Episode II: The Gathering Storm IC Thread 3

[Hyperbolic sine]

Mmm.

Gial terminated the connection to the security system and powered down both his datapad and his commlink (just in case...), then, as nonchalantly as he entered, he got out of the restrooms and headed for the platform on the roof to call for a cab.

[Thundercracker]

Mmm.

Gial terminated the connection to the security system and powered down both his datapad and his commlink (just in case...), then, as nonchalantly as he entered, he got out of the restrooms and headed for the platform on the roof to call for a cab.

Heart pounding, Gial heads out to grab a taxi, which he does unimpeded thanks to the constant stream of guests coming into the hotel. The taxi takes off and hovers just off the platform.

“Where to?” asked the driver.

[Hazuki]

Kikari surreptitiously tries to contact Gial, which should be easy given her commlink.

[Hyperbolic sine]

On his way to the roof, once he had distanced himself from the scanner enough, Gial turned his commlink back on and was promptly contacted by Kikari (hopefully she hadn't been trying for too long). He asked her about an adress close to her location, which he relayed to the taxi driver soon after.

[Hazuki]

Kikari started to head to the location pointed out by Gial, making sure to take the most crowded routes as she went.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
The two of you meet at a diner with neon blue and pink lights outside proclaiming the ‘best eats’. You’re seated in a booth and, being near the police station, there are two human cops at the counter, chit chatting about something of other. The rest of the diner is half full with varying races, though still majority human.

A droid server comes over to take your order.

Gial’s Comlink pings him with an incoming call. It is Py Ken.
”we are at the Emperor Hotel, but the... targets are proving elusive again. Are you safe?”

[Hyperbolic sine]

During the ride, Gial contacted Zavi; though he couldn't really go into any detail while the driver could eavesdrop, he informed her that, if they were done with their task, her and Shyar's presence on Coruscant would be appreciated.

---

"We are, thank you for your concern. I'm afraid there's little else I can do to help you with this particular matter, though." he replied, his tone neutral, waiting to see what Py Ken was going to ask (unless he really was just worried about their safety?).

[whoiam]

Zavi excuses herself from the others for a couple of minutes to take the call; When she returns, she asks, "What's local customs like? I think we're going to have to take the safe with us. A couple of our colleagues just called for a pickup, so we don't really have time to try out a new safecracker."

[Thundercracker]

Zoccom:

“They’re mostly worried about illegal goods coming into the system,” Jas replied, “unless you get unlucky and randomly picked for inspection. As long as they don’t have an interdictor you can always run though, right?”

Coruscant:
“You’ve done enough by flushing them out and reporting them to us,” Py Ken replied, “did you, by any chance, find what I had hoped to research?”

[whoiam]

"Works for me. Alright, looks like I get to play 'beast of burden'." By which she means she gets to wheel the trolley back to their ship while Shyar gets to talk to anyone who tries to stop them. The Yarkora just looked the part - kinda the way you wouldn't have a Gamorrean do the talking while a Chadra-Fan pushed the trolley, regardless of which of them was actually the stronger...

Spoiler: Assuming there are no interruptions

Show

As they're cruising out of the gravity well and prepping for the jump to hyperspace, Zavi returns Gial's call. She tells him they're on their way, and promises to call back once they're in-system to arrange their lunch together. Whether she was just making up a pretence for linking up, or she was actually expecting Gial to feed her during the pickup was anyone's guess...

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Well, yes, I did, but now I have to start all over again." Gial replied. "Might take some time."

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:
“That is, unfortunate,” Py Ken said, disappointment evident in his voice, “did you happen to find the one who betrayed my friend?”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"I just tol- oh, you meant that thing, not him. Then yes, obviously I have it...we wouldn't have attracted unwanted attention otherwise."

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant

There is a sigh of relief from the other end.
“Good,” Py Ken said, “let us meet, and we can complete the transaction as it should have been done. If you would like to provide a physical description of the fugitives it would be helpful as well, but I can understand if you would rather not.”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Very well, I'll arrange a meeting spot and contact you later. As for the S-guys, I'm afraid I wasn't in a position to take a good look at them, and as I said they didn't show up con camera." Gial said, though he then started to relay a description as complete as he could manage.

[Hazuki]

Kikari whispers a proper description of the pair to Gial.

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

“Thank you,” Py Ken said, “I can meet wherever you like. The sentinels and guardians are hunting the Sith now. They’ve already found evidence of their passage inside the lifts, so by the will of the Force, we’ll find them.”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Good. You'll hear from me soon, then."

After terminating the call, Gial turned to Kikari. "Well, that's one thing taken care of, more or less. Doubt they'll try to get back at us while being actively hunted...but I called Zavi and Shyar here anyway. We've still got to catch Anfopor."

As he spoke, he pulled out his datapad to make a quick search for cheap hotels in the area.

[Hazuki]

Kikari nodded thoughtfully as Gial said that, then paused. "Do you think they might hunt Anfopor, these men? For betrayal or some such."

[Hyperbolic sine]

"Yes, it crossed my mind, and that's why we won't make a move on him until the other two get here. I mean, there's a chance the S-guys will just do the job for us, but I think it's more likely that they'll try to get the pearl back first and find out he's uninvolved. Surely they can do the same hypnosis stuff as you."

[Thundercracker]

Coruscant:

Gial is able to find many motels, from 150 credits per night down to hourly rates of 25 credits.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Once they were both done eating, Gial would pay and leave the diner to head for one of the hourly rates motels. If nothing interfered, he'd rent a room and call Py Ken over for the exchange.

[Thundercracker]

Once they were both done eating, Gial would pay and leave the diner to head for one of the hourly rates motels. If nothing interfered, he'd rent a room and call Py Ken over for the exchange.

It’s nearly an hour before Py Ken shows up, apologizing for the delay.
“I had to make excuses to depart, but it is good to see you both alive and well,” he said.

“Do you have it?” he asked.

[Hyperbolic sine]

"I share the sentiment." Gial replied. "Do you have the credits?"

He made no moves to bring out the pearl just yet, but he had no intention to renegotiate the terms or anything - once the payment was confirmed, he'd uphold his end of the deal without fuss.

[Thundercracker]

“Of course,” Py Ken replied after a moment of concentration.

Kikari suspects he was using the Force to sense if there was any danger in proceeding.

The kel-dor pulled a pouch from his belt.

“Forty-five thousand,” he said, “including the finders fee, and your trouble.”

He waited for you to produce the pearl and if you do so the exchange goes off without a hitch.

“You’ve done a good thing,” Py Ken said, “if you need assistance in the future, seek me out by name.”

[Hyperbolic sine]

"I will."

The trip to Coruscant had certainly been fruitful, no doubts about that.

"Well, the Sith are no friends of mine, anyway. It has been a pleasure, Master Py Ken...I'll let you know when I find Anfopor."

[Thundercracker]

"I will."

The trip to Coruscant had certainly been fruitful, no doubts about that.

"Well, the Sith are no friends of mine, anyway. It has been a pleasure, Master Py Ken...I'll let you know when I find Anfopor."

Py Ken thanks you and makes a rather hasty exit, apparently not wanting to linger any longer than absolutely necessary.

The night is now yours to do with as you wish.

[Hyperbolic sine]

Gial waited for a while after Py Ken left (but not enough to have to pay for an extra hour, that would just be stupid), then checked out and headed for a nightly fee hotel to, well, pass the night and lay low until it was time to go fetch Zavi and Shyar at the spaceport.

[whoiam]

--------The Following Morning----------
Unless Kikari's suddenly become unwilling, she'll receive a telepathic communication: ~HUNGRY!~

Moments later, Gial's comlink goes off. If he answers, Zavi's greeting is "Hey, we're just in the queue for a free landing pad. Now tell me you've got a nice restaurant flagged for our rendezvous - wanna get a proper meal inside me before we have to head back out to the Rim." And she'd go on to tell them which spaceport they'd be touching down at.

[Hazuki]

Kikari finishes brushing her teeth and walks back into the main room of their room. "Zavi is using the Force to tell me she's hungry," she tells Gial.