Private Mayhem in the Auction House

[Romulus Vel]

OUTFIT: x
TAG: Jacen Nimdok

TARIS, OJOSTER SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

An associate of mine passed me an invitation to an auction in Taris, A stone inscription from Ziost, most likely Kissaian. It's not the most valuable artifact that's auctioned today, that would be the ancient dagger from Dromund Kaas, with its shining purple stone. Yet the stone inscription intrigued me more. There's something about a written history of the Outer Rim that I always find myself attracted to. Maybe it's the fact that this is home, that despite what everyone in the core is saying, this place is as lively and rich as them. A dagger is valuable, yes, but it represents confrontation, aggression, primitive, pre-civilization mindset. Writing, on the other hand, shows us that this region of space is as civilized and sophisticated as the core, no matter how they try to shape the argument.

The auction house is as vibrant as the last time I visited, five years ago. At least from what I remembered. It was me, dad, Kastor. Boys night, dad used to say, pissed the living hell out of Semele. Oh, the good ol' days. The place is still run by the same person, Ander Reyne, the mysterious human with millions of connections. Some said he was from the core, others said he's from the Unknown Region, nobody knows. All I know is the newest batch of artifacts he's dealing today are smuggled freshly from Korriban, Ziost, and Dromund Kaas, just before the worlds' were claimed by the Sith.

So here I am, today, fresh off a mission and on my free day. After the usual welcoming from Ander and the introduction to his new people, I scanned the auction room, looking for any familiar faces. None I know personally. Most faces here are Mid Rim aristocrats, makes sense when I consider the location and the auctioned items. More radical collectors from the Tingel Arm wouldn't go here for the lack of dark side artifacts. There are also quite a lot of non-human patrons here today, probably the most I've seen in a room in a long while. The Braxant Run is not the most diverse region of the galaxy, and now I have to restrain myself from making xenophobic jokes. Bummer.

It doesn't take too long until the stone inscription is getting hauled to the stage. 10.000 credits, that's where they open the price on. I raised my card and bid 10.500. While eyeing for possible competitors.
​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

"Ten thousand, five hundred... and one credits."

The bid came from Jacen Nimdok, a teenaged boy who looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. He wore an all black suit and tie ensemble, and his dark curly hair was slicked back. Though they were indoors, he wore a pair of black sunglasses which hid his eyes, but not his smirking mouth.

Next to him were a gruff older man and an elegantly dressed Atrisian woman. A bodyguard and a personal assistant, respectively. They stood by in silence as their young charge continued to outbid everyone else in the auction hall, simply by adding a single credit to whatever amount had previously been offered. Several of the bidders began to look annoyed as the price of the artifact continued to climb. The brat just wouldn't let up. Did Mommy and Daddy have boundless coffers? Was this all a game to him? Who was this kid, anyway, and why was he so interested in the stone?

Romulus Vel​

 

[Romulus Vel]

OUTFIT: x
TAG: Jacen Nimdok

TARIS, OJOSTER SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

"Ten thousand, five hundred... and one credits."

I immediately glanced at the annoying voice. A boy. A kid. What in the world is he doing in this fine establishment? I have never seen him before, someone from somewhere closer to the Core, perhaps. Definitely not from The Braxant Run, that I can be sure of. He is flanked by two figures, most likely assigned by his parents, and he keeps bidding for an extra credit, also likely from his parents bank account.

As time went by, it started to get tiring. I really like the stone, sure, but I can live without it. What I can't live with, is another second with that smug face looking at me. For all I know, he might not be actually interested in the stone, only in getting the reactions out of people. Just an attention-seeker compensating for the lack of regard he got from home. I know how that feels, I was that person before.

The price started to hike, into a ridiculous amount of 18.001. This is getting close to the maximum amount I am willing to pay, and frankly I just want to get some drink after, to soothe the headache that ugly voice has put in my head.

"20.000. Go on kid, add another and I'll bail."​

It's true, this is the highest I am willing to bid for. I get it, I'm going home happy. I don't, I'm going to be very, very annoyed, but life goes on.
​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

"20.000. Go on kid, add another and I'll bail."

Jacen glanced toward the owner of the voice. The man looked like he was pushing thirty-five, and was clearly not enjoying the teen's antics. But hey, at least he wasn't a sore loser.

"Twenty thousand and one credits," Jacen said.

There were no more bids. The stone was sold at an absurdly high price compared to the initial bid. Jacen beamed and got to his feet. "Nice outfit, by the way," he said to the man as he walked past him on his way to pick up the item he had won.

Romulus Vel​

 

[Romulus Vel]

OUTFIT: x
TAG: Jacen Nimdok

TARIS, OJOSTER SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

"Twenty thousand and one credits," Jacen said.

Of course, it's going to be 20.001. But I've said what I said. 20K is already getting to the 'not worth it' territory, especially considering that my finances are not in the most liquid situation at the moment. Still, seeing the smug face getting what he wants isn't how I expect today is going to pan out.

"Nice outfit, by the way," he said to the man as he walked past him on his way to pick up the item he had won.

The boy said as he approached the stage to take the stone. I tried to stop him by grabbing his arm. His bodyguard might stop me, that's if the kid didn't shrug my hand in the first place, but I'm pretty much his size anyway. They shouldn't see it as a threat, it's just a friendly grab.

"Congratulations on saying the biggest number, kiddo."​

I smirked and cackled at the kid. The 20K might mean nothing to him, but I'd have to let him know that it's a waste of credits for my ego. At least one win for me today.

"Send my regards to mom and pop, yeah?"​

​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

"Congratulations on saying the biggest number, kiddo. Send my regards to mom and pop, yeah?"

The man's jabs hardly reached Jacen's ears. He had eyes only for the stone, which seemed to call out to him with a siren song. Standing entranced before the display case, he nearly reached out to touch it before an attendant handed him a pair of sterile gloves. He quickly slipped them on, then picked up the artifact, gently running his fingers over the engravings.

"We'll have to be extra careful with this one, Meg," he said, glancing at his assistant. He was practically on the verge of tears from the sweet satisfaction of owning this seemingly inconsequential carved rock. "It's fragile."

Romulus Vel​

 

[Romulus Vel]

OUTFIT: x
TAG: Jacen Nimdok

TARIS, OJOSTER SECTOR, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

Nothing annoys me more than the inattention that the kid is giving me at the moment. The loss is manageable, I can cope with it just fine. The time I wasted on this sorry planet can be recouped later on. But this? I just hate the fact that this kid, who just took away the stone that I wanted a mere second ago, also wouldn't waste a single more second to entertain me.

I saw a robo-waitress walking our way and I snatched a glass of champagne from its tray. It seems like the officials are already preparing the stage for the next item in-line, which I have no interest in whatsoever. My eyes are still glued on the stone, and the kid. You know what, the kid is rich, his parents are most likely rich, if I don't get the stone, I might as well get to know a potential future business partner. Propaganda in the Braxant Run is a lucrative business, after all, and I need all the help to take it away from my brother.

I re-approached the kid, who seems to be enjoying the stone way too much.
​

"So, where are you taking the rock to? Deep Core? Careful with it, they don't like it when an artifact from Sith space enters their territory."
​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

"So, where are you taking the rock to? Deep Core? Careful with it, they don't like it when an artifact from Sith space enters their territory."

Jacen's smile turned into a frown. Who was this guy? Why was he still bothering him?

"No, no," he replied, plastering a fake grin on his face and flashing his fangs in the process. "I won't have to worry about that."

While he could just be a sore loser trying to be a thorn in the winner's side, Jacen had to assume this man was more clever than he seemed. His continued interruptions, while annoying, probably had an ulterior motive. The man wanted something. Jacen just had to figure out what it was.

"Why? Do you have experience with such matters, mister...?"

Romulus Vel​