A message

[Tear]

Small navigation lights blinked like colored stars of red and blue lost in a sea of elaborate neon signs. More often then not one person wouldn't even notice the nagivation lights of the small droid as it whizzed through packed streets of the Taapes district. They hearded like animals from night club to casino to bar to a hotel and so on, depending on what choices the animals made that night. Or day for that matter most of the time their eyes were on the money and not the color of the sky that was blotted out most of the time by the elaborate signs that drew them in like droves of insects to a bug zapper.

The droid banked to the left dodging an angry speeder that careened from lane to lane. It's target the Nabooian Queen one of the more popular casino's in the district if not the planet. Gambling wasn't in the droids programming today the droid could have cared less to what installation it was being sent toward. It only cared about the message it held and the target the message was intended.

"Sasseeri Reeouurra. Please" The droid insisted politely. The gruff looking doorman sneered trying to swat the droid away like a fly the size of his head.

"Droids ain't allowed. Specially droids I dunno."

The droid chirped irritatedly, circling around the flailing arms of the guard. "I have a message for the owner. I trust it's of importance to her."

The man cringed with reluctance. He knew if the message was important and he didn't allow the droid to deliver, it could mean his job or more. "Alright, come with me and stay by me or else ya scrap. Got it?"

The doorman glanced toward the second guard infront of the door and jerked a thumb toward the casino. "Cover for me."

[Tear]

The droid followed dutifully. It's single optical sensory focused and unfocused over its surroundings with the curiousity of a young child. Bounding from the left then to the right trying to take in all the action it could process. All the while it kept within an invisible boundry tied to the moving guard.

"Droids got a message for da boss." The door mans common was sluggish at best. His vowels hung low giving his words a lethargic feel.

"I have a message." The droid chirped, some would say proudly if they didn't know better.

"Thats Wut I said."

"Right..." The man who was obviously someone higher up then the door man tilted his head, eyebrow arched. Contemplating the level of importance of simple droid carrying a message. Would his boss like to hear it? Or maybe it's something she couldn't be bothered with. Depending on her mood it could be either one. Simple things were only complicated with powerful people. At least this job pays well, he thought sourly, waving toward the droid to follow.

He could have just listened to the message and relayed it back to his boss. But honestly, he didnt want to know what the message was about. The less he knew the safer he would be. Idiomatic to most but in this business it fit like an executioners glove.

[Kal Olorin]

I scratched my head while I eyed the droid. "Why did you bring this up here, again?"

"Said it's a message for Miss Reeouurra. I didn't want to - well you know. Anyway, I have to get back to the door..."

I waved him away with a hand, and left the penthouse for the hallway. Lighting up a stim, I blew a ring of smoke towards the patient droid. "Well, you don't look like an assassin droid to me, but the female in there is mighty edgy right now. Who sent you?"

[Tear]

The droid chirped curiously letting the smoke ring billow against its cold faceplate. A scan of the smoke ran data into the droid like an out of control river. Its single red eye blinked and refocused onto the stim between the mans thick yellow fingers. A side effect of too many stims.

--Warning hazardous material in consumption--. Data analysis irrelevant target of consumption expendable and not required for final destination.

"I am here to deliver a message to Miss. Reeo-," The mechanical voice fell short when the droids analysis equipment registered what could be irritation in the mans facial expression. Apparently falling back on the primary coding wasn't always a viable option.

"The message is sent from a Mr.Shadow." The droid hovered in place, its logic systems already considering its answer would have a 80% unsatisfactory response in the man.

"It would be beneficial to Miss Reeouurra to recieve the message." The droid sung insuringly.

[Kal Olorin]

I cocked an eyebrow, and said, "Yeah, and I'm Mr. Feel-Good. Mister Shadow, eh? Doesn't sound familiar."

I keyed open the door and led the droid inside. "Now, just stand here for a moment while the security system scans you." I stepped back a few feet, just incase the system felt the need to detonate the droid after scanning.

Droid is clean, and may be admitted. Have a nice day, Olorin.

"Shut up." I glared at the ceiling at the disembodied voice of the security AI, and waved the messenger droid forward. "Right this way."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri was just rolling out of bed when Olorin brought the droid into the penthouse suite. Wrapping herself in a handpainted silk robe, the Vigo pinned her mussed hair up off her shoulders and went to see what the fuss was about.

Olorin is staying with the droid in the first sitting room, Mistress.

"Thank you, Trrragonji." Sasseeri had named the AI after one of Carshoulis Prime's most poisonous lizards, and the reference made her smile. She swept into the sitting room, and regarded the droid from what she thought was just close enough.

"Well? What jis the message?"

[Tear]

The droid whirled about as its scanners picked up the heat signature of another humanoid. A series of lights lit up over the droids outer surface as if the mechanical ball was excited.

Identity Confirmed Madam Sasseeri Reeouurra. If droids could experiance euphoria this was as close as it got for them. A series of primary coding rolled off, decrypting and unlocking the message. To accomplish its primary objective was a goal it had wished to achieve all its life. All two and a half hours of it.

The droid chirped rapidly as it flicked verticle and lowered to the ground. Its single red eye staring up at the ceiling. The droid lowered itself until it was horizontal with Reeouurra's hips, it was for optimal performance. The eye blinked once, then twice and the red faded into blue as a hologram sprung like a fountain infront of Reeouurra's eyes.

To most it was a simple freighter docked in one Coruscants many docking bays. But to Reeouurra it wasn't just a freighter it was her, freighter. It contained a rather large amount of liquid silver that was brokered from a Hutt. Just the sight of it coming from a foreign source was probably enough to let a sense of caution tingle up her spine. If that wasn't enough the squads of storm troops pouring out over it like ants would definitly let her know something was wrong.

"Mr.Shadow wishes to inform you that your employees were very loyal. They did not break easily," The swirling blue image suddenly shifted to the site of several men strung up, the condition of which wasn't pretty.

"and even then it took a great deal of money and resources to track the shipment to the Hutt it came from. The hutt wasn't pleased at the sight of Imperials in his home." Again the image shifted, this time the face of an angry filtered into the blue like sculpted sand.

"Your name was given as a result of his cooperation." The light evaperated with a blink and the red eye returned along with the droids buoyancy.

The droid hovered with indifference even though his sensors were picking up increased levels of what could be defined as anxiety through the room.

"Mr.Shadow wishes a meeting. Transportation is waiting for you outside if you choose to accept."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Her ears laid back and she bared her teeth at the recording.

"And jif jI choose not to accept?"

Kal grunted, and their eyes met. Sasseeri sighed, and gestured at her clothes. "jI wjill have to change. One moment." She slipped back through the door to her bedroom and started flinging clothes around the room.

[Kal Olorin]

I light up another stim and smile at the hovering droid. "Women."

The soundproofed walls can not restrain the muffled curses that are filtering into the room from Sasseeri, but I remain lazily reclined in my chair until the lady of the hour emerges from her bedroom.

Clothed in a loose fitting blouse that she had buttoned to the collar, and long pants with sensible black shoes, she looks like she is ready to do battle with - well with whoever Mr. Shadow turns out to be. Someone with stormtroopers in his pocket can be one of two things. A being who was so powerful he dresses his own stooges in armor to pass off as part of the Empire; or he actually is part of the Empire.

Either way, I'm confident he's just messed with the wrong person.

"Shall we?" Sasseeri hisses at me and the droid both, her platinum hair pulled up into a neat ponytail. I don't think I've ever seen her with her hair in a ponytail. It makes her look younger.

I pull myself off the couch and go around the corner to retrieve my brown leather duster. Slipping it on, I meet the boss-lady and messenger droid at the door.

"Tragoni?"

Yes, Olorin? The AI's voice was calm, as though nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

"If anyone tries to come through this door and Miss Reeouurra is not present, blow their frelling heads off."

Affirmative, Olorin. Have a nice day, Mistress.

Sasseeri's ears are still laid back, flush against the smooth line of blond hair pulled against her skull. Her eyes are fierce, but all she says is, "Trrransporrrtatjion, drrrojid?"

I close the door behind us and hear the locks cycling into place.

[Tear]

The droid slides gracefully ahead of the pair the irony/irritation isn't lost on Reeouurra when the droid leads them through her casino. Their first step outside is met by the chaotic sounds of the Taapes nightlife. Humanoids of all shapes and sizes sift by the trio like sand with a will.

"Transportation." The droid clicks factually as a large onyx limosine falls from the sky. Its almost creepy with its punctuality even more so when the main door slides back on que admitting the couple.

The ride is short but not without some small conversation made on behalf of their droid guide.

"You look very good madam. Its amazing from the transformation when I first scanned your image. You wouldnt think its the same person Miss. Reeouurra. Your friend also, his jacket is very brown, it suits him well."

The droid continues with praises and mild notes on the details of the weeks future weather forecast. It becomes painfully obvious by the end of the trip that 'chit chat' wasn't part of the droids primary programming.

The Restaurant is called the Blocks chip. They serve a small dish called Joldo picuri, their main attraction, Joldari falcon breast sauced in a soft berry butter. A triple star by even by the toughest critics on coruscant.

Through a dimly lit mine field of tables and waiters the droid guided them. The restaurant was busy, like it was every day to get a table someone might have to book months in advance. Like most owners the famous and the wealthy got their pick depending on their standing in popular culture. Abnormally one table stood out in the busy restaurant. It wasn't by choice of the person sitting in the middle but all the tables surrounding him were obscenely empty. No utensils or candles which gave the idea there might be a chance you could be seated there.

The droid whirled about to face the two, its single red eye squinted, in reality it was focusing but the droid knew it would have the same effect of sterness. "We are here."

The man stood lines of candle light zig zagging over his facial features as he moved toward the two. He was wearing a simple suit of black something he found fit most occasions. They wouldn't recognize him. Few actually got to see him but in honest they didn't need to know what sort of power he held. They just needed to know his title and this would become alarmingly clear.

"Grand Inquisitor your guests have arrived." The droid chirped with finality,

"Thank you Tor-4. Im glad you have accepted my invitation Miss Reeouurra. I'm sure your eager to find out what this is about so please, have a seat and ill cut to the chase." His blue eyes met hers momentarily as he pulled a chair back for her.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri took her seat, lamenting that there had not been a chance to overpower the driver and enter this meeting on her own terms. "Yes, jI hate beatjing arrround the bush, jInqujisjitorrr."

[Tear]

Tear sat silently for a moment, leaning back he adjusted his tie as he thought about where to start. Shifting forward suddenly, he pointed toward her as if just realizing who she was.

"You're a gangster." He licked his bottom lip, the word left a somewhat greasy taste in his mouth. His eyes flicked to Olorin who was acting the obedient lap dog, standing next to his owner. His precense probably made Reeouurra feel safer which is the only reason the Inquisitor allowed his presence.

"More to the point your a Vigo in the black sun a large crime syndicate that's managed to hook its fingers into alot of places. Most of which the Empire could careless about. I think thats the only reason we let you scuttle around below us doing your, thing." Tear curled his lip bitterly as he looked at the woman across from him.

"That combined with the fact that you and your ilk can be...useful." The Inquisitor smiled a smile of a thousand toothy grins the likes of which would freighten a shark. Its Reeouurra's usefulness to him that kept a sea of storm troopers and Inquisitor soldiers at bay.

"But i'm sure you already know that. With your spice runs and your casino. Im sure you have alot of friends with alot of connections that run deep. They could go deeper though?"

"You can be useful to me Reeouurra and I, to you. That is if your interested." It was a proposal to some extent. The ring of commitment taking form of words from a forked tongue. She didn't really had a choice.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseerri raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the Grand Insquisitor, and queried, "And jif jI am not jinterrrested? Afterrr all, you've done yourrr homeworrrk. jI don't need anythjing you could offerrr me." The felinoid flicked her ponytail off her shoulder and behind her.

"And the rrrjisks of you bejing caught dojing... busjiness? wjith a gangsterrrr..." She tsked and shook her head.

[Tear]

A soft finger tip brushed over the table cloth, shoo'ing some fallen ash from Olorin's stim off the table. Tear inhaled softly, held his breath a moment then sighed almost dissapointedly.

"I think you missed the point. It's not what I offer, its what you can offer me that will benefit yourself. If you choose not to?" Tear let the question hang in the air like a guillotine. It was a deadly question she was flirting with and not something that would buy her any bargaining room.

"Why would you not? You are right, I have done my homework and I know you are not as strong as you would like to appear. I can make you stronger. Imagine with the military backing of the empire what sort of power you could carve for yourself? Is that not something you desire? To see fear in your enemies?" Tear sat back his palms resting comfertably on the table. He sighed again this time more out of boredem, he had enough of trying to convince Reeouura.

"As for the risks. I am the law but If you wish to announce yourself a gangster for the public I'll be more then happy to encourage the notion. Why don't we make it happen tommarow?"

He had a bad temper. At times he set himself off. Tear snapped his fingers and several men moved from the shadows dropping Olorin instantly and carrying him off. His stim, still smoldering was plucked from the hardwood floor, the ash wiped under the carpet. It was that easy, Reeouurra knew it, and if she wasn't careful she would be the one to be wiped under the carpet.

Tear glowered at her for a moment letting his temper melt away into something more appealing in a future partner. Smile.

"Partners?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

His little show of overbearing strength, taking Olorin out of the room without so much as a whisper, was meant to cow her into taking his little offer. Alone, he figured she would feel threatened more easily, and would be simple to manipulate.

Her blue eyes glittered as she looked over the so-called Grand Inquisitor. "Parrrtnerrrs, then." She smiled, slowly, a feral look touching her before evaporating.

He had the tiger by the tail now - it would be interesting to see how long he could hold on.

[Tear]

"Good." He smiled the smile of a devil stealing a thousand souls, what was one more contract?

"I suppose we should discuss conditions as such there is only one. Fifty percent of all your profit goes to me. Not debaitable." Tears lifeless blue eyes slid to Reeourra's like a knife between her ribs. "Hutts kill your family if you cross them. Imperials destroy your worlds, do not short change me Miss Reeouurra."

"For my side of the deal I will provide you with muscle to back your endevours. If that means taking on another Vigo or protecting your assets I will be there to back you up." For once it was a truth that slid from the Grand Inquisitors forked tongue. If he recieved what he wanted he would value Reeouurra and like anything he held of value he would protect it.

"Ships, troops you name a route or a place and they will be there. Satisfactory? Oh and Olorin will be waiting for you back at your casino." The man would have a headache for a few hours and a gap of memory but other then that he would be fine.

"If there isn't anything else my men will escort you back to your Casino."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Fjifty perrrcent of prrrofjits jis not satjisfactorrry. Perrrhaps you should talk to someone else. As farrr as my 'famjily' or planet, you know jI have nejitherrr, and jif jI djid - jI wouldn't carrre what you djid to them."

Sasseeri smiled again, as cool as though she were discussing dinner, rather than the possible genocide of Carshoulis Prime. "Declarrrjing warrr on a soverjiegn system durrrjing the currrrrent ... darrre jI say jImperrrjial crrrjisjis would not be wjise. But jif you wjish to destrrroy Carrrshouljis Prrrjime, be my guest."

She leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table, her petite features skeptical. "So all you want jis a pjiece of the prrrofjits? Surrrely therrre jis morrre than that. What jis jit you want me to do forrr you, jInqujisjitorrr Tearrr?"

[Tear]

Tear leaned back his hands resting solemly on the table, flicking the table cloth idly. Fifty percent was alot to ask for and in honest Tear knew she would resist such a drastic pull at her estates. A fools smile stretched back to reveal his white teeth he couldn't help but entertain some procreative images that flashed through his mind when she asked of what she could do for him.

"You can give me fifty percent of your profits" Tear insisted, still grinning from the after throught of the question. The persisting statement would probably only serve to irritate her but the price was set and he wouldn't back down until he got what he needed.

"Trust me you wont miss it. It'll be going toward a good cause helping the orphans of those who fell at Endor." He smirked at the thought as he sat up in his chair once again, still flicking a fold in the table cloth.

"You know what I want Sasseri." His dead eyes slid met hers as if they could punch home the point of fity percent. "But we havent discussed what it is you might want out of this?" Tear really didnt care what she wanted but women had the habit of see'ing something else they wanted and letting go of something they were trying to keep.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She sat back. "So all you want jis money? The Empjirrre should pay thejir guarrrd dogs betterrr." Sassseeri had caught the flash of carnal desire that the Inquisitor had entertained. She was always highly tuned toward that sort of thing.

But he wasn't a man she could sleep with to bend to her will. This one was strong. Breaking him would be a life's work. "Would you want yourrr credjits sent to the Endorjian Orrrphan's Fund, then? Orrr perrrhaps you alrrready have an account set up, jin yourrr own name. Perrrhaps based on Muunjiljist, orrr one of the otherrr worrrlds of the Bankjing Clans?"

[Tear]

"No...I dont think i'll have my money sent to people who owe you favors." Tear smiled weakly, the fresh fact that Sasseeri was a gangster still waved bright and clear in his thoughts. The black sun probably dipped their hands into the banking worlds regularly, hell maybe they even ran them.

Tear reached into his pocket the smell of rich cologne spilled from under his coat from the movement. A second later a small data card landed neatly infront of Reeouura. "Everything you need to access the account is in there, partner." He could tell she hated the word partner already. The bitter taste would only get worst with every payment she will make.

He sat silently for a moment. His face turned the look of someone who just drank sour milk and had no where to spit. In actuallity he was trying to think of a way to sweeten the deal for Sasseeri. A way to make her feel like she would benefit from the partnership. It was easier then killing the woman when she betrayed him and finding a new income. He detested niceties.

"You're a beautiful woman Ms.Reeouura and from how you've handled yourself here a strong willed business woman as well." It wasn't that hard to lie she was beautiful. "But you must have goals you dream to achieve?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Whatever he was trying to pull, she wasn't about to buy his compliment. Although, she was beautiful. It was nice to be appreciated, even if he was about to ruin everything she'd worked her whole life for.

To think of all she'd put up with from the Kasajian woman, and the countless nights spent 'entertaining' Prince Xizor and stroking his ...ego. No, she knew how to use flattery as a weapon, and the man across from her was terrible at it.

The smell of his cologne was getting stronger, which probably meant he was feeling a little hotter under the collar. Probably angry at her. But if he killed her he would get nothing. Her organization was ready to split apart and disappear at the moment of her confirmed death, a little present she'd arranged in case anyone tried a hostile takeover. Of course, that depended on her underlings actually executing the plan.

That was the problem with an empire as big as hers. You always ended up trusting someone.

She looked at Tear, her eyelashes fluttering a little. "Goals? Drrreams?" Sasseeri played with the end of her sleek ponytail a little bit as she spoke. "My goals and drrreams werrre all realjized when that pjig Xjizor died. So, you see, the Empjirrre has alrrready done everrrythjing forrr me that jI could wjish forrr."

[Tear]

The laughter cut through the whispered clatter of utensils that surrounded them. Tear couldn't help but laugh and here I thought everyone loved "Prince" Xizor, he thought to himself.

"So what your saying is you owe the Empire then?" He snickered, his usual toothy smile apparent. Although he found this amusing he saw she didn't. A certain sense of emotion she hadn't shown flared just a tiny bit behind her cool exterior. A bit of tangled history between you and Xizor? Tear made a mental note to look back and see just what her relationship to Xizor was, but knowing Xizor reputation, Tear already had an idea.

Or maybe now was a good time.

"Xizor had quite the reputation. What was your...position with him?" Tear spoke that last three words as if they were covered with syrup and couldn't spill out any slower but his voice sounded of innocence, like he was oblivious to the jab at her past. A faint smile as he watched for a reaction.

Anger? Maybe even embaressment or were you proud? Proud of of the fact you did what a woman in your position needed to get what she wanted. Tear wondered what sort of woman Sasseeri Reeoourra was and her reaction would give him an answer.

"Im curious, how is the Black Sun couping with the loss of their leader?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

He certainly was ham-handed when it came to prying. Sasseeri looked him in the eyes, and raised an eyebrow. "jI don't offerrr up jinforrrmatjion forrr frrree. Therrre's just no perrrcentage jin jit. As farrr as my posjitjion wjith the Prrrjince, you'rrre welcome to fjind out."

She watched his face for any reaction to the innuendo she'd just laid bare on the table.

[Tear]

His lip curled cruely as if the most devlish thought had just crossed his mind. She was smart, cunning and cold. All the qualities he could look for in an enemy. I think I'll keep her, Tear thought to himself, highly amused with her Sasseeri's retort.

"I just might." Tear gave a motion to what looked like a wall and a man dressed neatly in a black suit moved from the shadows. He placed a data pad onto the table before slinking back to his position.

"I believe thats yours." Tear twisted the pad around to face Reeouurra and nudged it closer to her. A cargo manifesto of Sasseer's comphiscated shipment of silver.

"If you can't decide what your goals are in this partner ship...aside from trying to get out of it, that is. I'll set your goal for you. Make money Ms. Reeouurra. Sell these drugs, infect these people," Tear gestured loosely to the surrounding patrons. "make your mark on this galaxy and carve your empire. But most importantly make me money as you do it." Tear's dead blue eyes gave a look of meaning. Hopefully she would read the last part that went unsaid...

Or I will kill you.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She resisted the overwhelming urge to roll her eyes, and ignored the datapad. "jI have my own rrrecorrrds as to what was jin the confjiscated shjipment. How arrre you plannjing to rrreturrrn jit to me?"

[Tear]

Tear stood and straightened his suit, sighing irritatedly as he did so. "Can you read Sasseeri?" He leaned over the table and tapped the data bad a few times bringing up a set of directions to a warhouse in the storage district of Tenir.

"I've kept some though. Hope you dont mind." Tear faked a smile as he motioned for her to get up as well.

"I think our business is concluded here. Unless you have anything else? You can tell it to your new escort." The same droid the buzzed into her casino earliar that night was found hovering silently a few feet behind her.

"If you need to contact me you ask it to do so for you. If theres a problem with a payment youll explain it to him. Please dont tamper with him either. That would be ...unfortunate."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri stood gracefully, ignoring the droid. "jIt jis all crrrystal clearrr." She pocketed the datapad. "You know, jI had half a mjind to trrry to kjill you eventually, but jI thjink keepjing you aljive wjill be so much morrre fullfjilljing jin the long rrrun."

It was a sham to call his hostile takeover 'business,' but the half-breed Cizerack kept the rest of her feelings to herself and let the Inquisitor make what he would of her comment. She waltzed out of the restaurant and found one of her own cars outside waiting for her. Olorin must have come to and sent it to pick her up.

Her driver opened the back door of her sleek white speeder for her, and she slipped inside. The droid made to follow, but a sharp command from Sasseeri stopped it as the driver obligingly put the one-eyed droid into the speeder's trunk. Oh, she'd take it home with her and it would be unmolested, but she wasn't about to give a potential assassin droid free reign in her life.

There was a nice closet in the penthouse that could be retrofitted to store the almost certainly hazardous droid. Perhaps a dampening field would do the trick - not direct tampering, but it would certainly keep the thing from reporting back to the Inquisitor except when she wanted it to.

Sasseeri took a deep breath and let it out slowly as the speeder pulled up and away from the restaurant. There was much work to be done.