Private There's a canvas with two faces

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

The sliced shuttle broke atmosphere to give full view to the blackness of space. Dedata stood by the front next to the pilot droid. Normally the thing would be warning passengers to remain seated until they have reached their destination. However Dedata found them annoying so she had a habit of taking away their voice. Blocking part of the aisle was her speeder and somewhere behind her was Ivory. Though Dedata made little attempt to stir up conversation. Perhaps it was out of fear she might say something wrong. She sighed into the soundproofed helmet thinking; over thinking really. What do I say? Should I say anything? Being around people make make me anxious, the woman thought to herself. Yet they where going to her ship. It did not take long for the shuttle to slow down as it approached what looked like a piece of space trash, a badly put together mishmash of ships. Yet it was hers.

The docking port began to extend as the shuttle moved slowly into place. Once the sound of the locks had engaged Dedata turned the droid off using the switch under its chin. She stepped away from the front down the aisle turning on the repulsors to pull her bike. With a simple flick of her head as she looked at Ivory she gestured to follow. She walked down the docking port now pushing the speeder at the back A holographic light scanned Dedata up and down before the doors hissed open. Putting the Dullahan to one side inside the darkness of her ship she waited for ivory to step in. It was not completely dark, dim lights lined the hallway. Most would still find it hard to see further than a couple of meters down. Her hands moved to a panel that closed the door and disengaged the locks.

Welcome -PYLOT

Dedata took her helmet off, her eyes naturally was adjusted to the light levels in here. "Make sure to watch your head, and your feet." She said turning off the repulsors on her speeder. "It will be brighter in my centre. I do not actually use much of the ship, most of it has been turned into server farms. So if you are expecting a bedroom to yourself, then you are out of luck." Celty began walking down the hall way, ducking and stepping over wires. Quite a few walls lacked panels allowing anyone to see what was in those rooms. They would approach a door that looked different to the rest of them that they had passed. Placing her hand on the red screen it would bleep then turn blue. The door hissed open into a room filled with screens.

Though in here it was a different kind of mess. Normally she did not need to think about guests coming in. In fact Ivory is the first. In the centre was a large round bed with pillows all over. The back wall had a refrigerator and a few surfaces that had a Microwave, kettle then a massive pile of packet noodles. "The governor of Astrisa has recently received a large some of one hundred thousand credits from the Taj'ar blood syndicate. Reports are there is a surge in spice hitting the streets in the capital and kidnappings are happening in the remote towns." A digital voice said as Celty stepped into the room. "Slip the alliance a message with details of the transactions. Work on flooding the holo screens over the capital with a picture of the governor along side the wanted images of the four leaders of the Taj'ar with a message saying best friends for life."

The woman tossed her helmet onto the bed as she walked over to it unzipping the skin tight suit and took off the top half tying the arms around her waist. She had a tank-tee on covering herself but enough so to reveal her pale white skin that almost reflected the light. Celty turned around looking at Ivory "Make yourself comfortable and excuse the mess. As you can imagine, I do not really do... visitors." She said as the woman stretched her arms upwards and then flopped backwards onto the bed with a small bounce. "Dee open all files mentioning the name Drystan Marakos to the main screen minimized."

Celty sat up and shuffled over to the huge pile of pillows leaning against them. "I will delete them before you end up getting off however I would like to be able to go over them fully If I am to remain in your company, I would like to know the person I am getting into bed with, figuratively. You have my word that no remnants of the data will remain in a digital format, also I would like to keep my head on my shoulders." The woman tucked her hand under a pillow pulling out a hair tie. Brushing her hair back with her fingers she would Tie it up to keep the hair out of her eyes.

She looked to the woman again. "I... I suppose I should tell you my actual name. It's..." She took a deep breath and let out a shaky exhale. "It's um, Celty." Her voice became quiet, and timid as she spoke her own name. Her head would lower her eyes looking at the folds in her cover tin the space between her feet. "Please keep my name to yourself. Around anyone else or in a digital format its Dedata. It took years to become a ghost in all senses except spiritually. Many seek to find out who I am under the helmet. That alone is the biggest part of my reputation on the dark corners of the net."

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Ivory had chosen, on a whim, to forego her typical punk attire for a more elegant, business-like look - dressing more as her predecessor, the first Donna, might have. She was dressed in a skin-tight black skirt which reached just above her knees and black platform boots which offered a slight increase in height up to just over six feet tall. Her numerous tattoos were on display, though the dress was modest - in fact, down-right conservative.

Hanging just above her breasts, a tiny purple stone shone dimly against her bare skin: a Kyber Crystal set in a metal ring and strung up by a thin chain which wrapped around her neck. It glowed with its own internal violet fire like a tiny star. The simple necklace, alone, could have purchased an entire Capital Ship. On her head, Ivory was wearing a wide-brimmed lacy black hat which offered a modicum of mystery - cloaking her face in shadow if she tilted her head downward, concealing her violet gaze.

The cramped space in the shuttle didn't bother her. She contented herself with sitting quietly, admiring the curves of the Dullahan and casting glances up toward Dedata | Celty Ree , who was manning the small starship. As they began their final approach, The Donna rose from her seat and joined Celty at the front, watching through the viewport at the approach of... the... ship.

"If I were just passing by, I'd have missed it entirely." She quipped, giving her companion a smile. It was not meant rudely; she was genuinely impressed at how well-camouflaged the vessel was.

She followed, watching as DeData manuevered the powerful speeder bike through the access hatch and down the ramp. The dark interior of the ship gave Ivory the instant impression that DeData preferred to be alone... Other than the beeping & whirring of numerous comp consoles and hardware stacks, she assumed Celty did not often have visitors.

She didn't know she'd be the first person, outside of Celty herself, to set foot on the deck.

"Make sure to watch your head, and your feet." She said turning off the repulsors on her speeder. "It will be brighter in my centre. I do not actually use much of the ship, most of it has been turned into server farms. So if you are expecting a bedroom to yourself, then you are out of luck." Celty began walking down the hall way, ducking and stepping over wires.

Ivory nodded, following closely. She giggled inwardly, realizing that her assumption was correct - the woman was a loner.

The dim lighting gave her just enough illumination to walk. She deftly avoided a bundled strand of hanging wire, then stumbled - tripping over a piece of metal which had been hidden in shadow. She caught herself, nudging it aside with her toe.

"It's like a gigantic computer..." She said, but she wasn't sure if Celty was too far to hear - or whether she was actually listening.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ivory entered the hub of DeData's operation furtively - not expecting any big surprises, but purely because she didn't want to hang herself on another strand of wires or make another embarassing mistake and actually fall. The room was spacious, and she didn't mind the mess. The automated voice which greeted their entrance made her turn and regard the desk filled with Comp Screens with a look of interest.

A side-ways glance at Celty's instructions, then she watched as the directions were carried out. "That's... pretty cool." She muttered. "Quite the operation you've got going on."

As DeData flopped down onto the bed, Ivory grinned at the young woman then busied herself looking around the room, getting a feel for the layout.

"Dee open all files mentioning the name Drystan Marakos to the main screen minimized."

As the information began to populate, she stepped closer to the desk, leaning forward... watching what she'd always assumed to be data lost to the ages fill the screen on a small window. Her eyebrows rose. Yes. It was certainly... all there.

Jedi Shadow. Jyoti Nooran . Allyson Locke . The Battle of Commenor. The Family. A mission to infiltrate an Alliance vessel under the guise of a diplomatic attache, and obtain information necessary to build a resistance. A number of her other assignments. Her promotion to Underboss, then promotion to The Donna months later. Drystan's operations to bring The Family down, signing off on the arrests, the delivery of information vital to (almost) ending The Family's operations entirely. Drystan's disappearance and subsequent burn-notice - a disavowment of her existence, and separation from the SJO. To her, all ancient history.

She had to admit, the girl had done her homework.

Celty sat up and shuffled over to the huge pile of pillows leaning against them. "I will delete them before you end up getting off however I would like to be able to go over them fully If I am to remain in your company, I would like to know the person I am getting into bed with, figuratively. You have my word that no remnants of the data will remain in a digital format, also I would like to keep my head on my shoulders." The woman tucked her hand under a pillow pulling out a hair tie. Brushing her hair back with her fingers she would Tie it up to keep the hair out of her eyes.

Ivory turned, regarding Celty with an impassive gaze... listening to what she said. At the mention of the bed, her violet eyes flicked to the comfortable mattress and a smile tugged at the edges of her red lips. "So long as it never sees the light of day again. I'll answer any questions you have. I'd say I have nothing to hide... but that would be a bold-faced lie." A quiet, tinkling laugh escaped her as she moved away from the comp screens and sit down at the edge of the bed, near DeData's feet. She watched the girl in a relaxed fashion, accepting the offer of her private name with grace.

The Donna nodded.

"I'll keep your secrets if you keep mine. I... understand better than you realize. Anonymity is... Well. A necessity, for people like us."

She took a breath, then let out a sigh which had her shoulders sag. She decided now was as good a time as any.

"I... Um. I wanted to apologize."

"For... doing... what I did."

"In the moment, I was more concerned with protecting myself. Similarly to you. Except I would have gone much further to protect my identity. I understand, now, that you were only trying to convince me of your skills. I am actually impressed with what you've managed to accomplish, and I hope we can work together."

It was difficult, at first, to say... but she was telling the truth. She had wrestled with the remorse of hurting the girl and allowing The Dark Side to consume her for that brief moment - she knew, better than most, how sudden extreme emotions could tip a person over the edge.

She was thankful she hadn't killed the girl when she'd had the chance. She had been wrong... and she knew it.

But Information was the most valuable currency in the Galaxy. She imagined Celty would agree.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

Genesis (feat. Dana Jean Phoenix) - Nightcrawler

Her head lifted up to see the woman sat at the edge. "Thank you. It's weird. I have not told anyone that for, well since I was in my teens really." Her voice still quiet, yet given the space they where in and proximity each word would be clearly heard. Her head tilted a little at the slight pause in what Ivory was about to say. Call it pleasantly surprised she did not expect an apology. A woman like Ivory, well it came off as genuine but the same time not a common thing.

"I think I understand, and well I accept your apology. Honestly I am not one to talk to many people social norms as others would call it is just confusing. I have had one person executed using Jelucan authorities with fabricated evidence." She crossed her legs and pulled over a big pillow in the shape of a loth cat holding it in such a way it looked like she was hugging it.

"And well yeah my intention was to show off my skills. Dedata is not just a name, I know how and where to find dead data. Stuff that is in the cracks and buried, is the stuff where dirty secrets are kept. I'm and information broker, and good at it." Her voice started to sound move confident as she spoke. "Also I do not see why not. I have recently been finding out that working solo has its limits, and now you know who I am. That makes things complicated for me."

She Laid back into the pile of pillows feeling more relaxed, her guard lowering as Celty felt like she was not in any kind of danger. The woman reached over to get a pair of Pyjama shorts and tucked her waist under the covers for a moment to trade her body suit for them. The air in the room was refreshing as it hit her legs. Though the body suit kept her protected after been in it for several hours it becomes hot and sweaty. She would launch it over to towards a door, where it would slide and hit the wall beside it.

She looked over to the woman again, her head tilted a little as Celty just watched Ivory for a moment before patting the spot next to her. "You can get more comfortable you know." It felt strange to her, this place was her jungle, her domain of seclusion. Now someone else was here. Something that felt wrong to her, but not so bad all the same.

"Also to something you said earlier, the ship is just one big computer well two that barely holds together. I need a new ship but nothing I have came across so far would work for me as a short term. I have blueprints that I have edited, but its hard finding a shipwright that is not a corporation or seem trust worthy for such a project that is sensitive."

Every now and again the smaller screens changed what it was showing, information was constantly pouring in. It was not all sensitive stuff. Just useful to know or stuff that would be filtered and deleted later. One of the screens however was a little different in the sense that It never changed what it was showing. Without getting closer it was hard to read, but the title heading was clear. Felmax Security. The formatting was similar to how she set up the basic information she does on her datapad, but it was more in-depth.

"Anyway, you said I could ask questions. So why did you leave the silvers to join the family? I mean they have resources, they pay out well from what I've seen and out of all other governments seem the most stable on the surface. You can ask me stuff in return by the way, guess it would feel less like... umm... what's the word. Less like an interrogation. I mean you know my big secret so guess there is nothing else to hide."

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Ivory listened as the young woman spoke. A colored fingernail picked at one of the laces of her boot.

"I think I understand, and well I accept your apology. Honestly I am not one to talk to many people social norms as others would call it is just confusing. I have had one person executed using Jelucan authorities with fabricated evidence."

That sounded like quite the story. Ivory's brow furrowed, but she didn't pry deeper.

She watched as Celty shimmied under the covers to change, and smirked as the woman launched her bodysuit through the air. It struck the wall and landed. The girl had a good arm. The woman's trust seemed quite the change - handling the invasion of her sanctuary with better grace than Ivory had during their initial encounter. At Celty's offer that she get more comfortable, Ivory supressed a smile, reached up, and daintily removed the wide-brimmed hat which covered her hair (braided up neatly, rather than hanging free) and concealed her facial features. She set the hat down on the side of the bed and leaned backward on her hands.

"Also to something you said earlier, the ship is just one big computer well two that barely holds together. I need a new ship but nothing I have came across so far would work for me as a short term. I have blueprints that I have edited, but its hard finding a shipwright that is not a corporation or seem trust worthy for such a project that is sensitive."

So she had heard.

"Fascinating... I mean, it's not a bad ship. But..." She looked around the woman's sanctuary again. "It could use an upgrade. Maybe some artwork. A rug would be nice."

The lights of the different screens flickering sent dancing shadows around the room. They danced off The Donna's pale skin, creating a strange club-like atmosphere without the music. The constant sounds of the ship's internals, and beeping, whirring computers, was its own melody. She found herself relaxing... strangely comfortable.

"Anyway, you said I could ask questions. So why did you leave the silvers to join the family? I mean they have resources, they pay out well from what I've seen and out of all other governments seem the most stable on the surface. You can ask me stuff in return by the way, guess it would feel less like... umm... what's the word. Less like an interrogation. I mean you know my big secret so guess there is nothing else to hide."

At that, Ivory took a deep breath and sighed. She shifted slightly, fidgeting - the question made her uncomfortable. The Ancient Past was the Past for a reason.

"I... Um."

A tooth bit into her red lips and her brow furrowed, considering how best to answer.

She really wasn't sure how best to explain, and inwardly, she regretted the offer to answer whatever Celty asked. So, she decided to split the difference. Ivory stood up, wringing her hands. She paced in front of the woman's bed for a moment... back... and forth... obviously deep in thought and trying to formulate her words.

"When you put on that helmet... you kinda become somebody else, right?"

"Every time I put on a mask, I had to become somebody else... It was... The Job."

"But... The Family became more than just a job. It had nothing to do with credits, or resources, or power."

At first.

Ivory sighed again, stopping for a moment and touching her forehead with the back of her palm.

"I left... because..."

Because you couldn't admit you'd lost yourself.

"...I realized they wouldn't understand. You have to know, up until the end, I was fully committed to doing what I was sent there to do. After I... finished the Mission... I realized I could do more good for the Galaxy if I stayed where I was."

A half-truth. Hopefully, her lie was convincing enough to silence further questions.

A small voice, buried deep in the back of her mind, pulsed. It was giving her a headache.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

Essenger & Kazukii - Erased

Her eyes watched the woman as she paced back and forth. Celty remained quiet seeing that Ivory was thinking hard about the question, and when she began to speak Celty listened to the explanation that was been given. Maybe it was her knowledge of people behind the screens but her intuition told her there where cracks and bent facts in what Ivory said, but for now Celty could only accept what was said as Ivory's truth.

"When I put on that helmet, I don't really become anyone else. I am always who I am. Dedata is just a pseudo name. Much like authors who wish to keep their identity hidden. Helmet or not, I don't really talk to people, always hidden away. My world is always darker because outside of my screens, the light hurts my eyes, gives me migraines. Who I am is my true self, but I was not always like this."

She held onto her giant plush Lothcat placing her chin into its head. "My parents are actually rich people. They over the time of being raised by them kept trying to change me. I suppose some bits stuck. Father hated how much I spoke so I often was forced to my room most of the time. My presence was tolerated at social functions.

My mom hated how he treated me, well that's what she told me time and time again but never actually did anything. I knew what their plans for me was, by law I had to be given an education and after that they planned to marry me off to some guy. I don't even find guys attractive."

Celty would fall onto her side her vision zoning out. "I could have had a comfortable life. Secure, never worrying about money or wondering if I would have a roof over my head. Boarding school made me realise I did not have to become someone I am not. I found my element. Forged my grades went to a top college. I think my father was hoping I would see sense in his ideas. What I did not see sense in was giving up my own happiness for a comfortable life."

She focused her vision again and sat up with a very faint smile on her face. She'd grab one of her smaller pillows and threw it at ivory. "I don't get your trauma with what you had to choose between. I mean I asked that question because well I guess I saw a similarity in the information I already knew. I wanted to understand it a little better, maybe make me feel less alone about my choices I guess.

But by the sounds of it and pure guess so you can correct me if I am wrong. For a while you did not mind going undercover over and over again becoming a new person every few months. However you realised that who you were is not who you are. You can believe in what you was doing but along the way you found that spark that made you feel, screw the comfortable life, this here is what will make me happy. This is who I am this is the path I choose for myself." Celty used a lot of gestures as she spoke, her body language trying to add impact to the words she spoke. If Ivory was versed in reading body language she might just pick up on the fact that even her shoulders had lowered, less tense.

The slicer chuckled to herself a little as she thought to herself. Her eyes flicked up again seeing the woman's face illuminated by the screens and dim lit lights. The more she looked Celty would find herself studying the woman. Questions rattled in her head faster than she could draw her own answers too.

 

[Ivory Stroud]

"When I put on that helmet, I don't really become anyone else. I am always who I am. Dedata is just a pseudo name. Much like authors who wish to keep their identity hidden. Helmet or not, I don't really talk to people, always hidden away. My world is always darker because outside of my screens, the light hurts my eyes, gives me migraines. Who I am is my true self, but I was not always like this."

That made sense. Ivory listened, remaining standing for a moment.. She gave a nod, realizing she may have been wrong in her assumption - but the Slicer could still understand better than most how valuable one's identity was. She had stopped pacing, listening as Celty explained further:

She held onto her giant plush Lothcat placing her chin into its head. "My parents are actually rich people. They over the time of being raised by them kept trying to change me. I suppose some bits stuck. Father hated how much I spoke so I often was forced to my room most of the time. My presence was tolerated at social functions.

My mom hated how he treated me, well that's what she told me time and time again but never actually did anything. I knew what their plans for me was, by law I had to be given an education and after that they planned to marry me off to some guy. I don't even find guys attractive."

Celty would fall onto her side her vision zoning out. "I could have had a comfortable life. Secure, never worrying about money or wondering if I would have a roof over my head. Boarding school made me realise I did not have to become someone I am not. I found my element. Forged my grades went to a top college. I think my father was hoping I would see sense in his ideas. What I did not see sense in was giving up my own happiness for a comfortable life."

Ivory shifted from one foot to another. The girl had had a much brighter future ahead.. but The Donna could understand not being happy, not feeling fulfilled. She grinned at Celty's admission that she'd forged her grades - the girl was a rule-breaker and a con artist. She was a better fit for The Family than Ivory had first realized. "It sounds like you were willing to do anything to find happiness..." She said, sympathizing. Then, she dodged the incoming pillow, shifting her weight to the side as the small pillow flew by where her torso had been. She gave a surprised laugh, looking at Dedata | Celty Ree and listening to the woman continue.

"I don't get your trauma with what you had to choose between. I mean I asked that question because well I guess I saw a similarity in the information I already knew. I wanted to understand it a little better, maybe make me feel less alone about my choices I guess.

But by the sounds of it and pure guess so you can correct me if I am wrong. For a while you did not mind going undercover over and over again becoming a new person every few months. However you realised that who you were is not who you are. You can believe in what you was doing but along the way you found that spark that made you feel, screw the comfortable life, this here is what will make me happy. This is who I am this is the path I choose for myself."

The Donna wrung her hands, eyebrows narrowing.. "It's... not that simple." She began.

She took a deep breath, considering her reservations, then deciding to elaborate further. For a moment, she allowed whatever psychological mask she'd worn for years to slip... and then fall. She looked at the young woman in a new way - as-if it wasn't quite The Donna behind those eyes.

"I... was born on a lawless world. I mean, my real birth. My father was a drunk, a violent man. He victimized me... my mother... terrorized us. As a girl, I was made to... do "things". Things no child should ever have to do." She paused a moment, looking down at her hands. "I joined The Jedi out of a fluke. A chance encounter. Perhaps it was Fate, or The Force at work. It must have been the Force at work, because I'm here now." Ivory shrugged, then continued: "The Silver Jedi teach its' members to harness both sides of The Force for Good. I was chosen, at a young age, for training in what I'd later realize were a very particular set of skills. Namely, as a spy, a manipulator, an Agent."

"I had a very rough childhood, but The Jedi gave me a home. Still, though, I was a loner... Independant, strong-willed. When I joined The Family, it wasn't a job at first. It was another random chance - a whim, accepting a job and suddenly finding myself apart of something tighter than the SJO ever offered. In the past, I had always been able to keep the two parts of myself separate; the job and the Jedi. In The Family, it became nearly impossible. I found myself slipping deeper. My Master and the few Agents I worked closely with noticed it too. They saw that the job was becoming personal, becoming more than just another infiltration mission."

"When I... gave up The Family to the SJO, for real, instead of feeling like I'd done something good and right, I felt as-if I'd betrayed something dear to my heart. During a final debriefing with the leader of the Shadows, something inside me... Snapped."

Drystan took a moment to look at Celty, then sighed.

"Instead of feeling like I deserved praise, I felt like I deserved condemnation. Instead of accepting praise, I found myself asking for forgiveness. Instead of feeling a sense of accomplishment, I felt... Anger. I lashed out, allowing guilt to overwhelm me. I... said some things I regret."

She sighed, shoulders heaving.

"The truth is, Celty... I was a very poor Jedi."

The admission hung heavily in the air.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

The Forgotten & TOKYO ROSE - Feel New

"It sounds like you were willing to do anything to find happiness..."

"Almost, I never went out my way to do something so risky that there was a chance I would be caught. Back then I was still rather green at everything compared to what I can do now." She chuckled lightly flashing a warm and cheerful smile at the woman. She did not find herself smiling very often, only at holovids when something exciting happened or a romantic scene played that she was rooting for.

"It's... not that simple."

Celty knew it was not simple as how she had put it. After all it was a guess, still Celty sat there listening and found it hard to look away. From the deep breath alone it felt almost like Ivory was preparing herself. She did not want to try to imagine what things the woman was made to do as a child. She had certainly seen all kinds of atrocities parents had done to children. Many left her feeling sick after watching feeds.

She felt speechless from all she had heard. Unable to understand the life she had lead to this point, yet she felt grateful that she was able to hear the story. "From the sounds of it the family gave you a place in which spoke to who you are. Giving them up was like giving yourself up, because you knew deep in here." She placed her hand over where her heart was for a moment. "I bet you was a good jedi, but being one was not you in the end. They gave you a way out, became a path to take you where you needed to be. Like me and boarding school, it was a way out and thanks to it it put me on the path I needed to be for myself."

"Also thank you for, telling me all that. I know it must've not been easy for you to say all that, even though you could have dodged the question. Especially to some stranger. Just so you know I will not tell anyone, everything you said will go to my grave with me." Celty laid down onto her side still looking at Ivory with her turquoise eyes.

"But y'know, may sound selfish or whatever but... I am grateful, in a little way, that our paths crossed." She said softly before getting a slight cheeky grin on her face from what she was about to say. "I mean except the whole weird trippy stuff and throwing me around a room. That... that scared me to the point I thought I was going to die." Her tone was one that came off as if she had moved past it already and was poking fun.

"Even though I understand why you did it. Your identity is something you wanted to keep hidden much like my own. The part I am grateful for however is, I've never told anyone about who I am, it was a release that I guess I needed. I mean my chest feels less tight at least. Now there is at least one person in this craphole of a galaxy that I can talk to... I do not trust people, but you have become an exception to that rule."

Angling her head a little she would look at a cupboard for a minuet wondering which one it was in. "If you want any, there's a bottle of Chandrilan Blue 'four thirty nine in that cupboard I think." She said pointing to the one that was next to the fridge. "Cups are in the one above the microwave, I've no glasses since I mostly drink caff."

As Celty laid there on her side she took the moment to process everything she had heard still. It was a lot, admittedly she forgets how complicated peoples lives can be. In text its always simple even if it seemed complex. "Is.. is there anything you wanna know or curious about me?" She said moving her head back to look at Ivory.

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Ivory let out another sigh, listening as Dedata | Celty Ree offered as much understanding and forgiveness as The Donna could hope for... She considered the young woman's words, a path to take... to become who you were meant to be...

She hadn't thought of it that way before, and it was certainly an astute observation. Perhaps she was right.

"Also thank you for, telling me all that. I know it must've not been easy for you to say all that, even though you could have dodged the question. Especially to some stranger. Just so you know I will not tell anyone, everything you said will go to my grave with me." Celty laid down onto her side still looking at Ivory with her turquoise eyes.

Ivory met her gaze, sitting down on the edge of the bed again... feeling as-if a weight had lifted from her shoulders. Celty's promise to take her secret to her grave actually meant something - it was delivered in earnest, it seemed. Ivory smiled at her.. a genuine smile, for perhaps the first time since they'd met. "Thank you..." She said, the words spoken softly enough that they were swallowed up by the darkness surrounding the room.

She laughed at Celty's small joke; their first meeting had been "complicated" at best, and foul at worst; she was thankful there didn't seem to be any hard feelings. Ivory's secrets were important... but Celty's own experiences gave the beautiful young woman a particular outlook which Ivory could respect and appreciate. It seemed they'd both had a moment of release from the emotional conversation. Ivory already seemed more relaxed.

At Celty's offer of a drink, Ivory's eyebrows raised as she stood up, walking toward the indicated cabinet. The door swung open, and there it was...

A bottle of very expensive, rare, and famous Chandrilan Blue 439.

Ivory couldn't help but laugh, asking in a confused voice as she removed the bottle and turned it over in her hands. "How on earth did you get this?"

She set the bottle down then removed two cafe cups, smirking at the irony of the moment - expensive wine in inexpensive cups. It strangely seemed a metaphor for both of their lives. In the brief lull of silence, Ivory uncorked the bottle and poured a healthy serving of wine; one for herself, and one for her companion. She returned to the bed, sitting closer now - feeling as-if she could be closer than before.

She handed one of the cups to Celty then gently clinked their glasses together. Ivory smiled.

"Yes... there is." She took a sip, closing her eyes for a moment to savor the delightfully sweet, dry taste of the wine on her tongue before swallowing.

She had a thousand questions.

Why the helmet? How did she get into Netrunning? Where did she go, when she ran away? How did she get started in her business? What were her plans for the future? Was her compulsion for anonymity purely due to her work, or were there other reasons? Who was after her, and what could Ivory do to stop them? She didn't find men attractive? How did she come across the ship? How long had she been plying her trade?

Instead, she started with the simplest. There'd be plenty of time to ask all her questions.

"Where were you born?"

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

The Forgotten - Close

Celty grinned as Ivory asked where the bottle of rare wine came from, and to her it was a pinnacle moment in her life. "Well I got that bottle from the last legitimate job I had. Worked for a company a long time back, though went in with ulterior motives from the start. I was a glorified tech there to redo their systems. It was a mess to be fair. So I did that, then a bit more. The company was a com service provider, they where good targets for me to start with the whole info broker stuff. Anyway poked around a bit in the systems, and I didn't expect to find they had a teams listening to calls and providing slavers targets."

As Ivory sat down, closer this time her gaze did wonder a little and she was not entirely discreet. It was not hard to notice from this distance the sweet soft scent that stood out, a nice, welcoming aroma. Celty held out her hand taking the cup, then clinked against the one ivory held. "Well, me being a self-righteous twenty year old, I blew the whistle, planned it all down to the letter. Fathro that day would meet the part of me that goes by Dedata. Authorities and myself waited in his office just as he was getting back from some meeting or whatever. But ohh and his face, the expression was priceless as they put him in cuffs. Never did tell the authorities how I got the information, just fed them a lie that I was a privet investigator and where they could find the next series of victims. So yeah I emptied his accounts into the pockets of all those who would loose their jobs and took the bottle for myself as a souvenir. Aaaaalong with one or two other trinkets. It was in a glass case so I assumed it was expensive."

"That was the day I decided I am not going to work for rich pricks and corporations who lack morals."

Celty took a sip then another. It was not the first time she had drank but it had been a while, long enough that she does not know how to pace her drink. "He tried to send the slavers after me or Dedata rather. So I sent a message to them that he blabbed about the victims they would be going after next. Bastard never made it more than a month in prison."

Her arm would lean over one of the larger pillows getting more comfortable. The light of the screens caught the side of Ivory's face. She was close enough to see the details of the tattoo with an interwoven pattern on the side of the woman's head. Celty wondered how many more this woman had, It was certainly food for imagination. The ashen haired woman's attention snapped back to the violet eyes looking into her own. "I... I was born on Jelucan, cold rocky place in the outer rim. Not much goes off there relatively quiet. My family dates back way back and after the nineteen BBY imperial empire fell they played a part in picking up the mess that was left. It's because of that legacy my family has been riding for so long that they are so wealthy now along with the investments of real-estate."

Once more she took a few sips, already she felt the slight buzz and dizziness drink gave her. Low tolerance mixed with a good wine. She kept smiling as she thought that it was ramping up to be one of the best nights she's had in a long long time. It no longer felt so weird that there was someone in the very room Celty called her sanctuary.

 

[Ivory Stroud]

She listened attentively to Celty's story about the bottle, impressed with the woman's character. Especially the part about fighting back against Slavers... The Family's Anti-Slavery Policy was a founding principle of the Organization; one which Ivory had dutifully carried over into the resurrected Organization. She laughed at the woman's admission to theft. "It sounds like you struck when he was vulnerable.. and took him for everything he had. That's precisely the kind of killer instinct The Family needs from its people."

"That was the day I decided I am not going to work for rich pricks and corporations who lack morals."

Ivory understood this. The Family might have been morally flexible... but there were certain lines The Donna simply wouldn't cross, nor would allow her people to cross. Celty then went on to admit she'd gotten the man killed while in prison over a lie... Again, something Ivory herself had done at least once. When the two had first met, The Donna had believed Celty to be skilled but clueless to how true practitioners in their Field would operate.

Apparently, she'd been wrong. That realization was accepted with grace.

"I... I was born on Jelucan, cold rocky place in the outer rim. Not much goes off there relatively quiet. My family dates back way back and after the nineteen BBY imperial empire fell they played a part in picking up the mess that was left. It's because of that legacy my family has been riding for so long that they are so wealthy now along with the investments of real-estate."

"I'm unfamiliar with Jelucan.. I don't believe I've ever traveled there."

Ivory took another sip from her cup, then placed it down on the floor. She reached toward her boots and began undoing the straps which held them tight to her long, ahtletic legs - relaxing them, which would enable her to kick the boots off. She was already feeling a buzz as well, and wanted to get more comfortable.

With her boots off, she scooted a little further onto the bed and began to relax.

"It sounds like you've kept tabs on them... but you haven't returned home. Have you ever thought of going back and showing them who you've become?"

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

Scandroid - Datastream

"Well the world it's self is nothing special and does not have much in terms of major exports. For the most part its as peaceful as a neutral world can be." Celty went to take another sip to find that her cup was empty. She reached over the pillow to place it on the floor behind the bed with a tap, it was not subtly put down. She could feel her motion was slower, sluggish. The woman looked over to the screen's for a moment as Ivory was removing her boots. "Dee, mute all notifications for the rest of the night."

Her attention quickly returned to the woman who had just shuffled closer. Close enough that she could reach out with relative ease had she wanted to. She could not work out why that was a thought in her mind. As Ivory asked another question it took a moment for Celty to snap out of it. "Ummm... sorry. Not really, well a few time I have thought about seeing them again. Much as I kinda disliked my dad, mom was okay I guess. However, I have no intention to go back, and I would never tell them what I do. It would make them a an unnecessary risk. Honestly they don't need to know either."

Celty laid her head down but remained looking up at Ivory. "I knew setting out doing what I do that I would probably never see them again, and I am okay with that. I like being isolated, though... admittedly I like this too. Talking to you that is." It would be hard to see in the low blue light, but she was blushing, not that she knew it herself. "Also I think I may have drank that cup a little to fast. My head feels a little fuzzy." She giggled a little as her hand raised up to her mouth.

 

[Ivory Stroud]

The not-so-subtle tap of the cafe cup setting down on the metal floor caused Ivory to look - first at the cup, then toward the beautiful young woman as she righted herself. She grinned, stealing a glance toward the computer bank nearby as the small dings and scrolling messages went silent. Celty was quiet for a moment, and Ivory slowly turned to look at the woman again... noticing she was being watched.

"Yes... an unwelcome risk."

She replied, familiar with the feeling. Something stirred in the back of her mind... a sudden realization, or perhaps a long-coming one, that she'd taken quite a risk coming here... alone... and that Celty had taken the same. Ivory was famous (or perhaps infamous) for taking risks. In fact, she lived for them.

Celty laid her head down but remained looking up at Ivory. "I knew setting out doing what I do that I would probably never see them again, and I am okay with that. I like being isolated, though... admittedly I like this too. Talking to you that is." It would be hard to see in the low blue light, but she was blushing, not that she knew it herself. "Also I think I may have drank that cup a little to fast. My head feels a little fuzzy." She giggled a little as her hand raised up to her mouth.

In that moment, Ivory had a second realization - that she enjoyed talking with the young woman with the turquoise eyes, too. Her own head felt fuzzy, but she hadn't finished her cup of wine yet... so she brought it to her ruby lips and drained it, feeling the liquid settle on her tongue and ignite a familiar feeling inside her stomach. Were those... butterflies?

Ivory laughed quietly, nodding in agreement as she scooted just a tad closer. "Yeah... I'm feeling pretty warm and fuzzy too." She said, her tongue heavy in her mouth. "So... I guess I'm staying here, tonight... Wouldn't want to drink and fly." She quipped, grinning as she looked at the young woman splayed out on the bed. Then, Ivory did something which at first sounded terrible... but in the moment, felt like precisely the right thing to do.

She leaned down, bringing her lips into contact with Celty's mouth, kissing the woman on the lips. The taste of wine mingled with sweet desire fueled her in the moment. If Celty returned the kiss (which Ivory expected she would), The Donna would cease to be The Donna for the night.

Instead, she would just be Ivory.

Cheers to taking risks.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Ivory Stroud

Fury Weekend - Automatic Love (feat. Essenger)

Her hand lowered from her mouth showing the smile on her face. "Makes sense, guess I did send that shuttle back." Just as she finished her sentence Ivory leant down closer and closer till feeling those soft ruby lips upon touch against her own. It made her eyes widen for a moment, before closing to take in in. This level of closeness, this sensation and passionate moment, it was something she had dreamed of a thousand times over in her head. Celty could feel the beating of her heart pounding against her chest going fast in a rhythmic tempo. Never had she imagined that it would be like this.

A hand slowly raised up moving slightly from under Ivory finding it's way onto the woman's side. The heat rose in her cheeks turning red in colour standing out from her pale complexion. Once the kiss came to an end, Celty's eyes opened slowly gazing into violet of Ivory's. She felt speechless still taking in what had just happened. Going from expression alone the woman above would tell that risk would have been well worth it.

"Woah." She said in a breathless whisper. "I... um... shocked. Defiantly not in a bad way, quite the opposite. Just... did not expect that I would have my first kiss stolen away from me today." She softly giggled with a smile. Celty's hand remained in place, her thumb moving side to side against the side of Ivory's chest for a second before lightly tugging down in a wordless way of asking for more.

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Dedata | Celty Ree

The kiss lasted for only a few moments, until their lips broke apart... nose to nose, eyes locked together. A smile spread over Ivory's full lips, amusement & surprise of her own sparkling in her eyes. She hadn't planned for the moment... It had just happened. A million thoughts ran through Ivory's head in the heartbeat of time which passed - but none of them were loud enough to listen to.

Celty's breathless whisper reached Ivory's ears like a song. The young woman's gentle touch - a soft caress - was inviting & pleasurable. A soft sigh of contentment rose from her chest, accepting the gentle pull as she, again, leaned in - their lips touching in a passionate exchange. Ivory chose to say nothing... They were beyond words.

- Fade To Black -