You Meet at the Cantina...

[Nekromonga]

Undercity of Coruscant

Beneath the rich, glimmering surface of Coruscant, kilometers deep like a concrete canyon with no bottom, was the Undercity. This place was reachable only by a few means- freight lifts lining massive, yawning ventilation shafts, or perhaps falling out of said lifts, or by virtue of simply being born there, amidst countless hundred billions of souls that may never have seen the light of day. It was there one went to find something, or perhaps, so they'd never be found.

= = = = =

Coruscant Cantina 343-24601

It was perpetually twilight in the cramped winding neighborhood of 343-24601. Streets were minimum code standard, wherever the code was even followed. People of all races huddled and squeezed through the passages, carrying personal belongings or pushing wheeled carts of goods. The place was dimly lit by holo-screens and neon lights. Every few minutes a Hover-rail passed overhead or under, moving many souls to and fro their dreary existences. A rare air-speeder or City-Sec car drifted overhead, and even they knew to avoid the worse parts of the city. Children played in makeshift balconies overhead, while vagrants sat in dark alleys- a constant, uncomfortable warmth hung in the air, not to mention the sounds and smells of a billion people crammed into a small space.

The only relief was the Cantina- and even then just barely. Located near a thriving black market, it was, likely most buildings down here, simply built with snap-on metal pre-fabs, built right into the super-structure of the Coruscant skyline. There were only a three rules that were observed - don't shoot the musicians, waitresses or bartender.

Like everywhere else it was crowded, but, at least people were sitting down here to talk and drink, listening to music, watching a lazy Twi'lek dancer, and maybe sometimes shoot a bounty hunter first. Casandrae Vau made some kind of living here, slipping in with her hood up and finding her payment hidden in the bin under her usual table. She looked inside the parcel- Just enough credits to maybe hit the tanning salon or eat some real processed food. She sighed. Just enough food to get the others through another week, and fix the air-cyclers at the apartment...

Cas sighed as a platter of insta-bread and some cheap swill was served her way. It wasn't uncommon to share a table at this hour, she wondered what stories of the world she'd hear tonight. Or if her story would soon change...

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Nekromonga"]

Considering the events surrounding her last little venture to the core world, Runi had thought she’d seen the last of Coruscant and its lower levels. Or perhaps that was simply wishful thinking on her part. With the power struggle still waging on down here in the wake of Dakko’s untimely demise, her head presented a pretty target for anyone looking to establish themselves as the next lieutenant in Juxquin Denare’s little criminal enterprise. The fact that she had only played an inadvertent hand in the Devaronian’s departure from this mortal coil was hardly neither here nor there. She was damned by a simple case of proximity. The facts didn’t matter; it was all about the perceptions.

The kiffar grunted sourly at that, tugging the collar of her spacer’s jacket up a notch as she attempted to navigate the crowded streets, a frown creasing her features at the seemingly endless packed masses before her. It was far too easy to get lost in the ebb and flow of sentient traffic down here. Doomed to become another shambling figure in a sea of faces, wage slaves and the disenfranchised alike, mismatched yet eerily unified in the seemingly lost and downtrodden expression they all wore. If this was what core world living was truly like, they could keep it and their vaunted claims of civilisation. She would rather struggle to make ends meet on the outer rim than spend a parsec longer on this planet than needed. Unfortunately, her current creditor employer had other plans.

A disjointed jingle-jangle of electronic bells heralded Runi’s entrance to the 343-24601 Cantina, pausing in the doorway only long enough to give a faint nod to one of the waitresses and assess the seating situation. It might have been a rundown dive, yet it was infinitely preferable to the streets behind her. A decent enough place to kill time and get a little food in the process as any.

“I’ll take the grayweave and a side of ahrisa,” The salvager ordered as she sat down in one of the corner booths, the one that offered the best vantage point of the front and back entrances. The fact it was already otherwise occupied was a little disappointing, but beggers couldn’t be choosers. Her gaze flickered across the table to her new companion in question, offering her a simple greeting in accented Mando’a. “Su’cuy.”

 

[Nekromonga]

Cas checked her chronometer. She had an hour or two to spare before her mother and four older siblings would be dismissed from their job. She spied Runi and the lack of seating all around, so she scooted over, hiding her parcel inside the folds of her street jacket. It was another female, and she spoke Mando'a. Cas wasn't well versed in the language, save for the insults. Mando'a had the best insults. She decided to be friendly.

"Hey there. You don't look like a Coruscant under-hiver. Where are you from?" She asked, letting the stranger tell her story first. "I'm Casandrae, by the way. Cas for short."

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Nekromonga"]

There was a subtle arch of a brow as Runi regarded the girl opposite her a little more intently. She’d originally only offered her greeting out of a simple sense of propriety, or whatever the Kiffar possessed which could roughly pass for propriety these days. She hadn’t actually meant to strike up a conversation with the girl, nor expected her to start one in return.

“That obvious, 'lek?” She offered blandly before relenting, dipping her head to the side. A little conversation wouldn’t cost her much and would make the time pass a little more quickly. It would take a while before her food was prepared anyway. “I was never much one for stickin' in any place too long, but I guess you could say Kol Atorn was home once upon a time. I wouldn't concern myself if you ain’t ever heard of it, most folk could count that as a blessin’.

An' it's Ru. Just Ru.”

 

[Nekromonga]

[member='Runi Verin']

"Huh... Kol Atorn, yeah, sorry, never heard. Never been off planet anyway." Cas said rather drearily. There really were some people in the universe so strangled by poverty that even a simple flight off-world was beyond them, and Cas was one of those. Sitting next to an off-worlder was always a thrill, as no book, no holo-vid could match a personal account.

Cas decided to play the curious cat. She may have been a criminal, but she was still young, and dared to wonder what was out there. "So what brings you to the rock bottom of Coruscant, Ru? What's happening out there in the wider galaxy?" They usually came down here to find something, or not to be found. Cas decided she might offer Ru some discounted services later on, but for now she wanted to just listen.

 

[Runi Verin]

[member="Nekromonga"]

“It’s a backwater on the Outer Rim. Not much worth notin’, really.” Runi replied with a faint upturn of those lips. In truth there wasn’t really much she could say about Kol Atorn in truth. Her memories of that life seemed so far away now, and what few remained were hardly the kind one wound recount to a stranger you just met. Or anyone, if she had her way. Scraping and scratching out a living on the streets could hardly be considered the high point of her existence. Even if it sometimes seemed little had changed in that regard. She just did it on a much larger, galactic scale.

“Same as ever, really. People dyin’, empires crumblin’ an’ creds changin’ hands.” The Kiffar offered with a shrug of her shoulders, leaning back into the booth to get a little more comfortable. “I guess you could say it’s a combination of all three that brought me here, though. Mostly the latter. What about you? You live an’ work around here?”

 

[Nekromonga]

[member="Runi Verin"]

"Pretty much... if scraping it out is what you call livin'. I'm a..." Cas paused for the briefest moment to consider what to call herself. "...delivery girl." A delivery girl who can afford the Cantina and not be bothered by the assorted trash, like some armed and ugly Trandoshians in the next booth, or a female Togruta dealer accompanied by bodyguards.

"You know, if you're looking for something at the market outside, I can tell ya who'll swindle ya the least." She offered, watching as the Trandoshians got up and left the bar, to be replaced by some other assorted clientel.

 

[Skylar Ichor]

Sky didn't know why she wanted to go to Coruscant, but after hours, maybe even a day or two of wandering around the planet city, getting to know a few thieves' routes and the a few of the many gang syndicates and where to avoid going, the sorta-ex-thief found herself at a dumpy cantina waiting for a meal she didn't want to know where it came from. She sat down and took her knife out, inspecting it and making its

I wonder how Jan's doing right now. I should probably head back to Antecedent before he sends half of.. whatever faction he is in now, after me. Jan, as Sky called him, was Sky's boyfriend. Don't ask them how they met, it's a very long story. But back to the present. Sky's meal had come and she quickly began to eat, knowing if she didn't eat quickly someone was going to steal her food. She looked over and saw two Trandoshians eyeing her before walking out.

"Must be the hair." Skylar's hair, being stark white with three black stripes to match Jan's jet black with white stripes called her unwanted attention sometimes, especially from slavers looking for an easy catch. She scooted closer to a pair of women talking about the market outside.

"Would you care to tell me if one of the dealers outside carries hooded jackets or cloaks?"

[member="Nekromonga"] [member="Runi Verin"]

 

[Nekromonga]

[member="Skylar Ichor"]

Cas turned to face the newcomer, assessing if she was a threat or no. She was a eye-catching one with the hair, and Cas was half tempted to girl-out. She composed herself and gave her a friendly response.

"Sure do. You want cheap with lice, or pricey and no lice?" Cas said with a smirk. Seeing she'd finished eating now, and her chronometer indicated it was time, she stood up and turned to [member="Runi Verin"] . "You staying, or would you like to see the market? Safety in numbers."

Once outside Cas guided them through the market, avoiding the Hutt dealers entirely and going for some beat up old droid dealers. She asked Skyler something as they perused the goods on the market.

"if you don't mind me asking...Is that your natural hair color, or do you use some kind of product, like a gel... or a cream?" (( xD ))

((Let's get a post order up. Runi, Sky, then me. ))

 

[Runi Verin]

[SIZE=9pt][member="Nekromonga"] [member="Skylar Ichor"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]A delivery girl, was it? The Kiffar ghosted a smirk at that, no stranger to the varied and often colourful euphemisms people sought to disguise their illicit careers behind. She had used more than a few in her time, even before becoming indebted to a sleemo like Dasooga. The euphemisms had lost some of their roguish appeal after that, as was often the way when one found themselves working for the Hutts.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The smirk waivered slightly as a second companion, equally as unanticipated as the first, made themselves known. Judging by the expression of the two scaleheads that left, it seemed she had come in hand with her own brand trouble. An all too familiar prickling sensation traversed her spine. So much for wiling away a few hours in relative peace and anonymity. She’d almost been looking forward to that ahrisa, too.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“’lek, I’m suddenly getting’ the impression that stickin’ around here ain’t exactly conducive with healthy livin’.”[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Runi remarked dryly as she pulled herself to her feet, following a few steps behind the self-proclaimed delivery girl and the duotone haired trouble magnet. If things did take a predictable turn, the open streets would be preferable to the cramp and crowded quarters of a diner. Less collateral, too, which in turn meant less attention. Both by the authorities and those that had an ear out for such things. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]“An’ I don’ jus’ mean the food.”[/SIZE]

 

[Skylar Ichor]

"I'd prefer without lice, but I've managed with worse." Looking at the lady next to them, nodding in agreement at her statement.

"One of the reasons I'm looking for something to hide my hair." As they walked out, Sky knew that she'd have to be on high alert for predators, even in with the small group. The 'delivery' girl who couldn't be much younger than she was asked about her hair and Sky smiled, relaxing just a bit.

"The stripes aren't natural, but I've had this hair for as long as I can remember." Sky winkd before looking around again for exit ways in case they were attacked and kept a firm hand against her dagger and, ironically, her wallet.

"Heh, it's funny how much Nar Shaddaa is like Coruscant. Alleyways filled with thieves and beggars, and people everywhere struggling to make a living while the richies make their homes in the tallest spikes of buildings protruding from the depths of the underworld. Never thought I'd ever have to be wary of my own kind."

[member="Runi Verin"] [member="Nekromonga"]

 

[Casandrae Vau]

((Awww yeah sub-character accounts))

[member="Skylar Ichor"] [member="Runi Verin"]

Cas frowned slightly slightly, not quite getting what Skyler was going on about. "I wouldn't know... Never left this place before. How many worlds are out there in the galaxy? Are they all... like Coruscant?" "Or... are there other kinds?"

Nodding to Rurin, Cas led the ladies outside, the trio of rough looking vagabond females discouraging any bad looks coming their directions. The nearby market was crammed with the most paranoid and eagle-eyed shop owners, any sudden moves towards any displayed goods met with a blaster pointed in their direction. Cas led them through all the goods being sold, a good deal being salvage, home made or outright stolen. They didn't even bother taking off the Planet Security logo off some of the armor and equipment. Strange smells wafted from the direction of the food stalls- one could only guess how food got to this forsaken place.

Cas finally hit upon the clothes dealer and got Skyler some fine choices of cloaks. Black, Gray, brown... or a combination thereof. In the neon lights of the market it was hard to appreciate the color, but Cas eyed a nice maroon cloak for herself.

She and the ladies were minding their own business when a conga line of Trandoshians with clubs and slug throwers pushed their way through the main market isle, flipping tables over and making lots of people's days bad. They were heading to a part of the neighborhood it seemed, howling in their gutteral language about some fight. A lot of canny scavengers and opportunities looked at them. A brawl meant lots of chaos. chaos meant lots of looting and robbery and properties not being minded. Some folk were already grabbing some empty loot bags.

"I smell... opportunity." Cas muttered to her companions, wondering if they had the pluck to make a few extra credits.

 

[Skylar Ichor]

"Honey, there is only one other planet I can name that is like Coruscant; my homeworld, Nar Shaddaa. Every world you go to gets even crazier than the next." Skylar looked through the cloaks the girl showed her and picked a dark gray one, so that there wouldn't be too much contrast between it and her hair. She paid for it and swiftly put it on just as a group of Trandoshians came and started wrecking the market. Smiling mischievously as [member="Casandrae Vau"] made her statement, Sky nodded and made sure the satchel she had on her was still there.

"Good thing I'm not out of practice." Sky paused, and then turned to the small group.

"Oh, before we go, I should probably introduce myself. The name's Skylar Ichor, a not-really-ex-thief." She paused to see their reactions, then continued.


"Now, shall we?"

[member="Runi Verin"]