House Call (PM for Invite)

[Sasha H.]

Spoiler

[member="Kerrick Ikon"] - Heyo! Sorry for the long wait! Had to fix up some issues with my job.

Sasha had a long day.

Medical droids are wonderfully convenient and all, but there are things that sentient people can do that droids can't. One of those is taking risks - not just any risk, but the kind of risk where the odds seem to be against you that it just seems impossible to do a certain procedure without some specialised assistance. The doctor knows there are less risky procedures, but they don't have the better long-term success the alternatives have.

Sasha shook their head, it's not a good idea to stress about things that already happened. They already finished their time in the theatre, the operation of the next faceless patient was a success (as always), and they just want to drag their arse in bed and fall asleep. It's around 2 in the morning when Sasha was commed for an emergency operation, dragging them away from peaceful sleep and then into the hectic environment that was a medcentre.

They just got off an air taxi and they just needed to walk two more crossings to their house. As much as Sasha wanted to direct the taxi to their front door, they really hated that they may have accidentally revealed their home to a total stranger and then end up dead because someone knew where they lived.

They entered their code on the keypad and entered their rather Spartan house. Their house was rather monochromatic, minimalistic, and yet elegant. They had no companion, other than Yuri - a spukuma one of their cousins sent for life day....

Who was strangely absent from his usual perch. The grey feline usually greets them from the door leading to their kitchen whenever they return home. Yuri would vocalise a meow then head outside in search of prey to present as a gift at some ungodly hour in the morning. Perhaps he was out hunting then?

Sasha shook their head and removed their boots, making sure not to let the soles touch the carpet. After throwing their socks into the laundry basket a few feet away from the shelf where they store their footwear, Sasha continued inside their home, barefoot.

Nothing seemed to be wrong in their house, it may be the exhaustion talking as their sleep was cut short. Still, Sasha couldn't help but feel that there was something amiss. As much as they try to dismiss it, the hair on the back of their neck still stood on end and there were goosebumps prickling in their arms and legs.

"Whose there?" they called out, feeling rather foolish. They're an adult now, this was not the time to jump at shadows like some terrified youngling.

"Yuri?" The spukuma "meowed" back, but it was faint.

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

Kark. Normally, Kerrick wasn't one to get caught. After running a number of illegal product for years, one tended to pick up a sort of routine and habit that followed no matter where they found themselves. It was no different for xem, though this time it seemed falling into a pattern had been xir downfall. The landing at the spaceport had been typical, and nothing had caused it to stand out from those that had transpired on every other planet in the galaxy. That should have been the first indication that something was out of place. There had been no abnormalities that put it out of place, when typically there was always a quirk or two that came up. It had been too quiet, but that had been easily ignored thanks to xe being tired after a tedious day of space travel and acquiring what was to be smuggled in the first place.

This time the port authorities had been able to keep up with the errant smuggler, though xe had managed to deliver before any security had caught on. From that moment forward it had simply been a game of staying one step ahead of anyone in pursuit, something that had been relatively simple given xir experience with similar scenarios. It had been a matter of being faster and smarter, two things that came easily. But this time the traditional manner of losing oneself in the crowd hadn't worked, and neither had ducking into back alleys. No, xe had been forced into a stranger's house in order to avoid pursuit, though it wasn't a place xe intended to remain in for long. It wouldn't do good to be found there, either by the inhabitant or xir pursuers. Leaving was the first thing on xir mind.

Of course, that had been before the owner of the house had shown up. That added a number of different variables to the situation, none of which were too terribly favorable. From the sound of their voice they didn't seem to be overly prepared to deal with any sort of intruder, which already stacked the odds in xir favor. But violence was far from the first thing on xir mind. No, xe would attempt to resolve things at least semi-peacefully. It wouldn't do well to draw more attention to xemselves than already had been. When the individual called out xe remained silent, glancing around for any possible quick exits. With nothing immediately in sight, xe sighed and ran a hand through xir hair. Karking hell. Well, there wasn't a simple way to resolve things. Whether xe liked it or not, xir day just got even more complicated.

Taking a breath, xe navigated out of the room xe currently stood in, making xir way towards where the voice had originated. A grey feline followed at xir heels, but xe paid it no mind. Slowly raising xir hands so as to indicate being unarmed, xe finally stepped into sight of the stranger. A slight, crooked smile had formed on xir lips, hopefully bringing with it an aura of harmlessness, though the blaster pistol currently holstered on xir left hip likely communicated the opposite. "Listen, I'm not looking for trouble." Oh, brilliant. That was a classic. Who even went out of their way to look for trouble, anyhow? If that was any sort of an excuse, it was a poor one. "It's...complicated. And not exactly the most legal." Xir smile grew slightly more sheepish at that admittance. Hopefully they weren't too opposed to the idea of smugglers.

[member="Sasha H."]

 

[Sasha H.]

There were footsteps, and Sasha had to scold themselves for not bringing a weapon or anything to defend themselves with. Someone stepped out and Sasha was already assessing the best course of action... which was running away and calling for authorities. They might need to improve their home security, have it upgraded so that this doesn't happen again.

"If you weren't looking for trouble, I doubt you'd need to break into my house in the first place." Then there came Yuri, who decided to rub himself all over xir. The little traitor.

"I mean, this is already hardly legal to begin with." Sasha smiled wryly, crossing their arms. They still have their comlink on a breast pocket, but it was difficult to pull it out without looking suspicious. "What did you do anyway?"

Sasha hoped xe wasn't some wanted murderer or the like. They're incapable of hand to hand combat and they didn't have any weapon on hand. Even if the doctor had a blaster or any sort of blade, they would still lose. They should have a voice-activated security measure installed in their home.

Sasha glanced around, this was bad. They had no way of sending a transmission in a subtle manner either. Running outside to shout for help was hardly a better idea either, their intruder could have a blaster or any other weapon ready, and it was a risk Sasha was unwilling to take in this instance.

They took a deep breath, trying to avoid swallowing so audibly. "What do you want?"

[member="Kerrick Ikon"]

 

[Kerrick Sereta]

Alright, so they had a point. Kerrick wouldn't have had to break into their house, but xe had never been one to really consider things rationally before actually doing them. That usually took too much time, and when one finally finished debating the positives and negatives of a certain course of action they would already be dead. It was much easier, not to mention safer, to simply act and think about the consequences later. It made for less wasted time, more fun, and, well...less situations like these. Okay, so maybe they did have a point in saying that. Not that xe would ever admit that much. Being a smuggler, xe always worked against impossible odds. This really wasn't any different, except for the numerous reasons that it was. So much for keeping things simple.

Slowly lowering xir hands, xe raised an eyebrow in a gesture that was at the same time vaguely teasing and yet appraising. "To be fair, I wouldn't do a lot of things if I wasn't looking for trouble. So you can already scratch that piece of advice off the list." When no immediate move was made by the other for any weapons, xe took it as a good sign that no one would be getting shot at, at least for the moment. "Who said anything about breaking in? C'mon, give me more credit than that. I didn't break anything, and nobody got hurt. Apparently that doesn't count for anything anymore." That was xir own way of attempting to lighten the mood, though there was no telling how successful it would be. Some called xir sense of humor unconventional, and they wouldn't be wrong in doing so. Really, xe just hoped it worked.

There came the million credit question that xe had been waiting to hear. It wasn't something entirely surprising, and it seemed such a thing was always posed to xem before the day was done. "It'd be easier to ask what I haven't done." Another slight and still crooked smile at that. It wasn't as if xe was entirely wrong in saying so. After all, xir legal record was less than crystal clear. Such was the consequence of running with a criminal syndicate, and smuggling numerous illegal goods beforehand. "But I didn't kill anybody, don't worry. I'm not that kind of person. Murder's not my style. Didn't clean anybody up this time either." Maybe they dealt cards, maybe they didn't. "I just got caught by the port authorities. Doesn't usually happen, but I guess I've been having an off day. Would explain why I'm here as well." That was a half-explanation at best. "I'm a smuggler."

As for what xe wanted...there were a few answers to that question at best, and likely hundreds more. "Well, not going to prison would be nice, for starters. I've tried prison garb before, and it isn't my thing. Too many people, and the food's no good. Being locked up doesn't help anything." Hopefully xir nonchalant attitude wouldn't throw them off. It tended to do that with some people. "All I was looking for was to get away from my friends back there. I'm no there to hurt anybody or take anything, just to avoid serving time for smuggling spice that I probably won't even unload now that they know my face. It's one paycheck down the drain, but it's a helluva lot better than ending up in a cell for the rest of my life." Once again, that same crooked smile. "Does that answer your question, or should I elaborate more?"

Spoiler

As a note, Kerrick was speaking Smuggler's Cant, which is a code language often used by smugglers/spacers so that others can't understand them. Here's a translation of what xe was saying:

clean up: beat up/rough up

deal cards: speak Smuggler's Cant

[member="Sasha H."]