Alderaan – Killing Time
Dargo Karr was beginning to get frustrated. He was accustomed to waiting, patience was, after all, a virtue for a tactician, but more than a week on Alderaan and Malcolm Raynor had yet to arrive. Checking his datapad, he saw that Raynor’s ship had made planetfall on two more worlds. He was still on the run. Of course, Raynor had no way of knowing that Karr had changed the transponder codes of the Dawnchaser in Neeska the Hutt’s database, and therefore had made his planet-jumping meaningless, but still, Karr had thought that Raynor would have shown up by now. Karr began to wonder if perhaps he had made a miscalculation, but pushed it away. For a strategist, doubt and second-guessing yourself was tantamount to failure. Karr put his datapad away, and took a long drink from his mug of ale.

He had set himself up in a cantina next to the docking bays of Alderaan’s largest spaceport. If Raynor wanted to come to Alderaan discreetly, his best bet would be to get lost in the crowd of this spaceport. Karr’s datapad was programmed to alert him when Raynor’s ship broke atmo, and Karr would be waiting for him outside the docking bays.

Karr returned his attention to the game board in front of him. The Coynite Senator had done well providing Karr what he requested for this mission, but even so, since their mission was off the books until it was over, their funds were limited. So Karr decided that since he was waiting for Raynor anyway, he would earn some creds gambling at the game tables. Although it could hardly be called gambling; his opponents never stood a chance. He made his last move, and then grabbed the stack of creds while his pieces destroyed his opponents self-worth.

The rodian man was trying to figure out how he lost so poorly. Karr could see it in his eyes once his ego kicked in. Karr could almost hear his thought process:

This isn’t possible. I’m too good. I never lose. I’m better than this. I can’t lose to some thug in a bar. Something must be wrong. He must have tricked me somehow.

Karr tried to steer him away before he got too carried away with his thoughts, so Karr said

“Take this loss and learn from it. Walk away now and try again later.”

But it was too late. He made up his mind, and outrage began to grow on his expression. He slammed his fist on the game table.

“You cheated!”

Karr knew where this was going. He had danced to this tune many times, and he knew all the moves. He surveyed the room. Firias currently sat in a corner; he came and went as he pleased, doing whatever it was he did in his downtime. At a table next to the wall, the rodian’s friends had taken notice of the ruckus and were about to stand, no doubt to move to their friend’s aide. The rodian before Karr was wiry and, regardless of the adrenaline and heated emotion, was in no way prepared to attack. He wasn’t a fighter, and he would go down easily enough. The rodian’s friends, however, were another matter.

The one on the right was fat. Anyone else probably would have written him off as not much of a concern. Karr, however, noticed faint scars across his knuckles. He may not be a warrior, but he had been in more than a few scraps, and probably knew how to throw a punch. The one in the middle had a little bit of meat on him, but not much. The way he grabbed the bottle on the table and pulled back his shoulder said that when the action started, he would throw it at Karr’s head. The one on the left though, he was the muscle of the group. He was stocky, but not much fat, and he was already reaching in his pocket, probably for a knuckle-duster. He hadn’t even gotten fully out of his chair and he was already squaring his feet and shoulders. He was likely a boxer.

Unfortunately, they weren’t the only problems. To the left, at a standing table, were two humans, brothers most likely, given the similarities in height, build, and facial structure. The one on the left was moving to put himself between the possible threat and his brother. Karr felt bad for him. He was going to be drawn into this just because he wanted to protect his family.

There were several people at the bar, but two in particular were drunk and angry. When the fight started, they would start swinging at whoever was close to them. It wouldn’t matter why…

And then, there were the Gammoreans… Why they were at a cantina on Alderaan instead of Tattooine was unusual, but it didn’t matter. There were six of them around a table off to the west side, and when the swinging started, they would jump in. They didn’t even need to be drunk, and once they were involved, they would make sure that everyone else was too. Whether they wanted to be or not.

Karr sighed inwardly… Why can no one be civil anymore?

Threat response: Wiry rodian is closest, easy target. Immediate blow to the head will incapacitate. Boxer is biggest threat, move on him before he puts on knuckles. Avoid bottle thrown by lean rodian. Avoid boxer’s preliminary jab, strike back of the knees, redirect haymaker. Heavy rodian will attack from behind. Redirect force of charge into downed boxer. Break for roundhouse kick to lean rodian: incapacitated. Flip table onto heavy rodian and boxer, followed by kick to heavy rodian’s face: incapacitated. Boxer will have to move out from under heavy rodian and table to continue. Have to cull Gammoreans before they upset entire cantina. Have to move around brothers. Lefty will interpret sudden movement as hostile and attack. Will have to be put down. Lefty favoring right leg. Will strike with lunging haymaker. Duck, strike solar plexus, jumping knee to the face: incapacitated. Unfortunate. Brother will attempt to retaliate after shock passes. Move on, Gammoreans priority. They will be moving towards bar to attack patrons after the two drunks start swinging. Intercept pack. Gammoreans have naturally weak lung capacity due to short and heavy stature. Liberally distribute throat jabs and stomach kicks. Gammoreans: incapacitated. Patrons at bar dealing with drunks. Minor squabbles erupt on east end of bar. Will sort themselves out. Next priority. Brother has recovered from shock and wants payback. Will charge, angry and unfocused, attempt body charge. Feint right, trip, pin to ground, nerve pinch. Brother: incapacitated. Boxer has regained footing and put knuckle-dusters on hands. Will move to attack, but won’t charge. Move within arms reach. Boxer favors right, will lead with right jab. Avoid jab, counter with uppercut. Target elbow before the arm is pulled back. Sprain elbow and hyperextend tendons. Press advantage. Deliver second kick to back of knees. Patella dislocated, knee swollen, tendons torn: won’t stand again tonight. Won’t walk again for three days with bacta treatment. Block left arm uppercut to midsection, grab back of head and introduce to knee… three times: nose broken, jaw dislocated, multiple gashes and abrasions to face. Finish with elbow strike to nerve cluster in neck. Boxer: incapacitated.

Final Assessment: Four rodians, six gammoreans, four humans down. Bar patrons subdued drunks. Minor fights end, some end unpleasantly. Bartender has already called for security. Cantina next to largest spaceport on Alderaan, security response time: three minutes. Time elapsed: two minutes, thirty seconds. Charges: Assault, battery, disturbing the peace, destruction of property. Sentence: minimum five years, ten thousand credit fine, incarceration without bail until court date. Trump card: Firias. Actual Estimated Incarceration Time: Two days.

Karr finished his mug of ale. Oh well, he needed to vent some frustration anyway. He set down his mug, and lunged.

Karr thought he must be losing his touch… It took two minutes and forty seconds. He dropped to his knees before the security forces had even come through the door. His hands were already on his head when they came in a few seconds later. He offered no resistance, and said nothing as the restraints were put on him. The only action he took was to offer Firias a quick wink on his way out. Firias would surely enjoy the diversion of breaking him out of jail…