An Order and A Room [Graxin Rade]

[Shalita Verd]

Synthea seated herself down upon the double sized bed that was within the room that she dropped a few credits in order to meet with their oh-so-fearless leader. It was an average room, one that she couldn’t really complain about. It wasn’t within the higher end where people were just plain nosey and it wasn’t a seedy place either, where people, mostly criminals paid attention to anyone new. This place and the room, was in the between where the common folk could enter and leave without people paying too much attention to them. She leaned downwards to unbuckle her black combat boots, before she edge her feet out of their confines. The Shi’ido would then swing her feet up and onto the bed, sliding backwards so then her back would rest against the head board. Other than kicking off her boots, she left the rest of what she wore on. For although she would spend the rest of the night within the room, she wasn’t going to conduct business without her clothes on. For peeling them off was half the fun of seducing someone, especially when confined inside of a room. Indeed, she wasn’t here or herself, she was here because Graxin had wished to see her in order to give her an assignment.

Slowly, she leaned her head back against the wall as her deep blue eyes closed for a moment. She had been a little surprised that he had ordered to meet with her in a secret kind of place instead of his office. However, the woman knew that there was no such thing as secret, unless the place was in a remote place, such as a damn forest with just the animals to talk to. Synthea had been all too willing to meet with Graxin, for last time they had met, they had been nothing but strangers and she really wanted to open up that mind of his and see as to just what was inside. He made her curious, but he had also kept her at arm’s length. Perhaps now, she had gained a little bit of his trust to open up just a little bit of his mind. She couldn’t lie to herself though, there might even be a little more than just curiousity about his experiences that drove her to want to get to know him. He had a certain charm, there was just something to the way that he held himself.

A slow smirk caressed her red painted lips as she focused more upon this line of thought. Perhaps it was even those amber eyes of his, they were easy to stare into and she could very easily see herself getting lost in them. Although, not only were they easy to stare into, but they spoke of a trust, something that made her very uneasy. If she could trust him, then it gave him to the power to turn around and hurt her. She had never trusted anyone, for it was her job not to trust anyone, but to weed information out of them. It was her job to get people to trust her, to spill to her their secrets, but for that to happen, she had to make herself trust-worthy. To appear open to people, but not tell them anything too important that they could use against her. In fact, often she had used an alias or had even fabricated stories to suit her needs. It was the way of the spy. Sometimes, spies got in so deep that they even began to believe their own lies and lost all sense of their true self. It was the danger that all spies faced. Eventually, she believed that one day, she too would fall prey to this, when everything would hurt too much to bear. But for now, she was content to just simply be Synthea Trills, the Spymaster.

[SIZE=14.4444446563721px][member="Graxin Rade"][/SIZE]

 

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Graxin had promised his mother support for Naboo, and he intended on keeping it. The ACA was not truly hostile, the Master knew that much from his last visit there. They just wanted to be left alone, but the Protectorate and its self-righteous complex believed the ACA wanted war. In truth, the Omega Protectorate had forced the former Confederacy into conflict over a menial issue. The Archlord had little respect for them. They were an obstacle. An unpredictable and unreliable variable in the great game. A game that the Reformation needed to be winning it if hoped to succeed in its purpose.

The Master arrived at the door dressed in simple clothing. A plain black jacket with a cold-weather hat pulled down over his ears. He wore jeans that he had picked up from a cheap-shop on the way back to Ession, and the leather gloves he never left home without. The gloves his little sister had given him when they left Coruscant.

He needed to speak with Trils. The woman had proven useful in finding Master Ozamu, and he had full intention to utilize her skills once more. Refraining from summoning her to his office was a political move as well a security issue. He didn't want people to think he had a mistress, nor did he want anyone to suspect the spynet the Reformation was so carefully constructing. It was proving extremely useful in every issue the Reformation faced, and Graxin was more than a little against revealing its existence to the Republic. That's how all the intelligence agency's died, after all.

The Master only waited a moment or so before he simply undid the lock with the force. The door clicked open, and he stepped through, looking more like someone you'd meet behind a bar rather than a Jedi Lord. He shut the door behind himself, and pulled off the hat, running a gloved hand through his hair.

"Lovely location for a party."


[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

Synthea’s breathing had deepened softly, not because she had fallen asleep, but because she had stilled her form so then nothing within the room moved except for the slow rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing had deepened only because she had fallen into reflective thoughts. Ones about herself and past events. It wasn’t uncommon, especially considering that she spent a lot of time by herself, her job required it of her. So, the room was quiet enough for her to have heard the soft click of the door to the room that she was currently occupying and a soft smirk caressed her usual red painted lips. Slowly, she lifted her head, her blue eyes opening to take in the form of the man that was entering the confines of the room. Graxin Rade still looked the same from when she had first met him, except for the fact that he had changed into something more casual. The jeans, the jacket, the gloves and even the hat suited him very well to her surprise. Her tongue darted out to lick her bottom lip as she perked a brow at the man’s words. It was then that a soft chuckle came forth and she shifted upon the bed so then she was now kneeling upon it, but her butt was resting softly against her heels.

She reached out a hand to then pat the bed gently beside her, the smirk upon her lips widening while her hues glittered with a dare written within them. Synthea had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn’t, but who knew, maybe he might take up the offer. “Well, I would have gotten a couple of ales, but I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a meeting in regards to an operation that you wished for me to undertake. But…” She angled her head as she giggled softly, her hands slowly moving to rest upon the tops of her thighs. “If you have changed your mind, I’m sure we can arrange for something that isn’t ale. Have ourselves some… fun. What do you say?” She questioned as she slowly slid her form down half way of the bed, straightened her legs out and rested the palms of her hands against the mattress behind her form and leaned her weight back upon them. The woman even angled her head slightly to the right, her deep blue hues watching him for a slow moment.

While she didn’t exactly know if the man had any interest in her other than for her talents with weeding information out of people, the woman had to try. Slowly, her gaze slide over the man’s form once again. She had to admit, he had looked delicious when he had been in his robe from the last time that they had met, but now? The clothes that he wore, simply worked in his favour and she could tell that she was going to try a lot harder to distract him this time. For the last time, she had been more distracted about being a force sensitive. Already, she was getting distracted by comparing the man from the last time they had met and a slow shake of her head brought her back to the present. Her blue gaze even looked back into those amber hues while she pondered upon what else to say. “What do you say? I’m sure no one is going to interrupt us, it’ll just be you and me.” The smirk that had fallen off of her lips, returned in full force as she moved to roll her form onto her left side, propping her left hand underneath her head to keep it alleviated.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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The Archlord knew exactly what Synthea wanted. He was human after all, and understanding others of his own species was part of his job. To judge and interpret the intentions was an art that no university could ever teach you. It was an innate skill that you carried with you from birth, a seed of intrigue that could be cultivated, and would one day sprout into a tree of lies and deceit.

Graxin was sure there was a proverb for that somewhere. If not, there should have been.

He crossed the room to stop in the center. The Master gave Synthea a short once over, and only nodded. That could be taken in a thousand different ways, the most of which was Graxin's desire to remain ambiguous. He had a reputation to maintain, and the intelligence community was a dirty place for any politician. Graxin liked spooks, he'd been one himself in his heyday, but open association with them always brought trouble. Trouble the Reformation could not afford, and his purpose wasn't to form relations with one of his agents. At least, that's what he told himself.

Synthea was a good agent, for what it was worth. She seemed to understand that the spook business wasn't what people saw in the holovids. There were no great balls to infiltrate nor were there heads of government to take into bed to avoid a missile crisis. Intelligence was a lot of lying, a lot of waiting around, and a lot of frustration for any poor sod involved. Synthea hadn't been given any of the aft-end deployments yet, but they would come eventually. She had to know that by now.

The Archlord ran a hand over one of the counters in the kitchen. It was cool to the touch, and made him shiver uncomfortably. There was a certain awareness to things that could not be denied. Synthea worked with him purely for carnal reasons. If keeping the Shi'do around meant tolerating her aspirations of taking him to bed, and perhaps even encouraging them from a purely verbal standpoint, then so be it.

No one could say Graxin didn't know how to play the game.

"I'm afraid I don't drink, Synthea." He tumbled from the kitchen. His back was turned to her for the moment. His gloved hand promptly clicked one of the old Sith listening devices under the counter where the little edges sprouted downward. If she was checking for bugs, it would be a simple thing to find it. If not, then Graxin would hear everything she did after he left. If she removes the listener, then she would pass his little test. If not, then the Archlord would quite likely learn her true intentions one way or another.

"And while your offer is quite enticing..."He made a point to drop his voice down to a teasing murmur. Better to play the game than let it stagnate. "I'm afraid we have business to attend to. You did us well in acquiring Master Ozamu." The Master turned about to meet Synthea's gaze. The woman was gorgeous, but so were all Shi'do when they wanted something. Graxin was not going to allow himself to become wrapped around her finger; which in hindsight could possibly only offer her more of a challenge.

So long as it secured Synthea Trills' services, he didn't care.

"I have another assignment for you. I know the time between is short, but the Reformation's reservoir of 'Spooks-On-Demand' is rather dry at the moment."

[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

The one thing that Synthea noticed, was the fact that Graxin was mostly all business and no play. What did peek her interest was the fact that he had entered the kitchen and suspicion rose to mind as he stood by the bench with his back to her. The woman made a mental note to check it after the man left, as for now, he was speaking. She did note the teasing murmur within his voice for a brief moment before he began to take the conversation towards business. Perhaps he would be a long game, one that she would have to be patient with and slowly she moved to lie down upon the bed. Her right hand reached upwards to grasp a pillow tucking it under her head, while her legs dangled off the edge of the bed. It was then where she tucked her hands underneath her head, her palms pressing against her skull. Her blue hues focussed upon the white coloured roof above her head as she simply listened to the man’s voice. A sigh caressed her lips and she closed her eyes. “Mr Rade, it wasn’t exactly all that hard to retrieve the master. All I had to do was walk through a forest for a while and just look out for any dangerous looking animals. Honestly, I have decided that I don’t like areas with no people. It’s too quiet.” A slow smirk crossed her lips then, but it was true. She hadn’t liked being left alone with just simply her thoughts.

Synthea’s shoulders rose and fell in a simple shrug, “As for the spooks-on-demand thing, it doesn’t really affect me. I don’t really have any ties, so I can go where ever and whenever without the extra baggage.” Her foot angled upwards before it dropped downwards and she did this a couple of times as she delved into thoughts on how best to chase the man. “What about you oh-great-one? Any family to speak of?” She asked as she angled her head so then her gaze could focus upon the man. The Shi’ido knew that he wasn’t here to make conversation, but if he was going to remain a brick wall, perhaps she could chip away at it slowly in order to get all of the juicy details out of the man. “A girlfriend? Or even a wife?” The smirk returned to her lips at this even though she had already expected that there was no such thing. Especially considering that he had mentioned that he felt love for only his mother and sisters. He hadn't mentioned anyone else that he had felt love for. This particular exercise was to just simply poke, whether it gave her anything would be a bonus but she didn’t expect much of a response considering he had already turned to business talk.

Her tongue darted out then to lick her bottom lip before she returned her gaze to the roof. “Anyway, the point is, don’t worry about me. Whether time between assignments is short or not doesn’t worry me. I’m unattached and have no prior engagements, it’s how I like it and the profession requires it of me.” While it was all true, occasionally the woman did feel lonely. She kept such a lifestyle because she was afraid of losing someone else that might one day mean something to her. So she used her profession as an excuse and a reminder to not build ties that were not business related. A soft gasp would then part her lips, almost as if she had suddenly remembered something. “Oh, remind me to send my mother and father a message after this, I’m sure that they would welcome a hello from me every now and then.” She said in a teasing tone while her blue hues shimmered with amusement.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Synthea wasn't Graxin's usual poison. She was a liar, and a comfortable one at that. Her tool was deceit, and her purpose was to hear all that was whispered in private room. The Shi'do was an infiltrator not unlike the one that Graxin had been in his earlier youth. Still, he felt compelled to be honest with the woman. He knew how to go about intelligence work; lie to TACOPS, set the bad guys on one another, numb your morality with a bit of booze. It was a simple game at its core, but a complicated one once you counted its many layers.

"Three sisters, a brother, and a mother. Most are on the other side of the galaxy." Graxin remarked. He eased out of his jacket, throwing it across the floor like it had burst into flames. "I take care of one. The rest go about their own business."

The Archlord was an open book to any that asked. Honesty was his policy; Synthea would have to do his lying for him. Not that he would ever ask her to do that--Master Rade had an issue with feeling guilty. He brought a fist up to his lips, and coughed politely. "The uh...ACA and the Protectorate. I'm concerned about what they're doing. Afraid they'll go to war."

He settled on the edge of the bed, and breathed a heavy sigh. Synthea was effective. A Shi'do was valuable in the intelligence community--the overlaying issue being thad" t she tended to use her talents on him. Whether it was a test of his resolve or whatnot was entirely lost to him. "I want you to infiltrate the Protectorate and convince them to go to open war with the One Sith...and keep me informed on all their workings. You can return here whenever it's safe to drop the disguise."

He paused for a moment. They were simple orders, and all he really needed to deliver. A bit of sociability was healthy, anyway. "Where's your family gone?" He lofted a brow. "And uh...no. I do not."

Never have the time for that sort of thing.

"Sounds lonely." He remarked, either changing the subject or just finding the previous topic unimportant. He turned his head to look her over, and settled his gaze on the spy's. "How do you cope with that sort of thing exactly? The loneliness."

[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

Good gods, is he mad? Synthea silently asked as he admitted to having a mother and siblings. If his enemy was at all smart, they could very well use one of them against him, although, they would have to use the one that was closest to him. She heard, rather than saw the jacket fly across the floor, for her focus remained upon the roof above their heads. Finally he moved on to the task that was need of her and a simple brow lifted at the factions mentioned. “The ACA and Protectorate huh?” She asked in a soft thoughtful tone. “And here I thought that the ACA was more focussed upon their science, technology and business. They didn’t seem like the war type, but then again, when someone has their own military, war of course eventually happen. Power and wealth does goes to the head and ego. Interesting” She murmured for a moment, mostly to herself. However, Graxin wanted her to infiltrate The Protectorate and convince them to go to war with The One Sith. It wasn’t a short task, for she would have to gain the trust of those within the inner circle, of those within the council and gaining the trust of others took time and patience.

Slowly she drew in a deep breath as she pondered upon the task for a moment, quite aware that the man had settled upon the edge of the bed. The Shi’ido even picked up on the sigh that had graced his lips. It was strange to hear him sigh so heavily, for it made him sound tired, tired of things. “I’ll send you a bird when I get into the faction, but I can’t promise you that it will be a quick operation.” Was all she said upon the matter, although she would probably just send him an encrypted message. She paused for a moment within her thoughts as the man began to ask her questions, questions about her family and he had even asked with how she coped with the loneliness. How did she cope with it? The fact was, she didn’t. It plagued her like a nightmare during the nights that she found herself all on her own with no task in mind. She found herself staring into amber depths once more and she remained silent for the moment, pondering just as to whether she should tell him about the fact that she had no family. The woman hadn’t really expected him to question the sarcastic statement about sending her parents a message, for chances were she would just simply pray to them if she ever wanted to talk to them. Whatever good that would do her.

Syn would then shift, her hands sliding out from underneath her head and she rolled her upper body upwards so then she was seated upon the edge of the bed at the bottom. Lie, was the thought that came deviously to the forefront of her mind. Or she could just simply tell a half-truth, which was what she had then decided upon. “I don’t talk to my parents anymore, we lost touch a long time ago.” She turned her gaze to view the plain wooden door and she really did ponder upon getting a drink. “As for the loneliness, Mr Rade” A simple shrug had her shoulders rising and falling as she plastered a smirk upon her lips, her gaze turning back to view the man. “I just sleep, drink and smoke to my heart’s content. I don’t need anything more than that for all of my needs are met.” All of the physical ones anyway, she told herself. The matters of her heart were constantly denied, for she needed to think and plan with a some-what clear mind. Matters of the heart just simply got people, especially spies, in far too much trouble.

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There were a myriad of reasons why Graxin wanted the Protectorate busy with war. The former mercantile government had grown to big for its boots, so too speak. They sent force to deal with the One Sith, but what of after? Who would keep that droid in check? No, they needed to be weakened. The Protectorate had the potential to become just as bad, if not worse than the One Sith, and they would hide it behind a curtain of lies built upon the primal need people felt to do what was right. They would justify all that they did for the greater good, just as they had on Drunkenwell. Just as they had when they went to war on strangers over a single man, and had brought about something close to genocide.

The Archlord knew their nature. He knew what they would do given any more power. It couldn't be allowed.

"The Protectorate is a group of marauding land grabbers who care nothing for the rest of the galaxy. They will attack another power simply because they can, and fabricate a false story to make themselves look righteous." Graxin explained. "The ACA has done both good and bad, but overall are extremists and dangerous. Both group could prove to be worse than the One Sith in the end--at least the Sith are honest about their motives."

He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, and breathed a heavy sigh. He hated thinking like a man in power; it was the opposite of all that his Jedi teachings would have him do. Yet, someone needed to do the job. Someone needed to play hardball with the rest of the galaxy, or things would only get worse. He wouldn't hold the position of Archlord forever, thankfully, but it was his own for now.

"A shame about your parents. I've found life is a bit empty without something to come home to." Graxin paused for a moment, amber eyes narrowing as he found himself entranced with a stain on the otherwise pristine white carpet. This was a dingy little place, but not at all repulsive. "Though if you're happy, I can't fault you for it." He added quietly, tilting his head partway to gaze at Synthea.

Her intentions eluded him. The Shi'do was good at her job, and irreplaceable given her status as a shapeshifter, but her reasoning to help the Reformation was a mystery. Perhaps she wanted to belong to something? Perhaps she wanted to help for change? Perhaps she was counter intelligence for the One Sith? Perhaps she wanted to die too?

"Why are you here Syn?" Graxin grunted, not bothering for titles or the like. "And nothing smart. Be honest. I can tell if you're not."

That in itself was a lie, but the force was a strange beast to most. She might believe him and think he could read her mind.








[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

Synthea’s smirk twitched before it fell from her lips and she turned away from the once again. He had called her Syn, something no one had ever called her and she couldn’t decide as to whether she liked it or not. “You want me to be honest when it is not who I am.” The force was most definitely something that she wasn’t knowledgeable about and it frustrated her to not be able to call him out on his words. The lies that swirled within her mind was all that she had, it was the only protection that she could use in order to protect herself from such conversations like this one. “To tell you a lie is something that comes naturally to me, much like breathing. So, for you to ask me, a spy of which you know of, to be honest…” She paused for a moment within her words as she tried to arrange her thoughts and she moved to stand, her bare feet touching the white carpet underneath their feet. “Takes a lot on my part. It’s not a natural habit, in fact it feels rather unnatural and I know that as a leader, that puts you in rather a bad situation. For all you know, I could be a loose end, a loose thread that could unravel your faction.”

The woman would then hold up a hand almost as if to stop him to speak, should he try and she reached into the pocket of her jacket, only to pull out of box of cigarettes. She gripped them inside of her right hand before she lightly tapped them against the palm of her hand. “Trust is such a fickle thing, Mr Rade. Some people trust far too easily and others don’t trust at all. There are those that don’t think much of people wanting to get to know them and there are others that are very distrustful of those that do try to get closer to them. I am the latter.” Slowly, she would then take out one of the cigarettes from the box and she pocketed the box once more, her blue hues focusing upon the white stick with a tan coloured end. “I could tell you a many different reasons as to why I am here. It could be the fact that I just want to know you, it could be the fact that I too hate slavery and the Sith with a hateful vengeance that burns through my veins.” It was then that her free hand would then begin to pat the pockets of her long black coat in order to find her lighter, now where the devil did she put it?

Finally, she simply gave up and turned to face him, her blue hues peering into his amber eyes. “Honestly? While all of the given reasons are true, I only have one main reason as to why I am here. I used to feel blank, someone who was trapped within their own mind and simply let the time slip passed them. Then suddenly, I felt a connection to something which had awaken me from that timeless phase. Ever since then, I have been seeking for that connection that was fleeting at the time.” Her shoulders rose and fell in a simple shrug as she crossed over to the bench that Graxin had been standing at and pulled a lighter out from the pocket of her black pants. Of course she had put it there. She placed the cigarette between her lips and her hands quickly had it lit. She inhaled the toxic smoke, before the fingers of her right hand tugged the cigarette from her lips and she exhaled. “It’s like you said, it’s lonely. Lonely as hell. I don’t have family and I don’t keep friends. I cannot if I am to do what I do best.”

A soft chuckle was brought to her lips then, “Ironic though, is the fact that I can draw upon that loneliness and that pain to make people believe my story.” Indeed, she used her pain and her loneliness whenever she was doing her job, although never did she tell the truth of the events that laid behind it all. It was something that she kept locked tight all to herself. Her left hand pocketed the lighter as her blue hues stared at the end of the lit cigarette. “Although, no matter what I do, what I say or what information I gain, it is never enough to fill the hole that seems to grow with every long day. I feel like I am missing something and I don’t even know what it is.” She lifted the cigarette to her lips once again, taking another drag, before she pulled it away from her lips. Slowly, she turned away from bench to look back at the man upon the bed and she leaned back against the bench top. “And that, is the honest reason of why I am here doing as you instruct, Mr Rade, because I hope, that somewhere along the line, I will find what I am missing.”

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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It was reason enough. Graxin tilted his head forward, enamored with the agent for a moment. Her words were reminiscent of those spoken by himself, some time ago. Synthea needed to feel she had a purpose, a reason to continue doing what she did. He needed to keep his agent, and keep her happy for whatever it was worth. The Master breathed a heavy sigh, and ran his hands through his hair. It was a stupid idea, of course, but one that made a bit of sense. He'd already done things he never would have considered for the Reformation.

"Right then." He grunted, pushing up to his feet. He had no stomach for cigarettes, but he'd force himself through it. Folding his arms behind his back, Graxin crossed the room, pausing a foot or so away from Synthea. "Good to know that much. I trust you." It was partly true. He would keep an eye on her, but he was rather sure her loyalty could be assured.

The Coalition needed the agent's skills.

Without any preempting or word of warning, Graxin leaned forward. He laced an arm around the Shi'do's waist, and pulled her close. It wasn't a motion out of love or anything of the kind, though there was a sort of affection between the two. Graxin needed to secure his position, by whatever means were available.

He leaned forward to press his lips to hers. Ah, necessity.



[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

The moment that his lips touched her own, confusion swept over her like some kind of tidal wave. One that slammed into her and forced the air right out of her lungs. The man had given no notion of his intentions, granted he never really showed much of anything really. He mostly kept a blank face, never letting her know of what was going on inside of that mind of his. So when he had stood and crossed the floor to face her, she had noted the blank expression, the one that he normally wore. However, then he had grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in and kissed her. Why? Was the question that flowed through her mind and her left hand lifted to slide between the two and she pressed it firmly against the man’s chest, pulling her lips away from his own. The confusion that she felt shimmered within her blue eyes as she watched the man for but a moment. Was he only trying to sleep with her because he felt that it would make her feel better? He had said that he could trust her, although she figured that he could trust her only for a little bit, but why now was he doing this?

Synthea would slowly step back away from the man, should his hold upon her loosen, if not she would look away from him as she tried to re-arrange her scattered thoughts. Graxin had not given any signals that any other man would have if he truly desired her in that way. No lick of his lips, there was no lust reflected within those amber eyes. His kiss didn’t even reflect that he felt any lust for her what-so-ever. It was just a simple kiss, of what? She didn’t know. The cigarette still burned brightly within the grasp of the fingers of her right hand and she focused upon that small little light while she began to speak. “No. I am not a puppy, nor am I your charity case. I am a spy, pain and loneliness comes with the job. I accepted that when I woke from my blank phase. I may have a hunger for you, a hunger that is both filled with lust for you physically and a want to know you, but I will not do this...” She paused as she looked up into his amber eyes. The Shi’ido always believed that the eyes were the window to the soul hidden within, but it seemed as if he had a curtain drawn over them.

“You and I both know, that you do not desire me in this way and if you think that you can secure my loyalty by sleeping with me… Then you do not trust me all that much. Of that, I cannot blame you. I am not to be trusted.” She closed her hues as a frustrated sigh fell upon her lips. “I am comfortable with lying because I know what my fate will one day be. As do all spies. I will begin to lose who I am, I will begin to believe my own lies, of my own fabricated stories and I will slip and I will fall. It won’t be soon, this I know, but one day it will happen. Because one day, all of this pain and loneliness will be too much and I will desire something different. Of what? I don’t know. But what I do know, is when that day comes, which is a long way off yet, you need to be ready to loose me as a whole. I won’t be a spy, I will be whatever I fabricated.” The woman shook her head before she looked up at the man, ”Because to be the best spy… You need to understand and be ready to lose it all.” Her lips would turn downwards then as her gaze began to harden, "So no, I don't want your pity, nor do I want to be comforted by a man who doesn't want me like this and has other pressing matters to attend to."

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Graxin had miscalculated. This was the wrong course of action, he saw that now. Synthea could not be controlled so easily, and that would make things difficult.

"I've seen the way you look at me, Agent Trills." He mumbled quietly, offering an amused little smirk as he pulled away from the woman. "But what you say is true. Your loyalty is something I find myself in desperate need of. There are too few left that I can trust."

The Archlord dropped his arms down to his sides, and breathed a heavy sigh. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his head tilted forward in a sort of unspoken apology.

The room was suddenly feeling quite small. The twisting anxiety in his stomach certainly wasn't helping. He knew little of this sort of thing; romance the carnal desires of others. Indoctrination from childhood had done well to limit such wants. Synthea, on the other hand, understood all too well. He was outgunned here, theoretically speaking.

Still, he felt pity for the spymaster. Such a lonely existence suited no living creature.

With private apprehension, Graxin stepped forward once more, leaving a pace or so between the two of them. He set a gloved hand on her shoulder, and squeezed.

"If you ever feel the need to talk..."

He fell silent and met her gaze. The silence spoke far more than he could ever have hoped to with words.

[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

Those amber hues peered into her blue ones just as she felt the squeeze of his hand upon her shoulder. Syn’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment for she couldn’t bear to directly look into those eyes, those eyes that spoke of everything that went against the profession. Developing a trust with someone. It was dangerous and reckless. Ties were easily used against someone and she couldn’t do it, she couldn’t do that even if the person was already standing in the bullseye of an enemy. A slow breath caressed her lips as she inhaled, the breath expanding her lungs and she held it for a moment before exhaling. The small exercise usually helped her to clear her scattered thoughts, to allow herself to pull her mask back on with smooth precision. However, it didn’t always work and so, a sigh fell upon her lips and she looked to the burning cigarette that continued to burn at its slow and steady pace. Finally she reached behind her to tap the burning end against the bench top, extinguishing the burning light. The light that only reminded her that one day, she too would burn out and there would be nothing that could stop it.

Her fingers let go of the butt, her attention slowly turning to view the man before her and she allowed herself a moment, one that she would probably regret in the long run. Her left hand lifted to gently touch the hand at her shoulder and her head angled just a little to allow her pale cheek to brush the two hands at her shoulder. Her lashes lowered for a moment to brush her skin before she looked back up at Graxin a purr entering her voice. “Of course you have seen the way that I have looked at you, because I wanted you to. I want you to know that I do want you, but I don't want it to be something that you do and not want for yourself.” A final step had her body pressed against his own and her right hand lifted to slowly slide along his shoulder until her fingers slid into the silken locks of his hair. The woman pressed forwards until her lips were right beside his ear and she whispered softly a soft warning hidden within her words. “But for the moment, now is not the time, for when someone feels it, they will respond accordingly. Besides… Although you are a high profile person, I wouldn’t want someone using you against me in any way. For those you are close to are a weakness that an enemy can use against you.”

Yes, she had just warned him that his own family could be used against him by those he considered an enemy, but whether he translated it as such was something to be seen. Syn leaned her head back and placed a gentle kiss upon his cheek, more words upon her lips. “And I would very much dislike to see you get harmed in anyway or form because of me, for you have many that look to you for guidance and strength.” Syn pulled back from him, her deep blue hues watching him for a moment as she took a couple of respective steps away from him till the middle of her back was pressed against the edge of the kitchen bench behind her. “I tell you what, I’ll make you an oath if that will allow you to sleep easy. An oath where I pledge my loyalty to you until as such where I either die or I lose all sense of who I am.” Synthea had to be sure that the man knew that she wouldn’t always be so grounded, that she wouldn’t always know who she was. However, she did know, that she would be loyal until such time that her lonely death would lift its ugly head. Even when a spy had lost themselves, deep inside them there would always be that file, that memory of who they once were, locked deep within themselves. No one that she knew at least, not that she hung out with spies, had ever come back from that. Although, there could have been someone, she just had to stumble upon the information.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Placeholder 0123]

The desires of the flesh were difficult to outweigh. They were heavy on a man's heart; ingrained into his very being, and yet, Synthea's actions had given her a certain value that outclassed any lustful fantasies.

She had shown restraint.

He had expected the Shi'do to back off then; to draw an unspoken line in their relationship. That they would be co-workers and perhaps friends in the future. In its stead, he received a minor show of intimacy and a kiss on the cheek; something that he had not prepared himself for. All words were lost to the Archlord as Agent Trills spoke her piece.

He swallowed heavily, and cast his gaze down to the floor. His stomach tied itself in knots. His mouth ran dry. Whatever words he sought so speak were strangled and unspoken in the back of his throat.

"I'll miss you." He blurted out.

Graxin's face would have reddened if he wasn't entirely in control of himself. The Jedi Master allowed himself to enjoy the subtle touch for a moment. Physical contact was a rare occurrence when it came to the Jedi Lords. They needed unequaled discipline to rule their lands and stick to true to their oaths. There was no room for romance in those oaths.

"...And I expect we'll be in contact. Extensively."

Then she was gone. Not in the literal sense, but their contact ceased. She had offered him an oath, and one he could not afford to turn down. Without a word, he pressed on her mind with his minor telepathic skills. Any resistance would shut him out, but he was capable of the most base abilities.

"I accept your oath."

The words would come from within her, rather from Graxin's lips.

"You will be my right hand in all things, and perhaps more."

[member="Synthea Trills"]

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

At first, Synthea had thought that she had mis-heard the man’s words, but after a moment’s pause, she had noted the fact that the words were more rushed than normal. He would… miss her? It was not something that she was used to hearing, if at all. No one had ever spoken those words and it had derailed her for a moment. The shi’ido stood there for a moment in complete silence as he continued to speak to her, but while she heard, she was still stuck upon that one small sentence. He would miss her. He had said that as if it was something that he hadn’t had time to think about. It was rushed, a very much rushed sentence. It was a fact that she had gotten caught up and she angled her head away and down, her gaze closing once again. The woman didn’t understand it at all, how could he miss one such as her? Someone that was a spy. No one ever trusted spooks for their allegiances were fickle, but she had just swore an oath to this man. Why would she do that? She silently asked herself as she felt the press of another presence within her mind.

Her first instinct would have been to block it, but it felt familiar and she realized that it was Graxin, a man that had previously been within her mind. Instead of blocking, she simply allowed this connection. A sigh graced her lips, whether it was of relief or grief was the question. It was a tie, she had sworn an oath to this man, an oath of loyalty which had been a tie created. A tie that had been created within a moment that she had allowed herself free reign of. Yet, while she felt a small bout of panic, she also felt relief for even though it was a tie, she wasn’t truly alone anymore. For even the presence of Graxin within her mind was comfort to the soul, but she resisted the urge to just simply reach out and touch him. To rest against him. As tempting as it was, she had to remain within the present, to think upon the words that had just been spoken within her very own mind. It felt odd, strange even. However, she knew that she couldn’t be his right hand, she knew nothing of what it meant to be as such. A hand lifted to run through her silken black locks, her gaze finally lifted to view his amber hues. Was it excitement or fear that fluttered within her form at the fact that she had essentially tied herself to this man? This man that she knew from the moment that she had stepped into his office, that she
wanted to get to know.

“I don’t know how to be someone’s right hand… I don’t know how someone would even run a faction… I’ve always been the lurking shadow of the room.” Syn hesitated, doubt clouding her blue hues for a moment. “I just… Don’t know how I could be anything more than I am right now.” He had thrown her into the deep end and she had honestly no idea as to what to say to him. She had given him an oath and he had accepted, something that she hadn’t thought that he would actually believe was genuine, which it was. But then he had continued on with more and she began to wonder about it all. What if she failed him? Not up to the task? Being a shadow, a spy, an intelligence agent was what she was good at. Hesitantly, she took a couple of steps back towards him and a hand lifted to lightly press her palm against his chest. Her head angled to the right as her blue eyes searched his amber ones. “Why do you want me, of all of the trained beings that you have, to be your right hand?” He was a puzzle, a glorious puzzle and although the tie did alarm and worry her, she also knew that it gave her the rest of her life to work him out. To pick his brains on everything.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Placeholder 0123]

He had her now.

It was a simple thing really, to twist another being into a tool for your own desires. Graxin was beginning to become rather adept at the art. his network of agents and correspondents across the galaxy were a testament to that.

What was not normal, was the value he currently put on Trills. Securing her loyalty could have been done without the seductions, of which he was quite well enjoying.

There was something unusual about the shady events transpiring in one of the private rooms within a dingy motel on the corner of Ession.

It was not the call of the flesh that drew Graxin in. He only needed to call Synthea to his office and be done with it, if that were the case. Perhaps it was her connection to the force that stole his interest.

His current apprentice was a powerful and influential man, but the Archlord had little hope he would be succeeded. Perhaps Synthea could fill the role that others could not - perhaps she would see through the disguise he wore like a second skin at all hours of the day.

All the woman needed was a bit of assurance.

"My enforcer and most trusted colleague. I can trust in no one as of late, you see. Politicians, military leaders, Jedi looking for a higher position, all looking to backstab me and mine for their own advantage."

A gloved hand rose to clutch the agent's forearm. His affections for the woman were real, despite his own reservations, and she was entirely malleable to his needs and desires.

The perfect successor.


"Not a soul will know of your existence save for my inner circle. You and I will change the galaxy Synthea. All you must do is follow my directions."

The Archlord leaned forward. His arm slipped around the Shi'do's waist. The sun was falling beneath the skyline of Essiah city, and the Archlord was not in his chambers. The Dreadguard would likely be losing their minds, and they should, or else they would not be fit for the duty.

But the worries of others were unimportant right now.

Graxin rested his brow against the Shi'do's, amber eyes aflame with unspoken challenge.

"Will you follow me then?"

 

[Shalita Verd]

​

Silently, like the shadows that would soon be moving to give way to the light that was beginning to bathe the city, Synthea listened to the spoken words. Graxin would have been a fool to trust anyone, including herself, almost everyone was in it for power and glory. However, the Shi’ido was interested in no such thing. For she was seeking for something else, to fill the void that was always plaguing her. Ever since the image of her parent’s death being etched into her memory, she knew all too well the price that power asked of one that sought it. Blood was all that become of it, a bright crimson river of blood. She felt the hand grasp at her forearm and it pulled her out of the memory as her gaze had momentarily glanced down at the hand. She knew that she had to be careful, for he was a tie, a loose end. She couldn’t allow the tie to grow too deep because it was dangerous, not only for him but for her. The woman took oaths seriously, an oath taken in a moment where she had allowed her loneliness to take hold and pull her in.

The corners of her lips turned downwards as she looked back into his amber eyes and she felt his strong arms slip around her waist to pull her in, his brow lowering to rest upon her own. Those amber eyes were challenging her, his words enforcing what was reflected within those ambers orbs. The ones that she had allowed herself to be drawn into. Silently she cursed herself and wished for a death that was not quick, for that would be too kind upon herself with what she had done upon this night. “I made an oath, Graxin. I don’t take oaths lightly, they are the only thing that I do take seriously. I pledged my loyalty to you and even if I wanted to, I couldn’t… No, I wouldn’t break it. While I have no wish for power, I will follow you, even if it is to my death.” Her blue hues echoed a solemn look, one that reflected the knowledge that she knew that for her, this was not good. Damn it, why had she made the damn oath? It was knowledge that would further keep her awake at night. Although, she knew that once Graxin left this room, she too would simply leave to begin her assignment. Infiltrate the Protectorate and convince them to go to war with The One Sith.

It was an assignment that would likely be hard for her to concentrate upon, but perhaps, if she buried herself deep within the assignment, she might be able to forget about all that had transpired within this room… At least until the assignment was completed and then she would feel the need to return very strongly. Even now, staring into those amber hues with his arms around her waist, she wanted this one selfish tie, but the logical side of her told her, that this was not going to end well for her. Syn didn’t know this inner circle of Graxin’s, could they even be trusted? Her arms lifted to slowly circle the man’s neck as she closed her eyes and drew in his scent. He smelled like something she would relate to as a burning fire, one that wasn’t a roaring flame, but it wasn’t a gentle,, flickering one either. It would be one that she would associate with a campfire. A wild flame, but neatly contained. A flame that could still very well kill her… She opened her eyes to peer into his own once more and not for the first time, she felt fear, but she also felt comfort… For the time being at least.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Placeholder 0123]

For the slightest fraction of a moment, Graxin realized why he had failed as a Jedi Knight.

He sought comfort in others. So many of his friends, family, Padawans, almost everyone, dead. He was not the type to brood over it like some angsty child.

Bad things happened to everyone. Whether they were benevolent or malevolent themselves was irrelevant. Everyone learned to deal with their issues in their own way, or perish. Without realizing it, Graxin had found his.

"Good." He murmured quietly. Gods he missed Linori lately. "I'm infinitely pleased to have you."


It was true. He liked Synthea. She had a good head on her shoulders, and knew when to leave things be. Still, she was not Linori....maybe it would be best to try and move on.

"But for now my dear-" He tilted his head back to break the physical contact. "I do believe I need to get to the business of running Ession. Nothing good comes out of rushing things, no?"


[member="Synthea Trills"]