Author's note: Thief Beats was the first song for the character of Mev in our homemade soundtrack for the game, and that is where the name of this chapter comes from. Also, a "fence" is someone who tips off professional burglars to where the best jobs may be found. Now back to your regularly scheduled story, before I give away too much!
Chapter 3: Thief Beats
The sunsets on Ord Mantell aren't an impressive sight to a being born and bred on desert planet of Farrfin. And for someone like Mevrrir, raised in the capital of Corralas on the coast of a warm, shallow sea, it was damn near insulting. He ordered another drink to forget the spectacular visage of his homeworld's twilight over sandy beaches. No use looking back when one can look forward to a profitable evening.
Sheela, his favorite buxom human waitress at the Lazy Lady, poured him another glass of smooth green Chandrillian Verdan liquor. She leaned particularly low, allowing the Farghul a glimpse of her ample assets via a low, loose silk blouse. Another pleasant distraction, but a bit too distracting. Tonight would not be the evening he wooed Sheela, as she had been hoping; there was work to be done. Work Mev did well.
The girl, disappointed with his lack of attention, shook her raven curls and wandered off to find a more receptive patron, and Mev was left to gaze out the large picture window as the city of Ortarri came alive. The explosion of neon signs that erupted across the casino district with the first hints of night's shadow was far more impressive and enticing than the sunset could ever be. Across the street from the café, Arogo's Hall of Heaven, one of the more respectable brothels, was opening its doors to reveal a hallway scattered with plush cushions and exotic beauties. Next door, the garish blue and yellow Card Shack would be drawing in its usual influx of witless gamblers. As far as the eye could see on either side of the wide avenue, similar havens for the debauched and the lucky were welcoming in their flocks. The shades of evening crept into the streets, only to be splattered with a myriad of rainbows thrown in across the cobblestone in the wanton abandon of Ortarri waking up.
The farghul thief stood up with all the languid grace of his leonine species, amused by the frustrated sigh it provoked from Sheela across the room. Quite a number of humanoid women found the golden, cat-like Mev appealing in an exotic fashion, but he had yet to find any girl who could compare to the exhilaration of his "profession". Stalking the nights in search of baubles to lift had become his first love. And tonight offered some rare fare for his discerning tastes.
His favored fence, a Bothan with the moniker of "Smoke" whom he'd known from his days with their infamous Spy Net, had tipped him off to the hotel room of a Chiss diplomat who'd just come in this afternoon. Rumor had it that this was the gent who had the local organized crime worried. The Chiss had an eye to expand business to Ord Mantell, and where they went, they monopolized. According to his fence, the fellow was fresh out of school and related to some higher up noble houses on Csilla. The potential combination of rich and naïve was too good to resist.
Tipping the bartender and heading out into the arid evening, Mev found that his luck tonight just kept getting better. Strolling down the street across from him, sticking out like a sore thumb, was a handsome young Chiss noble, his traditional nagai bodyguard, and a fetching twi'lek girl, presumably his companion. Mev's eyes trailed along the young woman's sleek outline and fine skin like blue porcelain before he reminded himself of the extra opportunity that this presented.
"Well, well, my red-eyed friend, that's two strikes against you. You've got a fat wallet in your pocket and a beautiful woman on your arm. Before the night is over, I'll relieve you of at least one of them!"
He allowed them to merge with the thickening throngs on the street for a few moments, then waded in after them.
"We seem to have attracted a shadow, my lord"
Taru's black eyed gaze held Von's own, but her head tilted ever so slightly to indicate the crowds behind them. Von didn't need to glance back to guess which one of the prospectives he had "invited" to meet him had found them already. He suspected it was the professional burglar from Farrfin padding slowly nearer on silent, furry feet. Excellent.
"Observant fellow, and ambitious; those are traits I respect in a future employee," he murmured, "I just tipped them off to the hotel room, and he's spotted me in the crowd and decided to up the ante. No wonder the Bothan spoke highly of him."
"How do you always know?" Taru inquired with a crooked smile. "You haven't even seen him, yet you know which one it is."
"Call it a keen eye for business, Taru," Von permitted a guarded grin to his trusted protector. "Shall we meet our new friend?"
Lain Tee was just drinking in the joy of returning to mainstream civilization when Von called her out of her reverie. Csilla was so dull in comparison to the rocket bright skyline of a city where people actually knew how to party. And whereas on Coruscant she would have had to have an entire squad of bodyguards, out here she could enjoy total anonymity. Word of the concert had spread, and she had already spotted two or three ladies of the night posing as "Lain Tee" look-a-likes. None but Prometheus himself knew yet that her mysterious benefactor and the arriving Chiss lord were one and the same, and few in their right minds would even dream she would walk the streets of Ortarri. That's what made it so brilliant. Von's instructions pleased her even more.
"This looks like a rather nice jewelry shop. Why don't you take Taru and see if you can find something that suits you?"
And it did look like a nice jewelry shop, now that she bothered to pay attention to the wonderland that seemed to materialize to their left. Simple, elegant off-white storefront, glass windows so clean you'd barely know they were there, and a neatly glowing sign that read The Treasury. Even better, behind those all but invisible windows lie a tasteful smattering of the shop's wares; burning red Kel-Dor rubies, space-black obsidian earrings from the realms of the Sith, bands of Alderanean white gold, and a wide selection of the fine, opalescent jadeite from the moons of Eota.
Ignoring the pained look from Von's nagai servant as the Chiss lord casually handed out a few hundred-worth dactari slips, she practically danced through the door on her light feet, blue head-tails swinging in excitement.
Yup, naïve as all hell. Mev watched from a shaded, inconspicuous location in a nearby alley as the Chiss dismissed his companions into the shop. Not only had he separated himself from his clever-eyed bodyguard, who Mev feared might have spotted him trailing them a while back, but he had so courteously shown the prowler that he was carrying hard cash as well as cards. Well, not for long. Mev crept closer.
"My word, if it isn't the famous Lain Tee Eyan. Those gems aren't nearly a match for your lovely eyes."
Lain Tee whirled away from the jewelry case she had been so looking forward to examining in depth. While the flattery falling from the gentle male voice somewhat mollified her, she would still have to shut him up before the whole store knew who she was.
"You are too kind, my dear sir," though her tone was low and hushed, she turned on the beam of his smile as she moved to face him, "and I would be only too happy to give you an autograph; I just request that you keep your voice down as I am traveling incog- Rik!"
Recognizing the handsome Zeltron as a former co-star, she flung her arms around him and ruffled his rakishly cut purple hair. Once they released from the embrace, he held at arms length and took a good look at her with round, golden eyes that still made her halfway melt.
"Incognito, huh? Shoulda known it was me, baby. After the pictures we did, I'll always know that cute little-"
"Rik!" she cut him off with a slim finger to his lips, glancing nervously around, "you know I don't talk about those anymore. They were at a tricky junction in my career, and now I'd like to be taken seriously as an actress."
"I'm hurt!" Rik put one hand to the breast of his white silk suit and another across his pale forehead melodramatically. "I thought we had something special!"
Lain Tee smiled fondly. Same roguish charm as always. But it was time to change the subject before the flamboyant zeltron embarrassed her.
"So, you said those gems don't suit me; perhaps you can help me find some that do. And what brings you to Ord?"
"Done and done!"
Rik led her over to a large impressive cabinet filled with what was obviously the premiere selection of the entire store. Lain Tee found an oval jadeite pendant of thrilling luster, framed in a thin layer of Alderanean white gold and a accompanied by matching earrings and a ring! She hoped Von wouldn't mind the extra splurge.
"As to why I'm here, at least here in this jewelry store" Rik explained once he was able to steal Lain Tee's attention back from the shining wares, "look right over there."
He pointed discreetly across the shop to another patron, a stunning crimson skinned woman with cascading waves of jet black hair. Though more sensibly dressed than her dark kind, in a high necked grey gown, she was obviously a Sith. Lain Tee wasn't surprised. Pure blooded Massassi were rumored to be interesting and talented lovers, and Rik always prided himself on choosing the best of the best as his ladies.
"High born beauty, a senator, no less," he bragged, "but you know these noblewomen, they always want you to wine and dine them. So I'm letting her pick out a little present before our enchanting evening," the cheerful swagger then left his voice, and he leveled serious eyes on Lain Tee, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She's one of the better ones of her grasping Empire, make no mistake about that."
"Look, word on the street is that you're putting on a concert. I'd leave it at that, if I were you, and make your visit to Ord Mantell as brief as possible. I'm privy to a bit of information, and it says that Lord Prometheus isn't dealing well with his darkside neighbors, and there is an aggressive contingent fixing to make quite a few . . . changes . . ."
"Rik?" a rich voice from the other end of the store interrupted him. It was the sith woman "I've chosen."
"Remember what I said," Rik's eyes locked onto Lain Tee's one last time; then he turned them back to his paramour and trotted off. "At your service, my lady; now let us see what gem for a gem you have decided upon . . ."
Lain Tee wrestled with the disturbing sense of fear Rik's words had set within her. Then, her thoughts were drawn back to the jadeites in the cabinet, and the eager Mon Calamari saleswoman headed her way. Why worry about things she didn't understand to begin with? She called out to Taru to come and make the purchase, and pushed any uncomfortable thoughts from her mind.
It only occurred to her fleetingly that Rik never did tell her his reasons for being on the planet . . .
The Chiss was standing leisurely out of the path of traffic, one hand a pocket of his crisp white trousers (though luckily not the pocket from which he had pulled the wad of cash), and the other leaning against the wall of the store. His back was to Mev, and the whole of his posture was practically begging for a pocket pinching. Poor chap. Oh well, this is a lesson to the country bumpkins of the universe to be more careful traveling rich in strange places. This way, my blue friend, Mev thought with a silent snicker, we'll both walk away richer, for hard won knowledge is priceless.
He slunk out of the alleyway behind two brawny Trandoshans, careful to keep his mark in sight. It would be an easy job, slip in and out, fade into the crowd, and it might be hours before the bloke noticed anything was gone. Too bad that sweet little twi'lek was gonna go hungry tonight. Maybe he'd find her tomorrow and invite her out. After all, he did know where she was staying.
Sliding out from behind the Trandoshans as they passed, Mev went in for the score.
"You know, a man with your skills could make much more than my meager wallet."
Mev stood stock still, his hand inches from the Chiss's pocket. He gulped.
"Very good job, my friend. Not as out of sorts here as I had thought. Now, I'll just be on my way-"
"To my hotel this evening, to burglarize it," the Chiss still hadn't turned around. He was obviously confident that Mev would do just what he was doing right now, standing frozen to the spot and utterly perplexed. Did Smoke set him up? Why? And most importantly, how much chance did he have of bolting? If the Chiss was good enough to hear him creeping up, he was probably good enough to pull an until-now hidden blaster on him before he got five meters. Was he a cop?
To make matters worse, the nagai bodyguard had come out of the shop. When she saw the confused look on Mev's face,which he knew madehim look surprisingly and amusingly kittenish, she cracked a grin he would have found quite attractive under normal circumstances.
"So you've found him, I see."
"He found me, actually; just what I expected from such marvelous skills."
"Um . . . thanks . . .," Mev responded sheepishly. The Chiss remained facing away from him, imperturbably calm.
"Did Lain Tee find what she was looking for?"
The nagai girl rolled her eyes. "Yes."
Just then, the twi'lek came out, looking even lovelier than before with a glittering new necklace, twin earrings on her little nubs of ears, and sporting a matching ring. She took one look at him and squealed with delight.
"Boss, can we keep him? I've always wanted a kitty. Though" She put a hand to her chin, and a lusty gleam enter her eyes, which were perfectly paired to her new green jewels, "now that I look at him . . . maybe I want a companion, not a pet. He is very handsome."
"Calm yourself, Lain Tee," came the sibilant voice of the Chiss, "you'll make our new friend nervous."
While "nervous" wasn't the proper term for it, and ending up as Miss Lain Tee's companion was definitely not a fate worse than death, Mev still wanted to know what was going on. The Chiss finally faced him, and he could see that thinking this man was anywhere near the definition of "naïve" was a very big mistake. The cold fire of cherry red Chiss eyes stared out of a cunning, chiseled face.
"Your fence didn't set you up, Mevrrir; on the contrary, he's put you in the position for the greatest offer you might ever receive. My name is Karn-fal Von Lormac, and I have a business proposition for you."