Highest Bidder

[Sanis Prent]

(...but what do I know about Sith Artifacts, I asked myself? Pretty close to frelling nothing. You ask me about guns...I can spout off a list of calibers, models, and whatnot. Ask about engines...I can talk your ear off. Ask about drugs...I've probably delivered it. These are things I know. Everything has some amount of value to it...and that value changes from buyer to buyer. My mind was an encyclopedia of products...and the who's whats, and importantly...the how much's included in the equation.

So what do I know about Sith Artifacts?

The box came in the mail a day ago...the return address struck a chord of familiarity. Dal Nuviena. Dal "Double-Tap" Nuviena. He was one of those classic mobster types...with a raspy voice and hollow eyes. Personally, I think he'd seen a few too many holovids. Regardless of the background, Nuviena had always been a good contact. He had throwback connections to the Hutt guilds...and even if I didn't dirty my hands with their slimy filth, I wasn't above having an intermediary do the job for me. Money and Morality may both start with an M, but the similarities end from that point on. Dal was my kind of thug. He wasn't in anybody's camp but his own. I also knew that he'd taken enough potshots getting my goods to show that, even if he couldn't be trusted, I at least didn't have to keep a gun pointed at him.

So when I opened the box...the last thing I expected to see was an old, worn-out wooden bracelet. Dal was high-class...not a Jawa junk trader. I can sell glitterstim. I can sell an E-web. This...this was wood. Big frelling deal. A message included with the bracelet dubbed the piece of crap at 2 million credits.

Maybe Dal was finally one canoli short of a dozen.)

EDIT: TTT

[Sanis Prent]

(Funny...two hours of thinking about it...the only thing I could arrive at was a headache. I needed a drink to loosen up all the backed up half-guesses clogging my grey matter.

Lukewarm whiskey spashed down the back of my throat, burning myself into a kind of masochistic clarity of purpose. I glanced back at the ring of time-worn wood lying on the table. Even in some kind of retro fundamentalist avante garde way of thinking...it was just a damn piece of wood. Nothing special at all to signify that it was a Sith artifact, or anything else aside from a useless chunk of wood.

I cursed under my breath. One and One were adding up to be twenty, and I had to find all the numbers in between. I snagged my palmcomm, and punched in a comm number. Hopefully my source felt like talking about his catch.

Dal answered on the third pulse...with his usual quasi-mafiosi flair.)

Eh, talk to me.

Dal...its P. We gotta talk about this package.

What about? You got the product and a sell price.

(That was about all I had. Sometimes the double-speak of the underworld was mysterious and sexy. Sometimes it was just damn annoying.)

Yeah, I got that...and you can hand me a bantha turd and tell me its a Jedi Holocron, but I'm the one makin the sale here.

(Silence....you could almost hear the rusty gears turning in his head.)

I ain't 'xactly in a position to give particulars. The merchandise is...how we say...sensitive.

Its wood, Dal. Frackin wood. You don't send me a half-whittled log and ask me to charge the 2 mil without a little backstory.

I told you....its a Sith artifact.

Yes...but WHAT DOES IT DO? Give me a name, a history, or another frelling contact.

(I could tell he was trying to squirm around something. Dal might work for Hutts, but he wasn't a complete idiot. Whatever it was, he at least thought it was big enough for the frustrating doublespeak. Nevertheless...I was keeping the pressure on.)

Just do a little diggin, Sanis...all I'm gonna say. Naga Sadow.

Is that the name of the artifact, or what?

Just take a look or two around. Its legit...better than gold. You'll get 2 mil at the very least, I know. As usual, you can hang on to 15% of the take.

...alright, Dal. I'll do the digging.

Stay sharp, Sanis. This is a bitch of a sale. She's got some nasty history. Hey...take it easy.

(The comm went dead. "Double-Tap" had doubled my questions. I only had one lead to go on...so I might as well work with it. Tossing back another gulp of whiskey, I began a terminal-search on "Naga Sadow". I could've been looking for a cookie recipe for all I knew. Hopefully, something would jump out at me.)

[Novi Paran]

Nar Shaddaa...

"Are you out of your canoli, Kenik?" yells Morgan Daan as he rounds the table with spittle flying from the obese man's mouth.

Tem Kenik shakes his head apprehensively, suddenly feeling very small and frail before the celluloid mass of Mr. Daan. Daan's eyes bore through his twi'lek accountant.

"Yes sir. My sources say Nuviena had the valuble artifact smuggled to Coruscant via on common freighter routes from Nar Shaddaa. I have been informed that he sent it to one particular associate named Sanis Prent. An aggressive young entrepreneur that built his growing 'Prent Enterprise' off the profits of very controversial... er questionable business ventures."

Mr. Daan stares off beyond Tem, clasping his meaty hands behind his back twiddling his thumbs while lost in thought, "Yes... yes... yes, and what are our chances of obtaining the merchandise?"

Tem left eyebrow rises, his face can not hide the inner-grin, "Very good, I have sent one of the best acquisition experts available to pursue the valuble artifact. A man known as Novi Paran..."

Coruscant...

Down a block from the Prent residence sits a hovervehicle with tinted plastisteel windows, behind the steering wheel sits a man of no distinguishable features, his eyes hidden behind an inexpensive but fashionable pair of shades...

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

A thriving metropolis of technology lights and power generated by other means than nature. It was enough to make Ogre nauseous. His sense of smell was screaming at him. This city on Coruscant was full of so many unnatural smells it was enough to cause him to open his mouth and stop breathing through his nose altogether

It was a small price to pay to visit such a place if he would be able to get his clawed hands on that which he came for. He was a collector of things, a collector who was very determined to get what he wanted. One that would let nothing or no one stand in his way. If they were to try, they wouldn’t be breathing for long.

Seeing that the news of what was here floating around this center of the galaxy planet had gotten to his ears, he expected that he would not be the only one interested in gaining possession of it. So, in that event, he had thought to contact an Apprentice of his, one with certain acquisition skills.

Ogre could do it without help, but his brute force methods may not be enough to actually get the right information. Hera however, had other methods at her disposal. Females were so much more persuasive than males, no matter what species they were.

They had arrived here at the same time, but gone separate ways. Ogre would check out one lead and his Disciple, another.

[DarthHERA]

She twisted to look over her shoulder, taking in at a glance
the nodescrpit individual leaning into his cups at the far end of
the bar. "And you're sure thats him?"

The barkeep nodded in the know-it-all manner that barkeeps seem to
have the galaxy over. "Yup. Does deliveries all the time..or so he claims.
Got into town a day ago. Racking himself up a nice little tab too, I might add. Some "big-wig" footing the bill."

"Reeeeealy.." Hera knew she was on the right track.

She and Ogre had parted ways on their arrival at Coruscant. She always missed spending any sort of time in the company of her Master, and when his summons had arrived, she had responded immediately and with evil enthusiasm at what, as always, would prove to be a wild ride to mayhem whenever he was around.

She handed the barkeep a small pouch of credits for his information...and his discretion..and made her way toward the slick, but unwary "delivery-boy". She dropped a delicate hand touching the hilt of her dagger unconsciously as she walked languidly up to her target. She would have the destination of that parcel within the hour, one way or another.

Seating herself on the stool beside the unsuspecting lamb, Hera smiled invitingly at him and dipped a finger into her drink. She then ran it along her lips, licking off the golden liquid - her eyes lying to his.

"Hello..."

*******************


Upstairs in the appaullingly hideous decored room, the dull lamplight gave a depressing glow to an already depressing environment.

Hera almost laughed as she opened up her communicator channel to Ogre. While waiting to connect, she pushed the boot-clad foot out of her way so she could sit next to "Slick" on the bed. He looked even more pathetic dead than he did alive, if that was at all possible. The blood pooled silently around his gaping throat, his eyes dark and lifeless stared up at the water-stained ceiling. His shirt was untucked where he had frantically clawed for his blaster. Hera tucked her dagger back into its sheath.

The communicator crackled and the deep familiar voice came sharp and direct, "Yes?"

Hera drew a smiley face in the blood seeping into the dull-white sheets, yes, Ogre was going to like this...

[Novi Paran]

With the Prent residence under his patient observation, the gentleman sits in the hovervehicle, logged onto a datapad sitting on his lap, taps a few keys as he searches through the data-disk file provided by his clients, a photo of the artifact is loaded onto the screen.

Enlarging the photo reveals nothing but a rather ordinary piece of wood, nonetheless, a very coveted piece of treasure. Reading futher into the file reveals it to be an important piece of antiquity involving a legendary Dark Lord of the Sith by the name of Naga Sadow.

He glances at the attache case sitting on the passenger seat, running the contingencies he had prepared for through his head. He steps out of the vehicle, joins a group of young people hanging out on the street. The man subtly keeps an eye on his hovervehicle and the residence. Desiring a smoke, he pulls a cigarra from his overcoat, pilfering through his pockets he can't find a means to light it.

He asks a young man nearby, "Can I have a light?"

The young man complies respectfully. Novi cups the burning match with both his hands to keep it lit, the sleeves of his overcoat slip back slightly revealing two white plastisteel bracelets. Still no word from his contacts in the underworld blackmarket yet, that could lead him to the specific whereabouts of the artifact.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

Warm, damp, sticky, and crimson. It covered his claws and was wiped across his lips as Ogre loomed over the limp body of the one whom he had just finished “interrogating”. This lead had turned out to be fruitless. The blood began to pool around the body.

The result would have been the same whether it had provided him with that which he sought or whether it had turned out as it had. Death was the end result, it was a thing that seemed to follow wherever the Sith Master tread. It was a fact that had been since the very day he decided to follow the teachings and ways of the Darkside, a methodology that would never change.

Ogre’s euphoria at having dealt the end of this being was interrupted as his comm. unit, attached to his belt, rang out in his ears, breaking the cold quiet in the dark hotel room that he was in.

“Yes.” He responded, knowing that Hera was the one who had seen fit to contact him, his voice not revealing anything more than his desire to know what was going on.

He hoped that her search had been more successful than his had thus far and planned to reward her handsomely if that were the case.

[Novi Paran]

One week ago...

The industrial district of Nar Shaddaa is in a rather small corner of the smuggler's moon. Industry is not one of the planet's strongest commodities but it's few available resources do contribute to it's economy. In fact, few corporations represented on Nar Shaddaa are legitimate. Most usually front legal markets to cover their illegal enterprises thus evading sector law enforcement. Nar Shaddaa entry into the Galaxy Trade Alliance was by the skin of it's teeth. Many things have changed since the weakening empirical rule of the Hutts in their corner of space.

Sangal Exports is a looming building with fancy architecture and reflective gold windows in Andzyr Park. It is owned by Morgan Daan, a ruthless businessman and tenacious collector of rare artifacts representing Sith legend and magic.

In a soundproof office on the fifth floor of Sengal Exports sits two people. One is a twi'lek of very slight build and the other is man dressed in the latest uptown street fashions.

Kenik asks softly, "How do you know that he shipped the artifact to Coruscant?"

The visitor purses his lips, then sucks on a tooth quite loudly. "Cuz I am his second lieutenant spagnoli head... I was dere when he had it packed and loaded unto da freighter."

Kenik smiles falsely, "Who did Nuviena ship it to?"

The left side of the visitor's upperlip curls up, the small carefully groomed moustache above it moves like a caterpillar, "He shipped it to some gaucho on Cor'scant named Sanis Prent because da man can move hot merch'dise really good."

The visitor stands up and slams a note down on the desk. "Here is da name of dat bus boy dat rode freighter out dere, Miko."

Kenik takes the note, smiles and stands, hands the gangster a valise full an un-named amount of credits. The visitor opens it and his face lights up with a crooked smile, shuts it with a chuckle. "Bye"

Coruscant today...

He notes the night is becoming very much alive with hustle of pedestrians, logjamming the sidewalks outside the nightclub strips. The natives are restless for delight and amusement. He sits in a chair with a electro-scope sitting on the table in one of the nearby hotels, all expenses paid for by Sangal Exports. No movement at all by Sanis who remains still holed up in his residence. Picking up the com-link, he tries to connect with one of the crew members of the freighter, still no answer. This the seventh time has tried to re-connect with him. The kid said simply stated, "I will speak with you alittle later, I am kinda busy now, there is something hot on the horizon." 'CLICK'

Unbeknownst to Novi is the com-link is beeping incessantly on the nightstand, the young man lies on the bed in a pool of his own blood, eyes clouded lifeless grey staring endlessly at the ceiling, throat precisely sliced from ear to ear.

[Sanis Prent]

(I was born at night, but not last night. The hovercar had been parked across the street for the better part of the day. Of course, there could always be perfectly-explainable reasons why you'd sit in a speeder for half a day. Then again...I wasn't shackled by the burden of proof. The sexiest thing about being a shade beyond the law was "shoot first, ask questions later" was the rule, and not the exception.

Still...nothing a little Twi'Leki takeout and a six-pack of Sullust's Dark couldn't fix. No problem, staying home for once suited me just fine. I'd huddled around my computer terminal, and bunkered down for a little reading up. In the keyword search, I kept it simple:

NAGA SADOW_

The search parameters sent me spinning down like Alice in a rabbit hole. There were old historical archives, talking about a powerful sith with ridiculous mythological powers. The tough thing about the Force was sifting between what was real, and what was a steaming pile of dren. I dunno...it all came with a grain of salt to me. Sure, I'd seen the force, knew it existed from the people I'd fought, but half of it seemed more smoke and mirrors than anything on the level.

After an hour or so of dull ghost stories, dry museum walkthroughs, and other such things, I came across a picture of an ancient oil fresco on some half-crumbled wall on Corellia. The picture was of Naga Sadow, but what caught my attention was the object around his right wrist.

A caption labeled it as "The circle of souls".

I laughed to myself. Where the hell did these people come up with this crap.

I forced down a bite of Twi'Leki mushroom noodle, and grabbed the wooden bracelet. I looked at it closely, and at the picture of the fresco on my terminal screen. Yeah, looked similar enough.

Putting away my food, I slid the bracelet onto my right wrist, looking at it closely. No glowing, no army of spirit demons being summoned, nothing. Aside from being a little cool to the touch, it was as wood as wood could be.

Seemed to be a load of BS, as per usual. Oh well...what mattered was that people BELIEVED that it was powerful. I'd seen people on the streets of Coruscant who claimed they had little bits of Emperor Palpatine's bones. Some tourist idiot would buy the little bits for a ton of credits. I guess there really is a sucker born every minute. On Coruscant, likely every second.

Who knew? Seemed this Naga Sadow guy got really cozy with the history books, so there were probably folks out there who would shell out the 2 mil in creds for the crappy little piece of wood.

I laughed....maybe I'd have to thank Dal later.

I stood up, made an overly-dramatic pose, and spoke in superhero-ish baritone.)

Yes! I possess the Circle of Souls! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

(How some of these Sith and Jedi came up with this cheese, I'd never know.

Sitting down, I thumbed down a list of comm addresses. I'd have to end up doing a bit more verification on what I had. After all, what do I know about Sith Artifacts? I'm sure there are plenty of experts on crackpot pieces of junk.

I pinged up an associate of mine, Morgan Evanar. Maybe he'd shed some light on this little product. As I waited, I noticed the hovercar across the street....still parked where it had been all day.)

...amateurs.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan had the fortune (misfortune?) of being on Coruscant at the time. His accountant lived there, and with the number of stocks he had, the recent up-down nature of the technology markets, he was due for a visit and a rundown.

So he stood at a cabbie pickup point at dusk, bathed in artificial street lamp light. Morgan's wrist chrono/communicator beeped, or rather the earpiece did.

"Hello?" He asked. Sanis obviously wasn't expecting a voice reply, but he had a fast mind.

"The whohnma humna wha? I told you my areas of expertise when you first got in touch." Sanis went on about how it was probably BS and whatnot.

"Sanis, you're about a Force sensitive as a brick tied to a ysalamiri. Anyway, I know as much about old artifacts as you, but I'm sure I could get some solid information. Maybe even dig up a safe buyer who could do a decent job of keeping it out of the wrong hands. At the very least, I could get some sort of feeling from the object. You might be able to dupe some fool if its a very good fake."

"Well, no... I guess I'll just have to make sure they deserve it, if thats the case." Sanis chuckled a bit, and told Morgan to meet him.

"I can be there in about an hour, provided I can get a good cab."

[DarthHERA]

The light of the palm-size data pad cast a greenish glow onto Hera's face. She thought again how generous it was of her little friend to enter his password for her to access it - that is, before she broke some of his fingers.
Had had saved her alot of time.

She could sense Ogres expectation of news about the artifacts whereabouts, even over the distance of the commlink,
and so she was to the point.

One word said volumes, "Prent"

There was a palpable pause.

"Delivered yesterday."

Sanis Prent - a name well known in many and varied avenues of the galaxy. Prent Enterpises, Prent Software, Prent Cizerack Posterboy and now, it seemed, Sith Artifact Purveyor could be added to the list. Hera knew the name well. She had even spent some time observing him at the well known Jedi Bar & Grill a while back. He was quick-witted and resourceful and had a reputation for being the guy to look up if you wanted or needed anything obtained or done. She also knew of the recent hatred between he and Sorsha, Ogres sister. Releiving Prent of the Artifact was going to be even more enjoyable with that in mind.

Hera continued on, reading from the facts at her disposal thru the datapad.

"I have a delivery address - its validated via "Acceptance Verification Retinal scan" when he accepted the parcel. (Slick had done it all by the book) Its original sender was Dal Nuviena - Nar Shadda mobster. I have heard of him, fancies himself the next Jabba." Ogre voiced a scoffing growl.

A small beeping caused Hera to turn and unclip the personal communicator clasped to the inside pocket of the couriers pants. This was about the seventh time it had gone off...someone was missing a buddy.

She continued speaking to Ogre.

"I think Goldenboy probably has no idea what he has got, and may be unaware of the kind of interest it has sparked since the news of the Artifacts surfacing. But, that wont last long. When Prent realises what it is, he will want to get rid of it quick. Make the sale, take his cut and wash his hands of it. It would be the smart thing to do. We should move fast."

After making arrangements to meet up with Ogre, Hera placed the couriers communicator, which she still held, on the nightstand.

As she moved to leave, she had a second thought and,even as it began to beep again, pocketed the device and left the room
allowing the door to lock automatically behind her.

[Sanis Prent]

OOC: Novi, even if for an hour or two...it would have been sufficient to get attention.

IC:

I'll remind the receptionist to send you up. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled. I think I picked up an admirer. They may still be around when you get here...just to let you know. P out.

(Shutting the comm off, I flopped onto my leather couch, looking at the bracelet as I flipped on the Holoviewer. As I watched "Twi'Leki Love Slave VII", I began running down a mental list of people I needed to discuss the bracelet with. Some would help, but some would do more harm than good.

Saarrreeaa came to mind...for about half a second. She was even greedier than I was. If I even dropped a hint at having a potential 2 mil sale, she'd get her filthy paws on it faster than I could finish my sentence. No...she stayed in the dark on this. Not to mention...her hairball enforcer Cirrsseeto was looking for an excuse to snap me like a twig. I didn't want any trouble.

Azure...she was a wild card in my hand. Not that I trusted anybody else in the organization, but she went to great pains to keep me pissed off at times. Who knew what her personal agenda would be when it came to something like this?

Vekaar was a distinct possibility. He had enough connections to get the info I needed. After I had a chat with Morgan, I'd give him a ping.

The others were a mixed bag of old and new cons...I had no idea what to expect. Sieken, Aliya, Joel, etc. It had to be somebody close, but not too close. I didn't want to tip my hand too early.)

[Novi Paran]

Observing through the electro-telescope out his hotel room window, Novi seen Sanis peering through his window, seemingly looking up the block at his hovervehicle. It must have been the tinted windows that must have given him away, too inconspicuous for a street veteran like Sanis. That was ok in Novi's book as he peers down at the attache case lying on the table, he was here to negotiate one way or another.

After ringing the crew member's com-link frequency that seventh time, he decided either this kid found himself a really great time shacked up with some woman or something bad has happened to him. Novi's gut instinct was leaning towards the latter. The inherit implications surrounding the artifact were all too serious.

The waiting game continues...

[Mortaniuss]

"Lost in your own thoughts again, Sanis?"

The voice rang was strong and loud, clear even over the obscene sounds coming from the holoviewer. The owner of the voice didn't wait for the person he was addressing to turn around before continuing.

"Or perhaps you'd like me to sift through your thoughts for you, hmm? I do believe my way would be more efficient, but I'm afraid that you'd find the experience distinctly... unpleasant."

[Sanis Prent]

(The voice was cold as a blizzard on Hoth, it chilled my soul to hear it. Memories instantly rewound to my encounters with the vampire, Saurron Lestat. The same piercing monotone, boring clean through my heart. Maybe the 20th time around, the knife didn't hurt going in so bad. I wasn't used to the vampires presence. Far from it. But to say the nerves were dead was a good way of putting it.)

I'm gonna have to remember to close the windows.

(I stood up, and faced the pale visitor. These unannounced visits were...annoying.)

So, I'm not important enough for Saurron to visit personally anymore? He's sending his toadies now?

(It was a safe bet to ride on my poker face, and it was on tonight. I slid a hand into my jacket pocket, coming out slowly with a stim cigarette. I lit the stim, giving it a few quick puffs. The white smoke was a curtain, lifting for the act that was about to begin. The glitter hit my veins, quickening my pulse. I met his cold stare with a kissing cousin.)

Barging into my house is dirty pool enough.

(Quicker than a heartbeat, my shellgun was leveled at his chest.)

Lets not ante up to double jeopardy. Stay out of my head, or...I might twitch.

(A calculated smile)

I didn't get your name...

[Mortaniuss]

The vampyre's lips parted slightly in that clichéd way which showed just the barest hint of his fangs, as immaculately white as the rest of his person. The situation had quickly turned into a game - One that he had played many times before. And the only way to win was for him to keep his cool. Fortunately enough, his considerable span of unlife had taught him a great deal of patience.

"But of course, good sir: I left the option entirely up to you."

He lifted both hands up in the air in that innocent 'I-didn't-do-anything' gesture as he spoke.

"I hardly think that there's any need for such... caution, among friends. And I would like very much to become your friend, Mr. Prent. Because enemies are a such a bother in this day and age, wouldn't you agree?"

He paused, giving Sanis sufficient time to consider his words before continuing.

"And you are quite correct, good sir: Master Saurron is otherwise occupied at the moment, so he sent one of his 'toadies' to keep an eye on you. This particular toadie's name, by the way, is Mortaniuss."

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

The rendezvous with Hera went off flawlessly. Information was shared and with her skills the location of the one known as Sanis was gleaned. For such a notorious fellow, his whereabouts weren’t that hard to ascertain. It probably had to do with the fact that the man they got the information from, was an associate, or perhaps the better word for it would be client, of said ‘businessman’.

Ogre was very pleased with how well Hera had done in acquiring the information as to where the item had been sent, and was even more pleased as he made his way to the doorway of the man’s penthouse suite. The huge green Sith appeared to those around him to be nothing more than your average humanoid, pale colored skin and all.

The Force was a powerful tool when wielded by one with his skill and mastery of it. And his abilities made getting through the lobby completely unseen all that much simpler. Passing from the physical plane of existence to the Ethereal one and back, was but a simple task to him.

Ogre had decided that he would pay the man a visit and see if he could take possession of that which he sought. His method of doing so could take any form, from trying to bargain with the man, or leaving him dead on the floor. The first problem would be explaining how he had come across the information, but the person that he and Hera had just ‘interrogated’ would come in handy for that, because Ogre knew his name.

Form outward appearances, the hand of the man, that was actually about three times larger than it looked, reached up and pressed a button beside the door, sounding a chime on the inside. Ogre could sense that there was more than one individual inside the apartment, but he was not familiar with the one that was not human, though there was a slight air of familiarity about him, similar to someone he once knew very well.

[Sanis Prent]

(The chime on the door came unnanounced, building the suspense in the air to pandemic proportions. I'd almost suspended my hostile disbelief towards the vampyre, but I was thinking twice about it, now. A double-clicking rang hollow in my ears as I pulled the twin hammers on the shellgun back.)

Two's company, three's a crowd, Mortaniuss. Who's at the door?

(While waiting for a decent answer, I activated my comm)

Talya, this is Prent...did you send somebody up?

"No, Mr. Prent. You've had no visitors today. Your next meeting is..."

I know when my next meeting is. Somebody's at the door.

(I gave a side glance at the holocam view. Nobody special. Dark hair, thin, human. Looked like some random, nameless thug.)

Talya...next time, send these guys to personell, not to me. I've got things to do.

(She was probably reading another holonovel, and he slipped right in. Figures. I glanced back to the vampyre, hoping to glean some information out of this recent intrusion. For all I knew...John Doe could be the vamp's gun-toting sidekick, or whatever.)

[Mortaniuss]

(The vampyre's whimsical smile faltered... if only for a moment. The smile returned half a second later, but now it bore the cruel intentions of a murderer. He gritted his teeth.)

"I'm afraid that your new companion is no associate of mine, Monsieur. At least, not that I know of."

(He lowered his arms back to his side, closing his eyes briefly in what appeared to be an extended blink)

"But I think you'll agree that caution is prudent here. You have my word, on my master's name, that I will not harm you in any way. At least, until this current 'situation' is dealt with. Now... shall we see who your other surprise visitor is, Mr. Prent?"

[Novi Paran]

Spying through the electro-telescope, Novi observes a man of average build and appearance stroll down the street heading towards the Prent residence. Not long after, he pans the telescope back up to the suite's lobby window, sees the secretary press a button on her desk com, he takes a quick glance to the suite window where previously he observed Sanis peer out towards the general direction of his vehicle, a shadow shifts out of view. Panning the telescope back to the front entrance, he observes the stranger ringing the front doorbell. He whispers through clenched teeth, "We have a new player."

Novi quickly stands, moves to the bed where a two pieces of luggage lie, it is time to gear up and move...

[Sanis Prent]

(I nodded. No time like the present to get to the bottom of this. Walking across the living area, I knocked at a door.)

Cirrsseeto...we've got a visitor.

(The big furball was dumber than a duracrete brick, and about as thick. But he was hired muscle, and good enough at that simplistic role. As long as Saarrreeaa held his leash tight, he was a good enough asset to use.)

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto opened the door, looking annoyed and slightly angry that the insufferable hyuu-mann Prent had called on him. He loathed the man's existence, but as long as he was useful to his mistress, there was nothing to be done. Cirrsseeto was essentially bound to the forrda's service. The very thought of it caused the Cizerack's ears to fold back in anger. But for now...there was nothing that could be done.

...for now.

Cirrsseeto nodded to Prent's demands, yawning somewhat at being awakened from a nap. He padded over to the door, opening it slightly.

Mjisssterrr Prrrent jisss not ssseejing vjisssjitorrrsss todajy.

Cirrsseeto moved to close the door again.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

The door opened enough for him to see the Cizerack, who appeared to be quite tired and just over his shoulder he could see the head of a rather pale creature and just beside him, but somewhat obscured, he could see Sanis’ shoulder. Easy enough to recognize by the clothing he chose as his preferred dress. The positioning of his shoulder made it clear to the Sith Master he was holding a weapon.

Shifting his illusion immediately as he saw the Cizerack, he manipulated the Force to also present his scent as that of a human, something that would also aid in keeping his identity safe from the Vampire, though he wasn’t certain that was what the odd colored man was.

Sticking his foot in the door, he spoke with a feeble voice, very different than his usual deep one, completely ready for the Cizerack to get violent, but using just a small hint of the Force to help sway the feline being to be more docile as he spoke, suggestive means worked very well on the feeble minded.

“I think he’ll want to see me. He does speak the intergalactic language of cash doesn’t he?”

He was sure to make his voice loud enough that those somewhat farther away from the door could also hear what he said.

[Mortaniuss]

(Like sun bleached bones layed on top of one another, Mortaniuss crossed his arms over his chest. He broadened his shoulders as a way to accentuate his bare chest more. It was, in fact, rather comparable to the way some animals tried to frighten off others of their kind by looking larger than they really were. The difference being that this vampyre had the muscle to back up his bravado.

Had the "guest" stepped in at another time, the situation wouldn't have seemed too out of the ordinary. But the stranger's timing couldn't have been more suspicious if he had tried. Sanis might be of little concern to Mortaniuss himself, but the upstart businessman was apparently of great interest to his Master. With a silent subtlety, the albino stepped closer to his charge, flanking him, but otherwise making no obvious movements.)

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto looked down at the man, confused by his question.

jI...uh...he ssspeaksss Basssjic.

Unsure of what to do, Cirrsseeto glanced back at Sanis. The Hyuu-mann didn't look either suspicious or threatening, and apart from speaking in confusing sentences, was harmless enough.

[DarthHERA]

She wasnt happy about it, but of course, that meant nothing. She was to do as she was instructed - liking it was not in the equation. Hera had wanted to accompany her Master up to the notorious Prent's residence.
She had planned to gloat unashamedly as she lifted the Artifact from the grasping fingers of Sanis before Ogre perhaps snapped his pretty neck. Or maybe Ogre would have opened up the hucksters belly and she could hold his own innards up for him to see...that would be fun too.
She could see it now, even as she fantasized the whole scenario, picturing every move, savoring every violent detail.

Reality check.

She was making her way down the litter-strewn sidewalks of the
city to see who else might crawl out of the woodwork and try their
hand at obtaining the Artifact. "Just Blend" Ogre had said when she had protested she would look obvious. So, "blend" she did.
Buying from a street-vender a round twisted peice of baked doe with salt on it....a prezzle or some such ridiculous name..she bit it and chewed abscent-mindedly as her cold blue eyes followed a hover-vehicle as it first passed her one way, and then again the opposite direction, slowing down almost imperceptibly as it passed Sanis Prents building.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

The Cizerack female walked into her bedchamber in the penthouse she was forced to share with the human Sanis Prent. Her satin nightgown slid luxuriously across her taut body, but the room was empty. "Cjirrrrrr?" She frowned. Where was that male?

She wanted him tonight, and she had expected him to be here. Saa growled. Sssanjisss. The human male was the proverbial thorn in her side...as well as the literal one. He must have called Cirrsseeto out and away from his duties as her manservant.

Saa threw on a sheer robe over her nightgown, and headed out to the main room. Opening a door she saw a group of people gathered in her front room. "What the frrrell jis gojing on jin herrre?"

[Novi Paran]

After passing the building once, giving the entrance and lobby one thorough look over, Novi sits in the parked hovervehicle. Craning his head around he looks about the streets, shockingly there is not many souls out this late.

A duffel bag lies on the passenger seat, opening the vehicle door, he hefts the duffle bag over his shoulder before slamming the door shut behind him. As Novi walks towards the entrance, he notices a woman standing across the street. Ignoring her, he continues his way to the front entrance.

Flashing the lobby's security guard his credentials, Novi receives the nodding ok and makes his way to the elevators. Once in the elevator, he smirks and punches the button to ascend up to the floor just below Sanis' suite.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

That's right. Stay very still. Very, very still. Keep your eyes on the building. Yes, you're doing an excellent job of shadowing, O She of the Shadowfaene.

Lift the food, yes, that's right, oh so. Take a bite, but keep your eyes on the window. Eyes front, eyes forward, ignoring the one who watches the watchers. Ignoring the Tricky One, yes, yes.

Why are you here, hm? Hm? And why does old Hob sense a swirling disturbance in the Force coming from the inside of that room, hm? Perhaps something will happen there, yes?

Trickster.

What d'ye want? Old Hob has-

I AM HOB. Now be silent.

...

Good. I will craft a body for you, that you may go sneak into that room. Forces are meeting there for a reason of mutual distrust. I want to know why.

Ever since ye've had that vision O this buildin', ye've been more prickly than-

If you think I enjoy listening to a babbling accent running through my thoughts, you are mistaken. Talk normally.

... If I must, I must, hm? Now, a body. A body to go play some tricks on people with? Give it to me. NOW.

You are in no position to demand-

NOWNOWNOWNOWNOWNOWNOWNOW!

ENOUGH! Begone, and do the task!


A bug come seemingly from nowhere flew through the open window the Sanis Prent's apartment. It settled on the windowsill, then fluttered into the air quick as lightning and burrowed into the carpet, disappearing among the thickly woven fibers.

[Novi Paran]

As the elevator ascends with hypnotic hum, Novi finishes gearing up while contemplating about his objective of obtaining the artifact in his possession and keeping it. He runs a plan through his head with back-up contingencies. He will have no problem exiting the building, he can make an exit anywhere. It is coveted artifact itself that may prove the most difficult as the galaxy is now full of fanatical sith and this piece of wood is a religious icon to most of them. When he makes an offer that Sanis can not refuse, he will be begging me to take it off his hands when the darksiders come smashing through his front door.

Putting on his last piece of his gear, his ascent comes to a humming stop. The doors open to an empty elevator, no one is disembarking nor even a duffel bag lying there.

[Jamie Throwe]

::Looking from a building across the street, a man wearing a good looking suit observes the building Sanis is living in. He scans both the floor Sanis is on, and the one below it. Jamie sees Novi wondering around, and he thinks to himself..He will never be able to pull it off, alone that is.Jamie then checks his gear, and heads to the stairs carring a backpack of somekind.::

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Kajeela stretched her legs out and let out a petite yawn, her pink lips making a perfect "O". Even with her legs extended fully, there was still a whole body width to the deep leathered seat opposite her.

The sleek black hover-vehicle could sit 4 large Cizerack males in the back with room to spare and at the moment it was just Kajeela and one of her Enforcers. Two other of her men were behind the clear partition that divided the navigation section from the passengers.

So much of her time was spent in such vehicles. Watching. Waiting. And this night was no different. Soon the communque would come....jif the ljittle fool has not lossssst the code numberrr

News of something very big had found its way to the KAR Director's attention earlier in the week. Something to do with criminal elements and Sith voodoo - and whenever something big was going down in the underworld, Kajeela always put money on the fact that Sanis Prent would be smack in the middle of it.

It was well known a certain Cizerack Business woman had a personal interest in the said Mr. Prent and had commanded her man-servant Cirrsseeto into his service. And there is where Kajeela's opportunity arose.

She had tapped Saarrreeaa's manservant to be her eyes and ears for a little while. "Jussst thjisss once" she had promised him. Not that he'd had any choice. A small laugh escaped her at the memory of his little face wilting at that fact. When the Kai 'Ai Reei requested a favor, one was obliged to aquiesence.

There seemed alot of activity up at the penthouse suite from Kajeela's angle of view. Cirr was not the smartest of stoolies, but atleast he was in the hub of things. Kajeela would have to make do.

She glanced at the luminated chrono on her wrist and drummed her sharp claws on the armrest. She almost willed her thoughts to Cirrsseeto " call meeeee"

[Sanis Prent]

(Where there was smoke, there was fire. Saarrreeaa roused from whatever the hell she was doing in her room, and tromped out into the living area, looking frazzled and livid as usual. Her stripe-marbled skin sheened with a fine layer of sweat, belying some evidence of typical Cizerack carnal gymnastics in progress.

Throw another log on the fire...it was already a barn-burner.

I glanced at my business partner, shrugging.)

Seems we've got company.

(I smiled)

Who wants coffee?

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto fidgeted as the talking device buzzed in his pants pocket, tickling him slightly. He made a confused face, ears lowering as he thought. Glancing back at Sanis and Saarrreeaa, his eyes widened. He didn't notice his mistress coming into the room until now. The manservant stared at his feet. Everything was hard now.

Once again, he glanced at Sanis and his mistress.

Pleassse excussse me, jI have to go to the bathrrroom.

Cirrsseeto waited for permission from his mistress.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

As he was let into the suite, he got an even better look at all those present, including a Cizerack female, he hadn’t noticed from behind the barely open door. It seemed to him that this suite was more than just a room for Sanis, it looked like it was a full blown headquarters in itself.

Maintaining all the different facets of the illusion, including appearance, scent, and the way he sounded made it difficult for him to stretch out and see if there were any other surprise occupants of his place, and he wasn’t able to make such a determination without compromising his identity, so he didn’t even bother.

The door closed behind him and he walked in looking around. He had to play it off as if he really didn’t know any of these people, which shouldn’t be too difficult, seeing that for the most part, he really didn’t. He had an indirect contact with Sanis on one occasion at the TSE Headquarters, but the rest of this motley crew were all total strangers to him.

The presence of the Cizerack, made his curiosity raise, pondering if these two that he saw here were in any way associated with the diplomat he had agreed to trade terms with, at a time not all too long ago.

The smiple looking man that Ogre appeared to be stood loking around, trying to display an expression of awe at all those he saw around him, and an almost nervous look, as if saying, ‘Where do I sit down?’. He decided that to convincingly pull of the part of the human being he looked like, agreeing to a cup of coffee would be a good start.

“I’ll take one.” He answered Sanis, raising an empty hand into the air, his other hand hanging at his side relaxed.

He was close, that he could sense without much effort. It wouldn't be much longer and he would have what he came for.

[DarthHERA]

Hera was now on her third prezzel and feeling quite ill from it.
The saying "sticks to your ribs" was an understatement.

She contemplated killing the vendor out of indigestive spite, but thought a lower profile was more advisable tonight. There were bigger fish to fry and she swatted at a large bug that buzzed by her head and flew off into the dark.

The well-dressed man had entered the building after leaving his hover-vehicle parked up the road. He had flashed some credentials to the girl behind the desk, duffle bag in hand, and took the turbolift to the floor just below the Penthouse Suite.

Her first impulse was to follow him. Slit his throat and leave him, just as she had the slimey courier earlier that evening. But she needed to remain obedient. Ogre's reasonsing that there might be other interested parties arriving and needed for her to remain outside the building. She would do so until she heard from him or, as he had instructed, the situation demanded otherwise.

She did however wish to advise Ogre of the extra element that had now entered into the equation.

Clasping her hand around the talisman about her neck, Hera closed her eyes and summoned to her mind what she had seen of the man entering the building - conveying it with crystal clarity through the mental link to her Master, orignal owner of the talisman. What she had seen, he now saw and was alerted to another probable "buyer."

Hera moved deeper into the shadows, the space between two shop fronts, now closed up for the night, provided perfect cover and she continued her sureilance.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saarrreeaa blinked. "Companjy?" She gestured to the two strangers. "jIf thejy arrre jyourrr companjy, would jyou mjind not deprrrjivjing me of mjy manserrrvant?" She bristled with anger at the human's indifference to Cizerack customs.

Cirrsseeto was mumbling something, all the confusion was getting to him. She dissmissed him with a curt nod. "Go, but be qujick." She turned to Sanis, but the insufferable man was actually getting coffee. Saa growled at the two men, one small in insignificant, the other tall and pale... She paused. The tall one was certainly striking in appearance.

Her little pink tongue passed over her lips before she realized it, then she raised herself to her full height, and turned to return to her rooms. Something didn't smell right in this room. Both of Sanis' vistors smelled...odd. One smelled like dead roses, and the other she could not place. He didn't smell human. Saa drew her sheer robe around her body, and walked to the bathroom door to check on Cirr.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Once in the bathroom, Cirrsseeto nervously removed the vibrating comm device...pressing the button he was told to activate it. He held it up to his ear, and mewled quietly into it.

jYesss? Hello. jI'm herrre.

[Novi Paran]

Delete

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan was reminded why he hated any transportation other than his own. It was slow, stupid, and smelly: the whole cab smelled of old heavy fried food, was stuck in traffic on an overpass, and they had just passed the street they should have made a right on.

The Rodian driver mumbled something about a faster route by going this way, but it was fairly obvious that he didn't know the back roads adaquately and was covering.

"Thanks, but I'll be getting off here."
"But there is no place to walk! The walkway is 12 meters below!" Morgan just smiled, opened the door, and dropped out.
"You didn't pay me," he yelled, and then looked at the seat seeing the exact credit he was owed for the mileage.
"That was strange."

Except for the slap of soft soled boots and a tumble on the ground, there was no indication of anyone hitting the ground from above. Morgan, still invisible to the eye, dusted himself off after making sure everything else was in working order. Satisfied, he jogged twoard Sanis' penthouse, fifteen floors above the second street level.

---------

The street Sanis had indicated had what Morgan termed "proper night lighting"--just enough light to see comfortably and walk around without tripping over things, but not bright enough to be obnoxious and overbearing. But aside from that, the whole place felt like a powder keg, centered around the 15th floor (or the 200th, depending on your perspective). While lousy at reading emotions, Morgan was profficent at getting an overall feeling for a situation, and the woman "hidden" in the dark next to the shop fronts fit in too well with the overall mood of the place. He let his gaze linger in that space for a moment, and then walked in through the doors.

He smiled at the woman behind the front desk.
"How can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Mr. Prent."
"I'm sorry, but Mr. Prent isn't seeing anyone at this time. If you'd like to leave a message or..."
"Thank you, no. I'll just use the refressher and then be on my way." She pointed down the hall on her left side.
"Second door on the left." Evanar walked down the hall, opened the door, dissapeared, turned around, and let the door close behind him. The door at the very end of the hall was marked "Staff Only", but he walked right through, finding the freight elevator.

[Jamie Throwe]

Strange all this security Jamie thought to himself. Oh wait thats right there must be others here for the object
::Jamie walks past the security, flashing his crenditals as a buyer of strange goods. Jamie silently smiled as the gurads let him pass with his false credentals. But with all the comming and goings the gurads really didn't have time to check everyones papers. And with the possibility of The Sith here, there were other worries then the fact that someone entered the building claiming to be someone who really did not want to attract attention. Jamie then headed toward the lift with his gear, not knowing that he was being watched...::

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saarrreeaa knocked on the door to the 'fresher. "Cjirrrrrr, arrre jyou okajy? And jif jyou arrre, wjill jyou get out of therrre?" She let impatience creep into her tone. The company out in the sitting room was getting strange, and was making her nervous. Having Cirrsseeto at her side would help calm her.

She heard the murmer of voices in the front rooms, and the hairs on the back of her slender neck stood on end. "Cjirrrrrr?! Hurrrrrrjy."

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Cirr's voice come over the comm, hushed but clear, breaking the quiet of the hovervehicle, and Kajeela snatched it from her subordinate's hand.

"Rrrrrreporrrt!"





...................




Kajeela and her officer exchanged a glance in the silence. The Director took a calming breath - she could imagine the dimwitted manservant struggling to figure out what she wanted - and tried a more expanded approach.

"Tell me what jyou ssssseee, Cjirrrrsssseeto. Who jisss therrrre at the Penthoussssse?"

Adding before he could answer and hoping she would not confuse him she asked, "What arrrre they afterrrr?"



please shrink signature down to around 30k :)

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Tell me what jyou ssssseee, Cjirrrrsssseeto. Who jisss therrrre at the Penthoussssse?"

Cirrsseeto pondered this question, just as a knocking sound came from the refresher door. His ears lowered, as he racked his brain. He spoke softly

Sssanjisss, Sssaarrrrrrrrreeaa, a dead-sssmelljing hjyuu-mann, and a sssmall hjyuu-mann wjith darrrk hajirrr.

When she asked what they were after, Cirrsseeto scratched his head, wondering if he'd missed that. The knocking at the door didn't help him concentrate.

jI...uh...thejy...djidn't sssajy...jyet, jI thjink? jI don't know.

He frowned toothily

jI have to go now...

He tucked the comm away, opening the refresher door.

[Jamie Throwe]

::While riding in the lift, Jamie reviews his instructions to himself. This is a simple retreval operation. All I have to do is to get the object back to my employer. Strange, you would think that he would of trusted me enough to at least tell me what it is. And he is lucky enough that I would take this mission. Quite frankly this is something he can do on his own being as powerful as he is. But in the end however I guess I was just board working at that industrial plant, and retirement was getting old anyways.
With that thought the lift doors open and Jamie was greeted by seeing someone who he didn't expect.::

[Sanis Prent]

(I stepped into the kitchen, glancing around for anybody nearby as I did so. There were too many men on the field, and things were bound to get a little rough and tumble. To the left, I glanced at the remnants of what must've been a Cizerack midnight snack. Some poor sorry little creature that had been wrenched inside out and back again. I slapped the wall control, activating the cleaning droid as I went to the coffee machine. As I poured up two steamin cups of ithorian java for myself and the lanky visitor, I glanced at the wooden bracelet on my wrist. In the hectic chaos of the past ten minutes, I'd forgotten all about it.

I still didn't know anything concrete. They called it the circle of souls, and it was allegedly traced back to Naga Sadow. Didn't bring me any closer to making a profit off of it, but that didn't mean I wouldn't. Never hurt to be a little suspicious.)

MARCUS...

(The little pink droid cyllinder popped out of the chute by the counter, rolling to me expectantly. I slid the wooden band off my arm, and handed it to his manipulator arm.)

...we got some unannounced houseguests. Take this...and make yourself scarce. Just keep on the DL while we take care of business.

(The droid opened up his pink shell, lodging the bracelet inside a small storage compartment, and closed over it, before wheedling away, back into the wall chute. A moment later, I returned, handing the dark haired guy his cup of joe, as I sipped the steam off the top of my own.)

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

She pulled him out of the refresher as soon as the door opened. "What took you ssso long?" Cirr stammered a moment, and Saa lost patience. "Neverrr mjind, come to the bedrrroom. We have unfjinjissshed busssjinessssss..."

Pulling his head down for a kiss, Saarrreeaa walked backwards to their room, pulling him along with her. She could taste the remants of a snack on his tongue, and she purred deliciously when they reached the room and he kicked the door shut. His hands were busy...as were hers.

They fell onto the bed, and she nipped at his neck and chin, taking the dominant role, as she always did.

[Mortaniuss]

(Being purposefully discreet often had it's own virtues. The mysterious man had no doubt gotten a good glance at the vampyre - perhaps even knew what he was by now. He had a knowing look in his eyes which suggested as much. But still, Mortaniuss decided to keep a low profile... or as low as possible, when standing in the same room with someone.

The artificial lighting in Sanis' apartment left a sordid lack of darkened corners. None-the-less, he had quietly stepped back and let events unfold as they would. This melting pot of strangers looked like it could break into a brawl at any moment, as Sanis himself no doubt knew. And Mortaniuss still had a vested interest in the businessman, which very well might entail playing bodyguard for a bit.

The concept wasn't entirely revolting to the vampyre: No doubt the suave Mr. Prent had many female acquintances, ripe for the picking. Hopefully, they weren't all feline.

Despite his intentions to not move a muscle, Mortaniuss couldn't help but smile when offered a drink. Indeed I would like something to slake my thirst, he thought. Yet he remained silent, with full knowledge that Sanis was just looking for an excuse to get out of the room for a moment. And, as if reading his thoughts, the sheathed weapon at his side began to softly, almost inaudibly, hum. Apparently, it had a thirst of it's own it wished to sate.)

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

The Director closed her slender fingers around the small communicator as the connection ended, and looked at it - as if by staring at it long enough it would reveal more of what was taking place in the Penthouse.

She had heard Saar's voice calling in the background somewhere. The woman was too much of a distraction for Cirrsseeto, and Kajeela cursed under her breath. How was her spy going to report anything with his Mistress demanding so much of his attentions? And Kajeela could easily imagine what type attentions Saarrreeaa was demanding right now..grumbling in annoyance,"the woman'sss tjimjing isss deplorrrrable "

Still, all was not a complete loss. Through his simple and woefully short description of Prent's current parlour-company, the KAR Director atleast had a body count. Their purpose for the evening visit on the dubious Mr Prent however was no clearer. The intelligence Kajeela had received earlier that week had led her to beleive that the object inspiring such interest was a type of Sith magic of unknown power.
And her motto had always been "Power was better in Cizerack hands than Someone elses", and hence, was the reason she was sitting in the dark like a common gangster on the miserable streets of Coruscant.

The Directors tail tapped against the smooth leather interior of the hover-vehicle as her mind pondered the situation. Her curiousity piqued by the individuals Cirr had mentioned. Sssssomethjing bjig jisss jin the airrrr. She just knew it.

The muscular male subordinate ventured a question as to their next move.

The leader of the Cizerack Secret Intelligence replied simply, her sharp eyes never leaving the two individuals who had entered into Prents building within minutes of each other, "Forrrrr now, we wajit".

[Azure Regalia]

It had been a few hours since the Bounty Hunter had arrived on Coruscant. She had berthed at sector 12, docking bay 4. Her partner would soon be arriving, and was scheduled to berth in the same sector, but at bay 5.

As the Huntress waited, she had been ti8nkering on some small insect-like robots. They were small enough where a petite woman could hold three in her palm. They had the shape, sound, and general appearance of an insect that inhabited Coruscants upper atmosphere among the larger buildings.

She finished tinkering with the last one, and swiveled her seat to look at her control panel. Switching frequencies to match that of the little bugs, she hit a button, activating the buzzing swarm. She turned, eyeing the dozens and dozens of little robots, each with waving antennae and buzzing wings. Their little legs flailed in the air as they hovered, propelled by their small yet powerul motors. But what made these little robots unique was not their characteristics and similarities to their live bretheren, but their capabilities of surveillance and transmission.

Smiling, she hit a switch, opening the hatch, followed by the hit of another button. Like a shiny green and blue blanket, the swarm of robotic insects flew out the hatch. They would so split up into groups, each heading forma different destination. But each destination would in turn lead to one goal.

Satisfied, the Bounty Hunter got to work on another project. Taking one last look at the picture from an ancient manual that had been held in the encrypted part of the data disk that had been handed to her for this job (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?threadid=10754&perpage=20&pagenumber=1), she returned her attention to the computer screen and it's search on artists living within Coruscant's main city. More specifically, wood carvers.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya fiddled with the controls on her Chevette, allowing Coruscant Control to guide her ship into its bay in sector 12. She felt the landing gear touch the duracrete, and then the clamps on the ground secured the Wing of the Raven down securely. She walked to her locker, pulling out her blaster and a fresh power cell, and put them in her shoulder holster and drawing a jacket on over them both.

Her boots shone dully in the lights from the spaceport as she descended the ramp, checking the immediate area for beings. There was only one, in the next bay over, right where she expected her. Arya walked over to docking bay 4, where her unwilling partner Azure Regalia was awaiting her.

[Azure Regalia]

A small beep eminated from behind the Bounty Hunter as one of the hovering security droids emerged from it's little alcove embedded in the ships walls. It hovered over the landing ramp, it's blasters pointed downward. Turning back to look at her screen, she hit a switch, activating the security cam for the ramp. There at it's foot was her assigned partner, finally having arrived.

Standing and walking over to the ramps edge, the Huntress addressed the droid.

Stand down.

It beeped once and hovered away from the entrance, though did not return to it's alcove. Rather it remained hovering near the doorway, off to the side. The Huntress addressed the newcomer.

You may now enter without harm.

With that, the Huntress turned around and headed back to her console, sitting in her seat. She watched as Ravenwing made her way cautiously through the hatch way, eyeing the hovering security droid with narrowed eyes.

The Huntress smiled and resumed her search on the wood carver as Ravenwing made her way to the computer console. Silently standing there, the Bounty Hunter found a wood carver that would suit their needs and put in an order, sending along the picture from the data disk. She didn't need to explain that bit to Ravenwing. She looked like a bright enough woman to understand what she was doing. Though she did mention when it would be ready after receiving a confirmation from the wood carver.

The item should be ready in just under an hour. That will gives us time to survey the... situation.

At that moment, the part of the console dedicated to the robotic insects began to beep. Giving it her full attention, she looked up at Ravenwing.

It appears we have found our query.

The fuzzy black and white image given off by several hovering bugs outside a window showed them a large building, very ornate, and heavily guarded. But none of that was of concern right at the moment. Through one of the windows, they witnessed through the eyes of the little bugs a man give a small wooden object to a bright pink hover droid. The Huntress frowned. She knew that face. There was no denying it. Why did her path always seem to tangle with his. Sighing, she switched views to another bug peering in through the adjoining room's window. It appeared the man had company. Dangerous looking company. The remainder of the swarm of robotic insects came to rest on a neighboring buidling where they could be called upon at a later date. The first group would suffice for now, hidden among the natural swarm of the planet's insects high up near the warmth of the towering building.

Her lips in a tight smile, she looked up at Ravenwing.

Seems our employer did his homework and knew exactly where to find... this guy. And the object.

She tapped the port that still held the data disk she had received. Apparently their employer had a network of spies and information that would have put Jabba the Hutt's network to shame. She started going through names in her head that would have this sort of power, and she didn't like the list that came up. Well, so long as she got paid, it was all good.

She ordered one of the resting robots to fly to the penthouse and drill a tiny hole in the corner of the winow to place it's listening antennae through. Standing, and letting the computer record the events the bugs saw and heard, she walked over to the couch on the opposite side. Looking at Ravenwing, she spoke.

Time to start brain stroming. We've got our work cut out for ourselves.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya flicked her eyes over the consoles inside Regalia's ship, slightly impressed by the technology, which was top of the line. She perched on a chair arm, and looked across at Regalia. "Well, we know where the item is. And we have about an hour before we can move out...there is something I should show you."

She slipped off the arm into the chair, and sat easily, relaxing with her eyes closed. Then she quivered, and shuddered, her body changing and her flesh rearranging. After about five minutes, a Twi'leki woman sat in front of the other bounty hunter. Regalia blinked.

Arya smiled, revealing rows of sharp pointed teeth to her partner. Another three minutes, and she had reverted to her normal shape. Running a hand through her short black hair, Arya shrugged. "I'm not sure what or why I am...but I do know that this might come in useful. I use a slight mind suggestion to complete the fine tuning of the shape change. I think it would fool a Force sensitive, but maybe not for a long period of time." Arya crossed her legs, and queried, "Well, when are we going up there?"

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter's jaw fell open a few centimeters as she saw Ravenwing go from looking completely human to completely Twi'leki in a matter of seconds. She sat ther, blinking. When Ravenwing transformed back, it was then the Huntress found her voice again.

I...I thought your kind were a myth. You mean to tell me you don't know who.. er... what you are?

A little flustered, but her mind already working out a plan for their mission, she stood and proceeded to one of her computer consoles, gesturing for Ravenwing to follow. She punched some information up on a species called Shi'ido. Pointing to the screen, the Huntress addressed Ravenwing.

Here... read (http://www.swforums.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11018).

It wasn't a command, but more like a suggestion. As Ravenwing read through the short file, a plan had formed in the Bounty Hunter's mind. A tiny smile of mischief crept it's way along her lips. This was going to be better than she'd first hoped.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hello, my little bug. Crawl through the carpeted floor. It's fun.

Although the bug did as Trickster suggested, its' mind did not respond to his mental suggestions like some other bugs did.

Don't know what fun is, do you? Eh? Hm? No fun in a bug's life? What is there, then?

The dark and invisible thread that connected Trickster's possessed bug to the body of Hob thinned and lengthened as the bug began to move. A connection so fine required the utmost concentration to see, even from a Dark Sider who was expecting it to be there. It was to Dark Dwarf's credit that he could manage such molecule-fine precision.

The bug, meanwhile, had taken Trickster somewhere he hadn't expected to be.

The kitchen? What do you like about the kitchen? Food, perhaps? Like food, eh? Hm? Yessss. You are hungry, aren't you? What kind of food do you like? Fruit? Meat?

A whirring filled the consciousness of the insect with whom Trickster was sharing a body. It could smell it's kind of food in the kitchen.

The bug took flight, landing on a surface that vibrated and shook. It crept upwards, into a niche on the surface and began excreting a kind of acid. It's mandibles began scooping up a blue powder that the acid extracted from the bug's intended meal.

Trickster extended his senses outward to the point where he could sense what it was that the bug had settled on.

He was both surprised and pleased to learn what it was he'd stumbled into. It was something he could possess that would give him greater mobility and much better eyes than the bug's simple instinctive senses. Trickster took a moment and ran himself through the energy coursing beneath the metal. It carried him on a rushing tide through wires and circuits. It was invigorating.

The Trickster left the body of the bug and flooded into his new body.

The cleaning droid that Sanis had activated paused in the act of cleaning up the midnight snack that had been left in the kitchen, then used a humanoid hand to pluck a bug from one of the crevices on its' body. The droid seemed to regard the bug.

The metallic fingers then closed on the bug and deposited its' crushed body into a vacuum hose.

The squat droid's head stared at the door that separated the kitchen from the living room. Since it had the room to itself, it made sense to examine it.

The droid wheeled away from the mess on the table, then froze as though fighting itself. After a moment, the droid returned and deposited the remains of the meal in a waste receptacle on its' body, then extended its' vacuum hose to the floor and began vacuuming.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya read the file slowly, and then re-read it. She frowned. "Shi'ido? You think that is what I am?" She tapped the screen, "Do you know where this planet is?"

The other woman shrugged, and closed the file. "No."

Ravenwing sat back and looked at Regalia. "You're thinking of something. What do you want me to do? I can't manage quick changes, its too difficult at this point." She checked her chrono. "Time's running out. We have to pick it up soon."

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter went back to the small, round lounge table and gestured for Ravenwing to take a seat on the acceleration couch beside her.

Not to worry. You won't need to do any quick shape-shifting. Just be quick with your blaster if the need arrises.

Producing a data pad from on of her utility belt's pockets, she plugged in it's feed cable into the computer port attached to the table. Several files came up as she punched in their codes. She began explainging to Ravenwing her plan.

I know the man we are dealing with, having dealt with him before. He is resourcful and should not by any means be underestimated.

She showed Ravenwing the picture of the man in question, and continued speaking.

My plan is as follows. My little spy droids have already surveyed the area and are at my disposal to disrupt the security grid near his pent house.

She punched another code. The screen shifted to a moving black and white video feed of the pent house and the occupents within.

I caught this earlier just before you arrived.

She swiched channels, bringing up a video feed stored in memory showing the object in question being stowed away inside a pink hover droid.

Getting a hold of the droid won't be a problem. Using a magnetic disruptor She held up a cylindrical device that took up most of her palm. will cause the droids hovering capabilities to short and any security functions to be cut for only a few seconds, giving us enough time to slap a restraining bolt on it. In the other hand she held up a flat circular disk. We can figure out how to crack it open later and retrieve the goods.

Though I do not want any harm coming to the droid. I'll explain that bit later.

She put the two devices down on the table and picked up the data pad once more, switching channels. The next veiw they received was one of a dozen of the little bug droids, hovering near a building on the opposite side of the alley seperating them from the pent house.

We'll use these droids to disrupt the security grid near his pent house. The security grid will only be down as long as the droids keep disrupting the security grid. But their life span for electric distruptions is short, so i'll have them going in waves. Either way, we'll have to be fast, or we'll have to take the long way down through the pent house to get out.

As it is, we're going in through the kitchen window.

She smirked, switching screens to a new picture of a young-looking woman.

This is who you are to shape-shift into.

She proceeded to give Ravenwing more information on the woman, how she was to act, what the Huntress would do briefly, and how Ravenwing was to wear a tiny device that would be hidden in her clothing to make her look phased half-way out of reality. She placed the tiny box-shaped device on the table.

So, basically, you'll look like a ghost of sorts.

She continued.

As for me, I'll be camofladged and causing a distraction in the next room. The big guy in there doesn't look at all appealing and I don't want him botching up this plan.

She handed the data pad to Ravenwing so she could go over the information she had been presented with.

Oh, and one more matter to attend to. While causing the distraction, everyone will end up in the living area. While that's going on, you fetch the droid.

Once we have the droid, we split, either through the way we came, or down the elevator shaft.

Either way, we get what we've been paid to retrieve.

She stood and proceeded down the hall of the ship.

Finish up that studying, cause we gotta get going and pick up our little gift.

Her voice trailed slightly and then came back to normal pitch as she came back into the lounge, holding a small bag.

We'll place the prize in my little friend in here She hefted the bag., and from there the fun begins.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

As Sanis reentered the room, the being that was Sith Master Ogre Mal Pannis, though disguised was unable to hide his displeasure as his face contorted into an expression of impatience and maybe a twinge of rage.

Earlier when he had been near the scruffy human, he could sense that for which he came was very near, but now that Sanis had departed and come back, that feeling was no longer present.

Not wishing to blow his cover yet, Ogre let his rage fester and build inside, taking a sip of the beverage he had been offered to help hide his features and expression of anger.

Setting the cup down on the table next to where he sat, he turned to Sanis.

“Shall we discuss business?”

[Sanis Prent]

(Finally, the winding, twisting bantha rodeo was getting somewhere. I was riding a little low in the saddle, and a little sore from it all. The B word made all the unexpected company, all the commotion, and all the inconvenience of an unnanounced party worth the trouble...or at least possibly worth the trouble, for the right price.

I found a seat, a comfortable leather chair, kicking back onto an ottoman. We were finally getting somewhere I wanted to go.)

Absolutely. Lets get down to it. What exactly can I help you with, and how many elements are we looking at in the equation?

[DarthHERA]

Coolin my jets.....just coolin my jets..
The phrase kept running through her head in a staccato fashion.

Patience was not a stong-suit of Hera's and doing her best imitation of a streetpost was grating on her temper. She wanted to be up there, with Ogre, raising mayhem and madness. Oh yes, she knew this was the smarter plan. And Ogre could easliy handle any given scenario up there, she knew. Still. She didnt like just hanging about idly. She was almost on the verge of..god forbid...pouting.

Looking out into the gloom of the night, movement at the other end of the street caught her eye. As she strained to see anything, an uneasy prickling began at the base of her neck.
Alarms went off in her force sense. She knew that exactly what it was.

She swung around, expecting to see someone close by, but looking toward the entrance of Prents building, she could see nothing. Noone. But her instincts knew otherwise. One was there somewhere.

Her eyes narrowed and her hands unconsciously clenched onto her robe as she looked, but saw nothing. She breathed out the word like a curse, "Jedi"..

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sat in the rented vehicle, tapping the dash impatiently as she waited for Azure to get her ass out of the shop they had stopped at. Specialist or no, this was taking too frelling long. The smuggler looked at the datapad again, and concentrated, focusing her attention on the picture.

It would not be a hard change to make. The subject was shorter than she was, but Arya compensated, her tough, yet flexible, bones restructuring themselves slightly. She shifted in her seat, getting more comfortable.

She scowled at Regalia as she re-entered the car, her new features near perfect. With the slight mind illusion her race created, it would be perfect. Just in time, too. She pointed at the chrono, "Your guy have any sense of timing? We're going to be late for our little party." Regalia ignored her.

Arya pulled the vehicle into the air, and checked the mirrors before gunning the engine across three lanes of air traffic. "Well?"

"We have what we needed, now its up to you." Regalia patted the case she was carrying.

The other person in the vehicle scowled again. She was still Arya, and yet...not, her appearance having changed so much it was hard to imagine it was actually still Ravenwing inside. "No pressure."

"No pressure." Regalia agreed, and Arya snorted derisively, yanking the controls to the right and exiting the main lanes.

"Almost there." Arya studied the picture again as they waited at a light.

[Mortaniuss]

Something wasn't right. He couldn't tell exactly what it was... but there was something unusual about that man. Like a living shadow that had forgotten to follow it's caster and was trying to catch up, Mortaniuss swiftly and gracefully fell in stride next to Sanis. He had no love for the man - indeed, for any of the fleshy things gathered here. But his Sire would be most displeased if anything happened to the cocky fool.

Under normal circumstances, the vampyre would find it prudent to simply stand back and let Mr. Prent conduct his business uninhibited. But... something just wasn't sitting right with him about all this.

'When coincidence seems too convenient', Mortaniuss mused to himself, 'I find that it is often conspiracy which guides the pieces into place.'

"You'll pardon my presence", he instead said aloud. "But I have a vested interest in our mutual 'friend' here. Please... continue with your business."

Unconsciously, not even aware he was doing it (as it was a fairly natural action for him), his nostrils began to flare, sniffing the air for something. And there was only one scent a vampyre would be interested in - that of blood.

Sanis' was warm and tantalizingly close, tainted with some form of narcotic. Mortaniuss had seen him with the glimmersticks enough to guess what it was.

The cizerack were... well, they were cizerack. Their blood pracitically boiled with energy, and with some sickening other scent that seemed to be part of their nature. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting. Feeding on them would be akin to bestiality.

But that man... the scent of his lifeblood was totally wrong. It was like asking for a Strawberry Daquiri and getting a glass of Lime Juice.

As an unspoken warning, the vampyre's lip curled upward in a silent, but distinctly feral snarl.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

It was quite easy for him to notice the vampire’s sudden change in expression and reading his thoughts was also simple, he was but a novice in the ways of the Force. Ogre decided to do something that would certainly get Sanis’ undivided attention and get it but good. Choosing to ignore the Vampire’s mood, so as not to draw any more unwanted attention to himself.

Slowly the frail man that Ogre appeared to be reached into his lapel pocket and withdrew a credit chit.

“I am a collector of rare antiquities. How does this pique your interest?”

Ogre placed the chit on the table next to them, where Sanis could see the display and pressed its surface. The digital display started to change and count upwards, taking almost a full twenty seconds before it stopped.

Its display read ten million credits.

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress got out of the speeder as Ravenwing parked it a block away from the building that housed Prent's penthouse. She looked at the other woman and raised an eyebrow. If it weren't for the nature of the mission, she would have loved to have gotten a holcam and forever captured the look on Prent's face when he saw what was about to greet him.

She slammed the door shut to the speeder and began walking towards the ally adjacent to building where Prent was holed up. Ravenwing came into step beside her. In no time, both woman had quietly made their way into the alley, both covered by heavy cloaks. Once they reached the alley, both shed their cloaks. The Huntress tossed the bag she had been hefting to Ravenwing and proceeded to explain.

In there you'll find a droid; a replica of the droid that now houses the object we are to retrieve. I witnessed Prent, through the cam of one of the bug droids I sent here earlier, place the object inside the his droid. No doubt for safe keeping.

She held up her hand, as Ravenwing looked like she was going to ask where she had received the replicated droid.

Don't ask. It cost more than it was probably worth. And even if I told you, I'd most likely be silenced in a not so nice manner. The person in question didn't want to be revealed. Let's just say it would be bad relations with whom we are about to... visit.

Getting back to the mission at hand, she pointed to the sack.

There is a belt in there that contains a phase box. The box will disrupt the wearers appearance to make them looked shimmery; almost ghost like. The box is actually the clasp to the belt.

She helped to place it on Ravenwing. It fit snuggly and the Huntress had to admit it flattered the other woman's figure. She continued her explainations.

In the sack you will also find a close-range circuitry disruptor and restraining bolt. Once you are inside the kitchen, you will point towards the back where the original droid disapeared to. The droid will lose it's ability to hover and set off any securities it may have. Once this is done, immediately slap that bolt on it. You'll have about 5 seconds at max before it can compensate for the disruption.

Once this is done, swap droids. Bag the original, and let the replica hover. It only has some of the programing the original droid has; not all the skematics for the original were held by my source. So, if and when Prent arrives to see what all the skuffle was about, you'll have to distract him. You've read the info there on that data pad. Use it. I'll take care of the talking She tapped her head, just remember that.

Taking out a small remote from a pocket in her utility belt, the Huntress pointed it at the small bug droids hovering near the building facing the penthouse windows. A dozen of the small droids buzzed to hover near the kitchen window. Turning to Ravenwing, she handed the woman a thin, yet strong rope made of wuffa hide. Looking up, she pressed a button and one of the bugs flew down to grab the end of the rope, and then immediately flew up to an overhang above Prent's place. It unsheathed two large metalic pincers and burrowed them into the duracreet of the building. Giving a tug on the rope, the Huntress nodded.

You'll climb up to the window. The small robotic bugs will be able to disrupt the security grid for a short period of time. Enough time for you to get through the window. Once your in, they're programed to back away from the security grid. After all, we may need the little buggers to get out.

With a press of a button, the dozen bugs latched onto the rim of the window and began to route the security feed through themselves, passing it each in turn to it's neighbor in the "circle". Pressing another button, she had another dozen of the robotic bugs standing by to take the place of their fallen brethren. Pretty soon the bugs latched on would fry with too much energy flowing through their tiny circuits, and would need a replacement to keep the hole in the security grid.

All you have to do is retrieve the item and distract Prent if he shows up.

The Bounty Hunter smiled and placed some gloves, with a sticky substance on them on, her hands. Then, with an easy leap, she began to climb the wall, utilitzing the gloves. As she climbed she camolfadged and raised a Force-inhibiting bubble around her body like a glove. A disembodied voice trailed back to Ravenwing.

And if we can't use the bugs for our escape, then we'll make our own exit through the building.

With a chuckle, she spoke one more time before going silent.

As for me, I'm going to cause a comotion they soon won't be forgetting.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya shimmied up the rope as quickly as she could, reaching the window in a few short minutes. Regalia's technical skills and vast array of gadgets were mind boggling, and she wasn't easily impressed. There must be more money in bounties than in smuggling.. The woman swung towards the window, grabbed the sill and pulled her body in close to it.

Ignoring the bugs, she opened the now defenseless window, and climbed inside the kitchen. Arya was wearing soft soled shoes, and her feet made no noise as she turned toward the back of the kitchen, ignoring the murmur of voices from the other room. There was a feral scream from the back parts of the house, which raised the hair on the back of her neck. Cizeracks...

The woman walked to the back wall, and found the wall chute Regalia had mentioned. She kept repeating the alphabet in her head, in case there were any Force sensitives who might pick up her thoughts. It was an effective way of blocking out unwanted contact, she had found that repeating a mantra of sorts helped her build her mental defenses to their maximum capacity.

Tomahawk had tried to speak with her about it once, but she had shied away from the conversation. He thought she had some sort of affinity for the Force. Arya was sure she didn't, and had abruptly cut him off.

A, b, c, d, e, f... She opened up the chute, making sure it was not alarmed first, and looked inside from a safe distance, the disruptor ready to discombobulate the droid.

[Astral Ogre]

It wasn’t noticeable through the Force, but it was noticeable to Ogre’s other senses. He could feel the pressurization of the Suite’s ventilation system change, as if there was a sudden opening somewhere that hadn’t been before, and he could smell the presence of a new being in the apartment.

Using an ability separate from the Force, seeing that he was expending a great deal of Force power, masking his scent and appearance, he sent forth an apparition of himself to go and investigate, undetected.

A separate Astral Form of the Sith Master moved through rooms and walls as if they did not even exist and soon found that there was an open window, and someone he had not seen before within the suite of Sanis’. Judging by how it was clothed, and the equipment it had, it was not supposed to be here.

Ogre’s Astral form watched what she was doing as Ogre’s physical form waited for Sanis’ reaction to the “offer” that the frail human had made. The separate manifestation of Ogre saw Arya retrieve what she had come for , taking note of what it was that she was acquiring.

He recognized it and assumed that it was what he had come for, but setting his Astral eyes on it, told him that its value was not what he had originally thought when he had heard the rumors of its presence here. There was much more to this than this one piece, more which would require being sought. And that was something that Ogre would find easier to let someone else do.

The Astral manifestation of Ogre returned to his body and Ogre continued to wait for Sanis’ reaction, not allowing his demeanor or facial expression to change at all.

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter reached her desiganted window, still camofladged and invisible to both physical and mental eye for those who had the gift of using the Force, as Ravenwing disapeared through the kitchen window. The little droid bugs were still doing their work, though if they waited any longer to retrieve what they had come for, there wouldn't be any more of the little robots left to kill the security grid. Which would leave them with two choices: 1) To escape out the window to a fatal drop, or 2) Go through the front door and meet the fatal odds of dealing with the security devices within the building. The Huntress thought. If it came to that, she'd choose option 1. Chances were she'd live longer that way.

Taking her eyes away from where Ravenwing had disapeared, she brought her attention to what was going on within the living room area. Yes, Prent did indeed have company. It might complicate things, but it could also serve to her advantage with more distraction for Prent.

She would not make any move, though, unless she saw Ravewing needed the back-up of a distraction. So far, the other woman had not sent a single to her comm. If it remainded silent, then so would the Huntress. But if her comm link so much as rattled, the Bounty Hunter would give all in the living room something to keep their minds occupied with.

[Morgan Evanar]

She was pretty good, whoever she was. Didn't make too much noise, and she knew all the right places to look for alarms.
"Not bad." Morgan slid invisible and silently across the rooftop to the breached window.


Prent's place was noisy, and he could hear Cizerack... talking. Or something. Morgan crouched down and dialed Prent's comm after giving the area a solid lookover. His abilities at muffling noise were limited, and the last thing he wanted to do was alert the "visitor" who went in the window.

The Jedi Knight closed his eyes, and was about to extend his senses but he froze. Something told him it was a very bad idea. He mashed the connect button on his comm and waited.

Pick up Prent, Pick up...

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Against the far wall, the cleaning droid waited as though powered down.

It watched Arya discretely as she opened the chute. So far, it had escaped notice and if it continued to keep up the act, maybe it would find out what all the commotion was over.

In fact, something was now starting to pull on Trickster as though he were food on the floor and it was the vacuum attachment on a cleaning droid. Whatever this something was, it had some kind of power that people were seeking.

[Sanis Prent]

(Ten million credits....it was enough to make a woman in white gloves eat barbecue, or a priest to pick up a hooker. There weren't many things you couldn't buy with that kind of change, and as I stared down at the chit, it took a lifetime's experience at this little game to keep my poker face. It seemed the buyer was bidding high.

What made the game all the more interesting was finding out who had that kind of bread on them? The guy looked like a thousand other nameless Joes you'd bump into on a city sidewalk. No prince of any star system, no flashy playboy. Ten million creds sitting right under my nose, and not a whiff of it otherwise on this plain as vanilla guy. It was always the little things that made the mind wander.)

Well...thats enough variables to get my attention. What might you be interested in?

(My personal commlink began to beep, and I distractedly opened it up, standing and moving towards the kitchen area for more privacy)

One moment please....

(I walked toward the kitchen, activating the comm)

This is Prent.

[Morgan Evanar]

"Itsssssss MORgan. YOoouuUu HavVeeee viiiiSITorss. iiNnn thheee SouUTh WiNNDow." A usually useful side effect of bending light was the strange thing it did to sound as well. It wasn't useful when you were trying to tell someone something specific.

The Jedi Knight crouched down lower behind the ledge, and peered over it.

"KiiiIItchen WiiiiiIIIIInnnDOW. ShHEEees aARrmmED."

-click-

He crept back twoards the edge of the building and gently lowered himself. He swung back, swung forward, and then landed neatly inside with nary a noise.

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty hunter watched as Prent conducted some business with a man, then reached for his commlink. His face showed no evidence or betrayal of what the conversation over the comm had been, but the quick flick of his eye towards the kitchen made her wonder.

Still camofladged, she reached for her commlink and brought it to her lips, sending a brief message to Ravenwing. The other woman would receive the message via the small ear piece within her ear.

If Prent shows, remember to act your part. I'll take care of the others.

And remember to watch your back.

To avert the attention of those in the living room from any other room in the pent house, the Huntress rapped lightly on the glass of the window. Those inside the living room stopped what they were doing at the time and starred at the window, andbeyond... to a clear evening sky with high alttitude bugs buzzing about. Seeing nothing, and about to go back to what they were about to do, the Huntress repeated the action again, this time much stronger an louder, in a different spot away from her, making the window rattle.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

Not really surprised by the noise, the feeble looking man that Ogre was posing as reached down and picked up the credit chit, placing it back in his pocket. He cast a glance at the vampire, whose attention had turned slightly to watch where Sanis had stepped, but was still looking at him oddly.

Brown human eyes, flashed a wicked green color and an evil grin spread across the feeble man’s face. He was testing to see what the vampire would do, and if this would distract from the noises.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

The KAR Director was usually a patient person. Many times if one layed in wait long enough, they often snagged a catch. But this night was waring on long. That little fool Cirrsseeto was off satisfying his Mistresses raging libido and there was nothing Kajeela could do at this point in time, but wait it out.

For the umpteenth time she "buzzed" the communicator, to no avail. She thought vexedly that he probably wont remember how to turn the device on even if he could answer it.

She let out a frustrated cawl and threw herself angrily back against the deep cushioning of the chair - her accompaning officer shrinking instinctively away to avoid a cuff across his conveniently handy skull.

A crackle and then a familiar voice of one of her operatives stationed block or two away reported a vehicle had pulled up a block east and two occupants had headed directly to Prents building and were now at the ally behind them. Kajeela sat up in attention. She was like a bloodhound on a scent. now thjisss wasss ssometjing...

Kajeela called to her driver,
"Dont loosssse them"

Instantly the luxury craft slipped out from is place and, keeping a discreet distance, located the pair.

The two began to ascend the building in the most ingenious manner Kajeela had seen in a long while. One via a rope, the other using suction device of some sort. And then, like magic, the one vanished from sight. How jinterrrressstjing. Qujick, get me sssssome ssssensor readjings on the 2nd cljimber. Hjurry! Using the technology that was a standard part of the Directors luxury vehicle, all state of the art - which is as expected for the Pride of the Cizerack Intelligence Force.

After an infuriating delay, the KAR operatives got a heat-feed on the second climber just as the first one disappeared into Prents apartment window.

The heat blip had stopped. Looking at his readout, the officer advised,Therrrre. On that ledge Dirrrectorrrr."


"Get herrrrr" Kajeela commanded excitedly.

With out so much as a sound, the side door slid open and as the KAR vehicle sidled close enough to where the quarry pinpointed to a precisce position via the locating equipment. Two powerful Cizerack male hands thumped heavily onto Azure's shoulders and pulled her uncerimoniously into the craft. The door slid closed again with a thud and the car shot forward and up into the dark sky.

edit:wording for clarity.

[Azure Regalia]

OOC: Kajeela... nice post. Just one problem. Azure, being mostly reptilian, is cold-blooded. The heat-seeking devices will not work on her. Forgive me, I should have specified earlier.
But, I will never the less play it out.


IC:

The Bounty Hunter heard the vehicle pull near her and thought nothing of it until she heard the rustle and felt enormous paws take hold of her. Even if she'd wanted to, her unusual strength would not have been able to help her.

She did, however, have just enough time to send Ravenwing a quick message to inform her of the situation on her end.

You're on your own until further notice.

The Huntress' last word was ended with the slam of the vehicles door.

Finding herself sitting between two large Cizerack males, facing a petite female, she saw no need to continue her camofladge. Sighing inwardly, the area that she sat in rippled slightly as an outline took shape and began to fill. The end result was the Bounty Hunter sitting there, looking very cool and collected, with just the slightest hint of being peeved to the point of murdering someone or something without probable cause. And most likely in the messiest way possible.

[Mortaniuss]

He caught it. Just out of the corner of his peripheral vision, he caught it. A human might not have taken note of the minute detail, but the vampyre bore with him the instincts of a born and bred hunter. Such things were not beneath his notice. He turned his gaze briefly away from the Kitchen and back towards the mysterious high-roller. His crimson eyes bore into the man's form. When Mortaniuss spoke, it was in a whisper that only he could hear.

"Harm him in any way... and your heart will be sitting at the bottom of my gullet before this night is over."

The Black Sword resting at his hip hummed a sweet, soft song at this.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya activated the disruptor as she caught a glimpse of a pink skinned module inside the chute. There was a slight whirr, and it dropped to the floor of the compartment. Arya thrust out her hand and caught it just before it clanged against the metal. She held her breath as she placed the restraining bolt on the droid.

She could hear someone walking towards the kitchen, and heard someone talking on a commlink just outside the door. Other than the first comment, she heard nothing, as Regalia's voice sounded inside her ear. "If Prent shows, remember to act your part. I'll take care of the others."

The droid's servos failed as it was subdued, and she completed the switch with the identical module in the pouch tied to her side. Arya closed the wall chute quietly, and paused, fingers still on the wall. There was a slight noise, almost a rustling, and she slowly turned around, taking a moment to make sure that the phase box was on and working. It was.

There was nothing else in the room, but she heard a tapping and then a banging noise coming from the other room. Perhaps that was her distraction. There was a pause in the noise, and then Regalia spoke again, hurriedly. "You're on your own until further notice."

The woman in the kitchen edged towards the window, readying to climb up on the counter and shimmy outside.

[Sanis Prent]

Yeah...uh-huh....I can do that. Sure...okay....will do. Not sure....I'll check tomorrow....I can ask about that, too. Uh huh...gotcha.

(My mind was half into the fake one-way conversation I was spouting into the comm, and half on what Morgan Evanar was saying. For some reason, when he told me I had an intruder in the kitchen, I believed him. With recent events, it wasn't much to suspend disbelief. I continued walking leisurely toward the kitchen, chatting on the comm. After a moment, I flipped the device off, tucking it away. I let a minute or so pass, then rounded the corner, both of my blasters drawn)

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya froze when she heard the door open behind her, and she remained standing by the counter. There was a silence for a period of three or four seconds, and then she turned slowly around. Her eyes and face were sad but calm, revealing to the intruder her appearance, phased out as it was.



<center>http://darthogre.clanpages.com/Dalee.jpg</center>

[Morgan Evanar]

OOC: I was originally going to post this, but its decidedly un-jedi-like. I'm going to for fun anyway.

There is a certain sound a sack of bricks make upon impacting something that is very difficult to duplicate.

That noise will not be duplicated. The following noise is far more discomforting.

Our arual tale begins with a slight squeak, of shoes searching for purchase on a tile floor, followed by pounding footfalls.

The next noise is two fleshy bodies impacting, followed by a slight growl. Two heavy footfalls follow, and then we top it all of with the horrid crunch of oak meeting a fleshy body with a bejezus amount of force. Finally, we have the downward trend of that same body flopping down against tile.

Visually, it goes like this: Morgan took off at the Dale-look alike from the other side of the kitchen just after she closed the passage. He growled as he wrapped her up, and then slammed into the pantry cabinets near the window.

IC:

Morgan crept slowly and silently behind the thief. She turned when the door opened behind them, but he paid it little heed. The Jedi Knight closed the distance to half a meter, and then pounced, wrapping his arms firmly around the woman's arms and waist. He lifted her into the air, and her legs kicked about, completely suprised.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

ooc: Azure - Sorry, I didnt realise the cold-blooded thing. I would probably used a motion sensor device or something to snag ya otherwise ;)
But, thanks for rolling with it anyway.

*****************

As the form between the two burly Cizerack males became visible,
Kajeela was struck at the fierce beauty of the creature seated
before her. A shock of orange hair and fiery reptillian eyes served to give her captive a wild and completely unbridled look. Magnificent.

"Forrrrgjive the jinterrrrruptjion, but jyou looked jin need of asssisssstance. Therrrre arrrrre many Corrrrrusssscant Ssssentjinal crrrruiserrrrs arrrround thjisss parrrrt of town, one had sssssslowed when passssjing thjisss allley only momentss ago (a convenient lie). jIt would be such a pjity forrrr ssssuch an assssspjiring crjiminal to be taken jin her prrrime." The words dripped like honey, coating her rude apprehension of Azure in the pretence of KAR "help".

She went on, watching the woman with her keen feral eyes. "jI am Kajeeeeeela Tarrrrrruurrri, Director of KeiAi'Ree Intelljigence. And jyou are?"

Her only answer was the flash of angry eyes, their meaning clear. Yes, this one would love to slash a vicious claw and open the Cizerack from neck to navel. Kajeela was used to the look. So many of those who sat oposite her wore it. Hate or Fear. Funny how the look was almost the same for some. But there was no fear her in this woman. Not yet.

Rubbing her thumb and two fingers together causing a slight
scratching sound on
her manicured talons,Kajeela looked to her driver expectantly. The third Cizerack male turned his head in a manner as to keep one eye on a datascreen, and the other on his Mistress.
"Name jissss Azzzzzure Rrrrrregaljia. Bounty Hunter"[/i]

She smiled and looked at Azure in a placating manner.
"You ssssssseee? Therrrrrrre jis no point jin ourrrr not communjicatjing. Eventually jI wjill have all jI want...one way or the other. And tonjight, jyou and jI sssssseem to want the same thjing, yesssss?

Kajeela tsk tskd and shook her head as if at a loss "What to do, what to do?"
And waited to see how the bounty hunter would respond before moving forward with her "offer"

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter kept herself from peeling back her lips and snarling. She just kept her eyes locked on the female Cizerack before her. So, this feline knew her name. No surprise there. She was well known in most systems. Though she seriously doubted the feline would know of her origins. Even she didn't know the full extent of those.

What peeked her interest a bit was the fact the feline had mentioned something about wanting something. The same thing, no doubt, she and Ravenwing were after. Damn, so this Cizerack was after the artifact? And why would she be interested in speaking with her? Two answers came to mind: To stop her, or... to make her an offer.

But only she knew that any other offer made to her would be futile. Under the Hunter's Creed, she could not accept any other offer, especially for the same objective, while in the process of working the primary. But it was a good bet the Cizerack didn't know this. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time the Huntress had been proven wrong.

Hopefully Ravenwing had made the switch already. As to how else everything was going, anyone's guess was as good as hers at this point. She had to get out of here and help her partner.

Lightly keeping her hands across her breast, near her belt, and viewable by the feline, she let a tight-lipped smile crack her face. She spoke, responding to what the Cizerack had said.

The night is young and the galaxy large. Anything is possible.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*It wasn't difficult to find the address her contact had given her. True, the legit contacts from the Natural History and Art Museum of Coruscant were helpful when she needed to inquire about certain items. But she also relied on her not-so-legit contacts. Those that had eyes and ears in areas those kiss-ups at the museum didn't have. She was an archiologist for the most part, but enjoyed seeking out objects and artifacts that couldn't be found by just digging at any old site. Sometimes you had to find things with wit... and a load of credits.*

*Looking at the number on her data pad, and the number on the building, she smiled and walked forward, leaving a credit chit with the cabby and the instructions to stay there and wait for her. Reaching the door, she easily opened it, and walked past the receptionist, waving her hand as she did. The receptionist never acknowledged her or showed any signs of actually having seen her. Taking the lift, she got off on the floor where prent lived. Walking to the door to his pent house, she saw there was a comm box and pressed the button on it.*

*Inside, a musical chime sounded, indicating someone was at the door. *

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

The noise of the door chime served as enough to bring the taunting nature that Ogre was peering at the Vampire, to distraction. He found the dead being’s confidence quite humorous, but there was no good reason to spoil its afterlife, at least not right at this moment.

A smile crept across the frail man’s lips, as he was not able to completely mask his amusement, but then his head turned towards the doorway that he himself had entered through earlier.

Wanting to play his role and not give away his true identity yet, he played it off as if he had no clue and was totally caught off guard by this new arrival. His head tilted slightly to the side as he looked towards the doorway, while his mind’s eye, kept close watch on the walking dead man not far away from him.

Being as focused as he was at maintaining his guise for now including scent, appearance and Force signature, he totally missed the strong presence of a lightside user emanating from the kitchen

[Sanis Prent]

(Something about all of this was a few shades of not right. Morgan tackled down the apparition....of Daleethria. Somehow, that had a way of raising my suspicion...what with ghosts having that nagging problem of intangibility. This little house-call was quickly turning into a shakedown, and while two's company and three's a crowd, we were way past even that point. I was about to get a little less civil.

I ejected the derringer blaster from my wrist holster, leveling it at "Daleethria". Not only was she a fake, but a pretty mean one at that. Somebody screwing you over and using your dead girl seems to make you sore. I kept my voice low....we had house guests after all.)

I shoot you in the face and throw you out that window, and it'll take 3 minutes for your body to hit bottom. The only things that'll find your body will be dianogas and womp rats, so I really need to know why I shouldn't go for the easy solution here.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

The sound of the doorchime once again brought Cirrsseeto out of his quarters...fixing the top button of his shirt as he padded across the carpet. The large Cizerack opened the door, looking down at the hyuu-mann girl.

jYesss? He asked, his ears fluttering

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Kajeela leaned back languidly. Her feline body petitely deceptive of her brute strength which was only outmatched by her determined will.

The bounty hunter joked..a cool one, yes.
"jHumourrrrrrrr. Commendable, Msssss Rrrrrregaljia. jIt lullssss the unwarrrrrry to lowerrrrrrr thejirrrrr defencessssss"

She looked pointedly at the two males, both sitting like two stone pillars on either side of Azure. One wrong move by their guest and either one would have her head snapped off her shoulders before she could blink...and should they fail, the driver sitting behind her would not. They were KAR, elite of the Cizeracks. The supreme miliatarys best and were the Directors constant bodyguards for good reason.

Her silky voice hardened subtly in tone, "Do not mjisssssstake the KAR forrrr the unwarrrrrry."

Azure could tell it was time to get down to business.

"We both want that jitem Prrrrrrrrrrent hasssss. SSSith Voodoo only jinteresssssstsssssss the Cjizeracksssss becaussssssse of the jimporrrrrtance the Ssssith place on jit . jI assssssssume jit only jinterrrrrresssssssstsss jyou forrrr the 'bounty' prjice jit wjill brrrrrjing you."

Azure was unreadable. She had been down this road before no doubt. Offers being made. Weighing up the pros and cons. The Director continued.

"We wjill rewarrrrrrrrd jyou handssssssomely forrrrrr jits deljiverrrrrrrry jinto my handssssssss...." a significant pause "......... and the local authorrrrrrrrrrjitjies need not be notjifjied that jyou are jin ourrrrrrrrr company. A Hunterrrrrrr ssssssuch as yourrrrrrself mussssssst have commjitted manjy offencessss they would ljike to prrrrossssssecute agajinsssst jyou....."

Kajeela had no idea if there were outstanding warrents for Azure's arrest - or if she had done anything criminalish, but it was common knowledge the Kei Ai'Reei had no qualms about "embelishing" certain facts against those unforunate to fall under their jack-booted heels. And there were many Government agencies that would trip over themselves to do a "favour" for the KAR and gain their good graces, should they need them too.

"Not all arrrrrre as rrrrrrreasonable as we arrrrrre"

Tarruurri swayed her tail back and forward slowly on the chair, wondering if she had made a catch..

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya nearly swallowed her tongue as she felt herself grabbed from behind. Before she could react, a tall man had her around the waist and arms, and had lifted her off her feet, holding her firmly in place. She managed not to squeak, and gave up flailing after a few seconds. Where the frell did he come from? Perhaps the noise she had heard earlier... The bag containing the droid module rolled away from her and beside a cleaning droid.

There wasn't time to put two and two together. Arya wasn't exactly sure who this was she was impersonating, but she knew that the woman was supposed to be dead, and had been close to this man who was even now leveling a blaster at her. Of course, the "I'm a ghost" angle had been ruined by the second man tackling her. Furious she dangled there, and racked her brain. Azure had told her she was alone.

And Regalia's brilliant plan had failed. Serves me right for hooking up with a bounty hunter. Arya scowled at the man, Prent, as he spoke softly.

"I shoot you in the face and throw you out that window, and it'll take 3 minutes for your body to hit bottom. The only things that'll find your body will be dianogas and womp rats, so I really need to know why I shouldn't go for the easy solution here."

She opened her mouth to speak -

Flash

There was a thin, unassuming man sitting in a living space, with a tall abino staring at him. The man's image faltered, and in his place sat a hulking green alien with tusks. In his eyes a reflection of the bracelet danced, as the red pupils flashed with anger.

In a dark place below, a module sat all alone, and waiting.

Flash

Closing her mouth, Arya came out of her vision, and found her way out. Or at least a tiny opening.

She spoke in badly accented Basic, a Twi'leki slur over her words, "The others, they want it. Don't let them have it." She reached with her finger, and tried to reach the phase box in her belt, squirming against the tall man's grip. As she touched the tiny button, she shifted....becoming a Twi'lek female before their eyes. As the change completed, the phase box turned off, revealing her as a normal being. As long as they buy it as a holographic projection...

<center><img src=http://learndifferent.clanpages.com/sig/Oola.jpg></center>

[Sanis Prent]

(I glanced in the direction of the living area, approaching her slowly, keeping my derringer leveled at her. When I spoke, it was low and cautious)

Who are you, and who are you with?

[Arya Ravenwing]

Her lekku dangled uncomfortably as she was still held firmly from behind. She whispered, "My name is Lysa, and I have no affiliation beyond what you see here." Meaning, of course, she was loyal only to herself. Buy time, dammit! What she wanted wasn't here. She had seen that in her vision.

Arya opened her eyes fully, letting what light there was reflect in them. "But I saw..." She couldn't explain her visions. And she certainly wasn't going to talk about them. "...you are in danger."

<center><img src=http://learndifferent.clanpages.com/sig/Oola.jpg></center>

[Sanis Prent]

(I glanced to Evanar)

What do you got on her?

[Evil Hobgoblin]

A whirring noise suddenly started up behind Morgan and Sanis. It's sensors detecting something on the floor, the cleaning droid had activated its' vacuum arm and cleaned up the "mess", bag and all. It then returned to its' place against the wall and slumped over, deactivated again.

Inside the vacuum cleaner, the small pink droid rolled out of the bag and clinked into the side of the metal waste disposal container. It came to a rest against the side of the wall.

And something invaded its' scrambled circuits, swiftly taking control over the disabled systems and setting itself up as the dominant consciousness, being careful to keep itself hidden from the newly arrived source of Light during the exchange.

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter looked at the female Cizerack and for the first time smiled. But it was a chilling smile.

Perhaps we can come to an agreement. But I'm afraid, the longer we converse, the more time is lost.

As you most likely know, we are not the only ones seeking the object now in Prent's possesion... or is it still? Actions move more quickly than words, Director. As we speak, the object may not be where it was first thought to be.

And I have no time for this.

Unbeknowest to the Cizeracks present, and while the Huntress had had her arms crossed, her tiny finger had been able to press a single button activating a homing beacon on the computerized gauntlet around her wrist.

----------------------------------------------

Outside the small hover vehicle, a solid black ship (http://www.caligirls.bluemoondomain.com/AzureRegalia/AzureSHIP01.jpg) shimmered from it's hidden state into the pilot's veiw. Though the ship usually appeared to be a darkish blue, it's hull had a layor of living skin that acted very much like a chameleons. To conceal who the ship belonged to, it's color had been changed by the droid pilot with the flick of a switch. But it's message was never the less clear. The Cizerack piloting the hover car gasped and turned to the female, speaking hurridly in his native tongue.

When she turned to look, she was confonted by a veiw of a strong ship, shields activated, it's heavy cannons trained on her vehicle and Prent's pent house.

----------------------------------------------

Back inside the hover vehicle, the Huntress merely looked unblinking at the female, her smile having vanished.

With both ships now hovering closely to Prent's place, you can be assured he has noticed. Also be assured that a man as trigger-happy as Prent, will no doubt call athorities to his aid. And that aid will no doubt be commanded by the Sector Rangers.

I'm sure the Cizeracks wouldn't want to entangle themselves with the half-breed Cizerack that commands the Sector Rangers, nor lose such a prestigous member as yourself.

She felt more than saw the two large males at her side tense at the spoken threat, ready at their mistress' whim to snap the Huntress' neck.

And any bodily harm that comes to me, goes without saying. Both this vehicle and Prent's living area will go up in smoke. And the object will be lost.

She was becoming impatient, and it showed in her eyes.

The choice is yours.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora looked up until her eyes came to rest on those of a large feline male. She smiled sweetly and gave a tiny telepathic push to the large cat. No one here would know what she had just done, and least of all the feline.*

I'm here to see Mr. Prent about an artifact that has come into his possession.

*She continued, hoping to fill the large brute's head with so much clutter he'd have no choice but to call Prent over.*

I came on good sources on behalf of the Natural History and Art Museum of Coruscant.

*She kept talking quickly and moving even more quickly. She reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a business card.*

Here is my card, and this is the number you can call for my credentials.

*She remained looking at the feline, expectantly.*

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto immediately opened the doors and was bombarded by a stream of imput from the woman. At first he was authoritative, standing immovably.

Mjisssterrr Prrrent wjill have no vjisssjitorrrsss...

But she kept coming, and he began to get....confused. Stammering, stuttering, he suddenly forgot what he was saying.

jI..a...jyou...n-no...ah jyesss.....jI-jI......ah....

She placed the card in his hand, and he rather-bewilderedly closed the door, remembering at the last moment to keep her out...until Sanis had the news.

He padded toward the kitchen, his ears fluttering in a confused manner. He sniffed at the air, blinking.

She had a strange, familiar smell.

Shrugging, he continued looking for Sanis

[Sanis Prent]

(In the big city, nothing was ever absolute. If you backed far enough out, the universe seemed black and white enough, but that wasn't close enough to see the shades of gray inbetween it all. Coruscant was a cosmopolitan jumble, with every flavor of player imaginable in the game. Ever present were the Imperials...who held temporary sway over the contested planet.

I wasn't one to pass on a good deal. The Empire was as corrupt as any government could be. You just had to pry at the weak links. For me, it was Captain Jurzel, a local flightmaster for this particular sector of the city planet, who also had a habit of losing in my casinos.

So, I was able to capitalize on a good thing. The luck of the house changed for the good Captain, and I hear he always leaves my casinos ahead now. And in exchange, I've heard through the grapevine that he's redrawn his squadrons' patrol patterns a little more tightly around my urban grid. Which is of course, a cheap, competent, and relatively-legit method of handling those embarassing and uncomfortable flyby's from those who have nothing better to do than to deviate from their flight lanes. Of course, I have a handful of pilots who can do the same...but patrols cost fuel, and that costs more than filling Captain Jurzel's pocket.

In the end, all parties are happy.)


<center>* * *</center>

A squadron of TIE-Interceptors began the evening patrol, winding close to grid 234954-B. It was another routine flyby, until Beta-8 spotted two marks extremely close to the Sector Ranger building. Checking the local flight plans, neither craft had submitted or had a clearance approved for that particular building. Probably just an imprudent businessman or two, but nevertheless, orders had come from the Captain to ensure all traffic would keep its distance.

In unison, the TIEs swooped low, slowing until they were spread around and just above the two ships. Beta-1 transmitted a message to the vessels.

You are in a no-fly restricted area. Do not deviate from your flight plan. Resume course immediately, or we will place you under Imperial arrest.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan tightend his arms slightly, and recieved a mmph from the whatever it was in his arms. He sniffed, and concluded he had no idea what the frell she was.

"She isn't Twi'lek or human, and certainly not a Dalethira clone." Arya flailed violently as her gambit fell through, and Morgan just tightend his arms a bit more. "Surprisingly heavy, I might add."

"Anyway, aside from some powerful darksider I've never met lurking outside the bulding, I don't really see any danger. And dammit, would you stop squirming? I'm not going to let him kill you."

The Jedi Knight sniffed again, and blinked.

"Someone smells dead or something. What kind of an operation do you have going here Prent?"

[Sanis Prent]

(My eyes darted back and forth, a bit bewildered at everything flying in at me at once. I glanced at Morgan, my voice low)

Your guess is as good as mine.

(Pocketing my derringer, I was suddenly tapped on the shoulder from behind. Cirrsseeto was there, his face a befuddling mix of confusion and plain stupidity as he handed me a business card....from someone at the door.)

Ah, dammit...what part of "nobody gets in" do you not understand!

(Tapping my comm, I contacted the front desk.)

Front desk, this is Prent. For the love of dren, I'm not taking appointments. Stop sending these people up.

Receptionist:Sir, nobody has approached the desk in the last 30 minutes.

(I shut off the comm, eyeing Morgan, and then the "Twi'Lek" woman.)

I've got a bad feeling about this. Morg, see what you can find out here. Cirrsseeto...make sure she sits tight.

(I walked to the door, pocketing the card. In the back of my mind, I remembered the coffee, but I'd have to swing around and get it later.)

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya stopped squirming, and signed an obsentity with her lekku as Prent left the kitchen. Leaving Basic behind, she spoke in Twi'leki to her captor. "Do you have to squeeze so hard? Its not like I'm going anywere, frelling piece of Hutt blubber." She smiled, showing off her sharpened teeth to the feline male who was staring at her, a befuddled look on his face.

She switched back to accented Basic. "You must stop him, there is danger in that room!" Even though she didn't care a whit about Prent, or even the other room, there was truth in her voice. Whatever her vision had meant, there was somethig unkosher going down in that room. Arya kept the blocks up in her mind, and gave one last futile wiggle.

Her objective was not in this kitchen, or even behind the wall or in the next room. It was somewhere else, and from what she had seen and guessed, far beneath her.

<center><img src=http://learndifferent.clanpages.com/sig/Oola.jpg></center>

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan only knew a smatter of Twi'leki, but enough to understand the parts "frelling" and "Hutt."

"Har. I love you too, whatever you are."

He let Arya go, and the pushed her into the corner, but not hard enough to slam her into the cabinets. Morgan started to turn to talk to Cirr, but stared at the cleaning driod for a moment. Something was amiss with that thing, but he couldn't decide what it was or why he felt that way. He stared at it for another moment before giving up on the deal.

"Cirr, if she makes a break, er, runs for it, knock her out. If Prent really is in trouble, he might need help." Cirr was about as smart as a box rocks, but it was ok. He would be capable of a little simple guarding, or at least the Knight hoped he would be. Morgan started for the room's exit where Prent had departed, and dissapeared midstep.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Twisting back around to look the Huntress in the eye, Kajeela was disappointed at her captive's impulsiveness to call in her rear-guard. And the threat of the half-breed and her Sector Rangers was at best, laughable. Azure seemed to have no idea the clout the Kei Ai'Reei had - not to mention the abject fear the very mention of its name brought among the Cizeracks themselves. The secret Intelligence Agency was ruthless and fanatical in the enforcing of Cizerack interests. Its puritan obsessiveness was the last thing a Cizerack of impure heritage such as the SR leader would want to bring down on her own half-cast head.

Kajeela tilted her head to look at Azure quizzically.

"jYou underrrrressssstimate the powerrrrrr of the Keeeeji Aji' Rrrrreeeeeji, Msssss Rrrregaljia. jYou alssssssso mjissssjudge my desssssjirrrre to keep ejitherrr the Arrrrrtjifact - orrrrr Mrrrrr Prrrrrrrentsssss dwelljing jin one pejice...All jI want jis to ensssssurrrre the jitem not to fall jinto the handsssss of the Ssssssjith devjilssssss"

The driver again turned this time informing his Mistress that now another two vehicles were approaching. Tarruurri cursed this unwanted attention. She had thought this woman would have had a cooler head in such a situation. She had just upped the stakes considerably. Hm, perhaps Regalia had intended just such an eventuality. The Cizerack continued to size this bounty hunter up, not asuming anything about her lightly.

Still, for all her talk of time slipping by them, she had not yet answered her offer and Azure's next words would seal the Huntress' fate. For here, by her own doing, the KAR could easily hand her over to the authorities on trumped up charges (who would the authorities believe, a known underworld operator or the Director of Cizerack Intelligence?) - or Kajeela with a gentle hand could turn away these TIE annoyances with a very plausible story.

"jYou have not answered me, Mssss Rrregaljia, wjill jyou deljiverrrr thjis Arrrrtjifact to me or not? Let ussss worrrk togetherrrrr" She smiled placatingly.

As she awaited the reply, a hail came over the com from the TIE pilot.

You are in a no-fly restricted area. Do not deviate from your flight plan. Resume course immediately, or we will place you under Imperial arrest.

The Director arched an inquiring eyebrow at her guest.

[DarthHERA]

So.......Jedi had their slimey good-doer paws on this thing too did they? Well, trying to keep that Artifact from Sith hands would be would be a smart move on their part - no one said the Jedi were stupid all the time.

How she longed to go find the one whose presence she felt just moments ago. A wise sort to cloak himself so cleverly. It had been a very long time since Hera had encountered such a one - the Latin Jedi, Boricua, was the last and he had given her the taste of her own blood - and more, in a fight she remembered too well. It would be nice to return such a favour in kind.

As she deliberated going in - not sure if random attacking of Jedi warranted her leaving her assigned post, two TIE interceptors flew overhead to somewhere above the Penthouse building.

Realising this situation had the potential to escalate rapidly should the TIE interest be connected to Prent, and somehow Hera felt that to be quite possible, she decided a speedy method of escape transport may be prudent.

Forgoing seeking the Jedi for the moment, the Sith crossed the street to where the finely dressed man had left his hover vehicle earlier that evening. With dexterity of her aquired trade, Hera used the flat of her blade to gain access to the hovercar and slid like a shadow into the drivers seat.

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

He could feel the light Force presence getting closer and had not brought his Force Mask talisman with him. It was the only thing powerful enough to block the ability of one as strong in the Force as the one he felt growing closer, from detecting his true nature in close quarters.

He knew the artifact was useless to him right now thanks to having seen it in his Ethereal form and he knew there would come a later time to gain this item back. Good things come to those who have patience.

The Cizerack had left the doorway, and Prent had not returned yet, so he decided now was the opportune time to make a hasty departure. He was not fleeing for the sake of fear, he was fleeing because he was a smart being and a smart being knows how to survive.

He walked to the door and opened it, seeing the person waiting in the hallway, with a nod and a motion of his hand towards the inside, he created his distraction. He allowed the uninvited guest in as he walked past and down the hallway.

No sooner had the door closed behind him than he looked to a window to his left, a large grin came over his face and without any hesitations he leapt through the glass, shattering it and seemingly descending to what others would think to be his death.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora looked at the door impatiently. Taking the time, she extended her senses and caught several other beings within the pent house. Some she thought she vaguely recognized, but others she hadn't the faintest clue about. As she continued her probe, she caught a hold of the male Cizerack's mind. Squinting her eyes, she began to read what was there. There was no resistance to her probe. But then again, there wasn't much in there to read. Almost everything was primitive and run on instinct. Instinct... she caught a hold of something in his mind. Something in there was beginning to run on instinct. Suddenly, she remembered she'd met the big brute before. If he recognized her... Closing her eyes, she began to push that memory back behin other memories.*

*She was considering putting a freeze on his thoughts, when another mind brushed by hers. Instincively, she pulled back and let her senes wrap around her to hide who she was. She'd sensed a Jedi. She was about to think of a way to avoid this Jedi, when the door to the pent house opened, and Prent was standing before her.*

*Putting on her best smile, she extended her hand.*

Mr. Prent. So good to finally meet you.

*She saw he was fingering her business card, and proceeded to go on sounding like an eager archiologist.*

My name is Aurrora Jaid, one of the leading heads at the Natural History and Art Museum of Coruscant.

*She gestured towards the card.*

But you probably knew that already.

*She continued.*

I deal specifically with rare artifacts dating back thousands of years to the ancient Jedi and Sith eras. That is the department I lead.

*She didn't even catch her breath, not caring who heard her, and sounding eager and naive all at once.*

I came under some information through some of the Museum's contacts that you may be in the possession of such an object.

*She looked at him, her blue eyes wide and eager.*

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter snarled.

Look. You might be all powerful in Cizerack territory, but around these here parts, it's a different game. And those are Coruscant patrol ships. And they mean business.

She looked to either side of her and then stared hard at the female.

If you allow me, I can get us both out of this mess without having to deal directly with those TIEs. And from what I can see, they're not going to just pass on a small warning.

The last thing she wanted was to get tangled with Coruscant patrol. It was likely Prent would hear about this in the morning as it was.

And as to this artifact this feline wanted so badly, the Huntress got an idea. But she would play out her cards a little longer. After all, both females were testing the other.

Right now, deal with the patrol. Then talk possible business.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Kajeela was used to quick and total aquience of her demands from those who fell into her clutches. Yet, incredibly, the Bounty Hunter continued to avoid giving her agreement to the Directors offer. While Tarruurri inwardly admired the bold independance of this resourceful creature, her patience was wearing thin.


Coruscant authorities or not, they would not dare fire upon the KAR, let alone its directors personal vehicle, and bring down 250 million vengeful Cizeracks. Any aggression against her person could spark an international incident.

Kajeela called to her driver,
"Therorrrru, prepare to contact the TIE pjilot. jI thjink we may have a gjift forrrrrr hjim."

Fixing a hard gaze on Azure, the Cizerack female left no room for doubt. The kid gloves were coming off.

"jIm sssure they wjill be jinterressted to hear how we were "sssssset upon by jyour camoflage-skjinned shjip and an assssasssjintaijion wasss planned agajinst my perrrrsssson". jIt jis a lie yesss, but by the tjime they fjigurrrrre jit out, jI will be home sssssjipping blood wjine, and jyou wjill be jin an jImperjial jail"


The Cizerack males grabbed an arm each as the Bounty Hunter bristled and seemed set to lunge at Kajeela. Their vice-like hold pinning her where she sat, careful to avoid any contact with her extended claws.

"Orrr, sssssjimply gjive me the anssssswer jI want and jyou arrre welcome to worrrrrrk jyour magjic on the TIE'sss and sssspeed usssss on our way. jI am verrry eagerrr to sssee you in actjion. "

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto watched the strange woman with tails in her head. He'd never seen one like that. His blue eyes widened and his long ears perked with curiosity, as a big striped hand reached out, scooping up one as he examined it with child-like curiosity.

Further satiating his curiosity, he gave it a few gentle tugs.

[Arya Ravenwing]

As she came face to face with the cabinets, Arya stopped herself from hitting them with her palms. The tall and quiet man disappeared from the room as suddenly as he had appeared. She turned slowly around, her moves as gentle as a dancers, and studied the Cizerack in the room. He looked half asleep...but looks were decieving in the felinoids.

He could rip her in half with a lazy gesture if he felt like it. Arya restrained a shudder as he walked up to her. As a trader on the other side of the law, she'd braved her share of Cizerack pickets. More than her share. They hadn't caught her yet, which was a good thing. The reports back from smugglers who had been caught by the Cizerack were scarce...mainly because the smugglers did not survive the encounters.

The large male scooped up one of her brain tails, the slang term for the lekku common to all Twi'leki. The lekku coming off her head were not as sensitive as a true Twi'leks...but she winced as he tightened his grip, and gasped in pain as he yanked on the lek in his massive hand.

"Frell! Watch it!" She grabbed his hand, forcing him to let go..but not forcing so much that he could consider her a threat. The entire job had gone down the tubes. Arya would consider herself lucky to leave all in once piece.

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saarrreeaa stepped out of the refresher, her body clean and dry from a quick sonic shower. Now forrr a ljight sssnack. She walked down the hall towards the kitchen, her barefeet padding on the carpeting.

Opening the door she saw Cirrsseeto holding a... Saa managed to stop herself from squeaking at the sight of her manservant grappling with a Twi'leki female. She slammed the door shut behind her, causing the opposite door which led to the shared living area to rattle.

Cirr looked up as the green female wrested his hand away from her lekku with a hissed word in her alien language. Saa grabbed his arm and pushed the girl away, causing her to slam into the cabinets. "What arrre you dojing!? Wherrre djid thjisss gjirrrl come frrrom?"

She was less than pleased.

[Azure Regalia]

Persistant bitch this one was. The Bounty Hunter relaxed her muscles under the confinment of the two large Cizerack males. She might have been able to handle one, but two was even doubtful to her. This action on her part made the two dimwitted Cizeracks loosen their grip. Yet, she was resourceful.

She shook her head and began to chuckle. If this Cizerack female wanted to see her in action, then her wish would soon be granted.

Really, Director, I would have thought you could be more creative.

The tiny vehicle shudder as a tractor beam emitted from the Huntress' ship.

Did you honestly think I would go into any mission without having an open comm to my comrades?

She could hear the tiny vessel's engines straining to pull back from the large black ship, but to no avail. As the vehicle came closer to the larger ship's hull, the Coruscant patrol sent out another warning.

Patrol: Cease all activity and disengage your engines!

She watched the Cizerack pilot attempt to do so, and even communicate with the patrol, but it's comm systems were being jammed by the larger ships capabilities.

The Huntress smiled.

At this point, it is almost hard to say who is the captive, no?

The ship shuddered once more as grappling hooks took hold of it's tiny hull, nestling it closely to the Huntress' ship. As soon as the ship was secured, the Huntress' ship camofladged, taking the tiny vessel with it into oblivion.

Oh, by the way, I do hope your clothing is static free.

With that, there was a bright flash within the cabin. An electric over-ride blast was sent through the tiny vessel by the larger ship, rendering all intruments inoperational. In this sense, the small blast had the effect of an ion blast.

This action of agression had promted the Cizeracks to her sides to retighten their grip, but not before the Huntress had had time to shift in the darkness of the cabin. Having camofladged in the darkness of the cabin, she had lifted her feet so they were stuck to the cabins ceiling. Next she forcefully yanked her arms free of the two Cizeracks, plastering their faces full-on with her suction cup gloves. Removing her hands from inside the gloves, each male Cizerack yowled and clawed at their faces, attempting to remove the sticky assailents. The moment she had removed herself from the confines of the two Cizeracks, she had plastered herself to the ceiling, using her claws to grab at the fabric there.

She could hear the female howling out orders in her native tongue, but, seeing as how the two males could not see what they were doing, were not listening to one iota that the female spoke. Smiling to herself, the Huntress reached down with her tail and gave the back side of the female's head a strong swipe, sending her into the seat, between the two Cizeracks. The two males, thinking this was their captive, grabbed on tightly to the being in between them. This prompted the female to snarl and hollar even more.

Moving along the ceiling, and reaching the seat where the female had been moments before sitting, she released the fabric and softly landed on the seat, backhanding the Cizerack driver. sliding over the seat, she opened the passenger side door to the vehicle and called back.

There will be no deal made here tonight.

With that, she was out the door and scrambling on top of the Cizerack's vessel, latching onto her ship's grappling hooks with a strong line uncoiled from one of the pockets of her utility belt.

Calling into the small comm attached to her collar, she gave the droid-pilot orders.

Disengage the hover-car and utilize trackor beam.

The Cizerack's vessel fell from the ships hull, guided by a trackor beam, to land on a nearby building. The moment the tiny vessel came into veiw, the patrol headed straight for it, though one made a quick fly-by where the trackor beam emitted from seemingly nothing.

Disengage trackor beam and take a course two levels lower than our current location.

Once the beam disengaged, the last patrol ship headed for the downed vehicle.

The Huntress hung on tightly to the ship's grappling hooks as it descended into the lower levels of Coruscant. There she would enter the ship and retrieve Ravenwing.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

The Cizerack males helped their Mistress up with one hand on either side of her, with their other hand they pulled the suction cups from their faces and tossed them onto the floor.

Kajeela peered expectantly over the seat to the driver,

"Therorrrru, Djid jyou jinitiate the trrrrrrrrrrracerrrr?"

Rubbing the back of his head, the driver nodded, a grinning snarl spreading across his face.

"jYessssssss, Mjisssssstrrrrrrrressss. jI djid when jyou gave me the sssssjignal."

Upon Kajeela scratching her claws together earlier, the driver had taken his que - as he had on many other occassions during his service with her in the KAR - and deftly inserted the fibre optic receiver into the hairline of Azure as she sat facing away from him, conversing with Kajeela. The highly sensitive unit was no thicker than a single strand of hair and its insertion into the huntresses hair would have felt like the touch of a breath. She would never have noticed its placement. The fine strand was coated with an adhesive type film that instantly cemented to the base of Azures scalp and a few other of her hair strands. The Kei Ai'Reei used cutting edge technology - only very sophisticated equipment would reveal its presence on her, and only then if it knew exactly where to look.

Every survellance craft under the Directors authority was equiped to track such a transmitter, as was her flag ship. Azure could go nowhere without their knowledge of it.
Therorrru continued on proudly.
"Unlessss ssssssshe sssshavesss herrrrrrr head and the fjirrssrst layer of herrrr sssscalp with it, we have herrrrrrr."

Whoever Regalia was working for had inspired loyalty in this hunter. Whether it was because Azure feared that person more, or that the person could reward more than the KAR could, Tarruurri didnt know. But the very fact Regalia risked her life rather than talk a deal with the KAR only piqued the Directors interest to see who this powerful individual was that wanted the Sith Artifact so badly.


The Director smiled. "Verrrrrrry good, Therorrru." Looking about at all three of her enforcers. "jYou all djid verrrrrrrrry well tonjight." She stroked both the males faces as they sat obediently beside her. Her tail meandering up behind her to curl teasingly down around her drivers chest, tugging at his tunic buttons."A rrrrrrrrewarrrrrd jisss jin orrrrderrr"

The males smirked, glad of the praise. It took the sting out of having to let the bounty hunter escape without their so much as raising a finger to hurt or disable her. They were capable of better things and all in the vehicle knew it. The reward could mean only one thing and tonight they all had enough pent-up energy to make it a reward to remember.

The TIE Interceptor hovered low and then landed when it was clear that the disabled hover-limosuine was no threat. Kajeela smiled sweetly as the pilot poked his head into the interior of the now inoperable hover-vehicle.

"Ooh, sssssssssssuch a rrrrrrrrelejif jyou arrrrrrre herrrrrre offjicerrrr. We arrrrrrrrre jin neeed of assssjissstance as ourrrr crrrrrraft sssseems to have flowwwn thrrrrrrrough sssssome jiionic blasssssst of ssssssssortssssss"

After flashing her ID and explaining away their seeminly unaccountable transport trouble, the pilot allowed her to call another of her KAR units to take them back to her flagship.

Upon boarding their other vehicle, they set course to return to the Directors flagship that was stationed just beyond Coruscant atmosphere. The Director gave orders for the remaining street-level units to continue, at extreme caution, to watch Prents building and keep her updated on all that transpires, the priorty remaining on tracking Azure and also keeping channels open to Cirrsseetto.

[DarthHERA]

Biting on her lower lip in concentration, she almost had it...
She had been laying across the seat of the car to get at the console that was located down around the foot-space area
and had been hacking into the vehicles computer to manually over-ride it and get the cheap crate going.

just about...just...

A few more commands and


BANG!

The whole car shook violently as the roof crumpled inwards, causing the viewscreen to blast outward in a spray of glass from the force of it.

Hera jumped half out of her wits. "what the?"

Lifting her head cautiously, she looked at the incredible damage to the hover-car. Trying to comprehend what just happened, she blinked out the now destroyed veiw screen. First one, then another slender foot stepped off the roof and onto the hood of the car. Hera sat up higher, careful not to bang her head on the now considerablylower roof and continued to stare.

Ogre still in his disguised form, stepped off the hood and onto the street. Not even bothering to glance back, he called out to his apprentice.

"Are you coming?"

Instantly, she scrambled out of the destroyed vehicle and ran to catch up to Ogre, unable to hide her smile at his small humanoid appearance.

She asked the only question that seemed important.

"You have the Artifact?"

[Ogre Mal Pannis]

As the two of them walked away from the building into the darkness of the night, Ogre allowed the illusion he had maintained for the last hour to fall. His body grew larger and became tinted green in skin color once again.

“I did not, but I did learn a great deal. Knowledge in this instance is much more powerful than the artifact that has come into the human’s possession. For it is incomplete, and there are others who will do the gathering for us.

His head turned and he looked at his apprentice as the waked a devilish smile forming on his face.

“Then, once they have retrieved all that is needed, will be the time to pluck it from their clutches.”

The two Sith vanished into the night, Ogre’s laughs after his last comment fading with them.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirrsseeto's mouth stood agape in shock, his eyes wide in suprise and fear as his ears drooped. In fact, his entire posture slouched noticably in the presence of his high-strung and quite angry mistress. Tail swishing lowly, he stammered.

jI...jI...ssshe...ah...Sssanjisss wanted...jI...to watch herrr...ssstrrrange...ah...herrr...tajilsss...

He frowned toothily, lowering his head

Sssorrrjy, Sssaarrrrrrrrreeaa.

[Sanis Prent]

(In walked a curvatious brunette with another cliche' agenda. It rained, it poured, and in my case, I was walking in monsoons. Glancing back, I noticed the thin businessman was gone, apparently out the way he came. It was hectic, but at the same time, there was a lot at stake. Ten millon "alots" to be exact. He was either bluffing, or he was just damn lying. Either way, you didn't just excuse yourself after dropping hints of that kind of money.

I needed a drink...better yet, just space to breathe. I wasn't getting either, but at least the company was a fair sight nicer, and brought along plenty of scenery.)

Archaeology, huh? I'm afraid I don't keep informed in that kind of stuff.

(I pocketed the card, glancing back to the living area, and gesturing for the woman to take a seat)

I do know of some historical societies that my company makes donations to, however. In fact, one is holding a fundraiser for an exhibition wing within the week. I've only met with the curator once...although my board of trustees are on closer terms.

So, tell me about this artifact?

(I reclined in my seat)

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora sat down, graciously nodding her head in thanks. Just before Prent had shown, she had sensed one of the beings within the room leave. She had not seen where he had gone, but the sense she had received from him was one of familiarity. Perhaps it would come to her, or she would have to meditate on this later to achieve his true identity. She could do no more now. Not without alerting the Jedi she had sensed earlier. This promted her to wrap herself even tighter within her barriers.*

*Smiling, she looked at Sanis.*

Well, Mr. Prent, it's not much to look at really. It's quite plain in it's physical form. But it does hold considerable value, especialy to those of us in the Museum.

*She pulled out a holopad from her purse and set it on the table, pressing a button. A holographic image of the Sith artifact came into view. It's wooden figure slowly rotated in the dim light of the holopad.*

It's not much bigger around than a man's wrist, and perhaps as thick as three of my fingers set together.

*For emphasis, she held up three fingers, each one right up to the next. With her free hand, she pointed to the engravings on the wood in the hologram.*

The markings themselves are quite remarkable. It is in ancient Sith text. There is a translation, but some wording or meaning is lost due to the difference between Basic and the ancient Sith tongue.

*She brought out another pad from her purse, this one being a data pad, and activated it. Sliding the pad to Prent, she let him read the translation: "Whomever shall wear me alone shall know no power. But to whomever shall find my brothers shall know terrible power."*

*Gesturing towards the translation, she continued.*

To me it sounds like a warning of sorts, but who really knows what the Sith intended when they made this bracelelt.

*She watched the rotation of the hologram for awhile. So she had lied in that last sentence. She knew full well what the Sith had intended, and she had a hunch Prent had a pretty good idea also. She went on.*

The Museum is interested in attainging this piece of history, if you are willing to sell.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya slammed against the cabinets, and managed to keep her feet as the female Cizerack rounded on the male, her accent obscuring her words momentarily. Arya blinked, trying to clear her vision, and took a few seconds to shake off the affects of the impact.

Her captor was being browbeaten by his mistress, his ears hanging down in fear or shame. Arya didn't know and didn't care. What she did know, was that she was leaving this party. Turning, she ran out the door the female had used to enter, and dashed down the hallway. There were doors on both sides, and trusting her third eye she took the very first door.

It was a large room, which smelled like sweat, and it held a huge bed with rumpled sheets. All of this she took in with barely a turn of her head. Arya ran straight for the refresher, where she had seen a laundry chute with her third eye. It would take her to the depths of the building, and quickly.

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[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saarrreeaa stepped towards Cirrsseeto, his head hanging low in embarrassment. "jI...jyou had betterrr be sorrrrrrjy, Cjirrrrrrsssssseeto." She stood still momentarily, unsure of what to do next.

The Twi'leki girl behind her ran out the door, and she saw Cirr's eye track towards her, as his body involuntarily moved in that direction. She raised a hand and slapped him, shouting, "Look at me!"

[Sanis Prent]

(I shook my head, running a hand through my hair)

Miss Jaid, I think you're misunderstanding. I don't have anything like that. As I said before...I don't know much at all of archaeology and artifacts. I suggest you consult the Coruscant Museum of Galactic Culture. We do fundraising to assist them, and they might know more about what you're looking for.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cowering under his mistress's ire, Cirrsseeto quickly forgets his obligation to look after the Twi'Leki female. Wide-eyed, he tries to think of a way to appease Saarrreeaa

jYesss mjissstrrressssss...

[Saarrreeaa Meorrrei]

Saa relented, and carressed his cheek where she had scratched him with her claws. He always repented dutifully, although such behavior would have to be watched in the future. She would be the laughingstock of Carshoulis Prime if she continued to allow him such leeway.

Pressing up against him, she purred in his ear, "jI could ussse a bjite to eat."

[Aurrora Jaid]

Oh, come now Mr. Prent. I'm sure Dal would be disappointed if you didn't sell.

*Dropping names wasn't her style, but she knew full well it would more than catch Sanis' attention. That tap she had placed on his earlier comm call had helped to attain the information she had needed. Every comm came together at a central comm station. Placing the trace at the station had not been a problem. Sifting through the comm traffic had been a little more work, but in the end she had found what she had been looking for. And only then had she set out to make contact.*

*She eyed him, unblinking, her blue eyes seeming to change color in the light to a light green. She could feel Sanis begin to get suspicious without even having to stretch any of her senses or dig into his mind. A slight color rose to his cheeks.*

Why, Mr. Prent, you look a little flushed. Perhaps the enviromental controls have ceased to function.

*She smiled pleasantly, but there was no kindness or concern behind the smile.*

[Sanis Prent]

(My smile vanished, the corners of my mouth lowering)

Miss Jaid, I think you should be leaving.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya dove feet first into the laundry chute, and gagged on the smell immediately. Krassssssst. It was too late to think about other options, she was committed to this course of action.

Her foot caught in some moist articles of clothing, and she slid down the chute, her heart slamming into her mouth as the drop turned vertical. Biting the inside of her cheek to keep an involuntary scream inside, she tasted blood, and hoped for a large pile of clothes at the bottom of the chute.

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[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan had just returned from checking up on Sanis and examining that broken window. Today was a strange day. Cirr was obviously at his mistress' bidding and the Twi'lek thingy shapeshifter majjiger was gone.

Frell. He let the light around him go, somewhat startling the pair of felinoids.

"Cirr, where did she..." wump thud. His ears caught the sound of something banging down the laundry chute. "...nevermind."

The Jedi Knight headed for the living room at a dead run, nearly running into Sanis.

"You had better check on the merchandise. Our strange friend found the laundry chute. I"ll be back soon." He paused, staring at Jaid for a moment before running out the door. Tearing down the hall, he reached the lift, and told it to head for the basement.
Access Denied. Please Slide Staff/Residency Card.

Sure enough, right next to the keypad was a card reader. Easy. Morgan removed a datapad from his coat. Then he fished out what looked to be a regular id/access card, except for the meter of wire that dangled from it. Jacking the wire into the correct port of the pad, the slicer slid the card through.

beepSequence Complete.beep.

Sliding the card through once more, the lift bolted down to the basement.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora was about to reply when a man came running in, distinctly "smelling" of Jedi. He merely paused to speak with Sanis and then actually paused to look at her. She merely looked back, and blinked, not letting a single feeling slip by her. And then he was gone, out the room and through the door. Bye, bye Jedi.*

*Turning her head back towoards the table, she began to gather her belongins and place them back into the small sack at her side. Pulling out one more device, she examined it. For all intents and purposes, it appeared to be a chronometer. But what it was really doing was taking a reading of the room and the surrounding area. Scanning for a certain object. And it's scan was only about 80% done. She needed to buy just a bit more time.*

*Looking up at Sanis, her smile widened, her eyes sparkling slightly.*

Oh, no, Mr. Prent. I'm not ready to leave yet. Not until we have come to some sort of a deal.

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty hunter scrambled into her ship through the side access hatch as it came to hover in the lower levels, just below the building that housed Prent's penthouse. She absentmindedly scratched at her scalp, near where the Ciz transmitter had been placed. Had the transmitter been placed on the ship, it would have detected the foreign object in no time. But because it was on her person, the ship's scanners had not picked it up. Needless to say, it also had some of her DNA attached to it, so to the ship, it was a part of her. But it was still causing a bit of irritation to her scalp that only felt like an itch to her.

Snarling a few choice words, she took her hand off her head and plopped in the ships pilot seat. Keeping her droid pilot as the co-pilot, she made sure the ship was still camofladged.No need to attract any more attention to the fact she'd brought her ship into the lower bowels of Coruscant.

She opened the small comm channel she and Ravenwing had, her voice coming through the small ear piece inserted in the other woman's ear.

Ravenwing? You there? If you can speak, what's your statis?

At the same time she made the comm connection, the Huntress began a scan of the building, locating the tranceiver within the earpiece. She watch, a bit perplexed, as she saw the tranceiver plumeting down a shaft of sorts. Just to make sure the tranceiver was still within Ravenwing's ear, she intensified her scan to take in an humanoid life around the tranceiver. Almost immediately, a humanoid shape appeared around where the tranceiver was. Sure enough, that was Ranevwing plumeting down that shaft. But it didn't help to releave the perplexed look on her face.

[Sanis Prent]

Deal?

(I looked up from my seat. She was either really dumb, or really smart and enjoying pushing my buttons.)

What deal?

(I stood up, suddenly very annoyed to have my time wasted.)

You know...lets cut the crap. We're both lying out our teeth. The artifact ain't in any museum at the moment...

(I lit a stim, my eyes narrowing at Miss Jaid.)

...but that doesn't matter much, cause you aren't quite the Archaeological type, if you get my meaning.

(Pacing around, I watched her like a hawk)

What, you think dropping Dal's name is gonna buy you anything? He's a smart guy, but he ain't that smart. I doubt he could even spell archaeologist, much less go talking to one.

(The smoke curled in cruel loops around my eyes, the shadow from my brow an extra level of foreboding. I was a heartbeat away from closing up shop, and itching for a reason to make some of these people "disappear")

Fine. We'll play. Keep seated.

(I opened up a minibar)

What's your favorite drink, sweetheart? Something to do a deal over, ya know...

...my kind of deal.

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

Five burly male Cizeracks each let out a painful "Caaawwl" in unison.

Each almost at the same instant reached with one hand to fling off their headsets, and with the other to adjust the volume of the tracking-scanner. The four street-level units and the one Flag-ship operator had their indicators on the highest setting - no one wanted to slip up and overlook any movement the Bounty Hunter may make, and risk the fury of their fanatical Mistress.

As Azure scratched her head, she caused an abrasive interference, which was ampliphied to an unexpected and peircing shreik into the receivers. Regalia was but a blip on a screen before the KAR operatives, but the device gave off a ultra-low level hum that aided in the tracing of its bearer and the incredible sensitivity of it, the reason for the Cizeracks audio discomfort.

With lowered sound and increased attention, the tracer units replaced their respective headseats as they sat scattered about their various posts and continued their predatory vigil on the very resourceful Azure Regalia.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*She remained sitting, letting him vent. Oh, yes, he was getting quite annoyed now. But what she found to be interesting was that he hadn't laid a hand on her to throw her out the door yet. he had something esle he was planning to use in this game.*

*She uncrossed her long, shapely, legs, switching them and recrossing again, likewise crossing her arms over her chest.*

Mr. Prent... you assume too much. I never said I'd spoken with Dal. I merely stated he would be disappointed if you didn't sell the object in your possession.

*She had to keep buying time.*

I'll have an Ithorian ale, if you have it available. If not, anything in silimarity will suffice.

*She watched him from behind as he prepared the refreshments. Her left eyebrow rose marginally as she thought to herself.*

So, Mr. Prent, what kind of deal is your kind of deal?

*The smoke lingered above the table from his stim, and yet, it did not touch her in any way, keeping it's distance.*

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya fell for quite a ways, pressing her feet against the inside of the chute, and trying to slow her descent. There was a sheet, or perhaps a large shirt, tangled around her left leg and foot, making it difficult to find any sort of traction in the chute.

Suddenly the reciever in her ear crackled, and she quickly responded to Regalia. "I'm heading for the basement, I'll meet you on a lower level if I can." Her words, spoken softly against the updraft filling her nose with air, were whisked away from her.

Her lekku hit painfully against the side of the chute, but she didn't have the concentration or energy at the moment to shift. Plus, the bottom of the ride should have been coming up soon. "Frell!" Arya pressed her leather gloved hands against the smooth metal of the chute, her feet digging into the sides at the same time. Her fall slowed, and her hands warmed quickly from the friction, gloves protecting them for the time being.

With a muffled curse and a whump, the woman fell haphazaradly into a cart full of laundry, nearly covered with the Cizeracks' most recent accomplishments in dirty clothes. Arya lay there for a moment, breath knocked out of her, and trying to determine if she had survived the fall.

When it appeared that she had survived, and was in one piece, she clambered out of the cart, shaking a shirt off her left boot. Arya tapped her ear, "Regalia, I'm on the ground in the basement of the building. Looking for an exit point now." She felt for her bag, and realized it was gone. The droid was gone.

Frell! She had failed! Arya ran lightly out of the laundry room, past the huge machines, and into a hallway, looking for an exit.

[Sanis Prent]

Fresh out of Ithorian Ale, I think...

(I opened up the wetbar, pulling two bottles)

But we have Ithorian Creme liqueur...

(I poured it in a glass, over rocks, a quarter of the way, and added a clear liquid over it)

...and Ryloth Vodka.

(I handed the concoction to Miss Jaid)

Sounds like a match. You both try to be sweet, but I know a bitter taste when I've had one.

(I sat down, crossing my right ankle across my left knee.)

As for my kind of deal, its called Twenty Seconds, not to be confused with Twenty Questions.

(My face was a practised deadpan, and I'd had experience with these things before)

I ask a question. You answer it. If I like it, you get another question. If I don't, you spend the next twenty seconds freefalling down the side of the building, until you hit the second tier. And yes, I've timed the fall. So be very careful, and very plain. I've had enough wiseguys today, and if you try and bullkrasst me again, I just might get downright antisocial.

(I swallowed)

Question. Who are you, and as if your name really was what you say it is...what do you really do?

[Morgan Evanar]

*Ding*

Morgan wondered why lifts made that noise when they stopped, but never deeply enough to bother to look into it. It was just one of life's little quirks.

Now that the ding had been pondered to the fullest extent, he smoothly strode out of the elevator and into the long hallway. Looking to his left, the service elevator lay dormant at the end of the corridor. It too had required a special card to operate. About twenty five meters to his right lay an emergency stairwell, for those times, like fires, that a lift would probably not qualify as reliable transportation. The corridor extended another twenty meters past that before making a left.

The laundry was probably that way.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya stopped suddenly, hardly realizing that she was, and stared at the corner ahead of her. Someone was coming towards her. She tensed her muscles, and then relaxed. No one is coming, don't be a lunatic, Arya. Arya walked towards the sharp bend in the hallway, and then halted again.

*Ding*

It sounded like a turbolift had just stopped on the basement floor. She refused to let herself panic, and looked at her options. The hallway in front of her turned abruptly to the right, and if the signs she had read were correct, there were several exit options around the corner.

If there was someone approaching, then she would have no choices but behind her. I wonder if I can climb back up that chute? Arya almost chuckled at the absurd thought, and then froze, one lek wrapped around her neck as she thought she had heard something. A muffled footfall perhaps.

She lightly stepped backwards, not wanting to back herself into a dead end, but running out of options fast. "Regalia, I need an exit point, help me out here." Arya looked around, and then slipped into a door, closing it behind her.

It was a janitor's closet. Great. Then above her she saw her way out.

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[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter humphed and reached forward to hit the comm and scanners all at the same time.

On it.

She replied to Ravenwing as she took a look at where her signal was in the building. She took a scan of the buildings lower interior and then added Ravenwing's. Sure enough, there she was in a long hallway. At the end appeared to be a turbolift. At the other a sharp bend down another long hallway. And all through out a maze of smaller hallways and doors.

Double checking her scan, she cursed and realized there was no outside exit at this level. It was in the leve above. She intensified her scan and picked up another life-form in the level Ravenwing was. She scowled. That had to be bad.

Ravenwing... I'm picking up another life-signal heading in your direction.

What she got back in reply was a rude noise and something along the lines of that she already knew.

Listen. The nearest exit is on the level above you, just opposite where the turbolift would dump you. But with someone coming from where the lift is, you'd have to seriously wind through the maze of hallways and rooms... or...

With a malicious glow in her eye, the Huntress activated the forward blaster cannon and ripped a man-size hole through level Ravenwing was on. It no doubt shook the building, and set the teeth of those on that level chattering.

Ravenwing! Head all the way down the hallway, away from the lift. Make a left turn into the first hallway. Another left into the third hallway you see. Then a right into the first hallway after that. Enter the fourth door. Wait...

She hit the button again and blew the door to smitherines.

Enter through the now open fourth door. I'll be waiting with the mini-loading ramp extended. You can't miss it.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*She smiled and sipped the drink Prent had prepared for her. Not bad. And he was right about the sweet... and the bitter. She set the glass down.*

My name legally is Aurrora Jaid.

*Her smile grew wider.*

As what do I really do...

*She chuckled.*

It is true I am very interested in artifacts of Sith and Jedi natures. And I am legally part of the Museum's staff.

But as to what I really do?...

*She laughed outright.*

When I'm not sniffing out artifacts of great importance for the Museum... I'm smuggling them out through protected national parks and preserves. Let's just say smuggling is a hobby. A hobby that pays nicely.

[Sanis Prent]

(She was still dancing around the issues...but I'd see how much she'd care to say)

Where'd you get Dal's name?

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya was scrambling for the ventilation shaft in the center of the low ceiling of the closet when Regalia shot the side of the building. She fell back to the ground and cursed roundly, making sure Regalia could hear her on the comm. "I'm on my way." She cut the channel and peered out the doorway, blaster in hand.

Why oh why didn't I stick to smuggling? This hunting business is not what I'm good at. Arya saw nothing, although the second shot from Azure's ship shook the floors. Whoever was on the "basement" floor with her should be running towards the disturbance. Or away from it. Arya ran toward it.

She burst from the door and took off down the hall, her lekku wrapped around her neck as her feet carried her towards the end of the hall and the first left turn she had to make. She went around the corner without mishap, and headed to the next turning point. One, two....three... The woman turned left again on the third hallway and found the first hall on the right with no trouble.

There was a breath of fresh air seeping though the area, as well as a thick level of dust from the ventilation work her partner had done. Arya headed for the door at full tilt.

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[Aurrora Jaid]

*She smirked, knowing full well he wouldn't like the answer to his last spoken question.*

Easy. I tapped the comm station nearest here and sifted through the traffic with a hacker's computer. Patience and determination did the rest.

*She lifted an eyebrow and waited for the next question, wondering when this game would end, and when her scan would lightly ping to announce it was done.*

[Sanis Prent]

(I shook my head)

No, before that. You had to have a tip-off to know to tap that connection.I have hundreds of various contacts, and you mean to tell me that you magically tapped on this single conversation?

Where'd you get your heads-up?

[Aurrora Jaid]

*She shrugged.*

I honestly don't know who is the brains behind the actual contact, but I was given a short note on a rumor that a Sith artifact of importance was out on the street of coruscant. Specifically in your hands.

I was at my desk in the Museum and had gone to get a cup of joe. In the hallway, I was bumped by a Kubaz. I didn't think much of it, there be a lot of people in the hallways, and got my coffe.

Later in my office, something beeped in my pocket. It was a small data disk with micro speaker. Curious I popped it in my data pad and read the contents. That how I found out about the artifact. I assume it had been dropped there by the Kubaz, because that disk certainly didn't belong to me or was even a brand used by the Museum. I was then instructed to tap the comm station for your comms. I was actually given the equiptment, which later arrived about an hour or so after reading the data. I can only assume me activating the disk, prompted the delivery.

And there it is. It seemed like a challenge, so I went ahead and took it up. Of course, the disk said I'd be paid handsomely, so that was a nice bonus to the challenge.

[Sanis Prent]

Think again about getting paid handsomely. Quite the opposite. To get what you want, you're going to have to pay handsomely. I'm tacking on interest for having my chain jerked. Whatever number you were thinking about...double it, and write it on that napkin, and hope it looks good.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*She had to smile. This was definitely Prent's style. Thing is, he didn't know she actually knew quite a bit about him. Or maybe he did. Hard to say with a man like him.*

*She cleared her throat.*

Remember, Mr. Prent, I am an archeologist. I know the value of certain artifacts. And the Sith one you may possess is certainly not worth more than about a million.

But, if we are to play these games, no need to make it boring.

*She reached for the napkin, and leaning forward, wrote on it with the sole pen that had been lying unattended on the small table. Having finished, she placed the pen down and slid the napkin in Prent's direction, watching it bounce with the small wind the wave of her hand had produced.*

I not only doubled the sum, but tripled it. Either way, the museum has put me in charge of this project.

*The napkin had a neat three on it, followed by six round zeros.*

[Sanis Prent]

(I tapped at the armrest of my chair for what seemed like a few minutes)

Four million.

(My eyes narrowed as I discerned her reaction)

After all, you're an archaeologist, and you know absolutely dren about handling fees.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*She laughed lightly.*

You forget I'm also a smuggler. I've haggled before.

*She played the game.*

Three-fifty million.

*She raised an eyebrow.*

[Sanis Prent]

(If I had to nickle and dime for what I wanted, that was fine. I knew where I wanted to be at the bargaining table.

The corners of my mouth turned upward slightly)

Three and a half.

(I tossed her a dataslip, alloting her room at my hotel, and beginners credit in my casino.)

While you're here on Coruscant, Miss Jaid...I suggest you enjoy yourself, and do take your time about it.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora continued to hold the smile, making a note to have three-fifty million set aside for their bargaining table, and took the dataslip graciously.*

I shall indeed do that.

*A small beep, only audible to her ear, being on a higher frequency, began to emitt within her bag. The scan was complete. What timing.*

*Placing her things into her bag, she stood. She would have that artifact... one way, or another.*

I make the assumption our meeting today is ajourned, but not over?

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter was getting restless, wondering what was taking Ravenwing so long. She hoped her persuer had not caught up with her. She'd hate to have to go in and "save" Ravenwing by pulling the 'ole "she is my bounty" crap.

She sighed and scratched her scalp again where the small tracker was, taking a few layers of dried skin with her claws. And why wouldn't her head stop itching? Yet another irritation of the day.

[Sanis Prent]

Of course.

(I stood, escorting her to the door)

I'll have one of my men show you the casino. We'll meet again, tomorrow night.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya sprang through the slagged doorway and landed with a thump and a roll inside Regalia's ship.

"I'm in!" She shouted up the passageway just in case her partner missed the noise. As the ship pulled away from the building, she changed into her normal shape. Soon a ravenhaired female humanoid stood in the place of the green skinned Twi'lek female. Arya walked up to the cockpit.

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora smiled, nodding her head as Prent walked her to the door. She turned as she reached the door, extending her hand towards him.*

Then, until tomorrow night, Mr. Prent. I look forward to our meeting again.

[Sanis Prent]

Of course, Miss Jaid.

(I watched her leave. One of my associates still stood by the door. Glancing to the exiting woman, I whispered to her.)

Make certain that she loses money at the tables. Other than that, keep an eye on her.

(Letting him go, I settled back into my seat, finishing my drink, and reflecting on the wild happenings of the day)

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter pulled on the yoke and brought the ship up through a winding passage through the lower levels of Coruscant. She kept the ship near the building, but at a lower level, and camoflaged.

Handing the controls over to her flight droid, she turned to see Ravenwing come in, looking haggard.

Seems our planned hiest didn't go as we'd hoped. But we still have other opportunities.

And it seems we are not the only one's looking to get this item. The Cizerack offered me a higher price to retrieve it for them. I don't like how they ruined my plans.

She scowled, cursing the medling Cizerack's and Sanis' security.

We aren't finished with Mr. Prent just yet.

She came out of her thoughts and looked at Ravenwing.

Did you at least get any info while in there?

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya threw herself into the copilot seat, and draped her arms over the armrests. She was exhausted from changing shape. "I...the droid didn't have the thing in it. Your intelligence was wrong. And nearly got me vaped."

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress shook her head.

Wasn't my intelligence. It was the information given to us by that Kubaz.

She let breathed in slowly and let it out, somewhat loudly.

Still, that item must still be in Prent's possession, whether it's in his pent house or not.

While she had been stating this, she had been observing Ravenwing. Her eyes had a far-off look to them. Her insticnts urged her to press on.

There was something esle, wasn't there? You knew somehow the item wasn't in Prent's pent house. Otherwise you wouldn't have bailed out so quickly, even if captured.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya looked sideways at the Hunter. "I just knew it wasn't there. It was somewhere beneath the building. Or...well I can't explain it." Her lips tightened.

"There were people there, unfriendly ones, and I'm not talking about the Cizerack and the strange guy that grabbed me." Arya rubbed her arm and side where she'd been thrown into the cabinents. "It will take some doing to get that artifact."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

The window to Sanis' apartment abruptly opened, blowing in a cold draft. Even as the gambler turned his head to look at the source of the disturbance, he was greeted with the sight of a very natty-looking dwarf dropping in from outside. "I'd been wonderin' if they'd ever leave," Hob spoke, dusting himself off. His hands brushed the front, sides, and arms of his brown robe, and suddenly stopped.

Hob grinned abruptly, and at Sanis. "Not that they would've seen old Hob. A clever one he is, to be sneaky and hide himself from them. And when the competition is gone..."

The dwarf shrugged.

[Sanis Prent]

(For a moment, I didn't say anything. Just stared at him a little. I'd seen everything today. It had now come to leprechauns. Leprechauns flipping into my window like they were Jedi Ninja Circ du Soleil members. And the little guy did it like it was normal ...the thing to do.

Sure. Why not. The day had already gone to hell in a handbasket. A troupe of Kowakian monkey-lizards doing the macarena would've seemed boring in comparison.

With a polite smile, I held up my hand)

Excuse me for a moment.

(I sidled over to the wet bar, grabbing a glass, and a 15 year old bottle of Ryloth scotch. I held the glass up, hesitated, and tossed it over my shoulder, letting it break against the far wall as I just turned the bottle up. Ten bubbles of air in the bottle later, I set it down, and eyed the munchkin again.)

WHAAAAT???

Frell, can't you people just check in at the front desk and make appointments like everybody else in the galaxy?

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora made her way into the accomodations that had been given to her at Prent's hotel and casino. She stepped through the door, thanking the woman that had escorted her here. When the door had closed behind her, she thought back to what her sensitive ears had picked up as she'd left Sanis' pent house. She chuckled, knowing full well that losing money was not an issue with her. And if she willed it, she could make as much as she wanted.*

*Letting that thought slip to the back of her mind for now, she looked around the room, scrutinizing it's corners, light fixtures, window sill, and curtains. She would take nothing to chance, and knowing Prent, this room was most likely bugged to kingdom come.*

*Walking to the dresser, unperturbed at her conclusion, she set her sack on it, moving to the night stand and doing a little rearanging of the furniture. She moved the small night stand to a central location in the room, then, walking back to the dresser, she took out a small pyrimid-shaped device, width and height about the length of her hand, and placed it in the center of the night stand. Hitting a switch at it's base, it began to glow a dull blue, creating a high freakency that would disturb the recording and listening devices within it's circumference. With a turn of another nob at it's base, she made sure thcircumference of the device encompassed the entire room. No one would be spying on her today.*

*She went back to the dresser to retrieve the scanner and a black even dress. Checking the scanners find, she was disappointed to learn that the artifact had not been in Prent's pent house. Though she had expected as much. No doubt he had hidden it somewhere for safe keeping.*

*With that deed done, she moved into the fresher to take a shower and prepare herself for the gambling casino. All the while, she debated on winning and losing like normal folk, or bringing down the house like the creature she was.*

[Azure Regalia]

The Bounty Hunter sighed. She'd known it would be difficult to retrieve something from prent's possession. They knew the little pink droid that had been left in the pent house could potentially be used. Aside from being a replica, it could also act as a small fire-bomb. The Huntress played with the remote a bit, contimplating this act. But then she set the remote down, thinking of another place they could possibly look.

What about his ship. It's possible it's there.

The Huntress moved to the ships computer and hacked into the space traffic control's registery files, making a serach on Prent's ship. After a few minutes of seraching, the file came up.

His ship isn't berthed far from here. Knowing him, he probably didn't want to be too seperated from his precious ship.

Come on...

She kept the ship camoflaged, but moved it to face the direction of the hangar bay.

We'll continue our search there. Though we'll have to be incredibly descrete about it.

With that said, she lurched the ship gently, again scratching that spot on her forehead, heading towards the air space aloted to the bay that held the "Layla"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"And allow you time to prepare?" Hob asked curiously. "Time to shift cards in your favor? That, lad, is the stupidist thing you have said yet today. You know how the game is played- those with power drop in unexpectedly on those who have something they want."

He marched resolutely over to Sanis and beckoned with a grimy hand. After a moment's hesitation, Sanis handed him the bottle, which Hob them took a long pull from, spilling scotch down the sides of his mouth. The dwarf wiped his face on his sleeve and handed the bottle back.

"Tis' barely mother's milk," he proclaimed, then waddled over and opened the kitchen door. He stopped briefly in the act of opening it and beckoned Sanis again. "Let's have a bite to eat, shall we? After using alcohol to bolster your courage all night, you'll be a tad nippish, I'd wager. And after you've played the proper host an' fixed us some sandwiches an' whatnot, we can discuss the little trinket everyone here's been so anxious t'get their hands on. I think ye'll find old Hob's proposal interestin', t' say the least."

[Kajeela Tarruurri]

The Director sat twirling absent mindedly at her teeth with a slender toothpick. She had just devoured a huge meal of Resssssh Nahji Raw salmon with wild rice and small red vegetables called jIsrolesss.

She had satisfied her driving appetites upon her return to her Flagship. First with her eager maleservants and now with the finished meal. Washing it all down with a large goblet of bloodwine, the head of the KAR pondered over the unusual creature she had encountered that day.

"Azurrrrrre Rrregaljia.." The name rolled off her tongue silkily.."...wherrre sssshall we meet up, mjy rrrougjish frjiend.."

A sharp knock at her door heralded the entrance of a large Cizerack male communications officer. Placing a printout on the table before Kajeela, he advised her of Regalia's movements and then stood back a pace at attention to await orders.

Tarruurri looked over the information..."Verrrjy good. Sssend the unijtsss to follow herrr and rrrreport to me anjy and all jinterrractjions the bountjy hunterrr hasss. Dont not make contact whatsssoeverrr. Ourrr men arrre to obssserrrve and fact-fjind onljy."

Waving a hand in dismissal, Kajeela returned to her musings.

As an afterthought, she called out.."Anjy worrrd frrrom Cirrrsssseeto?"
The officer answered in the negative and then exited.

Kajeela was sure Cirrsseeto had probably forgotten he even was supposed to report to her - he had the frustrating habit of only being able to handle one task at a time, and even that was confusing to him. Oh well, he still had the communicator she had given him and who knows, the little dullard may just surprise her yet. She doubted it, but Kajeela felt so good right now, she couldnt help but be optimistic, despite the odds against it.

Her quest for information continued forward as Azure's camouflaged ship moved toward its destination.

[Sanis Prent]

(Maybe it was the sheer factor of weirdness. I couldn't tell. You start having 3 foot tall visitors who have the liver of an ox, come in and start telling you how it is like you've never learned the art of speaking before...and you suspend disbelief. Maybe it could get worse than it had already gotten. Maybe it didnt matter, and maybe it was all just a circular motion. I wasn't sure of which. I was too damn tired to argue the matter, and I didn't have the heart to shoot the little guy. Despite his utter bizarre nature, there was a certain cult of personality there...abstract and straining to the mind, like yellow and purple neon polka dots on an early morning hangover. Nauseating and interesting at the same time. Or maybe I was going from tired to bewildered to simply sadomasochistic. At any rate, I decided to take him up on his offer.)

Alright...lets grab a bite to eat then.

(I arranged a few things out on the table, and sat down.)

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress and Ravenwing silently stepped from door that led to the roof. She had set her ship down in an abandoned junk hard, camofadging it, not far from their position. The had then proceeded to climb the hangars rounded roof, and step through the access door that was at the top of the roof. It had led them down to the hangar bay itself. And there before them, stood the "Layla".

The Huntress had already camofladged herself, leaving Ravenwing to adopt the look of a motly mechanic, like one of the many looming about the hangars far wall. They couldn't be too careful. She knew full well that sanis has some impressive technology at his hands. You never knew what new toy he had.

Stepping silently towards the "Layla", she made her way to where the gang plank was. She had come prepared to have to break into it, but was pleasantly surprised when she saw it was already down. her surprise turned to worry, as she became suspicious as to why it was down. Was it a trap? Just then a mechanic came down. well, guess the ship was in for repairs or a touchup. Either way, it was only mechanics in the area. easy to take down if need be. Then the next person to exit the ship put a crowbar into the gears of her plan.

Now things would REALLY be more difficult.

[Clive Jerrard]

No, no, no! I said to use the HYDROSPANER!

(His voice carried across the hangar as Clive followed the mechanic he was shooing out of the Layla.)

How in the Core you became a lead mechanic is beyond me!

(Clive was shaking his head in disgust. Just a few days before, Sanis had requested some equiptment from his shop on Nar Shadda. The parts had only just arrived a few hours ago, and already this idiot of a mechanic had screwed up the installation of the programing module for the new sensor grid. Luckily the module had not been damaged, but it would be a setback.)

(And to top it off, he had one of Sanis' pet pink droids following him out the ship, blabbing about... something. Clive had shut him out a long time ago.)

(Fed up with the mechanics, Clive yelled at the little shack in the corner of the hangar where tools and basic extra parts were stroed.)

Raunkks! get your scaley backside over here!

(He started mummbling to himself.)

When all else fails, do it youself.

(Sighing, he saw Raunkks pop his head out from the shack, which prompted him to wave at the big brute to follow him. Then he proceeded back up the ramp and disapeared into the ship, followed by the pink droid, still babbling about... something.)

[Raunkks]

(Raunkks grunted as he exited the tool shed and made his way to the ship. As he reached the gang plank leading up into the Layla, he stopped suddenly, his sensitive olfactory ssesnes having picked up a foreign scent. He took several small sniffs, lastly followed by a long deep intake of air. It was difficult to tell what he was he smelled with all the lubricants and sweaty mechanics in the near vicinity. But his instincts told him something was most definitely different.)

(He saw Clive pop his head out and give him a dirty look. That basically translated to "Get in here and help me with this thing." Raunkks complied with the silent commanding request and made his way up the pank. But he would keep his guard up. Something was definitely amiss.)

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora had been at the gambling tables for some time now, having been able to triple the chips which Sanis had given her. Early on in the evening, she had been suspicious of one of the patrons shadowing her, and had made a precise walk through the casino, twice. The man had hit each spot she had been to last with precision. To be sure, she took a completely different route through chairs and machines, and had been rewarded for her trouble. The man was indeed shadowing her, no doubts under command by Sanis.*

*She pretended to pay him no heed, and continued playing, letting herself be caught by chance at some points, and deliberately "fixing" the machines to do her bidding. After all, she couldn't make it too obvious.*

[Morgan Evanar]

"You're cheating." he whispered into her ear. "And your shadow is sloppy. But you already knew both points."

Morgan backed up a bit, but kept his voice very low.

"So... you're one of the many after that trinket. What's your motivation to be part of this mess?"

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya leaned back against the garage wall, and lit a cigarra. Things were going from bizarre to worse. Ignoring her partner, Arya sauntered out into the garage, and started looking around the outside of the Layla. Then she giggled, and looked back over her shoulder at Azure. "Have you ever seen anything like this before? Are you sure this is the berth number the guys gave us?"

She zipped up her jacket partway, making sure that her weapons were all concealed, and then poked her head to the ramp. "Harbey? Are you in there? Annie and I are here for the ride you promised us!" She giggled again, sounding like a woman who'd had too much to drink.

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress' eyes went wide at her partners unexpected move. She hissed under her breath.

Ravenwing! Have you lost your frackin mind?!

She immediately silenced her voice as she heard steps coming down the ramp. She began to slide herself further into the shadows, when Ravenwing pulled her out. Quick! Look like someone else! The Huntress imediately changed shin tone, hair and eye color to somewhat match what Ravenwing looked like. It would make them look like twins, or at most, sisters. On such short notice, she just had to take the closest idea. She put on a show of being half drunk and much too happy for the mood she was in.

In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to have her partner's head examined.

[Clive Jerrard]

(Clive was deep in a maintence hatch when he heard the woman's voice coming from outside. He went to stand, but instantly regretted it as his head smashed against the bulk-head above his own head. And if that wasn't enough, the smashing of the bulk-head had rattled the precarious tool box and had tipped it, dumping it's contents onto the man.)

(By the time he emerged, he was red in the face from cursing and swearing in several languages, rubbing his head feverishly. Towards the back he saw Raunkks, who was fixing the computer's systems, dieing of laughter. Clive scowled at his partner.)

Laugh it up, scale face! I'd like to see you crammed in a hole and have several sharp objects dropped on ya!

(The laughter continued from the big reptile, and Clive waved a hand at him, leaving him to suffocate from lack of oxygen his laughter was giving him.)

(Making his way to the ramp, still rubbing his head, he peered out to find himself looking at two lovely ladies, both seemingly a bit drunk.)

Uh, can I help you ladies?

[Aurrora Jaid]

*Aurrora looked over her shoulder for a second at the man that had whispered in her ear, before looking back at the table to make another roll. She won again, and collected her winnings and leaving the table. As she stood she brushed past the man, looking at him with a smile.*

Collecting trinkets is my job.

*She kept walking. Whether the man would persue her or not was up to him.*

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya looked up at the tall man who descended the ramp, and sized him up immediately. His description matched that of an arms dealer who worked out of Nar Shadda, who she had heard much of, but never met.

She stumbled a little over her own feet as she walked over to him, and fell against his arm, grabbing it for support. "Harbey?" She peered up at the eyepatched face, and frowned a little, "You aren't Harbey."

Looking around him, she started to stagger up the ramp. "Harbey! Frell you, we're here!" Then she started giggling again, "I brought my...sister, just like you asked!" She turned and gave Azure an exaggerated wink.

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress' mouth was slightly slack jawed, and she had a wide eyed expression on her face. She didn't know whether to begin laughing at her partner, or kill her partner. She opted for the former, and started giggling, deliberately tripping over the ramps edge, landing on her behind at Clive's feet.

She knew the man, and it had been a good thing she had camoflaged, or he would have recognized her instantly. Both had had dealings in the past through Prent, and through her own needs to buy weapons and upgrades for herself and her ship. Now, putting up this act for the man was almost degrading, but from what she could tell, it would get them easy access into the ship.

She turned, still laughing, grabbing onto Clive's leg, and struggling to find her own feet beneath her.

Shilly me. When did gyou shay gyou'd put shtepsh on the ramp?

She started again with an uncontrolable fit of giggling, tripping again, but holding herself up by Clive's leg.

[Clive Jerrard]

(Clive caught the first woman, only to have her plunge into the ship looking for someone named... Harbey... no... HarVey. he turned in her direction.)

Uh... lady! There's no Harvey here... you must have the wro--

(He didn't have a chance to finish as the second woman fell on the ramp and turn to hoist herself up using his leg. He squirmed slightly.)

Ho! Lady! Watch where you grab on!

(He helped the woman up, noticing her skin was slightly cool. He figured nothing of it, suspecting the weather outside was a bit chilly. Supporting the woman with his synth-flesh covered robotic right arm, he made his way back up the ramp. Inside, he could hear the other woman still calling the mans name.)

(Exasperated, he reached the hatch way and called out.)

Raunkks!

(He looked around for the woman, but didn't see her. Frell, she'd probably gone aft searching for "Harvey".)

Raunkks!!! Go see about our guest!

(The big reptile was already up and lumbering towards the rear of the ship.)

[Raunkks]

(Raunkks had already looked into the galley and medbay, still heading back. He finally found the woman looking under the pillow, calling out a name.)

(Slightly perplexed, he went over to her and tapped her shoulder. Her initial reaching was to swing upward and backhand him, her fist contacting with his jaw. He worked it a bit, and turned back to notice she was holding her hand. He could only imagine his hard scales had scraped flesh and possibly bruised bone.)

(He spoke softly, hissing between words.)

Come now. Harvey isn't here. Let's go back to the lounge where your friend is, hmmm?

(She didn't seem like she was in any state to make a decision within the next few hours, so he reached out and began to lead her back through the ship, steering her gently through the cooridors, every now and then catching her as she staggered.)

(He shook his head as they reached the lounge, where Clive had already sat the other woman down with a steaming cup of black coffee. He had another ready for the one Raunkks was herding into a seat. He huffed slightly. Humans were quite odd when intoxicated.)

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya wandered around what must have been Sanis' cabin on board the Layla. Truth be told, the ship looked better on the outside, and that wasn't saying much. She looked under the pillow on the bed, and frowned when she saw the sheets were unwashed. Yeech.

"Harbey?" Soemthing tapped her shoulder, and she turned around, surprised, and swung at the being behind her. Barabel, stupid! Thankfully the barabel male had bought the story that these were two lost and drunk women. She cursed mightily in a few languages, and cradled her bruised hand. He directed her to the main lounge, while she peppered him with disconnected questions. "Wheres is Harbey?" "He said to meetsh him here, but why are yoush in his ship?" "Wha is that schmell!?"

She hiccuped after that last exclaimation, and allowed herself to be planted in front of a cup of caf. She wriggled free from the barabel's grasp, and snuggled up to Azure, who was sipping her drink and fitting into her newfound role quite nicely.

Arya played with a strand of her hair, and giggled. "Harbey should be here. He was real anxioush about meeting Annie and me." She moved in close as if to kiss the Hunter, who's eyes flashed momentarily, but just brushed the other female's cheek with her lips.

She turned back to the one eyed human, and crawled over the table towards him. "Wanna get crazy mister?" It would be simple to incapacitate the male. Getting rid of the Barabel was something he would have to do himself. Arya lay on the tabletop and stretched playfully, rolling a little too close to the edge.

Better yet, if she could get this man to herself, and let him send the barabel away, then Azure could search the ship at her leisure. Arya giggled again, and almost fell off the table, spilling her cup of caf.

[Clive Jerrard]

(As much as he found this amusing, he would not take advantage of the...

Just then, the first woman dumped coffee all over the ship's deck,nearly falling off the table, forcing Clive to catch her.

...drunken women.)

(He sat her back down on the seat he had been on and stood.)

No. No craziness tonight.

(Too late, it seemed. He placed a hand on his temples and rubbed. Hard. The headache that was growing inside his brain was going to most likely kill him. If Prent didn't get to him first.)

(He bent down onto his haunches to look at the woman and smlied, being as patient as he possibly could with the crazed bantha running around inside his head.)

Do you have a last name for this Harvey? I could find him for you...

(And then could get back to fixing this damn ship... he looked down... and cleaning that coffee stain.)

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress listened and watched everything, all at the same time acting drunk. While Ravenwing had been acting the part of a fool, falling over tables and spilling drinks, she'd been acting the part of an idiot, trying feverishly to capture the smoke wafting up from the cup of coffee in front of her.

She watched from the corner of her eye the big Barabel lean against the wall opposite the man, and watched the man catch ravenwing before she became one with the floor plating. She wanted to roll her eyes, to sigh, to do SOMETHING. But her role as drunkard didn't allow it.

Instead, she watched as the man tried to reason with Ravenwing.

While she was busying herself clapping her hands at the steam, she sent a quick telepathic message to her crazy partner.

(This isn't working!)

Yeah, maybe it was a bit obvious to state that, but if they were found out...

[Raunkks]

(Raunkks contentidly leaned against the hull, watching the scene. He chuckled as Clive caught one of the women. But the smile quickly faded.)

(All the while he'd been leaning there, that scent he had caught earlier outside had grown stronger. This led him to believe that now the origin of the scent was inside the ship. If it had been any lubcricants, the ships filtration systems would have dealt with the smell, but the scent lingered. Which led him to believe it was one of the women.)

(But, what puzzled him the most, was that this scent was one he's smelled before. Somewhere. He kept contimplating on where he had smelled this scent as he leaned against the wall, digging deep into his memory. Eventually, something would surface.)

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya pouted as the man, Jerrard her minds ear told her, held her on his lap. She played with his collar, "Its HarBEE!"

She heard Azure's comment plain as day. But, at least they'd gotten into the ship and had a cursory first search. Something caught her eye, and she squealed loudly, causing Jerrard to clap his hands over his ears and let go of her. There was a small pink droid module scuttling closer.

It would recognize them, perhaps...no wait, she'd been disguised as Daleethria, and then a Twi'leki female...the droid would not recognize them. Arya bounced up a little lopsidedly and lurched toward the droid, managing to pick it up and shake it. "What does it dooo!?"

[Marcus v4]

Please. Madam, put me down. You are overloading my gyrostabilizers.

If a droid could look annoyed, Marcus fit the bill at the moment.

[Arya Ravenwing]

Arya poked it, prying at its middle. Maybe I can just get this one open... If the bracelet was in this module..slim chance that it was...she'd grab it and run. The Barabel was on the other side of the room, and the man was not a problem. "It shtalks!" She giggled again.

Frell it. I hate giggling. She kept up the act though, milking it for all it was worth. Even another second inside the ship could make a difference.

[Azure Regalia]

The Huntress' eyes went wide with delight on seeing the pink cycilnder-like droid.

Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurdy!

She scrambled half the table to land beside Ravenwing, poking at the droid. If she could just slip a claw in the seem where the two parts came together. She got her claw in. Now, to pry it open...

[Clive Jerrard]

(If things weren't bad enough, Sanis' pink pet came hovering out of whatever alcove it had been charging in. Pink? Why did Sanis choose pink of all colors?? Shaking his head, Clive stood and cracked his back, walking past the huddled play group.)

Yeah, you keep em busy, Marcus.

(He walked to stand beside Raunkks, looking at the big brute.)

You've been frowning for the past ten minutes. Practically ever since these two charming ladies...

(He waved in their direction, as they fought over the droid.)

...came to be in our company. I mean, you always look like your frowning, but when you really are frowning, well, your eyes get reeeeeeally small.

[Raunkks]

(Raunkks shifted his head slgihtly, all the while keeping an eye on the two women battling over who got to hold the droid. Marcus was beyond unhappy, and squeeling about gyrostabilizers and loosening screws and whatnot.)

(He grunted at his human comapnion.)

It's probably nothing, but ever since these two females entered our care, I have been assulted by a scent I know I have encountered before.

(He furrowed his boney brows together even further.)

And I'm trying to remember from where it was I encountered the scent from.

[Clive Jerrard]

(Clive patted Raunkks scaley shoulder.)

It's probably nothing, pal. try not to blow a fuse over it.

(Raunkks responded with a snort, and Clive sighed, looking over at the ladies as they tried to pry open Marcus.)

Hey! Hey! Careful there ladies! We don't want to break Marcus and get Sanis all pissed off now do we?

(Clive walked over and tried to grab the pink droid from one of the ladies, but she yanked it away, marcus letting out a squeel at the sudden movement. Clive backed up a step as he was gievn a venomous glare from both ladies.)

Ok, this isn't gonna work.

(He turned towards Raunkks, his back to the ladies, talking in a low tone as the two women oogled over Marcus.)

I think I'm gonna call security to take them away nicely...

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob immediately snatched up a sandwich and began eating. "Now, lad," the dwarf began through a mouthful. "There be sommat around ye that ye've been hidin'. Make no mistake- old Hob commends ye fer facin' down those who came afore him in search of it. But 'tis Hob's destiny t'possess itand wield it, and so must ye aid him in that."

"Iffn' ye willin'ly give t'me this object I seek- an ye know what it is!" Hob fixed the gambler with a pointed stare. "Then Hob shall curse ye with beneficial luck."

Hob paused long enough to swallow his bite of sandwich. "But fail t'assist Hob and ye shall see the very depth of bad luck visit ye."