RPlog:Trust a Dishonest Man

Among the Shuttles, fighters and freighters one ship seems to loom, casting a larger shadow. It's once onyx paint marred by chips and scorch marks but it still looks solid, if not perfect. The Corvette Kolier at one hundred and fifty meters long is a ship that begs to be looked at. Keeping it in working order is no simple task, a fact made perfectly clear by the cursing and sputtering being emitted from the port side landing strut. As a shower of sparks rains down upon the humanoid woman working on a broken junction box. With burst of anger and more vocal profanity the hydro-spanner she was clasping jumps from her hand, clanging down on her toe. And in an act of retribution, her booted foot arches back and strikes the offending tool, sending it spinning across the spaceport, it's low level of flight ending as it bounces six or seven times and then comes to a rest.

A deft back-step interrupts Jalek's sauntering swagger across the Spaceport, withdrawing a pointed boot just beyond the reach of the bouncing tool his arms sweep up, the movement drawing open the grey coat worn about his shoulders, hand's at either side of a worn tri-cornered hat draping out over his wrists from the sleeves as he leans forward at the torso, head turned off to one side and peering down at the projectile, before his gaze snaps upward across it's path of trajectory and a slightly grubby finger curls to point down toward it as he eyes the silver skinned woman. Without actually making a sound, his beard-framed lips mouth the words "Yours, I believe?"

Peering around the Kolier’s strut, the multi-color haired woman fixes her violet eyes on the person seemingly addressing her. Giving the man the once over her eyes trail from his feet up to his head and back down again. Arching an eyebrow a smirk passes over her lips, and as she lifts her chin in the direction of the tool says, “Not anymore. You can have it if you’d like. It tried to commit mutiny and has been cast off”

"Mutiny eh?" Jalek replies with his own lips curling into a lopside smirk, one hand falling to gesture in loose-wristed circling motions over the subject of conversation. "Nasty business that...no, I think i'll pass on the offer." he remarks, fingers snatching together as he draws the hand back and sweeping one boot out to the side, stalks about it and along it's line of flight toward the woman. "You often experience mutiny at the hands of your tools then, love?"

Sweeping one of the beaded braids that hangs near her face back behind one of her ears, Arissa eyes the tool again and then the flamboyant gesturing man of strange dress, “They seem to be the only things that still try” The smirk turning into a wicked grin, as she unconsciously shifts her weight, the blaster on her hip pushing forward. Closing the junction box she was working on, she steps out fully and stands in the open, the shadow of the ship still cast over her. Cocking her head to the side she watches the odd man with interest now. Oh, she had seen types like him before, but none of such flair. And it had been a while since anyone had the gall to call her “love”.

The gait of the coated man could almost be considered a drunken swagger, were the motions not quite so smoothly led from one to the other. None the less, his arms remain at least partly raised; hands yet drapped from the wrists where the coat sleeves have begun to slide back and a loose off-white shirt can be glimpsed beneath the faded fabric. "Need to try a few harsher measures then, love..." at that his head cocks to the side in kind to hers, and his shoulders roll back in a flamboyant shrug. "Or just give them some more rum." With a nodding gesture toward the grand ship behind her he flashes another smile. "She yours?"

Looking back over her shoulder towards the underbelly of the corvette Arissa smiles and then back again. “Aye that she is.” She says matter of factly, if a little pride does slip into her tone. “That would be the Kolier, and she is a fine ship” Patting the strut she was working on, “If a bit fussy at times” Folding her arms over her chest, “Captain Kiiko, and you sir?” Arissa makes no movement towards the man

"Very nice..." Jalek's softly growling voice intones as he circles about the woman and slowly moves beneath the underbelly, the shadow of the craft washing over him as he looks up at the hull. "How many crew?" he inquires, apparently oblivious to the woman's question before shifting his weight onto a back heel and whirling about, the hem of his coat furling outward dramatically with the movement and almost placing heel to the tip of each toe he stalks forward, one hand held back over his hat and the other extending an upturned palm. Drawing nearer, the tri-corn is whipped from his head and the pirate dips into a low bow, offering the fore-held hand to the woman. "'Captain'" he makes a specific effort to emphisise the word "Jalek Helion at your pleasure"

An expression flashes across the woman’s features but quickly is replaced by one of light humor. What ever the thoughts were, she was covering the original one, “Oh, the crew flocculates depending on the job. But all the dockets are filled at the moment” It was a decidedly deft sidestep of his real aim. Questions asking about the crew wasn’t something she really wanted to answer. Looking at the aforementioned hand for a moment she takes it firmly, giving it a strong squeeze, for a woman at least. “So, Captain” she says releasing the man’s hand, “What is your ship?” Looking around the spaceport she doesn’t hazard a guess.

The freed hand waves dismissively through the air at the question as Jalek rises once again. "That 'is' always the question isn't it?" he replies with a sly smile, fingers circling upon his thumb. "Suffice to say that its name changes with the winds, as I do never seem to affix the plates with the proper resin."

The master and commander of the Kolier was born at night, but it wasn't last night. Arissa had been around pirates, smugglers and criminals long enough to smell a line. "I see" she replies coyly but short of fixing up loose odds and ends, this cat and cat game was a pleasant distraction, she just was aware of where in wouldn’t be allowed to head. “Does the class of the ship also change now, Captain Jalek Helion?”

"From time to time, love." Jalek replies, his hat returning again to his head and the hand falling away towards his back. "But surely, if you're a professional in the field of fallaciously justified appropriations with a specialisation in spacelanes yourself, you have heard of Captain Jalek Helion and his legendary crew."

Laughter rings from the woman's throat, not a wholly unpleasant sound, the rising and falling over her shoulders causing the strands of beaded hair to dance. “Now, I can’t say that I have had that distinct pleasure. Maybe I haven’t been it the right space lanes.” Shaking her head, “I’m sure your stories are fully deserved, I myself try to keep the Kolier and her crew out of such rumors and even more so, out of truth” Giving Jalek a wink, “The truth can be so…damning” Arissa says.

"Yes well..." Jalek remarks as his smile broadens and he casts for the first time more than a casual eye across the woman as she laughs. "...given my chosen occupation, I have something if a professional aversion to that abstract little concept. But in paradoxical truth, can you not always trust a dishonest man to be dishonest? And speaking of dishonesty, just what space lanes 'do' you travel in, Captain?"

True mirth lights in Arissa's eyes, "Ah yes, and the plight of the liar. Is a liar lying if he speaks the truth, knowing you'll think he is lying" Bringing her hands down to her hips, she places her fists on the hipbones, "The ones that pays the most. Isn't that what all Captains do, Captain?" Jalek's 'looks' are not missed, however in the male dominated world she finds herself, Arissa was more than used to it. In truth, it was when she always sat down in a bar; standing was just an invitation to being pawed. She could have looked like a stromtrooper and a Hutt had a love child and little would have changed. "You can find the Kolier on both sides of the grid." The meaning shouldn't be lost on him.

"The successfull ones, at any rate Captain." comes Jalek's answer with no small degree of pleasure. "So what brings you and your fine ship to Corellia?"

"Any port in a storm." Arissa says, decidedly vague "With the Imperials locking down Coruscant, and the New Republic blowing up people on Caspar it seemed to me, that the lovely world of Corellia washed with it's own internal strife might just be the place for success" taking a moment to look over the spaceport, "The Kolier offers a few extras...for those that can pay of course" Shifting her weight again, her hips jet out slightly as she folds her arms behind her back clasping her hands.

The smile curls up further as Jalek leans in, closing the space between their faces and holding his lips inches from her ear. One hand falling away to the side whilst the other idly fumbles with a beaded dreadlock. "Extras, Captain?" he half-whispers.

The odor of rum washes over Arissa and assaults her nose, not her favorite of drinks the smell is pungent yet sweet. It does however cause her third eyelid to close out of reflex, protecting her eyes. Bringing her hands around from her back, she plants them firmly on the man's chest and pushes him back arms length. "The ship, not me /Captain/" the draw on the last a bit heavy. "Not that you strike me a having the aforementioned funds." Having taken one step back herself, Arissa continues, "It a Corellian Corvette. Those that can afford its protection get more bang for their buck than say a Firespray or a YT class freighter."

Jalek puts up no resistance as he's pushed back and even grins all the wider at the reaction. The hand falls from his hair and both sweep outward from his hips to hold parellel with the ground. "Flatter yourself just a bit, don't you love? I imagined you might not want to be talking too loudly about just what extra's your fine craft was packing, given the surrounding environment and those pesky Imperial customs officials. But since it's on your mind, how about a game of sabaac between Captains? I win, you join me on my ship. You win, I join you on yours. Either way, we can discuss our respective extras and aformentioned funds, mm?"

Shaking her head very slowly and deliberately Arissa shows her refusal before she speaks, "You have no ships, or at least not at the moment Captain. Nor and I of the card playing persuasion." The third eyelid retracts leaving the violet irises exposed to the air once more, a wry smile again playing over hips lips, "yet somehow I feel I just might win, you being so gentlemanly an all, might be so inclined to let me" Lowering her hands, one thumb through her belt loop, the other coming to rest on her blaster grip. Not in a threatening manor, just as a comfortable stance.

"No, not today Captain. however, should I run into you in the pub, I'll buy you a drink." The smile growing slightly, but the wry flavor staying put. "For me flattering myself and besieging you impeachable name, and laudable intentions" Inclining her head slightly, Arissa bends at the waist and offers a bow to you captain. "I must attend to my ship, you know how that goes."

At the announcement of not being a card player, Jalek is finaly taken aback and he takes another long look at the woman from head to toe with wide eyes, as if she had just claimed she was trading in her ship for a moisture farm. A moment later, he recovers and offers a lopsided grin. "Best make it two drinks, love. One for beseiging my name, and one for questioning my right to call myself a Captain."

Stepping back and wagging a finger, "You'll get one drink on my credit" The smile firmly entrenched on her lips, "For I never questioned your right to call yourself Captain. Call yourself Commodore if you wish." Walking backwards, Arissa's eyes don't leave the strange man until she reaches the gangway to the Corvette. Turning she starts up the walk, secure in the knowledge she will run into Captain Jalek Helion again. And even more secure with the fact that man was trouble, with a capital T. Laughing at the idea of it all, she hits the button to raise the ramp. "Dishonest man indeed"