Thalo Aah'valia looked at his opponent nervously. He was in deep debt to the Hutts and was counting on this game of Pazaak to win the money needed to repay his dues. Which ironically is where from gambling in the first place, where he claims he was cheated.
His opponent, a Trandoshan, laid down a blue +4 adding to his total to reach 16. He smirked and muttered something, most likely vile in his native language. Thalo, wet with sweat from his brow pulled a card from his side deck. Not wanting to look at first, he opened his eye to see a plus/minus +5. He yelled in amazement as he slammed it down, bringing his total to 19. The Trandoshan would surely bust or outstand his total. Sure enough he stood up and threw down his creds and snapped his decks up, glaring at Thalo. The patron looked at him and straightens his reptilian body. Thalo stood up, shadowed by the size of the now grimacing and very angry alien. He whelped as he was lifted up 3 feet off the cantinas cold floor. Thalo pulled at the moist claws that were wrapped tightly around his neck, it reminded him of wet concrete. Great, he thought. He won all the money needed in a single match but wouldn't see the end of the night thanks to this hulking alien. "You stupid son of mynock." The Reptile grunted in poor Galactic Basic. "I turn you to Bantha Fodder." A barrel of a blaster entered Thalo view. To his surprise it wasn't towards him, but to the temple of his foe. "I suggest to lower him before they barkeep has to clean up your tattered remains, you imbecile", said a man out of Thalo's view. The voice sounded heavy, making the gravity around the words fall to the ground. The Trandoshan's expression went from anger to complete panic. He dropped Thalo to the ground like a sack of ion batteries. "I no want problems with ssssith." "Good because I would hate to waste energy striking you down, now get out of here." The Trandoshan turned and ran to the exits on the other side of the Cantina. Thalo grasped for air as he held his neck. He rubbed it furiously somehow thinking it would help or make the blurriness leave his eyes. He struggled to stand, throwing his arm on the Pazaak table to give assistance.
"Who are you guys?" he coughed. "I owe you money too?" The two dark figured where already on their way towards the exit. "Hey!" Thalo tried to yell, choking while trying to get air. The figured didn't stop walking. Thalo started to pursue them, gaining speed between his staggering movement. He grabbed the shoulder of the smaller of the two and spun it around. Just as quick as it spun around was Thalo back on the ground, a well placed hit to the temple made him crumble to ground. "I'm going to kill you" said a surprisingly female voice. "Make it quick Alora; we haven't the time to be messing with these fools." "Yes Master" she said with great irritation. She pulled a vibrosword out from a sheath hidden from sight. The glint from the blade crossed Thalo's face. He's been in situations similar. He rolled to the side and dodged the stab that would have pasted clean through him. In mid roll he pulled his trusty Mandalorian heavy blasters, he got from his Father when he started going off on his own. He could barely use them back when he received them, shooting like a moisture farmer drunk on juma juice. By this time he was able to singe the hairs off annoying Dust mote's that decided they would pick a fight. The girl stopped in stepped back. "Alora, your boring me with this trivial event!" Yelled the tall thin man she called Master. She thrusted forward faster than Thalo thought humanly possible. Her blade cut at his arms, making him fire a shot into the ceiling. She immediately sliced backwards making an arc headed straight for his face. Thalo flinched, thinking it was all over. That his world was finally ending. And he hasn't even gotten his own ship. A sound of energy burst out in a wave of red. The sound of sparking metal ruptured through Thalo's ears. He opened one eye to see a beam of red blocking the blade from destroying him.
"Stand down Alora; I sense something about this one." The Master spat out. "Stand, now!" "You scoundrel." Thalo stood again. The entire bar stood and was looking at him now. Laughing and some even moving back, scared that a stray blaster bolt would head their way. Alora took a step back and swung her sword in a flourish, then sheathed it. The master withdrew his blade, making a sound similar to hot metal being dipped in water. "Was your parents Jedi or Sith, boy?" Thalo was thrown off by the question. No one ever asked about his parents. His father was a mercenary that settled down after years of being a common thug. His mother was never around. His father said she left for another system when he was younger, leaving him with his Father and Uncle to raise him on a small area of apartments. He heard about the Jedi and Sith from some of the Spacers that came through the small Diner that his uncle owned. They said there mysterious religious group that are able to kill people with their minds and have special weapons that cut through anything.
Thalo always thought they were just spacer stories like angels and monster that ate smugglers ships. "I...I-I don't know." He muttered, choking up thinking about his uncle passing. "What's it to you anyway?" "You are strong with the force, I can feel it. Like a beast caged, or a slave shackled. You're bound by your blindness to it. It's imitating from your body." The Master stated. "You are to come with me, at once." Thalo placed his hands on his now holstered blasters. "I'm not going anywhere with you guys, She just tried to kill me and you was going to watch!" his voice getting more furious with each word. "Listen here boy; I have a place where you can go. Where you can learn to be what you were intended to be. To unlock your puny potential." The Master said with distaste. "But Master, He's clearly too old to be trained, and on top of that he just some weakling that plays at a Pazaak den for his next meal. I bet-" "Silence Alora!, you will learn to listen to me when I speak, If I say something is to be done. It is to be done." "Yes, Master, sorry Master." "Don't pity me with these words of weakness now!" He yelled. This way. He turned and Alora followed. They continued walking in the same fashion as before.
Thalo was slightly unsettled but he turned and walked towards the bar and sit down. Most of the bar had resumed drinking and chatting. The band was back to playing their crappy music, the dancers were dancing the same ole routine. Everything was normal again. "Give me a hit of Juma, and keep them coming." Thalo told the bartender. He grabbed his cup and turned around to look at the dancers, about then a good-looking female came in. She wore barely anything but a robe, she had long black hair and eyes a gold-ish yellow color. She walked up to the bar beside Thalo and ordered a drink. Thalo turned around to face her. Smirking he asked "What is a pretty lil thing like you doing in a bad place like this?" She blushed, grabbed her drink and proceeded to walk to a table in the corner. She set down and patted the seat next to her. Thalo straightened up and popped his jacket. He slid into the seat next to her. "I saw how you handled yourself against those Sith." She whispered. He puffed his chest out a bit, "Yeah, showed them whose boss around here." He said proudly. She giggled then returned to a seductive state "Such a strong man, a woman could use some protection in a place like this." Thalo's mind was racing, thinking about his luck tonight. He thought he should hit up the betting ring on the Swoop Races. "Yeah, you sure could. Want to, ah, head back to my place. I have a decently stocked room with a nice view of the sector." He said, hoping for a yes. "I'd love that" she replied. " But first could you get me another drink, I love this Tarisian Ale." She lifted her lopsided glass almost dropping it. "Sure thing babe." He stood up and approached the bar. "A hit of Tarisian Ale." He demanded, feeling power in his words. He turned and swiped the cup up into his hands. He returned and took a drink of his Juma. She sipped on her drink then stood and waited on him. He grabbed her by the side and started walking towards the exit. "Do you think I could stop at my place first, and grab some things." She asked with a puppy dog face. "Sure thing love, where do you stay?" Thalo asked. "I'm just passing through, I have a ship at the northwest docks." She slurred. "Really now?" Thalo asked, amazed that his girl was a spacer.
He pushed aside people from the crowd as they made their way to the corridor that headed to the docks. When they arrived she pulled a keycard from who knows where and slapped it on the reader next to the door. The door light turned green and she dropped the keycard. She bent over provocatively, allowing Thalo to almost "view the loading ramp" so to say. He blushed, but quickly recovered his manly stature. She turned and smiled, and started walking down towards the end of the docking platforms. They entered the airlock and at the corner of the Ship stood a tall man dressed in black. It was the Master. Thalo Turned to see the girl reach into a footlocker and grab the black cloak and armor she wore earlier when trying to kill him. She turned and rolled her eyes, clearly not wasted a bit. "You filthy schutta!" He yelled. "I…I-I…..I-…..I- should." "Good night you fool" she whispered as he fell to the ground. "Drugged him aye?" asked the Master. "Of course, last thing we want it this buffoon waking while we are on our way back to the Academy. I also want to get some sleepy while we are on the way, and that would prove impossible if he realized he's been taken. No doubt he would yell his lungs out." She stated as she pressed a button on her belt. Pulling two neural pacifiers to place on his head and hands. Then out of the ship came two men in black robes came and grabbed Thalo by the arms and dragged him up the ramp, followed by Alora. Then the Master who turned to check for any witnesses, when he saw none he turned sharply so his cape flourishes in haste to follow the movements of its wearers figure. And the 4 Ion engines roared to life as the ramp closed. And the ship headed off the platform past the skyscrapers and industrial buildings of Humbarine behind them.