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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 10, 2009 4:30:59 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 10, 2009 4:30:59 GMT -5
Accurate repairs are necessary for this ship, and we require they be completed in as efficient and timely a manner as possible…so, with that in mind...either you have the parts I need, or you don’t. I don’t believe I was at all unspecific as to what I needed, was I?
It was a rhetorical question…obviously.
She disliked…HIGHLY disliked…being here, in this little hole-in-the-wall shop. Showing her face in public was a bad idea, and that was putting it mildly. Any assassin worth their salt knew this truth, but especially those who were on the lam…and especially the pretty creature who’s lavender eyes were flashing daggers at the man across the counter from her. How many people had lavender eyes, after all? The tousle-haired beauty had managed to keep herself from slinking away from her duty (which was to retrieve the parts necessary to repair Whiskey’s ship)…and that was a step in the right direction (she hoped)…but it didn’t make this situation any better.
Tango was about as far from a trusting individual as one could get at the moment…and really, no one could blame her…but they couldn’t risk letting Whiskey out of the holding cell aboard the ship…and Axle…well…he had wings. WINGS, for force sake! It wasn’t as if he could go into public and blend in easily. Not as easily as Tango anyway…but the statistics that ran through her head about how swiftly her face might have appeared on every bounty hunter in the galaxy's hit list certainly didn’t allow the emotionally unstable woman to be in any form of good mood. Hence the attitude…what little attitude could be descried from the relatively emotionless quip she’d just tossed at the (now miffed) violet furred squib.
So there she was…the only one left to actually attempt to get the parts they needed, facing down a squib, and with absolutely NOTHING to trade. At least…nothing HE had any interest in…she’d tried. That was how things had come down to this final remark and that rhetorical question. She’d managed to lift a few credits off of the “disappeared” witnesses to her landing, but it wasn’t going to be enough to get everything she needed. Certainly she could make a few more people ‘disappear’ if she needed…but she REALLY didn’t want to do that. Just the thought made her sick at the moment. Finally, after what felt like forever, the violet furred being spoke.
“Yeah…we have the parts…come back when you have something useful to trade or more credits. I’m not saying a lick more until then.”
Sighing and rubbing her temple slightly with one hand, Tango decided she would just have to go scrounge something up and return. Even getting THAT much from the little creature had been a pain and a half. Why couldn’t the stupid thing have been interested in information as a trade? Information she had. Lots of it…too much of it, even…but no. Grumbling to herself about the idiotic little beast, she walked to the door and stood in the shadow of its frame as she glanced around the area.
It was a small enough town. Certainly it was nothing fancy…but then again, what could one expect of a jedi controlled world? This being the case, she slipped out of the shop relatively unnoticed by those around. Just another visitor to the planet, just another person down on their luck…just another five steps and she was in the shadows of the next building. Just another few feet and she was around the back of it, turning in the shadows of the alley and leaning against the wall, wanting nothing more than to attempt to put her fist through it.
Another wave of emotion had come crashing down upon her.
Frustration and anxiety that had been wonderfully suppressed by her failing RELIC chip had suddenly been let loose completely, in an almost completely debilitating wave. As the two emotions had mixed, they morphed into the urge to utterly rip something to shreds…the desire to completely destroy something then run like hell to some dark place where she could just curl up and….
….And what?
Die?
No. Tango was quite certain that she didn’t want to die. If she did, truly, want to die…would she have been so paranoid of being caught? Unlikely. If anything, she’d likely have marched herself right back to the Meadows and attempted to kill everyone and everything within the dratted compound for killing Victor!
Dammit!
This time she DID slam the heel of her palm against the wall as her other arm held her up. That head lowered slightly, unruly waves draping around her face like a curtain as that left foot slid back slightly, forcing her to carry the brunt of her weight on the right as her forehead nearly touched the wall. Damn them for doing this to her. Damn them for making her friends all run and putting them in danger, and making Victor order her to leave. Damn her for actually LEAVING…and damn them for killing him!
Damn them for everything!
…“Them” being those who worked for Green Meadows.
It truly was amazing how one emotion could lead into another so perfectly and so completely that it barely felt like there was a transition between them. Tango, unfortunately, was learning this the difficult way. She’d gone from nearly emotionless, to frustrated beyond belief, transitioning to fear of the very emotion she’d just experienced coupled with the paranoia of being caught, which led to some sort of indescribable pain…this pain brought thought…questioning…and that questioning brought up answers which renewed the old guilt, the old anger…the old, but still very fresh, pain she felt from her partner's death.
Gorramit…
A light sniff. The brush of the back of her hand against her cheek. A further lowering of her head. The tears that threatened only made her angry again and made that pain worse. She couldn’t stand around here all day and fight with herself over these stupid emotions. She couldn’t stand there and cry even though she desperately wanted to…but she just couldn’t pull herself together either…and that made her angry.
The hairs at the back of her neck prickled and her back tensed, causing that head to rise slightly. She may have been nearly overwhelmed by her emotions, but she was still well trained…and ‘nearly’ was the operative word. Tango knew when it felt like she was being watched, and she certainly got that feeling. That slightly tear stained face turned just enough to allow those glistening lavender eyes to scan first one half of the alley, then turned the other direction to allow her to scan the other half.
No one…
Still wrestling with her emotions, she forced herself to leave her propped up position and stand straight once more, lifting a hand and shading her face from view as she looked upward…
Again…no one…
Sorrow, guilt and anger were overshadowed once more by paranoia and fear as she leveled her gaze once more and started walking along the alley slowly, listening for any sign of footsteps aside from her own. She really, truly, hoped that no one was following her and it was just her paranoia…
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 10, 2009 22:38:56 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 10, 2009 22:38:56 GMT -5
The last three weeks had been...interesting...to say the least. It had all started the night they'd moved to free themselves from the Facility. He'd been shot...felt it sear into him. His armor had absorbed most of it, thankfully, but it had still rocked him and left him vulnerable. He could feel the weakness in that hand...but he didn't even have a chance to react any other way as the flooring degraded from the explosions and cracked, breaking away beneath him and dropping him into a sickening moment of weightlessness before he'd plunged into darkness. His last conscious thought then had been on one thing...
Tango....
He hadn't been unconscious long....but it had been long enough. The shuttles had left and the entirety of Green Meadows had been on alert. His departure...sans shuttle, had been quite eventful, to put it mildly. They'd sent a team to check for his remains. He left them down there, making sure to keep one uniform undamaged to act as a disguise. He'd managed to get onto one of the pursuit ships they'd geared up in order to go after the fleeing Assassins.
Once they'd broken orbit, he'd gone to work. He'd managed to take out the surgical strike crew. Surprise had worked in his favor and he'd taken out most of the team before they could react. It still took several moments, however...more than enough for the pilot and co-pilot to react to the scene. The pilot had locked the controls, save for the comms, and had been about to radio back to Green Meadows when a round from Victor's MAP-77 punched through his skull and began rattling around inside his brainpan. Tracking to the co-pilot, he'd fired at the same time that the man had. Reaction had made him twist to try and get out of the blast's trajectory, but he'd only been partially successful. The bolt seared along his side, under the armor. Victor was wounded...but the pilot was dead.
Patching up his hurt and slicing through the ships encryption had been completed as quickly as possible, but it had still taken time...time enough that the shuttles had hit hyperspace. Until he cracked that coding, he couldn't even change the settings on the comms, meaning he didn't dare to try and raise anyone.
Once he had control of the ship, he'd begun plotting probable routes she'd taken, extrapolated from the direction of her hyperspace entry. There wasn't much out that way, towards the outer rim. The only thing close enough was Mustafar...so that's where he went.
The next several weeks had been...frustrating. The problem was, they were trained too well. He knew every move she'd make, but if she was hiding, she'd know that anyone coming after her would know what move she'd make too, so the game plan shifted. It took him about a week of frustrating dead-end (literally, in some cases, as the leads lead to nothing but a missing person....) searches to come up with another plan.
Her chip was still active. It was degrading, but still at least partially functional. It worked as a tracking device...they were too valuable to lose easily, after all. Part of his coding had been to kill the HNN broadcast uplink that allowed galactic tracking. However, he hadn't had the time to break the RFID broadcast. It was local...something that wouldn't be picked up easily and only had a short range. Operationally, it was low risk.
He knew her RFID number, however, and with a bit of creative coding, he was able to slip in to the city-wide civil communications net. He built a subroutine into the scanners, looking for her chip's particular RFID. She was good, but it eventually began giving back hits. He never got to the place in time, however...again and again she'd be gone by the time he arrived.
It had been a while since the last hit and he'd begun to get worried. Finally, however, he got another and he wasted no time. Over the last two weeks, he'd managed to port the scanner to display on a portable datapad. Whatever she was doing, she was staying there longer than normal. He hoped it was good.
Taking up a position overlooking the building her chip was reporting from, he accepted that it was definitely not the case. He saw two three man teams stationed, trying to stay uobtrusive as Victor watched Tango walk out and pause. Poor girl looked terrible...with his own newfound emotions, he could only imagine how this must be for her. He moved, tracking the teams that were on standing off, trying to judge who was likely to move first. He began closing the distance, keeping himself s inassuming as possible to slip past the security that was between himself and her. The he found a seat and waited to help back her up when they tried to spring the trap.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 11, 2009 3:35:45 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 11, 2009 3:35:45 GMT -5
The problem with paranoia…one begins to doubt if there truly is danger or not. Tango was just about to the point where she was going to chalk the feeling up to her paranoia and nothing more when she stepped out of the alleyway and spotted a trio of city security forces. Heart rate rose, blood pressure rose, muscles tensed, and then she forced them all back to as close to normal as possible. Never once did she stop moving, her gait casual and unhurried as she changed her course toward the local marketplace. The square was full of people, and a good enough place to get lost if she needed to.
A faked scratch of an itch on the crown of her head shifted her hair enough to shade those oddly colored eyes as she moved, folding her arms lightly across her chest. A glance to the right found another trio of men emerging from a street before her. So someone HAD been watching her! That pulse began to race again and she knew she was caught. The group didn’t even feign disinterest in her as they paced directly toward her. Her walk slowed as they approached, her breathing a forced rhythm of calm. Lavender gaze flickered about the street eying her possibilities for a hasty get away…a couple alleyways, another street, a fire escape ladder leading to the rooftop of a building, a few places she could use as steppingstones to get to the rooftops. She, at least, had options.
“Miss, I need to see your identi-tab please.”
She paused as they did, a few feet away from them and immediately lowering her eyes so they couldn’t see the color of them as she pretended to search her coat for her tab.
Certainly…but what seems to be the problem, officer? Is everything alright?
Fingertips “fumbled” with the button of a pouch on her belt, loosening the concealed dagger there as she stalled to see if they were truly looking for her or not. If not, no point in causing a ruckus…it would only draw attention to her…attention she didn’t want.
“Nothing to be concerned about.”
That sent up about a thousand different red flags. Even more went up when she heard movement of multiple footsteps behind her and down the street. --No more time for you, boys…I’m sorry.-- Dropping the pretense, she lifted those eyes and the officer closest to her moved for his gun, starting to give the order to capture her, but Tango would have none of that. The twitch of movement for his blaster, that breath to start his order…it was caught, processed and the neurological order to move was sent shooting along her muscles faster than thought.
Before he knew what happened, Tango had charged him, grabbing the wrist of the arm that was reaching for his weapon and dragging it with her. Upward she pushed it as her left elbow came down on his spine between the shoulder blades, sending the unprepared man crashing to the ground. The other two officers wasted no time…one drawing a stun baton, the other brandishing a stun gauntlet. No doubt their allies would be drawing blasters any moment...unfortunate that these fools were going to try to face her down in melee. She wasn’t so worried about the one with the baton as she was about the one with the gauntlet, however. It meant that one would be better at hand to hand than the other. Oh well.
Ducking beneath the sweeping blow of the baton, she danced around the back of her attacker only to be faced with the second throwing his fist in her direction. Artificially vision enhanced eyes brought the information to her mind far more swiftly than it would have normally…the impulses leaping across her synapses swiftly and efficiently, the reaction pulsing along her nerves as her head moved to the side and her shoulder dipped backward, allowing the blow to glance past her. Gripping the arm, she pulled backward (forward to the officer attacking her), continuing his motion and off balancing him enough that as she let go, turned and pressed a palm to the back of the man’s shoulder, he too went careening downward. Whipping around, hair splaying out around her, lavender eyes widened as she not only saw the next stun baton flying toward her face, but the blaster of the first security officer already aimed directly at her.
The baton she could handle, but she wasn’t certain she could avoid the blaster at the same time…
...Well....this was about to get interesting....and if she were lucky (very lucky) she'd have something to trade that blasted squib for the parts she needed. All she needed to do was survive these three...and then the three who were...well, where WERE those three? You know what...she didn't want to know. All she wanted were those ship parts and to get the hell away from here.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 10:30:31 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 13, 2009 10:30:31 GMT -5
How did these people deal with these...emotions? He had them for almost a month and they still sought to overwhelm him at times, make him do things contrary to tactical prudence and simple common sense. He'd felt the bubbling, welling warmth of something he could only label as "happiness" rise up in him at seeing Tango. Of course, he knew he should feel relieved and glad to know that she was unharmed and still well...but this was more than that. He was still learning to fetter those emotions...to help choke them back to a trickle instead of a rush.
Then as she began to interact with the officers, his emotions swung wildly. First....fear...but not for himself. No, emotions or no...That was still an emotion that he had yet to feel for himself. No, he feared for her. That went against all logical assumptions, after all. The men were foolish. As he sat there, watching it, he saw that only the leader had a blaster as the primary weapon. The others carried melee items. They had closed into unarmed combat range of Tango.
These men knew nothing. They didn't know what Tango was...what she was capable of. More than likely, Green Meadows had only put out the most basic of warrants: telling that she was armed and dangerous, but not what her true abilities were. They didn't expect an indigenous planet forces to truly capture the assassins…they just wanted to use them to smoke out the evaders and make it easier for their own collection teams to pick up the fugitives. If innocent people died during it...that was simply a work-related necessity.
That brought up an emotion that he was all too aware of: anger. It was dark, hot, and sickly satisfying as it coiled about him like some molten serpent. For now, Victor and the rest had to run, to hide, and to be divided. He did not plan for that to be permanent. Oh no…for what was done, they would pay. Heartless actions like this…putting simple innocents in the line of fire…for mentally neutering them for simple profit…he planned on rectifying this in the future.
Unfortunately for these innocent security officers, they were a risk now. They were a dangerous variable in his equations for survival. Through no fault of their own, they needed to die. He saw the second team moving in to back up the ones currently engaging Tango. She hadn’t moved into action yet…but he knew it was only a matter of time. He knew it like he knew to calculate trajectories on leading a target or the soft points to focus on when engaging a dozen different species. He knew it as though it were a part of him.
He stood. He’d taken some of the Mustafarian mining gear and taken it on as a disguise. The jacket was large and loose with heat-insulated synth-leather. It draped down to his knees and was simple enough to open or let drape loose. It was perfect for hiding his supply kit and the two MAP-77’s that he kept in concealed carry holsters at his belt. Reaching up, he used a move that he’d learned and perfected through Tango’s help back in the facility. His hands came up with one pressing to the back of the nearest guard’s head while the other reached around and cupped the chin. Forcibly, he used the man’s head to wrench him around to face him. After all, where the head goes, the body follows. As the man was yanked around, the hand that had held his chin dropped. The one behind his head pulled back, exposing the throat as the other arm cocked and threw that elbow into the trachea. He felt the cartilage crunch beneath the blow, the windpipe shattering.
The man was then released to sink to his knees and claw at his throat with wet, whistling sounds as Victor kept moving, the actions barely slowing him down. He’d found his calm center…operational necessity allowing him to focus and ward off the emotions. He focused on the task at hand.
He focused on keeping Tango safe.
The next man began to turn, the sounds of his compatriot dying bringing him around. Victor’s hand moved within the flaps of that jacket, drawing out a vibro punching dagger. The man’s arms came up to try and defend, but Victor was simply too fast. He ducked a shoulder, getting up and underneath the man’s guard, shouldering his arms up and leaving that midsection exposed. Three quick punches had the man doubling over. Three quick punches had him almost eviscerated. Shock had the man frozen as Victor pulled back, the dagger coming up again and sinking into the soft flesh beneath the man’s jaw, punching through it and digging through bone to reach the brain.
Victor let him drop like the dead weight that he was.
The third had turned full, able to draw his weapon but disbelief had caused him to pause for a heartbeat while Victor dealt with the second security guard. It was a heartbeat too long as he began to finally draw his blaster. Victor had left the blade in the man’s head so his hands were free. As the man reached for his weapon, the assassin drew himself forward, closing the distance as his hands closed around the man’s wrist and the weapon itself as it cleared the holster and began to rotate around to bear. He slammed into the man like a freight train, slamming his forehead against the man’s nose to distract and cause pain as he controlled the weapon, slamming the barrel back into the man’s own middle. Reflex made the finger pull the trigger, the blaster shot muffled as it was absorbed by the guard’s body. Gut shot, he dropped.
This brought Victor’s attention back to Tango, where he could see her dealing with the guards. Dismay moved through him, however, as he saw that she wasn’t fighting to take down her opponents permanently the first time. The one had been taken down by her, but he was getting up, blaster in hand while she dealt with the other two. That magnetic accelerator pistol seemed to leap into his hand as he drew it, bullet trajectories and her likely courses of action filtering through his mind as the world slowed down and every second drug out into an eternity. The pieces of the puzzle moved together, clicking into place. He knew where she wouldn’t move…those sights leveling out; his eyes focusing small…catching the mole on the man’s cheek…a darker spot against his paler complexion. Aim small…shoot small. Her movement changed just enough to clear her of the shot and that finger reacted, pulling the trigger.
The entry wound was small, a hole that appeared in his cheek a nanosecond before the mushroomed round came out the back, punching a hole through the back of the skull, making it explode out in a spray of blood, bone, and brain matter. The deceptively lethal round had almost whispered by her cheek, stirring up her hair in its passing. Once the man began to drop, the shot was finally heard, catching up to the speed of the round. Victor stood there, looking around, assessing any of the other bystanders as potential hostiles while Tango dealt with her remaining combatants.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 16:49:48 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 13, 2009 16:49:48 GMT -5
--I didn’t want to kill them…-- The thought nearly made her sigh as she leaned away from that baton, twisting around to the side and coming up under the blow. Her hands shot out, one gripping her assailant’s wrist, the other shoving upward just below the elbow, a sick snapping emanating from the arm as it broke. The weapon was dropped just as her hearing caught the sound of a muffled blaster shot. Instinct had her grabbing the injured officer, twisting him around by his head so the man faced away from her and pulling him between herself and the officer with his gun trained on her. Something whispered past her, the sensation an almost familiar one as it blew through her hair, but Tango didn’t stop to ponder just what it might be. One movement, a swift motion of her hands in opposite directions, and the man she held fell limp in her grip…neck broken.
Over the shoulder of her, now limp, shield…Tango watched that crimson spot form, the explosion of debris from the other side of his head, the late sound of gunfire reaching her ear only a millisecond later. Hearing her second shield get up off the ground, she dropped the man she was currently holding, rounding on the next, scooping the stun baton off the ground and with a powerful swing hit the spine at the base of his head. With those problems out of the way, her attention focused in the direction of the man who’d killed the blaster wielder. It took half an instant for her sight to narrow in on the face, and when she did Tango found herself rooted to the spot.
…Victor…?
The whispered name only brought her pain as she shook her head, sniffling slightly. What she was seeing, she decided, wasn’t real…it couldn’t be real…HE couldn’t be real. Crouching down, she swiftly retrieved the stun-gaunt, the baton, the blaster, and made swift work of checking the rest of their pockets. It took her less than a minute to do and she thanked the Meadows for her gloves. No fingerprints, not that good a chance of tracing it back to her…especially once she took the datapad that had her profile up. Standing, pained lavender eyes took one last glance at the phantom of her partner before she turned and hurried down the alley once more.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 17:15:39 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 13, 2009 17:15:39 GMT -5
He'd been about to say something, once she'd finally taken out the last two and turned to look at him. Shock...disbelief...denial...he saw all those things run across her features before she...looked away?
She acted like he wasn't there now, moving to scrounge up anything she could from the guards while the rest of the street cleared out. There were witnesses, but two many...and too many disjointed accounts. They'd have to accept that...
He moved towards her, reaching out to her as she looked back with that pained expression, but she moved off down the alley at that quick pace once again. He moved after her...his longer legs managing to make up for her quicker gait. Once they'd rounded a turn or two, he lunged, managing to catch her and push her up against the nearest wall. His arms wrapped round hers to keep them from using their lethal talents while his hip pressed inbetween hers, leg hooking around her calf to keep her off balance and from lashing out with a knee as well.
His breath was warm as it washed against her cheek, his tone low but adamant. "Tango...Tango...what are you doing?"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 18:01:37 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 13, 2009 18:01:37 GMT -5
The clarity of mind that she’d had during the confrontation was swiftly eaten away by the emotions that took over once more as she hurried away from that painful vision. Even as she’d trotted down the alley she’d heard heavier footfalls behind her, catching up to her, and then catching her. Instinct had her ready to strike out even as her back pressed against the wall. Her arms were pinned to her sides as he wrapped his own around her, one calf pinned between his legs to keep her further hindered. Fear seeped into her sadness and anger and disbelief, a few tears sliding down her cheeks as he spoke. If it weren’t for the fact that she could feel the weight of his body and the grip he had on her, the warmth that said ‘life’ and not the chill of death…the woman might have completely thought she’d lost it.
V-Victor?....I…you…but I saw…
Tear blurred vision honed in on his face more completely, traveled along his neck, shoulders, chest, every inch of him she could see without moving her head before finally coming back up to gaze into his eyes.
…I must be insane…this can’t be real…
But it had to be real. Who ever heard of a ghost appearing so solidly, or with the warmth of any living human? Besides, ghosts were unproven…potentially just figments of the imagination…and who ever heard of a figment of someone’s imagination binding a person up like this unless there was a force user around? That was it…either there was a force user around or this WAS a force user using one of their illusion tricks.
Look…I don’t know who you are, or what you want with me, but you can drop the illusion now, force user.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 18:40:41 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 13, 2009 18:40:41 GMT -5
Okay...now she was just acting completely bizarre. What on earth would make her think that he was a Force User? The degradation of the chip must be going on in a very odd manner. He really wasn’t certain just how the degradation was occurring. Certainly, he knew the processes behind it and how it affected the chip…but he wasn’t certain how it was affecting the user. He’d seen the subtle changes as she began to feel some emotions before they’d left…but he only knew what the end-product would be. The end product would be the complete shutdown of the chip. He knew what that would be like…after all…he was dealing with it now.
Having her act like this now…as though she didn’t believe he existed, or that he was himself…well, that simply wasn’t logical. Certainly, he understood that she had, no doubt, thought he was dead. He could appreciate and imagine what she had seen there, in the shuttle. But to have her acting like this…he shook his head. They didn’t have time for this nonsense. They weren’t far enough away from the scene.
“Tango, quit acting like your brain is damaged. I am no Force User. It’s me, Victor. Ori'haat. It’s been a task tracking you down, but if I can, Green Meadows will be able to, eventually. I’ll explain later, for now, we need to get out of the area.” She’d managed to teach him a couple of Mando’a phrases in their youth…though he’d only adopted a few.
He let go of her, only looking back to do what he had done ever since Dxun, when they first met up again and had gone to hunt in the dangerous lands. It had become tradition, whether or not they remembered after each mission. It was a reassurance that they were together…were going to watch out for each other no matter what. “Hukaat'kama?”
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 13, 2009 19:15:00 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 13, 2009 19:15:00 GMT -5
“Tango, quit acting like your brain is damaged. I am no Force User. It’s me, Victor. Ori’haat. It’s been a task tracking you down, but if I can, Green Meadows will be able to, eventually. I’ll explain later, for now, we need to get out of the area.”
“Holy hells” was just about the only thing the young woman could think as he spoke. Something akin to relief slowly began seeping into her mind and she calmed a bit. Well, at least she wasn’t insane, and he wasn’t some force user with illusion abilities. As he let go of her, she nodded once and that question quelled what diminishing trepidation she had about the reality of the situation. Dxun…the mando’a was a blaring reminder to her and a soothing balm for her anxiety.
Elek. Sur’ulur ner.
”Yes. Keep an eye on mine.” She passed him and slipped into the side door of the shop she’d been in earlier. There wasn’t going to be another chance at this and they needed those parts…badly. Dropping the items she’d collected (minus the datapads) on the counter, she glared at the little squib as if daring him to negotiate for anything else. It seemed the furry male knew better this time around and hurriedly got the parts she’d requested, settling them down on the counter and reaching for the register to ring them up. In the blink of an eye, however, the parts were off the counter and only Tango’s retreating back could be seen going through the side door once more. Shoving the parts in her pockets, she nodded to Victor.
Whiskey’s ship is outside of town, but it might be difficult to get there without causing a ruckus or being followed…
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 14, 2009 22:11:27 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 14, 2009 22:11:27 GMT -5
At last...she was finally acting more sensible. Her bodily reactions and mental state seemed to calm and grow more placid after he spoke to her. She seemed far more content now, especially after he'd used their phrase. It was understandable, however, for there was nothing that could better verify his credentials. He grunted, nodding once to her in assent before he fell in behind her, following her through the alley and into the side door.
Her words were more of a surprise, however. She'd run across Whiskey? That was a random bit of unexpected news. Another one of them...he wondered how her chip degradation was going and if she'd opened up like it seemed Tango was going to. He'd have to ask her more about it later. He could, at least help in their sudden need to escape. For the moment, he stood there a half-step behind her and physically staggered to one side like a very protective bodyguard. Apparently there had been some damage to it. Once she had the parts, he moved to lead the way.
He was taking her along because he knew the quickesy way to get out fast without causing undue attention. He drifted out the door and cut left, zigzagging along a few routes before they came int a side street with a few places to park along the side of the street. He moved to his speeder and opened the hatch, gesturing for her. "Hop in...we can't leave immediately. We don't want to take the chance of bringing someone along with us." He managed to start it up and once she was in, he was weaing along, heading back to the dive place he'd taken up temporary residence in.
He would glance over her a few times, especially when they heard the sirens...but they always just passed on by and didn't pay them any mind. Parking, he got out and moved toward the exterior door. This was one of those places that didn't have a central entrance...just many external ones and a small lobby with the desk. They key he had slid in smoothly, undoing the locks.
He carefully checked, the trips that he'd places were still there...no one had gone through the door...good sign.
Entering, he would wait until she did, then close the door behind her and re-secure it. Leaning against it, he'd speak. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, Tango. We should wait here for a few hours until the search dies down a bit...then we can dare the crossing to get to this ship of yours. You crossed paths with Whiskey? How is she?"
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 15, 2009 3:07:50 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 15, 2009 3:07:50 GMT -5
Tango wasn’t about to leave Victor’s side unless she had to. Too long she’d thought her partner was dead and while, yes, she could manage well enough on her own, Victor was like a completion to her abilities…being apart from the man was like asking her to fight with one arm. Certainly it was possible to fight that way, but it just wasn’t a good idea and it lessened her effectiveness…so, as he led her along the various alleys and side streets, she kept a wary eye on the surroundings. Coming to a stop at the speeder, she watched him open the hatch and she, quite literally, hopped into the seat. She didn’t need telling that they couldn’t leave immediately, that was the whole point of her final statement and allowing him to lead the way. If she’d intended to return to the ship immediately she would have done so without saying a word and trusted him to follow.
As he climbed in as well and started the vehicle, Tango settled in and rested her head back tiredly, closing her eyes. She could feel him glance over at her once and she tucked some of her hair behind her ear. As good as it was to know Victor was alive, as relieved as she was, the quiet between them was oddly uncomfortable. That’s when the realization hit her…relief? Uncomfortability she was familiar with…at least in part…but relief? It was a good feeling…perhaps the first she’d ever had. Furrowing her brow, the young woman attempted to find any other positive feelings she may have had…time and again she was thwarted, however, never really finding one. The howling cry of sirens streaking past them had her eyes flickering open for half a moment, that head coming up on instinct as fear and anxiety flickered through her again.
The danger passed them by once, twice, a third time and died away behind them. Dropping her head back again, a sigh escaped her in a steady rush of air and renewed relief. Again she felt the glance of Victor’s eyes upon her and this time, instead of ignoring it, she looked back at him from the corners of her eyes and a slight turn of her face. A flickering ghost of a smile formed on her face and vanished again before she turned that lavender gaze toward the outside scenery flashing past. Keen eyes carefully studied the world outside as if it might help her unlock some answers to the forced insanity of her life. Before she could find these answers, however, the speeder slowed to a stop and the feel of the engines slowed to nothing.
As he got out of the speeder she followed suit and glanced around the small complex and its several buildings of stacked apartments for the travelers who found themselves passing through the city. It wasn’t grand in any way, the buildings in need of some care and long past their prime, but she could really have cared less. It was inside. It looked to be dry enough. It was unlikely that anyone here would know or care about the two fugitives until they were long gone. Those facts alone suited Tango just fine. Her back turned to the wall of his ground level apartment as he unlocked the door. Casually leaning against the wall, she waited in a deceptively calm and relaxed position as she watched the area behind him for signs of trouble or that they were followed. So far, nothing…good.
The locks clicked open and he checked the area around the door with a swift sweep of the eyes and a brush of his hand to disarm the trips and allow them entry. Pushing away from the wall, she followed behind him into the small apartment, eyes sweeping the area out of caution and habit. The locks clicked shut once more and she glanced over her shoulder at the sound before pacing through the small space checking the refresher and closet areas before moving to the window and peering around the blinds without so much as moving them.
"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, Tango. We should wait here for a few hours until the search dies down a bit...then we can dare the crossing to get to this ship of yours. You crossed paths with Whiskey? How is she?"
Turning to face him, she walked back and forced herself to sit in a chair simply to keep herself from pacing about any more.
Feisty. She’s like the others…I…was forced into fighting her to keep her from trying to capture me and bring me back. She’s locked in her own cage right now…the one she captured is keeping an eye on her. There’s something odd with her though…it’s almost like…it’s almost like she’s starting to feel like us, but…
She shook her head slightly and repositioned herself so she was sitting cross legged in her seat. Another attempt to keep herself from pacing, this one working more effectively than just sitting. Lavender gaze swept over him, brown eyebrows drawing together as a look of concern etched its way across her face.
Victor…what happened? I saw you shot and I saw the explosion…I thought you were dead. Do you have any idea how…upset…I was? Are you still hurt?
Brunette locks shifted around her as Tango finally lost the battle against the urge to move and she stood up. Truthfully, Tango was feeling the stress of the confrontation in the streets creeping up on her. The concern she felt for Victor’s physical well being and the remembered sorrow and guilt she’d felt while thinking he was dead all the more potent because of that stress and his sudden appearance. Stepping up to him, eye locked immediately on the place she’d remembered seeing him shot as if she might suddenly have x-ray vision to see through his clothing and assure the medic in herself that he wasn’t in need of medical attention. Upon discovering that she wasn’t able to conjure the ability she desired, those orbs flickered up to his as if ordering him to inform her of any and all injuries he had on his person, then strip down enough for her to patch him up. His continued health was imperative to her own continued well being after all.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 15, 2009 19:57:10 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 15, 2009 19:57:10 GMT -5
It seemed to come naturally, they both moved to check the room, sweeping it for anything out of the ordinary. While she did the externals, he worked on the internal, searching for the caches that he’d put in place, making sure nothing was disturbed from the way he’d left it. Satisfied, he moved over to sit on the foot of the bed while she took to listlessly sitting in the chair.
He could see how the situation was affecting her. She seemed unable to sit still. No doubt that it was causing more than a little strain on her…all of this revelation, the combat, him being alive. Compounded with the emotions she was still getting used to, he couldn’t blame her for her restlessness. He said nothing as she sat down, got up, sat down again.
Hearing about Whiskey, he could only shake his head. Sadness was an emotion that he was getting far too used to. “I blame myself for that. I coded the degradation protocols into your chips to make the crash from suddenly having emotions less…extreme. The chip interface is very robust and complicated, however. Without the Doctor to help me work through some of it, I was limited with what I could due because of time. I set up variably time release for the coding…different for everyone. If everyone began acting strange all at once, it would be sure to send up the alarm. But there wasn’t a way to calculate exactly how everyone would react to the degradation.”
He shook his head, clearly feeling responsible for the problems she was having and the fact that she had needed to fight one of their own. At her second set of questions, her curiosity about what had happened the day they’d begun their flight from captivity, he paused. Collecting his thoughts, he relayed to her what had happened…the extent of his injuries then…getting onto the pursuit craft and what happened then…his arrival on Mustafar.
“I disabled the Holonet tracking on the chips, but they still send out RFID signals that can be picked up by some equipment. Using that, I was able to slice into the local ‘Net and set up a tracking protocol with your particular ID number. It sent me a report any time you happened to pass by some equipment that could pick it up. It’s been a merry little chase since then trying to catch up to you…but you’ve been smart and kept moving. The only reason I managed to find you today is that I was in the area when the alert pinged on my datapad. As for my injuries…there is scarring, but they healed well enough. I experience no detrimental effects from them. You were a very good teacher.”
Standing as she looked him over so critically, he crossed his arms over his chest and smirked down at her. It was…indescribable…seeing her again. He let a slow smile play over his lips. She was alive…safe…together again with him. He understood happiness, though to this degree…he wasn’t certain that happiness was the proper term. It was bound up with relief, contentment...and peace? He didn’t realize that he’d been so wound up until now, now that he accepted that she was safe and whole. Now all that tension was bleeding away from him.
“It’s good to see you again, Tango…”
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 16, 2009 2:51:36 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 16, 2009 2:51:36 GMT -5
“I blame myself for that. I coded the degradation protocols into your chips to make the crash from suddenly having emotions less…extreme.”
Immediately her ears perked up at the sound of his voice, lavender gaze snapping to the deep blue of Victor’s as he spoke. For a moment she found herself hearing without listening, oddly captivated by the indigo hue of his irises. She’d never really noticed them before and vaguely she wondered why. ”Because it isn’t relevant information of course.” Of course it wasn’t…certainly she knew his eyes were blue, that was relevant, but to notice the exact hue of them was superfluous information that couldn’t possibly do her any good. ”So why did I notice this time?” The question had her furrowing her brow slightly. Tango honestly couldn’t answer it…and that was uncharacteristic of her…or it had been until recently.
“…I was limited with what I could do because of time.”
That was about the time that the impulses that meant ‘sound’ finally battered their way back into Tango’s consciousness and her mind caught up to the conversation, hoping she hadn’t missed too much. A faint tinge of pink rose up in her cheeks as she felt, for the first time, something that she could only vaguely pinpoint as embarrassment. Listening to the rest of his explanation, she shook her head at him. It wasn’t logical that he blamed himself for following through the process to the best of his abilities. As he had said…there was no way he could calculate how the others would react and he couldn’t have just shut all the chips down at once.
Your blame is misplaced, Victor. As you just admitted, there was no way you could have calculated the reactions of the others, and you were correct in your assumption that to start all of the chips degrading at once would have sent up an alarm in the facility. You did what was necessary. The only ones to blame are those who started this process at all. Green Meadows is to blame.
That cold interface was at work once again. Logic had become the base language of the brunette woman standing before him with the guidance of that still failing chip. Emotionless eyes…so full of life, yet so devoid of it…blinked up at him, cool and calculating, as she absorbed the information he related to her. The forced and processor-like workings of her mind sorted through the new data, compiling it and storing it away for later reference should it be needed for future medical assessments or treatment, tactical workings, or for any manner of temporarily useless information. A mild flicker of emotion passed through those deadened eyes as he mentioned the RFID signal that her chip still transmitted…a ghost of the anxiety that was so familiar to her. As soon as it had come, however, the emotion was gone once more, leaving the living shell of Tango to process the rest of the information his voice brought to her as though he were briefing her of a mission’s potential hazards.
It was a pity, really, that the woman’s chip had decided to kick in just then. If it hadn’t, she might have discovered what pride felt like, perhaps even tasted the sweetness of her first laugh in her throat as he informed her that she’d led him on a “merry little chase”…but such was not her luck. Such was not the luck of Victor…he might have enjoyed that laugh, but for now, he would have to wait. Luckily, however, the suppression wasn’t long to last…this time around.
Thank you. It would be a failure on my part if my lessons didn’t stay with you long enough to keep you fit on your own. Your continued health is of utmost importance to me. Perhaps to the others as well…as their chips begin to degrade further they may need your assistance.
There was one good thing about the emotion suppression of the chip…it certainly did free up the tongue. The words may have been cold, devoid of emotion, but that didn’t stop the truth behind them…or the reasons and urges that the failing chip sought to suppress. If her partner were to listen through the cold logic it would be fairly obvious that Tango honestly was concerned about his well being…that his “health” was important to her…that HE was important to her. That, of course, was about the time that the chip released its hold on the poor woman.
If those used to dealing with emotions thought it was bad to say something embarrassing only to realize moments afterward that what they said was, in fact, embarrassing…imagine what it was like for this poor woman who knew next to nothing about emotions, let alone experiencing them. Nearly immediately those eyes widened, those cheeks burned bright red, and the smirk…that slow smile that spread across his face…only caused the redness to spread across her face and ears. His tension may have been bleeding away, but hers had just ratcheted up several notches. With a deep breath, she took one full step back from him and attempted to logic her way out of her embarrassment. Before she could start the attempt, however, he spoke again, his voice only making her blush harder for some reason unknown to her.
It…it’s good to…to see you again as…as well Victor….
”Brilliant job Tango…stammering like that. Since when do I stammer?! Or stutter?! Or anything like this?! This just reaffirms it…I’m going insane…these emotions are going to drive me to insanity…how does he DEAL with them?!”
A deep, slow, breath was taken, and let out. Then another…and another. Slowly, she calmed herself down again, the deep blush fading from her skin as she attempted NOT to wish she could fade into the walls and disappear. Right around then she began wondering just what had caused her sudden flash of embarrassment. Filtering through her mental records, she recalled the most recent part of the conversation…and her reply to it. There was nothing to be embarrassed ABOUT…that was the problem. Now completely confused and frustrated by the situation and obvious lack of logical stimuli for embarrassment, Tango folded her arms with a huff and shook her head, finally voicing her most recent internal monologue…or at least part of it.
These emotions are going to drive me to insanity, Victor….how in the galaxy do you DEAL with them so well?!
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 19, 2009 19:56:00 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 19, 2009 19:56:00 GMT -5
In an an unsettling way, Victor was intrigued as he watched her. With her still so new to emotions, she had little ability to control the way they played out over her features. It made it that much more apparent when the RELIC chip kicked back in and began to control her responses. He shook his head a bit, taking her rather technical response in stride. Of anyone, he could understand what she meant...or at least what she would have meant, if she had been allowed to put an emotional response into those words.
It also made it that much more touching when her chip failed again and stammered out her gratitude and relief at seeing him again. He coudn't help but break out in laughter as he heard her outburst and claim of going insane. He moved, wrapping her up in his arms and squeezing the life out of her as he let his emotions fill him to overflowing at his relief and enjoyment at seeing her again...alive...safe.
He realized how warm she felt...both soft yet solid with her lithe, toned form. He allowed himself to laugh...the sound coming from low and deep in his diaphragm. It rocked through his form, rocking her as well as he held her, seemingly making fun of her apparent distress.
"Imagine it with no buffers, no reprieve from them...everything hitting you all at once. That is why I chose to program them like I did. It may seem terrible to you, but I assure you, it was far worse there...especially while still in Green Meadows where you had to pretend you still had no emotions. At least, out here, emotion is expected. Besides...there are emotions like this...good ones, attached to good memories, that make it worthwhile. And you can't go insane anyway...that is a genetic and personality defect that would have kept you from completing the program..."
Of all the things he could do, he ruffled her hair, smirking slightly.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 19, 2009 21:56:08 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 19, 2009 21:56:08 GMT -5
Well…his laughter certainly wasn’t helping her any. At first Tango could only adopt a mildly horrified look at the fact that he was laughing AT her…slowly, however, a little chuckle bubbled up and escaped her. It was uncertain sounding, foreign to her, and unnerving. As he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, she had even LESS of an idea what to do in return as yet another little chuckle escaped. Slowly she wrapped her own arms around him, returning the hug. Lavender eyes widened ever so slightly as she realized that because she’d had to turn her head to keep from being smothered by him as he hugged her, she could hear his heartbeat in his chest with her ear pressed against him as it was.
A heartbeat…one of the most reassuring sounds any being can ever hear. It worked wonders for calming children, soothing sorrow, easing uncomfortability…it was just what the uncertain young woman seemed to need to reassure her. As he laughed harder, Victor’s frame began to shake with the rich sound of his mirth and a timid giggle sounded from the broadening smile on Tango’s face. One giggle became two…and two became three. Three became six, those six morphed into a little laugh…and soon she found herself laughing with him…laughing at HIM, laughing at HER.
That tentative grip on him tightened around him, keeping him close as they laughed. It was the best feeling, physically, that she’d ever had despite it making her cheeks and sides and stomach hurt from the unaccustomed exercise. Even as he spoke, she continued to chuckle and giggle sporadically. Finally he pulled himself away enough to ruffle her hair and she crinkled her nose up, shaking her head to try and settle those thick waves once more.
Vic…I’m glad you’re alright. I much prefer you alive…it…makes me feel better.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 20, 2009 23:04:57 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 20, 2009 23:04:57 GMT -5
He pulled her back for another hug, his head dipping, mouth brushing lightly against her ear as he spoke gently to her. It was only meant for reassurance, something to comfort her. "It makes me feel better to be alive as well. I do believe that I would not like being otherwise."
Pushing her out to arm's length, his hands came up to rest on her shoulders, squeezing them gently and letting a slow smile upon his face. "It does me good as well, being able to be sure that you are safe and that someone is watching your six, Tango. It was...uncomfortable...not having my partner."
He pulled her to the bed. His sleep might not have been the best over the last couple weeks...but at least he had known that she was well. Given her emotional state upon his arrival, he surmised that she most likely needed the chance to rest, truly rest and relax. "Get some rest, little one...no doubt you need it. I'll be here...I'll watch over you."
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 21, 2009 20:41:09 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 21, 2009 20:41:09 GMT -5
As she’d spoken that last comment, her brain had finally registered the shortening of his name. It had been accidental, honestly, she had no CLUE why it had even happened. Tango had brushed the thought aside as he’d pulled her in for another hug. This time around she was far more willing and able to return it…now that she knew what the heck she was supposed to do. What had caught her off guard, however, was when he’d leaned down and spoken so softly to her. His breath was warm against her skin and the movement of it tickled against her ear and the hair behind it. It surprised her and made her heart jump about as her stomach felt like it had just taken a free fall without the rest of her. It was a most uncomfortable experience that she wasn’t certain how to process.
Despite these odd feelings, Tango managed a chuckle at his comment before he pushed her away again and held her there. She couldn’t help but grin at what he said, whole heartedly agreeing. It had been horrible not having him around, and for more reasons than just because she’d thought he was dead. A deep breath and a light sigh and she found herself being pulled toward the bed. A bed…she’d not slept in anything but a tree or curled up in rocky crags for weeks…they were the places she felt most safe, but they were also the least comfortable for sleep.
I understand…I…felt….well, it was just…wrong…not having you around. I’m not quite sure why. And thank you. I’ve not slept on much more than tree branches or rocks recently…safe places provide little comfort physically.
Sitting down, she pulled off her boots and jacket, setting them aside, and made swift work of curling up beneath the covers. A heavy sigh escaped as she settled in and that was about the last sound that would come from her, save her quiet breathing, for quite some time. She hadn’t realized she was so tired.
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 21, 2009 22:11:43 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 21, 2009 22:11:43 GMT -5
"You never were one for improving your circumstances. If it hadn't been for me, you would have laid on a rock the entire time we were on Dxun. I know that you understand how to make surroundings more comfortable, my stubborn little partner." He chided her gently, shaking his head. RELIC or not...certain parts of her personality didn't seem to change.
He nodded his approval when she went and climbed into the bed. True to his word, he brought a chair over, setting it near the head of the bed next to her. He sat there, one pistol in his hand as it rested idly in his lap. From this vantage point, he had a good line on the narrow, barred window and the door, along with the bathroom door. He'd removed the barring from the bathroom window in order to make it a quick means of egress, even for one his size.
He kept vigil there for the entirety of her sleep. His free hand would reach out occasionally, brushing her hair back from her face while she slept and letting the warmth of his hand be a subtle reassurance to her while she rested. The fact that she'd went out as quickly as she had made it clear how much she needed the sleep.
He watched her peaceful form...knowing that it was, most likely, the first tiem she'd had peace for a month. Sighing gently, he shook his head, smirkling lightly. It was hard to believe that he'd finally managed to catch up to her, even with all of his training. Being that close had been luck, or the Force, more than anything.
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last online Jun 4, 2023 4:58:38 GMT -5
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Dec 23, 2009 23:40:37 GMT -5
Post by Talau the Ever-Lurking on Dec 23, 2009 23:40:37 GMT -5
She’d grumbled mildly at his chiding remark, but had given little other indication that she’d heard or understood his teasing complaint. Yes, she’d been just that tired…not even bothering to retort before she fell asleep. Any time she threatened to rise from her deep sleep, his touch served to sooth her back into a dreamless state. Things remained fairly eventless for several hours as her body sought to recover its lost rest, before she finally woke once more. She stirred slightly, first, her foggy mind unaccustomed to the feel of a bed or covers because of how she’d become so used to sleeping outside in trees or the like. One hand immediately slipped to the small dagger in her belt as lavender eyes opened and she looked around for the first sign of danger.
Only Victor…
…so it wasn’t a dream…
The nearly baffled statement seemed to reset something in her mind and for a moment she gave him an emotionless once over.
Was I asleep long?
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Vex
A Self-styled computer geek that moonlights as a G.I. Joe.
1,014 posts
2 likes
Proud bearer of the "Polish Stalker Badge".
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last online May 21, 2018 17:30:54 GMT -5
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Dec 26, 2009 20:21:46 GMT -5
Post by Vex on Dec 26, 2009 20:21:46 GMT -5
"Of course not."
He replied to her low, gentle statement. She almost sounded breathless by it...as though she was afraid that speaking too loudly would make him disappear. He felt the corner of his lip curl up in a bemused smirk...an expression that he realized was becoming more natural and characteristic.
He saw her expression even out into a mask of neutrality before she spoke again. He cursed that RELIC chip even as he was glad that she was getting the chance to slowly ween herself off of it. Some times, like this, he wished that he didn't make them degrade slowly.
"Six point eight seven standard hours. I would dare say that you needed it, so I felt it best to let you rest until your body naturally woke up."
It was dark now, a few hours past planetary midnight. It would be a good time for them to make their way across the city and back to Whiskey's ship with the repair parts. He said so. "This is likely our premium time to make our way to your ship with the repair parts you purchased."
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