[IC] Star Wars: Out in the Black

Sakutian

Zevoto slipped past the others and placed her hand on Gaan's shoulder before she gently pushed him him aside. She glanced at the cover of the secretaries holozine and smiled. The cover depicted among other things, an Ithorian with a multitude of tattoos covering the skin of his head and neck.

"Did you finish that article about Momaw yet?" Zevoto kept her voice casual and light as she spoke.

"No." The secretary still sounded irritable as looked the Mon Calamari girl over taking in her dusty robes suspiciously. "Don't tell me you're into Furious Mother Jungle."

"Ever since I saw them live on Coruscant I haven't been able to get enough of them. I haven't found anyone else on this rock with an ear for anything except Bith music since I got here. It's nice to see someone on Tatooine has good taste."

Persuasion Check to improve disposition: 21.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3363019/

Please let this work.

destroyah87

The woman put down the Zine and rolled her eyes, "I know, right? It's the same four chords over and over ... and over and over." She smiled at Zevoto, "So is there anything you guys need help with. So what do you guys need? Looking for anybody? I can't tell you who's parked ... well, not without some credits as motivation."

Very persuasive, Sak.

Silver: your gather information didn't turn up any actual names of any locals or visitors that might be looking to boost a good ship. Your contacts either didn't know or wouldn't tell you anything concrete. However, it did turn up some possible destinations as good places to offload a hot ship. One rumor had it that some pirates were looking to build up a small fleet for commerce raiding and were setting up shop somewhere in the Dantooine system. Yuath or one of its moons out in the Bajuuk system might also be a good place to dispose of a differently-owned freighter.

(Bajuuk is a random generated system that I've fleshed out. More information in my latest OOC thread.)

Sakutian

"Actually we booked passage on a ship that just left here, we're trying to track it down. Could you tell us who left with The Solar Gambit?" Zevoto fished around in the pocket of her robe and pulled out a small datachip which she placed on the counter in front of the girl.

"Sorry I don't have any credits on me but you can have that recording of Momaw's new single if you help us out."

Heir

Ben reached past Zevoto "....AND 100 credits." He was grumpy and wanted to move things along. The sand on this planet was getting everywhere.

SilverBones

Gaan stepped aside to let the female use her charms and knowledge of popular culture to get a good disposition from the receptionist. He was still tapping away at his data pad, looking for anyone who knew where his ship was seen heading or if there was anyone talking about the heist.

The results were not favorable.

Putting his pad away, he frowned and leaned against the side of the counter, waiting to hear what the bribe and sweet talking could provide from the receptionist. In the back of his head, the words

‘Please don’t let it be Ebnie.’ Were running around and around.

Ebnie was his old business partner and oftentimes ‘personal’ partner until he had found out the woman had tried to sell him out during a job. In an attempt to escape, he had stolen the Solar Gambit away from her and left her there to deal with the bounty hunters she was trying to hand him to.

Since then, things had been… prickly between them.

Super Namicchi

Rachi watched everything with quiet bemusement. Her suggestion had gone largely ignored, but whatever happened was the will of the Force, and so she was content to ride its waters lazily.

ela_zul

Leaning on the office building just outside the front door, Jaa pretended to stand guard. One knee up, foot pressed against the wall, and arms crossed, he closed his eyes, but it only seemed to make the spinning worse.

He was really outside to get some fresh dusty air, as well as to get some peace and quiet as remedy for his pounding head ache. Jaa knew his current state would be of no help to the group inside the office lobby anyways. "I much prefer shooting to talking" he thought to himself.

Unfolding his Kel Dorian arms, Jaa reached for his blaster, which was comfy and cozy in the holster hanging from his hip, eagerly waiting for a fight. He explored the grip with his hand, felt the trigger under his finger. As he stood, a gust of wind blew past, carrying with it the dirt and the filth of Tatooine's floor. The dust reminded him of his home, Dorin. Jaa tried to resist thinking of his family. He tried to resist thinking of how he lost them to the war.

Closing his eyes once again, Jaa cleared his mind, allowing the warmth of the hot sun to bring some relief to the pain that was once again flooding his heart. For now though, the only true relief was the intoxication he felt from the booze he drank to drown himself in.

piL

Ulsk leans in to whisper morosely to Ben, "No ship sounds awfully a lot like no pay. That's an investment--you'll get those back if I have anything to say about it."

destroyah87

Both the credits and the music datachip disappeared into a compartment in her desk. "I don't know if they took that ship, but there's only been two people in here at all today. Two big guys: one Rodian, one Human. I don't know much more then that. They came in, asked where The Solar Gambit was parked, then headed out to the hanger area."

She thought for a moment, "Though our security chief might know more. I'll call him." She keyed a frequency into her desktop holocommunicator and spoke into the audio pickup, "Wake up scum-sucker. Get off your lazy keister and get in here. Got some 'customers' need your expertise in all matters security, void-brain. ... Yeah, same to you! Ok, bye." She looked up and smiled at Zevoto and Ben, "He said he'll be up soon as he can."

Sure enough, it wasn't long before a human man of average height and build ambled out of the employees only area. "What is it, Nadi? I was asleep." He looked at the group arrayed inside the room, "Oh, hello. What can I do to help you fine ... upstanding spacers?" He squinted at Ulsk, standing a few steps behind Ben, and his face broke out into a grin. "Ulsk? Hey Ulsk, it's been a while. New crew? Last I heard, you were running with Madaneed's group." He strode forward and offered his hand to Gaan, 'Well, any friends' of Ulsk's are friends of mine. I still owe him for saving my skin when that job in Bespin went pear-shaped. ... So, what do you guys need? A ride, some credits, ... a body moved?"

SilverBones

Gaan grinned in welcome and taking his hand, the warm, politically superior type of grin that made him seem instantly trustworthy. He wasn't even trying, it was just something that he had done time over and over again when meeting new people. Generally it was nice to have the trust of someone who was capable of blasting you out an airlock when they felt like it.

"Thanks for your offer of help, but nothing so drastic, I assure you." Gaan said with a smile.

"I just need to know who left with the Solar Gambit." he asked very politely, but firmly. "Shes a YZ-775? Bit wobbly in the right nacelle?"

Increase Likability: 1d20+11=25

piL

When Ulsk sees the man he looks around, making quick note of nearby cover and searching for any possible ambush points they might have just walked into, his hands inching ever so carefully towards his blasters. When the security man breaks the tension, Ulsk laughs audibly, moving in to quickly grasp the man by the wrist while a traditional Quarrenese greeting rumbles from beneath his bed of tentacles.

"Tennum you devil, I figured you were dead--but I didn't realise it was as bad as Tatooine!" A laugh erupts from the usually more silent figure, and then he shakes his head. "Madaneed and I had a bit of an argument, so we had to part ways. Ran with Hronit afterwards, but the Rodian bumbler got himself killed and his ship impounded."

Ulsk seems much more relaxed now, taking a less cautious stance and folding his massive arms across his chest.

"Anyway, I'm afraid somebody gave you all the slip--that ship shouldn't have left without Gaan here on board. Probably not your fault I imagine, so anything to help us track that ship down would help."

destroyah87

"Aw, was that your ride? Yeah, she left outta here a couple hours back. What kinda captain leaves without his crew ... or you guys passengers?"

He scratches the back of his head, "Anyway, two dumb muscle came in and started nosing around. I saw 'em on the security recorders, but they headed straight for the Gambit. Just fumbled around for a key-card and had to try it a few times."

"Uhmm ... if you want to know where they went, I got a friend over in orbital control owes me a favor."

piL

Ulsk raises his hands in a shrugging motion that implies more than his answer, "Me? I'm a recent hire. I just know that without a ship, it's going to be a rather short job."

The Quarren points at Tennum and twists his tentacles into what onlookers are forced to guess might represent a smile. "Do that for me and we'll call it even." An expectant look over at Gaan suggests that Ulsk believes this favor-owed has only been passed along not spent.

Sakutian

"As I told Nadi here I just booked passage on the Gambit. I'd really appreciate any help you could give us in locating that ship sir." Zevoto tried to force her face into a nervous expression. She wanted to appear as nothing more than an off-worlder who'd just spent her last credits on a ship to get away from Tatooine.

SilverBones

Gaan was trying his hardest not to crush his holo-display in his hand, although his face remained calm and pleasant.

“As my companions here have stated, it would be greatly appreciated if you could find out.” He added with a smile before turning to around and looking out at the dusty streets behind them.

“What’s the rush to leave?” He adds through his gritted teeth.

ela_zul

Jaa's patience started to run thin. Although it was only minutes, it seemed like hours to the Kel Dorian standing outside baking in the hot sun.

Bursting into the office in a spat, Jaa walked up to the group standing near the desk, they didn't seem to notice. "So, we tracked down our ship yet?", he said specifically to Ben, who was standing at the back of the group, arms folded and looking a little agitated. "I'm getting anxious. What's taking so long anyways?"

destroyah87

Tennum smiles, "Yeah, I'll go call Jen. See if he knows where your Solar Gambit's gotten off to." He ducked back into the employee's only area.

A few minutes later, he comes back out, smiling wide, "You guys are lucky, Jen does remember that ship. Real charming fellow at the helm made an impression." His smile grew wider, "Jokes on him, he pissed Jen off so much that Jen didn't tell him the Gambit was leaking fuel. Your ride headed out-system towards the outer-rim and the way he tells it, she couldn't have made it much farther then Hackferd Station. By now, the Solar Gambit is either stopped there for fuel and repairs or drifting in deep-space."

Heir

Ben started to rub his hands together, imagining the thieves getting their just rewards. "Perfect!" He paused, then looked at the others. "....but where is Hackferd Station? And how do we get there?"

Super Namicchi

The purple-skinned Twi'lek had been as silent as a ghost up until this point. "I may be of some aid. The station you speak of is in a nearby system and is employed as a waypoint on a smaller, lesser-used hyperspace lane."

destroyah87

Tennum nodded, "Yep, that's right. Nothing more then a durasteel frame around a fuel depot, some docking clamps, and a cantina. All floating over a toxic gasball in the Uathu system."

SilverBones

Gaan’s face paled when he heard that his baby was leaking fuel during a jump. Had those barbarians no idea of what maintenance was? If those idiots had lost themselves in space somewhere, Gaan promised himself to find them and force-feed them their own blasters. Steeping up to the front of the group with a determined look upon his face, he came eye to eye with the mechanic and curiously asked.

“Are there any freighters or passenger liners scheduled for refill there? Any leaving in the next 5 minutes, say?”

piL

"Thanks Tennum, you're a help beyond measure," Ulsk says patting the security chief on the back. "If there's anything you need, just let me know." The towering Quarren turns to his compatriots and looks expectantly for someone to come up with a route offworld.

Heir

Ben looked over at Zevoto and Rachi hopefully. "You guys wouldn't happen to have a ship would you? Or at least, did you have a plan for getting offworld?"

Sakutian

Zevoto looked at Rachi then turned back to Ben. "I'm afraid that we don't have a ship of our own, but I know someone who would be willing to lend us theirs so that we can pursue these thieves."

"Just after our arrival I treated a local girl who had contracted a nasty case of the Rodian fever. Her father was very grateful. Kanala, the girl's father, offered believes that he owes me a great debt. I think the use of his ship is a fair bargain."