♤ Time Flies By In the City of Light

[deal_me_in]

WHO: Cayde-6 and the more or less responsible
WHERE: Lower levels of Coruscant, space jail, the works oh wait that's actually a place
WHAT: Being a tourist, getting insulted, and trying to make a profit
WHEN: Earlier part of event-trip
WARNINGS: N/A Will update as needs be. Also SORRY THIS IS SO LONG but I gave options...
NOTES: Feel free to pose in preferred style, will match! Also if you want to play out a combination of things or lead in from one to another, etc., totally open to anything.


"I have a good feeling about this place."

It hadn't been all that long ago that Cayde had said those fateful words, had it? And really, compared to the previous planets and places they'd had to visit, this giant city-world looked most promising.

By now he's put together their strange Agrii-directive, but then figuring out who all of their group came from this neck of space wasn't too difficult. A strange number indeed. Did that mean that a potential next stop would be Earth? They have a good number from there, but it'd be a toss-up as to which. And as much as he'd love to show people around home, he hopes his Sol System isn't on the list. That's however neither here nor now, and there's plenty of things to draw his attention from lingering on such thoughts.

"...we are going to get so lost," he says decisively as he takes in the stream of traffic flying between platforms and citywalks, and yet somehow he sounds chipper all the same. Stepping over to the nearby railing, he looks down and down some more, eyeing the levels of lights and transports that actually make their way below. Beaming, he looks up at Sundance. "So lost."


---
A. Sightseeing
♠️ With so much shiny city to explore, can anyone blame the Exo for heading off without much warning? He figures if anyone needs him, he's got his tablet. There isn't too much that interests him in the upper echelons of the city, save for plenty of high places to get a nice view, and he'd already been yelled at for being on someone's roof. The strange if not concerned looks that follow him wherever he goes thereafter are for the most part ignored, if only because he's figured it's not unlike the usual response he gets from newbies back in Temba.

♠️ It doesn't take him long to worm his way to the lower levels. It stands to reason that anything he might find interesting would be in the undercity, the gambling dens, the black market, those willing to bend a few rules. Also food that wasn't overpriced. Unfortunately it hasn't hit him just how differently people of the mechanical variety are viewed and treated around here. Then again, there aren't any models that compare to him, much less wear clothing and openly carry a weapon around.

♠️ There are those who watch him pass with caution, some with outright disdain, but then there are others who watch with all too much interest, tailing at a distance...

---

B. Fud
♠️ "Whaddya mean 'where's my owner?'" Cayde snorts, looking incredulously at the man who's apparently barred him entrance. He's by a diner of sorts, scowling at a confused employee who's barring his way in. "Look, I just flew in and wanted to sample some of this city-planet's fine cuisine. Now, I do realize I could take my business elsewhere, but just because food's expensive doesn't mean it tastes any better, and this here looks like it's been here a while, so clearly there must be something good going on here."

By the looks of the man at the door, he's still trying to work out what the metal fellow is saying to him, or maybe wondering if the metal fellow has a few crossed wires as he casts a look around for some help. Droids usually aren't so insistent about wanting to...eat??

♠️ Alternatively there are plenty of bars and clubs with fetching neon signs that make the Exo a tad envious. "I need one of those," he insists. "But I guess for now I'll settle on trying the drinks." The bartender within shoots him a disdainful look as some sort of alarm light triggers by the door. "We don't serve droids," he says, his tone clearly suggesting that said droid should know this. Then he almost falls over when Cayde looks over his shoulder, because clearly he's not the one being addressed!

---

C. I Fought the Law
For some reason or another, the Guardian finds himself in a cell. Maybe he's got company, maybe he's its sole occupant- maybe his company's familiar! But in any case, he seems to be taking it rather well, lounging on the thin panel that makes up a pallet, arms folded behind his head. Who knows why he's in here. A fight? Unruly behavior? Rogue droid, wha-?

♠️ He doesn't particularly expect any help- it's a big city! But then word does travel fast, especially talk about some weird droid with clothes on. It's fine if he doesn't get a hand, he's taking this in as part of the city experience. He'll leave when he gets bored, or if his pals don't share the same interest in experience as him.

---

D. Beating Up Baddies For Fun and Profit
Oh, you know how it goes, you run into some bad company, or just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and witness things certain parties wish you hadn't. That sort of thing happens often down in the lower levels, and between the turf wars and the general violent tendencies of those who have come to consider Coruscant's underbelly as their domain, it would be amazing if you didn't run into some trouble of some kind.

♠️ Cayde? He can't help it if people leave their caches in such obvious places. They're just asking to be picked up by some enterprising Exo. The previous owners beg to differ, and they're not having a fancy droid make off with their hard-gained artillery.

♠️ There are also people down here fighting to protect those who eke out a living in unfortunately violent territories. With gangs like the Black Sun making trouble, groups like the Justicars are open to recruiting anyone willing to risk their necks for some extra credits and equipment if they'll run an errand or two, or help put down some trouble-making gang cells. Care to join the Exo on a mini-strike?

Comments

D-MINUS

[on_repeat]

There was blaster fire. Everywhere.

Echo finds himself sitting on the ground and pressed up against some crates, checking the Graq gun he's had on him for some time now (thanks Cayde) along with another blaster he's picked off of a fresh body who tried to attack him head-on. The sigh caught in his throat soon turns into an irritated groan the second he pivots onto one knee, popping up to shoot back at the current opposition.

Two of them drop quickly, but the others are still firing. "What exactly– " Echo dodges a plasma bolt, ducking back down so he can swivel his helmeted head to wherever the Exo is. "–Did you do!?"

oh hai os'kari

[deal_me_in]

Hunkered down behind another stack of crates just a few feet away from Echo, Cayde has his head tilted as he watches blaster fire fly past their cover, scoring the walls in front of them. He scowls at the clone's question.

"I shot their boss! Wasn't that what we were supposed to do?!" he shouts back at him before popping up from behind the crates to fire off a few shots of his own. He ducks down again, narrowly dodging another laser.

"Actually, I gotta hand it to these guys- they got guts. You woulda figured they'd all turn tail and scatter once the head was cut off."

He lives forever (much to his chagrin)

[on_repeat]

Another round of laser fire marks the closest surface areas on the clone's right side, causing him to instinctively wince before yelling back, "Yeah! Usually!"

Waiting for the brief pause in their haphazard tactics, Echo jumps up again, squeezing both triggers at the same time. "Except I get the feeling they're playing by a whole different set of rules," he continues, glancing over a shoulder before dropping down again. A few shots graze his armor, one of them scoring a fresh black line across his left winged pauldron. "Do they really think they own this place?"

[deal_me_in]

"Maybe they're just desperate. Guess we'll have to do things the hard way," Cayde mutters, checking his ammo. "Also, I'm going to need a new gun. No sense wasting my good ammo on these guys. Cover me."

He tucks his Ace of Spades into its holster and just as immediately dives around the edge of the crate, running headlong into the hail of blaster fire. The maneuver surprises the gunmen enough to have them cease fire, but they're just as soon firing anew now that one of their targets has presented themselves. Cayde dodges and then dashes ahead, and then outright vanishes about half-way between their position and the enemy.

The Exo reappears behind the cover of the gang members, eliciting panicked shouts and curses punctuated by screams from friendly fire and the introduction of a knife. Who brings a knife to a gunfight?!

...Hunters.

[on_repeat]

There's no verbal response to Cayde's request, but the ARC Trooper follows through, cursing under his breath seconds after the Hunter makes a break for it.

Now standing, his arms swing up and out, only shifting positions once several of his targets stop shooting back at them. He can't help but get just as distracted by the sudden disappearance of the Exo, quickly snapping back to what he's doing once he hears chaos on the other side.

"Nothing like the Jedi," he says under a breath, impressed yet flummoxed while dodging and dashing to the next set of crates. A trail of blaster fire chases after him, one of the shots striking him in the leg to send him crashing against the makeshift wall.

I Fought The Law

[demjiin]

It had been something of a bog-standard bar fight. Even in a galaxy far far away, assholes that are getting drunk just become bigger assholes. The difference here is Kaz watched how Cayde took 6 on 1 barehanded and was only stopped by the armed Watch.

To guess at, this was just supposed to be a place the Watch checked in. It wasn't meant to hold prisoners. Come to that, It didn't look to be more than five or six men altogether. The quiet but distinct sound of a cane tapping preceded Kaz actually being visible. He knew he only had a three-minute window between one set of guards and another so this had to be quick.

Kaz was a study of sharp lines; a teenage boy in a tailored suit with black gloves, a matching cane, and black hair. he looked to be holding a length of brown fabric over one arm. Though Kaz was a masterful lockpick, the electronic lock was completely out of his league. So he had lifted a guard's keycard, instead.

Almost as soon as he was visible Kaz first mimicked what the guards did and deactivated the bars, then hooked his cane over his arm and held the cloak that was folded over one arm out with both hands.

"In two minutes I'm going to leave and blend in with the rest of the people on this street. It's your decision if you're going to walk with me."

[deal_me_in]

Things would have gone a whole lot differently if he'd let his gun do the talking, but good ol' bar brawls were all about fisticuffs. Probably the only reason he was still sitting in this cell was because the authorities were expecting someone to come claim their wayward droid.

Cayde lifted his head at the sound that eventually made its way down the hall, a sound that was relatively new for the time he'd been stuck here. He slowly sat himself up and away from the wall once the figure appeared, and it only took him a moment to recognize it was one of their merry crew of offworlders. He'd been sure he'd seen the kid back at the bar, but he was genuinely surprised to see he'd come to visit. The grin that appeared on his face was rimmed in amber light as he saw that Kaz had procured a keycard. Hopping to his feet, Cayde stepped towards the teenager once the bars were deactivated.

"Two minutes, huh? Plenty of time. It'd be rude not to accept that invitation after you came out all this way to say hello," he said as he took up the cloak. He shook it out in front of him before tossing it over his shoulders and pulling up the hood.

[demjiin]

This being something of a glorified 'lost and found' meant it wasn't heavily guarded. What guards it did have had put a restraining bolt on Cayde and had essentially called it a day.

"Good. Then walk when I walk, stop when I stop, and don't make a sound until we have blended in with the crowd."

Kaz turned the bars back on once Cayde was out and left the keycard in place. He turned and started down the hall but after exactly five steps Kaz stopped at a corner and held his cane out to stop Cayde too. Ten seconds later a guard walked down the hallway parallel to this one. Not long after he passed, Kaz put his cane back down and turned the corner, then immediately held out his cane again for two seconds; it can't be seen from here but the guard had not yet left the hallway. Once the hall was clear, Kaz started walking again. There were a right and another 5 second pause. Then a left with two shorter pauses. Then a right. And there was the door to the station. Kaz's steps quickened when they were in sight of the door, not slowing until they were clear of the doorway and joining with other foot traffic.

Only after a comfortable distance from the station did Kaz speak. "I don't know and don't much care what a droid is, but they didn't seem to think you were dangerous even with the evidence at the bar to the contrary."

[deal_me_in]

The restraining bolt had already been plucked off and pocketed, Cayde never really receiving an explanation for what they were and no one thinking to check that it was working like it should. People had better things to do than droid-sit.

Cayde shadowed Kaz, finding this venture some strange bit of fun. He froze once the teenager held out his cane, waiting before continuing on once Kaz was convinced the coast was clear. The Exo was almost on tip-toe for the abrupt second halt. It was a strange game of stop-and-go, and were Kaz not focused on their escape route and the guard patterns, he would've seen that Cayde was grinning the entire time.

"Right? They should thankful I'm not some trigger-happy Hunter- at least not without reason anyway." He considered removing the extra hood of the disguise Kaz had gotten him, then thought better of it. It seemed to still be doing the job of keeping too many eyes from straying towards him. "Although if I tried too hard to clarify things I might just make people more paranoid around the actual droids around here."

[demjiin]

Kaz kept his tone the same and seemed to simply be out for a leisurely stroll with Cayde.

"Then they're right and you are a machine?"

Not that Kaz cared if so, but it would have an effect on what tasks Cayde could be used for.

B

[thesepreciousthings]

"Cayde!" Starling says with pleasant surprise as she comes through the door, looking for some refreshment after a day of investigation. "Fancy meeting you here."

A quick scan of the tableau is all she needs to tell her that there's a problem here, and it's not on her new friend's end of things. She gives Cayde a worried glance. "What's goin' on?"

[deal_me_in]

"Clarice!" Cayde pipes, offering a bright greeting in spite of the bitter exchange he'd been trying to extract himself from. It's not something to be avoided for long, either way.

"A misunderstanding, surely," he says, even as he fixes a look at the bartender.

[thesepreciousthings]

For a brief moment, she wondered if she should let him get away with calling her by her first name, then decided it was good to have someone on first-name terms, and if it would be anyone, it may as well be him.

"I see." She fixed the man with a stern look that wasn't a glare yet, but could very easily become one. "Do we need to take our clientele elsewhere?"

[deal_me_in]

She'd missed her chance to clarify how she preferred to be addressed. Too late now! But then again, Cayde usually did his own thing either way.

The bartender looked taken aback by the woman's response, glancing from her to Cayde and back, ignoring the Exo's cheerful finger-wiggle of a wave as though to say 'yeah, I'm still here, what of it?' "This one yours then, lady? Shouldn't have to tell you there's no service for droids 'ere."

"Heeeey-" Cayde started.

[thesepreciousthings]

Clarice was used to reading situations and reacting fast. She reached up and placed a hand on Cayde's arm.

"S'arright. I read the guidebook wrong, darlin'," she said swiftly, giving him a clandestine look that asked him to trust her and play along for the moment. "My mistake. I asked him to meet me here, thinking this was a more liberal establishment. I understand your outdated prejudice and you're welcome to your opinion, but I don't suppose you could point me to a place we'd both be welcome to end our day on a more pleasant note?"

Her smile was pleasant, but there was poison in her eyes. Discrimination didn't sit well with Starling, no matter what form it took.

B

[lionunchained]

Shiro happened to be out exploring in the city. Alien cities were not anything new to him, but the fact of actually getting to sightsee was a little strange. He'd had spent so much time fighting the Galra. This was different.

But as he was exploring, he heard the argument coming from a familiar voice and he headed over in that direction.

"Hey, Cayde. Everything alright here?"

[deal_me_in]

"Hm? Oh! Hey-" The Exo paused as he scrambled for the name before Sundance gave him a helpful mental reminder. Right! How could he forget someone who shared the name of one of his close Hunter pals?

"-Shiro! Ah, I dunno. Just some difficulties. What's a guy gotta do to get a meal around here?"

The man at the door looked at Cayde like the Exo was out of his mind, then turned to look at Shiro with a gesture that suggested 'look, this is what I have to deal with' because obviously Shiro would understand the situation, right?

[lionunchained]

Shiro wasn't offended at all by the pause. They had talked once when he first arrived and a lot of stuff had happened since then, but he smiled.

Shiro looked over at the guy, picking up on the gesture and getting some idea. So... something about him, it was unusual for them to serve him? Why was that? But since neither side seemed to be willing to move, he tried a different tactic.

"How about the two of us? That would be fine right?"

He was hungry himself and surely this guy wasn't going to be foolish enough to turn away two paying customers.

[deal_me_in]

The man paused, and not for very long as he wasn't about to turn away potential business. He clearly wasn't giving Cayde much thought as he directed most of his attention to Shiro, turning on that professional smile as he stepped aside, gesturing.

"Oh! Of course! Go on and seat yourselves," he said.

The Exo rolled his eyes at the obvious one-eighty in the man's attitude, looking over at Shiro then with a shrug. "After you."

[lionunchained]

Well, whatever it was about Cayde, that was kind of annoying that just because Shiro was there, now they were being more hospitable. Inwardly, he sighed, trying to at least remain courtesy since they were being allowed to enter, even if the bias was completely obvious right now.

Shiro nodded his head once. "Thanks." He headed in ahead of him, moving the direction of a table, moving at a pace slow enough for Cayde still to walk next to him.

Once they had moved to a table and the guy wasn't in earshot, Shiro said, "Sorry about that, Cayde."

C

[hadthehighground]

Word gets around quickly sometimes. Obi-Wan happened to hear from another Jedi that a peculiar droid had been detained and he thought it might be part of his group. It didn’t take much for him to suspect who it might be. Thus Cayde would soon get a visitor. One hooded Jedi who was escorted in by a guard.

“I hear you’ve been getting into some trouble,” Obi-Wan says as he pulls back his hood and gives Cayde a curious look. “And here I thought you might try to behave yourself.”

It’s said in a joking tone. He’s more than aware of the difficulties that Cayde would like have on Coruscant. There were many who were not exactly kind to droids or those they perceived as such.

[deal_me_in]

The Exo sits up from where he'd been lounging on the narrow bench within, and that only after the hooded one addresses him. He gasps as though taken aback by the Jedi's words, clasping his hands over his chest.

"I have been an absolute angel this entire time," he claims, although it's obviously done in the same vein as Obi-Wan's jest. "The room service here is pretty rude though. They wouldn't even get me a sandwich!"

[hadthehighground]

The Jedi snorts a little then raises his brows. “Can you even eat a sandwich?” Somehow he highly doubts that but who knows? It’s not like he knows how Cayde works.

“Yeah this is real cute,” the guard says impatiently. “Is this your droid or not?”

“... Yes, this one is Jedi property, so I’m going to need him back.”

“Heh, is that right? Somehow I’d thought you Jedi would keep better control of your droids.”

[deal_me_in]

"Actually I prefer ramen but I don't think that's a thing in this place. Or maybe it is! Hey-" Cayde changes tactics, glancing to the guard despite the obvious impatience. "-know any places around that serve noodles? Should I be asking if you know what noodles are?"

He's up on his feet as Obi-Wan converses with the guard, making somewhat of a face at being called Jedi property. "-psst. Does that mean I get a laser sword?" He doubts it but figures it's worth a shot.

[hadthehighground]

The guard gives them a strange look as the “droid” asks for noodles. “It ain’t acting very... Jedi-like.” Because clearly droids don’t eat so what gives.

“No he most certainly is not,” Obi-Wan says while glancing at Cayde, ignoring the question about a lightsaber. “I’ll have to take him in for reprogramming. You wouldn’t happen to have a spare restraining bolt in the mean time would you?”

The guard snorts at that. “For a Jedi you came pretty unprepared.”