The Crownless again shall be King

[Ultimatum]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-hG-ACbuFY

Ultimatum had been to many planets. For many different reasons. He had fought on many worlds, taking down many things. He was ruler of a planet and had a quickly growing company. By no means did he need more, he wanted for little, nothing that an organic could give him. He had a purpose and he knew his life, yet he still traveled as if he were lost.

He would take extended vacations from Mustafar, setting Legion in charge while he was gone. He would run about as if he were fleeing something. It was not responsibility, he could have handled government work for centuries. He could not have explained it beyond perhaps a need to explore. He needed to move about for no other reason than he had to. His systems seemed intent. He felt confined, but he did not know by what.

Thus when he arrived at a planet with enough history to fill perhaps five paragraphs in a history book he was interested enough to have the Fate land. Chromo Zed, not much about it, almost as much as Corvis Minor had had. He was surprised to see that it was a popular tourist destination contrary to its lack of history. That did not matter to him, he landed and had some work began on basic maintenance of the ship, to keep the crew busy.

[member="Doctor Azure"] [member="James Justice"] [member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]

 

[James Justice]

Golden Coast. The center of Chroma Zed's red light district, alcohol district, and a place where many beautiful people would go to vacation. And by "people" that, for James, meant "women." The cavalier spacer strode across the sidewalk, where a line of cantinas, bars, and clubs were located on either side. His eyes scanned it; there were vacationing women, and there were those who were hired dancers, and for each one there were at least two bottles of something that would pickle his liver. That was on this street alone.

"I be in heaven," he murmured. James had no idea why he didn't come here sooner. After all, Sophia Walsh wouldn't miss him if he was gone for just one class..... would she?

The near human shook his head, he would take care of that when he got there. James lit up a new cigarette and took a swig from his bottle of Correllian ale. His eye caught a beautiful brunette walking down the street. Her white low-cut halter that fit loosely on her body and tight-fitting black leggings said that she just might be the one he was looking for--for now.

He crossed the street towards her, they made eye-contact and he felt the moment--the familiar gut feeling that he had made the right choice. He flashed his winning smile and the air around him, oozed his winning charisma, as he winked, "Hello, love, looking for somewhere nice?"

She smiled back, "Well, actually I am looking for a good club."

Ah, her accent, Aderaani. Upper middle class. He could live with that. She smelled of perfume that scened like flowers from Naboo James sidled up beside her, slipping his arm around her waist, "Well, ye are in good luck, I am familiar with a few not far from here."

The brunette nestled closer into his arm and smiled back coyly, "Take me there."

[member="Ultimatum"]
[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]
[member="Doctor Azure"]

 

[Doctor Azure]

Lor woke up, groggily realizing that he'd slept in the chair in his office... Just like he used to before he'd met Rawnie, just a couple of years ago. His eyes snapped open at the sound of beeping coming from his comm unit. One was flagged as an alert from the Coast's security network... What was James Justice doing in his city? Not that the man wasn't welcome, but... what was he doing here?​

​

And the other alert... was a totally unmarked, unknown, vessel... registered to some unknown bigshot. That worried Lor. If some well-known outsider got himself killed in Golden Coast, there'd be lots more trouble than the Chiss could handle. As it was, his connections with the criminal groups in his city were tenuous at the moment.​

​

Maybe Rawnie would have an idea of what they should do. Coffee, breakfast, and then planning.​

​

[member="Ultimatum"] [member="James Justice"] [member='Rawnie Tal'verda']​

 

[Rawnie Tal'verda]

Rawnie was already awake, dressed, and making coffee and eggs before the sun could rise. She was used to waking up early. but not usually this early. This was new. But something about today made her antsy. Eager. It was like someone was tugging at her arm, urging her up and about.

The sizzling grease flew up and stung her fingers as she poked at the boiling eggs. Breakfast first for her and Lor, before anything else. She yawned, blinking sleep from her eyes.

Poor Lor. He fell asleep at his desk again. But she wasn't about to try to move him in the middle of the night. So, instead, she simply put a blanket over him, kissed his forehead and left him to it. Rawnie grabbed two plates, scooped an equal helping of egg onto each one and set it out on the table. Then she went to work on coffee. That was just as important.

[member="Doctor Azure"] [member="James Justice"] [member="Ultimatum"]

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum wandered for some time, there was not much to see. Most of the things that were to attract tourists were not really targeted at droids. He had little interest in what he saw: women, trinkets, drink. It was a waste of money that he could no more use than a blaster shot to the forehead. In fact he might have preferred the blaster shot, it would give him information on the strength of his armor.

He had noticed a person or two who appeared to be following him. He could not tell if they were actually following him, or going in the same direction that his random walkings took him. He avoided the darker alleys, he was willing to bet that even in this place there was a criminal element. He did not want any trouble. He wondered what kind of government was in place, who was the leader. What was the government hoping to do? Were they simply relying on tourism to fund and keep their leadership secure? Or were they working on projects that would launch their governorship into a more permanent place.

He continued walking, wondering these thoughts and no longer keeping an eye around him, except for avoiding collisions with others.

[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"] [member="Doctor Azure"] [member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James heard the woman giggling as his pheromones began to wash over the both of them, covering her in an intoxicating aroma. She was growing more bold by the second as she took the cigarette from between his lips and helped herself to a puff before giving it back. Part of him was intent on making this walk as long as needed--so that he could determine whether or not to take her down to his ship--or if he would best find another to spend the rest of the night with.

His eyes caught hold of the metallic man before them. A second ago he had been quiet aware of his surroundings, now he was intentionally not looking around that James had seen him. And he was--on a direction. Is he following me? Is he going somewhere to report? But who would want to put an alert on me? A list of names suddenly filled his head; crimelords, other smugglers he had undercut, Hutts, the Sith, the Jedi--he shook his head. Ok, point made, he had to follow this metal man and see who he was going to report James to. And make sure that wasn't going to end his life or budding business.

"James-y, what's wrong?" asked the brunet, but he didn't hear it. His mind was on the metal man.

He stepped away from the woman and disappeared in the crowd in a moment. Now he was just another man. Another man in the city of sin--who was tracking another. He prayed to the gods he wasn't making a mistake here.

[member="Ultimatum"]
[member="Rawnie Tal'verda"]
[member="Doctor Azure"]