You won't find me looking back

[demjiin]

WHO: Kaz, Ezra, Tony
WHERE: Near a Hangar Bay on Coruscant
WHAT: A holocron is seen as a gag since it refers to Agra-10, which obviously doesn't exist. But Kaz is still buying it
WHEN: During the Coruscant event
WARNINGS: None anticipated, TBD



The merchant Kaz was meeting with was a ferrety little man. Like he literally looked like a ferret with a tool belt and some sort of hoodlike hat. It was through a couple of different people Kaz had met that he had been told that Agra-10 was only mentioned once, supposedly in this 'Holocron thing. He had been warned that he wouldn't be able to open it, but since Kaz has been on Coruscant for a few days now he had already heard of the Jedi. And if the one he had spoken to was any indication, they were pretty similar to the grisha where he was from. Which is to say he already knew he'd need to cajole or manipulate a Jedi into opening it.

"Is just a glowing brick." The ferrety man insisted.

"All the same." replied Kaz in his rocksalt rasp.

The ferrety man squinted at Kaz, sensing a possible way to get more money.

"Is junk. But you want junk? Then 50."

Kaz tilted his head to one side. Then while saying nothing he used his cane as a hook and took hold of a sliding hoist. If grabbed from the end with the handles it was possible to slide freight weighing hundreds of pounds into spacecraft. At the moment the hoist slams the ferrety man's tale. The ferrety man squeals in pain and immediately drops the Holocron to grab his trapped tale.

"You're going to want to rethink that." Kaz says, still completely calm.

"4-40!" The ferrety man says quickly. Apparently, Kaz leaned on the hoist because the ferrety man squeals again.

"30! Take for 30!

Kaz says nothing, just unhooks his cane from the hoist's handles and puts it back at his side. The ferrety man whimpers and removes his injured tale to cradle it. Kaz takes one step forward and removes a small bag from the inner pocket of his suit jacket and tosses it to the ground. It clinks with (stolen) credits. He picks up the fallen Holocron. He would need to find a way to disguise it as soon as possible.

"I would say it's been a pleasure doing business with you, but I'm not that good of a liar."

Comments

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra feels...something in the Force, before he spots the person it seems to be emanating from - a person who looks familiar once he gets a good look at them. Familiar because now that he's realized that the twin facts that there are profile on the network for each 'hero' and that people drop on and off the list of profile as they (without warning) come and go, he's started looking the list over regularly.

So he walks up with a friendly smile. "Kaz Brekker? Am I saying that right? The Agrii don't exactly give a pronunciation guide, and I don't think I'd trust it, if they did."

Sorry so late, had a personal crisis to resolve

[demjiin]

Kaz turned his head at the sound of his name. Like Ezra, he had examined the names provided on Temba's network and recognized the face from it. He offered his best 'poor trusting cripple' smile in response.

"You are. And you are 'Ezra Bridger', though honestly yours is the easier name to pronounce."

no worries!

[ezra_of_lothal]

"That's me," Ezra agrees, easily. "How are you finding Coruscant? I'm not as local as some of the...Temba residents? Tembarians?" he tries, experimentally. "We could use a collective word. Still, I gotta wonder what people not even from this area of space think of it."

Re: no worries!

[demjiin]

"It's bigger." Understatement of the year. "But under that, it's still the same; it's a city."

And Kaz already had plenty of experience operating in a city so it seemed pretty straightforward to him. He also wondered if Ezra was just going to stick to a friendly chat or if he had stopped Kaz for a reason. If not, Kaz needed to end this conversation as soon as he could and get back to the Bloodsport.

"I take it that you are not from the area?"

[ezra_of_lothal]

And here Ezra was operating on the principle that most people don't like to be cornered and immediately questioned.

"Well, I'm from a different planet in this galaxy. So I know a little about Coruscant from the news and history. Except in my time, people sometimes call it Imperial Center."

[demjiin]

Oh Ezra was right about that but Kaz was preoccupied and didn't like feeling that his time was being wasted.

"Imperial says there is an empire. Seems to assume a lot when we're talking about whole planets."

[ezra_of_lothal]

"Here and now it's called a Republic. But it's definitely an Empire in my time, yeah," Ezra says with a shrug.

He's not sure what to make of that second statement. Empires are generally big, right?

[demjiin]

Kaz wasn't even used to the idea of space travel and one planet government. To him, even one government controlling two or more countries on one planet was a big deal. An empire controlling multiple planets was harder to grasp than even space travel had been.

"A republic? Doesn't that mean a whole bunch of leaders? Shit, it's a wonder anything gets done."

[ezra_of_lothal]

"Uh...a bunch of Senators and a Chancellor? I have no idea how stuff got done, really. But that's something to think about...decision making...theory?"

He doesn't know the academic terms. But now he's thinking about Temba, and accomplishing things.

[demjiin]

Kaz only gives a noncommittal hum. He's actually also thinking about Temba but starting to think about how probable it would be to build an organized crime empire.

"Well, I'm somewhat in the middle of something, so excuse me, but I need to get back to the Bloodsport."

Kaz kept hold of the Holocron in one hand, using his cane with the other.

[ezra_of_lothal]

"I actually had a question. Or maybe just an observation, so if you don't mind, I'll walk with you," Ezra says, turning to do so.

[demjiin]

Kaz raised an eyebrow but walked with Ezra.

"If you wish. Although I am very sure you aren't listed as part of the Bloodsport's crew."

[ezra_of_lothal]

What that has to do with continuing a conversation, Ezra isn't sure.

"I spotted you because I...felt something. In the Force. I guess it could have been you-" He squints vaguely in Kaz's direction, trying to pinpoint the feeling more. "But the last time I felt something singing quite like that it was a holocron. Geometric shape. Might look like a puzzle box?" He gestures to indicate a small size.

"Have you come across something like that?"

[demjiin]

Being part of the Bloodsport's crew when Kaz was going to the Bloodsport seemed relevant. Of course when Ezra mentions the Holocron Kaz stops walking and looks at Ezra. This would be the first time Kaz has had a personal encounter with the Force. It was definitely an eerie feeling.

"I was under the impression that only a Jedi was able to open one."

[ezra_of_lothal]

"You have to be Force sensitive," Ezra corrects. "Which doesn't a Jedi necessarily make."

"But how do you know that, anyway?" he asks, more cautiously.

[demjiin]

Kaz debated with himself in silence for a moment then came to the decision that since Ezra was also a part of the Temba network, he would also be interested in the mention of Agra-10.

"Because I just bought this moments ago."

With the gloved hand not using his cane, he showed Ezra the Holocron.

"It mentions Agra-10, which is largely believed to be non-existent here."

[ezra_of_lothal]

Ezra's eyes widen a little. "Bought it? Someone just...had it for sale? 'Cause that's definitely a holocron. Looks like a Jedi one, too, but I suppose anyone with Force sensitivity and the know how could construct one."

He bites his lip. "Did you actually see what's on it, or did whoever sold it to you tell you about it?"

[demjiin]

Now is not the time to point out that you could mostly buy anything on the black market.

"No, I haven't seen what's on it yet."

Kaz took a moment to look at what just seemed to him like a glowing cube

"And I doubt the...ah-merchant that sold it had either."

[ezra_of_lothal]

He's aware, intellectually. He's still bothered.

"This could be why we're here," he points out, glancing up to look at Kaz. "Or part of the reason."

[demjiin]

"Why we're on this planet? Hm."

Kaz is still trying to wrap his brain around the idea of regularly visiting other planets. But Ezra had a point. Coming to another silent decision, Kaz returns Ezra's look.

"Are you able to open it, then?"

[ezra_of_lothal]

"Probably. There's always a possibility that whoever made it added some other requirement to opening it," Ezra muses. "But assuming not, then yeah."

He cocks his head at Kaz. "Wanna do this on your ship, or what?"

[demjiin]

Kaz smirked to himself. Finding a Jedi to open the Holocron had been a lot easier than he thought it would be.

"Sounds reasonable to me."

Without waiting for Ezra he turned and started walking back toward the Bloodsport.

[ezra_of_lothal]

"If I can't open it, there are other options," Ezra continues, taking a couple of quick strides to stay by Kaz. "But now I'm really curious."

[demjiin]

For a cripple, he's surprisingly fast. It doesn't take long to get to the hangar bay, and the docked Bloodsport. The door unlocks for Kaz, and he says nothing until both he and Ezra are inside.

"Since it will make my life a lot easier, I'm thinking you'll be able to open it."

[ezra_of_lothal]

"Is that how things work in your experience?" Ezra asks, in bemusement. "Because in my life, that is rarely how things work."