A Ghost's Whisper

[James Justice]

James pulled himself from the bed and ran his hand through his hair. His eyes distinguished the blurred image of the alarm clock; 02:46. It was another sleepless night, he seemed to have more of those these days that he bargained for. More of those than ever before.

He stared out through the Lost Angel's viewport into the city of Mos Isely. The last time he was on this planet was over thirty years ago, the day his father disappeared. James could remember the last time he saw his father, he was just thirteen, the twin suns were starting to set. The man had given him a smile and told him that he was looking forward to taking his son out. He said he was proud of him. I am proud of the man you're becoming, the words echoed clearly in his head. You are a good man, James.

James sighed though his nose and pulled a shirt over his body in the dark. It was probably for the better that his father had died so long ago. He never got to see the atrocities that James committed. He would never learn of what his son's future held; blood, murder, hurt, destruction.

"I'm sorry dad," James whispered in a hoarse voice as he buckled his gunbelt on. "I never meant to hurt you."

He stored that memory, carefully wrapping it inside himself and storing it once more with all the guilt. It fit in with the rest of the weight he carried inside, a heavy weight that he alone could bear--a weight that he deserved.

He pulled his leather jacket over his body before stepping out into the crisply warm night. His boots crunched on the sandy ground as he began wandering the streets aimlessly.

Before he would have roamed from bar to bar, looking for women and booze. Tonight, he was just wandering. Moving without a reason. Like the rest of his life, purposeless.

@Skarlet Valentine

 

[Songbird]

She'd been given a holopic of the target, a description of his behaviors, and a planet: Tatooine. She'd rented a room in Mos Eisley, and was currently preparing herself for the job. First, she secured her two Ambassador revolvers to their holsters on her pants, confident in their ability to get her through any situation. Next, her signature leather jacket, and the dog tags identifying her as Skarlet Valentine, followed by securing her sword to her back. She was supposed to capture this one alive, so she had to be careful. The credits had already been forwarded, and she had a reputation to uphold.

[member="James Justice"] was not a hard man to find. He left behind a rather signature trail, and a few threats led her right to him. She leaned against the side of a building, staring at the man wander aimlessly. She had heard of this man. Used to be a real party animal, and a crime lord. Now he was just another bleeding heart do-nothing. It was too bad.
Full of arrogance, Skarlet sashayed over to him, tapping him on the shoulder, arching a black eyebrow.
"Hey. You Justice?"

 

[James Justice]

James turned and saw the young woman standing before him. Dark leather, lots of weapons, oozing confidence, and grizzled femininity. Before he would have given her one of his charming, flirtatious smiles and a compliment. He would have probably excreted his Zeltron pheromones, adding in his natural ability with the Force to persuade and win others to his side.

"That's right," he answered after a moment in his smokey voice. "James Justice."

Something about her looked familiar. She reminded him of someone he knew once, James' dull dark brown eyes flickered like prodded embers of a dying fire. Then, once again, they died back to their empty, lusterless look. Of course she wasn't who he thought she was. That woman had disappeared a long time ago. And probably for the best. Before James bemoaned those who disappeared from his life or died in the past. Now he was grateful they didn't have to see who he had become. The monster. The murderer.

James blinked the thought away, bringing him back to the present. Those we left behind were worth more than our self-pity. He didn't know where he heard it from--if he hadn't come up with it on the spot, "What can I do for you?"

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

 

[Songbird]

Skarlet barely suppressed a smirk at his answer. Bastard wasn't even trying to hide his identity. He had to know how many people were after his head, and yet here he was, strutting around. If she didn't hold a measure of respect for the man he used to be, she'd be disgusted with his current state.
As it was, she slowly started moving her hand toward the revolver on her hip, her eyes narrowing at him.
"Lot of people got a problem with ya, Justice. You know that?"
The bounty had been clear: Take [member="James Justice"] alive. It didn't say anything about injuries, and as far as Skarlet was concerned, he could live with a missing kneecap or two. Her blue eyes stared into his, not waiting for an answer as her hand closed around the handle of her revolver.
She hoped he was smart enough to understand what was going on, here.
"Ya got two options: I either put a slug in your kneecap, or you come with me willingly."

 

[James Justice]

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

James was raised on a freighter, but even during his childhood he spent more times in bars, back alleys, slums, and clubs. He knew what watched as much as sensed through the Force her hand move to her blaster. His mind gave him a twinge; danger. But he didn't care. The look on his face was still tired, worn.

"Yeah, I know they do," he said answering her first question. He gave a half shrug before admitting, "Most of it is deserved."

His dark eyes stared past her with as he heard her words. He mulled them over for a few moments after she spoke. The past voices of the dead whispered in his ears distactingly. How many times had he been in a place like this? How man times had he killed them without mercy? Too many.

He blinked hard, silencing them for the moment so he could think.

"I don't think you realize who your talking to," James said softly, "And I don't think your prepared for what is going to happen if you draw that thing," his eyes flickered with a twinge of purple colored darkside energy. They took on a slightly more pleading look, "So I am going to ask you to please not make me do that."

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

 

[Songbird]

Huh. Usually that trick worked. Guess she should have expected the famous [member="James Justice"] to be a bit more strong-willed than that. Well, nothing left to do but pull out the big guns. Heh. She was so clever.
Without a word, Skarlet withdrew the revolver from it's holster, using her thumb to pull back the hammer with a loud click. She didn't aim it at him. Not yet, anyway.
"I don't see any weapons on ya, and I'm holding an Ambassador revolver; one shot from this thing will put you down faster than you can pull some sort of Forcie trick on me."
Her blue eyes stared directly into his, not intimidated in the least.
"I'm a Coruscanti, Justice. I've seen Sith do things that would make your stomach turn. You don't scare me in the least."
She slightly inclined her head towards the direction of her room.
"Come without a fight to my room, and I can take ya to your fate with a bit of respect. I respect the man you used to be too much to do otherwise."

 

[James Justice]

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

James' dull eyes gave a flicker of amusement. She had guts. Lots of guts. He would humor her for now. If for nothing else than to keep from shattering her skull into the streets. The spacer didn't want to kill again. Especially that brutally.

"I've been to Corrie," James said as they walked along, using one of her homeworld's many nicknames. "Many times, actually. I had a friend who ruled the underworld there that I moved guns for, she was the best that you could find."

And I shouldn't have let her go like I did, James added in his mind. It was yet another regret he had. One of many. "My daughter was raised there. I fought cultists there, I've seen it," he murmured.

She hadn't seen the things he would do. He had done. It was more than murder--it was inhumane massacres. And at last it was catching up to him. The faces of the dead, their terrifying screams haunted him now. He was like them in that way. He was dead too.

 

[Songbird]

As she escorted [member="James Justice"] to her room with her revolver lazily aimed at his ankle, Skarlet began to realize something. She was dealing with a broken man. She'd seen the look in his eyes, before, on young men and women forced to kill for survival in the undercity. Coruscant was not a pleasant place, save for the top layer. Which was why she hated that dump.
"Sounds like a fun gal. Love to meet her someday."
Skarlet barely payed attention to him, save for when he mentioned a daughter. She shook her head in amusement. It was hard to imagine the man before her with a kid. She just hoped he didn't put 'em in an orphanage. No one deserved that.
"Got a kid, huh? Can't see anyone settling down with you, no offense."
She looked ahead, seeing the cantina she was renting a room at.
"No funny business, alright? You make one wrong move, Justice, and I pull this trigger faster than you can say 'Sorry Miss Skarlet'."

 

[James Justice]

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

"Three," he answered as they came through the door, "The oldest was raised in Corrie, she's 16. I have twins, 14 a girl and a boy."

He gave a sigh and rubbed his face. He heard her comment but wasn't phased by it. Even if he had wanted to do something her words and weapon wouldn't have stopped him anyway. It was who he was.

The spacer gave a sad smile, "I didn't know they existed until they reached out to me, each individually. I never got to see them grow up."

Part of him was glad they didn't have to see him like that growing up the other regretted that he never saw them grow up. He missed their first steps. Their first words. Everything. He often wondered what they were like before they met, making his shoulders sag.

"They are good kids," he said at last. "Good kids who deserve better than me. What about you? Got a family?"

 

[Songbird]

Skarlet glanced at him as they entered the threshold, a moment of hesitation occurring. She hadn't expected him to ask about her family. . . This was unexpected. Well, she supposed she'd give him the short and sweet answer.
"Don't have one."
She led him to the bar, where she motioned for him to have a seat at one of the stools.
"Ship don't leave until tomorrow, so it looks like I'm stuck with you for the night."
she ordered them two drinks, eagerly throwing back hers.
"Honestly, I was expecting to have to put at least one slug in you, so this works out a lot better for us."
She eyed him up suspiciously.
"Why didn't you resist? Man like you has a rep for not going quietly."

[member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

[member="Skarlet Valentine"]

James took a seat at the bar. He hesitated for a moment, "Reactor Core. Keep 'em coming."

He took a sip of his drink of choice, savoring the burn before answering her question, "I got tired of killing. I still am," he looked in his glass to the foaming fizzing liquid, "I'm sure you've seen the footage. Skills shattered open. The tortures I did for Blonde. The disembowlings. The beating to death, the list goes on," he waved his hand. "I thought it would deter people. Make them thing twice. Apparently I was wrong and I'm tired of the bloodshed."

James nursed his drink for a moment before giving a rueful smile. "Ordinarily I'd offer you work, your good at what you do apparently. But I suppose that you'd turn it down cold."