Log:Rebellion: Night Market Meeting
Rieve and Ben meet with Sus.
OOC Date: January 6, 2025
Location: The Night Market - Ko Hentota District, Nar Shaddaa
Participants: Ben Relor, Sus, Rieve Selki
Words travel. Especially words relating to assisting the struggle against tyranny and oppression. A word here might well drift from one ear to another maw, and from that maw to another ear, and eventually that noble sentiment has travelled some distance. Sus might not have known it, but then again she might well have felt something, or someone? Or two someone's watching her. Both Ben and Rieve had been the final ears into which that honourable desire to fight had drifted. They'd spent a day or two noting the Falleen's habits, following at a distance, waiting for the right moment to strike.
And finally? In this Night Market, surrounded by various species all seeking deals on the most 'less than legal' items, the two sought to finally make their approach. Had she noticed them? Who knows. Either way, Rieve nodded to Ben and gestured to Sus up ahead. "Well, here goes eh?" A grin flashed upon the Hapan's features, bright and gap-toothed as the Rebellion spy dodged about one swaying and slightly drunken seeker of illicit items.
--
Ben pulls the brim of his cadet cap lower down over his face. He's not always the quietest guy -- indeed, he bangs right into a cart and sends a collection of bracelets flying, but moves away too quick to be caught up to and yelled at. He smirks at Rieve a little, but there's something hard and distrusting in his eyes.
"You sure about this?" He flicks the butt of his cigarette away. "I ran into her a few nights ago. Didn't get the slightest inkling that she was interested." Granted, it wasn't a very long conversation the two of them had.
--
Sus nods her head to a tune that only she can seem to hear, black tank top comes just below her breasts but leaves her entire midriff exposed, black leather pants that cling like a second skin and accentuate her curves, black leather spacer boots thud across the ground. Two blaster Pistols tucked into her waistband at the small of her back, her hair braided in two pig tails tight to her head. "Yes revolution, chaos, is a good start." She says with a grin. "But in the end the goal is freedom, to pursue our passions and desires, the freedom to live as we choose man, to rid the galaxy of tyranny and oppression!" She says excitedly.
--
"I've heard a whisper or two... inklings... you've already met her? Oh that is excellente!" Rieve offers as he turns to watch Ben bang into a cart, a faint smirk etched upon his lips. "Such stealth, such panache, such style... it is like watching one of my former competitors take to the dance floor and glide as if they are one with the wind." A deft little hot-step, two-step, cha-cha-cha, about another weaving seeker of ill-gained delights, and Rieve's footwork is delightfully nimble, even with the clunkiest of pistols slung against one hip and a vibrosword clanking off of the other. "We shall see eh?"
Hearing those first few words from Sus upon the approach, Rieve glances to Ben and his gaze is indeed one older than he appears. "Full of fire..." And indeed, drawing up on Sus' left side, the blue-haired Hapan 'accidently' bumps into Sus' side. "Oh my apologies madelle..." Oh that lilting Hapan accent, it flows, it weaves, it drifts from Rieve's lips! "How about... we take a little step beneath this awning oui? I hear you are a pilot of some repute?" Indeed, the awning noted is right beside some clunky sound system that is presently belting out some form of music that really isn't... music to Rieve's ears. But it's loud. And that's good.
--
"Shut it, Selki," Ben grumbles, although he's smirking a little. "I'm graceful when it counts -- like escaping a building I've rigged to blow sky high." As for Sus, well -- she talks a good game. Those are words any Rebel might want to hear, which is probably exactly why Ben is glaring at her like she's just stepped out in a Sith Empire uniform.
"Better to not be right out in the thick of things," Ben mutters. "Slightly left of the thick of things." He moves over to the awning, taking the cigarette out from behind his ear and lighting it with a thermal lighter. "What do you know about freedom, anyway?" It's asked almost accusatorially to Sus. "You know it's something you have to karking fight and bleed for, right?"
--
Sus starts when she's bumped into and immediately her hand reaches for a blaster, keeping a grip on it she nods and follows into the area under the awning. "You I know you..." She growls at Ben. "Where's yer little guy, yer friend?" She asks looking for the droid. "As fer what I kriffing know about freedom! I'm Falleen I'm from Falleen, a world still not under Sith control. Born to a noble family! An oppressive life in its own right, I'm a lady, so I have ta learn tea time, and etiquette, be married off and become some mans trophy wife to increase political standing. When all I wanted was to fly through the stars, to see and do as I pleased not be forced into a life I didn't want. To be able to fight to hold and use a blaster where my parents thought I shouldn't." She says before looking to Rieve. "I'm a damn good pilot, and a good navigator, I'm also good with a blaster pistol, Intel gathering, not being seen or noticed, getting things from people without their notice that sort of thing."
--
Where is Ben's little guy? Rieve is right here! Oh wait the droid! Rieve leans in against the slightly damp looking wall beneath the awning, it isn't a good awning, and listens to both Ben's questions and Sus' answers. Oooh, a noble. Ben is surrounded by nobility. How fortunate for Ben. "Looks like you're in good company, do remember... pinkies out, and no need for that Madelle." Rieve murmurs with something of a playful quirk of his brow to both Ben and Sus' reach for the blaster. "... I escaped the toil of nobility before I too was married off, one does sometimes wonder..." Would a life of endless luxury have been more fun than all this bleeding and fighting? Hapan females are rather glorious... goddamnit. He could be somewhere warm! With a beautiful wife! Ah well. Rieve's crisis of faith lasts merely a second. He could be in a warm bed with servants... a second crisis lasts another brief flash of a second.
"Though I do still know the proper form and function to hosting tea... I mean we do have to have some standards out in the field oui?" Rieve asks, though is this question merely asked to really annoy Ben? Or is it true to form? Who knows, probably both. "Well the fight ahead will be bloody. I mean perhaps a little less visible zeal would keep you a trifle under the radar oui? But I do love fire in ones belly, it is sometimes all we have to stay warm... I do love your zeal." Oooh, it's good Reb and bad Reb, Rieve is clearly the good Reb.
--
The droid is here! Five got a little lost in the crowd, but with a series of indignant beeps, he comes up behind Ben, bumping him in the behind. "Hey! Oh, it's just you, buddy," Ben mutters over his shoulder to the droid. "Where'd you go?" Five bleeps and chirps at him a bit more before Ben turns back to pay attention the conversation.
Folding his arms, cigarette dangling from his lip, he can't help but roll his eyes a little. "Oh, yeah, it's *so hard* to be born a noble...gimme a break." This is just Ben's running commentary. Ben squints at his 'superior' (the one he named so disrespectfully), but nods at something he says. "Zeal is important," he agrees, "but so is staying alive -- long enough to hit the karking Imps where they hurt, anyway." "Bad Reb" eyes up Sus again. "So, after a poor little rich girl like you gets bored watching her friends die, what're you gonna do? Kark off somewhere else and sell us out?" Oh yeah, he's not letting her off easy.
--
Sus growls and looks to Ben. "Fer yer information Ben....!" She hisses his name this time. "It is smothering I felt trapped caged oppressed in the life I was livin' being rich has as many problems as being poor they're just different problems. So before you decide to be an ass to me think about it. How would you feel being married off to someone you don't love, that you've never even met? How would you feel being told because of your gender you need to act a certain way be a certain way?" She asks growling, his final remarks have her slowly starting to ball a fist. "This isn't something to be bored with! It's not something I'm just rushing into because it seems cool or will piss my parents off." She says and there is a passion and fire in her eyes. "In my travels, I've seen what the Empire does to worlds, to their people, I've aided in rescues and prison breaks because its the right kriffin thing to do, I don't want to pay the ultimate price but if my life is needed to pay for the freedom of the galaxy than its a price I'm willing and happy to pay." She says before looking back to Rieve. "Ok so even not as a member of the rebellion don't be so loud in my desire and passion for a free galaxy, keep the fire, work toward the goal, but don't be a loud mouth."
--
"Fire and zeal... but oui, the Empire has ears. They spread like rust." Rieve offers as he folds his arms against his rather finely woven poncho that's draped over his light scout armour. Beautifully wrought, wonderfully designed, eminently fashionable, a gift from a crime boss. "It's why I left, no control, no say in your future... go here, do that... be this, be that. I ran and became a..." Rieve waves his hand theatrically as he summons the right words. "A companion of negotiable virtue, stitched up some people in need... the right people as it happened and here I am." A simple enough description of Rieve's ascent to being a filthy rebel. Indeed, those bright blue eyes flicker from Sus to Ben. "You are both filled with the same fire, it's a delight to lay witness... there's a zeal. Oui. Gives me the shivers." That accent, so liltingly noble. So flowy and laden with Hapan frippery.
"I'd rather neither of you die personally... and channel that passion." Rieve's gaze flits back to Sus. "Oh funnel it straight into acts that'll make the Empire quake, but yes... keeping under the radar until absolutely necessary is certainly a useful tool in ones arsenal if you're interested in serving."
--
"Yeah, and have you ever gone hungry? Cry me a river, princess," Ben re-joins. But then Five is bumping him again and possibly "yelling" at him, and Ben frowns. He turns to look at the little droid with that sceptical expression firmly in place. "I've heard it all before," he tells Five, who is probably telling him that he should give Sus a chance, by the way he's looking at Sus with /slightly/ less suspicion now.
"I don't plan to live long," he tells Rieve, "but when I go, you better believe you'll be able to see that explosion from Skye." Somewhere far, far away from here. Frowning at Rieve, he looks to Sus again. "Sounds to me like if you're so enthusiastic, you should start at the karking bottom like the rest of us."
--
Sus raises a brow and glaring at him she gives a curtsy. "Perhaps if I'm a princess maybe you should show me the respect due one of such a station." She says with a giggle and a wink before reaching out to Pat Five if the droid allows. "Thank you Five whatever you're saying thank you Soo much." She says with a smile. "I knew ye were a pal." She stands and looks to Ben. "As fer going hungry, aye I have, I ran away from home I took nothing with me except one of my family's ships, no money no food, I wanted to make it on my own, but yes for a while I had gone hungry. So I know the plight from both sides, don't think you know my life just because ye heard I was born and raised noble." She than shrugs. "Oh you don't think my noble status has earned me a slightly higher rank?" She asks with a teasing wink its clear she's messing with him due to his arguments about her nobility status. "I agree, my species lives to be like two hundred and fifty years old I don't plan to live that long ta a ripe old age, but if I die it's gonna be in a blaze of glory." She says firmly before nodding and looking to Rieve and than back to Ben and back to Rieve. "So...where do I sign?"
--
"I plan on dying in bed... a bottle of the finest Naboo vintage within reach and at least three gorgeous companions... serving me the plumpest of fruits." Rieve murmurs somewhat distantly. A sigh. A gaze into the distance. Oh Rieve exhales a soft breath and then turns to eye the speakers still blasting out whatever that awful kriffing noise is. "Sign?" Oh! Rieve grins brightly and holds out his hand to Sus. "You've got what? two hundred and thirty odd years to rise through the ranks?" Rieve offers with a distinct Hapan purrr of a compliment. "You'll be fine. You'll probably get demoted far less than my companion here even in that amount of time." Yup, lets annoy Ben. It's fun.
That said, hand offered by way of signing anything. Rieve looks to Ben, for the surly bombardier's opinion matters to Rieve also. These are matters that'll shape the future after all. "I say welcome... I'm intrigued to hear what my friend here says." That grin of Rieve's broadens, all gap-toothed at the fore and bright. "I'm Rieve. Or 'Shut up' Selki. Whichever." A smirk. Oh such a smirk.
--
Five's lights twinkle at Sus. "He thinks I should give you a chance," Ben grumbles, taking a drag and angrily shooting the smoke out the side of his mouth. Squinting at Sus again, he adds: "And leaving was your choice, wasn't it? You didn't have to go hungry...you chose to." As for calling her by any sort of noble station for real, he makes a rude gesture that can be universally translated as "kark off."
And he can't help but roll his eyes at Rieve, too -- and then glare at him. "Hey! I wasn't demoted because I'm bad at what I do. I get demoted because I won't bend over and kiss ass." Grumble, grumble. Grouse, grouse. Five is clearly making fun of him again, also. But here's Rieve, asking him what he says.
"I said it before, I'll say it again: I don't trust you," Ben says bluntly. "When I joined up, they didn't just give me a medal and waltz me inside. Should be the same for you. You need to do something to prove your loyalty." A glance at Rieve, and he snarks: "The name suits you, /Captain/."
--
Sus shakes Rieves hand. "Thank ye glad ta be aboard." She says smiling. "Sukylar, but ye can call me Sus." She says before looking to Ben. "Maybe ye should listen to yer droid pal more, ye know they tend ta be good judges of character. I mean he follows you that shows he's either brave or very foolish." She says playfully taking a jab at Ben and smiling at Five.
--
"Of course, betrayal will probably see your body dumped on some junk planet... and you'll certainly be proving yourself day in and day out, but I have a feeling you'll be just fine." Rieve offers brightly, clasping Sus' hand within both of his. That said, the old slugthrower at his hip finds itself the resting perch for his hand as he eyes a few of the surrounding folk. All seeking those awesome deals in the Night Market. "I'll be in touch and we'll work together soon, I am sure." With a step to the side and a step backwards into the crowd, Rieve bows but once to Sus, a formal sweeping back... a flourish of a playful gesture, and then to Ben, well, Ben gets flipped off. Oh the Hapan grins and then...
... he doesn't vanish into the crowd at all. You watch him step away... not sneakily at all. There he is. Yup, that flash of blue. Yep, still there... and still there... still in the crowd. Completely visible.
Would have been so cool to vanish into the crowd. But nope. He doesn't.
--
Five prints out a piece of red flexiplast that reads: *Somebody has to save our skins.* In this case, that somebody is a droid! Ben, meanwhile, stubbornly doesn't offer his hand. Actually, he flips the both of you off! Because you both deserve it. And then as he steps away, he makes the universal hand gesture for 'I'm watching you': fingers pointing from his eyes to Sus and back again as he mouths the words. Because paranoiacs gotta paranoid.
--
Sus smiles and waves at Rieve. "Take care and I look forward to working with you!" She says and than watching Ben she kisses her hand and slaps it to her backside in a universal expression of kiss my backside. "Later Five, keep him outta trouble yea?" She says to the droid about Ben and the I'm watching you gesture sets her giggling. "I know Im so gorgeous ye just cant keep yer eyes off of me, keep on looking I don't mind." She says turning and making her way elsewhere too.
--
