My Life for Hire

[Rix Sathora]

Spoiler

Timeline note: before Cryax betrayed the Ravens; when he and Jalek were still a couple.

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The Lower City of Taris was a place inhabited primarily by the thugs and criminals of the larger galaxy, individuals deemed unsuitable to call any other place home. Living there wasn't easy, the trials only made more difficult by the looming threat of death should one chance to turn their back on any one individual. Anyone could be a threat if given the opportunity, so it was best to hold everyone at an arm's length. 'Live and learn or die teaching by example' was the proverb many lived by, and with good reason. If one didn't learn after their first mistake it was likely their last, not that anyone often batted an eye if someone else ended up dead. Death was an almost everyday occurrence to all, and adjusting to it was almost a necessity. It gave those that lived there a hardened demeanor, causing them to seem unapproachable at best. There was a reason not many from the outside ventured beyond what was considered the safe zone. It was considered deadly at best, when in reality all that was required to survival was a careful eye and a certain sort of intelligence.

It was those qualities and more that the Lower City Renegades possessed. All of them had finely honed their talents when it came to surviving there, each one of them with a set of talents that made every one an efficient member of a larger, fully functioning whole. The gang had been together for years, the numbers fluctuating but always remaining stable in some sense. Nothing made them particularly special, and for all intents and purposes they resembled every other swoop gang that chanced to call the same Lower City home. But there was something else about them, something that gave them the ability to survive where other groups would have fallen apart ages ago. A unity of sorts kept them together, a bond that extended past simple survival. They were friends, some closer to blood relatives, all of them working together to make it another day. The business they took to was hardly the most legal, but there wasn't enough law enforcement to keep up with the gangs that ran rampant. It was that which they consistently exploited to their advantage.

Inevitably those methods of survival often ended in the death or injury of another sentient, not that any of them were overly concerned about the implications it left on the group. Those sorts of consequences were inevitable, and no one so much as batted an eye when something of the sort transpired. After all, if someone else had to suffer for their eventual survival, then it wasn't their issue. That other person had wandered into their territory of their own accord, and should they end up a casualty than it was their actions that would be faulted. The Renegades were only taking advantage of the opportunity to make a few extra credits. It wasn't as if they injured everyone that happened through. Only those that could provide some way of living that was easier than ripping of the others they shared the streets with. Sometimes this or that individual happened to have a bounty on their head, and that was all the better. At the end of the day it just meant an easy life for them, and that was worth most anything, given how difficult things would have been otherwise.

One of those bountied individuals happened to be within the captivity of the Renegades at that very moment, a development that wasn't entirely new for anyone involved. As such the restraints had been affixed with little issue, the necessary individuals put in place as an impromptu form of security until something more permanent was developed. It was that situation Rix had been notified of on his way back to where the prisoner was being held, a makeshift hangout that was nothing less than an abandoned building that had been fortified through the years of a number of different gangs living there before them. The old tags had been painted over with those of the Renegades, a signal to any passersby that they were well within unfriendly territory should they happen to belong to a rival group. It was home to that particular Morellian, or as close to something similar as he would ever get. So when his swoop bike skidded to a stop in front of the building he was relaxed, disengaging the vehicle and leaning up against it for a moment, pondering just who it was they had captured this time.

As he entered the room he was met with a confrontation between two of the five others currently there. A female Rodian and a male Twi'lek were currently toe-to-toe, arguing about what to do with the captive. Carrying some weight of his own within a few small splinters of the organization, a few of the others nodded in greeting, some of them still keeping something of an eye on the pair. Stepping up to the two he pushed between them, ignoring the looks he received, any previous arguments falling silent. "It's about time, Sathora." Flashing a grin and shaking his head he turned to the Rodian female that had spoken previously. "What'd you say his name was, Siero?" Nothing about the captive's identity had been mentioned yet, but it was a good way to change the subject. "Cryax Bane. You know him?" A shrug, which was really nothing more than a halfhearted raise of one shoulder. "Am I supposed to?" Here he crouched in front of the Chiss, flicking a strand of red hair out of his eyes. Unlike the others, his skin was devoid of any visible tattoos or markings. "Who do we have here?"

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

Cryax Bane had so many bounties on his head, often times he completely forgot what they were all for. The Chiss President of the Red Ravens Criminal Syndicate had done so many dirty deeds on so many different planets, it was easy to lose track. So when he got nabbed by a bounty hunter on Taris, well, did it really matter what it was for? In fact, when his analytic mind did some quick risk analysis on his situation, factoring in the number of crimes, number of bounty hunters, and various credit amounts of each bounty, he found that he was, to put it plainly, pretty well karked. Bane knew he would get caught someday, and today happened to be that day.

The angry Chiss was being held in a grotty abandoned building in the Lower City, awaiting his fate. He remembered nothing about his capture, which lead him to believe that perhaps his drink was drugged. He woke up still dressed in his expensive pinstriped suit, which was now disheveled and torn from his struggling, to find that he was cuffed to a chair by his wrists and ankles. Two beings, a Rodian and a Twi'lek, possibly from a rival gang, were speaking in hushed but frustrated tones, obviously arguing with one another. The Rodian had made the mistake of getting within spitting distance of him and ended up with a glob of spittle on her snout, and thus he was moved to the farthest corner of the room. The way the two gang members glanced at him every now and again, made it clear that he was at the crux of their disagreement.

A male human joined the room, and for a moment Cryax's heart skipped a beat. Jalek was here to set him free and take him back to Antecedent! As the boy drew closer, his heart sank. It wasn't his Morellian boyfriend after all, but a man who looked uncannily like him. After exchanging a few words with the others, he came closer, squatting on the floor in front of the Chiss with an unreadable expression.

"Who do we have here?"

Disarmed by the man's striking resemblance to his lover, Cryax answered in a more subdued tone. His whole body shook as he struggled against his bonds.

"Someone who is going to rain hell down on this planet if you don't let him go."

[member="Rix Sathora"]

 

[Rix Sathora]

Despite what the Chiss seemed to think, it wasn't the Renegades that had captured him originally. No, it had been a rival gang that had first made off with the crime lord, and none of them would have bothered, had the route not taken them through friendly territory. At that point the other group had practically been asking for trouble, and it would have been uncouth of them not to deliver. A few blaster shots and a scuffle or two later, and the situation had remedied itself nicely. That had left them with a captive they had been far from prepared for, and a curiosity in regards to just who the man was besides. After all, he had meant enough to the rival gang that they were willing to sacrifice their lives, and that had to mean something, in the long run. So he had been brought to the building and subsequently restrained.

The retort offered was worded just as had been anticipated for one far better off than those inhabitants of the Lower City. After all, the other man had no reason to not think that the group responsible for his capture was small-time compared to whatever syndicate he likely headed. And he wouldn't be wrong in that assumption. While their numbers had once been so that they were capable of holding sway over much of the Lower City, quelling any insurgencies within their territory swiftly and with little issue. Now the game they played was a bit different. While they did hold some amount of power compared to a few of the other groups, theirs was a rather ragtag bunch. But they were still capable of being deadly efficient when it was required, and that was all that mattered when it came to survival at the end of the day.

A flash of recognition seemed to spark in those crimson eyes for the briefest of seconds, gone as quickly as it had come. That micro-expression did nothing but pique his curiosity, though Rix would save any inquiries related to it for a later time. There were more important questions to ask, ones that pertained to the entirety of the group rather than himself personally. The man obviously fancied himself someone powerful, from the way he moved to just how his words were articulated. This was one used to being in control of every scenario, and it irked him to have the tables turned, to put it mildly. Doing nothing more than cracking a smile, he pushed himself to his feet, still remaining in front of him, well within conversational distance and reach, almost daring the other to try something.

"The key word there is 'if'. I don't see an army coming to rescue you anytime soon, so it looks like you'll be stuck with our company for a bit longer than you'd like. Not that you have much of a choice." The slightest of smirks at that last sentence. Something told him the other man didn't enjoy even the slightest sarcastic comment when it was used against his general benefit. No one liked it when the shoe was on the other foot, least of all those used to living in the figurative lap of luxury. It was always easy to look down on others when you had the high ground, but once brought down, reality began to sink in. The reality that no matter how powerful you might have been on another planet, here your mortality was staring you in the face, and you had no other choice but to acknowledge your own relative vulnerability.

"I already know your name, Cryax. What I don't know is who you work for or what organization you're probably the head of, not that it really concerns me any. I could always call my brother up and have him do some digging, but it'd be easier for all of us if you'd go ahead and tell me yourself. I wouldn't want to have to trouble him, after all." That was a bit of a hint as to who his brother was, and he watched the Chiss carefully for any sign of his knowing his younger sibling. Morellians were few and far between in the galaxy, or so it seemed, so the chances of Jalek's identity being misinterpreted were slim to none. The only question was if Cryax would know who he was not-so-subtly referring to in the first place. "I've got all day to play the long game."

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

"Trust me, kid. You don't want to play any game with me, much less the long game."

If Cryax were unrestrained he would be jabbing a blue finger in the redhead's face. Or perhaps slamming his head against a desk. The redhead that looked so much like his lover. The resemblance was so striking that it gave Bane pause. The kid interrogating him had mentioned a brother. It seemed lke such an unlikely coincidence but was Jalek that brother that he mentioned. They were both from the Lower City so that would fit, but if so, why hadn't Jalek mentioned a brother? Maybe the kid... was a clone! Ok, now he was just getting carried away. Glowing red eyes studied the figure in front of him for a few moments, and then the Chiss barked out his next request.

"I'll tell you what. I'll say the organization I'm with, if you first answer a few questions of mine. One, what does your gang want with me? And two, will you at least uncuff me?"

He gave the boy a phony, weaselly grimmace that was trying to pass itself off as a smile.

"Hell, I'm a reasonable man. An unarmed reasonable man, I might add. We can just sort this out over some whiskey, like civilized gentlemen, can't we?."

The weary crime lord glanced down at his own clothing. Someone was going to pay dearly for the ruination of one of his favorite suits. Bane let out a dramatic sigh. Why couldn't he be anywhere else but here? Preferably eating Fodu noodles with Jalek in bed, watching an action Holo.

"Can I make a Holocall? I want to call my boyfriend, Jalek Sathora."

Maybe you know him?

[member="Rix Sathora"]

 

[Rix Sathora]

As Jalek's name was mentioned a few of the others looked up, recognition obvious in their shift in position. In contrast Rix's own expression remained impassive, untelling of just what those last two words meant to him. Behind those forest green eyes a number of thoughts were processing, connecting the dots in attempts to determine just how this man had happened to become his brother's boyfriend. It wasn't that he had an issue with the relationship per se, but as an elder brother he always looked out for his sibling. While not exactly the overprotective sort, he had a tendency to check in on the younger every now and again. He just wouldn't be an older sibling otherwise. Besides, from what he'd witnessed of Cryax thus far, he didn't seem to be quite the shining example of a boyfriend. Then again, not many people were when being held captive.

The questions, or rather, demands, asked of him gave pause for a moment. The first one didn't raise issue, but the second, well...none of them had a reason to trust the Chiss even the smallest amount, let alone enough to release his restraints while he was still well within their territory. But he would let things play out as he would any other time, not revealing anything more than necessary and always keeping the opponent of that particular point in time guessing and on their toes. Just because this man was dating his brother didn't change anything, though the situation may have been altered had Jalek been in the same room. "We don't want much of anything with you. But like I said, you're important to somebody. All anyone here wants to know is why. It's not such a difficult question to answer."

With a nod to one of the others a key was tossed across the room, and he caught it, letting it play between his fingers for a moment. Any type of freedom wouldn't be negotiated quite so easily, despite what the crime lord seemed to think. The fact that the man was unarmed did nothing to ease his conscience, especially with the number of weapons on the other gang members displayed and within reach. This was his own way of toying with the man, however insensitive it may have been. "I don't see a reason why I should let you go. Nothing's to say you won't try anything, no matter how exponentially stupid that would be of you. In case you haven't noticed, you're on Taris now. Whatever rules you might play by elsewhere were null once you set foot on this planet. The only thing civilized about anything here is that we haven't shot you between the eyes yet."

Not quite pocketing the keys just yet, he held them almost carelessly in his hand. His expression remained nonchalant, as if this was an everyday occurrence, something just as average as two individuals meeting on the street for a conversation. An amused smile played across his lips, the keys finally disappearing from his grasp. The idea of the Holocall, even if it was to a known party, was out of the question for at least a time or two longer. Those were easily traced, and it was very possible that the threats Cryax had made earlier would be capitalized on. That was the last thing any of the Renegades needed, being driven out of what little territory they had managed to hold by a larger criminal syndicate that had no place on the planet to begin with. So that request would be ignored, and with good reason in his mind.

That same smile widened, and he laughed quietly, shaking his head. It really was the strangest sort of irony that the Chiss happened to be in a relationship with his brother. The chances of that were slim to none, so the fact that it had come even remotely close to transpiring was a wonder in and of itself. "I have a few questions for you myself, before I decide to let you go just like that. I don't care what kind of games I shouldn't be playing with you. If I did, neither of us would be here." A beat passed, and he carefully studied the other man as his inquiry made its way past his lips, "Why the kark are you dating my little brother?"

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

“Tar to k'ir ch'ah rsah hah!” exclaimed the Chiss with a disbelieving laugh. “Your little brother, eh?” Cryax shook his head, blue-black locks, falling across his eyes. He tossed them back with a jerk of his head.

“The resemblance is uncanny.” he said, letting his glowing red eyes roam over the young man. The least surprising thing about Jalek Sathora was the fact that the longer Cryax knew him, the more he was surprised by the Morellian.

“What am I doing dating Jalek? Well he’s hot, for one. And he’s got a great sense of humor. He’s an amazingly talented slicer, almost as good as me. I could keep going but I don’t suppose you want me to go into the gory details about about what goes on in the bedroom do you, Sathora?”

His chest rose and fell with a long sigh, and he glanced down at his restraints.

“Look, now that we’ve established that I’m a friendly entity, how about you uncuff me, eh? I don’t think your brother would appreciate the treatment you’re giving his beloved.”

[member="Rix Sathora"]

 

[Rix Sathora]

A brief moment of silence passed, a few amused laughs traveling about the room, suggestions of lewd comments in mischievous smirks and the glints of eyes. "You sure you don't want to share?" "Yeah, c'mon, live a little." "Betcha have fun with that tongue piercing of his, huh?" Despite himself Rix couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that all was said in good fun. They were only being half-serious, if that, and such behavior was more than typical. Each of them knew the others like the back of their own hand, and the knowledge of another's romantic interests wasn't exactly private information. Even if it was, they would all find out eventually. Nothing exactly remained quiet for long, and they all had various eyes everywhere. The same could be arranged for the Chiss, if any of them so desired.

The corners of his mouth twitched up at the comment about each brother's resemblance to the other. "We're siblings. I would hope we look alike." The statement was uttered with a dry sort of humor, unrecognizable as such if it weren't for the smile that played across his lips for mere seconds. Their being Morellian likely helped that fact along, given both the hair color and the lifespan that made them predisposed to look younger than their decades of life would otherwise suggest. A shame both brothers were just as good at talking themselves out of their lives as they were with the opposite. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yourself first. You're a slicer, so you have to be some kind of analytic. There are only a handful of Morellians in the galaxy, so putting two and two together can't have been that difficult." Oh, did he ever tend to get ahead of himself.

His beloved. Those were two words he wouldn't be forgetting for some time. If Cryax meant so much to Jalek, and vice versa, then he supposed it wouldn't be fair to continue keeping the Chiss restrained. His morality may have been more than ambiguous, but he upheld certain standards. Rarely and with a fair amount of picking and choosing, but he did nonetheless. With a quiet sigh and a crooked grin the keys seemed to materialize in his palm once more, and for once he made good on the quiet promise the sight of them uttered, releasing the restraints that bound the man hand and foot, tossing the keys back to the sentient of their origin. For the next few seconds he merely studied the other man without comment. This put them on a more or less equal playing field, but he hoped Cryax wasn't stupid enough to try anything. Not at the moment, at least.

"You're really bad at answering questions, you know. You never did tell me just why everyone seems to want you dead. There are plenty of crime lords that have bounties on their heads. I just want to know what makes you so special." The question wouldn't relent until it was answered. If the Chiss thought himself stubborn, he was about to meet his match. Living for a few decades tended to give one a patience that exceeded that of most sentients. "And you really shouldn't be so surprised that he never mentioned me. It's a bit hard to keep track of family when you're separated by half the galaxy and an apparent crime lord." A smile at that. "I wouldn't exactly say you're a friendly entity either. You did threaten to kill me earlier, after all. I think you'll find that a bit difficult still."

[member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

The chiding of the Jalek’s brother’s cohorts made Cryax cringe with embarrassment, and he flashed them all death stares.

“Alright, alright, enough of that,” he warned the others. He flashed his glowing red gaze back to his red-haired interrogator.

"Well, yes," he snapped. "Of course, I have an analytic brain when it comes to facts, outcomes, risk assessment. But people?" Here the Chiss laughed self-deprecatingly. "People I can never completely figure out. But you have your brother’s sarcasm. I can see that now.”

Jalek's brother stuck a small device into his restraints and with a click, the Chiss' wrists and ankles were free. Rubbing his wrists lightly, he let out a relieved sigh and stood up, stretching his cramped legs. The brother eyed him suspiciously.

“Why does everyone want me dead?” he scoffed. Perhaps it wasn’t the smartest move to identify himself, but he was too curious to see their reactions. If they were as connected to the criminal underworld as they all seemed to be, they would know the name of the Outer Rim syndicate the Chiss ran.

“I’m the President of the Red Ravens Criminal Syndicate. You must not keep in touch with Jalek, eh, uh...what did you say your name was?”

[member="Rix Sathora"]

 

[Rix Sathora]

The only response his objections elicited were a few more muttered comments, quiet laughs and crooked grins. None of them were of a mind to care any amount as to what Cryax had to say in protest, and Rix least of all. The Renegades weren't loyal to anyone but each other, and they would be hard-pressed to alter those sentiments for anyone, especially not a captive that hadn't proved any sort of formidable opponent to begin with. In their world physical strength was respected over mental aptitude under any circumstance. Unless, of course, said intelligence benefited any of them in some way. "C'mon, don't you know how to have any fun? Cut loose once in awhile. Being so uptight all the time can't be healthy for you." To call that comment half-serious would be compliment.

His brother's sarcasm he did indeed possess. "Where do you think he got it?" After spending a good portion of their lives together, habits and mannerisms tended to rub off relatively easily. Such was the nature of Jalek's little tendency towards cigarettes. "So you can never completely figure out people, huh? That leaves you at a disadvantage with the two of us, then. If you know my brother half as well as I think, then you should know that for every fact you think you know about him there are thousands more that you haven't figured out. I'd remember that, if you ever kark this up. But I think you're too pretty to be that stupid." And he meant that threat with every fiber of his being. Should Cryax ever cross him, the Renegades or his younger brother, he would feel the consequences. That much was a definite certainty.

None of that trademark ridicule that was typically present in every word the Sathoras spoke registered once the Chiss identified himself. For once the room was completely silent, looks being shared between a few of them, every one of the group quietly impressed with the power the man wielded, and the ruthless efficiency with which he'd exploited it in the past. To say this was a surprise would be an understatement. If there was ever a more unlikely candidate to lead a criminal syndicate, such an individual was right in front of the Morellian. The Ravens had made more than a name for themselves, most of all among the small gangs similar to the Renegades that inhabited Taris. "You're the President of the Red Ravens? Well, kark me. They're letting anyone in these days."

His gaze remained carefully on Cryax, but in the end he saw no harm in revealing his identity. Half of it was already revealed, and the utterance of his given name wouldn't cement any retaliation that had already been decided. "The name's Rix. I'm sure Jalek will tell you all about me."

[member="Cryax Bane"]