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Morgan ZIM
Space Jawa


Joined: 01 Oct 2009
Posts: 536
Location: I am here -> *

 Post Posted: Wed, April 07th 2010 05:58am    Post subject: Nar Shadda, Meltdown Cafe
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(Continued from Here.)

Enjoying the crowded solitude of an otherwise empty wall-side table, Morgan ZIM stretched his drink out as long as he could while keeping one eye on either the news headlines that scrolled the various visual panels or the datapad in his had which contained a rather extensive list of potential bounties for him and his partner to hunt. A simple enough task, one that allowed him to occupy his time while Norrteth was getting whatever done with his ship. Something about “particular upgrades” by someone with the right connections. It would have been all well and good, except that ZIM kept pestering him.

“I’m bored.”
”Don’t care.”
”You should.”
”Too bad.”

As he took another sip of his drink, his eye caught notice that he was being watched. Not in the stalkerish manner, but from a nearby table by someone both wondering what Morgan was talking about and somewhat disgusted by his half-metal face. Some chick of an alien species he didn’t recognize, who looked pretty well out of place amongst the bounty hunters who made up most the customers.

However, she also had a rather risqué fashion sense, was sitting next to a more expected-looking hunter, and there was a woman with a similar appearance on the other side. His guess was the hunter was some kind of wannabe hotshot celebrity hunter and the woman staring at him was some kind of groupie or just a “personal entertainer” he had picked up off the street.

When she continued to look at him after he caught site of it, he spoke up.

“Look out.” He said as he pointed to his eye. “This thing fires lasers too. And I got a real itchy trigger…eyelid.”
”You’d think after as many years as you’ve been at this, you’d come up with a better name than ‘trigger eyelid.’”
”I’d hate to make it necessary for your face to look like mine.”
“Hey, you causing trouble?” Her…date, for the very drastic lack of a better word…said.
”No, I’m just answering her apparently unspoken question about my face.”

Fortunately, that was the end of it, and all three went back to whatever it was they had been doing beforehand. Which left Morgan free to go back to his data searching just in time to find a rather interesting piece of news.

”Oooo…this is a tasty little bit…
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Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.
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Vera Nico
Alex


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 Post Posted: Wed, April 07th 2010 04:33pm    Post subject:
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I hope you don't mind...

Disguises had been one of her favorite past times. It kept her out of prison, and she didn't mind looking a different species, in fact, she loved it. Vera had grafted a special material, while dying her skin a light blue. It gave her an exotic appearance, and used her risque attire to collect the attention of the three bounty hunters she assumed were worthy of her cause. A blue hair piece had been uniquely attached to her head, so even if one was to pull on it, it would act as her own.

A man, or half-man and machine, came into the Meltdown Cafe. She had never seen anything like it, and in a way, actually enjoyed his appearance. He seemed upset by her curiosity, "Look out, this thing fires lasers too. And I got a real itchy trigger…eyelid. I'd hate to make it necessary for your face to look like mine."

Cal instantly took offense, prodding "Hey, you causing trouble?" Vera calmly poised her body, most of the men in the cafe probably would've defended her, should the need come to it. The matter was dropped, as the cyborg individual attended to his business. Vera watched him, yet maintaining her conversation with the three hunters.

Her eyes would occasionally switch over to the halfman, yet kept up with what was being said, "I think the whole mission is suicide, who would even think to attempt to rob the Bank of Muunilist?"

"The money is good, better than what we would get away with." The taller man, one with experience and savvy conversational skills, "I hear it's more of a message. Not sure from who, but if we pull this off, we wouldn't have to do anything for the rest of our lives, but enjoy the slave girls. A lot of them."

The men were sheepish, but Nico could tell the money had instantly grabbed their attention. "All right, all right." The man conceded to the older hunter's persuasion. Greed was a powerful ally, she thought, deciding their entrance into the scheme was much easier than she had originally thought.

"Cal, I'm going to talk to this halfman..." he rose, ready to fight, but she touched his shoulder, "Just a talk, babe." He sat on cue, as she took her leave from the table. She approached the cyborg's side, "You are an interesting...man, great looking face, both sides of it."

Maybe he was up for hire.
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Morgan ZIM
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 Post Posted: Wed, April 07th 2010 09:33pm    Post subject:
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No, not at all.

He had nothing but rumors to go on, the vague reports from people who claimed to have top-level contacts within the Empire. Most of them were probably conmen of some kind looking to make a quick credit. But one thing was certain – the Empire was up to something. Unusual reports about military movements, rumors of information crackdowns, and a distinct lack of details on what could be behind it all.

”Finally, something interesting.”
”More importantly, it smells like credits. Big credits, if we can find out how to use it right.”

He continued to search for anything which could clue him in on what he would need to get Norrteth onboard with the idea. Not surprisingly, they were incredibly hard to come by. The very fact that something was going on in the Empire appeared to be a big scoop to begin with.

And then the woman came over. Her initial comments caused him pause – he couldn’t recall ever hearing a woman say they thought his face looked great in earnest. His metal face, at least. He had worked with a few who really didn’t comment on it – fellow hunters who didn’t care how he looked so long as he could do the job. But this looked to be something new, especially since it didn’t sound like a joke.

”Did you hear that right?”

Slowly turning his head to see who it was, he practically did a double take to discover it was the same woman he had only minutes ago talked smack to. Between that and what he had interpreted her impression of him to be, she was about the last person he expected to approach him. Especially with a comment that bold.

”Apparently not.”
”Shut up, ZIM.”

He had to stare at her for several moments, looking at her face to see if she was joking. Even as she refrained from laughing or giving away any signs that it was a prank, there was only one conclusion he could come to.

”You’re…mocking me, aren’t you?”
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Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.
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Vera Nico
Alex


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 Post Posted: Thu, April 08th 2010 03:17am    Post subject:
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"You're...mocking me, aren't you?" Vera found it difficult to restrain her laughter, and actually let some emerge and escape her lips. She took a sip from the drink she had ordered, obviously deep into the character she was attempting to present. She had hoped he was joking, but his stern posture suggested otherwise. Vera quickly countered her laughter with something much more "bounty hunter".

"Hardly, though your drive to assert your physical difference as the jump-start of any conversation unnerves me. Are you not comfortable with the way you look?" She shot back, taking a defensive posture. "You're not gifted with conversation, when it comes to ladies, are you?" She added, obviously annoyed by his response. The game of cat and mouse had begun, and whether he was in the mood to play, was a different story.

In the event that he wasn't, she downplayed her last question, "Why are you here, slick?"
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 Post Posted: Thu, April 08th 2010 05:53am    Post subject:
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”Slick?” He couldn’t help but wonder, and let out a minor chuckle that was barely distinguishable from a sigh.
”She’s a really good actor, isn’t she?
”Yeeeeah…” Morgan half-though, half said; again in a barely audible fashion. If she wasn’t being sincere, she was doing a :x :x :x :x good job of pretending to be. Between the held-back laugh and the annoyed tone, Morgan began to suspect she had been serious. That was something he could be taken aback by. Something for him to wrap his head around. Or better yet, hand it off to ZIM and let him try to figure it out.

Yet, even without the change in tone, he still couldn’t help but be suspicious. She had to be playing some other angle. But he was intrigued enough to try to find out what that angle was.

”I’m biding my time.” he said when he replied, and tried to avoid getting snarky about it. ”Waiting for parts to come in for my transportation, and making use of the time by finding my next source of credits.”

He purposely decided to word his response as to keep Norrteth, and the Gands actual ownership of said transport, from being brought up, without actually lying about it. Something the alien had made a particular point about in the past. If this woman was trying to pull a scam or trying to get revenge for a past job they had pulled off, it was better to keep certain things close to the vest.

”But it can get a little difficult at times when certain people try to make things…interesting.” He continued, unable to hold himself back from firing a return jab. ”I have no idea how often you run across half-cyborgs, but after what I saw from you looking in my direction and your…what is he, boyfriend? Customer? Date?...whoever that guy is – his decision to tell me off, it came across a little odd for you to come over here and pay me a complement I rarely hear from your type. Bad blood in the water, if nothing else, though I must say you’re the first woman I can think of who’s attempt to compliment my other half” He said, tapping the side of his head, which unintentionally served to show off his rather mechanical left arm as well. ”was apparently meant to be sincere. Not my fault most women aren’t exactly attracted to someone half made out of metal.”
”Which I’ve never figured out, personally. How they possibly not adore loveable little old me?”
”Shut up, ZIM.” He said, mistakenly talking down the droid out loud. While he wanted to mentally kick himself forthe mistake, he was too occupied with talking to bother.

”But eh, with the bonuses it comes with, I’m willing to live with it. I can talk with women just fine, it’s just that usually the topic is business with women in my line of work. But ENOUGH about that.” He finally concluded, doing a hand waving motion across the table as to wipe the slate clean. ”Apparently, you have something sincere you’d like to talk about, and we simply got off on the wrong foot. So let’s wipe the slate clean, and you tell me what’s on your mind.”

Done talking, put down his datapad, rested his elbows on the table with his fist in his hand, and rested his nose on top of it while his eyes were focused in her direction. If there was a clearer way for him to visually show she had his ear and he was willing to listen, he didn’t know it.
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Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.
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Vera Nico
Alex


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 Post Posted: Fri, April 09th 2010 03:51pm    Post subject:
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Vera took a moment to debate whether the man had lost his mind. His conversation had been on point, most of the time, and detailed enough that it wasn't random lunacy. She looked over him as he spoke, particularly about women not finding his other half attractive. He cursed at a Zim, and to Vera's knowledge, no had been talking or even close enough to hear his outburst. Understanding that deep space sometimes set delusions, perhaps the man had done or seen something horrific and had become traumatized.

Either way, he'd do.

"So let’s wipe the slate clean, and you tell me what’s on your mind.” The halfman stated, his posture much more relaxed than before. Vera took a moment to get her bearings, the man's wild ride of personality had actually shaken her, and that had never happened before. There was something about him, an insecurity about his metallic half. She'd use that to her advantage, even if she genuinely enjoyed it. She looked back over to the trio, "I was looking for business men, such as yourself. They seemed the type, but now..." she breathed, taking his full image into account, "I can see something much better." She gave him a smile, using her body to encompass more emotion than she generally expressed. "Let's face the facts. You're a gifted man," she paused, "And I'm much smarter than your average cafe dancer."

She took a seat next to the man, her voice lowering to a much more clandestine level, "You said that you're 'biding my time, waiting for parts to come in for my transportation, and making use of the time by finding my next source of credits,' correct?" Vera typed a number into the pad, it wasn't low, but it wasn't her maximum. She slid it across the table, "What are my options?"
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Morgan ZIM
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 Post Posted: Fri, April 09th 2010 04:16pm    Post subject:
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”Well that changes the picture entirely. Morgan thought as the woman explained herself and sat down.
”She seems sneaky. I like her.”

Clearly, his initial impression of this woman had been entirely upside down. The hunter she had been with hadn’t been trying to use her, she had been trying to use him. Trying to recruit people for some kind of job, and using her…appeal…to downplay people’s expectations of her, maybe even recruit people that would have otherwise been uninterested or get them to work for her at a discount. After all, there were plenty of guys in the universe that would love to have someone like her approach them, treat them like they were special, and offer them a job, especially if she even hinted there might be something more in it for them if they could pull it off. While there was a chance that the flirting she mixed in with her pitch was genuine, he needed to remember that more likely, she was trying to play him.

Coming off his hands and leaning back, he lightly stroked his chin as he considered what she her angle was. Did she work for anyone, if so who, and what was she trying to accomplish.

He picked up the pad and looked at the number, contemplating what she might be trying to suggest.

”Options for what?” he said, continuing to play the game. ”You’ve given me a number, I’m assuming as a potential paycheck, but I have no idea what I’d have to do to earn it. Mind proving some details, Ms…”

He let the sentence trail off, seeing if he could get something to think of her as beyond just a blue-skinned woman.
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Alex


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 Post Posted: Sat, April 10th 2010 02:26pm    Post subject:
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He had picked up the pad, "”Options for what?” he said, continuing to play the game. ”You’ve given me a number, I’m assuming as a potential paycheck, but I have no idea what I’d have to do to earn it. Mind proving some details, Ms…”

"Starbright, will suffice for now." Her eyes blinked slowly, the lashes longer than her own. She contemplated how much information she'd release. But when it came down to it, she'd trust no one. And the moment she stepped out of this "cafe", she'd purchase an ion blaster... This man's unique other half was most likely susceptible to its effect,"I cannot release any specifics until we are on world, that's the way it goes."

On the outside, it looked as though she had been drinking a daiquiri, but she had extracted the alcohol. Vera had never enjoyed losing her mental acuteness. She let the liquid cool her mouth, before she swallowed it, feeling the cool substance land in her stomach. "I guess what I'm trying to ask, without getting too specific, what can or can't you do. What are you willing to do for money?" Many of the men in here, would kill anyone and anything for the number she put on the pad... but that wasn't her style.

Nico had killed before, but only those who had suited up in a military uniform or posed a threat to an innocent's life. Her style had been dramatic messages, and blowing up buildings and robbing people happened to be her thing. Robbing them of their safety, the tranquility of Union, and the bullshit each and every one of them ate for breakfast. Figuratively, she wanted to open their eyes and let them see the galaxy for what it really was. Literally, she'd cut off their eyelids.

Nico set the finished drink on the table, waiting for her original bartender, before she placed a second order. "And you didn't give me your name? Wanna share a small part of your life story?" She looked into the metallic eye, "Times two?"
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Morgan ZIM
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 Post Posted: Sat, April 10th 2010 03:45pm    Post subject:
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“Starbright, eh? Well, you can call me Morgan.”

He would have preferred not having to give her his first name, but ZIM had already come out, and he wasn’t interested in giving her even more reason to call him crazy. And Fake names just didn’t suit him unless it was necessary.

Which he guessed probably wasn’t the case with her. Unless it actually was necessary for some reason, or Starbright was actually her name. It would certainly fit with the profile Morgan was forming, but it was better than just calling her ‘lady’.

”And there’s not much to tell. Don’t know anything from before it happened.” he said, and noticed Norrteth walk in the doorway. As he looked in Morgan’s direction, the cyborg flashed a couple lights around his eye as he continued to talk. ”Even if they guy who did it knew anything, he up and vamooshed before he had a chance to tell me anything. Haven’t seen him since.”

Gave the gand a signal telling him that there wasn’t danger, so far as he could tell, but that it was better if he refrained from approaching and just act casual. If he pulled it off right, the most ‘Starbright’ would get out of it was just some random flashing and Norr’, if she happened to catch sight of him before he went to the bar, would look like just some random customer.

”But I do know this – I don’t care how much money you put down on that pad, I’m not doing bantha poo-doo without having any clue as to what I’m getting myself into. That just leads to trouble – you could be plotting to blow up the frakken Emperor, for all I know, and I don’t need the kind of trouble that would drop on my head. I’m suppose to be a bounty hunter, not a bounty hunted. And if that’s all there is to this, there’s really no job interview here anymore, so I’m not feeling compelled to tell you I’m up for doing A, B, or C for X, Y, or Z like a bloody price quote machine.”

He gave her a minute to let his reply sink in as he took another couple sips of his drink.

”So unless you can give me details, Ms. Starbright, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to look elsewhere. But if you got anything else to say – other job offers you can give me real facts about, casual conversation, so on and so forth – my ears are open.”

--------

Tag: Alex
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 Post Posted: Sun, April 11th 2010 05:16pm    Post subject:
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"...my ears are open." The man concluded his story, but the facts were simple. He didn't know who he was, or what his life had been like before the machine had been grafted. She smiled, not necessarily caring how he took her reaction. Whatever bond or connection he had formed immediately afterwards, would be loose at best. Trust seemed like a fickle thing to Morgan.

Vera set her drink on the counter, registering it as half-full. "You know, Morgan, I like you." She glanced around the room, she'd dismiss the three idiots sitting a few tables over, "You know why? Because you're difficult. I could type a million credits on this data padd, and you'd still probably question me to death." If he had any idea who he was talking to... the very bounty on her life would be several times over anything she'd offer him, but she'd get to that later.

"What if I offer you a different form of payment?" Her lips smoothed the words perfectly, enticing him with a touch to the chest, "Background. History. Knowledge." Those words might have meant something to him, "Granted, I have no frakking clue where you came from, but I have sources in the darkest of corners in the galaxy. I promise you, I am very good at what I do, and it might take time, but perhaps, we can discover your past together."

She took the padd and purged the information. "I might be able to find your first step," Her fingers traced the human part of his face, "into discovering who this man was. Does he have a family? What kind of life did he leave behind?" Her fingers slid across his face and onto the mechanical side, "And this part. We will search for its creator. We will understand why this was done."

She took the last sip of her drink, leaving nothing but glass. She pointed to it, using it as a point of reference "You're an empty man. Sure you might have picked up a few friends, but are they going to help you, the way I can help you?"
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 Post Posted: Sun, April 11th 2010 07:38pm    Post subject:
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”She must really want you to do this job.” ZIM thought as Starbright made her latest offer.
”Yeah…” Morgan replied, but he didn’t pay much attention to the droid or what he was saying. His focus was much more on the woman and the lengths she seemed to be going to in order to change his mind. He had to admit, it felt good.
”Also, I believe that technically, I’m a he.”
”Whatever.”

While he wasn’t paying much attention to ZIM, he had to admit he was right – whatever this woman wanted to hire him for, she really wanted to hire him. That itself, more than any amount of credits, or even her offer of helping him find out who he used to be, enticed him to actually consider her offer. Did she just want to prove she could find his selling point, or was there something else she wanted him for?

”And for that matter, what job could she possibly want to hire me for that she has to remain so secretive about?”

At this point, he had a feeling that his acceptance of the job was just around the corner, assuming he could get Norrteth to agree to it. His curiosity about the why and what were overwhelming, and there were precautions that could be taken to make the job and the likely outcome go his way if she was trying to hire him for some job that could land his face on a wanted poster across every planet in the galaxy.

There was no way to eliminate the risk entirely, but that was just the way of the universe to begin with, whatever some people might have wished were true. But he could bring the risk to a level he would feel safe in deeming acceptable.

He let out a small chuckle as she finished her return statement, and had some of the last of own drink. He considered it ironic, the words she was saying. Sure, none of the people he knew very well likely had the kind of connections she claimed to have, but in a sense, some of them had helped him the way she was offering to. ZIM had helped give him direction, even if it wasn’t a very straight one. And Norrteth had helped him straighten it out into something feasible. No matter what life had existed beforehand, those two had helped him create the new one that existed now.

”Ms. Starbright, it seems you’re trying to seduce me.” Morgan joked as he put the glass back down on the table. He let his chuckle continue a bit longer before he cleared his throat and took a more serious tone.

”I must admit, your lasted offer is quite an interesting offer.” he said, technically not lying, even if the contents of the offer itself wasn’t something that interested him. No reason to let her know that, though. Perhaps if he gave her reason to believe he would take what she was offering, he might have more success in getting some of the information he really wanted.

”Yet, it doesn’t change the basic reason why I declined your first offer – whatever life I used to have won’t mean a :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: thing if this job of yours requires I spend the rest of this life watching my back every waking moment for someone trying to collect a price on my head. Now, I’m not saying that’s the kind of job you want to hire me for. It could be completely the opposite – trying to put together some team to save the galaxy from some force I can’t possibly imagine. I just have no idea of knowing either way. I can’t fault you for wanting to keep things top secret – that’s your prerogative, and the way things have to work sometimes. But most of what I know about such jobs tells me that they’re nothing but trouble.”

He picked his glass up again and polished off the remainder of the drink.

”But perhaps you can give me something not confidential to change my mind.” he said once his mouth was clear again. ”There has to be some information about yourself that isn’t classified. I gave you something about my background, seems only fair that you do the same. So tell me, what can I learn about you? Where you come from? What’s the jist of your life story? Maybe if or who you’re working for anyone? Tell me, Ms. Starbright? Who, are, you?”

As he said his last couple questions, Morgan did his best charming grin and lightly tapped the woman on the end of her nose, reaching with his non-mechanical hand to do so. Hopefully, if he played the attraction card she was using at her, he’d get better results.

Yet, keeping in mind what he already thought about what she was really up to, he switch his droid eye to the infrared wave spectrum. He didn’t know if he would catch anything, especially given the location and his skill at using the lens beyond finding things easier or when the normal means was out, but it would give him at least some possibility of telling whether she was telling bold-faced lies. Yet on the other hand, it also gave him the opportunity to get a clue as to whether the whole thing was genuine.

And so the game continued, with the ball now in ‘Starbright’s court.
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 Post Posted: Sun, April 11th 2010 11:13pm    Post subject:
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Vera Nico thought for a moment how to approach the delicate topic of her history. "My cause is much greater than petty theft or dealing death to those who do not deserve it." She had enjoyed the tap of the nose, even if it was annoying, but the fact that he was playing her game, meant it was coming together. He was sharper than most, and she blamed the cyborgish part of him. It caused him to be alert, to think ahead, instead of the moment. She respected that.

"The jist of my lifestory," Vera thought for a moment, "would be hardship and triumph. I am not bound by an employer, or someone who feeds or clothes me." It wasn't meant as a jab, "I do not have to cling to a family or heritage. The galaxy is full of "peace" and "unification". It's bullshit. And people are just sucking it down."

"I'm going to make a political statement, and your pretty...unique... face isn't required. What I do need, is minor protection." She needed a man who could defend her, as she slipped away. Planetary security would be all over her ass, like it was a fresh carcass and they were nothing but starving vultures. "You want to sling your gun for random hit jobs that'll keep you under the radar, be my guest." She had the bartender bring over the last of her juice, something she had asked him to serve in guise of alcohol.

"Your life ended once, and by some scientific, medical-doctor-up job, you're back again. Maybe you were blown to pieces, and were given a second chance." She metaphorically filled the glass, "You can either live an empty existence, feeding on whatever your boss pays you, or you can start on the bigger picture."

She typed information into the datapad, bringing up the financial-homeworld of the Galactic Union. Denon.

She set it next to him, the screen highlighting the location of the Galactic Union's Banking Branch. "I'm going to destroy the lobby, and the Stock Center. No one should perish in the attack.. it's a symbolic message that will hit holo-news feed everywhere. People will talk, and their eyes will begin to open." She touched on his biggest concern last, "I'll be the face of the attack... I just need a second hand for escape." She didn't care if he believed in her reasonings or why she did it, but at least she had cleared the fact that his face wouldn't hit the nightly holonetworks...unless he really frakked up.
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 Post Posted: Mon, April 12th 2010 07:39am    Post subject:
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”Unholy sithspit.” Morgan thought. It was practically the exact kind of job he was worried it would be. Suddenly, his comment about her trying to blow up the Emperor seemed half-way funny, though not in a ha-ha way. That, he’d more or less get a death sentence from the Empire. This, if he was caught, he’d be wanted by the Galactic Union – which was the Empire, New Republic, and just about every other major government rolled up into one. This was big.

”You got to admit, she’s got stones.”

And that was the kicker. For the second time, she had just kicked his previous profile of her out the window. He had no reason to expect she had just lied to him, any lie she could have told him would have been far less :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: ing. She had had every reason in the galaxy to keep with her mission a secret, to keep with the ‘I can’t tell you anything’ act, and go find someone else. Instead, she had pretty well given him every reason to try to follow her, get evidence about what she was up to, and then bag her once he had what he needed and collect the inevitable reward money.

She’s try to kill him over that, no doubt. Why, she’d probably try to kill him regardless if he still refused, just to be on the safe side. Not that the likelihood scared him at all. He was pretty dang sure he could take her in a fight. Especially since he still knew about a certain gand she didn’t.

”Hmmmm….” he pondered out loud, looking at her seriously, not making any secret about the fact he was thinking her proposition over very hard and very seriously.

”Tell me ZIM, what did I ever do to deserve this?”
”Don’t look at me.”
”Don’t ‘don’t look at me’ me. You had something to do with this, didn’t you?”

The biggest fear, that he’d put his future on the line, she went to good lengths to try to pacify. Supposedly, he’d be home free. Yet, he knew very well that was never a sure thing. Absolutely never a sure thing. And if he took this job and messed it up, even Norrteth would likely try to turn him in for what would follow. Yet again, there were precautions he could take she didn’t have to know about to better increase his chances for survival. On the bright side she was smart enough to plan for no one to get killed in the event.

He also knew that the gand would never go along with it. He was far too smart, too smart for any of this. And frankly, Morgan wouldn’t have wanted to get him involved anyway. So he’d have to either secure an alternative vehicle – ‘Starbright’ only knew he had one, not what it was – or get Norr’ to loan him the Shape.

Morgan was practically ready to kick himself over even considering what he thinking, though he made every effort he could to hold any visual signs of the back and keep up his calmer, contemplating look.

Two major things were holding him back from making one last decline and getting out of there. First, she was going through with it, with or without him. If he took it, he could help her back up that claim that it would all be for show. Perhaps get an anonymous tip off to someone and make it impossible for her to pull it off without getting caught for sure. On the other hand, he could deny it and haul her in.

Except the funny thing was, he didn’t want to turn her in, or let her give him a reason to haul her in. With all she had just laid out on the table, showing her hand, he found himself actually liking her, in some strange, bizarre fashion. At the very least, he was willing to pretend she hadn’t told him anything, walk away, and hope she changed her mind or wasn’t able to go through with it.

Yet, if he took the job, perhaps he could help her in a different way. She seemed like a nice woman, just troubled. Well, that was putting it simply. She seemed like someone who was a nice enough person on the verge of throwing their life away. Someone who had experienced some tragic event and needed to act out about it.

If he took this job, it would be an opportunity for him to try to correct her course, get her help, change her mind and talk her out of it so she wouldn’t throw the rest of her life away.

And that was worth taking the job for. Not the money, not the offer of knowledge about his past, but the possibility that he would be able to keep her from throwing her life away. He didn’t know why, it just was. Only one question remained in his mind that stood between simply hoping she’d change her mind and actively trying to push her towards it.

”I have one question for you.” he finally said, in the most serious tone he could come up with. ”Forget however I may have responded to you when you first came over here, or any of this attempt to get me to take your job. When you came over here, was any of what you said or did real? The ‘babe’, the complements to my metal half, your attempt to…’entice me’ as you offered knowledge about my past? Was is all just an act, an attempt to lure me into accepting your job, part of our little game? Straight answer. No ‘I’ll tell you later’. Was any of it real?”

He poked the table deliberately as he issued the final part of his statement, as if to lay out the cards on the table for her to see. He paid close attention as he awaited her reply, looking closely for anything that would clue him in to her attempting to play him, almost hoping he could find a reason to get a bad answer.
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Morgan ZIM: Bounty Hunter, Gun for Hire, Freelance Peacekeeping Agent, Cybernetic Scoundrel, and all around disruptor of the normal order of things.
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Vera Nico
Alex


Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 137

 Post Posted: Mon, April 12th 2010 03:54pm    Post subject:
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Vera Nico looked straight into the man and cyborg's eyes. "All of it, Morgan. Its all true. Every word." She didn't smile, or break. It was raw emotion, raw feeling. She leaned backwards, finishing the last of her juice. She had remembered when those exact same words had been said to her, the night before her escape from the Kuati prison.

She had been held for nearly 187 days, solitary confinement. The only contact she had, were the interrogation sequences, the trial, and the two guards, both who had worked back-to-back 12 hour shifts. She had gotten to know them, even when they didn't say a word to her, she knew what made them tick and what strings she could pull.

Morgan was much more difficult. His response had taken time, it seemed as though he had entered a period of deep thought, before asking her questions about the validity of her approach. The guards were the same way, but on the eve of her escape, the composition of one of the guards had changed. She had been beaten and submerged hundreds of times in the matter of hours into freezing water, her limbs were numb and portions of her body raw.

The guard was tall, strong figure, but over the months of Nico's captivity, he had developed pity. Pity for a woman that had become a national treasure. Pity for the woman who defended a child against 'Noble'men. The guard approached her, his voice barely above a whisper, "I will get you out, I will free you, because I believe in you. What they are doing, is madness to no end." They were small, yet powerful words. She'd wait another month and a half, before she questioned him. "Was any of it real?

He stopped, never in her 186 days, had they stopped on the way to her cell. "All of it, Vera. Its all true. Every word." The next night, she felt rain for the first time in six months.

The cool liquid sloshed to the back of her throat and into her stomach, before carefully setting it down. Starbright was nothing, but a mask of who she really was. She deleted the information on the pad, activating a virus that would spread to any that tried to hijack the information. "I'd need passage to Denon, on and off world. Two companions, if possible." The wheel of destiny was turning and her path continued along the marks.
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Morgan ZIM
Space Jawa


Joined: 01 Oct 2009
Posts: 536
Location: I am here -> *

 Post Posted: Mon, April 12th 2010 07:50pm    Post subject:
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”Curse you, woman.” Morgan thought. ”Curse you for making me do this.”
”Technically, she’s not making you do anything.”
”Yeah, I know that, I’m…would you just shut up?”

”Alright, I’ll take the job, assuming you can agree to the following. First, the payment is the price you initially offered me, half in advance, and information on a scientist named ‘Phillin Kerr’.”

The initial condition served multiple purposes. As much as he hoped to change the woman’s mind, he was incapable of setting aside the profiteer mentality that came with being a bounty hunter entirely. By requesting half in advance, he’d have something to give to Norrteth which would hopefully be the topper he’d need to convince him to let Morgan borrow the Shape.

And while he still didn’t care much about actually finding Kerr, getting her to make that something to look for would buy him extra time if he needed it to settle things once everything was said and done. That, and it would hopefully let ‘Starbright’ continue to believe her second offer still interested him.

”Second, I need time to prep my ship. Double check to make sure those parts are installed correctly, take care of the markings, other small details to give me some extra precautions.”

That, if she accepted, would give him time to convince his partner to loan him the ship and set it up the way Norr would no doubt require if he agreed to find something else to do for bit. Fix up a fake identification signal, modify his armor’s appearance, and just maybe find a way of tipping of the Union that Denon could expect an unwelcome fireworks display in the near future.

”Third…” Morgan started to say, but then realized he didn’t have a third condition. He was certain there was something else he was going to ask for, but his mind couldn’t think of it.
”She gives you her real name?”
”No, I think I’m better off not asking about that right now, real name or not.”
”She promises not to kill you?”
”Really, ZIM? Honestly?”

”Never mind. No third, just the two.”
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Vera Nico
Alex


Joined: 02 Aug 2009
Posts: 137

 Post Posted: Mon, April 12th 2010 10:27pm    Post subject:
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Vera grinned, reprogramming the pad for a final time. She added an encoded communication line, transmitter only, nothing could be traced back to her. A little gizmo she had picked up from Drekka the Hutt. "This transmits, but only when you activate it. I have the only receiver, so I'll know where to find you when you're ready. Until then, avoid attempting to contact me." She needed to prepare the barabels. It was on.

Taking the empty juice bottle, she tossed it into the cook's fire, before using a lazer to wipe the cup of any lingering biological matter. "Precautions, I'm sure you understand. Have a good day, Mr. Morgan. I look forward to our next meeting."

Away from Morgan's prying eyes, she pulled out three tablets with powerful properties. A venom carefully extracted from a creature native to Ryloth. The side-effects were non-lethal, but had the unique benefit of foggy recent memories, generally stretching for up six hours prior to ingestion. It mirrored the experience of a 'blackout' from massive amounts of alcohol. She added them a tray of new drinks, passing one to each of her previous contacts. Their glasses clinked, downing each beer with glee. She touched the leader's cheek, before kissing his hand. "Tonight, before the sunsets, meet me here. I need to get my ship ready." She lied, knowing that she would never return. It was all she needed to say, to stop him from following her. By the time the sun had set, he'd remember nothing.

She didn't look back to Morgan, only slipped out of the door, and into a waiting speeder. Ten minutes from the cantina, and sure she wasn't followed, the barabels hissed with inquiries. Vera answered, "We have a taker, someone of personal interest, so both of you will have to play nice."
It was the first time she asked them to restrain themselves. "Get in touch with our contact inside the Bothan Spynet. Let him know we will download the bank's asset information, but I want two favors. One is all the information on a scientist named ‘Phillin Kerr’. The second will be redeemed when I see fit."

They hissed, though were clearly excited. "Oh, and let's stop and pick up a few ion pistols. The last thing we need is our transport pilot to turn on us."

"Ion pissstolsss?"

"He's half machine. I think they'll work, might stun him, should the need come of it. He seems like a good person..." her voice trailed off, "I just like to be prepared. If he learns who we are, he might change his mind." She clarified a single point, "Do not kill him, understand?"

"Yessss" Both of them replied, landing inside a popular spaceport. She checked into her lodge, where she would wait for the beacon. The barabels had slipped away, probably to purchase supplies and contact the bothan. Inside the mirror of her bathroom, stood Starbright. A beautiful blue creature, with enhanced features. In the lodgeroom, however, Vera Nico smirked at the upcoming task.
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Morgan ZIM
Space Jawa


Joined: 01 Oct 2009
Posts: 536
Location: I am here -> *

 Post Posted: Fri, April 16th 2010 02:35pm    Post subject:
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Once ‘Starbright’ had left his sight and he was certain she wouldn’t be staying around to watch what he was up to, Morgan pocketed the signal device and joined Norrteth at the bar.

“Who was that?” he asked.
“Trouble of the worst kind.” Morgan replied. ”The kind you just can’t say away from.”
“Morgan, what did you do?”
”I don’t want to sell you short, pal. But let’s just say that the less I tell you, the better.”

Zu’fa took a sip of his drink, then continued.

“Morgan, this one and you are partners. The teamup relies on trust and sharing information.”
”And yet, we still keep certain secrets. Besides, the fact that we’re partners, and friends for that matter, is exactly the reason I’d rather not tell you anything about this. Partners watch each others backs, and I’m trying to keep you from betting wrapped up in something I know you’d rather stay out of.”

The gand simply began to take a long swig of his drink in response.

”You’re not starting this off very well.”
”You mind if I borrow the Shape for a bit?”

The gand swallowed what he had, put his drink down, and lowered his forehead to the rim of the bar.

”You are so good at filling people with confidence.”
“Can Norrteth…ask why?”
“Like I said, pal, the less you know the better.”
“You do remember who that ship belongs to, correct?”
”Absolutely.” Morgan replied. ”That’s why I’m asking permission first.”
“Given how little you’re saying, Norrteth is inclined to say no.”

Morgan sighed and signaled for a drink of his own.

”Alright, I can’t tell you everything, but I’ll tell you what I can. Her name is “Starbright”, but I wouldn’t bother looking her up anywhere. I’d bet my better half it’s an alias. I already accepted the job she offered me, and didn’t bring you in on it first because I knew you wouldn’t want anything to do with it. It’s also a job that’s bigger than just what she’s paying me. I turned down a rather sizeable paycheck before she gave me what I needed to figure her out beyond her outward appearance. I’m going to need a ship regardless if you offer me the Shape, but borrowing your ship will make things easier.”

He accepted his drink as it was handed to him and took a little of it.

”Here’s the deal. You’ve been saying you were looking for an opportunity to go home, visit your family, spend some time on gand. You can use this time to do that unless you have a strong need to tail me and find out what I’m up to. Either way, I’m getting paid half in advance – I’ll forward that part of the payment to you once I get it. You’ll practically be getting paid to sit this one out. Between that and the credit accounts, you should have enough to stay on your feet if I wreck the thing. I’ll even give the ship a new paint job and fix it up so no one will be able to link it back to you if things go wrong. You don’t even have to let me borrow the droid.”
”That droid has a name, you know.”
”Don’t care.”
”I’m a droid, too. You should care.”
”Don’t.”

The two sat there for several minutes, not saying anything as Norrteth thought the proposal over.

“You can promise Norrteth won’t be linked to whatever you’re up to at all?”
”I may have a little something for you to pass on for me, but otherwise, yes. But it’s a good thing. Might even help you out if I frak up epicly somewhere.”
“You do know that Zu’fa won’t be there to help you out if you wind up in someone’s prison cell somewhere, correct?”
”I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, buddy. I know you’re far too smart for that.”

(Click Here to Continue the Story.)
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Badim Soilding
Orrion Carn


Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 907
Location: Aboard The Killer's Fate II

 Post Posted: Sat, August 14th 2010 05:14pm    Post subject:
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Written to: Cortana. No more dead heroes.


The transit to Nar Shaddaa was as uneventful as all the other times he had traveled back here. And no matter how much he tried, he still couldn’t keep himself away from the moon to The Glorious Jewel. H6 walked alongside Badim, faithfully following it’s Master in his new mission to find a purpose away from Nico. Other than returning to his old ways of killing and releasing innocents, he could only just sit somewhere and drown himself.

He ducked into the Meltdown Café, where so many years ago his life changed forever, finding a path that would eventually lead him to the love of his life, Clare. And Jelahan. H6 stayed outside, hiding his IG status inside an alleyway alongside the building.
Badim went to the counter and sat in on a stool as he rubbed his eyes from the sleepless voyage on the public transport.
“Can I get anything for you?” a man said. Badim almost thought of Shawn Collier, the previous owner, but he saw a dark man asking the question, the new proprietor. Badim rubbed his eyes a little more, before turning more directly at the man.
“Corellian Rum,” Badim stated, “Dark.”

The man nodded, then poured and passed Badim the, small, clear glass with the dark, wood smelling liquid inside. Badim grasped the glass, feeling the cold condensation on it’s surface. He pulled out a credit chit and passed it to the bartender, quickly being returned to him after the amount was paid.
He grimaced slightly at the cost, fifteen credits for the glass. But he didn’t mind it anyhow, just playing with the glass as he pondered the black liquid. He brought it up to his mouth and breathed in the aromas, spicy and woody. He’d never been much of a drinker, maybe a few glasses in his entire life. Compared to the dozens others have on a monthly basis.

His eyes closed, remembering the smells as he swallowed the contents of the glass in one gulp. The wood flavor flowing down his throat and settling in his stomach. He set aside two hundred credits, one hundred for any further drinks and the other for a de-synthesizer afterwards.
“Another.” Badim said sadly, passing the credit chit to the bartender again.

”Ahhhh!!!” Clare screamed.

* * *


The fourth glass, Badim muttered in his head and sighed inwardly. Gripping the cold glass in his hands like the other three glasses before. Gulping the substance down like the others before it. His head was starting to get foggy, and the memories of Clare’s death kept coming back to him deeper and getting stronger with every drink. More vivid with every sip and gulp. He sighed again, outwardly this time.
“Another.” Badim said, though, the last syllables of his word was beginning to slur.

The bartender eyed Badim and his solemnly waving credit chit. He shook his head, “How about a de-synthesizer instead?”

Badim pondered it, then nodded. Drowning himself wasn’t how he should be right now. He paid the credit chit to the man, then was passed the foul smelling, darker liquid and let the thicker substance slither down his throat. He tried to muffle the inevitable belch that quickly followed, but let it out anyhow. He stood, his feet a little on the offside, not having any use and partially drunk from two hours in the cantina.
He stepped outside, the familiar foul stench of Nar Shaddaa filling his nose. He didn’t mind it, but others who weren’t native to Shaddaa always had a grimace on their face when they first step of a transport, or the others on the crew, aside from Jonas, Sara, Alisson, it seemed, and… He sighed. H6 came behind Badim, and almost startled him, Badim flicking his wrist blades out and almost cutting one of H6’s vital wires.
Statement: Another inch closer and you would have disabled me, Master. Applaud: Very efficient, striking for an opponent’s neck is a very excellent tactic, Master.”

Badim retracted his wrist blades with a flick of his fingers, then pacing down in a random direction away from the Meltdown Café.
Query: Master, may I ask where we are traveling to?”

“I honestly don’t know where, H6. We’ll just have to find our own way.”

Suggestion: Might I suggest a deadly engagement? That will surely cheer you up. Or allow me to pass the time efficiently, should you like to look at it that way.”

Badim Soilding First Previous Next Latest

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