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fanworldbuildingfun · 4 years ago

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Lessons Learned - Rumors from the Cantina (”Nar Shaddaa High Tea”)

The ice cubes clanked loudly in the glass as Altha slammed it on the table, caring little if she damaged either. It was shuffled to the side to join its empty brethren as the smuggler motioned for the server droid to bring her another glass of Corellian whiskey. A not-so subtle snort from her companion made the female cathar’s head snap up to glare at him. The man, though, seemed completely unimpressed with Altha’s attempt at intimidation

“Girlie,” - the nikto male stretched back in his seat, placing his arms behind his head - “keep practicing and one day you –might– be scary. Not anytime soon, but one day. You going to finish that one?” his head titled in the direction of the new drink en route to the table

Altha pointedly ignored the query, and snatched the whiskey the moment server droid was within the reach, downing it in one go. Immediately after, she bent over gagging as an ice cube made its way down her throat with the rest of the alcohol. It took a few moments of heaving and hecking before the cathar managed to straighten herself – all to visible amusement of the nicto

“Either you shut up, Madras, or I know where I am getting leather for my next pair of boots” no one outside of the feline race would have hoped to achieve the rumbling hissing in which the words were uttered

“And here I thought I should be a good friend and point out you don’t exactly have the creds to slush on booze –“

“Barely acquaintances, and I kriffin know it!” Altha slumped into her seat “You don’t need to remind me”

The previous bluster was all but gone. Almost as an afterthought, she placed the glass – the one she managed to hold onto by some stroke of luck – with the rest of. A scaly, green hand appeared in her line of vision, dropping a small stack of paper napkins before her

“Then clean up and pay attention this time” the mildly-teasing tone Madras spoke in vanished – and so did the carefree look in his eyes

“You aren’t a bad captain, Altha, but neither are you so good I can’t find someone else to go on a run with – “ the man paused, mulling over what he was going to say “ - and I’m not missing out on this one just because of your prissy mood, kid. I’ve done jobs for these guys before, got my payment, a place to lay low, all at the small cost of timely delivery and sealed lips. Which is more than I can say of you”

The worst part was, Altha couldn’t even say anything to that – the last cargo she carted almost cost her her ship, and all she got for her run were a measly few thousand creds. That barely covered the repairs – and the asshole whom she delivered the goods to knew it. She could still remember that tiny smirk on his face. Oh how she wanted to wipe it off with her claws… Or maybe she did. That would explain the tail she had to drop… A snap of fingers in front her face startled her out of finishing that thought

“Oi, I thought I told you to pay attention” the nicto drew back from where he leaned over the table “Run, money, a spot to park while those Exchange assholes are up and riled, that ring any bells?”

“Keep your head in this, kid. Or I –will- take my offer elsewhere”

“Yeah, yeah – so you keep saying. Going to spit it out already? Ain’t like you to dance around like that – must have been quite something to get you all cagey in a middle of a packed cantina” which, on Nar Shaddaa, was as close as you could get to privacy – there were just too many people to keep track of

“It keeps me coming back. That should tell you something” the man harrumped before going on “Look, the guys are cagey, but they did good by me so far. Ain’t like they are asking for anything terribly under the table – I have zero idea why they would go to freelancers to do the job, but I am not complaining. But this one’s bigger than normal. I need a hand here”

“And so you thought, “My, that stellar gal Altha is just the one I would share the good job with?” the cathar snorted “Because if so, I call your bull”

“Actually, I thought of your big ship” the smile that appeared on Madras’s face was just this side of sleazy “Now, your personality is an unfortunate side effect - ” he barely blinked as a half melted ice cube hit him in the chest “ – but I’m ready to sacrifice my standards for company. Just this once. My ship doesn’t fit that much people…”

The nicto was interrupted by the sudden near shriek of “People?!” that caused a few nearby patrons to turn their attention to their table. Putting on his best sappy look Madras leisurely raised his hand – to drop it right on the top of the fuming female’s head, giving it a bit of scratch. It served both in freezing Altha in her rant, and causing those staring at them to look away, some rolling their (multiple) eyes in exasperation over the perceived couple’s antics.

“What the kriff you you mean my people?!” Altha’s words were just as furious, but much more quiet this time “Because I am not dealing with slavers, Madras, and you better explain why the heck you would ask me….”

“And I just told you they aren’t asking for stuff like that” the nicto retained his sappy look, but his tone was quickly moving into “annoyed” territory “We aren’t talking slaves, kid. This is a transport run – we are picking up refuges, or settlers – whichever, I didn’t bother asking – and getting them from point A to point B. Now will you stop spitting at me?!”

The cathar’s ears pressed to her skull, shutting up her oncoming tirade – though she kept glaring up at the nicto. A moment later she shrugged his hand off her head with a huff “Start with this one, next time. What’s the price?” And was it worth the hassle of dealing with having who knows whom on her ship?

“Three thousand up front. Rest depends on the amount of pick-ups we need to make. We split half and half in both cases” satisfied the cathar wasn’t going to blow up again, Madras made himself comfortable again – and away from the explosion radius of the temperamental female

“Uh-huh. Looks to me you are getting the better cut out of it, if you intend to lump most of them up on me” even half of three thousand was a… Loath she to admit, a good offer – three grand were a cost of a shiny new speeder

“And if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be seeing even those” Madras spent far too long in the smuggling business to fall into a trap like that “Plus, you’ll need me to deliver them. Our guys aren’t exactly the most open – the place is full of nav scrambling tech like you won’t believe. Had to be towed at least part of the way there – no way you are finding the place yourself”

On one hand, a job for paranoid lunatics who may or may not deal in slaves. Artha wasn’t going to just take Madras’s word on that (though it helped). On another, the pay was… Acceptable, and the big guy said it wasn’t his first rodeo for this folk. And the nicto didn’t have the rep of maverick to work just for anyone. Heck, it couldn’t be worse than her last run

“Fine. Deal. You sharing the coordinates now or later?”

The grin on the man’s face could rival that of a loth cat who finally got his prey “Later, kid. Isn’t exactly the place to do it, cantina. Once we are off planet. I’ll holo you”

Pushing his chair back, the nicto got up and stretched. Altha winced as she heard a few bones pop (even the noise of cantina was not enough to cover the sound up), but Madras didn’t seem to care. Lizards

“Oh, and kid?” the man’s face twisted into expression of unholy amusement “Hard as that seems, try to be on your best behavior. Think at least a few of our folk are Imps” with that statement, the nicto walked into the crowd with a noticeable spring to his step

Leaving the female staring at the small mountain of glasses she racked up

Imperials. She just had to jinx herself, didn’t she?

#Star Wars #Star Wars: The Old Republic #Star Wars characters: Originals #Original Characters: Altha #Star Wars Organizations: Smugglers #Planets: Nar Shaddaa #Story Series: Lessons Learned - Rumors from the Cantina #Original Characters: Madras Novaghost

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