A New Promotion?

[Vex]

It seems he'd touched a nerve and fail when it came to the jest, even if it was only partial. Reaching up, he drew off that mask. In the shadows of that hood, his features seemed spectral, like a disemboded head hovering in the gloom. He pushed aside the folds of those robes, drawing out the blackened pommel of his lightsaber. Twirling it in his fingers, he ignited it...letting the violet beam effortlessly shear the camera in half, killing its feed. The lightsaber was returned back to its place on his belt and then he moved closer, leaning over her. One hand rested against the wall next to her head, the other came down, restingly lightly over the still-bandaged area hidden beneath that hospital gown and the sheets.

"Do not be offended because I have some ulterior motives with you in mind. I have been honest with them to you, Aunna. I have never hid them or tried to lead you otherwise. Do not be indignant, when you yourself have motives for me as well, even if you aren't fully aware what it is you want from them."

Yes, indeed, he had been probing her mind...it was easier with her in this state.

"If I had not wanted...had not desired, to see you stay alive, you would not be. Financial concerns or no, using that power does not come without great cost to me. You are alive because I wanted you to be alive. I did not want you to die."

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

Seeing the lightsaber flicker to life, she blinked and watched as the camera was cut in two before the violet flame flickered out once more. Watching him in a almost cat-like manner, Aunna sat perfectly still as he moved toward her. He rested one hand on the wall behind her and the other on her still bandaged side before he spoke again. Motives...hmph, he was one to talk of motives, she had no other motives for him but to be wary of him.

"Do not be indignant, when you yourself have motives for me as well, even if you aren't fully aware what it is you want from them."

Her first thought was: "get out of my mind."
Her second: "Wait, what?"

Blinking, she took a breath to oppose his statement, but found herself reluctant to say anything, so she opted to remain silent. As he continued, she fought the urge to smile, and only barely won. So he wanted her alive, hmm? The major wasn't entirely certain if she was pleased with this idea or not, and that only frustrated her more. Huffing a sigh, she raised an eyebrow. Now, Aunna didn't know what it was like to heal others with simply what seemed to be a thought, or a whim, so she had no idea what he meant by it coming at a great cost...she was, after all, no jedi. But she believed him. There was no lie in his eyes or his words...and she could only liken it to her risking her own life to save another person's. Closing her eyes lightly, she turned her face down slightly.

I'll never fully understand what you mean by that Vex, but I very much appreciate it.

She sighed slightly and shook her head. Something was nagging at the back of her mind, telling her that Vex should leave, and soon.

Go on. I have a feeling you need to go. You can't be caught here.

Aunna said, turning her face away from him, as if seeing him might suddenly get him caught. She didn't fully know why she was letting him escape, but she was.

I'm sure you already know I'm being released this evening. Unless I'm given another..."promotion" I'll be back at my office tomorrow.

She added.

[Vex]

"Indeed, I do believe you are right. I think they have a monitoring system for the security network and the camera's destruction tripped it. With your penchant for antagonizing people with lightsabers, they probably felt that you deserved some extra attention."

It actually surprised him when she looked down the first time and chose not to come back with a retort of her own. He was doubly surprised when she looked away. In all of his confrontations with her, she'd shown that willful, prideful resolve and a fiery spirit that would not submit. Here, now, however, was something far more vulnerable...something that cast her in an almost tender light.

Vex leaned in close, almost cheek to cheek. When he spoke next, his mouth was a scant inch from the curve of her ear. That low, cool voice washed against it, counterpointed by the warmthof his breath when he spoke in barely a whisper.

"I am glad that you are doing better, Aunna. I look forward to seeing you again. Trust that I'll find an opportune time when there aren't so many cameras around. Perhaps we'll even manage to keep you from getting injured this time around..."

He drew back, chuckling softly to himself as he drew that mask back up and drifted towards the door. As he did so, she would see the edges of him seem to dim, his whole form seeming to become less distinct and easier to miss. It would be a battle to keep attention on him as that powerful Jedi mind trick kept pushing everyone's attention anywhere BUT Vex.

A glance was given out the door and then Vex slipped back within, stepping off to the side. Barely two heartbeats later, two security guards came in, blasters drawn. They moved right passed Vex without noting him, searching the corners and under her bed, investigating the vandalized camera. With another inclination of his head towards her, Vex eased out of the room, under the camera's view and remaining in its blind spot as he made his way back out of the facility.

The security seemed perplexed. "Ma'am, are you all right? What happened? Your surveillance camera has been destroyed. Did anything happen?"

[Talau the Ever-Lurking]

She couldn't help but chuckle softly as his words. Yes, she'd thought that he'd say something along those lines.

Yes, I would much prefer that. I doubt I'll be alive much longer if things keep going the way they have been.

She replied with a chuckle. It was, of course, mostly a joke, but it held some small truth to it that even she couldn't deny. As he slipped away, Aunna returned to her paperwork as if nothing had happened. Vex had only just left, when he was back once again, followed by two guards. Aunna glanced up, watching them from out of amused eyes as they searched her room, completely missing Vex in the process. Smirking, she sighed as they asked her if she was alright and what happened. Chortling, she simply shook her head and took off her glasses, putting them lightly on the papers before her. The major hmmd quietly, as if she found the whole thing rather amusing and intriguing, but nothing to be concerned about.

Yes, I'm as well as can be expected. Nothing happened actually. I was just visited by someone who seems to be rather camera shy. Obviously.

She stated, motioning to the destroyed camera as if it were perfectly obvious. Her voice was filled with a dry humor, her eyes sparkling slightly as Vex nodded and left the room once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several days later, Aunna was back at work once more, having been discharged with a clean bill of health once more, when her com system chirped. Looking at the name it displayed, she groaned and sat up before answering.

Major Borgonia here, what can I do for you Colonel Vinay?

The man on the display looked extremely displeased.

Honestly Major, we go to the trouble of putting you in a place where things should be calm enough for you to make a full recovery and yet you STILL manage to get yourself injured?! What are we going to do with you? The higher ups are having a hissy fit here over your little display a week ago, then we find out that the camera in your room was sliced in half?! While you were in the room?! By a light saber?!

What in the world is going on over there!? Do you attract dark jedi like the plague or something? Do you go looking for fights?! Your job there...might I remind you....is to guard the kolto, and keep the peace!

Aunna sighed inwardly and blinked lazily at the display of the infuriated Colonel. What was she supposed to say? Nothing she ever said changed their minds.

I decided it was easiest to guard the kolto while I'm in it.

She replied, her voice sarcastic and only barely withholding the anger she felt. To her pleasant surprise, the colonel looked, if possible, even more furious.

What did you expect me to do Colonel? Stand back and try to talk that sith out of coming in and rampaging about while the others in the bar were slaughtered? I did my job, and if you don't like it, you can fire me. Or try to. I was not out of my rights as a soldier, and anyone in the bar can uphold my story.

She explained, her voice once again a well practiced calm. Aunna was, obviously, far from calm at the moment, but she couldn't just go around starting verbal wars with her superiors.

How...how dare you talk to a superior officer like that?!

Aunna snorted.

No, you're not a superior officer, merely a higher ranking one.

She retorted, her voice holding the venom she felt now.

If you truly were a 'superior' officer, you would understand my situation.

The colonel looked ready to explode by this point, he had puffed up so much in his anger. Aunna, however, sat calmly behind her desk, hands folded before her as she gazed over the tops of her glasses.

This isn't the last you'll hear of about this Major.

With that the communications were severed, and Aunna sunk down her her seat, her head in her hands. Yet again, she was happy there were no cameras in her office....she had checked herself....it wouldn't do to see her so deflated after such a little squabble.