Give and Take

[Sayl Bane]

"If you don't get caught, you deserve everything you steal."​

​

That was a motto Sayl had lived by for as long as she could remember, even when she was no longer living on the streets of Nal Hutta and picking a few pockets here and there just to survive. Though it hadn't been a pleasant way of life by any means, there were days she found herself missing the times when things were a fraction more simpler than they were now. Back then it had been as easy as waking up and being sure that none of your meager possessions had been lifted in the night before moving on to find another hopefully profitable mark and perhaps secure something that resembled a meal by the end of the day. Now things were just a bit more complicated, beginning and ending with her joining the Jedi. Well, she wasn't a member of the Republic, rather another sect, but the meaning of it all was generally the same. Which was to say that her life was now comprised of regular training with little time for anything else, something she was thankful for yet resentful of at the same time.

That begged the question as to just what she was doing, so obviously not on temple grounds. The answer in and of itself was an easy one, which brought her back to the days when she'd been nothing more than another street rat. However illegal it might have been, she couldn't deny that stealing was a profitable business, and not a difficult one at that. Sure, her Master most likely wouldn't have approved of it, but that wasn't enough of an incentive to cause her to avoid it in the first place. If anything it only caused her will to do so to heighten, something she figured the one training she and her twin was unaware of. And if he did know, then he'd made a mistake in warning her to not participate in any illegal activities. In her mind she wasn't really hurting anyone, and besides, it wasn't as if she ever got caught.

Shaking off those idle thoughts the Chiss hybrid returned to her scanning of those that milled about the bar or otherwise stumbled in and out, in various states of inebriation throughout the establishment. Really, that only made it easier for her. The more intoxicated someone was, the less they were likely to notice any of their more valuable belongings missing, at least until they woke up with a pounding headache and a few credits lighter. It appeared that she would have to move on and find a more suitable place to scout out a mark, unless... There. As good as any. After casting another final, cursory glance about the room she pushed off of the counter and wove her way through the crowd, 'accidentally' bumping into the man. Muttering an apology she kept walking, resolving to wait and watch. Perhaps this time, her target would be a bit quicker to think. There was a first time for everything.

But she wouldn't wait without having something else to otherwise occupy her time. Once more she returned to her chair at the bar, hailing the bartender and ordering a Cometduster, spinning in the stool and returning to her quiet, patient observations of the crowd, a faint but nonetheless amused smile on her lips. A few moments passed and her drink was delivered, and she took a sip without averting her dark gaze from the various individuals of every size and species in front of her. This was entertainment of a different sort.

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Another bar, another story. Balkar made his way inside the place, taking a look around. A nice, clean cantina. This was a treat. Before he went to take a seat, he noticed a small girl around his age, perhaps a little older, bump into a man, her intent obvious. Maybe it was because he was a fellow thief, but he knew one of his kind when he saw one. Smirking to himself, he made his way through the crowd after her. By the time he'd reached the bar, she'd already ordered a drink, and he muttered a curse under his breath. That was possibly the best way to get the attention of a lady, to buy her a drink. Well, it usually worked anyway. However, there was one other way...

"It's on me", he called to the bartender. Instantly after, he broke out into a grin for the girl. "Balkar Din. Saw you swipe that guy's goods back there, nice work." The young man ordered a drink for himself then, which was quickly slid over to him. Taking a sip, his eyes never left the girl. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Well, this was...not such a new scenario. Along with being skilled at taking a number of things without being noticed by the other party, life on the streets had afforded Sayl another experience: dealing with the unwanted attention and oftentimes advances of men she'd never met before. Included in this was an innate ability to determine whether one would be friend or foe just as soon as they approached, most times without the Force to aid her in doing so. That wasn't to say that she would necessarily deny his company right away, but it gave her pertinent cause to be wary. One never knew what another stranger was hiding, doubly so when said stranger appeared to be a fellow thief, for all intents and purposes. Being notoriously good at talking her way in and out of a number of situations, that silver tongue was something she watched for in others.

And he'd even bought her drink for her. That was better than ordering it himself. There was less chance of this or that being dropped into it before it made its way to her. This was shaping up to be a friendly encounter after all. One thing she did note was that his gaze remained steadily on her the entire time he spoke, something that said wonders about his curiosity and likely determination as well. Oh, he was another thief all right. The only question left was how good of one he really was. Maybe they would have to have a contest of sorts later, if just to establish who was who. Something she intended to come out on top in, should it ever come to pass.

In response to his grin she smiled crookedly, eyes flashing briefly crimson, the only hint to her Chiss heritage. "It's always easier when they're drunk. Surely you know that much. It does take a thief to know a thief, after all." Thus far she seemed to be avoiding his inquiry regarding her name, while in truth she was devising which response she should take. Typically one to have a sarcastic answer first to any moniker similar, she found herself perhaps having to make an exception this time. "My name? Well, it's not sweetheart, for a start." The same smile stayed on her face to show that the remark was made in jest, nothing more and nothing less. "Sayl Bane. What brings you to this particular bar tonight? Business or pleasure?" If she had to guess she would choose the latter, but she'd learned early on the danger of making assumptions.

Pausing for a beat, her smile seemed to take on a bit of a different edge. "Or maybe a different kind of business."

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Even when he saw the flash of red in the girl's eyes, Balkar didn't even miss a beat. Though he'd make a point to ask about it later. "Maybe I'm here for both", he retorted, the same smirk remaining on his face. "You're right, though I suspect we have slightly... different methods. You like to take the hands on approach, I go with the more subtle." He then pulled out a single pazaak card and handed it to her. A grinning man was on the face of the card, labeled, The Idiot. "Cheating a man out of a pazaak game is loads of fun. Even more so when you can do it right. Oh, I have been caught a few times, but that's the best part."

At another sip of his drink, he raised an eyebrow, remembering the girl's idea of 'a different kind' of business. "Now, Sayl. Pretty name by the way. How about I bet you a kiss that I can boost more money than you? I win, I kiss you. You win, you kiss me. Either way, we both win. What say you?" As he finished his proposition, he downed the rest of his drink and shook it off, hoping to look a bit more interesting to his new friend. Who knew, she could be fun to hang around.

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

"A kiss, huh?" Pretending to muse thoughtfully about it for a moment, Sayl sipped at her drink before replying, studying him for a split second more. This was one to watch, though it seemed to be for all the right reasons this time. "I'll take that bet, and raise you that I'm a better kisser as well." If he was going to employ his own tactics of subtle flirting she figured it would be no different if she did much of the same. Besides, he wasn't being all that forward about it either, seeming to want to allow her to make her own decisions about whether to keep his company or reject it. That was something she could appreciate, especially given past experience. Besides, this was a bet she felt certain she had a fair chance of winning.

Instead of perhaps making another comment she scanned the cantina once more, this time with a more careful sort of scrutinization. If they were going to wager this bet, then she'd need to be sure that those she chose to steal from had at least decently weighted pockets. The prize might have been nothing more than a kiss, but it was something she would take as seriously as anything else. There were few that looked to be what she was looking for, but that just heightened her sense of needing to make good on this.

Finally having made her decision, or at least gotten a vague idea of who her first target would be, she once more turned to Balkar, a slightly more cocky grin on her face. Oh, she would play. "Let's do it, then." She hopped down off of the bar stool and made a show of dusting herself off before reaching over to finish the rest of her drink, setting the empty glass down on the counter. "If you want to back out because you're afraid of losing to a girl, I completely understand." Her smile turned a bit more teasing.

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Balkar grinned smugly when Sayl took him up on his offer. She wanted to raise the stakes? That was cool with him, and he even made sure he voiced his opinion. "Aright then, you're on. Besides, wether or not you are the better kisser, which I doubt, i still win both ways. See ya around." Stepping away from the bar, he have her one last smile before walking off into the crowd. He recalled seeing a few tables somewhere off to the side... ah. There they were. Boosting a nice pair of shades from someone's back pocket, he excused himself at one such table and scooted himself in. "Gentlemen!", he started, an award-winning smile on his face as he pulled out his deck. "How about a nice game of pazaak?"

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Admittedly, his instigation of their bet was something Sayl found herself enjoying more than she would admit. Hardly being one to back down from a challenge, especially one for which she knew she was more than qualified for, her acceptance was only moderately surprising to her own ears, if that. But now she had more important things to mull over than her own evolving ethical compass, namely securing an amount of credits that would win her this little bet. Given the fact that her competitor would more than likely be able to secure hundreds of credits effortlessly, or so she suspected with his method of gaining the wealth, this particular job would require a bit more finesse and perhaps subtlety.

Whereas he moved off right away she leaned back on the bar, scoping out the throngs of people for another moment. Those that were avoiding any alcohol or other intoxicating substances would be the ones to watch, as they likely had more credits or other valuables on their person that they wished to keep safe. That, in turn, meant they would be fractionally more difficult to get close to, let alone close enough to pick their pockets. Unsurprisingly, those individuals were also her first choice. Hopefully Balkar was willing to take as much a risk as she was.

What felt like ten or more minutes passed before she finally wove her way back into the crowd, blending seemingly with the other denizens that were likely at the cantina for similar nefarious purposes. Running into another potential rival would only make the night into more of a novelty than it already had been.

Finally having managed to near one of those she'd chosen as a likely target she paused again, observing them from a distance while appearing to be absorbed in searching the crowds just near the man. Once he looked away she continued moving again, brushing past him, their bodies hardly touching, though she still managed to take a handful of credits, quickly passing them into her other hand before putting a few meters between them, pocketing the chits. Again she locked her eyes on another mark, absently wondering how Balkar was faring in comparison.

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Ever so often, Balkar would look around to check on his competitor's progress, but for the most part he kept his head in the game. Shuffling his cards, he slipped a few choice cards into his sleeve, using a method he'd been shown by a recent acquaintance of his, Val Cardin. He made sure to pull the cards in with his pinky, so as not to get caught. He was still learning, after all. Once he passed the cards out, he drew a few from his smaller deck and smirked to himself. Placing three face down, he slapped thirty credits on the table. Eyeing the other players, he tried to gauge just what kind of hand they would play first. The key to playing was knowing your deck, which he did. These idiots had no clue what they'd gotten into. The game had begun.

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

It took a bit more patience to work her way through throngs of drunks than Sayl had the capacity for, and she found herself nudging them out of the way here and there with a well-placed shove to areas that weren't meant to be shoved in some cases. That was one of the major irritants of places like this, the men and women alike that didn't know when they'd had their fill or, worse yet, when to back off and find someone else to pester. But it was something she would take advantage of, however much she was frustrated by the fact. Still nudging people out of the way she lightened their pockets by a credit or two, perhaps five if she was feeling particularly generous. They never learn.

That bit of a sidetrack didn't draw as much attention to herself as she had feared it did, which was a small victory by itself. Now, where was she... There. Had she had more time, she would have progressed more slowly when it came to some people, even sitting down to talk with them before taking what she needed and being on her way. It was much easier to dissuade suspicions, that way, and if they walked away thinking you friend rather than foe, well, there was good chance they'd remember that later in a court room. It really was the little things that made her life easier.

Casting a glance in the general direction of her new acquaintance she once more made a pass, made simpler by the fact that this time, the one she'd chosen to rob was well and thoroughly drunk, only eliciting a minor complaint that was too slurred to understand anyhow. Stifling a wry smile she moved to lean up against a nearby wall, slipping a credit here and there from those that got too close for both her comfort and their own good.

Sure, pazaak might have been an easier way to go about things, but it was so incredibly boring in her eyes.

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

While he played, if Balkar wound up making eye contact with the girl, he'd simply give her his prize winning smirk and continue with his game. Facing the three other men, he watched as each laid their bets. Thirty credits, twenty, fifty. Hm. Someone was feeling lucky. Swiping one of the extra cards from his sleeve, he placed it down next to his others and added another fourth credits to his pile. That was his strategy; start off small, then ambush the other players with the surprises he had in store. At the end of his turn, he got a hard look from the player directly across from him, at which he simply smiled and nodded. With a sigh, the man dropped another thirty credits on the table as he placed another card next to his others, while the other two passed. Maybe they'd had an idea of what was going on... Just in case, Ballar silently and discreetly reached down, readying his blaster. If things got messy and he had to run, he would do just that. Kiss or not, he wasn't going to risk his life on something like that. Then again, she is pretty cute...', he thought to himself. Thankfully, on a second take of the me it turned out he was just being a bit itchy. The players's eyes returned to their cards, staring intently at them. Taking this time to speak up, he leaned back with a small smirk. "You boys having fun there?" He would get a harsh gaze from one of them, but another piped up. "You do play a heavy game of pazaak. You're already seventy credits in, and it's only the third round. What's your game?" In response, the gambler just smiled and shrugged. "Lucky hands, man. Lucky hands."

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Her only response to his smirk would be a half-smile and a shake of her head. Sure, she did appreciate his company, and it didn't hurt that he seemed to enjoy hers in return. Something told her they would at the very least remain in contact after this night's little escapade, through one means or another. It was an interesting sort of friendship - perhaps even something of a rivalry - that they'd managed to at least begin to shape in the short minutes that they'd conversed. And it was just the sort of being at odds while still enjoying the other's presence that she could get used to.

Despite these feelings Sayl was still intent on winning their bet or at the very least coming in a strong second. But after pocketing another good handful of credits she found that her potential prospects were beginning to dwindle a bit more than she would have liked. Not usually one to steal from the same person twice, for simple self-preservation more than anything concern for their own safety, she mused that maybe this would be the night she broke her one rule, if it could really be called that. It wasn't something she would have normally considered, but this was a special case, warranting an exception in her mind.

That exception was something she acted on not long after, only returning to take a few chits from those that were less than sober before and were now more than a little tipsy. Weighing the credits in her pocket with a practiced hand she decided that, regardless of whether she came out on top or not, she'd made enough credits to suffice for more than she really needed them, at this point. With her new station as a Jedi, her needs were provided for, for the most part. This was just a bit of spending money.

Doing her best to meet Balkar's gaze through the crowd, she finally returned his smirk, hoping to convey a single message. I'm done here.

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Man, was this getting good. They were now six rounds into the game, and Balkar was ahead by a long shot, the other players having a total of almost three hundred credits on the table, himself having a hundred out. It was a risky game, but hey. Would it be any fun if it wasn't risky? Nah, of course not. However, he'd noticed how easy his competitor, comrade, whatever, had been weaving through the throng of people, snatching at their pockets while they simply stared on. It should've been a sin, how good that girl was. Perhaps she could teach him some moves... and there she was. Next time he caught eye contact with her, she game him a smirk that said she'd finished her rounds. Good enough for him. Now, time to end this. "Alright guys, I thinkable I've held you all up long enough. Now's the time when you hand all those shiny credits over." Flipping over his cards, he looked at each other faces. Their reactions were priceless. Smirking like the little devil he was, he scooped up their credits, straightened his shirt, and got up from the table. Once he plucked the now picked up deck from the slack-jawed man across from him, he walked over and met back up with Sayl at the bar. "How'd you do, lovely?"

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

"Depends," Flashing a smile, Sayl placed the credits she'd managed to gather in those few minutes on the counter. The number wasn't anything overly impressive, and though she hadn't taken time to really count them, past experience told her that she'd managed to acquire upwards of two hundred, but no more. It made for a nice amount, regardless of whether he'd beaten her or not. "How well do you think I did? I'd say I managed to grab around two hundred or so, maybe a few more. Not anything really unusual, but it'll serve for awhile regardless. Did your friends take kindly to you?" If she had to guess by the look on his face, she would have to say they did that and more.

Neither of their actions seemed to have garnered much attention, whether the good or the bad, which wasn't an entirely unusual thing. Most were too deep in their drink at this point to really care, and those that were lucid enough were already so used to living with crime that they didn't see a point in furthering the hassle. And that, in its entirety, led to no one getting caught, a development that she and others alike not only elicited a sense of appreciation, but allowed this type of activity to thrive.

"Most of them were asking for it, anyway. But I can't assume that the more lucid ones were so easy to manipulate."

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Balkar kept a smirk on his face as he reached into his picket and revealed a pouch with a considerable amount of credits. "I lost count at three hundred. There may be more. You can count, if you want." His prize-winning smirk said it all. She was good. Stealing over two hundred just from pocket-lining? And fast, too. "Say, pazaak is fun and profitable, but you make your way look so much fun. I think you'll have to teach me a few things. But first, our deal." Keeping his smile, he pulled the girl close and gave her a long kiss, savoring the moment, then pulled away as quickly as he had started. "I believe I deserved that", he joked lightly.

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

Blinking in surprise at the kiss, though it had been, in a sense, expected, Sayl couldn't help the slow smile that formed on her lips after he pulled away. Perhaps his talents laid in areas other than stealing. Her smile turned just a bit more crooked at that thought, and she considered his comment about her methods of pickpocketing for a moment. "I don't think you'd have any problems learning. It's not a difficult art to master, if you've got the quick fingers for it." He definitely had the intelligence required to calculate when and where would be his best options to give and take. It was only a matter of applying those figures in a decidedly more upfront manner.

Almost absently she sifted through the credits he'd gathered for a moment, gauging their feel carefully. His estimate of over three hundred seemed to be just about right, something she could appreciate in and of itself. Sure, her ability to manipulate others wasn't something she necessarily underestimated, but cheating others out of their money through a card game was an art she hadn't yet perfected. There were things they could teach each other, she reasoned.

Her smile widened, eyes flashing red once more. "So, there aren't going to be any angry girlfriends on my back for this, is there?"

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Bal smirked at the girl's words, nodding to himself. "Oh, I've got the quick hands, alright. That's the key to winning pazaak the way I do. Besides, a Corellian losing at pazaak? I wouldn't believe it." He kept his eyes on Sayl, her wide smile telling him everything. Perhaps she was interested. Perhaps even he was. "Now if ya want, I could teach you some of th game, but that'll cost at another kiss. Something tells me you don't mind though." Chuckling at the comment about girlfriends, he shook his head. "That'd be a solid nope. I try to keep myself pure unless I know what I'm getting into." Though that was somewhat true, he did see something he liked in this girl. A sense of adventure, a sense of daring. He sure wouldn't mind spending some time with her.

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

"Another kiss? Something tells me you're enjoying this more than you're letting on." Sayl returned his smirk with a raised eyebrow. "I am interested in learning more about pazaak, but I'd be lying if I said that being taught by you doesn't sound half bad. Even if it does cost a kiss." Her attitude about it was nonchalant, but she was intrigued by him, if just in wanting to learn more about how he thought. This was her first time running into another thief, since her childhood on Nal Hutta. It was nice to get back into the rhythm of how things had been, even if their meeting wasn't entirely conventional. And she had a feeling he shared at least some of the same sentiments.

At his comment about staying pure, she tilted her head slightly. "Pure, except for the fact that you cheated those guys out of more than three hundred credits. Not that I'm one to judge." She nodded towards her own, smaller stack. I could teach you, too, but I'm afraid that might cost much of the same." Another smile. "Of course, I don't think you'll mind either."

[member="Balkar Din"]

 

[Balkar Din]

Throughout the entire interaction, a grin stayed plastered on Balkar's face. He was liking this girl more and more. She was a lot like himself, playful with her words and actions, not giving too much care to what happened as a result of them. He could get behind that. She'd even looked interested in them exchanging their knowledge o different ways of ripping people out of their money. At her retort to his comment on purity, he chuckled to himself. "Well hey, if they wanna be ignorant enough to get cheated out of their money, you won't see me complaining. Besides, if you're good at something, might as well do it." He motioned to the small group he'd just left, smirking lightly. "They have no idea." Looking at the men for a moment, he soon turned back to Sayl, arching an eyebrow at her snide remark on payment. "I doubt you'll see me complaining on your payment, love. After all, I did start it, didn't I?"

Spoiler

Sorry for the short posts

[member="Sayl Bane"]

 

[Sayl Bane]

A smile and a shrug was all Sayl had to say to that. It was true that she didn't mind in the least about his choice of payment, just as he didn't seem to either. There was something about his company she was definitely enjoying, and his carefree, nonchalant attitude was definitely part of it. Whereas she would have typically viewed any other fellow thief as some kind of competition, he seemed to be an exception that she wasn't entirely sure why she'd made. "Do it and do it well." She smiled again and nodded her agreement.

Not speaking for a moment, she toyed with her lip piercing with her teeth, an obvious teasing gesture. "I don't mind it either, really. But if we keep it up with the payment, then I don't think much learning will be getting done between either of us." She raised an eyebrow with a smirk, the look in her dark eyes communicating that she didn't mind the thought of that in the least.

"You do play a good hand of pazaak. And it's just as easy to pick pockets, believe me."

[member="Balkar Din"]

((It's no problem! ^_^))

 

[Balkar Din]

Balkar watched the girl as she talked, and got the strongest feeling she was toying with him. He found himself liking that idea. Deciding not to comment on it, he simply watched with interest, nodding at her agreement of what he'd said. "Hey, if the payment stays the same, we just might have to help each other more often. I don't mind, you don't mind... We could make ourselves a little business deal, if you like." At that, he moved a slight bit closer to her, sipping his drink, his eyes never leaving hers. "However, I'm really interested in learning how to quicken myself enough to where nobody feels me reaching in their pockets. And you've got a card game to learn." Smirking playfully, he tipped her chin toward him teasingly for a second before letting go.

[member="Sayl Bane"]