Getting Lost (intro)

[Juniper Le Fey]

Zeltros
Seedy bar
Where all good things come to an end.


“Another shot.” A dry voice called out. The freelancer waved her hand at the bartender, credit chip clutched and ready. It was time to open a new tab.

Juniper Le Fey had found herself at wits end with running away. She knew she was not going to escape whatever it was she had been fleeing from. There was an undeniable sadness within the slouched woman. She had come to Zeltros to find something worthwile, she had come because she knew if she didn’t she would end up as a sad missing person’s report on some backwater planet before she had the chance to really experience happiness. Alcohol seemed to be the traveler’s only real friend the last few months; it had kept her darkest secrets and deepest fears. Though she knew her love affair with the sordid elixir would soon stop and she would be heartbroken and alone in the galaxy again.

La Fey had a penchant for unhealthy relationships her entire adult life. From friends, associates, all the way back to the woman who raised her in her birth mother’s stead, Juniper had known almost nothing but backhanded kindness. Alcohol was no different.

The bartender didn’t take too long to come back with her shot of rum, her drink of choice lately. It wasn’t hard for her to get service in bars like this, old creepy men with liquor really liked to give her free drinks. Zeltros was turning out to be no exception to this rule. “On the house.” He said, denying her credit chit.

“Cheers.” She hoisted the shot glass up and threw it back. Leaving nothing but a smudge of her vermillion lip stick on the edge. It was poor quality but free liquor was good enough. She would contemplate quitting some other day, tonight she was going to forget who she was long enough to try to meet someone new. Maybe she’d get a good job this time…or maybe she would wake up with a pounding headache and a new wallet or two.

 

[Cobalt]

Zeltros - Home away from home.

To Cobalt, it was like he'd never left Cernunnos. There was booze, food, half-naked women, and people with all sorts of spikes and tusks, and odd clothes. Just like home. This was the huge surprise the galaxy had to offer the Prince Regent of the Cernun Empire? Oh, well... The only thing that was missing to make this perfect was a donut. There were no donuts, and the devilish-looking royal was craving the sugary food. There were things similar to donuts, but the bartender had fervently denied Cobalt any chance of finding an actual donut.

So, the long-tailed regent sat on a barstool, sniffing at all the pheromones in the air. So much like Cernunnos, yet so unlike it. These Zeltrons were both overwhelmed by his scent, and overwhelming him with theirs. It was fascinating.

But then why was he so bored?

[member="Juniper Le Fey"]

 

[Roadblock]

deleted

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

The setting of this bar wasn’t the typical shady crime infested hive Juniper was used to. She hadn’t bothered to learn the name on her way in, she rarely ever liked their play on words and found their marquees even less tasteful. The blue eyed valkyrie looked over the patrons with a mix of contempt and calculated precision. She was here to find something more worth wile and she would be damned if she didn’t.

It wasn’t like her to blend into a crowd. If her snowy mane fashioned into a fierce mohawk didn’t draw attention to her, her piercing cheek bones and startling icy blues would do the trick. This worked for her and against her, something she had come to terms with long ago. She was born to stand out and Juniper Le Fey would do just that. It was also good to catch someone’s eye when you’re trying to engage them, and Juniper always caught your eye.

There were few in the bar that truly stood out to her, a few well-armed men every few tables, a couple people who were obviously here to lay low for a while, and a couple off duty dancers from the club a few blocks down who were likely here for the free drinks too. However, there was one who tickled her fancy; it appeared to be a humanoid though it had a brilliant furred tail swishing behind it. What an oddity to see in a setting such as this. Oddities were Juniper’s specialty; anyone who wore their look with pride was someone Juniper would have time for. The 5’10” woman who had been staring off into the distance for some time now with her head resting against her arm on the bar decided it was time to stretch.

She had a flask of Corellian whiskey saved from a very rich friend she made one night on Corellia tucked in her back pocket. As fate would have it though the flask was now almost as empty as the friendship turned out to be once he found out she wasn’t actually royalty. The flask would come in handy as an icebreaker when she neared this odd man. The vagabond had loosened the cap on it far before she ever stepped foot on Zeltros though. It wasn’t like her to get too drunk however, she made sure of it when in a place like this. Juniper was always in control of her actions, she never wanted to give any man an opportunity to take advantage of her or ever think they could, she always came prepared with her blaster.


She made her way over to the tailed man, curiosity aflame in her eyes as she got closer and closer. Matte black nails fashioned to a point tapped on the being's shoulder. When he turned he would see the onyx skinned girl had a large smile on her face, like she was hiding something but nothing too harmful. She adorned an olive green vest patched with the insignias of various militias and punk bands. Under was a loose fitting brown shirt tucked into much tighter black jeans. “You look out of place.”

She was one to talk…

[member="Cobalt"]

 

[Cobalt]

Cobalt's long, pointed, ear pricked up visibly at the voice of the woman standing behind him. When he turned to raise his eyebrow at her, his horns became visible and his tail came away from the ground to wag around a bit, sparking slightly. The sparks were blue, just like the sheath of the sword he wore at his belt.

When he smiled at the white-haired woman, he took in her mohawk and the strange clothes she was wearing. She looked like fun, he thought.

"Even more out of place than you could tell at first sight, I'd bet?"

[member="Juniper Le Fey"]

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

It took a lot to surprise Juniper, both positively and negatively. She always figured out sentient life would let her down so she tried to keep her options and expectations open. This Imp, however, gave her a bit of a rush. Horns? A tail that danced with static electricity? A somewhat sunny disposition, and beautifully pointed ears seemed to round the stranger’s appearance out. He spoke to her and it reminded her of something dark, something looming behind a veil. There was a danger to this man he wasn’t showing yet, she just couldn’t say what it was, but who was Juniper to deny a challenge.

“I once saw two Twi’lek play Divot without using their arms if you catch my drift. I’ve learned to not be easily startled.” She gave a dry chuckle. Her voice was usually a bit horse rather than sultry or inviting. She stuck her hand out, palming the flask. If [member="Cobalt"] were careful about it he could hit the flask before anyone noticed anything at all. “The name’s Juniper.”

 

[Cobalt]

Cobalt smiled at the woman, and her nearly empty whiskey flask, leaning against the bar and wrapping his tail gently around the neck of the flask. With an amused grin spreading wider across his face, he held out his own hand to shake.

"Juniper, huh? Name's Cobalt. Give you three guesses why."

The loosened cap of the flask came flying into his fist as he took a swallow of the whiskey, and he definitely enjoyed it. Way better than the crap that qualified as the same on Cernunnos. This woman was either rich herself, or had somebody willing to spend money on her. The Cernun regent vaguely wondered which was the case.

[member="Juniper Le Fey"]

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

It amused Juniper to watch him hit the flask openly at the bar. She had been kicked out of many the establishment for doing that. It was fine though because she was a little bit tipsy at this point and figured he would be the best person to talk to out of anyone here. Cobalt, as he called himself, seemed rather interesting. Perhaps he would prove to be of some value to the freelancer and perhaps he had a chance to get some credits. The gun for hire was always on the lookout.

“Well met, Cobalt.” She shook his hand firmly. Juniper always prided herself on a powerful introduction, you only get once first impression and she would never come off weak. “Finish that flask, I’ve had quite enough and as they say, free liquor is the best liquor.” She patted his shoulder, being careful not to conduct some of that static electricity herself. Mohawks don’t do well with frizz after all.

“What brings a guy like you to a place like this?”

[member="Cobalt"]

 

[Cobalt]

Cobalt smiled even wider as he tipped the flask until it had emptied down his throat, and then lowered his tail with the empty container still wrapped in it. With a wink, he jiggled the bottle around and looked at Juniper with mock surprise.

"I could never have guessed that you drank before me... Not at all. As for why I'm here..."

He blew some fire into the little bottle, popped the cap back in, and slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.

"Zeltros feels just like home, to me. Pheromones in the air, booze running like water, strange aliens talking to pretty women... All kinds of stuff. Gotta say, Nar Shaddaa disappointed me. Much more fun, here."

[member="Juniper Le Fey"]

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

It appeared the whimsical imp was capable of many tricks, something the woman would keep registered for later use. He mentioned pheromones and blew fire into the flask, which he then proceeded to pocket in front of the woman. She’d have to make sure to get that back from him sometime, that flask was her favorite. She had come to the conclusion he was trying to be friendly with her, which immediately raised her defenses. In the space traveler’s tumultuous seven years of roaming she had noticed that the nicer people were off the bat the more sinister their plans were, especially in bars like this.

It would be imperative to try to read his intentions before he reacted, it was always survival with Juniper, through and through. She placed herself first and the rest of the galaxy second. It didn’t however stop her from having empathy; in fact it made her more susceptive to people’s emotions by forcing Juniper to read them to stay ahead. Her discerning blue eyes looked over the rest of the bar, meaning she trusted Cobalt enough to take her eyes off him- though that wasn’t completely the case considering he did take her flask. The rest of the bar appeared normal, there were a couple booths she hadn’t been able to see before when she surveyed it the first time.

“Nar Shaddaa and I have an interesting relationship. In fact that was where I was headed after this place starts to bore me.” She actually had no intentions of heading to Nar Shaddaa but if she needed to make a fast getaway from this Cobalt, she would have an excuse. “But in the mean time I just gave you a flask so it’s your turn to buy a drink.” She then cleared her throat, “Or if you’re looking for someone for a job.” He looked like the ‘from the wrong side of the Swoop Track kind of guy who would have a high risk high reward job she was just drunk enough to accept.

"Or both."

[member="Cobalt"]

 

[Jaster Awaud]

A slam on the table, fist full of credits, this got the batenders attention, also the large black man wearing gold Mandilorian armor really couldn't escape the gaze of most people on this planet. Jaster didn't care, his pickup would take the feast of the day to load and customs would take till tomorrow so he planned to get drunk and watch his credits disappear by booze and weman. The bartender secured over to the gold armored man thinking he was ready to drop serious credit.

Jaster grinned at the elderly man, "Give me a bottle of Ryloth Ale and a bottle of Mandilorian brew, anything weak and you'll answer to me." Jaster loosened his hand on the credits and let the bartender take what was owed.

He turned to face the patrons of the bar and who eventually he would get in a brawl with, suddenly a horned creature with a very abnormal tail enter his field of view. It couldn't be! He stormed over to the man, a female he didn't know stood next to his gazed target. He pushed a man in armor out of the way making a strait shot to the tailed man.

Jaster stopped short of a foot away from the man. With his statued gaze and stoned eye he asked the man, "Are you a Cernun?"

Before the man could answer or the female pull a gun out on the large Mandilorian, Jaster picked up the man and hugged him. "I meet one of your comrades, I owe him my life." He released and set the Cernun back in his seat. Jaster smiled revealing pear white teeth surrounded by his darker complexion.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Cobalt"]

 

[Cobalt]

Cobalt grinned at the prospect of more drinks, especially with the woman who was standing in front of him. An odd character, to be sure, but intriguing. She was the kind of person who might have blended in on Cernunnos, with her slightly strange dress and that magnificent mohawk she was wearing her hair in.

"Why, you didn't even have to ask. I wouldn't buy myself another drink without offering you, Juniper."

At the mention of a job, the devilish-looking regent grinned even wider.

"Ah, work... The only paid work I have for anybody is literally to follow me around. No pressing enemies or threats that require trained help, I'm sorry to say."

When the big man in the Mandalorian armor walked up, Cobalt held a finger up towards Juniper to forestall any reaction for a second. His smile dropped slightly, as he looked the man in the face.

"Yes, I'm a Cernun. Bravo for recognizing me. Now, who is this that saved you? I'd personally love to know."

[member="Jaster of clan Awaud "] [member="Juniper Le Fey"]

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

“I’ll take a Zeltros Sunrise with a slice of something citrus on the brim.” She offered Cobalt a sly smile and a cheeky look. She knew men wouldn’t buy too many drinks if they didn’t feel they were getting anywhere. It was a give and take that all women encountered. It was sometimes a good idea to deter advances from males but in Juniper's experience they were more prone to anger so it was easier to flatter them than to say no. Though Cobalt didn't seem too shifty yet.

Her next thought was interrupted by the charging man. The trigger-happy, paranoid, semi-drunk Juniper was all too ready to put a round between the man’s eyes before he even had a chance to clear the first few people but Cobalt’s motion stopped her. She figured he was going to be a gentleman and dispose of the intrusion himself. It was indeed rude to invite yourself into a business meeting. However she was quite surprised when she found out it was an embrace the tall juggernaut came for. Cobalt was squeezed and pressed by the man, instead of the other way around.

“You two know each other?” She gave a side-eye to both men. “I thought you two were about to have it out. I was getting my credits together to bet on one of you.” The bartender seemed as surprised as she did; having rushed over from pouring another drink to make sure nothing was wrong. The bartenders in these parts of metro areas were usually a lot more seasoned than most places but the guy behind the counter seemed a bit softer.



[member="Cobalt"] @Jaster of clan Awaud

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Practically ignoring [member="Juniper Le Fey"] he continues to address @Cobalt. "He never gave me a name," Jaster was never rally friendly with people but he seemed nice enough," let me buy you a drink, us Mandalorians never need much a reason to drink so pull your friend over and we shall drink till our hearts content!"

As he ended his conversation, the bartender brough him the two bottles. Jaster grabbed the bottles and sat down and moved his hand to ask Juniper to join them. "Barkeep, put whatever they want on my tab," he looked at both of them, don't worry I just finished a job and the contracted is covering my bills till I leave the planet, the names Jaster."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Cobalt"]

 

[Cobalt]

Cobalt raised an eyebrow at the Mandalorian, a little bit suspicious of him. As familiar as Zeltros felt, and as well as he could sense lies, the Cernun regent didn't trust a man who said he'd been saved by another of his race. Sure, there were quite a few out there, but most of them were wrapped up in their own business.

"Well, Jaster... You'll forgive me if I don't take your word at face value. I didn't live this long that way. And, you interrupted a business conversation. Just a tiny bit annoying."

He turned back to Juniper, giving her a bit of an exasperated eye-roll.

"Now, then. Get comfortable - This might take awi-"

The devilish-looking swordsman made an exasperated gesture at the worried-looking bartender.

"Screw off, buddy. Nothing to worry about."

He turned back to Juniper, grinning sheepishly.

"I'm going to have to start over again, right?"

[member="Juniper Le Fey"] @Jaster of clan Awaud

 

[Jaster Awaud]

[member="Cobalt"] [member="Juniper Le Fey"]

Jaster didn't like being brushed off like a feather, he couldn't play his act anymore. The closer examination of the hug proved to the large mandalorian that his 'Creature' and his companion fit the description. The same that he was looking for months before hand. Jasters mind was filled with fluster and anger that such a man could brush off a mandalorian like himself, he offered drink and money and this Cernun disrespected him.

With a wave of two fingers, three Mandalorians in full armor and blaster pistoles, stood fast and pointed there weapons at the two companions. Jaster knew this would stop the companions if they choose to fight but with more on the way he knew he had the upper hand.

"Well now, I didn't think you would be so smart," Jaster stood and pointed at the other options to leave, "I had a shipment of very important medical supplies stolen from me and the few survivers said a Cernun and two others raided my shipment, and as luck would have it, your Cernun."

 

[Juniper Le Fey]

Being ignored was something that did not sit well with Juniper, being kicked out of her own conversation was something that did not sit well with Juniper, and most of all, brutish men who threw themselves at something because they felt they had the right to, did not sit well with Juniper. All in all, this man who hadn’t even given his name yet was not sitting well with Juniper. She gave the bartender a sorry smile in an attempt to apologize for the patron’s actions. The freelancer knew the issues that came about if you pissed off the person who makes your drinks and saliva was not her chaser of choice. The room had become a bit quieter since the Mandalorian came charging. A lot of the patrons were as seedy as Juniper and that meant a lot of untrusting eyes.

Then again, they may have also been staring because they heard the words open tab. Again, similar to Juniper in between jobs.

Though she knew why they were watching closely, because the armed man was in fact being quite loud in both his actions and his words. It was nothing at the moment but you could see the tiniest trembles in her usually icy gaze. She wasn’t scared, but not being in complete control of the situation gave her anxiety. She maintained eye contact with the larger man as often as possible, not backing down or letting him try to scare her. She had encountered that a lot with men, they were like dogs, if you looked away before the then you were submitting. Juniper was never submissive.

A flare of the same glacial eyes was the only reaction she gave to the Mandalorian warriors who approached. She knew only bastards would ignore a woman's presence and this brute came to be nothing less. There was never a time when her gut was wrong and it angered her to no end that she never listened. Instead of grabbing her guns and going out in a blaze of glory, the already longtime hunted rapscallion did what she did best in situations like this: let them play their cards first. She looked to Cobalt for some support, not sure what he was planning on doing. The blue creature was a wildcard already, attracting enough trouble for the both of them before their second drink. Although perhaps he had some magical weapons she couldn't see yet.

There was a blaster pistol strapped under Juniper’s vest, just in case. It was tucked in a shoulder holster under her vest, though a warrior like the Mandalorian would presumably know there was no way she would be in here empty handed. She also had knives in both her boots and a wicked vengeance in her fists.

“Well blueboy, what’s the game-plan now?”

Mandalorians were far worse to be on the run from than local police officers or the Republic bounty hunters.

[member="Jaster of clan Awaud "][member="Cobalt"]

 

[Cobalt]

"Well, that certainly escalated quickly."

Cobalt's tail twitched at Juniper, and his smile turned evil... Killing spree kind of evil. Anybody who knew him would have ducked for cover at the sight of the sharp teeth being revealed. Blue flames flickered up, seemingly from nowhere, highlighting the Cernun regent's horns and the tuft of his tail. He gave a sidelong glance at the mohawked woman, and winked mischievously.

"I think... It's time to teach some of these bugs a lesson in chemistry."

His burning, piercing, eyes trailed across the four Mandalorians. He slowly stood, and ignited the tips of the fingers on his left hand.

"So, which of you knows the boiling point of human blood?"

He inhaled deeply, exhaled, and blew out a ball of blue fire into his hand. His tail now pointed at the nearest of Jaster's men.

"I believe you will be my, ah, test subject... If you're a good little armored bug, I might even let you die afterwards."

[member="Juniper Le Fey"] @Jaster of clan Awaud