Backed by Blood

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Nar Shaddaa
Hhawa Kouiehh ; "Club Vicious"
Theme Music

Spoiler

Floor Plan
Floor 1: Ground Level

Main Lounge (None Business Hours Lighting)

VIP Booth (Business Lighting)
The first floor is dominated by a full service restaurant and lounge. A multitude of VIP booths line the walls. Club music is audible though not as loud as the second floor.
Floor 2: Club Level

Main Dance Floor (Business Lighting)

Main Bar (Business Lighting)
The second floor features a massive dance floor and an extensive bar room.
Sub-Floor 1: Club Members Lounge

Wait Staff offering Silver Domino Masks.
The Sub-Floors are underground. Access is restricted to Club Members only. The Members Lounge features a dance floor, dining area and smoking lounge. Full service wait staff provides food, drink and narcotics to Members.
Sub-Floor 2: The Dungeon

Private Lounge
The Dungeon is restricted to Platinum Club Members only. Private lounges cater to the darkest and most depraved citizens of the galaxy. There is no such thing as "illegal" or "taboo" in the Dungeon.​

The Crimson Lady, The Blood Matron, there were others as well, though they held a venomous edge and were typically only spoken by the woman's detractors. All the same, Zenva Vrotoa was a fierce woman prone to dramatics and grandiose displays of the wealth and power she had claimed for herself. More than a decade of work, bloody and violent work mostly, had risen the Zabrak woman from a common mercenary to a veritable Warlord fairly well known throughout the criminal underworld. From a hired killer for the once powerful Red Ravens Syndicate, to a well respected associate of The Hutt Cartel, even the occasional job for The Black Tie Syndicate, Zenva had become a force to be reckoned with in her own right.

Even here on Nar Shaddaa, the galaxy's most well known nest of corruption, the Zabrak Matron had carved out her own little territory. On the surface Hhawa Kouiehh, which translated into Basic as "Club Vicious", was just another high-end nightclub which catered to a wide variety of nefarious people. And it was true enough, the legitimate side of Club Vicious was a thriving business that sold food, liquor, and a vibrant atmosphere for partygoers.

The sub-levels on the other hand, were only accessible to those with enough credits and the right connections. Vetted clientele could buy nearly anything once they gained a place among the Club's membership lists. This was the truth of Club Vicious, a marketplace of Zenva's design where those she deemed worthy could buy, sell, and trade goods and services of a less than reputable nature. Men like [member="Cadan Tazi"] could offload whole shipments of his narcotics, and simply walk away, content in the knowledge that his product would be sold right there in the club without the need to oversee the sales personally.

Club Vicious stood as a neutral ground, safe under the aegis of The Blood Matron and her security personnel. A meeting place for those like [member="Miss Blonde"] to plan heists, or assassinations, or whatever villainous activities she was up to this week, in relative comfort. A playground for men like [member="Thraxis"] to get roaring drunk and disappear down to the Dungeon and entertain himself without the dull process of cleaning up afterwards. More importantly, at least tonight, Club Vicious stood as a safe place to meet with [member="Talak Prine"] and discuss business of another nature.

So it was that Zenva found herself seated at a VIP booth on the first floor of her club. She was dressed for war, though her attire might be misleading. Knee high leather boots over black, skin tight leggings with a black and red miniskirt at her hips. Her torso was wrapped in a brown and black leather corset and her blood red leather trench coat was draped over the back of her seat. She bore no weapons for once, obeying the laws of her own establishment. Before her, though pushed to the side, lay the remains of her dinner, little more than bones and scraps of meat left on the plate. There she waited, sipping whiskey and smoking a cigarette, her yellow-red eyes sweeping the front doors for her guest to arrive.

OOC

Spoiler

This is a meeting for Talak Prine and myself. Those who have been tagged are free to enjoy the club if they desire to.

 

[Talak Prine]

Stepping through the door of Club Vicious, the first thing that struck Talak was the sheer level of opulence on display. Nar Shadda was known just as much for its luxurious clubs as it was for it's seedy dive bars, but this was definitely among the flashiest establishments he'd been in. The image of wealth that radiated from every surface extended even to the security, as he discovered when, not three steps through the door, he was accosted by a large man who informed him that weapons were not permitted. A tight smile crossing his features, he handed over his blaster pistol and attempted to proceed, only to be stopped again.

"And the knife, Sir."

It took him a moment to realize what he was being told. How had the scanners picked up on that? Impressive. The knife, a wicked-edged trench affair, came out of his boot and was surrendered as well. "Can't blame a guy for trying, eh?" He beamed, but the guard simply stared at him, implying that in fact he was very much being blamed for trying to slip a knife past his security. Even if it had been simply because Talak had forgotten about it. "Where can I find Lady Vrotoa?" He asked, and was directed up the stairs to the VIP area. Pausing just long enough to procure a bottle of Corellian ale and a pair of glasses,he made his way upstairs.

In fairness, there had been an attempt made to wear a respectable suit. This was a business meeting after all. But, unaccustomed to such attire, he had quickly managed to wrinkle his good suit, and had discarded it for more utilitarian apparel. Light grey fatigues were the order of the day, with a brown bantha hide jacket and boots breaking up the monotony.

"Lady Vrotoa?" He ventured, coming upon the female Zabrak. It took him a moment to find himself; she was easily the most elegant Zabrak he'd ever met, and he had to make a conscious effort for his eyes not to roam her body. You're not here for that, Talak...focus. He slid into a seat opposite her, extending a cordial hand. "It's a pleasure, i'm Talak Prine."

-------
[member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Thraxis]

Thraxis took quite kindly to the gesture given by Zenva, a tear rolling down his cheek, "Well Schucks... I never get invited to these things anymore. Can't just say no now can I." he said, holding back a cry as he took to the shops not far from the Palace, getting into a fancy dress code, which consisted of simply a top hat, then in a puff of smoke, in a bewildered cry, he was gone from the Palace, the Gammoreans to look after it as he headed to Club Vicious.

Slowly his ship hovered overhead, far from the hangar bay as he stood on the open hangar, his top hat gripped in one hand, and in the other he gripped the straps of his Backpack.Hanging from his chest was his duffel bag, its straps wrapped around his Armor, he might have complete trust in Zenva, but he had no trust that Bounty Hunters wouldn't be present.

As he looked down on everything he looked to the Pilot, "Just go to the palace, I will hitch a ride with somebody else." he screamed over the pounding winds, the Pilot giving nothing more then a thumbs up as the ship flew straight up, Thraxis body plummeting down as his arms laid outstretched, as he let the wind run against his armor for a few minutes before seeing the Club in sight, then came the roaring applause of music that came with any good club.

In an instant, the strap was pulled a large unfurled level of cloth making his presence known as the Symbol of the Jackals emblazoned itself on the back, they might have become a relic of the past, but like hell he wasn't going to fly their banner with nothing short of complete splendor.

As he descended he saw the line up, "Woo howdy. Looks like there is quite a line up." he said aloud, though still too far away for his presence to be known. After a few minuets of watching the lights of Nar Shadaa he finally touched ground, his body rolling on impact as he jumped up, an estranged look by the guests as he took off his parachute, followed by a digging through his duffel bag.

After a few minutes, the guards taking note of the arsenal he carried in it he finally found it, a tube of super glue which he proceeded to lather to the top of his helmet, then placing the top hat on and letting it get settled in. Soon he found himself to the VIP entrance, "Sir, we will need to take possession of your weapons. You can't be walking around with.... any of that..." the man said as he towered over Thraxis, a dulled look in his eye as his hand rolled down towards his gun.

With a heave and a toss Thraxis tossed the bag, giving the man a pat on the back as he walked past, "Steal any of it and I will blow you, your friends and your family to kingdom come." a smile hidden beneath his mask as he continued his walk into Club Vicious.
[member="Talak Prine"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Zenva rose from her chair, elegant as a cresting wave, as her guest made his way to her table. A vulpine smile split her coal painted lips. "Welcome to Hhawa Kouiehh, Mister Prine." She gestured absently to the seat across from her even as the man moved to take it. She flowed back into her chair, extinguishing her cigarette a moment later.

Her yellow-red eyes trailed over the young man briefly, a none to subtle admiration of his strong features. "Let's cut straight to the marrow, shall we?" She retrieved her drink then, taking a small swallow of it before she continued, "You need equipment Mister Prine, ships, armor, so forth. I, and Blood Hunter's Iron Works by extension, are prepared to aid you however I can. Are you already aware of the goods and services I'm prepared to offer?"

[member="Talak Prine"]

 

[Talak Prine]

Straight to business. Excellent.

He nodded. "I am indeed." A small datapad was produced from an inner pocket, which he consulted briefly. "A most impressive arsenal your company provides, I might add."

The seal on the bottle of ale was quickly destroyed, and he poured himself a glass, noticing that she had her own drink already, he nonetheless set the bottle down in easy reach for the both of them, taking a measured sip before clearing his throat.

"I have a list of what I would like to procure from your wares, but the question I must ask first is, what can I do for you? I'm prepared to work out a deal, naturally, but, seeing as you are a businesswoman, I'll state upfront: I don't have the working capital to fund this venture of mine currently."

[member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Zenva opened her mouth to reply, but shut it immediately. Her gaze shifted, eyes narrowing in a mixture of hostility and curiosity. [member="Thraxis"] had arrived, and was giving her security personnel trouble by the look of it. "I'm sorry Mister Prine, excuse me for just a moment won't you?" She didn't wait for the young man to reply, pulling a hand held comm from her waistline and setting it to her ear. "Security, this is Zenva. Strip Mister Thraxis of his weapons and leave him be. He's a platinum member and he has an invitation."

She returned her comm to the pouch on her belt and turned her attention back to Talak. "I apologize. A dear friend of mine, though he's known to try one's patience." She took another swallow of her drink before continuing, "Now then. In my experience it's best if we determine what you need before we concern ourselves with any debt you might incur, Mister Prine. We are, after all, here to determine what is needful in order for your endeavor to get started. So, let's see this list of yours."

[member="Talak Prine"]

 

[Talak Prine]

He simply shook his head as she apologized for the interruption. This was clearly a busy woman, with fingers in many pies. Club owner, businesswoman, who knew what further ventures she might have been running? An enigma, to be certain.

"Not at all, I have a few friends who match that description myself." He smiled faintly, thinking back to a Rodian pilot he'd once known who had delighted in torturing his passengers by performing aerobatics unexpectedly.

Focus.

He tapped briefly at the datapad he was still holding, bringing up a list, which he read off. "Ideally, to support initial operations and provide a basis for expansion later....I would need... One Lancer Heavy Freighter, Two H-SDV1 Trucks, Six B-W Medium fighters, and forty-five suits of H-IBA Titan Skin." He slid the datapad across for her to examine if she so chose. "I have a line on weaponry, though if you can recommend anyone in particular then I'd certainly like to hear it."

[member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

A short laugh escaped the Zabrak, dry and only half amused for the annoyance caused by Thraxis's entrance was still fresh. The smile that split her crimson and black marked features however, was genuine and vibrant in the neon glow of Club Vicious. "Well, given how few people I count as friends, I suppose I'll have to forgive the occasional shenanigan." She waved one hand through the air, dismissing the topic for the distraction it was.

"To the matter at hand." She said coolly, sipping her whiskey once more. "The body armor is easily the most simplistic piece of your list. In fact, I could have your armor shipment loaded in creates and delivered here in just a few hours. If you can't transport them tonight, I understand. We'll simply make other arrangements for their delivery."

The Zabrak set her glass aside, and pulled a small Alusteel case from one of the pouches along her hip. From the case she withdrew a new cigarette, which she set to her lips and lit with a small lighter. She set the case in the center of the table, still open, with the lighter beside it. "The Lancer will take a little time to make ready, though I'm certain I have a few in dry docks that I can part with. Are you aware that The Lancer comes with three Dropships already? You've asked for two, I want to be clear on that point. You wish two additional Dropships or will those already with The Lancer suffice?"

She paused briefly to tap ashes into a crystal ashtray before she continued, "The Fighters are also a single matter, though a little odd. Why only a partial squadron?"

[member="Talak Prine"]

 

[Talak Prine]

Frowning, he tapped at the datapad as she spoke. He'd missed a few things, apparently. "As a matter of fact, I was not aware of that," He noted, erasing the dropships from his list. "I had assumed that it meant capacity for three dropships, not that it also came with three. While ultimately I would like to expand operations significantly, I have to start somewhere."

And the fighters. Hmm. "I had accounted for two fighters each for both dropships and the freighter. If the Lancer has the deck space for a full squadron I would of course prefer that, but..." He shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip from his ale. "In addition to all of this, the usual load of spares and fitouts would be nice as well, of course."

It was a lot, he knew. The price would no doubt be steep, but he knew that going in. Mercenary companies weren't cheap to run, as he'd found the hard way over the years...

[member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Zenva's lips pursed as her gaze shifted between the list and the man before her. She couldn't decide if the young man was simply uncertain about the negotiations or if in actuality he had no idea what he wanted precisely. "Naturally, Mister Prine, any spare parts you desire I will happily see that you are provided with." She paused to take a drag of her cigarette, tapping ashes into the crystalline dish between them.

"I can't help but wonder, Mister Prine, what do you intend to do with the ships I am going to provide you with? I ask because you claim you seek to begin a mercenary company, yet you want one of the few ships in my inventory that is not designed for combat. It's passing strange." The Crimson Lady pulled a small datapad from one of the multitude of pouches at her hip, her thumb danced across the screen as she spoke, "The Lancer is designed to haul cargo. They have enough defensive guns to hold off fighters and bombers while they plot an escape route. The only capital gun The Lancer has is a spinal mounted heavy mass driver, meaning it's only useful against a target directly in line with the nose of the ship. To be blunt Mister Prine, The Lancer is a target and a liability in a combat zone. Furthermore, unless you remove all three of the Dropships from The Lancer there simply isn't any room for the fighters you want."

The Crimson Lady set down the datapad she had been going through, sliding it in front of her guest. The details of a different Corvette were on display. "Have you considered The Cutter Marauder? It comes with one of the Dropships you're looking for, capable of comfortably housing some forty soldiers. It also comes with a squadron of Pack Master Heavy Bombers. These ships are nothing to take lightly, I assure you."

Zenva paused to take another drag of her cigarette. "Of course there is another option Mister Prine, if these ships are not to your liking." She tapped ash into the tray in the middle of the table, a sweet smile curling her coal painted lips. "We could set about designing something to meet your needs specifically. It would cost a little more, but such is to be expected when customization is what you're going to get."

[member="Talak Prine"]

 

[Talak Prine]

Talak had, on occasion, been more nervous than he was currently, but generally the circumstances of such nervousness involved being shot at. Zenva produced that air of confidence that was generally associated with leaders, businesspeople, and those who dealt with death on a regular basis. It was a combination of beauty, brains, and pure deadliness that he'd seen only a few times before.

And it was making him an idiot.

Focus.

"Alright, Lady Vrotoa. To be perfectly honest with you, what I would like and what I'm asking for are separate things. If money was irrelevant, then I would be coming to you with an order for one of your Heart Seeker Frigates, a squadron at minimum of bombers, and enough dropships to see a full company safely groundside. Alas, I suspected that an order of such magnitude would far outstrip any lines of credit I may be able to open with you."

He glanced at what she was showing him, the Cutter Marauder. Indeed, that would work, perhaps...

"Perhaps if I explain my plan to you, you can advise on the best option for both of us. You see, I began my career in the armed forces of my homeworld, Nagai. During my time there I was part of a unit that specialized in rapid assaults. Usually against pirate stations and fortresses, the kind that all worlds deal with at some point or another. We operated in what we called soaring wing attacks. Defences would be suppressed by supporting fire, and drop ships would deposit specially geared assault troops directly inside of the fortification. High risk, high danger, but very effective. My goal with a mercenary company is to do exactly the same thing."

He paused to sip again from his ale.

"In addition to the more mundane services offered. Bodyguarding, High Value Escort, Venue Security, things like that. But ultimately what i'm going to need is the ability to put a lot of firepower down on a target and safely deliver troops to their targets quickly. And I feel that you and your corporation can provide what I need."

[member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

A smile cut across the Zabrak's sharp features, pearl white serrated teeth gleaming oddly in the neon glow of the nightclub. "See there, honesty wasn't all that difficult now was it? Zenva retrieved her glass, finishing the last of her whiskey in one swallow. Setting the empty glass with her discarded dinner plate she continued, "So what you actually desire is a custom fitted Heart Seeker. That's something much more appropriate considering you're goals, Mister Prine."

She held out her hand, gesturing for her datapad back. "The Heart Seeker comes with two of the Dropships you're after. Each one is capable of delivering forty soldiers in mere moments. They are designed rather well for exactly the type of operations you've described."

Zenva's thumb danced across the screen of the datapad once more. Soon she brought up the schematics for another of her products. "Versatility, durability, and a rather impressive amount of fire power, The Heavy K-Wing Fighter Bomber." The Crimson Lady slid the datapad back across the table for her guest to examine.

"Of the small craft I have available currently, The H-K is the best equipped to deal with ground target as well as aerial targets. The only major drawback to The H-K is that it lacks a hyper drive, of course that isn't much of a problem as long as you keep them relatively close to your Frigate." She paused to let Talak look over the ship's details. "Will they suit your needs for a heavier bomber, Mister Prine?"

[member="Talak Prine"]