Log:Frauds In Low Places

An opportunist knocks. There's no rules down there.

OOC Date: July 23, 2017
Location: Night Market, Ko Hentata, Nar Shaddaa
Participants: Stavros as GM and himself, Ax, Krackor, and Siya

The Night Market positively bubbles. There are the cauldrons kept piping hot by 'medicine people' hawking the effectiveness of their forbidden elixirs that cures what ails you - Coruscanti doctors _hate_ them! There are the suspiciously big-ticket items at low, low prices - a souped-up swoop bike repulsorlift engine, snazzy on the outside and with fantastic specifications- are its innards still there? Groups of beggar children of many diverse races with sob stories aplenty flit through the bazaar, and if one is trying to get your attention, two behind you are picking your pocket.

One Zeltron in a long black duster, green shirt, dark denim pants, and durasteel-toed boots, is strolling rather than closely examining any one item. His left hand is rarely far from DL-44 on his gunbelt. With a half-smile, he takes in the sights and sounds - amd smells, but the smells aren't the reason he's smiling. (The Zeltron is Stavros, natch.)

Siya has actually dressed down coming to this district. She does not wear her typical Zeltron-approved garments in a district such as this. That would be like begging slavers to capture her and whisk her away! She has opted for a more casual garment today. It is an olive green wrap around robe and a yellow cloth to go over her head. The dust and smog in the area force her to cover her face, really only leaving her hands and eyes exposed to be viewed.

She walks to a particular vendor that is a rather lanky one-eyed human. Quiet tones are whispered and a trade is made.

When one needed components for old military hardware, it was often difficult to come across. One often needed to go places where the sellers had little respect for general laws and didn't mind making a few coins selling ill-gotten goods. Of course, being a smuggler himself, Ax has little problem with such things, and the man truly loved his toys. Unfortunately, his TIE Avenger had a faulty servo in the cockpit's yaw controls. Seinar didn't exactly sell components of their military hardware to the civilian market, especially for their more advanced ships of the Galactic Civil War. Hence, the Echani was wandering the night market, looking for some either salvaged goods or something he could make due with.

Ax was wandering the stalls, looking like the wealthy and well-armed bastard that he was. Eyes keeping constant watch over his surroundings, as this wasn't the safest place, yet he likely had little to seriously worry about.

Krackor Reincus strolls into the Night Market; the cigara held in his mouth trailing a thin wisp of smoke behind him as he moves. He walks with no clear purpose, stopping at random stalls to idly browse before moving along. He slips through a crowd of begger children, keeping one hand close to his blaster as he goes.

Stavros isn't looking too closely at the goods. He's watching the people, and Ax sticks out like a particularly pointy sore thumb with silver nails. He purses his lips as he thinks, but slips through the crowds until he's next to the armored guy whom people are, for some reason, trying not get too close to. "Long time no see. Ax, right? Stavros. I'm not sure we've met since- well, there was a time on a casino in space on a warship," the Zeltron says drily.

One of the children near Krackor holds up two hands, with wide eyes- a universal gesture asking for pity and charity. "Pleez," begs the Rodian juvenile. He tries again in Huttese, which he speaks a little better.

The one-eyed man Siya has just done business with leans a bit forward to whisper to her, eyes shifting towards the largest circular tent in this part of the market. There's a fat Twi'lek standing at a table, with a Gamorrean guard holding a long axe in his hands with a blaster at his side, offering games of "chance" for customers and simultaneously selling rigged dice, easily-rigged pieces for shell games, and Sabacc card skifters. The combination doesn't hurt his business as much as it should.

<Private> The one-eyed man whispers to Siya, "Stay away from Rak today." The casino Twi'lek." He looks- too happy." Then he nods and goes back to waiting for customers.

Siya places a few coin in the palm of the man's hand, taking a small chip from him. With the whispered words, the bartender shifts her gaze towards the fat Twi'lek. Her eyes divert when the man glances her way. "Thank you Sortu." She pulls back from him, slipping the chip into a fold of her robes before turning to walk away. As she turns, she pauses. What was Ax and Stavros doing here? She watches with those ice blue eyes as the men as they draw closer.

Ax chuckles, as Stav makes his comments. "Of course I remember. Zeltrons tend to be hard to forget." He looks over the man for a moment. "How are things? Don't suppose you've come across any Seinar advanced components around here, have you? I'd really rather not have to go deal with the bastards on Jakku with their ship graveyard."

Glancing about, Ax spots yet another Zeltron, Siya. He gives her a quick nod before looking back towards Stavros. For now, Krackor goes unnoticed amongst the crowds, not that Ax knew the man anyway. "What are you looking for down here? There's a guy selling knock-off Blastech guns, probably made by some subsidiary of czerka, and likely to melt in your hand. I'd steer clear."

Krackor tests his Spot skill at a 80 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-20).

"Beat it, kid." Krackor says, pushing his way past the Rodian child. Just that moment, he feels tiny hands tugging at him. "Hey what the!" he yells, spinning just in time to see the mob of little thieves go dashing away with his spare credit pouch. "Get back here you little rats!" he yells, pushing away from the stall and giving chase.

"'fraid not. I don't have any Seinar models myself." Stavros continues a leisurely walk, still watching the crowd. "I'm good. Recently returned. Places like this, you can feel the hope, the greed, the desperation- it's like all of Nar Shaddaa compressed into a shot glass." For a Zeltron, anyway. "You know what? I actually heard the Gamorrean over there- the one by the Twi'lek as fat as he is? He's supposed to know where to get exotic things." Stavros shrugs. "If you call him Kal, he knows you mean business. I can't recommend him," Stavros cautions. "Anybody who sticks that close to Rak worries me." His wish of good luck in his search for TIE parts is interrupted by three children running into his legs. He immediately grabs at his pockets, to double-check, then watches them go. His annoyance is obvious, but a bit tempered: "That was me once. Siya, is that you?" Only her eyes are showing; a man might have doubts.

The children have a decent head start and they know where they're going, but their legs are short. If Krackor can grab the right one, he's got this! Which one's got it, though?

Siya takes in a deep breath before letting it out. She steps forward, looking to Stavros. "Yes. Hi.." She greets both of the men. This is not a normal place that Siya would be. She glances to Ax, "How did you know it was me?" She can't help but to be curious. She steps forward just in time to cross paths with Krackor as he comes to run by them. "OOF!" She yelps out and is knocked over by the running man. She falls to the ground, sprawling out on the ground. The bright yellow headpiece falls off to expose her face and her hair. By now the fat Twi'lek and his guard are looking in their direction. Her chip that was in her robee skitters out and to the feet of the Gammorrean.

"Definitely a lot of desperation, but that holds true for most of Nar Shaddaa. It's almost overwhelming if you are sensitive to such things, which I'm sure you must be." As the children run past, he just chuckles. "I'm guessing that someone's pocket just got lighter," the Echani adds with a grin. He knew better than to keep his money within easy grasp, his credit case tucked into the breastplate of his armor. "But, if they're lucky, those street rats will at least eat tonight, providing they don't get robbed."

Looking to Siya, "Well.. To be honest, I could smell you." There was likely more to it than that, but not something he wanted to go into. "And, I made an educated guess." Then, she's on her ass and Ax is leaning forward to offer her a hand up. There was little he could do about the credit chip, at least openly.

Krackor tests his Run skill at a 80 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-6).

Krackor gives chase, gradually closing the distance between himself and the fleeing urchins. He does his best to weave and shove his way through the crowded market as he pursues and for a moment it looks like he's going to catch up to the little brats. And then the robed figure steps in front of him and they collide. With a shout, Krackor becomes tangled up with Siya and they both go tumbling to the ground. "Hey watch it!" he yells, scrambling to his feet to scan the crowd for the children. "Dammit. I almost had 'em!" he says, glaring down at the woman.

Stavros is as surprised as Siya is when Krackor runs into her. "Are you-" He starts to ask if Siya's all right, but Ax is already there to check and help- and he notices the chip that heads right towards Trouble.

Krackor's shouting distracts him yet again, eyes narrowing. "Watch yourself. It can be an expensive lesson." He stares at Krackor's face, hard, looking visibly less angry or perturbed or upset. "Man, your face looks _so_ familiar." He scratches the back of head with his right hand. "Have we met?"

And Rak the fattest of twi'leks leans forward over his table at the chip. He points at it, and Kal the gamorrean guard obediently starts forward, heading towards the shiny to fetch it as instructed. He's only just started moving, though, and he's a Gamorrean in a perfectly safe situation. He's not hustling.

Siya tests her Acrobatics skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (11).

Siya doesn't seem to really pay attention to Krackor as he chastises her for walking into his path. She simply hops up and dusts herself down, promptly shoving her hand into the pocket where her chip was. Her eyes go wide and she spins around. "I need that.." It is all she says and suddenly the woman is moving.. fast. She does this leap, tuck, roll which is a little sloppy at the end. Her red hand reaches out to grasp at the chip, grabbing at it right before the Gamorrean grasps at it. "Sorry.. mine.." Then she promptly rolls in an effort to get out of the large beast's range.

Ax tests his Telekinesis skill at a 100 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-7).

Following Stav's gaze, Ax spots the cred chip, and with a flick of his hand in its general direction, nothing happens of course, it wasn't as if he were some sort of space wizard. Since it was obvious that Siya didn't need his help getting up, he looks towards Krackor. "Best recommendation, take the loss and move on. Catching those kids might be more expensive than you can know. Few thieves, even the kids, operate without wardens here."

Ax watches as Siya does her thing, getting to her credit chip in time. "I wouldn't get too grabby, big guy. I'd hate for you to make a choice you regret," he says towards the Gamorrean.

Krackor continues to glare at the woman for a moment before finally turning his head to Stavros; giving the man a once-over as he speaks. "Its possible. You look like someone who might have shot at me recently." He turns his attention to Ax, offering a shrug at the other man's words. "Yeah well they didn't get much. I guess they'll get to eat tonight." he grumbles, reaching up to run a hand through his hair.

The gamorrean who sometimes goes by Kal pauses as Siya grabs the chip. He looks back to Rak, the size of any three other twi'leks, whose lekku rustle as his eyes narrow slightly. He stares at Siya grabbing desperately for the chip, then he smiles for a moment, showing off his sharp teeth. With a suddenness surprising for a fellow of his girth, he points at Siya while leaning over on his table and shouts, "THIEF!"

The nearby market shoppers try to get away from where Rak is pointing as quickly as they can, while the gamorrean drops his axe to better lunge at Siya. Some of the nearby vendors grab their weapons: against stealing from their own at their market, they stand relatively united.

Stavros is still facing Krackor, looking the other way. "I don't remember shooting at you. I think I'd remember." He smooths the hair on head out a bit. "If someone was paying me to. Or if it was on purpose." He looks at the shoppers separating out and the vendors with knives and guns. "Shit. That's gonna suck for somebody." Krackor, being in front of Stavros, has a full view of what's _actually_ going on over there.

Siya tests her Dodge Melee skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (7).

Siya goes a bit wide-eyed. "No! No no no.. I.." She lets out a yelp as the large pig-creature makes a lunge at her. "This is mine! I dropped it! I swear!" She leaps back, Kal grabbing her yellow head piece and ripping it from her. Her long blue hair cascade down her back. Sensations of impending violence from all around her just swarm her senses. "Uh oh.." Still, she holds onto that chip, not willing to give it up.

Ax tests his Protecting Wave skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (44).

Ax tests his Intimidate skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (7).

Ax mutters a curse in Echani as Siya's called out as a thief in such a fashion. That was likely to mean trouble. With a bit of will and some effort, he offers a bit of protection to Siya. Anyone that strikes Siya is going to get a rather nasty surprise, hopefully keeping them from continuing such actions.

His hand goes towards the modified pistol at his side, bringing it to bear. "She's no thief," Ax calls out in a loud tone. "Just reclaiming what she dropped, nothing more. If you insist upon trouble, I am afraid you will find it in spades."

Krackor watches the scene begin to play out with Siya and the Gamorrean. Stavros' words go unheard as another shout of thief goes out and beings all around them start drawing weapons. Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal. But with Siya being within his general area, it means blasters were also being pointed in his direction. Reaching down to unsnap the blaster holstered on his right thigh, he nods in the direction behind Stavros. "Ah, might wanna turn around, fella. Things might be about to get hairy."

The Twi'lek makes a show of pulling his goods on his tables towards him, to 'protect' them from Siya. Most of the other vendors hesitate - not because Siya's protesting, of COURSE she would protest - but because she's being backed up by someone in heavy armor who's drawn a gun. In fact, so has that human over there. What if Rak is just using them?

At least three people do not hesitate: one with a carbine, under a tent across from Rak's own tables; another with a heavy blaster pistol, a few vendors away; and Kal himself, he stumbles back, grabs his ax off the ground, and charges Siya- and then starts squealing in pain as he almost reaches her. It's like razor blades have sawed at his skin, and bleeding becomes obvious from his arms, even though the leather atop them is not even broken. With an angry wail, he takes a big swing at Siya- and his momentum is going to carry him all the way into the area he doesn't realize is protected. This is going to hurt the Gamorrean a _lot_, Ax recognizes- but it might hurt Siya too.

The two gunmen scowl at the sudden melee. Kal is in their way. He's Rak's guard. They shouldn't- "Shoot, you fools!" Rak shouts. Okay, they _should_ shoot! One shot hits the Gamorrean full-on as he starts to block Siya; the other is more on target.

Stavros turns around at Krackor's suggestion, and sees that all hell has broken loose. He has no context except that Siya's being attacked and shot at- so he darts towards the one closest to him, who has a carbine.

Siya tests her Dodge Melee skill at a 50 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (20).

-(OOC)- Siya says, "buh" Siya tests her Dodge Ranged skill at a 50 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (15).

Siya tests her Run skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (28).

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (37).

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 110 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (97).

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 120 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-14).

Siya tests her Dodge Melee skill at a 14 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (48).

Siya suddenly goes wide-eyed as the Gamorrean creature suddenly recoils in pain. She is so confused. So utterly confused! Though, she does not take time to think on it! The chip gets shoved in her pocket and she spns on her heels to dart away! She is not armed, nor does she don armor. She doesn't even realize that Ax put up the protective shield around her! In a split incident, she darts away right before the blaster bolt hisses through the air. She darts around some crates as another blast strikes the wooden container, sending feathers and wooden debris up into the air. "Peace! PEace! STOP!" She yells out!

A chip comes sailing over the crates and back towards the direction of the fat Twi'lek.

A trio of blaster bolts pours out of the modified S-5 heavy pistol in Ax's hand. The first his well, the second an even more solid connection, the third, however, goes a bit wide and tears into the tent. "Get to cover, Siya!" he calls out, trying to take the Gamorrean down before that axe lands a solid hit upon the girl. His bit of protection didn't prevent her from damage, only caused anyone striking at her to instantly regret it.

The Gamorrean faired about as well as could be expected. Between the protecting shield of force and the pair of blaster bolts, the beast was taken out with haste. A smoldering corpse topples over with a crash, the impact of the heavy blaster having staggered him right into the Twi'lek's booth. Ax's blaster turns, looking towards what might be his next target. He didn't enjoy killing, but force often had to be met with force.

Krackor tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (21).

"I was just looking for work..." Krackor says as all hell breaks loose. Bringing his blaster up, he targets the pistol-wielding thug. "I wasn't looking for any excitement." He squeezes the trigger, sending a red blasterbolt screaming across the market. It finds its mark, slamming into the man and tinging the air with the scent of burnt flesh.

Rak rues his rash, greedy decision to get Siya's datachip by subterfuge when Kal's body topples through his first table, cracking the surface and splitting it in two. That takes his best cover from those crazy humans away, too! So he gets behind his _next table._ It's from there that he sees the datachip get tossed away from Siya's cover. He raises his voice. "Hold! She has returned my property! Out of generosity-" he says, looking towards Ax and Krakor and their weapons and his dead guard, "Let us forgive her trespass." All is well, right?

No, of course not. The vendor that Krackor shot shifts his aim to Krackor himself and pulls the trigger. "He kriffin' shot me!"

Stavros arrives at the vendor with the carbine, sliding over the table and tackling him into a chaotic little melee-slash-wrestling match behind his stall. It's not clear who's winning, but the carbine _has_ been knocked out of his hands and away.

Siya holds her hands out in a peaceful gesture. "There is no need for anyone to get hurt!" She says loudly. "Stop! I call peac! Stop!" She cringes as people are getting shot and the high emotions of the fight surround her. Suddenly her gaze flickers towards the man shooting at Krackor. She becomes intense on him, attempting to use her empathic abilities to stir feelings of remorse and guilt in holding up that gun.

A quick flick of the thumb sets Ax's pistol to stun, and he's launching a trio of blasts towards the man still firing. "Cut the crap out!" he says as he does so. "Weapons down!" Of course, he doesn't lower his.

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (1).

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 110 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (36).

Ax tests his Ranged:blaster pistols skill at a 120 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (62).

Krackor feels a moment of satisfaction as his shot hits the man. Perhaps more than a moment, because it distracts him enough to not notice the man's return shot. It hits him in the side, causing a nasty burn and earning pained shout. He raises his blaster again, but hesitates as Siya and Ax call for everyone to stop and the stun blasts take the man down. "Yeah, ok fine." he says, lowering his weapon but keeping it in his hand.

You test your Melee:unarmed skill at a 100 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-9).
 

Three stun blasts, on top of the blaster bolt already in his arm, sends the last gunman flying back and to the ground. He's unconscious, and maybe someone should check that that much stun damage didn't mess up his heartbeat.

After a few seconds without shooting, Rak sneaks out from his half-destroyed booth to pluck the datachip from the ground and carry it back to the imagined safety of his tent, where he slips it into a pocket. Kal is quite dead, and though Rak tries to push the Gamorrean off of his merchandise, he has little luck with it. No one else is jumping up to help him, either. Too much tension; too much 'unsure if Rak was trying to use them for his own gain.'

Over at the carbine-vendor's booth, Stavros and the would-be backup have rolled their way out into an aisle. For a while it seemed like Stavros had him, and then he ended up flipped over, caught by the other guy's legs while the other punched at him- blows he mostly blocked, but not all. He has a shiner.

When truce is declared, the vendor looks over to Rak and Siya. So does Stavros. The vendor looks up at Stavros and nods. Stavros nods back. The vendor releases his grip on Stavros with his leg. Stavros gets to his feet and offers the vendor a hand. The vendor takes it, and Stavros helps pull him up- right into a right hook. The Zeltron smirks a moment, then calls out "Siya, you okay?" He scrambles back over to ground zero of all this.

"This was one hell of a shopping trip, huh?" the Zeltron says, eyeing the bodies.

Siya comes out from her hiding place. Her hair has feathers and bits of wood in it and she is covered in dust. Her gaze flickers to the tent where Rak has departed and then back to Stavros. "Let's go.." She says softly. "Now." Her gaze flickers back to him. She looks for her head scarf which is under the bloodied, snotty head of the gamorrean. It's a lost cause and her nose crinkles up. Her gae turns to Ax and Krackor, "Thanks.. Come by the bar sometime. Free drinks.. at a minimum." She turns to scurry off whether the men are following or not.

Ax tests his Heal Another skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (53).

With the fighting over, Ax offers a hand out towards Krackor. "Thanks for the assist," he says. "The name is Ax. I run the Waywards Guild out of the Corellian Sector." As he speaks, a warmth emits from his hand and goes up Krackor's arm to the fresh blaster wound. Within seconds, the wound is healed, a fresh pink scar in its place. Ax then looks towards Siya. "You alright?" he asks the woman. "Don't want my wife's favorite bartender, next to Jerry the Droid, getting injured. I hope you didn't lose much in that chip."

Ax then diverts his attention to Stavros. "Yeah, never a dull moment in the undercity. Rarely a dull moment above, for that matter. Nar Shaddaa sucks, but business is good here if you know what you're doing."

As things die down, Krackor finally reholsters his blaster. He casts his gaze from Stavros to Siya, offering the woman a nod. "Can't say no to free drinks." he says. He then turns to Ax, accepting the man's hand with a nod. "The Waywards..." Krackor begins, but pauses as the tingling in his arm begins and the wound heals itself. His eyes focus on the other man and he nods again. "Thanks."

"Don't I know it," Stavros answers Ax. "Calling quits on this one, though. I have a feeling prices are ten times higher for us than they were six minutes ago, so-" Stavros shrugs. Stepping closer to both the Wayward and the job-seeker, Stavro says more quietly, "Thank you both for backing up Siya." He holds up his fist for whoever is first to make a bump happen. "I'm sorry I shot at you," he tells Krackor, pulling a datacard out of a pocket inside his coat. "Here's where you can reach me. I'll join for free drinks." With a final nod, he adds, "Don't be a stranger, Ax." At the conclusion of all pleasantries, he heads off to find Siya.

"Same, Stav," the Echani says, tapping fists with the man. He looks towards Krackor. "Her place is in the spaceport district, called Little Secret or something," he says. "I recommend we get the hell out of here though. Not sure we're welcome here anymore." As if that wasn't already understood. And, with that said, Ax makes his way towards an air-taxi terminal.

Krackor bumps the fist and takes the datacard. "No worries. It happens." he says, gesturing to the now-healed place he'd been shot. "I'll see you around." he directs it to everyone, stepping back and giving a final look around for those thieving urchins. Not finding any sign, he turns to make his way out of the market; giving the unconcious thug a good hard kick on his way by.