Dark Tourist

[Valencia Hadley]

Location: Unknown City, Nixor
Objective: Blend In
Tag: [member="Kenth Typho"]

The last year had been... Trying.

Between her stint with the Knight's Obsidian, and her resignation from her Viceroy position with Manda, the blonde was in need of some time off. Though, having a face that was recognizable at any cantina from Fondor to Eos meant that getting down time was difficult. She'd made an attempt to enjoy a beach or two within Confederate space, but there was no having it. Anything that had so much as a hint of luxury had been teaming with politicians, and every hole she crawled into had a solider or two that knew her face... There was nothing for it but to look outside of the Confederates cloud of influence.

As such, she'd landed not too far from home, but far enough that it was unlikely she'd be recognized. Nixon was a planet that had only recently fallen under the Silver Jedi's control, and she found that their lightsider influence had been calming to what had once been a bit of a lawless system. Certainly there were still those that operated outside of the law, but they'd been forced underground - and that was exactly where the former Viceroy intended to go.

Finding a civilian or two of lesser repute found the diminutive woman, dressed casually, strolling into what was most assuredly a place that would not have been safe regardless of whose military was occupying the planet. The cantina was packed tightly, and the many booths that lined the walls were filled to bursting with all manner of scum and villain. There was little doubt that many of the conversations taking place in hushed tones were being done so due to their illegal nature, but the woman didn't seem phased.

Selecting a booth near the back, she slid easily into the worn cushions and motioned for the nearest droid. Making an order for 'whatever you have that is not terrible', she reclined against the thinning vinyl material of the booths back and sighed. Pale eyes scanned the crowd silently as she soaked in the feeling of being entirely anonymous... What bliss.

 

[Kenth Typho]

Ain't no rest for the wicked.

Downtime for Kenth was being attached to the corps. Run face-first into a war or two. That was a vacation. After that? Yeah, back to the intelligence work. It was apparently better for the mental health. Stay too long undercover and it did chit to your faculties. Kenth wasn't sure how dodging flying grenades helped with it. But. Hey, at least he got to see some really strange stuff sometimes.

Nixor?

Yeah, undercover once more.

Nobody in the Silver Jedi Order had illusions when it came to crime. They couldn't fix it. It wasn't something they could just wipe out. That would be silly. What they could do was make it more difficult. Less profitable. Ensure that only the hard and the desperate partook. The former? They could put a boot on. The latter? Kenth assumed the Jedi helped them or something. Luckily he didn't need to worry about that. His job was simpler than that. See, all it took was a drink in hand and- oh, hold up... she was here sooner than Kenth had been told.

Blonde hair, shaved sidepiece, a looker if you went in for that.

[member="Valencia Hadley"].

Kenth didn't actually get a name from his contact. Just that she was looking for something and had been extending feelers. Right now the lady was waiting for someone to make contact with her. It would have been someone else. Sadly that someone else had an accident on the route here. Stuck in a cabinet, so to speak. This was going to be Kenth's initiation route.

Work the woman, get her what she needed and the outlaw ring would welcome him.

Arms wide open and all that.

Pushing himself off the bar his stride took him to Valencia rather quickly. He settled down next to her casually. Like he belonged. "I expected you to be taller." Kenth drawled lightly, before taking another sip from his drink. "Got the money?"

 

[Valencia Hadley]

Location: Unknown City, Nixor
Objective: Blend In
Tag: [member="Kenth Typho"]

As the droid returned with what appeared to be some sort of dark amber liquid, the blonde flashed a smile that was all dimples and teeth and slid her credits across the table. She wasn't in the mood to be picky, and whatever it was, it smelled highly alcoholic.

Taking a sip and situating herself to keep her back to the rear of the booth, she began to idly glance about the cantina. The groups of people milling about were varied and at times quite boisterous, but it all worked to blend even the most unique of individuals into a faceless mass. Brilliant. One hand raised to idly slide her hair back, revealing the tightly shaved side cut she'd been sporting for a few months now - and as she did she noted that a set of eyes seemed to lock on her from across the bar.

Her heart sank.

How in all the galaxy had she managed to walk into a bar in a foreign system, wearing grubby clothes, looking a bit of a mess honestly - and someone still recognized her? Toying for the briefest of moments with the idea of sliding from the booth and making for the door, she locked gazes with the approaching stranger and stopped.

And who was this, exactly? The politician had made a name for herself with recalling those she met with ease. She'd prided herself upon forging easy relationships with all those who stood to provide her with upward momentum... And this man was not one of those. As he slid into the booth beside her, edging his way across the seat to bring himself quite close, that smile she'd been wearing died a touch at the edges.

Taller?... Money? With the faintest hint of a tilt to her head, she plastered that smile firmly in place once more and narrowed her eyes at the man.

"Well I'm sorry that I'm shorter than you'd expected. I've often times felt like I've neglected my studies when it comes to growing vertically." Her voice was jovial, polite enough - though the edge to her gaze was unmistakable, even in the dim light of the cantina's furthest booth. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but who are you exactly? And what money am I meant to have?"

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Valencia Hadley"]

"Oh, you are forgiven already. Neglected studies is somewhat a pastime of mine." A smile there, before she led with the next thing.

For a moment Kenth paused.

The snark? Yeah, sure, that was okay. To be expected when you commented on someone's height. Especially when they were really short, but the rest? That was ... unexpected. Had the smugglers karked this up somehow, or was he mistaken? A side-glance towards her. Measuring her up and down for a moment. Maybe this wasn't the contact? That would be a little bit embarrassing, but nothing that Kenth couldn't survive. Not like giving up the goods to someone else by mistake.

"You are not here to purchase services and goods?"

Kenth tried one more time after a moment.

What else would this woman be here for? Obviously this one didn't belong here. Oh, the outfit and attire were convincing to most. Just enough grime and dust. Clothes right out of Junker Weekly, but Kenth had spend most of his life on the streets, before being drawn into the Antarian Rangers.

"-what else would a lady of means be doing here otherwise?" Kenth smiled his charming smile at her there.

That usually worked.

It was a charming smile, after all.

 

[Valencia Hadley]

Location: Unknown City, Nixor
Objective: Blend In
Tag: [member="Kenth Typho"]


Her comment had taken his off guard, judging by the way his eyes took stock of her... Good; they were on equal footing then. He'd neglected to provide a name, though he was in good enough spirits to take her sarcastic comment with every ounce of the sass she'd intended. The time it took him to evaluate her anew was enough for her to confirm in her mind that she didn't know this man. Tall, blonde, blue-eyed - she'd seen her fair share of humans and near-humans who fit that description in her time, but his face wasn't familiar at all, and she suspected this gentleman didn't know her either.

Then he broached the very important question of what it was she was there to purchase.

She could feel the radiant flush start in her cheeks and bleed down into her neck. Forcing herself to grip her glass a bit tighter as not to literally lift a hand to cover part of her face took a visible effort, and suddenly her eyes were anywhere but on the strange man who had come to sit beside her in the booth. Staring pointedly down at her drink she was suddenly very aware of how small the booth was, and how he leaned in to speak to her as to not be heard by those who sat around them.

When he flashed teeth, giving her that charming smile, she considered if perhaps what very small mastery of the Force she had might be enough to allow her to sink back into that worn vinyl and disappear. She didn't know it was that kind of cantina... Glancing up at those in bar near them, she didn't see anyone else actively partaking in that sort of transaction - but as he asserted that she was a lady of means, she suddenly understood.

Despite the change of wardrobe, she was very aware of the fact that she held herself differently. She never forgot a please or a thank you if it would get her further along - and that smile of hers was expensive as all get out... An easy mark. She'd been foolish. Turning a much more subdued smile towards her eager companion, she gave a jut of her chin back towards the bar proper.

"I'm sorry if I've given you the impression that I was looking for company. If you want some credits to get yourself a drink and try elsewhere I'd be happy to take care of it for you - but I'm not really here for... That."

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Valencia Hadley"]

First that flush.

Which kinda confused Kenth.

Sure, he knew he was attractive, but that was neither the time nor place. More and more the doubt started to sink in here. Maybe this wasn't the target? What were the odds that two people with the same general description attended the same bar at the same time? Low odds. Which wasn't the same as zero, which he was increasingly more aware of as they went.

Kenth was about to say something-

Then that came out of her mind.

A blink.... blink again. Then, he barked out a laugh, head going back at the sheer mirth. That went on for a while. A few seconds, maybe verging on half a minute. Time flew by when you were having fun. "Oh man. Okay, yeah-" Pinking away a tear there. "Glad to hear you find me attractive enough to be considered an escort." Okay, there Kenth laughed again.

Wow, that was a good ego boost though.

Shaking his head as the man relaxed again.

"No, lady, I was told a person of your general description was looking for..." Lean in again. This time definitely on purpose, because of the flush. Elbows brushing there already. "... an illicit connection. Smugglers, you see."

Kenth chuckled, before starting to rise. "Sorry to have bothered you, ma'am. This ain't a place for someone like you though- might have your drink and be on your way."

A salute and he'd be off again to sit at the bar.

Waiting.

 

[Valencia Hadley]

Location: Unknown City, Nixor
Objective: Blend In
Tag: [member="Kenth Typho"]

The bark of laughter startled her a bit, and she could see a set or two of eyes move from around the room to take in their table as well. It seemed that perhaps she had misread his interest in her, and she'd most certainly misread the nature of his presence in the cantina. His insistence that she both didn't belong there and that following the completion of her drink she was likely better suited to see herself out left that charming flush in her cheeks to turn a slightly more robust shade of scarlet.

Nothing like a bit of bruised pride to make everything seem a little less important.

First he'd laughed at the miscommunication - then he'd seen fit to get into her personal space and mock her for the blunder. Looking for smugglers was he? Well... He could get himself properly karked for all she cared.

As he scooted to the edge of the booth and righted himself, telling her in the most polite of ways to get lost, she glared up at the man. Fortunately for him, her anger didn't seem to have the same dramatic quality that her smiles did. She watched as he made his way back to the bar and hefted her drink, downing the tumbler in on go before setting the glass heavily back upon the table and moving to shuffle her way out of the booth as well.

Normally she would have a bit more decorum about a misunderstanding that was so trivial, but it's not like anyone here was about to recognize her - and this man obviously had no idea who she was. Taking a few brisk steps she moved up beside him at the bar and lifted one finely manicured nail to prod him in the chest, leveling unimpressed blue eyes up at him.

"Now you listen here," she began, keeping her voice a bit lower because she suspected that he'd at least been correct that it would be unwise to start any trouble inside this particular establishment. "You're the one that just wandered up to a strange woman in a bar and started talking about making a transaction. You can hardly blame me for being confused. And where do you get off telling me what to do?" Her voice had risen a touch near the end, but it was still well below the din of the other patrons around them... This was probably fine.