Once Around and Back Again

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

Coruscant. A place swarming with opportunity and at the same time, hidden with disappointment. A place that Aliya loathed unequivocally.

"Damn that Prent," she muttered to herself as she stepped into the bar, adjusting the glasses on her face while getting a feel for the patrons of the bar. There were no weapons on her person and it would have seemed out of place for them to be there. Aliya was dressed in a navy blue business suit, datapad in hand. Her 'normal' wear as Aliya liked to put it. Most had no idea what her favorite clothing she liked to sport truly was.

Nothing struck her as terribly interesting and there was no sign of Prent. Shrugging it off, she walked to the bar counter and leaned over to flag the bartender. "A gin and tonic please."

Her through her a nod and took a seat upon the stool, going over some notes on the data-pad.

[Jimmy]

From a few tables away Sean had noticed a very well dressed woman venture into the bar and quickly dismissed her as another one of thise big headed business women who had momeny sticking out of her ears. Nah, Troy was not into those type of women, syfisticated yes, but not big headed. He chuckled to himself as she swaggered over to the bar, Sean looked back to his own date-pad and continued his work with a soft drink by his side.

'Ah, forget it' He muttered to himself.

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

Her list of things to do were rather long and tedious for tomorrow. Not to mention boring.

A lunch date with the Senator from Kuat to present a trading proposal from her father. That led into a meeting with the Spacers Guild to ship out certain materials needed back home to Ralltiir on and off the record. Not every Smuggler was legit that held a permit for the New Republic. She would have to supervise the loading of such items before nightfall. Then at least she could shed this horrible facade and be her true self. Someone that her father didn't even know existed. He would have a coronary if he found out his precious Aliya was dealt with underworld affairs. She had a few contacts to get in touch with since her last pass through the core.

"There ya go miss," said the barkeep as he set down her drink. Aliya through a few cred chips down, her only sign of acknowledging he was even there. She took a timid sip and winced. "Never could mix these well here," she mumbled and stirred the drink.

[Jimmy]

' Or you just have a very accuired taist ' Troy said as he approached the bar for another coke. The hunter never drank unless he was celebrating something and only then it was a few beers and that was the end of it. The hunter was a very fit man, muscles dominated fat and height dominated bulk, quite the person who worked out alot. Troy stood at 6'1 and carried only 160lbs of weight despite his muscle content.

' A coke and perhaps something to eat...got any meat currys in the house?' He asked the barman and received a nod in response. ' Okay, i'll grab a mild meat curry but please don't add the berry fruits...makes it to sweet ' Taking the order the barman went to the kitchen.

Turning back to the woman the "handsome" man as alot of ladies liked to call him spoke to her in a rich deep voice, almost a very clear English accent. ' Making alot of creds eh?..shouldn't' flaunt your riches lady it will do you no good...not out on the streets anyway.' The man said wearing only a black jumper, black baggy pants and a dark greet cloth trench coat.

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

' Or you just have a very accuired taist '

The rattling of ice cubes stopped immediately when she stilled her hand at that remark. She straightened up from working on her schedule to take a look at the gentleman who had decided to butt his nose into her business.

Gentleman was the wrong term for this lout. She wondered if someone where hidden underneath all that muscle there happened to be a brain. Well, there had to be at least a small portion of it for his ability to speak.

She set the data pad down with an accentuated tapped of plastic against wood. "Giving advice now to one you insulted? Any particular reason for that, sir?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm that even he could understand that. The fool had no idea who he was truly dealing with as with most beings that fell into her path. Even without the other shady jobs she takes, it was always about her money first. One of Aliya's pet peeves that ranked up there with despising Force Sensitives and Aliens. Well, the first was settling into acceptance where the other was reinforced firmly when she had to work with a Cizerack.

[Marcus Telcontar]

At the other end of the bar...

The table was the same. The dark corner was too. No one had changed the lighting. Nor, did it seem, had anyone sat here in al the long months of his absence. To be truthful, who knew how long before he sat here in his corner once again. Boots up on the table, leaning back with the hood covering his face and cloak covering his features, long stemed pipe lit and smoking. Tankard of ale as well. A throwback to a time long, long gone he looked. Damn, it was good and familiar to be here again, Marcus thought. Dexter's might be home, but the Bar and Grill was wehre his heart belonged. So many times had he been in this same spot, that he basically owned it. So many others had sat across from him, friends, foes, strangers.

Ahhh, how old memories came back. Content for now, he just closed his eyes and let the smoke drift from his mouth.

[Adia Issoris]

She was missing a piece of herself, for she was without her blades. The cold dead weight was missing, turned over to a guard at the door. Those were the rules.

Adia drifted through the bar with a gait as casual as she could muster. To an astute observer, her back was too straight, her steps too measured and quiet, and her eyes too aware.

Aside from being very fit and slightly pointed, lobeless ears, she was wholly unremarkable. Red-orange hair swayed slightly beneath her chin, framing a face with high cheekbones and distrusting emerald eyes.

She sniffed; Dela Moutain Grass. Very expensive, or very difficult to aquire. It was supposedly some of the finest pipe stuffing in existence. Back, in the corner, a faint glow of a pipe being puffed.

Sturdy, well worn boots dominated the table, an anti-invitation.

"Good evening." An oddly accented pair of words that came from moving about too often to get anything consitent to stick.

"Did you get the grass yourself?" The answer was likely yes. He had an air of "do it yourself, so its done right" about him. Unless he was a very good smuggler turned merchant, he was a proffesional of some sort, and probably couldn't afford the stuff.

[Jimmy]

Aliya's thoughts could not be further from the truth. Troy could have been regarded as a very intelligent person some years back in is former Imperial employment, of course they did not just let any dumb layabout into the Intellegence Corp. Her sarcasem was plain as the day but Troy chose to ignore it, seeing her walk in was all he had to know about this woman and her sarcasem just was the tip of the iceburg. Clearly the woman was no "normal busnuiss woman" thats for sure, but Troy would play the game and let it slide, he had seen the tough side of women all before.

' Im sorry if i insulted you Ma'am, just my observation' He said with a smile. ' This happends to be one of the best bars in Coruscant, if y dont like it why dont you leave?' Troy said turning back to the bar, his words was a genuin question and certainly not placed in a nasty way.

Troy ws going to play for a while.

[Marcus Telcontar]

His hidden face crinkled into a frown. That was not what he was expecting. He would have preferred to have been left alone, but it looked like he was going to be denied that.

"No. Decent Pipe-weed is not easy to come by, even on Coruscant, but I have sources. Might I ask why you are curious of this?" Hmmm. And it seemed by the way she carried herself, no stranger to a fight. Merc? ex-army? Bounty Hunter? Whatever it was, he became alert.

[Adia Issoris]

"My employer fancies Dela's pipe filling more than anything else he's tried. He travels, so knowing a vendor on every planet makes things a bit easier" She closed her eyes, taking the stuff in. "Fekennit mountain, north face, probably late autumn. Maybe first winter, if it was warm." The man raised an eyebrow.

"You keep your job longer when you're useful." Adia shrugged. She was stepping on his toes just by staying. Nonetheless, she looked on expectantly.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Very useful. Take a seat and tell me where you learned to do that. A most interesting skill. I presume it's not the only skill you have"

[Adia Issoris]

Adia allowed herself a slight smile as she slid into the seat across from him.

"I've a very good sense of smell, and I pay attention" She shrugged her shoulders in a guilty manner. "But no, its not my only skill." Truthfully, it was that simple for her. It had further cemented her position as Mr. Vahlshalynn's more subtle body guard. After all, who suspected a 155 centimeter woman to be a threat? But sometimes, she was little more than an errand runner.

She was Mistryl though, and combined with a near-perfect memory, Adia always delivered admirable results, whatever the message.

Today, no message. Only to watch Aliya. Vahlshalynn suspected his daughter of something, but would not share what.

"You must have some interesting skills of your own."

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

OOC - I won't be around this weekend. I did start this thread, would like to be part of it ya knows ..... :) Please don't let this take off without me

[Adia Issoris]

OOC: I won;t. The RP for me won't move from between Marcus and I till you return. Pwomise.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"You must have some interesting skills of your own"

Ha. Now there was an understatement if there ever was one. Marcus eyed off the woman, who was hardly bigger than a early teen human.Marcus wasn't a particularly tall being, but he had at least 30 cm on her. Not that he believed size meant anything.

"You might say I do. Tell me, what brings you here? Sightseening?"

OOC : sure thing Aliya :)

[Adia Issoris]

She stared back at him for a brief moment. A mutual sizing up. He was very dangerous. Dangerous men sat like that, hands always near something lethal. Could I take him? For the first time, something nagged at her. The cards would have to play soley to Adia for a solid victory. Even then...

She stopped thinking about it.

"Yes, actually. More or less a look around for my employer. To be honest, I don't like Coruscant much."Adia whistled, sliding up to a register known best to dogs and droids.
"Shadda Slide, please. Leave out the fruit unless its real." Obediently, the droid beebed and whirled away.
" I'm under the impression you can't tell me much about yourself." It was equal parts statement and question. An eyebrow went up over an emerald eye.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Coruscant sucks" he said bluntly. "It's a system designed to suck the humanity out of anyone that approaches the place."

Ouch. I needed that eardrum

"Can't tell you? Not quite, it's more this way - what I tell you about myself, you earn out of respect. It's not a challenge, it's a statement of fact"

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

OOC - I thought I said something about waiting till I got back since -I- started the thread :(

IC -

"Hmm, there are much better ones in the downtown area but that is neither here nor there. Besides, when did I say I didn't like the drinks?" She casually sipped her drink, letting the liquid linger upon her tongue before swallowing. With a pleasant smile, the first one that Sean had seen all night, Aliya set it down on the napkin. "Taste's just fine once you mix it better."

Then her eye twitched in pain and slowly she turned her stool around. Her eyes followed a droid to a back table where two individuals were talking and narrowed her eyes. The woman was a being she had never seen before. As for the man, he obviously was dressed to be left alone. Curious that was............

[Jimmy]

' What do you do for a living Miss err?' Troy said with a smile, clerly she was somone important from her dress code.

' Im sorry, i have no idea your name...' he said politetly.

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

She blinked those thoughts away and sheepishly smiled at Sean, "Want to know who I am so you can use that to your advantage maybe?"

He did, afterall, have that certain look that screamed merc.

[Jimmy]

' Lets put it this way ma'am. You know what i do for a living and i can guess pretty much what you do. I doubt seriousy your just a investment banker. So why dont we cut to t chase...' He then cought the eye of the barman and waved him over. ' A coke for me, and whatever the ladie had last...' Sean said poiting to Aliya. ' Im sure i can help you, and you can certainly help me... He placed a card on the counter and slid it over to Aliya.

' You scratch my back, i'll scratch yours....should we say?...'

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

She adjusted her glasses and picked up the card. Sean Troy it said. A name Aliya didn't recognize.

"Hm. You are quite presumptuous aren't you Mr. Troy." Aliya slid a hand inside her jacket and retrieved a business card of her own. Between two fingers, Aliya handed him her business card. "Unless you need number crunching done, I really don't think you'll be needing my services." One had to be careful. A place like this had too many ears for snooping.

[Jimmy]

' Hmm, Aliya Vahlshalynn i will bare that in mind' Sean said as he placed the card in his pocket. The merc smiled gently towards her as the two new drinks arrived. Troy was not your average hunter, he had feelings and it wasen't all about money to him. Sean was concidered a little more gentle than you every day hunter, but of course, there was his darker side.

Troy then glanced over to where Aliya's eyes had been sweeping off to a few times, towards a cloaked figure in the corner, Troy huffed with a slight laugh. ' Jedi...' He shook his head and took a tip of his coke.

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

"I'm sure you will." Aliya looked down at her fresh drink and nodded politely to Sean. "Thank you for the drink." Even she could put on a front. She was a diplomat after all.

Sean was rather observant and notice the Jedi she was looking at. "Don't like them do you?"

[Adia Issoris]

A Proper Shadda Slide was seperated into layers by varying densities of the liquid in the glass. When you went to drink it, some layers slid out from under the other ones. A skilled slide drinker could drink a layer without it mixing, since each one was a shot. An artist would drink one of the middle layers clean.

Adia was an artist, and although the alchohol did exactly nothing, she enjoyed the feeling of it sliding down her throat.

Instead of the normal Yiran-Orap gel-Rum, there was a different brand, Tsawi. The gold layer of whiskey dropped and followed the gel-Rum. Kerrik, eleven year. An admirable quality for the price.

The tender/programmer had interesting taste, except for the Vodka in the bottom. Adia squinted one eye, and the other one opened rather wide. Zharran, probably Huni's.

She had a Twisted Shadda Slide. Zharran vodka was terrible stuff. The assassin coughed, and then stared at the remaining cherry wine in the glass.

Adia sighed. "Twisted Slide... I must have confused the droid when I held the high too long."

Marcus spoke. "Can't tell you? Not quite, it's more this way - what I tell you about myself, you earn out of respect. It's not a challenge, it's a statement of fact"

She shook her head. "I rarely stay put in one place long enough to make aquaintances, much less earn someone's respect. Its unforunate, because you seem like an interesting man."

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Mmm, yes, you could say that."

He had bee rather amused to see the woman drink her Slide. Someone who their cocktail mixes and knew how to appreciate them. Marcus wasn't such a person personally, but his eye was very much picking someone who was a professional. And the best professionals had their interesting habits and skills. Amateurs always had a try hard manner. This one was casual. No nonsense.

And too small for a traditonal bodyguard. Far too small. And her saying she was a look around....... odds on this was an assassin. The Jedi thought about cheating and gettign an answer fromt he Force, but if there was one thing he respected, that was true pro.

"You never know when paths might cross, Miss. You never know what the future holds. Have you a name your willing to tell me?"

[Adia Issoris]

Green eyes slid to his, and the woman cocked her head to the side. "You seem willing to ask for information, and yet, still unwilling to divulge anything about yourself." She swirled the glass gently, and then drank the cherry wine that rested in the bottom of it. "Have you a name as well?"

A droid rolled by with a plate of sausages on its tray, serving the steaming meat to a table near the windows. The assassin's eyes tracked it, and then returned to the cloaked man's face. The movement of her eyes took in the two people who were glancing over towards them. She set her glass down, and causally adjusted her hair.

[Marcus Telcontar]

"Yes I do have a name. But," he ended with a touch of amusement on his voice, "Your at my table in my haunt. That gives me the right to ask first"

[Jimmy]

' Its not that i dislike them its because they alays seem to stick there noses in other peoples concerns..' He said turning away from the jedi and leaning on the counter. In fact he actually really disliked Jedi, "the forces gift to the galaxy" he thought they thought. But avoided them when possible.

' I knew a few jedi back in my hay day...but i try to avoid them best as possibly. Im in a line of work they would not look kindl at.'

[Aliya Vahlshalynn]

"Well it is their civic duty to do such things. Protecting the innocent and all that rubbish." She stirred her new drink absently while glancing at Sean sideways. "I'm sure in your line of work, Jedi are quite the annoyance." And in her's too.

[Adia Issoris]

She nodded slightly, and conceded, "You can call me Adia." A faint smile traced her lips as the smoke from his pipe wafted around them. The slight woman sat easily, relaxed in her chair, her eyes the only alert thing about her.

[Marcus Telcontar]

He raised his pipe at Adia. "Pleased to meet you m'lady. Out here's I'm called Strider. Tell me, what weapon do you prefer?"