Ask Sinkholes And Zombies

Edin Frost

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Utapau was largely empty these days. It had become overrun with infected and many of the sparse refugee camps had been evacuated off the planet. The sinkholes, the remnants of war zones and ruins left the planet largely uninhabited. Edin had no desire to be anywhere near this ball of dump, but Amira had mentioned taking on a job with a massive payout that consisted of saving some rich idiot that got in way over his head.

Edin already knew he couldn’t talk Amira out of this job. He acted casual when she mentioned it in passing and that was the end of it.

That was exactly why she was going to get quite a shock when she parked her ship in the largely empty spaceport. She would park in the bay, walk down the ramp, walk into the empty terminal and spot a familiar face. Edin was standing there posing as a chauffeur holding a giant sign that said ‘Empress Pain In The Ass’. He was standing by himself on account of no one ever coming to this planet anymore.

The Firrerreo was dressed in mercenary armor, his helmet on his hip because he knew the job would entail going out into the field. Amira, of course, had no clue she would run into him and that was by design. She would have complained about how she didn’t need any help and whatnot and Edin had no patience for it. Instead, he chose to be there to greet her on the spot and deal with it then.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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Sith Order
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Utapau. The planet of a thousand sinkholes. Abandoned at the height of the AMS crisis. Other planets had been hit hard, in waves, but between coordinated containment efforts carried out by the GHO and ISCRA and the development of the AMS vaccine, they had eventually recovered. Not Utapau. The virus had completely overtaken the Outer Rim planet.

It was considered a lost cause now, a planet to be avoided at all costs, so finding a pilot willing to shuttle her to the Outer Rim planet had been challenging. Amira didn't have enough credits to afford her own ship yet, and even if she had, she wouldn't have known how to fly it. Her parents had never been able to afford one when she lived at home, and Master Roth had never bothered. He had retainers for that. The pilot she'd finally managed to hire didn't exactly fill her with confidence, which wasn't surprising considering she'd found him drinking alone and talking to himself in a little out of the way cantina on Atravis. At only four foot five, hooves dangling inches away from the floor, she wasn't convinced he could see over the control console. And even if he could, would he be able to see past the long, unmanageable strands of hair that dangled over his eyes?

The journey from Atravis to Utapau had been a white knuckle ride since he insisted on showing off some of his old 'dogfighting maneuvers' from his days as a fighter pilot for the New Republic. As if several near death collisions with asteroid fields and a nauseous stomach weren't enough to deal with, he informed her upon landing that he 'wouldn't be sticking around.' She was taking a risk, abandoning the safety of his shuttle in the hopes of finding other transport off this forsaken planet, but she wasn't going to give up now that she was here. Better to take her chances with the undead than spend one more minute with her life in his hands.

The Tiefling threw the travel bag she'd packed over her shoulder and descended the boarding ramp. She wasn't sure how long she'd be here, so she'd come prepared. Food, sleeping bag, and a few other odds and ends. She never looked back, not even as the engines roared behind her for take off, eyes focused on what laid before her. There was no backing out now. The outer doors of the spaceport had most likely been sealed from the inside when Utapaun citizens evacuated, but the Champion wasn't taking any chances. She looked around every corner and every partisan, expecting a zombie to appear out of nowhere. What she didn't expect to see was a person.

A lone man standing in the middle of the terminal, his handsome face and tall, slender frame unmistakable. He was the first thing Amira thought of in the morning, and the last image she played in her mind at night. She was in the process of memorizing every little detail, and she recognized him immediately, even with all of that armor on. Her surprise was visible, and she stood there for a moment or two with a dazed look on her face. She hadn't expected to see anyone here. At least, not anyone alive. Least of all Edin, holding a sign with large, handwritten lettering scrawled across it. Empress Pain in the... One eyebrow shot up.

"Funny. You never complained before," she remarked as she drew closer, slipping both arms around his waist and allowing one hand to wander down his lower back. She made a show of peering around him, amber eyes settling where her hand was as a grin began to spread across her lips. "Your exhaust port looks just fine from where I'm standing. Better than fine, actually." @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Edin set the sign aside as she approached, always taken by the sight of her. Even in a simple setting such as this where she wasn’t particularly dolled up, he found his gaze fondly trailing along every contour of her face, the way her silvery strands framed it and the way her vibrant eyes always glowed of their own accord. He had to remind himself not to smile too stupidly as if he were some lovesick teen - even if that was how she managed to make him feel sometimes.

His arms snaked around her lithe waist in turn, tugging her close as he felt her hand travel down his back and lower. Edin grinned at her touch, keeping his gaze on hers, “In that case, I don’t suppose I can convince you to let me take you back to your ship and keep you occupied instead of venturing out into this awful planet?” He said as smoothly as he could, genuinely not wanting her to go through with this plan.

Edin leaned in to steal a kiss from her before drawing back, his face settling into a more serious expression, “The infected population is out of control here, Amira,” He said almost sternly, “You don’t have to take this job,” He remarked before quickly continuing, “Not that you can’t do it. Just.. ..” He had no way of conveying that he didn’t want to see her in danger, “Whatever, I’m coming with you if you go through with it,” He added flatly at the end.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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llamallove
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"I'd say yes, but my ride's long gone by now," she answered, her gaze far too engrossed with exploring the Firrerreo's face to give the Bothan pilot a second thought. He was probably on his way back to Atravis, to spend her credits on more cheap alcohol. She pried her eyes away from Edin, just long enough to cast a sweeping glance over their surroundings. A dead, empty space terminal. "But I don't think privacy will be an issue here. Looks to me like we'll have our pick of spots."
It wasn't exactly the most romantic location when considering why they were alone on the Outer Rim planet, but between the busy schedules of an assassin and a Champion, beggars couldn't be chooser. Hologram calls and digital messaging just didn't cut it, particularly in a brand new relationship when emotions ran high and every little thing was exciting.

The Tiefling savored the kiss they shared, trying her best to match the Firrerreo's excitement instead of surpassing it. She was thrilled to see him, and eager to touch him again, but she didn't want to look thrilled and eager, not when Edin was so cool and collected. He was smiling and holding her, but she couldn't imagine what he felt was anything close to the sensations he sent throughout her. She tried not to let her grin spread from ear to ear, but there was no disguising the twinkle in her eye every time she looked at him.

"Not all of us can afford not to worry about credits," she teased, no real malice in her voice. Basilisk might have made Edin a rich man, but he had other worries. Danger and risks unique to someone in his line of work. Unique to him. At first, a part of her wondered if he didn't believe she was up to the challenge that Utupau presented, but he quickly put those concerns to rest. His voice took on a sterner tone, one that reminded her of their conversation back on Dantooine, when she'd been cleaning Vincent's wound. But this was different. Gentler. It lacked aggravation or disappointment. Was it concern? Worry?


Amira cocked her head to one side, a curious expression settling across her dark features as she stared up at him, amber eyes intent and unwavering. "Don't tell me you came all the way out here because you're worried about me?"

Not that I'm complaining.... she thought to herself, squeezing him tighter. @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Edin quirked a brow at her words, “I thought diplomats made a lot of money,” He quipped back, referring to her budding ambitions in the line of politics. It was an uphill battle considering the Sith and their image throughout the galaxy. For now, the Firrerreo held her tightly, savoring the quiet moments right here in the spaceport and sheltered from the chaos waiting for them outside. He leaned in and kissed her again before drawing back. Her last question drew out a fanged grin.

“I’d be a pretty shitty partner if I didn’t worry about my girl every now and then,” He flashed her a wink, having no shame in addressing the fact that they were dating. He didn’t explicitly speak to labels, but he would let her know they had something deeper than two people that simply saw each other whenever they could.

“Do you know where this dumbass was spotted last?” Edin asked with a sigh as he drew back from her. He already knew she would go through with this job and he wanted to get all the facts so he could assist any way he could. He brought a large amount of ammo in order to pick off infected but he hoped they could navigate around hordes to extract the rich boy.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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"I'm sure they do, but I wouldn't call myself a diplomat just yet," Amira answered, smile discreetly fading. So far, the Tiefling had only been sent on one diplomatic assignment—to Urce to negotiate with the planet's Magistrate. Hopefully, that was the first of many similar assignments to come, but only time would tell. There was still a lot of work she needed to do, growing that laid ahead of her. "Until then, I'm going to have to keep taking jobs like this. Unless you want to get rained on the next time you come over." She still hadn't fixed that leaky roof back on Dantooine, but it was at the top of her to-do list. Well, almost at the top. She grinned up at him, swaying from side to side in his arms. "I do love it when your hair is wet."
The Tiefling's arms moved upward, wrapping around his neck so she could hang from him, practically mooning over his answer. She didn't even bother hiding her reaction this time. "'Your girl,' huh? Is that what I am? I guess that means I get to call you 'my guy?'" she asked, unashamedly pushing the boundaries. She leaned forward onto her toes to plant a slow, drawn out kiss on his forehead. Breath warm, she whispered against his golden skin, her voice taking on a more serious tone, "I'm glad you're here."

Then, reluctantly, Amira pulled away from his embrace, untangling herself as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a tracer. She waved it in front of the Firrerreo, as if she was very proud with herself and hoping it would impress him. "Thankfully, 'daddy' places homing beacons on all of his ships. The prodigal son forgot about that when he took off with one of them. Looks like he landed a few miles north of here."

Once they'd located the ship, if he wasn't inside or zombified yet, they'd have to track him on their own. "I don't suppose you brought a speeder bike with you?" There was hope in her voice, but she realized the answer was probably no. If not, they would just make the trek on foot. Her legs probably needed the exercise anyway after that wild ride. She hadn't dared leave her seat. @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Edin smiled down at her, “Yes,” He said in response to her question, “You’ve been wanting to call me your guy since I used you to line up a shot on a bounty in that cantina,” He winked at her again playfully, giving her a tight squeeze before finally releasing her.

The Firrerreo began to walk back towards where he parked his ship, “Just so happens I did,” He called out without looking back. In truth, he mainly brought it because he needed to pack a lot of extra ammo but part of it was for Amira. The Firrerreo walked around towards the cargo hold of his transport, lowering the ramp to reveal a black racing speeder. It would easily outmaneuver any horde that chased them and the mileage was excellent. His ammo bag and rifles were already propped on custom holders on the sides.

Edin walked the bike down the ramp and gazed out towards the open gates that led out of the spaceport. There was no one around to tell him he couldn’t ride around on a bike in here so he didn’t care. The Firrerreo swung a leg over and sat down, revving up the engine that purred like a rancor.

“Hop on,” He said with a smile before he would take off and exit the bay.

The planet was a wasteland, the air dry and no real signs of civilization for miles. Edin doubted the son would have remained with his ship - he sounded like the type of idiot to go wandering about. However, Edin was good at tracking due to his line of work and he had no doubt he would be able to find the man eventually.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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Amira shouldn't have been surprised. Edin had thought of everything. This was his line of work, after all—his area of expertise. This job had to be bizarre, she imagined, even for the Basilisk, but he'd still come prepared. Her gaze roamed over the speeder bike's sleek, black frame, and the holders jam-packed with spare ammo on each side. "You've got enough ammo to shoot the entire Free World's Alliance. What's left of them anyway." She threw one leg over the speeder and slid on behind Edin, as if they'd been riding together for years. "One of these days, you're going to have to let me drive," she grinned, and he knew her well enough by now to know she was serious.
The first part of the journey passed in silence, the roar of the speeder's engine and the hot rush of an afternoon wind the only sounds to accompany their thoughts. Amira said nothing, content to sit there with her arms wrapped firmly around the Firrerreo's waist, her head resting against his back. Amber eyes blinked steadily as they watched the needle on the tracer point north, guiding them toward their objective. After weeks of separation, she was happy just to be with him, even if that meant they were about to face down hoards of zombies in pursuit of some spoiled, unstable young heir.

There was only one problem—the grating armor Edin wore. Sure, he looked absolutely striking in it, but at what cost? She wanted nothing more than to slip her hands beneath his shirt and feel the warmth that radiated from his skin, just like she had on Ankus, but she couldn't. But if it kept him safe, she wouldn't mutter a single complaint. She supposed it gave her something to look forward to. Another reason not to let herself be drug down into the depths of Utupau by bloodthirsty zombies desperate for fresh meat.

Instead, the Champion placated herself with the occasional kiss, which she would plant along his neck, remembering just how much he had enjoyed that before. They passed a cluster of undead, feasting upon the carcass of a plains quadruped. A fresh kill, by the looks of it. Amira shuddered, scooting even closer to Edin, and hoping that wasn't the fate that laid ahead of them.

"So... what have you been up to?" she finally broke the silence once they were a few minutes out. @Sreeya


 

Edin Frost

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Edin scoffed in response to her suggesting driving. Though he said nothing, he had no intention of letting her take the controls anytime soon. For one, he wouldn’t be able to see anything over her horns if he sat behind her, which already made him nervous. For two, she seemed the impulsive type and would probably topple them over and he wouldn’t even see it coming.

He was distracted from his thoughts as he felt her hold him from behind, her head gently pressing against his back. He despised that his armor kept him from truly feeling that warmth he missed so much, though the embrace itself made him content. Edin kept his gaze trained ahead, savoring the touch as he zig-zagged through the roads. Her lips against the back of his neck sent jolts through him, and he had to actively focus on driving as he felt that warmth course throughout his entire body. She would feel a familiar rumble throughout his entire body in response as one of his animalistic purrs from her kisses.

“Babe, you’re going to make me have to pull over at this rate,” He called out to her with a teasing grin she couldn’t see, his gaze focused ahead. Edin considered her question.

“I’ve been taking on oddjobs here and there,” He explained, “Most recently took on a few beskar mining gigs in Mandalorian space. Pays surprisingly well since no one’s ballsy enough to go in for fear of getting shot down after that whole fanclub debacle. And you?”

After a moment, they arrived at the designated area. Edin had to stop short of going all the way, spotting a horde aimlessly wandering about. He could make out the silhouette of a ship ahead, but the horde had it surrounded on all sides. Edin planted his foot on the ground on the side of the bike, watching the infected walking in lazy circles or staring at nothing. They hadn’t noticed his arrival yet and he intended to keep it that way.

“....Are you sure this idiot’s still alive?” Edin tilted his head over his shoulder to whisper to Amira.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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llamallove
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Fortunately for Edin, Amira didn't hear his scoff, drowned out by the engine and the wind whipping past her face. She took his silence to mean he was in agreement, and she could already picture herself behind the controls of his speeder, racing toward the horizon, silver hair blowing in the wind like she was on the cover of some magazine. "You say that like it's a bad thing," the Tiefling smiled mischievously, although she realized that they couldn't just pull over in the middle of the desert, exposed and unprotected on all sides. Speed was their advantage aboard the bike, and possibly the only thing keeping the zombies at bay.
Mandalorian space was dangerous, no matter who you were or who you were working for. Amira had not interacted with many Mandalorians over her lifetime, and only ever when accompanying her master, but she knew enough to understand that they were fiercely loyal to their clans and kept to themselves whenever possible. They didn't trust outsiders. If anyone was simultaneously brave and crazy enough to steal beskar right out from under their noses on their own home turf, it was Edin. But mining? That she couldn't picture.

"I bet you looked cute in those safety hats with the lights on top," she laughed against his neck, not sure if miners even wore those or if that was just something they threw into holodramas. She traced her lips along his earlobe. "But it's always a shame to cover up these pointy ears of yours."


Thinking back, she answered, "Ran into a few Jedi." Probably an oversimplification of events, but elaboration would have to wait. They'd arrived at their tracked location—a luxury space yacht. The nose of the ship had multiple dents in it and long, jagged scrapes on both sides, a deep track cut into the ground where it had landed. The prodigal son had crashed—unsurprising, considering the fact that he'd probably never had to fly a day in his life.

"He really went all out, didn't he? You would think he would've stolen one of daddy's smaller ships." Rich kids. They never could do anything in moderation. Amira grinned at Edin, sliding off the speeder and stuffing the tracer into the bag slung over her shoulder. "I'm not sure of anything. But since when has that stopped me? Wait here. I'll go check." Then she marched off without another word, as if that was the end of the matter and Edin would just sit there and wait for her. It never even occurred to her that he might have other ideas.

Sneaking up on the undead would be difficult since they were in the middle of a barren desert, but if she timed her approach correctly, she could use the piles of sand tossed to each side of the yacht in its descent to sneak inside without being noticed. The Tiefling crouched down, not bothering to reach for the hilt that hung from her belt as she had all the confidence in the world that the zombies would never even notice her. She crept along the edges of the sandpiles, poking her head over one to watch for an opening so that she could make a beeline for the boarding ramp.

No sooner had she peered over than a face appeared in front of her, popping up on the other side. It stared at her with blood shot eyes, its face a deathly pallor, as it hissed at her, revealing two rows of yellow, rotting teeth. Amira screamed and recoiled, but it was too late. The zombie seized her by the horns and drug her over.

All Edin would see was the Tiefling's flailing limbs as she disappeared behind the sandpile, kicking and screaming the whole way down.


Dice Roll: Sneak onto the ship 3/20 @Sreeya


 

Edin Frost

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“Amira no-” He began to protest, but she was already marching her way over to the ship. Edin rubbed the front of his helmet and exhaled to himself. Already in preparation, he reached down and began to put together one of his rifles, popping a silencer accessory on it to suppress any noise. The Firrerreo looked through the scope and kept his gaze on her, not yet moving from the bike. He operated best at a distance and he would remain there at least for now even if he completely disagreed with Amira’s plan of approach.

Within seconds, things went from bad to much worse. He could see an infected pop up and Amira’s subsequent scream did nothing to help matters. He cursed to himself, watching as the infected grabbed her by the horns - oh no, he knew that was a no no- and yanked her down. However, Edin looked through the scope and aimed, popping a single shot that went right between Amira’s horns, quite literally a hair’s breadth away, and through the forehead of the infected inches in front of her face. The thing gasped hoarsely and toppled over, freeing her at once.

“GET OUTTA THERE!” Edin called out to her, revving up the engines and moving closer towards the ship. There was a massive horde that was rapidly beginning to surround and chase her since she screamed. Edin kept the engine running as he began to headshot any of the ones that came a bit too close to Amira as she would escape. She would hear a consistent stream of the muffled fwoop of a bolt and a subsequent thud. It was a testament to his icy professionalism that he kept his emotions and worries about Amira in check to avoid his hands trembling. His head remained tilted as he looked through the scope, aimed, tracked, fired and moved on with deadly precision. It would be the window she needed to book it back to the bike and hop back on. They would clearly have to find another way…

Dice: 13/20 for shooting
@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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llamallove
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A red blaster bolt whizzed past the Tiefling, narrowly avoiding her silver hair—her horns the goal posts, and the infected the end zone—tearing into the zombie's skull. Its cold hands detached from her horns, and she slid the rest of the way down the sand pile, rolling to a stop at the bottom. Blood dripped from her forehead where the zombie's yellow, unkempt nails had clawed through skin, but had it not been for Edin's quick thinking, her wounds could have been much more life threatening. Instead of claw marks, bite marks. Mentally, she made a not to thank him for saving her life later.

Sand was everywhere—in her hair, in her clothes, and even in her mouth. She spluttered, spitting out the flavorless grit as she laid there on her stomach, eyes bouncing between the mass of zombies running toward her and the sound of Edin's voice, calling out to her as the engine sputtered to life again. There was no doubt in her mind that the undead had spotted her, her screams practically a siren's call. Wide, bulging eyes never strayed from her position, even as Edin began picking them off one by one from long range, their mouths already open and salivating for her taste.

The Firrerreo had created a window of opportunity for her to make a run for it, to escape to the safety of the speeder bike, but the Tiefling hadn't come all the way out here just to give up at the first sign of trouble. If she didn't check the ship, they would be back to square one—wondering if this spoiled rich boy had ever made it off the yacht or if he was already dead. She had seconds to make a decision, and make one she did. And Edin was not going to like it.

Amira sprung to her feet, but instead of making a beeline for the bike, she ran in the opposite direction—toward the yacht's open boarding ramp. "JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!" she called over her shoulder to him, never breaking stride, the planet's hot wind against her face, and loose grains of sand grating against skin beneath her clothing. Seconds later, she raced up the entry ramp, disappearing inside.

At the top of the ramp, she turned to fumble with the keypad, cursing under her breath. Hydraulic pistons hissed to life after sputtering and nearly giving her a heart attack, and the entry ramp steadily rose, closing just as the zombies reached it. She could hear them on the other side, moaning and slamming their fists into the door, while others began to tear it apart piece by piece. She'd have to find another exit.

The cargo hold was empty, large crates torn to pieces, and foodstuffs scattered across the floor. Amira stepped over a spilled crate of jogan fruit, the purple and white produce crushed and rotting. The undead had already wrecked the place, and she only hoped that none of them were still hanging around.


Dice Roll: 12/20 @Sreeya


 

Edin Frost

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“Babe, what the fuck?” Edin yelled at the top of his lungs. He was pissed. There was no other way of putting it. For all the ways he was stoic, cool and collected, he was absolutely furious with Amira at that moment. He had created the perfect window for her to get out and he covered for her by picking off infected. He had used ammo. And she insisted on doubling back. His blood boiled and he wanted to scream at her so she would get some logic through her thick skull.

The infected were beginning to swarm and he panicked internally. He couldn’t make a way through that horde without getting himself killed and that would help neither of them. Edin revved up the bike and circled around the ship, going towards the back. He knew Amira was still up front, but he had an idea to provide her an escape.

The Firrerreo took careful aim towards the engines and where he knew the fuel tank was. He pulled the trigger twice. The effects were immediate, a huge explosion erupting. Fire spilled out from the impact as a hole was blown into the back of the ship. The infected screeched from the flames, many of them melting and fusing in place. Edin knew the flames would be no problem for Amira, and it once again created an escape for her.

Edin glared in that direction, still furious as he hoped she would pick up on the hint and use the exit instead of continuing to waste time. All of this noise was likely drawing in hordes from other zones. He gazed towards that gaping hole where he waited for her to emerge, his heart pounding and his mind buzzing with countless thoughts. He would never do this normally - for anyone. He would be the first to bolt. He would preserve himself. And yet, he lingered there knowing even more danger was incoming. His refusal to leave and the reality that he was being stupid clashed harshly, but he knew nothing would make him budge till he saw those obnoxious horns again.

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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The star yacht lay in complete ruin. Overhead, fluorescent lights flickered and cracked, hanging down from the fixture's ballasts. Metal panels had been ripped from the walls, wires exposed down to the bare bones of the vessel. The lounge looked like the end result of a frat party gone wrong. Or right, depending on your viewpoint. Shards of glass littered the room, crunching beneath the Tiefling's boots. Stuffing had been torn from the couches that lined the walls, and bottles of alcohol had been overturned and thrown, the contents spilled coating the room in a sticky mess. Only one bottle remained upright—Correllian whiskey—and she plucked it from the shelf, a far off smile gracing her lips. Something to help keep she and Edin warm tonight.

With any luck, her employer had the foresight to take out insurance on this hunk of garbage. Not that it mattered to her, as she would be paid either way. All she had to do was find that delusional brat. Preferably alive and relatively in one piece so she could collect the bonus. Every corner she rounded, she expected a zombie to jump out and scare her half to death, and every time the floor creaked beneath her weight, she imagined she heard someone sneaking up behind her, but there was nothing. The yacht was empty, and she was alone. No undead, and no rich heir.

There was no blood, only some green goo splattered against the walls. His bags were nowhere in the living quarters either, which was a good sign. He must have made it off the ship alive. Now all she had to do was track him down with no leads and no idea where he might have wandered off to. The Champion ducked into the cockpit to check the comm systems, just in case any outgoing calls had been made that might give her an indication as to where he was headed next. There weren't any. Only frantic incoming transmissions from his parents, pleading their "bubbly-boo" to come home. After the second round of crying and blubbering, Amira had heard enough and switched the sound system off.

The Tiefling stood up. Now to find a way out of this dump. Before she could take another step forward, an explosion rocked the ship, metal groaning as it bent and snapped, flinging Amira into a wall. The bottle of whiskey slipped from her hands. Unable to catch it in time, she watched it fall to the floor, breaking into pieces on impact and spilling into the cracks and crevices of the ship. She frowned. What the kriff was Edin doing out there?

Then everything went dark, only the afternoon sunlight that drifted through the viewport throwing light on her surroundings until the red glow of the ship's emergency backup lights kicked on. Back on her feet, Amira wound through the ship's hallways, toward the part of the ship where the explosion had struck. She stood in the doorway of the cargo hold, staring out through a gaping hole where the entry ramp had been. Crates and zombies both had gone up in flames, and a few of the former still tried to crawl toward her, numb to the pain as their faces melted and their limbs began to fall apart.

Amira simply stepped over them, trying to cut a path through the viscera and the flames that wouldn't ruin her shoes. Moments later, the Tiefling would emerge from the blaze, dark hands wrapped around her silver hair to keep it from catching fire.

Dice Roll: 20/20 @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Renowned Assassin

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Sreeya
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Edin was relieved when he finally saw Amira emerge from the ship, though she would see the scowl on his face from a mile away. She barely hopped on the bike when he sped off, whizzing away from the scene at once as a horde began to give chase. He purposely took side paths or ducked through any remnants of forests to throw off the trail. He said nothing as he drove, putting as much distance between them and the ship as possible.

When it was finally clear they weren’t being followed, Edin slowed down and came to a stop not too far from a massive sinkhole. The entire planet was infamous for these and they were utilized to corral infected hordes and trap them. This one had hundreds of thousands in it, most of them starved out and immobile. There were a few that still feebly clawed and moved but none of them had ways out of the hole.

The Firrerreo sighed as he stepped off the bike, knowing they had to figure out a game plan if they wanted to complete this job. First, however, he turned to glare at Amira, “What the hell was that?” He said, a surprising amount of snappiness to his tone that she never would have heard before, “Why did you go back inside when I covered for you? You could’ve been killed. You were completely surrounded,” His eyes were narrowed to slits, “That was really fucking stupid, Amira.”

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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Sith Order
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Champion

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llamallove
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The Tiefling had scarcely slid onto the back of the speeder bike before Edin took off like a bat out of Chaos, and she was forced to wrap her arms around his waist to keep herself from being tossed off the back of the bike and eating dust for a second time.

"Slow down!" she called out to him, fighting against the wind, but there was no response.
The Firrerreo stared ahead with a pinched expression, his blue eyes cold and distant, as if he wasn't even there. It was the same glint he'd gotten in his eyes back in that cantina on Takodana, and in her bathroom on Dantooine, but noticeably fiercer. She wondered if he had seen something that had upset him—some incoming danger that had escaped her notice.

They wound and wove their way across the desert, around sand dunes and through dwindling forests, until they eventually came to a stop beside a massive sinkhole in the earth. Amira had heard of these, knew that the planet was littered with them, but this was the first one she had ever seen. The native Utupauns, before the AMS pandemic, had erected entire cities within the bowls of the planet's largest swallows. Now these subterranean cities were nothing more than hubs for the undead that roamed the planet, and unfortunately for she and Edin, were also their target's most likely destination.

Amira slid off the bike, raising a dark hand to brush a loose strand of hair away from her face. She turned to face Edin, but he rounded on her, madder than a boiled owl. She was dumfounded at first, and it would show on her face, but it wouldn't last long, and she soon recovered. She bristled, drawing herself up to her full height. It was not in the Tiefling's nature to turn the other cheek. Amira had a short fuse, and Edin hadn't just lit the fuse. He'd set the whole stick of dynamite on fire.

"Why do you think I went back in there, laser brain? Don't you ever stop to open up those pointy ears of yours long enough to listen?" She scrossed her arms, glaring at him through a tight expression. "I was doing my job! What I was hired to do. If you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a desert, and that ship was our first and only lead. What were you doing?" she bit back, referring to the explosion. "Trying to get me killed?"


The Tiefling stepped forward, invading Edin's personal space and jabbing a dark finger into the armor that covered his chest. "And where do you get off talking to me like that?" @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Edin was normally a calm and stoic individual, but Amira somehow managed to get under his skin in more ways than one. His eyes narrowed as she rounded on him and by the time she poked his chest, there was a low, primal growl that reverberated throughout him. She wouldn’t have heard it before now, but she would know he wasn’t taking this lightly. For a moment he said nothing, his steely gaze, the one she would recall from the bar when he shot the target, meeting her fiery goldens.

“The only one trying to get you killed was you, Amira,” He said, his tone icy and low, “The ship was surrounded by hordes of infected. I cleared a path for you with fire because, in case you forgot, you’re immune to it and the infected are not,” Was she really that dense to not see his line of thinking? He knew she was on the other side of the ship and perfectly safe.

“I’m not going to apologize for not being on my best behavior when my girlfriend’s about to get torn to shreds by a horde of infected,” He snapped at her, his tone still very agitated, “You didn’t listen when I tried to get you out. If we’re going to do this, we do this as a team, which means you don’t do stupid shit that jeopardizes us both. No job is worth losing our lives for so don’t even try that with me. Got it?”

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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Sith Order
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Champion

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llamallove
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Under different circumstances, Amira might have found the low, primal growl that traveled up the Firrerreo's golden throat and hung there, suspended, enticing. It might have even evoked a tingling sensation to spread over her skin, a dangerous combination of excitement and a healthy dose of anticipation, but not right now. Right now all she could see was red. Bright, blinding, overpowering red. Stronger than his piercing blue eyes and stronger than the way he said "my girlfriend."

Got it? Who did he think he was, talking down to her as if she was nothing more than a stupid schoolgirl, just as Master Roth always had? The Champion had put up with more than enough lectures for one lifetime. First from her mother, and then from her master, and she wasn't going to put up with them from Edin, too. She'd sucked it up and taken each criticism to heart before like a good little girl, allowed it to shape her worldview and self-worth, worked hard to please her master. Not again. Not when she knew she had done nothing wrong.

"I know how Tieflings work, Edin," she spat, nostrils flared. "Contrary to your opinion of me, I'm not stupid. I think I'd know how my body works a lot better than you." Not necessarily true, depending on the context. Her tail whipped back and forth in an erratic motion, as if it took every bit of self-control she possessed to not rake it against the sharpshooter's bike and scratch the finish. "If we're going to be partners, you're going to have to let go of your pride long enough to trust me. Teammates trust each other. Just because you're the Basilisk doesn't mean you get to call all the shots and boss me around."

Muscles strained against her dark skin as she continued, her hands balled into fists at her side. "You understand that? I didn't jeopardize your life. You could have ridden off any time you wanted. You jeopardized my life by blowing a kriffin' hole through that ship! How could you have possibly known which side of the ship I was in? I might be immune to fire, but I'm pretty sure I blow up the same as you."

Both hands settled on her hips, the Tiefling leaning forward onto the balls of her feet to stare directly at him, amber eyes ablaze. "What? You don't think I can take care of myself?" @Sreeya

 

Edin Frost

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Edin was silent through her tirade. To her surprise, he didn’t growl again or react immediately. His gaze pierced into hers as he looked at her, unconcerned by the show of her tail swinging or her fists balled up. His jaw tightened as he chose his words, that same dangerous look in his eye as she dropped his assassin name. It was at that moment that he regretted ever telling her that detail about himself, for her to be able to shout it out or throw around the term so carelessly. It didn’t matter that they were on this planet, the fact that she spat it out meant she was capable of jeopardizing his entire identity and life without regard. Those self preserving sides of him began to sound the alarms and for the briefest moment his mind went to dark places, went into the headspace of the Basilisk himself - the side that knew only to eliminate. He quickly pulled himself back from that and he said nothing about it. But it was something he wouldn’t forget. And it was something he wasn’t sure he could forgive.

“Is that what you would have done?” He asked quietly after a moment, genuine disappointment in his tone, “If in your mind you fully believed I was endangering myself and you saw me moments prior get physically dragged away by an infected? You would have sat there and done nothing or driven away?” Edin began to walk back towards the bike, “There was no physical way for you to make it to the back of the ship before I did on the bike. Sith doesn’t mean you suddenly teleport and that explosion was purely external. But I’m done explaining myself, Amira, I really don’t care to pacify or feed your stubbornness just because you can’t comprehend why my first thought was to do everything I could to get you out.”

The Firrerreo swung a leg over his bike and motioned for her to get on, “I’ll take you back to the spaceport and leave you with a bike. You wanted to do this job yourself. I won’t get in your way.”

@llamallove
 

Amira Din

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Sith Order
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Champion

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llamallove
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Silence stretched on. Edin's eyes were cold. Calculating. Distant. Unfamiliar. They stared at her as if she were a stranger, as if he were a stranger. Someone she didn't know. Not even the man she had sat down next to in a cantina on a whim.

"No," she answered in a firm voice, her gaze determined, shaking her head. "You know I wouldn't have just left you, and I wouldn't have sat around twiddling my thumbs either. I would fight to the gates of Chaos and back to save you." Amira thought he realized that, after everything they had shared, after everything they had said to one another on Dantooine. Holding each other in their arms beside the still, warm water beneath the stars. Tucked away from the rest of the world, where they could truly be themselves. Surely those weren't just words?

They weren't to Amira. Edin had saved her earlier, and from a terrible, agonizing death. The Tiefling was grateful, and his steady, protecting hand meant more to her than she would ever be able to put into words. She wanted him to come to her rescue, not just today but every day that followed. It was his arms she wanted to fall into for safety, his hands she wanted to comfort her and brush away her tears. But not at the expense of her dignity—to be yelled at moments later with little to no warning, just because he didn't like a choice she'd made in the heat of the moment. A choice she still stood by.

As soon as the sharpshooter's leg swung over his speeder bike, Amira's heart sunk. Her stomach was suddenly nauseous. That was it? He was leaving? Leaving her alone? Just like that? The Tiefling's tail began to droop, and she never even realized it, settling in the dirt, limp and still. And what would the ride back be like? Would it be filled with more silence, followed by an awkward and shattering goodbye at the spaceport? Would she even ever see him again after that?

To hide her face, the Champion turned away from Edin, diverting her gaze to anything but him, just long enough to process the situation and get a grip on her emotions. Maybe that wasn't a good idea, retreating into her head and allowing herself to get caught up in the moment, because she could feel herself starting to spiral, and slender fingers ran through her hair, trying to ground herself.

This was how it had always been with Roth. She would make a mistake. Speak out of turn. They would argue, he would lecture her, and then she would be punished. Sometimes, they would part ways. Hours would stretch into days and days into weeks, without a single word passing between them. Sometimes she wouldn't even see him, when he'd lock himself away in his office or leave on extended trips without her. The Tiefling would spend every passing day alone, wandering the halls and rolling lawns of his estate on Muunilinst, or worse—exploring the dark passageways of his labyrinth beneath Dorinth, forbidden to journey to the surface until she had been forgiven. Then, when the proper amount of punishment had been dolled out and enough time had passed, she would be forgiven. They would make up, and life would be wonderful. Until the next mistake, the next word spoken in haste. Then the vicious cycle would repeat.

Amira couldn't go through that again. The long nights spent tossing and turning in her bed, crying, wondering if their relationship would ever be the same again. The days spent going through the motions, agonizing over the possibility that she would never see him again, that he was satisfying himself with another woman halfway across the galaxy. Not with Edin. Especially with Edin.

Dark hands fell away from her head, and she turned to face the Firrerreo again at last, but she didn't say anything at first. Instead, she closed the distance between them and reached across the bike. If he didn't stop her, she would switch the speeder off and take a single step back, tucking loose strands of silver behind each ear, like a timid schoolgirl. "No," she said, voice breaking. "We're going to stay here and talk this out. After that..." There she paused, diverting her gaze from him as her shoulders began to sag imperceptibly, the thought alone enough to crush her from the inside out. "After that, if you still want to leave, I won't stop you."


That was the last thing she wanted to say, but she meant every word. Amira wouldn't stop him, and she wouldn't cling to him and beg him to stay with her, as much as she desperately wanted to. She wanted to tell him that, more than anything, she wanted him—needed him to stay by her side, but she couldn't. Not without looking pathetic. Not without looking like the small, inadequate woman that, deep down, she knew she was. She'd pleaded with Master Roth before, and she wasn't going to do it again. For her own sake, and for Edin's. @Sreeya

 
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