Open Nar Shaddaa Pazaak Never Gets Old

[Kel Dryden]

Kolran had a chance to secure a 20 and a tie at worst, but decided not to use it. "Planning that far ahead, are we?" Time would tell whether that strategy pays off. Done with the drinking, Kel now focused on the game, which could still go either way.

Kel drew the card while Kolran was outlining the job. A 4 got the young scoundrel to 13, which was a good enough position. Looking at his opponent, Kel tilted his head: "Hmmm, assest seizure..." he said slowly, as if savoring the word.

"Or repossession, if the owners are indeed rightful." After a brief pause, the young man nodded and shrugged: "That does sound curious. How many less-rightful owners are we talking about?"

// OOC: Kel's fourth card in round 3 //
@Headastator

 

[Kolran Targall]

Kolran drew his next card. "Damn." He thought to himself as the 6 revealed itself. His gamble hadn't paid off, so he reluctantly took the second +/- 4 card from his hand and brought his total back down to 18. "Not my finest play. I'll stand there" He said with a sigh before returning back to the topic at hand. "I'll fill you in on the details closer to the time, but its nothing a few good professionals couldn't sort out." Kolran said.

After a moment of consideration he decided he was probably fine to trust Kel with something closer to the truth. "I'll cut the crap kid, this ship was mine up until quite recently and I'm anxious to get it back. I'd make sure you were properly compensated." He explained with a more hushed tone and a slight lean forward.

If he could pull this off, Kolran planned to reconnect with some Black Sun contacts he had once worked with. Whether he liked it or not, he had been thrust back in to the world he'd known as a young man.

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kolran definitely wasn't lucky. He narrowly avoided a bust by using his hand and standing. Kel's next card brought him to Kolran's score of 18. The young scoundrel could stand there and then, tie the round and deprive his opponent of a card... But either the Cheedoan whiskey, or recklessness got the better of him. Instead of playing it safe, the young man pulled the next card, hoping to surpass his opponent. Alas, a 10 got him way over the score he could recover from. Kel and Kolran were truly even now.

Hitting a table with his palm, slight vexation in his movements and tone, the young man grumbled: "So much for this gamble, huh?" He then looked at his adversary; after a few moments like that, he lowered his voice too: "If you say so, I'm in. But I hope that your optimism about the job has more grounds..." he pointed at his 10. "...than my latest gamble."

 

[Kolran Targall]

"I guarantee you it will be, don't you worry Kel." Kolran said with a smirk that betrayed a hint of overconfidence. He hadn't been expecting Kel to gamble a tie away, but he was glad he had. All part of the thrill of the game. "Onto the next one then." He said, drawing his first card of their next round. A 4 put him in a decent starting position, especially as the game was now neck and neck.

A feeling of nostalgia and excitement came over Kolran as the game progress. It was just like the old days. Scoundrels discussing their next job over a drink and a card game. The only thing that had ever changed was who was running the galaxy. He still remembered the Empire he'd ventured out into as a young man. Empire, Republic, Alliance, whatever. It all seemed the same to Kolran.

 

[Kel Dryden]

"Alright then," Kel smirked himself, realizing how daring, yet foolish his own play had been. "That looks promising." Now winning or losing the Pazaak game didn't matter as much. He just made a kind of contact he was hoping for. Kolran's job would be a nice return of investment either way. But still, the young scoundrel had a chance to get some extra cash. So why waste it?

Kel drew a 1. Looks like the opponents were in for a slow start again. While waiting for his opponent to take the turn, Kel threw a quick glance at the dance floor and remembered the bar below. If he were to win tonight, it could be worth celebrating. "So, how'd you get into this line of work?" he asked casually, wondering if Kolran would even discuss that sort of thing.

 

[Kolran Targall]

A 3 took Kolran's total up to 7. Another slow start, much to his frustration. It was bad luck. The elderly scoundrel didn't consider himself overly superstitious but he couldn't help that he'd seen more than enough things happen due to sheer luck rather than anything else in his career. Not always luck for him, but nevertheless. With another casual sip from his glass, Kolran briefly raised an eyebrow at Kel's question. He wasn't even sure if he could remember how it all started back in his youth on Druckenwell. It was so long ago.

"Well, I suppose if we're gonna be working together you deserve to know a little more about me." He said with a smile. "I'm from Druckenwell, the kind of corporate world you're used to seeing closer the core. Lots of money there and lots of business opportunities if you know where to look." Kolran said with a nostalgic smirk. "My parents were already in the game when I was a kid, but they were smart about it. Didn't want their kids getting into this life. But hey, eventually it just became the best option for me and my, uh..." Kolran hesitated for a second, his expression becoming less cheerful and more sombre as memories of Utasha filled his mind. "My Sister. I got good at it and the rest is history." He finished, seemingly half distracted again. "Anyway, how about you, Kel?"

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel listened attentively to Kolran's story, without interrupting. He only replied with an occasional nod and a "Mhmmm". Although he had never been too close to the Galactic Core, he heard about it. So he imagined the place as a cleaner version of Nar Shaddaa, probably with a better climate and more nature. There was definitely more to the story, especially since the fellow scoundrel made a pause while mentioning his sister. But the young man didn't mean to pry.

Instead, he reached for a card of his own. Another 1 brought Kel's score this round to a whopping 2. Kolran's 7 meant that Kel was getting an advantage for now. He'd get to see his opponent's situation before making the decision. Just like the previous round, except that the young scoundrel would try not to blow it this time.

"Me?" The young man shrugged, making a wide gesture. "I'm a local. Born and raised here, on Nar Shaddaa. My parents..." he paused briefly, thinking how to word it. "Never seen them. Grew up in the streets, worked at a mechanic's shop for a while. Then got involved with a few troublemakers, and ended up working for the Syndicates. Most local street kids end up working for them, in one way or another. It's the only way to move up on this dirtball of a planet."

Kel made another pause, reminiscing of his teenage days. "I'm lucky to have made it this far. Not everyone does."

 

[Kolran Targall]

Kolran nodded with an understanding look as Kel spoke. "I've met a lot of kids like you, Kel." He said, briefly thinking back to some of his associates over the years. "Kids that have gone far in this world." Kolran continued with a half-smile of encouragement. Of course, he'd known plenty who'd fallen prey to a stray blaster bolt or been captured by the authorities and never seen again. But there was no use dampening the mood. The criminal underworld of the galaxy was truly a business where anyone could climb the ranks with enough determination and a handful of grit.

Kolran's total climbed to 13, a decent place to be. He wasn't in any danger of going bust, although he could end up having to use another card out of his hand. It wasn't good to reach the last few rounds with nothing in your hand so he'd need to play it carefully.

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel tilted his head with a slight nod. He knew what Kolran was trying to do. Until this point, the young man had already witnessed a lot of what Kolran left unsaid. But Kel had a choice and made it, long before this meeting. No point in looking back or doubting himself now.

So Kel simply replied: "Oh, I bet. I've only seen a few though. One of them in the mirror." he smirked, reaching for the next card. Of course, Kel didn't consider himself having gone too far yet. But he had gone farther than most, and it was something worth acknowledging, even to himself.

A 10 brought him to 12, just one point behind Kolran. A very safe position, and Kel still had the advantage—Kolran's next turn would give the young scoundrel a better idea how to proceed.

 

[Kolran Targall]

Kolran chuckled at Kel's cocky remark. It was funny to him, hearing that kind of talk from someone so young. But he knew ability didn't always come with age. Hell, Kel was in a much better condition to be pulling off heists and shooting people than the elderly Morellian was and he knew it. If nothing else, he would be an essential helping hand in getting Kolran's ship back.

Kolran couldn't help but grin as his next card revealed itself. A 7 that took him directly to 20. Of course, Kel could always go for a tie, but Kolran had found himself in the perfect position. "So, are you tied to a specific... organisation? It's hard not to be these days." He asked, fully prepared to not receive an answer. Whilst most were happy to at least hint at where their loyalties lied, it tended to be a much more sensitive subject if things had gotten complicated.

 

[Kel Dryden]

"A 20? What a lucky son of a bantha!" Kel thought, but only the twitching of the corner of his mouth gave it away, as he was staring at the table and cards. He didn't mind losing (Kolran would be paying him way more for helping out with the ship), but extra credits were always handy.

But Kolran asked a question, and Kel wasn't sure how to best approach it. After a few moments of thought, he finally replied, somewhat truthfully: "Been working for different bosses over time. But I reckon Nar Shaddaa is a Hutt turf, so most of my employers were Hutts."

He reached for the card, hoping that he'd be just as lucky. Kel even considered playing a card from hand for a tie. But a 9 brought his score to 21, and there was no point in wasting cards for a chance to catch up. Kel sure had messed up the previous round with his gamble. Now Kolran was now leading 2 to 1. "Dosh!" the younger scoundrel couldn't but exhale the expletive quietly.

 

[Kolran Targall]

With an unlucky draw on Kel's part, the fourth round went to Kolran. All of a sudden, this game had rapidly changed to the Morellians favour. He reminded himself not to get overconfident once again, Pazaak could go either way very quickly. "I would imagine most folks around here end up working for one Hutt or another. Maybe not the nicest of employers, but they certainly have the credits to pay well." Kolran said, continuing their conversation. He scratched his goatee for a moment before reaching down to the deck and starting their next round.

A 10! Just the start Kolran liked to see. He began to regret not having raised the bet during their introductions, but he wasn't going to complain. The main point of this outing had been to lay low and hire someone discreetly, winning a bet was just a nice bonus. Or it would be, if he could win.

 

[Kel Dryden]

It appeared that Kolran was well on the way towards winning the game. Another 10, and he would most likely win the round and all the credits. Kel drew his own card: a 3. At least he'd be able to see Kolran's score first before making a decision. "As if it helped the last time."

"Yeah, that they do," Kel nodded, thinking to himself how much he could actually say, and what was best to keep to himself. Bochaba, the Hutt that Kel had been working for, was nothing special. At the very bottom of the food chain, in fact, just a bit higher about Kel. So perhaps it would be best not to bring up names just yet. It was safer that way: you'd have to think twice before messing with someone who could be in the employ of a powerful Hutt.

 

[Kolran Targall]

Kolran could tell the young scoundrel across from him was withholding some information, but he hadn't expected an entirely honest conversation from the moment he sat down. Honesty was not part of the vocabulary of many of the smugglers and gangsters he'd met in his life and most of the time it wasn't part of his either.

Drawing his next card, Kolran realised he had this game almost in the bag. A 9 pushed his total to 19 and he had just the card to play to round off his score. Sliding the +/- 1 card into play, he sat back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. "Beautiful game, Pazaak is." He said, maintaining the self-assured smile on his face. A bystander might see something almost predatory in the way he smiled, but there was a confusing measure of genuine warmth in Kolran's expression too. The kid might go for a tie, hold him back a little, but most players would see this game was as good as done by now.

 

[Kel Dryden]

The game was almost over. Kel realized it, but drew the cards nonetheless, just to be sure. Alas, he ended up going way over 20, and even a card from hand wouldn't save him. He sighed, nodding as he evaluated the situation on the table. "Well played," he replied slowly, and almost somewhat begrudgingly. With the game over, the young man leaned backwards, relaxing on his sofa: "Congratulations. This is where I usually tell not to spend it all at once," Kel tried to make a smirk. "But we both know sometimes it isn't an option."

Kel to find consolation in the fact that he had made an acquaintance today. And that acquaintance, perhaps, would be worth more than a handful of credit chips that he had just lost. The ship job alone looked promising. Speaking of which... Kel reached into his pocket for a notepad, tearing out one of the sheets and writing something down, before adding the sheet to Kolran's pile of credits. "Here's how to reach me. Once you're about to go after your ship, that is."

 

[Kolran Targall]

"Well played," Kel said shortly after the end of the game was decided. "You too." Kolran said, with a respectful nod. He was happy with his win, but the credits didn't really matter to him. Kel placed his contact details on top of Kolran's newly acquired prize and he quickly took the sheet and stowed it away in his jacket. "I'll be in touch, Kel Dryden. Here's your advance payment." Kolran said, pushing the pile of credits back across the table to Kel. Glancing down to the dance floor, he saw the Trandoshan walk back into view with a scowl on his face, his friend nowhere to be seen. A momentary feeling of panic entered Kolran's mind as the bounty hunter seemed to start scanning the club once again.

"Unfortunately, I think. I've got to get going." Kolran said, turning back to the table. He quickly seized his glass and finished off what remained of the whiskey before standing up from his seat. With a nod to his new ally, he began walking back downstairs towards the exit as casually as he could. He'd see his ship again soon. Then, maybe, he'd see his sister too...

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel nodded to his new employer as he watched him leaving. The gesture Kolran had made seemed a generous one. There was something about the guy that told the young scoundrel that he could be trusted. Or maybe it were the credits talking. Either way, Kel grabbed and pocketed his winnings. Standing up, he cast a glance at the dance floor below. New-earned money probably deserved some celebration.

He left a few credit chips on the table as a tip for the Twi'lek who had brought the drinks before the game. Then he proceeded downstairs, towards the bar level. One more drink, perhaps...

// EXIT THREAD