Luck Be a Lady Tonight (Open to GR, others PM for invite)

[Armand Temi]

​

Location: Nubia

The Grand Nubian Hotel & Casino was one of the largest luxury gambling parlors in Nuba City. Situated by a picturesque bay, the popular resort provided lucky galaxians with all manner of betting, gambling, pazaak tournaments, food and drink. Sports betting was especially high stakes at the Grand Nubian, and it was in front of a large holodisplay of an exciting Ronto race, that Cath Lorr enjoyed a Bantha steak dinner with Yutan Senator, Max Rumor to discuss the Senate bill he’d agreed to sponsor for her.

She had preferred a coffee or lunch date, but Rumor insisted upon a nighttime affair due to his packed-full itinerary, although Cath knew from the holotabloids that Senator Rumor had a playboy reputation. While he’d never made an advance on her, she figured it was only a matter of time.

Still, he was a perfect gentleman at dinner and seemed to be much more interested in the gambling than flirting, which relieved the Eldorai stateswoman. Once he paid the bill, Senator Rumor dropped a bunch of chips into her lap and said, “Alright sweetheart, I have a VIP Sabacc table waiting for me. I’ll write up the bill in the morning and run a draft by you. Now go have some fun for once.”

“I beg your pardon, Senator. I know how to have fun.”

He snorted, a poodoo eating grin spreading across his handsome features, “I’ve seen you in the Yutan Senate Courtyard. Your idea of fun is eating lunch alone with a holobook and avoiding eye contact.”

She opened her mouth in protest, but Senator Rumor wheeled off, a hot date with his Sabacc table awaiting. But the honest truth was that the Eldorai hybrid had never actually gambled in her young life. Well, you can be kind of a square, Cath, she thought. So examining the chip, she walked from her table and then sat at a low-stakes Sabacc table, but it was clear after a few hands, she had no idea what she was doing and was well on her way to losing that stack of chips, much to the obvious delight of the other players.

Her ship, The Celestina, was parked in a hangar, but in her hurry to get to dinner with the Senator, she’d forgotten to secure the lock on the hatch.

[member="Kane Chasta"]

 

[Kane Chasta]

Kane puts on his shirt, and then his jacket right after. He starts to fix his hair so it's not a mess but ends up getting interrupted by a Twi'lek with a high pitched voice. If you were to take a look at her, you'd probably put her at middle aged. She has a bright red skin tone, almost pink if you didn't have a good look. "So are you going to tell me some more stories about your work?" Dang, what did Kane say he was this time? On the last planet with that Zabrak he was a senator. On the planet before that with a different Twi'lek he was a Republic Soldier. Maybe he was a Bounty Hunter this time? Sooner or later being a rampant liar just to get real friendly with people won't be worth it.

"Uhh sure babe. What do you say I go get us a couple of drinks downstairs? Then i'll tell you all the stories you'd like huh?"

The Twi'lek practically screeches when she giggles and almost deafens Kane with how high pitched it is. Now it's apparent again why Kane preferred when she was quiet. "Hehehe! I'll be waiting for you Jedi!"

Does that woman actually think Kane is a Jedi? Honestly, even if he has a lightsaber that definitely doesn't make him one of those stuck-up sons of a Krayt Dragon. Oh well, maybe one day Kane will learn where lying gets you. But today is not that day! Unbeknownst to the poor Twi'lek, Kane steps downstairs and skips the bar and the casino. Had she honestly expected someone like him to stay? Kane exits the entire casino, and begins his journey to the Hangar. Soon enough he finds himself there among with many small to medium sized ships. "Alright. I know one of you guys must have forgotten to lock your ship. Daddy needs a new pair of shoes, give me some luck today."

Kane checks one of the largest ships that actually has two entry points, which unfortunately are both secured. He checks another one and again, secured. Finally he comes across a corvette class ship. Could this be the one that provides him with the luck he seeks? He approaches the hatch and rubs his hands together hoping for the best and... IT WORKS! He opens it and slides his way in, entering and looking for a hidden compartment where he could hide. Preferably one with rations so he wouldn't starve. With this, he'll wait for whatever is next.

[member="Cath Lorr"]

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Ayumi looked at some of the things, the senator taking a moment for some of the larger things they were working on. A chance to gamble or well enjoy themselves after a whole lot of things was refreshing.. plus the private rooms were made for the higher stakes that you didn't just bet credits. She knew cloths, ships and even some of the more rare materials in the galaxy could change hands all with some respect. For the most part the republic dind't just kill each other or program the droids to cheat their way through some of the things. "Wonderful place minister... looks like ti is going to be a fun time here." She had her credits for ships to be changed over while getting a drink from one of the droids with a nod of her head.

 

[Micah tol Powl]

Largely on general principle, Jon didn't care for gambling.

Not that he was adverse to risk. As an investment banker, he wasn't doing his job if he wasn't gambling on the odds in the market. But betting in the financial markets and betting at a casino were two different sorts of gambling. Still, he'd gotten a tip from a contact that several sitting senators and other governmental power players inside of the Galactic Republic were going to be at the sabaac tables on Nubia.

With the Republic expansion into Denon, a location that the Corellia Digital company had been working to develop for its market for months now, that made the casinos a prime location for networking.

Of course, his boss wouldn't like it. [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] had a rather embittered bias toward his former faction. But, then, Jon need only gather the necessary market data. With a contract or two, and the market forecasts to support them, it wouldn't matter what the former Jedi General thought about the modern Republic. The board of directors and shareholders would support what the Gungan was doing. And if Sor-Jan didn't follow suit, he could find himself ousted from his own company.

Business, as it had been said, was war. And it was one that the Gungan fully intended to come out of on the winning side.

Whichever side that proved to be.

And, for the moment, he rather liked what the market was forecasting for Denon and the Galactic Republic.

Cradling a martini in one hand, the Gungan ventured inside of the casino and paused to allow his eye-stalks to survey the room. No one that he recognized as of yet, but it had been some time since he'd served as a sitting senator for the Republic Senate. And, many of the senators that he knew had their planets invaded or otherwise lost to the Republic. So he doubted there would be many, if any, faces that he would recognize at all. Of course, winning friends and influencing people was the name of the game.

And to do that, you sometimes had to spent credits to make credits...

 

[Armand Temi]

Nubia was a largely peaceful planet, especially under the protection of the Galactic Republic, and most wealthy Nubians flocked to the Grand Nubian Hotel & Casino. Sure there was an element of riff-raff every now and then, and there was that one assassination attempt on her life, but for the most part, the Madame Secretary felt extremely safe.

If I slink around paranoid with an army surrounding me at all times… well, it was a matter of optics. Look confident and you instill confidence in others.

But ever since said assassination attempt at the Solar Gardens, Cath had at least one or two security guards with her at all times.
Losing the final chip in the stack provided to her by Senator Rumor, she wanly smiled at the table and said, “Too rich for my blood.” But she got a peculiar and unexpected desire to actually gamble more. And this is how it starts, thought Cath, reminded of the manic look on the Yutan Senator’s face when he was about to go to his Sabacc game.

The Eldorai official and her security detail traveled back to The Celestina in order to get more credits. “You know, I think I just need to try betting where I have a chance of winning. Like a slot machine.”

“The one armed bandit?” joked her Nubian guard, a brick house built human named Socra.

“I’ve never heard that term before, but you know-" Cath suddenly stopped, realizing that her ship was unlocked. By the Eternal Core, did I really leave myself this vulnerable? Activating the ramp, Cath said, “Wait here, I’ll just be a minute.” And then she went inside the cruiser, heading to her quarters where more credits were. She really hoped she didn’t run back into Senator Rumor because how embarrassing that she’d lost all of those chips. There must have been at least 2,000 credits there, she thought. These types of thoughts ran through Cath’s head as she rifled through her belongings, trying to remember where she’d stashed her money.

[member="Kane Chasta"]

 

[Kane Chasta]

Kane was on this ship, completing his normal duties of finding food, and stowing away in a hidden compartment. Unfortunately for Kane, there weren't any available rations in the vicinity, at least none blatantly obvious. He continues to look around the ship for various things. Maybe he'd be lucky to come across some rations, or even some spare credits. "I wonder who's ship this is? Hopefully it isn't like a couple planets back when I had accidentally stowed away on a Sith ship. Closest I've been to dying."

Soon after Kane talks to himself he hears the sound of a hatch opening. Could this be the owner? He was too busy looking for rations or talking to himself that he didn't even take the time to hide. Kane runs behind the corner or another room. He waits for the owner to get closer before he steps out and looks for a hiding spot. Once she arrives, instead of looking around she starts rummaging through her own belonging. Kane turns the corner and sees part of the young Padawan before rubbing his own hands together. "I suppose now it's time to work a little of my Chasta Charm."

Kane turns around the cover to let the woman know he was here. "Hey. You come here often?"

[member="Cath Lorr"]

 

[Armand Temi]

Cath rifled through compartments, tossing out things she found like a bama bar wrapper, a McYoda’s box - yes, even a harried House Secretary relies on snacks and fast food to keep her going (she was a politician not a dietician) – a couple of pairs of lacy underwear and a high-heeled shoe with no mate.

Abruptly, a young man walked around the corner of her ship’s quarters, and Cath did what all unsuspecting and startled Eldorai Jedi would. She squealed out an ear-splitting scream as though in a horror holomovie and ignited her green lightsaber.

“What… are you? Who are you? And what are you doing on my ship?!?”

Cath looked the man up and down. While he wasn’t dressed like a vagabond, he had a vaguely ruffian feel about him. Quickly scanning for darkside energy, she felt only a distinctly light or neutral Force presence.

But what on earth was a casually dressed, calm, slightly roguish Jedi doing on The Celestina?

“Do not take one step further until you explain yourself this instant!”

[member="Kane Chasta"]

 

[Kane Chasta]

Almost instantly, a scream bellows out when Kane turns around the corner. If it were any louder, Kane would then be known as the man with ruptured ear drums. Kane backs up a little bit when screamed at, although he should have expected something like that to happen. Soon after the ear murdering screams came the ignition of a lightsaber. Kane would be able to recognize this due to the fact that he too has one.

"Now now. I understand you have a reason to be startled, but there's a perfectly good explanation for this!" Kane ponders as to whether or not he too should draw his weapon. He comes to the conclusion that it's better to keep it hidden by his jacket for now. Besides, it wouldn't help his case if he drew his weapon on this woman. He may be a liar, a cheater, and a handsome fighter, but he wasn't a murderer.

"There's no reason to fight, put that away! Let me tell you about what happened." He bows to show at least a little respect on his unsuspecting chauffeur. "So what happened was quite the tale. It all started when I entered the hangar to get some more credits to buy some drinks. Unfortunately when I entered, there were two hooligans that had taken it upon themselves to steal some poor unsuspecting victim's ship. When I had gotten here, they had found their way into your ship." Kane continues the lie before starting to slowly pace around the door way.

"When I had tried to stop them, they put a blaster to my head and took my own ship, leaving me here. I wanted to wait for the owner to tell them exactly what occurred." With that, Kane finishes his explanation. Luckily he's quite the skilled liar, but it all rides on whether or not the Jedi would be able to detect the deception.

[member="Cath Lorr"]

 

[Armand Temi]

At least the man backed up a little, but she couldn’t tell if it was because of her scream or her saber – probably a bit of both.

Cath’s brows furrowed at his tale. Truth be told, she’d recently survived an assassination attempt on her life while giving a speech on Nubia not more than a week ago. Even though the planet was home to some of the wealthiest in the galaxy, the gambling dens, resorts and casinos did draw in some opportunistic types.

“I’m sorry your ship was stolen,” the Eldorai politician said tentatively. She wasn’t completely persuaded, but her nature would not allow her to completely dismiss him as a liar.

“Why don’t you come with me then, and we’ll report the crime to the local authorities. As the House Secretary of the Republic, I know the bureaucrats well and could get your ship back quite easily… but we have to act fast.”

She de-ignited her lightsaber and hooked it onto her belt. Her eyes landed on the floor, and she said suddenly, “There it is!” Kneeling down, Cath plucked a credit chip from a pile of candy wrappers and silk underwear. When she rose back up, a blush began spreading across her cheeks over the fact that this handsome stranger was in her quarters with her unmentionables now strewn about the floor.

[member="Kane Chasta"]

 

[Kane Chasta]

Expecting either a lightsaber through the chest, or a truce, Kane prepares to fight back if it the former was fate. Instead of a fight, the Eldorai Politician had instead apologized about his ship. "Really Miss, it's fine. It's happened before, it isn't too big of a deal." Expecting it to be one and done, Kane had prepared to finagle his way into a free ride. Unfortunately, the politician immediately interrupted his plan by suggesting that he reports the crime to local authorities.

Realizing this may put a dent in his plan to hitch a ride, he starts in on a new excuse. "Honestly it isn't that important. I'll find some way off this planet sooner or later. When I do, I'll find my ship" On the outside, Kane keeps a calm composure, yet he internally giggles since he's talking about revenge for his ship, yet doesn't even own one.

Hearing the de-ignition of the lightsaber makes Kane ease up now that he doesn't have to worry about a hot weapon. The young Eldorai kneels down to pick something up, revealing a credit chip from the pile known as Candy Wrapper Lace Underwear mountain. Noticing her face get red, Kane waves it off. "Don't worry, I've seen much worse in my time."

 

[Kane Chasta]

Double Posted