Ask Nar Shaddaa This Life

[Duke Winters]

Duke shifted in his seat a little, not knowing how to deal with this attention of her remembering him saving her life. He thought nothing of it so he didn't know how to react with Trys. In the end, he gave her a nod and added, "Don't mention it, you'd do the same." She was a Ranger just like him, he thought nothing of saving her. They had to look out with each other and with the corruption that was running rampant in the local department, it highlighted that more than ever.

He could tell she didn't believe the explanation about Ivy but it wasn't a big deal to him. She must have known what it was like to have this life, they were always called away on cases that were dangerous enough that it could be their last. Sometimes it was best to go at things alone. Duke chuckled at her comment about her boy, "I can believe that fully." When she added a single mom added red flags, he gave a quick tilt of his head before finishing off his beer as well. "I wouldn't say always."

When Trys stood up, he handed her his bottle, "Can't wait. Goodnight Trys." When she left the room, he stood up from his chair before heading over to the couch, folding it out and quickly just collapsing onto it and letting sleep take complete control over him.

---​

Trys would get a soft knock on her door before the sound of footsteps heading the opposite way to let her come out whenever she was ready. Duke had woken up early and had the backpack he brought resting on top of the kitchen table, stuffing supplies into that he managed to scrounge from inside the safehouse. When Trys exited from the room, he glanced over to her before shoving an extra piece of clothing in his bag, "Hope you slept well." They were most likely not gonna be able to get another break like that for a while.

When the bag was stocked, it was zipped up before flung over Duke's shoulder as he turned towards her, "So, the contact we're supposed to meet, doesn't know we're coming. He may also not be on the friendliest terms but I have a feeling we can offer him something that will change his mind." He paused for a moment before slowly adding, "We just may not get the warmest welcome is all." It been a long time since he had seen Vin and he owed Duke a favor as well. Hopefully, the man just remembered that he owed him it and with the secret card up their sleeve, hopefully, it would be enough.

He checked his blaster one more time before holstering it and doing the same with his vibro-blade. "You ready to head out?" The shop they were heading to was a few sectors away but not too far. Once they stepped out of the door, they were back out and being hunted again, they'll have to be careful until they actually reached the shop and the station.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys had already been up and had freshened up and even called her son to check in as was her ritual. By the time Duke knocked, she opened the door and had her gear slung over her shoulder. She followed him out, watching him pack up.

“Can I borrow one of your guns?” She was quickly beginning to realize that criminals out here had much nicer weapons and armor and her stun gun wouldn’t always cut it. Granted that he had no qualms with it, she would pop one of his extras in her bag. When he explained about the contact, Trys suddenly paused.

“What?” She looked at him in alarm, “Doesn’t know we’re coming?” There was visible concern on her face, “Duke, this could seriously blow our cover and get a bunch of heat on us,” Trys knew this was a delicate situation, and she was already risking a lot. In the end, she sighed, “But I trust you know what you’re doing.”

She nodded at his question, following him out of the apartment. Somehow it didn’t look any better than it did before - there was a new person now passed out in the lobby. As they stepped out, there were two women in ragged clothing smoking cigaras. One looked over at Duke and grinned widely, “Hey sexy, been a long time since you came back here,” She tossed her hair back, “Look I even showered this time. Can I come up with you now?”

Trys’s eyes widened and she promptly stepped to the side to make it clear she had nothing to do with this and was an innocent bystander. She had to fight to keep a straight face, looking around innocently as if she were simply another tenant.

 

[Duke Winters]

Trys asked for one of his spare blasters and he didn't blame her. Last time she fired the stun gun, it had an effect on the assassin but not fully. Digging out of his bag, he quickly retrieved a blaster buried deep within it and handed it to her. It was smaller than his own but it still packed quite a lethal punch. "Careful, she got a kick." When the contact came up afterward, it was obvious that she wasn't supporting the idea that they were coming by unannounced but they didn't have much else of a choice. Criminals didn't hand out calling cards and with them being "rogue", there weren't a lot of resources at their disposal.

"We don't have many other options." It was the unfortunate truth but never the less, the truth. When they exited the apartment and made their way down the stairs, there was two women standing in the lobby, glancing around for potential customers. When one of them had their eyes fall on Duke, she called out to him and his eyes widened as he did remember the woman, the last time the smell nearly making him gag. Trys said nothing and just separated herself and left Duke, making him just chuckle awkwardly as he put both hands up towards the lady, "I don't think I'm worthy of your time." With that, he quickly stepped out of the lobby with Trys and left that all together.

When they got into his speeder and drove off, it was some time before they finally arrived at their destination. It was some sort of mechanical shop, the front garage open as sparks flew out from mechanic work that was transpiring inside. "We're here." Duke sighed before shutting off the speeder and getting out. When they started to approach the shop, he just glanced over to Trys before murmuring, "Whatever happens, don't shoot." When they stepped past the opened gate and turned the corner to enter into the garage, there was a group of four men working on speeders, some of them having welding masks while others just using basic tools. When they saw the pair enter, one of them noticed and yelled out, "Who the hell are you?"

That got the others to notice and made them draw closer to the pair, one standing right in front of Duke while the other a couple of feet off. They were close enough to recognize him and the one in front of him shouted out, "It's the ranger!" Shouting erupted around them as weapons were pulled from holsters and aimed at the two. Duke had pulled out his own weapons at the same time, his blaster shoved into the nearest thug's throat while his blade aimed at another, "Easy, easy. I just want to talk to Vin. I know he's here." The thug that had the blaster pressed against him spit to the ground, "Kark off, he don't talk to you bitch." Duke shoved his blaster forcefully into the man's neck again, "He will to me."

 

[Trys Aran]

When Duke gave her the warning not to shoot, she looked even more alarmed. Really? What the hell was he getting them into? Trys grimaced and followed after him, her fingers always hovering close to the blaster on her hip. After they arrived, she could tell right away something was off. The men that were hanging around looked like they were small time thugs.

Within moments, everyone had their guns out, and Trys didn’t hesitate. She had a stun blaster pointed at one man, a real gun at another. She mentally cursed Duke as she stood there, the men glancing over at her curiously. Trys remembered Duke mentioning not to shoot, but the men themselves looked like they were prepared to do just that.

“Boys, boys,” A smooth, drawling voice called out from the back. A tall, thin man with hair slicked back and dressed in a suit stepped out. He looked thoroughly entertained as he took in sight of the situation, “There is no need for all this violence,” The men all lowered their guns then, Vin looking at Duke and Trys.

“Oh, I see you brought a ladyfriend,” His eyes gleamed with joy as he smiled at her. He then turned to look at Duke, the smile fading as his eyes narrowed, “You've got a lot of nerve showing up here,” He said curtly, “Only reason your brains aren’t splattered on the sidewalk right now is because I don’t want your ladyfriend to think poorly of me.”

 

[Duke Winters]

The two stared each other down but that's when a familiar voice spoke out, Duke recognizing it instantly and thankful that the man was actually here. Vin walked in, stepping into the light and revealing an all-white suit with a black shirt underneath, his leather shoes cleaned immaculately. He always loved to be on his best appearance, no matter where he was, no matter what time it was. "I"m happy to see you too Vin." When the thugs put down their weapons, Duke did the same, hoping Trys would as well, needing to deescalate the situation as they still needed the man's help. "I need your help."

"You want my assistance? After what you pulled?" Vin leaned into his finger point at Duke before stepping over to him and placing a hand on the ranger's shoulder, gripping it fiercely as he rubbed his hand up and down his neck. He knew what was coming next and he would just have to accept it if this were to happen. Vin gripped his shoulder before giving a hook right into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and making him go to his knees. Not only did it hurt but there were rings on his fingers as well and that certainly didn't help.

Vin took a few steps away, wiping his mouth as he tried to breathe evenly to not lose his temper. It was obvious he didn't like losing control in front of others. "You disrupted one of my deals, Duke! I should beat you until you can't even remember how to shit correctly." Duke coughed a few times before standing up, "It's my job and it's not my fault your boys were blatantly obvious." Vin stomped his foot as he pointed again at Duke, "You watch your tongue, son."

The two of them could go back and forth all day, they've done it before. They just needed to get straight to the point so he cut the banter off, "Look, we need to get into the police station and we can't do it when it's fully manned. If there's big enough diversion, that will leave a skeleton crew and allow us to sneak in and get what we want." Vin just stared at him for a few seconds, unable to believe what he was hearing for a second until he started barking out laughter, "I can't believe it, you pissed off mommy and daddy upstairs." He walked over to Duke, closing the distance between them before speaking again, "I repaid the favor, you spared me by not hauling me to the slammer, in return I left your sector alone. I also let my men not shoot you in the head when you walked in. I ain't getting involved with the police. You've run out of favors." Vin turned to walk away from him, closing the deal and giving the signal with his finger to end them once he left. Each of the four raised their guns.

Duke called out to him before he could take one more step, "I know you have a family!" Vin stopped right where he was, still not saying anything and keeping his back to the ranger. "If you help us, I can wipe your record and let you see them whenever you want."

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys couldn’t believe what was happening. She kept leveling and then lowering her gun, watching the absurd sequence of events play out. It was clear that the two had a very colorful history, and she was pulled right in the middle of it. As Duke took a few punches, Trys decided enough was enough.

“Stop it!” She cried out as she rushed to step in between the two men. She grasped onto Vin’s arm and pushed him back, getting a shocked expression from him. Trys used that to slowly release him and look between the two men.

“I don’t know what pasts you have, nor do I care,” Trys turned to give a hard look at Vin, “All I know is that Duke has saved my life. He’s ensured that I can go home to see my boy. I’m all he’s got. If you have a family...” Her expression softened slightly, “Don’t do it for Duke, then. Do it for me.”

It was a long shot, she knew it. However, she knew that the longer the bickering went on, the less time they had. Trys didn’t even look at Duke. She didn’t want him to see her pulling the emotional card, and this would probably change his perception of her. However she hoped he would see the commitment she had for paying it forward for everything he had done for her.

 

[Duke Winters]

Vin was about to continue on with the punishment but Trys stepped in the way between him, shoving him back slightly with enough force that the rest of the men in the room leveled their blaster at her instead of the both of them. Duke glanced up at her as he wiped away a small trail of blood that trickled out of his mouth, "Trys..." He didn't want her to interrupt Vin. He trusted her negotiation skills but like it was evident between the two men, there was no history between her and the gang leader. Vin stared into her eyes for a moment, holding up a finger to the rest of the men to calm down their trigger finger. Her releasing him slowly most likely helped in him not overreacting.

He stood there and listened as Trys explained her relationship with Duke to him and that she had a family as well. In his eyes, she would be able to see him twist and turn over her words before staring down at the other, "You have a knack collecting favors from others don't you." Vin gave Trys a grin before taking a step back away from her, spreading his arms wide as he glanced around at his men with a chuckle, "What can I say, I'm a family man and love my children with all my heart." He gesticulated with his hands coming to his chest and pressing against his heart, helping illustrate his point.

But Vin stepped towards Trys with a surprising burst of speed, his thin and long hands gripping her cheeks and scrunching them together like she was a child. "Hey!" Duke stepped towards the both of them but he was instantly pulled back by one of the guards and had the barrel of a blaster pressed against the back of his neck to keep him there in place. Vin gave her Trys a smile that resembled more of a predator that was about to catch its prey, the glint in his eyes changing and giving a glimpse like a suave man like him was able to be the leader of a gang. "You have staked your claim now and cannot take it back." Thugs surrounded her a few feet away, silently telling her that if she tried something again it wouldn't end as well as last time.

"I'm a family man dear at heart and I will speak to you transparently. I need you to listen with an intent you haven't mustered before in your life. This is Nar Shaddaa, my home, my hunting grounds." Vin let one of his hands drop from her face before he extended it out to the men that surrounded them, "This is my coalition, I am their alpha. You may have found a commonality between us but if you hurt my family or betray me, I will gut your partner and son right in front of you. This is our pact now, one that cannot be retreated from." Vin gave her another smile before taking a step back from her, clapping his hands against his thighs before telling the others to let them go. He let out a hearty laugh, "Well, in the nature of us being partners, my wares are yours." The laugh disappeared quickly after that as an air of seriousness came over him, "Now, what do you do actually need from me?"

 

[Trys Aran]

If Duke expected Trys to stand there and take this all, he was sorely mistaken. She didn’t know about the men and their history, and she didn’t know what Duke was willing to put up with, but she operated by her own set of rules. Her rage shot through the roof when the man crossed lines to grab her face, and she could feel her blood boiling. However, even then she said nothing at first, letting the man speak. Trys wasn’t one to ever allow anyone to take liberties with her, and this pushed through all her boundaries.

It was moment after he threatened her son that she finally lost it. The moment the words left his mouth, Trys moved like a spring that had been coiled and pressed back. She fired the stun blaster directly into Vin’s crotch, making him buckle. However, she grasped his arm and immediately whirled around to stand behind him, holding his collapsing body in front of her with the blaster pressed against him.

While the guards had been gathering menacingly, they couldn’t have anticipated that she would use Vin as a shield or that doing anything would risk his life. Trys used the moment of hesitation from the guard behind Duke to level and shoot him directly in the face. She continued to use Vin as a shield, spinning around and shooting another guard in the stomach. She could only hope that Duke caught the damn hint by now and was helping.

After the guards were down, she dropped Vin on the ground in a heap and stepped back from him. She leveled the lethal blaster in her hand at him, hatred in her eyes, “Come for me and my son then,” She spat on the ground in front of him, “I’ll be waiting for you.”

With that, she turned and began to walk back towards the speeder, “Come on, Duke, I don’t want to make any sort of pacts with trash like him,” There was a finality to her tone that suggested she would do this job with or without him. There was venom dripping from her words and ice in her demeanor. Anyone that made threats against her son swiftly met action from her.

Once she was back in the speeder, she kept her gaze trained forward, “We don’t need his help. We simply need to create an explosion or diversion at the assets of some big time criminal that has been funding the department. Ivy can raise the alarm and that’ll clear out the station,” She turned to look at Duke, “If you really want to get out, we have to do this ourselves.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke didn't expect her to just sit through what Vin did but he at least expected her getting her payback against him later instead of right then. He could already see the anger start to build into her eyes and he pushed against the man holding him and was about to shout her name but it was too late as the trigger of the stun gun was pulled and one charge fired right into Vin's crotch, taking him out of the fight right then and there before he was used as a shield. Trys fired her next shot right into the head of the guard that was behind Duke, his body crumpling and freeing him.

The ranger rolled away from the body before picking up his own blaster, leveling it with a steady hand as he fired another bolt into a nearby thug and sending him into one of the nearby standing toolboxes, items clattering to the floor and echoing throughout the room. Trys dropped Vin to the ground, the man spreading his limbs out like a kid did when it was snowing and they wanted to make an angel. The perfectly white suit was now creased with stains and other dark marks scuffing different areas of it. Vin opened his eyes, finding a blaster aimed directly for between his eyes. When she turned away after her warning, Duke glanced down at Vin before following her out, his blaster at the ready in case anyone else followed after them.

As they down the alleyway they could hear a sort of laughing that couldn't be stopped if they tried, one where they found something truly funny that they could only see with their eye. It had the familiar tone and sound of Vin and when they finally reached the speeder and shut the doors, that's when it was silenced.

"I don't blame you Trys but we needed him, he was our ticket off the planet." Things were going to get hot once they managed to break into the station and they would need an quick escape route if it went up in flames quick. Duke clenched his jaw, upset about how it quickly went downhill and only a few words away from coming to a deal and working together. He could feel the poison-laced in Trys words and see that she wasn't used to Nar Shaddaa life but he couldn't hold it against her.

"That's the problem, I don't know who's funding them. Ivy can raise the alarm but we need something legit to keep them out there." Duke stared out the window as they drove forward, shaking his head as he tried to think for a moment. That's when a thought came to him and he glanced around for a moment before reaching into the backseat and pulling his backpack forward. He went through the large pocket before finally pulling out a vanilla folder and placing it on as his lap as he threw the bag back. Duke flipped through the pages quickly, staring at the folder as Trys drove, "Bo..." He murmured out softly, attempting to find the name or something that resembled it as he also searched his datapad.

When the datapad dinged, Duke glanced down at it before holding it up for Trys to see with a mug shot of the assassin that came after them, "Bo'lak Tucan, otherwise known as Bo." On Nar Shaddaa everyone had a record and he figured that Bo wasn't actually his full name. Scrolling through the information, Duke found what he was for and tapped the screen with his index finger, "Known affiliations, Crimson Dawn. That's one of the funders."

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys said nothing in response to Duke at first. In fact, her initial desired response was to turn the speeder around and run Vin over and silence him for good. However, she finally turned to look at him after they drove for a moment.

“People and situations like that aren’t unique to you and the outer rim,” She explained. She may not have been from here, but she had come from an extensive background as a crook herself, “Either today or tomorrow, you have to pull off the bacta patch and cut your ties instead of getting into more debts and pacts. Otherwise he will always have a hold over you.”

She had no regrets whatsoever about how things turned out, and she knew she would do her best to ensure Duke had a clean break from it all. Trys had her own complicated ties to a past life that she had to sever to truly start fresh. For Duke, he would simply see a wall in front of him, and not much beyond that. It would be up to her to help guide him to the other side.

After Duke mentioned a name, Trys nodded, “Okay, Crimson Dawn,” She tapped her fingers on the speeder console in thought, “They value their artifacts and trinkets,” Trys couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Looks like we will need to pull off a quick heist and nab something precious from him,” She glanced over at him, surprised at the words coming out of her own mouth, “Keeping this…..all off the record...of course,” There was something kind of exciting about stealing from a criminal - almost like a poetic justice.

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke went silent as Trys gave him the truth of the situation and what he had to do. He agreed but he would have preferred another time, they had the potential to actually have some resources behind them instead of them being the "rogues" they were again. Either way, the moment had passed and they needed to adapt to the situation that was brought in front of them. Duke gave her a nod, trusting her but also not choosing to say anything because he worried for her. Vin had his own reach and she probably just put herself on top of the list of people he didn't approve of.

Working with criminals was just the way here and Duke had been mired in the muck long enough that even it's taint touched him. There were just things that Rangers could do within the boundaries of the law and it always helped when someone could ignore the rules for their benefit. At least he had Trys and he was happy that she still remained with him after all they had been through already. He would make it up to her, one day when it was peaceful enough where they weren't being chased from all sides. When she mentioned that they would have to pull off a quick heist, Duke couldn't help but slowly look over at her with a smile also touching his lips.

When said that this was all off the record, he glanced around the speeder before shrugging towards her, "I don't see any badge here to object with you." It was really tucked underneath his jacket but to him, that meant it was out of sight and out of mind. They have to do what they have to in order to get their answers and get off the planet. A few laws broken in a place that was filled them wouldn't break the camels back. "Well, that means we're going to need to find a place that has what we need."

Duke scrolled through his datapad once more, examing Bo's profile a few times before flicking through a few differents one until he found what he was looking for. "I think I got a place." He flipped the pad over for Trys to see again, "Chino Zut." It was a picture of a human was overweight and tattoo's covering much of his body. "He's a known affiliate of the Crimson Dawn and he loves to show it off. He throws parties at his estate and leaves it open to the public, even cops to show off his collection and riches of the gang." Certain areas of the city were in direct control of gangs where even the ranger didn't go. Chino was in one of those areas, constantly showing off his opulent wealth to both of his enemies, allies, and random witnesses who just wanted to revel in another's glory. Duke couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Care to crash a party?" There was a slight tone of excitement in his voice as well, finding another solution that brought them closer to an overall objective and doing so by tipping their toes over the edge of the law.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys couldn’t help but chuckle as he asked if she were ready to crash a party, “I might have to follow your lead,” She tilted her head to look at him, “I’ve been a good girl for a very long time,” She gave him a playful wink before focusing back on driving. Trys couldn’t remember the last time she did something that was considered legitimately breaking the law. She had shot others, but it had been in self defense or against people that had already drawn weapons. Stealing sounded very scummy, even if it were from a thug.

She decided to ditch the normal civilian attire and get into more relaxed clothing. She put on more form fitting clothing and heels, but still kept a leather jacket on to hide her tattoos. While tattoos would have helped her fit in, they would also make it too easy to identify her in a crowd.

It didn’t take them long to pull up near the mansion, and her eyebrows rose as she drove past a massive fountain. The fountain was a statue of what appeared to be a giant Hutt crushing several humans that had lightsabers in their hands beneath it. Trys had to marvel at the creativity as she moved past it and towards the mansion.

Even from here she could hear the thumping music, and she caught a whiff of spice before the large double doors even opened. Once they did, it was as if they walked into a thick cloud. The entire inside was dimly lit in purples and there was a blacklight that made anyone wearing white stick out.

She could barely hear herself think over the music, and she spotted people grinding against one another or openly snorting spice. Trys turned to look at Duke, feeling her eyes burn, “I’m going to get completely blazed in minutes and not be functional. This one might be all on you,” She meant it as a joke, but a part of her was legitimately concerned.

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke couldn't help the grin that spread across his face when she responded to his question. Having known her for a little, Trys was straight edge and the only time he had seen her really loosen up was when they were at the safehouse and she just had a few beers. "Well, let's see what you've been holding out on the galaxy then." Although she didn't outwardly show it, Duke could sense a new energy in her that he hadn't seen before and he wondered how long it had been for her since she had done something like this. For him, it was almost normal enough to the point that he thought it was weird that others hadn't experienced it.

When Trys ditched her clothes, so did he. His normal attire was altered for something with slightly more appeal, wearing a simple shirt, jacket, and some nice pants. It fit him well enough that it could pass without too much suspicion but either way, Chino loved it when the public came into his home so it most likely wouldn't be that much of a red flag. When they arrived at the mansion, it was clearly packed with people, speeders going in and out to drop people off at the front. As the two walked around the statue, Duke couldn't help but comment, "Sets the mood." While it may have been a party, there was still a level of danger that they would have to watch out for.

As they got inside, the whole building seemed to thump with the music as people around them immediately got the mood and pulled their partners with them to where the dancing or other activities were. The blacklight illuminated Duke as he wore a white shirt underneath his jacket, making him glance down and then at Trys, "I say we fit in." He stepped close to hear what Trys said before smelling it and recognizing it as spice too. It was almost instinct for him to pull out his badge but they were there for a reason and he remained steady. Duke had been on Nar Shaddaa long enough to have gotten used to the smell and truth be told he may have done it a few times when he was younger.

He glanced around before finding a naked waitress walk past them, simply wearing a mask and making Duke just give a quick tilt of his head before reaching on the tray and pulling off two drinks. One of them was handed to Trys, "This will help, trust me." They were breaking rules either way and it would help. Duke clinked his shot against hers before downing it quickly, the liquid burning down his throat and all the way to his stomach. It woke him up instantly and nodded down toward a hallway where he saw more lights flashing and rotating.

"Let's go find our Chino."

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was staring forward and was entirely caught off guard with by the naked waitress. She blinked stupidly as Duke took two drinks and shoved one in her hand. Trys opened her mouth to protest, but it was of no use. The words pathetically died on her lips as she watched him down the drink. She sighed and shrugged, throwing hers back as well, wincing as she did so, “What….the hell is this?” She grimaced, feeling a strong burn in her throat.

She nodded at his words, awkwardly placing her empty glass on the tray of another passing naked waitress. Trys couldn’t believe the debauchery that was taking place here, and it was clear she had been far removed from a criminal life for a very long time. She had to actively try to not look uncomfortable. Every now and then she would glance over at Duke, marveling at how easily he seemed to fit in. She thought she even saw him pretend to nod at a few people as if he knew them, and it only completed image. Meanwhile, she was stiff as a board.

Within moments, she began to feel the effects of the drink and realized all too late that they had been laced with spice. Almost at once, she began to feel her muscles relaxing more, and her movements were less stiff. They made their way to the next room, and this had spice all around. She saw naked twi’leks, pantorans and many other women that were entertaining the guests there.

The room began to pulsate around her, and she had a hard time telling reality from fantasy. Trys could hear the music and really feel it in her bones. She didn’t even notice when she began to sway slightly, hearing it as if for the first time, “Duke do you hear that? The beat? It’s so….nice,” She had a dazed look on her face.

Trys began to sway and bob to the music as she made her way through the crowd, not entirely sure where she was going. Was Chino back here? Who knew, but the music was nice. As they walked, a female twi’lek brought up spice in her palms and blew them in both her and Duke’s faces. Almost immediately, Trys’ eyes were dilated and she felt even more dazed.

“....Shit.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke only took a few steps before the effect of the drinks hit him right then and there. His whole body got number and lighter, in a good way as he reacted to the spice that was in the drink. He hadn't taken spice in a long time and it had a tantalizing effect on him, all of his nerve endings were buzzing. When he got both of the drinks for them, he didn't expect spice to be in them all and was just thinking it would be normal shots. Trys worried about not being functional in a few minutes and Duke managed to give her a spiked drink in a time frame less than that. At least he was dealing with it too.

When they arrived in the next room, it was blaring but it wasn't as obnoxious as before, the spice making it much easier to absorb than when he was sober. Trys called out to him before they went further and when he turned around to find her dancing, he couldn't help but give a short genuine laugh as he couldn't believe his eyes, "I didn't know you'd be such a dancer Trys and a fan of music." Duke wasn't completely taken by the spice, still able to know what their objective was but less on edge than before but Trys was feeling it much harder, dancing to the beat and getting involved in the general mood. He approached her with a smile before gripping her forearm lightly and giving it a light squeeze, "Come on."

They couldn't get too far, only able to get so deep in the bubbling and exotic crowd before a Twi'lek approached the two of them. Duke wasn't of his senses as instead of trying to dodge the incoming cloud of spice, he just stared right at the Twi'lek and wondered what she was doing. The pair took another round of spice straight to their face, this one affecting Duke as he shook his head, the purple colors swirling and mixing uniquely with the shirts that shone bright white. He turned to face Trys, mesmerized by her in the moment as he gazed upon her before repeating the same word she said, "...Shit."

The reason they were even at the party started to slip from his mind as he couldn't hold onto any thought that came to him. He was just running on emotion and when he stared down at Trys, he just said the first thing that came to his head, "Dance with me." Duke wasn't much of a dancer and he honestly didn't expect those words to come out of his mouth but it's just what he wanted right then and he couldn't explain it. He recalled her words from the speeder, "No good girl tonight, right?" He started to sway to the beat with her, the music overtaking him as he couldn' help it.

 

[Trys Aran]

Why were they here again? Chino? China? There was something in her mind about some sort of heist...or artifact. It was nagging at the back of her brain, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. When Duke asked about her dancing, she couldn’t help but laugh, “Daaaance? I don’t dance!” She didn’t even realize she had been moving to the beat. However, as he insisted, she decided to join him, taking his hand and moving towards where everyone else was moving.

The floor and ceilings seemed to melt together, and the lights all became a kaleidoscope of colors. She could smell the sweet perfumes and the earthy colognes all around her, and skin felt so soft to touch. The bass was thumping and she could feel it in her bones, and it was as if all her organs were moving to a pulse.

“Hey, I do want to go back to being good girl at some point,” Trys said, grinning at Duke as she danced with him. She brought her arms to wrap around his neck, feeling more alive than she had felt in ages. The last time she did was probably almost a decade ago, if not more, “But she can take a vacation for now.”

Meanwhile, Chino Zut had entered through the back of the room, and he was surrounded at once by women. He grinned at those around him, inhaling from a pipe that was passed to him. He wore all white to glow in the dark, one of the twi’lek women moving to sit on him. He got cozy in a plush couch in the back of the room. This meant that he was far away from his personal quarters which would house the artifacts they needed to nab.

Of course, Trys was in no mental state to think about ancient artifacts now. All she could do was stare at Duke and have her mind completely turn to mush as no sensible thought managed to form fully.

 

[Duke Winters]

Trys words said one thing but her actions said another, her hips swaying to the music just like everyone else. Everything about the mansion seemed to be there just for the purpose of tantalizing everyone's senses, making this a sort of fantasy retreat that people could come to get away from Nar Shaddaa. Duke stared down at her with a smile on his face, her arms wrapping around his neck as he in return wrapped his arms around her hips and pulled her in close to him. All of the bodies on the floor pushed them close together either way as the music picked up intensity.

His hands gripped onto her tighter as he spoke, "At some point." Duke leaned down closer to Trys ear, able to feel his breath, "Let's hope she enjoys her trip for a while." Their bodies pressed together and he got lost in it, only focusing on her until he saw come in from somewhere when a set of double doors opened. Chino wore all white just like Vin and smoked on a pipe, his small and beady eyes scanning the crowds and mostly the women. When he sat down, some of them already knew what to do and sat next to him or on them. Duke caught all this and it tugged at something in his head but it was fuzzy enough that he couldn't decipher at the moment, especially with the music and drugs in his system.

Instead, Duke flipped Trys around, pulling her back into him so her backside pressed against his chest and was able to look in the direction that he was looking in. He wrapped one arm around her collar area, subtly pointing to Chino. "Is that who we're here for?" The lights, the noise, the people, it made everything hard to see and rationally think about. His next thoughts were a struggle, barely able to form with cohesion as the spice prevented him from doing so. Whatever the drug was, it was definitely a party one as Duke's feet remained locked to the ground and he just wanted to keep on swaying with Trys, forgetting about every reason why they came there and only wanting to have a good time, "We should... do something. We need to get into his office... or something."

 

[Trys Aran]

When he leaned in against her ear, she felt an electric wave shoot down her spine. It was a painful reminder of just how much she had kept herself from indulging in anything like this. She had her fun every now and then, but she had always been incredibly guarded and kept her distance. There was something refreshing to just let go and give in, and she felt considerably younger for it.

Trys closed her eyes and leaned in closer to him, enjoying the warmth and the high she felt. Was any of this genuine? She didn’t care at that moment, only lost in the moment and the toxicity that was so delicious. Trys was taken out of her reverie when he spun her around, and she felt herself press up against him. For a moment, her mind was still in a fog, and she could make out the glowing white silhouette ahead.

She was vaguely aware of what Duke was saying, and she was slow to respond, “He’s….shiny…” She remarked helpfully, still swaying and moving against him. She liked the way he held her, and she liked how she could lean back without toppling over - there was something very fascinating about it.

And then her mind abruptly clicked into a moment of clarity, and she bolted upright again, her eyes wide, “Artifact!” Trys called out, whirling around to face Duke again, “That’s….why we’re here,” She nodded to herself and turned around and began to stumble away. She made sure to grab Duke by the forearm to drag him out as well.

Trys looked to the side and could make out a set of wide staircases that led to the upper levels. Even from here she could see that a single guard was standing at the top of the stairs, purposely there to prevent anyone going up. Trys grimaced and turned to Duke, “How do we get past him?” She rubbed her eyes as if to try and get the spice out. They had to create some sort of diversion to pull him away from his post and also sneak past him. All of this sounded far too difficult to pull off in her inebriated mind.

 

[Duke Winters]

Trys pressed against him and Duke instinctively drew her close, absorbing her warmth and not wanting to let go. The spice was doing things he would never do but it's like it made him act without any inhibitions, doing what he desired at the moment. Chino was forgotten about as his focus returned to Trys, letting the music take control of him and just wanted to dance with her. When she leaned back into him, his arms snugged around her but she immediately pulled away and shouted out artifact before turning to face him. All she would find was a confused face that stared back at her, "What?"

Either way, Trys walked away but pulled him with, Duke following out of curiosity what was happening. After another glance at Chino on the couch, smoking his pipe and inhaling spice off women's bodies, it was a quick dose of reality and he shook his head to clear it. Artifact, that's what they were here for and it now was their opportunity to get it. When they arrived at the wide staircase and found the guard on top, Duke rubbed his chin before cursing under his breath. They needed a plan to get past him and he glanced over to Trys, wrapping his left arm around her waist before starting to walk up the stairs with her. "Got an idea."

As they walked up the stairs, Duke pulled her close and gave out chuckles loud enough for the guard to hear. They passed off as a couple as they approached and the guard slowly started to step down the stairs with his hand up as a warning. "Please, return to the party." This was really the end of his great master plan as he was too high to come up with anything elaborate and swung his head back to face the guard before putting a hand up. "Sorry, sorry." Suddenly, Duke swung his free right hand right into the cheek of the guard, knocking him out cold the moment he got hit. The ranger immediately slipped the arm around Trys away before catching the man by the collar.

He shook his hand, "Mother..." Duke stomped his foot in pain as he bent over for a second before standing up. Because of his mental state, he didn't throw the cleanest punch and to say the least it hurt like a bitch. "Kriffing..." Once he gave out a quick exhale, he glanced over to Trys before giving a nod, "Were past him." After that he quickly dragged the unconscious man away, ditching him in a nearby room that would hide him for the time being. Duke came back to Trys while dusting off his jacket, "Office now... right?"

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was about to ask, but kept to herself. She went along as he guided her up the stairs, and she kept shooting glances at him. They kept getting closer and closer to the guard, and Duke was giggling like a moron. Trys decided to play along, putting on a smile and leaning into him. As expected, within moments they were stopped by the guard. Trys looked over at Duke, panicking slightly to see how they were going to talk their way out-

She stared blankly as Duke responded by punching and dropping the man. Trys looked back around, marveling at the fact that no one reacted. Everyone was far too high and drunk to care. She looked back at Duke and shook her head, “That was your grand plan?” She asked in exasperation, bending down to help him carry the body of the guard away. The series of events was hysterical if they weren’t trying to be serious while blazed out of their minds.

Trys said nothing as Duke casually suggested the next point of destination. She stumbled around and paused to stare at some expensive paintings before coming across a set of doors that looked like it led somewhere important. She pushed the doors open to reveal….a bathroom. Trys stared at it with her jaw dropping, looking at the toilet made from solid gold.

“Give me a moment, I gotta pee in that,” She shoved Duke to the side and closed the doors behind her. Trys emerged after a moment through the doors again, eyes wide, “I feel like royalty,” She said with fascination in her eyes. After that, she continued their journey to find this elusive office.

It took a while, but finally they would come across a section of wall that didn’t look like the others. Trys pushed it and it finally opened up into a large office. She walked into it, staring in wonder at how massive it was - it had plush, expensive carpeting, a desk and display cases with countless artifacts. However, what really caught her attention were the shelves of expensive liquors from all around the world. Trys came to stand in front of them, eyes wide as she eyed some whiskey that had been bottled since before her ancestors existed.

“...Whoa.”