Ezra up and down Ezra wore a backpack and a short-sleeved vest over ratty coveralls and had a scavenged piece of armor over the shin of his right leg He also had a retractable energy slingshot mounted to the gauntlet that was wrapped around his left wrist but the Chagrian didn't notice the weapon The Chagrian said Are you authorized to sell tickets Indeed I am sir Ezra said And I can offer you very good seats He reached into his backpack and removed a small datapad He activated the datapad's image-caster image-caster and a three-dimensional hologram appeared in the air The hologram showed a wide ring of seats that encircled a large cage You'd be sitting there Ezra pointed to five seats that were only a few rows away from the cage But for just another hundred credits you and your lovely companions could have your own private box He smiled at the Twi'leks and winked at the tallest one All four Twi'leks giggled causing their head tails to jiggle against their backs Very well the Chagrian said He reached for a pouch on his belt and removed six credit chips Taking the credit chips Ezra said Your pin looks dull 10
I beg your pardon Your Imperial pin It doesn't look like you polished it recently The local authorities wouldn't approve Shifting the datapad so that he held it with one hand he used his free hand to pull a clean rag from his vest pocket Here use this The Chagrian took the rag and began rubbing at the pin Moving closer to the Chagrian Ezra patted his sleeve and said Oh I forgot to mention For an additional hundred credits your box could have an all-you-can-eat all-you-can-eat buffet The Chagrian handed the rag back to Ezra Is the food good Yes sir the best on the planet He reached up to move the rag over the Chagrian's pin and said Pardon me sir you missed a spot The Chagrian gave Ezra another credit chip Ezra tapped at the datapad and a small card slid out of its side Handing the card to the Chagrian Ezra said This is your group's ticket Present it to the admissions office at Monad Outpost and you'll be escorted to your private private box where your buffet will be waiting How do I get to Monad Outpost You'll need to take a shuttle sir The Chagrian rolled his eyes And how much will 11
that cost Forgive me sir I forgot to tell you Because you purchased box seats a complimentary public shuttle is waiting for you and your group at the spaceport's ground transport area The shuttle is courtesy of the event's promoter That's very generous said the Chagrian Moving closer to the Chagrian Ezra lowered his voice and continued However just so you're aware you see that group over there He directed the Chagrian's gaze to several green-skinned Rodians who were having having some difficulty instructing a droid to carry their luggage The Chagrian sneered Rodians Ugh I can smell them from here Well confidentially they purchased tickets for box seats too and the public shuttle's driver is obligated to give them a ride too I hope you won't mind me saying this sir but I imagine a sophisticated gentleman such as yourself and also your enchanting companions would be far more comfortable in a private air taxi The Twi'leks nodded in agreement The Chagrian gave Ezra a skeptical glance and said A private taxi eh Fortunately for you the finest taxi has not yet left 12
the spaceport The driver is a Bardottan You'll find him at the ground transport area Ezra bowed politely and held out one hand waiting for the Chagrian to give him a tip The Chagrian ignored Ezra's open hand and walked off leading his Twi'lek companions past the spaceport's security checkpoint The tallest Twi'lek glanced back at Ezra and winked at him and then she moved past the checkpoint and Ezra lost sight of her on the crowded concourse Ezra smirked Along with the credits that the Chagrian had given him he had also managed to take the Chagrian's Imperial pin jeweled ring wrist-comm and most of the contents from his money pouch He bundled the loot into his rag and stuffed it into his back-pack back-pack He was about to scan for more wealthy-looking tourists when he saw a Xexto walking toward him The Xexto was Ferpil Wallaway who owned a pawn shop on Lothal He was also a skilled pickpocket and had various underworld connections He had a small head with large dark eyes a long skinny neck and six arms and he used his lower pair of arms as legs In one of his free hands he held a datapad that was identical to the one Ezra carried An inexpensive chronometer was wrapped around another wrist He stopped in front of 13
