving now."

Sebastian typed into the holo-communicator. For his own safety, he used an alias. With no desire to affect his career and place in the civilized galaxy by any shady involvement, he kept his identity a secret when organizing work over the holo-net. The message sent and he switched off the communicator, sliding the handheld device into the pocket of his coat.

The shuttle surged into the landing bay. Beings of indiscernible race and mechanical enhancements shifted in their seats beside Sebastian, who checked his communicator one last time before rising to his feet. He wore a long, beige coat which fell to his knees over puffy trousers which tucked into socks and lace-up shoes. Gripping the strap of the satchel which hung around his chest, he walked to the landing ramp with the passengers.

Sebastian listened to the comforting sound of machinery as he entered the holding bay. Welcoming the smell of fuel and metal, he looked over the heads of spacers as the passengers dispersed. Rock caved around the structure built in the midst of an asteroid, crowning Sebastian's eyes and leading him to Point Nadir. His contact had sent him the address a cantina, for which he viewed the many ports and openings where crime lurked in the shadows.

Pushing narrow, thick-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, Sebastian read each sign as he walked. He arrived at an arcade and looked away from a waitress who passed him a devilish glance. Jazz music played at a dull tempo and invited him inside with a curious glint in his eye. Taking a breath, he turned around and tapped her on the arm.

"I'm looking for a man, he goes by Storm." Sebastian asked quietly. The Twi'lek clicked her tongue and pointed to one of the booths by the wall, where a lone figure sat and scanned a datapad. Nodding in thanks, Sebastian walked towards the corner.

Breathing in and out, he tried to ignore the smell of bodies cramped together and the alcohol they lapped. He strode closer to the booth in the corner, making eye contact with the man before the datapad. Sitting down with his back perfectly straight, he placed his hands neatly on the table and looked around nervously. His eyes shifted from one wall and the other, before he opened his quivering lips.

"You know me." Sebastian said in a voice quiet and mellow, offering consideration towards the plight of the man.

[member="Thrask Morn Lorr"]

 

[Lief]

"Xone, I presume."

The young man didn't bother to look up from his datapad as he spoke quietly in response to the individual who had sat down in his booth. As with most days the cantina-turned-club was alive with music, women, and flowing alcohol. Men of all walks of life sat among its rocky interior, so many of them with glaring tells as to their intentions. All he needed to do was give them a two second glance over and he could deduce their reason for being here. Their vice, so to speak. Credits, addictions, three minutes in a back room with one of the Twi'leks... Whatever their reason, they'd find the answer here.

Perhaps that was why he'd chosen it. Compared to most, he dissolved into the background.

"It does always intrigue me to find someone dedicated to preserving their online security. You wouldn't believe how many others I spoke to whose profiles on Spacebook gave it all away. Their lives, their lovers, their workplace, family, pets..."

He rolled his eyes ever so slightly, if Xone was paying enough attention to catch it, before shifting his arm just enough to reveal the chrono around his wrist. Unlike most in the Galaxy, the one known as "Storm" didn't actually have any real online presence. No social media, nothing to trace him through. If the one who sat across from him now presumed he could discover more by way of taking a picture, for instance, he'd have no such luck. The way it ought to be, in truth.

"You're early. Looking for work, right?"

He could swear he'd hooked this one through a job ad, after all, but he could have been wrong. How many people had he spoken to before settling on this little ball of nerves? It didn't matter, he was here and they were not.

[member="Sebastian Thel"]

 

[Sebastian Thel]

Sebastian nodded silently in response as Storm addressed him. As the other man maintained a fixed gaze on the datapad, Sebastian only assumed that he had not noticed. Swallowing a gulp, the mathematician tilted his head nervously and drummed his fingers on the table, his back perfectly straight as he surveyed the scene which unfolded around him.

"That's right." He affirmed. A Twi'lek waitress swanned over to the table and stood by, waiting for either of the men to order drinks.

"Just water, thank you." Sebastian said with a wave of his hand. The waitress screwed up her nose in bewilderment and he responded with a shrug, allowing her to leave and fetch his glass of water, despite sitting in an arcade flowing with alcohol.

When Storm lamented about others so carelessly sacrificing their details over the holonet, Sebastian managed a chuckle. That he guarded his privacy with a certain paranoia was no exaggeration. He barely filled out any of the profile information on social forums, keeping the sections blank to his contacts. His conversational manner when typing remained distant, not that Sebastian cared or liked to talk about his life.

"I'm always early." Sebastian said confidently. While his social skills were lacking, he was always regarded for his organization by any employer. "Yes I am." Following a pause, he nodded to Storm and produced a notebook from his satchel. The details surrounding the offer had been vague. At the very least, Sebastian could help with the numbers in the first step to organizing the funds of his contact.

[member="Thrask Morn Lorr"]

 

[Lief]

"Same again, love," he informed the Twi'lek, without looking up from his pad, pushing the glass which had been empty for at least an hour or so at this point toward her. "He'll have one, too."

Only once she was gone did he finally switch off the datapad, set it down on the table, and glance upon him. At this point Thrask hadn't had much physical to go by concerning Xone but he had to admit he wasn't that surprised by what he saw. He even looked awkward, though it would have been rude to vocalize as much. Perhaps it would be best if he kept that observation to himself.

"Early, on time, both things I can tolerate. Just don't be late and we'll have no issues you and I. So what do I call you? Unless you like the pseudonym you've given yourself." Most didn't. They found it difficult to engage with random names they'd thought up for the sake of keeping a low profile online.

"If I recall correctly you're a code monkey, right? Got a brain for numbers? Could be that you and I can help one another out, my friend. But first I need to know what it is you're hoping to do. In this line of work it doesn't pay to be picky, above the board, below the board, you've got to be willing to do a job without thinking too hard on whether it's good and moral. You understand?"

He tapped the table for a moment, giving the lad a second or two to contemplate it, before adding, "If you can't handle breaking a few rules, you can cut your losses and I'll look back through the list of others. Just know you were my first choice, if you care about such things."

[member="Sebastian Thel"]

 

[Sebastian Thel]

As Storm ordered the same alcoholic drink for Sebastian in place of a glass of water, the mathematician raised a hand to protest. His lips slammed shut, he failed to speak before the Twi'lek swanned away. He shrugged and met the gaze of Storm, who set the datapad on the table and faced him. Sebastian's features remained unmoved, his soft brown eyes staring fixated at the table.

"My name is Sebastian Thel." Sebastian pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, leaving them on in preparation to write. He gave Strom his name quietly and confidently, relieved at no longer hearing the unfamiliar online username. "May I ask for yours?" With a suspicious tilt of his head, Sebastian wondered if the question was inappropriate.

The waitress arrived and placed an alcoholic beverage at the place of both Sebastian and his new associate. Grimacing at the smell, he raised the glass to his lips and took one, tiny sip. The awful taste caused him to wince in disgust, lapping his tongue to get rid of the flavor, if that could be called flavor. The alcohol affected his stomach and he jolted with the slight sensation of pain.

"I don't have any problems with alcohol, I just don't like the taste!" Sebastian set down the glass with a chuckle. He listened intently as Storm detailed his required task, quite certain the mysterious man would appreciate his lack of concern with his role. He was good with numbers, however he utilized that skill was not important.

"Don't worry, I'm far from fussy." He said as he gripped his stomach slightly, shaking his head with the effect of the alcohol. "I work with the numbers, nothing else really troubles me." Nodding to Storm, he shifted in slight discomfort as the slicer continued. The moral questions of the job still pressed Sebastian's mind, which he repressed and tried not to think about.

"Not even rules." Sebastian concluded following a pause. The statement was not entirely true and he respected the law out of habit, rather than a staunch moral conscience. That he had been Storm's first choice assisted his confidence and he was happy to work for somebody who had placed such faith in him.

[member="Thrask Morn Lorr"]