Cardinal Cullers

[Viggy]

The moon of Telti was one of Aiden's favourite kinds of celestial bodies. Sans atmosphere, it was by necessity a completely indoor, airtight little industrial settlement. Breathing its filtered oxygen and walking its claustrophobic corridors almost made the young smuggler feel like he was still on a starship. The drab blue-collar locals looked at him suspiciously, so flamboyant with his bright clothing, and that colourful hair looking flat and fake from being dyed too many times. The plasma repeater bouncing at his hip probably contributed to his being less-than-incognito, as well. Still riding out the lingering ends of a giggledust high, Aiden met all the strange glances he got with a dumbass smile and a cocky, "How do you do?" The really blank and distant look had left his violet eyes about an hour ago, though; he was sober enough to be alert. More or less.

He was here to get information on some guy named Izzy, or Jizzy, or something. Some Alliance spook gone rogue. Ultimately his job was to get the password to access this guy's malware programs, which had been compromising security for some government schmucks. He was not going to do this on his own, though - the contractor who gave him this job had made some vague reference to a 'team', and told him the rendezvous point was in an old warehouse full of scrap on the northeast end of the settlement. Place called 'Unit 413'. After wandering through dingy halls for a time, he came into a passageway where the fading painted numbers above the metallic sliding doors started from '401'. It goes without saying he was able to find the place pretty easily from there, and while the doors did not function because the power in this district was out, he was able to cut his way through with a vibroknife and step inside. A few Squibs were in there already, picking through the trash, but when they saw him coming in with blade in his hands they scurried for the vents they'd come in by real fast. No one else was there yet.

"Looks like I'm the first one on the scene," he mumbled to himself, grinning for no particular reason and sitting down on the old shell of a disassembled droid. Stretching and cracking his joints, he lit a cigarette and began biding his time.

 

[Samara]

The acolyte was nothing if not casual at the time of the meeting, almost carefree in her chosen wardrobe for the day. Whilst most of her companions -if she could call any of her fellow sith that- prefered armors or anything that would give up their rightful status as strong warriors and whatever titles they wanted to claim, she was wearing subtle clothes made with spider silk: A short pair of shorts -pun intended-, a black shirt, and a sleeveless overcoat in top of everything. Her expression seemed that of a tired person, someone who just woke up five minutes ago and is still trying to figure out what hour is it.

A pair of reflective glasses rested upon her face, mirroring the world before her as she walked through the place without haste, preceded always by the hollow sound of her boots approaching after every step she made. Makeup she was wearning none, althought they seemed trademark of the Sith as well as the traditional tatoos. For this ocassion only a black lipstick would have to suffice. Samara yawned as she approached unit 413, bringing one of her pale hands to her mouth and making enough sound to alert anyone inside the warehouse that she was about to enter for if her footsteps weren't enough foreshadowing already.

Knock knock -she said after stepping inside the darkened place waiting for the contact to show up, leaning against a wall with her left hand in order to have something solid to grab upon for if she tripped over any trash in the floor. Not precisely noticeable in darkness, but even with a weak ray of light it should be obvious for anyone with eyes that her hair was kept short above the shoulder line, and that it was black as night much unlike the man she was about to meet.

 

[Viggy]

The cigarette had burned down to its butt and been flicked into an old teapot when Aiden heard a yawn, and the telltale sound of footfalls, coming from out in the corridor toward this very unit. He knew it must be one of his mysterious team members because there was no reason for anyone else to come here, unless they were a scavenger - and these footsteps were too steady to be those of a Squib. Sure enough, the figure that came through the hole he'd cut in the door was very non-Squibbish, it was obvious even in the darkness of the warehouse that this person was too tall to be a Squib. No doubt about it, his first partner on this job (and, as it would turn out, his only partner on this job) had arrived.

He surmised from her voice that she was a woman, after she called out, and rising from where he sat to move a little closer, Aiden would see that she had short raven black hair and mirrored sunglasses. From those shades and the way she held the wall, he gathered quickly that she was blind. Some might have doubted that she was a bounty hunter at that point, but the idea that a blind woman would just wander into Unit 413 at the exact time of the rendezvous was way too far-fetched for Aiden. Bounty hunters had to be aware of their surroundings, for obvious reasons, but he figured she must have her ways or she wouldn't be here now.

"Hey. Name's Aiden," he introduced himself straightforwardly, peering into the mirrors of her sunglasses to see his reflection and tousling his multicolour hair a bit. "You're here about Jizzy too, right?" Never hurt to be totally sure.

 

[Samara]

Jizz... y? -It took her a couple seconds to connect the names, seconds in which she slowly repeated the spoken name in a deadpan manner. She understood the joke, for she giggled shortly afterwards, but she took her time to understand that it was Aiden who was joking. She was used to meet hard-ass-wannabe-terminator-in-space class of types, and this was somewhat of a relief. Mostly because he called the guy the same way she did, and hearing it from someone else made her feel less mentally handicapped.

Yes, in fact I am, what gave me up? -asked jokingly and joyfully as she took a few more steps inside, trying as much as she could not to lift her feet so she able to move the trash away from her path. She had a pretty good memory, she had to, in order to remember where she had stepped before, calculating distances that she already traveled, and a big etcétera enough to give a headache to a professor. Luckily for her however, numbers and formulas had nothing to do with her way of walking. But she would be lying if she said she was really all blind; She could see Aiden perfectly.

The hair was what called her attention the most, it was... rather of a strange color and flamboyant... But it was not like she could tell anyone how to dress or look.- I'm Samara -remembered to introduce herself at the last moment, absorbed in her thoughts about weird hair colors. Weapon aside, he was not what she was expecting to find- Are you... it? -said merging sentences, the question mark being flopped in a recognizable way. Despite the faint surprise in her voice, it sounded more like rhetoric than a genuine question.

 

[Viggy]

It had been a pretty childish play on words, but with a name like Izzy, it was irresistible. Aiden hadn't even really meant to say it, in fact, but it had been his headcanon name for the target ever since he read the dossier, and so it had inevitably slipped out into his speech. Thankfully his new accomplice wasn't a prude, and perhaps influenced by his lingering inebriation Aiden giggled along with the grey-skinned 'blind' girl. Turned out her name was Samara. As she comes to acknowledge the strange lack of other bounty hunters on this so-called team, our colourful spice-addled protagonist would look both ways, as if checking for anyone else lurking around... And then shrug his shoulders.

"Yeah, I expected more too, but hey! More creds for us, right? We can totally handle it. Totally." It sounded like he might be convincing himself moreso than convincing her. Nonetheless, Aiden wasn't going to quit just because of a lack of personnel. They were just going after some ex-spy? Some ex-spy named Jizzy? Please. Talk about a small fry. He and Samara could totally handle it. Totally. Pink, blue, black and green hair flew and meshed together as he flips his bangs, then the artifical colours all fell back into their ridiculous places again. Time to get down to business.

"Apparently our 'friend' is piggybacking the local authorities' communications terminals to broadcast his infectious programs. So we need to slice in and access the network logs - that the locals apparently don't pay attention to, since they haven't noticed this guy - then trace the origin of the signal through the logs, and then go that place to get Jizzy." He let out a deep breath. He always spoke a mile a minute when he was discussing these sorts of things. "That makes it sound more complicated then it is though. Basically, we break into the head honchos' offices and get access to their computers. Easy enough, yeah?"

 

[Samara]

Samara smirked to her interlocutor- Yes -admitted on the first part, not as nervous but a bit tad preoccupied on if they could cover everything needed for the small journey ahead of them- As long as you're good with the electronic stuff we'll be fine, because I barely know how to type -exaggerated and looked down to where she was stepping, as if she could actually see any better that way. After cleaning the short path with her boots she stood where it ended, waiting for the moment when she would have to travel it again.

If it makes you feel better I doubt the security is high or anything close to that, perhaps a couple guards, and a couple more if they find us but nothing else to worry about -on the left side of her hip hanged a IR-5 blaster pistol, nicknamed the intimidator by its users It was slightly less potent than a standart blaster pistol but its rate of fire was akin to a repeating blaster, and the integrated targeting computer would sure come in handy when fired by someone who was blind. But it didn't have to come to that, maybe they could somehow make it in and out without drawing much attention?- You got a ship or something? -next, the way out. Contrary to popular belief Samara was not a jack of all trades, or someone of many talents appearently.- For if we do have to get out in a hurry -explained her reasoning.

 

[Viggy]

"I'm pretty much the best slicer there is, don't even kriffing worry about that," Aiden brags, brushing some imaginary dirt off the shoulder of his hot pink suit jacket. He was exaggerating of course, but he really was a very talented slicer. "I just can't quite work a terminal and shoot security guys at the same time. So once we're in their computer lab, it'll be up to you to cover me... Like you say though, this place is small-time. Should be easy."

As if to reassure himself, he pats the repeater dangling from his belt, it 200-round clip of vicious white-hot plasma bolts just waiting to fry through the chubby tissue of half trained rent-a-cops. For closer quarters, he had his vibroknife tucked into an inside pocket of his jacket. Mostly involved in petty spice smuggling and cybercrime, Aiden didn't actually have all that much experience in combat, and would probably be a little jumpy if things got hairy... But he did put in a lot of time at shooting ranges, and he had a pretty strong inclination to continue being alive that would motivate him when push came to shove.

"Of course I have a ship! I call her Phantasm and she's goddamn beautiful." Aiden's pride in that ship went beyond the reasonable, and just talking about her put a certain light in those violet eyes. "Don't you worry, Sammy," he drawls, casually applying a nickname to the Miraluka as he brushes past her and leads the way out of Unit 413. "We're making this happen."

 

[Samara]

No problemo, that should be the easiest part -said with a smile regarding the first part, not bothered by the nickname appearently- How much time do you think it will take? -already she was making calculations in her head, based loosely on what she knew about the place. How many guards, what kind of weapons could they have, if they would attempt a lockdown or not. After all they had no way of knowing what they were really after, and any of the higher ups could think Sam and Aiden were after their nasty things. On the other hand it would make a nice extra, she was sure they could sell that off to someone else later on.

Excellent!... Because I don't. -added rising her eyebrows in a funny gesture afterwards he mentioned the ship.- We're doing it bro -said at last going after him with a bit of a clumsy pace, carefree in appearance but no one could be able to tell if she was going to walk straight into a wall.- I see you don't do armor -commented on his looks casually, moving her sights to the side, towards the other warehouses and trash lying around, wasted scrap metal in those places, metal in the walls, metal in the ceiling, metal in the floor, everything was made of that thing. Not a place for claustrophobics, that was certain.

 

[Viggy]

"I have no idea!" he replies cheerfully to her question concerning the time-frame on this little task, grinning back at Samara over his shoulder and vaguely waving an alabaster hand through the stale, musty air. As they come out of the warehouse full of scrap and into the dingy corridor, Aiden begins walking backwards with a strange sort of energetic carelessness in his uneven steps, speaking to her and theatrically gesticulating as he goes along, even though he had no way of knowing if she could even be aware of the gestures.

"No ship, eh? You're missing out. Not that I'm knocking public transportation, but there's just nothing quite like having your own ship." He blinked and paused, looking down at himself as she comments on the lack of armour. "No, I guess I don't. Weighs me down, not comfortable. I see you're the same way! Unless those shorts are made of some blast-proof cloth I don't know about." Aiden snickers, having been joking about that because he had no idea such a thing even existed, let alone that Samara was wearing it right now.

 

[Samara]

Well then, hopefully this will be as fun as it sounds -said on the time-frame as they kept walking. The districts on the station shouldn't be kept too far from one another, and certainly she would think the life conditions there would be better. But she could never be certain with the techno-union and all that. Living wired to tubes was the best way to live life. Who was she to argue against that, as long as it didn't spit out toxic gasses or something as annoying.- It's called Spider Silk, for a couple thousand of credits it could save your life. You should consider making some cheap investments if you plan to keep doing jobs such as these... Most of the vests are hard to tell appart from regular clothes. Besides it has some extra points for looking cool -said jokingly.

The reward wasn't even claimed and she was already telling him on what to spend it- It's not blast proof -she added- most types of armor provide only cover against one type of ammunition, either against ballistic or blasters, and if you want something without flaws to protect you against a solar explosion and everything else you'll end up like these guys -said refering to the inhabitants of the station- wearing an armor twice your size and thrice your weight. Not very subtle if you ask me. I wonder how they do if they suddenly have to go to the bathroom or something...

 

[Viggy]

It took Aiden a moment to get his head around what his accomplice was saying. "Wait, so... your clothes are bulletproof?" He looks her up and down a little bit skeptically, perking one thin black eyebrow. It definitely didn't look like armour to him, and he had gathered that she was a joker much like himself, but though she sneaked in a couple of humorous quips she still sounded serious about this spider silk stuff overall. If she was right about it, and an outfit would only cost him a couple thousand credits, Aiden supposed he really should get some.

"Hmmmm-hm-hm... Well now. Thanks for the tip," he replies with a grin. "And since you brought it up, you know, I've always suspected insanely bulky armour like that must have a bathroom installed. It could even be a tactical choice. If an enemy breaks through the plating, he might be repelled by a septic defense mechanism!"

Giggling at his own vulgar joke, Aiden turns a corner and then another corner, following directions at each intersection as he makes his way toward the government chambers at the center of the industrial facility. He had no doubt the communication terminals would be there at the 'brain' of the place, the only question was how they were going to get in. So far they had not seen any security forces, but the closer they got to the center, the less likely that would be to continue, and two armed outsiders in strange clothing would probably not be able to go without suspicion. It wasn't as though they were at a major city here. In his mind, Aiden tried to imprint the way back toward the docking bays, so that there would no chance of getting lost when they need to escape to the Phantasm.

 

[Samara]

Eww -she said between laughing and a disgusted reaction making a mixture of gestures as well by bringing her right palm to her face as if rejecting something- Gross, so they actually are walking bathrooms, that sounds... uncomfortable... But awkwardly effective, I wouldn't want to shoot someone thats going to explode into bile right on my face. Talking about exploding things, I've got an idea to get to this place faster -she pointed her right index finger towards Aiden forming a pistol. Right when she was about to tell him her plan she realised it was going to fail, most likely, but it was worth a try. Should tell him the plan B as well in case everything failed.- Just let me do the talking, and if that doesn't work we break in by force alright? -her plan was based on that Aiden wouldn't take too long to crack the system and adquire the data.

If they stayed in there too long it would stop being random robbery or break-in and start to look more like a terrorist attack, nonetheless she really doubted this was the case. In and out, she kept repeating to herself. If Aiden gave the okay she wouldn't delay it any further. Obviously they didn't quite blend in with the place but really who was going to tell them anything? You just don't walk and tell that to people with guns, not unless your common sense chip fried out in case of the cyborg individuals. On the other hand, guards and police forces were entirely another deal.

 

[Viggy]

Blinking twice, Aiden looks at her blankly, having absolutely no idea what that pistol pantomime could have meant. Or even whether it had any relation to Samara’s plan at all, or was just like a thumbs-up type of thing. Apparently she was going to do the talking? Talking to who? He was confused, but not worried. After all, how bad could her plan be? It wasn’t like they were sneaking into the goddamn Galactic Senate, here. Even if the plan didn’t blow over and they had to break in by force, he was pretty sure they could handle the local security chumps. It would just be easier if they didn’t have to.

“You do the talking. Got it,” he replies simply, as they turn yet another corner and enter a main passageway. This was the first corridor yet that had other people in it, and there were a few security officials about, but mostly it was just industrial workers and droids. If they followed this hall to its end, they’d be at the administration centre. Aiden strolls along, a little more sobered up then he had been the last time he encountered Telti's locals. Now their staring was more annoying then amusing, so he kept his hands near his plasma repeater and tried to look menacing. Even with a fancy gun though, it’s hard to look menacing when you’re wearing pink.

 

[Samara]

Here we go -thought to herself and started to walk a bit faster than Aiden in order to reach the highest ranking officer of the three guards present. She brought up her left hand to her face making a small wave that finished as a caress looking to put some order in her hair.- You will let us pass, we are allowed here -they weren't, really. And those were not even the guards of inside the administration building, but she didn't think they would let suspiciously armed people walk in like if nothing. Making sure wouldn't hurt, mind tricks were like that.

A few seconds of suspense passed before the man reacted, staring at Samara- "I will let you pass, you are allowed here." -he declared, moving aside with a serious face of "move along" to her. She couldn't help but look back to Aiden trying her best not to make a sly smile, not to call the other guards attention. She had to remain serious- Good -they couldn't delay or the ruse would be obvious. More obvious that it already was. If the officer actually had something cybernetic in its brain, was a cyborg, or whatever thing you could actually find guarding a facility such as that one and was not a droid entirely, it could be fooling them. But it was unlikely. If it failed she would have got gunpointed right there... Or would she?

 

[Viggy]

At first, Aiden looked a little bit skeptical, as apparently Samara thought they were just going to be able to bluff their way into the facility. But the blank stare in the security guard's eyes and the dull, droning way he echoed her words brought realization dawning on the smuggler's face. Samara was a Force-user, doubt about it. This explained how she could work as a bounty hunter when she was blind; she was 'seeing' through the Force. Aiden would never have admitted it, because he didn't usually much stock in hokey religions and ancient weapons (believing, of course, that they were no match for a good blaster at your side), but he was a little more confident about this mission now that he knew his accomplice had supernatural powers.

Doing his very best to keep a straight face, he walks with Samara past the guards and into the facility, They were now in an octagonal foyer, dominated by an octagonal desk in the center of the room where Telti's local administration minions typed away at computers, sorted files or carried out boring businesslike conversations over the communicators. There were also some security guards about, and they did look at Aiden and Samara suspiciously, but it seemed that they were unconcerned so long as the visitors did not act aggressively -- most likely, they figured that anyone who was let through by the officials at the door was supposed to be here. It would have looked suspicious if they just lurked near the door to make a plan, but fortunately there was a line-up of people waiting to see the receptionist. Aiden beckoned to Samara, and they blended in.

"Well, well. You got us in. Nicely done. Now to get to the computer lab. You think that little trick can convince the receptionist we're... maintenance workers, or something?"

 

[Samara]

Not sure -she said with the shadow of a smile on her lips, the culprit being what just had happened.- But it's worth a try -after all mind tricks didn't work on anyone always, and she was not a master of the force, or anything close to that for that purpose. The girl observed the line of people, then briefly glanced at the guards, and then walked straight up to the first row, resting both hands against the reception- We're the maintenance workers -in her mind, it would have been easier to make him believe they were droids- We are allowed to go into the computer lab

Asides from that little hand waving at the receptionist, right under the look of all the angry people who had been waiting until she cheated on their faces, there were not many plan B's except to break in or start shooting saying it was an assault. "Everyone get down this is a robbery" "But miss this is not a ban-" ratatata -gets shot- "Anyone else feeling smart today!?" That was how everything went on her mind regarding the situation, and it could be a reality in about thirty seconds from now.

 

[Viggy]

((Sorry for the delay on this, my intertubes have been ****ed the last few days))

Aiden followed Samara's lead as they cut ahead of the line (that little action rewarded with several cries of 'hey, whaddaya doin!?' from those in the queue) and reach the receptionist. He tried to keep a casual gait, tried to look as if he belonged here, tried to subtly tuck his plasma repeater under his suit jacket and appear as maintenance worker-y as possible while his companion does the talking.

The receptionist stared blankly for a moment, her mind lost in some kind of limbo between the Mind Trick and whatever portion of logic she had in her simple little mind. After a moment of bewilderment, staring at the two visitors, she seemed to have rationalized their strange appearance and accepted that they were maintenance workers... Everything would have worked out fine, but unfortunately...

"Uh, excuse me? I'm the maintenance guy. There's only ever one of me, and neither of those two freaks is me!"

The voice came from the middle of the line-up, where a bearded middle-aged man in drab grey clothing with a toolbelt was waving his hydrospanner in an angry fashion. Aiden bit his lip. This wasn't good. There was only one way to resolve such a sticky situation. The receptionist was now staring at Samara, with that same blank look in her eyes as before, trying to figure out how there could be two rival maintenance workers... Before security could notice that something was afoot here, Aiden thought it best to take the initiative. Vaulting over the receptionist's desk, he grabbed the dazed woman by her hair and firmly swung her head down for a brutal faceplant into her keyboard. The woman's neck made a very unhealthy sound when he yanked her back upward again, a few clumps of her hair coming loose between his fingers. He kept her upright now, her face bloodied, the muzzle of his plasma repeater lingering threateningly beside her temple.

"Attention, everyone! Attention, attention, attention! This is one of those deadly terrorist situations like you hear about on the HoloNet. You are now hostages as part of a nefarious terrorist plot. If those fat kriffing rent-a-cops..." Here Aiden paused to grin over at the security guards spread through the room, most of whom were holding their weapons up but couldn't risk firing. "If they intervene, or if you try to be a hero, well, you're going to have a big nasty plasma burn where your face used to be. Clear? Crystal kriffing clear? Awesome."

There was no telling what would happen next. Aiden was entirely improvising. The 'hostages' in the line-up might try to disarm Samara or himself; the security guards might try risking an attack. Or they might just be able to march their hostages, easy as pie, into the computer labs to complete this stage of the mission. Only time would tell!

 

[Samara]

"Good... Gooood... No, no, no, fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck" -was her line of thought. Immediatly as the situation got out of control, her pale hand made a move for the blaster and pointed it towards the line of people with a thigh grip, starting on the real maintenance guy. Nonetheless, before she could shoot him and say they were now the real maintenance guys, or "there can be only one" Aiden began to run the show by smashing the receptionist's head against the keyboard and playing a heist out of the whole thing. She wasn't expecting that, she figured Aiden would be an easy-going type, the sudden surge of violence took her by surprise.

You -she said to a random man in the middle of the line, stepping forward and grabbing him by the shoulder before pressing the gun against his ribs before moving it to beneath his chin. A Rodian, middle aged she guessed by his looks, would do- C'mere. Anybody moves, and in one week you'll still be taking off this guy's brain from the ceiling. -she yelled, improvising as if that was their plan all along. Her sight drifted from the shocked people and the hesitant guards, with a hand over their weapons, to Aiden.

How long did you say this was going to take?

Whispered with some complicity, starting to drag the hostage along with her towards their objective. Suddenly her gun fired and the Rodian's head seemed to implode inside-out, giving her and anything standing in a three-meter radius a shower of blood before the lifeless corpse fell to the floor. Immediatly after, her gun pointed towards one of the approaching hesitant guards, across the floor full of people crouching and cowering in fear, screaming.- See what you did? Come here, maybe your friends will think it twice this time -she yelled again. The guard looked at his colleagues with some fear, and started to walk towards her.- Faster! I don't have all day!

She leaned back in the meantime towards her partner- Why don't you go on ahead to this thing? I got a feeling if we turn our back on them they're going to do something stupid. I'll make sure they don't sneak up on you and whatnot. 'less you think its a better idea to drag some hostages along. -it all depended on how long was it going to take for Aiden to get what they had come for. A single terrorist in the reception was a very convenient target in the long term.