A Necessary Deal

[Pharazon Draken]

I must stop agreeing to meet people in these foul establishments Pharazon thought to himself as he looked around yet another seedy bar on Nar Shaddaa from his relatively secluded booth. The pungent stench of vomit, stale alcohol and cigarra smoke permeated the bar. Given its proximity to one of the spaceports, Pharazon was unsurprised to see numerous "galactic entrepreneurs" also known as smugglers in the civilized systems, drinking their profits or sorrows away, or both. Perhaps this contact is one of them Pharazon thought, but no, he was told that he would be approached, but not who or what would contact and approach him and none had approached him while he had been there.

Hiding his disgust Pharazon sipped on his ale as he reviewed the rather cryptic offer he had received from a rather snivelling Duros that Pharazon had protected and worked for for a time in the industrial sector, who had in turn received it from a distant acquaintance. He had informed Pharazon of an offer to get off planet and of an ambiguous contact who he must meet to achieve this. Despite a lack of information regularly being a thinly veiled trap in places like this, Pharazon could not afford to reject it. He had been in one place for too long and was already occasionally seeing an increasingly seemingly familiar face in the corners of his eyes, belonging to someone who he desperately hoped it was not.

With one eye on the door and another on the other patrons Pharazon awaited from the arrival of this mysterious figure, hands resting casually near the blaster and dirk on his belt, heart pounding in his ears.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

Rain seemed to a requirement on mosy of the worlds he frequented these days. Not that he minded really, inwardly he felt it washed away all lies and deceit from the surface, to expose the raw element beneath. Pushing back the cloak that hid most of his face on shadow, he let the fat raindrops strike the flesh of his face and hair before ducking into the entrance of the bar.

Not that anyone would recognize Daxton Bane through his disguise. Thanks to his skill with masque he wore the face of a rather untrustworthy Corellian, with deep sunken eyes, a riotous mass of oily brown curls, a missing front tooth and a slight paunch which indicated a love for the swill they call alcohol in dives like this. No one gave the space jockey more that a curious professional glance, the pair of heavy blasters hanging from his hip actually encouraged them to mind their own business instead.

As his eyes adjusted the haze filled low light room, he quickly noted the position of the bar relative to the exit, the excited noises in half a dozen voices coming from a game of Sabaac at a nearby table, the back up team he had in place just in case things went south. Although the Sith could probably handle it by himself, he knew from first hand experience a little preparation never hurt.

Striding to the table, he took the seat oppsite of the other patron and in a casual tone said, "Sorry to be late, ran into a spot of trouble on hanger 42. Some idiot got the spot of Red Eye and they wanted to quarantine the lot."

Red Eye was the initial contact code. Should the other feint ignorance or not use the counter code, then he would know the deal is off and they go their separate ways. Looking at the other man straight in the eye he waited for the reply.

[Member="Pharazon Draken"]

 

[Pharazon Draken]

Pharazon looked the man once over, the man was what he expected, no doubt some smuggler or other underworld denizen by the look of his hair and face. His looks contrasted with Pharazon's stark, angular features and casually groomed hair. Running his hand through his hair as the man sat down, wincing at its current state, he idly mused that he also probably looked like a smuggler or some nameless thug given because of this and his current ragged clothing and his own weapon belt. He eyed the other man's belt, he may be a smuggler, but he clearly was no fool or naive slum rat given his apparent age and heavy armament.

Pharazon masked his facial features into a neutral form and met the man's gaze as he gave him the contact code he had been waiting for.

"Not to worry, I have not been waiting long" Pharazon said coolly, holding the man’s stare, "I do hope your recent trip went well and this Red Eye nonsense has not been too inconvenient, those spaceport goons can be as stupid as geonosian drones sometimes”.

Geonosian drones, It was an odd counter contact word Pharazon supposed, but nothing is ever straightforward in these types of meetings he decided.

Taking another slight sip of his ale, he had hardly drank much of it, using it mostly for show, he adjusted himself in his seat to lean over toward the man. As if two acquaintances or friends were meeting for a drink. The thumping of Pharazon’s heart would not cease though, he had given the counter code, he only hoped this was not some elaborate set up. Hoping his paranoia was not overly showing, he blocked out the raucous sounds of the cantina, almost holding his breath as he waited for the man’s next move, eyes still locked on the man’s.

He still kept his hands casually by his sides, as did many others in the bar who were with others, if this turned out to be a trap Pharazon would not be caught unaware. He only hoped that he was faster than the other man to his blaster if it came to that.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[Member="Pharazon Draken"]

For a moment, he seemed to look at other man as if seeing something unseen. The counter code was correct, which made the possibility of this being a double cross to be unlikely.

Laughing softly to reassure the other man, he lowered him voice so that it would not carry to other tables.

"The name is Nathan Lane and this job is simple really. I represent certain interests who wish to obtain the services of a discrete but capable pilot. Due to the fact we do not want to draw unwarranted attention to ourselves, our associates or our product, we are prepared to engage your services. It was indicated to us that our needs converge so at this crossroads so lets work something out. " Pressing a few buttons on his data pad until a series of numbers appeared on the screen. "The amount you will be paid upon successful completion of the mission, agreed?"

 

[Pharazon Draken]

Lowering his own voice, Pharazon’s heart rate fell slightly as he knew that this was the right man and that the deal was still on. He kept his muscles ready while appearing fairly natural though, he was still in a dangerous place surrounded by dangerous people, working with one too.

Looking over the value on the datapad Pharazon smiled ever so slightly, rubbing his chin as he calculated how long that would keep him going for. Yes he thought, this will do nicely.

“Our needs and desires do indeed converge, so you needn't worry about my commitment to the job.” Pharazon said, swirling the last remaining content of his drink around in the glass. “I can also assure you that my discretion and piloting skills will be more than up to the task, and, to be honest, the less attention we bring to either of us is better” Pharazon added, slightly chuckling.

“That payment will be fine, however, as your employers have probably told you, while I may be a capable pilot,” which Pharazon internally thanked his Navy training and experience for “I do not have a ship” he added bluntly.

“I can fly whatever you give me but we ain’t going nowhere without one” he added, changing his speech pattern to one more accustomed to a bar like this as he saw one of the smugglers glance his way for a few seconds. He looked away and Pharazon returned to normal, he had an uncanny feeling that this man would not take kindly to being lied to or being forced to deal with his thug facade.

“So long as this is understood then we are in agreement” he stated, “Oh,” he said, as if just remembering something even though he had been meaning to say this since Nathan had spoke, “If it is not too much inconvenience to you Lane, I would like to start this job soon,” he said, glancing around at the other patrons in the bar “As I have a great vested interest in us beginning this business and leaving the moon as soon as possible.” He said, barely keeping the nervousness and fear throbbing through his body out his voice. He had been on this moon for far too long and it was only a matter of time before the agents of House Satinar found him.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

"We checked you out and lets just say the deal is on the table because we believe you are capable enough. The ship is being fuelled and loaded as we speak at the hangar I mentioned if you reverse the numbers. The people I represent have no desire to linger where curious eyes can see. We can leave as soon as we shake on it. So tell my young friend do we have a deal?"

 

[Roy]

(wrong account oops)

 

[Pharazon Draken]

That is odd Pharazon thought, most people would not hire a pilot without a ship, most would sooner laugh them out of the bar. However, Pharazon would not complain, this was his way off of Nar Shaddaa.

He looked the man over again, smiling, though he was a stranger he would help Pharazon far more than he knew, and for no explicable reason, Pharazon liked the man, he was straight, to the point and was well informed however, so that must be the reason he thought.
“I can empathise completely with your employers Mr. Lane” he said, friendly but still firmly and business like. “I do believe we do have a deal, let us be off then.”

In a moment that would not have been out of place in a low budget holodrama, however, just as those words left his moth, Pharazon caught sight of a group of armed humans entering the bar.
Pharazon’s eyes drifted away from Lane up to the main figure, and anger swelled in his chest.

It was a gang captain for one of the major Hutts in the sector Pharazon had had some dealings with in the past, a stout, older human man in thick leathers and crude body armour with a rather puffy nose. Vlakis was his name if Pharazon could remember properly. And with him were at least six armed gangsters. Clearly he was not intending to offer Pharazon another job, not after he had been embarrassed by him in front of his Hutt lords by him the last time. When Vlakis spottted Pharazon, he smirked darkly and strode over to Lane and Pharazon, barging through other patrons.

Striding up to Pharazon and Lane, the portly man laughed heartily. "Whats this now, little Derek Stormver is making a deal in my gang's bar" he spat derisively, using one of the names Pharazon had been giving as a cover during his time on Nar Shaddaa doing odd jobs. "And some two bit smuggler no doubt, this is how it's going to work slime, cut me in, or I'll take you to the Hutts and let them cut you out for doing business without their permission." The other thugs looked pleased by this, but a few looked awfully strung out of something, Pharazon did not like the way two of them were twitching irregularly.

The other patrons of the bar looked, but made no move to intervene, you did not live long interfering in other’s business here.

Feeling the telltale tingling and anticipation of shaking as adrenaline flowed through his body alongside the anger, he edged his hands ever so slowly towards his weapons, which none of the thugs noticed luckily.

"Ah Vlakis you old rogue, figures you would turn up here, just as we were just leaving after a nice social drink, I am sorry you couldn't join us" Pharazon said, trying to buy some time. "I'm 'fraid there is nothing to cut you in on though, just two men having a friendly drink" he said, a hint of derision in his voice.

Eyeing Lane, uncertain as to how he was going to react, Pharazon tensed his muscles to make them ready for the violence he had a disturbingly intense feeling would happen soon.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

"Call me Nat." He said the shook hands to seal the deal. The grip was strong and firm, nothing like soft image he appeared to have.

Then the complications arrived and started to make a fuzz. For a moment, he let the other man handle it as he studied their auras with a well practiced eye. It soon became clear puff nose was spoiling for a fight and could cause complications.

Cracking a sly oily grin he said, "Come now friend Vlakis," the tone clearly indicated he thought otherwise. "Why involve the Hutts? They will just want their pound of flesh from your profits. Why don't you boys have a drink instead? After all, this isn't the man you are looking for."

For a second the gangster's eyes twitched as the hypnotic suggestion took root in his head. Then his body language relaxed and coughed a nasty laugh saying, "Let's have a drink boys. This isn't the man we are looking for."

Unfortunately, some idiot decided now was a good time mto settle an old score and reached across the table a tad too quickly, causing one of the thugs to go for their weapons. That was all it took yo light the powder keg and soon everyone was blasting away.

Moving faster than anyone expected Lane drew both heavy blasters and shot at the guards on the left and right of Vlakis before double tapping him as point blank range.

Toppling the table, he ducked to avoid some blasts before say, "I guess talking it not an option. Make for the back door and lets get out of here."

 

[Pharazon Draken]

Pharazon could not believe his eyes or ears as he heard Lane or Nat now he supposed, say one thing to Vlakis and then have him mimic and almost obey exactly what he wanted. It seemed mad, why would Vlakis, a pompous fool to be sure but still arrogant and irreverent gangster do what this paunchy correlian told him?

His disbelief quickly turned into adrenaline fuelled primal instincts as he saw the unfolding shootout and all out melee about to engulf the bar. Apparently Nat saw it too… Before anyone else had or barely started pulling their blasters out. The speed at which Nat had pulled his blasters out and started shooting stunned the massive Hapan, the whole world seemed to slow as Pharazon watched Nat gun down Vlakis and his men. Why is everything so slow Pharazon wondered for the second or so it took him to draw his own blaster. Though markedly slower than Nat, Pharazon was faster than one of Vlakis’ other men, burning a hole into his chest. The room quickly filling with blasters, knives, raised voices and the sounds of other violence beginning all around them, Pharazon quickly ducked beside the table and Nat.

“Talking with Vlakis was never very productive” Pharazon said contemptuously, oddly delighted with knowing the man was dead. Looking at the swirling morass of violence engulfing the bar, Pharazon readied himself for combat.

“To buisness then!” Pharazon roared in a way that surprised him in reply to Nat’s instruction, leaping over the table in the direction of the back door, blasting another of Vlakis’ quickly diminishing men and impaling the throat of an unknown Twi’lek with his dirk who tried to smash his head in with a shock club. The rush he felt in fighting and killing surprised and worried a part of Pharazon, it was not the first time he had experienced it or killed before, but the intensity and extent to which the emotions had come upon him frightened that part of his mind he had had to bury these past months. His fear and anxiety over the encounter with Vlakis evaporated before his fury. He had changed since he had arrived on Nar Shaddaa, it was the scum or him, it was his chance to finally have control.

The anger and rage flowing through him about the injustices done to him was expelled in a flurry of shots, stabs and physical strikes as he made his way to the backdoor. He cared not who attacked him, it was all the same to his battle instincts, and yet, he experienced a strange clarity while fighting those within the rapidly filling bar as more of Vlakis and other gangsters filled it after news of the fight spread. He could swear he almost felt when someone was threatening him and reacted faster than usual. Almost like that night on the ship…

He pushed those thoughts away. Maintaining his tenuous control over himself and his strong conflicting emotions, while still revelling in exerting dominance over these scum, he reached the backdoor.

He also looked for Nat, whom he had forgotten in the rush of the past minute or two or perhaps even less since he had jumped over the table. Remembering Nat’s own skill, he had no doubt he would join him but he made a mental note to never underestimate him after his strange display with Vlakis and near impossible speed and accuracy with his blasters.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

As he turned around to look for his companion he would be surprised to be looking down the barrels of the Corellian's blasters. Before he would be able to utter a word, his companion said one word that he felt compelled to obey. "Duck!"

As soon as his pilot got out of the way, Nat blasted the three gangsters blocking the end of the alley with hover bikes. Slapping his weapons in their holsters he commented, "Nice of them of give us a ride," Just as a shuttle filled with heavies arrived to provide reinforcements. "Lets get out of here before we get spotted or the. fuzz arrive."

 

[Pharazon Draken]

‘Vlakis and his boys always were charitable fellows’ Pharazon quipped, sneering derisively at the smouldering corpses of the three thugs. Whoever Vlakis’ successor was would not have much of a direct crew left after today. Pharazon then quickly jumped onto one of the generously donated speeder bikes, and, knowing the urgency of their current predicament, he sped off immediately. While he and he assumed Nat were now speeding away on their newly acquired speeder bikes, the shuttle load of heavily armed Hutt thugs had other plans for their immediate future. Pouring out of the shuttle, the newly arrived thugs quickly spotted the speeder bikes making their escape and opened fire.

Tearing out of the alleyway and into a nearby lane, a hail of blaster bolts assailed Pharazon, zipping past his head and searing his albeit already singed clothes. Weaving as best he could on top of a fast moving, likely illegally modified speeder bike without dying horribly, Pharazon began to crisscross his way through the packed street in a bid to maintain speed and not die a horrible death. Other drivers were cursing his name and family, others were screaming as they were hit by the indiscriminate fire of the now rapidly pursuing thugs. Risking a glance backwards, Pharazon saw that the thugs were not content to simply let Nat and him escape, and were rapidly commandeering speeder’s of various kinds, bikes and other assorted models, to mount a chase.

Carefully, turning back, Pharazon took several shots on the closing leader, a large Gamorrean on a comically small speeder bike compared to his girth. The hole Pharazon blasted through his chest was not so comical however. Falling from the bike back first from the force of the bolt, the Gamorrean’s bike careened through traffic until it slammed into a building Pharazon did not see as he sped past and did not care to know.

Looking around for his more than a little interesting and suspicious companion Nat, Pharazon hoped he he that blasted ship and who knows what kind of cargo squared and ready for immediate lift off. We’re probably going to need it… Pharazon opined, taking a few more pot shots and their rapidly approaching, heavily armed pursuers.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

Pouring all the speed their bikes could muster, they arrived ahead of the goons at the hanger bay. Locking the entrace to buy them some time, Nat blew off the access port. preventing slicers from by passing the lock.

"Get this ship in the air." he yelled at his pilot as he raced up the boarding ramp. Meanwhile service droids rapidly sealed the cargo bay before scurrying for cover..

 

[Pharazon Draken]

All but leaping from his now almost stopped bike, Pharazon stormed up the boarding ramp behind Nat and headed straight up the main access corridor into the cockpit.

“Acknowledged” he replied firmly overhis should as he ran down the access corridor.

Strapping himself into the pilot’s chair, Pharazon quickly familiarized himself with the controls of the starship. It was older than most of the craft he had flown, a lot older. Despite this, the ship was clearly in working order if patchwork in its components, even the chairs in the cockpit were different models.

It looks like one of the older Correllian YT freighters… The 2400… no the cockpit is centred so it must be a 2000, the symmetry is also quite nice… Definitely a 2000

Dismissing such idle analysis and dallying over his interest in old starships, Pharazon put himself in the mental state of focus drilled into him at the Royal Naval Academy and his days as a Lieutenant in the Hapan Royal Navy. He was quite good at piloting, not exceptional, but he had graduated near the top of his flight training class in the academy and thoroughly enjoyed the feeling piloting a spacecraft hurtling at obscene speeds through the inky black void. Now, however, he was flying for his life and a paycheck, both good motivators. He also could not shake the feeling that those Hutt thugs in the shuttle had arrived at perhaps a too opportune time. He suspected his shadowy foes from Hapes had finally caught up with him again and where being a little more subtle than the first time they accosted him on the Smuggler’s Moon, using thugs rather than their own agents. He could not know for certain however so he dismissed those thoughts for later.

Quickly preparing the ship for a speedy take off, he raise the boarding ramp and fired the thrusters, the ship lifted swiftly but smoothly off the ground and angled toward atmosphere. As he was doing so, the door finally gave way to their pursuers firepower and the thugs poured into the hanger. While the fire that was peppering the underside of the hull had little chance of causing damage, Pharazon was a paranoid and thorough individual. He briefly considered blasting them with one of the cannons, but decided instead to angle the thursters toward the thugs and redline the engines.

With how close the ship still was to the ground in the few seconds since take off and how the thugs had began to swarm near the ship, most of them were directly behind the engines within a metre or two. With a cruel smile Pharazon pushed the throttle to the limit in a move that would have him arrested and permanently banned from flying in a civilised system, thrust the throttle forward.

As the engines fired, those directly behind them were exposed to horrific levels of heat and ion radiation from the engine's exhaust and thrust. Those directly behind were nearly incinerated, collapsing to the ground in charred heaps, those further away either by coincidence or last second reflexes were not spared entirely, with many still collapsing dead and burned or reduced to writhing in excruciating agony on the ground unlikely to survive, only those still to enter the hanger escaped.
The old freighter shot from the roof in the hangar like a comet through the transitory mists and rocketed toward the outer atmosphere at a speed barely below the limit for safe exit. Settling into control of the ship, Pharazon made a few minor adjustments to the ship's internal systems, adjusted their speed to a more manageable but still great speed, and plotted a course out of the planet's atmosphere and orbit.

“Nathan” he called to his paunchy companion, still using his full name rather than what he had told him. Old noble habits died hard it would seem.

“It would be advisable for you to get into one of the quad cannons just in case some of those scum were waiting for us to break orbit.” his voice infected with his adrenaline fuelled excitement and contempt contrasting with his refined accent and choice of words. He had slipped slightly out of his naval vocal habits during his time away, but he was too buzzed to care if he sounded militarily professional now.

Setting a course through, above, below, around and every other expedient angle through the congested space, he mentally prepared a set of evasive maneuvers in case they were still pursued. He also made another quick set of calibrations to the ships systems to tailor the ship to his tastes as best he could in the middle of a do or die space chase.

I do hope Nathan and his shadowy masters do not mind these alterations, no matter... They hired me and can re-mutilate this... rather marvellous ship's systems when I am gone if they must.

Settling into pilot's seat mentally and physically, he felt the adrenaline primed but still feeling of natural calm he felt when piloting permeate his mind. Using it to his advantage, he sped into the light polluted space in orbit of Nar Shaddaa and cursed it and his life as a thug there farewell. He would not forget its lessons though.

You must be strong, lest you suffer the fate of the weak.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

When the thugs came for Pharazon they weren't expecting much of a fight. Maybe a display of strength, the classic posturing of the criminal underbelly even. By the time they were able to scramble ships into the sky their prey had long since entered the shipping lanes and into hyperspace.

"No signs of pursuit." He reported over the comms before disengaging himself from the weapons system. Heading to the cargo bay, he made sure the packages were secured and not damaged from the lift off. On the outside, the cargo consisted of three large wooden pallets labelled "Heavy Machinery" and six smaller ones labeled "Machine Parts."

Satisfied that everything was secure he would check on his pilot. With his blatant disregard for life that he showed back in the hangar, this one was most promising, he thought to himself.

 

[Pharazon Draken]

“Excellent then” Pharazon replied to Nat over the intercom then shutting it off and taking his headset off.

Now secure in knowing that, at least for now, they were not being pursued Pharazon reduced speed and relaxed his evasive maneuvers. Heading further out into system space having left Nar Shaddaa and Nal Hutta’s orbit, Pharazon rotated his chair around to face the entrance to the cockpit as he heard Nat coming up to the cockpit.

“I do apologise for our rather hasty exit from the hanger, I assume the cargo is still undamaged?” He said to Nathan as he checked in on the cockpit. “Unlike our rather pitiful assailants” he quipped.

“I should also apologise for the arrival of Vlakis and his filth, I had some previous dealings with him concerning a rather embarrassing failure of his that his puppet master had to hire me to do for him, needless to say, for which he was none too pleased with me about" he began as if an afterthought.

"I perhaps overestimated him in thinking he would have the tact to wait a little longer and be a little more discreet in confronting me about it” he said in a conciliatory tone. A courtesy Pharazon felt he should offer rather than really feeling that apologetic as they had escaped mostly unharmed with the cargo.

“I do not believe that shuttle full of thugs were his however, but that is neither here nor there anymore” he added sighing idly as he glanced at one of the YT-2000’s engine output diagnostic boards.

Furrowing his brow and making a slight correction to one of the electrical systems relating to one of the fuel lines he turned back to Nat.

“So…” he started cautiously, as they were at the point of the arrangement where his employer had to reveal something, never a safe point, in particular when the job is no questions asked.

“We have left orbit and are able to enter hyperspace as soon as I have coordinates to feed into the navigational computer” He added, keeping his voice business like but familiar as if talking to an old acquaintance.

“So I must ask you for our destination, or what the next stage of this venture entails” he asked, looking Nat square in the eye with an attentive rather than intense look, relaxing his facial muscles and expression.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Pharazon Draken"]

"Set your coordinates for Corrusant but avoid the main space lanes. Instead look for flight path 391CZ, then switch your transponder to the green channel. Don't worry its already preset all you need is to get us there." Nat reassured him with calm ease of one who has done this before. "Our buyers would contact us on the encrypted net. Let me do the talking and we all get paid. "

 

[Pharazon Draken]

“Excellent, setting an indirect course for Coruscant...” Pharazon said distantly as he calculated a set of coordinates that would take them to Coruscant through 391CZ.

Executing the program the coordinates were loaded into the navicomputer. Simply inputting their current exact coordinates, Pharazon made the ship ready for the jump. He then made the alterations to the transponder, setting it to the requested green channel through the pre-loaded commands on the ship's computer. Making some final checks to the ship’s systems and checking the sensors to ensure there would be no last minute disasters, he slowly pushed the hyperdrive activator forward. The engines and the hyperdrive flared, the stars streamed into lines and the ship streamed forward and slipped into hyperspace.

I hope Nat is right and the final deal will go so smoothly, because I have nearly no idea about what awaits us, Pharazon thought while checking that everything was functioning normally now that they had entered hyperspace.

Turning to Nat, Pharazon said with satisfaction “Course confirmed and executed for Coruscant via path 391CZ, is there anything that you or the cargo require while en route?”

"I can also alter course as desired but we should avoid the main Sith, Republic and Alliance patrols on these calculations until we hit the Coruscant system, if any are even mounting any in these backwater lanes in light of the current chaos in the core, however once we arrive the Alliance system patrols may become a problem depending on the next stage of this venture" he added, his tone becoming sombre.

We also should not come withing light years of any Hapan patrol's either... he thought, consoling his paranoia even though he knew no Hapan patrol would be anywhere near so far away from the Consortium so as to come across their flight path.

"Nevertheless, I should be able to outrun or outmanoeuvre most adversaries with this peculiar ship, but I must also ask if I should be expecting anything en route to or once we reach Coruscant?"

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

"As long as you avoid the patrols we should be in the clear. The last thing we need is to get boarded for an inspection." The smuggler replied to [member="Pharazon Draken"] as he pulled out a Sabbac deck from one of his pockets. "A lot of Alliance hands got greased for that space lane so it relatively secure. But avoid contact just the same, in case they get greedy. In this business you got keep an eye out for those things. How about you? Any plans after this job?"

 

[Pharazon Draken]

Relaxing into the moderately comfortable old pilot’s seat, Pharazon did a final check on the computers and jump systems and then rotated his chair around so that he may talk with Nat easier. Comfortable and relaxed, Pharazon stretched his arms above his head to work out the last remaining vestiges of adrenaline from his body.

“I am glad that even among the defenders of democracy there are some amenable fellows, but indeed I shall remain cautious” He said.

Pharazon was more cautious about Nat’s next question, his past and current situation were not something he wanted widely known, but felt that at the very least he was worth more as his pilot than for ransom. Mentally preparing himself and killing a sigh before it began, he decided to tell Nat a bit about what he wished the future held for him.

“Well, I have no definitive plans, other than leaving and staying away from the core and the inner rim due to some…” he paused, considering his words, his Hapan features distorting into a frown, “Unfortunate family developments, and some unpleasant relations” he said sourly.

“I hope to head further into the galactic south, and find some semblance of order to my life, or at least forestall the forthcoming unpleasantness with my family for as long as I can” he finished dejectedly.

Eyeing Nat and his packet of cards he asked “So are you out here for fortune and glory or just making your way through this confused and chaotic galaxy if I may be so bold to ask?”.

[member="Daxton Bane"]