Lucky at Cards, Lucky in Love

[Rosario Perlyn]

The blue swirls that had made up the scenery for many hours dissolved as the Unwitting Accomplice reverted to realspace, and a large planet was suddenly there, taking up the better part of the viewport. Rosario had never seen her homeworld from space. She didn't know quite what she had expected it to look like, in fact she had not even pondered the question, but the lavender-and-yellow-tinged orb hanging in space took away her breath and made her heart jump. It sat there in front of her like a gigantic bonbon!

From the distance of almost a decade at this point, the days of her childhood appeared to Rosario unreal like a dream, filled with carefree happiness. She had learnt enough to know that this was an illusion, a trick of the sentient mind, but for the moment, rather than dispel it, she was content to revel in it. An unwitting smile crept onto her face, and she was filled with the giddiness of anticipation. It worried her not in the least that she was arriving at what was now a foreign place, on a ship that was about to run out of fuel, carrying with her no more than the simple and distinctly unfashionable tunic on her body, and not a single credit.

The memory of her mother and siblings had dimmed in recent years, they had begun to feel more and more like the characters of a story rather than real people she had a personal relation to. Rosario idly wondered what had become of them, but the thought soon drifted away. It was unthinkable that they still lived in the same place, and Rosario felt no compulsion or obligation to check even for this remote possibility; and otherwise, there was no way she could possibly find them on a planet inhabited by billions of people.

What had drawn Rosario here, after months of training in the solitude of the Ithorian jungle, was not family ties or a compulsion to explore her own origins. It was sentimentality of a different kind, a longing, directed by childhood memories, for a place with people, where beings were social and took pleasure in one another's company and viewed a new acquaintance as a thing to be cherished. And a place where she knew, or thought she knew, how to behave.

She set a course for Zeltros City, but not for the destination of most tourists who came here. It was the first time she approached a civilised planet all on her own, and the space traffic controller seemed puzzled when she asked for procedures and directions, all the more as she spoke like a local. Eventually she touched down on a landing pad out of the way from the tourist hubs, but in a spot she thought to be not far away from the familiar neighbourhood of the Indigo District.

​

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

​

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
——————————————————————​

[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

An escape from reality.

That was his sole purpose when Ar'ekk boarded the legendary Ebon Hawk and set the coordinates for Zeltros City but not in the way most people thought when visiting the capital of Zeltros. Most, if not everybody, went there to seek for that ever spectacular and breathtaking pleasure that only the pink-skinned people from that planet could ever give. A contacted tipped off the former Jedi turned slicer of a new designer drug that allowed the user to experience and relive happy periods of their lives with near perfect clarity though the side effects were not known as of yet.

Docking on a private bay specially reserved for those with massive pockets of credits near the Indigo District, Ar'ekk set foot on the streets and took in the air of Zeltros City to ponder for a few seconds. This was the first time laying eyes on so many pink individuals and neon-advertisements though Lithios would make this place look like a sanctuary. As the scoundrel as he was, to find the drug it was necessary to hit the most obvious places first and meet someone who knows another person that will eventually lead him to the product.

Sabacc had its perks and the man knew how to play it which is why he stepped into the first gambling den possible, sitting on the first table visible and playing the winning cards (thanks to a hidden green Sylop on his sleeve) over and over until people got bored of him. Usually a drink and a cigarette accompanied the slicer and this time wasn't the exception.

Everyone was welcome to play...

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[Rosario Perlyn]

Frugality was all very well, but even Jedi had to bend to practical exigencies. It simply would not do to have no money at all - for one thing, she would be stuck on this planet -, and so what was at the forefront of Rosario's mind as she entered the bar was to remedy this in the only way she knew.

She was aware, without wondering how, that a few people turned their head towards her, but only long enough to take cursory note of the newcomer. No-one's attention lingered. She knew quite well that she was far from a stunning sight in that unflattering beige tunic and trousers.

Rosario did not pay much attention and did not hesitate to walk past the bar towards the back of the place. The Sabacc tables were never up front. The barkeeper seemed poised to address her, but her determined steps, and the smile she gave him in passing, threw him off balance. He followed her with his eyes, puzzled, amused, and disappointed at the way her garments' backside was designed.

The air in the back room was stale, but its occupants had long ceased to notice it. A full set of player were seated around a Sabacc table, with others standing behind them, following the game, and three people were huddled on a sofa off to the side by the wall minding each other, more than their own business.

Rosario leaned against the wall unassumingly, waiting for the round to finish. When it did, and one of the players moved to vacate his chair and leave, she stepped forward. It was a mixed crowd as far as species was concerned, and so she addressed them in Galactic Basic, with her curious and unexpected, but unaffected, Corellian accent. "Mind if I join?" Smiling, and without waiting for a reply, she took a seat, placing herself cross-legged on the chair and leaning forward. There was something awkward and unnatural-looking about her movement and posture, and at the same time they betrayed a remarkable flexibility that Rosario appeared to be taking entirely for granted.

"Got any money?" asked one of the players, an elderly local by the looks of him, with an undertone of skepticism.

"No. But if I lose, I'll take this off", replied Rosario with a beaming grin, tugging lightly at her tunic. Expressions of incredulous amusement and approval erupted. A light smile remained on Rosario's lips as she looked expectantly at the dealer. She was free of the tension that held people at the card table in their grip all too often, she gave herself entirely to her luck - or, as she had learnt to call it, the Force - and trusted it blindly. She experienced a kind of satisfaction and joy at her own lack of anxiety, and her good mood put those around her at ease as well.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

"Aren't you a little young for that?"

A roar of laughter erupted from the players sitting on the table and even from the dealer himself as he passed along the cards to each individual while the bets were put on the table through small colored chips that went from the lowest number to the highest. Rosario did not ring a bell on Ar'ekk whatsoever though they had spent time together in the Jedi Order years ago but even that was a distant memory yet that didn't stop him from giving her a starting fee to join their table.

"Let her sit down. If she wins, it's gonna be amusing."

The slicer's characteristic swagger made him standout from the rest of the Sabacc players sitting around the Zeltron girl, most of them looked like rough off-worlders that would certainly frequent the grimiest places on the Galaxy while Ar'ekk seemed one of many luxuries despite the rough appearance. The cybernetic arm remained after all these years yet the face scarring disappeared thanks to synthflesh's magic and his hair grew longer which would make him unrecognizable at first.

After a couple of minutes of banter and sipping alcohol to ease nerves, the game finally started and nobody had the slightest idea that he had the upper hand. Or did he?

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[Rosario Perlyn]

This was clearly not the first time this Zeltron girl played the game. She handled herself, and her cards, like a seasoned player, throwing only brief glanced at them when they were received and shifted, leaving them to rest on the table otherwise, much to the annoyance of the young human woman standing behind her. When the game began, the last remnants of a smile disappeared from her countenance, leaving behind a staunchly inscrutable expression. It looked quite unnatural when she stretched forward and extended her arm to be able to put a card in the interference field without giving up her cross-legged seat.

Rosario took notice of the other players. The elder Zeltron at the table seemed to be a bit of a fish, he tried to bluff but was palpably anxious over the bad hand he had been dealt. The Mirialan with a melancholy air seemed to miss it and withdrew from the round, intimidated, as did several others.

One of the young humans at the table was the most difficult to read. He was clearly the most experienced player of the lot, and looked like he had aged early. His lack of a rugged exterior suggested that this was from mental rather than physical hardship, though the absent-mindedness with which he handled his cigarette suggested their frequent use. Her attention returned to him time and again, but she could not make heads or tails of him. It would come down to a matter of luck - as it always was, in the end.

Her hand was shaping up nicely, and she awaited the cards she was dealt with serenity. Eventually her turn came to raise the bet or call. She had a solid 22, almost a certain win, and any second of hesitation would have carried the risk of the cards shifting. Not that there was any reason to hesitate: she had nothing to raise with, and to pass would have been to lose. People drew in their breath and made various sorts of expressive noises when with one swift motion, she turned her cards around and face up, then straightened her spine, sitting upright away form the table, and looked at Arekk with a slight incline of her head, an almost imperceptible smile creeping up at the corners of her mouth. The elderly Zeltron flinched at this clear indication that she did not consider him relevant to the game.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

"Read them and weep, my friends."

The reveal was slow but full of anticipation, most of the participants on the table either drew terrible hands or had a good chance at taking the prize but they did not count with the man's secret that hid beneath his sleeve. With one smooth motion that passed totally inadvertedly while toking from his cigarette to grab the remaining card needed to win, Ar'ekk revealed the best hand possible on a game of Sabacc: Idiot's Array.

"Sorry, girl."

The taunt was in good spirit rather than be cocky and arrogant about it despite the tonality of his voice and subsequent pull of the winnings towards his own side of the table. Reclining on his seat and with the cigarette tucked between his lips, the slicer hoped that all bets were paid off as they should. The Zeltron girl had made a promise and while the man did not want to push the matter to not seem like a total degenerate wondered if she'd oblige to the crowd.

A couple of chips found their way into the dealer's breastpocket as a tip, very hefty one too, while his eyes lingered on Rosario momentarily while a big grin formed on his face.

"Gamble often?"

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[Rosario Perlyn]

The incipient, barely realised smile on Rosario's lips died abruptly, to be briefly replaced by a frown, and then presently her expression turned stone-cold while she stared at the table, to hide emotions that under any other circumstances would have flown freely. She felt confused and betrayed, although there was nobody there to have betrayed her. This was simply not supposed to happen. She took several seconds to steady herself, following one whole breath with her attention as though to set a boundary between the event and herself and allow for a new beginning. Perhaps it was supposed to happen like this. Nobody could have luck all the time, and after all it had always just been a matter of her having a bit more of it than everyone else. It was silly to look no further than one game, and maybe it was just as well that her necessary allotment of unlucky plays should be spent when she did not, substantially, have anything to lose yet.

"It's been quite a while", she finally answered cryptically with a shrug. Then a smile lit up on her face and it was somehow as if she had come back to life from a curious syncope. People around them felt a strange relief over they did not know themselves quite what.

Scarcely any human woman could have failed to be embarrassed at this juncture and to feel the sting of the expectant stares that rested on her. To a Zeltron, such thoughts were alien. Rosario's antics were entertaining to others and brought them joy - what was the shame in that? On the contrary, she relished the attention she was receiving, for it was palpable how, if perhaps they thought her unwise, the people at the table still liked her more, rather than less, for the diversion she had brought into the game.

She untied the sash that held her tunic together and somewhat awkwardly, but without visible embarrassment, peeled her naked body out of the garment while remaining seated as she was. When nobody moved to start another round after a little while, she turned to the dealer and remarked innocently: "I still have trousers on." Joyous laughter erupted at the table - "And knickers?", shouted someone indelicately -, and the dealer waited for it to subside before he began his work.

Many a player, it must be said, paid less attention to his cards than he should have, neglecting them for the benefit of a rarer attraction in the form of Rosario's bared breasts. The girl herself, however, was so engrossed in the game that she was quite oblivious to the power she held right now over the company.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

"That's how you handle things, gentlemen!" He said while laughing and sparing Rosario from looking at her goods out of his courtesy given that it wasn't exactly his thing. "These degenerates will feel happy about that now. Meanwhile I will take what's mine home."

The different chips were assorted in an almost maniatic yet organized way so they could be exchanged for credits at the right location within the gambling den, if anyone had a crazy idea to hold him up then they'd meet their end with a K-16 blaster pistol barrel's giving them a last goodbye kiss. Ar'ekk's happiness skyrocketed every single time he laid eyes on the faces of those losing all their life savings on Sabacc, not feeling a bit sorry because he was actually doing the galaxy a favor by taking away money from criminals alike.

"Have fun."

Picking up his cancer stick from the ashtray and getting up from the table with a small bag full of credit chips, the former Jedi said his goodbyes and began to slowly creep away from the table to move toward the exchange house where he'd be given the appropiate credits for the hard earned chips contained within the little sack of goodies. Something in the back of his head, almost as per act of magic, made him look back at Rosario momentarily as if he was hit by a lightning bolt but did not stop on his track.

"Mhm."

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[Rosario Perlyn]

Rosario was mystified at the man's behaviour and only threw him a bewildered look as he removed himself from the scene. She was, in fact, offended by his conduct, but had no time to ponder this: there was a game that demanded her attention.

Without Arekk at the table, it was child's play. For Rosario, it was indeed to relive moments from her childhood when she had, though not quite in the same sort of establishments, turned the improbable luck that had always followed her into a supplement for the family's unstable income, right up to the point where it led her over a cliff. It was ironic that she found herself back here, having been lifted up from the bottom of the canyon in which she had fallen, high up to a spot she would never have reached otherwise. The thought crossed her mind as she was, after an immediately won round, slipping back into the by-now familiar coarse tunic that was foreign in this place, and a symbol of her new life.

She passed quickly in the next round, and after another one won figured that the money would be enough for some new clothes and to keep her for a little while. If she slept in her ship or at other people's places, it might even suffice for fuel for the way home, and if not, she could take care of that another time. She felt that the people at the table were growing weary, and protracted play would not agree with them after the recent excitement.

A young human, handsome enough, rose from the table at the same time and offered her a drink, which she accepted without hesitation. They advanced into the front room towards the bar, and smiling and listening was almost all she had to do. The chap fancied himself something of a business person, and he probably was if he had money to gamble away like this, as he wasn't been an exceptional Sabacc player and must surely be running a loss. He was from the Southern Outer Rim territories, a planet whose name, like that of so many, Rosario had never heard and could not remember, and prided himself on having contacts that allowed him to import exquisite merchandise directly from Kessel. Rosario certainly knew what that meant, and the fellow was pleased to find that she did, though whether it was indeed from Kessel was anyone's guess. It was more probably from Ryloth, but accused of a fib, the young man pretended to be offended and offered to defend his honour by way of providing proof through a sample.

Her curiosity was piqued, but Rosario pointed out gently that first of all she had some credits to retrieve. She did take her unfinished drink with her and left the young man to stand where he was and wonder whether she was going to return or not.

Rosario was not used to liquor, but what was much more intoxicating than the drink was the social world into which she had just entered. It was a new experience for her to find herself not in a position of inferiority and obedience, but as a magnet of attention whose approval others sought to earn. She had had a first taste of it during the brief period she had spent with the Jedi Order before it disbanded, but the other Padawans had been both more awkward and more advanced in their studies of the Jedi arts, and while Rosario had then discovered that her attention could bestow pleasure, it had all had a very different quality from the waters she was swimming in now.

Having hidden the credits she had received from the clerk, for lack of a better place, in the cleavage of her tunic, she slipped back into the bar room and looked around.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
——————————————————————​

[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

Walking away from a Sabacc table with an immesurable amount of riches was a joy only comparable to getting revenge on your nemesis, an elation that traveled through your entire system and warmed up your blood in excitement. He loved that adrenalinic rush of cheating and winning without anyone noticing that you did something totally wrong and this time it was no exception, in this line of work you couldn't feel sorry for anything or anyone.

The former Jedi's eyes lingered on the many tables where players were enjoying Sabacc as much as he did except they did not literally have a card under their sleeve and that made him laugh for a second before looking away to lay eyes on Rosario speaking with a very posh looking human at the bar, creeping up to them in the most discreet manner and sitting two seats away to order a brandy.

His intention was to eavesdrop their conversation and while most of the picked up cues were rather trivial and uninteresting, something told him to keep listening while sipping a strong drink. The grimace on his face as the sour flavor invaded his taste buds told a thousand stories about what he was having but after a couple of minutes his interest on the duo decreased.

"Business slow today, huh?" he tried to engage the bartender in small talk to pass off inadvertedly, "Refill me."

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[Rosario Perlyn]

The place was more populated and livelier now than it had been when she first arrived. This was not a place like the night clubs where people went to lose themselves in the delirium of the crowd, it was less intense, but pleasant. The time was not far enough advanced for much of the crushed hopes and despair that were the inevitable results of an evening of gambling.

Two people passed in conversation on the way to the payouts clerk. "You won't believe what that chick did... !"

The fellow Rosario had been talking to was now engaged in conversation with a Balosar who was visibly leaning forward for a quiet, confidential word. That was probably what business looked like. Past them, at the bar, Rosario spotted the enigmatic human who had managed to best her luck. She was simultaneously annoyed and interested by this individual who seemed to be at ever so slight a distance to everything that happened around him. She hesitated briefly, but then gave herself a push and walked over to him with determined steps.

"Hey. That wasn't very nice, you know", she said reproachfully, one hand on her hip while the other still held her drink. "A girl might take offense."

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
——————————————————————​

[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

​

His enjoyable silence was broken when Rosario came about to sit right next to him but that didn't bother him in absolute, instead offering a warm inviting smile and signalling the bartender for another drink but this time it was for the girl. If there was something that remained of the old Ar'ekk was being a total lonewolf, working better alone rather than with a group of people, which could be another clue the Zeltron could pick up on.

"It's just a game, sweetheart." The man raised his glass to make a half-assed toast and swirled, grimacing at the sour taste of his whiskey. "Don't take any offense. I'm usually cool."

That tingling sensation keep hitting his head like a hammer and felt the urge to simply blurt out the question yet waited for the right moment to do just that, maybe let the alcohol kick in his system first before going deep into that territory.

"You really know how to pay off a debt, though."

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[Rosario Perlyn]

"Can't be a sore loser", said Rosario nonchalantly. As a matter of course she put her empty glass on the counter, exchanging it for the new one. "Cheers", she said, finally giving a brief, but friendly smile.

Rosario thought she noticed a curious sense of hesitation in the man, but said nothing for a moment while she took a sip of her drink. She screwed up her face more in surprise than dismay at its sour taste. Then, tilting her head slightly, she looked straight at Arekk. "What are you here for?" she asked with naive simplicity.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

"Funny." Her comment was followed by a light-hearted chuckle as his fingers went inside his jacket to retrieve a pack of cigarette sticks and tuck one between his lips, offering one as well to his companion. "Smoke?"

The naive simplicity of her question was met with a much more reserved reply, getting asked about his business was usually waved off with a crappy reasoning rather than telling the truth but in fact there was nothing secret to not reveal and he happily obligued, blowing smoke out of his nostrils after igniting the cigarette while at it.

"Just paying a visit to this planet, that's all. Wanted to see what was so great about it, seen my fair share already. Yourself?"

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[Rosario Perlyn]

Rosario took one of the cigarettes offered and waited for Arekk to light it. "Thanks."

It would have been untrue to say that Rosario had the presence of mind to dodge his returned question somewhat. Rather, it was simply an instinct, never reflected upon, that made her withhold the full picture. "Well, I am from here."

Before the conversation could continue, they were joined by the self-professed importer of spice. "There you are!" he exclaimed, raising a hand towards Rosario, but not quite touching her. He presently turned to Arekk and smiled at him amicably. "Man, you have no idea what you missed", he said ambiguously. Putting his hand on Rosario's back, he continued: "She'd have had us in our undies in no time!"

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

The tip of Rosario's cigarette was ignited with the slicer's lighter with a quick smooth flick. "You're welcome."

Her answer was met with a deep nasal laugh and a open palm that turned into an index pointing her way, bopping his head. She had been witholding information from him and that was fine, it wasn't like Ar'ekk usually liked to pry on information from others that was deemed personal. They know each other but hadn't given glimpses of that all and were obviously aware of their personalities in the past.

"No kidding, look at your skin color."

Their friendly chatter was interrupted by the spicehead and Ar'ekk spared him a thousand yard stare while sucking his cigarette and blowing smoke the man's way, acknowledging his presence with an "Eh!" and a single finger gesture.

"What do you mean?"

Play dumb.

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[Rosario Perlyn]

Rosario threw an amused glance at the fellow whose name she still didn't know, while straightening her back in a way that left his hand in the air. The spanner that Arekk threw into the works of the conversation a moment later made her wince and look at him in surprise. She collected herself more quickly than the other man, who seemed befuddled, and gave Arekk a conciliatory, but timid smile.

"I may have spoilt their enjoyment of the winnings you earned them - and didn't care for - by clearing the table a few times."

She drew on the cigarette, not the first one she had in her life, but one of the first. The smoke irritated her membranes as it entered her system, a burning sensation that immediately provoked an urge to cough. But Rosario caught herself before the reflex executed itself. Briefly closing her eyes, she noted the urge, and in this conscious awareness of it it lost its ability to force a reaction. The urge was there, a noticeable fact, but it did not compel any action.

It was a mere second or two before it subsided when Rosario exhaled again, and as she did so and opened her eyes, the world of her experience lit up in a curious way, it was as if a thin, almost imperceptible veil that had lain over it, but weighed everything down, was lifted.

"This candy of a planet doesn't quite agree with you, does it?" she remarked pertly.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
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[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

Ar'ekk's kark-resting face quickly turned into a smile, switching to a much more friendly and outgoing personality than acting like a total dork. He didn't know the man and did not want him in his presence but that did not mean he would have to disrespect him, everyone had secrets that one could take advantage of and judging a book by its cover wasn't smart to do.

"Look at that! I knew you could clean the table a little more even though I thought their pockets were almost empty."

Rosario wasn't a very experienced smoker and that showed in the way she held the cigarette between her fingers and inhaled the toxic fumes, making faces and feeling that burning sensation on your chest that simply made you want to cough like you were sick. A smile was returned once she seemed to compose herself and slid a glass of water her way to help, his own cigarette dangling from his dry lips.

"I'm very atypical, what can I say? Zeltros is beautiful but I haven't gone as far as checking its perks. Should take a look around."

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[Rosario Perlyn]

"Aw, man, you don't know what's good for you", laughed their human companion. "Been here for a while, I can show you some nice places." He made an expressive hand gesture. "Though it's not what it was, now that those Jedi busybodies are here."

Rosario ignored the glass of water and took a sip of her drink. She briefly stopped in her motion of setting it back down and look at the man with furrowed brows when he mentioned the Jedi. "Why? What are they doing?" she asked naively.

"Ah, well", he said with a dismissive gesture. "I had even better stuff than what you're going to try. Now one can't get it anymore, word is the Jedi shut down the producers."

Rosario was puzzled and pondered these words. The notion that the Jedi should concern themselves with people's source of pleasure, let alone work to make it inaccessible, seemed absurd. She remained confused and skeptical, but said nothing.

[member="Arekk"]​

 

[Arekk]

Zeltros, Zeltros City, The Inner Rim​

"The past is a puzzle, like a broken mirror. As you piece it together, you cut yourself, your image keeps shifting. And you change with it. It could destroy you, drive you mad. It could set you free."
——————————————————————​

[member="Rosario Perlyn"]​

As time passed, the man became even more bearable under the slicer's presence and his somewhat energetic personality was kind of appreciated between all the seriousness that plagued the gambling den the trio found themselves in. Even laughs were shared between half-serious jokes and acknowledging nods of his Zeltros related information.

"Jedi? I thought they disappeared long ago unless they're Silver Rangers. They love to snoop around other people's business."

Of course, the guy was a spice dealer of sorts and the Jedi had gotten in his business deeply enough to cut him off that precious supply. It was annoying for sure and he knew from first hand how frustrating it was to have your business messed around with yet this wasn't their fight to wage. Ar'ekk had left that long ago when the Jedi Order dissolved and everyone went on their merry way, which by the way, should be more than enough for Rosario to pick up on as another clue.

"What can ya do, huh? Nothing."

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