P-p-p-poker Face (D2, LA)

[Shaisha Vreysk]

The problem with looking for information on Nar Shaddaa was that the world was absolute chaos compared to the Imperial worlds she was used to, but she was beginning to understand that shady places like this might at least be a place to look for information brokers. Raven, Magpie... a Bird of Prey regardless, if she was on Nar Shaddaa, there had to be someone who had seen her somehow.

Picking up a drink and lighting a cigarette, Shaisha joins a sabacc-table to stretch out feelers.

---

D2 Gambling Mid-Afternoon (Yellow Viper Cantina). 100 Credits. Deception/Cunning (because we are cheating, which upgrades a difficulty die!): 1eP+3eA+1eD+1eC 1 success, 3 advantage


+230 Credits

[Vec Gunnar]

After an afternoon of duty patrolling the Imperial compound, Vec was free to use his extra time until his next shift on the next cycle. That time would typically be used for training, exercise or hitting the mess for some processed grub. The lousy side effect of being posted at a city was all the distractions that it offered to both him and his squad. After all of the talk with Lana of locals wanting to gamble with their lowly station in life, he had some gambling on the brain.

He entered the Yellow Viper Cantina and laid down some credits at the sabacc-table to test his luck.

Day 2 - Cool Check at Yellow Viper Cantina: 100 Credits used.: 2eA+2eD 2 failures, 2 advantage


"Well, shit," he grumbled in disappointment as he threw down his cards and his credits were dragged away by the dealer. "That's what I get for betting."

-100 Credits

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Hope you shoot better than you play sabacc, sergeant," the Sith from the night before said with a confident grin as she raked in the winnings from the play, lighting up a new cigarette as the game had ended.

"Or shall I call you something else, since you seem to be off-duty?"

[Vec Gunnar]

"I don't know of many garrisons that are defended with sabacc," he said with a derisive snort as he gave a shake of his head, rather sure that his credits were among those she was picking up. "I think you can rest assured the compound is well defended, Lady Shaisha."

Vec gave a shrug of his shoulders, brushing off the sourness from before. "I think that entirely your call. 'Not exactly off-duty, just not on duty, if you get me. I'm just known as Vec, on any other occasion. You got some bad habits there. So, you got another one of those you're willing to share?" He gestured to the cigarette she was lighting.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Point taken, Vec. And help yourself," she smirked and tossed the pack over to him. A rather expensive brand, it looked like. "Usually don't do this habit, but stressful times requires small moments to unwind. It's more the act of it making me think differently than I usually do, so it helps me relax."

It was hard to tell the age on these purebloods, but she was probably not over twenty yet, and handled the gambling table with confidence, and drank the scotch like a pro. And judging from last night, she handled social affairs like a noble.

"Been having a good time so for on the moon? Or would you rather go back to the action?"

[Vec Gunnar]

Vec easily caught the offered pack and fished out a cigarette. He also rose from his seat and made his way over so that he wouldn't have to be talking over the table any more than he had to. These games could sometimes turn into a shouting match when they got intense enough.

"Most appreciated, my lady. I was running low and I'm starting to feel cheap," he said as he handed back the pack to her and sat down beside her. He took out his own lighter and lit the cigarette to take a small drag. "Eh, you don't have to explain your habits around me. If you were looking stressful, I wouldn't have known better. Call it the Sith mystique or whatever. What are you all worked up about, anyway?"

"Don't know if I get to wish for action," he smirked faintly as he rubbed his chin. "I've spent the last few months staring down a mud mountain, and a few weeks before that worrying more about the sand in my armour than anyone shooting at me. A trooper's life ain't always glorious. yeah? Battles and action are found between long weeks of waiting and walking. That said, 'don't know if I'm exactly having a good time here either."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Eh, if I told you I'd have to kill you," she said with a smirk and waved off that particular conversation. Either she meant it and didn't feel like killing him, or she just didn't want to talk about it.

"Mud and sand, huh? As you say, it's not glorious, but neither is this place. Though probably easier to make or lose some creds here. So you're here as part of Darth Xevious' retinue?" she asked and leaned back in her seat to sip at her drink.

[Vec Gunnar]

"Heh, fair enough," he said in response about sharing her problems. He wasn't really expecting her to tell him, considering she just met him and they were in public gambling cantina.

Vec waited until he caught the eye of a server to wave them down and order a glass of whiskey, or whatever was in the amber bottle.

"Yeah, something like that," he brushed off casually. He didn't want to make it sound like he was personal buddies with the Darth, because he wasn't. They may have shared a meal but that didn't make them friends. " 'Came in with the Darth and his kids, at least. My squad were lumped in to provide extra security around here."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"His kids too? Can't say I've seen a lot of them... sometimes its hard to imagine that someone like that has kids, you know." Shaisha laughed. "Like... who is the mother in that family?"

[Vec Gunnar]

"You're the one asking me? I'd figured you'd know, being a Sith and everything," he gave a hapless shrug at that as he took another drag from his cigarette. He figured that the Sith must have some sort of Force magic relating to reproduction or something of the sort. Thankfully, he didn't have the imagination to go wandering into that territory. "I don't know if they're exactly his, but he owns them and treats them as such. They must get by really well in life."

The last bit could be mistaken how well off they are but more how surprisingly sheltered they are for children of the Sith sorcerer. You wouldn't have imagined that they were his children or students.

When the server returned this his drink, Vec took his glass from the tray when it was presented to him.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"There are many pies I have my fingers in, Vec, but I don't know everything that's going on with Dark Council members," she chided playfully and kicked her feet up. At least this was a nice way to spend an afternoon, and she had picked up some interesting gossip that could lead somewhere.

"Well, adopted or fostered or biologically his, doesn't really matter, family is a funny thing that way. For all purposes, they will be treated as his. What about you? Married to the job or got some wife and kid waiting for you back wherever your home is?"

[Vec Gunnar]

Vec took a slow sip from his glass and gave the melting ice cubes a small whirl. It wasn't top-shelf stuff but far better than what could be brewed in the basin of a refresher. "Yeah. You're still stuck with kids, if that's what you're getting at, lady. 'Ran into one of them today, pretty high aspirations, that one. As for me, heh, you really think highly of me, yeah? No, I don't go much to speak of outside of the military. No wife, no kids that I know of, and not even any nerfs on some remote farm to take care of. I figured that the Empire would keep me busy enough until they cart me away." Probably surprised myself that I managed to survive this long, if anything.

[Shaisha Vreysk]

It hadn't been quite what she meant, but the sentiment was still the same, she thought with a grin. "Guess I was right in that you didn't seem like a farm-guy then. Career-military is good work... not the most glorious or fancy, but important nonetheless. Too bad some of my fellow Sith forget it too often, but," the female sith shrugged, "there will always be stupid people."

"You hoping to do well enough to get promoted to a desk job then or something?"

[Vec Gunnar]

"I don't blame them really, you're all out to make a name for yourself and prove yourself strong, yeah?" He said, trying to recall the semblance of Sith philosophy he could muster from his passing exposure. "All foundations are built on sturdy shoulders, broken bones, and a hail of blaster fire from people like me. If I didn't earn any pay for it, then I'd have reason to complain."

He crushed the remainder of his cigarette and exhaled a slow breath of smoke. "If I worked hard enough for it, and found the right angles, I'm sure I could have gotten one a few years ago. Me, nah, I'm not seeking a desk or what the good Colonel is doing for the Empire here. I'm something of a workhorse, been working ever since I was born. Hopefully, if I get too injured to fight, I'll get the courtesy of being offered a desk job instead of being put down?"

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Something like that, yeah... though some fail to admit their own mistakes and learn from them to grow stronger, and take it out on guys like you. Which is rather pathetic, I find." The contents of her glass was sloshed around for a bit before she knocked back the rest.

Her laughter was a brief snort. "If that is what you would prefer, I'm certain we could arrange for it." She on the other hand was taking her time with the cigarette... as she had said earlier, it was more the motion of the habit that interested her than the chemical composition in the smoking. "You sound like some of the Black Ops folks I've met. Workhorses, uninterested in accolades and promotions. Ever considered branching out to that kind of work, perhaps?"

[Vec Gunnar]

He inclined his head once on that note, getting an idea to what she was referring to. High-ups losing their anger was the order of the day and they were usually surrounded by troopers. "It's a big Empire, and we all get our shitty days."

"Kindly appreciated," he said as he lifted his glass to give her a small toast in thanks for her offer.

He took a sip from his cup but looked to her as she brought up her next thought, looking quite contemplative. "I never knew that was even an option for someone like it. It does sound like interesting work, now that you've given me the idea, but I ain't exactly sneaky, or subtle. Never had a need for being all secretive, yeah?"

[Shaisha Vreysk]

She shared in the toast with a wide grin that showed much of the predatory profile common in Purebloods.

"As the Black Ops themselves would say; it's the toughest jobs, with the biggest risks, but the biggest payoffs with none of the fame," she recited from what she had heard from those soldiers.

"Just because it's stuff that's off the books, doesn't mean it's all sneaky or subtle. Sometimes, big muscles and big guns is what is needed for the job." And Vec seemed like a guy who liked to use both of those.

[Vec Gunnar]

"Good thing I was never one for fame," he snickered at that thought. Fame usually brought attention and he had a good idea that fame was merely a big magnet for trouble.

He stroked his chin in consideration. "Yeah, that sounds right about my alley when it comes to work. I'd strongly consider it. A heck of a lot better than babysitting children, and my squad. And, you got a reason you're giving me this idea?"

[Shaisha Vreysk]

A few moments of silence passed as she flagged the server down for a refill.

"My recent work on Ziost has taught me to always be on the look out for capable people. Of course, I'm not going to recruit you right of the bat, but the first impression has been good enough for you that the consideration is there to keep my eye on you during this 'peace' summit," she explained simply, not filling him with false hopes but also being honest at the same time. She was a young and upcoming Sith, after all, which meant that she was one of those who were always looking for people to serve them in different capacities.

[Vec Gunnar]

"Yeah, that's fair enough, Lady Shaisha," he smirked with a few nods, understanding fully why she didn't commit yet. "You hardly know much of me and there's nothing to indicate I'm much different from OT-423 or OT-922. Don't I'm going to make the rumours or win some medal around here to impress you, if that's what you're waiting for. But, I'll be around and I'm easy to find."

He extended his arms out in a quick stretch and looked beside her. "'Peace'? You don't sound too optimistic, and it looked like you were making friends too last night."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

Another nod, and her drink came quickly. They were on the same page there at least. Might have Paz look into his records once things quiet down.

"'Peace is a lie'," she reminded Vec. "Not that I don't think it's impossible to reach an agreement here between us and the Republic, but it won't last - someone will break it soon enough. I grew up in the late Minister of War's household, Aramis Torsin, for the past years, so I've seen my fair share of these things. At parties like the one last night, everyone yaps along and keep the peace for the time being, but we all know knives are being sharpened as soon as the doors close."

[Vec Gunnar]

"Yeah, that's what they say and I know how it goes..." he grumbled as he gave the ice in his glass a small whirl, having heard that mantra enough. "Knives get pretty dull from too much use, mine could use some sharpening."

"But, I'm a little curious to see how long this one lasts. To be a lie, you gotta be in on it, right?" He said, trying his hand at waxing poetic. "Something like that. I'll have more fun betting on that, than cards. The Jedi doctor girl seems pretty optimistic, I'm sure they all are. I don't know if they are eager or it's just that Republic brand of happy swill they're drinking there."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"Clever man," she said approvingly at his comment about the nature of a 'lie'. "And yes, some of the Republic folks seem... overly optimistic so far. A lot of it I think is just for show, but the Republic seems to have this notion that peace is possible... though I look forward to meeting the ones of their ranks who see the truth for what it is."

"Personally, I think we should only enter a peace-agreement with them practically begging us for it, because we have the upper hand. Then again, I'm not aware of all the details of this war either."

[Vec Gunnar]

Vec gave her something of a small salute at thr compliment, "You know, sometimes I am, when I try to be."

"If it's a show, then they've had pretty good practice at it. I could see that a few of them seem to see you as a novelty, which was pretty cute from my end. Besides that, any of them caught your attention. I didn't mingle with them all that much last night."

[Shaisha Vreysk]

"I met a few from the Republic yesterday. The two at the party yesterday; the Togruta Jedi and the Petty Officer. Earlier, I met a few Alderaanians - Niall Organa, Alysele Cortess, and Varra... a lieutenant, I think. They were hunting for a Mandalorian who had accidentally killed one of their nobles recently and I gave a helping hand," she smirked, "a debt I intend to collect on during this peace summit."

"That Niall is... an interesting character. Appaerently it was his sister he was killed, yet he still insisted on sending the killer back to Alderaan to stand trial, where they'd probably lock him up in a plush little cell somewhere."