You like soup?

Posted on Sun Oct 4th, 2020 @ 12:46am by Jedi Knight Enchelei Dardana & Mando'ade Zaf A'Toruk & Sage Hud Ubar & Ver'alor Jiani Pava
Edited on on Sun Oct 4th, 2020 @ 12:48am

Mission: Episode 1 - All Roads Lead to Nowhere
Location: The Bellowing Walrus, Nowhere

"Another!"

Jiani Pava practically growled at the Gilliand bartender, sliding the small brown cup back for a refill. The bartender shot a glare her way but backed off a bit as Jiani stood from her seat. While she might not be as tall or visually intimidating as some who passed through The Bellowing Walrus, but the human woman could more than hold her own. With her Mandalorian armor, the off-grey and blue plate and blaster on each thigh sent a pretty clear message she wasn't to be messed with.

Coming back from a nearly blown job on Ord Mantell, the planet had been swarming with Clones and Droids. That was the last time she ever agreed to take on a rescue job, from now on she was going to stick to Bounties. Not that it mattered anymore the galaxy was in chaos since the announcement of the 'New Order Kiffing laughable. Just another government to hand out contracts for Jiani to pick up. And there would be PLENTY of jobs up for grabs, she'd been on planets that had a regime change. Always people who would fight and put contracts out. Which meant she could afford the good stuff Aldaraniaan Whiskey.

Taking a sip of her newest glass, Jiani looked around the bar, pretty usual for an establishment catering to spacers, smugglers, and bounty hunters. It was dingy, it was hot, there were at least seven dirty deals going down in various dark corners... it was perfect really, full of life. And people, so many different people, it made Jiani more comfortable, more alive. Somehow the 'nicer' and 'cleaner' establishments didn't do it for her, they just weren't as fun. You didn't run into as interesting people... especially not ones you knew.

Glancing across the bar to one of those seedy corners she couldn't believe her eyes at first. Zaf A' kriffing Toruk! He certainly had a lot of nerve showing his face around here, after the stunt he pulled. Shooting back the rest of her whiskey, Jiani got up, stalking over to the far corner where the Zabrak sat.

"Hey Zaf!" As the man turned to look her way Jiani had already pulled back, her fist striking forward to clock him across the jaw.

As his head swung to the side, shoved by a weighty punch from a fiery young lady, Zaf aimed low. Not so low as to be utterly unfair, but a reflex strike of his own that aimed blindly for the solar plexus in an automatic offensive defence. And as his left arm, the only one encased in Beskar, sought to wound, his ears picked up a voice he swiftly matched with the face he'd glimpsed for a millisecond before her strike.

"Jiana," Zaf spat the word as he clicked his neck and turned to face her. "You're not dead yet then." His gloved fist tapped against her belly as he added. "Trying to remedy that?"

The place being somewhat full of patrons, of course, noticed the next in line of many a brawl. A Nautolan male sat at one of the closer tables, his dark, pupil-less eyes observing the brawl with interest, his thick lips curled into a grin. The Bellowing Walrus never failed to provide entertainment. Entertainment was just what you wanted after a bad day of fixing legal, semi-legal, and rather illegal starships, the variety of which you could easily find docked at Nowhere at any time of day.

"Just paying you back for old times sake." Jiani was already rearing back for another strike, her own armor having cushioned the blow. The beskar encased fist still hurt though. Twisting her hips she sent a low fist at his jaw again, her other pushing his fist away from her gut. It wasn't the first time they'd gotten into a brawl and she was determined to make him remember this one.

"Payback?" Zaf snorted as he sent his cupped his right palm down to block her upward moving fist. He let Jiana slide his left arm sideways, hoping to distract her from his sweeping right foot which aimed to harshly tap her left ankle. "Those old times are even, I'd say. I won that bounty, fair and square."

He didn't, obviously, and that was why she was seeking amicable vengeance. Amicable because he could see her, she'd stepped right in, close and personal like, not tried to take him down in some underhanded trick of a move. Zaf considered that sort of honour to be a weakness of sorts, but he admired that quality in others.

Jiani landed hard on her back, the sound of armor landing again duracite flooring reverberating around the room. Still having control of his arm Jiani pulled rolling them backward and grabbing his belt to sent the man flying over her outstretched leg. Smirking as Zaf landed with a similarly echoing thud, Jiani kicked out getting back to her feet and glaring. "You launched me out of an Airlock!"

Their fight had gone on for quite a bit of time before, starting in the space port when Zaf tried to take off and leave with the bounty. They'd fought on the ground, and in his ship until he'd trapped her. It was only luck that they were still in the atmosphere when he'd opened the hatch and that she still had a working jetpack. Otherwise Jiani would have plummeted to her death.

He laughed, as she hit the ground, then sucked in a breath as Jiani's skill won out in that millisecond of distractedness. Her hand on his belt gave her the temporary victory and Zaf was grateful he hadn't felt it necessary to venture out for drinks in his full gear.

It hurt, that hard slam into duracite, winded the young Zabrak temporarily even as he bounced swiftly back up to his feet. Never stay down. For Mandalore and all that. As he caught his brath, she was already standing, giving him A Look.

"Only a little," Zaf hurled back moodily. Temper flared in his tone as he snarled a rhetorical question. "You clearly survived, didn't you?" He recalled that past battle well, though he hadn't expected to see Jiani again. They must have still been within atmosphere when he'd shoved her out the airlock with a well-placed shot to the shoulder. Zero regrets were given, that bounty had paid for ship repairs and a resupply, plus a few happy extras.

"So... did you come find me expecting a hug, or do you need me to kick your butt a second time?" Zaf taunted, well aware that they were now gathering an audience of bar patrons.

"I doubt you're up to either you bald womprat!" Jiani charged in at the Zabrak taking several quick jabs at the man before moving to deliver a hard shot to his side. The fight was quick, kinetic, both mercs trading hard blows as they moved throughout the circle forming around them. At one point Jiani ended up going over a table and taking a swing at Zaf with the same chair she ended up in.

He swore enthusiastically in Jawa'ese, then switched mid-sentence to Rodian as they each dealt enough kicks and punches to bring any normal foe to their knees and keep them there. This combat dance persisted, boundaried by the keen and impromptu betting audience now encircling the two Mandalorians, until Jiani's chair hit Zaf across his unprotected head.

Unwilling to unleash flame or genuine ammunition in a crowded bar environment, he ducked just a little too late in response to her rapid response and dropped instantly to a seated position on the floor.

"Kriffing Sithspit, Jiani," Zaf muttered, sounding a mixture of mildly entertained and a little grumpy as he remained there and rubbed his skull. Slender, pale orange fingers reached between and around his cranial horns, the tips of thumb and index seeking the broken ones. "You been training all this time for this damn moment?"

"Let's just say it's been a bit of motivation," Jiani said with a grin, letting the chair drop heavily to the floor. Catching her breath, the woman waited a moment before striding over to Zaf. "Losing a fight and ending up in free fall isn't exactly the greatest benchmark of one's prowess." Standing over the fussing Zabrak she pushed his hands out of the way, using his horns for leverage to turn his head about. "You're fine you big baby, luckily your skull is as thick as my helmet. And all your cute lil thorns are intact." She teased giving him a light smack on the forehead.

Despite his current mood and a blinding headache, Zaf kept his torrent of cursing in the mid-level range of filthy and homicidally descriptive as Jiani toyed with his ego. He didn't smile as his bad mood projected across their little circle of attention, one which was slowly disbanding now that the active combat had ceased, and his gaze was darkly malcontent.

He did, however, allow the other warrior to touch him without attempting to break any bones, which was testament to their shared moments of past at least.

"Touche. We're even then," Zaf stated, his tone matter-of-fact. "Since you've successfully and publicly humiliated me." He looked up at her, wincing from beneath his brow and scowling as Jiani's hand collided gently with his forehead. He deliberately avoided addressing the issue of the word 'cute' as he pushed upwards to stand before her and ask a question that was intended to call time on their fight. "Drink?"

The Nautolan man raised his mug to them, giving them a wide toothy grin, "oyeh, Jiani! Good one, little warrior! Good one!" He said in the heavy Glee Anselm accent.

"Korg!?" Jiani exclaimed recognizing the Nautolan's voice instantly, searching him out in the corners of their 'arena.' Giving the big man an exaggerated wave before turning back to Zaf. "So, how about that drink?" She asked inclining her head toward Korg's table. She'd met the Nautolan a few years back and developed a quick friendship. Despite being quite the hulking man he was, he was actually quite the sweetheart.

The Nautolan beamed at her, showing his pearly teeth against the dark skin, "ya, gurl! I made it back just before that osik went down in da Republik! Or is it de Empoire now? De new Govarnmant either way." He said to Jiani, then looked over at the Zabrak, "oye, hoo dis?"

"Oh him?" Jiani grinned, "This sorry excuse for a Mandalorian is Zaf A'Toruk." She was not going to miss the opportunity to mess with the Zabrak a bit more. "He's the dishonorable shabuir who punted me out of an airlock." Her hands rested on her hips she turned with a smirk, leaning down to whisper in Korg's ear. "Told you he was kinda cute right?"

"Oh I don't' knoo garl, he a bit spikey." The nautolan grinned at Zaf, "Su cuy'gar, Mando!" He greeted the Zabrak. "Sit, join us!"

He'd stood on the periphery of their interaction, internal dialogue wrapped up in selfish and grizzly thoughts, as Jiani and this Nautolan she seemed to know conversed. He'd ignored that first invitation to make their intended duo a trio, muttering something in Huttese under his breath, darkly. Her brightness, and the disrespectful way she dealt with him irritated Zaf on a obvious surface level, yet not quite enough to invite a second confrontation with a wider audience. Not right now, anyway.

That smile though? Zaf rolled his eyes and exhaled at the mere thought of socialising with these two. Korg, was it? He seemed sweet on Jiani, and the table wasn't big enough for the Zabrak's liking. He winced as she voiced his full name, then stood up tall, shoulders relaxed, face utterly serious.

"I'm not cute," Zaf said. "I'm not sorry. And you deserved to be flushed out the damn airlock, Jiana Pava. That bounty was mine, and you kriffin' know it." He held up a palm in a gesture requesting a lack of further argument. "But you knocked me to the ground here and now, so I will buy the drinks for you and your big friend." Dark green eyes sought the Nautolan's own as Zaf took a seat across the table from the other two. "What'll you have?"

"Korg can be joor friend too," The pearly row of teeth, framed by thick lips now beamed at Zaf. "Hoo knoos, joo might be more fun dan little Jiani here!"

Mando's flared up so easily, Korg found. It was so entertaining to push their buttons.

"More fun for what?" Zaf threw back swiftly, his head canted to the side as he regarded his new 'friend'. Then he turned sideways just enough to scan the optics at the closest bar "Arkan brandy," he decided, spotting its pale blue signature bottle easily enough. "Since they don't have any Narcolethe." It took him a few minutes to return sporting a bottle and three small cups, but he seemed in a marginally better mood by this point.

"So," the Zabrak began, as he poured two equal measures and one half-measure for Jiani. "How did you two meet? Did she try to steal from you too, Korg?"

Korg chuckled, looking over at Jiani, then back at Zaf, "not quite."

In truth Korg had a bounty on his head long ago, and Jiani had been the one to pick it up and track him down. Things didn't go as planned and Korg ended up saving Jiani's life, thus incurring a life debt. So they agreed to provide evidence of death and a new identity for him. So, Korg Ornara was born, and Jiani got free/discounted engineering assistance whenever she was at Port Nowhere.

"Well its a long story," Jiani said grabbing the bottle Zaf held, pouring herself another half-measure to equal the others. "There was a job, things went awry... no one tried to send me out an airlock, but there was a whole lotta attempted murder." Jiana raised her glass to Korg. "Thankfully neither of us got dead... due in no small part to Korg here. Been friends ever since."

"Mutual benefit." Korg nodded, "any friend of Jiani is a friend of Korg's." He looked over at Zaf. "Are joo a friend, spikey one?"

"I dunno," Zaf admitted. "There seems to be a whole lot of focus on a certain airlock," he flashed a brief frown at Jiani. "I'd say she's a sore loser, but I don't consider her an enemy, no. Professional courtesy's a bit lacking, but all part of the business." He drank his shot and looked between the two of them. "What do you say, Little One," he said, the name spoken with an amused sarcasm as he took the bottle back to refill his own cup. "Friends?"

Jiani gave Zaf a little glower at the nickname, but in the end, she ignored it. Instead, she took a long pull of her drink looking between the two men. Sighing she set her glass down, pushing it over for Zaf to top her off. "Friends, I guess I can't hold a grudge too long, not after I kicked your ass in front of the bar."

That glass was immediately filled, the recent past forgotten in favour of the beginning of what threatened to be a serious drinking session. "Friends," Zaf nodded, taking care of Korg's cup too as he ignored Jiani's rebuke. He rubbed a gentle hand over his bruised head, scratched lightly at the base of a broken horn and mused out loud as he looked about the bar. No immediately obvious trouble, though that could change at any moment. "Now all we need is a deck of cards..."

"Joo sed de magic word, Mando." Korg flashed Zaf a pearly grin, fishing out a deck of cards from a side pocket on his pant leg. "Hoo wants to deal?"

Jiani was quick to snatch the Sabacc cards shuffling through the oblong gold cards. "Corellian Spike anyone?" Jiani's grin was almost predatory as she looked between the two men.

"If you're shuffling, I'll deal," Zaf was quick to decide. He knew he didn't cheat, so there was no wry smile involved in that offer, just the plain old offer of a fair start to the game. He looked from big guy to little lass with those serious dark green eyes, then added. "We playing for money, drinks or something more interesting?"

"Do joo have credits to waste, Spikey? I don't. So drinks, I'd say." Korg offered with a shrug. "So, what's goin' to 'appen, what wit' eerythen goin'n on? Are we jumpin' or stayin' 'ere?" He leaned in close to both of them and whispered. "I mean...wit' de Republic an' all."

Zaf considered that for a moment. To spare? Not really, but while he'd never met Korg before, he didn't plan on losing. Wasn't that always how these things started though?

"Drinks works for me," he agreed easily enough. His instinct was to head backwards as Korg moved in closer, but Zaf resisted that urge, let his hand lower to his sidearm and met the Nautolan's eyes with a easy return stare. "Jumping for preference," the Zabrak stated. "Imagine it's about to get messy, but tickets outta here could make us all conveniently wealthy?"

"A ship would make us even wealthier," Jiani offered with a conspiratorial smile. "I give it a day, maybe two before people start panicking, all wanting to get to safe havens. The Captains around here will take on those that can pay, but I bet they'd be a lot more comfortable if they had a security force..."

"Joo mebbeh right." Korg nodded as he looked at the cards he was dealt, "I think, I will be stayin' ere. Someone needs to keep de 'ome fires burnin', repair all dose ships hoo will be lookin' to lay low. Port Nowhere 'as stood for 'undreds of years. Ole gerl is not easy to get rid of."

The young Zabrak leant comfortably back in his seat and rested his arms behind his head, unsubtly emphasizing his nonchalant mood while the other two spoke of wealth gained from infamous fortune. "Exactly, little Jiani," he noted finally and with a broad, smug grin on his bruised face. "Like I say, tickets outta here are gonna be worth plenty. And - unlike you two then - I've got the ship."

"You have a ship?" Jiani asked incredulously since her fighter was destroyed a couple of years back she'd been saving up but during a war, it was hard to find anything of value at least anything that she could afford on a Bounty Hunters salary.

"Vi (yes)," Zaf confirmed. "She's having a little work done, but she'll be good to go when I am." The mechanic had promised, and he'd certainly paid her enough, half and parts money in advance, rest on completion. She'd come well-recommended too, hence Zaf's casual stance in this very bar right now. "You don't? Losing more than just the one bounty, Ji?"

"He spikey and 'as a ship! Joo not so bad, Mando!" Korg grinned at him. "Joo should keep his company, Jiani."

"Me, hang out with spikey here? Worse, work for him?" Jiani couldn't help but grimace at the thought. Not that they hadn't worked together before... just wasn't something she was quite expecting to do anytime soon.

Zaf rested back in his seat, and rested the back of his head against curved palms, fingers interlocked for stability. It was strangely rewarding to regard Jiani's discomfort in that moment so he savoured the sensation, as was his right. Definitely helped to ease his fading headache, and brought a warm smirk to his features as he considered her working for him. "Be good to have proper crew," he said, expression conveying his contemplation of this wonderful possibility. "I could cut you in for a percentage." Zaf suggested. "Both of you."

"What kind of percentage we talking?" Personal opinions and grudges past, business was business. Jiani understood that even if she was still annoyed with Zaf and... disappointed in his lack of honor during their last encounter. They had settled things for now as Mandalorians should.

"I could maybe consider... 10," said Zaf, managing to keep an utterly straight face.

Jia let out a laugh, "Ten percent? Try thirty and it won't be you heading out an airlock this time." Jiani grinned, half-teasingly anyway.

"Fifteen," Zaf suggested, canting his head to the side and letting his dark green eyes search hers.

"Twenty-Five." Jiani easily countered, her own gaze unwavering as she took a sip of her drink.

"How much?"

The husky voice reverberated through a rebreather. How long the Kel Dor had been present in the corner was unknowable. It was as if the shadows had darkened solely to conceal him and then retreated to their standard dimness.

"To buy in."

Before taking a seat, the Kel Dor laid down a small tile of unpolished metal that would be nevertheless instantly identifiable to any Mando.

"I am correct in assuming this to be a high stakes table?"

Jiani's focus quickly turned to the Kel Dor, one hand slowly dropping to her blaster as the man sat down. "Maybe, but first... Where did you get your hands on Beskar?" It was rare to see the metal outside of Mandalore, especially one so refined. Even at a cursory glance, she saw the silver-gray waves glinting on the metal surface. Nor could she miss the mark of a Master Armorer in the lower corner.

"So you know its value. Let's hope you can match it." The Kel Dor sat down in a chair opposite the other two and placed another tile atop the first one. "Are you going to deal cards or are you sitting out?"

Zaf rubbed his face with fingertips and thumb, pensive and silent as he watched the newcomer interact with Jiani. He searched without moving his head, or his position, letting his gaze judge this stranger before he made any comment at all. He did not stare, drool or comment on the beskar itself, and he looked up with the merest of frowns as the Kel Dor asked his second question. "Too rich for me," Zaf said, no accent or emotion caught in his tone.

"Then perhaps you would prefer to earn it." The Kel Dor didn't move a muscle, but the air about him shifted in a palpable change from affable gambler to ominous stranger. Danger seemed to exude from him, yet his stillness had a serenity to it. "Unless Mandalorians lose their mettle along with their helmets."

The outward manifestation of the Zabrak's anger was far less serene. Zaf thumped the table with a clenched fist, his scowl darkening his pale features as he vented physically. That promise of trouble, of risk and reward was second nature to the mercenary who had walked more shadows than sunlight. The irony of that lost temper skipped his mind, however, as he spoke. "Nothing's lost here, stranger," Zaf growled. He canted his head then though, curious despite the insult. "Earn, how?"

"Someone has taken something very precious to me," the Kel Dor said. "And I would like it back. They will not surrender it willingly."

Korg looked between the two with curiosity, then over at Jiani, then back at the Kel-Dor. "Dis got intrestin very quickly. Korg folds, but very curious," he said, laying his cards face down.

"How badly do you want it back?" Zaf's question had a direct correlation to monetary reward, of course. "Unwillingly costs extra."

"I see why Mandalorians are not known for their negotiations," the Kel Dor quipped. "Just a moment ago you said I was too rich for you. Now you suggest the price is too small. If you want the job, then come with me. I will not say more here."

With that, the Kel Dor got up and walked away.

Glancing at the Zabrak and then to the Nautolan, Jiani just shrugged, holstered her blaster and followed after their stranger visitor. "C'mon Korg! Wanna have some fun? Zaf? You wanna come too?"

"Somwan needs to keep de home fire burnin', Jiani." Korg shook his head, "Korg's adventuring days are over."

Usually payment was agreed in advance, thought Zaf as he listened to Korg and Jiani speak. But... he had to at least hear the pitch before he made his decision final on this one. While his ship repairs were covered and he was solvent, more credits were always welcome. As he shifted his gaze from the Kel Dor's retreating back to Korg, Zaf sighed. "Not sure this is gonna be 'fun'," he told the Nautolan, then stood up. "Not gonna let Jiani go alone with that fella though. Take a rain-check on the card game?"

He had a bad feeling about this one, but those were usually the high earners.

"He better, especially if he's gonna stay here and miss out on an adventure," Jiani said with a grin quickly bounding over to her friend. "Keep a chair free for me ya?"

"Always got a free chair for joo, Jiani." Korg looked over at Zaf, "and joo, Spikey."

"You old softy," Jiani let out a rare giggle and gave the big guy a hug. "Don't go starting any revolutions without me, you know how that ended up last time."

Korg squeezed the little woman tightly, grinning, "no promises, littel one. Revolooshans don't count as adventuring." Then his lid less, iris-less eyes looked down at her, "take care of joor self, alright?"

"I will." Returning the squeeze, she shut her eyes briefly enjoying the safety she felt in his purple arms. "As long as you do the same..." She wasn't used to getting vulnerable in front of others, but if there was someone who could bring it out of the normally spitfire young Mando it would be Korg. "Besides the only one to ever actually get me out the airlock is on my side for a change."

Korg chuckled as he stepped away, "Korg promises. Now go, joo don't want to miss dose credits...or dat metal...thing."

"Thanks," Zaf said with a curtness to his gratitude, and he held his hands up and backed up as the hugging started. From behind him, a serving Twi'lek squeaked as she narrowly avoided upsetting the tray she carried atop the palm of her outstretched hand.

"Who wanted the soup?" She asked, expertly twisting her body around to save the bowls of hot liquid from flying free.

"Soup?" A thumb jabbed in Korg's direction as Zaf stepped out of the way. "That's gotta be this fella here," he told her with a frown. "Jiani, c'mon, I don't think Big Ugly is waiting for either of us..."

"Go!" Korg waved them off as he waved the two off as the Twi'lek handed him the soup.