First Reply Trial and Error | Open | Tatooine

[Matthias Colcrip]

Tag: Open
Planet: Tatooine
Location: Mos Eisley

The streets were as busy as they always had been. The twin suns of Tatooine were especially unforgiving today though Matthias was used to it. Having grown up on a moisture farm on the other side of the planet, he was accustomed to the harsh heat and cruel desert sands that covered the hostile world. Then again most people here were used to it, after all it was the way life had always been. Even now thousands of years removed from the Old Republic Tatooine remained the same desert of outlaws and outsiders. Perhaps that's why Matthias would always have a love for his home.

He was here on business however; pleasure was rarely something he got to experience, though he didn't particularly want it either. No today was business as usual, trading a piece of valuable loot for credits. Of course the buyers never knew he was actually a sith and active jedi hunter. No to them he was just another shady individual who didn't mind seeking out dangerous prizes in exchange for wealth. Bounty hunting and junk trading were professions Matthias saw as perfect covers for his true, more nefarious purposes.

Today it was a kyber crystal, in fact, he was trading. He hadn't met the individual who hired him though he was told the kyber crystal was just a means to an end for them as well, since they planned on selling it to a third party. The buyer and mysterious third party were of no concern to Matthias. To him it was a simple task: get the crystal and get paid. Of course things rarely go the way they are planned.

Matthias walked through the busy streets with a determined bounce to his step. He was eager to get paid and get off world, as the twisted sensation within his mind was beginning to stir with an unknown anticipation. "Must find..." the first voice, a soft spoken childlike tone, finally spoke up. As it spoke Matthias gripped his hand but continued his trek forward and through the crowd. "... find them..." a second, older female voice, chimed in. Whenever the voices spoke it was like a spine-tingling pain, but Matthias had learned to take that pain and turn it into a motivator and source of power. It was why, despite that pain, he was loyal to these mysterious voices. He may not know what they are or if they truly are real, he had of course questioned his own sanity at times, but they had steered him right so far.

As he walked through the streets, still a ways from his destination, he pondered what the voices could be describing. Who was he meant to find? The buyer, perhaps? Or someone else not expected. Regardless he continued on, wondering further if this job would be just another day or turn into something else.

OOC: Treating this as Matthias’ first canon story with an open ended prompt that can invite either a potential ally or potential rival/foe. Or maybe something unexpected he never saw coming? Who knows, anyone is welcome to join Matthias as he takes his first steps into a larger world!​

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

~~ignore, laptap gltiched~~

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Meeting Matthias Colcrip ​

A tightly knit ponytail rested underneath a dark brown head wrap, covering most of the Agent's head. The last piece of cloth was drawn from one side to the other, covering her mouth and nose, revealing only a pair of bright blue eyes. A light beige shirt with short sleeves and tight pants were somewhat covered underneath a loose desert shawl. It was not a disguise - not primarily, at any rate. Rather, she was preparing to head out into the Dune Sea.

Whilst packing the last piece of equipment onto the speeder and tightening the strap which would hold it in place, her gaze rested on the streets nearby. Gamorrean thugs stood by a small door by an abode a fair bit away. An old homeless woman and a child sat together and made wicker baskets in the shade behind a hut. A few merchants sold their goods to the masses passing by. Suspicious eyes followed a band of four Jawas walking through the streets with an astromech in tow. And then, there was a warrior.

Agent Pen-Ar-Lan's eyes were drawn to the man who stood taller than most humans in the area. Methodically, her eyes observed the way he carried himself and walked, the clothes he wore and his belt - in the search for weapons. It was not until the end of her initial scan that she analyzed his cybernetic eye. The whole process took but a few moments for the young woman who obviously had a bit of skill and experience in making quick observations.

A curious brow rose as the man gripped his hand with a hint of pain. With a careful step, Ines approached whilst removing the cloth covering her mouth and nose. "Sir, are you alright?" she asked with a light youthful tone and caring eyes.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

Matthias, while still a relatively young man by human standards, had been dealing with these strange and sinister voices for as long as he could remember. Since he was at least six they plagued his mind day in and day out, and for many years he truly seemed mad. As a child he'd have episodes and periods where he'd scream in terror and confusion. As a teen he isolated himself, trying to hide whatever this madness was from those around him.

It wasn't until he started listening to these mysterious voices that they became. not only more tame but, bearable. The voices demanded he face his jedi tormentors head on, to get them before they could ever even get the chance to get him. Only now when they spoke the pain would act as the fuel and drive Matthias needed to continue on.

Rarely did he let the madness within him show and as he began immersing himself further into the dark side and its teachings, so too did he learn to hide the pain. He considered himself a master at it, as it had been years since anyone had noticed or questioned him about it. So when a young woman suddenly gripped him out of concern, Matthias was left speechless. For a moment, at least, he blankly stared down at the young woman before not so subtly taking his hand from hers.

He stepped back and eyed her for a moment. She seemed like any other commoner strolling the streets of a Tatooine settlement. Though he noted the speeder behind her was strapped with equipment that most commoners would in fact not have. The galaxy was big and there were those who served the light and the dark across all of it. The thing about the sith and their various forms throughout history, as Matthias had learned through his studies, was that anyone, force-sensitive or not, could serve the dark and nobody would ever know. He had once learned of an ancient sith, Dark Lord Sidious, who fooled the entire galaxy into servitude.

It is much easier to find those who dwell in the light than those in the dark. "She can help..." the childlike voice whispered once more. "...find them..."

Matthias nodded to the speeder behind her, noticing it had been a moment and not wanting to make it anymore awkward than his initial knee-jerk reaction already was, "You look pretty well prepared for a commoner," he noted with a soft yet commanding tone. He knew his home and he knew the Dune Sea was one of the more unforgiving places in an already unforgiving galaxy. He knew this wasn't just someone going for a scenic tour of the dunes and he intended to learn what she was truly there for.​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Talking to Matthias Colcrip ​

Ines' expression didn't show any displeasure initially. Instead, she simply offered a smile and a nod before taking half a step back. Raising her fist over her shoulder, she pointed back at the speeder with her thumb. "I've got a spare bacta patch packed" she said with maintained positivity. A small hint of a Balmorran accent could be heard in her speech.

Casually, she turned her head to the left for a few brief moments as a tall Twi'lek enter the abode guarded by the Gamorreans in the distance. The subtle observation was accompanied by a stretch of the shoulders before her full attention returned to the man in front of her once more.

A gentle expression of amusement spread across her features as he finally spoke. "A commoner?" she asked, playfully challenging the word choice. Ines made it obvious that she the remark was not serious: There would be no pause for an answer, instead, she nodded "I suppose I'm packing a little more equipment than most." Ines looked out to the side and brought a hand up to shield her eyes from the suns "I'm about to head east."

"What about you then?" she asked, slowly turning to head back to the speeder "You don't look much like a commoner either.". A knowing, but still curious glance was sent his way "You walk like a warrior"

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

He could tell by her tone she was far from the commoner she portrayed. As he planned the subject quickly changed from the pain that started the interaction onto who she possibly might be. East of here was nothing but the dunes with a few scattered lone huts or, more likely, tuskans. Clearly she knew this, though, which meant she was at least equipped to some degree. He further noted her own observation skills at his abilities as a warrior.

He was tall, sure, but Matthias didn't have the warrior's build. He might pass as a bodyguard at a club on Canto Bight but not as a warrior. While he may have been wearing some lightweight armor underneath, above all that could be seen was his plain robes and the grey cloak that covered him further. He kept great mind to keep his two lightsabers on the back of his belt, constantly hidden while he was outside of combat by his robes. Yet this stranger saw through it and knew he had combat experience of some kind.

He didn't normally give away information about himself or whatever his current task was. Yet for the first time the voices seemed to indicate trusting someone beyond himself. He knew eventually he'd work alongside other like-minded individuals; though, admittedly, he assumed it would be his eventual master, not whatever or whoever this young woman happened to be. Regardless, he wasn't about to not follow the will of the voices. Glancing down at her once more he relaxed his stance; folding his arms and leaning back on his right foot slightly, the smirk returning to his face.

"I'm a hunter," he responded calmly, "doesn't matter if it's a bounty, an item, something smuggled, I just job hunt." While he was going to trust the voices, he wasn't going to tell her everything. "The name is Kalik." Including his name, for now at least.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Talking to Matthias Colcrip ​

A hunter. Ines looked to the man with continued curiosity as he continued telling her what he did. She processed the information quickly but still leaned her head to the side as if continuing to ponder it. Then, he introduced himself. Her face shone up with a bright smile as she turned back to him and extended a hand for him to shake "Nice to meet you Kalik, I'm Nellavi Baudrow"

The light Balmorran accent remained ever present as she continued "Most bounty hunters tend to come a bit better armed. What do you-..." Her sentence was cut short at the muffled sound of three blaster shots going off came from the distance. The Agent quickly looked over to the left, eyes quickly fixing onto the Gamorrean guards who now turned to the door they were guarding.

Suddenly, the door swooshed open. The closest guard reached for a person inside. It was obvious that the alien missed as the Twi'lek rolled out from underneath the arm. The woman pushed her blaster up against the abdomen of the other and fired off two shots. As the second guard fell, the attacker made a run for it and headed straight in the direction of Kalik and Nellavi.

A few thugs rushed out from the building with blasters in two. Before most civilians knew any better, a hail of bolts came raining down the streets. The Agent had also lingered for a little too long before moving in behind a thin pillar to keep herself from getting hit. She pushed hard against the wall, for there was barely enough space for her thin form to take cover in.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

His conversation with Nellavi was cut short thanks to the sudden appearance of blaster fire that erupted from nearby. Without thinking, Matthias rolled to the pillar opposite the young woman, slamming against the wall with a loud thud. He glanced out of cover momentarily: four thugs total, spread about a few feet apart from one another, were all sprinting towards the two of them.

As he leaned back into cover, the thugs seemingly blasting randomly to deter anyone who might want to stop them or get in their way, he scanned the area directly around them for civilians. He didn't much care if a few innocent bystanders got hurt, but he didn't like openly advertising his force-sensitivity if he could avoid it. By this point the thugs were about halfway between the two of them and the building they originally emerged from, about twenty feet away just about.

The only one around was Nellavi, whom he had only known for thirty seconds. "Trust," the voices began, "must trust." He didn't hesitate. Stepping out of cover about halfway, he extended his right hand out before him. The thugs were already running towards them, yet the one at the front could never expect to be suddenly and violently pulled forward, his comrades now far behind him. He was now in the literal hand of Matthias, who smirked before activating his purple lightsaber in a swift motion. As the body fell before him he glanced over at the young woman once more before nodding towards the rest of the thugs, who now stood readying their weapons nervously.

"You want to have some fun?" Although he looked at her as he said it, he wasn't sure if he was actually talking to her or the voices within.​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Attacked by thugs with Matthias Colcrip ​

Determined but light steps hit the sandy dirt streets at a fast pace. It would not be long before the Twi'lek made his way past the duo as he ran from the hail of red and yellow blaster bolts. The Agent watched as a stray bolt of red swooshed past and hit the elderly homeless woman in the side. She collapsed before managing to utter a single word. The boy who had been making wicker baskets with her stared at her blankly for a few moments before his eyes started to show sadness.

It was in that context Ines saw the man - Kalik - spring to action. Her eyes hopped quickly between the now exposed force user and the attackers. Where they might have just ran past them before, they were now sure to take care of business before pushing on. Or at least, they'd try. The girl noted the smirk on the Warrior's lips by raising two impressed brows. Purple sabres could be used by either Jedi or Sith, but only one of the two force traditions could be associated with a satisfactory kill.

The Agent's free hand hung close to the belt where her blaster was holstered in what might be described as a battle ready position. But then, the fist was clenched hard, showing fear. The fear was also reflected in her eyes and the way she pushed herself against the wall. Where Agent Pen-Ar-Lan might have been able to keep her head cool during a fight, Nellavi Baudrow did not appear to have quite the same capacity.

"F-fun?" she stammered as her eyes kept bouncing between the Sith and the attackers. The Gamorrean waddled closer to the obvious threat at a surprisingly fast rate with a meaty hand raised high over his head, prepared to make a big chop as soon as the target was in range. The second thug kept running at a good pace to chase after the Twi'lek, or possibly to get a good flanking position on the force user.

Then, Ines saw the third thug: Crouched down and aiming at Kalik. But she was not pulling the trigger just yet. Instead, it appeared as if she was waiting for the Gamorrean to arrive at the target to make a deadly one-two punch. The Agent allowed a troubled grimace to slip through before grabbing her gun to fire of a flurry of bolts at the third thug. While a hail of imprecise shots hailed down the streets, the first one had already hit the mark. Just as quickly as the elderly woman had died before, this thug died with a blast hole to the chest.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

With the first thug taken care of, Matthias straightened himself. With his free hand he quickly reached up to the clip on his collarbone and unlatched it, freeing his robe and revealing the black and yellow combat armor beneath it. It was then that his second lightsaber, red as a burning ember, and brought bother sabers in front of him in a defensive stance.

He watched as the Gamorrean guard rushed the thug closest to them and brought his great club downward in a swooping motion. The thug side stepped the larger and slower opponent before raising his blaster to finish the guard off. This was his target, he decided right then. Just as he took a step forward a flurry of additional blaster fire whizzed by him and impacted a thug that Matthias himself lost track of. Quickly glancing in the direction of the fire he saw his new acquaintance with a blaster drawn. He gave an affirmative nod, his own way of saying thank you in the heat of the moment, before his gaze quickly shot back to the remaining thugs.

As is gaze returned to them, the Twi'lek that had apparently started this engagement had finally made his way past the pair before diving behind the speeder Nellavi was prepping. Whatever started this would have to wait: first they had to finish the fight. Bringing the lightsabers to his side, Matthias broke out in a force-induced sprint towards the thug who previously dispatched the Gamorrean guard. There was a quick flash, a failed attempt by the thug to let off a shot at his quickly approaching attacker. It would be futile as the purple saber swung up to absorb the incoming blast while the red one came down following it, with all the intent of ending the thug.

The thug fell to the ground hard after the clean strike. Matthias readied his lightsabers defensively again before turning to face the final thug who had their blaster pistol aimed directly at Nellavi. In a single motion the young sith threw his purple saber forward through the air. It spun with a great speed and hit it's mark with little effort. As the saber cut down the final thug and returned to Matthias, he let out a small sigh followed by a chuckle.

Deactivating his sabers he turned and made his way back towards Nellavi, the speeder, and whoever this Twi'lek was that started this fight. "You okay?" he asked her as he examined the Twi'lek not far from them. "Thanks for that, by the way," he added, nodding back towards the thug who would've had him if not for the quick draw of Nellavi.
​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Aftermath | Matthias Colcrip ​

The Warrior moved at speeds that were hard to follow, even for someone with the observational skills of Agent Pen-Ar-Lan. Still relatively new and in a line of work far removed from the more Sith-heavy frontlines, it was obvious that the girl was impressed. Both by the man's swordsmanship and how he combined it with directed uses of the force. Thoughts, memories and lessons swirled in her mind. At some point, the girl seemed to relax. While horror still filled her eyes and the blaster was still pointed in the direction of the thug she'd shot, her shoulder's fell and the searching eyes stopped looking.

Instead of saving herself, she trusted the Warrior and observed him closely as he fought the thugs off. Genuine fear started to seep through as she noticed the final thug's blaster pointed right at her. Then, the purple blade swept in with a spin, bringing with it an uneven hum from the rotational movement. She let out a relieved sigh as it made short work of the last opponent.

Ines offered him a grateful smile "Yeah, I'm alright" she spoke softly as she turned to take a few steps to finally sit up on the speeder hood. Letting her feet dangle, she leaned back and let out another relieved breath. "Don't mention it, I'm the one who should be thanking you. I'm pretty sure you saved me there." The woman's eyes glimmered as she nodded to the thug who had pointed a gun at her. Her gaze slowly wandered over to the multiple scorch marks her flurry of bolts had produced and uttered an idle accented "My mom would be disappointed. She taught me better than to miss every shot"

"S-s-sith, Y-you a-..." the Twi'lek had risen back into an upright stance and was obviously terrified as he pointed a finger at the tall warrior, not caring much for the conversation at hand. His sentence, however, was cut short. With the flip of a switch, the Agent set her blaster to stun and fired a single shot from close range, hitting him and knocking him out quickly. For a few moments, her eyes lingered on the alien before turning to Kalik with a friendly smile "Sith aren't always welcome in these sands. I hear there's a Mandalorian Karjr who treats this rock like it was his own backyard. If word starts spreading, he might come looking for ya." She hopped off of the hood and took a few steps closer, stopping right before inclining her head up any more would get uncomfortable "So, Kalik, mind telling me what sort of Sith you are? Maybe we could help each other out."

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

Although the woman spoke kindly and seemed to be open to befriending a sith, Matthias couldn't help but chuckle slightly as the man nervously pointed out the obvious. He shrugged and paced a moment before glancing once more at Nellavi. "Mandalorian, huh?" He contemplated his next move. Clearly this woman wasn't with the alliance, or at least the jedi, it seemed. "Trust, trust, trust," the voices all began speaking at once.

He cursed beneath his breath and clenched his hand in both anger and pain; it had been a long time since they three all spoke together and it was overwhelming enough to cause the physical reaction he had. With the pain gone he relaxed again and shrugged, "I'm here looking for a buyer, I have an item worth selling," he explained. He paced once more, his gaze turning to the building the action originated from.

It was at this moment that the entrance looked familiar and Matthias realized this was in fact the meeting place he was intended to find the buyer. He quickly snapped back to the unconscious twi'lek behind the speeder. Without hesitation he moved passed Nellavi and looked down at them, "He might be my buyer," he concluded casually, ignoring the dirt and sand now covering him. "Or maybe just someone who can point me in the right direction."​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Aftermath | Matthias Colcrip ​

The Warrior seemed to be of the silent type - but Nellavi did not seem to mind it much as she continued talking, producing a small nod as he asked to confirm that it was really a Mandalorian she had mentioned. Then, a knowing brow rose after having watched the man once more clenching his hand in pain. This time, she would not offer something to relieve it. Instead, she simply gave him an understanding nod and allowed a smile to linger, as to show him that he could take his time.

Ines leaned her head to the side and sent him a curious look as he mentioned wanting to sell something before his eyes shot to the previously well-guarded abode. "What are you-..." she trailed off as his attention snapped to the twi'lek she had stunned moments earlier. "Let's find out" she offered, with a mischievous smirk. Turning, she leaned into the back-end of the speeder and dug up some medical supplies from a bag. With familiar movements, she produced a syringe and a minute bag of kolto. Connecting the two, she quickly found a vein on the alien's arm and injected the fluid into a vein. The girl then kneeled down onto the sandy ground below and let her head hover over him with a soft and warm smile.

A few moments would pass before his eyes shot open and he exclaimed a scared "Sith!"

Brushing a hand along the Twi'lek's forehead, the Agent shook her head "Don't worry, you'll be alright." She watched him closely and offered him a few more comforting words until he finally seemed to come to his senses. "He - the Sith - just wants to know about that hut you came from. Are you his buyer?"

"What? No, no no no, t-t-that's not right no."

Once more, Ines offered understanding nods and a quiet "It's okay. It's okay. Just tell us what you know, alright? Everything will be fine."

"I, I was hired by Voggro. To collect a debt"

The Agent let out a light chuckle and emphasised her Balmorran accent "I'm not from around here, who's Voggro. And what went wrong in there? You made a fiery exit"

The Alien just shook his head in resignation "Ahhh, it all just went so fast, and then, before, y'know? It was all just..."

The rambling became increasingly hard to understand. Once more, she tried to comfort him with calming words and comfort - but this time, it seemed like the challenge would be a tougher one. With that, she turned her head to look at Kalik with eyes searching for how he wanted to proceed.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

​

The girl then kneeled down onto the sandy ground below and let her head hover over him with a soft and warm smile.​

Matthias watched methodically and intently as the young woman worked to revive and question the Twi'lek. It wasn't something he was used to, if he was being honest with himself. In fact had he been alone he likely would've killed the man and be done with it, looting whatever info he might've carried on him before continuing on his way. Though it seemed clear from her behavior and mannerisms that Nellavi wasn't a fighter, at least not by nature.

That nature was against Matthias' own more violent nature and yet the voices seemed insistent on trusting her.
​

"I, I was hired by Voggro. To collect a debt."​

The name was familiar to the Tatooine native and an annoyed look crossed his face. Voggro was a local gang lord with aspirations of more. Of course that just made him like any other Tatooine criminal with ambition, something Matthias was confident he and Nellavi could handle.

He responded to her glance by nodding for her to step aside before kneeling down and eyeing the Twi’lek. “This… debt, as you call it,” he began, his tone relaxed as if he was bragging that he had the power, “was it just credits? Or something else?”

He was of course referring to the kyber crystal in his possessions. Not knowing who the buyer wasn’t a hinderance, especially when the answer was now all too clear to Matthias, even if it wasn’t yet stated. The twi’lek cowered as Matthias leaned in a bit closer, this time in an attempt to hide what he was saying from Nellavi. “It was a kyber crystal, wasn’t it?” The man simply nodded, trembling as he did so. “Where is he?” There was a beat before Matthias leaned in till he was inches from the man’s face, “This lady here saved your life, better pay it back with what I want.”

The man swallowed his fear hard before nodding, “Dune Sea, eastern end.”

Matthias nodded with a grin and stood. “Our guy is in the Eastern Dune Sea somewhere,” he stated looking at her, “That is assuming you want to tag along now that we’ve saved one another once,” he jokingly added.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Arranging to travel with Matthias Colcrip ​

With a nod and a sympathetic glance to the Twi'lek, the agent did as instructed and shuffled back a few decimeters to give the two a bit of space whilst being close enough to intervene, should something happen. In silence, the girl watched the movements of the Sith and the reaction of the alien whilst listening intently to every word. Regardless of how observant and well trained listening skills the Agent had, a silent enough whisper with covered lips was hard to overcome without dedicated equipment. Whether she missed it or not, Nellavi would not react to the mention of a kyber crystal.

The small smirk that appeared as the Warrior intimidated his victim was quickly supressed. In its stead came sympathetic eyes to meet those of the Twi'lek as his supposed debt to her was mentioned. More motivation from her was clearly not needed, however, as the Alien's fear of the Sith proved to be more than enough motivation already.

Her lips formed a small 'o' as intrigued brows rose. She leaned forward "Thank you" - whether she meant it or not, she would pull the trigger of her blaster once more to knock him unconscious a second time. With that, Nellavi looked back up at the Sith with a pleasant smile.

Leaning her heard from side to side as if to weigh her options, the girl finally nodded "I don't know about taking on a crime lord, but I'd be happy to take you there. I was heading eastwards regardless." she spoke as she casually hopped into the driver's seat of the landspeeder. Reaching into the compartment by the passenger side, she produced a set of sunglasses to equip and then proceeded to bring the headscarf back up to cover her nose and mouth.

The vehicle soon came to life with a sick cough before entering a somewhat steady hum. "But if we're travelling together, I want to know more about you. Are you one of those Dark Empire types? Or is it the Sith Order for you?" she asked. The Galaxy housed a number of powerful Sith factions and she had just mentioned the two most prominent ones.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

Matthias chuckled for a moment. Truthfully he wasn't with anyone, not yet anyways. The first few years he spent outside of Tatooine were spent searching for one of the various organizations and factions either controlled by or welcoming of those who wielded the dark side. Although he never discovered their agents or others of similar mind, he did have at least some passing knowledge about those various factions.

He shrugged for a moment and walked around the speeder, standing between the young woman and the Dune Sea to his back. “You know what the problem with the Sith Order is?” he asked rhetorically, a more playful tone taking hold. “They’re too proud and loud about their desires and power: galactic history is all the proof we need.”

He paced a moment as if to ponder his own words. “Almost a thousand years ago there was a sith lord by the name of Sidious, and he ruled the galaxy for quite awhile before the jedi returned.” Matthias may have been letting more of himself be known than he had realized. In truth history and art were subjects Matthias took great interest in and he hadn’t had the chance to express it prior to now. But before he could even realize he was letting his personality show he kept on going, “But this Dark Empire, they know better. The sith of this empire know what Palpatine knew: the only way to win is by utilizing the shadows.”

“The shadows. The shadows. The shadows.”

He stopped pacing and eyed the woman once more, finally realizing how long winded his not-answer was, though not on his own accord but that of the voices. Clenching his fist a moment he smirked through the temporary pain. “I’m not with anyone, yet,” he finally answered, “but when I find one of their agents, I’ll gladly join this Dark Empire against the jedi and Galactic Alliance.”
​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Arranging to travel with Matthias Colcrip ​

Eyes rolled behind the dark shades when he chose to linger outside the speeder to answer her instead of hopping on immediately. The moment of annoyance would be extremely fleeting, however. For in the same breath, he spoke of the foolishness of the Sith Order. Her chuckle could likely be deciphered from behind the mask, partially because the movement of her shoulders, and partially because how her cheeks rose in a smile.

Ines leaned back into her seat to make herself comfortable as she listened, showing that she had plenty of willingness to hear what he had to say. If they weren't going to move out just yet, she might as well give him her undivided attention - or as undivided as an agent like her could accomplish. Her eyes still kept watch for new people on the streets - but for now, the coast was clear.

She offered a nod in agreement as he mentioned how the Sith of the Dark Empire knew what they were doing and allowed an intrigued expression to manifest when hearing of the last part. She brought her right hand to take hold of the shades and the left to produce a signet. Tossing it to him, she allowed a clear and sharp Imperial accent to replace her Balmorran one. "An Agent of the Dark Empire, at your service. But I don't want to hear an 'Agent Baudrow' - I'll still be Nellavi to you, at least while we're still on Tattooine" she spoke with a barely contained sense of excitement.

"Do you still want to find Voggro? I will lend you whatever support I can - but I have seen you fight: You will be doing the heavy lifting. Regardless, we should make haste. We do not want to be here when the locals show up looking for a bounty."

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

Matthias couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. The voices had, once again, lead him down a path he didn’t know he needed but one he was glad he took. The random woman who had grabbed him out of concern and helped him dispatch the random thugs, and indirectly helping his job, was in truth an agent of the very order he sought to join.

The Dark Empire, from what he had gathered over the years, was far more secretive and shrouded in far more questions than answers. They were the exact kind of sith and like-minded individuals Matthias hoped to join rank with. And so when Nellavi suddenly spoken with an indistinguishably Imperial accent, Matthias simply laughed.

He returned his gaze to the agent, “Well, Nellavi,” he started, emphasizing the name which he was convinced was a cover, “Voggro isn’t a problem, honestly should’ve taken care of him years ago,” he jokingly stated, though it was clear from his plain expression he was truly being honest. He moved over beside the young woman and leaned against the speeder before looking down at her once more, “But something is telling me I should have you tag along.”

The voices were real to him. He could hear them even if nobody else could, and their presence was constantly felt at the back of his mind and the bottom of his heart. Even if he didn’t understand what they were, or if he truly was insane, but they had lead him this far and now to a Dark Empire agent.

He assumed, then, that the two taking down Voggro made sense. “If you help me with my job, I’ll help you with whatever yours is,” he added finally, “Then maybe, perhaps, we can discuss my future with the Dark Empire,” he finished, a faith yet eager smile upon his face.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trial and Error
Travelling with Matthias Colcrip ​

A look of content satisfaction started to spread across her features as he laughed and continued talking to her with relative openness. The mere thought of an ISB agent being present could put the fright in some. When Kalik moved closer to lean over instead of freezing up or hesitating, she simply offered a warm and welcoming smile. "It would be my pleasure" she stated whilst slipping back into a soft Balmorran.

She beaconed for him to hop in and got them going as soon as he did. Before continuing the conversation, she put the shades back on and pointed to the compartment in front of him where a set of heavy anti-concussive googles could be found. While their primary function was combat oriented, they would also shield his eyes well from the sand. Then, she extended her one hand to him, expectantly waiting for the Imperial signet to be handed back to her.

"I don't know how much there is to discuss. Who the Sith decide to take into their ranks is far beyond my reach. All I can do is to share my observations from the field." on the surface, she was diminishing the impact she could have - but between the lines, she hinted at the influence that she might wield.

Soon, the duo flew past their first rock formation. A small canyon had formed in it and tracks of banthas and other footsteps could be spotted inside. Her eyes lingered for a moment before turning back to the horizon ahead of them. "Kalik" she hollered, her voice now competing with the uneven hum of the engine and the winds that enveloped their vehicle "Why did you intervene? What is it that drives you?"

This time, she wouldn't turn to him as she spoke like she had before. But behind the dark shades, her eyes were watching him through the rearview mirror. Right before he'd have the chance to answer, the speeder would swoosh up over a large dune and end up jumping from it - they would remain elevated for some time and glide back down onto a more normal level gradually. Still, she had barely looked away from him for the duration, curios to see his reaction and obviously unphased by the jump.

 

[Matthias Colcrip]

Despite the constant paranoia that plagued him, Matthias did enjoy speed. The thrill of a speeder on a world's surface or the adrenaline one gets piloting a fighter through space combat, it was all the same for him. He wouldn't lie if he admitted to enjoying the company as well. Despite the voices constantly whispering in his ears, it was nice to have someone real to talk to.

He could tell she was a trained agent, or at least carried herself well enough to pass as one. She clearly knew more than she let on, as any spy would, and Matthias knew eventually he’d get the information he sought eventually. For now he’d continue working with her and knowing for now he at least made some sort of alliance.

His thoughts were interrupted. He had forgotten that he had given a fake name and hadn’t responded to the young woman’s question. Before he could respond the speeder had launched itself over a large dune. His hands gripped the side bars hard but those brief moments they hung in the air he couldn’t help but let a smile fall upon his face. His one good eye was usually sharp and focused, but the adrenaline had winded his pupils a bit.

As the speeder landed he let out a small laugh before shifting his attention back to the young woman. “I like to fight,” he yelled back over the hum of the speeder and wind passing by. “Probably would’ve killed him if you weren’t there,” he admitted.

After a few minutes he tapped her shoulder, alerting her to slow down. They’d be stopping at another large dune, though Matthias knew on the other side of it was a small hut. Unassuming on the outside, inside was a small ladder that lead to a basement where Voggro and his guards awaited. He wasn’t sure how many guards there’d be, but once they were fully stopped he hoped his new spy friend could help with recon.​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan