Twenty-One Nails

[Dutch]

The twi’lek lounged seemingly comfortably in the bare, matte-grey metal chair at one side of the black marble table. With a lanky leg draped over a knee, and a hand cupped against a cup of caf he watched the other inhabitant in the interrogation room. Pale purple eyes peered through the rising steam of his drink at the aqualish before him. He tilted his head, which caused a blue lekku to slide from a leather-clad shoulder. Face clear of any telling emotion the man would sigh before resting his fingers on the datapad before him.

“Mr… Nara? Am I pronouncing it right? Freelance pilot and freighter, correct? XS model freighter by our records goes by the moniker ‘Tusk Grinder’. I’m Rai’ken, Jedi Peacekeeper and liaison to the Rylothian judiciary system.”

Instead of the smooth ryl accent most associated with Basic speaking twi’leks, a crisp and cultured inner core inflection took his every word. From the inside of his leather flight jacket the twi’lek would produce a badge of polished metal. The Jedi Order insignia emblazoned across it over a crossed blaster and a lightsaber. It was shown then placed back within the jacket with a smooth and practiced motion. His other hand would slide the datapad over to Wol so it now sat close enough for the aqualish to pick it up if he wanted.

“It’s to our understanding you’ve arrived from Muunilist within the past 72 hours. Which means you’re counted among those lucky enough to have survived the explosion at the Vincenzo Renz Central Spaceport. Now don’t worry, your business affairs on an Imperial world are covered by the Senate’s latest trade bills. That’s not why we’ve brought you in.”

Rai’ken brought his caf up to take a healthy gulp of the still steaming beverage, letting his words hang in the air for a moment. He would sigh appreciatively before setting the cup back down. With a wave of his hand the datapad before Wol would click and switch on to display a surveillance vid of clearly the aqualish as he scuttled into the Tusk.

“I have a colleague in the other room who wishes to ask you some questions. Questions regarding the moments leading up to the explosion, and what you may have witnessed at the VRC Spaceport. If you cooperate you’ll answer our questions, then leave with a mandatory week-long lockdown of your ship until your facts check out. If you don’t, we impound your vessel as evidence in an ongoing terrorism investigation. I think I know the answer, but I’ll still ask: Are you willing to cooperate Mr. Nara?”

[Wol]

This was the end, the Aqualish was fairly sure. It was all over. Doomed, done for... Although the spider had no real sins, or particularly heinous crimes under his belt; authority figures had always made the pilot particularly uncomfortable. There were a thousand things that he could be charged for and with. A hundred offences that might land him back in a metal box for good. There was a rumour too, that the Jedi sorts were capable of reading minds, and infiltrating the thoughts of guilty individuals. The concept of such a thing had the Aqualish perturbed. A huge number of thoughts were racing through Wol's head. All of them partial, worried things. The thought that this little meeting might be about things he had not took part in, or even been involved with, had not crossed his mind even once.

Sat stiffly at the opposite side of the table from the Twi'lek. Although his posture was upright and rigid, the spider's shoulders had a habitual slouch. Burly arms held before him, and hands wrought together in his lap. Fingers twisting about each other as he knit them together, traced every line and groove, and idly tugged at the sensory hairs along fingertips. Damp palms were uncomfortable, and every few minutes the spider found himself wiping them on dark trousers. There were a few uncanny beads of sweat that had collected along Wol's brow. His mouth was uncomfortably dry, and there was an unpleasant feeling in his gut. Despite not having a clue just what he was here for, the Aqualish certainly appeared on the guilty side. It wasn't something he could help though.

"A-ah yea. That is me. Yes, hello." The awkward stare across the fancy table had drawn out far too long for Wol's comfort, and it was a godsend now that it had been broken. The alien in question seemed to prefer conversation over silence. Especially when it came to dealing with uncomfortable situations. Clearing his throat with another fidget of hands in his lap, the spiders eyes would be widening a fraction at the announcement of just who this tailhead was. Any title that included the word Jedi was not something to be taken lightly. Those laser sword swingers meant business. Obligingly, Wol found himself leaning forward to regard the displayed badge without truly seeing it. Asked in the next few moments, he would not be able to recall the components of the device.

The first mention of any explosions had the spider swallowing with an immense amount of relief. So that was what this whole little meeting was all about. Relieved in fact to the point where Wol went rocking backwards to bring the front legs of his chair up off the ground with a loud, appeased sigh. The imagined cramp in his gut melting away as though it had never been there to begin with. And here he thought he might have been interrogated for peddling spices to children.

"Oh, yes ! The explosion. Nasty business, if you ask me. Barely escaped with my life." It had been a harrowing experience, apparently. Even though the Aqualish had done nothing but watch a plume of flame off in the distance. Dramatic fellow that he was, Wol went clapping the back of a hand across his weather worn brow to exadurate the terror he might have felt. "Ah, good, good I am glad. I was certainly hoping you would say that." With the reasoning for his presence in this place known, the spider's mood and tone had both visibly changed. He was even managing a broad grin behind crude tusks. Yet when Rai'ken spoke that it was indeed not the reason he was here.. Wol was very quickly wiping that grin from his face. "What do you mean, not the reason ? I almost died." Beady black eyes all turned towards that drink as the Twi'lek sipped. Sorely missing the regular plate of doughnuts in the center of interrogation tables. Then again, this wasn't Coruscant, and customs were different.

Part way through reaching out to take the datapad, before it was lighting up. Prompting the spider to recoil his fingers with a light twitch of surprise. Dropping hands once more back to his lap so that he could watch. Nothing terribly exciting to see there, aside from a cowardly spider fleeing the scene. Wol simply could not help his need to gently clear his throat, in shifting away from that momentary reminder of less than noble antics.

Having been hiding behind and under a pile of crates and some garbage, mister four eyes had been able to keep a relatively close eye on all that had taken place. The chaos from the first sniper round had sent him leaping for cover. "Woah woah now.. A week of lockdown ?" Both hands tossed out before himself in displaying his ill content. "I've got work to do and ah.." Cutting himself off before he openly stated he had brothels to visit. "I hope a week of wages I could be making is covered under this trade bill also ? This doesn't mean I'm stuck in this room for an entire week, does it ?" That would be about the worst thing the Aqualish could think up. "Aye, of course I'll cooperate. Is there reason to believe I wouldn't ?"

[Dutch]

Rai’ken’s ire by the aqualish’s response drew no facial reaction. Spacer’s always got twitchy the second their ships were locked down. They would happily take any credits offered as an informant, but the second their out was threatened things always changed.

“If your information proves useful, you will be compensated. Otherwise Republic trade laws entitle you to the docking and refueling fees to show gratitude for assisting in an ongoing investigation. Any business you have with other independents is not covered, however I personally would be willing to be a reference should your clients need a reason for your troubles.”

The twi’lek offered a small smile with an equally small nod. He wasn’t sure exactly how his comrade in the other room would approach the aqualish, but it wouldn’t hurt for Rai’ken to offer the spacer an olive branch.

“And no, you’ll be free to enjoy Ryloth as you please while on lockdown. Just keep your comm handy in case we need to contact you with further questions. Your cooperation is appreciated.”

The Peacekeeper didn’t need to read minds to see the possible racism bait the aqualish laid out. This wasn’t the first one that had sat in the interviewee chair, yet it was the first who seemed so openly cooperative. A curious creature. The twi’lek turned his gaze to the obviously two-way mirror to his left. Purple eyes seemed to look through the glass, a subtle nod followed by a moment’s pause/ The twi’lek returned to watching Wol, the only movement his thumb brushing the lip of his cup.

From behind him the door would slide open without warning, a light chime the only herald for the man now framed in it. He would step in, cool grey eyes regarding the aqualish. Clad in standard Jedi robes, there was nothing about him that gave away any clues to his identity. Outside the standard stubble of neglect and dark circles around his eyes, Levin would appear as any other Jedi in the middle of a galactic war could. He did not sit, instead choosing to stand just to Rai’ken’s right with hands clasped behind his back.

“Mr. Nara, you’ll have to understand if I can’t give you a name for this man. He is-”

“I am Jedi High General Levin Caelum, and I need your help Wol Nara.” Levin interrupted, stock still as the twi’lek brought a hand up to cover his face briefly.

[Wol]

Cooperative or not, a whole pile of compensation was something the Aqualish was very clearly expecting. Each of his hairless brows twitching to a slight loft at the very mention of such a thing. The question now, was what sort of information would earn the most compensation and prove to be the most profitable ? The honest truth was very often unbelievable, or simply too plain and boring to be worth much at all. If all went well, a brilliantly crafted, wild story could earn him a pile of credits. On the other hand, it could loose him a ship. It was a tough choice, for a man who had gambling engrained into his mind. He would just have to play it by ear for now. The conflicting choice was likely visibly etched across his expression. Or perhaps he just had to visit a refresher.

"Ahh good, good. The Republic is most generous." Ass kissing wasn't exactly something Wol was unfamiliar with either. A tongue might speak one thing, though the spider had his unwavering, and unspoken opinions on the matter all the same. "I'm not a rich man though. This means you'll be personally buying me dinners, yes ?" One did not receive if they did not ask. "My ah- business with independents is very important to my belly, you see. Surely the Republic would not set a man with no means to provide for himself out into the world with a well wish ?" The spider even found himself dipping shoulders to a light slouch to better describe his poverty.

With the reasoning for his presence in this room having been laid out, Wol was very quickly relaxing. or at least to the best of his abilities. Despite not being called out for swindling, fighting, or a variety of other unsavoury activities, authority figures were more than capable of keeping the Aqualish on edge simply for existing. At least his palms weren't quite so sweaty. Though damage had been done already, and the hairs that had been shed from fingers had his trousers looking as though he lived with a Mooka. The little prickles of sweat across his torso were suddenly uncomfortable and irritating.

"It's always handy." Referring to keeping his comm close by, as four black eyes went drifting across the room. Following Rai'ken's gaze to the window wall with a curious expression. There was nothing there.  Then again, the rumour was that Jedi could see through walls, past armour and even clothing. A rather distressing thought. In fact, it even had the spider shifting his position to cross his legs where he sat. Terribly curious as to just what the Twi'lek was peeking at, Wol was squinting his eyes at the mirror. Gods, he looked handsome. Wol, that was.

Although Rai'ken might have been cluing in that someone else was about to enter, the sound of the door had the Aqualish whipping about in a startled fashion all the same. There were a dozen things the spider could immediately pick out about the man, and yet nothing at all. Normal was a good way to describe him. Like any curious child might have, one of the first glances over the General had Wol on a search for the lightsaber.

It might have been a good thing that Levin had cut off the tailhead, for Wol had been just about to protest that he did not understand the lack of a name, no matter the rank. Albeit when the rank was mentioned, mister spiderman went pursing his lips and straightening his posture. Now that was a fancy title. This was more than likely the only time he would ever in his spidery life encounter anyone as important as this war weary man. "You're not expecting me to bow or anything like that, are you ?" In a few of his favourite graphic novels, common folk were often drawn bowing and displaying their respect to important figures. "I'm Wol Nara." Although it was little more than a courteous greeting, the spider was only stating the obvious, and repeating facts. "And I'm here to help however I can."

[Dutch]

“... Don’t bow. I serve the Republic, just as any other.”

Levin replied, a single blink the only give-away to his surprise at the question. His interactions with those outside the Order were few, and always was the man approached as if some sort of mystic. The Jedi didn’t let this nor the aqualish’s repetitions distract him, instead turning his gaze down to the twi’lek. Rai’ken peered up to meet the higher ranked Jedi, a silent moment given before the twi’lek set his jaw and nodded once. Slowly he moved to his feet, both hands planted on the interview table as he did.

“We appreciate your help, Mr. Nara. I’ll leave you to the General, and see to your compensation funds.”

With that Rai’ken turned and waited for the guard to open the door from the outside. Another moment and the twi’lek Jedi was gone, his caf cup the only evidence of him being there. For a long moment Levin stood in the same spot, cool eyes regarding the aqualish as the Force began to ebb out from his mind. Wol didn’t appear to be sensitive to it, a good sign as the Jedi let his presence envelope the other man’s. Stray thoughts, ideas and images were felt, but nothing that spoke of betrayal or attempts to escape. Once sure of this, Levin took a single step to move in front of the seat Rai’ken had just left and eased himself into it.

“The spaceport. I would first ask your business on an Imperial aligned world.”

[Wol]

The spider went tossing each of his arms out to his sides in a conceding gesture of surrender. "I heard your religion likes to get all fancy with the honorifics. Didn't want to offend by not asking now, did I ?" A question that really only warranted a small handful of responses.
With the questioning remaining on only recent events that had taken place at the formerly exploded piece of spaceport, Wol was very quickly shifting back to the more carefree, delinquent personality he was far better known by. Perhaps a little more confident than he really ought to be, given the fact his ship had been confiscated, and he was sitting in an interrogation room. There were horror stories that he had read about, with situations exactly like this one. But there were also tales of profit. And if Rai'ken had promised compensation....

That silent moment between the Jedi had Wol very desperate with the need to know if they were telepathically speaking to one another. Perhaps like a com, the spider could tune into their frequency of though, and listen in on all the goodies. Though before that thought had properly solidified, the moment was long over, and the Twi'lek was moving on. Leaving Wol partially opening his mouth to inquire about doughnuts, before considering otherwise, and grinding teeth behind his tusks.

Doughnuts and a whole pile of credits.
But indeed, there was nothing malicious in the spider's intent. No schemes or hefty plots. Although he would prefer to be handsomely paid for the trouble, Wol could certainly live with a pat on the back and the appreciation of the Republic.

Rocking back in his chair yet again to lift the front legs up off the ground, and hover about like that. A single hand left sprawling across the dark marble, while the other drifted across his knee. Idly plucking shed fingertip hairs off his trousers. "Fly all over the place for the right coin. Taxi service. Pilot, classy transportation, passenger planet hopping.." The list would go on quite extensively if he was not stopped. "I take people places, though. Don't care much which side they're one, so long as I avoid running into battles, trouble or crime." The crime part was especially important. Particularly when a Jedi came asking.

"If you're asking about the explosion though, you're better off asking someone else. Have to admit that I only saw it from a significant distance." How anticlimactic.. just admitting that he knew nothing at all.

"But-" Rather abruptly leaning forward, slapping a hand down upon the cool surface of the marble before him. "Do I have a juicy story to share." Peeling his hand off the table, leaving a few stray hairs in it's wake. Clapping hands into each other, and rubbing them together like indeed it was an exciting tale he was selling. "Complete with laser swords, guards getting cast aside like lackeys, and a fat fellow that might have been someone important." By the way the spider was lingering on the note of excitement, it was likely that he was expecting something, or some sort of promises before he continued.

[Dutch]

All the while Wol chatted away, Levin remained passively still with both hands planted onto the black stone table. Never did the Jedi look away, nor did he even blink. A stark opposite to the lively and talkative aqualish. All the while he did, Levin let the Force ebb and flow from his mind. Tapping into the static white noise around them he reached out telepathically to those in the immediate area. He could feel the twi’lek in the other room wrap his presence around himself, allowing Levin to hear him superficially but nothing more. The aqualish was a bit easier. Like water flowing into a broken vase, Levin’s presence slid to meld with Wol’s.

Doughnuts. Levin paused, his eyes narrowing with a clearing of his throat. Again he reached gently with the Force towards Wol. Doughnuts. Despite himself, even Levin let the smallest of smiles tug the corner of his lips. It didn’t take a master telepath to register the alien’s desire, surprisingly simple given what he could try to demand. Levin turned his gaze towards the mirror for a few seconds before turning back to Wol. Doughnuts.

“There are many stories in the galaxy lately.” Levin stated simply, letting his words hang in the air. Not a moment later, a rather salty looking Rai’ken entered the chamber with a white paper bag at hand. With a curt move the twi’lek dropped the sack of donuts between the aqualish and Levin before turning to leave once more. Levin gently waved a single finger, the donuts scooting across the table closer to Wol. With it came a wave of cooperative suggestion, a little push to aid the alien's desires to spill everything.

“Now let’s hear yours.”

[Wol]

Doughnuts.

While the Aqualish admired himself as being a fellow with a particularly complex personality and wielding impressively intricate thoughts.. In reality the spider was a simple bloke. A decent combination of bold and cautious. Charming, and utterly repulsive. A little less noble than self absorbed and cowardly. He was likely to regret not thinking up some higher reward than doughnuts. Albeit with the thread of having his ship impounded lingering in the back of his mind, the Aqualish already had reason enough to cooperate.

Reading expressions came with the occupation of a gambler. The smallest twitch, blink and movement often meant the difference between a fortune and bankruptcy. Even life and death in some instances. Levin's wee smile had the Aqualish a little on the unsettled side. For this jedi did not seem the sort for smiles. War weary and plain left little room for kindness and comedics most of the time.

Rai'ken's return to the room had Wol whipping about in his seat. All four beady black eyes very quickly fixed upon that little bag of goodies. Was that what he thought it was ? Expression was quick to light up in several different shades of both curiosity and delight. It was doughnuts. The spider could smell them well enough. It was with a grandiose sigh of content that another, broad grin went sprawling it's way across Wol's face. "My hero. You're a good man, there. Tailhead." Forgotten already if a name had at all been offered.

Doughnuts now in his possession, mister spiderman was tossing an ankle over a knee, and leaning comfortably back in his seat. Fishing deep into the bag to extract several, and get right to work with devouring the treats. Everything he needed to spill the full story, even without the bit of influence from the general.

"Well it was about an average day. Minding my own business and doing noble things, like I usually do." By phrasing alone, the statement was a lie. Though noble had a very different meaning to the Aqualish than it did to most. "Looking for some quick creds, when the port was rather suddenly getting all crazy and chaotic. Didn't quite see what happened, but there were a few screaming sniper. Dove behind a pile of crates, but I had a pretty good view of things." Finger stuck straight through the hole of the doughnut he was currently munching on. Eating around the edges like a disk on his finger. Tusks only just moving independently as he chewed.

"There was some human looking man. Laiken Farzo, or something alien like that. Had two body guards, I think. Stick up the bum looking fellow with a ponytail, and a scruffy looking bloke with a fancy scar on his eye. But wait- there's more." About the most obvious thing the spider could offer, while he paused to eat. With Wol's love for doughnuts, it was a wonder the spider was still the fit build that he was. "Then there was this babe. Snowy white hair, a shapely figure.. Darth Noodles, I think she called herself. Had a pile of guards of her own that came rushing in, after shouting something about treason to the fatty." Although it was a generally vague explanation, it was the best that Wol could remember and detail on the spot.

"And then things went down." Skewering another doughnut with a clawed finger. "Laser swords and all." There was more to come, but the spider couldn't very well tell it all in one breath.