The food was hot, and quite tasty. The best food the UA’s galley had seen in months. Surely since he and Jet had taken the time to make their own Scrimpi, that had been good eats, but this eclipsed that, by far. The smells of the meat and fresh veg mingling, and the fresh bread to accompany the meal, soon drew most of the crew from their bunks – except Jet, for the time being. For that, Fel was grateful. He thought for a moment about waiting until he had joined them, but he’d get caught up easily enough. A promise was a promise, and he had said he would tell them about the next gig, sooner than later. 

He activated the display behind the dejarik table, and cast to it from his datapad, clinking his cup for those in attendance. [color=F7941D]“Aellyn, thank you for the eats. Damn good, and that’s no lie. I promised you all a discussion about our next job, once we got paid off from Abilene.”[/color] He drew out two cred chits and tossed them on the table. [color=F7941D]“One for you, kid… and one for Aellyn. Thirty-large, each – and that’s just from the Kolto we sold her. Jet and I gave up most of our cut. Wish it was more. But afore we stepped into this last job, I knew most of the take was in the promise of better work on the back end of taking from Vinoor Kara. And Abilene has come through on her end. Whatever she might think of me, she kept her word.”[/color] He clicked the datapad, and an image materialized on the screen. [color=F7941D]“This is the Helix.”[/color]

It was a uniquely circular space station, orbiting a planetoid so vibrant a swirl of colours it was almost not to be believed. There was a central hub, with a dozen or more spokes leading out to an outer ‘ring’ of docking bays and ports. It was too sleek, too clean to be very old. [color=F7941D]“Casino to the well-heeled, hotel to the high-rollers. We’re going to knock it over, shake out the coin.”[/color]

He looked from Aellyn to Zane, and back again, both wearing inscrutable faces. He would’ve paid good credits to know what the two of ‘em were thinking. If Jet had been there, the look on his face would have told him some of what he wanted to know. Jet was always better at reading folks than he was. Fel knew the plan was risky, but for him at least, it was worth the risk. [color=F7941D]“Any day of the week, this would be low-seven-figures for us. Once or twice a month, high-seven-figures. But I’m not interested in stealing from the Helix. Well… I am, but it wouldn’t be my first choice target normally. This particular day – two weeks from today, in case you were wondering – the take could be anywhere from fifteen, to thirty million.”[/color] Faces remained ‘quietly concerned.’ He continued on. [color=F7941D]“The reason this is a good target for us is that on that day, there will be a number of Imperial bigwigs at the Helix, presumably there to do some good old-fashioned gambling. But the reality is, they’re there to buy off the Prime Minister of Byllun-Prime. The Empire needs something that Byllun-Prime has, not sure what or why, but I’m told the pay-off is in cold, hard credits, and to the tune of near sixty million. We intercept the deal. We also take everything the casino has – as cover for the main course… or as insurance to make security look the other way… you be the judge. Either way, it’s long money. High stakes.”[/color]

He waited to see if there were immediate questions, but it seemed everyone was still swallowing this news. He smiled, and continued. [color=F7941D]“Way I see it, we need two ‘faces’ in the casino. ‘High Rollers’ there for a good time, but actually, to intercept codes and access passes for the casino, and to aid and distract from within. Aellyn, we’ll need to hire you an ace in the hole to be your partner on the inside. And unless you happen to be the very best of the best Sabaac shark in the ‘verse, we’ll also need to make a stop on ‘Shaddaa to hire Morrik Venn, so that he can whisper sweet nothings into your ear from the safety of the UA, and guide your hand in the Sabaac tournament.”[/color] The name would be familiar, but Fel cast the picture of the Zabrak, as well as the near-human guise of the Prime Minister of Byllun-Prime, Olis Aven, onto the screen. [color=F7941D]“Zane, I’m going to need you to go undercover in the hotel of the Helix, to get into the Imperial Commandant’s quarters and retrieve what I need in order to steal the Imperial Shuttle. Jet will run security and interference backstage. He and I will need to keep a pretty low-pro, as we’ve both got histories with both the Republic, and the Empire, to say nothing of Rap Sheets… which exclude us from being in the spotlight. ‘Sides… look at us. We’re way too ugly to look much like high-rollers. There’s only so much ugly that makeup can cover. I just want to make sure we get the best shot at success we can get here. ”[/color] 

The door to the galley hissed open. Jet stepped through, moving slow but steady, the weight of the day still settling into his bones. His hair was slicked back from his face, water still dripping now and again down his jaw. A plain tank top clung damply to his frame, thrown on without much care after the struggle of one-handed dressing. The bare line of his shoulder was exposed where the prosthetic would normally hang, the skin still faintly red from the heat of the shower.

He hesitated just inside the doorway, breathing in the thick scent of stew, meat, and garlic. For a moment, the corner of his mouth tugged upward, a quiet smile breaking through the tired lines of his face. It was small, but it was real. His gaze found Fel, and Jet gave a small, deliberate nod as he crossed the room. No words. Just a quiet acknowledgment of something heavier than he had the energy to name. 

Fel smiled at his oldest friend. [color=F7941D]“We’re goin’ fishin’ for Imperial dollars, Jet. We’re hittin’ the Helix.”[/color] Nothing of what he had said, was said without the weight it was due. Fel knew how difficult this was, how much he was asking of them all, but he was also feeling positive, feeling good about their chances. (and why not? Nothing had a chance to go wrong – yet.) 

Jet’s eyes drifted to the display, following the slow spin of the station, his expression largely unreadable. The corner of his mouth twitched, just a little, too dry to be a smile, but too wry to be anything else.

[colour=ff0000=“Of course it’s the Helix.. Why wouldn’t it be?”[/colour] Jet moved to the table, sliding into a chair with a careful, tired ease. The worn surface creaked faintly under his weight as he settled back, his arm resting along the edge. Jet looked at the bowls and the scattered remnants of the meal, then raised an eyebrow, voice low and rough with sleep. [colour=ff0000]"Please tell me there’s still some left,”[/colour] he said, his eyes flicking over the others at the table before landing on the screen. 

It took a few moments to fully comprehend what Fel was laying out to them. She thought the star destroyer was risky but this was another level. Her thoughts broke as Jet joined them.. She watched as he scanned the table, it was obvious he was searching for food before he proclaimed it. [color=AE91B8]  “Yeah, of course.” [/color] Aellyn mentioned, sliding out of her own chair and stepping toward the stove. Grabbing a bowl, she fixed a large size portion. Leaving enough for a few more bowls if anyone else wanted another helping. She then set the bowl in front of Jet to enjoy. It didn’t take long for him to begin digging in, thanking Aellyn with a small nod and a warm smile. 

Aellyn continued to look at the screen, displaying the casino. [color=AE91B8] “ Do we have an idea on who the other guests might be, other than this Prime Minister you mentioned?” [/color] She only asked because of the high imperial officers that could be around. It’s risky enough to show her face plus right after the Basilisk heist, it would be worse. 

Fel had been given scant little intel with their “payment” from Abilene. He knew what the average take at the Helix would be. He had a general groundplan (not even a terribly detailed one) of the facility. He knew when the buy would be going down with the Imperials and the delegation from Byllun-Prime, and what that would do to the bottom line of their take (within a few hundred thousand – part of it was guesswork on the part of whoever had sliced the intelligence.) All else was up to them to uncover. They had two weeks to dig up what they could. [color=F7941D]“Nope. No idea. I assume they’ll have a detachment of advisors or council-members, depending on their system of government, and a detachment of guards… but that’s just a guess. There are enough intel brokers on ‘Shaddaa that we should be able to turn over enough stones to get that information, and more.”[/color]

Aellyn rubbed the back of her neck. [color=AE91B8] “That’s fair. I might know someone who could help get us intel but I’ll need the holonet. At least to help us get started on that front. “ [/color]

Fel nodded. [color=F7941D]“Makes sense, Aellyn. I have a few contacts on ‘Shaddaa, can likely help with getting us some answers. Lorn Pellian, or Lillia Kale might be of help to us.”[/color]

Jet set his bowl aside, then leaned back slightly in his seat. He hadn’t motioned to make a sound again since sitting down, his eyes locked on the holodisplay while filling himself with the best food he’d had in a very long time. 

While the others talked, he’d been watching the station continue to spin, tracking the likely rotation of the station, the angle of the docking arms, the spacing between support struts. He wasn’t thinking about the Sabacc tables or the credit vault just yet, he was thinking about power routes, ventilation systems, fallback paths. Where they likely could slip in, unseen. As well as where they might vanish to if things, more than likely, went to hell.

[colour=ff0000]”It’s ambitious. Place like that? They shine so damn bright they cast their own shadows.”[/colour] He cleared his throat, the food still settling in his stomach. [colour=ff0000]”I’ve not seen many worse gigs. If we’re doing this.. We gotta do it right, but we prep like it’s already gone wrong.”[/colour]

Fel knew it was a serious statement, and needed to be treated as such…but he couldn’t help himself. [color=F7941D]“I mean…it’s us. Doesn’t that mean going wrong is a foregone conclusion?”[/color]

Jet gave Fel a long stare, one complemented with a smile. The look he’d likely given Fel a hundred times. The one that said ‘Don’t jinx it’ while also being humoured by his dry witticism. 

Zane had been thoughtfully (and gratefully) chewing on his stew and turning his cred chit from the Abilene job over in his hands while soaking in all of the proposed situation. So much of what Fel and the others were talking about was over the boy’s head, and even his part in the plot seemed like something well outside of his wheelhouse. But, the kid had some experience in getting into places he shouldn’t. With the right tools and someone that could teach him, slipping into an Imp’s room shouldn’t be too much of a gamble. There were a few things rattling around in his mind, however, that he felt as though he would need some answers for.

Slipping his hand up in the air sheepishly, he waited until Fel’s eyes were on him - giving the kid the most incredulous look he could muster - before finally asking his questions, [color=cyan]”Okay, so…I don’t know much of nothin’ about casinos. Just what I’ve heard from some o’the Junkers on Lotho. But, uh…don’t these places usually have some pretty hefty security? With that many creds floatin’ around, I would think they’d have a whole slew o’fellas–”[/color] He caught a glimpse of Aellyn, and added, [color=cyan]”– a-and ladies - who’ll be watchin’ everything like a hungry grek, right? Not to mention tech out the choobs that’ll make our lives miserable…”[/color]

Fel was impressed. Kid was asking the right questions. He wished he could answer him, without sounding like a wise-ass. [color=F7941D]“Yep. They sure will, Kid. You’re right on every count. That’s why we got two weeks to figure as much as we can, before we even set foot on that spinning wheel.”[/color]