[IC] No Heroes: A Star Wars Tale

[Hexaflexagon]

Underneath the high rising towers and Imperial insignias and skylines of polished metal shining in the sun, and far beyond the reach of glistening coins of sunlight or the whisper of the wind, to the place beyond the bustling streets of the residential levels, the among streets pressed upon by the oppressing factory heat: angry shouts, hoarse whispers, salesmen peddling their wares, arms dealers, deathstick dealers, harsh glances, swift hands, sultry frames, hidden knives, informants selling every kind of secret, memory wipers, body disposers, cheap jobs, oppressive tight corridors, it was an ecosystem all to itself breathing, self aware and adapting. Somewhere far above the sound of speeders rumbled as the air was filled with a constant barrage of noise, stimulus on the brain always turning and thinking. The glitter of fluids of indiscernible origin shining across crowded walkways light by harsh neon lights. The electric buzz of cameras, and scantly clad projections of females of various races all beckoning for the wanders of the street to enter. Even though far above night had fallen on the ecumenopolis down below the glow of lights give the undercity an event present glow of twilight. City built upon city, building atop of building, and ruin atop of ruin. Coruscant was alive and covered with trembling shadows.

Sandwiched among the crowded tenant buildings, flashing signs and rundown factories, the indistinct little bar sat seemingly at the end of the world. The Royal Bantha was what some people would call a local landmark, the haunt for thugs, gangsters, workers, prostitutes, dealers, buyers and anyone looking for a strong drink. Almost permanently covered in a smoke like haze, with the distinct yeast like smell of wet bodies. The moisture coming from the collective drippings and heat the rises and falls from the myraid of factories in the area leaving the outside in ap perpetual state of dampness. In the corner a rhythm band lead by a Hapan male pounding away on a big drum as sweet poured down from his angualr face. The many voices mixing with the drum beat to create an indiscernible rytheme that was the beating heart that kept the Bantha a foot. More importantly like most places in the undercity the Bantha was not that particularity found of their Imperial oppressors. While on the outside things might of looked the same on the inside the authoritative regime had slowly squeezed the lower levels of Coruscant dry with their security forces and newly enacted laws, curfews and security checkpoints. It was here that it was that those would opposed should rule could speak their mind freely without free of somebody reporting them to the Security Bureau to get interrogated or worse.

It was for this reason that in one of the Bantha's many backrooms two individuals talked to one another causally as they waited. The Trandoshan was sitting at a long table, a LS-150 in pieces as he cleaned it almost absentmindedly his hands moving without thought as they knew the process by heart. His companion was a little more agitated pacing back and forth her entire figure screaming of worry as she mumbled to herself under her breath. The Trandoshan looked up from the table at her and called out to her shaking his head. "You know girl, pacing about like that isn't helping."

The Twi'lek turned her head toward the old lizard stopping in her tracks and she responded. "I'm not pacing, I'm just thinking, and worrying! But mostly thinking!" She muttered before she continued to pace the length of the private room, seemingly not noticing as the lizard rolled his eyes at her.

"Yes, and I'm the Queen of Naboo." He muttered sarcastically as a clawed hand tightened a screw on the trigger release. "They are going to show up, trust me."

"Really? Isn't that what you said about the last three groups? All of which backed down as soon as they realized how idiotic and suicidal this was?" The women responded as she completed another circuit around the room in her pacing.

"Nerfherders, All of them!" The old one replied reattaching the main cycling feed as he did. "I've got a good feeling about these ones, and beside who doesn't want to kill a few Imperials and get paid to do it?"

"Don't say that out loud! You don't know if they are monitoring this room!" The Twi'lek protested as she made another lap around the rooms outer edge. Her hands always at her blasters and never leaving them, just waiting for another group of imperial agents to bust down the door.

"Oh yes the Imperials are monitoring every poodoo invested hive in the damn undercity!" He muttered as he reached out for her as she came around once more his hand grabbing her arm as he roughly yanked her down into the chair next to him. Not waiting for the complaint to come he quickly pushed his drink over to her and shoved it into her hands. "Now drink and calm down girly."

She started to talk for a moment before finally giving up and sighing taking a huge swig of the lizard's drink. It tasted like hot fire as it ran down her throat, filling her insides with a peculiar warmth. "... You really think they are going to show up this time?"

"Yes."

"Do you think they were all able to decode the message?"

"Yes."

"Will they be able to find the right room?"

"Yes."

"Is this really all going to be worth it?"

"... I can't answer that one yet."

And so that is how our tale starts, with two individuals among the seedy underbelly of a living city. Soon the room would be filled with others as they found there way to the designated meeting place. It would be here that a band of thugs and misfits became something resembling a team, a family. It would be in that bar that the rebellion on Coruscant would make its first foothold.
~ Jedi Archivist Melanah Haerch

[Xenonia]

Urgop gave a kick to the PLNK droid as he walked. That he was being forced to take the IMPERIAL SPY robot to this rendezvous was bad enough, but the fact that it wouldn't stop trying to tell him about it's day was far worse. "And so then I said, 'I think what you need is a replacement for your thermal exhaust valve', but he wouldn'--" he gave it another kick. If this was a sign of things to come... Urgop shuddered, the thought rolling around in his head.

After a few more brain-cell killing minutes, the pair had reached their destination: the run down and dingy bar known as 'The Royal Bantha'. Urgop reached into the sack hanging from his back, pulling a powerpack bomb from within. He set the timer for three hours, and concealed it amongst some rubbish at the entrance. If he wasn't out in time to defuse it... Well, then it would mean the site had been compromised, and that the detonation would do more bad than good.

"Oh neat, this is the meeting place for that rebe--" another swift kick shut Plasters up. "Yes, this is the place. Foolish spy droid." Urgop did not like speaking out loud, but he had to make sure the droid STAYED quiet. Moving inside, he made his way past several seedy figures. An angry looking wookiee, at least two Deathstick addicts high out of their skulls, and... There, the backroom that matched the description he had been given. Looking around with a paranoid gaze, he hurried in to see a Twi'lek and a Trandoshan chatting casually. Urgop stared for a moment, hoping to be sure these were the ones who hired him. His silent staring was interrupted, however, by another outburst from Plasters. "Are you the rebels?"

[Azereiah]

A fairly tall young man was sitting at the bar in the front room of the Royal Bantha, sipping a glass of Gralish liqueur, amazed that such a low class bar would have such a rare drink. At first glance, he didn't look like someone who belonged there - too fancy for a dive like that. Purple dress tunic, black Lashaa silk waistcoat, matching black pants, monocle. He pulled a small PDA out of his pocket and checked the time, then quickly finished his drink and stood up. One minute past schedule - or, perfect timing, by his standards. He liked being slightly late - it gave him a slight edge in judging his company's characters.

He grabbed his coat and started walking towards the back rooms, keeping his eyes out for anybody who might try to pull a weapon on him, and keeping his hand on his own vibrodagger. He knocked on the door mentioned in the message with the other hand, loosening his dagger in its sheath a little bit more, then pushed the door open and stepped in.

A motley band of mismatched figures all were present - along with a droid. Clearly the group he intended to work with. He took a short bow before introducing himself with a smile.

"Ah, hello there. Arimax Lispat at your service."

[Heat]

A Zabrak woman moved out of an alley beside the bar, her eyes scanning the area as she moved towards the entrance, a blaster slung noticeably on the belt of her jumpsuit. Vixai slid through the entrance, right before a group of humans moved inside. She sighed as she entered, remembering how much she truly hated places like this, too loud, too crowded, too many unnecesarily angry and shady beings trying to forget their lives through alcohol. She had never been a fan of the stuff, it messed with her work too much, she always needed to have her eyes open and on the prize.

As she glanced around the establishment she noticed two shady characters looking at her menicingly, she calmly moved her hand towards her belt and tapped the butt of her blaster. They would be foolish to try anything anyway, but it never hurt to let others know that you weren't a pushover ready to be jumped and taken who knows where. The two wisely looked away as Vixai walked towards the backrooms.

She was nervous about meeting the others, but she couldn't let that show, they were all hardened enough to take the job. While she would have rather worked alone, she would try to be friendly with them. Partly avoid getting shot in the back, though again she would never admit that either. The tall Zabrak girl found the door which would lead to the others, she carefully opened it after a deep breath.

"Um, hi, I'm Vixai." She said, in her usual quiet tone of speaking to the others as she entered the room, hoping she wasn't disturbing anything.

[Xtreme]

A heartbeat. That’s all he needed. March had spent years honing his talents with a gun but he had also trained his senses, being a hunter, senses were key. March had learned to read a heartbeat, even identify his prey from the rhythm of the beats. Walking the downtrodden neon streets of lower Coruscant, he could hear everyone. Those that were lost, those that did not want to be found, those preparing to, those that were and those that had committed terrible, unforgiving acts. A former mentor had once said that March’s intuitive understand of locations and people was something to do with something called the living force, March slashed his throat about a month later; ancient religions and magic tricks didn’t appeal to him. Skill. Training. The Thrill. The Moment. Those are what mattered.

Before his next appointment at the Royal Bantha, March had one last bit of business to take care of. The place was all but empty except for one other patron; a Cerean male sitting in the centre of the room. March took a seat opposite him and the two men sat in silence for at least a minute. “Is it done?” The Cerean asked placing something on the table. March’s dark eyes never moved from the Cerean’s face. “I gave you my word did I not?” The hunter of men responded in kind. “I am a man of my word, Larloq. You will not see Katu Wayn again” The Cerean now identified as Larloq broke his stoney faced façade to breathe a great sigh if relief. “And me? You said you would not let me come to harm at his or his thugs hands” March placed his hand on top of Larloq’s and gave him a subtle smile. “Indeed I did” The Cerean removed his hand, allowing the assassin to pick up the credits that had been beneath it. March stood up and placed the credit card in his pocket. “I gave you my word that you would come under no harm by their hand. I said nothing, about harm under my own” Larloq began to feel a burning sensation in his hand, his throat tightening. “I normally don’t particularly care for what my employers do, however you Lord Larloq, spend your days turning young children into slaves. That is one thing, I cannot abide” Every word March spoke was deliberate, calm and with class. “The poison that I just introduced into your system acts fast, so your death will be quick. Your lungs will close, your blood will boil and eventually your brain will shut down. You have maybe a minute, probably less. Your heartbeat betrays you. Dead men tell no lies, my lord”

The Royal Bantha; March had been here several times over the years and the décor never seemed to change. Maybe the Bantha was stuck in the centre of a black hole and thus time ran different. He didn’t know. The faces always changed but the place remained the same. The invitation to this meet up was all very cloak and dagger, March had always prided himself on his skill in secrecy. Decoding the message he received wasn’t too difficult, though the timing could’ve been better. He had quite a few jobs lined up though this particular one was intriguing. Entering the back room, March took in his surroundings, escape routes, possible hiding places for weapons, this line of work always meant you had to be on your toes. This was an eclectic bunch of ruffians, why on Earth gather such a group? Guess he would find out.

“Hello there”

[knighthawk]

The problem with being a person of passion, is that sometimes passion overrides common sense. One night stands are not an act of common sense, the dangers can be subtle or lethal. But who ever said men had common sense?

"Wait... isnt that a power cell to a blaster?"

The human woman looked over at the nightstand, certain she had put everything important away, as a smirk grew on her face. She was rather attractive, by human standards, with honey gold hair stained greenish by the blue light outside. The same cerulean light matched her eyes as she looked his half clothed form over while she slipped from the burgundy dress.

"Well lets just say what it goes to gives me a big bang...when men like you aren't around" She bit her bottom lip suggestively as she pulled him closer, but now his passion shifted to his profession.

"Thats a blastech cell...thats an imperial cell...thats my cue to go!"

Fighting to keep his clothing on, he ran out into the hall barefoot with his stuff rolled up into his shirt down the hall, clearing past another female human armed with a handful of flowers but with the march of military and outsized him by a speederbike. He kept running to the repulsorlift just in time for the shaved wookie to come flying out the same door he left seconds ago and feared even the transparasteel wouldn't stop the rightfully jealous solider. Fearing the off duty trooper was foing to beat him by taking the stairs, he spent the moment to get dressed and call for his cab to meet him outside the front entrance. The front lobby was his best bet, even if she brought him in the side door, they tend to be open floor for a straight run but some manner of decoration such as furniture or sculpture.

The door chimed and he was off like a track star, thankfully there was only a chair against a wall to the opening stairwell where the Amazon had acquired something into her hands. He didn't care what it was as he made all haste to the metrocab with its doors open like the gates of salvation. She screamed something he didn't doubt was not a fond farewell as he launched the last meters into the armored cab. It seemed she launched something into his metrocab as well and could only look on shocked as it exploded.

***

He emerged some time later in front of the royal bantha still dusting white powder off of him, looking at the inside of his cab lined with fire suppression chemicals he knew he would need to scrub it out later. Eh, hire a droid. He tossed the spent extinguisher into the trash can on the street as he walked inside.

"Circle the block until I get back."

Inside, his empathy came alive, this was as much his home as anywhere else. Then again, he was always at home in crowds. He poured himself like water between and around people like a Kowakian lounge-lizard. He was doing his best to be seen as he stopped at a stall, got fresh with a patron, borrowed a sip off the top off of something...green and made his way into the back room full of various species.

"Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong?"

He took a seat available and looked over to the Trandoshian's assembling gun, brows furrowed as he pulls out something small and cylindrical. He rolled the golden straw across the table to the reptile's claws as a peace offering. "Your gas converter is corroding, I bet you pumped Sig gas through it looking for a better punch, it works if your blaster doesn't blow up. It works even better if you want to make your hold-out into a grenade when you are done with it."

[Apollosarcher]

The soft neon glows illuminated the back alley as Airus trudged through the streets. He turned his head up at the ceiling sighing, Bail had told him off someone trying to start a rebellion here. The moment he had let slip what he was... Well the invite was guaranteed. He missed the soft grass and warm sun of Alderaan, he happy to be blind so didn't have to look upon the disgusting under city. He had never been out on his own before in such a strange place. The whole world was a city and one of made of innumerable people.

As Airus slowly walked forward then stopped sliding through a maintenance hatch proceeding down a short hall. He smiled, on the other side of this wall lay the Jedi temple. Well the ruins of one of the temples at least. Cutting through it he gasped and stepped in, the ruins radiated the Light side of the force. His mind at once felt calm and serene, he sat down and began to meditate as his mind focused in on the force. He searched his feelings and thoughts, then he felt it he opened his senses back up and he could see the ghosts. Hundreds busied themselves around the ruins training, reading, debating.

As if the Temple was teaching him, he slowly got up and followed the Masters watching them work and train. He studied movements and techniques, he realised how he paled in comparison to these hallowed monks. However as he trudged through the old Jedi temple sensed there was something to be found. This had not been the Temple his master had trained in but rather a temple of another age, destroyed in conflict centuries ago. Airus bent and began to sift through the rubble something lay before him, it gave off a presence like no other he had ever felt.

It was a case, force locked and bound with strange and difficult lock, the boy did not have time to ponder the case or infact what it’s contents may have been. He detour at the ruins had made him late for the meeting with the rebels so dusting himself off he carefully placed the cut piece metal back took off for the seedy bar. Many gave him a wide berth as his recently gained bounty hunter status put fear into them. He was Airus Vel Aath the Jedi Knight but to everyone else, He was Gin the bounty hunter and anarchist.

His hand rested on the pistol at his side as he stepped in to the room he turned his head, his helmet moving as if he was looking between them. His rested his head facing the Twi’lek. “Your La right?” He then looked at the others before taking a seat beside her and the Trandoshan friend. He turned and whispered to La. “I’m the Jedi you were told about.” He told the rebel as he leaned back getting a feel for the group of misfits in front of him.

[Boomrocker]

The man at the bar had tastes that were... less than expensive. He'd been nursing a succession of cheap lomin-ales the entire night. Trickles of the drink had woven their way through his beard, and he had made no effort to remove them.

Clearly the man came from a very warm planet. He was dressed shoulder to toe in very thick clothing. If he were dumped on Hoth, he would probably have been warm enough to go for a stroll. But he was on Coruscant, not Hoth, and the man swaddled up for a walk in the snow had gotten a few strange looks that night.

He checked the chrono above the bar. Huh. The meeting should have started a few minutes ago. Sithspit. He flicked a credit chit on to the table and got up with nary a word. Weaving through batches of people, human and nonhuman alike, he stepped into the backroom where the meeting was occurring.

It didn't appear he was that late. Not all the seats had been filled. So he sat in one.

"Jernigan Corvi. Pilot," he introduced himself. All business.

[Zetsuko]

Keenan headed down the avenue looking for the Royal Bantha, he was forwarded a message about a rebel cell there and after what happened at the spaceport he was willing to join them. while he was largely unnoticed on the walkway his armor was still drawing some attention, so when he finally found the bar he first slipped into a side alley and activated his stealth field generator before heading in.

once he got through the bar he deactivated the generator as he entered, he looked around the room at the others that were already there, he didn't know who the leader was, the message had been forwarded through an unknown third party and didn't contain the identity of the leader of this cell, but did notice another person in Mandalorian armor. he made his way across the room to him and leaned on the wall next to him, "I-i'm Keenan" he said, the Mandalorian's voice betraying his timidness and probably ruining any assumptions made based off is appearance, he spoke quietly enough that only the armored individual and likely the Twi'lek next to him could hear.

[Hexaflexagon]

Sarkh looked up from his position at the table as the rest of the merry band of misfits entered the room. His reptilian eyes sizing them up as his own hands still polished and reinserted parts with a casual grace. Though he did not outwardly show it he was as interested in the group as his companion was for more pragmatic reasons. Sarkh was going to be the one leading them into the field when it was required for as good as a tactician that La was she just didn't have the mind for actual combat. So as his eyes passed by like spotlights they judged and analyzed and in honesty they were not the best group he had ever seen, but they were not the worst either and that was enough for him. The Jedi had him worried though announcing you were suck to a room of strangers was never a smart idea, and it give Sarkh a moment to contemplate how raw the kid actually was. When the Zeltron handed him the piece of the gas converter he looked at it for a moment feeling the smooth metal brush against his hand. Seemingly satisfied he grunted and stowed it away in one of his many pouches contain a variety of ammo and other spare goods. "It looks corroded because the gun is older than you kid. The LS-150 is old and temperamental tech like most weapons my people manage to smash together. A new converter would damage the cyclic interface and eventually force me to scarp the thing. But thanks... I'm sure I can find a use for it." He explained ideally before turning his attention back to his gun.

While Sarkh was keeping it cool and professional, La was trying her very best to remain on the proper side of dignified as a dreadful mixture of regret and excitement came over her as for the first time a group had actually shown up. Going down her checklist it seemed like everyone was there, she cross-referenced was the faces in front of her just to make sure. The group may not of been the most professional of sorts but they all had certain skills that the Twi'lek knew were going to useful in the coming weeks. As the bounty hunter by the name of Keenan entered she finally checked the last boxo off the list and nodded pleased to herself. Looking around her eyes met with Sarkh's looking for any sign of reassurance but all she got was his normal boring face as he gestured with his off hand for her to begin her show. Taking a breath she collected her thoughts and rose up as the anxious side of her mind screamed that this was a bad idea, and her more courageous side was getting hyped and ready to go. Clearing her throat she began to speak in a calm, warm voice that easily hid away any of her worry. "Well that would be everyone, guess it is time for us to start."

"My name is La as some of you may already know and my companion here is Sarkh, one of the most wanted lizards this side of the Kessel run. As most of you already know you have been gathered here today for a very special reason. The Alliance to Restore the Republic has tasked me wtih a mission to strike out against the heart of the Empire here on Coruscant. But this mission can not be done alone and so this is why you have all been asked to come here. You all have a special set of skills that will be valuable to this task and your own grudges against the imperial rule which is why out of hundreds of options you were chosen. I will not lie to any of you and say that this task will be easy, but I don't think any of you came here expecting an easy job." La explained to them all trying to keep it positive, she turned to Sarkh gesturing for him to say something.

Looking up at her from his seated position he rolled his eyes before he spoke. "Girly has already told you my name and I suppose I am going to have to be the one in charge of your welfare in the field. Words of advice? Well, to be frank if you have any reprimands or fear of the idea of dying you better walk out of here now."

"Sarkh!" La declared in a chastising tone as she did want to big dumb lizard to go and scare away the only group that had actually showed up.

"What? I'm not going to go around and hide the fact. To go against the Imperial Security Bureau on there own turf is practically asking for a massacare. Not that I mind, I just don't want some kid shitting his pants and forgetting how to fire a blaster as soon as things go south. A perfectly reasonable request don't you think." Sarkh responded as La let out a sigh conceding the point to him. He was right of course what they were being asked to do was basically a suicide mission or wose and having everybody on board with the idea was probably the best way to start. La looked back towards the group with a simple shrug of her shoulders before she spoke.

"He does have a point I suppose. So I guess I will get this out of the way before we progress any further. If any of you want to step out now while it is not too late, you may." She explained making a sweeping gesture with her hand opening the floor to anyone that would want to voice their opinion.

[Azereiah]

Arimax, who had been leaning against the wall near the door the entire time, checked the time on his PDA. The room had been silent for several uncomfortable minutes. Well, then, he thought. Might as well try to liven it up in here a little bit.

He stood up in front of the group, smiling thinly as he spoke to the jumbled mess of mercenaries and true rebels before him.

"Many of you arrived after me, so I'll just introduce myself again. I am Arimax Lispat, of Coruscant. I have every reason to believe that everyone in here is trustworthy - at least, as long as the money is good and nobody's family gets captured or anything silly like that. I, myself, am here because the Empire is in the way of progress. They need to be removed for the sake of both science and prosperity."

He looked around the room for the others' reactions before continuing in a slightly more serious tone.

"Nobody has left the room, so I assume we're all ready for the next step... What is the first thing we need to do to disrupt the Empire's operations on Coruscant?"

[knighthawk]

Renga tried to hide his surprise that the lizard schooled him so hard, but he failed. So he covered the lower half of his face with his left hand and nodded sagaciously as he took a seat and listened to the buildup. The promise of death did make him pale in pink to pastels, but he held his reserve.

"I'm not a warrior, I'm a gun nut who can make you all even better warriors. I bring a job security most of you don't possess and the licenses to carry and operate military firearms. I can't promise you I won't loose my cool staring down a barrel, but I can promise you I'll bow out before I'm a liability to this cause."

[Heat]

Vixai listened to the others speak from a corner of the room, the whole time her eyes scanning the room trying to read the faces of her potential allies. She was not scared of the ominous speak of death, she was a spy, avoiding death was her top skill. The Zabrak didn't really care for the plight of the Alliance, but she would admit that knocking the Empire down a step or offworld entirely was a sweet goal.

"We don't need to attack the Imperials head on. With such a small, focused group here there's other ways." She pipped in her usual quiet tone of voice when the room fell silent. She disliked actually going blaster to blaster with the might of the Empire, they would fail very quickly if that was the method they were going to choose.

[Apollosarcher]

Gin sat silently after whispering to the two leaders who he was there was no way he could back out now, he looked over the others. He spoke up through his helmet speakers after a few moments. "It would be best to tackle Empire propaganda and the gangs on there payroll, after all there's no way they could control the planet lower elements unless there supporting one of the criminal groups." Spoke the man as he leaned back slightly, hands lightly tapping the table. His voice came out calm and clear, a little robotic but that was probably the helmet. The strange thing was he didn't seem to even look at people when he spoke.

Gin could sense the other's emotion's, no it was better to say he could see it. Nervousness seemed to dwell in all of them in someway on this matter, even in La. He decided he would investigate what he'd found and opened the little cube case he'd found in the temple before. He almost gasped at the sight of it as he quickly shut it and placed it back on his belt. A holocron, a Jedi holocron. These were almost impossible to find anymore and could teach hidden force powers or lightsaber techniques. He could study it later right now he should pay attention to the meeting still he was excited to see what lay within this piece of history.