The Cat's Meow

[Pierce Tondry]

The Nabooian Queen: great sparkling jewel of Coruscant.

Undercity residents never saw it that way, of course. They never saw anything but the ceiling above and the floor below and, if you were close enough to Level 5127, maybe sunlight through cracks or spaces in the roof. Fifty-One Twenty-Seven-ers in the same city sector woke to its dazzling splendor every morning, when Coruscant Sol peeked over the horizon and scattered brilliant rays across its surface.

And what a surface it was.

The physical construction of the dome was not, as it might have seemed from a distance, a perfectly curved arch. Thousands of interlocking hexagonal plates hooked together and reinforced with structural shielding created the dome. That combination gave the Queen her sparkling effect; the resemblance to a giant, splendorous diamond only broke down up close. From afar, she adorned Coruscant like a royal's signet ring.

The diamond metaphor encompassed the Queen's impenetrability as well. The dome itself would hold up to anything short of a concerted military attack. Should it find itself under fire, the Queen also had very visible turbolaser emplacements, armed guards above the doors, a cadre of patrolcraft both in and outside the dome, and a direct line to local law enforcement in the event of an extremely serious emergency. Plus who knew what else lying for the unsuspecting thief.

'Of course,' thought Pierce as he walked in the main entryway, 'It's a bit hollow when no one stops you from coming in without checking you over.'

Then again, it wasn't Pierce Tondry, one-time warrior of the Empire who walked into the greatest casino Coruscant had to offer. Up-and-coming entrepreneur Markus Kazaar, off-off-off-branch family to the fine owners of Russard Industries and more frequent habitant of Mid-Rim border planets, was the one marching irritably into the Queen while simultaneously snarking into an earcomm.

"No, get it all liquid," he snapped. "Listen, I've heard from very reliable sources that the window to buy-in profitably will be extremely limited. I bank even a few minutes of that increase, I'll have funding capital for the next several projects."

"Of course, sir," the voice of Longshot's droid brain replied. "I'd be happy to invest your full funds in the Bantha meat futures offered by Salliche Ag."

Pierce froze. Longshot loved to toy with him, that much he knew, but the threat of dumping the entirety of the funds in Pierce's care carried very dangerous implications indeed. "No," Pierce replied carefully. "Now is not the time for that kind of investment."

"I understand, sir. You would prefer investing in Nuna Egg manufacturing."

"Listen, you little twerp," Pierce began, only half-acting his part. "If you jeopardize this transaction for even a fraction of a millisecond by not having those funds ready, I will reprogram your datacore with a force pike personally and vigorously. Do you understand?"

"Of course, sir."

"Good."

"Synth-Dianoga meat it is."

With an aggravated groan, Pierce switched off the earcomm. Now he really was irritated. "Investment droids, am I right?" he asked of the Bith patron next to him, then began searching for the bar with the best viewpoint in the higher-dollar section of the casino.

After all, to ensnare as dangerous a predator as Sasseeri Reeouurra, he needed vantage to see and be seen.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Mr. Kazaar?" A pretty human girl appeared at his elbow, a dataslate tucked between her arm and her body. She had dark brown hair in a cute pixie cut, and a well tailored white blazer over a blue dress. "I am Katie, I'll be your concierge during your stay with us. Welcome to the Queen, sir! We were very pleased to arrange accommodations for you when your people called." She put out a hand, indicating the way through the grand lobby toward the bank of turbolifts. "Would you like to see your suite, or perhaps some gaming first?"

[Pierce Tondry]

Katie, what I'd like is a set of five-points tac armor linked to control and command systems, a data spike, a blaster, a holdout blaster, complete systems administrator-level access to your archives, and an hour to interrogate my target alone in a dungeon. If she cooperates, I'll let her choose the dungeon.

"Katie, what I'd like is a drink and a spot to wait out the next half hour where I can people-watch," Pierce said with a smile. "Got a deal about to go down and watching other people run around helps with the nerves. Any chance you can point me to a spot like that?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Katie grinned. "Certainly! There's a great place on the fourth level." She led him across the lobby and up the turbolifts, pointing out various points of interest through the glass walls of the conveyance. "There are six gaming floors here at the Queen, arranged as you can see around the turbolifts." The 'lifts rose up through a central cavity in the hotel, the 'lift platforms tiered like a wedding cake with delicate looking walkways spidering out from them to the different levels.

The restaurant she led Kazaar to took up a sixth of the fourth level, had a five star chef, and a great view of the central shaft. From the table he was given he could see the gaming floor of the level he was on, view half of the walkways from the turbolifts in the center, and had a view all the way to the bottom gaming floor. "If you need anything else, I'm just a call away." Katie made sure he had the number to call with his commlink, and then excused herself, leaving him to his deals and his thoughts.

A serverdroid rolled up with his preferred drink while a platinum blonde stalked from the third level over a walkway to the turbolifts, a tall Twi'lek following her.

---

Sasseeri Reeouurra knew everything was running smoothly today. There were no fires to put out, no employees to berate, no spice shipments to arrange. The Hutts were continuing to supply the rest of the galaxy with their precious spice, even with the entirety of the Alliance of Free Planets between their space and the Empire. That was thanks to her (well, her vigo, Kandle had laid all the ground work years ago) managing to keep the supply lines open.

There was no effort to it, really. The Alliance and the Empire were both overly focused on the border between their two territories, which meant that once you had a reliable way to smuggle things over the border that your job was pretty much done. Flying through Alliance space was a cakewalk as long as you knew how to avoid the (slowly increasing) Cizerack patrols. But space was big, and despite all their strengths the Cizerack were still only a tiny part of the galaxy.

To put it bluntly, she was bored.

Sasseeri flipped her hair out of her eyes and rode the turbolift up to her offices just above the gaming floors where the 'lifts disappeared into the ceiling of the grand opening that had been painstakingly engineered into the casino.

[Pierce Tondry]

As Katie left, Pierce felt a slight pang of disappontment. The concierge exuded a professional warmth and kindness along with an honest touch. Granted, her role was to ease the parting of money from casino patrons. Despite this understanding, he found himself missing the company. And, he mentally admitted, her fit physique added to the package.

The reminder of her womanhood tickled one of his brain sectors- the part that was male and whispered that admiring her body as she left was normal and natural. He hadn't seen or spoken with Karin in months. 'We both know what we agreed to,' her parting words had begun. 'Do what you like. What you need. 'cause I will.'

'I'm not you.'

Discipline crushed desire and Pierce did not look over his shoulder.

Instead, he turned his attention to the task of people-watching. Perfect timing, too; the first thing he spotted was the platinum mess of hair he'd come here to find and interrogate: one S. Reeouurra was making her way to the central turbolifts on the floor below.

He watched her board the turbolift and ride up to what had to be her offices. Her body language suggested - what, he wasn't sure. Regardless, he knew she was a lioness at the top of her own pride and from all appearances, the pride was working extremely smoothly right now. It all begged for disruption.

And he knew just where to start.


######

Half an hour later, Katie's comm twittered. "Katie," 'Markus' told her. "Good news. I'm now even wealthier than I was yesterday and I feel like spending a little money. Can I buy you a drink in exchange for some advice?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

In less than ten minutes Katie had reappeared, insisting that Markus join her at a smaller bar in the middle of the gaming floor on the same level. "The bartender here is better," she confided, and once they both had their drinks it was apparent that she was right. She crossed her well toned legs as she perched on her bar stool, the floor bustling around them to the constant music of slot machines.

"So, Markus," Katie smiled. "What can I help you with?"

[Pierce Tondry]

"Katie, I've got a confession to make," said Pierce, his eyes avoiding hers. "I know how to create good logistics, I can hammer out deals and agreements, and I can make an end run around needless bureaucracy. But, I'm not great at making connections and that's a problem."

"I'm a career negotiator," he continued, looking around the two of them at the bustling casino. "And in my element, I'm good. Not the best, if I'm being honest, but I get things done and everyone stays happy. I've just never been good at going outside my current circles."

Katie's arm happened to rest on the bar; Pierce took it with a might-have-been-absent gesture. "I've got two weeks here on Coruscant before I need to get back to the mid-Rim. I need to use that time to meet people, forge connections. But I need help to do it."

Here, Markus let his eyes meet with Katie's; his hand gave hers a squeeze. "Will you help me? Introduce me around, point me at people who need a good business opportunity? I want to make a splash before I go back home."

Markus abruptly became self-conscious of Katie's hand in his; he let go as though touching something too precious to disturb. "I- sorry! Sorry. I didn't mean to- you see why I'm asking?" he asked, ending with a sheepish grin. "I could use a friend here. A real friend, not a paid one."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

His 'incidental touching' had not gone unnoticed, and Katie smiled warmly at him as he stumbled over his words. "I think I understand. First, you need another drink." She snapped her fingers and the bartender soon supplied a twin to the drink Markus had been working on. She wasn't sure if he was acting a rube or if he really was one, but in the end it wasn't that much different. It wasn't often that a real babe in the woods wandered into her high class casino (it had never happened), so if he was for real she was going to enjoy this.

She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Second, we'll upgrade you to the Sky Suites." When he opened his mouth to protest, she waved away his concerns with a flippant gesture. "You aren't going to make a splash here if you're wallowing in the mid levels. The Sky Suites are just below the garden level and are four hundred and fifty-seven square meters of luxury. You're not going to complain about it, trust me." Katie winked. "Then, you said you needed help spending some of your money? Or are you just looking for introductions. Here, that's going to go hand in hand."

[Pierce Tondry]

In the back of his head, Pierce's rational mind began kicking off a series of alarms. The Sky Suites is too close. You only have twenty-five thousand credits and a set of mining rights to work with. FORCE'S SAKE SHE SQUEEZED YOUR HAND BACK AND WINKED AT YOU SHE IS SMART AND YOU ARE IN TROUBLEEEEEE

But another part of his brain, the part that he'd relied on time and time again to see his way through uncertain corridors, wasn't worried. 'Shut it.'

"Let's say it's a little of Column B," he replied to her question, quaffing the remainder of his drink. "Where the B stands for Both. Who've you seen make a splash here? What did they do, and who'd they do it with? And more importantly, who didn't they do it with? 'cause I don't want to end up with poison in one of these."

Markus eyed the glass, then set it back on the table beside its filled twin. "Though I gotta say, if that was poison, death tastes pretty good."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She laughed, "Oh, Markus, you don't have to worry about poisoning here. Our security is the best on Coruscant." She pushed away from the bar and hopped down off the stool, adjusting her pencil skirt. "The splashes usually start at the high stakes sabbaac tables. We have several popular tables, but the players you'll want to rub elbows with won't emerge from their rooms for hours yet. The biggest game doesn't start until midnight.

"It's usually a mix of high ranking Imperial officials, and businessmen. I can find out a list of names, if you'd like a place at the table tonight?"

[Pierce Tondry]

"Passing me information on my competition is a real fast way to win me over." A mix of appreciation and good humor pulled Markus' mouth into a half grin. He winked. "Katie, you're a real treasure, you know that?"

Tapping his chin, Markus considered the evening schedule. "I've got funds to get in order if I want to do any gaming. What say you and I meet back here an hour before things get underway and we can compare notes?"

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Sounds perfect," she said, smiling, and tapping something into a datapad she'd procured from somewhere. "I've comped you one of the Sky Suites for the night. Here is your room key," and the datapad spat out a light blue plastic card with no discernible markings on it except for the number. "I'll have your things moved for you." Katie gave his hand a squeeze as she passed him the keycard, and pulled his arm so she could air-kiss her goodbye at his cheeks. "In an hour then."

***

"Who jis thjis," Sasseeri asked, pointing a manicured nail at the security holo of one of her arriving guests. It was time stamped an hour ago. "Katjie comped hjim a rroom. He betterrr have money."

"They usually do," said her assistant, who Sasseeri shooed away with an irritated wave.

"Actually, neverrr mjind," she said, getting up and pointing at her assistant. "You, stay. jI'll leave. Walk the floorrr, maybe."

Fiona, her pretty, if bland, assistant, sat back down at her own desk across the room from Sasseeri's. "Katie is trying to get him a seat at the Admiral's card game tonight. Markus Kazaar." She seemed intent on getting back on her boss' good side.

"Kazaarrr?" Sasseeri frowned. "Neverrr hearrrd of hjim." New money? Those were usually the easiest to get really spending the credits.

[Pierce Tondry]

Markus watched Katie depart, then turned with a smile and headed for his new room. So far, the house bought his story. Now all he had to do was keep appearances up.


######

Finely tailored shoe stepped on to exquisite marble flooring and Markus Kazaar was in his own personal Sky Suite. He accepted a note from the bellhop and scanned it.

Remember: game at Midnight. Entry after 23:30. 100K Imperial credit buy-in. Don't be late. - Katie

The bellhop had departed, allowing the door to swing shut behind Markus. As the lock clicked, the demeanor of an amiable professional vanished into hardened, determined focus.

Pierce Tondry had a problem.

His benefactor had provided him travel costs and his selection of necessary equipment from Alliance storage. While he was now well-stocked with everything a successful traveling businessman might need to appear like a successful traveling businessman, the tricky part was that he had very little money - Taataani had only provided him with 75,000 credits to begin with and he'd spent 50K on the mining rights he'd thought about earlier. While he anticipated being to trick the price up and sell them for a few hundred-thousand credits, that money wasn't yet in his pocket. Moreover, there wasn't time today to do anything to generate extra funds - he needed a lay of the land badly and that meant scouting the casino and its nearby environs.

What he needed was extralegal help with some creative financing.

"Longshot," he said, flicking on his ear comm. "I need you to place an ad for me."

"Of course, sir. I'll arrange for an Interspecies Companion Account to be established immediately."

"No," Pierce said, ignoring the droid's humor altogether. "I need you to reach out to the non-commercial services sector of Nar Shadda. Put out a request for immediate assistance from someone with financial computer expertise. No questions asked or answered until the job contract is accepted."

"At once, sir. Might I inquire what this is in reference to?"

"I need time," Pierce said, going through his belongings and locating a pair of macrobinoculars. "And someone is going to buy it for me."

[Ryloth Grimhammer]

Nar Shaddaa - Sattle District

The night air was a cool escape from the heat of the server room. It was difficult to tell just what time of day it was, with the sky so far above beyond the tops of the skyscrapers, and the constant glow of neon and flood lights illuminating the streets. People of all shapes and sizes trudged through the streets. They all had the same look; hands stuffed into jacket pockets and faces downcast. Nobody looked up at anything or wandered from the street; because on Nar Shaddaa being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or seeing what you were never meant to see, was a good way to end up in a dumpster. Ryloth had an advantage in that his cybernetic suite allowed him to keep an eye and ear out without looking up.

The ramen shop was not far from the Den. It was just a sidewalk kiosk run by a nice Atrisian man. Ryloth's order was waiting for him. He hadn't put in an order, but he had to admit he came here every night and got the same dish. He left a bigger tip and headed back down the street. The Den was exactly what it sounded like; a dark, secluded work space in the basement of a failing arcade. This is where he and others like him gathered to network, lay low, and otherwise wait for jobs to come in. With his specialty in Corporate Information Acquisition, Ryloth waited a long time between jobs. They would come. They always do. Nar Shaddaa had a rich history of stealing everything from everyone else. It was just a matter of waiting, doing smaller jobs, and surviving until the next big job came along.

Down in the Den he had his own corner to himself. He called it the Technodome. A small server room filled with so much electronic equipment that the temperature jumped fifteen degrees. There was also a large collection of empty take away boxes building up in the corners and around his chair. Nestling back into the worn chair Ryloth leaned back and paused, delicious ramen hanging halfway to his mouth. A screen was blinking. It had not been doing that before he left. Setting his ramen aside, he pulled up closer to the screen and began tapping away at the keyboard with one hand while the other surfed the track pad.

A new job had just been posted for a Slicer. No details until job was accepted. Effective immediately. Reaching over he grabbed what appeared to be a bulkier commlink with a bunch of wires attached that fed into various consoles and electronic devices. He tapped a few keys and held it against his head. "G'day Lady. You see the new job? Is it trustworthy? Aye? Okay. Thanks." And he hung up the line. He needed the job. By Mirrodin's Beard did he need it. No details was sketch, though. It was a good way to end up with a really bad job, and breaking a contract was a death knell in this career. There wasn't much time before somebody else takes it.

He clicked accept.

The details filled the page. His eyes scanned as quickly as they could, while his fingers took a mind of their own and began dialing the comm again. "Hello Farook? It's Grimhammer. Ah need transportation ta' Coruscant yesterday. How soon can you get me there? Triple? Are you mad? Ah'll pay double and not a credit more. Set me up with a posh identity. Business man type. Yah, I know I can do it myself, but I'm wee bit stress for time. I'll buy you a pink next time your 'round. Thanks."


######

Coruscant

The transport was only just setting down on it's struts when the short businessman began pushing his way down the gangplank. He departed a much different looking man than he had boarded. His flattop was tightened up and his normally wiry beard was waxed into perfection. A bit of synthflesh and fake hair had been applied to the side of his hair to hide his chrome; cybernetic implants. He was dressed in business casual with a leather coat and shades. Just because he'd left Nar Shaddaa didn't mean Nar Shaddaa had left him.

A burner commlink was fished out of his pocket and the contact number dialed. "Hey Markus you old dog, It's Bob. I hope you haven't won all their credits 'fore I get there. Hailin' cab now. Where you want to meet in that giant fish bowl?"