Private Baptisma Inquisitorius

[Indra Quin]

Shadows fell unkindly across the face of Ethyn Lieu. Sockets containing burnt out eyes still smouldered, giving what small amount of light fell through the room a shifting, uneasy shape.

Indra stepped back from the desk, her breathing steady as she clipped the hidden hilt of her lightsaber back onto her belt. The smell of ozone and scorched flesh hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the expensive cologne Ethyn had been wearing just moments prior.

Seduction had been almost too easy. He had never suspected that the woman in his arms was preparing his death until the crimson blade erupted through the back of his skull.

Turning her back on the corpse, Indra focused on the terminal built into the obsidian desk. She plugged a data spike into the mainframe, bypassing the security locks using the clearance codes she had subtly teased from Ethyn earlier in the evening. The screen flared to life, casting a cold, blue light across her sharp features as she began downloading the stolen shipping logs. Progress bars ticked upward in the silence. Once the transfer was complete, she triggered a virus to melt the console's internal circuitry, leaving no trace of her theft.

She glided out of the penthouse and up the service stairwell, pulling on her dark robes that whispered against the concrete. Pushing through the heavy access doors, she stepped out into the biting night air of the roof. The sprawling city stretched out below her like a creature with neon veins. Indra pulled up her hood and tapped her comlink, sending a silent recall command to her shuttle.

Right on cue, a sleek stealth shuttle slipped through the low-hanging clouds, guided entirely by autopilot. The thrusters whined softly as it hovered over the landing pad, lowering its boarding ramp.

Alexandra Delaine​

 

[Alexandra Delaine]

"Fear and love." | Tags - Indra Quin

The First Sister had spent many days awaiting this exact moment, biding her time and holding to the shadows just long enough for her quarry to come willingly to her.

It had been far too long since she had last enjoyed what she did best: finding new additions and seeing what could be made of them. That had always been her favourite part of the job, handling people through the authority invested in her, whether to reward, recruit, or, most especially, punish.

The call of the Dark Side never truly faded. Its shadowy tendrils always held some measure of sway over her mind, even now that her purpose was devoted to the order and stability of a new Empire. So when rumours reached her of a strong, capable Force-sensitive who might yet be persuaded to join their cause, she wasted no time arranging the meeting.

Under the guise of a simple transaction, her prey would reveal itself by arriving aboard a small shuttle carrying stolen information. The woman would likely be surprised to discover that matters would not be nearly as straightforward as promised. The First Sister, however, was quite confident that what came next would be more than sufficient to secure the poor soul's cooperation.

Indeed, she almost pitied those forced to deal with her. Almost.

They were rarely the same afterwards.

As the shuttle descended toward the isolated platform jutting from the structure, she waited just beyond the landing pad. Alone. Clad in her full Inquisitorial regalia, the symbols of the Empire displayed openly upon her cloak, she intended her quarry to know exactly who she was dealing with. Loyalty built upon deception was a fragile thing, and Alexandra preferred her servants fully aware of the hand that guided them.

Beneath the helmet, black lips curled into a hungry smile. There was amusement in her voice, but something darker lurked beneath it, like a predator indulging itself before the hunt.

"Welcome, friend. I trust the journey wasn't too taxing. It would be unfortunate for either of us if you came all this way only to leave disappointed."