Private Chance Encounters

[Elise]

Elise didn't believe in chance. The concept just didn't make sense to her, and how could it? After all she had seen during her service as a jedi, she knew in her gut that in every event had a reason --a part of the Force's plan-- even if the reasons weren't first apparent...

She had spent the better part of the week reminding herself of this.

The last month had her traveling between the planets along the edge of Silver territory, speaking with the officials there and establishing proper communication channels with their early warning systems. Out here her visions grew muddled. The looming presence of sith energy clouded her despite her best efforts. They were coming soon. The havoc they would bring with them haunted her.

She took a deep breath and rooted her thoughts back to the here and now. She sat hunched over a tankard of something indiscernible. She took a draft from it, almost meditative in methodical way she brought it to her lips time and time again. Deep breath, drink, swallow, exhale. She worked through the emotions built up in her. Slowly, the worry lines melted out of her brows. She stared down at the swirling contents of her glass, her jedi robes catching on the leg of a patron as they scooted past her stool at the bar.

She gave the person's grunt of apology a vague nod, scooting her chair closer to allow them to walk by. No one sat around her. Out on these outskirts, jedi weren't so common. She made no attempt to hide her calling and never did.

People would do as people did. The force would have its way.

She raised her hand for another drink. This was a two drink night.

Nick Dragovalor

 

[Nick Dragovalor]

The Silver Jedi Order had decided not to jail him for life after his amnesiac self had nearly unleashed a bioweapon on their homeworld, so he was grateful for that, he supposed. And his brother was there, so that was a plus. But otherwise, the Silver Jedi Order didn't often cross the mind of the bounty hunter, who just went by "Nick" these days. Plenty of scum ended up with bounties on their heads, and he always tried to focus on them. Sure, he could take any run of the mill bounty and make some credits, but... Deep down, he knew he'd run up enough bad karma in this life. No need for anymore. It made his employers furious that he was so choosy and asked too many questions, but... Well, he was a good shot, so nobody complained too much.

And not many would openly take a bounty on a Sith Lord. But he took those especially.

He had no idea where he was right now. With a hood over his head and his Force presence kept hidden, all he knew was he was in some cantina, hunting said Sith Lord. The energy he could feel here... It made his blood boil. He hated it. It made him feel sick to his stomach. He wanted out of here as soon as possible... But not without a head.

For a moment though, his anger got the best of him and that anger could be felt in the Force.

Elise

 

[Elise]

Elise's attention pulled behind her, her gaze flicking with unnerving precision to the source. She observed the hooded figure from over her shoulder, her hair down and loose as she listened closely to the force around them.

Curious, she noted.

Her fresh glass was placed down. She gestured for one more. The glasses were cool inside her fingers as she stood up and followed the nudge to the man sitting alone. She no reason to besides the subtle encouragement of the force deep inside her. She trusted its will unquestioningly. And so she placed the glass before the man, the contents sloshing as she took a silent sip of her own. If he looked up, he'd find a set of blue eyes, keen yet friendly. She made no move to speak.

Silence got people talking more than words, she found.

 

[Nick Dragovalor]

A glass clanked down in front of him soon after he had finished his. Only after the noise caused his senses to spring to life did he realize his mistake. Cursing silently under his breath, his gaze darted toward the source of this new drink. Was it an offering? He wasn't sure. Noticing that the figure who had slid it had a fresh drink of their own though, he was able to take a guess at least. He turned to look her in the face, as he watched her curiously for a moment. Brown eyes scanned her face as if looking for familiarity.

Finding none, he had no choice but to study her eyes instead. From that, he had at least something resembling a guess. Those eyes, and that they had been likely attracted to his flash of anger, without calling him out publicly...

"Jedi, I assume?" He inquired quietly, his gaze never leaving her eyes. "To what does this hole of a planet owe the pleasure?"

If a Jedi were here... It was very possible his information was good. Perhaps this one knew where his mark was?

Elise

 

[Elise]

A slight smile touched her lips, the woman gingerly bringing the glass up for a sip. She took her time in answering, not rushing herself as she tempered out his patience.

"Our protection." Another pause, then she seemed to deigned to keep explaining. "Sith might soon walk these waters." She was sure everyone had heard the murmurs by now, the war drums practically echoing across the span of space itself.

"I am here to... keep an eye out," came the restrained, yet honest answer. "And you?" Another sip, her watery gaze holding steady on his.

 

[Nick Dragovalor]

Sith might soon walk these waters, she said. Then his hunch was right. From under his hood, he tilted his head slightly, staring at her. Studying her face for a trace of a lie. A Jedi had no reason to lie, right? Well, that had been his thought of them - as blind carriers of justice and good and light with unfathomable will to do so - until his brother had revealed what the Republic Jedi had done to him. Knowing now that not even Jedi were insusceptible to the temptations of applying deception and selfishness in the name of ambition and greed, and just overall getting what they wanted, Nick risked nothing.

He found no trace. But he kept his guard up regardless. The best liars always looked like they always told the truth, after all. Especially if their job that they were ignoring was to be paragons of peace, who shouldn't be allowed to lie and cheat and swindle. And deep down, he still held the idea that the world would come to get him if it got a chance. No matter the form it took.

"A target" He responded calmly, bluntly, taking a moment to tap a finger to the glass, subtly using the Force to check it for outside material. Finding none, he took a swig. "I suppose you aren't looking for help in your looking out?"

He didn't like to work with others. But where there was Jedi... Sith tended to follow closely. He may very well find his target after all.

Elise