STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Gunrunner

"I will not tell anyone..." the receptionist says, before returning to her work.

You enter a cocktail lounge named "Lounge #1138" and take a look about. You immediately discover that hooded robes do not blend in well with this place. It is all younger man and women in smart business wear. Ergo, you gather a few looks when you walk in.

"Maybe we should've rented tuxedos..." Foghren says.

"Quiet," Rand says to Foghren.

(Is he old enough to enter a bar?)

Rand will approach the counter and take a seat, ordering a drink, then scanning the lounge for a good vantage point so he can watch the patrons and find someone to talk to. He wants to casually obtain the location of the warehouses.

What sort of person are you looking for?

Someone gregarious, social, open. Maybe a small group relaxing after work. Possibly already intoxicated.

As for Foghren, nobody carded you upon walking in. He will just watch and learn as you post up at the bar and get your drink.

You spot a group in the corner drinking and talking loudly that might suit your needs.

Then Rand approaches and offers to buy a few drinks. He presents himself as an off-worlder and businessman done with his meetings for the day and looking to meet people and make connections.

Charisma + Savoir-Faire for Rand to pull off that ruse. But Rand is very charismatic, even without the Force to benefit him, and he rolls seven successes. The group of businessmen welcome you to the table and accept your drinks gladly!

Huzzah!

Rand will make small talk and get them drinks and find out more about Davashad, then steer the conversation toward the warehouse district and where he might find that, but only after it seems comfortable and natural to do so.

Roll me and let's get this show on the road.

Simply attempting to guide the conversation that direction may not get what you need. Rand isn't the most persuasive or friendly chatter.

Maybe Rand can lie about his reasons for going to the warehouse? State that he has a very important appointment and that he needs directions?

I'll need the pitch.

"Say, maybe you gentlemen can help me. I'm looking for the warehouses, possibly to view some new hardware coming out of the Naft. Could one of you give me some direction?"

Rand keeps it vague, slipping in some truth to solidify his lie. Even as a Jedi Master, he knows the value of fibbing.

Seven successes should do it. It turns out that the Warehouses, while not far from here, rarely receive non-authorized visitors. Between the aire of professionalism you carry yourself with and the expertise of your lie, they must assume you have clearance. They give you directions to the Warehouse District.

"Just make sure you have your paperwork in order," one of them says. "Guards patrol the warehouses and they'll escort you out faster than a Wookiee can tear off limbs."

"I imagine they'd do more than that," Foghren mutters to you.

"Very likely," Rand says to Foghren, but nothing more on the matter of what could happen if the Naft's security teams caught the Jedi skulking about the warehouses. He intends to avoid them regardless, relying on his and Foghren's stealthy nature.

He thanks the businessmen for their information. Rather than dashing off, Rand chooses to linger and chat with them further, so as not to raise suspicion. He will ask about Vikka Valnez, the esteemed chairman of the Naft Corporation.

They do not give you much. Vikka Valnez has served as Head of State and CEO of the Naft Corporation for over a decade. She formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Naft, then got herself into the Chairman title. The populace of Davashad then elects the Head of State and the Senator from the corporation executive officers. Vikka Valnez continually gets elected, no doubt due to the Naft Corporation's influence on Davashad. They create a great many jobs and bring in a great deal of revenue with their technological sales.

Basic workings of Davashad's blatantly money-driven political system. Not much about Vikka Valnez herself.

Foghren is eager to get going to the warehouses and will ask, once out of the bar, what you hope to find in the warehouses and how you plan on finding it.

Rand will thank them all again for the chat and asks that they wish him luck with his appointment. He flips a credit chip to the bartender with casual ease, purchasing not only the first round but tip to boot.

Once outside, Rand starts for the warehouse district, now that he knows where to find it.

"Foghren, what I hope to find we already saw on Lahsbane," Rand says. "If the Naft Corporation developed the blaster weapons or even the powered armor we encountered, and I feel quite certain they did, then most likely those items went missing from those warehouses. And from there, we can determine who allowed them to go missing. And possibly our armored attacker."

Rand advises his Padawan to keep his senses tuned and his wits about him, as the Jedi Master fully expects resistance to their investigation.

Foghren questions your plan.

"We're going off of instinct, then?" Foghren asks. "I fully understand just how strong in the Force you are, but we don't have permits to go searching these warehouses for missing tech."

"How likely do you consider it that Vikka will permit us to explore her facilities?" Rand asks. "We already tried the official route. So now we're trying the unofficial route. Sometimes a Jedi Knight's path must skirt the law in order to uphold it. For the greater good!"

"But that could prove risky. What if our instincts don't turn out the way we expect, and we don't find anything that would indicate Vikka's or the Naft's involvement, but we get arrested for trespassing? Or breaking and entering?"

The ends will justify the means... Rand thinks to himself, but hesitates to preach such to his good-hearted and willful student. I will make him learn. Not now.

"Vikka Valnez has assured that we do not have an official route here without giving up our weapons," Rand says. "I should not wish to give our lightsabers to someone who runs a company that designs and constructs weapons. And I don't wish to go unarmed should we run into trouble. The Force tells me we came to the right place and we will find what we seek. Though her will is strong, I sense Vikka knows this and will try to make sure we do not find out what she hides."