Vice Versa (Vex)

[Poludnica]

Theme

Sweet-smelling smoke slowly twisted beneath a dim, violet hued spotlight. Disturbances in the air coaxed the vapor into weaving intricate patterns, pulsing to the erratic rhythm of sybaritic bass. Ana's fiery hair - now bathed lavender from her surroundings – appeared at the entry to the VIP lounge, pondering her next move. The woman manipulated her graceful body closer toward her target, walking to the hedonistic rhythm currently flowing into the thick, heavy air. She tried her best to meld with the crowd, even changed normally rather uncouth, old pants and jacket to a something an actual club goer would have. Tight jumpsuit felt uncomfortable though – Anushka felt exposed in it, vulnerable.

At this thought , her fingertips rested on a pocket where a hilt of a lightsaber rested. She wasn't visibly armed and with the woman's height no one would peg her as dangerous. Aside from a Force User...The human spread the senses, pulling at strings in the Force and the inside of the club came to life in a storm of colors. In this crowd it would be nearly impossible to spot the target, she had to fish one energy mark from the VIP area which was much emptier but closed to her. For now.

Sighing with frustration, the former Jedi leaned against a wall, watching the doors vigilantly, hoping for a chance to enter. Soon enough she would grow impatient and just use Force to trick the two idiots. But such things could give her away too early. That wouldn't be good, though a part of Ana did want for something to stop her. That job...didn't feel right but the target was a vile crimelord – perverted and violent, killing him would do Galaxy a favor. Still...only a step from the dark side. Maybe if she thought herself a vigilante that would make this much better. Not to mention the fat paycheck and as per usual, Anushka Faddei was utterly broke.

Swallowing the unpleasant knot of feelings, Ana decided to give another plan a chance before going for the guards. She strolled over to the nearest, wealthy looking man, giving her walk an impression of slightly tipsy girl fishing for a free fun. ”Care to buy lady a drink?” She asked cheerily, pulling shyly away a string of red hair. That would be considered low, even for a Jedi drop out but Ana wasn't really above anything, as long as it let her earn decent money.

The man turned to measure the small woman with a steady, critical gaze and snorted. ”No.” In a very sly manner. Ana waved her small, pale hand in a rather rude gesture. ”F...k you too.” The former Jedi stated flatly, not even angered too much. She was never attractive or approachable enough to play a role of seductress. Something about her spoke 'prickly' and 'don't touch'.

Only slightly disgruntled, the woman decided it was time to deal with the guards. She took a spot not far from the entrance to the VIP lounge and began to gently touch one of the guard's mind, shuffling through scattered thoughts. He wasn't trained to deal with such attacks, maybe there was a chance. Focusing her attention on one, coherent idea, she slowly began to plant the seeds in his mind. After couple of minutes she knew the other guards name, easy target. Devo is a John Thomas, I hate him. I need to punch him, now. Simple sentences, all form in a string to built up rage. First minute...Second....Third.

Suddenly, seemingly out of the blue one of the guards attacked the other, throwing a hearty punch, screaming unintelligible insults. Yep, that should do it. Anushka quickly slipped passed the commotion, leaving beastly racket behind. As the doors closed, she stepped into air heavy with decadent smell of expensive cigars. Certainly something her father had used to smoke before throwing himself off the Raltir building. Life just wasn't fair like that.

Slowly, the woman moved to seat at one of the tables, carefully watching her pray with hazel eyes which amber tone was now highlighted by sparkly, golden eyeshadow...That didn't really match neither sapphire lipstick nor violet belt on her jumpsuit.

[Vex]

The bass of the music thrummed low. It wasn't a sound so much in this place as it was a palpable, physical force to him. He could feel its touch reverberating down into his bones as he stood there in the VIP room. His employer sat in the the booth farthest from the door, one of only recommendations made by Rizzen that the portly Twi'lek had accepted. The Falleen had the suspicion that he'd listened more because of the view it gave him down into dancing stages than it did because of security. To say that Quin'tarus Kreen was a lecher was akin to saying that Hoth was a little chilly. The man was filled with vices, but none so strong as his hunger for women.

As it was, the man had two well-stacked, curvaceous women hanging off of him in the booth as he laughed and drank while looking down through the clear, curved wall that overlooked the writhing throngs of dancers and the stage where the dancers and the DJ reigned in the laser light. The man was focused on pure hedonism and he wanted nothing to detract or keep him from that pursuit. That was why Rizzen was here.

This wasn't the Falleen's normal choice of jobs. Protection wasn't his preferred line of employment. Acquisition was the bread and butter of his employment and the one that he preferred to do. However, the business possibilities on Umgul were lucrative if you had someone to give you an in. He had a potential supporter, but the supporter needed to see Rizzen's capabilities before hiring him on for other jobs. They wanted him out of his preferred element so they could assess his adaptability. Hence...the babysitting job he was now enjoying.

Rizzen stood in the corner opposite the windowed wall, arms crossed over his chest. He'd donned his Mandalorian recon armor, albeit in a slightly modified configuration. He had removed the upper arm pauldrons and quad armor to improve mobility and lower the overall profile. The lighter, more form-fitting recon design allowed him to wear loose black slacks, a mandarin-collared shirt, and a black synth-leather jacket over it to lessen his profile and allow him to blend in better. The helment had been eschewed as well, leaving the sharp, exotic features of his face to be seen. His scalp was smooth, save for the tail of carefully bound hair flowing back from that topknot at the back of his head. Overall, it was readily apparent that he wasn't there to party, but other than his reptilian features, he didn't seem to be anything other that hired security.

He kept a small blaster holstered at the small of his back and a hold-out deployable from his left wrist. Two electro-knucklers were clipped to his belt for quick access. The most important piece of kit he had, however, was the small comms unit attached to his belt with the low-profile earbud and sub-vocal microphone that he wore. It, after all, kept him in touch with his partner. The bud crackled in his ear as his robotic companion opened up the line.

<<Um... Boss. We've got something going on. One of the VIP door bouncers just attacked the other one and is causing a scuffle.>> Wash was sitting up near the roof, the HUD of his viewscreen darkened and his ferret-like form still while he focused on the feeds coming from the remote video recorders he'd attached in several parts of the club. Each entrance, main thoroughfares, hard to see corners...anything the standard security system of the building might miss. He'd patched into the main security box, which allowed the droid to net everything together so he could be Rizzen's eyes and ears. He'd just caught the ruckus going on at the entrance to the VIP lounge.

Tilting his head a bit, the Falleen narrowed those deeply violet eyes, glancing toward the door. "Is there anyone making their way for the loung door, Wash?" The answer was forthcoming as it opened and a diminutive form slipped through.

<<Yeah...the haze is obscuring things a bit, but it looked like a woman moved in right after...she's got...>> Rizzen interrupted his companion, "Red hair, short and slight of frame." He kept his attention on her as she moved to sit at one of the unattended spots. She wasn't exactly being subtle...her attention was clearly focused on Kreen's booth.

<<How did you know?>>

"Because I saw her come in. Make sure the emergency exit is open. Quin'tarus may need to make an exit swiftly. Call in his driver and make sure he pulls the speeder around to the back and is ready to meet the primary there."

<<Got it, Boss.>>

Maybe he could diffuse this situation before it got messy. Deterrence was preferable to an altercation, after all. He focused his attention on the newcomer, his stare pointed and clearly showing that she hadn't entered unnoticed.

[Poludnica]

The first thing she did after sitting down was to shoo away the service droid, though upon learning all VIP's drinks were free, Ana decided to take the most fancy one. It was good to blend with the crowd after all. The plushy couch was sinfully comfortable and the red haired human decided to drape comfortably across it for a few minutes. For someone who was supposed to kill another being, the gray Jedi looked oddly relaxed. She was never a woman of deep feelings, they always ran strangely flat, letting her keep the strict control, even in times of great stress. Sadly, the discipline didn't spread to simple, physiological reactions and soon Anushka discovered growling hunger nestling in her stomach.

Without hesitation, she stopped the loitering droid with her leg and ordered deep fried oysters. Well, this gig had its perks. This was a kind life Ana had never really tasted before,the Jedi were ascetic folk that scoffed at down to earth pleasures. Upon learning who her parents were, Anushka began to feel pangs of frustration at what she could have had and what the fate had taken away. Ana discovered it made her slightly entitled to other people things, but it didn't really bother her.

Slowly chewing on the ridiculously expensive snack, the woman idly watched the hoggish Twi'lek whose gaze was fixed on the dancer's bare assets. What a pig...Ana wasn't a judgmental person, really but that image was just disgusting. The two females plastered all over his rotund body didn't make it any better. Not something to lose appetite over though and so Anushka proceeded to finish the delicacy placed on her plate.

Ana was about to order seconds when familiar uneasiness crept up her spine. The Force began to whisper warningly to her; something was wrong. Left. On the other side. The woman snapped her gaze directly toward the source of this sudden distress, without even looking around. There he was....Tall, green, predatory and handsome in an oddly exotic way. Only one creature could mesh all those traits in one without looking ridiculous – Falleen. Her eyes narrowed threateningly; she had met a few of them in the Order and all of them were deadly in combat. Their physical resilience and natural predisposition toward telepathy shaped them into dangerous foes. Not good.

Her senses spread immediately, prodding for any signs of the Force in the man but it didn't yield any results. He either had a sensitivity of a rock or masked it very well. She didn't notice any saber hilt and the armor looked slightly Mandalorian in appearance. There was a chance the Falleen wasn't a Forcer user, which increased her chances expediently since obviously he was a guard of some sort. An overdressed guard, but still...

A fleeting idea occurred in Ana's mind to just haul the Twi'lek into the glass wall and down below but it would mean dealing with the Falleen who already kept a vigil on her. Maybe...No, not yet. Instead she leaned back, stretching like a spoiled feline and locked the gaze with the green skinned man. Her fingers snapped at the droid and she ordered another plate of oysters, not looking away from the Falleen. What he would do?

Carefully, the woman sneaked tendrils of Force toward the guard, hoping to read his intentions. Telepathy was the only thing that really worked for her from all the range of Force skills but to her disappointment it didn't seem to work. Maybe a full on attack could help? She pondered trying to sear the man's pain receptors but that would definitely give her away – the target would escape and she would earn squat.

Crap...

Then a rather bold plan came to life in her head and she quickly glanced at the Twi'lek who was gluttonously stuffing food into his mouth. Large chunks of it. A devilish smirk ghosted Ana's lips before the expression turned back to bored indifference. Her gaze moved back to the Falleen as a ginger brow raised inquiringly, motioning her head toward the doors she had just came from. Under the table, her hand pulled back in slow, subtle movement, catching the pieces of meat in tentacles of the Force, they were close enough to sense Kreen gnawing on them, warming them with a body temperature.

Suddenly the chunks of greasy food began to clog the target's airwaves, pushing deep into his lungs. The Twi'lek began to choke, letting out disgusting, coughing noises. As far as she was concerned, he was good as dead, no one would pull the food out of his bronchial passages on time. A pang of guilt flared in the woman's soul but she crushed it quickly – he was a heinous creature that leeched on others – killer, slaver and liar. The Galaxy was a better place without him, for sure.

With a small smile and a playful wink, the woman raised both of her hands in a gesture 'look, it couldn't possibly be me' and began to slip away, hoping the guard would be more bothered with futile attempts on saving his employer. Hopefully the guards were still busy with a commotion downstairs which could erupt in a full time brawl. If Anushka was fortunate enough.

[Vex]

Those deeply violet eyes watched her as she corralled the server droid and placed her order. He chuckled a bit to himself when the automaton came back soon with that delicacy. It wasn't his particular cup of tea, but then again, he wasn't the one eating it, was he? She certainly seemed to be enjoying herself. Unfortunately, everything about how she was acting was making it all too clear to him that she didn't belong here by herself. Her actions in getting the droid's attention and how she was eating made her stand out as someone who was not used to this level of opulence and decadence.

It didn't seem to take the woman long to notice his interest in her. Not long after she finished her meal, she seemed to focus on him, catching his gaze with her own. Good...now they were acknowledging each other. This was a step up. All she had to do was to enjoy her refreshments and then be on her merry and all would be well. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that was very likely. Her focus became very pointed in its concentration and a creeping came up the back of his neck. While he wasn’t Force sensitive, he’d taken well to the defensive measures the Mandalorians used to harden their minds against the incursions of those who were. He felt pressure in his head, like the beginnings of a headache almost. His eyes narrowed as his head came up, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

That was probably a very good sign that the woman was, indeed, Force sensitive. It certainly correlated with what Wash had relayed to him earlier and explained what happened between the guards. That had his hackles up now. She wasn’t shy about using tricks to get to what she wanted…and she’d tried it on him. He was about to step forward and confront her pre-emptively when he saw her whole posture change. She relaxed back, almost looking at him with a come-hither look before nodding to the door she’d come in as though asking if he wanted to leave with her. It made him halt for a second…until he heard the sound of the fat Twi’lek choking.

He turned to look at the man while the arm candy stood up suddenly in shock and horror while Kreen began to claw at his throat and beat at his chest while he stumbled to his feet. The man didn’t have a very pleasant looking skin color to begin with, but it was already starting to look blotchy and even more unpleasant. Rizzen looked back just in time to see the playful wink and faux innocence of her gesture before the would-be assassin stood up and ghosted out the same way she came in.

The mercenary wanted to go after her, but if he did, he knew his target was dead. Cursing rather inventively in Mando’a, he activated his comm system with Wash.

“Wash, get down here right now, I’ll meet you in the emergency exit from the VIP lounge. Contact the driver to and have him come up the stairs, hurry!”

--Got it, boss…what’s going on?—

“The girl’s a Force sensitive… now Kreen is choking, hurry up.”

--Gosa….on my way, Cap’n!—

Wash cleared his view screen and booted up his optical receptors as he moved into motion, diving into the ventilation system that was just big enough for his rodent-like form, taking the swiftest route down while he radioed in to the drive to meet them at the emergency exit for the lounge.

Meanwhile, Rizzen moved back behind the flailing Twi’lek, trying to get his arms around the man’s mid-section in order to try and help him dislodge the obstruction. With her gone, she couldn’t have maintained a choke, meaning she’d tampered with his food. Gripping his hands together, he thrust them in and up, trying to force the debris out, but to no effect. Kreen was starting to stumble, which wasn’t good. If he went down completely, it was going to be very hard to get him to the exit. Rizzen began dragging him back in a jerking motion to the exit door, continuing to attempt to clear the airway as he went.

A shoulder hit the door and he pulled the man through just as his principle began to stumble more. He laid him down while he heard the sound of heavy footsteps running up the stairs before the driver rounded the stairs and stopped in shock at the scene. “Whut happened?”

“He’s choking…something is lodged and won’t come out.”

It was about that time they heard the skittering sound of feet from the side A/C ducted a moment before it popped out and Wash dropped down. Rising up onto his back legs, the little droid wrung its front paws together worriedly. “Uh oh, boss, that doesn’t look good.”

“I know. Get over here and see if you can do a scan and see where the problem is.”

“But, Boss, I’m not a med bot…I…”

“You are the best I’ve got, Wash. Do what you can.” Rizzen interjected, making Wash’s head duck a bit. The Familiar scrambled forward to the now unfortunately purpled Twi’lek, visor scanning over his chest and throat.

“Um…without any MRI, X-Ray, or anything else, I can’t tell much. Appears that there might be something closer to the bronchii, but I can’t say for sure.”

“Well, that means we’ll have to run a tracheotomy and try to snake the pipe.”

Impossibly, Kreen’s eyes popped out even more and he began to struggle more, trying to get away. Rizzen cracked him across the temple to get him to calm down and then pulled out one of the hold-out blasters. Ensuring it was on stun, he pointed it at his employer. “My apologies, good sir… it’s a medical necessity.” He pumped a stun bolt into the man, making both robot and driver gasp.

“Wash, you’ve got the finer manipulation tools. You’ll have to cut in and use you fine motor arm to try and dislodge the item. You…” he pointed to the driver. “Assist with whatever he asks for and be ready to get Kreen to a hospital.” Rizzen moved over to the far landing wall, where there was fire alarm system and a sealed first-aid kit. Ripping the kit from the wall, he tossed it to the man, who could only nod dumbly.

“What are you going to do, Boss?”

“Try to hunt down our assassin. Send all the feed to my glasses so I can try to pick her out from the crowd.” Reaching into the jacket he wore, he pulled out a pair of sleek black glasses, his own skin color turning a vivid crimson as his annoyance peaked. He flew down the stairs and exploded out the rear exit. Jogging around, he moved up an ally separating the club from its neighbor, breaking out onto the street and scanning left and right for anyone who matched the woman’s biometrics.

It almost seemed a bust until the glasses pinged on a bob of red parting the people further to the south on the road. Rizzen took off in that direction, deftly slipping by people in his pursuit to catch the woman.

He had to give her credit…that was a ballsy move, but a little arrogant too. Time to school her a little on the finer aspects…

[Poludnica]

Avoiding the panicked guards was easy, at least for someone trained in the Force. She read through pattern of souls, trying to sense possible dangers. The woman meld with the crowd that guards sift through diligently, looking for the red headed troublemaker. The woman opened the doors, slipping away when one of the bulky hirelings appeared in her way. Anushka blinked, chiding herself silently for paying attention to whoever was behind her and not in front. Ana inhaled deeply, rising her gaze to meet the brute's gaze and just before the man could confirm she was what they had been looking for, the girl send a wave of focused Force that hit the man's mind like a bludgeon.

The fiery headed woman jumped over the sizing body and darted toward the darker alley, oblivious to a blood trail she was leaving with every step. Pool of blood spilled from the man's nose in which the former Jedi stepped. Dark, rusty marks went all the way toward the main street where they vanished once the blood completely dried.

After few hundred meters she managed to get a cab that vanished in the ever present mist. Ana squinted her eyes, trying to see through the moist smoke. She put in coordinates of a motel with even cheaper bar placed at the edge of the city. Flickering light of the speeder zoomed leaving a trail easy to follow in the thick air. But who would go after her? The Falleen had stayed with his employer in futile attempt to save him.

Was it truly futile?

She didn't say long enough to confirm it and something told her not everything went as planned. ”Damn that nerfherding Falleen.” Ana snipped , slamming her , now fairly sure the target wasn't entirely dead as he should have been. The Force swirled and Anushka wasn't this skilled in reading its threads but the feeling of growing discomfort spoke loudly about the possible danger. But why...The woman slumped into her seat, wiping sweat from the forehead. The uneasiness grew stronger with every moment, which didn't make sense. She was moving away from it.

The speeder stopped, hovering on an empty parking lot near the run down motel. Everything on this planet smelled of soil and swamp, it made her gag every time. Feeling pangs of irritation, the woman opened doors to her room, feeling terrible anxiety slowly growing. What was going on? She threw the lightsaber on the bed in a reckless gesture.

He was a bad man, deserved to die. Ana felt sick on a stomach and leaned against the wall, finally deciding to splash some water on her face. The former Jedi felt strangely restless and agitated, not even unhappy. Just...Not good. The woman walked over to the shallow sink and opened the water. Her gaze unconsciously traveled to the mirror noting pale skin and small freckles dotting it around the nose bridge. Large hazel eyes looked empty and sunken. Lack of sleep and plenty of booze didn't make anyone pretty so far.

Tomorrow, I will deal with all this tomorrow.” Ana promised herself and turned off the faucet that squeaked in a protest.

[Vex]

Rizzen had missed the altercation between the woman and the guard, having gone around the back instead. Along-side the building now, he was able to briefly glance at the scene at the front entrance. The bulk of a form was lying prone halfway within the main entrance. The tepid lighting reflecting through the mist gave the dark puddle under the man’s head a dark, sickly sheen. The footsteps brought him along the path and long legs took him along with it as he attempted to close the distance with her. He could just vaguely see a flash of red hair as the ever present, oppressive mist swirled thinner for a moment. She was ducking into an ubiquitous cab.

Even as he poured on the speed to try and close the gap, he knew the attempt would be futile. He was still fifty meters away as the door hatch cycled closed and the speeder’s repulsors were already firing up, beginning to lift the vehicle off the ground as it spun around to depart toward her chosen destination. Fortune, or the Force, favored him in that it turned to head closer to him as it continued to lift higher in the air. Reaching to his belt, he slid to a halt, pulling out a small, matte black disk and thumbed the center. It flashed briefly before darkening once more and he set himself in position. Winding back, he threw it as the speeder flew overhead about twenty five feet above. His arm slung forward, wrist snapping the disk forward like one might skip a stone, allowing it to fly farther and straighter. It connected with the bottom of her cab and adhered magnetically just before the cabbie cleared the top of the nearest buildings and could push the throttle harder.

Keying his comms system again, he called out. “Wash, how is the principle?”

Wash, meanwhile, was currently arm deep in the Twi’lek’s throat. His small belly hatch had opened, allowing the fine manipulator arms to come out. He’d taken the minimal contents of the first aid kit the driver had brought and cleaned a section of the male’s throat over his trachea, just below his Adam’s apple. A simple, sharp cut had split the skin and revealed the thin space where the cricoids cartilage was. The little droid was easily able to punch through the membrane and snake a minor fiber-optic viewer in to locate the obstruction. It only took a moment to locate the food that had been pushed into the bronchi. The ferret-like creature had then sterile-wiped his manipulator arm and slid it down into the hole as well, snaking it down the man’s throat and following the fiber-optic to the point of the clog. He was just pulling out the food when Rizzen called. Focused as he was, the little creature jumped a bit, scraping the back of the man’s wind pipe and causing Wash to cringe a bit. “Oh no…”

It was right about that time as the wet, whistling sound of air entering the man’s lungs was heard as the body was finally able to pull in a breath for the first time in over three minutes. Arm and viewer cable exited. Small clawed hands clapped together. “Yay! I did it!” He looked up to the driver who towered over him. “Huzzah!”

For his trouble, the driver simply blinked at him and then picked up the fat alien, dragging him down the stairs so he could be brought to the hospital. Wash drooped his head a bit, nonplussed. “Not even a congratulations?” Then, he remember Rizzen had just radioed in.

<<Hey, Boss…I did it! Principle is breathing…the driver is bringing him to the vehicle and get him to the hospital. He didn’t even say “good job”.>>

Rizzen smirked, shaking his head. “You did well, little buddy, but I need your help again.”

<<Yeah, no problem…so long as you don’t make me do surgery again. That was kind of icky. Oh…he might kind of have a sore throat for a while.>> Wash sounded a little chastised as he made that confession.

“At least he’s alive to do the complaining, Wash. Don’t worry about it. The attacker took off in a cab. I was able to mark it with a locator, but I need you to meet me outside so we can track her down. I’m hailing a cab now…meet me outside the club.”

<<Roger wilco, Cap’n!>> Tucking those arms away, Wash scampered down to link up with Rizzen.

A few moments later, they were in a cab, Wash focusing on following the locator’s signal while Rizzen provided directions for the cabbie. Wash found where the cab had stopped for a few minutes and it wasn’t long before they were landing on the parking lot near that same motel. Rizzen shook his head. She really should take better precautions. Slipping the cabbie some extra credits in gratitude, he got out with Wash undulating along in his odd little way next to him. Two hundred credits pressed down onto the counter between Rizzen and the night manager allowed him to get a room number for a small, pale, red-haired woman. No one else in this sleaze-pit matched the description.

While Wash remained outside, Rizzen moved up to the door, blaster in hand and set to stun, not hesitating in the slightest. The woman used the Force. Any hesitation just gave her more warning, so he wasted no time in lashing out in a sharp kick to the door at the handle near the frame. Shoddy construction caused it to splinter easily and crash open as he strode in.

“I’m very disappointed. You left before I had the chance to ask you to dance.”

[Poludnica]

The painfully familiar feeling of incoming danger swelled in her chest. Growing in strength with ever passing second. Someone was getting closer...She had barely enough time to call the lightsaber into her hand when the doors were forcefully opened with a strong kick. Ana cursed loudly, igniting the saber with a flick of her wrist. Ana called out to pull string of the Force, felt it thickening around her small frame, ready to be hurled at the enemy.

Hazel eyes moved lazily around the floor and up to the intruder who made this mess. Ana looked deceivingly calm though the core of her being was wrenched between fear and worry. ”You.” The red haired woman spouted seeing the familiar Falleen stepping in. He wasn't a Force user, Ana couldn't be sure but bet on it. It didn't make him any less dangerous though, the male's aura screamed 'danger' to every fiber of her being. This creature took away many lives, maybe even Force users as the halo he had bore warning the woman was eager to heed.

Crap.

At least he couldn't read how scares she was...”Hoping I'll would agree? That's cute.” Ana replied quickly, her voice cold and indifferent. Even away from the Order, she still had skills of a knight and a discipline of one. Most of a time anyway...The woman's grip on the saber tightened as eyes pointedly fell on the blaster pistol. ”What are you trying to do with this pea shooter? Scare neighborhood slum children?” Ana clicked her tongue, her gaze flickering to various items that could be thrown at the pesky Falleen.

The bodyguard was a cheeky bastard, he was either stupid, brave or skilled. Maybe all those but Ana didn't like how he moved and looked. Like a veteran, assured of own self-worth on a battlefield. She had seen it before in Jedi Masters. This catlike grace and confidence of a seasoned warrior.

Not good.

”I think your had some unfortunate accident.” Ana quipped, buying time to force any mental defenses the Falleen could master. Prodding and pressing against the male's skull and soft brain tissue. ”Guess who isn't winning employee of the year.” Anushka had a lingering suspicion the Twi'lek was alive, but would be nice to confirm it. ”Is that what brought here? Lack of paycheck?” The woman tried to provoke the Falleen, to make him angry enough for him to lose focus and maybe then his mind would be easier to pick. Or break.

[Vex]

“You don’t have to play coy, little one. You know we shared a moment back there.” He canted his head to the side a bit, one corner of his lip curling up into an almost lazy smile. It was deceptively relaxed in the way a holo-actor’s smile was in the vids, capable of making women weak in the knees. A hint of sharp teeth added an edge of danger that managed to make the effect even worse. As she chided him on the blaster, he lifted one shoulder a minute amount in a shrug. “Stun blast. Larger radius, harder to deflect with a lightsaber.”

He gave her a wink, letting his eyes move over her quickly, assessing her professionally for any clues of weakness or hints to her intended actions. He may not have the Force, but that hadn’t stopped any advanced species from learning to read others. When it came to his own people, it was basically a survival pre-requisite.

She was trying to goad him…get inside his head. Literally, it would seem, as he felt the pressure of an outside force trying to worm its way in again. He’d felt it before, at the club. It only served to cement his suspicions about her. He gave her credit, she was seasoned enough to know that battle was as much mental as it was physical preparation. She was working on the battle of wills now, but found a bulwark set up against her probes, much as it had been before. He was well versed in mental defenses, his thoughts cloaked by a surface layer of Falleen and Mandalorian axioms of strength and perseverance. It was a simple, but effective tactic against all but the strongest and most skilled of mental infiltrations.

Given her attempt to peak into his mind, he decided to turn the tables, redirecting those surface thoughts to her. Now, instead of being blocked, she was inundated with vibrantly detailed mental imagery of herself and the Falleen together in very passionate positions. The scenes were highly varied and vivid as he attempted to use her mental attacks to throw her off her game. “You really shouldn’t pry, beautiful…it’s not very nice…”

He then pulled the trigger, the wider, electric blue cone of a stun blast arcing out toward her.

[Poludnica]

That was some smug bastard...Anushka wasn't a woman that could be embarrassed easily. On the contrary, her interest in anything sexual had always been so low she often treated flirt with clinical scrutiny rather than any personal emotion. The former Jedi titled her head and smirked playfully. ”Maybe it was only something you ate.” She winked devilishly, but her eyes remained cold, assessing the danger he possessed.

It was apparent the man knew violence, even felt comfortable in it – not so different from a trained Jedi. At the thought her eyes narrowed briefly as she watched tips of sharp, inhuman teeth bared in a sly smile. Ana recognized the game they were playing now, what they both tried to do. She snorted at the bald wink, a sound that turned into loud laugh when vivid, rather indecent images flashed in her mind.

”Compensating for something?” Ana snipped, commenting on both, the thoughts and the powerful blaster. Now at least she knew what to expect from the small gun.

Maybe another woman would be offended, horrified and appalled but Ana wasn't one of them. She didn't even blush when the suggestive pictures began to fill her thoughts, instead twisting them, putting in her place a famous holo-vid actor then sending it back with demure smile. ”So, the Twi'lek isn't dead.” The Falleen had amazing discipline, maybe even better than hers or at least experience that made up for lack of the Force but she risked a bluff. The strands of power she used to frequent whispered that the mission wasn't over.

Even before he spoke Ana prepared her defense, feeling change in the air. Her reaction was swift and instinctive – the woman pulled one of the chairs to catch the bolt of energy that exploded on the metallic surface. ”Then make me stop.” She demanded and with another move of her hand Ana caught free streaks of the Force , throwing it at the Falleen in one, focused kinetic wave, hoping to knock him over.

[Vex]

"If we'd met on different terms, little one, I might have afforded you the opportunity to see if I'm compensating, but I'm not one for mixing business and pleasure." It was more crass than he normally was, but it was the way of most hired muscle. He had a persona to keep when he worked as a freelancer...much different than when he was on his home world and dealing with that part of his life. It was far better to give her reasons to underestimate him, so the lecher he would be.

"The only way things work out for me is to take you out and drag you back to the higher ups." His words were noncommital about the state of the Twi'lek's health. The sound of the blaster fire was still ringing in the room, but he already knew that the shot wasn't going to hit. Force-sensitives were never easy, even when they weren't fully trained. Rahja had proven that for him. That chair flew up, absorbing the shot. He leaned forward for another when he saw her hand move again.

This trick he knew all too well. Every Jedi and their mother liked using it to push people around, she was no exception. Unfortunately, as he was framed in the doorway, he had no room to move laterally out of the path of the push, so he did the only thing he could. His knees bent in a crouch and he launched himself back, minimizing the impact of the push somewhat and allowing him to retain control. He used the force to aid him as he spun, keeping his limbs tight together as his feet came up over his head and back behind him.

Splaying his legs out, he arrested the spin, face down now as his boots hit the permacrete and he crouched. The hand not holding the blaster came down to keep himself steady as he skidded another half meter or so on the balls of his feet before stopping.

His head came up to look at her again... He was smiling. It wasn't every day things got interesting. He enjoyed the challenge and let it show on his features while his legs flexed and he launched himself forward again. That blaster was up once again and he fired rapidly at her once, twice, three, no, four times. The blaster was then tossed to the side, it's small charge spent and his hands already reaching to his belt and slipping into the grips of those electro knucklers and pulling them up as he came back at her on the offensive, following up after those blasts to make this dance a little more intimate and a lot more physical.

[Poludnica]

A flash of interest and amusement lit her eyes at the proposal. Ana feigned regret, pouting her lips only to smile with mockery. ”That is under assumption I would like to check.” The woman responded with a sly grin, not really buying this game. He was too well trained, too disciplined for such fooling around. They were enemies in it and even if there was could be found any type of attraction, Ana wanted to kill a criminal the Falleen protected. Such business conflict never bode well for possible passion. Especially when one side ended up dead.

”I assume higher ups aren't dead then.” Anushka hissed, recognizing that the Falleen was playing with her. Her eyes narrowed as the chair fell down between them. ”There will be.” She finished quietly, feeling tendril of the Force moving through the air, solidifying it into a telekinetic hammer.

The Falleen was shot back but Ana could see he deflected most of the damage. The guard was good, frightening so – the guy was gutsy enough to stand up against a trained Force user without any other advantage than his physical prowess. It made her worried – the man didn't seem like an idiot which meant he had abilities to match a Froce user and Ana was painfully aware of her inadequacy when it came to using the saber.

No time to wallow though...The Falleen was on his feet when Anushka darted toward him, the lightsaber raised. A flash of predatory smile goaded her, the man was enjoying himself clearly which did spark a thin layer of irritation. Ana didn't enjoy violence, not really, it was a necessary evil but the girl would rather avoid such confrontations. Shadows were her home as she was a thief more than a warrior.

At least dodging and running came natural to her, more than anything else when it came to fighting. She tumbled forward, missing two bolts, only to jump to her feet and sidestepped taking a temporary shelter next to the doors. Ana inhaled sharply, feeling familiar rush of adrenaline sharpening her senses.

He was getting closer...A warning came in swift wave of troubling feelings. The woman left her cover and finally engaged the Falleen in one of the most primal dances most beings in the Galaxy knew. She listened to the Force and moved to the rhythm of the male's blows for a heartbeat, before unleashing her lightsaber – cutting at low angle, drying to burn through the thick armor and into the soft tissue of the abdomen.

[Vex]

Challenge.

Rizzen relished it. His people tended to look at things from the long view. After all, when you tended to live longer than three or four of a normal sentient's life span, you had to play the long game and keep things fresh and intriguing. If you didn't, you tended to get bored.

Though he wasn't far from doubling her age, he was still young according to his people, with many years ahead of him. The idea of those years being dull and boring, plodding on for two more centuries...that idea frightened him far more than the saber she wielded.

So, when he met a challenge, he faced it head on, as he was doing now, and relished the chance to test his mettle. She moved with the same fluidity as he did, though she listened to the ebbs and flows of the Force while he simply moved to the instincts of training and experience. His subconscious recognized the opening in his defenses as she move to take advantage of it, that searing blade coming in. Crouching, he brought his elbow in, forearm up to catch the blade against the bracer on his forearm. The blade seared through the jacket and shirt he wore over his armor before catching against the Mandalorian beskar.

He didn't wait to see how long it could last, however. His wrist on that arm twist, his hand grabbing her wrist in turn to immobilize it while the other shot in, hooking between that arm and her side as he pivoted into a twist that brought his shoulder up against her before continuing.

The move brought him up and under her center of gravity as he lifted with his hips and finished the turn as a throw that took her over him and hard onto her back, dropping with her to add more force to it.

He kept the grip on her wrist to try and minimize the thread of that saber, the other hand punching at her elbow with the electrified grip his fingers were through in order to attempt stunning the arm and making her drop it all together.

He didn't talk now...banter was not for this state of the battle.

[Poludnica]

As usually and many times before it was simple hubris that marked her doom. Anushka danced away every blow with graceful fluidity of a coryphee until she found a sloppy opening in the male’s defenses. Ana took that chance with naive believe a an experienced warrior could make such rookie mistake. With a wicked smile the young woman let her blade to sink in the armor only to have it stopped which immediately caused the cocksure grin to fade, replaced by surprisingly genuine worry.

Well, sh*t. The former Jedi managed to think before the grin skinned male gripped her wrist with force she didn’t expect. Anushka tried to kick him in the knee but now it looked more like an uneven struggle between an adult and scared child. Finally, with a pathetic yelp Ana found herself on the ground. Her head hit the floor hard enough for the girl to see explosion of stars. Barely registering the heavy weight that effectively immobilized her. She let out a loud hiss, like an angry feline ready to bite.

Sharp, electric current ripped lightsaber from her grip and the thing rolled away, vanishing from sight. Anushka tried to knee the Falleen below the belt, hoping to get similar reaction like from most of other humanoids but she was also painfully aware that this encounter was lost. At least when it came to pure, raw warrior’s skill.

Though Anushka was anything but a passive victim and every shred of her being would fight until there were nothing options left nor any strength. There was one more thing, one that she was never fond of using but by now it could be called an instinct the harsh training had instilled in the young woman. Ana closed her eyes and reached to the threads of the Force, calling them to catch the Faleen’s mind in a tight net - withing a heartbeat Anushka had unleashed a telepathical wave with all the might, tearing into the male’s consciousness. When it came to the art of the Force this mind link had been the only thing she could be proud of and something that the fiery haired girl truly mastered.

Let me go! Anushka insisted, pouring in a wave of flaring pain that marked every syllable.