A Goner's chance in hell (Pm to join)

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Legion"] [member="Antera"]


Trimonis, Planet Gonnos


A nice, warm afternoon.


Vorhi Alestrani was doing his best to lay low, but he had spread some word around he needed a crew. If the artifact was real, awesome. If it were a fake, well, it'd be better to find out himself. He sighed, sipping some of this Gonnesian Pollen-wine. Good stuff, sweet, like fresh nectar with a hit of hard liquor mixed in.


He smiled, sitting at the table and grinning. He wondered which people would sit next to him. He'd told more than a few people around town to spread word of "bindfolded git willing to pay half up front for a relic hunt." He refused to let too much distract him at this point. He smiled and waved over the waiter--nice fellow, in a pricey suit. "Plum and Hlalla Bark Tea," he said with a nod. "That sounds delcious. Bring a cup over, would ya?"

 

[Legion]

Legion wandered into the establishment, looking around for a place to sit, eyes darting about. So many new things and people to see! Her friend and traveling companion, Miss [member="Antera"], had some sort of business to attend to here - the girl wasn't certain of the details - and that gave her plenty of time to wander around off of the ship.

By sheer chance she noticed an empty seat next to a smiling man. That meant he was friendly, right? She skittered over to the table, her cowled, oversized brown cloak pulled tightly around her body.

"E-Ehm, excuse me s-sir?" she ventured, giving a bright smile beneath the heavy hood that threatened to swallow her face entirely. "Is it all r-right if I sit next to you?"

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

(OOC: in the tradition of previous issues with similiar gear, I'm gonna assume the Taozin amulet makes you blurry, but not invisible to Vorhi)


Vorhi nodded politely to the young woman. She was...fuzzy in his mind's eye. Probably some kind of force-hiding methods.Oh well, as long as he didn't try to read her soul, that'd be fine. "Feel free, have a seat, Miss!" He gestured to the seat. "What brings you here on a lovely day like this? Looking for work, or sport? Maybe just out for a nice walk?"


If there was a thing Vorhi never avoided, it was tea with a stranger. It was right up there with "shopping in a city he'd never been to" on his list of frequent hobbies. Still, he wondered at the young woman. Thin, pale, but otherwise hard to determine much, aside from her nervous stammer. There was something off about her energy, but he couldn't place it. Either her aura was masked, or his Force vision was being obfuscated by something else. Either way, she wasn't your average kid. Good.



He smiled cheerily. "Would you like some tea as well? I can order a pitcher instead of a cup," he said with a smile. No alcohol, though--something told him this one was a lightweight.




[member="Legion"]

 

[Legion]

Legion perked up immediately. He was friendly! That was a relief. She slid into the seat next to his and worried her hands in her lap, at last looking over towards [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] to steal a quick glance. It wasn't until this precise moment that it dawned on her that something was different about his face - his eyes, specifically. The girl didn't allow herself to stare for long, however, smiling awkwardly at the question.

"Oh, th-thank you very much!" She nodded her head before stopping abruptly under the assumption that he couldn't see the gesture. "Er ... oh, j-just out for a walk, I w-would say. My friend is w-working so I am on my own for now."

At the mention of tea she clasped her hands together above the table, her fingers covered in heavy gloves. Honestly, she had to be absolutely baking in that cumbersome getup.

"I would l-love tea! I can p-pay for my share."

Miss [member="Antera"] would be so proud. Or maybe just worried about the girl's propensity for chatting with somewhat shady strangers.

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

Vorhi nodded at the young lady, and then signalled to the waiter. "Make the order a pitcher. It appears I have company," he said with a nod, smiling the kind of warm, harmless smile that a professional used when disarming someone. Despite the rather hefty outfit for the jungle here, she didn't seem to be an assassin or anythign that dramatic. Then again, it wasn't like an assassin would usually act like an assassin, even on Gonnos.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, miss," he said with a slight bow. "My name is Salomar," he lied calmly. It was best no one knew he was here, especially if they were involved with the Suns or the Authority. He probably had a bounty on him at this point. Regardless, he'd find his own way through this mess, and Salomar--his master's name--wasn't one that would attract attention off of Bunduki. Thankfully.

He smiled. "So, enjoying your visit to Gonnos so far?"


[member="Legion"] [member="Antera"]

 

[Legion]

"I-I am very happy to make your a-acquaintance, Mister S-Salomar! I am L-Legion." The girl smiled, offering her hand towards the man to shake. Her brows knitted together, however, wondering if he'd be able to see her hand. It'd have to be a test, she supposed.

"Oh yes! It s-seems a little i-intimidating ... there are s-so many people and everyone t-tries to tell you something! Though I wonder if a-any of them have a collar f-for a baby dewback," she mused, gently scratching her chin with a finger.

After a moment's reflection she looked over towards [member="Vorhi Alestrani"], blinking a few times. "Oh, ah, are y-you enjoying yourself, Mister S-Salomar? The planet, I-I mean..."

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

Vorhi nodded and smiled, taking the woman's hand and shaking it gently before pulling back. She seemed off put by something. Oh, right. The blindfold. He tended to forget how little-known his species was to some people. He smiled playfully and shrugged. "The planet is nice so far. Haven't seen any shops that deal in pet stuff, though. Although, I'd guess a decent leatheris belt might work for a dew-back, depending on the age....admittedly, I'm no expert on dewbacks. Haven't spent much time on worlds they're raised on."


He shrugged absentmindedly as the tea arrived, pouring himself and the woman named legion a cup. What an interesting pseudonym. He wondered if she was military of some variety, a name quite that...heavy. "I'm enjoying myself so far. Currently, I'm keeping an eye out for some people to hire on an upcoming job. I'm hunting for a piece of history on this planet, you see. I'd like a few extra pairs of eyes to work with me," he said laughing at the half-joke made in that statement, given he had no eyes of his own.


"With any luck, though, I just might find the right people to help me find what I'm looking for. Or not. Either way, seemed like a nice planet to visit," he said with a chuckle, playing it as casual as possible. If he revealed anything too important about what he was doing, or looked like a legitimate xenoarchaeologist at all, it'd be trouble. Competition would start coming out of the woodwork.


[member="Legion"]

 

[Antera]

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Legion"]

Antera found her stay in Trimonis frustrating her further and further by the hour.

Between swindlers, liars, thieves, and con-men, the trip was rapidly becoming little more than a waste of time. No. She did not care to see the entirely authentic cowl of Palpatine the street vendor offered to show her, nor had she been remotely interested the last five times the same offer had been extended by other merchants. Neither had she cared to see the fifty different varieties of 'holocron' once owned by a Shan or a Fisto or a Windu.

For every even slightly authentic relic the world held, a hundred counterfeits waited to grab the eye of the unwary.

At first she had attempted to be polite. Then she was simply curt. The most recent sales pitch had been met with a snap of "I am not your fething neighbor!" before she stormed off.

So far her own leads had proven to be utterly fruitless, or at the very least woefully out of date. She had, however, heard word of another off-worlder looking to hire assistance for a hunt. It was probably as much junk as everything else on this Force forsaken world, but at least if it was another spacer, she might actually make a few credits out of the deal. She was almost starting to feel a bit better about her day when she entered the bar.

Then she saw her apprentice casually chatting with the miralukan man that had been described to her, and her headache began to creep back into place.

 

[Legion]

Legion accepted her tea with a grateful bow of her head, gently blowing across the surface of the liquid. She nodded thoughtfully as the man beside her spoke.

"Oh, I-I am no expert either!" she insisted, shaking her head. "I f-found a dewback on T-Tatooine and, ehm, I kept her ... she seemed l-lonely. I named her M-Mustikka!"

The girl nodded proudly, entirely oblivious to the fact that no one else in the galaxy was nearly as excited about this fact as she was. After a moment and a sip of tea, the man's ocular wordplay seemed to sink in and she giggled, the sound pleasant and earnest.

"I h-hope you find people to help you, M-Mister Salomar. You s-seem very--" Legion glanced up at that moment, locking eyes with her familiar chiss companion. She sat up a little, waving her hand excitedly towards her friend. "M-Miss Antera! I have met a n-nice man! I thought he was b-blind at first but now I believe h-he is merely a miralukan!"

She paused at that, looking towards the man with a slightly bashful smile. Hopefully he wouldn't take offense.

[member="Antera"]
[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="Antera"] [member="Legion"]

Vorhi laughed a little and also waved at the woman. Taller, colder than most here. Grumpy mood. Didn't like the unpredictable, he could tell. A pity. "Yes, well, perhaps you will gain expertise by spending time with this Mustikka. It's important to learn from the ones you live with," he siad with a nod. He smiled, hoping the other young woman would come over.


"Hello, miss. Your friend here was just chatting with me. Would you like some tea? I've always believe in the values of hospitality," he said with a smile as he poured them each a cup, quickly taking an empty one from a nearby platter. "How are you. I'm Salomar. You seem fairly driven," he mused out loud.


He smiled at the comment. "Mere" wasn't a phrase often said about his people. They were know for their strength in the force, and their surprising wit. However, they also had a reputation from cowardice and apathy--not that either were true in Vorhi's case. He's was brash and active, even if he was getting older--albeit not terribly wiser.


He grinned as he took a sip of the tea. "So, perhaps you should introduce yourself, Miss?"

 

[Antera]

@Legion @Vorhi Alestrani

Antera nodded, lifting her hand in a half-wave in return as she approached the table, "Antera, like Legion said. And if I'm hearing the word on the street correctly, you're the one I'm looking for Mr. Salomar. I hear you have a job."

It was faint, but there was just the slightest hint of an accent in her voice, faded with time and possibly a bit of effort. Atrisian, something the Miralukan would no doubt catch quickly.

She settled into her seat and accepted the offered mug. Then added a bit more to it from a flask she produced from beneath her coat, "I appreciate the hospitality. At least it's a bit more genuine than most of this planet."

 

[The Void Hunter]

This trip had been nothing but disappointment,

thieves, liars, beggars, I was sick of the lot. Just a few moments ago some thieving rat tried to steal my credits, he had gotten a saber to the head for that.

I had heard word of someone requiring a crew, "what does it matter? if its just another trick ill kill whoever it is that needs the help." I muttered, walking into a rather rundown looking place, walked over to the small group of people, and put an armored boot on their table, I expect I will like this man.. I mused nice taste in outfit anyway, almost as good as my own. I was wearing my standard gear, robe, shoulder pauldron, mask, the lot.

"You who i've been hearing about?" I asked coolly, I was frankly sick of people acting so comfortable.
[member="Antera"] [member="Vorhi Alestrani"] [member="Legion"]

 

[Vorhi Alestrani]

[member="The Void Hunter"] [member="Antera"] [member="Legion"]



Vorhi smiled warmly. "I've always believed in being polite to strangers. After all, " he said with a chuckle, "One never knows where he might need to make a second impression, so the first should be decent, no?" He gestures to the women ad poured them each a cup of tea, smiling.



He nodded to the blue woman. "That's correct. I'm still looking for a pilot and a porter, maybe a few porters, actually." He sighed. "I will pay upfront for one day, and if we actually find the site, I will pay more for the trouble it's worth," he said calmly. "If the site is a lie, or we find nothing, then you may keep your day's pay, for your part in this," he said to them both. He was hiring them both, after all. Even if this "Legion" woman was a little unusual, a porter's day wages for helping with cargo couldn't hurt.



He noticed a tall, ominous bloke in a mask show up. Quite a flair for the dramatic on this one. He looked over. "And what, pray tell, escapes such muffled lips? Are you here to express contempt? Disgust? Temptation? Or preferably, something more entertaining to an old fool?" He grinned, waiting to see what this young man could demonstrate.

 

[The Void Hunter]

I waved their chit chat away, "More than your old ears need to hear." I said with an agitated tone, I hated it when people toyed with me... and it was never a good thing when people made me angry.

I looked at his company, to women,one quite out of place, by the looks of her she was barely older than a child. I didn't care about these people, why is everyone so friendly I thought.
[member="Vorhi Alestrani"] @Antera @Legion

 

[Legion]

Legion nodded towards the man known as Salomar, more at ease now that Miss [member="Antera"] was present. Strange how she still barely knew anything about the woman and yet she'd grown to trust her.

That ease dried up as the more imposing man arrived. She instinctively shrank towards her chiss friend, her gloved fingers toying with the amulet around her neck as if she believed that if she rubbed it hard enough, she'd simply disappear. She remained silent rather than addressing the newcomer, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as she watched his exchange with Mister Salomar.

[member="The Void Hunter"]
[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[The Void Hunter]

He looked at the pale girl, strange she was, "A child?" he asked, he glanced at the three of them, a ragtag group for sure, strange child, blue girl, old fool, this job better pay well...

"When do we start." he muttered.
[member="Legion"]
[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[Antera]

Antera took a long sip of her spiked tea, sampling the flavors for a moment while the new arrival made a show of himself, "Are you done, then? I'm sorry. We have business to discuss. If you'd prefer to brood I'm sure there's a nicer table for it without people working out a deal to annoy."

Despite her outward calm, the chiss ran down a quick mental checklist of her surroundings and equipment just in case the man insisted on escalating the situation further rather than taking the hint.

"As far as flying goes, I've got a ship and the experience. Get me a location or a guide and I can get you there by air. For the right price."

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"] @Legion @The Void Hunter

 

[The Void Hunter]

"Say that again ms fancypants." He said, "If you want a fight you're going to get one at this rate." he appeared to have no weapons with him, but if this.. chiss wanted to get in a scrap, he would end it.

He glanced at the fools, not a very good impression so far...

@Antera @Legion @Vorhi Alestrani

 

[Legion]

"I-I am not..." Legion began, her soft voice trailing into silence as the conversation took a more confrontational turn. Her stomach balled into a sickly knot, eyes darting from Miss [member="Antera"] to Mister Salomar, then only briefly skittering across [member="The Void Hunter"]'s countenance before falling to rest on the table.

"P-Please do not fight..." she implored the pair, wringing her hands beneath the table. The atmosphere had shifted to something more familiar - hostility. Violence.

It was an eerily familial tone.

[member="Vorhi Alestrani"]

 

[The Void Hunter]

"I suggest you listen to the child." He hissed. and glanced at the girl, fear, of course she would be fearful, if things went badly, her friend would die... He decided to let the fools remark slide, he slid into a chair next to the three and laid back in it, He still felt hostile towards the chiss, but he would cope with her for the younger ones sake.

With a flick of his wrist one of his sabers flew from the inside of his cloak to his hand, and he swung it around in his palm, not igniting it, but just to calm himself.

[member="Legion"]
[member="Antera"]