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View Full Version : The Dirty Dealings of a Delinquent Drunk (Sanis, open)



Xel-Naga
Feb 25th, 2014, 02:36:58 PM
The alarm chimed an obnoxious shrilling sound that was impossible to ignore. The occupant the room's bed and only piece of furniture rolled over in the thick comforter, and reached out for the device; but his hand paused over the snooze button. There it was. Something in the corner of his eye, but when he turned nothing was there. Thoughts raced through his mind but he told himself to calm down and forget about it. Instead of snoozing he silenced the alarm and sat up on the edge of the narrow bed. The room was small. A person could stretch out on the floor and touch opposing walls with his feet and outstretched arms. Windows were for the rich and powerful who could afford units on the outside walls of Cloud City. This unit was cheap and popular with the lower middle working class; the kind that work all day and then drag themselves home to sleep a few hours before doing it all over again. The kind who blow all their wages on alcohol and girls in some vain attempt to fill the empty hole in their hearts. Xel fit in just fine with them. Despite an income that could afford something a little nicer he preferred the small spaces; they made him feel safer; comfortable.

The unit had only three rooms, the bedroom, a front room and kitchen combo that was barely bigger than the bedroom, and a refresher. The latter he employed immediately, wasting only a moment to look around the room to make sure nothing was missing. His paid bed companion had scampered off after he fell asleep, and he made sure they had not taken anything on their way out. Only a few made the mistake of messing with a Black Sun enforcer, and they rarely get second chances. It wouldn't be the first hooker he buried, and the lads always had such cute little faces that he would hate to see wasting away at the bottom of a service tunnel. As he entered the small refresher chamber he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror; disheveled with days of grown on his face and head, deep circles under his eyes, and a pallor of his skin that revealed just how much time he was spending in the shadows away from the sun. There was something else, on the edge of the mirror; a shape, but once again he turned his head and looked away; focusing straight ahead as he got in the shower, keeping his eyes closed when he could.

A quick sonic wash and he was out, pulling on clothing with the same straight forward, focused ahead demeanor. Trousers, boots, shirt, and jacket. Each item pulled on one at a time, one after the other. Finally a pair of optic shaders for the tough guy image it created and he was out the door; half of a protein bar in his mouth. Xel always felt lopsided without his Deathhammer strapped to his side. What the heavy blaster lacked in maneuverability due to it's weight it made up for with raw firepower; and you could club a wampa to death with it should you run out of ammunition. Instead he had only a small, easily concealed blaster, a shock prod, and a knife on his person. Cloud City did not appreciate openly carried weapons, but the right bribes were in the correct places to keep them from searching him, or reporting them. Cloud City was not the shiny tower on a hill the holonet would have you believe; it was run by corruption. Black Sun competed with other syndicates for control of the city. The little people lived in fear because of people like him who came to shake them down when they didn't pay back their debts.

There it was again, just as he closed his door, his gaze down at the handle as his hand pulled it, but at the top of his peripheral he could see the shape of a person. No. No. No. The door was slammed shut and locked, and he stepped away, glaring at the door, as if daring it to do something about it. Hands stuffed in his jacket pockets he stormed down the hallway, leaving his apartment behind and moving out of this hole in the ground sector for the more grand areas toward the top of the city. The turbolift put the thrum of the forges and machinery of the bowels behind him, raising him out of the darkness into the more picturesque top, with it's giant windows showing the cloudy night skies of Bespin, the sleek surfaces, and the complete lack of any refuse or dirty people. Here everything was clean and perfect, with finely groomed individuals walking here and there. It was very clear that Xel did not belong, but he ignored them, and they did the same. There were not a lot of people up at this hour, but this was the time that he worked within. While the cats sleep the rats will play. The cover of darkness was nearly only metaphor in the brightly lit city, but there was something to be gained when you kicked down the door while someone is sleeping; terror.

And that was exactly what he got when he stood up against the wall beside a door. In a normal city he would kick the door down literally, but the doors up here were thick and fancy, that meant slapping a datadrive into the control console and letting the strong arm system repeatedly bash against the system until it finally cracked. Xel wasn't the type to program one of these things, and they were incredibly illegal, but he didn't question where his bosses got them because they were incredibly handy when boots couldn't get the job done. The door whooshed open and Xel slipped inside, grabbing the hacking device and closing the door behind him. Not kicking down the door had the downside of not startling the owners awake, but it also made you less likely to catch a scattershot before you can cross the room. For a similar effect, though, he grabbed a nice potted plant off the coffee table and slipped into the bedroom, where a couple were asleep amid the silk sheets and beautiful ambient lighting from the cheery map of the galaxy projected on the ceiling. Their blissful rest was rudely interrupted when the pot sailed across the room and shattered against the opposite wall, showering the pair with bits of pottery and shrub.

Even as they tried to throw off their covers, Xel was already jumped on the bed, pinning the woman beneath his legs and grabbing the collar of the man's nightgown and dragging him back down into the bed so that they laid with their heads together, the knife slipped out of his sleeve and held up for them both to see. They were smart and didn't scream. "Fitz Orion, you owe quiet a bit of money to Sasseeri Reeouurra. Your loan was for one galactic year, at a modest interest rate, and you have barely paid back half of it, and you have quite the tab at Cumulus that will need to be paid in full. Ms. Reeouurra is a fair woman and you disgrace her with your tardy payments."

"W-what do you want me to do? I don't have the money. M-my business has soured this year."

"You better find some money then, or I'll take it from you wive's pretty face. I don't care if you have to sell your home and whore yourself out on the corner, you do not take Reeouurra's money and then throw excuses in her face." The knife tilted, biting into the soft neck of the wife, drawing blood, she stifled a scream. Movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to begin to turn his head, but he stopped when he saw it, passing in front of the doorway was a woman, her head bleeding from a head wound, her face and clothing covered in blood from the drip. He felt everything lock up, everything went numb. He was vaguely aware that Fitz was pleading with him, begging him to stop, and then admitting he had some money. Snapping back he looked the desperate man in the eyes and stood up, taking his weight off the wife as the man got up and ran across the room to a safe hidden behind a swing away bookshelf. Clever. He returned with a handful of credit chits, and Xel noticed over his shoulder that behind him the safe was empty except for the kind of family heirloom knickknacks you would expect to be secreted away. Taking the creds Xel moved toward the door, looking around for the bleeding woman but seeing nothing. "This won't cover your debt." He said, glancing down at the credits as he viewed the amounts and then pocketed them.

"But it's all I have!"

"Better find more then, or I'll be back in a week for the rest of the credits, or your wife's face." And with that he turned and left, flipping over the coffee table and tossing the furniture and decor around before leaving. The last thing he heard was quiet sobs and excuses. The hallway outside was empty. Most people were sleeping, or left when they heard any of the ruckus. Better to be off before some bright and shiny copper with virtue in his heart and nothing to lose shows up. They don't last long, but every now and then one of them joins the security force. His feet took him around and around the city. He never went anywhere directly in case he was being followed. Eventually he feet brought him to Cumulus. The Casino never slept, and there were more than a few patrons playing the slots and enjoying drinks even at this hour. Slow perhaps in comparison to it's day crowd. He paused at the bar, contemplating drinking on the job when he noticed the bleeding woman sitting on a bar stool a few seats down. He knew who she was, but once again he turned away, because people look at you funny when you talk to things that aren't there. A drink was needed, and soon, but he was on the clock. Stomping upstairs he located the office of Sanis Prent. He straightened his coat and knocked.

Sanis Prent
Feb 25th, 2014, 10:30:33 PM
The high money crowd was out for the night, and that meant I was nearly out too. With a few hours to go until dawn, I was closing up loose ends in the office and feeding my face at the same time. I'd put a run out for Mandalorian takeout, and was currently halfway through a serving of tiingilar and a pint of lager. My desk was flooded with holoscreen clutter. Two were on a pair of high roller sabacc games still going on at this ungodly hour. One was full of floor plans to a bank on Cato Neimoidia that was being cased. One was a video feed to a man on Subterrel who was planning to rob the aforementioned bank. None of it was very interesting, and to be honest, it was the armpit of the night and I was probably going to finish the takeout and then drift home to bed. Then the chime came.

I sighed, minimizing my work as I reclined in my seat.

"Yeah?"

Xel-Naga
Feb 27th, 2014, 03:22:43 PM
He didn't like coming up here, that much was certain. Sanis Prent was the kind of man that Xel looked down on, and that was hard when you were already knee deep in the gutter of social standings. He came off a con artists, philanthropist, and narcissistic asshole. Apparently the boss liked that kind of thing because he was running this joint now, not that there was much envy to be had. He could only imagine that one wrong digit in the expense report and you find yourself tumbling through the reportedly unbreakable windows into the crushing depths of Bespin. Still, it was a big deal; running one of the biggest casinos on Cloud City. He could only imagine with the kind of debts he collected this place made a lot of money, both through legal gambling and the numerous illegal operations going on just beneath the surface. It was a beast, this casino, and now Sanis was the unfortunately lucky bastard running it. This kind of operation wasn't for a straight lines thinker like himself. You needed a twisted mind for business, but still, it would be nice to move up in the world. It like what they say back on Nar Shaddaa; born in the gutter, die in the gutter.

"But you weren't born in the gutter..." The voice was haunting, and close, as if whispered directly into his ear, but void of the warmth or moisture of breath. The call came from inside and Xel wasted no time at all stepping in and closing the door behind him, letting out a breath he had not realized he was holding. "Mr. Prent." He began, always professional. That sort of thing kept you in people's good graces, kept you alive. Even if it was for a good for nothing boss' pet like Sanis. Stepping over to the man's desk he extracted the numerous credit chits from his jacket pocket, being careful to get each and every one because any mistake it would come crashing on his head. Taking a cut off the top was easy. Anyone could do it. Getting away with it for a long time could get you rich, and in a moment would get you dead. It just was not worth it. Each chit was stacked on top of each other on the edge of the desk, so as it not disturb the hot mess Sanis had going. "Fitz Orion was nice and cooperative enough to pay his gambling debt on such short notice. Seems I have the rest of the night open. Anyone else you need persuaded to pay their debts?"

The cycle continues. This is what he did. Beat people up, take their money, turn it in, go home and sleep; rinse and repeat.

"Don't act the victim, Nathaniel. You're responsible for where you are..."

The voice again. It was going to be a rough night.

Sanis Prent
Feb 28th, 2014, 01:58:30 AM
Keeping my eyes on Xel, I arranged the chits in a row, only briefly taking my eyes off him to make sure the numbers worked. Sorted and filed under 'collections'. The money side of things made it all seem nearly clean. Of course I'd seen the other side of the streets. I knew it was a dirtier game than that. Knew well enough to not pry. I didn't even know who Fitz Orion was, other than a line item in the 'collections' file.

Pushing aside my dinner, I idly rubbed the creeping sleep from my eyes.

"Haven't reached enough cracked skulls for the daily quota?"

A tired grin as I lit up a stim. Reclining in my seat, I pulled a free chit from my drawer, and authorized an amount before tossing it back to the enforcer for services rendered.

"Honestly? It's a slow night. I mean, I could pull a name out of a hat. Bespin's got enough deadbeats and more than a few on my shit list."

Exhaling a breath of purple smoke, I shook my head.

"I'd rather scrape that sort of thing thin across the toast, if you get my drift. But maybe I have work for you."

Pulling a data flimsi from the shelf behind me, I slipped it into the holo reader, bringing up the image of a Theelin man.

"Sark Torras. Company man. He's been feeding us the exclusive flavor of gossip from Holiday Towers. Of course, word on the street dried up about a week ago."

I ashed my stim.

"We'd like to keep our interest in this pretty hush. I can't exactly come knocking and get the skinny, for more reasons than one."

Xel-Naga
Mar 2nd, 2014, 05:23:38 PM
The credit chit passed from Sanis' hand to his pocket without a second glance. No checking the amount, no haggling the payout with complaints about a mortgage to pay or children to feed. Living within your means meant what you got paid didn't matter so long as it paid the bills. If the Saas decided the payout for shakedowns would be reduced than he would downgrade his apartment further and cut out the luxuries. No more hookers.

"Shouldn't be too hard to find where your man has gone. I know a few people who knows things that owe me favors." He replied, leaning forward to examine the hologram of the subject; studying his features. It was not someone he was familiar with but that was not surprising with just how many people called Cloud City home. Xel had not been stationed here long enough everyone who was a person of interest, but he had been here long enough to establish friends and enemies; channels to work through and areas of the station to avoid.

"I'll start digging. I'll send you a comm if I find anything."

A quick about and he was back out the door of the office, down the stairs, past the thumping music and the drunken late night dancers vaguely moving their limbs to the beat, and out into the streets of Cloud City beyond. No sooner had he left the loud music behind than he pulled out his comm and scrolled through is contact list before selecting the one labeled very simply "M. Black". Thumbing the call button he held the device up and listened to the thrum of the device attempting to establish a connection.

Molly Black
Mar 3rd, 2014, 11:24:28 AM
Slouched backward in the salon chair with the air of someone truly wounded, one arm extended like a flag of surrender while at it's opposite end a young Sullustan female plied a file around Molly Black's nails. Like any good salon employee, the Sullustan was prepared to not only beautify her client, but also play the part of counselor on any number of subjects. The advice Molly received may, or may not be as helpful as the fortune at the bottom of her favorite cereal's box. Which today said she was going to be making a wise business deal. Aside from paying for the paint job to her fingers, Molly had no such intentions.

"..then he said something about...'my fluttering eyelashes and my feigned idiocy' ..can you believe that? Who can find fault with my eyelashes?" Molly blinked to emphasize their darkened, airy perfection.

She seemed more upset about the fact that the man in question had not responded to her usual tricks. He seemed completely indifferent actually, and that would just not do. The Sullustan cosmetician answered back in rapid Sullustese, nodding her head over Molly fingers as she spoke.

"That's what I said!", Molly exclaimed. "That's what I did! I'm telling you.. not going to happen.", she shook her head. Just then from her side, there was a sudden chiming from her little clutch purse. Molly froze, knowing that the chime indicated one of her many contacts, but she wasn't quite sure what to do. Who the hell was she today? Molly? Temperance?

"Just a sec..." Sitting up straight, Molly finally dug out her comm and was sliding out of the salon chair, despite the protests.

Xel Naga. Wow, that could either be great or terrifying.

Leaning up against the salon wall, Molly waved away the Sullustan promising a huge tip if she would just scram.

"Why hey there stranger, long time no ring.", she kept a smile on her face, trying to be optimistic. So far as she knew the guy had nothing against her. It may be just as the cereal said, business.

Xel-Naga
Mar 5th, 2014, 03:19:41 PM
"Hey Molly, it has been awhile. I haven't had a gig on Bespin since the last time. I would have called sooner but I've been up to my eyeballs in work since I got back. You know how it is. You leave for a year or two and the workplace goes completely to shit. I wish I could say this was a pleasure call but I've got business to get to. I'm looking for any information pertaining to the whereabouts of a Theelin man by the name of Sark Torras. Any information you have would be greatly appreciated, and I have the credits to pay for the info."

Being good at what you do is the same in any workplace or industry; once you get everything squared away and in check the bosses see fit to ship you off to another planet to get a failing workforce back in shape. That meant training the rookies, busting the double dealing veterans, and cracking the skulls of the disenchanted populace. Once you forced order and fear then it was off to another place. The cycle continued and now he was back here again, walking the same hallways and kicking down the same doors, but Cloud City was an ever changing beast. It was almost unrecognizable how much it had changed since he was here last. Power shifted between hands, faces changed, and the people at the bottom were crushed and cycled out for fresh meat.

One thing always stayed the same though, the value of good information. Infochants like Molly were always be in business on a station like Cloud City where reliable information was the difference between life and death. Xel didn't even consider calling any of the other infochants on the station because, quite simply, Molly was the best.

Molly Black
Mar 6th, 2014, 11:27:52 AM
Oh, Molly knew all about a workplace gone to shit, she had just eaten lunch at the Cloud 9 yesterday. She didn't know where Mu was, or who was in charge of the place now, but she was half of a mind to walk in there and grab someone...by something. Ear. Tentacle. Whatever, whoever was responsible had worth putting a hurting on. Maybe she would just send them Xel. A dreamy expression settled on her features, accompanying the sudden vision of ill tempered greasy grill cooks having their heads crispy deep fried. Ahhhh..

The job sounded easy, and low profile enough not to be a problem. That Xel didn't know she too had been away from Bespin worked in her favor, and this was just the sort of thing to show everyone that Molly Black still had her moxie..

"Yeah sure, I'll look behind some couches for you and check back. Any idea where I might start looking?"

With careful fingers, she dug out a little flip book from her clutch and a big bright pink marker, yanking the cap off with her teeth, and keeping it there, she wrote herself a note.

Theelin. Sark Torras. Find. Then drew a little heart around it.

Pressing the cap back on with her thumb, she also paid the Sullustan while she had her purse open, including the promised tip. The Sullustan started squawking at her, over Xel's reply.

"Shhhh, quiet woman!! I'll come back for paint later. It'll just get messed up where I'm going!"

"Sorry Xel..., go ahead.", she mumbled.