not_a_whiner | A Casino on Kithoi Ward, Sunday (Reply)

The suit was not necessarily something Kaidan felt terribly at home in, but he wore it well enough. The loudness of the casino was another thing, though, and he had no doubt this was eventually going to turn into a colossal migraine. Not yet, though. Right now, the main problem... would probably be keeping Allie and Jack from staring at the many elcor, hanar and volus patrons of the vorcha-run establishment.

He thought he'd even spotted a drell around somewhere.

"Okay," he said quietly to his companions. "Time to get this party on the road."

Allie	"Fun times," Allie replied, just the slightest hint of a grumble in her voice. Blame it on the dress and heels she was wearing. She wasn't going to stare at anyone in particular in the room, but Allie was definitely going to keep her eyes peeled for any potential trouble.
Jack	Jack managed not to stare outright at the more unusual-looking aliens, but it was a near thing. He'd gotten used to the general concept, but the formalwear was something new again. He himself was grateful the city's fashion diversity meant he could find a suit that he felt mostly at home in; he didn't think he would have been able to manage a tunic-styled one like Kaidan's. He carried the whiskey bottle in a small satchel, hoping the bag would pass for an Earthling affectation. "How should we find the owner?"
Kaidan	"I'm not sure," Kaidan admitted quietly. "He's got to have his own office somewhere around here. East side. But this place is jam-packed with guards..." He trailed off. "Maybe we should flash someone your package. They do think we're here for some kind of deal..."
Allie	"Intrigue's not really my thing," Allie said, keeping a wary eye on the guards. "But yeah, letting them come to us might be the better idea."
Jack	"What luck that it is my thing," Jack said. "I don't want to flash it until we're sure of who to approach. Maybe we can start with small talk and see if anyone points us in the right direction."
Kaidan	"Since you seem to know what you're doing," Kaidan said, "How about you pick the first, uh... mark?" His eyes settled on a pair of hanar chatting. Then on an elcor sulking in the background. Then on a posh-looking asari in conversation with two volus. Uh...
Allie	Allie felt back to stand next to Kaidan. "Yeah Jack. You can be the brains. We'll be the good-looking muscle."
Jack	Jack considered it for a moment, then said firmly: "The Asari. She looks the most like she belongs here. Even if she doesn't know anyone who'd want the whiskey, she'll be flattered to be asked." Glancing to the other two, he asked, "Do you want to stay with me, or try to suss out a way past the guards?"
Kaidan	"We'll deal with the guards," Kaidan said, his eyes darting briefly towards Allie. Seemed to be more up their alley. "Let us know if you need some back-up, okay?"
Allie	Potential violence. While in a dress and heels. Allie rolled her eyes. "I knew I should have insisted on pants."
Jack	"But being kicked with the heels will hurt more, darling," Jack said, and rolled his shoulders a bit to work himself up to the game. "Right. Wish me luck." And with that he was off to fetch a drink of something blue off a tray, holding it lightly in one hand as he made his way to the Asari and her companions. He stood a meter or so away, seemingly absorbed in watching a game something like craps in progress as he tried to pick up the drift of their conversation.
Smoozers	"...I don't know how I feel about all these humans colonizing Kithoi ward," the asari was saying. "Why can't the noisy things just stay in their own district? Let Zakera Ward deal with them." "This one feels the humans are efficient... trading partners," one of the hanar... said? Sang? It pulsed with light, its translator spitting out dreamy terms. "This one has no complaints."
Kaidan	Kaidan threw one last worried glance after Jack before moving himself. Didn't take him much to identify the guards - both those clearly marked and the ones blending in. "Okay," he said quietly under his breath, hoping Allie could hear that. "We can't fight our way through, so we've got to find the gap in security..."
Allie	Being as attuned to what Kaidan was doing as she was, Allie had no trouble hearing him. She stepped closer to make it easier to communicate. "I agree. We're way too outnumbered to try the direct approach."
Jack	Jack let an encouraging smile pass over his face as he watched them plan, then shifted his attention back to the Asari and her companions. He was lucky they were talking about humans to start with; it would be harder to worm his way into a conversation about vacation spots or someone's sick mother. "Funny you'd say that," he said idly to the Hanar. "I don't like to interrupt, but I've been trying to feel out trading here myself. It's a bit overwhelming to start, isn't it?"
Smoozers	The hanar turned towards Jack, flashing a wordless shade of purple at the sight of him. Recognition, maybe. Or just a hanar thing. The asari looked torn between annoyance and interest. "Human," she said flatly. "How kind of you to make it here." There was no hint of either recognition or surprise in the way she spoke.
Kaidan	"Four exits out of this room," Kaidan said, hushed. "No-- five. Door behind the roulette table. Two vorcha, one turian guard." Sorry, Allie, you were going to have to figure out what these various aliens were quickly.
Allie	After getting up close and personal with a vorcha's throat, Allie had no trouble recognizing the lizard guys. "Oh great. Any suggestions?"
Jack	Meanwhile, Jack was trusting his instincts. He smiled bland thanks at the Asari with no more interest than she'd shown him, then turned back to the Hanar. "I mean, I had a vorcha suggest an arrangement to me earlier," he said. "I've no idea what you even do with that. What would you advise?"
Smoozers	Something lit up in the asari's eyes. She tapped her glass against her bottom lip in silent consideration. "This one has found the vorcha to be considerate in trade," the hanar on the right said, pulsing. "This one has had good dealings with Garrvk. Garrvk specializes in baked goods."
Jack	"Have you ever heard of vorcha dealing in whiskey?" Jack asked, in a tone that suggested he found alcohol and muffins roughly equally interesting. "That was the opportunity I was offered." He was acutely conscious of the presence of the bottle in the bag at his side.
Smoozers	"Would you excuse us for a few moments?" the asari said, interrupting whatever the hanar had been gearing up to say. "I believe this human needs to be briefed on the correct protocol for these... gatherings."
Jack	"Thank you," Jack said with sincere gratitude. "I'm sure left on my own I'd put my foot in it a hundred different ways. You're being quite patient." So far this had been easy, but he was acutely aware it might not stay that way. Out of the corner of his eye, he checked on Allie and Kaidan. Edited at 2013-03-25 03:32 pm (UTC)
Kaidan	"That fifth door is definitely the one we'd have to go for if Jack doesn't make this work," Kaidan told her quietly. They'd moved a little closer to it to get a better look. "Look at the patrol routes - we'd just have to distract the turian when the vorcha are over there. Someone would be able to slip through."
Allie	Allie had been watching and taking it all in. What Kaidan was saying made sense. It was just a matter of figuring out the distraction. "Playing drunk and spilling a drink on him could work as a distraction. I could slip through. If anyone asks, I got lost looking for the ladies room."
Kaidan	"You're not going in there alone," Kaidan said.
Allie	"Well what do you suggest then?" Allie asked. "Because the only other thing I can think of is playing the distracted enamored couple. And that's just levels of weird I don't think either one of us want to deal with."
Kaidan	"Maybe Jack can distract him?" Kaidan said, throwing a glance towards where he'd spotted the guy last. "You and I can handle the fighting."
Smoozers	Meanwhile, the asari guided Jack a few paces away from the two hanar. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed. "This was not according to the deal!"
Jack	"I know," Jack said in a low whisper. "My colleague didn't give me much guidance. Playing dumb seemed safest. Did I mess anything up for you?"
Smoozers	"I think the fools haven't figured it out," she hissed back. "Look, you've been keeping the big vorcha waiting. That's not a smart thing to do -- especially not if you want your 5000 credits. And your liver."
Jack	"I want to walk out tonight with both of those things," Jack told her, with a slight smile. "Look, we both know I'm in over my head -- recommend the best way to get to get to the vorcha and I'll let you go back to your friends. My liver's my own affair." He was telling enough of the truth that his nerves didn't show too badly, but they were there nonetheless. He hoped the asari assumed he was simply incompetent, rather than realizing he was a total pretender.
Smoozers	"Just tell Drakan over there you've got the drinks," she said, nodding at the turian standing by the door Kaidan and Allie had been staking out. "I suggest you move quickly."
Jack	Jack glanced over to see who Drakan was, offered a nod of understanding. "Ah. Thank you. I appreciate the help." If she didn't obviously have more to say, he was going to go over and do exactly that.
Kaidan	"All right, so if--" Kaidan paused, looking away from the door - but not as far as he would've liked to have had to look away. "Is that Jack? What's he doing?"
Allie	The nice thing about enhanced vampire hearing? It meant Allie had been able to keep half an ear on what was going on with Jack while she and Kaidan scoped out the area. "He needs to talk to someone named Drakan. I've been listening," she explained. "Is he coming this way?"
Jack	Jack raised his eyebrows. He'd heard, and he was indeed coming toward them with his eyes fixed on Drakan. "Follow me but not too close," he said, pitched so only Allie (and, he supposed, any aliens with especially sharp hearing) could hear. "I think we might just get away with this."
Kaidan	Kaidan, always observant about the most ridiculous of details, noticed Jack talking but not what he was saying. "What's going on?" he hissed at Allie.
Allie	Allie's smile was bright, but entirely fake as she spoke. Just another couple exchanging quiet endearments. Nothing to see here. "We're supposed to follow him. Just not too closely."
Jack	Jack nodded again, grateful Allie had picked up on the message, and went up to Drakan. "Hello," he said to the turian, voice quiet and body tensed with alertness. "I have the drinks."
Smoozers	The turian guard looked down at him. His mandibles twitched. "Human," he said. "Have you changed your facial markings?" He sounded suspicious.
Kaidan	Kaidan nodded shallowly at Allie. He really wished he could've brought some heavier guns to this thing, but... as it stood, he approached carefully, making sure to keep his distance. Trying not to make any of the vorcha guards twitchy.
Allie	Allie was still smiling while she kept up a running commentary of chatter about nothing at all. Honestly, she was paying no attention at all to the vorcha guards. Except where she was absolutely keeping them in view out of the corner of her eye.
Jack	"I cut my hair and the light in here makes me a bit sallow," Jack told the turian. He was deliberately ignoring Allie and Kaidan. "Look, can we just get to business or do I need to compliment your choice of armor first?" Edited at 2013-03-27 03:55 pm (UTC)
Smoozers	The turian got a little squinty-eyed, but it was hard to tell considering the structure of his face. "You had more dots on your face, yes," he said. "And your waist was narrower."
Jack	Jack got squinty-eyed right back, considered his options. Indignation seemed the way to go. "I was told not to make the vorcha wait," he said, and shifted the bag so the turian could see its contents. "But if you want to argue about whether I've put on a few pounds or not -- which is very rude to say to a human, by the way -- I can find someone else to sell to." Edited at 2013-03-27 07:55 pm (UTC)
Smoozers	The turian's mandibles twitched again. "Fine," he said after a protracted silence. "Through the door. We're keeping an eye on you."
Jack	"I wouldn't expect any less," Jack said, and then went through the door. He didn't let himself look back at Kaidan and Allie, but he prayed they knew what to do.
Kaidan	"...Okay, he's in there and we're out here," Kaidan said. "That's... not good. Damn it." He looked at Allie. "So... cup of coffee. Guard?"
Allie	That sounded vaguely familiar for some reason. "Why mess with the classics? Sounds like a plan."
Vorcha Mafia	"Hyooman." The vorcha boss's office was, of course, dark and shadowy. Behind the desk sat one vorcha wearing a hat at a jaunty angle; beside him stood two bigger vorcha with guns. "Your teeth... are smaller!" Yes, Jack. You were going to get dissed by all the aliens today.
Jack	"What?" Jack looked genuinely confused for a moment, then shrugged and smiled. "I didn't think they changed, but thank you. Yours look ... pointier."
Kaidan	Kaidan snatched a glass of... something... off a passing waiter. "Okay," he said. Beat. "Okay, this isn't coffee, but that's what we're going to have to work with." He eyed the turian guard. Then the vorcha. "Allie? In about thirty seconds, that turian is going to be in their blind spot. You need to be ready."
Allie	"I'll be ready," Allie assured him. "Be careful."
Vorcha Mafia	Boss Vorcha released a truly disturbing symphony of noise that was supposed to go for laughter. "You have become funnier!" he crowed. "Quickly, quickly! We have credits!" He threw a small credit chit onto the desk.
Jack	This was the part where Jack realized he really should have asked Kaidan for more of a primer on money in this world before they got to the casino. He had no idea if the chit was sufficient, or even if it was the kind of thing you knew at a glance. "It's all there?" he asked, holding the bag against the desk as one hand hovered near the chit.
Vorcha Mafia	"Yesss," Boss Vorcha hissed. And then a clawed hand belonging to one of the guards shot forward to grab at Jack's wrist.
Jack	Um, no. Jack lurched back quite a bit faster than standard human reflexes would have allowed. He had nothing to say, but there was a distinct glare on his face when he looked over at the guard.
Kaidan	"Okay," Kaidan said, a room further away. "I'm going in." He walked towards the guard as casually as he could, trying to look like he wasn't paying the guy any attention. He hop-skipped forward suddenly and sent the contents of the glass sailing all over the turian. "Oh, gosh!" he said. "Sorry! I tripped!"
Allie	Allie would have laughed at the faked klutziness if she hadn't already been focused on what was happening on the other side of the door. It was muted, but it didn't seem like she was going to get a friendly reception. Oh well. As soon as the turian was occupied wiping at his shirt, Allie slipped through the door and pasted on a smile. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought this was the ladies room."
Vorcha Mafia	Well, she did accomplish one thing - all three vorcha took their attention away from Jack and focused it all on Allie. "Hyoomans! Imposter hyoomans!" one of the guards shouted. "You die now! Aaargh!" That 'aaargh' part was the point where Boss Vorcha smacked the guard in the arm.
Allie	"A little late for that," Allie couldn't help replying in a low voice as she checked to make sure Jack was okay.
Jack	Jack was fine. He looked as if he was about to either start laughing at the feigned clutziness or possibly vomit from fear, but that was, perhaps, to be expected. "I knew you'd come," he said gratefully.
Allie	"You can't have all the fun." They were being threatened by vorcha. Allie had a very strange idea of fun.
Vorcha Mafia	"You are not right hyoomans." At least Vorcha Boss was being... the vorcha equivalent of conversational about it? "Why you come here?" Outside, Kaidan was busy getting into a verbal slap fight with the turian and one of the vorcha guards.
Jack	Jack glanced to Allie, weighing his options. He went with the truth, or close to it. "Honestly, we got the bottle by accident and we decided we might as well have the credits for it as well," he said. "We figured one human was about the same as another to you."
Allie	Allie shrugged. "You get what you want. We get some credits. Everyone's happy. I don't see a problem."
Vorcha Mafia	"You no touch drinks?" Boss Vorcha demanded. "How you get drinks?" Both of the guards took a step forward, hissing. Chiefly as an intimidation technique. Outside, a plate full of wine glasses glowing blue flew past the door.
Jack	Jack stepped back. Vorcha breath was quite something. He was trying to come up with the answer least likely to get them involved in a fistfight when he spotted the wine glasses. "We -- what is going on out there?" he asked.
Allie	If the vorcha expected Allie to be intimidated by the hissing, they were going to be disappointed. She stood her ground and smiled around suddenly razor sharp canines. The smile lasted until Jack pointed out the growing ruckus outside the door. "Oh hell..."
Vorcha Mafia	"Boss!" The guard with the blue flecks above his eyes breathed in sharply. "Not good! Not good! We take drinks, we go!" The other guard dashed forward to try and snatch the backpack off of Jack. Outside, something rumbled.
Jack	Jack jerked his shoulders hard, throwing the backpack to the ground before the vorcha's claws could close around it. If he had any luck, the bottle would break and distract everyone. If he didn't ... well, at least it'd make things interesting.
Allie	Allie started moving when the vorcha did. If Jack got hurt, things were going to get ugly.
...	The backpack hit the ground with a very dull thud and no sign of breaking whatsoever-- not that that really mattered, because the vorcha guard went leaping for it like it was his own child anyway, slamming to the floor. There was a muffled explosion outside.
Jack	"Allie?" Jack said urgently. "I think this is our cue to run." He pocketed the credit chit before moving toward the door -- and the explosion.
Allie	They'd delivered the bottle, gotten the credits. Yes, she saw what you did there Jack. And now it was time to run for their lives. Allie was surprisingly okay with that. She went through the door, immediately looking to see if she could spot Kaidan in the chaos.
Kaidan	Somewhere in the last five minutes, the fancy casino scene had devolved into an epic brawl between a bunch of asari, turian and human C-Sec officers and the rather more varied clientele. At least two of the slot machines had been blown up already. Kaidan stood in the center of the room, glowing bright blue, his rifle floating by his side as he threw a shockwave at an incoming vorcha. This had gone well...
Jack	Jack took a second to survey the scene, then hauled off and found someone to punch. Hopefully one of the bad guys, though he couldn't have sworn to that. This was a bit of an amazing trip.
Allie	Someone tried to grab Allie by the shoulder. She turned and used the offending arm to fling him somewhere far from her. A quiet trip playing tourist. Sure.....