Star Wars: Force Bound 8 Making A Fortune

Finally, the three of them arrived at their destination at the bright commercial district of Nar Shaddaa. Everywhere one looked it was plastered with advertis.e.m.e.nts from some weird products.

And since they were on the smuggler´s moon there were even advertis.e.m.e.nts for weird questionable medical products.

"Now this is overdoing stuff.", commented Ben to all the things emitting light in their surroundings. There were even little droid crafts swarming him with holographic messages about certain shops for various merchandise.

He swatted them away at first because they were going on his nerves but that didn't really help.

After the 5th of them tried to approach him he put his hand on his blaster and stared at it. Weirdly enough the droid and the other one´s did notice that and remained a distance from him.

"Good call.", snickered Jack.

"Tsk, these things are worse than flies if you ask me. So, do you guys know the way to the shops?", answered Ben back to him.

"Easy. Hey, droids. Which one of you advertises a clothing store or armory?", asked Jack now after looking back at those flying advertisers.

Two droids heard him and approached again after being needed. They showed holographic depictions of the wares that their owners sold and Jack chose to follow a small blue colored flying droid ball to a shop that seemed to sell more battle suited clothing and not just casual wear.

While walking to the shop they had to go a path that led outside again. There they saw a floating building to the side of themselves. It was a casino. Jack stopped momentarily and looked at it.

"Sir, did you change your mind?", asked the blue droid ball after noticing his stop.

"No, little guy. I want to make some money and try my luck. Can you just wait here for a moment? We will be right back.", he asked the droid. Not that he would give a d.a.m.n about its opinion. It would just be annoying to walk back and get him again.

"Sure, I will wait for an hour. If you need my services just tap me.", the little ball said and seemed to enter an energy conserving mode.

"You already want to gamble?", asked David out of curiosity.

"I thought the cantina was your first destination after we get some clothing?", Ben also chimed into the conversation.

"I know what we agreed on. It is just that we probably will have to waste a lot more money then we think. Just think where we are. We are standing on the higher grounds of Nar Shaddaa. The buildings and shops will probably have extortion prices. So we need to stock up on the credits we have.", explained Jack to him.

"That is very true, Ben.", dittoed David and agreed to Jack his argument.

He looked at David who was supporting Jack and wondered what he meant with his words. Then he looked back at Jack. "And you are sure you are going to win? Are you going to use the Force or something to manipulate the machines?", commented Ben now after thinking what made him so sure that they would increase their money instead of losing it all.

"That...I don't have the Mechu-Deru ability. So that is not going to happen. I am just pretty sure I got a lucky day today. It's just a certain feeling.", smirked Jack to his friends and thought about his luck stat. Now he could test out how much worth these 10 points in it are.

"What is Mechu-Deru? Sounds like some sort of fruit.", asked Ben again.

"It is the ability to manipulate mechanical systems and if powerful enough even electronics would bend by the will of the Force user. You may compare it to remote controlling robots or hacking computers and such.", explained David after hearing his question.

Jack knew that David took over this question and started walking to the casino. His friends just followed suit while talking with each other. They had to take another cab to reach the casino. This time around no problems occurred while doing so.

"So does that mean that Vader guy had that ability? You told me he was half a machine, right?" Ben seemed to start thinking about some things now. Jack only smiled at that curiosity. At least he has the drive to stay alive in this world and now collects as much information as he could.

"Well, I am not sure but it is very likely he had some knowledge in it. After all, he was also very gifted in mechanics before he became partly a machine himself.", answered Jack after thinking about the question.

Actually, it was very likely that Vader had that ability. He may just have used it as a unique way to move more agile in his heavy body. To at least compensate the deficits of it. So he may have created an own version of Mechu-Deru? Come to think, Darth Maul also had cybernetic legs.

Jack was a little bit dazed by his thoughts about how one could actually separate Mechu-Deru into different aspects. Things like Hacking, Body-Enhancing through cybernetics and such. The Force truly was versatile.

He was so focused that he didn't even notice that they reached the casino and David had to b.u.mp him on his shoulder to get his attention. "We are here, mate."

"Ah, right. Sorry.", said Jack apologetic and moved out of the cab.

At the front gate of the casino, some guards wanted to see if they had credits on them. It looked like not everyone would be let in. And Jack already looked somewhat suspicious with his get up on the head.

But after realizing he was a customer with enough money they let him and the other two enter the building. David actually even got a little lecture to not disa.s.semble anything. Looks like Jawa, in general, had not such a good reputation for themselves.

-----

Waking inside the building Jack looked around and found a place to buy chips to play the slot machines. He started approaching it.

"d.a.m.n guards...Who do they think they are?" David still felt wronged by those guys about him not taking anything apart.

Finding the sort of chip he wanted to buy he looked back at David "Stop sulking, Dave. Lend me the money so we can do our thing and leave soon. We don't need to overstay our visit in a place like this.", said Jack and reached out a hand to him. He already pointed at the chip and amount he wanted to buy.

The kind he wanted were of a higher value and 10 chips cost a whopping 100k. Ben got such large eyes that they nearly became saucers.

"No, you don't!", exclaimed Ben, in a very soft near inaudible voice so only Jack could hear it.

"It is the normal price for low-value chips that have generally lower win rates than one 100k premium chip. Do you expect me to use the 1k ones that have near zero win rate and would really be a waste of our money? I want a fair chance and also try out my luck on different machines." Jack tried explaining to him why he wanted to use 10 chips and not just that expensive premium one or those 100 lesser ones. It is basically the best deal for your money.

"That is not the thing! Look at those f.u.c.king prices! Didn't David already give you 5 grand? Even those d.a.m.n 10 chips are costly.", rebuked Ben once more.

"Don't worry, Ben. You will be very happy later that I did this.", said Jack and didn't even doubt his possibility to lose in this.

Ben and David both became silent. Where is this confidence coming from? Did they miss something?

"You know...If you lose then Ben and I are going to strangle you, okay?" One could not see it under his suit and that hood but David was smiling evilly. Awaiting the demise his friend ran into. So he just gave him the money.

[Acqiered 100.000 Credits.]

[Lost 100.000 Credits.]

[Acqiered 10 Medium Gambling Chips.]

Jack didn't bother any longer about Ben his arguing. He brought those 10 chips and started to search for a free slot machine.

He didn't need to look for long and sat down at a slot machine that became free after someone left in depression.

Jack examined the machine at first. The machine used the same system where you needed to align 3 same looking pictures while it spun. After a certain time, the three pictures would stop and if you had matches you would get a price.

So Jack huffed his hands and rubbed them. Then he pulled the lever and gave it a spin. And the sign that appeared was a crown. The second was a crown as well and the third....was also a crown. Right at the start, he got three same signs aligned. It was a clear jackpot.

"Yes!", said Ben while making a fist. He felt happy that his friend really won right away. It still made him curious if he really didn't manipulate those machines.

Just like that, Jack cracked the first jackpot at his first try. He grinned brightly as well as a ma.s.sive amount of chips came out of the machine.

"Ben, get something we can transport all these chips with. And convert them to money immediately." Jack was already picking up some of those chips with his hands and stealthily put some of them into his inventory. He could use some for later or just keep them as souvenirs.

[Acqiered 15 Medium Gambling Chips.]

Ben looked excited at this win he already witnessed. Then he smiled "On my way." Telling him that he went to get some sort of bag to carry the chips and bring them back to the guy where they brought the chips to get their money.

The security of the place and a lot of other gamblers noticed his win. Especially the guy that was sitting there previously was just angry because he wasted his money and did not get his jackpot.

The security narrowed their eyes seeing someone win the jackpot. They would now place more attention to him. They thought he would lose the winnings he got but he actually exchanged them and only used the chips he brought at the start?

But what they didn't know yet was that after they had collected the chips and exchanged them, they still would go on nonchalantly and actually start ama.s.sing a small fortune. Every machine that Jack picked actually gave him a small to big jackpot. Now after all those wins the security definitely became suspicious of him and had to do something.

And just when Jack wanted to try the ma.s.sive slot machine in the middle of the casino that would very likely give him the best jackpot he was surrounded by security with blaster rifles.

Jack furrowed his brows and looked at them "Is something the matter?", asked Jack them and let his gaze wander around for possible escape routes. But they were not only surrounded by the security but by other gamblers that were curious about his luck. So that was near impossible.

Ben and David also became very stiff and readied themselves to try and bail out. They knew these guys wanted them out of this house anyway.

"Nothing sir. Please go ahead...", said a human man in a suit without a weapon on him. It looked like now even the manager of this place came looking at what was wrong.

"Alright." Jack turned around after his words and put in the chip to play one round and gave the machine a spin with activating the lever. Not long and three big fat 7 resembling the credits logo were shown on the slots. With very big sound effects the machine spat out its jackpot.

"Just as I thought. Sir, would you kindly explain why you win on all slot machines you play? You haven't even lost once...", commented the man again after seeing even the main machine spitting out its jackpot.

"I am just lucky?", answered Jack and looked back at him with a sheepish smile.

"Is that so? Then you would not be bothered trying out another game?"

Jack scratched his neck and chuckled lightly. "I was about to leave now. I only brought 10 chips to use and they are already gone now. I didn't want to make a ma.s.sive deficit for you guys."

"Don't worry, sir. The last gamble is free and on the house...", a.s.sured the man so that Jack would fall for that.

Now Jack definitely knew he would not let him go. "But I really am on a tight schedule here..."

"Sir...that was not a question. We will take everything back because we believe you cheated us. So you either prove us you didn't cheat or we throw you out." The security raised their weapons slightly.

"How petty you are.", commented Ben from the sides. Now that they won so much they wanted to take it away.

"Shh, Ben. They are at least giving us a chance here. Alright, I will play by your rules. Whatever game it is. I will come out victorious for sure.", grinned Jack at that guy in a suit.

He only narrowed his eyes. "Good, only then will we believe your luck...Oh and just to be clear. After all this, you shall have no entry in this casino, sir."

Jack just shrugged his shoulders. "Fine by me. But if you badmouth my reputation in other places I will come back to visit here. Also, if I have to risk something, it is only fair that you do so as well. I want to double my already earned amount. How about it? Or do you not dare gamble?"

The guy remained silent at his words and didn't believe that Jack could become a threat nor that he would win again. "We will accept, please follow me." The guy walked away and the guards still looked at the trio to get a move on.

After they got escorted to another game the people that saw this also got curious and followed to watch if this lucky gambler. The wanted to see if he would win again. But most of them already knew he was screwed.

They went over to a card game table. Jack asked about the rules of this game and it seemed it was the old blackjack game with just a few more cards of different values and it went to 28 instead of 21.

Ironic, really. As if they knew his name is Jack and now wanted to make him regret his own name. So sitting down at the table they were lead to, he began the gamble.

Jack felt very cozy around this table actually. He could even hear clear whispers of the Force. That made him grin even more.

Putting all their money at stake right from the begging was not really something anyone would do but right now he had no other choice, really. So if he lost all the money the trio had right now, he would go crazy himself. They also would not be able to get any money from other casinos as well.

But if he won and these guys backed away, he could try to get help from the Hutt´s to negotiate here. They did not like to break contracts or other kinds of actions. As weird as it sounds. The Hutt had their own moral code in the underground deals and others in their territory had to oblige to those rules as well.

Jack also didn't think they could just go back on their words anyway since a lot of people actually watched them as well. If they pulled something off they would hit their own reputation. That is also why they put him here. To show what happens when someone becomes too lucky.

Some people actually started whispering about his chances and some other things.

Of course, normally the house would win in such a situation but unlucky for them or just plain lucky for Jack, he actually won with a straight 28 after hitting 6 cards and staying. Who would even hit the cards again after getting a 7,8,6,1,2, and 4? Jack wondered what was so hard about this game.

"Well, looks like G.o.ddess Fortuna is on my side today.", he commented with a grinning smile.

[Hidden Quest fulfilled: "Own The Casino". Rewards: EXP and "Lucky Pack". Quests are now unlocked. Use the quest log to track your progress in accepted quests.]

[Through some heavy gambling with high stakes you increased your Luck by 10 points.]

[Level Up, Level Up, Level Up]

[Skill "Midas Touch" acquired]

[t.i.tle "Lucky Star" acquired]

[Job "Gambler" acquired]

Jack his eyes became somewhat big after he saw all the pop-ups appearing in his peripheral vision. Seems like he acquired a lot this time around. He even leveled up! That was even more good news.

But because he couldn't daydream right now he turned back to the guy in a suit. "So, can I leave now?", he asked him with his grin still on his face.

The guy who seemed to be the manager had a pretty ugly expression on his face. He knew that he rigged the game for Jack to lose but how did his people screw that one up? He actually won. And with the amount Jack gambled with, that made even twice the loss now. His boss would strangle him for that major mistake.

Still glaring at the dealer that he believed screwed up the whole thing, he sighed and smiled at Jack afterward as if nothing happened. "Yes, sir. You may leave..."

With that, Jack didn't remain seated for long. He sc.r.a.ped together the chips he already had and the new ones he won with this gamble. Exchanged them into money and left the casino. At the end of this fiasco, they got quite the motherload on this visit.

[53 Million Credits acquired]

[Your t.i.tel and Job were changed by default.

Job Gambler: You are smitten by the thrill of throwing the dice and other risky games for your own benefits. You constantly try to challenge your luck to its limit. This occupation enhances your chances of winning something by 25%.

t.i.tle Lucky Star: You encounter fortune and happiness more often than the average person. This t.i.tle increases your Luck by 10 and increases gambling related chances by 25%]

Listening to Terra talk about his new job and t.i.tle, he snorted proudly afterward. So that is why he felt so d.a.m.n lucky right now. He basically had a certain 50% chance to win in every gamble he did. No, it was probably much higher than that considering his luck stat was still changing that value to something very likely to always win as he did prove in this visit.