Open Auction in Canto Bight

[Marius Kord]

The sunset at the Sea of Catonica was really beautiful, with the light reflecting in the water while the sky acquired shades of red, orange and purple. This made Marius remember of his vacations in Lake Country on his home world of Naboo, when he was a child. After having played during all day at the water, he and his parents would watch the sunset. With the night approaching, the buildings started to become illuminate by lights of different colors. It was a really beautiful sight, indeed. However, Marius wasn’t at Canto Bight to appreciate the sight, he is at work.

Some months ago was announced that an antique auction would happen in Canto Bight. One of the items that would be auctioned was a Jedi statuette that the auctioneers guaranteed to be legitimate and made during the time of the Old Republic. Also according to them, the statuette was property of an antique collector that died recently and his family decides to sell some of the collection. The University of Bar'leth asked for permission to examine and to even buy it before being auctioned. However both proposals were declined. Due to this, Marius was sent as a representative of the University to participate of the auction and try to buy the statuette. The best part is that the University was also paying for his stay there.

Marius was going to stay at the luxury hotel of the Canto Casino, where the auction would happen. After having changed to formal clothes, he leaved his room to the casino. Since there was some time before the auction, he decided to explore it a bit, after all wasn’t every day that he could go to a place like that for free. “Let’s see if I can find some fun there” He thought as he walked into the casino.

@Tomce795

 

[Luth Torpam]

There was something tranquil about piloting a ship, Luth couldn't exactly place his finger on it. He supposed it was just the fact that piloting required precise, yet small movements. Setting a course to a planet, descending from orbit, the final approach on the landing pad and the landing itself. All of those actions required slight adjustments to the ships movement and he supposed that he could take pride in the fact that he could do those adjustments with surprising efficiency.

As the freighter landed on the platform, Luth stepped out to meet the large city of Canto Bight. He's heard rumours about someone attempting to auction off a small Jedi statue, that is said to date back to the days of the Republic of Old. Luth naturally was slightly weary of such claims. Not many things survived the Jedi Purge, but he also doubted the claims of a genuine Jedi artifact. But to find one so far out in the Outer Rim? He had his doubts, but he was here since he was one of the better people to deal with the more... wealthy aspects of Catonica. Luth was no stranger to cutthroat business dealings, he was part of a few himself back in his youth. So he believed he was the right person for the job.

Making sure his lightsaber was well hidden under his cloak, no need to attract the wrong attention, Luth began his journey towards the hotel where the auction will be taking place. He wanted to make sure he wasn't late for the auction, because if the artifact did turn out to be real, Luth definitely wanted it for the Temple back on Ajan Kloss.

 

[Marius Kord]

When Marius entered the Casino, he was very impressed. The tales that he heard about this place don't live up to reality. The luxurious atmosphere of the Canto Casino was really magnificent, no wonder that the richest people of the Galaxy like this place so much. He walked to the bar and ordered a drink to the Human barman that was working there. After receiving his drink, Marius started to observe the people around him.

Different species of beings, all well-dressed, were scattered around the casino making bets. All of them probably were the richest beings in the Galaxy. Wealthy tourists, gamblers and even crime lords, all wanting to spend money in bets. After all they were filthy rich, so they can afford spend it. While sipping his drink, Marius saw a male Abednedo celebrating in one of the tables of the casino. It seems that someone was lucky. In other side of the casino, he saw a Mon Calamarian tripping over their own feet and showing signs of being dead drunk.

After ending his drink, Marius saw a female Twi’lek with blue skin and wearing a black fancy dress calling the participants of the auction to the auditorium. Leaving his glass over the bar counter, Marius followed the group inside the auditorium. There he sat on one of the first chairs and waited for the auction to start.


@Tomce795

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Korsak had forced himself not to sneer openly at the pointless decadence and hedonism he found all over Canto Bight. He was perhaps surrounded by some of the richest and most powerful people in the Rim, and yet there didn't seem to be a shred of intelligence or wit anywhere in this gilded and glorified drunk-tank. He was surrounded by failsons and faildaughters simply too rich to actually fail, mingling with half a dozen pretenders, swindlers, and parasites. If it wasn't for a bit of business at the local auction he'd march straight out the doors and back to his shuttle right now, maybe bar the exit and set fire to something on the way out.

Despite his affiliation with the Sith Eternal, Korsak had no problem with the Jedi, their philosophy, or their order in general. At least, no more than he had with any other group of people not actively trying to impede or kill him. So he had no problem getting his paws on a genuine Jedi statuette from the Old Republic era, provided this was a real statuette and not just a gaudy souvenir from the lobby dressed up in fake cobwebs and dust. Korsak didn't put that kind of low behavior past these people.

Now, despite wanting to acquire this very rare, and no doubt very expensive statuette, Korsak had brought little more than the clothes on his back and a datapad to this casino. He had credits for fuel, some meals, maybe a room, but not much else. That was because he hoped to let some wealthy stooge buy the artifact for him, then 'acquire' the artifact from them after the fact, either by charm or by theft. Or perhaps even murder, he never wanted to come back to this cesspool again.

@Tomce795
@LouJoVi

 

[Luth Torpam]

Luth had never been a planet this... extravagant before. Every corner of every street and building seemed to shine with decorations, whenever it would be some sort of shiny metal or actual decorations. Luth made his way inside the auditorium, where the auction seemed to be taking place and took a seat in the middle row.

Luth saw the large group going inside and it was filled with the usual suspects. Rich looking people who had far more money to spend than they had time. Then he noticed a man wearing a black jacket come in with the group, looking just slightly out of place with the more complex clothing that people wear here, taking a seat. He raised an eyebrow at the out of place, if otherwise unremarkable man, but heeded no mind to it.

While the group was still getting seated, Luth closed his eyes and tried to get into a small trance. He always found it easy to do so, even in loud environments. A state of calm enveloped him as he began to think. He didn't have a lot of money, but he had enough. With smart bidding he might just be able to pull this off and get the prize. Even if he didn't manage to buy it, he still wanted to have a look at the statuette, if just to sate his curiosity.

 

[Marius Kord]

Like the casino, the auditorium was filled with well-dressed beings. Many there should be collectors, seeking new objects for their collections and all absurdly rich. Marius hoped that the funds given by the University would be enough to buy the statuette. If it was really genuine, the statuette would be better used as part of the University’s collection, helping future generations to learn about the History of the Jedi.

While Marius was observing the people around him, his eyes settled in a male Amaran. He didn’t seem to be comfortable in that place. His clothes were also plain, not matching the opulent environment of Canto Bight. While observing the Amaran, Marius had a strange sensation about him, like a bad feeling. Before he could think more about it, the auctioneer, a male and obese Neimoidian, announced that the event would start. The first item was a stylized starbird, that according with the auctioneer was made by a Mandalorian artist during the early years of the Rebellion.

After some hours, the auctioneer announced the last item, a Jedi statuette. The auctioneer started asking 3,500 credits for it. Marius frowned, the priece was strangely low for something so rare, he decided to wait and see if anyone would do a bid for it before doing his.

@Tomce795
@The Captain

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

As Korsak stepped into the auction room keeping to the back of the space to avoid drawing any undue attention to himself, he felt something peculiar, like a cool hand briefly brush down his spine. It was something Korsak had encountered rarely during the few moments he ever came into contact with something touched by the light side of the Force. Could it be the relic? He turned his head and briefly caught the eyes of a young human male who seemed to be looking right at him. Before he could even consider that this human might be the source of this sensation, the statuette was brought out and all in attendance began to take their seats.

Perhaps this statue was the genuine article after all. Or perhaps Korsak wasn't alone here. After all, the new Order would doubtless want this statue back in their collection rather than in the hands of an Eternal Guardian. As he took his seat, Korsak did his best to suppress his presence in the Force as he waiting for the bidding war to unfold.

@Tomce795
@LouJoVi

 

[Luth Torpam]

Even when the auction started Luth was still in his light trance, scanning the room and judging the reactions of the participants. He knew that there were other items on display, but he did not care about them. They were there for other people to flounder their wealth, but what Luth was interested in, was the statuette. A piece of the Jedi history should be preserved and he was here to do just that.

The hours went pass, spent in meditation, until Luth felt something odd in the Force. Two sides brushed along each other, one of them curious, but the other was more sinister. Luth concentration was broken as his eyes opened. Was there someone here? Some darksider perhaps? Luth didn't know, yet he felt that securing the statuette was more important than ever now.

Luckily it seemed he was knocked out of his trance at the right time as the Jedi statuette was on full display now. Masking his Force presence, Luth raised an eyebrow at the asking price. 3,500 credits? His family had made cargo runs that cost more money than this. Despite that, he did wish to see how high the bidding would get, so he raised his hand and called out. "I'll match that."

 

[Marius Kord]

Marius saw a human male with blue eyes and light brown hair raise his hand and match the price. Different of the Amaran, the man seemed to be very calm and comfortable in that place, even with his clothes not being exactly what a super rich would use. While watching the man, he felt something. Differently of the Amaran that gave him a bad feeling, this human male gave him the sensation of peace. He could say that if there is something dark in the Amaran, there is light in the human. Marius nearly laughed of this thought, it seemed that after studying the Ancient Sith and Jedi for some years he started to see Force sensitives in every place. Ridiculous.

His train of thought was cut when somenone offered 5,000 for the statuette and soon another one offered 7,000. More and more people made offers for the item, the last one being a female Mon Calamari that offered 90,000 for it. After a time of silent, the auctioneer was nearly declaring the stauette sold when Marius raised his hand. "I offer 1.500.000." He hoped that this sum was enough, this was half of what the University gave to him use in the auction.


@The Captain
@Tomce795

 

[Luth Torpam]

To say that the number surprised some people would be an understatement. Half of the auction gasped in surprise and the other half froze in shock. The sudden spike in credits pretty stopped whatever bidding could have happened.

Luth thought that the price would definitely spike, but not to that kind of level. The new price was in the millions and by that nature out of his price range. But he probably should have seen it coming. Jedi artifacts, no matter how rare, are usually worth something along those lines especially to the people who know their true value and it seemed that the odd man with the jacket knew of it.

The auctioneer began counting down to declare the statuette sold. It didn't seem like anyone could really object, not with that amount of money being thrown about.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

The auction was about four bids in before the young man Korsak had narrowly spotted earlier dropped a whopping one hundred and fifty million credits on the crowd. The entire room went silent, that was almost double the last bet and clearly far more than anyone else was willing to pay for the Jedi statuette. Even Korsak did not consider trying to 'persuade' someone into outbidding the young and apparently quite wealthy human.

But this was only a minor problem, Korsak could still steal the statuette from under this human's nose. He was just a man, and Korsak was gifted with an array of potent dark powers, he just had to bide his time. He kept his eyes locked on the human as this round of the auction wound to an early close.

@LouJoVi @Tomce795

 

[Marius Kord]

When the auctioneer finished the counting and declared the statuette sold to him, Marius grinned, not believing that he was able to secure the object to the University. The auction continued, but he stopped paying attention, only thinking about the statuette. He was so happy that it was going to the University, a new piece of Galactic History to be studied and analyzed by archaelogists and historians. It was a well spend money.

After some time the auction come to an end. The same blue skinned Twi’lek from before called those that had bought items to follow her so they could receive it. Marius leaved his seat and followed the Twi’lek together with a group of people to a room adjacent to the auditorium. After giving his identity to a protocol droid, he received the statuette, which was inside a box. The droid asked if Marius wanted someone to bring the box to his room in the hotel, he refused. It wasn’t heavy so he could bring it with him easily, he was also a bit paranoid, thinking that the statuette could broke if someone else transported it.

Taking the box in his arms, Marius walked back to his room. While walking he couldn’t stop smiling. He couldn't wait to take the statuette out of the box and be able to examine it.

@Tomce795 @The Captain