A massive cataclysm has struck the universe, and destroyed most everything in its wake. The survivors are now trying to pick up the pieces, and figure out exactly what has befallen them. Gather together, lightsiders!! The darkness has shattered the peace and calm of the galaxy...and they will do anything to stop anyone from finding out exactly what has been done! This is our first sitewide RP plotline. Lightsiders, you are looking for the source of this massive event. Clues must be found, lackeys tracked down, and bits of memory discovered. Darksiders, you guys don't want that to happen....because of the one behind the whole thing is furthering his ultimate goal. Mandalorians, and non-force users, you guys can decide where you stand on this line....do you side with the Jedi, and try to discover the reasons behind the ruined universe, or will you side with the darkness, and protect those secrets. Will the secret of the cataclysmic reaping be kept under wraps? Or will the Jedi and their allies find out the truth? Your RP and writing will decide the outcome!
BATTLE ARENA
Welcome to The Saga Continues. We have a section called the Battle Arena. Here you can use your characters to fight other characters. Hone your skills and see what you are made of. Don't worry, anything that happens here, does not effect your characters in posts, so if your character dies, you can still use them over and over. Have fun and check it out!
The Saga Continues is the product of the mind of ADMIN ADI; all contents are copyright their original owners. All characters belong to their original creators, and may not be used or replicated without permission. All images are copyright their original owners. This skin Operation Mindcrime was made by pharaoh leap of Pixel Perfect and put together by ADMIN KRYSTAL
*In the prime of its development, the Amethyst District was considered to be the pinnacle of modern living. Moderately-sized, affordable housing units with plenty of amenities strewn throughout the area. Then, as the years climbed onward, the city grew upward. The Amethyst District was quickly overshadowed by glittering spires and shining lights. Decades, even centuries went by, and still the city-planet grew. Before long, the entire district began to be swallowed up by "The Slums" as they would come to be referred to. While the citizenry above were all of the upper class, the political and societal elite, the Amethyst District - along with most every other area on this level of the planet - would be known to house the poor and the destitute; the forgotten and the forsaken.*
*In present times, the District is little more than a silent graveyard. The Red-Eyed Death - or "The Red" for short - has turned Coruscant into a murderous wasteland filled with death and decay. The Slums were hit just as hard, with some sections suffering catastrophic damage due to the city above, as it came crashing down atop them. Part of Amethyst District had suffered such damage, and in the aftermath of the plague burning its way through, the whole of the area is now like some scene out of a horror vid. Buildings have been barricaded, refuse piling up in the streets alongside the bodies; many places have been marked with red paint, large, red "X" marks and painted eyes stating that it held some of the feral beings known to be contaminated with The Red. Power is sporadic in the area, with a few places undergoing repairs from what remains of the droid workforce. The area is still now, with the plague being more or less burnt out. What little remains of the living is now in a fight for its very survival, and the Amethyst District may be the grounds upon which that battle is fought.*
ABOUT Aedon Gavin Montrose
Alias
"Gav" to his closest friends
Age
17
Pronouns
Male-inclusive is fine (he, him, his, etc.)
*Coruscant had become little more than a mass graveyard. A ruined mausoleum filled with the decaying dead, and those who were well on their way. Even worse, the handful of survivors were busy holding onto some fleeting sense of hope that they might outlast "The Red". Word was coming round that the plague was burning itself out, survivors reporting seeing ferals drop dead for no apparent reason. When they drew closer, they noticed some severe hemorrhaging from most every orifice, signs of the plague's finality in its victims. After five horrible months, the period of time known as "The Wailing Night" was falling to a silent close. It was enough to drive hundreds of poor souls insane, having to listen to the rage-filled feral cry of the infected all throughout the night as it echoed through the District. But if all you heard was the echo, you at least knew you were safe. It usually meant some other poor soul's demise, or that the ferals themselves were displeased with some particular thing or another, but it was usually a situation of "better them than me."*
*But now, the world was beginning to quieten. The silent streets an indication of everything that the survivors had come to fear - Coruscant was dead. Or, at the very least, well on its way and dying. There wasn't enough authoritarian force from any governmental organization to try and navigate the entire city planet and attempt to rebuild. No one had even heard from any member of the Coruscant Defense Force or the Republic for quite some time now. It was doubtful that the seat of galactic government even existed anymore. Which led to the current predicament that the planet found itself in.*
*Sad little kings on their sad little hills.*
*The remaining survivors here in the Amethyst District had one thing in common - they were all made of sterner stuff than most. A lot of them were non-humanoid, although there were some who were. Quite a few of the ones who survived were the seedier element, those who had done practically anything to survive, and weren't ashamed to say it. A few of them had grouped together, as sentients tend to do, and developed a hierarchy, also as they tend to do. They answered to one individual in particular, a Houk by the name of Gorvun Knae. The whole lot of them had set up shop in the one area of town that still had accessible, working turbolifts to the city above. Gorvun also had people guarding what remained of the speeder rental motorcades. They were acting as toll-keepers, locking down local transit and limiting people's ability to go to and from the District itself. If you had enough of a "tribute" - which usually came in the form of food, supplies, or weapons - you were allowed to come and go. Most people just went.*
*That was Aedon's plan, too.*
*He had almost gotten enough of a tribute together. A collection of food and supplies, ammo stores, and even a few canisters of Tibanna gas. He had even managed to get ahold of quite a few datapads that had access to the Holonet - which was something that was a true rarity. Connection with the rest of the galaxy. It was difficult enough being stranded on the planet with little to no hope of ever escaping, but to have no means of figuring out if you were the only ones left out there? That was the often the last straw that broke the Bantha's back around here.*
*The violet-haired Zeltron had come away from his most-recent outing with all that would remain of his attempt to entice Gorvun and his group: a collection of decent code cylinders and slicer tools. In the proper hands, it could mean access to armories, or banks, even. And Aedon knew that. He'd had to break into more than a few electronics stores to get them, dodging more than a few ferals in the process; but, he knew that it would be enough to tip the scales. So it was worth it.**And there he was, breaking off in a dead sprint down the street now, having just gotten away from a pack of the ferals a few minutes ago. He strode rapidly down the sidewalk with his backpack slung over one shoulder, clearing a fallen column that lay across the street, and shot across the open square there toward the area that he had taken care to secure as his own personal safe zone. He was still about a half block away when he slid to a stop on the other side of the square, taking cover behind a wrecked speeder in order to assess his situation. He placed the pack down, opening it to check and make sure the contents were still intact. Everything still seemed as though it was, so he closed it back up, and waited there in the silence.*
*He caught his breath there for what seemed like an hour. In reality, he'd only been there a few minutes. And that was when he heard it...*
*...The shuffle step and raspy breath, followed by the tell-tale grunting noises. And what was worse, Aedon felt it. Due to his empathic abilities from being a Zeltron, Aedon sensed the emotional state of whoever was around him. The closer the species was to being humanoid, the easier it was for him to tell. And since the ferals infected with the Red-Eyed Death were all humanoid in some fashion or another, the pheromones given off by their rage were like a beacon to Aedon; causing his hairs along the nape of his neck to bristle as a physical response.*
*Aedon drew his slugthrower from his holster. He seemed to know exactly where to aim, and when, as the shambling form of the feral humanoid crept into the open square. Aedon immediately recognized the race - Twi'lek, male, likely in his mid-thirties. It was missing a chunk of its left lekku, the little head-tails that all Twi'leks tended to possess. The right one was dangling, seemingly-seizing as it shook violently. The Twi'lek snarled through broken teeth as he peered around, trying to find something to hurt, someone to kill. Aedon wasn't one to oblige him.*
*Taking aim from behind the cover of the speeder, he popped off two rounds bound for the Twi'lek's head. The first caught him just above the right eye, sending his head reeling back. The second entered the feral's neck just below his chin, exiting the back of the skull in a semi-fluid motion. It fell, now laying in a heap there in the middle of the square. Aedon waited to see if the sensation of rage subsided, his weapon still aimed in the direction that the shambler came in from. After a few moments, the feeling began to back off, the pheromones now freshly-spent and with no new ones incoming. Aedon took a few deep breaths, calming himself down in an effort to bring himself back to the reality of the present.*
ABOUT Aedon Gavin Montrose
Alias
"Gav" to his closest friends
Age
17
Pronouns
Male-inclusive is fine (he, him, his, etc.)
*Even as Aedon sat behind the burned-out speeder, the victor and survivor of this encounter, he was having a difficult time calming down. The look in his amethyst eyes was wild, that of a hunted creature still on the escape. His arms continued to balance the pistol in his hands for a few minutes longer. Breathing deep and slow, he did everything he could to calm himself. It wouldn't do to have him sitting in this square all night, wasting what precious time and energy he still had. He was beginning to feel it; the effects of sleep deprivation and malnutrition were taking their toll on him. He had been rationing what few supplies he had found, taking care not to eat into what he had to offer to Gorvun. He needed this stockpile to be as favorable as possible; he needed it for his plan to work.*
*It HAD to work. Otherwise, Aedon was going to go mad.*
*Aedon finally felt his pulse begin to slow. He became less-pensive, able to rationalize his surroundings and determine his next moves with careful, calm precision. Standing from behind the speeder, he grabbed up his backpack. He slung it over his shoulder as he rounded the speeder onto the sidewalk, taking the nearby alleyway down into the section of the District that he had carefully mapped out and cultivated into his own personal safe zone. Every once in a while, he would pass a nearby structure, stopping here and there at seemingly-innocuous intervals. By all appearances, he was just checking corners, looking into windows, watching out for ferals. In reality, he was standing on pressure plates at certain points for a certain amount of time, activating the next gateway and checkpoint for his movement into his sanctuary. It also gave him a moment to check reflections in the nearby buildings, watching behind and beside him for anyone trying to tail him back to his hideout. If at any point he felt like he was being watched or followed, he would simply leave the trail. The pads would reset, as well as whatever tripwires and such that he had taken care to implement along the trail. At that point, he would have to find another point of ingress, from either doubling back to the first pad on the current path, or start off on another side of the block.*
*However, for all the world, no one was there to bother him. It was still just...*
*...Too quiet...*
*He rounded the final corner that led down into an alley. Reaching down into his pocket, he depressed the small key fob that he had there, and it sent out the signal to intermittently deactivate the tripwires he had installed. These were attached to a few wireless sensors that would transmit a signal to various "noisemakers" he had installed in storefronts and such down the way. If ferals were suddenly curious about this particular alleyway, and made their way down, the wire sends the signal, the "noisemaker" goes off, and they're drawn towards that sound. If they're quick enough to make it to where the sound is going off, then a pressure-plated explosion goes off, and takes out the kriffer that was dumb enough to go digging. It was a simplistic system, and one that had kept Aedon safe enough for the time being. Well, that, and the fact that his only point of ingress into the safehouse he had was three stories up in this alleyway, and only he knew the means by which to access it. There was a slow way, for times like now when he had done his due diligence and made sure he wasn't being tracked; and a quick way, in case he was being followed by the kind of things that had intent to kill a person.*
*Aedon was heading for the slow way. On the right side of the alleyway was a stack of crates that was positioned just so someone with a decent amount of agility and acrobatic skill could traverse them. Good, solid durasteel crates that Aedon had to "acquire" a repulsorlift just to move them into place. It was weird, though...the repulsorlift looked oddly-personalized. It even had an embossed nameplate on its control arm...*
*...With the initials "RCG"...*
*What was even crazier? Aedon used the lift, and then pulled it off somewhere so it didn't attract any attention. When he went to get it the next time he was looking to move something, it was already gone...*
*But that was neither here nor there. Aedon's focus was on getting into his hide-away, and so, the climb began. He tossed his backpack onto the second story of the fire escape in front of him. Following that, he turned around, jogging back and digging in as he about-faced toward the escalating crates. In a practiced, fluid motion, Aedon gracefully clambered up the stack. With the final line of crates, he had to prepare for the leap from one side of the alley to his fire escape access. It would involve him digging in deep on the last, longest and tallest crate in the batch. The pivotal moment came when he performed a three-step jog into a half-turn, squatting leap. His forward motion, coupled with his light frame and decent acrobatics skills launched him through the air across the alley. He easily made the second story of the fire escape.*
*Ascending the stairwell, he grabbed his pack. Walking up to the transparisteel window that he uses to access his safehouse, he takes one last moment to check and see that he hasn't been followed and isn't being observed. He even remembers the cardinal rule of counter-surveillance - he looks up. Too many people forget to check above them, thinking themselves safe. Aedon couldn't afford to be that stupid. Once he was sure that the angles were clear, he depressed the sequence of switches to deactivate his internal security systems. Once that was done, he raised the window, climbing into the safehouse and immediately placing his right hand over the scanner on the inside wall. Once the verification was complete, he placed his right foot down on the floor where another rubber pressurized mat resided, and input his tap-foot code to deactivate the internal alarm sensors.*
*All of these measures may or may not have been necessary. Aedon knew that. But he was hinging his future on what rested in these rooms, and that was enough for him to be as cautious as possible when dealing with the security of the place. As he continued inside the apartment, he turned, shutting the window and reactivating the system. He also went ahead and pulled down the metallic shutters that he had installed on all of the other windows, including this one. They were made of grade 3 durasteel - pretty much the best one could get on the consumer market. As he did, the room went dark with the exception of the ambient lighting, which seemed to take this cue and brought the rest of the room up to an acceptable low-lighting feature. Aedon had taken his time in making this place livable, but he'd also done his part to make sure it was as much a fortress as it was a respite.*
*He set his backpack over on one of the form-couches. It nestled into the cushion as if it had always been there. Sitting down beside it, he grabbed a datapad and began sifting through different files and checklists he had, checking certain items off as he went. He shouldered his way out of his bantha-hide jacket, setting it off to the side as it revealed his shoulder holster and the blaster that settled inside of it. He rolled his shoulders as he turned his right leg a bit, grabbing the handheld slugthrower and taking a moment to eject the ammo cylinder long enough to pull the two fired shells from its backside and replacing them with fresh, unspent ammunition. As he continued to maintain his weapon, he was mulling through the plan he had to "negotiate" with Gorvun. It would be a simple enough process: contact one of his cronies, set up a conference call, time and place for the meet, and then the hand-off for the location. Aedon knew that once it was all said and done, he wouldn't be coming back to this spot. Whatever hopes he had for leaving this planet, they were all up above. And he wasn't even sure he would be able to find what he was looking for there, either. But it HAD to be better than here.*
*It just had to be.*
*As soon as he finished cleaning his weapon, Aedon went into the master bedroom of the apartment he had "appropriated". The whole place wasn't half bad. It would have belonged to a middle-class mogul or some such, more than likely. Decent floor space, nice amenities, and - most-importantly during this catastrophe - a backup generator system tied directly into the reserve power grid. The Zeltron wasn't sure how long it would remain active, but, if it worked for now, that would be enough. Aedon was particularly-fond of the sonic shower in the unit. For it being in the Amethyst District, even this outdated unit was klicks ahead of what he had in the lower end of the slums. Which, was to say, what his neighborhood had determined was a "communal" shower house that almost always had some new gang of street thugs shaking it down every week for "access to the privilege". Aedon kriffing hated the status quo that this place always seemed to have. If this whole cataclysm hadn't come along to turn everything upside down, Aedon thought he would have liked to eventually be a force of change around here.*
*And yet, even in the aftermath, there were still tools like Gorvun Knae around to frack it all up.*
*It wouldn't serve Aedon to be twisted up by his emotions, though. Knae still had the upper hand here, regardless of how Aedon felt. Instead, he would choose to take this time to rest and prepare. The idea of a shower sounded amazing, so that was first on his list. He made sure not to use the sonic shower's ancillary features - the scented sprays and skin conditioners were sure to be a poor choice, given the current situation. Still, to knock off the dust and grime he had accumulated over the last three weeks of him being on the run? That was the best feeling he could have asked for.*
*After his shower, he did one last check for every access point in the apartment, confirming the locks and security measures were still in place. Then, in a most-exhausted fashion, he fell into his bed, holdout blaster tucked neatly beneath the pillow with him. Soon enough, what passed for "morning" around this place would come, and he would need to be rested and ready for what was going to happen...*
Things often fall apart, given enough time. Markus remembered the Amethyst District in its prime - the neon, the nightclubs and the noise. Today it was a shadow of its former self, a desolate reminder of the destructive power behind the great plague. Where there were night clubs, now there were seedy dens of debauchery - this was the part of the city that the survivors preferred to forget about. And forget they did. Now crime was an all time high, and one misstep could lead to a death that made the plague look like a merciful way to go. Now instead of bright neon, there were pale flickering lights, and shadow.
That was why they were here, weaving their way through the denizens. Markus walked ahead of Jaydani, making a path with his broad shoulders. Covered by a thick black cloak, the crowd didn't see the man beneath, but his size was enough to grant him some semblance of an intimidating presence. He bumped into several people who snarled and turned to face him, only to turn away when they saw his face.
He said nothing as they wove through the crowds, though he would occasionally glance over his shoulder to make sure she didn't get lost in the crowd. After what seemed to be an eternity of walking, they stopped at a door to what appeared to be a nightclub - judging by the large trandoshan bouncer at the door. The building's exterior was in dire need of renovation, as pockmarks and scorch marks covered the crumbling facade- this place had seen its share of conflict. Once at the door, Markus lowered his hood, showing his face. He was handsome for his age, which was in the mid-forties. His hair was long and neatly combed, and matched his beard which was neatly shaved to look handsome, rather than shaggy. Both his hair and his beard were peppered with specks of grey, though this was more likely from stress than age. Markus gave the man a nod, then jerked his head backwards in Jaydani's direction, indicating that they were together. The Trandoshan returned the nod, stepping aside, allowing Markus and Jaydani to enter.
The nightclub's interior was in surprisingly good condition, considering the facade outside. This was the Nexu, premiere spot for gangsters and pushers alike. The club consisted of a singular large room, with alcoves that lined the walls, and a massive circular bar in the center of the room. The entire room was covered in dancing technicolor lights, and a thin veil of purple smoke covered the ground. A dance floor surrounded the bar, filled with aliens and humans alike, dancing in what was clearly a spice induced euphoria. Markus grabbed Jaydani's hand and pushed forward, slipping through the crowds, leading her through the vacuum that he created in his wake.
When they finally reach the bar, he hails the server droid, ordering a whiskey for himself. He took a seat that had a vacant one next to it, in the less crowded section of the bar, though the occasional patron would lean in, trying to order a drink. The music seemed to reverberate against the walls; the air was alive, moving in synchrony After a few more moments of silence, he looks over at his student with a light smile, bobbing his head to the beat.
"It's good to see that some things never change." He took another sip, finishing his drink. He set the glass on the counter, looking around before turning his attention back to Jaydani. "And before you get any ideas, we are not here for the drinks... We are here to meet one of our contacts in the Red Eclipse. He has some valuable intel, and I figure this is a good way for you to learn the muddier aspects of our trade."
Trade, could he really call it that? Maybe life style was a better word. As a Grey Jedi, Markus didn't find himself tied to any orders or governments; instead he worked privately, helping better the galaxy with moral contracts that were either 'beneath' the jedi, or too difficult for a regular mercenary. Was it glorious work? No. Did it pay well? Not really. Did it keep the lights on and give them a means to make a living? You bet it did. Some times Markus wondered if he made the right choice leaving his old life behind him all those years ago, but all he had to do was take one look at Jaydani to remind himself that he walked a better path now.
Jaydani had never been to the Amethyst District, so all this was quite new for her. She’d been raised on Shili from the age of ten, though she’d only ever known – or at least, remembered – the Togruta couple that raised her, to be her parents. She had her montral helmet stored away on this particular day, only because she knew it wasn’t necessary to wear it in this instance. Though she’d engineered it herself, it wasn’t needed while she was here with Markus. She looked around at the worn-down buildings, sighing. “Too bad this place is in shambles,” she mused, “it was probably beautiful at some point.”
If there was one thing that everyone got right, it was that Markus looked intimidating with his hood up and his tall stature. Jaydani, on the other hand, looked quite small and perhaps even a bit innocent. She didn’t necessarily look like a child, but with her height, she didn’t exactly look like an adult either. More like something in between the two. She followed her teacher, going along his path as precisely as she could. She largely ignored the snarling coming from around them, knowing that no one would likely dare to cross the man in front of her.
The silence was kind of deafening in a way, but who would Jay be if she were to break it? She’d learned on Shili that silence can be more powerful than noise, especially when one is on a mission. Thus, her footfalls were nearly unheard. Maybe once or twice, Markus would be able to hear her footsteps, but she only really did that to make sure he knew she was there. Her wavy blond hair flowed a bit as she walked, giving her an alluring vibe without nearly as much effort. Once they reached the nightclub, she stopped, following him in after they were granted passage by the bouncer. She nodded back to the bouncer as a courtesy, a silent thank-you.
As they stepped inside, Jaydani noticed a great difference in the way things were presented. Where the outside was cracked and crumbling, the inside was better-looking. Jaydani thought that this was how everything in life was, people included. Markus, for example, looked intimidating as hell, but honestly he was a nice guy, if you didn’t rub him the wrong way. Jaydani shook her head, following him while observing everything from the bar, to the lights, to the dancers. “Interesting,” was all she said as they made their way to said bar, her only motivation to keep going being delivering the package they had with them, and the fact that Markus was literally dragging her along. If Jay had it her way? She’d probably still be on Shili. But here she was, being toted around by a burly man on a mission.
When they finally stopped Jay breathed a sigh of relief. “Finally,” she mumbled. She sat down for a minute, raising a brow as she watched Markus bob his head after ordering a drink. She wanted to say how weird it was, but common decency was expected, and she knew that, so her lips stayed zipped, other than a bit of mumbling now and again, and maybe a small chuckle. She’d been a Grey Jedi for ten years, but this man was still an interesting case to her. Nevertheless, she smiled back, not wanting to seem rude.
"Change can be good," Jay said in return. “How else would I be here, with you, doing this mission of ours, if not for change? I’d probably still be on Shili if I didn’t embrace change.” She watched him down his drink, smirking as she debated getting one before his next comment. “Alright, fine. I would have just ordered water, but I guess you’re right. You’re the teacher here, after all.” She listened to his small speech, nodding every now and again as a sign that she understood what he was saying. “Who would I be to turn down a chance to learn? Not a true student, that’s what. Muddy or not, I’m bent on learning as many aspects of the trade as I can. Ten years together haven’t gone to waste and I don’t intend on that happening.”
Jay had to admit, being under Markus’ tutelage was valuable, especially since she had been living amongst the Togruta before this. Not that either one was better than the other, or worse. She took what she could get, and that was enough. She didn’t mind the work they were doing, as long as she gained something from it, even if all she gained was knowledge. Just like Markus, Jay never had to question her loyalty, as she was neither a true Jedi, nor a Sith. She was loyal to Markus, and in her own opinion, had a strong morals code. As long as the two of them had somewhere warm and well lit to live, food to eat, and a place to sleep, she was set. She didn’t care about Markus’ past, just who he was now. She accepted that some might have dark pasts, but who they were in the current moment was more important. Knowing both was the key to her trust, and that was why she trusted Markus.
Markus arched an eye brow at her, then let out a chuckle. "I am surprised you would let that go so easily. But not complaining."
The music played on, nearly deafening most of the chatter - but that didn't stop Markus from focusing on the environment. He scanned for potential entrance and exit points, as well as groups that would be potential threats in case things went sideways. Old habits die hard after all, and he was a soldier before all else. In a bar like this, everything was a potential threat, but fortunately, that meant that in order to stay and play, you had to play nice...well, nice-ish, as there were credits flowing everywhere.
Four bouncers marked the main doors, two more on VIP, six on the floor, and none at the bar which meant the barman was probably carrying. The club had a multitude of clustered individuals, some, if not all were in some rough line of work. The ones that weren't dressed the part had their own protection do it for them to make the statement. That was one of the tactical disadvantages of this meeting- Too many bodies. The counter-advantage to that was in a tight spot they could use that to their advantage by disrupting the room into chaos and slipping out before they could be made. Markus had read the dossier on his informant on his way here. Some low level Trandosian splicer named S'haar was his point of contact. So far, none of the clusters had any apart from the ones acting as muscle. After a few minutes, he turned to Jaydani.
"So tell me, what do you see? What kind of scenario's are you ready to handle?" It wasn't small talk. They had been working together for years and seen their fair share of rough places, but he still wanted her to master situational assessments. And if she slipped up on the slightest detail, he would let her know. Not to berate her, but to broaden her perspective, and teach her things that aren't in the training manuals. Markus noticed that he was drawing some eyes from bouncers- the cloak was probably not a good look in this kind of locale, but it was staying on. He ordered two drinks and a water for Jaydani. A paying customer is less likely to be a threat- or so most bouncers and guards thought. They had to look like they were here for the bar, not for something else.
After the drinks arrived, Markus pulled one to his lips, feinting a sip, before setting it down. He glanced over his shoulder to see if the bouncers were still looking, but their attention turned to a rather rowdy Sabaac game. Good, even better. He scanned the room once more, still no Trandosian. Something was going on, most guys would jump at the chance to leach a client for chems and spices as extra butter for their deal. He turned in his seat, having his back to the bar, and adopted a casual stance, as though he was admiring the view.
What doesn't add up? The bouncers moved on, but still no S'haar. No gun men have kicked down any doors, so what could have spooked the contact? And then he saw it, someone looking at him, directly. Markus locked eyes with the man, arching a brow. It wasn't S'haar, but someone from one of the alcoves- and he wasn't alone. He was human, and relatively well dressed- nothing that would get you mugged, but definitely something that suggested that he wasn't some low level splicer friend. So why was he down here, and not in VIP where most upstarts go? Markus counted 5 guards, 4 in the booth, and one standing near by who gave himself away by constantly staring at the booth, then the floor, then back.
The men stared for what felt like ages, neither of them blinked. Finally, the man in the alcove gestured for him to approach. Markus took pause, then turned back to face the bar, grabbing his drink. As he did so, he spoke out in a low voice to Jaydani.
"Something's up - the contact is not here. Stay here, and keep sharp."
And with that, he stood up and made his way across the dance floor towards the alcove. He was glad that the cloak covered his armor efficiently, and the sound drowned out the shifting of his plates. If this was going to end in a fight, he had the upper hand - this goon didn't know him, or what he had on him. As he neared the alcove, one of the body guards stood and approached. Markus smirked, then shook his head, before offering his glass towards the man that called him over, lifting his index and middle finger off of the glass in a subtle gesture.
"Clearly he wanted to see me, so spare me the grope and grab. I come in peace." He said it with such confidence that most would never have known those words to be suggested by the force. The guard gave Markus a nod, before stepping aside, allowing him to take a seat. Grabbing the seat directly across from his potential contact, that way his back would not be against the wall. While still susceptible to an attack from behind, he had Jaydani watching him- all the warning he would need could come from her. He set the glass down on the table and gave the man a polite smile.
"I already have a drink, friend...what do you want?" This time the question was genuine, and not a mind trick.
ABOUT Aedon Gavin Montrose
Alias
"Gav" to his closest friends
Age
17
Pronouns
Male-inclusive is fine (he, him, his, etc.)
*As Aedon woke up in the morning hours, the dim accent lighting of the apartment began to brighten to an accommodating level thanks to the motion sensors installed throughout the place. He sat up in bed, stretching his arms out before him and past his knees. As soon as he felt like he was stretching as far as his body would allow, he held there, starting to think on what his strategy for contacting Gorvun was going to be. There was a back door built into the dark web of the Holonet, of course...Gorvun had already made certain to "employ" someone of sufficient technological prowess in order to do so. Aedon found the node easily enough. Now, it was just a matter of setting up the meet in a clandestine manner. Before "The Red", Aedon had friends and contacts he had developed during his formative years as a young hustler. Lekki had gotten him a job back then working the local speeder docks. The idea was to teach him responsibility. The execution of that idea, however...well, it didn't quite work out the way it likely should have.*
*Aedon was a diligent worker. The slums had shipments just like any other place. It was his responsibility to see that they were distributed accordingly. He had a boss and mentor, though - Esmeralda. She was like him - a Zeltron - and likely one of the only ones working in the Amethyst District that didn't make their money laying on their backs (males included). Instead, she used her charms to make deals that benefited the District. Shipments sometimes had "damaged" product that couldn't be shipped back, but they wouldn't pay for - or, to help the driver of the speed-freighter, she would simply ask for at a discounted price. For outbound shipments, she would make deals on freight to get them shipped cheaper, or make it so something "fell off the truck" to make it worth the driver's compliance on the next run. The local businesses knew about it, but didn't care. There were insurance claims that could cover the cost. The corners she would cut would save the District credits and help the local shop owners as well. It was a beneficial arrangement, and one that she made sure Aedon learned quite well. On top of that, she knew about his situation. He lived with a Verpine - the bug race that was known for their adept nature with technology. His father wasn't in the picture. Esmeralda actually knew Aedon's mother before she passed away. They were good friends. So, when Aedon showed up at her dock, and she noticed his startling hair color that was the same shade as Loreah's, it wasn't too difficult to put two and two together.*
*Since the Red, Aedon hadn't seen Ez. He sincerely hoped she was able to get off-world. The same way that he hoped his caretaker, Lekki, had either made it to the city above, or gotten clear of this whole thing before it went to shavit. Of the few people he had actually seen and knew from before, they didn't travel in the same circles as Ez. None of them had seen Lekki, though.*
*Aedon feared the worst.*
*Aedon swung his legs over the edge of the bed and slid out to stand up on the floor. He reached up, giving his neck a good rub and a light push, stretching the muscles out and feeling his spinal cord release some tension with a few "POP" noises. He spent the next little while limbering up and doing a few exercises to wake himself, get the blood flowing.*
*The next few hours would be crucial to Aedon's plans. He needed to fuel his rested body, so he ate the first decent meal he'd had in quite some time. There were also a few dietary supplements in the form of Nourish Bars that were formulated to enhance mental acuity and physical aptitude which Aedon gladly ate. He needed to be firing on all drives when it came time to negotiate with the Houk. And as soon as he felt the Nourish Bars begin to take effect, he did exactly that.*
*It was a small matter to set up a terminal connection, but Aedon didn't want their expert hacker to have the perfect opportunity to trace his signal back to the safehouse. So, he started by setting up three false-flag signals that were satellite terminals in the area. Each connection was then redundantly-copied and bounced off of each other, which created a bit of lag time, but once the signal would reach its destination, enough of the data would parse itself together and the signal would resolve itself. Aedon pictured it like a river opening up to a lake, and then flowing back into a continuing river on the other side. From there, it was as simple as finding the backdoor that Gorvun's slicer had made, and sending the initiating contact holo-mail that would get the process started. It would hold the generic salutation, Aedon's name, and a capture or two of a few of the items he had to barter with, hopefully whetting Gorvun's appetite to see what else he had in store. The message would read as follows:*
"To the Boss, Gorvun Knae:
A proposal, for your consideration: The items shown above, and a great deal more, could be yours if we can come to an amicable arrangement. I'm certain you must be aware of what I want in exchange for these treasures, and it's indisputable that you will want to contact me soon to cement the accord. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely, Aedon Montrose"
((That should be enough of a lure for him. Felt like I really had to stretch for some of them words, though. Glad the Holonet comes with a thesaurus...))
*The remainder of his morning was spent in waiting, but he wasn't idle. Instead, he was now playing the defensive. Monitoring his satellite terminals for any probe attempts, watching his surveillance for any searching eyes or wandering ferals. He'd eventually have to have a face-to-face with Gorvun, but for now, he was just glad to be safe and alone with his thoughts.*
He had been walking for what felt like days, now. It could have been only a few hours...or it might have been a week, but he truly had lost track of the days since the Red Eyed Death had come to Garqi, and taken quite literally everything from him. With the planet in complete chaotic turmoil, Rife had managed to make his way to a safe point. There, he met up with the remnants of a GarSEC special operations squad, now tasked with protecting the handful of survivors that had gotten into a cleared area away from the main cities.
Safe but only for a moment, however.
One of the survivors was a carrier of the virus without being affected by the disease. Within an hour of their arrival, four of the survivors were infected. To make things worse, there was a breach in one of the perimeter fences, and the unit lost four more of their troopers. It was decided almost immediately to evacuate off-world, but even -that- went badly. Again, an infected, this time one of the soldiers, fell rapidly to the virus, and attacked the other troopers. Immediately, the ship dropped out of hyperspace. To avoid any more casualties, three of the surviving five troopers had grabbed Rife, and jumped into escape pods, along with another packed with weapons and gear.
The jettison went horribly awry as well.
One of the pods had a faulty booster, and instead of being sent planetside, it went rapidly out into deep space, spiraling a trail of white gas as it rolled through the blackness. The other three, including Rife's own, made it to the surface....but the one containing the pair of troopers crashed on impact, its chute not opening rapidly enough. There was barely enough left to even identify what kind of pod it was, let alone the occupants.
He was alone, utterly, and completely.
When he caught his bearings enough to exit the escape pod, Rife saw the smoking tail end of another. Stumbling his way toward it, he was hoping that it was at least one of the troopers, that -someone- had survived. He was sorely disappointed when he saw it was just gear and weapons. He took what he could carry, including armor, a helmet, several power packs, a blaster rifle, a bandoleer of detonators, and a pair of blaster pistols. He completed the gear with a combat knife, knowing that it would probably come in really handy. This place was a wasteland from the looks of things. It had the look of a massive city as far as the eye could see, but it was just...ruined, destroyed....totally shattered. Apparently, Garqi wasn't the only place that the plague had struck.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the positioning system he had snagged from the drop pod. "Coruscant-Amethyst District-Enter with caution!" was emblazoned across the section of the map. Seeing a central hub, Rife figured he could find someone. There were bound to be survivors, and he would probably find them there. Gearing up, he started off in the direction his map was pointing.
