Ravens Without a Cause (Rebel Alliance/Red Raven Truce)

[Miss Blonde]

[member="Armand Temi"] [member="Juwiela Melec"] [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Cryax Bane"] [member="Reverance"]

Patricia took a long gulp of her drink and sighed contently at the tequila sunrise, it was a pretty damn good drink. But it was back to business as Chiasa gave her very long and windy speech about how the ravens were all about the credits. And partially yes that was true, but they were also about helping communities that crime had effected. Yes they might of been the cause of this but Patricia made sure plenty of hospitals, jobs, and facilities to aid the community were opened on planets they controlled. So people had a choice, and a chance. If they chose a life of sin and crime when the library was right next door, then Patricia didn't feel bad about them getting clipped in a drive by.

"As my co worker here just said we are about getting paid, this comes first to us as criminals. I personally do my best to remove slaving operations from our planets and while yes we do sell narcotics and guns we do our best to make sure people are taken care of." Patricia sat up in her seat and reached over to Cryax to wipe a little drool from the side of his mouth.

"As for our relationship with the One Sith, we are currently allies. And we did make a deal with them, and while the Red Ravens always keep their deals I personally would like to ease away from being involved in a galactic war with the sith. We aren't a galactic power like the republic, we don't have laws. I wouldn't mind selling guns to the One Sith or even hiring out our mercenaries to them or any other power in the galaxy. I personally do not think we belong in a alliance that is traditionally made between galactic nations." Patricia said to the rebels hoping to show that while they would support the sith if the price was right, they would also support whoever else.

"We just want money yo." Patricia took another gulp then put the drink back down on the table. She just smiled and wasn't really all that force sensitive, so she remained pretty unaware of any evil presence of evillness and spooky flash light faces

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Emberli.. She could trust Emberli. It would be all right if he was there. Even out of armour, he was formidable. The fear dissipated and the words were there.

"They provided assistance in the past. Some of their members continue to do so, and we return the favour. It has been made..."

She paused, glancing down and away, grimacing slightly. Hopefully he would pick up on the fact that the previously carefully edited Twi'lek was suddenly broadcasting body language that even an idiot could pick up on.

"abundantly clear that any violation on our end of the treaty would be.. frowned upon."

The careful stresses. Would he understand? Would be pick up on the fact that though the Ravens couldn't flout the treaty the Sith did? That blood was on the line and had already been spilled?

"We have deemed it unwise to be seen standing against them."

But what was unseen was another matter.

[member="Armand Temi"]

 

[Jarven Zexxel]

Jarven was once again inside of his mimetic suit. This time, he heard that his precious fiance was part of a peace talks with the Rebel Alliance. He entered the building stealthed. The infrequent and bright lighting was going to make his suit create a slight heat wave blur effect, but he was keeping low to the ground. He was able to skitter low, comfortably, and fast, thanks to his new...enhancements.

There were tall, thick walls that separated the booths (The booth is right next to a wall, right?) from each other. However, there was an open enough space between the lowered ceiling (this ceiling would be below the 2nd floor, not the actual high up ceiling of this establishment) that was big enough for him to sit down comfortably on. He saw their party, skittered over to the wall that was behind the Rebel's backs and jumped very high into the air and easily caught onto the ledge. His sound dampeners and his natural ability for stealth left little noise, but who knew the capabilities of these people gathered here?

Once he was on top, he laid down sideways along the top, much like he was relaxing on a lounge couch. When there was a lull in the conversation, he asked, "What exactly are you all rebelling against?"

[member="Armand Temi"] [member="Juwiela Melec"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Cryax Bane"]

 

[Armand Temi]

After each Raven leader responded, Armand assessed both women. Ms. Garter was much more blunt in her assessment of where the Red Ravens stood in the galaxy and their reason for selling to the highest bidder. Ms. Kritivaas was a bit more tentative, the Hapan Ambassador noticed. Something was bothering her. He rose slowly from his chair as if he was in the Praesitlyn capitol building and not in a casino. "But do you stand with them, Ms. Kritivaas?" he asked in a firmer voice. He wasn't angry but a bit exasperated and it was starting to show.

The Hapan's eyes darted over to Melec and Kazen. This isn't the perfect deal I had in mind, he thought and he wondered if they were feeling as tentative as he did right now about the talks continuing. Although Armand was interested primarily in this truce so that both groups could go about their merry way, selling spice or instigating rebellions, he was also hoping for more assurance that ties would be severed with the One Sith. Don't be hasty, he told himself. Hear them out and what they have to say. He finally took the glass of tequilla sunrise and drank down half of the glass. The cold, sweet fire-water was a good distraction from the stress headache that was forming at his temples.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Juwiela Melec"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

"I wonder Mr Temi, how many dealings you have actually had with the Sith. Perhaps they are many and you are justified in your brazen defiance, because look at you still standing there well and whole after sticking it to innumerable Sith Lords and Ladies."

The Twi'lek was slightly annoyed that he seemed to have missed all the subtle cues.

"I have had dealing with them. I have had them violating the innermost privacy of my mind where no one but me should tread. I have felt precisely the amount of pain they can inflict upon a body before nerves overload and it ceases to register. These things I know, and I wonder if you do. I wonder if you would be do quick to go knocking on their front doors to spit in their faces if you did."

"As for who I stand with, Mr Temi. I stand by myself."

Yellow eyes burned into his. She would not be badgered into declaring anything she did not want to. If he was too simple to see that the Ravens were made for secret, back alley deals and knives in the dark.. His would not be an Alliance that would last long enough to be worth allying with anyway.

"So the correct question is, where do my interests lie. And I have given you the answer to that, credits and self."

And for the love of all that is holy if you cannot put connect those dots and see that an ally that outright attacks me is not an ally that furthers my self-interest you simple man..

[member="Armand Temi"]

 

[Corruck Kazen]

Corruck had taken a seat, silently cursing whatever higher being or Force had decided that he should come here. He tried to appear relaxed. He felt tension, one that told him there was a lot going on under the surface. He wasn't Force sensitive, so he had no way of knowing that a Sith had entered the cantina.

He had wanted to say so much, he would have wanted to yell at the man who claimed to be leader of the Red Ravens, [member="Cryax Bane"]. However he had to keep himself in check, he had to see keep his cool and deal with these people as they are, not as he would prefer. They were criminals, especially their figure head. The Chiss seemed to have little in the way of help for his two supporters, who also appeared to have little love lost between the two of them. This whole negotiation was quickly spiraling out of control. He agreed with [member="Juwiela Melec"]. However he was truly surprised and gladdened when [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] stood up and became the real leader of the dealings.

His own temper was quickly dissipating with the apparent chaos that seemed to reign over the Ravens. It was amusing if not sad. He had once been part of a criminal organization, he had once been a crime lord. He had made certain to never allow his men to act like simple pirates as these people were. It was intriguing to see the other side of the coin on organized crime. He was very glad that he had worked the way he had...

He noticed a number of people coming in, one seemed to fit the description of a man that his crew had accidentally taken hostage during the events on Makeb. Karneth, had explained that the man had shown little hostility and had been quite friendly. Corruck didn't know who the man was, it was just a hunch but he had to focus.

The Twi'lek seemed to suddenly add body language where previously she had been lacking it. This showed a sign of either pretending to add them or letting her guard down for the effect it would have on the Rebels. He didn't know. What he did know was that his head was beginning to hurt with sudden burst of thoughts and other such that quickly flowed through him.

But wait, his mind was suddenly cleared, one statement by the negotiator had sparked memories in him. She spoke of how much the Sith caused pain and that it was that pain that stopped her from actually going against them, or at least asking the question.

Corruck spoke, hoping, praying that he was reading the clues, understanding what was being said, "But that is precisely why we must fight against the Sith. We fight them because they hurt everyone around them. They care only for themselves and we fight to stop the Sith from hurting those around them..."

He paused for the barest of moments, letting the thoughts sort themselves. He felt somewhat at a loss as he continued, "You say the Sith are your ally, yet they hurt your business and would quickly see you all destroyed. Does that make them the ally that you need to continue your business? They are going to stand in your way towards your interests. The Sith will destroy everything that you want to achieve, if only to spite you."

He fell silent, letting himself fall back into his seat. Funny, he didn't remember standing up... He didn't know if he had made the situation worse or what, he simply stated his mind trying to bend it to fit into these criminal's mind set.

[member="Jarven Zexxel"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Cryax Bane"] [member="Emberli Garett"]

 

[Cryax Bane]

A cocktail waitress with a slightly stricken pallor walked over to the table and whispered something in Cryax Bane's ear, waking him up with a startle. He had been having the most exciting dream in which he was at the center of a galactic-wide droid uprising. He frowned upon his dull surroundings. The waitress whispered again and then motioned towards her eye. Cryax nodded and rose from the table, steadying himself with one hand on the edge so that he didn't topple over. He gulped down the rest of his cocktail and cut off whoever was speaking next. Probably Chiasa?

"If you'll excuse me, I have important business to attend to elsewhere in the club." he announced to the entire room with a disdainful glare, then walked off in the direction of Club Lush. By showing up with his "hot mess" level cranked up to eleven, Bane had made his position abundantly clear. The Chiss did not like this truce. At all. The rebels were terrorists who had cost the Red Ravens a ridiculous amount of credits and lives by starting an insurgency on Makeb. The strong might forgive, the weak might ignore, but the intelligent, they got revenge.

With that in mind, the Chiss weaved over to the direction of Club Lush, slapping his own face in a vain attempt to sober up. He laid his eyes on a figure who was both familiar and strange. Reverance, also known as the Wrath of the Dark Lord. His ally was seated in a booth absently watching the dancers and eating oranges. It was an unusual sight, but he supposed that even Vong Kings needed to get their vitamin C.

"I don't believe I've ever had the honor of meeting you face to face," said Cryax to the Vong King, straightening out his rumpled suit jacket and ratcheting up his smile a few notches. Bane was no longer tainted by Vornskr's magic, and his skin was free of the ancient runes that had been carved into his skin, but a dull bloodthirstiness remained. None of it was directed at the One Sith, however, as his instinct was that Vornskr was acting alone when he targeted Cryax. Perhaps someday he would talk to the One Sith about some reparations for what Vornskr did to him, but for now it was enough to simply drink with a real ally, and not the imposters on the other side of the casino.

[member="Reverance"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

For the love of.. [member="Corruck Kazen"]s impassioned please was not misplaced, but his timing was bad.. Still.. That one had been a criminal once hadn't he? She wondered if he was up on his Smugglers Cant.

"Would you like a Death stick Mr Kazen? We have some around here somewhere. They never seem to be far from hand do they? It was likely a bad decision to start using them, god knows they can kill you, but the quitting will likely kill me as quickly as the using if I go cold turkey. I've been trying to ease off them."

The change in topic was sudden and out of place, the canny Twi'lek would never use an actual Death stick, but if he was still up on his Cant, he'd know that Death stick referred to Sith, not the drug.

 

[Jarven Zexxel]

Jarven wondered why none of the Rebels paid any attention to the seemingly disembodied voice that had spoke right above their heads. No one had seen him come in.

Pfft! These people are the ones who challenged us?

Jarven wasn't quite sure, but there was something about the white haired man that he couldn't quite place.

[member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Juwiela Melec"] [member="Armand Temi"]

 

[Reverance]

He squinted his eye as the waitress set the tumbler and ceramic cup down on the table. He handed her credit chips, untraceable to the war machine of the One Sith. It was too much, he didn't seem to care though, as he waved her off before she could do anything about the miscalculation. It wasn't a failure of calculation, just a failure to care about credits in any form beyond acting as the lubrication towards the train - that thing steadily running over the weak in an effort to concentrate the strong and mighty, to make the universe a place worthy of it's own existence.

His crimson eye lifted from a particular dancer, his gaze staring through the woman instead of at her, as he traced the blue image moving towards him. He had seen the man in action, had even heard select rumors across the holonet - but it was odd, they had never formally met before. The Sith Lord found that peculiar, a complexity in the shaky relationship between the One Sith and the Ravens, as he motioned for Cryax Bane to sit across the table. This felt familiar, like sitting across from the Vice President so long ago. As he did, Gabriel held the ceramic cup of coffee with outstretched fingers, an upside down crown gripping the cup by the brim, as he slid it over to the Chiss. It was fairly obvious that he needed it, creamer and sugar available in small pile in offset center of the table. It didn't take a Sith Lord to see the signs of an abysmal hangover, the strung out sort of appeal was no longer trending.

Grabbing the cigarra with his right hand, he pulled in a puff of smoke, breathing life into the cylinders embers, as he lifted his head down, meeting the tumbler halfway with the lift of his left hand. Blowing the smoke into the curved whiskey glass, he placed the cup down and sucked in air, creating a popping noise between his cheek and teeth. The glass became layered, whiskey beneath, amber smoke of gray desaturation over top, spinning and twirling as he rocked the crystalline glass back and forth.

"We never met fully, Cryax...but I was there for the original alliance meeting. Beneath the cloak of hood, I spoke to you, Chiasa, and Logan. I respect your work...and never had a chance to thank you for your help in our...endeavors." He said as he smiled, cupping his hand over the tumbler. That was as much a thank you as he would offer for now, until he got a chance to know the man better. "We live in turbid times, lines finding themselves blurred by promises and good intentions...and high ground." He felt an oddness about this place that despite the jovial attitudes of those around him, nervousness and anxiety leaked forth like water spilling from a hole in the dam. He was originally here to talk about Logan but it seemed something else was capturing his attention. Lifting his hand, the smoke escaped as he placed the cigarra back into it's hold in the tray. With a wave of the hand, the glass was pristine once more, and he sipped of the tinted whiskey, hued red from cask aging, as his eye met with those red chiss eyes. "For a place with such enthusiastic entertainment, I feel a melancholy bore down upon me...Odd, wouldn't you say?"

For one of his power, his capability, and his utilization of the force - it married well to his own form of intuition. It had been far too long since the Red Ravens and One Sith had spoken, perhaps the gap between them had grown too wide for comfort and would need urging for consolidation once more. He was a pragmatic man - a crime syndicate would waiver with the shifting winds, and sometimes required reminding of once honorable arrangements. Two hands helping to benefit one another.

[member="Cryax Bane"] | [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Miss Blonde]

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Jarven Zexxel"] [member="Armand Temi"] [member="Corruck Kazen"]

Clearly no one here knew how to have fun. Patricia just rested her chin in the palm of her hand, she had a straight face and with her free hand she lifted up her tequila sunrise to slurp some more booze through a straw.

"Guys, can we just agree not to shoot at each other? I mean it's really not that complicated. You go do your thing and we'll do ours. We will continue to support the sith provided that they continue to pay us for our guns and services. And we will support you if you pay us for ours. We are criminals here." Patricia sighed and looked up and sighed again. Then she heard Jarven's disembodied voice.

"Jarven! You are supposed to be watching Kincaid!" She said to her soon to be husband and sighed again. Standing up she looked over to Chiasa, honestly Patricia didn't need to be here for this. She was the person who shot people and coordinated military strikes, diplomacy wasn't her strong suit.

"Chiasa I have to go pick up my daughter and get home to take care of the baby. Don't invite me to these snooze fests again. Just tell me who to shoot." The blonde looked over the rebels and shook her head.

"You guys suck, honestly you're almost as broody and whiney as the sith." Patricia pushed her seat in then whistled to Jarven.

"Let's go manimal!!" She said not sounding pleased. But secretly she was pretty happy to get the hell out of here.

Walking towards the door she flipped the bird to the table behind her and her high heels clacked with every step on the marble floors.

 

[Armand Temi]

When faced with confrontation, one often reverts back to familiar behavior. This was no different for Armand Temi. Almost immediately he was in danger of lapsing into the fawning, obedient countenance he was used to as a man on the matriarchal society of Hapes. It took all of his effort to appear unafraid of the Twi'lek crime lord. If he gave into her power over him, driven by the years of feeling inferior to women... well he might as well walk out the door and lose the respect of his fellow Rebels. And by the eternal core, he had worked too hard to gain their favor!

It also didn't help that Chiasa's tone reminded him of his sister Tmoxin. He had read the intelligence and knew his sister was with the Red Ravens for some time, although he had scant details. The timbre of her voice mimicked his spoiled, older sister. So what do you do when Tmoxin is yelling at you? he thought. Instead of having a go at her, he was normally the one to diffuse the situation.

He steadied his nerves and sat back down, leaning in and clasping his hands in front of him on the table. "Your answer pleases me Ms. Kritivaas," he said, despite the fact that inside he felt a little like a whipped swamp dog.

Again, he hoped that he wasn't getting daggers from the eyes of the other Rebels. Kazen was spot on in his assessment of Raven/Sith relationship but sadly the Ravens wouldn't see it. Still in the last few minutes of tense dialogue, Chiasa Kritivaas admitted something to the Hapan Ambassador by her demeanor and choice of words. She was as scared of the Sith as he was.

"I think we can help each other after all," he finally said.

Now for the sound of collective jaws dropping, he thought.

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Juwiela Melec"]

 

[Jarven Zexxel]

"Don't worry. Kari's watching Kincaid." Still stealthed, Jarven quickly leaped like a cheetah from the top to the right. He landed on all fours on the side of a pillar. He would surely fall at this angle, but he quickly redirected and shoved off of the surface and landed on the ground. Unstealthing, he took her hand in his and held it as they walked out together.

[member="Patricia Susan Garter"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Cryax Bane"] [member="Reverance"]

The Chiss looked like poodoo. Complete and udder poodoo.

Well, in her mind, anyway. To an outsider, she would have looked as impeccable as always -- bodyguard uniform on, complete with her two blasters; hair braided into a tight bun, and neither speck nor stain anywhere on her. But a closer look would reveal something quite different. See there, how her uniform was slightly crumpled, as if she'd slept in it. See there, a few wisps of hair flying away that normally would have been put back in place. See there, her drawn face and faint bags under her eyes.

Yes, the Chiss felt like poodoo, but she'd never admit as much.

Despite many of the population returning from...wherever they'd disappeared to, Dryzl's mother was not one of them. While all of her family took it hard, her father took it the worst and, eventually, he just simply....passed away. It had been his funeral she'd been returning from when Mr. Bane contacted her, so without pausing to take a break the Chiss went straight to Antecedent.

Flashing her badge at the security detail, the bodyguard made haste towards Mr. Bane and Club Lush, feeling as out of place as ever in the, er, extravagant casino. Soon enough she came to the booth where her employer, looking worse than she felt, and a man she had never seen before. But there was something about him.... He was a man with great potential to become a threat, even if that was not his intent tonight. She would have to keep an eye on him.

Bowing her head respectfully, Erud'ryz'ladre turned to Mr. Bane, raising an eyebrow at his haggard look and the smudges on his face. "Apologies for my tardiness, Mr. Bane," she said in her usual clipped, emotionless tone. "I was en route when you contacted me." For a moment, she debated whether or not to inform him of her father's death, but thought better of it. They were not friends, they were not family. Mr. Bane was her employer, and she was his bodyguard. And though she was loyal to him, as she was with all of her employers, it would be inappropriate for her to share her personal life with him.

Besides, he was an extraordinary slicer -- no doubt he already knew about it. No point in bringing it up with company present.

 

[Armand Temi]

It was interesting that when the negotiations grew tense, only one actual Red Raven leader was left at the table. This signaled to Armand Temi that something was fractured inside the leadership structure. Either that or it was just blatant posturing.

The Hapan doctor took the glass of tequilla sunrise and downed the rest of it. He could still feel the strange disquiet in the background and it wasn't the bleeping and pinging of holo sabacc either. There was something dark still here that penetrated ever fiber of the casino. He swallowed back his fear and pride and continued:

"I propose a seven-day cease-fire to start off. One hundred and sixty-eight hours of no bloodshed. We will not disarm you. You will not disarm us. But neither parties can cause harm to each other, either corporeal or financial. Trade routes will be opened for you in our growing territories." He put an emphasis on the word growing, whether it was true or not. "But if these terms are violated within the next seven days, meaning if the Rebels are attacked or provoked into defending themselves, then we're right back where we started."

"Once the cease-fire time period is coming to a close, we'll negotiate again."

If this level of dogged persistence in keeping the Ravens honest was going to exasperate them, so be it. Armand Temi had come to the conclusion that he needed to protect the personnel of the Rebel Alliance even if it meant containing smaller threats until they were large enough to go on the offensive. He didn't want anyone else to lose a limb like Corruck Kazen or fingers like Juwiela Melec in the name of a war that neither parties even understood. He glanced at his two Rebels, trying to read their emotions from their faces.

Armand tilted his head at the orange-skinned Twi'lek and said, "Ms. Kritivaas, I would like to speak to you in private if you'll allow me."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Juwiela Melec"]

 

[Juwiela Melec]

The corners of her mouth tightened nearly imperceptibly, the only outward sign that Juwiela still didn't trust the Ravens half as far as she could throw them, if that. Before the negotiations had begun [member="Armand Temi"] had made it clear that the only way the truce would be ratified was if the Raven alliance with the One Sith was terminated beforehand. Now it seemed as if all of that pre-planned thinking was going out of the window with the ceasefire that had been proposed. It was a start, certainly, but not quite the one they'd agreed upon. Something more than just a temporary agreement would need to be worked out.

Once [member="Corruck Kazen"] began to speak she paid more of a careful attention. Someone had to come out and say it bluntly, and it was better that one of their own had done so. Whether the Ravens realized it or not, a most dangerous game had begun when they agreed to parley with the Sith, and it wouldn't be as easily ended as they perhaps had once hoped. The darksiders made an efficiently lethal enemy, and a just as volatile friend, except for the fact that they at least attempted to make it seem as if they were fighting on your side every now and again, to keep the illusion of mutual respect up.

Taking a breath to steady herself she began to speak, her voice quiet yet demanding its own sort of consideration. "He's right, and you all know it. If you keep allying yourselves with them, it's only a matter of time before they drain your resources and leave you for dead without a care in the galaxy. That's how they function, and it's really too bad that you can't see it for yourselves. Through fighting them we can prevent that, and therefore work for more of a common goal. I will agree in that your fear of them isn't misplaced. It's only wisdom to be afraid of an enemy that could kill you with a wave of their hand and without a second thought. But sometimes that same fear must drive you to fight and eliminate the threat. I'm not asking you to take up arms right away, or at all. I'm just hoping that you'll take all that was said here today into consideration."

That was quite a speech, and she meant every word of it. That was one of the reasons the Rebel Alliance had been born in the first place, to fight oppressors similar. But it was only through fighting that any change could be achieved, at least when it came to those whose idea of diplomacy was attempting to destroy their adversary until they eventually succumbed. Whether the Ravens would see it or not was entirely up to just what they took away from the discussions, but she hoped they would at least take some time to seriously think about it.

If they would just think for once...

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Cryax wandered off, Patricia made as obnoxious an exit as possible, at this rate she was honestly going to have to have them killed because it was the only way the Ravens, and by extension her, were going to be taken seriously. They wanted to still be involved, or they wanted equal power splits and look what they bloody well did when she involved them. Well this was one mistake she'd not make again. When it came down to actually doing the work and behaving like a leader ought to clearly it was just her. Fine.

At least [member="Armand Temi"] seemed to have finally reach a conclusion that was acceptable to her. Gods only knew what had gotten him there but as long as he arrived it didn't much matter to her.

As [member="Juwiela Melec"] added her own impassioned plea however it was all she could do to keep her impassive expression and not bury her head in her hands with a sigh. These people were literally the worst at subterfuge. Wasn't this the one they'd taken hostage or something? She wasn't dead in any case, so it clearly hadn't been that big an issue. You would think that sort of experience would give a person a better danger-meter, but apparently not. They all just kept sitting here, spouting direct threats and intentions towards the Sith without a care in the world. Ninety percent. That was how much noise a privacy field cancelled. That left ten percent to escape and lip reading, even without the immediate threat of an enemy who could sense your intentions or outright read your mind.

They'd likely all be dead before the seven day waiting period was up. Still, on the off chance they weren't since idiots often proved to be highly resilient, she supposed it was still worth it.

"These terms are acceptable."

She'd not been planning on attacking them anyway, and what was a week? Nothing.

"Mr Temi, if you would care to follow me.."

She rose. If he wanted to speak privately she would take him to one of the offices she used when on Antecedent. The distance and heightened security ought to be enough that a few frank words could be exchanged.

Stepping out from the booth, she glanced around, precisely as an interested owner would usually do after having their attention restricted for a period of time. There. Oh, and [member="Cryax Bane"] was talking to him, wonderful. If he got her killed she was going to haunt him. At least he had [member="Erud'ryz'ladre"] there to keep an eye on him. What were the chances he'd sobered up enough to keep his obviously disgruntled mouth shut? Damn and damn and damn again. She continued her sweep, eyes resting briefly on [member="Emberli"]s back. She glanced back at the remaining two rebels.

"You have the freedom of the Casino. Food, drink and a small sum of chips will be comped for you, if you choose to partake."

Try not to find the Sith and tell him your plans.. Honestly why we interrogated any of you I'll never know, it's getting you to shut up that's hard...

"This way."

She moved surely off, it took a good three minutes at a relatively brisk pace to reach the office. She placed her hand on the reader to be let in. When the thick doors opened they revealed.. well, an office. Not particularly extravagant, though everything was of highest quality and likely expensive, this was clearly a place where things got done. A desk with a chair behind it and two in front, just inside the door a loveseat and a comfortable chair arranged around a small coffee table.

Once the door was closed behind them, the Twi'lek paused about half way towards the desk and looked back at [member="Armand Temi"].

"Your people are not very aware of their surroundings Mr Temi. Not the best of traits to have in a self-proclaimed rebellion."

She continued forward with a sigh, seating herself on the edge of her desk.

"..and mine are idiots. But at least they're very good in their particular fields. Slicing any network. Assassinations. Handy skills if you are going to play the sort of games I intend to play. I hope you can say the same."

[member="Reverance"]

 

[Carbon]

The meeting adjourned. Kind of. Em was only half paying attention. Blonde girl leaving? Didn't matter to him. But what did matter was when [member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] made her way from the booth and went off somewhere else with [member="Armand Temi"] in tow. Downing the last of his glass of whiskey before ordering himself a refill, he looked back up to the holodisplay one last time before leaving a few credits on the counter and pushing himself up to a standing position.

Chiasa would only be going one place; her office. So it was that as the door closed and the pair began their discussion, a rather large man that would be unassuming if he wasn't shy of 150 kilos in weight, sat himself in the chair by the coffee table. The glass was set down, a datapad was pulled out and the man in the sweater and slicked hair didn't make a sound. In fact, it was almost as if he didn't consider the other two people as being there.

 

[Armand Temi]

Armand let out a breath, one he felt he had been holding in for hours and nodded at Chiasa Kritivaas. He gave Juwiela a wink at having the bravery to stand up and speak her mind. He would tell her later how proud he was of her. But for now he followed the Twi'lek into a small but well designed office space. A rather large henchman type also went into the room with them, which didn't phase the Hapan at all. He just assumed the man was her personal bodyguard. The bodyguard sat at the coffee table. Armand decided to stay standing. He didn't want to get too comfortable, rather eager to get off of Antecedent and away from the dark Force pressure which lingered with him despite his best attempts to ward it away.

He listened to her speaking as she paused halfway into the room and then sat against her desk. If he wasn't so determined to leave the Dragon Palace Casino still wearing his own skin, he would perhaps try to charm her a little - she was incredibly attractive and even more so when passionate and fiery. But he couldn't be distracted at this moment. He looked around the office for cameras or bugs and then stopped fretting about it and assumed they would be recorded no matter what.

"Oh I'm aware of my surroundings, Ms. Kritivaas. Don't think I don't feel something out there. A spy in our midst perhaps?" he asked, pointing in the direction of the casino floor. It was the first time he admitted to having Force sensitivity. "And maybe my boldness is because I'm not as afraid as you are. Or maybe I just have less to lose?" he shrugged. While Armand made a good living, he didn't actually own anything as lucrative as a casino. And unlike Patricia Susan Garter, he had no family to take care of. The Hapan doctor didn't comment on his colleague's skills. He would rather keep that information under wraps.

"Again, I'll get right to the point. I need some arms shipped to Ryloth immediately. Specifically E-Web rifles and repeating blasters. One thousand units with ammo." He assumed the crime leader wouldn't be doing the actual ordering and that this would all be done through a go-between. "Just let me know who I need to speak to."

[member="Chiasa Kritivaas"] [member="Corruck Kazen"] [member="Juwiela Melec"]

 

[Chiasa Kritivaas]

Call if hubris, it likely was, but [member="Armand Temi"] did not strike the Twi'lek as an immediate threat to her person. Still, [member="Emberli Garett"]s presence both comofrted and amused her. He'd likely followed more to keep an eye on her than on Temi, but no one needed to know that.

"I'm not entirely certain it counts as spying when, as you've pointed out, we are still technically allied with them.. If you are not afraid Mr Temi, you should be, and your are correct, I have very much to lose indeed."

Neither of the Temis had struck Chiasa as beings who had ever gone without. Perhaps if they had they'd be more concerned about holding on to what they had now. She herself had come from nothing and clawed, back-stabbed and bluffed her way into her current position. She had no intention of loosing it.

"Of course, there is more to my position than simply not angering galactic powers. Threats and slights cannot be allowed to stand. I am required to act. What I am not required to do is act in a straight forward fashion."

This was firstly an allusion to the Sith. Ruling a criminal empire was mostly appearance. Her own members would lose respect for her if the Sith were allowed to run roughshod over them and dictate their actions, but none of them would expect or in most cases want war. It would be side deals. Sabotage. Secondly it was a reminder. Do not push me too hard. Regardless of what the other two idiots have been doing, you have not interested me thus far. You have been fighting with children. House-cats to my tiger. I will allow you your respect for precisely as long as you extend the same to me. The Twi'lek was first and foremost vain and proud. The Sith had damaged that pride. They would bleed for it, overwhelming strength or not. It would be much easier to bleed the Rebel Alliance if they did the same.

"Done. You have spoken to me. This is sufficient. We will send you a bill once we've finished sourcing and shipping. Consider this our first test. Make sure I see my credits. You may either specify drop points or we will use the existing dark-drops."

Did it bother the Twi'lek to be supplying arms for an attack on the planet of her birth? Not particularly. If they wanted the gods-forsaken desert let them. She'd not been back since she managed to get herself off-planet.