Left To The Roll Of The Dice

[Logan]

Left To The Roll Of The Dice​

Mos Eisley, Tatooine​

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Rolling up his sleeves to the elbow, Jed bent down to pick up the black backpack and threw it over his shoulder before starting off. It was hot. Sweat had already began to bead from his brow, and his movement through the streets were sporadic, considering he tended to walk in the shade of the buildings. It seemed that many people weren't out and about on the streets of this famed city, something Jed was quite grateful for. Even though he wore different clothes than the rest of the people here, his mere appearance in general made him stick out like a sore thumb.

He didn't even have a real reason for being on this dust-covered rock. He mainly just wanted something to drink, and maybe pick some more gear and knickknacks for his boys back at the base. Taking some occasional R&R actually felt pretty nice. It was quite enjoyable not having to tote around a rifle, a sixty pound rucksack, and take responsibility for over nine hundred men all at once. With that in mind, the man heaved a pleasant sigh when his blue eyes came to rest on a bar. There didn't seem to be any bouncers about, but he could never know what lay around the corner. Jed bent down to slide his knife a little deeper into his boot in case one of them wanted to pat him down.

And with that, he was heading into the cantina.

[member="Kara Cabor"]

 

[Kara Cabor]

Kara poked her head out of the small alley-in-the-alley, glancing from side to side before she scurried over to the stockpiled food from one of the local street gangs. They mostly left the adults alone, but other street rats joined or starved. Usually, anyway.

Moving quickly, Kara rifled through the stolen goods, looking for nonperishable stuff. Since she was alone (and had a little money) she could afford to be a bit choosy, so she passed over the mostly-rotten stuff, instead stealing ration cubes, ration bars, and anything el - oh, stang.

"HEY!" A voice bellowed. Kara instantly knew it was the Arkanian called Oink. Sixteen, tall, and brutish. The only advantage Kara had over him was that she was faster. And she proved it, taking off like a startled rabbit, Oink running after her. As they ran, they traded insults, ranging from commenting on personal hygiene to their mothers. Some of the language Kara employed would have make a soldier raise his eyebrows - and had, on one occasion.

Kara was coming up on a main street. Reaching out a hand, she grabbed the corner and swung herself around to lean against the wall. One of the unspoken rules of street life was keep your problems off the main streets. Oink came lumbering around the corner, saw Kara, saw the street, and saw the other man walking up the street. Kara grinned at him and popped a ration cube in her mouth. Oink snorted - or oinked? - and shuffled back down the alleys.

Kara glanced over at the man who was a couple meters away. "Hey, mister." She said cheerfully. "Ya need anythin' fixed?"

[member="Jedediah Bagely"]

 

[Logan]

[member="Kara Cabor"]

Just as soon as he planted a single foot within the doorway of the cantina, a ruckuss caught his attention. The broad-shouldered man cast his gaze to the right, eyeballing a pair of teens come flying out of it. One of them - the boy - was obviously in pursuit, the telltale red-faced, wide-eyed craze being display with utmost perfection. The girl, however, seemed to be having the time of her life. Her smile was coated with mischief and her throat seemed fit to burst with a giggle. Jedediah gave a light grin at the spectacle, recalling memories from his childhood with Jasper and Darik. Rather than step inside, drifting off into a daydream, he slid to the side and leaned against the wall, continuing to watch the kids.

As the man watched, the little smirk still pasted on his features, a rather peculiar thing happened. The boy's face seemed to change. Rather than annoyance, it deformed to one of stricken anger. Jed's presence on the largely uninhabited street catch the boy's glare. The steel-faced soldier returned one of his own, furrowing his brow and almost giving a snarl at him. Little munchkins like him shouldn't be chasing girls around. "Hey, mister. Ya need anythin' fixed?"

To his own surprise, Jed had forgotten about the girl. The mischievous smile was still on her lips. "Why was that boy chasin' you?" He asked, not really interested in what she had to offer as far as services went. She was even almost as tall as he was, but he could tell she was still a kid. By the way she called him "mister" and the shenanigans that had just happened.

 

[Kara Cabor]

Kara snorted in amusement. "Chase? Puleeze. Oink couldn't catch a baby Hutt's fart. But he tried because of these." Here the teen grinned wickedly, holding up another ration cube. "He too slow to keep hold of his own karkin' plunder, so I take it when he run off lookin' for more. Then he come back and try and stop me, but he can't catch me. I the fastest lady on the streets, neh?" She cackled happily, nibbling the corner off the ration cube she'd waved in front of the man. "Me thinkin' I shoulda looked for some creds, if Oink be the only one around. He one useless fethin' guard! Sandies might think 'bout gettin' another one, but they don't got half the brain I do in they're whole gang! Me the smartest street rat this side of Coruscant." She said grandly, then squinting at the man. "So mister, why you be comin' to Mo-Eyes? Only things here's a way off and a drink, and I don't think I saw you comin' in."

[member="Jedediah Bagely"]

 

[Logan]

Jedediah couldn't help but smile the entire time this girl talked. Her twinkling eyes, filled with mirth, and that giggle full of excitement and adventure. She seemed like quite the entertaining little one, well, not that little. Jeez, was Jed really that old now? Twenty six. Man, the years really have passed. "Oh.." The Colonel muttered upon realizing that this girl wasn't dressed like that because that's how everyone dressed, she was actually from the streets. Though a battle hardened career military man, he knew much of what happened in the galaxy and was a little angry that organizations like the Galactic Republic and Army of Light didn't expand more and give help to the people. The real people. Not those money grubbing politicians.

The man listened to the teen as she referred to herself as the "best street urchin on this side of Coruscant." Oh man, he was going to end up regretting this. "You want something to eat?" He cocked a thumb back at the cantina's door, a pair of Rodians exiting with a stagger. "I'm sure it tastes much better than rations."

[member="Kara Cabor"]

 

[Kara Cabor]

Kara's face lit up when the man mentioned getting food, but fell again when he realized where he was pointing. She shook her head. "You don't wanna go there, mister. That place run by one of Vokko's boys. Real good shot - shoot your ears off before you hear yourself scream. He don't like me too much neither. Doesn't like people being smarter than him. Which ain't hard." She reflected, with a wry twist of the lips, before getting serious again. "So I say again, you risk your ears if you want, but I'm stayin' out here. My ears are too damn pretty to loose."

[member="Jedediah Bagely"]

 

[Logan]

[member="Kara Cabor"]

Jed exhaled air through his nose, snorting. "If you don't mind, little miss, would you know of any place I could get drunk in peace? Preferably without the anti-ear individuals." Gah. Even the way he talked seemed too foreign on a planet like this. Guess that's what happened when you were from a Core world. Empress Teta, man, he wished he could have went there for R&R, but it was too far away. "My offer still stands, as well. Would you like to grab a meal with me?" The man arched an eyebrow, adjusting his backpack.

 

[Kara Cabor]

Kara's grin returned. "My rule is never turn down food unless it be one of Vokko's boys offerin' it." She said cheerfully. "Translation being yes please." She added, a mischievous twinkle flickering across her eyes, before she pointed down the street. "There's a place down about fifteen meters that way. The owner's a good guy, don't want nonsense in his bar but not under Vokko's thumb. It's a good place."

[member="Jedediah Bagely"]

 

[Logan]

[member="Kara Cabor"]

The Colonel nodded, noting to where she pointed. The atmosphere there even seemed..a little less tense. "Alright, let's roll." He fully hoisted the backpack on his shoulders. At least the man had a local guide, he didn't need any more trouble, especially with the brass harping on him about that last scuffle with General Muldane. Ugh. Bad stuff. He mentally moaned in recollection of his last encounter with the divisional commander. "So, Miss Ears, you ever have any trouble with this Vokko guy?" Since he seemed to have an influence on the area, he obviously affected her, but Jed wanted to know if the avoidance was a little more personal.

 

[Kara Cabor]

Kara shrugged as she walked alongside the man. "Name's Kara. And Vokko and his boys hoard a lotta the food and most of the junk dealers 're under his thumb. Makes it hard to get work and supplies. He bumped off Gears a few months back, but he was a chakaar. Nobody mourns the wicked, eh?" Kara liked the Mandalorian swears she'd picked up from Kila. She liked swears from most languages, but she especially liked the Mandalorian ones. "I been stockin' up for years though, so I don't mind much. Keeps you on your toes, neh? Keeps you from gettin' lazy. You lazy, you don't last long in Mo-Eyes."

[member="Jedediah Bagely"]