Night life is the pulse of the city. The stronger the beat, the healthier the city in some eyes. To others, the strength of the beat didn’t matter. Instead, it was the Rhythm that one should feel. Deciphering it could lend much more information, in theory.
The beat pulsed through the streets, running through clubs, yard parties, music venues, alleys, even stretching into the industrial district. Here the trickling pulse skewed, growing sour. Despite it being so deep at night, the edge of the district was still busy.
What should be empty warehouses and factories were instead occupied. The occupancy varied in intent, but in one factory in particular, the sour beat faltered.
Men sat around a table propped up by pallets that locked into ridges that run under the table. Various object acted as seats for those engaged in a card game.
On an old barrel stood a Dug, Who’s wrist-ankles bore spiraling tattoos depicting Smokey Vines. A tilted over wooden spool was a seat for a particularly large dark yellow Feeorin who’s left hand seemed to occasionally spasm towards an empty blaster on the table beside him. Eyeing the movement warily was a pale haired near human, who’s ears perhaps were a bit too long. Making an annoyed bickering noise to himself as he considered his hand was a turquoise Rodian who was missing one of his sucker like antennae. A purplish scar patch was all that was left of it.
They played in the middle of the factory. During the day it produced energy batteries for blasters. During the night, it became the office of one Dowutin, whose stone-like Skin was a deep, near black, green. He sat in the overseers office with a collection of humans, seemingly having a meeting while occasionally checking on the table downstairs through a closed and blinded window.
The sound of Luka’s footsteps interrupted the game. The Human was dressed in their usual robes, but their face was made up with bright colors to give the appearance they were headed to a party. They walked with a bit of a sway to provide the impression that they were already using. Just a personal buyer, new to the game and already halfway gone.
“Darlings~ I hope I didn’t interrupt your game. Got daddy’s card, if you’re interested in making some creds.” As they approached the table, they made a quick calculation of everyone at the table. Four at the table. Likely more men further in the warehouse. Hopefully this would go smoothly.
In case it did not, Bico had gone in another way. The Nexu crept through the shadows between crates, and sought out a place to hide where she could keep an eye on her master. Once she found a space out of sight, she settled down on her haunches to observe.
Up in the rafters of the warehouse, Ellisyn was perched on a beam looking down upon the men playing cards, her dark armor helping her to blend in. She had been tipped off by one of her old informants in Holmes that a player she had taken down had moved shop to O’Val. The tip turned out to be wrong, but at this point, the woman was too far in to just let the criminals go.
She had been waiting to see what sort of evidence and leads she could glean from the thugs’ conversation when an intoxicated individual came strolling in. This could certainly complicate things. Elly silently waited to see what would come of this sudden intrusion.
The four looked up at Luka, all at once they came to the same conclusion and shared a brief look among each other. The Rodian flicked his cards onto the table, either folding or setting them down to deal with the approaching person. While they spun to face Luka, the Dug jumped down from their perch and landed cleanly on the floor, their cards stacked and tucked into a pocket. Of all of them, the Feeorin was the first that spoke.
“Always ‘terested in creds. Butcha gotta be specific. What it is yer looking for?” He hand spammed towards the empty gun once more before he crossed his other arm over it, casually pinning the scarred to the table.
“You sure this is the best time for this?” The human quietly shot the question to the Feeorin who hit him with a silencing glare.
“Ay, perfect time it is. Got us some special deals do we, just’in ‘pending Whatcha askin for” he glanced then at the Rodian, then returned his look to Luka. His eyes did not do much to hide the predatory look, as if a bird eyeing it next meal before it snatches it.
In the distance, an approaching engine could be heard. A speeder of some sort, the loud engine only beaten by the sound of music that was playing over it as it passed the warehouse on the street.
Elly continued to watch as this new stranger did most of the work for her. She wouldn’t have to wait for Dithu to appear, the stranger might get him to come out of his own volition