The holovid flashes to life, “Greetings and welcome to the first ever Aeotheran Skiff Sail Races! ” a well dressed toydarian says enthusatically, “It appears there was a small strike delaying the races but word is Shar Dakhan summit has ordered it to be dealt with. I am hosting this from the Regetta Royale Casino & Resort observation lounge, Thanks to our gracious host” gesturing a large Hutt across room from him. “Zorga the Gambler has given us these lounge to host for the duration of this event.”
“Full weight of Shar Dahkan is clearing up the docks, Zorga’s Glory is finally being moved out of its display here in the casino, the crowds is started to get excited” he says as the camera turns to show Zorga’s Glory slowly being pulled out of the casino below him.
The scarred man sat, blinking slowly at the holovid. The sight of Zorga brought him no small amount of irritation.
The word of delay only increased the feeling.
The starts of a migraine were brewing behind his temples as he looked about. He was momentarily tempted to take a pull from his Bottle of Sadow, but drew himself up instead, willing up his most joyful-looking, fake smile.
“Well,” the Corellian chuckled, glancing about in facade of joviality, “I don’t suppose anybody else would happen to have their Pazaak deck on them? If we will be waiting a little bit, maybe we can get a few hands in.”
“The races is off to a great start, I will be passing the live show off here to Leena Light” he says motioning to the light green twi'lek female next to him before continuing. “I will be reporting from our recording skiff for up and close of the race first hand”. “ We look forward to seeing you soon, got to admit I am kind a envious of you, you get to see the racers up and close” the young twi'lek says before continuing, So far the races are off a good start Luna-Sea is taking the lead with Wind Dancer following close behind, these racers are wasting no time pulling ahead early in the race, lets hope they can maintain their lead there is a lot of good racers out there.“ She smiles largely ” I will try to keep you updated as events fold out, perhaps our next broadcast we can check in with Jander on the open waters.“ she finishes her broad cast still smiling from being excited.
“You know, I am willing to bet one hundred credits right now, that Wind Dancer is gonna leave the Leena Light in the dust by the final quarter of this race.” Bentre chuckled to himself. “Is anyone willing to take a wager against such a bet?”
The archpriest of Shar Dakhan walked up behind Bentre “I take that bet” he said as he was smiling
“Agreed,” Sanguinius piped up from the corner of the room. He raised his glass of amasec in a salute to his fellow Sadowan. “I’m sure that Wind Dancer will come in a close second to the Ashen Hawk though.”
This was not his typical venue. It was luxurious enough, he had supposed, but it lay somewhere between the finery of the Coil on Tarthos and the functionality of the Seventh Tooth on Dentavii. It was a nice change though. The Lion of Tarthos waited for the doors to open in front of him, pausing momentarily as he let the environment creep across his senses. The Force whispered to him, in tones both cloyingly sweet and venomous growls. Satisfied, he stepped forward, his droid in tow. He was too late for the beginning. As for the ending… well, he had tried to avoid tugging on that particular thread of the tapestry. Even so, he wouldn’t fault them for not trusing him on that point, even if he were a betting man.
Forge moved with him quietly, a measured step and a half behind him, arms crossed behind its back. Ever the dutiful servant, it nodded at a server, summoning a drink for his master from the waitstaff as they found their way to the viewing area. After a moment, a short glass clinked on a tray in front of the seat reserved for him, the crystal clear ice floating among a rind of some sort of citrus fruit and a rich amber liquid. Muz sat slowly, watching the holo-feed for a moment and admiring the builds of the skiff in motion. It was a testament to ingenuity, considering the major differences between the racers. He idly wondered how long they had labored on them before he turned his attention to the others present.
Two former consuls had already arrived, nursing their own drinks. The Krath in charge of Shar Dakhan stood next to Bentre, smiling broadly at him. Muz dipped his head a degree in a sign of respect, raising his own glass in a silent toast to all three. Tapping the glass backdown on the tray, he raised it to his lips, his nose smelling the smokiness of the spirit before the caramel burn hit his tongue. For once, a little relaxation was on offer, and he would partake.
The holovid flashes life showing the beautiful green twi'lek sitting behind the desk “Hello, I am Leena Light here bring you up to date coverage of the races thus far” she says excitedly before continuing “ We last left off with Luna-Sea in the lead with Wind Dancer close behind leading the way, but out of no where the Ashen Hawk is now neck to neck with the Luna-Sea, the fans is going wild with heavy betting on who will win the race! ” she paused for a second before continuing “ we here at the studio would like to know who you think is going to win feel free to holocom in and let us know we are excited to hear from the fans and see their thoughts!”
“Tomorrow we will have a exclusive interview with the creator of the races Archpriest Quentinshadows the Quaestor of Shar Dakhan, and before that we will go live to Jandar on the recording skiff that is progressing with the racers for some up close shots of the beautiful ships and their crew working hard to win the race, so stay tuned for more information.” she finishes still smiling warmly at the holo recorder.
Entering the arena inconspicuously, DarkHawk pulled his hood low, masking his features. The grandstands buzzed with excitement, filled with spectators eager for the races. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, noting the presence of fellow Clan Naga Sadow members. They were easily identifiable by their distinctive garb and subtle insignias, mingling among the spectators.
Moving with purpose, DarkHawk studied the crowd intently, his senses on high alert. He searched for any signs of danger, his gaze sweeping over the throng. Body language, facial expressions, and the general ambiance were meticulously analyzed. While most attendees were here for the spectacle, DarkHawk knew that such gatherings could attract those with malevolent intentions.
Satisfied that there were no immediate threats, DarkHawk reached out to the Force and slipped into his ghosting ability. His form shimmered, becoming a near-invisible, translucent shape that blended seamlessly with the surroundings. This ability allowed him to move undetected, an essential skill for a Sith assassin.
He descended to the racer pits, where mechanics and pilots were busy with last-minute preparations. The air was filled with the sounds of tools and excited chatter. DarkHawk’s eyes darted around, assessing each pilot and their teams. He searched for individuals who stood out, potential recruits for future black-ops smuggling missions.
One pilot, a lean Twi’lek, moved with focused determination, directing his crew with calm authority. Another, a burly human known for his daring maneuvers, exuded confidence and skill. These were the qualities DarkHawk sought in operatives: precision, bravery, and quick thinking.
After making mental notes of these promising candidates, DarkHawk exited the pit area seamlessly injecting himself into passing crowd. He quickly move to the east side of the arena to a private booth overlooking the track. There he found the Proconsul, Grand Master Muz Keibatsu, sitting enjoying a beverage with a deep earthy aroma.
As DarkHawk entered the booth, Muz looked up, his eyes narrowed slightly. “DarkHawk,” the Grand Master’s voice bellowed through the assassin’s psyche. “Find any candidates?”
“Grand Master,” DarkHawk replied, inclining his head respectfully. “A couple, but let’s see how they do in the mix. The races promise to be quite the spectacle.”
Muz gestured to a seat beside him. With the thrill of the impending races weighing heavy throughout the crowd, DarkHawk took his seat anxiously waiting to hear the roar of engines.
“Leena Light here bringing you a update on the current positions of the racers” she pauses for a moment with her normal introduction “ but first lets cut over to Jandar on the recording skiff following the racers, So Jandar how is it going out there?” she asks. A holo of Jandar aboard a skiff flashes to life “ Well Leena it been wild out here over the last few hours the Ashen Hawk is dominating the race with a massive lead on the rest of the racers, the Luna-Sea is still holding second with the Wind Rider pulling third.” he says giving a update on the positions of the racers “ How is the weather there Jandar? it looks a bit dark on this end” Leena asks. “ ya looks like a small squall in might hit us soon but no worries these racers can handle it” he says with confidently “Stay safe out there Jandar” she says as the holo image flickers off “ now we have a exclusive interview with the Quaestor of Shar Dakhan Archpriest Quentinshadows, Welcome” she says as the camera pans over the a figure with black robes with a peppered beard and blue eyes showing from under his hood. “ So what inspired you to create the races?” she asked the Quaestor. He lowered his hood revealing his peppered grey hair before speaking “ Since before my rise to Quaestor other who come before me have been building up the archipelago region of Aeotheran for a while, so following in their foot steps i wanted to bring even more entertainment to the region, and a new source of revenue to help the economy in the process” he says before she started with another round of questions “ so can we expect more races like this in the future?” she asks, “ of course this is the first of many types of races we hope to have, we even got a pod racer track in the planning stages.” he finishes with a slight grin “ wow that is amazing, we look forward to seeing more to come, Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us” she says thankfully
“any time ” The archpriest rises gives Leena a slight bow and pulls his hood back up as he walks away from the desk, “ There you have it folks we have alot to look forward to in the near by future, well that about covers the races for tonight see you again tomorrow ” she finishes as she smiles and waves good night before going off the air.
Bentre smiled to himself. Quentin had all the mind necessary to prove himself an able Quaestor. This little event, though a bit ostentatious by his own tastes, was the kind of thing that would help to boost both morale and hopefully the economy of Aeotheran and the House. All was in good hands.
“I am wondering a bit now.” He waved a finger in the air thoughtfully, “if in the next round of these races, Quentin would be willing to allow one or more of us to compete. It is always fun to watch and bet, but maybe we should ask about a Clan member circuit of some sort?”
He glanced at his fellow Sadowans, an almost boyish smile on his face.
“Good evening, this is Leena Light bring you your daily update on the races, the Ashen Hawk is still dominating the race thus far, the Luna-Sea slowly catching up with the Wind Dancer holding third in the race thus far, a small storm is really testing the crews skill abilities, tomorrow they will hit scattered isles where the racers will have to navigate through not only between islands but also through them in a narrow passage way through a unforgiving jungle on each side, things are really heating up and bets are rising to new heights” she said as she waved to the fans below cheering
“Come on, Wind Dancer!” Bentre felt his expression twist into a snarl as he clutched at his drink. “You are killing me!” He held back the impulse to throw his drink at the holoprojector. It would not do any good.
He had forgotten how much sports and the like boiled his blood. He had kept largely to himself over the last few years so he had given little thought to it. The gambling probably didn’t help, he realized.
He wasn’t worried about the credits, but it did wound his pride a bit to see his racer being caught up with slowly but surely.
The archpriest sees Bentre’s frustration as he takes a seat next to at the bar with a wave of his hand to the bar keep “Get my friend another of whatever he is drinking and bring me a Dantioone Scotch” he says before turning to his friend “It’s just credits my friend no need to worry I am sure your ship may come in right after the Luna-Sea of course “ he says jokingly with a slight laugh
“These races worked far better than I could have imagined, so many people flocked to the Archipelago to watch the race, far greater distraction than anticipated “ Quentin paused to smile before continuing “It’s the old sleight of hand they see what’s in your left hand but forget to see what is truly happening in your right, truly marvelous!” the Archpriest says with a evil grin
“Leena Light bring you the latest on positions on the races from here at the lounge of the Regatta Royale Casino and Resort, Looks like the Ashen Hawk still has a substantial lead with the Luna-Sea closing in at second place with the Wind Dancer holding third slowly catching up , while the Long Haul , Zorga’s Glory, and Rum Runner can’t seam to get out of their ties for 4rth.” she says before continuing “ tho to be honest I don’t know how the Rum Runner is even still in this race its crew has been well lite before the race and can barely stand at this point guess they take their sponsorship literally enjoying the products of the Kashyyyk Kettle Company way to much, Is it even legal to drink and sail can any one tell me ? ” she pause for a second before continuing “ Stay tuned for the latest updates” she says as she waves before holovid ends
“Leena Light here today been a exciting day in the races Luna-Sea has managed to take first, pushing the Ashen Hawk into second, Wind Dancer still slowly bring up third” she says before she continues “ will the Ashen Hawk manage to retake first? guess we will have to see in our next update!” she says as she waves before transmittion ends.
“Leena light here again the race is getting close to end only a have 6 days left so far Luna-Sea is dominating the race with the Ashen hawk pulling in second but closing quick, the Wind dancer still holding third. ” she pauses for a second “Looks like the top racers is battling it out in the top three positions, either way the crowd is excited the closer this race get to finish line!, Well that our update tonight look forward to seeing you all tomorrow” she says as she waves good night to the holo-recorder.
Muz leaned back in his seat, raising the glass to his lips as he watched the racers fade from physical view. The holos made up the difference, their tracking and movement actually quite spectacular for such a new facility. Muz wondered for a moment if the action shots were travelling as fast as the racers themselves or if there was just a very talented operator working on the zoom. Not that ultimately it mattered. Hell, three of the racers seemed to finally leave their ….did they call hem stables? Slips? Garages? Dismissing the thought with a wave, he felt the presence of Forge stepping forward to attend to him, confusing the hand motion with a summons.
“How can I best serve, Lord?” Muz chuckled. He knew his old droid was in there somewhere, but the words in common were jarring. He wondered how long it would take for the personality matrix to emerge again. He waved off the droid and turned his attention back to the race. The skiff named to honor DarkHawk and himself had fallen slightly behind in the moments between his attention. Chuckling, he looked over toward the Consul of the Ancient Clan, checking his face for any reaction as Leena Light explained away what they were seeing once more.
Bentre stewed in his own thoughts. The credits, that meant little, but it still hurt his pride seeing his pilot of choice chasing in the third position. He waved a hand at one of the wait staff, giving a half smile as he made eye contact. “Could you bring me a tall Corellian Whiskey please? The way this race is going I am going to need something to soothe myself.” He tried to effect a jovial tone. He needed to relax before he was tempted to send a bolt of Force Lightning into the holographic display.
No, he shook himself, shaking off the ill thought, I can’t show my temper over a mere sport. That only looks bad. You still have something of a reputation within Naga Sadow.
“Luna Light here bringing you the latest news on the race, who will be our champion? is the top question here amoug the crowed gathered here who is beyond excited here at the Regetta Royale waiting to see who passes the finish line, wait we may have a winner who could it be ” she says as she turns to look to see what ship is crossing the finish line.
“The Luna-Sea pulls first with the Ashen hawk on its tail but to our surprise the Rum Runner has taken third from the Wind Dancer who now is in forth, this has been one exciting race ” she screams out cheering to all the sail skiffs cross the finish line “ well their you go, this has been a exciting time I cant wait to host our next race until then I am Leena Light signing off.” she says as the holo-feed ends