Private Cantina Connections

[Sunny Sterling]

Stanwick Sterling.
Stedman Sterling.
Sal Sterling.
Steve Sterling.

Sunny had received flower arrangements for all of them, each with it's own personal and threatening message. However, none had been made out to the man she knew as father, Simon Sterling. Some of the flowers had been hand-delivered to the service by very intimidating men. They had given their condolences to Sterling's only daughter -- and informed her of the debt she'd inherited.

Debt that Sunny had no idea even existed.

All her life, she believed her father was a wealthy businessman. But now, she was learning about his shadowy second life (and death). Maybe he hadn't died in a freak blaster accident, after all. It was a mystery to be unraveled. But Sunny didn't have much time to sleuth. She needed credits, plain and simple. Some of the funeral 'guests' had made comments that she might have luck in the red light district on Nar Shaddaa. She had taken the advice to heart and come to the so-called Smuggler's Moon... but she wasn't looking for any red lights.

She'd lived a sheltered life. Sunny hadn't ever set foot in a cantina before; there was a first time for everything.

Drawing a deep breath, she walked into the crowded room. Eyes were immediately upon her, so Sunny did her best to smile and look amiable. "Excuse me," she said, stepping out of the way of a rather angry looking patron. "Oops, sorry..." she said as she made her way to the bar. "Um, hello," she said, giving the barkeep a small wave. He ignored her. "Hi," she added, in an even more cheerful tone. "I was wondering, do you know who I should talk to about smuggling?" Sunny's brows lifted, hoping the man might help.

But he just laughed in her face.

Holden Tark

 

[Holden Tark]

Tark hated Nar Shaddaa. It was a cesspool of whatever vile things people could think of. He had been shot on the planet. It was where he’d met a criminal that stowed away on his ship. Eryn had been half dead when the trail of blood led him to her. And then there was that matter of the bounty hunter that had been following her. That’s how Holden got shot.

The cantina he was in was not that far from the spaceport where it happened. It was one of the few where he had a continued discount because the owner felt bad for what had happened.

She was walking in loudly asking about how to get smuggling jobs, and running into tall drunken aliens that were likely to break her. He walked up to the bar just about the time the barkeep started laughing in her face. It was a good thing Holden had a good relationship with the man.

“Careful Holden, this one is gonna get you shot again…”

He shrugged. Working for Jo often had him in harms way. In fact, he’d been shot a couple more times working for her. He shouldn’t recommend the grizzled woman to someone who was this green, but what could he do? Take her on himself?

“I know someone… might be able to get you connected.”

Sunny Sterling

 

[Sunny Sterling]

Sunny almost frowned when the bar man laughed at her.

After all, her situation was actually the opposite of funny. Before she could say anything more, a stranger joined her at the bar. The words exchanged between him and the barkeep suggested familiarity. The bar man had called him by name, Holden.

Her brows arched slowly. This guy had been shot before?

"Really?" she asked, blinking. "I can't tell you how much I'd appreciate that."

Maybe her luck was starting to turn around; she hoped so, at least. She didn't even consider the man's motives for helping. Such things were simply dismissed as 'he must be a really nice person.' And she didn't see the barman rolling his eyes, either. Sunny offered her new would-be savior a cordial smile. "Sunny Sterling," she said, offering her hand to him. "It really is so kind of you to help."

Holden Tark

 

[Holden Tark]

"First and last name out the gate."

The bar keep just looked at Holden.

Yup, she was going to get him shot.

"Holden. No last name... for now."

He shoved a bottle of Corellian Ale over to Sunny to see if she would drink it, and if she did, whether or not she could handle her booze. Before he was taking this one to see Jo, he needed to make sure she was worth the trouble. If she turned out to be a bust, well, that would mean another run in with Jo's daughter. Then again... seeing the redhead again might not be all bad.

He was smirking, and did not even know it.

"Yeah I do, and she will want to evaluate you and what not. I get a few jobs from her on occasion, and sometimes the only way in is to get a broker. That said..."

He took a swig.

"You help me on my next job, and I'll split the take with you. Get your feet wet... hmm?"

Sunny Sterling