Friends in High Places

[Percy Fleck]

1930 HOURS | ALTEA RESTAURANT | MONUMENT PLAZA | MANARAI MOUNTAINS | CORUSCANT |​

The Manarai Mountains were a special place. Two twin peaks that rose high above into the Coruscant sky, they were the only place on the capital world that had managed to defy endless urban expansion. Too tall and too steep to be swallowed into the conurbation below, they had become something of an elite retreat, a haven for those who felt the need to breathe without the time and effort of travelling off world. The few restaurants and outlets that clung to their slopes did not so much huddle together for warmth as bask in their privilege.

Percy had chosen a particularly delightful restaurant on the south west slope for their meeting. A private booth with a breathtaking view of the sunset would ensure they could discuss his plans in both comfort and relative secrecy.

The choice of Manarai itself was also no accident. Though the ambitious Acolyte had made it known he was in need of capable associates for a special task, he wanted only those who were truly committed to seeing it through. The mountains were not the most accessible of places - any looking to join him would have to invest the time and travel to hear what he had to say. The first test of their suitability.

"A drink sir?" asked a waiter, a pretty little thing with her long hair scraped back into a formal bun.

"Absolutely" Percy replied, toying with his datapad. "A bottle of emerald wine please". Emerald was his favourite in a more sophisticated setting. He slid the empty crystal glass back and forth on the tablecloth. This luxury would be but a taste of what awaited if he succeeded.

He lent back in his chair, adjusting the bow tie of his dinner suit and he waited to see if wine or company arrived first.

@Insalius @Korvo

 

[Uhtred Wardruna]

Everyone had heard the stories. Even those that didn't care. The jewel of the Core Worlds, Coruscant herself, the Queen of the Core that fell to Sith aggression of militarized and politicized venues. For five hundred years, even longer ago than the start of the Deucalian Civil War, the capital of the Old Republic has since become the seat of power for Imperial Republica. It'd always seemed like the name, not to mention the concept, was something of a paradoxical misnomer, but it was all the moot point by now. What did_matter, was that this world was now under the control of the greater Sith dominion across the galaxy.

There was a time Deucalians used to spit at the name of the Sith, curse it and all that it stood for. In fact, some still do. But history had a cosmically-amusing way of turning things upside down; now there were probably more Deucalians living inside either Imperial Republica or the Old Empire than outside of it. And finally, here he was, on a world his ancestors would have only thought he'd set foot upon for the purpose of plundering it with a million raiders. Again... the cosmic joke of the galaxy. Or maybe the Force. After all, this was a meeting with a Sith.

Uhtred easily stood out from the others in the, although not for want of it. Although wearing attire of pure varlwulf furs, klakistag leather and ornamental metals from his clan, the style of it was of such stark contrast to the elegant refinement of the Altea Resturant, and really Monument Plaza as a whole, he may as well have been a 'classy barbarian'. As he walked up a flight of stairs and to the next level, a waiter passed him by, carrying a tray of what looked like some kind of deep-reddish drink. At a glance, it looked like it was perhaps Rancor's Blood, and the Deucalian swiftly snatched the glass away and threw his head back. As he gulped down the shot, Uhtred's face contorted.

It wasn't Rancor's Blood.

Shivering slightly at the disgusting taste, Uhtred glanced around quickly, tossing the glass into a potted plant and continued on, eyeing the people in the restaurant. All were seemingly without a care, soft looking. He'd grown up around Sith territories, back on Mandalore. He'd even been to some Sith worlds, but this...

Og þetta fólk er í raun keppinautarnir í Gamla Heimsveldinu?, he mused to himself.

Finally, Uhtred arrived at the meeting place within the restaurant, and a partially-reclining Percy Fleck, adjusting his attire.

"You Sith are at war, are you not?, Uhtred said as he approached, sarcastically raising an eyebrow to Percy's suit and bow-tie. "Do you all always wear such dainty clothes for it?"

@Insalius @Alhon

 

[Rowan Harlow]

There was never a place that was impossible, or even difficult, to get to if one was resourceful enough. In his case, all Rowan had to do was slip the admission to the place from a drunken fool who was too loose with his money and lips. The man would sleep for a few days with the little concoction the Harlow had given him, enough time to change the necessary details of the invitation to fit him perfectly. He wondered what this little test was really supposed to show, striding into the room with Percy and the...Deucalian? Now that was a surprise, though Rowan didn't let it register on his face. Still, he was conscious of where all his other weapons were, in case they were needed at a moment's notice. To the other two, the Harlow seemed defenseless. That would be their mistake, if they attacked.

Noticing the larger man's disparaging words as to their attire, Rowan had to stifle a snicker. At the end of the day, all that heavy armor and heavier weaponry did was make one an even larger target. Sure, heavier weaponry would do more brute damage, and heavier armor could take a blaster bolt or two more to get through, but the costs to agility and the sheer momentum of moving such weapons and armor created holes in a defense or attack that a strategist could manipulate to deadly effect. That wasn't something he was going to just give up readily as advice, however. He took a drink, moving to join the two as invited. "Not all battlefield require weapons and armor. There have been battles waged for the fate of entire systems without a single blow being delivered, so all that fearsome weaponry and armor would have availed you naught. Still, if the war of words fails, the contest of strength is one I am not unfamiliar with. War has been in my family's blood for generations, and I've yet to be bested. Still, this isn't the place for useless bravado. Rowan Harlow, at your service. Nice to see you, Percy." He bowed to them both, not to mock but in greeting. Now to find out why there were here.

@Korvo @Alhon

 

[Percy Fleck]

Company arrived first, and unusual company at that.

The man was a Deucalian by the look of him. Percy wasn’t familiar with many species and groups outside the Core Worlds, but the Deucalians were one of the few he had heard of. Some said they were warriors of considerable skill; Percy was more inclined to think them little more than marauding pirates. He couldn’t deny they had a certain vigour about them though, worth having on the team if they could follow orders.

“Indeed” he replied, agreeing completely with Rowan’s sentiments. His fellow Acolyte had turned up immediately after the Deucalian and was quick to jump to his aid.

“We all fight our wars in different ways” he smiled, letting go of his bow tie and clicking his fingers. The tie vanished in a flash of green light, reappearing moments later. He couldn’t resist teasing the fur-dressed warrior so. “I see you're expecting we’ll be fighting in a blizzard?” He didn’t wait for an answer.

“Sit down gentleman” he beckoned, standing and formally greeting them both in turn. The waitress returned with his bottle of wine and he looked to his companions. “Will either of you share a glass, or something else perhaps?” The Deucalian in particular didn’t look the wine type. “What can they get you Mr....”

@Insalius @Korvo

 

[Uhtred Wardruna]

Uhtred grinned in silence, but rolled his eyes as yet another Imperial arrived—this one dressed even more_lavishly than the first—dismissed his comment. "It is always_time for bravado, félagi", he humorously remarked.

Uhtred might have been as sarcastic as he always was, but it was clearer now, more than before, of a culture clash. Harlow's bowing, normally a sign of subservience directed toward a higher individual, was evident of this all on its own, but there was more. Among Deucalians, or even Mandalorians, most would have thought nothing of what Uhtred said. Here, it seemed more like they took him at his literal word, perhaps even seeing him as ignorance. It didn't really matter in the end, he wouldn't have expected them to understand him, for the same was likewise true for him as well. And often, lowered expectations could be used to serve his advantage down the line.

And then came Fleck's response, which invoked a legitimate laugh from the Deucalian. Of course, what he wore was as close to formal-ware that Deucalians had, but it was a breathe of fresh air to find Sith that were not as dour as those in the Old Empire. Taking a seat, Uhtred shifted somewhat uncomfortably in his chair. It wasn't hard or designed oddly. If anything, it was just the opposite; plush, almost foam-like, as if meant more for relaxation than for the purpose of keeping one sitting upright.

Er þessi staður að reyna að setja fastagestum sínum að sofa?, he mused, imperceptibly shaking his head as he adjusted his body to be as upright as possible. So strange that such a forceful power in the galaxy loved such soft things.

"Uhtred", the Deucalian said simply, thinking nothing of actually introducing himself. A brief moment passed where Uhtred realized he'd essentially given an incomplete answer. Sighing, he continued, "...of, uh... Clan Wardruna", he'd worked out. Given the circumstances, it stood as a prudent course to preferably not_mention his Mando'a name. After all, he'd more or less left that path of life behind, but with the political and wartime landscape being what it was... perhaps things would be better off if he'd choose to reveal that bit at a later time, if necessary at all.

"And no offense to my host, but I've had a drink from the Core Worlds just a moment ago. It lack the... bite_I've come to expect."

Styrkur was Uhtred's favored beverage out of a great many, but most of the strongest and purest spirits were funneled through Hutt Space and the Outer Rim. In the Core Worlds, everything was too watered down for his tastes. Too... tame. And he obviously wasn't about to check to see if they served Ne'tra gal or any other Mandalorian drinks.

A moment later, Uhtred sharply snapped his fingers in an 'aha'-moment. "Unless they serve Corvani rum here", Uhtred concluded, grinning in anticipation. Drink or no drink, thus far he had an amiable enough first impression.

@Insalius @Alhon

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan's curiosity was beginning to grow as to what both of these men could have as business together, and how it could include himself in it. He gestured towards a glass for a share of what Percy was drinking, sitting with his cane on his lap as the seat was offered. He stayed silent as the Deucalian talked about his drink preference, the name of the spirits something that he didn't know of off the top of his head. Something to file away for later, in case the subject ever came up. He gestured for Percy to continue, ready to learn why he'd been tested to come out here like this. He still didn't let down his guard, though ready to respond at a moment if danger reared it's head.

@Korvo @Alhon

 

[Percy Fleck]

Percy soon sorted out the rum; you could find just about anything on the capital world if you knew how to ask. He doled out the drinks, making sure both Uthred and Rowan were sitting comfortably.

“Thank you for answering the call” he began once the waiting staff had withdrawn “I wasn’t sure how many would. The three of us will make a good team, for certain”. He wasn’t completely comfortable being on any team with the rugged Deucalian, but it didn’t do to speak honestly most of the time.

“The task before us is delicate, but crucial”. He pulled a small holo projector from an inside pocket, setting it down on the fine tablecloth. An image shimmered to life; a dark-haired woman, all strange robes and tribal hair beads, boarding an aging transport.

“Tashira” he said, nodding to the projection “that’s her name as far as we understand it. She’s a pilgrim, a member of the secretive Fallanassi Force-tribe. Like the rest of them she’s spent most her life on their temple world of Lucazec, deep in Old Empire territory. But, as you can see, Tashira is making something of a pilgrimage. She’s coming right here; to the Core”.

“I want this woman” he said simply, regarding each of his companions in turn. “She knows things I wish to know, things that will benefit the Republica and all of us who do its bidding”. He left out the specifics of course; the true nature of what he sought from Tashira was perhaps one of Percy’s most closely guarded secrets.

“In three days, she arrives on Galand. We will spring a trap for her there, and steal her away to a site of my choosing that will suit our purposes. She and I will...talk...and you two gentlemen were be richly rewarded”.

"Our task is chiefly one of kidnap, my friends" he took a long sip of his wine. "If it doesn't take your fancy, now is the time to say".

@Korvo @Insalius

 

[Uhtred Wardruna]

Uhtred smiled, but said nothing. He'd heard requests from employers before, where he was tasked with retrieving a woman, although it was usually for more... base purposes. It was an interesting twist, this time around, although Uhtred would have been lying if he said he was fully comfortable with it.

Deucalians had always had a complicated reception of the Force. Across the board, most distrusted it for how heavily it could be abused. They still did, for the most part. However, much of this prejudice had become tempered from the Deucalian becoming members of the galactic community. In the case of the ubiquitous Sith, it was practically a normalized thing. But with the coven of witches from Force-practicing orders that were largely an unknown? Those still... unnerved him. Even if he would never admit the difference between unease and anticipation.

"Attacking a pilgrim, is it?", Uhtred said, wiping the edge of his lips from the rum that had dribbled at the corner of his mouth. "Once, that was practically my people's pastime."

Uhtred's eyes narrowed slightly at Percy, as if coming to a deduction, or perhaps threading together a supposition from the available facts that were being presented to him.

"You know this much already. I imagine you want her unspoiled. Unharmed. But no matter where they're from, pilgrims almost never travel alone. Or unprotected. A few people? You can attack them directly and take what you want. Many? Perhaps you will need more cunning and secrecy than force and brutality", Uhtred said, verbally musing the parameters of what Percy was proposing. "You'll have my aid in this, but I ask, do you know what we'll be facing?"

@Insalius @Alhon

 

[Rowan Harlow]

As Percy started to detail the purpose of their meeting, and what he wanted of the two of them, Rowan found himself getting very interested. Not just for potential secrets of the Dark Side, but also to get one up on those traitorous bastards in the Old Empire. It seemed like his new friend had planned this out fairly well. The Deucalian's question was an important one, of course, and he was sure that Percy would already have that information ready to share. Or, at the very least know how to attain it. Sometimes one had to get information on the fly. No, what interested Rowan was something a bit more than that.

"You can keep your money, Percy. I've enough and the means to get more that this wouldn't be worth much. No, I'll help you, but I'll want to learn what you learn from this poor pilgrim." With a faint smile he sat forward, taking a drink in an extravagant fashion as he did so. He did this to show Percy the lightsaber hidden in his sleeve, showing his potential employer that he would be interested in the secrets they would learn as well. He would thus do the job for not monetary reward, as the knowledge they could gain would be worth far more. Besides, that money could go to their Deucalian friend instead. It would all work out the better, if he agreed.

@Alhon @Korvo

 

[Percy Fleck]

Percy sat back, hearing both of his accomplices out. The rugged Uhtred was eager enough, as was to be expected. Only now did the young Sith see the similarity between his plan and the Deucalians’ reaving roots. The man was no fool either, asking the right questions about their target even if it was doubtful he’d understand the answer.

“We will be well prepared” Percy assured him. “She must be taken alive, but you’re quite right of course; she will not be taken easily. Tashira has powers akin to our own” he inclined his head towards Rowan “but not fully understood. Given half the chance, I don’t doubt she will be prepared to kill in self-defence”.

He took another sip of the emerald wine, pondering over the warrior’s other query. “As for company, her pilgrimage is a personal undertaking, but she may well have attendants or guides in tow. The wider galaxy is largely unknown to her; her ignorance is a weakness we must exploit”.

He turned to Rowan, whose offer without monetary reward was generous. But the other Sith couldn’t know how high a price he asked instead. The power Percy sought to learn from Tashira was a rare one indeed, one he had coveted for many many years. He was not about to share such secrets, even with his red-haired Sith brother.

"The Fallanassi are known for their powers of illusion” he said quietly, cautious about revealing too much. “I have certain particular interests in such powers, one in particular that she will only yield once”. He let the last word hang for a moment. “But there are many facets to illusionary powers, my friend. When I am done with her, I am sure she may yield others to you direct. Concealment for example; another skill her people are famed for, but one of little use to me...”

Percy trailed off, wary of saying too much about what Tashira was capable of there, this early on. There would be time for more talk of their prey. First, they had to seize the site that would become her prison, and perhaps Percy’s lair. His information on the place was already a week old.

“I sense you're with my gentlemen, am I right”? he smiled at each of them, raising his glass “a toast. To our success?!”

@Korvo @Insalius

 

[Uhtred Wardruna]

And there it was. Between the ivory and glass towers, a place that seemed to have it all and a job that seemed too good to be true, there always had to be a catch.

"Auðvitað gerir hún það", Uhtred said quietly, glancing away but not letting his facial expressions drop into one of annoyance as Percy mentioned Tashira was a Force user.

In truth, he didn't so much mind being around Sith. After all, they've been everywhere since before he was born, and they weren't stigmatized to the Deucalian Clans like the Jedi were. And if Uhtred were to be compared to others of his kin, he'd be seen as an overtly progressive specimen, as far as they go. But even through all that, there was just something about dealing with the Force that made him perpetually uneasy. Particularly when it was someone of a Force Order that was a relative unknown. Bizarre and unnatural things happened with the Force, and Uhtred had heard enough tales to know he'd prefer avoiding the issue more often than not.

Ironically, the more Percy spoke of what to expect, the more at ease Uhtred actually became.

"The Fallanassi are illusionists?", Uhtred remarked aloud, not truly directed at Percy as it was a verbal acknowledgement. Deucalian Seers specialized in receiving precognitive visions, but a rebellious offshoot of them from times past, called the Cult of Urik, were said to have been experts at clouding the minds of others, forcing them to see things that weren't real in order to sew discord and chaos. "How interesting..."

Uhtred was a hunter, and it never served a hunter well to underestimate their prey, but the likeness Uhtred saw between the Fallanassi and the rogue group of Seers from his people's past made Tashira seem less... unknowable. Less arcane and mysterious.

"Sigur eða Úlfarhöll", he said, raising his own glass. Uhtred doubted either of the men present knew Deucalic, or if they did, would understand what the expression meant, but they didn't have to. Given the circumstances of the occasion, they would have deduced it was but an expression of good luck. And good luck... Uhtred was onboard with the job, but if was going to come through this, perhaps he would-need a bit of luck on his side.

@Insalius @Alhon

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Rowan knew exactly what Percy was wanting to find from the woman, secrets of the Dark variety. He could have what he wanted, Rowan would take what other knowledge there would be to find. "That is fair, I accept. We'll find the woman, handle whatever escort she has, then see if she's feeling up for a chat. If not, well, part of the knowledge my family imparted included interrogation techniques. I'm sure a few of those would be effective in this case. Fingers crossed she wants to play ball right from the outset, though." Finishing his drink, he gestured for Percy to begin as needed. He'd follow this man and perhaps even find his own use for him. He would just have to be careful around this Sith, as the powers he mentioned were of the subtle nature to be learned. If that were the case, that was what Percy specialized in. He'd have to be careful not to fall under the young man's potential siren song.

/Endthread