The Recruits [Closed]

[Sway]

OOC - Meant for Syd and Jacen Himes, if they ever see this, that is.

- In the Candy Store -

Sway sat in the small room of the secret base, that she liked to call the Candy Store, by herself. Soraya and Dead Sound was out again, leaving her behind. She rolled her eyes and looked around the place. The base was huge, but she liked being in this small room, where there is nothing but a chair with ripped cushions and a dangling green-ish light from the ceiling. Usually, there were a lot of smokers in the room, so the ceiling was always covered with a thick coat of white smoke, but it had been such a long time that the smoke never faded, even when there was no one.

Sway sighed, running her hand through her black hair, before sitting on the chair backwards. She leaned her chin on the back of the chair, and took out a dagger, beginning to make long lines in the cushion.

"I need a hobby." She murmured to herself.

[Syd]

Eenn...Eenn...Eenn...

"Where the hell is it?!?"

CRASH!

Eenn...Eenn...Eenn...

"Son of a bitch! Where is that <smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>ing piece of <smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>?"

Eenn..Eenn...Ee..beep

"What is it?" responed a groggy, raspy voice; that was clearly annoyed at the disturbance.

"Unh hunh... Yeah... Okay... Where?... When?... Yeah that's fine...'k." beep[/]

"Ugh... <smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>! I don't want to geet out of bed..."

Slowly the body that belonged to the agitated voice, sat up in bed; stretching it's lithe yet muscular torso. This was followed by the sickening crack of stiff joints popping as the young man rolled his neck and then cracked his knuckles. Eventually the man pressed his hands down on the bed and spun his body to the left, swinging his legs over the bed. After a short search for a clean spot to rest his feet on, he rose up, not before kicking a pair of dirty jockey shorts away from him to his right. As he stood he looked around surveying the slum hole that was his bedroom.

"What a <smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>ing mess..." He quipped almost amused at the shithole he inhabited. A sudden throb hit his kidneys, he needed to use the restroom. As he stumbled towards the facilities he expertly avoided the many pit falls and suprises awaiting him on the floor of his room. His only casualty was kicking over a week old, half eaten carry-out carton of Bothan Noodle curry.

Eventually he made his way through his sleeping quarters/personal landfill to the bathroom, which defied conventional defintions of disgusting. The sound of running water could be heard as he relieved himself.

"Damn, I need to shave." He remarked after glancing in the mirror and catching an image of his furry, unkept visage. Reaching down with his right hand he picked up a bottle of [I]Shave-Prep and rubbed it on his face, allowing the chemicals to react, so that his skin would be resistant to the radiation of the shaving laser.

Vummptt...hmmmm....

The small red glow of the shaving laser could be seen as the beam came to life. Gently and with a hint of experience, the man ran the device over the contours of his face.

"<smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>!" he grunted as the laser burned into his flesh, the beam needed a new crystal, this one was creating too much focus for the light. Gingerly he placed some bacta-rub on the spot and watched the skin heal. After putting the laser down he rinsed his mouth out with dental wash and headed towards the kitchen.

"Coffee..." he grunted as he entered an area that made his bedroom seem as sterile as an operating room. There were plates caked with month old Tatooinie Tacos and Mon Cal pasta, piled in mounds on any available flat surface. Carry out boxes were strewn about the place and garbage disposal bags lay overfilled on the floor as if a Garbage lift had wrecked in his kitchen. As he kicked debris out of his way and side stepped larger more disgusting obstacles, he stuck his hand into what could be described at best as a pool of biohazardous waste that had be accumulating in his sink. After a moment of fishing around he pulled out the closest thing to a clean cup that he owned.

"Damn... Java-maker's busted...." He growled as he tried to turn on the grime caked appliance.

Dejected he tossed his cup on top of what was once a table before the fall of the Old Republic and started making his way towards the living room. The living room could be described as simply the kitchen without a sink. Pizza boxes and fast food container strewn about the place As he moved through the room he approached a door. Suprisingly his path was unencumbered as he approached, as if someone took the time to keep it clean. There was a keypad and a thumb scanner located on the framing, odd for a second bedroom, but seeing how this slob lived, one could hardly blame a roomate from keeping his private quarters locked and secure.

As he approached the door, he punched in a 5 digit-code into the pad. He was then prompted to place his thumb on the scanner, he did so, then typed in another 5 digit code into the key-pad. The door decompressed and opened. The difference between the contents and sterility of this room and the rest of the apartment were similar to the diferences between light and dark.

The room was immaculate, every square inch of it appeared clean. In one corner there was a desk with a holo-screen and a state-of-the-art database interface (computer). On the walls 4 screens that had images of the door into the apartment, the hall way leading up to the door, the stairwell and the turbo-lift. But for all the marvelous technology in place at the room, the true wonders were on the other side. There was a weapons rack on the western wall. It contained, one Extended-Range, high-powered RailGun, equipped with the latest in targetting accuracy. Two rapid fire, level 3 gauss guns, with AI targeting gyroscopes, assisting the user in accurately firing the weapons at extreme rates at a moving target. Then of course there was an assortment of heavy blaster pistols and two blaster carbines. A collection of thermal dets, concussion grenades, and flashbangs.

On a table next to all this was an ear piece and collar mic, comm set. A pair of IR, UV, and nightvision contact lenses. Multiple clips of ammo and a short vibro-blade.

There was a utility belt hanging on the wall along with a shoulder holster for the weapons. Also hanging up was a long black leather trenchcoat and a pair of sunglasses.

Next to all this was a closet, with 5 body gloves, 2 weeks worth of clean boxers and undershirts, 4 pairs of boots and a plastisteel chest plate. After looking at his stuff for a moment, the man got dressed, putting on the chest plate then, his weapons belts and shoulder holsters. He put the blasters and guass guns in their respective holsters and took a blaster carbine down, slinging it on as well. After he armed himself he put his black trench-coat on. He slowly slicked back his hair as he looked in the mirror.

After getting dressed and fixing his hair, he opened a drawer in the desk. In it was one tube of flourescent blue liquid and a hypo-spray injector. He loaded the tube into the injector and placed the nozzle to his neck, where his jugular artery would be. Pressing the button a small hiss could be heard as the fluid was forced through his flesh at a high rate of speed.

"Ohhh <smallfont color=#FF4400>-Censored-</smallfont>... yeah..." He moaned as the drugs hit his blood stream. The momentary influx of colors and shapes hit his brain like a tidal wave. His knees went weak for a moment and he grabbed on to a chair for support. Slowly he regained his facilities, but his mind was still buzzing. The high was fantastic.

"It always seems Sway knows when I'm gonna run out..." He laughed to himself as he made his way towards the door.

As he walked out of the apartment he grabbed a few creds, he'd have to stop at Greema's for a cup of joe before he met up with Sway.

As he hopped on his speeder bike he hit a button on his comm system.

"Hey, it's Syd, I'm on my way. Gonna stop at Greema's first, want any coffee Sway?"

[Sway]

Her comm system beeped. She lifted an eyebrow and reached her hand over to hit the button.

"Hey, it's Syd, I'm on my way. Gonna stop at Greema's first, want any coffee Sway?"

Sway hit the reply button and shrugged into the comp. "Why not ?"

She sat up straight and stretched, a tired moan escaping her lips. She stood back up and pushed back the chair against a wall with her boot, grabbing her commlink and then pacing towards the door. She turned the knob and stepped into the main, and much bigger room of the base. In the center of the room, was a glass chamber where rested a desk and a large leather chair. The floor seemed to be made of silver metal and the walls were pitch black. All around the glass chamber, were hovers cars, hover bikes, authentic cars of back then ... All neat, clean and shiny. She passed by an orange authentic car and trailed her hand over it, a satisfied grin drawing over her lips.

This is the Candy Store.

She rotated her neck as she stepped into her glass chamber and sat on the large leather chair, leaning back to rest her feet, crossed on the desk, next to the high-tech computer. Where did she get all of this ? Seemed people couldn't get live with the sugar they produced. She sighed, but the grin didn't fade, then hit the button on her commlink.

"Syd, I want my coffee black." She requested, closing her forest green eyes.

[Jacen Himes]

Meanwhile, in space....

Jacen stared into a mirror. Partially transparent, layed over the mirror, was Smiley's big fat smiley face. Jacen was combing his hair.

"You wear a mask." :rolleyes

"What's your point?"

Jacen slipped on his mask, completing the outfit. His weapons and ascessories were already on. Suddenly, Smiley's face popped from the mirror to the screen on a small rectangular box, clipped onto Jacen's belt.

Jacen admired himself.

"Hail to the king baby."

"I'd rather not." :x

<hr>

Half and hour later....

Jacen was walking around what seemed to be the crappiest building in history.

Finally, finding the back, as he was instructed he yelled out.

"Now WHAT?!"

"Yes, good idea. Draw attention to yourself. Criminals should do that often." o_O

[Syd]

Syd grinned as he heard Sway's voice come back to life over the comm link. He had been showing up at the Candy store every tuesday for the last year. Each day he stopped at Greema's picked up a cup of black coffee and a nice Corellian Cap for himself.

"One black coffee it is babe," He replied smugly. He had no idea why he started calling Sway babe, he'd never <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>ed her, he'd never even kissed her, but he still called her babe. Must have been his male machismo.

His swoop bike came to a stop just outside of Greema's. He rested it on the pedestrian platform and walked inside.

"Greema, the usual and make it quick I'm late today." Syd hollered at his aqquaintance. That was all this man was, that's all anyone was, when you were the type of man Syd was you couldn't afford to have friends, they were a liability.

"Coming right up Syd," Came the muffled response of the tentacled mouth of the Quarren Greema. And he wasn't lying, two minutes later Syd had paid for his java and gotten back on his bike.

He swooped in the alley behind the Candy store and to his suprise saw some heavily-armed masked figure banging on the door drawing attention to himself.

The coffee will have to wait...

*Click*

The sound of a DE. 50's hammer being pulled back was the only sound the masked man heard as the barrel of the gun was pressed tightly to the back of his skull.

"I don't know who the <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> you are or what the <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> you want, but you're a bit heavily armed, to be just banging on the door of the Candy Store in a mask. So I'm going to keep this barrel pressed to the back of your head and open the door. If Sway says your ok, her droids won't have to clean up a very nasty mess. Got it dumb<smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>?"

As Syd finished he placed his hand on a panel next to the door. There was a beep; "Sway it's me and I've got a guest, perhaps you know him?"

[Sway]

There was a beep.

Sway arched her eyebrow, Syd was already b--

"Sway it's me and I've got a guest, perhaps you know him?"

True. She was expecting someone, but not everyone can get into the Store. She sat up on her leather chair and pushed a few buttons on the keyboard of her computer to get a view of what was happening. There was Syd, armed, and the man she was expecting to see today. She rolled her eyes and buzzed for them to come in after speaking to Syd through the speaker.

"Let him in, he's the recruit."

[Syd]

"Recruit..." As Syd repeated Sway's words he started roaring with laughter and put his gun back in his holster.

"No hard feelings mate?" He said rather boisterously as he replaced his gun.

The door slid open and Syd ran back to his swoop to get the coffees.

"Here you go babe, one black coffee."

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen resisted the urge to ask where his coffee was. How inconsiderate. Urfh.

Instead, as Jacen walked in, he went on to the other man about his technuiqe.

"Nah, I don't keep grudges. But let's talk about your style and execution."

Jacen hunkered down and pointed an imaginary gun at an imaginary target.

"Now I won't pretend I didn't almost crap myself. But it was the shock that irritated my bowels, not the talking. See, you explained to much. You lured me into a sense of calm if everything was reassured. You need to scare me shitless. See?"

Jacen toughened up his face, though it wasn't noticable under the mask. He was now a bonifide gangster.

"Muther <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>a. You've just made your last mistake, and such!"

Jacen pressed the imaginary buzzer.

"Yo, we got some punk <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> company! You want I should cap his <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>?"

Jacen straigtened up.

"Scary right? See, that way I'm like... Oh <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>, this guy's going to kill me. Then the uh... what's her name, can say not to. But until she does, I'm scared for my life, see?"

Jacen holds for applause.

[Sway]

Sway clapped her hands unenthusiastically, from her seat. She tilted her head to the side. She arched an eyebrow, wondering what just happened. She sighed slightly, running her hand through her black hair and stood up, still staying behind her large desk.

"Sit down, guys, and thank you, Syd." She thanked him as she took her black coffee.

Taking a slight sip, because it was still hot, she glanced at the 'recruit'. "I suppose you know why you are here, Mister Himes."

[Syd]

Why is it that intelligence is inversely proportionate to the amplitude of ones voice...

Syd resisted the urge to pistol whip the fool in front of him.

"To be a human shield..." Syd mumbled to himself.

He took a healthy drink of his coffee and looked around, so many goodies, but none of them made him itch like those vials of blue liquid. He was out was going to need some in a hurry, especially if she had a job for him.

Syd was an oddity for hired muscle, he didn't like to kill or hurt anyone, in fact he avoided conflict as often as possible. However when he had a job to do, he had a job to do and he needed motivation, usually in the form of the euphoric high of the "spray". It allowed him to objectify sentient life, see them as targets rather than people. He could inflict major pain then and he was good at it. His reflexes were bordering that of a Force adepts, which he might have been if he wasn't so doped up all the time. His aim was true, his hand steady so long as he was "up" and his demeanor calm.

"Sway I'm out of the "spray", I need a two-weeks supply," He grunted at the woman as she sipped the coffee...

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen raised a masked eye at Syd's interuption.

"To kill people I guess," he replied to Sway's question.

[Sway]

Sway took a slight sip of her black coffee and nodded to Syd's request.

"Sure thing, Syd. You know what you need to do - Make more money."

She lifted her gaze from Syd and landed on Jacen. She hung her head to the side lightly, sitting down on the large black leather chair behind her desk. She put the tall cup of coffee on the desk and motioned Jacen to sit down.

"To kill people ? That's part of it. Any history of criminal activities, Himes ?"

[Syd]

Syd simply shook his head, he hoped that this guy just played dumb and wasn't actually as stupid as he let on. Otherwise the walking arsenal he carried on him was more of a threat to those he worked for than those he was supposed to deal with.

"Yeah, you got a resume of some sorts, or refrences. And I'm not talking prior convictions, that's just proof of ineptitude," Syd said professionally. He was interviewing this guy as much as Sway was, if he was going to have to let this fool tag along with him on collection jobs and drug runs he wanted to make sure that he was an assest and not a liability.

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen smiled as he sat down.

"This guy's mean," he leaned back in his chair. Almost fell but regained himself. "I've never been caught boy-o. See the mask?"

Jacen pointed to his masked face.

"This guy doesn't have an identity. He doesn't exist. He gets off scott free and I enjoy the money. I don't get caught. Oh and, duh, I've killed people honey. Wouldn't come to this invitation if I hadn't."

Jacen cleared his throat.

"Um, you got something to drink?"

[Sway]

Sway lifted a brow then just pulled out a gun from nowhere. Being the leader of a criminal gang would come in handy in the learning-new-tricks department, but she wasn't an amateur. Quite on the contrary, she was far from there. Unfortunately for her, sometimes, she had quite a bad temper. She aimed the gun at Jacen's neck. It would be foolish of him to try anything, because Syd was also there.

"I'd find it hard to drink with a whole through your neck."

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen smiled.

"Yep. You're right there."

Just then he looked back at her, she had a gun on him. Oh, so it was a threat? He thought it was a musing or somethign. He almost lost his balance but regained it, leaning forward in his chair.

"What the he-- Put the gun down, baby. Don't want my blood on your fancy floor do ya? What is this all about anyway? Why the gunplay, toots? I thought we were talkin' business here?"

[Sway]

"If you haven't noticed, the floor isn't that fancy."

Sway didn't take her eyes off the man, and held the gun firmly where it was. She sighed, and shook her head. They weren't exactly talking business here ... More like just listening to this man rambling on and on.

"I'd like you to listen to me, Mister Himes. Can you do that ?"

[Jacen Himes]

Jacen smiled, though it was concealed by his mask.

"Sure, baby. Though my ears for some reason don't work when blasters are pointed at me...."

His smile turned into a crooked smirk.

"Put it away and you can do whatever you want, sweetheart... Except pull it out again, of course..."