Ask Kismet

[Crix Dolan]

The Smuggler’s Station
S-9, Empty Space

“Here’s the rest,” grumbled Darneesh as he slid a pouch of unmarked credits across the table. Crow plucked up the bag and counted. Darneesh kissed his teeth and tossed a handful of gleaming chits across the table.

“It’s rude to count your money,” hissed the Rodian in that ridiculous twittering language of theirs. Crow’s helmeted head twitched curiously to the side, as he pretended not to understand what his client was thinking. And since he didn’t know the Rodian found it rude, Crow double-checked the sum and lifted the newly contributed chits up to the dim light to make sure they were real.

Darneesh scowled, crossed his arms, and chittered obscenities, at the indignation, but Crow’s feigned ignorance was a blissful escape from having to deal with the Rodain’s weedling. It was taking every shred of patience in Crow’s body to keep from throttling the self-important little shi—

“You know what, I like you Crow,” said Darneesh in Huttese. Crow glanced up at the odd statement as he returned the credits to the pouch.

“Uh, thanks,” he replied with a shrug. Darneesh stuck a hand out to shake and Crow obliged. As soon as their hands touched the Rodain moved for his gun, but Crow was ready.

BEOW!

Crow sat in his speeder. The image of Darneesh’s dead face stood prominent in his mind. He wished he felt bad. He missed mourning the dead, but it was tough to feel bad for someone you envied. Crow took off his helmet and looked into his own eyes in his rearview mirror and started the engine.

Omega Station was a quiet little haven for the miscreants of the galaxy. Recently, Crimson Dawn had taken an interest in the station and word in the Syndicate was they were starting to organize. Not that it mattered. Crix Dolan was dead. The Syndicate Enforcer who never pledged to a house was killed on Zeltros by Black Sun. Crow was all that was left.

Crow reached into his pocket, pulled out a ratty pack of cigarettes, and lit one up. He rolled down his window as he smoked. The taste of tabac in his mouth made him crave a cognac. Normally, he would’ve stowed the compulsion, but a club just ahead on the left caught his eye.

Afterlife wasn’t a place Crow would be caught dead in. He stuck out like a sore thumb as he awkwardly scuttled through the undulating dancefloor. Finally, he made it through the crowd and plopped down onto a bar stool like a man stranded in the ocean that’s just come across a buoy.

“What can I get you?” said a voice sweet as honey.
“Cognac, Dantooine if you have it,” he replied.
“Sure, neat or on a comet?”
“Comet, please.”
“You got it, sugar,” said the twi’lekki bartender as she sauntered off.

And just like that, he’d found his happy place. His little section of the galaxy might have only been the size of his seat at the bar, but every time he landed there he felt at home.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

While Afterlife was still technically the property of her business partner, Terra spent as much or more time here than Astria. It was just as well that her name wasn't actually on the property anyway. Crimson Dawn was an organization that believed in working in the shadows, and that fit Terra just fine for the most part.

She arrived in the club that evening and received a reporting on the day's takes across the station and their off-world businesses as well. There was still a great deal to be done in meetings and day-to-day management, but she always liked to keep an eye on what was going on here at home.

She'd walked through until she reached the bar, ordering a drink for herself and looking over at the man at one of the barstools. He wasn't a regular or anyone she recognized, but there was something about him that was... familiar. Something about him that felt like it was from a lifetime ago. Like someone she used to know.

She grabbed her drink from Stesha, the Twi'lek bartender and slid into a chair next to the man.

I'm sorry to bother you, but... do I know you? she asked. If he was from the station, she knew he would know who she was, but if he was an off-worlder... odds were lower. Either way, she couldn't shake the feeling there was something very familiar.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

The bartender dropped off Crow’s drink and the old bird smiled like he was meeting an old friend. The sharp smell of whiskey adorned by a hint of citrus wafted from the glass. It had been months since his last drink. Not for a lack of desire, but because of his ever-growing paranoia. Trauma isn’t replaced by new trauma. In Crow’s experience, a person’s psyche is like a well-built wall and trauma is a hammer held by a pissed-off Wookie that’s trying to get to the other side. As Crow took a sip he wondered how many more blows his wall could take.

The Cognac was smooth, but not sweet. The citrus notes balanced the whisky’s burn and played together harmoniously. The finish left him with an appraising frown on his face and an eager notion to take another sip. Instead, he restrained himself. He told himself it was better to savor this kind of drink. More respectable. He downed the glass.

Without him asking the Bartender sat another drink down. She was good. He thanked her, she winked, he felt suddenly hot and awkward, she turned and walked away, and he watched her go. He took a sip of the new dink and decided to give the rest of the establishment some of his attention. As Crow turned he was met face-to-face by a female Tiefling.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but… do I know you?” she asked.

Crow frowned, as he considered the slew of implications that her question posed as he took a large mouthful of Cognac. His paranoia told him to spew the drink in her face, even if she did have a pretty one, and haul ass for the door. It wouldn’t be the first time a femme fatal had been sent after him, and honestly, he hoped it wouldn’t be the last. Just before he was committed to spitting in this woman's face he realized they did know each other.

Crow struggled to swallow the mouthful of Cognac, and just bearly managed to splutter, “Terra?”

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra was still trying to place him, and as soon as he said her name, it clicked into place.

As she looked at him closer he looked... much different than when she'd last seen him. It wasn't the years, it was the mileage. He looked like he had been through the ringer, and his eyes had a look of near-desperation that she recognized too well.

Crix!? she said, face lightning up. He would always be the man that she had accidentally shot years ago.

Man, it's been a long time. What brings you out to my neck of the woods? she asked. Come on, come back to my office, it's quieter and the drinks are on me, she said, rising to head back to her office with an overlook of the rest of the club.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

“Crix!” Crow couldn’t help but wince as she said his name out loud. How long had it been since he’d actually heard his own name?

His paranoia couldn’t handle it so he corrected her, “I haven't been called that in a while," he said with a sad smile, "It’s Crow now.”

He couldn’t believe he was sitting in front of someone who didn’t want to kill him. He was actually sitting at a bar with a familiar face. Granted she’d nearly killed him when they first met, but he was pretty sure that had been accidental. Well, mostly sure. Why else would she have fixed him afterward?

“Man, it’s been a long time. What brings you to my neck of the woods?” she asked as she stood.
“Oh, just wrapping up a job, ya know the usual,” he replied.
“Come to my office, it’s quieter back there, and the drinks are on me.”
“Uh, sure, after you,” he said as the twi’lek bartender started to pour another glass. He thanked the bartender, asked for the bottle, thanked her again, and followed Terra.

Terra’s office starkly contrasted to the neon light show of the club on the other side of the windowed wall. The sudden absence of repetitive booming base made Crow curiously self-conscious. How long had it been since he'd participated in small talk? His anxiety encouraged another drink and he obliged. Following Terra's lead, Crow sat across from her while taking in the space. He found that he really enjoyed what she'd done with the place. The only thing he'd change was the see-through wall. It made him feel like an animal on display at the zoo. Aside from that the room was orderly and pragmatic, and if he remembered correctly, that was something present even back in the day on her ship.

“Long way from running your business out of your light freighter, huh?” he teased with an easy smile he'd forgotten he had. From the looks of it, Terra’s career had gone in the exact opposite direction of Crow’s and honestly, he was happy for her.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

She hadn't expected to hear him mention that he went by Crow now, but she had no idea what he'd been doing in the couple of years. Maybe he'd brought down enough heat to warrant a name change or maybe Crix had never been his real name at all.

It's on me, she said to the bartender as Crix - or Crow - got another drink. The Twi'lek nodded and smiled. Sure thing, Terra, she said, waving slightly in a flirty way to Crow as they parted for Terra's office.

Man, if only you knew, she said with a chuckle as he mentioned how far she'd come. Terra Nova Shipping and Charters got off the ground, though a lot of my other business is quite different now, she said. It was primarily a front for smuggling operations, though they still did other, legal jobs as well.

So Crow now? she asked, quirked eyebrow. Her tail flicked slightly to the side with curiosity. She knew enough about their line of business not to pry too much, but just lightly knocking on the proverbial door wasn't the worst thing.

She took another sip of her drink as she waited to see if he would bite.

 

[Crix Dolan]

“Man, if only you knew,” Crow’s smile widened. He remembered the early days of Hardlight. Barlo, quite literally, nearly bit his head off every day. Thinking back now, he had no idea that those were the good old days. Hindsight was a bitch sometimes. “I might surprise you.”

'Terra Nova Shipping and Charters got off the ground,” The old smuggler lifted his cup in cheers as she continued, “Though a lot of my other business is quite different now,”
His eyebrow cocked, taking the bait. “I’ll infer your illicit activities from when we met have been fortuitous. I guess the contract with—” he snapped his fingers trying to remember, his eyes lit up as he remembered “—ISCRA went well?”

“So, Crow now?”

Crow sighed, “You’re really looking for a reason to drink tonight, huh?”

He chuckled bitterly as he drained his glass, and refilled it. “I’ll tell you why I’m called Crow, but first, you tell me who got their claws in you.”

The Syndicates were malicious parasites. They were actively at their own throats and being with one was like taking a loan you’d never be able to pay off. Even when he was working for them he managed to remain neutral, but that could have been his undoing. There was a very good chance her answer could ruin their fun, but if she was going to pull a gun on him, it’d be right here where he’d drawn the line.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra chuckled when he mentioned her contract with ISCRA. Pff, I forgot that was even the contract I was taking when we met. It seems like a lifetime ago, she said.

She slid into a seat and raised her eyebrows, moving her head to the side in a way to say "of course I want to drink tonight" in response to his question.

She couldn't help but notice how... shifty he seemed. Far more so than when she'd last met him, and his question about who had their claws in her was an... odd one. Everyone who came to this station knew who was in charge of it. Who was behind the companies that policed the sectors.

And most people knew who ran the day to day operations of Omega Station. You put the two together, and it was pretty obvious who Terra worked for without her having to say it out loud.

Come now, you've been around too long not to know who runs Omega Station, she said. Assuming he knew this was Crimson Dawn territory, he would have his answer.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

“Crimson Dawn, huh?” he frowned appraisingly, “You could've done worse.”

Crow relaxed. He was still on edge from the deal that had gone south and the Cognac was starting to hit him. “So, you an Enforcer, now?”

“Oh yeah, Black Sun tried to kill me, but they messed up and killed the wrong dude,” he shrugged as if he was talking routine starship maintenance, “So, Crix is dead and Crow is what’s left.”

The story was way worse than that, but it was impolite to drop that much trauma on a casual acquaintance. He’d have to save that for their third meeting. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a ratty pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He held them up and asked, "You mind?”

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

She gave a slight bow of her head when he mentioned Crimson Dawn and further when he said that she could have done worse.

Let's just say that things are not going so poorly for me anymore, she said. And that was a massive understatement. She had wealth, power, even a hint of excitement in her life. She had clawed her way out of destitution, and she didn't regret any of it.

That's... unpleasant, she said. She was quite curious as to why Black Sun had turned on him, but she assumed there had to be a reason, right? That may have been a pretty big assumption, actually. She'd heard of some of these organizations turning on people for the smallest slight. Even Crimson Dawn wasn't beyond such things, and it was why she was always careful.

Not at all, she said, deciding she could do with one of her own and pulling out one before lighting it and taking a puff.

I oversee several business and the daily operations of the station, she said. Not quite the Enforcer work, though sometimes she thought that seemed exciting. She still got out there and got her hands dirty from time to time, but she was more of the brain than the hand most of the time.

And what brought you out to my station? Looking for work? she asked curiously. Or he may have just been drifting through... either was quite possible.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow dipped his head in thanks as he lit up his addiction. Nowadays he only smoked when he drank, there was just something about the taste of tobacco and the burn of whiskey that felt so right together. Of course, that was a damn lie. He smoked every chance he got, his frayed nerves demanded it. He blew out a plume of smoke as she elaborated on her responsibilities within Crimson Dawn.

Crow felt his eyebrow cock, “Wait, Ringleader?”

It was clear she’d come a long way from the girl who’d never been in a shoot-out before. The role suited her now that he thought about it.

The Old Smuggler took a sip of Cognac as she asked, “And what brought you to my station? Looking for work?”

Crow nearly spit his drink across the room onto the window wall. His voice was gruff as he coughed the Cognac assaulting his sinuses, “YOUR station?!” She had come a long way.

After he regained his composure, he considered her question. He counted the number of times he’d been betrayed over the course of the past two years and had to admit having it was appealing, but he wasn’t sure if he could give up his freedom. That was all he had left…

“Depends on the job,” his expression shifted into the unreadable veneer of a practiced sabacc player. He wasn’t sure he’d wanna join Crimson Dawn in full, but he’d told her before if she needed help she could ask. Then again, maybe she thought she was doing him a favor. After all, from the looks of things, she was doing just fine.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Her eyebrows rose and she gave a "yes, indeed" smile to his first question. She had clearly become a far different person than the insecure and half-terrified girl she had been when they first met. So many things had changed.

When he started coughing on his drink, the corner of her mouth twisted up slightly in a suppressed smile. You know, I should probably be offended that you find that so funny, she said, raising her drink up to her mouth to cover the smile forming.

She watched his face twist and change from more relaxed to that kind of face she was quite familiar with sitting across from while cheating people out of their credits at sabacc when she was younger.

Honestly, I'm always looking for extra, reliable hands. By extension, that means Crimson Dawn is, she said. She knew he was a general rogue like herself and was capable of handling himself. She may not have known the exact nature of his business or where he drew his lines, but she was sure she could find a place for him nonetheless.

What kind of work are you looking for? she asked, a coy smile on her face now. This was what she did after all... she set people up with what they needed and got it where they needed it. The operation had piracy, smuggling, legal transport, security rackets in the entire station, and more. The trick now was how to expand into more concrete operations off-station.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

“You know, I should probably be offended that you find that so funny,” Crow laughed out loud as she tried to hide a smile. How long had it been since he’d done that?

He shrugged taking a sip, “Well, shooting a guy is pretty good reason for speculation.”

Crow’s eyes watched the undulating masses through the wall as the base of the club speakers beat a tantalizing rhythm through the glass. Crow’s finger tapped along as if he didn’t have a care in the world as Terra began her proposition. It was fun being on the other side of this conversation. Then she turned it back on him.

“I’m not sure,” he said honestly. If he was negotiating with some scumbag he didn’t know this would be different, but he felt like he owed Terra, and maybe himself, the truth.

“I know what I can offer. I’m a damn good pilot, and I’d rather pull a trigger than ask questions,” he shrugged taking a draw off his cigarette. “Hell, I made enforcer as a free agent, honestly, not sure how good I’ll be at sticking to a single boss,” he knew that would be concerning, so he followed it up with, “But, I’m loyal to my friends.”

Crow took drained the last of his Cognac, then filled his glass with water. Time to start sobering if work was on the table.

“Are we friends, Terra?” the question was more honest than he’d intended, but one glass of water wasn’t about to offset the half bottle of cognac he’d consumed.

Without realizing it, Crow had drawn a line in the sand. His answer was plain. I’ll work for you, but I’m not interested in working for them. He hoped she’d say yes, but looking around at the office once more, really seeing it for what it was, a Ringleader in Crimson Dawn, and knowing this office was nothing. She ran the whole station. If this went bad he would be dead, and a part of him was okay with that.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

She tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrows in a "touché' motion as he mentioned her shooting him. Yes, well, that had been a long time ago, hadn't it?

I've had more training and practice since then, she assured him. She'd invested the time in exactly that when she'd started moving up because she couldn't afford not to be confident in her ability to defend herself. She was no master bounty hunter or professional gunslinger, but she could certainly get by.

A good pilot meant he'd fly just fine in Terra Nova if he wanted, and the ability on the trigger was good for the particularly illicit side of the business. His next question, though, caught her off-guard. The truth was, she wasn't sure she knew him well enough to truly say "yes." But then, you had to look at what they'd been through together.

I'd like to think so, she finally answered, an equally honest answer to his question.

I'm not here to force you into anything, she said honestly. But I am always looking for people with skills, she also admitted.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow watched her profile in the reflection of the glass. She was wrestling with the position he’d put her in, but to her credit, when she spoke, as far as he could tell, she was honest. That was more than he deserved.

“I’d like to think so,” she said. That was the last thing he’d expected to hear. Crow looked at Terra. He might have been more scared now than if she’d pulled a gun on him. His expression was still settled in that Sabacc playing mask, but it wasn’t holding up well.

“I’m not here to force you into anything, but I am looking for people with skills.”

Crow took a drag off his cigarette. He let the smoke leak from his mouth as he considered what stepping back in the Syndicates could mean. He’d been so driven by revenge and ambition when he’d first joined, it might be nice to just follow orders for a bit.

“Fuck it, I’m in,” he said, his veneer crumbling around that forgotten easy smile. “I look forward to making you a lot of money,” he laughed refilling his glass with Cognac and lifting

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra patiently but somewhat anxiously waited for his answer to her question. The reality was that Crix Dolan - or Crow - was someone who would be very valuable. It was a two way street, and it would be good for both of them. She genuinely believed that.

She smiled widely as he said he was in and she held up her glass in toast. Both of us, she corrected. She was quite sincere about his success as well. It wasn't just her success... her success was everyone's. Or at least, everyone on her team.

Now, she said, moving right along to business. He'd just committed to her, and the first order of business - as he'd quickly find - was that she would protect her people.

You have beef with someone, she said, face becoming quite serious. Black Sun? What do we need to do? Someone need offing? How high up does this problem go? Can it be handled discreetly? she asked. She was sticking her neck out to some extent, but that was her way.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

“We’ll see,” Crow teased as he took a final drag off his cigarette. Terra’s calculated facade dissipated with the brief tension as she shifted the conversation. Suddenly, she was revved up. Ready to settle scores and burn bridges. As Crow put out his cigarette he laughed washing the remnants of smoke down with the last of his Cognac.

Crow waved her down, “That’s personal, I’m not interested in dragging you into my fight,” He thought about it for a second then gave a non-committal shrug, “Not yet at least.”

He did however think about his recent client Darneesh. “You know anything about Casino Satellite?”

As the name implied Casino Satalite was a floating casino that encircled the upper echelons of Station Omega. Crow know they were into all kinds of nefarious things, but he was interested to see if they’d landed on Crimson Dawn’s Radar.

“Rumor has it, they’ve got the best Glitterstim in the sector, and they know things they shouldn’t.”

Something flickered just out of his periphery, and he turned his head to look out the glass wall and into the club. Suddenly, he noticed the base he’d been drumming his fingers to had stopped. His brow furrowed and he looked to Terra.

“There something going on out there?” as he spoke his hand slipped to his blaster. He had a bad feeling about this.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra shrugged as he said it was personal and didn't want her to get involved. She certainly wouldn't shove her way into a potential turf war where it wasn't wanted, but she also understood the value of having the drop on someone.

Well, you know who to call if you change your mind, she said, taking another drink and listening as he asked about Casino Satellite.

Owned by Yoris Barnstein. He owns it, one more Casino here on station, and a third off-world, she said with a nod. Behind the scenes I tried to get him to sign over his casinos to me a while back, but it didn't work out, she said.

What's your interest? she asked, rising from her seat and heading over to look out the window of the one-way glass.

Eh, bouncers'll clean it up, she said, waving a hand and looking undisturbed.

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow couldn't remember the last time he felt comfortable enough to let others defend him, but Terra seemed at ease. Crow didn't take his hand from his blaster, old habits, and whatnot. He did however consider her question.

"I just did a job for a lackey of his, real piece of shit, I ran some prime glitter for them, and when the job was done he tried to kill me," Crow shrugged, "It was a real rubber and glue situation," he realized that might colloquialism may be exclusive to Denon and clarified, "It bounced off me and stuck to him," he waved past the bad joke, "Getting to the point. I think it could be interesting to infiltrate the casino and poach their supplier. Put a dent in Yoris' income and see if a little pressure helps bring him in line."

Sure enough, the bass was back thumping at a fever pitch, and Crow's hand tapped along with it. He'd been away from Hardlight for too long. The freelance transportation company was the perfect cover for this job. He'd just need someone who specialized in data retrieval, maybe a hacker?"

"You know any good, Slicer?"

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra kind of stared at him for a moment as he talked about rubber and glue. They didn't stick together? she wondered to herself before he seemed to realize it wasn't connecting and clarified. She still wasn't entirely sure she got what he was saying, but that was okay. He started moving on past it and she moved right along with it.

The conversation shifted fully to the casino and she nodded, moving over to take a seat again.

She started to smile as he asked about a slicer. I think I know just the person, she said, pulling out her datapad before realizing something.

Your contact info? she asked. As soon as he gave it, she would forward him Mars' contact information as well.

And if you need anything from me, just let me know, she said.