Femme Fatal (Axle)

[Tal]

As the sun filtered down through a few cracks in the roof of the carved out cave that housed the small shop Italia had wandered into. As the athletic woman looked around the small shop, she noted the few customers appeared to be smugglers, and she nodded to another man toward the back, whom she recognised as a fellow hunter. Hopefully, he wasn't here for her...but by the looks of it, he wasn't.

[Latus]

((This is kinda reaching but, oh well, it gets me back into the swing of things and locates me somewhere on the site's universe.))

Crowds of people... why does there always have to be crowds of people. For a being such as him who longed to be in the sky being in a crowded city area like this made one such as Axle nothing more than a nervous wreck. Slowly he had made his way from one end of the city to the other as flying over or around it may have aroused a bit of suspicion. Something he wanted to avoid at all costs, he still had work to do.

The sun was finally going down over the city, he could make some distance towards his next mark through a few hours of night flying without drawing attention. He had left his ship a few cities over for just in case those he was hunting felt like getting preemptive. Eventually he left the spires of tall buildings and came to a place full of local shops, the crowds thinned out and he was able to slow his pace. He had his wings concealed under a loose tunic with velcro flaps to let them out if he needs to flee at a moment's notice. The one weapon Axle has on his person is one small blaster, nothing flashy but efficient.

He finally stopped to rest in a small cluster of Selonian shops, maybe he could get some local food without much trouble. His eyes fell on a small mechanics hut before anything else, maybe he had something he could apply to his ship. Slowly, Axle entered, noting the best exits and possible weapons if things became ugly.

[Tal]

As Italia rummaged through a bin of ship components, she noted the entrance of a new face. The man seemed nervous enough to be sure, but that was common in a place like this, especially if you felt closterphobic. As she gazed at the man for a moment, she returned to her rummaging...perhaps this man would be worth looking into? He seemed the type to be hunted, and her hunches weren't often wrong. In the pretext of standing upright to stretch, Lia loosened her blaster slightly and made a mental note of the man's features. He had an odd shape to his back, and she wondered why. Leaning over once more to rummage about, she finally found the part she needed for her ship, and extracted it carefully.

Walking toward the counter, she headed in the direction of the new-comer, her bright, clever, eyes fixed on him intently.

[Latus]

It took a moment for Axle's eyes to adjust, dark, dingy, but quite busy. He had shelves full of parts as well as bins of nuts, bolts... she was staring. Not overly obvious but she definitely was keeping her eye on him. He took a few steps in, quickly eying the shelves of parts. There were a few computer components he needed to get his navi-computer back into some kind of working order. All the while Axle kept his eye on the woman.

She had finished rummaging around in one of the parts bin and made for the Selonian behind the counter... or him, for that matter.

[Tal]

Ah, so he had noticed her. So perhaps he wasn't the hunted after all...but the hunter? She nodded to him slightly as she brushed past him on her way to the counter. She was odd like that...Lia had found that is she even lightly brushed against a person she could get some kind of idea of who, or what, they were...but as she brushed by him...

Lia almost tripped over herself as she found that he was not at all a normal human. She wasn't sure just what this man was, but it interrested her greatly...even more so than his actions had...and that was saying something, considering Lia didn't often find her attention drawn to others unless they had a bounty on their head...or were hunting hers.

[Latus]

... hundred creds left. Maybe I can haggle with him for th..

The action of her brushing slightly against him made Axle jump slightly, or, well, it would have if her reaction wasn't much more shocked than his own. She had taken a step very quickly backwards. His eyes lowered to hers... somehow, some way...

She knows...

Axle straightened, turned, and pushed his way out of the shop. If what the shop keeper had was all that good, he would have to come back for it later. A few people exclaimed at him as he pushed towards the edge of the market, it probably wouldnt cause that much uproar if he took off from here. He just had to get some distance away from her.

Just like Machin... force sensitive, maybe?

((Read the history for clues about Machin.))

[Tal]

As the man jostled his way out of the shop, Lia pushed her way toward the counter, put the part down with a hurried "Hold this for me" and followed in the man's wake. As she came to the crowded market street, she saw his head over the crowd, and knew she wouldn't be able to catch him this way. Looking around swiftly, she lept up and caught hold of a metal sign holder, on which, she swung herself up onto the low rooftop and darted along the edge of it.

Hey! she shouted after him, dodging another sign post and leaping to the next roof as she pursued the man. She wasn't about to let him get away that easily...not when he'd so accutely peaked her interrest...it was, to say the least, worth her time to pursue the man. As she lept lightly to the next building, she caught sight of him once more, and picked up her pace along the roof tops. Ducking around an antenna, she caught hold of the next sign pole she came to and swung around it, launching herself at the man, aiming to catch hold of his arms and pull him down to the ground so that he couldn't get away from her.

[Latus]

Once again, crowds... at least this time they were keeping Axle out of reach of that woman. The fact that she may have known his past just from touch made him so uneasy, it was worse than being surrounded by people for all intensive purposes. He did not want anyone to know his ultimate goal. Revenge... He slowed his pace slightly, there was no way she could have gotten through those crowds.

Shouldn't even have stopped, I could have gone longe...

With that thought he was hit, full force from behind, knocking him to the ground. He looked back, it was that woman again. She had her arms wrapped around his, preventing him from going anywhere. The first thought on instinct Axle had was to open his wings and go up and out, but with her now holding him down... that complicated matters. He didn't speak, almost knowing that doing so was pointless; he had been caught... again. The one redeeming factor was he wasnt sure of the intentions of his captor.

[Tal]

As Italia collided with the man from behind, they both tumbled to the ground in a swirl of dust. As the people near by, skirted around the pair, Lia dragged the man to his feet, and with one deft movement, pulled a thin, sharp, wire around the man's wrists. Follow me and I won't have to slit your wrists with this nice little wire of mine. I have some questions. She stated, pulling him down a side alley, toward a small group of shops and a cantina.

She didn't trust the man, true enough, but he seemed like he was her type of person...a hunter by nature, or by creation, and perhaps there was a deal to be made with him that would benifit both of them.

[Latus]

Axle soon found himself dragged to his feet, a thin piece of wire binding his wrists. Sorry state of affairs this turned out to be. He had avoided the authorities for years, even made a game out of it, but now, this woman managed to catch him with, what seemed like, very little effort whatsoever.

And what, pray tell, do you plan to do with me if I come calm and quiet? Turn me over to the feds?

She didn't know exactly who... what he was yet, that much was certain.They had left the main road and were traveling into the much darker side of the city, the territory of the scum of society... home.

[Tal]

Italia made a sound of disgust and continued on her way down the alley. Hah! You've got to be joking? I might as well hand myself over to them as well. No, I just have some questions, and perhaps a deal can be made to profit both of us. She replied, turning toward the cantina. As she reached the deep shadows near the front of the place, Lia stopped and turned to face him. He wasn't bad looking to be sure, but a nice face could be a deadly trap....that much she knew, and used to her own advantage many times.

Now, are you going to be a good boy and not run away? If so I'll let you out of this little wire bind I have on you, and we can go inside and talk like people...or...you can run, and I'll track you down and kill you myself. she stated calmly, though she ment every word of what she'd said.

[Latus]

Axle scoffed, laughing almost literally in the face of death. At least that was one possibility.What if the lab actually put a mark on his head or his constant evasion of the feds had aroused too much suspicion... such things could be dealt with later.

This was the first real time that he had the chance to look this woman over, not too bad looking truthfully. She seemed to be, like himself, on the run. She also had the upper hand, one false move by him and boom, he would lose every opportunity he had to further his own goals, among other things.

How can I guarantee that you are not after the inevitable bounty that must have been placed on my head? Theres more to me than meets the eye, missie. Much more...

Axle lightly rolled his shoulders, his wings were getting sore, almost a full day on the ground was not good for working muscles.

[Tal]

An interresting notion...Nothing I could say would convince you, so you'll just have to take my word for it. she replied simply, gazing at him through her intense green eyes as if she were trying to see directly through him. She adjusted her long leather coat slightly on her shoulders and pushed his shoulder, so that his back was to her.

Though, I can assure you...if there was a bounty on your head I'd not have been so keen to drag you to a cantina...I'd just as soon have knocked you out and taken you straight to my employers. Lia added, fiddling with the wire that bound his hands behind him. In a moment his hands were free, but her tight grip was on his upper arm so he would have to fight to get away.

Oh I know there's more to you than meets the eye...I'm not sure what yet, but I know. Now...you can either take my offer and answer some of my questions, or you can struggle to get away...but I can't promise my blaster won't 'accidentally' go off in the region of your heart. She watched him roll his shoulders around as if his muscles were aching, and blinked slightly, showing her keen eyes had noticed the slight movement. She wasn't about to relax around this man...for all she knew he could have been trying to lure her into a trap....but then again, this type of paranoia came in the job description.

[Latus]

Axle waited a moment until she had turned him and unbound his hands. The moment they were free he had the urge to take a few steps, snap open his wings and make a break for it, but... there was something more than just the greed or malice to this woman. Perhaps she was telling the truth. He slowly turned back to face her, placing his hand on the one on his shoulder and gently removing it.

You have a deal, but if I don't like how things are going, I may just extend the same courtesy to you.

He turned towards the opening of the cantina and pushed open the door. What did she want to know... who he was? Where he had been? Who he had killed? Nothing was certain save the notion that nothing was for certain.

[Tal]

She smiled slightly and nodded. At least he seemed to have a brain in that pretty-boy head of his, and not just instinct. That was a good sign, to say the least. As he removed her hand from his shoulder, Lia didn't make a move to keep it there, only watched out of her sparkling emerald eyes. Sounds fair to me.

Following him into the cantina, she searched the room for an empty table, and easily found one near the back wall. Heading for it, she motioned him to follow with a slight jerk of her head. Coming to the table, she pulled out a chai and plopped herself down in it unceremoniously. Lia hadn't noticed just how stressful today had been until just now...but when she'd sat down, it seemed to all come crashing down around her mind, and she had to shake her head slightly, snorting quietly, to get some of the irritation out of her system.

[Latus]

As the woman made her way into the cantina and took her seat, Axle paused, wondering if what he was doing was really the best option. She seemed well-meaning enough but the kindest smile and most convincing voice can still be a lie. He slowly sat down across from her, the muscles all over his back and upper arms twitching slightly. He eyed the surroundings for a waiter or someone but there wasnt one in sight.

All right, miss. I agreed to this little sit in so would you please explain why I should even be sitting here with you?

[Tal]

Lia chuckled slightly and folded her arms across her chest. He was shrewd, and she liked that...it showed that he had a good sence of self preservation, and that could come in handy in sticky situations.

You're no fool...that much is clear...but who are you after I wonder? And do you really think that you can kill them by yourself? I've a feeling that in the end you'll be needing help with whatever little quest you're on...and seeing as, at the moment, I find myself with a lack of interresting jobs, I might be of some service to you. she replied, blinking at him slightly and running a hand through her hair slightly, so that a few pieces of it fell out of it's holder. Looking around the bar, she spotted the bar-tendor (sp?) and waved him over. After ordering her drink, she motioned for the man to do the same.

Once the tendor had left once more, she spoke again. My name is Italia, by the way...though, Lia will do.

[Latus]

So... she knew of what his intentions were. Intriguing. Axle had never told anyone of his plans nor had the intent, in that sense this woman was special. He paused before replying waiting for the bartender. How much could he reveal to this woman without giving away everything.

Finne. Jawa Juice, thank you.

He waited until the man was out of earshot before even moving. There was only one way that he could do this. he reached around to his back, feeling the soft feathers that covered his wings. Finding a small primal-feather he lightly tugged, pulling it free wincing slightly from the brief sharp pain. Slowly he removed his hand, and the 4-inch long feather, presenting it to the girl. His eyes narrowed, glaring at her.

How much do you know?

[Tal]

Her eyes widened slightly, and she sat back in her chair. That was interresting....very interresting. To say the least, she hadn't been expecting THAT to come from his back. What a doozy she'd found this time around. Hiding her surprised look from the rest of the cantina with a smooth transition to a yawn, Lia blinked at him.

Not that much, to be sure. I know what I see in your actions, and I know what I can sence...which was, in this case, not even a scratch on the surface. As for you're name, Mr Finne...I believe there is a nice bounty on your head...50 G, or there abouts...so you'd best be careful in whatever it is you're doing. All I can say for sure, is that...though you'd make a fine Hunter, you won't get anywhere, or accomplish anything if you don't train up...

That's where I come in. Italia stated simply, taking a sip of her drink and leaning foreward again, slightly.

You need someone to help you get your jobs done right, and done the first time...I need a little break from the common bounty...
You need to be polished up...I've been trained well, and can help polish your skills.

[Latus]

Axle sighed slightly, letting his head bow towards the floor. With a single movement he slid the feather quickly into his vest, he had greatly misunderstood this woman and her idea of a deal was certainly nothing less than disappointing. He understood completely and to make her see... well there just was no other choice. He looked up an expression of weariness on his face.

I suppose to make you understand I will have to come clean. If you know anything about this bounty on my head I assure you that you do not understand. I dare say that whoever posted that bounty was from the... the lab. I, well... argh.

Axle knew what he had to do but how did he know that he could put his trust in this woman, a BOUNTY HUNTER no less. The levels of frustration were rising to the surface, he sat both of his arms onto the table. Lightly he motioned to the woman to come closer.

Can I trust you?