A stereotypical thread in a bar.

[Ledo G. Prent]

Mos Eisley spaceport had a well-earned reputation. Nobody made a repeat visit unless they were a real hard-knock sort or they were just fucking desperate to get in or out of Tattooine. Mos Espa was larger and had more traffic, but also more Imperial presence. The sand-blasted troopers they left in Mos Eisley were the career equivalent of slow-bleeding bodies dumped in a ditch. Nobody was gonna be an Imperial general with a resume of scraping dewback shit off their boots. So the sad sacks you found in Eisley were easy to pay off and convince to look the other way. The ones who still felt like having a career and being Captain Justice, well, an alley somewhere or another would sort 'em out. As long as you were careful about it. Two stormtroopers is an incident. One stormtrooper is a statistic.

So when the sandtrooper returned Ledo's inventory slip with a bored "It's clean", the old pirate cut a grizzled smile, spit on the tarmac, and greased the fella's hand with some cash.

"Course it is, boy. Course it is."

From here, it was up to the Hutts. Payment was half in advance, and half upon inspection. The gangsters would make sure his cache was safe as houses till that point. All he had to do was cool his jets, which was half the reason he'd touched planetside at all.

"If we're all tip-top, I've got some hydration t' take care of, see? Cantina ain't a smokin' crater yet?"

The trooper jerked his thumb down the nearby thoroughfare.

"Six blocks, can't miss it."

"Good lad, good lad. Th' fuck would ya do if it wasn't? Imagine wha' them sand people's wearin' under they skirts? Yeh, tourism gig, ain't it?"

The trooper was tired of being reminded what a shit posting he was stuck in.

"Stay out of trouble, sir."

Trouble on Tattooine wasn't killing somebody. You could explain that away. He just didn't want to get called in on a public urination dime. Not all drinking water on Tattooine came from the vaporators after all. What was the saying? Spill in the sand, in a cell you will land. Dirty truths, and the ruin of many a man.

Ledo replied only with a wink, and was on his merry way to the Cantina.

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Mos Eisley and it's ruttin' excuse of a cantina. What a way to go. Sure beat whatever crapfest piece of backwater... Oh wait.

Sadie pulled the toothpick outta her teeth and flicked it across the room, watched it skip a beat to the music and settle somewhere under a table and then took a long drink from the pathetic excuse for the local rocket fuel it was that she had gone and ordered.

Who the hell was she kiddin'? Tattooine was almost as bad if not worse than the last place she'd been. Though, at least it weren't no bank. And she wasn't crackin' no codes or dodgin' blasters. Just her and a drink and a frakton of bad memories to get 'bout forgettin'.

"Frakkin' shithole" Yup. That about surmised it. Even if it was said to no one in particular.

The sentiment was repeated once more as she shook her head loose of all its caged-in nonsense. Then came another deep drink that helped jar it even more.

Not that Sadie was hells bent on gettin' blind drunk. Nah, that had been done and over with for some time. Now was just 'bout gettin' a good feelin' and then well... movin' on. But where to? Well... That was why she was in the shithole in the first place.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Sta' me a tab!"

The angry coot of a barkeep growled at him.

"Creds up front, we don't start no fuckin' tabs!"

The natural response to that was for Ledo to draw his blaster, aim it in the bartender's general direction, and sneer.

"Eh, wossat?"

The barkeep chewed on his lower lip as he stared daggers at the pirate, then at last slammed down an old canning jar on the table, followed by a bottle of faintly cloudy liquid.

"Cheap shit only, then. Name?"

Now he was just being difficult. Ledo ought to buy this dive by now, he'd been here long enough. He pulled the cork off the bottle with his teeth, and poured him a halfer, being careful not to smile too much at the sight of the half-washed canning jar that served as his cup. Little bits of nostalgia like that. Takin a drink like mum used to. That's what he always liked about shitholes like this.

Still, had to be an arse about it. He growled back at the barkeep as he spit the cork away.

"Ye mum's tit, howzat?"

Ledo plowed back a few quaffs of Jawese hooch that he could've sworn was fermented inside a spent power converter housing. Hunched over the bar, he tossed a shark's smile at the perturbed-looking brunette next to him.

"ello there sweetheart"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie reckoned she'd been called all sorts of things in her lifetime, but sweetheart sure wasn't in the top ten. Still, grizzled older guy who had managed to irk the barkeep somethin awful in the small bit of time he'd been about sure had points over some young upstart... even if Sadie figured at the heart of it all their reasons for even glancin her way weren't all that different.

She inclined her head in the standard way of greetin before givin a slight motion to the bottle he'd been given. "So, any better than what they give to the tourists or they just dishin out stuff from the 'freshers for shits and giggles?"

Wasn't much of a greetin, but then again Sadie had to admit she was out of her element. Not the bar atmo or nothin' like that. Was the simple fact that the rest of the band wasn't there to back her up if things went and got themselves in a mess. Flyin' solo was a grand and sorta scary thing at times.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Heh heh heh..."

He sloshed around the liquid in the canning jar enough for Sadie to get a bouquet of the stuff if she hung her nose in the vicinity.

"They call it tank. Can't reckon whether on accounta its hooched in an old fuel tank or if it jus' hits ya like one. All home cookin' t' me."

For emphasis, he quaffed a hefty gulp of it like it was lager. The result being that his lips peeled over his teeth in a grimace as he banged the jar back down.

"Ahhhh mothafuck. Put hairs on y'chest, be warned."

He propped himself on his forearms as he fished a cigar from a utility pouch on his vest. The bottle, he pushed to occupy the distance between the two of them. An open invitation.

"Don' take it the wrong way, but you ain't a hard case and you ain't a whore, so whats you doin' in Eisley? Spacer?"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Sometimes."

Sadie shrugged a shoulder and eyed the bottled nastiness. Why the hell not? Offered hooch wasn't a rare thing but when it came from someone with enough brains to see that girl didn't instantly mean doxy... well refusin at that point would be just downright kinda rude, she figured.

"You know how it goes. Lil bit of this, lil bit of that."

The cloudy contents of the bottle were half considered again before she poured a bit into her own glass. In mingled with the dregs of what was being called local brew, Sadie was pretty willin to bet it'd be an improvement on the both of 'em.

"Though aint much for flyin without a ship. So the better reason for me bein here is here is where I find myself."

Too complicated to run through the actual hows and whys of her bein on Tattooine. Was a long story that ran too close to bein of the sob variety and Sadie just wasn't too keen on bein a damsel in distress. Lowlife without a purpose just seemed more acceptable for some reason or another.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Ain't most folk go to Ithor or Naboo or such for that?"

By the way Ledo said it, he didn't put too much stock in that kind of conventional wisdom, and was closer to siding with Sadie's point of view, with reservations.

"Still, bes' you find yourself 'fore someone in Eisley does. Only one game in town, an' its th' Hutts' game. Piss-all chance of advancement, and equal job secur'ty."

He paused, gave a muffled belch, and took another quaff of liquor.

"Bout th' only thing them cunts do is pay on time, hence why I'm 'ere. Gets real frustratin' to do work fo' someone who gets mousey on th' pay. Then I gots t' find 'em and shoots 'em."

He cracked another shark's smile.

"Not that I got any qualms, see, jus' time consumin'."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"I hear ya." Sadie raised her own glass in a bit of a toast to all that the old pirate had just said. He was speakin truth, all kinds that she knew damn well. Even the bit about the Hutts.

As her mind was attemptin to disconnect from the honest horrid drink she had poured into herself it set about tryin to remember if it was Borvo or Bwahl that had wanted a particularly mean bit o' business from her. Had asked if she could go and make it so that if anyone tried to worm their way into their system that not only would the attacker's side get good an' shot, but also go and send a zap of juice into the slicer who had been dumb enough to try it. Hard enough jolt to fry any droid and make a good pile o' goo outta anyone else. Yeah... that was a fun one. Hadn't quite ended up workin that way but at the end of the day the Slug hadn't complained, she got paid, and well... the boss got his cut.

Sadie let a shoulder raise slightly as she gave barely enough of a shrug to just show her indifference to it. "Jobs a job, yeah? Least this place is all honest in its dishonesty. No one gonna try and rob ya blind 'ere. Maybe stick ya and let ya bleed into a gutter, but 'least you'll know it's comin. And if ya don't... well..."

Her words trailed before she brought the glass back to her lips.

[Ledo G. Prent]

Ledo scoffed at that.

"Th' Hutts may keep the credits on th' table, but th' only way you'll see someone take a shot at ya here is wit' eyes in th' back a ya head. Some chickenshit Rodian jus' as soon stick a blaster in ya belly as smile at ya, ef they even smile, Rodians that is."

He took another shot, shaking his head.

"Nah. Bes' way to stop a fight 'ere is to start one, as I see it. Drop some squid who makes too much eye contact, or not enough, whether its fists, a blade, or a gun. Like I said, takes a certain breed t' understand the rules in Eisley. Funny business, that."

He mulled over something in his head, convinced it was a silly idea, but curious anyway.

"So, you say you'se into a bitta this anna bitta that? Whats hear it? Maybe I'm ya good luck fairy."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie couldn't help but let a scoff go and happen. If good luck came 'bouts in the form of this guy, well then she might just be a candidate for the next empress of the frakin' Empire.

She finished the remainin contents of her glass, not botherin to try an' hide the cringe as it burned its way down. Well at that point there really was only one sorta thin' to do... and that was waggle a finger at the barkeep in a pretty little circle that meant the next round was gonna be on her tab.

"Yeah sure, I'll bite." Sadie could barely hold the smile that wanted to make itself present.

Was a funny sort of thin' that went and happened to a body when they had nothin left to lose. They got stupid. Sadie knew damn well of that fact, but hell... why not?

"Lesee... Firs' there's product runnin'. Whatever kind that happen to be. I prolly done it all. From ship parts ta cattle... And I don't mean bantha. Mean the kind that don't wanna go and will be more than happy to say somethin bout it."

The barkeep raised an eyebrow at her but put another bottle down just the same and moved on. Sadie watched him close enough to make sure he wasn't listenin, or at least was puttin' up a damn good attempt to not look like it.

"Then there's the slicin'. I don't mean to brag or nothin, but if ya really wanted to know what sort of shit the Empress goes and puts in her personal log dairy thing... could prolly get that for ya." As she talked Sadie was full aware of how long it was drawin' out. Annoyingly.

She poured a bit of the bottle into her glass and drank it down. "Handy with a blaster... oh, and I play a mean bass vye. Quetarra too but nah nearly as good. So.... tha' enough or ya want me to go an ramble on s' more?"

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Shit nah, tha's good 'nuff."

Ledo gave the contents of his glass a twirl, and took another gulp before planting it firmly on the counter top.

"Listen 'ere. You lookin' to find yourself or whateva, I can tell you this. If you ain't blowin a line of shit at me, an' you can back all that up, I got a ship, and a spot where someone like you can find all kind of trouble and get paid for it."

Giving a cocksure smirk, he flipped a holocard into her hand.

"That's me comms, if it ain't yes or no comin' out yer mouth this instant. I got me a fast ship, and I'm shakin off the sand in an hour, with or without."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Sadie went and moved the holocard about her fingers, letting it flick and roll from between one set to the next and back again. She hated lookin' desperate, hated actin' that way too but she'd already gone and laid all the cards down. Got one in return too. A nice shiny one by the sounds of it, probably had its rust hidden 'round the edges but what didn't?

"Never been one for hummin and hawin 'bout a thing. You got a ride and paycheck.. and gotta admit that's 'bout all a body can ask for. Anythin' else is just greedy."

She tucked the card into a pocket in her jacket and poured what was left of it into both their glasses.

"Not that there's much wrong with bein' greedy either."

Despite her better judgement she gave off a cocky wink and raised the glass in another mock toast and drank again.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Shit no there ain't."

Ledo gruffed, hoisting his glass to meet hers with a forceful clink.

"Greed keeps us honest. Keeps us on the same page. If you ain't in for your own, then shit gets too fuckin' complicated, ain't it? In the end, gimme a dozen blighters who I know will stick out for a cred over twice that many who's in for an idea, or onna them "ologys" or "isms". That'll get you fucked every day."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Then you aint got no worries 'ere. Only thing I can say I believe in is keepin' m'self alive and in workin' order. At least," Sadie nudged the glass next to her with the back of a hand, "y'know. Some semblance thereof. Most days."

She took the pause as an opportunity to down more of the... well, you couldn't really call it good stuff, but it did the trick just right she figured. Damn if the man hadn't gone and warned her 'bout how bad it was and yet she just kept on drinkin' it.

"Not that it means ups or downs to me but jus' where 'bouts am I gonna find myself shippin' off to anywho?"

[Ledo G. Prent]

Ledo shrugged as he belched.

"Where th' winds blow? Ain't that the way shit is? But if I'm a little birdy, I'm tellin' ya prob'ly Ryloth."

Knowing a little more than he wanted to talk about, he cracked a little smile.

"Got me some easy money lined up, er, if we's lucky."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Well it just seems like it's been my lucky kinda day so les' just hope it don't go and run out on us, yeah?"

Eyein the drink again was like havin a starin contest with a determined Mon Cal-fish head, she came to understand. Wouldn't really do ya know harm but ya'd probably end up with a headache anyways.

"Not that 'm real fond of them tail-heads but creds is creds."

Might'a been a dumb thing to go an' say to a new boss-type but Sadie'd never been one for formalities. Damn Twi'leks just didn't sit right with her on account that she'd yet to meet one who didn't seem to have some sort of chip on it's shoulder for either bein' a slave at some point and makin' it out, or never havin' gone down that road in the firs' place.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Ain't concernin' no tail-heads, is the thing."

Killing his drink, Ledo rose from his stool. He was half tempted to skip the tab, but doing that too many times without coming through had a way of making watering holes dry up. He authorized a chit, then threw it at the bartender, who had the good graces of awareness to catch it before it clocked him in the dome.

"Thing about money is, it's an animal tha' migrates. I'm jus' a big game hunter."

When the bartender looked in his direction, he extended his middle finger as a parting salute.

"Laters, you shit. An' keep me tab open for the next round!"

[Sadie K'Vesh]

That'd be her cue to get a move on as well, no sense loiterin' 'bout when there was a job on. 'Sides, even if she wasn't one to go followin' around like some lost lil' kath hound, 'least she figured it'd give more time to get at least somewhat familiar with whatever crew the Captain had. 'Least she hoped this guy was actually the one in charge and not just some lacky out for kicks. Did bring up a question of what she'd go 'an call 'im. Boss worked all well and right for the moment.

It was nice not havin' any sorts of ideas in your head 'bout a person or what sort of a rut they were lookin' at diggin' ya in to. Yep, things, at least on the outwards, were goin' to work a whole shit ton better than the last deal. Maybe not as good as that slave run she'd gone on last time she went off on her onesies, but anythin' was better than some fuck-face of a Zabrak breathin' down your neck 'bout his share when he couldn't be bothered to do nothin'.

She caught up with Ledo quick enough, takin' pace with the big man's steps.

"What kinda ship ya got, not that it matters none, jus' professional curiosity."

Was it a bad thing she was already wonderin' what kinds of mods she could make to the computer that'd give 'em all an edge for whatever came at 'em? Nah... always be prepared, they say.

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Some piece-ah Weequay shit tha' haven't exploded out from under me to date."

For emphasis, they approached the hangar and he gestured to the Flarestar assault shuttle he'd rode down on.

"This'n's just for point A point B shit."

He jerked his thumb skyward.

"Corona frigate in orbit. Filthy Minx. Named her meself."

He punched the gangplank controls, dropping a skid that would lead them up into the disc-shaped craft.

"Ain't shit to look at on th' inside, but I jus' had 'er washed."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

"Good name." Yep, he weren't kiddin' 'bout the shuttle bein' a right piece 'o dren. But at least Sadie could go an' call it sturdy. Not much for hope in the way of improvement, though. Aint that 'bout a bitch. The frigate though, well, that she'd have to get a proper look at before makin' such judgement.

" Though, Pro'ly shouldn'ta done tha'. Most times it's the dirt that keep's them older models together."
Sadie let herself have one last look at the fuckin' shithole that was Tattooine and had to admit that the shuttle was actually an improvement over that entire planet. Shiny.

She followed the Boss onto the shuttle, makin' mental notes along the way so she wouldn't have to ask where obvious stuff was later.

"So this easy money on Ryloth... Jus' how easy is it, really? Or you wanna wait 'till I get all proper familiar with the res' of the crew before fillin' me in?"

[Ledo G. Prent]

"Ain't neva a sure thing, is it?"

Sitting down at the pilot's seat, he fired up the controls.

"Lil' birdie mentioned some bacta shipments gettin' lifted. Like bantha's t' slaughter, they been hit three times in th' same spot, ain't a gun on those birds."

He glanced to her conspiratorally.

"Tha's stupidity at work. Someone jus' wants to donate their cargo to us."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

She weren't one to take the assumption of sittin' in a copilot's seat, so instead Sadie settled for leanin' against the wall, crossin her arms and lettin' her feet brace herself for any unexpected movements the ship might go an' make.

"Three times?" It didn't sit right. Stupid was stupid, but aint no body in the 'verse that damn stupid. Not with important shit like bacta. Not unless you were willin' to risk it for what you thought was bigger game. 'Course, there always was the thought that maybe you went and risked it anyway when that was all you had and three outta four was acceptable.

"Maybe... But I aint known folks to be exactly generous when it comes to meds. You got a plan if it turns sour an' this is some sorta dumbass trap?"

While talkin' and thinkin' Sadie had pulled out a small pouch from a coat pocket and was settin' 'bout rollin together a home made cig. Last bit of the good leaf, she'd have to see 'bout restockin' when the low grade started comin' up short.

"Not that I'm one for not trustin' sources and countin' blessin's but life's gone and taught the hard way that when shit seems too good to be true, it pretty much is."

Before lightin' the thing she motioned to see if the Boss would care, not that she figured, but some people were weird about smoke on their boats.

"Course we could always give a listen in on broadcasts 'fore the drop. See if anyone's speakin' in phrases that shouldn't go together, thinkin' they're clever. But that's your call, Bossman. I'm jus' 'ere for the ride, aint gonna meddle if you got a plan laid out."

[Ledo G. Prent]

"The job stinks, an' we haul off. Like always."

More often than not, it was something that was a fact of life. Scavengers got chased off by bigger dogs. You couldn't let that dissuade you. You just kept picking a carcass, and maybe one in ten would be the one you'd call your own.

"With it bein' Ryloth, no doubt we gotta contend wit' da Hutt kadjics anyways. We catch somethin', they wan' a cut. Maybe tha's how this is."

The shuttle lifted off.

"Ain't a lotta absolutes, y'see. Jus' gotta be willin' to drop whatcha got if ya feel heat."

[Sadie K'Vesh]

Was a different sorta person, that was for sure. Most were take all or nothin'. Glory hounds that saw even pullin' off the simplest of jobs as a badge 'o honor. Not this guy. Survival, make a few creds, don't make no waves, do what you gotta do.

"A'right then." She lit up the cigarra and took that blessed first inhale, really enjoyin' it. Yeah, was gonna be a change but somehow it made things easier. And if there was one thing Sadie could use less of in her life right 'bout now, it was complications. One thing was for damn sure, you didn't get to live as long as this guy had without good reason. Maybe it was about time for Sadie to start takin' new lessons.

[Ledo G. Prent]

With nothing further to say, the Captain gave a gruff laugh at his new hire's stoicism and began liftoff, carrying them both to the mothership, and to what promised to be adventures and riches beyond...

<size=-2>ooc: continued here (http://sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=22269)</size>