Private Eyes in the Audience

[Teesa Sorelle]

E Y E S⠀I N⠀T H E⠀A U D I E N C E
A Story of Song & Shadow
​

TEESA SORELLE

The Blue Drift Lounge Coruscant​

The Blue Drift...

Not the type of venue she'd usually choose. The stage was too close to the floor, the lights too cold, and the glasses too cloudy to sparkle properly. Yet she had a particular fondness for the pianist- an older Twi'Lek lady with almost magical hands. She also liked the bartender, who never asked questions when she ordered odd or obscure drinks.

So she took the gig, a single night only, and a quiet crowd with an appreciation for her music. She felt a sense of familiarity with the venue; Fog generated by poor ventilation, the air filled with smoke from cigarras and the quiet chatter of patrons enjoying their hard liquor; It reminded her of when she began her career, how she used to look and how she used to act- a time before the columns, the galas and the producers.

She was halfway through her set, the crowd lingered onto her every word as she poured her soul into her performance- almost choking as a sense of nostalgia hit her. Her voice was low, warm and intimate- enough to make some of the crowd lean forward in their chairs. The Duros in the back stopped dealing cards, and the waitress paused mid-pour...

And with that, her set concluded in a mellow finale- applause abruptly followed as she took a bow and meandered backstage, almost relieved to be finished for the evening.

Then she saw it...

Her heart sank. A data card propped up against her mirror on the corner of her desk, asking to be opened as a flimsiplast sheet sat next to it with a single letter written upon it: 'M.'

Teesa's hand were shaking, he was here? In her dressing room? She froze- she didn't know whether to look at the contents or to once again contact the Coruscant Security Force- though they hadn't been much help previously, no matter how much money her family offered.

Her shaky hand picked up her glass of Tevraki whiskey, and she took a sip- which calmed her down for a moment. She slowly moved to activate the data card; A flickering blue hologram appeared... Pictures? Of her on a private, well-protected Epican estate? She flickered through multiple intrusive pictures, horrified as she did so.

Once she reached the end, a holographic text flickered on:

"You're not the target, Miss Loroka. You're the message..."​

Terrified, she deactivated off the data card. A flicker of movement caught her eye in the mirror- a shadowy figure. "Wh-" she sprung up, turning around to see who it was. In her panic, she knocked over her glass of whiskey- the liquid spilling over the cheap data card, causing a spark. Her eyes filled with panic as she froze, watching as the figure slowly approached her from the shadows...

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Another day without a mission from the SIA.

Saul was beginning to believe that the SIA was punishing him for his failing to apprehend The Collector. Saul stumbled into a bar called the Blue Drift Lounge. Saul almost read it as Femme Fatale Cantina but he was groggy and hopped up on pain killers. The large greeter was appalled at the sight of Saul, he was dressed in a green shirt and some athletic shorts. "Fracking bum," Saul remembered him saying but tossing a few credits for entry got him to shut up and let him inside.

Scratching his scraggily beard Saul frowned taking out a small bug that was hanging on the strands of his hair. The agent growled coming to realize that he didn't even bother shave for the past two weeks. Even though Saul never liked shaving preferring at least a shadow across his face, the anxiety of waiting for a mission caused Saul to neglect his personal hygiene. How long has it been since Saul took a shower, three days? A day? He didn't know but Saul smelled as though he was rolling around in a Womp Rat cave. Taking a look around, Saul reached his pocket trying to look for more credits until he found his combat knife. Smirking a bit, the agent looked at his reflection against the blade. He looked absolutely awful with sunken eyes, dirty beard and hair everywhere maybe Saul should look at least presentable.

Slowly getting up, Saul lumbered to the bathroom where he slowly cut off the rug. Every day he goes without a mission, Saul grows weaker more restless, Coruscant was still recovering from the attack, there were riots in the streets protesting against the Jedi and the Senate. Their neglect and for the underworlders filled the people with contempt and rage. Taxes were being raised, more spending on the military and the Alliance was in another war. It was a cycle that never stopped, greed, corruption, hypocrisy people can't articulate what's happening so they blame it on the people running the place. They're not entirely wrong, the Senate were full of moles and traitors something the SIA should've acted.

Yet while his fellow agents were fighting against the Sith, Saul remained back at home rotting like a corpse left in the lower levels of Coruscant. It was The Collector's fault, if it weren't for him he would on missions. Saul dropped his knife and closed his eyes. "I'm going crazy," he muttered. "I don't know what to do."

 

[Teesa Sorelle]

TEESA SORELLE

The Blue Drift Lounge Coruscant​

The strange figure continued its approach, eventually stepping into the light; A tall, bearded man appeared, a shimmer appeared by his hand, catching Teesa's eye- a blade of some sort. She fumbled about, still facing the approaching man, as she looked for something. She knocked over bottles and various items on her desk before finding her drawer, sliding it open.

She found it! She pulled out a blaster she had kept in there for safe keeping. Her hands shaking she took aim with a grip that would horrify even the most patient military instructors, and took a shot.

- PEW -​

She missed, the blaster bolt barely grazed the mans shoulder. Surely the shot would've been heard from outside?

Angered, the man closed the short distance between the two, knocking her to the ground as she hit the floor with a hard thump.

A struggle ensued, she kicked the man in the shin- only giving her a few moments of reprieve as she turned on to her front to try and reach the blaster she had dropped. But she wasn't quick enough, a hand grabbed her and threw her off to the side- further away from her blaster.

Soon, a blade was pressed against her before the man finally spoke: "You're coming with me..."

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

This fancy club was something Saul a bit above Saul's taste. He expected to be in a typical bar in the lower levels of Courscant but this place...... it was like he stumbled into a different planet all together. Then again, when you live long enough on Courscant, you learn pretty quickly that the quality of life can be a lot different between levels. What was hell on Earth on one level, can be heaven above. That was life on Couruscant and the disparity between the rich and poor has gotten wider over the centuries.

"Excuse me sir," the door greeter said in a soft voice, but Saul could quickly pick up the small inflections of the greeter's annoyance and distain at his rugged appearance. "Do you have a reservation?"

"Not really," Saul shrugged pulling out 6 tablets of painkillers from his pocket and shoving in his mouth. "Figured I'd try the alcohol in this place see how it tastes."

"The bar is in lower levels," The greeter groaned. "A place where your kind dwells."

Saul chuckled while swallowing the painkillers. "My kind," Saul said. "Are the reason why you people are able to have your little feasts."

"YOU PEOPLE?!" The greeter spat before a blaster bolt was heard from behind. The customers who were enjoying their overpriced meals screamed and ducked for cover while Saul pushed the greeter aside taking out his AT-NB5 Blaster Pistol.

"That came from the room of Teesa Sorelle !" The greeter whispered quaking with fear.

"Never heard of her," Saul said raising his weapon. "But evacuate the people and call police now!"

Approaching the door, Saul kicked it open seeing a man holding a woman hostage knife to her throat. "Let go of her!" Saul called out pointing his weapon towards the assailant's head. "NOW!"

 

[Teesa Sorelle]

TEESA SORELLE

The Blue Drift Lounge Coruscant​

"No!-" the door burst open with a bang, drawing the man's attention for just a moment. Teesa seized the opportunity, struggling against his grip with all her strength. He struck her hard, throwing her to the ground to focus on the new threat- knocking the wind out of her in the process.

Upon doing so, the attacker turned toward the gruff figure in the doorway. "Back off! This doesn't concern you!" he barked, raising his knife again before lunging straight for Saul.

On the floor, Teesa gasped weakly, consciousness slipping in and out from the blow. Her vision blurred, the world tilting and distant.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Though the assailant struck the woman across the face sending her on the ground. Saul remained calm not wanting to shoot the woman on accident, his finger was outside of the trigger, blue eyes narrowing towards the man.

Then for some strange reason, the man charged towards Saul his knife flashing. Before he could take his first step though, one blaster bolt pelted his chest leaving a smoldering hole. The man gave a gasp of pain collapsing onto the floor, his face colliding on the floor. The man’s body twitched for a brief moment before becoming motionless.

“Idiot.” Saul muttered smoke coming out from his blaster pistol. Why did he think he could kill Saul who had a weapon to head by mindlessly charging him in a straight line was a mystery for the ages.

“Are you all right ma’am?” Saul said holstering his pistol offering a hand to help the woman up.

 

[Teesa Sorelle]

TEESA SORELLE

The Blue Drift Lounge Coruscant​

Thud.

The body of the mysterious figure collapsed on the floor, and the immediate danger was no more. After a few moments, Teesa tried stumbled trying to sit up, instead opting to take the mans hand before collapsing back into her comfy chair.

"Thank you..." Tees' spoke softly, still recovering from the hit. She frowned, slightly concerned, "I-uh- I don't have anything on me to offer you..." she continued, not wanting to owe any favours to a stranger.

Slowly, she turned around in her seat to open another drawer, taking out a small holotab and offering it to the man. "Mm.." she groaned, a hand on her head as if in pain. "Call the number on that, they'll uh-" she adjusted her hand on her head, now meeting his eyes, "-they'll find a reward for you..."

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

Saul grunted at the woman. "No need," Saul replied. "Let's just say you already rewarded me."

Saving one from rotting away in his apartment was something Saul was grateful for, even if the woman had nothing to do with the situation. "Who was this person?" Saul knelt down examining the corpse. "He wasn't a smart assassin," he said. "Guy was sloppy with his work."

He looked around the area seeing a smoldering hole on the wall. "You tried to shoot him," Saul muttered. "That means he allowed you to run all the way to your desk and grab your Blaster Pistol." He shook his head. "Rookie mistake," Saul continued. "It means lost track of his target and didn't scout the area properly."

Scratching his chin, Saul got up. "Who are you?" He asked the woman. "What's your relationship to him?"

Teesa Sorelle

 

[Teesa Sorelle]

TEESA SORELLE
The Blue Drift Lounge, Coruscant
Late Evening

Quiet, all of a sudden- the stillness of the room crashed over her like a wave. Her eyes floated to the corpse, smoke still emanating from where the blaster bolt hit. Lifeless eyes, still body, Teesa's first time around the dead. Nauseated, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The rhythmic hum of the air-duct offering a small distraction. Her sense of smell bringing her back to reality... burnt leather.

Her eyes slowly flickered between the lifeless body and her mysterious savior. Feeling a great deal of uncertainty as she did so.

Tees' frowned at the man's unwillingness to accept a reward, it unsettled her and put her on guard. Who was he? What did he want? She pondered as he spoke to her. Her fingers now twisting one of her rings, a small ritual that seemed to help calm her down.

"I don't-" she began, rather flustered to have been bombarded with questions so quickly. "-don't think he was an assassin..." she continued, just about managing to listen to what the man said.

"I should count myself lucky then..."

Tees' eyes squinted at the man, her suspicion growing. Discreetly, she spotted her scratched blaster on the floor- just in case.

"You-" she sat up a little from her slump, head still ringing. "-Seem to know a lot about... assassination..."

"Who are you?" Tees' retorted, refusing to answer a single question until she had an answer of her own.

Her face performatively friendly, but her eyes telling a story of quiet terror. Her attacker, her savior, the message. Nothing made sense, everything was suspect in that moment.

Saul Colsan

 

[Saul Colsan]

“Saul,” he responded in his usual bluntness. He was told by command that whenever Saul grumbled he often sounded like a senior citizen who was denied his pudding. Saul didn’t pay them no mind, he didn’t join the SIA to crack jokes at least most of the time.

“I’ve…… seen multiple scenarios where high ranking officials would get caught in a killers crosshairs.” Saul stated. “At least those people have brains.”

But not this one, Saul knelt down spotting a piece of paper from the so called assassins pocket. “What’s this?” Saul opened the letter his eyes scanning the contents.

“I love you more than life itself! I can’t live without you! Please come with me Teesa! Come and experience a life filled with love!”

“Looks like you have a stalker,” Saul muttered handing Teesa the piece of paper. “I’d say you need to increase security.”

Teesa Sorelle