Off The Beaten Track

[Lief]

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Ethos City, Lithios​

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It had been quite some time since Mara had felt genuinely free from Imperial pursuit.

These lands were restrictive, its people oppressed and brainwashed by viral propaganda, yet its influence was its own. No outside forces to contend with, no Galactic Wanted List in sight. Just a people stuck in their own ways, filled with xenophobia and an inherent paranoia.

Her papers had been inspected to the fullest degree. Miss Mara Minnau, Human out of Tatooine, nothing there to really raise a brow, finest forged paperwork a spacer like she could afford. Humans were like cockroaches, they were found in every corner of the Galaxy, they were lecherous like that. A Half-Firrerroan, Half-Kiffar? People tended to remember that if they heard it.

She'd had a far easier time getting planet-side, nevermind in the City proper, than the Elom who had been in front of her. Where they'd dragged him off to Mara could not say, but she knew deep down she was glad she didn't have to find out.

And so there she was, lost within the vivid splendor of the Red Light Sector, where the fluorescent holo-images were almost enough to induce seizure. It seemed harmless enough for one such as she who knew all of the tricks, especially when she discovered she'd stumbled upon a casino not too unlike the ones from her youth. The bar in its center sent a shiver down her spine, the memories of her last drink flashing to the forefront of her mind, and though she wanted no part in it she made a b-line for it all the same.

"Green Chooss, please," she ordered with a low yet respectful voice; while it was non-alcoholic, it wasn't the kind which raised eyebrows. A sophisticated drink, in the eyes of most, or so she had come to discover throughout the years.

She turned after paying, surveying the room, while shoving the remaining credit chits from the transaction back into her pocket.

 

[Arekk]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPxlOgVotlo[/media]​

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LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

Staring within the glass of ale was like looking deep into the abyss, he was seemingly lost in thought. Time had stopped around him, the tunes of heavy synthwave and the flashing neon lights on display no longer flickered in harmony and instead they were slow and sloppy.

'The things that I want' by Ar'ekk. A smoke. A whiskey. For the sun to shine. I want to sleep, to forget. To change the past. Unlimited ammo and a license to kill. Right then, more than anything, I wanted to die. The trouble with wanting something is the fear of losing it, or never getting it. The thought makes you weak.

A deafening high-pitched noise close to his ear made him wake up from the deep trance that he was locked into, suddenly finding himself back on the counter with a half finished cancer stick inbetween his fingers and a glass of Corellian ale. The bartender prodding the man's arm once or twice and asking if he was okay, returning the gesture with a nod.

"Get me another drink, will you?"

Surreal.

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[Lief]

It was actually rather quiet inside the casino, though it wasn't as if Mara had any real notion of the time of day on this planet. The only sun in the system was on the opposite end, and while there seemed to be enough light to pierce the atmosphere the heavy smog which lined the upper air did a good job of keeping the whole place dreary. Or so she had noticed. It also seemed to rain a lot, which in turn darkened the skies.

For all she knew, it was the middle of the night. Or during work hours.

Swiveling back around on the bar stool she took a quick sip of her drink and smiled at the bartender. It had been some time since she'd tasted a properly constructed chooss. That was what she got for coming so far out into the Outer Rim, though.

"Thank you," she muttered to the man, even out here it didn't do to forget her manners, before her gaze shifted across to the only other individual at the bar itself. What few other patrons were scattered about the room either sat within booths or stood to one side, swaying to the steady beat. Mara had barely even noticed the music up until this point, even though it was loud enough to drown out a rather boisterous crowd.

The stranger she shared the bar with seemed particularly forlorn. A faraway look in his eye. Yet the way in which the bartender approached him spoke of a familiarity... A regular, then? Curious.

Might be someone with a job worth doing, if she played her cards right.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

To be honest, he did not know where he was until the bartender woke him up from his reverie. The obnoxious music and flickering lights were a common sight on the nightclubs he frequented almost every night to conversate with contacts or simply have a drink by the counter.

Instead, he found himself on a casino where the machines were as loud as music with their "Big Win!" bells and other signature sounds.

The only familiar thing was the glass of liquor and a lit cigarette on his hand, something that had become way too common nowadays. Looking around, Ar'ekk clashed glances with a beautiful ginger girl of captivating blueish-green eyes. She was drinking, of course, that's what the bar was for.

"Trying to stay away from the degenerate gamblers?"

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[Lief]

No sooner had she looked his way than the stranger turned his sights toward her.

It was strange, clashing glances like this. More often than not she did her best to avoid such awkward interactions, not least because they did a good job of making her feel vulnerable. Open for the world to see. The man seemed oddly tired, nay exhausted, as though he'd rather be anywhere but here, and beneath his sullen expression she could sense a sincere anger burning.

"It's not really my thing," she replied, voice smooth and slightly raised in order for him to hear her, accompanied by a loose shrug, "Don't look like you're enjoying it much yourself."

Another sip of her drink, before she slid from her stool to the next, until only one lay between the pair of them. She eyed him curiously for a moment, before downing the last of the chooss.

"What do you say... Wanna ditch this place?"

It wasn't as though she'd seen much of this planet yet, after all, and he looked like he could use a distraction from whatever wars were waging within his head.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

Rebellious thoughts in his mind cleared off on an instant as he conversated with Kalyn, a smile replacing that big frown on his face and his whole demeanor changing to a slightly better mood. His glass was empty and while he would like to ask for a refill and keep on drinking, Ar'ekk left it on the counter for the barman to pick up and clean it.

"Not really, no. But things do get better."

Looking over his shoulder towards the casino's main entrance and back to the girl, Ar'ekk felt the cold breeze hit the back of his head as the doors opened and closed simultaneously. Outside it would be raining fiercely like it always did, dark skies and the neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement.

"Definitely, let's get out of here."

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[Lief]

Things got better?

She pondered that statement for a moment, mulling it over in her head, before giving a very light nod in response.

"Aye, I suppose they do, don't they?"

Took a little time in most cases, and it didn't happen without hard work and willingness, but eventually circumstances would change, opportunities would present themselves. Life kept going, on and on, regardless of your position among it. Finding his smile somewhat infectious she returned it, pushing the glass across the bartop so that the tender knew it was done with.

"Thanks for the drink, best chooss I've had in a while."

Gently wiping her hands on her trousers, to rid them of the condensation from the glass, she tipped her head in the direction of the door and began to head that way, presuming he'd follow. Already she could feel the stormy weather against her skin, though for once it was a welcome respite.

After all, a little rain never hurt anybody.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

Ar'ekk followed her suit, tailing her figure as they headed for the exit. Rain droplets fell on his curved cheek as they stepped outside, wind blowing at a considerate rate. A good walk under such conditions was nothing short of perfection and as he enjoyed such things, hopefully Kalyn did too.

"I'm Ar'ekk."

They did not introduce each other properly a few moments ago, so he felt it was the right thing to do as they traveled under big red holographic trees and the skies beaming thanks to the thunders and lightning going off every two minutes with rumbling fierce.

"Where are my manners, right?"

It was nice to enjoy the rain with someone even if that was temporary, he missed that feeling. Ar'ekk had lost a lot of things in life yet what occurred in the last six months continued to haunt him. Life had to move on, indeed.

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[Lief]

The rain fell heavy, yet in many ways it was soft against her skin, like a gentle caress. It was rejuvenating, soothing away any aches and pains she felt after journeying this far into the Galaxy's outer reaches in her tiny ship. It was surprising she didn't have any back problems by now.

As they stepped into it Mara extended one hand outward and watched as each drop pattered against her palm. The intricacies of planet-life never failed to awe her, she had been raised on a space station and from there most of her life had either been spent within some sort of ship or labour camps... Neither of which screamed comfort or tranquility.

Here, even with the general buzz of life, even with the bright lights and distant thump of music, there was something for her to contend with, something to catch her eye. Life breathing through the world itself. From up here the people who busied down below looked like ants, and yet even where she stood amidst the various shops in the upper promenades of the city she herself felt just as small.

Just as insignificant.

The voice of the stranger broke her from her thoughts, and with a light smile she turned to face him. He seemed just as happy to be in the rain as she did, the sour expression all but eclipsed from his face.

"Ar'ekk?" She let the name slip from her lips, played it on her tongue to get a good feel for it, before a very subtle nod left her. It wasn't intentional, definitely a subconscious action, "I'm Mara."

Like Mara Jade she thought, something her Mother always told her. Not that Kal had any clue who exactly Mara Jade was. Probably an aunt or something...

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"Nice to meet you, Mara."

Her name lingered on his lips for a moment, a certain sweet tone hushed as he said it two times to himself.

Lithios was the place Ar'ekk could call home without any compromise despite not growing up here. Once he set foot on the planet and getting accustomed to the sights and sounds it was impossible to go back anywhere else regardless of how tempting it'd be to go on an adventure.

Ethos City was a jungle of its own and the man was an adventurer who liked to venture further into the depths of danger, to come face the risks without fear.

Getting lost for hours on each district as unique as they were was bliss, walk around his apartment and watch the rain fall on everyone's heads while sheltered warm enough between four walls, having a space to call your own... That was perfection. But something felt void in his heart as if it was ripped apart forcefully.

A year had passed since his beloved and adopted daughter mysteriously disappeared under circumstances he has yet to know. Maybe they left him, they're probably dead?

So many what ifs. It was time to move on, to no let this thing eat his head anymore, stop drinking booze every night just to forget. For his own sake, fall in love again and make life worth a damn once more, just get out of the slump. For the last time.

"It's beautful, isn't it?"

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[Lief]

"Likewise," she supposed, as much as one could find it nice to meet a complete stranger. Especially when said stranger was blisteringly drunk.

The cool air and perspiration seemed to do a good job of sobering him up though, even if only a little, which was good to see. Walking across the promenade she found a railing which separated them from the depths of the City below and gently leaned against it, watching those tiny ants scurry around. Busy little workers doing what they must to survive in a world of commercial oppression. She couldn't blame them, though, wasn't that all she was really doing?

"Beautiful?" She let that word sit on the wind, rolling it around on her tongue for a few moments, before shrugging her shoulders, "I suppose anything is beautiful to someone. Bright is what it is. Reminds me of a space station more than a world."

Mara didn't much like the reminders of The Wheel that lingered around this place, but outside of that it seemed pretty enough in its own way. Not that she'd want to live here, of course, too many advertisements for things nobody could really afford for her liking.

"So... What sorrows had you drinkin'?"

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"Nothing at all."

A friendly drunkard would spit out the cold truth as soon as you asked him, this one not so much. Being able to stay on his feet and lean against the railing to watch every little person from a top view was mesmerizing, a sea of people walking back and forth going about their lives like nothing.

"In the sense of the word. The lights and the rain, to me they are beautiful. Bright and that much as well."

Ar'ekk said cheerfully, shaking his head. Seeking a cancer stick from the depths of his jacket, the man blew smoke out of his nostrils as soon as he ignited it and toked. An awful vice to pick up but to calm himself down it'd better be through a cigarette than finishing an entire bottle of ale by yourself at home and then wake up in the early morning with a killing hangover.

"You're not from here, are you?"

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[Lief]

Nothing?

Mara didn't really believe that. She'd seen people, men, women, children, down on their luck. Knew the signs of desperation, of a person withering away without any real care. Someone on the edge of losing everything. In fact, when he pulled out the cancer stick her internal thoughts were only solidified.

Still, if he wanted to feign happiness, pretend everything was okay, then who was she to tell him otherwise? She didn't owe him anything, or vice versa, the less she interfered with the lives of strangers the better off she'd be in the long run.

"Maybe if it was a little more quiet, I could find this place beautiful."

Ever since leaving The Wheel she had sought some kind of serenity; she loved music, loved the organized chaos that accompanied concerts and parties and nightclubs, but here? It all seemed to melt together into what could only be described as a clamour. An inconsistent babel.

"And what gave you that idea?" she inquired, after he figured out she wasn't from around these parts. Was it really so obvious?

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"I agree with you on that. At least I can enjoy the silence inside my apartment, it's perfect."

The more time they spent outside, the more Ar'ekk felt the urge to simply walk home to a warm noodle bowl and watch the rain droplets crash. His cigarette provided temporary comfort to that feeling. The nicotine rush was a small high, a light-headed pleasant hazy feeling that happened pretty much every time. It didn't last long but he liked it.

"Because you talked to me by the bar and we're here now. Nobody does that here." He said, pointing at the ginger girl with his index while letting out a thick cloud of smoke out of his mouth.

Lithios was a place where everyone knew your name but didn't dare to speak with you even if you two know each other for a long time, regardless of any reason. Ar'ekk was very good at reading people's body language or picking up a few clues because of the way they talked.

Karlyn was calm and collected. Serene but also cautious.

"I might be wrong, though."

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[Lief]

"You must have some thick windows" she mused with a grin to boot, turning her gaze away from their panoramic view of the cityscape to look upon him for a moment or so, "I've barely been here two hours and already I get the feeling that the noise pollutes every square inch of this world."

Off to one side she spotted a series of benches looking out over the vista, and without putting much thought into it she allowed herself to be swept toward one of them. As her body settled into place she let out a soft sigh, and crossed one leg over the other. It was wet, of course, but then again it looked as though everything as far as the eye could see was very much the same.

She wasn't afraid of a little mess. Wouldn't be very good at her job had she been fussy and worried about ruining her outfit, grease and oil got everywhere after all.

"What about you, then? Born here? Visiting?"

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"Don't get me wrong, though."

He followed up with, walking behind Kalyn and leaning against the railing to watch her while sitting down.

"The noise is something I like too, constant silence can drive you nuts. Perhaps you dislike such thing but to me it's perfect balance.

Flickering lights reflected off the pavement as sounds coming from all around them screamed future dystopia, a world within another world. Being here was a luxury of its own, roam the streets of Ethos City with credits on your pockets meant you had some sort of status. Street cred was more valuable than cash though and if you met the right people it'd lead you to higher circles.

Stepping on his cigarette, Ar'ekk answered her question without much hesitation.

"I'm from Coruscant but I live here. For a year or so now, give or take."

It felt like he had touched ground on this place just a little two weeks ago when him and Jyn found out about Lithios as a whole during a rescue mission given by the Je'daii. The entire journey was unbelievable and continues to be to this date, so many things yet to discover on this place many would even dare to call utopic.

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[Lief]

"Life is noisy" she offered with a shrug, "But in a city that doesn't sleep it can be a little too noisy. Perhaps I've spent too long in space. You want to talk about somewhere too silent, that's it."

It hadn't always been that way. Back with Kilian and the crew there had been a lot of noise during their travels. Songs, and heated discussions, or general chatter. But when it came time to rest all of that died down, and rightly so. Kal didn't know if she could sleep in a place like this, at least without something blocking out the general din.

"I'm actually here looking for a job," she said, without looking his way. It was always the more awkward part of life for her, reaching out to complete strangers in the hopes that they'd know of something. Answering advertisements, or calls from friends of former contacts, was easy. But doing all of the legwork herself? People tended not to enjoy being bothered in such ways.

"Wouldn't happen to know anyone needing a temp hire? Shipping run, transportation of personnel, that type of thing?"

Sounded harmless enough, and for the most part Kal stuck to the right side of the law where possible, but it also left open the option for more lawless jobs too... If the other person brokered that option first, of course.

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"I enjoy both now."

He knew that from experience. Long weeks worth of mission trips aboard The Ebon Hawk alone, going to the depths of the galaxy with nobody but your droid companion and the eery silence of a milennia old ship. Ar'ekk enjoyed silence because it brought him peace of mind but also fell in love with the noisy landscape of Lithios. A perfect mix.

Her question came off as an usual thing for him as he was usually asked such thing almost everyday. Know people? Definitely. His reputation on the Smuggler's Moon preceded him and it reached out farther places such as Lithios, jobs were offered to him everyday but he didn't bother due to wanting to live a "peaceful" life.

"Maybe." He said while caressing his nostrils. "I could reach out to a few associates of mine. Just... it wouldn't be your regular jobs. Look around, you know what I mean."

Hutts, organized crime figures, you name it. Everyone wanted to give Ar'ekk, the Champion of the Kajidii, a job. Perhaps this one time, they'd prefer to give one to Kalyn if he managed to persuade them.

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[Lief]

A fellow traveler, it would seem.

Mara could admire that. It was easy to forget that so few in the Galaxy ever really explored it, much less on their own, of their own accord, most only saw the place they were born, never stepped out of their comfort zone, never had cause to leave, and they'd die not too far from where they were raised.

But she and Ar'ekk were among the lucky. Those free to go and do as they pleased... And while she might avoid a few sectors of space for her own sake that didn't mean she was without options or adventure.

The Galaxy held more worlds within it than any one person could ever possibly visit. Didn't mean she wasn't going to try, of course.

"What kinda jobs are we talkin' about here?"

She knew, of course, but she wanted more clarification. For all she knew he was working with the cops, trying to lure her in. If he said it first, if she pretended to be totally down on her luck, then who could hold it against her?

[member="Arekk"]

 

[Arekk]

LITHIOS​

Red Light Sector, Ethos City​

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INTERACTING WITH: [member="Kalyn Shif"]​

"The type of jobs you'd like to stay away from the spot light. Less than legal."

Covering his mouth when talking and looking around in a paranoid manner, Ar'ekk revealed a glimpse of his life to Kalyn through what he did for a living. The days of being a Jedi Knight and a saviour were long gone, just like his beloved Jyn. Everything was left in the past and as everything in life he had to move on. Stop grieving because there wasn't anything he could do anymore.

"But you need to have the guts to be in that line of work. It's not easy and the pay can get awful at times but you'll manage. Building a name for yourself is the key to success."

He wasn't worried about the girl being a cop, most of them were on someone's payroll and credits chips were the language every single one of them spoke. It was the common tongue of Lithios, a criminal city, where not even the protectors of the peace couldn't be bribed for your own benefit.

"This is the only time I'll mention this. You either take it or leave it."

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