Private Paint it Red [Mercy]

[Lina Ovmar]

Nar Shadda. The central hub for the galaxy's scum, it was the birthplace of all lowlifes, yet it was also the Capital of the Black Sun, and it was long past time that the Red Hand set up their foothold here. For years, Lina had avoided it, purely because of the bad taste it left from dealing with its ilk. Her venues were for the higher class, the esteemed members of society. All the same, she’d kept her foot out of the underworld for long enough, and she needed every resource available to her.

Procuring the venue had been easy, credits could literally buy you anything, and hers had landed her a four-storey casino in desperate need of a facelift. She had closed it, sacked every staff member and brought in her own hand-selected team. It had been two weeks since the grand reopening, and the new Handler was in place, Kludi, a female trandoshan with an ugly scar down the left side of her face that Lina never dared to ask how she got.

Her gloved fingers drummed idly on the glass, her back leaning against the wroshyr wood bar as she surveyed the casino floor, watching Kludi move from one table to the next, touching base with customers, exchanging words, clapping regulars on the shoulder and getting a lay of the land. It has been a smooth operation, all things considered, though Lina would be pleased to see the back of the filthy planet. She downed the remainder of her glass and set it on the bartop behind her, where it was wordlessly refilled.

 

[Mercy]

Lina Ovmar

It was hard to miss Mercy from the moment she entered the establishment.

She towered over the crowd and cut through it like a knife, people parting way or be smashed under her boot. Mercy was here because it had recently opened and was relatively close to Ashline Terminal. But she wasn't here for business, even if Korrin (the Vigo of Ashline) desperately wanted to expand his territory.

Instead Mercy just wanted to try their drinks and get really fucking drunk.

To make that happen she settled against the bar near Lina and ordered herself a double Corellian Sun. Heavy on the bourbon. Then while waiting she turned around, letting her back hit the edge of the bar and looked onto the open floor. It seemed to be bustling. Which meant there were a lot of credits currently flowing through the place.

No wonder Korrin had been salivating at the prospect of taking this place.

She lit up a cigarette and finally glanced off the side to Lina. A glance up and down, a puff from her cigarette dragged in to temporarily poison her lungs and then breathing it out.

"Got a nice place here, darling." Mercy purred finally, breaking the spell and the illusion. You didn't need to be a genius to see who was really in charge here. The way the help kept sneaking looks, to make sure their true patron was happy and satisfied. The drinks being refilled without another word. But Mercy was a practiced student of the Echani.

She knew a formidable warrior when she saw one. The way her shoulders were lined up with her feet, even while resting.

"Awfully close to my own digs. Are you coming with an U-Haul or just passing through?"

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina spotted Mercy the moment she entered, not only because she was tall and imposing and the people parted like water to let her through, but because she recognised her. Kludi caught her eye, indicating her head towards Mercy and Lina gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. If Mercy did turn out to be a problem, it wouldn't be one that Kludi or any of the other staff could handle. Better to give her a wide berth, keep her happy and let her carry on her way.

Lina wasn't even sure if she could handle what trouble she might bring, but it was still better than watching a powerhouse tear through a new establishment.

She made a point of continuing to watch the hustle and bustle in front of her as Mercy settled in next to her, feeling the gaze roll up and down her Lina smiled, shifting her gaze finally from the casino floor to return the same look as Mercy lit a cigarette.

Lina swung her legs round, scooping her refilled glass from the bar. "Just passing through, your own establishment is safe." she tilted her head. "Provided of course it can handle the competition."

Mercy