RPG Grove

Davra took the quiet from the dug that ka had decided maybe they weren't the best at conversations. Or ka was just as annoyed at the imperial presence as everyone else in Ziepo's. The two lovebirds certainly were playing up the part of being smitten. Either they really were just overrun with whatever natural stimulants were coursing through their systems, or this was becoming more obviously a trap and these were the worst actors she'd ever seen.

And Davra had dealt with a lot of bad actors...

Or perhaps ka had become more focused on the newcomer. Mister Everyman with the DL-44 struggling to remain inconspicuous in his jacket. 'This is definitely a trap..'

JediTigger wrote: ↑Sat Apr 04, 2026 2:09 am The newcomer at the neighboring table orders something fizzy and nonalcoholic to drink, sends off the server with a dismissive hand wave, and levels his brown gaze on the food on plates before Devra and Onkaldo. "That," he proclaims in an accent as unremarkable as everything else, "looks like worm-ridden womprat shit."

And he doesn't seem to be joking.

"Honestly.." Davra preoccupied herself with collecting some of the thicker noodles into her sticks and lifting them, dabbing them gently in sauce, and then slurping them into her mouth. She didn't look up as she did, more interested in her food than the conversation. "The next thing to comment on my meal is going to discover very quickly what being on the wrong side of a blaster malfunction feels like.." She kept her tone level, practically uncaring, like it was the kind of threat she was simply comfortable with making and knew exactly how to follow through on.

"Not going to make many friends on this level of Coruscant if you're mocking Ziepo's food.." she added, leveling her eyes at Mister Everyman.

Onkaldo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 04, 2026 7:38 pm "I'm already complaining about the venue like a surly Kowakian," Onkaldo replied off-handedly. "Don't go packing into my lane or the suit will go home."

"Besides, you look like you know a thing or two about eating shit."

At that, the light in the newcomer's eyes flashes, not in anger but apparent amusement. He scoots his chair a bit closer to stage whisper, "I've had food so bad I'd have called shit a feast," with one corner of his mouth twitching upward briefly.

Very briefly.

His gaze flickers between Onkaldo to Davra a few times, thoughtful, but he doesn't move his chair back to its former spot. Over with the Imperials, Ziepo can be heard asking about their work and whether drinking on duty is at all permitted, dismisses the question with a laugh, and then calls for some of the best dark brew he has.

The good stuff he keeps in the back.

Davra Barrik wrote: ↑Wed Apr 08, 2026 12:31 am "Not going to make many friends on this level of Coruscant if you're mocking Ziepo's food.." she added, leveling her eyes at Mister Everyman.

"Right now he doesn't seem to be worried about what anyone on this level thinks of him," Mister Everyman notes dryly. "You two don't exactly look happy to be here either. Lose a bet?"

JediTigger wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 11:36 pmAt that, the light in the newcomer's eyes flashes, not in anger but apparent amusement. He scoots his chair a bit closer to stage whisper, "I've had food so bad I'd have called shit a feast," with one corner of his mouth twitching upward briefly.

Very briefly.

"Well aren't you special," Onkaldo replied blandly, slurping up a mouthful of noodles.

JediTigger wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 11:36 pm"Right now he doesn't seem to be worried about what anyone on this level thinks of him," Mister Everyman notes dryly. "You two don't exactly look happy to be here either. Lose a bet?"

"Turns out having a spook materialize on your doorstep is a humbling experience." Onkaldo set kan eating sticks aside. "No, see the bet is that I could finish a meal at Ziepo's without getting up and leaving, no matter what kind of stupa sits down and starts yapping at me." Onkaldo slowly looked from Everyman to Davra and back. "I'll admit, it's not looking great."

Onkaldo wrote: ↑Mon Apr 13, 2026 2:20 am

JediTigger wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 11:36 pm"Right now he doesn't seem to be worried about what anyone on this level thinks of him," Mister Everyman notes dryly. "You two don't exactly look happy to be here either. Lose a bet?"

"Turns out having a spook materialize on your doorstep is a humbling experience." Onkaldo set kan eating sticks aside. "No, see the bet is that I could finish a meal at Ziepo's without getting up and leaving, no matter what kind of stupa sits down and starts yapping at me." Onkaldo slowly looked from Everyman to Davra and back. "I'll admit, it's not looking great."

Davra let out a long, slow breath. Inhale in 1..2..3.., and exhaling out for much longer than a three count. The breath became much more like a sigh the longer the dug and this Mr. Everyman's mouths kept moving. Honestly if this was a trap, Davra just wished the ISB lovebirds or whoever was going to spring the trap would just do it and get it over with so she could go back to the office and go about her day. Lunch was already very quickly getting ruined by the excrement discussion.

And the company.

Honestly the only saving grace had been the excuse to slum it at Ziepo's. She had been meaning to make an excuse. She hadn't had one since the last time she made a terrible decision about romantic entanglements.

"What's to say this isn't my normal Taungsday lunch spot? Seems to me I'm the only one in this conversation that wants to be here. What about you Mr. Everyman? Just here to enjoy a flat fizz and some smooth jizz?"

The stranger half-smiled at Onkaldo, a small nod suggesting he agrees with the dug, and then to Davra he simply notes, "Something like that," and leans closer to murmur, "I have friends everywhere."

Then he stands, tosses enough credits onto the table to cover both tabs, and walks into the kitchen with nary a backward glance.

Ziepo's attention shifts very briefly from the two Imperials back to Onkaldo and Davra, his weathered features expressionless.

JediTigger wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2026 1:43 am The stranger half-smiled at Onkaldo, a small nod suggesting he agrees with the dug, and then to Davra he simply notes, "Something like that," and leans closer to murmur, "I have friends everywhere."

Then he stands, tosses enough credits onto the table to cover both tabs, and walks into the kitchen with nary a backward glance.

Ziepo's attention shifts very briefly from the two Imperials back to Onkaldo and Davra, his weathered features expressionless.

Davra's eyes narrowed. Not much. Not too noticeably. She had lasted a long time in this business by keeping any emotion out of her reactions. Or more accurately, making her any emotion on her face conveyed a general amout of distain for just about everytime that it was never entirely clear if she was surprised that Mr Everyman here was her contact, or if she just didn't believe him when he uttered the phrase.

"I find that highly dubious..." She said flatly, smooth as she would have uttered an amendment to a contract. But she also didn't stop him from paying, or getting up, or walking to the kitchen.

She wasn't stupid after all. There was still the dug to deal with. But ka had been at the table too. Specifically this table. And all attempts to dissuade ken away had failed. 'Interesting...'

So this wasn't just some information broker exchange.

Davra clicked her tongue against her teeth in disgust. "Not even exact change. Mr. Everyman doesn't seem to know anything." Davra reached across the table, temporarily pocketing the credits and exchanging them out until the exact amounts were paid for. Then she handed some of the change to the dug. Ka would feel it immediately if ka took the credits like a good little whelp. A slim little device. A simple tracker. One time use. She didn't make a move to betray her motives, just waved the credits at the dug expectantly. "Go on. I'd like to enjoy my lunch and now that you've made a profit I'm sure you'll be more than happy to be on your way."

She had trained her face to stay neutral, but the look in her eyes at least hopefully gave the dug the info ka needed. Take the bait. Follow and Davra would be just behind. Just don't make it obvious.

Stars she hoped this wasnt both of these helps first times doing covert ops.

JediTigger wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2026 1:43 am The stranger half-smiled at Onkaldo, a small nod suggesting he agrees with the dug, and then to Davra he simply notes, "Something like that," and leans closer to murmur, "I have friends everywhere."

Then he stands, tosses enough credits onto the table to cover both tabs, and walks into the kitchen with nary a backward glance.

"I'll bet you do," Onkaldo said before slurping down the last of kan noodles.

Davra Barrik wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 11:56 am Davra clicked her tongue against her teeth in disgust. "Not even exact change. Mr. Everyman doesn't seem to know anything." Davra reached across the table, temporarily pocketing the credits and exchanging them out until the exact amounts were paid for. Then she handed some of the change to the dug. Ka would feel it immediately if ka took the credits like a good little whelp. A slim little device. A simple tracker. One time use. She didn't make a move to betray her motives, just waved the credits at the dug expectantly. "Go on. I'd like to enjoy my lunch and now that you've made a profit I'm sure you'll be more than happy to be on your way."

Ka took the credits, looked down at the assemblage, and clucked kan own tongue. "Leave it to a suit to be stingy with the tip." Pocketing everything, ka stood up and hopped down from kan chair. "I'll pay respects personally, but flattery only gets you so far."

Keeping a low profile, and just being low to the ground in general, Onkaldo walked nonchalantly into the kitchen, only opening the door just wide enough to permit entrance. Ka set the loose credits down on the nearest available surface, but kept the tracker. Ka was more familiar with sabotage and agitation, but if a suit was involved in this op, it might be an interesting change of pace. Either way, ka just had to follow their ostentatiously normal contact.

Onkaldo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 8:23 pm Ka took the credits, looked down at the assemblage, and clucked kan own tongue. "Leave it to a suit to be stingy with the tip." Pocketing everything, ka stood up and hopped down from kan chair. "I'll pay respects personally, but flattery only gets you so far."

"You'd be surprised how far it can get you if you're good at it.." Davra responded as the dug hopped down and hobbled ka way toward the kitchen. Davra kept the ISB lovebirds in her peripheral as ka did, keeping tabs on how they reacted to two non-employee bodies entering the kitchen. If this was a set up, best to make it look like Davra had just shooed them off, or made them realize this wasn't the place to be talking while someone like her around. Then she made a show of letting her shoulders relax - finally getting the area to herself - before taking a few more bites of her own meal.

Then, a bit of a show of reaching for her comms tablet, making it look like something of significance had come up. There were certainly correspondences, but they could wait. A cluck of her own tongue at the irritation of it all while she subtly checked the tracker to confirm it was stopped still on the other side of the door, then rolling her eyes as she put the tablet back into her jacket and stood up. One more bite of food to make it clear she'd rather be eating, and she headed to the proper exit. On the way, she gave a passing nod to Ziepo, a courtesy, before she was back on the streets.

She had to move quickly from there. Ducking into the mass of moving bodies, tucking around a corner, slipping through an alley way until she could find the back entrance to the restaurant. Best case scenario, it was open and she could just walk right in. Worst case, a knock on the door. Either way it would be better for her and everyone if she wasn't part of this conversation. Javelin, maybe. Davra, no.

"Alright lets see what Mr. Everyman has to say.." she muttered as she approached the back to the kitchen to join the party.

Onkaldo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 18, 2026 8:23 pm Onkaldo walked nonchalantly into the kitchen, only opening the door just wide enough to permit entrance. Ka set the loose credits down on the nearest available surface, but kept the tracker.

Ziepo's kitchen is, like the rest of the establishment, clean but worn, the equipment a few generations old, the floor scraped and scratched from use, with droids handling most of the chores. A lone human is among them, a young adult female with emerald green hair braided in a close style around her head, and as Onkaldo passes through the door, her gaze passes over the Dug with fleeting dismissal or disinterest, lands for a moment on Mr. Everyman near the back of the kitchen, and then returns to the matter of cooking supervision.

The presumed contact is standing beside one wall near a corridor that likely leads to storage and any offices the restaurant affords its owner. His arms are folded across his chest, jacket falling open to show again the blaster he carries, and his body language suggests he's relaxed but alert. He looks past Onkaldo, purses his lips pensively, and then shifts his weight so that he can keep an eye on the corridor behind him as well. The reason for that shifting of position becomes clear soon enough.

Davra Barrik wrote: ↑Wed Apr 22, 2026 7:06 pm "Alright lets see what Mr. Everyman has to say.." she muttered as she approached the back to the kitchen to join the party.

The alley behind the restaurant is a clutter of trash bins and detritus from employee breaks, with one such individual having a moment to have a drink and a puff on some sort of vaporizer. While Davra may not know the person's name, their face is familiar enough not to cause alarm. They reach behind and open the door silently for the BlasTech executive with a nod of recognition and acknowledgment; this, then, was the person placed in the alley to watch the back door for the gathering.

Such precautions are understandable when one is engaging in subversive activities in the heart of the Empire.

Through the back door is an L-shaped corridor, with two closed rooms on either side before the turn and, after the bend, one double-door to the right. Mr. Everyman is standing at the corridor's end, half-turned toward the way Davra is taking as her entrance. As she approaches, he moves enough to the side so she can see Onkaldo, to whom he gestures to follow.

The meeting, it would seem, is to be in the storage room behind the double doors, as that's where their contact goes.

Onkaldo didn't even spare the blaster a glance. That was old news, and nobody was going to be impressed by it. Ka did spare a nod for the suit as she came around the back. "Glad you didn't get lost." Ka makes sure to follow Mr. Everyman first, keeping him within leg's reach in case he has any cute surprises waiting for them.