Flickering Lights

[Zeven Ekkel]

He’d found it in a pawn shop.

The ten inch long metal cylinder spun round and round as he tossed it up in the air, much like a satellite spinning on its own axis as it floats in space.

A lightsaber, he whispered to himself in disbelief. He fantasized what it could possibly have been through. And even wondered... who it may have been through.


“What the pfassk is that,” barked a Twi’lek approaching Zeven from behind.

“I-It’s nothing. It’s just a scrap part,” Zeven rapidly replied as if he’d been caught red-handed but the Twi’lek walked away uninterested. Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to be twirling around a lightsaber hilt at Groola’s Place (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Groola's_Place). Dangerous, seedy, and dirty; Groola’s Place.

“Where is he?” Zeven tapped his foot impatiently.

[Ryloth Grimhammer]

"I wouldn't go flashing that magic wand fer just anyone to see, lad." The gruff voice belonged to Ryloth Grimmhammer, the stocky Dwarf was sauntering up to the lad who had moments ago been spinning a lightsabre between his fingers like a top. "There are people in this galaxy who think that the Jedi and their magic should stay dead. That thing is more a death sentence than a feather in yer cap. Invest in some chrome, it'll keep you alive longer." He tapped the side of his head with his free hand, rapping his knuckles on the metal plate that had been molded to his skull. A data port was visible on the metal surface, and every once in while a red light would blink.

"You the chummer with the Vertazen System Synthesizer? I got yer credits." He shifted the weight in his other hand; a large, blocky electronic device that looked like a mobile control console. Reaching up with his free hand he snatched the shaded glasses off his face and stuffed them into a pocket of his beaten leather jacket. His left eye was obviously an implant. It has a certain glassy look to it, and you could swear you could see the lens adjusting focus. "I don't normally like doing business on Corellia, but Vraska said you were good at finding things."

[Zeven Ekkel]

Zeven tucked his lightsaber away in his pocket, slightly embarrassed at the attention he was getting though he tried not to show it.

"Yeah I've got the Synth," Zeven added, composing himself. He hadn't expected a dwarf to be his client. In fact, Zeven would have completely missed him if he hadn't engaged him first.

"I'll pass on the chrome, thanks," Zeven replied with some frustration, "Do you know what to do with this?" He asked aggressively, "This isn't your run-of-the mill system synthesizer. People don't usually know how to set up a system like this except for Imperial military so don't think I'm ripping you off because you're entering the incorrect command inputs."

Zeven's eyes wandered around the room, making sure no authorities were near. Unauthorized access to this type of military system could put these two in prison for a long time. Normally, Zeven sold encrypted data from behind his computer which was a lot easier to hide behind. This included things like banking information, security access to CorSec facilities, and Imperial intel files to say the least. This time, however, Zeven wanted to venture out. Something inside of him was pushing him to get out.

"What exactly are you using this for anyway?" Zeven asked.

Suddenly, Zeven's eyes darted toward the end of the room. A feeling rushed into his head forcing him to look in that particular direction. It was the Twi'lek from before. He'd brought friends and they were hurriedly making their way toward them.

"We have to go."

[Ryloth Grimhammer]

"Don'tchoo worry lad. I know m'way around electronics. Second nature and all that." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Kids these days think they are so on the edge of technology and assume everyone over a certain age was technologically illiterate. Growing up in the rough streets of Sattle taught you to be resourceful, and he hadn't grown out of that just because he'd left Nar Shaddaa's poverty long behind. The synthesizer was a key part, among many, for his "Deck", the mobile console he used for a variety of purposes; chiefly slicing and remote accessing the holonet. All manner of uses with a good Deck.

He was about to reach for the large credit chit in his pocket with the Lad's name on it, when the boy himself made a call to egress. "Friends 'o yours?" Ryloth asked as he half turned and looked at those approaching. His free hand dipped into the folds of his coat and grab the reassuring grip of the cut down hand cannon he called a blaster. "You got a back door chummer, or are we gonna have'ta shoot our way out?" The way he said it made it clear that either option was acceptable. The light on the plate on his head began to flash rapidly. In the near distance a repulsor sentry drone of his own construction was rousing from hibernation. It would take a moment for everything to power on. Not soon enough for the trouble that was spilling his way.

[Zeven Ekkel]

The Twi'lek, accompanied by a Human and a Rodian, pointed his blaster directly at Zeven from a distance. Similarly, the Rodian took out his blaster and pointed it at Ryloth.

Zeven shouted: "BACK DOOR! BACK DOOR!"

PEW-PEW!!!

Zeven ducked behind the counter of the bar and rushed toward the back door, keeping as low as he could to avoid a hit. He didn't possess a blaster. All he could think of was making his way out. Ryloth did not seem as panicked as Zeven in this situation. In fact, he had thrown a few shots back at them with his blaster while also making his way out.

The back door led to a long, dark and narrow neverending alley. Zeven crouched behind a dumpster nearby. He looked back to make sure that Ryloth was behind him but he wasn't. He was a stranger to Zeven but he would feel guilty if something had happened to the Dwarf. Seconds felt like minutes.

One second. Two seconds. He wasn't there.

BOOM.

The door slammed open and Ryloth appeared, unscathed.

"This way!" Zeven shouted, trying to hurry him up.

[Ryloth Grimhammer]

In a heavily practiced movement, Ryloth swung the Deck under his arm and over his shoulder by it's strap and whipped the compact EE-3 from under his leather coat and began firing, sending single rounds down the length of the room while he moved sideways, putting anything he could between himself and the shooters. The smart link in the blaster connected with with cybernetic eye, allowing him to aim more accurately despite firing the weapon with a single outstretched arm and not even looking down the barrel. Not that there was much to see. Just a bunch of ugly gobs. He didn't hit anyone, but it was enough to send them scrambling for cover himself.

"Oi, where is that back door?" He called out, turning to check on the young man who wasn't there anymore. "Sheet." Something hit his foot and chirped. Looking down he noticed it was grenade. Sloppy thing. Homemade by the look of it. Absolute gob-shit craftsmanship. No pride, kids these days. "Double ." No time to hesitate. He hit the thing with one of his big boots and send it skittering across the floor. No time to see where it went as he was already turning and running after the lad. There, a door. Behind him the grenade went off just as he hit the door, slamming through it and into the alley beyond.

He tumbled head over heels amidst a flurry of curses. Gathering himself back to his feet, he looked back just as the door slammed shut on it's weighted hinges. He looked around. Alley. Great. Oh, there's the lad. Hiding behind a dumpster. He looked like he wanted to say something, but Ryloth held up a finger. Silence for a moment, the only noise screams and curses in the distance. The handle of the door shuttered, and the Dwarf's blaster fired a short burst of rounds that penetrated the door right at chest height for a normal size person. There was a wet grunt and something noisily slumped against the door.

"Dunno who you pissed off chummer, but your really in the drek." he said as he chased after the young man. That door trick wouldn't work twice. Those goons will be out in a moment, and CorSec can't be that far behind. Hopefully the lad knew a way out. A familiar sound overhead alerted Ryloth that his drone had finally caught up and was following them from above. Good. It gave him an eye in the sky as he connected his eye to the drone's. He didn't need to see the right side of the alley. Just a lot of drek smeared on walls.

[Zeven Ekkel]

Ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom

Zeven's heart was ready to burst out of his chest.

He tried to catch his breath. Suddenly, the door slammed wide open, hitting the wall violently. As the door started to close again from the rebound, one of the men jumped out shooting furiously and aimlessly. Zeven pulled Ryloth behind the dumpster to take cover.

"YOU KILLED MY BUDDY!!!! GIVE ME THAT LIGHTSABER NOW!!!" The Twi'lek screamed with rage, completely lost in his emotions, blinded by the anger he felt. He shot left and right up and down. There was no reasoning in his shooting.

Zeven didn't want to wait for any of those shots to make their intended marks. "This way," Zeven told Ryloth, leading him up the alley, away from the enraged shooter. Sirens started blaring at the opposite end of the alley, getting louder and louder. They had to get away from that alley immediately.

Ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom.

Zeven looked around. He ran a few feet down the alley, hugging the wall with Ryloth right behind him. Zeven managed to pull himself into a nook in the alley where both he and Ryloth could hide. "CorSec," he muttered under his breath. Zeven slowly stuck his head out into the alley to get a look. The Twi'lek laid limp on the floor, surrounded by CorSec officers.

Dead. CorSec had shot him down.

Ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom.

[Ryloth Grimhammer]

He watched it all, through the lens of his little friend in the sky. Corellian Security came sweeping in. The little drek didn't stand a chance. CorSec saw a blaster, and an agitated Twi'lek. It didn't take a kid genius hopped up on smart pills to know what was going to happen next. They opened fire; crimson bolts stitching the air, burning holes in the walls and the Twi'leks body. Shame. As dangerous as their chaser had been, Ryloth really wanted to be the one who put him down. Maybe it wouldn't have been today, but someday he would have run into that ugly tentacled mug and put a round through is arse.

The kid stuck his head out and filled him in on what he already knew. Pssh. Amateur. The nook they had slipped into didn't have much in the way of space, and the close proximity coupled with his short stature put the kid's raging heartbeat right in the Dwarf's ear. He was surprised he hadn't fainted, or shit himself. The night was still young.

"Follow m'lead." Ryloth whispered as he rolled his eyes back into those of the drone. From it's undercarriage a small blaster adjusted it's aim and fired down at the CorSec officers, hitting the Twi'lek corpse right in the mother loving face before flying over the rooftops. The officers scattered for cover and then gave chase back down the alley, in the opposite direction of the crack they were calling home. "Lessgo." They piled out of the crack. Ryloth wasted no time running up to the closet door and blowing the bolt right off, tossing it open and slipping into what turned out to be a barber. He apologized profusely and tossed a cred chit over his shoulder as they ran from the back door to the front door.

"Got somenwhere we can lay low kiddo?" He asked, and damned the force for not knowing this part of town better. Everything was crusty and foreign, like a Trandoshan prostitute.