A Night to Remember...

[The Storyteller]

A Zeltron festival in full swing.


The party of the century.


A symbol to the whole galaxy, that love conquers all.​

In the heart of the Inner Rim, the planet Zeltros was more alive than ever. An opulent world, the celestial pearl was widely known for its hedonism; every pleasurable vice was the norm amongst its vermillion people. What some mistook for a debauched planet, others celebrated as the land of ultimate freedom. Love came as easily sweet flowing wine, and with such accommodating hosts, hostilities were near nonexistent.


As always, the people of Zeltros were stirred into a frenzy; a planet-wide festival had been announced to rapturous applause and a never-ending state of revelry began without delay. The pink and perky people were well known for their appreciation of beauty; they worshipped it in every form, from luxurious art to the stunning architecture covering the entire world. It should come as no surprise that the galaxy's most wealthy favored Zeltros as a vacation destination - especially during times of festivities. Many who came to the planet were taken in by the city’s celebratory atmosphere and the powerful, perfumed pheromones. Sometimes, it gets to such a point that visitors find it difficult to leave out of their own fruition.

When in the heart of the city, there was only one place to go. The Lush Palace Pavilion. Every so often, the owners of the establishment would close it down for remodeling; why keep things the way they were when you could start something afresh? This was the palace’s fifth reopening - naturally, all were invited to partake in sweet, bountiful joy that was the grand party.


On the ground level was a gigantic dance floor; music and bass blasted from every corner, filling the air with nothing but rhythmic sound and beats. You could hardly hear the person next to you - precisely the club owners’ intent. They wanted their patrons fully submerged in the palace ambiance. Why talk when you could communicate solely with your body? The ancient ways of old…

For those seeking some refinery, the V.I.P level was a marvelous haven. It was built for one thing and one thing only: comfort. Only the finest was offered here, from plush recliners to opulent decor; the lighting was gentle enough that it allowed holographs to dance seamlessly in midair. Everything went on to accentuate one thing; the live, enthralling music. The melodies were steady, the lead singer’s soft, dolce tunes just right for the pleasant mood. Lush Palace Pavilion was always willing to give new, local talent a stage; what better night than this to perform?

Especially as the guests were just starting to arrive.​

Spoiler

This is an open thread to all fractions, but be aware that there is to be no cross fraction PvP fighting. Death is disabled but your characters can still get hurt - let's have some fun!

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Spoiler: Sakadi's Dress

The bass still drummed in her lavender ears as she entered the VIP room. Tonight, she wasn't the stoic servant of the Force she usually tried to be. Tonight, she was the old Sakadi Marathi Sinvala, the singer who had not lost her voice yet. In tradition with the planet it's colors, Sakadi had come in a pink/purplish dress. Normally, she'd steer away from wearing something like this dress; it showed a little too much skin. But then again, this was Zeltron. And she was not playing the Jedi Padawan right now. However, that didn't stop her from bringing her lightsaber, which was neatly strapped on her lower back, covered by her dress, white veil and her long white hair. Getting it past the security had been easy. Almost too easy perhaps. But that was not her problem for tonight.

She moved towards the bar, whipping out a small holopad, one she could easily hold in one hand. She typed the message with her thumbs as she approached the bar. While being a mute on a party such as this wasn't really an obstacle, she still had to order a drink now and then. Sakadi leaned over the bar, showing the neatly dressed bartender what alcoholic beverage was on her mind. With a quick nod, the bartender prepared the beverage for her. It was exotic enough for her to, even if she would have been able to talk, have trouble pronouncing it's name.

After the bartender offered her the expensive looking glass, Sakadi turned around, facing the VIP lounge in all it's glory. It truly was a sight to behold, and so were the guests. Sakadi watched as they entered, catching glimpses of the expensive jewelry and exotic clothing the other guests had chosen to wear. This was going to be a night to remember.

 

[Vash Tembra]

He could feel the excitement from a mile away. That was good. Really good. It's like the whole planet's trying to get into Lush Palace, and get drunk while they're at it, Vash thought with a smile as he landed his black speeder on one of the reserved spots. This job was going to be easier if his Force signature got drowned in a sea of other signatures. No one would sense him unless actively looking for the Padawan. Not to mention, with drunk people, he wouldn't have to worry all that much about discretion, though that'd still be a massive concern.

He got off the speeder, but not before making sure his hair was tidy. This time, he was going to meet with some influential people, and he had done his best to look the part. His expensive suit, like the speeder, was all black, contrasting with the Echani's pale white skin, and silver eyes and hair. As soon as he got off, a human woman, dressed in an elegant yellow dress came to greet him.

They exchanged a few pleasantries before heading on inside, the guards not even bothering to check Vash for weapons, as his company just laughed at them when they suggesting inspecting the two guests before letting them in. She was very influential, as most people with a large amount of credits to their name tended to be. If only they knew what she was up to, the guards might not have been so keen on letting them go through. Treason to the Empire was a dangerous thing, after all.

Moving to the VIP lounge, the Echani saw the rest of his little commitive sitting on a small table. Two males, Twi'lek and Human were their races, as well a female Rodian awaited for him. They'd be discussing how to best fund the rebellion, and Vash, in turn, was going to give them many interesting tidbits of information, that, if they were smart, would use to create some very lucrative trade deals in the region. And these people were very smart.

As he sat down on the table, shaking hands and ordering a few drinks (water for him, of course), Vash smiled, and began to probe the minds of his fellow conspirators, very discreetly, just in case. It was time to get to bussiness.

 

[Amur]

Spoiler: Amur's Mask

Amur was happy that her disguise was working so well to these delightfully gullible people. She suspected that arriving with her face and scarred body bare to all that many would just run away screaming. So she donned an ornate mask that she merely passed off as a custom people practiced at parties at her world. She also sported a blonde wig that looked natural so that no one could see that her hair was really more like random patches on her head. Amur was wearing a admittedly simple dress. It was tight fitting with long sleeves and was long enough to run to just above her ankles. It was primarily red with white striping running down her chest and sides and gold stitching to act as a divide between the white and red portions. There was no flair with how it was styled and if anyone disapproved she would merely say that it's meant to make the her face and the mask become the focal point of any onlooker's world. She really didn't care for that, merely that it hid the rippled inflamed and scarred flesh of a body that had been torched by fire.

Her purpose of coming here was simple. This was where anybody who was anybody was at. Senators, actors, business owners maybe a revolutionary or two all would gravitate here. She wasn't going to make the floors run red au contraire that would be a terrible evening. She wanted to mingle see who she could get in with, who she might be able to seduce with the sound of her voice and intellect or freely dominate with her presence. She wanted to be friendly and playful so that unsuspecting sheep may become pawns and tools for her to use. Even her pain that constantly lit and burned away at her every waking minute of her life was dulled and she was feeling more alive than she had in awhile. Everything seemed to be lining up for tonight.

As she entered she was greeted with a kaleidoscope of color that bounced and deflected from her mask, hopefully she'd dazzle and attract a few people alone with that. The music was well music, She used to be more of a connoisseur and may have enjoyed it at one point but right now it was merely noise that occupied her ears as she walked over to the bar. Amur wasn't going to order a drink, rather she looked around and spotted a table in one of the corners. She took a seat and started her best to project the air of a lonely girl in search of someone to buy her a drink and give her a good time.

The trap was laid and Amur waited to see what hopefully enthralling creature would walk into it.

 

[Mara Zefiros]

Parties like these were the type of thing Mara would hear about as a child and wish she could attend. Growing up in the slums more or less guaranteed that her presence even close to the capital's center would ensure she get kicked out—or worse—so she'd been forced to stick to her general home area.

But not anymore. Being a Senator had its perks, and invitations to parties like these was one of them. She was not the most influential person on Zeltros, but in the public's eye, she was pretty close to that. In a limousine with windows tinted so black it was difficult to see outside, Mara was preparing for her appearance on the purple carpet—the entrance to the VIP section, lined with press that shot away at anyone passing by like piranhas. They were desperate for content, whether it was controversial or mundane, and they knew this is where they would get it.

"No, Mungo, I'm not leaving my blaster behind."

"Ma'am it's not advisable that you bring a weapon to a gal—"

"I don't care what's advisable! Anyone has a problem with my blaster and I'll shoot them." She flashed her bodyguard—a massive Zygerrian who was currently looking like a fashionable wall of muscle with his black suit—an uncompromising look, and he knew when to give up. With a sigh, he heaved his shoulders—which took up much of the space across from her in the limousine, and gazed outside the window, his eyes scanning the partygoers. Mungo's appointment as head of security for Mara had been a bit controversial—what with Zygerrians being slaving species and all—but the public's realization that he was a former slave had only increased the public's love for her; they considered her his savior, not that Mungo needed saving from anyone. The story of how they met was lengthy and complicated.

The limousine stopped right in front of the carpet and the chauffeur stepped outside, opening her door a few moments later. With a small wave, she bid Mungo goodbye—he'd be prowling the grounds somewhere else but close-by—and got out of the speeder. The weight on her thigh suddenly lifted, and she turned back just in time to watch the door close on the Zygerrian, who was holding her blaster in his huge hand. She gave him a small scowl—he was grinning—and then turned to the crowd of journalists adorning the sides of the carpet, her face now a warm smile.

"Mara, Mara, what is your stance on the deficits caused by King Jado's excessive spending?" one yelled out, followed by a clamor of others. Peppered in was the constant clicking of cameras.

"Mara, what do you make of the reports of strange craft coming from the Unknown Regions?" They never stopped shouting, and she never stopped smiling, but she didn't respond, only shrugging her shoulders cheekily.

"If you want to know my stances, wait till the next Senate meeting!" she suggested, grinning as she stepped inside the building that lead to the VIP lounge.

 

[Carthus Phoenix Kira]

The party of the Century, well one thing he had learned a long time ago and that was that Zeltrons could do just that, party.

The sleek black swoop bike cruised towards the entrance, it had recently had a high-end paint job done. The outside of it reflecting any light off it that touched its surface. The rider wore a black jacket that seemed to have geometric patterns cut into it, with a simple zip down the front. His pants were mostly plain black with accents of geometric shaping down the hem at the side.

Even in a party atomosphere, he felt more comfortable in his darker attire than his once more light lively outfits that he used to wear.

On this night given the location and the species that were possibly going to be around, he brought with him clipped to the collar of the jacket a small rebreather. If the night got too overcooked with pheromones he wasn't going to let them take advantage of him. That mixed with the collapsible vibro-blade buckled to his right wrist he was set for the evening.

Carthus walk was casual but had an air of confidence about it, he had every reason to be here, he had made damn sure as well that if there were any V.I.P lists he was on them, and as always he made sure there was a plus-one with his name, that was often an easy way to impress a lady or possible gentleman caller depending on the night. Sure it added a bit of expense to his travels and ventures often, but to him, credits held little value over what he could learn and gain from others.

The music hit him like a wall of sound, causing his bones to vibrate and resonate almost. It was deafening, almost disorating at the same time. The lights mixed with the sound and the flowing waves of people in one form of dance or another was more than enough to have him already making a B line towards the bar, as his hands slipped into his pockets before bringing up towards small rubber-like items and slipping them into his ears. Almost straight away the barrage of sound was reduced, leaving him with the heavy bass and the vibrations over his body.

With a simple wave of his hand towards the man behind the bar, he got the mans attention, mouthing Corellian whiskey. Which was brought to him in seconds few, the price was steeper than some places but not the worst he ever had to pay for a drink.

Carthus carried the drink off towards the side, where there were railings to lean on, allowing him to look out for now over the lively party that was going on. A small smirk appearing on his face, it was time for him to get his head in the game and get his party pants back on.

For tonight he had no doubt he was damn well going to relax and have a night to remember.​

Spoiler: Carthus Attire

 

[Maeve Zyanya]

"Daddddddddy, I'm bored." And truly there was nothing worse than a bored adolescent, especially one as restless as Maeve. Even though she fidgetting, rocking back and forth, back and forth on the high set stool chair. Her father had parked there, ensuring she was more or less out of the way of most adults - unable to make trouble for herself.

But trouble was Maeve's middle name; from her location, she could see everything going on, including the vibrant happening of the ground floor below. Again, the teen began to whine, "Why do I have to be here? Rather be downstairs - least then I get to dance."

As temperamental as his daughter got, Vax found her fussiness endearing. She was just going through that awkward stage in life - the desire to run riot was stronger now more than ever. He's made it up to her, but tonight she needed to be on her best behaviour. "Maeve, there's no need to pout. Daddy just has to talk to some important people," Thinking about it now, he should have just got the droids to babysit, "We won't stay long; an hour, maybe two- Oh, senator! There you are, a moment of your time, if you please..."
With that, daddy Vax was gone, chasing after one of the gala's numerous guests of honour.

"Laaaaaaame." Maeve wailed, "So lame!" With that, she thumped her head on the table and nearly knocked her juice over in the process. "Ow..."

Her head hurt and not just because she banged it. There was something else going on; sometimes, Maeve just got this feeling, a surge in her brain. Usually, this caused the girl great excitement but not tonight. There were too many people, making it heard for Maeve to focus on anything in particular.

The headache only grew as time went on.

Spoiler

 

[The Storyteller]

The evening was off to a fabulous, flying start. There were dazzling stars and dashing A-listers everywhere, all conversing and mingling for one reason or another. It didn't matter so long as everybody was having a good time. That's what Zeltros is all about, providing pleasure in all its forms - be that charming company or lavish cuisine. There was all that and more here in the exclusive V.I.P setting. With the first phase of the evening coming to a close, the entertainment began making a move. Devika Beau, the lead singer for tonight, was a local Zeltron lady; she spoke courteously to her applauding crowd, showing every bit of showmanship as you'd expect from a rising talent. "Thank you, thank you. You're too kind. The band and I are going to take a quick break, but don't worry, we'll be back and ready to rock your world!"

With that, a recorded soundtrack was played at subtle volume, attending staff quietly changed shifts and the second phase of the evening was about to begin. Lights dimmed low, almost to near darkness, with the doors and window panels closing to lock in the light. There was a buzz in the air, a growing wave of hushed anticipation. Then finally, there was light. In sporadic bursts, colours erupted overhead, their sheer vibrancy creating a beautiful display. Guests had nothing to fear however as these were merely holograms - safe, beguiling holograms, yet another facet of Zeltron entertainment. With circle spark and flurry came the crowd's appreciative calls. All eyes craned up so as not to miss a single moment, especially as the grand finale was entering its final stages.

There was a deafening boom. Unlike the other explosive displays, this one...was real.

The whole V.I.P lounge trembled from the concentrated blast; guests would be shaken, but largely unhurt. The room remained dark, and the only sound heard now came from the ground floor's pounding bass - no one even noticed just what had transpired up there on the lounge level floor..Had something gone wrong? Was it a malfunction of sorts? What was going on?

There came a scream. A woman in distress. Devika - guests would now see her on stage but this wasn't a performance. She was being held at blaster point by none other than her own band members.

Spoiler

These were no ordinary musicians gone rogue - these were professional criminals ready to make a score! At some point, during the intermission perhaps, members of the band had changed their clothes. Now they were dressed in similar garb, making it hard to identify just who exactly was whom. More importantly, they were armed and dangerous, their masks preventing any Zeltron from using their persuasive pheromones. "Ladies and gentlemen, apologies for the sudden change in entertainment." There was definitely a slither of enjoyment coursing through the cretin's tone, "As you can see, Miss Beau is currently...indisposed. Tonight's musical replacement is brought to you by none other than random acts of violence!"

Some in the crowd began to scream but a sudden blaster bolt to ceiling soon silenced that.

"Now, now. None of that. Just stay calm and this will all go down nice and smooth." Having the center stage, with the singer acting as a human shield, the ringleader began to issue his instructions. "You, lucky, lucky people, are now hostages. The only exit currently not demolished is guarded by four of my best men- say hi, guys. No, really, go on. Don't be shy."

A volley of blaster bolts littered the ceiling.

When screams erupted once more, the ringleader shouted over all of them. "Shut up! Just shut up and do as you're told. Now, there ain't going to no heroes in tonight's performance. Got it? If I so much as see one twitch of a toe out of line, well then...It's curtains for the woman. And whoever the kriff gets caught in the crossfire."

By now, the young singer was silently crying, her eyes shut tight in prayer. "Right, so here's what's going to happen. Some of you lucky ducks are going to get ransomed. When your name is called out, you step forward. We then make some contacts, money is involved and boom - you're all set to leave. Nice and easy, right? The rest of you unlucky no names...well, why don't we start with whatever's in your pockets."

With that, the rest of the gang, five in total, began fanning out amongst the crowd of frightened patrons. Some were shoved to their knees whilst others were whipped about the face with the butt of the blasters. "Okay, folks. Time for our first cash cow hostage - @Mara Zefiros, come on down! And no, before you ask...it's not a request."

Spoiler

Clarifying situation: there are ten criminals in total. The ringleader is on stage and is currently using an innocent as a human shield. There are four heavily armed crooks guarding the only escape, their main weapons being blasters whilst five other thugs are moving freely through the crowd of people. These five are not armed as they are collecting both credits and jewels off of patrons. Your objective - either get to safety or resist the criminals. Remember, this is death disabled but injuries to characters can occur. Good luck

 

[Sylvie Corser]

Well, Sylvie was having a jolly old time. It felt damn good to be back on Zeltros, in all honesty. As much as she'd seen everything millions of times before, there was something that happened to keep her interested every time she got the nerve to return. She was in the crowds below, music coursing through her veins and between everyone squished into the masses. In her opinion, if you were in the VIP area you were missing out on the real fun--or just too rich to be squished against people whose livelihoods included patting wealthy people down for some jewels.

She looked just like the crowd she was meshed with--pink/red skin, blue hair, suggestive clothing--so when the big boom and the reveal of robbers came on stage, she was just another drop of water in the ocean. Well, pink water. Sylvie had tucked a small vibroknife into her boot and intended to keep it that way until she really needed to use it. Some guys were going through the crowd trying to snatch some valuables. Luckily for her, she didn't usually bring jewelry--especially not when there were other Zeltrons so tightly packed together. Like a can of sardines. Or bubblegum.

Looks like they know what they're doing. Ransom time. I doubt my name's on the list. Or maybe there's another Sylvie Corser and I get very, very lucky?

Just before Big Bad Heist Man hopped into focus, she had been squeezing through the crowd to get to the edge and some fresh air. Pheromones got rather nauseating nowadays, especially since she wasn't around Zeltros for long periods of time. Maybe she'd get a lucky break. For now she just had to wait. "Of course...great time to hop in on my vacation..." Sylvie muttered under her breath as she looked around at the crowd.

 

[Amur]

Aw what a shame. Amur thought to herself from her table in the lounge bar. She was hoping to have a nice serene evening of pheromones and sweet talking, but that flew out the window when whatever bomb or firecracker these punks jury rigged blew. Still she did find one little thing nice about this and that was seeing the wave of panic flying over most of the guests as the hostage situation began. Most of these wealthy types grew accustomed to the easy living and security they could afford. These cattle treated their luxury living as the norm not realizing how far from the truth that was and how precarious there way of living was. So moments like these when you remove the blind fold from the livestock and reveal just how close to death they really are, well that was always fun to see. Mainly because these people were becoming acquainted with a fact Amur lived with for years.

"Hmmph time to show these people why they need the strong" Amur whispered to herself so quiet that she couldn't tell if she was speaking or still thinking. Her mind now starting to switch to the gambling game that this hostage situation was now becoming. Amur started to weigh the odds. The bad news was that she didn't have any of her weapons aside from a single HH-69 adhesive grenade strapped to her thigh. Her slug pistol while easily concealable was liable to cause a diplomatic incident if a sith was caught with the pistol shaped war crime in a inner rim world. Amur was also sans light saber as she elected not to bring it due to not wanting to key anyone to the clue that she might not be just another party-goer. These issues would be noted in Amur's mind.

The good news for Amur was that this lounge was just teeming with force energy. It seemed like multiple force sensitive people where all coagulated here and Amur could feel the individual wavelengths that was being projected each it's own slightly unique signature. Some seemed to be untrained lashings wanting to be heard and trained like the man by railings and the pouting kid. Others were focused and trained like the Sephi by the bar and the Echani sitting at a nearby table. She didn't know them and had a feeling that they may even be jedi, but that didn't matter right now. Starting a ideological dispute in the middle of this was just stupid. Everyone here who may have been a rebel had a temporary reprieve.

Amur shut her eyes and did her best to tune out the droning music and panicking screams around. With a bit of breathing they weren't here anymore. Instead Amur was now in darkness, alone. She started to focus on the pain that was always there. Now deciding to bear with the full front turning off her mental dulling. The vertebrae in her back now aching and cutting into the area around her spine. The remaining nerves on her burnt skin crying out in a symphony of pain and anguish. The friction of each joint in her right arm grinding away at her. She saw the fire, her screams, falling and landing. The force seemed to swell around her a bit like a minor vortex, and she could feel her gathering power. It was also serve as an outcry. A way for the other force sensitive people to feel her presence and know that they weren't alone. Also another purpose: a declaration

I intend to stop these thugs

 

[Vash Tembra]

Is that... is that Sakadi?, Vash thought, spotting a lavender colored figure that seemed to resemble his Sephi friend. He wasn't sure, and it was a really, really bad idea to move his focus to try and sense the room. He had a job to do, and a covert job at that. Going around announcing his Force sensitivity was too risky. Maybe he'd ask Sakadi later if she'd been here, or maybe they'd chance at one another. This was going to be a long night, and anything could happen.

The party was in full swing, and moods were high as the Echani began speaking, in code, with the people he'd just met. His new friends at the table had been a little skittish at first, but, after verifying they had no ulterior motives and did truly wish to help the Alliance, it was a simple matter for Vash to redirect some of that positive, relaxing energy that most patrons were emmiting to the folks at the table. That's when things got really interesting.

Vash and his co-conspirators began relaxing and talking about things unrelated to the bussiness at hand... and these influential entrepreneurs had quite a few stories to tell. About Empire movement in the region, for example, or just really funny situations they'd been in. Most importantly, though about other people in the same line of bussiness. How many were cheats and liars, but a few others could be trusted, if they saw the GA wasn't a completely lost cause.

That was good, that was really good. With these people at his side, he could gather power for the cause. With power, came more influence, and on and on the circle went. The night was getting better and better: not only were his new friends being cooperative, but also the food and overall atmosphere was, admittedly, pretty exciting. Am I even allowed to find parties exciting? Feels like I'm breaking some article of the Jedi Code thinking that.

Eh, he'd ponder on philosophy later. Right now, what mattered was, things were going mighty fine, the first act had ended, and the lights began to go down. The people here really know how to make a show, Vash thought, watching the beautiful spectacle that were the holographic lights, while the female Rodian had him try out her favorite dish: some kind of really slippery fish, by the looks of things. It looked bad, and it tasted worse, but Vash had endured Jedi training, he could pretend to like food without giving off the impression that something was wrong.

He was hearing the Rodian now tell a bit about her homeworld when the explosion hit them, causing him and the rest to fall to the ground. This was not good. If the Empire had found them, that'd be a problem. But it felt incredibly off to be an Imperial tactic. Why would they need to bomb the area just to arrest a few people?

Vash's suspicions were confirmed a moment later, when a masked figure appeared on stage. Great. All this for ransom. At least it wasn't the Empire, which was also good for his co-conspirators. He imagined no one in the area would be keen on working with the GA if just a simple conversation ended in such a disaster.

Ok, focus, he thought, as he soothed his companions with a small scale mental manipulation, and told them to lie down on the ground. Ten guys, one with a hostage, five are useless, and four are a big problem. My people are the prio-

His thought was interrupted when he felt the sudden surge of Dark Side energy. And there's a Sith. That, too, is a problem.

The Echani looked over to where the aura was emanating from: a woman, apparently, wearing a mask. That made things more complicated... but also easier. She didn't seem to be focusing on him and his friends, but rather, on the criminals. Now he had to act to put the conspirators out of harm's way, as well as prevent the Sith from causing too much collateral damage to the guests, as she seemed intent on attacking the criminals, and Vash doubted she'd care about innocent lifes.

Priority still was the safety of those he'd been talking to, however. And to achieve that, he had to cause a distraction.

So he decided to make a nice trick- no one would expect the guy on stage to simply stop mid sentence, would they? He reached out with the Force, making his prescence as soothing and, at the same time, subtle, as he could. if he failed to do what he was planning, he might at least succeed in calming down the patrons a bit. Last thing he needed was for them to run around in fear and get shot.

He did what he was most proficient in, probing the mind of the ringleader to find a weakness that he could exploit, trying to induce him into a state of stupor that'd cause his arms and legs to fail. A Force Stun. Simple, nice, effective, and most importantly, distracting.

 

[Newkt Cordonval]

The VIP lounge of what was probably the biggest, most important party in the whole galaxy, was the last place anyone would expect to get swindled by someone common criminal.

And that's exactly why Newkt was here.

It wasn't particularly hard to get into the VIP lounge. All Newkt had to do was grease a few palms and he was allowed to slip in through one of the side doors used by the staff. Sure, it had cost him some credits, but if things panned out for him, Newkt was hoping to get his investment back a hundred-fold. This was the perfect place to get a decent score. A room filled to the brim with people wh had more credits than they knew what to do with, most of them intoxicated. Newkt was farily certain he could rob half of them blind and be halfway across the galaxy before they even realized they'd been cheated. Who knows? Maybe He'd make off with some price-y starship or a piece of jewlery worth millions. The possibilities were endless with people like this. All Newkt had to do was find the right drunk to sweet-talk out of his wealth.

He wandered the lounge like a cat on the prowl, looking for anyone who might've indulged too much in the festivities. Here and there he'd snag something off the bar or some unattended table. Nothing too important, certainly not anything any of these people would miss. Just little tid-bits to fill the pockets of his long coat, and hopefully his wallet later. If nothing else, He wanted to make back the bribes he'd paid to get in here.

Newkt never found his payday, not before the lounge shook and people started screaming. Newkt didn't even take time to assess the situation before moving back towards one of the darker corners of the room. In the confusion of everything, it wasn't hard to slip through the crowds and find a place back along one of the walls.

When the man on stage started talking everyone froze, including Newkt. He wanted to blend in.

As the man on stage gave his little speech, Newkt found himself scolding himself for thinking so small. Here he was, trying to rip people off the old fashioned way, and these guys were robbing the whole lounge!? Why hadn't he thought of that!? These guys did it, surely he could've too! Hell, Newkt knew plenty of people he could've gotten on board with this too! Tonight could've been the pay day of his life!

Newkt was pulled back into reality as the thugs started moving out into the crowd. His hands ran across the duel pistols hidden under his coat. Newkt wasn't planning on shooting his way out, that was suicide. He was more concered with what would happen if one of the thugs found the guns. Chance are, they'd just kill him. Finish him off before he even had a chance to put up a fight. Not like he could really do much here. He was outmanned, and outgunned. The goal was to escape with what he had, and maybe grab a few things on his way out. Frankly, Newkt didn't give a damn about what happened to the rest of the people here.

If things got bad, Newkt did have at least one advantage. These thugs probably weren't expecting anyone to put up a fight. Newkt was pretty sure he could draw his guns and kill maybe one or two of them before they gunned him down...

Obviously, Newkt wasn't about to play the hero though.​

 

[Carthus Phoenix Kira]

Carthus had been stood enjoying his drink, slowly sipping at it on and off as the party went on. On several occasions more drunk on the atmosphere than anything some people had tried to coax him onto the dance floor. To which he politely shook his head, gesturing at his drink. He always made a point to finish his drink before he did any such dancing or additional activities, why waste a good drink in the end.

He could feel himself starting to relax and almost reaching a point where he was going to remove his earplugs when a boom and heavy vibration was not only heard with muted sounds but felt. It caused him to stand up straight and look around. His eyes could see the chaos of the crowd, the panic looks and then what appeared to be blaster fire.

Reaching up Carthus removed the earplugs from his ears, allowing the sound to return, catching the end of the screams and chaos as a man on the stage began to talk. So it was a robbery and a hostage situation, this wasn't good at all. He had made sure to throw his name around a bit to get the V.I.P privilege which possibly would make him a target at some point, he could attempt to slip out but that would put others at risk. Not to mention he didn't know the building well enough or have the time to really plan an escape.

As his eyes fell over the brutes at the back guarding the only exit, before then over those moving in the crowd he felt a sharp chill run up his spine. Almost right away his hand started to move towards his wrist, the cold fierce feeling. It was similar to the man in the past, the Darth that he had faced, was he here? No, it was something else.......someone else. But he couldn't quite place who or what it was.

Carthus began to do what little he could to try and understand it, there had been enough surprises today without something else like this happening. So he relaxed and began to reach outwards around him, it was almost similar to a radar sending off a ping or an echo waiting to brush against something.

But there was too much chaos around and once again as he reached out he felt something colder trying to draw him in as he began to somewhat wildly draw on the force, not that he could do much with it. But it was better to have it ready than not.

With that Carthus placed his drink down on the railing in front of him, slipping back into the crowd heading towards the darker shadows of the room, he already was starting to think about options. But one of those options would probably need him to get back behind the stage to where the maintenance room was. This was a party after all and probably had many special effects lined up, not to mention he might be able to turn off what little light remained. This would at least limit the visual range.

Pulling his rebreather into place to protect from any pheromones or gasses in the air, he steeled himself. He had already resigned himself to kill these thugs if he had to. ​

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

it all happened, just after she ordered her second drink. A loud booming sound, followed by the announcement of the idiots who thought they could turn this into an heist. Did the not realize that wealthy men and women often were in company of guards and in this case, Jedi and Sith? Despite her already dulled senses thanks to the alcohol, she could still feel the Dark side building in the room. There was a Sith present and.. a Jedi? It took her moment before she could properly focus, but that was definitely a Force signature she knew all too well; Vash Tembra. Interesting. She thought.

The petite Sephi moved through the crowd; she was small enough to not be seen by the criminals, or so she hoped. Like a moth drawn to a flame, she'd move in the direction of the Sith. Namely because the Sith's intent had been clear, and if she wanted to get through this, unlikely alliances would have to be made. What they needed right now, was teamwork. And so, Sakadi found herself approaching the dark corner. She, a beacon of light, ready to work with shadow itself.

She reached behind her back, grabbing a hold of the cold hilt she had brought with her. Her Jedi weapon would be useful here after all, so hiding it wouldn't make sense anymore. She pulled the weapon from behind her back, but did not activate it yet. She made sure to keep it out of sight, there was no telling what the criminals, or the Sith for that matter, would do when they saw the Sephi approach.

 

[Gillian Rel]

Gil had been sitting at the bar for a while. He had finished his business on Zeltron earlier in the day but had time before he needed to make his way back so had ended up at this party. It was a little over the top for Gil but there was no denying the energy-charged air that flowed through this place. It was hard to not want to party here, unseen pheromones pulling on his thoughts.

He was working on his third drink when the explosion rocked the building. Most of the other patrons assumed it was apart of the show at first, but Gil's ears perked up. He knew what real explosives sounded like and this was it.

It had not taken long for the source of the blast to reveal itself. Gil almost rolled his eyes as the thieves reveal themselves. Gil could respect the job they were doing, after all, he had been a criminal of varying degree his entire life, but the theatrics were just over the top and cheesy. He leaned up against the bar, downing the remainder of his drink.

He didn't immediately act. There was no reason for him to do so yet, but he felt the weight of his quickdraw blaster on his back as well as the hidden vibroblade. The Zeltrons were pretty set on not allowing weapons here but Gil was equally set on keeping at least some weapons as a means for defense. He had been sneaking weapons into places he shouldn't since childhood so this had been no hard task.

As the criminals waded into the crowd, Gil let himself relax as he waited to see what would happen.

 

[Mara Zefiros]

A few people came by to greet her as Mara walked up to a spot in the back of the VIP lounge that she'd reserved, eager to sit down on one of the couches and get a drink. She'd be able to meet with people much better on the premise of sitting down rather than standing around in the middle of the lounge awkwardly, and the drink didn't sound too bad either.

She took a seat and the first person already showed up, a business tycoon with his daughter in tow. The girl looked like she had no intention of being here and ran off as soon as her father's attention was turned to Mara, and the Senator had to stifle a smirk. She could definitely see a little of herself in the girl.

"Ah yes! Mr.—" she was cut off as several masked thugs hijacked the party, ducking down on the floor and using the couch as cover, pulling the man down as well. She reached for her blaster out of instinct but remembered it wasn't there, mentally cursing out Mungo. The Zygerrian, however, was prepared for a situation like this. Along with a security team of about 3 other men, all armed with non-lethal blasters, he set himself up just outside the perimeter, waiting until a distraction would allow them to slip inside. Beside Mara's security team, there were several others for many of the businessmen and other influential celebrities at the party, as well as the building's own security. The thieves had chosen the wrong place to start taking hostages, and local law enforcement—which would likely be on the way—was about to show them what consequences they'd be dealing with.

Mara heard her name being called and kept her head down, looking around for something to use to defend herself. Noting an empty wine glass on the floor, she grabbed it and broke off the flat bottom, holding it like an improvised shank in case one of the thugs happened to find her. And now she would wait.

@Pam0wl

 

[The Storyteller]

With each passing moment, tensions grew; whilst many of patrons were complying with the criminals' wishes, others' were becoming noticeable defiant. That made the thugs twitchy, to say the least. This operation had a time limit; the longer they stayed, the greater the risk of resistance. But if all went according to plan, the payout would be worth all the hassle. Several prominent figures had already been identified, the ransom near enough bullied out them; it was a simple exchange, their money for their lives. So far, everyone had been making the right choices, simply surrendering to the criminals' demands. Now only the stubborn ones remained and the ringleader was getting antsy.

"Come on, come on. Let's hurry this up people - we haven't got all night. Final curtains' calling and I ain't feeling up to an encore-"
The words faded, becoming inaudible. The ringleader, for the briefest moment, became lax in demeanor, near enough almost calm. Even his grip on Devika had loosened.

But the subtle change didn't last; seeming to shake himself loose, the ringleader turned his blaster on the cautious crowd. Padawan @Vash Tembra had made am admirable attempt; on anyone lesser, the mind trick would have worked. But something else was at play, something that interfered on behalf of the ringleader. And now, he knew someone in the crowd was a force sensitive.
"Whoever's playing mind tricks with me...just made a big mistake."

A single blaster shot rang out, the actual target largely undecided in the heat of the moment. But the bolt struck true and a body crumpled to the ground groaning in pain. It was a Zeltron male, a businessman from the looks of the suit. A pity now such fine tailoring was marred with a blaster hole in his shoulder. Again there were screams, others now fearing the same fate.

Yet again the leader of it all just ignored the terror. Instead, he was shouting, trying to locate the person who had tried to usurp his mind. "There's a Force user in the crowd and they're trying to be a hero! I hate heroes! So unless you want everyone to die right here and now, you best step forward! You have till the count of 3, got it?!"

Desperate onlookers glanced about themselves, trying to figure who the ringleader was referring to. Time was waning and the criminals were now getting desperate.

"3..." The blaster was waving aimlessly about, "...2..." he was readying himself, selecting yet another target. "...1. Time's up!"

 

[Maeve Zyanya]

Maeve wasn't quite sure what had just happened. One minute, there was some sort a commotion and now...now she was pretty sure her father had just been shot.

She moved without thinking, scrambling and shoving to get to him. "Daddy? Daddy, no!" At first, she feared the worst. The heat of the blaster bolt was still smoldering hot. Maeve now found herself crouching in a sticky, thick substance - it only took her a moment to comprehend that it was her father's blood.

The child let out a horrific scream. There was a power behind too, one that made glass crackle and near enough shatter. Lost in her weeping, Maeve didn't even notice her father's weak attempts at comfort.

"C-calm...need to stay...calm, sugar plum." He grasped at his daughter's hand, holding it tight as he tried to sit himself up. Maeve was beyond reasoning with when she got herself into a state; if she didn't settle down soon, the criminals may lose all patience. "Shh, Maeve. N-no more tears."

The girl just sniffled, wishing nothing more than to hug her father for dear life; she was stopped, however, when one of the criminals wrenched her back by the scruff of her hood. "Let me go! Stop! Don't touch me! DON'T TOUCH ME!" She was shrieking like a beast, hissing and clawing, scratching at the hand that held her. Her small fists beat helplessly against the mass of solid bulk dragging her along. Bless, she still kept trying, fighting for every inch she could get.

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Just as she had reached the corner, barely making eye contact with with the masked individual (@Amur) who she presumed was the cause of the swirling mass of dark-side energy, the criminals lost their patience. A single shot took the life of a man, a man she didn't know but presumably had a family. Another life she had failed to safe. The attempt to stun the thug on the podium had obviously been @Vash Tembra , she knew he was here and knew what his favored approach to combat was. Force stun, of course. While she could sit around, cursing his reckless actions from a distance, she also had the option to act.

Instead of joining the Sith at her table, Sakadi instead turned to face the podium. She had already pulled out her weapon; there was no way she was going to get it fastened to her lower back again. So instead, she made a decision. One based on blind faith and trust in the force. She placed the lightsaber on the table, glaring at the Sith as she rolled it towards her. Her mind reached out for a moment, touching the vast darkness to deliver a single message. I trust you know what to do with this. She really hoped that she had made the right decision as she moved forward through the crowd, sending out her second telepathic message.

This one was hard to reach, but the unfocused mind was easy to infiltrate. Calm down. There is still time to save him. Sakadi wanted to add more, but the distance between her and the podium, plus the time limit, would not allow her to do so.

Thus, the Jedi stepped out of the crowd, into the light. She had somewhat hurried just in time to hear the criminal shout "Time's up". She kept her hands high in the air, showing that she was unharmed. She prayed to the Force in hopes she didn't get shot this instant, but even if they shot her, she had set things in motion. Vash Tembra would no doubt make a move of his own, and she just armed a Sith with a lightsaber, or perhaps a second. Besides, was there a better person to appear before the crowd than a former opera singer?

 

[Amur]

The feeling of power surging about was undermined by how taxing it was for Amur to concentrate on her invisible illness. She knew that now every action was vital she may have power but for how long? She was surprised by the response she got. The sephi entering the darkness around her brandishing her weapon which now with a bit of force sight Amur could tell was a light saber. So we do have Jedi Amur thought to herself she could also sense something about the Sephi she wasn't acting out of hostility to the sith, a wonderful thing to have right now if they were to stop these people.

The Echani was plucking the force like a musician playing a somber melody from a instrument, trying to breach the mind of the leader, classic jedi move. Good that could be exploited to sow some doubt into the minds of the goons. She already was formulating a plan noticing that the man was even trying to reach out wildly to her this was turning out qui-

Then something interrupted the flow of the Echani's influence. What the hoth? Amur thought loudly enough that she nearly spoke it. She wasn't trying to disturb him, maybe it was just the light and dark side conflicting with one another, maybe the wild out pour from the man trying to reach out to her... maybe the crooks had a force sensitive amongst their ranks. One that knew what they were doing?

A shot ran out and the screams of a scared crowd erupted, great the hope that they wouldn't have the stomach to shoot anyone went down with the presumed father of the crying kid. There was a time for planning but now she needed to act but something surprising happened: The Sephi gave her lightsaber to Amur. This night continued to surprise Amur and she couldn't tell if she liked that it was. She felt the Sephi's (@Sakadi Marathi Sinvala) telepathic message.

Trust eh? She then saw the Sephi run for the podium going to take the blame for the attempted manipulation. Amur sent a message back. The Stage is yours, keep everyone's eyes on it.

She took the Lightsaber she could already feel some discontent brewing from the naturally light side crystal, it would have to do though. She stood and started to try and sneak her way close to the exit with the 4 guards, slinking through the crowd from table to column like a snake in a field of tall grass. She took cover by a column near the exit eyeing the guards. She readied her adhesive grenade in her left hand, the loaned lightsaber in the other. The moment any of them noticed her or tried to fire on the crowd she would toss the adhesive grenade into the group of criminals to immobilize and subdue them. They were the biggest threat, take them out and the rest would be child's play.

The sephi may of had the gall to trust her, but Amur wouldn't be sure about the saber until the time came to ignite it. She knew that the Sephi was committed, stepping on the podium giving up her weapon. Amur had confidence that her foolish devotion would have her try to save as many people, but the others? She had doubts if they contributed she would be pleased, if not then it would be what she expected.