Private The House Always Wins

[Cato Harth]

The Harths were cleaning house. Nar Shaddaa, and the baggage that came with it, were behind them. Serena had been left with Inanna's side of the family, while her parents marked off the last big check off their list: The other Serena. Cato's mother had been resistant to leaving Bonadan for indiscernible reasons. It wasn't up to them to tell her how to live, but Cato had remained skeptical of the whole interaction ever since. And now that they were moving on to (hopefully) greener pastures, he wanted to give her another check-in, and see if they couldn't convince her to finally move on.

Cato watched their approach through the viewport, restlessly shifting in his seat beneath a storm of conflicting thoughts, "Heading into atmosphere here soon," He mumbled, eyes never leaving the swirling noxious clouds that blanketed Bonadan's ruined earth. There was another pause, when he suddenly became more lucid, and spoke with a tinge of wary optimism, "After this, we'll be done," And with any luck, they could finally settle down.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“What?!”

Inanna was clearly distracted, staring down at her datapad with wide eyes. She looked up at Cato, her mouth agape. “The Maw is gone! The news just broke. Their forces are retreating or disappearing from occupied planets… The cause of this exodus is yet unknown…”

Half reading from the article as she skimmed it, she dropped her datapad and swept Cato into a hug. Her first instinct was to rejoice, of course, but her excitement was slightly dampened. After all the insanity and heinous crimes the Maw were responsible for, she was too cautious to just accept the news at face value. Especially when the circumstances of their defeat were this bizarre and sudden.

Please don’t tell me Free Lao-mon’s plan actually worked, she thought. That would be the biggest middle finger the Force had ever given her.

“Oh chit, you were trying to pilot. Sorry.” She moved out of his way. “We’ll be better than done, baby. We’ll be… completed. Finished. Finalized. Ended, concluded, consummated... climaxed...” She was running out of synonyms. "Accomplished. There you go. We are accomplished."

Oh, to hell with skepticism. This was cause for celebration! As soon as they took care of things with his mother, she was partying. Hell, she could probably take back her old identity now. Sike, Inanna's not dead anymore! Fooled you! She missed her white hair, anyway.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato nearly tipped out of his seat at the sudden change in volume. He blinked rapidly, trying to process what Inanna said, "Wha... Really?" She pulled him into a hug, which he slowly reciprocated, and chuckled, "That's great, babe. That's... amazing," The war with the Maw seemed like one of things that had been going on for so long, the idea of it actually ending never really came to mind. Then again, he had never been all that involved in it himself (something which he always felt a big guilty about). But if the report was true, then maybe the galaxy would get a much needed break, after all. And it was one more thing their family no longer had to worry about, either. Cato let Inanna break away so he could bring the ship in, finding himself still smiling at the thought. Maybe things really were going to start going their way.

The descent to Bonadan's surface was quick, and so was the jaunt to his mother's apartment, being conveniently close to the spaceport, "So the Shi'ido are going to have a home again," Cato mused, and knocked on the door, "How does it feel?" In the meantime they sat there waiting for an answer from apartment. Waiting a little too long, it felt. He knocked again.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"How does it feel?"

In response, Inanna danced a little jig outside the door to the apartment. There was no putting what she felt into words.

As silence followed Cato’s first knock, Inanna wrapped an arm around him. “Maybe she’s out somewhere?” she suggested. “Too bad you don’t have a key, or else we could wait inside. Pretend we’re a couple of teenagers fooling around while your mom’s not home. I could wear a cheerleader outfit…” She burst into giggles, obviously more than a little giddy after receiving such staggeringly good news.

Her laughter faded, however, as silence followed the second knock. There was an easy explanation for why Mrs. Harth wasn’t home—so why did something seem off about it? “Are you also getting a ‘bad feeling’ about this?” she asked, glancing at Cato with a raised eyebrow.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato laughed, feeding off the energy Inanna was now exuding. A silly little dance said more than words could. Those who had tried to tear her people down had failed, and now they were beaten. A better future was no longer just a hope, it was a reality. They'd have to find some time to celebrate properly.

Cato thought little of the wait at first, and gave a simple, "Hm," in agreement. Probably should have called ahead of time. Hopefully she wouldn't be gone long. Inanna's suggested made him raise and eyebrow, and laugh, "My mom was spared from that part of my youth , no need to force her into it now," He sighed contently, and glanced at Inanna, "…Would you actually wear a cheerleader outfit or…?"

It wasn't like they were standing there long enough to make the wait a concern. But after the second knock, neither was laughing. Cato furrowed his brow, "Yeah…" He reached for the door handle and pulled out a small scrambler key, frying the simple lock with ease. The knight then shoved through the door, taking the hilt of his saber into his hand, "Mom?" He called out. Nothing. The apartment seemed empty, "Serena?"

Cato turned a corner, and found a broken picture frame on the ground. He picked it up, and found a shot of his mother and father behind the cracked glass. It had been on the dresser in her bedroom. The rest of it hadn't quite been ransacked, but it was clear there was some sort of struggle. Cato was now panicking, "What the hell is this?" He began to pace throughout the apartment, scouring drawers and counters for some kind of evidence.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"…Would you actually wear a cheerleader outfit or…?"

With a coquettish smirk, Inanna put her hands behind her head and shifted into a midriff-baring, short-skirted cheerleader outfit. "Can I get a C-A-T-O…"

Rather than wait any longer outside, Cato used a scrambler on the lock. Seeing the interior of the apartment only confirmed that something was definitely wrong. It hadn't quite been ransacked, but a few items were in disarray, including a framed photograph with cracked glass.

Inanna followed Cato as he made his way through the rooms. Since the door had been locked, she searched for another way in or out. "Broken window," she noted aloud, pointing. "A burglary, maybe?" Or an abduction.

Mrs. Harth had been acting strangely when they visited her. Could this have anything to do with it?

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Alas that the cheerleader topic had to be shelved for a later time. The inside of the apartment left much to the imagination, but each possibility was troubling at best. Cato's gaze turned to the broken window Inanna pointed out. It's not like burglary was uncommon on Bonadan. But there was too much left untouched.

Cato made a beeline for the bedroom and searched through Serena's nightstand, eventually finding a datapad. He broke the code with even less effort than the door lock, and accessed her messages. An admitted privacy breach, but if her safety was on the line, he'd just have to ask forgiveness later, rather than permission now. Her list of contacts was small, and among them was an anonymous user, making increasingly urgent demands for a payment. The only identifying factor came from Serena, who at one point identified them as "25", and was reprimanded for a lack of discretion in the reply.

"Son of a…" Cato rubbed the nape of his neck, where a small 25 in aurebesh pips was tattooed, "Well… I know who did it," He grumbled, running a hand through his hair, "My old gang. 25 & Light," Named after their home turf streets, and during Cato's tenure, barely more than common hoodlums. The fact that they were now kidnapping people for extortion fees struck him as a dramatic shift in power. He left the apartment and headed back for the ship, to his speeder bike.

"They've got a hell of a lot to answer for."

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Cato was understandably frantic. He turned his mother’s bedroom upside down looking for clues. Inanna lurked in the background, not as well-versed in investigation as him and not wanting to disturb any potential evidence.

When he did finally find some answers, Inanna was left bewildered. “What kind of bozo names are 25 and Light?” she asked. Then, as the information had a chance to percolate in her brain: “You used to be in a gang?”

Of course, she had seen the tattoo, but she didn’t know the story behind it. Mostly because it tended to slip her mind—she didn’t spend a whole lot of time looking at the back of Cato’s neck—but also because she was largely content to leave their respective pasts alone. Just like she preferred not to think about the future, which was undoubtedly filled with the deaths of everyone she had grown to know and love.

As Cato rushed out of the apartment, Inanna trailed after him. “I don’t really know what’s going on, but I’m here to help!”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"No, it's the name of the gang, 25 & Light. They're streets," Cato did a double take back at Inanna, "…Yeah. I never told you?" The two of them had a sort of unspoken agreement not to pry about their pasts, but he was suprised that it never came up before. He hadn't tried to obscure that from her, and would've divulged if simply asked. Indeed, it seems it was just never all that relevant until now.

"I know," Cato smiled and hopped onto his speeder, waiting for Inanna to join him before launching back down the ship's ramp and onto the street. They hit a long stretch of road leading towards the city skyline visible back from the apartment window. Cato was quiet at first, then spoke abruptly, "I was just a kid when I joined. One of the members told me it would be an easy way to make some money. I wanted to help my family, so I accepted. All they needed was an extra pair of eyes and ears on the streets. Someone unassuming that could make sure cops or whatever weren't snooping around. It was pretty easy, to be honest," He shrugged, "When I got older they offered a bigger role in the gang, with more money. I agreed and they forced me to get a tattoo, so I couldn't exactly hide it from my mom for long. She told me to cut it out, and soon after my sister and I were sent to Jedi school on Kashyyyk. So, I dunno what really happened with 25 & Light after that."

"But they never did anything like this. Don't get me wrong, they were a bad group, but…" Cato shook his head, and trailed off. Things had changed a lot around here. Far more than he initially realized.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna shrugged. She still thought it was a goofy ass name, but then most Basic words sounded a little bit funny to her Shi’idese ear.

"…Yeah. I never told you?"

She shook her head. “Should I tell you about my secret criminal past, so we’ll be even?” Her tone was good-natured, with not a trace of offense or bitterness. They both had their reasons for living in the present.

Sitting behind him on the bike, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and off they went. Along the way, he explained his history with the gang. “I can certainly see the appeal in easy money,” she said. “Did you get anything else out of it? Protection, cheap thrills… a sense of camaraderie?”

It was a bit hypocritical of his mother to have urged him to leave the gang, only to get involved with them herself. But she didn’t say that out loud. The situation was already bad enough without her rubbing salt in the wounds.

Instead, she focused on planning. “I take it we’re heading to one of their old haunts. Do you have something in mind?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato smirked and shook his head, "Only if you want to," Inanna didn't have to relive anything she didn't want to with him. He'd gotten glimpses into some of her history before, but never pried beyond what he could infer. It never really mattered to Cato; They had both grown beyond the people they used to be.

“Did you get anything else out of it? Protection, cheap thrills… a sense of camaraderie?”

Cato shrugged, "All of the above, I guess. A little bit, anyway," There wasn't necessarily much the gang could or would be willing to offer in protection during that time, but they had done what they could to keep him (and others like him) appearing unaffiliated. It helped both parties, seeing as it allowed 25 & Light to have an unsuspicious lookout, and it kept Cato from being made a target by any opposing groups, "It was a bit of excitement in a very monotonous childhood. And the longer I stuck around, the more they let me in." Camaraderie. As much as one could find in a group like that, anyway.

"I've got an idea," Cato sped up, for their final push into the main city, eventually turning and coming to an abrupt stop in front of a large building covered in dancing lights. There were two street signs on the corner, one said 25th Street, and the other said Light District, "Oh, woah…" Cato stopped the bike on the curb, and walked towards the building with a sense of awe. It was a casino, well-off by the looks of it, "This is where the gang got its start. But… this place used to be abandoned. It was a squat, an empty place where no one would think to look." Now the sounds of chiming slot machines and gathered patrons could be heard just beyond the doors.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Let’s just say that my criminal career went on for a lot longer than it really should have,” she said with a sigh, “and that it was a pretty soul-crushing line of work. I’m glad I’m out of it now.”

Like in Cato’s case, there were some benefits. The money was good and she liked many of the people she worked with, but it was abundantly clear that they all would much rather have been doing anything else. Most were driven to it by desperation, or because it was all they had ever known. Inanna had started doing it for the former, but over time it became the latter. She got to a point where she couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t been doing it, and it was so easy to fall back into…

Her introspection was interrupted by their arrival at a casino. Cato was bewildered by the building’s glitzy appearance, explaining that it used to be a dump. Meanwhile Inanna was distracted by 25 & Light. “Oh, I see,” she said, pointing to the street signs.

Glancing at Cato, she asked, “So… are we going inside? Pretending to be gamblers?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Fair enough," Cato remarked. She didn't really need to go any further than that. He'd have reached back to offer some sort of physical reassurance, if not for the fact that he was currently driving a dangerous high-speed vehicle, "Let's make sure Serena doesn't get mixed up in the wrong crowds," Not exactly a revolutionary aspiration, but Cato was keen to break the cycle of destitution his family had been trapped in. With the way things were now, hopefully that wouldn't ever be the case again, and their daughter could grow up in a supportive environment.

They skid to a stop outside the casino soon after, and Cato continue his slow walk towards the entrance, not even registering when Inanna pointed out the street signs, "Well… We're definitely going inside," The plan would depend on what they saw. With a nod, Cato pushed open the doors, revealing a large open floor, lavishly decorated and covered with various casino games. Rows of slot machines, tables for sabbac, pazaak, and a dozen others. In stark contrast were the occupants, who were largely the working class masses of Bonadan. Cato was half-surprised these people even had money to gamble with. But on a planet like this, people took whatever glimmer of hope they could get. The chance of winning that big break was more than enough for many to take the plunge.

"Alright. Guess we should try and blend in to start. Anything strike your fancy?" If nothing else, it would allow them to better case the establishment while they figured out their next step.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Oh, I was planning for Serena to become the next Chancellor of the Alliance. She should be fit to run for office within the next couple years.”

They were going inside. Inanna glanced down at herself… and realized she was still dressed like a sexy cheerleader. “Uh, just a minute.” She disappeared into the nearest shadowy alleyway and emerged seconds later wearing a slightly less eccentric outfit. “Okay, let’s go.”

She breezed into the casino like she owned the place. “I stink at card games,” she confided to Cato in a whisper, though she seemed the very portrait of confidence. “But since it was pazaak last time, I suppose we should do sabbac this time. Just don’t gamble away my fortune.”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

"Ah, well hopefully her parents' criminal pasts don't hurt her ratings in the polls."

Cato had been far too caught up in everything else to even dwell on the fact that Inanna had been in her risqué cheerleader uniform this whole time. He chuckled, and shook his head as she disappeared into an alley to shift into a more appropriate outfit. She stepped back out, and Cato whistled his approval before following her inside.

"Sound logic," Cato quipped, surveying the layout, "How do we keep finding ourselves in this sort of situation?" They hadn't pretended to play card games to investigate a criminal hideout a lot, but it was weird that it happened twice. Then again, given the crowds they mixed with, maybe it wasn't all that weird after all, "No promises."

Cato meandered over to the nearest open sabacc table and slid into the seat. Thankfully, it was a low buy-in, so the stakes weren't as bad as some of the high roller games. The four-armed dealer quickly dispersed each player's new hand, and Cato raised his up for a look, "See anything fishy?" He muttered to Inanna, giving their surroundings a brief scan himself. Nothing other than twi'lek servers in cutesy outifts, and standoffish security guards patrolling the floor, at least to his eyes.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“One of the many benefits of being a shapeshifter,” Inanna mused aloud. “I can fight in pretty dresses and not have to worry about anything popping out or tearing. And I always have pockets.”

"How do we keep finding ourselves in this sort of situation?"

“That’s what you get when you fight criminals,” she said in a low voice, surveying the tables—only to shoot him a look at “no promises”. “There goes our baby’s college fund.”

What exactly was she looking for? She wouldn’t recognize members of the gang on sight the way Cato might. But someone here might recognize Cato…

“Pool table on your left,” she whispered in his ear. “There’s a dude who was looking at you funny a second ago. Do you know him?”

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

“Relaaax, we’re not gonna be playing long enough to risk that,” Cato waved a hand lazily as the moved to the table.

The first hand went through, with Cato having tapped out early. His hand was useless, and Jedi intuition made it clear to sense his opponents’ enthusiasm. He leaned in closer to hear Inanna, waiting a few seconds to avoid being suspicious, before glancing at the man she mentioned. Cato remaining staring at him for a little longer than he’d like, unable to put his finger on the possible resemblance, “I… I dunno. Maybe? It’s been a while,” He was just a kid when he left Bonadan, after all.

The knight was just about to turn his focus back to the game, when the man turned away, leading Cato to spot something. He nudged Inanna, “Look- His neck,” The same tattoo Cato had. The man headed for a back room, guarded by a brawny security officer. Cato mulled over his options for a while longer, when the dealer’s voice brought his attention back to the game, “Hm?”

“I said-- Are you checking, sir?”

Cato furrowed his brow and looked at his cards, “Uhhh, no, I’ll raise,” A few credits slid into the center of the table. He had planned to leave, but might as well win some money while they were here, right? It looked less suspicious, anyway.

And win he did. Nothing exorbitant, but he’d never say no to a bit of extra cash. Cato snatched his winnings and dipped out the game, “Sorry folks. It’s the lady’s turn to do something she wants,” He spun around and took Inanna’s arm, walking the scenic route towards the door, “Wanna bet they’ll let us in cause I’ve got the tattoo?” He grinned. Perhaps it was a lot to stake the plan on, but a real tattoo was pretty convincing.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

“Relaaax, we’re not gonna be playing long enough to risk that.”

"That's what they all say..."

Despite Cato's initial uncertainty, he did recognize the tattoo on the back of the man's neck. Bingo. Inanna watched as the guy disappeared through a backroom door.

As soon as Cato was able to free himself from the sabbac table (having won some extra cash, no less), she slid her arm around his waist. "You, maybe," she said. "But probably not me, unless I have the tattoo as well, yes? Or was your gang a no-girls-allowed club?" Not that that would necessarily stop her either. Perks of being a shapeshifter, and all that.

Cato Harth​

 

[Cato Harth]

Cato chuckled, "Can't say there were any girls around when I was involved, but, I wouldn't say we were gender-exclusive," The gang had clearly grown in size, after all. It seemed reasonable that there might be some women among their number, "We got this."

The guard at the door raised a hand as they approached, "This is a restricted area, sir. Go play some games, enjoy yourself."

Confidently, Cato sauntered up and tapped the back of his neck, "Don't worry. We're affiliated," The man studied the ink intently, then looked Inanna, featuring for her to prove the same.

"I ain't ever see you two before. Where the hell you been?"

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Inanna craned her head to see the back of his neck, etching the symbol onto her own flesh. It was done by the time they reached the door; she only had to lift her hair to let the guard see it.

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she replied, her voice dropping to a sultry purr as she let her hair down again. “Maybe we could get together and chat about it sometime. But right now we’ve got a very important appointment to make.” She waved her hand toward the door. “You wouldn’t want to make us late, would you?”

Cato Harth​