Ask Mando on a Hot Tinnel Roof

[Carrick]

Tinnel IV was a lovely little world that was about two bad days away from welcoming back Emperor Palpatine at any given movement. He might have been being a little bit over the top but the really messed up thing was that it wasn't by a lot. Humans got preferential treatment on Tinnel IV almost as a matter of course and barely anyone questioned it because they made up 80% of the population and almost every part of it's upper class.

Still, there were some things he liked about Tinnel IV; one thing he liked a lot was that the political scene was rather stale.

There was a senator in the New Republic for Tinnel IV by the name of Tiaff Quinne and he had been the senator for the planet for the past ten years not because there weren't elections but because he was as corrupt as they came. Luckily for Tiaff, the population of Tinnel IV basically didn't trust someone who wasn't at least a little bit corrupt, in some kind of backwards logic. Thankfully for Carrick, they didn't like said corruption coming to light... and his corruption was barely noticeable.

All he needed to do now was make it so that Tiaff's own corruption became openly known - hence why he had put in a holocall to Reiel and told her that he had a little job for her. Of course, as he waited for her to arrived, he could admit that he had a bit of an ulterior motive for inviting her along that had nothing to do with the fact that they might need to bust some heads.

But he could leave the soft stuff until she arrived he reckoned.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

She was travelling sublight with her father in the Sesid System, fresh out of the planet itself, when Reiel received Carrick's call. But unlike his previous message about their date that she had successfully hidden from her buir, the older Mandalorian had been on the ship's cockpit with her. Out of view, but well within earshot to listen to the whole exchange.

Luck had to be on her side because the cause for the holocall was a job – something he'd elaborate on once she's on Tinnel IV.

Buir was an astute man. It didn't surprise Reiel that he noticed how attentive she had been during the call, her voice casual and not very businesslike considering the nature of the message.

"The client wants you in the Core Worlds," he said, gaze appraising behind his helmet. "You do not know that planet. It's crawling with corrupt lowlifes – not surprising, since the planet's own representative for the New Republic is rumored to be one as well. Kriffing shabuir."

"Carrick– The client wants me for the job, though," she replied, the slip up unsalvageable but she soldiered on, hoping to avert any funny questions her buir might ask her. "We worked together for that Chandrilan senator. The guard duty you handed to me, remember?"

Buir crossed his arms over his wide chest, nodding. "Of course." A beat, then, "The client looks like he can turn heads in a crowd. Ad'ika, can he turn heads?"

Face red, Reiel, wringing her hands before letting them fly exasperatedly, could only splutter a "Buir, he can snap someone's neck without using his hands!" in response.

It was enough to guarantee a quiet, peaceful jump in between hyperspace lanes for the younger Mandalorian, leaving her old man laughing uncharacteristically at how flustered she had been.

One keldabe much, much later and a reminder to watch out for the dreaded sorcery mind tricks (buir choked on his spit once he came to the realization that he would be leaving his daughter with a Force-user again), Reiel was left standing on the spaceport and watching their ship take off to the stars. The lack of overt paternal protectiveness worried her a little if truth be told – Wulfric Crowholde trusted his child's ability to protect herself, but if something bad happened to her he knew who to look for. All he needed was a face and a name, and the rest would follow as easy as breathing.

He didn't become chief beroya for nothing.

Finding Carrick was easy enough, with him already waiting for her. She wouldn't hold it against him if he witnessed the farewells between father and daughter and would make a comment about it. Not everyone viewed Mandalorians as the family-oriented sort, only seeing them as ruthless and efficient hunters, bodyguards, and killers. But then again he was respectful of her culture. If he was to make a comment she was sure that it wouldn't be the rude or offending kind.

"Client," she greeted him, all businesslike and one hand on her blaster. She looked at him from head to toe then back up again, as if squaring him up or something. "You specifically sought me out for a job. Fair warning, though: my price is rather high."

Reiel was teasing him, obviously. She trusted he'd catch on or even play along – teasing seemed to be a staple between them ever since that eventful first date on Serenno.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Carrick made sure not to react overly much when the ship came down only because through the Force he could feel a lot of suspicion and distrust... and he could also feel Reiel as well. So that meant she hadn't traveled alone. And whoever she had come with wasn't a fan of either him or force users.

Or both, considering they were probably another Mando.

He smiled ever so slightly when she started towards him and looked her over. Her armour had a few more scuff marks but that was just the kind of thing that happened. She had been busy it seemed - good thing for a bounty hunter to be. Raising an eyebrow, Carrick couldn't help but slowly let a grin form on his face.

"I warn you, Mando, I have very exacting standards." he stared at her with hooded eyes, "I'm expecting great things from you..."

Hehe this worked - didn't expect her to be playing these kinds of games this early in their relationship. He chuckled a little bit and waved for her to follow him.

"So the job is relatively simple - there is a nightclub that is used as a front for a kidnapping business. They like to pick up Twi'lek girls and the like from off-world, get them hooked on spice and sell them to members of important families." he informed her stoically, "So we're going to get into the back room and get the sale 'receipts'."

His Jedi sensibilities made him want to stop it.

And his suspicions on who would be on the sale list was another good reason.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Reiel smiled under her helmet, all too pleased that he had humored her in her little game. She gave Carrick a once over, her eyes trailing longer on his face. Was it a trick of the light or did he just look even better than the last time?

The young Mandalorian gave the politician a half-bow and replied with a grin, "Guess I'll have to do my best to meet your expectations, sir."

She fell in step beside him, head slightly tilted to the side as she took in the information. Bounty hunting had introduced her to nefarious dealings in the underworld. Slave rings, spice trades, and even the darker stuff. The first time her father had taken her with him to destroy a slaver ring, Reiel – new to bounty hunting – had unashamedly spent the rest of the job's aftermath crying in her father's arms in the privacy of their ship. Pity for the victims, anger for the villains responsible for the trade, regret for being unable to free every slave, and the relief and gratitude they were showered with by those they have managed to liberate...

Once upon a time, Reiel had been too soft to venture out again to take jobs like that. At present, she admittedly still held that same softness but it was now closely guarded and protected by the iron skin of her people.

There was no place for fragility in being a Mandalorian. Reiel was soft, yes, but she was not laandur.

"...and by getting the sale receipts, it's either taking the matter of revealing who these important families were to the public as well as taking down said kidnapping business." She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning thoughtfully as something else presented itself to her. "Or are we looking for a specific person who might be involved in the trade and is a customer – regular or otherwise?"

No flirting nor teasing remarks – surprising. But she had been given a job, regardless of who the client was at the moment (and a very attractive one, at that). The least Reiel could do was to do her best and not mess things up for Carrick.

And besides, it's always good to earn plus points for endearing herself even further to him, right?

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Well if they were talking about meeting expectations... he was reasonably sure that Reiel had blown those out of the water already. He hadn't been looking to really get involved with someone but getting involved with Reiel had been a source of happiness that he couldn't deny. It was still something they hadn't put a label on yet and he wasn't sure if or when they would.

He wasn't really up to date on Mandalorian courtship rituals and practices... further research might be required he realized belatedly.

She spoke about the job and already Carrick fought not to smile because she was seeing where he was going with this. Carrick looked over his shoulder and gave her a wink.

"Sharp as a beskad." he complimented her with a soft smile before it was wiped away, "Tiaff Quinne is the senator for Tinnel IV in the senate of the New Republic.. There are rumours that someone within his family, a noble house here on Tinnel, have been making 'purchases' from these people."

He paused across the street from the bustling nightclub and warred with himself for a moment. Carrick was... accustomed to hiding just about all of his motives from people both as a Jedi and as a politician. Showing his hand to people was not something he did but he felt as though Reiel needed to know precisely why they were here; precisely why Carrick himself was interested.

After all, he had the information - he could have just tipped off the Rangers and justice would have been done anyway.

"I've got to be honest with you Reiel... I'm not here just because I'm looking out for the good of these people." he admitted quietly, "If my sources are right? I can use this. As bad as that sounds - as bad as it is - I can use this to become the senator for this world in place of a man so secretly and openly corrupt that if I exposed this to the local press it wouldn't be front page news. I... I hope that doesn't make you think less of me."

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Reiel blushed at the compliment, ever thankful for the cover of her helmet that kept him from seeing the stupid smile on her face. It didn't take long for that smile to disappear, however, as Carrick began to confirm and elaborate her assumption.

For one not-so wild moment, she thought that the senator himself was the customer the two of them would be searching for on the nightclub's sales receipts. But the fact of the matter remained that a member of Tiaff Quinne's family getting involved with this syndicate was not something the New Republic Senate would simply overlook. Once the information was publicized, the senator's integrity and position in the senate would be put in jeopardy. A solid evidence would then be enough to kick him out of office – regardless if he had been ignorant of his relative's involvement or not.

She halted when Carrick paused, brows furrowed with worry when she noticed that he seemed to be hesitating about something. He looked... unsure, an expression Reiel hadn't really seen from him when they were together. The sight made something in her chest tighten painfully – to her, he had always been a figure oozing with confidence, someone who knew how to control his emotions and keep his hesitation hidden beneath composed smiles and charming eloquence.

His following admission caught her off guard, more so his subdued tone. She would be a hypocrite to deny the disappointment she felt when he said that he wasn't intent on doing the job simply for the benefit of the people alone. That Carrick was doing this to further his political career – that with Tiaff Quinne out of the way then he could be the planet's new senator himself.

Reiel swallowed, hard, and looked away. As bad as it sounded, indeed, she couldn't help but see the benefits this mission could give the inhabitants of Tinnel IV as well – more so the victims of the kidnapping group. Carrick might have an agenda for his own personal gain, but she couldn't deny that the planet would benefit on having him as their new representative for the New Republic as well, her steadily growing feelings for him be damned. Her buir had been correct in saying that Quinne was corrupt, that it was an open secret shared even by the lowest of the citizens. And Carrick was right – the local press wouldn't give a shit about the information he would offer them. For all she knew the media could have already been influenced by the senator's corruption.

Rationality struck her, and with it came the morality of her own occupation. Didn't she tell Carrick that she was a beroya for her clan? How many questionable jobs had she taken just so she could provide for her aliit's needs? And hadn't she just recently helped a certain crime family to eliminate an up and coming enemy for their rule on the streets of Eriadu – for what? The substantial reward might have been for the benefit of her clan, but what did she have to do in exchange for that? Who exactly did she offer her services to for that job?

She felt like a hypocrite for feeling disappointed towards Carrick.

No, she was a hypocrite for being disappointed with him.

Carrick was doing the job so he could remove a corrupt man from his seat of power. And as much as he would like to claim that he was doing this not just because he was looking out for the good of these people...

Wasn't that the exact same thing, despite having a personal goal to achieve? With Tiaff Quinne out of the picture, wouldn't the poor victims of the kidnapping group and the citizens benefit from the successful outcome of this job? Wouldn't they benefit from having Carrick replace that kriffing shabuir as Tinnel IV's newest senator?

They would. Maker, she had faith they would. She had faith in Carrick that he would do right by these people.

She had faith in him, her feelings be damned.

And for him to even hope that the revelation wouldn't make her think any less of him... Reiel couldn't help but wonder what the exact reason might be that made her special for him to be thinking that way.

Without saying anything and keeping herself as closed off as she could so he wouldn't have a proper read on her through the Force to betray the sudden swell of emotions she have for him, Reiel would grab Carrick by the hand to lead him out of the street. She wouldn't give him the chance to struggle, the insistent way she was holding his hand would hopefully dissuade him from doing so. The young Mandalorian would drag him into an alleyway completely devoid of any prying eyes or presences, before pushing him against a wall. Despite the harshness in her actions, she could only pray that he would not mistake them for anger or even hostility.

Alone together in a lonely alleyway, Reiel let her emotions take over her. Affection, admiration, the happiness she felt whenever she's with him or even when her thoughts drifted to him when they're apart... was it still too early to call whatever they were having this one simple word that could change everything between them?

She would cross whatever distance that was left between them, her beskar-clad chest pressing against his. Gloved hands would soon cup Carrick's cheeks, and Reiel stood on tiptoes as she gently lowered his face to her level and pressed his forehead to her helmet's in what passed as a soft keldabe kiss.

This was not what she had envisioned her first kiss would be like, but she supposed that this would have to do for now. If he was willing, and if he shared what she felt for him, then they could always make time for a real, proper one. Something that involved her without her helmet on, and maybe with his vision no longer encumbered by a blindfold.

"I felt... disappointed, something I believe you've already felt earlier through the Force," Reiel would tell him, voice soft through her helmet's modulator, as she tenderly brushed her thumbs against his cheeks. "And I feel stupid for feeling that way without properly thinking things through. I'm– I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for making you feel that it would make me think less of you. It didn't. It doesn't. I deeply appreciate your honesty this early on the job... You may be doing this to further you career, but you said it yourself – you're here not just because you're looking out for the good of these people. Isn't that the same thing? Your agenda is there, yes, but it doesn't make the concern you have for these people any less for me.

"You want to be the senator in place of that corrupt shabuir? Then let's start making you the senator for this world, Carrick."

She would peel herself away from him reluctantly, a grin splitting her flushed face.

"Off we go then, cyarir. We have work to do."

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Carrick didn't care to look at Reiel after he had made his admission because, well, he didn't want to see how disappointed she was in him. Sure she was wearing her helmet but disappointment from someone you had formed a connection with had a way of radiating out into the Force. He could feel it and it made him feel so much worse... especially so much worse about the fact that if she wasn't here to help him, he would be doing the same thing for the same reasons anyway.

He was doing a good thing for selfish reasons and the Jedi had always taught him against that but, well, his ambitions demanded he take certain steps. Getting Naboo into the FWA or the New Republic was a pipe dream - it was too far from either of them and had a complex history with Galactic politics as it was. Fixing this problem in a public way on Tinnel IV? It would help him and that was why he was here... that it would help so many others was the reason why he was here rather than trying a different, shadier, method.

That she was disappointed in him? It was expected but it still cut deeper than he had feared. That... that probably meant something but he was busy trying to control his emotions so he didn't dwell on it for the moment. When she grabbed his hand it was sudden and surprising and he blinked a few times as he stared down at the shorter Mando. He didn't so much as struggle as she led him out of the street, confused more than anything else.

Letting himself be pressed up against a wall by an armored Mandalorian? His Jedi friends would have been ashamed but all Carrick could do was smile a little bit and kiss the top of her helmet. Before she could pull away entirely he reached up with his hands and gently touched the base of her helmet. Rather than make any move to remove it, he rather leaned her head back to place a quick kiss in the centre of her T-visor.

"Had me scared there for a moment Reiel... you could have done anything to be in that alleyway." he teased her gently with a wink, "Mission first I suppose."

Taking her by the hand, he started leading her over to the nightclub they were going to be getting into. Although one thing he still had to tease her about needed mentioning...

"Cyarir hmm... the word sounds familiar... from Mandalorian poetry I've been reading." he winked at her, smirk firmly in place as he 'innocently' asked, "What does it mean again, Reiel?"

The bouncers didn't give them much trouble and soon they were inside... and Carrick was reminded why he didn't like nightclubs much. They were loud and full of so many people...

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Reiel fought against the instinct to push Carrick away, and maybe leave him with a broken arm or two, when his hands wandered to the base of her helmet. The only occurrences someone else touched her helmet aside from her or her buir was that said someone was trying to rip the piece of beskar off of her in a fight in an attempt to either catch her off guard, subdue her, or worse, disgrace her.

But the man in front of her, whose hands were now guiding her head so she could look up at him, was someone she trusted. Someone who had prevented her from receiving a blaster to the face (the T of her visor, rather) in the hallway of a diplomatic vessel sometime ago. Someone who refused to gaze upon even the lower half of her face when she removed his blindfold, only taking a peek because she had been quietly asking for it.

She might have almost missed the way Carrick kissed the top of her helmet, but the one he gave the center of the T-visor of her buy'ce made her wish that he could press his lips against hers, or even her skin, instead of the cold transparisteel. The action, brief yet tender, sent pleasant shivers down her spine.

And he was right. Reiel could indeed have done anything to him in that alleyway – considering that he hadn't even bothered to struggle when she dragged him there.

She let him lead her to the nightclub, huffing out a laugh when he resumed teasing her. But she was glad that he'd quickly bounced back to their usual routine after the tense and subsequently intimate moment back in that lonely alley, grateful that she had managed to be truthful about her feelings towards his earlier admission about the job.

"Mandalorian poetry, huh," Reiel replied, answering his question with a tease of her own. "How about I remind you what that means after this whole gig is over, love?"

...and she just told him exactly what it meant in Basic. But if Carrick was already familiar with the word, then it was more than enough to jog his memory. And since he's already reading some Mando poetry, maybe she should offer to teach him the language as well?

Reiel could only raise an eyebrow in curiosity at how easily the two of them have been granted entrance to the nightclub. She shared Carrick's dislike of such places but with her job, venturing inside clubs and rowdy, shady cantinas were practically unavoidable. The Mando stuck close to the handsome politician, hand hovering over her blaster as they made their way through the crowd. She knew that Carrick was more than capable of protecting himself but he was still her client, and ensuring his safety was one of her top priorities.

Amorous eyes gazed openly at them, switching from Carrick then to her. Reiel was in no way a possessive woman, finding contentment even in the simplest things. But the way some of the nightclub's patrons eyed the man beside her almost sent her hackles rising protectively. One particular Twi'lek, tall and very pretty, moved to playfully grab Carrick but Reiel caught the offending hand before it could reach it's target, glaring at the alien woman through her visor.

"Sorry, ma'am, but hands off the boss," the Mando told her coldly, grip tightening a little on the delicate wrist before letting it go.

Protective, not possessive.

The Twi'lek let out a disappointed coo before her focus shifted on Reiel.

"What about you?" The alien woman's fingers danced on the beskar covering Reiel's chest. "Wanna have some fun with me, Mando?"

"I'm no fun, ma'am. I'm sorry. Go find someone else," she told the Twi'lek dismissively, waving her off with a gloved hand before stepping past the pretty lady, leading Carrick to an empty booth. She would gesture for him to sit down, only following once he's settled. The mask of the Mandalorian bounty hunter on a job was easily adopted, and Reiel's gaze would carefully, calculating, sweep the nightclub for any security personnel or potential threats.

"How would you like to proceed now that we're inside, sir?"

It was so easy to slip back to business talk when she reminded herself that they had a corrupt senator to expose. She had to focus, even if she knew that it would be difficult – Carrick's mere presence was distracting enough.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Well she hadn't beaten him to a pulp for touching the helmet (something he was aware was a bit of a bad idea generally) and she was still teasing him back so he was happy with how the whole exchange turned out really. That she had let slip what the word meant while trying to tease him back was just... perfect. The smirk he gave her when she said it, hopefully, conveyed just how much he enjoyed it because he felt like he was grinning like the Nexu that got the cream.

Getting into the club wasn't too difficult when it probably should have been but, well, he was a 'high class' looking fellow with a 'bodyguard'. He probably looked like their 'prime clientele' and the thought alone made him shudder. To be compared to the scum who used this place for their hunting grounds was... sickening on a level he hadn't really felt for anything since his last trip into Hutt Space.

Raising an amused eyebrow at the way Reiel stepped in to protect him from the Twi'lek, he smirked ever so slightly when the Mando turned down the Twi'lek, hard, before turning back to him. Sitting down as she gestured, Carrick took a booth at the side of the nightclub and picked up the datapad sat on the table for ordering drinks.

It was time for them to get down to business, regrettably.

"I'm going to order a drink - the most expensive drink in this place - and make the special request that it is delivered by a 'serving girl' of my choice." he told Reiel with a more severe frown than before, "In reality I am placing an order for the woman."

Disgusting practice. Technically efficient but disgusting without a doubt.

"Look out for a serving girl who looks... strung out."

They were all drug addicts after all... even with their purpose in mind, Carrick couldn't help but feel dirty just being there.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

It was obvious that they both hated to be here but they also needed to do this and soldier on if they wanted to get the job done. It was extremely difficult to fight the urge to reach out and comfort him, to show him that she shared his disgust for being compared to the lowlifes who frequented this place. And as much as Reiel despised it at the moment, she was currently a bodyguard to a high class client who was here to make his purchase, and breaking out of character would warrant suspicion from the security personnel she could see looming around the corners of the nightclub.

"What a cover-up. Someone in here actually thinks things through," she commented. No way in hell she'd call the tactic nice. The very thought made her skin crawl.

The next task Carrick gave her was simple. Once, way back in Corellia, she had encountered a Ranger who was on a hunt for a spice dealer. Reiel, that time, knew little of how dealers worked as well as the overall effects of spice on a person. That was before, though – she had used that experience as a learning curve to educate herself further in underworld dealings. From her position in the booth, she could already see two serving girls who fit the description. Vacant smiles, the utter compliance, the complete lack of resistance whenever a patron's hand wandered too close for a quick grope...

It was nothing short of a miracle that her hands remained steady and simply hovering over her blaster and vibroknife respectively.

"That's easy," she told him, voice nearly glacial. "I can already see two of them. One human woman three tables over, another Twi'lek who's about to pass this way to serve that old guy in the next booth."

The crowd and the loud music were already getting on her nerves, more so the overall iniquity in the atmosphere and the debauchery hidden behind closed doors.

At least no one had been stupid enough so far as to discreetly offer her a small packet of spice, nor anyone trying to make moves on either her or Carrick. Small mercies, but still. She'd rather blast her way out of this place with him and their evidence in tow than stay for much, much longer.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

They were insidious but that did not mean that they were stupid; their ‘selection method’ was something that was naturally hard to simply ‘stumble into’ so they knew that someone engaging in the exact process was looking for the extra service that they provided. Carrick wasn’t a particularly moral person but he objected to the practices here – he didn’t have to have the Force providing him empathy to Reiel to know that she objected. She was a woman of principles and morals, even if they were those of her more militant people.

Reaching out, he caught her hand in his own fleetingly for a moment and gave it a gentle squeeze. It wasn’t long enough to be obvious, just long enough that she would know that he appreciated what she was doing with him today. Letting go of her hand almost as quickly as he had grasped it, he gave her a weaker smile.

“We’ll get to the good part soon.”

The good part… it was a phrase deliberately used so that if anyone were listening in they would assume he was talking about the disgusting transaction. But Reiel? Reiel would know that the good part was when they started to employ carefully targeted violence. When they got to the actual activity of dismantling the whole damned thing brick by brick.

Making the selection made him feel dirty but he keyed it in.

“The Twi’lek…” he muttered with a small sigh, “Got to play up some specific stereotypes I suppose.”

Not long after he had ‘placed his order’, the Twi’lek in question sauntered over to them with a sway to her hips that was very clearly made less impressive by the way she was subtly shaking. If making the selection had made him feel dirty, the way she was staring at him with a mixture of hope, shame, disgust and fear made him feel like scum.

“W-would you like to follow me please?”

She didn’t say anything to the fact that Carrick followed her with Reiel firmly alongside him. Following her through a series of thoroughly locked doors, Carrick whispered so that only Reiel would be able to hear him.

“We need to let them make the offer before we spring the trap – if we don’t then it can be argued we misconstrued this whole thing.”

Not likely but… politics made so many things murky.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

The hand squeezing her own was gone as quickly as it grasped her and Reiel was grateful, both for Carrick's silent appreciation for her presence and how subtle he'd given it to her. It was for the best that he hadn't lingered for a little longer given the situation they were in. Helmeted head shifting to his direction until her T-visor met his gaze, she gave him a singular nod, slow and appearing as if she was agreeing to the more repulsive meaning of his words.

"Jate," was her simple response, voice lower and quieter than usual.

Her hands itched to tear whoever was behind this revolting operation. The thought that she would do it with Carrick elicited a shark-like grin.

Reiel's thoughts drifted back to their first date on Serenno, when both of them where inside his ship and she was perched on his lap with his arm around her. She remembered him mentioning where he would like to have their second date on – and they were currently in a nightclub, weren't they? And a front for a kidnapping group-slash-prostitution den at that...

She wanted to tease him about his ideas for a second date but held herself. She could always do that when this whole gig was over.

Unlike Carrick whose bare face wouldn't allow for any sort of disgust to show so as not to betray their reason for being here, Reiel was free to frown underneath the cover of her helmet at the emotions that flitted across the Twi'lek's face. The Mando was sure that Carrick noticed the alien woman shaking, albeit subtly, and the look that screamed "Please, I don't want to do this!" could only make Reiel swallow her pity for the poor girl.

Her booted feet fell heavily on the carpeted floor with each step as the two of them followed the Twi'lek's lead. The fact that the poor kid (she looked younger than Reiel, Maker) didn't comment on the armored guard beside her prospective client for the evening told the Mando that she was used to this kind of arrangement. That the unfortunate alien woman had been at the service of wealthy clients who couldn't go anywhere without a personal bodyguard or two made her grit her teeth in anger. Her and Carrick's cover were going smoothly so far, but she wouldn't trust on how long it could hold until they meet whoever was overseeing the trade's transactions.

She didn't trust herself to give him a verbal reply so she opted to simply nod her head in agreement. The Twi'lek soon stopped in front of a room guarded by two menacing Zabrak guards armed with stun batons and M3 Stun Pistols each. Like stunning people much? Reiel made sure to remember the way they took to reach this particular room, memorize the appropriate codes the Twi'lek typed in for automated doors – she had a feeling these information would be useful soon.

The door hissed open as the Twi'lek punched in the codes. One of the guards looked at Reiel as if squaring her up, grinning arrogantly as he made a show of tilting his head down to get a proper look at her.

Kriffing shabuir! she thought viciously when said guard huffed out a condescending chuckle before rudely growling, "Tiny!"

His fellow Zabrak snickered. Reiel decided that she would blast their kneecaps open later for that hateful insult.

"The O-Overseer will meet you shortly," said the Twi'lek as she led Carrick and Reiel inside the spacious office. She would then gesture for Carrick to sit on one of the plush chairs in front of the so-called Overseer's working table. "Please make yourself comfortable, s-sir. And your– your bodyguard as well."

If they can come here sooner, the better, Reiel thought to herself. And then we can get down to business and help you and the rest of the girls get out of this wretched den of iniquity. Nevertheless, she would step aside to make way for Carrick like a dutiful guard, one gloved hand resting atop her blaster and would follow him to his seat. The Mando would then stand behind him, the ever silent sentinel who would be quick to jump to her employer's aid should trouble arise.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Well Carrick was glad for the Mando phrase book because he actually understood what Reiel had said that time. Sure it was just one word but, well, progress was progress. His plan to surprise her with some conversation in her native language was still going strong though he was going to need to make sure his accent didn't make it sound off.

Thoughts for another time however.

Carrick could feel how deeply uncomfortable Reiel was with all of this and he didn't blame her. For every shake that the poor Twi'lek woman gave that Reiel could see? He could feel a thousand different instances of pain and misery running through her with the Force. If he was drawing on the Dark Side it likely would have been pleasant... as it was, it felt like walking through sludge and he detested it.

But it was all for a greater good than helping a single woman, no matter how much she was currently hurting. It was simple maths... if he shut down the whole thing then dozens were saved but if he just grabbed her then only one life was improved. He eyed the Zabrak guards clinically, as though he didn't really even notice them.

He took note of their stun weapons... likely so as to not mart the merchandise if they tried to make a run for it. Nothing he couldn't handle, thankfully, so he wasn't worried about them yet. He felt the spark of anger in Reiel and looked at both Zabraks with cold distain.

"Comment on my bodyguard again and I'll have you removed so fast your horns spin."

Using a subtle amount of the Force along with his acting, Carrick gave a small smile when both Zabraks shook their heads slightly before looking away, chastised. Carrick took his seat but didn't make a motion to speak to Reiel as the Overseer emerged before he could.

A dark skinned human with a single-eye visor over his left eye and a suit that Carrick suspected to be armored. He took a seat and gave Carrick a wide smile as he de-activated the visor.

"I'm not sure I recognize your face. Are you a regular I have not met?"

Carrick smiled a little, forcing the expression to stay in place.

"Friend of a friend. He recommended this place and assured me that I would not be disappointed if I ordered the most expensive drink and mentioned a server girl I... liked."

Made him want to throttle the man when his face lit up with understanding.

"Ah as first timer! Always a pleasure." he tittered before gesturing to Reiel, "And your guard? Do you trust her with your secrets?"

Carrick looked over his shoulder up at Reiel from his sitting position. Doing his best to meet her eyes through the T-Visor, the smile that came wasn't forced at all.

"With all my secrets, yes."

Spoiler: Overseer

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Anyone who would attempt to jump to her defense because of that particular insult would be met with another bout of ire, and even a solid duraplast-covered elbow to the solar plexus – and if her current situation didn't call for discretion as well. But with Carrick doing it?

Well, Reiel was allowed to feel... soft and fuzzy feelings when he threatened the pair of blithering idiots, right?

The Mando watched as the Overseer finally appeared. The man was dressed in a fine suit, and while it was not out of place in an establishment such as this one, Reiel knew that she couldn't count on that outfit being worn for aesthetic purposes only. She was familiar with armored suits and the vital parts they were meant to protect. This was just one of the many reasons why she favored headshots, to be honest – most people tended to cover the body parts, namely the whole torso, that could be easily targeted and hit by an assailant.

Reiel knew it herself that the Overseer only needed to walk into the room for her to hate him. And when he opened his mouth to address Carrick?

What did the village elder tell me to do when I was having a temper tantrum when I was a kid? Go to your happy place. Right. And my happy place right now is watching this place go up in flames – with this creep and his gang inside, screaming as they burn–

Carrick's ship. Me on his lap. Now, that's a literal happy place.

She listened to the exchange, the T-visor turning to fix the man an impassive stare. The Mandalorian then tilted her helmeted head to Carrick's direction when he answered the Overseer's question about her being trustworthy enough to keep the former's secrets.

Carrick's response and the genuine smile he gave her made Reiel feel as if her soul had been sent to Manda then back to her body real quick.

Ah, don't say that and look at me with that kriffing smile in the middle of the job!

"And can I trust you that no harm will come upon my client during his stay in this place? And what about customer confidentiality?" she asked back, surprsing herself with how businesslike she sounded despite the rush of affection she was currently feeling for said client. The question still felt nauseating when it slipped past her lips, however.

The Overseer waved her off with a smug grin. "Oh, don't you worry your shiny helm, Mando. Our clients' safety is one of our top priorities – as well as their satisfaction, of course."

The knowing smile he shot Carrick was disgusting, to say the least.

"Alright, now that your worries are all out of the picture," said the man, turning his chair and reaching for the safe on a shelf behind him. He keyed in the code, making sure that his body was blocking their view, and pulled out a datapad. For someone who ran a prostitution den, the Overseer seemed to favor an InforMaster datapad above anything else. He snapped in a removable datacard as he turned around to face his client once more.

"Let's talk business, shall we? I see you've made your choice, good sir. You've a good eye for a first-timer – Shiri here is a brand new acquisition, but despite that she makes for great company, if you know what I mean."

The Twi'lek – Shiri – fought to keep her expression schooled in spite of the anger and humiliation flashing in her eyes. Her gaze found Reiel, as if asking the Mandalorian, "how are you so calm about this? You're a woman, too!"

It was horrible, getting fixed with that accusatory look, more so the touch of hopelessness in the alien woman's eyes. Reiel instead focused on the Overseer, once more steeling herself. It wouldn't do her and Carrick's mission well if she snapped now and let her feelings take over.

"Like I said, Shiri's new. Employed for elite individuals such as yourself," the Overseer continued, "seeing as you have a Mandalorian under your service. Heard they're a luxury to have." He gave an impressed chuckle. "And my Shiri here is a luxury as well. I'm sure it will be considered reasonable if our prices are a little... steep."

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Carrick wanted to reach out with the Force and snap the man's neck but he refrained... not because he wanted to be the 'better person' or anything like that but because he needed to make sure that what was being said was picked up by his recorder first. It wasn't the most expensive thing in the Galaxy but it would do well enough.

He would make sure to edit out some of the flirting with Reiel though... that was the kind of thing he liked to keep private.

"And what exactly am I paying credits for here?" he asked casually as he leaned back in the chair slightly, as though relaxing, "Is this a rental? Do I give her back when I'm done?"

Force that felt disgusting to say but he powered through it - it was a temporary disgust to have the slimeball incriminate himself and his establishment. Smirking ever so slightly, he let the man continue the sales pitch.

"Oh no, no. Once your credits are transferred then I hand her over to you and she's yours for life! She has at least a five year guarantee, I assure you."

Well.

Carrick smiled a little bit more naturally because he spoke to Reiel rather than the man in front of him and it was only one word. He figured she knew what he wanted though because he got the impression she was all-but jumping for the chance to actually shoot the man.

"Stun."

Having him alive? Oh that would be the last piece of information that they needed to get the case to be a slam-dunk. Besides... Tinnel IV had the death penalty and he would personally push for it for this piece of human filth.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

A five-year guarantee?

Shiri's despair and ultimate acceptance of her fate flashed on her pretty face, and it grated on the codes of honor instilled to Reiel not just by her buir but also the ex-pirate captain who raised her. Slavery was something the galaxy would find hard-pressed to completely eradicate, but it did not mean that the young Mandalorian would just have to take it's existence in stride.

That this bastard was talking about his victim as if she wasn't here, as if she was a thing that could be returned should she be found unsatisfactory, made Reiel see red.

"Stun...? My good sir, there is no need for that. She will come with you willingly–"

Blaster set to stun, Reiel drew her weapon and fired a single bolt to the Overseer's head with her eyes locked on the Twi'lek. The scum slumped bonelessly on his seat, the datapad slipping from his fingers to land on the carpeted floor with a muted thunk. At least he left the safe open for them to sift through valuable information from. They were looking for a name, right?

Shiri stifled a scream, hands flying to her mouth as she watched the 'client' and his Mando with mounting cautious hope.

Fingers switching the stun setting off, Reiel directed her aim to the door just in case the two Zabrak guards came rushing in.

"S-Soundproof..." the Twi'lek supplied, trembling as she took a step back from the pair. "M-Maliya told me that this r-room is soundproof."

That did not mean that the room's still free of security feeds. Reiel did a quick sweep of the room, looking for anything that might tip any alarms off. She couldn't find any, and it only served to put her on edge rather than ease.

Not trusting herself to speak just yet, Reiel simply nodded at Shiri before stomping back to Carrick. She reached out a gloved hand for him, finding his shoulder, and he would feel the Mando trembling with righteous fury – as righteous as a bounty hunter could be. Reiel gave him a slight squeeze, an assurance and a comfort that their charade was over, and that he had done a good job in maintaining the character he had to play even if it disgusted them both.

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Carrick was glad that the man was out cold from the stun and he reached out with the Force, halting the man's fall from being stunned. Rather than sit around waiting in his seat, he moved quickly round to the other side of the desk and grabbed the datapad that he had been using. It had locked automatically but... yes, the fingerprint access still worked when the host was just stunned.

His time as a Jedi investigating a murder had shown him that killing someone meant that fingerprint scanners basically didn't work since they were more biometric scanners than anything else. Honestly he had never thought that piece of useless information would come in handy before today but, well, here they were.

"Shiri, right?" he called out quietly, encouragingly, to the Twi'lek woman, "Is this the main office or does he have another office he uses more often?"

Shiri shook slightly when he addressed her, seemingly terrified by him. He hadn't actually been the one to fire a shot so he was honestly convinced she was afraid of him more than the fully armored Mando who had just shot her 'employer' for the simple fact that he was male. It painted yet more of the picture and he hadn't liked even the start of the picture, let alone the new stuff.

"Y-yes he has a main office just off from... off from..."

She was clamming up... Carrick smiled his best, most charming, smile and held up both of his hands.

"Shiri I'm not here to hurt you - I'm here to make sure this place gets shut down. You can believe in me, I promise."

There was hesitation and Carrick was tempted to use the Force to have her tell him but he... didn't. Instead he just kept on smiling and she relaxed ever so, ever so, slightly.

"... next to the room for the girls."

Carrick's smile turned brittle.

"Reiel, my dear..." he voice was oddly calm but cold as he used his Jedi teachings to avoid giving into his emotions, "Please have Shiri escort you to the girls' room and make them ready to flee. If you encounter anyone else along the way? Don't. Stun."

He was trying very hard to keep the cold, dark, anger from working it's way deeper into himself. This was... this was dangerously close to seeing the worst of the Galaxy and having to stay on the side of the Angels. That was a Jedi thing and he was no long a Jedi but he couldn't let himself be worse.

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Reiel couldn't look at her.

She knew that she didn't have to be guilty about Shiri's situation here – and the other girls' as well. But the Mandalorian couldn't help it, couldn't help but feel regret for the Twi'lek's pain, the humiliation and the hopelessness the latter felt. Giving in to her emotions wouldn't be good for the mission, not until the bounty hunter was sure that they got what they needed from the scum that now lay unconscious on his seat. Even when Carrick started to speak to the alien woman, Reiel couldn't bring herself to look.

But she listened attentively to the exchange, taking heed of the instruction while her mind switched back to the methodical approach to things. Her buir would always comment on her emotions, how she always let them take over instead of holding on to rationality when she was younger. She'd taken his words to heart, and while she remained a being of emotion encased in a mix of beskar and durasteel, Reiel was now equipped with the mind and heart of a Mando'ad.

Mind and heart, her father always reminded her, his voice a source of clarity through the overwhelming pain her training rained down on her. Always on the same level. Balanced. Remember, Reiel. Always.

She found the courage to look at Shiri, and smiled at the trust now mixing with the hope in the latter's eyes. Reiel gave the Twi'lek a reassuring nod before her focus shifted to Carrick.

He felt... off.

Reiel was used to the calmness he projected, but the coldness in his tone, the clenched jaw, and the smile that never reached his eyes... She knew he was angry – it was obvious that they both were, for kriff's sakes – but he was a Force-sensitive and she was not. The Mando learned long before they met what negative emotions could do to people and beings like him, how said feelings could draw them to the Dark Side of the Force. He was no longer a Jedi, and while the teachings he had received from the Order might have remained with him (knowing Carrick, she believed they have) Reiel knew that there would come a time where they would never be enough.

What was she to do, then? She was just a bounty hunter – come to think of it, she was just another outsider who thought that the Force was some kind of space magic that only a select few could wield with a mastery that none could compare. What exactly could she offer to keep his anger, much less the Dark Side, at bay?

Heart over mind. Sorry, buir.

"Look away, Shiri," she told the Twi'lek as kindly as she could, motioning for the latter to turn around with her back to the Mando and the politician. "Whatever you hear, don't look. We'll get you out of here, I just... need you to look away for now. Please."

Bewildered, the alien woman quickly turned around, hands lifting to cover her eyes for good measure in anticipation of whatever horror her two unlikely saviors have in store for the unconscious man she and the other girls hated with their lives.

"Thank you. Just... give me a moment, alright? We'll get out of here soon," the Mando told her softly before her focus shifted to the ex-Jedi beside her.

One gloved hand would gently cup Carrick's cheek, her thumb brushing lightly against his skin before said hand found the back of his neck. Carefully, she would draw him to her, honey brown eyes searching his through the transparisteel of her T-visor.

She was no Jedi, not even a Force-sensitive, but she could feel the glacial fury battling for dominance in his eyes – threatening to take a strong hold of him.

"Carrick," she would call him, voice soft and a little breathless as she once more pressed herself against him – beskar and all. Reiel knew that she really shouldn't be doing this, not now, but she had to do something to pull him back to the present – to pull him out of the anger he should be rightfully feeling but couldn't allow to take a hold of him. "Close your eyes for a bit, mesh'la. For me?"

He was exceptional, a man blessed with the wonders and the pain of being so touched by the Force. She, on the other hand, was no one special. She could never understand him the way others of his kind could, and if truth be told?

It hurt.

But, Maker, she was stubborn – she would try despite that difference. She had to because he was fighting hard to stay in the Light. Rejecting the Darkness, even if it was so easy to give in to anger and hate.

Should Carrick heed her plea, Reiel's free hand would lift her helmet high enough off of her head so the lower half of her face would be exposed, reminiscent of that first time on Serenno. Tilting her head to the side, she would would cross the distance between them to softly press her lips against his.

I'm here, Carrick. It's okay to be angry, it's okay to feel that way, just don't let it control you. It's okay; you're okay. Don't let that anger take over–

–words she couldn't say and yet she hoped that that one action alone could speak what her heart wanted to tell him.

Reiel lingered for another short moment, eyes shut while she savored the moment; the feel of his lips against hers. She had been looking forward to this kiss, but she just didn't expect for it to happen this soon. But one thing was certain: There was no regretting it as she pulled away to slip the helmet back on again.

"Take care, cyarir. I'll see you later."

Shiri was quick to follow after Reiel when the latter moved to open the door. One blaster bolt to the skull each felled the Zabrak guards before they could react – and boy was her blaster not set to stun anymore. Guard up, she gently gripped the Twi'lek's wrist, letting the alien woman follow after the Mandalorian as they made their way to their destination.

Determination now on her pretty face, Shiri told the bounty hunter, "This way."

@Nefieslab

 

[Carrick]

Carrick was doing his best to keep himself… level. It was about all he could do so far because he refused to shunt the emotions away entirely. He knew that some Jedi did that, shoving the emotions away into the Force rather than focusing on them. Honestly it was a technique for dealing with emotions that he had never been able to replicate.

He had always needed to feel the emotions and accept them before he could move on and right now it was hard. Because the anger that was there, bubbling under the surface, was enough to make him want to kill with it. He had killed out of defensive need in the past but killing out of anger was a bridge he had never crossed before.

And it was a bridge he was stepping up to once again today, feeling it stretch out ahead of him as it always did, waiting for him to take that first step.

Arguably he had made the first step by stepping away from the Order but he refused to actually believe that, letting out a breath as he did so. It was a quiet moment in the middle of a storm but, worse, it was a storm he agreed with. When Reiel spoke he looked up at her in confusion for a moment and the anger fought to take control and demand he react differently.

He clamped down on his own emotions, hard, closing his eyes and trying to force himself to relax.

“Alright…”

It was only his trust that the Mandalorian didn’t have any ill-will planned towards him that allowed him to simply close his eyes. They were in enemy territory but he trusted her so he closed his eyes. His trust was rewarded with soft lips against his own and a sense of calm that he had not been expecting but welcomed all the same.

Tension bled away and his shoulders slumped ever so slightly as he allowed himself to just enjoy the moment.

Without opening his eyes, he chuckled a little bit and a more honest smile, a small smile, took the place of the fake one he’d used to reassure the Twi’lek woman.

“Not how I imagined sharing our first kiss…” he mused aloud, “But thank you, Reiel.”

That was an emotion to battle the anger for sure, along with a light bit of confusion and some amusement that his Mando had decided to at least partially un-helmet herself in a battle-zone. He wasn’t sure how much that went against her code but it was a lovely sentiment at the very least. Carrick waited until her voice came out modulated/muffled by the helmet before opening his eyes and shaking his head.

She managed to distract him very well so he didn’t focus on his anger but he couldn’t let himself get too distracted – they still had work to be getting on with after all. With the datapad unlocked, he made sure to remove the locks from it and pocketed it before heading into the man’s office. Unlike before, there was only one guard there.

“Hey you can’t be down here…”

Carrack thrust his right hand forward, slamming the guard’s head back against the wall so violently that he was out cold before he had properly finished the sentence. A quick check confirmed that he would live though so Carrick moved past him, into the office, and sat down behind the terminal. Time to see if his slicing had gotten any better he supposed…

@Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Reiel Mal Crowholde]

Reiel, guided by Shiri, met their first opposition in the form of a bumbling human guard.

He looked young, quite new and still inexperienced in the field as well, judging by his terrified expression the moment a heavily armored Mandalorian appeared on the corner with a blaster raised to kill. Reiel gave him credit for gathering his wits enough to aim his own pistol at her – too bad she was a faster shot. Credit went to the Twi'lek behind her as well for pushing forward, mirroring the way the bounty hunter stepped over the guy's body.

Scratch that. This dude could hardly be called an opposition.

"Turn left at the end of the hallway," instructed Shiri, one hand gripping Reiel's free hand nervously. The alien woman was still shaking, understandably so. The Mando nodded, following the path swiftly yet cautiously. It didn't take them too long to finally reach their destination, and the Twi'lek was quick to jump into action and opened the door.

The sight of a mix of Twi'lek, human, and other species met Reiel's helmeted gaze, her expression turning dark at the frightened gazes she received. Shiri stepped forward, already placating her fellow victims and telling them that the Mando and her companion were here to rescue them. Her words were met with hope and skepticism, as expected.

"Get ready to run," Reiel addressed them, helmeted head nodding over at Shiri, "because she's right. We're tearing this whole place down, but not before you're all out and away."

"And why should we trust you?" asked one of the girls, gaze fiery and calculating.

"Not asking you to, just–"

A blaster bolt pinging against her backplate cut Reiel off, the force making her stagger momentarily before she twisted around to shoot her attacker. The guard crashed down with a cry, his companion automatically taking a step back and ducking for cover on the corner.

Reiel caught another batch of footsteps rushing to their direction. Looked like the alarm had finally been raised.

I can't just leave them here, thought the bounty hunter. Not when they're all defenseless still. Think, Reiel! What are you going to do?

Struck with a sudden inspiration, Reiel pushed Shiri further into the room before stepping out herself. Hand on the control panel, she handed the Twi'lek her blaster pistol.

"If someone else opened this door aside from myself and my companion, shoot," instructed the Mandalorian sternly, cold enough for everyone in the room to understand the gravity of the situation. "No questions asked. I'll come back for you."

"Be careful, Mando!"

She answered with an unseen small yet genuine smile before shutting the door. Reiel unslung her DC-15A Blaster Rifle, clipping the guard's companion on the shoulder before stepping forward. The Mandalorian took the liberty to steal their own blasters, and she let out a whistle at the sight of a DG-34 Peacemaker on one guard's cold, dead hand.

The other was grunting on the floor, clutching his injured shoulder. Reiel wouldn't have paid him much heed if he didn't push through his pain to grab one of her legs and pulled hard, sending her crashing down. Alright, maybe she should've double tapped, huh?

The injured guard was quick on his feet, pinning Reiel down and grabbing the rim of her helmet while his other hand seemed to be retrieving something from his vest. Panic rearing it's ugly head at the first insistent but unsuccessful tug, Reiel shot the bastard's throat point-blank – but not before something nicked (or stung?) against her arm.

She pushed the body off of her, gaze finding the weapon he had dropped earlier.

More blasters for her, hah!

Her celebration was cut off by the arrival of four other guards, each armed with the same stun batons and stun blasters the Zabraks from earlier possessed. Reiel only had time to grab the Peacemaker before she disappeared into the nearest door in the hall, just in time to dodge the stun bolts as well.

More shots were fired, the guards rushing in to follow her. Reiel ducked behind a shelf for cover before answering with blaster fire of her own from the stolen weapon. Four against one? Unfair. Guess she had to end this quickly before they could fully gang up on her.

She reached for one of the flash charges in her utility belt and fired, jumping out of her hiding spot while the guards screamed in pain from the unexpected visual assault. Reiel was merciless in gunning them down in their vulnerability while she walked swiftly across the room and back out the door. It was easy finding her way back to the girls' room, not that she'd really wandered too far. The blaster bolt to her chestplate was both surprising and not, and what did she expect, really?

"I'm sorry! I thought–"

"Hey, it's alright," she assured Shiri. Without any further ado, Reiel motioned for the girls to get out after they assured her that there was an emergency exit nearby in case of an attack or worse, a raid by Sector Rangers. And, great – more guards along the way, of course.

More bastards to gun down, she guessed.

Pulling out her commlink while the group made their way for said emergency exit, Reiel informed Carrick, "I'm getting the girls, out, mesh'la. I'll meet you in–"

The commlink slipped through her fingers and before Reiel knew it she was once again reacquainted with the floor, head pounding and vision swimming all of a sudden.

What...?

@Nefieslab