EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Would you say they would both likely end up going through an evening of heavy drinking?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei put an arm around Lunise and hugged her, mostly so that she could get close enough to speak softly into her ear. "Okay, you can take your time. I can occupy Karl. And you need not worry about being embarrassed, if you can help it. I promise, they will not think twice about your scars. There are people back in our clan with much more unsightly wounds. Once we have been in the water a few minutes, I guarantee those worries will have left your mind."

Meesei capped off her words of encouragement with a brief kiss, then released her hold on Lunise. Sabine had already started to lead Karl into the water, so Meesei quickly undressed and found somewhere clean and dry to secure her belongings. She followed soon after, though she was slow to settle into the spring. The water was hot enough that she needed to take her time to allow her body to acclimate bit by bit. Eventually, she got her head under the water, though she made an effort to avoid breathing any of it in. While she likely could breathe the water, having hot water in her gills could be uncomfortable.

Once she felt she was sufficiently acclimated to the temperature, Meesei found a place to sit and lean back near to Sabine and Karl. "Quite a treat this place is, would you agree?" Meesei commented to them. "I have had the thought that we might be able to accomplish something like this back home using the Dwemer steam system. I do wish we could spare the resources to try."

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Paradise

Nightclub

Sirka craned her head over to face the new arrival, flicking her nose-tongues out at him. He exuded confidence, or over-confidence as Sirka saw it, in both scent and expression. Were she alone, Sirka might have wanted to humor his charming approach, but not with her sister present. Of course, Delni could not have been happier about it. As if the drink was not enough, the timing on this just seemed almost too perfect.

"Yeah, I think you can take that helmet and..." Sirka began, but Delni immediately cut her off by reaching up and quite literally putting her hand over Sirka's mouth. Delni could not even get her hand around Sirka's snout, much less hold it closed, but the motion alone was enough to stop her.

Delni spoke up with a smile, and a far more friendly tone. "You may. We're just here trying to have a good time, but it's so expensive buying drinks for my sister here."

Feeling somewhat defeated, Sirka finally decided to relent partially for now. She would not directly chase him off, at least. Delni was clearly feeling 'social' at the moment, and ultimately, she could not really boss her around without making her legitimately upset. Still, she would be keeping a sharp eye, and nose, on him. At the very least, she may have been able to get some drinks out of it. "Won't argue there. I could drink a bantha under the table."

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Paradise

Nightclub

It was nought but a few moments after Sirka had finished giving Delni a hard time that the bartender droid suddenly delivered the pair two drinks, and pointed them towards a Human further down the bar as the source. The timing alone was enough to give Delni a laugh. "You see, I do love drinking expensive drinks, I admit, but no one said I had to be the one buying them."

Sirka rolled her eyes at her. "Right, I forgot, you're a mammal. You can just buy drinks with your breasts."

Again, Delni jabbed Sirka in the side with her thumb. "Oh, you're so cynical. Maybe he just felt like being nice? You don't know what he intended by it."

"Oh, please. I know exactly his intentions. Gruff-looking mercenary guy sees a gorgeous Togruta in a tight little dress, buys her a drink. You know exactly what he wants." Sirka replied.

Delni took the first sip of her new drink. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's not like it would make him bad for trying. We are in a club, after all. That is kind of exactly why a lot of people come here: to meet people. Can't fault him for that. Besides, he got you a drink; maybe he's interested in you?"

That comment was enough to give Sirka a legitimately loud laugh. "Riiight. I'm sure the Human can barely control himself looking at the giant lizard. Doubt he can even tell I'm a woman."

"Again, you're too cynical for your own good. You can't be afraid to put yourself out there, meet people. In a place like this, that's how you can get yourself some nice-paying work." Delni said, arms crossed.

Sirka gave another glance towards the Human. "Eh, he looks more like the type that takes jobs than makes them."

"Sis, you're just impossible. Well why don't you tell me exactly how he's feeling right now?" Delni suggested.

Sirka flicked out her nose-tongues in the Human's direction, even though she knew before she tried that it would be pointless. "Hmph, too crowded to do it from here. I'd have to get closer to tell for sure."

Delni paused for another drink. "Well then, maybe you should shut that big mouth of yours until you know for sure what you're talking about." As she went to set down her drink, Delni looked over to the Human that sent it to her and made eye contact, smiling and raising her glass towards him to acknowledge him. She would see what he did with that.

Meanwhile, Sirka huffed again and started to down her own drink much more quickly. It was not as if she was going to pass up on it, after all.

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Paradise

Upper Level Hallway

Sirka was stood in front of a balding, middle-aged Human man: her client. He was somewhat overweight, and dressed in clothes that showed off his wealth far too much for her tastes. Of course, in the upper levels of Paradise, he fit right in. It was a place made to cater to the wealthy and powerful. Just in the hallway alone, she could see that it was perfectly clean, and even with fine artwork on the walls and a polished droid guard on every corner. For Sirka, this client had been somewhat irritating to work for with his general paranoia, but for the sake of her own professional reputation, she could keep being nice.

The Human rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He spoke with a pronounced Corellian accent, which made him seem all the more an outsider. “Look, I just really think I could use you here. I don’t like the idea of being alone with them. Even I know the reputation of these people.”

Sirka was not an individual that a stranger would consider “calming” or “gentle.” In fact, many people she met ended up being nervous around her, for quite understandable reasons. She was a giant compared to most species, with more muscle in one leg than some had in their entire bodies. The claws on her hands and feet could easily disembowel, and she had a massive, toothy maw that might remind one of a Krayt Dragon. Her client had been terrified of her for a while after meeting her, but that changed once she ended up breaking the legs of a Trandoshan thug back on Nar Shaddaa that had tried to shake the Human down. Now, it seemed like he only felt safe when he knew she was nearby. Personally, Sirka almost preferred it when he had been afraid.

Regardless, Sirka hunched down slightly to be more on his level. “Sir, Genrick, we’ve been through this. The dangerous part of this little venture of yours is over. We got through your meetings back on Nar Shaddaa unscathed. Now, Paradise is basically the safest place in the whole of Hutt space. No one starts trouble here; you’ll be fine. You know I’d go in there with you if I could, but they made it very clear that no one’s security is allowed to sit in. You said this deal’s important to you, and I’m not about to be responsible for sabotaging it. If someone tries something, Paradise has plenty of security to put a stop to it.” She said, motioning to the battle droid down the hallway.

The Corellian turned his head to look back at the droid, unimpressed. “How am I going to feel safe with just those relics for protection?”

“Relic or no, those droids are still deadly. And if there’s trouble, they’ll report it automatically. So, if anyone starts trouble, they’re not getting off the station unless they can destroy every single droid inside it. You know what that means? No one is going to start trouble unless they’re suicidal. That means you’re going to be perfectly fine. You’ll get through this last meeting, then you can get on a transport straight back to the Core.”

The Human took in a deep breath. “Okay, you’re right. It is hardly like I am in the slums anymore.”

Sirka put on a fake smile and patted her client’s shoulder. “Good, very good. Now, I can’t loiter in this hall, so I’m going to be in that nightclub we passed by earlier. Just a floor down. If you need me, I’m only a call away.” She said, tapping a claw against the communicator device on the side of her head.

Once her client was finally confident enough to part from her, Sirka headed back to the lift to get back to one of the lower levels. As soon as the doors closed, she breathed out a sigh of relief. She quite needed the break from babysitting.

Paradise

Nightclub

The club that Sirka was going to be spending her break did give her a few reminders of home. It was lively and exciting, with plenty of lights and fast-paced musing. There was a dense crowd, scantily-clad Twi’leks, and more alcohol among the patrons than there was bad dancing. But, it still had a certain amount of class to it that did not exist back on Nar Shaddaa. At the very least, it was not nearly as filthy. It was certainly a place that Sirka could have a good time, but she had not chosen it randomly. She had someone of her own to meet.

Despite her size, Sirka did not have much issue moving through the crowd. People tended not to stay in her way for long. She walked up to the bar and leaned over onto it, entirely ignoring the stool that was far too small for her. Sitting next to her was a Togruta woman with skin that was primarily dark-orange, with bland and white bands on her lekku, as well as white stripes on other parts of her body. It was Sirka’s sister, Delni Rhiko. She was wearing a sleek black dress that hugged tightly to her form. She liked to show off her easily-recognizable beauty: a fact that made Sirka all the more critical of men who happened to associate with her.

Delni was sipping on her drink when Sirka let out a huff. “Hmm, don’t you look like you’re enjoying yourself? If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I’m paying for your vacation here. Why did I agree to let you come?”

“Like I said, sis, this is a great place to make connections. If you just let me do my thing, then I can have you another two or three jobs lined up before we even leave the station.” Delni answered.

Sirka chuckled. “Right. Guess it’s just a happy coincidence that you get to sip expensive drinks while you do it.”

Delni smiled back at her. “Hey, no one here is going to take me seriously sober.”

“You mean no one’s going to take you to bed sober.” Sirka replied, following quickly by a jab to her side from Delni.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei stepped into an open spot and extended a magically charged hand in front of herself. "Yes, thank you." She responded to Sabine as she started on the portal.

Upon completing the portal, and the group stepping through to their last destination of the evening, they were met first with a wave of cool air. At least, it was cool in comparison to the sweltering heat of the swamp. The location that Meesei had selected was essentially a small island of land in the middle of several hot springs. It was one of the many places that the pack had happened upon in their travels over the years, and a favorite of several of them. They could feel the heat radiating off of the springs around them, which in turn made the normally-chilly night air of Skyrim much more comfortable. There were a few clouds in the sky, but for the most part, it was a clear night. A quick look around the area suggested that they were alone, apart from the lights of some torchbugs, so Meesei felt comfortable to relax.

---

Ahnasha locked her arm with Fendros', grinning back at him. "We shall." She answered. The pair was sure to stop for more drinks before continuing with their plans for the evening, and Ahnasha was sure to pick out a variety. It was mostly local favorites like alto wine and mead, but Ahnasha managed to find a bottle of Cyrodilic brandy as well. Although it was difficult for Ahnasha to escape her fears for her coming task, she was ready to just lose herself in Fendros' company for the night. She had never actually been to one of these dances that Fendros described, so she allowed him to lead the way.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Or, if your duties happen to align with it." Meesei suggested. "You are and have been the representative for your people to our clans. If you receive another assignment to serve that role again, well, that would entail months of traveling. Your superiors would think nothing of it if you were gone for an extended duration. Of course, then the challenge becomes getting me away from my duties. Still, I wonder if there is anything in the foreseeable future that might prompt such an assignment? Do you think your people would be willing to help kill a Dragon to help stop Vile? I would certainly not turn down a warship or two. Of course, the Empire would also have to be informed, since the island is just off of High Rock."

Meesei noticed Lunise's discomfort, and though she seemed to have a solution for herself, Meesei took it as a sign that they may need to move on with their evening. She did not want the splendor of Thorn to be spoiled by the heat, after all. "Well, regardless of what opportunities we may or may not get, do you feel like you would like to go to the hot springs now to round out our evening?"

---

Ahnasha smiled widely, grabbing the wine from Fendros' hand and finishing off the last bit of what was in the bottle. "See, now that sounds like fun. It's always a good laugh seeing what you call 'dancing.'" She teased, lightly elbowing him in the side.

Holding up the bottle of wine, Ahnasha looked through the glass and swirled it around slightly as if there were something still within. "Of course, there's no way we're going anywhere without more wine."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"It is true that we are bound by blood, but it is the fact that we are a family that brings us closest together." Meesei explained. "And you do not need to be a lycan to become part of the family. Take Sabine's sister, for instance. Right now, she would be greeted as a hero by any lycan clan in Tamriel. What she did for us is greater than what almost any single individual could accomplish, and not only that, but she also understands us. She lived among our clan for about a year's time, came to know us and understand how we live. You do not need lycan blood to show that you understand and respect us. And I can promise, that respect would be returned in kind."

Meesei began to imagine the possibilities of what they could possibly try in the future, some of which were rather exciting to her. Do you know what I would like to do one day? I would like to show you what it is truly like to live as I do. I have described it many times, I now, but words can only go so far. I would love to show you what we are, and to allow you to live as we do, if only for a while. I want to give you the chance to understand why I would choose this life for myself, despite all of the stress and challenges it brings. Unfortunately, the clans still cannot know of you, and both of us are very busy women besides that. Still, you would always be welcome among my pack. Perhaps one day, the stars will align, and the both of us will have the opportunity to just run away with one another into the wilds for a few months. You could live with myself and my pack, away from all of our worries. We could live like we used to before the clans, before all of this. I think you would enjoy it far more than you think you might."

---

Ahnasha rubbed her temple, considering Fendros' suggestions. "Still, I don't think there's much of a reason to give him something specific to worry about. At least if we don't tell him, he has the option of telling himself we might not be in that much danger. He might be able to keep himself from getting distracted on his own scouting missions. If he can't keep his head clear, though, I definitely agree. She could help him."

Ahnasha huffed along with another thought that went through her mind. "Wonderful, now I'm probably going to end up distracting myself worrying that Rhazii is going to be distracted worrying about me. How about we just take some time away from this tonight and have some fun? Enjoy ourselves? What do you feel like doing around the city?"

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

If anyone who gets accepted is debating about where to start, I can say that I intend to start on Paradise, above Ilos Minor, so at least one person will be there.

Star Wars - Lawless Galaxy

Name: Sirka Rhiko

Species: Ssi-ruu

Age: 30

Appearance:

Ssi-ruu

Stands at 2.15 meters, and at a weight of 355 kg.

Faction: Unaffiliated

Equipment: Like most Ssi-ruu, Sirka wears only bandoliers across her chest to carry her belongings, along with whatever holsters she needs. Her primary weapon is a heavy repeating blaster rifle, attached to a power pack on her back. As a sidearm, she carries an E-11 blaster rifle, and a one-handed variant of a vibro-ax as a backup weapon. She carries a bandolier with a small number of stun grenades, and usually a single thermal detonator.
Skills (and abilities)

• Close to medium range combat specialist
• Strength equivalent to an adult wookiee
• Thick, blaster resistant hide
• Very keen sense of smell (able to detect changes in the emotional state of species with which she is familiar)
• Triple eyelids resist sudden bursts of light
• Growing knowledge of grenades and explosive devices
• Surprising speed and grace for a creature of her size, when not encumbered by equipment

Weaknesses:

• Long-range combat
• Eyesight poorer than that of a human
• Skill set not terribly varied beyond combat
• Stands out in a crowd, or any other situation
• While Ssi-ruu do possess natural agility, that agility is diminished when wielding her primary blaster
• Little to no stealth capabilities

History: Destiny is not a concept in which Sirka believes, but it can certainly be said that fortune has both blessed and cursed Sirka to great degrees throughout her life, starting even before she could form memories. It started with a group of Trandoshan hunters exploring unknown areas of the outer rim for new and challenging game to hunt. Though their expedition was not terribly successful and ended with quite a few casualties on their side, Sirka’s egg was one of the trophies taken. She might have been raised as an oddity or slave among them, but her fortune turned when the Trandoshans ran afoul of a Jedi investigating pirates in the area. Being a member of an unknown species, it was only due to the Jedi’s acute observations and senses that she was identified as a sentient creature at all.

Devoid of any connection to the force, the young reptilian was, unfortunately, unable to remain at the temple. Once the Jedi made that determination, they did at least assist in finding her a home. After some consideration and searching, she ended up in the care of a trusted Togruta couple on Coruscant, as they were merchants who did regular business with the Jedi Order. They were a reasonably wealthy couple who wanted to give a good life to their new daughter, whom they named Sirka, but once more, fortune’s pendulum swung in the other direction for her. The rise of the Empire destroyed the life that her parents had established. They avoided being caught in the initial transition, but their former association with the Jedi Order caused them to flee Imperial space out of fear for their lives.

While they were able to flee with some of their assets, Sirka’s family ultimately lost most of the wealth they had. They, like many others, ended up as poor refugees on Nar Shaddaa. What was more, Sirka’s mother had already been pregnant with another child before they fled, so they had two daughters to support.

After some time, Sirka ended up growing much larger, and much more quickly than her parents could have expected. And that, of course, came with more expensive requirements for her care. Sirka grew up in cramped, often unsanitary conditions, with nothing in the form of luxuries simply because her parents wanted to make sure that their children did not go hungry. Even then, they had to sacrifice their own meals from time to time. In as lawless and unforgiving of a place as the Smugglers’ Moon was, it would have been simple for them to abandon Sirka, but they pressed on through her formative years, even when that meant resorting to more unsavory methods of supporting their family. Fortunately, their dedication was rewarded once Sirka was grown.

Given Sirka's species, she matured more quickly than a Togruta, and that growth had shaped her into an over-2-meter-tall, 350 kilogram beast of a reptilian. There was no form of formal school system in their part of Nar Shaddaa, so her parents had attempted to teach her whatever skills and knowledge they could to the best of their ability, but ultimately, her physical attributes were more suited to more dangerous work. She started off as a bodyguard that, through mere intimidation factor, rarely had to fight anyone, but she was drawn into other kinds of better paying mercenary work over time. She acquired her first blaster on the same day that she learned her scales were, in fact, resistant to blaster fire, and taught herself to shoot from there. Physical limitations with her eyesight prevented her from becoming too great of a marksman, but her circumstances and abilities forged her into a talented mercenary. At her sister’s insistence, Sirka has attempted to avoid falling into the trap of relying on her unique natural traits and has tried to keep improving herself, at least as far as it will help her work. In particular, she worked on how to use and understand grenades and other explosive devices. All the while, she used her growing income not only to support, but start improving the lives of her family.

Pleasantly for Sirka, she was able to help move her parents to a better part of Nar Shaddaa: a place that was reasonably safe, by the moon’s standards. After all of the sacrifices they made for her, she found herself dedicated to repaying them. She has become fairly successful as a freelance mercenary and has gone into business with her sister, Delni Rhiko. While Delni does not join in fighting, she does have a knack for business and helps her sister to find opportunities, and to make the best use of the funds they have. Although, Sirka still hopes to move even farther up the galaxy’s economic ladder to provide an even better lifestyle for herself and her family.