Things In The Night

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

"They are." He agreed, his finger slowly tracing back up the same patch the moment it had taken a few moments ago.

Once they reached the system things would move quickly.

"Their hideout is well defended." He told her quietly. "They took over an old Republic listening post that was placed here during the war with the One Sith."

A clever move for the criminals. The Republic had been more than desperate by the end of the war, and the listening posts that they had built upon their border worlds had looked more like fortresses than small outposts. The structure was well defended with turrets and walls, made to withstand a siege. He and Sera wouldn't be able to get into the fortress by force, at least not with the amount of men and supplies that Vrak currently had with him.

"I can get inside." He told her quietly.

That would be as easy as saying he had another task for the Syndicate, they still thought him a fool after all. "The moment they see you however..."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"You're just going to walk in the front gates?" This sounded like a completely foolish plan. "And what if they were tipped off by the break-in on Muunilist? If that information got back to them they will recognize it was you, with me, with the Muun." Information traveled faster than space travel. "And even if they haven't pieced the puzzle together yet, or the information hasn't reached them, what would you do anyway?"

If this place was as secure as it sounded, they likely had far more men than Vrak would have, not to mention they would likely disarm his servants at the gates.

She didn't like the direction this plan was going, not out of fear for his safety, but out of concern that he would fail, and the human would escape.

That would pose her a problem. One she was hardly interested in having to deal with.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

"How lovely that you care." Vrak commented, no hint of irony in his tone. He realized that her concern was likely far more because she didn't want to end up dead in case things went south, but that didn't mean he could mock her just a little bit, after all she had done the same not long ago. A small smile pulled at his lips, and for a moment he didn't say anything. She was right of course, there was a chance that the Syndicate already knew.

Especially considering how loud the prison break had been.

"We cannot assault them straight out." He argued. "If I walk in I can cause a distraction."

Vrak hardly liked to think of himself as a distraction...but he knew that this time he was better suited for the job than Sera was. The Syndicate wouldn't kill him immediately, at least not until they figured out what he knew about them, that meant he would stay alive long enough to cause some harm.

"You yourself said you can break into any fortress." He paid her the complement.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"I do care." There was a slight pause, as if that was all she was to say, but then continued on with what she actually meant. "About myself. I'm not looking to die, even if the prospect does not frighten me." Surely Vrak did not expect her to care about him. All she wanted was closure. If this was how she had to go about it then so be it, but she wouldn't be dying in the process. Not here at least. And not because of some ridiculous plan he cooked up in that raging brain of his.

Not to sell herself short she acknowledged the compliment. "I can get into anywhere. But getting inside isn't the problem. It's finding this human without knowing what he looks like, without knowing the layout, without knowing his escape route, and without knowing my own."

She made no mention of helping Vrak in his own escape, that was entirely on him. If he died, well, that was unfortunate for him.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

He mused for a second.

There were ways around that. He could wear a camera when meeting with the man, he could even bring in certain scanners to create a hologram of the facilities layout for Sera, but that might be over complicating the whole thing. He contemplated for a moment, his finger tracing along one of her lekku in a lazy motion.

"Do you have something else in mind then?" A frontal assault was out of the question. They had neither the men nor the resources for such things.

He could probably gather them if they had more time, but within two days it was very likely that Sera's employers would catch on with what had happened back on Muunilist, if they didn't already know. Time was really the biggest issue they had.

"We don't have many options." He told her simply. "Not with the amount of time we have left."

He leaned in with a smirk, his lips beside her ear hand sliding to her stomach. "Unless you want to play my prisoner while I confront them about their betrayal."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera considered their options for a few moments, thinking of the benefits and drawbacks of various plans. Unfortunately it seemed as though the best course would be for Vrak to take her as a prisoner, given that she was the connection between the two. They might believe that he caught on to her as the one who killed the senator he was after, while not having drawn the lines that she was actually looking for them.

"That actually sounds like a good idea. At least, the best one we could use."

They would likely let them inside. It was actually a rather simple and good tactic, which would explain away most of the questions that might arise.

"Let's do that."

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

He chuckled.

The plan was simple, and just as dangerous as him going in alone, but if she preferred it then he wouldn't object. Smuggling in her lightsaber beneath his robes would be simple enough, and he was pretty sure Armin would see him if he directly accused him. The man was vermin enough that he would likely try to weasel out of anything Vrak accused him of, but at the very least he would allow for a confrontation.

If only to see if he could make a profit.

"I suppose I'll have to find some restraints for you." Vrak said with a smile, his fingers slowly drawing over her skin as she slowly began to rise from the bed.

They would arrive soon, and they still had some preparations to make.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Restraints. Nothing new. "You'll need Force restraints if he's to believe you." Not quite what she wanted, but they knew she was a highly trained Force user. That was why they had chosen her to do these jobs. At least, the majority of the reason anyway. "Otherwise they'll know this is a setup, even if they haven't been tipped off already." It was dangerous, given that if they were already tipped off, Sera having Force restraints on would leave her entirely helpless.

Not that Vrak really cared, but she certainly did.

"And I would prefer it not be collar, if it's all the same to you."

She was well and tired of those for obvious reasons.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

His people had a different method of restraining force users; Terentatek leather.

The natural material was force resistant, and with a bit of alchemy would stop even the strongest Jedi or Sith from properly using the force. Of course, they were made of leather so even a knife could cut through them, but that wouldn't be much of an issue here. He mused for a second as he rose, crossing the room before slowly turning back towards her. His gaze briefly lingered before he spoke again.

"That won't be a problem." He said plainly. "I'll keep your lightsabers with me."

If they shot her before she got to them...that would be too bad, but a sacrifice worth having if it meant he got what he wanted.

"Shame about the collar though, I imagine you'd look lovely with one about your neck." Vrak turned away from her as he spoke, moving towards one of the closets to retrieve a new set of robes. They would be more ornate than the ones he had been wearing when they'd left Muunilist.

He wasn't pretending to be a Mercenary here, just a Sith.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Her eyes glared, burning holes in the man as he spoke those words while wandering off towards the closet.

"Schutta." She called after him, her lekku twisting into a near knot behind her.

There was no humor to the idea of putting a collar back on. Not after the length of time for which she wore one. None. At all. She slipped out from the bed, dressing herself once more in silence. The comment had stung like a blade, irritating her to no end. There would be time later to repay him for that. But they were due to arrive soon enough, and that was more important than seeing to repay him for his transgression.

"Don't screw this up." She growled, "There won't be another chance." Either because the man would escape or they would be dead.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Vrak slipped the last gold piece of his belt into place, his lips twisting slightly as she growled towards him. An eyebrow raised slightly as the comment, came, though he said nothing in recompense. He could tell that she was more than on edge. Perhaps some of that fear of her employers still lingered, the hint of doubt that this was all some sort of false hope.

He frowned for a moment. "You have no need for concern."

The Pureblood plucked his saber-staff from where he had placed it earlier, letting the weapon fall to his waist. His gaze dropped from the weapon and returned to her expectantly, knowing that she would have to hand over her lightsabers. The vessel around them shook slightly as it broke through the atmosphere of the moon.

"They will die." He assured her.

They had taken what was his, worse than that, they had tried to play him for a fool. Those two things could not be tolerated. Even if they freely offered the thing he sought Vrak would have turned it down. The insult that had been payed to him required recompense, and he would have it.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Plucking her weapons from the belt on her pants she stared him in the eyes, as if assessing his words for some kind of assurance. She then raised her hand holding the two blades and pressed the hilts against his chest to take. There was no other way. And as much as she didn't want to do it this way, it was the best chance. She had the most to lose here, and was well aware of that.

The odds were not in her favor.

In fact, they were doubly against her. Vrak was unpredictable, as were whoever these people were that they were about to drop in on.

That made her weary of this whole thing. But inside that fortress were potential answers to a question she had been after for years.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Vrak took the weapons, weighing them for a moment in his palm before giving her a short smile. He quickly tucked the lightsabers away on the small of his back, hiding them beneath the gold of his belt. If anyone looked closely enough they would see them, but he wasn't all that concerned with such matters. He would carry his Saber-staff openly, and everyone would simply assume that he had confiscated her weapons when she'd been captured. Logical enough.

"Turn around." He told her. "Hands behind your back."

From the same belt he pulled out the thin terentatek cuffs. They were well crafted, small rune like markings etched into the leather. Sera certainly wouldn't be able to pull them apart with her bare hands, though the things did look comically small compared to larger metal force restraints.

"You will need a blindfold as well." He told her. If this story was to be believable then she needed to look like a prisoner. Taking all of this half ass would only serve to make the illusion easier to break. These Criminals were lowly scum, but they at the very least weren't idiots.

As she twisted he put the cuffs on her, the ship shaking once more.

"Five minutes, My Lord."

An announcement carried over the ship.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"Oh, are we doing this again?" She said with a smirk as she turned.

Though at the mention of the blindfold Seraphina sighed, not being able to see was even worse. Sure, she could see with the aide of the Force, but as much as others gloated about the ability, she found eyesight much better. Personal preference, but she was glad she was not born Miraluka. She considered that a handicap rather than a gift.

A gift was something extra, like her lekku, not a compensation for something lost.

"Just don't kill him before I get what I need." It would be hard to kill Vrak for revenge with restraints on, after all, if she didn't get the information she needed.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

"No." He replied. "But don't worry."

The cuffs slipped in place around her wrist, a piece of cloth folded out from beneath his palm and slipped over her eyes. He leaned as he tied it behind her head and beneath her lekku. "I'll make sure it stays intact for when we're finished here."

The idea wasn't a bad one after all. "You'll probably deserve another reward."

As the black cloth was tied in place, the ship shook one more time, coming in for a landing on the listening posts hangar deck. Vrak frowned for a moment, another announcement carrying over the intercomm that they had landed. He frowned to himself for a few seconds, then wrapped his fingers around her upper arm.

She would feel a guiding tug pull on her as he began to walk, leading her through the door and towards the cargo ramp which was already lowering.

Ahead of them stood half a dozen mercenaries, all of them with weapons raised.

"I am here for you Master." He scowled at them, his eyes turning to the one in front. "We have business."

The mercenaries looked at one another for just a few seconds, fingers falling to triggers. The Pureblood flexed slightly, readying himself just in case. After a moment however the leader slowly touched his ear, Vrak watching him until finally he nodded.

"Come with us."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

As they bounded down the ramp Sera hear the approaching guard. It sounded like more than a few. She heard their gear creak and shift with each fast paced step. The tug on her arm stopped her. For appearances she attempted to struggle a bit against Vrak's direction. The silence that hung in the air between he and the guards was mildly concerning. Fortunately for her they didn't outright gun him, or her down immediately.

That was at least good.

She heard the man speak. They were to be led inside. Another good thing.

A few shallow breaths drew in and out as she felt Vrak once again pull on her forward, walking with what sounded like guards on all sides around her towards what was likely the entrance to this outpost. She did not like being unable to see, or move her hands, even under the guise of a prisoner.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

They were lead through the front gate of the facility, then a few seconds later through a pair of heavy blast doors. The latter was sealed shut behind them almost as soon as they stepped into the hall beyond, coming to a close with the loud press of hydraulics. Vrak briefly gazed towards the heavy durasteel, though said nothing as the guards kept walking. He frowned as they passed through corridor after corridor, moving through several more sectioned off halls before finally stepping into what appeared to be the control center.

Within the middle of the room, behind a circular desk, sat a lithe looking man. He was larger than the average human, had jet black hair and a large scar running down from his through over his neck and towards his shoulder. There was a blaster hanging at his side, and curiously enough a Sword leaning against his desk. As Vrak entered he stood and began to speak.

"Ahh, we-"

"Silence!" Vrak barked, immediately cutting the man off before he could even say a single thing. The guards that stood around them immediately raised their rifles, pointing them at the Pureblood. "You think you can toy with me? Offer me pleassantries?"

He spat. "No. Not after what you have done."

His grip tightened slightly on Sera's arm, as though he were trying to control himself.

"Not after sending this woman after the very man you knew I wanted." A snarl pulled at his lips, his eyes wandering towards the man who simple stood dumbfounded. Apparently had not expected Vrak to be so forward. The Pureblood stood tall however, reaching up and pulling the blindfold from Sera's eyes. As soon as the cloth fell free he pushed her forward towards the man. "Recognize her?"

He of course did.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Each pace she counted. Each turn accounted for. Each door remembered. She was mapping the entire route in her mind while they walked in silence. What she could not see with eyes she could remember. Being blindfolded, while inhibited her ability to see where she was going, she could still guide herself, if necessary back the way they had come.

One more benefit to having a mind as powerful as hers.

When finally they arrived before the man Vrak immediately erupted into a rage. A feigned one, somewhat, given that he was always a little angry, but all the same. He shoved her forward, to which she simply played off of and fell forwards, stumbling. Her eyes shot a cold, hard glare between the human and Sith, as if she wasn't quite sure which one she wanted to kill more.

"A better deal was made. Surely someone like you understands the conflict of interest."

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

"There is no deal." Vrak said simply. Half of himw as tempted to simply draw his lightsaber and slaughter the man here, though something stopped him. He didn't particularly care about Sera's own personal problem, her little mental issue, but he did care to keep her around.

She was useful.

"You took the ledger." He said simply. "I intend to take it back."

Vrak didn't give the man time to respond. He knew that the longer this went on, the longer the conversation dragged, the less secure he would be. Thus he moved quickly. His lightsaber ignited with a loud snap-hiss. The crimson blade slashed forward and cut through the bindings on Sera's wrists. He twisted almost immediately after, drawing one of the sabers from his back and throwing it into the air for the Twi'lek to catch. As soon as he twisted the guards around them opened fire.

His lightsaber's dual blades caught the bolts, sending them back as his now free hand scrunched together.

The panel upon the wall that controlled the door was crushed in an instant, the blast doors immediately beginning to fall shut. An alarm sounded through the facility, though by the time the first klaxon blared all Chaos had broken free.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

She hadn't quite expected things to go crazy that quickly. A bit caught off guard she felt the bindings around her wrists fall limp, her hands released from their restraints. The Force surrounded her, her left hand quickly reaching to grab the thrown weapon from the air as it sailed towards her. Catching it her right hand extending, a wall of Force energy protecting her from the bolts that were targeting her on the right. They were really the least of her concern. The man with her secrets is what she was after.

A ripple with the Force was sent like a massive waive across the room, sending everything on that side to the ground, all of those guards included.

That was when she turned her attention quickly to the man who was attempting to retreat through the doors that were now unable to open.

he raised his blaster and fired several times, her weapon lazily knocking them away from her. A deathly glare cast over her as she drew nearer to the man. It had taken years to get here, to find him. She wanted the answer she was after. The woman had killed a great many people, and her debt was paid. Her hand grabbed him by the shirt, slamming him against the blast doors and forcing him to drop the blaster.

[member="Vrak Nashar"]