Calm Before the Storm (Star Wars Rise of the Empire) IC Main Thread

[breakingcounsel]

The Republic has fallen. Thousands of generations of relative peace collapsed in a single moment, by the thunderous applause of thousands of delegates in the Galactic Senate, led by the voice of Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, self-proclaimed Emperor of the First Galactic Empire.

As planetary systems fall, one after another, to the Empire’s war campaign, some beings find a relative peace of their own. Smugglers across the galaxy align themselves with either the Imperials or the budding Rebellion, using their heavily modified ships to carry cargo for both sides of the conflict, some even dying for the different causes.


One particular ship, a heavily modified Dynamic-class freighter under the designation Lucky Hand, seems to hang in the balance, running cargoes for both the Rebellion and the Empire. Her crew, a ragtag few beings, travel the stars under the command of captain Kameron Brenner, a Corellian gambler-turned-smuggler with a seemingly never-ending lucky streak....

——————-

Kameron Brenner, self-proclaimed captain of the Dynamic light freighter Lucky Hand, sat with his boot heels on the control board, spaced just so so that they weren’t messing with any of the ship’s controls, whistling a Corellian marching tune. He knew only one other person in the ragtag bunch he called his crew would recognize the tune, as warbley as it was- Nykei, the former swoop racing champion, who was currently occupying the ancient freighter’s pilot seat.

His left hand shot out and flicked a switch on the panel beside him, opening the ship’s intercom. “Hey, hey, Laresen! How’s that hyperdrive holding up back there?” he drawled, a bit of a backwoods-y accent to his voice. “I hope your constant tinkerin’ has done it some good. Been a while since the ol’ rust bucket’s has a proper tune-up.” The sounds of someone behind him made the blond Corellian look over his shoulder, a grin crossing his handsome features. “Well, hey, Jiljoo. Still tidying up back there?”

 

[LeaT]

Jiljoo had indeed been tidying up, almost immediately upon being freed by Kameron she had took on the restoration of the living quarters of the Lucky Hand as if it were her personal quest. The common room was already passably clean, almost sterile but she hadn't yet had time to put any decorative charm into it just yet. But for now it was lunch time and she carried a tray of neatly cut sandwiches and a glass of the Captain's wine for each of the two cockpit occupants. "Ka Master Kameron, Jiljoo make the Lookey 'And all sparkley for you." She said in her broken yet somewhat musical version of galactic basic. As her hands were full she used one lekku to caress the side of Kameron's face and lovingly brush his blonde hair back. Her time as a slave had been short but unpleasant, perhaps more unpleasant for her former master than for her, but still she was grateful for his generous act. She still treated him as if he were her Master, in part because she knew it made him uncomfortable and that amused her, but more so because strangers would respect his ownership and not try to take her for themselves.

She glanced at the pilot as she set the tray down between them. The girl seemed competent enough but Jiljoo could read people well enough to know she had lost more than part of her arm in her crash. The sandwiches were neatly cut and arranged, made easy to eat while concentrating on the operation of the ship. "Master want Jiljoo bring anyt'ing more?" She asked Kameron before heading out to feed the fourth member of their still forming crew.

She picked up a single plate with an uncut sandwich made from the rumps of the bread loaf she had baked, the lesser cuts of whatever meat she had acquired were lumped between them. With a cup of room temperature water she headed to the engine compartment. "You eat." She said curtly to the man as she slapped the plate and cup onto the console next to him. She could practically smell the Imperial training on him and did not intend to linger for any small talk. She paused though as she began to take mental inventory of the many gadgets and devices he had about him. Many of which could be useful to her, perhaps she would need to be a little nicer to this one after all. She let one warm hand rest on his shoulder for a moment, just to judge his reaction to physical contact. A lekku, seemingly inadvertently brushed across his back as she turned to look at him. "You want somet'ing more Lar-ah-sin?" She asked, trying to keep her animosity hidden, or at least show she was trying.

 

[Xanaphia]

To date, the majority of Nykei's piloting abroad the Lucky Hand been inputting location coordinates and listing off upon approved vectors. No wild firefights barreling through space or desperate chases through the atmosphere. Just coordinate input and basic takeoffs and landings. Things any amateur pilot would have been more than capable of accomplishing. Nothing that required the skills she had developed as a swoop bike racer, and, for that, Nykei was content. So far the Lucky Hand had proven to be just that, lucky.

Jiljoo, the domestic servant of the ship, entered with sandwiches. Captain Kam had assured Nykei the woman was no longer a slave, but still, she stuck around, playing the role. Though, it was possible she'd known no other life. So Nykei sat stone faced as she spoke in her broken basic, blindly groping for a sandwich square as to not make eye contact. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the lekku teasing the captain's cheek, and his uncomfortable fliching away.

Did she realize he hated that? If so, Nykei's respect for the woman had increased exponentially. There was something subversive about the idea of a freedwoman playing the role of a slave and playing it purposefully badly. A sort of reclaiming of her agnecy, after whatever it was the slaver had done to her. Nykei didn't know, and didn't ask. In a way, she figured it wasn't much different than herself, pretending at an identify that no longer fit right. Reinventing it into something new.

"We are on track to touch down on Coruscant in 90 minutes, Captain."

 

[breakingcounsel]

Kameron’s charming smile soured a little at Jiljoo’s lilting voice calling him “master” yet again. Granted, it was only recently that he’d won both her and the ship in an underground pazaak tournament on the galactic capital world, Coruscant, but he’d freed her from her slavery as soon as he possibly could.

“Jiljoo... y’ don’t have to call me Master,” he reminded her, his voice low and calm. It was a recurring thing, and he was fairly certain the beautiful Twi’lek girl did it just to get a reaction out of him. Of course, his words were directed at her back as she walked out of the bridge. He just chuckled and shook his head, flicking the intercom switch off and sitting up straight.

“90 minutes, huh? Good, great. Plenty of time for lunch,” Kam said, grabbing a half of a sandwich and taking a bite. “Systems are runnin’ at expected numbers, no spikes in the readings.” His hands danced over the control panels, his eyes scanning different read outs at a pace only an experienced pilot could manage. “Great sandwich. Gotta remember to thank Jilj later,” he mused, smiling. “She’ll be happy to hear that, pretty sure.”

 

[kckolbe]

Upon hearing the question Kameron asked over the intercom, Larasen flicked the switch and practically mumbled "stand by." While he was familiar with basic technology and could read a gauge as well as any man, (especially one with alleged Durese blood), Larasen was no ship engineer. Fortunately, he didn't have to know how to maintain a ship in order to program another droid to do it. Fortunately, the Imperial Army always had old droids that could be bought by those properly vetted individuals, and Larasen, who separated under honorable conditions and had held a job as a licensed technician working for a legal swoop bike team had been able to purchase some totaled droids for little more than the scrap value. Government waste was a constant across all systems.

He checked the display on the astromech he had plugged in to the engine room panel and cycled through a menu. The droid lacked a vocabulator as well as the ability to process verbal commands. It had been purchased as a less personality-ridden means to assist on capital ships, then scrapped for being...inadequate, but could handle simple tasks like monitoring the systems of a mid-size freighter. As he messed with that, the "offer" of a sandwich caught him off-guard, and turned to see the blue-skinned twi'lek standing over him. "Thanks," he said curtly, more than a bit uncomfortable with her proximity combined with how she'd slapped down the plate of food. When she set her hand on his shoulder, he stiffened, though not in the fun way. While, in theory, he was completely okay with her touching him, he hadn't figured out what to make of her.

"Uh, no...thanks," he responded to an offer that was, by his judging of her tone, equally likely to be a threat. He turned back to the droid and checked the status, then flipped the intercom. "I think it's doing about as much as I'd trust it to do."

 

[LeaT]

As Jiljoo felt the tech's body stiffen at her touch she smiled. Female twi'leks were so often coveted by males and here she had the two men on the ship practically recoiling at her touch. She had found that it was best to have the males of most species left guessing and off guard, they were much less trouble that way. She took advantage of his momentary distraction in answering the Captain to palm several small items off the console next to him, hoping they wouldn't be missed too badly. She could always say she found them cleaning, it was an excellent way to explain just about anything she did or went about the ship. She smiled at the busy little droid whom Larasen had set to task at keeping the ship running. She admired the steady little persistence of the mechanical creatures and how utterly predictable they could be, barely appreciating that it was due to tech's like Larasen that kept them that way.

 

[Xanaphia]

Ever since the Empire had risen to power on Coruscant, there had been a major crackdown on illegal activity. Nykei doubted it was out of any concern for the safety of its citizenry, but rather, another way to All the old spots for smugglers to land, to meet with contacts and drop off goods, had been shut down, and were shut down faster than new ones could be established. Coruscant was no place for an illegal smuggler's operation. Flying in that airspace, without approval, wouldn't even get you arrested; just shoot down. Less paperwork that way.

Luckily for the Lucky Hand, they had a perfectly legitimate reason for coming to Coruscant today. Alythra Tann, a Zeltron envoy, would be their passenger. And while she was the official reason for being here, the actual reason was pick up the last member of their little crew, as well as to meet the contact, and get the details on the job they were going to pull.

All it meant to Nykei was that she has official permission to land along an approved course, handled by the ship's computers and ground control. She hardly needed to be present in the cockpit to handle landing, but what else was she going to do? Still, she didn't mind. Captain Kam had offered her a nice cut of the taking, and if this all she needed to do, so be it. Who needed heart-pounding excitement, anyways?

All the details were figured out already, set firm by the perfectly legitimate reason for being here. They'd leave planet again in a little less than a standard day. Just enough time to refuel and restock necessities. Maybe she'd look into some sublight stabilizers, and push this baby to point 2 above lightspeed. Nykei flicked switched and doubled check readings for landing, more to feel busy than out of any real necessity. The gentle descent of the freighter didn't really sit right with her, nerves craving the thrill of speed and the throb of an engine between her legs, but she pushed the thoughts from her mind. This was her life now. "Touching down in ten minutes. Local Time will be 9:48 am."

---

Alythra Tann awoke to a mass of flesh and the insistent beeping of her communicator. Crawling over the nude woman snuggled in beside her, she managed to reach her comlink. The display flickered before becoming solid, notifying her that the Lucky Hand would be landing shortly. They weren't slotted to leave again until tomorrow morning, but she wanted to meet the crew and get herself acquainted with the ship. It would be her home for at least the next six months, since she signed a transportation contract with the captain.

Ylessia, the blonde human beneath her, stirred, blinking blue eyes against the sunlight filtering in through the curtains. "Well, good morning to you too," she teased, shifting so creamy skin slid against carmine flesh. "I am not sure who was more insatiable last night, you or the client."

Alythra laughed and glanced over at the naked man on the other side of her, still tangled up with the dark-haired Miko. Most men who hired three escorts at a time hardly had the stamina to make good use of them, but banking manager, Iantho Halfri, had risen to the challenge. Multiple times.

"Well, last night had to serve as a farewell party," Alythra explained, planting a soft kiss on Ylessia's forehead, "I am setting off tomorrow morning."

Ylessia nodded, and stretched, showing off that lithe figure, "Are you coming back?"

"Eventually, I am sure," Alythra explained, picking through the discarded clothing on the floor to find her dress. A breezy violet number, hugging her breasts and hips, with high slits that left her legs bare. "I took a six-month contract, so I will see how that goes."

Another beep, but this time it was Ylessia's comlink. Still nude, the blonde thumbed through her messages, "Oh, I got invited to a ball at the imperial place, 5000 credits for the evening. You should come too, Aly."

The Zetron shook her head. She'd been to a few of those gatherings, and while it was usually easy money, Alythra alwfelt off there. Like the palace was filled with a draft that chilled to the bone. An undercurrent of discomfort that always left her slightly ill. It was one of the reasons she wanted to leave Coruscant. "No, I want to get to know the crew of the ship I will be on."

"Yeah, 'get to know them?'" Ylessia teased, nudging her as she retrieved her clothes and shoes.

Alythra smirked, "Maybe, if they want that."

Ylessia dressed and nudged Miko awake. "Should I wake him up too? I need to get paid, so I can pick up a new dress for tonight."

"Nah, he put in as much work as we did last night. Let him rest," Alythra shook her head, and thumbed her credit account, "I'll cover your fees, and collect the entire amount from him. For now, however, I am going to shower here. With a final fond hug to both women, Alythra made for the bathroom.

 

[breakingcounsel]

Kam finished up his sandwich, unobtrusively watching as Nykei piloted the ancient freighter. “Ten minutes, confirmed,” he said, glancing over at his own instrument panels. “Everythin’s still checkin’ out normal, ‘cept for that number four deflector panel. Let Lar know about it, wouldja?” He patted the ship’s consol board, smiling. “C’mon, don’t let us down on our first trip together.”

The young smuggler rose from his seat, stretching a little as he crossed to the navigation screens towards the aft of the bridge. “What’s our contact’s ETA?” he asked casually, glancing over at the female occupying the pilot’s seat. While she wasn’t anything like the naturally sultry Twi’lek Jiljoo, Nykei still had a certain beauty about her. Kam even considered the small scars that showed where she’d been injured as a part of her allure. Plus, he found her bionic arm interesting. It looked a little too bulky to be just that; he wondered what mods she’d had fitted to it.

 

[TheCorsair]

“Before you depart, ladies, I wanted to thank you for a lovely evening.”

The dark-haired courtesan - Miko, he recalled - laughed gaily as he kissed her hand. She still smelled of sweat and sex, and he could taste the night’s pleasures on her fingers. “Oh no, Mr. Halfri. Thank you.”

Bowing gallantly, he kissed the blonde’s hand as well. “And you as well, Ylessia,” he added, taking great care to use her name. Names were important, after all. They built connections and instilled feelings of trust, because everyone’s favorite word was their own name. Besides, as impressively double-jointed as she was, it was worth remembering her name. “I only wish I could tempt you to extend the evening’s contract.”

Both women looked tempted, which he liked to flatter himself was due to more than professional training. “I’m afraid not,” Miko sighed. “We have other obligations, after all.”

After a few more pleasantries they left, meeting the skycab that called at his private landing pad. Well, at Iantho Halfri’s private landing pad, anyway. He wasn’t that absentee gentleman, but his home had been languishing while the banker was offworld on business, and he suspected that he’d more than repaid the use of the man’s identity this past week by enhancing his reputation in society - he would have any number of new friends and admirers now, and an open invitation to the homes and beds of three different high-born ladies of Society.

Scratching his head, he absently wondered what Iantho Halfri actually looked like. Then he shrugged. If the banker didn’t have te good fortune to resemble his guest, why then he’d still have a story he could fine out on for a month or more. He had, after all, been fortunate enough to be impersonated by the Baronet Sevastian tel-Florindel Sergovia Organa-Nahal. It was a brush with greatness!

Savoring the thought, he watched the sunlight dance in the domes and spires of the Coruscant ecumenopolis. Then he turned and headed for the bathroom. Perhaps Alythra would be willing to extend her contract a few more hours? And if not, then at least he could make himself presentable for his lunch meeting. Six hours from now, Iantho Halfri would be the owner of a brand new luxury yacht.

Yes, he told himself as he opened the bathroom door, this was going to be a good day.

 

[LeaT]

Once Jiljoo felt the freighter come to a soft but firm landing, she made her way to the crew common room. She needed to talk to their pilot alone but wanted to give her enough time to stretch her legs. She had a simple bottle of Endorian Port and two glasses, she thought it might help for the news she had to break to her. When she found her she broke into a sincere but somewhat sad looking smile. "Nice landing, care to celebrate?" She asked, holding the two glasses in one hand and the bottle in the other. Her lekku making a gesture that would suggest 'please' if one knew such things. Her suggestion of a celebration somewhat of a contrast to her mood. She didn't even know if Nykei drank but now seemed a good a time as any to find out.

She pulled the cork with well practiced ease and poured each of them a glass, hoping her offer wouldn't be refused. "I suppose it isn't nearly as exciting as swoop bike racing." She said in a slightly awkward conversational tone as she tried to steer the subject to what might be difficult ground for both of them. Jiljoo was a good listener and would give her new friend (or so she hoped she would become) ample time to answer but it was likely apparent that she had something she needed to tell the former star racer. "Would you..." she paused, clearly nervous "...mind coming to my room? I have something I need to tell you". She picked up her glass and the bottle, and unless Nykei refused would lead her to her room where they could be alone.

 

[Xanaphia]

"Nice landing, care to celebrate?"

Nykei laughed, almost derisively, before stopping herself. Jiljoo had intended it as a compliment, but it was hard to take credit for something so simple and basic. Besides, the compliment was accompanying an offer of drinks. Nykei tried not to think about what else that offer might entail. "Sure. Not that I need a reason to drink."

Jiljoo poured a couple drinks and handed her one. "I suppose it isn't nearly as exciting as swoop bike racing."

"There is a reason I don't race anymore," Nykei muttered, unconsciously flexing mechanical fingers. Then she drank down the glass, letting the burn of alcohol cleanse her bitterness.

"Would you..." she paused, clearly nervous, "...mind coming to my room? I have something I need to tell you."

This warranted a raised eyebrow. What was on the twi'lek's mind? Nykei doubted it was mere flirtation, as she teased the men on abroad with a practiced ease. Whatever it was, it might have been best to deal with it now, before they were stuck together in space for a prolonged period. "Sure, lead the way."

---

Over the spray of the shower, Alythra heard the bathroom door open. A shape distorted by the frosted glass of the fresher stepped through and the Zeltron smirked. "Good morning, Mr. Halfri. I hope you don't mind I use your fresher. Though, I see no reason why you can't join me, if you so desire," She suggested, though she doubted it was necessary. He knew full well knew the fresher could easily fit three. Back arched to rinse the shampoo from her hair, she tempted him with a silhouette that exaggerated her curves.

Anticipating his offer, Alythra preempted him, "I am afraid I cannot extend our contract past this hour. I have another appointment to make this afternoon."

 

[LeaT]

Jiljoo's Cabin
Jiljoo and Nykei

"Sure. Not that I need a reason to drink."

It was Jiljoo's turn to laugh, though it was a bit more uncertain than the pilot's. Alone with Nykei it might be noticed that her use of galactic basic was natural and easy. She did however have trouble fully following the lack of context when speaking with lekku-less species such as humans. Still it was clear enough that her offer of a drink was not going to be refused, that would make things at least a little easier.

"There is a reason I don't race anymore,"

Twi'lek's don't blush, at least not obviously so but Jiljoo's lekku rung together like nervous fingers which was something a kin to asking forgiveness. She did pick up on the finger flexing of the prosthetic arm, not that she needed reminding of why she wanted to talk to her.

"Sure, lead the way."

Relieved that she would have an opportunity to talk, Jiljoo's smile turned a bit happier. Her white teeth seemed to sparkle behind her full blue lips.

With hands full of glass and bottle, Jiljoo seemingly without thought or difficulty used her lekku to open the door and waited for Nykei to proceed her. Her cabin was little more than a narrow corridor with cabinets on one side and a bed on the other. A small counter had the usual personal items and one or two pictures of blue hued twi'lek's and one set off as if it were part of a mini-shrine that her guest would quite likely recognize if she looked closely enough. Jiljoo motioned for Nykei to sit at one end of her bed as she sat at the other. It allowed some small space between them as she extended the bottle to pour her guest another drink, then refilling her own before placing the bottle on the counter and retrieving the shrine photo.

"You recognize Val don't you?"

She asked, not very certain of just how well she would have known her betrothed, before he had nearly killed Nykei along with himself in their last race. She was nervous, not at all certain of what Nykei's reaction might be.

"He didn't want to do it...I thought you should know."

Jiljoo's lekku seemed almost confused as if they didn't even know how to express the swirls of emotions running through her heart and mind. Tears began to form in her large dark eyes.

"The Hutt...told him he would buy me and hurt me. We were betrothed, he said the money would buy my freedom. I...I couldn't talk him out of it."

Her words were sincere, or a very convincing act. Jiljoo began to weep, her head hung low as she hugged the picture to her breasts.

 

[breakingcounsel]

Kameron wandered through the crew commons, hands thrust into his pants pockets. His green gaze flirted over the females as they disappeared into Jiljoo’s small quarters, and he paused, a curious expression crossing his handsome face. Deciding that their privacy was important, he left them alone despite being curious. Shrugging it away, he headed aft, towards the engine compartment.

Kam rapped his knuckles on the bulkhead by the entryway to the engine room, smiling as he looked at the (mild) disarray that Larasen called his “method.” He imagined that Nykei’s swoop garage had probably looked similar, since Larasen had been her mechanic before they joined. “Still tinkerin’ away? Why not let the droids work on it a bit? You’ve been back here the entire cruise.”

 

[Xanaphia]

The picture on Jiljoo's dresser made Nykei frown. She did recognize the young man, but her recillections were colored by a mangled corpse and fiery crash. Mexhanical fingers tightened into a fist, phantom pain gripping her arm and mind.

Nykei gathered the twi'lek in her arms. Guilty that she mourned her potential career while a real person had loat their life. Nykei xould even say she would have made a different desicion in his place. "I am sorry for your loss," she whispered, stroking the length of a lekku.

"I don't blame him, or you," Nykei assured her. "Ghoutta robbed us, and we will find a way to make him pay. I promise you that." Arm wrapped around Jiljoo, Nykei lead her out of the ship. "Come on. Lets takes our mind odf it for now with sone shopping."

 

[TheCorsair]

Meanwhile, in the Coruscant residence of Iantho Halfri...

Sev paused in the entrance to the fresher, enjoying the sight of water cascading over crimson skin. As he did her posture changed slightly, better displaying her charms to his gaze. “Good morning, Mr. Halfri,” she purred, arching her body as she washed her hair, “I hope you don't mind I use your fresher.”

“But of course,” he replied, watching her performance, “it is my pleasure.”

She looked at him, and there was a clear invitation in her gaze. “Though, I see no reason why you can't join me, if you so desire.”

He smiled at that, stepping into the fresher. Needles of near-scalding water lashed his body, causing old scars to stand out white against his flushed skin. “I think,” he said slowly, “that I do desire that.”

Her hand rested on his chest, holding him back. “I am afraid I cannot extend our contract past this hour. I have another appointment to make this afternoon."

“Only an hour?” He made a pretense of considering that. Then he pressed her back, pinning her between the tile of the fresher and his own hard body. “Well then,” he murmured against her lips, hands exploring her curves, “I suppose I’ll have to work quickly...”

Despite his words, he didn’t move quickly at all. Instead, he let his lips follow the path of the water as it flowed down her body. Tiny kisses and bites traced a line along the curve of one breast and down her stomach as he slowly dropped to his knees before her. “How much of that hour do I have left?” he teased as he kissed his way over her thigh. “Enough to feel you climax on my tongue?” He traced the lips of her slit, tasting her arousal as he did.

Unheard over the hissing of the water, , the front door opened. Two stern men in black uniforms entered, eyes sweeping the front room as they held plaster pistols at the ready. “This so-called Halfri should still be here,” one said. “Shoot to stun.”

 

[LeaT]

Jiljoo and Nykei in Jiljoo's quarters.

If Nykei had never been this close to a twi'lek before she would quickly notice the intense heat of Jiljoo's body. If she were human she would seem feverish but this was perfectly normal with her species' high metabolism. She returned the human girl's embrace with one of her own. The contrast of Nykei's feminine form with her mechanical arm gave the grieving twi'lek a strange but not unpleasant sensation. Twi'leks were a passionate race but Jiljoo was not one to dwell on her grief, it had just been difficult to talk to someone who had been so close to it herself. Stroking of lekku was an intimate act and Jiljoo shuddered slightly at the intensity of it even as the hard fingers of her prosthetic pulled her closer.

When their embrace ended Jiljoo seemed relieved and wiped away her tears. She smiled, more genuinely now that the ice was broken between them. When Nykei mentioned making Ghoutta pay her face became more serious. "Yes, it is well past time that I collect Val's winnings, with interest." Her tone very different than the somewhat naturally subservient dancer that had won such diverse attentions five years ago.

"I'd love to!" She said as her serious tone melted away as quickly as it had appeared. "But wait." She held the other girl back before leaving her quarters. "Do you have a weapon? Coruscant is not as safe as the Empire would have you think." She opened one of her drawers that was mostly empty except for a small array of weapons, all small and easily concealed. Jiljoo didn't wear much in the line of clothing and pulled out the smallest of her collection. "It won't win a firefight, but I won't be taken so easily again." She said, referring to her short but unpleasant experience as a slave.

 

[Xanaphia]

Iantho Halfri's Estate

Alythra enjoyed Iantho's attention, spreading herself for his skilled tongue. They had shared Miko last night, eating her out at the same time and kissing, and, based on the climax the professional reached, Alythra had hoped she too could sample his technique.

Her senses stopped her from completely melting into his ministrations, warning her of some intrusion. Was someone else here? Perhap's Iantho's wife? There were images of a lovely lavender-skinned near human on the walls, and Alythra had her suspicions. "Wait," she murmured under rasping breaths and the streaming of the shower. He didn't hear her, and when his teeth grazed her clit, she could no longer care, losing herself in a glorious climax. Her wordless cry filled the bathroom, and likely the rest of the penthouse.

Just as her rapture peaked, so did the warnings in her mind. Still, riding the waves of release, she could hardly bring herself to care as the bathroom door burst open. She didn't bother covering herself from the intruders, nor did they avert their gaze, getting an eyeful of the curvy Zeltron, spread wide open for Iantho. "Under the authority of His Imperial Majesty, you both are under arrest for tresspassing and identity theft. Surrendor with your hands up or, or we will use force."

Alythra graoped for the knob to turn off the water, quite she she'd misheard the interlopers. They wore official uniforms, and had all the trappings of law enforcement, but she found it hard to believe this were real. She was a Zedanadal, after all, not a criminal. A peace officer herself, though she had no authority to enforce the law anywhere but Zeltron. Still, she followed instructions, hoping to get this mess situated. "We will comply, officers, but surely you must be mistaken. We are not trespassers here." Her voice carried weight, trasforming the statement into a suggestion to be followed. One of the men lowered his blaster.

"You're not trespassers," he agreed, voice hallow, and features slightly confused.

The other man kept his blaster trained on them. "Iantho Halfri reported suspicious charges on his credit acocunt, and unauthorized access to his penthouse."

"Mr. Halfri invited me to spend last with him," Alythra insisted. She was still nude and dripping wet, in both senses of the word.

"Mr. Halfri is offworld, currently," The officer insisted, "If this man invited you, he did so under false pretenses."

---

The Lucky Hand

Nykei shook her head, and patted the blaster on her hip. "I'm always armed, when I can get away with it. And even when I can't get away with carrying a weapon, I have a back up," She raised her mechanical fist at that, figuring the twi'lek would get the hint. Not that she blamed Jiljoo for her concern. Nykei knew all about that sort of anxious weariness.

Together, they meandered through the shopping district of Coruscant, without a real destination in mind. Nykei found herself in front of a swoop shop, admiring the latest Zephyr-G model. Hanging on the wall was a sun-faded advert, one she remembered modeling for when she first broke into the professional league. She hardly recognized herself, dolled up in a ridiculous get up, and still intact. But damn, she loved that bike. Turning, she walked away, hopefully before Jiljoo took notice. "Was there anything you wanted to check out?"

 

[TheCorsair]

"Gentlemen," Sev declared, keeping his hands up as he slowly rose. Fuck! This was not what he was in the mood for right now. "There must be some mistake."

The officer on the left shifted his aim, keeping him covered. "We've been in contact with the real Iantho Halfri - he's on Patagor right now. There's no mistake."

"And I tell you that there is!" Sev replied, Trying to sound terrified and insistent. The terrified part wasn't difficult, at least. Not stark naked with an Imperial blaster centered on his breastbone. "I've been the victim of identity theft before, sir," he continued. "Agents of the so-called 'Phoenix Cell' attempted to pose as me to obtain access to accounts in the Corporate Sector, not two years ago." A fact about the real Halfri that he'd discovered on his first night posing as the man, and which had led him to wonder about the man's political affiliations. "But I can show you my bona fides, my Imperial ID coded with my biometrics. If I man..?"

The last question was accompanied by a gesture towards the rest of the house. The two officers glanced at each other, and Sev felt his confidence boost at the little nod they gave. "All right," said the man covering him. "You go first. Walk slowly, and keep your hands visible at all times."

"What about her?" asked the other one, nodding at Alythra.

"Keep her covered," his partner decided. "And don't get too close. She could be an accomplice."

"Could you let her put her robe on, at least?" Sev asked.

"After he checks it out," said the officer covering him. "You. Move."

Feeling exposed - perfectly natural, since he was stark naked - Sev led the officer out into the master bed suite. "I keep my identification in my safe when I'm at home," he explained, walking across the room. "It's mounted in the wall, there. May I put my hands down to unlock it?"

"No funny business," the officer warned.

"No, no, of course not," Sev assured him. "I want nothing more than to demonstrate that I'm telling the truth. That's all." He keyed in the access code, and the safe opened. Of course it did. He'd cracked the passcode with a couple of hours of work, the first day he'd been here. Iantho had invested in a good safe, but he'd picked a terrible code. "Just a moment..." His hand closed on the grip of his disruptor and he dropped to the ground, rolling as he did. Caught off guard by the sudden movement, the officer had no time to react as a power bolt slammed into his chest, burning cloth and skin and melting armor and sending ionizing radiation ripping through his organs even as it blasted a fist-sized crater in his chest. Sev shot him twice more as he fell, for good measure.

"What was that?" his partner barked, glancing out of the bathroom door and then pulling back in as Sev blasted a molten hole in the doorframe. Then it was Sev's turn to dodge and roll as the man returned fire wildly, bracketing the room with streaks of bloody light. "Officer down!" the man shrieked, thumbing his comlink as he fired. "Officer down! Need backup! Need backup n..." His voice cut off with a sudden wet ripping sound as Sev shot him in the head, cooking his brains with the disruptor bolt.

"Shit," Sev swore, jerking open the closet. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" He began tugging on his pants. "Zedanadal Alythra," he called as he fastened them and began dragging on a shirt, "I suggest you dress quickly. Typical Imperial response protocols mean that their backup will be here in..." he thought, "four minutes at most. And I don't intend to be here." He glanced in at the shocked Zeltron woman, and grinned. "I assure you that no harm will come to you, and I'll continue to pay your standard fee. But, I'm afraid you will need to serve as my hostage until we evade the Snowmen." Offering an apologetic shrug, he began pulling on one knee-high boot. "On Coruscant at least, they're reluctant to fire when the escapee has a hostage."

Shrugging on his greatcoat, he grabbed a duffel bag and jammed his disruptor into its holster. "There's no time tocall a cab, I'm afraid. We'll just take their car."

 

[LeaT]

Jiljoo tucked the small blaster into her ample cleavage and headed out for what she hoped would be a carefree shopping trip with Nykei. She was curious about her hint about a 'back up' but let it go for the time being, they had some long trips ahead of them and plenty of time to be curious then. "Will you help me pick out some clothes? It's been a little while since I have been able to choose what I wear." She loved the other girls style as she caught up and took her mechanical hand, having a certain fascination with it as they walked.

Jiljoo had much more eyes for clothes than swoop bikes but she noticed Nykei lingering on a faded advertisement. It didn't take long for her to recognize her friend on the poster. She pulled Nykei back by her hand, Jiljoo was a physical woman and wasn't afraid to use her dancer's strength for more than dancing. "Sexy! And I'm not talking about the bike." She told her friend as she looked at her face to face, the poster still visible over her shoulder. She enjoyed having another girl to hopefully be friends with on the ship. She hadn't had a close girlfriend since Alythra, back when she was dancing because she wanted to, not because she had no choice.

 

[kckolbe]

Larasen gave Kam a bit of a wishy-washy head bobble as he considered his answer. "Well, the 'maintenance droid' I built isn't really a droid in the sense that it doesn't have any autonomy. It's hooked in to the ship's systems and basically keeps track of any issues going on, and I can give it commands on what to do, but it won't fix anything on its own since it lacks the heuristic processor. It's not ideal, but I haven't ever worked with freighters and didn't have any maintenance droids on me at the time when I joined the crew. I could build a proper astromech droid for you, but it would be kind of expensive, also might result in me losing a job."

 

[Xanaphia]

Her companion's explanation to the agents comforted Alythra. Clearly, this was all a mistake, and he'd have it settled shortly. Too bad this interruption would deny them a chance enjoy each other again, but they could always reunite the next time she returned to Coruscant. That was worth looking forward to.

Ever gallant, Iantho even tried to negotiate for clothing on her behalf. Alythra appreciated the sentiment, even though her nudity was of no concern. The agents seemed more uncomfortable than she was.

That discomfort turned what was likely little over a minute into a drawn-out ordeal, becoming Alythra's discomfort as dripping skin cooled off. The agent checked the robe hanging on the door behind him, and almost moved to hand it to her, when blaster fire echoed in from the adjoining bedroom. Her client and the agent exchanged fire, but all Alythra could do was press herself into the wall. What had happened? There was no time to find out, as a shot hit true and the agent slumped over

Her first instinct was to rush to the injured man, administer first aid, do whatever it took to keep the man alive. BUt he wasn't injured, not in any way she could assist in. Not with the burned hole in the skull. Nausea roiled in her gut, the scent of seared flesh particularly strong to the sensitive Zeltron.

Her client -which was the only way she could refer to him, given she had no idea who he was- casually laid out his plan, including a nonchalant bit about taking her hostage.

Despite her shock, her training kicked in, keeping her calm even as she feared for her life. He might have assured her that no harm would come to her, but he lied with the same ease as breathing, so it was best to assume she couldn't trust him.

Step one: de-escalate the situation. So long as tensions ran high, the subject was prone to making snap decisions. As long as she provided him with a means of escape, she was safe. So she complied, her dress simple enough to slip into, and she was dressed before he was. Her shoes, stiletto heels, would prove more hindrance than helpful, so she carried them with her, joining him in the agents' speeder.

Step two: active listening, to develop a rapport. "You've got a hostage," she said, in a slow, even tone, "but that's not an escape plan in itself. What do you hope to accomplish in fleeing?"

---

"Sexy! And I'm not talking about the bike."

Nykei snickered, and perhaps even blushed, though she'd deny it to her last breath. "It was a long time ago. Just some silly pictures I took, so they'd sponsor me. And trust me, that bike was sexy." Now she laughed, fondly. "She'd hit 120 KPH in two seconds, and reached 300 KPM on the track."

The memory turned sour, as she recalled how badly a crash at those speeds could go. And Jiljoo knew, all too well. Dammit, this was supposed to get their minds off tragedy!

"I can show you want I like to wear," Nykei offered, turning away from the bike shop more forcefully this time, "but I only dress this way because I don't have your gorgeous curves. Though, if you aren't interested in showing those off, I understand."

 

[LeaT]

"You were very good." Jiljoo said as she let her friend go, not wanting to dwell too long on something that was still obviously very painful for her. The twi'lek kept an easy conversation with the human though she either whispered or reverted to her halting and heavily accented galactic base whenever others were about. She eyed any passers by rather carefully as if any one of them might try to drag her into forced servitude once again. She did seem to find some comfort in the 'snow men' as some called them. Not that she had any real love for the Empire, just that she thought it was less likely anyone would cause trouble in their presence.

"Maybe we could each pick a few things for each other, then try them on?" She offered, wanting to get her mind off swoop bike racing as well. As they got back into clothes Jiljoo began to eye up Nykei's well toned body all the more. "You have a gorgeous body, I wouldn't be afraid to show it off at all." She told her with obvious sincerity and enthusiasm. She began to pull things together that she thought her friend would look good even if not quite what Nykei might choose for herself. "I don't mind showing off a bit myself, but need a little space to conceal a blaster or two." Jiljoo preferred to look helpless, wanting others to underestimate her so she might use some element of surprise on them. After she had a few outfits she pulled Nykei towards a dressing room. "Let's save time by changing together." She offered with a small giggle, she was eager to see Nykei in more (well less) than just a new outfit.

 

[breakingcounsel]

Kam chuckled softly at Larasen’s carefully worded answer. He looked up from where he’d been fidgeting with a spare part, examining the mechanic. “Well, I guess we better either buy one with whatever our contact’s paying, or find the parts to build one, yeah?” The would-be smuggler reached into a pocket on his jacket and pulled out a mini datapad, which he had slaved to the Lucky Hand’s security cams soon after getting it. He flicked through a couple cam views, then stiffened. “Damn. Stormies checking the exterior,” he muttered. “Not sayin’ anything’s gonna happen yet... but get ready, alright?”

Kam tucked the ‘pad back into his jacket, then put on his most charming smile and headed for the boarding ramp. The hatch irised open as he lowered it, two white-armored humans awaiting him at the foot. “What can I do for ya, guys?” he said, trying to ignore the slight prickle he felt on the back of his neck. He wasn’t exactly sure what that was; usually, when he felt that, something bad was about to happen, and he always trusted his gut with things like that. “We’re just doin’ some repairs while the gals are out shoppin’, then we’ll be gone.”

“Identification and ship registration,” snapped the one trooper. An orange pauldron signified that this was a commander. “Coruscant Security is looking for a vessel matching this description.”

 

[TheCorsair]

“What I hope to achieve,” Sev said as he climbed into the speeder, “is to disappear into the lower levels of Coruscant without getting arrested.” He occupied himself for a moment as he familiarized himself with the controls. Fortunately, they weren’t too different from most civilian models he’d flown. “For identity theft at this level, I’m staring down ten years hard labor. And that’s assuming that they somehow don’t connect me with my previous, uhm,” he considered his next word. “Exploits.”

Slender fingers worked over the console, drawing a rising whine from the engines as he brought them to life. “But, as I said, you’ve no need to fear for your safety. Your status as a hostage is a pure formality, and I shall release you once we are able to evade pursuit.” He pulled back on the yoke, letting the speeder rise gently from the landing platform. “Which I intend to do by descending by a few dozen levels, in a random m block, disembarking and allowing this good speeder to depart on autopilot.”

Pushing the yoke forward, the speeder shot forward and downward into the flow of traffic. “From there I can escort you to a place of safety, or allow you to make your own arrangements.”

“Unit FZ-1486,” The speeder’s com broke in, “we have a support team inbound. Please... wait. Who are you?”

“Hm,” he frowned, switching the com off. “That was faster than I expected.” He glanced around, grimacing as he saw two more speeders and a Clone Wars vintage LAAT/I that had been repurposed as a police transport changing vector to intercept. “Hold on,” he said, throwing the speeder into a dive and gunning the engine. “This might get a little exciting.”

 

[LeaT]

Outside the Lucky Hand

The two troopers were soon joined by a uniformed woman with insignia of the Imperial Customs Office. She had all the confidence and bearing of a minor government bureaucrat with two armed troopers at her disposal. "I am Lieutenant Kara Starglow of the Imperial Customs Service. How long have you owned this ship...Captain?" She asked, as if Kam were not quite who she had been expecting. She stood with her back straight, hands clasped behind her back, which had the effect of pressing her rather large breasts a little tighter into her uniform blouse. She had a blaster at her side, but it seemed the furthest thing from her mind as such dirty work would easily be handled by her escort. She inspected the registration when it was provided, making a few notes on her own pad before slipping it back into her belt. "You don't mind if I take a look around do you Captain?" Her tone suggesting he didn't really have much choice in the matter.

"Is anyone else on board?" She asked Kam as she returned his credentials in an almost dismissive fashion as she headed up the ramp. She paused and turned to the troopers. "You two keep an eye out from here, no one comes or goes without my permission." Kara led the way, as if she were perfectly familiar with the layout of this rather typical freighter. "What was your last Port of Call?" She asked, though it didn't appear that she cared that much about the answer. "What are you carrying now?" It was all rather mundane until she came to a medium sized access panel. "And what do you have for me?" She asked expectantly, as if this had all been pre-arranged and she was merely waiting for them to open the panel.

She looked as if she was about to lose her patience with the situation when her com link crackled to life. "We got to go Lieutenant, there's been an incident. Are you OK on your own?" She thought for a moment, suddenly worried about not having the upper hand with people she clearly thought not entirely trustworthy. She should really leave with the troopers but she didn't want her 'package' to get away. "Yes, I'm fine here, come back when you have the incident secured." She said, doing her best to keep her voice confident and in charge.