Slice, and Dice (Mooney)

[Deleted]

Things were definitely becoming a bit busier for the Sith Knight as he wandered his way into Nar Shaddaa. Keeping in touch with the many contacts he had made during his assassin years he had heard a rumor about a Slicer that had invaluable intel on the Republic. While it wasn't exactly assigned to him, he was sure that Lady Renata, and Master Aurelius would forgive him for coming to gather the man on his own. After all intel was intel, and even if he didn't get the physical data if he captured the man who got it then that would be just as good. Dressed in his new attire as he walked the streets, the planet brought back many memories. Some better than others, this had been a planet he visited many times in the search of his first master.

For someone like himself, this place offered plenty of work. A smile twitched on his lips as he began to make his way to one of the many cantinas on the planet. He knew a few people who owed him a couple of favors, and he was going to meet one of his informants right now. A Twi'lek man by the name of Wuggitu was going to give him some info. Entering The Unusual Guard cantina he quickly spotted his informant sitting alone in a booth. Walking up to him he was greeted by a smile, and somber face.

"Oh Wuggi...Don't look so sad, your favorite customer is in front of you." he flashed a bright smile at the Twi'lek as he sat down across from him.

"Well no offense, but generally when you seek me out someone dies...And you have threatened me on more than a few occasions." Wuggi replied with a small sigh.

"Yes but you're still alive, if for no other reason than you are the most cooperative informant I've met, and I don't have the time to torture people to get what I want." he said the words coolly to the Twi'lek who didn't look surprised at the words he spoke. "So when we last spoke you mentioned a Slicer? Do tell me more..." he said tilting his head to the side as he began to listen to the hushed tone of the Twi'lek.

[Moonfire]

The Unusual Guard was far from the sort of the place Moonfire would normally frequent. A rougher sort of cantina, it bore cartel banners in bold splashes of brown and gold and a motley of colorful and probably unsavory characters within. Of course it wasn’t hard to get outside of Moonfire’s comfort zone, her own tastes generally leaning towards wholesome dessert shops and museums back home on Coruscant. Sharing a drink with Hutt enforcers was hardly the Jedi’s idea of a fun use of her so very limited free-time, but today at least a productive one.

“One Port in a Storm, please.” The woman said softly, tapping two fingers to the bar as a single painted fingernail flicked primly across her datapad’s screen, reviewing the information for her latest case.

Thus far Coruscant Security Forces had pinpointed the mystery slicer known only as Memento’s location to Nar Shaddaa, where over the next few days he and his associates would put together some sort of bidding war for Senator’s Jaesei Voskhan’s valuable personal and political data. Landing only a few days before Moonfire had thus far successfully assumed the identity of corporate security officer Iris Marth, liaison for Sebastian Monroe of Adega Airships, a man who had a well established interest in anything that might undermine the environmentalist stance of the corellian senator.

Save the bombing of her hotel shortly after check-in, Moonfire had managed to keep a mostly low-profile, relying on her cover’s infrequent public appearances and rigid attitude to keep from drawing much attention to her attempts to gather information before the auction. With barely a sniff the herglic behind the counter slid over the diminutive glass of alcohol, eyeing the short young woman before returning to his more demanding patrons. Blue eyes flicked up sheepishly, a nervous smile tilting at the corners of her lips as she took a minute sip. “Thank you, sir.”

Nervous fingers fidgeted about the glass, tapping a silent rhythm as Moonfire pulled the force tight about her like a shroud to obscure her presence. She’d failed at this earlier with Thel, a bright beacon of force sensitivity even to a hotel consultant, but now in slow, steady breaths she melted away in only the barest of flickers. To the casual observer she was nothing more than a decidedly neutral and untrained force sensitive.

A severe woman with great intuition. Yes, that was the character she’d crafted for this. The role she’d play. My, my this was all rather like the holo-vids, wasn’t it? Chuckling under her breath Moonfire turned to regard the bar, the alcohol foul and acidic on her tongue as she placed the glass back to it’s rim of condensation on the polished counter. One more week until the auction, might as well try to gather as much information as she could from the cartel’s more favored dives, right? Either way it was easy intelligence gathering to simply sit and listen to the idle conversations.

Turning off the datapad she slid the slate into her bag beside the heavy outline of her lightsaber hilt an action quickly stifled by a wave of noxious feelings. It choked in her throat, fingers stopping their stilted tappings as watering eyes blinked back the distinct retch of the darkside. Eyes skimmed across the hunched shoulders, settling on a single booth containing a hooded figure bent low to whisper to a twi’lek. What was a Sith doing here?

[Deleted]

Zexva listened as Wuggitu explained to him the specifics of the Auction that was suppose to be taking place for the information that the slicer had gotten. Tapping his armored fingers on the table boredly as he listened to his informant give him the location, and time of the Auction. Steering his golden eyes towards the Twi'leks blue ones he gave him a hard look as the tapping stopped suddenly. Zexva had sensed it briefly before it dulled down. Like a lantern that someone had slowly turned the gas down on to dim the flame. There was someone else like him in here, and that didn't bode incredibly well for him if they had back up.

"So this is all the information you could gather?" he asked the question in a dull tone, as he resumed tapping his fingers.

"Yes though I swear on my life that it is accurate." Wuggi exclaimed with a half begging voice.

"Let's hope for your sake, that you are correct...I would hate to have to claim your life because of a lie." Zexva stated calmly, with just the barest hint of danger in his voice. If he decided to pounce on this Twi'lek no one would be able to save him in time.

Nodding absently as Wuggi said a few more brief things, giving him the name of the Republic officer whose data had been stolen, but otherwise there was nothing new for him to be told. His golden eyes continued to scan the room looking for someone who seemed out of place, but from where he was he couldn't tell. Everyone appeared to belong for the moment. He could always make a large distraction to draw the person out of hiding, but he didn't feel like it. Turning to Wuggi he tilted his head curiously to the man.

"Were you followed?" he asked the Twi'lek his voice still calm despite all the scenarios darting around in his mind currently.

[Moonfire]

Blue eyes bore into the shadowed shoulders before turning quickly back and away, long braid barely bobbing on her shoulder as her heart pounded in her ears, drowning out all the other noise. Nope, do not bring attention to yourself. Don’t bother with whatever that presence was-- that distinct curl of the darkside that twisted at her throat with the strongest flash of familiarity.

Delicate fingers took up the glass of fortified wine throwing back a sip only to realize, just a moment too late, that this beverage was not fit for human consumption. Nothing that burned like this could possibly be safe to drink.

Her throat, already choked with nerves rejected the high-octane beverage in a small wheezy exhale, stuffing down the more attention grabbing coughs as warm skin burst into flush. After a moment of silent suffering Moonfire was able to work down the small sip, feeling instantly the rush of lightheadedness. She should have read that menu a little more closely. Alcohol was not her forte.

“Gl-glass of water, pl-please.” Then woman, still trying to maintain the bearings of someone far more severe and refined than herself, quietly croaked to the large bartender before sheepishly sinking back into her seat. Within moments the blessed water was left before her and quickly sipped to ease the pain in her throat. No, she’d not be enjoying much more of that wine this evening.

Especially with a Sith lurking about.

Whatever information gathering she’d intended for today was completely thrown off by the low-figure in the booth as possibilities rolled end over end in her head. War-time was over, but dark jedi lurking around cartel hang-outs never bode well. Were they there to interrupt her investigation? A hired goon for the cartel? Her eyes narrowed further, contemplating her glass of reddish wine. Master Si Quan’s killer?

It was a ludicrous conclusion-- It was an awfully big galaxy after all. But something, call it a sense of justice or foolishness, forced the young woman to remain in her seat despite every bit of self-preservation demanding she leave. To sit and observe as discreetly as possible as the figures spoke in hushed tones.

Taking her two drinks in hand Moonfire stood up, making her way to a table with a decent vantage point, working her way silently between the rowdy hollering of thugs and goons of all shapes and sizes celebrating another excellent round of Huttball. Settling in a chair she pulled out her datapad again, tapping across the screen as she flipped through the photos she’d taken earlier that week. Observe and report.

[Deleted]

Listening to Wuggitu stammer as he explained that he hadn't been followed caused a small measure of comfort to drift into his mind. However Zexva wasn't entirely convinced...He knew what he had felt for that moment, if there was another force user within this place he knew how to draw them out. Though he would have to use his Twi'lek companion to do so. A malicious grin formed on his lips as he stared at Wuggitu. The other man seemed to sense that something was off suddenly as his complexion began to pale, and he moved to stand. A flick of his wrist sent the man back down to his seat, and his eyes widened in slight fear at the Zeltron in front of him.

"My apologies Wuggitu...But I need a quick favor..." Zexva said, and held his hand up raising the Twi'lek in the air.

The circulation of oxygen in Wuggi's throat was abruptly cut off, and the color of his face would begin to pale, and change to a darker hue as the flow of oxygen to his brain was cut off. It would be amusing to see what happened first, would the person he felt come forward first to stop this blatant murder, or would Wuggitu die. It was a simple game of chance, and he had a fifty percent chance of getting the outcome that he wanted. If it was an enemy they would try to stop him, if it wasn't then he was down an informant, who was replaceable. Either way he won.

Wuggitu tried to speak, and the sounds of gasping breaths caught a few heads, and slowly, but surely he garnered the attention of a few patrons. Looking to meet each of their eyes with his golden ones, he simply smiled at them, and spoke in a clear tone loud enough for most of the bar goers to hear him.

"He gave me some bad information...I'm merely reminding him how foolish that is, don't worry he will survive...Maybe." his tone was measured, cold, and mechanical. Like he had recited these words many times to numerous other victims of his wrath.

So he patiently waited for someone, or something to step forward to stop him. After all he was technically innocent of the crime that Zexva had just accused him of, though no one else would know that.

Now come on out...Let me see who you are... He thought to himself as he held his informant aloft. His armored fingers tapping rhythmically on the table in a twisted chorus with the sounds of the choking, and gasping Twi'lek. It was like the most morbid musical number he had ever heard. But it did bring a smile to his face.

[Moonfire]

Observe and report.

Moonfire’s eyes only barely skimmed across the scene, her expression a controlled and resolute one of boredom and disdain. Iris Marth had little interest in this cantina outside of it being the sort of place could check her holomail and peruse the photographs she’d taken from the hotel explosion the day before. Sure, everything with that had been predominantly resolved and Mr. Akandri was more than capable of seeing the issue through on behalf of his employer-- But Iris was the sort who’d always be looking for something she might have missed. One didn’t become a corporate security officer and personal liaison for one of the largest airship manufacturers in Core space by luck alone.

Nevermind that entire backstory is completely fabricated and you’re simply a highly trained space monk pretending to be an experienced security personnel, Moonfire. You’ve got this. If you believe it hard enough other people will too and other such cliches.

A finger flicked once more across the screen of her datapad, searching the photographs between stolen glances at the nervous twi’lek and his obscured companion. She’d nearly turned back to her absent task when the crackling wheeze caught her, and much of the other rowdy patrons’, attention. Chin lifted in time to her water glass, peering up over the rim as she struggled to make out what was happened just across the way, the huddle group of Rodians beside her beginning to elbow one another and mutter beneath the loud screeches of the Huttball announcer.

“This fuckin’ guy, think we should do somethi--”
“AND ANOTHER SCORE FOR THE ROTWORMS, ALESANDRA IS CONTR--”
“Naw, Scorchin’ force users, shouldah known bet--”
”THE FROGDOGS ARE PUSHING, QIKKI’S BOXING HER IN!”
“He shouldn't 'ave givin’ the guy bad Intel. Fuck 'im, I’m keep--”
”FROGDOGS SHOOT! THEY SCOOORE!"

"He gave me some bad information...I'm merely reminding him how foolish that is, don't worry he will survive...Maybe."

And then, all at once, the pieces fell into place. Understanding for the briefest moment flashed across the woman’s face. He was choking that man, using the force as he conversationally threatened to kill a man.

Moonfire’s hand moved to the blaster in her jacket, the motion to preserve and protect the life of another nearly reflexive before a quick and frantic thought stopped her. If she engaged this dark jedi she’d blow her cover for sure-- Even if.. even if she’d managed to subdue a trained force user without revealing herself as a Jedi, she’d only further complicate her operation and compromise her position with the Hutt Cartel as Iris Marth. She couldn't reveal herself, even at the expense of another’s life.

There is no death, there is only the Force.

A breath caught in Moonfire's throat, eyes flicking back down to her datapad as the tortured sounds of a man struggling to breath drowned out all other noise, even the hard flutter of her traitorous heart was but a whisper to the agonizing gasps of the Twi’lek man.

Oh, Force… What would Locke do? Blue eyes slid back up, her expression cool and presence in the Force blanket tight about her, revealing nothing save the sink of nails in the wood of her table and the fidget of her bouncing knee. She should do something. Every fiber of Moonfire’s being demanded she intervene, she try. A thousand hairbrained plans rolled through her mind-- Mindtricking the goons beside her to attack him, firing her blaster, starting a bar brawl-- And yet nothing made sense, nothing she could do would save the man without compromising everything she’d spent months working with Coruscant Security Forces putting together. Was the life of a seedy Nar Shaddaa informant worth throwing out the entire case? How could she ask this question?

There is no death, there is only the Force.

Standing up Moonfire downed the rest of her water glass, abandoning the potent wine and the gasping man and his dark jedi associate with a quick and quiet turn of her back. Her bag slipped easily over her shoulder, her feet carrying her with confident steps back out and through the door in the dank, acrid smog of Nar Shaddaa’s night.

The air felt sick and heavy in her lungs, stomach twisting in a single horrific wretch as she made her way out and down behind the cantina alley. She’d only just slipped into the shadows before her stomach turned end over end and bitter bile and her sparse lunch spilled across the trash strewn street in great body shaking heaves.

There is no death, there is only the Force.

[Deleted]

He watched slowly as the life drained from Wuggitu's body, and then it happened. Those in the bar that were paying attention were either averting their gaze, or speaking in hushed tones trying to figure out how to handle this situation. It was still a criminal world afterworld, and strength reigned supreme, so shows of brute power weren't out of the ordinary to the average citizen here. Everyone seemed to be reacting normally, or as normally as one could react while watching someone suffocate, and then someone left. A devilish smirk appeared on his rose colored lips, as he dropped Wuggitu back into his seat, and slid something across the table to him.

"For being my temporary punching bag there is something extra for ya...Half a million credits..." he said quietly to the Twi'lek before getting up, and moving across the cantina floor to the exit.

Some people could only blend into the crowd so much before they cracked under the pressure. Analyzing the crowd before him as people passed him by he looked for the person that he had caught a glimpse of walking out of the cantina. Enhancing his natural senses with the power of the force he tried to feel for anything that might give him a clue as to their location. Everything was so muddied with others around him though he wasn't getting a real bead on them. Tapping the side of his cheek with an armored gauntlet he walked a few feet, and found himself standing in front of an alley.

His back was turned to it, and he heard the faint sounds of someone retching behind him, but that wasn't unusual for this place so he paid no attention to it. He had already made a minor scene in the cantina, and he didn't wish to make another, he was just curious as to who that person was. Crossing his arms as he stared out into the street looking at the pedestrians, trying to catch a glimpse of his quarry.

If there was another force user around, he tried to think of the reasons they would be here. They didn't seem to be a Sith, but most of his order preferred to keep very low profiles, he didn't particularly care if others knew he was a Sith or not. At least unless he was actually trying to hide. If they were a Jedi he figured they would have at some point garnered the same information that he had just learned, and were trying to protect their precious republic.

I will find you...One way or the other... he thought to himself as he stared out into the busy street.

[Moonfire]

She’d left a man to die. A man, who by all accounts might have deserved it, but she’d let him die. Let a dark jedi do his will in a public place and left because she couldn’t stomach to see the task through.

What a garbage jedi you are, Moonfire. What a wretched person. No wonder you nearly failed your trials, Shorza was a better jedi by miles and never once formally part of the Order. That’s why he was Balkk’s favorite apprentice. Why he felt the need to take in a stray boy and train him alongside you. To have an apprentice actually worth the resources. Should have just joined the Agri-Corps, you’d have been a far better farmer than a stupid, emotional, little girl pretending to be in control.

A shaking hand pressed against the cold wall of the alleyway as a single dry heave indicated that Moonfire had long expended any foodstuff or liquids inside. A single morbid thought pierced the haze of self-hatred and anxiety-- That Port in a Storm might have actually tasted better coming up than going down. Delightful.

Every breath came in hard, panicked gasps as Moonfire’s tentative hold on her presence slipped and faltered. Emotions, erratic and unpleasant flared from her in hot lashes of self-pity and loathing in time to the tears that streaked hot, red paths down her cheeks. How fucking pathetic. Terror. Anger. Humiliation. All at once gripped and pulled at her heart before a slow, deep breath pulled it back. “In-in a box, all the feelings in a box. There is no-no emotion, only peace…”

The words were barely audible, more shadows of sound as she straightened, the buzz of her fingertips and thundering of her heart slowing in time to the mindful breaths. Four seconds in, hold for seven, release for eight. Rinse. Repeat. Call your Master in the morning. The brilliance of her own Force presence dimming once more in every purposeful exhale as she attempted to finish collecting herself.

Iris Marth after all wouldn’t be caught dead in this alley.

[Deleted]

The sounds of vomiting receded from behind him in the alleyway, turning lazily to face the darkened side street he called out to the person.

"Are you okay over there? You're not dead are you?" the coldness that had been in his voice previously had all but evaporated as he spoke to the stranger.

His back was still mostly turned towards the alley, as whoever was in there posed no real threat to him if they couldn't even hold their alcohol. Not that he was one to talk, as he rarely drank, and the few times he had, he had to be restrained as he began to flirt with every female that had a pulse in the room. Being a Zeltron made it easy to get women to lower their guard around him, and he tended to use that to his advantage. Everything was a weapon if it was wielded correctly even his body.

As he waited for an answer he tapped the single shoulder pauldron on his left side rhythmically as he continued to stare out into the crowd. This scenery reminded him of a time when he had tracked a girl down to his home planet, his feelings for her caused him immense confusion at the time. She was a jedi, and he was a sith. Never having known things like love, and kindness she had shown him the briefest glimpse of kindness once, and it caused him to panic. Her moonlight blue eyes were burned into his mind from that moment on, and when had tracked her down on Zeltros, he had kissed her again.

Love was a foreign emotion to him, and to feel any semblance of affection towards another being caused him immense confusion, and agony. However he had learned from his Master that love was also a weapon, and so during the seven years when he had tracked down his first mentor, when he found his anger, and passion to be lacking...He allowed his thoughts to drift to her, his need to survive until he met her again drove him further, and allowed him to claim victory, when previously there would have only been loss.

Until I see her again...I promised her...I would show her the darkside...I do not break my promises...

[Moonfire]

"Are you okay over there? You're not dead are you?"

No, mysterious voice at the edge of the alley. Moonfire Shae was very much not okay. As for dead? Well, there was no death. Only the Force.

“I’m f-fine, thank you.” Sucking in a final steadying breath she pushed away the fleeting, panicked thoughts. She needed to contact Locke. Needed to report to him what she saw and get back to her hotel room. She needed to get as far away from this cantina and whatever taunting, dark presence she felt inside. This wasn’t worth blowing her investigation over. She needed to figure out what to do next somewhere she could think.

Withdrawing her datapad Moonfire tapped out a few quick words to her partner, sent over an encrypted frequency. Heading back to the hotel. Unsavory characters at the cantina. Can we meet up? There was so much more she wanted to say, to ramble at the more experienced Investigator about her fears and the moral decisions of their position that weighed heavy on her heart, but for right this very instant, all Moonfire wanted as a milkshake and some quiet.

Boots clicked in gentle steps towards the rather… armoured fellow, the Force radiating about him like a beacon as he scanned the area. Fear once more choked her throat, trembling hands moving to wrap instead about her middle as she paused only briefly behind the taller figure. Her blaster was nearby just in case, the Force was wrapped tight about her, protective and dim. This didn’t need to be a fight.

“ ‘Cuse me,” She muttered, ducking to the bit of space to the Zeltron’s right, moonlight eyes only briefly skimming across his chest and towards his face before cutting quickly away to brush past him into the crowded streets of the Smuggler’s Moon.

Hotel. Locke. Milkshakes.

[Deleted]

When the disembodied voice spoke back to him it sounded faintly familiar, almost like a distant memory. The sound of footsteps echoed from behind him as the female came out from the alley. She seemed petite so it was no wonder that she couldn't handle her alcohol. Everything was fine until she brushed past him, and he caught a glimpse of her face. The shape of her face was almost exactly as he remembered it. The raven black hair that blended into the night sky, and then there were her eyes. Those orbs of pure moonlight radiated through his vision as he saw her brush her. His golden eyes locked on to her form, and suddenly he was thrown backwards into the moment in the crystal cave. The street lights dancing off their forms, as static electricity began to build on his body.

Suddenly he realized what was happening, and who she was reigning himself in he reached out, and grabbed her arm in his armored hand. Stopping her from disappearing, his body was on autopilot all of a sudden as he simply stared at her. Was fate playing some kind of trick on him, was this the force reaching into the depths of his mind to make this a reality. For several long moments all he did was stare at her, then he spoke.

"Hello Moonfire..." the words were barely a whisper as they drifted from his lips through the air. He understood why she didn't recognize him as he had changed a bit dramatically since their last meeting. "Don't tell me...You've already forgotten me..." his words became measured more machine like as he kept his emotions in check.

He was more prepared this time than he was during their first few encounters. During his travels he had learned more about the emotions of others, and what it was that he had felt back then. Confusion, curiosity, and amusement danced over his features as he took her looks fully into account, and realized perhaps for the first time that they weren't children anymore. The molten gold color of his eyes lighting up the jagged scar that ran across his right eye, as he took his hood, and pushed it back to reveal his snow white hair.

"Though if you have I can't fault you...It has been a long time since I kissed you..." a smirk curved at the edge of his lips at those words while he waited for her response.

[Moonfire]

She felt him first and foremost in the Force, quick and careful feet carrying her past. Pensive, distracted by distant quiet thoughts. A shock of understanding. Recognition. His presence, overwhelming and sickening as it was, lingered in the back of her mind. Had she encountered him during the war? In one of the few sparse battles Master Balkk had allowed her and Shorza to help on the sidelines? She could think of only a handful of dark jedi she’d truly been face to face with but they were all long subdued or dead. A bubble of fear sat heavy and noxious in her throat as she realized he didn’t mean to simply let her pass.

Driven by instinct Moonfire’s hand slipped to the holster in her jacket wrapping about the blaster’s grip just as steel fingers clamped about her upper arm, reeling her back. She’d taken several shooting courses with Coruscant Security Forces over the last year and had become surprisingly competent. All the anxiety and self-doubt she’d grown up feeling over her lightsaber combat seemed trivial with a gun in her hand and some distance between her and the fight.

"Though if you have I can't fault you...It has been a long time since I kissed you..." The blaster leveled with his chest as she twisted to face him, arm tugging back in attempt to free itself as his hoarse whisper finally landed. Defiant blue met wavering gold and with it evaporated her nerve, the barrel of her blaster lowering only slightly as hood slid back to reveal familiar features tainted by years of hardship and hatred. “Zexva?”

A crowded street on Zeltros. All shades of rose framing ocher. Quiet, monotone pleas for help laced with a distress he didn’t know how to express. The buzz of her lips, charged and tingling as Shorza pulled her off and away into the crowd.

An adolescent then, Moonfire had spent countless days reviewing all the things she could have done differently, thinking of all the ways she could have helped the boy who came to her about his affliction-- plagued by thoughts of her he didn’t understand and a hatred that took forms that didn’t make sense. She had bid him in their last encounter to stay safe, to let her help him, to let the jedi absolve whatever sins he’d committed. It wasn’t too late. He was, in all his awkward and inappropriate ways, someone who needed her help. And she, in all her foolish softness, wanted to help him.

Time and training told a different story though.

The blaster raised, the force gathering about her fist before striking hard into the center of the Sith Knight’s chest to push him off and away from her, face lifting from shock to stony determination. She had over the past seven years realized that every press of his lips to hers and cryptic fearful word was merely manipulation of her feelings. Forcing her to set her guard down so he could… Well, she truthfully wasn’t sure what he wanted. But if his casual murder of bar-patrons said anything about it, it couldn’t be good. “Do not presume to touch me.”

[Deleted]

She drew her blaster, and leveled it at him, obviously she meant business this time around. However he couldn't help, but smirk at her threatening motion. She posed no real threat to him, though he was taken a bit aback when she hit him with a force empowered punch sending him sliding back a few feet forcing his grip off of her arm. A laugh echoed from his rosy lips, while golden eyes trained their sight on her, his body language was completely relaxed as if she were no more than a simple fly to him. Running his fingers through his hair, while he observed her, when she told him to not touch her. How cute... he thought with a smirk.

"I must say...You have certainly grown from the scared child you use to be...It is good to see you again, though I have to wonder what could a Jedi possibly be doing here...Hmmmm there are a few scenarios I could think of." a cocky smile curved on his lips. "I am surprised you were willing to let me harm that man in the bar...Don't worry though he's alive, Wuggitu is far to valuable an informant for me to just dispose of. I was hoping to force you to reveal yourself to me, but you didn't...That is admirable...It seems you have hardened your heart in our time apart." a curious tilt to his head as he spoke the words so casually.

Folding his arms across his chest as he spoke to her with a familiarity that might seem off putting to others. He spoke to her like he was addressing an old friend that he hadn't seen in a long time.

"The Moonfire I know, wouldn't have been so quick to let someone be harmed...She was willing to help anyone, even a confused boy who didn't understand what he was feeling..." silky sweet the words were as he spoke them with the confidence, and poise of a leader. "It seems you have a dark spot in that light filled heart of yours...How curious..." he spoke slightly amused at the current situation.

His eyes never left her face, it was almost like he was trying to memorize all the details of her face, as if this would be the last time he would get to see her. It was almost poetic that he would run into her here of all places, while he was hunting someone down that she was probably going to try protect, or take into her precious order for questioning.

"So what exactly are you doing here? This is no place for someone like you..." he stated simply.

[Moonfire]

Moonfire’s stomach squeezed in memory, the sickening noise of the twi’lek’s gasps and the scratch of fingers at his throat over the screech of the huttball game. A shiver worked it’s way down her spine as he slid still and casual just across her, blaster still pointed to the very center of his chest. Her heart thundered, fear being pushed back by steel nerve, a flare of something-- was it outrage? Was it anger at the patronizing tone and the cocky smile across his scarred face? She couldn’t be sure, but her guts twisted and her face, normally serene, caught in something akin to frustration.

How dare he? Her arm stung slightly from the gauntlet’s snag of her sleeve, her mind whirling over every condescending word the man spoke. For Zexva was far from the soft child she’d met on Ruusan, who tricked her into showing him the crystal caves before nearly blasting her with a bolt of lightning, wild eyes full of fear and anger and distrust. Even farther still from the forlorn look he gave her when they parted on Zeltros so long ago. Confident in his choice. Taunting in his tone.

“You don’t know me at all,” The words came out stiffly, a hitch of her tone pulling it up higher into the realm of very nearly squeaky. She had hardened her heart? How very very dare he presume to know anything about her at all! Anything of the training she’d gone through, of what it meant to be a Jedi, who and what she was. He was the one who’d nearly killed that man, who used it as a chance to try and draw her out from her investigation.

“I was a ch-- I believed you whe-- You wer--” Her tongue tripped betraying the flurry of her thoughts, the sickening buzz of anxiety just beneath the surface as hands remained steady and experience serious. What was she trying to convey? That she’d so foolishly believed him when they were children. That he she’d wanted to save him. Wanted to save the twi’lek. That every time Shorza begged her to tell Master Balkk about her run in with the Sith boy she dismissed it until the Trandoshan Master intervened himself at Shorza’s tattling?

Biting down on her lower lip the jedi flicked her eyes to the bustle of the crowd, unperturbed by the quiet standoff in the shadows of the cantina. Taking a long breath she returned her gaze to him, eyes skirting the scar and the change of his hair. The years had not been kind to him, but he was a man now and his actions were his own. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Zexva. Whatever you think I am, or was, you’re going to be disappointed. I have no quarrel with you.”

[Deleted]

She spoke back to him, stuttering along her words. He couldn't help, but to chuckle a bit at that slight sign of nervousness, it was almost nostalgic. Tilting his head to the side as she spoke her last retort to him, he simply smiled at her. She had changed very much, and he wondered if he had changed that much, or if he was simply the same. His demeanor suddenly shifted, his lips formed a hard line against his face as he stared at the much shorter girl. Running his fingers through his hair, he let out a sigh at her words.

"That's the problem with you Jedi...There is only one right path in your eyes...No room for wiggling..." he let out a condescending laugh to her. "You are right though you don't have a quarrel with me yet. I can promise you though that you are going to wish you had killed me when I gave you that chance on Zeltron. All you did was give me a chance to become stronger." his voice had changed to reveal no more emotion as he stared at her. "I'm sure you will come to regret it, if you don't already...Goodbye Moonfire...Oh, and don't get into any trouble, while I'm here." He said the words simply to her before walking away.

Pulling his hood back up, he drew the force into himself concealing himself from the prying senses of other sith, or jedi. Walking along the masses he couldn't help, but think about what she had told him, and how much it applied to her as well. Whatever it is you think I was or am...You are going to be very disappointed girl... He had some time to kill before the event that was going to be held, and he had to prepare for it anyway. Perhaps he would inform his master to see if he wanted to come help.

[Moonfire]

Amusement and curiosity that he trained so eagerly across her face seemed to evaporate with the firmness of her words, replaced by chilled contempt. The light chuckle from his rosy lips felt humorless in the brush of metallic fingers through snowy hair before expression hardened. Why did she so ashamed? Guilt, oily and dark, skittered beneath her skin whispering her litany of failures. You didn’t do enough. You could have saved him before. You didn’t do enough. You never do enough.

Moonfire’s heart squeezed, throat caught in a vice, erratic and unpleasant. If he’d demanded another reply from her it would have come in only minute squeaks. Heat flushed the woman's face as she watched him, blaster still trained on his center, turn away. His words stung, a wound she didn’t quite understand but lashes her anxious thoughts quickly picked away at, but he left her most surprisingly unharmed.

Briefly she thought it was a trick, an easy goodbye punctuated by an attack. By allowing her to drop her guard for only a moment he could bound back out and into the alleyway, lightsaber flashing and pretty effectively ending any cover she had for this investigation and killing her. He blaster held it’s place, lingering where she’d seen him only moments before as she struggled to follow his presence in the force. Like a candle being blown out he was gone, a dangerous absence that curdled in the pit of her stomach.

And yet, no attack came. Even moments later as she lowered the blaster, never quite holstering it, and shrugged the shoulder bag weighing her down even higher Moonfire wondered why he didn’t kill her outright? Why he seemed so intent on toying with her? Perhaps it was a Sith thing? Some farfetched plan of his to lure her into some uncomfortable peace. Either way, quick steps pulled her away from the alley, a hand moving to the datapad to type out a quick message to a new friend.

I know this is rather out of the blue, but do you know where I can find a good milkshake this time of night? - Iris