Private All In The Endless Game

[Vytal Noctura]

Location: Undisclosed Spacestation
Tag: Shalita Verd | Mandragora | Open

In walked a pale woman dressed in red, plated armor to the high-life club. The burly bouncer with hefty tusks that stood by the door eyed the three women that had entered. While Vytal did not spare the guard dog a second's thought, the Sisters that flanked her had. There was a far larger rancor for the Nightmother to bother herself with; there was no reason to occupy herself with the bantha.

Tall boots rolled across the carpeted floor as Vytal strode deeper into the establishment. The blunted tips of her gauntlets wrapped about the top of a chair to slide it back from the table. Without asking permission, the Witch soon settled into the unoccupied seat.

From the silent, but all to apparent entrance, the Devaronian across the table had taken a moment to peer up at the newcomer from beneath its severe brow. A moment later his dark eyes slid to the other that occupied the table. All it took was a slight nod for the other gentleman to collect their credits, pushed back, and walk away. "Now then," a paddle stretched out over the table to scoot the pile of ten cards left untouched by its former player over to where Vytal sat. "What is it I can do for you today?"

Green eyes bore into the abyssal gaze across from her. Even when a droid asked what she would like to drink, the gaze never wavered. Instead, Vytal held up her hand to dismiss the offer.

"One must drink, if one plays Pazaak," the Devaronian intoned before a fang-filled grin parted its lips. "I suggest the Korriban Red."

"I prefer Geonosian Gold." The reply caused the toothy grin to grow in size, with a glimmer sprouting in the man's eyes.

Without responding immediately, and out of order from a normal game, the man's red digits flipped over the top card on the main deck between them. A number Eight card flopped on the table to show the Devaronian's bid to go first in the game. Such a high value only caused a throaty, if short lived laugh. Luck, it would seem, was on his side.

 

[Shalita Verd]

Tags: Vytal Noctura
Outfit: General Getup

Shalita was, in a sense, an opportunist at times. She paid good money for tidbits, rumours and information that would get her what she wanted. One might say that loners paid the ultimate price for her profession. The ultimate loneliness where one never stayed for too long without moving on to the next city or the next assignment. Although these days she rarely had assignments and instead occupied herself with creating aliases and gathering new tools to hone her craft with. One of those tools being illegal artifacts and many various poisons and the like. Although no one had to know about any of that. As long as she could get her objective done, then she would deploy anything in her arsenal to do it. Including using the coin she was handing out to one of her anonymous sources right now. ”Well done,” She said without making eye contact to the woman while her form was cloaked amongst the shadows of the night, giving away nothing of her own appearance.

”You can leave now,” The woman said softly as a gloved hand waved the other away. She waited till the other left before she straightened her form out and left the shadows of the darkened alley. Her right hand palmed the hilt of her obsidian lightsaber that hung from her belt that wasn’t ignited. Her informant was helpful to a degree, but was vague on certain details. The Verd woman had just learned of a potential artifact that could be of use or not at all, however the only way to find out was to follow certain code words which weren't at all that odd, considering how artifacts were dangerous to obtain and even more pricey when passed along. A hum rumbled along the assassin’s throat for a moment before deciding to pursue this droplet.

Booted feet carried the woman along a path, under a darkened night towards a location that she wasn’t at all familiar with. At least not yet anyway. Clubs and pubs were a rich source for information at times and sometimes it was a cesspool for over bragging egos that ended up being nothing but lies and scandals which did not further her cause. Information was information no matter the source. One had to learn to shake all kinds of trees in order to obtain the overall goal. It was like how some used to go coin searching. Three out of the twenty pieces they found would actually be a coin, while the other pieces turned out to be nothing more than rubbish. Throw aways, that lazy slobs couldn't be bothered to discard of properly.

Upon approach of the establishment, she pushed through the door and noted the bouncer who was busy with two others, but her only concern was seeking out the one that would be able to, perhaps either confirm the rumour or not at all. Her darkly clothed form crossed to the table where only one other sat and proceeded to sit herself at the table. Another woman. ”I’ll play your game, but only if you pass me that Korriban Red and a shot of your hardest whiskey.” A gold coin flickered along gloved fingers; if only for a brief moment to catch the Devaronian’s attention, before it disappeared from view. Oh Shalita had confidence in spades and it was present in her posture. One had to be, for one false move could prove deadly.

Icey blue hues quickly glanced over the other woman, before resting her left hand upon the table, while her right rested lightly upon her thigh. Many weapons were hidden upon her person, especially her sharp, trusty throwing daggers, should they be needed. However, this was mostly just a fact finding and or claiming of an artifact, but who knew what this night would entail.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

"Ah," the Devaronian smiled, "then the game has already begun." The arrival of a second female was followed by a flash of coin as her ante to join. Unexpected, but not unwanted. This could be plied to his benefit almost certainly; even though the house already held the advantage. They had to convince him to part with the artifact, after all.

Vytal turned her head slightly to look at the other woman that joined them. Only for a moment. Now she would be forced to contend with an outside influence -- a disruptor. Someone that might take the artifact and not be convinced to relinquish it. It was hard enough being forced to play these 'games' with offworlders to acquire things they did not truly appreciate. All they cared for were credits. It was offensive.

Without responding, the pale woman drew the top card from her deck and lay it upon the table. Instead of its face value displayed with a casual flick of the wrist, however, the Devaronian and the Shi'ido would it was a yellow and silver credit chip. Vytal's forearm held no sleeve to hide such a large, flat surface; only her gauntlets though some might suspect it could have been hidden there. "To bet on an unknown hand in the hopes of greater riches is hardly a sound strategy. My Sisters and I have sufficient means to go many rounds with the right person."

The Nightmother's green eye shifted back toward Shalita. "Are you sure this is the hand you intend to play?" Her hand passed over the credit chip only for it to vanish as she did so. The original card had reappeared in its place, face down.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Icy blue eyes watched the trickery unfold and whether by sleight of hand or some other method, the woman figured that it was the trick to shake fear or to keep one distracted long enough for the wool to be pulled over their unintended victims eyes. She’d seen many of these tricks, although she couldn’t say that they weren’t intriguing, it just made the fact finding mission more of a challenge. Her right hand lifted, if only to drape it over the back of the chair that she sat upon, to feigned the posture of pretending to rethink joining the game. Although it wasn’t anything but a front, she wasn’t about to even think about leaving. No the posture was merely a facade to make her opponents think less of her. For the woman beside her wasn’t the only one that knew small trickery. Albeit, hers were more like theater than anything else.

Her gloved, left hand rose to palm her chin for a moment as she continued to feign a posture of re-thinking. Pazaak was almost like playing a game of chance, almost, but it was also strategic in some sense that one had to play their side deck carefully. Although the other woman was correct in saying that the hands they were going to play were very much unknown. ”Well I do like to throw a gambling hand in from time to time, why not play around with a little spice and play with the unknown for a while.” Shalita said as she shrugged her shoulders and pretended to pretend to shrug her shoulders in fake confidence. Upon the shot of whiskey being delivered, she lifted her glass in a salute before downing the drink. She felt the alcohol burn all the way down and pretended to wince at the bite of the liquor and nodded her head of approval.

All assassin’s knew that even the most laid out plans could turn into pure chaos in a matter of seconds, it was how the assassin reacted that mattered the most in any given situation. Panic was not to be let in, fear of the unknown was not allowed and not matter what, they had to sit in an oasis of calm; even if the building came crashed down upon them. For it would be that calm that would ensure that they would react in a logical manner;. A logical manner that would ensure their escape; instead of fear which would only lead their prey to an earlier grave. She might have only truly lived, for eights years, but within those eight years she had made sure to hone herself into what she was today. However, today she was throwing down her intent to play Pazaak with some other woman for some vague artifact. Whether it was real, who knew. What she did know, was that today was certainly an opportunity to enjoy some cards and maybe waste a few coins.

Either way, win or lose it was how she approached it that mattered above all else. There would always be more chances to gain artifacts, that was if this one was even real. ”I would say that betting on unsound strategies isn’t my thing, but let's be real; between you and me, I like a little chaos.” Her red painted lips curved into a smirk as her gloved fingers tapped twice by her empty glass, signaling for another refill. ”I mean, let’s be honest,” the dark haired woman said as she turned towards the other woman seated. ”You and I are going to be playing and spending what will probably be a lot of coin and or credits. So why don’t you and I play against each other for what the house may or may not have. I mean, the house will benefit either way.” Another feigned smirk curved her lips then as a hand rose to take a card from the main deck, only to flip it and reveal a five. A brow perked in order to goad the other woman into revealing her card as icy blue eyes then challenged the other woman, "Shall we play then?"

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vytal's eyes narrowed ever so perceptively as the Devaronian listened to the other woman and seemed to be enjoying himself considerably. No doubt he was thinking how to ply one against the other to extract an even higher fee. It wasn't the credits, however, that vexed the pale Witch. There wasn't supposed to be another anything at the table tonight. But surely others sought these artifacts, so competition should be expected. Ordinarily this would be true, but then a Nightsister that roamed the galaxy did not play fair. How then had they missed this creature that drew out an already unpleasant experience?

"Very well." Shalita's opponent settled back into her seat. Another casual flick of her wrist flipped the card over atop the table as the woman requested. Displayed before those assembled was the +/- 6 card. Vytal turned her head to look over at the other woman for a moment. "Negative six. Seems you go first."

A lone finger pressed upon the card to draw it to the edge of the table before she flipped it and slid it back into the deck. "What is it someone like yourself truly seeks to gain playing a game like this one?" Both of her hands reached out to shuffle her side deck in no particular hurry while the Devaronian would provide another for Shalita if she did not have one of her own. "Can 'luck' be considered chaotic? Is it 'sound' to place an object of value to the whims of fate?" If they were going to clash in this manner, then Vytal might as well learn more about her opponent before the game began.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

Tags: Vytal Noctura
Hand: (+/-)1, +1, -8, (+/-)10
Main Field: 2

The assassin was calm in every which way and as her shot was poured once again, she watched the other woman shuffle her side deck while the Devaronian provided a side deck for her. Pale fingers picked up her deck and shuffled them while she listened to the words of the other. They could have chosen a positive number but didn’t and she briefly wondered if only for a split second before she eyed the Devaronian for a moment. It was fair to say that he might try to pull a fast one on them, but Shalita didn’t know the other woman either and it was best to err on the side of caution. Her opponent seemed calm but even Shalita knew that calm could also be faked. Upon finishing the shuffle of her side deck, she placed it to one side and grasped the shot glass, tossing it back while fingers doubled tapped once more upon the table.

Suddenly, she cracked a grin and glanced at her opponent, ”Well what I hope to gain from this here game is some cheeky word play.” She chuckled then as she referred to the word play about the potential artifact, but who knew, maybe it was just a hunk of steel or some fancy jewellery piece that was bought off the blackmarket. A piece that was meant to distract the new owner from the fact that it wasn’t what it was meant to be. Slowly she drew her first four cards and a brow rose at the cards in her facade, but never actually said anything about the cards themselves. Either way, it didn’t matter, what did matter was how her opponent played, not that she could say that she was a stellar Pazaak game player herself. Whatever happened, would just have to stand.

”As for chaos..” The woman began while her drink was poured yet again and she shuffled her hand before placing the cards face down before her, ”Well it’s all about your perception on chaos and luck. Whether you can see the similarities. For instance, luck is completely random, there is no order in whether or not I’m going to walk away with some new bling, or just a pocket that hurts. Luck is, in a manner of speaking, confusing because there is no logic, no random sequence that one can pin down in order to receive good luck. Chaos, well.” She picked up her shot glass and downed the drink, only to double tap the table once more and perked a brow at the other woman. ”Chaos is a bag of crazy. There is no order, much like luck. It can create confusion, similar to luck and depending on the outcome for the user, it can be very profitable.”

Another shot was poured for her, but she didn’t down this one just yet. Indeed, Shalita did not believe in luck but she did use chaos against the herd of sheep from time to time. It was a valuable tool that she made sure to keep in mind when plans went sideways. ”Is it sound?” The assassin scoffed while fingers tapped the back of her cards and she waited for the other woman to draw her hand, before the Devaronian drew the first card from the main deck and dropped down in front of her face up. A number two stared up at her and she shrugged. ”Does it matter if it’s sound? We don’t play these games, because it’s sound. If we wanted sound, we would have gone about this a whole different way.” Shalita, waved her hand at the other woman. "Your turn."

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Hand: -6, 10, -3, +/-4
Main Field: 2

Vytal looked over at the other woman while she spoke. The pale Witch's lips turned down at the corner as her green eyes watched without blinking while Shalita played her first hand. The differentiation between luck and chaos made sense, but ultimately was nothing more than a waste of time. Words designed to fill a void. To mime at a dialogue between equals. Neither of them would leave feeling any more enlightened on the subject than they'd entered the establishment.

That said, Vytal did not disagree that this entire approach was not sound. However, that was only true because of something very, very important. "This was not meant to be a game," the woman of Dathomir said softly in almost a hiss. A sharp look to the side had the Devaronian drop yet another two only this time for the Nightmother's field. "Pazaak is best played between two people." And this woman had inserted herself into the game where she was neither needed nor wanted. It gave the fiendish male leverage. The women that had come here tonight had thought the details were contained or other parties dealt with when they arrived. Evidently one somehow eluded them.

"Your turn." Neither had any motivation to play cards from their hand, and it would seem this round might carry on at length if low value cards continued to pour in.

"What is it someone like yourself finds most alluring about historical artifacts? Most are little more than junk some collect to display on a mantle, as forgotten and untouched there as they were in the ruins they came from." Seeing how they were talking, Vytal decided to continue the little back and forth between them.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

PAZAAK​

Tags: Vytal Noctura
Hand: (+/-)1, +1, -8, (+/-)10
Main Field: 2, 10

A slight smirk curved her lips as she listened to the other woman hiss in displeasure at her appearance and interruption to her plans. Shalita was the other woman’s unaccounted variable. “Well, I cannot argue that, but I’m sure that the house will be more than happy to play against whomever wins in this game. Besides, a little competition in a game of cards never hurt anyone.” A brow perked upwards towards the other woman before glancing down before her as the Devaronian placed a 10 onto the main field. Pursing her lips as she looked at her hand and committed the cards to memory, only to place them face down while picking up the shot glass and downed it. Two fingers tapped again as her icy gaze shifted back to the other woman.

This time, she openly appraised her, although there was something there that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. There was tension within the other woman, probably due to Shalita’s presence, although she didn’t take that to heart. In most cases she preferred her own company, it was how she dealt with her activities. Alone. However this other woman carried company with her and she quietly noted as to what she had called, Her Sisters that had accompanied her in the background. Her gaze shifted over to the one who poured her drinks, in pretense of simply paying them, but from underneath her lashes she noted the exits. Finally she addressed the other woman’s question.

”Depends on the artifact really, but you are right in saying that most of these artifacts are nothing more than a hunk of junk. I don’t keep anything that does not have anything of value. Nothing that cannot be used for a purpose is kept, besides, as a rule of thumb, I don’t keep what some would say, a settled location.” She murmured as she leaned back into her chair while keeping an eye upon the Devaronian to make sure that he didn’t pull any fast moves on them. No she wasn’t someone who stayed settled in one place for too long. In fact she was consistently on the move. If anything, the only thing that was really considered to be a settled location was her ship and nothing more. From time to time she occupied a room in the Knights Dorms at The Citadel if she was ever in the area. However, it was always kept bare, no hint of personnel touch was ever kept.

Someone might find it odd, but for this woman it was a necessity. To do her job, she needed to fall in and out of identities at the drop of a hat. Knick knacks were only a distraction and distractions had to be kept to a minimum. ”If the artifact is useful, I’ll keep it, if not and I’ve won it, then you can have it to display on your mantle.” She said with a grin towards the other woman. Slowly she straightened her form and leaned towards the other woman with an outstretched hand, ”The name is Shalita, I figured it was better to know each other’s name, rather than to give the other a name which they may not like. I thought of calling you Bessie, seeing as it was the first name that came to mind, but I figured that it was more polite to give you my name and ask for one in return.” A smile curved her lips then as she angled her head towards the playing field. ”Your turn, by the way.”.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Hand: -6, 10, -3, +/-4
Main Field: 2, 9

A game of cards wasn't the problem, but there'd be little point complaining about that now. If there wasn't a potential artifact on the table, Vytal wouldn't have cared about the intrusion. Then again, if there wasn't an artifact she likely wouldn't be playing Pazaak. Magick incantations, scrolls, tomes, and spirits took up quite a bit of time, which left her precious little time for social entertainment. Well, that was not entirely true. The Confederacy's social obligations were just another time sink, but they had 'fun.' When they didn't involve crash landing on a planet, anyway.

Vytal's green eye lifted to regard the woman as the feeling of being gazed upon settled over the Nightmother. It lasted only a moment before thoughts about the game surfaced once more.

The objective was to reach twenty without going over. Trust in the spirits. Though Vytal had a hard time believing the spirits were going to silently change the order of the deck cards just because she was playing pazaak. Stranger things had happened. The pale Witch had once found a bathrobe standing in her shower with no one and nothing in it; the vacant head beneath a wrapped towel turned toward her before the entire thing collapsed.

From the sound of things the unwelcome guest liked to stay mobile. More importantly, what she said suggested her interest lay in an object of power as well -- not merely a trinket of historical significance (though that could carry 'value' as well in the right circles). A soft guest of hot air flew from Vytal's nostrils. "A souvenir is not why I'm here," she replied calmly.

After carefully setting her cards down, Vytal turned in her seat to regard Shalita. So the intruder had a name. Two, in fact, and the second was intended for her new friend. Bessie? Not a name ever found on Dathomir. It sounded too... whimsical. "Vytal, Night--"

As the Devaronian dropped a nine on the table for the pale woman, the door to the establishment was blown inward with the noise and force of thunder. One of the Sisters was knocked aside with a trickle of blood down the side of their face, while the other had been thrown over a nearby table. The room became engulfed in a flurry of activity. Those not completely floored by this turn jumped to their feet while they reached for their blasters.

Vytal herself was prepared to meet this menace when the Devaronian gave a cry and flipped the table over.

With a hissed curse, Vytal narrowly avoided the table and ducked to another nearby that'd been flipped. "Shalita," her green eyes looked for the woman as several armed creatures entered the room with blasters cutting down those out in the open. With a sharp point at the Devaronian, Vytal hoped the other woman could help secure their seller. There was a hallway on the other side of the Nightmother where the man should be keeping the artifact in an office. Probably a safe or some other secured container to keep an invisible woman from walking in and taking it.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

DIVERSION​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Shalita nodded her head as the woman began to introduce herself as Vytal. The assassin noted that she had begun to speak more, but was interrupted by what she could only describe as a scene born out of complete chaos. A scene of chaos that was built upon the element of surprise. Glasses shattered upon the floor as tables were knocked over and screams of those that feared death sang their song and echoed within her ears. However, the woman paid them no mind as she herself sprung up from her seated position just as the Devaronian flipped the table they had been seated at mere seconds ago.

Shaking her head, the woman crossed the chaos riddled floor to another Pazaak table. She paused only long enough for gloved fingers to grip the edge of the table and flip it onto its side, so then to create a barrier between her and the intruders.

Exhaling, the woman looked to see where Vytal had ended up and upon seeing her on the opposite side of the Devaronian, a slight nod of her head was given when the other woman indicated to the seller. Indeed, if they were to get what they wanted, the Devaronian had to be secured. For now, he had a barrier, but the creatures that had come in to stir up chaos in their wake, were creating a problem. Icy blue eyes glanced towards the hallway and then a gloved hand came to rest upon the hilts of the throwing knives that she carried everywhere. For her, it was enough.

A lightsaber could also be useful, if she wanted to cause untold damage to other patrons. Deflecting the blaster bolts could easily send it flying towards an innocent, something that the woman wanted to avoid. However, her daggers were more precise and would mean less casualties. She just had to get a better angle upon the creatures that had invaded the bar, as each throw would have to be precise. Glancing from one side to the next, the woman listened to the gun fire and she saw the people who cowered behind the many different surfaces. Whomever these people were, they didn’t care who they killed, just that it was a blood spree. After a couple of seconds, she remembered the fact that Vytal’s sisters had been knocked out in the original blast and her gaze shifted to the other woman. She didn’t seem moved by it, perhaps her initial assessment was correct. The woman was more than she seemed.

Drawing upon the force, she reached out to the other woman through telepathy, she didn’t want the others to know anything about the kind of plans that she wanted to talk to Vytal about. <<I’ll deal with these four here. I’ll create a diversion and because you’re closer to the hallway, you take the Devaronian and get him out of here safely. I’ll draw their fire, just wait till they are focused upon me.>> With that, her fingers wrapped around the small knives and pulled them free from their hiding positions. Adjusting her grip, she gathered up the force once more, calling upon it to use the sense to detect precisely where her targets were. One wrong throw, and she wouldn’t just be making herself a target but probably Vytal when she moved.

Upon ‘seeing’ through the force where her targets were, the woman readied her throwing knives. Slowly, she inhaled, only to exhale and rose from behind her makeshift barrier. With her free hand, she reached out with the force to grip one of their blasters and with a jerk of her hand, ripped it from the man’s hands and simply let the weapon drop. The weapon slid with the momentum right under one of the chairs not yet overturned. This was simply to create a distraction, a diversion and with the hand that gripped the knife, Shalita brought her hand back, only to throw the blade forwards through the air and it met the intended target’s throat. A target that held a weapon. The one with the dagger in its throat, dropped its weapon, which clattered to the ground as it tried to make out some kind of sentence, but only blood rose from its lips. Catching them off guard due to the man’s slow and painful death; the assassin had another throwing knife ready and it found its home in the eye of another one of the armed creatures.

The one with a gun recovered from the surprise after the attack and began to fire bullets towards Shalita, causing her to find cover behind her makeshift barrier. While the one who had been disarmed, began to go looking for his weapon. Shalita hoped that Vytal was able to get away with the Devaronian in time..

 

[Vytal Noctura]

It was tempting to unleash the spirits' wrath against the intruders, but there was enough chaos in the establishment all ready. The spirits would only get both sides shooting randomly at the specters with countless casualties. She could try to put them all to sleep, but with so much adrenaline coursing through their veins...

Her hand stretched forth to cause the far end of the bar to explode outward. A hail of splinters, boards, nails, and particulate shot out toward the doorway. They responded with a few blind shots toward the shelves of liquor, but such errant blades weren't an issue. One of her Sisters had stirred and could make her way behind cover toward the other end of the room. The fire fight was keeping them from bothering with those behind the bar, so long as the bartender did nothing stupid.

Before the Nightmother had a chance to try and find the other Sister, a voice surfaced among her thoughts. The Stranger -- Shalita -- knew telepathy? Convenient, and perhaps the Witch would have time to ask how she'd come across such a skill later. In that moment, however, she could only agree to the other woman's plan. Be quick. We may not be the only ones aware of what he possesses.

Take advantage of Shalita's charitable notion? Leave her behind? Yes, yes, Vytal knew they were options. Why the dark spirits always thought they needed to impress upon her the selfish notions was beyond her. Such things were self-evident. It was behaving in a 'civil' manner that was hard.

A pale hand drifted down along Vytal's waist line as Shalita seemed to steady herself for the conflict to come. Vytal's eyes lingered for a moment on the uninvited woman. It seemed Shalita called upon the Force, which made her even more dangerous than Vytal had originally estimated. Not to mention the hidden weaponry.

Sisters, retreat to the back room, the Nightmother called out to those that had been injured. Each knew where to go. It had always been a backup plan if things went wrong even while Vytal always sought to conduct their affairs 'properly' -- even when it came to illegitimate means. You did not earn the trust of others by becoming known as one that slaughters to get what they want. Left little room for negotiation. Nevertheless, sometimes such things were necessary, and Vytal did not lose a minute's rest over it.

When the assassin sprung, the Witch bounded across the open distance to where the man had taken cover. She ignored his plea to leave him alone as one arm snaked about his midsection. A jab at her waist activated the protective barrier at her back before Vytal charged toward and down the hallway with her flailing 'man' over one shoulder. It had been sometimes since Vytal ever needed to carry someone like this (burdensome as it was) but Vytal hadn't 'let herself go' since finding the Confederacy either.

She then summarily dumped the man on the floor of his office after they had ducked inside. "Get the artifact. Now before I tell Shalita to let them have you." Where they here for the Devaronian, the artifact, for Shalita, or Vytal? Did it matter? Long as the man thought he was in danger, he'd be more apt to comply.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

DIVERSION​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Crouched behind the overturned table, she waited for the gun fire to die off, for them to think that she was dead. Glancing around her, the woman had nothing to actually use, but then her icy blue eyes shifted to the throwing knife that was still in her hand. One by one, her fingers released their hold upon the small weapon and it dropped to the floor which created a clattering sound that echoed within the room. Even in the midst of the gun fight, the creatures still heard the soft sound of the knife’s clattering song. If they fell for the ruse, then they would be dumber than a box of rocks, for the table hadn’t been at all damaged enough for holes to appear. Which meant that clearly they wouldn’t have hit their target.

One by one they slowly stopped shooting and Shalita lifted a gloved hand to press to her face and shake her head. Well, at least she knew that she wasn’t dealing with any criminal mastermind, in fact they were just dealing with some low level thugs. After dropping her hand from her face, she looked to the side, to see that Vytal had taken the Devaronian. So she grabbed the dropped blade and darted from her table, to the Devaronian’s table. This opened up the gun fire all over again and she narrowly missed one blaster bolt as she found cover behind a table once more.

Quickly she glanced about her surroundings and noted the bottle of whiskey that the waiter must have dropped when the initial burst of attack happened. She gathered up the bottle and took a sip, before she opened up her coat and set the bottle aside. With one hand, she held open her jacket, while with the other, grabbed a hold of her throwing knife. With quick decisive cuts, she began to cut the lining from the jacket till she had a decent piece of material. Placing the knife to one side, she used both hands to thread one end of the material into the opened bottle of whiskey and then proceeded to look for a lighter that was usually tucked away in one of her pockets. Upon finding the lighter, she lit the end of the material that poked out of the top of the bottle and took pause. Hopefully, the other patrons would get out of the way.

Finally she tossed it over the table towards the crew of henchmen and the bottle smashed at their feet, while the lit end proceeded to set alight the alcohol that splashed along the floor. Screams of some of her opponents filled the room, while the other creatures stepped back away from the blazing heat. Well, while they are busy with that… Shalita thought as she picked up her throwing knife, rose to a stand and darted down the hallway towards the open door of the office. Her footsteps only paused long enough to spy the back door and a nod of her head was given before she stuck it through the open door to see what the hold up was.

”I created a… Diversion so to speak, so they may be busy for a few minutes, however I don’t know if the fire I lit will keep them busy for any extended period of time. What I do know is that our friend here has a backdoor that we can exit through, unless you fancy some dinner involving a well done creature.” She paused as she looked back the way that she had come and continued to still hear the screams of those that were suffering from at least third degree burns. A shrug of her shoulders was given then before looking back to the Devaronian. ”Chop chop, we don’t have all day. Plus…” The Shi’ido paused for a moment as she slid the throwing knife that she had held in her right hand, back into its little sheath that was hidden along the inside of her sleeve of the jacket she wore.

”I hope you have insurance, cause you’re going to need it.”.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

"Kark the thing, we need to get out of here," the Devaronian snapped.

A ball of green flame ignited in the palm of Vytal's left hand as she took firm hold of his collar in the other. "No more games. No more stalling. Get the artifact, you get the credits and your life. Deal?" There was no longer any time for polite negotiation tactics.

The Nightmother's narrowed eyes watched the man after she'd released him to fetch the item. Shalita's voice soon passed through the doorway with no small amount of urgency to it. Perhaps the woman shouldn't have set the place on fire, then. Not that it mattered at this point. In fact, she didn't care if anyone left alive back there survived an inferno either. The Mandragora were not champions of peace, justice, and feeling morally superior about yourself. Besides, her Sisters would tend to the matter provided the distraction was no longer needed.

Once the hidden cache was unlocked, the Devaronian gave Vytal a toothy grin as he shoved a wrapped object toward her. A flick cast the wrapping aside enough to examine the ivory statue for a moment. There wasn't time to evaluate its authenticity, but it was enough to know the man hadn't misled them entirely. In response, Vytal flicked the chit at him with the expected credit amount in exchange.

Two figures slipped around the mouth of the hallway, low to avoid an errant shot through the flames. Each held a short spear in their hand and came to a stop, low to the ground still, at the sight of Shalita standing there.

Vytal spun in place and threw her hand out toward the backdoor Shalita had seen. "It is time we left, Sisters!"

"What about me?" the Dealer called out as the pale Witch strode toward his door without another glance.

It was tempting to leave him behind, but his was the only unwelcome presence Vytal would tolerate following them. The rest were on their own. For the backdoor would open up to the outside, but not to some corridor for them to scurry away like rats. A platform that looked out over a docking platform would be found instead as the Nightmother had bound the door to somewhere else nearby. It might come as a surprise to an assassin to learn the Nightmother was not so unaccustomed to the art of always having a way out. After all, she and her Sisters from Dathomir had lived on their own for some time before they found their way to the Confederacy.

Once the four women, and one male, were through Vytal would wave her hand through the air and sever the connection behind them. To those back in the establishment that tried to follow it would appear the women had vanished into thin air.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

ESCAPE​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Morals. It was never something that Shalita ever really paid much attention to. If she did and was consistently wrestling with what was and what wasn’t morally correct, then she would definitely make for a bad assassin. Morals just couldn’t come into the equation of whether or not it was right to do something; because if anything, there was so much of what Shalita did that was morally incorrect. The woman deceived, lied, killed, maimed and the list went on and one. She did whatever it took to get the job done. If she really thought about it, if the survivors of the fire had half a brain, they’d grab a fire extinguisher or use some ice. They could even grab a bucket or jug, run to a tap, fill it and then throw the water on the fire. Either way, she saw it from one perspective only. She had given them a chance to live. Whomever died after the fact, wouldn’t keep her up at night.

Did she care about a living soul? Very rarely. The ones that were tabled to die, of were one of her targets, usually lived outside of Confederacy airspace. If someone came blasting through the doors, she had no qualms about killing them. In fact, she’d call it self defense and simply call it a day. Did death disturb her? No it didn’t, she just chalked it up as a simple fact of life. All that mattered, was that she had given them options. If they shot first, then they could wear the consequences of those actions. Quietly, she watched the Devaronian unlock the hidden cache and she briefly wondered if he had any weapons stashed away in there that he planned to use on them.

Upon seeing that the man held out a statue to Vytal, she turned to see the two lurking with spears at the mouth of the hallway. Sure, it was a little bothersome that they hadn’t caught on fire and had managed to skirt around the flames that she had set ablaze, but her mind remained clear with a firm goal in mind. Retreat. Gathering the force at her fingertips, she reached out with both hands to send the force forwards and gripped both spears by clenching both hands into fists in mid air. With sudden jerky movements, she threw her hands out to her sides and the spears flew from their hands and clattered to the ground. Icy blue eyes stared at the men, almost daring them to do anything else as she took a couple of steps backwards to let Vytal and the Devaronian out of the room.

However, as Vytal called out to her sisters; the woman didn’t think much of it. She didn’t even think much about the life of the establishment’s owner either. As far as she was concerned when it came to him, was that their transaction was over. A statue had been handed over and he had been paid; it was all an equal exchange. Anything else afterwards was needless, which included saving his life. Taking a couple of steps, she turned and then headed for the door after the others. Although, as she stepped through the door she felt slightly disoriented for the first time in her life, but recovered pretty quickly. Of which, the woman turned to make sure that the two creatures lurking in the hallway hadn’t followed them and instead didn’t find the door they had just walked through.

They were on a docking platform?

After a moment of quiet, the woman turned to view Vytal and her two sisters. ”You gotta teach me that trick.” Shalita finally said with a smirk. Did the other woman know how handy that kind of thing would be to an assassin like her? It would make certain missions so much easier; especially when it came to the escape. She then remembered the Devaronian and gloved hands came to rest upon his shoulders, to hold him in place with a firm grip. ”Vytal, did you want to evaluate that artifact first before we let this one go on his merry way?”.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The two women that slipped through with them tensed with their eyes locked on the assassin in their midst. They did not much like the woman being so familiar with the Nightmother. After all, for all they knew the thugs had been drawn there because of Shalita -- somehow she had learned of the meeting, and in doing so could have led the threat there! Whether they were right or not, they remain suspicious of the new woman in their midst.

Meanwhile, the Nightmother herself looked over at Shalita as she took hold of the man eager to ensure his own safety. Shalita didn't attempt to take the artifact straight away. Perhaps she wanted the authenticity validated before she did so, and their interests aligned for the moment. After a second of reflection, however, she uncovered the statue in one hand so they both could look upon it visually. Whatever the other woman's motives she had helped in ensuring the Seller's survival and their escape. It was the least Vytal could do.

With care and perhaps even a touch of reverence, the tip of her finger caressed the cheek of the goddess statue. Green eyes lifted from where they'd been fixed in examining the figurine at a deeper level. "Let him go. We have what we came for."

Provided he was released, the Nightmother would continue after the man fled. "Let us relocate in case they find him." Then once they were on the move, Vytal's eyes slid back over to Shalita. "This," the statue was cradled in both hands as they moved, "statue holds power. Do you sense it, Shalita? More than that, it holds cultural and historical importance. Especially one in such good condition..." It had commanded a large sum of credits, but currency meant little to her personally or many that followed her. Credits were a means to an end.

"The Winged Goddess," the Nightsister of Dathomir breathed at last. "One of two powerful deities. The Fanged God representing the power of Struggle and Destruction, and the Winged Goddess representing the power of Sacrifice and Creation. I revere the Fanged God, but I respect the Winged Goddess. Everything could not exist if these two powers were not perfectly balanced." Vytal practiced dark arts according to outsiders, and she was neither rebuked nor embarrassed to be called such. But Nightsister never lost sight of the gentler aspect of Creation, and it was that Vytal believed separated the Witches of Dathomir from the Sith that came to them. An understanding and even acceptance that the power of darkness was not its own end to be seized by any means.

"Matters you may benefit from learning," she added with a small smile. "It may do more than bring balance to your soul. Nightsisters know how to hunt, and do so well even with 'primitive' technology." Perhaps they could teach Shalita how to tap into the power of the universe. Provided the woman was capable of merely than senseless slaughter or thoughts of self. Vytal knew little of the woman yet to know her future. Hopefully they now had a chance to speak more openly.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

CONTEMPLATION​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Icy eyes had seen the two other women who were still unknown to her and referred to by Vytal as her sisters, tense. It wouldn’t be the first time where people didn’t trust her and it wouldn’t be the last. No one ever knew her true intentions, or her soul purpose for continuing to live. No one knew why she dwell amongst the shadows or killed the targets that she killed. No one knew how or why she did things and that was how she lived. For if she couldn’t be pinned down, then those who sought her head, would never find her. So, as she watched the other two for the barest of moments while Vytal appraised the item, she perked a brow in simple response and simply smirked. Did she take the distrust personally? No. No she did not, for they were right to distrust her. To trust a stranger with no real guarantee that they wouldn’t slip in through one’s window and slit their throat after the show she just gave, would be foolish. So the distrust was just natural in its reasoning.

Gloved hands rose from the male’s shoulders and her booted foot slid back to signal that she herself was about to leave when Vytal spoke again after the man fled. What else did she have to lose? Maybe a few more throwing knives? Speaking of… Her thoughts had trailed off to her shopping list, when the woman beside her spoke once again and her gaze shifted to view the statue. Her hands rose and she clasped them behind her back as she listened. Did she sense the power? Indeed she did, but the assassin did have some codes. Whether moral or not, it wasn’t the point. There was always a time and place, Shalita had missed this one, but perhaps the next one might be something she could snag.

A sigh caressed her lips then as she looked up at the night sky if only for a moment. Every assassin knew about the delicate balance of the universe that they lived in. There were so many examples that even she couldn’t think of them all. However, many assassins, if not all were well aware of the life and death balance. Sometimes, for one person to live, another had to die. Why? It was the clash of intentions that could very well bring destruction in the form of untold disaster if left unchecked. That was why she was what she was. She didn’t kill Confederate members, but if someone outside of the CIS clashed with her brother’s ideas, then one day she may have to kill that person opposing her brother so then his intentions could flourish. Were they good? Were they bad? It all depended on the personal view of the individuals involved.

For her though, she lived in the grey area, but always aware. She didn’t kill anyone on the street unless they shot at her first. The woman also only assassinated targets for the good of the faction, to facilitate its growth. If she killed everyone needlessly, then she could be killing potential faction members. Many times she had been asked as to what she was seeking, but she never had an answer to respond with, for her soul consistently remained restless. To seek for the unknown variable that had no known substance to the seeker, made it difficult to give anyone a direct answer.

Finally the woman spoke after many steps had passed since Vytal’s last words. ”To not understand the fundamental baseline of balance, is a mistake that will end up killing an assassin.” Her gaze shifted to Vytal and then paused to take in the woman’s sister’s responses. Shalita continued on with her response, her voice soft, but knew it was heard. ”It would also be a mistake to underestimate even the most ‘primitive’ of technologies. Anything can be a deadly weapon in the hands of a skilled user with the knowledge and skill to use it. The opposition would be a fool to underestimate anyone on the battlefield. For too much ego, will see that balance is restored by seeing that ego knocked down a few pegs. Much like the fight between the Jedi and Sith will be never ending. Due to the differences of the two, they will constantly be in this state of consistent fighting, as they both hold different morality codes. One will always even out the other eventually if one side does gain too much power, but the power struggle will always be present. Always stuck in an infinite loop. If that is the case, then can anything truly be perfectly balanced for any extended period of time?”

Contemplation was normally something that she did alone and never usually with someone that she had just met. The woman’s steps came to a halt and she turned to look at Vytal, appraising the woman for a moment, before she finally addressed the rest of her words. ”Can I sense power in the artifact? Indeed I can, it’s why I seek them. As for my soul… It has been in a constant state of unrest for as long as I can remember. Seeking for what cannot be described nor found or so it may seem. Not even amongst those that are considered allies or adoptive family can soothe the restlessness I feel. It’s why I drink, albeit the effects have long since lost their effectiveness.” Shalita chuckled softly as she turned and began to continue walking.
.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The two Sisters' eyes watched their surroundings, but hadn't written the soon proclaimed assassin in their midst off. They stretched out into the Unknown to feel for threats that would encroach on their position; and they kept track of the currents around the women between them. There were ways to fool such senses, but Nightsisters were not easily ambushed by others. Dathomir taught women and men alike to remain aware of their surroundings at all times or be eaten.

Vytal stopped when Shalita did, the pale Witch's green gaze held upon the lethal figure at her side. There was no need to interrupt as it was clear the owoman had more to say. She was surprisingly talkative and forward given their introduction earlier, and her proclaimed profession -- or, should she say, implied profession.

"They cannot give you what you deny yourself." The Nightmother resumed her walk after the words had fallen from her lips. "You seek the power of artifacts -- the power of the Force or the spirits -- to make plain the things etched into your soul. Constantly on the move and focused on the world around you." Vytal was no assassin, but she knew how to hunt the living. An assassin honed that skill to an absurd degree, much as people might expect of a Jedi Grand Master, a Sith Emperor, or the Nightmother. Shalita was no doubt quite skilled at anticipating an attack on herself, or quickly identifying a means of slaying someone marked for death without delay. "Instead," Vytal turned to regard the woman, "seek answers from within."

Vytal began to cover the statue in her hands once more as they walked, provided Shalita did not stop again. "The Jedi and the Sith are balanced in the larger scheme of things, but most of their ilk lack that very simple, very important understanding. It is not the Force that makes you strong or powerful. There are many that cannot so much as cause a rock to tremble that possess greater heart or a stronger will than any mystic. Because they know and understand who they are, where they stand, and what they hold dear. Too often we are distracted by the material world and concerns around us, or by the indignities of our past -- they are shackles and blinding flashes of light that draw us from our Path."

Tag: Vytal Noctura

 

[Shalita Verd]

REFLECTION​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Whether people knew she was an assassin or not did not worry her, but she made sure that she didn’t exactly word it to confirm that she was an assassin. Her choice of words had been deliberate in their choosing and although it may seem like she was talking, she wasn’t actually giving anything of importance anyway. Nothing that she had said, could ever really be used against her in any combat situation. Plus one always knew that to draw in people; to get those of whom you knew nothing about to talk, was to talk yourself. It was a strategy to see what really laid behind Vytal’s words and in a way, it was a slight manipulation on her behalf. However, Vytal seemed to be adept at keeping her own intentions veiled and she continued to listen.

Shalita softly chuckled then as she made no move to stop Vytal from covering up the artifact. Who knew if someone with an itch to scratch saw it, they may make a move to grab it, but that would be their mistake. While she didn’t quite know Vytal’s combat strength or the strength of her sisters, she did surmise that they carried a great deal of power within. One that she didn’t quite understand yet. Yet, being the keyword and she waited for the other woman’s words to come to a stop while she figuratively chewed upon the woman’s words. It would be too hasty of her to completely disregard them.

”Everything I own is nothing but an instrument; a tool to further my current trade. I don’t place value upon them because they can be replaced.” The assassin paused for a moment to unclasp her hands, only for them to open up the jacket and reveal the section of material missing from the inner lining of the jacket. ”Nothing is off the table. Physical objects have no meaning and so the material world does not concern me.” Gloved fingers released her jacket then, to fall closed once more and her hands returned to the small of her back. Fingers interlaced and she continued to speak. ”My past does not affect me either, for I slayed that demon many years ago.” Indeed she had, it had been the start to her career.

Her first kill had been the release of her own chains.

One thing that she did give Vytal credit for, was that she had never sought answers within, but she had distracted her thoughts and buried them in her work. It was why she was never seen simply relaxing. Work had been her main focus and even this conversation had occasionally had her making an inventory and a list of items that she had and items she had to buy. Afterwards it was, where would she go next to find her next assignment? In truth, Shalita had always seen even herself as a tool. One to be used when the death was needed to be dealt to an unsuspecting target. A frown descended upon her brow then as she came to a complete stop, while her thoughts continued upon their dangerous path.

Had she truly let anyone in? Had she allowed even her own brother the chance for a true sibling connection? Was she so far outside the bounds of connection that she was incapable of truly feeling anything? Inside the woman knew that she felt disturbed at this line of thought and she drew in a visible breath. Shalita felt her lungs expand within her chest and she held it for a moment while her steps came to a stop once more. Her work had become her life and she had become the embodiment of the saying; cold, calculating and dead on the inside. Everything she did was deliberate, it was by design.

Slowly, after a few moments had ticked by and her lungs demanded the purge of oxygen from them, she exhaled. The woman felt it, more than she wanted to. That underlying want to connect with something, but every time she had, she buried it. In her line of work, connections led to loneliness and could she truly afford to feel lonely? ”Tell me something Vytal. When someone you love dies, do you mourn them? Do you feel their death shatter your heart? Do you feel the pain right to your very soul? I keep all of that lock up and buried, for emotions can be detrimental to one’s health. Especially to one who usually works alone. I guess one could say that I lack a true connection that I cannot seem to allow myself to have. Such is the path that I currently walk.”

What if she changed that path? To be a true assassin, one couldn’t allow emotions to play a factor. Although, what if she could have two sides? Like a coin. Just like how she could shed one physical form and become another. What could she do for the other side of her metaphorical coin? Icy blue eyes unconsciously swept the area and noted all of the darken spots where potential enemies could be lying in wait. However, she palmed it off, for she would have noticed a disturbance that meant danger, within the force. Shalita’s head angled to the side then to view Vytal once more as she posed the woman yet another question. ”Have you ever known anyone to walk along two paths?”.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vytal listened as Shalita replied. Her initial response only echoed the sentiment that the Nightmother shared moments ago. Perhaps she didn't consciously place her faith in the material, but it was the material that held her focus. There was always another job for an assassin -- whether the woman admitted to being such or not -- and so there were endless distractions to occupy the mind. Explosions to narrowly avoid. Blasters to dodged. Lightsabers to leap back from. An array of flashy, captivating dangers requiring a woman remain sharp, focused, and ever ready for whatever the galaxy threw at her. And where was the time to reflect on past, present, or future to a greater degree than what was needed for survival?

The Witch stopped and turned slightly to look over at Shalita when her progress came to a standstill. Again, the pale woman waited. However brief a time it had taken, there was the appearance of contemplation best not disturbed. The two Sisters ensuring Vytal's safety remain just as silent and made no sudden moves, though they made sure the thugs did not find them again -- in case the Devaronian betrayed them, willingly or not.

At first, there was no reply from the Nightmother whose green eyes regarded Shalita. The first set of questions were taken as more rhetorical, or a means of the woman framing her own thoughts. It was the last question that tied it all together and have Vytal contemplate her response. "Most can scarcely walk a single Path in life," she began, "but there are those who live more in a single lifetime than most do in ten."

The black lips had thinned with what she had in mind to say next. "If you can clearly see the two Paths before you... If you gather those around you to offer you guidance along the way... You can do this. However," a lone finger was held up to captivate the sense of sight, "there may come a time when those Paths diverge. A soul may walk two Paths, but it cannot tear itself in two in order to walk in opposite directions. You must be reflect on this regularly. Contemplate if you were faced with an impossible choice which Path would you choose? But do not reflect on this with apprehension. If such a time ever comes, it is merely part of life that such things are forced upon us. All you need concern yourself with is being prepared to face it; though you need not do so alone."

Her hand slowly fell back down and extended out toward Shalita. "You are always welcome to seek counsel with me or the Mandragora, Shalita. No oath of loyalty is required, and anything you say will be kept in sacred trust." Even if the woman refused now, their doors were always open. Unlike a salesman, Vytal had no need to establish expiration dates when their entire Coven was devoted to help the lost and empowering the spiritual.

Tag: Shalita Verd

 

[Shalita Verd]

SHALITA VERD​

Tags: Vytal Noctura

Ever since the two had begun to converse in a more open manner, it seemed like they were beginning to get somewhere that wasn’t in a roundabout way. The dialogue was more freer than before and although the naturally suspicious woman didn’t exactly completely let down her guards, she appeared fairly interested in what Vytal had to say. That was because she was interested. When something as small as chasing down an artifact turns into something more, the woman couldn’t help but wonder as to whether her being here was due to a coincidence or a higher power. At first she had even questioned as to why the other woman had struck up a conversation in the first place. They could have fought, exchanged physical blows or even argued about who should keep the artifact; not that Shalita was interested in any of that. As far as she had been concerned, it was that Vytal had paid and so therefore, it had been a done matter and she would have walked away if the witch hadn't struck up a conversation with the assassin.

Icy blue eyes followed the finger that was held up then as she listened to the words spoken by Vytal. Admittedly, reflection wasn’t something that she did every day. Her thoughts were usually about work, but what if things could change. Was the feeling of restlessness the result of the fact that she didn’t fully settle in one place for too long? Would walking two paths only cause chaos within herself? Could she herself give up walking a solo path for a path that would be joined by others? Shalita had always prided herself in the fact that she was always sure about where she was going and when her next job would be, but was it just simply a distraction when her soul called for an even stronger purpose than a simple task?

Was she the one who was truly lost even though she thought that she wasn’t?

These were truly disturbing thoughts indeed and a frown knitted her brows which was the only indication given that her thoughts were indeed focused upon this particular issue. However as Vytal held out her hand, the assassin seriously considered the woman’s offer. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t hesitant about whether or not the woman was trying to pull some sly attack, but it was about the fact of whether or not she wanted to commit to a future where she’d be working with others instead of alone. Shalita slowly exhaled as she turned her focus inwards. Was it because she walked a life of solitary that she was always restless and forever seeking? Never truly trusting a soul with the secrets that she kept to herself.

After all, if only one person knew, then the secret could never be repeated. If two people knew, she’d have to think about where she would bury the body.

But what if… She thought to herself as she eyed the offered hand. What if she could begin walking this path and build trust in someone other than herself. Was it possible? In a way, it was almost as if the current path she had been walking had meant to lead her right here, with this woman and to the second path that was offered. Perhaps she could walk both paths for a time, but deep down, she felt that she already knew what would happen in the future. A gloved hand reached out to take that Vytal’s offered hand. ”I believe you to an extent, that you may be telling the truth. However, I do have to admit that it may take me some time to fully adjust to… All of this.”

An assassin that didn’t fully vet anything before committing, was a fool indeed. However, she didn’t see the harm when it came to giving a full introductory. For she had heard of the Mandragora before and she realized that it was a group of witches that worked under the CIS umbrella. ”If we are going to be doing this, then I guess I should tell you my full name. It’s Shalita, Shalita Verd. At least it was when I last checked. I'm Darth Metus’s elusive sister.” She said with a slight smirk. The woman always avoided using her last name, for many people always recognised it. To walk in the shadows, one had to avoid using such last names. However, this was an exception. An exception of the fact that unknowingly they both worked under the CIS umbrella and didn't fully realize it until now..