Private Never Mention Squidheads

[Mara Odim]

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Galu Entertainment District
Coruscant

Galu District began it's life as an empty commerce district undergoing renovation. A few new tech start-ups here. A few new white-server labs there. Soon? It was a pretty cool place for any young techie to hang his hat and do business. Time passed and business became bussin'. Then along came the new-wave night clubs and the new-meridian sushi restaurants, and bang! The modern Galu Entertainment District as we know it today was born. A fancy mix of high-tech business men, lab coats, techies, slicers, and too much money that they don't know what to do with. Ha.

It was heaven. If, only a holographically overwhelming one at that.

"So?.." Mara paused for a moment on the tram overpass handrail and turned back to Shang, "...Then? Fill me in again. What's a Squidhead and why should I never mention them?"

Ha. An important question. To be sure.

"Ah. That would be the slang term for the local extortionists. Their Mon Calamari thugs. Mostly."

"Eww." Mara snorted. Then turned back to overlook the circle of Night Clubs underneath them. It was early evening and the light was still warm amongst the tall towers. Yet still, the neon lights glowed brighter and brighter below them.

"Haha! Eww. What do you mean, eww? Ha." Shang laughed. "Are you telling me you're not fond of our fish-headed friends in the Alliance? Heh."

"Eww, no." Mara scoffed. Leaning her back against the rail. "I'm just not fond of fishy people to begin with. The Mon Cala. They're... You know. Fine. It's fine. Okay."

"Ha. Whatever. ...Racist." Shang laughed.

"I am not!" Mara sharpened back. "Gah! I hate you. Why do we even work together. Bah. These jobs are always so bogus. Grr."

Shang smiled and shrugged. "Because I'm a damn good cop and we make a damn good team. Ha. Oh! ..And because you hate talking to aliens. Heh. Simple."

"Oh. Damn it." Mara frowned. He was right. She did hate talking to aliens. Umph. Gross. "Fine. Let's just get down and have a look around, alright."

"Sure sure." The dark-haired man shrugged. Checking again that his large pistol was still in it's holster. "After all, this job. She's your friend right. Don't mind me. You lead."

"Hmph." Mara frowned and began the long stairway descent down the tram line. Public transportation on Coruscant was so, crowded, these day. It gave her the wiggles.

"Oh hey. Look."

"Mm?"

"Friends of yours?"

They reached the bottom of the stairs only to find a busy intersection filled with droids and city vehicles. But it wasn't the neon-bathed crowds that drew their attention away from the smells of fine dining and the sounds of the city. No, it was an active police car with two patrol men and two Jedi Knights in tow. All four were standing outside a popular eating establishment and chatting stoically. Warning lights on. Like there was a problem.

"Hmm. I don't recognize either of them. Let's check it out though. Probably not related. But still. Could be trouble."

"Hey. Your call. You da' boss." Shang shrugged and she nodded.

Together they struggled to cross the busy streets and see what was happening. It was still early evening and the lights blended easily between the tall commerce towers above. Bathing the entertainment district in the harsh neon glow of street lights and advert holos. It was almost beautiful. A stream of holographic fish swam above them. A labrinth of crosswalk symbols blinked beneath the street metal. Ever single person on the street was adorned in wild colorful fashions and glowed like a Denon night market during the festivals. It was almost all to much. Sensory overload and all that. Still, Coruscant was Coruscant. Most people knew what they were getting in to coming here. At the center of all things.

Mara Odim and Shang Villers were out late tonight searching for a lost friend. Cassy Shan. Likewise, Mara hoped that a few of her contacts in the Galu District could help. Cassy lived here and worked nights at a night club nearby. Surely her friends knew something.

Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Coruscant

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Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Mara Odim

It was late, and Valery had just finished investigating yet another criminal group in the Coruscant underworld. It seemed like endless work to her — take one down, and two more pop up to replace them in the power vacuum that's often left behind. Still, it felt rewarding to make sure these criminals wouldn't be able to directly or indirectly cause harm to other people again. It's why she was a Jedi, and why she kept coming back down here.

But what should have meant the end of a work day, quickly seemed to turn into something else. She had hoped to spend the rest of the evening with her husband, but instead, she found herself looking at an active police car, and two Jedi Knights were there. Another investigation? Or was this something more serious already?

Valery reached the side of the street, glanced from side to side, then jumped up far above the people and any vehicles, allowing her to reach the other side without having to wait or somehow get through the dense stream of traffic.

"What's going on here?" Valery asked. Right now, she was in her typical Jedi attire, so the two Jedi Knights instantly recognized her, and the police officers only seemed surprised to randomly find her out here.

"Is there a way I could help?"

 

[Mara Odim]

The police vehicles warning lights seemed to draw a crowd. By the time Mara and Shang arrived, another Jedi woman was already talking with the group. She was alone however.

"Master Noble." the more senior of the two human Knights smiled as Valery approached, "Nothing serious. Just a local gang bust."

The younger human Knight motioned to the car's back seat. Two Quarren males sat in the back seat. Disheveled and covered in booze. Their tattoos were cryptic but could probably assumed to be associated with gang activity. If you were into fish culture and all that.

The two police officers seemed embarrassed and passed on the opportunity to explain. So the older Knight shrugged and continued. Talking a bit loudly so as to overcome the crowds.

"Those two back there were trying a shake down inside the burger joint. Pala's. Brazen as the abyss. Right in the middle of rush hour. The officers here intervened and it was a quick scuffle. Nothing major. But when they checked the perp's car they found what they thought was a..."

The younger Jedi Knight smirked and almost laughed out loud, "...Haha. A Powerful Jedi Artifact. Heh."

The older Jedi scolded the boy. But acknowledged his intent. "Right. Which, as you'll notice. Heh. Well. ...See for yourself."

Mara and Shang leaned closer to see what the Jedi was holding out to Valery.

"It's just a toy."

It was a replica Jedi Holocron. In plastic. Made for children. But! But! It had cool lights and made cool Jedi sounds-and-everything! Ooo. Very cool.

The two officers seemed to shuffle in their boots for a moment. Honest mistake. Nobody knows what a 'real' Jedi artifact looks like anyway. Right?

"Um. Yes. Well." The senior police officer finally decided to defend himself and spoke up. He tugged on his cap. "Sorry about the rush, Masters. An honest mistake. These new Threshers are know to keep some very alien tech in with all the gizmos we pick up these days. FIgured we'd be on the safe side. Erm. Yeah."

The other officer shrugged. At least it wasn't Death Spice or something? idk.

Mara and Shang started chuckling. 'Jedi Artifact'... Ha! Funny.

"Anyway." The senior Knight tucked the children's toy away into his robe. "We're just glad it wasn't anything serious."

Both Knights turned to the vehicle and frowned. They all seemed to agree with Valery on the crime problem in this city. It seemed a never-ending battle. The two Quarrens in the back seat weren't the end of it tonight. Probably just the beginning.

It was than that Mara Odim spoke up and made herself more than just a passer-by,

"Sorry. Thresher? ...What's a Thresher?"

The senior Knight turned. Almost expectantly. Filling in where the officer's reference had left off.

"New gang in Galu. Deals in foreign tech. Mostly goofy stuff like VR. Sells for a high price though if you've never heard it. Easy scams. That sort of thing."

"Human trafficking?" Mara asked with a frown.

The senior Knight frowned quickly. Then shrugged.

"No idea."

Both of the officers shrugged likewise. Then replied, "Probably. Sure. But not these two. Not tonight."

Mara nodded and rubbed her chin. It was like she thought. This wasn't related to her case. It was nothing.

Shang coughed and nudged Mara. She was interrupting. Again.

"Oh. Sorry."

Both Knights and officers frowned for a moment. Then decided they all had better places to be. Suddenly, everyone was anxious to leave.

"Right. Anyway. Ahem. Things to do. Places to be. Thank you officers for the call. Always happy to help. Even if it's not an emergency. We'll keep the artifact for safekeeping. Heh." The Jedi Knights offering happily in parting.

As the officers finally took a breath of relief, Mara took the moment to approach Valery.

"Excuse me." Mara gestured in passing, "You won't happen to be working Galu tonight, would you? Got a moment to talk?"

Shang just sighed. Ugh. Audibly.

"Ugh. Here we go again..."

Always butting into other people business. Damn it Mara. You'll never learn. Leave the poor Jedi woman alone, for Force sake.

But she couldn't. The Blue Ox of Besaid was always poking the hornet's nest. Always.

Valery Noble