Private Bacta Basics

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke​

​

The dog-eared cigarra flared a bright orange as the detective coaxed it back to life. Idly toying with the battered, silver plated lighter for a few seconds more as she continued to watch the dive bar across the street. Marking the entrances and possible exits. The way the rotund bouncer seemed to enjoy swinging his weight around. The ebb and flow of the foot traffic that seemed to bend around the establishment as they passed, almost as if they could instinctively sense the seediness that lay within. She took another drag on the cigarra. Than another after that. The thin trail of pink-white smoke winding haphazardly up against the faded duracrete of the alleyway. Not for the first time wondering how she'd gotten into this mess of a case.

Of course, like some bad pulp holonovel, it had started with a woman.

A dame with a set of getaway sticks that stretched on for miles. The kind that left little to the imagination and yet perhaps a little too much when framed by the humble setting of a P.I.’s office. Too refined and put together to belong to the local riff-raff that shuffled their way through those doors. It was never a good sign when folks had the kind of money it took to look respectable down in the lower levels of Coruscant. If she had been smart about it, Seniya would have passed on the case then and there, but as always, the need to keep the lights running had outweighed her caution.

Missing Persons. Some slob from one of the woman's R&D labs had failed to check in for a few days. Smart guy by all accounts, boasting a plethora PhDs under his belt in fields that Seniya wasn't even going to pretend she'd heard of, let alone understood. Something about an artificial bacta crossbreed? It was all Mando'a to her. Still the guy seemed to be on the up and up. Worked thankless hours, rented a small crappy one bedroom apartment to shower between shifts, and apparently kept his nose clean. No vices, mistresses or suspicious charges. She would have called him a pillar of the community if only he'd been in one - None of his neighbors seemed to even recognize the man, let alone give her a tangible solid lead.

The woman had been insistent, however. Insistent with a capital... Well, C for Capital, she supposed.

Fast forward a few weeks, the promise of that payday had seen her dragged from one end of Alliance territory to the next. Racking up the daily expenses and a headache along the way, chasing down one dead end lead after the next, only coming up empty handed at every turn. That was, until she stumbled on the trail of the infamous Bando Gora. A solitary clue tying their presence to the scientist's apartment and a holding company registered to the owner of the bar she now surveilled. Again, if Seniya had been smart, she would’ve been back home by now, eating some lousy Trandoshan-Atrisian fusion out of a cheap cardboard container and wondering when Dagon Perl was finally going to earn his keep.

Sadly, while Seniya Nehir could be accused of many things, being smart clearly wasn't one.

"Feth it," She muttered, pinching the cigarra off between a calloused finger and thumb and stubbing it cruelly against the wall. There was no use in wool-gathering any further. If she wanted answers, there was really only one way she was going to find them - and it wasn't skulking in an alleyway. Her client had been patient thus far, but that could only be counted on to stretch so thin. If she wanted a real pay day. Times were desperate now that someone had axed her SIA contract and effectively ended any chance of lucrative, legal Alliance jobs coming her way. Maybe that bad pulp novel should have started there. But that was another woman, as troublesome as the first, if not more so, but headache for another day. "And feth Allyson karking Locke."

​

The interior of the bar itself was much as one would expect from Coruscant's slum wards. Twelve dingy, cheap plastoid with a fake wooden paneling tables dominated the room, all radiating out from the bar located in the far back. Murky panel lighting cast everything in an unattractive mix of yellow-orange neon, spluttering and dimming as you moved towards the edges, making it hard to account for just how many patrons lay within the longest shadows. Like the bouncers outside, they spared her little attention beyond a cursory glance, glimmers of initial suspicion melting away as they recognized her as one of their own - a dreg of Coruscant's lower levels. Another lost and weary soul lured in to the limbo that was Dapani's Inferno.

Even though it worked in her favor, it stung a little how readily they jumped to that conclusion. Kark, she knew the past few days had been hard, but she hadn't realized they'd been that hard. It was enough to give a girl a complex. Good thing she was already a pariah by virtue of her profession. It was hard to lose social standing you never had to begin with.

"Tihaar, neat. Clean glass. Two fingers." Seniya flagged the bartender droid down as she neared, leaning on the counter absently as she turned to face the tables. A solitary figure a little further down the bar catching her eye as she did. Her jaw instantly knotting as she recognized the presence within the force even before her gaze picked out a familiar set of features. A set that belonged to the woman who's name she had only just breathed a curse on. Locke. She should've been surprised, but then the woman had been in the room when Seniya had isolated this tenuous thread. Her hand tightened around the cred chit until it hurt. Clearly it wasn't enough to fire her, now she was honing in on her cases outside of GA. She slapped the cred down hard, causing the glasses to rattle. "And you know what? A blue milk for the brunette. Extra ice, but don't bother about the clean glass. I'm sure she's had worse."

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: SIA HQ //:
//: Few Days Ago //:

There were only a few people in this galaxy that knew of Allyson's stint as a mercenary. She had done most of her work in the outer rim while doing her own personal investigations. Digging into someone's life, especially someone that didn't want to be found, was hard, but Allyson did her best to try and find Kaili Talith during that time. It had only been in the recent year that Allyson had discovered what happened to the girl. It was almost tragic that it took her letting the blonde go to find out what had happened to her. ​

It was as if Kaili had given her the reward, the holy grail for finally learning to let go of the past. Emerald orbs peered into the half-empty glass of the Corellian whiskey. Only the amber liquid and loneliness would ever drive her to think about what she's lost. While sitting at her desk, she looked at the back of her hand that flashed a single warm glow. Through the Force she answered the remote comm device and used the surface of her desk to root the call to show the video. It was the face of a woman she had never met but apparently had her number. ​

The discussion continued, and she was offered a job, not as an SIA agent. Allyson showed her distaste at this offer. Tilting her head, she mulled over the last job she had taken outside the SIA and how south it went. The woman mentioned a few things that she had hired another agency, one that Allyson had recently encountered one of the detectives. The conversation continued, and Allyson leaned back in her chair, "I'll take it and check on Detective Nehir. She was at one point employed with the SIA. Should be interesting." The woman expressed her thanks, and the call ended. The chime of the deposit entered her account, and she chuckled. "Can't wait to see the look on that Kiffar's face." ​

//: Coruscanti Lower-Levels //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:​

Using the SIA resources, Allyson was able to do a quick job of cutting through the unknown fat of the investigation. It led her to the undergrounds of Coruscant. Allyson ditched the typical battle armor she wore on missions and stuck to the plainer things in her closet. The informant she had bribed had given her a tip to head into the bar. Of course, she had been tracking Seniya as well. The woman was good at what she did, but the Corellian was slightly better. Kiffars are pretty easy to pick out of a crowd, and with Allyson's affinity to technology, it wasn't too hard. ​

Allyson didn't bother to entirely cloak herself in the Force, she left a little trail for the other woman to pick up on. From observation at the bar, Seniya had picked up on the scent. Allyson remained in the doorway for a moment pretending to scan the area for a place to sit. She watched the tension build in Seniya's shoulders and the reaction of knowing that the Corellian was close by. Moving through the patrons, she took the seat beside Seniya and smirked. ​

"Funny seeing you here," Seeing the blue milk that was ordered, Allyson looked over towards the woman and chuckled. It was apparent from where the bartender placed it that it was for her. Cheeky, but Allyson kept a smile on her face. "Thanks for the milk, but I'm a bit inclined to order something more grown-up." She didn't say a word, but what came next, the droid quickly poured her some of the Corellian whiskey from the top shelf. Mechu deru was something she shouldn't abuse, but it was too fun not to sometimes. She passed credits to the droid covering the three drinks. ​

"So what have you been up to?" Allyson smiled as she took a sip of the whiskey and shrugged with a hint of sarcasm. She knew full well that without the SIA, the Lonestar Agency was an up struggle street. There was full intention to resign them, mostly because she had the Director's pressure on her neck, but to string it out a bit and enjoy Seniya's annoyance was worth it.​

 

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke
​

“Funny isn’t quite the word I’d use to describe this... Coincidence.” Seniya matched Allyson’s smile with one of her own as she raised her glass in a faux toast. A tight expression that held little to no warmth or friendly regard, yet would pass muster with anyone witnessing the pair from the outside. No sense in drawing undue attention. Not until she had some answers. She swirled the amber liquid in her glass before taking a sip, the familiar burn of the notorious mandalorian spirit pairing nicely with the flickers of irritation she was feeling right now. “I’m guessing you already know all too well what I’ve been up to.”

The fact she had found her at all was the primary source of that irritation. Given Locke’s reputation, one freshly supported by that little stunt with the bartender, Seniya imagined she had data trails and Coruscant’s endless amount of holocameras to thank for that. It seemed like it was impossible to vanish from technopaths on this blasted planet. Well, almost anyway. Now that she knew Locke was on her tail, Seniya was confident she could give her the slip with a few of her own tricks. She hadn’t been trained by one of the old Galactic Alliance’s best for no reason. Her former master would demand nothing less.

She snorted softly despite herself, glancing over the rim of her glass as she pressed it to her cheek. She might have worked out the how, but there was still the lingering question of why to resolve. This was a long way from the fancy high rise safe houses and black sites that the SIA liked to budget for. Allyson struck her as someone that rarely did anything without a reason.

Just what was she playing at with this little stunt?

“Hm,” The Kiffar mused aloud, placing the glass down and turning slightly to face the brunette. Leaning in close so that her voice could drop to an almost sultry whisper. Lips quirked suggestively. “Still, I must’ve made more of an impression than I realized if you’re stalking me all the way down here. Should I be flattered? I knew I was attractive - Pretty face, didn’t you say? - but you’re coming on a little strong, don’t you think?”

She let the question hang there for an exaggerated second or three before abruptly leaning back, a soft dismissive chuckle escaping her lips. “Whatever brought you down here, make it quick. I’m on the clock and, contrary to what you seem to believe, I am a professional. Entertain your Kiffar feish on your own time, not mine.”

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: Coruscanti Lower-Levels //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:

The Detective was an easy read; it was more than obvious she didn’t want Allyson near her. Despite their initial meeting, Allyson was a fan of the Lonestar Agency and even Seniya. Seeing the small, tight smile that Seniya gave her was enough to tell the Corellian how much her presence bothered the woman. Allyson did her best to pay it no mind since their missions were the same. ​

Allyson was never the type to work a job with someone else. Maybe that’s why the SIA liked her. The Corellian always put work first and pleasure second - but this time around, she enjoyed her own vices while doing her job all the same. It seemed annoying Seniya was her current favorite thing to do, but why? There was really no answer to it, but her green eyes watched each motion of the Kiffar reading it like a book. ​

The smile on her face turned slightly genuine for a moment when the younger Detective made mention of Allyson already knowing what she was up to. It was the truth, and Allyson wouldn’t deny it. “I do,” she spoke softly and took a sip of her drink, eyes focusing now on the amber liquid in her bucket glass. ​

The Corellian motioned to look at her comm device, mostly to start gathering the information she needed for the case she took out from under Seniya’s nose. Despite her not showing the Detective any interest anymore, the woman decided to draw her back into a conversation. As Seniya leaned towards her, Allyson watched from the corner of her eye. The whisper brushed hot against the folds of her ear, drawing her attention more than she wanted to admit to. ​

Being back for the time she had been, Allyson Locke had avoided any sort of intimate contact with anyone. She was briefly reminded of that dry spell when Seniya began to speak to her in the low tone meant for only them to hear. Despite this inconvenience, Allyson was able to maintain her composure and pulled away slightly. Turning her head to face the Kiffar and scoff at the implication that she had a fetish for the type.​

“If I remember the conversation right, I’m pretty sure I called your face cute, but that was my first thought before you opened your mouth.” Shrugging slightly, Allyson looked away from the Kiffar and swirled the bucket glass. “As for attraction, you’re not my type of Kiffar. I like em with one hand or blonde, and you’re neither, so get over yourself.” As much as Allyson now had the urge to walk away, she knew she could solve this case on her own. Yet, she would be starting from square one for the most part. Working with Seniya meant that the initial investigation would have been done already. ​

“You done?” She looked back towards the woman; she wondered what other venomous comments she would throw at her. “Because I came down here because you are working, and I am too. Seems your contact about the missing person was getting impatient and looked me up.” A blow to her ego probably, Allyson thought quietly as she remembered the conversation with the woman. A slow sip of the whiskey met her lips as she waited to let that bit of information sink in. ​

“So, if you can get over your little issue with me, I’d like to work on the case together. If not, I can just continue to fly under the radar and finish the job and collect the pay for myself.” Allyson was self-employed, she knew how important work was. Knowing what she knew, she tried to sweeten the deal, “Working with me means you have access again to SIA resources - eh think of it as a trial, you do good, I can reinstate the contract.” ​

The glass hit the bartop, and Allyson turned her shoulders and faced the woman, “So what will it be?”​

 

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke​

​

Her hand tightened around the scuffed flexquartz tumbler. Sold out by a client. Hardly a new experience, but it didn't make it sting any less. The obvious implication being that they were unsatisfied with her work, and for someone that was defined by her profession, that was far more painful than Locke’s petty overreaction back aboard the Prosperity. She clicked her tongue irritably, twisting the glass this way and that until the condensation residue had begun to form a tight little circle on the bar top.

“And I suppose it's, what, a coincidence that you’re the one they turned to?” There was a flicker of genuine heat in her voice. The normal dispassionate tones she normal affected melting away like Coruscanti fog under a hot midday sun. “I guess screwing me over with SIA wasn’t enough?”

She bit her tongue between her front teeth, using the pain to focus before she lashed out. Locke wasn’t her problem, not really. Just a symptom of her own failings. She’d clearly dropped the ball lately in a lot of ways. All of it relating to her decision to work with the Galactic Alliance, pretending that maybe she should go back, that maybe there was still a Jedi inside her somewhere.

But she was wrong. She wasn’t a Jedi. There was only that messed up kid from Thyferra left behind. Grown into an adult and spoiling for a fight. Locke was the obvious choice, but fortunately for her the case provided no end of more tempting and deserving targets courtesy of Dapan. Her gaze shifted towards the backroom, a ramshod plan formulating.

“You wanna help, be my guest. But that’s it. As for SIA, you can stick the offer.”

She was surprised that she meant it.

“And tell our client that if they want answers fast and dirty, that’s fine, too. Just don’t blame me for what happens next.” The rest of the glass in one smooth, clear well versed action that caused the Kiffar’s chest to burn as the amber liquid blazed the mother of all trails down the back of her throat. A subtle hiss escaping her as she flagged down the bartender. Nodding to the bottle of tihaar it had left behind the counter “I’ll take the whole bottle.”

Seniya glanced to Allyson as she stood, palming the bottle as the droid trundled it over, slapping down a handful of credits. Far more than the bottle was worth, but she felt the little guy deserved a break after Locke crossed it’s wires. Ironically the very talent she wanted to exploit now. “I trust you can hack a door code, yeah?”

It wasn’t a question and she was already on the move before hearing if it had an answer. Sliding through the crowd like a nabooian shark through a shoal of people, her stride shifting and turning more purposeful with each step. The bottle held low and against her thigh as she made her way across the bar towards the backroom.

Two burly figures lounging by the door suddenly straightened at her unexpected approach. One a giant gundark of a man in an ill-fitted suit that was clearly hired for brawn than brains wasn’t much of a threat than he was an opportunity. She loved them dumb and ugly. The second man a different prospect entirely. Standing watch with all the lazy grace of a predator, it was clear from how he reacted that he was the real threat of the two. A Trained and seasoned professional that knew how to handle himself in a fight, but then that wasn’t too surprising.

He was, after all, Vakko Rane.

Strange seeing a former shockboxer champion standing guard for a low run thug for Dapan, but she supposed times were tough all around. She remembered his fnal fight on PVP two, maybe three years back now. Vividly remembering them carting him out of the ring after the opponent had all but destroyed his… What was it again? Oh right.

“Sorry, mizz. You can’t be back here, the bos---”

Poor Rane never got the chance to finish the sentence. A durasteel plated heel planting itself into the former champ’s decimated knee saw to that. His protests became an undignified squeal, a sharp pitched sound akin to a small animal caught in trap, buckling him downwards right into the path of the incoming bottle. Blissful oblivion awaited with a shower of glass.

The remnants of the bottle reversed before his burly, slow witted companion could react. To his credit, he barely made a sound as she plunged it into the meat of his thigh and gave it a sharp twist. “You’ll want to keep still. One false move and that femoral will bleed you drier than Tusken Raider’s zisang. We’d both hate for that to happen, yes?”

Not answering quickly enough for her tastes, Seniya gave it another twist until the big man nodded fervently, clearly not trusting his voice to bargain with the irate Kiffar quite literally holding his life in her hands. Or maybe he didn’t understand galactic basic enough - those heavy set, dollfull eyes seemed to be void of any real intellect now she was up close. She would just have to make it simple.

“Hand.” She demanded, taking it with her own and placing it down on the bottle. Releasing her grasp only when she was confident he wasn’t about to do something totally dumb. “Hold, live. Move, die. Got it? Good.”

That left, what, thirty seconds before the goons at front came barging in? Less if the patrons decided to lend a civic hand.

She let out a short breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

“How we doing with that door, Locke?”

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: Coruscanti Lower-Levels //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:

"Hey!" Allyson opened her mouth to start to explain the situation. She had been busy getting reacquainted with the SIA and her own mental rehab when the client called her. In the past, she had done some work for them, but for once, Allyson was completely innocent in this. She was quickly cut off by the other woman's curt response, and Allyson didn't need to use any sort of empathy to understand that she royally screwed up. The boot from Corala, the director of the SIA, suddenly felt heavy on Allyson's neck. ​

​

If she didn't get the contract back with the Lonestar agency, she would be in deep trouble. Though she didn't want to reveal that bit to the detective. If anything, Allyson would need to try and convince her after she calmed down - if that was even possible. Exhaling, Allyson felt the sweat building on her brow as she nodded. When someone asked if she could hack something, it usually meant that she wouldn't enjoy the next few moments.​

​

"Of course, I can hack a door." Allyson slipped out of her seat and quickly followed the now overly determined detective. She finished her drink and thanked the droid then set on after her. There were many things that Seniya could do with that bottle, a few that Allyson didn't really want to see, but here they were. ​

​

The two guards were going to be in the way, but seeing that Seniya planned to march up to them and handle them upfront. Allyson worked in the shadows. She was never the type to march up to something and be the distraction. Seniya was going to be something else, and Allyson took advantage of her distraction. The door lock was something relatively simple. Even if she didn't use mechu deru, she would be able to figure out the combination. Holding her hand over the lock, she dived right into the software and found the back door. Manipulating it, the device beeped a few times and glowed green. ​

​

With a thought, she was able to unlock the system and change the keycode. So once they were in, they could lock the door behind them. Seniya seemed finished with her task and questioned the Corellian, who was surprised by the standard question that didn't seeth with venom or insult. "Uh," She started and then pushed the door open, "It's done, changed the code for it as well, so we shouldn't get anything breathing down our necks." The Corellian smirked, somewhat pleased with herself as she poked her head into the door. ​

​

Whatever they had done didn't draw any attention from the inhabitants inside. Allyson quickly did a scan of the room and noticed the seedy office. The smell of ash and alcohol lingered, and she made a face as she pulled her head out. "There are some people inside, looks to be about four thugs, not sure if I saw Dapan himself in there." Her voice quiet as she poked her head in slightly again. Her mental plan was already formulating, focusing on remaining silent and sneaking past them. Though she didn't know what Seniya was planning. The woman was a hothead, and she fully expected this to go south pretty quickly. "I think we should be quiet and sneak by, but you seem like you need to work some frustrations out." Allyson gave the woman a cheeky smile, trying her best to work through the tension between them.​

​

But in pure Allyson Locke fashion, she might have further annoyed Seniya.​

 

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke ​

​

Master Rodez would have had a few choice words for taking such a direct approach, one Seniya would have even avoided ordinarily given the choice, but her blood was up. She had been trained to keep things in perspective, to never let her emotions get the better of her, but about Locke just put her on edge. Or maybe it wasn't her at all. Not really. Maybe it was about what she represented - the road not travelled. In a different life, a different outcome on Thyferra, she could have all too easily become Allyson Locke.

Frustrations indeed.

"That'd take too long and Dapan will get away. " She replied through gritted teeth as she flanked the other side of the door, reaching into the pocket of her coat while she spoke. Battered lighter, dogeared packet of cigarras, a stone... It was here somewhere. "We need to drive him into a corner. If we hit them hard and fast, make them panic, odds are he'll bunker down in his office. There's a safe room in there."

It wasn't on any floor plan or even on the grid, but a few added lines on the expense invoice to the client had loosened the tongue of one of the local contractors. A few more had given her the less-than-official breakdown and an override code that should still be valid. It had taken an extra four days of investigative work. A price worth paying in an eventually like this, but clearly the client disagreed.

She didn't add that same panic room was also their way out now that things were about to get interesting. Hopefully Locke didn't mind the tight squeeze - A runt of a Lannik, Dapan wasn't exactly known for his stature.

Ah, there it was. Her hand closed around a familiar small sphere. It was always in the last place you looked. The sonic disruptor whirbled in her hand as she thumbed the activator, bouncing in her palm a few times as the Kiffar regarded her companion.

“We'll distract them, then we hit them. You good for two?” Now that was a question. The Corellian had a rep, but a large chuck had been falsified, exaggerated or otherwise redacted by the nature of her job. She was an unknown quantity. One Seniya couldn't resist poking all the same, qukuuf wrinkling as she scrunched up her face. "Because if I'm going to carry you all night, I need to know now."

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: Coruscanti Lower-Levels //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:

As much as Allyson hated to be agreeing with Seniya at this point and time, she did. Stealth was her game and usually her plan for every situation because it seemed to be safer. This time though, with Seniya going Rambo on the guards, it meant the usual game plan was now out the door. Their hands were forced, and Allyson began to think about how they could take out the guards in the room as quickly as possible. ​

​

Looking towards Seniya while she bounced the sonic disruptor. On the other hand, Allyson reached behind her at the quiver and unfolded the compact bow she brought with her. “I hate that I agree with you, but you’re right.” She removed one of the arrows from the quiver and strung it. There were subtle mechanical clicks as the Corellian used the Force to adjust the arrowhead to what she wanted. In this case, a three-prong blade poked out from the end, and she raised the weapon to aim. “You’d like that wouldn’t you,” quipped in response to being carried. Allyson shook her head and felt the heat starting to touch the tips of her ears. At least it was dark, and Seniya wouldn’t be able to see it. ​

​

The disruptor was tossed, and it whirred until it landed. At least Seniya was good at gauging the distance between them and the goons. If they were any closer, the device would start to make their ears bleed as well. As the sound pulsated in the room, Allyson released the drawn string. The small arrow cut through the air and pierced through the closest man’s neck. “One.” Drawing two more arrows, the same three-pronged blade appeared and then fired off. With the electromagnetic pulses from the tech in the arrows, Allyson could guide them a bit straighter. Each arrow found their place burrowed into the necks of the second goon. “Two and Three.” Both fell instantly, the fourth seemed to discover what was happening and tried to frantically make his way out of the room. ​

​

“Chit.” Allyson took off, realizing that she would have to deal with the device and its sonic emitted sound. The last arrow was strung and pulled as the Corellian moved into the room. She slid forward, keeping low to the ground until she was near the device, and the arrow shot off. Buzzing through the air, it followed the man as he tried to getaway. As soon as the arrow burrowed into his back and burrowed deep into his torso, he fell, and Allyson placed her hand on the scarecrow device, and the frequencies stopped. Allyson stood up and made a face as she tried to find her composure from the whine that continued to hum in her mind.​

​

“What the hell was that, and where can I get one?” She looked down and then back towards Seniya. “I think I’ll be the one doing the carrying tonight Princess,” Allyson smirked and then turned away slightly to examine the room. She would have to retrieve the arrows, mostly to keep them from being traced back to the SIA. Another thing that weighed on her mind was Seniya’s comment back on the Prosperity. As much as Allyson knew what the job entailed, it didn’t mean she liked the part where she got her hands dirty. ​

​

Deciding to ignore that nagging feeling, she waited for Seniya to move - it seemed she might know more about this hideout that Allyson could glean from her catch up investigation. “Any idea where the safe room is?” Allyson wasn’t worried about any locks or doors that may get in her way; it was the bonus of her specific talents - the ones that got her into this mess in the first place.​

 

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke ​

​

The pitch was good. The scarecrow device made a clean arch through the air towards the thugs, bouncing twice before rolling to a stop at their feet. A look of surprise playing out across all four of their faces in a ripple, eyes widening in panic that quickly turned to pain and disorientation as the tiny device began pumping out a subsonic screech, staggering them just in time for Allyson to make her pla---

Was that a karking bow? Who the hell used a bow?

It seemed a little extra, but she'd be damned if it didn't work. Four goons, four arrows, four corpses in about as many seconds. A little more ruthless, bloody and with a significantly higher body count than Seniya had intended, but she couldn't really fault the results. Besides, it wasn't as if they were dealing with petty criminals, these were all hardened gangers judging from the tattoos they sported. The red bars running parallel along the side of their neck boasting a kill. She wouldn't be losing sleep over their loss to the galaxy.

Seniya's gaze flickered towards Locke as she stepped into the room, casually sealing the door with a jab of the baton she had extended, frying the circuits with a few thousand bolts. Dealing with those goons hadn't quite been clean, but it had been efficient and without hesitation or apparent remorse. Just when she thought she had Locke pegged. At least she lived up to her reputation if nothing else. Question was, was was that a good thing or not?

"There's a workshop on Terminus." She collapsed the slender baton she had purchased from the same dealer as the sonic device Allyson toyed with, tucking it back into the holster at her back that her coat hide from prying eyes. Clearly ignoring the princess remark in favor of scanning the room, looking for reference points that would align with the schematics she'd received from the contractor. It seemed Dapan had done some after market remodeling of his own. Aesthetic reasons or did he (rightfully) suspect the man Seniy had bribed? Not that it mattered. You could change the surface all you wanted, but the bones had to remain the same. "You can find anything there if you know where to look. You just need to put the work in."

She took a step towards the Corellian, placing a hand on the woman's biceps that lingered for a split second before it was used to simply push her out of the way. The Kiffar brushing passed to yank on a seemingly nondescript lighting sconce that saw a wall panel pop open to reveal an entrance secured by yet another keypad. Even without the code her own psychometric abilities would have done the trick - as it was, the door was unsealed within a few casual taps. A small tunnel about as wide as it was tall, which wasn't saying much, lay beyond. Dimly lit by soft red glow lights to avoid being seen from the outside. Be a squeeze getting through there alone, let alone as a pair.

A triumphantly smirk crept into view, favoring Locke with a smug glance back over her shoulder. Perhaps the warmest expression she'd shown the woman thus far. "After you. You wouldn't want to make a Princess go first after all."

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: Coruscanti Lower-Levels //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:

The door shut behind them, and Allyson watched Seniya seal the door, preventing anyone coming up behind them. It was interesting to work with someone else, especially someone who was well versed in their craft as much as the Kiffar. Allyson felt a bit of guilt cutting the contract, but maybe she could try and convince the detective to accept a job again. Groaning under her breath, she remembered the outright denial when she first offered it. Maybe the Corellian made a mistake? Not wanting to think about it, Allyson shifted her focus to the weapon in her hand, slowly collapsed it down, and returned it to its place behind her back. ​

"Oh, thanks," Allyson answered as she made a mental note to take a trip to Terminus. If the rest of the gadgets were of the sonic device's quality, it could be a good move for the Spy and the SIA. She mused over it for a few minutes longer, then refocused. Eyes followed Seniya as she glanced around the room. She wondered what exactly the woman was looking for. From the surface, Allyson couldn't pick up anything out of the ordinary. ​

While her eyes roamed the room, a hand touched her arm. The Corellian did her best to hide being startled. Allyson quietly wondered if there was a reason for Seniya's hand to remain on her arm the way it did. Already feeling tense from the comments earlier, she could already feel her ears burning. Thankfully, the touch turned into a push, which alleviated the rapid thoughts that distracted the woman. Allyson opened her mouth to say something, but she forgot her voice as the Kiffar brushed against her. There was so much room in the room; why suddenly was the detective remaining so close to her. ​

Allyson covered her mouth as she tried to hide her surprise to keep herself from saying something more on the matter. Stepping back, Allyson created some much-needed space, and her hand fell as she adjusted her clothing unnecessarily. She needed to do something with her hands, something to distract her from this odd behavior. In this case, this was probably typical for the detective, and Allyson was letting herself become distracted. ​

Thankfully, Seniya was able to find the necessary keypad to open the next pathway. Allyson looked towards the tunnel and mentally measured it; they would have to be back to front since it wasn't wide enough for the pair of them to be walking side by side. Seniya spoke, and Allyson looked towards the woman and frowned. Already Allyson was suspicious over the sweetness in the warm expression. "You've got to be kidding me." She looked back towards the tunnel and sighed heavily, and weighed her options. ​

There was a way to convince Seniya to move forward into the tunnel first, but that would only cause an 'unwanted' distraction. Seeing that maybe her going first would be the best for her and her situation, Allyson sighed. "Fine, just no funny business back there, okay?" Allyson had no idea what sort of funny business she was referring to, but she felt a bit of confidence as she got on her knees and started to crawl through the tunnel. ​

It was dark, and Allyson blinked her eyes, soon adjusting to the darkness. Her vision in the dark was a bonus for the young K'paur. It was probably a good thing that she had gone first. If Seniya did, she'd probably have to use some sort of light. As she moved through the tunnel, she did her best not to think of the fact that Seniya would be behind her, with an obscured view. Damnit.​

 

[Seniya Nehir]

D A P A N ' S . I N F E R N O
S L U M . D I S T R I C T . G - S E V E N T E E N
C O R U S C A N T I . L O W E R - L E V E L S

C A S E F I L E : 9 8 7 A 7 - 2 1 8 8 S

Allyson Locke ​

​

Funny business? Who even talked like that?

"Don't flatter yourself." Seniya shot back indignantly as the spy ducked into the small access tunnel, giving her to the count of five before following suit. A meter wide by about the same high, the gloomy passageway was clearly built for a man of a much smaller stature than either of the women, leaving very little room for any kind of business, let alone funny. As it was Seniya was forced to half-crouch, half crawl the first few feet behind Locke in almost pitch black conditions before the emergency lighting - faint red distant angry stars - gave her enough to at least make out the outline of Allyson's behind up ahead. There were... Worse views to be stuck behind, but she wasn't about to let that slip. Not after that funny business remark.

"You're shebs are blocking the light." She muttered, turning to glance back the way they had come long enough to force pull the hatch closed. That door she had fried would only hold them for so long, so she was banking on someone as obviously paranoid as Dapan to have kept this little hidey-hole secret from the rank and file. The cramp quarters would quickly turn this into a Mandalorian turkey shoot if she was wrong. "There should be an access panel before the door, but just... You need to..."

The Kiffar pushed up from behind, switching knee over foot as she attempted to crawl around Allyson's form, squeezing around the side of her. Teeth gritting as she had to drag her back across the riveted durasteel wall, a stark contrast to what her front was on the receiving end of. Kark she hoped that was the bow riding up her leg. She felt the temperature rise several degrees but put that down to the tight quarters. "Can you..."

"Just... Kark, breath in will you? I have to... " She wriggled a few more inches, putting her elbow in the crook of Allyson's neck as she leveraged herself a few more until she was free and clear. Or at least, free, hot and sweaty. She purposefully kept her gaze ahead for a few seconds under the guise of letting her eyes adjust to the dark, using the force to speed up and enhance the process until she could work out enough of the end panel and console to get to work. "Right... Okay..."

Six digit code, five were entered before her hand lingered over the keypad.

"You ready? Dapan's got to know we're coming for him. Good chance he's on the other side of this hatch. You think you can..." A vague gesture with her freehand. "Whatever to distract him?"

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Coruscant //:
//: Really Small Tunnel //:
//: Seniya Nehir //:

“Access panel, that’s --” Before Allyson could finish, she already could feel Seniya making her move. The little tunnel they were in had no way around it, and with the detective moving like she was, it pushed Allyson against the tunnel wall. Groaning, she tried to make herself smaller to avoid closeness. No matter how much she tried to shift and prevent it, Seniya crawled over her, brushing, pressing against her frame, and Allyson was very aware of what was lacking in her life at that moment. ​

“What, why - I can just hac-” Allyson couldn’t get a word in edgewise as Seniya was obviously more determined to be the one to push the buttons. When did the tunnel get this hot? Was it a defense mechanism that they had tripped? Allyson did her best to keep herself pressed to one side of the tunnel as she gave in to what was happening. There was no avoiding the Kiffar, and Allyson thanked the lack of light. A year, it had been a year since she had someone this close to her, and she was getting light-headed. ​

Maybe it was whatever Seniya used as soap or something, totally why she was getting light-headed - or the lack of air. ​

The least she could do was help the shorter woman get over her; the fast this torture ended, the faster Allyson could gather herself. It was dark, but Allyson could see decently clear - but Seniya didn’t need to know that. She hesitated and then reached up to try and help the legs threatening to kick her in the head pass over her. ​

It wasn’t the bow that was running up Seniya’s leg - it was a Corellian’s hand - trying her best not to do anything more than help. Allyson kept quiet as Seniya made it to the access panel, still trying to figure out why the woman just didn’t let her hack her way through it. It would have been a painless endeavor, and they wouldn’t have to have gotten so close like that. ​

Allyson, unaware that she was holding her breath, sighed as quietly as she could, and inhaled deeply. Why the feth was it so hot in that stupid karking tunnel? ​

A hand covered Allyson’s face as she didn’t want to look in front of her right this moment, but Seniya’s voice drew the Corellian from whatever depths of her mind she had fallen. ​

Dapan, that’s why they were here. Allyson nodded and then remembered Seniya probably couldn’t see her answer. ​

“Ye-Yeah, I’m ready.” The bow would prove too challenging to pull out here, especially with the detective in front of her. Instead, it was time to rely on the Force. “Just push the button already, please” There was a hint of strain in her voice. Allyson wanted to get out of this tunnel and have something else to focus on. Her eyes kept dancing around the tunnel, trying to not look directly in front of her until it was necessary.​