Ask Aesthete Astray

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184
7300a970f62b968dadfef5887e003f7d.jpg


Halmad, Outer Rim Territories

The Dewback Lounge was one of the capital's most prominent and popular cantina's, which, in Amira's opinion, didn't count for much. By all accounts, Halmad should have faded into obscurity decades ago after its mining industry collapsed from within, but somehow the planet had managed to maintain its relevancy in the Outer Rim.

Maybe the Tiefling wasn't the best judge, given her current mood. The word on the street was that the lounge's proprietors were working overtime to supplement the lounge's income, but not by peddling Halmad Prime—which was a given on this planet—but by trafficking drugs and species alike. Both of which were highly illegal in Sith Space.

There was a major art exhibition this weekend, and Sith Peacekeepers were stretched thin in preparation for the influx of tourists and off-worlders. Given her work on Eriadu, Amira was called in to lend a hand on the investigation after law enforcement received numerous, reliable tips from concerned citizens, but as the hours dragged on and the sung hung low, Amira began to question their validity. She had been sitting here all day, on the rooftop opposite the Dewback Lounge, and she was bored to ears. Stakeouts were as tedious and drawn out as ever. Customers had trickled in and out of the lounge all day, but there had been no signs of suspicious activity. Not even so much as a cantina brawl gone wrong.

The highlight of the day was the street vender who'd tripped over his own cart and landed face first in a crate of melons, and that was hardly newsworthy. If nothing turned up soon, she'd wait until dark and sneak around the back. A little breaking and entering usually yielded results. @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Halmad wasn’t exactly a place for a child to be walking around alone. It was exactly what someone from the Core Worlds would expect of a planet of the Outer Rim. Streets full of shady individuals and cantinas that were attempts against public health. No one with a good mind would want to visit this place.

Here was Emir, with a map on his hands and completely lost. He was starting to regret having sneaked in a ship to Halmad without talking to his parents. But he wanted to visit the art exhibition so badly. His favorite artist, Kukrin Rhonu, was going to be here. When he heard that it was going to happen, the young Tiefling pleaded with his ma and pa to allow him to go, but it was going to happen in the same weekend that they were going to be out of the town to buy things for the farm. This way, there would be no one to go with him.

He tried to convince them that he was already old enough to go alone, but they refused. Then, he ended up staying on the farm alone, since Laila went with their parents. Last month it was him who went with them, this way it was her this time. Once they went away, Emir sneaked out of the house and went to the closest spaceport. Several days before, he had bought a passage to Halmad with part of the money that he received working fixing droids. The plan was to go there and return to his home before his parents, easy.

However, nothing was easy in real life. When he arrived in Halmad, the Tiefling got lost even with a map. Now he had no idea of how to reach the art exhibition and not even how to return to the spaceport. Emir would have asked for help from some of the people that were walking on the street, but they were so strange that he was afraid that they could try something.

Now, the Tiefling had stopped in front of one of the several cantinas of the planet, trying to understand the map. If he wasn't able to find where the exhibition was happening, Emir would try to return to the spaceport. He still needed to return before his parents or he was going to see the slippers.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

Now that it was almost dark, activity outside of the Dewback Lounge began to pick up. Patrons ventured into the lounge in larger numbers, a few of them in tuxedos and evening dresses as if they'd just come from or were on their way to an elegant dinner party. Really? Was this the best the city of Hullis had to offer, even for the upper-class? Kriff. That was depressing. Amira would take the backwater, honky-tonk cantinas scattered across Bandoomer any day over this.

A repulsorlimo screeched to a halt in front of the lounge, narrowly avoiding a head-on collision with one of the bollards that lined the sidewalk. Moments later, a group of preppy university students piled out, laughing amongst themselves as they disappeared inside. That's more like the clientele you'd expect to find in a place like this—college kids desperate to look cool in front of their peers and to get their hands onto alcohol, in any form The Tiefling shook her head, chuckling to herself. There had been days, trapped in the darkness of the labyrinths her Master had brought her to, that she'd wished she could be off at university, hanging out with people her own age. But those days were gone now, and she had no desire to experience university life, studying and worrying over exams instead of living. Her life had been put on hold for far too long.

Not long after that, an Asogian stumbled out of the lounge, his long arms dragging against the pavement as he tripped over his own paddle-feet and collided with a teenager at the edge of the sidewalk. A scrawny, blue-skinned Tiefling. The Champion's eyes widened, scooting to the edge of the rooftop to get a better look. Emir? Could it be? No, it wasn't possible. Ma would never let him wander the streets at night, much less alone—outside a cantina. Years had passed since she'd seen her little brother. Her eyes were probably playing tricks on her, her boredom finally taking ahold of her. Still, there was a resemblance she couldn't deny. A lingering feeling she couldn't shake. She was probably crazy, but she had to get closer.

Meanwhile, the Asogian's expression changed, his red eyes lighting up as a large grin spread across brown-tinted skin to reveal crooked, yellow teeth. "Got some change to spare?" he slurred, four fingers curling around the young Tiefling's arm to keep himself from falling. "I could really use another—"

A voice from across the street interrupted him, Amira closing the distance between them and seizing Emir by the arms. "Emir? What are you doing here?" She eyed the Asogian critically. "And who's this? ET?" @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
He probably had spent more than ten minutes here and Emir still didn’t learn how this map worked. If he discovered his way back to the spaceport, the Tiefling was going to complain to the guy that sold it to him here. He shouldn’t have trusted that Ithorian, he didn’t seem to be truthful to begin with.

Before he could decide about what he was going to do next, Emir felt someone colliding against him. Being a polite child, the Tiefling was already prepared to apologize, but he stopped when he saw who had collided with him. It was a visibly drunk Asogian. The way that he was acting showed that he was a creepy.

I don’t have anythin’ to spare.” he said, while trying to remove his arm from the Asogian’s hold. If it wasn’t enough for him to be lost, now he also needed to deal with a creeper. Emir was starting to regret having come to this planet. “Sorry for the collision, but I need to go now.

Unfortunately, the Asogian continued holding his arm. Emir was already prepared to defend himself with his Matu Kai. This creeper was going to regret having met him that night. However, he stopped when he heard a familiar voice. A smile appeared on his lips when he saw Amira.

Mira! It’s so good to see you!” Emir smiled at her. He would also have hugged her, if it wasn’t for the Asogian holding on his arm. “No idea. This creeper clinged to me and didn't want to let me go.” knowing his sister, the Asogian would need to leave him immediately or he was going to regret it.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

"At least you're not together," she twined, turning back to Emir. "Are you alright? Have you been drinking? Let me see. Open your mouth." The Tiefling didn't wait for answers or permission, prying the teenager's mouth open like a mother or doctor might with a sick child and taking a whiff of his breath. He had not been drinking. A small mercy.
As popular as the Dewback Lounge might have been amongst the local, a cantina full of the inebriated was no place for a young boy. Amira seized the Tiefling by the hand and led him away from the lounge, into an alleyway across the street and away from prying eyes and surveillance cameras. The Champion goggled at him, still surprised by his sudden appearance. This was the last place she'd expected to run into one of her siblings. Nadiya or Khalid perhaps, but not Emir. Not here.

Amira might've wrapped her little brother into a hug or ran her hands along his horns like she'd done when he was a toddler if it weren't for the bothersome Asogian that followed them into the alleway. It was a miracle he'd managed to cross the street without tripping over his own feet again. "Ya must have somethin' on ya," he said in a shrill voice, red eyes locked on to Emir with growing desperation.


He reeked of cheap alcohol, his breath alone practically strong enough to choke out the stench of refuse and micturition that had accumulated in the alleyway over the years. "Buzz off, sleemo," Amira hissed, flinging the Asogian into the rear exterior wall of a charcuterie where an add had been spray-painted across brick. His face struck the chest of Emryc Thorne, the broad-shouldered President of the ISC grinning and holding a can of Soaring Starship. Red eyes shuddered and closed as he slumped to the ground, falling unconscious amongst the trash. Exactly where he belonged.

Now that he was out of the way, Amira circled back to her original question. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?" She glanced at the map he still clutched in his hands. It was no wonder. Just at a glance, the map looked like it was a good two decades out of date "Come on, we'll get you back to Ma and Pa. This is the last place you need to be right now." Not exactly the family reunion she had in mind, but life was full of surprises. Her hand clasped his affectionately, leading him toward the other end of the alleyway. "If you're lucky, they won't have noticed you're gone." Unlikely, knowing Ma. @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Yes. No. You don’t need to do that!” Emir answered Amira’s questions in sequence, while trying to fight against her attempt to force his mouth open. “You know that I don’t drink!” if their Ma discovered that he was doing it at this age, the boy was certain that he wouldn’t be able to sit for a week because of her slippers.

His attempt to assure her that he was fine had no effect, because the next thing that he noticed was that she was dragging him away from the street and toward an empty alleyway. “Mira, you don’t need to do that. I said that I’m fine!” he tried to calm down his sister once again. She was looking at him as if he had grown a third horn and it was creeping him out.

Before he could say anything else, Emir noticed that the Asogian from early had followed them. The boy stared at the guy while he asked if the young Tiefling had something from him. He felt so tempted to punch the drunkard in the face right now, the guy was so annoying and Emir already needed to deal with his sister.

Thankfully, Amira easily dealt with the Asogian by throwing him away. Now that the two were alone, they could talk about the reason why Emir was on the planet. “I came here because of the art exhibition, but ended up gettin’ a bit lost.” he said sheepishly, while showing her the map that he had so much problem understanding. Perhaps she could decipher it.

No! Ma and Pa will only return home after tomorrow, I have time to go to the exhibition.” then, the young Tiefling had an idea. “You could go with me and then bring me back to Bandomeer. We could even say to Ma and Pa that you appeared at home, and since there was no one here, decided to go out with me. What do you think?” Emir made a puppy-like face that was difficult for any of his older siblings to resist. Hopefully Amira was still weak for it, even if she was now a Sith.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

"What? You mean they're not here?" the Tiefling balked, at a loss for words. Suddenly it dawned on her, and she could've slapped herself for not realizing it before. Ma and Pa weren't with Emir because they weren't on Halmad, and they didn't even know he was gone. They thought he was back home, on Bandomeer. Emir was here alone. Without their knowledge and without their consent. This was something she or Khalid would've pulled, but far more... sophisticated? Amira would've snuck out to meet a boy or to go skip rocks at the creek. Emir, on the other hand, snuck out to go to an art exhibit. Culture had finally come to Bandomeer, and his name was Emir Din.
A part of her wanted to burst into laughter, ruffle that dark blue hair of his, and say, 'Just like a Din,' while another part of her wanted to sit the young Tiefling down and give him a stern talking to. That was her ma's fiery temper coursing through her veins. Of course, if she were actually Ma, Emir would have gotten much more than a talking to.

On one point she was decided—she would not be leaving him here. Not alone, on a planet he wasn't familiar with while he wandered through city streets full of the lowest type of life imaginable. Unfortunately, she was also in the middle of a mission, and she couldn't just abandon it. Not when she'd just started taking her responsibilities seriously again. She already hung from a string. "You want me to lie for you? To Ma and Pa?" That was a tall order, even for a twenty-three year old. The Tiefling laughed, a grin spreading across her lips. "You've got guts, kid. I didn't know you had it in you."


Amber eyes stared at him with fondness, and this time she offered him her hand instead of grabbing it. "Alright, I'll take you to this art exhibit thing, but no guarantee I'll cover for you." At least, not yet. That puppy-dog face was already wearing her resolve down. "'l'll make sure you get home. But first, I'm in the middle of a mission. Do you... have a hotel room or something?" Somewhere safe she could stash him, just until she wrapped this up. @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
They aren’t at home, either. The agro fair of Bandomeer is happen’ this week. Ma and Pa went here like they do every year, but this time Laila went with them.” Emir explained to Amira that he was also alone at home. Of course, his parents left the security droid that they bought with part of the money that Altair gave to them. While the young Tiefling could very well take care of himself, the droid's presence meant that the farm would be safe while he was away.

Emir raised an eyebrow when Amira was surprised with him wanting to have her lying to his parents. The boy saw his sibling doing that several times with different levels of success. Even her already did it. “Well, you all taught me. Remember that time when I helped you hide your date with that Pantoran boy? Ma never discovered it.

The boy smiled when Amira said that she would bring him to the art exhibition. “Thanks Mira! You’re the best!” Emir rushed to give her a tight hug. He knew that she wasn’t going to resist his puppy-eyes. None of his siblings were. The Tiefling was certain that until the end of the day, he would be able to have his sister agree to lie to their parents.

When his sister asked if he had a hotel room, Emir shook his head. “No, I didn’t think that I was goin’ to need it because I’ll return to Bandomeer tonight.” he only wanted to visit the exhibition and then return as fast as he could to his homeworld. “Wait, are you on a mission for the Sith? It’s so cool! What is it about?

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

The annual agricultural fair. She'd completely forgotten about it. Those summer days spent wandering through the exhibits and stockyards, holding on to her mother's finger while her father knelt down beside her to point out exotic livestock and plants felt like a lifetime ago. "Oh yeah," the Tiefling laughed, chewing on her bottom lip, reminiscing. "I'd completely forgotten about that guy." The stocky Pantoran from Halmad, the one that had big dreams of becoming a pilot and escaping the back store room of his father's delicatessen. She wondered whatever happened to him? He'd probably taken over the family business and resigned himself to a life of monotony. "We were kind of a bad influence on you, weren't we?'
Emir threw his arms around her, grateful that she'd agreed to accompany him to the art exhibit. A smile spread across Amira's lips. The warmth that spread through her from her brother's touch was so inviting, as if she had just returned home after a long, extended absence. As if nothing had changed, even though everything had. She slid her arms around the young Tiefling, returning the hug, as one hand moved up to ruffle his signature hair. "I sure have missed you," she whispered, so softly he might not have even heard her.

When they pulled apart, she quirked one eyebrow at him. "Yeah, I'm on a mission, but... it's nothing you should get involved in." She jerked her head, toward the Dewback Lounge, barely visible around the corner of the alleyway. "Peacekeepers suspect they're running a human trafficking ring out of there. I'm just here to poke around, see if there's any truth to it." Perhaps that was too much information for a fourteen year old, but Amira was coming to the realization that Emir was a lot less innocent than he looked. @lou

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Did you really?” Emir said, while raising an eyebrow at his sister. The way that Amira acted after she returned that day made the boy think that it was very good and memorable. She didn’t stop giggling and looking as if she wanted to go back here. He always wondered why they never stayed together.

The young Tiefling laughed when she said that their siblings weren’t a good influence on him. “Of course not, but at least I wasn’t so easily influenced. Imagine if I ended up bein’ like Khalid!” his Ma always said that their brother was worthy for all of them together. She would go crazy if he ended up being like that.

So you are workin’ like a spy? This is so cool!” he said excitedly, after hearing Amira explain what she was doing on the planet. This increased Emir’s interest in becoming a Sith. The idea of doing secret missions across the Galaxy seemed to be awesome and there was the bonus of being allowed to use a lightsaber.

Don’t you really want my help?” he asked tentatively. Amira could use his help to spy over people without them noticing. Although no one would allow someone of his age to enter a cantina. Perhaps it wasn’t going to work after all.

Well, since I can’t help you with your mission, then we should go to the art exhibition. My favorite artist is going to be here!” Emir hoped that he would be able to meet Kukrin Rhonu. Most of his art was inspired by that of the Binth. Who knows, maybe the boy could even be able to show it to him.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

"I can't just abandon my assignment," the Tiefling replied, shaking her head. "I have orders." She couldn't explain her situation to Emir, that little by little she was reingratiating herself with the Sith Empire. Every errand mattered, no matter how insignificant or humdrum. Amira chewed on her bottom lip, noticeably torn between the two alternatives— disobeying orders or putting her brother in danger. Golden eyes raked over the younger Tiefling, bright-eyed and expecting an answer. She was the adult here, and she would have to make the decision.
The Champion sighed, relenting. How much trouble could the aging, out of touch proprietors of the Dewback Lounge put up anyway? "Fine. You can come with me." She'd probably kick herself for this later, and if Ma ever found out about it, she could expect a lot worse than a kick. "But you do exactly as I tell you, do you hear me? We've got to slip in an out, unnoticed." She was here to collect evidence, not to start a fight.

Taking his hand in hers, Amira would lead him across the street and down another alleyway that ran parallel to the lounge's northern wall. She'd been hanging out on rooftops all day, and while she hadn't caught any illicit activity, she had managed to scope out the best entry points. Since the Dewback Lounge was even older than her Aunt Tessie, the establishment's security wasn't strictly-speaking up to date. This was the safest way in and out—through a blacked out egress window alongside the northern wall that, presumably, led into the basement. There were security cameras at both doors and on the rooftop, but none here.

"They're for emergencies," the Champion explained to her younger brother, crouching down to open it. At his age, he probably hadn't seen many of them. Quietly, she asked, "Have you been practicing your Matukai?" Ideally, he wouldn't need to use it. This should be an easy, straightforward assignment. Sneak in, collect some data, and sneak back out. @LouJoVi


 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Amira’s negative answer made Emir once again give his sister one of his puppy looks. While he did it, the boy could see how she was struggling in deciding what she should do next. The Tiefling mentally tapped himself in the back. None of his siblings would ever resist him when he looked at them this way.

The young Tiefling opened a large smile when his sister finally said that he could come with her. “Cool! Of course, Mira! It’ll be as if I wasn’t even here!” it was so exciting! Emir couldn’t wait to play the spy with his sister. Maybe if he liked what they were going to do, he could even decide to be a Sith.

He frowned when Amira held his hand, it made him look like a baby. Emir felt the urge to fight against her hold and say that he was already old enough to walk alone. However, he had agreed to obey her. Due to that, he allowed her to guide him by the hand through the street and toward the place that she was investigating.

They went to one an alley next to the cantina from early. That would explain why Amira was there. He watched his sister open the door that was there, while talking to him as if he was a baby. “I know what an emergency exit is. I saw some in a movie.” maybe it was a coincidence, but he saw it in a movie about spies.

Yes, everyday!” he answered Amira’s question about Matukai. Like everyone in his family, Emir never stopped practicing it. His parents were proud of being martial artists and had passed this tradition to their children. It wasn’t going to die with him. “And you? Did you practice it too?

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

Mira.

Nobody called her that anymore. Not since she'd left home, and not since she'd bumped into Jabari a couple months ago in that backwater cantina on Takodana. It was nice, hearing her old nickname, especially from Emir. She smiled to herself, silent as practiced hands opened the egress. This wasn't her first time breaking into a cantina or an old basement, and it probably wouldn't be her last. Old buildings like this were riddled with security vulnerabilities, and for the Dewback Lounge to be the same made her wonder if its proprietors had nothing to hide. Maybe the rumors were just that—rumors. The Tieflings would find out soon enough.

"Not lately," Amira admitted, face falling, as if she had anything to be ashamed about. Master Roth had held different ideas about Matukai, and over time, he had convinced her to wield a lightsaber instead. A Sith's greatest weapon, he had said, Second only to the force and his own mind. She hadn't forgotten all of her old training—it was muscle memory, maneuvers fine tuned by countless days spent training alongside her siblings and listening to her parents. But she was rusty and out of practice, and perhaps it was time she returned to her roots. The Tiefling added, throwing Emir a grin over her shoulder, "You could probably teach me a thing or two." And she believed it, too.

Carefully, and as quietly as possible, the Tiefling slipped through the narrow window, dropping down to the stone floor below. The basement was dingy, with large, wooden barrels stacked in neat, organized rows that cast long shadows. Fermenting wine, presumably. The only light came from an open door upstairs, spilling down the stone steps into the room. If the Tieflings were lucky, they'd be able to search the basement undisturbed—it was evening, which usually meant all hands on deck taking care of customers. Getting upstairs, on the other hand, would be another matter.

"Look around," she whispered to Emir, "And at the first sign of movement, take cover." @LouJoVi


 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Emir noticed how Amira sounded ashamed after talking about Matukai. Like his other siblings, she always trained everyday. The boy wondered why she had stopped doing it. Beyond the Life Day parties made by their parents, the Matukai was what united their family. It was the symbol of the Din.

I would like to do that!” he smiled at her. Being the young brother, Emir was always the one learning rather than teaching. “I learned some new moves that you probably never saw!” since she joined the Sith and said that didn’t train anymore, the boy believed that there were moves that his big sister still needed to learn.

While he watched his sister disappear through the window, Emir thought about what their parents would say if they saw her right now. Of course, she was working as a type of cop, but they would still be surprised with their daughter invading someone’s place this way, like a criminal.

The young Tiefling didn’t wait much time and soon followed his sister. He jumped through the window, landing on the stone floor next to Amira. Emir looked around and noticed that they were in some type of basement. There were some barrels organized in rows. The boy wondered what could be stored on them.

He nodded at his sister after she gave him the instructions for what they were going to do. “I’ll do it, but aren’t you goin’ to need help in a fight?” Emir knew that she was trained as a Sith, but he still felt concerned for his sister. What if there was an ambush with too many guys and she can’t defend herself?

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

"Oh?" she asked, soft golden eyes settling on the young Tiefling to regard him all over again. After all these years, just staring at him was a comfort. He wasn't the little boy she'd said goodbye to on Bandomeer anymore, and he certainly was pluckier than she remembered. She wondered if he was just as much a thorn in the flesh of Ma and Pa as she had been. "I think I'll take you up on that offer. Consider it a date." It would give Amira the opportunity to spend more time with her younger sibling and abridge the distance that had naturally grown between them over the years, and she'd learn some new moves along the way. "Just promise me you won't go too hard on me, okay?" She winked.
Then it was back to business. The Tiefling searched everywhere for evidence, for something out of place. Anything that might link the Dewback Lounge to organized crime. She searched through broom closets and store rooms. Behind the neatly stacked barrel rows, and she even pried open some of the barrel's heads off to peak inside. She ran her hands along the crevices and mortar joints between each brick on the wall, hoping to find a secret room or something. As if this was some old, wildly exaggerated black and white holodrama mystery instead of real life. There was nothing.

Amira sucked on her bottom lip, drumming dark fingers against the barrel closest to her. "Find anything?" she whispered to her brother from across the cellar, making out his silhouette in the darkness. Hopefully he'd had more luck than she had, but if he hadn't, their next step was clear. They'd need to venture upstairs, to the boss' office and the back rooms.


Dice Roll for Amira's search: 7/20 @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Emir laughed at his sister’s comment. “I’ll go prepared, then. You will need a medical kit after our class!” the Tiefling was more sure that he would be the one that would need it. Amira was a good fighter, even if she said that there was a time that she didn’t use Matukai. She would easily defeat him.

After this small exchange between siblings, Emir went to do what his sister had asked. The young Tiefling moved around the place, trying to find anything that was out of place. Beyond having seen some spy movies such as Agent 700, the boy had no idea about what he should do. His sister didn’t tell him about the details of her investigation, so he didn’t know what could be useful for her.

So far Emir didn’t find anything strange in the cellar. There were large recipients for wine and some small bottles stored inside boxes. He noticed that some of them were closed. Shrugging, the young Tiefling started to open them. In the first one that he opened, the boy only found more drinks.

He was already going to tell his sister that, like her, he had no luck in his search, when he opened another box. The young Tiefling gasped with what he had found. Inside the box were several blasters that the boy had never seen before. To be honest, beyond the old blaster pistol of his Pa he never saw other types of weapon.

I found somethin’!“ Emir picked one of the heavy blasters from inside the box and showed it to Amira. “Is it what you are searchin’?” in his opinion, it was a really odd thing to find in the cellar of a cantina.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

As soon as the young Tiefling gasped, Amira reached for the lightsaber concealed at her waist, ready to storm across the cellar and slice whatever threatened him into a thousand little pieces. The Champion had already begun to mentally scold herself, reminding herself that this is exactly why you don't bring children along with you on a mission, no matter how small and uncomplicated the assignment might appear on the surface.
Realizing that he hadn't been hurt and wasn't in any immediate danger, relief washed over her. "What did you find?" she asked, closing the distance between them and peering into the wooden crate he'd bent over. Inside were half a dozen or more rocket pistols, carefully positioned between padding. Amira didn't know what make or model they were since she knew next to nothing about firearms, but she did know that personal rocket launchers were illegal on just about every planet in the known galaxy.

The weapons didn't prove that the Dewback Lounge was selling sentients on the black-market, but they were indicative of the lounge's true credit flow. At the very least, it was enough for Peacekeepers to turn this whole place upside down and haul every staff member in for questioning. Peacekeepers wouldn't care about the details, so long as they got results. Unlike the Sector Rangers of the New Republic and the Free Worlds Alliance, they weren't so bogged down by bureaucracy and red tape that they'd grown ineffectual.

"Good job," she grinned at Emir, unsure how she'd missed it but relieved that they wouldn't have to venture upstairs. She threw her shoulder into his in a light, playful gesture. "Maybe Imani isn't the only brains in the family after all. Looks like we'll have some extra time for that art show of yours." Pistols were tossed into a smaller case, just enough that they wouldn't be missed, and then the Tiefling moved back toward the egress window. "After you." She cupped her hands together to give him a boost up. @LouJoVi


 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Emir blinked in surprise with Amira’s reaction. He had turned to show her what he had found inside the box when he noticed that his sister seemed to be concerned and prepared to run toward him. He wondered if it was because the older Tiefling didn’t trust what he was doing and was thinking that he would make a mess.

However, when she approached him, Amira was more relaxed and only asked what he had found. “I don’t know. It looks like some type of blaster or somethin’ like that.” he gave her some space to look at the weapons. “I think that these weapons aren’t the type of thin’ that you expect to find in the cellar of a cantina.

A smile appeared on Emir's lips when Amira mentioned him being smart. “Of course! At least some people need to compensate for the lack of brains of all the rest.” he joked, even faking seriousness in his voice. The boy didn’t think that some of his siblings were stupid or dumb, even if others would say that it was true.

I told you that I would help you with the investigation.” Emir said, before moving to use the boost that Amira was offering. He felt satisfied for being capable of helping his sister with her job and happy for still having time to go to the art exhibition. Nothing bad could happen now.

The sound of voices coming from the stairs that went out from the cellar alerted the two Tieflings that someone was coming. Emir froze where he was and turned to look at his sister, expecting instructions. It wasn’t going to be so easy after all.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
llamallove
Joined
Apr 28, 2022
Messages
189
Reaction score
184

Amira froze, veins beating beneath her skin, a pulse that probably would have been noticeable if the cellar were not so dark. There were voices, reverberating down the stairwell into the basement. The Tiefling watched in silent horror, amber eyes wide, as two figures emerged, their outlines cast in shadows against the light that spilled down the stone steps.

Kriff. Kriff. Kriff. What had she been thinking, bringing a child along with her on an active investigation? And her brother of all people. If anything happened to him, she would never be able to forgive herself. Neither would the family. "Hurry up!" she muttered under her breath to Emir as she attempted to hoist him up toward the egress window. A muffled thud was the result of her efforts, as the young Tiefling's forehead knocked into the pane of glass. At some point during their search, it had fallen shut and closed, and Amira hadn't bothered to check.

I'm so sorry, the Champion thought to herself but didn't dare say aloud. She could only hope that that wouldn't leave a mark. Quickly, she lowered Emir, relinquishing her hold on him as soon as he had both feet on solid ground again.

They were out of time. The voices grew louder, and the shadows grew shorter. "Hide!" she whispered, the only instruction she would give as she shoved Emir toward a row of wine barrels, hoping he'd take cover behind them.

Dice Roll for an Escape Out the Window: 4/20 @LouJoVi

 

Emir Din

Character
Independent
Rank
Citizen

Character Profile
Link
OOC
LouJoVi
Joined
May 2, 2022
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Emir noticed how his sister had tensed up with the voices. While he had joked with her about being good in a fight, the young Tiefling didn’t want to do it right now. Being honest, he never fought with someone that wasn’t one of his siblings. He wasn’t sure if he would be capable of doing it.

However, Amira was there and it made him feel safe. After all she was a trained Sith Champion that could easily dispatch any low thug that tried to attack them. Emir even doubted that his help in a fight would be necessary.

Even then, Emir agreed that it would be better if they left immediately. He once again accepted his sister's help and prepared to leave the cellar through the window that they used early. Unfortunately the glass had closed and his sister didn’t notice it. Due to that, the poor Tiefling ended up hitting his head on it.

Ouch!” he muttered, while Amira put him down. He was going to complain that she should have paid attention, but didn’t have time. His sister was already pushing him toward some barrels and ordering him to hide. “Ok.” he whispered before running to find a space where he could stay. It was right in time, because the voices were getting near.

@llamallove
 
Top