"Ok so you're clear on the play right?" The light shined though the gap in the elevator as it slowly ticked up. Gacen didn't answer for a couple seconds, he could feel the pit in his stomach getting more intense with every floor they passed

"yeah totally we play dumb and get as much information from them as we can, then we can consider their offer, if it helps us find Risha" when Gacen had called up the contact he was only given a location, It all felt very shady and he couldn't tell if that was a good or bad sign. He didn't really trust any of this but they had information on the Drayens and as far as Gacen was aware there was just Risha and him left.

"and?" they had formed a plan which Gacen had tried his best to learn, he was better at making it up as he went along but this information was too important so Ash had been put in charge of keeping him in check

"and I won't fly off the handle with some crazy scheme that will make our intentions clear" Gacen had never been one for subtly, that could be due to his usual mild intoxication but hell if he knew. "and you're gonna try and read them? like see true intentions or something"

Ash sighed "sort of, I'm going to try and apply my interrogation training to read subtle tells they may have. I have no idea if it will work though" Gacen didn't even know what a tell was let alone how to detect one. Ash turned to Gacen with a concerned look on her face "hey Gacen"

"yeah?" oh god that's the pity voice he didn't want to get real right now

"are you ok? we don't have to do this if you don't want to" oh that was actually alright. Gacen definitely felt very nervous about all of this but Ash was right it was better to try and fail than leave it as a what if

"yeah I'm alright, I… wanna do this it's uh just a lot" god that sounded stupid "you know?"

Ash let out a half smile "yeah well I'm here to help regardless alright" Ash was sweet, she definitely had a rough exterior though, when Gacen first tried to shake her hand he ended up in a headlock but underneath all that she was pretty cool.

"thanks Ash and don't worry I can always find my way out of trouble" he grinned hopefully that relieved tension. Ash had hid it pretty well but she also seemed nervous about this, guess it was a step up from smuggling and bar fights.

An awkward silence fell over the elevator as it continued to rise, what were they going to find? it couldn't be Risha right that'd be crazy. What else though? old enemies? people from Dubrillion? Voidwolf people? no that was crazy right. He checked the elevator floor, 157, 158, 159, 160 god this was hell, every second he was in this elevator he wanted to just jump out but he couldn't. He could totally run away go to the Nar Shaddaa undercity change his name, sell like droid parts he could be great at that, then work his way up until he was a factory manager maybe that'd be more fun than smuggling.

"GACEN" suddenly he snapped out of his weird worker daydream

"huh wha-what is it" Ash was staring at him with her signature frown

Ash pointed to the doors "the elevators here dingus" sure enough the door was open and he could see a corridor made of sleek shiny marble walls leading to a door of equal ridiculousness.

"geez this place has more blinding white colours than hoth, do you think a wampa lives here" Gacen chuckled to himself as Ash strode forward without a word, she totally thought it was funny she was just being cool. Ash strode up to the door and began looking around next to it

Ash began feeling the wall at intervals "um Ash… watcha doin"

Without turning around she said "I'm looking for a doorbell" Gacen frowned confused. He strode up to the door and knocked on it

"why not just knock?" Ash wasn't the most well adjusted person due to her busy past but this, this was a whole new level of detached

"uhhhhhhh becaaause it's…" Gacen raised his eyebrow at her "shut up ok" she stomped up next to him grumpily. They waited for a few more seconds before the doors slid open with an ODX droid standing there

"welcome Captain Gacen Zandar and… guest, my name is C2-J80 and may I ju-" protocol droids bored Gacen

"yeah ok jatey show me to your master if you please" Gacen tapped his foot impatiently

"well I never, very well my master is waiting through this way if you please" the droid led them into a lounge area where they saw a older gentleman mid to late 40s sitting on a big leather couch. He was wearing long red robes with rather flamboyant shoulder pads drinking some form of cocktail

Gacen leaned over to Ash "geez if I ever need a spare traffic cone I'll call this guy" Ash glowered at Gacen and he promptly shut his mouth and jumped down onto a couch opposite the man

"welcome to my establishment Captain Gacen Zandar my name is Jadryl Waltar if you require anything of me please don't hesitate to ask, my staff are at your disposal" he would regret that offer

"ooo well I am a bit hungry if your staff could whip up a Rancor steak with a few light deserts 8 bunches of grapes and a st-owwww" as Ash sat down next to him she pulled on his ear to stop him from speaking

Jadryl chuckled "I'm afraid we don't have any stows." This prick. "A joke I assume" Gacen was only half joking he was starving

"you got me sir, what I'd really like to know is why I'm here" Ash let go of his ear seemingly satisfied with the response

Jadryl sat up putting his drink down "yes well that is more than fair, I represent a part of the government of Dubrillion and this missi-" Gacen had to check this he had been told a lot different

"hold on government? I thought that was a tyrannical dictatorship" Jadryl frowned at him "not that I have a problem with that of course" Gacen looked to Ash for the all good, she was giving him an icy glare

"Your reputation certainly is accurate Captain" was that a good thing? hopefully "As I was saying this mission has been personally requested by King Actavarus III" That fukin douche, he had tried to have Risha killed on multiple occasions, something told him that hadn't stopped.

Gacen put his legs up on the table "and what is the mission pray tell"

"we need you to find Risha Drayen" huh well that worked out "we're aware of your prior relationship with her and think you would have an easier time finding her" oh shit was this a setup, if they knew that this was almost certainly a trap

"um so you know who I am then?" this was bad he looked to Ash who looked equally worried

"yes the rival of the pirate lord Skavak who was in direct affiliation with the woman in question" wait what? they thought she hadn't switched sides? "we thought our goals aligned considering you could take out the last of Skavak's criminal empire" WHAT! THAT WAS HIS EMPIRE not that dick hole Skavak's

"um could I have a quick sidebar with my" he looked at Ash for a title then they answered simultaneously

"Bodyguard"

"Advisor"

Gacen had to salvage it "she advises me on the best bodyguards it's a totally real profession"

Jadryl looked confused "um but of course" Gacen and Ash made their way to a corridor where there didn't seem to be any surveillance

"ok what the fuck why does he think that Skavak had the empire, THAT WAS ME" Gacen was furious even from death that asshole was stealing from him

Ash quickly covered his mouth "keep your voice down they could have cameras and we need to play ou-" Ash removed her hand away from his mouth with a look of disgust on her face "stop licking my hand you Gizka's ass" no one could keep Gacen quiet

"I just don't understand alright what the hell changed" Gacen hadn't seen Skavak in 7 years why the hell was he coming up

"well let's see if Risha wanted to disappear which we have reason to believe, she would want to protect the people close to her" Gacen was confused so Skavak and her were never close

"so?"Ash sighed heavily, holding her face in her hand

"sooo she'd want to erase any affiliation that could lead to people coming after them" what was Ash on about? he continued to frown confused at where Ash was going with this "Gacen I love you man but it's right in front of you. Risha potentially swapped you and Skavaks role round in records to protect you from these guys" the moment of realisation finally hit Gacen

"oh" he stood there lightly shaking "I see"

"yeah" Ash noticed his shaking and held him steady "you know what this means" Ash smiled as she held his shaking form

"tha-that Risha is out there and wanted" he paused for a second "to keep me safe" Ash nodded and Gacen felt a strange sudden impulse came in for a hug

"woah um Gacen wha-what are you doing" he squeezed her tightas he felt his eyes well up "wait are you hugging me so I can't see you crying"

Gacen speech wavered as he spoke "NO", Ash awkwardly hugged him back for a second before letting him go

"alright let's get back in there and get a lead" Ash stood there for a second letting him compose himself

Gacen coughed for a few seconds to 'clear his throat' "once we do can we totally wreck this assholes place" Ash smiled deviously and nodded "hey Jaity I'm gonna need a few Bad Motivators if you please" Gacen called out as they returned to their seat

"right away captain" the droid shuffled out of the room

"sorry about that we were discussing" Gacen paused, gotta think of a lie "business arrangements" nailed it

"I see well are you willing to accept my offer?" Gacen could squeeze more out of this guy without having to agree to anything, what did he think this was his first shady negotiation

"well first of all I'd like to get all the details and maybe an advance cause if I remember correctly Risha can be quite dangerous" Ash gave him a disapproving look, hey he was just making a bit extra money Risha would totally approve

Jadryl picked up a holopad "very well how much are we talking" hehehehe too easy

"well we're going to need at least 3000 credits for equipment and fuel expenses if this is more of a search and less of a go one place and find her, am I correct" Jadryl nodded looking less than pleased "and I'd like 2000 as insurance just in case things don't pan out how much is the actual pay by the way" the drinks arrived as Gacen began to quickly drink his first

"10,000 credits this is an important bounty" damn it he works for a King of course he could pay more stupid Gacen.

Gacen began his second drink "Ok let's get some details so I know what I'm up against" Gacen put his hand in his pocket and primed a smoke grenade

"A few years ago Risha's efforts to retake Dubrillion became worryingly organised so we sent the best bounty hunters we could find to try and bring her down but she outsmarted every one" that's my girl Gacen thought as he began his third drink "we decided to get serious and sent the Champion of the Great Hunt but when she arrived at Risha's last know location there was no sign of her it was like she'd vanished we figured we'd spooked her and thought that ws a win nonetheless" huh not like Rish to get spooked seemed a little odd, he armed a small sticky bomb in his pocket, he began hi fourth drink "but then we noticed in the underworld of Dubrillion there was people who seem to work for her or at least support her in a" he paused "mobilised fashion, we thought she must be still out there taking us down from the shadows so we sent out the bounty hunters again to find her but up until now nothing" Gacen cocked his pistol as he finished his fourth drink

"so you need me because I know her and how to anticipate her is that it" Gacen smiled fully aware of how drunk he was

"well that was the initial thought but after we realised who you were with your little heart to heart out there we feel you may be more useful than we realised in finding her" SHIT there were cameras there time to go

Mecernary droids suddenly began filing into the room, Gacen swiftly threw his sticky bomb to the ceiling light and smoke to the floor, as he did he saw Ash vault over the sofa and punch one of the droids in the stomach ripping out the things wires. Jadryl quickly scurried into a room as the smoke went off and the lights went out in the room, Gacen meandered round the sofa stumbling on the edge as he did. There was a big window he'd spotted when he walked in it looked perfect for jumping out of, he couldn't see shit though who put all this smoke in here.

"ASH?" he shouted "WHERE YOU AT" he made his way over to the wall and began shimming along it trying to find the window

"FIGHTING A DROID WHAT'S THE PLAN" he could hear the sounds of breaking machine and could only assume that she was massacring them

"COME TO ME I HAVE" he paused "A PLAN, I THINK" he shimmied further but bumped into something, it felt metal and human sized. Oh shit a droid he quickly ducked as a blaster shot singed the top of his mohawk, he quickly slid under the legs before drawing his blaster which he fumbled with and dropped on the floor. Damn it he searched on the floor until he felt it and promptly grabbed it, as he looked up he saw the droid ah shit what would he do, suddenly he saw a blue fist burst through the chest before swiftly shorting out. Ash held out her hand pulled him up off the floor

"where is this plan of yours" Ash said as she coughed through the smoke

"come one there's a window" he could now see the illuminating city of Nar Shaddaa through the smoke, target acquired

"oh you have GOT to be kidding me" Gacen grinned as he shot the glass shattering it and began to run towards it

"come on Ash we gotta hustle" he jumped out the window and began free falling, he wasn't really sure what came next but he'd think of something. As he began to think he felt himself suddenly stop falling followed by a pain in his back, what? he looked to see he was sitting on the back of a taxi. A rodian was screaming curses at him from the cockpit about the dent he made. He scrambled to the front "I gotta borrow you're taxi dude don't worry I'll pay for it all" as soon as he said that he calmed down and let him take the wheel "get ready bud this is gonna get bumpy" Gacen swerved the taxi around and could see that Ash had just jumped out after him, cmon dude you can do this. Gacen drove to where he thought Ash would be getting closer and closer as she fell further and further, he quickly swerved into position ready to catch Ash, easy, so cool. He suddenly saw a blue blur go past the taxi, shit he was off by like 5ft he hadn't had enough alcohol. He quickly nosedived the taxi to catch up with Ash adjusting to the right position as they got closer towards the floor he pulled up and heard a resounding wumph as Ash landed next to him. "see Ash told you I had a plan"

Ash sprawled down into the seat and responded with a quiet "what did I say about crazy schemes" her hair was everywhere as she glared at Gacen with an exasperated look. Doesn't matter they had a lead, Champion of the Great Hunt…