maskormenacelogs | [semi-open] turn the beat around

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[semi-open] turn the beat around

WHO: Lando Calrissian and YOU
WHERE: around Nonah, with one closed starter in Heropa
WHEN: all during April, with one closed starter set in March
WHAT: catch all for various shenanigans as Lando explores the city
WARNINGS: none, will edit as needed

A. OPEN - Disco Dan's House of Moves
[ Lando's been assigned a job as Dance Instructor, and he couldn't be more out of his depth. He doesn't know his disco from his dish detergent, and it's been a long time since he lived a carefree enough lifestyle to think about things like dancing. He gives it his best effort, because he needs the money, but he mainly just tries to replicate the moves he sees in the tapes provided at the dance studio.

After class, he can be found at a nearby diner, satiating his appetite with the money he's earned. Who knew that dancing worked up an appetite? He sits at the counter, nursing a cup of coffee and munching on a loaded sandwich and fries. At one point he turns to whoever's sitting next to him and asks, ] Say, can you pass the ketchup?

B. OPEN - Around town
[ Whenever he's not working, Lando can be found walking around town, getting to know the place a little better, looking for opportunities to make a better place for himself within the city. He doesn't want to be a Dance Instructor forever, after all. He scopes out the local infrastructure-- the government, the police, the banks-- as well as the nightlife-- bars, clubs, casinos. It's important to get a sense of both how things run legally and less-than-legally. He's still not sure what exactly he wants to set himself up to do around here, so he's trying to play the field.

At a bar, he seeks out someone who looks comfortable, like they've been around a while. Then he sidles up next to them to strike up a conversation. ] Evening, friend. Mind if I borrow your ear for a minute?

C. CLOSED TO HAN - Heropa (backdated to before the March Swear-In)
[ Lando gets the idea to go back down to the city he visited when he first arrived at Cape Canaveral. There were a few shops he wants to revisit. Except he doesn't know his way around. So once he steps out of the Porter, he hails a taxi to take him downtown.

Little does he know that the driver of said taxi is a very old friend. ]

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[You meet all kinds of people, driving a taxi (and smuggling on the side). In the short time Han's been driving around, he's had imPorts and natives alike taking up his backseat, and more than a few people he'd like to never see again.

He just never actually counted on being hailed by an old friend. Are they even still friends, he wonders, after Cloud City? Probably he would've said no, months ago, hurt over the betrayal, but he's had time to cool off and think, between the carbonite and coming here. Anyway: Lando calls, and Han drives up to the curb and rolls his window down.

He squints up at Lando, and drawls, with very little heat:] Got a lot of nerve hailing my cab after that stunt you pulled, you old con. [An echo, done on purpose. Hi, Lando!]

[ When the cab pulls up and the window rolls down, Lando leans in, expecting some stranger. But instead it's Han, parroting his own words back at him. He breaks out in a smile, laughing. ]

Come on, now! I thought we were past that? I joined your Rebellion, didn't I?

[—wait, what? Lando, a rebel? What has he been missing while stuck in a block of carbonite?]

You what? [A shake of his head.] First a businessman, now a rebel. [And now—whatever they've assigned him to.] Seems like every time we meet up again you've shaken up your whole life.

[ Lando chuckles at that. ]

Well I didn't have much choice, did I? After what went down with Vader, I couldn't exactly stay in Cloud City.

[ But he feels ridiculous standing on the sidewalk having this conversation. He opens the passenger door to the taxi and gets in. ]

And besides, I had to save your ass.

[Some tiny part of Han is vindictively satisfied. The rest of him just feels horribly sad, because all that effort Lando went to, going from the scoundrel he knew to a respectable businessman only to lose it all to some black-clad bastard and his whims? He sighs.]

You'll get it back. [Three years ago he would've been much less nice about it, but three years ago he'd been working for Jabba, so.] Cloud City, I mean.

[Speaking of his ass:] Does my ass look like it needs saving right now?

[It's at this moment that he pulls away from the curb. Or attempts to, because the engine picks this exact moment to sputter and die.

Again.]

Kriff.

[ Lando looks surprised, but appreciative. He hadn't expected Han to say anything like that about Cloud City. But they had been good friends, once. Were on their way back to that now. ]

We will. [ Him and Lobot. ] If we ever get off this rock.

[ Then the engine dies. Lando raises an eyebrow. ]

Is everything you drive a piece of junk?

Don't look at me like that! [He sounds so Offended, turning in his seat to give Lando a deeply betrayed look.] It's not my fault. Must be a loose spark plug again.

[Or, you know, it could be his shitty superpower acting up again.]

[ Don't look at him like that. ]

Maybe I should get out and take a look. [ Who knows what kind of back alley modifications Han has made to this piece of junk. ]

[The Major definitely has the look of someone who's been around the block a few times--the purple hair and red eyes are a clear sign that she's an Import, and she carries herself with confidence. She sips from a beer at the bar, and gives Lando a sideways glance as he approaches. In her experience, men that approach her at a bar are never a good sign, though this man seems to carry himself a bit differently than your average thug or wannabe-casanova.]

That depends on why you want to borrow it.

Edited 2017-04-04 18:43 (UTC)

[ He won't lie, her unique looks are the reason he singled her out. But not to flirt, though he might throw a compliment in for old times' sake. Though his main aim is just to get information. ]

Just to ask you a few questions. I'm new in town, you see. Looking to get my footing.

[She motions to the bar stool next to her.]

I might have answers. New to town, or to this world?

[ He gladly takes the stool, ordering himself a drink before he continues, ] The latter, actually. Not used to being stuck on one rock, but here I am.

It'd take a lifetime just to see everything this planet offers, must less other worlds. [Running into space travelers is always a little odd. The world seems complex enough without figuring in entirely different planets of sentient beings.] You said you had questions?

[Bars. Clubs. Casinos. Three things Kaneda by all accounts should NOT be in, but he's an imPort, so who's going to stop him. Nonah's practically HIS city anyway, and with the citizens practically saluting him when he walks down the street, he's not going to get removed from choice a, b OR c. Thankfully, he's grown in the past year and a half he's been here, so he can at least pull off the 18-going-on-21 appearance.

He didn't come there to drink, though. He liked the atmosphere of the rough and rowdy bars. They reminded him of home, the underground clubs of Neo Tokyo with the white noise of the TV and the jukebox in the corner. Well that...and he could pick up some pretty interesting gossip.

Like right now, he's got his ears pretty open, wondering what sort of conspiracies the Nonah townsfolk are decided to drop right into his lap.

His eyes only tear away from the jukebox, his current distraction, when Lando speaks, finger pressing on the glass cover to hold his place as he instinctively leans in.]

I dunno, I kinda need both of 'em.

I'll return it when I'm done, I promise.

[ Lando turns to lean against the side of the jukebox, arms crossed, keeping himself in the kid's line of sight while he chooses a song. ]

I'm just looking to get some information from someone who knows the lay of the land around here. [ And any kid who talks his way into a bar like this is bound to have the information Lando's looking for. ]

Well, if you really promise~

[He takes himself seriously after that moment, shoulders hunched over as he scans the crowd. He's not really looking for anyone in particular, and Nonah is generally one of the safer cities this place has to offer...but you can never be too sure who might be listening in on you. Being here for almost two years, it can really get some slight paranoia into you.

Especially in America.]

If it's the lay of the land you want, I'm your guy, especially if it's Nonah. You an imPort?

[An eyebrow perks, looking him up and down for a moment.]

You've got to be. You got the look of 'Hi, I'm new'.

[ Lando's well used to conducting his business in the seediest places, so he lets the kid scan the room, not making any move to pick up on it.

He smirks, shaking his head. ]

I hope I'm not that obvious. But yes, I am. Just showed up last month.

I wouldn't say obvious. More like....you look interesting compared to the others.

[He smirks, leaning a bit more over towards him.]

So...what'cha wanna know.

[ Lando smirks. Interesting, he can do. ]

I'm a businessman, you see. But they've assigned me a joke job that I'm going to need to stop doing sooner rather than later. Need to get into business for myself. But I don't know what niches need filling. So I want to get an idea from someone who's been around a while, what sort of areas are ripe for someone to step in and make a name for himself.

Well-

[His knuckles tap on that jukebox in thought. Truth be told, a lot of imPorts usually stuck with their current job, no matter how humiliating. Kaneda was one...although mostly using it as a cover for his more exciting, less legal job.

But what kinds of jobs did people LOOK for if they want something unique?]

Places you can get away from government eyes, I'd say. There's not a lot of safe havens for imPorts anymore. Lucky Cat Cafe used to be a safe house when ...when its owner was here, but now it's just empty.

[A pause, and a cheeky grin.]

Or you could sell capes. They think we're all superheroes, after all.

[ Bela was no stranger to bars. Once or twice a week she would find herself in one to grab a few drinks. Mostly after she closed up shop. She's sipping at a glass of slightly expensive wine, occasionally looking around the room to see if there was anyone she knew; it didn't seem like Bela was having much luck.

When Lando appears next to her, he receives some of her attention. Bela doesn't know him so she was a little surprised. As for the question? It does get a slight smile from her. ]

As long as you give it back.

You have my word.

[ He flags down the bartender's attention and orders a glass of whatever the woman is drinking. ]

I'm new in town, and looking to get my footing. You strike me as a woman who knows what's what around here.

Well, you're not wrong there.

[ She picks up the drink after it is set in front of her and takes a small sip, mulling over what he said. ]

But before I tell you, I'll need to know what your interests are. Do you want to see a bit of everything or are you after something more specific?

I'm always up for seeing the sights. [ He sips his own drink before continuing, ] But I'll confess, I'm looking more for information on what a man can do to make a name for himself around here. What sort of business a guy can get into, besides the joke of a job he's been assigned.

Probably the nightlife would be your best bet. Casinos, bars, clubs. They're very popular with people.

But if you can offer the people here something different, something they haven't seen before, you could do very well also.

[Dio has been also getting the lay of the land here, and has found himself in bars more often than not. Thankfully, he has managed to get established enough to have some good idea of what he wants to do himself.

And that includes making connections. Whether the man here was worth making a connection with or not was yet to be seen, but he would gain nothing from sitting at a bar and remaining closed off, especially when he began with such a pleasant greeting.]

Ah, of course. My ears are ever open.

[For both good and bad reasons, he supposed, but he would never learn if he didn't listen, and while he probably looked somewhat outrageous himself, standing at 6'4" and with a wild mane of hair and brightly colored clothes that came straight out of the 80s, he could be just as good at listening as he was at weaving soliloquies.]

I'm somewhat new myself, but I'll offer what assistance I can.

[ Lando's clothes are similarly outlandish, pastel polyester and paisley. He'd outfitted himself at a local vintage store, finding the styles there more to his liking than the clothes in the more modern stores.

He flags down a bartender and orders two drinks of the gentleman's choosing. ]

On me, in exchange for your time.

[They could certainly enjoy each others' fashion choices, at the least!

Dio's poison of choice here is whiskey, so hopefully that'll go down alright with his new friend here. He gives an amicable nod of his head in thanks for the drink, taking up his glass and taking a swig before his attention is on him again.]

I only hope I can make it worth your while.

[ Whiskey is fine by Lando, and he swirls his own glass before taking a small sip. ]

Well, friend, you can start by telling me your impressions of this place so far.

My impression...

[He gives it a moment of thought, having gotten a wide array of impressions, really.]

It's a very strange place, here. In some places, anyone with what the natives might call 'superpowers' are lauded as heroes, regardless of any hero-ing that they do or do not do. And then there is the curious case of the cannibal celebrity. I'm honestly not sure what to make of that one.

Here in Nonah it is a bit quiet. How are you feeling about it so far?

[ Lando nods along. He'd heard mutterings of that cannibal, but he wasn't sure if he believed them. ]

It's a quiet town, that's for sure. More quiet than I'm used to. But then, I'm a lot more landlocked than I'm used to, as well.

[Ah, another person that was feeling a little trapped. This country really wasn't his cup of tea, and he would love to return to Cairo, or really go anywhere but here.]

You are not the first I've heard of people not being used to being as tied down as we are now. Perhaps that's something we can look into here. Travel should be accessible to us... otherwise what makes us any better than prisoners...?

And with the government threatening us.... very vaguely, but make no mistake, it is a threat to put strange machines in your body and then say they can 'deactivate your powers'. What else can they do? That is truly the most troubling part of all of this.

[He pauses, thinking for a moment.]

I have been to Maurtia Falls. It is a more lively place, if you're looking for that, by the way.

The Porters are an interesting means of travel. That sort of short-range instant teleportation aren't something I've seen before.

[ Only to someone who's used to traveling between planets would the Porters be "short range." ]

I'm not looking to get involved with the government. I operate better under the radar, if you know what I mean. But it is worrying, when the people in charge have that kind of power over you.

Maybe I'll check out Maurtia Falls. Lively sounds more like my style.

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[semi-open] turn the beat around

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