An Ice Resort

[Damian Starchaser]

Damian looked over at [member="Kana Truden"] and smiled. This was their first mission since, well their first mission since they had been reunited. It wasn’t much really, Damian just needed to identify a man and make contact simple enough. Of course with Damian nothing was simple for long. “Arms dealer,” Damian said with a nod to Kana. He knew she was wondering what they were doing here. And was here? A resort. It wasn’t the typical island paradise Damian went but instead a resort for winter sport. Snow capped mountains and ice filled rinks and lakes meant entertainment. What Damian himself was looking forward to however was the natural hot springs. The hotel they were staying at managed to merge the hot springs into a pool. You could actually get out of your room and jump into the pool and swim outside in the warm steaming spring. Paradise.

The young knight wasn’t sure why, but he loved water. It had to do with his genetics no doubt. He let out a sigh. It always came back to that. “This man has made a decent sum of money selling old Sith Empire equipment. Ever since they fell there has been whole store houses left unguarded and unchecked. A veritable buffet for the clever arms dealer.”

With a smile he looked over at Kana. They were on a gondola heading towards the top of the mountain, secluded and private. A pair of grav skiis were attached to each of their feet. Damian was his skii suit, a variation of weather survival gear adapted by his company. And Kana, well Damian had packed for her. This meant that her clothing was a bit more. She wore the latest coldtech series for women. Form fitting, and flattering clothing designed to keep in warmth. She had chosen a set of black pants and a white jacket. Each cell of the clothing was provided with warming units to keep the body at optimum temperature. “We’re almost at the top,” Damian said. He picked a harder course, the pair had to get noticed. The charming young businessman and his paramour, or perhaps it was reversed, it didn’t matter much until the meeting. Damians cheeks shined red, and not just because of the icey cold. “Remember, you can handle this.” Damian liked extreme sports but Kana… well she didn’t. And yet he still managed to drag her along on adventure after adventure. She’d taking to the wave skimmer quick enough and with basic lessons plus the force he was confident she could do this as well.

The gondola reached the top and deposited the pair. “When you reach the bottom, you have to look impressive.” Looks were important in this business. “We want this guy to give up his stash, and then we can appropriate his shipments for the alliance. He needs to believe we are competent and legitimate businessmen.”

Then all gloom and doom left him and he turned to Kana and beamed her with his angelic smile. “And remember the most important thing, have fun,” He started towards the edge of the mountain, “And first to the bottom gets to pick the restaurant tonight.”

Damian dove down the mountain on his repulsor skiis using his momentum to carry him. Yup, this would be an easy assignment….

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana had once spent time for herself on Hoth. It was cold, stormy and the snow got everywhere. It wasn’t like being here. Here everything -- or well, the hot spring -- was warm, nice. Kana shook the sappy melancholic thoughts from her mind and rebalanced herself on top of her little plank-like construct. One foot on the metallic surface of the board, the other firmly planted in the snow. It shifted around beneath the soles of her boots a bit, but not enough to warrant any real issues for what was going to happen at the bottom of this very mountain. After all, she had practiced. Granted, it was ages ago and the setting was more rural, but the idea was the same.

Hoverboards had been very hip around the neighborhood when Kana was around Damian’s age.

The master nodded at Damian’s instructions. Professionalism, she could do that. Kana used to be the very air of professionalism... Ten years ago. On Alderaan. In a small electronics shop. The details of which had long since then been lost to

... Time passed dangerously fast sometimes.

With a gentle push she too set off down the mountain. It took a bit of remembering, but at least Kana could keep her balance for now.

And slalom back and forth.

And try her luck at jumping.

Yeah, she was getting right back into it.

What was the cover, Damian?

She straightened her back and sought to reach the kid for the last minute checklist.

Are we doing the Chuck and Melinda Finley routine again?

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

Damian was used to the force bond now. Hell it even felt awkward in the days and times when he was without it. A smile crossed his face as he jet down the mountain and towards the resort proper. There were perks to owning a company, and being able to fund your own operations. Mrs. Finley, Damian said in his head laughing visible on the outside. There was a time when Kana would have bawked and given him grief over a cover like that but now, well let's just say Damian had trained her well.

The course itself was challenging however and Damian didn’t have a lot of time to communicate.From side to side his body swayed before hitting a little ramp and jumping into the air. His body contorted and twisted as he spun and landed hard on the ground. He probably could have landed a bit more elegantly but he needed the people to believe he was a master theif and not suspect he was a Jedi.

And already they were being watched. Damian spotted two men at the peak of the mountain looking down with enhanced imaging units. The ground leveled out and Damian started to slow and stop his descent turning back to look at Kana. “Don’t look,” he warned out loud. There was no one around and he wore a skii mask, so there was little change that the men could read his lips. “We’re being watched. Two men atop the summit.”

Strange. He made a note of their appearance. Security detail for their arms supplying contact? Or perhaps something more sinister. He pulled his mask down and beamed a smile over at [member="Kana Truden"], “Honey, do you want to go up again or shall we retire to our rooms and the soothing hot spring?”

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana had continued down the mountain with less focus on actually performing anything particularly cool. Skillful maneuvering, sliding back and forth with ease, that kind of thing. After all, they weren’t looking to attract all attention. Just most of it.

She slid up next to Damian and began to nod along once more. Not speaking was preferable to the risk of talking too much and break the cover. She had come to appreciate the usage of cover during her detour through Sith territory, something that still obviously plagued her but most certainly not in the same way. There was a fear of proximity, she could admit to that, but that was numbed down. It was slow to overcome, but she was overcoming it nonetheless. Another obstacle to the path of self-righteous light.

“Oh sweetie, don’t tell me you’re tired already.” She got close, arm wrapped around his shoulders. Index finger and long finger ascending the kid’s chest in a walking motion. “That’s not the man I fell for. We need at least three more rounds before you are allowed to rest. So what we’re going to do is; you and I are going back up. You are going to let me win, and after that...”

She felt horrible. Disgusted by herself and the way she acted.

Which was not to mention the flashbacks she was experiencing. But it was all for the greater good.

The greater good.

“You will find us a bar. You will pay for drinks, and when we’re done I will...” She separated herself from Damian. Slowly. Eyes peering into his hazel eyes. “Well, you already know that. Don’t you?”

What would happen would be that Kana went to bed while Damian ran the small ‘errands’ around the proximity of their rented cabin. Recon, keep them safe like he always did. The master would be allowed peaceful sleep outside of a prison cell, and during that period of temporary peace Chuck FInley would tie up the loose ends on their mission. Expendable henchmen, blow up another two cabins or so and then come back and allow himself some sleep as well.

Or at least that was she always assumed Damian was doing. No, that’s what she always assumed Chuck Finley did, because unlike Damian’s cover, Melinda Finley wasn’t a woman Kana would want to be at all. If people only knew how much of a child fiddler she felt like in that particular role they’d die from Kana’s embarrassment alone. He was her student and this was in no way how she saw other Masters treat their students.

Even if they were knights by now.

And even if it meant said masters got ridiculously pampered.

It was a weird kind of win/win/lose relationship to say the least.

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

Damian felt the utter disgust Kana had for what she was doing. Damnit. She didn’t need to play the sultry role. Their force bond meant he felt every moment of his masters turmoil. More and more waves of emotion struck him through their bond. When they were together they always knew. In return Damian fought against his own feelings of rejection. They always lurked under the surface for him, given his history, and were now being increased by Kana’s own seeming disdain for him. Of course once he took a deep breath and thought about the situation for a moment with his analytical mind he realised that her disgust stemmed from other causes and so welled with affection for his master.

The young knight had to maintain his cool though. “I have a better idea,” he said reaching up and grabbing her hand. “Room service, and a nice bottle of champagne, something a little more intimate.” And away from prying eyes. He beamed a wide smile at her, hoping to reassure the woman.

Leading her away and through the hotel he came upon their room. Ground floor and adjacent to the pool and hot spring so they could make use of the facilities. Top notch really. Upon entering the room Damian closed the door and started to look around. “Honey, I loved watching you on the skii slopes.” He took out a small device and started scanning the room. The light indicated electronics from one of the illuminators. “So how about you get over to bed and,” he yanked the lamp hard sending it to the floor, “Ooops,” he said stepping on the listening device inside.

Confident they were alone Damian then looked up at his master. “Next time how about we play brother and sister?” a weak smile formed over his face as he took off his jacket and hung it up. “Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed for this so soon. I’m sorry master.”


[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Back to the room it was and with the bad feeling that went with it.

“No, no. I need to overcome this, Damian.” Kana was stubborn. Damian of all people knew very well. “I am sorry, I know you feel the whole unease thing, but I need this.”

Or well, not really.

“If you want them to truly buy the whole arms dealer cover you’d have to consider the angle they’d see this from.” Damian knew this. “Brothers and sisters do not share hotel rooms or have the same ability to stay close to each other that a couple would have.” A matter of discomfort weighed against practicality. “If I am your wife I will have a good reason to stay close to you without attracting their attention in any kind of way that’d risk blowing our cover. When was the last time you saw a brother and sister spend as much time together as we are?”

“And no, Circe and Jay from that ‘Game of Cards’ show does not count.” Deep breath, sigh. “I will get used to it, the unease will go away soon. I promise, Damian. Keep your head in the game.”

There was a knock at the door. Kana looked to Damian in surprise. Hand reaching for a nearby blaster.

“Room service, maybe?” She knew better than that. Kana raised her blaster to shoulder height in preparation.

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

Everything Kana said was true. Not only was it true, but it was essentially what Damian had told had told her on multiple occasions. It was all true, but the truth wasn’t always of comfort. For Damian the opposite was true nearly as much. “Kana…” Damian started when the knock at the door came. He narrowed his eyes as Kana reached for a nearby blaster. Room service had arrived already? Perhaps. “Coming,” Damian said picking up a blaster and putting it into his jacket as he approached the door.

Opening it, Damian looked out. It was room service but there was something else. “A man left this at the door for you,” the waiter said.

“Alright.” Damian looked at the little flimsy pad. On it was a simple note setting a time for the meeting. Two days. Great, step one complete they had been noticed. Damian tipped the server through the door and wheeled the tray in himself. Immediately he put a finger up to his lips and began to scan the contents of the food tray. “We’re clear. No listening devices.”

Outstretching his hand dramatically Damian lifted the lid off the platter examining the contents. It was fabulous food, artistic and no doubt delicious. Damian set the table quickly and placed the two platters onto it and then sat down. “We have two days,” he said with a frown. “I wonder if those two goons will shadow us the whole time?”

And who exactly they were with? Their contact? Or someone else. The idea of a third party lurking about set Damians hair on end. Not knowing was the worse.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

There was a sigh of relief. Kana lowered her weapon and tossed the blaster back onto her bed. With both hands promptly moving to run themselves through her hair before she swept it all back behind her ears and let her shoulders slump down into a most ungraceful looking hunching posture. All things considered, hoverboarding after a fifteen year hiatus was tiring. Even to disgraced Force Masters like Kana. As much as she would have loved to fall flat on her back and go to sleep there were far more pressing matters to attend to at the moment.

Such as the consumption of dinner.

“Oh hell yes.” Kana pretty much gleed as she rushed for her seat. “Dinner. Oh sweet force I’m hungry.”

No point in wasting time with etiquette, it was just Damian. He out of all people had been far more intimate with her than anyone else had.

Well, except that one Sith Lord, but that wasn’t in the same way as the current situation.

Obviously.

“Look,” Kana spoke mid-chew before swallowing. “We can work with shadows and unwanted stalkers.” Kana took another bite and continued to talk. “What we needshoo do ish to look like any ovver couple arouwn the premishesh.”

Hard swallow.

“It will be awkward, but I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t trust you, Damian.” Kana gave the kid her most sympathetic smile. “Just try to block me off as best you can. I will get over it, I promise.”

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

Damian stared at [member="Kana Truden"] and smiled. "I trust you too Kana," he replied settling into his chair and beginning to eat the food. "But if we go to the dining hall, do remember not to talk with a mouth full." Quirking an eyebrow and laughing a little he stuck his hand out and wiped a piece of debris from Kana's mouth. "If you are hell bent on being a trophy wife you must remember to always impress." Although she did have the motions down. A shiver ran up Damians spine as he remembered the way she ran her finger up his chest.

No, that time was past. Damian wasn't a schoolboy with a crush anymore, he still loved Kana but now it was more than it had been. "I trust you too," he repeated. "And if you ever need it, use our bond. I feel pride, for you. If you could see yourself how I see you I think you...."

A smile crept over his face. "Well, we have two days,. If we can we need to find out more about our shadows. Maybe plant a bug in their hotel room, set up some sort of counter intelligence operation. I don't want to get caught off guard. What do you think?"

 

[Kana Truden]

“I know how to handle myself around others.” Kana smirked before grabbing another bite. “But ifsh jurr going to be Melindash hushband, then yoush-” Swallow. “Then you will experience Kana as a wife.”

“You don’t think the nobility and fancy folk always act according to etiquette do you?” Kana chuckled. “Trust me, when the lights are dimmed and the last guest has left your house, then etiquette goes out the window.”

Kana would know. That was how her entire childhood was spent.

“It’s a game of appearances. Appearances only matter when somebody important can see you.” Another bite. Playful headshake and feigned frown. “If anythin’ I’m lookin’ wevy mush like a wife righ now.”

Swallow.

“I’ll have you know I learned this game from Ilyana Truden.” Kana smiled. “Widow of Francis Truden, mother of Elias, Callista and Aalya.”

“Just, you know, don’t talk to them about that... Kana kid.” Kana took another bite and waited for Damian’s response.

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

[member="Kana Truden"] had never told Damian much about her past and he had never pried. It wasn't his business and although he cared deeply for the woman he knew that certain memories could hurt. Perhaps this was why [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] had allowed Kana out on this mission. The self discovery, confronting her past demons, this was all taking place here and now. "So you can play the part?" Damian smiled. In a lot of ways he liked this aspect of Kana. She had changed so much from the demure and prudish woman she had once been and yet her kind soul remained intact. Good. "That's good."

Damian ate some more off his plate and then pushed it aside. "There is a pair following us. I'd like to bug their room. I think it's only fair, they tried to bug us so we bug them. If we separate one will follow me and the other you. Do you think you can distract one of them while I sneak about and plant a device?"

 

[Kana Truden]

It was a fair observation, Kana was most certainly more willing to open up about her past these days than she was when Damian had first met her. With Francis dead, at her hands, she felt the weights lift from her shoulders. At first it was disorienting, terrifying and jarring, a very big part of why Kana had lost her way to begin with. She was free, she was no longer living in her father’s shadow and for the first time ever she could just... Breathe.

Kana had spoken to Corvus before who was taken aback by Kana’s comment on the matter. If Kana could kill her father again, she would have. Out of all the things she had come to regret about her time on Coruscant, her own personal dose of patricide was something she had absolutely no regrets about. It was just meant to happen, and last she had heard it was for the better as well.

“Thash eashy.” Kana chuckled before swallowing yet another bite. “I’ll take the wife. Gently measure our lives against each other and silently pretend to be friends when deep down all we really want to do is claw each other’s eyes out.”

“Or, I could go for the man.” She shrugged. “It’s a known fact that men appreciate a woman who can handle her own when drinking. Just, you know, not in a wife of their own.”

“It’s a thing about insecurities, you know how it is.”

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

"Yeah, insecurities." Damian liked the new [member="Kana Truden"]. She had so much more confidence. "The woman would be better," he said thinking about it. "I mean they are here to follow us and that means keeping eyes on us no matter where we go. Their cover is probably the same as ours. Think about it for a moment though. If the woman was supposed to be follow me and I ducked into a mens room then what? She can't follow or else she'll blow her cover."

Biting his lower lip he considered things for a moment. "And he could lose you the same way if I vanish and he needs to require. No. I need to lose him somewhere and sneak away so I can bug their room." Damian forked a bit of meat into his mouth. "Or else find a way for a bug to get into his room some other way."

Plant something in a towel? That would be in the bathroom and not where most of the conversation would happen. Sheets? Perhaps, but how to get roomservice to plant the exact sheet he wants in their bed. Besides if they were like him they probably had the do not disturb sign up most of the time.

 

[Kana Truden]

“Fair enough, we’d want to avoid jealousy like that.” Kana took another bite of her food, but as if some kind of miracle struck the duo, she allowed herself time to finish chewing before speaking again. “So, Damian, the plan is for you to bug them, correct? I need to distract the wife while you plant bugs at different parts in their room?”

“Honestly, why not just take them somewhere. Slip them something, cause a scene at the restaurant and then ‘help’ them back to their room?” Kana shrugged. “We get time to do what needs to be done, more food, and our cover as extravagant douchesnobs will be kept in tact.”

“Trust me, Coruscanti rich people loves to cause scenes.” Kana snickered at her own joke. “It’s right up there with extra-marital affairs, Senate Prowling and/or brown-nosing.”

[member="Damian Starchaser"]

 

[Damian Starchaser]

"If their job is to follow us, they won't want to get close. I wouldn't. Limits their options and if they are blown they might not do anything, however if they are blown and think we're about to turn things around on them they might get violent." Narrowing his eyes at the part about rich people Damian almost mentioned [member="Kana Truden"]'s own wealth via shares in his company. She had suddenly become one of the Coruscanti rich people. "They are just pretending at wealth anyways," he said. "So all your hypothesizing and theorizing on how they should act might not be correct."

Smiling back at Kana he then added with a devilish smile. "We could just sabotage their hotel room. Fires happen all the time, a tourist leaves a special heating unit on, carelessly throws clothes on it to dry. If their hotel room burns and they need to move and we can control where they move to, we can bug the room in safety without worrying about them." Damian did like to blow things up.

 

[Kana Truden]

Well, there was a slap across the cheek if Kana had ever heard of one. They were merely pretending whereas Kana actually knew what would pass as something a rich snob would do. Which in the end also meant that the more Damian went on to explain his alternate plan, the more Kana liked it. The man liked fires, there was no denying that fact and stacking a few shirts on a radiator or other kind of heat unit was so plausibly idiotic that it quite simply had to work.

That was not to say Damian was an idiot. But quite simply put, there were a lot of them out there. It was perhaps one of the only few things and sayings that Kana had picked up from being around her parents that she had any use for.

“The last idiot ain’t born yet.” The disgraced jedi master grinned. “So, how do we cover this?”

“If we’re not out there when the evacuation is fully done and over with they will know that something is up.” She said and leaned back in her chair. “I’m thinking I go with the others while you work your way around their apartment. I spin the tale about not finding my husband, get people to focus on me, and then...” Headshake. This sounded stupid. “I don’t know. You stumble out through the door covered in ash or whatever?”

[member="Damian Starchaser"]