Ask Nar Shaddaa Old Habits

[Adrian Cross]

Music pulsed and people yelled as they exchanged bets around the electrified cage. Two droids dragged a bloody heap of a man, the victim of the last fight.

Life hadn't ever been easy or Adrian, but life as a free man was in ways more difficult than life as a slave. There was no direction, no assistance, nothing. He was alone. He wouldn't trade that for anything and would destroy anyone who tried to chain him again. That didn't change the fact he needed food and other basics to survive.

Work was hard to come by, he had tried to make a legit of it but you needed money to make money in this Galaxy and that was another thing he had none of. As with many of society's outcasts, he ended up on Nar Shaddaa. There was work here, though he hadn't found the right employer as of yet. For now, he did the one thing he had always been good at, fighting.

He stepped into the ring, open and closing his fists several times, feeling his knuckles crack. Everything else in the room faded. It was just him, his opponent, and the ring. The fight started and last for a few minutes before Adrian gained the upper hand. Two solid hits and his opponent rocked on the edge of unconsciousness. People here didn't want just any victory, they wanted it flashy, they wanted it violent. Adrain would give the crowd the violent end it craved for. Another punch to the man's stomach caused him to buckle over. Grabbing the man's head he threw him into the electrified cage surrounding the arena. The man screamed for several seconds before the gate shut off an he fell the ground a smoke pile of unconscious flesh.

With credits in his pocket, he made his way to the bar. It wasn't much but it would be enough for tonight.

 

[Lilith Vye]

Tonight Alais decided to make another step towards her dreams. While she wanted to grow her business and create as many connections as possible, she needed muscle for it. A lot of muscle. Loyal muscle. The best way to do that on Nar Shaddaa was to run your own gang. Now gangs were a dime a dozen, but she was an upstart so she needed to start small; a plan to both gain members and keep them in line. She figured the first step was to find at least one man, hire him to hijack another mans gang and go with the flow from there. If things fell in line from there then great, if not she could abort the whole thing.

She was siting at a table, a tightly fit pink and white dress decorated with skulls clung to her small figure. One man caught her eyes after he flattened another man silly in the ring. Why not? she thought, credits in her purse and time to spend getting this party started. Without much thought she followed the scrapper to to the bar, sitting in a seat beside him and waving over a waitress.

"Whatever he wants and however many he wants of it," she said, pointing to the man. The waitress simply nodded and waited for further instructions. "Call me Alais and a woman needing a little muscle. I've got lots of spare credits if you have time to pound a few more faces in." It was blunt, but Alais didn't always bother to be delicate with her words, especially not in this part of Nar Shaddaa.

 

[Adrian Cross]

He lowered himself down at the bar, feeling the soreness start to set in as the adrenaline of the fight began to fade. He had won pretty handily but the other guy had gotten in some solid hits. He also had done this every night for the last three weeks. It wasn't sustainable. Sooner or later he would need to figure something out.

It took him a moment to even realize the woman was there. When the waitress nodded and looked to him for a drink request, he finally pieced together that the woman had been talking about him "Uh...Another.." he said, holding up an empty glass. He looked over at her. She was a small thing and felt out of place in a bar like this. He nodded his head in appreciation and turned back to his drinks ready to dismiss her altogether.

When she didn't go away, he turned back towards her. At least she was quick to the point. "What do you need done?" he said as another drink was brought out.

 

[Lilith Vye]

Alais smiled when he answered. It seems she might have found some muscle. "My business needs permanent muscle, and loyal muscle to boot," she answered, flagging down a waitress for her own drink. "So I thought I ought' to do it the easiest way possible, by stealing it from someone else," she said with a soft laugh.This man didn't seem the type to run around squealing about plans. In fact he looked a little down on his luck, but if he did decide to turn she'd deal with the motions as they went.

"There's a very small gang of six that likes to hang near by business—Nightfall," she added, wondering if the man might knew about her shop or it's connection to the Crimson Dawn, but it mattered little if he did and didn't like either, since she was still offering good creds for the job. "I noticed their leader isn't the most popular, so if I have him taken out I have a feeling I can consolidate the rest of the crew, appoint a second in command and build from there, you know? I know where they hang out and I have the... tools to get us in."

The waitress slid Alais' drink down, not once asking what she wanted. Alais was regular enough that the woman knew her and knew exactly what she wanted. The young upstart took her drink and had a sip. "So, have another drink to the business deal?" she asked, smiling softly and staring at him to gauge his reaction.

 

[Adrian Cross]

The man listened as the woman spoke, her voice just barely audible over the music. It seemed everyone on this planet was just used to such loud music. To be honest, it bothered Adrian.

He thought about her proposal. It seemed like a big risk for such a small reward, but it was the best offer that had come along. He couldn't fistfight forever, it was time to do something to make some credits.

"Who is this man you want dead?" he asked after a short pause. He wasn't an assassin but he had no qualms about killing. Someone had tried killing him the first day he had arrived on this planet. Life was cheap on Nar Shaddaa and in the Galaxy as a whole.

"I'll do this for you, and I will your muscle but I need a place to stay," he said truthfully. He had been basically homeless since he had arrived. While it was still leaps and bounds better than his accommodations in the mines, it was too dangerous to keep up for long.

Assuming she agreed, he would hold his glass towards her.

"Name's Adrian."

 

[Lilith Vye]

"Zak Zel'far, a zabrak. People call him ZZ," she answered, barely stifling a giggle with her hand. "I find it cute, though he thinks otherwise." She took another drink while she listened to what he wanted. To be honest, taking strays off the streets was the normal for her now. Maybe it had something to do with her being a stray when she was young. Maybe it was because of the cheap or free labor. Maybe it was both. Either way, she wasn't against the idea but she needed a little more from him.

"How about this," Alais began, taking another drink before continuing, which was really a way to give her a few more seconds to consider her next words, "For the job you'll get credits. If you do good during it..." and by good job, she meant a good job and not being insane "I'll offer you a bed in my establishments storage room. It's the best I can offer.... but let me repeat. You get the offer of the room for a good job. "

Alias shifted to face the exit now, pushing her drink aside since it was basically done. "You can keep the room for as long as you want if you act as some security—some muscle—in my establishment whenever you're out in the cantina area. It's not a job. You aren't obligated to be there every night, it's just a favor for a favor. You'll have access to food and drink, since obviously they're in the storage room, though don't go too crazy alright?"

If he agreed to her offer, she'd answer back when he gave his name, "You can call me Alais." Normally she'd give some other name, something that couldn't lead back to her, but since he may be staying at her place for awhile he'd pick up on her Crimson Dawn alias. It'd save a lot of awkwardness to give him it now.

"So if you're in, we head out now. I'm not wasting any time." That, or risking this man changing his mind, she thought. "They sleep in some small storage building..." Alais pushed herself off the counter and started to walk to the exit, hoping Adrian followed. They'd have to go through some sketchy areas to make it back to hers, then to the small gangs 'home'.

 

[Adrian Cross]

It seemed like a fair deal, which was more than anyone could expect on a planet such as this. He would remain cautious, but he was highly motivated to make this work. "You point me in the right direction, and consider it done," he said finishing his drink. He was confident, but not cocky. Though if he walked in and got himself killed, he wouldn't much care about what his newfound employer thought of him. "You have yourself a deal," he said as he reached out to shake the woman's hand.

"After you then," he said as he downed his last drink in a swallow and stood up. He didn't have a blaster, he never could afford one and hadn't gotten the chance to take one yet. He had never really shot a blaster anyway. The get caught with one as a slave was pretty certain death. He had relied on his fists to solve all of his problems up until this point.

They made their way out onto the streets, Adrian letting Alais lead the way. "So what kind of establishment you running?" he asked, making small talk. It didn't really matter much either way to him, but it seemed like a good time to start feeling the woman out.

 

[Lilith Vye]

A small smile graced her countenance. It looked like her offer sealed the deal. "A computer repair shop and hangout," she answered as they walked out. She hadn't bothered wearing anything to disguise herself this time, like she did for many of her jobs. This time she wanted others to see her face, especially as their leader breathed his last breath. They had to see she was the one they had to fear and respect now. Of course, her muscle would do most of the beating which may lead to some complications, though she'd tackle those if they came.

They walked the streets in relative silence—as silent as it could get on the busy world of Nar Shaddaa—until they were about to turn a corner. Alais reached into her garb to pull out her blaster pistol. "If you have any weapons, draw them now." If he had nothing, he could have whatever was on one of the soon to be corpses. No doubt a few gang members would bite the dust in this conflict, though she hoped to minimize that.

As they rounded the corner she went up to a panel at the side of the storage door. She used her free hand to grab a card, swiping it over the panel. The panel beeped in return, prompting another smile from Alais. She'd prepped this slicing card with the correct codes after all. Heading in the door first, she turned the corner to see a few men getting up from their sleeping places. Seeing her, they scrambled for their weapons.

"Hey boys, say hello to your new boss," she said with a much more wicked smile this time. She managed to shoot one in the shoulder before he got his blaster. Of course she ducked behind some containers after, nearly being shot from another man's blaster. The fight was on. Although, she hadn't noticed the boss in the mix. There was another door at the back of the storage that she did notice however; perhaps the boss got his own room to sleep in.

 

[Adrian Cross]

He wasn't sure why a computer shop needed muscle, but if she wanted to pay him to protect some nerds than who was he to argue. He didn't really know anything about computers. Technology had never gotten along with him, and he had never really had use for anyway.

Adrian remained silent for the rest of the walk. He wasn't one for small talk and she wasn't paying him for conversation. When they arrived and she told him to draw whatever weapons he had, he gave a bit of a shrug before cracking his knuckles. He would either win and impress her or they would be dead and didn't much matter either way.

The fighting started pretty much immediately. He was here to impress her, but she had already impressed him. As she shot a man to their left, Adrian grabbed ahold of the man to their right and hurled him at the second one sending both of them to the floor.

He turned back towards Alais, another thug taking aim at her. He lunged, sending a fist into the man's mouth. More than a couple of teeth flew as the already unconscious man slumped to the floor.

He turned again, pushing a blaster out of the way as one of them aimed for his stomach, the blaster went off as it struck the wall behind them. The barrel burned Adrain's arm as he grunted in pain before kneeing the man in the stomach and then in the head. Pulling the blaster from the man's grasp he then shot the two who were still tangled on the ground.

With that, and whatever men Alais had taken out, the fight was over. "Any of these your guy?" he asked, turning his head towards Alais.

 

[Lilith Vye]

The scuffle ensued with her muscle taking the reigns. He'd brought no blasters but put himself in direct danger. And even so, managed to take on man after man. Alais needed to focus and actually help again, noticing one man behind her muscle and aiming to shoot for his back. Quickly, she aimed and fired at the assailants chest.

The shoot was on it's mark, if only slightly to the left. The assailant fell to the ground just as she noticed Adrian being burnt by the gun barrel, which made her frown. When he finally spoke up, Alais got up from her place behind the box and went up to him first, grabbing his arm and looking at the burn. "I'll pay to fix this, I promise," she mumbled. If there was anything she gleamed from that show, it was that this man may end up being a valuable asset and she always protected her valuable assets. Not trusted, but protected.

"No I didn't see him but-" she stopped when the sound of a door open could be heard in the distance. "DAMNIT! I think he's in that backroom!" and that backroom sounded like it had another way out. Alais run towards the door, opening it just to see another door at the back that lead to an alleyway.

She followed, and by the time they got out it looked like the man was about to round a corner. Without thinking, she fell back on the training Tal gave her. Thrusting out her arm she used the Force to pull back the man. It was only for a split second and she fired a few shots at him right after, one of which landed near his him and made him fall. He groaned but was clearly still trying to get away.

But it was only then that Alais realized she had made a mistake and a pit of regret formed in her stomach. There were no cameras to record what she did, not witnesses except her muscle nearby. She only hoped he hadn't noticed or had no idea what the Force was, just as she hadn't before. She tried to play it off by continuing to speak, "He's the man!"

 

[Adrian Cross]

He waved her off about the burn, it was nothing he hadn't experienced before and he had gotten quite good at taking care of his own injuries.

He scanned the bodies, making sure everyone was staying down as Alais decided if any of these were the man she was looking for. When she took off running for the door, he followed behind her as they chased after their target.

Whether he noticed or not, he didn't hesitate to move past her as the man fell. As he tried to scurry away, Adrain caught up to him. He slammed his foot down on the gang leader's knee, bones crunching as the man screamed in pain. He continued to whimper as Adrian leaned down and picked the man up by the hair and looked towards Alais. "Do you want it slow or fast?" he asked in a calm tone. There was no joy in killing, but it was what he was used to, it was how he survived.

He would wait for her to respond before doing anything to man but while he waited the defeat gangster begged Alias for his life.

 

[Lilith Vye]

Alais run up to the thug and her muscle, stopping a few inches away. "It needs to be slow, or at least appear that way," she answered, which only prompted the thug to start cursing at her. "Nothing personal," she answered in a plain, almost stoic voice.

This was how it worked on Nar Shaddaa, and this was far from the first man she saw in this type of situation. Kill or be killed, use or be used. Tis' how the moon went round. She'd wait till Adrian finished, staring without flinching before turning away.

The thugs were all knocked out at the moment, but she went back to their little storage home anyway to leave a datapad with some information on it. They'd get to keep their place, have food and drinks and not die if they accepted her as their new boss. That's all it said. If they didn't come, she'd have no choice but to hunt them down to prove herself.

She remained quiet for awhile, expecting Adrian to follow until they were far enough from the scene that Alais felt like talking again. "You did good and you have a home at my place," she said, even though he probably wouldn't ever consider it home. On the way she decided to inquire more about the man who'd be sleeping in her storage room "So, where are you from? Someone like you would've been snapped up by a gang already if you were a Nar Shaddaa local, or at least from my experience."

 

[Adrian Cross]

He nodded as she gave the command. The man struggled for a moment but then accepted his fate. Maybe there was some sort of peace in knowing the struggle to survive was over. Adrain rolled up his sleeves before setting to the nasty business he had been tasked with.

Screams echoed throughout the warehouse but no one came to help the poor man, no one ever came to help anyone on this planet. Adrian was through and did not shy away from the violent task. A few moments later, he joined Alais, blood splattered over his arms and clothing.

He waited until she was ready to leave and exited with her, silent until she spoke a moment later. A compliment was an odd thing to him, something he was not used to. It gave him a weird, uncomfortable feeling but he kept it hidden for the most part.

"Not from here," he said quietly. "I grew up a slave on some asteroid mining station, I don't know where." he finished. There wasn't much else to his story, or at least that he knew of.

Why was she here? She seemed like she should be in some high tower somewhere partying with the ultra-wealthy, and here she was walking through the slums with him. "What about..." he said trailing off before thinking twice about asking anything about the woman who had offered him a bed. "Nevermind.." he added before growing silent again.