Easter Twi'lek Hunt

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Arcturus Hallum Quinn"] | @[member="Suhr"] | @[member="Haven Pryde"] | @[member="Jericho"] | @[member="Zorskka Vull"]​

__________________________​

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I let the vibroknife -- still wet with blood -- drop from my fingers. Four men lay dead in the alley, all four of them members of a fledgling crime syndicate that had pirated the wrong transport. The Atrisian Empire did not take kindly to its loss of property, and I, perhaps its most apt killer, had been sent to issue its justice. I did not enjoy killing, but in this moment I took solace in the fact that these men were murderers of the worst kind. Worst than me, in fact, for while I killed to continue living, they merely killed because they could. I abhored such beings with a fire that burned as hot and bright as the twin suns of Tatooine.

A grotesque statue of a Hutt stood beyond the mouth of the alley, every roll of flesh outlined in the massive sculpture. Its unsightliness fascinated me as much as it repulsed me, and as I made my way out of the alley, I reached into the Force, wading into its immeasurable depths to discern its structural integrity. Such ugliness deserved to be destroyed.

The unseen suddenly became visible -- fault lines grew across the statue like spidery webs, each and every flaw in the statue's design laid bare. I felt the sudden urge to destroy the statue, to shatter it into so many pieces -- its ugliness reminded me too much of my own sins, sins that I perpetuated every time I was sent to kill my own kind.

The currents of the Force shifted, even as I stood among them, and in turn I expanded my awareness beyond the statue to sweep across the walkways and cantinas as a brisk breeze, and better understand what was rapidly becoming apparent:

There were Force-adepts nearby -- several of them, in fact, and because of my actions, I had revealed myself as well. No use hiding; not now. I abandoned all pretense of stealth, and sharpened my sense of hearing.

"My employer wanted me to extend a relief on your behalf, I must say tracking you is a difficult enough task.... so take my apology as a token of the people I am working through. Last thing we need is to start a conflict on this moon, so let us restart this whole approach," a woman's voice said.​

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Ah, conflict. I was familiar with conflict -- intimately so.

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"As long as you make no sudden movements things will be fine. Would be a shame if Cartel Security had to arrest a few of us," a man returned.​

"Feth to it then - Who's speaking first? Come on, speak up. Why is everyone so damn eager to speak to me today?" Though clearly a female speaker, it wasn't the same woman who had spoken earlier.​

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"I was only following after you ran off like that and the woman here also started following you."​

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My plain black garbs hid the blood that stained my shirt, and my cloak hid the lightsaber hanging at my belt -- satisfied that nothing about my appearance was amiss, I approached the group, still privy to the Force's shifting currents, more intrigued than wary. It was clear that they weren't together, and yet the question still begged: why were there so many Force-adepts congregated here, of all places? I counted four, but there could very well be more, lurking in the shadows.

The woman -- the one they all seemed to want to speak to -- was a Twi'lek. Seeing her reminded me of my apprentice Krae, and I wondered what had become of her, even as I drew nearer to the group. Most of them would see me approaching, but one man faced away from me, and his presence seemed vaguely familiar.

!​

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I sensed the danger before I saw it, and without missing a beat, turned my focus inward, vitalizing mind and limb. For the briefest of moments the world slowed to a crawl, and I blurred past the lot of them, more curious now than I had been. Who were these people? Behind me, smoke billowed up from the walkway, and I witnessed a squad of security officers hurrying past to investigate the disturbance. They paid me no mind, leaving me to go where my senses led me. There was something strange going on on Nar Shadaa, something very strange, and I wanted to know what.

I didn't have to walk for long. The Force guided me to a cantina, one not so ragged as the others on Nar Shaddaa -- nonetheless, it paled in comparison to similar establishments on Atrisia.

It was called The Slippery Slope.

 

[Suhr]

@[member="Arcturus Hallum Quinn] @[member="Haven Pryde"]

Suhr watched from her ledge as the speederbike flew past. She didn't get a good look at the rider - all leathers, and going at some bat out of hell speed. Probably just another adrenaline junkie. She waited for the airbus to pull up towards another sector of the promenade, and swiftly hopped off it before the driver could come and inspect what had happened to it - no doubt he'd be in for a shock, some confusion, and one hell of a repair bill...

Throwing her hood over her head to conceal her identity a little more again, Suhr strolled along this new stretch of the Promenade. Merchants were doing business, and big shot clients seemed to be filtering in one directi-... Of course! Vertica! Nobody would expect to see her up there - She made a point of keeping clear of the Casino. Too many credits, too many people. Just the right place to hide for an hour or so, before heading to the saferoom. The security forces would have departed from the smugglers bar by then, and she'd be free to get herself away from this mess. Suhr put on a stride - purposeful, but not rushed. She slipped into the public transport, and again used her travel card. Fortunately all that came up from the scanner was a bleep of acceptance, and not the usual overly joyous droid sounds. By the time Suhr was seated, the transport was up and moving - She was destined for the lofty Club Vertica Casino. Usually an exclusive location to those with high amounts of credits, Suhr had a few favors to call in with the security staff there. Something about taking a quick check over the droids they were looking for a while back, if she remembered correctly... Either way, she knew she'd get in just fine.

And get in just fine she did. The guards put up a little fuss, but once she explained that they owed her and that she was only here for a drink away from the usual scruff, they quickly conceded and allowed her into the bar area of the Casino.

"Finally," she said to nobody in particular. "Barkeep! I'll have a nice cold Tythonian Springs, if you would. And don't go cheaping out on me, or I'll get Rosco up here from the Slopes to show you how it's done." Suhr smiled to herself, and the human male on the bar quickly got to making her the drink.

For now, Suhr could sit in the relative quiet...

 

[Haven Pryde]

Haven headed back to the slippery slopes and dodged inside for a quick game of cards and maybe a few more drinks, as she did so she looked at the bar keep and he winked at her, next came whistles from overly drunk bozo's that obviously never seen a woman in all leather, she then walked over to the sabaac table and scanned around, she could hide here for a bit since the cantina was now packed and she didn't have anywhere else to go, the droid recognized her and with a flustered tone asked her to pay which she did and then dealt the hand.

@[member="Cronos Aegir"]

 

[Jericho]

When the smoke grenade went off, everyone scattered to the winds disappearing almost instantly, leaving Jericho standing there in the silence killed by the sounds of the sirens nearing his locations. He pondered for a moment and thought everything that had just happened. Leading him to the conclusion, that was random and spontaneous, not something that he was exactly used to. While everyone had their spiffy and flashy way to run away. Jericho turned around and walked out the front door of the area they were at, he merely shook his head and walked quietly down the alleyway making for the city life and blended quietly into the hustle and bustle of the city's people. He could feel the force signature of the woman, but he wasn't going to chase her down after all that had just occurred, he doubted that she would want to be chased down again.

At least that was his mentality of it until felt a familiar force signature, it seemed to appear out of no where as well. 'No...' Jericho thought as he knew this feeling before, the Artisian, he was the type to remember every person he had come across. If he remembered probably, the soldier captured or killed force-users, at least that was Jericho's perception of the man. If the twi'lek was going to be in any type of danger, it would be now. But he would not take any action until the threat was actually there and so he emitted his energy keeping as close as possible while keeping a comfortable distance to the signature of the twi'lek. Hopefully his presence would be notice and her curiosity would bring her to him.

Or maybe not.

As he continued to follow her energy he came across another cantina, does this girl learn? Like at all? But considering where he was and from observing the lifestyle of this place, he couldn't blame her if she grew up this way. It was what she was used to, so it was normal for anyone to go to a comfort zone, so to speak, after a stressful event whether though that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Jericho could not and would not judge her for it. So he stayed in the shadows waiting for something to happen.

 

[Suhr]

She sat in the VIP lounge of the Casino, quietly sipping on her water. She needed it - the cold of the ice, the freshness of the liquid. It helped to calm her down. Helped to remind her of what she'd been through before, and what she'd have to endure again. Nobody was going to take her in chains. At least not while she was alive, at least. Suhr almost felt like she could cry, but the teachings of Master Kytra kicked in and she soon found herself focusing. What was that all about? Handcuffs... A shock collar? There was no doubt about it, that woman intended to complete a bounty... Yet how had one been set on her? Surely she was safe, and hidden. Damnit.
And that Templar?
Ech. She had a strange feeling about that one. He knew the ways of the Force, that was more than clear... But could he teach her? She'd never know now - Her shot blown when she bolted like a scared wamprat in the headlights of a speeder. There were so many unanswered questions. So many things she needed to know - and not just about this! It was enough to bring her to despair, and if she was anyone else, she would have been. Hell. Ce'na had been through twice as much when she was half as young. Suhr could do better than this. Suhr will do better than this, she forced herself to think. The icey cold glass raised to her lips again, and once more she felt the refreshing memories of a summer spent on Tython wash over her...
... But once again she could feel something lurking. Something in the background. It might have been nothing, and any other day she would have dismissed it as such, but Suhr had had one hell of a day thus far. She resolved to sit, wait, and sip at the glass until she was confronted, or felt safe enough to head back to the smugglers bar. It was the quickest way back to the safehouse, but she couldn't risk running there now. Not while she was being hunted.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Haven Pryde"]​

_____________________​

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The Sabacc Table​

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I wasn't one for gambling, but my feet led me to the table nonetheless. The players eyed me speculatively, but when I made no move to sit, the turned their attention back to their game. Mere moments later a blond woman entered the bar; it was the same blonde from earlier, draped in form fitting leather that left little to the imagination. For all my discipline, I couldn't help but look -- she cut a rather striking figure -- but my interest was two fold. I still wanted to know why they had been after the Twi'lek, her especially, and now was my time to learn the truth of the situation.

I slid the droid a handful of credits -- enough to join the game -- and took my spot at the table. Conveniently enough, it was directly across from her, and I did nothing to hide my interest. In fact, I reached out with a tendril of mental energy to gently touch the surface of her mind, speaking with thoughts instead of with my mouth.

Do you truly enjoy this drivel?

 

[Haven Pryde]

She smirked at him when he entered her mind and she knew he was powerful, as she waited there for beamed back with her own Excuse me? Drive? she then turned her attention back to the game.



(OOC Sorry post sniped)

 

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Haven Pryde"]​

__________________​

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Excuse me? Drive?​

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I couldn't help but laugh at that, surprising myself with the strength of my mirth. The table's other occupants regarded me strangely, as I'd laughed for no apparent reason, but I paid them no mind. They were inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Not drive; d r i v e l. Nonsense. Rubbish. Claptrap.

I spared a glance at my hand. Hn, a ten and a commander. It was a decent hand, all things considered, though it could worsen when the shift came. I might not care for Sabacc, but I knew how to play.

My name is Cronos. I told her so only to invite her to do the same -- it was awkward, speaking to someone's mind without knowing their name. It was somewhat rude on my part, but she didn't seem much affected.

 

[Darth Metus]

(OOC: Playing catch up here, this is what I get for napping...)

Upon returning to his seat, the Templar noted that all that he was speaking to was thin air; for the woman who was supposed to have a chat with him had seen fit to take flight from the cantina and head out into the streets of Nar Shaddaa. While this came as a slight disappointment to the Knight, he was not exactly surprised about this turn of events. After all, this was indeed Nar Shaddaa and when unusual sums of attention were placed on an individual, they tended to take off. Still, due to said unusual sum, Josiah took it upon himself to follow the trail of shaky emotions out of the cantina, preferring to stay several steps behind the woman; and the group who followed, so that he could observe and assess the situation.

'Ah feth,' he thought to himself as the situation unfolded, 'bounty hunters...' This was the definition of bad, and the "cloaked beauty" would be in dire need of assistance. He could not in all good conscience just turn back now, head back to the cantina, and get absolutely hammered as was his original intention. So, with his presence in the Force minimized as much as he possibly could, hood up, and appearance lost in a sea of people, the Templar proceeded to follow the mayhem until he wound up at a Casino. There, he began to take note of the faces he had seen causing the mayhem across the streets; making sure to particularly note the location of the blonde huntress who had pretty much started the aggression.

'Too many present for an open confrontation, better try to get this woman out of here as quick as possible.' he grumbled mentally as the Force guided him. It was as if he were a small child and the enigmatic entity a parent holding his hand; for he was literally led by the ebb and flow of the Force and perceiving the chaotic emotions flowing about the Casino. Ultimately, the Force would guide him to the VIP section, where a simply trick of the mind allowed him entrance with no trouble at all. After what the woman had gone through just moments prior, it was best to show that he was not hostile in the slightest.

"Miss?" he began from a decent sum of paces back. His hood was then removed to reveal his face and his hands held aloft in a non-threatening manner. "It seems to me like you have more friends that I had anticipated this evening...and I truly desire to help you. If you will allow me, that is, I'll do my part in making sure that you escape this rock in one piece. I am a Templar, unaffiliated with the traditional powers of the Galaxy, as such I have no intention of swindling you or attempting to collar you like our 'friend' from before. If you come with me, we can get out of here now to a safe location; one they'll never find, and then get you off of this rock. What do you say?"

@Sohr.

 

[Haven Pryde]

For a mentalist the ability to peer in someone else's mind could be described as very rude and dangerous yet for a mentalist in training and one without a master of her own would find it fascinating especially if you did it to one mind as powerful as haven's, so this man; or boy-whichever he was, could be a potentially dangerous and powerful force user, from the look of it, he is as harmless as a bantha would be to a womprat, yet it cold also be as dangerous as a starved rancor with a slave thrown in to feed of of.

She allowed him to peer into her mind, but she didn't allow him to read her thoughts and as he asked for her name she altered the game plan and gave him an alias Tryppe Thornewolf, now would you mind telling me what this is about? she then looked at her cards and found she had an ace and a joker, not a bad hand given some of the rules at the table.

@[member="Cronos Aegir"]

 

[Suhr]

@[member="Josiah Denko"]
She froze mid sip. This must have been what she sensed. The figure watching her must have been the Templar. She placed her glass back on the bar top, and looked over her shoulder slightly. "More friends? I guess you could say that's an understatement." she signaled for him to join her at the bar, clearly unwilling to leave it for now. "Come and tell me about these "Templars" then. I'm safe here. If there's one thing the Cartel really doesn't stand for, it's bad business in a Casino." She paused, turning back to her drink. Apparently it was her intention to sit and wait it out rather than run off with some stranger, whom a few hours ago, she'd run from. Suhr couldn't help but wonder if the Force had answered her thoughts and questions - Perhaps if it had, then this Josiah fellow could help her. Perhaps. Yet that still didn't answer the questions about the hunter - She needed to know about that. Maybe it related to Master Kytra, and if it did, then she had to know. There was no two ways about it.
"Come and take a seat, I've a jug of Tythonian spring water here, and a spare glass."
She didn't have either, but the barstaff seemed to get what she was hinting at and soon poured a fresh pitcher of the ice cold spring water. It was so cold, in fact, that steam rose from it in a small fog, which settled over the surface of the water and occasionally crept over the lip of the jug. Meanwhile, Suhr sat on her bar stool calmly, like all the worry and stress from earlier had simply been washed away...
["@sohr" lol'd.]

 

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Haven Pryde"]​

_____________________​

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Tryppe Thornewolf, now would you mind telling me what this is about?​

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Straight to the point then. I couldn't say I was surprised at what I perceived to be irritation -- in her shoes, I might've felt the same way. Absently, I upped the ante, playing along with the flow of the game. I cared very little for its outcome, as I had no use for credit; the Empire supplied me with more than enough. I am merely curious, 'Tryppe Thornewolf'. Why were you after that Twi'lek? I didn't expect an honest answer, yet I asked nonetheless.

 

[Haven Pryde]

Sitting here Haven's earpiece once again buzzed and the voices of her comrades went vibrating into her ear drum, their voices stern and they admitted she was hard to track but they found her, as the bar was packed and the music was loud she knew it would be hard to hear her so she spoke into the ear piece let me know when she leaves the complex, I want her to be brought in alive... no use obtaining a corpse if it is not needed she then looked at the male that was at the table with her and waited for his reply.

That's when his voice came into her mind and she smirked Business matters needed to be cleared up, what were you doing in that alleyway? she asked with a mild hint of a flirt.

 

[Darth Metus]

An invitation to sit at the bar and chat...well, seems as though the Twi'lek had quite the spine to go with her force sensitivity. Not wanting to push the issue, the Templar calmly strode across the bar and took a seat beside the woman, smiling warmly as usual. "Very well," he began, eyeing a glass, "I'll take you up on that offer. Pour me a glass and I'll tell you everything you could possibly want to know about the Order I represent." With that said, he shifted his weight upon the stool so that he could keep his attention both on the Twi'lek and on the door; he wanted to be ready to jump at a moment's notice, and this time he would be present to help out.

"The Templar Order began within the Confederacy of Independent Systems...which, if you have been keeping up with the news, has been rampaging across the South on a crusader to end slavery, and is a Force-sect unlike any other. The key principles of the Order are: Freedom, Individuality, Community, Growth, and Balance. What all of those principles come down to meaning is..."

"You are free to be who you are and what you want to be. Your identity as a sovereign individual will never be lost in a sea of fellows and we adore that which makes you unique. You will never be alone, for we protect and cherish our own. You will be free to grow, as you see fit, and we make it a goal to help you grow and to grow with you. And lastly, we seek Balance in all things. It is because of our love of freedom and balance that our doors are open to just about every person who is in touch with the Force, regardless of previous affiliations."

"We are, simply put, an Order that puts your individual freedoms first. We want to help you grow to be the best wielder of the Force you can, but we'll also give you the breathing room to stretch your wings and fly yourself...And it doesn't hurt that, politically-speaking, the Templars are neutral with everyone in the Galaxy, so there are no natural enemies seeking your head for affiliating with us. So...I'm sure you have questions, hit me."

@[member="Suhr"].

 

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Haven Pryde"]​

_______________________​

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She mouthed words that I couldn't hear, but it wasn't beyond me to read her lips -- we were sitting right across from one another. I didn't catch them all, however, but what I did catch only served to heighten my curiosity.

​

Business matters needed to be cleared up, what were you doing in that alleyway?​

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The irritation in her voice was replaced by something else entirely, and unbidden, my lips twitched upward just so. Switching tactics so soon? My cards shifted - my ten became a face card, Demise, and likewise, the commander became Endurance. That put my score at -21, better even than my original hand. I seized the opportunity to parrot her words back at her, for they defined my own dealings as well.

Business matters needed to be cleared up, I replied, glancing down at the dried blood staining the hem of my shirt. This Twi'lek... who is she? I didn't think it coincidence that so many Force-adepts had their sights set on the same woman, and I wanted to know why. It wasn't her looks -- pretty though she was, she didn't look any different from the other billions of Twi'lek women in the galaxy. The dancers scattered throughout the cantina were certainly more eye catching.

 

[Suhr]

@[member="Josiah Denko"]
[This is gonna be my last post for a while. Just noticed the time, and I could do with some sleep!]
She sat quietly, and listened to all the Templar had to say about his faction's cause. The individual, hrm. That could be good. Free to explore and accept whatever I want... she thought. The lack of foes was a nice touch too, especially considering the ruckus she'd just been involved in. Josiah certainly knew his way around his words - Something that Suhr instantly decided to be wary of. Smooth talkers mean trouble her mother would say... But he hadn't been trouble for her so far. Not really, anyway. She decided to test him...
"And what if I wished to use the Force aggressively? For things other than good, and defending people. What if I chose to nurture my anger?"

Suhr looked at him, whilst pouring a glass of the freezing cold water. She slid it over to him, careful not to allow her fingers to touch the side of the jug. Such a question would truly show his neutrality, she decided. If he spoke against it, how could he be neutral? The Templars would be revealed to be a sect of rogue Jedi, and she'd stay here... But if he took the neutral and accepting offer... Well. Certainly it'd be something for her to think about - Indeed, it'd be something to highly consider. To explore all aspects of the Force... To know it truly. She could mix and match, find out what worked best... The thought was taunting her.
There was still unfinished buisiness on Nar Shaddaa though - These bounty hunters had to be dealt with.

"And what about these hunters. What happens if they become enemies of your Templars if I took up your offer?"

Again, Suhr hoped this would show her the measure of the man sat next to her. If he was not willing to deal with the problem with her, well, in Suhr's mind that could only mean that the Templars would end up with enemies, or they wouldn't support her. And that would be hypocritical to what he had just explained to her. She was trying to trap him, trying to find security in his words, or failings in his opinions... No matter what he said though, Suhr was set on her path. She knew that she had to find the Bounty Hunter that was chasing her, and investigate why she was being hunted. She had to know - For there was no Ignorance. Only Knowledge.


[aand, as I said, this is me done for a while. I'll make a post or so when I'm awake and that, but my posting may be a little sporadic until the evening, GMT!

I'd like to take a moment to thank everybody that has contributed to the thread thus far, no matter your parts. It's been really good roleplay, and I can only hope that we all get the chance to meet up in slightly less hectic conditions at later dates.
Suhr over and out,
Night!
x]

 

[Haven Pryde]

Haven then looked at her cards and placed one in the dealers circle and the droid replaced it with a new one, the card shifted and became a sword... bad move, the card could have been useful now you have some weird one that nobodies ever seen before her mind beckoned to her but she canceled it and gave a slight grin to him as he asked her his question.

The twi'lek owes me monies, and I am here to collect... now if you'd be so kind as to not interfere I would be so kind as to make sure this errand of yours is not reported to the authorities, I'm sure you'd not want to unwittingly aide in a fugitives escape... or would you?

she then smirked and spoke back in her comms and then waited some more.

 

[Darth Metus]

The first question posed by the woman was one that the Templar had come to expect when conversating about his order. After all, he had asked the very same question; and so did some that he had known before. Due to this, he simply smiled and answered the question wholly and truthfully. "The path you choose to walk is entirely up to you. If you seek the Light, then we will support your choice and help you embrace it. If you seek the Darkness, so too will we support and assist you. And if you seek to Balance them, then we will support you in that too; all in all, how you choose to use the Force is your personal decision and we'll respect and support whichever selection you make."

The second question was answered just as truthfully, calmly, and to the letter. "If that is the cost of protecting you, then so be it. Should you accept my offer, I'd go to Korriban and back for you; we all would. And if that means beating down a Bounty Hunter or two so that you can live free, then so be it." He hoped that his words would be enough to convince her to join, and as he concluded them he took a sip from the fresh, cool water that was slid to him. It was quite good...the best water he had ever had, actually.

"So, what say you?"

@[member="Suhr"].

 

[Aithne Charr]

Bought back in on the table, having been observing the scene as it played out in front of him, he looked down at his cards. "Anything interesting happen lately." He glanced back up @[member="Haven Pryde"]

 

[Qhorin Solas]

@[member="Haven Pryde"]​

___________________​

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The twi'lek owes me monies, and I am here to collect... now if you'd be so kind as to not interfere I would be so kind as to make sure this errand of yours is not reported to the authorities, I'm sure you'd not want to unwittingly aide in a fugitives escape... or would you?​

​

This time, my laugh was internal. My face betrayed none of my amusement, however, save for the barest upturn at the corner of my mouth That wasn't a threat, I hope? I might not enjoy killing, but nothing excited me more than battle. I lived for it. You may do what you like, Miss Tryppe, it matters little to me... but if you mean to collect these 'monies', I would advise you not to threaten me again. What might transpire if she did do so again was left unsaid -- I'd let her mind fill in the blanks.

The single Herglic at the table folded and was followed swiftly by an Umbaran. As they vacated the table we were joined by a Chiss, and he, apparently, was somewhat familiar with this blond mystery. Something about the situation didn't fit, but I couldn't discern what. Perhaps I would have to hunt down the Twi'lek? And was it even worth the effort? My curiosity wouldn't be sated otherwise, and this woman had revealed very little, if anything at all; it was entirely within the realm of possibility that she was lying through her teeth, but I didn't attempt to delve deeper into her mind to see. I could possibly force the information out of her, with the right means, but it seemed a rather extreme thing to do for simple information.

No, best to wait it out and see how events unfolded.

A friend of yours? I said, indicating the Chiss.