Ecks is a Naughty Boy

Abandoned Spaceport -- East Coronet City: Corellia

This area strewn with garbage and trash was once the pride of the Corellian merchant fleet. In the days of the diktat, this once proud spaceport used to be the hub of commercial imports and exports in the slice. Today it is a scar on the landscape. Heavy blaster damage is evident all over the concrete slabs. However from the pits and shells of buildings a few ships are seen dotted around, they are left in this lawless land where anyone with the right tools could steal them if they were inclined. Indeed there are a few recently burnt hulks of spacecraft left smoking at odd angles, which indicate that this is a dangerous place to be.

It'll be a cold day in all hells before Johanna lets herself be played the fool and outmaneuvered by the likes of Kracen Ecks. "I'm tempted to simply acquaint his face with a wall," she mutters, more to herself than Leo (the man had agreed to accompany her, bless his soul), "And walk off to let the natives have their way with him." A few expressions then follow that are unsuitable for mixed company, little thought given to the possibility that these might well scorch the ears of her hapless fellow pilot. "What kind of a stunt was THAT, anyway? Busting out some kind of twin? Or clone? Or who the hell even knows?! I can't believe I paid that guy! I'm going to get my money back if I have to cut him open and reach into his guts to do it!" Those who have known Johanna for any amount of time know it's -never- wise to mess with her money. It's like messing with her emotions, after all.

Chana just ... nods, as though she has any idea what Joh is talking about. These things often make themselves clear later on. She puts on her gloves, just ... 'cause she's on Corellia and in the abandoned spaceport where coresec never goes. Yeahhh, that's why she has the blaster, too.

Chana(#9493PACF)

Chanera Thorn is a stocky young woman, no two ways about it. Tallish, muscular, soft faced, with coppery auburn hair down well past her shoulders, hazel eyes, creamy complexion, multiple ear piercings, and freckles freckles freckles.

Chana's wearing, you guessed it, more military surplus. At least it's in better condition. Today's fashion statement is a Rebel Alliance jumpsuit, probably spares left over from some buxom fighter mechanic or something. It's off-white, has lots of pockets down the legs, and the Rebel Alliance insignia is still obvious, though worn. The original wearer probably zipped it up higher though. Chana's showing some cleavage, and when she runs, the binding supporting her bust is occasionally visible. There are, after all, no bras in space. Add the usual scout-trooper equipment belt and Corellian boots and you have the look. Casual, comfortable, and a little less tattered.

Leo clearly refrains from reflecting the slight humor he finds in the remarks from the pilot. Instead, he lets his gaze scan over the spaceport keeping watch for anything that might seem suspicious. After a moment, he asks, "Do you think he will show? And depending on who he really is, I'd imagine he may not choose to be alone."

Kracen Ecks is in a bind.

That is, assuming his name really IS 'Kracen Ecks'. The tall man stands by himself around a corner not far from Johanna and the others, contemplating his next move. In his left hand he fingers the tiny datachit his 'contact' had given him in the cantina before that fateful moment when he saw their face--

--HIS face.

The face of the man calling himself 'Kracen Ecks'. Right now, that clone is on life-support - all thanks to Joh's mysterious 'Jedi powers', powers that put Kracen on edge. But at least there was a CHANCE of getting some answers.

He puts the 'chit away in his concealed pocket - a pocket with fibres of a material woven into it to shield it from the usual scans. He would have to decrypt the datachit later. For now... He takes a deep breath, reminding himself of his Intelligence training to immerse his mind in his cover identity (hoping against hope it does him some good against a bloody Jedi)... and steps around the corner.

He approaches Joh and Leo - blinks in surprise at Chana - his expression confused, worried and flustered. "I'm back," he says rather lamely. "The... other one is on life-support at the nearest medical facility. So... what now?"

"He's a shit -- I can almost guarantee you he'll be alone." This is said quietly to Leo, for there around the corner slips Ecks, thrown into high relief by the unreliable patchwork of lighting that serves to add to the dangerous nature of this part of town. A smile suddenly blooms across her features. "Hey! I was worried about you - well, /we/ were worried about you," Johanna begins as she nears him, tone all solicitous concern and her earlier ire having melted away with an alarming sort of ease, "You seemed really freaked out by what happened in the Dig. I was hoping maybe we could sort through that, you know? Fill me in on what it was that went down? I admit, it isn't every day I see a guy's twin try to annihilate him in public." A glance back to Chana and Leo signals for the two of them to be on their guard. "We're a tightly-knit team. We look out for each other. It's why we're all here... to help."

Chana wanders toward the bar, seeming a little oblivious. Actually, the careful observer would note that she's trying to get juuust outside Ecks' peripheral vision and well within earshot. If there's smackdown to be laid, it's one of those things best done as a surprise.

Ecks utters a nervous laugh, at the reminder. A hand goes to the back of his neck, a gestural emblem to further indicate his unease. He comes to a halt in front of Joh, just a few feet away, and shrugs his shoulders - looking completely dubious. "It... is not every day one meets... oneself. I... I had always hoped I would--but not like this. I never expected--Not here, not... anywhere! You cannot imagine--*I* cannot imagine... oh dear me, I'm rambling." He stands there, shaking his head and murmuring half-sentences to himself. In his head, he repeats the words: << My brothers live. My brothers LIVE. MY brothers live... >> over and over. Apparently, he completely ignores Chana, and Leo.

"Very true," the pilot whispers back to Johanna as Ecks appears and the woman moves toward him. Remaining slightly behind, Leo continues to search the area with his gaze with the occasional return to the odd man.

Chana's clever repositioning elicits an even bigger smile from Johanna, though for all Ecks knows, she's still smiling at /him/. "So... it /was/ your twin, then?" she continues, "How very intriguing. From the way you talk about him, I assume you knew of his existence, but were unable to contact him. May I ask why?" Her dark eyes fill with obvious sympathy for the poor man - he must be so alone in the galaxy! - even as the well-concealed emotions of pure hostility build to a crescendo within her. To Ecks, she must appear incredibly friendly indeed, wanting to know more about his sad backstory. "You know, I didn't meet my brother until later in life too. It was quite a shock."

Yeahh, Chana can hear the not-quite-sincerity in the boss's voice. She's not deaf, after all. She's very good at not appearing to be paying attention to something - after all, when you're sneaking up on forcies, it's a survival skill. But she gets a wee bit closer just the same. Orders a drink. Full bottle please. She pays.

Leo raises an eyebrow as he hears Ecks story and his clear emotional experience. However, he does not lose his focus from the matter at hand and continues to look around. The situation itself seems rather odd, but, as of late, nothing seems to be too out of the ordinary considering the current happenings in the galaxy.

Ecks nods to Joh, glancing aside at Leo secondly, and then Chana. The sympathy of the Jedi is more than welcome within the bosom of this hapless, lonely soul with the name that sounds like a bad joke. He goes back to shaking his head, apparently 'lost in the moment' after his reunion with his 'brother'.

"It's a big galaxy, Johanna," he explains. "You try finding your family after they're cast upon the spacelanes. It is not something I like to talk about." He pauses. "At least he's alive... thank you." His gratitude is completely genuine, and everything he has said is technically true. "We should find out why he picked that cantina - of all the cantinas, of all the planets in the whole galaxy - to meet me... and try to kill me. Who--who else knows of your investigation?"

"That's funny," the pilot replies, "I was about to ask you the same question." Unless Ecks is exceedingly fast -- or exceedingly lucky -- there will be little to help him escape the position he's suddenly put into: pushed up against the nearest wall, and not in any gentle manner, either. Johanna stands a few paces away, watching as her handiwork unfolds and her quarry is pinned down like an insect. An uncomfortable amount of pressure is exerted against the liar's ribcage without her ever having to lay a finger on him. "Leo?" Johanna calls, "Did you have anything to ask Mister Ecks here? Or Chana, maybe you? Hmm? I know that I personally happen to be /very/ curious, but I'll let you two go first. You're such loyal friends, and all." A beat, then, "Loyal friends. I happen to value those. Loyal employees, too."

Chana contemplates her bottle casually and sidles up to Ecks. "So. You know, where I come from... and when I come from... having unexpected twins turn up is mighty damned suspicious. A suspicious girl like me could even think 'clone.' And that's likely to waste an awful lot of this admittedly very inexpensive booze. And you won't be drinking any."

Stepping forward, the pilot lets his gaze bear down on the man's as he approaches. A clear confidence and focus resonate in the sapphire eyes as well as Leo's voice as he asks, "So care to share some more details about the Dig event? Things seem a little too coincidental for any of our taste."


 * OOFF!!*

Kracen grunts as soon as he hits the wall, held there like an insect by the power of the Force - damn Jedi! He knew this was coming - Johanna doesn't take the very THOUGHT of betrayal very lightly - but there's not much (if anything) he can do to prevent it. "Do... do you think... " He gasps, given the pressure on his ribcage - ouch! "You could... let me breathe!?... Johanna?"

He looks pleadingly at Chana, and even at Leo (someone he doesn't really know). Then he looks back at Johanna. "I didn't--I didn't know he was ALIVE! I didn't know ANY of them were alive! S--someone knows! Someone knows why you're here! They--*cough*--they know I'M here also! I think--I think I might know WHO... Sithspit, Joh! I can't breathe like this! What are you, Darth Vader???"

Chana has a momentary blank look. Darth /who?/ She presses onward. "So. You're a clone then. Let's start with the basic question. Why are /you/ here?"

"What am I?" the pilot echoes, gaze growing sinister as an unseen energy pulls Kracen upwards a scant half meter or so, "I'm your boss. I'm the woman who's out a cool fifty thousand for your services as a broker. I don't like to be ripped off. So answer the questions of my associates, and maybe I won't be forced to do something incredibly awful to you." Hopefully Leo isn't too taken aback by this display of Johanna's. She is, after all, very particular about dealing with scum who want to get the better of her hard-won fortune. "You'll find it's much easier to breathe when you're telling the truth."

"I would do as she asks. She does have a reputation in many parts of the galaxy," says Leo as he sees that the man is resisting to talk and Johanna is becoming progressively angrier. The pilot continues to remain calm and keeps his eyes set on the prisoner.

Ecks does his best to take a deep breath. The man radiates fear, worry, regret - indignation! - and... defeat. He lets his head hang forward a bit and stares at the floor to steel himself for the penetrating gaze of the angry Jedi before him. "Sithspit!" He grimaces and finally nods. "Alright, alright! I'll TELL you! - But you're going to wish I hadn't, in front of... others." He takes /another/ deep breath and meets Joh's eyes. "Before... I took the contract with you, I worked for... a certain General within the New Republic military. He... oh how do I say this?--" Ecks grimaces again - and blushes bright red. "He... knew... you, Johanna. He used to talk about a relationship, an 'embarrassment' and a ruined campaign for a seat in the NR Senate. He... put me in a position for you to hire me. He's... not happy. With you." He pauses. "And... he knows about ME. My origins, that is. He... promised me answers."

Jaykub  "Hello ladies..." The crystal blue eyes of Jaykub look up and down at the bevy of beautiful Twi'lek ladies before him, ranging in color from cyan to a deep green, all very well endowed in all the right places. Jaykub walks down the steps into the Harem with his usual smug grin, the females running their hands down his body as he walks past. Even more beckon him into a large bed with exotic fruits and berries. All of the females are clad in what could only be the smallest amount of clothing, some of them going so far as being bare chested.

"God I love my life.." The gamber/thief/merc says as he lays down upon the crisp cool satin sheets, feeling a preasure down between his legs as one Twi'lek drops a few berries into his mouth. Looking down, calm and relaxed he notices something... Odd. A burly voice rings in his ears in huttese, "...Hey there hot stuff." Wide eyed his vision darts down to the form of a female Hutt licking his calf muscle, "Oh God no...No no no...NO!" Jaykub sits up with a start...

CLANG! Jaykub's head is suddenly racked with pain. Reaching up he feels his forhead, a little bit of blood on his fingers. Squinting he looks up, "...I'm on a space port..." Turning left and right he realizes he is underneath a ship in dock, behind a few cargo crates. Suddenly, as though his hangover was moving through tar, his head is filled with a deep, dull ache. "...Holy poodoo... How much did I drink last night." Standing up, I''l-be-it a bit wobbley, he looks around the space port. Noticing a comotion. He squints over, trying to see if maybe he saw this lot last night, "...Hangovers...Suck..."

He isn't the only one to blush. A brief and terrible surge of loathing wells up within her, inadvertently intensifying the pressure exerted on Ecks. Johanna certainly hadn't counted on /that/ sordid little detail from her past coming back to haunt her. "So you played me," she hisses, "I don't know what's more pathetic: that you work for him, or that I got played. Doesn't it just FIGURE?" It's not the first time that her desire to help others has gotten her into trouble. It probably won't be the last, either. "What do you propose I do about this... betrayal, clone? Knowing your master, he won't much care what happens to you. I could send you back to him in pieces and he wouldn't even pause to count how many." But she's not about to do something do unbecoming a lady. Not tonight, at least.

"I. Don't. Work. For. Him." Ecks grates in frustration, enunciating each word, despite the extra pressure on his ribcage from Johanna's 'Force-Grip' (or is it 'Force-Crush'?). He starts seeing black spots in his vision and his eyes almost roll up inside his skull. He kicks his legs feebly as he struggles to get some much-needed air.

"HE played... both of us! YOU try going... from one day... to the next...*cough-cough* without a CLUE who you are!... Or... where you're from!"

He struggles to try and explain, running out of air (getting some bruises - probably cracked - ribs out of it too), knowing full well he might not leave this conversation alive! "He--he sent that clone... to KILL me. And YOU! Th--the clone, you have to know! You have to--listen! He's... he's..."

And Ecks passes out.

Balanced be damned, Jaykub manages to stumble around the crates, reaching out to them for balance... Of course where he -thought- the crates were... were actually about half a foot to the left of where they really were. Jaykub drops down to the tarmac with a thud, "...Damn crates... Stop moving..." Hoisting himself up, the dull thud comes tearing back through his head, "I'd rather take a blaster bolt through the skull than this..." Trying to not stumble, he begins walking toward the others at the spaceport, the ones that look like they have some serious business. Jaykub notices that one of them has a familiar bottle in her hand, well... He notices that after he notices her othere attributes (wink wink). Reaching up he runs his hands through his hair, checking his breath at the same time, forcing his frame and face to look as sober as possible, first impressions are everything right? Blinking a few times his crystal blue eyes finally come into focus on what seems to be a passed out man, and a couple of ladies. This is good. Jaykub would rather deal with women. Calling out in a slightly gruff voice, "Excuse me ladies... Wouldn't suppose you could spare me a drink from your bottle..." He flashes his most suave grin, pearly whites glistening as he tries to get control over his legs, thinking to himself, "...Damn... My act like they were humped by jawas all night..." ---and there we wrapped for the evening