Now Hiring

[Asteria Sigini]

Theme ​

Location: Ord Cantrell, Resort​

Siggy sipped tentatively at her drink, all whilst her lavender eyes scanned her rather curious surroundings. Ord Cantrell catered to numerous tastes it seemed, from the mundane and familiar to the exotic and alien. One could certainly describe this establishment as such; it was a bar of some sorts, a rather informal one at that, not at all what Siggy was accustomed to. Oddly enough, she found it endearing, even if she did have to sit on an array of cushions and rugs.

Live music was playing, with a rather blue looking wormhead singing on vocal. Siggy attentively listened, not really able to understand bits and pieces. She must have been singing in a different language maybe, not one the Hapan was familiar with. Why would she need to know alien language anyway? Still, Siggy noted the Twi'Lek's teal complexion, the odd tentacles sprouting from her head. They seem to twitch and flex, matching the rise and fall of her voice and pitch. The heiress never could have believed such aliens existed; to make matters even more unusual, the entertainment wasn't the weirdest to behold.

There was an array of aliens in the establishment; no doubt they felt more comfortable here than they did in the exclusive inner city. But Siggy had been copped up there for days now. With each passing hour, she had felt more bold, more emblazoned. If this was her only opportunity to escape captivity, she might as well enjoy it.

Still, her time away from Hapes had taught her a thing or two. She was more vulnerable than she thought, and much more than she cared to admit; already she had ran into trouble, barely escaping by the skin of her teeth. If not for that Mando, Narir Solus, Siggy might not have got off so lightly. He was an interesting character, for a male at least. She'd never admit it, but the young Hapan was rather taken with the brute. So much so, she was now seeking out a Mando for herself; apparently, they made rather competent bodyguards. Exactly what she needed. She wouldn't have to worry and look over her shoulder all the time. Maybe with an added incentive, he could carry her shopping too.

Resigned to waiting, Siggy sipped at her drink, hoping to spy her intended defender sooner rather than later.

@Raydo

 

[Ralin Saxon]

Ralin did not particularly enjoy bodyguard work. Those who could afford the high prices the different clans offered tended to be the sort that endlessly annoyed Ralin, but the credits were good and were one of the main ways his clan took care of themselves. So he would do his duty.

He had landed on Ord Cantrell and immediately made his way to the cantina where the contract had said he was to meet his employer. His green and white armor dully reflected the light as he stepped inside and doors hissed closed behind him. Even with his helmet, the music was loud, or at least loud for Ralin, perhaps he was just being grouchy.

The crowd parted as he walked through the room. Mandalorians had a reputation of being some of the most fierce warriors in the Galaxy, this was a well-earned reputation. Ralin had been in more than one tussle in a cantina when someone decided to challenge him. Not today though, today was about business.

He walked up at the exact second he was contracted to arrive, not a moment too soon or late. This is the way he had been taught. "Miss Sigini?" he asked, his helmet distorting his voice somewhat. He, of course, knew this was the woman he had been contracted to protect but presuming could come off as arrogant. He most likely wouldn't like this woman, but she had paid her price. It was his duty to protect her as if she was apart of his family as if she was his own blood.

"I am Ralin Saxon." he said as he remained standing. Some prefer those guards to be silent, so he left it at that until he was told otherwise.

 

[Asteria Sigini]

The heiress noted his entrance, as did other patrons. It seemed the Mandalorians were to their reputation, their notoriety infamous amongst the wider known galaxy. It was a positive sign, to Siggy at least. Her family had hired bodyguards in the past, but that was only for special events; on other occasions, she wouldn't even leave the safety of the estate. Hopefully with this protector, Siggy could explore and move around Ord Cantrell more freely. Perhaps even investigate the hushed rumours of rebellions.

In custom with her breeding, Siggy did not stand. She offered her hand expectantly, obviously presuming the Mando had some knowledge of manners; she wished him to pay the customary respect, the one every male should show to a superior female. Though quickly, she waved off his question, attempting to rush him. "Not so loud..."

She was meant to be in hiding after all. An 'abducted' heiress, the intended bride for an imperial. Just thinking about it soured her mood terribly. Because of the damn Imperial Republica, Siggy had been forced to leave her homeworld. It was either that or be forced into marriage, something which none of her family wanted. This imperial, he was beneath her, both in terms of pedigree and physical appearance. How dare he try and worm his way into polite Hapan society. It was a power play, a sly attempt at further subjugation; Siggy would never allow herself to become someone else's tool. The Empire had made an example out of Rhea, her mother, but they would not make a slave out of Sigini.

Motioning for Ralin to sit, the heiress looked over her new hired muscle. He certainly had that look about him; the unmistakeable armour, the hardened presence. Yes he was similar to Solus in many ways. Hopefully they would share the same skills as well, the same ability to defender.

Ordering herself yet another splash of alcohol, Siggy sat and thought for a moment, trying to decipher what exactly she could get away with. "You may call me, Siggy. If we were on Hapes, it would be My Lady. Sadly, however, we are away from such paradise. So, Siggy will suffice."

​

 

[Ralin Saxon]

She held her hand out, but Ralin was not exactly sure what she wanted. She did so casually as if it had never crossed her mind that someone may not know her traditions. At the risk of offending, he took her hand and bowed slightly. It seemed less disrespectful than simply doing nothing.

The contract had not mentioned not using the name she had given but he would not use it further.

She motioned for him to sit, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable. He was here to protect her, sitting down put him at a disadvantage to do so. He eyed the room quickly, noting what he could before taking a seat. He removed his helmet, it would only hinder him further while sitting down.

Underneath his helmet, was a medium length beard and blonde hair. The sides of his head were shaved, revealing tattoos of his clan sigil and various other Mandalorian runes. He placed the helmet on the table as he scanned the room once again. "As you wish...Siggy." he said with a slight pause. It seemed far to casual a name for a woman who carried herself in such a way, but she was the boss after all.

He remained silent as she began to drink again. He occasionally scanned the room, searching for anyone who may gaze in their direction for too long. "Is there anything I should know that would help in protecting you?" he asked a few seconds later. If she chose not to tell him, he wouldn't press it, but it was always good to know if he needed to be on the lookout for anything in particular.

 

[Asteria Sigini]

It was an acceptable greeting at least, more so than the other Mando had ever managed. He was very abrasive, whereas Ralin seemed more agreeable, for now at least.

Yet when the helmet came off, Siggy openly gawked. Tattoos. The male sported actual tattoos! Such things were taboo on Hapes, it was sacrilege to deface the body in such a manner. Pierced ears were even seen as an offense. These Mandalorians certainly were barbaric, just as holovids recounted. Siggy wondered what else was true about these savages. She vaguely remembered reading something about the warrior people; they were known throughout the whole galaxy, their prowess unmatched in terms of warfare and hunting. But the once proud people had since fallen on hard times, compliments of the Sith Empire. Like many others, the Mandos suffered greatly. On this, Siggy could sympathise. Hapes had become a hallowed shell of its former self; Imps were forming their way into everything, including politics and culture. Unacceptable. But open defiance was a death sentence. Siggy knew all to well the price of disobedience.

Shaking her head free of such notions, and down a drink in the process, Siggy thought a moment, unsure exactly how much she wanted to reveal; she was the only heiress to an influential Hapan family. Not only that but she had fled from an arranged marriage. If anyone uncovered her true identity, it would only be a matter of time until she charted off back to Hapes. She'd never escape again, so this was her only shot at freedom. That's also where Ralin came into play. He could protect her from any would be threats.

"It's simple enough, I suppose. Just keep certain unsavoury people away from me. I need to keep a low profile, at least until I meet up with someone..." Cas still hadn't returned any of her messages. With each passing day, Siggy felt the situation turning less and less in her favour. She couldn't hide out on Ord Cantrell forever. It would only be a matter of time until she was forced to re-evaluate her plan.

Briefly, her lavender eyes flickered upwards towards Ralin. She could always become a Mando, they took in anyone (supposedly). No sooner at the thought occur did Siggy fail to suppress a giggle. A Hapan Mandalorian. Yeah, right! As if that would ever happen.

In an attempt to recompose herself, Siggy opted for a new topic. "Tell me, Mr Mando. Would you kill, if I ordered it?"

 

[Ralin Saxon]

She remained quiet for some time as she drank from her glass. The silence didn't bother Ralin, he, in fact, preferred it. Many of his employers loved hearing the sound of their own voice and talked endlessly without actually saying something. Perhaps this woman was different...perhaps.

"I can do that." he said nodding. Keeping a low profile was difficult. Ralin was not a small man, and he did draw some attention with his armor. Mandalorian Mercenaries were not cheap and the fact that someone could afford such a bodyguard spoke of some amount of wealth. Perhaps she needed some more discrete than himself, either way, his clad had already been paid.

She seemed to laugh at something in her own mind before trying to recompose herself. Ralin straightened somewhat at the question. "I would kill to protect you, anything to protect you but I am not an assassin." he said evenly. There were Mandalorians that were bounty hunters. Ralin had spent time hunting during his training. It was not his preferred work, but he was competent at it but it is not what he had been contracted to do. If she wished for such services they would have to form a new contract, which would mean more credits.

"As long as I am here, no harm will come to you." he said with confidence. Failure was not an option for his people.

 

[Asteria Sigini]

Nodding thoughtfully for a moment, the heiress went reflectively silent. Much to the disappointment of her mother and aunts, Siggy wasn't vicious by nature. She never went out of her way to be spiteful, though sometimes it did occasionally happen. She just wanted to be sure that if there was indeed a threat, this man could do what was needed to neutralise it. The lives of her family depended on it. If indeed her disappearance was discovered to be false, her mother and aunts would be the first to suffer repercussions; they had been warned in the past for their defiance. The Imperial Repulica would not be so kind the second time round; traitors and rebels would be made examples of, and none would be spared.

Looking up from her now empty glass, Siggy felt compelled to warn him. "I'll be honest with you, Mr Mando. I feel you deserve at least that."

Checking, rather dramatically, that no one was listening in, the Hapan waved him closer, only so she could whisper in theatrical discretion. "I'm am technically 'on the run'. There are people looking for me and I don't want to be found."

Shuddering, she imagine what fate awaited her back on Hapes. A joyless married. To a human grub in an ill-fitting uniform. It was a harrowing thought, one that showed openly in her expression. Absently, she glanced down her hands, the absent wedding that was fated to adorn her finger. She'd rather die first than have that shackle placed upon her. "I can't go back..."

Coughing to distract herself, Siggy then continued, "I just need someone, that would be you, to...how does that phrase go? 'Watch my back'?" She checked with him, watching to make sure he was following along, and also gauging whether or not she had used the 'lingo' correctly. "In a couple of days, I hope to meet up with my brother. From there, your service will no longer be required. Obviously, you will paid accordingly. Money is no expense."

It would certainly give her piece of mind, especially given her recent experience. Maybe if she told Ralin, he would a better idea of her circumstances. "The other day, down by the racing strip. I thought...I thought someone was watching me. Now, I'm not saying I saw anyone in particular, but I just...got a feeling." It had been raining, there were masses of people. Still, something in the back of her mind told her run, to flee, before it was too late. She was worried though; maybe next time, she wouldn't be so lucky.

 

[Ralin Saxon]

He nodded in understanding. It was good to know that someone may actually come looking for her. It meant he would need to keep an even closer eye on things. As for why she was on the run, it didn't much matter. He had worked for all types of people. His honor demanded that he serve as long as it didn't harm his people. Though she didn't seem like the criminal type, even in a cantina like this she seemed just a little out of place.

"Consider it watched." he said grinning at her uncertainty. The job seemed easy enough. Make sure she made it through the next couple of days until she could meet with the family. He could do that. If that was as complicated as this got, it would be a breeze.

He listened as she mentioned feeling like she was being followed but wasn't sure. Being "On the run" had that effect, even when no one was actually watching you. Though he didn't say anything to that effect. He didn't want to discourage her speaking up about such things, even if they were only mere paranoia. "Just let me know if you get that feeling again."

They were in a big city. It would be hard to track anyone down here, even rich young woman such as herself. She was much more likely to run into trouble with a common thug here than these people that were supposedly looking for her.

"Don't worry, my lady. I'll make sure you make it to that meeting with your brother." he said picking his helmet back up from the bench beside him. He lowered back on it his head as it clicked into place. He once again scanned the room for anything out of the ordinary. "It is perhaps best we not stay in any one place for too long. It will make whoever you think is looking for you harder to track." he offered his advice. Of course, if she wanted to stay they would.

 

[Asteria Sigini]

At the suggestion of relocating themselves, Siggy agreed, standing up as the Mando began to ready himself. "You may have a point..."
Whilst the establishment had a relaxed atmosphere, Siggy was already growing bored in thee simple setting and mood. She was used to opulence and luxury, not quaint mundanity. Perhaps they should head back into the inner the city, to the market districts. Shopping was a favoured hobby for the young heiress, especially when she didn't have a disapproving aunt looming over her. She could buy whatever she wanted and no one was the wiser. Though her thoughts drifted to that of the future; what sort of clothes would she need off world? Would Cas need clothes too? Should she get some supplies? What supplies would they even need?! It was a lot for the young heiress to consider, especially as she had no real experience at independence.

But already she was feeling more confident. The Mandalorian seemed competent enough, having a sense of strategy as it were. If they needed to keep moving, then a day of shopping sounded perfect!

Flagging down a droid operated speeder was simple enough. Claiming the comfy seat by the window, Siggy turned to her newly acquired bodyguard. "I read that Mandalorians are great warriors." It was a simple enough statement, one that could have been an attempt at simple conversation. But Siggy was actually quite intrigued. Were all Mandos alike? Apparently, they adopted anyone into not just their ranks but into their families as well. Such a laughable, salacious notion. On Hapes, the purity of blood was paramount. Impeccable breeding was the duty of any respectable family; carefully selected mates and negotiated pairings were what tied allies together. It also ensure the strict social structure. Did Mandos not have that? How odd. What did their women do? Siggy vaguely remembered reading something about a female Mando, but that couldn't be right. What sane woman would risk her wellbeing for battle? Did they have no self preservation?

Still, the heiress eyes scanned Ralin for his weapons. Siggy was proficient with a blade, but that was about it. Maybe a moderate degree of hand to hand combat. But something told her she didn't want to come to blows with a Mando. So maybe he could show her something else.

"Teach me to shoot," she suddenly proclaimed, her head cantered in a most assured fashion, "You can do that, can't you?"

 

[Ralin Saxon]

He stood as she did and waited for her to depart to follow behind her. No one seemed all that interested in the pair as they left. That was they way Ralin wanted it. The Galaxy would move on around them and two days would pass without a hitch before the woman's brother arrived.

He climbed in the speeder after Asteria and settled in as she told the droid where they were headed. Ralin was not familiar with the world but most places, especially large megacities such as this were the same in many ways.

She seemed to be content within her own thoughts, even if he did notice her look what the weapons he was carrying. Her next question actually caught him a bit off guard. "I...suppose I can." he said. Any time they spent practicing the blaster was time she was not spending out with the myriad of people. Everyone won.

"Do you have a blaster?" he asked looking over at her, tilting his head slightly. His weapons were her own, it would do no good to learn to shoot with Mandalorian Blasters as they would not be what she would have to fire herself one day. The words of his teachers echoed in his mind "Always practice with your own weapons."

If not, they could easily find her a basic blaster pistol. From there, they would any need to find someone to practice. He assumed their droid driver could help with that as well. "Why do you want to learn to shoot?" he asked. She seemed to have her fair share of money. The rich almost never had to fight their own battles. They hired or convinced others to do so for them.

He would not discourage her, he was, in fact, impressed. A Mandalorian always valued improving one's combat prowess. Perhaps there was hope for this woman yet.

 

[Asteria Sigini]

Siggy didn't hide her apparent relief; seemed the Mando was willing to humour her. Others would have shrugged off such a request, finding such efforts unnecessary. What was the point of a hired gun if you were willing to shoot one yourself? But the longer Siggy spent alone, the more time she had to reflect. She was in no way, shape or form ready for the greater galaxy. Who knew was dangers lurked out there in the depths of space. One thing was certain though, she would not be a helpless damsel. No. She was through with being the delicate daughter. All her life, she had been handled with care, treated like glass ready to break. But no longer.

Who better to break that shell than a Mandalorian? They were the heaviest hitters in the whole star system!

But when Ralin enquired about a weapon, Siggy quickly deflated. "No..." She admitted, finally facing the first hurdle of reality.

She had never even held a blaster before; there was simply no need, not whilst living her days out on Hapes. Her mother had told her that rifles and guns were inexcusably uncivilised, better suited for brutes and grunts. She might not have been entirely wrong there, especially when one only had to look at Ralin Saxon. Still, Siggy tried not to deter herself.
"We can get one, can't we? A blaster." She asked, ever so simply.

But then Ralin posed a question of his own. One that made Siggy think. Why did she want to shoot?

"Because sometimes a blade isn't enough..."

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