The Underworld

[Aela Talith]

Nar Shaddaa - Circuit
@Ar'ekk

They said that crime paid, and unsurprisingly they were utterly correct.

It was still something of a marvel to Elizabeth just how fast and how much profit Circuit had brought in during the short amount that it had actually been open. The idea had been rather simple, a safe place on Nar Shaddaa where everyone could enjoy themselves.

The concept of a club wasn't unique, but some place Safe on Nar Shaddaa? That was about as rare as a Krayt Dragon wandering the lower levels of Coruscant. Yet it all seemed to work. The guards at the door checked weapons, the bouncers kept the peace, and everyone seemed to be more than pleased. Elizabeth was making money hand over fist and with that money came connections.

Half a dozen organizations had already approached her, connections and networks quickly being formed.

It pleased her, the progress she had made.

As she wandered the floor of her club she couldn't help but feel a tinge of excitement. It seemed wrong in a way, but perhaps the success was getting to her head. A small smile folded on her lips as she stepped up to one of the bars and quietly ordered a drink. As soon as the droid placed it upon the table she turned, surveying the crowd. Through the blaring music it was almost impossible to hear, but she didn't mind.

This was her kingdom after all.

 

[Arekk]

NAR SHADDAA​

Circuit Nightclub, The Promenade​

Circuit had become the top talk of Nar Shadda's underworld due to its rapid grow and increase in public attendance by providing excellent services for their customers such as a big dance floor, multiple bars and a lounge to fit all the patrons and criminals visiting the venue. It wasn't necessary to mention that the cesspool of Nal Hutta would be visiting the establishment and the young Jedi himself was aware of the danger that meant having his identity Jedi got revealed although brave enough he would still go inside to enjoy a good time, he had earned it after years of hardous work and training. Security was tight as every other night with the bouncers checking every person for illegal items of any sort, he had brought his lightsaber although that wasn't a problem since he had many cards under his sleeve, one of them utilizing the ancient yet still useful mind trick which allowed him to pass through the screening process without harming anyone at all.

The young man strolled around the main hall that led directly towards the dancefloor and bars, music loud enough to make it impossible to hear anyone around him and the flashing lights going back and forth making everything a living hell for those prone to seizures. He didn't understand why people would like to attend places like these but he soon understood that meeting in such a place would be more safe than let's say a lonely alleyway in a dangerous part of town. Kicking his legs in motion, Ar'ekk made his way to the bar to order a strong Kriff which had become his typical choice for a beverage throughout time. It was strong and could make you lightheaded in just a few seconds, he took a sip and felt the effects right away.

Ar'ekk's gaze dragged towards [member="Elizabeth Castille"] as she made her way to the bar, glass in hand and pretending to be as casual as possible. The girl seemed to be someone important because she held friendly conversations with several patrons and ordering the bartenders around with an authoritative tone.

The drink was good.

 

[Aela Talith]

Circuit was often patronized by everything from Humans to Gamorreans. The club didn't discriminate and neither did Elizabeth, the only thing that mattered was that you could afford to pay. This place was meant to make money, and that was what it did best. When one surveyed any particular given room of Circuit they'd find a fast array of species. Rodians, Duros, there was even a Killik or two. All of them were criminals of course, thieves, smugglers, or even murderers, but they were her patrons.

Elizabeth took a certain pride to that.

Still, even in a crowd such as this some people just drew attention. It was the natural way of things, and as Elizabeth came to a stop besides the bar she couldn't help but take note of the Cyborg standing besides her. She raised an eyebrow slightly, her lips thinning.

She glanced wearily at his arm for a moment, well aware that such things often contained weapons as attachments. She wasn't concerned for herself of course, only the calm of her club. She smiled however, wiping away her former expression and stepping closer to the man. "And who might you be?"

What better way to stave off any trouble than to engage it before it can start?

 

[Arekk]

There were no ill intentions from the Jedi Padawan's part, specially in Nar Shadda where danger was around the corner and a person in his status would be hunted down for a lot of credits. His cybernetic arm was simply that and no other thing was visible that resembled a weapon or anything of those sorts. Still, he was wary that the lady next to him was inspecting his apparel in a strange manner although he didn't say anything back. All the patrons were minding their business by the bar although being rather annoying and obnoxiously loud, understandable since it was a nightclub.

His attention shifted towards the lady who addressed him clear enough amidst the loud music and cheers of drunken individuals throughout the club, cocking his only visible eyebrow as the inquiry was made. As polite as he can be he replied back to her,

"A client as any other, as you can see. Who do I have the pleasure to be speaking with?" he responded a question with another, trying to shun the light away from himself. The young Jedi was cautious about who approached him and keeping cool in situations like these would contribute towards keeping his identity concealed.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

@Ar'ekk

"Elizabeth Sabien Castille." She doubted the name would mean anything.

As of late her reputation had been growing, but much of her name had still been made within the Outer Rim, not here. Nar Shaddaa was an animal of it's own, something that grew and sprouted of it's own volition. Here your reputation didn't mean much, not if you didn't earn it on the Smugglers Moon itself.

It was something that had shocked her at first, knowing that she had gone back to being no one.

In short Order however she'd managed to rectify that situation, dragging herself once more into a position of power and authority, as small as it was. Circuit was quickly gaining favor among the criminal elite, and with that came networks and connections that she could only have dreamed of before. Already the Hutt's and Vigos of Nar Shaddaa were more than willing to speak to her, and before long she'd have even more.

The thought was enough to make her smile. "And you?"

She was looking for a name of course.

 

[Arekk]

The name didn't ring any bells to the young Jedi, someone of her reputation probably still not that high up for criminal standards in Nar Shaddaa. Regardless, the way she ran the nightclub was noteworthy of attention as you could look around and identify several patrons the Jedi knew personally. She showed a strange interesting in getting something out of Ar'ekk and he couldn't help but oblige due to the politeness she had demonstrated by saying her name.

"Ar'ekk." he said in an amicable manner, raising his glass of Kriff and taking a shot.

The young man was aware that revealing anything more than that meant looking for trouble that he didn't want so he showed a more reserved attitude until he knew more about this girl. She seemed to be in-charge, probably very important within known circles.

"What brings you this type of place?"

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

@Ar'ekk

He didn't know.

That made far more sense than she had expected. Perhaps her reputation hadn't climbed as high as she had first assumed, though maybe he was also just new to Nar Shaddaa. Either way the mystery was solved, at east for now. She smiled and took a small sip of her drink.

"Me?" She was almost coy, almost. "I own it."

More than a little pride dripped from that admission.

Circuit was doing well, everyone knew it and the people here often complemented her. Though the club itself hadn't truly been meant to make her famous or even known, it was still doing quite well. But like everything else in the criminal Underworld it was just a front. Something that most people probably assumed.

 

[Arekk]

He asked for two Kriffs, one for himself and another for the lady. The bartender slid the glasses across the table towards the duo with the Jedi lifting his drink first and saying: "To business."

She seemed to be doing well in the criminal underworld. Nar Shaddaa was an unforgiving place for weak people with big power in their hands, you blink in one second and they'll be squeezing the money out of your grasp. Hopefully, this girl was intelligent to not be pushed on. Elizabeth looked to be smart, though. Something told him that she was as menacing as the next patron in the Circuit.

"You can't say it isn't going good for you, huh." he pointed around, place crowded as every other night it offered an opening. The prospective idea of making credits continued to cloud Ar'ekk's mind and hopefully she needed something to be dealt with, his actions and words would shift the conversation to the only thing that mattered in that place: credits.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

She took the drink, but in truth it was a bit too stiff for her. Elizabeth preferred something on the sweeter side, something that would sail across your tongue instead of striking it with a bat a few times. Nevertheless she always took kindness when it was offered.

"I can't." She admitted with a smile.

Circuit was doing very well, and it was drawing more than just the attention of the local party goers. The Underworld had sat up and taken note, which meant not only more profit, but also far more contacts for her to use. Business was booming, and before long her name would be known.

"Now." She said putting down the glass. "What might you be doing here?"

She mused. "Just come to check out the light?"

 

[Arekk]

He slipped a sly grin to her question. It was the Smuggler's Moon, where everyone comes to earn some money. That's all he cared about in that instant so the question already had an answer.

"The lights won't make you credits, though. And a man like me doesn't make a living off parties and rubbing shoulders with unknowns." The man said before putting his empty glass on the table and shifting his body towards Elizabeth. Ar'ekk was good when trying to make a point and being blunt instead of pushing around the matter was his forte. After all, you had to know how to handle yourself in the underworld.

"And certainly, not a single person in their right mind would say no to a generous amount of credits."

The Ebon Hawk needed many specific parts to be repaired completely and the urge of making a substantial amount of cash was urgent. A little something on the side to treat himself wouldn't hurt, the Jedi thought. Whatever it took get things done, he would be glad to do so.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

"Work, huh?" Elizabeth mused.

There was always work on Nar Shaddaa, though usually it wasn't the kind most wanted to take. Killers and Cut Throats had their choice here, especially if they were good, but everyone else? Well lets just say there wasn't a lot of legal work on the smugglers moon. She supposed that anyone seeking that sort of thing was foolish beyond belief, especially considering the name of the place.

She let out a small scoff.

"I suppose this isn't the worst place to look for it." Her eyes scanned the room for a few moments, spotting the man she was looking for. "There."

A Falleen sat just beyond a small doorway to the right. "That is one of the Vigo's of the black sun, and there..."

She trailed off and nudged the cyborgs attention to a tall Houk within the corner. "Is an enforcer for The Blazin Claws."

Elizabeth mused for a moment.

"I'm sure they all have something for you to do." Depending on his morals anyway.

 

[Arekk]

His eyes didn't shift as she pointed out the several criminals throughout the nightclub, showing no interest whatsoever but for her. She seemed intelligent enough to have something behind the scenes, everyone did in Nar Shaddaa. There was no exception to the rule as the Jedi highly doubted someone of her 'reputation' would be running a nightclub on "clean" credits.

"I'm sure a person like you has problems from time to time. And considering how Circuit is doing, you must be very generous." he said to the girl with extreme caution.

The glass that Ar'ekk had been drinking with was refilled as he made a hand gesture towards the bartender to do so, he lifted the glass and grimaced at the strong taste of the beverage going down his esophagus. Whatever he was looking for he'd had to dig deeper into the rabbit's hole to find out the answers.

"And I wouldn't mind helping in exchange of some credits, regardless of the problem."

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

@Ar'ekk

"Me?" He wasn't wrong, but Elizabeth wasn't about to come right out and say that.

Circuit was a club on Nar Shaddaa, that by it's very definition meant that she'd run into her fair share of trials and troubles. Generally people accepted the deal of this place, your weapons get taken away and you stay inside in relative safety.

Sometimes however people didn't really agree with that process. Particularly a small group of Hutt's within the Promenade. They weren't connected to any of the other Hutts on Nar Shaddaa, something that irked her a great deal. Apparently this group of slugs had split off from the main Council in search for their own power. They made things difficult for her, mostly because they often sent agents into Circuit itself to try and kill her. Assassination attempts were common, but annoying.

"Perhaps." She mused. "There is one or two things."

Sending this boy to deal with the Hutt's might be the thing to do...but she'd have to be careful.

 

[Arekk]

She was cautious and he felt it. Who wouldn't though, anyways? Smart to not reveal her true interests, she had passed the test. Ar'ekk had been questioning her methods and way of carrying herself, demonstrating a good level of understanding and whatever else he was looking to prove. Regardless, the lady seemed to be slightly worried about something.

"The HoloNet is available for people like us where messages aren't necessarily explicit with information." he continued to give hints to the owner of the nightclub, being as careful as he could to make sure no one decided to eavesdrop on their conversation and deduce what they had been talking to. The young Jedi was always careful when speaking business with people, specially in places like these.

The music had become obnoxious to the man's ears and he showed that disgust with his gestures and words as they continued to talk.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

@Ar'ekk

"That won't be necessary." No, not yet anyway.

She wasn't ready to move on the Hutt's, she didn't want them dead after all, but this boy could be useful to her plan. They wouldn't need the holo-net for instruction however. Though Circuit was a nightclub, she had built VIP sections into it precisely for the reason of private conversation.

This wasn't just a meeting place for the low, but Crime Lords of Nar Shaddaa.

"Follow me." All amusement and pretext had dropped from her tone, she was now on a mission. "Up the stairs."

There rooms of glass barred sound from the VIP section, allowing her to speak more candidly of her issue with the Hutts.

 

[Arekk]

He nodded.

The whole demeanor of the lady had changed drastically as things turned serious. She meant business and he was game for it, perfect. Wherever they were heading to right now would lead to the talks that Ar'ekk had been anxiously trying to get to for the evening's duration. He followed Elizabeth through the crowded dance floor towards the VIP area where a set of stairs would lead them up to a more private zone to engage in a quiet conversation. The Jedi? He managed to get another glass of Kriff before going upstairs.

The duo made their way into a room and sat down comfortably.

"I'm listening."

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

"There's a group of Hutts here on Nar Shaddaa." That was of course more than obvious. "Detached from the Council on Nal Hutta."

They had peeled away long ago.

She wondered briefly if there had been some kind of internal schism or if it was just the usual squabbles for power. In truth she was inclined to believe that it was the former. The Hutt's were oddly cohesive most of the time, not working against one another but instead moving as a single unit. She supposed that was why they were so succesful in their endeavors, but it seemed this particular group didn't share the affinity for teamwork that the others did.

Elizabeth mused for a moment then continued on. "I need them gone."

Though with some stipulations.

"They've taken a dislike to Circuit, and I can't have that." She mused for a moment. "Unfortunately, I can't kill them either. They have powerful allies and their untimely death would bring those allies down upon me."

 

[Arekk]

Ar'ekk was offered the prospective contract killing of a group of Hutts on Nar Shaddaa although she wasn't clear about such thing clearly. This would go against the Jedi code and whatever the young warrior enforced throughout his life but he wondered; Was this any different than the killings commited during war time? Hard to tell the difference, except you're getting shot at from every side and hoping you don't die in some hole. Meanwhile the politicians behind the war were having a good time at their estates as young men died in the battlefield.

Disgusting.

"How do you want to go about it, then?" he inquired.

To pull this off would be complicated. She had to make a decision in that instant if not later. The Hutts wouldn't stop bothering her and the nightclub, that's for sure and you really don't want bad business affect you.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]

 

[Aela Talith]

"I don't want them dead." She would make that clear.

The death of these Hutts would make things far more difficult for her. She had no time to be dealing with enemy syndicates and cartels, not right now when everything was at such a critical point. Things had to be seen to carefully, very carefully.

"I want their operations gone." Elizabeth sat herself down in one of the more comfortable chairs across from Ar'ekk, pulling herself against it's back. "Three factories, a Drug Lab, and I believe..."

She trailed off, trying to remember. "A swoop racing circuit."

That was what she needed gone.

"I want them destroyed." Difficult prospect really, very difficult.

 

[Arekk]

"Understood." He acknowledged her point.

The Jedi held a half full glass of Kriff with his cybernetic arm as he rested in the comfortable one-person sofa. The lady made herself pretty clear regarding her intentions with the operations held by the Hutts, the disruption of their most important sources of income would reflect heavily on their business. Such a task costed a lot of money to carry off, hopefully she was wealthy enough to provide a generous quantity of credits.

"The problem here is not pulling this stunt off. It's about numbers, you see? I want to hear about them." The young man said. For a Jedi, he spoke more as an experienced mercenary than any other which is a pretty strange thing to see. War had changed him, at some extent.

"I'll consider what you've told me after we've spoken about what I'm interested the most."

Money was everyone's motivation in the underworld.

[member="Elizabeth Castille"]