Ask It's Pay to Play Rules

[Acklay]

The room was dimly lit, which made the sparks flying up into the air appear even brighter. Mars laid half-reclined in her chair, her left arm strapped to the left side of the chair while a particularly intimidating-looking surgeon droid cut into her arm. The droid, which she'd aptly nicknamed 'Ripper', was a droid under the ownership of the Crimson Dawn that she'd downloaded ripperdoc datafiles into in order to get a fun new toy installed into her arms. He'd already completed her right arm, and he was well underway with her left.

Knock, knock. "Come in!" Mars called from her chair, her voice carrying just far enough to reach the door and the ears of whoever was behind it.

The cybernetics she was getting installed, acklay blades, were designed after the same creature she'd adopted an alias after. It was a relatively new technology, but the cyborg was more than happy to get her hands on them regardless. She'd designed her own herself, remodeling them to fit her smaller arms and fit in with the design and shape of her metal arms. They would be incredibly useful, but she couldn't help but grin at the cool factor. She couldn't wait to show them off and test them out.

Mars looked away from the droid and her arm just as Terra walked in, to which she flashed the tiefling woman a smile and raised her free arm to give her a short wave. "Oh, hey! Don't mind the mess, just getting some new cybers installed."

tag: @Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra and Mars had both been busy of late, but she was glad for the opportunity to see her friend again. Despite her "legitimate" businesses these days, she often wore her blaster these days, and today was no different.

Her knuckles rapped against the door and stepped inside when she was invited, her hand almost dropping down to her blaster out of instinct. Seeing Mars half-strapped to a table under a droid's knife was... unnerving, but Mars seemed way too chipper not to be in control of the situatino.

Uh, so... everything's okay, then? she asked, eyes somewhat wide and looking around at all the cybernetics everywhere. She knew that Mars had had extensive work done, of course, but she had never actually seen it herself. The process looked... unpleasant.

She moved a tool box off of a nearby stool and settled onto it, tail flicking up to her hand where she started toying with the end of it idly while she sat.

Are those... giant blades? she asked, cocking her head to the side as she finally looked at the item that was being installed.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

Mars was visibly excited, and though she was far from stoic, she knew she often came across as such to anyone she wasn't friends with. "Yeah, sorry," she chuckled, then realized that the setup probably looked a little...worrisome. She jumped to explain. "It's a lot less barbaric than it looks. I don't have any nerves in my arms."

The woman adjusted herself as much as possible as Terra took a seat, straightening her back and scooting back a bit. "Essentially. They're called assassin blades, or acklay blades, as I like to call them." She paused to grin, lifting up the arm where the installation had already been completed. Other than thin seams in the carbon and metal forearm, there was nothing else to discern that her arm was any different. "When deployed- they pop out just like that!"

Mars deployed her right arm blade in the midst of speaking, and Terra would witness the blade spring from its hiding place, revealing a razor-sharp vibroblade. It was certainly showy, and Mars was grinning ear to ear.

"I might have to tweak them a bit to suit my needs, but anyways- what's been new with you?" Terra was right. It had been a minute since the two of them had spoken.

tag: @Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra watched curiously, though most of the technology might as well have been magic to her, she understood the concept. And more than that, she could see how it would be useful to have such tools embedded in her arms at all times: never weaponless.

I'm sure customs clearances just love you, she said teasingly even as she watched the blades spring from her friend's arm. She looked down at her own forearms as if imagining what that would be like. Mars had gone through a lot of alterations that Terra couldn't even begin to imagine. They were impressive, but sometimes Terra wondered if Mars would have chosen them or rejected them. So far as the crime lord understood, they hadn't been optional at the time, though many of the modifications after the fact had been "opt in" so to speak.

Remind me never to get on your bad side, she joked.

As Mars asked what was new with Terra, the tiefling sat back further, thinking and flicking her tail around at her feet.

Oh, you know, same old. Some spice here, some protection there, expanded mining operations, she said before settling on something that was worth noting.

I've been in talks with the Carrick of the ISC. He's interested in our help with some of his enterprises. Specifically a mercenary company he's been putting together, she said. Even if he did go private sector like he had hinted, he would be a powerful ally to have in their corner.

A helpful and charming ally for our cause... potentially, she said.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

"Yeah," she laughed. Most machines saw the metal and beeped away. That certainly wouldn't be any different. "I'll be getting up real close and personal with spaceport agents."

Mars grew silent as Terra spoke, her gaze jumping between her and the droid still working on her left arm. Mention of the ISC caught her attention though, and she immediately had to comment.

"ISC, huh?" Terra had been elected governor of Kessel, so it wasn't too much of a surprise. "Congrats on your election, by the way," she remarked with a smile before returning to the topic at hand. "Working with the ISC sounds lucrative, if not a bit tricky."

Though their war with the Five Syndicates had been mostly centered around the Hutts and other more obvious crime groups, it was no secret they had a testy history with them, even if their planets were crime-ridden. Still, even today, the ISC was still the most powerful government, especially during the fall of the NR. Getting their sticky fingers and grubby hands in now with officials and unofficials would server them in the long run.

"What use does the ISC- Carrick -have for a merc group? This an under the table sort of thing?"

tag; @Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra had mixed feelings about becoming a Governor in the ISC and then immediately having her world defect, but ultimately, it had been useful in its own way. She had maintained her governorship, and had begun creating inroads to establish smuggling routes in case she was ever ousted. Expanded mining operations meant the "expectations" for export had changed, and that meant more skimming off the top. All in all very lucrative.

Yeah, well once upon a time, Dawn had its fingers in every pie. Every level of every government. It would be nice to see that happen again, she said.

Originally he'd wanted to bring it to the public sector working for the ISC. I helped him see the benefits of having a group like that more independent. Call it his nest egg if things turn south for him in the public sector, she said with a smile. And if Crimson Dawn was able to get in on that all the better again.

I think he'll come around, she finally said. And having someone with his connections and influence was good for everyone.

How'd your auction go? she asked. Although it seemed they were mostly talking business, it was nice to just spend time with someone who she could talk candidly to. There were few in her life she felt comfortable just opening up to, and Mars was one of those few. It was refreshing.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

"I agree, wholeheartedly," Mars agreed. They had a bit, but they could have so much more. It almost tickled her to think about, or maybe that was just the laser cutting into her arm. "Smart," was her comment thereafter. She wasn't quite sure how so, as she wasn't involved in the relationship between the two, but the tiefling woman was always smart. It was one of the reasons Mars trusted her.

"It went alright. Not sure if I'd structure it the same way going forward, but the payout was nice." Mars received an Imperial transponder code and shuttle from the bidder in question, in addition to a nice handful of credits. It would prove invaluable if the Crimson Dawn could take advantage of it. "With access to imperial space, we should be able to run operations there with many less problems." There was always the dangling carrot of Sith artifacts. If the Dawn could get their hands on them, it would make customers out of the Sith.

"I've started working on a program," she mentioned. "Its like a dataplague of sorts, but meant to extract data from systems and then transfer it back to me." Once she finished it and bug tested it, she hoped to use it to their advantage. "If we're trying to get our fingers into places they shouldn't be... it might back the blackmailing bit a lot easier."

It was still just in its conceptual phase, but it excited her. Mars loved slicing; she loved what she did, and she loved watching her shit work.

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra listened with rapt attention as Mars talked about the new piece of equipment she'd been working on.

Interesting,

she said. Not up and running yet, though? she asked, already eager to see a demonstration. Maybe it was how much she had going on these days, but she found it difficult to sit still and just exist in a space without having something to do. Oh, who was she kidding, she'd always been like this. She had been a spacer for years just because of that issue.

You got sights on where you want to deploy it yet? she asked. Even if the answer was "no" Terra had perfect faith in her. Mars had always been one of those in Dawn she could count on and one of those she knew could really look after herself. It was refreshing to have someone with a brain on their shoulders who could go out and do things without being spoonfed.

What's the ETA on... she waved a hand to indicate an "all of this" motion ...this? I'm starving, she said with a snort.

There was something that Terra wanted to talk to Mars about anyway, and while this place would work, there were certainly other more relaxing places.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

"No, not yet," Mars answered with a shake of her head. "But, with security data I've collected over the past year or so, it should be sophisticated enough for varied use. Stick a thumbdrive in a senator's computer, maybe a couple emails later I'll be cashing in on their contacts too," she laughed. It'd take more work than that, of course, but dataplagues could be nasty. Mars certainly intended to make it so, and senators were notorious for being corrupt. She was dreaming of blackmail heaven, but she had a lot of work to do to get there.

"But for now, no. And..." Mars glanced over at the robot, down at her arm, then back at Terra. "...shouldn't be any more than ten."

And sure even, nine minutes and forty-three seconds later, the operation droid took a step back and set Mars free. She sat up, swinging her legs to one side, and admired her new tech. Damn, it was sexy. She wasn't looking forward to having to clean blood out of the cracks, though.

"I could go with a bite to eat," she chirped, looking at Terra with eyes that said "lead the way!".

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra scrolled along on her datapad for a few minutes while Mars finished up and then they were off to eating. In truth, though, her mind had spent that "scrolling time" thinking about applications for this new tool that Mars was talking about. A tool that had the potential to be of incredible value.

She stood to her feet and slipped her datapad back into her belt, letting her jacket fall back over the blaster on her ship. Despite being the administrator, she found it useful to carry her own protection and never really saw fit to leave home without a weapon of some sort. Perhaps it was old habits or maybe it was just that she was in a dangerous business.

They headed down the street of the rather seedy neighborhood that Mars had set up in and Terra scowled.

You know you can set up your shop in the North Pole, she said with a snicker, referencing the "nicer" area of Omega. Granted it probably wasn't quite as good for the "questionable ripper activity" that she was doing, but still... almost anything went on Omega.

In short order they arrived at a small restaurant serving spicy noodles and Terra slid into one of the stools.

Ah, what can I get for you ladies! the owner said, skipping over several customers in order to quickly serve the two women at the "bar." It was one of the perks of being who they were: lines didn't exist for them.

I'll have the Shu-Torun Extravaganza, she said, ordering one of the bowls with the maximum spice to it and named after the lava planet of the same name. She motioned for Mars to order as well and waited.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

"I could." There really wasn't any reason for her not to, other than the seedier parts of Omega kind of reminded her more of Level 2077 back on Coruscant. Plus, she trusted her stuff to be left alone down here anyways. No one was ballsy enough to fuck with her stuff, especially since the slicer had access to the local surveillance systems. Food wasn't the only perk of being who they were.

"Shoyu ramen, spicy," Mars ordered. Though she liked spicy, she definitely lacked the spice tolerance of a tiefling. She'd leave the Shu-Torun Extravaganza for fire buds to her left.

They received their food not long after, to which Mars thanked the owner, grabbed chopsticks and a spoon, then shuffled out of the way of everyone still in line. She broke her chopsticks, rubbed them together to get the splinters out of the way, and happily chowed down on the ramen. Terra said she'd been starving, and Mars apparently was too.

"It's been too long since I've had street noodles," she remarked in between bites. "Hard to find them this good in the sit-down places."

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra laughed at Mars' answer, knowing from it that the slicer had absolutely no interest in doing that. She couldn't fault her, she supposed. It was easy to stay with what you knew.

Terra joined her in scarfing down the food when it arrived and nodded heartily as Mars said it was hard to get something this good at a sit down place.

Because this isn't rich-people food, she said. It occurred to her that she was "rich people" now, though the fact still seemed a little odd to her even after all this time. She'd clawed to make a name and position for herself for a long time, and now she had it, but in a lot of ways she still felt like that street kid driving the getaway speeder.

So... I was actually wanting to talk to you about something. You've done great work on your own, and your the most reliable slicer I know. But have you ever thought about expanding? Starting your own crew? Bringing people in to work for you? she asked. Mars had been the backbone of the Omega Holdings from the beginning. Terra had no doubt she couldn't have done what they'd accomplished without her friend, but Terra still saw even more potential in the other woman. Granted, she had no idea whether or not Mars would be interested. Hence the conversation.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

Oh, now that was a topic. Mars certainly wasn't expecting anything like that to come up, and Terra would see it caught her off guard. Not in a bad way, of course, just a ... she'd never even really thought about it.

"I'm- well, I haven't really thought about it that much." She wasn't sure how she felt about having people working for her. She'd dealt with enough of her fair share of dumbasses to put her off from the idea. That being said, if she could find people who were competent enough...

"I'm not against the idea," she mused, a thoughtful look crossing her features. "But I'm not really... the leader type, and slicer collectives..." Mars laughed. "Well, I'm not sure what your experience has been with them, but they tend to either be difficult or anti-social." She'd been proven wrong before, but the overwhelming majority of slicers she'd met and worked with were a pain in her ass. Egotistical, oftentimes.

"Is there a reason you've brought this up?" she asked, glancing over at Terra. With so many big projects at the tip of her tongue, she wasn't sure if recruiting her own little crew was a good idea.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra had had some dealings with slicer collectives in passing, and she could certainly imagine that they were able to be difficult. If Mars didn't want any part in it, then Terra would understand, but she also knew that Mars had another interest that wasn't just slicing.

You've been doing a lot for Dawn, and I think you deserve recognition for it, she explained. You did the organizing for the auction, and are already doing a lot of the work managing your own jobs. I was just wondering if you'd be interested in having people who officially report to you, she said.

And it doesn't have to be limited to slicing. I know you enjoy artifact collection, so could even be in that, she said, giving a shrug. She wasn't going to force anything on the other woman, but the offer was probably overdue at this point.

Just think on it.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

Mars remained quiet while Terra continued. Truthfully, she was very flattered that Terra thought she was up for this. But she couldn't help but keep thinking about her old gang, way back when she was just a kid. She'd led every mission between her, Sam, and Tess, and when a mission turned into an ambush, she'd failed to get them out alive. It'd made her doubt her place in leadership ever since, but maybe...

"I will," Mars replied. "...think on it," she clarified. Terra's faith in her gave her a pretty large boost to her confidence. And, if she was being objective about it, taking on leadership in some form would make it worlds easier for her to get shit down. Less hoops to jump through and doors to knock on, so to speak.

"I received imperial assets in addition to credits, after that auction," she stated, circling back to the mention of it. "They could prove invaluable into getting out fingers into the Imperial pie, if that's a route you want to explore." Though the schism between the Imperials and the Sith had severely weakened both, there was still money to be made in the Imperial empire. And all the planets that had left after, well, they couldn't switch infrastructure overnight.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra nodded, deciding not to push it any further. Mars' consideration was all she was looking for and whatever her friend picked, Terra would support her. She considered a moment plucking at the hesitation that Mars clearly had within herself, but shelved it for a later discussion.

Good, getting inroads into Imperial space will be useful, she said. Of course, it was impossible to completely lock down a sector of space form unidentified smugglers, but having access would make things easier going forward.

We can use that access to start setting up other routes for ourselves to get in: build alliances, bribe officials, the works, she said. It was impossible to keep an organization like theirs out.

And we can get more influence on former-Imperial worlds. More and more of them leave every day, and that means their ripe for the taking, she said. Less law enforcement was always a good thing. Not that borders meant anything to Crimson Dawn.

@lizziie

 

[Acklay]

"I'm sure there's almost a guarantee of corruption in the ranks," Mars nodded, continuing on the topic. "Between torn loyalties and officials vying to get ahead in the new empire while their leader is still new - isn't he like, twenty-something?"

Mars turned to lean up against a wall. "We'll need more than just you and me if we're going to do it on a full scale," she commented, a frown ghosting her lips. It was difficult to keep criminals active and in the game. All too often they either fell through one way or another, disappearing into obscurity amongst all the millions of other criminals..

@Phoenix