Hi, my name is jack. (Completed/Closed)

[Dredge]

My life is a karking joke. Look at me, there was a war and change of government and I'm still here. You think being taken over by the sith would make me realize that life is short. I could of been a soldier, or a movie star, I bet they get all kinds of tail. But here I am writing up the Johnson report. Look at this guy's taxes, weekends on naboo, private condos on Zeltros, he's living the life and I'm still here looking at these office walls. Where did I go wron-

"Smith! How's that report coming?" Well that interrupted my train.

I looked up from my corporate prison and I saw him like the shadow of a monolith towering over insignificance. Edwards, my boss of all people. He hates me, maybe that's why I get the Johnson report every year. What did I ever do to ma-

"Smith!!" He yelled again, but this time it broke through.

Shaking my head I was out of my fog, that haze of being between reality and dreams where it feels like nothing can hurt you. That's a problem with insomnia, you never know when you are awake or asleep. Everything is unfocused and in a constant war between abstract and obtuse, but at least I know now that I'm up.

"Yeah what is it Mister Edwards?" I said in response.

"Johnson Report, how's it going?" He asked me with his annoying face.

So I cleared my throat and with the best and brightest voice of someone who hadn't slept in three days I said

"It's coming along boss, I'll have it on your desk by tomorrow." At least I think that's what I said.

Everything after that was a bit of a haze, I think Edwards had walked off. I should take my keyboard and smash the back of his head. But who am I kidding, I'd never do that. I need this job, I need my apartment, otherwise who am I? I'm just another bum on the Undercity streets fighting for scraps. And just think, another three hours and I get to go back to my wasted life.

 

[Dredge]

Time to clock out, that golden moment of the day that feels like breath of relief. Everyday you are caged, and every evening you are set free. It's a feeling almost of joy, but yet depressing because you know you'll be back here tomorrow in shackles to your desk doomed to live this mundane cycle of mediocrity.

"Wake up, Clock in, Clock out, Go Home, Wake up, Clock in, Clock out, Go home." And I guess you keep doing that until-

*Hoooooonk!!!* ​

What was I talking about? Was it work? Did I do the Johnson report today? Doesn't matter this is me. Standing up I boarded the train and sat in one of the dilapidated seats, I own my own speeder you know. But this is coruscant and I'm always afraid it's going to get stolen if I leave it. Pathetic right? Oh well, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, maybe I sum up the courage to drive to that.

I could feel it, coming on, the sleep. That little micro nap when your body shuts down, but that's all the time they need. Though it's never a good idea to fall asleep on the coruscant subway. I heard one time this guy did it and he woke up on Zeltros with a kidney missing. Was that true? Is anything really true? All I knew is tomorrow I had that appointment, maybe I could count the seconds until it came.

One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand... five... one thousand..... six... one... *black*

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

Kerrick was bored. Now, that wasn't an entirely unusual event, given that xe tended to get bored rather easily. If there wasn't a job to do or something worthwhile with which to occupy xir time, xe became bored. There were a variety of ways this was remedied, one of the most common being wandering Coruscant, whether the Undercity or the entirety of the planet in general. It wasn't an ideal solution, and typically it paved the way for the instigation of more trouble than the avoidance of any troublesome circumstances. It was something about being a smuggler, xe supposed, though xir profession wasn't evident unless one knew xem personally. A product of smuggler's luck, then. That explanation sufficed just as well.

All of this only served to sum up just what xe was doing on a train xe didn't really belong on heading to a place xe couldn't care less about. Not enough to remember the name of just where xe was traveling. The blaster carried rather openly on xir hip probably didn't help with being overlooked, not that it really bothered xe any that someone happened to glance xir way two or three times. That was just a consequence of being an average citizen of another level of the same planet that trillions of others inhabited. Sometimes it was nice to be among those that were adapted to a different yet similar way of living than xe. This was a change of pace yet a similar sight wrapped up in one, making for a disorienting experience all told.

Where the individuals from the upper city were adapted to a life of something resembling office work day in and day out with no break to the monotony, those that inhabited the undercity were adjusted to something of a different rhythm. But each had their own sort of standard, one particular brand of sentient that was hailed as the average and everyday. One that was rather easily overlooked by most and considered unimportant in the number of galactic conflicts that seemed to plague most everyone else's life. Xe liked to consider xemselves one of those people, despite the minute details that served to set xem apart in some smaller scale. But those weren't visible unless one knew xem personally. So, to the others on the train, xe passed off as average. Mostly.

From what xe could tell the train was coming to the end of its commute, with only one other remaining on the train. Raising an eyebrow, xe glanced about the train before stepping over to the man just as the screech of the brakes sounded. It was vaguely surprising that hadn't woken him, but xe figured the both of them ran on a different sort of instinct. While silently aware that this would only serve to draw more likely unwanted attention, xe stepped over, gently nudging his shoulder with a hand. "You're gonna want to wake up if you want to get home. This is the last stop of the day."

[member="Hyde"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

Seconds turn to minutes, minutes turn to hours, hours turn to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years until it all comes to an end one moment at a time. Maybe when I never wake up I can go to blue ghost land, they exist don't they? I know I read this article, or was it a blog? What are the differences between blogs and articles anymore?

"You're gonna want to wake up if you want to get home. This is the last stop of the day."

"Wha- what? Is this Zeltros?" Smooth Jack, really smooth.

Crashing out of unconsciousness is an interesting feeling. For the first few seconds it's like a grey sheet is placed over your head. Everything is dull, muted, hazy, and your wits have left. Every night you die and every morning you are born again, but instead of my mother's rosy cheeks I get to hi- her? Them? Yes them, them works for now.

After taking a few seconds to figure out that my stop was coming up in five minutes I got to spend time with them, so let's hope that they aren't cra- aaaand they have a gun. Well it was a good run jack you really wasted your late twenties with that bird watching phase but hey we all make poor choices. Just be cool.

"Um, thanks. Listen if it's money you want I don't have much, I'm just a guy." I said trying not to sound like I was going to wet myself.

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

Well, that was a new one. Out of all the reactions Kerrick had received in the past due to xir sudden appearances in this or that scenario, this had to top them all. Sure, xe had been on the receiving end of a few strange looks in xir life. That was nothing new, and those could be shrugged off as xe continued with xir life. This and that remark wasn't unusual either, and tolerable when you got right down to it. A comment of that nature, however, seemed entirely unwarranted. After all, there wasn't a reason to fear xem. Xir appearance was rather ordinary, save perhaps the weapon xe carried. What reason did he have to be concerned? For a moment xir only response was a blink and a slight frown.

Oh, that was right, most people didn't carry weapons meant only for self-defense openly on their person. Then again, most with violent intentions would pass over an individual who didn't seem to have anything to hide when it came to their talents with a blaster. Had the positions been reversed, xe supposed xir reaction would have been similar. But, well, the pistol hadn't even been drawn. Nor had xir had even moved even a millimeter towards it. Those from the upper city really were strange. If xe cared enough this would have been pointed out immediately. As it were things were a bit different. He would learn in time, hopefully, or get the hint.

One shoulder lifted in a shrug, and without a word xe sat down next to him, all but ignoring the weapon xe was acutely aware of at xir side. For a moment that relatively tense silence hung between them, with neither of them doing anything to dissipate it even momentarily. It was plain they came from different worlds, but even that was of little consequence. It wasn't like one pistol was something to be afraid of. Not so long as it wasn't aimed at your head. So xe merely cracked a small smile at what he had to say, no other visible reaction of the positive or negative sort evident in xir movements. For all intents and purposes, xe was harmless.

"'S no problem." No indication in having heard the second half of his sentence was given just yet. "And, listen, you don't have to worry. Dunno what you've been taught, but just because I have a blaster doesn't mean I'm gonna try and kill you. If that was my intention now, I'd be pretty bad at my job, wouldn't you say?" A beat passed, though that didn't seem to ease much of the tension in the least. "Name's Kerrick."

[member="Jack Smith"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

"Jack." I said introducing myself to the... the person?

After getting a good look at them once the haze had cleared it was hard to pin down what gender they were. Then again maybe they didn't have a gender, maybe they were an alien. One of those shapeshifters that didn't feel the need to choose. Wouldn't that be nice? Not having to decide what you are, just going through life as a genderless being. Maybe then my mom would stop calling and asking if I had a girlfriend yet, god I'm pathetic.

"I'm sorry it's just it's not every day I see a blaster that close. I think it's the closet I've been to one. I don't get out a lot." Understatement of the century.

Would it be rude if I asked what they were? Maybe I should just ask, how would we know anything if we didn't ask? It would be rude though I think, maybe it's a sensitive subject for them. It's best to let it lie for now, maybe it will come up in conversation.

"So um Kerrick. I guess you aren't from around the mid section?" And yet another understatement Jack, one more and maybe we can start selling them at a stand for five cents.

The train let out another loud honk of it's horn and my ears rang for a moment. God I hated that, the deafening roar of the horn telling us we were nearing our platform. I almost would of jumped from my seat if I wasn't so tired.

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

A smile at that. It must have been rather obvious that Kerrick didn't call this part of Coruscant home. Then again, xe probably didn't behave much like the average citizen he was used to seeing. Not with the nonchalant attitude about the blaster and merely sitting down next to him as if this were a typical, everyday conversation and not something that had started as a common courtesy, and no more. But his question begged answering, even if it was already evident what the response was going to be. "No, I'm not from around here. The Undercity comes closer to being home. I don't usually wander up this far." Well, there it was, for better or worse.

Now probably wasn't quite the right time to mention that the only reason xe lived in the Undercity was because of xir ties to a criminal syndicate. Nor would xe bring up the fact that the aforementioned group happened to have rather close ties to the One Sith thanks to the ramifications of the current leadership. If all could be helped, that wouldn't come up, even in passing. The law tended to be a bit more on the enforced side the farther one traveled from the lower dredges of the sprawling city planet. No one needed to get arrested to complete today's already interesting encounter. Everything was taking care of itself rather nicely, as it were.

There was a certain questioning look in his eyes that xe had seen before, most times in reference to whether xe was male or female, or some sort of exception to the rule. The best answer to that would have been 'yes', but even that wouldn't quite sum things up properly. It likely wouldn't be worthwhile to mention anything unless the question was posed first, but it was hard to miss that brief questioning glance. At least something like that was normal. This was a sort of familiar rhythm that xe could learn to settle into eventually, at least when it came to quiet conversation. The rest of it was debatable at best.

"And the answer to the question you aren't asking is yes and no."

[member="Jack Smith"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

The hell does that mean? Yes and no? Please don't tell me they are one of those sith that speaks in cryptic riddle bull crap. It's hard enough to understand what gender they much less what their saying, maybe I should keep avoiding the question. That would be smart, or maybe since they don't want to get technical I should just drop it all together. It's a big galaxy after all, there's multiple genders.

"Um that's nice I guess?" Great, now you're uncomfortable. As if this night could go any better.

I generally don't like meeting new people, I have that phobia what's it called again? Xen, xeno, ah xenophobia. I'm not a xenophobe or anything or a racist against aliens, I'm just afraid of strangers. My doctor gave me these pills and a number to a therapist but it never really worked out, I was afraid of the therapist. Really how I haven't freaked out this far is a miracle in itself. Maybe it's the gun, I don't know.

"So what brings you to the mid section? It can't be our lovely view." I let off a bit of forced laughter to try and ease the tension I felt.

You know it's sad when you don't even find the joke you said funny. I hate that, forced laughs and smiles to be polite, fear of hurting someone's feelings. I wish we lived in a society where I could tell someone they weren't funny and not upset them. Like my coworker Dave, god I hate Dave. Sits at his desk and makes smug little comments about everything. A small part of me dies every time he asks me how the weather looks outside, it's the fraking same as it was yesterday Dave, underground.

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

"What, are you telling me you weren't wondering whether I'm a man or a woman?" The question was posed with a raised eyebrow as if in challenge, a slight smile dissipating any confrontational attitude that surrounded the inquiry. It was a common enough event that Kerrick had become used to, either explaining things completely, giving half-answers that didn't serve to do much other than scratch the surface, or avoid the issue altogether by deflecting things with a few well-placed comments. Jack seemed nice enough, so if he wanted to know, xe would answer. There wasn't much harm in detailing things, after all. It would serve to clear up some of the confusion between them, at least.

And right now the majority of that confusion seemed to originate from the fact that he wasn't exactly the most relaxed person in the galaxy. A bit of unease as to the sudden appearance of a stranger was to be expected, and it was typically something easily dismissed. But this seemed to be something else, and xe wasn't exactly sure what was bothering him. But it wouldn't do any good to bring it up, so it would remain something unspoken between them. That was the polite way to go about things, at least in xir mind. And so it would remain, quietly acknowledged but no more. That would have to be enough.

A half-smile was xir only response to his question for a moment. "Well, it's a bit nicer than the Undercity." Then again, it didn't take much to outclass a section of the planet that was primarily inhabited by criminals and other various gangs. "I don't exactly have a nine to five job, so I get time to walk around more often than not. Figured there wasn't any harm in going up another level, so I did." One shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Not much else to it than that. Guess you could just say I get bored a lot." That wasn't a difficult task, given how quiet things had been lately. It would have been nice to know whether xe was out of business just yet.

"How about you, then? Why Coruscant, out of the thousands of planets in the galaxy?" It was a fair enough question. Besides, as a smuggler xe didn't exactly have the same sense of a permanent home that most other sentients did. It was a loose term, and one used sparingly. Of course, he was likely a bit different.

[member="Jack Smith"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

Oh great, the one question I didn't want them to ask. Why do you stay on coruscant? Why does everyone ask that? This place was taken over by the sith like seven years ago and everyone I knew got out, so why did you stay Jack? Because you're afraid of change maybe? You bury your head in the sand and scream, pretending that nothing is different. When in reality the reason you never left is because you are coward, and you've never known anything different besides your desk, your numbers, and your little apartment. Maybe when the planet's core dies and the sun burns out you'll finally be ready to move on with your wasted life.

"I was born here I guess, my parents still live here and it's just my home." I said hiding the obvious conclusion that I was just a scared little boy in a world bigger than his sandbox.

The subway screeched and began to come to a slow, this meant it was time to go soon. Now what about this person? What do I make of them? Are they friendly? Will they follow me? Maybe they are here to kill me, what would that accomplish though, just another shit stain nobody gunned down on the way home from work. I wouldn't even make the obituaries in the data feed tomorrow. Maybe I just- the train came to a complete stop and that's when it hit me like a sack of bricks.

A feeling of inadequacy and sorrow, I needed to take more risks, maybe do something crazy for once. As the train doors opened I reached into my pocket and grabbed my business card. Jack Smith, Accountant, Everlast Financial, a plain black and white card. God even my business card doesn't take any risks.

"Well this is me, if you ever need your taxes filed ever or financial advice just call me. It was nice meeting you Karrick." and with that I bid you adieu you gender between person.

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

The answer given was something vaguely expected. It was what most people said when asked just why they stayed on one planet for their entire life, when there were a near endless amounts of methods and means to get off-planet and never look back. Why someone would wish to stay on Coruscant of all places when there were better places to live that didn't include having to live under the thumb of an oppressive ruler. But in response Kerrick only shrugged, not wanting to seem rude. "It makes sense. Besides, it's nice to have somewhere to return to at the end of the day. Having a home is something a lot of people take for granted." In terms of that, xe only really had xir ship for a permanent place of residence.

Standing as he did, xe took the business card and turned it over in xir hands before pocketing it. It wasn't likely xe would require any sort of financial advice, given xir employment as a criminal, but the sentiment by itself was appreciated well enough. "If you ever want to talk again, ask around the Undercity for the Coruscant Rotary Club. You'll find me at the Cream and the Crop Casino. It's a bit of a different business than what you're used to." To say the least. "It was nice meeting you as well, Jack." With a nod as if in goodbye xe turned and began walking in the opposite direction, not quite certain in xir destination just yet.

Eventually xe supposed the time would come to wander back down to the Undercity and eventually back to the Casino, but that would come later. For now xe would concede to walk the upper levels for a time or two longer. Jack was an interesting man, if not a bit timid, seeming uncertain of his actions and what he had to say. Of course, that could have been due to the blaster at xir side just as easily as his general, everyday attitude. Not everyone was like the company xe was used to keeping, after all. Still, xe wasn't much of one to judge. The chances of the two of them crossing paths a second time were likely slim to none anyhow.

[member="Jack Smith"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

Once I was off the train it was a good block to my apartment, my favorite part of the day. The little journey you take from point A to B of familiar surroundings that never seem to change, the flower vendor on the right, noodle house on the left. The smell of fresh dough being rolled for the late night crowd getting off work and stumbling in for a drink and some noodles. Familiarity and routine, the saviors of the righteous chaos that is Coruscant.

Stepping past those places of routine I entered my building, took the lift up to my apartment and found my way to the door. Fifteen dash two B, my bastion of comfort and knowing. Sliding my key card I walked inside to see my glorious kingdom of things. I have what you call obsessive compulsive disorder, or was it obsessive impulsive disorder? You know that crap they sell you on late night television? Furniture, gadgets, and gizmos you'll never need or use. I'm the guy who keeps them in business, when you suffer from insomnia everything they sell to you looks like you have to have it.

A cute little end table, a four seat sofa where the end doubles as a bed. I don't ever have company and I still own it because I have to have it. A coffee machine that brews four different blends, I don't even drink coffee. Sad right? Unbuttoning my shirt I lay on my couch and turned on the TV to see what I was going to buy tonight. Welcome to the world of Jack, population nobody.

 

[Dredge]

END ​