Bang Bang

[Slade Zambrano]

Slade lay back in his expensive satin sheet covered bed and held a datapad in the air above his head. He was shirtless and had a nude woman underneath the covers near him. He was living the life at the moment, he had taken all the money that was in his trust fund from his father and laundered it until he was sitting on a small fortune. Unfortunately it was a fortune he was quickly blowing through, slade had never been all that responsible with his money or with anything really. So blowing through a million credits in a month was nothing to the young man. But as he flicked through the different images on the holonet he came across something that caught his eye. A rather lovely ravishing woman by the name of [member="Keira Ticon"] and when slade saw something he wanted he was going to have it. So he decided it was time to make a little social call.

By reading more into her she was a member of the Red Ravens criminal enterprise and he could use that. He knew his father had spent some time torturing one of their leaders so he would use his name to lure this woman to him. So quickly pulling up get contact information from a few shady sources he shot over a message on the holonet.

Begin Transmission\\

This is an inside source for the Zambrano family. I have information you want about Kaine, if you want up know show up at Havana Green night club on Zeltros at 2100. Come alone and don't over dress. Do not reply to this message. -S

With the transmission sent slade looked over to the woman asleep in his bed and quickly pushed her out of it.

"Get the hell out." he said as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and light it up.

 

[Keira Priest]

Cybernetic fingers drummed on the desk surface as Keira pondered the message that had been sent to her. It wasn't often someone contacted her directly like this, especially not with supposed information that the entirety of the Ravens could use. Something like this probably should have been brought to the President before any action was taken, but she was confident enough that she could take care of herself and deal with any dangers that this little outing warranted. Come alone, don't overdress...you've already overestimated me on two counts. Never did she keep any permanent company about her, and she was never one to dress up, even when the situation called for it. What she would do, however, was come armed with her lightsaber. Whether this supposed informant liked it or not, she wasn't stupid enough to come unarmed.

Her first instinct should have been to delete the message and pay it no further attention, But her curiosity often won out over any common sense, and this was no different. Besides, she was a Ticon, and any time she wasn't out looking for danger it had a way of finding her. There was a reason she had kept her position of Executive Assistant in the Ravens, when in fact the actual position entailed a fair amount of combat and hardly any office work. It was an environment she was adapted to and thrived in, regardless of what her outward appearance may have hinted at. Had she not been capable of defending herself, the chances of her surviving this long were slim to none. Apparently that was something this contact hadn't considered upon sending the message. It was their loss, assuming they tried anything.

First there was the matter of finding an outfit better suited to a nightclub on Zeltros, though that was quickly remedied in the few moments it took her to change, though she forewent both the hat and scarf. The next matter was locating the club itself, but that solution was found after a few quick searches on the HoloNet. With everything more or less in order and her lightsaber clipped at her waist, she scribbled a note left on her desk, I'll be back later. Don't wait up. Maybe the others would worry, but hopefully they wouldn't. It wasn't as if she wasn't perfectly capable of navigating the most lethal scenarios and emerging unscathed. Time and time again she had proven herself in the number of skirmishes and small-scale wars that the Ravens have found themselves involved in. This wasn't anything different, though perhaps a fraction more on the personal level.

Arranging a transport hadn't presented any sort of difficulty, and within a half an hour she was on her way to Zeltros. Once she arrived at a spaceport she instructed the pilot not to bother waiting around. When this was done she would find her own way back to Antecedent, one way or another. After a few minutes of walking she located the predetermined location, leaning up against the wall of the club just beside the door. Either the informant would show themselves or they wouldn't, but regardless of that she knew the night wouldn't transpire as the message promised. Anything that sounded too good to be true likely was. This was just an excuse for her to get off Antecedent for a few hours. Don't keep me waiting.

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

The club was well, it wasn't your average Zeltros nightclub whatsoever. There were dried palm umbrellas and what could be the equivalent of life day holiday lights streamed across the halls creating a unique glow to the place that felt more tropical rather than drop some Molly and dance the night away before forgetting how your fingers work in the morning. But that didn't mean there wasn't dancing, women wearing bright colorful outfits that seemed both classy and sexy were dancing on a stage while a band dressed in white jackets and black slacks behind them were playing sweet sweet music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=D2-QEVRlfs8

The club was absolutely thriving with music and good feeling, couples were dancing on the floor and bodies were moving to the beat, it was almost entirely impossible to not be happy or feel a sense of enlightenment and joy while here. Even the most grumpy of Sith Lords could at least tap their foot to the music that was being played. But as crowds of people all mingled and danced a waitress dressed in the colorful sparkling outfit approached [member="Keira Ticon"] until she stood a few feet away from the grumpy gus.

"Mister S will see you now. Follow me." she said in a very Latin based accent.

The woman turned around and began to walk towards a table where a man dressed in very casual clothes was sitting at a table underneath a dried palm umbrella. In his left hand he had a fancy looking glass filled with a golden liquid and in his other hand he had a cigarette that was leaving a small cloud of smoke around him. The man brought the cigarette up to his mouth and took a long drag, after a moment he exhaled the grey smoke into the air and took a shot of the golden liquid. Making a face that whatever he was drinking was strong he snapped his fingers at a nearby waitress and she placed down three more shots of it near him.

He was going to wait patiently until the woman to arrive, he really did have information about his family that could be useful to the Ravens, not that he gave a crap about either of them. But he would gladly sell them up the river if it meant causing his bastard of a father grief. Probably not the best trait in a man but he didn't really give a crap.

 

[Keira Priest]

Apparently they were close enough to send messages unannounced, but they couldn't be on a first name basis just yet. But Keira had come all this way, and it wouldn't do any good not to at least see who had decided to contact her out of the blue. On the off chance that he did have information that could prove useful, it wouldn't be an entirely wasted trip. After all, with the enmity that had sprung up once more between the Sith and the Ravens, there wasn't any telling when they would need such intelligence. It had already been noted that there was a more or less active hunt transpiring, after the attempted assassination of the President. They would need a leg up somewhere along the line, and it was all the better if it was sooner. And, well, it didn't hurt to get out of the office once in awhile either. That was always a bonus.

While not ill-tempered per se, she had learned when to be cautious around those she had no reason to trust, and this 'Mister S' was one of them. Taking a seat next to him she remained silent for a moment, studying him physically and via the ethereal. Unsurprisingly he was a darksider, which didn't surprise her as much as it would have anyone else. His very actions in initiating the meeting spoke of such, and with her own signature in the Force emanating much of the same darkness, it wasn't entirely unwelcome. Better that than a Jedi, in her mind. With a darksider there was always a chance that they didn't belong to the Sith. Not much of one, but a chance. Besides, she wasn't in the mood to deal with one that called any Order home. She'd already had enough of the Sith in previous years.

"Inside source for the Zambranos, huh? I can't really tell you if I believe that or not. So which of Kaine's sons are you?" It didn't take too much to put two and two together. Anyone that had inside information on one of the most powerful Sith Lords who was outside of their circle would likely have been dead by now. The only people she could estimate being an exception to the rule with one Darth Vornskr would be those he sired himself. This one didn't appear old enough to be a brother or a cousin, so the next logical assumption was a child of the infamous Sith. Contrary to what most seemed to believe, she had the potential to access a higher intelligence when she chose to. The majority of it was put to use in decidedly more dangerous confrontations, but it served just as well here.

As she approached she hadn't bothered disguising the weapon at her hip. Chances were high he was already perfectly aware of her Force sensitivity, and she didn't intend to play nice in any sense of the word unless given very good reason to behave otherwise. Already she had enough reason to suspect him as an adversary, and it didn't seem as if he was going to decide to show any amount of exponential respect. And she wouldn't bother to display anything above what could be considered common courtesy in return. She was nice enough normally, and would continue to be as long as he was in some of the same manner, but that was as far as things would go. After all, she wasn't anything close to a Jedi.

"Name's Keira Ticon. Do you have one too, or should I just keep calling you Mister S?" Playing nice didn't mean she would be any less snarky than she typically was. It was in her nature to make any exceptions. No moves were made to take a drink or otherwise visibly relax beyond sitting down across from him previously. The jury was still up in the air when it came to this one.

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

Slade was immediately subjected to an array of mystery theater and snarktastic vibes the moment the woman sat down. Now slade was never much of a nice person growing up but he was forced to learn basic manners, but that didn't mean he had to follow them now that he was a grown ass man. So slade took a long drag on his cigarette and exhaled smoke towards the woman's general direction in a manner that really could be a misconception between an something an ass would or a general accident. But afterwards there was a little wolfish grin on his face directed at the woman.

"Slade Zambrano, son of Kaine Zambrano." he said with his little grin afterwards.

"What crawled up your ass and died today? I'm assuming it was your fun and joy?" he said chuckling a big and taking a shot of the golden liquid.

Slade slammed the shot glass down on the table like you were supposed to do when you took a shot of tequila, the burn felt good and Slade was still feeling alert and aware. But one thing he felt the most was this woman's aura, she had the taint of the darkside and it felt good, damn good. He could sense her hatred, her anger, her fear that drove her down darker paths to obtain the power she so desperately craved.

But slade kept his generally cocky and In control charade up. Really the man had no skills outside of drinking and smoking, he had lost to his sister in a bare naked duel his father forced him into when he was a boy. The most the boy could do with the force was basic TK and he was pretty sure this woman could mop the floor with him. But there was one thing slade could do that he had perfected over the years, lie and put up a facade that he was more powerful than he really was.

So Slade took another long puff of his smoke and flicked some ash away to the ground before exhaling once more, he picked his words quite carefully and then spoke in a smooth and calm voice.

"Your reputation doesn't do you justice, they told me you were a Corellian rose. Do they have roses on that planet? Well probably not anymore." he said with a little scoff and taking another drag.

"You want a drink?" he asked

 

[Keira Priest]

Only moments ago Keira had sat down, and already she had had enough of him. Blowing the smoke away with an exhale of her own, she watched him carefully with an amused glint to her amber eyes. Sure, he wasn't the nicest guy by any means, but that didn't mean she necessarily had to dislike him. It wasn't often she kept company that could return her attitude just as swiftly while seemingly taking no offense from it in the process. They were still the farthest from friends two individuals could ever be, and that would never change, but it was something. After all, she was still speaking more or less civilly to him, and that had to mean something in the grand scheme of things. Well, maybe not quite civilly, but she hadn't tried to kill him. Yet, anyway. That had to count for something.

"Aren't you an original one. No, there's this thing called common sense, and it's something you might want to employ if you're content with continuing to breathe or keeping your pretty face." That was as far from subtle as her threats got, and if he was smart enough he would know that she wouldn't hesitate to act if he gave her an excuse. That was all it would take, and damn the consequences. She was perfectly aware of who his father was and what he was capable of, and that might have fazed her. But she had also learned quickly not to put up with much of anything from anyone if she wanted to remain even remotely in control of the events that were to transpire. To put it mildly, she couldn't care less what he had to say so long as it wasn't useful to her, but his witty repartee was appreciated in a vague sense of the word. A very vague sense.

This wasn't the first time someone had made a less than savory remark in regards to her heritage, and it wouldn't be the last time, she knew. Exhaling measuredly and forcing herself to maintain some semblance of neutrality with all he had to say she simply looked at him for a long moment, remaining silent. "I don't care what you've heard about me, because I can almost guarantee that it hasn't been anything good. The Sith don't care for my kind, the Jedi wouldn't dare keep my company, and frankly I couldn't care less what either group has to say. And you don't seem the type to care overly much for the criminal underworld as a whole, not that anyone there would have much good to say either. You could say I'm not the greatest at making friends." The smallest of wry smiles accompanied that last sentence.

Did she want a drink? Well, yes and no. But, seeing as how she didn't trust him half as far as she could throw him, she would have to decline for the moment. Remaining clear-headed was necessary in a place like this, even more so given the company she seemed to all but attract. "I'll have to pass for now. Besides, neither of us came here for a social call. I think you're smarter than that, bashard." He likely couldn't translate the Old Corellian, but hopefully he was able to. Things wouldn't be nearly as fun otherwise.

Leaning forward and resting her hands on the table, that trace of a smile remained on her lips. "Did daddy not teach you how to talk to girls? Let me help you out. I think it'd be in your best interests to tell me exactly what you promised in your message so we can be done with this. Just a friendly piece of advice."

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

"You think I'm pretty? Ah, how sweet of you. I mean you're a solid seven or eight so that means a lot." he said with another little humorous chuckle then adjusted himself in his seat.

Slade took a finishing drag on his cigarette and flicked the bud to the ground, it was best not to provoke and prod a lioness but Slade had been doing that his whole life and he wasn't about to bend over backwards for this woman and let her dictate how this meeting was going to go. And he knew that deep inside she wanted that drink, and she wanted to have even the slightest bit of fun. Why would anyone travel from antecedent all the way here to Zeltros on a tip that might get them something without alerting their superiors first. Well the answer was simple, she was bored. And slade was the exact kind of poison to liven things up a little. But slade only chuckled at her comment of him being smarter than he really was, he liked this girl she would be a noble quest,

"You think too highly of me, smart and pretty, wow." he said rather sarcastically.

So Slade snapped at his fingers and a cocktail waitress walking by with drinks on her tray.

"Four shots of the good stuff, limes as well." he said with a smile and silver tongue of the devil himself.

The woman nodded and left coming back shortly with four small wooden bowls that were large nuts cracked in half their shells being used as glasses. They were set down on the table and slade smiled at the alcohol presented.

"I was never really all that good at following friendly advice, now if you want this information I suggest you relax and have a drink. Look natural, my father has people everywhere and if you are going to sit there at least look like this is just a social call. At least pretend to have fun, and who knows you might have a little. Ama." he said his last word in Atrisian and smiled back at the woman.

"How would you like to know the name and location of every single Zambrano alive?" he said leaning forward and speaking softly beneath the happy music

 

[Keira Priest]

Never had Keira been one to put much stock into appearances, and this was no different. There had been a fair share of men in her life that had remarked on her looks, for better or worse, and each time she shrugged them off. Whether she did so nicely or with a more physical retaliation was up to the individual involved. This one was most certainly warranting a broken bone or two, and if she wasn't possessed of an iota of something similar to common sense, she would have instigated such by now. But even she was smart enough to know when she was outmatched, if not by him than those he likely had as something akin to protection. So for the moment he would remain untouched for better or worse. That, however, didn't mean she would take his remarks lying down. Those took a special kind of attention.

Subduing a roll of her eyes she supposed that eventually she would have to indulge in a drink or two, just to appease him. "I don't give a kark what or who your father has around keeping an eye on you. All that tells me is that you're not able to take care of yourself, so it doesn't really make you look any better." It was true that she had come here mostly to relieve her boredom, then again, that was half the reason she did most things. Life wasn't worth living if one didn't have a bit of fun in the process, though she had the capacity to be the opposite when times called. At the moment she wasn't exactly sure how to perceive him, which presented another challenge in and of itself. This was certainly something she'd gotten herself into, this time around.

"It's funny how you assume I think highly of you. We both know I really couldn't care less about you or yours. The Zambrano name doesn't mean anything to me." Likewise the Ticon name meant little to him as well. Whereas her family was comprised mostly of spacers and freelancers, sensitives or no, his was a legacy of powerful Sith. It would have been the intelligent thing to do, respecting him for the weight behind the name, but she was far from average on any plane.

Forgoing a smart comment or two as he leaned forward, she pondered his offer for a moment. It seemed genuine enough, but she had learned early on the consequences of taking someone's word for all that it promised. There was a chance, however slim, that word of this would get back to his father, and for that she knew the Ravens would suffer. But if he was telling even half the truth about Kaine having eyes everywhere, she didn't think he would be stupid enough to betray the man where he could plainly see. "I don't care about the rest of them. At the moment Kaine is the priority. The rest aren't any threat right now. Live and let live, right?" Hardly ever, in her line of work, was that philosophy abided by. But there was a first time for everything.

Leaning back she took one of the proffered drinks, knocking back the shot easily, bringing the lime to her lips afterwards. "Go on, then. Enlighten me."

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

Slade simply have a few chuckles of rolling laughter when she watched the woman knock back a shot, he joined in after her and pushed some of that sweet sweet alcohol down his throat taking a bite of the lime afterwards. The burn and sour felt good against his tongue as it splashed against it. Slamming the firm bowl over a few drops of tequila wet the table and Slade was quite take by this woman, he as well had never met anyone quite like her to match his insults and wit.

"I like a woman who knows how to drink." he said as he reached into his pocket to pull out a pack of expensive looking cigarettes.

The box was very expensive looking, raised lettering and a golden trim, on the front was an image of a diamond that was raised as well and bellow it read "Diamond Standard" with a little price tag that read a very large number for a pack of cigarettes. Tapping the box he flicked it open and took a smoke out of it.

"Information isn't free Keira, someone as smart as you would know that." he said he put the cigarette between his lips.

Flicking out another one he rolled it over to Keira with a neutral look on his face. Slade knew he was getting to her and it was obvious that he should now tune back the insults and be a bit more civil. And that meant offering her a smoke. It seemed like an appropriate gesture, after all she was known as a foul mouthed, smoking, darksided, lesbionic killing machine. But that really only turned slade on more when he thought about it, or maybe it was just the alcohol.

"Have a smoke and another drink and I'll give you my price." he said as he took the second bowl and knocked it down, squirting the lime afterwards.

He slammed the bowl down and quickly brought his lighter up to his lips. With a few flicks he light the cancer stick and took a long drag of it. Now quite relaxed In his seat he exhaled and blew a white smoke into the air. He was having fun, plenty of fun even and even though Keira seemed like a tough nut to crack this was only the beginning, slade knew how to play the long game and soon Keira was just going to be another bad mistake.

 

[Keira Priest]

"Oh, you think I'm smart now? How flattering." That was a halfway and most certainly intentional mockery of what he'd said to her only minutes before, but it was simply how Keira played the game, whether for fun or something more. For the most part she ignored what he had to say about his taste in women, as, to be frank, she didn't really care either way if he found her attractive or not. Perhaps it was something she could work to her advantage now or later, but it was all relative. She wasn't a stranger to doing something similar, as she had a time or two ago on Syvris, but that had been in another time. With him she knew the give and take method wouldn't work. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted with little issue, and she was an upset of this. A pity she couldn't care less.

Information didn't come free, that much she knew, especially if it was of this sort. But someone that had been in a similar business for so long knew how to parley just a bit, and despite her often aggressive negotiations she was capable of much of the same. A special touch would be required with him. "I don't care what you like." And she didn't, not really. It was thanks to her brothers she knew the first thing about drinking in the first place, but she was a Corellian, so he really shouldn't have expected anything different. But she was never one to turn down free drinks, so she would at least abide by that request. After all, if necessary she would be able to clear her mind of any intoxication thanks to the Force itself. Something told her that she wouldn't have to worry so much about that.

Taking the second bowl she emptied it with a tilt of her head, biting the lime afterwards. His watching her as she drank hadn't gone unnoticed, but for once she didn't comment on it, letting it pass. There wouldn't be any dissuading him, so she would be wasting her breath. He would do as he pleased regardless of any objections she may have had, and likewise it was much of the same with her. Perhaps they were more similar than she wanted or ever would admit.

As the cigarette rolled across the table she raised an eyebrow, taking it without comment and putting it between her lips, pulling her own lighter from a pocket and raising the flame to the tip. Inhaling smoke she pocketed the lighter, exhaling a grey cloud from the corner of her mouth. It had been awhile since she'd smoked, but she couldn't exactly complain about it either. Letting the smoke clouding the air between them speak for itself for a moment she leaned back, quietly waiting for him to proceed. "Alright then, Slade," Smoke drifted from between her lips almost lazily as she spoke, her use of his name intentional, "What's your price?" It wasn't as if she would forfeit to his demands so easily. That wasn't how she operated.

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

Slade let out another humorous scoff at Keira's words and flashed her a toothy little grin with an emphasis on the canines in his mouth. Slade admired this woman, someone who could drink, smoke, and insult the night away with him. So now he had to get her in his pocket, and once you were in Slade's pocket you were in his debt. And that was a hole no one ever came out of. But he did have actual useful information on his father and family and would gladly divulge it for the right price. So he sat back and took another long inhale off the coffin nail then exhaled grey smoke.

Their two clouds intermingled and combined to form a larger fog that drifted upwards until dissipating in the humid environment of dancing and sweaty bodies. That's when it hit Slade like a ton of bricks, that little wolfish grin spread onto his mouth almost from ear to ear and he knew exactly what he wanted from the woman. Nothing sexual of course, Slade wasn't like his father in that regard. If he was going to have a woman she would be the one begging for it.

"Normally information such as this would cost millions, inside knowledge of the fortress, Panatha, Kaine's military, Entourage, contacts, but I'm willing to part with it piece by piece with you. So what's on the table tonight is inside knowledge of my father's personal military and contacts." he said taking a drag and blowing smoke afterwards to add to the cloud between them.

"All for the low price of one dance. No funny business, no trickery, just a simple dance. I want to see how you handle yourself on the dance floor." he said with that wolfish grin.

It was a good price, a simple dance for inside information on the infamous Sith Lord's guns and ammo. Slade wanted to see a lot more of this woman and this was his ticket to doing so, she seemed like his type so why not prolong the experience.

 

[Keira Priest]

A dance. They'd come this far, and all he wanted from her was a dance. There was every reason imaginable to suspect that he was up to something, even after his assurances of the exact opposite. Lying came just as easily to him as it did her, there was no doubt about that, and Keira didn't see why he should make an exception and tell her the truth when he seemed the type to weave a tall tale on any other occasion. So she was skeptical, and reasonably so. But there wasn't any navigating out of the bargain once it had been struck, unless she had a wish to delve deeper into territory that fared all the better in remaining untouched, at least if he was content in retaining life and limb for any reasonably healthy amount of time.

The utter simplicity of it was still something she explicitly distrusted, but for once it seemed she would have to let those feelings of unease lie right where they emerged. Petty negotiation wouldn't do her any good this time around. It was best to settle now, where things were within the realm of reason. Besides, after all that she'd been through, dancing was low on the list of terrible things, if it ranked at all. This may have just been a prelude to something that he had high hopes for transpiring later in the night, but if he knew her at all like he seemed to think he did, he would know that wouldn't come to pass easily by any means. Hopefully he was smart enough to know where the boundaries were. If not, she had no problem with reminding him.

A quiet sigh escaped her lips, accompanied by a cloud of smoke, and she took another drag off of the cigarette. "I'm assuming you know that your father and his associates want to see myself and the Ravens dead in a gutter somewhere. It probably isn't in your best interests to be seen with me for too long, especially if you like this thing called being alive. I was under the impression that the Sith don't take even supposed betrayal very well, especially not when it comes from one of their own." Of course, the same could be said for the Ravens, but she knew that the others trusted her in some amount. If they didn't she wouldn't have been allowed off of Antecedent in the first place, let alone to a planet like this with no conceivable reason. But they did, she was here, and that was the end of it.

One final plume of smoke escaped her lips, and she stubbed out the cigarette in a nearby ashtray, not standing just yet. "Alright, fine. We'll dance." With that she pushed herself to her feet, stretching for a moment, and rather intentionally. "Keep your hands to yourself, unless you want to lose them. The lightsaber isn't just for show, but I don't need that to deal with someone like you. I'd play smart if you want to live to see tomorrow. Your dad might be some big bad Sith Lord, but I don't care. Try something, and you'll know when you've stepped out of line." Now that the ground rules had been set she flashed a smile that was for the most part fake, taking a few steps back from the table, waiting for him to make a move. He wasn't one to play by the rules or any common sense, that much was obvious. For his sake she hoped he would do so this time around.

"You coming, or what?"

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

"Well it's a dance, we have to touch. This isn't middle school. Now I'd like to think im somewhat of a gentleman so I'll take my chances." Slade chuckled again and stood up walking over towards the dance floor with his spicy mamacita.

Once there the band had just finished their latest song and were taking a quick breather. The dance floor was crowded with various people of every different kind of species and walks of life. All of which were quite sweaty, but there was something else in the crowd slade was counting on. Zeltrons. They would certainly help liven the women up and make her feel a little more at home, while they might not make the woman jump slade right here in the club the pheromones they let out would certainly have an adverse effect on her.

"Let's do this." he said as the music kicked on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=TClq1ASjIHw

As Slade stared at his dance partner his teeth flashed and he broke into a small little salsa dance coming closer to Keira. He wasn't touching her, at least not yet. But he was more than patient enough to let those pheromones do their job. He didn't want her yet, there was no fun in that. But a simple little dance was always a good thing, so he inched his way closer to her with his feet shuffling and arms tight to his body and moving to the beat of the groovy song.

"Loosen up a little sweet cakes, it's a party." he said as he chuckled afterwards and kept dancing closer and closer to the woman.

 

[Keira Priest]

There had been a time, one that seemed to be ages ago, when Keira had enjoyed going to parties. Where she had danced to have fun, not make deals, where drinking had been something she did to have fun, not to forget. A time when she was able to completely relax around others, when she could talk to someone like Slade and not worry about what those who saw them together might assume or how they would otherwise react. When she didn't have to concern herself with whomever most recently wanted her and her comrades dead and forgotten. That had been a time she enjoyed, one she wasn't aware how much she would miss until it was gone with the wind. Now things were far different, and near irreversibly so.

Now she had every reason to be cautious around him, and second guess every word he said. At the same time she was also much less hesitant in her actions, knowing perfectly well what to do in order to get what she wanted. Where her younger self would have been at least somewhat hesitant in a situation such as this she was more or less at ease, even if she wasn't exactly on board with things in any sense. He was right at the very least about her needing to loosen up, so she would try. The alcohol certainly helped with things, though she was far from intoxicated, as did the cigarette. There was something else in the air as well, a feeling she couldn't put the name to, but she wasn't in a position to complain.

Mimicking his movements, though in a decidedly more feminine way, she couldn't help but flash a crooked smile. Maybe she was able to relax just a bit more than she expected, or perhaps it was something else. That, however, didn't mean she would necessarily put up with his idea if sweet-talking. "I think you know by now that I've got a name. Unless you'd rather I come up with a few more creative nicknames for you as well." There were a few she could name already, but as he'd played nice thus far she would do the same, at least for as long as he returned the favor. It was only fair, after all, even if that term was foreign to her nine times out of ten.

Despite the words she spoke previous she shifted slowly closer to him as he did the same, finding that she wasn't as entirely adverse to the idea as she had been previously. However, she wouldn't be so open about the more intimate facets of things as he likely expected. That was something most people weren't privy to, no matter how special they seemed to think themselves in the grand scheme of things.

"You're a gentleman? That's about as likely as my being a Jedi."

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

"You wound me Keira." Slade said as he smiled and kept up the dance with her.

He was having fun to say the least, well what counted as fun for him. Slade was damaged goods to say the least, from his rampant alcoholism to his chain smoking those were only the physical aspects to his self destructive nature. But it didn't cease there, deep down slade knew this was one of the only ways to get a woman to dance with him. Deep down he knew it took credits, information, favors, even if he was a decent looking guy the fact that his name would always be the deciding factor with any woman. But he was scared that he was destined to die alone and afraid, so surrounding himself with people and drinks was the way to go. And when he had a few drinks and was out there on the dance floor with a pretty girl, he could pretend for even a second that everything was ok.

And as the music flowed he got about a few feet from Keira and halted where he was keeping to his dance. Working his knees and arms he smiled as the band on stage kept up the happy music that made the club dance and be merry. Slade was happy, even for that second of two before it was over. He was chasing that high, that high that could make him forget everything. Maybe the two of them were just fucked up people looking for an excuse to relax for a few seconds, Slade didn't know. But as reality came back to him his grin faded and he stared at the beautiful woman in front of him.

So Slade pulled in close to Keira and spun around so his hand were on her hips and his face was near her ear, he spoke in a hushed tone as he kept up appearances that this was just a casual dance. Feeling her body it was something that set his sex drive on fire, he wanted her and every muscle in his body was telling him to fuck being a nice guy. The pheromones pumping through his blood stream told him that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, they told him to rip off his clothes and take her here and now like an animal. But even with the lies the pheromones were telling him he restrained himself and kept up appearances. So at the next time the band shouted he made his move.

"Push Push Push!" the band sang out.


"Don't panic, and don't hit me. My father's personal elite military is the Blackblade Guard. Mean, elite, and ready to kill themselves at the drop of a dime for him. They bested the mandolorians in combat, they defeated the republic multiple times, they will shred your men to pieces. I've seen what their capable of. Horrible horrible things.10,210 troops, 4,680 support personnel, 676 repulsorlift craft, 212 tanks. Lead by a man known as Ludolf Vaas. Genocidal maniac with a bad attitude." slade said and moved his hands up her slender rib cage then spun around again to face her a foot away.

His smile returned and his eyes gave her a sign that said he had more info to spill. His smile and body movements kept up as normal though and his fingers were curling towards the woman as the band shouted.

"If you want it come and get it!" the band said loudly

 

[Keira Priest]

Those were numbers Keira was only going to remember a rough estimate of, but that was more than enough. Frankly, she had been expecting larger numbers, considering just who his father was. But she supposed what Kaine didn't have in military might he made up for in personal skill. Still, that was thousands of artillery the Ravens would have to get through before they had even a hope of getting close to the Sith. But it was information that wouldn't be used offensively, at least not right away. It was more of a precaution, a preparation for the worst case scenario in case their enemies decided to become bolder and bring the hammer down on Antecedent itself. It wasn't something she anticipated transpiring, but one could never be too careful, especially with the Sith.

Just as he was damaged goods she was much of the same, though perhaps not in exactly the same manner. Years previous she had been captured and tortured by a group of religious fanatics known as The Primeval. To say it had had a detrimental effect on her mental state would be an understatement, but the corruption had been slow-acting, reminiscent of a poison, one of the most deadly sort. Over months and years it had culminated, turning her into the woman she was today. Which was to say, one less than mentally stable, and corrupted by the dark side to boot. Perhaps it was something she had learned to live with, it becoming such a regular fact of life that it seemed to be an inevitable consequence. That didn't mean she was as happy as she seemed.

Briefly she glanced around the room, scanning quickly for anyone that may have expected the two of them being up to anything else than simply dancing together. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but she knew better than to trust her five senses. but she had her talents in the ethereal to warn her of any impending danger. What did surprise her was the fact that Slade seemed to be, for the most part, behaving himself. Or more than she had expected him to, anyhow. But she wouldn't retaliate, at the very least not this time around. They did have to keep up appearances, after all, however much she would have preferred other methods of going about things. It was a necessary evil, when one considered the alternatives.

As he beckoned she cracked a smile, dancing towards him, this time initiating things, taking his hand and spinning herself so that her back was pressed against his chest. "Not bad, really. Someone must have been paying attention in dance class." Raising an eyebrow she maintained their close proximity, knowing it was necessary in order for this partnership of sorts to continue. So much for this being a simple information exchange with another overpayed informant. But she would be lying if she said she minded the excuse to get away from things, even if she didn't exactly appreciate his attitude.

"Try not to enjoy yourself too much."

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

"I could say the same for you, a woman as beautiful as yourself can tend to lose herself in the moment." slade said whispering into the woman's ear.

She smelled of tequila, cigarettes, and a shampoo that was starting to fuse with sweat. A blend of scents that when added to the pheromones was absolutely intoxicating, it was like inhaling the galaxies greatest perfume and it made him want. But there was more information to give and she had been an excellent companion so far for the evening, and hey the chance to spite his father was even better. So he continued on about what exactly his father had to bring to the party, which was a lot more than the ravens could handle.

"My father has the Panathan military at his disposal, your standard planetary defense force, traditional military ranks probably over a million strong. This also includes a personal navy with star destroyers. All of which are kept around the planet Pantha." slade said as he kept dancing.

Rolling his hands down her slender rib cage Slade gently placed his hands on her hips as he continued to move his body to the beat. Once his hands were on her hips he kept them there for a moment then whispered one word that would terrify most people.

"Graug." he said softly then put a bit more pressure on her hips for an upcoming dance move.

Spinning Keira he pushed forward and placed his hand on the small of her back catching her right hand with hers so they were chest to chest and he could continue to leak information. With his mouth by her ear he kept up dancing then spoke to her in whispers.

"He has a legion of Graug at his disposal, not as elite as the Blackblades but still strong and brutal. They devour and kill anything and anyone. Pantha is a fortress world and every citizen is brainwashed into loving my father." slade said and another hit of that intoxicating smell hit him.

She was divine and even though he had started off trying to just have someone as fucked up as him he was starting to actually enjoy dancing with her. His attitude may of been a bit lack luster but she was the same, but Slade found that oddly attractive.

 

[Keira Priest]

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Even as Keira spoke those words she smiled, listening silently to what he had to say. That the army was kept about Panatha was no issue, as she didn't expect either herself or the Ravens to begin an assault on the planet anytime soon, or at all. All the better that they stay there, well out of Raven territory. It was a worry none of them needed, let alone wanted in their lives. Trying to avoid death at the hands of a number of other criminals was difficult enough. Attempting to avoid a Sith Lord was a next to impossible feat. The Graug were a bit more of a concern. It was armies of their kind she had encountered on Teth, with no intentions of doing so again. But, with their loyalty to Kaine himself, she had a feeling even they wouldn't be making a move without his approval beforehand.

That left time for strategizing, and in the unlikely event that one of their planets were attacked by the Sith, enough time to prepare. Sure, the Ravens didn't exactly have the best organized military, or much of one at all, to say the least. But what they lacked in numbers they made up for in sheer determination and loyalty, something she knew others could hardly match. Lives would be lost if that day ever came, that much was certain. It was an unspoken threat only brought up in sideways glances shared in passing. No one wanted to say it, but they all knew the truth. If given the chance, the Sith wouldn't hesitate to exterminate the Ravens, this time permanently. After all, they were traitors to the cause, and there was only one way to deal with those individuals.

Pushing away those thoughts she willed herself back into the present. Thinking like that right now wouldn't do any good. If something was going to happen it would come to pass, and there would be nothing she or any of the others could do to stop it, however much they wished that wasn't so. The Sith were one force that were quite literally unstoppable, no matter who their adversary was. The only right side to be on was as their ally. "Sounds like your dad's pretty scared that somebody's gonna try and kill him. Thankfully for him none of the Ravens have been feeling particularly suicidal lately. We'll be sure to keep him updated on that note." Suicidal was putting it lightly. To venture into Sith territory spelled certain death near instantaneously. They might have been criminals, but even they were smarter than that.

"Graug I've dealt with before, but I'm not too keen on meeting any more of them anytime soon. Is there anything your father doesn't have at his disposal?" That was unlikely. After all, he was Sith. The day people like him didn't get what they wanted was the day the galaxy would fall to pieces right before her eyes. But it was necessary information regardless. Everyone had a weakness, even someone as seemingly all powerful as Kaine Zambrano. The only trick was finding and exploiting it before any damage could be dealt them in return. What a dance with death this was.

It was no secret that his eyes lingered on her as they danced, but she still remained silent in that regard. He was smart enough to know which lines were best left uncrossed, and she trusted him to at least not do anything quite so brash. Retribution would be in order otherwise, something neither of them wanted to bother with. This was their time to relax, more or less. Sometimes it seemed as if things were leaning more towards the latter each second. Such was life.

[member="Slade Zambrano"]

 

[Slade Zambrano]

[member="Keira Ticon"]

"He was the dark lord of the sith, of the original Sith Empire. There's nothing he doesn't have. His own personal entourage of Sith Lords, minions, and plenty of trouble shooters." trouble shooters of course meaning the people who shot stuff when there was trouble.

Slade kept his body not so tight against Keira, letting there be a little breathing room between them. The man did want her but he knew limits on a first meeting, it would be very uncouth to grind up on the girl after all. But as the song began to come to an end Slade had a lot of information to leak, but again his ultimate goal while it was sabotaging his father, he rather liked Keira and wanted to see more of her. So she had been given enough for tonight, perhaps at another time they could meet and he could divulge more information but for now he had said enough. You never knew when someone was watching after all.

But Slade spun the woman around as the song came to an end extended his arm so the two of them were a few feet away from each other. The man chuckled at the woman and straightened his black hat and collar. He was quite used to the feel of a fine silk suit but it would sorely stick out in a place like this, so he did his best to adjust his sleeves and shirt before speaking to the woman.

"That will do it for tonight, it might not be safe." he said as he tucked at his collar and fixed it.

"I'm going to get a drink and a smoke then leave." and just like that slade turned his back on the woman.

Slade then began to walk towards the bar and reach into his pocket shaking out a cigarette. Reaching into his other pocket he grabbed his lighter and held both in his hand.

"You coming or not?" slade said as he made his way towards the bar.

Taking a seat at one of the wooden stools slade ordered a stiff drink and took off his hat setting it to the side of the bar and running a hand through his thick black hair.

 

[Keira Priest]

Rolling her eyes Keira followed after him, knowing that there wouldn't be any navigating around his attitude. "What makes you want to turn on him then, if he's so powerful? Most people would want to stick close to someone like that, if just because they know they'll be protected." Then again, his father was Kaine Zambrano himself. If he was anything like her, which it seemed he was shaping up to be, he likely became bored quickly and wanted time to do as he wished without another breathing down his neck constantly. Still, everyone had a survival instinct, and most would want to stick close to someone who was able to provide them with the necessary security as they traversed the galaxy, and then some. Maybe he wasn't quite his father's son.

Without complaint she sat down next to him, not bothering to order a drink, having had her share earlier. This wasn't a place she trusted to be able to relax so completely in. Establishments like that were few and far between for her in recent months. People she could do the same around were nearly nonexistent at this point in her life. "I was under the impression you couldn't care less for your own personal safety. Or maybe you just want an excuse to see me again." Her tone was only half-joking, and she wouldn't have put it past him, especially considering how he'd behaved earlier in the night. Of course, it would have been more surprising had he not had comments of that nature nearly right away. At least that much seemed to remain stubbornly familiar in her life.

"I'm assuming you know where to find me if you want to talk more. I wouldn't recommend showing up on Antecedent or Nar Shaddaa yourself. The Sith aren't exactly welcome there, regardless of how your relationship with them is. We tend not to discriminate." There wasn't time to, not after the recent happenings. It was better to treat those suspected as enemy exactly as such, regardless of how much was actually completely certain. In the criminal underworld, the phrase 'better safe than sorry' was oftentimes taken to extreme levels. Paranoia was just as much a detriment as a strength.

"I'd say it's been nice talking to you, but I'm not sure about that yet. You didn't try to kill me, so you get enough bonus points for that much, I suppose." She couldn't help but smile slightly at that. It wasn't often someone wasn't either taking a potshot at her or trying to flirt. If neither events transpired it was considered a remarkably slow day. Such was life.

[member="Slade Zambrano"]