| abstract | - The doors of the Smuggler's Den open and give way to another interesting face to intermix with an already rough and tough looking crowd that always seems to make their home in the famous bar. Tyler Damion struts into the establishment in his worn spacer gear and marches toward his usual spot on the bar, taking a bit of time off after the COMPNOR lock downs on Corellia and a long series of trials. Cigarette hanging from his mouth, the old Corellian doesn't need to say a word as the bartender places his usual up for him to grab, not many people would bother a Sith with the details of payment as the man mutters "On the house." Damion smiles and pushes himself away to look for a table nearby kicking a chair out from behind one and making himself at home to drink a bit of whiskey and to watch to see if anything interesting develops, naturally in this area of Corellia with the crowds here and a lockdown being released, the fun was going to start up again, it was only a matter of time. Khanar glances up as the door opens and is visibily startled. He leans forward to Axel saying, "Theres the man that made your ass sore." He nods towards Darth Malign. He looks into Axels eyes while saying,"I don't think now would be the best time to be seen by him, with what we are planning...." "Damn," Axel says as he glances up to the opening door. He chuckles a bit and debates some mischief at the expense of the Sith, but decides that attacking him outright would be suicidal to say the least. There was a slight fear of the man after all, and for some reason, Ax felt as if he needed that artificial courage boost. Retrieving the small metalic vial from his sleeve, Axel pops the top with practiced ease. Sparks fly out and the glitterstim inside fumes a bit as it activates to even the dim light of the drinking establishment. Instead of ingesting it straight though, Ax dumps it into his wine glass, causing it to bubble up and emit a deep vapor that slowly spills over the sides of the glass. "Guys, be on guard, Darth Malign has just graced the bar with his presence. I so thought he was on Caspar still. I'd suggest some of you to make a hasty, though discreet exit." Axel takes a sip of the heavily spiced wine and shudders a bit as the bitterness of the glitterstim mixed with the wine makes it barely potable. Again, the door opens, admitting Alana Ten'ou. Perhaps not the best planet for her to be on, as an Imperial traitor, but home sweet home. She pales a bit more than she naturaly is as she feels the familiar sense of darkness and dispare that had always followed her old boss Korolov. She seats herself at the bar, far away from anyone else sitting there, but close to the plotters. She glances back at the sparklers, then orders herself a simple ale. Kinsa'una has no idea who the new man is so all he gets is a cursory glance, one that lingers for about half a second too long before it drifts back to those she sits with. She gives Axel an evil look for his having told her to stop pouting, his comment definitely going without appreciation but she looks away, the fact that his day could possibly get a whole lot worse without her having to say anything. Keifan's leaned against as she gives Khanar a glance, but that's it for right now. Keifan smiles, and drops a few credits on the table, "Actually, I need to get to the hotel; and get things ready to leave." He chuckles a bit, and finishes his glass of whiskey, "If I don't get out by midday; they charge me for an extra day; and I'm friggin cheap..." He gently stands up, and runs his hand along Una's lekku, looking like an accident, but the feeling is obviously purposeful. Putting his long coat around his body, he nods do the both, "Axel, thanks for the drink. Khanar, thanks for dropping by." He looks down and offers his hand to help Una to her feet, "My dear, we should get ready to leave in the morning..." Tension was the order of the day as Malign looks around the bar for much desired action. The smell of glitterstim on a world where organized crime was on the way out was a clear enough signal to him that Axel Vichten was here, the flamboyant spacer was easy to spot by himself but his lifestyle never allowed him to hide from even the dimmest of Stormtroopers. The smoke drifts lazily from his idle cigarette as he decides to stare at Axel. The Sith's hazel eyes shift directly toward the smuggler with the same intensity he would give any enemy of the Emperor. The drunk spacer had come a long way, but head games were still an order of the day and here in a bar with drugs and alcohol moving freely tensions could always bleed over into violence. With a long draught of the glass, Axel polishes off the remains of the spiced-up wine. He gives a quick shake of the head and a stomp of the foot. The expression on his face one of near agony, but is followed up by a smile. His eyes take on an eerie glow to them whereas a normal human's would have become bloodshot to the extreme. He gives a nod to Keif. "Be careful out there," he says, for the second ignoring the Sith's stare. The spice was rapidly taking it's effect though. Axel's perception being pushed to the extremes as the near mystical effects gave him the insight and know how to solve any problem in the galaxy... at least in theory. 'Too bad I won't remember it when I sober up...' Ax thinks to himself. He chuckles a bit as if some hidden joke crossed his mind and then turns to gaze at Darth Malign. His face takes on a seriously mischevious grin as the only thoughts crossing the man's mind have all gone to how he was going to repay the Sith for the broken coccyx and concussion. Kinsa'una smiles, standing easily thanks to how Keifan helps her up, the hand in his not leaving his grip upon it even after she's on his feet. The touch to those long 'head tails' gives the woman a bit of a surprise but she doesn't let it show, the woman used to hiding those surges of enjoyment but anyone with an acute 'sense' for emotions will definitely be able to feel something of the sort from her. "Yes. We do need to be off. I still need to pack all those clothes that I bought today. I do hope we have room in our suitcases, otherwise we'll have to leave your belongings here and have them shipped back." Khanar waves to Keif saying,"I'm going to stick around here and make sure Axel doesn't get himself killed." He shakes his head as the man chuckles for no damn reason. He looks back to Keif,"Hey, set your comlink to 1341, just in case..." He motions towards Axel for emphasis. He sighs, pushes his drink away, and leans back, one hand resting on his blaster under the table. Keifan bows his head gently to Khanar, and gives his shoulder a pat, "Not a problem; if you need a simple pilot, lemme know." He stops his walk for a second, and smiles at Una, "my stuff? We come here for you to go shopping and leave my stuff behind?..." He looks to Axel, "Women....take care old friend...and don't get yourself killed." He heads towards the door, with Una by his side, and nods to the bartender that his tab payment is on the table, when he spots Alana; and gives her a quick but friendly wave and nod before the doors open and he steps out in the night. The Sith pushes the chair out from under him as he quickly rises. Malign was fast and known for superhuman feats with strength and speed, the Force was his tool. He wraps himself in negative energies and the Dark Side and leaps into action, like a blur he rapidly moves toward Axel's table passing around beings and leaping over tables, closing the gap in a matter of seconds. He stops in front of the smuggler pulling a chair from a neighboring table and placing it down in front of the smuggler with him sitting in it. His hazel eyes do not waiver as they continue to stare directly at Axel, "Mr. Vichten, it seems you will never be rid of me." He smiles, "It is such a terrible turn of luck that you have gained my interest and I haunt you as you march across the galaxy." He shrugs turning to see he left his whiskey at the table behind. With a flick of his wrist the bottle and glass move through the air rapidly in a flashy display of power and come to each of his hands with a rapid *thud*. Alana looks up as Keifan waves to her, recognizing him finally. She grins and stands, though she gives a little bit of a surprised squeek as Tyler comes speeding past her. She pays the tender and leaves with her ale, still in its bottle, and heads out of the Digs. "One day, old friend, I'll have the upper hand," is all Ax says. "You and I should really have a heart to heart talk one day. I'm not thrilled about the scene on Caspar, but given the circumstances I guess I can forgive you. After all, hard to strike fear into the masses when you are getting chastised by someone like me. Wouldn't look right for the Dark Lord or whatever it is you are considered amongst your peers." Yeah, the glitterstim had taken effect. Axel was as full of drug-induced courage... that or he has smoked and drank himself to a point of mental retardation. Axel slowly reaches for the bottle of wine sitting at his table and goes to pour himself a drink. "What do I owe the honor, Darth Malign? I am sure you have better things to do than chase me around the galaxy." Khanar is once again visibly startles as the Sith was not in a seat in front of him at one moment, then Khanar blinks and he is there, followed by alcohol floating his way. His first reaction is to draw and fire, but the synapses in his brain quickly fire off a warning blast and he stops. He starts breathing heavy, not induced with drug fueled courage like Axel is. He tried to maintain some outward appearance of calm, though sweat has broken out on his forehead. He merely glances back and forth between the Sith and Axel, not making any sudden moves. "Everyone wants the upper hand." Malign shrugs, "I hear that a lot, one day suggests the future, a future you do not have a lot of control over, Mr. Vichten, understand that at any moment I can make this day your last." He takes a drink of his whiskey sitting the bottle and glass onto the table and leaning back into his chair and jabbing his hands into his jacket pocket, "You should be pleased you left Caspar alive, here on Corellia I do not have to be so forgiving." He gives the drugged up smuggler a rather sadistic smile, "As for what am I doing? Who knows I go where I please and if the Emperor needs me, plans change." The Sith's hazel eyes shift toward Khanar, "Who is your friend Axel? Need a bodyguard these days?" he nods his head once toward the being before giving his focus back to the drug addict, "Remember, Vichten, if you serve the Empire we will reward you, if you betray us the Sith will hunt you down, and we are a little more aggressive than the normal ISB agents." He smiles. "You can drop the threats, Tyler." Axel says, forgetting to use the proper title for the moment. "I've heard them all before and I still believe them." Axel gives a sly grin to the man, "Besides. I still have some use for the Empire. As for my friend, he's the guy who saved my stash and kept me from killing half the denizens of Fountain Square after you made me sprout thrusters out of my ass and fly into the fountain. I might add, I'd love to learn that trick." If there was any fear other than just a touch of intimidation, it wasn't showing on the infamous smuggler and mercenary. "You should know me well enough," Axel says, as if changing the subject. "My loyalties are to whoever provides me the best rewards. Right now, aside from the Empire screwing me out of deal and handing me a defunctive weapon...." he trails off a moment. "How is Danik doing, by the way? I hope he's still alive and suffering in a cell somewhere. I'd like to meet with him if there is a chance." Khanar Is offended at the Sith's comment, but at the last moment he holds back his biting comments. He forces himself to look out across the bar, acting as if he has other things to worry about. He laughs on the inside as Axel backtalks the Sith, only letting a small grin escape. He pays close attention to how the rest of the patrons are reacting to the pressence of the Sith. Malign shrugs, "I never deliver hollow threats Axel Vichten, you are only alive as long as you are worth something to the Empire. The ideas of value go both ways, contrary to popular belief; the Empire has interest and invests in areas they believe will deliver the most for us. It is regrettable that your weapon was destroyed, it was a prototype after all, and I've heard many stories about their self-destructive nature." The Sith smiles, "Maybe one day I will teach you a few tricks." He shrugs, "That is if you can cool your jets and not get yourself killed." He smirks and playfully punches Axel in the shoulder. His hazel eyes turn briefly to regard Khanar, "Fear is a healthy trait, it'll keep you alive." He shrugs, "Be careful who you cross, Axel is considering crossing me, there is no doubt, and he will live to regret it if he ever goes through with it, for now his fear and hesitation keeps him breathing, not his value to the Empire." The Sith rises from the table leaving his drink having not touched it, a very rare thing, "Axel for the sake of you remaining alive for another night, and to avoid damaging one of my favorite haunts I am retiring for the evening. I am watching you." He warns, "The Emperor is watching as well, and he has the power to rip souls from their bodies and put you into an existence that is far worse than death or torture." He warns, "Danik Kreldin could very well be dead or worse." He pauses his eyes growing distant for a moment, "Nothing is ever set in stone, but understand Kreldin is no doubt before the Emperor now, and he is infinitely more powerful than anyone in the galaxy." "I never said they were idle threats," Axel replies. "Look. We had a deal. The deal was broken. I'm sure it was by no fault of your own as Emperor Vadim outranks you, but I want compensation. I appreciate you letting me live," Axel grins a bit at that comment, but continues. "I really do, but I don't do anything for free. Frankly, I've given a hell of a lot more than I received. Nobody works for free, it's not how the galaxy is ran. As for crossing you, yeah, I'd love to cross you with a right hook if I thought I could land the punch. That stunt on Caspar is costing me a small fortune and I have to perform community service.. You know how degrading it is to be one of the wealthiest men on planet and have to perform community service?!?" As Tyler stands up, Axel follows suit. "Look. We both have wants from each other. I'm not an enemy of the Empire, at least not at the moment. I don't know where the future will take me. All I can say is that I've busted my ass for you and yours and gotten nothing in return. That stops here and now. Talk to whoever you want, Axel Vichten is not the Empire's lap dog." Axel's voice remains totally calm during his little speech. Khanar stands up with Axel, and decides to look the Sith in the eyes. Hell, why not, his buddy was doing it...He stands there, not moving otherwise, waiting for Axel. Tyler finishes his cigarette and drops it to the floor and turns back to Axel, "Indeed, I would never give the richest man on Caspar the privilege of being a lap dog for my Empire." The Sith smiles, "I will see about your reimbursement if money is all you are worried about, but there are far more important things for you to consider in this galaxy than wealth alone, political capital is to be gained, service to the Empire puts you in a position to have more room to move within the galaxy's largest borders." Hazel eyes flash toward Khanar with a menacing stare before he turns to marches toward the door and out it as a pair of black shadows peel off the wall and form behind him, his personal guards. "Back down, friend." Axel says to Khanar before turning his attention back to Tyler. "Money I have. Credits don't hold much value to me though. You should know that, Darth Malign. I also don't enjoy playing in the field of politics unless it gives me an edge or allows me to profit in a war. Your Empire denied me of my prize. I wanted Danik Kreldin. I realize that is an impossibility now that the Emperor has him. Instead, I want Kreldin's ships. One I know of is sitting right here on Corellia, or was a few days ago at least. I want the locations, names and transponders of each. It won't make up for losing the ability to do what I wanted to Kreldin himself, but at least I'll have the priviledge of him possibly knowing I have his ships. I'm sure that would cause him plenty of grief if he's still alive." As Tyler leaves the bar, Axel sighs. "I have no clue if he was listening to me or not. I can hope. That was also very brave and extremely dumb, pal." Ax says chastising Khanar. "I have a use to the Sith, which is why I am alive and not sprawled out in some gutter in the street. If you value your life, either find a way to be useful to them or stay out of their line of sight." Khanar shoots Axel a dirty look muttering some obscenities and picks up the entire picher of ale and starts to drink from he. He sits it back down as the door closes behind the last of the men that followed Tyler. He looks back to Axel, burps, then says,"Now what?"
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