Foundations of Comradship: The Black Flag

[Wargrave]

The Luxury Liner Sunnyside Up somewhere in between Coruscant and Bakura

It wasn't he wanted to wear something other than his normal black cloak and armor, but to appear inconspicuous, he had to wear normal clothes. And despite being used to wearing civilian clothes, he still preferred the hard steel of armor and mail.

'Brenwyyd' was by his side, the permits given to him by Grand Admiral Taylor Millard gave him the oppotunity to hold one weapon on him at all times. And a large war hammer proved he was someone who wanted to be left alone.

But Wargrave sat here on his own mission...one of the last members of Tyrel Kiterix's household- Reginald Hadas was here. Trying to score his own little profits while hiding some valuable information on the Balmorran Government and some of its secrets.

It was rumored Hadas would sell to the highest bidder and Wargrave would prevent that from happening at all costs. After all...it was in his best interests to prevent the bidding from taking place.

He sat in the casino, keeping an eye out for the bald, tan skinned Hadas who tended to stride around in white robes and khaki blankets, looking like some kind of shaman. He'd been Kiterix's spiritual advisor, although Wargrave knew not what Kiterix needed adivising for. He'd never proclaimed to believe in anything other than power and corruption.

Wargrave knew what he had to do. Now he had to wait for the right time. He accepted a glass of water and waited...ready to rip off his civilian clothes and don his black armor to rid the galaxy of another menacece.

[Jacob Nives]

“Good evening, Mister Nives.”

A thin man greeted Jacob Nives as he strode on board the liners main deck. The majority of his time on board the cruiser had been spent below the casino and pleasure levels, simply relaxing and preparing himself for the day ahead. He had visited scores of places like this in his life and didn’t wager that there was anything special about this one that would make it worth taking a grand tour.

“You’ve arrived just in time. The bidding will begin momentarily. This way.”

The staff motioned a hand off to where most of the people were gathered. Jacob flicked up his hood and entered. Species of many kinds, but nothing new. The décor looked liked a copy of another, the Saitah High Roller perhaps. Never the less, he took in the floor plan and acquainted himself with the set up. It would be time to act soon; he just needed to get the signal from his co-worker for the day... Wargrave. He knew the name, but couldn’t place the face to it anywhere in the room.

[Wargrave]

Far from many people wore all black, including a cloak when they entered into casinos. It normally meant they were hiding something. And like Wargrave, Jacob Nives had something to hide.

The Dark Jedi rose from his seat, looking around the Sunnyside Up's casino and auction area, and casually (as casual as he could) strode towards the other man in black. He passed by two drunk Rodian who were obviously not there for the auction, and a Gotal who tapped his horns and quickly scuttled away. He recognized Wargrave's intent and didn't want to be there when chaos broke loose.

As the Dark Jedi neared the Pirate, a clear bell sounded in the background as the auctioneer prepared to started the bidding.

"Sowah," the Sullustan stated as he continued to rang the bell, "Owah furst itum is won of gaweat valuw towah those here..."

Wargrave kept walking, slowly reaching behind him. As he passed by Nives he whispered, "Wolves in sheep clothing always know when to strike."

He took five more paces, pulling his cloak over his head.

"The 'Book of Records' from the planet Bal-"

He never finished his sentance as Wargrave's knife, flew from his hand into the Sullustan's throat. The 'Keeper of Brenwyyd' pulled his hammer from behind the cloak, then threw it at the nearest guard, watching it ricochet off his head.

The time was now.

[Jacob Nives]

One of the large security guards observing the proceedings felt a tip on his shoulders. With a grunt he turned to see who was bothering him, and found a fist greeting him in the face. Nives pushed his cloak away from his hip and drew a blaster that had been holstered there. Eyes had turned on him upon hearing the tower of a man hit the floor, but he was already moving. On to the bar he leapt and twisted, training the pistol barrel on the light fixture above the crowd of people.

With one well placed shot the thing came crashing down in a flurry of sparks. Already the remaining security were drawing weapons and firing on Jacob, but he had already disappeared to the safety behind the bar. Rummaging about in the inventory kept by the bar staff, he pulled the plug on one of the tapped drinks and snapped up to his feet – hitting on oncoming bouncer with a high-pressure beam of spirit. One hand planted against the counter as he vaulted right over into the mans chest, knocking him flush against the ground before looking around at the chaos that had engulfed the room within a matter of minutes.

Beautiful.

[Wargrave]

The hammer returned to Wargrave and he swung it over his head. The guards had pretty much split into two groups, one going after Nives, the other after Wargrave. None of them even bothered to check on the dead Sullustan and the item up for auction.

After the auctioneer's life disappeared, the entire room erupted in chaos. Screams of astonishment and terror, broken china and crystal, and the sounds of guards rushing in an attempt to get all the guests out of the casino before anything broke. The attempt, however, failed as Wargrave's hammer crashed down onto a sabacc table, destroying it. Chips and cards scattered, causing atleast four patrons to slip...a bit of humor in chaos.

His eyes scanned the area as it quickly evacuated, Where was he? Where was Hadas?

His thoughts were interupted, though, as four guards...the sound of their feet muffled by the noise in the background...raced up, blasters drawn, and their shock sticks out as well. They were taught to shoot, but not kill...after all...an unruly patron was a rare occurance, and even if someone was removed bodily from the area...they were allowed to sober up and return to gamble away even more of their hard-earned credits.

The guards' problem today was, the two attackers were far from drunk, instead they had their own specific agenda for the day. Chaos...pillaging...and plundering.

"FREEZE!" the leader yelled, attempting to sound in control of the situation.

Wargrave gave him a glare, then hurled the hammer into his face. He leaped off the remains of the table and planted his feet into the face of another.

This was fun.

[Jacob Nives]

AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!

The cards were flying! One of the cards was being physically assaulted by a deck of cards, while another was under fire from a barrage of gambling chips. A group of elderly women were having a collective seizure at the sight of the flying objects, while some of the younger women who had retreated from the main floor were actually no longer in fear, but awe of what was going on. Perhaps the cloaked man had a Robin Hood complex and was some dashing fellow just trying to do a bit of good.

“Excuse me, ladies.”

Suddenly he was stood right by them. They all froze – his gun was pointed in their general direction. What was visible of his face – his jaw and lips – could be seen to be forming a lop-sided grin.

“Stand and deliver, your money or your life!”

[Wargrave]

The two guards who remained on their feet, leaped back, trying to avoid getting hit by the hammer. One of them was able to get a shot off, but aided by the Force, Wargrave ducked and sent a kick into the man's midriff. The guard staggared back, falling onto the ground, and flipping over, his blaster flying.

The hammer came up and caught the other guard in the face, the helmet making a sickening *crack* and the head fell in a way most human heads weren't supposed to.

Seven guards ran into the room, heavy blasters and rail guns drawn. The hammer made a *whistling* sound as it flew towards the men, catching several in the chest and knocking them down.

It was chaos and Wargrave revelled in it.

[Jacob Nives]

Jacob ducked as he heard something whistling over head, and watched as the hammer cracked a few guards. What type of weapon was that? Some kind of hybrid boomerang by the looks of it! Turning, he looked into the face of his counterpart and grinned.

“Well, this is easy work,”

He called above the noise, striding forward as he ducked a blaster shot, sensing almost before it had even been fired.

“And there’s certainly a handsome haul here,”

He added, patting his body-close bag, which jangled and clinked with the credits inside of it.

“But I still don’t see the prize you came for.”

[Wargrave]

Wargrave's blue eyes stared at Jacob's.

"It is here...I will hunt it."

He strode towards the podium where the Sullustan Auctioneer's body lay, the knife still stuck in his head. Four guards attempted to block his way but with a swing of the Might Brenwyyd, the guards flew from Wargrave's path, laying dead on the ground. His boots *clomped* on the wooden stairs of the dais as he made it to the podium.

"The book is under block 176, apparently under heavy guard," his eyes read over the datapad, "Right next to a case of jewels excavated from Arkania."

He leaped off the platform, his path taking him towards the exit of the casino and into the interior of the ship.

"You can come with me, if you wish," Jacob heard a bit of an accent in Wargrave's Basic.

"But Reginald Hadas is mine..."

[Jacob Nives]

Reginald Hastings – it wasn’t as if he knew who that man was. Another noname noface in a sea of idiots. It was like these people expected you to be clued up on their every little obsess. Hint – the world doesn’t revolve around you. The brigand shook his head at his thoughts and nodded to Wargrave. Jacob spun his pistol around his index finger before pushing it into its holster.

“Lead the way,” he said, in his own heavily accented basic – unmistakable as the mark of an upper-class upbringing.

[Wargrave]

Wargrave strode through the liner, not quite oblivious to Nives' presence but he wasn't paying too much attention either. Four guards attempted to block the way towards Block 176. One swoop of Brenwyyd and their lives were snuffed out as a candle was a stiff wind.

The Dark Jedi and pirate kept their course down the halls of the ship, meeting little resistance until they reached the stairs leading down to the treasures.

Wargrave actually looked at Jacob then.

"The pirates near my home always had fellow pirates with them. I'm a bit surprised you don't have a few collegues with you."

[Jacob Nives]

“Are you suggesting that I need help?”

Jacob quirked a defiant eyebrow as he stared down Wargrave for a moment before looking away. Of course he didn’t need assistance. He was a one man army, and Wargrave knew this – that was why he had been hired. Why pay ten men to do what one man alone could do?

“Let’s see this book then,” he murmured as he moved onto the stairs ahead of his counterpart.