Ask Into The Fire

[Cipher Six]

Six’s brows rose as he used her cover title and rank. Both of them knew it was just a cover. She played along, casting him a glance, “Ones that allow me to dress in cocktail dresses and heels, Lieutenant Dram,” She responded breezily, a playful inflection to her words, “What took you away from a life of luxury to become an Imperial?”

Her smooth demeanor fell apart when she scrambled back, genuinely unsettled by the sudden rustling. Her mind had been on ghost hunting and it only exacerbated the issue. Six somehow found herself colliding with him, feeling a pang of embarrassment. The contrast between her skittish nature and him standing there like a solid, brick wall was comical. And then he helpfully suggested that there were much bigger things out there.

“Thanks for the words of comfort,” She said dryly, lightly shoving him with a hand before she kept walking. The gesture was surprisingly playful in nature, though she didn’t dwell on it. Her gaze was fixed on the ruins, “How did you know about this fortress?” She asked curiously as she walked closer towards it. There was something entirely eerie about it. She didn’t even realize that she fell closer into step beside Max.

Six looked down and saw the moat around the fortress and sighed, “Damn it,” She said, dismayed. It was one of those rare times she wished she had the Force ability to just jump across obstacles like these.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Her interest in his past life awakened memories Max had not replayed for years. As a Provincial Governor back on Adumar, he had indeed sampled his fair share of luxury. But there had been far more bloodshead, war and conquest. The Adumari were a violent people, trained to fight from birth, and their blood ran hot. Max was no different. Whether it was his recent visit home, being back in the wilderness, or something about Six, he was feeling more like that rapacious conqueror again every day.

He drew up behind her beside the moat, grabbing her shoulders and turning to steer her along the bank. Her playful shove had given him licence and hopefully she wouldn't feel the cold steel of his left hand through her jacket.

"Don't be fooled by my dweeb of a brother" he said softly in her ear, gently walking her forward. "Most Adumari don't lounge around in silk peeling grapes. They fight like dogs, and the Empire offered the biggest fight of them all". There had been no contest between the petty victories left to him on Adumar and the campaigns the Empire could offer. It was dominance of the strong on a grand scale. "When they asked, I practically ran to put on the uniform".

After a short distance, Six would notice the remains of the drawbridge coming into view. It was lowered, but in poor shape after an age of disuse, the ironbound planks partly rotted on one side. The other side looked enough to bear their weight though, if they were minded to cross.

"Terak's Keep they call it, though I'm pretty sure Terak is long gone. I heard about it the last time I was here, but a fly by was all I managed" Max answered. "I always meant to come back, but you might say the Sith got in the way". A Sith to exact, but she did not need to know his visits to Endor always seemed to end with him and a girl in the woods.

"So we're going in, I can tell". She flinched and jumped like an anxious vixen, but kept winding her way towards the place all the same. Max was also intrigued now they were here. "You want me to go first?".

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

Six was surprised at herself for not minding the physical contact at all. The cold metal did cause a chill, but she didn’t externally react to it. She smiled at his remarks about the Perator. The man had been absurd and a manchild. She wondered how he was faring without his Sith lover. Last she heard, he was definitely leaning Imperial as the obvious choice.

She didn’t inquire further about Sith getting in the way of his plans. Six had read enough on his file to know what likely happened on this planet. Her focus was solely on the fortress for a moment, barely avoiding slipping in goop and swamps. Eventually she made it to the other side, staring at a large arch that was missing doors. It was pitch black inside except for very faint glows of moonlight coming in through tiny windows high up in the walls.

Six looked at Max and scoffed, “What, you think I’m afraid?” She played it off as she stepped inside. She glanced back, noticing that Max would have to duck to get through, “You are unnecessarily tall,” She teased with a smirk before turning to walk in.

So far, Max’s guess had been true - it was empty. She took out her NalPhone to light the way, taking some spiraling steps to go up. Six had to stifle a laugh watching Max cram himself through the narrow corridors and stairways. Eventually the floor opened up to a large throne room. The throne itself appeared to be customized from a captain’s chair from a ship and other parts from a starfighter.

Six walked right up to the throne, plopping herself down and draping her legs over the armrest on the opposite site, “Governor!” She called out in her impression of a royal snob with a lazy wave of her hand, “Why do you sully my halls with your presence today?!”

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

“Hard to say“ Max quipped back, following her over the drawbridge “scared people tend to run away from the freaky castle, not straight inside”. She did seem a curious mix of traits and attributes, capable of being firm and fun, girly one moment and serious the next. It certainly kept it interesting.

They both made it over and through the arch inside. Max was pleased to see no signs of recent habitation, he could really do without any headaches after such a good day. Fortunately the fortress did not seem to have attracted any new inhabitants beyond cobweb spiders and nesting birds.

Max manoeuvred through narrow doorways and up a spindling stair, following after Six who scampered ahead like an excitable girl guide. “There’s nothing unnecessary about it” he replied regarding his height “They say a lot of good things about tall men” he smirked through the gloom. “Terak was just obviously a dwarf”.

By the time he climbed up after her into the throne room he found her perched on the seat itself. No not perched, laid. Six was draped over the thing like an empress, waving wildly. “Because you’re having delusions of grandeur Your Majesty”. He closed the distance between them in no time, reaching down and picking her up with both arms. She had left herself open and increasingly he was less concerned about her reactions. He was just going to do what felt good.

He strode towards a doorway in the corner, carrying the dramatic Six firmly in his grip. The stairway seemed to spiral up one of the towers, perhaps leading to a roof. ”The way you’re behaving Your Majesty, there’s only one thing for it. Imprisonment in the tower!”. They were well and truly alone now and there was no harm in having some fun.

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

Six expected him to play along with her little game, but he certainly surprised her. Her eyes visibly widened as he nonchalantly scooped her from the ridiculous throne, picking her up as if she weighed nothing. Her arm instinctively hooked around his neck, surprise still on her features, though a faint grin began to join it. His metal arm was hard against her back, but she had other distractions to keep from noticing. His move actually drew out a soft, genuine chuckle from her.

“Governor, I do believe this is exactly the kind of boldness that landed you in the dungeons,” Six said, her fangs revealed in the teasing grin. Her free hand came up to trace her fingers idly against the stubbled outline of his jaw as she spoke. Six didn’t protest against the carry, glancing over to catch that he was effortlessly hauling her up another set of stairs. The abruptly assertive move certainly caught her attention - she was used to men that found her all but unapproachable because of her standoffish nature.

Their path led them up to the top of a tower battlement. The view was stunning, the stars stretching out above them with the moon illuminating the forests that laid out for miles ahead of them. It was completely silent up here save for the occasional rustle of the wind. Six was perfectly content where she was and made absolutely no move to get down.

“Look,” She said as she gazed ahead. There were several spots of orange glow in the lands across them. In the distance, ships were taking off into the atmosphere. It was clear her Ewok friend from the dam was inspired by the victory and told his friends. Enough bases faced rebellions to warrant the Imperials already withdrawing from the planet.

“Now that’s what I call a view,” Six said with a lazy grin before she turned to look back at the handsome man that was still graciously carrying her.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Max strode up the tower steps, finding it surprisingly easy to carry the dainty Six in his arms. "You may be right" he said in a mocking tone, as if genuinely reflecting on his boldness "but there's no one to put me in the dungeons here, so you're out of luck". Her fanged grin was kind of cute, like anything formidable that suddenly turned warm and fuzzy.

Max nearly missed the last few steps when she stroked his face. Her touch was gentle and passed in a moment, but all the same it was weirdly intimate, especially up here all alone. A small part of him chastised himself for the thought, for any thoughts like that on Endor of all places. But the rest of him slapped it down.

They reached the battlements and the Adumari was surprised just how high they had climbed. The fortress stood proud at the edge of the mountain range, low desert plains sloping away below it. At least Terak had built it on a strategic spot.

Max followed Six's gaze, spying the various fires on the horizon. So the fucking teddies were jumping on their bandwagon. It was only a good thing, but part of him still resented how such little creatures played a part in something so big. They did not make their own destiny, any more than the countless peoples who were thrown from pillar to pillar in every galactic struggle. They were not players, they were scenery.

But he was still holding Six, here on a starlit battlement away from anyone else. She was right about the view, but it was nothing to do with the Endor landscape. They were two players, in this great game, and they understood each other strangely well.

"Yeah" Max breathed, looking down at the woman in his arms "Quite the view..." he tailed off, leaning in to kiss her briefly on the lips. She had nowhere to go and their lips touched for a moment, a few seconds of bliss as far as Max was concerned.

@Sreeya

 

[Cipher Six]

The life of a Cipher was always complicated. There were often many identities to juggle and each one was unique. However, one thing was common across all of them - she always had to keep her distance. But that was like asking her to relinquish all her personified qualities and no agent really followed that rule to a T. Some things tested it - scenarios like the very one she was in right now.

Six’s eyes met Max’s, his face illuminated from the glow of the stars above him. He leaned in and she didn’t stop him. She didn’t feel like stopping much of anything with him. She kissed him back, the gesture surprisingly tender. Six’s hand found its way back to his face again, lightly brushing over his jawline and sliding up to where her fingers curled into his hair.

The skies were alight with Imperial ships and word would make its way back to the insurgent HQ soon. However, Six wasn’t concerned with any of that right then. She slowly drew back from the kiss, staring into his eyes. She was still cozily in his arms, an genuine smile forming on her lips, “Now this is problematic,” She said softly, “I might actually be getting a crush on you, Lieutenant Dram,” Six admitted as she looked at him. She finally eased herself out of his hold, landing on her feet from her high perch.

A part of her wanted to take the exhilarating and self-fulfilling route. To have him right here under the stars and with the mark of their victory playing out in the sky above them. It was all poetic. But the larger part of her wanted to actually know him. And to see if he wanted to know her too.

She got the notification on her NalPhone that the Oracle wanted to see both her and Dram. Six looked at Max and smiled, reaching over to grasp his organic hand to playfully tug him back into the fort, “Come on, big boy, I think your friend Faz is getting lonely without you,” She said with a wink.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Kissing her was definitely an impulsive thing to do, but not one Max got burned for this time. Not only that, Six kissed him back tenderly, yielding to him with no apparent hesitation. He enjoyed her a lot in that moment, the touch of those canine fangs on his lips only adding to the thrill.

He let her down, half expecting her to think twice and run away. "I think I know the feeling". His gaze never left her, despite the sounds and lights in the sky. "It doesn't have to be problematic" he said, shrugging his shoulders and stepping around her "I'm sure you're pretty good at keeping things on the down low".

At one time, he might have tried to pursue things further there and then. They were unlikely to get such privacy again soon. But Max had been through too much to rush into anything headfirst. He would always have one eye on the dangers now.

It was still difficult not to pull her back when she grabbed his hand. A flawless mission and Six's soft red lips had made for an exquisite day and going back meant it would end. But end it must. "You just don't want to walk back alone in the dark" he replied, chuckling.

The last lights glimmered overhead as they made their way towards the stair. The Imperials were leaving and the insurgents work here was done. Endor was wrestling free of the Empire' yoke. It was a gamble, but nothing compared to what they were about to do; coming face to face with the Oracle. Max would have been anxious about their prospects before, but they would no longer just be walking in as comrades.

They were starting to care, and that could be deadly.

@Sreeya