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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 19, 2010 1:08:36 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on Apr 19, 2010 1:08:36 GMT -5
A breeze blew through the streets of Tondatha, a small suburb of Calna Muun, the capital city of the agriworld Agamar. The wind blew past a small three-story inn. Small, this is, by Coruscant or Nar Shaddaa standards. For Agamar, three stories was quite large. Zarene Yin sat on a small balcony on the third story, overlooking the street below, her left hand gripping the shawl that rested on her shoulders, preventing it from fluttering about in the wind. Her other hand, the cybernetic one, rested on her leg, underneath the cloth and out of sight. On her head was a large, wide-brimmed hat, with a veil that hung over her face, made of a well-woven cloth that allowed her to see out, but for the most part kept others from seeing it.
The street below bustled with activity, with people hurrying about and various street vendors hawking their wares. But Zarene paid them little attention. Her focus was directed elsewhere, at a large structure barely visible in the distance, built on top of a small hill. A Republic military outpost, just a token defense force to watch over a remote backwater planet that just happened to be near the border of Republic and Sith space. As far as strategic importance went, Agamar was not near the top. Not even close. But inside that base, in the computer mainframe, was something very important: information on Republic troop positions in almost a dozen nearby sectors, and if they were lucky, battle plans on how those troops were going to be used.
"Captain Byar, are you in position?" she spoke softly into her mouthpiece.
"Yes, Lady. We had a patrol pass by, but our presence was not detected."
"Good. Remain hidden and await further orders." She switched the comlink off. Byar was a good soldier, not the brightest bulb, but dependable. He led a group of about a dozen Sith troopers, one of about a half dozen groups that had arrived on the planet a few weeks prior, conducting sporadic raids in the countryside.
Zarene smiled. Before the Sith, she had been an assassin working for the Exchange. She had worked alone mostly, though occasionally she had to direct several other individuals in a joint operation. At Bakura she had commanded roughly a dozen soldiers. That he been her biggest command. Until now. The position of Darth Renata's apprentice had its perks. Perks, and additional responsibilities. Her past few weeks in the Temple had been spent poring over military histories, watching simulation after simulation of ancient battles. It was time to turn theory into something real.
The aristocrats of the Empire had not reacted well to the Sith takeover at first, but having come to realize the reality of their situation, were now much more eager to please. They had provided the troops for this little operation, and something else as well. One of their intelligence operatives, a most experienced agent, was scheduled to meet them in the common room of the inn today. His skills and expertise would prove most helpful. Slowly, Zarene stood up and headed back inside to go downstairs.
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
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Apr 19, 2010 4:51:24 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on Apr 19, 2010 4:51:24 GMT -5
Agamar.
So this is it, this is what my career has come to. Without any reason I could have discerned you people shelve me for a year, leave me to rot behind a desk with nothing to occupy myself with but large stacks of meaningless case files.
And now, now you activate me, give me a job.
On Agamar? Working for someone not even in my own organization? Someone's gonna pay for this bull when I get back, I'll see to that. And I'll also have to see to the idiot that picked my callsign. 'Pawn'...I'll show you a pawn, jackass...
"I can already tell I'm not gonna like this hole."
One of the handful of people passing by the man standing just outside the entrance to the main starport stared at him. They must have been a local. The Kiffar glowered back at him and rolled his neck a few times, only partially to work out the kinks left from the long trip here. Checking his watch, he muttered something under his breath and started walking. He still had some time to spare, but he was a firm believer of being early. Then again, an hour early was a little much, even for him. Instead, he decided to find something to eat. Hopefully they made edible food on Agamar.
For all intents an purposes, he didn't appear to be anyone of note. It as his entire job to be invisible, and the ability to hide in plain sight was particularly underrated in his mind. He had covered his tattoos with subtle synthflesh, more often used to cover scars, had let a few days worth of stubble build up, let his hair hang loose around his face, and was wearing, quite simply, normal clothes. With a measure of practiced ability, he even camouflaged the way he moved; he had learned some time ago how to hide the subtle movements one made that could tell a trained eye of the raw lethality hidden beneath the surface. He simply appeared as a well-tanned commoner from offworld. Nothing special, nothing memorable. The kind of guy whose face you forget after you walk past him.
All he carried was a large duffel bag slung across his back and a cheap blaster on his hip, partially concealed by his hide jacket, his own masterpieces stashed in his bag, along with various other useful, though mostly unidentifiable, objects useful to his craft. And the bag never left his sight. Even while waiting for his food, and later while actually eating it, his boot rested firmly on top of it.
He was slightly dreading the arrival of said food, however. Starving as he may have been, he had seen a Mugruebe before, and wasn't greatly anticipating something made out of one. Still, food was food, and someone put it in front of him, he was going to eat it. He'd spent enough time on military rations to know that everything else was an experience to be treasured. In the end, it wasn't even as bad as he'd expected. Truth be told, it was something he'd even willingly eat a second time.
Ironic that this will probably be the highlight of my stay.
Before making his way to the inn he was to meet the people he would be working for, he did not page through a datapad containing all the necessary information, or at least all he had been given, as another in his shoes might have. No, he had already erased everything off of that datadrive after studying it endlessly for four hours. He knew everything it had contained in perfect detail. It wasn't a matter of pride on his side to be able to memorize large pieces of information in a relatively short period, it was just what he did, period. He could tell you names, places, dates, times, codes, faces even. It's just that he usually didn't want to. Dealing with other people had never been his specialty; he been a bulldog even way back in the CSF. He preferred to be left alone to do his job, and damn anyone that got in the way. If someone needed sweet-talking, he was fully capable of it, but he sure as hell wasn't about to if there was another way. And he didn't much like working in groups; he had always operated at his best when he was just set loose and given support when he asked for it.
Hell, he would have pulled off some impressive things on Dantooine if the military hadn't invaded ahead of schedule. Given a few more weeks, the would have handed them the planet on a silver platter, no battle necessary; and he'd done that on his own. Yet, people still didn't listen to him. That was just the way it was, and there wasn't a damn thing he could to about it. As much as he hated this life, he had to bite his tongue and take it.
At least for now...
-----
The common room was...well...common. Simple, comfortable enough...and quiet, oddly enough. Not that he was complaining, mind you; peace and quiet were two things he actually enjoyed. Leaning back in one of the chairs, the Kiffar stretched himself out, making himself as comfortable as possible; which still wasn't too much, really. He'd walked away from too many explosions, firefights, brawls, and falls to really pull off comfortable anymore. Still, it wasn't bad. He propped a boot up on his bag, smirking faintly. If it was like this now...rules said it was going to be one hell of an op, and not in a good way.
So enjoy it while you can.
Almost as soon as he had closed his eyes, a handful of young Zeltron poured into the room, already apparently having way too good a time. Giggling. He hated giggling. Fortunately, for their sakes, they were keeping it to a sane level, but they were still getting on his nerves more and more by the minute. He had no idea why they would even be on Agamar, and he really couldn't have cared less. He managed to hear one of them ask if 'that guy' was alive, followed by snickers and more giggles. A few minutes later, he heard hushed voices, plotting and planning like immature teenagers barely able to contain their mirth at what they were doing. Eventually, he felt something poke his boot. A few seconds later, it prodded his shoulder, accompanied by barely-contained snickering.
The corner of his eye twitched slightly.
Nazante Vos hated his life.
And Zeltron.
And teenagers.
And self-restraint.
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 22, 2010 4:31:57 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 22, 2010 4:31:57 GMT -5
More than usual, it had become important for Alindra to downplay who and what she was in order to survive. Though she would be operating largely in isolation, there were others depending on her efforts. Should they succeed, everyone's prestige would climb a little higher, giving other Sith less reason to find them weak. Should they fail, whoever caused the failure would be as good as dead.
Alindra left everything black behind. On Agamar, she'd decided to go for a deep blue, the color of a vivid ocean on a sunny day. She wanted to be noticeable, memorable. It was her job to distract the Republic officials, or at least lure them into lowering their defenses. It all had to be quiet and when they left, it all had to look normal. Nothing could be left to pure chance. Fixing her makeup had been an important order as well. She'd studied to women when she first arrived, trying to figure out who seemed the most attractive and why. It wasn't just physical lures that worked; Alindra would have to appeal to local preferences if she was going to have a chance.
She caught her reflection before leaving the room she'd rented. There was no sign of all the things she'd been through. Her sleeves covered the scar on her left shoulder, the only major sign of her life as a slave. Alindra wasn't dress in any elaborate costume or uniform dress, cutting down the chances she might be a dancer. She did not look like a wild animal, but that was more due to a large force of will on her part.
Just another, ordinary woman. It's what Alindra expected most people to think when they looked at her.
Picking up her things, Alindra went out the door, looking to find where she needed to go and exactly what she needed to do. After all, time was short and they had to make it look like everything was fine.
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 27, 2010 4:37:05 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on Apr 27, 2010 4:37:05 GMT -5
Stepping from the outside balcony back into the room, Zarene paused to adjust her hat, making sure that veil covered her face completely as she stepped into the hallway. She passed a few others as she made her way towards the stairs. Not many though. Tondatha was one of Agamar's largest towns, but by galactic standards it was still very sparsely populated. She got a few looks as they passed, but they were quick, and by people who seemed more interested in the cut of her clothing than anything about her. Her dress cream-colored, with a few streaks of lilac, in a modest cut that showed no skin. It was something that would not have looked out of place being worn by a well-off merchant, one who liked her privacy by keeping her face hidden. Inconspicuousness. That was the key. They could not give the Republic any reason to suspect that there were Sith on the planet.
"Vordrinn, go downstairs and meet our contact," she spoke into her mouthpiece, her voice low so as not to attract any attention.
From the top of the stairwell, she could see the majority of the common room, and the various patrons currently occupying it. She had some basic information on the contact, but it was enough to identify him. There weren't exactly that many choices to pick from. Kiffar. That narrowed it down. A brief physical description, there was only one who matched. His stance, the way he sat, seemed to be relaxed, or to be more accurate, like someone attempting to look relaxed. But there was a deadly edge to it, like a panther about to pounce. Ah. That must be the one, she thought. "Voldrinn, corner table. Yellow facial tattoo. Grumpy one, can't miss him. Should answer to Kormann. Bring him up to Room 315. Meet you there." With that, she turned around and headed back up the hallway towards her room.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Apr 27, 2010 12:19:30 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Apr 27, 2010 12:19:30 GMT -5
(Gonna just put Gabby in Zarene's room, hope ya don't mind)
Why exactly was she here? Gabriella either didn't remember or didn't care, it was all the same really. She sat relatively quietly on the couch, boredom clear on her face. Patience wasn't one of her strongest qualities. The Echani didn't hold many strong 'virtues' as society would say. There was one thing she could do rather well though, and that was kill. Ahhh that must be what she was doing here. In fact it was the only reason she would have left Korriban. Though she had to admit, this planet was a step up from that ridiculous desert.
Just as her mind was about to go into a rant about how much she hated that place, a familiar figure passed by. Zarene. The younger girl had become the closest thing to a friend that Gabriella had ever had. They had met when they were first assigned by Renata to go to Bakura and gather recruits. At first the Echani had been hostile to her like she was towards everyone else, but eventually she 'warmed' up to the girl. Their friendship could best be described as dysfunctional, constantly arguing and tossing insults, yet still dependent on each other.
Yes, it was Zarene who had invited her to partake in this little outing. If it was anyone else, she would have either a.ignored them or b.tried to kill them. Suffice to say, Zarene had achieved a rather special/safe in Gabriella's mind. Thus Gabriella hoped they could manage to have some fun on this mission. She merely yawned as her friend walked by and headed out the door. Hopefully they would be killing someone soon, otherwise she would start to get fidgety. You don't want Gabriella getting fidgety.
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 28, 2010 2:38:20 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 28, 2010 2:38:20 GMT -5
Zarene Yin's voice poured into Alindra's ear. "Of course," Alindra whispered with no intention of saying another word, unless necessary.
She took her time, gliding down the stairs with every movement. Her soft steps were careful, making sure that they didn't damage anything or anyone. When she made it to the bottom, Alindra went to the directed corner, looking to make contact. Walking forward, Alindra smiled, stopping at the edge of the table. "Hello. Would you be Kormann?"
It was direct, much more than Alindra would usually go for. But this was different. She had to play with a team and do a few things that she might have felt were counter-productive. Not waiting for an offer, Alindra sat and nodded her head. "I'm Alindra. I believe you're expecting me."
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
802 posts
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last online Jan 19, 2012 4:30:24 GMT -5
Guardian
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Apr 28, 2010 20:03:13 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on Apr 28, 2010 20:03:13 GMT -5
Self-control was an amazing thing, really. Without it...
There would be a lot of dead bodies in the common room about now. Or at least a few...well, he could dream, right?
Or was that not allowed anymore, either?
Fortunately, for the inhabitants of the common room, Vos had learned how to sleep through a great deal of things as a cop, while still managing to be able to snap-to guns blazing in a heartbeat if necessary. The downside was that 'deep sleep' was something he hadn't seen in about a decade. There's always a downside, isn't there? Every time, I swear I-
"Hello. Would you be Kormann?"
Head pressed into his hands, his elbows propped on the table, one of the Kiffar's eyes opened slowly and looked between his ring and pinky finger. The eye looked around for a few seconds, refocusing, and eventually settled on the woman that had approached his table. His only response was a slow intake of breath followed by a tired sigh as he leaned back into his chair. Twisting his torso until his spine popped, audibly, he slid his bag to the side of his chair with his boot as the woman introduced herself, only electing to nod in silent acknowledgment.
Ten seconds ago, he'd been pretty relaxed, or at least as relaxed as possible for him. Now, his mind was in overdrive, even though his mannerisms hadn't changed any. Outwardly, there was no reaction. Emotionally, there was no reaction. But his brains was still spinning donuts at all the possibilities. She had said his name. She knew his name.
"Right. You got somewhere more private, I assume, or you got somethin' you wanna talk about first?"
She knew his name. Well, not his real real name, just his real name. That was bad. Potentially very bad. Within twenty seconds of her uttering the word that had set his mind off, he'd settled on two possibilities as the primary reasons, and a whole assortment as lesser conclusions. Option one, someone had really screwed up and given information to people they weren't supposed to, and that was a bad enough prospect in and of itself.
Option two? Early retirement. He didn't think this person would have been so blunt in her approach if that were the case, but...well, he'd survived thus far highly in part to his inability to take anything at face value. It was entirely likely she wasn't even aware of what knowing his name meant for him. It was entirely possible the people she was here with didn't even know. But he wasn't about to discount anything just yet. Hence why his right hand continued to rest gently on his upper thigh as he waited.
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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Apr 29, 2010 3:05:08 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on Apr 29, 2010 3:05:08 GMT -5
"I'd say we could have drinks, but I think you might take my share." Alindra put on a playful smile. She leaned in, trying to prove that she wasn't the enemy, nor was she totally vapid.
Alindra thought herself a confident young woman, capable, even if she did usually fall short of typical Sith expectations. She had other ways of making up for her shortcomings. Few among the Order looked like she did, most deciding to look as fearsome as they actually were. Alindra's mentality was that she would lure in her prey, then strike when they were convinced she wasn't capable at all.
"I think we're on similar wavelengths. We don't like the same people, and we don't like anyone else either. But we know a good thing when it sits in a chair on the opposite side of the table. So, why don't we go up for a bit?"
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
802 posts
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last online Jan 19, 2012 4:30:24 GMT -5
Guardian
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May 1, 2010 21:02:06 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on May 1, 2010 21:02:06 GMT -5
"I only drink after the job's done." Vos said in a flat tone as he brought his hand up to rub his jaw slowly. He could see what she was attempting well enough, trying to get him to relax a little, he just honestly didn't care. There was only one woman he'd ever met that could persuade him of anything against what he already believed, and she was the entire reason he was here. "And don't bother trying to improve my disposition, miss, I just don't like people, and neither do I trust 'em. Any of 'em. For any reason. It's got nothin' to do with you, that's just the way it is. But I'm a good judge of people-"
Lifting his boot off his bag, the Kiffar hooked his wrist under the straps as he pushed away from the table, slinging it over his shoulder as he stood. Catching her eyes, he narrowed his own slightly as they flickered back and forth ever so slightly. No, she was more dangerous than she let on, but she wasn't here to kill him, at least not yet. Whatever it was she knew about him, she probably had no idea she wasn't supposed to know it.
"And I see someone I can work with without anybody getting hurt too seriously. At least, nobody that's on my side. As for the rest...just depends on who's in the way."
Nodding slightly to himself as he waited for Alindra, he folded his arms across his chest. This was supposed to be a shadow op, no one was even supposed to know anything had happened after they'd left, but Vos was a pessimist to the core. Expect the worst in everything, you'll never be disappointed, and you may even be pleasantly surprised. Unlikely, but possible.
"So let's go up, as you said."
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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May 2, 2010 23:51:37 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on May 2, 2010 23:51:37 GMT -5
Alindra met Kormann's response with a slight nod and a smirk. She ran her fingers back through her hair, pulling it away from her face. "As you wish, sir. After all, we're on the same side."
Standing a short distance away, she started to think her way to room 315. As she did that, she tapped lightly on the transmitter behind her ear, making it look like she was fixing her hair again. Truthfully, Alindra was doing just that. In the presence of others, she had a magnified sense of vanity, wanting to look appealing whenever possible. It just hid her animal natures.
Since Yin knew they were on their way, Alindra was confident in gesturing ahead of her. "This way," she said to Kormann. "It isn't far."
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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May 3, 2010 11:50:27 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on May 3, 2010 11:50:27 GMT -5
Zarene stepped back inside the room, removed her hat, tossing it to the hat stand placed in the corner of the room. With a flick of her hand, the curtains on the windows closed, shrouding the room in shadows.
She nodded at the silver-haired woman who was sitting on her way to the kitchenette, pouring herself a glass of blue milk when she got there. "Want some?" She doubted that Gabriella would. That woman seemed to drink either alcohol or nothing at all. Zarene never did. The rate of intoxication was proportional to amount of flesh one had in one's body, and Zarene had... less than most.
Downing the glass in a few gulps, she tossed it into the sink. She'd wash it later. Or maybe she'd just leave it there, as they would be leaving for the mission tonight, and she doubted that she would be back afterwards.
She could hear footsteps coming from the halls, probably Vordrinn returning with Kormann. Kormann, what a curious alias, she thought. The man supposedly came highly recommended. She hoped that he was worth it.
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
802 posts
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last online Jan 19, 2012 4:30:24 GMT -5
Guardian
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May 3, 2010 20:48:27 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on May 3, 2010 20:48:27 GMT -5
Vos gave his escort a dour glance. Sir? "I ain't got a rank, an' I'm neither that old or that important..."
Moving past Alindra in the direction she motioned, he hooked a thumb under the strap pressing into his chest and let the other hand hang freely by his side, ever ready to kill in at least three ways at all times. He stayed roughly two paces ahead and to the left of Alindra as she guided him to...well, wherever it was they were going. Soon enough, they arrived at their apparent destination, room 315, and the Kiffar had already counted a dozen things wrong with its location. As he was let in, he counted another dozen. Bearing a decidedly grim look, he walked to the far side of the room, noting a great deal about the other occupants in just a few steps, and slung the bag off his pack, dropping it unceremoniously and pulling his jacket off, dropping it on the pack. His shirt was loose enough to hide most of his physique, but only on his torso; the rip-cord steel of his forearms and the visible half of his upper arms stood out plainly enough. Even more so as he was balling his left fist, pulling the muscle taught.
Keeping his gaze out one of the windows, he rolled over a few dozen things in his head. These people weren't pushovers, but neither were they the kind of people SID would send for his head. Still, even if he walked away from this mission none the worse for wear, he was still pretty well screwed in the end. It was too early, and that pissed him off in on so many levels it was a wonder his head didn't simply explode then and there. And yet, past a slight facial twitch, nothing past his usual irritated disposition showed. Everything else was crammed back down forcibly for later.
"You should be on the second floor. Closer to the main entrance. Other side of the building. Furniture is badly arranged in here, too easy for breaching. Should have set up traps in the hall, the door, and the windows. Especially the balcony, though. Mmm...I don't suppose you have any surveillance in the building, do you?"
Shaking his head, he folded his arms across his chest and muttered something under his breath about Opsec, Taccom, and a slew of other mostly indecipherable terms, a few of which probably didn't even exist anymore.
"Nevermind. I'll deal with what I can if I have time. I've already got a migraine, so let's get this over with. First things first, which one of you is in charge? Second thing, and I'll be blunt about this-"
Letting his hands fall away from his chest and hang loosely by his sides again, he continued staring out the window.
"-who gave you the name Kormann?"
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
145 likes
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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May 3, 2010 22:26:24 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on May 3, 2010 22:26:24 GMT -5
Her left eyebrow arched upwards slightly as he began speaking, and crossing her arms under her breasts as she waited for him to finish.
"Too much traffic on second floor, and too easy for those in other buildings or on the streets to look inside," she began in her typical deadpan tone. "Moving around the furniture is noisey and we'd have to move it back before we left anyways. Surveillance and traps take time to place, and leave marks behind. And the balcony? Every room has one. Done yet?"
She walked across the room, picking a datapad on one of the coffee tables, flicking a switch on the side. Images flashed across the screen.
"As for your name, all I did was ask Sith brass for an Intelligence Division operative to assist me. Instead they send some security investigator." She held up the datapad as she read the name. "Captain Yusanis Kormann. And if you're the best they had to send then I'd hate to see the worst." She paused and their eyes met for a brief moment. The Sith military officials had been quite eager to please, and she knew they had better people than what this fellow's official service record suggested. The looks they had given each before pulling up his file had been confirmation of that. Besides, Yusanis was a notable though not very popular Echani name, and this man was Kiffar. "But that's not who you really are, is it? If Yusanis is your real name then mine must be Malak."
She switched the datapad off and tossed it onto the touch. "Now if you're done staring at the curtains, we've a mission to discuss."
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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May 6, 2010 2:45:11 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on May 6, 2010 2:45:11 GMT -5
Kormann's assessment of security in the room amused Alindra. She was confident in her abilities, especially as she continued to train and let them grow. As Yin and Kormann exchanged their initial thoughts, Alindra found a spot on the wall and stood close to it.
From her peripheral vision, she kept an eye on the door, as well as fixing a portion of her awareness through the Force. She kept still, tilting her head as she watched the exchange. Even though she hadn't had many dealings with Yin, Alindra felt the woman possessed a humor, a good sensibility about things.
Alindra stayed quiet, at least for the time being. She wanted to learn more about the players at hand and figure out how they would accomplish the mission they'd been sent to do.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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May 10, 2010 12:07:14 GMT -5
Post by Jace on May 10, 2010 12:07:14 GMT -5
It was only a short time later that Zarene returned to the room. Long enough though for Gabriella to decide that she would rather take a nap than be alert. Thus the re-entrance was a unwelcome disturbance to what would have surely been a glorious rest. Before Gabriella could say anything, Zarene offered her a glass of whatever the hell she was drinking. The Echani knew one thing for sure, it wasn't alcohol, and thus she didn't care for it.
"Wake me again, and there will be one less person for this mission"
She didn't have to wait long for another pair of people to enter the room. The Echani studied the kiffar, and then dismissed his presence moments later. Then he began his lecture on security and the Force only knows what else. When people started talking like this, she either a. killed them or b.Zoned out....she elected to do the latter. Apparently he was needed for this mission, the reason for why completely escaped the Echani.
Zarene then started with her own useless banter, she was full of such stuff. Gabriella could only yawn while these fools argued about nothing as far as she was concerned. Though she could tell her companion was being a little more blunt than usual, an observation which elicited a small grin from Gabriella. Stretching out once more, she hoped they would get down to business soon. She was about ready to torture one of these three(or maybe all of them) if they didn't.
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
802 posts
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last online Jan 19, 2012 4:30:24 GMT -5
Guardian
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May 17, 2010 14:24:03 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on May 17, 2010 14:24:03 GMT -5
A thin smile crept to the Kiffar's lips, but he still didn't move from the window. "'Done'? You've got no idea...miss, I could argue you to a standstill until one of us dies of old age in matters concerning my job. This is what I do for a living, not a hobby. Fortunately for us both, we don't have enough time, and it's too late to do anything about the sorry state of your security."
As the woman spoke of Kormann, he stayed silent, still facing the window, though turning his focus upon his own datapad as reached down and he pulled it from his jacket. The alias was useless now, though he could only speculate as to the how and why at this point; none of the option were particularly good, however. He was probably going to have to clean house after this. Perhaps the entire thing. Still, this woman wasn't involved, of that he was certain enough, so all of this was going to have to wait. For now, all he could do was type out a very short and heavily encrypted message based off of algorithms the sith had never used before. Pressing a few commands, he sent the message to an old acquaintance. In less than fifteen minutes, every databank listing any record of Yusanis Kormann that had any type of data receiving capability would suffer a massive system crash, and then reboot with a not so subtle virus wreaking havoc through it, completely erasing the records of over fourteen of the Security Force's employees from existence. And so came about the end of Yusanis Kormann.
Dropping the datapad, he once again returned his gaze to the window and folded his arms across his chest in contemplation. His eyes flicked back and forth quickly, focusing on nothing in particular as his mind ran loops around itself. His voice gained a faint edge, a tone that made his intent all too clear; he wasn't here to impress, and he couldn't have cared less about what these people thought of him; he was here to do a job, and he was going to get it done, end of story. "Captain Yusanis Kormann is a common cop, nothing more. If they'd given you him, you'd pretty well be screwed. Lucky for you, I guess, that I'm not him. You seem smart enough, so I'm just gonna skip the bull; I don't have a real name, there are no files of my existence within the Empire intact. Everything that could ever identify me got burned a long time ago, all that's left are less people than I can count on one hand, and that number's about to get smaller once we're done here. The only thing you'll ever need to know about me is that I will get the job done. You want some kind of proof that I am what I am, not what you were told I am, too damn bad. You're just going to have to wait and see."
Finally turning away from the window, he crouched over his bag and unzipped it, delving through the numerous hard cases of various size within. Within a matter of seconds, he settled on a small box and popped the lid off, pulling what appeared to be nothing more than a small personal holoprojector out. Pressing a few buttons, a small red light flickered to life on the side, and he tossed it unceremoniously on top of the nearest table. In his line of work, signal jammers were among his best friends, especially when unidentifiable as such. He continued sifting through the bag idly, running his gloved fingers slowly over every box. "I'm hurt you think I've been admiring your drapes this entire time. Really." He said in a dull, uncaring tone. He was an exceptional liar when he was trying; right now, he wasn't. "I'll let you in on a something about me; I don't think like normal people, and I'd be willing to put money on me being the smartest person in this room, no offense intended. You see me drawing something into the air with a finger, best to let me finish writing. I've been running everything I know about this mission of yours through my head, along with a dozen other things, since I had my hands on the file; that includes the time I've spent in this room."
"Since this one's yours, I want to hear your thoughts before I say anything, because right now, I don't have nearly as much information about this job than I'm comfortable with. Just start from the top."
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
145 likes
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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May 18, 2010 10:51:00 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on May 18, 2010 10:51:00 GMT -5
If only I had posted a sniper on that building two blocks away, Zarene thought idly as the man continued his rant whilst standing next the window. It'd be the perfect shot. Just flick open the curtains, and... boom. Would be hard to wash the red droplets out of this dress though. And I do rather like this dress....
Gabriella had a decidedly bored look on her face, and Zarene was beginning to share that sentiment. Of course their security system was in a sorry state. They didn't have one. But the fact that their mission depended on the Republic troops on the planet remain unaware of their presence meant that if they actually had to make use of any sort of security system, then the mission would already be a failure.
Perhaps she should have been paying more attention, or else she could have stopped the man from sending out his message before once again launching into a monologue, something about being unique because he always got the job done. Where had she heard that before?
"For someone so obsessed with security, you seem to be quite nonchalant about compromising our position. In case you forgot, this a rural world with underdeveloped communications infrastructure on the border between the Republic and Sith Empire. All intersteller transmissions go through routers owned and operated by the Republic military." The farmers on the planet rarely communicated with those off-planet, which made almost all interstellar transmissions from the Republic troops. "Any outside messages passing through are going to raise suspicions. Especially heavily encrypted ones."
But enough of that. She didn't need to hear any more of Kormann's trying to convince them of how smart he was. If he really wanted to convince anyone, then he'd show it through a successful mission, and not before. "The backwater hicks of this town are holding a little party at this location." The display on the datapad that she had handed to Kormann flickered and changed to show the address. "A number of Republic officers from that base on the hill will be attending. You will be going with these two ladies to the hoedown, and you will make sure that these officers are going to get too drunk and drugged up to make it back to base tonight. You will be going to the base in their stead, finding the mainframe within the base, and downloading as much information as you can. I will be outside keeping the rest of the base suitably distracted once you're inside." Byar and the other Sith troops had been conducting small periodic raids in the countryside during the guise of rogue mercenaries for the past few weeks. There were few things more effective at shifting attention away from an internal threat than an obvious external one.
She paused a bit before continuing. "Let me say this next part very slowly since you didn't seem to catch it the first time. Our mission relies on the Republic never knowing that we were here. Each footprint that we leave makes it easier for them to detect our presence. So step lightly. No gunning your way through the base. No explosions. None of your theatrics. Minimal comm chatter."
"Now unless you have any questions, then clear out. We've spent too long in this room already."
(( trying to think of something that'll play to Alindra's strengths. Tell me what you think, nightender ))
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last online Apr 10, 2014 12:08:08 GMT -5
Knight
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May 18, 2010 14:10:44 GMT -5
Post by Nightender on May 18, 2010 14:10:44 GMT -5
"I doubt there's anything our friend, Kormann, isn't capable of," Alindra said, stepping closer to the man. "So long as he doesn't have to be horribly direct." She followed her verbal shot with a smile, one that emphasized that she meant what she said.
"I'm here to play what part you need me to, just tell me what you need."
Alindra was trying to keep up appearances, but in her heart, she knew it was hard, what she was being asked to do. She wanted others to know her name, for mercenaries and soldiers throughout the galaxy to whisper it in fear of something about to happen. For this mission, she would have to keep her name low and out of the way. It was likely she wouldn't get to hurt or kill anyone, so she would have to find some other way to find excitement.
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Regnier
I get paid to kill bodies, and I enjoy my job. Any questions?
802 posts
0 likes
Maimkillburn?
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last online Jan 19, 2012 4:30:24 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jun 4, 2010 21:21:09 GMT -5
Post by Regnier on Jun 4, 2010 21:21:09 GMT -5
Vos ignored Zarene's comment on compromising them entirely. One of the benefits to having actually been a part of the Republic once was knowledge of their signals; older, yes, but CSF encryption would never get looked at too closely by anyone, especially not the military. He could've easily started up the argument again, but...well, he really did have a migraine, and the pills hadn't kicked in yet. Probably because he hadn't taken any. Hell...of course, the only things in this bag would put me out for a few days, so yeah. Smooth move, man. Real smooth. The chessmaster forgot painkillers.
Not that it showed, past the faintest squint. For now, he was all business as he listened, running through possible angles as Zarene went over the plan. It was simple, easy enough to pull off as long as nothing went horribly wrong due to some random occurrence beyond their control. It was always a possibility, however unlikely, but he was still alive because he was good at working around said occurrences. He highly doubted anything would go particularly awry, though. He already had what he was going to do pretty well planned out, with several back-ups in waiting. Making someone unconscious for a very long period without arousing suspicion was something he could do. He had...a box for that. For now, he was just thinking of what to mix together. Pulling a relatively small box from the bag, he set it on the nearest table an popped the latch open. Inside the foam-lined steel case was an array of small bottles and syringes. Removing six of the syringes, he began mixing substances meticulously. He didn't want to kill someone because of a wrong dose. Not if he didn't have to. These people were Republic; the good guys.
Setting the last of the syringes down beside the box, he closed it and returned it to its place in the bag, removing a few other small odds and ends, namely encryption, hacking, and data storage devices. Returning to the table, everything except two syringes disappeared into his jacket. He paused, one hand still inside his jacket, and he looked up at Zarene with a blank expression. "I understand better than you know. The Republic won't know I'm here, because I'm not. Never was, never will be. And I don't do guns blazing; if I have to, it means I'm not doing my job right. So stop worrying about us being compromised and concentrate on your end, let us worry about ours."
Stepping away from the table, he walked to the door, leaving the syringes in place, then back towards the window. "Those syringes are for the two of you coming with me. I'm not saying you have to use them, but each one contains enough pharmaceuticals to keep a man of average height and weight in Candy Mountain for two days. It's all pretty cheap, really damn illegal, and not the kind of thing an upstanding military officer will want to report. Choice is yours, though." Collecting everything he'd set out, he closed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and headed for the door again. Motioning Alindra with a thumb, he stopped by the doorway. "I think I'd like her, if she weren't human. Alas, that's a little too much to overcome for my tastes."
It was nothing personal, really. He just didn't like Humans. Or Echani. Or Kiffar, for that matter. Honestly, breathing basically put you on the list.
"Whenever you're ready for a little party-crashing?"
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sparrow
The Night is Dark and Full of Onions
2,999 posts
145 likes
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last online Dec 26, 2019 3:11:06 GMT -5
Master
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Jun 7, 2010 2:19:25 GMT -5
Post by sparrow on Jun 7, 2010 2:19:25 GMT -5
She looked down at her datapad was the man launched into yet another narcissistic on how stealthy he was. Her fingers tapped out another message to Byar with an updated set of instructions as she idly wondered whether this man formerly known as Kormann practiced his speeches in front of the mirror each morning. Probably. But she had to admit that that poison-mixing job he did was pretty impressive.
Her attention did not shift from her datapad as the man began to walk out of the door. Maps and various pictures of the surrounding countryside flashed across the screen. Her mind kept telling her that something was wrong, that some piece on the board was out of place, but she couldn't put her finger on where. There was more happening here than was immediately apparent.
A thought came to her. "Wait... Voldrinn. This is your first mission with us, isn't it. I need to have a word with you before you leave. Alone."
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