Somewhere on the Outer Rim

Jheryth Chrystopher made his way into the cantina his contact had given him the name and location of. He looked at the few patrons and the bartender, and then down at his own clothes. He sighed and strode to the bar, “I am looking for Captain Vedeti.”

The hulking Gen'dai bartender just shrugged his shoulders, never bothering to look up from the mug he was cleaning.

Jheryth furrowed his brow in frustration, “What do you mean you don't know?”

The bartender looked up at Jheryth, barking out a language that seemed more like grunts and gibberish.

“I have no idea what that means, but I was supposed to meet him here. Do you know where he is or not?”

The bartender just gave a hearty laugh, continuing to laugh as he finished cleaning the mug, setting it upside down on a dowel rod, next to a few other mugs that looked just as 'clean'.

“Fine. Get me a brandy then.”

The bartender looked up, then started to laugh even harder than before.

Jheryth growled, taking a seat on one of the stools, “Ok, ok. Get me anything to drink then.”

The bartender picked up the same glass he had just finished wiping down, and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from a shelf and set them both on the counter. Jheryth reached into his pocket and pulled out an emerald sliver, letting it drop into the waiting palm of the bartender. Jheryth had no sooner opened the bottle and started to pour himself a drink when he felt three figures surrounding him. He placed the bottle down calmly and took a sip from the glass, grimacing with the sting.

“HEY! I'm talking to you! We don't need your kind here, outsider!”

Jheryth shifted slightly, placing his feet firmly on the floor, setting the mug down.

“We don't want anyone else mucking around with Captain Vedeti. You need to shuttle your as...”

Jheryth used the leverage of the bar to spring up, throwing his elbow into the face of the man with the big mouth, using his momentum to thrust his knee into the gut of a wiry human too stunned to react. As the wiry man started to double over, Jheryth dodged backward, narrowly avoiding a wild swing from a huge arm. Jheryth caught the arm, pulling a mammoth of a man off balance, placing a hand on the back of his massive neck and slammed his head into the one that was doubled over. He looked down at the three unconscious men, dusted off his well-tailored armor, and sat back down, using his boot to push away one of the men from the leg of the stool. He was just about to take another drink when he heard the door open.

Jheryth turned around to watch a female Cathar walk across the cantina to the bar, greeting the bartender like an old friend. His time in Alderaan court told him that her flowing trench coat and leather attire were well-made, reinforced, and fashionable. Even the shine on her riding boots would impress the most critical Imperial Commander.

“Grunthar! I hope business is better than your whiskey.”

The bartender greeted her with a toothy grin, “Ho Captain Vedeti.” He spoke a few words to her in that gutteral language and then hooked a thumb in Jheryth's direction.

Captain Vedeti looked over at Jheryth, giving him a critical once over, her brow arched in curiosity, “I hear you are looking for me?”

As the Cathar turned to address him, Jheryth could see the handle of a sword draped across her hip, secured in a leather scabbard. He flicked his eyes back up to her, “You are Captain Vedeti?”

She smirked, “ I know who I am better than you do, and since you obviously have no idea what I'm supposed to look like, I guess you'll have to take my word for it. What do you want?”

“My contact gave me the impression that you were male. Regardless, I understand that you have an interesting business venture, and I would like to offer my services.”

She looked at him, down to the three men on the floor now beginning to stir, and then back up to Jheryth, “You were misinformed. My crew is full. I don't need you.”

“They took offense to my asking about you. I hope they were not part of this crew of yours.”

Before she could answer, the cantina door opened, a half-dozen more thugs piled in, leering at her, some with nets, others with stun batons. The three men that were starting to groan on the floor, scrambled to their feet, pulling out their own batons, scowling at Jheryth, but squaring their shoulders towards Vedeti.

As the group with batons descended on her, she manged to deflect a few swings before one of them landed a blow to her face, sending her reeling backwards into the bar, next to Jheryth.

She leaned against the bar, breathing heavily as she turned to him, “A little help would be nice.”

Jheryth picked up his glass, raising it to her in a toast, “Don't block with your face.”

She scoffed and then looked down at the bottle, “May I?”

Jheryth motioned to the bottle in assent as he took another sip.

She picked up the bottle and swung it around in time to break it against the head of the first ruffian to lunge at her. She managed to disable a few more before a man and woman in armor walked in. The man called a halt. He was well-built, calm in demeanor, and exuding a commanding presence. The woman held all of Jheryth's attention. She was every bit as tall and built as he was, flowing blond hair falling across gleaming armor, large vibrosword strapped to her back, and a wild hunger in her eyes.

Vedeti motioned to the man that entered, glancing over at Jheryth, “To answer your last question, the trash belongs to him.”

The man looked around at the gathering, taking a moment to tilt his head in thought as he regarded Jheryth, then smiled to Vedeti, “Why make all this fuss? You know I'm taking you with me, why make it any harder?”

Vedeti motioned to the woman, “Aww, and your sister was just telling me the other day how you like it rough.”

The man held an arm out to block the blond from rushing forward as Vedeti drew her sword, turning to Jheryth, “Help me out and I'll reconsider your offer.”

Jheryth watched the man punch something into his wristband, and two more armored soldiers entered the cantina, making it an even dozen against the lone Cathar. He stood up, unhooking the lightsaber from his belt.

“That's an awful lot of muscle to capture one girl.”

Vedeti scoffed again, talking out of the corner of her mouth, keeping an eye on the threat before her, “Remind me to be insulted about that later.”

“The Outsider doesn't matter, but Vedeti is taken alive. ENGAGE!”

The two soldiers rushed forward with staffs drawn as the assembled crowd converged on them. Jheryth kept an eye on Vedeti, noting that she handled herself very well. She was just as good with her sword as she was with her mouth. As Jheryth ducked a staff, she rolled over his back, forcing him to react quickly to a baton he otherwise would not have had to worry about. Jheryth thrust his lightsaber through the midsection of one of the soldiers, giving the soldier a nod of respect before he let him fall, narrowly dodging a swing from Vedeti's blade as she took down two of the ruffians with that very swing.

Jheryth watched the blonde draw her blade, licking her lips as she made her way towards Jheryth. Vedeti tried to move to cut her off, but the woman grabbed one of the ruffians and shoved him at Vedeti, cutting her off instead.

As Jheryth's lightsaber greeted her swing, their eyes locked.

Her technique was exceptional, matching swing and parry. She continued to maneuver him away from Vedeti, keeping him isolated. As sword and lighsaber locked again, she pulled Jherth against her, blades close to each others necks, and she kissed him, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood and then jumped away from him. She gave him a satisfied smile and made her way toward the door, the commander following her out.

A few minutes later, Vedeti spun on Jheryth, her sword raised, still breathing hard, finding no one left standing but him.

She lowered her sword, “You lived.”

“I am annoying that way. I guess that means you'll still have to take me along.”

She took a step backwards toward the door, “Oh yeah. I did think about it. I'm still not hiring you.”

Jheryth glowered, “You have got to be joking. I just saved your ass!”

Vedeti started walking backward across the cantina, “And you did that without securing a payment, which makes you gullible,” She waved her sword up and down, “Plus, your clothing.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, “What about my clothing?”

“You're vain, overly defensive, and I don't hire Sith.”

“I am not SITH!”

She pointed her sword at him, “See? That right there. Defensive.” She was at the door now, “See you in the Hyper-lanes, Blondie.”

Jheryth stared at the door in disbelief for a few moments, and then started to stride after her. He had gotten half way there when a strong hand grabbed his arm, bringing him up short. He turned to look up at the bartender, who was keeping a very firm grip, “You no leave. You pay.”

Jheryth looked around at the destruction left by the fight, and then back up at the bartender. He reached into his belt and pulled out a velvet pouch, thrusting it in the awaiting hand of the bartender, “At least get some decent drinks in here.” As the bartender let go, Jheryth rushed out the door.