RPlog:Meeting with Naten

As you enter, you notice that this bar has a very boisterous and laid-back feeling. The bar has the sense of still being new, as there are not any stains on the hardwood floors, walls, or furniture. There is music playing from speakers placed throughout the bar, and the sweet-smelling smoke of cigars wafts through the air. Most of the patrons carry themselves with the bearing of folks who have spent countless hours in the void of space, whether in the cockpits of fighters or the command decks of freighters. There is a wide transparesteel window directly across from where you entered, with an amazing view of Kichnar taking up half of the viewport's area, and the starfield of the Caspian system in the other half. The bar spans the length of the right hand bulkhead, with a pair of bartenders attempting to keep up with the orders that are flying in from various star-jockeys and the dates they are trying to impress. There are several booths and tables scattered throughout the area, the most popular being those near the wide window. Scattered throughout the bar is a vast array of souvenirs and memorabilia left by pilots who have visited the bar. There are several banners that hang from the ceiling beams, bearing the emblems of various squadrons from throughout the galaxy, members of which have visited the Nest. Through an archway on the left is a dimly lit area that holds the big attraction in this bar, a pair of linked simulators that pilots can use to test their skills against one another. A series of holoprojectors projects images of the combatants both in a large viewing area inside the arch, and to each individual table if it is so desired, so that patrons of the bar can watch the competition. Bets are often made on the outcomes of such confrontations, and spectacular feats of combat prowess are frequently met with applause from throughout the bar.

Naten A dark-skinned Janhovi Sarian stands before you, dark green eyes off-setting his deep caramel skin. At about six feet tall, the man appears to be in his late 50's, his bald head displaying a spattering of light cream-colored Sar Spots that trail down the side of his face and neck. A trio of blue lines vector from between his eyebrows over his left eye and down to his temple. The man quietly looks about, taking in his surroundings with a calm and analytical air. The Sarian is wearing forest green nylar pants, with a white chersilk long-sleeved shirt. Over this is a large tan Jullon robe, tied closed with a green chromasheath sash. The earthen tones of the outfit compliment the dark-skinned wearer, and the green in the pants and sash match the stately, green-eyed gaze of the Janhovian. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Blast Vest [Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

 Level 4 -Cason Hawk's Nest-

As you enter, you notice that this bar has a very boisterous and laid-back feeling. The bar has the sense of still being new, as there are not any stains on the hardwood floors, walls, or furniture. There is music playing from speakers placed throughout the bar, and the sweet-smelling smoke of cigars wafts through the air. Most of the patrons carry themselves with the bearing of folks who have spent countless hours in the void of space, whether in the cockpits of fighters or the command decks of freighters. There is a wide transparesteel window directly across from where you entered, with an amazing view of Kichnar taking up half of the viewport's area, and the starfield of the Caspian system in the other half. The bar spans the length of the right hand bulkhead, with a pair of bartenders attempting to keep up with the orders that are flying in from various star-jockeys and the dates they are trying to impress. There are several booths and tables scattered throughout the area, the most popular being those near the wide window. Scattered throughout the bar is a vast array of souvenirs and memorabilia left by pilots who have visited the bar. There are several banners that hang from the ceiling beams, bearing the emblems of various squadrons from throughout the galaxy, members of which have visited the Nest. Through an archway on the left is a dimly lit area that holds the big attraction in this bar, a pair of linked simulators that pilots can use to test their skills against one another. A series of holoprojectors projects images of the combatants both in a large viewing area inside the arch, and to each individual table if it is so desired, so that patrons of the bar can watch the competition. Bets are often made on the outcomes of such confrontations, and spectacular feats of combat prowess are frequently met with applause from throughout the bar.

Axel was sitting at a table towards the back of the room, not hard to spot as he is far from being inconspicuous. This was his first actual trip to the pilot's bar, prefering the more seedy locations where he felt the real pilots in the galaxy hung out. An almost untouched drink sits in front of him and a half-smoked cigar smolders in the ashtray on the table. The smuggler was eyeing everyone that entered, waiting for his contact to arrive. Personally, he didn't give a damn where he gave his report, but he felt that this wasn't the most discreet location given the crowd.

An older Sarian enters the bar. He is Janhovi, and smiles pleasantly at the wait staff as they bustle around past him. The man scans the bar with silvery-green eyes, before spotting the image of the man he'd been told to meet. The eyes brighten noticably as he walks over to the man's table, pulls out a chair that allows him to look out the transparisteel at the slowly rotating image of Kichnar, and sits down in it.

"Who are you?" Axel asks coldly. He was here to meet someone, but he knew this was not the same man. Under the table, a hand rests on the hilt of his big-bore pistol. Laws be damned, was his philosophy for the moment. He could afford the fines if he was caught, but until he sat down, the pistol had been tucked neatly underneath the armored suit covering his torso. At this range, even the innaccurate Enforcer would be effective. "Who are you and what do you want?" he asks again as his free hand reaches for the cigar.

The Janhovi doesn't bat an eye, just continues looking out the window for a moment until one of the waitresse approaches and politly askes what the two will have. A strange question, considering that Axel already has a drink in front of him. Nevertheless, the Janhovi looks up at the attractive young Sarian. "Water please, dear." The waitress nods, and turns to Axel. "And you, sir?" The older Sarian looks over at Axel with a pleasant grin. "Order something more to your liking. It's on me." The man obviously is comfortable in this position, both hands folded placidly on the table-top.

Ax just runs his hand over the top of his own drink. "I'm fine for the moment," he states still keeping his eyes locked on the newcomer. As the waitress leaves, he takes a drag of his cigar and asks once more. "Who are you and what do you want?" He was only a few moments away from standing up and walking out. He was here to deliver an Intel report. Had this been a younger person, he might think it a fan. But knowing what he does of the Sarian culture, he doubted seriously this was an admirer and there was no telling who the Imperials were gonna be sending his way after recent ventures.

"Always in such a hurry, you younger folks. You don't stop to check your shadows and see what's hiding there." A brief eyebrow waggle, and the Sarian smiles broadly, just as his water is delivered. Meanwhile, the tables around the pair are emptying, and the wait staff seems to be keeping them clear. It's as if they are deliberatly isolating the pair, slowly. And the Janhovi is taking his time to give them time to do their 'jobs.'

His perception heightened by habitual spice use, Axel notices that things here are getting conveniently empty. He still doesn't take his eyes off of the Sarian, just uses his peripheral vision to check the scenery. "I don't know you. Unless you want me to get up and leave, head back out of system, and not be back for a while you can tell me who you are and what you want." His voice remains low and cold. "I don't have time for games. Hell, I don't really have time to sit in CDU space. I have agendas of my own to pursue." Axel pulls the cigar to his lips and takes a drag, meanwhile there is a distinct click coming from under the table as Ax pulls the firing mechanism back on the Enforcer. "And don't think I would object to splattering your guts all over the patrons in this bar. Sure, I'd have to fight my way off this station, but I know some people and could find a spot to duck into."

"Oh, son. Surely you don't think threatening an old man like me is going to get me anywhere." The Janhovi smiles as he pulls a strange little coaster from a pocket of his robes. The object reflects the lighting of the bar, as if it's wrapped in plastic. Lifting Axel's glass, the man places the coaster underneath it. "Have to be careful. These tables collect water rings like crazy." Leaning back in his own chair, the Sarian grabs his own water and takes a sip of it.

OOC: If Axel looks at the card, he sees its an Ident card IDing the man as Rear Admiral Naten Bonrue, Director of NIO.

Axel looks over the card. "Where's my usual contact?" he asks in a non-caring way. "Identification can be forged, though I doubt this one is." He sighs and takes another drag from the cigar. "Look, give me some answers or I walk. I don't care much for these games when they aren't fully necessary." It's obvious Axel is getting frustrated. He lowers the hammer on the big-bore and lays it on top of the table. "Just to show I wasn't bluffing," he states apathetically.

Naten chuckles slightly and nods over towards the bartender, who is holdint an AA-8 below the level of the bar, but pointed out the 'tender's exit at the pilot's back. "Nor was I. Such impatience is a dangerous trait, but very well." The Janhovi's jovial air vanishes, replaced by the tone of an experienced commander. "Our Corellian friend is... tied up on an assignment at the moment. He asked me to meet with you when he got your news." A self-depreciative smile. "I guess I'm trustworthy enough. If you need more proof of my person, feel free to ask the staff here. How do you think a Military Commander got the money to open a bar?"

"Whatever," Axel says putting his cigar out in the ashtray. He leaves the big-bore on the table. "I'm going to explain a few things that may come as a surprise to your office." He pauses for a moment looking around the room before continuing to talk silently. "For starters, Admiral Danik Kreldin of Imperial fame is alive and well, or at least was a few days ago. Darth Mallign is actually a man by the name of Tyler Damion, whom I served with briefly when I worked for the Republic as a space warfare instructor." He lets that sink in for a moment. "The Zhao Maffi stuff, I've kinda been too busy dealing with other things to dig up more on that." He smiles a bit. "Tell me what you want to know about the most."

The Sarian's eyebrows raise more and more as the various revelations are made. "In all honesty, the Zhao/Maffi concerns have shifted to a back burner recently. Tell me about Admiral Kreldin. His name has come up recently in a couple of cases that are falling like a downpour into my office." The Janhovi settles back in his chair, taking another sip of his water while focusing intently on the mercenary pilot before him.

"I assume you mean the former NRI Chief, Kiare Quinn's arrest. Figures that she'd be involved somehow." He takes the first sip of his drink since the other man's arrival. "Look, I'm all about helping out the Union, but I'm the one that's putting his ass on the line, starting civil wars in the Empire, and conducting business that almost guarantees an early proof of my own mortality." He starts to ask about some kind of compensation, but decides against it. "Anyway, the CDU has given me assistance in the past, but frankly that debt has been paid in full with interest. As for Kreldin, he's plotting an assassination on Emperor Vadim. He's also trying to resurect the old Neo-Imperial movement, which I am sure you know about. He's looking to place himself in power of the Empire. Of course, that may be difficult now that I've interfered with a little talk to the right hand of Vadim himself recently."

"You informed Darth Malign about Kreldin's ambitions?" Bonrue considers this for a moment. "Interesting. Not exactly the course I would have chosen, but we can make it work." The Janhovi looks again at Axel. "This is interesting, and sheds some light on recent events, including, as you said, the disposition of Ambassador Quinn. As well as other assets we have in play on Corellia." The barbs about what the CDU may or may not owe Axel are noted, but nothing is said about that for now. The Janhovi understands what Axel is doing, and appreciates it. But compensations will have to wait until the various activites surrounding Maffi and the re-birth of the Neo-Imperial Movement are finished. "How did you come by this information about Admirl Kreldin's ambitions? Shadow's last report stated that you had ID'd Kreldin at Ego Fest, but not anything about any Imperial asperations. Did he just mention it to you during the pilot's banquet?" Naten steeples his fingers as he leans his elbows on the table between the two sentients.

"My intentions were double fold." Axel says with a slight grin. "First, Danik has a lot of pull in the Empire, and if he gets put on the run.." He chuckles a bit. "Which he assuredly will instead of being arrested. There will be a large fall-out in the Empire while he is exiled. Some will follow their commander to the death. Best case, the Empire faces a civil war of sorts. Second," Ax gives a slight pause before continuing. "Danik is my oldest remaining nemesis. When last he and I met he flaunted his power in the Empire. Doing this gave me the satisfaction that though he may disrupt the Empire, he'll never have the further support to mount the throne himself, as he wants." He grins a bit more, "And to answer your question on how I attained this information, well... I was invited into the fold though turned it down when Danik said he wanted to gain the throne himself instead of finishing off the Empire. He and I are enemies, but there is a mutual respect between warriors, even the fiercest of enemies. Besides, I am one of the best pilots in the slice and I have a small armada of warships at my disposal, something he does not hold outside of his Imperial contacts."

"Well, Captain Victen. This has been a most enlightening discussion. Please, keep sending in your reports. We've been keeping a file on you, and some of your exploits in this venture are considering being sold to holo-film industries. They're just too unbelievable. We'll cut you in on the royalties, of course." The wink the Janhovi offers shows that it's friendly ribbing, but the gratitude that shines from the metallic-green eyes is genuine. "I hope we have a chance to meet again. It has been an interesting conversation." Draining his water, the older gentleman stands up and bows to Axel. "Please, have dinner. The bar will pick it up for you."