Bed Bugs

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

She asked if he was one of the right kinds of people, that was an interesting question. He smirked at the loaded nature of it. He took a drink from his glass before flicking the ash off the end of his cigarette. On one hand, he had the wealth that someone could use to draw a lot of power to themselves. He had disowned that for the past ten years, drifting from job to job. Justice Shipping still existed, but he was as far from it as he could be. They ran well, and the mass of funds he had from it had only grown in untouched bank accounts. But he didn't have friends anymore. There were no political strings he could pull.

"I ne'er rubbed elbows with the rich and powerful," he said with a sigh. "I once knew a Queen, Lady Kay, ye may know her, but her time as a queen ended," He had watched from afar as it happened, powerless, helpless. He could have stepped in and brought all of Justice Shipping to bear when Commenor fell, but what good was that? He would only burn her too.

"No, I ain't," he said at last. "I dun't know people, I dun't have power. I used to, but not anymore. Ye wanna know those folks with the power. Not me."

He couldn't have been emphatic enough. She needed to stay clear and far from him. He didn't need another dead person on his conscience. The spacer popped another morsel into his mouth, "Be there a reason behind this power grab? Like ol' Palps for a galactic empire or me friend Gray with his desire to create some sort of a," he used airquotes, "Democracy?"

That had been a laugh. Corrupt through and through, destroyed before it began because of the contracts he had quickly handed out to gain interested. But once the funds were gone, so were his friends and Gray was left poorer but with a bunch of half-assed toys. But sometimes when you had that reputation, you had to think of what you would use it for. When James had it he wished he had. "And when ye get this standing, this name, if you will, then what?"

 

[Evie Miramat]

Evie held the cigarette she had taken from him out for him to light and she sat back to listen to what he had to say. Her question must have been difficult to answer because of the time it took for him to provide one. He said he never been around rich and powerful people, yet he said he knew a former queen.

When he was done, she leaned forward to pick up her cup and rest her elbows on the table. Her eyes shimmered slightly as she processed what he said before answering herself. Though, she did not address his question yet, "you used to have power. Why don't you now? What brought you to this point to be powerless?" She would answer his question after taking a drink and putting the empty Ambrosia cup back down on the table.

The black pools in her eyes remained as she spoke, "we do not seek to grab power for ourselves, but for us. To get our kind more known and show the galaxy that we are not bugspit or bug lovers. Those terms are used for those like us. People that have Joined. Kiliks have left a poor taste and opinion in the minds of many, we wish to show we are not what they think." Her words would indicate her loyalty to the Hive and some of her hopes and dreams for herself and her kind.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

What brought him here was a great question. James took a few puffs from his cigarette as he formulated an answer for that. It was complicated. There were so many moving parts with the way Stardust had placed herself in a bombing zone to make up for his mistakes, the strikes for the famine he hardly was able to fix, the way he steadily pushed his children away, and the fact that his power hungry drive had pushed even his brother and sister away from him. The frenzied grabs had left him with nothing more than himself and a hedonist's perfect dream. With a virtually limitless pool of resources, he had drunk and screwed himself into loneliness. In a sense, he got what he wanted, but on the other, he lost everything he had ever truly desired.

James guessed it wasn't that complicated after all.

"Because I misused it," he said, flicking the butt of his cigarette away. "I dun't like what it done to me. I realized I couldn't handle it, I couldn't trust meself to not ruin those I love."

She had a noble cause for her power. He nodded, that was good. He couldn't personally stand the idea of being in a hive mind, and he knew that some hives would be little more than slavery. Those, in his better days, he would have fought against in a bath of blood and blasters. But what was the point anymore? If someone was content to be in a hive mind, slave or not, why should he interfere?

"Changin' people's minds ain't an easy call," he said tapping the side of his head, "The biggest war is in these few inches. Actions speak louder than words and thoughts, my lass." he quirked a brow, "Have ye ever considered piracy?"

 

[Evie Miramat]

"And so you pulled away from what you had. Where are you going now?" He had stated a few minutes before the importance of knowing where one was going, now she turned the question back to him. If it was as important as he said, then James should have a clue to the answer.

More Ambrosia was given to her almost as soon as her cup was set down. With a glance at the kilik that gave it to her, it ran off and rejoined the others listening in on their conversation. Some Hives treated their members as nothing more than slaves, but most were not that way. The one Evie originated from was one that allowed non-Joiners to mingle and it was clear this one was the same way. Maybe a little more guarded but still receptive enough to allow James to remain free. She felt confident in the promise she had given him earlier that no harm would come to him if he stayed with her.

Lifting a side of her mouth in a small smile, she nodded, "most large quests in life are never easy." He then asked if she had considered piracy and she shook her head. "What would the purpose of that be?" It really confused her and the others around her shared that same impression.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

James smirked at her question. The kid was quick, and she knew how to bring it back around. Yes, it was important, where someone was going was more important than where he was coming from. The fact she turned it back around on him and brought that horse back to bear was admirable.

"Ye are quick," he said with a wave of his hand, "That'll serve ye well in the future as ye mingle with the galaxy."

He poured himself another glass of Ambrosia. His hands swayed slightly. In the past two hours, he had imbibed a lot of alcohol. He had two livers, but James was doing his best to make up for that. He took a swallow from his cup before giving her a solid answer. It had all been a show to buy himself thinking time to get an answer. "I be goin' forward. But aside from there? I be tryin'a find a place where I can do some good and make up for what I done."

And if that was for him to carry people from point A to point B and serve a warning sign of treating yourself too much, James was honestly content with that.

"What would the purpose of that be?"

"It be a fast way to make a quick a pile o credits," he said setting his cup down. James ran his finger around the edge of the glass, "And a hive mind o' pirates, able to communicate with perfect teamwork instantly and able to maneuver the ship with perfect harmony?" maybe it was just the businessman in him that was cunning enough to find a way to monetize everything, but he could see a chance here. "If ye have the umption, I could out fit ye."

 

[Evie Miramat]

Evie might be part of a collective, but she still had own freedom of thought. This was what James witnessed now. All the knowledge in the galaxy didn't do anybody any good if it couldn't be put to use. The black eyed woman knew many things, she just needed to learn how to use them. She was an intelligent person and in time that would become more apparent. He complimented her and she gave him a nod with smile as she reached out for her glass and threw that cigarette away now that she had finished it.

This was going on her third drink and having grown up with it, Evie was more used to it than an outsider would be. She knew her limits though and this would be her last lest she loose all her inhibitions. "Perhaps we could work together to accomplish the good you want to do and help us gain what we want," setting the cup down again, she leaned forward to replace her elbows on the table and take a few more bites of the food offered.

Listening to his answer, she chewed as she considered her answer, "we already have enough to provide for everybody. At this time, there is no need to get into piracy." Which was true from a certain point of view. Everything was provided, but it all came at a cost that she was unaware of.

The day was getting on and the interest of the young ones was starting to fade. Soon they would find themselves almost alone in the central chamber. Those two kiliks that had brought them here approached. With a small sign of respect, they talked to Evie who turned to listen to them and then back to James. "Do you wish to stay here tonight? The night is coming soon. We would like to stay here for at least breakfast and then move on. Meet other hives in the area." Finishing off her food and drink, Evie waited on his answer before turning to the guides to figure out where she or they would be sleeping.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

"Perhaps we could work together to accomplish the good you want to do and help us gain what we want,"

"Maybe I can," he said with a shrug. "I dunno what good I'd be but I could try."

James wasn't sure if there was a place like that anywhere left in the galaxy. He scratched the back of his head, thinking the offer over. She doubtlessly had no idea how dangerous that offer was. On the other hand, who was James to make that choice for her? He wasn't sure what gave him the right to choose for others how and if he came across to them. She knew the danger he presented and still wanted to work with him. That was a puzzle that he'd have to solve later.

"Ye have enough now, certainly, but money buys power and money buys guns," He said as she said her statement to piracy. He grabbed the jug of Ambrosia and rose to his feet. "An' nothin' quite attracts the eye of a friend as knowin' ye can knock out his enemies. If ye doin' it, ye might as well profit off it both ways."

The spacer nodded when she asked if he wanted to stay here for the night. There was nothing better for him to do, the cargo hold on the Nestis would wait. He might as well see how this panned out. Besides, he was sure that if this girl had enough exposure to the real James, she would decide for herself how destructive and unhelpful he was. It was better now than later.

"I'll see ye in the morn," he said before following his guide, whoever that would be, to his sleeping quarters. The drunk kept the jug with him, it almost certainly wouldn't be his last that night.

 

[Evie Miramat]

She sensed something different about James as he made his statement. Picking up her cup, she held it aloft to make a small toast to him, "to each of our attempts to make a start." Lowering it and taking down the last of her drink, she set it on the table and stood up as their guides approached. She would consider his advice and hold a hand out to him. He might dangerous to one person, but with the Hive behind her, Evie did not feel he would be one to her.

"We will have to share a room if you wish to remain safe. While we do not expect them to actually try anything, we can never tell when visiting other hives." Nodding to the two waiting for them and speaking almost silently, they were taken to another section of the hive. Here there were rooms of various sizes, but they all clearly made for sleeping. The kiliks pulled aside a curtain and revealed the are set aside for them. Evie thanked them and walked in. "Pick where you want to sleep. We might both be guests here, but you are the outsider and get first choice," one that choice was made, she would pick her own bed and kick off her shoes.

Taking a seat on the bed, she pointed to the Ambrosia, "are you going to want more?"

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

James didn't have a problem sharing a room. If he was afraid of awkward situations, then he would have never made it out of that brothel on Cato Nemodia with Gray. That was an experience. It was only awkward if you made it awkward. He nodded, it seemed legit enough. He had been in some cultures where privacy was a weird, foreign thing. He could only guess in a culture where they shared minds, they would share physical space too for sleep.

"Seems legit enough," he said shedding his leather coat. He tossed it on a nearby table, looking the room over. There were two beds and a couch. It wasn't bad, he had been in much, much worse.

He took his shirt off, tossing it on top of his leather coat. His torso was riddled with scars from slashes, blaster shots, and shatter gun rounds that had marred his body. Time had not been kind to him, and his lifestyle had been more unkind. The spacer took another pull from his bottle, plopping down on the couch. She asked if he would want another, he looked at the bottle examining it with a smirk.

"I drink meself to sleep every night," he took another chug from the bottle, downing half of it in one go. He extended it to her, offering Evie a chance to help drown herself in more booze too. "Justices drink heavily. Me dad did, me kids do, and I never stop."

And he had no intention of ever stopping.

"I'll take the couch, its comfortable," he said, answering her question at last.

 

[Evie Miramat]

Evie didn't remove any of her own clothes after taking off her shoes. She sat on the bed that was farthest from the couch and when he held out the Ambrosia, she took the jug from him to take another drink. Handing it back to him, she did not give his torso any extra attention other than a brief glance. Her eyes looked at his when he spoke and she nodded slowly as she processed his words. Drugs, drinking and their abuse was not something Kiliks were known for. Some people that Joined had been those kind. After Joining, their desire to continue that life dwindled away and they moved beyond that part of it.

"Thank you again, James," she stood up and waved a hand over the lamp next to her bed and the light there shut off. Because they were in an unfamiliar Hive, she decided it best to keep her clothes on and climbed into the bed provided to her. His light would remain on until he shut it off and as Evie laid down, she turned to her side and away from James.

Sleep took her quickly and it was peaceful. No odd dreams came to her and she woke up when the Hive did.

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Evie Miramat"]

Semi-comfortable, the spacer settled in, nursing his Ambrosia in one hand and his blaster pistol in the other. In the pitch black, he finished off what was left of the jug before throwing it against the wall for a tremendous crash. He wasn't as drunk as he would have preferred to be, but he was drunk enough to sleep through the inevitable nightmares......

The spacer leaped the two yards between him and the next closest male--a twe'lik. The spacer's hand gripped the man's lekku, seizing it by far too hard. His foe let out an anguished cry, dropping to his knees and grabbing James' wrists. He struggled, trying to pull the crime lord's hands free as their fingers punctured the tender flesh, into the brain tissue and sending a splay of gore onto the man's clothes and ground. Screaming and clutching his skull, the man began to die--very slowly--with out half his brain intact as shock set in..........

A blaster shot grazed James' shoulder, seering his flesh. His dark eyes flickered with rage as he glared at the foolish Rodien who dared to challenge his fate. The spacer grabbed a pool stick off the nearby wall, hurrling it like a javlin through the air. Empowered by the Force, its sharp wooden head tore through the alien's stomach, pinning him to the wall and rupturing his left kidney instantly. James grabbed a knife off his belt and stormed to the alien, letting his blade carve a thick, deep line across his foe's abdomen. The alien instinctively grabbed the wound, literally holding himself together as blood gushed from between his fingers. James gave a sickening smile, "Dun't let go." .......


The nikto charged, his spiked fist coming down in Jame's cheek, tearing off chunks of flesh. The spacer absorbed the blow, bringing his two right fingers up in a hard jap. The tips tore through the hard, taunt, orange skin. James felt as the jaw and delicate inner skull gave way. The body twitched as massive brain hemorrhaging began. The spacer could only image the pain the man was feeling. How it felt to fade out like this, slowly, painfully. At last the carcass dropped the ground.......

James jolted away, his entire form covered in a thick cold sweat. He was wide away, every muscle in his body was tense, he could feel himself panting as he vaguely became aware of the room around him. He was back, back in this hive, away from the past. He wiped the stinging sweat off his face before pushing himself off the couch. The adrenaline high wore off as he grabbed both shirt and leather coat from the side table. He was tempted to go back to the Nestis and find his way back to another sloven hole right away.

He gave a sharp exhale through his nose. That wasn't going to solve anything.

"What does a man have to do to get more booze around here?" he asked casually, tossing his shirt and coat back on.

 

[Evie Miramat]

She was already awake when James woke up from his nightmare. What he had dreamed wasn't too much of an interest to her and she did not ask. Not knowing anything of his past, but having had that conversation with him, Evie assumed he wanted to wipe his past clean and start with a new slate. She offered him a chance, but not as a Joiner. That wasn't something she would wish on anybody that didn't want it. Not like her, it had been forced on her even if she didn't know it. This was the only life she had ever known.

Looking at him when he asked for more to drink, "all you have to do is ask and it will be given to you." She opened the curtain of their room and let out a few clicking noises and some drink was brought to them. Handing him the new pitcher, she nodded her head in thanks to the Kiliks that had brought it for him and returned to her seat on her bed.

Sitting there with her legs over the edge, she rested her elbows on her knees and leaned forward to give James her attention. "What are the sights to see here? We are sure there are other hives and we want to visit them but we are sure that is not all this world has to offer." The memory of the Hive was from days long before Alderaan had been destroyed and then rebuilt. What this new Alderaan had, Evie and her Hive did not know.

[member="James Justice"]