Ask Apples and Oranges

[Terra Lanris]

Terra's initial hesitations regarding killing were... still there, but they were shrinking into the background the more times her life was put on the line. She'd taken lives again in building this organization, and it was quite clear that it would happen more. Not without reason or purpose, but people died every day. On Omega, many died every day.

She was going to see to it that today would be another. Up until this point, one of the controlling interests in Omega's independent crime arenas was a woman by the name of Sidonis. She was one of the last bastions of semi-unified crime organizations on Omega, and Terra needed control of it.

It was no accident that and Astria had been developing contacts within the on the asteroid-station, and those contacts would come in handy today. They'd a much more competent trigger man since Terra lacked the necessary technical skills for the job. What she didn't lack was the contacts to get them to where he needed to be. She had the keys to Omega, and those keys would help him see Sidonis dead... for a hefty fee of course.

She stood on a semi-secluded balcony overlooking the "views" of Omega. Her biker/combat helmet was on her head and her pistol on her hip. She had no idea how he liked to operate, but she figured it was better for her to be armored and then take it off than not bring anything at all.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin kept his helmet off simply because he was the Basilisk with it on. He generally didn’t care about hiding his identity otherwise, but he did keep a spare mercenary helmet in case a HUD was needed. The Firrerreo walked over towards the balcony to meet his contact, carrying with him a long range rifle and a short range heavy blaster for the job. If he needed help getting into a building, it meant this wasn’t one of his usual Basilisk jobs that called for long range camping and shooting.

He took in sight of the horns protruding even with the helmet and tail, realizing she was a tiefling. What was with him running into tieflings lately? Edin waved and gave the woman a warm smile - probably something she wouldn’t expect from a known crook.

“Edin Frost,” He casually introduced himself, “Never been on this planet before,” He remarked before he looked over the view, “What’s interesting around here?” It was clear Edin had no problem shooting the shit instead of being all business right away. That was for the solo operating Basilisk. Edin liked to vibe with his accomplices if he had to work with them.

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra certainly wasn't expecting him to be so... chipper. And he looked young? Probably not much older than she was, which seemed like it was irregular these days. But he came with high recommendations, so she had high hopes for him.

Terra, she responded. Though she often went by other names when performing her piracy, she saw no reason for code names right now.

Omega's... hmm, she said. It was an odd place and not a particularly nice place, but it was where she had chosen to set up her home base. Having started out as something of a mining colony, it had swelled in size over the years, being settled by many different sorts of criminals. It was a docking and refueling station for ships along the hyperspace lanes, and had a reputation for being beyond the reach of any real laws. But it was when AMS had forced many to flee from Syndicate space that Omega had really blown up, so to speak.

It's a place for people who want to get lost. It's chaos in a lot of ways. Think... Nar Shaddaa but smaller, she said with a snicker. That was actually a pretty apt description. Everyone knew what the smuggler's moon was like, this was just... the smuggler's station.

Not the best place for sightseeing, she said after a moment, but it is the place to go if you want to find something. Anything, she said. She was surprised to be doing small talk and it almost felt... weird? Wrong? He was the first person she'd been doing business with that did small talk, and it almost felt suspicious. Except, he hadn't asked about anything suspicious.

You ready to go? she asked, motioning toward the speeder behind her. She'd not brought her bike for this one, but the speeder for the two of them would be better for a lot of reasons, not the last of which was if they had to stake this place out.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin groaned a bit, “Damn, I’m tired of Nar Shaddaa so was hoping this would be different,” He looked over at the landscape again, “One day I’ll land a job somewhere that’s got some nice sightseeing,” He said with a grin. He turned to her and nodded, prepared to leave as soon as she was. While she didn’t seem too keen on small talk, he was nonetheless pleased she at least attempted to break the ice. He despised working with the silent broody types or working with others in general. If he was going to have to be part of a team, they needed to be at least slightly entertaining.

The Firrerreo hopped into the speeder, letting her drive as this was her mission he was supporting. He checked his blaster and rifle, ensuring both were loaded and ready to go. He would be largely silent for the ride, but he was always rapidly committing information to memory. Edin marked different exit points and alleys to escape into should the mission go south.

“You’re trying to set up an establishment on this planet, I presume?” He asked after a while, “Are you a broker or a budding crime lord?” Edin was not shy about asking directions. If she fidgeted around her answer, he would simply roll his eyes and stay silent.

 

[Terra Lanris]

She wondered how many jobs he had taken on Nar Shaddaa over the years. Probably many because it was where some of the best business was. Or at least had been, pre-AMS she was told. Truth was, she hadn't spent a great deal of time in Hutt space compared to many others.

As soon as he was in, she powered up the speeder and took them to the upper level of Omega. This was where they would find Sidonis and where Terra's own resources were more... limited. In the lower reaches she had the power of some of the larger gangs. Up here was Sidonis's territory... for now.

She thought about the answer to his question and considered being vague and shifty, but that just wasn't really her thing. She was far too direct and blunt for that. Besides, she had hope that she'd be able to recruit him into a long term contract of some sort.

Sidonis is the last piece of the puzzle for me to gain control of the bulk of Omega, she said. I'm setting up a business. Centered here, but spreading beyond, she said.

I'm recruiting, if you're looking for a long term job, she said. I could use more people with your skillset. You come highly recommended. I'd make it worth your while, she said before dropping it. She wasn't going to shove him into it, but she'd give him time to think on it.

How do you prefer to do this? Break in and do it close and quiet or further away? she asked. She had people who could pave the way for them whichever he preferred. She may have been setting up the contract, but she was smart enough to stay out of the way and let the expert handle how the job was done.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin flashed her a grin as she said she was recruiting, “Gotta feel you out first and decide if you’re a pain in the ass or not,” He winked at her. He had no desire to tie himself to anyone without first vetting them. Being who he was, he could afford to be a bit picky. He thought for a moment about the two options, “I prefer further away. If you have the way in, we can coordinate where you give me the opening I need to pop her.”

He quirked a brow, “Unless you want me to tag along as a safety blanket,” The amusement was clear on his face. He was not so great in close quarter combat and he had no preference for it. All his skill sets were suited for ranged combat and especially sniping. He had no idea what kind of influence she had or if she had others that could go in ahead. He half expected her to pull up a lawn chair and sip a martini while he set up the perfect shot.

 

[Terra Lanris]

Ah, well biggest pain you're ever going to meet. No question there, she said, absolutely without missing a beat and totally deadpan. She didn't seem the least bit offended, and... actually he reminded her of someone who was in her gang growing up. That smooth talking charm and wit had served him very well with the ladies in the past. She shouldn't let fondness for the past blind her to the present, though.

On the contrary, I'm your security blanket, she said. Seeing as they probably weren't going to be up close and personal, she pulled her helmet off when they were at a stop, flicking her head for a moment and tossing the helmet in the back.

I can get us access to some buildings nearby. I had some people poke around potential locations for you, she said, guiding the speeder down to a building nearby. She climbed out and pointed to several locations.

Up there's a bridge. Under construction, so no one's passing through. Or there's the roof of that building. Or one of those apartments, she said, pointing to different spots.

The target is up there. Penthouse floor, she said, pointing to another building approximately across from all the locations she had already pointed out.

I either have access or can have my people get us access to any of them, but it's your choice, she said.

 

[Edin Frost]

“Well that settles that then,” Edin said simply, equally deadpan to her quip. He glanced over when she took off her helmet. His gaze lingered on her briefly, correct in his assumption that she was a tiefling, but also pleasantly beautiful. He couldn’t see why they had such a bad stigma, even if the horns looked a bit intimidating.

“Been seeing a lot of tieflings lately,” He remarked with a smile, “All far more attractive than the rumors and lore suggests,” Edin chuckled as they came to stop. He took a moment to glance at all the different perch options, studying them quietly. He would say nothing for a moment, looking back and forth from the target location to the perch options as if doing some calculations.

“Apartments,” Edin stated after a while, “24th floor. Can you get that balcony cleared?” He asked, a sudden shift in his demeanor. All of a sudden his tone was more firm and he had a different look to him, a methodical nuance to how he surveyed everything.

“I need uninterrupted time there,” He explained, “The penthouse.. What kind of glass does it have covering the windows? What do you know about Sidonis’ habits?”

 

[Terra Lanris]

Lot of superstitious idiots out there, she said, a hint of anger in her voice. Someone, somewhere started spreading the rumor that we were the offspring of demons or some crap, she said, shaking her head. She'd gotten used to it over the years, and with how many Tieflings had been forced into lines of work like hers, there was less concern about them in this particular pocket of "society" if you could even call it that.

She didn't rush him for an answer, but nodded after a moment.

I'll get it cleared, she said, pulling out her comlink and typing a message. Eclipse mercs and droids would either bribe or beat the apartment owner into shutting it down for the day, and if that failed, they'd simply stand guard themselves.

Sidonis is... she's a little unhinged. And wild, she said. Her schedule is very inconsistent, but she returns to the penthouse on most nights. Often with some new... partner, she said. He would already be able to see that windows covered a great deal of the penthouse giving him good visibility inside.

We don't have the exact specs on the windows, but we know it's thick. Military grade, but not starship, she said. It would mean that while a rifle could get through, it'd have to be one heavy rifle round. Anything smaller would simply be absorbed. She had no idea what rifle he had brought, but if it wouldn't do, they'd have to acquire one.

But then, this was all probably just another Tuesday for him. She pondered for a moment the idea of what he did. She'd fought and killed from time to time, but the idea of doing it as your entire career... she wondered what it was like. A whole different ball game to be sure.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin remained silent as she ranted about the discrimination. Perhaps that hadn’t been the best angle to weave in a compliment. He had to internally chuckle at himself, but he looked sympathetic externally. The Firrerreo remained largely silent as she relayed him the details about the target. Coming home with someone new actually worked in his favor as it meant she would be entirely distracted.

He made his way over to the apartment after it had been cleared. Edin walked up the stairs, keeping a low profile and staying away from any cams. He allowed Terra to lead the way, hanging back as she made the way into the apartment. The Firrerreo spotted the perch he had been eyeing at once, spotting the window next to the balcony that would line him up perfectly.

“I’m good now,” Edin said as he glanced over, “I’m probably going to be here a while. I’m sure you have better things to do,” He grinned at her as he began to sort through the different types of ammo he had. He didn’t bring his signature rifle, but that would was usually too closely associated with Basilisk.

He looked briefly through the scope of his weapon but didn’t spot anyone inside the penthouse. Edin took out his datapad and began to punch in whatever variables he could to help calculate. It was all methodical and meticulous and he was extremely focused. Once his perch was ready, he propped up the rifle and took a seat by the window after opening it, gazing through the scope.

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra headed up with him, leading the way to the penthouse that had been cleared. She made a quick walkthrough of the area to make sure that there wasn't anyone there. When she was satisfied, she went back and locked the door, leaving two of the Eclipse men outside to make sure no one bothered them.

Her tail flicked slightly as he mentioned her having better things to do. Then she smirked. If you want me gone, you'll have to spell it out. Otherwise I assure you, there's no business more pressing than this, she said. Blue Stars were the last piece of the Omega puzzle she needed, and she knew if Sidonis was dead, the rest would fall into line.

Want a butterscotch? she asked, pulling a hard candy out of her pocket and popping one in her mouth before offering it to him. After that, she moved over to take a seat on the balcony, staying out of his way. For a bit she simply sat and watched him get better. She watched his methodical preparation, the calculations he made, and the way he settled in. The way he moved almost seemed to shift slightly as he settled in.

And then the minutes ticked by. And ticked by. And ticked by. Minutes into hours. A check of her chrono told her that it had been over three hours already and no sign of Sidonis. She scrolled through her datapad, planning out her next moves and keeping herself busy when things finally changed.

Through his scope, Edin would be able to see a blue-skinned twi'lek woman entering the apartment far across the way. A Korrivar man followed her into the apartment and closed the door behind him. She headed for the bar area and he headed for the couch.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin chuckled at her response, “I don’t want you gone, but most people underestimate what assassination looks like. It’s not glamorous like in the Holomovies,” He explained. He had come across several women and men in the past that coyly asked to ‘see him work his magic’ and were sorely disappointed when there was a lot of waiting around.

The Firrerreo took the butterscotch, eagerly popping it into his mouth before he looked through the rifle again. She would notice he was almost like a statue - poised the same way for the entire time they waited. He was perfectly okay with radio silence the entire time and he appreciated her respecting that. Edin made several different tweaks to the datapad that had his trajectory calculations.

“I see her,” He said quietly after a while. Edin kept looking, watching the two discuss and meander around at first. They began to pour drinks. The Firrerreo panned the rifle just a bit, wondering if the bedroom was a better angle.

“So what kind of business are you setting up?” Edin asked out of the blue, still looking through the scope. He had no intention of taking his shot till he was good and ready.

 

[Terra Lanris]

Hmm, that's disappointing, she said in her best "mopey girl" voice. You don't jump out of 100 story buildings as they explode and catch onto the side of a passing TIE fighter? she asked, recalling one of the holomovies she'd seen before. That wasn't how the real world worked, was it?

She was well beyond being bored scrolling through her datapad when he finally mentioned that he saw her. She sat up straighter, practically stiffening like a bored as her eyes crossed the gap to the other building. Of course, she couldn't see anything, but grab a pair of his spotting electrobinocs, watching her.

She became deathly silent, waiting to be surprised - and probably jump - when he took the shot. When... he took the shot. When... he... took the shot. When... he...

She still jumped a little bit when he asked her a question out of the blue. She tore her eyes away from the binocs and if he had looked at her, he'd see her eyes were wide in something between shock and unwarranted indignation.

SHOOT HER!! she wanted to scream but after a moment she got herself under control again. You hired him because he's the professional. Just calm your horns.

Uh... she paused for a moment, still slightly flustered by the conversation starter and wondering if she should ask if he needed to focus. He's. The. Professional.

Umm, it's multi-front, she said. She debated how much she wanted to tell him, but if she was wanting to recruit him, she'd have to be honest.

Security on Omega. Obtaining, transporting, and redistributing goods. Eventually mining and other business as well, she said. He'd been around long enough to know what all of those meant. In order they represented protection rackets, piracy, smuggling, fencing illicit goods, and... well, mining actually was mining. Coaxium and spice, but still mining.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin tilted his head to look at her, his eyebrows raising at her movie sequence description, “...Not on purpose, no,” He said with a smile. He could already see the telltale signs of impatience on her face. He had seen it many times before from people that were ‘fine with waiting’ but ultimately grew bored. Edin extended his hand for another butterscotch if she was willing to part with it.

The Firrerreo focused back on the scope as she explained her operations, “Ah, so the same as any other generic crook trying to make it big,” He said with a grin as he kept his gaze on the target. It was always the same - spice, guns or something in between. He had run a million jobs in those circles. He could see the appeal - it always brought in a steady supply of crowns, but damn it was always the same. It was why he preferred the thrill of high profile assassinations and the political implications.

“I’m going to take the shot from the bedroom I think,” He said after a moment, shifting the rifle just hair’s breadth to the side. He inhaled and softly exhaled a few times as his finger flirted with the trigger. After a moment of pause, he finally pulled it.

There was no fanfare or anything dramatic. Edin calmly drew his rifle back and began to take it apart, assembling the parts into his case. He didn’t look up as he worked.

“It’s done,” He announced, “I hope you have an exit strategy.”

 

[Terra Lanris]

She tossed him another butterscotch, taking one for herself as well.

Difference is I'm actually going to be successful. Already well on the way, she said before waving a hand. Yeah, yeah, I know, you hear everyone say that, too. Well, you can suck my horn, she said, though her tone made it quite clear that it wasn't actual anger.

When he said that he was going to take the shot, she tensed again, going totally silent. The crack-sizzle of the rifle shot made her hold her breath without realizing it, waiting to see whether or not it had been successful. Of course, he was no slouch, and a moment later he announced that it was done.

She wanted to jump up and down and pump her arms in the air, but first of all that would have been unprofessional, and secondly it just seemed... a little bit wrong. It settled in that she had just ordered and paid for the murder of someone else. Sure, it wasn't the first time, but it still hit with a weight of its own.

He started disassembling the weapon and she stood up and headed for the door. Yeah, let's go, she said.

She wasted no more time in heading for the speeder, climbing behind the wheel and waiting for him to get in the passenger's seat.

And then things started deteriorating a bit.

Whether it was a leak, someone with good eyes, or - more likely - someone from the apartment reporting about the shot, some of the more loyal members of the Blue Stars had shown up looking for the shooter.

Terra swore loudly, gunning the engine as a trio of speeders behind them tried to keep up. I'll drive, you shoot, she said, heart beginning to pound as she ripped through the skylanes at breakneck speed. But ultimately, this was what she had always excelled at.

 

[Edin Frost]

Edin actually chuckled at her heated response to him suggesting she was yet another petty criminal. She was right - he had heard it many times before. What he hadn’t heard was the sharp dig about her horn at the end, the mental image drawing out a genuine laugh. Edin looked over at at her with amusement, “Why do that when there are plenty of other places to suck?” He flashed her a wink as he finished packing up his case, casually stealing another butterscotch from her as he made his quip.

The Firrerreo hopped into the speeder, considering this another mission checked off. However, he could sense immediately something was wrong. Edin scowled at Terra, “I thought you cleared this place,” He snapped, clearly agitated at the sudden change of events. However, he was already in the process of drawing out his secondary blaster. He had been in harrowing situations before, so he could adapt easily enough.

Terra’s driving was absolutely atrocious. Edin drew out his blaster and took careful aim at the three speeders behind them. He inhaled and exhaled softly before firing off three bolts in carefully aimed succession.

Pop, pop, pop!

All three speeder drivers had bolts square through their foreheads, leading their speeders to veer off to the side and crash into one another. It effectively ended the chase abruptly. Edin put his blaster away, turned and plopped into the passenger seat next to Terra.

“All clear,” He said calmly before extending a hand, “Butterscotch?”

Dice roll to shoot: 20/20

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra zoomed through the skylanes, not exactly smoothly, but showing she'd started out as a get away driver for her gang in the past. It was enough to make the weak-stomached become nauseous, however.

She glanced into the rearview mirror as she whipped around another corner, moving into a straightaway moments later. She heard the pop of the blaster and assumed he was just returning fire. He'd maybe hit an engine block or even hit a passenger. Maybe hit one of the drivers, but no.

Her eyes flicked up to the three speeders behind them as they careened off course, slamming into buildings and even other speeders... all three of them!

Kriff! she half-exclaimed, half-laughed in surprise. That was impressive, and she wasn't easily impressed.

Nice shots! All clear, indeed, she laughed. You can have all the butterscotches you want, she said, grabbing out her last two from her pocket and handing them both to him.

Her driving slowed to a regular speed now, easing more into trafick as they made their way back to Afterlife.

He was worth every penny. Maybe she could still convince him to join Crimson Dawn full time...