Doubling Down the Casino

[Cryax Bane]

The Dragon Palace Casino, one of Antecedent's crown jewels, was a majestic place. However the huge sprawling, neon structure was also the headquarters for the Red Ravens and therefore quite the juicy target for rival gangs. After one too many costly attacks on the casino, Cryax Bane, Ravens President, decided he'd had enough. With the blessing of Lysle Rigger, his former boss he signed an executive order to invest more credits in defense. Subsequently, the Chiss reached out to the Red Ravens' new sub-contractor, Titan Industries, to place an order for energy shields, orbital defense platforms, which had been refitted and refined from old GOLAN defense platforms, as well as reactors to power them. Once the project was complete, the casino would be much safer from attacks from the sky.

It was also important to fortify the casino from attacks on the ground. Thus the Chiss had ordered "improvements" to the surrounding streets. Nearby strategically-placed resident apartments were in the process of being emptied, and stationed inside would be sniper droids with infallible aim.

Cryax had invited a number of people to the worksite to see how the construction was progressing, including the Titan CEO [member="Alric Kuhn"]. He had a heavily-fortified VIP area set up near the construction site in order to entertain guests, investors, celebrities and anyone else with vested interest in the Dragon Palace. There any interested parties could help themselves to an impressive craft services table along with an open bar. Perhaps it wasn't the safest idea to drink at a construction site, but Cryax and the Ravens were going to do this their way, and the Ravens way always included as many vices as possible.

[member="Colap Ticon"] [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: The politician Coarts Office, Antecedent
Objective: Get shield publicly approved, advertised and possibly funded


"We just, we just, we're not a warlike people. The citizens don't want to go to war!"

The human male blustered. He was a pitiful thing in the Twi'leks eyes. On the far side of middle age, going to fat and pale with cybernetic implants that looked more cosmetic than functional. But this was power in the Antecedent political forum. He was an intellectual, and that was what they valued. Or, more accurately, he was very good at seeming like an intellectual though as far as she could tell he'd never had an original thought in his life. He was good at the sorts of long-winded, blustering, overly verbose speeches that politicians did so love though. Clearly having been written out and practised beforehand if his current bout of whingeing and stuttering was any indication.

Still, he had enough peoples ears and was considered to represent 'the common man' enough that swaying him would smooth the way for the Shields installations considerably. This is mind Chiasa kept her face impassive, the only sign of her annoyance being the graceful hand that smoothed an already smooth dress over her thigh.

"Of course not Coart, and we don't intend to take them into one. Shields are a defensive measure, not an offensive one."

"It's inviting an attack! It'll draw the wrong sort of attention!"

"Have you been paying attention Coart? The Mandos are gearing up and they'll hit wherever they like and for whoever pays them enough. If Coruscant itself can fall do you really think we're secure this far out? You think our backyard is safe? What about the plague outbreak on Teth we barely put down? The attack on Kaalonia?"

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: The politician Coarts Office, Antecedent
Objective: Get shield publicly approved, advertised and possibly funded


Coart managed to pale even further a feat she wouldn't have thought was possible. His chins wobbled slightly as he looked around, as if the threat was in this very room, as if he could run and hide from it.

"I see you have been."

It was true. Even without the presence of the Red Ravens drawing a target on the planet, Antecedents corner of the galaxy had been far from safe recently and it looked like it was going to get worse before it got better. Much, much worse.

"We, we can't afford a plague! And a bombardment would be disastrous! The population density is too high! Far too high! The statistics-"

She interrupted him. If you let these bloody intellectuals start on statistics they'd never shut up, and she'd likely be praying for either of the above worst case scenarios to spring her loose.

"Exactly. We can't afford it."

She spoke surely and smoothly, calming him with her voice. Or that was the plan. Make sure he knew she was confident and in control.

"We get the shields up, it's not a threat to anyone, it's not a challenge, it's just us protecting our citizens so they can continue on with their scholarly pursuits."

"Yes, we're, we're scholars, not warriors-"

"Just so. The shields will stop most attacks, and what they can't stop, they'll slow long enough for us to bring in allies to help. We told you we'd have allies, we do, they're strong, we're strong, we'll keep you safe, just like we promised. Haven't we done everything we promised?"

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: The politician Coarts Office, Antecedent
Objective: Get shield publicly approved, advertised and possibly funded

He froze, suddenly remembering that for all that she looked like a beautiful dancer, he was in the room with a predator. He was in a room with the Red Ravens. And yes, they had done everything they'd promised. Everything. The good of course. But when people hadn't cooperated, had opposed them, the Ravens had made promises then too, and they always delivered. She could see his mind scrabbling to justify what his cowardice ensured he would do.

"The safety and security of our citizens has to come first of course.."

"Of course."

"We have an obligation to protect them!"

"This is so."

"And, and they can continue to dedicate themselves to their proper scholarly pursuits if we allow you to see to this."

"Which is why you will award the defence contract for Antecedent to us. We'll have to start close to our territory of course, simply because we have the resources in place to begin immediately there, but eventually we will have all of Antecedent protected."

He didn't need to know construction had already started. Technically most of the sites were owned by the Red Ravens legally as well as practically, so they could build what they liked there anyway.

"Protected, yes, that's, that's what defence contracts are for."

"I'm glad we're on the same page Coart."

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: The politician Coarts Office, Antecedent
Objective: Get shield publicly approved, advertised and possibly funded

"What.. What do we tell the citizens? If they suddenly perceive a threat they might panic!"

"I'm not a spin doctor Coart, you hire people for that."

"I- Of course, the best, we hire the best-"

"But I would start advertising it before the project gets underway. Do not let it take people by surprise. Show the rough but respectable underclass working to build shield so the smiling intellectual elite can continue with their cerebral pursuits and studies. Imply the threat, never show it. And Coart?"

"Yes?"

"I am aware Coruscant was a powerful reminder that people should fear, and fear is powerful, but do not use any Coruscanti footage. None. If you need specific examples use the ones closer to home. At most you can have a refugee who looks vaguely but not instantly identifiably Coruscanti."

"It would be easier if-"

"None Coart."

"Of course, of course. I.. I need to speak with my PR team."

"See that you do."

She watched him hurry out, amused. Eventually he would realize he'd retreated from his own office, leaving her sitting there as if she owned the place. By then it would be too late though, the message was thoroughly entrenched. She was in charge. What she wanted would happen. End of Story. The shields would go up, and the citizens would thank them for it, and the government would pay them to do it. Oh how delicious that was! With a faint smile the Twi'lek rose, leaving at a more sedate pace. There would be a vehicle waiting for her outside the office.

Coart might have influence on Antecedent, but, the Twi'lek glanced down at graceful orange-skinned arms, she had found true power, and she'd be damned if she lost it.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: The streets between Coarts Office and the Construction Site
Objective: Get home in one piece


Before she stepped into the speeder, the Twi'lek paused to glance around, smiling. She liked Antecedent. Just as free as Nar Shaddaa, if you were a Raven anyway, and so much cleaner as a whole. Plus they had that thing with neon lights. Antecedent never slept. It often seemed to her to almost be a living thing. First it had been slow thing, its potential showing only in the signs, bound by the stodgy elite who were so far removed that they concerned themselves only with the cerebral. With the coming of the Ravens it had shaken itself off and perked up. Now the speed and ferocity of its business and life upon it more closely matched the promise given by those lights. They were growing together, the Ravens and Antecedent. The Planet and her. While she would always be a pragmatic creature, and would retreat as needed, if they could better protect and fortify their current home, good.

Entering the speeder, she sat back.

"Did he give in?"

She smiled at the male Togruta who spoke. Henbeddestr had a tendency to speak when he should be silent, but she couldn't fault his driving. Well. It tended to be extremely fast whether there was any cause for hurry or not, but it was still far safer with him than anyone else. Besides, on the off chance she did find herself in a speeder-chase, she wanted to end up on the winning side of the equation. Too many of her fellow Ravens had been kidnapped by various factions and individuals, she didn't intend to follow suit.

"They all give in eventually, wouldn't you if I asked you nicely?"

"Anything, ask me anything."

Was the fervent response, one hand rising to his heart, eliciting a laugh from her.

"Well then, bring me back to the construction site with speed, I'm told we're having guests."

"Your wish is my command!"

Perhaps, she reflected, as the scenery became a blur, she shouldn't have said with speed. Oh well.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: Outside the Dragon Palace Casino
Objective: Get Updated on progress, Schmooze, Troubleshoot

As expected, though there were more moments of doubt than one might have hoped for, Henbeddestr did indeed get her back to the construction site in one piece. The Twi'lek was very, very glad she'd never had a problem with motion sickness. Still, as the Togruta let himself out and went to open the door for her, she was all composure and grace as she accepted his hand and rose to her feet, surveying the scene more like royalty than someone who'd just walked into a Ravens meeting and pretended she belonged there not so very long ago.

Watch me rise, and as long as I keep up the momentum.. I'll never be brought low again. Rather like these shields..

The Twi'lek directed one last smile at her driver before moving to the VIP area, unless she was mistaken she saw [member="Cryax Bane"] up ahead. That likely meant that [member="Logan of Little Coruscant"] and [member="Colap Ticon"] were around somewhere. She thought she recalled Cryax mentioning that he'd invited Titan Industries CEO as well. She was fairly certain the man had been at a few of the same events as her, but he'd never really managed to draw her attention. What was his name again? Eric? No. Close. Half the trick of her job was just knowing people. She dug through her fairly impressive repetoire of names. [member="Alric Kuhn"], that was it. She smiled slightly, satisfied with herself.

"You're still driving with that lunatic?"

Her smile widened as she was addressed by one of the security guards. A broad humanoid with a heavy brow who might be related to the side of a barn somewhere in his lineage.

"I can't abide public transportation, and I'm never late. How's Resmi?"

"Good, good, she liked those earrings, thanks for the advice."

Declan and his never seen but oft sighed over lady were a source of great amusement to Chiasa, and seeing the usually stoney-faced man blushing never stopped being funny.

"And things here?"

"Working like demons Ma'am. Going up much faster than I thought it would. No major incidents so far."

This last was said with a rather stoney glare to the general surroundings. Clearly any incidents would be seen as a major personal affront. The droid security might have been more numerous, and for the most part more effective, but it was good to see the remaining organics taking pride an responsibility in their job.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: Outside the Dragon Palace Casino
Objective: Get Updated on progress, Schmooze, Troubleshoot

Chiasa glanced briefly over at the VIP area, only a few metres away. She'd have to deal with that of course. It was what she did. But the other half of what she did was.. Well it was the same thing but on a different level. It was Henbeddestr and Declan and Anders. It was making sure that the small cogs stayed loyal to the Ravens. Making sure they knew that those on top were aware of and appreciated them. That they were all in this together. That it was Ravens against the world. You could buy loyalty after all, but if you did you could always be outbid. It took a lot of effort to out-charm Chiasa however, and that sort of courting was the kind of thing the Ravens security teams would notice.

"Give me the walk about?"

"Yes Ma'am!"

Ladyfriend or not, Declans crush on Chiasa was common enough knowledge, so he immediately offered her his arm. She would never take him up on any of his advances however, and he didn't really want to be unfaithful, so it was more akin to courtly love than anything else. She accepted his arm readily enough, and followed where he lead.

"As you know, any of the land in the surrounding few blocks we didn't already own we've purchased. Private citizens have been moved out, they got pretty good deals though so we shouldn't see any attempted reprisals there. The best vantage points have been equipped with the sniper droids."

"Good eyes to have, since they never sleep."

"Exactly. We're setting up outlying, redundant security station in some of the other buildings as well. They're not as complete as our current one, but it means no one strike can take as off the air so to speak."

"Smart. What are we doing with the rest of the space?"

"Well, I don't know all the plan of course, I'm just a grunt..."

Chiasa snorted, a surprisingly unladylike sound.

"But some of the nicer dwellings are staying as such once they get a security upgrade, for you folks, or guests I suppose. And I think some of the other spaces are going to be other Raven held business, or research areas. I'm not involved in that sort of thing much."

"Hmm, interesting. And the shields themselves?"

"Well as I heard it they got the last of the materials in last night, so it's just a matter of finishing putting them together, testing 'em, and then getting them up and running."

"The work crews?"

"Well paid and happy about it. The bonus they're being offered for speedy completion is definitely offsetting any inclination they have to drag their feet and try and get paid a few more hours."

The Twi'lek nodded. She'd thought that a particularly good idea when she heard it, since otherwise paying strictly by the hour didn't exactly encourage speedy work.

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: Outside the Dragon Palace Casino
Objective: Get Updated on progress, Schmooze, Troubleshoot

He led her to stand in front of one of the shield generators, it looked largely complete to the Twi'lek, but what did she know? There were a few panels that obviously needed to be attached to the massive structure, but otherwise it looked largely complete.

"This one's closest to done. I hear they're even running tests on it already. No ones tried firing it up of course."

"The other's are being moved after completion right?"

"Yeah. Well. This and one other is staying here. I heard some of the engineers saying they reckoned two was overkill, but I guess they don't know the sort of heat we might attract."

"I don't suppose they do."

"They've been grumbling a bit, because they figure it would have been easier to build them where they're going to stand, but they don't grumble too much, not when they look at their pay cheques."

"Mmm, politics. Governing bodies take it badly when you just start building defence structures all over the planet.."

"Well they're going to have to go up eventually. I heard even if they got them all completed here they couldn't test them all in one go because it would use too much energy. They've had to rewire the grid just for the two and they're still tinkering with it."

"Oh they'll go up, and we'll get paid for it."

Was the Twi'leks response with a satisfied grin.

"We're defence subcontractors now."

"Yeah? That's a slick piece of work."

"I thought so!"

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Location: Outside the Dragon Palace Casino
Objective: Get Updated on progress, Schmooze, Troubleshoot

"What about the defence platforms?"

"Already up there, as you already know of course."

He flicked a finger on his free hand up towards the sky.

"I guess the refits are going pretty well, again, money talks and folks listen."

"Any idea on the timeline?"

Declan was a lot better informed than most people assumed, he took his job very seriously.

"I don't know exactly, but because they're so big, even though it's a refit rather than building them from scratch, it'll take longer than this first batch of shields. Couple of weeks the way I hear it."

He scratched the short stubble of his hair.

"Though I guess they'll be done before we get the shields for the entire planet finished in any case."

"We still have Titan employees contracted on don't we?"

She arched a brow at him.

"Yeah, and nothing to complain about so far. I don't trust 'em of course, they're just in it for the credits as far as I can figure, but we've got our boys checking everything they do. I'll say this for them, they know their stuff. They were on the platforms and working on them when they first got pulled into place, and from what I hear of security up there haven't let up the pace."

She nodded. It was all well and good to find powerful economic allies, but a business was a business. Again, those who were bought with credits could always be swayed by them. She was fairly secure in the knowledge that the Ravens attracted some of the best Slicers and technophiles available however, and they'd be going over every inch of the new technology, making sure it was secure.

 

[Cryax Bane]

Although Cryax was a busy Chiss, a few days later he visited the construction site to see how the work was coming along on the defense platforms and the shields. He was pleased with the progress so far and especially with his diplomat's dedication to wining and dining some of the local Antecedent politicians to get their buy-offs on the work itself. It wasn't that herculean a task, after all who didn't want to be safer from air assaults on the casino, but the shield construction and the placement of sniper droids had the unfortunate side effect of displacing some of the city residents, an eventuality that made some politicians skittish. If there was anybody that could garner their favors, however, it would be the Ravens silver-tongued Twilek.

He also invited Patricia, his new human executive assistant, to check out the site. Patricia had been unhappy with Cryax's recent antics at a casino party for his new business partner Gaajo the Hutt, an event that she'd stormed out of because he was getting liquored up, spiced up, and loose tongued. Not to mention he treated her less like a bodyguard and more like a Hutt plaything. It was a good thing that she'd left early, because if Patricia thought that was bad, she would have really hated seeing him get that tramp stamp later on that night. He rubbed his back with a wince, his skin still smarting.

His new assistant made it clear that the Chiss needed to clean up his act and put a better face forward. Getting the casino and the surrounding streets fortified was a step in the right direction or so he thought. As he waited for Patricia, he inspected the new sniper droids with the practiced eye of a technician. Soon they would be stationed in various apartments around the Antecedent streets, ready to take down assassins, soldiers and terrorists alike.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

Taking a glass of champagne from the craft services table that was everyday to grease the wheels of the politicians and business people who stopped by, Cryax glanced around at the construction site. Things seemed to be going pretty well, except for the fact that rival gangs kept picking off construction workers and stealing materials right off the site. That could halt production of the shields and generators considerably.

The Chiss gangster narrowed his glowing red eyes and started typing a text message on his Browncoat Datalogger. He would call in reinforcements to guard the site in the form a pink ball of fire known as [member="Dakita Calfur"]. She would see the following message appear on her Datapad.

Receiving: Text message from Cryax Bane
To: Dakita Calfur
//Message incoming://

Wzzp Dak,
need UR help
@construction site
bring thug krew
don B L8"

//End Message//

[member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Back in the public docking station in her B-7, Dak was lounging in her underwear watching an episode of her favorite holoshow Bounty Hunter Bachlorette. She had just put her feet up, unwrapped some Flangth-2-Go and poured herself a Dressellian beer. Until a message tone went off on her datapad which made her jump and spill the beer which she mopped up with some random t-shirts. She ignored the message for thirty minutes until curiosity got the best of her.

Once she read her boss's request, she sneered at the message - it was her day off after all. But then being at the construction site near the Dragon Palace Casino meant one thing. Construction workers. Lots of construction workers. That was enough to make Dak grab a beer-stained t-shirt, don a pair of red short shorts and pull on some white pleather boots. Heavy makeup - check. Deathsticks for anyone who wanted one - check. She just needed to pick up her bodyguard, Krevin and a couple other knuckleheads from security and she was ready to "guard" any muscle-bound builders.

Once she arrived on site she was blown away by the spread - fancy appetizers, finger foods and champagne. She gingerly picked up a glass and approached Cryax Bane, who was surrounded by security per usual. "I don't understand why you don't just get droids to do this work, Bane." She said, her head swiveling around to stare at a well-built Zeltron wearing a tool-belt. "It's not like you can't afford them."
She drank down the full glass of champagne and went for another.

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

Cryax was browsing through a Holomarket listing of sniper rifles for the droids when he saw Dakita sauntering up in a dirty t-shirt and hot pants, looking more like she was about to go to a Zeltron disco than guard his construction site. He sighed and flicked off his Datalogger, straightening out his suit jacket in anticipation of a nice, formal chewing out. The Chiss marched over to Dakita and snatched the glass of champagne out of her hand, setting it down on the craft table huffily, his glowing red eyes flashing with irritation.

"You're on the job, Zeltron." He hissed. Then he cut his eyes sideways at her Twi'lek boytoy, Krevin or something. "Keep her in check, ok?" he said to the Twi'lek bodyguard, giving Krevin's muscular body the once-over in spite of himself. "And the reason we don't get droids to do the work is purely political and financial." He rubbed his fingers together. "Simply put, if we can employ organic construction workers, then we can have the unions in our back pocket. A piece of the union pie goes to the Red Ravens and we get the added bonus of no riots."

Noticing how Dakita was eyeing the construction workers, Cryax smirked. "I don't mind you watching them," he said, gesturing to the Zeltron construction worker nearby. "Just don't touch. If one of them gets murdered on your watch, I will be one unhappy Chiss. Got it?"

[member="Dakita Calfur"]

 

[Armand Temi]

"Don't worry sarge, I got this whole thing under control," she said with a sweeping hand. She went right up to the Chiss and straightened the lapels on his jacket, letting him get a good whiff of dem Zeltron pheromones. She also noticed how he eyeballed Krevin and tucked that information away for future reference. "Look but don't touch the workers," she added as more of a reminder to herself. "Got that, boss."

Dak whistled to Krevin and he assembled the Casino security goons into positions on the perimeter of the construction site. She grabbed a yellow safety hardhat and sat down in a nearby chair to oversee the scene. She looked back at the craft table with all of its alcohol which the VIPs were just lapping up. No one wonder there was so much thievin' and deception going on. Everyone was as drunk as a cantina floozie at 3am. But ultimately she shrugged. Dak wasn't about to stop anyone from having fun on the job, not this Zeltron.

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

-----------------------------------​

The Casino was almost an organic being. It never stopped being added to, built, upgraded, updated. The buyout of the area surrounding it and the placement of sniper droids, planetary defence shields and orbital defence platforms to add on to the original extensive network of monitoring satellites already in place around Antecedent were old news. They'd been established for years at this point, beyond some ongoing maintenance not much more was needed there.

What did need to be addressed however was a lack in security unique to those who had force users arrayed against them.

"Are we doing the whole Palace Ma'am?"

"Eventually perhaps. I don't want to close down however. So we'll start with the areas in the back, where those who sneak are most likely to go, and the levels staff live on. I want them kept safe."

"And your offices."

"Yes."

"We had your boy Skolnick check out the tech we're using, and all the lads doing the install were cleared by me, so we'll have a solid start."

"I appreciate it Declan, thank you."

"Of course Ma'am, that's my job."