Ask Ciutrickery

[Cipher Eight]

.

Eight had to admit it - Daplona City was among the nicer locations he’d been assigned to work. As an ISB agent, his specialty had always been clandestine and foreign operations - and it meant that the agent was never at a loss for interesting and high-risk assignments. It typically involved sulking around war-torn planets and working directly with insurgency groups on the fringes of civilization, working from the background to further Imperial objectives.

But Ciutric IV - with a flourishing economy and marble-paved streets - couldn’t have been farther from assignments that Eight had taken in the past. Nevertheless, ISB had taken a keen interest in the planet all the same. The collapse of the Mandalorian Crusades - and the tentative Imperial Alliance with Nox Solus - had left a power vacuum in the region. It left entire star systems scrambling to reinstate democratic institutions and recover from years of occupations, and presented an opportunity for the Empire to capitalize.

Elections were underway across Ciutric IV - evident by the multitudes of political advertisements that flooded into the capital. The field had gradually narrowed over the preceding months, leaving only two serious contenders to the office with drastically different opinions on foreign policy for their homeworld. While some within the Empire advocated for military intervention to reassert dominance in the region, ISB had deployed agents to the planet in order to ‘assist’ the pro-Imperial candidate into office by destroying his rival.

As one of the most important planets in the region, neighboring systems like Axxila and Vandyne would inevitably alter their own foreign policy to match. It was the first step along a larger strategy to organically - diplomatically - re-integrate systems that had chosen to break away from the Empire. Moreover, represented the staggering difference in how ISB operated when compared to other Imperials.

And it was the reason that Ciphar Eight had been deployed to Daplona for roughly two weeks. In that short time, the agent had taken up work as a part time Spuber Driver - enabling him to conduct the groundwork necessary with every field operation. He’d gotten himself a room at a local hotel, familiarized himself with the city layout, and had followed the political campaigning from afar - only reaching out to ISB upon discovery of an upcoming fundraiser event, hosted from the candidates personal residence.

Knowing that his partner would be arriving before long, Eight finished up the complimentary breakfast that came with his room and sat in the lounge - enjoying the gentle music that played for guests. He wore a simple black suit-vest and dress pants, accompanied by a white-buttondown underneath. His wrist was adorned in a simple silver watch, drawing his gaze downward to check the time once more. Six would know where to rendezvous with her fellow ISB Agent and likely wouldn’t have trouble picking him out of the crowd.

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

She wasn’t sure what it was about agents and always dressing nice, but the two usually went hand in hand. You had your rugged ones like Three, but most of the others dressed sharply. Low fi jazz played in the background and the lobby had guests meandering about. Before long, a woman adorned in a form fitting attire walked over to take a seat across from Eight.

“Well you’re certainly easier on the eyes than I expected,” She said with a grin, her gaze flicking over to a fruit tray on the table, “May I?” She asked, spotting some grapes.

Six looked around to see if anyone was listening before speaking, “We have a problem,” She stated flatly, “Our esteemed candidate of choice has a scandal rap sheet that trails for miles,” She said with a faint grimace, “We can either bury each one…or we create a media diversion. He will get eaten alive by his opponent otherwise.”

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

Tapping his foot to the low jazz, Eight wasn’t left waiting for very long. It was the steady sound of clicking heels that drew his attention away from the table - brown eyes settling upon the dark haired woman that approached. He didn’t need to guess that she was his contact on Ciutric, and took a moment to watch as Six approached the seating just opposite to where he was. He couldn’t help the way that his gaze lingered a bit longer than was necessary - hanging in her form-fitting attire and soft curls of raven-black hair. She was undeniably beautiful to behold - especially when he’d spend several weeks going over Imperial reports and staring at Levik Karn’s ugly face.

Upon hearing her opening line, Eight’s lips began to tug upwards at once. “One hell of a compliment, coming from the most beautiful woman in this room.” He said without missing a beat, offering her a warm smile. Of course, the agent had long-ago learned to temper his natural Garqi accent, replacing the native drawl with something more akin to a standard, Raxusian dialect. It was yet another part of his training as an ISB agent, in order to keep his true identity a closely-guarded secret from even other members of his organization.

“Of course,” He said, sliding the bowl of grapes over in her direction. Eight promptly gestured to the assortment of beverages that were already brought to the table, clearly having not skimped on the amenities offered by the hotel. “Eight. He introduced.

His expression didn’t dim when Six went on to explain the situation further - pointing out the list of scandals just waiting to tarnish their preferred candidate. Eight drummed his knuckles on the table, letting out a small exhale through his nostrils. “That.. Makes things more difficult.” He said after a moment. In the end, however, he shrugged. “Nothing we can’t handle, I am sure.” Eight said with a bit of a smirk, seemingly unperturbed.

Eight took a drink from his own glass, pondering the two different methods she offered. There was a tick of silence before he shook his head a bit. “Trying to bury each scandal will take time - and there is no guarantee his opponent isn’t already digging for that dirt.” Eight lightly tapped his fingers against the table. Ironically, the man they were attempting to tarnish - Davos Norvik - had a reputation for being squeaky-clean.

“Media Diversion.” He said after a moment. “We manufacture the crisis we need and leak it to the media - before the Norvik campaign has an opportunity to strike. It’ll hurt his chances at election, and it will discredit any scandal that Norvik tries to pin against our candidate.” He said, tilting his head back. “Which will be helpful in the long-run, should any of this come to light.” Not that it reasonably would. Once the election was over, ISB would have all the time in the world to make those scandals disappear.

“Norvik has built his campaign on a sterling reputation and idealistic vision democratic principles. Married for twenty years, father of four, military veteran - and a staunch proponent of Old Republic values.” Eight paused for a moment. “His voters trust him and buy into his vision for the future.”

“Best way to sink his campaign is to target those values. Make him appear the hypocrite. Strip away his credibility and sow doubt into that he would really be any better than the corrupt official who came before, instead of just a convincing fraud.” He nodded.

“Prostitution scandal, Syndicate affiliation, defrauding of the public for profit..” There were a multitude of options. ISB wasn’t above any of them.

 

[Cipher Six]

Six had to give an amused giggle at his tall compliment. She always liked it when another agent could banter and flirt instead of being rigid and unyielding. This was always a stressful job, and it was the small things that made it fun. She nibbled on a grape, grabbing a mimosa flute to enjoy herself.

She heard him out, her smile growing as she did so, “My, you keep impressing me. It's a shame we’ve never had the luxury of working together in the past,” Six said. She sipped at her drink and thought for a long moment.

“Norvik may have a clean record,” Six said as she drummed her perfectly manicured nails on the table, “However, that doesn’t mean all his donors do. His biggest donor is a man named Yovan Carr. He’s a wealthy real estate mogul that no doubt cut deals with Norvik on license and permit cost burden relief. We can uncover some scandals on his side and blast it out to the public. It’ll put Norvik on the spot on whether to do the right thing and reject the donation or hurt his own image by affiliating with a shady donor.”

It was a beautiful combination of both their ideas, she thought. Six helped herself to another grape, “You can play the part of a cute reporter,” She said with a smile.

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

With his fellow Cipher seated across the table, Eight reclined into the comfortable leather seating and plucked his own glass of whiskey from the table. His lips twitched upwards when Six threw out her second compliment of the evening - prompting the agent to raise his glass and toast in her direction. “What can I say,” He began, flashing her sideways grin. “I aim to please.” Taking a slow sip from his drink, Eight took a moment to hear his fellow Cipher out - nodding along with the plan she laid out.

He couldn’t deny being impressed, making it obvious that Six had done her homework and offered them an alternative route to getting the job done. By the end, Eight gently placed his glass back onto the table, giving her his full attention. “If either of them were stupid enough to put any of their dealings in writing, we can spin this to hurt Norvik either way.” Whatever deals had been cut with Norvik, Eight fully intended to use them to sink Norvik’s campaign. Even if the man denied association with Carr and refused the donation, exposing those communications after the fact would help to tarnish his reputation and credibility with the public.

Eight couldn’t help but sit back and smirk. It was the combination of both their ideas - each working to compliment each other's methods. The life of a Cipher was often stressful and lonely work - assigned to undercover operations across the Galaxy. It wasn’t an every-day occurrence for two Cipher’s to be working on the same operation, but Eight certainly enjoyed working with someone of his own caliber. The fact that she was gorgeous certainly didn’t hurt, either. “A luxury indeed,” He said, mirroring her own statement earlier.

He said. When it came to playing the part of the cute reporter, Eight offered her a light shrug and grin. “Shouldn’t be too hard on this front,” The agent reached for his glass, opting to polish off the bit of liquid that still swirled at the bottom. “We’ll need access to Carr’s data long enough to uncover what he need. Communication logs at the very least. Account statements at best,” It all depended on how much access the pair had, and how much they could dig without suspicion.

“Anything on Carr we can use to get into his circle?” Eight asked after a moment. “Upcoming public event, social club he frequents?” Anything to slowly gain his trust and eventually gain access to a residence or office.”

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

“Of course there’s a club. There’s always a club,” It was part of the game. Rich targets almost always had some shady establishment where they drank themselves stupid and snorted spice off someone’s tits. She hoped she wouldn’t have to try that hard to get Carr wrapped around her finger, “Let’s hope my femme fatale charm works on him,” She said as she drew out a pack of cigarra.

“Carr will stop there after work today and I’ll stall him,” She explained, “I need you to break into his residence in the meantime, find the intel we need and leak it to the press,” Six said as she finished up her drink and nibbled on a few more grapes.

“Don’t make me have to stall too long,” She eyed him, “I can already tell he will be a pain."

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

“There always is.” Eight said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the notion. Before his career at ISB, the agent had spent his childhood years laboring on the Caf plantation his family owned back on Garqi - growing up with little to their name. It was a stark difference to the indulgence and excessive luxuries that people like Carr always seemed to surround themselves in. Fat and satisfied with their position in life. Whether it was the clubs they visited, the spice they purchased or the hookers they hired - more often than not, it was those same indulgences that ISB could weaponize against them.

He offered a small grin when Six spoke, “I’ve no doubt he’ll be wrapped around your finger.” If Eight had deciphered anything from their short conversation, it was the intelligence and cunning that existed behind the beautiful visage. He knew that Six was damn-good at her job, and could keep the man occupied for however long was necessary.

“I can do that,” He nodded, his mind already going to work on method. After a moment of consideration, Eight rose up from his seat - smoothing out the form-fitting vest that he wore. “Command has already established an encrypted comms channel for us to use. I will contact you once I have what we need and leak the Intel - shouldn’t take me too long.”

The agent extended a hand to Six, offering her a sideways smile. “It’s a pleasure to be working with you, Six.” With a shake of her hand, Eight began to make his way out of the lobby and back towards his hotel room. His equipment was stored there and could be used to make the break-in possible.

—​

As discussed, hours would pass before Carr left his company office, nestled at the skyscraper heart of Daplona City. The moment he did, the real estate mogul would make his way towards his club of choice - an establishment known as ‘Jewel’. A bodyguard was stationed at the door to check the passes of all guests, while allowing Carr and his small group to pass through the VIP section.

Inside, Six would find a scene fit to her expectations. Exotic Twi’lek and Cathar dancers glided across raised platforms, scantily clad and illuminated in multi-colored lights. Dozens of men and women drank and socialized on the club floor, and the smell of spice - despite being illegal in the civilized Daplona City - was heavy in the air.

Games of Dejarik were being played by some, while others simply drank and talked amongst themselves. Others enjoyed the company of one of the exotic dancers - either seated on a lap or dancing at their table. Adjust it all and the thrumming music, Six would be required to locate Carr and attempt to stall him as discussed.

—

Meanwhile, Eight closed in on Carr’s personal residence - adjusting the attire he’d chosen for the evening. Rather than his refined suit and tie style, the agent wore a pair of simple jeans and work shirt - a hint of dirt smudged across his legs and arms. The disguise was that of a simple landscape-worker who’d been hired to maintain the beautiful lawn and gardens of the Carr residence, located just slightly out of the city center. It was enough for the agent to get close without suspicion, his slicing equipment and other gadgets stocked beneath his clothes and buried underneath the gardening equipment he carried.

What he would encounter upon arrival, however, remained to be seen.

 

[Cipher Six]

The music was downtempo and lofi, the club was a purple and blue haze. She could smell the spice already, but she had been trained for all of this. Six always loved dressing up, and she wore a tight-fitted dress that hugged all her curves along with modest jewelry. No matter how she dressed, she always projected a refined and classic bearing that set her apart from the usual painted bimbos.

She scanned the crowds, having been briefed on his usual location. She spotted the man after a while, a greasy haired gent that looked to be in his 40s. He was puffing on a cigar while playing Dejarik against another man. Six helped herself to a drink and commed Eight that she spotted their target.

She made her way over to observe the game for a moment. After a few seconds, she spotted Carr’s opponent make a move and she smiled, “The Houjix can’t move like that,” She said in her posh, clipped accent. She immediately caught the attention of both the opponent and Carr himself. Six’s gaze lingered on Carr, “I believe this man here is trying to do you in,” She said with a soft giggle, sipping from her drink.

“Have we met?” Carr asked.

“Oh you’d remember if we met, darling,” She said as she stepped over to take a seat. Her gaze flicked over to the board, “Let me know if you want to play an opponent that doesn’t need to cheat.”

–​

Eight would come across a giant mansion with a huge fountain up front. It was a gated estate and there were guards posted at different locations. However, as Carr wasn’t home, they were very lax. Most of them were on their commlinks, some of them were even visibly asleep.

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

It was a testament to his ISB training that Eight didn’t immediately grow concerned by the presence of security. The fact that Carr wasn’t home meant that the hired muscle was more relaxed than it normally would be - and those still awake didn’t spare much attention to the gardener coming to clip the hedges. The agent kept his gaze fixed upon some vegetation in need of pruning and shaping in a nearby flowerbed, only making note of the number of guards and their relative location from his peripheral vision.

His destination was a small vent on the far end of the estate - where the fusion cutter tucked into his cuff would come in handy to access the property. Working his way around while tending to the landscaping was far less likely to draw attention than outright sneaking around the back. Moving in plain sight, almost exclusively, was the better alternative when possible.

That didn’t mean, however, that Eight was without obstacles. He barely managed to reach a pair of garden shears when a feminine figure approached off from the right. The agent pretended not to notice her out of the corner of his eye, but made clear note of the expensive dress she wore and neatly done hair.

“Excuse me,” She said, coming to a stop a few steps from Eight.

It was only then that the agent glanced up to regard her, blinking a few times and offering the woman a friendly smile. “How can I help you ma’am?” He said, wiping his hands on his pantlegs as to knock away any dirt. “Is uh.. Everything alright?” He said with a sheepish and almost worried tone.

“It isn’t, actually.” She said with a nobles accent. She gestured a hand further into the flowerbed - though made no actual attempt to walk into the dirt. It didn’t take Eight long to decipher that he was likely Carr’s wife based on her age, attire and demeanor. He couldn’t help but wonder if the woman knew her bread-winning husband was likely fondling some Twi’lek dancer. “These Zeilla haven’t come back at all since this past winter.”

Eight blinked, glancing over in that direction. After a moment he smiled. “Don’t worry, ma’am,” He said, walking over to the bush. “These just need a bit of pruning. Remove the dead wood and spent flowers, encourage new growth.” He flashed his garden shears. “I’ll get to this beauty first.”

His answer - apparently - was enough to satisfy the woman. Mrs. Carr gave a nod and began to head back into the house, leaving Eight to actually tend to the plant. He had to thank his upbringing and mothers garden that actually meant his answer wasn’t bullshit, and promptly set to work on the flowers.

Once he was finished, the agent would begin to make his way around back - spotting the entry vent next to some flowering vines.

There was a collective moment of silence from the people seated at Carr’s table. Where had the woman even come from? A few people paused their drinking to watch, while the opponent that the real estate mogul was playing against went completely red in the face. He blinked a few times - the alcohol in his system doing wonders for his temper.

“That’s bullshit, of course it can move there!” He stammered.

Carr, however, didn’t look amused. “As a matter of fact,” He began, snapping his fingers. “I would.” At that moment, a pair of bodyguards approached and grabbed his opponent by the shoulders - nudging him to a stand and towards the exit. The man was the only VIP in the party, and the rest were only guests. It was a reminder of who truly had power. It was a reminder of the man with a temper easily lit.

And it was a reminder that even Six would need to play things careful.

“So tell me,” He said, settling down onto the opposite side of the table. “Why haven’t I seen you before? Jewel is rather exclusive,” As he spoke, the man didn’t hesitate to stare at the agent - his gaze lingering on the curves of her dress. His gaze hung longer than was appreciate and Carr seemed unconcerned by it. The man was used to enough money that got him anything he wanted.

“I guarantee I would have noticed you.” As he spoke, the man made the opening move on the board - gesturing for Six to make her play. “Damien won’t appreciate being snitched on,” He added.

 

[Cipher Six]

Six graciously took a seat across from Carr. She said nothing initially, moving her piece and already taking out one of his own, “Won’t you buy a girl a drink before you start asking questions?” She asked with a smile. Carr looked down at the board, smirked, and snapped his fingers to bring drinks over.

When the waitress left to get the drinks, Six leaned closer, “Norvik sent me,” She said. Carr’s eyes visibly widened. He glared at once.

“What’re you playing at?”

She was going off script, and she hoped it would pan out. Six made her move on the board, “He wanted me to make sure you will keep Nal Hutta under wraps,” Nal Hutta was a complete guess. There was intel that a group of powerful diplomats and business moguls went in on a scandalous operation that had ties to trafficking. It was a total shot in the dark that Carr was involved. However, the color drained from his face as he looked at her, his hand trembling. Six kept her gaze fixed on his, “Your move,” She said calmly, pointing to the board.

“N-Norvik told you about what we did?”

We? Now this was a surprise. Norvik, with his squeaky clean record, was involved in the Nal Hutta scandal? Six kept her face calm, though she was doing backflips on the inside.

Six had the means to completely sink them both with or without Eight’s intel.

Dice: nat 20!

–​

From Eight’s vantage point, he would see two very obese children zoned out in front of the Holonet in the living room. He would have to walk past the windows looking into that room to get to the path inside the house.

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

The cool and collected demeanor vanished at once. Though the temperature in the room hadn’t changed, Carr was suddenly sweating bullets through his expensive suit - his cheeks bright red and expression flustered. He wanted to yell. To call his bodyguards and have the woman thrown out. He wanted to do something stupid and silence her to save his own ass.

But he knew that he couldn’t, trapped in the web of their own making.

Carr swallowed hard before leaning across the table. “You tell Norvik that I’ve had his back from the start,” He hissed, pointing a shaky finger. “And this is one hell of a way to repay Carr Realty’s recent ‘donation’ to his campaign.” One that had been kept off the books and used keep favor with the sure-to-be-elected Norvik. It was damaging - but the woman worked for Norvik, didn’t she? She knew everything already.

“You t-tell him that if Nal Hutta goes public, we all go down.” He warned. Surely his business associate knew. They both needed to keep it on the shush-shush. He shook his head, snatching the drink from the waitress as it arrived. “If you don’t mind, I think I’ll be taking that drink to go.” The man had enough of the club for the night. Whatever chances of him getting lucky with the gorgeous Six, the Carr had been thoroughly humbled and embarrassed enough to call it a night.

He began to rise from his seat, prepared to leave back home.

—​

Eight continued to casually work his way around the perimeter of the property. He opened up the bag at his side, using his gardening shears to ‘prune’ branches here and there, jamming all of the clipping into his bag to dispose of later. It meant that the agent was able to work his way around the property without much suspicion or issue. He made a point to drop his bag every time he moved on to the next bush, disappearing briefly behind each, only to re-emerge with a handful of branches. He made a point to glance through every window he worked near, getting a general layout of the mansion and where the office was likely located.

His gaze gradually fell upon the windows - spotting the pair of obese kids watching the HoloNet. He pondered his options, knowing full-well that he couldn’t start army-crawling under the windows or employ any of the advanced techniques he typically could on more covert situations.

So instead, he played up his role.

Fishing an electrical cutter from his bag, Eight revved the device and began to top some of the bushes just outside the window - bumping the glass and being deliberately loud and obnoxious while doing so. Anyone who’d woken up to the sound of gardeners outside their window would be able to relate, and it didn’t take long for the pair of kids to grow irritated with the noise that was blocking out their Holo.

Rather than sit through it, both kids eventually got up from where they were sitting - opting to try another HoloScreen somewhere in the mansion. Eight continued right along for a minute or two after they left, before moving freely to the side entrance he’d been eyeing all along. By this point, the security had grown accustomed to his presence and quite frankly stopped paying attention to some nameless gardener.

Eight dropped his bag in front of some thicker brush and trees, leaving the electric buzzer running and propped up to continue the sound. Just as he’d repeated several times prior, anyone passing by would likely assume he had merely stepped behind the hedge.

Instead, the agent casually approached the door he’d been scoping out the entire time - fishing the two-piece fusion cutter from his cuff. Assembling the device, Eight slashed the cutter beam across the lock in a single precise motion, careful not to cause any more damage than was necessary. He pulled the door open.

It didn’t take him long to reach the office in question - slipping into the empty room and closing and locking the door behind him. Eight immediately cracked open the window that led outside, prepping his exit route, before turning his attention to the computer terminal. A computer spike emerged from within his sleeve, quickly injected into an available port. It would take a minute or two to slice into the system, but Eight was confident that no one would be looking for him - or running into the office - for all the time he needed.

 

[Cipher Six]

“Sit down, Mr. Carr,” Six stated flatly without even bothering to get up, “We are not done playing,” She gestured to the Dejarik board as she reached for cigarra.

Carr’s bodyguards began to move towards her, but he held up a hand to stop them. He knew she had dirt on him. He knew she held all the cards. He forgot how to breathe, but he had to keep it together. He weakly waved his hand to dismiss his men and everyone else from the VIP area. He had been in this game long enough to know that Six wanted something. His jaw tightened and he sat back down like an obedient puppy.

Six exhaled smoke before she leaned forward and moved another Dejarik piece, knocking out yet another one of his.

“What do you want?” Carr said with gritted teeth, “Money? Fame? Endorsement? What?”

Her gaze flicked up to meet his, “You will convince Norvik to withdraw from the campaign.”

Carr looked puzzled, “Wh-What? You work for him and-” His jaw dropped, “You bitch,” He hissed, “You- you work for Emreis,” He said hoarsely. He paused for a moment, “Y-You don’t have anything on m-me.”

Six held up a tiny device, clicking a button that played a recorded conversation with Carr outright blurting out their involvement in Nal Hutta, “This is enough for at least probable cause. Combined with the hard data we have-” She sincerely hoped Eight had his part done, “-Both you and Norvik will be buried for life. Or… you can get him to concede and this all remains quiet.”

Carr looked to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Six put the device away and threw back her drink. She made one final move on the board, killing off his last piece and leaving her standing, “Ah, it appears I’ve won.”

She gave him a polite smile before standing up, “This intel gets leaked to the press in twelve hours - immediately if you attempt to harm me. Norvik has until then to concede.”

With that, Six exited the club. She knew the next few hours were crucial to monitor for retaliatory action, but she was confident she had him. She quickly commed Eight giving him the news and a rendezvous location.

Now it was just a waiting game.

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

Even if his entrance to the residence was seamless, Eight refused to become overconfident with himself. It was too easy to become arrogant and miss details - which quickly spiraled into mistakes and mission failure. He kept his body turned sideways and towards the pre-opened window, prepared to make a swift exit if anyone attempted to open the locked door. The agent carried no weapons or munitions, but ultimately doubted that he would need it.

Fortunately, the following minutes would prove his suspicions to be correct. His disguise had left little reason for suspicion, and none of the residents of the mansion has a reason to visit Daddy’s private office when he was out. It was all to easy to remain there as long as he needed - the computer spike doing all the work to slice past firewalls and security measures.

“There it is,” He muttered quietly, watching as the terminal unlocked for access. The agent quickly began to read across communication logs and other files - specifically targeting those that Six had mentioned, and any that made mention of Norvik. It didn’t take him long to stumble upon a string of HoloNet communications regarding the situation on Nal Hutta, directly naming Norvik amongst the people responsible. He couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips at once.

Eight pulled a thumb drive from his pocket and inserted it into the computer terminal, pulling a copy of the files and communication logs he needed. Once the transfer was complete, the agent meticulously removed all of his equipment and logged out of the computer - leaving everything exactly as he found it. He moved to unlock the door where he came, and promptly turned his attention to the window to make his exit.

It was roughly at that moment that Eight received word from Six - revealing everything she’d learned and the situation with Carr. For the second time, a smile crept across his lips, as the agent began to relay his own findings while making his escape through the window.

Over the course of the next ten minutes, Eight would gather his gardening equipment, clip a few other plants and begin to leave the property - leaving those inside none the wiser to what had just happened.

Not long after, Eight stepped through the doors of a local nightclub - slipping past the bouncer and into the room ahead - illuminated by the flashing neon lights. Music blared from speakers and reverberated through the floor, enjoyed by the countless individuals packed inside. It was important that the two agents weren’t seen in any place together more than once, especially now that Carr knew Six’s face.

Eight, for one, didn’t mind the location one bit. He had quickly changed out of his dirty clothes and outfit - replacing it with a pair of dress pants and tight-fitting shirt. His hair was back to its styled and combed state, and the smell of fertilizer and bantha manure was replaced with his cologne.

He slipped through the crowds, making his way towards the bar where he spotted Six. At once, the agent offered her a smile - taking a seat beside her.

“Can I get you something to drink?” He asked with a grin. “Seems celebrations are in order.”

 

[Cipher Six]

Six looked up when Eight arrived to join her. She had no idea he was hiding such a nice physique beneath the formal attire from earlier. Unlike most, she didn’t mind when others noticed that she was checking them out. As a Firrerreo, she always had a piercing gaze, her eyes carrying the glint of an apex predator. She offered him a smile, “I don’t think it’s too premature to break out some champagne,” With the intel Eight extracted, they had a win/win even if Carr didn’t convince Norvik in time.

Once the drinks arrived, she clinked her glass against his, “To a successful night,” She said before taking a sip.

“You ever frequent establishments like this?” She asked as she glanced around them, “You know, just for fun?”

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

Naturally, Eight didn’t miss the way that Six began to check him out - that piercing gaze lingering on his muscular physique. She was unabashed and bold in ways that the agent wasn’t used to, and it brought the faintest hint of red to his cheeks and almost sheepish goofy smile. He promptly played it down as he went to order the drinks, flashing her a smirk.

“After the way you worked over Carr?” He said, “I’d say it‘s well-earned.” It hadn’t taken more than ten minutes for Six to get the Mogul tripping over himself and potentially securing the job even without his Intel. It was genuinely impressive and just a hint terrifying to behold.

Eight took hold of his glass as it arrived - clinking the rim against Six’s own in toast. “To a successful night, and a job well done.” He added, taking a sip.

“Of course,” He said without missing a beat, glancing back to the club around them. “Though usually not with such stunning company.” He added with a grin. Dozens were making their way across the dancefloor, while others socialized nearby. “We live stressful lives. Have to find some way to relax when we can.” To be a Cipher was to always be someone at constant risk. There was a chance that things could go wrong and they could be killed on the job. There was a chance that Command deemed them a liability, and another would step onto their place.

Eight took one more sip from his glass before rising from his seat - taking two steps back from the bar. “Only one way to properly celebrate if we’re here.” He extended a hand towards Six, offering her a smile. “Would you do me the honors?”

 

[Cipher Six]

She always liked it when men were gentlemen and had proper habits, even if she couldn’t identify what was real and what was manufactured. Eight was certainly good at this if he was acting. His blush was endearing and it drew out a smile from her, “I find that hard to believe,” She said with a grin, “I bet you can charm your way out of any scenario…or into them,” She smirked.

Six threw back her drink when he offered to dance. She certainly enjoyed karaoke, though she participated in dancing less. It always felt cathartic, and she was in the mood to celebrate. Six grasped his hand and allowed him to lead her out to the floor.

The music was relaxed and downtempo, but it was definitely enough to start grooving. The hour was late and the club was dark, everyone swaying in their content inebriation. Six wasn’t drunk, but she did have a faint buzz, just enough to put her in a great mood. Dancing with an attractive agent certainly enhanced the experience. Her gaze remained on his, a teasing smile playing on her lips. This close, he would be able to make out the unnatural design of her irises that betrayed her Firrerreo lineage. Of course, he would only notice this when there were flashes of light in the otherwise dark room.

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

Eight didn’t miss the smile that brushed across Six’s expression - silently committing to memory the flash of those pearly white fangs, and the hint of dimples that creased the corners of her mouth. His own expression remained bright and lively in response, his gaze failing to break from her own. Though he could seamlessly play a part for their line of work, none of his smiles drawn out by the fellow agent were quite manufactured. Genuine or not, he was certainly beginning to enjoy her company.

“When it’s necessary,” He said smoothly in response to her commentary, flashing Six a playful grin. If nothing else, Eight was nothing short of exceedingly confident.

Taking hold of her hand, Eight gradually led Six towards the dancefloor - his own body immediately starting to sway to the downtempo music, head bobbing in sync. She would immediately notice the wide and almost goofy way that he smiled, clearly enjoying himself on the dancefloor. Even if his movements weren’t as fluid or practiced as they could have been, the agent didn’t have much issue keeping up. He felt a healthy buzz running through his system, even if the agent never allowed himself to become quite drunk when in the field.

His hands came to lightly rest on her hips as they danced, keeping the Firrrerreo close as they moved. His gaze lingered on her own - every flash of light offering a glimpse into those piercing, almost feline eyes. It was a constant reminder of her exotic heritage as a Firrerreo, and it added to the allure she cast.

Eight briefly pulled her close enough to dance chest-to-chest, moving them as a conjoined unit across the dancefloor with a series of long steps. This close, she would see the playful grin that played across his lips with every movement and pick up on the expensive cologne that he wore. “And you?” Eight said between their dancing, pulling Six close and spinning her beneath his raised hand. He waited until she was facing him again to finish speaking, meeting her eyes once more. “What is your idea of fun off the job?"

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

Six always appreciated a man that could clean up. Eight was well put together and he smelled fantastic. She moved in close, swaying side to side as she danced with him. If he was terrible at dancing, he certainly played it off smoothly. He caught her glancing into her eyes a few times, and she smirked, knowing it was likely because they almost looked unnatural up close, “Don’t let them scare you, darling, I don’t bite unprovoked,” She flashed him a wink.

The Firrerreo spun around and pressed back against Eight as she danced, deciding to have a little fun with this. The music was a slower tempo bump and grind, and she did just that. Six brought a hand up to Eight’s face with him behind her, her fingers lightly tracing along his jawline as she danced against him.

“I don’t even know anymore,” She said with a soft chuckle, “I’m almost always on the job,” Six admitted. When was the last time she did anything just for fun? Which was exactly why she was enjoying these moments before they had to get back on the case, “Though I may add making you nervous to the list.”

@Altaris

 

[Cipher Eight]

For all of his polished manners and smooth delivery, Eight couldn’t help the way that his mind began to swim through their dance. It was all-too-easy to get lost in the sapphire glean of her exotic eyes - honeyed words echoing across the confines of his mind. Combined with the wink, it brought a grin back to his lips. “I don’t scare easy,” He said with a chuckle, bringing his fellow Agent into the balls of her feet and into a spin.

He couldn’t help the faint breath that escaped from his lips when Six spun around, pressing back against him to the lower tempo beat. Eight could feel the warmth that rushed to his cheeks as Six drug her fingernails across the defined edge of his jaw, and it left him suddenly grateful that the Firrerreo was facing ahead.

For all the ways he’d been trained to maintain a keen perception of his surroundings, Eight paid little attention to the rest of the club. He was lost in the feeling of her pressed back against him - the scent of her perfume and the flow of dark hair that brushed against his jaw. The agent could feel his own heart beating a bit faster, his hands gently pressing into her hips as they danced close.

Though he wasn’t nearly as skilled on the dancefloor, Eight managed to keep up for the most part - his shoulders rolling and hips swaying in rhythm with the music. Through it all, Eight listened to everything she had to say. When was the last time he’d had time for himself? Things had only gotten busier for ISB as the Empire struggled to stabilize from mass exodus. But none of that seemed to matter in that moment. His attention remained firmly fixed onto that moment.

“Is that so?” Eight said with a smirk, his head tilting down towards the crook of her neck from where he was positioned. Each word was a whisper that would brush against her skin. Without warning, Eight stepped them back and towards the middle of the dancefloor to continue their routine.

As the song shifted, the agent used his grip on her hips to spin Six once more - turning the Firrerreo to face him. One hand snaked around to the back of her waist, pulling her close as they moved admist the swarm of dozens. His hand eventually found her own, guiding those manicured digits to rest against the back of his neck.

“Then I’ll try not to bore you,” He said with a grin, his eyes tilting down to meet her own once more. Unnatural or not, Eight had no qualms staring back into her eyes for the second time during the course of their dance.

 

[Cipher Six]

Six felt his face lean in against her neck, and he would see the slightest shimmer of her skin as a direct reaction. Firrerreo skin often betrayed their temperament, and Eight was certainly hitting all the right buttons. They were back out into the middle of the dancefloor, Eight effectively spinning her around. She was pleasantly surprised when he guided her hand up along the back of his neck, his movements practiced and oozing confidence.

She smiled up at him, thoroughly entertained by this switch to pleasure from work. Her fingernails grazed against his skin where he placed her hand. Six stepped back and twirled herself under his hand, spinning expertly on her tall heels. After another spin, she came back into his arms, another smile revealing pointed fangs, “We have a few more hours to kill,” She said, “You have any creative ideas on how we can spend them?”

@Altaris