Private Cloak of Deception

[Judah Dashiell]

Judah turned and rummaged through a drawer behind him,only to pull out a plain apron. Arm was outstretched to Miss Tin'dara.

"For your clothes,just in case."

He moved around the counter and sat in the stool next to her, settling in for the long haul. Body turned so he could watch her and the dinner prep at the same time.

"Just finish slicing the root vegetables for the heating. Then I'd arrange the vegetables either in stacks of four or maybe each color by itself, something a bit fancy,you know?"

"Don't forget to season the filets either."

Gaze looked around, realizing he should have brought himself some water over. No mind.

"I figured since I was cooking and you promised to tell the story,we'd switch roles. I can't be doing all the heavy lifting."

"Now back to my shit theory. A close range argument,you start to retreat,then bam
..blaster bolt."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"For your clothes,just in case."

"Mine-ish I suppose," she mused as she took the apron. She offered a look of deep suspicion at being brought into proceedings, but didn't protest.

"Just finish slicing the root vegetables for the heating. Then I'd arrange the vegetables either in stacks of four or maybe each color by itself, something a bit fancy,you know?"

"Alright," she replied. She took the knife and gave it a little flourish that showed she was quite accustomed to blade work.

However, she started cutting quickly but without the correct chef's form of curled fingers for safety and speed.

"Now back to my shit theory. A close range argument,you start to retreat,then bam
..blaster bolt."

"Not far off to be honest," she replied, eyes on what she was doing - which was fortunate given her slicing technique.

"There's this little shit of a Rodian that ratted me out. It was an ambush and I was surprised that he wasn't there."

Azula waved the knife towards her arm.

"Got wounded but I got out of there. I should have expected that he would let his minions take the risk. He'd taken up position overlooking to landing pad and was waiting patiently. Even waited until I was close to the ship to open fire."

"Sadistic little piece of work. Could have finished me off but I bet he wanted to let me die slowly just out of reach of the ship."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Judah watched with keen eyes. Blade work was a strong suit but just not when it came to cooking, just stabbing.

"Yeah, Im sure they were expecting you to die just out of range or once you jumped into hyperspace. Didn't expect you to be so stubborn I see."

He was itching to take back over. Not that Tin'dara was doing anything wrong - little bit of a rough chop didn't hurt a thing. It was more that no one did anything like this for him so it was odd. Odd as in he should get back to work and let his guest sit with their wine.

"I'm sure they will be surprised once you turn back up. Like a ghost."

He watched her work, falling into a bit of silence. Being shot had been traumatic for her and he didn't want to pick at that wound.

"You lied Miss Tin'dara, you're doing quite well."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"You are being overly kind. But I'll take it. Just don't let me cook the steak. A sharp knife and some vegetables I can handle," Azula replied.

"That does not make me a liar!"

There were plenty of things that did. Most words coming out of her mouth for the last ten years, for example. Azula kept that amusing note to herself.

"They are ruthless and efficient. Their surprise would last a little longer than it would take them to give the other to kill me all over again, but that's it," she said.

"So..."

She waved the tip of the knife around the counter with. Ore enthusiasm.

"...what do I cut next.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Wow...uh, quite enthusiastic. You're going to end up cutting all the vegetables in the flat. Uh, let's move on to two different tomatoes."

Judah stood, walking behind the counter.

"However, we're going to change to a serrated blade now, so grab that one. I'm going to show you a trick."

Trick or better way of cutting? He placed himself behind Miss Tin'dara in a bit of a intimate position, getting close to her as possible.

"You're going to end up cutting off a finger."

Hand moved to the side with the knife and tilted her elbow up and out, holding it there. His other hand came to fix Miss Tin'daras fingers across the fruit.

"Got to make a little claw, nothing sticking out. The blade is going to brush against your knuckles. Rather knick those than cut off sla finger. I can only put in so many insurance claims."

He could see easily over her heads the woman shorter than he first suspected.

"Try and I will guide you."

 

[Azula Tindara]

Trick or better way of cutting? He placed himself behind Miss Tin'dara in a bit of a intimate position, getting close to her as possible.

One eyebrow went up, but so did one corner of her lips.

Bold, she thought to herself as he took up position behind her. She found she did not mind it at all.

Azula relaxed her arms, wrist and hands. It reminded her of a first lesson with a lightsaber.

"Make a claw?" She hadn't heard that before, but she followed his lead.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Scoop? Shovel? Cupped? I'm not sure how to describe the action. It's more,uh, ensuring you don't take off any fingers."

Judah mimicked the action in the free vegetable that was up next for slicing to demonstrate.

"Like this, it's going to make things hard to see but the fingers are a guide so you really don't have to see."

He checked her arm position one last time before stepping out behind her and close to the "claw" hand to observe.

"Go ahead and try out your skills. Which should be fine since you are a lightsaber master and all, this little vegetable should be no match."

He couldn't help but to smile a little.

"Who knows, this may help you with my eventual murder."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Assuming that your eventual murder comes with a side of torture first?" She replied. The knife came down hard with the first chop, as if taking the tip of a finger. Azula grinned before concentrating.

It felt deeply unnatural to have less of a grip on what she held still. With the flat of the blade against her knuckles and thumb out of the way, she could start to chop slightly faster.

"I did have a think about your offer, you know?" She put forward. It was easier when focusing on the table and not at Judah. She was forced to face up to his generosity and make decisions about herself. Forced to take his rather blunt observations too.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Torture?What did I do to deserve that?"

With the first cut under way, she seemed to have a handle on the situation. Judah turned his back to her, starting the range and oven. It seemed to be in a great position to go ahead get a few things rolling for the meal.

"And what do you think about it?"

He didn't bother to turn around. Judah suspected her answer would be to decline.

 

[Azula Tindara]

"I really appreciate it," she said quietly.

By this point, he likely thought she was trying to provide rational on why it would not work for her.

"But..."

By this point, he was probably certain.

"I want a real job from you. Something I can do. I want to be paid for it. I'm sure you can make some deductions for medical bills and all..."

The chopping sound stopped. Azula placed the knife down on the table.

"You've been very kind and I like you Judah. This probably sounds really unfair but I'd like this to feel...square. But I want to take you up on the offer."

Too many favours had been held over her head. Unspoken promises and under-the-table deals. Azula wanted to know where she stood.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Judah hated to see how she treated those she didn't like.

Yet he would be lying to himself if he wasn't surprised by her answer. He was expecting a string of reasons why it wouldn't make sense or that his offer wasn't in the direction she was headed in the future.

"I...uh, yes, sounds great. Some amendments to the terms but every great contract as a few."

For example, he didn't agree with the payback for medical. Judah hasn't been lying about insurance claims and write offs for her injuries and destruction the prior visit. However, given her background it made sense. Azula seemed to be stuck in a cycle of power imbalance with herself on the losing end.

"Just don't jump out into work without a full recovery. It can be strenuous out there, not like Salacia is harvesting crops, this metal and stone."

Back was still turned as he laid the root vegetables in a alternating pattern for the gratin.

"You tell me when you're ready and we can add you into the rosters."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Okay," she replied to him with a firm nod.

"Okay," she replied to herself under her breath.

It was still asking for help and admitting that she needed it. That had not been easy for her. She got the sense that Judah understood why she needed this to start on slightly different terms. It surprised her, but it made her feel more confident that she had made the right decision.

Reminding herself that she had a task right in front of her, she finished the last of the vegetables and slid them across the counter to add to his pan.

"Being honest with myself, I think desk work is the most you'll get for a few days."

Azula gave a twist of her torso to test her wounds. She immediately regretted the tight, hot feeling down her side where the new synthflesh had been bound to cover what couldn't be recovered from the burns.

Rather than looking for her pills, she finished her glass of wine.

"Mind if I get myself a top up?" She asked.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Desk work is fine but not for a few more days. I've already got a job in mind for you. I'm going to need a navigator to help scout a new mining site, I figured it might be up to your skill set. I'll let you know the region so you can start during your recovery."

He wasn't expecting much while she recovered but realized it may be ideal to have something to research to keep her mind occupied. Always easy to lounge on the couch and scroll through a data pad.

"Yeah, of course."

Tossing the casserole pan into the oven, Judah pulled the open bottle from the refrigeration unit and filled the glass once more.

"How's the injury? You've done a lot today between the walking and chopping and threats of violence."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"If I am to follow through on threats of violence, I suppose I need to work my way up to it," she joked, with a wry smirk.

"But sore," she told him. "I think the walking was good for me. I needed a little push to get out of my nest and to stop wallowing."

Azula offered a small shrug for her honesty.

"It's like...having a flu. When you don't know which morning you're going to wake up and feel a whole heap better. Or if it will just keep on dragging out."

"So what does scouting a site mean then? I'm guessing it isn't orbital deep scans."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Basically looking for our next potential mining site. Of course, who wouldn't want to just pull up to a planet with a crew and start, but its a bit more complicated than that."

Leaving the bottle of wine on the counter, Judah went back to attending to his steaks. Pan sizzled as he added the pieces of meat, drawing the herbed butter he planned on using closer. Messing up the most important part of the meal wouldn't be wise - didn't want to hear about it from Miss Tin'dara for the next several days.

"Navigating little mapped sectors and moons is an issue. Once there is a site we prefer - jungle, ocean, or asteroid are our typical picks - then comes landing on the planet and performing scans and analysis of minerals and metals or whatever resource would be most ideal to mine. Weather, potential building sites, financial feasibility, and the potential to map out a hyperlane for use are all done on this trips."

"Typical is landing and scouting around to get a feel. You might be good in the navigation and map building department, I feel your time with the Hutts lends unique insight into potential pitfalls or shortcuts we could make."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Oh, that looks good," Azula said. It smelled fantastic two. A pair of slabs of meat being caramelised on one side by the heat of the pan.

She had not had a truly good meal in weeks.

"Those pitfalls ever include a local inhabitants element?" Azula asked.

Out beyond the core of the galaxy there were plenty of local colonies. The laws were non-existent. She wondered if that was where he thought her skills would be useful.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Sometimes. Take for example this Station, the only reason it's here is because the locals on Tabaqui didn't want a major presence on their planet. There's the minimum amount we need down there."

Judah focused on his task for a moment as he thought.

"Not interested in doing that in the sector you'll be sent to. At least not right now. As far as I know it's fairly quiet out there. I could be swayed to have a regional headquarters out there instead of the outpost,based on the findings of course."

"I'm thinking you would be useful in terms of... interplanetary relations... as well as having an eye for security and navigation. I'm sure you learned a lot of routes with the Hutts and signs of activity that may be detrimental to business."

"I'm sure you speak a variety of languages as well, Makai does not. Might be able to cut a few business deals on the fly."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"Plenty," she agreed.

Whilst not entirely convinced she would be the best person for the job it did sound exciting. There was, she thought, the chance that a few hours watching a scectroscope would prove her wrong.

"I'm not going to be an expert in scanning or anything, but if you think I can be helpful I will give this a go," she said firmly.

"I assume..." She felt guilty before asking. "You and...Makai was it...like to keep things all above board? As much as can be in the Outer Rim."

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"The equipment does most of the work,believe it or not. Scanning the area and getting a feel of how the planet and system will work out for business is actually just as important as the materials found. I'm sure you'll be very helpful."

Carefully flipping the steaks, Judah ladled butter onto them, watching it melt and the herbs take hold.

"Yes, as much as possible. Obviously things are a bit different on Coruscant than say, the Outer Rim backwaters. No slavery, no intimidation, no shady deals. I am not budging on those principles."

"I expect this won't be an issue."

 

[Azula Tindara]

"I expect this won't be an issue."

Azula held up her hands.

"Of course not. Not trying to cause trouble. Just...trying to establish the parameters of my task."

She didn't sound like a street kid from Mar Shaddaa. After years of being whatever she needed to be to survive, her vocabulary and patten of speech was a mongrel of stolen heritage.

"Makai runs your survey teams?" She asked, picking up her glass of wine again.

It didn't numb the pain, but it helped push it to the back of her mind.