New Venues

[Marcus Lok]

Circuit Night Club​

​

Nar Shaddaa​

Marcus let a drawn out sigh escape his mouth as one of the Rodian guardsmen patted down his legs and hips with the sort of intensity that made him assume that all of these bouncers were secretly after more than weapons. Though from what he heard about this club, the rigorous inspection would be worth it. Tales had already been circulating in the underworld for some time about this club and the interesting approach to safety, most likely due to the volatile nature of the Smuggler Moon's populace. In the back of his mind he still found the idea of being 'naked' in a club, on this world in particular, to be somewhat concerning, even with the extra guards milling around the different levels of the club. With a pat on his shoulder and a blaster wave towards the door, the young slicer entered into the familiar thundering boom of club music and dancing patrons.

Unlike in the past, he was not shocked or overly impressed by the flashing lights and other visual attractions that he had been accustomed to since leaving his homeworld and making a name for himself in the outer rim, but he was presently surprised to see a few open spots at the bar. Settling himself down, he waved over the bartender and asked for a Corellian Ale to start off the night.

With his order placed and a fine view of the establishment secured, he turned to observe the entranced patrons on the dance floor. He let his eyes wander to the other levels of the building as well, noting the more secure sections where crime lords met and discussed business. It had been his purpose for coming after all. He hoped that this place might be the club he had been searching for. A place to call home that might bring about more business than the odd jobs he'd been receiving from the Hutts for some time.

The sound of a cup being set down on the bar shook him from his gaze, and he turned quickly to sip at his refreshment, quite content to sit and observe a while longer.


[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

Elizabeth enjoyed what she had built here.

A part of her thought that might be wrong, but given all the work that had gone into the club and everything that had happened since she couldn't help but feel a small hint of pride whenever she looked around the room. Most who traveled through the club tended to agree with her, either seeing Circuit as a safe place to hang around or genuinely enjoying the atmosphere that she had cultivated.

It was perfect in a way.

She couldn't help but smile as she slowly walked across the dancefloor, the simple air of authority that she carried upon herself being enough to cause the party goers to move out of her way. Elizabeth suspect that many of them had no idea who she was, and in truth she didn't care. The average guest of Circuit was absolutely nothing to her, she was here for the elite. Crime Lord's, Vigos, members of the Hutt Cartels, they were the ones that interested her.

The ones she could exploit for her own game. Elizabeth hadn't been on Nar Shaddaa for long, but she intended to make herself known. She wanted more, more clubs, more money, more power, everything. She wanted it all.

It would take time, but she was prepared to wait...at least a short while. "Nar Shaddaa Navel."

Elizabeth's voice rasped as she reached the bar, ordering the sweet and slightly sugary drink without even a hint of hesitation.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus raised his eyes from his drink at the sound of a feminine voice next to him. Perhaps it would be his lucky night? He hadn't tried out his lines in a good while, but it would help to know that his game was still air-tight. Looking to his side, however, he stifled any semblance of a pickup line under the glare of a dozen guards who seemed focused on the one area of the bar he had come to habitate. And it wasn't because of him.

The air of authority that surrounded the woman who had just placed her order was pungent. Though the club was dim and only lit by harsh neon lights, he could feel the gaze of security protecting her from all around, and the way that other patrons moved to avoid her section in sheer respect was impressive to say the least. The owner of the club? Perhaps. He wouldn't expect the owner to be drinking down with the dregs, but anything was possible. At any rate, he wasn't leaving. He had just gotten his drink and he was far too comfortable to move out of fear. In earnest, he didn't quite find her intimidating in the slightest. He might have sounded arrogant to admit such a thing, but the underworld had offered him much harsher sights than this well dressed girl.

He pushed his first glass away, and turned towards her. It might have been foolish, but with how things were run under this roof, he didn't quite see the harm in speaking with her. She wasn't a Hutt after all...

"Your box get too crowded? Or do you just like to see how the workers live?"

He offered a smirk, but he doubted his poke at her wealth would find any sort of appreciation. He was by no means a poor man, but he was certainly no where near the fancy executive type that this one certainly was surrounded by at every instant. Perhaps she wouldn't have her guards throw him off the bar for pointing it out either! That would be nice.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

The drink was placed in front of her just as the man beside her spoke.

She perked an eyebrow, mostly because generally people didn't tend to approach, much less speak to her down here. They were either all too afraid or just too shy. Elizabeth carried herself with the bearing of a Queen, something that made most of the people within Circuit quite nervous. Generally, leaders on Nar Shaddaa were known for violence, brutality, and outright sociopathic behavior.

Elizabeth was no different.

The woman had gained a reputation for brutality back during her work with the Shadow Syndicate, something that had transferred with her here to Nar Shaddaa. Most ignored it of course, knowing that if Elizabeth harmed anyone inside of her own club it's reputation would be ruined, but they still stayed away from her. The fact this man didn't...well it earned him some credit at least. "Sometimes it's necessary to walk among the refuse."

Her dead pan tone made it hard tell whether or not she was serious.

"It allows you to see..." She took a sip of her drink and looked at him. "If there's anything worthwhile left."

 

[Marcus Lok]

Had he known of her past, Marcus may well have been one of those shy and evasive patrons who sought to preserve their lives by simply remaining under the radar. In earnest, he had guessed by now that this was the owner of the club, based on her uncanny resemblance to the holo-ads and other promotional material produced to entice newcomers to check out the scene. It didn't mean much too him, at least while they still sat at the bar. Taking a sip from his own cup, he pondered the fact that any social missteps he took now might well be payed in full by a vibroknife in his back once he had his fill. A checklist began to form in his mind of all the things he might not want to say in front of such company, but after polishing off the last of his cup, he found himself caring less and less about that.

Her seemingly emotionless response had been somewhat expected. She had confirmed, at least, that she didn't care about him or any others who didn't wear their credits draped around their arms. There were many like her on the Smuggler's moon but Marcus only bore respect if he were working under them. It likely was a front. A skin that she wore to disguise any personality that might be seen as a weakness to the ganglords of the undercity, and he didn't care to play into it that much.

"Well it must be fun coming down to look for pets every so often, I guess... Find anything tonight?"

He'd keep his tone neutral for now, nothing too direct. He'd be fine if she decided he wasn't worth her time, after all that would only mean that he would have the opportunity to enjoy the next drink he'd called for in some sort of relative calm. As long as she sat next to him, however, he knew that every move he made was being watched.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

"Perhaps." Elizabeth wasn't here to make friends.

Nar Shaddaa wasn't the type of place that anyone went to looking for companionship or even allies. This world was meant for one thing and one thing alone; business. Making credits, marking things worth your time, that was why someone came here. It was no different for her. She wanted Fame, she wanted fortune, and she wanted to crush her enemies beneath the heels of her boots.

Simple things really. "I'm keeping my prospects open."

There was no need to be coy. She had no idea who this man was or what he did, but at the very least he wasn't boring. Elizabeth wouldn't be jumping into bed with him, but if he proved useful? Well then he might have a place for him.

"Now." She began as she turned towards him. "What is it that you do?"

Being forward always helped. "Aside from hanging out in clubs."

 

[Marcus Lok]

Welp, she was still there. A small part of him was proud for being able to keep the attention of such a self-important figure. She hadn't been altogether rude to him either, which was a welcome change of pace when it came to dealing with the Hutts and the other crime lords that seemed to feel the need to mention their superiority at every opportunity they were afforded.

Then she questioned his line of work. A modest smile would come across his lips as he thought about what he might say. He was by no means an arrogant blowhard, maybe a little cocky, but he knew the boundaries of his own skill. In the years since he had left the Clans and set out for himself in the boundlessness of the Galaxy, Marcus knew that his skills had developed beyond being another amateurish script-kiddie, and he had shown it enough times in his contracts in the underworld.

"Well lets see..."

With a single hand placed against his chest, he made an effort to seem professional, though with the shine of a stray bead of alcohol running down the side of his mouth, he might well be perceived as some sort of comedian.


"I'm a Slicer, code cracker, programmer. Call it what you want, I'm the best this side of the core."

A bold claim to make in a galaxy of billions, but he figured it wasn't that far from the truth. Sure, there were plenty of great slicers in the Galaxy, but a lot of it was new talent. Even though he was young, he had the connections and experience to back up any challenge to that claim. With his introduction done, and another stream of alcohol heading down his throat, he glanced over at her to gauge her reaction... Maybe she wouldn't laugh?

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

"I see." Elizabeth said, her interest more than a little piqued.

Slicers were often worth their weight in Aurodium, especially good ones. When you had a slicer on your side that knew what they were doing you could do almost anything. Defrauding banks, hacking communications records, the galaxy was your oyster. Elizabeth herself had no talents in technology, but...she often preferred to delegate those sorts of things.

She mused for a moment.

"That's quite a claim." Her finger gently rimmed the edge of her glass. "There's quite a few of you running around on Nar Shaddaa now isn't there?"

Elizabeth meant Slicers of course. Recently she had been approached by an organization...she could hardly remember their name, The Collective or something of that sort. They had attempted to woo her and in truth she'd been more than a little tempted. Was this man one of them? "I suppose you'll tell me you know nothing about that."

Slicers were a secretive bunch.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus shrugged at the comment. In truth, he knew of several groups that had been hopping all around the Holonet searching for members with expertise in espionage and technical knowledge. They were all either being run by script kiddies or had their own hidden agendas that he wasn't too keen on getting involved in. He had done the following most of his life in the clans, and he was content to be a free man, working on his own terms, now that the wars had ended and everyone had gone their separate ways.

"Seems like more and more people are getting their hands on datapads these days. But I have people to vouch for my skill... You ever heard of Roche?.. Got into the whole system in three minutes. Ghorua the Shark? Phoenix? A few of the people I've ran with."

He took his third glass now, feeling a fuzzy warmth begin to tickle his head. He knew of other slicers who were skilled. Very skilled, but each man usually kept to himself. There wasn't a large call for slicers to gather up as a sole entity, and perhaps that could be blamed on the attributes a usual member of the field had. Anti-Social, reserved, altogether unfriendly. He liked to think that he avoided those stereotypes by a mile, but even he found himself with only a few real friends nowadays.

"I'll not deny that a lot of people claim to be what I am... And by all means, take your pick off the street if you think they're better..."

Of course, she knew nothing about him other than the names that he had rattled off quite quickly. He wouldn't gloat about his work, the idea always sickened him, but with his cards on the table he left it up to her to see what she thought.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

She smiled slightly, Ghorua the Shark.

It was a name that she knew. "I see."

Elizabeth purred slightly, clearly at least buying into the story a little bit. She was not so convinced yet, but there was a way to get past all of this. Slicers were one in a thousand nowadays, especially here on Nar Shaddaa, but there were ways of finding the good ones. Elizabeth knew this, mostly because by now she'd done it two or three times without even blink. Of course every time that she had the person she'd sent had come back dead, but still.

"How about a little test?" She mused out loud to him.

It wasn't a proposal that he had to accept, though succeeding would likely be rather profitable. She was here to make inroads with the Underworld, and the best way to do that was through leverage. That was something she was gaining quickly on her own, but a Slicer helping her?

That would make things quite a bit simpler.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus let his eyes narrow slightly at the suggestion. A 'Test' could be a variety of things on Nar Shaddaa. If he were lucky, she would be telling the truth about actually having work for him, otherwise he was sure that the Vibroknife scenario was well on its way to being reality. He took another sip from his glass, moving the glass around in a circular motion so that the liquid licked at the sides before he set it down again to look into her eyes. Her gaze was steely enough, but if he could manage to detect even the slightest sign of dishonesty, he'd surely make his way out quicker than she could call her guards to stop him.

" 'Kinda test? And what's in it for me?"

Both were pretty crucial questions in his mind. Of course he loved the adrenaline that came from roaming the underworld with blasters looking for him, but that didn't mean he wanted to live like that every night. On the other hand, he was eager to get more credits in his account. Perhaps if the job paid well enough, he'd be able to impress a new 'client' and rake in a few chits along the way.


[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

"Succeeding in a challenge worthy of your skill." She held a smile on her face, a small amount of joy perking within her. She didn't enjoy sending people this way and that, at least not really. For a crime lord on Nar Shaddaa Elizabeth was actually rather hands on. She preferred to take the lead and charge from the front, but unfortunately when it came to slicing it just wasn't something she could do. Unfortunate really, but she didn't care to change that.

It was a difficult skill to learn.

So instead she would use this man, just like she had used to many others. It was a necessary thing, something that she couldn't really stop herself from doing. A small smile perked on her lips again as she looked down at him, finishing her sentence. "And some credits."

A good amount really.

"I'm sure it will be trivial for you." Would he take the bait?

 

[Marcus Lok]

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few seconds. A challenge in his field was very vague, and he was still interested to see what she might describe as a challenge. Polishing off his fourth and final cup, Marcus gave her an affirmative nod.

"Alright, let's hear it."

He might have doubted the reliability of this one, and for all of the wealthy people on the moon for that matter, but he liked the idea of a fine payout. Plus, if the job was anything like she described it, it might provide him with a healthy reason to head out into the streets instead of working on his own tech that had recently become more tedious than it had in the past. For the past week he had been largely sitting in front of a monitor laden with code and algorithms. Sometimes he wondered how he stayed sane.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

Elizabeth clicked her tongue, eyes wandering around them for a moment to make sure that no one else was listening.

Oddly enough Circuit, and many clubs like it, were actually rather safe to talk in for pretty much anyone. Though most people could overhear, they would have to get in closer or wait for the music to die down enough. As long as one kept themselves at a reasonable volume and wasn't stupid about it the task of talking to someone secretly in the middle of the club wasn't really all that difficult. Elizabeth had of course mastered it.

She smiled, leaning in to the man so she could speak directly into his ear. "There's a bank within the Promenade."

It wasn't really a 'bank', the place was backed by no insurance and held no real certificates of authenticity, but it was owned by the Black Sun. They loaned money to dozens of entities and hundreds of beings here on Nar Shadaa. They had dirt on everyone, including people Elizabeth desperately wanted to see brought low.

"I need their records." Financial statements, customer locations. "Without anyone finding out."

Otherwise she'd be chased off Nar Shaddaa.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus listened intently to the details. He knew the place that she was talking about, it was a popular site for businesses who wanted their transactions kept private. Someone could want the records of that facility for any number of reasons, and he could tell by the glint in her eye that she had a mind for intrigue. Still, working underneath the noses of the Black Sun's was no harmless mission. All to often had he heard of men who got caught crossing them and he'd seen their work. Flayed corpses sometimes dragged behind swoop bikes to ward off others from messing around where they didn't belong.

He leaned back in his chair, bringing a solitary hand to the back of his head to consider the task.

"I know the 'bank'... I guess it wouldn't be worth my asking if you've already tried to get these records?"

More than likely she'd sent some of her trusted people off to complete the mission, and the fact that she was now talking to a man she'd known for the better part of an hour about the job, was not very settling. In all honesty if his suspicions turned out to be well founded, it would only make this job harder. But he was already determined. He would take this contract.

"I'll need the names of the people."

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

"Oh no no, you misunderstand." Elizabeth said with a gentle wave of her hand.

She didn't want the names of a few, she didn't want the names of just anyone. She wanted them all.

That was precisely why this task was so difficult, so impossible to achieve. It was true that she could make do with just a few of the names in those records, but that...well that just wouldn't be what she wanted. The more names she had the more she would be able to blackmail. She didn't just intend to go after the list of people Lok would get her, she intended to go after the bank itself. There was no need for him to know that of course, not yet anyway.

"I want everything." She gave him a beaming smile. "Every record and scrap inside of their servers."

She put down her drink. "Without it, I can't do what I want."

The Underlord smiled. "And I so do love doing what I want."

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus blinked. Had she known what it would take to get all of the information from the facility? He would have take heavier equipment with him just to hold all the information, one data-pad wouldn't store it all. He had just the device for the job of course, but he could only imagine how long it would take to transfer the data as well, a cost in time that would be plagued by the constant threat of the Suns finding him out... It would certainly be a challenge.

As he mulled over a plan in his mind, his fingers idly began to tap against the bar's surface.

"Of course... Not an issue. You'll be playing with a lot of information, and it'll cost you."

He would be karked and strung up to dry if he let her weasel out of paying some great sum for this.

He stood, stretching his arms for a few moments to relieve the stress from his muscles after sitting on those uncomfortable bar seats for so long. The knowledge that he would either succeed or die in this mission was no real shock to him, as often those were the only two options when working on this world. He'd see the mission done as soon as he could get back to his apartment and suit up.

"If that's all I'll contact you when I've got it."



[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Marcus Lok"]

She waved a hand dismissively. "You'll get a handsome reward I assure you."

If there was one thing she wasn't short on it was credits.

The amount of money she'd brought with her to Nar Shaddaa was more than enough to satiate any sort of job like this, not to mention the healthy profit that Circuit itself was turning every few days. Elizabeth was in no place to complain. Besides, if this slicer actually suceeded then he would more than pay for himself.

Those records that she wanted would make her a lot of money.

It of course wasn't about the credits however, they were just secondary. Those records were far more valuable than just money. With the documents she acquired Elizabeth would be able to increase her real estate holdings on Nar Shaddaa. She'd be able to buy, blackmail, and force her way into places that others had only dreamed of in the past. That was why she wanted them so badly, not just for a pile of credits, but something far more.

Not that he needed to know.

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus gave a nod of confirmation, not quite waiting to test the waters of his overall payment too strenuously. There was a fine line between ensuring that one was fairly compensated and discouraging an employer to the point of withdrawing the contract, and he was smart enough to know when to quit the topic. He walked away from that woman dressed so finely in a palace of her own design. She was a queen of sin, but she had the money to clear his mind of that thought. Whatever he gave her, and whatever she did with it, he could hardly care. It wouldn't come back to fall on his head, and that's just what he liked about this line of work. No paper trail.

The plan he was mulling over was near complete in his mind when the guards at the door frisked him a second time before motioning towards the exit. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this place in the end. It sure was secure, and safer to do business in than most he had been to. Forgetting the fact that he was constantly under the eyes of well paid guards, he had potentially made a new client as well.

He mounted his speeder bike and took off into the night like a shot. First, home, then on to the promenade to crack some servers. In the end, he'd be back. Either with a case full of Black Sun information or as a corpse on the doorstep.


[member="Elizabeth Castille"]