Episode II: The Gathering Storm IC Thread 3

[Thundercracker]

IC Thread 2: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?499394-Episode-II-The-Gathering-Storm-IC-Thread-2

OOC Thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?552281-Episode-II-The-Gathering-Storm-OOC-Thread-2

Coruscant: "Sure, if you've got the credits, or goods for trade," the doctor replied.

Zoccom:
"Hold on a second," Quest said, "what exactly is your guys' plan, what do you want with Jenos and his crew?"

[RandomLunatic]

"Our money, for starters. Plus extra for da inconvenience.

"What about you?" Shyar's tone changed, becoming more inviting and seductive, but not in the carnal sense. She stepped around directly in front of the twi'lek girl, bending her knees out to bring her eyes level with Quest's. And Shyar inched closer with every word. "Ya said ya hated 'im. What did he do ta ya? And how badly do ya want ta see 'im hurt?"

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Of course. Will this do?" Gial replied, pulling out various electronic devices he indeifnitely borrowed from Governor Lam's mansion.

I can provide up to 500 cr worth of those.

[Hazuki]

"Something for my wounds and a medpac would be appreciated. Thank you." Kikari says, as she adjusts her outfit to show the remnants of the wound from before. She and Gial did a decent enough job of patching it up, but she had no doubt that a doctor would do better. She doubted incompetent doctors would last long in a place like this.

[Thundercracker]

might help if I subscribed to my own thread,..
Coruscant:

“Yeah that’ll do for these scratches,” the doctor replied.
He bustles about his office, collecting syringes and backs patches, and before long you’re patched up feeling almost as good as new.
“Take these tonight as a precaution,” he said, handing over a pair of large blue pills, “with food.”

Assuming you then head for the lower districts, you turn right at the sign post and down a sloping ramp of a passage. There is a little bit of foot traffic but like before, you’re mostly left unmolested. The passage opens to a large cavern, and you can see what looks like apartment balconies carved directly into the wall of the cavern on both sides. Hovering balls of light bounce idly around the ceiling, which has been smoothed of stalactites. In the center of the cavern sits a child’s playground, vacant. There are several entrances to the apartments on both sides. The passage narrows again and continues far in the distance, perhaps 300 or 400 meters ahead of you.
On the right side you see a sign for ‘office’, and on the left is a convenience store on the ground level. A few shady looking individuals are smoking something out front, as evidenced by the haze hanging around the front of the store.

Zoccom:

“He’s got my uncle in a debt trap, he barely made the last interest payment,” Quest replied, “I know how these thugs work; they’ll bleed my uncle dry and then either throw him away, kill him, or get him to do something stupidly illegal and dangerous to pay back his debt. My uncle is an idiot but unfortunately he’s kind of a package deal with my aunt and my cousin. Without him they’ll be in a really bad way so...”

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar backed off. "I see. I can help, but if we're ta do anything, our time ta act is short. Get da speeder started, an' I'll explain on da way."

Shyar took the unconscious thug by the armpits and dragged him someplace out of view of casual passers-by. Then she stomped on his right hand and ground her heel in until she heard enough bones break to be confident he wouldn't be picking up a blaster anytime soon.

She ran back to the speeder, peeling off her coat and jumping the back seat. "I need some bacta here," she said to Zavi. "An' here, an' here, an' here, an' argh, definitely here."

"So Mister Jenos was half right. We ain't cops, but we were tryin' ta infiltrate his operation. Da power vacuum he's in right now has drawn attention from some larger outfits, who want to destroy or absorb Mister Jenos'. We were da scouts. Help us pull dis off, an' I can put in words ta have ya uncle's debt go away."

((Taking second wind, and if Zavi takes 10 on first aid, that'll bring me back to 79, full if I pass this aid another.
[roll0]))

[Hazuki]

"Thank you for paying. I will pay back when I have the money." Kikari says to Gial, as they depart the doctor's office. The journey through the caves is an interesting one, though not one that keeps her in good spirits. The sight of an empty playground reminds her of the children that must live there, which only strengthens her resolve to not let their task come to blows. "Let us hope there are sullustan around." She says, hoping for an easy hunt.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Sure."

...

"Hmm...well, if he rented an apartment here, the office ought to know. Might not be necessary this time, but keep your mojo ready." Gial said to Kikari, then headed straight for the office.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Quest narrowed her eyes.
“Depends, are you with the Hutts?” she asked.

Coruscant:

A lone four armed alien with dark hide-like skin and forehead ridges is manning the small office. Cluttered desks line three of the walls and a bookshelf jammed with all manner of documents and random devices sits against the fourth.
“What do you want?” he asked roughly, while filing a document into a drawer and simultaneously typing on what appears to be an overworked and undermaintained computer, judging by the loud whirring sound coming from the exposed fan and circuit boards.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"I'm looking for a friend." Gial replied, in a supremely annoyed voice. "The imbecile said he'd taken an apartment here the other day, but didn't tell me which. And now the moron won't answer! I bet he's high as a kite with those painkillers, because the moron got shot like the moron he is!"

"Anyway. Can you tell me that imbecile sullustan's apartment number?"

Deception [roll0]

[RandomLunatic]

"We ain't wit' da Hutts."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The twi’lek pursed her lips.

“I can get you into Jenos’ hideout,” she said, “and get your weapons back. And my uncle’s debt is cleared. Deal?”

Coruscant:

“We value our tenants’ privacy, how important is it you find him?” the four armed alien replied. The room goes quiet as he stops filing and typing and whatever other administrative tasks he was occupied with. You apparently now have his full attention.

[RandomLunatic]

"Oh, Mister Jenos is going ta be dere?" Shyar said, perking up. She offered Quest her hand. "Deal."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“I don’t know if he’s there now. If you want to know whether he’s there or not before I get you in, that’ll cost you extra,” the twi’lek replied.

[RandomLunatic]

"We'll play it as it lies," said Shyar.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Alright, let’s get your weapons first,” quest replied.

She directs you down some side roads into a residential area, with grassy lawns and mostly run down picket or metal fences. Sickly looking trees line the streets in some places.

“Wait here,” she said, stepping out of the speeder once it stopped.

She walks 50’ down the street and turns the corner.

How long would you like to wait?

[whoiam]

Zavi didn't even wait for Quest to clear the corner. She touched Shyar's shoulder (to get her attention), winked at her, and then... disappeared.

In truth, she'd just activated Cloak so she could tail their contact unseen (despite her less-than-impressive Stealth score). At least until she hit a guard post... Even with the invisibility, Zavi wasn't stealthy enough to remain undetected if she got too close to something that could *hear*, so she'd have to stop well short of any such obstacle.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Oh, well, I tried. Not that I was expecting much.

"Extremely important!" Gial replied, shifting one eye to Kikari in a replay of what happened earlier at the clinic.

No reason to waste money in bribes for unverified information, when you could just mind control people into telling the truth. Force users sure had it nice...

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar blinked as Zavi disappeared. "Neat trick. Comm if... wait, damnit, she still has my comm. Just scream then."

Note to self: Get a stealth field generator when the spice money comes in.

Shyar got out of the speeder and pulled her camo poncho over herself. She didn't go around the corner herself, but found a good place to conceal herself as close to it as she could, and set her stolen blaster to single shot mode.

((Taking 10 on stealth, 25))

[Hazuki]

"It is as he says." Kikari nods. "We worry for his safety, and for how he must be feeling with how he was shot. The painkillers are good, yes, but if it is too much, and he finds them too tempting..." She decides to let the implication hang in the air. She'd rather not use the Force for everything.

Taking 10 for 26.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom :

The twi’lek walks down the road and up a driveway, unlocking the door before she enters into a squat two story residence pretty much indistinguishable from every other two story residence in this neighborhood. She doesn’t even bother to knock.

Coruscant: “You and everyone else,” the besalisk replied, “same rate for everyone, 500 credits, or equivalent tradable goods.”

You’re beginning to get the idea nothing is free in the undercity.

so he is now convinced this info is worth a lot to you, which is making him disinclined to give it away for free. you can use the force to convince him to let you have the info for free, or you can hold him up at gunpoint and search the computer, or you can pay him or use persuasion to haggle him down by 50%

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar sat and waited in her hiding spot, watching the alley. If this was another setup, she'd be ready for it...

(([roll0]))

[Hyperbolic sine]

To Gial, the Force was simply a tool: not being sensitive, he didn't really get all the implications of its use, the stuff about light and dar side, and all those other Jedi things. In his eyes, Kikari's decision to not use the Force was just like, I don't know, decideing to slug it out with an Elcor instead of relying on that handy starship cannon over there.

He shot her a glare that was a combination of reproachful and worried, then pulled out a credstick. Unfortunately, threats weren't an option, seeing as they'd have to remain in the area afterwards.

"Yeah, I ain't paying that. He's not that important. 250, and you save me the hassle, or you get nothing and I'll find him myself."

Persuasion [roll0] to haggle (if Kikari rolls as well, consider this an Aid). Actually +10, so 13.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

It’s only a few minutes before you hear raised voices from inside the house, joined shortly thereafter by a baby’s cries. It’s another minute before Quest exits the building again through the front door, this time with a blaster in one hand. Over her shoulder she is carrying the satchel with your weapons. She appears to be heading back to the speeder.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar remained put until Quest passed, then emerged and followed her to the speeder. "It's me, don't scream," she hissed.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Quest startled, then kept walking, almost not breaking stride.

“I told you to stay in the speeder,” she hissed back.

[RandomLunatic]

"Ya did," Shyar admitted.

"I heard yellin' in dere. Everything good ta go?"

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“It’s fine, my uncle is an idiot,” she huffed, “I don’t know why my aunt stays with him.”

You make your way back to the speeder where your weapons are returned to you.

“Everything there?” Quest asked.

“So, I’ll can get you into Jenos’ main hideout,” she said, “if you want me to confirm he’s there that’ll cost you... 12,000 credits, because I have to actually go inside and check.”

[RandomLunatic]

"Yep," Shyar said, sliding the snap baton into its holster. "While we're at it, can I have my comm back?

"Pass. He's dere or he ain't. No time ta waste kriffin' about.

"...Our ship. Did he send somebody ta watch it? Or, chaos help us, burn it?"

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Uh, I have no idea about your ship,” Quest replied.

She takes you through several back roads into a seedy run down neighborhood.

“Park here,” she said, “it’s maybe three blocks away. I’m pretty sure I can slice the locks, and then once you’re inside, you’re on your own, okay?”

[whoiam]

"If it gets us inside without any alarms going off, getting the doors open is more then enough to count as 'your part' of the endeavour."

[RandomLunatic]

"Yeah," Shyar agreed, checking the charge on her carbine. She folded the stock to make the weapon handier for room-to-room fighting and slung the weapon over her shoulder as she stepped out of the speeder.

"Lead on."

((Take 10 on stealth, 25))

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
A light drizzle starts as you make your way towards what appears to be a strip club.

A block away quest stops and looks at the both of you.

“There’s a pool on the roof, I think that’s your best way in, now that it’s raining,” she said, “we’ll have to climb the fire escape and go past a few windows though. Or we could go through the front door.”

[roll0]

[RandomLunatic]

"Don't need da fire escape. We got grapplin' hooks, if dere's a side witout windows."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Yeah, this way,” Quest said.

She leads you around the back of the building, over a chain link fence, and then up to the side of the structure. Dark paint peels off the sides and the windows are bricked over. The showroom must be on the other side of the wall.

You send up the grappling hooks and climb the wall. Quest needs a little assistance due to her backpack but all three of you make it to the roof, which appears deserted. You are squatting among what appears to be filtration equipment for the water, and the groaning of the pumps masks sound quite well. Landscaping on the roof is present but cheap; some of the plants appear to be fake. Still, you imagine this must be a nice VIP section of the club. There is an attached hot tub, a diving board, a deck complete with tables chairs and umbrellas, and a storage shed, probably for cleaning supplies.

Quest leads you in a roundabout route along the edge of the roof, crawling so as not to be visible from below, owing to the camera above the door leading to the changing rooms. Sitting underneath the id scanner, she pulls out a computer from her pack and hooks up a card to it, then places it gently in the scanner. Less than a minute later, the door clicks open.

[Thundercracker]

To Gial, the Force was simply a tool: not being sensitive, he didn't really get all the implications of its use, the stuff about light and dar side, and all those other Jedi things. In his eyes, Kikari's decision to not use the Force was just like, I don't know, decideing to slug it out with an Elcor instead of relying on that handy starship cannon over there.

He shot her a glare that was a combination of reproachful and worried, then pulled out a credstick. Unfortunately, threats weren't an option, seeing as they'd have to remain in the area afterwards.

"Yeah, I ain't paying that. He's not that important. 250, and you save me the hassle, or you get nothing and I'll find him myself."

Persuasion [roll0] to haggle (if Kikari rolls as well, consider this an Aid). Actually +10, so 13.
“Alright, good luck,” the besalisk said, and went back to his various administrative tasks.

[RandomLunatic]

While Quest worked, Shyar again pulled the hood of her thinsuit back into place, and completing the ensemble with a pair of goggles.

When the door clicked, she looked at Quest for some kind of confirmation. Once she got it, Shyar slunk through the door and into the building.

(([roll0]
Take 10 Stealth, 25.))

[Hazuki]

"How rude. Perhaps," Kikari said, then reached for the besalisk's mind. "You should apologize for your greed and tell us what we want to know."

Taking 10 for 26.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

“Eh, maybe I should tell you want you want to know,” the besalisk replied, “the guy you’re looking for is in room d-314, that’s on the other side of the thruway.”

“I sent a kel-dor up there just a few minutes before you dropped by,” he added.

Zoccom:

The hallway in front of you is well lit and stretches at least 10 meters, with changing rooms on either side, and one more door for a utilities closet. There is an exit sign at the end of the hall, where the passage continues around a corner. There’s nobody in sight though you do hear a loud whirring sound coming from one of the changing rooms.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Finally. Thanks." Gial said to the besalisk, not thankful at all.

So we're not first? Damnit.

He wasted no time in getting outside the office, then proceeded with a a quick pace down the row of apartments to find room D-314. "We need to hurry."

[whoiam]

[roll0]
Zavi's take 10 on Stealth is only a 13, but if she spots anything approaching that she'd need to hide from, she's going to turn invisible again anyway...


When they reached the door with the whirring sound behind it, Zavi would pause for a moment. Apparently listening at the door for something, she was actually using the force to decide if entering the room would be a good idea...

'Search Your Feelings', to check whether entering the door would lead to favourable or unfavourable results in the next 10 minutes. Zavi will always hit the required DC unless injured.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar moved quietly down the hall, but paused in her tracks to look quizzically at the door... and Zavi.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Zavi does not sense any immediate danger from entering the changing room, no more than would be expected from sneaking around a gangster’s hideout anyway.

Coruscant:

Assuming you make your way across the undercity thoroughfare to the apartments across the way, and up the steps (carves directly into the rock, perhaps another time you might pause to appreciate the engineeering and architecture) to d-314, you find the door is ajar.

[whoiam]

Zavi merely shakes her head and moves on. They can loot the place on the way back out. Instead, she'd follow Shyar down to the corner, taking a moment to peek through the corner before deciding whether or not to signal Shyar to continue...


As RL pointed out earlier, Zavi's UTF check is high enough that she can see through walls at will, so she can peer through the corner instead of having to stick her head out and look around it. Taking 10 on the perception check for a 29.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

You don’t sense anything ahead and proceed.

The hallway leads to a staircase down. You can hear music playing from below, some kind of synthesized remix of something which might have been popular 20 years ago. The scent of death sticks and other smoking vices mixes with air sweetener for an overall scummy smell.

You can hear voices from down below, but they are quite indistinct.

[Hyperbolic sine]

If all this has been for nothing... Gial though, angry that in the end someone got the jump on them. Drawing his blaster, he approached the door and tried to listen for any sounds coming from inside.

Perception [roll0]

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

You can hear calm murmuring from inside the apartment, followed by silence.

[RandomLunatic]

Voices. Plural. Great, Shyar thought as she carefully descended the stairs.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The staircase smells even more strongly of smoke, and there is at the landing between the two levels, a security camera facing the stairwell, red light staring unblinking. You don’t think you’re in the field of view yet but depending on the model of the camera it might be too late.

The camera definitely covers the landing and you don’t immediately see a way past it without walking past it.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar muttered a curse and pulled back out of view as soon as she saw the camera. "Camera," she said to Zavi. "Any ideas?"

[whoiam]

"Not really, " Zavi replies, a touch embarrassed. "I've got a couple of ways to get past it myself, but none of them could be used on you. Um... we could go back, raid the changing rooms, see if there's enough in there to disguise you as something? Or I could sneak past and hope it's being watched by a person in a control room and not some expensive remote droid intelligence buried safely underground or something..."

[Hazuki]

Kikari uses her force radar.

Taking 10 for 26 and I guess this refers to sensing surroundings? Either way, same for Perception. 26.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant undercity:
Inside is a simple one bedroom apartment with minimal furnishings: bed, table, one chair, fresher, and that’s about it. Standing next to the bed is a tall kel-dor wearing blue robes. He is looking down at the bed, which is covered in dried blood and what appears to be a corpse.

He doesn’t appear to be actually _doing_ anything, just standing there.

[Hazuki]

Kikari reports what she senses to Gial, as quietly as she can.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar thought a minute, then nodded and headed back upstairs. She went up to the door that had been whirring when they passed a moment ago, and went inside.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Shyar enters what appears to be a changing room where patrons can switch out their clothes for bathing suits or whatever swimwear is appropriate for their body type.

The whirring noise comes from a bothan using a handheld blow dryer on herself.
It looks like a painfully slow and cumbersome process.

[Hyperbolic sine]

A corpse? ...damnit!

At least the Kel-dor was still there. He took a deep breath, the quickly opened the door while leveling his blaster (set to stun, since they might need to question him) to keep the intruder at gunpoint. "Hands up, no sudden movements."

Ready an action to shoot if he doesn't comply.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

The Kel-dor is silent for a moment, not moving a muscle.
“Are you with the police?” he asked calmly.

[RandomLunatic]

"Darn," Shyar muttered, quickly backing out and closing the door. "I was hoping it was da cleanin' lady or somethin'. Forget messin' around. Let's just go."

As she walked back towards the staircase, she turned to her partner-in-crime and asked, "Is dat hat it's like for ya when ya get caught in da rain?" jerking a thumb back in the general direction of the Bothan.

[whoiam]

Zavi's response was a rather brusque "I'm not exactly famous for my streaking, you know." Drying out wasn't nearly as much of an issue when most of the water had ended up on your clothes. Swimming was different, of course, but the average rainfall of most planets wasn't high enough to be the equivalent of full immersion.

"So do you want me to go ahead, or are we just gonna storm the lower levels?"

[RandomLunatic]

"We are kinda blind here. Can ya go get a fix on our target?"

[Hyperbolic sine]

The Kel-dor is silent for a moment, not moving a muscle.
“Are you with the police?” he asked calmly.

"You wish we were. Who sent you?"

Still ready to shoot.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

“My name is master Py Ken,” the kel-dor said, turning to face you slowly. You can now see the lightsaber swaying slightly from his belt.

“Javi was an acquaintance of mind,” he said carefully, “I was investigating his disappearance. How do you know him?”

He studies you appraisingly, and you feel almost as if you’re being dissected by his eyes, like some kind of test subject in a government lab.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial, though without letting it show, eyed the lightsaber with worry: he recalled how the possible involvement of the Sith had come up back when they were discussing the mission, and this Kel-dor could very well be one of Darth Maladi's underlings. The dissecting stare wasn't particularly pleasant, either.

"How curious. I was investigating the same thing." he replied. "See, he stole something from my employer...but I wanted to get his side of the story. Too late for that, it seems. You don't happen to know something about that, do you?"

Still ready. Also, did the Kel-dor look sincere? There's apparently no opposed roll to sense lies in SWSE, only Will Defence.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

“Perhaps,” he replied, “I had paid for his services to acquire a krayt dragon pearl. They are exceedingly rare and I had hoped to study it on behalf of the Order to determine if it’s properties could be replicated. Alas, it appears all did not go as planned.”

He glanced at the body again momentarily.

“And what is your story?” he asked.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Hmm. So he knew about the pearl.

"I see. Well, my employer was the seller. Unfortunately, your friend decided to double cross us and flee with both the pearl and the payment...or that's how it looked like, anyway. A very stupid move, so I wanted to get his side of the story, check that there wasn't a third party involved...which is why I hope you'll understand my reason in being suspicious." Gial replied, keeping his blaster steady. "But if you are who you claim, then perhaps our interests align."

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

“You’re employer was to sell the pearl?” Py Ken asked, “it would seem Javi would act as broker one last time.”

He nodded.

“Perhaps, our interest align,” Py Ken replied, “at first glance it would appear Javi died of blood loss and infection. I had intended on searching the apartment for leads.”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"...Very well." Gial said, finally lowering his blaster. He wasn't trusting this Py Ken yet, but the Kel Dor was still outnumbered. He approached the body to examine it (but without letting the jedi out of his field of view).

"Seem like gunshot wounds to me. Well, he did kill our guy...by the way, how did you track him here?"

Perception [roll0].

[whoiam]

"Invisibility isn't usually as helpful as you'd like when you're indoors... but I'll see how far it can take me."

Zavi would activate cloak again for her reconnaissance mission. Should be good against security cameras at least...

Assuming I've read everything correctly, Zavi can keep Cloak active (using up her standard actions) walk (move action), Sense Surroundings (swift action) and spot people coming into or out of her detection radius (reaction) simultaneously. Should be enough to check ahead, see how far they can go before they hit opposition. Taking 10 on everything, so 16 + total concealment for her Stealth checks and 29 for her perception.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
“He told me he was going to meet the seller, I didn’t hear from him after that,” Ken replied, “after making some inquiries, I found he’d been involved in a shootout and had fled to the undercity. Which led me here.”

The body has not been dead that long. Blood has soaked through bandages and into the bed, and congealed on the floor where it is still drying. A medkit lays open and scattered across a nighttable, and you also spot a comlink among the bacta patches and gauze. The black satchel from the security video lays in the corner of the room.

Zoccom:

The stairway opens into a large room, perhaps 100 or 200 feet across. There are several screens up around the room and a long runway stage snakes around the floor, with poles interspersed throughout at varying intervals. There are a few scantily clad or nude females of the mostly human variety making their way along the runway to the repetitive music you’d heard earlier. A (vacant) performance stage is set up on one side of the room, while a bar is set on the other. There are perhaps 10 or 15 people in the room total, including staff. There are also several other exits (at least 4, perhaps more) from the room, all currently closed.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar slipped into one of the unoccupied changing rooms to wait, and occupied herself looking for a hat or something to hide her face from cameras.

[whoiam]

Under cover of music, Zavi can go to check through all the exits - that is, getting close enough to peek through them. Admittedly, unless their target is fairly close to one of the doors, she's probably not gonna see him that way. But who knows? She might get lucky.

To keep her cover, Zavi won't approach any door that's guarded - just in case. But she will take note of them for later.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Zavi spends some time studying the exits. Two of the exits are on either end of the looping runway, and presumably lead to changing rooms. One door marked employees only sits adjacent to the stairs, and one, presumably to the kitchen or storage area, stands next to the bar. Another employees only door is at the far side of the room, and one more is marked exit. There are no windows.

[whoiam]

With that being about as much as she can check without starting any ghost stories, Zavi returns upstairs to confer with Shyar.

"Our target seems to have set up shop in a strip club, " she notes, more amused than anything else. "No wonder twi'lek girl wanted rid of him. Not exactly a choice of headquarters that screams 'I respect my female employees!'. Anyway, bottom of the stairs is where the 'magic' happens. Odd design of room - a bar, three sets of employee doors, no public 'freshers. If I had to guess, I'd say our man's holed up in one of the 'employee only' areas - there's one behind the stage, one behind the bar, one in the middle of nowhere. I doubt he'd be behind the bar, but he could be using either of the other two. Can't see enough through the doors to say which one we should try.

Maybe we should head back to that Bothan you found. 'Convince' her to escort her friend down to the bar, or something? Clearly the swimming facilities aren't *that* high security an area, and if you're travelling with someone who clearly isn't me, you shouldn't draw too much attention. 'cause form what I can see, the only other way to get down without risking suspicion is stripping to your underwear and mingling with the 'performers'."

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Hmm. I see. So, do you think he was trying to double cross us, or that someone else got involved?" Gial asked, leaving the bedside and reaching for the satchel. Of course, he knew it was the latter, but he wanted to gauge Py Ken's answer.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar growled in irritation as her search of the lost-and-found failed to turn up any headwear.

"Our headquarters is a strip joint," she pointed out, referring to the Lucky 7's.

"Dere's another way. Ask da guy for a job. Again." She passed her carbine to Zavi, and in a bubbly, airy voice associated with women who spell their names with completely unnecessary Ks, said, "Would you be a dear and hold this? Be careful-it's loaded!" Then she quickly folded and stuffed her poncho, and pulled down the hood of her thinsuit so she didn't look like a cat burglar. She collected a towel from the towel rack. "So do your invisibility trick and follow me."

Shyar went back downstairs. Before she stepped into the camera's view she looked down, covered her head with the towel, and started carrying on like she was drying her face and hair. Once she made it into the camera's dead zone, she unceremoniously slung the towel into the corner, its purpose complete.

Then she went through and into the bar area. Just because of proximity, she tried the employee-only door next to the stairs first.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Nobody really pays you much attention. You make your way to the door next to the stairs and find yourself in a backstage area, reminiscent of theater backstages with dressers and mirrors and lights all over. There are three ladies in the back, two human, one near human with greenish skin and hair. All are scantily clad. You see two exits from this room, heading to the stage out front, and another exit in the back, presumably another entrance.

One of the human girls (the dark haired one) takes one look at Zavi and grimaces in disgust.

“Who are you, what are you doing back here?” she asked.

Coruscant:

“I am not sure,” Py Ken replied, “I don’t think he would double cross anyone, his profession was bringing groups together, and a reputation is important for someone like that. But, in my experience, desperate people can do desperate things, so I could not say for sure.”

Inside the satchel you find bundles of credits and a datapad.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar blinked and looked around, confused. "This... isn't an office. I think we've been pranked," she said to Zavi, just to confirm the the other woman was not invisible like Shyar expected, then stepped in front of her before the dancers twigged to the fact Zavi was packing heat.

"We were looking for work, and it seems we've been given bad directions. Could you tell us where the manager is?"

(([roll0]
[roll1]))

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Hmm."

Here are the credits, but...

"...I see no pearl." Gial said, strapping the satchel accross his shoulder and pulling out the datapad, booting it up. "And I doubt he'd have had time to hide it somewhere else, in this condition. It does indeed look like we had a party crasher."

If necessary, best of [roll0], [roll1] to improve access.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“The other employees only door, the one not next to the bar,” the woman said, pointing in the general direction of the office.

Coruscant:

The datapad’s battery is about to die, so after plugging it in you’re able to slice into it. The encryption is excellent but it’s no match for your skills. You find that it’s actually often connected to Javi’s comlink. There are all kinds of records on the datapad, meetings and potential offers. After writing a search and executing, you’re able to narrow down to a contact called Anfopor. You’re also able to see the notes about Py Ken.

It appears Javi had been soliciting for a buyer of the pearl prior to acquiring it, and had settled on Py Ken, but Anfopor offered as much as 50% what Ken had paid. Javi had to turn him down repeatedly, as he’d already agreed with Py Ken.

[RandomLunatic]

"Thanks. Wish me luck!" Shyar said, waving and then ducking out of the changing room. Once outside, she paused and glowered at Zavi for a moment while waiting for her to decide how to play this, then went to the other employee door she had been directed to.

[whoiam]

The still-invisible Zavi can only look on in incomprehension as Shyar directs her glare to somewhere Zavi isn't.

She decides that with the background 'music' down here, she's probably safe enough chatting with Shyar. Ultimately, she risks a whisper of "Still too likely to go wrong if they see us both together, but don't worry, I'm right behind you. Just don't let the door close too quickly."

[Hyperbolic sine]

Hmm. Interesting...

Now, in theory the mission was complete: Darnon had been dealt with, technically, and the credits had been recovered. Going after the pearl wasn't by any means mandatory. Still, perhaps there was merit in trying to bring the exchange to completion; now that he had become officially part of the Syndicate, building a reputation benefitted him as well, and perhaps he would be able to get an "assisant fee" out of Py Ken.

"Say, does the name Anfopor ring any bell?"

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
The two of you make your way across the floor of the strip club, drawing some odd stares along the way. The door is locked.

Coruscant:

A brief expression of distaste crossed Py Ken’s features before returning to impassiveness.

“Anfopor is a Kubaz, known for his connections among the criminal underworld,” he replied, “how is _he_ involved?”

[RandomLunatic]

Standing to one side of the door so that she'd only be visible to somebody in doorway, not the room beyond, Shyar raised her hand and knocked.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

There is no answer at the door for a moment.

Then it opens a crack and a portly human fellow peers out.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar briefly cast her eyes up and down the length of opening for one of those security chains used to keep doors from opening all the way.

Then she looked back at the guy behind the door. "Hi, are you the manager here? My plant closed down and I'm looking for work," she said, turning side-on to flaunt herself as best she could through through a gap a couple centimeters wide.

(([roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]))

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“No, come back tonight, in about four hours,” he replied.

You catch enough of a glimpse of the room. You manage to see a table, an overhead light, and that he’s not alone in the room. He slams the door in your face.

[RandomLunatic]

Upon hearing the word "no", Shyar shifted her weight and tried to shoulder-check her way into the office.

(([roll0]
[roll1]))

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The guy behind the door apparently has his foot behind it to stop anyone from simply shoving it open. He recovers quickly and forces you back, slamming it shut in your face with a loud bang and click. You hear some shouting inside the room but aren’t able to make out words over the music.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Well, looks like he offered half again what you did for the pearl...which is now nowhere to be seen. I dare say your friend paid the ultimate price for his loyalty." Gial replied. "What can you tell me about him?"

[RandomLunatic]

"Damnit!" Shyar hissed as the door slammed shut. She stepped back looked around, to see how many people were watching here. "Well, now what?" she muttered, assuming Zavi was close to hear.

[whoiam]

Zavi's return whisper went "I could try forcing it, but I'd turn visible again either way. Or one of us can watch this door while the other heads outside to see if there's a side entrance for his 'offices'. We should probably try that, if we force this door and he's got an escape route, he'll probably use it."

[RandomLunatic]

"I believe the guy when he said Jenos isn't in right now. The goon squad should still be busy cleaning up. The way I see it, either we go in there now and hope we can find something we can use, or we quit while we're behind."

[Thundercracker]

"Well, looks like he offered half again what you did for the pearl...which is now nowhere to be seen. I dare say your friend paid the ultimate price for his loyalty." Gial replied. "What can you tell me about him?"

Coruscant:
“He’s a broker in similar line of work as Javi, but with fewer scruples,” Py Ken replied, “I understand they were competitors for a long time. It’s entirely possible Javi refused to sell to him out of spite.”

He looked at the body.

“I suppose it is within my authority to investigate this death, especially as a krayt dragon pearl is involved,” he said, “would you be interested in earning the credits in that satchel?”

[Hyperbolic sine]

Authority?

It...was possible Gial had made a blunder. But it also looked like he wasn't in trouble yet. "Hm. What do you propose?" he asked, keeping his expression neutral.

[Thundercracker]

Authority?

It...was possible Gial had made a blunder. But it also looked like he wasn't in trouble yet. "Hm. What do you propose?" he asked, keeping his expression neutral.

“I propose we work together to recover the pearl and discover the identity or identities of Javi’s murderer, and bring them to justice,” Py Ken replied.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"I see."

Gial wasn't entirely sure accepting would be a good idea, but it seemed like getting to recover the credits and getting rid of the guy who dared scramble the Syndicate's eggs without making an enemy of a law enforcement jedi was the preferable option.

"Very well then...so you want me to investigate this Anfopor guy through, erm, unofficial channels? Seems to me he's the most promising lead."

[whoiam]

Zavi thought about it for a minute. Then came to a decision. "Wait around here, but back away from the door," she whispered to Shyar. "I'm gonna see if I can make a new friend."

With that, Zavi heads back to the stairs. She just needs to find a spot out of sight of the patrons (and security camera(s)) in which to 'appear'. Once she's herself, she heads back to the door (hoping Shyar's not still standing in front of it, so it's not so obvious they're together), and knocks.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant undercity:
“I sense that time is of the essence,” Py Ken replied, “if there are contacts in the undercity you’d like to make use of, that is fine, so long as they are not maimed or killed. What will probably save the most time is if one of you is able to find where Anfopor might be, perhaps by tracing the comlink... I don’t have expertise in these things... I would need to return to the surface and request assistance through official channels.”

Zoccom:

The door doesn’t open this time.
“What do you want?” someone shouts from inside the room.

[whoiam]

And as the person inside responded, Zavi went straight to the Mind Trick. "Y'know, there's a couple of us gettin' mighty bored out here. Why don't you show us around the employee area? Like a tour?"

Mind Trick, making an unpalatable but not obviously life-threatening suggestion seem entirely reasonable. Taking 10 for a 29. Also spending a force point on improving our guide's attitude.

[whoiam]

Zavi thought about it for a minute. Then came to a decision. "Wait around here, but back away from the door," she whispered to Shyar. "I'm gonna see if I can make a new friend."

With that, Zavi heads back to the stairs. She just needs to find a spot out of sight of the patrons (and security camera(s)) in which to 'appear'. Once she's herself, she heads back to the main room, and heads over to one of the staff in the main room. The most senior, if she can tell such from their appearance, but any will do if she cannot. "You feel like you should pop into the back office," she tells the staff member gesturing at the correct door. "And in about a minute, you're going to try and get in there."

As with the original version of the post, Mind Trick to make an unreasonable but not obviously suicidal suggestion stick.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Zavi actually intercepts a bouncer looking fellow who is on his way to Shyar from the front door. He starts to argue but stops and pulls out a key as he heads to the locked back room.

[whoiam]

Zavi offers Shyar a quick wink as her patsy starts heading towards the door. Then starts following him over to the door, standing a pace behind and a little to the side. Naturally, she's going to try and follow the bouncer through... and, hopefully, she'll be ready for a second Mind Trick once she has access to the person inside.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar had moved to table off to the side and taken a seat with her back to the wall. She didn't openly acknowledge Zavi, but she did watch her and her new friend heading towards the office.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The bouncer unlocks the door and enters. Two individuals are seated at a table inside.

“She gone?” one of them asked.

“Uhh,” the bouncer said, scratching his head in confusion.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Don't worry, maiming and killing aren't really what I do." That was Shyar's role. "Tracing the commlink, though, that I can do." he replied, reaching for the device and connecting it to the datapad.

Use Computer [roll0]. If it's an Improve Access roll, then best between that and [roll1].

[RandomLunatic]

As the bouncer went inside, Shyar got back up and slid closer to the door, ready to barge in on the signal. Whatever the blazes it was supposed to be.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

It takes Gial several moments to set up as he prepares to slice into the comlink. Py Ken waits patiently while he works, but would probably engage in conversation if you’re inclined to speak to him.

Eventually, Gial is able to bypass the encryption on the comlink, and retrieves (what he thinks is) Anfopor’s contact details. From here there are a number of possible actions.

[whoiam]

Zavi didn't really have a signal planned for this next part. Or a plan at all, really. Still, she was sure she'd think of something. Even if 'something' turned out to be 'indiscriminate violence'. But she'd try the talking thing first... might work better, after all.

With the door open she quickly walks through it as though she belongs. A little display of confidence that might stop people on the floor thinking anything strange has happened. Of course, it won't fool the three inside the room... so she quickly starts talking.

"Hi! You look like a trio of fine, only-upstanding-when-the-law-is-looking gentlemen! And for you we have a proposition - one that might lead to long careers full of steady profits, and not dying in a fire started by your increasingly paranoid boss while trying to kill off his own hirelings. Like the one I just escaped from, actually. What do you think, willing to hear us out?"

[roll0]

[Hyperbolic sine]

While working on breaking the encryption Gial made some small talk, trying to subtly glean some information about Py Ken in the process (and counter any attempt to do the opposite, of course).

Persuasion [roll0] and Deception [roll1].

Once he was done, he nodded in satisfaction. "Well, I guess now the real work starts. Any way I can contact you once I'm done?"

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

There are three humans standing in the room, plus the meaty bouncer in front of you. Two appear to be in their mid 30’s, and one looks to be in his 20’s (shorter fellow, in shape, short dark hair). Of the older humans, one is a seedy rat faced looking fellow with brown hair, slightly overweight, while the other is dark haired (ponytail) and clearly keeps himself in good shape. All three are armed with heavy blaster pistols and are wearing casual clothing, though the older fit gangster is wearing a dark leather jacket.

There is also a table and some chairs, a storage unit for food or drinks, a barred window, a sink, a few cooking appliances, and two closed metal doors in the back. Some dirty dishes sit on the table and are piled up in the sink. There’s a moment of silence after you finish speaking.

“Gub, get your retarded poodoo brained ass over here,” rat-face said suddenly.
The bouncer walks over to the others, still shaking his head in confusion.
“Ok yak-head, you got five minutes,” he said.

[Thundercracker]

While working on breaking the encryption Gial made some small talk, trying to subtly glean some information about Py Ken in the process (and counter any attempt to do the opposite, of course).

Persuasion [roll0] and Deception [roll1].

Once he was done, he nodded in satisfaction. "Well, I guess now the real work starts. Any way I can contact you once I'm done?"

You find that master Py Ken is a willing conversationalist. Turns out he is a member of the Jedi Order and has been for the last 30 or so years. He’s a Jedi Scholar, tasked with exploring the mysteries of the Force. During the war he did not see much fighting, instead focusing on uncovering and teaching techniques to blunt the Dark Side abilities of Krayt’s his One Sith. Since their downfall his research has taken him in different directions.

“You can contact me on my comlink,” he said, providing the contact details, “what is your plan?”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Well, find out where this Anfopor is, for one. Then...I guess pay him a visit, or perhaps we can bait him with an offer for the pearl. We'll see...I'll contact you as soon as I discover something." Gial replied, leaving the room. "Let's go." He said to Kikari, pulling out his own datapad to check if anyone bothered to put some kind of signal relay down there, or he'd have to go back up to the surface.

If the latter, he of course would head to the main elevator...but if the former, after changing floor he'd ask Kikari to sense for an empty room - he was pretty confident he could open the lock, and they only needed to borrow it for a while; certainly nothing the rude clerk deserved ther money for, and with no cameras he would have been none the wiser anyway.

[Hazuki]

"We really should not be working with a Jedi..." Kikari whispered once they were well out of earshot.

[whoiam]

Zavi pauses, briefly, to stick her head out the door and wave Shyar in as well. Once she's shut the door behind her, the explanation begins.

"The Syndicate is coming for you. As an organisation, I mean. We don't have anything personal against you three. My colleague and I... we were meant to be the scouts. Find your organisation. Find your leader. Offer him a chance to join up. You know, typical 'I'm more interested in getting rich than measuring the relative size of my external genitalia' stuff. Couldn't even get close - his paranoia made him turn on us long before we could.

You know the funny part? He thought we were with the GT. Hard to think how he could have guessed something further from the truth.

Anyway, point is, there's no dealing with him. Even if he stopped torching his own facilities while trying to kill us, he's just too unstable. It's bad for business. And really bad for inter-cell co-operation, you know? But the operations you've got running around here? Well, you seem to be good people. At your work, I mean. I won't be trusting you with my purse anytime soon, I'm not stupid.

So, plan B. Plan B involves arranging for a little 'accident', then cutting the deal with his replacement. Your organisation stays together, doesn't have to fight a vicious and protracted crime war against our people, you keep your jobs - maybe get promoted a rank or two if we have to make enough vacancies above you - and there's a nice 'signing on bonus' for anyone who helps us set things up. Plus, y'know, your next boss has to be saner than this one."

[RandomLunatic]

It wasn't the signal she was expecting, but Shyar shrugged and went inside. "Easy," she said, holding hands up shoulder high as she came through the threshold.

After Zavi said her piece, she chimed in. "Angry an' dumb's no way ta go through life. Imagine if Mister Jenos had been right. Do ya think burnin' a couple of G-men will make 'em go away? Or would it move nailin' his shebs to da top of da ta-do list of every Inspector in the whole damn sector?

"Our intel says da Hutts have designs on dis sector too, an' I shouldn't have ta tell ya what dat means. So any way ya slice it, Mister Jenos ain't long for dis world. Da question ya should be askin' right now is 'Do I want ta go down wit' him?"

(([roll0]))

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

As Gial tries to leave the room, he finds Py Ken is blocking the entrance.

“I’ll need my credits back before you go,” he said, motioning to the satchel, “you understand of course.”

Zoccom:

Rat-face looks interested and almost suppressed a chuckle at one point while you’re talking. The younger guy looks like he’s about to wet his pants, and the jacket guy just seems confused, looking back and forth between rat-face and you two.

“You got my interest. Between the three of us we know pretty much everything about Jenos’ operations. how would this work?” rat-face said.

[whoiam]

"You know the organisation better than we do. What we're looking for is a chance to make a surgical hit. The less of your 'fellows' we need to fight through, the better. Makes it easier to reconcile afterwards... keeps down losses during the fighting... and reduces the chance we'll get beaten, and anyone will get the chance to trace us back to you. If you can give us the intel to make the hit without any... active... participation on your parts, that would be ideal. We're not expecting the three of you to openly cross Jenos while he's still alive to retaliate.

Oh, but whatever you help us set up, has to be short range. We're not exactly snipers here, y'know."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Whoa whoa, maybe we should do introductions first,” rat-face said.

“You already met Gub,” he said, “my name’s Ray, and this is Feldon and Jas.”
He motioned to the other two and patiently waits for you to introduce yourselves.

As you start talking about specifics, where would a good spot be, you get the sense something is off. The conversation is going too easily, and the younger guy seems to be trying to quietly get rat-face’s attention but is being ignored or not noticed.

[whoiam]

"Hey, you... Feldon? Jas? The young one." Zavi wasn't sure which of the beta humans was which... Still, she didn't need to have the names straight for this next part. Since it involved putting a hand on his shoulder in a concerned fashion. "You look worked up about something. Go on, tell us. If we're not at least honest about our work, this isn't going to be much of a partnership..."

Not that she needed him to answer, of course. The 'concerned' touch on the shoulder was just an excuse to Mind Probe him. She'd get an honest answer as to what he was so worked up about, whether or not he chose to give it to her.

Usual Mind Probe approach, taking 10 for a 29 on the Gather Information check.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
“Whoa whoa there,” Ray said, leveling his blaster again, “your side of the table is over there, ours is over here. Jas is fine, aren’t ya, Jas?”

“Yeah, I’m not worked up,” Jas replied.

you keep the force power unless you want to ignore the warning and try to mind probe Jas anyway.

[whoiam]

Wasn't aware we were on opposite sides of the table. Or that we'd gathered around it, for that matter."Oh, really? I'm usually better at reading people than that. Must be your 'rugged good looks' distracting me." Zavi can't - or won't - keep a straight face as she delivers that line. But she doesn't press the attempt at mind reading. So instead, she focuses on Ray.

"But you really shouldn't hide things from me. I'm sticking my neck out far enough being honest about our mission as-is. Conspiring - and so clumsily at that - right in front of us? Well, I really would prefer to start our working relationship on a better note than that. And let's leave it at that, shall we? We all know what sort of unprofitable unpleasantness I'm trying to avoid here.

So tell me: What is it you lot aren't saying?"

Rather than leaving this one to chance, Zavi's breaking out the Mind Trick on the suggestion that Ray needs to come clean with her. And paying the Plot Point for, "If you are making a suggestion, you may spend a Force Point to improve the target's Attitude by one step, plus one additional step for every 5 points by which your Use the Force check exceeds the target's Will Defense." Taking 10, the check's a 29. And Mind Trick's back on it's one minute cooldown. I really should have picked it more than once :(

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Jenos asked us to stall you here,” Ray replied.
Jas’ eyes widened while Feldon startled and swiveled his blaster’s aim to Ray’s head.
“E Chu ta!” Feldon cursed.

[whoiam]

Zavi actually chuckles at that one. And here she'd been worried someone might have recognised her. "Does he know we're here now, or is this just a 'if they show up, stall for me' standing order? After all, he torched the last building we were in and had a squad of mercs shooting first at anyone looking to escape the flames... So if Jenos already knows we're here, now's a good time to be somewhere else. For all of us."

Zavi needs to keep them talking for a minute before she can Mind Trick the next member of the group, so the response to this one is entirely down to them. Thankfully Ray should still like her... and the others might just choose to put self-preservation ahead of their orders. Or confirm that Jenos doesn't know they've arrived, and that there's still stallin' time.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Ray looks like he's about to start talking again but Feldon smacks him in the back of the head.
"What is wrong with you?" he practically shouted at Ray in accented Basic.

"Lay your hand on me again and we're going to have a serious problem," Ray said, pointing his finger at the bigger man and shoving the pistol out of his face, "and point that thing somewhere else."
The two of them are about to start arguing with each other when the door slams open from behind you.

initiative.

[whoiam]

Zavi's Initiative: [roll0]

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar just groaned. Some days weren't worth waking up for.

((Designating Felton as prime target
[roll0]))

[whoiam]

Zavi glances back behind her quickly... just one guy? Well, she had an answer for that one. And for Felton, too, since he seemed to be the most anti-them of the people in front of her. Just grab the guy behind, toss at Felton. Really, really hard. Simple!


Move Object! [roll0] Grab the goon behind, toss at Felton. Hopefully not another 1. *crosses fingers*

[Hyperbolic sine]

As Gial tries to leave the room, he finds Py Ken is blocking the entrance.

“I’ll need my credits back before you go,” he said, motioning to the satchel, “you understand of course.”

"Haha. Of course, how careless of me." Gial said, handing the satchel over - but not before taking out Darnon's datapad. "But I'll still need this. You understand, of course."


"We really should not be working with a Jedi..." Kikari whispered once they were well out of earshot.

"I don't disagree...but I said what I had to say to get out of there. We'll decide what to share once we've found the pearl..."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The goon goes flying into Felton whose eyes widen in shock. Still, he does his best to brace himself but both of them look pretty bruised by the impact. A few more goons appear in the doorway and fire off a pair of blaster bolts at you both.
atk Zavi: [roll0]
Dmg: [roll1]
Atk Shyar: [roll2] flatflooted
Dmg: [roll3]

Then the door behind you slams shut again.

Ray looks confused for a moment, but then ducks out one of the back doors (it looks like it leads to a storage area), and he’s quickly followed by Felton, who turns and fires a parting shot at Zavi before Jas also ducks through and slams the door shut.
atk: [roll4]
Dmg:[roll5]

Gub the bouncer tries to open, then bangs on the storage door, then desperately flips the table over and cowers behind it (he doesn’t have a weapon). There’s currently one goon left in the room and three closed doors.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
“Of course,” Py Ken said, handing over the datapad, “I will pursue official means of tracking down the murderer, and send for a coroner team to take care of the body. May the Force be with you.”

Where do you go now?

[RandomLunatic]

"Yow!" Shyar exclaimed as a blaster bolt singed her arm. She whirled around to meet her attacker, only to find a solid door. "Damnit!" she cried, while reaching out to engage the lock to keep the attackers out. Then she turned again, vaulting the table and descending on the lone armed enemy to vent all her anger.

((Move: Lock door
Standard: Charge goon.
[roll0]
[roll1]))

[Hyperbolic sine]

After fiddling with the datapad a bit, Gial sighed in defeat. "Yep, can't do anything from here. Up we go...at least we don't have to take the back entrance again." he said. If nothing happened along the way, he'd make his way to the hotel room on the surface.

[whoiam]

Shyar.... probably didn't need help. In fact, it was probably better for all involved if Zavi just let her vent.

Instead, she'd turn her attention to Gub, walking up to the upturned table, peering at him over the top of it, and trying to smile reassuringly. "Hey, Gub... don't worry, not gonna hurt you. Unless you attack me, anyway. Just wanna know... is there an exit through there?" Zavi gestures at the door the others had fled through, not the door back to the club's main floor.

Taking 10 this time. 24 to persuade Gub to answer her honestly.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“Yeah, past the storage room,” Gub replied, holding his hands up in the air in surrender.

The knob of the door leading to the showroom rattles, followed by the sounds of multiple blasters, and panicked shouting from the showroom (probably the patrons and workers).

The last door in the room bangs open, courtesy of a heavy booted kick. Jenos is there, maniacal grin plastered on his face. He is wearing some kind of protective suit and a makeshift combination backpack and hose contraption. The hose is perhaps four inches in diameter, and trails behind him down a set of stairs shrouded in white fog, a few wisps of which drift down from the backpack and crawl along the floor.

He doesn’t even say anything, just starts laughing hysterically as he pulls a heavy looking trigger attached to the bottom of the hose.
“Wait wait wait!” the goon shouts, but he is too late.
A stream of white blasts out, blanketing the room.

area attack missed reflex, take 23. [roll0]

Instinctively you shield your eyes and duck behind whatever cover you can find. It’s so cold your body doesn’t even register the sensation at first, but your exposed skin feels like fire and you can already see icicles forming on your eyelashes. The goon is not so lucky, you see him fall forward and hit the fog covered ground with a sound like shattering glass.

Coruscant:

You leave Py Ken on his comlink speaking with authorities to clean up the body, and backtrack to the small door with the elevator markings. A small gamorrean and a rodian are there, watching the entrance.

“250 credits to use the elevator,” the rodian said.

[whoiam]

Zavi's Force Shield activates quickly enough to shield her from the worst of it. Apart from the bits of her which had been touching the table, sadly. She had to quickly flinch back away from it, cursing her relatively short fur all the while. But there Jenos was - and he didn't seem to have brought any flunkies with him... well, there was only one appropriate reply, right?

She extends one hand towards him, and as she slowly closes her fingers, he can feel the force closing about his throat...


Zavi's Force Gripping Jenos. Taking 10 for a 29, that gives 6d6 damage and restricts Jenos to a single Swift action a round if it beats his Fort defence. He'll still take half damage if he's tough enough to resist the full effects.

[roll0]

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial mentally sighed, as he realised Kikari might not be able to do her brainwashing trick on multiple people at once. "...Right. Here you go."

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar sat breathing hard, mind racing through her options, while damnable laughter rang in her ears. Suddenly the laughter cut off, and just like that all her thought focused on one point. Kill.

"C'MERE YA JAWA-TRADIN' BASTARD!" she screamed as she leaped over the table to attack.

((Two swifts to use Combat Trickery on Jenos: [roll0]

Standard: Charge. I'm going to stand to the side of the door so I won't give Jenos cover against Zavi.
[roll1]
[roll2] plus [roll3] and -1 CT if trick worked.

Edit: Really? Now?))

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
“Pleasure doing business with you,” the toll collectors reply.
You take the elevator up to the surface and enter into the abandoned warehouse you were in before. You can easily make your way to a hotel or wherever else you’d like to go on the surface.

Zoccom:

Jenos is lifted off the ground by the power of the Force, his eyes bulging and one hand reaching for his neck to futilely try and relieve the pressure there.

Shyar almost slips on the slick iced over ground but recovers her balance at the last second to avoid sliding past Jenos and down the steps.

The goons blast the door open, and two of them see what’s going on and take shots at Wyn through the door.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[whoiam]

Oh, great, keep shooting Wyn! As if being dead wasn't punishment enough :smalltongue:

Neither goon was quite accurate enough to hit Zavi with their salvo; Though Goon #1 was at least close enough to make her flinch as the shot narrowly missed the hand that was choking Jenos.

Hoping the floor had warmed up enough this wouldn't be torture, Zavi walked around to get behind Jenos. While continuing the Force Grip, so he couldn't do anything to stop her.

"Don't suppose you could do something to his goons for me, could you? Don't want them to knock Jenos out of my grip..."

Both shots missed, so I don't need to make extra UTF checks for the damage. Zavi's using her move action to get behind Jenos, while as far away from him as possible - she's afraid of getting too close during a firefight for fear of a stray shot damaging the tank and spraying her with refrigerants.

[roll0] Second round's damage.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar, using one hand to steady herself on the doorframe, said, "Oh no, I want a piece of 'im too!"

((Two swifts for combat trickery. [roll0]
[roll1] + 6 for FP in OOC
[roll2] plus [roll3] and -1 CT if trick worked.))

[Thundercracker]

Zavi keeps up the pressure and Shyar lands a few solid blows. Jenos looks about to pass out, lips turning blue and eyes rolling back in his head. He stubbornly keeps ahold of his makeshift weapon though.

More goons pile into the room, four in total. They aim at Zavi, firing carefully.


Assist: [roll0]
Attack:[roll1]
Assist:[roll2]
Attack: [roll3]
Damage dice:
[roll4]
[roll5]
Jenos delay until after the goons.
[/spoiler]

[whoiam]

Why do they hate Wyn's corpse so, TC? Whhhyyyyyyy?

Zavi backs off a touch further, heading towards the doorway Jenos originally emerged from - apparently hoping to find cover from the hail of blaster fire. But another near-miss as she moves back seems to have shaken her concentration...

Don't need to roll vs their attacks, as they still didn't hit Zavi - even with the aid, the attack rolls were 9 and 18, and Zavi's Ref defence is 19. So just the regular UTF check to keep on chokin' Jenos: [roll0]
Damage is at least [roll1], and increases by [roll2] if she scores 25 or higher. Halved (and he gets his actions back) if she can't beat his fort defence.

[Thundercracker]

Jenos manages to kick off the wall and into Zavi. It isn’t enough to do any damage, but it’s just enough to get out of her line of sight, and let him drop to the ground. He quickly stumbles and slides down the stairs.

aoo for Shyar, if you breathe on him he goes down by otherwise he’s going to take his standard to attack.

[RandomLunatic]

"Oh no ya don't," Shyar said, grabbing Jenos from behind. "I ain't through wit' ya yet!"

(([roll0]
[roll1]))

[RandomLunatic]

((That's definitely a hit, so I assume he's down.))

Shyar swept Jenos' legs out from under him and tackled him to the ground, pummeling the gang leader until he stopped struggling.

She was about to add some more when a blaster bolt flashed past her ear, bringing her to the present. Quickly tugging the hood of her thinsuit up to cover her nose and mouth, she grabbed the nozzle from Jenos' hands whirled around to face the office, rising to a kneel. "You need to chill out," she said, her accent suddenly switching to one not normally seen outside of villains in B-holos. Holding the weapon at full arm's length from her body, Shyar triggered it.

((Swift: Recover, 1/3.
Move: Pick up hose.
Standard: Shoot. I'm assuming non-proficiency.
[roll0] +6 FP
Whatever the damage is, Shyar adds +5 before multiplication.))

[Hyperbolic sine]

After making his way back to the hotel, Gial retrieved Anfopor's contact number from the commlink and started to run a trace on it.

Not sure how many rolls it will take, so here are a few:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Jenos’ head is slammed against the wall. He goes down and Shyar stops him from sliding down the steps. She picked up the cryogun contraption and attempted to pull the firing lever, but it’s frozen in the closed position. There is a brief moment of silence where everyone is apparently expecting something to happen, followed by the goons taking cover in and around the room, two overturn the fridge one ducks by the open doorframe, the last stands in the open doorway leading to the showroom. The two who aren’t hiding behind the fridge take shots at Shyar before ducking behind cover.

attack: [roll0]
Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
You now know Jenos’ ice gun has a 25% chance of misfire. You can still try again this round if you wish.

[Thundercracker]

After making his way back to the hotel, Gial retrieved Anfopor's contact number from the commlink and started to run a trace on it.

Not sure how many rolls it will take, so here are a few:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

You find that Anfopor’s comlink has additional security measures somehow. Running a trace without access to the Coruscant comlink mainframes will be extremely difficult. You’re not able to sufficiently gain access remotely to do so.”, but you’re not sure if authorities have been alerted to your slicing attempts.

You think perhaps you could write a program to help you in the tracing attempt, but it would take time. Alternatively you could always ask someone who has authority to get you access to the tracing programs you need, as you’re almost certain Coruscant has the ability to triangulate comlink locations.

[RandomLunatic]

"Oh sure, now it doesn't work," Shyar muttered, sliding behind the doorframe and blowing on the lever a few times in a effort to unstick it before trying again.

((Two swifts to recover, move back up the CT.
Try to hose them again.
[roll0] +6 FP))

[Thundercracker]

Shyar managed to unstick the firing lever and coats the room in white again. The two behind the fridge are spared the brunt of the attack, as is the one peeking around the doorframe.

zavi to go

[whoiam]

Zavi advances quickly in the wake of Shyar's shot - trying to position herself between the three remaining foes.


Zavi raises her right hand, all three fingers curved back against the palm, thumb over the top of them like a latch. The grin breaks moments before she releases the fingers, flicking them outwards... and, as the fingers flick upright, firing off a wide blast of telekinetic energy.

[roll0]
Spending a Force Point to increase the damage to 6d6 per target. Full damage and knocked prone if Zavi beats their Fort defence, half damage and not knocked prone if she does not.
[roll1]



Zavi moves into a position where she can see the two hiding behind the fridge, and mimes a punch. It clearly couldn't land a hit from this distance... but the Move Object she'd activated at the same time could. Hopefully it'd hit near-fridge-goon into far-fridge-goon...

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]

The UTF check needs to beat the nearer goon's Will and the further goon's Reflex to get the double hit she's aiming for.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

The two goons behind the fridge are taken out by the force of Zavi’s attack, with a sickening crunching sound. The two remaining back away open fire, spraying blaster bolts into the back room through the open door.

area vs Zavi
[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2]
[roll3]


The remaining door opens and you see Felton standing there, can’t see either of the others. He ducks behind the open door for whatever cover it can provide and fires off a single shot at Shyar, a frown of concentration on his face.

[roll4]
[roll5]

[RandomLunatic]

With Zavi in the way, Shyar tossed the hose and went after one of the goons instead.

((Swift: Drop the hose.
Move: Right up to the goon that got caught in the open last turn.
Standard: Attack him while fighting defensively.
[roll0]
[roll1]))

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
Gial is eventually able to gain clearance to the communication servers, but as he starts attempting to locate the trace program, commands start executing without his input, someone is counter slicing!

these will be skill tests vs the Coruscant communications grid internal slicer. You are attempting to improve your own access while the opponent is attempting to restrict it. If you get locked out, they will have a fix on your location. Or you can cut the hard line now.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Go to the owner and pay for our room," Gial said to Kikari, tossing her a credstick, "we're leaving as soon as I'm done...one way or the other. Try to cover our tracks, if you can."

The hotel was purposefully choses to be as low-surveillance as possible, but if they became so inconsequential that their description - indeed, the very fact that they had been there - wouldn't occur to the owner in case of a questioning, well, even better.

After that, he focused entirely on the task at hand. Well, then. Let's see how good you are.

I assume these opposed rolls don't benefit from Master Slicer (roll twice take best on Improve Access). [roll0].

Also, if it matters, I can Issue Routine Commands as a swift action instead of a standard action.

[Hazuki]

Kikari caught the credstick and nodded before heading off to see the owner. She wasn't sure quite what she could do to cover their tracks, but she was inconspicuous enough herself.

[whoiam]

So Zavi takes 14 damage from the 2 attacks.

Zavi advances up to the doorway (standing just to one side of it) and peers through. She's running low on Force Powers at this point, but on the plus side, she's running out of targets about as quickly. Should still have enough left to take out these two.


Zavi has Disciplined strike, so she can smack the two of them even if there are non-combatants in the way (without hurting anyone but her targets).

As before, she'll pay the force point to up it's damage to 6d6.
[roll0]
[roll1]



In this case, Zavi picks one at random and breaks out her Force Whirlwind.
[roll2] vs target's Fort defence. The target also gets a -5 penalty to Attack and Skill rolls while the power remains active.
She will do at least [roll3] damage. Add [roll4] if the UTF check is 25+, and another [roll5] if she hits 30+.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Shyar chases down the two goons into the showroom, but isn’t able to land a solid blow. The both of them are buffeted by a wave of invisible energy as Zavi continued to stay on the offense but they still have some fight in them. They fall back and behind one of the runways. The room itself has all but cleared out but the goons keep firing.


Area:
Shyar:[roll0]
[roll1]
Zavi: [roll2]
[roll3]


Out of the corner of her eye Zavi sees Felton move to Jenos and unstrap the contraption from his back. The door to the storage room remains open.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

Through a combination of experience and luck, Gial is able to slice his way into the Coruscant communication mainframes.
this is mostly due to a series of epic bad rolls on my part..

Now that you’re in and have temporarily locked down the counter slicer’s access, what do you want to do?

Kikari heads to the front desk in the lobby. There are the usual mix of business beings and tourists here, with bellhops walking to and fro. There is a small line at the front desk for check in/out and for paying for access to the business center (where Gial is).

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar was right on the goons's heels, jumping onto the runway and pressing the attack.

((Two swifts to use combat trickery on the same goon I attacked earlier: [roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2] plus [roll3] and -1 CT blah blah))

[Hyperbolic sine]

With a satisfied grin, Gial proceeded to attempt to locate Anfopor's commlink, taking however care to hide his activity (he was pretty sure they'd look into that, once they regained access).

Use Computer [roll0]. +5 DC to leave no trace.

[Thundercracker]

With a satisfied grin, Gial proceeded to attempt to locate Anfopor's commlink, taking however care to hide his activity (he was pretty sure they'd look into that, once they regained access).

Use Computer [roll0]. +5 DC to leave no trace.

Anfopor’s comlink is at the Emperor Hotel, a five star establishment perhaps a 20 minute speeder ride away.

[whoiam]

Felton reaching for the cryo-gun immediately leapt to the top of Zavi's mental threat rankings - she didn't have Force Shield back yet, and really didn't fancy taking a hit from that unaided...

So, instead, she'd head for the cover of the refrigerator (just because it hadn't saved the goons from her wouldn't stop it providing cover against Felton, hopefully...), and strikes out at Felton with one of the few force powers she hasn't used up yet, Force Whirlwind.


[roll0] vs Felton's Fort
Minimum Damage: [roll1]. [roll2] [roll3]

This time, Zavi's spending another Force Point to double the penalty to attack/skill rolls while Felton's in the effect - they're not -10, not -5.

Edit: 15 damage.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Shyar kicks one goon in the head, dropping him to the ground. The other backs away again, this time towards the front door. He clambers on top of a walkway and is now no longer visible from inside the destroyed office. His expression is one of fear and disbelief as he keeps his finger on the trigger.
area [roll0]
[roll1]

Felton grunts In pain as he is buffeted by the Force and lifted off the ground.
“Help!” he shouts. But the he spies the cryogun, also lifted off the ground. He grabs it and pulls the trigger but misses badly, hitting the ceiling with a blast of pure white.

“Hey, get back here! Untie me, dammit!” Ray shouts from inside the storage room.

Jas appears in the doorway, looking back and forth between Zavi and Felton.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar gave chase right on the goon's heels.

((Two swifts for combat trickery, [roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2] plus [roll3] and -1 CT if trick worked.))

[Hyperbolic sine]

Hmm.

Well, he found what he needed, but he managed to lock out the counter-slicer, and it would be such a waste to let such a chance slip...after taking a moment to set up a "You've been hacked!" screen to make it seem like the hacking itself was the goal, he set to try and embed a backdoor in the system - who knows when it could come in handy.

+5 DC to leave no trace. Not sure if it can be done in a single roll, so here are a few, but obviously Gial will abort if he trips some back-tracing security system or something (whithout being able to stop it in time).
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

[Thundercracker]

It’s a relatively simple task for Gial to set up he back door. The other slicer appears to be still locked out, as there isn’t any attempt to stop him or override his commands.

[whoiam]

[roll0] vs Felton's Fort
[roll1] [roll2] [roll3]


"Why don't you go back and untie him?" Zavi suggests, switching her attention to Jas. "I mean, Jenos ain't getting up again, no matter how many of you throw yourselves at us. Might as well move on to the reconciliation phase, right? No need to punish Ray for working out which way this'd go before the rest of you..." Zavi was, of course, leaving out any mention of how much of Ray's 'foresight' came from her mental powers. It probably wouldn't have helped for Jas to know about that...

[roll4] - Getting Jas to stand down and release Ray. Or trying to, anyway.

[Hazuki]

Kikari goes up to wait in line to check out.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Nice. This should do.

Gial was about to disconnect, then abruptly stopped. On a whim, he pulled out Py Ken's contact information, and decided to locate that number.

Use Computer [roll0]. +5 DC to leave no trace.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
The last goon tosses his rifle at the ground in front of Shyar and puts his hands up in the air, withdrawing to the entrance of he showroom.

“Screw This, you can have him,” he said.

Back room:
“Jas get down!” Felton yelled and pulled the lever again. Jas ducks behind the door again and:
[spoiler]atk: [roll0]
Dmg: [roll1]
Die of death: [roll2]
The white spray hits the ceiling again.

Jas then, looking panicked as hell, runs out and puts the muzzle of his blaster pistol against Jenos’ head.

Coruscant:
Py Ken is at the Jedi Temple.

Kikari gets in line. Everything seems pretty normal. Then the attendant in front of her gets a call. And she looks over at the business center. And she says something into the handset before picking up a second handset. It might be time to go.

[RandomLunatic]

"Dat's da first smart thing ya done today," Shyar said, scooping up the goon's blaster but not aiming it at him. She made beckoning motion. "Stick around. I got a job offer for ya."

With or without the goon in tow, she turned back towards the office, leaning around the doorframe to see how Zavi was handling the others. She raised an eyebrow, seeing Jas apparently trying to take Jenos hostage. "So much for Mr. Jenos and his mook squad. Now, we've heard da stories about what he was like. An' I know you was followin' orders. So ya can stay loyal to da man dat needed a two ambushes ta kill a pair of smugglers an' still kriffed it up, an' share his fate, or ya can drop ya weapons an' join da winning side. I'm willin' ta put dis whole unpleasantness behind us an' make money. But I ain't got all day, so ya gots ta da count of five. One..."

((Move: Pick up gun.
Move: Move back towards the office door.))

[Hyperbolic sine]

Alright.

After casting away his doubt that Py Ken would have somehow followed them and/or gone to Anfopor (who's to say it wasn't all a farce, after all?), Gial terminated the connection and left the room, sending Kikari a message.

[Done. See you outside.]

[whoiam]

[roll0] vs Felton's Fort
[roll1] [roll2] [roll3]


"...I mean, by all means, go ahead and shoot him if you want to be sure he'll stay down. We're not being paid to bring him in alive or anything. But don't you think talking to your friend would be more useful? If he keeps spraying refrigerants around at random, this isn't a safe room to be standing in... and frankly, I'm only killing him because he seems determined to shoot me if I don't..."

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
Gial and Kikari are able to pay and make it outside without incident. The streets are relatively crowded, and the varied fragrances of multiple street vendors reaches you as soon as you step through the front lobby doors. The capital of the galactic triumvirate hums along.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"So, Anfopor's at the Emperor's Hotel." Gial said once he and Kikari were back toghether. "I suppose they'll have a somewhat tight security, so acting like we belong might not be enough to get in. We'll see...well, let's go."

[Hazuki]

"Is it a fancy hotel?" Kikari asks. "It is just that I may need to change if it is."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Jas pulls the trigger and ends Jenos. Felton at first looks like he’s going to try and shoot the kid but he just drops the cryogun instead. He’s not looking too good either and probably won’t last much longer in the Force whirlwind.

Jas puts his hands up.

“Jenos was nuts, I wanna join up with you guys,” he said.

“Hey, what’s going on out there! Someone untie me!” Ray said.

Coruscant:

You hire a taxi to take you to the emperor hotel (total taxi fare plus business center rental is 45 credits).

The emperor hotel is in fact a very nice hotel. The platform is high above the cityscape, and the tower stretches up into the sky, one of the tallest in the city sector. The valet opens the door for you, and a greeter wearing a crisp red hotel uniform greets you at the entrance.
“Welcome to the Emperor Hotel,” he said, tipping his cap and holding the door open for you. The lobby is opulent, with thick carpeting, antique wood show furniture, marble fountains, and glowing chandeliers. It is also massive and high ceilinged. A holodisplay showcasing the various amenities of the hotel cycles through a loop in the center of the lobby. A few well heeled guests wander about or have quiet conversations while staff move about with travel bags on (gold?) plated hoversleds. You know Anfopor was here just 20 minutes ago. You can check the business center, the restaurants, the atrium, the althletic floor, the function rooms, the promenade, or stick around in the lobby to see if he shows.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Is it a fancy hotel?" Kikari asks. "It is just that I may need to change if it is."

"It is. Our friends treats himself well."

Gial suppressed a whistle of amazement (at least, unlike with Wizbam's yacht, the opulent display wasn't its own end, so he could actually appreciate it) and, acting like he belonged, he made a beeline for a couch (one that had its back against a wall or otherwise obstructed, of course) and plopped down.

"Keep an eye out in case he shows up." he said to Kikari, the pulled out his trusty datapad. It was entirely possible Anfopor had made a reservation under a fake name, of course, but it was worth checking.

Improve Access to the hotel's network. here's a few rolls, but obviously I won't keep trying if I get backtraced or the like.
Best of [roll0], [roll1];
Best of [roll2], [roll3];
Best of [roll4], [roll5];
Best of [roll6], [roll7];
Best of [roll8], [roll9].

Also taking 10 for 25 Deception to behave unsuspiciously, if necessary.

[RandomLunatic]

"I was really lookin' forward ta fittin' Mister Jenos for a Kessel Necktie," Shyar said, looking and sounding annoyed with Jas. Then she sighed and gestured at Zavi to release Felton. "Welcome ta da Syndicate, boys. Da real one.

"Ya first job is ta make dis place presentable before da law gets here.

"Go check on Ray, will ya?" she asked Zavi. At least that one she'd be able to touch and do her mind thing to see if he was for real this time.

[Hazuki]

On the way to the hotel, Kikari does her best to clean up her appearance. There obviously isn't a great deal available, but she at least manages to look clean, if a little overburdened, and not at all like a Jedi. Which is the most important thing when they have to be in the presence of one.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom: Jas looks like he’s going to be sick but Felton just looks at the corpse and kicks it, still keeping his hands up.

“There is meat locker in basement, can hide bodies there,” he said in accented basic, “blaster holes...”

He shrugs.

“Maybe we run,” he said, “leave bodies here.”

Coruscant:
Gial busies himself with slicing into the hotel’s network, but he’s not able to find a room for Anfopor, he must be using an alias. While Gial is busy, Kikari notices a group of peculiar looking individuals enter and head towards the function rooms. They’re wearing business suits but the way they carry themselves and scan the area speaks of combat training. Some of them are carrying heavy cases.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Ah, well. Too bad.

To be honest, though, Gial would have been more surprised if he had found the room this way. He shrugged, and proceeded to work his way into the surveillance system. How many Kubaz could possibly be lodging at this hotel all at once?

If it's a separate system, more rolls.
Best of [roll0], [roll1];
Best of [roll2], [roll3];
Best of [roll4], [roll5];
Best of [roll6], [roll7];
Best of [roll8], [roll9].

[whoiam]

As suggested, Zavi had dropped Felton once everything seemed to be over. Much as she enjoyed the excuse to cut loose, there simply wasn't any need to hurt him further.

Probably.

"So, who's next in line after his craziness there? Got arrangements to make - the smoother we handle the transition, the quicker we can get back to gettin' rich."

With no-one else in any hurry to untie Ray, Zavi goes to do it herself. Doesn't stop her talking, though. "I suppose you could run if you want to. We're not gonna kill you for that. Probably. But we're not planning purges either - well, not unless your people keep trying ta kill us - and when I said we wanted to recruit the lot of you wholesale, it wasn't a lie. You're all welcome to stay, keep your positions. It just means you get to work under someone a little closer ta sane than Jenos was."

Zavi's breakin' out her persuasive voice! As in making persuasion checks. Now that we're back out of combat, she's going back to taking 10s - scoring 24.

[RandomLunatic]

"Da travel agency, da titty bar-we can stage it as somebody after Mister Jenos' life. Which ain't far from da truth. Did Mister Jenos have any other places around here we can run ta? Collect anything dat we need ta keep things running, or will be incriminatin' in da law's hands. But try ta leave just enough ta link Mister Jenos to da travel agency."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Ray pushes past Zavi and sees Jenos' body, even as Felton curses and says something probably offensive in some other language.
His face contorts in rage and he rushes over to the fallen cryogun but the much larger and physically fit Felton quickly puts him into a headlock, restraining him.

"Him and Jenos were friends since they were kids," Jas explained.

Coruscant:
There are a lot of guests constantly coming and going from the lobby. You don't manage to spy a kubaz on an initial quick scan but it seems every other person is wearing some kind of cloak or robe or hood or mask or breathing apparatus. How long do you want to search?

[RandomLunatic]

"'Were' bein' da key word," Shyar said, walking over to kick the hose away from Jas. "Like I said, he was goin' down. An' dere's plenty of room in Chaos if he meant dat much to ya." The carbine in her hand clicked ominously as Shyar set it to semi-auto.

(([roll0]))

[whoiam]

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ray. I mean, I won't miss him personally, but... I've lost people before." Zavi was lying. She'd never lost anyone that truly mattered to her. She'd run away from several, but that was hardly the same thing... Still, wouldn't stop her faking concern, even to the point of placing a comforting hand on his shoulder (so she could sift through his thoughts to check if he was actually planning to try and kill them or he'd just gone for the cryogun in the heat of the moment). "And I wish I could make this easier on you, " She didn't, but it sounded good, didn't it? "but... well, we play the hands we're dealt. And this one was a lot messier than we were hoping for."


[roll0]
[roll1]
Using the MIND PROBE on him! As suggested in the narrative, she's trying to find if he'll still be out for vengeance once he's had time to cool down. Taking 10 on the roll for a 29.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Zavi encounters a wall of rage and grief, almost animalistic. Ray wants to kill anything and everything, right now. It’s impossible to tell what he’ll be like when he calms down, though it seems this is a deep grief and pain which would be difficult to overcome.

Felton holds Ray immobile, literally pinning him to the ground.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar looked a Zavi, with a questioning eyebrow raised.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial searches for the security footage from around the time of the shooting - an hour before to an hour after, roughly - and passes it through a recognition software, checking for matches between people going out and returning back in.

Pretty sure there's a recognition software lying around from previous adventures. Maybe I should be keeping a list...
Anyway, I suppose this means rolling Use Computer instead of Perception. [roll0]

It goes without saying, of course, that as soon as Kikari informed him of the peculiar guests, he would leave the program to run on its own and take a look at the live feed from the function rooms.

[Thundercracker]

Gial takes a look at the live feeds, and oddly enough there is no sign of the rough looking folks from earlier. They definitely headed to the function rooms, but all the cameras set up there show empty rooms, some of them with sunlight slanting through the windows, but all of them devoid of sentients.

[Hyperbolic sine]

...hmm...

Gial checked to see if the cameras were being spoofed; if not, then there had to be some kind of secret passage. So, either they were going get caught up in some kind of attack, or those were someone's (Anfopor's, most likely) goons.

Not sure what's better.

Use Computer [roll0] to check for spoofing or other signs that the feeds are being tampered with.

[whoiam]

"...I don't think I'm getting through to him, " Zavi notes, withdrawing her hand and straightening up again. "If you want us to spare the vengeance-crazed man, now's the time to speak." Like Shyar, Zavi draws her blaster. Though she has a finger hovering over the mode selector switch - it seems she'd be willing to just stun Ray if the others spoke up in his defence.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom: Ray seems to calm down at the realization it might be his brains splattered all over the floor if he doesn't.

"I kill him, we split his share of business fifty-fifty," Felton said. Ray started struggling again to no avail.

"Don't listen to this foreign #*$&!" Ray said, "he'll stab you in the back the first chance he gets!"


Coruscant: On closer inspection, the live-feeds of the function rooms appear to have been replaced with immobile pictures overlaid with a time and date graphic. It's a good bet someone doesn't want anyone to know what's going on in there.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Heh."

Too bad Gial didn't really care about (others') privacy. He promptly started to counter the spoof - though only for what his datapad was concerned. He didn't want to cause a commotion by letting security see what was actually happening, for the moment at least.

Use Computer [roll0]

[Thundercracker]

"Heh."

Too bad Gial didn't really care about (others') privacy. He promptly started to counter the spoof - though only for what his datapad was concerned. He didn't want to cause a commotion by letting security see what was actually happening, for the moment at least.

Use Computer [roll0]

After countering the spoof, you realize there is no signal coming from three of the function rooms: Org, Val, and Pal.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial frowned, and tried to reactivate the cameras remotely. Hopefully they hadn't been smashed to pieces.

Thought I already posted. Anyway, Use Computer 25 (OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23969127&postcount=882)).

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar had to admit, Felton's readiness to kill Ray for his share of the operation sure lent strength to Ray's accusation. Still, she wasn't interested in playing grief counselor.

She nodded. "Cross him off."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:
Felton strangles Ray until he stops moving, then picks up a blaster pistol and shoots him in the head to make sure. The whole process takes about a minute.

shyar take a dark side point for ordering someone’s death like a boss.

Coruscant:

Gial has no luck reactivating the cameras, they may be physically disabled or disconnected.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar stood by with the carbine at the ready, but once it became clear Felton had Ray under control, she asked Zavi for her own blaster back. In hindsight, she should have done it during the whole talking thing earlier.

Then she turned to Jas. "Don't just stand dere. Any records or things we need, get 'em now. And da security recordings? Base delta zero treatment."

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial bobbed his eyes in annoyance, then searched for the hotel's planimetry. He wasn't sure trying to peek the old fashioned way - and he supposed he would have to ask Kikari's opinion - but if he ended up doing it, he'd need to know where the ventilation ducts went.

I really need to buy a probe drone.

Use Computer [roll0]

[whoiam]

Zavi was more than happy to hand the blaster back. Mainly because, as she'd pointed out before, the trigger assembly was all wrong for someone with fingers like hers...


"What are your usual procedures for disposing of 'inconvenient' people? If you've got a way to make'em disappear without the authorities following up on it, we can use that. Otherwise we'll have to fake up a Jenos/Ray fight that ended up in Jenos being shot dead by the security staff, or something..."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Jas jumped up and ran down the stairs into the basement.
Felton shrugged in response to Zavi’s question.

“Sometimes freeze and shatter, sometimes bury, sometimes burn, depend on mood,” he replied, “this time different, lots witness, maybe big problem if police come. Maybe can bribe, maybe not. Maybe better burn everything and collect insurance. Jenos owned building, maybe need to ‘convince’ insurance to pay too.”

He shrugged again and made a sound which vaguely resembles flatulence, then moved to the sink to start cleaning the blood from his pants.

Coruscant:
Gial isn’t able to pull up floor plans. It looks unlikely the ventilation shafts are large enough to squeeze into, however.

[RandomLunatic]

"How much of da force did Mister Jenos have on da take?" Shyar asked Felton. Then she turned to Zavi. "Think ya can make did blow over wit da law, or should we torch da joint?"

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Tch."

Out of options, Gial leaned towards Kikari. "What do you want to do? There's obviously something going on inside there, and it's quite possible it has to do with our pearl."

[Thundercracker]

"How much of da force did Mister Jenos have on da take?" Shyar asked Felton. Then she turned to Zavi. "Think ya can make did blow over wit da law, or should we torch da joint?"

Felton simply shrugged. Apparently he doesn’t know.

Jas returned with an armload of data tapes from the basement.
“All the docs are in the storage room,” he said, attempting not to drop any.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar quickly looked around for a box or bag to hold everything before rushing off to the storage room.

[Thundercracker]

Shyar quickly looked around for a box or bag to hold everything before rushing off to the storage room.

You find a large garbage bag in the kitchen, and in the storage room there are several large filing cabinets, haphazardly filled with datapads and data tapes, and a few bottles of liquor. There is also a back door which exits to the side of the building.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar began unceremoniously ransacking the filing cabinets.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Shyar is able to clear out all of the data tapes and datapads, finishing about 80% before the sound of sirens can be heard.

The kitchen is starting to thaw out now.

Felton curses when he hears the sirens.

“Police coming,” he said, “we shoot them, pay them, or run?”

[whoiam]

"You lot get the records and go. I'll sound out the police and see whether they can be... 'worked'... with."

With enough time since the fight to recover her powers, Zavi may not be confident in her ability to corrupt an entire unfamiliar police force on contact... but she's perfectly willing to gather information on them. If they were on the take, that'd make smoothing things over afterwards a lot easier. If they weren't, she could just slip away once the initial response dies down.

While Zavi couldn't read minds while maintaining invisibility, that didn't stop her spying on the officers the old-fashioned way. So she headed for the front doors - not intending to go out them, or even get too close in case the police breached them forcefully - but turned invisible again and took up a position watching them. She'd pick up the responders when they entered.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar nodded. "Better give me ya personal comm, an' anything else ya don't want da law seein' if dey decide ta bring ya in. Who's a good lawyer around here?" she asked the locals.

"Besides, someone has ta report in. Let 'em know ta expect a call, willya?" Then she slammed the filing cabinets shut, tied up her bag, and hurried out the back.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

While Shyar was busy collecting the data tapes, Felton helps himself to some of the liquor, drinking a few swallows directly from the bottle, and offering some to Jas, who takes a swig as well. He then makes sure there are weapons by each of the bodies and they’re all in a position to have been shooting each other.

He makes to follow Shyar when she leaves. He is hauling his own garbage bag, but his is filled with cash sticks and guns.
“Jenos knew lawyer,” he said, “I know face only.”

“Where are we goin?,” Jas asked, once you were a block away.

Zavi waits near the entrance as the police arrive. They arrive guns drawn, and sweep the room. White clad paramedics arrive afterwards, and cart off two of the goons, who were still alive. The coroners then come and cart off the bodies, and entire area is taped off and restricted as a crime scene, but it is hours before the strip club is clear of people.

[whoiam]

Once the strip club was clear, Zavi let herself out the back door. A quick call to Shyar would let her know where to find her colleague; the call to the other group could wait until they were all together again.


-----------Once Zavi's been able to catch up with Shyar again--------------------
"Well, that was a bust, " she notes. "All that time and no-one had any special reaction to Jenos. Dunno if that means they were honest, or if they just didn't recognise the guy in person. Either way, not the best evening I've ever spent in a club."

Then it was time for the big call. She had to send Kikari a message first, so they'd know the call was safe to take...

Assuming Kikari hasn't 'somehow' come to the conclusion that keeping Zavi out of her mind might be a good idea... no idea where she'd get a concept like that from... then she'll be receiving Zavi's message. It's a sense of satisfaction, only slightly short of crossing over into smugness.

Then she attaches the scrambler that Gial had prepared for her to her comlink, hands the device over to Shyar, and smiles. "Should be expecting your call now."

[RandomLunatic]

"Well, dat depends. Dis would go a lot easier if Mister Jenos had a safehouse near here dat ain't been burned yet," said Shyar.


Shyar nodded, moved away for a bit of privacy, punched in the commcode and waited for Kikari to pick up. With Jenos and Kas still hanging around, she kept it terse and a bit cryptic. "Hey, is Fishy dere? Put 'im on. I need ta talk ta him."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

There were a few mentions of gang wars, but nothing me thinking Jenos specifically. Seems he wasn’t really a big enough threat yet for him to be well known to local law enforcement.

“There’s a laundry joint four blocks that way,” Jas said, pointing, “and Jenos has a house somewhere in the Stacks, don’t know exactly where.”

Felton looked around.
“I have apartment,” he said, “small.”

[Hazuki]

"Let me see if I can... Uh, see." Kikari whispers to Gial, as she does her best to gain a mental image of one of the tough-looking people she saw entering the function room.

Taking 10 for 25 to get the information listed on Farseeing. Paraphrased so you don't have to look up: If result equals or exceeds will defense, can see whether they're alive or dead, a vague sense of their immediate surroundings, what they're currently doing, and any strong emotions they're feeling.

[RandomLunatic]

Shyar turned to Zavi. "Did you see da cops collectin' any of da files I missed?" she asked in effort to make up her mind.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant: you can see the tough in your mind’s eye. He’s now carrying a large blaster rifle, and he’s among the others who entered. You see a kubaz seated at a long table, and everyone appears to be anticipating, waiting.

Zoccom:

The police did not take anything at all. Only the bodies were removed and the building cordoned off.

[Hazuki]

Kikari quietly relays what she sees to Gial.

"Perhaps we can identify who is being waited for?"

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Not without slicing again into the police's database, and that's a risk we can't take since we're stuck here. Keep...er, looking, for the pearl."

Gial felt he had thought as much a lot since he arrived on Coruscant, but the Force sure was handy. "I'll see if I can give us some audio."

I'll retrieve the thug's faces from the lobby's security recordings if possible, then see if they can be identified. Hacking into Anfopor's commlink to turn on the microphone. Use Computer [roll0].

[RandomLunatic]

"We'll set up in in da laundromat for now, look over da books, figure out da next move," said Shyar.

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom: on the way to the laundromat, Jas pulled out a comlink.

“Hey, yeah it’s me, listen, why don’t you go stay at you mom ‘s for a few days. Yeah. No, I’ll talk to you later.”

the laundromat has a homeless person outside begging for change, and only one elderly individual inside, slowly feeding coins into one of the machines. You make you way to the cramped office in the back. There is a beat up old computer here you could use to access the data tapes and also hand written ledgers of the laundromat business. A clock ticks noisily on one wall, and various papers and receipts are piled up on the lone desk. There is one chair and one stool.

Coruscant:
Gial isn’t able to remotely turn on Anfopor’s comlink, but he can force it to place a call to his comlink. Assuming he does so he overheard the following: “four minutes. Hopefully they show.”

[RandomLunatic]

"Who was dat?" Shyar asked Jas, more out of curiosity than suspicion.

Once in the office, Shyar said, "Go put on some caf and grab a shovel, boys. We got diggin' ta do."

[Hyperbolic sine]

Hmm...

Gial could see two options: block anyone from showing up so that the meeting would be called off and wait for Anfopor to b alone again, or let it happen and follow whoever took the pearl. There was also a third option - disrupt the meeting, spark a shooting, and then take care of the survivors - but it wasn't particularly reliable.

In any case, the only thing left to do was to wait for the other party to show up.

Perception [roll0], though I imagine anyone going for the function rooms at this point in time is our guy.

Just then, the call from Shyar came through.


"Hey, is Fishy dere? Put 'im on. I need ta talk ta him."

"...he's here, but he's a little busy. What is it?"

[RandomLunatic]

"Our mark made us! Matched my face to da damn funeral clip!" came Shyar's response. "An' I think a customs tech got dis close ta fingerin' me too. We're famous now. Watch yaself."

[Thundercracker]

"Who was dat?" Shyar asked Jas, more out of curiosity than suspicion.

Once in the office, Shyar said, "Go put on some caf and grab a shovel, boys. We got diggin' ta do."

“My girlfriend,” Jas replied

Over the next few hours, you try to piece together Jenos’ operation. Jenos kept his cards fairly close to his chest, and apparently Ray was the one who he trusted the most as they were childhood friends. Felton is an experienced tough, he can get results but lacks finesse. His answer to almost anything is either shoot it, beat it up, or run away. Jas is creative and has potential, but lacks experience.

There is nothing you can find about Jenos’ forays beyond Zoccom. On Zoccom, there are details of a protection racket, plus Sarangi was in Jenos’ pocket and the insurance money from torching his place was to pay off a 300k credit debt which was owed. There is also dirt on some of the local law enforcement, evidence of bribes and illegal activities to keep them off your backs, at least in the short term.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Our mark made us! Matched my face to da damn funeral clip!" came Shyar's response. "An' I think a customs tech got dis close ta fingerin' me too. We're famous now. Watch yaself."

"Which fun- ah. I see...thanks for the heads up." Gial didn't think most people could tell him apart from other Mon Cals, but better safe than sorry. "So...I guess it was a failure?" he asked, his voice betraying some unease.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

After the conversation with Shyar (you can continue that in spoilers), Gial begins listening in to Anfopor’s comlink again.

There is the sound of a door opening, footsteps, rustling of cloth, and the readying of rifles or other energy weapons.
“Right on time, I’m impressed,” a tinny high pitched voice said. You surmise this is the kubaz speaking.

“I see you brought backup,” a deep baritone voice replied.

“I thought it prudent,” Anfopor said.
“Prudent but unnecessary,” the deep voice replied, “we are here to trade in good faith. You brought it?”

You can continue to listen in if you wish, or take any kind of action starting from when the door to the function room opened.

[RandomLunatic]

"Sithspit," Shyar said, realizing that she may have gotten rid of Jas a little too early.

She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face. "Ya know who else was involved in Mister Jenos' off-world dealings? Mister Sarangi. I think it's time we go talk ta him."

"Nah, it just got... messy. We ended up skipping a bunch of steps. Now we're pickin' up da pieces. Just wanted ta tell ya ta be careful about gettin' on holo."

[Hyperbolic sine]

As soon as Gial heard the other party had arrived (and, evidently, not by passing through the lobby), he turned to Kikari. "What do you see?"

[Thundercracker]

As soon as Gial heard the other party had arrived (and, evidently, not by passing through the lobby), he turned to Kikari. "What do you see?"

Kikari can see the addition of two additional figures in her vision.

Her vision of the two is a bit fuzzy; they’re difficult to keep focus on, but she is able to make out one is a tall, muscular and bald black man, and the other a short (perhaps 5’) grey skinned humanoid.

[Thundercracker]

"Sithspit," Shyar said, realizing that she may have gotten rid of Jas a little too early.

She leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face. "Ya know who else was involved in Mister Jenos' off-world dealings? Mister Sarangi. I think it's time we go talk ta him."

"Nah, it just got... messy. We ended up skipping a bunch of steps. Now we're pickin' up da pieces. Just wanted ta tell ya ta be careful about gettin' on holo."

“I know where he lives,” Jas said, “do you wanna head over there now?”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Mmh."

Gial still wasn't set on any definitive course of action, so he decided to keep listening. In the meanwhile, though, he checked to see if the access he had to the hotel's system would allow him to remotely lock the doors.

[Thundercracker]

Gial is not currently able to access the locks for the function rooms, nor is he even sure there is a centralized locking system.

“Of course, I’m sure you brought the credits,” Anfopor said.

“Yes, we would like to inspect the item first,” the baritone voice said.

“Slide the credits over first, if you don’t mind,” Anfopor said.

The sound of cloth sliding across the table can be heard.

Then there is the sound of a case being opened, followed by silence.
“It is authentic,” a higher pitched male voice said.
“It’s all here,” another male voice said.

“The deal is complete,” the baritone voice said, “you have proven reliable, Anfopor, we may call upon you again in the future.”

“Glad to be of service,” the kubaz replied.

A door opens and closes, followed shortly thereafter by Anfopor’s voice: “good work, let’s get out of here and then it’s tike to go home.” There is movement, and then the doors open and you can hear footsteps and the sounds of the lobby approaching.

feel free to interrupt at any point with an action.

[Hyperbolic sine]

What to do? Letting the exchange proceed to completion could mean losing track of the pearl...but they were only two, barging in there wasn't an option.


“Yes, we would like to inspect the item first,” the baritone voice said.

Ah, f**k it.

Bringing up the text function of his comm, Gial quickly typed [You're alone. It's a trap. - A friend.] and then sent it to Anfopor, fiddling a bit to make it untraceable. Let's see what happens.

Use Computer [roll0] to erase the sender's data.

[Thundercracker]

What to do? Letting the exchange proceed to completion could mean losing track of the pearl...but they were only two, barging in there wasn't an option.



Ah, f**k it.

Bringing up the text function of his comm, Gial quickly typed [You're alone. It's a trap. - A friend.] and then sent it to Anfopor, fiddling a bit to make it untraceable. Let's see what happens.

Use Computer [roll0] to erase the sender's data.

Either the kubaz is so focused on the meeting he doesn’t notice his comlink or he doesn’t care, and the meeting continues. On second thought this is possibly not a bad thing as you realize drawing attention to the fact he has an open call he didn’t dial might not be wise.

[RandomLunatic]

"At 300 big in da hole, I expect ya would," Shyar commented. "Let's go."

On the way, she pulled closer to Zavi and asked in hushed tones, "How do ya want ta play dis? Close da account, or take da insurance money too? I wish we had mister Jhrris out here, I bet he could do insurance fraud."

[whoiam]

"Ooh, right in the ego. 'Jhriss could do it' indeed. Depends if they make a droid do the claim assessment or not. I can commit insurance fraud easily if I can get face-to-face with a person. Worth a try, if we've nothing more urgent to do. I take it the others aren't ready to meet up yet?"

[RandomLunatic]

"He said he was busy, but for 300, I got all da time in da world."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

Jas leads the group to a familiar residential neighborhood. It is now very dark and the streets are mostly deserted. You realize this is where Quest had brought you to recover your weapons.

“That’s his house,” Jas said, pointing out the property in question from about 300 feet away. The lights are all off.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"You can pass through walls, right?" Gial asked Kikari. "We really only have two options here. We let them take the pearl and then follow, or you run in there and snatch it. I'm not sure which is the most dangerous, and I can't force you anyway. But you have to decide quickly."

[RandomLunatic]

"Let's hope dey're sleeping an' haven't fled da sector," said Shyar. "Da two of yas hang back a bit," she ordered, pulling a hoodie up over her head and going up to the door and knocking.

[Thundercracker]

"Let's hope dey're sleeping an' haven't fled da sector," said Shyar. "Da two of yas hang back a bit," she ordered, pulling a hoodie up over her head and going up to the door and knocking.

There is silence for a moment, then the door opens a crack with a chain keeping it from opening further. Sarangi is there, still dressed.
“My family’s sleeping, what do you want?” he whispered.

sorry, missed this post.

[RandomLunatic]

"It's ya lucky day, Mister Sarangi. I got an offer ta make all ya debt go away for good. Can we come in?"

[Thundercracker]

"It's ya lucky day, Mister Sarangi. I got an offer ta make all ya debt go away for good. Can we come in?"

Sarangi looks confused for a moment.
“Okay, let me come out,” he said.

The door closes and he undoes the chain before slipping onto the front porch.
“Jenos?” he asked.

[RandomLunatic]

"Mister Jenos is in da morgue. We run dis town now.

"Unfortunately, we've found da late Mister Jenos was no good at bookkeepin'. So if ya tell us about all da operations ya ran for him, we'll write off ya debt."