A Hard Days Night (open)

[Ula Tam]

I don't really remember how I got to be a dancer--you know, a dancer dancer?

It probably had something to do with nodding. See, I wasn't the kind of kid who sat around at parties and tried to convince everyone else to sneak out to the backyard and compare parts behind the bushes. I was the kid sitting next to that kid. The one who didn't say much, and nodded a lot just to be agreeable.

So the best I can figure, is that I was so hungry when I stepped off the ship on Coruscant, that I just nodded at the first person who offered me a job. And so, the sparkly halter tops and chain-mail bikinis in my closet rapidly multiplied--until I got on stage of course; then they dissapear pretty quick. You know, dancer dancer style.

It's not such a bad job anyways. It pays really good and I usually have complete control over most situations. Besides, being a dancer, I don't generally meet the type of guy who wants to settle down--I get what I need, he gets what he needs, and we don't have to buy a white picket fence and feed the kiddies. Actually, if you really examine it, it's probably one of the best ways to live in today's galaxy.

Of course, after you hit 25-ish it gets a little competitive. And it gets a little more competitive once you're 32. Really. Which is why I'm not headlining the big clubs anymore; they give those jobs to the snivelling little nineteen-year-old bimbos that are a dime a dozen on Coruscant. I'm stuck on a hunk of junk "luxery cruiser", shaking my thang for a bunch of retired importer/exporters in one of the shabby lounges.

Not that I'm complaining. But it's hard to make a living that way, especially after being used to life in the big city. So I've had to be a bit entrepreneurial. It's amazing how many angry women there are in the galaxy. It's even more amazing how many of them go on holiday with their significant others.

It's no biggie to get a man back to my quarters. And it just takes a little more effort for him never to come back out. A simple trip down the garbage shoot, and the 'Missus' can go back to being a significantly happier 'Miss'--widowhood has it's ups, I suppose.

Tonights no different, although usually I don't get approached the first day out. I hardly even look at the client as I sit down and light a stim.

"Before we get started, I don't do women, and I don't do children. I'm purely a male business--although I might have to charge you extra depending on the species."

Ground rules. You gotta have 'em.

[Belay Nisi]

Observation.

It wasn't really all that hard when it came to it, especially for me. I just sat around for most of my life, or whatever you could call the experiences I ran through since the last days of the Jedi. When you sat, said nothing, one listened a lot better than usual. It was something that during those small times when my ears didn't perk up at the sound of "smuggler" in the numerous languages or "spacer" I thought of those Jedi that didn't listen. They called them Masters, beings of which had supreme knowledge. It was they that were like parents to a number of sentients like I, but much like parents they felt there was nothing else to learn.

So I sat on this night, my eyes never transfixed, running the windows of my soul across the world before me. The sound of ships engine swooped through my earlobes like a chance-cube to the ground. Banging from one detail to the next ridge until it finally rolled to a stop in my mind. Registering the sounds with inhuman precision, I could write up the design print-out of the engine within my mind in a matter of seconds. A genuine genius one could say, but it was all through experience...those same experiences I dealt with since the last days..

Swinging effortlessly about, I pushed off a railing that seperated the shuttle windows from the platform. When I was young space dazzled me, but depression had engrossed that amazement and all I could see was a waste. Everything had formed into garbage, even the pleasant people that decided to mop my smug self across the galaxy. Those spacers had taught me a lot, more than their lingo.

"Look at me all proton-shocked, lookin' like a nuna's backside staring off into the bare-bunk. Frag, I'm stupid!" I muttered in the most vial voice I could, not barley a second earlier noticing a woman walking up to me. As most things I did, it held purpose, and it showed as she quickly diverted her steps away.

Letting a smile push itself onto my lips, I rode my smooth glide across the rugged floor. Running my hand along the rail, I began studying my surroundings deeper. People watched as a lady danced. Yet something caught my eye. The woman...and she was quick to spark a discussion. Physically...she was interesting, but as usual I kept that to myself.

Something leaked through though...because I could feel a warming smile.

[Ula Tam]

"Hey, listen, if I'm gonna do a job for you, you gotta agree to the rules. That's why they're rules."

I raised my eyebrows as I studied the guy through my stim smoke. He hadn't said anything, just sat there smiling. It didn't get me uncomfortable, per say, but it sure wasn't normal. Heck, a male customer in this regard wasn't normal. It was always the scorned women who got word out that they wanted to meet me after the show for a talk.

"Listen pal, I gotta get back to the stage in another twenty minutes so we don't have time to play games. What is it you want me to do? Off one of your lady friends? Because if that's it,"

I brushed my ghostly hair out of my eyes and jabbed at him with the glowing end of my stim.

"Then no deal. I don't seduce other women. Not my forte."

[Belay Nisi]

She made me nervous...I hated that. Rarely did any being do that to me, and for it to happen so easily left a tremble awakening from within. This time, however, I managed to subside by a glance about. My eyes wandered off like a stray dog, looking aimlessly about in all directions as I awaited for something to strenghten in me. It was a nervous habit that I had developed during my training with the "little green man" as the Bear Clan had come to call him. He was shorter than I, even then, and looking off to the side always allowed my thoughts to be recollected.

This time, she was the little green man, but for all the wrong reasons.

Finally swinging my head back to focus, I stared into her eyes once more. A smirk rode my face as never before. This "little green woman" wasn't little or green at all. She was a beauty and it was to be expected in such an event...but it was different. There had been many Jedi Masters out there, yet very few teachings stuck with me long beside a forgotten man known as the maverick. He believed in the "Force" far more than the Jedi, it was spooky how I was so in common.

Yet it was sure not just a coicidence that I had bumped into her, so I had to speak. Even as my moist lips, wet from a quick lick I gave near unknowingly, locked down I mustered a verball. It was an uncontrolled whisper, but my voice was as neutral as could be.

"Why do you do this?"

[Ula Tam]

Oh frelling hells.

I'd run into this kind before. They wanted someone knocked off, but they had to wrestle with the moral monster first. These meetings were generally tedious, and I had to do more convincing than I liked. If you ask me, before you meet with someone who you're about to hire to kill someone else, you'd better be darn sure about it.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Motioning to Henu, the closest waitress, I ordered a drink and then turned back to the man in front of me. Expelling a patient breath, I shrugged.

"Credits. I need 'em. People got 'em. It's a fair exchange."

If he'd been expecting me to say it wasn't easy, and that sometimes I regretted the way my life had gone, he was in for a surprise. It's amazing how easy it is to lose a sense of values in todays galaxy--that's assuming you've been able to develop them at all.

"Kraast, you're not the new priest on board are you?"

I cringed, remembering the last time that had happened. I hadn't exactly made friends with Father Bouse.

[Lamar Starworth]

Edit

[Belay Nisi]

The brownie orbs of my eyes, like the Tatoo suns, gazed in study as I listened to her explaination. It was sweet and to the point and the nectar of the sweetness left my lips smacking. The side of my cheek jerked in reaction, forcing a smirk as my inside tore at each other. Somewhere there was something that wanted me to choke her, but I had grown. The days of mindlessly following the Jedi teachings without a thought uninfluenced by a Council's ideals had faded away. Instead of a child in robes, I was another face amoungst the crowd and it had worked all this time, but it there was an indifference here.

She was direct, far too much for my taste and it left that smirk far too wide. The incisiors of my mouth showed, bared ready to chomp down the closest prey.

"Interesting," I whispered slyly, placing my hand out. It stayed there a moment, unnoticed, until it summoned the drink within her palm. It was her words, they were sweet but still left a nasty swallow to be gulped. There was too much to it like a bantha steak and it needed something to bring it down.

Once my eyes would light up at a floating cup being slurped into the grip of a hand, but not it was nothing. Even as it dropped in my palm, my eyes stayed fixed on the woman before her. Swinging the bottom of the cup up, I let the liquid waterfall into his body like a Spira river. Nothing was left as I let the cup rest in my clutch, shifting my head back in place to look upon the grand spectacle before me.

"So what would you do if I came here to do your job...to you?" A grin. It was there as my words dropped with the drink into my stomach.

"And exactly who are you." A curteous chuckle sled from my sly tongue as I took a break. The drink had dropped, but the words still levitated in my mind. This lady was interesting. "Hah! I dont want to call you a "dancer" all night."

[Ula Tam]

My eyes widened ever so slightly as the guy copped my drink with some sort of magic sleight-of-hand jazz, and then widened a little more as he downed my drink. I was about to say something when he distracted me.

"So what would you do if I came here to do your job...to you? And exactly who are you? Hah! I dont want to call you a "dancer" all night."

I put my stim down in an ashtray and let it smolder between us. If this guy was trying to intimidate me, I wasn't going to let him think he was succeeding. I stared at him hard, tapped my nails on the tabletop. I like dramatic pauses.

"Well, I'd have to tell you that you're full of poodoo--because for someone apparently sent here to do me in, you don't know frell."

I glared at him.

"So I guess you've got about thirty seconds to tell me what the frell you are here for."

And counting.

[Belay Nisi]

"Count away."

I swung about on the heels of my shoes, dropping my back against the counter. Just like the feet of the numerous people that decided it'd be "alright" to talk to me, my eyes diverted. Peaking over the crowd, I tried best at my height to get a bird's eye view.

Even as I watched, carefully, studying the crowd, my mind stayed juggling the woman's comment. It wasn't the words exactly, but the forced intimidation that strenghtened her tone. Every word was like dart to my neck. I sustained, keeping my face stern as always. Showing emotions was a trait I had full control over, thank "little green" for that.

Stretching my arms over the counter, I let my hands relax. The empty glass would've dropped then, but it floated as usual. Not many noticed, they were too busy delving into conversations amongst the crowd with other sentients. That was how it usually was, but rarely did I take those times to play with a cup in the oldest fashion I knew. If only my Master was there, he would've certainly scorned such antics. Yet he wasn't and so I played, just as I did all too long ago.

"Your sort've rude, ya know? You didn't give me your name." I said in a hush voice as my head drifted back and eyes lifted to stare at dull ceiling longingly as I would here. One of the numerous habits I had when doing buisness.

[Ula Tam]

"I sort've don't care."

I reached over the table and snatched my glass out of the air, slamming it down on the table with purpose. Barely keeping my voice to a low whisper, I leaned towards the guy.

"Listen pal, you don't come into my lounge, drink my drink, tell me you're going to do my job to me, and then ask for my name and expect to get it."

One time I got into an argument with one of the bartenders in the lounge. He told me afterwards that I get worked up really quickly, and the whole time I was reaming him out, all he wanted to do was slam me into the wall and kiss me. I hauled off and slugged him after that, and I was kind of hoping in a sick sort of way that this guy would do that--I really wanted him to meet my fist.

"I don't know who you think you are, or what you want, but I'm pretty frelling sure that if I were to tell some of my Imperial clients about your little floating-cup trick, they'd be pretty interested. So you tell me what kind of game you're playing, and maybe I'll decide to be nice and keep it to myself."

[Belay Nisi]

My eyebrow quivered into an arch as I sluggishly motioned my eyes to meet her own. She spoke with an authority that could puth a stampeding bantha in it's place, but I'm not a bantha. Instead of anger, fury or even an extreme being shown I relaxed further.

Her words were a definate threat, and could very well get me killed, but like most things in this galaxy it was a visa-versa. How one could feel safe threatening anyone was beyond me, but that was the exact reason why I felt sweat moisten my palms.

"Calm down," I said in a lull, bored voice. It was a forced boredom, for inside I felt like a raging rancor was beating. Very few times did excitement like this come around where a starship or two wasn't involved. It was all anew to me, yet it was comfortable. Under pressure I digged into the deepest depths of my mind, pulling out the best sarcasm and wittiest tricks.

Now only if I could get good at pazaak.

"And dont threaten me like that again. I want to see you in the next 20 minutes...dancer.

I want a ship and you can help me. Like pilots?"

[Ula Tam]

"Professions don't matter. Species do."

Now that I knew what this guy wanted, I was a little more inclined to be reasonable. A little.

"What exactly is it you want me to do?"

[Belay Nisi]

I grumbled. My hand was rustling in my pocket, searching. Sounds of crinkling and jingling of numerous items banged about in my loose pants before I quickly pulled out a sheet of paper. A face was imprinted as the words "Imperial Decree" sat atop the head. The piece of paper had been catching waste in my pocket for what could've been a year or two, but

"Zabian..." I paused. I couldn't remember, so I quickly pulled the paper about and read before shifting it forward to her face. "Zabian Bal-Wandler."

There was a smirk as the paper hid my face. Even though the gal was attractive, she was wrong. From recollection I knew she deserved whatever fate that this forgotten man would give her in the end, but the perfection laid in my comment.

"Track him, report him and get him."

22 years, but I still had a heart. Hopefully she wouldn't be leaving the room this time. Sitting in the morally "grey" was a decent enough location for me, especially as an Imperial fugitive without a Rebel medal to call my own. It fit.

[Ula Tam]

"Is he here?"

I glanced from the info to the man and then around the lounge. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the bandmaster signalling me that I had five minutes, but I ignored him.

I hadn't seen anyone that resembled this Bal-Wandler fella. I groaned inwardly; I hated off-ship jobs. It's a little difficult to ask for time off and expect to come back as easy as that.

"This isn't usually my sort of thing. I stay on the ship. If I did this, it'd cost you extra."

I placed the paper on the table. I picked up my stim. Leaned back and eyed the guy levelly.

"So what, besides the extra credits, would make me want to?"

[Belay Nisi]

"The Empire."

Those words roasted my insides, like acid to my flesh. I nearly jerked at the sound of the vial words that had incarcerated me in the bowels of the galaxy for far too long. Days had become months and then years, but all I could do was "experience" the downfall. I hid like a womp rat in every side of the galaxy, jumping from one side of the Corellian Trade Routes as my jiffies shrunk to the size of peko peko feather.

This time, my emotions didn't hold. Even though I was just another face on the ship, I felt a lone for that moment. My teeth grit down as my tongue pressed against the blockade that seperated it from swallowing up the world. At that moment a single touch would set me.

In that moment I remembered a day. It was a day long ago when I was a child, small and filled with joy. The very day that I had became a Padawan and the ceremony of my accomplishment was what I lived. Previous mornings and dusk were perplexed by studies and dreams of that title Padawan. It had finally come and the knowledge I gained calmed me. Even as the bright illumation lit my brain, my teeth still maintained a clench. Even though my face relaxed, my teeth straight strong pressing against one another. All those years and I couldn't give it up...fully.

My jaw unlocked and I sighed. The many faces about showed themselves and my eyes took them in.

"He is wanted by them and five hundrend thousand credits sound nice as extra, doesn't? Gurantee you'll be more than on 'their' good side for getting him."

[Ula Tam]

"Sure it sounds good."

Actually, it sounded great. More than great; spectacular. I could last a while on a chunk of credits like that. However, I couldn't help but notice this guys reaction at the mention of the Empire--it was like he'd just had his first Sonic Screwdriver and was trying to be a tough guy about it. I know that the Empire's pretty hated, but this guy looked like he had a real personal take on things.

"So how come you don't do it yourself?"

I shrugged, and the strap of my bra slid off my shoulder.

"Seems a little dumb to me; why hire someone to get a hefty reward like that, put your pocketbook out for nothing?"

[Belay Nisi]

"Ain't ya a nosy Snivvian, you, eh?"

Their was a silence then. I let it swallow the moment, my hands wiggling about in my pockets. In that lull couple of seconds I watched the area. Again, I needed to check of this event was being monitored. It had become a redudant process, near tiring even though miniscule, but it had to be done.

Biting at the inside of my mouth, I looked over at the fine lady. She was aged, atleast in the eyes, beside that she held a demeanor that was delicious. The charm that she carried was, though covered by her tone, attractive. Her curves were petite and refined, getting better as my eyes drifted from head to floor like the clear glass in an elevator. She was an amazing feat indeed, nearly to the point that I wanted to ask if her mother had ever been a princess.

"Well that kinda stuff you dont need to be concern with. It's simply buisness for me, I profit in other ways."

I nodded at that.

[Ula Tam]

"Oh, I'm sure you do. Please forgive me if I'm a little concerned that this isn't exactly on the level."

By now of course my break was over, but the entertainment director had just put one of the new girls on to cover me. She'd just come on board last week and wasn't used to the gentle movement of space travel. She was fighting just to stand up straight; it was pretty painful to watch.

I didn't like this. It was all a little weird and it involved the Empire. Don't get me wrong, I don't get too worked up about Imperials--mostly because I'd rather shut up than be shot up--but even a kid knows that it's best to stay away from them. I shook my head. The girl on the stage nosedived onto a table, finally getting some cheers from the crowd.

"What'd this guy ever do to you?"

That's what was bugging me, I realized. Every time some lady hired me, there was a reason behind it. A taudry affair, some slip of a lover... here there was nothin'.

[Belay Nisi]

"Nothing..."

Again, Belay took silence as a support. It mad his words, though quickly spoken, definite and stern. Even in his sly, smooth, almost sultry voice, it was ever certian in his posture and stance that this was a casual interaction. During the conversation there had been much to watch, much to distract his eyes, but her words had always managed to tangle him up slightly to the point that even when his eyes were off in wander he focused.

She had a lot of questions, and it was bugging him.

"It's just buisness."