Mercenary for hire (Alma) [Malastare]

[Res]

The ship cut through the atmosphere of the Dug planet and made its way to the capital, Pixelito. She was on edge since the planet was in the Republic but Sterina needed to get this fuel supply. Getting this job was a big deal for the woman, it meant that she could maintain her ship for the next several months with the credits she was getting from this job. She banked the freighter left and angled her down to land in the hanger in the middle of the city. Shutting down the ship the pirate stood and grabbed her jacket. She didn't know what the weather was like on the planet but it was better safe than sorry.

Stepping down the ramp she looked around to find a Dug walking up to her. He was a older Dug, but the man held himself with pride. She thought they looked weird how they walked on there hands instead of their feet. The next conversation was completely in Huttese.

"You must be Pogvus, I was told by Yubba the Hutt that you could get me the fuel for his ships." Sterina said walking up to the man.

"Yes, he was correct. He also said that he was sending a trustworthy person to do the job. Not some tWO bit pirate." The dug spat seeing that Sterina was not who he thought Yubba was sending.

"If I weren't trustworthy, do you think a Hutt as powerful as Yubba wouldn't have sent me." Tryten smiled this time because she knew she had a point.

This time the Dug didn't say a word he shouted to a couple of his workers and they started loading the fuel onto the ship. Knowing that she wouldn't get double crossed since she was doing a job for the Hutts she could go to a local cantina and get a drink while she waited.

Exiting the hanger she made her way down the road to a group of buildings. She heard music coming from one of them. Slidding inside the redhaird pirate stepped up to the bar and ordered a drink, turning taking it to a table off in a corner to relax.

[Alma Taren]

((I feel terrible...sorry.))

It had been a while since Alma had taken a job to Malastare, let alone a legal one, but a simple transport of a few crates of licensed weapons and some random building materials. Now that he thought about it, the smuggling business had been slow...but safe jobs at least didn't end up with authorities.

He'd docked The Crimson and was letting the crew that had purchased the materials unload them. Dugs were odd, but they paid well. To kill time, he went to a cantina, ordering a water and taking some snacks...at least he hoped they were snacks...from the bar, looking for a place to sit.

Most of the booths were taken, but one caught his eye, a woman with red hair sitting alone. He sat across from her, guessing someone as out of place as that in a cantina filled with Dugs would have a job or two. "Something about you tells me you aren't from the area..."

[Res]

The Pirate sat there nursing her drink waiting for her ship to be loaded. Sitting there she looked around, most of the room was filled with Dug. There were a few other species in there, they were most likely traders or spacers like her. Tryten leaned back in her chair and proped her feet on a chair crossing her ankles. Sipping her drink again she then caught the sight of a man entering the cantina. Sterina could clearly see the man was Corellian, he was well dressedand muscular. She watched him got to the bar and order then he made his way toward her. Watchinghim skt across from her and spoke.

"You're an observant one. Can I do something for you?"

After replying she sat there looking at the man. His green eyes felt like they were piercing into her soul. She had a feeling this man was a serious person. So her being sarcastic probably wasn't the best way to start off the conversation. The woman finished her drink and ordered another. Looking down at her left hand with a ring on her finger. She sighed and played with the ring. Placing her feet on the ground and turning to the man. Drinkjng from her tumbler again the liquid flowed down her throat.

"I can only guess your here for work as well"

Then it hit her, this could be the day that her "parents" find her and take her back. He's Corellian and they would send someone from there to track her down. But on the other and it had been a long time since she had ran away and joined a life of pirating and Smuggling.

[Alma Taren]

Alma looked over the red-headed pirate and took her in. She seemed alright...although he didn't appreciate her sarcasm. When she cut to the chase, he felt a bit more at home, though. "Mhm. Just dropping off a shipment, although I'm looking for more work while I'm here." He lay back, sipping his water quietly.

After a moment, Alma glanced back at her. "So you're a shipper, as well? Hell of a job, isn't it." He didn't state it as a question, more a truth. "I'd heard there were a lot of problems with pirates in this sector, but I didn't see any coming in. Were you as lucky as me?"

[Res]

"No, i didn't run into any as of late. Though they arent stupid enough to try anything around here. The Dugs, aren't too fond of their lot."

Maybe thay was why Pogvus didn't trust her, maybe he knew she was a Pirate. Though today she was a smuggler well it felt like it. The Republic didnt care for their planets to aid the Hutts, as they were gangsters. Sterina sipped her drink adn thougbt fkr a moment, why did this man pick her out. Was it because sbe was the few none Dug in tbe cantina. Or was it that she looked like someone that could use help. She thought it wohld be best if she gkt a little more information about this guy.

"So when was the last time you were on Corellia? And dont say youre not from there, i know a Corellkan when i see one, i grew up in Cornet City."

She would get some information about his whereabouts befor getting a name and what the real reason he was on Malastare. This was her first time being on a Republic planet in nearly three years. She was trying to relax but she wasnt too sure what this man wanted and why he sat down without a word.

[Alma Taren]

Alma scoffed in a friendly manner and glanced at the nearest Dug at Sterina's comment. "Tell me about it. You've got to give them credit for making money, but I can't give them credit for making it off me." He turned back to her and sipped his water.

When she mentioned Corellia, he raised a brow, not really expecting it. "Cornet City, eh? Nice place, but if you ask me, all the politicians and 'lauded elite' take up the space normal people could be using." He leaned back, not seeing a need to truly answer her question and chuckling to himself, reading her suspicions.

"D'you have a reason to be scared of me? Is there a bounty on your head?" He leaned in a bit. "Because I'm not scary unless there's some credits involved, you can count on that, lady. Alma." He cut himself off there, just staring at her with a slightly sly smirk.

[Res]

After pondering the last question he asked for a little while Sterina took a sip of her drink and swallows. She should be honest with the man, he seemed like a man that would not take kindly being lied to. Sterina grabbed her glass and swiveled it around making the brown liquid swirl. Taking a deep breath she answered.

"I am not afraid of you. I am just nervous that my adoptive parents are looking for me. It was about three years ago when I found out. They had been holding tbe truth back from me. But i knew that I was some how not a biological child of theirs. So for the first year or so after I left I had to dodge people they hired to take me back. I risked my 'father' seeing me once when i was doing a job. Now see, that is way i seem afraid of you."

She finished and drained her tumbler then ordered another one. She wasn't going to tell him the job was boarding one of her adoptive families company ships and robbing them. The man seemed he didn't care for Pirate. That was the last thing she needed.

[Alma Taren]

Alma listened thoughtfully, thinking her story over. When she finished, he glanced towards the bar. "Search and rescue is boring. As is, I doubt your 'parents' would take to me as anything more than a freighter." He turned to her. "High hell, I doubt they'd even want me to do that. Mercenaries and most law-abiding citizens don't see eye-to-eye, if their circles even meet."

[Res]

'Search and rescue'? Thats not what Sterina would call it. It would be more of a search and retrieve. Thoughagain kt had been three years ssince she had ran away from Corellia. She didnt care to ever go back. She also still didn't know this mans name. He did say a name earlier, Alma, was it his name or was it someone else. She found this man to be quiet odd. She wasn't approached often by people just to talk. Last time that happened she found herself married. Simon g k. Her drink she looked at the man before speaking.

"Now, let's get off the subject of my parents and on the subject of why the hell did you sit down."

She usually didn't get mad. But this was an exception, she started to tap the gtrip ofher blaster. It was a ttick that she got when she was annoyed by something or someone. Draining her glass the bartender brought another one too her without being asked. The Pirate was going to get the answers she wants, even if she has to shoot the man. She didn't like to use her blaster but she would if the situation calls for it. She rather talk her way out of a problem them result to violence.

[Alma Taren]

As Alma was asked the question and heard her tapping on her blaster, his smile disappeared. "Calm down, now. If you value your freedom, you're not going to shoot me here. It's too crowded." Glancing around, he finished off his water and put the glass to the side, not bothering to get another. "Just ask next time. Few simple reasons. Open seat, not next to a Dug..." he mumbled under his breath, not wanting to draw attention. "And you seem like the type of person who might have a job or two. Anything you need a hired hand on? Anything goes."

[Res]

Sterina stopped her tapping at looked at the man. He wasn't much for what she was running a the moment but he could be useful in the future. She pondered for a few moments making him think that she was considering him fora job. LOn one hand she was but on the othersshe wasn't. She could probably use a decoy ship fortthe fuel she was hauling. The RRepublic wasn't too kind on one of their planets helping out criminals but kt was a job and kt was going tob pay close to twenty thousand credits. She could use that money to replace some parts onbBer ship.

"I'm not sure if you would be the best person for the job."

Tryton said draining her glass and getting another. She knew she should slow down on the booze but she bad hours to wait and nothing better to do. Leaning forward sshe looked the man in the eyes. Then she said something inHHuttese and a Dug brought over a data PADD. On the PADD it had the shipment of fuel that she was hauling and where it was going.

"You willing to risk getting caught by the Republic for doing this. I need a decoy ship so k can get this shipment to Nal Hutta."

She leaning back waiting for his reply.

[Alma Taren]

Alma listened and watched her, not breaking gaze until he'd taken a look at her shipment manifest. After putting it down, he glanced at the ceiling and thought a minute. "You came to the right person, but with the wrong job. I can play decoy, sure..." He leaned back and chuckled. "But wouldn't it be easier to just smuggle it instead? Faster and safer, and I have plenty of room for the stuff." He waited quietly for her response.

[Res]

The pirate looked at the man like he didnt get who she was doing the job for. Clearly say Nal Hutta would give it that she was getting the fuel for the Hutts. But that was the least of her worries, it was getting off the planet and pass the inspection at the edge of the system. This was another reason she liked to stay clear of the Republic territory. Less hassle and she ddidn't need to hide who she was and what she did.

"First off, you came to me. Second, I'm not a smuggler and I got a ship that is plenty capable of handling the job. My employers wouldnt like it if I had someone they didn't know or trusted handle their merchandise."

Sterina didn't want to risk getting desinagrated on the behest of some one she didn't know. She stared at the man for a few more moments before a Dug walked in and approached Sterina. He spoke in Huttese "You ship is loaded and ready. Let Yubba, know if he needs more it won't be easy to get next time." Tryton looked at the Dug and smirked, she knew exactly what Yubba would say but didn't want to let he Dug in on hr secret

"Thank you.She said in Huttese then switched to Basic to speak to the man."Well that's my que to go. If you want to do what I asked for I'm launching within the hour from space dock 8.

SShe stands finished her glass and throws some credits on the table then speaks again before leaving.

"Names Sterina, and I resented that Pirate comment"

She exits the cantina and heads for her ship.

[Alma Taren]

Alma raised a brow as she got up and left with instructions, standing up and nodding. He quickly made his way to the aforementioned space dock, coming up to Sterina again and cracking his knuckles. "I'll take the job. I'll be piloting the Crimson Machina. Have a plan for how I'll be distracting them? Or can I just go straight to blasting them away?" He smirked a bit, excited to have such a high-thrill job for the first time in a while.

[Res]

Sterina hadn't been at her ship Renegade an XS stock Light Freighter long. She had gotten it from a junk yard. It suited her needs just fine. It wasn't much in the way of fighting but she wanting out to fight I war with the thing. It has it problems but she loved it and it was like it knew she did. She heard the man from the cantina come up behind her and crack his knuckles. This guy was all about brute force, that wasn't what she needed here. Handing the data pad totthe Dug after signing the manifest for the fuel.

"Plan is basically I need to distract the patrols so they don't see me heading tthe opposite way the shipment says its going. Then we can meet up later and you'll get your pay."

Tryten said as she grabbed a container and handed to a human working at the docks. She moved closer to the ramp of her ship and placed her left foot on the ramp and held onto the hydraulic piston that raised and lowered the ramp. Her boot made a clicking sound on the ramp as she placed it down. She was and wasn't in a rush, the Hutts didn't like to be kept waiting. She was risking her own life and he life of the mans bringing him into this. But she also didn't want to be linked to the Hutts if the patrols found out the shipment was for them. She climbed the rest of the way onto the ramp and made a couple steps before turning back. Looking at the man she asked.

"I gave you my name, do I get the same courtesy? I did just hire you for a job. Also I need to give the Hutts a name if this plan goes bad."

She said with a straight face. If this did go bad, she was taking him down with her. It wasn't nothing personal, she just wanted to share in the merriment of being hunted by the Hutts.

[Alma Taren]

Alma nodded. "Alright. I'll meet you soon - and I'm Alma. Didn't I mention that?" He smirked and gave her a salute before running off to the Crimson Machina.

He'd soon clambered on board the modified XS Light Freighter and was beginning to run a systems check before takeoff. While he did that, he contemplated how best to distract the patrols...when he came up with an idea. Taking off, he flew over her hangar and into space, cutting the engines and running to the engine room.

It didn't take long for him to get there and start looking around, finding his way to a lever that, if thrown, would kill the engines - but easily could be repaired. Throwing the switch, he began to lose power in orbit, quickly running to his cockpit to begin transmitting a distress signal. If these authorities took themselves seriously...this had better work.

[Res]

Sterina made it to the cockpit of her ship. Sitting in the pilot seat she closed the hatch and powered upthe ship. Lifting off slowly she saw the other ship fly off the opposite direction.

"This guy isn't an idiot after all."

She said to herself banking the ship in the direction where she needed to go. If this worked she could make enoughto pay this Alma and have enough to fix the ship also keep finding her Husband. That word left a sour taste in her mouth.Here she was twenty-one years old and is married. Though the night did teach her to go easy kon the booze. Looking down at the ring she tthought back at that night. She could still can't remember how she got from the cantina to his ship, but somewhere in between there they got married. Shaking her head to snap out if her daze she refocused on the task at hand.

A few seconds later as she was entering the atmosphere of Malastare she got a distress signal. It had to be from Alma's ship. Smiling, it was going to work. She knew the patrols would aid a ship in distress. She flipped on her commlink to Alma's ship.

"Good luck with that."

Sterina flipped off the commlink before he could answer and broke atmosphere and one she was clear of the planet she engaged the hyperdrive and plotted a course for Nal Hutta.