Slums and Slime

[Empregada Starbiter]

Nar Shadda was a damned place to be, or stuck on. Crime, poverty, anything wrong, horrendous, or disgusting, Nar Shadda probably has it. Inside all this mess of a moon, was Empregada, a sad soul among an ocean of sad souls. One of the thousands of beggars littering the planetoid. Born and raised on the poor excuse of a rock, she had lived her life in what little Nar Shadda had to offer for those in her situations, a wretched life. Finding her on street corners, begging for whatever little others could offer. Empregada's only privilege in life was that she had so far avoided following a path of degradation for survival, but such innocence only lasted so long.

Empregada sat slumped against a wall, in an unrecognizable alley way somewhere in a big, but poor, district of Nar Shadda. Her head rested against a numb shoulder as she lay there sleeping in ragged clothes that hadn't left her back for months. Where she was seated, there was a layer of mud and unmentionable filth, as there was all around Nar Shadda. It was an area she frequented, not many bothered her, and she usually felt safe from authorities, slave hunters, or aroused ne'er-do-wells. Despite its terrible condition, it had been a home for her for a long passage of time that she could not quantify. But that would end today.

She was suddenly awakened by a plea for mercy nearby. Swiveling her head around to hear from what direction. As the conversation went on, she recognized the grunts and demeanor of slavers, looking for cheap meat in the crooks and corners of Nar Shadda's homeless community. She desperately felt around for her guidance cane to the distressing revelation of its disappearance. With little time, she abandoned hope of find it, and used the wall beside her to guide her away from the danger presented before her. Unbeknownst to Empregada, one of the slavers turned to see her trying to escape, smiling, he unclipped his electric prod, imagining what he was going to do when he reached the poor girl.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Nar Shadda a putrid place for all intense and reasoning, it could be likened to the catinas on Tatooine, if they were an entire planet, why the people she was tracking even decided to enter the same system this planet was in boggled her mine. Currently she was on world, in an attempt to pick up any news about the city monn of Na Shadda as it was where her current peoples of interest were last seen heading. The though of simply landing on the moon and tracking them down on foot crossed her mind, but such action would leave to much room for mistakes and tracking down two people at once on a crowded city was troublesome. This was especially so since her targets were trained and armed force sensitives, that would just drawn more attention and maybe even the Jedi, which was not something she was not willing to risk.

For now she took her time, waiting for the opportune moment, if her intuition was right about the two in question, chances were she'd feel it though something force, they always ha a habit of getting into trouble, and in a plce like this, such event happend weather one liked it or not. In the mean time she looked around for anything to do, just as a means of waiting that didn't also included an unnecessary amount of boredom, and what better place to do it than shady part of the city, chances were she'd be pulled into a situation of her own, hopefully it would include fighting, practice seemed to be lacking a bit lately.

Walking down on of the larger districts of the city, were a lot of the very shady business and undocumented thing happened. a perfect place to do just as illegal action, a definite of getting into trouble without all the heat of authorities. It didn't take long for her to feel and hear the suffering of people nearby, most likely people being kidnapped into slavery of some sort, walking closer she spied the grunts but did not take much mind, was caught her presence was a raggedy woman of some sort trying to flee the scene. From their action and wall clinging she could deduce they were blind

It seemed as though one of the grunt saw this, and proceeded to un-clip an electro pod and follow the girl. "Well that was fast", she decided to make her way around the ally way, in an attempt to get in front of the woman. She had a few things in mind for the grunt in question, brutal things, and mabye the woman could serve some 'purposes' of their own.

[member="Empregada Starbiter"]

 

[Kal Visna]

It's been some time since his awakening, some things in this world clearly change even in the smallest amount of time, but not here, Nar Shaddaa is pretty much caught in this point of time where crime and filth rule. Whatever was that rebel looking for here, anyway? Walking through the streets and dark alleys, it was maybe luck or his shady figure that kept robbers and criminals from appearing, not that this is why he wore a hood, he'd wear it anyway...

There were cries of mercy that caught his attention, something not that uncommon here, but it would pique his interest nonetheless. Revealing his head he begun to run in the direction of the sounds using the adrenaline rushing through his body to it's full extent. Such things used to happen, is it fear that allows it to happen? Fear of what? Would it be anger? Anger for what?

Kal goes over the corner and finally manages to see what was going on, those looked like someone's puppets, much like Corvo's men, and that woman, the unfortunate target of these grunts? He begun to slow down as he approached the pair, other grunts would've noticed him by now, looking at the one trying to reach the woman, he took the lightsaber from his belt and ignited it, sometimes this purple colored plasma-sword was the best friend he could ask for.

"Weapons on the ground and get away from the woman... I only ask ONCE."

A good man gave him back his destiny. It is time he repaid the debt.

[member="Empregada Starbiter"] [member="Kurenai Yumi"]

 

[Empregada Starbiter]

Impregada was terrified, as she made her futile escape, she thought through the horrors of what a vagabond slave could be damned to. Zipping through her mind were the possibilities, a hopeless miner on an asteroid far beyond the reach of the law, a sex slave chained beneath the palace of some hutt, a sanitation slave in the sewers of Nal Hutta, all very bleak futures. They might just kill her on the spot, her blindness negating any value as a slave. This only quickened her pace, and rose her heart rate. Sweat began to bead as her face grew pale, she could feel him come closer and closer, easily catching up.

She tried to run, but only tripped over some left out crates and fell into the filth. Fear's grip only tightened as she tried to lift herself up, but she could feel it was too late. She felt around for the wall and cringed waiting for the approach of the slaver. But instead was met with a sound she had never heard before, and a shout she felt grateful for.

However the slavers were less grateful as Impregada, now, the two others, dropping the weary hobo they had first encountered, drew their blasters, and without words but an indistinguishable shout, they began firing on the newcomer.

[member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Kal Visna"]

 

[Lancer Damar]

[member="Kal Visna"] was merciful in his dealings with thugs.

Lancer was not.

Nar Shadda was Lancer's playground- in fact, he was reportedly one of the top Assassins there. He did so by being professional. But one thing that he hated was unprofessionalism, and slavers. Kal approached them with the intent to defuse the situation, Lancer approached it in the only way that people in Nar Shadda understood. He was in the vicinity- actually buying groceries. Assassins had to eat, and the food here was better than the steakhouses and places that charged hundreds of credits for sub-par food. Here, the food was genuine and simple. Something that Lancer could respect. Slavers here worked like animals, picking on the weaker souls of the galaxy.

Lancer did not fancy himself a good man or a hero, but damned if these scum-sucking leeches could breathe any longer while he was breathing himself. The first slaver went limp, falling victim to a suppressed slugthrower shot as he turned to face and fire at [member="Kal Visna"], and another that was also firing at the Jedi- was accosted by what seemed to be a shadow. Lancer moved like a blur, wrapping the garrote around the second slaver's throat. He pulled him over his back, and the slaver reached in vain for the wire, dropping his blaster in the process. Lancer pulled tighter on the garrote, and dropped the slaver after he went limp, drained of the worthless life he had.

Lancer stood silent, wrapping the garrote around his left hand and placing the handgun into his right. He began to assess for more targets, but never once looked towards [member="Empregada Starbiter"], or the others- not yet. Threats had to be taken care of first.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Fighting had broken out but she knew for a fact that the woman was not their target, slavers would not be stupid enough to damage their merchandise anymore that needed, it tended to make their usability decline. What she felt though the force though was troubling, using her scene skill another was present, someone who was also a force user, and one alighted with the light side. That was a problem, and if they were with the silver Jedi order that made things worse, though if the shots indicated anything such person was currently distracted for the moment, even if it would not last long.

Wrapping around the buildings she made her way into the ally with the woman in question, the person was laying on the ground, clamering about as they looked for a solid object on which to grab hold of. Slowly Kurenai approached the woman placing a hand on their shoulder, "Are you alright, that is certainly a mess you have their on yourself", it was a rather blunt greeting but she was never good at introduction that didn't involve fighting. Getting a proper grip and using her strong upper body strength she raised the woman to their feet.

'Hmm you don't look hurt, but it always helps to 'check', while the other dealt with the salver she would take 'care' of the woman, beside she'd be of actual use to her, unlike the Jedi. Eying down the ally way towards the scuffle a new member joined the fray, an assassin by their weapon use, as well as their similar set of clothing, 'this may complicate things gooooood'.

[member="Lancer Damar"]/[member="Empregada Starbiter"]/[member="Kal Visna"]

 

[Kal Visna]

In the end, the grunts had the reaction he expected, as if prepared for this, Kal swung his lightsaber with speed deflecting the blaster fire coming his way, but before he could actually attack them, somebody else seems to have been even more bothered by them than he was, one skillful too as it didn't take long for them to be taken care of. Without wasting much time, Kal used his force powers to tise the last thug a little in the air, he forcefully made him hit the way then the ground a few times to make sure his message is clear, he is not getting away.

With that he deactivated his lightsaber and put it back where it belonged eyeing [member="Empregada Starbiter"] and [member="Kurenai Yumi"] curiously. Another force user, he could feel it, but did not know who she was and did not muchcare. Walking on their direction he kept looking at the other thug from time to time to make sure he wasn't trying to escape. "Whoever you are that killed those two, don't kill this one just yet, we may yet find out who sent him."
Kal turned towards the woman once more "Are you all right?"

[member="Lancer Damar"]

 

[Empregada Starbiter]

Empregada looked up with grateful eyes, regardless if she could use them or not. As the very strong newcomer lifted Empregada from the filth, she struggled to respond to [member="Kurenai Yumi"]'s first comment, "I-I-I am a m-mess," Her lack of education and no in-depth social contact hindering her ability to speak with Yumi. When she made more conversation, Empregada gave a defeated, "I-I coul-couldn't tell, if, if-" She paused looking for the words, but instead just stayed silent. Hearing the second newcomer's question, she began to back away in fear, unused to this kind of attention, Putting out one arm out in front of her, and another wrapped around her waist as she moved. Empregada could hear the blasters being fired, and desperately wished to vacate the area before she became a casualty in this alley fight.

As the two other slavers were taken down with little fight, the third dropped his electric prod and produced two blaster pistols from his coat, and began firing at none other than [member="Lancer Damar"] and [member="Kal Visna"], in a last hope to take them both out.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

The woman seemed afraid and very shaky, not surprising since someone untrained or not familiar with combat would find the situation very frightening. Looking behind it was clear the other force user had spotter her force signature, though keeping it hidden was not really a main goal at the moment. Before the other two newcomer could approach, the final slaver desperately tired to kill the two via duel blaster, a futile attempt but it meant more time to 'persuade' the woman to stay around.

As they girl tried to hobble away arms crossed, Kurenai couldn't help but simile, it was always cute when they tired to run but it would make things interesting. Making sure the other were not following them for the movement she jogged up besides the woman, placing a hand on their shoulder, "their is no reason to run, I won't hurt you", okay that may have been a lie but she didn't intend to make it painful. "I may require you as an, asset for a certain 'assignment'.

The way of speaking was probably creeping out the woman, and hopefully the others didn't catch onto her true intentions.

[member="Empregada Starbiter"] / [member="Kal Visna"] / [member="Lancer Damar"]

 

[Empregada Starbiter]

Empregada was scared, and she did not know what to do, she couldn't outrun whoever this was, and she couldn't stay here. She tried to deliberate the best choice of action, but she couldn't decide. Eventually she realized that maybe surrendering to these newcomers wasn't too terrible of an idea, they did try to stop the slavers. But before she could come to a full decision, the female had already reached her.

Defeated, and without any options, Empregada replied, "J-just take me away. Far, v-very far." Empregada tried to decipher what Yumi meant by asset or project, having never heard such terms before. Concerned, Epregada asked, "W-what?" Whatever it was, it was hopefully better than life as a beggar or as a slave for that matter.

[member="Kurenai Yumi"]
[member="Kal Visna"]
[member="Lancer Damar"]

 

[Lancer Damar]

[member="Kal Visna"] was promptly ignored as Lancer simply walked off and popped the thug on the ground in the throat. He would bleed out in a few moments, but he was going to suffer before he did. Gave him time to pray to whatever god he wanted. Lancer turned his head towards [member="Empregada Starbiter"] and the other woman, [member="Kurenai Yumi"]- getting a disturbing vibe from the latter.

Lancer was professional and quick with his movements. He moved silently, though he wasn't trying to mask his movements. The slugthrower was leveled with Yumi's head. It was out of arm's reach- and more importantly, out of lightsaber range. And even Jedi knew that a lightsaber was useless against a slugthrower- at least, in spurts. Blasters could be deflected, slugthrowers were too small and usually passed through lightsabers, sometimes fragmenting on impact- usually showering said Jedi in red-hot, fast-moving lead.

Needless to say, Lancer currently had the drop on Yumi. Rapid movement on Yumi's part would mean the hyper-lethal assassin would put a round into her skull.

"Walk away and this ends here."

 

[Kal Visna]

Thanks to his "look at the criminal" tendency, Kal was ready for the thug's attack, thankfully, [member="Lancer Damar"] was there to finish the business without it getting too long. He wouldn't comment on the assassin's reaction, nor did he seem to be bothered by the way he killed him. It was in his nature to follow whatever teachings he deemed worthy of following, in his eyes, the thug tried to kill them and he was stopped, there was nothing to hold Lancer accountable for.

But things seemed to get out of hand, while he payed attention to the thug, he couldn't hear much of what the two women were talking, he does remember Empregada's plea to be taken far away from here, that much he heard, but for some reason the assassin had a problem with the other force user. Kal frowned and looked at each of them without acting against any, after all this is one of the things he hated about others, acting on baseless assumptions. "I understand we have a problem here. Good, natural, however please let the woman get out of the fire range first, then maybe tell me what's going on? The latter is a mere suggestion, of course." he said in some sort of sarcastic tone, but it was clear that he meant it.

[member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Empregada Starbiter"]

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Crimson was not an armature, she had lived for countless years, though not being the best assassin in the galaxy, noticing the movements of Lancer was second nature, it seem as though the BOY had a slight distrust for her. Then again an assassin should always be suspicious of other, but he's motives seemed strange, why would an assassin be wanting to help a beggar girl, unless their was another reason.

As the gun was placed to her head a frown became placed on her face, a simple but powerful force push could remove said weapon, but if he fired the woman could be hurt, and their was also the Jedi in question, she doubted he let this assassin put a gun to her head without trying to negotiation a peaceful alternative. For the mean time humoring the BOY would do, she was interested in him anyways.

"What end here, as far as I'm considered your the villain, an assassin killing for his own enjoyment, and for all I know could be a rapist trying to take advantage of a poor blind woman. Beside whats your kind doing here anyways, you hardly seem like the hero type, what your angle to this, your presence does not add up, surely on Na Shadda you'd be out killing on a contract of some sort". Her talking seemed to work as the Jedi cam up to try and defuse the situation, as well as being concerned about the woman.

"yes it would be beneficial for now", she leg go of the woman shoulder but whispered a few words before "I will have use for you later". Slowly she turned around looking the gun down the barrel, and eyeing the assassin, though it was tempting, killing the guy in front of a Jedi might not be the best choice. "So are you going to drop the gun BOY, or is their a requirement that must be met before hand".

[member="Kal Visna"]
[member="Lancer Damar"]
[member="Empregada Starbiter"]

 

[Lancer Damar]

"Walk away."

He met her taunts simply by pulling the hammer back on his pistol. Lancer wasn't one to play games or rise to bait. Nor was he going to tell her what he was doing in this particular market. He eyed the Jedi with a singular glance that fell back right on Yumi, and more importantly, the sight picture on his handgun that was right at Yumi's domepiece.

He spoke harshly at the Jedi.

"Not until this woman kicks rocks."

[member="Kal Visna"] l [member="Empregada Starbiter"]

 

[Empregada Starbiter]

Empregada froze in fear as the others argued about her fate at their hands. Her eyes widened at the sound of the gun cocking, she couldn't understand why they were fighting over her, it was far from her understanding. Empregada just looked around despite her disability, trying to hear all of the participants of the conversation. She did not know where to go, who to follow.

She just raised her hands, shaking a little, "Just stop!" Empregada exerted a little confidence for the first time in years, "Please, just, please."

[member="Lancer Damar"]
[member="Kurenai Yumi"]
[member="Kal Visna"]

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

This man was definitely confident in his skill, perhaps he automatically though that he was the best of the best, she did look younger then the man, but such looks did not reflect her skill or real age. Though it may have been safe to say Crimson came second to skill in silence assassination, from the way he move and actions it was easy tell that she far exceeded him in close quarters combat, the fact they couldn't realize this made things a bit annoying.

With a quick flick of the wrist she bent the suppressor on the gun to the side is he fired the slug you just fly into the wall. With quick movements she used the force to pull her cortosis vidro knife from its sleeve wrapping her left arm around his that was holding the gun, in an attempt to put it in a lock. Such a move was simple quick and effective and would cause extreme pain if she put pressure on it.

"Children need to learn when to not play around, your to over confident in your skills".

[member="Lancer Damar"] / [member="Kal Visna"]

 

[Kal Visna]

This was only getting more interesting by the second, as Kal watched the pair, he couldn't help but asses the situation, the assassin wanted the other force user to just "walk away" if this person came here for the same reason as Kal, then she'd have no reason not to walk away now that everything is over, unless she either thought this man could hurt the woman or she wanted the woman herself? The fact that these two were around at the right moment just like him and actually are this skilled could mean they were sent, what if there is something special about this woman and they both want her? This theory would explain why this is happening, but it was still just a theory. Of course what exactly would this woman have special? [member="Lancer Damar"] seems to think he can defeat [member="Kurenai Yumi"] and vice versa which means that if they were sent, they expected such a situation, perhaps the woman is a force user too? No, he couldn't feel anything from her and if she was unaware she couldn't hide it...

Kal shook his head a little, his analysis was going too far, he made a few steps towards the woman and put his hand on her shoulder gently "Do not fear, everything is going to be just fine. I am not sure what these two have against each other, but if it was nothing, I assume that man would not threaten and the woman would just leave... So there must be something."

[member="Empregada Starbiter"]

 

[Mako Suruzashi]

Mako simply walked out of a bar nearby and into the situation with a saber in his hand. "Mind telling me what's going on over here and why it's loud enough to be heard from a bar?"

 

[Lancer Damar]

Lancer let the gun go- it was useless now, given that she was in this close of a proximity to him. She wrapped her arm around his right arm, but failed to account for his left arm- and the rest of his body. Lancer stepped between her legs, and placed his hip against her hip- and rotated. It wasn't a flip, as common as that thought was, it was entirely wrong. You were rotating them off your body, and into the ground. If she didn't let go, the angle at which Lancer was throwing her would pop her arm out of it's socket. If she held on, he could easily transition to an armbar on the ground.

Lancer unraveled the garrote in his left hand, and let it dangle. He didn't want to use it, not yet at least.

He ignored [member="Mako Suruzashi"], because truthfully, he didn't really want to acknowledge another Jedi quite yet.

[member="Kal Visna"] said something, but Lancer couldn't catch it, nor did he particularly care. [member="Empregada Starbiter"] also was pleading, but- Lancer was not one to be made a fool of, especially by someone far below his operational level.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Crimson saw what the man was doing but didn't care, a popped socket was noting compared to other wounds she had suffered, using the weight of all the combined armor and abnormal strength she resisted the move lancer was attempting to do on her and put pressure down on his right arm in the lock. Using the force she pulled the vibro blade into her right hand and went for another attempt on his neck trying to attain a check mate in the fight, if things got serious shed have to let go of the hold a resort to different fighting methods.

The confrontation had devolved past negotiation and only once a victor was clear would things clear up, she was prepared to kill the man if necessary but didn't exactly want to do it. The cry form the woman were deaf upon her ears, and the sound of a new participant was lost to the sound of things moving, nothing mattered at the moment besides winning this fight, one that could possible be to the death.

[member="Lancer Damar"] / [member="Kal Visna"] /[member="Mako Suruzashi"] / [member="Empregada Starbiter"] /