Private Two-Faced

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"You won't stay anything about me to the SIA? Fine. Then get me out of here."

Sycorax smiled. The SIA, she had found, was more trouble than it was worth. Despite being tasked with catching criminals, they had proved impotent at best, or at worst an obstacle to true justice. They were there in the wake of the explosion that had taken her husband’s life and left her deformed and maimed, warning her not to seek revenge. They would handle the case, they assured her, lying through their straight white teeth.

Well, she had taken her revenge a dozen times over since then—and she was still here, while they were not. She hadn’t cut the head off the hydra just yet, but at this point she didn’t want the government’s help. They would only screw things up, like always.

Whatever this man’s reasons for not wanting to be discovered by the SIA, he was getting his wish. But not without Gill knocking him out with a mild stun shot, as was standard procedure for any prisoner claimed by the Monsters.

Aldric would awaken in a different location. He hadn’t been drugged, so not much time had passed—and that meant they couldn’t have taken him far. His hands and feet were bound to a table, and all around him were faces. Sycorax was among them, her guards standing by. Beside her was a hideous man with a face like a corpse, wide eyes sunken in his skull, wispy white hair and a mouth full of jagged teeth. A torturer, or at least the threat of one.

“You’re awake,” Sycorax said. “Tell me who you really are.”

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric awoke, first sleepily then with sudden alertness. Immediately he registered what had happened and what was going on. He assessed his surroundings, but there was little detail to be gleaned from the intentionally nondescript room. He was in a sober state of mind, so he hadn't been drugged, just stunned and relocated. There were a number of others in the room, including the Senator herself. Beside her was a rather freaky looking torturer. Aldric stared at him for a few seconds, but betrayed no fear. This was hardly his first interrogation.

"Where are we?" He asked, not answering the question.

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"Where are we?"

Sycorax exchanged looks with the grinning ghoul, smirking just a little. This guy knew what he was doing, and annoying as it was, she had to respect it.

“You’re still on Fondor,” she answered. Information he probably already knew, and largely useless—but an answer nonetheless. “I read the file you had on Dr. Lanyon. I found it hard to believe, but I suppose it’s the quiet, mild-mannered ones you have to watch out for. How long did it take you to root him out as a spy?”

Aldric Laurent

 

[Aldric Laurent]

That tracked with how long he had seemingly been out. Aldric wasn't exactly eager to stick around on the Alliance capital world, but he didn't have much choice right now. "A few months," He answered plainly, "Where's the good doctor now?"

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"A few months."

Sycorax closed her eyes in silence, then nodded. "I had thought as much."

In retrospect, she could see the signs. Little things that she had written off in the moment now held greater significance. His strange behavior, their strained relationship... it all made sense now. Hateful, bitter sense.

"Where's the good doctor now?"

"He's being questioned. We want to know why he did it and who he did it with. And then..." She heaved a sigh. "We take care of our own."

Her tone changed abruptly. "Why?" she demanded, leaning over him. "Why me, why you? What do you gain from helping me?"

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"...We want to know why he did it and who he did it with."

"The Empire. The Dark Empire," Aldric answered plainly, "Can't say I fully pieced together the former, however." There were possible motives, of course. But if they waited too long for more information, they risked him making a move on the Senator, or elsewhere. Her other questions were harder to answer directly.

"What do I gain? A cleaner galaxy," He replied with conviction, "It seems every time you take out one piece of trash, another one pops up. Another wannabe empire, cartel, slave trade, whatever."

"So, there's a lot of trash to take out."

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

“We want names,” she amended. “Where there is one piece of trash, there may be more.” They could not afford to have more than one spy hiding in their ranks.

"What do I gain? A cleaner galaxy. It seems every time you take out one piece of trash, another one pops up. Another wannabe empire, cartel, slave trade, whatever. So, there's a lot of trash to take out."

Well, at least they had a motive. But he probably wasn’t going to answer the more important questions. Sycorax turned to the ghoul and nodded.

“You did all this on your own, didn’t you?" His voice was a low growl, but slightly affected, as if something was impairing his speech. “You’re a vigilante. A private investigator. But you learned your skillset from the SIA.” He held up a page from the file on Lanyon. “They format their files a certain way. Either you didn’t think to change how you organized your report… or you wanted it to look like it was an SIA hit job. Now you’re hiding from them.”

He bared his jagged, shark-like teeth in a hideous grin. “I've got contacts in the SIA. I could take pieces of you down to their offices and have them run it through their system. But I’d much rather you tell me who you are here and now, to save us both the trouble.”

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric shook his head, "He's the only one I've found among your people." His tone made it clear that it wasn't impossible there could be more. Just that if there were, he had not uncovered them yet.

It was the interrogator's turn to speak, and he made a rather interesting discovery. Followed by a threat, "I don't think they'd take kindly to you taking a case like this into your own hands," He smirked knowingly. No doubt the SIA would have a thing or two to say about a would-be assassin who had infiltrated the senate building, and captured, tortured and/or killed without their knowing. "But I assure you, I had no intent of getting them caught up in this myself. As scapegoats or otherwise."

He stared between them all for a few moments, debating what to say. Ultimately he decided he didn't have much of a choice, "…You're a smart cookie. Yes. I do have some experience with the agency." He sighed, "My name is Aldric Laurent. I was a senior agent."

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"I don't think they'd take kindly to you taking a case like this into your own hands. But I assure you, I had no intent of getting them caught up in this myself. As scapegoats or otherwise."

That was smart of him. Sycorax was guilty of trying to use the SIA as a scapegoat. Her efforts had proven not just ineffectual, but wildly dangerous to herself and her team. Yet the threat of SIA involvement remained an effective method of persuasion. For lesser men, anyway.

"…You're a smart cookie. Yes. I do have some experience with the agency. My name is Aldric Laurent. I was a senior agent."

The interrogator's rictus grin thinned. Sycorax eyed him, then glanced back to Aldric. What a marvelous name. "Why aren't you still working for them?" she asked.

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"Can't say it was ever a job I did out of passion," Aldric managed a slight smirk, "But their methods just didn't do it for me. Our enemies made it personal for me. And the SIA couldn't let me respond in kind. So I cut myself loose."

"That, and I'm pretty sure they think I've been dead for the last couple years."

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"Can't say it was ever a job I did out of passion. But their methods just didn't do it for me. Our enemies made it personal for me. And the SIA couldn't let me respond in kind. So I cut myself loose."

"That, and I'm pretty sure they think I've been dead for the last couple years."

Sycorax had gone quiet, her expression veiled. Her thoughts turned to her past, the days when she had been a naive, eager young politician, ready to take on the world. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. Or how much it would cost her, both professionally and personally.

She hadn't expected his words to resonate with her. It sounded like he was in much the same position as her: disillusioned and forced to become independent. Other people couldn't be relied upon to get the job done, too tangled up in bureaucratic red tape and "morals" that weren't worth what a bantha could spit.

Glancing at her interrogator, she was tempted to order him to free Aldric from his restraints. But perhaps not yet. "You're a rogue agent," she concluded. "I see that you were trying to help me, even though it doesn't feel like it. I suppose it never feels helpful to learn you've been betrayed, especially by someone you cared for... once." That door had most definitely closed, now that she knew what the doctor was capable of.

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"You could say that," Even if it wasn't accurate, Aldric wasn't going to willfully clarify. He seemed to have gotten through to the senator, at least on some level. But that didn't mean he was ready to spill all the tea.

"I see that you were trying to help me, even though it doesn't feel like it. I suppose it never feels helpful to learn you've been betrayed, especially by someone you cared for... once."

He nodded with commiserate solemnity, "My line of work doesn't always leave room for cool-headed explanations. There's too much at stake, and often not enough time." He shrugged, "So, sorry to get you caught up in the mess. But we were limited on options. And you were a bit too perceptive for your own good," The agent smirked.

"Or, perhaps mine." He looked among the others in the room, "What happens to me now?"

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"My line of work doesn't always leave room for cool-headed explanations. There's too much at stake, and often not enough time."

"That lack of cool-headed explanations could've gotten you killed unnecessarily," Sycorax countered. But Aldric was firm in his conviction that he had done what was necessary. At this point she couldn't fault him for it. Had their positions been reversed, she might have done the same.

"I wish I was more perceptive. Then I might have guessed you were a friend rather than a foe." Was that too earnest? She didn't care. She was beginning to warm to this Aldric Laurent.

"What happens to me now?"

She glanced at her interrogator. "Leave him to me, Lon."

Lon seemed momentarily surprised, but quickly followed orders. Before he left the room, he spat his sharp teeth into his hand with a sigh of relief. Those chompers were uncomfortable.

Left alone with Aldric, Sycorax undid the restraint holding down his arm on the side closest to her. Then she reached across to release his other wrist. It was a dangerous position to put herself in. He could grab her while she was leaning over him, and it would be all over... Which was exactly why she was doing it.

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"And if I'd tried to offer it prior, I never would have made it past the lobby." Whether he was laughed off or brought in for questioning, it would have only served to halt his mission. He shrugged in response to the senator's reply, "It's easier to assume everyone is a foe, and leave the real friends to prove otherwise. Can't say I'd have thought differently in your position."

Sycorax made the interrogator leave. Watching him spit out the fake teeth was a curious sight, but perhaps more curious was the senator's brazen vulnerability. She began to undo the agent's restraints, seemingly without regard for what he might do given the opportunity. But, Aldric was true to his word. He was here to help Sycorax, not kill her. So when she let him free, he simply massaged his sore wrist, and nodded in appreciation, "Thanks…" He paused, "You're quite the gambler, Senator."

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"It's easier to assume everyone is a foe, and leave the real friends to prove otherwise. Can't say I'd have thought differently in your position."

How right you are, she thought, easing back some to give him the space to sit up. Her eyes followed his movements as he rubbed his wrists to see if he would try to grab or attack her. He had strong arms and weathered hands.

"You're quite the gambler, Senator."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "I want to get to know you better. We seem to have a lot in common. Do you have anything planned for this Zhellday?"

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric nodded. Sycorax's following comment earned a raised brow. He was surprised she was so ready to accept him. Perhaps the loss of the doctor left her feeling vulnerable, or perhaps she simply had a better sense of trustworthiness than the doctor's betrayal would indicate. "Seeing as my condition is entirely in your hands," He said as he stood up, noting the circumstances of their previous agreement to, "My plans are whatever you have in mind."

Aldric managed a more at ease smirk, "So, whatever do you have in mind?"

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

"So, whatever do you have in mind?"...

It wasn't normal to ask someone on a date to another planet, but since both Coruscant and Necropolis were Core Worlds, the distance was short enough to make it forgivable. Sycorax was quite keen to invite Aldric to her favorite Dahrtagian steakhouse, the Red Dwarf.

She was waiting for him when he arrived, seated at a table in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Despite being a recognizable public figure, she was undisguised. While her clothing, makeup and white-streaked beehive stood out in the Senate, her style was the fashion among her fellow Necropolitans. She blended in with half the other women in the place.

"Glad you could make it," she said when he approached the table. A drink sat half-full in front of her, but otherwise she hadn't ordered anything. "I hope you're hungry."

Dahrtagian steakhouses charged a fixed price for an all-you-can-eat style meal. Sleek droid servers roamed the swanky dining room, carrying skewers piled high with a variety of cooked meats. Each customer had a little device with two colored modes. Green meant they wanted more food, while red meant they'd had their fill. Once you were on red, you would be left alone. That was much of the appeal of meeting here. Sycorax knew they wouldn't be disturbed, and the likelihood of others eavesdropping was significantly reduced.

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

Aldric hardly expected this mission to end with him going out to dinner with his target's target, but he supposed there were worse ways this could have gone. As strange a turn of events as it was, he had earned Sycorax's trust. Much better than a trip to a Necropolitan prison. He was truly on her side, after all, in spite of how cagey he was. Aldric took the opportunity to change suits, for one that was a bit less rumpled from the light bout of action he had been up to with the senator's entourage.

Sycorax dressed in the fashion of her people, certain she would remain low-key. Aldric respected the confidence, even if the idea of her being out the open so soon made him a twinge nervous. She certainly wore the style well. Here, Aldric was the one who stood out. A far cry from his usual role, blending into his surroundings.

"I hope you're hungry."

Aldric looked at the other tables, instinctually casing the people for threats. But his intention soon became distracted by the plates of fine food. It would be a lie to say he wasn't rather hungry. He wasn't exactly starving over his time in the underground, but he wasn't exactly gorging on exquisite meals either. Surely it wouldn't be too bad to take advantage of the opportunity… "…I could do with a bite," He understated.

Sycorax Laveaux​

 

[Sycorax Laveaux]

Aldric's appearance didn't go unnoticed. After all, he was one of the few people in the establishment not wearing eyeliner. A few other patrons glanced at him as he made his way over to the table, their reactions to his presence ranging from mild curiosity to disdain to piqued interest. The latter was most strongly felt from a bobbed blonde seated at the booth next to theirs. Clad in a vibrant emerald green dress, she stared openly at Aldric, ignoring her date. Luckily the man seemed oblivious to her lack of attention, yammering on in a city accent so thick he almost seemed to be speaking another language.

"…I could do with a bite."

Sycorax smiled. "Just a bite?"

A Leffingite arrived at their table to take Aldric’s drink order and to quickly explain how things worked in a Dahrtagian steakhouse. After he left, Sycorax flicked the switch on her device, signaling that they were ready to be served. The droids began rolling toward them, each one offering a particular kind of meat cooked and seasoned a certain way. She ordered one of almost everything, declining all but the roast dewback. “Too dry,” she remarked to Aldric. “But be sure to try the bantha steak. It’s the best in the Core.”

Fruits, vegetables, salad, and cheeses were handed out in addition to the meats. Sycorax was pickier about these, choosing only a few items. When she finally flicked her switch off, her plate was piled high with food. She picked up a fork and a knife and began cutting into the hunks of meat with a mannered delicacy that bordered on comical, given the size of the meal in front of her.

“So,” she began, dark eyes glancing across the table at her companion. “Mr. Laurent. Tell me about yourself.”

Aldric Laurent​

 

[Aldric Laurent]

"Hm," Aldric smirked. They sat down and were given the rundown on the operation. Aldric studied the vast array of options, indecisive over what appealed to him. Sycorax had a heftier appetite than he'd have expected, and his eyebrows piqued in surprise as she rattled off practically the entire menu of meats. Aldric didn't quite go all out as she did, but he did settle on a rather carnivorous meal, including the bantha steak the senator suggested. The more he requested, the more it all started to sound delicious. With a few other sides tacked on, both of them soon had a proper banquet displayed in front of them. Aldric studied his meal hungrily, suddenly indecisive on what to try first.

Aldric shoved a cut of meat into his mouth, chewing on it slowly as he formulated an answer to the question, "Grew up on Dantooine. Family were farmers. Saw the NIO at work up close. Didn't like it. Decided to do something about it. Joined Alliance Intelligence. Retired. Came back. Went Missing In Action," He smirked again slightly, "Been Missing In Action ever since."

Sycorax Laveaux​