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:ooc: General info on Cloud City:

LayoutCloud City consisted of 392 levels, in addition to a top-side surface-level concourse. The level-arrangements were as follows:
Level 1-50: Luxury hotels and casinos which made the city famous throughout parts of the Outer Rim.
Level 51-100: Upscale housing areas.
Level 101-120: Administrative offices.
Level 121-160: Privately owned industrial areas with an infamous reputation, known as Port Town.
Level 161-220: General housing of the facility's workers.
Level 221-280: Factories.
Level 281-370: Gas refineries and miners' quarters.
Level 371-392: Contained the 36,000 repulsorlift engines and tractor beam generators that kept the city afloat and in position.  

---

Like Sam, Kara made her way out of the diner bar that they had patronized and she moved out into the crowds of people that trafficked the city's Concourse. Her goal was to find one of the city's many public starship docks (besides the one where the Aegis sat), and begin to make some contacts with the captains. She figured the best way to find her way into areas where contraband was sold, was to hang around the men and women who caused the industry to exist. Kara knew there would be one fringer out here that got his supplies and weaponry local.

She followed the street she was on until it opened up onto a wide boulevard and suddenly Kara was uncertain as to her direction, for something caught her eyes. Upon each side of the long boulevard were the bright lights and dazzle of a great number of casinos.

Kara looked at the casino's and knew she shouldn't... and was tempted to go elsewhere.  She started heading for the biggest one when she remembered what she was carrying.  She need to off load the product to someone on the black market or hand it over to her shipmates.  It could be important evidence, and she didn't want it taken from her by casino security thinking she was a dealer.

Kara decided she would head back to the ship first and store it in her bunk, and then would take her credits and make the rounds of the casino to see if she could find anyone who might be able to help out her crew, and of course try and make some credits at the same time.

The lights and sounds of the casino made it a bit hard to concentrate. Great numbers of people milled about between the Binspo and Sabaac tables. Kara even saw a small section of the floor dedicated to the ancient game of Pazaak. She made her way over to a lugjak machine and inserted a coin, pulled the lever and idley watched the screen numbers turn. Her attention, instead, was on the people around her and trying to figure out if any were candidates for her to ask some aid.

"FRAK!" came an exclamation behind her and she turned. A young man, probably late twenties, was standing over a table where sabaac cards now lay strewn. A tentacle-faced Quarran spat a reply in its native tongue, and scooped the man's cred-chips away. More words were exchanged but then a serious message must have been made, as the young gambler gathered the few things he had at the table that were still his, and left.

Kara looked back to her own game and noticed she had scored. There was at least a hundred credits sitting in the small cup below the colorful display.

Kara grabbed her winnings and moved towards the table that had just opened a spot, she knew she had better chances of winning at games of chance, but something about Sabaac always seemed to draw her in.  She told herself it was her Corellian heritage as she made her way to the table.

"This spot open?" she asked flipping a credit coin in her hand.

A handsome pirate-looking human answered her with a smile, "It's all yours... and it's a 100 cred buy in."

Kara sat down and placed the credits she had just won on the table and waited for her cards to be dealt.

OOC:

Gambling check: (use force point) (wisdom check)
2++

Sabaac cards were dealt and chips were tossed to the center of the table. This was Kara's thing and she began to feel right at home. Her first hand was strong and the confidence swelled within her, though no one would know by the stone look upon her face.

---

:ooc: There are five other players at the table - score to beat is 19:

Player 1 (human male pirate)-
Player 2 (quarran male)-
Player 3 (human male)-
Player 4 (twi'lek male)-
Player 5 (twi'lek male)-

The first round of cards fell in favor to a male Twi'lek that sat to Kara's right. He had a pompous look upon his face that cracked a smile when he saw his opponents' hands. Chips slid from out of the kitty to in front of him, though there were a few grumbles that accompanied.

The blue-skinned Twi'lek nodded at Kara, "First hand luck? Care to continue... and do our wagers increase?"

Kara had held her own against the table and not lost anything. The pirate that had offered her the chair whose own ante had been decreased by half answered, "Bring it Dol... say a 50 cred increase?"

"Gladly," came the smirked reply. And so, what had been a 100 credit ante now became 150. Chips clattered as they were tossed in and faces turned as it came to Kara to either back out or increase her bet by 50.

While they played, the pirate-looking man asked, "You're Correllian aren't cha? So what's got you out here in the styxx?"

---

:ooc:
Kara - lost 0 credits
Player 1, pirate - lost 50 credits
Player 2, quarran - lost 50 credits
Player 3, human - lost 0 credits
Player 4, Dol (the Twi'lek) - won 200 credits
Player 5, Twi'lek - lost 100 credits

Kara sighed and shook her head, she knew she shouldn't be doing this but she had to keep going.

"Alright I'm in." she said as she tossed down 150 credits.  She looked at the being who was talking to her.  "Yeah, I'm Corellian just got finished doing a cargo run and decided to stop off her for a few days.  Maybe get some upgrades done on our ship if possible."

OOC:

Wisdom Check for Gamble
2+

Chips were all in and cards were once more dealt. The pirate-looking man shuffled through his hand as he replied to Kara, "Upgrades, huh? Yea, there is definitely shops here for that. In a couple days though? Must not need too much done. My bird has been sitting in drydock now for three weeks... should be set to launch end of next." He layed out to cards, as the players took their turns in order. "Lotta good shops tho... I recommend Flootie's for heavy work, but if you need more refined work go to Davin's."

The quarran chuckled at that. "Always selling yourself, eh, Davin?"

"Got to," was all the man said, as he lay down his last card and the results of this round were seen.

---

:ooc: Kara rolled a 5

Player 1, Davin (human male pirate)-
Player 2 (quarran male)-
Player 3 (human male)-
Player 4, Dol (twi'lek male)-
Player 5 (twi'lek male)-

Kara held up her hands and shook her head with smile.

"Sorry gents, but I'm already out of credits, and don't have any collateral you would be interested in betting on."  She shook her head.  "Guess the Corellian luck wasn't flowing today.  I'll check out your shop and Flootie's" she said to Davin with a wink.  "And if you need a helping hand, let me know, I know my way around a hydrospanner better than a Corellian knows their way around a bottle of ale."

The pirate cracked a wry smile, "Aw c'mon! A Corellian leaving a Sabaac table? Surely you have more to wager after bringing in a big shipment? C'mon... one more game."

Kara was not sure, but she believed that the man named Davin was making a move on her. He threw out more questions to keep conversation and to keep Kara sitting there. "So what's your ship? And what's your haul? Bespin is a bit outta the way, so where are you coming in from?"

"Oh we were just hauling cargo to the [insert system name] system, and the Captain wanted to make a quick stop here to see if there was any work to be had."

OOC:
Galactic Lore check to find a nearby planet:
Knowledge Galactic Lore: 9 +

Deception to convince Davin my story is true:
Deception: 4 +

Kara wondered what the planet Hoth was like. She announced their shipment to the planet prior to her giving it a great deal of thought, but she had needed a response quickly. All that had come to her mind after Davin had asked his question was the starmap that she and Caden had studied to find Bespin, and the few planets that had been in close proximity. Hoth was one of those planets, but she was as unfamiliar with it as she had been of this wonderful place.

"I need to get around a bit more," she thought to herself.

Still, Davin only gave her a look and then went back to his cards. Without looking up, "What kind of work is your captain looking for?"

"CRONGK!" came a sudden exclamation from the Quarran player. Another hand had ended up in the Twi'lek's favor. As Dol reached out for his chips, the mood got heated and an argument began to break out. It was the perfect opportunity for Kara to separate from the group. She quickly rose and nodded to her fellow players that paid her attention and then she walked away.

Davin watched her as she went, ignoring the fight that had gotten the House Security involved.

---

:ooc: What/Where is Kara's next stop?

 :ooc: I think I'd like to look around some of the local starship parts dealers and repair shops.

Kara exited the casino and walked out into the sunshine and breeze. She set her sights on finding shipyards and chop shops... well repair shops, but hopefully ones with additional services. She wandered through the streets of Cloud City and made more than a few stops.

At the top of the city, was the higher end shipyards along with military based vehicles. The Corellian was certain that with the right amount of money, anything she needed could be done at these yards. Only probelm was, they had limited resources and so she knew she'd have to keep looking.

Following her nose, Kara found herself deeper in the city along the outer perimeters where huge landing pads and docks extended from Cloud City's main body. Within the labrynth of streets and maintenance corridors, she knew she had found where she needed to be. Entering what appeared to be a repair shop and junkyard, she moved through the rows and piles of refuse until she came to a small work shed. Inside stood an enormous bellied Trandoshan with an equally large head. The rest of the creature seemed mismatched with thin arms and legs. It was wearing goggles and a heavy leather apron as it used an acetylene torch to cut scrap metal into smaller pieces. Still, with its keen scent, the junk keeper looked up at Kara's approach.

"Can I help you?" it hissed loudly over the hiss of the torch.

"Yeah, my crew and I are possibly looking to make some upgrades to our ship." She walked into the shop and leaned against a wall.  "Of course I also have some cargo, of the more... personal type I am looking to offload as well."

The torch turned off with a snap leaving only the strong smell of cut metal hanging in the air. Shoving the blackout goggles up to his forehead, the Trandoshan looked at Kara with his yellow eyes. "Well upgrades are easy enough... but what is this cargo that you are talking about?"

"Some potent stuff that fell off the back of a hovercar on another planet.  I'm guessing it could be used to produce quite a lot of a ummmmm special substance."

"Potent stuff?" The Trandoshan was getting more intrigued, "Are we talking weapons-grade detonite to make munitions, or some other kind of potent stuff?"

"Other potent stuff that certain beings may want to ingest to feel better."

"Hmmmm... not really my thing," sighed the alien. "But I am sure I can put you in front of the people you want. Is that why you are in my shop? To offload this stuff?"

"I'd be willing to pay a commission of course if you could help me find someone to offload these goods.  However, I am looking around for some potential hardware to upgrade the ship I'm a crew member of."

"Hardware's easy... not sure I want any involvement in the rest. Of course, once you turn it to money I am more than happy to take it from you." The Trandoshan smiled, "As far as your drugs... go see Binx at the Far End. He will work with you on that stuff - and you NEVER heard it from me."

The Trandoshan's last words did not come with a smile, in fact the leer was quite intimidating.

"I believe it is concentrated vials of an extract of the Manana fruit, which in pure form would kill someone quickly, been when diluted and properly adjusted by an expert, provides a great high similar to a religious experience, at least that is what I heard, as they use it on Bakura for religious rituals."

She shrugged.

"Not sure what it is worth out here, but I believe it can be cut down for a ton of doses, which should bring a handsome profit."

Kara soon found that the Trandoshan was serious - he wanted nothing to do with the drugs. And so, with directions given to her to find one more place, she made one more cursory glance of the small junk shop to see how much stuff was useful that was on hand and then left.

It took her twenty-minutes to make the walk across the city until she came to a real hole in the wall. The neon sign that hung over the entrance said The Far End and below it was burnt out and broken letters that she could tell had once said 'of the Galaxy'.

Kara pushed through the saloon-style doors and entered a dark and smokey room. Shadowy figures moved about, or sat around tables drinking and speaking softly. In the corner and through an arch, a game room could be seen with billiards, darts and some blinking arcade-type games. She walked up to the bartender whose head showed evidence of a healed, but cruel wound. His hair only grew on the right side of his head disappearing completely where the scar tissue was visible. He wore an electronic eye patch that had yellow luminescence over his left eye, and his mouth was drawn up into a scarred sneer. All in all, very unpleasant to look at thought the Corellian.

She slapped a credit on the bar and the man spoke with a slur, "What can I sherve ya?"

"Your best thing Corellian with Ice." she said looking around the joint to try and figure out what kind of people hung out here.

Kara could see the place was filled with riff raff - typical for an establishment of its nature. Societies unwanted, or those that wanted to stay out of the eye of society, sat about in the shadows talking quietly with drinks and smoke. The question was, who was Binx?

Kara leaned in when her drink was delivered and quietly whispered.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I could find Binx?"

The bartender set the drink down and took the money, "Yea, he's here. You'll find him in back."

Kara looked to the billiards and games room, but the bartender spoke again, "No... not back there. Back there." He gestured with a thumb over the shoulder towards a doorway that was only blocked with a drape of beads. "Lady like you might not like it back there, though."

The bartender walked away with a chuckle.

Picking up her drink, Kara figured she might as well see it to the end. She walked down the length of the bar and then around its open end and pushed through the bead curtain. The next room was lit with only faint glowing lights on the tables, though the pall of smoke made the room more dim and could be cut with a knife. There were multiple species of beings in the room, all being entertained by different species of strippers. Kara moved through the room, only to be groped and grabbed at and followed by the occassional drunken, "C'mon baby! I'll pay you to come over here and sit with me."

She slapped away hands that got too fresh, resting her other hand on the grip of her blaster. In the darkness, to her right she heard, "Ah Binxie... please! One more! I'll make it worth your while."

Kara turned in the direction to see a younger man with a thick head of blonde hair. He was dressed very well - almost out of the ordinary for the room - and he was handsome. On his lap, mostly naked and with her legs in positions that left little to the imagination, a blue Twi'lek girl pouted and begged. Not five feet from the man stood a large, motionless shadowy shape watching over his employer.

Kara made her way over to Binx and waited till she got his attention.

"You Binx?  I've been told by certain Trando's that you can help me out with moving some product I happened to come across."

Binx didn't look away from the Twi'lek woman on top of him, "If you gotta piece, I suggest you take it out real slow and set it on the table in front of us. Otherwise, my boy there might mistake you for someone you're not and put a hole in you."

Kara saw the shadow that Binx gestured to and knew her suspicion was correct, the behemoth was a guard. She pulled her blaster and flipped it real quick so that the muzzle remained in her direction and the grip towards Binx. Carefully setting it down on the table, she could feel the tension of the moment ease and the shadow relax.

"All right," smiled Binx. "What do you have?" He pushed the woman off of him, "Go on now Asha... we'll talk later."

"I came across two vials of the stuff, its the pure extract of the Manama fruit on Bakura.  In its pure form its deadly, cut down into a lot of doses it is said to give one of the best and most religious high's one can ever have.  I'm not sure the market price, but I know the stuff is rare, and that people on that planet literally are fighting over the goods."

Binx sat up to the table, obviously interested. "Yeah... I heard about that stuff. Heard it is a really good high. Never heard it coming offworld before... so, you looking to sell it to me, or just deal it?"

He took a sip of his drink, "If yer lookin' for me to buy the stuff, I wanna see it and have it checked... purity-wise. Ya know? If you wanna deal it, and yer coming to me, then it looks like we're partners. But here is how it is... I get 70%. I have the mill house, street dis and I have the protection." The criminal kept an eye on Kara's face trying to read her expression, "You don't like either option, you can run away now cuz I'm busy."

Binx looked back over at the Twi'lek girl he had sent away, smiling at her. Kara was somewhat disgusted by how the female waited patiently like some kind of pet.

 :ooc: Can I just give him one of the vials now, and try and cut a deal for some cash up front?

:ooc: You sure can. Wanna RP it, or you just want me to work out the number?

Kara stopped for a moment.

"I can leave a whole vial with you now, but as you know this drug isn't cheap and I wouldn't want someone running off with a whole vial without some kind of security or insurance, maybe a down payment."

:ooc:

Persuasion = 4 +

Binx smiled a wide, ugly grin. "You're funny woman, but I like you. You have moxy, but my mama didn't raise a fool." He looked to his bodyguard and said, "Cmon... let's take a walk. Let her keep her piece. I think this transaction will need to be a bit of trust and give and take." Then back to Kara, "That said, I trust ya... but I ain't giving you nothing until I know what I am buying is the real deal. So, we're gonna walk to my lab. Understand... you try something, or tell anyone anything, and I promise you that you'll get to see Bespin real close and personal... ya dig? And I hear it takes a long while to drop."

Laughing, Binx stood up and began to walk out of the Far End. His bodyguard waited for Kara to follow and then he took up position behind her. Once into the light, Kara saw that the bodyguard was a Feeorin - a brutal and dangerous race from the planet Odryn. Again the Corellian thought that she was getting way to involved with something she didn't want too. But she was committed now, and so she followed.

Binx led her a few blocks away, and then down a service stairwell that ended in what had to be considered a slum in the floating city. Shanties and lean-to's formed small avenues within a massive maintenance hangar that no longer seemed in use. Steam filtered down from enormous pipes above giving everything a damp feel and musty scent. Kara followed Binx until he came to a two story structure that was built into the superstructure of the hangar. It may have once been some kind of control tower, but now it was the residence and business office for the drug dealer. He led Kara upstairs and in through a series of doors that led to a lab luminated by a few blinking neon lights. A thin Duros moved about the room mixing powders with liquids creating vile concoctions that soon would be sold on the streets above.

The Feeorin bodyguard stood at the doorway that led out while Binx walked over to the Duros chemist. "Chez... got something I want you to test. Woman here says she smuggled pure Namana off Bakura. I wanna know if she is telling me the truth and if so... what can we do with it."

Chez the Duros looked to Kara who took forth the vial. He took it in his long blue fingers and began his analysis. It took only moments. "The liquid is pure extract from the Namana plant on Bakura," he said. "I've only heard about what this stuff can be turned in to, but it would be worth a mint. I can refine this vial into an easy two-hundred thousand!" The Duros' excitement caused Binx to give him a hard look - every word coming out of his mouth was giving Kara the upperhand. Unless, of course, she had no hands left in the deal.

"Whatcha want for it?" Binx asked.

"I'll be fair, I understand you have production costs and everything, and its hard to just sell all the product up front.  I'll take 5% of the total value you think you can get from this and the other vile once it is all cut down to proper doses.  And I'll even let you keep this vial for 10% of the 5% upfront."

:ooc: Hey Nick, now that Binx has an authentication of the namana, you don't have to ask for only a percentage down. I am going to post with the idea that Kara wants full payment of the vial, and a percentage down if he wants the other.

---

Binx looked at Kara. Five percent. Either the woman was daft, or she did not want to be involved in the business anymore than she needed to. Still, she had a look about her that Binx recognized... she was a user. Of what he didn't know, but she was. More than likely, whatever he paid her here would probably end up back in his coffers from her buyings sticks, or booze, or some other drug that he dealt.

The next thought was, where did this stuff really come from and why was she all the way from Bakura here to Bespin? Running from someone most likely, which made the namana even more dangerous. If he was going to take any part in it, he needed to buy it and move it fast.

Still staring at Kara, and the moment drawing out, Binx finally conceded - his mind was made up. "All right. Five percent plus a ten percent advance on the other vial. When will you get it to me and where are you staying in Cloud City?"

"My crew hasn't found quarters yet, I'll probably take some of the cash from this and go find somewhere decent to stay at, somewhere where I won't be bothered."  She looked around.  "If you want I can go get the second vial quickly and then we can settle our deal and be on our ways."

"Yea... go get the second vial, but you don't need to come back here." Binx looked at the Feeorin and then back at Kara, "He'll go with you along with Chez.  You give it to them and they'll pay you the rest of what you are owed. As long as there is no funny business, you understand what I am saying?"

Binx looked at Chez, handing him a credchip as he did,"Take that hand-held analyzer of yours and make sure the other vial is the real thing. If it is, give her this." He motioned to the chip, "That is 25,000 credits - all yours and a little more than you asked as long as you see the deal through."

Kara took the chip and stashed inside of one of her many pockets with a smile and a nod.

"Thanks, I'll go get the other vial and bring it back here right away."  Kara nodded and gave a polite bow again and started to head for the door.

OOC:

I'd like to stop by a bank if possible...  ;D

Kara completed the transaction and left Chez and the Feeorin far behind, patting her pocket as she went. Inside sat the credit chip with enough money for her to buy herself new transport from this world, and she could leave behind the others and their problems. It might be worth looking into, she thought.

She turned a corner abruptly and suddenly there was someone there walking in her path, and moving just as quickly. The Corellian tried but could not avoid the collision, and she found herself seconds later landing hard on her buttocks. Kara saw the other female she had just knocked down also cringing from the pain. The woman was quite pretty and though she was wearing clothing of a commoner, Kara could tell that she was more than that. There was a regalness about her, as if she grew up wealthy with parents that sent her to finishing school.

The two women began to stand and each mumbled apologies, while checking each other out to make sure that there was no further intent. Cloud City, like most big metropolises, were notorious for villains and scammers who did knockdown thefts, or worse. Kaida watched Kara in her peripheral vision all the while straightening herself up, her hand hanging close to the blaster on her hip.

"Sorry about that, you okay?" Kara said as she made sure the chip was still safely stowed away in her pocket.  She looked a he woman she had just bumped into and something didn't fit.  "You don' seem to be the type to hand around these parts."

Kaida studied the other woman carefully as she brushed a strand of brown hair out of her eyes and surreptitiously checked her belongings under the guise of straightening her clothes. Everything seemed to be in place.

"I'm fine," Kaida answered carefully forcing a wan smile, wondering how much to say. It wasn't true of course. Not down deep inside anyway. The other woman didn't LOOK like an informant--not like anyone could really tell of course. But she was generally a good judge of character and the other woman didn't seem to bear her any ill intent-- at least not yet.

But she knew she had to take risks sometimes. And more importantly, she had to find someone she could trust and perhaps this woman was just the person. This other woman had the look of someone who knew the underside of a city--Maybe this was serendipity? Fate?

She frowned slightly and nodded. "No, you're right. Not really my type of hang out," she admitted. "But where else would someone find a ship off this--" she waved her left hand airily, gesturing at the fouler parts of cloud city that surrounded her. "--place?"

Her face went from guarded to something more open and trusting. She was very good at this, she knew, but the best part is that it wasn't a guise at the moment. She really did want a way off this place and really did want to find a ship that would take her.

After all, no one from her family had turned up here-- not that she could tell anyway--and it was always good to stay one step ahead of any imperial agents who just MIGHT be trailing her. But she was tired of running too. There had to be more out there than constant flight.

Kara immediately thought this woman was telling the truth, but wasn't sure until she spoke about finding a ship off the city.  Kara thought for a moment and gave a slight shrug.

"I came here on a ship, and we probably wont be here too long, where are you looking to head to?" she asked.

Kaida couldn't believe her luck and her face brightened at the the other woman's news. Maybe the fates were on her side after all. Now to press her luck a bit further.

"That," she continued, "is welcome news. Let's just say I want to be wherever the Empire isn't!" She finished not quite concealing the disgust in her voice. Then she watched the other woman carefully for any signs of possible Empire affiliation or fanaticism.

Kara looked at the woman who seemed a bit happy at the news.

"Well, I'm not a fan of any kind of government or authority.  Politicians, nobles, governors, emperors are all the same.  They are corrupt and want to control things they should have no say in."  Kara stopped herself, now was not the time to discuss politics.  "Well at least that's what many of us Corellian's feel.  Now if you want a ride off planet, you should follow me back to the ship.  You can talk to the Captain and crew, maybe they can help you arrange passage, or if you have any talents or skills they need, you might even be able to earn your passage."

Kaida bit back a retort when the woman started lumping all politicians and nobles in with the Empire. There was, she felt, a galaxy of difference between the way her father had ruled and the way the Empire had conived and abused their way to power and dominance. What was this woman saying? That anarchy was some blissful alternative to freedom-loving government? Perhaps the criminal underworld would think that, but how could-- That stopped her line of thought. The criminal underworld? Is this what she was getting herself into? No matter. Time to push her luck further. It had held out thus far.

"Thank you," she nodded politely, and then held her head high. She was NOT anything like the Empire! "Yes," and she flashed another smile. "I think I would be interested in meeting this captain of yours. Most interested. Lead the way."

"By the way, my name is Kaida."

After the introductions, she followed after the woman, engaging in minor small talk as she went wondering all the while what this seemingly fortuitous encounter portended.

Kara nodded.  "The name's Kara, I'm sort of the ships mechanic, though I've only just joined the crew recently."  Kara was hoping to stop by a bank, but that would not be happening now.  Her best hope was to get back to the ship and stash the load of credits she was carrying in her bunk.

 :ooc: I just follow her to the ship

 :ooc: Think we'll wait for Tomcat, maybe we will meet the rest of the crew.  ;D