The Standard Assassination

[Akio Diachi]

Akio's eye flickered at the mention of Cryx Bane. He had heard of the drug lord, who hadn't? What struck him as odd was the difference in personalities. Polar opposites. From the moment Akio made his incision he knew it was a one-way trip. This trick had been administered to many tight-lipped targets. There was no fixing him, there was no healing, there was no cure. And he saw her. He saw her. She was an accomplice and for some reason, protecting Dryzl was the only thing on his mind. It was beginning to infuriate him, "Stop it, stop doing that!"

Frustrated, Akio rammed his blade into Cheif's spinal chord. The death was painless, quick, a mercy killing. Akio saw the blood on his hands. This was nothing new, but this time it felt different. His hands were shaking as the human's body slumped forward. Many times he had killed those with children. Many times. He had even slain a few before their offspring. But now he was falling apart. Breaking up like a meteor on entry. For the first time since childhood, tears ran from his red eyes down his cheeks. Letting the years of regret and pain out in silent sobs, Akio washed himself in tears of remorse. When he could cry no more, Akio drew his blade from the body. The blood was already congealing on the durasteel as he stowed it in on its wrist sheath. He walked towards where Dryzl was and took a seat as he tried to wipe the blood off his stolen tee shirt.

His eyes gazed in the distance, seeing nothing but the faces of the countless faces he had killed. Male, female, no gender, young, old, human, and alien. Clean and brutal, good and evil, poisons and simple durasteel. A lifetime of murder. That was what it was, murder. Not mercy, not kindness, not gentleness. Murder. Not art like he was told, not a part of life like he had convinced himself, but murder. As a child he had taken his first life and mourned it. Today he had taken his hundredth and mourned it. He cleared his throat.

"I don't want to do this anymore," he whispered. "I don't want to be a murderer anymore." He paused, looking down at his tattered skin. So much death, so much pain caused by me. So many lives he had cut short, each was a mark on his body. "What am I good for anymore?"

((100th post, yes!))

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Monster was the first thing that came to her mind, when Dryzl turned around. She had, after all, instructed Akio to patch up Chief, to hopefully prevent yet another death. But instead, he killed the man. Killed him -- when it was not necessary to. For unlike Mrs. Laveaoux, Chief was not a target. Unlike the bodyguards, Chief was not an obstacle. He was a source of information, a source which might have proved useful in the near future. But now he was gone, and if his pleas were to be believed, his child was now fatherless.

Monster was what she wanted to call him, to label him. Because then, it would have been able to witness what happened next.

If Dryzl were asked about the last time she saw someone cry, she would be hard-pressed to answer. And if she were asked about the last time she cried, there would be no answer. And yet here was Akio, trained assassin and technically her enemy, sat there and cried. Really cried, too. For the first time since they met, he looked so vulnerable and..."human", as the nah Swerr would say. What do I do? Comforting was not her expertise, so she remained quiet, averting her eyes for privacy until he came over to sit next to Dryzl.

His next words jolted the woman, and she realized that, here and now, she could change the course of this young man's life. Such power was not normally hers, so Dryzl proceeded with the utmost caution.



Walking over, she knelt down next to Akio and placed a hand on his kneecap. "You can make up for all the lives you took; or at the very least try to make the galaxy better. Use your skills for something good -- but it is going to be hard. Akio, you have been an assassin from a very young age; you cannot simply change that overnight. But starting down that path now will be a good start." Dryzl looked closely at him, her red eyes attempting to convey what she meant. "Csan veo ch'an'cun'i rot'sah. Ch'islah ror. Vim ch'acur veo vun'ur. Do you know what that means? It means 'Keep your chin up, walk on, and remember your honour.' My father used to tell me that, when life was dark. Keep your chin up, Akio, and if you retain your honour you will become a much better man."

 

[Akio Diachi]

<iframe width="372" height="279" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VoaUYcwEpSw"frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


When she touched him it sent a chill up Akio's spine. The only time people had touched him before, but now--now it was different. There were not words to describe how it felt. Calming. Peaceful. Gentle. Soothing. These things just seemed to tap into the surface of an ocean he felt. He subconsciously put his bloodstained thin hand on hers. She was so close he could feel her warm breath on his skin. Then he remembered, I am a murderer. I am a killer. A thief of lives and a destroyer of innocence. And again, he was reminded what his meaningless life he had.

If you retain your honor you will become a much better man.

The words were kind, well meant and plucked a sweet chord in his soul that had never resonated before. For a second his hope, his purpose lifted. But you are still a murderer, a killer. You deceived yourself for years, calling it art. Now you cannot escape the truth. It glares at you in the eyes, this is all you are. Its all you ever will be.

"There is no honor in making widows and orphans," Akio said hollowly. "I have no honor."

His other hand gently teased the knife on his belt. There was an easy solution. It would stop the pain of so many others. And I could bring the worst killer I know to justice--myself. That was when he looked in Dryzl's glowing eyes for the first time. The worlds seemed to stand still. His pointless life, the pain, he would redeem it. He knew he needed to. Not for himself, not for his victims, not for justice, and not for the Masters, but for her. I will be the man she deserves or I will die trying.

He stood up slowly, helping [member="Erud'ryz'ladre"] to her feet. "All my life I have chosen to believe a lie. All my life I have killed without question. I have stood for nothing and I have fought for everything. I murdered--slaughtered whole villages without blinking an eye and I lied, saying it didn't bother me." He gripped her hand tighter without realizing it and his eyes narrowed, "Tonight I bring justice. And when this is over," his eyes flickered with resolve, "We will bring justice to the ones responsible for their deaths."

He took several quick strides to the speeder, "We have no time to lose, they will be waiting for him. On the way, I need you to find the name of his child. Someone is going to need to look after her now that she has no father."

When she climbed in, he placed his hand on hers and looked in her eyes. There was so much to be said, so much he wanted to express, but the words escaped him. He couldn't find them. He didn't even know if they existed. He spent several seconds trying to find them. How can I tell someone they saved my soul? How can I say they are my purpose for existing now? How can I tell them that my every purpose is to be worthy of the hope they have in me? How can I say your eyes are kind as a godess' and your hair flows like a river? How can I say your spirit is the balm of my soul? How can I say your my everything?

"Thank you," Akio said at last. "Thank you."

Akio reluctantly tore his hand from hers and started the speeder. It roared away to the target--life would never be the same now. This was anything but standard.

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

To say Dryzl was rather...well, rather taken aback by Akio's reaction to her words would be an understatement. The amount of emotion in the air, not only from him but from her as well, was something she'd never encountered before. It almost sent her into shock, trying to process the fact that in a day she'd managed to make someone's life at least a little better. Even so, there was not much she could say when he thanked her, still feeling the pressure from his hand on hers. Instead, she gave a nod and looked down at her datapad as the speeder took off, reverting into her usual stiff, almost robotic manner as she processed what happened.

It wasn't long, though, before his words sank in and her brain began to function properly again.

For the first time since meeting him that morning, the Chiss felt a glimmer of...something. She couldn't define it, the word wasn't in her vocabulary, but the closest she could ascribe it to was, perhaps, pride. Not in herself, but in Akio, for choosing to turn his life around. Others might have doubted the veracity of his turnaround, but Dryzl always prided herself in being able to trust her instincts. And her instincts told her that, for now at least, Akio was sincere in wanting to become better.

Her brain also attempted to rationalize why, of all people, it was she who, for lack of a better word, saved Akio. It was hard for her to accept the fact that she may very well have been a very pivotal and important person in his life, as Dryzl did not have a very large ego. Confidence? Yes, but only in things which she was certain of. Perhaps it was the straw that broke the bantha's back, she thought. Perhaps. But she wasn't about to ask.

It was then that two things occurred to her: one, her standoffish manner, particularly after Akio basically gave her his confession, might have hurt the other Chiss and damaged his resolve -- something which Dryzl did not want. (Why do I care? I should not care, but I do.) And two, they had over two hours of drive (speeder?) time ahead of them, even at a top speed.

"I have the coordinates for the estate, so when we get closer I'll direct you there," Dryzl said suddenly, belatedly realizing that it probably wasn't the best conversation starter. After clearing her throat awkwardly, she tried again.

"I...am sorry for my- my lack of reaction. It is not often that I...that someone..." she trailed off, trying to determine how to express her thoughts.

Attempt number three.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4gxpqlqQOY[/media]​

"When I was still at the Academy, on Csilla, I had a cousin. An older cousin. She had served for the Sith as a soldier, and worked in the same branch I wanted to go into -- the army. I was trained from the moment of birth to be a soldier, and it was the only way I knew. My whole family was involved with the military, some way or another." Her hands gripped the fabric of her pants, a slight frown on her face.

"I rarely got to see my cousins, not even the ones in the Academy with me. Being an only child, I was often lonely, but my cousin would always keep me company when she visited. I would always look forward to her coming, because she would share stories about life on the front, and at night I would imagine fighting next to her, bringing honour to my family, and keeping our people safe.

"But as the months went on, she appeared more...bitter. Her stories were no longer filled with heroism; rather, I gathered that she was tired of the fighting, of war. It was then that I realized I did not want to be in the army, or the military -- I wanted to protect people, yes, but I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to be a soldier."

She looked out the window of the speeder, self-conscious about her story. "The only honour in fighting is if it's for the people you care about, if it's for a good reason. After graduating, I packed up my things, bid my parents farewell, and travelled abroad as a bodyguard. I haven't spoken more than two or three times to my family since then, even less since my parents passed." Dryzl lifted a hand briefly, leaning over slightly -- but withdrawing, as if afraid of the outcome. Instead, she sighed. "I guess, what I am trying to say is, you are not alone in this. In redeeming yourself. Our situations are different, I know, but..." She trailed off. "Nevermind." The Chiss's eyes went back down to her datapad. "I will be unable to locate Chief's child until we meet with Olivia, as she'd be able to give us his name."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio listened to Dryzl. Outwardly he was cautiously watching the road, gripping the steering yoke, with his foot pressing the petal to the max. Inside he was hanging on every word she said. That you do what? That someone does what? Akio's mind screamed. He wanted swerve off the road and question her until he knew. He wanted to sweep her off her feet and carry her to somewhere safe instead of the hell he knew they would be going into. He swallowed hard. He never would have known that she was so distant from her family or in such pain. I wish I could take that pain away. I wish I could re-write the past, you never would have been alone. I would have watched over you I would have-- Akio shook his head and gripped the wheel. You can't fix that. You can't change our pasts. But you can make the present better.

He reached over and softly gripped her forearm. It was warm and gentle with beautifully smooth skin like shimersilk. It made him smile softly.

"I never knew my family," Akio said softly, trying to console her. "I understand what it feels like to be alone. To be lost in a crowd full of people. To have no one and nothing to call home or your own." He paused. He had no idea what he was doing. This was all new ground. I will do for her what she did for me. I will. She deserves it. "Maybe when this is over you can help me find them. And we could both start over."

He had no clue what he was saying but he prayed to the masters it was working. It wasn't until they reached the estate a few hours later that he took his hand off Dryzl.

Climbing out he scanned it in the darkness. Several lights illuminated the elegant estate enough to see the basics of what it was. His trained eye saw under it for what it was; a rich person's military base. Several embankments supported sniper nests, surface to air missiles, and machine gun nests. There were places for death traps, alarms, the most advanced security systems money could buy, and guards were posted on moving and stationary patrols. It was pretty clear this Olivia was dealing more than art. This is a one-way trip. There is no coming out of this. Not with the weaponry we have.

Akio turned to [member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]. He took a long, honest look at her face, drawing closer to her. He doubted he would see it again in this world. She was the only good thing in his life, the best thing that had ever happened to her and it had been so brief he almost missed it.

"Stay here," he said softly in her ear. "If I don't come back--" he hesitated. Say it! Say the words you mean. He licked his lips. I don't know how. The it gushed out too fast for the Chiss to stop himself, "If I don't come back, just know you are someone worth fighting for. Someone worth living for. I can't watch you die and I can't risk your life. Find someone who will treat you right. Never--never let them go. And don't," he stopped, gritting his teeth, "Please--don't forget--about me."

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Dryzl glanced over briefly, faint surprise on her face as Akio gripped her arm gently. Contact did not necessarily make her uncomfortable, but she'd never had someone touch her like that -- with warmth. "When this is over, yes," she replied softly. "But it might be too late for me to start over." Though she did not shrug off his hand, Dryzl also did not engage in any more conversation, preferring instead to be left to her own thoughts.

How strange life was, when someone she viewed as an enemy -- a monster -- would, as the light waned, spark a connection and instigate a reaction from her which few people had been privy to before. It must be the situation, she thought. Two rather lonely souls, one going through a transformation, and both on their way to uncertain death. After we are through, he will go about his way, and I shall return to the Havoc Squad -- for now, at least. It saddened her to think that, for she was beginning to grow rather fond of Akio, but despite her earlier words Dryzl had little faith in happy endings. Those who got such endings were not people like her, people who were just another speck in the universe.

But, she decided, it did feel nice to have his hand on her arm. I shall enjoy the moment, then.

Finally, they pulled up to the estates and Dryzl hopped out with Akio. The sun had just set, but she had very little difficulties in seeing in the dark -- one of the perks of being a Chiss, though she rarely gave thought to it. Like Akio, she'd already picked out the various defensive mechanisms of the estates, and opened her mouth to give voice to a vague idea...but he beat her to the punch. The context, though, was very different.

Dryzl scowled at him, her red eyes searing him with a rather indignant look. "If you expect me to stay here like a pathetic nah Swerr ch'itkust k'sio'ten, I suggest you think again." His words sounded an awful lot like someone expecting to die, and she would not allow that. She could not allow that -- too many lives were already gone. "I am coming with you, Mr. Diachi, and that is that." The Chiss moved around him to get a better look at the estates. "I do not have a gun, but that can be easily remedied by luring one of the guards to a remote enough area -- and then it will be a simple matter of disarming him or her and taking any useful items."

 

[Akio Diachi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQo1ZblkTaQ


"Its not too late for you," Akio whispered softly, but he didn't know if she heard it--or if he was even ready to have something like that said yet.
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Akio didn't know what that meant, but he could piece together a basic idea. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't have time to argue and right now she was making him angry. She might die. Doesn't she get that? This is an assassin's job. There is no coming back from this one. She isn't even armed! Can't she see the odds here? This is the type--he looked in Drzyl's resolved eyes. There wasn't a chance in this galaxy of changing her mind. Akio clenched his jaw and shook his head. At least its a little more time with her. But if she was going, he had some stipulations. "We take no prisoners. We show no mercy. No second chances; we don't have the numbers to afford it. Don't take any stupid risks. If things get passed--if we need to run, don't look back for me. And don't wait. Just get on the speeder and save yourself. No exceptions."

He motioned for her to follow as quiet as she could and handed her one of his two knives. It did them no good if he had all the weapons. He prayed to the dead gods her stealth was as good as her looks. Shut up, for masters' sake stop doing that. With a deep exhale he willed whatever that was in his mind to shut off and to become the heartless killer again. A guard rounded one of the corners. Perfect. Stalking towards it low to the ground like an animal hunter, Akio crept through the tall grass. Akio came near the outer wall, skirting the spotlight-like fixtures that sporadically covered the outskirts of the compound. The human turned to a door and began entering the passcode, his key card and retnal scan. Fortune favors the patient. When the door slid open Akio sprang, his palm ramming the base of the man's skull, rupturing his spinal chord and killing him instantly. The body fell and Akio twisted into the doorway. A guard preoccupied with his datapad standing idly by the door looked up. He saw Akio's hand come down on his skull, splitting it open under the skin, snuffing his life out. Another across the small courtyard raised his rifle to fire, Akio spun around without thinking, hurling his knife. It cut through the air, singing as it spun right into the Duro's windpipe.

Akio looked across the courtyard. It was clear. There was a small fountain in the center that bubbled with the joy of a toddler, despite the carnage it had just witnessed. The three other walls that surrounded it were filled with large archways, hemming the courtyard in a perfect square. Akio pulled a knife off the nearest dead guard as he motioned for [member="Erud'ryz'ladre"] to enter, "Pick a weapon or three. I will follow your lead."

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

The muscle in her jaw twitched, but she said nothing, simply giving a curt nod of acknowledgement. She did not like killing, preferring to incapacitate when necessary -- but she understood, too, that in a situation like this beggars could not be choosy. So, gripping the knife in her hand, she followed Akio.

When it came to things like knives, swords, or any type of blade weapons, Dryzl was not very good. She preferred guns, things that could shoot -- or, if it came down to it, her own fists. Which meant that, until she got a gun, Akio would have to do most of the work. How bittersweet, she thought. At least I can match him in stealth. How embarrassing that would be, to prove him right by attracting attention.

And, without further ado, Akio had three men dead already. Though Dryzl had seen a decent amount of fighting and death, there was something different about watching the other Chiss. It was like seeing a dying star, his killing -- horrific and tragic....but at the same time rather beautiful, and hard to draw her eyes away from. It also scared her a bit, how cold he could be. It reminded her of her time in the Red Ravens, how cold and merciless some of the individuals would get. But the woman said nothing, simply stepping out of the shadows when he was done and quickly moving to the man with the rifle. In expert time, she had the rifle and its ammo slung over her shoulder, and even strapped on the back-up blaster pistol. Her red eyes darted over the body for a second. Body armour? No, it would only slow her down, so she left it.

Erud'ryz'ladre did, however, grab one of the guards' comm, tossing that to Akio. "So we can keep an ear on their movements," she explained. She then stooped to pick up the datapad (hers was tucked away on her person). "Oh, good. The schematics of the house are already pulled up." Tapping the screen a bit, she moved next to the assassin so that he could get a good look. "It appears that they have Olivia stashed in her bedroom...which is located in the centre of the house. Smart move, on their part, but bad for us." Dryzl chewed on the inside of her cheek, thinking.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio caught the comm but said nothing as he looked over the schematics. A lesser assassin would have expressed displeasure, or emoted in some manner at the challenge, however when working he was cold and analytical.

The routes of the house stretched from this room like fibrous roots. The ways to it were numerous possibilities, but each was guarded by a variety of checkpoints. Even with his cunning and skills of killing without being noticed, they would never make it there in time. His finger traced a shorter route from the room, directly down and to the south, running underground to a broad bunker-like encampment outside the compound's walls. The tunnel was larger, re-enforced, and a few access tunnels ran directly into it for maintenance, bypassing most security. A fallout shelter? He shook his head. An underground hangar. But its heavy blastdoor to her room could only be opened from the other side.

His eyes searched for the right place to ambush. That was when he saw something even better.

"Move to the hangar area here, prepare to ambush and capture on her retreat, I will give her a reason to get there, don't worry you will know it when you hear it." he looked in Dryzl's eyes. "Be careful." A strange feeling started creeping into him. The same one that had surfaced everytime he looked at her. It took all his will power to swallow it down and move away from her. "Hurry."

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The route to the tibina gas room was not too difficult. The access routes did not even require a security card. A severe oversight.

In the center of the room a massive, disgusting rusting machine processed the volatile gas, turning it into power for the rest of the house. It was renewable, cheep, and reliable. Akio's dagger rammed into one of the guard's skulls while his right heel went back in a spine-shattering ax-kick. Both fell dead. The Chiss marched up to it and began climbing to the main control valve. He twisted it wide open to chamber three closing the other two. Sweat started beading on his forehead. If he did this wrong, the entire compound would go up in a ball of fire. I can't do that to Dryzl.

Twisting over to the ignition switch he turned it completely off and rounted it directly to chamber one. With a bound and flipping off a set of pipes he made it to the pressure safety valves. Twisting each knob he turned them all off. Dials indicated as the massive vat that made up chamber three began to fill rapidly with tibina. Sweat poured off Akio's nose. TIming was everything. He flipped off the scaffolding and routed the emergency overflow pipes from chamber three to one and two. Almost--

A blaster blot scorched Akio's back, right between his shoulder blades, sending him on his face and searing pain through his body.

"I think we found and secured the energy flux, Spanner," said one of the three guards, "Huh? No, no need to tell her. But it might be a good idea to move her anyway, just to be safe. Security breach. What? I don't know tell her what ever you have to, just get her to the hangar."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

"You, too." We must both make it out alive. After Akio left, Dryzl set to work.

Before heading to the hangar, she first synced up the guard's datapad with her own -- that way, she only had to carry one. And this way I can track his progress, too. The tracker was, after all, still in his arm and they had yet to use up all 80 hours of surveillance. That done, she then pilfered another com from the second guard, and moved out.

Rifle primed for shooting, she began to move out, dredging up all of her training and experience. Dryzl the bodyguard worked in concert with Erud'ryz'ladre, the Chiss Academy graduate and 2nd-place rank in the ground assault training sequences (she would have been first, but her focus was more on protecting her teammates than they were on racking up points).

Shortly after leaving the door, she ran into a group of three soldiers, obviously not expecting a Chiss wielding a rifle to pop up. She managed to disable them in quick order...but despite what Akio ordered, she did not take their lives. Instead, she had set her rifle to stun, and as the last one slumped to the floor Dryzl quickly moved forward. After disarming and securing the three, she dragged their bodies into a closet and continued on. The second group wasn't even a group, it was a pair, but she did the same to them.

However, one had been faking it, and as she moved to disarm him he jumped up and attempted to attack her.

Dryzl's instincts and close-quarters combat training kicked in. Like their culture, Chiss hand-to-hand was swift, efficient, and lacked all of the flashy manoeuvres present in other forms of combat. Thus, she incapacitated the guard quickly enough, but not before incurring a bruise on her cheek and a blow to her abdomen.

After tying up the two guards (and making sure they were still unconscious), the Chiss took a moment to catch her breath and check her location. She was close to the hangar, just a couple more hallways and she'd be there. I hope Akio's managed to get to where he wanted. From his words, she assumed he planned on making an explosion -- Reason enough to move, she thought, amused.

Looking at the ground schematics again, she quickly located a gas room. That must be where he's headed. It would make the most sense to explode, since it had the most volatile materials and would obviously put a dent in any escape plan. But peeking at the tracker made her frown. What is he doing? Why isn't he--

"This is the Eagle's Nest, over. We are relocating the Egg, all squads need to be on alert and ready to move out." Eagle's Nest? Egg? These men are military wannabes, she realized, rather snarkily. Clearly, someone else thought so too.

"Captain, I understand the need for discretion, but for heaven's sake do you have to be so...ridiculous about it?" There were more muffled voices, but there were only two things which occupied her attention. One, the voice had to have been Olivia, and they were moving her out. Which meant she had to move quickly.

Two, and more importantly, there was no explosion, and nothing else to indicate Akio had succeeded. Something has happened, she thought with a chill, and I must choose between completing the mission or coming to his aid.

 

[Akio Diachi]

((Soundtrack for this part...... right here))

"I think he's dead."

"There's no way he would have survived, I scored him good."

'You wanna bet spinal chord damage took him out."

"Feth, I saw his finger twitch, he's not dead!"

"That's just rigermortis setting in."

Two of the guards stood over his body discussing it. Akio felt pain pulsing over him, but that was not why they were still alive. He knew death was coming, he was going to die, there was no hope of escaping now. He was fine with that. A death to protect Dryzl is a good death indeed. Justice would be served as well to the worst murderer I know. Then it hit him she's not leaving without me.

"His arm it twitched-he's not dead!"

Akio's leg swept both of them off their feet. He hurrled his knife, in mid air it lodged itself in one's trachea. His leg came down on the other's skull, it splattered across the floor. One of the guards at the door raised his comm unit, screaming, "We have a hostile, hostile! Requesting back up. Evac, evac, e--"

A flying spinning back-kick silenced the young, panicking human. Akio drew the man's dagger and began sprinting down the corridor as fast as his legs would carry him. Akio ducked behind a blastdoor as it closed. The explosion roared, deafening the Chiss. The door was ripped from its hinges, sending both of them bouncing. He grunted with each fall, finally landing on a pile of rubble. He unsteadily rose to his hands and knees. Blood ran down from his bleeding mouth, several cuts, burns, and lacerations pocked his skin. A ragged peice of metal shrapnel had lodged itself in Akio's thigh. He grit his teeth an removed it with a roar. A new weapon.

His free hand fumbled with the comm. The need to know this is not over. Dryzl needs to know I am still alive. He leaned back against a crumbled wall, smearing the blood from his mouth across his face and forearm, "This is death unit. I will not stop until I peal the flesh off your bones and feed it to the carion as you beg for mercy. The blood of innocents are on your hands. You. Will. Die."

Rising unsteadily, Akio began limping towards the target. The good assassin does not quit.

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

((And for you xD))

Save Akio, or bring Ms. Darque to justice. The thoughts swirled back and forth in her mind, and her red eyes again looked at the datapad. What if there was a way to do both? What if there was a way to get Akio and cut off Olivia? Perhaps....? The brief glimmer of hope vanished as quickly as it appeared, though -- if she went after Olivia first, she would have no guarantee that Akio would still be alive. If she went after Akio, Olivia would almost certainly get away.

Rescue the self-redeemer, or bring justice to the damned? Her problem was, she was too loyal. Dryzl was always loyal to a mission she thought worthy, but she'd also developed a sense of loyalty to Akio, damn him.

Be a saviour, or be a hero.

"We have a hostile, hostile! Requesting back up. Evac, evac, e--" came crackling across her radio. Surprised, she looked down at it.

"Vun'bicn hah sea," she whispered, unsure of what it meant. Did he..? Only one way to find out. With a grim look on her face, Erud'ryz'ladre squared her shoulders, and began to move.

By now, the halls were filled with more soldiers, undoubtedly because of the transfer and because of... because of that other thing. She couldn't think of it, it would distract her. Instead of twos and threes, they were fours and fives, sixes and sevens. But it was much easier for one person to manoeuvre than a group, and there was a possibility, a futile possibility which drove her.

And they say, a man, or in this case, a woman, with everything to gain is more dangerous than one without.

But she was not without hits. Burns from near-misses marked her body, though they were nothing a bit of bacta wouldn't fix. Dryzl marched on, though every corridor devoid of Akio was another hit to her resolve. What if he...was killed? What if they discovered the tracker, and were luring her into a trap? She had already wasted precious seconds, and by now the other men she'd incapacitated were discovered. Was this a suicide mission?

"This is death unit. I will not stop until I peal the flesh off your bones and feed it to the carion as you beg for mercy. The blood of innocents are on your hands. You. Will. Die."

Her breath caught in her throat. Thought the words worried her -- he was about to undo the small amount of redemption that he'd began! -- she still felt relief. That was Akio! He was alive! In a rush, she set the rifle down and once again Dryzl pulled up the tracker. He was near! And moving towards the target, it looked like. Switching over to the schematics, she allowed herself a small, brief grin. She could meet up with him, or even go around and create a pincer movement. The Chiss put the datapad away, picked up the rifle and--

"Drop your weapons, nice and slow, and kick 'em over. Then turn around, hands above your head." Stiffly, Dryzl did as she was told. How in the world did they manage to sneak up on me?

A Cathar male aimed a pistol at her head, and behind him three other soldiers (two males and a female) had their rifles pointed in her direction. "You're part of this 'death unit', aren't you?" She said nothing, so he continued. "I'll take that as a yes. No matter. The boss'd wanted to keep this hidden from Darque, but it's a little late for that." He grinned at her, a mean grin which had no warmth, compassion, or anything. "Which is good news for me, because that means you get to come with us -- as insurance. I doubt your buddy would leave you to die, right?"

No, he wouldn't. "Yes, he would. They all would."

"Uh huh. We'll see about that." With that, he came over and handcuffed her arms behind her back. The Chiss didn't resist -- with three other guns aimed at her, point-blank, there was nothing she could do. "Alright, fellas, let's go meet with the Egg."

 

[Akio Diachi]

(This was the only soundtrack I could find that was even SLIGHTLY epic enough for this post)

Akio's body lurched slowly through the cracked halls. He had been brought again six inches from death, and now he was toeing the line. It wouldn't have been hard to follow him--not that Akio was even trying to hide his advance. Between the trail of dead bodies and the dribbles of his own blood, even a blind Wequay could have followed him. Akio's knife flashed again as he stabbed another guard in the throat and let it fall to its death. His cold discipline was hardened, this time not by the will to survive but by the will for justice. I will lure this target to its position, Dryzl will kill it--or I will.

The comm unit was wild with activity. The guards were calling out to each other, trying to sweep the place and secure Olivia. He turned a corner, the passage was blocked. Akio hobbled around, up a set of stairs and down a few halls. His body begged for mercy, but Akio pressed through the pain. Then he stopped in his tracks. A few weapons were scattered on the floor, Akio picked up a black hair from one of them and sniffed it. It smelt of soft flowers and the gentle rain. Dryzl. The have her.

Akio grit his teeth and buried his fingers in his palms. He had a second play. But only one more. He knew he had sworn to redeem himself, to be a better man, to gain honor, but now--all that mattered was getting Dryzl back. And he would do whatever it took to do it

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The teenage boy struggled against the rags binding him to the chair. Akio watched with cold eyes. The boy was 17, judging by the looks, he was Olivia's kid brother. He hadn't put up much of a fight and the guards who had been escorting him were dead in seconds. Akio leaned in towards the frightened human. The Chiss knew he was a terror to look at right now; soaked in blood of seven different races, blood still trickling from the edges of his mouth, fresh burns marking large swaths of his flesh. The deathstare in the red eyes only made it worse.

"This is death watch, put Olivia-or the egg-on the line," Akio demanded, "if she wants to see her brother alive again, she will obey."

There was a moment before the woman's voice came on the line, "You're bluffing."

Akio ungagged the hostage.

'Please, Oliva, don't let him hurt--" the teen began pleading.

Akio shoved the gag back in the human's mouth, "Convinced now?"

There was a long worried pause, "What do you want?"

"Your men captured a female Chiss operative. I want you to leave her and a comm unit in the hanger, where I can hear her," Akio looked at the surface to air missile turret directly over head. He had checked, its battery was still operative enough for two more shots. "If you agree, I will let you live. Harm her," Akio paused, "and I will send you a holovid illustrating how skilled my surgeon is without anesthesia." He paused, "Do we have an agreement?" he paused, "Let me hear her voice."

Akio had nothing left to live for. He never had anything to live for in the first place. Now that he did, he wasn't about to let it go without a fight. No matter the cost, he would protect [member="Erud'ryz'ladre"] even if she hated him for it. I am sorry, Dryzl. I am so, so sorry but I cannot lose you. Not now. And not like this.

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Earlier.

The guards led Dryzl to the group that was moving Olivia towards the hangar. The men hadn't been rough, but they certainly weren't gentle.

The Chiss gave the human woman a once-over. Brown hair, light green eyes, and a fair complexion all gave testimony to the Laveaoux blood running through her veins. But those light green eyes were nothing but bitter dots, judging Dryzl and giving nothing more than a hand wave when the Cathar explained what was going on.

As they walked towards the hangar, Olivia gave the Chiss an aloof, if slightly perplexed look. "You and the other Chiss split up."

Nothing.


"The male, he killed anyone that crossed his path. You left everyone alive, if slightly bruised. Why?"
Still nothing. "Come now, you can't possibly tell me you are able to work with a cold-blooded killer, and yet still be a softie." This time, Dryzl gave her a long, cold look. The human scowled slightly, her attempts to get the Chiss to open up thwarted for the moment.

"Ma'am, you shouldn't talk to the prisoner."




"Oh, what is she going to do? She's handcuffed, and there's at least a dozen of your people here. With guns."




That shut up the captain, and their walk continued on for a little longer in silence. Then, "Why did you have Mrs. Laveaoux murdered? She was your grandmother."

A few of the soldiers jumped in surprise when Dryzl spoke, but Olivia took on a new air. Sneering at the blue woman, she snapped, "Because that old biddy took my husband, that's why. She didn't like him, and had him killed. I was just giving her a taste of her own medicine."

"But there must be more to that. She wouldn't simply eliminate an individual because she didn't like him. Was he--"

"Shut up!" Olivia barked. "The witch was unhappy because Dante wasn't from a noble family, and didn't want any 'poison' in her bloodline. Now stop talking!"

Dryzl abided by her wishes, and stayed quiet for the rest of the trip.

Present.

"Where is he? He should be here by now!" Olivia was pacing in the hangar, while Dryzl was kneeling on the floor. Her red eyes tracked the human, so much so that she snapped, "Make her stop looking at me!"

The Chiss was proud that she didn't make a single noise when the soldier smacked her. Even so, her cheek was throbbing again, and she didn't like it.

"This is death watch, put Olivia-or the egg-on the line, if she wants to see her brother alive again, she will obey."

Olivia's and Dryzl's heads snapped up instantaneously. Brother? Olivia has a brother? Olivia, meanwhile, snatched a com out of the hand of the captain. "You're bluffing."

There was a pause, and then an adolescent voice came on. ''Please, Oliva, don't let him hurt--" Olivia's nostrils flared, and she and her captain spoke together in frantic whispers.

"What do you want?"

"Your men captured a female Chiss operative. I want you to leave her and a comm unit in the hanger, where I can hear her. If you agree, I will let you live. Harm her," Akio paused, "and I will send you a holovid illustrating how skilled my surgeon is without anesthesia." He paused, "Do we have an agreement?" he paused, "Let me hear her voice."

Oh, Akio! Though she stayed silent, Dryzl felt her heart twist. What was he thinking?! He was dragging a child into this! For a moment, despair threatened to choke her. Here she was, thinking he had started to change, thinking she could trust him to not bloody his hands more than he needed to-- but no, it had been too soon for her to expect that. He must have been playing her, all along.

But why hold a hostage for me? There was only one way out of this. She would not let Akio sacrifice what little advances he'd made just to save her. They barely knew each other, and he had so much more potential. Olivia, meanwhile, stalked over to her hostage, her green eyes cold and bitter once more. "Here she is. Talk."

"Akio, listen to me. This isn't right. Free the boy, and go. I will be fine." She paused, but before she could give him time to protest she continued. "Csan veo ch'an'cun'i rot'sah. Ch'islah ror. Vim ch'acur veo vun'ur. Remember, Akio? If you go through with this, you will truly be a monster."

 

[Akio Diachi]

You will truly be a monster.

The words echoed in Akio's skull like nothing else. He lowered his eyes and looked at the teen's begging, pleading eyes. The teen did nothing wrong. He was just collateral damage. The wrong place at the wrong time. So were the many guards he had killed today. So were many of his targets. He had a long list of collateral damage. Their faces flashed before his eyes. Akio's knees faltered as he replayed in vivid detail every case of collateral damage he ever had. It was gruesome, it was horrible--it was who he was and what he had done.

"I already am a monster," Akio said tenderly, as he gripped the comm. "And I am not leaving without you. The things I have done cannot be erased but I can save you, Dryzl, like you saved me. The only chance we have. I won't let them take you from me. I was willing to die for you in the reactor--in the halls, in everywhere, but don't die on me. Not now and not like this," He wiped a tear from his blood-soaked cheek as he sank backwards against the wall. Akio's damaged leg was grateful. "I finally have something worth living for. I never did before I met you but now-now that you're here-I don't know what you've done to me but I don't want to live without you. I can't lose you. That would be worse than death, worse than anything I have ever been through before." he took a deep breath and steadied his voice. He realized he was doing this over the open comm. His stance as a deadly, soulless killer was gone. They knew he had something to lose here and he couldn't let that happen. "They will not take you from me, Dryzl. I-I won't--let them. I--I will protect you. Give the Comm back to Olivia." Akio took a moment to steady his nerves. The fate of his life, of her's depended on the next statement.

"What?"

"You have five minutes to be off this rock. If she is not in that hanger alive, I will not murder your brother here." he took a deep breath, feeling the cracked ribs on his side protest. "I will find everyone who ever meant anything to you. I will capture them. And I will imprision them. Then I will find you and I will put you with them," he let his words soak with such venom it would kill a bantha, "And you will watch. Them. Die. you think you know suffering? I will show you a new definition. I will show you what it truly means to loose everything. You have no idea what I am willing to do to rescue her." Akio looked at the human, "Five minutes. Counting."

Akio gripped the comm in one hand and the jagged, shrapnel knife in the other. He had never reacted out of rage before until now, he had never killed because of emotion. And now, he prayed to the masters, that he would have Dryzl safe again. If I don't, I have no doubt I would be lost again. This time, forever and worse than before. He eyed the fearful teen. Akio knew that if Dryzl died, he would have no remorse about cutting through dozens of humans and stacking their bodies like corkwood. "Please don't make me do this."

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Dryzl could feel the eyes of everyone on her, including the Cathar. "Looks like you were wrong about him leaving you," the soldier quipped, more out of nervous tension than anything else.

Her red eyes met his, and she said softly, "It appears to be worse than that." It was strange, being this important to someone -- important enough to let Olivia and her people go, to give up on the entire mission. I can't lose you. Nobody had told her that before, and it struck a chord in her, a chord that resonated with an unfamiliar sound. What is happening? Again, she wondered, How is it that I, a lowly soldier, have managed to save you, Akio?

"Indeed," Olivia said sharply, drawing the Chiss out of her thoughts again. Those green eyes were back on Dryzl, and their owner asked, "Will he keep his word? Give me an honest answer, or I'll have to violate that 'no harm' agreement."

"No need," the Chiss replied. "He will keep his word, so long as I am alive."

The woman studied her for a moment, eyes narrowed slightly as she gauged whether or not Dryzl was lying. "Then I guess we'll have to draw this to a close." She whispered to the captain, who gave a quick response, and lifted her radio to her mouth again. "How about a slightly different agreement? I want my brother with me when we leave -- so everyone in the hangar but my captain, myself and your operative (in the condition upon which she arrived) will be on the ship and out of the way. Bring my brother to the hangar, and I'll make sure no one shoots at you. Deal?"

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio grit his teeth. There was no winning here. Not conventionally. He didn't know exactly what to feel, and hostage rescue, though he could do it, in the condition his body was in, was almost impossible. But, then again, he still had the advantage. I am a known killer. Brutal at times, but efficient and ruthless. He wanted to charge in and kill them without abandon, rescue Dryzl and limp out with her. But he knew that she wouldn't want that. Not now, not like this, not ever again.

He glared at the teen, "Don't take this personally, please." He pressed the button down on the comm unit, "I get nothing killing your pathetic brother. His pleas for mercy were pathetic and frankly, you should be ashamed to be related to him. I have no reason to trust you--you hired me to kill your own grandmother. So be understanding if your word is shabla to me right now, di'kut," he reverted to Mandalorian cursing in his frustration. "If you think I am being too unfair, I will re-negotiate the deal. Let her walk out the front doors alone. If she isn't alone, or I sense even the slightest deception, I will kill him and you next. When I am satisfied and convinced with her safety, I will release the teen to you. If you don't like that one I can revert to the original deal, where now you have four and a half minutes to get in the ship and off the ground," he paused, "These are the only terms your getting from me, so pick or I will chose for you, you have thirty seconds."

Akio waited, wiping the sweat off his face. This was a tense game of Sabaac. He was gambling, he had no cards in his hands and more than money was at stake here. In truth, he was questioning if now he could kill the teen without remorse. before he knew he could, but now he was different with her. Akio was used to gambling with his life but he had never risked so much before.

"Alright, you have a deal."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akio watched from his hiding place as Dryzl walked right by. He got a good long look at her face from his position, but she couldn't see him. It was her. He waited and watched as she walked out the doors far into the darkness. He waited five minutes before stalking out after her. He pressed the comm unit on, "The boy is in the west wing in the room that was directly under the power generator. If you hurry you can get him before it caves in." He had to make sure they would be so focused on getting to the boy they would have no ability to gain revenge.

Hobbling, the wounded Chiss caught up to Dryzl. His heart pounded in his chest wildly as he got closer to her and their speeder. What do I say? How can I look at her after what I have done? Will she even be willing to look at me after what I have done? And what I look like? A monster. That's the truth.

"Dryzl, I--" he began, but the words fell short. There was no explanation. There was nothing.

He wasn't sure what happened next, but Akio's body lurched forward. He clung her tight to his body. The burns and scars on his chest and arms shrieked in protest but that didn't matter. He wracked with sobs and melted in her arms. Nothing about himself was obeying, his knees were weak and barely could stand, his arms refused to let go, and his lips were saying words he didn't understand between their kisses on her neck and he couldn't stop weeping, "I am sorry, Dryzl, I'm sorry. I almost lost you, don't do that to me again for feth's sake. Don't you understand? uma ji muna."

His ears faintly picked up the sound of a ship leaving the ground but Akio was too oblivious to everything but Dryzl to notice.

[member="Erud'ryz'ladre"]

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Dryzl rubbed her wrists as she walked out, glad that this had resolved itself finally. Was she pleased with letting Olivia go, especially since she hadn't truly gotten an answer out of her? No. But more deaths had been prevented, so surely Mrs. Laveaoux would be understanding. Then again, Olivia believed her grandmother also killed her fiancé...so who knows, really? At least her datapad was with her again.

Her body was sore from the burns, but the Chiss was not worried about them. They were flesh wounds, really, and the only thing which might need attention was her cheek. And my hair. Having it down was an irritant, and she couldn't wait to pin it back up again.

Funny how, after the danger abated, such trivial thoughts filled her mind.

As she walked towards the speeder, though, Dryzl frowned. Where was Akio at? Surely he wasn't still in there, intent on getting revenge. She had sworn he would leave them alone, and he'd even promised to back off. So where--

"Dryzl, I--"

She half-turned at the sound of her name, unprepared for the wounded, sobbing form of Akio Diachi. "Gwap," she exclaimed softly, more out of surprise than anything else.

The other Chiss clung to her, and she struggled under his weight as pressure was repeatedly applied to her neck. What--? Oh, heavens, was he kissing her? And, heavens, his clinging wasn't doing anything for her skin.

Wincing, Dryzl attempted to calm the onslaught of emotion he was throwing at her. "Akio, Akio-- Mr. Diachi!" With one hand, she physically separated his face from her neck, giving him a stern look. "Knock this off, or I shall henceforth refer to you as an ebeucot. Stop apologizing, please. Were you the one who caused those soldiers to capture me? Were you the one who had Olivia hire you to take out her grandmother? No. It was not your fault, now stop!" Dryzl was no expert or veteran to emotions like this, but she did know how to deliver tough love.

But she was not completely merciless. In a softer, gentler tone, she rubbed his cheek briefly and whispered, "Pull yourself together, ebeucot. Everything that has happened-- you're vulnerable, emotional. You need to center yourself, and calm down. It is imperative that we get you medical help."

 

[Akio Diachi]

And in a moment, it was gone. Akio's emotion filled-eyes hardened again to the cold, calculated assassin. Discipline. No emotion. Survival. That is all that matters. I was a fool to think otherwise.

"Your right." Akio opened the back of the speeder and pulled out the medical kit. His wounds had cauterized a long time ago, but he knew that without proper cleaning they would become infected and they hadn't been clean. He made note of several spots on his skin that had already stopped bleading where there was no exit wound for the rock fragments that had become lodged in his skin. His body was warning him that it couldn't sustain anymore blood loss. Akio grit his teeth as he sat in the passenger seat in the speeder with the kit. With careful precision from countless times of practice he began stitching his leg up. "I can give enough here to keep me alive until we reach the spaceport. There is a yatch in Theed that if you can get me to it has a full medical detail, bacta tank included."

He grunted as the needle pierced a burn mark along the rif. But the pain on his leg was nothing compared to the pain he felt inside. I was a fool. A fool to think that things could be--different. Akio began cleaning the wound area with a hyposray.
"Peace is a lie, there is only passion...." Akio began murmuring to bring himself consolation. But this time, it was little more than another painful distraction.

 

[Erud'ryz'ladre]

[member="Akio Diachi "]

Even a blind and deaf individual could tell she'd screwed up. Dryzl cursed herself for her mishandling of the situation -- no wonder her past lovers, few though they had been, always described her as "cold".

And "cold" was not what Akio needed.

Her red eyes watched the transformation from man to assassin, and again she cursed herself. How ironically terrible, if she the savior became she the executioner. With a sigh, Dryzl climbed into the driver's side of the speeder, but she did not start it yet. Instead, she sat there, contemplating her options. Right here, right now, was another pivotal moment. Another moment to push Akio towards a path of redemption, or further down a path of damnation. And, quite frankly, it scared her how much power she had, how much responsibility.

"When we get to Theed, I will stay with you until I am certain you are well enough to be on your own. There will be no arguing."

Dryzl reached forward, twisting the key. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but it was lost in the roar of the engine as they took off.