Cyril nods at the suggestion, but does not make eye contact.

"That has been my plan since we landed. We must find out which cantinas appear to be popular, and mingle there. We need to find out everything we can about the more infamous people in this place - who to avoid, and who to go to if we ever have 'special needs'. In short, we need to become locals as fast as we possibly can."

Ash had the vibro blade out and was idly glancing at it and swinging it easily with his gate as he walked along.  He gazed around and noted building types, windows, roofs, ranges as he started formulating possible stations to fire from.  His free hand occasionally ran through his hair and he sometimes skipped to some internal tune as he somewhat followed the others.

Xil maintains his position next to Cyril and speaks to him in low, hushed tones. "As much as I would prefer to be looking at these people through a high power scope, I think I could become one of these people.  My question is, 'How do I do that?'  I don't think I have ever done something like this.  What do you want me to do?"

Cyril supresses a smile, then recalls all the times he'd been dropped into a strange place, with nothing but the equipment he brought and an objective to complete by any means. Often, he wasn't even given a clear exit plan.

He looks around, searching for people whom he thinks would be knowledgeable about the goings-on in the underworld, then locks his eyes of the most likely target. He starts to walk towards one of the many dubious characters lining the streets, and replies to Exilim by saying, "I want all of you to watch, listen, and learn. The first lesson I am about to teach you, is about asking the right people the right questions in the right manner.

"Koruusk, you stay beside me. Exilim, Ashlyn and Allen, you three walk behind us. Try to memorize the layout of the place while looking over our shoulders, in case we ever find ourselves in need of a quick exit."

With the formation complete, Cyril approaches one of the hawkers, one of those selling 'companionship', and stares them down. "We just landed here. Know where we could find some work?"

Xil does as he is told and tries to look as comfortable as possible.  But not like he is TRYING to look as comfortable as possible.

Allen follows along, casually fiddling with something on his blaster.

The human who Cyril speaks to has the looked of a man very comfortable in his situation.  Everything about him suggests an honest, dependable fellow.  The merchant's eyes fall over the group with what Cyril recognises as a practiced eye.  A small smile graces his lips as his eyes fall across Exilim, Ashlyn and Allen.  He then turns his eyes to Cyril, his teeth flashing a wide grin.

"New to our town then?  What sort of work is it you be looking for sir?  I know many people and can help you with many things.  Do you need accommodation?  Know the safer eating establishments?  Perhaps I can help you find friends.  The nights can be lonely if you are alone."

Cyril maintains his emotionless face and, with calculated precision, replies, "We're an experienced group looking for an employer that offers physically challenging work. Do you know of any?"

He realizes this is a lawless society, but he knows than one can never be too careful. He waits for the man's reply, keeping eye contact and limiting his movements to the intermittent blinking of his eyes.

Ashlyn had to turn his back and look around to keep from rolling his eyes.  This Cyril guy was a real piece of work.  Ash busied himself with quick glances to suitable sniper zones as he gazed around at the natives and local topography.

He swung the vibro blade lazily and occasionally made slashes with it at imagined foes making suitable faces of victory at the phantasmal kills.

OOC: apologies for my absence. internet was down for awhile and I haven't had time to post while at work lately.

Koruusk's eyes wandered the scene around them deliberately. As a bodyguard it would've been his job to watch for approaching trouble anyway so he took to the task immediately. All the while, though, he listened to Cyril as he spoke. There was something truly slippery about the man and Koruusk felt awkward having to trust him. Still, he would trust the man as long as he didn't betray them. He had to as a fellow squadmate. You had to trust the people you worked with because your lives were no doubt going to be in each others hands.

Every time Cyril stopped speaking Koruusk gave a sharp glare at the merchant. Occasionally it was accompanied by a low snarl. He felt it was also his job, posing as Cyril's bodyguard, to make sure people knew it was a bad idea to cross Cyril. He would make everyone believe that crossing Cyril would quickly invoke the wrath of all six feet and seven inches of him. And how many people wanted to provoke a large trandoshan who by appearances had managed to slay a wookie in close quarters combat? That should be a very short list outside of other wookies. He hoped with all his might they wouldn't run into any wookies though. It would be extremely hard to properly explain himself without blowing their cover.

As he was thinking he caught sight of Ashlyn behind him. He was swinging about his vibroblade, seemingly out of boredom. Koruusk couldn't blame him but he thought it was not the image a group of hardened mercenaries wanted to project. He hated doing it but with sudden quickness he reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Quit playin Ash! Bossssman'sss workin an we ain't paid ta play around. Keep sharp or I'll shove that vibroblade down yer throat!" Koruusk snarled viciously at Ash.

He felt awful doing it but he was vigilant in protecting what he thought was supposed to be their image. He would apologize to Ash later when they were not in public. Koruusk just hoped Ashlyn would understand. On that note he let go of him with his notably firm grip, turning back to Cyril and giving him a nod that he was doing his job. It seemed to him that while it was Cyril's job to act as the boss and give orders and line up work, it was his job to act as Cyril's bodyguard and the toughest merc and to make sure everyone else stayed in line and followed those orders. He would perform that task dutifully, regardless of how bad he felt about the way it might make him treat some of them. He just hoped everyone would understand.

The conversation between Cyril and the merc stretches on for a good thirty minutes as the pair talk about all sorts of inconsequential matters whilst mingling in their own agendas.  Whilst Cyril is subtlely trying to draw out information about pirate and mercenary organisations, the merchant is continually trying to sell things to the group.  The others tend to lose focus of the conversation from time to time.  Several groups walk past, watching Ashlyn closely as he swings his blade around.

One point of the conversation catches everyones attention.

<b>"Nah there aint no pirate groups around here friend.  We aint got no time for 'em.  If you're looking for merc work though you might find some employment with the Blood Axes.  Their a merchant group, imports mostly, some escort work.  The best pilots and specialists tend to work for them though they tend to be picky.  They hang out mainly at the Spiral Nova over near their base.  Tough joint.  Mostly employees hang out there and they aren't too friendly of outsiders."

"Now the Spicy Lady is a quality establishment for quality folks like yourselves.  Why I can even arrange special visitations for you with the quality ladies, the ones that wont frequent the regulars. . ."

He continues to drone on.



OOC:  Two things are for certain:

1.  There is only so much this fellow seems to know.
2.  Ashlyn's blade waving is drawing a lot of unwanted attention

Cyril nods at the man's statement. Regardless of whether or not there was, in fact, a pirate group here, the information on the Blood Axes was their biggest lead.

"I appreciate your time," he says finally. "Perhaps in the near future I shall take you up on your offer. For now, point me in the direction of the Spiral Nova."

Once the man gives him the directions, Cyril turns to rest of the group, and sees Ashlyn. He immediate confronts the man, slightly irritated that he would attract attention this way, this early. Of course, he was not that new as to give himself away by berating him in an informal manner.

"Put your weapon away, Ash, or I will personally sever your hand from the rest of your arm. Now, let's go."

Ashlyn dodged back avoiding the grapple by the big lizard.  He certainly didn't have to do too much pretending to look terrified of Koruusk.  The reflexive slash when someone came at you didn't even happen.  To cut off the lizard's hand would surely mean bad things for Ash...

He kept his distance, but sheathed the blade and assumed a sullen, pouty posture.  When Cyril finally wrapped up and  then had his words, Ash muttered back sufficiently cowed.  "Sorry boss."

Cyril nodded at Ash's sullen apology. He turned to the direction of the Spiral Nova, and gestured his companions to start walking. Every hour they spent here meant an hour more for people to remember them, and recognition was something they were so fervently trying to avoid.

Allen follows Cyril along in the direction of the Spiral Nova, this time tinkering with his tool kit.

Xil switches the safety on his blaster pistol back to the safe position and follows off in Cyril's direction.

OOC:  Sorry for the delay, as of yesterday, I hadn't slept in two days.  I figured that I would catch up on some much needed rest (got off work, went to sleep, just woke up now, so I had about 11 hours)

Koruusk dutifully fell in beside Cyril, his hand resting on the butt of his bowcaster. By all appearances he was ready to fire at a moments notice. He kept pace with Cyril but his eyes were constantly in motion scanning for trouble.

Receiving directions the group soon found their way across town to the Spiral Nova.  The cantina was located on a corner of a main transit area less than 2km from the starport.

The cantina was quite large compared to its counterparts in town, boasting seating for 200 in comfort.  A small bistro to one side offered local cuisine at moderate prices whilst a sound stage occupied one side of the main bar.  A mixed group of humans, a twi'lek and sullustan were on stage, playing a variety of local favourites, very heavy on the bass and synthesisers.

The articles decorating the walls were varied.  Posters of recent holivids were intermingled with shots of various fighters and transports, all sporting the Blood Axe insignia covered the walls.

The cantina was about half full when the group arrived.  There was a minimum of dregs that populated many of the other local cantinas.  Instead a large number of low-level workers and merchants occupied the various tables.  Many of the workers wore the patch that identified them as members of the Blood Axes.  They looked like mechanics and labourers.

The group quickly found a table that would accomodate them all.  A data display in the middle of the table described the various food and beverages available along with costs.

As the group ordered they made note of their surroundings.  Cyril was quick to note that many groups were taken a keen interest in the group as they were obviously outsiders.  It was also obvious that while most of the patrons wore weapons that fights rarely occured because the furniture was in excellent condition and no blaster scoring marked the walls or floors.

The final point of interest was that none of the people present seemed to be pilots, security or any higher level member of the Blood Axes.  The Blood Axes present were all low-level functionaries.

"No one touches their weapons unless we need to defend ourselves," Cyril whispers to the others.

Cyril waits until a waiter or waitress approaches, then asks them who in the cantina they should talk to regarding employment for the Blood Axes. The place was suspiciously clean for an allegedly tough neighborhood, and it was not a stretch to assume that the real grunts of the Blood Axes were somewhere else in the building, hidden away from prying eyes. After all, this wasn't his first time crashing a hostile organization in a cantina.

If he was a Blood Axe, he'd be watching them through a monitor somewhere, himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:09, Sat 22 Apr 2006.

"Roger that, oh fearless leader." Xil says with only a small amount of sarcasm.  Xil tries to look as nonchalant as he can, whilst keeping an eye out for the impending danger that he feels is coming.

Koruusk looked around the place anxiously. He couldn't help but feel they were being watched. He also couldn't help but notice that no one of reasonable authority was in this room. He guessed there was likely a VIP section nearby but they were not yet recognized by the higher ups in the organization that clearly owned this bar. They had to figure out a way to do that and quickly was better. The longer they were out and about the more recognizable they were and that was not a good thing.

"grrr..... We don't need our weapons to fight this bunch bossss," Koruusk snarled quietly so as to appear he was being secretive but intentionally just loud enough so that someone close by might overhear. "Perhapsss we should jusst announce ourselves?!"

"Do that, and you might as well consider us dead. We will not be able to find employment that way," Cyril replies, impressing upon the rest the need to keep cover. He could not help but appreciate the effort at subterfuge displayed by the Trandoshan, however.

"However, it just might work.  If we tear up the whole lot of them in here, their employers just might think we are hiring material and give us jobs."  Xil says in a hushed undertone to Cyril.

Ashlyn got up and walked to the main bar where he took a seat.  His fingers drummed on the countertop as he waited for the bartender to acknowledge him.

The mumbled voices and guarded looks from many of the small groups of Blood Axes made it apparent Cyril's group was the topic of their conversations.  The atmosphere was less than friendly.  Noone came to the table to take an order and the group was left alone.

A barkeep, human or close enough, came over to Ashlyn.  "Name yer poison."  It wasn't much of a question.  More like a professional curtesy as the man eyed the oddball that sat before him.

Those at the table notice three Blood Axes get up and head in Ashlyn's direction.