Ask Not So Humble Beginnings

[Grace Zann]

"Nar Shaddaa... Some dumb kid thought he could run off with Nem'ro's favorite dancer. Didn't run nearly far enough..."
​

Grace sat at a booth in the Broken Bothan Cantina, listening to the cautionary tale of some bounty hunter there. The woman had arrived on Nar Shaddaa not long ago, with intentions of beginning a plot to join the five syndicates properly. She had an entourage of only two others, a B1-Battle Droid turned protocol droid and a Nikto gangster named Havvs. In truth, their crew and a single skipray blast boat was all that remained of the once great criminal empire.

Over the soft jazz of the cantina, the gruff bounty hunter continued his tale about how some smuggler tried to get one over on the Fa'athra clan... It was no secret that the Nem'ro's and Fath'ra's loathed each other, but the two families could never engage in open warfare. It just so happened that the legendary @Nor'baal Desilijic was a member of the Fa'athra clan, and a very influential member of the Five Syndicates. If she could provide him with a gift, then perhaps the hutt would return her favor.

Havvs simply crossed his arms while the random bounty hunter finished his story. "Gracie, I don't like this idea. Messin' around with the hutts is dangerous and--" he would be swiftly cut off by the woman raising a hand. "Havvs, I know. Our options are limited though, and a hutt like Nor'baal would probably be impressed if we could provide him with a gift... Especially if it belonged to a Nem'ro." She would then gesture for the bounty hunter to finish his story. Apparently, the smuggler was then boiled alive for his kidnapping attempt.

"I think it's settled then. We need to steal something valuable from the Nem'ro clan, then turn it over to Nor'baal as an offering. If we impress him, then maybe we can get the consortium off the ground again." Though the woman seemed confident, her bodyguard seemed a little less enthusiastic. The only question now was, what would they steal?

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Nar Shadda was not on Zerath's Top 10 Tourist Destinations; the planet's deep ties to the crime syndicates, the threat of the AMS virus, and the consequences of both of those developments all made it a dangerous place for anyone to be- especially for a Jedi. Zerath had taken great pains to keep his identity a secret, but it was hard for him to turn his gaze away from the sufferings of others... and there was a great deal of suffering on Nar Shadda.

At least his mission had been met with a level of success; Grace Zann had been difficult to find, but eventually he'd caught up to the former Jedi in the Broken Bothan Cantina. Zerath observed patiently from an adjacent booth- he'd learned to use the Force to help him see, so he didn't have to turn his head in order to focus on Grace- as a nearby bounty hunter recounted a cautionary tale about betraying the Hutts. Zerath hoped to convince Grace to return to the Jedi Order, but this was hardly a safe place to talk about being a Jedi. They would need more privacy than this cantina cold afford.

Zerath put pen to a paper napkin, scribbling a note on it before gently levitating it across the aisle and underneath Grace's table in the wake of a server's passing. To the casual observer, it would appear that Zerath had accidentally knocked the napkin off and that it had fluttered down underneath a different table, but the Mirulakan ensured that the napkin rose up again and settled atop Grace's knees where it would be noticeable only to her. His mischief managed, Zerath would pay for his food and exit the Cantina, making his way to the adjacent alleyway described in his note.

"I have an opportunity that may interest you. Meet me in the alleyway to the west of the cantina. Come alone."


@James Steel

 

[Grace Zann]

As the bounty hunter finished up his story, Grace would give one final sip to her drink as she noticed a napkin in her lap. How did that get there? She didn't remember doing that. Apparently, it was some kind of secret message, one talking about a job of some kind. It wanted her outside, and alone. This was potentially a dangerous situation, but she always carried her lightsaber. Only a fool was attempt direct conflict with a force-sensitive.

"B1, Havvs, buy our new friend here another drink. I'm going out for some fresh air. Anything you can tell us about Nem'ro clan valuables will be useful." Her gangster friend would raise an eyebrow, somewhat concerned over his bosses' sudden departure. Though he would then turn his attention back to the bounty hunter. "Well, you heard her. What's the Nem'ros most prized possession..."

Meanwhile, Grace would walk directly towards the exit of the cantina, passing through several individuals on her way out. After turning a couple corners, she would find herself in a dim alley way next to the building. The place looked like a dump, and smelled like booze. That much was to be expected of any Nar Shaddaa alley.

"Alright. You got my attention... What kind of opportunity are we talking about, and how would it interest me?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Zerath didn't have to wait long before Grace joined him in the alleyway. By now he had more or less gotten used to the putrid smells in the alleyway, and could speak without fear of retching. Zerath was pretty sure that something had died a couple days ago, and whatever it was had fermented along with the stale alcohol in the alley.

It had been more than ten years since they had last seen each other, so Zerath wasn't surprised that Grace didn't recognize him right away. Indeed, at first the Jedi Knight was worried that he'd accidentally contacted the wrong person, but the more he studied the woman the more convinced he was that he had indeed found the person he was looking for. The woman's bearing was cagey and alert, as he had known Grace to be, but it was the way she jutted her chin slightly up that accentuated her high cheekbones; the overall effect gave her a regal bearing that paired well with her confident gaze.

If she hadn't figured it out already, Grace would almost recognize Zerath as soon as he cracked a smile; his distinguishing feature shone brightly in the evening air. The Mirulakan forced every muscle in his body to stay relaxed as memories flooded over him from their time together as Padawans in the Jedi Order. Good memories, yes, but some difficult ones, too. The Knight chose not to answer her questions just yet; not when he had no idea how she might react to his proposition.

"It's good to see you too, Grace" he replied, and to his slight surprise he realized that he meant it. "What have you been up to, recently?"


@Where

 

[Grace Zann]

The woman had spoken before properly taking a look at the individual in the alley. Before her was a man of average height with a dark skin tone. Also, he appeared to be wearing robes... She would quickly feel like the two of them had met somewhere before, and as Grace took one last look at his face, it would become clear. The wrappings around his eyes, there was only one individual who checked all those boxes.

"Z-Zerath?"

She would exude a look of shock and confusion, figuring she would never see the jedi again. After her envy of another student lead to her exile, a younger Grace was said to be 'too troubled' to ever become a jedi. It made very little sense that an old classmate of her's would come all this way to find her... How did he manage to find her anyway? She left the order ten years ago, and tended to keep a low profile.

"I'm surprised you managed to find me after all these years... I don't even know why you'd want to find me..." She would sigh as he asked about her choice of career. If he remembered a bit about her, then what he heard next may be shocking. "If you honestly what to know... After I was exiled, I was sent back home to my father. It turns out that my last name is Zann... As in, the Zann Consortium if you know what that is. So, I'm the heir to an empire in a way." She would stretch her arms out, as if showing off vast wealth while simultaneously shrugging.

Though Grace used her force abilities rarely, it was easy for her to tell that Zerath had improved as a jedi. She could feel that the force was strong with him. "What about yourself? You're here alone, make it to knight I'm guessing?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

It was strange, Zerath reflected, to be meeting Grace again after all these years. It was even stranger to be meeting her in a slimy, smelly alley on Nar Shadda, but here they were. It was clear that Grace's mind was as sharp as ever; she almost immediately began asking the right questions, like how he had found her, and why. Then she surprised him with a very honest update on her life... the Zann Consortium? Zerath had indeed heard of the crime syndicate, but it had been decades since they were a major player.

Before the Jedi Knight could ask any follow-up questions, though, she began questioning him. Zerath decided that honesty was the best policy, and followed Grace's example. "Yes, I passed my trials a little over 7 years ago." It felt like less time had passed... was he getting old? Maybe he was- seeing Grace all grown up reminded him that he'd reached adulthood, too.

"Much has changed since you... left" Zerath continued, deciding on a kinder term than "kicked out". "I'd be happy to bring you up to speed, if you're interested." The Jedi were now at war with the Sith; struggling under that increasingly heavy burden as well as facing a rising tide of public distrust. There was even new leadership, which might assuage Grace. In truth, however, he'd always harbored the feeling that the Council had been too harsh on Grace with their ruling, and he'd taken this mission as a chance to atone for the sins of the past. He was a firm believer that Jedi were more than their mistakes, and Grace had always had a lot of potential. She was the type of person that would undoubtedly be successful in whatever she applied herself to, which was why Zerath was excited for the chance to bring her back to the Order.

"But yes, you were difficult to find" Zerath said, turning the conversation back to Grace. "And I admit that I'm surprised that I found you here." Although if your father leads the Zann Consortium I suppose that makes sense. Still, he decided to forge onward with his current line of questioning. "What exactly brings you to Nar Shadda?"


@Where

 

[Grace Zann]

The woman was not surprised that Zerath had managed to pass his trials some time ago. He had always shown more promise than the other students, and had what it took to be a true Jedi knight. It was only fitting that he had been promoted to one. Maybe if she had stayed in the order, or begged for an appeal long ago... Then perhaps she could have obtained that rank as well. The woman would congratulate him, "Only to be expected from someone like you. I applaud the dedication."

She hadn't expected him to regale her with the state of the Jedi order. It felt like such a strange thing to say, but it made sense at the same time. Sure, she had heard about their war with the sith. Who hadn't? Grace was no fan of the sith, and knew what atrocities they committed. She was no saint herself, but there were some lines even she wouldn't cross. "Much has changed with the galaxy as a whole in the last ten years... Let alone Jedi."

"You can tell me what you know... I won't be opposed to learning what I can about the order." That much was true. She did wonder how their order was fairing against the sith. Then, he would ask her why she was on Nar Shaddaa. The long answer would be too hard to explain, so she would go with the short version

"I'm here to start fixing what my father destroyed... The 'family business' is in shambles at the moment, and I'm trying to save it." With that out of the way, it would be a good time to offer another question of her own, a pressing one at that. "Sure, you tracked me down.. But why did you track me down? It's unlike you to go somewhere without reason..."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Zerath would give a brief rundown of the last decade; the return of the Sith, the loss of Ajan Kloss, the successes on Denon and Felucia, the expulsion of the Jedi from the Galactic Senate, and the war they found themselves embroiled in. "It's certainly an interesting time to be a Jedi" he finished, before listening to her response to his question.

Only the nigh imperceptible tightening of Zerath's mouth would betray the Jedi Knight's concerns as Grace mentioned trying to save her "family business". Her father was hardly in the business of selling flowers. Was she really trying to reboot the Zann Consortium?

But, as always, Grace asked the right question, and Zerath had to choose how honest his answer was going to be. Show his cards too early, and he risked turning her off before she had the chance to warm up to the idea. Wait too long and the opportune moment might have passed. In truth, Zerath had come to Nar Shadda for two reasons; one was to attempt to bring Grace back to the Order, and the other...

"I'm on a mission right now for the Order, but I can't do it alone. I'm looking for someone with a very particular skillset, and you know the planet better than I do. There's a minor Hutt by the name of No'unth Nem'ro who has been quite active in the slave trade recently, and I'd like to liberate as many of his slaves as possible. You in?"

The mission itself was no easy task- it would require not just freeing the slaves, but also disarming the remote detonators that the Hutts liked to place inside their servants. Zerath was counting on the fact that Grace wouldn't shy away from a challenge.


@Where

 

[Grace Zann]

The woman would listen very closely as her old friend explained the past several years to her. It was an interesting time to be a jedi indeed, or a force-sensitive at all for that matter. The public distrust of their kind seemed to be high at the moment, and that was something that worried even her.

As he finished his tale, she would hear his story, and why he was on Nar Shaddaa. It seemed that their meeting was by chance after all. Perhaps he simply felt her presence, and was looking to see an old friend? No, he was looking for assistance on a job. Usually, she would have turned him down, but this specific task was right up her alley.

The man was trying to free slaves from No'unth Nem'ro, a hutt part of the Nem'ro clan no doubt. Seeing his foe running around like a womprat with it's head cut off might amuse Nor'baal. Further more... If she recalled the bounty hunter's tale, then Nem'ro's dancers were quite prized possessions. If she could give the hutt's favorite to Nor'baal of the Five Syndicates, then surly that would earn her organization a place in the Syndicates.

It was a win-win, for everyone but one slave. She would give a grin as the man asked if she was in. "Zerath, you can count me in... Tell me what you know about this hutt, and where can we find his palace?" The woman would follow the jedi's lead should he begin waling in the directing of their mission. Things were about to get real interesting...

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Zerath didn't even finish his sales pitch before a smile broke out on Grace's face. It was the same smile he knew from so many years ago; one that promised equal parts excitement and danger. He'd seen that smile just before she'd dared him to kiss a kliknik (never again), and also right before starting a food fight in the dining hall during Life Day celebrations. In other words, perhaps this wasn't the best idea- given Grace's admission of her attempts to rebuild the Zann Consortium, he probably shouldn't fully trust her- but her smile reminded him of old times that had also been good times.

"I've tracked No'unth's HQ to a strip club about 15 miles from here" he said, unable to resist smiling back at her. "I've got a landspeeder that will seat two, and I can fill you in on what I know about No'unth en route."

The intel folder had been quite sparse, but Zerath did his best to summarize. The Hutt had yet to make it big, but had a reputation as a technological whiz. His clubs had many layers of electronic security and surveillance measures to ensure that everything ran to the Hutt's liking. This included special "loyalty chips" that were surgically installed in all of his underlings; disappoint the boss or go rogue, and you're guaranteed a painful demise. The chips also had tracking features, so in order to ensure that the escaped slaves remained escaped, they would have to access the central control room and destroy the monitoring equipment there.

Being too focused on piloting and sharing intel, Zerath wasn't able to easily monitor Grace's reaction to the difficult mission. He parked the speeder across the street from "Candies", before looking over at his partner. "Still interested?"

@Where

 

[Grace Zann]

Zerath was straight forward as usual, and optimistic as ever. He had a tendency to radiate a leadership-like charm, and maybe that was one of the things that got him so far. She didn't know much about this hutt, but if he owned a strip club then he was certainly a fan of dancers. From what she had heard, hutts viewed other humanoids as pets to be dressed up and displayed. This would be no different.

Her smirk would soon turn to a reply, "Alright, we'll take your speeder then. I know very little about the hutts in the area, so feel free to give me all the details." She would follow the man to his speader before hopping into her seat. It had been some time since she used her lightsaber in combat, or the force for that matter. The kyber crystals inside the saber she wielded still hadn't fully warmed up to her, so to speak.

If luck was on their side, then perhaps this wouldn't come to blows. Then again, she highly doubted that would be the case. As the pair pulled up to the seedy club, her old friend would ask her if she was sure about doing this... She would give a simple nod, "Of course. Did you come up with a plan by chance?"

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Zerath took a couple moments after Grace's question to compose his thoughts, wishing that he actually had a plan. He was more or less used to working alone, which made having a partner a bit of an adjustment for him... but on the other hand, it was comforting to know that someone had his back on a mission like this. Truth be told, there was simply a lot that they just didn't know about the place.

"Recon first" Zerath responded, keeping his head pointed towards the garish sign that flickered in the evening air. "No'unth's love of technology means that everything will be controlled from a central command room, including surveillance and security measures. We'll want to access that room eventually, since disabling the chips will ensure that the people we free have a better chance at a good life afterwards; but first, we need to find where it is and mark out any opposition. I was thinking we'd enter a couple minutes apart and pose as customers for a bit, see what we can observe."

The Mirulakan pulled his gaze off of the club and glanced over at Grace. While she'd asked his thoughts, he'd be foolish not to hear hers. "How would you approach this?"

@Where

 

[Grace Zann]

Zerath's response was simple, but educated. Getting a feel for their environment would be helpful on a mission like this, and she could think of little else at the time. It was quite interesting that this particular hutt seemed to be a techie. They were usually quite business savvy people, but most of their kind preferred more old-fashioned technologies and ways of life. This No'unth must have been something of an anomaly, at least among traditional hutts. "Hmmm... That's interesting for a hutt. The slave chips are relatively common pieces of technology, so no surprise there. If we want in to a central control room, then we'll need to actually find it first... Recon would be for the best."

The woman figured the most straight forward approach was to simply enter the establishment. Just as Zerath suggested, they could pose as customers... But Grace would have an additional idea. "Alright, I might be dressed for the occasion, but you should keep your head low in those robes. They don't make you look like the partying type." She would snicker a bit, but jedi robes could stand out in a crowd.

Tucking away her lightsaber behind her outfit's cape, Grace would approach the front of the club. There was a gamorrean bouncer there letting people in from a long list. When the woman finally reached the front of the line, she would simply state "My name is Grace Zann... No doubt you've heard of my family." The guard would look puzzled for a moment, but began going down the list of names. To his surprise, the name would actually be on the list. A perk of her history in the underworld, the Zann family was allowed at nearly any establishment, as most though them to just be ghosts by this point.

The guard would beckon both of them to enter the building, and Grace would proceed first. The place was dimly lit with various smoke machines going off in the area. Flashing lights and strippers of various humanoid races would be preforming around various corners of the room. To the other side of the main room was a bar, and a hallway which must be leading to an employee only area. "See if you can spot the tech room. I have an idea, but it won't work unless I know where it is in advance."

@SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Zerath chuckled as Grace commented on his attire; Jedi Wanderer robes were designed to be as inconspicuous as possible, and he had expressed similar doubts early in his career as a Jedi. However, he'd since come to learn that most people didn't have a clue that he was a Jedi until he started waving his lightsaber around. Only someone who had been in the Order, like Grace had, would easily recognize his attire for what it was.

Getting in was easier than he expected; Grace simply dropped her name and the Gamorrean guarding the door dutifully let them in after confirming that she was who she claimed to be. So the whole story about being a Zann wasn't a lie, Zerath thought. He hadn't expected it to be, but part of him had hoped that particular part of Grace's heritage hadn't been true.

Upon entering the establishment Zerath turned in a different direction that Grace did, as if they had just entered at the same time and weren't together. By splitting up they could better observe the club, and Zerath's plan to pose as a customer required him to be alone anyways. Sure enough, he felt the eyes of a couple dancers on him as he made his way to a seat near a corner.

The atmosphere was high-tech, with No'unth's affinity for and love of technology clearly visible. Serving droids whirred around, laden with drinks and food. A high-tech array of lights and speakers supported a modular stage that could change its levels, and there was even a kiosk at each booth that allowed patrons to browse certain "privileges"- all with a price attached. A grim knot wormed its way into Zerath's stomach as he looked past the lights, music, and distractions of the club, seeing it as it really was; exploitation, forced prostitution, and slavery. Zerath forced himself to try to relax as a Twi'lek* began moving in his direction; he couldn't let his pursuit of justice blind him from the mission, so he put an easygoing smile on his face and beckoned her to his booth.


*((OOC note: @Ahryia This can be your Twi'lek, or not- your choice!))

@Where @Ahryia

 

[Seela]

Seela was finishing her set at one of the poles when she got a feeling that made turn her empty gaze towards the entrance of the club.
Some unexpected spark of curiosity lit up her mind, as she saw an interesting person entering the club. The humanoid male was wearing some sort of... robes? That were definitely not fitting in with the "techie" vibe of the place, nor the rest of the customers.

As much as she dreaded having to "work the floor", where she would have to endure the customers's touch, and general unpleasantness, the lavender twilek couldn't deny the tug she felt towards investigating the new arrival.

Seela was a patient hunter, she knew that reading one's target, and gathering info on them gave a significant advantage. So she strolled around the center of the floor, gathering tips and dodging grabby hands, while analysing the man.
Honestly, Seela was surprised he even got IN the club in the first place! He really didn't look like the usual patrons at all! Maker, the club was full of people who had some power in the technology domain, young and hip, edgy, very much following the latest trends and all that bantha shit.
So how in the world did he even make it inside?!? And why did no one else seem curious?
Besides, the tan-skinned person really didn't look like he was enjoying the place. Why would someone go to a known strip club, if it isn't to enjoy the dancers??? The poor guy really looked out of place, all alone in his booth... Hmmm...
Master would want to know if the guy was here for shady reasons, right? I mean, not shady like those business meetings that happened sometimes in the back, in Master's office, but shady in the sense that it might be bad for Master! Maybe, if she investigated and reported this to Master, he would reward her!
Yes!!! She absolutely HAD to investigate!
Besides, if the man wasn't plotting against Master, maybe he was just a very new customer, and she could maybe initiate him, get him hooked to the "services" or something, and even make him a regular!
Master is always glad to get new regulars!
All in all, the guy really gave off the type of vibes saying "untainted soul, would 10/10 take in a stray tooka, be nice to children, etc". Definitly would be uncomfortable with the slave detail.
Seela was pretty sure if she gave off the slightest impression of needing to be rescued, this poor lad would absolutely try to save her from Master. Which would be stupid, and dangerous for him, and very painful for her... trying to run away would totally earn her the worst punishment Master could think of...
Mind made up, Seela went to the side of the bar, to deposit the pile of credits she got in tips while crossing the place, in the "bucket o'creds" just behind the counter, letting a droid bartender know to count how much she made, and that she was headed to potentially get a private client.
Once done, she rolled her shoulders, made sure her oufit was fine, took a deep breath, and put on the bubbly-happy-flirty face her work required, and skipped and twirled her way to the man's booth.

"Welcome to the Broken Bothan, we hope you are enjoying your evening so far, please tell me what you need for this night to become perfect?"

Stupid speech, and ridiculously tacky, but if she didn't say it all, she would probably get in trouble...

"I get the feeling you might be here for the first time, my name is Seela and I will be taking care of you tonight, please, feel free to ask any question, and I will do my best to help you feel at home in the establishment!"

Stars, I really hope this wasn't too much!

Seela then sits herself on the seat facing the man, looking at him, and hopefully showing attentiveness that she was open to him, leaning slightly forward, with her hands folded together on the table in front of her, basically broadcasting "I am listening to you very attentively, you can confide in me, I'm interested" with her body language.

 

[Grace Zann]

Grace's senses would suddenly light up as she walked around the club. She felt as though there may be another force sensitive among them. The building as far too packed to discern exactly who the source of the energy was, but someone new was in play never the less.

Spotting the control box of the club would be a difficult task among the multitude of party-goers. The loud music and lights would also be quite the distraction. Rather than put her plan into effect immediately, Grace would opt for an approach with a bit more revelry. She would make her way up to a bar, not too far from Zerath's table and take a seat. Quickly gaining the attention of a trandoshian bartender, she would order "One Corellian corkscrew, on the rocks." before pushing a couple credits the man's way.

Meanwhile, an interesting Twi'lek dancer would approach her old jedi friend. The Zann's gaze would meet Zerath's with toothy smirk, before she start softly chuckling. The woman figured a jedi knight like him would have a difficult time an a social situation like this. Both ironic and somewhat entertaining to watch.

She would however take note of the purple Twi'lek's markings. It appeared the girl was but a slave to this hutt, just like many of the other dancers there. It was a cruel fate to be sure, but nothing Grace hadn't seen before. A dancer with beauty and grace like this however... Perhaps she had just found the hutt's favorite.

"This should be interesting..." The woman would take a small sip of her beverage, excitedly waiting for the show to unfold.

@Ahryia @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Behind his casual demeanor, Zerath's brain worked overtime to process everything going on. There is emotion, yet peace he reminded himself, exhaling his anger at the establishment away as quickly as the Mon Calamari in the booth opposite him blew out some kind of smoke. Swallowing once to prepare himself, Zerath turned his attention to Seela as the Twi'lek began her welcoming routine. Beneath her charisma and flirtatious demeanor, Zerath thought he detected a touch of discomfort in the way she navigated the space; subtly dodging drunken patrons while never quite seeming completely relaxed. Zerath detested the power dynamic at play here, an imbalance that he was currently complicit in.

As such, Zerath made sure that both of his hands were plainly visible atop the table as Seela approached, and he made no sudden movements while he, in turn, gave her his full attention. The girl, he quickly realized, was Force-sensitive, and was either consciously or subconsciously using it while she worked the room; yet another twist on this already unique mission. He registered that Grace had taken a seat at the bar nearby- she'd probably never let him forget this- but nobody knew the ins and outs of this place quite like one of its employees... even if said employees were more like slaves. As he chatted amicably with Seela, Zerath also became aware of another set of eyes that occasionally flicked over towards him; a Nikto in the corner- the Seela's "handler", if he had to guess.

"Well, Seela, I can think of something that would make this an unforgettable night" Zerath said, smiling pleasantly while one of his hands began dancing a credit chit between his fingers. Freeing Seela and her fellow slaves would certainly be memorable. "How much for half an hour of your time, and a room in the back?"


@Where @Ahryia

 

[Seela]

After Seela delivered her speech, she took a few heartbeats to look more closely at the man. Aside from his attire, Seela had to admit, he was reasonably pleasant looking!

Probably human, or near-human, which was always great, because dealing with alien appendages wasn't really something she liked.


Anyway! Don't get distracted! There's work to do!


What greatly confused the young twilek, was that this person appeared to be wearing… a blindfold? However, she clearly remembered him moving in the crowd quite easily! He couldn't have done that if he was really blind, right? And the sensory level in the club would also make it very hard to use other senses to navigate… Stars, Seela remembered when she started working in this place, the noise, the lights, the smell of heated drunk bodies… It took her a bit to learn to deal with it all!


Seela was taken back to the present when he started talking. She could also feel her handler's gaze on her.


Seela let out a bubbly giggle, still keeping up with her act, before "coyly" bringing her lekkus over her shoulder, and fiddling with them a bit, looking at the man from under her lashes.


"Well, dear customer, it depends on what you want to happen in that room!"


Displaying eagerness, she goes and sits beside him, "displaying the goods" and smiling smugly. Seela liked her rates. Not that she ever got those credits, but she liked the fact that her rates were double the rates of the other girls here, because time with her was WORTH IT. She might not like what she was, but she liked to know that she was good at what she did, and to know that Master acknowledged it!


"For 20 credits, I will dance for only you. For 30, you get to touch, while I dance. For 50, well… I touch you, and you get to enjoy it at least once!"


Seela leaned back a little, with a satisfied smile on her plum-colored lips. The trap was set, the bait was in, and the target was heading towards it!


"So… what will it be?"


@Where @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Grace Zann]

While Zerath was getting a bit distracted, Grace would refocus herself on the main goal, finding that tech room. The building's main room had several doors around, with employees going in and out of the floor. Anyone of the rooms could potentially lead to the technology center, all she needed to do was start looking.

Taking notice of a human bouncer with a large jacket, sunglasses, and a huttball cap, Grace's plan was coming to fruition. The woman would approach the man with a sly grin, leaving her drink unattended at the bar. "Uh, can I help you?" he would ask curiously. The woman would simply grab his hand before speaking, "I am here to relieve you for your shift..." The man's pupils would dilate, and he would repeat "You're here to relieve me for my shift."

The pair would both walk into a broom closet together, but a minute later Grace would emerge in the security guy's attire. Phase one of her plan was complete, now she needed to find the actual room...

Grace would begin peaking into various rooms of the club, almost witnessing something unholy on one occasion. Even still, she couldn't seen to find that control room. Maybe it was somewhere more hidden?

@Ahryia @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Zerath Eblon]

Seela, Zerath had to admit, was very good at what she did. The Mirulakan struggled against the temptation to overlook the injustices of this place and succumb to the Twi'lek's charm, but he couldn't shake the memory of the Nikto's gaze nor the understanding of the ugly truth behind this place. By focusing on that (and the image of a certain fangirling wermal that was forever burned into his brain), Zerath was able to keep his mind on the mission. He had, however, lost track of Grace; last he'd been aware of her, she was moving towards a closet with one of the bouncers. If she tries to tease me about this...

He turned his full attention back to Seela, a slight grin crossing his face as she listed off her services. "Are you saying I wouldn't enjoy the first two options?" his smile indicating that he was merely joking. Humor always helped him relax, and it broke some of the tension he was feeling.

Keeping his movements controlled and simple, the Jedi Knight slid over 60 credits, including a tip on top of the most expensive option; hopefully by paying a little extra he'd be able to ensure her cooperation in what was sure to be the most unique client encounter she'd ever had. "I'd like to pick out the room, please. Mind giving me a tour of the place?"



@Ahryia @Where