She Moves Like a Knife

[Lassiter]

Her contacts had died out in this sector. Some of them in a manner most literal. The fall of the One Sith had severely hampered with Sena’s network, and once Coruscant started to grow more and more unsafe for her kind she had been forced to up and drop it in full. There were still some contracts up for grabs but for someone with as noticeable of an ‘aura’ as Lassiter they offered far too little money to be worth it. While political assassinations in a reconstructed political landscape was her bread and butter, the idea of ending up in a magma cell courtesy of the Galactic Alliance was off-putting to say the least. Though that didn’t mean she couldn’t operate on worlds flying the Alliance’s banner. It merely meant she needed to be far more discreet in how she went about it.

… It meant that if she were to take such a job it would have to be for the money and not the urge which was a loss in itself. After all, the girl only did what she did for her own sake. The money was secondary, a good alternative motivator to keep her going when the voices were quiet. It rarely happened, but it was a good motivator nonetheless.

Stepping into the seedy cantina in which she had been told to wait she gave the room a quick glance. It reeked of sweat, greed and blaster fire. Good people would have left, but the dark side and ‘good’ rarely seemed to walk hand in hand. At least not from the experiences that Sena had experienced.

Walking up to the bar she took a seat and waited for her contact.

[member="Kouber-lai"]

 

[Zef Halo]

The first lesson a Seyugi Dervish learned was to adapt. A fundamental lesson for assassins. Kouber had to adapt to the fact he was the last remaining Dervish out there, he had to adapt to the fact he had traveled ~850 years in the future, he also had to adapt to the dynamic and turbulent political environment. With the Galactic Alliance becoming the dominant force in the galaxy and with the establishment of some sort of peace, they would turn their heads to resolving intenal issues.

And Kouber could not do it alone. He knew that.

The arrival of the shady figure that was his contact prompted him to make his move sitting next to the woman. Although he did look nothing like a 'let me buy ya a drink hon' but he still prefered to be sure. Tapping twice on the bar, pause, tapping once. It was the sign he had informed ger he would be using during their non-physical communication beforehand.


[member="Lassiter"]

 

[Lassiter]

Two taps and a pause before the last one. Sena wasn’t much for secret knocks and handshakes, if she had a need for secrecy there was always the comfort of a booth or remote corner. When a cantina was as musty as this one was with clients that were this shady it was almost always reasonable to assume that privacy was granted to those who wished it. People minded their own businesses around here, but regardless of that Sena would draw a circle on the bardisk and tap the center once and no more before she turned around to look at the man who had taken a seat next to her.

He looked unkempt. The corner of her mouth twitched in quiet disgust. She didn’t have to like this. The man was able to provide jobs and she was in no place to shun people based on their appearances alone. Not everyone looked perfect like she did.

She hailed the bartender. “Corellian, two of them.”

The bartender nodded and went to gather it.

“So you’re him, then?” Sena asked the stranger next to her as she lowered her hood. The drinks arrived and she pushed the spare one before the man. “Messages never mentioned any names, Mister…?”

[member="Kouber-lai"]

 

[Zef Halo]

"Kouber-lai of the Seyugi Dervish." The bearded man said as he carefully pushed away the glass of alcohol. His face remained calm and collected and did not show any disgust at the beverage nor any lack of trust. The assassin simply refrained from consuming alcohol, it was, actually, one of the good things that the Dervish preached.

Looking back from the drink towards the woman that possessed rather soft features for one that worked in such a rough and dirty sphere. That tended to be a good sign of a qualified killer. One that would only reveal its true self only when you feel the knife pierce your heart. Kouber had to be careful, as well. The Dervish were not the only group who often practiced the murder of associates to eliminate all sorts of proof that linked the deed to them.

"Running out of luck under the foot of the Alliance ?" He went straight to the point. "Perhaps, we both can find a win-win situation, Miss...?"

[member="Lassiter"]​

 

[Lassiter]

[member="Kouber-lai"]

“Drethi, of the Ember of Vahl.” The woman gave him her alias. Or rather, the second half of her undesired Darth-title. Still, Drethi worked. It was a venomous winged beast designed to kill Jedi. She could get behind that idea. However, unlike the man she took a sip from her own drink. Long days were easier to wind down if you consumed just the small amount of it. As long as you didn’t let it get to your head to the point where you let your guard down.

“And, no, luck has nothing to do with it.” She tsked at the man’s remark. “But I do need is a reliable source of intel and contracts to operate right under their noses.”

“So, if you mean ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’ I think we can come to an agreeable business arrangement.” She took another sip of her drink and the pleasant smile on her lips faded into something far more darker. “But if your idea of a win-win is a 80/20 deal, then you got another thing coming.”

 

[Zef Halo]

Direct.

That the epithet Kouber-lai could give the fiery-haired woman sitting beside him in the shady cantina. Her malicious aura although kept at bay was felt by the Dervish due to being at such a dangerous proximity of her. Ember of Vahl. An order perhaps ? Similar to his ? He had not heard the name before. Expectantly so. Kouber-lai had been transported more than 800 years into the future. He made sure he would remember that name.

"The idea of greed is no longer primary in the Seyugi Dervish." He stated in response to her threat. Avarice was indeed part of the teachings but greed had at one point in the past gripped the Dervish and in Kouber's view had been the main factor behind their destruction. Such ideas would no longer lead the Dervish. Not the Dervish under Kouber-lai. There was more than material gain to be reaped with the teachings of the Seyugi Dervish. Thinking thoroughly her proposition, he curtly asked a question that sealed his agreement.

"When do we start ?"

It was time for those in the shadows to strike.

[member="Lassiter"]​

 

[Lassiter]

[member="Kouber-lai"]

“Not right now.” Sena offered the man. “The stakes in Alliance territory is far too great to just go rushing blindly into a contract.”

“No doubt you have heard about the magma cells at this point. Half the galaxy has, and I do not intend on spending my sunshine years in there.” Sena quipped and took another sip of her drink. “What we need is more than just you and me if we are to do something there. We need a network of likeminded individuals and that is what we are doing today.”

“So,” She turned on her seat and clanked her glass against the man. “It is nice to meet you, Mister Kouber-Lai.” She took another swig. “As long as we respect each other’s private affairs and keep ourselves on a professional level, I believe we will make great friends.”

“... Professionally speaking.” She added.

“Now, as I said we need more people, and I’ve got a lead on someone that might fit our bill.” She turned back to face the bar again and withdrew a pad. “His name is Alistair Krandor,” She said and revealed a photo of a clean cut man with chiseled cheekbones. “Former One Sith Admiral and a staunch anti-Alliance supporter. Known to dabble with… ‘Our kind’ on occasion for some of his more sensitive affairs.”

“What say you we go pay him a visit and try to start something?”