Ask One Step After Another

[Matias Vale]

The rain poured down with a vengeance as each droplet smacked the ground with a roar, other sounds that tried to combat the swarm easily being swept away except for one. A deep rumble of an engine, specifically Matias' bike as he maintained a slow and steady pace through the dock. Cargo crates stacked on top of each other occupied most of the space and formed their own sort of makeshift roads for him to follow along. As he drove through, his gaze routinely scanned his surroundings, surprised that he hadn't been able to spot any hiding guards. Matias normally wouldn't have been so brazen with his entrance, even though it was rather slow, but he had checked the perimeter multiple times to find not even the scurry of a random rat.

When Matias exited from the labyrinth of crates, he brought his bike to the edge of the dock and where the meeting location had been instructed on the data slate, a small landing pad jutting out over the drop-off. The rain still made no sign of ceasing, the young merc soaked to the absolute bone as his clothes clung to his lean and hardened frame. His hair became matted and pressed down on his forehead, only changing when he ran a hand through it and gave himself a slick-back look as he waited in the rain. Both of his naturally golden optics reflected the neon lights above and below that dotted the city, making them practically glimmer on their own.

A couple of minutes would pass as Matias would still remain out in the downpour, at first flicking his gaze left then right before settling on his idling bike. A second later, he would make a half turn to glance behind him, the rain preventing him from seeing very far and being able to hear much of anything. Seeing the coast was clear best he could, he brought his eyes forward slowly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a comm-pad, quickly shooting out a text to Milly, At the meet. What do you know about this contact?

The response came only a handful of seconds later, Just as much as you. Jack shit. Except for one thing, they pay well.

Matias scanned the message briefly before just letting out a soft sigh. Slipping the comm-pad back into his pocket, he remained on top of his bike while he waited for whoever his employer was.

@GABA

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The rain kept coming down steadily, perhaps at times it poured, but it was not letting up, leaving a particular redhead fight with her hair for a moment. Tying a band around her newly formed bun, she continued down the streets to the rendezvous point. Occasionally, she patted her chest pocket where she held the keycard inside an internal pocket of her jacket. It took her a hot moment to acquire the information needed for it and then to get it into her possession was another story entirely. Luckily, this next part would be easier, at least she hoped.

Tiamat had contracted out, it was surprising to see the number of options of those that could be used for jobs, all seeming decent and hardworking. She had to go deeper, to find someone who wouldn't mind a bit of dirty work before accomplishing the goal. Instructions were to meet her on a dock in port, her ship far from the location in case things went sour quickly and she didn't have to worry about losing a ship in the process.

Through the backways, she cut through a drainage tunnel; water rushed around her feet and calves, the current was strong, threatening to sweep her away if she dwindled from focus. Reaching stairs, she quickly made her way up until she found the correct floor and entered, or well, exited from a storage shed near the meeting point. TIa could barely make out a figure, but one was there as she approached cautiously, uncertain if this was her contract or someone that could bury her without question.

"Hello!" she said over the rain, trying to catch his attention, "Are you Four?"

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Matias had remained on his bike, his gaze still routinely scanning from the left to the right. Minutes had passed and his nerves were beginning to flare at being out in the open like this. Because of Savareen, the idea of being still for too long was death and on a planet like Bakura too, he wasn't going to test his own luck. Slamming his foot down on the clutch, the engine let out a suitable roar; ready to depart and get out of the rain for good.

Right as Matias was about to twist the throttle and weave through the crates once more, a voice called out to him, saying the number that has acted as his moniker ever since he arrived on the planet. Instinctively, a half twist was performed while his right hand hovered over his holster; his eyes snapping to the nameless woman that approached him from one of the sheds. The blaster would have been pulled free any other time but with the use of his name, it stowed his hand from doing anything too rash. After a quick peek of the shadows to ensure it was just the woman, his hand was finally lifted away from the blaster.

Shutting off his ride, a leg was swung over before Matias dismounted from his bike and strode over to her. She wasn't... what he expected for what he was being paid. She appeared harmless as he couldn't see any weapons or escort but he fully recognized that looks were deceiving in this line of work. Not only that but he sensed that she was... different; a feeling that couldn't be explained but that could only be felt at the back of his skull, scratching the spot as if trying to warn him.

Regardless, he was there for a job and he wouldn't turn back. Matias halted a respectful distance away from her, his frame towering over her as his eyes still glimmered their golden color, like a feline. While the rain did drench them to the point it almost felt frigid, it also acted as a natural sound barrier where they could speak freely.

A brief moment would pass before he spoke, "From what I understand, half now than half upon completion." It was a typical procedure but he had a feeling that would be the end of the ordinary. "What are the details?" There was no point in guessing, especially when there was no hint of what the freckled woman actually did.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

He looked as though he were ready to leave, and already Tiamat did not appreciate his impatience. How committed was someone if they couldn't wait, though he seemed skittish, skeptical as a hand hovered his holster. Instead it looked as though he made his decision, deciding this job would be worth his time. Which Tiamat was relieved to see and given his silence, at least she knew he would listen to what she needed to say. First, of course, partial payment and Tiamat handed him the chip with the allotted amount as requested. "Twenty five hundred now, the other half when we are done." she reassured, really wishing the rain would stop.

"We're going to a party, social elite. We'll change before we arrive. There is a young entrepreneur who is eager to take over his cousin's business, but needs a little help in...well, a type of altering of the books." Tiamat explained. If this was successful, it would certainly help her Asteria Industries step up in corporate power.

"Leave the bike." she told him opening a nearby crate and tossed him a tarp to throw over it, "Let's go, we'll need some extra minutes, this rain is ruining my make up." she sighed and lead him to a nearby warehouse; despite its worn look on the outside, inside, it was sectioned off into offices, "I needed some extra muscle to cover me while I worked on uploading the files, I have a feeling it is not going to be as smooth as I hope it to be. This cousin is part of some crime families, so I'll expect trouble." Tiamat entered the door code and allowed them inside. Two garment bags hung over a chair, one with her own dress and another, a suit for him.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Matias' eyes flicked to Tia's hand to track it as she reached into her jacket for the credit chip. Enough jobs had been turned in by him that it was a type of request he could make comfortably. When he had first started out, before he discovered Milly, a few of the scummy fixers tried to skeet him on his payments. At that point, there wasn't much he could do, pretty much leaving him to swallow his losses and move on.

When she finally pulled the chip out while verbally confirming the amount, he gave a nod before smoothly swiping it from her grasp to put in his own jacket. The objective wasn't one that he was expecting, that surprise playing across his face with the raise of an eyebrow. Matias was used to dirty work, killings, and set-ups; the jobs that nobody wanted to touch but people were willing to pay highly for. Visiting a "social elite" party was entirely new to him as any experience that even closely resembled that never took place on his planet. If you wanted money or acclaim on Savareen, you took it, either with your fist or weapon upon the lucky donor. If you sought to keep what you earned, then you fought for it and Matias certainly bore his scars, ones that obviously made him stick out like a sore thumb from these elites in his mind.

"I assume I'm running protection then," Matias commented as his social or tech skills would achieve the woman nothing. When his bike was brought up, he let out a soft and reluctant grunt but replied, "Give me a moment." Sliding the tarp onto his shoulder; he walked back over to his bike and grabbed onto the handles in order to lead into one of the open containers. The tarp was thrown on it after, covering the machine accordingly before he finally stepped out and shut the doors. There would be a momentary pause as he fixated on the doors, staring exactly at the spot where his bike was resting. After a moment, he gave a soft rasp of his knuckles against the metal before finally making his way over to the warehouse where Tia waited for him.

Following her to one of the nearby offices, she entered a code to unlock a door before they entered. Inside, two bags that were clearly fashioned to hold clothes were laid out for them. When she slid in that the job may not be as smooth as she hoped, he cast a long and silent glance at her before returning his attention to the bag. "Do you know what crime families are involved in this?" There was a chance Milly had some enlightening information about them.

Curiosity festered in Matias and before he could help himself, he opened the bag to reveal the tuxedo that actually appeared to be somewhat of a close fit for him. His reaction was a slight cock of his head before he questioned out loud, "How the hell did you get my measurements?"

 

[Darth Tiamat]

He asked if she knew specifically what crime families were involved and she bit her lip in thought, brow furrowing, as she pulled her dark blue cocktail dress from the bag. "Just they seem to be a front, their shipping company is contracted through Industrial Automation on Nubia. However, they use their shipping services to also move product for several illicit crime family businesses, so its not just one. Our young entrepreneur, Brax Yul, wants to put an end to it, which I am fine with, it will without a doubt cripple the company but he thinks otherwise." Tiamat explained as she disappeared into a closet and then came out within a few minutes in the dress before redoing her make up.

"For me though, I get what I want regardless - access to Industrial Automation." she explained and then grinned, not forgetting about his question regarding the suit. "I asked your boss, they thought it would be hilarious so they gave me their best guess." The redheaded woman quickly touched up her makeup and then her hair, gently pinning locks over her ear with a ornate hairpin. Her comm would ping and she checked her messages, before popping it into her clutch filled discreetly with the tools she needed to get the job done on her end.

"Our ride is here, what should I call you tonight?" she asked him.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Industrial Automation, he had never heard of the company before but then again, Matias didn't know practically any of the companies that infested the galaxy. At least besides the mainstream ones. Even though his time on Bakura hasn't exactly been that long, he was a quick learner and adapted quickly to what was the "norm" of the galactic society. In truth, he had to or he would have washed away with the muck that he had seen infested around the spaceports. Matias saw how they met their fates and he deemed that he wanted more control over his as a result.

Brax Yul was a name he tucked away in the back of his mind, another question he would shoot over to Milly. Before Tia gave an answer to his other question, she already disappeared to change and he took that as his cue to do so as well. With a muffled grunt, he slipped his finger underneath the hook of the hanger before disappearing into his own private room to change.

By the time they both exited, the differences would be apparent between them. Where Tia applied make-up and adjusted her hair, giving her a beautiful visage while the dress clung to her figure and gave the sense she belonged in the class she was in. Matias on the other hand was a different story, the man unable to stop fidgeting with his suit, tugging at his collar, or performing half squats to adjust his pants. Milly's guess had been right at least, the suit showing off his lean frame and pronouncing the sharp angles of his face. The issue was he just never wore anything this nice. He was more akin to biking gear and fits that resembled the sort for back-alley street fights over ones for balls.

Tia's question drew his attention away from his tux for the moment, his glimmering eyes focusing on her as he arched an eyebrow slightly. "Four," Matias replied nonchalantly, clearly preferring his number still and also that it was up to her if it was a big deal. "And you?" As the question was asked he would exit from the building with her, walking over to the speeder waiting for them and opening the door before entering himself on the other side. Matias pulled out his comm and texted Milly as the driver readied the engine.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

The fidgeting didn't go unnoticed and she seemed thoroughly entertained while watching him do squats in a tux. She had to hold back a laugh, but the smile was apparent as she seemed good humored about the situation. It was also satisfying to see his boss didn't do either of them wrong by giving the wrong sizes. Not that it would have been a problem, she had other ways of getting him inside, she just thought this would be the best. Plus having a guy on her arm would keep most, but not all, the guys looking for a redhead to add to their brag list.

He wanted her to continue to call him Four and the woman pursed her lips, eye quirking, but she'll go with it for now. "Anat." she smiled and climbed into the speeder.

On the ride to the party, she sorted through the tools she hid skillfully in her clutch; magnets detaching with the right amount of pressure to reveal a secret pocket inside, but it still left enough room for her to hold less suspicious things such as powder, some credits, and lip dye. She pulled out a writing pen and handed it to Four, "When we get there, excuse yourself to the men's room. There is a utility closet next to it, I want you to plug this in the terminal labelled C453R4." she instructed showing him how the cap comes off to reveal a regular writing tool, but twisting it apart revealed a code cylinder to upload data. "This will keep holocams off our backs. Then come find me for a drink." she explained, seeing the large mansion ahead of them as the speeder flew in, following the other vehicles up to the door.

Tiamat was helped out of the speeder and the two would have no problem entering the party that seemed to attract all sorts this evening.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Anat, the word repeated within Matias' mind. It was an interesting name but there wasn't much room for him to speak as he had preferred his number still. Everyone always had something to hide on Bakura and he would return the favor of not pressing her about it.

As they flew through the city, his comm pad pinged to alert him of a response. Pulling it out and giving a quick scan of the screen, the answer was one that wasn't exactly comforting, Haven't heard of them. I'll do some digging, and see who you're rubbing elbows with. Matias wasn't exactly pleased they were strolling into a hornet's nest blind but there wasn't much that could be done at this point.

Anat would interrupt the dwelling of his thoughts as he heard her shift beside him to pull out some type of item. A pen was held up for him to take, one that earned a questioning glance before he finally took it from her. Clearly, she was the type with her own secrets, more than he already believed. As she explained how to operate it, he would repeat the steps silently and smooth the process out. This was his first time dealing with a device like whatever this was but he didn't need to be told twice on how to use it or what to do. Once he finished, he slipped the pen into his jacket pocket before just giving her a nod of understanding.

As they landed at the extremely lavish mansion and stepped out, Matias would exit out first in order to walk over and open the door for Anat. While he may have grown up on a planet that was more likely to spit on you instead of help, a stunted idea of manners had still been instilled into him by his father. He ignored the attendants trying to help them as he offered her a hand himself to help her out before they began to scale the front steps together, his golden gaze locked on her the entire time. His right arm would be offered to hold onto if she wanted or not, sliding into the role as a guard/husband, whatever she pleased as their proximity would pronounce their height difference too.

When they finally scaled the steps, that's when Matias wouldn't be able to help himself and take in his surroundings. Not once in his life had he been completely swallowed by luxury like he was then. From the clothing, and the mansion, to the speeders, this was a life that he didn't even know was a part of reality until he arrived in Bakura weeks ago. To him, it still seemed like fantasy and in order to not be caught staring, he trained his gaze straight ahead, a natural hard line set across his face.

As the pair entered the well-lit mansion, crowds filtered in across the marble floors and past the double staircase into the next room, one of the attendants broke through the crowd to meet them. "Hello, do you lovely pair need assistance?" There was no need for an invitation, if they knew and had been able to land here in the first place, they were obviously invited.

Before Tia could speak, Matias did first, "Yes, could you actually lead the lady toward refreshments? I need to use the restroom. It was a long ride here." While he may have been lost in the lavish nature of the place first, there was still work to be done.

The attendant smiled, "Of course, the bathroom is that way," pointing down a nearby hall, "Miss?" he then asked in order to lead her.

Matias gave a fake smile back to the man before looking over to Tia, "I'll be back in a minute. If you could, get me something with pineapple juice, dear." While he was trying his best, he hadn't yet mastered the ability to conjure affection out of midair. Without adding anything else, he just abruptly turned to head down the indicated hallway.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat, or at least for the rest of the evening, Anat, accepted Four's assistance getting out of the speeder and ascended the steps into the mansion. Her arm hooked in his, she seemed to relax beside him despite only knowing each other for a couple hours. She felt less worried about if the job was going to get done, and more focused on how to both look as though she were legitimately enjoying the evening with a partner while completing her work. The hall where they entered was busy, a popular evening with even more well-known business leaders from all ends of the galaxy and even some politicians.

Tiamat recognized several faces before they were approached by an attendant who offered to direct the couple to where they needed to go for the evening. The red head opened her mouth to speak, but Fours beat her, asking direction to the refresher. With him being pointed in the right direction, Tia took attention to the attendant, only after getting Four's request for a drink. "Sure, love." she grinned and followed the woman, who eventually introduced herself as Ginny. She guided Tiamat to the bar after pointing out the different areas and halls that were allowed guests for the evening. Thanking the woman, Tia ordered Four's a drink and a same one for herself while she slowly moved her gaze across the crowd that mingled and waited for the host to make his evening toast.

Taking a sip, she found the pineapple and gin concoction delightful and had to pace herself from downing her own and then her partner's also. Luckily, she would be distracted by a guest who recognized her and her work. She hoped he didn't take too long, despite there was security, it wasn't unusually tight or at least Fours would find it rather lax as he headed to the refresher to complete the first part of the task.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Matias pushed through the assembling crowd toward the indicated hallway. Numerous perfumes and colognes assaulted his nose and nearly made it crinkle while also helping motivate him. Even on Bakura, he was accustomed to the smell of sweat and oil over anything else, and in comparison to what people wore here, it practically stung his eyes. With his long stride, it was easy to escape the unfamiliar mass of high class as he took a turn and slipped from view.

Once he made it past the corner, the tenseness in his shoulders eased as he no longer felt like numerous eyes were watching him. Matias was still getting used to the idea of wearing a second skin, the jobs before this consisting mainly of protection jobs or straight-up hits. The idea of giving a shit about whatever charities or other programs sounded mindnumbing to him but he swallowed whatever further complaint sprouted from his mind as he spotted the bathroom.

The only way he could tell was an attendant standing right in front of the door. Matias thought on his feet quickly as he couldn't stop in the middle of the hallway to think. As he approached, his golden optics flicked to the utility closet near the attendant before he refocused on the bathroom. The man standing there offered a slight bow but he would be completely ignored by the merc as he entered the restroom at a hurried pace. A few moments later, the attendant would be able to hear the sound of someone dry heaving and a combination of other sounds to paint a pretty picture for him.

As he turned to face the men's room, Matias would step out, droplets of water streaming down his face clearly from the effort. He placed one arm on the wall to support himself before asking, "Can you please fetch me some water?" The man, assuming that he was a businessman or whatever he saw in this mansion, didn't even think before he gave a nod and rushed off.

When the attendant was out of sight, Matias stood to his full stature and pulled out a napkin from his jacket, glancing down the hallway at the same time to make sure. He wiped the sink water off his face before tossing the soaked piece into the nearby trashcan. Seizing his window of opportunity, he opened the utility closet and did what he was instructed.

After what turned out to be surprisingly quick, Anat would suddenly find Matais beside her and claiming his drink. Instead of taking a measured sip like her, he simply continued to knock his drink back until he finished it in one go. Almost slamming it down after, he slid the empty glass to the nearby bartender before offering him a nod for another and then turning to face the redhead, "Done, sec was light as you said. Your turn... Love." Practice made perfect. If that was an indication of what was to come, he could see himself rather enjoying this new type of work.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Having excused herself from a rather boring conversation, she was relieved to see Fours had returned to her side, downing his drink quickly. Her lips parted briefly as he nearly slammed the glass down, only to slide it back to the bar tender, seeming to fall easily into the part as it sounded like he was successful. The woman grinned, and took one more, much larger drink from her own glass and set it back down on the tray of passing server. There were three chimes that sounded overhead and a man at the corner of the room called for everyone's attention.

Anat stepped back and closer to Fours, wedging herself comfortably between his side and his arm, "That's Brax Yul." she nodded to the man in a high-end ornate tuxedo, he certainly looked like someone's cousin, especially the one the family tries to hide because they have a spice problem. Brax started speaking into the holomic, welcoming his guests and Tiamat knew that was her cue to get to her business. "Lets go some place with a bit more privacy..." she told him. A small, lithe humaniod beside them overheard and gave the two a coy grin and a wink.

Tia's face scrunched up in disgust and annoyance and took Fours by the hand, leading the way to a hallway away from the party itself. It stretched several rooms down, ending with a window at the end, leaving the only way in and out was where they had entered. "Stay here in case anyone comes along until I can find the room, it should be the third right..." she whispered, her palm resting over each code pad of the doors before she came to what would be the third right hand room. Opening a hidden pouch in her clutch she removed one of the skeleton keys that matched the length and width of the maintenance portal. Occasionally glancing back to Fours, she listened carefully, not for what she could physically hear, but the Force as her second tool to unseal the door.

Though before she could open it, security was returning to the hall, seeming more distracted with his latest holo updates on his comm to realize he would walk right into Fours.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Almost as fast as Matias had ordered a drink, the bartender had already prepared another one and slid the new refreshment back. When he downed the first, the adrenaline spike he felt at the time and his focus on the task at hand made him forget the actual taste. After he picked up the class, inspecting the contents at the same time, he couldn't help but comment, "Excellent choice by the way." Ever since he had first tasted pineapple juice, he had quite truthfully fallen in love with it.

After he glanced over to her, he found Anat nudging herself closer to him and tying their bodies together. Matias hesitated for a moment, unprepared for the showing of affection as his jaw clenched momentarily. At the stairs, it had been started by his hand but when it was the other way around, it clearly took him a moment to prepare and it wasn't so off the cuff for him to do. Though, when she began to explain their target and refocus them back on the job, the tension in his muscles eased as golden optics tracked the man easily. Even without Anat pointing him out, Matias already had a sense of where the man was for some unexplainable reason; he had just felt it in his gut.

There wasn't much time to do anything else other than what Anat wanted as she pulled on his hand and got them moving. Matias wasn't given enough time to respond to the stranger's comment before they eventually ended up in a hallway. Being instructed to stay near the entrance, he did just that as he parked by the wall and leaned against it with crossed arms. Routinely, his gaze would flick between the woman and the walkway, his senses on high alert.

The wait only lasted a few moments as once again, he felt another sensation in the pit of his stomach. The feeling couldn't be explained and all Matias felt a need for was to check the hallway. When he turned, that's when he would immediately run into the guard the collision caused both the men to stumble backward.

Uncontrollably, anger blossomed throughout Matias, especially at the idea they just met a hitch in their plan so soon. At the same time practically, both of them stabilized and straightened out to stare into each other's eyes. They both paused with shock at the collision before the guard reacted first and flicked his gaze over to Anat. The man raised a hand and stepped forward, "Hey-"

There were most likely better ways to have handled the blunder, and it was possible that the situation could still be talked out of. But Matias still had the gang mindset ingrained into his head, a mindset that was always ready to lash out. With the guard not addressing the bump, it unlocked something within the young man in a strange way that he couldn't help. Before the guard could even finish his sentence, a strike would whip out from Matias and directly into the man's throat with a sickening crunch. It was fast enough that one could blink and miss it. With years of fighting and experiencing the rough desert climate of his home, his instincts and movements were honed to a lethal degree out of necessity.

The strike would land successfully as it struck right on the guard's adam apple as his voice immediately sputtered and choked afterward. Even from where Anat stood, she could see the visible dent on the man's neck that prevented him from breathing. With a fall to his knees, he continued to sputter until he simply choked and passed out. When Matias risen his gaze back to Anat, she would find his golden optics practically glimmering as he said cooly, "We should get moving."

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Tiamat paused, looking up from her lock as she felt a sensation through the Force, it was anger, a short burst, and some thumping in the hallway. Her brow narrowed, thoughts quickly running through her mind to look for a match of her moment of suspicion before turning back to the keypad. She gently jiggled the lock pick, hearing a latch click behind the door and the keypad's light turning green in response. Though she couldn't celebrate her moment of success as she heard someone cry out behind her and she quickly turned her head seeing Fours jump into action, her face scrunching into disgust as she noted the obvious dent in the guard's throat.

Fours looked at her, and Tiamat found herself still shocked and maybe impressed by the quick takeout of the guard, however, she wasn't too quick to forget the stir in the Force. She pushed open the door with her palm, still watching Fours closely, and then pointed to the door behind him marked Janitor, "Put him in there." she slipped into the room she was just working on and quickly got to work, pulling out a data cylinder from the hidden compartment in her clutch and plugged it into the terminal. Quietly she watched as the download took its time, but her thoughts were not as quiet as she kept watching the door for Fours to return. Questions swelled as to what and how she would ask him, it was hard to decide to be polite or be a bit more demanding to get her answer.

Certainly she worried about being set up, though Yul she figured wasn't that smart, so who else could it be? Plenty of those present who would want to weed out competition. However, the questions that begun to rise as was he even aware of his connection. Her blue eyes narrowed on the download bar as it neared completion, she would remove it swiftly when it was done in full.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Matias couldn't help but notice Anat's reaction to the guard or him; he couldn't tell which. There was a shock in her eyes but he swore it was directed at his person as he caught her gaze flicking over to him multiple times. The only explanation he could arrive to was that she had never seen a gruesome death, the guard certainly fitting the bill as his breath had sputtered like a boat engine before he finally died. That answer didn't seem likely but it was the only one presenting itself.

Anat gestured to the door behind him marked Janitor and he gave a nod in response but remained where he was. His eyes would track her until she finally disappeared into the room, Matias acquiring his own questioning look. Despite those questions, the body still need to be moved and he spun to face it before grabbing onto one arm. Without much effort, he dragged the body along the carpet before opening the door and then throwing the dead guard inside. Reaching around the door, he locked it from the inside before shutting it close, the square lights on the outside turning red.

Even though a sound wouldn't be made, Anat would be able to sense Matias entering the room, the fluctuation of the force there but waning with each passing moment. When the download was completed and she turned around, she would find him standing on the other side of the room and patiently waiting. His golden eyes once more glimmered unnaturally with the help of the low lighting, but now a different connotation around them possibly. The anger that had bubbled forth earlier had died down and so had the pulse of force, both of them clearly tied together. Yet, whether Anat believed or knew it or not, he stood there undifferent as he had felt nothing out of the usual.

Still, a wall now seemed to stand erect between them, one not there earlier. Matias was good at reading people and he hadn't failed to miss Anat's look at him in the hallway. His life in the gang had made him naturally on edge when it came to others as one wrong move could end with a knife in your throat. Where it seemed easy for them to blend together earlier, that almost felt impossible at that moment. His gaze burrowed into her but eventually, he gave an upward nod before asking, "You get what you need or what?" A glance was given toward the door afterward as one guard already had stumbled across them and they didn't need another.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Despite feeling the download taking much longer than expected, it was completed quickly, her malware was uploaded to the servers where it would slowly work its way into the databases. From there, she would be able to access the information she needed to watch production and hopefully find a weak point further into connecting companies. Regardless of her plan, she still would need to get out here soon. The dead guard would eventually draw attention by other personnel when they realize he is missing and the holocams are working poorly. She removed the datastick and dropped it back into her clutch as Fours entered the room.

The Force was with him and for a brief moment, she felt weary, on edge, not like how she felt this evening with the job being done, but when one was encountering another sith or even jedi. However, this felt...different, unrefined, feral, and if he were a jedi or another sith undercover, why would they so easily blow it by revealing themselves.

"I'm done here." she said, slowly walking up to him, "C'mon." she hooked an arm into his own, leading the exit from the room as it locked behind them and back down the hall from which the had come originally. Instead of returning to the ball room, she guided him out the door, messaging their driver from her commlink. The ran had stopped, but the evening air had a chill as felt goosebumps ripple down her neck and arms. She remained quiet, trying to decide how she would inquire about his presence; she doubted he was a double agent, but one couldn't be too sure, there were many out there who had just enough knowledge on their Force sensitivity to know how to be...annoying.

When their ride arrived, Tiamat climbed in first and once Fours was inside, they took off, safely putting distance between them and the party. The red head pulled a holopad from underneath the driver seat and turned it on, reading the data that was already spilling in from her codes. "Excellent, so I guess I owe the second half of your payment." she set the holopad down in her lap and looked at him, "But I will double it if you tell me what you feel when you get angry like you did tonight."

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

After informing him the job was done, a small wave of relief washed over him as they got that much closer until he could yank off this tux. When her arm slipped through his, the pair returning to their couple visage, she would be able to feel the tenseness in his muscles through their tightness. It became clear he sensed her sense of something being wrong. The only ironic point was that he had no idea it was about him but it left this unease between the two, at least for him as they were no longer on the same page.

They exited from the room but instead of leaving through the main hall as he expected, they took another door as Anat called their driver to the side. Both of them would be dead silent while they walked, Matias mostly training his gaze ahead until he occasionally glanced to the left or right to make sure the coast was clear. He didn't really know what to think, there was something different after what happened with the guard. It led him to the one instinct that never led him astray, his gut and it was telling him to just get the money and get out of there.

Matias portrayed none of this across his face, his face naturally stoic enough to hide his feelings. When their ride arrived, he got in on side, closing the door behind him to allow the driver to take off. Compared to Anat, he looked out the window instead of a data pad, quietly waiting for his payment. That gut feeling remained in his stomach but the idea of leaving wouldn't cross his mind until the credits were in his hand.

Anat broke the silence, finally drawing Matias attention away from the window as he peered over at her, an arched eyebrow appearing when she wanted to hear how he felt when he was angry. There was a momentary pause before he responded, "What the fuck is this? Therapy?" This was the first time he's ever been asked a question like that and there had been no context as to why it had been asked. The job had been successful despite the dead guard, so why did she care?

Matias still answered her question however in his own way, the tone somewhat sarcastic, "Justified. Now double my credits and hand them over." It was obvious he wasn't the type to just spill about his "feelings" to others; she would need to try harder then that if she wanted him to really open up. Still, a thread in his own mind had been tugged with her words. There were times he had felt... different but he never actually placed a finger on it. He had just ignored it when it happened but he had felt it tonight. Before he could get too far in his mind, Matias pushed those thoughts out without any questions.

 

[Darth Tiamat]

Her eyebrows raised slightly in anticipation for his response and when it came, the woman couldn't hold back a smirk. She pulled out a chip and downloaded the amount, handing it to him. He did respond to her question, though it wasn't what she was looking for necessarily. Then again, she remembered when she first encountered her own force abilities, she couldn't really explain it either, it would just come, in the form of feeling and sometimes it did feel good. Much like his own justification.

"Certainly, after the fact. I guess it would feel different for anyone who experiences it. Justified, knowing, safe, comforted... for myself, a bit scary when I first realized what it was, but I was left in awe in what I could do with it. Relying on that gut feeling that's more than instinct really." the woman shrugged, falling quiet for a moment.

"I think you know what I mean." she said, but not leaving with a moment to comment as the speeder came to a stop as they returned to the warehouse where they had started, "It was a pleasure to work with you," she said as the driver opened the door for Fours to exit, "I'll be curious to see how our paths cross again." Tiamat grinned.

@Orbit

 

[Matias Vale]

Whatever Anat spoke of, the conversation set off alarms throughout Matias' system involuntarily. One moment, he felt he understood every aspect of the job and had been about to collect an easy payday; but somehow that had changed within the final stretch of the job and the entirety of the ride included. Instead of speaking, as if it helped pass time faster for him to depart, his eyes tracked Anat's movements, his attention drawn mostly to the credit chip and the downloading doubled amount.

Before he retrieved the payment, his gaze flicked up toward her face as he studied her pretty and deceiving features for a brief moment. A small part of him screamed to not take the payment and to just have the vehicle landed. But, images of his father limping around their apartment were easily powerful enough to push away any concerns that tried to formulate. Whether a weakness or a strength, he was willing to do anything to help his father. In one smooth motion, the credit chip was snagged and stored within his inside jacket pocket.

Matias' gaze tore away from her as he resigned it to the window, preferring to watch the passing skyscrapers instead of being reminded he was in the speeder. With his clenched left hand, he started to dig his nail into his palm as he became restless, as he normally did when he felt he was somehow being left in the dark. Even when Anat spoke again, he kept his gaze locked and burning into whatever dared to pass by it, the gold in his eyes almost flaring unnaturally. Matias' right hand would be gripping the door handle tightly, his knuckles hidden from view for Anat but undoubtedly white.

Even though he should have no idea what she was talking about, some part of him did understand. Matias couldn't decipher what part but he felt it inside him, churning just at the sound of her words and with eager recognition of what she shared. Whatever that feeling was, tonight had not been the only night he felt it. There were plenty of times on Savareen where he had lost his cool, barely remembering the events that led up to his blow-up and what his response had been. All he could remember from that night was the faces of horror that his fellow gangmembers had. Despite the atrocities they all committed, they stared at him like a demon and ever since, left him alone. What most surprised him was that he found himself starting to agree with her in part as he began to remember only the briefest taste of the powerful current of his... emotions, despite not knowing the actual term.

Before he let his mind drift too far, however, his confrontational and rough nature returned sharply. Who the fuck was this woman? How the fuck did she have any clue about what he felt? Monotone to the point of it almost being cold, he replied, "I don't know who you are and I don't give a shit about how good you feel. Land the speeder." That was the nicest he could say that too.

Upon landing, Anat seemed to just dismiss their conversation before exchanging pleasantries with him about the job. When she made comment about their paths potentially crossing, his stomach twisted slightly. It was obvious she was loaded and that should have made him eager to continue the work but for whatever reason, his mouth remained shut. Without even offering his goodbye, he just opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle, only feeling secure once he was out of the car.

/exit thread