Whispers on Saleucami (Ben Trasker)

[Ak'lya]

In a Lonley corner of a cantina, the girl known as "Nexu" Sat and waited. Supposedly, the noble she had been working for would send someone to pick up a valuable recording. If he got it, he would have proof to discredit Saleucami's senator, and replace him with himself. Elanna didn't care about all that. She was here for her next paycheck. If it payed off right, she may even be able to afford a starship soon. Public transport was only so useful. Her own ship would help.
[member="Ben Trasker"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Trasker was now operating from the one thing he hated; a tip-off.

Regardless of the fact they were usually wrong, it was also indication someone knew enough about him to either entice him into a trap or simply distract him enough for something bigger to happen. But his role as an officer of the law deemed he had to follow it up.

The fact this tip-off was to investigate the corruption of a few of Coruscant's highest ranking politicians wanting to flood the planet with illegal cargo along the Perlemian Trade Route, he had followed up one of the suspected planets involved with Coruscant.

Taanab was a dead end and the next planet was Saleucami, known for it's trading and shipping.


------


Moving into the small cantina on the planet's capital city out of the rain falling outside, Trasker wasn't in the best of moods to chase these leads. Either something came up here, or he would return to Coruscant and hand this over to the Senate itself.

He walked to the bar out of the way and observed the patrons - some native Gran, Twi'lek and Wroonians and few other figures including a voluptuous Bothan and a group of Jawas. Nothing exactly screaming out to him of corruption.

Still, eyes peeled Trasker. Eyes peeled.


[member="Elanna Ak'lya"]

 

[Ak'lya]

Quickly spotting [member="Ben Trasker"] as he came in, Elanna moved her eyes on in her scan of the room. Her contract would be here soon. Once she had the money, it was off to Nar Shaddaa to find a new job. Where after that, she didn't know. But her instincts told her that the new man may spell trouble.

Behind Ben, a human man walked in, going to the bar and asking for a drink. He threw her a glance, accepted the drink, took a few sips, and looked again. Seeming to be attracted to her, but after seeing those looks hundreds of times, she knew it wasn't. He was her contact. The next time he threw her a glance, she winked at him. He smiled and returned to his drink. She did the same with hers.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The best thing to do now was to get his back to the bar and overlook the patrons, to look for any one, or anything, that seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing so far.

Trasker made an order for a simple glass of Blue Milk. Cool and refreshing it wasn't going to cloud his head and also kept his senses alert. Turning around, leaning on his elbows, his brown jacket comfortably keeping him warm, he scanned the room.

The Bothan girl, as friendly as she was, seemed to throw him a wink. His eyes lingered on her for a second and then passed by. Just another friendly face.

Unless she was trying to get his attention?

He decided to hang back and wait a few more minutes as the Blue Milk was placed down beside him.


[member="Elanna Ak'lya"]

 

[Ak'lya]

As her man walked over, she scooted deeper into the booth as he sat next to her. "Hey, sweetie..." The words slipped out just loud enough for [member="Ben Trasker"] to hear at the bar. He tried to kiss her but she stopped him. "A drink first may help your chances." As she spoke, she reached under the table. In her hand was the recording. He sighed, got up, and brought her back a drink. She smiled. "Thank you, deary." Giving him a smile, she began to drink. The man leaned over, seeming to kiss the top of her head.
"You have it?" He asked, clearly here and wanting to be gone. "I've been tailed."
She sighed and rested her head on his chest. She whispered to the man under her breath, "Yes. Credits transferred?"
He bent down. "Yep. Twenty thousand, just as you requested."
"Good." She slipped the recording into his pocket. "How long you need?" She mumbled into his chest again. He shook his head. Lifting her head up, the man kissed her, apologized profusely for having to go, and left one datatape richer. Elanna, in turn, played her part, complaining, "But you just got here! Come on, a little longer, please? Don't go..." She followed him to the door,watching him go out into the night, and returned to her table, slumping down into it. The bar droid came and she ordered another drink. That would be her last. She would need to leave soon enough. Her work here was done.

 

[Connor Harrison]

The Bothan once more caught his attention with her attraction of another figure coming to her booth. Trakser's eyes continued to move as he shuffled to lean on his right elbow, holding the drink in his hand. The couple were certainly acting overly affectionate and at times their conversation could be heard, and then it went quiet.

Looking up at the neon illumination around the room, he used it to go back to watching the two. Something was amiss here and he had that feeling that there was something going on before his very eyes.If he left, he would risk losing contact with them, so had had to stay put. Sipping the cold drink, the male was moving to go, once more their dramatic conversation audible to everyone in the bar.

And just like that, he was gone. Stumbling into the night with something she had given him; information? Data? Something...

The Bothan returned to her seat. Trasker decided to act.

Taking his drink, he walked and stood in front of her table, coming across as naïve and innocent in the illegal ways of the galaxy.

"Are you ok? I couldn't help notice your friend...

[member="Elanna Ak'lya"]

 

[Ak'lya]

Without looking up, Elanna ran a threat check on the man. He had come in. He had noted her exchange. And now he came over. Defiantly high. "No, I'm not, and no, you can't help." She replied. Drawing her knees up, she hugged them, hiding her face from [member="Ben Trasker"]. She didn't want to be anywhere near him. She had money,she could buy a ship now, and all she had to do was wait him out. She sighed deeply. "What do you want?"

 

[Connor Harrison]

Cute. Well this wasn't the time for playing games. Trasker had spent a good portion of the month racing across the Perlemian Trade Route for nothing, but now something had seemed off, and no amount of naivety would stop him form pushing. The girl was involved with something, so it was time to find out what.

"Get up and come with me. I need to ask you some questions."

He would wait for her response, and hoped she would oblige. If not, there were other methods, which he was trying to avoid using in a place as dark and seedy at this.


[member="Elanna Ak'lya"]

 

[Ak'lya]

Looking up from her little ball, Elanna seemed to frown. "Well, you're fickle." Turning back to her drink, she took another swill. Government Agent. No one else acted like that. Naïve and blunt. A bad combination for anyone, if she was consulted. After another scan of the room, she had two exit options. Door that her "friend" had just left, and a back door used in deliveries. Both were far enough away that [member="Ben Trasker"] could hit her before she made it to them. "What are you? Police?" She had to choose her words carefully now. Any one of them could be the wrong one.

A Twi'lek in the next booth over heard her, looked up in surprise, and whispered to his drinking partner. The Trandocian reached for something on his belt. Whatever was going on, this may be getting ugly.

 

[Connor Harrison]

Once she uttered the words he didn't want to hear, Trasker saw the activity in the next booth and the Trandoshan reaching to his belt.

Sith spit...

Trasker reached over to his left side and pulled out his DC-15s sidearm blaster in one fluid motion, aiming it at the Trandoshan with a steely gaze.

"Don't do that."

He wasn't going to falter, not now. Not today. His left hand reached to his rear back pocket and pulled out his holo-id, activating it with the touch of a button. A small blue projection of his GIA ID badge and number came to life.

"Galactic Intelligence Agency. You make one move and you're dead."

The cantina went quiet as the Trandoshan force, sizing up his opponent. Trasker kept his gaze on the heavy in front of him, leaning his head slightly down to where he had left the Bothan girl, his concentration fixed onto his weapon.

"Get up and come with me. Now."


[member="Elanna Ak'lya"]

 

[Ak'lya]

As [member="Ben Trasker"] spoke, the Twi'lek bolted. He probably wouldn't make it to the door. She smiled as he displayed his badge. "First day?" She asked, half serious. He wasn't being quiet or really anything like an Intelligence Agent. He acted more like a police officer. Not exactly wise in this part of town. Letting her legs fall back down, she began to slowly stand.