Private What else can we do?

[Lanx Velishin]

Three days. They had waited three long, quiet days after that fateful night where they had managed to capture and pry every bit of knowledge they could from that fat twilek. Waiting three days to hear something, anything from the higher ups about what their next move should be, whether they should pull off the planet or even act upon the information they had been able to get. The lack of communication was..stunning, and truthfully left both of the agents in a lurch, unable to decide whether or not they should act. Lanx kept to himself mostly through those days, wandering around the small warehouse that served as their gathering place and blackhouse, eating when only pressured to by the other agent.

It was happening again. That sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, that everything he had tried to build since leaving those mines would come crashing down yet again. Just like starfall, he would be left without direction or anywhere to go. He might’ve escaped the mines, and the collar might not have been on his neck any longer, but the burden the life he had lived before this point had certainly not been lifted.

By the end of the third night, the silence between the two agents had begun to die down slightly. They spoke back and forth, and realized, even without the authorization coming down that they needed, action needed to be taken if they could do so. The twilek that they had…procured had given them some extremely interesting information, and to leave that completely unresolved just because they didn’t have authorization would be putting the entire galaxy in danger.

The twilek was little more than a point of contact. It was something that they had began to understand very well, that the cultists were good at keeping those that needed to know information, knew the information. Information that expanded out of that reach never reached their ears, or anyone around them. What their mole that had given them that night was truly all that he knew, yet even the smallest kernel of truth could give them a lead.

And that’s exactly what he had given them.

See, all he knew was that there was a shipment of..something coming from the cultists within the next four days. He didn’t know what it was, nor where it was coming from. He didn’t even know who was flying the dang transport or how big the shipment would be. All he had was a time and a place. That was all he was useful for. And Lanx and Lliara and planning on being there to see exactly what kind of packages the cultists deemed necessary to send here.

That’s where they stood now, on an catwalk overlooking the hanger. They watched as multiple crates had begun to be unloaded, yet with the lids on, it couldn’t exactly be figured out what they were bringing here. Lanx sighed, stretching his long legs horizontally with a slight groan before pulling them back up to his chest. “So, we wait until these freaks have left, sneak aboard their ship, and while they’re gone, I try and copy down all of their navigational data. I think I can do it, but I don’t how long it’s going to take..” He mused, turning to look toward where the Mirialan knelt on the catwalk. There was a lot of trust that he needed to put into Lliara now.

But at this point…what else could he do?

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

Silence. Analysis. Contemplation. Hallmarks of an Intelligence Agency. Under the right circumstances. Lliara questioned if their humble start to a much greater threat warranted an extended period of deliberation. Now was when they should be pursuing leads, not allowing them to grow stale. Those 'at the top' could wring their hands once the final confrontation was close -- when the ringleader was in sight and no one wanted to let them slip away. Now was not that time.

While they waited the Mirialan did her best to attend to Lanx being new at underhanded and criminal activity. What was espionage even for 'the good guys' but those things? You did not catch threats like these being walking out in the open waving around a badge. Being covert was something Lliara liked to think she did well. After all, she had quite some time to engage in such activity. Quite some time indeed. More than the Confederacy were aware certainly.

So when the two of them spoke, Lliara didn't do anything to dissuade Lanx from the thought of 'going off the reservation.' In a sense she might have even suggested it. The Mirialan was not what one could consider a loyal or dutiful member of the Confederacy. No, she was a manipulator, a schemer, and an opportunist. It's who she'd been before them, and who she'd be after them. A survivor.

Hunting these cultists wasn't out of a sense of duty, but curiosity. A second nervous system of foreign genetic construction in a host? What wasn't to like? Lliara loved uncovering new scientific advancements to benefit her own research. This twist in the Biological Sciences was captivating. It was worth the hassle of pursuing them in secret. Much as she desired to learn their secrets, Lliara did not wish to join them; she knew better than to assume such would end well for her. Sad as it may be that she would have to cripple their grand plans.

With the information in their possession, the two took up reconnaissance of a scheduled delivery. It was not much information, but then Lliara had never expected their... guest was brimming with detail. A thread was all you needed in the end. Now they were positioned to tug on it.

Even so, the Mirialan's golden eyes peered down on those below with lidless eyes. The secretive smile on her dark lips had fallen as the insects scurried about below. Something Lanx could see since the faceplate of her mask was retracted as it often was in Lanx's presence. The Cathar might be the only person in the galaxy that knew her identity as the Inquisitor and the Mirialan.

Lanx's words touched the woman's ears as she continued her watch. "There is no 'trying' in our line of work, Lanx. We set our objective, acquire the resources to succeed in that objective, and implement. Confidence in your tools, plans, and companions are what keep you alive. When you get down there you'll understand -- there's no time to worry about whether you can do something, you must do it." After a moment Lliara turned her gaze away from those below and looked over at the Cathar. The small smirk swiftly returned. "You get the data. However much time it takes. I'll keep you safe. Alright?"

Was this a good idea? Certainly not. Lanx was still exceedingly new at all of this. That, however, didn't matter. They were all each other had, and so far the Cathar hadn't let Lliara down. It was dangerous to train in the field at the spur of the moment, but a spy did what a spy had to do when they had to do it. If a person could figure out how to handle always living a breath away from death then they weren't cut out for field work. Despite Lanx's doubts, however, Lliara felt he could become an asset in time. Long as she helped him survive until then.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

This was such a terrible idea…

So why did he actually believe it might just work? Was it because that Lliara believed in him that he might just be able to do this? Or was it that if they failed..they really might not get another shot at this whole thing? Was the desperation of getting it right the very first time what was so driving in his mind, knowing that he actually had the skills to do what needed to be done? At least, Lliara believed that he was ready for this sort of thing. Maybe that gave him a boost and a belief that he could do everything she thought he could.

The cathar swallowed, slowly nodding as Lliara finished her reassurance. His eyes darted from the woman down to where the crews were unloading the final crates, then back to where his partner knelt beside him. “I promise to try and not take too long then. However, it will take a minute to download the whole thing.” Shaking his head, he quickly pulled out a datapad to reiterate what he meant. “I mean, it will take a minute to do the whole thing. It shouldn’t take long to download their charts, however, I need to also erase the history that we were ever there in the first place. If I don’t, they might catch on and decide to change their route, making this all for naught.”

It was delicate, that was for sure. But he could do it. He had done this in pieces before for hutt ships, just not all together, and especially not on a time crunch. As long as Lliara gave him the time and safety of her covering, then this all could end up being very successful.

His gaze eventually retuned to where the hanger had now grown quiet, the pilots and hanger maintenance crews having left to grab a drink for a job well done no doubt. A shakey breath pulled itself through his body, settling enough for him to turn to Lliara, giving her a slight grin. “Time to go, then?” He didn’t wait long enough for a answer, quickly moving to slide down the ladder at the side of their catwalk. The longer he sat up there, the harder it would be for him to push himself to actually do this.

His boots hit the ground with a soft thud, and after another quick breath, Lanx started toward the ship. A blaster, given to him by the Mirialan no doubt right behind him, pulled itself from his holster. If he’d be able to shoot anyone, that was up in the air, but at least he could keep up appearances as he strode up to the shuttles’ dropramp.

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

The Mirialan would have sighed if she had any less self-control. It took time to retrain someone's way of thinking. Patience was a virtue; one Lliara was not short in supply of even if it would be convenient for the galaxy to pick up the pace. Some day Lanx would stop using the word 'try.' Until then she'd just have to help him see he was perfectly capable of surviving in this brutal galaxy.

The Intermediate Course in Spycraft Linguistics would involve a lesson in not telling people precisely what you would or would not do either. 'I will not take too long' was a poor commitment to make. It gave others the wrong impression -- that you would somehow bend the galaxy to fit their schedule. 'I will accomplish the task' was suitably informative while not being overly committed. If they complained, you retort how you did exactly what you said you were going to do. The fact they assumed that meant the same thing they said was their problem.

One lesson at a time.

As for confidence well that would come in time. First few missions might be rough. Long as Lanx didn't mentally snap under the strain, however, he'd improved. You either learned to trust yourself and your colleagues, you ran away, or you were dead. Their line of work was completely merciless in this fashion. No desk jobs. Even paper-pushers were viable targets for their enemies -- and they were trying to figure out their identities. Weakest link and all that.

That said, the Mirialan's smile remained strong with Lanx's latter remarks. "Good thinking, Lanx. It's that attention to detail that makes all the difference." Just a humble example of why Lliara hadn't ditched Lanx. The Cather did have promise, and she'd give him the chance to grow into it -- long as he wanted it.

Silently Lliara's helmet sealed and concealed her features from view. A slight nodded accompanied Lanx's question. It was time to go.

From the perspective of anyone that might have been watching, the Cathar strode up to the shuttle by himself. Lliara's voice whispered in his ear, however, as he drew close, "Head inside."

Concealment was one of her greatest Force abilities. Far better than any stealth field. Unless you were dealing with a powerful Force User, but then the galaxy was full of contrasts. The black-garbed figure crouched down behind a crate near the ramp Lanx took.

Fifteen seconds travel, ten seconds interface, sixty seconds download and purge, and fifteen seconds return. One minute, forty seconds. Such a brief window of opportunity for someone to notice them. Of course it'd taken thirty seconds to get there, but just over two minutes still wasn't that long. So you could imagine the disappointment with two of them coming back only sixty seconds later. It wasn't inconceivable, but it was inconvenient.

Lliara waited until one of them drew near the shuttle before she tossed a primed smoke grenade off to one side. Theater for the cameras that would be too far to see detail. Moment their eyes shot toward the billowing smoke, the dark figure dashed into the open and tackled the one nearest to the ramp. Their back struck a container, but they recovered unusually fast given how abrupt the turn had been. Before she managed to follow-up, they'd already taken hold of her, turned, and slammed her into the container.

A hollow fwomp sounded as her pole snapped to its full length in one hand. One end caught the underside of the man's jaw. Few species managed to just shrug that off. The Mirialan jerked their blaster free and pointed it over their head at the second one that had just managed to train their own weapon on her.

"All your credits, or I'll kill you both," Lliara called out. Nothing like a little banditry to explain their presence.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

Get in, get out.

Do you job.

Don’t get Lliara hurt or killed.

These three thoughts rang hard on the Cathar’s mind as he swiftly made his way up the ramp into the small shipping shuttle. But the last thought seemingly hit him harder each time he thought about it. It truly was about not getting her hurt by his own ineptitude or stupidity. He had a job to do, and if he could get it done quick enough, there was a great chance that they would be getting out of here scot free with the newest piece of the puzzle. But if he didn’t, it would mean Lliara holding his hand yet again.

He could do this, and he was going to prove that. Not just to Lliara, but to himself.

It didn’t appear as though the cultists were running the most efficient of operations, because if they were, they needed to find a new accountant fast. Whoever they were using was obviously skimming off the side, at least that’s what the upkeep of the ship looked like. It practically falling apart. Either that…or this was nothing more than a runner.

Runners were common in the outer rim, especially in the less than savory smuggling businesses. Drugs, weapons…people, were commonly shipped on these practically falling ships, gotten to their destination, and then the ship was abandoned. It made tracking where they came from or where they were going harder, because they usually only made one or two trips. This would make downloading their data easier at least, as they shouldn’t have too much on their hard-drive. But then again…there were plenty of scummy accountants all over the galaxy.

Finding the cockpit was quick enough, and so was hooking up to the navigational console. A pair of wires, plugged directly into a holopad he had been able to pick off a cultist a few weeks ago, were pulled long and plugged into a port underneath. Almost immediately, the pad lit up in a litany of colors, reflecting off the slit iris’ of the Cathar. Numbers, data, quick enough for him to barely register but still understand what they meant overall. Soon, however, he was able to pluck out the last two taken by this vessel, which was, in turn, easy enough, seeing how the entire navigational record up to that point had been cleared.

“Definitely a runner then…must’ve of procured it, more likely stole it, wiped everything, and are only using it this once or twice. Doesn’t make much to have to download, but I bet Lliara would want to know about this…” He mused to himself, watching as the final bits of data began to download onto his datapad. There was just a moment where his attention was fully fixated to the holopad, but then, something began to peak his attention. A rustling, almost..fighting, sound.

His cat like ears flicked at the distraction, turning to look down the ship’s hall toward where the loading ramp would be located. Was Lliara in danger? Why had they come back so fast? Lanx’s eyes quickly turned back to his devise, seeing that he still needed another few seconds. “Give me just..just a little more time Lliara..I’m almost done.” He’d help soon, but if he didn’t finish this now, everything that they had built up to would be worthless.

 

[Lliara Daeva]

A red flare ignited in the solid black helmet over where the left eye should be. "So be it." No response was as good as a 'no' in her book. Not that she expected them to comply; nor was she interested in fleecing them for credits.

As Lliara spun to the left, the blaster put a hole in the side of the head of the dazed one. Their partner hadn't wasted time letting a bolt sail through the air where the Mirialan had been standing either. Another blast struck a stack of crates now between them once more.

No time was spent thinking about strategic options. Lean to the left, fire a shot to the left. Exchange weapons with a casual toss. Lean right, fire right. Being that far away from the crates made it possible, but not entirely effective. Kept the other party from advancing unless they felt like vaulting over the stack blindly. A foolish move unless you were a tank.

Launching herself forward, Lliara dropped to the ground on both knees and used the momentum to carry her over the ground. She bent backwards to keep her helmet below the top of the short line of crates used for cover. Once behind another stack, the Mirialan bound straight to her feet. A sharp flick sent the blaster into the stack she'd just departed. A sharp metallic ringing followed the collision.

The distraction would only last for a second. With the enemy's barrel directed away from her, Lliara stepped out from the other side of the crates staff in hand. Thrown over the intervening distance the butt of the staff connected with the forehead of the other cultist stooge. The metal pole spun once in the air after contact before it clattered on the ground beside the sentient now out cold. Presumably.

If this one had a dual nervous system it was difficult to tell if such head trauma would have the same lasting effect as it would on anyone else.

Many hangers had their cameras disabled or not installed because all manner of private affairs were conducted -- even cold-blooded murder. Even so, Lliara strode out toward the fallen body to slowly search them as though rifling for credits.

Poor cover? This kind of thing happened throughout the galaxy all the time. No security in hanger bays was a double-edged sword that way.

Her gloved hand emerged with a device cradled in her palm. From the blinking light, Lliara guessed it was some sort of beacon. Probably meant more company was on the way. She tossed it as, and stood to her full height after retrieving her staff. A quick tap to the transmitter, and she gently probed her companion, "We're about to have a lot of very angry guests." Hopefully their business would be concluded before that happened.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

Almost there…just a few seconds more…and a chime announced that the data was nice and stored within the holopad. Lanx could’ve done without the chirper little sound. He’d probably need to disable that when they got back to the safehouse, but that was among the least of his worries right now. The cathar took a few extra, precious seconds to read over the data, making sure that it was all there, before quickly pulling free the cords from the bottom of the navigational console. “time to leave, then. Let’s hope Lliara has kept them nice and occupied.”

That sounded like the least accurate description that he could have made, especially after he took a step down the hallway to hear his probe beginning to go off. Lliara’s cold, calculated voice that was sent through her helmet came through the communicator, and the words that were sent through left him with a chill down his spine. Had he taken too much time? What had gone wrong? Was this all his fault? Regardless of what it was, and how much he might’ve screwed up, he needed to get outside quickly and help.

His padded feet hit the metal with a soft clang, coming to a stretching halt upon seeing Lliara going through a second body and emerging with a few extra credits. The cathar’s face curled into one of disenchantment and unhappiness. Surely this was some sort of ploy, or cover. There was no way that she would just be going through the pockets of the dead for credits for..extra money. Then again, he didn’t really know the woman that well, and it was obvious that his face probably betrayed more of his emotion at the act than he wanted.

Regardless, Lanx slowly shook his head and patted the side pocket, trying to flash Lliara a forced smile as he did so. “Got the data. Looks..like it’s time to leave pretty quickly, then.” The newbie agent only got a few steps before the sound of the door to the hanger opening stopped him in his tracks. A deep swallow was followed swiftly by the Cathar pulling his blaster free from it’s holster, but even to the untrained eye would his blaster shaking back and forth lightly would give away his nerves toward the situation.

He..he wasn’t ready for this. Keeping his eyes on the slowly opening hanger door, the Cathar looked over to where the Mirialan stood, unsure of what to do..where to go.

They were trapped.

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

The faceless mask with its red visor pivoted up and around toward Lanx as he emerged. If she noticed or what her face might have displayed of her thoughts of Lanx's expression were concealed by that mask. As was her identity from almost every living creature in the galaxy -- save those that had seen her outside of the suit.

While her expression remain concealed, the Mirialan's features darkened at the sound of the hanger doors as they began to open. The helmet turned in the direction of the noise as the pair sought to depart. These people were faster at responding than they had any right to be. Such reaction time made their task all the more daunting.

Lliara's hand slid along her waist to pluck a device from her belt. "Catch." A flick of the wrist then sent the shield generator toward the Cathar. It was necessary to ensure Lanx stayed alive. With the way he was holding that blaster, Lliara couldn't expect him to cast him about a battlefield like a Jedi that enjoyed acrobatics too much.

"Now," she stepped in closer and dropped a hand on top of his shoulder, "stay in contact with me, and stay quiet." Using the Force to conceal them wasn't magic; it had a limited sphere of influence when used on others. Dangerous, but effective when things worked out well. Lliara tipped one end of her staff in the direction of one side of the hanger.

A quiet, unseen exfiltration would be nice. If their uninvited guests couldn't somehow pierce the veil. Even in that eventuality, Lliara was ready to do whatever it took to get them out.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

He almost missed that shield generator, and how bad it would’ve been bad seeing how many people were beginning to stream into the hanger. Quickly, he slapped it on, watching as a thin shield began to appear around his body. Part of him questioned why he didn’t have one of these from the very beginning, at least until he tried to move normally in the thing. It felt as though there was a soft resistance on every one of her his joints. Who knew how wearing one of these all the time would affect them, so it was probably better that he didn’t wear one all the time. Still, he was extremely happy to have one now, especially if this whole place exploded into a firefight.

However, he suddenly found himself disappearing from space. Looking over to where his fist had gripped onto the edge of Lliara’s armor, it was obvious now how lucky he was to have a force user by his side. Without her now, this would’ve almost certainly died by now. Only a few seconds later, Lanx was completely concealed from the pair of pilots of the ship, quickly followed by a number of larger individuals, all wearing hoods that concealed their features. Despite the fact that he knew that they couldn’t see them, at least, that’s what he hoped, it was clear that it was only a matter of time until they found their hiding spot.

They moved behind what looked to be three massive crates stacked on top of each other in one corner of the hanger. What looked to be the welcoming party, a security one more like it, immediately made their way over to where the pair of workers were laying. For now, they seemed to not be looking around too hard of the perpetrators of the crime. That would change very soon enough.

Lanx continued to back up until, suddenly, the feeling of what was under his foot changed to something much more metallic. Looking down, he was greeted by the sight of what looked to be a drainage system cover. Very few people in this galaxy would look at this and react the way the cathar did, with a ridiculous wide smile. He quickly leaned down, not speaking to his partner who almost surely understood the plan at this point. Thankfully there was little holding the grate down, and his toughened fingers were able to pry it from it’s perch.

Tossing the top to the side did cause a bit more sound than he would’ve liked, but he wanted to get out as quickly as possible. Taking a step into the hole, the smell truly hit him. The cathar shook his head, looking back toward where his partner stood. “I..promise to wash your armor after this. Just…trust me.” Flashing her a quick smile, he fell into the darkness of the hole.

There was plenty of things he would’ve rather landed in than something wet. The nasty water splashed up onto his leg fur, electing an extremely annoyed groan to emit from the Cathar. “This is going to take forever to wash out from my fur..better than being dead at the hands of those cultists, I suppose.”

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

They were in a bad spot. A thin line fraught with suspicion. Bandits happened, but if they were forced to engage a security detail and managed to do more than injure a few of them... just what sort of bandits could they have possibly been? Questions would be begged. Plans changed. Lliara believed that because these 'cultists' were organized. Someone was intelligent, cautious, and prepared. All it took was a nudge and this situation went from tolerably uncomfortable to outright conspiracy -- and what did they have to steal besides their cargo? Information. Precisely what they had come for.

And that was presuming the two of them took on this security detail and lived. Much as she liked to think she could escape any situation, an open conflict could get one or both of them killed.

The Mirialan turned to look over at the Cathar as the man had an unexpectedly cheerful demeanor. Her gaze followed his to the grate. The grate. Oh, she understood the plan all too well instantly. Yet her heart still skipped a beat. Even with the mental fortitude to weather such indignity it made it no more pleasant nor desirable an option. Thankfully her suit was sealed. That did not make it impervious to stench, however.

By the Eternal... The Helmet rotated slightly at the sound the grate made as it fell. Yes even with audio pickups able to suppress the sharpness it was knowing how loud the sound was and at what distance that made it all the louder in her mind. Still, much as it might wound one's pride in a 'perfect' job, there was a silver lining. Bandits didn't perform perfect jobs. They weren't a well-oiled machine of clandestine operatives here to steal secrets... or so she would hope their marks continued to believe.

Trust? Lliara did trust Lanx. Though seeing how new he was to all of 'this' she doubted he fully understood all the details about his plan. Namely, just how difficult it would be to get the smell out. And the pleasant sensations that would precede that concern. Some learning experiences the Mirialan could wish Lanx to learn on his own.

Lliara hopped in after Lanx not eager to be the one still up there with the cultists no doubt closing in cautiously. True, she was invisible to most senses, but never underestimate your opponent. "Let's go. Before they think to follow us down here and make us a permanent addition," Lliara replied quietly.

"With any luck, they'll think us nothing more than thieves there for credits and cargo. They'll have unanswered questions, but nothing that should alter their plans." Though they might be wary for a time just in case. "You got everything we came for?" Might as well talk to take their mind off of where they were and what they might be moving through.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

Lliara was thinking ahead, as she always did. She was plenty right, the cultists might think to follow them down into the sewers quick enough, especially if they heard him tossing aside the covering. There was no telling how long it was going to take for them to navigate their way out of this place, so as much time as they could possibly get was what they needed. Nodding quickly in the other agent’s direction, the cathar began to wade through the knee high, dirty water, beginning to regret this with every crunchy step he took through the water.

Any distraction from his thoughts of cleaning his fur were plenty welcome, especially when the question posed from his fellow agent was one he was very happy to answer. Despite their situation, Lanx flashed Lliara a grin while patting his side pocket where the holopad resided. “Took a bit longer than I might’ve wanted, but yes, I got all of the navigational data that ship had on it’s computers. Which,” Flicking his ears, the Cathar turned to look toward the ceiling, where every few feet another grate illuminated the sewer. “It wasn’t a lot, the data I mean. There was practically nothing.”

That probably needed to be explained much more clearly than he had alluded to. Of course, they still needed to get out of this place. Doing so what much more easier said than done, for as confident as he had been jumping into this place, that didn’t mean he had any idea how to navigate them clear of the hanger and the dangers that came with it. Lanx thought that, at least until the sight of a pair of green and red blinking light placed onto the side of a wall caught his eye.

“Hold up here for a second,” He whispered, pulling himself off to the side where what looked to be a small emergency panel was implanted into the metal. Pulling his holopad free from the leather satchel on his side, the wires on the back were then slid free and placed into the panel. Within moments, his holopad lit up the surrounding area, now showing a running few lines of code that the Cathar quickly picked from. The code disappeared, replaced by what looked to be a map of the sewer lines underneath the city. It was then he motioned over to Lliara, bringing her over to where the map was rotating. “Is there any way that I can send this map to your HUD so you can try and navigate us out of here? The shorter time we have to be in here, the better.” The whispering from the Cathar was followed by a small laugh, knowing that they both might’ve enjoyed a firefight with cultists than being in here any longer than they had to.

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

Practically nothing. Right. A sentiment someone new to the profession said just before they followed it up with an elaborate 'but' explaining just how beneficial they were to the team... And Lanx didn't follow-up with a 'but.' There had simply been practically nothing, and they might have come away with nothing making the effort and the ruse all pointless.

If she were hopelessly pessimistic.

Lliara, however, wasn't a pessimist. She was a realist. That's why she had an elaborate laboratory and a very long running agenda to secure what she needed while avoiding the scrutiny of the galactic community. Because she didn't rush, didn't wallow in sorrow, and wasn't a fool to think she could kick down every door with impunity.

So, practically nothing was still not absolutely nothing. There was a chance.

Then the Cathar asked to delay further movement in favor of tapping into a panel. Her helmet turned back the way they'd come to make sure they weren't being followed as Lanx worked. He had something in mind even if he wasn't being terribly chatty about it.

When he gestured for her to come closer, the Mirialan carefully moved through the sludge to examine the display. "Yes." Her gloved fingers reached into a pouch on her belt to retrieve a small disc-like object barely larger than a button. "Place this on the screen." She extended the device out toward him atop a fingertip.

Tapping into strange computers was rarely a good idea, but aimlessly wandering the sewers was a worse one. This wasn't a holo-game with a restricted level size with clear boundaries and hidden treasures, after all.

"This way." Soon as the data was gathered, Lliara pointed down the path they'd take. Put some distance between them and the hanger before they emerged in case the security detail felt like taking the initiative. Difficult to cover every sewer entrance in the city. Would need somewhere out of sight, however. Informants were often more useful than using your own eyes and ears.

Two minutes later they arrived outside of a metal door in the wall. Lliara grasped the wheel and gave it a sharp twist to break it free of its rusted shut state. "At least we didn't visit during a storm." Nothing like a storm surge to have made their visit worse. "We're not far from the post. A few back alleys and side roads. Shouldn't be too difficult to avoid contact with others." Long as anyone else on the street minded their own business, they'd be fine, she thought.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

Technology was a super interesting field of study for the former slave. Obviously, they weren’t allowed nor came anywhere near the newest technology in those dark and dusty caves on the asteroids they minded from. Most of their stuff was beyond rusted away, barely functioning, and could easily be considered something much more akin to a engineers nightmare than actual technology. That didn’t stop the Cathar from sneaking back small pieces back to his room, dissecting them with what thrown together tools he could manage, and learning about how they worked. That was a far flung time from when his agent partner handed him what looked to be a small metal button on the end of her fingertip.

Taking it, he did exactly what she asked of him, placing it onto his holopad. Perhaps it was some sort of transmitter, allowing the unplugged connection to transfer her the data. He’d have to ask to see it again once they got back to the safe house. That was, assuming of course, that they did make it all the way back there without running into those cultists once again. Something like that was an adventure he would happily skip to look at the technology.

It seemed as though that was exactly what the button thing was, as Lliara almost immediately started leading them through the dark and wet sewers. Better that she did so than him, as they might end up becoming part of the scenery down here. At least the muskrats would enjoy feasting on his body.

Thankfully it didn’t look like that was going to end up being their fate, no matter how ominous the door out of here looked. The cathar’s ears visibly winced upon hearing the rust covered door being grated away, before having to shield his eyes from the sudden influx of bright light. Still shielding them, he couldn’t help but chuckle lightly at the idea of them pushing through the streets back toward their base. “I’m sure the smell on our clothes would be enough to turn away most people in the streets. Though the visual of a bounty hunter looking character like yourself dragging a enslaved alien like myself to..wherever you’re taking them too could always be our backup.” The little grin on his face betrayed he wasn’t being completely serious in the moment. But no one could discount the idea might work in another situation.

Lanx stepped out in the light, looking left then right before dashing forward into one of the side alleys that lined the main street. Moving through them would take a bit longer than just walking around in the open, but would keep them much better concealed. Sometime between the third and fourth alley, and while scouting the next area to move to, he looked back over to Lliara with a glint in his eye. “I didn’t get to ask back there..but have you ever heard of a runner ship?” He didn’t know the other agent’s background, but if they had spent any time within a hutt organization, or even a crime one, they would probably have heard about such things. Still, it was good to ask before telling her exactly what he had seen back in that hanger.

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

Lliara nodded slightly, but said nothing on the merits of Lanx's light-hearted thought. Oh, masquerading as a bounty hunter would work. That would be easy. It was the subject of conversation itself -- of Lanx being the enslaved -- which held her tongue. Not an easy topic to discuss, even if Lanx was the one to broach it.

"I prefer not to think about the...smell. The less others notice the better too. Not because I'm vain -- though Eternals know I prefer none associate this moment with me -- but because it is too memorable. Two such as us might be a curiosity, but just an odd couple and little else. A rank and foul smell about them as well? Worth remembering." Perhaps even following for the daring souls eager for credits. Yes, better not to draw that much attention. In case the cultists managed to hear of where they'd emerged back onto the streets.

When the Cathar hurried across, the black figure practically danced after him. Her toes barely touched the ground as Lliara followed. A silent, black, graceful monster. Just the sort of evil person mothers and fathers warned their little ones about.

"Runner ship?" Why was Lanx bringing that up now? "I've heard of them, but tell me what you are thinking." Wasn't as though she was going to leave him behind to get a drink at a local cafe, that she didn't have enough time, or that she desired utter silence. So why not hear Lanx's thoughts, opinions, and facts of that dark little corner of galactic civilization... and how it was a card they'd recently been dealt. You never knew when you'd learn something new.

Lliara peered around a corner and waved Lanx to move forward. Leap frogging to keep watch over each other as they moved forward. Maybe they were being overly cautious -- but that was part of the job. Lazy spies got killed -- that was part of the job too.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

A leather clad, tall and lithe woman sliding through the streets with a tail having, brown furred cathar that both stunk to the high nether definitely weren’t conspicuous…definitely not. Nope, not one bit. Though, it wasn’t like they had many options. At least it was somewhat late in the evening, and many people were staying close to their buildings. Maybe they wouldn’t notice them quickly moving back to their safehouse…

Their leapfrogging had been going on for a few minutes now, and they were starting to truly make their headway back to the base. Still, it seemed prudent to try and explain what he had alluded to early on during their escape. It was good that Lliara had a general idea of what a runner ship was, made the explanation easier to try and knock out while they were still moving. “Runners ships, typically employed by black market smugglers and crime syndicates, from small to big, to keep their dealings on much more…on the down low.” He started, looking down the street once, twice, then moving to the next alleyway quickly. Right as he got into the dark side street, a speeder passed by, the cathar breathing a slight sigh of relief as they kept on going.

Once Lliara was by his side once more, he continued on with the explanation. “Essentially, they’re only used once or twice. Stolen, typically, but sometimes they’re made specifically for the purpose of that one mission. Either way, they make one, rarely two, runs, then are completely wiped and destroyed.” Looking over his shoulder, the Cathar gave the other agent a little grin, his tail flicking a bit. “You can put the pieces together, as why I’m bringing this all up…” Turning back to the street, Lanx awaited the passing of another pair of speeders before starting across once again. He was getting better at this now, crossing in only a few steps instead of the more timid ones he took when they first started with all this.

“That’s why there wasn’t much data on that ship. It was a runner. Either this cell of cultists are using tactics that some less savory groups love, or they have connections with those groups themselves. Hell…” The cathar paused, long enough to let the thought marinate in his mind, an interested look coming over his face as he did so. “They may even be..contracting some of these people, ones who don’t know exactly what they’re actually hauling.”

| Lliara Daeva |​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

What Lanx described of Runners made sense, but at the same time it sounded all too frequent. When he said they were typically stolen it made more financial sense, but Lliara still wondered if it was a viable every-day strategy. Perhaps the more sensitive criminal enterprises. One-offs were just sensible regardless of size, of course; she'd done similar herself to avoid detection.

"That would make sense. Only people inside such an organization would know if they'd been infiltrated by a group that infests those you're already familiar with. If they're careful enough or quick enough by the time anyone notices there won't be many left to do anything about it. The hazards of being a nameless, faceless, covert organization." Which was true for spy organizations as well. Those that moved in shadow went unnoticed whether they were operating for the greater good or not. "One of the easiest ways to infest such a group would be to contract with them. Use them in a legitimate capacity, choose your mark, and then work up the food chain."

Lliara reached out to catch Lanx's arm before they made the final leg to the safe house. "Was there enough to know where to begin our search? A source or destination to identify the organization they're using here?" As the Cathar said, there hadn't been much, but all they needed was a thread to pull. Hopefully they weren't paranoid enough to wipe their system every time they landed -- they were planning on ditching the ship anyway, right? Of course Lliara would approve if they were that paranoid, but right now the two desperate to survive didn't need to admire their adversary -- they needed to catch them. To do that they needed intel.

Tag: Lanx Velishin

 

[Lanx Velishin]

A lot of what Lliara hit on made sense, somehow, to the Cathar.

You see, the longer you’re within an organization, despite how far down on the rungs you may be, you do indeed begin to understand just how things work. So Lanx, although nothing more than a slave working on what would be considered a barely profitable asteroid mine, even began to understand the ins and outs of what went on behind the scenes. Schedules, shipment types, what types of guards are typically hired, everything became a routine. It certainly wasn’t crazy to think that someone could start from a low position and work their way higher and higher by just using the routine to their advantage.

His eyes were straight down the street, focusing on their destination that had just come into view, which is why when Lliara’s touch could be felt, he visibly jumped slightly. That, and the stress of the entire mission was built up deeply within the Cathar. He took a moment to catch his breath, eventually turning back to look at the other agent in her covered face. Despite his anxiety, her question did prompt him to slowly smile, nodding as he did so.

“I think it’s high time we start to pack our bags, my friend.” He started, looking away from Lliara to check the street once more before starting across the street. As much as Lanx wanted to give away their next destination right there and then, he wanted to be in a place where the chances of ears within the walls was much, much less. The final walk allowed them to finally get back to a place of safety, and once inside with the bolted door shut and locked, Lanx immediately turned back to his blooming friend, whipped out his holopad, and grinned wide.

“Asteroid belt, somewhere between Gaulus and Naos III. There was always rumored to be some sort of market out there…and I think the cultists are using it as a supply point.” His excitement at figuring something like this out, having actually done something worthwhile, was evident. But not only that, it seemed as though the path had been laid out in front of them.

They finally had what they needed.