Public Desert Dash

[Pal Veda]

Boonta Eve. The biggest holiday in Mos Espa — maybe the biggest holiday in the Outer Rim. Festivities and parties hosted by the Hutts to keep the poor citizens happy for a day. Podracing, swoop racing, dangerous contests of skill and speed. Spacers from around the galaxy gathered to drink, gamble, fight, trade. A great time for everyone.

But this was not Boonta Eve. That fun was still a few weeks away. No, this was just a regular day with a few qualifying races, the swoop track crowded with ambitious young daredevils hoping to make a name for themselves and lowlifes that spent every last credit, and then some, betting on anything and everything.

Veda made his way through the spectators to find a decent spot in the standing section. He watched from beneath the brim of his hat, more to shield his eyes from the unforgiving twin suns than to conceal his identity. Nobody in this crowd cared who he was. There were outlaws here with much longer rap sheets openly bragging about their misdeeds. Veda was a good guy, after all. Tatooine was known as a sketchy place, but it was actually a decently safe spot for him.

This seemed like a good enough way to kill some time. Veda had just finished up a quick job flying in some important person from some government entity to meet with the Hutts on a deal that was almost certainly illegal. Well, not almost. Definitely. If it wasn’t, they wouldn’t have paid him so many credits to get them a third of the way across the galaxy dodging all checkpoints along the way. Eh, whatever. Not really his business or his problem. Veda had already gotten in a workout, drank a couple of stimcafs, and checked in on a couple of contacts. Now he took a sip of some mediocre ale and watched as the racers finished inspecting their bikes before the countdown.

Today would be a fun day, right?

OOC: tagging Wedge Draav and open to others

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

Valery sat down in the stands with a cup of... some kind of soda, and watched the racers prepare for the event. Dressed in her new undercover smuggler attire and with blasters strapped to her hips, rather than lightsabers, she didn't much stand out within the crowd. Not beyond her striking orange eyes and scar, anyway. But Valery shrugged off any and all attention she got and kept her eyes focused on the track for now.

She wasn't here for the race, but it brought together everything and everybody she was looking for.

With a long history of crime, Hutt cartels and other dangerous underworld activities, Tatooine was almost a regular visit for her at this point. One week, she visited to bring down a slave trader, then another she was on Tatooine to track illegal weapons trade into the Alliance. The work never stopped.

Today, she was on the hunt for something new.

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

“Three . . . Two . . . One . . . GO!” the commentator shouted as the light turned green. The bikes roared to life and darted out of their starting positions. Well, most of them did. One poor chap blew his motor on takeoff, and his crew immediately ran out to help him off the track and clear the debris. Veda’s gaze followed the bikes into the distance. Then he saw him. Before Veda could turn away, the Zabrak’s eyes made contact with his. For a split second, the Zabrak did not seem to recognize him. Maybe the hat partially shielding his face? But it was only a split second. The horny headed alien’s lips curled into a snarl, and he started making his way through the fans toward Veda.

Not this again. He just could not let it go. Still mad at Veda for beating him out of a job several weeks ago. Not eager for a fistfight in the stands over something as dumb as this, Veda ducked into the crowd and started making his way toward the concessions. As he moved through the spectators, he accidentally bumped into a lovely lady — smuggler, by the looks of it. “Pardon me.” He looked at her and smiled, for the first time noticing the striking orange eyes. That’s . . . unusual? But no time to ponder. He continued moving, putting distance between himself and his annoyingly jealous rival.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

Even Valery was on the edge of her seat when the countdown began. Undercover or not, she loved a good race and this one had quite the thrilling start! With one racer's engine exploding, the crowd cheered for its spectacle and then focused on the other racers again. As exciting as it was to watch a racer blow themselves out of the race, they didn't seem to care much for what happened. He'd be fine, probably.

Now, they had other racers to focus on.

Valery was equally focused on the race for now, and raised her cup for a sip from her soda. But right as the straw settled between her lips, she was almost knocked over when a man bumped into her, "Hey-" she complained, as the content of her cup spilled out over the floor. But when she looked up and caught his gaze lingering on her eyes, Valery paused and blinked. She returned the smile and parted her lips to speak again, but he was off as quickly as he came.

A bit surprised, Valery watched him depart and quickly noticed why he seemed to be in a hurry. Someone was coming after him. With a thoughtful hum, Valery rose to her feet and decided to quietly follow after them.

She was curious now.

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

Veda chanced a glance over his shoulder. No horns in sight. He smiled to himself, impressed by his own slyness. The bikes were now coming around for their second lap, so he stopped to watch them on one of the holo screens inside. His man was fighting for third place, hanging in there but still a ways back from the leader. Eh, no worries. It was a small bet on an underdog.

He took the last sip of his ale and tapped the bottle. Another? Why not? He wasn’t here to get drunk, but a couple of weak ales were nourishing in this Tatooine heat. Veda turned back toward the concessions to find his path blocked.

“Going somewhere, Veda?” His voice was as gruff as his appearance. The two men were roughly the same size, but the Zabrak was noticeably dirtier and drunker.

“Tongo, Tongo, Tongo.” Veda slapped the other smuggler on the shoulder in a friendly manner, hoping to deescalate the situation quickly. “Long time. How have you been?”

”You owe me,” Tongo replied, not amused in the least bit by Veda’s playful manner. “That job on Cato Neimoidia should have been mine.”

”That job was nothing but trouble, and you know it! I barely got out of there with my head still attached. I don’t think I even broke even.”

”Not my fault you bungled it up.” Tongo had a point there. Before Veda could come up with a witty retort, Tongo shoved him, causing him to stumble a couple of feet backward before catching himself against a barricade.

Veda regained his posture and tried one more time. “So we can’t just let bygones be bygones, then, eh?”

Tongo didn’t even bother to reply, he just took a swing at the Rebel. But he was intoxicated, so the fist came slowly enough for Veda to deflect. As did the second one. But Tongo was a fighter, and now he was frustrated. He lunged at Veda, tackling him to the ground, but Veda pulled the smuggler down with him. Tongo ended up on top and took another swing, once again missing Veda’s face, but this time connecting with the ground, probably breaking his hand. Veda bucked, creating just enough room to slide out, then around onto Tongo’s back. He wrapped his arms around the Zabrak, locking in a rear naked choke. “We could have just had a beer together!” he grunted, trying his best to hold onto his position.

No surprise. Three guards showed up and pried the two men apart. Veda stood up and backed away, hands up, trying to avoid more trouble. Tongo, on the other hand, stood up panting and mad, and tried to break through the guards to get at Veda. Bad idea. He was met with two tasers and dropped like a rock. They drug his limp body up off the ground and started carrying him away.

“You, too,” the third guard motioned to Veda. “Come with me.” About that time, the crowd erupted as the swoops crossed the finish line. Veda looked up to the holo screen. His man had somehow passed into the lead position at the last second and secured a victory.

“Wait, wait,” Veda replied, reaching in his pocket for a ticket. “How about this? You see this, 100 credit bet at eight to one odds. That’s an 800 credit payout if my math is right. Why don’t you take this slip, and we just forget this whole thing ever happened?”

The guard snatched the ticket out of his hand and examined it carefully. Once he determined Veda wasn’t lying, he huffed, pocketed the ticket, and walked away without another word.

”Happy doing business with you, too,” Veda muttered, annoyed but glad he wasn’t being thrown into one of the grimy holding cells below the arena. As he looked around contemplating his next move, he caught sight of those piercing orange eyes again.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

"Close call, wasn't it?" Valery spoke as soon as Veda turned around and met her gaze. She had watched the whole thing happen — or at least, most of it — and looked at him with an amused smirk. She wasn't quite sure if he had gotten lucky, considering the attacker had been drunk, but it was impressive how he had gotten out of it unscathed either way. He hadn't taken a single punch and gotten out of trouble with the guards with a little bribery.

But there was still one score to settle.

"You know, you technically owe me as well. I dropped my soda because of you." Valery stepped closer, eyes fixated on him, and narrowed that fiery gaze to look a little more threatening.

"But don't worry," she added teasingly, "I won't attack you over it." Her earlier smirk returned and widened, while she reached up and passed a hand through her hair. She fixed it in place and swept it over her shoulder before eyeing the scoreboard again. The gambling involved some luck, sure, but winners were typically people with experience and a clever eye.

Perhaps he knew his way around this place and the racing world.

"I have some questions you could answer to make up for it, though."

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

Veda was never sure where his skill ended and his luck began. That part of the spectrum was always a bit fuzzy. In truth, the whole spectrum was a bit fuzzy. Seemed like close calls was always the name of the game. Kept his life interesting and his pocketbook growing.

He was a bit surprised when the fiery eyed beauty approached him. Usually these scenarios started the other way around. Her demeanor was playful but straightforward. As she ran her hand through her hair, he noticed the scar on her face for the first time. To say he was intrigued would be an understatement.

”Questions, for me?” he smiled back. “Sure.” He motioned to a small raised table with two stools over in the concession area. Seemed as good of a place as any for a conversation. As he started toward the table, he added, “And terribly sorry about the soda. Maybe something a little stronger for the next round? On me, of course.”

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

"I only have a few simple ones," Valery promised. He seemed a little surprised by her approach at first, but Valery knew her smile had a calming, perhaps alluring effect. It was an invitation for conversation, and with a simple gesture for a nearby table and some stools, the stranger accepted. Valery smiled warmly, nodded, and walked past him to head over to her stool.

"Oh it's no bother," she assured him along the way, "I saw someone was chasing you, so I figured you had something more important to worry about." She had also figured that it'd be worth watching, and she hadn't been wrong. The encounter wasn't just interesting, but she hopefully found herself someone who could help her find her way. He was handsome too, and his aura was much more kind than she expected in this part of the Galaxy.

The Force always had its way of bringing the right people together.

"I'll accept a drink, though. It's your choice which one we'll have." If she was going to drink on the job, she'd at least insist that he'd join her.

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

“Two Corellian ales,” Veda ordered from the passing server droid. He produced a few credits and tossed them over, never taking his eyes off the curious woman sitting across from him. The repurposed protocol droid said something Veda ignored and shuffled away with that awkward, funny walk that only a protocol droid could manage.

He took in the situation. Don’t let your guard down. Or do. Hell, this could turn out to be a great day.

“Someone’s always chasing me,” he smirked. “The trick is not getting caught.” The server droid came shuffling back over, carrying a tray with a couple of cups. Knowing this place, they were probably half washed and the beer half warm. Veda took the drinks, sat the first one down in front of his companion then put the second one to his lips. A pleasant surprise — it was actually cold this time. Maybe the service was better inside.

”Funny thing,” he said as he sat the cup down. “I don’t think I caught your name.”

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

Valery raised a curious brow at the protocol droid, then turned that curious expression to the man across the table again. A silent question about what the droid had told him. But whether he answered or not, Valery relaxed on her stool and crossed one leg over the other. This wasn't her typical habitat, but there were few environments, if any, that could take away her confidence. It wasn't a show or a role she played.

She was at ease and eager to see where this meeting would bring her.

"Always on the run, then?" She asked, while she spotted the droid returning from the corners of her eyes. She accepted her glass, offered the droid a quick smile, then turned back to someone far more interesting.

"My name?" Valery smirked and slowly raised the glass to her lips to keep him waiting. She took her sip, then lowered the cold bottom of her glass down against her thigh. Should she tell him her real name? It was a risk, but if he knew who she really was, he had already made a comment about it.

"I'm Valery," she finally offered. "I know getting caught isn't your thing, but I would like to catch your name as well." Once more, she brought her glass to her lips and looked at him from over its edge, waiting for his answer.

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

“Valery,“ he repeated, holding his smile as he took another sip of his drink. Valery . . . Valery . . . Did he know a Valery? Something should have clicked in his head at this point, but the thought quickly faded. He’d met a lot of people in his line of work, a lot of names and faces that came and went as quickly as the dunes beyond Mos Eisley. Of course if he had any idea who he was actually talking to, he may have been a little more . . . apprehensive? Careful? Maybe.

”The name’s Veda,” he replied. “Pal Veda.” He hoped his reputation proceeded him. Ace pilot. Gunslinger. Hero. Hero? Sure, hero. A man who could get things done. Maybe she’d heard of him. This was Mos Espa, after all. Smugglers, mercenaries, bounty hunters, spice dealers, gun runners, they were a dime a dozen in these parts. But the good ones, those names tended to get around in certain circles. Unfortunately, his name was starting to get around in the wrong circles. If he wasn’t careful, someone was going to start seeing the pattern, connect the dots, realize his jobs tended to involve screwing over the Empire in some way or another. He had tried remaining neutral, but there was still a moral compass buried in there that he had not been able to shake.

“So tell me, Valery, what do you want to know?”

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

Valery returned the smile but watched him closely. Gears were turning in his head, undoubtedly to figure out if he had heard her name before and could match it to her face. But the sheer size of this Galaxy showed once more, when he didn't seem to realize. In one part of the Galaxy, every citizen could know her name, but in another, she was just another brick in the wall. She quite liked it that way.

When she was out here, working on assignments that mattered, she often felt free. Like she could be herself for once, and not worry about too many eyes turning her way.

"Veda, hm?" she repeated as well, eyes focused on his while she searched for connection, "I'd like to know more about this place. The people that run it and the kind of business they're involved in..." her voice trailed off, hoping she was clear about her intentions. She needed to know more about this part of the underworld if she had any hopes of stopping the worst of it.

While she eagerly waited for his answer, Valery leaned back and tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear. She sat straight now, but kept her body language relaxed and open.

The mix of alcohol and lovely company made that easier.

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

And there it was. The ask. Ten years ago, Veda wouldn’t have noticed it. He would have bought into the flirtatious behavior hook, line, and sinker. He would have been an open book, spilling the beans, telling her anything and everything she wanted to know. He probably would have been at least a couple more drinks deep, as well, which would have only led to more blabbering. But he wasn’t a kid anymore. He was a little more seasoned. A little more wary. Learning to pay attention to details like this kept him alive in a game where others had not been so fortunate.

He took another sip as he carefully considered his answer. “Not the kind of business you want to be involved in,” he finally replied. He kept his demeanor steady, but if she was as keen as he now thought she may be, she would pick up on the change. “Before this goes any further, why don’t you answer a question for me. What’s your interest in this place? We may have just met, but this doesn’t seem like your kind of fun.”

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

The corners of her lips tugged into a smirk when she noticed a sudden change. Valery was good at her game, and her behavior now was a lot more genuine because she could tell she was in good company. But it was understandably still a reason for someone like him to be wary. He had plenty of people chasing him already, so he had to be careful with his choice of words to a stranger.

He had questions himself now.

"Of course, ask away." Still with that almost playful smile, Valery took a sip from her drink and watched him. He was an interesting man to her already, and felt so different from the scum that walked all around her. He was a potential ally on a world full of underhanded threats.

"My kind of fun isn't the shady business, the gambling or the smuggling runs, no. Though..." She paused and looked over her shoulder, breaking eye contact for the first time. "I will admit, the races are quite thrilling." Turning back, Valery slowly leaned forward and over the table, resting on her elbows while she looked at him again.

"But I'm here to cause some trouble for the worst of these people, and something tells me you don't mind that very much."

Pal Veda ​

 

[Pal Veda]

Veda let out a light chuckle and leaned back in his chair. A casual gesture that allowed him a few seconds to take stock of his surroundings. "No . . . No, I don't think I mind that very much at all."

He then leaned back in, matching his companion’s posture. He thought long and hard about the next words out of his mouth. On another day, he may have even let one of his hands slip toward the grip of his blaster below the table, just for reassurance. But he felt oddly confident, or at the very least, comfortable. He spoke quieter this time. “But now I have another question. What’s in it for me, Master Noble?”

It had taken much longer than he cared to admit. The orange eyes, the scar, something just a little off about someone like her in a place like this. It was when she turned her head, breaking eye contact for the first time, it hit him. He had never met the Valery Noble; he had never had a reason to. Doubted he had ever been in the same room as her, but of course that was questionable now given how easily she cast herself here. No, he recognized her from the sizable bounty that recently made waves through his contacts and associates. One million credits. One million credits. Did the thought cross his mind? Maybe. But he wasn’t dumb enough to make enemies with the Jedi, at least not like this. Running a couple of illegal shipments to rebel outposts was one thing. Trying to cash in on a bounty on the Jedi Grandmaster — posted by the Empire, no less — was quite another. That wasn’t his game. He was sure of that.

But she had his attention. Now he was very intrigued.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

"But now I have another question. What's in it for me, Master Noble?"

Ah, so he does finally realize who is on the opposite side of his table. Valery chuckled and leaned back again, her smile as bright as it was before, and her mind perhaps even more curious. Why wasn't he turning against her? In these parts of the Galaxy, people weren't often fond of her. If anything, they were aware of the price on her head and only imagined themselves rich when they laid eyes upon her.

But he was different.

"What do you want?" she asked in return a moment later. "Credits? A round of drinks on me?" she joked, but her question had been serious. She had no idea what motivated him through daily life, but she was certain that she could pay his price. It was worth it, considering the scope of her mission.

Valery leaned forward again, her eyes flicking up to meet his, "Name your price, and I'm sure we can make something work."

Pal Veda​

 

[Wedge Draav]

FLYBOY

He needed speed, he needed to feel the rush.​

Wedge had been on the path to go fast for a while.

The upcoming assault on Coruscant was on his mind, his team, everything. So sometimes, the speedfreak in him- the one that made him such a daring pilot, wanted to go just go really fucking fast.

The next race was a podrace, sure-

But Wedge had put an X-wing engine in his podracer, and was barely holding together as he hit the starting line. He sunk down into the cockpit, activating the repulsor lift. He flicked the engine to life, hearing it roar. It sounded much louder than the others, and nearly a sonic boom when it turned on. It blew some tools and some equipment at the starting area around, as well as an unfortunate protocol droid who screeched "GOOD HEAVENS!".

To really set the mood, the party boy in Wedge dropped a hit of Glitterstim via a pill, letting it dissolve on his tongue before waiting for the ringer to go. He had to wait for the sound- watching the light was pointless, and could cost you precious opening seconds. A real racer, a real speedfreak- they listened for the harsh tone.

The tone went off, and each podracer flared their engines. Wedge was no different, but his engine- a modified X-wing engine salvaged from after a battle, was faster than most thought possible on a podracer. He banked the turn-

And nearly caused a sonic boom, rattling the area that Pal Veda and Valery Noble were sitting in. Wedge was an expert pilot, something that he simply outclassed the podracer drivers. He turned his head, his sunglasses reflecting the flashing lights beneath his glass cockpit shield. He couldn't help but smirk.

An announcer was barely able to keep up with it, and so were the camera feeds.

"I can't believe it ladies and gentlemen, Flyboy has taken the lead! I've never seen someone go that fast! Hopefully his pod holds up with all that speed!"

Valery Noble l Pal Veda

​

 

[Pal Veda]

Name my price. Galactic governments were giant slush funds. The Alliance was not the Empire, but the “elected” officials levied taxes at an almost criminal level. They oversaw half the galaxy, so there was no shortage of justifications for raising additional funds from the citizenry. That was more true today than ever, when the Alliance and Empire were on the verge of war at any moment. He had even heard rumors that an Imperial attack on the core worlds was imminent. The metaphorical Alliance vault held more wealth than any other person, entity, or group in the galaxy, and the key was staring at him from across the table.

But Veda wasn’t dumb. One thousand credits, one hundred thousand credits, one million credits. None of that mattered. He was never one for extravagance, and unlike most of the poor schmucks in these parts, he was fully paid up and then some. This was an opportunity to change the game. An opportunity to ask for something no one on Tatooine could give him.

”What we’re talking about here, Valery, is career suicide. If anyone finds out I am helping you, I’m out of a job. . . . or worse.” He took a breath, then took a sip of his drink. Slow down. Be smart. “If you thought my only motivation was credits, we wouldn’t be sitting here, sharing these drinks, having this conversation. But a man does have to eat.” Will she bite? “What I want is clearance codes. I want checkpoint bypass clearance for Alliance controlled hyperspace lanes and priority departure codes from core planets.“ He paused for a second to let that sink in. It was one hell of a price. He knew it. But it was also something she was in a unique position to arrange. “For that, I’ll do more than just help you clean up Outer Rim scum. I’m willing to offer . . . a partnership of sorts.”

BOOM! Right on queue, as if the gods were angered by such a bold proposal. Some idiot had strapped an engine three sizes too big to his podracer, and the effects radiated throughout the arena. The whole room rattled, a few bottles falling from their shelves and crashing on the floor at the bartender’s feet. Veda remained unmoved, studying his companion closely, looking for any indication in those mysterious orange eyes as to what the Jedi would say next.



Wedge Draav Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Undercover
Weapons: Blasters

"Out of a job? That depends whose jobs you're taking," Valery quickly pointed out, but Pal himself realized that he'd have to shift his core business if he took this offer. For that very reason, he asked for clearance codes. It was strange to hear this request, not because of him, but because someone else had essentially asked her the same thing not long ago. But he had abused the codes he was given, so it made her wary to extend such an offer again.

He'd have to earn it.

"Well, I personally can't give you those codes. I'm a Jedi, not a part of Alliance law enforcement or the military. But I have some sway if the reasons are just." She paused and raised her glass to her lips again for another careful sip. "If you want such codes, you'll have to work for them. More than just helping me find one criminal to put behind bars. How far are you willing to go in this... partnership?" She smirked and briefly bit on her lower lip before the sound of the race behind her caught her attention.

She saw the racer on a huge monitor and rolled her eyes.

"Seems like we've got a winner. I hope you put more credits on him than what you gave to that thug earlier."

Pal Veda Wedge Draav​

 

[Pal Veda]

Veda contemplated her question. How far are you willing to go? As he thought, he was momentarily distracted by the race and turned his attention to the screen. When he saw the winner, he let out a chuckle. “No, I didn’t bet on this one, and I definitely didn’t bet on him.” The mystery of the sonic boom that shook the arena moments earlier was answered. “That’s one of your boys. Wedge Draav . Maybe you know him? I hear he’s a devil in an X-wing. I’ve seen him out here on the track before. He’s fast, but he’s reckless. As likely to end up in a great ball of fire as he is to cross the finish line.“ Veda finished off his drink but decided to hold off on another. At least for now.

”But to the question at hand. Everybody’s a criminal out here. Some bigger than others. But take out one, and three more pop up in his place.“ He directed her attention back to the screen, where the camera had panned to the private viewing area of one of the Hutt family members. “Take that slimy blob up there. He runs this track. Half the gambling here is rigged in his favor, and he takes a nice cut out of the other half. He brokers arms deals with underworld factions, with the Empire, and even with your precious Alliance.” Veda paused to let that sink in for a moment. Of course Master Noble would be aware that even her team had bad apples, but they never liked when the obvious was said out loud. “He also pushes spice into the core worlds, but he’s a minor player in that game.”

”You take him down, then what? The Twi’lek on his left and the Kyuzo on his right divide up what’s left, you start a minor gang war, poor kids in these Outer Rim territories get caught up in the fight. And they get killed. Then at the end of the day, the Hutts send in their troops to take the whole operation back from whoever is left standing. You solved nothing. You think you’re doing the right thing, but the people out here don’t want that kind of interference, doesn’t matter if it’s the Empire or your precious Alliance.”

“Let’s make no qualms about it. I don’t have much love for the Alliance or for the Jedi. But the Empire, that’s a different story. I can help you with some of this scum out here. The slavers, the murderers, I don’t work with them. They can burn for all I care. But what I’m talking about is your real problem. The Empire. I can get access to people and places you can’t get near, especially with a million credits hanging over your pretty little head.“

”And the best part about it — I can do all of this without waiving an Alliance flag and reporting up through ten levels of boring bureaucrats in pressed suits that have never stepped foot in a place like this.”