Bullets and power-cells
Location: Coruscant, Hospital Ward
Equipment: PGEM-FAAl, Tinfoil Hat Band, Absorbelt
Accessories: Force Warning Pendant on Keyring, Dasmi's Pendant, Coal Nail Polish, Transition Prescription Glasses
Augmentation: PGEM-SAP "Amber Eyes"
Tags:
Dominik Borra
-A Time Prior-
She had hid herself away for some time to figure out what had been happening with the markets regarding materials. Sudden influx and hidden or redirected deliveries she'd had the AI track through whatever means necessary to figure out what was happening.
But the effort had been worthless when the Sith announced themselves openly by attacking a Jedi Temple.
All the time she'd spent isolating, had spent crunching numbers and figuring out the tangled web of what it all was covering up, meant nothing in the end. The backlog of messages and deliveries to her space station making it clear she had made a horrid mistake letting herself return to an old habit.
Returning to something she didn't need to do anymore.
The mistake made all the more clear when a package arrived with news of an old friends passing. Dimitri, whose identity had changed after his faux trial for crimes during an operation for the Eternal Empire, had been lost in one of the final battles against the Maw.
She had locked herself away from everything at the news. The final strikes to an old life that had done her few favors now.
Save for heartache.
Drawing herself into work before more news filtered in about Dominik from Matthew. The only time her door opened for him in the months that had passed. Holomail the only way to make sure she was still alive in the locked out bulkhead she had kept between her remaining friend and herself.
News of Dominik had breached that barrier. The door eventually opening as the Corellian stared down at his friend. Far more gaunt than he had seen her, even after the incident in the edge of known space.
Her eyes hollow and clothes hanging onto her more than being worn.
A sorry state to see her in given what he knew about her biology. He'd been allowed to watch her work at the news. The silence from her as he explained something that was uncharacteristic for the woman.
Her hands tapping and scrawling along the workstation with a speed he'd only seen during the war they'd both been witness to.
Vestiges of a woman foreign to him as REAPP sent a Holo back with a confirmation. Her gaze sullen as she gave him instructions before turning back to the screen. A now familiar AI face appearing in the projection as it bowed softly to Niki.
"Find where Dominik Borra is."
The AI bowed once more with a smile, form breaking down into code as it filtered out of existence and Niki waved Matthew away in silence.
His trip to the Hangar Bay only impeded by the droids performing last minute checks on the vessel.
He'd taken the Tourist to the Outer Rim, reaching the REAPP facility with a waiting receptionist. The trip itself taking under a week, and with little input from Niki. One that had been expecting him, and two little crates being promptly rolled out to the ship as he signed and waited for the all clear. The synthetic crew making his nerves take a sharp edge.
She was running a cloak and dagger operation it seemed, or just simply keeping him in the dark. Something he didn't think was good for her but couldn't argue given how little she had spoken for some time now.
He'd sat mulling on what to do in the captains cabin for some time. His thoughts only disturbed when the starstreaks reverted to starlight and the ship altered course.
Mid flight to the core, the systems of the ship had been altered, the synthetic crew adjusting without informing him. A redirection that he hadn't expected as he came to the flight deck for an update on itinerary.
Niki had brought the ship back to her rather than request it.
Matthew's mouth twitched with irritation at the lack of decorum. He could understand her wanting to deliver whatever it was he'd been made to pick up. But at least sending a courtesy message of the update would have been nice.
He bided his time, watching the stars stretch once more as they travelled along, his irritation boiling over into anger as they drew closer. Eventually dropping once more into starlight as Emberlene came into view from the sublight travel towards the planet.
The ship docking as he watched Niki emerge from the hallway of her room into the Hangar. Matthew's form visible from the loading ramp as he stood with arms crossed and glare directed at her.
A glance at him before she nodded inside.
His body shifting to block her entry as she recoiled and stared up at him. The two of them squared off, Matthew staring down at her while she did her best to not seem like she might have been a fair fight for him in her deteriorated condition.
Seeing her tired and lacking the muscle she'd had before her hiding, only made him more angry.
"What the hell Niki. You kept yourself so locked up and now you just expect me at your beck and call?" His arms flexing as he began, keeping his temper from being completely let loose.
Even behind the glasses he could see the blend of sadness rage.
"Piss. Off. I had my reasons-"
"No! You do not get to just blow everything off for these little hidey-hole escapades that-"
"I wasn't fucking hiding you-"
"Then what do you call hiding in your room for months without so much as a word or reason!? What do you call that!? Huh!?" His arms wide as he watched her draw back, the rage in her eyes gone as he grimaced at the fear that had taken its place.
He couldn't back down now though, couldn't without letting her know how much that the isolation had hurt.
"I've been your friend for some time now. And you've done some wacky stuff. Don't get me wrong. But this. This-" His hand rubbed along the lines of his mouth, feelings causing contortions of anger and sorrow. "This isn't the Deep. We aren't getting by on the skin of our teeth. We aren't hiding out in the far reaches in fear. You own a company dammit. You have people. Like Dominik, and... that... whole group."
"I wanted to help. And this. I don't know another way." A flimsy reason that didn't hold up to his stare.
"There's other ways now Nik. You don't have to go recluse mode anymore. You dropped everything and everyone. I've had to-" A deep sigh cutting through his anger as she shifted and shrank. Her form seeming to consume itself as he scowled. "Dominik tried reaching out. That woman tried to reach out. I had to tell them to stop. I. Had to tell them. I did. Because you wouldn't fucking listen."
The words giving a physical reaction as she flinched with each as though he'd struck her.
"I'm. I'm upset with you. Angry. And hurt. But I'm fucking disappointed with you Nik." Shaking his head as he set his hands on his hips.
"I'm sor-" "You don't get to be sorry. You need to be better. You aren't some kid out in the reach anymore Nik. Fucking act like it." Cutting her off before pushing away from the ramp door and motioning inside.
She hung her head, sniffling and eyes tear bright as she tried to keep her composure. A pang of guilt hidden behind the cold frown he kept as she slipped past him and into the ship.
The AI making an appearance once more as Niki sat in the meeting room of the ship just opposite of the captains cabin. Matthew unsure now if he wanted to keep her company or stew for a while longer.
The synthetic crew making quick work of the silent instructions before the Tourist left the Hangar of Terminus Rêve and began its journey toward the core.
-Present-
The trip had taken a bit more time, but had been planned around Dominik being mostly in the later stages of healing.
Niki had kept her emotions bottled up after the chewing Matthew had given her. And he'd been wary with his approaches for anything more than making sure she ate.
Which she did little of.
The effort making her feel sick now. She'd been so deep into figuring out what was happening she hadn't stopped to eat until she'd had to make a painful trip for something that was usually an instant meal.
The calories burnt up quickly by her metabolism but giving her enough energy to continue the relentless push.
The ship docked, and clearance given when the manifest was shared and approved.
Matthew taking the larger box with a surprised gasp at the weight of it. She didn't dare crack a smile as he settled the crate in his arms. Almost four feet in length and about two feet deep. A carefully packed replacement limb for Dominik.
Niki opted to carry the smaller but equally hefty two by two crate carrying the connection node needed to connect the arm.
Their trip inside hurried to keep them out of the way of those needing actual care instead of visiting. More than once a nurse pausing to glance at Niki in her disheveled state. Eyes tear bright still as Matthew's words lingered in her mind. Her hair messy as though roughly brushed before being tied up.
Her features drawn in with lack of self-care as the nurses glanced between her and Matthew with an accusatory glare.
Glares that only made Matthew more irritable.
"Sorry." All the more she could manage as he made a sharp sound of dismissal.
A nurse coming to fetch them once Dominik had been told he had visitors. Following behind the woman that led the way as she glanced between Niki and Matthew in the lift up before being guided to the room.
Matthew kicking the door frame to announce their arrival as the Nurse entered and tried to be more pleasant about announcing his guests.
"Ding dong shady man. Brought you two presents so you can get off your butt." Matthew near yelled upon clearing the door as Niki followed him inside and frowned, letting her eyes fall to the floor after giving Dom a tiny smile.
