Nar Shadda Five-0

[Riz Carter]

Nar Shadda
Swinger Cafe

[member="Elliot Locke"]

"Look what the Nexu dragged out," the chiss officer on-call snickered as Riz rolled up. Brown-eyes rolled. It was no secret that more than a third of the Nar Shadda police force was dirty, bought by this cartel or that exchange. Riz was one of the few left holding out.

Two parts brave, one part stupid, and six parts 'don't feth with me.'

"What we got Roger?" Detective carter scanned over the scene. What was left of an outdoor cafe. Bodies lay about. Definitely a shooting. It was unclear who the target was or why yet.

"Standard drive by. No witnesses wanna come forward yet."

"Yeah, that's cuz they know we can't protect 'em," she muttered beneath her breath, squatting down by a human male body. Got his face shot off.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

Some people forgot how karking huge Nar Shaddaa was.

Even Locke forgot it sometimes.

Lots of his time was spend on the moon, most of it infiltrated in one organization or the other, but his face always changed in the most subtle of ways. A different haircut, eye color, scars and lines in the face, the strange tattoo and mannerisms, but it was the vivid distance between locations that was the truest of help in his work.

One year he could be working in one particular sector, while the other was spend half a continent away within the mega-city moon, the gangs didn't have any particular system in place to communicate with each other.

They stayed out of each other's way and that was the end of it. All of that helped Locke do his job and do it was well as possible, but today was different. He wasn't here under the cover of a different identity, he was here as a man with a job. The job as an agent who could cross borders.

The Alliance had tracked down a shipment of illicit goods, straight to Sullust from Nar Shaddaa. Someone high up was aiming at some publicity by the sound of it and decided to make work of it.

So here Elliot Locke was. All trench-coat, burning lit cigarette perched between the teeth and a gorram bad mood, because he had to skip lunch straight out of the spaceport. The on-duty officer, some Chiss, gave him an eye, but then the blue facial expression brightened once he realized it was his coffee break.

The agent pushed up the yellow tapped lint and entered the crime scene.

Nobody around besides some lady in uniform. Didn't matter much to him, so instead Locke took out his datapad and started scanning the scene with it.

Had to be something he could use, unless these rookies had contaminated the whole scene already.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

Hat-covered head looked up as she heard Roger muttering about something. What the....some muckity-muck in a trench coat just happened to dip under the lines. These civies.

All day. Every day.

She stood. She was wearing boots, slacks, and a plain black t-shirt, with that police dark blue jacket. Detective's badge was visible on her hip. So was her gun. No smile, though.

"Yo. You can't be back here. Ever seen police tape before."

Brown-eyes narrowed. He looked ex-military with the way he carried himself. Something in his jaw, shoulders or both.

Not good at all.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

Locke looked up from his datapad, amusement entered his optics, but he kept it off the rest of his expression.

"Every once in a while." Dry reply retorted back, before he went back to his datapad. Most of the crime scene was absolute crap to hell and back, trampled blood, mud and rain clinging to the edges of the street. The lady was still looking at him with an eye that spelled pure murder though.

So, Elly looked up again.

"See that corpse there?" He gestured off the side towards one of the bodies leaning against the wall of the cafe. Blood was smeared across the window where the thug collapsed down to the ground. "Perp I have been tracking from Alliance space to here, which makes this a crime scene under active Alliance investigation."

Hazel eyes went back to the datapad, where he tried to figure out the weird angle of another nearby body. Blaster burns, but that hadn't killed her, had it?

"You are free to go now."

Like he needed some dirty cop breathing down his neck during this entire shindig.

Would be difficult enough as is.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

Oh, it's gonna be like that. Boot tapped against the mud, rain and blood spattered ground impatiently. Arms crossed.

She looked at the body this Alliance guy pointed out. Still didn't get a name. Convenient for him. Probably some Cartel or other Crime Lord schmuck covering their tails. Roger would be all too happy to show 'em around and give 'em a tour.

Riz on the other hand.

"You say you're with Alliance? I'm gonna need to see your credentials. As in now."

Hand casually perched on her hip, close to that gun of hers. Roger sputtered. As if she'd talk to some potential cartel member so openly like that.

Yeah, Roger can just shove it.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

"What, we in kindergarden here?" Locke mumbled from between his cigarette. "Alliance doesn't give out pretty badges, which you would know if you weren't a muddy beat cop from 6-23 precinct."

6-23 being a common reference among 'Shaddaa denizens for the most corrupt sector of the moon. Which was why Elliot had a hard time taking this one seriously, it was well-known among the field agents of the SIS that half of the cops were on the payroll for one crime outfit or the other, while the other half was grossly incompetent.

Suffice it to say that they usually didn't come calling for help, whenever a field agent was in 6-23.

Once again he looked up, noticed her hand closely cradling the blaster issued to her. A downturn of the corner of his mouth followed soon after, but he shook his head.

"You gonna use that gun, better use it fast and disappear. Dunno how long ya'll gonna have before a platoon of commandos come knocking down your precinct's door and ask questions."

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

Chocolate brows scrubbed up as Roger whistled from the sidelines. "Oh-ho Riz. You better show the man some respect or-," those brown eyes of hers glared at the chiss before returning to Mister High and Mighty.

"Or what, Rodg? You gonna rat me out to the Carts. Exchange? Syndicate? My address is on public record, they know where to find me."

"You better be careful," the chiss shot back, face hardening. The detective ignored him. Clean cops got shot off all the time. Disappeared. Or turned. She wasn't worried about it. Though, she should be. Her home was a fething arsenal. They'd have to take out the whole block just to put a scratch on her. And right now, she wasn't worth it.

That might change soon, though.

"Beat cop?" She snorted. "That's detective Carter to you no-name. We follow procedure 'round here."

Roger snorted in the background. Well, some of us.

"Can't just let any mucky-muck show up flapping their mouths off about being a part of some Alliance this or that. This ain't Alliance jurisdiction whether you followed the king Jedi or Sith pope-whatever himself or herself. Either I see some of your shiny credentials and clear them through my system or get a magical call from my chief clearing you in the next ten seconds or I'm gonna have to escort your military grade-butt to the other side of that yellow tape. Capisce?"

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

Now she had his attention.

It wasn't annoyance in those eyes... it was interest and deep-rooted interest at that, because there was something in her Locke had not come to expect from the useless bodies of the 'Shaddaa cops. Wasn't the fact that she was a stickler for the rules, in fact, Elly really disliked following regulations at the best of times.

But it was the fact that she did care.

"Alright, Detective." He looked back to his datapad, before getting in touch with some of his contacts here. The SIS had seeded most of the districts with contacts, handlers who could make problems go away as easily as breathing.

One of them was already yelling at the Chief of 6-23.

That one had a list of blackmail material as long as someone's monthly grocery list. About twenty seconds later suddenly Riz's comm would start buzzing insistently.

Very insistently.

Followed soon by Roger's comms.

"Better pick that up." Elly smiled his smile.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

"I..," she paused as he said alright. Alright?! She didn't think it'd be that simple. Chocolate brows of hers furrowed. Nothing was that simple and she was still full of skepticism. There was a buzz at her hip. Roger picked up his first. She could hear the yelling from here.

She picked up her own and took the cue to hold it a bit away from her ears. It was the chief. "Yes sir. I know....but....got it. Right away. Sir."

She scowled and snapped the comm shut. Either this guy was who he said he was. Some alliance nark high up enough to cross jurisdiction or he was a pocket puppet of crime lord xyz. She could work with the former but both ticked her off.

Fingers pinched the bridge of her nose as she looked at Locke. If he had a smug expression she'd wipe it right off. "Looks like I've been assigned to work with you."

Arms crossed and she silently sized him up. Definitely military or ex. Something slightly off about his appearance. No telling what guns he had beneath that trench.

Didn't mean they couldn't be amicable. Nice even. Maybe nice. Okay, no punching.

"How's about you share your notes and I'll share mine? And name's Riz Carter. You?"

If he ran a background check on her, he'd deduce she was a clean cop with a fairly impressive arrest record at her age. Probably find some dings against her record too, from butting heads against the dirties.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

He had already tracked her credentials down through facial recognition, while she was being yelled at by her superior officer.

But it had been Elly who sicced him on her, so when she mentioned being assigned to him, Locke knew that that was a pile of burning rubbish. The only thing the Chief would have told her was to get the hell out of there, let the man do his job and hope that the Alliance would get out of their hair as soon as possible.

Then things could go back to being normal again.

"You. Take a hike." Locke's lobbed that at Rogers, who seemed more than eager to get going. Probably the Chief raining unholy hellfire on him.

Elliot waited then, until Rogers was out of view and nobody else was around, before returning his attention to Riz.

"Alright, my bad for the whole routine- haven't had any food since yesterday morning and I was expecting you to be one of the regulars around here." He gestured towards the entire scene, before shrugging. "Name's Elliot Locke and your record is impressive, considering you work with filth like that all the time."

"So yeah, I don't mind working this case with you."

He walked over and extended his hand for a shake on it.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

In that instance, she knew that he knew she was bullchitting on that whole 'ordered' to work together thing. Couldn't blame her though, had to have balls in a world full of 'em. And the thing was, she did care, gorramit. Even if getting results felt like beating your head against the wall on some days. Kay, most days.

Brown-eyed stare followed Roger as he left, then snapped back to Locke. Did she trust him? As much as you could trust someone new. She wasn't about to turn down an ally to get this case solved and if he stabbed her in the back, we'll, she'd dealt with situations like that before. Had enough scars to prove it.

Hand finally extended, wrapping around his. Her fingers were rough and warm.

"Someone's gotta do it or else things would be way too easy for 'em." Eyes softened but she didn't quite smile yet. Not to mention she was there to stick up for those who didn't have a voice, the citizens left on Nar Shadda who really were caught between the thugs and lords and hutts. Just like her family was. Wasn't their fault they weren't born in alliance space.

"Hungry?" Eyes looked around as she released his hand. "Ain't gonna get food here." The coroners were already coming to start cleaning up. She had her scan of the site, too. They needed a place to talk and look at files where they wouldn't be heard.

Tough to find on Shadda.

"I've got a place in mind where we can get each other up to speed. You opposed to hot noodles?"

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

Kindred spirit?

Maybe.

Still though, what were the odds that the one capable, clean officer in the gorram precinct was here the day that Locke decided to swing on by to 'Shaddaa on official business. Where was the rhyme and reason to that? His instincts were conflicting here, part of him whispered he could trust her and the other part told her she was a plant.

A mole who was trying to ferret out resistance against certain criminal elements?

"I have been living on hot noodles for half my life, show the way." His voice responded just as swiftly as she asked, the back of his mind was churning with ideas and conspiracies, but his body knew just what to do with that half-smile replying to the softening of her eyes.

Locke hadn't ever actually been in this area.

Which was good in terms of his face not being on anyone's radar, but bad in terms of figuring out where the hell they were anyway.

"They any good?"

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

"Good enough," and just as quickly, she was dipping back under the front lines of that yellow tape. Arm raised and she played nice, holding it up for Elliot.

Noodles weren't bad. But she knew the owner since she was just a kid. Older rodian that wouldn't rat them out and sell their info to whatever gang or crime boss who was trying to belly to the top.

"It's clean," she emphasized and strode down the street. A finger pointed as they made their way through the crowded streets and bustling traffic. "Em's Place. Up there." Neon lights flickered off and on. One might be able to hazard a guess this place wasn't owned by anyone but Em herself cause those neon lights never got magically fixed by payout creds.

Shoulder got bumped and jostled on the way. At one point, she felt her badge slide off but stopped the street thief with a quick yank on his arm. Little perp disappeared into the crowds just as quickly. "Probably don't have to tell you this but keep your stuff close, chief."

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

Locke snorted.

"I am new to this area, been moving through 'Shaddaa and other garbage for my entire life."

Not entirely true, his early years were spend on a sleepy agriculture world. Nothing had happened there, besides maybe the occasional theft of a cow or something similarly silly. But then the Alliance came along and with it came civilization... and with civilization came all its greatness and madness.

No surprise then that Elly left the planet shortly after, signing up with the Alliance military. Years fighting in one world, protecting another and learning the trade of violence.

How he ended up in the SIS?

Good question.

"Happy we can talk in peace then." He retorted, while watching the lights winking on and off. Anyone with half a brain and experience could count to two with what that meant. The entrance was small, almost unnoticeable, but he went first and pushed the door open for the both of them.

But he waited for her to go in first.

What a gentleman... at least on first glance, but a second glance was that he wouldn't walk into a trap just like that.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

She cast Elliot a silent look as if to say 'don't worry, won't stab you in the back if you don't stab me in the kidneys,' as she passed him and went on into Em's. It was a small joint. There was an ordering counter on the side with a menu posted on the wall that had seen better days. A few cafeteria style tables were nudged along the other three walls. Kitchen was in the back.

Em, the owner, waved, recognition over her face as she eyed Riz. A frown as she eyed Elliot. "Rizzy, you bringing trouble in my place?" For the first time since Locke had met the detective, she smiled. It wasn't at him, of course, it was at Em.

"No ma'am," thumb hooked over her shoulder. "He's a friend," she eyed Locke. "Maybe. I'll have the number six." She leaned against the counter. Em gave a nod. "Six is good today," clear for code. Locke could think what he wanted but that meant no thugs or snitches were in-house.

She and Alliance-man could talk shop.

Brown-eyes turned to Locke as if to say 'don't be shy,' as she wandered over to a cleared table, sliding into face the door with her back to the wall. Healthy habit.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

It was with some measure of annoyance that Locke noticed the pick of her seat.

This round it meant that he had to sit with his back to the door and that wasn't ever something he enjoyed to do. Nothing to be done about it for now though and the more he walked with this one, the less he started to think she was gonna stab him in the gut. The records were clean.

Didn't have the mannerisms of a traitor either, but nobody would have said the same about Locke whenever he infiltrated an organization to kill it from the inside.

Locke settled himself down in his chair, its front being turned a few degrees to the left so at the least Elly would have a clear view of the mirror that was reflecting the door. There wasn't much more to do for now.

"Site was contaminated to feth and back." The SIS agent finally said. "But I want your thoughts on it. Anything out of the ordinary in your opinion?"

His thoughts kept coming back to the lady next to his perp.

Twi'lek, amber skin, no blaster wounds... and it had looked like she was dragged there. But what could the purpose have been of that?

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

"Yeah, well," fingers drummed on the sticky tabletop. "Welcome to my world." She took off her hat, fingers running through those thick strands of hair. More of a habit when thinking.

Eyes snapped away from the empty doorway behind Elliot and back to his face. "A golden twi'lek, no burn marks. I'd wager the coroner would confirm she died a day before the shooting. Well," she grimaced, and tapped the table again. "If Larry is working."

Larry was a good one but there were rumors that the Exchange was courting him. Fething bastards. "You said you were tracking some perp who died at the scene, next to the girl? What kinda goods found their way to Alliance space?"

Had to be big enough to catch Alliance attention. She doubted it was the run o'the mill spice run. Small stuff. No. She was pretty sure this agent-whatever-he-was was after a bigger fish.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Evangeline Sage"]

The Exchange was a nice lady and this author would not hear any vile rumors or slander being spread around about it.

This one was attentive at the least with good instincts, especially if she realized the twi'lek's state without having to go get a coroner look at it prior to. He noticed the grimace, noticed the back-and-forth about Larry, which probably meant it was one of those rare, rare hold-outs that was just about to tip over.

Couldn't be helped on a world like Nar Shaddaa.

You were either corrupted or about to be corrupted, almost impossible to have it any other way. Not without being executed in the mud with the rest of the honest men and women anyway.

"Guns." Locke finally said after minor hesitation and then a sigh. "Military-grade. Crap that shouldn't be in the hands of criminals by any stretch of the imagination."

"So what's our next step, Detective?"

He knew their next step, clear as day to him, but this wasn't just about uncovering this crap anymore. He was very interested to see how this one would do.

There was still the perp's crew, his ship, there was still the twi'lek with no identity... none that he could pin-point in the records anyway.

 

[Riz Carter]

[member="Elliot Locke"]

Exchange - potato patahto.

Two steaming bowls of noodles were placed on their table. "Thanks Em," she owner nodded and shuffled back to the kitchen. Riz wasn't shy about picking up a fork and digging in. If seeing a bunch of shot-up bodies and gore before a meal bothered her, she didn't show it. A healthy bite of noodles was shoveled into her parted lips.

"Hmmm," she chewed, brown-eyes narrowing in thought. She swallowed. "More questions. I'd be surprised if the guns were made here on 'Shadda. This world is usually just the pass through. They could'a been, though. So why ship those guns to Alliance? Someone starting a rebellion or revolt against your government?"

Wouldn't be the first time folks bucked against authority.

"And the twi'lek? Not sure if she's connected but I doubt very much it's just kismet. I say we canvas the area, see if anyone is willing to talk. Follow-up on your perp's contacts. You traced him here. You already impounded his ship? Identified who he was working with?"

Another bite of noodles disappeared. The girl was hungry.

 

[Kenth Typho]

[member="Riz Carter"]

Locke was equally unimpressed by the crime scene itself, so the moment the noodles arrived he dug into them like a ravenous predator into a gazelle.

Or something.

In the moment she was talking and that was good, meant that he could focus on the chow and that was better. It was good food, proper food, the kind of food that filled your stomach and was just neutral enough that you could keep shoveling until you were practically done. That was the kind of crap you needed when you were pulling night after night after night with no end in sight, just sticking the course and hope that you wouldn't get food poisoning.

"Mhmm." Locke mumbled in agreement, before swallowing and then putting his fork down. "Those are good questions, I have been working on some theories, but nothing substantial yet."

"As for the ship- I was heading that way, when I got the call that my perp got shot dead. And yeah, I have managed to link faces/names to about four others he worked with on a regular basis."

He took another bite and then pushed the bowl away.

It was empty.

"Ship first, then work from there to see if there is anything that can help us further with his crew, yeah?"