Log:Learning Hex-perience 1: I Know A Guy

Operatives run down leads on stolen cybernetic prostheses.

OOC Date: April 23, 2016
Location: Sand's End
Participants: Stavros (GM), Kelnas, Lowkeyyy, Kasia Ciph, Arcadia

Long story short: Arcadia's operatives seek a way to turn stolen cybernetics into a boon for the recently-dismembered Hex.

The whole story:

AT THE BLUE LIGHT MANAGER'S OFFICE:

Stavros says, "Our friend needs some cybernetic prostheses - he's had a rough time. I'll let Kel or Kasi explain. But we've got a perfect opportunity to help - if we can figure it out. Captain at a shipping company was getting drunk today and complained about ships going missing for no reason. His convoy was carrying cybernetics - a _lot_ of them."

"And we all know ships don't go missing for no reason. If they aren't already on the black market, they will be soon. We need to get them first." He pauses. "If you can find out where they are, who's handling them, if they have a cover, and who's providing it. These things are expensive," he warns. "If they weren't hidden somehow, everyone on the Moon would be grabbing for them already."

"Good luck."

Nodding to Stavros quietly, Kelnas sits back in his seat and seems to ponder for a long moment. "Kasia, you give the details, i need to think on this for a moment. got a couple ideas on who might be taking this stuff.." Placing a joint between his lips, Kelnas assumes his thinking posture. One leg over the arm of the chair, one arm along the back of it and Weed smoke rolling from his nostrils.

Lowkeyyy is of course just here for muscle work, he doesn't keep up with much of the underground stuff, were people asking about the cost of Duraplast or some such, the wookiee could answer that, so here he is, just listening, arms crossed over his chest and paying attention as the others talk, glancing from one to the next each time someone says something.

Kasia is here, from wherever it is she's been at, looking a bit tired, but much of the exhaustion is hidden beneath a well applied layer of makeup. Skills, man. "Okay," she nods to Kelnas a little, then looks around. "Hex was attacked by someone in the First Order. Someone with powers, I'm told." Who he is, or exactly what he is, it's all a bit foggy yet. "He's lost at least one leg, and one arm, and has burns over a huge portion of his body. They thought he was dead." She takes a moment to drink in a breath and do a poor job at hiding her anger. "He's not though, so--" she makes a vague gesture. "That's why he needs our help."

Considering for a long moment, kelnas murmurs softly to himself. "No...he's dead. Nnnno. he sells drugs. Fuck, I hope it's not her...oh, no. Exotic dancer now...Killed him, and him...." Falling silent once more, Kelnas takes a deep drag of the joint and holds his breath for a long moment then nods. "I think I know who to talk to."

ELSEWHERE:

Kelnas's contact doesn't have the information, but provides a place where answers are more likely. The existence of this speakeasy for dockworkers and a select few pilots is new to Kelnas, but it seems an ideal place to hear about shipping issues, now and in the future.

So it is that among some of the nigh-endless warehouses in the spaceport district, there is a certain corner. At that corner, one light above one side-door to a warehouse flickers, only intermittently alive. It is that light that shows where, allegedly, "Sand's End" makes its home.

There is no guard outside, but there is a thin opening in the door, about the right height for a human to look out and see who is there.

Whistling softly to himself as they group approaches the door, Kelnas approaches quietly, hands tucked in his pants pockets, he kicks the door with a steel toed boot. "Neighborhood temperance league...Have you seen her lately?"

Low really didn't know what he was getting into, whether this was going to be a combat situation or not, but the wookiee decided to go with his usual... nothing other than the weapons he carries. "Well that flickering light has me all freaked out..." He mutters under his breath

It's the rare occasion where Kasia isn't dressed too fancily, but she's learned, after having spent time with these guys. Don't wear anything too nice, there is usually blood, and it stains. Wear shoes you can move in, and that protect your toes, also pants are easier to run in. Which is what she's wearing now, tousers, boots, and a knit style shirt that is mostly hidden beneath her jacket. She stands back, letting Kelnas and Lowkeyyy take the lead on things, it's more exciting that way. Also if people start shooting, it's easier to hide. She opens her mouth to say something, but then there is door kicking, so she just steps to the side, waiting to see what happens next.

Sighing, Kelnas leans on the door. "I know it's closed, but I like to come by once in awhile and remember the Brethren, right? we used to work here together. It's a sentimental thing." he himself was dressed in black Fiber armor cargo pants, a white Shirt and a matching black Fiber armor 3/4 length coat.

"Yeah? At least somebody does." The gray eyes remain warily on the trio while the sound of locks being unlatched begins. It's a long process, even when done at high speed by practiced fingers. At least it _feels_ long, standing there underneath the flickering light, being watched.

Finally the door swings open. The goggled guard turns out to a tall human with pale skin and mismatched body armor and a heavy blaster pistol. His friends include a silent Rodian with a rifle aimed squarely at the doorway - which means, for a few seconds while entering, it's aimed at you. A tall gray-furred humanoid with a vibrosword rounds out the group. Goggles says, "Start trouble and you won't walk away from it." Long pause. "Of course, you know that already." They swing the door closed and begin securing it again.

Past the wall of stacked cargo crates is Sand's End. Some round tables, two long communal tables, and a short bar, with a red-skinned twi'lek serving the drinks. Everyone calls the bartender Sand, no matter who the bartender is on that particular day.

People are scattered about drinking. Noteworthy are the tall, muscular human woman lounging at one end of a communal table with a few hangers-on, looking bored, until she sizes you three up. The other most interesting individual is a male Cathar sitting along at a round table, nursing a beer and skimming a datapad. As you walk past the crates, he's saying, "-And her grandfather, too." As he finishes the joke without any trace of amusement on his face, most of the people in the room laugh. There's a nervousness to it."

Blasters pointed upon entering, a dude with a vibrosword, goggles... the wookiee looks about ready to pull out his own sword, it is the quickest weapon to bring to bear for him. His fingers move instead to just scratch with a nervous tick at his chest, can't go cutting people down quite yet. As he walks further into the room and the bar, the wookiee's head snaps when the laughing starts, eyeing the group with those ice blue eyes before he looks to Kel, as if wondering whether anything has come to his partner's attention. His gaze moves to Kasia, who had been behind him. "Keep close to me."

Kasia's eyes are on the doorway as it opens, uncertainty as visible as the weapons that are aimed at them. "No trouble," she assures the man as confidently as she can, especially knowing the people that she's with. She's not sure if there won't be trouble, in truth, but she tries to sell it as best she can. Her eyes sweep the interior of the place, edging closer to the Wookiee at his comment. "I will," she murmurs in return, eyes moving first to the lounging woman, and then the man telling the joke, lingering there a few moments.

apparently unperturbed by the weaponry aimed his way, Kelnas humms softly to himself as he moves into the speakeasy itself. rolling a cigarette in his left hand, he brakes hard as he sees the tall muscular woman. Looking at Low, he waggles his eyebrows at the wookie, then approaches the bartender with a grin. "Hey Sand. Something that won't kill me." Apparently Kelnas was comfortable in places like this.

A tall muscular woman and Kel waggling his eyebrows, this does catch Low's attention momentarily, he gives the woman a sharp-toothed grin before he follows Kel up to the bar. "I'll take something strong enough to drop a rancor." The wookiee tells the bartender. It's not as if he hasn't been in slummy bars, he's been flyin through the galaxy for around 75 years, but he never made a habit of habitually staying in these places for much longer than a drink or meeting with someone. Low reaches for the cig that Kel is rolling, as if trying to yoink it without the man noticing.

The red-skinned twi'lek nods slowly. "Killing costs extra," he says. His lips don't smile, but the creases around his eyes show that he is amused. He pours a small glass half full of a liquid that starts amber but darkens quickly the fuller the glass gets. He puts it in front of the Wroonian. He pours something much lighter, roughly the color of lemonade, into the glass he presents the wookiee. "I don't recognize any of you," the bartender says. "So no tab, tonight." Payment on each drink. "Second visit, though, I will," he promises.

The male Cathar is paying lots of attention to his datapad, attention so scrupulous that he is clearly avoiding looking at the newcomers. The muscular woman doesn't even try to hide the fact that she is staring.

Kasia was told to stay near Lowkeyyy, and she does, you know, for a minute or so, but it's the Cathar that draws her attention, even if they don't have his. After a few moments she steps away from the Wookiee, toward that round table the Cathar occupies. "Must be enthralling," she remarks, gesturing toward the datapad he holds, whether or not he looks her way. "Whatever you're doing there."

Nodding to the Twi'lek, Kelnas reaches into his pocket and places enough on the bar for 2 rounds of his own and Low's. "Good business strategy that. An acquaintance of mine sent me here, said I might be able to find some information on some goods I'm looking for.

Reaching for the lighter colored liquid that was poured for him, the wookiee lifts it up to his nose and sniffs at it before taking a drink, he nearly moves for Kas when she wanders off, but he decides against it. His gaze moves around again and then he notices that the tall muscular woman cannot keep her eyes off of him, he smiles at her again and decides to wander over toward her. "Like what you see?"

The Cathar raises his head from his datapad to look at Kasia, straight towards her eyes. After a few seconds of intense staring, he looks her up and down, cataloguing her charms rather than appreciating them. "You can never be too well-informed, if you want to stay ahead," his voice somewhere between a growl and a purr. "What brings you and your companions to our humble watering hole? You walk like you own the place, but I know I've never seen you before. I'd remember."

"Sand" takes the credits, making them vanish either in a pocket or in a slot behind the bar - his hands move quickly enough, and keep the chits hidden enough, that it's difficult to track, especially if you're paying attention to what the twi'lek is saying. "Your friend may be right, but this is a place to get away from cares." He leans over the bar. "If you want information, be prepared to share some of your own." He smiles softly. "But not with me. Sand doesn't carry stories. Sand keeps the confidences of his customers."

The strong-looking woman at the long table barks a laugh. "Your friend is more my size, big guy. But I like a good wook more than the next girl. Siddown. What's your name, and who're you guarding?" She understands Shyriiwook, at any rate.

Nodding to 'Sand' Kelnas smiles. "As you say. We're new here, so I'm learning the rules. got no problem sharing information though. Quid Pro Quo and so forth." Sliding another credit slip across the bar under 2 fingers, he adds. "Who would you suggest I make friends with?"

"Oh, you like them small?" Whether he means men or... other things, the wookiee doesn't elaborate. He crosses his heavy arms over his chest. "I guard my friends regardless of what we are doing or where we are going, even in my own hangar. Wookiee's are loyal like that, y'know?" His barking talk, regardless of being understood by her is still being translated by the little translator attached to his belt. He takes the offered seat. "Recognize one of us or why did I see you keep looking our way?" A pause, he then holds his hand out to her. "I am Low."

There's just a little more saunter to Kasia's step as she moves to the chair across from the Cathar, though she doesn't sit. Not yet. She gives him a look that asks 'may I?' without saying the words. "I am memorale." She smiles as she agrees with this first, before moving on to the other topics. "Can't a lady just want to enjoy a new... watering hole?" At this she laughs a little, knowing well just out absurd that claim is, and moves on quickly. "We're looking for information. You're a well informed fellow. Maybe you can help."

"It is not always the same crowd that comes," the twi'lek explains softly. "But tooo-night, I think, perhaps- him." He doesn't do anything so gauche as point or incline his head. He merely lets his eyes move towards the Cathar, stay there a moment, and then look back at Kelnas. Somewhere during the "drawing your gaze elsewhere," the credit chit disappeared. "What he doesn't know, he can learn, but the same applies to you and your business. He can make life difficult. Much better to be a friend than his enemy. But he has few friends." He twi'lek shrugs. "It is not in his nature. But maybe you will succeed where others have failed, yes?"

"Loyalty," the muscular woman repeats. "A rare thing around here." She nods once. "I'll take it." She lets her legs fall from being propped up on the table to the floor. "Let's talk alone for a minute." Without being prompted, her fellows rise and move to a round table. At least one of them is always watching Lowkeyyy, though it isn't always the same one.

"I'm Lazul, Low. And you have me curious. So let's play a game," she says with a smile, putting her hand on top of the wookiee's. "Get to know each other. I want to know why you're actually here. What you're looking for. If you answer me honestly, I'll let you ask a question of me. I'll know if you lie, though," she says, putting her fingers over the blood vessels at Lowkeyyy's wrist to track his pulse. "So, Low, you got the guts?"

The Cathar nods once to the chair opposite him at his round table. "Might be I could, but might be I shouldn't. Tell me why I should," he sets his tablet aside. "And we'll see if this conversation is worth the time." His eyes are back focused on Kasia's.

Smiling a bright smile at Sand, Kelnas offers a half salute with his drink and turns to walk from the bar. Seeing Kasia is already with the cathar, he smiles at her and winks then moves to settle into a seat haflway between Low and kasia's positions. they had things under control. Low was surrounded by people in a private conversation, and interjecting huimself with Kasia would probably be considered Rude. So for now, the Wronian takes the mother hen role, watching his teammate's backs.

"And here I thought we were going to go to the backroom and play hide the teddy bear..." The wookiee glances to her hand on his wrist and then back up into her eyes. "Well to be brutally honest with you, all of your friends would be no match for me, whether I tell the truth or lie... but I feel like you and I could still get along, So despite the fact I am here to be protector, we are curious about cybernetics, know anything about them?"

Kasia draws out that chair and slides into it, hands coming to rest on the table in front of her, one atop the other. No threat here. Honest. "That is a fair question," she allows, head inclining slightly. "The most obvious reason is that well informed pepole need others to continue being well informed, more informed than those around them. My friends and I were informed enough to find this place, it might be that we could prove useful for you in the future. Additional eyes and ears, that sort of thing."

"Oh, sweetie, the cost wouldn't be violence," the strong woman says to Lowkeyyy with a devilish smile. "I just wouldn't help you, now or later, and I think you'd come to regret that."

"But you're telling the truth," she confirms, leaving her fingers on his wrist, though running fingers through the fur there after he answers. In a rich, throaty voice, she continues, "Or at least not lying. Well, then. When my people were managing Isel Jatee's ships yesterday, he was missing one. Not one plat, or shipping container," she emphasizes. "A ship. Cybernetics are valuable enough they split them up, let smaller ships carry them. But they were one Simiyiar freighter short." She smiles, nods towards Lowkeyyy's lemonade-tinted beverage. "Are you planning on drinking, or just warming it with your hands?" She takes her hand back and raises her own beer glass, offering a toast without words.

"That's the kind of offer I'd be a fool to accept," the Cathar says coolly. "Tell me something that would help a man in the shipping business. If it checks out- we can do business." He raises an eyebrow. "Do you have the goods?"

Kelnas's idle time isn't really that idle. With nothing to do but look around, listen, and enjoy his half-glass of Black Fire, he puts together which of the tables is actually more bouncers, ready in case something goes wrong. He also realizes that one of the other tables are keeping a close eye on the Cathar - bodyguards, likely, but they're not doing much to give themselves away.

Counting possible targets idly, Kelnas leans back in his chair and hums to himself, enjoying his drink for now, those that know him, know the sipping at the drink is just for show. Any drink in kelnas' posession for more than 30 seconds is usually empty.

Raising the drink up to his lips, he takes a healthy swallow of the light yellow tinted drink. "A whole ship? Should've had a hangar in Parmacs... I was told my ship wouldn't be stolen when I bought a hangar." The wookiee tilts his head at the woman. "Are there any rumors as to who or where these ships are being taken?" The handsome wookiee tilts his head, watching her. "We have a friend in dire need."

"Would you? Maybe so," Kasia's reply is mild, and followed with a smile. She leans in slightly, not quite going so far as to put her elbows on the table, that'd be rude. "It depends entirely upon what your needs are, but I have a few friends in that work, some of them more... discreet than others. Some of them able to track down this or that, whatever it is you might need."

Lowkeyyy's drink actually has a remarkable kick to it. He asked for something that would down a rancor, and he may have received it. "Ahh, now," Lazul says softly. "That would be a very dangerous thing to know, Low. Lots of credits to be made. People kill for that kind of money. Don't beat the bushes for trouble, love. There's more than enough of that without going looking for it."

The strong woman raises a hand, and her crew come back over. Lazul introduces a few of them in passing. Whatever the 'outermost circle of trust' is, Lowkeyyy seems to be in it.

The Cathar looks at Kasia steadily. "If you're not telling the truth, you're bold to make the claim, and I'll find you." He half-smiles. "My name is Dakar. Give me yours and tell me what it is you need to know. Let's call it an 'advance,' if I can help you."

Turning his gaze toward Kelnas, as if silently saying he might've heard something, although not entirely that helpful. His eyes have gotten a little bit of a cloudy look, likely because of his drink. "I like to pound bush, not beat it. Trouble also seems to find me, not me finding it, it seems to be one of the problems of being a rather noticeable species." As the crew comes back over, he gets temporarily tense, but then gives a nod to the group as a whole when those that are introduced, are. "I appreciate the information, Lazul."

"I don't make it a habit to lie to new friends," Kasia replies, smiling again, full and warm, and for a minute she's able to forget some of the stresses of the last week or so. She has something else to focus on, some way to possibly help. "I'm Kasia Ciph, and it'd be easy enough for you to find me if you need to. I live here on Nar." She pauses for a moment, considering precisely what she wants to ask. "What I would like to know is who you would use for an airtight cover if you wanted to bring valuable goods onto Nar Shaddaa without being noticed?"

Lazul smiles, propping her large feet back up on the table, crossed at the ankle. "Come back if you want to play again, Low. The stakes could get higher," she suggests playfully. She finishes her beer and raises the empty glass to where "Sand" can see it. The red-skinned twi'lek nods once and begins drawing another draft, this one into a larger mug.

Dakar's eyes widen and he actually smiles, after snorting once. "For one piece of information, you're asking a lot. Bold." But then the amusement vanishes behind a straight-faced wall of an expression. "Let's put it like this. I would use the best. The very best. The sort I won't reveal casually to a- new friend," he says, echoing Kasia. "So I'll tell you the second best cover." He mouths the words carefully to Kasia: Corbel Industries. "Maybe. If you can't find who to get in contact with, though, you don't deserve their services."

"A pleasure meeting you, Miss Kasia Ciph," he says. "I'll be in touch." It's as clear a dismissal as any.

Low stands from the table, giving her a wink and turning away, moving to Kel, leaning in to say quietly to him. "Apparently an, Isel Jatee lost a Simiyiar Freighter with cybernetics on it." He even managed to reach down and turn down the volume on his translator droid before whispering to Kel. He straightens up and glances around. "How's Kasia doing?" He asks as his eyes fall on her.

Standing quietly as the others seem to be finishing their conversations, Kelnas listens to Low and nods before he saunters towards the door, his glass empty, hands folded behind his back. Getting to the door, the Wroonian winks at the doorman and casually pats him on the shoulder, tucking a credit slip in the man's shirt pocket in the process. "You do a good job and it's a fine establishment, chief. I'm a fan." For the moment though he waits just inside the doors for Kasia.

"I was taught to always aim high," Kasia replies with a smile that angles toward impish, but is quick to vanish when his does. She leans in and listens, offering up no objections to his desire to not share the best with someone he hardly knows. That he shares what he does is enough for her, for now. "I'm sure that I can," is her answer to being able to find who to contact, and she sounds sure. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Dakar. See you around." Knowing better than to push her luck here, she slips out of her chair and turns to move for the door at a brisk pace now that her business is concluded.

The office is there. It's locked, but they have the keycode. Inside, Stavros is not evident, though the light is on. Someone is sent to find Stavros while the three of you get comfortable and put together the pieces.

Dropping into a seat, Kelnas looks at the other 2 and smiles. "So....you guys made new friends...are they talkative friends?"

"I told you what I was told, That was all she knew, about the ship that was stolen and warned me not to go beating the bushes or I could find myself killed." THe wookiee shrugs as he stands there, looking down at Stav.

As soon as they're done with this task, Kasia lapses back into her quiet, distracted state, following the other two on the return to the Blue Light. Once there, she drops into the the seat beside Kelnas, glancing up at Lowkeyyy, then back down to Kel. "The guy I talked to, his name was Dakar. He's in the shipping business, and told me the second best people he'd use to transport valuables onto Nar without being noticed would be Corbel Industries. He didn't tell me how to find them, but we can probably figure that out." She exhales and sits back in her chair, slouching a little. "He's going to come asking for a favor later for that information."

at the mention of Cebel industries, kelnas seems to think for a moment and nods. "I think I know a guy luv. Would have been easier 6 months ago...but still...I know where to look. and when he comes looking for a favor, send him my way. i'll lend a hand."

The door clicks open as the conversation begins. Stavros is wearing his grungy work clothes, not a suit, and he is covered in dust, and sweat, and dust on the sweat. Pushing the door closed, and pressing another code on the interior to lock it, he then opens the lowest drawer of the file cabinet behind his desk. Inside are - towels? He puts one towel across his nice chair and another to cover its back before he sits down in it. All the while, he is listening.

"So we've got a name for the drunk captain," he says. "Isel Jatee. And it's a Simiyiar-class freighter." He punches a few keys at the computer built into the desk. "A Mon Calamari light freighter, it says. Okay. So we check Corbel Industry's arrivals and departures; check for Simiyiars landing or taking off, if someone's dumb enough to do that. And Kelnas has a lead on who's enabling the smuggling in the first place." He nods. "Okay. I think we can do this. Whoever's doctoring the shipping orders will have a true record of what he's bringing in, somewhere."

"If the cybernetics are already here, we need to get to them before they're sold." Stavros taps his desk with his dirty fingers. "And if they're not here yet, we need to know when they will be, and ... intercept them. Somehow." He purses his lips. "Either way, we need to find this guy and get all his dirt."

Stavros exhales slowly. "Without him knowing about it."

Kasia is leaning to one side, an elbow on the arm of her seat, and her cheek propped up on the heel of her hand as she listens. Her gaze tracks Stavros' arrival, watching him curiously as he produces the towels and covers the seat. She gets it. "I can reach out to a few friends, if need be. Now that we've got more information to go on," she makes a vague gesture, leaving the rest unsaid. "Hopefully they're not here quite yet, or only just arrived. The more there is, the better chance there's what we need in it all. Everything we'll need."

"I'd like more time, too," Stavros agrees. "But we know what we're dealing with, now. Use any connections you have, and be careful that it not ripple back onto you, guys." He smiles a dirty smile. "We're getting there with the upstairs. I think it'll look good." He nods and claps his hands once. "Great work, guys. Kelnas, can you stay for a few minutes? Tell me your guess and idea about the Corbin Industries guy, so that even if the worst happens, we won't get stuck at square one."

Nodding as he stands, Kelnas looks at his fingernails and clears his throat. "Chief Operating Officer is the man you want to target. I knew the old one. he got shit canned 6 months ago. which sucks because we used to drink together and i could tell you some stories. I'm going to go see what I can learn about this new one."

Stavros nods, rising from his towel-covered chair. "Great. I'll write that down." And he does, tapping that in on his desk despite that grit on his fingers. "Thanks, Kel. Let me know what you find out. We've got more people we can pull into play on this, once we've got targets and timetables."