Public [Coruscant] A Cantina in the Depths

[Envir Vadul]

Envir Vadul was stuck in this place for three days now, he was running low on credits but he felt like he was going to absolutely lose his mind if he didn't go out for at least one night. Three days ago he had landed on the surface level of Coruscant, his ship, an old B-7 light freighter- had malfunctioned so terribly that during the landing one of the ship landing legs did not eject properly which caused the B-7 to tilt. Envir was too much of a cheap sake to buy a new ship so instead he sent the ship to a mechanic to attempt to replace some parts for the cheapest price possible... At first, he got charged what he considered an extremely unreasonable price for the fixing of his ship, though in the end they came into an agreement in which he could pay less but will have to wait for a longer time. After the mechanic venture, Envir quickly realized he did not have enough credits to stay on the surface level for a week while his ship got fixed. The young Corellians mood turned ugly after having no choice but to go below the surface of Coruscant. The following days he rented a tiny room in which he carefully ate his last few rations in attempts to not spend his credits so quickly.

Tonight however, was going to be different. Envir ventured out to a nearby district known for its bustling clubs and cantinas. He couldnt help but to feel somewhat wary and out of place within the neon lit district. The glowing signs and advertisements were pasted on every inch of the narrow streets that if he looked up it would be impossible to tell that he is hundreds of miles below the surface of the planet. Steel stairwells led to who knows where, alleys seemed to be crooked leading downwards or upwards, the labyrinth-like streets promised many interesting places that Envir could venture into. Among the many options Envir had, he picked a cantina located in a particularly dimly lit alley marked by a broken sign that most definitely had seen better days. The padawan knew this wouldn't exactly be the safest place to be, but at this point, he did not care as long as he wouldn't have to spend too many credits.

He entered the cantina, it had a lot more customers than he would have thought but they were not so loud, and lively music was playing in the background. A lot of individuals seemed to be doing their own thing, it was only two particular individuals that seemed to be getting into a heated argument. Envir warily sat down on a bar stool, making sure that his cloak covered his thigh garter with his lightsaber. In these kinds of places, it never hurt to be careful. Just as he was about to order a drink, a fight broke out between the previously mentioned individuals.

"Seriously?" He muttered, knowing it was going to be a long night.

 

[Jack Sandrow]

Jack stumbled back, wiping a smear of golden sap from his nose. He chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as he stepped forward again. "No, I didn't say I slept with your mother, I said she was a good cook! She just likes making nerf-steak platters every time I drop by, there's definitely no correlation!" He took another blow to the jaw, but laughed and dealt another two to his Quarren opponent.

What a way to spice up his day. For all he groaned and griped about spending time on Coruscant, there was a certain inescapable 'charm' here. Plus, Coruscant inevitably got the best Corellian whiskies, without actually having to pay import/export fees on Corellia itself. Maybe he should get a job shipping whiskey...

With a final (and heavy) blow to the Quarren's dome, he stepped back, panting and huffing softly. The Quarren lay sprawled out on the floor, groaning but still semi-conscious. Jack sniffed back another drip of sap, grunting as he turned to the bartender. "Get him something good to eat and a drink when he gets up.... let him know there's no hard feelings or anything. And if he wants a rematch, he's welcome to it," he murmured, tossing the bartender a few creds.

Sitting back at the bar, he ordered a couple shots, working his jaw as he used the Force to carefully realign his 'bones'. Ow. That Quarren hit harder than he thought.

There was a pair of eyes on him, and he worked his shoulder a bit, groaning slightly. "What's up, kid?" he addressed the stranger, not looking towards him but directing the question to him.

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Envir wasnt the type to watch cantina fights, it was generally known that if you were to look you would most likely end up in the brawl somehow. Though this one interested him, the humanoid green man was very tall in comparison to the Quarren and he seemed to have absolutely no issue dealing blows. "Sheesh..." Envir muttered as he looked back to the bartender to order an Ardees drink, by now most individuals stopped staring at the green man and went back to their own business. As he quietly drank his ardees he realized the green guy sat near him and was very strangely doing something to his jaw, many questions flooded Envirs mind, he couldn't help but to look in curiosity. A part of the padawans could sense something was different about the stranger, especially when it came to that jaw... A force user perhaps? Envir thought about it for a moment but decided that he wasn't skilled enough to detect such things.

The padawan chuckled as the man spoke to him, "So you give a free meal to every guy that fights you?" he asked half jokingly.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"No, I give free meals to people when they aren't worth getting into fights with later. That Quarren hits hard, and the last thing I need is a blaster bolt in the back." Jack looked at the kid properly now. "Word of advice, don't get into fights unless you know how to end them before they begin." He offered a hand to shake. "Jack Sandrow. And unless my ears deceive me, I am speaking with a fellow Corellian?"

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Envirs gaze shifted back to the Quarren on the floor as the green man spoke, "Well... there's always legs for running away," he said. A part of him was baffled that the other man would be willing to treat an opponent to meals and such in order to settle tensions, Envir could never imagine spending precious credits on such matters. Though deep inside, he knew it was rather cowardly and lazy to simply run away from problems.

He reached out and shook Jacks hand, "Envir," he replied, not disclosing his last name. He knew it wasn't something to be embarrassed of but he couldn't help but to feel sheepish as Jack recognized Envirs origins, "Ah, yes, you've been?" he added on, you idiot, of course he has- Envir thought to himself.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Born and raised. I know I don't look the part," he chuckled, taking another small sip of his whiskey. "I do try to drink enough whiskey to make up for it, though." He savored the burn a moment, before giving him a lopsided smile.

"What brings you to this hole in the wall?" Jack asked, gesturing slightly to the place around them. "It's nice, but... kind of a dead-end unless you're here looking for something in particular....?" There was plenty to do in Coruscant, but people went to bars for two reasons - they were finished their job for the day, or they were looking for more work. Which one was he?

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

"My apologies, I'm from the Riverlands-- not so well acquainted with the cities," Envir quickly said, thinking that maybe Jacks species was more prominent in the busy cities hence why he couldn't tell. The mention of whiskey made him smile, Envir always made sure he had a bottle or two of Corellian whiskey whenever he traveled planet to planet, it was a piece of home after all.

The padawan looked down at his glass of bitter Ardees, "Well... looking for something to do I guess," he paused to take a drink, "It's absolutely ridiculous how expensive it gets in the upper levels, sylops the lot of them" he said, sylops meaning idiot in the Corellian dialect.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Well it's been a while since I was on Corellia proper. And I didn't always look like this," he added wryly. "The galaxy is weird." Understatement of the century.

"Oh seconded on the expenses," he chuckled, nodding as he set his drink down. "Actually... If you're looking for a job, Envir, would you mind helping me out on a trip while you get yourself sorted? Figure out what you want to do?"

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Envir's eyes lit up at the mention of helping him out, it had been a while since Envir had gotten assigned a job. He was usually much more wary of accepting jobs given to him but at the moment he was desperately in need of doing something. The song changed into a more jaunty tune in the background as a large group of individuals entered the cantina, it was strange how in a dim place like this there could still be plenty of customers. Envir always made it a point to remember the faces of everyone within his surroundings, and crowded places made him feel like he lost control of his perception.

"Yeah sure, what are the details?" he asked, snapping back to attention.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Well, depends on your skillsets," Jack grinned, pulling out a small holoprojector. A 3D overlay of a GT-1000 freighter hovered over the table, cockpit and boarding ramp highlighted. "So, initial thoughts about a ship like this?"

Envir's response would inform Jack as to whether the kid would be suited for a shipping job with him or something slightly less.... legal...

"Just tell me whatever comes into your mind. Off the cuff, give me your stream of thought."

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Envir curiously looked at the medium freighter, there were plenty of thoughts that flooded his mind, but the first was, "Well, it's pretty good for casual cargo transport for a small team like us but it could be better with a different engine- if what you're showing me is the original model anyways," he said. "I'm no mechanic but I consider myself fairly familiar with the model, it's really common so I doubt any 'small' modifications would be noticed," Envir paused, "Modifications are convenient heh, happens all the time in Corellia," he added, not wanting to seem like he was into shady stuff.

And then another thought passed his mind, there were three things that Jack could have possibly been thinking of when showing Envir the holograph normal cargo transport, illegal transport, and then well... stealing one. Though perhaps it was best for Envir to stop running his mouth. He took a long drink from his cup.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

Jack was watching his eyes throughout, seeing if there was more than just the surface thoughts there... and there certainly was. The glance away right at the end there was part and parcel for someone who thought faster than they spoke.

Jack snapped the holoprojector shut, grinning as he finished his drink. "Mm, all good thoughts. Tell you what - meet me outside in ten, and I'll cut you in for 40%." He shrugged, slapping a few additional credits onto the bar, then got up, slipping his breather mask on. "Otherwise, take care! Nice to meet you."

With that, he gave Envir a casual salute, then headed out the door, pulling his hood on as he worked his shoulder one last time for good measure. Now to wait.

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Forty percent, a surprising number for Envirs ears. He had no clue what the supposed total sum was but simply hearing the percentage still excited the Corellian. Just what sort of business was this fellow Jack up to? Envir nodded as Jack walked off, the padawan noticed the Quarren beginning to stir awake. Before he would leave, Envir ordered another bitter drink and gulped it down at one go. He got off the barstool and glanced around the cantina, it gave him comfort to try to remember faces. Currently, there were far more new faces than there were when he first arrived.

Tossing his payment to the bartender, Envir headed outside ready for the troubles that may come ahead. Crushed glass could be heard as he took steps down the dingy alley. "I wouldnt miss such an opportunity," the padawan said as he approached the new acquaintance.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Excellent!" Jack was smiling beneath the mask, and he waved Envir over to a crappy speeder that was parked nearby. "Now, while we drive, I want you to go over your skillsets related to shipping and subterfuge. Give me your best method for hiding stuff that you're shipping."

It wasn't a terribly long trip to the spaceport. Jack parked outside and, checking left and right, began scaling the wall. The more prestigious spaceports commonly had security cameras and other forms of high-tech security. That security worked both ways, and if people had less than stellar motives to hide, having them on display in the middle of a spaceport was an excellent way to get a fast track to jail.

Of course... that meant it was trivial to sneak in, if you knew a thing or two about how they worked.

Jack looked down to Envir on the pavement beneath. "You coming or what?"

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

Envir was about to reply immediately when asked about shipping skill sets but paused to think at the mention of subterfuge and hiding. He wasn't quite sure what to say first, the guy seemed obviously experienced and maybe stating the more well known methods wasn't what he was looking for. Considering all of the odd jobs that required him to smuggle something, he would use the more common method, "I've done rather small shipments so I've stuck with paneling, I know-- very typical but if you know where to look, there's some pretty darn good smiths that make custom insulated panels," he explained. Envir had only known about the panels when one of jobs had to involve spice smuggling, it was probably the most nerve wrecking job he had ever taken just to transport a handful of spice for some snobbish idiot. "Oh and uhm pipes or vents, it really depends on what the cargo is... anyways in a model as common as that freighter you showed, one of the fuel tanks would be an alright spot," Envir thought that since the GT-1000 was relatively slow, storing contraband in one of the tanks would be the last thing an authority inspecting would ever think of. He realized that he hadn't mentioned anything about his deceptive skills in general, without wanting to reveal anything about his force mind trick, the padawan kept quiet.

Upon arrival, Envir took a quick look around the area. "Impatient much?" he chuckled softly, proceeding to follow Jack.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Not impatient - that Quarren isn't going to wait around eating his meal forever." He grinned, hopping down to the GT-1000 in question. "I did actually have a plan."

"Alright, I want you to look for panels, and I'll see if I can find anything hidden in the bulkheads. Once that's done, if you want to check the fuel tank, we might land something quick." He wasn't sure what they would find - probably some sort of spice or other high-value item. But if the tip he got was good (and he had no reason to doubt it) then there was a hefty score to be won here.

He tapped along the walls, mindful of the time crunch. "Hmm hmm... where would I put it..."

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

The padawan opened his mouth to comment on the Quarren but decided silence from him was best in this sort of situation. He simply nodded and went off to look in a compartment under the utility sink, there was a basic tool bag in the compartment though it was stuffed with all sorts of tools. Envir rolled his eyes as he saw some odd tools that were considered useless to him, it was funny how there were still lots of starship owners that would buy flashy faulty tools offered to them. After quickly rummaging through the overly greasy bag, he finally found what he needed.

Envir shut the cabinet and stood up with the flat screwdriver in hand. He began his search by lightly tapping some of the floor panels with the hilt of the screwdriver, he found it rather odd that an entry for the ships pipe maintenance wasn't visible. What in the world is this guy hiding?

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

Jack frowned a bit to himself, tapping along the bulkheads. Sounded right... so where was it? "Anything?" he called out, continuing to search. Still... nothing.

He blew out a breath. Alright. Time to do this the hard way. He reached out a hand, closing his eyes as he let the feelers of the Force extend from him. What was wrong? What was out of place? What required attention? What was.... there. That one. He tapped on the panel. It was almost invisible, but for a slight misalignment. A slow, careful, gentle, tug -

The panel popped free, landing squarely into his hand. A long, sleek canister laid inside, about a palm-breadth wide and longer than his arm. Jack smiled a little, slowly pulling the canister free. It was opaque, black and glossy-smooth. Nothing else he knew of (smuggling-worthy) would have a container like this.

He called out to Envir, "Jackpot!"

Envir Vadul

 

[Envir Vadul]

"Whoa," the padawan said as soon as he saw the container in Jacks hand, he could immediately recognize it. Envir had forgotten the name of the material, but it was a type of container that was purposefully extremely smooth and complicated to figure out how to open. He only knew about it because of a time in his teen years that he found one belonging to his departed mentor. To this day he still had no idea what was in it nor how to figure out the technique to open the configuration.

So, in this moment, he became even more driven to help out Jack. "Do... you know how to open that thing?" Envir asked him.

Jack Sandrow

 

[Jack Sandrow]

"Oh I do... but we don't want to." He hefted the container, nodding with a smirk at the weight. "This is an almost-full container of glitterstim. Really pricy, really valuable." He weighed it in his hand a moment longer. "Alright... let's put everything back the way we found it. Hopefully he won't know it's missing until too late."

And as if on cue - not five minutes later, right as Jack was helping Envir put a panel back in place - the boarding ramp began to lower. Jack put a finger to his lips, hackles raised as he shifted around back away from the ramp. "...crap. Back up, back up," he murmured, trying not to make much sound. "We need to be out of here before he takes off."

Envir Vadul