Chute Town, Kordath still wasn’t sure how he felt about the place. Part of him knew it was just a scum filled hanger on a ship that had seen better days. But to be fair, he was fine with scum. He wandered through the stalls of Murder Alley, eyes roving across the shops and the people, though trying not to linger on the latter. He wasn’t here to start a fight. He wasn’t sure what he was there for, only that he’d gotten an unsigned message about a meeting. Stepping to the side to let a group of particularly rough looking pirates by, he scratched his head and sighed.
“Who tha hell called me here, anyway? Why’d I bleedin’ come out here? Coulda stayed home with Zuji and taken a day off,” he grumbled. He jumped in surprise as a Force presence seemed to pop into existence next to him as a shimmer in the air resolved itself. “Kark me!”
“Not with that attitude,” stated the crimson-skinned Togruta woman that had appeared next to him.Yellow and black eyes, speaking of corruption drilled into him for a moment, before sliding away in embarrassment. “Sorry, umm, you mentioned Zujenia, that’s kind of why I called you here.”
Kordath fought the urge to drop a flash grenade in the marketplace and tried to calm down. Memories of meeting this woman before flashed through his mind. They’d run into one another prior to the kark-up that was Nancora, looking for the then missing Pravus. She’d ambushed him, despite their Clan’s being allied at the time.
“Uhh…”
“Tahiri,” she spoke, placing a hand over her armored chest, looking awkward again. “Look, okay, I’m sorry about the last time we met. The first time, okay? There was a lot going on, and, umm.”
When she trailed off the Ryn sighed and gave her a weak grin, “And ya had no reason ta believe me when I said was from Arcona, and a friend, right?”
“Exactly. All that was going on, the Inquisitorius, how was I to know?” It was incredible to him, to see a woman steeped in the corruption of the Dark Side to look sheepish.
He turned the situation over in his mind a few times before extending a hand, and a lopsided smiled.
“No worries, luv, these things happen, eh?” She gingerly took his hand, which he gave a half bow over, taking a moment to let his downcast eyes rove from boot to montrals as he rose. He’d remembered her the moment she popped into existence, black, form-fitting armor and decked out with weapons. “Ya know, I do recall offerin’ ta buy ya few drinks our last encounter,” he murmured, just loud enough to be heard over the market street’s din.
“Zujenia,” she stated, firmly.
“Eh?” The Ryn felt his ears warm up in embarrassment, his tail flicking behind him. “Oh, yeah, ya made it sound like ya knew her…”
Tahiri pulled her hand away, the Togruta placing it behind her back in a gesture of either discomfort or flirtation, he wasn’t sure yet.
“Yeah, umm, we only met briefly but I liked her. She’s got spirit, and well, I did some checking in and found out you two were a thing. So I admire her a bit, I guess, and want to apologize to you for the whole misunderstanding, right?”
“Okay…” Kordath tried to keep his thoughts orderly, shying away from what he thought was the best way for the lithe woman to accomplish her goals. She was still really, really well armed.
Tahiri turned in a slow circle, gesturing with her hands at Murder Alley. Not that the Ryn caught what she was doing, instead he was coughing and trying to maintain eye contact.
“So, I thought you could help me find her a gift. A ‘sorry I tried to maim your beau’ sort of thing.”
“Ya called me here...ta help ya shop...fer my fiancé?”
She nodded, “Yup. And I even promise not to pull my swords out around you, unless somebody here messes with us.”
He considered. She looked genuine, for a Sith. And she seemed far better company when she wasn’t trying to cut him to pieces.
“Uh, fair enough, why not? I’m sure she could use a new staff or somethin’ from tha Alley, yeah.”
Tahiri gave him a surprisingly bright smile, causing the Ryn to swallow his words.
Behave, Bleu, think of Zuji.
“Great! I spotted a shop down this way, comeon.”
The Togruta turned and started walking down one of the side passages, and the Arconan rushed to keep up, tail flicking in anticipation. Of what, he wasn’t sure yet, but he was never one to keep a woman dressed like that waiting. He barely saw the small cadre of pirates stepping out of a stall before he barreled into them, focused as he was on pursuing the woman in assassin’s armor.
“Uh, sorry, mates, a wee bit distracted,” he stated, patting the lead pirate’s coat down as if to straighten it.
“Check yer credit purse, Bardo, bloody Ryns are pickpockets and thieves,” crowed one of them.
Well grand, thought Kord, trying to nonchalantly back away. That a wallet had fallen out of the man’s coat and into his hand wasn’t really his fault, but it was looking to be a possibly expensive day. Shoving his hands into his own coat pockets, he gave them a grin and backed up further, tail alerting him when he’d reached the other side of the narrow alley. “Now comeon, lads, do nae be givin’ credit ta speciest stereotypes, yeah?”
“Hey, my wallet's gone!”
Sithspit
