Nowhere Special

Posted on Tue Dec 29th, 2020 @ 11:35pm by Spacer Shen Daeshim & Spacer Ixur Vex

Mission: Episode 1 - All Roads Lead to Nowhere
Location: Port Nowhere
Timeline: Current

"Approaching Port Nowhere, Master Vex," Proto said. Proto specially designed, multipurpose droid Edan Tobis had commissioned based on his needs. Edan had given the droid to to his friend Morgukai Master Ixur Vex. Edan often sent Ixur off on what would have been solo work if not for Proto. Proto could serve as pilot in command, co-pilot, and maintenance droid. Ixur's medical needs were seen to by a medical droid. "An extremely rude individual has given us a docking assignment. I believe we should prepare for the eventuality of being required to pay a bribe."

Ixur grunt. "To be expected," he said. "I will deal with this annoyance."

"If I may be so bold, Master Vex," Proto said. "Causing too much of a scene will attract a great deal of attention... as would making too little complaint, if you follow me."

"You are suggesting moderation?" Ixur replied. "I can do moderation. I can do subtle---"

"I was going to suggest that you simply be your usual self," Proto said. "Stoic with a side of implied violence. That should suffice."

Ixur's eyes narrowed. "Am I detecting snark, droid?" he said.

"No more than usual, Master Vex," Proto replied. "I have served you nearly two decades Master Vex, at the behest of Master... of Master... ahem... pardon me. My circuits are... distracted by... recent events. Master Tobis instructed me to help look after you. I will do so until my dying spark."

Ixur's expression softened somewhat. "I will miss him, too, Proto," he said. "You are not alone. I must prepare for disembarkation. You will handle docking. Inform me when I can exit."

"Of course Master Vex," Proto said.

A short while later Ixur was in his armor and hooded robe, hood pulled up over his head, armed with his cortosis staff, and off in search of his mysterious benefactor. He'd been given a place to go to await contact, so that is where he was headed. As he had through Coruscant's lower levels, Ixur slipped easily through the crowds in the corridors of Port Nowhere. He kept his senses sharp and on the lookout for anyone that could be the person he was looking for. Unfortunately, Ixur had little more than instinct to depend on in this situation, since he knew nothing about the person who had contacted him. Well, Ixur knew that the warning had come too late to save Edan Tobis. That made Ixur angry. Very angry. He set about calming his mind as walked, senses still sharp. Anger would be helpful not at all in this situation.

One of the advertisements near Ixur flickered through a range of pixelation before a distorted masked visage filled it.

"Pssst..." the ad screen called out. "You, Nikto. I think we need to talk..."

Ixur stopped discretely and stood off to the side of the advertisement without looking at it. "I'm listening," he said.

"Good," the masked face on the screen said with an obnoxious snicker. "Look ahead for red light. It's to, eh, a district of ill repute, shall we say." Another snicker. "Go there and I'll contact you again."

Ixur grunted. "I am a familiar with the concept," he said. "I will be there momentarily." Without waiting for a reply, Ixur immediately left for the location indicated on the screen. When he arrived and waited impatiently for his supposed contact to reach out to him again.

Now that they were a bit more private, the speaker could afford greater risk. When he appeared next on a smaller screen that was embedded in the wall, he was unmasked.

"Hi hello!" he exclaimed through the screen. It was a nervous little Nautolan. "I've been waiting forever for you to show up. Did you have any delays? No, wait. Don't answer yet. First I have to confirm your name. Tell me your name already!"

The Nikto version of a scowl formed on Ixur's face. Since Nikto couldn't really form very noticeable facial expressions (a Nikto smiled simply by making a flat line with their lips) he really didn't look any different than he had a moment ago. Should he tell this odious little annoyance his real name? Ixur sighed. He really didn't have much of a choice.

"I am Morgukai Master Ixur Vex," he said. "Your masters sent word to me, warning me of danger telling me to come here. I am here. What do you want of me? And what do you offer in return?"

The Nautolan let out a staccato of nervous chuckling. "Ah, yes, yes, yes! You are the right one. Such a proper name, both noble and, more importantly, correct. Now, let's see..." The creature's black bulbous eyes darted off screen as he feverishly searched for something. "Ah, yes. I was supposed to read this to you." Clearing his throat, he he began to read with far better enunciation than before. "Welcome, friend of Jedi, to Port Nowhere. Your assistance is requested in the event that survivors of what future generations shall call the Jedi Purge may need you. If you require payment, you may find it in the room directly adjacent... to the... one... you're... in..."

Trailing off, the Nautolan gasped in horror. "No, no, no!!! I misread! You, uh, need to go back the way you came. There's no payment in the adjacent room. There's, uh, a kath hound! Run for your life, Master Morgukai!"

"Payment beyond a safe place to lay my head, food to fill my belly, fuel, ammunition, and supplies for my ship, is not required," Ixur said. "My service to the Jedi is a matter of honor and it does not end with this 'purge', I assure you." With that, Ixur was on his way back the way he came, as instructed by the little Nautolan. Ixur did his best to blend in with the crowd, but now his finely honed senses and skill at counter surveillance told him that someone was hunting him. Clones? Bounty Hunters? Worse? He assumed it was not a kath hound. If he thought that was all it was, he'd have stood his ground and killed it.

When Ixur entered the indicated room, he found the same Nautolan who'd been leading him around by terminal screens. In person he was particularly scrawnier as he was hunched over a duffel bag that he was stuffing with gear.

"Oh, my!" he exclaimed, seeing Ixur. "You, uh, you came..." Incoherent grumbling followed that statement of the obvious. "So I don't have much client contact. People suck. I was just supposed to give you a message, but that message led you to me. Still, I'm supposed to facilitate the agreement. And... lead you to Jedi? What Jedi would come here?" He gave his head an incredulous shake that scattered his tendrils to and fro. "So... since you haven't killed me like the obvious killer you are, I suppose I can assume you're keen on the bargain?" His head now nodded forward many times in rigorous succession.

Jedi? So, the little Nautolan was connected somehow to the the Jedi? "I'll take your bargain, vague though it is," Ixur said. "But if you betray me, and I survive that betrayal... I will absolutely hunt you down and kill you. Do we have an understanding?"

The Nautolan let out a long, whiny groan. "Fine! It's all the same with you killer types. All threats, all grunts. Why not lead off with some kindness? Maybe a compliment or two. Not like I wanna' hug or anything weird. A little warmth and a kindly smile would be a nice chance of pass though." He half sighed, half spat in frustration. "Anyway, I'm Shen, but you can call me Dae-dae. Let's go, Master Morgukai Ixur. I'll take you to the coordinates they left me."

Ixur grinned, or at least the Nikto version of a grin, which wasn't easy to see, and made a noise that was about as close as a Nikto could come to a chuckle. "Lead, and I shall follow," he said. "As we have the beginnings of an arrangement, rest assured that if anyone in our path attempts to harm you, I will deal with them... harshly." The Morgukai Master came across as gruff and mean, but he was capable of kindness, in his own way.

"Good, good," Dae-dae said. He always felt safer when there was someone around to protect him.

Before long, Ixur began to hear the sounds of combat. "I assume this is the place of our rendezvous? Stand back, Shen Daeshim. Stand back and witness with your own eyes why Morgukai were once among the most feared of the Galaxy's warriors!"

Dae-dae's black bulbous shot wide open. "No druking way! I wanna' see this!"