After returning to Paradise, Elias thanked Sirka for the offer, but declined for the time being, instead heading back to his room to begin perusing the list of jobs he had again. After he reported to Koren on the success of the job, and the sellout that had been his contact, Elias was going to head back out into the hyperspace lanes for some more credits. After an hour or so, one of Koren’s droids showed up at the door to his room and informed him that it was time to report to the leader of the Golden Exchange and, with a job still unchosen, he headed for the meeting location.
He had turned over all his weapons as usual at the entrance to the lift, but after the ambush at the warehouse and the dock, even though it was Paradise they were on, Elias somewhat wished he had his blasters at the very least. The room he arrived in wasn’t too fancy, but it wasn’t completely barren, a few holopictures on the walls and a decent view of the planet they were in orbit over made up the majority of the decor along with a table and some chairs. He took one and leaned back slightly, waiting for Koren to arrive.
This would be Sirka’s first time actually meeting Koren in person, provided he actually showed up in person. Her initial job had been given to her through a droid. Perhaps it would be a better first impression not to be carrying a giant glass of alcohol, but on the other hand, it would have been a shame to let it go to waste. Besides which, the glass looked just about the right size in her hand anyways.
By this point, Sirka expected that Koren knew some of what happened on Circumtore. Boqo would have returned by now, so he would know that she left after completing her task. She had given him a synopsis of why she was leaving, but not every detail. She walked around the hall for a minute or so before finding the correct room. That, or Elias was waiting around in the wrong one. He likely heard her hefty footsteps coming all the way down the hall. Sirka stepped into the room and gave a token nod towards Elias in acknowledgement of his presence before finding a place to stand next to the window. Looking down on the planet below.
The door opened and in walked Koren. He looked tired by this point, he had been pushing his body to its limit. Meeting after meeting, he wasn’t exactly young these days. Coupled with the fact he had been in combat and shot recently… overall it wasn’t exactly a good day for him. He nodded at Sirka as he walked in, Boqo was already having to deal with other things and Elias was here too. Koren looked at Elias with a neutral expression upon his face. “Elias, if you ever run here while being chased specifically to get me to fight your battles for you again, you’re not going to be happy. You didn’t just bring a little cruiser, you brought a fleet with a star destroyer. It’s bad for business.”
He then turned to Sirka. “So I hear you ended up doing two jobs for me-” He looked between the two of them. “-Why doesn’t someone tell me what happened?”
Sirka’s head turned just enough that she could pass a glance to Elias. “You were the one that brought an Imperial fleet to the system? Why am I not surprised?” She said, taking another drink from her glass. It was half-empty by this point, and she made a mental note not to have another. It tasted perfectly fine, but even for a being of her size, it was strong enough to worry about.
Sirka turned herself around towards Koren and flicked out her nose-tongues. The impression she got from him was not what she had expected, to say the least. He was tired, and his scent confirmed that it wasn’t just a trick of the light. For this meeting, she took great interest in every detail that she could pull from his auroma, from all of the hormones and chemicals that influenced his state of mind. Reading a Human was almost second-nature for her by this point, and for a Human with as much experience and power as Koren, she wanted every advantage in negotiation that she could get. “Well, it’s a really weird story, I can tell you.” She lifted up her hand and pointed a thumb at Elias. “It starts with Elias here accidentally kidnapping my sister. Don’t worry, we worked that out.”
Elias held up a hand in protest as he took a sip from his flask. “I thought we agreed it wasn’t a kidnapping on the way back?”
“I was getting to that.” Sirka remarked, shooting a quick glance towards Elias. “‘Course, I didn’t say it wasn’t a kidnapping, just that I didn’t blame you too much anymore. My sister admits it was just as much her fault as yours. Anyways, my sister just happened to end up falling asleep on Elias’ ship, who you just happened to give a job that sent him straight to Circumtore, where I just happened to be. So, like I said, a weird story with some crazy luck. I finished my job on Circumtore for you with no problems. The Hutt took the ‘package’, got angry, but didn’t attack us. I do believe he got the message you intended to send. As I was finishing up that job, though, I got a call from my sister about Elias and that other Mandalorian getting into some trouble. She had hacked into the comms of the people Elias here was meeting and figured out that they were probably going to ambush and betray them before she lost all contact with them. So, even though I just wanted to smash Elias’ skull into the ground at the time, she convinced me to go help them. I had already finished up my job with Boqo, so I agreed. I came up on those pirates outside a warehouse and interrupted their ambush before they could spring it on the Mandalorians. As for what went on inside, well, Elias can tell you about that.” She said, tilting her head towards the Mandalorian.
Elias’s eyes were hard as he sighed. “Well, it started with your contact on Circumtore, Koren. I don’t know who it was, but they paid the guy enough to get him to sell you out and betray you. The warehouse that Sirka came up on was the location he gave us, but when we arrived, there was nothing but a box with a Besalisk on it. The short version of what happened was I dueled him and busted him up. He pointed us to a hangar where your cargo was actually at, and it was about to be loaded onto transports by a bunch of pirates, but...I don’t know, seemed like someone had paid them to try and steal the cargo, or else Timana took the chance to try and cross you outside of your turbolaser range. Anyways, after the fire fight, we loaded it up and the cargo was delivered to the drop location. No further hitches.” He took another sip before continuing. “And I didn’t think Taurus was THAT hot headed, otherwise I would have tried to shake him first. I apologize and will pay for any damages I can afford to.”
Koren made sure not to let his annoyance show. There’d always be the traitors and the cowards who felt they could get enough money to find their way out. “Did the contact survive?”
Elias nodded, his own face betraying a slight hint of anger. ”For now. I don’t forget the face of a man who double crossed me, and there’s no where that man can hide that I won’t be able to find him.”
Koren merely waved his hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about it.” He tapped his datapad, putting in instructions. “I have a hunter on call at all times, he’s well versed and has my contacts at his service. We’ll find this besalisk and make an example of him. In terms of the mission…-” He looked at Sirka “- Or missions. The results are wholly acceptable, the cargo is being moved to a secure facility where I can get to work on it in a way that benefits my objectives, and Timana the Hutt has successfully been put in his place so all around a good job has been done.” He turned to look at Sirka. “I doubt you’ll be offended however I solely chose you due to your uniqueness, and so far I haven’t been disappointed so far. Stick around and I may have more work for you. Soon, more likely than not. You’ll both find the second half of your payments in the requested accounts.”
Sirka gave a single nod in acknowledgement. “I think I shall. I respect what you have going here, and I always respect fair pay.” She replied. She could smell the annoyance on Koren, but she suspected it was not directed at either of them, since it subsided soon after the mention of the contact that betrayed him. Regardless, she continued to observe his scent closely.
”The Besalisk was the one waiting for us in the warehouse. Your contact was the one who met us at the hangar...wasn’t he?”
Koren shook his head. “No, the contact was the Besalisk. The being who approached you at the hangar would be a one time hire, it’s quite common among many members of my organisation. Rather than risk exposing themselves they’ll hire someone just off the street to relay important information, had he not considered betraying me it would have been very unlikely that you would have seen him.” He turned back to Sirka. “The one thing I need to know, is will your sister become an issue? Or is this a dynamic duo type operation?”
Sirka shook her head. “What happened on Circumtore with Delni was just weird luck. Can’t say it wasn’t good luck, though. If my sister hadn’t been there to send me in, the pirates would have had a much more effective ambush. If nothing else, it might have delayed the Mandalorians enough to get away with that package. Hard to speculate, though; you never really know what’s going to happen. I’d say my sister is capable, definitely. Good with technology, a quick learner, a real natural. But, she’s no fighter, and she doesn’t go out on my jobs. You won’t have any issues.”
Korens curiosity was close to the surface, he had plenty of technological people however the issue was trying to get them to work at other people. “Then maybe we’ll get her working for me yet. Anyway-” he checked his chronometer. “-get some rest and be in the main hangar in thirty minutes. I’ll have another job for you. I can also have some work for your sister if you feel like she’d be interested, nothing dangerous of course. I have many jobs available aboard Paradise and there’s no safer place in the galaxy. As for you-” he turned to Elias. “I think we’re more or less done here for now. Keep your eyes out though, I’ll be holding a race soon.”
Briefly, Sirka was caught off-guard by Koren’s offer in regards to her sister. Getting Delni to work for Koren directly had not been her intention in the slightest. But, after a short pause, she replied. “Well...I can’t speak for my sister. She helps me, but she hasn’t been taking jobs herself. But as long as it’s not dangerous...I’ll bring her with me to the hanger, if you want to talk to her.”
Sirka leaned her head back and finished off the last of her drink. She was not actually supposed to bring the glass out of the bar in the first place, but she supposed she could give it to a droid or something on the way out. She gave a nod to Koren and started on her way out, but paused briefly to look back at him. “Oh, and, uh, I’m looking to buy some parts to fix up an E-Web, if you happen to know where to find them. Might make me more...effective.” She commented before heading on her way.
Elias nodded and stood, turning to head for the door before pausing. He’d gone out of his way to avoid letting it be known he did that kind of work, but after Circumtore…”Koren, if you ever need another Hunter, feel free to call me up. I’ve only done a handful of bounty jobs, but I’ve never lost a target yet.”
“Do so, Sirka. In terms of weaponry, there’s a vendor in the hangar who will hand you the actual merchandise or several higher end dealers within the ship who will have the merchandise delivered. If you know the parts you are wanting, go to one of the ones within the ship. I’ll have them know to discount you as you are going to be doing a job for me.” Koren sighed as he turned to Elias. “I have a job for you, though I swear, if you try any smooth moves on this one…” He raised a finger threateningly.
“My daughter is going to attempt to sneak off the ship again. I’d rather her do so with someone on my payroll going along who can contact me the moment something goes wrong, she’s currently hiring a droid known as Willoh to act as her escort. I need you to find a way to convince them to take you along for the ride. If they refuse? Go along anyway. They cannot know you are working for me, or have worked for me in the past. Understood?”
Elias had to admit, of all the girls that had fallen for him, Koren’s daughter was the only one that he hadn’t worked his magic on. And yet, every time he was in a bar by himself and unaware, there she was. Typically, Koren didn’t allow her within fifteen feet of the smuggler, but if he felt a need to send him with her on this trip...But then the droid did know him. ”Well, Willoh might prove an issue, but it shouldn’t be hard. I’m going to need a REALLY good reason why you’re letting me near her though, since it’s no secret you know everything that happens on this ship.”
Koren shrugged. “I’m not going to be aboard the ship, she knows this. That leaves you with prime opportunity, just don’t make it terribly obvious.”
Elias nods and heads towards the door, but pauses just before leaving. “What exactly is she sneaking off to do?”
Koren shrugged. “Who's sneaking off where?” After he finished speaking he turned and left via his own exit.
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