Business is picking up...

[Darren Caerdeth]

Well, this was better than Darren had hoped for. Dark and seedy, which was quite a surprise, considering the outer appearance of the bar, which was dark......and....seedy. So it was kinda obvious, sue me.

Although a few unkind looks came in his direction when he walked in, his bright smiling face went almost entirely unnoticed by the attending crowd. It was cool though, Darren usually tried to attract the least amount of attention possible.....really.

With a cocky stride, Darren made his way past all the tables and up to the bar. Bypassing the barstool, Darren hopped slightly, planting his rear end on the bar itself, knocking a few empty glasses aside, causing them to shatter on the floor behind the bar. With a bit of a growl, the bartender, who had his back turned whilst getting someone a drink, swirled around quickly. Much to his delight, he came face to face with the business end of a blaster. In Darrens other hand was another blaster, which was fixed toward the rest of the bar in general.

"Good morning, Im Larry, but my friends call me Joe. I'll take all the money in the register and a sampling of the galaxy's finest Rum...."

[DarthHERA]

As if on cue, every hand reached into jacket pockets, holsters, pant waists and pulled out every shaped and sized blaster the galaxy provided.

The whole room responed as one collective thug to another, and aimed the nozzles at the cocky simpleton sitting grinning at the bar.

From behind Darren, the bartender chuckled.

"You outta yer mind, sonny-jim, or just lookin' for death by annihlation?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren's grin got even bigger as the whole bar cartoonishly drew their weapons. Even this one kid over in the corner who looked like he was begging for food pulled a gun. Then there was this one chick near the front who was holding a gun, but was really just gawking at Darren (oh yes, he could tell).

In almost a blur, Darren rolled backward and 'fell' behind the bar. The term fell is used loosely, due to the agility that Darren possessed. In short, he landed on his feet, in a crouch. A few blaster bolts whizzed overhead, obviously patrons who had taken his movement as a reason to shoot, but hadnt the reflexes to squeeze off a shot in time.

Almost as soon as Darren touched the floor, the bartender was taken off his feet by Darren's arm. At this point, the robbery began, as Darren snatched the white towel from the bartender's waist, all the while keeping the man at bay with his blaster.

After a few moments, Darren waved the towel around over the bar, then slowly rose to his feet with two hands up. Of course, those hands werent his, but the bartender's, who was now Darren's little life insurance policy.

"Human Shield!!"

[DarthHERA]

In normal circumstances, the barkeep would be dead, and Darren along with him.

Those who held their guns trained on the robber were not impartial to killing all and sundry to get a job done, regardless of whether they were friend of foe. Didn't really even enter into the equation.

However, this was Hera's bar - and Hera's bartender, and none of the scum in the present standoff wanted to be responsible for killing one of hers. And so, no one moved. They just aimed. And shifted their pirataey eyes from one to another, unsure what exactly to do next.

Hera, seated at the back of the bar had watched the whole scenario - at first incredulous that this imbecile would attempt such a stunt. She had found it mildly amusing, but the humor was starting to wear thin.

She spoke from where she sat, her voice carrying to Darren between the grimy bodies that hid her, whom gradually shuffled aside so Hera could see the clearer.

"You want I should kill you before or after you free my bartender and put my money back?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Just give it up! Ive got you all surrounded!"

Darren boasted from behind the bartender. Of course, the woman's warning was falling on deaf ears, if that much wasnt apparant. He actually didnt really notice that she had spoken to him, that was, until he caught site of her stepping forward from the crowd...

"Well, hellllllllo." He said with a wink....

"Who might you be?"

[DarthHERA]

She smiled disarmingly.

"Im the last thing you're gonna see before my saber lifts your head from your shoulders.

....And you are?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren scoffed in a mildly amused manner. He had already spoken his name once. Apparantly the one who would be killing him tonight didnt have very good hearing....

"Th' name's Ed, wanna swing by my place later for some quiet conversation and sex?"

[DarthHERA]

Raised eyebrows was Hera's response , along with exagerrated blush.

Behind her, the pirates relaxed enough to snicker amongst themselves. A glare from the Faene Mistress shut them up though.

"Sure, Ed. Then I'll kill you after, while you smoke a cigarrette. How's that sound?"

While Hera spoke, the bartender inched his hand to the dagger he kept holstered to his waist.

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Works for me, see you about 9ish?"

Between all the commotion in the bar and Hera's breasts, Darren didnt take the time to worry about the bartender putting his arms down. He had the money already, and he could have made a break through the kitchen at any time, but you know how these sorta things go. You come in, single handedly rush the whole bar, you empty the register, starting flirting with a beautiful woman, then you get stabbed right in the....

HEY! The bartender stabbed Darren! Right in the gut too! Thats not right!

Darren, quite expectedly, tensed up as the blade drove into his stomach. This seriously put a damper on his reflexes as the bartender let go and grabbed a bottle of vodka from the counter, turned, and smashed it over Darren's head.

With a thunk, Darren hit the floor, losing both his blasters in the process. He groaned, then moved his hand to the stab wound in his stomach....

"You.....bastard...."

"......that was perfectly good vodka..."

[DarthHERA]

As Darren dropped, there was a collective rush forward as the occupants of the bar all moved forward to get a better look.

Dozens of faces peered over the bar at the fallen robber, soaked in pungent vodka as Hera came around behind the bar and called up the two relinquished blasters to her hands with the Force.

Stepping over Darren, she clapped the barman on the shoulder.

"Nice work Theo..shame about the vodka though" they both looked down at Darren, "Such a waste" they commented in unison.

Hera then crouched down and yanked Darren up by his shirt front.

"So, we still on for 9ish?" she asked casually as she relieved him of her monies and gave them, as she had the blasters, to the barkeep.

Not waiting for the cocky reply which somehow she felt sure would come, she tossed him over to slide into a nearby booth, while making up her mind what to do with this....witless fellow.

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren started to reply, but found himself sliding away from the scene of the crime. Not only that, but a slight feeling of dizziness overcame him momentarily. Hunger was the best way to describe it, but now really wasnt the best time to indulge, not even for Darren, who had a knack for picking the most inopportune times and places to do things.

He shook his head slightly to fend off the hunger, then checked the wound on his stomach again, which had already stopped bleeding. He sat up straight in the booth and looked over at the bartender...

"Sneaky bastard, you can kiss your tip goodbye!!"

[DarthHERA]

Relatively quickly, the bar resumed its former posture - the low rumble of conversation, the live music began again, and most importantly, the drinking continued, almost as if nothing had interrupted the evening.

Apart from a few disdainful glances Darren's way, everyone had moved on.

Hera grabbed herself a bottle of rum and 2 glasses and came over to join Darren at his booth.

She was curious. The man was obviously unhinged..didn't he know where he was and who it was he'd attempted to steal from??

Sitting heavily into the booth, Hera pushed a glass over to Darren and poured.

She noticed he had stopped bleeding and she lifted her eyes up to meet his.

"What are you, and why are you on Enton?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"What am I? Im wounded.."

Darren knocked back his glass of rum then started pouring himself a second..

"...and if we sit here long enough, I'll be drunk. As far as me being on Enton. I guess you could say I was bored. Anymore questions, or do you wanna take me off somewhere a little more private to get naked and nurse me back to health?"

[DarthHERA]

Normally Hera would be amused at Darren's smug replies - she always had a soft spot for the smartasses. But the twist in her gut prevented her enjoying such banter from the man seated opposite her.

She ignored his attempt to circumvent a direct reply and instead zeroed in on him.

"How are you regenerating like that...few beings are capable of such a thing, and they arent exactly on my "I love" list"

Her tone had taken on a definite chill.

[Darren Caerdeth]

"It wasnt that bad to begin with. Your bartender friend..."

Darren paused for a minute to cut a glare over at the bartender.

"is a big PANSY.....so the knife didnt go in that far. "

Darren gave Hera an assuring nod then reached into his pocket, fishing out a cigarette.

"If you still dont wanna put me on your love list though, its cool. Whether I stay for breakfast or leave when we're done - never really was a big deal. So do we really have to wait til nine, I was projecting my time earlier with the assumption that I would need time to get spend all the credits I stole........You know how it goes.."

[DarthHERA]

"You may be lucky to leave here at all....friend."

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Well, ive never been one to shy away from a little bit of exhibition, but these boothes are a little cramped."

Darren poured another glass and slid it over to Hera, opting to just work on the bottle instead.

[DarthHERA]

Hera took the bottle in hand and drank deep and long from it, her eyes staying fixed on Darren.

After a moment as she took the bottle from her lips, she observed dryly,

"Well, Ed...I gotta tell you - if you do everything like you do a robbery, your'e one sorry sonofabitch."

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Ha, good one. That wasnt a robbery though, that was a stick up. You're bartender just happened to get a lucky shot in. If you dont believe me, then tell him to get his little knife back out, and you can see just how sorry I am."

Darren grabbed the bottle back from Hera and took a long swig, effectively finishing it off.

"just make sure you have another bartender lined up..."

[DarthHERA]

He really was something else..Not only does he fail in the dumbest stickup attempt she's ever seen, but he dares to insult her barman, whom got the better of him.

Hera was beginning to think the fellow was truly unhinged.

"Ok, ok. Calm down there tiger. I think you been stuck enough for one night, dont you?"

Another bottle arrived without request.


"Where you from, seriously this time, if you dont mind"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Coruscant, and Im not sure why that matters."

Darren shifted a bit uncomfortably in his seat. He could feel the wound healing still. Most peoples wounds heal so slowly, that they never feel it. Wasnt the same in Darren's case though. In this instance, it was a bit of a numb tingle, like when your foot falls asleep.

[DarthHERA]

"Never said it mattered" Hera commented airily.

She watched him as he shifted in his seat. There was a familiar air about him, but Hera had trouble pinning what it was. But something about him sat wrong with her...

"So what do you do when you're not robbing bars?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Nothing much really. I do whatever strikes me as entertaining, if that makes any sense."

Darren grabbed the bottled that had been brought and took a swig. Another little quirk of his was that it was nearly impossible to get drunk, which wasnt something he was proud of.

"I usually dont stay in one spot too long, dealing with authorities isnt something im fond of. But I guess it keeps the flies from settling."

[DarthHERA]

"Ah..like to live the life of a Lord do you? Come and go as you please"

There was nothing wrong with that, long as one had the means to do so.

"Atleast you have no real hopes of making bar-robbing your skill of trade, for I fear you might starve."

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Its not something I do on a regular basis. I mostly move things around. Ive gotten a bit dirtier than that, ive got a few other little tricks."

Though Darren wasnt always the most truthful of people, his last statement was a bit of an understatement.

"Im what smart people like to call, adaptable."

[DarthHERA]

The lift of her eyebrow indicated Hera expected Darren to elaborate.

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Well not to brag or anything, but im pretty quick on my feet, if ya know what I mean. And I like to think im pretty good in a fight."

[DarthHERA]

"Lotta people round here are good in a fight. Why are you so special?"

She was like a dog with a bone - Hera wanted more information on this stranger, and Darren was being rather cryptic.

"Got..superpowers maybe..?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Sounds like you want a bit of a demonstration"

The grin on Darren's face, coupled with his foot creeping up Hera's leg, made it quite clear that he'd take her statement completely out of context.

[DarthHERA]

"Oh for frell's sake" Hera frowned in exasperation, "not that you idiot"

She kicked his foot away under the table.

"I break men like you" she said in in exaggerated bored warning.

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren's cocky grin turned into a proud one.

"Dont flatter yourself too much sweetheart, you dont even know me. Else you wouldnt be askin so many questions."

[DarthHERA]

"Flatter myself? Thats what you think Im doing?"

She shook her head, chuckling resignedly.

"Then let us both just believe our own fantasy shall we and get back to you telling me something more about yourself that is within some range of the truth"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"Right. Im hung like a horse."

You didnt have to pry too hard to get info from Darren. Getting the info that you're prying for.....well, thats an entirely different matter.

[DarthHERA]

Hera refrained from the usual roll-of-the-eyeballs that a statement like Darren's would normally elicit. The blank, unimpressed stare would do instead.

Obviously, Darren wasn't gonna give up anything about himself that he didn't want to. Hera wasnt in the mood for 20 questions and so she relegatted him to the "just another drifter" type for convenience sake.

She planned to finish her drink and call it a night.

"Well, it was nice of you to stop by my place and attempt to rob it, Mister...........What was your name again?"

[Darren Caerdeth]

"....Tim....and I thoroughly enjoyed myself Ms...?"

[DarthHERA]

"Tim..?" she repeated flatly, so obviously a made-up name.

"And my name is Vader. Darth Vader" she said in mock-seriousness.

"But most people call me Hera" she added with a grin.