From the Ground Up (Open to all Red Ravens)

[Evor]

FROM THE GROUND UP​

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Logan walked through the streets of Nar Shaddaa with his hands in his pockets, walking at a fairly brisk pace. He was in no rush, but there was much to be done today. Today was the day he made a name for the Red Ravens on Nar Shaddaa... Well, at least to try. He had lived on Nar Shaddaa his his entire life. It was the only home he knew and he loved it in a twisted way. The streets had tried to take his life from the moment he stepped out onto them, the giant maw of evil and corruption snapping at his throat through his whole life. The black market had brought out the worst of the gangs and violence in the underworld. It had impoverished families and forced them to live on the streets in fear of the Ganks that roamed the streets in packs, like rabid wolves looking for a bone to fight over. The would kill almost anyone or anything as long as the payment was high enough, except for Jedi or Sith. They feared them and them alone it seemed. Luckily for Logan and the few men he had with him, they weren't going to the heart of the Undercity, but rather a place that seemed to be right in the cross section of the Corellian sector and he Red Light sector on the fringe of the underworld. He had recently purchased some street front property that had housed a storage facility once. It was a fairly large area compared to the little shops in the rest of the area, and he had gotten a good price on it since the inside was in shambles.

The posse kept to the sides of the road, lurking in the shadows as best as possible, avoiding the intruding gazes of the denizens. He had brought his most loyal and smartest friends with him today to secure the new property. He didn't exactly trust the locals to not squat there or trespass as the place had been abandoned for years now. They made their way through the winding streets that were all too familiar. Eventually they came to the abandoned lot, the metallic smell of rusted metal and dust filling their noses if they didn't have any sort of filter or barrier covering their nose and mouth. It was nothing pretty by any means, just a giant heap of metal, stone and old neon signs that once held showed information about the company for all to see as they walked by. Logan stepped toward the dented and rusted metal door and pushed on it lightly. He sighed softly to himself as it swung open with a load creak, the rusted hinges making one hell of a noise. He stepped inside building, his thick leather boots kicking up a cloud of dust inside the building. He whistled to himself and turned his head to the door again. "In ya' get boys. Damn place ain't gonna rebuild its self eh?" They had all decided that spending credits hiring locals to do work they could do themselves would be a waste, so they were on their own on this project unless from Ravens came to help them out.

Several of the boys tossed their bags onto the ground with loud thuds, echoing around the room. Logan turned to his friends and pointed to two of them. "You two go check for squatters and the likes. I don't want any damn surprises." He nodded as they grunted in agreement and made their way around the old warehouse, checking in the side rooms and in the back of the building. He turned to the other two thugs/friends he had brought with him and grinned "You're helping me get all this debris and rubble into the compactor outside." The two smiled back at him and said agreeable words and the trio started working. They labored for about 20 minutes before the duo making their rounds finished and came back to join the group. Without the need for a cue, they began helping clear everything out of the main room. Logan stood up suddenly and stretched his back, already feeling the muscles tensing up and putting strain on his spine. He walked over to the main entrance and he took off the outer layer of his attire, the little bit of armor he had now coming off, save for the comm system hooked up to his left wrist. He grunted as he picked up his canvas bag, pulling a container of drinking water out of it. He poured some into his mouth and wiped the moisture out of the corners of his mouth with his his sleeve. He sighed as the luke-warm liquid ran down his throat, cooling him down slightly regardless of its temperature. This was hard work and he reckoned warm water would even be a relief.

 

[io eyeballs]

Nar Shaddaa. A lot of things to a lot of people. Far from the galactic senate in spirit and light years. The edge of republic space. As Io understood things it was the gateway to the various weak governments that occupied the galaxy beyond it, and host to the myriad criminal outfits that thrived on such weakness. And what a gate it was. Io had lost most of the money he'd ever had there. At least before he joined the Ravens. And he'd learned more about how difficult life could be in the months he spent on Nar Shaddaa than years reading about it. The last lesson the planet had given him was not its cruelest, nor its most important, but it had caused him to leave. If there was one kind of person Nar Shaddaa did not suffer lightly, it was those with no money. He wasn't unhappy with the result. He'd left home to get into trouble, and he'd found plenty. But Io was back and with funds now. He wasn't looking to spend them this time either. He hoped Nar Shaddaa would not notice his tight fistedness.

To a swoop gang however, Nar Shaddaa was an almost spiritual center. Gangs famous the galaxy over had their start here. The rivalries and colors that sprung from its streets had scattered to everywhere street punks caused trouble on a speeder bike, which itself seemed to pop up everywhere swoop racing became popular. But the sport was no longer young, and Nar Shaddaa's natives were no longer as important as they used to be to the swoop scene. Money was still concentrated here though, so it brought talent from off planet instead. Those coming to prove their worth, like Io had, meant it was as fertile recruiting ground for swoop gangs as it ever was. So when the Rat Eaters heard a Raven was setting up shop here, they had to look into it and io came with several of his gang.

To seedy people, looking from seedier space, Nar Shaddaa looked a little different. Its criminal presence let it work as an entry way to the rest of Republic space. The Republic was for criminals beyond its borders something like a dense asteroid field, harder to navigate in, but once you got in you had your pick of rocks. Io supposed he was now looking at it from that seedier side. And that was another reason he was on Shaddaa. To wet his beak a little. But things weren't simple on that end.

Io appeared with no tools, but cold beers. His timing seemed right, Logan looked to be on a break. io offered him one and he any friends doing the same, and set them down. They had done some basic introductions, but he had stuck mostly with his own clique since he had gotten to Nar Shaddaa from Antecedent.

"How goes the death star?" Io cracked open his own beer. He hadn't asked them what they had actually been working on either, nor did he remember being told, beyond that it was to be part of the Raven presence and it had walls. Sort of walls. It was kind of run down. A fixer upper. A dump maybe. Io had slept in worse.

 

[Evor]

"It's hardly the next death star friend," he said to Io at first. "I've lived almost my entire life on the streets and I'm finally going to give back to them. When she's done, it'll be a youth hostel. A safe place for kids that were just like I was, torn in two by gang violence." He winked slightly at Io, talking in a fake whisper now. "It just so happens that lots of Red Ravens will hang out here, the entire rear of the building will be a gambling den and illegal goods will be sold out the back." He chuckled aloud, grabbing a beer from the case, popping the top off and taking a sip of the cold liquid. The other lads there did the same, most of them sighing in relief as the cold liquid ran down their throats and warmed their stomachs.

He sat down on a giant piece of rubble they still hadn't moved, sweat dripping down his forehead and face. He breathed in deeply and wiped his brow, exhaling as the sweat was flung from his face onto the ground. "So, are you here to help?"

| [member="io eyeballs"] |

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Logan of Little Coruscant"] | [member="io eyeballs"]​

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Cut marked brown boots pounded the pavement at a clipping pace, avoiding the rancid paddles formed from a recent shower of rain and drunken slumped bodies of the destitute. Nar Shaddaa streets, filled with all kinds of filth and the grim of the pavement only served to punctuate the extremes. Flynn turned the corner and slowed as near the street front property recently acquired by one of the members of the Ravens. A chill ran through his, cold wind whipping between the buildings played in his hair and cut through to the bone, he zipped up his black jacket.

His head still a little fuzzy from the lack of sleep and too much booze the night before, however, his natural Anzat regeneration had his body fit once more. It is an ability that he abuses constantly, death sticks, whiskey and woman being his main vices, but he is in the prime of his life and plans to live it to the full. Life in this Galaxy is uncertain, life on Nar Shaddaa even more so but that does not mean life is without purpose.

He kept his gaze low, not wishing to draw attention to himself, however his force senses acutely aware of his surroundings and all the beings walking the streets, mostly going about their own business and with the same attitude as he. In a building nearby he felt the death of someone, their life presence dimming before joining the force, taken from them in a violent manner. Flynn walked on.

The door to the building ajar he bounded up the steps and entered the run down warehouse. A group of hardened men had already arrived and began work, he was here to help the best he could and get his hands dirty. Not knowing any of them, be approached the beer armed men, "Hello, Flynn Soriano, fellow Red".

 

[Evor]

The beer was slowly emptied from the bottle in Logans hand before a soft "Ahhh" was heard. He was pleased that Io had brought beer, a much needed treat after only such a few hours of hard work. He sighed softly, tossing the empty bottle into a nearby pile of garbage waiting to be thrown into the compactor. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one out, letting it hang in his mouth as he offered the pack to the rest of the small group. After those who wanted one took one, he pulled the lighter from his pocket and lit his own before tossing it to the next person. He breathed in deeply, letting the smoke fill his lungs, throat and mouth. He exhaled slowly, the smoke flowing out of his mouth slowly.

He looked up suddenly and saw a man walking towards him. He introduced himself as Flynn Soriano, a fellow Red Raven. Logan put his hand out to shake Flynn's. "Well met Flynn Soriano. I'm Logan and this here's..." Logan scratched the side of his head softly, "I never did catch your name friend."


|[member="Flynn Soriano"] | [member="io eyeballs"] |

 

[io eyeballs]

Io's face grew from respectful at Logan's history, but a little confused at the mention of a youth shelter and its relation to the Ravens, to a growing awareness. He laughed out loud. Impressive. Logan was an evil genius. He couldn't think of a more effective cover for the Ravens.

"You know, I was hoping to be the guy that just brought the beers, but yeah this is too good." Io laughed and rolled up his sleeves. He noticed the large piece of rubble and came up with another of holding off on sweating for a few more minutes.

A man approached and introduced himself. His walk was that of someone with a hang-over, common on Nar Shaddaa and Ravens, but his polite manner a little less so. Io thought little of it. The this planet the uncommon was common. It attracted all sorts. And so did the Ravens.

"Hey Flynn. Grab a beer if you like." Io took a cigarette from Logan.

"Eyeballs." Io said as he dragged, the cigarette lighting. "Going to get some swoops and my crew. Drag off that hunk of 'crete. And whatever else." Eyeballs motioned to the rubble Logan sat on. The crew might pitch in to work a little after calling in some favors, and offering more. Like Io, they weren't much into manual labor. Or they might just like Logan's plan like Io had. He walked off at a brisk pace on a different path he came by. He found himself at the bar he left them at. They were still there.

[member="Logan of Little Coruscant"] | [member="Flynn Soriano"]​

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Logan of Little Coruscant | io eyeballs​

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Taking the offered hand, Flynn shook with a firm grip, "Pleased to met you Logan". Even though his preferred fix are death sticks, Flynn would never turn down a friendly gesture of a smoke, his nature and upbringing simply will not allow it. Taking a smoke offered from Logan, he used his own lighter and pulled back the first long draw. He had to admit it tasted smooth with a subtle kick.

A grin crossed his face at the offer of a beer, a perfect marriage to cigarette. "Cheers Eyeballs", he said taking one of the cold beers and popping the top. He let out a long sigh of appreciated to the brew as it soothed his throat, then holding the bottle out to take note of the label.


"Use me wherever you need Logan, but I would like to check the place out for wiring of all systems, see if there are any nasties about. I would suggest striping the place and do a refit anyway, that way you are secure in knowing that your comp systems are not compromised". Although Flynn is no splicer he is good with security set ups.

 

[Evor]

Logan smiled as the two men offered to help him. As Io went to get his crew, he turned to address Flynn. "That sounds good friend. I should have some help coming for you at some point. I can show you to the electrical room if you'd like. Just a warning, it's one hell of a mess right now. You got your work cut out for you." He grinned as he walked toward the back of the massive room, pushing open a small metal door open with a loud screeching noise. The room inside was a mess of wires and other electronic devices that made no sense to Logan. The wires in the room were frayed, chewed through and all tangled up. They were connected to large machines that were rusted, and broken, clearly unused for quite some time now. "Do you need anything to starting cleaning this all up? I'm of no use myself but if you need anything just give me a holler."

Logan dropped to one knee and starting pulling on some loose wire aimlessly. He pulled on it for several seconds before it came undone with a soft snap, pulling a bundle of other cords with it. He sighed and tossed it to the side and stood up. He brushed the dirt and grime off of his knees and chuckled softly. "A lot of work..." he repeated to Flynn before cracking a smile. "I'm sure you'll manage though."


|[member="io eyeballs"]|[member="Flynn Soriano"]|

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Logan of Little Coruscant"]

Flynn placed his beer on top of what looked like a generator. "Oh I'll manage", he grinned. "Just give me some time and I should have some electricity running through this place by the time I leave today. Lets see if I can get lights working so you could run a night crew through here".

He watched Logan pulling up some clumped wires and cords. "You got insurance on this place?", he jested .. sort of. Flynn looked out a small window in the room which opened onto a narrow alley and the adjoining building, he looked up and found what he was hoping to find. Wires connecting the opposite building to the power supply.

"The neighbours are about to experience a spike in power usage", he turned back to Logan with a wicked grin. "I will see what I can do with this beast of a thing", he indicated to the large machine. "I will give you a call if I need anything".