Magna Carta, Holy Grail

[Arage Bao]

Nar Shaddaa​

~The Cage~​

[member="Sena Lassiter"]​

The future is dead. Ya don’t realize it, until you finally straddle along the boulevards of Nar Shaddaa. It’s a con, the planet I mean, a long con of the few people that truly make the bucks in the cesspit I call my home. Future’s dead because the only people that truly make a living outta here are the ones taking it from the others.

So for the weak? The dumb? Simply dem people that ain’t interested in getting there over the backs of others? They are fethed, trust me, I know. I have been one of ‘em, not the weak or the dumb - just a guy who never really enjoyed fekking with other people to get what he wanted.

Sure, maybe a robbery ‘ere and there. Sometimes some assault and I might have caused that traffic incident in ‘27. Doesn’t mean nothing, I tell ya. But shet changes ya start to finally realize just how much of a ploy the whole world is in here. That’s what it was, like I already said, a long con of the ring leaders and underbosses. Money flowed in a current, a never changing constant from the extreme depths of the stragglers to finally reach one man, and one man only.

Popo. Sure, there were others, leaches that took their own cuts, but in the grand scheme of things? Even Jimmy hadn’t been the boss of more than a few districts on his own, nah… Popo. The self-proclaimed King and Ruler of Nar Shaddaa.

Anyway. I am rambling here. Sitting on the opposite side of the Cage, one of the slightly more profitable and trendy businesses of the upper downside of ‘Shaddaa. Think… movie club mixed with the occasional brothelry, classy whores though, always paid more.

Don’t think I am planning on taking it over, because I am sitting here though. I am just passing through, watching the action, looking at dem people moving from here to there, flow of the crowd ya know? Gotta plan in advance, ya never know what might happen.

Took a lighter and lit my cigarette, would be a while before I’d take my leave.

 

[Lassiter]

She found herself on Nar Shaddaa and for all she knew it could very well have been the planet she had grown up on. A planet that reeked of criminality both organized and disorganized as the weak were preyed upon by those that were theirs superior. It was a problem that nobody seemed truly intent on fixing. The mere thought was enough to put a smirk on her lips. Were all Republic worlds like this?

She discarded the thought as she entered ‘The Cage’ -- a club with as fitting of name as any. It was to her experience that ‘establishments’ such as this very well could run off of livestock locked up in cages. Hell, for all she knew she probably could have been part of the livestock herself if things had been different.

Her hands ran down her waist to her thighs. None of the people around had seemed to notice her yet. Perhaps it was because of the ‘other women’ around. A look of contempt shot out at the giggling twi’lek in the corner as the men practically drooled all over her. Sena would have taken her jacket off to expose her tank top but that’d mean disarming herself and needless to say staying unharmed took precedence over attention. Even if the locale felt safe enough, somewhat.

She shook away the envy and made for the bar.

A gentle bump into a stranger followed by her favorite ditzy act would prove enough to sway one of the men into purchasing her a drink. Wallets came out and it was a big one. At least if compared to her own. A new goal was acquired; she wanted that wallet and she wanted it sooner rather than never.

Eyes and head sway back and forth as she probed the area for any friends of his. He seemed to be alone, for the moment. She’d have to act quick.

The drink arrived and his focus returned to her. His attention had come to mean little, she had more important business to attend at this point. She would play along to keep appearance but eventually her head would turn slightly to the side as if she saw someone or something off in the distance. The man turned to look and…

Bingo.

With a swift swipe she liberated her target from the tyranny of her mark’s backpocket before disappearing into the crowd once more. The look on the man’s face as he turned back to see an empty spot and untouched drink was quickly followed by one of panic as he patted himself down in search of what he had without doubt lost.

A grin spread from cheek to cheek as Sena carefully hunched her head and counted the credits. Oh yes, this was certainly enough to have another good week.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Sena Lassiter"]

There are chumps and there are movers. Point in case, this cute little thing moving in and out of the club in a hurry, I ain’t sure what had transpired over there, but looking at the way she was hunched over with a distinct sense of pleasure washing all over her?

She probably found a mark, smoothed him over and then ran with the profits, brought a fething grin on my own face I will tell ya. Smart too, to a degree, watching over the profits only after leaving the club. I have known a couple who would have passed the corner and checked immediately, no patience, no wit, just the sheer desire to play the grabby-grabby game.

I could probably use her, like I said. Cute face, I needed more of those, people that were easy on the eye. Got a few bruisers already, but there ain’t anything better than slipping in and outta mark with just a few whispered promises.

That’s when it hit me. She had it too. That distinct aura of purpose around her that signified people of importance, ya know, Jedi, Sith, those magicka-dweebs who loved throwing around their superpowers like it was candy. Wasn’t all too strong yet though, so probably a beginner, might be even more useful.

How to… get her attention though. Million dollar question, ain’t it? I watched her put the wallet away and move away from the club, take distance between herself and her victim, good girl. I like you already.

Plan hit me as my feet hit the ground, started walking. She was heading my way and I was heading hers, bustling street, many people around, not a lot of methods to get her attention… well… besides. I stumbled into her, just as she would pass me, deft hands slipped in and removed the stolen wallet.

‘Sorry.’ I would shout over my shoulder, wallet disappearing into my own pockets, before rounding the corner into an alleyway.

And now we wait.

 

[Lassiter]

There were a lot of people in the streets that evening. In a sense she would deem it too many but that might just have been the adrenaline making her jumpy. The wallet found a safe spot inside of her jacket as the grin faded from her lips. The excitement that her newly acquired wealth sent her mind racing for ways to spend it. A nicer hotel room before leaving for Prakith, perhaps?

It certainly felt like a good cause. To spend money on the one person she could always count on. Herself. She had to admit that things had been looking pretty bad lately. At this point she totally deserved to pamper herself for the first time this week.

Her stroll found itself interrupted. A man had bumped into her and promptly asked forgiveness. Sena said nothing but rather stood in place and stared the man down. This was Nar Shaddaa, forgiveness was a sign of weakness and if anything such a thing would make him a target. No, he had done something and she had a pretty good idea what it was.

Slowly her hands began to pat away around her pockets. She had her knife and she had her wallet. Nothing was really missing except…

Her lips pursed and she let out a disappointed chuckle. “Oh, I see.”

Without really thinking it through she picked up the chase. She was like a cat chasing a mouse. A mouse with slicked back hair and scruffy stubble, but a mouse nonetheless. It was fair to assume the man wouldn’t be unarmed, this was Nar Shaddaa after all and as the man headed into an alleyway and she stopped for a second to think it through.

Weighing her options between dropping the matter or going for the wallet made itself. She deserved that wallet, it was hers and she wasn’t going to let some pretty-boy take it from her, no matter if he was armed or not.

She pulled the knife out from her jacket and entered the alleyway. From the looks of it the man had been waiting for her but that didn’t stop her from pointing it in his direction.

“That’s not how it works.” An irritated voice called out at the man. “The way it works is: Girl enters bar, girl finds what she wants, girl takes what she wants, girl leaves with what she wants.”

The blade danced back and forth between Sena and the stranger as she talked. “Problem here is that right now someone else has what ‘girl’ wants and ‘girl’ is asking that someone to kindly hand that wallet back before they get to experience life as a eunuch.”

It could quite possibly be like watching a spoiled brat making threats but what did it matter? She wanted that wallet and if that meant she’d have to take ‘slickback’ over there out of the equation then so be it.

Even if he very well, and most likely, would kill her before it came to that.

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Sena Lassiter"]

Just took out a cigarette, lit it up and started to smoke a little bit, calmly studying the girl, wisps of smokes moving between us. Heh. She had either a lot of balls, or wasn’t entirely too smart - didn’t really know which of the two it was, but we would find out soon enough, no?

If she had balls? I could use her. We would have to work on making sure her balls wouldn’t get her killed, but it’s workable. Stupid? That ain’t being fixed, so let’s hope it’s the first and not the second.

‘Girl follows boy.’ subtle smooth cadence, no mock, but no worry either. ‘Girl walks into a gunfight with a knife.’ the revolver was revealed. ‘Girl doesn’t have any backup, no?’

A few coughs behind her would accentuate the fact that I did have backup with me.

‘Girl decides a different tune would be better suited?’

Question, let’s see what she says.

 

[Lassiter]

Oh she was an idiot alright, but not that much of an idiot. There were times when being stupid could help you but this wasn’t one of them moments. Sena turned around and let her gaze set for the men behind her. Now this was definitely a familiar scene. Maybe the men looked a little less ‘country club’ than last time but it was a familiar scene nonetheless.

With a soft chuckle she turned back to look at [member="Khaleel Malvern"]. “No. Stupid little girl is all alone.”

The urge to give him a slow clap felt tempting but stupid, and stupid was still not how she wanted to go about it. She kept the blade handy in case things went wrong. It felt like a good idea.

“This is all so very elaborate for a man pickpocketing the pickpocket.” She didn’t lower her weapon. “I would ask if you were the authorities, but I think we both know there is a reason people like you and I stay on Nar Shaddaa.”

A shrug got itself involved as the blade danced to her side.

“So you will have to forgive me for not lowering my weapon. Bad experiences say you can never be too careful around this part of the hemisphere.”

The bets were starting to look slightly out of her price range. Didn't stop her from going back to pointing it at the revolver carrying man in front of her though. No, she was pretty insistent on not disarming herself in any way.

“What do you want?”

 

[Arage Bao]

Balls after all, good for her. Didn't tell me all that I needed to know though.

Not that such a thing could really be disconcerned by one simple talk. Nah, that would need time, time and opportunities were she really showed herself for what she was and was not. Here on the street? Ya gotta go with your gut feeling it won't always win you prizes, but every once in a while you will get the metaphorical jackpot. Was this one of those times? Didn't have a clue, but that was the fun in all of this, meeting new people and making a gambit.

The lighter disappeared and for a moment I just stood there. Could almost picture her heart beating in her chest, stress levels elevating as she started to realize just how bad this -could- be. Then the moment passed and I gave er one of my grins, the special one, the one I keep just for the right girl, in the right spot, at the right time.

Threw her the stolen wallet.

'Job interview.' an answering shrug, followed by a puff of smoke. 'Ya passed. Walk or wanna hear more?'

That was the crux of the matter, she had to want this herself, wouldn't do me any good otherwise and I wasn't gonna waste my time with someone who would rather roll alone. I got respect for dem drifters, but no time. I was going places and time's short.

 

[Lassiter]

“Job interview?” The question echoed off of her as the wallet found it’s way back to it’s ‘rightful owner’.

Her gaze fell on the men behind her again for a second before falling back to [member="Khaleel Malvern"] and his proposition. The idea to roll alone had been what made her harder to keep track off, but something about the way this man walked and talked felt oddly encouraging.

The blade was lowered, if only for a bit, as her shoulders softened up.

Did she need the money? Yes. Was the wallet the first catch in a good while? Also yes. The chances that this man could be the answer to her worries wasn’t out of the question but would she really want to go against her word and look out for someone else who wasn’t her? Possibly? Hell, she didn’t know. One moment she was staring down the barrel of the man’s slugthrower and the next she was offered a job.

“What kind of job?” She squinted her eyes. She'd fulfill that promise if the next words out of his mouth was 'escort'. “... And what type of money in what magnitude?”

Still, there were no needs for a name here. Call it mutual respect and an occupational hazard. Besides, neither party would be likely to give the other their true names, would they?

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Sena Lassiter"]

Decided to lean against the wall again, seeing as the gal stopped pointing her knife at me right now. Could practically feel the edge coming off her though, probably thought I wanted her as a prostitute or something, which was hysterical. See, there were two kinds of whores in our world. The classy ones and the strumpets ya find in the common streets, now evidently this girl was more of the former kind - a kind I did not have access to right now - and definitely a waste for the second type.

So that left me with options, she could play a few things for me. Lead-on, maybe a nose, but that was a big maybe. Naw, we would need to use that pretty face in some way, butter up the competition perhaps, maybe use her as a way in.

That sort of thing.

‘Variable.’ I finally answered. ‘More of what ya just did, but in a more extended capacity. Woo guys with the looks, then we come in with the rest.’

Heh, money.

‘Streets are in chaos right now, lass. Enterprising individuals will find its easy to get into the meat of things, ambitious individuals… heh, well. Let’s just say that once I am finished? Cash ain’t gonna be a quantity anymore for ya.’

 

[Lassiter]

It was like a compliment and a promise that was too good to be true at the same time. The message to her was that she was indeed good at her trade and that this man was looking to capitalize on that. Strength in numbers and ‘honor amongst thieves’ were no concepts she held any true belief in but something about this man was captivating enough to pique her interest. He had a plan. An organization and educated guesses would say that they weren’t all that legit.

“So act as decoy and bait. Nothing too risky or risqué but still enough to satiate a girl’s need for attention. Keep them busy and let the tough guys take care of any potential ‘objections’...” Slowly she nodded in approval. This was a really good plan and clearly Sena was all they’d need for looks. Just look at her, who wouldn’t want her?

She could let her guard down. This was a good plan and she could roll with it. “I admit, half the fun is in the hunt and chase. The ‘economical boost’ is merely an added bonus.”

“As long as you keep me fed, protected and paid I’ll help you, provided you can keep that promise in the first place.”

[member="Khaleel Malvern"]