Pre-TL: Fortune’s Favor

[Minuteman75]

City of Canto Bight, Planet Cantonica, Outer Rim Territories​

The Canto Casino was alive tonight. Within its gambling halls a sea of the galaxy’s rich and powerful enjoyed themselves. Despite a certain incident in the past it is business and pleasure as usual. Servant droids flew by back and forth holding trays of drinks and delicacies for the guests to sample. Many however, were more focused on their collective game of chance at the gambling tables.

Idle gossip, laughter and whispers mixed by music played on audio speakers throughout the main hall. From the entrance a human in his mid twenties calmly walked down the steps from the left side. He wore a dark hat, matching suit, gray trousers and brown shoes. It wasn’t the most fancy outfit in comparison to the more elegant and outlandish styles worn by many others but it was suited him just fine.

Coming down the steps Kuro Sawa paused to take in the sight before him. Despite the stoic expression on his facial face he was impressed. They have not spared any expense here. Kuro with both hands in his pockets walked into the hall. Dodging a floating servant droid the Freelancer maintained an air of confidence approached a table occupied already by several wealthy patrons and a Qurren dealer.

The squid like alien raised a curious eyebrow at Kuro’s arrival. Of course most of the group were absorbed in the latest session. A heavy set baldish man in a green suit rolled the dice to the end of the table as everyone. A groan escaped the flattish gambler while some others nearby grinned or chuckled at his misfortune.

Grumbling in humiliation the loser stormed away from the game. Kuro couldn’t help but shake his head if only briefly. Games of chance are like a cruel mistress. He thought before looking at the dealer.

Placing coins in front of the dealer Kuro Sawa said. “Put me down for two hundred to start.” The aquatic native while confused gave a nod and said. “Very well sir. Just prepare yourself.”

Suppressing a smirk that threatened to come out Kuo Sawa instead pulled out his latest cigarette. Once in the mouth he lit it with his small lighter and waited for his turn to gamble.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal]

Chrisjen Hale had been on Canto Bight for nearly a week, and already she was bored. In her not-so-humble opinion, once you had gambled at one game you had pretty much gambled at them all. Sure, she liked the idea of making credits at the expense of someone else - it just didn't feel right leaving it down the often fickle hands of Lady Luck. What had started out as a simple information retrieval trip had however, grown into something more complex entirely.

Some weeks ago, her employer had recieved information that one of their researchers had decided to augment their already considerable pension, by selling company secrets. That it in itself was bad. Then it had come to light that the researcher was planning on selling the plans to a rival Corporation.

That, well that was just taking the piss.

And so, Chrisjen had been sent on a fact finding mission, with the intention of sourcing the buyer, and doing whatever was needed to get the item in question back. She had tracked them to Cantonica, the only place in travelable distance from the laboratory which had lax enough import laws to allow such contrabanned in via the ferry network the researcher had taken. However, trying to find the buyer was proving nearly impossible, so she had come to the Casinos to try and find something, anything, out.

It had not been easy at all.

In total it must have been around three days ago that she had been approached by some up-and-comer on the smuggling scene, or was it crime - she could not recall, interested in a job. She could spot the creature now, the other side of the table (@Minuteman75). She held little hope that the creature knew the location of her missing data, but from what he had said there was still a proftable venture in the works.

Was it weapons he wanted?

Was it her as a ransom?

It better not be me, Chrisjen thought to herself. I'll frakking snap you like a t... she took a deep breath - no need to get angry now was there. Whatever the alien wanted, if there was a profit in it, Chrisjen would be happy to hear him out.

The dealer was calling for bets to be placed. Chrisjen had no idea what they where even playing. "Just, I dunno, two-hundred." she muttered to herself, stabbing a stim out of its packet and lighting it as her protocol droid shook its heads "Ma'am, the odds of..."

She raised her hand, silencing the droid.

"Shut it tin-can."

Chrisjen was getting impatient, this game took to long and she had things to do. She brushed her hair back with one hand, a classic sign of impatience, and looked around the table, locking eyes with aquatic contact, took a drag on her stim, and waited for his move.

 

[Minuteman75]

Kuro silently observed Chrisjen arriving at the table before pretending he lost interest. On the contrary, he was supposed to meet with her for a possible business arrangement. The outlaw inwardly watched out of the corner of his eye as the corporate type grew more and more impatient and staring at the Quarren.

While finding it a little bit amusing that his contact had mistaken the dealer for him Kuro decided not to let the misunderstanding continue. In the Czeka employee’s defense her contact had only messaged through a text to offer his services by meeting here at this specific table but not much else.

Situating himself next to Chrisjen on the right hand side he gave a wink and whispered while looking at the contents of the table.

“Pardon the deception and long wait Miss Hale but in my line of work one can’t be too careful.”

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal]

Chrisjen let out a long drawn-out sigh when Kuro sidled up next to her, making himself known as her contact - not the as she had initially, and incorrectly assumed. Ruining all attempts at keeping the communication below the radar, she gritted her teeth, stamped out her stim and rolled her eyes. "You're joking, right?" the occupants of the gambling table looked at her "Who meets at gambling tables anymore? Like - this ain't the Clone Wars. That shits so old." the tables occupants looked very confused.

Fortunately, Kuros words had been kept to a whisper, so nobody really new what she was going on about. Instead, she turned slightly to Kuro saying "That's great. So covert, love it." she lit another stim "What, do you want?" the small flame of her lighter vanished with a click, and she drew on the stim, waiting for this 'Kuro' to reply.