Public It all started at a cantina

[West Jir]

West Jir stepped out of the transport, the hot, dry air of Tatooine hitting him like a wall. He had been sent to the planet by his employer to retrieve some rare and valuable parts, and he had spared no expense in making sure he had everything he needed to make the journey.

Dressed in a simple beige tunic and matching pants, West made his way down the dusty street, the glowing suns beating down on him. He had heard the rumors of the dangerous creatures that roamed the desert, but he was confident in his abilities to handle whatever came his way.

As he walked, he noticed a cantina up ahead, its sign swinging gently in the warm breeze. He decided to stop in for a quick drink before continuing on his mission, hoping to find some information or perhaps even make a trade for the parts he sought.

Pushing open the creaky door, West stepped into the dimly lit interior of the cantina, the sounds of music and laughter filling the air. He took a quick scan of the room, noting the different species gathered at the tables and bar.

Making his way to the counter, West ordered a Corellian ale and settled onto a stool, taking a sip and savoring the cool refreshment. As he looked out into the crowd, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble he might find himself in on this harsh and unforgiving planet. But for now, he was content to relax and soak in the atmosphere of the cantina.​

 

[Alicia Io]

Wearing: Nothing

Armed With: Herself, 2 Citizen Energy Swords, Battle Scout Rifle (2 clips Armor Piercing Ammo, Three Clips Standard Ammo.)

The being that sauntered into the bar on Tatooine was a magnificent, curvy creature that looked like she wore a skintight matte black catsuit armed with a single slugthrower rifle slung over her back and two highly visible energy swords dangling inactive from a belt on both sides of her. Folks on the Outer Rim had begun to recognize and fear those Energy Swords, because they were the mark of a House Io member, aka, the faction that's had a Vendetta against the Jedi Order for over a decade now.

What had stepped in was one member of its upper leadership, here to await the arrival of a Jedi Defector who had been having dreams of the entity one of the House's Cult's worship.

Alicia Io approached the bar turning the head of almost everyone in the room, taking a stool next to West Jir

"Juma, please. With ice." Alicia spoke pleasantly, slapping credits on the table.

She happened to glance at West.

"Another non local?" she inquired politely as she waited, taking a sip. "Try the Corellian Whiskey. Local blend is excellent."

 

[West Jir]

West Jir noticed the being as soon as she walked into the cantina, her energy swords instantly catching his eye. He was no stranger to danger, but the mark of House Io was not one to be taken lightly.

So when she approached the bar and sat down next to him, West couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. He kept his hand on his blaster, ready for whatever might happen next.

But as she ordered her drink and turned to him with a smile, West felt some of his tension ease. She seemed pleasant enough, and her suggestion of Corellian whiskey sounded tempting.

"Afraid so," he replied with a chuckle. "Just passing through. And thanks for the suggestion, named west. I'll have to try that whiskey sometime."

He took another sip of his ale, not wanting to drink too much too quickly. "So, what brings a member of House Io to this paradise?" he asked, trying not to sound too curious but unable to resist his natural inquisitiveness. "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

​

 

[Alicia Io]

"Oh picking up an interested party..." Alicia answered. "My name is Alicia, by the way."

She took a sip of her Juma.

"Our House is on a bit of a recruiting drive, as of late, what with so many factions collapsing in on themselves. It's a boon time. We're prosperous."

Another sip of Jim's.

"I just love coming to Tattooine." she explained. "I find the lack of architecture... strangely refreshing..."

Alicia had found a quiet beauty here, as time went on.

"So much more open... dangerous, certainly, but there's danger everywhere, these days." Alicia mused to West Jir .

"So West...what do you do for a living? I serve as a sort of diplomat to the House...among other things..." she asked him, flashing a smile.

 

[West Jir]

"Actually, Alicia, I'm a starship designer," West Jir said with a smile. "I work on designing and building spacecrafts that can withstand the rigors of space travel. It's a very exciting job, but it can be quite demanding as well."

He leaned forward a bit, his tone growing more serious. "And as for why I'm here on Tatooine, well, let's just say that I have a personal interest in exploring the galaxy. I'm on a bit of an expedition to gather information on different star systems and galaxies. It's a long-term project that keeps me busy and takes me to some pretty interesting places."

West Jir took a sip of his drink before continuing, "I do apologize if I'm being a bit mysterious. I'm a private person by nature, and this project is something that I'm not quite ready to discuss yet. But I can tell you that it's something that's important to me, and I'm excited about the possibilities it holds."

He gave Alicia a warm smile before adding, "But enough about me. I'd love to hear more about your House and what it's like to be a diplomat. It's not often that I have the chance to chat with someone who's involved in inter-house politics."

West Jir's attention was momentarily drawn away by a commotion near the entrance to the cantina. His eyes narrowed as he saw a group of rough-looking men entering the establishment.

He stood up and discreetly moved towards the edge of the room to get a better look at the group of men. It was clear that they were up to no good, and he had a feeling that trouble was imminent.

Turning his attention back to Alicia, West Jir tried to appear nonchalant as he made a mental note of the men's location. He would wait and see what they did next before deciding on a course of action.​

 

[Alicia Io]

"Nothing wrong with being mysterious." Alicia replied. "And Starships are of great concern to my House. My faction is often nomadic, and space borne. Great city ships are constructed for our populace. When you don't have to worry often about the infrastructure of an entire planet, resources get freed up elsewhere. And if you can build a city, you can build a city-ship."

Alicia grew intrigued, smiling delicately as West Jir leaned in, confessing some of his objectives.

"As for what it's like to be a diplomat for a House with so many disagreements with other factions...it can be...interesting..." she said tactfully. "My house was formed from war. Our populace is made up of war Refugees, Advanced Androids, such as myself, and a number of Force Using Sorceresses." she explained. "We train our people to be Warriors. In our territory, citizens are even permitted to own full on Class D Disruptors, with the proper training and licence. We've been pushing lately for the entire populace to get training with Disruptors. It's a great deterrent against invasion and boarding attempts. I myself mainly serve inside the House as a sort of Family Counselor. Our citizens are taught that all other citizens are your family. Family situations can be...tense..."

Alicia noticed the other men that drew his attention momentarily, but kept her cool as he did, but her audio sensors listened.

One man reached for a blaster in a coat. Alicia could see it due to her sensors, but she waited until it had been taken out of the coat fully before she moved.

She leapt in a swift motion drawing one of her energy swords, its flat purple blade humming like an electric razor as it absorbed the stun bolt aimed at her.

"So. Which is it. Are you here for him? Or me?" Alicia questioned.

The man who had drawn fired on her again.

"That was a mistake she growled, cartwheeling towards him with unnatural precision and dexterity. Only the shotgun whipped out from a coat managed to blast her backward, and her torso exploded in a mess of liquid silver as she was flung backward...and scrambled immediately back up, her Droid chassis exposed, the masquerade broken at the oozing, silver dripping crater in her chest slowly starting to close up, little puddles if the Nanites that gave her her gorgeous outer appearance flowing back into the main mass itself. The men looked horrified.

Alicia drew her rifle. "There is no shame in retreating." she said to them, the Nanite wound fully sealed, her torso resuming it's prior, undamaged appearance.