The Sun and the Sand (everyone)

[Tipp Gray]

Tatooine. It was hot, dry, and everything was covered in layers of sand. The Old Republic had never paid it much attention. Afterall, it was too far away from the Core to be of any great significance, and it was mostly inhabited by farmers and lowlifes due to the ruling Hutt families. The Empire had taken some initiative to set up camp but lacked any real authority there.

That is why I was there. Safe was a word rarely associated with the planet, but it was much less dangerous for a man of my profession than other places in the galaxy.

I sat in a booth at the Doe See'ybark Bootana waiting for my contact. The cantina was built from the destroyed sail barge of Jabba the Hutt, and the name actually translated to The Sail Barge Garden.

I had never met this particular contact before, but then again, I had met very few of the Alliance Intel's sources. I was new to the game and had not had time to establish my own information circles. This man was a known Rebel sympathizer and had some info reguarding a movement to reunify two small Imperial splinter cells. I knew him only by a false alias and a picture, leaving me a little unsure about the entire situation. This was my job, however, and I intended to do it correctly.

[Za'in]

Tatooine....

The streets were a barrage of fools. Nobody fit in, and everybody fit in. An immersion of too many cultures to claim a specific one, it upheld an outstanding flux of wickedness. Every face that had befallen the sunny world was in for more trouble than pleasure. The proficient thief could swipe a gift, or even a lady if someone was stupid enough to leave her unattended. People thrived on each other transgression, and criminal minds were necessary for the economy to flow.

All of it was a bit too fast for my taste.

Although a few steps around the block had kept me comfortable, it wasn't exactly normal surroundings. After a shipment of Ithorian fruits had been jacked from a smuggler, I had taken up the old trade as a costermonger. Days long past had given me all the tricks of the trade, and people were to gullible not to fool.

All had been good, so far, but anyone satisfied on the land of suns could be left unsatisfied. Discretion was a word that best accompanied success on such a planet, and the bundle of credits would have to be kept low key. All there was for me on the planet was a refuel, a few parts and a tidbit of fun before I headed out.

Doe See'ybark Bootana was the place to be, and without a greedy eye on my prize, I couldn't have felt more at ease.

"Another drink please."

[Tipp Gray]

Everyone drinking their miseries away during the middle of the day would have been quite humorous if these inebriated folk weren't packing. Nearly everyone in the town seemed to be armed to the teeth, and I have to admit, I was a little nervous about this. Still, I kept my cool and continued to drink on my glass of water.

I snapped out of my daze when I heard a beep from my datapad. I withdrew it and read the message. "I'm sorry." That's all it said. I wasn't sure of the meaning at first, but it hit me when two figures walked through the door--a human and a rodian, both males.

The pair continued my way and were a few feet away when I rose from my seat. The human, being somewhat larger than myself, grabbed my shoulder and thrust me back down. "Don't get up," he ordered.

What a time for me to go unarmed. They both had DL-44s holstered on their hips, and the man had a large vibroknife sheathed on the opposite side. He sat down across from me, following the rodian who took the seat diagonal. "It seems you've pissed off the wrong people," he laughed.

"Yes, it looks like your friend traded your life for his," the alien sneered. "Very noble of him. We were going to kill him anyway, but he disappeared on us. Looks like we'll have to make your death twice as fun."

All this talk of dying didn't sit too well with me. I wasn't going to let these two goons take me out, but I needed an escape route. I knew I couldn't defeat both of these mercs in combat, especially when you add their blasters to the equation.

"Hey," I grabbed the attention of a serving droid. "I'll take a glass of your cheapest whiskey. Do you want anything, boys?" I asked them. We exchanged sarcastic grins before I continued. "It seems they aren't thirsty."

I handed the small robot a few credits and it returned moments later with my drink. I took a sip, letting the firey liquid burn my mouth and throat. "This was fun," I told them, "but I have other matters to attend to." As they exchanged looks, I threw the contents of the glass into the human's eyes, then the actual glass at the rodian's face. After that, I kicked the table at them, pinning them to their booth at the chest, and headed for the door.

As I approached the exit, I could hear both men cursing loudly, finally pushing the table away and rising from their seats. When I turned my attention back to the door, I saw a blaster pointed straight at my face. My gut reaction was to leap to the side, which I did. The shot meant for my head missed by no more than a centimeter and hit the trailing human in the chest. Apparently, they had backup.

[Za'in]

The drink wasn't liquor.

And the bustle wasn't fitting.

I am not like most couriers. A little sense and principle drive me through the galaxy, playing seller here, craftsman there, and doing duties to get by. All of it is a scheme to stay above water, and manage in a galaxy to vast to be king. Even the Emperor wasn't invincible, with all the white-shelled goons he carried around him. Word had spread fast of his demise, and I wasn't too pleased.

As I said...I'm not like most couriers.

The hooded man upheld a sense of security in the galaxy. Despite it being a bit overdone, it contain all the necessary traits to withstands a legal operation from dying in a sea of corruption. The Empire wasn't straight, but it wasn't so jagged as a glacier side. Definately as cold as a glacier, but not as wicked.

Life hadn't alter too fast, and everything was a process. All throughout life I had maintain my principles, leaving with a decent amount of my plate. Morals always came before morsels, and standing by while a crew ran after a helpless face didn't sit right with me. Time of logic soon whither and I was off to the races.

Logic didn't make sense to me for some reason. Without a blaster, and enough credits to high-tail it, there was good purpose in standing by to watch the slaughter. One punch to the face had left with more treats than I asked for. The squeal of the Rodian accompanied the slime dripping from my hand. Despite the scaly hide the Rodian's called skin, the nasty liquid that kept them hydrated was more disgusting than necessary.

Fighting was habitual for me, and tearing through the squad meant only a moments time. The upright life always bumped head with the snide. People always seemed to find it fitting to pull me down, and a few nice jabs had kept their dirty claws away from my credits. Even a proud pack of thugs wouldn't terrify me.

As I said...I'd been around the block a few times.

[Nilk]

It was, without a doubt, obvious that one sort of fight or another was going to break out. That much could be seen from the moment the frighteningly large human and the rodian alongside him entered. Any human that was larger then usual was bound to be looking for a fight here on Tatooine, and anyone who thought a rodian wouldn't resort to violence would be dead a minute after he met one. Sure enough, the smaller human was shoved back down into his seat, and the typical intimidating speech was exchanged. I like to call it "the calm before the storm". The lightning must strike eventually, however, and today it struck as a well-aimed splash of liquid and a crash of sharp glass. The human ran for the exit, dodging a blaster-shot from a newcomer. Ironically, it hit the larger human that originally attacked him. Not surprising, though. Usual activity around here.

I know Tatooine pretty well. Not only that, I've enjoyed life on Tatooine for all my time here, despite the setbacks. Other Jawas may be comfortably cruising the desert in their enormous sandcrawlers, with a clan to count on and credits to spare, but I'm convinced that I have it better. When the Tusken Raiders slaughtered my clan and left me for dead with a bleeding arm, I didn't have any doubts that this was more a beginning then a misfortune. They left plenty of food and water behind for me to take, and lots of the trading goods of my clan were also still here. Taking all I could carry, I made my way to the city. Sixteen years later, I'm in the droid market. Trading parts, building, repairs, whatever my customers need. No home to speak of, but I jump from shop to shop as a worker and sleep in the break room. And once in a while, a chance to pick up something valuable comes up. Fights were one of those chances, and I could hardly contain my excitement as the larger man fell heavily with a gaping wound in his chest. Shoving other scavengers aside, I grab onto the knife at his belt and take it for myself, slipping it into my robes.

I know Tatooine pretty well. With a quick check that my translation-droid was still in my pocket, I headed out the door to follow the man being assaulted. If he killed his attackers, their possesions would be mine. Or vice versa.

((First in-character post...hope it's ok.))

[Tipp Gray]

I wasn't used to death, and seeing that man get shot made me pause for a second. Only a second. I knew that if I sat there thinking about the departed then I would join him.

I ducked behind some other patrons in the bar, trying to lose the newcomer and the Rodian. Either I was slow or he was fast, because the alien tackled me to the ground after only a few steps. "Now you'll really pay!" he yelled, his vile breath stinging my nostrils.

My mind raced as I saw him reach for the blaster at his side. I could see the other man approaching in my peripheral vision. I wiggled my arm free and brought my elbow to his nose. I heard a crunch! followed by a small stream of blood dripping to the ground beside me.

While he tried to recover, I loosened my legs that had been trapped under the alien's body and I landed a kick to his stomach. This gave me a chance to crawl to my feet and take off running again. Only a few seconds later, however, I was ducking down behind a table dodging shots from the living human.

[Za'in]

The bustle hadn't stopped. Even as the Rodian splash across the ground, his body in an agony that was more funny to watch than painful. Tatooine hadn't done me in, even as a boy I had a pack of empathy, but he was wiggling around like a fresh fish. All of it was a bit humorous too me, but I managed to retain my focus.

"Move it!"

All the trouble had wiggled off to a nearby table, and blasters were flying like sparks. Not another thought shot in my head before impulse threw me across the room in a dash. A strong punch bashed the henchman's face, throwing him overboard. Tear ripped through his face as a cut rolled under his eye from swelling. I never had subtle hands, and my knuckles could do a bit of damage, but I think the guy's body was weak.

A blaster in a hand didn't always equal a strong man behind it. Some of the galaxies best ace couldn't work without a gun in their hand. Simpletons, diversity always ensured victory. Mandalorians understood that...I understood that.

[Tipp Gray]

The blaster fire subsided for a second and I peaked out to see what happened. Some guy had apparently knocked the man to the floor. I missed the action, but that didn't bother me one bit.

I rose to my feet and looked around to make sure no one else had their sights on me. With a cautious step, I made my way to the downed merc. A few people were still watching, but most here were accustomed to events like these.

The guy that took the henchman down didn't seem like a threat to my life, but one could never be too sure about these people. I picked up the loose blaster on the floor and aimed it at the Rodian, daring him to make another move. "Thanks," I said to the hero, a little more shakily than I meant to. "Ever seen these guys?"

[Za'in]

"Nah."

The twin reign on my tongue. Despite the change of areas, much hadn't alter about my core. No matter what planet I jumped from, the origin still resided well within me. Conversations built about the toddler years couldn't be forgotten, and the wise tales that established a linguistic to strong to erode was undertone with a rasp from a father I could barley remember.

I like that about me.

"What happen' ere witchu all?

Bad business?"

[Tipp Gray]

"Not sure," I admitted. Everything had happened so fast, I was a little unsure as to what was going on. "I need to get out of here."

While talking to the stranger, I made somewhat of a mistake: I turned my attention away from the Rodian. He withdrew a small vibroblade and drew his arm back to throw it my way. I only made somewhat of a mistake. He made a huge one. I caught a glimpse of his motion in my peripheral vision, and in one quick motion, I turned and fired, mutilating the alien's hand.

"I've got to get out of here." I began backing toward the door when I saw Imperial stormtroopers outside. There was four there. "Does this place have another exit?"

[Za'in]

Stormtroopers were meddlers. Absolute dung holes, always poking their head in people's business with nothing but hope to hurt someone. The bucket heads got kicks out of blowing an alien's head to pieces, or pushing a few people around. Nothing but trouble trailed the white armor, and I knew better than anyone. Although a little support here and there kept me in good grace with the Empire, I was still a visitor on Tatooine with "somewhat" illegal cargo sold.

Good grace meant nothing to local force.

"Come on, folla' me."

Not another hail was thrown, and before another moment could pass I was dashing through the cantina. Bustle shrouded my movement as aliens and humanoids alike barley threw a glance. People didn't care about one another on a planet like Tatooine, and the Outer Rim held enough troubles. I was the stupid one on this occasion, poking my head in the wrong refresher.

A leap threw me over the counter. I didn't know the place too well, but a few conversations with the locals told me enough about it before I took a visit. Everyone wanted to leave, either Tatooine or some other place with danger, and exits were a favorite for anyone with a price on there head.

And almost everyone Tatooine did...

"Move it!"