Something's Burning

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

”KARK!” Alistair swore once again as he clutched his side and tried to suppress some of the pain.

He could feel the oddly melted and scorched skin that now decorated his side, fingers gently probing against the wound. The Smuggler winced every time he touched the blast area, though it seemed as though it was mostly superficial. The skin had been scorched immediately and the cauterization had stemmed any loss if blood that might have occurred with another weapon.

Sucking in air through his teeth Alistair pulled himself up, his hand still half wrapped around the door frame.

He spotted the blonde woman scramble across the hangar, his cybernetic eye locking on the blaster. A muted curse escaped his lips and he half doubled over as he tried to take a step forward. Pain landed through his side.

”No No no.” Alistair began to insist. ”Please don't shoot me again.”

These Tatooine women were insane.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

So much for trying to successfully prevent the Companion from getting her blaster. The scoundrel was wounded on his side from the blaster shot, and it was evidently painful enough to make every step a karking job to take. Saffron had a few meters advantage, and her scrambling managed to pay off. With a slight skid, the woman took her blaster in hand, fingers curling around the weight of the stock, lifting it back up to point at the scruffy faced smuggler.

“Don’t move.” Her drawl had a tendency to show itself when emotionally compromised. That was the thing about being an empath of a sorts. While it wasn’t anything akin to those who could be knocked over by the sensation of others emotions, Saffron could get enough to get a read off ‘em.

In this case, the panic from the guy was genuine. Good.

“Well my shootin’ depends on just what you are plannin’ on doing.’”

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

”Planning?!” He repeated the word back to the woman more than half agasp. Part of that was due to the pain still lancing through his side and another part was because he couldn't quite believe she would even ask.

Objectively there was good reason to of course. Tatooine wasn't exactly the safest place in the galaxy, particularly for the fairer sex. On top of that there was a riot going on and the man who had practically just started that riot was the one who had just fallen all over you. Not to mention the fact that said man looked like an absolute scoundrel, a handsome scoundrel, but still a scoundrel nevertheless.

To Alistair however, he was the victim in all of this.

”I just want to get out of here.” He pointed to the Hangar bay door that was now closed. ”Thats gonna spread like a fire.”

He was pretty sure of that anyway. Allecto wasn't quite as stable as Mos Eisey or Mos Espa. The city had only been around for a short while and it hadn't yet reached that delicate balance between those in charge, and those who made their living here. ”I don't want to be around when the Hutt sends her mercenaries.”

Particularly since he started this mess.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

He was crazy if he thought that Saffron was going to take him at his word. This was Tatooine, and while being an Arceneau Trade representative gave her protection, the blonde wasn't foolish enough to think that folk wouldn't try to take advantage of the situation. He was, after all, the scoundrel that had initiated the riot to begin with.

"That aint' what it looked liked," Saffron began, slowly inching her way up to her feet. There was a distinct twinge at her right ankle. In the adrenaline rush of what had occurred, the blonde had not realized that she'd sprained her ankle. It wasn't bad, but it wouldn't make it easy to get away should she put her mind to it.

"Seemed like you were trying to rile things up with Bricadus Dawn," referencing the Besalik that Alistair had riled up. All the while, Saffron kept an eye on the man, seeing if he was moving in closer. Off in the distance, she could still hear the fighting underway, along with the faint echo of one of her guards attempting to look for her.

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

"Look we can stand here all day arguing about who did what." Alistair looked down at his wound, moving his hand briefly to the side so that she could see the damage she had done. For some reason he doubted it would make her feel bad, but he was trying to illustrate the fact that he was hurt and it was her fault.

At least...a little bit.

"I didn't want to start a riot." He frowned, wincing slightly as he put his hand back over the blaster wound. The pain was easing up quite a bit now, though touching it was about as bad as ever. For a moment he debated about taking a step toward her, but the way she was holding the blaster and the look on her face dissuaded such actions almost as soon as they entered his mind. Best not to get shot a second time. "I just wanted fair fuel prices."

Alistair suddenly jumped as there was a loud bang against the door, followed quickly by a scream.

His eyes bulged and he looked at Saffron. "Look, I promise I just want to get out of here and somewhere safe before this extends to the entire city. You can even come with."

There was no trickery or malice in his voice, only a slight hint of panic.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

Saffron vacillated between taking him for his word or thinking he might have something up his sleeve that could do her harm. At the very least, the amount of panic emanating from him was enough to convince the blonde that at the very least, he was honest enough about wanting to save his own skin.

"Fine, but I need to get back to my guards," she told him, her voice as thick as honey but firm. Her arm fell down to her side and with it, the pointed end of her blaster. The scoundrel could breathe a little easier.

"Unfortunately, it appears that you now blocked the way for me to do that." a nod over towards the exit they came was given. There was no way that they'd be able to make it that way safely.

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

He glanced back at the door, there was another loud crash, and Alistair kept himself from wincing. It was obvious there was no way they could get back through that door, and even if they could he doubted very much that they would want to.

The smuggler watched as the blonde finally lowered the blaster, letting out a slight sigh of relief. She wasn't going to shoot him, but...she still had the blaster and from the way she spoke it was obvious that she now considered him on the line for getting her back to her Guards. The prospect of that wasn't exactly sitting well in his stomach, but at the moment he didn't really have much of a choice in the decision. He frowned, then looked at Saffron. "There's a maintenance tunnel down that way."

He pointed to the left.

"It'll lead us to another hangar and from there you can loop back around to your guards." Provided that the riot hadn't spread.

Alistair was chiefly aware that Allecto was still a powder keg, and although he had already lit a small fuse...he hoped it didn't lead all the way back. He'd never wanted to start a city wide riot, but his own damn curiosity had gotten the best of him.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

The shiny blaster tip gave a pointed gesture towards the entrance of the maintenance tunnel. If Alistair had any doubt what’s Saffron meant, her soft drawl gave the distinct command.

“Then lead the way, Mistah...” she didn’t know his name, but the instruction was clear. Funny how such a slim, dainty woman could command such presence. She did her best to keep her expression calm, but the slight ache coming on her foot was becoming a growing throb. Taking a deep breath, her slim shoulders rising.

“I would ask that you keep you hands to yourself and do not consider any funny business,” granted, the man was grimacing in pain. Had it been any other place where Saffron felt a bit safer, she’d have been more accommodating. However, it was Allecto.

And the man had pushed her through the door to begin with.

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

Alistair perked an eyebrow, but he didn't object to going first.

She was the one holding the blaster and he wasn't exactly in a position to put forth any other ideas. A shrug rolled over his shoulders, though it caused him to wince once more, and without much hesitation The Smuggler headed by Saffron and towards the Maintenance tunnel. "You don't have to worry."

He said quietly as he ducked into the small room.

"I'm more into redheads." That wasn't exactly true, he actually preferred blondes over them all. A small childhood crush had stuck with him for most of his life, a girl that his friend Kurt had helped him pursue. Of course she had eventually left Tatooine for a better life, but that wasn't something that Saffron needed to know about, not now anyway.

Keeping one hand glued to his wound, Alistair walked into the darkened corridor.

"So." He began as they walked. "What brings you to my fine city?"

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

Hazel eyes would peer at the scoundrel with wariness. He might have moved forward towards the maintenance tunnel, but Saffron wasn't going to let him out of her sight. He could try and pull a fast one on her, but Saffron wasn't so gullible to believe that he wouldn't at least try. She might be a Companion, but she wasn't stupid.

"So you say," was her response, following slowly behind. The ache shot up her leg. A slight sheen of sweat began to form over her temple. Her sari was already wrinkled and slightly dirty at the hemline.

"I take it you enjoy conversation." Saffron was aware that conversation could be used to distract. She did it herself. It allowed people to calm down, to relax. Was he trying to do that to her.

"With how you were apt to rile Mistah Dawn, I am sure you are well aware who I am and why I am here."

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

”I have no idea who you are.” That was absolutely true, though by now he had formed a pretty good guess.

When he’d been sneaking around he’d heard the name of Arceneau Trade Company, that with what Saffron had just countered with likely meant she was a representative from the corporation. More than that though was entirely impossible to say. He supposed that it wasn’t really all that important, her name wouldn’t make much of a difference to him.

Plus she had already implied why she was here.

”I could guess though.” He turned back for a brief second to look at her, flashing her a charming smile. ”Lets see.”

Alistair mused out loud. ”Well, you’re not Danger Arceneau. I saw her once at the Boonta Eve and she wasn’t near as pretty as you.”

Her reaction to that would be telling to him, mostly because everyone knew Danger Arceneau was the object of many a young men’s dreams. Alistair himself remembered that there had been plenty of jokes and ideas about just how they would earn that woman’s hand. Though now was not the time to bring that up.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

What Alistair didn't realize is that Saffron was well used to keeping a Sabaac face; her specialty lay in entertaining as well as using Sabaac cards for telling fortunes. So if he was looking for a telling expression, he wouldn't find it. Unless, of course, he was searching for the expression of disbelief that swept over her delicate visage for a brief moment. By all intents and purposes, the blonde held a similar visage to that of the Queen of Eshan. Well, if Alistair was cultured enough to know anything about Eshan and its queen. But more importantly, If he was looking to make her laugh in this situation, he was not going to find it.

While Saffron was the easier going, pleasant, and cordial of the Companions, it didn't mean that she would take serious situations like this lightly.

"I see your sarcasm knows no bounds, Mistah." that drawl again. They came towards the entrance of the maintenance tunnel. It was well lit at least. Didn't seem as if there was any trouble down there so far.

"However, I would wager you were simply here to cause a ruckus. You knew exactly what you were doing."

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

Alistair looked back at Saffron slightly aghast. Internally he was rather annoyed that she’d managed to keep her face completely straight, though even that told him a little something. He as accustomed to dealing with Criminals and scum, the sort that were about as good at keeping their emotions hidden as they were their blasters.

This woman was different.

”Sarcasm?” He made a clicking noise with his tongue. ”Don’t tell me you’re one of those horrid women who don’t know how to accept a compliment.”

As he spoke he kept a careful eye on the path ahead of them, watching the opening for any signs of movement. The tunnel would be a tight squeeze for him, it hadn’t exactly been built as a hallway for regular travel. ”Nothing worse than a pretty girl who won’t accept what she is.”

Alistair shook his head almost ruefully.

Reaching the entrance Alistair peeked inside for a moment, clutching his side before he stepped into the tunnel. He was forced to stoop slightly, but it wasn’t as bad as he had thought it would be. Before he continued on her turned back to Saffron.

”I’m a merchant, fuel is my lifeblood. Do you have any idea how much that criminal charges for a fill-up of a VCX 820?” Calling himself a ‘merchant’ was a bit disingenuous, but not entirely inaccurate either.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

“I’m sure you will tell me,” Saffron’s quiet but persistent drawl came floating from behind Alistair. The Companion wasn’t tall by any means, so she had an easier time ducking down to avoid the low ceiling. All the while, the dull ache in her ankle continued. As well as did that barrel from her blaster kept pointing to the ground just beside the man just in case- she could swing it back up and shoot him again this way while still maintaining muzzle safety.

“Nor do you have the air of a merchant,” not a legal one at least. He was likely a smuggler if some sort. Maybe even part of the Blsckmatket.

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

"I'm eccentric." He told her. "That's hardly a crime."

Still stooped low, Alistair was finding it harder and harder to actually make his way further. Every once in a while large crossbeams cut across the tunnel and made it even harder for him to squeeze by. He winced every time he moved, though the pain got more and more manageable as they went on.

The Star Destroyer that Alecto had been built out of was never really meant to be a city, and thus the maintenance halls weren't really supposed to be walk ways. Still, they were rather useful for little ventures like this. Especially if you wanted to get around undetected.

Every now and again The Smuggler glanced back towards Saffron, half expecting that blaster to be out again. "He charges about triple what you would pay in Mos Eisley."

A significant amount

"Really though." He began. "It's the Hutt, she controls everything here."

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

He would be quick to see that the Arceneau Representative still had her blaster in hand, but at the very least the barrel was pointed to the ground. Safety first after all. Had he spared a second glance, he might pick up the slight limp Saffron carried herself with.

“Well then, that makes sense,” her honeyed voice would quietly murmur behind him. It was distinctly pleasant, perhaps even cordial, but there was no mistaking the slight hint of sarcasm that intertwined with that silky drawl. “So your method of changing the ways of the ‘verse are to incite a riot for your own means.”

Her disapproval was palatable.

“Never mind the number of innocents that will pay with their lives for your sudden incite of a riot.” he might say that it was all due to the Hutt, but this specific instance the fault lay all on his head.

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

She was right of course, but Alistair would deny it for as long as he possibly could.

In the end Tatooine was a cruel and harsh world, a place where everyone was out for themselves no matter what they said. Alistair was no different. He hadn't meant to start a riot, but now that it was started...he was going to make the best of it. "It would have happened sooner or later."

The excuse was a poor one, and he knew it.

"The Hutt was squeezing everyone for their last penny, and eventually people would have gotten tired of it." Nari The Hutt was cruel, even by her own species standards. She cared only about herself and what others could do for her. He'd heard that she'd have merchants tortured sometimes if they didn't pay her 'tax'. Of course that didn't make what Alistair had done right, but it was enough justification in his own mind for what he had done.

He was sure that without it the dockmaster would have had him strung up and tossed into the nearest Sarlaac. He had needed a distraction, and he'd created one. Now he just had to escape.

Glancing back at Saffron he frowned.

"You okay there?" Time to change the subject off himself. He didn't want blondie knowing more than she needed to. "Seem a bit wobbly."

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

The ladylike cluck of a disapproving tongue would relay Saffron’s opinion on the matter. For the Companion, she had learned to consider the greater ramifications of conducting business. Danger Arceneau was known for playing her part of a neutral hostess, learning from a young age that one didn’t need to come to blows to find a mutually beneficial arrangement that would keep the best in mind for a larger span of people than a few.

If any, money talked. But so did common sense and ample lining in one’s pockets.

“I am fine.” Saffron added, attempting her keep her expression neutral. There was a slight pinch to her forehead, a deep intake of breath before the release. A Companion is trained to be diplomatic and well learned about all current events and the political climate. They studied the arts, music, ceremony, and of the gods of the Moross. To have a Companion within an event was a note of high privilege, as simply being able to get on the list for a Companion to accept an invitation was highly regulated and expensive.

No one wanted to be blacklisted from it.

“None the less, Nari the Hutt could have been dealt with by other means. Violence isn’t the only discourse.”

 

[Alistair Fenn]

[member="Saffron"]

"Mmm." The noise came from Alistair's throat, as if he was musing on what she had said. From the way she was walking it was easy enough to tell that she had hurt herself somehow, though if it was her foot, leg, or ankle he couldn't really tell. "If you say so."

The disbelief was obvious in his voice.

When she returned the subject back to Nari he couldn't help but frown. The Smuggler didn't want to go into Allecto city, and her certainly didn't want to go into his role of what had just happened. The fact of the matter was that he had been snooping, spying on the conversation between Saffron and the Dockmaster. For now it seemed that she didn't know that, but from the way she spoke it was all so...probing. His lips thinned for a moment and he carefully continued with his own point.

"If you need to stop we can." Ignoring her statement on Nari was the best way to go.

He didn't want to get dragged into a conversation about the riot that was now surely spreading, and he especially didn't want her realizing that he would be on the hook for it all if Nari's goons caught him. Something told him she'd turn him over just to get a better deal for her company.

"The Maintenance tunnels are pretty cramped." He glanced back at her. "But there's enough room to sit down for a second."

 

[Saffron]

[member="Alistair Fenn"]

"We are not stopping." the blonde's voice was firm, and if Alistair took the chance to look back at her again, he'd see that the young woman would emphasize this with distinct gesture with the blaster at his direction. It wasn't as much stubbornness as a focused determination.

"We are getting back to my guards and you will make sure it happens." even under the dim light of the maintenance tunnel, her expression was set in an almost laughable delicate resolution. She was small, dainty really. That she even would continue to order him around was comical; but then again, she was an Arceneau representative. Everyone in the galaxy knew just how the Queen of Trade handled business.

The apple likely didn't fall far from the tree.

"And do you have another opinion?" it was easy to read that the man did not want to speak about Nari. "Of Nari?"