Whiskey & Pazaak

[Danger Arceneau]

Life is like life does.

It has its highs. Its lows. Its joys. Its sorrows.

Life knows no species, race, creed, gender, or honky religion. Just the same as death.

Maybe things now a days were met with a measure of perspective. Where one starts to knock back a glass of whiskey and mull over what exactly are the priorities in life.

Such things have a tendency to bubble in a slow boil when one is left drinking in the dark. Or in this case, taking in a rare vintage of Whyren's best for company and a holographic game screen to mull over.

The game was Pazaak.

She'd an inkling for Dejarik, but Pazaak did just as well. At least, for this particular interaction. Such joys come few and far between, and to be frank, sometimes a cordial game of Pazaak is all you need.

One would chuckle at just how many forms of firewalls, encryption, and the like were for this particular game, but it got what needed to be done, done.

Afterall, how else does one end up playing a game of Pazaak with a wanted man?

And [member="Ayden Cater"] was the sort that made sure he stayed in the shadows until he was damn well ready.

 

[Ayden Cater]

"Well now, isn't this a surprise." Ayden chuckled as he answered the call from one of the galaxy's most well-known women. "[member="Danger Arceneau"], as I live and breath." He puffed at the cigar for a moment, letting it sit at the corner of his mouth while he poured himself a drink. "I must admit, I didn't expect a call from you. You seem to be a rather perpetually busy woman." Of course, he was hardly one to talk. Ayden had spent the better part of his time after going underground between rebuilding the infrastructure of Druckenwell and making clandestine trips to Kuat. Photos of him in this time period were very few and far between.

He started grabbing a few cards for his side deck, idly tapping at the holographic representations while they chatted. "I've long since ceased being one of the galaxy's most important figures. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Miss Arceneau?" There was a time and place when Ayden would take such a call in a large, lavish office. How different those times were... Though the man and attire were the same, there were some things that changed. He was a little scruffier in the face, and he had a more relaxed posture. Other differences might have been noticeable, but not over holovid. Some things were just better in person.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Ayden Cater"]

A perked auburn brow would reflect notable amusement, the sound of whiskey pouring into a lowball glass echoing through the holocall.

“A round of Pazaak,” she’d drawl out in that every familiar honeyed voice. It would coat the skin, rolling like vine-silk as more of a rasp than a whisper. It hung at the beltbuckle, and painted a mental display of provocative thoughts to those whose mind would wander.

But for this instance, it was just the end of a long day, and weary to the bone made one more apt to take in some liquid Corellian gold to relax. That husk held no temptation, just a mild amusement of an old friend.

“I’ve a mind to take back my victory you’d claimed last.” that was said with a tip of her glass, setting down the decanter as the Queen of Trade sank back into her cushioned black leather seat.

 

[Ayden Cater]

Ayden chuckled and shook his head. Card games were a trivial thing, but he hardly minded trivial things when dealing with Danger. She was, after all, the most interesting woman in the galaxy. He had learned a lot in his dealings with her, and even more in the digging that he did in his own time. To say that she was a strong, independent woman was a gross understatement. "If you think you can, then by all means."

He finished selecting the side deck and sent a ready signal over the comm. Once they were both ready, the game would begin. He let the first card get dealt and mused exactly why it was that Danger had truly called. They had had some mutually beneficial market dealings in the past, that much was true. And things had improved between them over their time working together that he could almost bring himself to call her a friend. What then drove her to continue the calls and the games with him? After Akala's return broke Corellia, the loudest and most foolish in the galaxy were quick to point a finger at him.

"There's nothing else on your mind to get you calling me?" He raised an eyebrow, swirling his own glass of whiskey while letting it roll on to her turn. No cards played from him yet.

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Ayden Cater"]

An eyebrow would quirk, and amusement went lightly dancing across Danger's visage. Two fingers lightly came to catch the lit cigarra at the right corner of her lips, her cheeks sinking in as she took a deep inhale. She didn't fault him for asking if there was another reason for her callin. Most folk had some sort of agenda here or there, and Danger had done her fair share of networking through social calls such as this.

However, this held no other reason than the enjoyment of company... along with the chance to get the Corellian back for his previous victory. Granted, that didn't mean conversation couldn't sway one way or another.

She played her first card.

"Reckon spending time out in the Outer Rim ain't as thrillin' as the Core Worlds." she would say simply. He had been under the radar for so long, far longer even after the regression of the Protectorate.

"It's a big 'Verse out there Mistah Cater.... things change." like the blow against the Republic and then the appearance of a new Galactic entity. The Galactic Alliance .