Private A Thief in the Night

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

A dark clothed woman walked the streets and alleys of Coruscant hunting. Here there would be many children that would make great additions to the Sith army. She had been sent here to find others that could be made into soldiers much like herself. Those that were unwanted, unloved and wouldn't be missed by anybody.

So the cyborg mentally marked her targets and waited until darkness descended. Like a cat in the night, she pounced on a child. Picking the boy up, she pinched his neck to make quick work of his awake state. The limp boy rested in her arms as she returned to the shadows and started to return to her waiting ship.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Unloved and unwanted was a common belief in street rat kids. However, there was always someone who knew about them. Whether it was that homeless man they shared a box with, or that buddy they stole a loaf of bread with. And for those who were a bit higher tier in the underworld of Coruscant, it was the gang or charity that had adopted them to the fold. Such were truths Vulpesen had learned during his few years on Nar Shadaa, living by his wits and a blaster.

Now, as a Valde, he took one more mission to Coruscant, following the call of a dozen small voices crying for Justice in a lawless galaxy. It wasn't necessarily something the Vitae commonly reacted to, at least not under the watch of its main leader and his squad of elite guards. But something about this particular case called to Vulpesen's heart and thus here he was, standing on the roof of a small business, his mask on and scanning for any movement as he peered through the darkness, his nightvision activated and senses through the force on high alert.

Being so prepared, it wasn't long before he saw his target, a woman dragging a limp youth along on her shoulders. If that wasn't a giant 'I'm who you're looking for!' he didn't know what was. "Standby. I'll Initiate," he whispered into his comlink before taking off. Like a swooping shadow, Bryn Celli Ddu would be met by the golden fox faced visage as Vulpesen dropped down and rose infront of her, his cape billowing slightly from the breeze of his fall. "Forgive me, but you seem a bit too unmotherly to be that child's guardian."

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

The sithing had wrongly assumed her actions wouldn't be noticed and a figure dropped to the ground in front of her. Her own face was masked, but her eyes could be seen. One was natural and organic, the other was cybernetic. Not letting go of the boy she held, she adjusted how she was carrying him to talk to the stranger.

They were of the same height and she looked him in the eyes. No fear came from the woman and that would show in her stance. She did not mistreat the child in any manner and no harm had come to him.

"How do I appear so unmotherly? I'm carrying a sleeping child."

A simple question and observation on her part and at the moment, there was nothing to prove one way or another she was anything else than what she appeared to be. A woman carrying a child and taking it home.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

"Who is not yours. Granted, they may not be slung over your shoulder, but you seem rather young to be a mother. Furthermore, no sane mother would wander these streets with such a young child at this hour of night. And finally, purely speaking from an observational standpoint, a fox faced man just dropped in front of you from the darkness. And yet, the child, while adjusted is still held before you as you stand calm at the possible danger to your 'offspring.'" Glowing golden eyes gleamed from beneath the phrik surface of his mask, taking in every detail that he could in the green tinted vision before him. "Also, sensing those of a darker persuasion has kind of been one of my favorite tricks for a very long time now." Offering a small bow to the woman, he finally began to introduce himself. "Valde Torrevaso of the Vitae Security Forces, tasked with finding the kidnapped children in this area."

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

"I am also wearing a mask, how can you tell my age...Mister?"

One eye narrowed slightly at his observations and she shook her head a little. Her eye returning to normal to look at him, she nodded when he provided a name to call him.

"Mister Torrevaso, you are mistaken in a few things, but correct in others. I am taking this child to a home. Yes, I am, calm because I am confident I can take care of myself and this child."

She had never claimed to be the boy's mother, that was something Vulps had done and she raised a finger to stop him from saying anything else.

"Kidnappings happen on a pretty regular basis, Mister Torrevaso. And I never said I was his mother. Nice to meet you though. I'm going to be on my way."

Not making any sort of reaction to the last part of his statement, she would attempt to continue moving past him.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen smiled softly as Bryn spoke. She was smart. Even among the savagery of wilder beliefs, the Valde valued intelligence. Still, he knew when to trust more than words. "Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear." His hand outstretched and a nearby dumpster shot into her path, providing an obstacle for her walk. He had no doubt she could easily scale it, but the dumpster certainly served as a nice courier for his message. "You reek of the dark side and I do not trust you to care for that child. Release him."

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

As she started to move past him, he pushed a dumpster into her path. Of course, she could have scaled or even jumped over it entirely, but something stopped her. Turning around again to face the man, she kept her hold on the child even when he demanded she release him.

"Under who's authority do you have to ask me to release him?"

He mentioned she smelled of the Dark Side and she didn't entirely understand what he meant. She was a cyborg and her use of the Force was very limited. It would be better said that she was a soldier and at best an assassin. Bryn could usually sneak in and accomplish her task and disappear without ever being seen. This is what she excelled at.

Normally that would have happened tonight, but for some reason, this man was confronting her.

"The boy is safe in my care."

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

"Valde of the Security Forces," He stated simply, his hand drifting to his hip where his fingers twitched ever so slightly. "Who is he then? Being his guardian, you should have no trouble stating to me your relationship with him." Even as he spoke, Vulpesen reached out with the force. Touching the mind was difficult for him now, but it was still possible. Even with his lack of practice, he was certain the mind of a young child wasn't out of reach.

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

"What security forces?"

She had never heard of Valde before, but Bryn had the feeling that wasn't the name of the company due to his wording. Then he asked her who the boy was and what her relationship was to him.

"He is a child without a home. I'm taking him to one. We don't know each other yet."

Every word was true and while she was being a little deceptive, she wasn't lying entirely.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

"Sorry, Vitae Security Forces," he clarified his hand only moving closer to his hip as he listened to her answer. While it was certainly true, it was exactly what he had already guessed simply with more flowery wording. Still, there was that little bit of an issue regarding probably cause over reasonable suspicion. It was time to settle that. Sending a small shock to the boy's consciousness, the Valde had one simple aim. Wake the child who held the truth.

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

If it was professional, she would have let out a small groan. He had already stated the name of the firm, Bryn had just missed that detail. When she had taken the boy, he hadn't seen or felt her sneak upon him. One moment he had been walking down the street and the next darkness had taken him.

As soon as he woke up, he did struggle a little, but the cyborg kept her hold on him. Not wanting to let him go.

"Thank you, Mister Torrevaso."

It would be noticed that while she held onto the child, she wasn't hurting him and he didn't cry out in any manner. Her job had been to take these children unharmed and return to Vanessa.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Reaching up, Vulpesen clasped his hands over his mask, pulling it from his face. Now faced with golden eyes and a white streak of hair amidst sharp features, Bryn would find that the glowing orbs were not focused on her, but rather the child in her arms. Vulpesen's voice, harsh and demanding mere moments ago was now soft and kind as he addressed the captive. "Son, do you know who this is or whats going on?" He and the cyborg woman could go on and on for ages, talking in circles. But a kidnapping was a kidnapping, and no one would know the truth better than the victim.

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

The boy looked confused as his gaze passed between Bryn and Vulpesen. Finally, he struggled free and she set him down but kept a hold of his hand.

He shook his head but kept quiet. As if a cat had taken his tongue.

"See as I said, we don't know each other. I'm not letting him go."

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen smiled reassuringly to the boy as he shook his head then rose up to his full height. He wasn't an imposing figure by any means, and as noted by Bryn earlier, stood on par with the woman. Still, there was a steel in his eyes as his hand lifted up, outstretched and open with palm up towards the child. "We agree that you don't know each other. Release him to me. I ask this only once." It was only for the sake of civility that she received this warning. He had all the evidence he needed, and as entertaining as this was, the life of a child was not worth such entertainment.

Bryn Celli Ddu

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

Finally, a voice came to the boy and he once again looked between the two adults.

"Why should I go with either of you? I stay just a few streets away."

He attempted to pull away, but the grip of the sithing was quite strong and firm. Looking up at her, he stamped on one of her feet to try again. Of course, she felt the pressure of the tactic, but not the pain he thought to inflict.

"What are you going to do with him? It is my duty to bring children like him to a home. A place where they can become something greater than what they would be on their own."

There was no anger in her tone or flash in her eyes. Almost as if she didn't actually feel emotion.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

The boy posed a fair question. Who was Vulpesen beyond a man in a mask? He was no more familiar to the child than Bryn was. However, his mission couldn't e more different. The dark woman before him intended to take this child away to who knows where. He intended to go a little closer. "My duty is quite simple. To take you a few streets down."

Addressing the child with his final sentence, Vulpesen lifted his arm and pointed a pair of fingers at Bryn Celli Ddu , giving his hand the slight jolt that would launch a dart from his bracers. At this point, maiming and true chemical warfare would be a significant uptick in the scale of use of force. So, he settled for pain compliance. Admittedly... Devaronian poison laced darts supplied absurd amounts of pain to comply to.

 

[Bryn Celli Ddu]

The boy looked up at Bryn after the man answered him.

"I want to go home lady."

The distraction he caused wasn't too much and her attention whipped back to the man with glowing eyes. Since her orders had been to bring these children to Vanessa unharmed, she wasn't about to use him as a shield like she normally would. With the darts flying at her quickly, she reacted with a vertical jump.

Letting go of the boy, she would again disappear into the night. Getting the boy home would be his problem and she would make a getaway to carry on another day.

Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen felt prepared should the woman use the child as a shield. After all, he could control the dart enough to maneuver it around the child if needed. He was not however, prepared for her to simply leave the area completely. As Bryn Celli Ddu sot towards the sky, Vulpesen growled and yanked back his dart, aiming to send it up after her and into her leg. Thankfully for the dark woman, all he managed to do was send the dart spiraling harmlessly into the darkness.

Apparently there would be no arrests tonight. Still, that didn't mean that he was without victory. Placing his mask into his cloak, Vulpesen approached the child and offered his hand once more, a kind smile forming on his lips. "Alright son, lets get you home." He would leave a few of his men behind tonight and for at least a week to come. Should this shadow figure come again, they would be prepared. But for now, the Valde simply guided a young boy a few streets down.