Merchandise Shopping

[Coren Starchaser]

The Roving Line was a few jumps behind him, and Coren was aboard his family’s large, heavily modified star destroyer turned bulk transport Dawn Treader entering the local subspace of the Wheel. They used this location, along with a number of shadowports to refuel for their own adventures, the privateering mauraders of Warbird Wing and the Nightstingers taking random jobs to help support the plight of freedom and fight back the tyrants wherever they found them. Of course, this was all off the record from the Alliance. Coren used the group to make the shots he couldn’t officially do. But the Treader also helped load up his Roving Line. Alliance in Exile funds were available, but Coren wasn’t going to use them without a good reason.

And like the former rebel he was, he knew enough people who were against the dark side to get fuel and munitions, but for the roving line? It was a bit trickier. Alliance funds were used, some planets, Sullust, Corellia, and the like, were sympathetic to the cause. However, out where they were, the Wheel had a lot of what he was looking for. Disruptor weapons for hit squads, and a delivery of surplus X-Wings for the squadrons. They were getting more ragtag as time went on.

Taking the Tachyon Rising into the station, the pilot landed and sent a message to the dock, he was expecting to meet with a few merchants, and hopefully gather some information on the movements of the enemies of the Alliance. First, though, he was going to start with a drink. His astromech was on guard at the YT-2000 while Starchaser, dressed more like a spacer than a Jedi, which was typical, made his way into one of the bars near the landing zones. He had some contacts that requested this one, so, why not see what other merchants were around?

A drink was served as the man reached out in the Force, seeing who here could be the biggest potential threat. Hopefully not everyone recognized the General of the Alliance.


@Ra'a'mah

(Dawn Treader: http://starwarsrp.net/topic/123327-the-dawn-treader/ )

 

[Riamah]

It had been a long while since Ra had been able to get away for a drink and not have to worry about some random person attempting to take her head off. Hopefully her luck held and nobody in this place would know too much of her past.

Before he had been a hunted woman, she had been a merchant. If there was the chance to go back to those roots, she wouldn't mind taking that opportunity. However, her name might still be known. Word could get back to those that placed bounties on her head that she wasn't dead. With this thought, she slowed her steps down and approached a bar near where she had landed her ship.

Making a decision, from this time forward Ra'a'mah would no longer be a name she used. It would still be a similar name though and not one she had thought of for many years.

Reaching the doors, they opened for her and she took a moment to glance around. It no longer mattered for her to hide her Force ability, she was no longer sith and did not need to hide it. At one time, she had been a secret sith lord that just wanted to ply her trade. She didn't care about conquering, ruling or anything else the sith stood for. While she still felt some of the code applied to her, it wasn't one she followed fully.

Her eyes scanned the room, but she did not see anybody she knew previously and she relaxed. She approached the bar and ordered her drink. Near to another man, she sensed when he reached out with the Force and she looked at him. He was not somebody she had intimate knowledge of, his face was familiar. When she had been with the sith, she had worked intelligence, it was possible his face had crossed her desk at some point.

Lifting an eyebrow at him, she wasn't unfriendly when she included a nod. Accepting the drink when it arrived, she absentmindedly paid for it and took a sip of it.

"Checking to see who is who I assume?"

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

[SIZE=12pt]The Wheel was nice that way. You could be anyone, from nearly anywhere in the galaxy, and this was one of those places you could disappear. Sure, Coruscant could do that, and Nar Shaddaa, but the former held too much pain for Starchaser and the latter, well that was a place for other business, moving spice and illegal arms. The Wheel, he preferred to keep as a location for post-mission debriefs and resupply runs. And a few drinks. Today was the latter two, so the Wheel it was. Sitting at the bar, he looked around and was taking in the vast number of species.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]The galaxy had provided that unique feel for a lot of people, where you could be completely surrounded by others but be so alone. It was an interesting feeling, to feel the path of life and death around you, but not even be affected by it. However, the Jedi Watchman didn’t ever get to experience that, not as of late. When there was a cause for creation or domination, he was there, aiding those who couldn’t aid themselves, putting himself in as a wall between the death waves and the living.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]For anyone serving the Sith, there was a time where Coren Starchaser could have been public enemy number one. And nowadays maybe even more so, leading the remnants of the New Jedi Order. Or he was dismissed from their eye, he wasn’t completely sure. Was he looking for someone? Sort of.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]“Just making sure the bar is relaxed enough to finish this drink, can’t ever be too cautious, right?” He grinned at the redhead. “Where you in from?”[/SIZE]

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

It might be interesting to note that Ra...no Ria had kept herself out of all the recent conflicts herself, however, she was leading a group from the shadows that had a hand in them. So far nobody had traced their involvement back to her. This was both good and bad, but the benefits were better since she could walk around freely and not have to worry about somebody taking her head off for being involved.

When the man mentioned he was just checking to make sure the bar was relaxed enough to have a drink, she nodded in agreement. Holding up her own drink, a small little tip in his direction was given.

"To relaxing."

Another sip was taken and she set it back down on the counter in front of her. Looking in the mirror for a moment, she turned to actually face him and leaned against the counter on her side. He asked where she was in from and that was a good question. Deciding it foolish to intentionally lie, she wondered if he would even know if she did.
​
"Vjun. Not far from here at all. You?"

While it was on her​ mind, she decided to give her new name a try. He would be the first to know it.

"Riamah Numare."

Extending a hand​ to shake, she didn't quite grin, but did have a smile for him.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

It did seem like this was one of those places that Starchaser was looking for. Good to relax, get a drink, wait for things to be offloaded from his ship, wait for others to realize he was there. The wheels turned when he landed his ship. Not so clandestine, but ships would make a jump or two out, connect with one of his fleet tenders and come back. Some habits never died, and with the Sith out there hunting Jedi and Alliance personnel for sport, Coren had to do what he could to keep things moving as safe as he could offer. He wasn’t suspecting anything from the woman, but was just seeing who was glowing the brightest.

That tended to be the person he didn’t want to run into. “To relaxing!” An easy grin found his face as he held up his own drink.

“Me? Corellia originally. By way o the Outer Rim recently. First Order out there causing some muck for shipping lines. And with the Alliance gone, the galaxy is becoming a bit darker.” He didn’t want to give too much information, but well, he was complaining. Drinks did that.

“Pleasure, Name’s Starchaser.” Taking her hand, he nodded. “So, Riamah from Vjun, whats got you out on the Wheel? Business or … well, some would say pleasure but…” He looked around the bar for a minute. “Not business?”

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

If it could be believed, Ra had never actually been to Corellia. Even when she had been with the Coalition. It was just a place she had never been to.

Taking her hand back, she took another drink and set her glass down.

"It has indeed become a darker galaxy. Such flow the tide of things though I think. There was a time when the only dark around was the First Order. Splinter cells of sith or dark siders, but nothing large or formal. Now it appears it is the other way around. I've had a little contact with that coalition, mostly trading."

He then asked what brought her here and her last statement may have provided the answer for him. Not fully though, this was another place she had never been to.

"Perhaps a bit of both. Being a merchant and just getting back into business, I figured this would be a good place to start. So many beings coming and going. Along with that start, this is my first time here. So I wouldn't mind looking around. I'd ask the same of you as I don't think you came here just for a drink."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Corellia was one of those worlds that people who were from there expected everyone to go, and people who hadn’t been sometimes failed to see the reason. Bunch of space truckers and people listening to a twangy music and making sure their engines were more in tune than anything else. And well, proudly, Coren could say that they weren’t wrong for thinking that. And it never offended him.

“Sadly, yeah.” He looked off into the distance for a moment. Should she know who he was, so be it, otherwise, he could be seen as someone who was part of a losing side. Losing, but never the wrong side. “At least the Sith make some sense. The First Order… Not completely sold on how they indoctrinate folk.” He shrugged and finished the glass, tapping on it.

“Coalition is full of good folks, so is the Republic. But enough politics. What you slinging for the galaxy?” He looked at the redhead with a slight nod. “Goods, war material?”

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

When it came to connections, Ra had no contact at all with anybody within the First Order. Without that or any solid information, she wasn't going to speculate on their methods. In her time with the Sith, she had seen many ways they went about accomplishing things and it made her shudder. Her choice to break away from them was one of the best she had done and was quite happy with it.

Since becoming an adult, Ra had found herself on the loosing side many times. Not anymore though, a stand had to be made and while she didn't project herself into the public eye, she was weaving things together in the shadows. Gathering friends, making allies and building from the ground up, waves were going to be made eventually. The opportunity to take some sort of...revenge on Sith was coming and Ra would be there for it.

When he asked what she was selling, she started to shrug, but changed her mind.

"I don't have any personal items. Think of me as more an importer and exporter. The go between in businesses and clients."

That really was the best way to describe what she did.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He assumed most people didn’t go near the First Order that weren’t born into it. They were a beacon for the death of freedom and personal liberties. They were jumping around and blockading worlds, and trying to push back governments that allowed for personal freedoms to remain intact, for worlds to defend their neighbors, and for the beings of so many regions of space to just be part of a larger coalition. He wasn’t planning to go into First Order space without an armada.

Or a really good sniper rifle.

Really, Coren wasn’t a diplomat. For him to be carrying on, it had to be in a very social setting. “So, you will transport things, A to B?” He sipped his drink before looking at her. “Smuggled goods? Or more legal?”

Another beat.

“And what if someone was looking for products, can you find that?”

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

Smiling in a friendly and professional manner, Ra nodded as it was clear Starchaser understood exactly what she meant. That of course did lead to his next line of questioning. Almost everything she did with her fleet was legal and the only time she had attempted anything questionable it still had not been totally illegal. The smuggling of Force related artifacts, depending on their origin and destination could be viewed as such. However, she was not going to openly admit to that.

"When it comes to the fleet I have, everything is on the legal side. As for finding something, it depends on what you are looking for and where it can be found."

Her contacts varied and the goods each of them had. With the Metal Lords, they obviously focused on automata, the Coalition it was more personal goods along with what also came from Commenor. Except right now...with the blockade going, there was nothing coming in or out really.

"You are correct though, I get the items from A to B."

She had almost missed answering that question of his and had to go back to it. These questions brought her to mind one of her own.

"Are you looking to buy or sell something?"

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

It was more just to see what kind of spacer he was here dealing with. Some pilots were more open than others about what their holds had, and what vessels they were flying. If you did a little research, it was obvious who Coren was, and it was obvious what ship was his. The YT-2000 Tachyon Rising was his primary vessel. He crewed on a lot, but that one was his personal hot-rod. “Sometimes its easier to get things that are legal on one world and move them yourself. But I’m not really lookin’ to get anyone in trouble. Just some things can be moved properly. But if you are the sort to fly… lets call them antiquities around, that’s an interesting thing.

“Unless you know the location and can provide information?” He was more probing here for general chit-chat. “Sometimes knowledge and information is just as important as anything else.”

Buy and sell? “Not at the moment. But I do represent a few people who can always use a good runner. Sometimes the life I and my friends find ourselves in isn’t the most… above the board. What about moving people?”

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

She was pretty closed book when it came to what she might carry. If he ever needed something, she could most likely get a hold of it. New connections were made all the time and some were with some rather unsavory people, but it was business. Ra lead from the shadows a movement that would promote life, freedom and unity. They had given aid on Coruscant and again on Commenor.

What he said next was so very true, she couldn't help but tip her glass in his direction slightly before taking a drink of it and setting it back down. A former head of intelligence for a now dead government, Ra knew all about the chains of information.

"I can offer that as well. It's been a while since I've dabbled in information though."

Nodding as his answer t​o her question, it was something she understood.

"As long as you wouldn't be asking me to transport slaves, I think we can get along great. Smuggling people in or out though isn't an issue."

He really had her interest now and hopefully he would know that. As she was facing him and not looking anywhere else.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Until someone betrayed his trust, Coren was open to most people. He was a Jedi Master and the General in charge of the Alliance in Exile’s military forces. Well, all but the fleet and where Stazi lay claim. And he wasn’t a tactician. He was a pilot, a solider, and a Jedi. He had a few skills that were beyond that, which made him a really decent Sentinel, or some would call a Watchman. Leader of a Jedi Order did kind of inherit the top tier titles, after all.

“Take your time getting in, but sometimes its always good to get a few reports from around the galaxy. A handful of first hand observations can go much farther.” Of course, he knew that he couldn’t rely on one source. That was just foolish, the dark side was out there, beyond the next bend, ready to serve him some false information. But it was still better than himself traveling around, until he could get a network he could trust. He really needed to re-establish Jedi Watchmen.

The pilot shook his head as he sipped his drink. “Oh no, not slaves. Refugees. With the state of the galaxy a lot has crumbled, and people may be looking to make a push away from certain systems. I’m in the business of making sure they get where they’re wanting to go.” He grinned at her. Noticing her body language he nodded again. “Seems like that may be up your alley?”


[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

"As a simple merchant, I found some people are more willing to speak freely around me. Now put a droid in place of an organic, then things can get very interesting. A simple protocol droid as an example can be programmed to be a spy. You get the information first hand and from a source that is reputable. I mean, a droid doesn't have the emotions of an organic to cloud what is reported back. Straight information that."

Allowing that to sink in, she took a drink and set the glass down again. Droids weren't options many people thought of. While she did not approve of using them as what people would call slave labor, they did have their uses.

His answer about not wanting to transport slaves was met with a sustained, but very slight nod. Along with what else he said and his grin, she really relaxed more. It seemed they could get along and work together in some manner. Details would need to be worked out, but this was a good start, in her opinion.

"That is very much up my alley, Starchaser. Certainly wouldn't be the first time I delved into something like this and I don't think it would be the last. As long as you feel they might be willing to at least pretend to fill in roles with my fleet on the chance it would get stopped. A proper cover story is sometimes needed for questioning. Clear refugees would raise red flags in some cases."

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He nodded. Coren knew the job that she was in. And the way that people handled things? It was so much easier to talk to a transient, they didn’t have a stake in any one place, and that was a good thing at times. What he was hoping for with the redhead was someone who could give him and his people a hand, while remaining a little detached, at least enough to not be setting people against him. What could really go wrong, right? “Organics get to make the calls, and have their intuition, though. That’s important. I’ve sent droids here and there for data collection, though. And it is good. I know a few data brokers who use the same tactic.”

And once they were caught though, it could be easy to trace back to the source. “If you work with a hiring middle man, you can get people who won’t be able to be tracked back, though.” He looked at the redhead, sipping a drink still.

A grin crawled across his face. “So, you’re not a greenhorn to this. Good.” He nodded and considered it for a moment. “A few have skill, others would be able to at least pretend the part. Some are more suited to be passengers, dignitaries and the like.” He shrugged. “I don’t see a problem, though it all depends on the people. Some will need a bit more assistance.” Some were Alliance brass needing to be moved out of the combat locations that needed a third party.

The joys of command.

[member="Riamah"]

 

[Riamah]

Listening to what Coren was saying and nodding at the point he made about the difference between what a droid or an organic could or could not do, she agreed. Most often she used people over droids, but she certainly used both in the past.

"That they do. I agree organics are better at doing the leg work, but have used droids. It really has been a great deal of time since I was in what might be thought of information brokering. That's not what you're hunting for though."

He was catching on a little she thought when he mentioned a middleman. In this instance that's what her role would be. No ties to his government and nothing to connect her to them. She fully understood some people she might carry couldn't fill roles, but her ships could be arranged to carry diplomats to royalty if needed. They weren't great on amenities, but hopefully they would be understanding. A person in their situation couldn't be too picky on what type of transport was provided for an escape to safety.

"Here's my contact information."

Giving him a small flimsy card with her name and numbers, she silently cursed herself. Having just decided before walking in here to go by that new name, it would still have her other name on it. If he asked, she would certainly have some interesting answers to give him.

[member="Coren Starchaser"]