Crime in the Casino

Jarik lay sprawled across a couch in his quarters. His feet were propped up on the arm rest, and his head lay flat on the other end of the couch. A datapad was in his hand, and he was reading a small book from it, occasionally tapping the screen a couple of times. The door to his quarters then opened up to reveal Ahsoka walking in, headed over in his direction. She stopped in front of him, hands on her hips with a raised eyebrow. He glanced at her before returning to his book.

"Hey Jarik," she greeted.

"Hi," he said.

"Can you move over please? I want to sit down," she asked.

"No," came the immediate reply.

She frowned at him and rolled her eyes. "Why not?"

"Because this is my room, and I like this position, it's comfortable."

"Your arms aren't aching from holding that thing up?" she pointed out.

He shrugged. "Maybe, but that's not the point."

She pursed her lips with a frown before her eyes lit up, and she grinned softly to herself. Jarik was too deep into his reading to notice the expression on her face. Ahsoka then stepped forwards, grabbing Jarik's shoulders and pushing him up into a sitting position. He looked up from his book with wide eyes.

"The kriff?" he questioned.

She then sat down where he was previously, and let go of Jarik, allowing his head to fall into her lap. She leaned against the back pillows of the couch, glancing down at him. He returned the look with a flat expression.

"Why do you do this to me?" he asked dryly.

"Because you didn't want to move, and I wanted to sit down," she replied.

He rolls his eyes and sighs in exasperation, but otherwise goes back to his book. She softly strokes a hand through his hair, humming to herself while Jarik grumbles internally, feeling like he was being babied. Just then, Anakin and Obi-Wan both walked through the door, conversing about something with each other.

"...sure they can handle it," Anakin finishes, before they took notice of their padawans. "Are we interrupting something?"

"Hello masters." Ahsoka greeted.

"This was her idea," Jarik said simply, not bothering to explain further.

Obi-Wan shakes his head in exasperation. "Always you two," he mutters to himself.

Anakin crosses his arms with a grin. "Well, this pretty much convinces me."

"Convinced you? About what?" Ahsoka questioned.

"About your next assignment," he replies.

Jarik lowered his book and gave the two a confused and bewildered look. "Ahsoka sitting down in my room and laying my head in her lap convinced you about her next assignment?"

"Actually, you're included as well." Obi-Wan says.

"What's the mission?" Ahsoka asked.

Obi-Wan and Anakin share a look, and the amount of mischief and amusement shown in their gaze had the two padawans worried.

"I can't believe this," Ahsoka grumbled angrily.

The two were in their ship, headed for the planet Cantonica. They were going to be infiltrating the casinos of Canto Bite in order to find some wealthy criminal named Ballick that had gotten off with Republic secrets. He was planning to sell them to a Separatist dealer for even more money at one of the casinos, and it was their job to apprehend him to keep the intel from getting into the wrong hands.

The trick was, they had to dress up for the occasion. Wearing their usual Jedi outfits would only draw attention, and Ballick would be off before they could catch him. So, Jarik was dressed up in a simple, but fancy white suit with black highlights running down it, on the wrists and collar. His braid was hidden by a simple slicked back hairdo. Meanwhile, Ahsoka was wearing a white dress that went down to mid-calf, and had only one loose strap around her right shoulder. She was also wearing white gloves, and had replaced her Akul headdress with a silvery colored one.

"I mean, dressing up this fancy?! Seriously?" Ahsoka complained, tugging at her outfit uncomfortably.

Jarik shrugged from where he was sitting in the pilot's seat. "Well, I suppose it isn't that bad."

She scoffed. "Easy for you to say! A suit is not that much different from robes."

In the back of the shuttle, R5 let out a humorous laugh, and Ahsoka glared at him. "Don't make me dismantle you," she threatened.

The ship came out of hyperspace, and they flew down to the surface, headed for Canto Bite. After getting the proper parking pass thanks to Jarik, they landed and then exit the shuttle, walking down the ramp. R5 trailed along behind them, a fake restraining bolt fastened to his chassis. Ahsoka had her arm looped around Jarik, plastering her best smile, although it killed her to do so.

"You look like a princess," Jarik commented.

"Shut up," she responded angrily.

The trio soon found the casino the criminal would be making the trade off, a large building in the center of the city. They entered, looking around to see large crowds of many different species gathered around tables and game machines, all laughing or playing their games, conversing with each other. It seemed like a fun happy place, but Jarik and Ahsoka could sense the greed of all the people present, making them grimace.

"I already hate this place," Jarik commented, and Ahsoka nodded in agreement. R5 also added a couple of agreeable beeps.

"Let's just find this guys and get out of here," Ahsoka whispered back.

They walked through the casino together, R5 trailing after them, and offered polite smiles to people who passed, keeping an eye out for their target. Along the way however, they were confronted by a couple of guys wearing ridiculously expensive suits, smiling at them in a charming manner.

"May we assist you with anything? Perhaps join the crowd for a dance?" the man in the lead asks, gesturing towards one end of the casino, where music was playing, lots of people dancing with each other.

"Oh, no thanks we're good." Ahsoka said quickly.

"Oh no, we insist!" he exclaims cheerfully, pushing them along. "A fabulous young couple like yourselves should enjoy a moment such as this!"

The men started to push them towards the dance group, and they reluctantly allowed themselves to be led along, glancing at each other helplessly. R5 grumbled behind them. The two were then shoved into the dancing crowd, the men moving back to play more music with the rest of the band.

"Just great!" Ahsoka said angrily.

"I hate these people," Jarik replied in agreement, grumbling in annoyance. "Whatever. Just keep an eye out while we do this."

"Fine," she says.

Slowly, the two hesitantly shifted into a better dancing position, and tried their best to move along with the music. They had classes that involved some form of dancing as younglings, but those were Temple lessons, and were mainly to improve their gymnastics. Jarik rested his hands on her waist, and she put her arms around his neck, moving along and twirling to the beat, attempting to go along with what the majority were doing.

Ahsoka giggled slightly, but it was obviously hollow. "Ahh... kill me now," she mumbled.

"Oh don't worry about it," he replied, rolling his eyes.

This continued for several minutes, and despite being very uncomfortable, part of them both sort of liked the closeness, although neither would admit it. Just then, R5's beeping caught their attention, and he was gesturing to the side. There, they saw the man they were looking for, leaning against a game table and chattering with some others.

"Bingo," Jarik said with a grin.

"Finally," Ahsoka sighed in relief.

Ballick glanced over casually, before noticing the two's gaze. They both quickly looked away and acted normal, Jarik even twirling Ahsoka around for good measure, but the damage was done. Both soon sensed his thugs start to discretely move around them, while Ballick moved to another area. Jarik and Ahsoka both glanced at the approaching thugs from the corner of their eyes, and shifted their dance discretely towards the edge of the crowd, keeping calm. Eventually, they reached the edge, and into a free spot.

"I'm so over this," Ahsoka said.

Then without warning, she twirled around and leapt at one of the thugs, kicking him in the face. Jarik rushed towards another, sidestepping a jab and retaliating with a punch. The people all gathered in the area all screamed in shock and alarm, quickly backing away while the rest of the thugs closed in. Ahsoka ducked underneath one man's arm, grabbing it before throwing him to the ground, and then roundhouse kicked another. Jarik grabbed one thugs head and brought his knee to the face, shoving him away and blocking another thug's jab, punching him in the gut.

While they fought off the thugs, party-goers were screaming, and police forces were entering the casino to their position. The sound of a blaster went off, causing even more panic as a thug attempted to shoot Jarik. Luckily he leaned his head to the side and jumped towards him, tackling the man to the ground and slamming his head into the floor. Ballick had moved discretely during the chaos, attempting to aim his blaster at him. Fortunately, Ahsoka saw this and went into action, dashing forwards and kicking him in the leg. He feel to one knee with a pained cry before Ahsoka elbowed him in the face, grabbing him from behind in a headlock, blaster falling to the ground.

Jarik slammed on thugs head into a game table, causing game pieces and money to scatter before whipping around at a yell. He was too slow, and another thug whacked him in the head with a heavy case, causing him to stumble. He groaned in pain, shaking his head and then kicked the thug to the ground when he tried to approach again.

He stumbled over to Ahsoka; who was attempting to restrain Ballick, feeling light headed from the hit to his skull. Security forces then surrounded the three of them, blasters raised.

"Get these freaks off of me!" Ballick yells out angrily, struggling to get free.

"You two, release him and get on the ground! You're under arrest for assault!" one officer exclaims.

Ahsoka then slips out her lightsaber from a hidden pocket and activates the green blade, holding it in front of her and Ballick. Everyone gasps and widened their eyes in shock, and Jarik shook his head to clear himself, also slipping his blade out an activating it. The security forces lowered their blasters slightly, surprised and hesitant on what to do.

"This man has stolen Republic intel, and is to be brought in for trial and punishment," Ahsoka told them firmly.

"He was going to... to sell that intel to the Separatists," Jarik added, struggling slightly from the head injury.

"They're lying! Arrest them!" Ballick exclaimed angrily and desperately, panicking.

Unfortunately for him though, the police force, while being neutral in the war along with the rest of the planet, were more willing to trust the word of a Jedi, and were also afraid of what they might do if they refused them.

"Very well. Let them go," the captain ordered, although with wariness.

"Thank you," Ahsoka said gratefully with a brief nod.

The pair moved towards the exit with R5 following, Ballick in tow.

"You're making the wrong choice! I'm innocent!" Ballick wails desperately.

"Tell that to the Republic courts," Jarik states.

*"You have Ballick in custody?"* Obi-Wan asks over the hologram.

"Yes Master. He... he's not going anywhere," Jarik replies.

Obi-Wan frowns at him.

*"Glad to hear it. However, you don't seem too well,"* he observes.

"He banged his head pretty hard. On a table," Ahsoka explains dryly. "I'm thinking a he got a concussion."

"It wasn't that bad," Jarik protests.

He goes to put his arm against the wall and lean on it but then stumbles, though Ahsoka had the foresight to help him before he fell. Obi-Wan looks on with an exasperated expression.

*"Clearly,"* he remarks. *"Well, disregarding the news of an injured Padawan, I'd say job well done."*

"Thank you Master Kenobi," Ahsoka replies, and Obi-Wan's hologram disappears.

"You guys are... crazy," Jarik scoffs.

"Oh yeah?" she retorts. "Says the guy with a concussion."

"You don't know that," he dismisses her.

"Actually I do know that," she argues fiercely. "Do you have any idea how often Anakin, and by extension the 501st, get concussions for doing something stupid?"

"Sounds like a skill issue," Jarik comments.

Ahsoka elbows him in the gut and he grunts in surprise and pain.

"Dank ferrik, what the fetch Ahsoka!" he complains.

"You deserve that," she says without sympathy.

"Wow, how kind of you to abuse a guy with a concussion," Jarik scowls at her.

"Oh, I thought you weren't injured?" she sarcastically replies.

He glowers at her and then quickly elbows her in the gut in retaliation, and she yelps in pain. He quickly scurries out of the room before she could respond in kind, making her snarl in annoyance. However, a crashing sound in the other room, followed by Jarik's pained groan, causes her to roll her eyes.

"And the concussion got worse," she grumbles.