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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
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May 28, 2013 14:37:46 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on May 28, 2013 14:37:46 GMT -5
ThemeIt was cold. The lamps shone weakly down upon the icy landing pad, its ghostlike light painting a long, inky shadow at Danica's feet that stretched across the entirety of the platform until it disappeared off the edge into the starless darkness. Icy green eyes, lined with smokey shadow, peered out from beneath the depths of the silken, fury hood. Her pale complexion gained a soft, pink glow in the face of the arctic winds as she looked around the docks at the small group of people milling about. Soft layer of fresh snow gathered on the ground, delicate piles of fluff quickly vanished beneath hurried footsteps. Idly, the woman pulled the hood away, letting ebony black hair to spill on her shoulders. Biting chill immediately began to gnaw at Danica's ears and nose. She sneezed softly before finally focusing her attention on finding the damn ship. Night...something.... Danica tried to recall the name but the thing constantly escaped her unfocused thoughts. She reached to the pocket to dig out a small datapad that hid the proper name of the smuggler's ship. The woman's gloved fingers were slippery thought and the device fell into the pile of snow. Cursing under her breath she crouched to find it, meticulously searching through ever inch but the rapidly falling snowflakes didn't help the matter. The anxiety began to creep on her, causing pangs of stress induced headache. Something told her not to go to Tatooine; to avoid this place that in her mind belonged to her father. Cassius owned a fair share of mining business there and too often visited those regions. But there was also a silent rebellion deep in her soul – to show that her father wasn't omnipotent. No matter his Force or money. It was just an illusion of strength; illusion she had built her cage on. Believing that Cassius would find her anywhere... He found Nieraan.... Sharp intake of breath stopped the trainwreck of unwelcome thoughts; soaked in fear. Pushing away the intrusive memory, the woman finally closed her fingers on something solid enough to be a datapad. She was about to get up when someone pushed her back on the ground. Danica fell ungracefully into the snow, catching only a glimpse of the rushing humanoid. ”Watch where you're going you filthy dirtfarmer!” The Coruscanti woman called after him – traces of High Galactic lilt betraying her upbringing; ”Nerfherder filth!”.Anger and sadness ringing in the unsavory insult. Tears of humiliation gathered in her eyes – she hated it. She hated being a nobody. Normally always surrounded by a string of bodyguards, Danica rarely felt what it meant to remain a simple human. Her father wouldn't search for a simply clothed girl that traveled on a smuggler vessel thought. Anonymity gave Danica a sense of safety and solace her true name would never bring. Ignored by everyone around, the girl gathered herself from the ground, dusting the snow off the similarly white jumpsuit. Come one...Where are you. Determined to find the ship, she looked around with an expression of a hurt princess painted on her oval features.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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May 28, 2013 15:15:37 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on May 28, 2013 15:15:37 GMT -5
Quentin shuddered as he lit a cigarette and ruffled the fur trim on his collar, his goggles frosting up. He sped up to a slight jog, still minding the icy ground while he moved over to the landing pad. The sky was the usual shade of blueish gray and as Quentin watched the snow fall he frowned. 'It'll be heavier soon, I need to get going' he thought to himself, rounding a corner and seeing a woman being shoved to the ground. He watched the figure who shoved her disappear into the snow as he tutted to himself, she was the only one here so he assumed it would be the woman who had asked for passage. He approached her casually and nodded in the direction the rude passer by had disappeared to
"Everyone's in a rush these days" he said, shaking his head. Quentin peered over to his ship, not much to look at but, that's exactly what people don't look for when they're hunting smugglers. "The elusive Ms. Smith, I presume?" he asked chirpily before offering a hand coated in a moth eaten fingerless glove to the lady.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
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May 29, 2013 7:43:02 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on May 29, 2013 7:43:02 GMT -5
Her gaze tried to peer through thickening snowfall. She felt more than saw a movement near by and the woman's body tensed, expecting some kind of danger. It was just a man though, half of his face covered by goggles. Cautiously, Danica took a step back in case his intention's weren't clear. The dark haired woman's features betrayed a dose of suspicion mixed with a bit of expectancy. ”Doesn't excuse them for being blind asses.” She stated aloofly, before taking an offered hand. The glove had holes in it, eaten away by moths or some other bug.
Poor looking and scruffy, like the rest of the man. Danica blinked and a faint smile appeared on her glossed lips. ”Ahneta.” She lied with an ease that came with her upbringing. Social elite was about lies, masks and false smirks after all. ”You must be Quentin.” Danica said with a sigh, trying to hide growing annoyance. Camouflaging fiery temper was supposed to be as much a part of her disguise as a false name.
”Yours?” She asked suddenly, not all impressed with the ship the man was looking at. Her nose wrinkled slightly but Danica held back a biting comment. Normally a guest to charter frigates, she wasn't really used to modest smuggler ships that often had bunks in their cargo bays.
The woman's attention returned to the pilot. Danica was tempted to ask how come he could tell how he recognized her so easily. Did she stand out too much? That could mean troubles on Tatooine. ”Do you know where we are going?” The Coruscanti aristocrat asked instead, making double sure it was him and no one else. This paranoia might have seemed too much but Danica knew Cassius and his games too well to feel entirely safe. Especially without Nieraan.
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May 29, 2013 11:49:26 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on May 29, 2013 11:49:26 GMT -5
Quentin blinked behind his frosty goggles as the woman cast the snide remark against the person who shoved her. He shook the woman's hand firmly as she took it then shivered, pulling his hand away and rubbing it against the other one while jumping up and down slightly on the spot to try and warm himself up. The sky was already starting to darken with the threat of more snow. "Ahneta, eh?" he asked with a cheerful smile, looking over to his ship and then toward the huge ice crystals protruding up in the distance; it was a beautiful sight but, it made Quentin feel so small. He shook himself out of it and turned back to Ahneta as he saw an unsure frown pass across her face when she looked at the ship. "She's not much, she doesn't even have a cargo hold but she'll get you to where you want to go in a hurry." he said proudly, something fell off the ship behind him with a clunk. "Ignore that" he added. Quentin strolled over to the ship and reattached a small bit of wing cover to the bottom with a small pocket blow torch. "Tatooine" he said, ducking back out from under the wing to face the woman, answering her question. "does beg the question though, what business does a young lady such as yourself have on a Hutt cartel planet?" he asked, a hint of arrogance in his voice as he leaned against the side of the ship and opened the door, making the stairs lower for entrance into the cramped 2 seater cockpit.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
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May 30, 2013 7:09:14 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on May 30, 2013 7:09:14 GMT -5
The man had very firm handshake that betrayed maybe equally firm character. Her own was more delicate, almost feathery in comparison. Danica nodded at the false name as if it was anything but that. The woman's gaze stopped on the cheerful grin and she even tried to reciprocate but anxiety faded it to a faint, bashful smile. ”I can see that...” The Coruscanti woman commented with a quirked eyebrow just in time to catch a sight of some metal part falling down on the frozen ground.
”Uh...” Danica started, taking a step back. The pilot immediately darted toward the thing with a small blowtorch. ”Easy to say.” The woman breathed , growing unsure if this ship could survive the incoming trip. The heap of junk looked very inconspicuous which was a plus but other than that...A girl used to luxurious yachts felt a true dread at the idea of stepping onto that ship. She glanced back, as if to run away but only a tired sigh escaped her lips.
Few careful steps later Danica found herself closer to Quentin. He confirmed the destination which left her with a mixture of uneasy feelings. The ship looked bad but the pilot didn't belong to the group of obnoxious,sleazy bastards that swarmed in the Galaxy. Though a hint of cheekiness in the way he asked his question made her wary. ”I didn't know I was paying for a twenty questions game.” Danica replied with similar challenging arrogance. She crossed arms on her chest in an haughty manner, waiting for the doors to open.
For a moment her gaze focused on the giant icy crystals that loomed over the docks. It was getting colder with every minute and the interior of the ship grew more and more inviting.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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May 30, 2013 12:17:00 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on May 30, 2013 12:17:00 GMT -5
Quentin snorted as the woman retorted to his question. "A thousand pardons, miss" he said humbly before taking a look back to the spaceport, thinking he saw someone moving through the snow he peered further, putting him on edge. The woman seemed equally tense, for what reason he couldn't work out as he gave her a quick look over. He shook off his nervous feelings and climbed into the cockpit before dropping into his seat and turning on the on board flight system. He grabbed a rag and wiped the condensation from the cockpit window and tried to stuff the junk food cartons under his console.
He looked back to the woman and asked "Anywhere in particular on Tatooine?" before sliding more junk food cartons off the chair his passenger was to sit in.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
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May 31, 2013 11:57:18 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on May 31, 2013 11:57:18 GMT -5
A faint smile appeared on her lips at the man's humble apology. Danica believed it to be as much sarcastic as honest. ”Let the lady keep her secrets.” She shrugged elegantly, feeling muscles in her shoulders coiling unpleasantly. The woman couldn't really tell what had caused his surge of anxiety at this particular moment but tried to swallow her silly fears that were stirred when the pilot looked over his shoulder toward the space port.
”What's going on?” Danica asked, trying to mask her worries behind a mask of polite indifference. With a bit of too much haste the Coruscanti aristocrat stepped into the pleasantly warm interior of the ship. After looking around a bit, the woman stepped into the cockpit, her gaze immediately falling on the trash Quentin so diligently tried to hide.
Careful not to step into anything, the woman moved toward the seat and sank into it, hopefully no fresh stains would left marks on her stark white jumpsuit which cost probably more than half of this ship. Danica unzipped her jacket and quickly took it off. Stuffing the jacket somewhere next to her, the dark haired woman adjusted in the surprisingly comfortable chair. ”In the smallest space port you can find there.” Danica replied quickly, a knot of anxiety nestled in her chest once more at the thought of being alone on Tatooine. But she couldn't take Nieraan on this trip, not after what had happened on Hapes. Her allegiance to the Sith Order had to remain a secret in the Hutt space along with true identity.
Tapping nervously on the console near-by, Danica fought to ward off thecold feeling of dread that gripped tightly her heart.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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May 31, 2013 13:13:28 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on May 31, 2013 13:13:28 GMT -5
Quentin shut the door behind the woman quickly, sliding back into the seat and looking at the figures moving through the snow storm. "Don't mind them" he said with a nervous chuckle, quickly flicking all the starting switches into the on position and shaking the throttle control to make sure it was aligned. The ship juddered to life and slowly moved upward as he looked down below. "Just old friends" he said with a sigh of relief. After a little while Quentin pulled out a small datapad and started jotting things down and then looked up at his navigational screens. "We'll go for Anchorhead, it's relatively out of the way" he said, then pondered for a moment. "If you're after luxury, though, you won't find it there...it's full of criminals, smugglers and the lowest paid bounty hunters." he uttered ominously before adding "good swoop races though!" in a much more chirpy tone.
The ship was now reaching the edge of the atmosphere and as the ship rattled and shook Quentin looked rather nervous. The heat and pressure slowly ebbed into the cabin until in an instant, the ship lay perfectly calm as it sailed into the inky darkness ahead. "Pardon my continued inquisitiveness miss but, do you need any assistance when you get to Tatooine? Just seems like you're not entirely sure of yourself." he added in a genuinely concerned tone.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jun 1, 2013 16:57:07 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on Jun 1, 2013 16:57:07 GMT -5
Her eyes narrowed briefly, betraying caution. ”It's not easy to find friends in the Sith space.” Danica said demurely, wondering what kind of friends those could be. Not every smuggler was a hardened criminal with connections to the darkest corners of the underworld. Quentin didn't seem like one of those, certainly there was nothing dark about him. After weeks of living among the Sith, the Coruscanti noble could notice the signs of such taint. Her own soul wasn't free of one after all.
No, the pilot seemed like a good, honest guy that happened to operate out of the government's radars. ”And why would you think I am after luxury?” Danica asked, crossing arms on her chest in an haughty manner. Anchor's head was a mining town, full of corporates security and spice trafficking criminals, a place Cassius often visited and held considerable assets hid in Czerka's shares. The dark haired woman had been there before but never alone.
Her cover must have been really poor though when even the smuggler noticed she didn't belong among the common crowd. Danica could change her clothes, make up, hair color but deep down she would always held certain aloof contempt for everyone below her status which made blending in quite difficult. The way she spoke, gestured, even accent betrayed the Core elitist breeding. ”I am not scared of low lives.” Danica commented with a shrug which wasn't entirely true. She had spent time with murderers, assassins and the Sith but a common disorderly den of criminals wasn't something entirely familiar. Even the Hutts crime lords held some form of class.
Mild surprise blossomed on her features when Quentin asked if she needed any help planetside. Danica blinked, wondering if she truly looked so helplessly confused. ”Do you think I need help?” The woman asked, impish sparks gleaming in her green eyes. [c For a long moment she pondered the proposal, wondering what hid behind it. An honest, gentleman's offer? A way to earn more money or something else entirely? Danica didn't trust people, especially men. It came with the harsh upbringing. ”Maybe.” She stated in a noncommittal manner, trying to hide fearful caution his words awoken.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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Jun 6, 2013 14:50:49 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on Jun 6, 2013 14:50:49 GMT -5
Quentin heaved a hefty sigh, running his fingers through his hair and tugging on his braid as he peered into the stars with a frown. "The first time I arrived in Anchorhead, I got my arms broken and my wallet stolen, lady...if you aren't scared of low lives...you should probably start working on that" he said rubbing his arm from the memory. He tapped some things into his datapad as he glanced over to the woman. He stopped when she scoffed at his offer for help. "I'm not doubting the fact you can handle yourself, I've seen people last much less time on the outer rim planets, but I know Anchorhead, I used to work there." he said with a smile. After a while he asked her "Is someone looking for you?" in a concerned tone. He saw his tattered padawan robe strewn over a chair as his heart leapt into his mouth, he attempted to nonchalantly move it out of view.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jun 13, 2013 7:22:35 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on Jun 13, 2013 7:22:35 GMT -5
A skeptical look ghosted across her features that quickly turned into polite indifference. She didn't really think the place was this dangerous and lawless, Nar Shaddaa seemed worse which was why every business venture Danica had there was accompanied by a herd of guards. But Tatooine? The woman shrugged away the concern, pegging it as some form of manipulation. ”I will take my chances.” She glanced back on the pilot who seemed busy with stuffing something under his chair.
A glimpse of weird looking cloth. Danica frowned, not sure why the man didn't bother to hide away more of the trashy food mess and cared for such tiny details. ”Why are you trying to hide a pile of rags?” The woman asked bluntly, caring little for social graces. She only used when absolutely had to, during important negotiations. A mask of a polite, high class girl wouldn't do her good when undercover.
And then the pilot said something that immediately caused a flurry of anger. The woman's expression became stern and unapproachable. ”No.” Danica replied with a lie, hoping the man wouldn't catch up on it.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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Jun 14, 2013 11:03:06 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on Jun 14, 2013 11:03:06 GMT -5
Quentin chuckled nervously as he was questioned on his robe. "It was just in my way is all" he said with a weak smile, He noted the woman seemed to not want to speak about her intentions whatsoever, so he quickly dropped his line of inquiry "sorry for my intrusion, just trying to make some conversation" he said sheepishly, he finished entering the co-ordinates he needed and sat back, letting the ship do the rest, he spun round to face the woman and asked "so, what do you do for fun?" with a smile, the woman seemed to care little for chit chat, but Quentin was not going to make this flight in silence, besides, she seemed like she probably had some wealth.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
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Jun 21, 2013 9:42:47 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on Jun 21, 2013 9:42:47 GMT -5
Danica didn't comment about the piece of rag the man so diligently stuffed back in its place. Something in the way he so willingly dropped the topic, the uneasiness of his smile and hasty excuse spoke the thing meant more than just being a random intrusion. The woman remembered this fact and made a mental note to ask about it later, if only to be annoying. ”Happens.” She shrugged away the apology, pondering how rare it was to find a polite smuggler these days. This one seemed almost educated, at least when it came to manners.
Immediately it made her suspicious.
”Huh?” The woman let out a humming chuckle at the question that certainly wanted to make a conversation. Why the man needed so much to stay polite was beyond her, considering all the unsavory types that lurked in his field of work. With a detached frown Danica wondered about the question, looking for some viable lie as the first thing that came to her mind was 'spending time with Nieraan.' It was a troubling idea.
”I dance.” The woman finally decided on what used to be a truth about her. Rarely now though. How easily such things were forgotten, even if that was one of the few things about her past life she genuinely liked. If he asks me to dance I will have someone to murder him... Danica stuffed down the idle musing before it could show on her expression.
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last online Aug 7, 2013 2:07:45 GMT -5
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Jun 23, 2013 9:52:47 GMT -5
Post by Quentin Highwind on Jun 23, 2013 9:52:47 GMT -5
Quentin sighed as he looked down at his old padawan robe and looked back up to the stars in front of him. "A dancer, huh?" he asked after shaking of a blanket of nostalgic sadness, he turned back to the woman and added "I used to...uh...know a Twi'lek girl who was a dancer, although...I guess it wasn't the same kind of dancing" Quentin blushed for a second.
"Do you dance in concert halls and things?" he asked, remembering some of the spectacular shows he saw on Coruscant, in the distance, Quentin could see their destination approaching slowly.
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Poludnica
Most likely to snow ticket
891 posts
56 likes
Zloty.
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last online Dec 15, 2020 12:26:45 GMT -5
Guardian
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Jul 18, 2013 13:20:09 GMT -5
Post by Poludnica on Jul 18, 2013 13:20:09 GMT -5
Of course his mind would go there! Danica frowned darkly, her eyes growing cold as Mygeeto surface. ”How dare you!” She snapped, offended by comparing her to some alien lady of the night. The Coruscanti noble abhorred how most people's mind went straight to night club, crude dancing. ”It's a classical, ancient form of art perfected on Curscant by Humans.” Danica scoffed, unable to still her temper even if she had given away much more than had ever planned to.
At first the woman hesitated but the pride won over reason and she nodded. ”I used to, yes.” Danica escaped with her gaze for a long moment as a creeping wave of nostalgia washed over her, leaving shreds of early memories. Cassius had taken pride in his daughter's skills, showing her off at every chance. Concerts, small recitals and large events. Danica along with other high born girls would serve as trinkets to brighten such meetings. It made her feel wonderful and terribly humiliated at the same time. It were the only occurrences were Cassius had showed true appreciation and for many years Danica fed into it like a hungry child.
Only to learn at the end of the day she hadn't meant a thing to him.
”Long time ago.” She admitted, brushing away the sadness, evoked by the idle musings over the past. The rest of the journey Danica decided to stay silent, already feeling too many things were said between them.
Xxx
Harsh, heated air forced its way to the ship when the doors opened. Danica flinched at the searing wind that carried irritating, prickly dust. She sneezed, happy there was time to switch thick, furry garb into very lithe, long dress appropriate for the local style and climate. The same azure one the woman had bought the day Nieraan and her had visited the planet together for the first time. It made her feel oddly nostalgic, so many months had passed since then. So much things had changed in their lives and yet the lingering fear of Cassius was always there.
Brilliantly verdant eyes looked around to find her pilot. It was time to make final payments.
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