Juragga looked at Haarmon with a distinct 'Ruh Roh Raggy' expression.  If the kid was ready, he'd follow.

That's not good.  Not good at all.  Shard grins, stepping back.  "Whatever you want, Lord Oomba."  Inside, she's seething.  Oomba has certainly gotten the best part of this deal, and a new slave in the bargain.  He might let them off the hook easy.

But it's not easy any more, not with Wakuda in his hands.

The older woman shifts back into the crowd, but keeps an eye on Rhijans.  She can't leave him here, alone, without someone to watch his back.  They've split into two teams - if the other team gets back here, she can see about finding Wakuda.  Maybe.

++ Haarmon, ++ Shard whispers on the comlink.  ++ Try to find the prison. ++

Then, slowly, she refocuses on finding the evershifting, twisting place between acid and alkyli in her spirt, where the world is a neutral balacing point.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Mon 23 June 2014.

Haarmon started visibly at Shard's voice in the commlink. He might have uttered a thin, surprised little squeak as well. But then again, maybe it was more like a cough. Yeah. Totally a cough.

++ I got the prison already, ++ he said over the link, ++ Leastaways, I know where the slaves are. We can get there from behind the throne, or we can out and around to this big elevator around the back. ++

Oomba waves a hand to a nearby Twi'lek, "Koose Corellida reeta che mwa pateesa!"  The girl runs off to fetch Rhijan's drink.

And the Hutt gestures to the stage, as he says to Rhijans, "Santay tonka wata, pateesa.  Joppay moulee rah?"  "Oh dear.  Oomba wishes you to stand close to him, and asks when he should expect to be paid."

Shard and Haarmon, meanwhile, are having as discreet a conversation as possible...

Juragga stands watch...

Rhijans' smile showed only in his eyes, and he paused for a moment before stepping up next to Oomba.  "If I can have permission to have our ship approach your palace, Oomba, you can be paid right away.  I didn't come here for a long, drawn-out process...if we wanted that, we could have imported labor from outside the sector.  I came prepared to make good on my bid, today.  If your palace security is more important that the speed of your payment, it may take us awhile to arrange transport for all of it...but we didn't come with empty pockets and empty promises."

He stepped up next to the Hutt, as bidden.  His naturally unreadable expression hid the impression Oomba's...aroma...made on him.  That was probably just as well.  They were getting along quite well...he was pretty sure that visibly fighting down the urge to gag wouldn't help things along.

I hope they get here soon with that ale, he thought.  At least the smell of the ale...if it was good, quality stuff...would help mask the stench of the Hutt.

+ Not yet, Haarmon, + Shard replies.  + Stay frosty for a minute. +  He'll do what he needs to do, whatever that might be, Shard figures.  Especially with Juragga there to keep him cool.  Pros, she thinks to herself with a small smile.  Both of them, even the youthful hacker.

Young, but he wasn't a 'kid', not any more.

Rhijans is working Oomba, so to speak.  She'll need to stay away from that for the moment but again, she trusts her teammates.  Instead, Shard, leans back against the wall and dives deeply into herself.  This could take effort, but she's already linked to Wakuda; it might make it easier.  And so she concentrates, searching out that balance point, and seeks to forge an even stronger link between herself and the other woman.

~ We spoke before.  I can help you.  Just stay calm, and keep thinking about what's around you. ~
This message was last edited by the player at 18:20, Tue 24 June 2014.

"UhhHWWAAAHhhhhhRRR," Juragga warned.  There were a pair of guards headed their way.  Under his poncho, the wookiee reached to the bowcaster hanging at his side.

"Hot void," Haarmon cursed. He didn't want to unplug just yet in case he needed to do something to help... whatever it was Rhijans and Shard were up to. From the little he could hear, the auction appeared to be over, and he could hear Slug-Hutt talking and goldenrod translating, but he couldn't make out what was happening.

"They look pisses, Rags? Should we haul it?"

Juragga's threshold for 'They Look Scary Let's Run' was quite a bit higher than his own. But he trusted his friend's judgement. It had saved his life more than once.

Juragga rumbled low in his chest.  Running wasn't really what he had in mind.  More like, start removing limbs.

Hurry it up, he urged, his fingers itching on his bowcaster.

Shard frowns, glaring at Wakuda's back as she walks away.  Rhijan's erstwhile auction rival seems to sense the scrutiny, and she turns her head to glance in Shard's direction.    One of the guards jabs her with his blaster to keep her moving, and then they are through the door and out of sight...

Rhijans, accompanied by a nervous-seeming UY-3PO, moves up to stand alongside his new best friend in the Galaxy.  Oomba speaks again, "Chuba koose do teesaw.  Lacka do shaga ateema, chome wamma, mo jee chuba cripo chome dwana hoohah andoba bolla."  And then the creature's laughter booms out of his drooling mouth, as he fixes his one eye on Rhijans.  The Hutt reaches out and slaps the man on the back.

"Oomba says that you should summon your ship to collect the slaves quickly, and bring the payment, or he will have you killed and and sell the slaves again."

The ale arrives, the mug carried by the same Twi'lek...

The guards make their way up the corridor, eyeing Juragga nervously.  One of them dares to nod at the Wookiee, and mutter, "G'day." to him, though both ignore Haarmon.  They carry on past, perhaps going back to whatever they were doing prior to being called into Oomba's audience hall...
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:59, Thu 26 June 2014.

Rhijans gave a thin, humorless smile, acknowledging the 'joke' while not mirroring the apparent mirth that Oomba showed in telling it, and triggered his commlink, signalling Karja.

"Captain, we're a go for delivery of our payment and retrieval of our cargo.  Oomba himself has cleared you for approach and landing...and is eagerly awaiting your arrival, with his payment."  He lightly stressed 'payment' as he spoke, trying to convey the urgency without sounding concerned.  He was playing a galactic high-roller...a little thing like a veiled death threat from a Hutt shouldn't make him visibly concerned.

He took his mug, and held it, waiting for Oomba to raise his own glass (or whatever drinking implement the Hutt favored).  Partly, he was just naturally suspicious...and, partly, he assumed it would be some kind of affront to ask the Hutt to drink to seal the deal, and then drink by himself.  It was tempting, though...this was more talking than he was used to doing, or something.  His throat was dry...

Juragga gave a low neutral growl as the guards nervously greeted him.  He nodded and let them walk by.  Inwardly he was relieved.  Now he didn't have to shoot anybody.

Yet.

But he made sure the guards weren't circling him from behind, first.

The guards continue up the ramp, and as they disappear around the curve Juragga can hear them talking to each other, "Have you seen that new..."  The conversation fades out as they move further away.

Looks like Haarmon and Juragga are clear for now...

"We'll be off the ground in five, and with you in twelve.  Make sure they know to watch out for us.  Would hate any kind of mistake to happen.  Gundark's Dream out."

Things seem to be calming down in the hall.  Apart from the jeering as Wakuda is marched  out through the door.  "Meendeeya jee hagwa newpa bargon gee Kesseya lorda.  Jee-jee stuka chaychay andoba poonoo.  Haba mo gootu che je chone chuba." Oomba says, his one eye scanning the room, and not looking at Rhijans just now.

"Oomba is concerned that, after today, he will not be able to sell any more merchandise to Kessil.  He wonders if the two of you can discuss the possibility of future business arrangements, which would be beneficial to both parties."

All right.  That's something.  Shard shifts her way through the crowd, headed more or less toward where the guards vanished, but not directly.  She keeps her focus on the woman as she leave - not with her eyes, but with her spirit.

Her eyes, she keeps on Oomba.

The Hutt has one eye.  It shouldn't be that difficult to keep shifting slowly toward the side exit through which Wakuda was dragged.  So Shard hopes.  ++ I've got a little errand to do that might involve that prison you've found. ++ she mutters on the Com.  ++ Don't wait up. ++

Closer still to the side exit.  Are you grandstanding, Shard?  This deserves a moment's consderation, and she shakes her head.  She can't let them have Wakuda.  Too much good there, and a possible ally.  She hopes.

When the moment comes where she feels Oomba's attention has shifted from her area of the room - not TOO hard to guage with only one eye, Shard hopes - she walks casually out the same exit through which the guards took Wakuda.

Keep thinking about what you see, Wakuda, Void curse it.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:41, Wed 02 July 2014.

Rhijans nodded, still holding his drink.  "I'm sure we can come to some kind of mutually beneficial arrangement."

In a softer tone, something that wouldn't carry throughout the throne room, he added, "Although if your problems with Kessil are a result of something happening with that woman," and he gestured with his head in the general direction Wakuda had been led away, "then a good first step might be to turn her over to us for safe return to her organization.  You can save face with your group here by making her look like a bonus thrown in for a prompt deal, we can deliver her to Kessil as a goodwill gesture that will make negotiating future arrangements much easier.  It's your decision, of course, but that seems like the logical play, to me."

Lest too much whispering start too many others in the room wondering about what he was saying, he added, slightly louder, "My ship should be arriving in just over ten minutes, then.  If you would be so kind as to as your security personnel to not shoot it down...it would be anti-climactic to have gone to all of this trouble, only to have the payment go down in the waters around your island and be lost."

Oomba considers Rhijans' suggestion for a few moments, swivelling his head so that his eye fixes the man... and then he throws back his head, roaring with laughter.  "Chuba nopa stuka?  Jah cheeka naga tah theechu, Oomba bu Hutt, noleeya mwa bunko.  Oto cheekta nee-choo, slagwa, wata chone jee naga stuka.  Bata chuba che porko tee-tocky."

You-Why adds his translation, sounding somewhat worried, "Oomba says that maybe you don't see it.  The woman tried to threaten him, Oomba the Hutt, in his own fortress.  She will die here, slowly, while he watches.  But it won't happen for a very long time."

Shard, meanwhile, steps through the door... just in time to see Wakuda entering an elevator with most of her escorts.  Only most of them... two are taking up guard positions at the elevator door, and are regarding Shard with some curiosity... and vaguely levelled weapons...

Scowling ferociously, Shard hurries after the guards.  "Wait, you...you there!" she snaps, obviously biting back any kind of rude comment.  "I've business with that woman - nothing that'll burn you lot, and maybe could make you a few credits."

Stalking up, ignoring the semi-levelled blasters while keeping her hands well in sight and away from her weapon, Shard sticks a foot in the elevator door and pauses for thought. "Listen," she says more quietly.  "This woman burned my partner and I for close to fifty thousand credits.  I'd love to take it out of her hide, but Lord Oomba has forbidden it.  He hasn't forbidden me TALKING with her...and I could make it worth the while for you."  She shrugs.  "I could do it from outside her cell if you want - she'll be nice, safe, and nobody will ever have to know."

Rhijans shrugged.  His lack of concern was only partially feigned...while there was apparently something about Wakuda that Shard regarded as significant, he still had enough of his professional detachment to know that, presently, Wakuda was nothing more to him than a potential diversion.

He stayed focused on the intent of their mission.  "Your palace and your organization to do with as you see fit.  I was just looking for an easier way to break the ice, is all...going to be hard to negotiate some sort of trading arrangement with Kessil if you've done away with their representative and I'm known as an associate or possibly even trading partner with you."  He shrugged again.

"Hard...but not impossible.  But she would have made a nice goodwill token."  He sighed, slightly, in resignation...and glanced at his ale, still untouched except to pick up the glass, and then looked back at Oomba.

"I'm assuming you've granted my ship a safe-conduct though your airspace.  It really would be a hard blow to this budding friendship to have a misunderstanding result in losing your payment."  He stopped shy of sounding like he was full-on accusing Oomba of ignoring the request...but there was a dangerously cool edge to his voice that showed that, should such events take place, he would hardly play the simpering coward and shrug it off.

One of the guards hesitates a moment as Shard approaches and speaks.  Then a second guard punches him on the arm.  The puncher snarls at the Jedi.  "Get out.  You aren't allowed back here."

"Nobody is allowed back here, unless they're on their way to be questioned." another adds.

"So unless you really want to meet IT-24, then you should go back through that door, and hope that none of us report this."

The blasters are more definitely pointed in Shard's direction now... 

Oomba smiles, "Doe punyoo nopa keepuna do teesaw."  "The weapons will not open fire on the ship."  "Mwa footoo keenusantay jee-jee poonoo."   "Oomba's people know about the arrangement."

OOC - Tries to avoid taking exception at being called a Jedi.  ^_^

IC -

"Fine," Shard snaps, shoving one of the guns away in an excess of annoyance.  It's not feigned, either.  "I'll go get permission, then.  That suit you and IT-24?"

~ Stay strong.  We'll find you - there's another way in. ~

Radiating the annoyance of a person ill-used to being balked, but helpless to do anything about it, she turns on a heel and marches back down the hallway.  Hopefully the guards will get a good laugh at her expense.  It wouldn't be the first time, and Shard has very little pride about which to concern herself.

Especially since this would be losing a little for a good cause.

She slips back out into the room, on the periphery of all of the fun and games.  One hand rises to her comm.

++ Haarmon, you and Juragga have an elevator to the slaves?  We're going to need to inspect them first, right?  I'm heading your way. ++

OOC: You'll get described as a Jedi, and like it Young Lady.

Shard marches back out of the corridor, and is soon making a call for further information.  Haarmon replies, explaining to her that there is some kind of large freight elevator outside the palace.  She needs to come out the way they entered, then make her way around the outside of the building, to the rear.

If she needs help, he can have a map of the shortest route uploaded to a datapad by the time she gets to him on the way out.

Juragga grumbles something, and Haarmon adds, "Rags says you need to look out though.  We saw two guards heading up towards the exit.  Didn't look to be on the alert, or anything, just... going somewhere.  Not in any hurry."

In the main hall, Oomba claps his hands together, and calls out, "Oto whirlee!"  There is a stir of movement in the chamber, and an increase in the noise volume as the faint background music grows louder.  Three females, a Twi'lek and two scrawny humans, make their way to the front of the stage and start dancing.

Oomba pats Rhijans on th shoulder, grinning, as he asks, "Chuba vopa wanga, fadu bargon?"  Then he starts to laugh, a low chuckle, rolling up to become a full belly laugh.  Which considering that he's a Hutt is quite impressive...

"Oomba would like to know if you want to borrow one of these dancers, to seal the deal."  By the sound of his voice, if You-Why had been given facial featires, his nose would be wrinkling in disgust.

Rhijans looked at the trio, dispassionately.  He was here on business...but even if he wasn't, the human women were verging on emaciated, and certainly of little attraction to him.  The Twi'lek at least looked remotely healthy...

He gave a predatory grin.  "I appreciate the generous offer...but I wouldn't want to break any of your property.  I'm not sure any of them would be up to the...challenge..."  He allowed a salacious tone to creep into the almost-drawled response, trying to imply that his tastes were violent, rather than Oomba's offered fare was hopelessly frail.

"Besides, I thought that's what the drinks were for," he added.  He still hadn't done more than shift his glass of ale in small gestures of emphasis, and the thing was still full.  Highlight the courtesy of waiting for him to drink, should take any sting off of refusing the offered female company...

He couldn't help but feel kind of like he was sitting in a very high-stakes sabbacc game.  And he hated sabbacc...

+ No problem + Shard replies over the comm, heading their way.  She takes a quick glance at Rhijans, assessing.  + One of you, at least, needs to stay here with Rhijans.  Keep an eye on things. +  If it went south, they'd need some heavy hitting to haul the bounty-hunter out of this mess. + Juragga, you up for that? Haarmon, if you want, follow me.  Or stick with Rhijans, your choice - and Juragga, same with you.  I just need one of you with me. +

Lips thinning, she strides past the two of them, offering a small nod, and heads in the direction Haarmon indicated.

Juragga roared that he'd stay with Rhijans.  If things were to break out, he'd be of more direct help, and he trusted Shard to watch out for Haarmon.

Haarmon was totally in agreement with Juragga's assessment. And not only because it meant he got to follow Shard around. He thought it was long odds on him being useful down here if things went sideways. But he could maybe be some use with Shard.

He tapped a few keys and fell into step behind her. Reached up and touched his comm. +You got a map on your pad now. Got a few routes marked.+

He kept careful note of every terminal they passed. Just in case he had to make his way to one in a hurry.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Thu 17 July 2014.