Ask No Rest for the Wicked.

[Covax]

-Theme-

The artificial dawn of The Maze's UV lighting system broke through the transparasteel window in his room. He forgot the close the shades again, or rather he was to drunk to remember the night before. The light slowly consumed his face, warming it. He tried rolling over, doing so only caused his head to throb and his stomach to churn.

The former crime boss suddenly shot up from the bed, leaned over, and emptied the mostly fluid contents of his stomach into the trash been wisely placed at what should have been the foot of his bed. "Well, there's that."

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he sat back up and hung his head for a moment. Wondering what he needed more, a shower or coffee. His bladder painfully reminded him of what his priorities were, and stumbled to the refresher in the other room. With the throbbing in his head, he couldn't be sure but he thought he heard a knock at his door.

"Go away." He yelled.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla didn't often come down to the Maze. In fact, she found herself off of Galactica most times these days, but she was back now. Back for business that involved one of her senior contractors.

Covax was a man that had come to Apex with a reputation for being potent in a fight and knowing more than a few things about the underbelly of the galaxy. Those were both useful traits in a company where their primary job was killing people.

However, his position within the company had seemed to be an empty pair of boots lately. It had been fine for a while, but she had just struck a deal with Blackwell that would require the company's most powerful predators.

She made her way into the depths of the Maze with her lightsaber strapped to at the small of her back.

She knocked on the door at first only to be greeted by a prompt "go away" which brought a scowl to the young woman's face followed by a much louder, more aggressive knock that clearly said "I'm not going away."

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax stood over the cold metal for what felt like a full five minutes. The entire time, the throbbing of his head and the rapping sound at the door. He rolled his eyes at the irritations, and nearly fell over.

Still in just boxer briefs. He used the wall as a brace himself, angerly walking to the door. Along the way, he managed to pull his pistol from his belt hanging off a coat hook near the door. When he reached it. Growled and punched the open/close key.

As the door hissed open, he held his weapon in the sul posistion to his chest. Expecting a pain in the add delivery or maintenance droid. "What part of go the Fuaaaa.....shit," He stammered. "Arla? what...why?" He continued. The rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger. Just to make sure he wasn't seeing shit.

Realizing he still had his weapon in hand, He clicked the safety, and put it to his side. Turning to retreat into the apartment he placed the pistol on the counter. Then pushed the button on the caf maker. "What..ah, what brings you by?" He asked as he made his way deeper into the small space to find a shirt, or perhaps pants.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla was relentless to the point of nearly just "letting herself" inside, though she decided better of it. There was no point in intentionally antagonizing an already fairly ornery man. And it was just asking to get shot at by accident to be honest.

Covax, she greeted in kind, eyes sweeping down first to the gun in his hand then to the boxer briefs as a small frown furrowed her forehead.

Rough night? she asked deadpan, though it was probably a joke. He turned to head inside, and she followed.

Haven't heard from you in a while. Thought it was time I paid a visit, she said. Not that she was typically the "stop by and socialize" type.

Her eyes swept over the filthy apartment and its contents scattered everywhere... not to mention the vomit filled trash bin. She kept her own space neat and tidy, and as she'd been introduced to her father, she realized it was a trait she had almost certainly and unwittingly inherited from him.

She wasn't sure whether to take the mess to mean that he was bored and needed some action or that he... had lost a step. The two were very different things, so she let the situation unfold itself for the moment.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

The hulking human was visibly both confused and slightly embarrassed at the sight of his employer. However, as she seemed to scan him with her eyes. Covax followed, realizing what she was looking at. "It does the job." He said simply.

He scoffed as her deadpan comment, truthfully amused. "That delivery, reminds me of someone." Her delivery was pure Emryc. Of which he had his suspicions of Arla's relation. But didn't care enough to ask. Mostly because Em was a man whore, and most of the galaxy knew it.

Finding his pants, he quickly put them on. Then returned to the counter where the caf was almost done. Covax gave her a look of "Bullshit!" as she mentioned it was time for a visit. "Arla, you hired me via text. My new hire paperwork and apartment code was dropped by Jayna." He retorted.

Seeing the daughter of Renfry scan the room, Covax sighed. "Yeah, I know." He admitted. The hulking human then poured himself a cup of caf. "Can I get you a cup?" Seeing the mess, he wouldn't be surprised if she refused. But he cups were indeed clean, mostly thanks to his droid. But they were clean.

"So Boss, why are you really here?" He asked, as he handed her the cup of black caf.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla shrugged as he mentioned that she had hired him by text and had the paperwork delivered.

Fine, so socializing isn't my preference, she admitted accepting his offer of caf. She was a sucker for a cup of caf even if the place was... questionable.

I'm here because we're making a move. A big move, and I could use your... expertise, she said. There was no two ways around it: he was one of her senior contractors, and she could use him on executing this job.

I've cut some deals to start a takeover of the Corporate Sector, she said. I could use your involvement, she said.

 

[Covax]

Covax gave a smirk at the shrug of her shoulders. Understanding completely the monumental effort it took to build this company. "At least, not with the help" He teased with a wink. Then allowing a soft smile as she took the offered caf.

The former crime boss then took another sip of his own cup, allow the dark brown liquid to do it's magic. Helping to quell the pounding in his head. He was still drinking, when she explained her true motives for being here.

The statement of taking over CorpSec, caused the imposing human to cough on his caf. Sending hot caf up his noise. " Ahh...cauh...um....fuck." He choked and stammered. Putting the cup down.

Quickly then, he turned the water on at the sink near by. Splashing some on his face. He was visibly taken aback. Then suddenly a mix of emotions. Pride, anger, frustration. self pity. Covax took a moment to look around, not for the first time, since joining the company and moving into the station.

Then, he tried to choose his words. Carefully. "I'm flattered." He said softly, as he leaned over the sink. Then he turned the water off, walked over to the near by bed in the small studio size apartment , and plopped down. Facing, his boss. "I'm not sure I'm the one you want though."

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

If you were just the help, I wouldn't have made you a senior contractor, she countered.

She took a sip from the corner of her caf, the pleasing scent always working to make her feel calm and at home even when she was very much not. Her blunt statement about her plans certainly garnered a reaction, though, and she wasn't sure if she should feel insulted.

The 'but' that was going to come was almost palpable, and even though he didn't actually use the word 'but' it didn't change anything.

Arla did not look particularly amused when he said he wasn't the one she wanted. What's that supposed to mean? she asked bluntly. You've forgotten how to fight? she asked. Had he suddenly grown a conscience because those were things that she didn't particularly need in Apex. They served like the wilds of nature: without conscience or hesitation or discrimination.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

"Well, after seeing your roster of junior mercs. I thought it was because I have more experience in my left pinky. I mean, you listed a couple of old droids and a Jawa....a Jawa, really?" He fired back.

The look on her face told her he's gone a little far. Though he wasn't sure if it was the comment about the Jawa or his reaction to her plans. The reaction couldn't be helped. It was an obvious next step for Apex. It just also happened to be one HE wanted to make for Tenloss years earlier. As for the the lesser contractors, well, a Jawa?

Covax sighed at the first question and then scoffed in amusement at the second. "Arla, I've been stacking bodies across this galaxy since the AMS virus stole my first family from me. Like you and Apex. I've worked for anyone and everyone." He boasted. "But that's the kick in the guts. I've been here. Built, well, something similar." He said, deciding to leave out the fact the Thorne was financing his and Aska's attempt to take over Crymorah. He still wasn't sure how the two were related.

"Only to loose it all to Nor'baal Desilijic and Preef Callo. Because of them, I lost it all. My company, my money, and most importantly, my son and the other other woman in the entire galaxy I've loved since loosing my wife and daughter." He confessed. The words bringing emotions that he wanted to drowned, the same he'd been drowning after recently visiting Silvi, and Ilana.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Yes, Arla was none too happy with him insulting her life's work.

You have a problem with us hiring diversly? she said, though she stopped herself from going further. Apex's reputation spoke for itself and she wasn't interested in being drawn into a nonsense debate with him.

Moments later, he started talking about everything he had built and how he had lost it, and Arla had no idea how she was supposed to respond. She was sure that most people would have said something kind and empathetic, but if anyone expected that then they hadn't been paying attention to what Arla had done with... well, pretty much her whole life.

So what, that's it then? You're just going to drink yourself into a stupor until your liver gives out? We should just all give up on everything? she asked. That was a hard pass for Arla. Someday - probably on a job - her number would come up just like it had for her Mother and even for Raze, but it wasn't yet. For now, she had every intention of clawing her way to the top simply because she could. She didn't do it for the money or the power, she did it because she liked it.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax looked up to see the look in Arla's eyes. Feeling a chill down his spine, as it reminded him a little to much of her mother. Then and now, he decided to back off the ledge before she decided to push him into the abyss.

"Nooo, I like the droids. Most of the Mandos. That blonde, Sare...something, smoke show." He said. A little smirk suddenly appeared on his face as he remembered passing her recently in the corridors of the station. "Just....Jawas. They're annoying little kleptomaniacs." Picking on the small sand people aside, Covax would of course still continued to spill his guts like he was confessing his sins at the gallows.

He wasn't looking for empathy, in fact he was sure Arla couldn't even feel such emotions. He wasn't even really looking for advise, she simply asked and for some reason the dam broke. It was cathartic though. "Fuck, maybe I am getting soft." He thought but didn't say aloud.

"It was working so far." He retorted. Returning his attention to the woman before him. "Killing in the mornings, drinking in the evening. Perhaps a kidnapping here and there if the contact was there." He continued. It was a quip sure, but it was also the truth. It was what little he was doing since being set free from the Hutts. "It's not surrender. Clearly I'm to stubborn for that. But, I admit. I've lost a step since being frozen."

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

We have thousands of contractors, I'm sure you can avoid working with the Jawas if you'd like, she said. Fine, so maybe there wasn't any guarantee of that, but play the odds, right?

To be honest, Arla wasn't entirely sure if she had actually gotten through to him or not. He was her senior by... well, she had no idea how many years, but years. She was sure there wasn't anything she was telling him that he wasn't already aware of, but that wasn't really the point. Sometimes you needed to hear it anyway.

Good, I need stubborn. Sheep are easy, but I don't need sheep in Apex, she said. What he lacked - at least as she saw it from what he said - was purpose. Sure, he could kill with the best of them, but that didn't mean it was giving him what he wanted or needed out of life.

Then it sounds like it's time for you to get that step back, wouldn't you agree? she asked. She liked to imagine that he wanted to be back on top again. She hoped that was the case, and she knew that she could certainly use his skills in the fight to come. Taking the Corporate Sector was no small feat.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Arla pretty much confirmed what he already knew about the company. That was the beauty of it. Painful as it was for him to admit, she had managed to build and now grow something he simply could not. More likely because of the Hutts, but perhaps because he was also not a big picture guy.

He snort laughed, "That's true, I haven't seen any of the Din family running around." A job that perhaps would have been better in different company. But the talking was bringing him out of his funk, and he couldn't help the easy quip. Getting a little more serious, he decided to ask, "What do you need anyway. I mean what the plan for this take over?"

If there was one thing he knew about himself, he knew he wasn't a laser scalpel of an operation. He was more of an orbital strike. If she truly needed him. She wanted to make a statement. Or, maybe he was just better with a gun then a Jawa.

 

[Arla]

The mention of the Din's brought an unexpected flood of memories to Arla's mind plus a slew of associated memories. She and Altair had been friends once upon a time. There was still a sting of betrayal at what happened to the Sith, but these days it felt far less personal. Word was that he had left the Empire behind and it floundered without the Sith: no great surprise to be honest.

But it also brought with it a memory of her mother and the fight that had left her dead. The fight that she still wondered about sometimes. At times she thought about seeking Altair out, but to what end? To kill him? That served no purpose and ruining his life was equally as childish.

Perhaps it was time to put old wounds to rest.

The thoughts passed through her mind in a flash and she moved on to addressing the actual task at hand. She didn't have time for silly thoughts and emotions.

It's going to be an invested process, she said, which was to say that it was going to take a long time most likely. Something like this didn't happen overnight.

Namely, starting off by facilitating an accident for the leading executives and bringing the CSO over to our side, she said. She had to imagine he had done assassination jobs before, right?

Whether we have to do a full and direct hostile takeover after that will be determined, she said.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

The mention of the Din family seemed to have a subtle change to the woman before him. Covax of course had no way of knowing Arla knew the former Imperial leader. Simply made a jab as he did. But the pause was still something neither he or apparently Arla expected.

It past as quickly as it came. The younger woman barely blinked and was back on task. Covax's mood now starting to shift, he remembered he still had a semi hot cup of caf left. So he got up to retrieve it as the Apex leader started to explain her next move.

Particularly what sounded distinctly like an assassination plot. The human gave a snort laugh before taking a long drink from the cup. Indeed still hot, but cool enough to gulp. "Ambitious. How many targets are we talking." He said, already plotting.

"Taking them all at once would be best way, likely also the most difficult if you don't want it leading to APEX. Assuming we do care, who's neck do you want to hang with it." the former crime boss could think of a couple of perfect fall guys, but he assumed Arla had her own ideas.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla appreciated the point of view of Covax. It was part of the reason she had come to him with this plan: he was no stranger to this sort of business. Illicit activities set up to look like someone else. In truth, Arla was and always would be a "trigger puller." She liked the hunt and hated the politics. This step was a step out of her comfort zone, and one that was going to be difficult to pull off. It was why she was recruiting people who could help her think it through from all the angles.

It depends how strong willed they are. The CEO - or whatever he's called - of the CSA will have to go. If we pull the CSO over to our side, we may not need to kill the other two possibilities on the list, she said.

It also may just involve removing the other two with the right leverage: political and blackmail type, she said. It was clear that it was still an evolving plan.

You have an idea who to blame it on? she asked. Setting up fall guys was risky because if they found out it would be war with them, but... well, everything about this was risky. She was talking about rapid, massive expansion that was going to make a lot of people wary at best and furious at worst.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax would need a job or two to get his skills back to par after being out of the game for so long. Nothing an easy bounty or two couldn't fix. But Arla had managed to peek his interest with this plot. Durr and Gareth were perhaps his biggest jobs, though they had aspects of what this called for. This would take some careful planning and maneuvering.

Covax thought for a moment about what Arla said, then spoke of death and deception like it was easy. "Well, who we blame dictates at least part of the methods used. Most of the underworld likes big and flashy, however the Empire likes to use agents of the ISB, ICS uses similar special agents. Their methods are more subtle, in fact they would likely do what we are planning. Put it on someone else."

He chuckled at her latter question, "Arla there is only one asshole in the entire galaxy I could think to blame. He's the perfect patsy for the job, and the bigger we go the more it looks like him and his crew. And that mud humping son of a Bantha, is Preef Callo." Covax replied with a guttural hatred. To the imposing human, it wasn't just the perfect opportunity for revenge. This was the kind of job Callo made his name on. Before Ren fed him his ass and he went running to the Cartel.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla listened to his evaluation of the situation, and she was immediately glad she had come to him. He did, in fact, know about this sort of thing and she just sipped on her coffee as they waited.

His mention of blaming it on Preef Callo, though... well, maybe it did make sense. The Rodian hadn't been seen in a while now and some people speculated he was actually dead now. If he was then that was the perfect opportunity to blame him while it was all still in question.

She found herself curious about the relationship that Covax had had with the Rodian. Truth be told, although she knew the names, the exact details of what had happened were still somewhat ambiguous to her. She knew that Mother had also thrown down with him at one point.

Are you familiar with his MO? What kind of relationship did you have? she asked. It was a bit of a prying question, but she... well, she didn't care. It was important information.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

The former crime boss had to chuckle in a amusement, "Damn Carbonite, I keep forgetting." He said, refering to the fact she wouldn't know much about Callo. Except maybe in news halos. "The Zaa Fenn gang's rise about the same time as yo....as Ren's." He stammered a little. He kept having to correct himself. Arla kept reminding him of vibrant Empress back when they were on her capital ship. Could Em and Ren? Pushing the thought down, he continued.

"Preef had just taken over, their former leader was.....MIA. The AMS virus had taken over Nar Shaddaa, as well as other planets, and Preef wanted to make a run at Durr the Hutt."

Covax let the names ring a bell, or perhaps not with the younger Dathomirian. Refilling his cup and then topping off hers if she wanted. Then got back to his story. "Low on numbers with a little money to burn, Callo hired a crew of mercs to tag along with him an a few loyal thugs. I'll spare you all the details, save to say it was flashy. Then he put it out on net for the entire verse to see. Pulled a couple more high vis targets like that until he bit off a little more then he could with Ren."

The human merc took another drink from his cup, and sighed. "After a much younger me made a play for the thrown and failed. Callos buddy made his play, killed hundreds, and just like Callo. Blasted it all over the halos. See where I'm getting at?"

He reflected on his limited time with the Rodian afterward. How the galaxy thought he was dead before. But Covax knew better. The human was a living testament not to believe all the rumors. The former Vanguard wouldn't believe it. Not unless he got the chance to put a bolt in the Rodian's head himself. Preferably with the gunslinger's own Peacemaker.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla had never really heard the whole story of what happened with her mother and Preef Callo in that penthouse, but she had seen the holo vids of it. It was a surprise and unusual outcome that Preef had apparently survived her mother's onslaught only to spring up years later. Whatever bad blood was there seemed to have - maybe - died down as her mother never did try to hunt the Rodian down again.

So how would you go about framing him for these assassinations? she asked. She had her own skills, but she wasn't a Rodian gunslinger. She was sure there were some Rodians in Apex, but none that would be able to come close to pulling off Preef's skill.

If it really was as simple as walking in and blasting people, then that would make things easier, wouldn't it? She could just go in with some of her people in the appropriate armor and blast the place up. It sounded a bit sloppy compared to most of Apex's work, but... if it worked?

She was dubious about it. I don't know, maybe, she said. Although... But if you think you can pull it off, I won't stop you, she said. She was putting that job at his feet and if he took it, he would have near cart blanche to see it done.

OOC: I know edit is pending about the "mother" line, but posting anyway in the meantime