The start of an old beginning (lorixlae)

[Lorixlae]

It was early evening by now in Coruscant, the night life was coming alive as more people seemed to come out of the woodwork. A popular Cantina sat right next to the Imperial Military base, not the first place Lorixlae would have chosen, but she had got word a few weeks ago that some Mandalorians had passed through, and traded information on a new target. It triggered her interest mostly. And she needed to figure out where her next destination would be. She paused, taking in the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the city. It had been a while since she had come to Coruscant, and she was glad she had returned. Tightening the cord on her cloak around her neck Lori didn't bother trying to hide her ears, she couldn't care less if people were still wrapped up in the anti-alien act. A wave of smoke hit her as she swung the door open, and the stench of Alcohol made her wrinkle her nose a bit. The place was packed. Mostly people yelling and cheering for whatever reason they chose. "Hm, this might be a bit harder then I had originally thought." She said to herself outloud. Lori made her way through the groups, finally finding an empty bar stool up front. The man seemed busy with other customers, so she proceded to 'mind her own buisness'. Her fingers laced together under her chin while some of her hair fell around her shoulders. She was focusing on something, or at least trying to listen for any valuable information. The bartender finally noticed her out of his perifferial vision, and he made his way over. " Well evening, its always nice to see a new face. What can I get for you? He gave a friendly smile to the lady. Lori looked up, returning the smile with her own warm look. "I don't drink thanks, but you might be able to.. help me with something else. Lorixlae's voice instantly droped down in tone and she got more serious. Her hand reached into her satchel pulling out a few credit cards but keeping them hidden from the wandering eyes of other people. "You look like a smart man who pays attention to what goes on in your bar.... I uh, I need any information you have on a group of Mandalorians who recently passed though here. Lori staired at him. Hopefully he was the right man to talk to. Usually the bartenders were.

[Jack Starbuck]

Jack went back to the barracks and started to wash he sweaty dress uniform, still rather pinged from his encounter earlier that afternoon.
Soon after he put his clothes in the wash his hologram started going off, he picked it up to see that it was Janto who was calling him.
"Yea!" Jack wasn't even paying attention to Janto's holoform in the the palm of his hand, he was to busy pressing buttons on the wash console
"Hello friend, I happen to have a lovely Lepi with me who is asking me about mandalorian activity on the base. I of course saw them but I didn't get any information on why they were here? perhaps you can come and tell her your encounters?"
"Well Janto I can't really I'm...." He thought for a minute. Most of his men had other plans tonight so he might as well, he was already packed for his force deployment tomorrow
"Yea sure I'll be right there."

The Bar was only a ten minute walk away from the barracks. Jack was in his working attire now. Armed with his heavy blaster pistol and his sith sword on his back he entered the bar to see Janto still with the Lepi. He walked over and took about 3 seconds to analyze the female lepi before sitting down "So why are these mandalorians so important?"

[Lorixlae]

Lori's ears perked as soon as the new commer stepped into the cantina. His boots made a distinct sound, and she found it funny how she could still recognize that. Before this man had even got here, she found it suspisious that the bartender had made a call. She was debating on leaving, thinking that he was calling in some back up or something. And she was not in the mood for a fight tonight. The bartender had only smiled as the man sat down next to her. "I don't really think that may be much of your concern soldier." Lorixlae said without even looking in his direction. She could tell by just how he held himself, and by the time it took him to get here he had to be somewhere close. Which pointed to the Imperial Military base. "I'm only here for some negotiations of some Mandalorians. They may have information I need. Lori finally swivled in her chair, now facing him. She crossed her arms and right leg over her left. "I have information that about four had passed through here a few days ago and I'll be willing to pay." She secretly flashed some credits that she had in her fingers. Lori wasn't smiling. If these two men wouldn't help her and proved to be useless then she had to find some other way to gain the information. And she really didn't feel like going on a wild goose chase tonight.

[Jack Starbuck]

Jack was impressed. The Lepi seemed to know who he was before she even turned to meet him eye to eye. And when she did his body temperature went down by only a hair. He eyed the credits and slid them over to Janto who chuckled and and put them in his cashier. "As you probably know the Mandalorians are a sort of nomadic warrior cult, many different groups of them travel around the galaxy looking for work, so I can't promise you that the group that was here last week will be the group your looking for." He eyed Janto then back to the Lepi. "I'm not one for giving out information freely but Janto seems to be quite taken with you so I'll tell you what I know. There was a squad here on the base last week of mandalorians, about 12 to 15 I can't really remember. The Grand Moff wanted to use them for special ops stuff off on Ord Mantell. Their leader's name was Ranfold I think." He took a quick gaze around the room then focused back onto the Lepi. " He was a real pissy guy, our groups didn't really seem to get along that well, they used our training facilities and rented some of our equipment. We left for our own mission while they were still on base." He glanced at Janto again and then asked "Isthat enough?"

[Lorixlae]

"Twelve to fifteen huh.." She said to herself. Lori looked between the two men and nodded as she was told all this man knew about the group. " Any idea where they were headed? After the Opp I mean." Lori glanced around the room. Something didn't feel right. She just, had that feeling. Though she couldn't see anyone out of the ordinary. "Any information on a mando who wore black and blue armor? Carried duel pistols on his waist?" That was the man she was interested in. Lori had been told that if she could find this bounty hunter, he would know about a few of the slave drivers in the outer rims.

[Jack Starbuck]

Jack raised an eyebrow, it seemed like the Lepi was getting uncomfortable, but in all honesty he wasn't concerned. "It sounds like you have a Vendetta against one of these guys." He leaned back in his chair "I'm sorry, but if thats why your here I can't tell you anymore. As much as I didn't like them myself, they are still under the Grand Moff's contract, and I can't have you interfering with Imperial military affairs." sensing that the Lepi was more pissed off now, he felt a strange existence in the room now as well, was it the same the Lepi was feeling?. He turned to survey the cantina to look for anything out of the unusual.

[Lorixlae]

Lori narrowed her eyes. A deeper frown setting on her face. "Its not a vendetta against these men that have me searching for them. Its what they know that has me interested, and like I said and I don't appreciate you for jumping to conclusions on my part." She gave a bit of a huff. Lori was growing annoyed, but it didn't cross her face. She was mostly just obviously pissed that she wasn't getting the information she came all this way for. She reached up and ran a hand threw her hair, and finally took off her cloak. It was getting a bit stuffy in here anyway. "Is there at least anything that you know that you can tell me about the destination afterwards. The man is a very important...client that I need to get in touch with. You'd be doing me a favor soldier." Lori gave a smirk.

[Jack Starbuck]

Turning back to face the Lepi, he realized she was more comfortable now. He wasn't, he just wanted to get back and rest. "Well I'm sorry but I don't know where they were going afterward." He knew she could've been telling a lie, but in all honesty their contract would be up after their mission on Ord Mantell, and he thought the galaxy would be better off without them."But the man in the black and blue armor was with Ranfold, he was one of his junior officers I think. I'm sorry miss but thats all I really know."

[Lorixlae]

Lori gave a sigh and a nod when he finished talking. "Alright, I believe you. And I'd be right to assume the exact location on Ord Mantell is classified?" She gave a snicker with her smile, which she was very good at playing off. Lori knew how to make people think they could read her. It was just about having the right cards in yours hands. And she wasn't short of those. Her eyes shifted to the bartender who was helping another customer, and then back to her information source. "And I don't believe you introduced yourself?"

[Jack Starbuck]

Jack shifted uneasily in his chair, and motioned Janto to get him the usual ale, he figured it was going to be a while. "I'm Jack" He got his glass and motioned to her. "And you?"

[Lorixlae]

Lori laughed and nodded. "alright, I wont ask about your military buisness. And my name is Lorixlae. Lori really. She stuck out her hand to shake his. She watched as Janto got Jack his drink, and then made eye contact for her as well. She just shook her head. "No thanks." Lori crossed her legs out of habit once more, and proceeded to ignore the few drunks that seemed to cause minor trouble through-out the bar. "So how do you know so much about Mandalorians eh?" She seemed to by trying to make light conversation, and if she got any extra information that might help her it would be worth the extra time.

[Jack Starbuck]

Jack smiled "Well asking me about the Mandalorians is, in a small way asking me about my job." He set his cup down. "I'm a Captain, for the Imperial Army, I work in the logistics department, mostly military intelligence." He turned to Janto and gave him a wink with his eye facing away from Lori. "Thats how I knew your mandalorian friend."

[Lorixlae]

"Oh, I see then. So your a Captain. She said. "I guess I just don't run into most people who actually pay attention to what they're told. Expecially from their jobs." She gave a small laugh to her own joke. To tell the truth Lori was running out of what to ask the man, it seemed like she had underestimated him a bit for questions. Then again he is in the military, he's most likely prepped for situations like this. She turned to Janto, about to ask for a water or if he even served any when one of the drunks had stumbled into her back. It shoved her forward a bit, though she didn't fall off her seat. Lori whipped her head around and glared at the man. "Hey! Why don't you watch-" But he had already been pulled away by his friends. Turning back to face Jack and Janto she clamed down. "Sorry about that. The nerve of some people in this day and age." She sat for a minute, listening for anything around the room. Something still wasn't sitting right with her.

[Jack Starbuck]

When turned around to harp at the drunk man, Jack and Janto both gave each other surprised looks. Maybe she was worth he salt after all, and the fact she acted like nothing happened impressed him as well. Jack leaned back and smiled. " So what's a pretty Lepi like yourself doing looking for mandalorians for info? Their usually nothing but trouble you know" Jack took a sip of his drink.

[Lorixlae]

Lori's attention drew back to them both when Jack spoke up. She raised her eyebrows a bit when he turned the tables on the situation. "Oh so now you have a few questions huh?" she laughed a bit again. "Nothing serious, I just need to speak to the man I asked you about. He knows the whereabouts of a location I need to travel to." She said it short and right to the point without giving up to much information. With the men behind her not bothering her anymore she finally looked towards Janto. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, do you happen to serve water at all?" She asked nicely towards the bartender.

[Jack Starbuck]

"OOOOOOHHHHHHH, of course!" Jack pulled out a hollow pad and started checking his times for his deployment. "Have you gone to the imperial archives? It contains all the vast knowledge of the universe in there! I'm sure you can find your place there, even Captain Starbuck goes in there for research before his missions." Jack looked up sharply at Janto giving him a stern look "I mean for his intelligence job of course, hohohoh" Janto handed Lori the water, while Jack put away his holopad, he and Janto both had to be more cautious.

Being a Gloom Walker was top secret, only close friends and family were allowed to know their true occupation and Jack didn't want this Lepi to finding out about anything.

[Lorixlae]

Lori smiled and gratiously took the water, while handing over another credit piece. "Thanks. And the archives huh? Hmm, bust isn't that normally closed off to civilians?" She glanced over at Jack and took a sip of her water.

[Jack Starbuck]

"Well of course but I'm sure Captain Jack would be willing to take you, wont you Jack?" Upon hearing this Jack swallowed his ale wrong and started coughing uncontrollably. When he gained his bearing "Janto don't even!" He started speaking Huttese. "How do you know can we trust her? you gotta stop believing every pretty girl that walks in here Janto, you can't do everything." Janto said in Huttese "Hohoho, I have a good feeling about her Jack, after all I trusted you right away and look at us now" Jack gave a sigh. He turned to Lori. "You're lucky he has a thing for Lepi's"

[Bardok]

The figure sat in the farthest booth of the cantina away from the bar. He was absolutely imposing, despite his face and body being hidden within the folds of his black cloak. He watched in silence, as the pretty little Lepi girl chatted with the Emperial Army Officer, a young captain.
With the force, the figure was able to listen in to their conversation. Apparently this was the lepi he'd been searching for, the one he'd been informed of. She was looking for someone. The captain seemed inclined to give her a lift to where ever her destination was. This, he knew, was perfect for what he needed. He would find what he wanted... if he had to tear apart the whole kriffing galaxy with his bare hands. And nothing, not even the Emperor would stop him.
The captain was nervous. The hutt had been the one to suggest the captain, Jak was his name, give the Lepi, Lorixlae, a lift to find the person she was after. There was more to this captain than meets the eye, the figure was sure of it. He was certainly no "intelligence officer". Intelligence officers were not as strongly built as this man was.
The captain didnt seem to object to taking the lepi to her destination. Which was perfect for him.
Bardok smiled. As long as he was careful and kept his distance, he would be unnoticed.
Then he would be within reach of his victory.
Through victory his chains would be broken.

[Lorixlae]

Lorixlae stood up from her seat. A smile instantly on her face. She was still facing Jack, and she had figured that while he was talking to Janto in a whole nother language it was obviously about taking her to the Imperial Archives. "lets make a deal hun. You take me to the Archives and I'll forget I ever met you and pay you and your friend for the trouble." Lori found it a bit comical that both boys were so instantly trusting of her. If she was looking for a group of Mandalorians they'd have to assume she was looking for trouble... or they were. She held her hand out to the captain, waiting to see if he'd agree. All the while a cold chill drove down her spine. She knew someone was here, watching the group of them. her eyes flashed a bit of worry for a second, but was quickly masked by sincerity once more.