Bidding Wars

[Hesh Prospero]

As soon as Hesh's shuttle had touched down on Nar Shadda, he was already out into the streets looking into a safespot for himself and Elias, should they need it on their expeditions into the criminal underworld. He was unsure of the type of people he would find in such a place, having only ever really being cloistered within the Order.

After checking into his little safehouse in the form of a dingy and rundown hotel room, Hesh put on his boots and made sure his comlink was live. There was exploring to do, and for Elias's plan for the Galaxy to work, they would need more hands on deck. What better place to scout for talent than a hive of low-lives with nothing to lose?

Astounded with the sights and sounds of it all, Hesh led himself through the various streets and alleys of Nar Shadda, hardly being threatened by any sort of shadowy figures. If anything, Hesh was the one who threatened. The burly main with a devious moustache could barely fit his wide frame through some of the narrow alleyways. Saber dangling at the hip by a belt clip, there was probably little on these streets he couldn't deal with if he had to.

Turning another street, he arrived to some sort of trading hub. Interesting that it would be outdoors, but it did make sense considering what must have been a monopoly on real estate in the area. Movers and shakers abounded everywhere, selling stocks, goods, black market supplies, blasters, you name it. The area was huge, large enough to land several shuttles in...and it appeared they had several areas to do that indeed. Trying not to be distracted by the sights, sounds, and general beauty of it all, Hesh began to peruse the wares of an arms dealer, giving quizzical looks to the weaponry.

It was only when he felt an overwhelming amount of pain in the Force, that he glanced upward to see several shuttles start to enact their landing procedures.

 

[Cho Wroth]

Pain, for what was or could have been days, was keeping Cho from focusing his mind and getting a connection to the force. Yet he wasn't fully relying on that to free him. A number of times he tried to escape each time his captures would further bind him till he was completely bound with a mouth jaw lock, blind folded, arms bound to his back and set upside down in a anti-gravity cage. From what he could tell of the ship they were landing but he didn't know where nor did he care what he wanted was his teeth in the neck of his captures.

His captures in their odd language spat at him and spoke to him but he didn't know what they were saying. In time he heard the hatches and landing gear move and open to the outside world. He bumped into the sides of the cage as it was moved. The leader of the slave group barked orders for them to hurry. Soon the outside world was full of noise and smells that Cho would never forget. Cho caught some basic coming from beings passing by his cage. It was mostly of shock seeing such a creature with such high protocols in safety.

A bitter smell racked his senses and made him twitch which sent a high voltage jolt through him and the cage making everyone even his captures to jump well away from it. A low growl came from him as he took in the pain and used it to fuel himself. The cage securities had to recharge so it gave Cho a short reprieve from the pain. In that moment Cho yanked the lead slaver into the front of the cage to set off the electrical protection to discharge sending the slaver flying away from the cage to lay twitching in front of the cage. Cho chuckled as he felt the slavers pain just before his own as the cage and other slave handlers hit him with heavy stun sticks. Roaring through the mouth jaw lock he set the pain coming at him to let him go to a place in his mind away from it.

Slowly he hung in the anti-gravity trying to regain control and feeling of his body. He knew that if he was free things would not go well with his captures not well at all.

 

[Hesh Prospero]

Hesh began to see the cargo of the shuttle being hauled out. At first it was innocent enough. Crates of exotic produce and spices. Crates of armament and ammunition. Electronic components that were overclocked and certainly unsafe for general use without a proper power supply.

Then the interesting stuff came. Cages. Some contained rare, exotic animals, some contained the unfortunately all-too-common Twi'lek dancers. And finally, there were the others. Regular people, caught, or born, in the wrong place and the wrong time. Some had never known nothing but a cage, others were very new and didn't adapt well. Some were healthy, some were near dead. Almost all were shackled.

Hesh had to take a hand to support himself on a crate of illegal arms. His head throbbed, assaulted by the mass of emotions of the slavers and slaves. Hate, rage, sadness, desolation. They pounded his head like a ruthless and unrelenting hammer. But there was one, one soul in particular that called out to him. A Noghri, hung upside down in an electrified cage. The Force seemed to connect the two of them. The humanoid held nearly the amount of rage and loathing that Hesh did, but it was unfocused, unguided, it simply...existed. This gave Hesh even more of a reason to intervene.

The Exile gathered himself, focusing in on the threats. The slavers, some of the enforcers, the bodyguards, the thrill-seekers with guns in the area, scattered like a blast of buckshot amongst the crowd.

As Hesh moved through the crowd, his wide frame parting the sea, his mind began to quiet. Yes, this was it. This was what he needed, what we wanted. Serenity. As the Exile began plotting his first move, he readily observed the beginnings of the slave auction, hyperfocused on the targets at hand. His hand began to slowly push aside his long gray cloak, resting on the main shaft of his saber.

 

[Cho Wroth]

Cho slowly turned in the cage. His hearing stopped ringing and his muscles came back even slower, but his mind was sharp and clear. As if alone he could hear a call so clear and sharp. He had to calm his center and ready for a chance to break. Clearing his mind he sniffed the air taking in what was around him. It seemed his captures had moved at a distance or left leaving those who didn't know him or how to handle him. With a widening drool filled grin Cho waited for some idiot to get to close to the cage.

A fat being started walking closer to his cage speaking in a tongue that he just recently known as twilek. The rancid smell that Cho got from the being often meant the being was very fat and slow. The cage's defense dropped for a short recharge. This was the time for Cho to set to work making a mess. Reaching out in the force Cho found the Twilek and yanked him into the cage. The twilek screamed out loud as he was pulled off his feet and into the waiting cage to fry like a piece of meat on a grill.

The smell of burning flesh was over powering and gave Cho a taste in his mouth that he would have to take hours to rid himself of. The slavers near-by stood in disbelief as the twilek was slowly burned alive. The amount of energy that it took to do this drained the cage of it's power. Cho was dropped on his head as the anti-gravity shut down the electronics of the cage were now smoking and was slagging out the side of the wiring box. With a heavy kick Cho hit the cage's side panel. The endless pain he had stored up was now being released upon the cage and any poor soul that got too close to the cage.

Unbalanced raw rage in the force started to warp and bend the sides of the cage. With a swipe of his foot he removed the blindfold. Light struck his darkened adjusted eyes. Blinking back the pain he kept opening his eyes till he was able to see. The slavers that had captured him was gone they had taken their money and left. So with the cage broken he refocus his attention on the now and put revenge off till later.

 

[Hesh Prospero]

Hesh felt it, a harsh spike in the Force. In his head, like a splitting migraine. Something had reached the breaking point, and that meant it was time to let loose. As the Exile reached under his cloak to remove his vibromace from its belt clip, the Force ceased its incessant prattling. It allowed Hesh to focus, to help create the Galaxy he wanted to shape for the future. Ths time for action was now.

The Exile burst forth from the crowd, mace drawn in a sideways left-to-right swing aimed at a singular mercenary who was aiding the shuttle landing and transport. The mace impacted with the armor on his chest, crumpling it inward, vibrations throwing him a foot away and down onto the ground, groaning and clutching what might have been a broken rib or two. With a primal shout, Hesh would continue onto the staging area, striking down unprepared mercenaries. They weren't used to slaving operations being assaulted, especially in broad daylight. And while blasters were being pointed at Hesh...they were hesitant to use them. Collateral damage could very well damage their business, especially since the crowd had yet to disperse. At that moment, the Force screamed to Hesh. Instinctually, Hesh jerked his body to the left, a blaster bolt zipping through the area he had previously occupied. Fortunately, the bolt would harmlessly strike the side of a building and dissipate. Reaching his hand toward the origin of the bolt, he clenched a fist, establishing a connection with the Force and grasping a man...lifting him up and pulling him at an explosive pace toward him. His chest was met by the macehead, armor crumpling and blunt wounds being created. He fell to the ground, stunned and rather injured.

With the slavers and smart mercs dispersing at the sudden threat to regroup, Hesh made his way into the holding area of the slaves, observing all the cages. Methodically, he unlatched each one and turned off their containment fields for sure. As he arrived at the last one, carrying a Noghri, he paused. This...this was the spike. This was the source of hatred. Hesh spoke in basic, "Come with me and I can show you how to live with your hate without throwing away your soul. Or, you can run free and see where the dice land. It's up to you." With those words, Hesh would hit the release on the cage and wait.

 

[Cho Wroth]

Cho started getting his legs under him when he felt a rush in the force. The screams of fear and anger lifted from the crowd around the area and the sounds of combat was getting closer. Though brief the smell of fear wafted in the air longer than the sounds and Cho could feel in the force a presence coming closer.

Other slaves ran past his cage and gave him a quick glance as they ran by not wanting to help do to the fear they got from him. He heard the foot falls as the presence in the force got closer to his cage.

A voice broke the silence,... "Come with me and I can show you how to live with your hate without throwing away your soul. Or, you can run free and see where the dice land. It's up to you."

With the mouth jaw lock he could not speak. All he could do was stand straighter and nod to the being speaking basic to him. When the cage doors were unlocked Cho shouldered his way out of the cage still with his arms bound to his mid-back.

Now out of the cage he opened his stance and moved his hips to get the numbness of the from his muscles. Though his arms ached to be free he did not gestured to be let freed from his bonds. he simply just nodded with a slight bow of thanks. Looking around he sniffed the air to see if he could find any hint of the slavers that had done this to him. Though he could smell the slavers's trail the other scents from this world. Snarling and biting down on the jaw lock he wanted to settle his anger but getting clear of area was getting great importance. Grinding the claws of his feet into permacete he looked back to the one who freed him and waited for the lead out of the area.

 

[Hesh Prospero]

"Can you speak basic?" Hesh would ask as he ignited his lightsaber, casually. It was a rather simple one, sleek and utilitarian. Very little embellishment, and all of its currents were routed cleanly and efficiently to the final product of a crisp, aqua blade. "Be still." Very carefully, Hesh would use the saber to gently slash the bindings of the Noghri, allowing him to move and speak freely.

With the deed done, Hesh deactivated the saber, though held onto his mace rather firmly. As he clipped it to his belt, he looked to the Noghri and gave a nod. "Well. Time to go. There's weapons lying around, I'm sure you'll find one that'll suit you. Though, if luck would allow it, we won't need to worry about being armed." Without another word, Hesh would gesture to follow out of the staging area and back into the market. Most of the people involved had fled or dispersed, not wanting to be caught up in any more carnage. Though Hesh was responsible, he didn't walk or flee like he was guilty. Rather, he simply quickened his pace and looked forward to an alleyway that would grant them peace and quiet to discuss the future.

"The slavers won't be back for some time. Contractors, no doubt. They don't get paid after this, so there's no reason for them to worry about returning, or bothering us." The alleyway was simple, narrow. It was a little grungy, but in no way different than the rest of the surrounding area of Nar Shaddaa.

Clipping the mace onto his belt, Hesh turned to the Noghri and spoke rather bluntly and monotonically. Hell, he had been fairly middle-pitched the entire time he spoke. "So, have you thought about the two paths laid in front of you? In one hand, you have the key to leave. You are free, and no doubt resourceful. Skilled. Ambitious. You could do well for yourself. However, in my hand, maybe soon to be yours, there lies another key. A key to the galaxy. A galaxy that you've helped create, and a galaxy that will have inhabitants that will never have to suffer like us. A galaxy that will show you the truth of your potential. So, which key would you like?"

 

[Topp Raneeta]

@Hesh Prospero @Cho Wroth

"Come on! I know that your brother on Corsucant would pay three times this amount! I'm in with the same people you are, Brokkfaren and you better believe they'll be hearing about this." Topp Raneeta haggled defiantly at the Cosian fence he was currently being ripped off by. The tip-off he'd gotten from the night before about the Rodian penthouse had ended up being a good one. Some merchant had stupidly blabbed while drunk in a cantina that he was leaving for a few days on an excursion to Hutta. One of Topp's buddies on the planet had dropped him a line about the easy score that an unoccupied merchant's mansion would bring. Of course, Topp's buddy had charged an arm and a leg for the info but it had been worth it - Topp had easily disabled the security measures placed on the penthouse's entrances and, after some heated fire, had blasted the autoturret system to smithereens. He'd netted himself some impressive small sculptures, a fine Lashaa silk tapestry, numerous pieces of jewelry lying around and a fully refurbished, limited-edition Merku-183 astromech droid chassis. It had been a great score and an easy job.

The hard part was selling the stuff.

No matter how hard he tried to haggle, the Cosian fence that the Hutts had hooked Topp up with whenever he was on Nar Shaddaa was notoriously stingy. It had taken him about half an hour to convince the guy that the sculptures he'd nabbed were actually pieces of arts and not "some grey blobs," as the Cosian had put it. Topp had been down this road before and, unfortunately, the Cosian was favored by the Cartel. That meant that he could pretty much buy these expensive items for however he wanted. And unless Topp wanted to go behind the Hutts' backs - a risky proposition - he was stuck with the deal being offered. Unfortunately, with the money from paying his informant, the cost of the shuttle back to Coruscant, his month's rent, and the Hutts' take on any of Topp's loot meant that he was barely breaking even on this whole excursion. He was all set to drink what few credits he had left at the cantina until he spotted a most intriguing development.

Slavers and their guards - one by one - were being cut down. Quick as a flash, the Cosian's bodyguards surrounded their patron and Topp drew his holdout blaster, fearing that some slaves had gotten loose and were looking to torch anyone who remotely looked as though they wanted to buy a slave. But, no. Only one of the slaves looked particularly ready to fight and he had only escaped with some help from some mustachioed Jedi. Topp had never spoken with a Jedi before but his presence made Topp catch a scent of what he could only imagine was a lucrative opportunity. He only needed to wait for the right moment...ah! There it was.

A Rodian mercenary, having taken cover from the initial attack behind a stack of crates, was hurriedly talking into his commlink and readying a wicked looking heavy repeater. Topp began approaching the Rodian, giving the guise that he was just another frightened customer, running every which way. He could have blasted the Rodian thug now but he wanted the Jedi to see him first. There! The Rodian popped his head above a crate and readied his large gun towards the Jedi before being smoked in the leg by a shot from Topp's blaster. Grunting in pain, the Rodian stayed down when Topp pistol-whipped the mercenary and kicked him for good measure. The Zabrak hopped over the crates to the Jedi and the Noghri slave.

"Hey fellas - pleasure to meet you. No need to thank me - name's Topp. Don't know what you guys did but, seeing how we all have killed some guys from this slaving outfit, we should probably find a way to law low for a bit. These guys roll deep and are probably on their way with some backup. Maybe even some law enforcement. I have a plan if you guys are interested in escaping and making some profit at the same time." Topp talked quickly and confidently, trying to convey his point before the angry-looking Noghri decided to claw his throat out. He might have projected an air of cool but Topp was sweating and nervous as he began speaking with these two.

 

[Cho Wroth]

With his arms free Cho stretched them and rotated his shoulders. Reaching up he removed the mouth bit that kept him from talking or even from being able to close his mouth to simply swallow. Flexing his jaw he spoke for the first time.

I will follow you, till your blade chips and breaks. Then I will decide what the Will of the force will have of me.

As Cho finished talking the air shifted in the alleyway dragging with it new scents a couple were very close and they were tainted with adrenaline. The taint made him whip is head around to start searching for the threats. Blaster bolt sounds confirmed what Cho had smelled.

Soon they were joined by a alien with horns circling his head. This alien's scent was one of the new smells that had that taint of fear and adrenaline. Cho back away from the new comer getting a few feet distance for a rush attack. Settling his hips and slowly flexing his muscles he readied to be jumped.

One or two stone maybe hidden or over looked but more invites them to be removed with haste.


@Hesh Prospero