Booze and Bloodshed

[Salk]

Salk sat in the back of the club in a private booth drinking from a bottle of ale with one hand and the other twirling a small blade between his fingers absently watching what was going on in the center of the club. Small underground clubs like this one were peppered around the galaxy. This one happened to be focused on hand to hand street style fighting.


Salk smiled as a new set of fighters squared off in the crudely set up ring. Leaning forward Salk let his hair fall down in front of his face his demeanor that of a man who had stood in that very ring more than once. Salk felt blissful in places like this as if they were a second home. Salk let out a howl as a punch from one of the fighters sent blood and teeth flying.

Taking a swig from the bottle Salk slammed the blade of the knife in his hand down into the table ignoring the protests from a nearby waitress at him doing so.

 

[Rik'Tani]

Rikki saw fighting as a dance. She treated it like one, anyway. Her nimble feet took her in circles around her burly male opponent. She'd already landed a sizable punch on his mouth, and gashes across his body thanks to her abnormally long nails. He was having a bit of trouble keeping up with her. She laughed as she moved about him. "C'mon now, don't tell me that a little old girl like me is actually winning here. I thought you were supposed to be challenging!" She called to him.
[member="Salk"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

I sat back and watched, smiling, as Rikki almost literally tore a guy twice her height to shreds. He had so many bleeding gashes, I almost felt sorry for him. As it was, I felt myself absently rubbing one of Rikki's 'love marks' as I called them. I heard her shout something at the man, and I grinned like a wolf. Nobody was gonna beat her at that kind of close combat. I cupped my hands to my mouth, and raised my voice to a shout.

"Get 'im, princess!"

[member='Rik'Tani'] [member='Salk']

 

[Salk]

[member="Rik'Tani"]

Salk shook his head at the taunting one of the fighters was giving the other. It was apparent this fight viewed the fine art of combat as a game. Part of him now hoped she lost just on principle alone but figured it was not going to happen. Luckily for Salk this was only the second fight of the night and there was still two more fights left to go.

In the mean time Salk leaned back prying the knife from the table and using it to pick at the dirt under his finger nails between swigs of his drink. It was a light crowd so far and it did not appear any business was going to be coming his way tonight.

 

[Salk]

(( [member="Cross Ikon"] [member="Rik'Tani"] you guys still playing along?))

 

[Rik'Tani]

((WOW. Totally forgot. Sorry! < ))

The man was enraged at Rikki. He began moving faster and more forcefully. He actually managed to land a few blows. One to her stomach, and one to her face. she fell to the ground with a smile. Zabraks were very agreeable with pain. "Oooo.... Hit me harder....." She purred, getting back up on her feet. Blood trickled from her mouth, but she barely noticed. She retaliated with a similar form to the man's, but much faster. It was getting to the point where the man was starting to get dizzy, and slow...
[member="Salk"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Skorn Draclau]

The man in the flowing crimson cloak walked with measured steps. Each step, carefully placed in front of the last. His cowl hooded his face, what was visible of his skin was as deathly pale as bone. Gliding through the excitable crowd the man made his way to the glowing slab of duraplast that was the bar.

"Drink..zzt...Sir?"

He looked up at the tender. A droid, an antiquated one from the look of things, and shook his head in refusal. Turning instead to face the "pit". This establishment like many of it's ilk considered bloodsport to be the height of the evening's entertainment. Entertainment was being had right now in spades as a nimble Zabarak took her opponent to town.

Noticing his arrival, one of the many shifty characters that make such dives their home shuffled on towards him.

"Hey bossman, I got wot'choo need, cha?"

Skorn let his cowl drop back, golden eyes glowed eerie in the half lighting of the club. A voice, distant, dissonant echoed out.

"Not what I need."

Enough incentive to send the dealer scurrying back to the shadows.

 

[Cross Ikon]

I grinned as Rikki got back up and nearly knocked the man's lights out. I was laughing so hard at the expressions on some of the other spectators, that I didn't notice the man who'd slinked up beside me, another Zabrak, until he wolf whistled at my golden-skinned girlfriend. I ignored him, and looked intently at her lithe form. My unwanted guest had the same idea.

"Look at her go! I know where a flower like that should be."

I glanced at the man, clenching a fist under the table.

"Oh, really? Just out of curiosity, where would that be?"

"All over me. On the wall, on the bed. All night."

Raising an eyebrow, I actually turned now.

"Really? And what if that thorny desert rose has already got somebody to get all over?"

"A girl like that? Nobody'd be able to get a girl like that, but another Zabrak."

I grinned now, any qualms I had about throwing this guy into next week gone.

"Well, I know her guy. Good 'slinger if I ever saw one."

"Oh, who's he?"

An evil glint formed in my eye, as my hand shot out to grab the Zabrak man by the collar. His eyes widened, and he grabbed for my hand.

"Why, I'm the Nova Admiral, old chap."

My first punch nearly broke the man's nose, and he screamed.

"Tsk. I thought Zabraks reveled in pain... My lovely rose certainly does."

[member="Salk"] [member="Rik'Tani"] [member="Skorn Draclau"]

 

[Salk]

[member="Rik'Tani"] [member="Skorn Draclau"] [member="Cross Ikon"]

Salk could not help but smile as the fighter tried to make a come back against the Zabrak woman only to have his hopes dash when it was short lived. Although it did seem the Zabrak had at least one fan who approved of her antics. Slak shrugged casting a causal glance towards the bar and the new arrivla with glowing eyes apparently. Salk frowned wondering if his favorite spot was beginning to get a little to crowded for his needs.

Salk's thoughts were interupted when cat calls from a male Zabrak incited the rabid fan to violence. As he stood Salk heard the word Admiral and nearly cursed. Definitely getting to crowded. Strolling up Salk slammed the blade he had been toying with into the table between the now knocked for a loop male Zabrak and the Admiral.

"Gentleman, if you can be called Gentleman." "Just because we are villianous scum does not mean we do not live by a code............"

Two men who passed for what would be bouncers appeared behind the Admiral and the Male Zabrak as more than half of the club turned away from the pit to view the sceen unfolding in the crowd.

"There is no fighting outside of the pit." "If you have squabbles take it there." "I am sure we can get you in between the current fight and the next one."

Salk looked towards the promoter at the far end of the pit recieving a nod before contining.

"Now how about we all play pretty boys have a drink and wait your turn in the pit."

Salk reached into his pocket pulling out two different credit chips. One he tossed to one of the bouncers. "For the damage to the table."

The other he dropped on the table looking at the two men. "Next round is on me....... now behave you two."

Pulling the knife from the table Salk back a few steps away from the pair before turning at the last second to slide back into his booth in the back. With a sigh of relieve those who had turned away now returned their focus to the fighters in the pit.

 

[Rik'Tani]

The fight was approaching its climax. The man had a sudden flare of adrenaline and caught Rikki by surprise. He lunged, grabbing her by her braid and holding her up off of the ground. She gritted her teeth, grunting loudly. She grabbed his arm and dug her dagger-like fingernails into his flesh. What happened next was so fast that it was difficult to see. She somehow managed to wrap her legs around the man's waist, yank backward with all of her physical force and then some, and flip the man over herself, landing flat on his back. He hit his head on the way down, out cold. It was an unbelievable feat that she'd probably never be able to perform again. She stood up, rubbing her head as the promoter declared her the winner. She walked over to cross and the male Zabrak at the bar with a smug grin. "He really did a number on my scalp. Pretty tight grip, too."
[member="Cross Ikon"]
[member="Salk"]
[member="Skorn Draclau"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

I grinned coyly at Rikki, and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer. My voice lowered to a whisper as the annoying Zabrak man gaped at me. I spun us around to give him a very specific salute from behind Rikki's back, and put my mouth to her ear.

"You know, except for the concussion, that last bit looked like fun."

I tried not to laugh as the idiot who'd unwittingly picked a fight with me over the only woman in the room I cared about flushed every shade of orange but the one he was supposed to be. He fingered his long, puffy, sleeves and I figured he probably had a knife or two stashed up there.

[member="Rik'Tani"] [member="Salk"] [member="Skorn Draclau"]

 

[Skorn Draclau]

[member="Cross Ikon"] [member="Rik'Tani"] [member="Salk"]

The fight that almost was escalated into absolutely nothing. Thanks to the timely intervention by one knife wielding interloper, who seemed to Skorn to be the very enemy of good times. Why would one step in and stop a delicious chance for two to bash each other until one was no more(probably). Such interference was no good. Meanwhile the fighters in the pit finished up and the female sprang into her mate's arms, much to the shamed Zabarak's chagrin.

The Zabarak, flushing from fresh admonishment backed up a step. Incidentally a step that brought him closer towards Skorn. Who taking the chance leaned forward to drop the slightest of whispers in his ear. A whisper dripping with the taint of the dark side.

"Shave off those horns, it is better your ancestors do not recognize you than they look upon you in your shame. Will you really let him insult you so?"

Skorn leaned away again, and a change rippled across the Zabarak's features. Shame, followed by humiliation, followed by intense burning rage. His face twisted into an unrecognizable mask. While Skorn turned away to face the Tender.

"I'll have that drink now."

Behind him the Zabarak at his climatic explosion, shouted righteously to nobody in particular before finally cutting loose.