Private Cloud Nine

[Ko Vuto]

Funny how a planet made of gas could be filled with a good amount of hustle and bustle. Right now he found himself on Bespin. With Ko no longer a padawan he had a great deal more of independence, but a lot more responsibility as well. He actually had quite a lot of things he wanted to do after gaining knighthood. But now it seemed like those goals of his had to be sidelined for more pressing matters. It seemed like the future is not how it used to be.

War was the reason for Ko’s visit to Bespin. Playing the role of a representative on the unincorporated world to secure Tibanna for the Galactic Aliance’s war effort with a major exporter. Even though the Sith was much closer and arguably a much better trade partner because of that. At least on paper. But Bespin had been a historical ally for interstellar governments like the GA before. It wasn’t that hard to garner sympathy in a distant fight against an Imperial Successor state.

Aiding Ko on his endeavor here was a protocol droid by the designation RK-8 to help be his eyes read for the blind Kel Dor. As well as be a translator if need be. But like most droids in its series, they didn’t have a very delicate or polite personality.

After meeting with more guild representatives for the mining and processing of tibana on the planet Ko walked the streets with RK-8. Who’s calculating workaholic attitude was starting to irk Ko just a little. Babbling on about logistics and how useful the Corellian Trade Spine could help get supplies right to the frontlines created by the Dark Empire’s new internal enclave within the GA.

Soon enough however, Ko caught wind of some ‘vibes’ coming from a building he walked past. Stopping his pace he turned towards it. “-And it also intersects with the Rimma Trade Route which will help secure Fondor which I understand to be a likely candidate for the new GA capital. Not to mention-” RK-8 Realized that Ko was no longer walking beside him. Turning around it noticed the Jedi looking towards the Casino. “Now’s not the time for throwing money away Master Jedi. We have much more planning to go over.”
​

Ko’s shoulders sagged some as he turned towards the protocol droid. “I don’t think ruminating and brainstorming about trade lanes are gonna really help us now. It might do us some good to have a bit of fun while we’re here. One time I accidentally got stuck on Canto Bight without much to do other than hang around the casinos there. Might be fun to win some cash from folks who won’t miss it and put it to a better cause. Or maybe we can find something interesting."

“That hardly sounds very official. Also I doubt a droid like myself would be allowed to participate in any games. My predictive analysis might prove too great. Plus I doubt they’d trust a Jedi like yourself as well.” Ko nodded, the droid made a good point. Ko did look like a Jedi after all. If he was to represent the order he best looked like he belonged to it.

“Could probably use the slot machines though. They’re all electronic after all.” Still though a Jedi could manage to be quite “lucky” even with the randomization of slots.

“Well it’s your choice Master Jedi, but I’m going to go back to our lodging. I’ll see you later.” RK-8 removed before turning away from the Kel Dor to leave the scene. Leaving Ko to glance back towards the Casino before he made his way into the lively establishment. Instantly he was greeted with a paradoxical aroma of energy. The air was filled with thrills, envy, regret, and destitution all at once. A constant for the gambling industry where reckless people could make or lose everything in an instant. It was a bit nauseating for a Jedi.

DM Player-Slayer ​

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Lady Kyoteru Seraphine was a vision of composed elegance among the occupants of the casino in Cloud City. With her long, wavy raven-black hair cascading over her shoulders, she exuded a graceful allure. Her eyes, a deep jade green, sparkled with a sharp intelligence as they surveyed her surroundings. She was dressed in a flowing gown that shimmered with each movement, catching the ambient light of the casino. At one of the gaming tables, she engaged lively in the game, her laughter mingling with the clinking of chips and glasses. She was sipping on a delicately crafted cocktail, enjoying the company of a well-dressed, influential figure rumored to have ties with the Black Sun, one of the galaxy's most formidable criminal syndicates.

Not too far from her, a rougher looking individual named Ace kept a vigilant watch. Standing at 5'8'', he had a notably rugged appearance, marked by a hairstyle that was closely shaved on the sides with a long, neatly tied bun on top. His attire contrasted sharply with the luxury around him; he wore a sleeveless trench coat over a functional ensemble of cargo pants and combat boots, suited more for a skirmish than a social gathering. His presence at the casino wasn't to partake in its pleasures but to ensure the safety of Lady Seraphine. His teal eyes, sharp and assessing, scanned the crowd continuously, alert to any hint of danger. Despite his casual vigilance, there was an undeniable tension in his posture, a readiness to spring into action should the need arise. His gaze occasionally flickered to Lady Seraphine, ensuring her safety while maintaining a respectful distance to allow her the freedom to enjoy her evening undisturbed.

As Ace scanned the casino, he quickly noticed Ko, a newly knighted Jedi, entering the establishment. Recognizing the potential implications of a Jedi's presence, Ace subtly positioned himself to keep an eye on Ko without attracting attention. He leaned casually against a wall, maintaining a relaxed posture but remaining highly alert. Ace monitored Ko's movements and interactions within the casino, ready to act discreetly if necessary.

 

[Ko Vuto]

As Ko mentioned to the protocol droid prior. He was going to make his way over to a slot machine. The “luck” afforded to him by The Force gave him a good idea of winning a jackpot of some kind among the slot machines. However, almost as soon as he entered the casino he had been spotted by security. Ko understood that entering a place like this meant he was subject to its oppressive surveillance system.

“Excuse me sir, may I ask what brings you to our establishment this evening.” Asked a staff member of the establishment, along with another at their flank. That was fast, but not unexpected.

“Oh I was simply looking to pass some time at a slot machine or two.” The Kel Dor understood that he had Jedi written all over him. Perhaps he should’ve gotten a change of clothes before coming here if he wanted to stay a little. Ko fully understood why he wouldn’t be welcomed in a place like this simply from being profiled by his wardrobe. “I wouldn’t want to cause any issues by having an unfair advantage at a card table.” Although true, Ko could likely do the same at one of the many machines here. Reliably getting one jackpot after another.. But Jedi were far better known as psychics and mind readers. So he was hoping to capitalize on that more limited understanding from the general population. Plus Ko was no technopath, he couldn’t simply tell the machines to give him jackpots.

For a few moments Ko was still being held up with discussion with the staff. Who are all still plenty cautious around the Kel Dor Jedi’s motives. Even earning a manager to arrive on the scene as well. Who sought to possibly bargain with the Jedi. In exchange for getting to play some slots, wanting to see if Ko could root out any cheaters nearby.

“Oh that’s easy…” Ko remarked simply. “That gentleman over there, the Falleen. He's been cheating. I promise that if you search him now you’ll find a hidden card in his sleeve.” His tone was rather matter-of-fact. Like it was an obvious observation. Which it was for him. The staff looked over at him with rather shocked expressions. Also Ko spoke just loud enough that some nearby patrons could hear it. Adding a bit of extra pressure for the staff to act on his information.

DM Player-Slayer ​

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

As Ko shared his observations with the casino staff, Lady Kyoteru Seraphine glanced over at the commotion, her curiosity piqued by the sudden tension in the air. With a subtle gesture, she signaled to her companion, the influential figure with ties to the Black Sun, drawing his attention to the unfolding scene.

The Falleen, the target of Ko's accusation, stiffened visibly, his expression that of surprise and indignation. He attempted to protest, but before he could utter a word, the casino security team swiftly surrounded him. A thorough search revealed the hidden card in his sleeve, confirming Ko's assertion.

Lady Seraphine watched the events unfold with a keen interest, her jade-green eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed the situation. She exchanged a knowing look with her companion, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. It was evident that the presence of a Jedi in the casino had unexpectedly disrupted the usual operations, exposing deceit that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Meanwhile, Ace observed the unfolding scene with a watchful eye, his teal gaze flickering between Ko, Lady Seraphine, and the commotion surrounding the exposed cheater. His instincts told him that this disturbance might attract unwanted attention, and he prepared himself to act swiftly to ensure Lady Seraphine's safety amidst the escalating tension.

As the commotion settled and the casino staff escorted the disgraced Falleen away, Lady Kyoteru Seraphine discreetly slipped her hand into her purse, retrieving a small datapad. With practiced finesse, she tapped out a quick message before closing the purse and subtly passing it to Ace, her loyal bodyguard.

Ace, attuned to Lady Seraphine's every movement, accepted the purse with a nod of understanding. He discreetly glanced at the datapad's contents, his expression remaining impassive as he absorbed the information. With a subtle shift in his posture, he began to make his way through the casino, his gaze fixed on Ko, the newly knighted Jedi who had just caused a stir.

Approaching Ko with a casual yet purposeful stride, Ace caught the Jedi's attention with a polite nod. "Excuse me, sir," he said, his voice low but carrying a confident authority. "A lovely lady would like to speak with you." He gestured subtly towards Lady Seraphine, indicating her presence without drawing undue attention.

 

[Ko Vuto]

Witnessing the response of his accusation, Ko silently pondered if there could be a future in psychic security as an industry. However, for sensitives like himself were far too rare to properly utilize in such a manner. Perhaps even while blind the Kel Dor Jedi could see himself having a future as an investigator of some sort. Especially with the help of a decent protocol droid to aid in ways that Ko was now lacking.

Also Ko couldn’t shake the feeling now that there was something a tad familiar in the casino. Which was odd since he’d never been here before, and as far as he can tell nobody here was anyone that he could recognize off of their presence alone.

Suddenly he found himself being addressed by someone. A man that Ko didn’t know. He turned to face the man and acknowledged him with a nod of his own. They spoke about a ‘lovely lady’ that would like to speak with him. Which to Ko sounded a little odd. Internally he wondered if this ‘lovely lady’ saw what he just did and would want to see about using Ko to win big here. However after the stunt he just pulled he doubted that the staff would let him hang around much longer. Or perhaps they were some damsel in distress that needed the assistance of a knight such as himself.

He figured he could at least see what they would like to speak about. “Understood, I’ll speak with her.” Ko said to the gentleman before making his way over to the woman that was pointed out. Because of his lack of physical visuals he couldn’t quite make out what she looked like. Things like skin tone, hair and eye color as well as the details of her outfit were all a mystery to him. He had a better time discerning her geometry than anything.

Once he was close enough he gave her a polite bow. “Good evening, I’m Ko Vuto” He simply introduced himself. “I was informed that you’d like to speak with me?”

DM Player-Slayer ​

 

[DM Player-Slayer]

TAGS: Ko Vuto

Lady Kyoteru Seraphine looked up as Ko approached, her jade-green eyes assessing the Jedi with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. She gestured gracefully for Ko to take a seat across from her. "Good evening, Master Jedi," she said in a melodic voice. "Your sharp eyes and keen instincts have caused quite a stir tonight. Allow me to introduce myself—I'm Lady Kyoteru Seraphine. I have a proposition for you that might be of mutual benefit."

Her companion, the influential figure from the Black Sun, remained silent but attentive, his presence a silent reminder of the power dynamics at play. Lady Seraphine continued, "I believe your skills could be quite useful beyond the confines of this casino. Tell me, are you familiar with the intricacies of Bespin's underworld and the opportunities it presents?"

As she spoke, Ace maintained a discreet yet vigilant watch over the conversation, ready to intervene if necessary. The atmosphere in the casino seemed to hum with anticipation, the events of the evening having set a new, unexpected course.