Hope in Purgatory Is Un-Common

[Kay-Larr]

Purgatory Prison wasn't exactly a vacation resort. There were kinder prisons out there. But here in the Redoubt Cluster kindness was rare. Violence and death were more common than not. And the guards seemed to be there for themselves rather than for safety of the inmates. Bets were often placed and sometimes the brawls were fully instigated and influenced by gambling. Even the Warden [member="Lucinda Larr"] seemed to take part in it. There were rare times that the fights were ever stopped.

Earlier in the day, Kay was moved from the isolated cells in the VIP section to the general population; a move that was in no doubt a reaction due to all of the visitors that she was having as of late. Purgatory was a for-profit-prison and as such, the longer some prisoners were held, the more money could be made from them. But some were far more trouble than they were worth. If Kay happened to be killed by one of her fellow inmates, then every inmate would see that the Warden played no favourites with anyone. Not even with former Queens.


Kay wore the same bright yellow jumpsuit as every other inmate did. Every Force User wore a collar fitted with a small void stone, every droid wore a restraining bolt. Only non-force-using humans had any type of advantage. They were all treated a bit more fairly than the rest.

She took her tray of food and carried it over to one of the tables in the mess hall. The food lacked flavour, but it had all the nutrients that they needed. Kay ignored the murmers and offhand comments as she happened by. Keeping to herself was the better option. Besides, she had her protection in the form of [member="Ambrose Cadera"] . Help was coming and in time she was going to be rid of this place. Hopefully forever.

[member="HK-51"] [member="Cear'bhaill"] [member="Wolfpack"]

 

[Cear'bhaill]

Another day, another platter of BS life decided to throw her way.

The incarcerated ancient (former) Jedi laid back on the walkway in front of her cell. Her legs were swinging over the edge as the lap of a lovely purple Twi'lek cushioned her head. Said Twi'lek was currently running her fingers through Cear's hair as the pair were waiting something interesting before the guards called lights out. It had been only several hours since the last fight in their block, but they wouldn't mind some evening entertainment.

There had been that pretty transfer earlier in the day, but whispers were rife about her. All the rumors one could imagine about one person had graced Cear's ears and it drover her nuts. Cear did want to see what all the fuss was about eventually, but for now, she resigned to remain comfy.

Suddenly, there were shouts emanating from below. Cear sprang up from her pillow and quickly stood over the handrail. From what she could see, the rather large Zabrak from down on the end was currently in the middle of three extra mean looking Gamoreans. The fight looked definitely one sided, but this did not stop the woman from cheering on the underdog,"Get 'em!"

[member="Kay Arenais"] [member="HK-51"] [member="Wolfpack"]

 

[Wolfpack]

GENERAL POPULATION MESS HALL

Wolfpack's bulky figure barely fit into the orange jumpsuit the guards gave him on the way in. The Ulyrix Vong didn't like the idea of being without his armor, or any of his weapons. The large monster let out a low growl as he was served terrible looking food. He quietly walked towards a table with his tray. As he weaved between tables he would notice the gazes of other inmates following him.

They're getting on my nerves. the Ulyrix Vong thought to himself as he sat across [member="Kay Arenais"], mandibles twitching with interest.

Wolfpack slowly began eating the slop in front of him, as he quietly watched the woman across him. The Vong of course had just been processed and few days before, and had finally been released into the general population.

The large bounty hunter smirked, he had a feeling. That something exciting was about to happen.
[member="Cear'bhaill"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked up as [member="Wolfpack"] neared the table that she was at and sat himself down. She had never come across his species before, but she wasn't entirely clueless either. Still, she took to her old habits and gave him a slight nod before she began to eat her meal.

The sounds of the fight outside of the messhall began to get louder. [member="Cear'bhaill"] could be heard encouraging the fight, her voice being of a higher pitch than most of the inmates, it was easier to hear.

"How long before they start putting bets on you, I wonder?
Or perhaps they wouldn't at all, given that the odds of you winning would be too high." Kay had another spoonful of the food as she eyed the Vong up. "What's your name?"

 

[Ambrose Cadera]

The prison itself is a cesspool worthy of plastic explosive and a single unit of Mando’ade. Is it the worst prison I yet experience? No, but it’s well bad enough.

Routine itself is a reward or punishment in a place like this, and the moment [member="Kay Arenais"] was moved to the general population, I slunk into the vents once again in my serpentine form, and waited to see which cell in which she was sequestered.

With the constant onset of violence in this place, it was easier than I’d enjoyed to slink behind her cell block mate, and stomping on her neck. Her ribcage snapped under my foot, another casualty of the fights, made unrecognizable and dumped by guards. Before her body was taken, I stripped the jump suit, sliding it on as my body morphed into hers, shapeshifter as I am.

I hate being a woman. Manda made women naturally distracting in form, and although my wife is ten years in her grave, I am at heart and mind, still male. Thank Manda there’s no large mirrors about.

I do not know how long I will be inhabiting this form. My food is slapped on the tray, and I slide into the seat beside Kay, searching this new prisoner from downcast eyelids. “I would never bet against him.”

A ruckus explodes near us, and at first I flinched in hopes of throwing into the fray… but my task here is to protect Kay. Nothing more.

[member="Wolfpack"] @Cear’bhaill

 

[Wolfpack]

A nod off approval from [member="Kay Arenais"] made the large creature smirk. Soon the sound of fighting from outside the messhall could be heard. The Ulyrix Vong's tilted his head listening to the shouting.

The Bounty Hunter turned his attention back to the woman across. She began to wonder aloud. Soon another woman would seat herself next to Kay. She said she wouldn't put a bet against Wolfpack. Kay eyed him up and down, then asked him for his name.

Wolfpack looked down at his food, pushing it around a bit. He put his utensil down and looked between the two. "I am Vrak, but everyone calls me Wolfpack...as for the bets. I don't plan on losing any fights, I've taken down bigger beasts than what lurks behind the walls of this... Purgatory." The Vong said with a growl.



[member="Ambrose Cadera"] [member="Cear'bhaill"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was still getting used to having such a shapeshifter about like [member="Ambrose Cadera"] . The closest that she had come to before that was [member="The Amalgam"] . Perhaps in the end it'd be something that she'd never get used to.

Nevertheless, she was glad to have Ambrose with her in whatever form he decided to take. Death happened easily here and as far as she could tell, no one here was innocent. Everyone had done something evil. Just like she did.

She drank some of the water provided, listening to [member="Wolfpack"] as he answered her question. At least he was the type to carry on a conversation with a stranger. "Good to meet you Vrak. I'm Kay. And it doesn't surprise me at all that you could win any fight here. You are...quite an intimidating sight, I must admit. May I ask why people call you Wolfpack? Is it because you are rarely alone? Or is there some story behind it?" The more that she knew about the others here, the better it would be. And her chances of escaping could increase.

[member="Cear'bhaill"]

 

[Wolfpack]

Vrak pushed his tray off food aside. He wasn't a fan of the food, it may have provided the nutrients to survive at a bare minimum but the Vong preferred to eat fresh meat. He would clench his hand. Listening to Kay as she spoke.

"I pride myself on looking intimidating, it does help when collecting bounties." The Vong looked around before continuing.

Kay asked about where his nickname came from. He would take a second to think before answering.

"I come from a nomadic people settled on Yavin 4. Back then I was a hunter for the tribe, often going out alone for days on end. One day I was tracking some game when I came across a group of slavers, I guess they were hoping to track our tribe or something. I however took it upon myself to eradicate the pests. Systematically luring them into the forests and ending them." He paused as he looked into his water.

"After they were dealt with, I went to search their camp. In their ship's hold was a family of wolves. I decided to drag the cage all the way back to the campsite."

"For weeks on end I slowly gained the trust of the wolves, finally able to release them from their cage. That's when I got to training them. To a point where I wasn't alone on hunts anymore.
Soon the tribe began calling me Wolfpack."

"Sadly a bit before arriving here, I was on a hunt had to retrieve an Acklay head for some Noble. I got slammed against a tree and my wrist blades got lodged in it's trunk, unable to free myself, the pack diverted it's attention just long enough for me to escape. Leading to their deaths."

Wolfpack looked back up to Kay and her friend.

"What are you two in for?"

 

[Cear'bhaill]

Cheers erupted all around as the final Gamorean hit the floor, bruised and oozing blood from multiple lacerations. Surprisingly, the outnumbered Zabrak won the fight after some clever use of his horns. It pleased Cear, who was laughing maniacally from her perch. Her Twi'lek friend embracing her from behind.

"Come darling, let us pay the victor a congratulatory visit, then get some food before we sleep." she started off, pulling the other with her. They swiftly descended to the ground level, towards the victorious Zabrak. Cear shot the guy a wink as the duo passed and headed toward the mess hall.

She eyed the unusual gathering of [member="Kay Arenais"], [member="Wolfpack"], [member="Ambrose Cadera"] as she passed making her way to gather the tray of slop this place considered food. Her mind made mental note of their location, and her focus never really left the group...

 

[HK-51]

HK had been at Purgatory for a long time, and yet he had only heard of prisoners being transferred from the VIP to the normal cells two times. The first had been when one prisoner had got to the VIP by faking his identity. When the guards and warden [member="Lucinda Larr"] found out, he had been thrown out faster than HK could shoot with his rifle. The second one to be transferred was the newcomer, [member="Kay Arenais"] . Whom HK happened to know. She had been the reason he was in this Place now, and now he had the chance to repay her for that.

In the Mess Hall, HK tried to spot Kay. Droids don't eat, instead they are given a recharge pack With enough energy for them to last to next recharge. And exactly not enough for them to use any Advanced systems. But it didn't really matter, because the restraining bolt that all droids had to wear kept them from doing that.

HK managed to spot her, sitting With some other inmates he didn't know the name of. He managed to hear the name of the Vong, which seemed to be [member="Wolfpack"] . The other woman sitting there was completly unknown to him. But he made his way over to them, eager to see Kay's reaction when she saw him. He sat Down nest to Wolfpack, who had just asked what the two women what they were in for. "Statement: Oh, I'd love to hear that aswell. Especially Your reason for being her, Kay Arenais." He said this With an evil undertone in his voice. "Query: Where are my manners? My name is HK-51."

[member="Cear'bhaill"] | [member="Ambrose Cadera"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow. [member="Wolfpack"] was a bounty hunter? In a way she guessed that she shouldn't be sll that surprised. No doubt there were plenty hunters here. Maybe some were even in disguise.

Vrak's story, if it was true, told her a lot about him. He seemed to be a good person, perhaps even someone to trust. Yet it was still unknown as to how he ended up in Purgatory. He didn't look like a political prisoner, so something bad had happened.

As Kay was about to answer his question, [member="HK-51"] joined them at their table. The droid had infiltrated her group that were trying to save the Tin-Tin from being enslaved and taken from their home planet of Rinn. He had even tried to hold her hostage. But the others that she had hired to work for her helped to turn the tables on HK. The droid was dangerous and so he was sent here. But never in a million years did Kay figure that she'd end up here too.

She glanced over to [member="Ambrose Cadera"] and then to the others as she gave up a bit of her own story. "Triple homicide.
Years ago I was captured and tortured for months on end by a Sith Lord. After he broke me, he brought me back home and had me murder the rulers of Commenor and steal their place. That past finally caught up with me and people found out. So now I'm here." And she had lost pretty much everything because of it. But at least her family still loved her.

Kay pushed her food around on the plate a little before having another spoonful.

[member="Cear'bhaill"] and her Twi'lek companion weren't noticed right away. At least by Kay anyways.

 

[Cear'bhaill]

Now that is something I haven't seen in who knows long...

The HK-series droid was...an interesting sight to say the least. The fact this one was up and talking sure caused a shiver to be sent down her spine.

The Twi'lek looked concerned for some reason, causing Cear to shake her head and finish gathering her try of what this place called food. They both headed out to the rows of tables set out, the woman carefully choosing a seat close enough to hear the conversation...

What could this odd gathering possibly be conspiring?

[member="Kay Arenais"] | [member="HK-51"] | [member="Wolfpack"] |[member="Ambrose Cadera"]

 

[Ambrose Cadera]

The denizens of this place are too intriguing for our own good. I could get lost in their stories, in the tangle of their tales. My task is to keep pressure off [member="Kay Arenais"], and my eyes continue flickering, always chasing the next potential threat.

[member="Wolfpack"] could be useful, if there was a deal to be made, but I remain sceptical of all. Eyes flickering to @Cear’bhaill and her Twi’lek, then back to the table.

I take the spoon from my meal, and hold it between my hands under the table, snapping off part of the bowl to make a sharp edge. A shiv. [member="HK-51"] was given a snarl. My body lingering closer to Kay.

Shovelling more of my food into my mouth, I suck it down as quickly as I can. Keeping form is dangerously high-caloric. It would be easier to revert to my true self, but more deadly for Kay.

“Spice run went bad. Had to space my crew and the Jedi who thought they had the right to take what was mine.” I keep my voice level, making no direct eye contact for more than a second or two. “Twenty six million credits down a star’s gravity well… oh, and nineteen people. That sucked. Lost my girl. Found a new one.”

I yank my arm around Kay's shoulders, sniffing at her neck. "Didn't I, sweet thing? Say it."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay placed her hand on that of [member="Ambrose Cadera"] as s(he) growled at [member="HK-51"] . If she could avoid a fight here, then all the better. If she could get other inmates on her side, then that was all the better too.

And if Kay had a spoonful of food in her mouth at the moment that Ambrose put her(his) arm around her and made that comment, well then the food would have been spat all over [member="Wolfpack"] . Fortunately she didn't have any food in her mouth at the time. Still, she coughed as though some saliva had gone down the wrong tube. "Hilda! Not now!" Just the thought of her and some cellmate together...it was just...wrong! She was a married woman! "Don't make me send Lug over to you. You got him pretty angry the last time."

[member="Cear'bhaill"]