Ask Going Under

[Nash]

Nash had never been to Iktoch before and she didn’t care about anything regarding the planet. She didn’t do any research or prep in advance. She simply contacted Kaldar to pick up the thread they left off with the mine takeover. Slowly but surely the mine was starting to make her money so she wouldn’t be dirt poor anymore. Split between her and three other surviving slaves, she was getting a cut of the profit. She and Kaldar had agreed to chase down Yaruk without deciding when.

Due to recent events, Nash decided to expedite that timeline. She had been on a drinking and spice binge that was as bad as her days back on Hutta, and it was getting her nowhere. Beyond just the Yaruk chapter, she needed to learn to round out her Sith training. Vossari was a powerhouse with the Force and he helped control those aspects, but she wanted to slowly move away from just using her fists. She didn’t tell Kaldar any of these things, sharing only that she was prepared to pick up the Yaruk operation again.

Nash arrived at their meeting point, dressed in her common aesthetic. She lit up a cigarra and quietly smoked it while waiting for Kaldar. When he finally arrived she jutted her chin to greet him. She wouldn’t regale him with a sob story or how her heart was broken. However, he would likely notice the absence of her usual cheerful and eccentric demeanor.

“Hey dude,” She said simply, “Kicked any puppies lately?” Nash asked with the corner of her lips just barely tipping towards a grin.

 

[Kaldar]

In absolutely stark contrast to Nash, Kaldar had researched the planet. Or more particularly, it's moon. He had made his entire career off of thoroughly researching his targets before striking. Planning and preparation were the backbone of his success.

What a nasty planet. Literally classified as "inhospitable" the locals had had to develop a basal level of precognition just to survive the oncoming storms here. Yuck.

And for some reason, this spice lord had decided to willingly stay here. Ew.

It took him about four seconds after his arrival to know that something was seriously off with Nash. The subtle spice bags under her eyes, the lack of smile or zest to her step, or the way she felt... different in the Force. Blunted.

He managed to avoid a frown, but he felt... skeptical. People who were disheveled and unstable in combat got killed and they got the people fighting beside them killed. For the moment, he decided to feel the situation out.

You really don't have a very high opinion of me, do you? he asked. I'll have you know I've never kicked a puppy in my life, he said, though he did have to think about it for a moment. There was that incident with the attack dogs that one time, but that was different. No puppies and no one kicked.

Surprised to get your message so soon, he said, holding out on launching right into the stabby-stabby, punchy-punchy.

Spice business paying out? he asked, lightly probing... everything. For his part, the recruitments he'd made among the smugglers had been good, and his own efforts were expanding. He'd started looking at Omega given its position in the galaxy and the fact that he had a pretty good idea that Yaruk had been working through the station to get to Kaldar's holdings on Randon.

 

[Nash]

Nash quirked a brow at his words, “Between asking if I’ll miss you and wondering about my opinion of you, I’m starting to think you’re growing soft, you shady fuck,” She said with a smirk as she took a long drag from her cigarra before blowing out a few smoke rings, “Yeah it’s just getting up to speed…I’ve been skimming a bit off the top though,” She shrugged vaguely, “Old habits,” She lied through her teeth. Nash knew she looked spiced out and she knew he took a good look at her eyes. He would probably notice the faint traces of yellow in the normal baby blues.

“Listen, I have a favor to ask,” Nash asked bluntly, “I’ve seen how you operate. Would you be willing to teach me some shit? Especially with sabers?” It was a reach and she knew it. He didn’t seem the type to do any favors for anyone. She already agreed to the Yaruk job so she couldn’t use that per say.

“Name a price,” Nash said simply. She had survived in Hutt space long enough to know nothing was free.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar didn't miss a beat in his response, enjoying their little banter.

I can always choke you a little if you think I'm getting too soft, he said, suppressing his smirk as he did. Yeah, shady did sum him up well, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He'd once told Azar that he wouldn't insult him by saying that he trusted him, and that went both ways. Sith shouldn't really trust each other.

Indeed, he did notice the trace flecks of yellow in her eyes. Deeper into the darkness, he thought to himself, nodding along with her lie about it being an old habit. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. He didn't actually know, but he didn't need to know. It was already clear it was... off.

When she asked him for a favor, his eyebrows pulled down slightly into a frown. He wasn't in the business of doing favors for people, but, of course, she knew that already. She told him to name his price, and he really didn't need to think. He already knew where he had set his next sights, and she would be a prime person for the job.

No, he could have snapped his price immediately, but now he was curious. Any mook at the academy could teach you how to swing a lightsaber around, he said skeptically. It wasn't a "no" but it was... well, it was curiosity.

It looked for just a moment like he had a follow up question he was going to ask, but it didn't come.

Okay, he finally said. I'll give you some resources to start studying and practicing with as a basis, he said. It would get her through the simplest start because there was no point in the two of them sparring yet.

I have some plans out on Omega. You help me with those, I'll keep teaching you, he said. "Plans" was one word for it. It was a plan to completely take over what remained of the old Crimson Dawn assets out there. It had a high payout and was, of course, his usual type of trouble.

Do you have a lightsaber? he asked.

@Sreeya

 

[Nash]

“Just a little? That might not be so bad,” She quipped back. Her mood was already improving a little just from the banter. The guy may have been sketch, but he wasn’t a Sith Master at the academy that constantly lorded around his title. He was both powerful and laidback in some ways because of his cool detachment. After all the drama and strict regimen of her daily life, it was a nice reprieve.

“Exactly, they can teach me academic uses,” Nash said, “You fight dirty and you know how to survive against shit out there,” She was pretty sure most of the academy teachers had never even seen a Jedi or abomination or whatever monster was running around in the galaxy, “I don’t wanna learn the textbook versions,” Nash explained. After all, fighting honorably didn’t win you any battles.

When he mentioned Omega, Nash smirked, “You got a way into Omega? You realize since you helped bail Toni out she can make you whatever you need to get in, right? Hell she’ll probably give you Omega shit as a freebie,” She reminded him. It paid to have a network.

Nash had a sheepish look on her face when he asked about her saber, shifting where she stood, “I don’t have one yet. I know the bleeding shit is some special thing and I’m going to be doing that with my Master,” She said, “I just want to get used to the weight and ranges of sabers to figure out what I like,” She shrugged vaguely.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar smirked at her "acceptance" of his offer. It was just a matter of time until they had a little actual fun, wasn't it? Still, he quite enjoyed the flirting in its current state, a welcome fantasy.

He thought about what she said about fighting dirty, and he certainly did that. He was skilled with a saber, but he didn't really consider himself a true duelist or warrior like some of the Sith.

Gotta start with the textbook stuff, he said, but that was why he would give her the resources she needed for a base. After that, it's just creatively applying what you know, he said, and that... wasn't something so easy to teach. That comes from hanging around with someone shady, he said with a snicker.

He thought about what she said about Toni, and an eyebrow popped up. He knew he could get onto Omega, but having another false ID - one that wasn't associated with the Sith or associated with his "business" side - was invaluable.

Now that's intriguing, he said.

He was surprised when she mentioned that she had a master she was going to be building a saber with. Not because she wasn't capable enough to have one but because he hadn't gotten the impression she had last time they had met.

Who's your Master? he asked, deciding to just ask directly. It wasn't unprecedented for Masters not to like their toes stepped on, and Kaldar would rather know if there was someone who was going to come after him. Although... it was more likely that she would suffer repercussions if her master was unhappy with the arrangement.

Truth is, lightsabers are kind of a last resort in my mind, he said with a shrug, leaving that vague statement to just hang in the air.

 

[Nash]

Nash stared at him for a moment when he asked who her master was. Was she putting Vossari in any kind of danger if she said the name? Then again, he did show up at a Sith party so why did she treat him differently?

“Vossari,” She said simply. The Wrean was eccentric and ridiculous enough to where everyone in the Sith Order knew him by now. Her brows furrowed when he mentioned sabers were a last resort.

“Who was your master?” Nash asked after a moment of silence. If she told him about hers, it was only fair for him to share. What kind of Master molded him into being the assassin type that constantly ran field deployments. Nash gestured for him to lead the way as they talked, puffing on her cigarra.

“Something happened..” She said, “I screamed but it came out as a pulse in the Force. Like it was hella loud and it actually fucked up this monster I screamed at. I did that without even trying,” Nash said, “I just wanna learn all about this Sith business. So far a lot of it has been academic. I only just got a Master but I wanna learn a bit from you too since you’re always out getting real life experience.”

 

[Kaldar]

Ah, good guy, Kaldar said. They had met once during one of Kaldar's exploration operations, though their subsequent "run-in" with the potion party was less than excellent. Kaldar had mostly gotten over it now, and took it as a learning opportunity for himself.

I've had two masters, he said. The first forged a lot of what I am today. He was also vicious and cruel, and I killed him. He was no one you would have heard of, he said. It wasn't unheard of, but the practice of killing your master had largely gone out of vogue in the Sith Order.

The second... well, that's another story, he said. Something that once you learn it, you can't unlearn. I'll let you think about whether or not you want to find that out, he said, being his usually vague and shady self. A warning but not an outright refusal to answer.

He listened with curiosity to the story she told about what had happened to her, and one question stood out in his mind above any other.

What triggered it? he asked. Most instances he knew of individuals spontaneously using Force Scream were accompanied by some desperation or trauma. He wondered now if whatever that was was what had her so... off kilter.

Best way to get real world experience is to get out in the real world, he said. Academies are... bleh, he said, waving a hand almost dismissively.

Academies are for churning out foot soldiers and fodder. Getting yourself a master is the first step to becoming an actual force, he said. It was a roundabout compliment to her in a way. Of course, things like what they were setting out to do were in the same vein. He may not have been her master, but being out on the "front lines" with someone who knew what they were doing was a constant learning experience.

 

[Nash]

What triggered it?

The question gave her pause and she hardly heard what he said after that. Her mind flooded back to the incident where she thought Arak had died. She could vividly recall that pang in her chest, the way it felt like the galaxy was collapsing all around her. She remembered screaming his name and how the pulse in the Force came from all of her, every fiber of her being.

“I… thought someone I cared about died,” Nash said simply. She fiddled idly with a lekku, “I don’t need the attachments are bad lecture. I just wanna learn this shit so I can drop the badass moves without needing to be in severe distress first,” She said as they walked.

“Who were you before the Sith?” Nash asked, “Who would you have been if you were never a Sith? What would you have done? What hobbies would you have had?” She rattled off in quick succession. In fact, these were things she sometimes wondered about herself. Would she still be smuggling spice? Would she be sold into slavery by now? Her options were horrific, but perhaps his were better.

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar just shook his head. I'm not a Jedi, I'm not going to tell you attachments are bad. They can be bad, but they can also be a potent motivator and source of passion, he said. Some of the greatest atrocities in history had been committed out of things like "love."

All you did was actually tap into passion, he said. The Sith Code wasn't wrong. It had been the foundation of their Order for thousands of years, and it would continue to be so for thousands more, no doubt.

The topic turned to his life before the Sith - and by extension who he would be without it - and he had to pause a moment. He didn't often think about questions like that because they simply weren't, but occasionally the thoughts did cross his mind.

There was no "before the Sith" for me, he said with a shrug. Born and raised. Don't even really know what "normal people" do with themselves, he said. Okay, well, that wasn't true, but from a certain point of view it had some reason to it.

Maybe I would have been an actor, he said thoughtfully. It certainly fit with what he did now. He played a role for all the different people he interacted with. People saw glimpses of who he was under the surface, but those were... few and far between.

I think I'd have been good at that, he said with a snicker. Yeah because no one ever struggled to find their footing in that business. He made his own luck now, but that was with the aid of the Force and... well, a whole lot of murder.

How'd you end up in the Sith? he asked, realizing that despite the glimpses he'd gotten into who she was, the actual story wasn't one he had heard before.

 

[Nash]

Nash’s eyes widened at his answer, “You know that technically makes you pretty similar to a Pureblood, right?” She asked, “That’s pretty cool,” Nash mused. She couldn’t imagine just being born and raised Sith. In some ways she was envious of it because they always had a headstart in using the Force and mastering it. Meanwhile, Nash was stumbling and derping her way through every lesson and still didn’t think the Force felt second nature to her.

She chuckled at him suggesting he would be an actor, “You’d be typecasted to only playing bad guys because of the perma grump face you have on,” Nash said with a chortle. For some reason poking fun at the most broody and serious dude ever was highly entertaining. The chances of Kaldar snapping her neck were never zero, so maybe that was part of the rush.

“The Sith found me I guess,” Nash said with a shrug, “Two of them saved my life. One was someone named Trael who I haven’t seen since I arrived.. The other was actually Sith Lord Arcanos himself,” She said with a grin. He was more or less a celebrity so she loved name dropping, “They were both pretty lowkey. Lord Arcanos gave me a potion to use on my enemies and this-” She pointed to the kyber crystal on her necklace.

“I started having visions of Umbara and kinda just found my way over,” Nash sighed, “Except I’ve been kinda directionless since until I finally got a master.”

She looked at Kaldar again, “Okay so you’ve never just done normal people bullshit? Like going to concerts, movies, getting on roller coasters and shit?”

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar had never really thought of it that way before, but he supposed she was right.

Hm, maybe you're right, he said, deciding that wasn't so bad. Purebloods by and large struck him as the elitist types, though at least Azar and Karys were pretty decent. But weren't all Sith kind of elitist? Wasn't that the point? Wasn't Kaldar?

He shot her a sideways glance as she said he'd be typecast as a villain, which of course didn't do anything to improve how grumpy he looked.

Maybe I like playing the villain, he countered.

As she told her story about how she found the Sith, Kaldar found that he was genuinely surprised.

Ha! Really?! Arcanos? Well, fancy that, he said. He probably shouldn't have been surprised. After all, Azar was by far one of the most useful Sith out there. One of the proper Sith. He wondered what Azar was up to these days... it had been a while since their paths had crossed.

He shook the thought from his head and instead focused it back on Nash's story.

See, Sith saving people's lives. And they say all sorts of bad things about us, he said with a snort.

Uh... I don't know, I go to clubs and whatnot. I've got the money for doing whatever I want. Went to a party one time, almost picked up this cute red Twi'lek girl. Turned out she was a bit of a tease, though. Kind of into choking as it turned out, he said, delivering the whole spiel straight faced.

 

[Nash]

Nash grinned as he said he liked playing the villain, “Yeah but you gotta have an origin story, otherwise you’re not really a compelling villain. Like you’re doing this villain thing just ‘cause you were born and raised Sith, yeah? Dude, consider that Raze dude before he got nuked - I bet he had some angsty backstory that made him into what he was so he had all these grand visions and some agenda to complete. Same with Vader,” She rattled off, “But if you’re a villain just to be a villain or just ‘cause that’s how you were raised, you lose steam.”

She looked at him as he expressed he knew Arcanos, “Word? You know him? He seems way too unapproachable. I mean he’s not..like he has office hours at the academy but I’ve been too porgshit to go. I dunno he’s got such a rep and he’s basically like a Sith god or some shit and here I am without a saber..” Nash trailed off. How the hell did Kaldar manage to get her rambling so much?

Nash nodded along, hanging onto every word as he described going to a party. Nash was Nash, so she tutted, “Teases are the worst, man, sorry to hear,” She said, “I mean you’re pretty cute yourself so I’m surprised. Then again maybe you gave off casual murderer vibes,” Nash snickered, "Did you try suggesting a lowkey normal people activity instead of jumping right to the choking?"

And that was how one of the smoothest and slickest lines ever went right over Nash’s head. Because Nash was Nash.

 

[Kaldar]

What she said made Kaldar start to wonder what Raze's angsty backstory was. He really had no idea, but surely there was something that had born that creature. No... actually, he wasn't so sure there was. Raze was a product of the Dark Side more than he was a person.

I wouldn't bet on it, he muttered.

Oh yeah, we go way back, he said. Okay "way back" might have been a bit too strong but with how far they'd come Acolyte and fresh Champion was pretty much "way back."

I mean, I'm not going to tell you that he's a safe guy, but if you don't do anything stupid you should be fine, he said. That was a pretty fair assessment, Kaldar thought. Classic non-idiotic Sith Lord.

Guess you'll have to bleed that kyber around your neck and make yourself a proper one. Meant to be, it seems, he added.

At first he thought her reply to him was just more banter, but after several more moments he realized she was serious.

Kaldar, however, was not to be deterred.

Oh, no, she and I went murdering together, that doesn't seem to bother her, he said. Set up her own little slice of spice mine, called me up later for advice... he paused and frowned as if puzzled and realizing something as he spoke ...you know, maybe she's actually really into me, he said.

Guess she's coming around, he concluded with a nod.

 

[Nash]

Nash chuckled bitterly as Kaldar told her she would be fine as long as she didn’t do anything stupid, “Haaaave you met me?” She asked as she pointed her thumbs back towards herself. She acted a fool most times. Nash’s antics at the mine were completely off the cuff. If she had to act prim and proper around Arcanos, she was sure to fuck it up somehow.

She nodded along as Kaldar kept describing this red twi’lek. After a moment, she opened her mouth to offer more advice, but she stopped suddenly. Kaldar would practically hear the sounds of old dial up Holonet connecting to the network in his head as she vacantly stared off, “Yo..” She said before looking at him, “You’re talking about me, aren’t you?” Nash asked, her face suddenly turning a shade of purple.

“Quit fucking with me,” Nash chuckled as she lightly shoved his arm, a grin remaining on her face, “That was really damn slick though, I gotta give it to ya,” She laughed as she took a drag from her cigarra.

“Truth is..you make me real nervous,” She admitted after a moment, “I don’t know what you’re about. And it does seem like you are an actor and wearing a lot of different masks,” Nash shrugged, “I can’t be into someone that’s got a billion layers of mystery up,” She said with a smirk before exhaling a cloud of smoke and gazing ahead.

“Where’s this fucker base of operations anyway?”

 

[Kaldar]

There was a moment there for a second where Kaldar actually thought she wasn't going to get it again, and he nearly died a little inside. However, a miracle happened, because she started opening her mouth it seemed to click.

He laughed as she put the pieces together and her face turned purple.

Ding, ding, ding, he said as she shoved him slightly, both of them now smiling.

Why thank you, I thought for a moment that it had all been for nothing, he said as she complimented his slick line.

A moment later, however, she admitted that she couldn't be interested in someone who had too many layers, and... well, he certainly had that. Few people ever got even a glimpse of anything deeper below the surface than an act. It really was a shame, but he also knew that sometimes that allure was also irresistible.

Bah, you're Sith now. What's life without a little danger. Safe is boring, and you don't strike me as the type who likes boring, he said, waving a hand through the air, seemingly either unconvinced or unperturbed by her declaration. Time.

Shame, though, because I would have rocked your world, he said and gave a grin and mischievous wink. Yes, clearly he was undeterred.

We're almost there, he said as the conversation turned back to business, and sure enough they really were. In the back of his mind, something tingled. A warning perhaps that one of the notorious storms was on its way.

We'll need to be quick, he said.

The house was built into the side of a mountain in order to protect it from the vicious storms of the planet, but it looked as though there was little security there. Of course that made sense: even most spice dealers didn't want to have thugs wandering around their homes.

 

[Nash]

Nash chuckled at his words, “You can be dangerous as fuck, but I still wanna know your favorite color, hobbies and that a person still got some human in them,” She shrugged, “Can’t hang without that, know what I mean? I bet the Raze dude had no life,” Nash mused, “Though Lord Arcanos..somehow still manages a very active love life,” She trailed off. How was that possible? Wasn’t the dude super Dark Sider?

Nash looked up as they arrived near the ‘base’ and whistled, “Damn that’s a sick pad,” She mused, “Look at the natural aesthetics. You can have a natural hot spring in your living room, yo!” Nash rambled excitedly, briefly forgetting they were here on a mission. A look at Kaldar’s broody face reminded her soon enough.

“What’s the plan for getting in? We show up pretending to deliver pizza?” Nash asked. Honestly, was that such a bad plan? Even evil slumlords ordered meal delivery.

 

[Kaldar]

Oh you know a lot about his love life? You involved in that particular tangle? he asked, not even pretending he wasn't going to ask about that. The door got opened an inch and by the stars, Kaldar always took a mile.

Maybe we should move in after we kill him. Make it a... business timeshare, he said with a snicker. See, Kaldar wasn't always brooding. Gosh, sometimes he had fun. Look he was making jokes and flirting and everything!

She suggested posing as pizza delivery people, and he looked over at her and shrugged.

Sure, he said. Honestly, people would probably take a pizza from her even if they didn't order it and then invite her in to share it with them. The whole galaxy crushed on Twi'leks hard, and she was gorgeous.

We'll need a pizza box, he said, pulling out his EZPhone and starting to order an actual pizza to be delivered that they could eat and then bring the box to their victim before stabbing him repeatedly. You know... normal things that anyone would definitely expect.

What do you like on your pizza? he asked as if that were a normal question to ask in this situation as he tapped at the screen to order from "Pizza Hutts."

 

[Nash]

Nash’s jaw dropped and she briefly had a vacant look on her face as he actually agreed to the plan. He had been sarcastic and trolly with her thus far, so she had to ask a few times if he was serious. When it turned out he was, Nash was floored, “I…thought you were going to lay out some big epic strategy..” She trailed off. Why was this guy so hard to figure out??

Nash remained silent as he actually ordered a pizza, clearing her throat, “Oh um.. Porg and jalapenos,” She quirked a brow, “You can handle some spice, right? Not a vanilla boy that thinks white bread is spicy?” She asked with a grin.

She needed to pass the time, so she started to tap a rhythm against her thigh before she quietly started rapping.

"Yo, I'm chilling in the shadows, with my boy named Kaldar
Waiting on a pizza, but the hunger hits me harder.
Lightsaber gleaming, red like the pepperoni
In the dark side game, yeah, you know we the only.

Kaldar's got the power, the force and shade strong within,
Slice through the crust, let the flavor begin.
Hood up, cloak swaying, like a dark symphony,
Pizza guy better hurry, 'fore we unleash the sickest spree.

Then the chorus, "
Waiting for a pizza, in the Iktotchi mountain lair,
Dark side hunger, we don't really care.
Plotting on the low, with a plan so bold,
Break into the Yaruk's base, it's time to unfold.

Lights flicker, shadows dance on the wall,
Pizza delivery guy, heeding the dark side's call.
Kaldar's eyes glowing, with a Sith Master's stare,
Yaruk's base next, it's a daring affair.

"Ay yo!
Pizza arrives, Kaldar better pay the price,
Fuel for the dark side, tasting so nice.
Now fueled up, we make our move,
Through the shadows, in a Sith groove.
Yaruk's base, guarded and tight,
But with the Force, we'll own the night.
Lightsaber humming, like a dark side song,
Pizza-fueled power, never going wrong."

Nash’s musical performance came to a close when the lightning fast delivery showed up. She looked over at Kaldar, “Look you don’t gotta melt this driver’s mind. Just fork over some extra cash and they’ll hand over their uniform.”

The delivery person was a scrawny woman that looked entirely out of place. Nash looked over at Kaldar as a reminder to not do any unnecessary mindfucking. She handed over her own cash and some extra and the girl was happy enough to hand over the uniform and go back to work in a tanktop and shorts.

Nash looked at the outfit, “Um.. Okay so this is too tight for me,” Nash was big and buff and had way bigger boobies, “You might have to put it on and be…” She looked at the nametag, “..Liliana.”

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar put in the order for the pizza and they moved off around the corner to settle into a seat.

Oh, I'm delicious vanilla, he said. Yeah, he was a white boy. Was she really that surprised? Half jalapeños then.

Almost out of the blue, Nash started... freestyling? Kaldar started out with a little side eye at first, but as she kept going, he couldn't quite keep his head from bobbing a little bit. She was pretty good at that! White boy was smart enough not to make even the slightest attempt to join in and instead just sat back and enjoyed his own personal concert.

You're pretty good at that, he complimented.

Of course, moments later she was telling him not to melt the driver's mind, and he looked over at her with skepticism. Still, he let her do her thing as she convinced the woman to hand over her uniform and Kaldar promptly scarfed down a piece of pizza.

There's no way I could pass for a Liliana, he said, clearly completely unamused. Besides, he'll love that it barely fits you, he said, knowing even as he looked at it that no matter how much he objected there was no way that Nash was going to be able to get that outfit on without just ripping it.

Now Kaldar was brooding. Now he looked like he was going to kill someone.

Gimme that, she snapped grumpily, snatching it up and no doubt being quite amusing with how unhappy about this he was.

After a few moments, he was swapped into the pizza delivery outfit but tossing the name tag aside.

This is the last time we're using one of your plans, he grumbled, stuffing his face with another piece of pizza before trying to figure out where he could put his lightsaber. This outfit was too tight to conceal it anywhere, so he wrapped it in a napkin and set it down in the pizza box where one of the missing slices had been.

Alright, I ring the doorbell and you clobber whoever is inside, he said.

Kaldar made his way over and hit the button for the doorbell and prepared himself for whatever torment was awaiting him.