Beauty And The Beast

[Phantom]

CORONET CITY​

CORELLIA​

Blake Thriftweed stood in the glaring sunset on the outskirts of Coronet City, looking to the western mountains where the small village of Bela Vistal resided; his home as a child and young man.

Growing up there helped him become the man he always wanted to be. A decent upbringing from a devoted family, and even when his father died his mother did the best she could to give Blake everything he needed. Even leaving for Coronet City to join CorSec itself was the greatest decision he had made.

The wind blew softly and soothed his face, waving his black hair gently and almost refreshing him from the aches and pains of the past.

However, the ominous mask burned onto the right side of his face kept the cool sensation away from his mutilated wounds underneath. Blake was the victim of corrupt officers within CorSec that decided to take revenge on a man who was simply trying to make his way in the universe and made sure he suffered for being on the side of righteousness and decency.

Something Blake swore never to be associated with again. He fled Corellia after becoming the man that stood there now, overlooking the world he once knew.

But Blake was dead to him now.

Known to all who crossed him only as Phantom, Blake was a shadow of his former self. He was unseen of for years; forgotten and presumed dead by the few he knew and loved. Reinventing himself as a figure that manipulated fear and uncertainty, Blake wore only his old CorSec thermal outfit under an old Corellian vest and greatcoat to conceal him in the shadows. He crafted an ivory Durasteel mask that he grafted over his wounds, forever reminding him of the pain he suffered at the hands of serving the side of good, and that pain pushed him daily.

A large transport swooped down from the clouds and broke his train of thought. His eyes darted up and followed the large white ship down to the city and what looked like the Blue Sector. Probably full of opportunists out for whatever they could take from the city or seeking to make a few credits or a good deal from the Treasure Ship Row bazaar. Either way, fortunes would be made and lost by the new arrivals.

He started to make his way down the coastline and back into the city, out to the Blue Sector to see who or what was about to fill his city with filth, and if there was something he could do about it to enforce his reputation as the Phantom of Corellia.

Phantom decided he would leave the planet soon, to select the next Faction who could benefit from his mercenary skills and unique knowledge. Dedicating a broken life to work for those could pay well and offer him a path to follow was all he knew, but he made sure he was the best at what he did and had no boundary he wasn't afraid to cross...


@[member=Namarii]

 

[Namarii]

When the transport landed a large crowd of people began swarming out. All were eager to get off for one reason or another, but among them was one certian individual. The blonde haired woman who wore a green corest with skirt and leggings and boots along with a large tiara walked out while being escorted by a number of flight attendants. All were different breeds of alien but all of them women who, as it was clear to see, were helping out the woman in one way or another. Either they carried a tray with drink or food for her or were just telling her how beautiful she was. All of them had very dulled if a little too happy of expressions on their faces.

Once she left all the attendents said "Have a nice day, princess." in unison as they watched her walk off.

One of Namarii's greatest powers was her unusual use of the force persuasion ability. And more often than most it was one of her main tricks to use on others. What others called the force she always saw as magic and nothing more. And those with more magic had the more power and Namari wanted power. But for now what she wanted was more time out and about in the galaxy to "play". And now she was in one of the richer planets of the system. It was all ripe for the taking as she smikred, seeing so many rich looking people as well as handsome looking men. If they were like a delicate food to be found her mouth would be watering.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

It took him a good 10 minutes to walk into Coronet City, and it was filled with people staring, pointing and whispering.

He hated that sort of reaction. Well, he didn't really; it meant people were fearful and didn't understand him, and that was fine, but he wasn't a tourist attraction. There were far many more points of interest to gawp at and gossip about. If they knew what he was inside, they would think twice about whispering behind his back.

A cargo speeder kicked up a swirling cloud of dust as it took off near him from the city, speeding into the sky. He followed it up and saw the white transport he had seen before take off a moment later. That meant new visitors were filling the city with their own idea of what Corellia could offer them. It could be a lot, to the right people.

He was a good tier or so up from ground level when Phantom caught the latest joke to arrive in his city. He stood still, looking down to a bustling crowd of people as one group caught his eye; a beautiful, rich looking woman, adorned with what looked like some tribal or Royal attire and flanked by a number of other delicate looking beings.

He smirked softly to himself as he watched them fuss and faff about her, obviously making her arrival more comfortable for the right price. She commanded an air of authority, but he could also detect a girl who felt she was more important than she actually was. She was no target, no mission...but Phantom frowned softly at the thought of one such as this woman out to take what she could from Corellia using any means possible.

Following her as she left the beaming assistants into the city, Phantom decided to keep an eye on this woman and try to find out who she was and what business she had with his city. Either way he wanted to find out more about her and what she could offer him and what someone of her stature was doing here.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

Travel through the city Namarii found a market place with a number of vendors out and about. Stopping at one with a number of fine jewels she stopped and admired them. The man selling them began to see her interest and explained the making and worth of each different peices she eyed. She nodded and gave interested looks despite knowing where this would soon go. She could already tell by the way he spoke as to where the next question would lead to.

"So how would you like to pay?" he asked. "Credit or check?"

She smiled and leaned foward to say "I'm so sorry, but I don't have any money. Not that it matters, right?" She began to use her powers of persuasion before saying "You don't care I don't have money, yes?"

"Y-yes. Oh yes indeed." he said with an all too happy expression on his face.

"In fact. You want to give them to me, don't you?"

"Oh yes. Of course. Here. Take what you will."

He ahdned over a fancy looking necklace along with a diamond ring and a gold bracelt. After which she thanked him before walking off. The man simpley smiled as she walked off, as if life meant nothing to him anymore without her in his life. Namarii, however, was too busy admiring her new "gifts" to care what he thought or wanted. The spell would ware off eventually and the man would wonder where his more expensive peices went.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

People passed around him, he was just another man in a large city and the fact he wore a unique mask wasn;t anything too suspicious. He looked distinctive, but not imposing. He did that himself.

He stood by a upper tier unit and had followed the girl through Treasure Ship Row; obviously splashing credits about like water. Cute girl, he thought. Seemed harmless enough.

It was the vendor who gave her a some unique jewels that came from mines and traders on the planet that made him see red. He wasn't very old, the vendor, and he probably had taken people for a bit of a ride with the value of certain items, but she had just pulled some stunt to have him hand them over for free. No-one deserved that, not at least under his circumstances.

The rich robbing the poor was the wrong way around for him to comprehend. And as he wasn't being paid money to do it himself, he wasn't going to stand by and let some rich brat do it in his city.

Phantom thumped his fist on the side of the unit he was stood by and walked hurriedly on forward, glancing down to see the girl below admiring her stolen wares. He would find out what she was doing alright, and her answer dictated what he did with her. As long as she stayed on the strip she was now, he would head her off without her even knowing in minutes.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

Now Namrii was getting hungry. Thankfully a nearby food marketplace was nearby. Once she found a large selection of shops to chose from it was just a matter of seeing who would take what from where and how much she could bleed out of them. One man had a large tray of foods with a drink on the side. Seeing the potential target she walked over and began flirting with him, of course her flirting was more her using her powers of persuaion on him. Eventually the man happily handed over his tray before she walked off and found a table for herself to sit. The man only stood there long enough until freed, at which point he realved he had no tray. While he was confused as ever Namarii simply enjoyed her little victory.

"Just like school." she commented to herself as she ate.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

He waited...she was on the same strip which was perfect, now having seemingly taken a tray of food from another besotted Gonk.

Phantom deftly walked down some stone steps, curling around to the stretch where the girl was coming from and he stuck to the wall and ducked into a small alleyway by the side of the stairs. He turned his back to the wall and now turned his head and waited....

....A rodian passed by...a blonde man....two joking Biths....and then she came by, savouring her food and not paying attention.

He reached out with a gloved arm, slapping the tray down out of her hand and reaching out with the other, fluid and tightly he pulled her into the alley, spinning her around and pushing her back to the wall with a soft crunch.

He didn't care who saw, this was no-one else's business, and he didn't need his vibroblade at this point.

Phantom had caught her breathless, and he stepped into view in front of her, his eyes piercing into her, using the full effect of the ghostly mask to have her take in the figure before her.

"Make a move and I'll kill you where you stand."

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

When the tray was smacked awya she was about to say something before the man grabbed her and pulled her into the alley. When she saw him she was a bit surprised at first, seeing a masked man like this looking at her. She had not met one like this, at least a masked man who's eyes could still be seen, and was taken back a moment. When he gave the command for her not to do anything or he'd kill her she gave a more annoyed tone and put her hands up against the wall.

"If you wanted me so bad you could've bought me a drink first." she said with a coy smirk.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

He didn't like her tone, she was too flippant for his liking. He lowered his head slightly and raised his gloves hand, placing it around her throat; not squeezing, but gently enough to restrain her.

"Listen. Your kind are the ones that plague this galaxy and take what they can from good people, and turn them into nothing. I saw what you did back in the market."

The noises around him went silent as he drowned out the world and focused on the girls hypnotic eyes. He moved his hand down from her tender throat.

"Who are you, and what are you doing on Corellia. Someone in that...attire looks like they should be somewhere else."

He gripped her arm to stop her running away.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

The way he was acting Namarii couldn't help but keep a less than frightened look. If anything she was just seeing it as more means of playing around with this man. WHile hie one had was on her thraot and the other had her by the arm she used her free hand to hold the wrist of the hand at her thraot. She adjusted a little to speak before smirking.

"You know I like it when boys play rough with me like this." she said before finally ansering "I'm Namarii. And if you're so keen to know, I was just bored and heard this place was a gold mine. What better place to start a prospect right? Seems I didn't count on big strong masked men when I was planning."

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

He was wasting his time with this one. She was just a young girl, probably bank rolling Daddy's credits to get what she could. But that didn't explain the fact he had witnessed her do something before to those vendors.

Phantom stepped back and took her arm, walking her down the alley.

"Drop the act my dear. I want to know what you did to those men in the market. You used something on them to get what you needed. It worked."

He moved them around a drunk Jawa on the floor, slurring some strange language to them both.

"You have a power that can be exploited for the right reason as well as your looks. You could be a perfect asset."

Turning to her, stopping before they left the alley way on the other side of the bazaar, he turned to face her, gripping her arm tight.

"This was my planet before it turned it's back on me. I have no allegiance to anyone or anything anymore, but people like you I've seen before. Take what you can and leave society to rot because of it. Yes...

He looked at her and smiled.

"You could be a very valuable asset indeed."

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

Hearing him talk about how valuable an assest she'd be she began to show a less than ethusiastic look. She wasn't exaclty one to go joining up with anyone, often being the type to look out for herself first before anyone. Then he went on saying how the planet turned it's back on him and so on, making her show a little sympathy on knowing what that was like. However he did mention her being an assest to which she smirked.

"Well I have always thought mine was rather nice." she joked, giving a wink at the obvious innuendo she was saying. After that she refered to his question about what she did to which she answered "Oh you mean this?" She used her powers in her voice and said "Why don't you go back and give that Jawa a kiss?"

Provided his will was strong enough he would not be fully under her spell. However he would have a minor headache from how much concentration she was putting into it. This was merley a display and also a test to see if he was strong minded enough for her to take serious.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

He looked at her, feeling the cloud of thought she was injecting into his mind via her telekinesis. He closed his eyes and took a moment to bring his mind to focus on the dark; the betrayal and the years studying various Factions in order to understand and rival them.

He wasn't a God though, by any means. He tapped the right side of his head, protected by the mask.

"Stay out of my head little girl. It's taken me years and endless suffering to be able to resist a great deal of persuasion from whatever mind trick you are using. I am in constant pain, but the strength inside my body is greater than your little hocus pocus."

Phantom pushed her back against the stone wall of the unit they were stood by, leading back into Treasure Ship Row.

"If you weren't such a waste of my time, I'd end your empty life now and I doubt anyone would even miss you. Get back on that transport and go back to that empty, meaningless life you live. You're nothing more than a child."

He didn't look back as he made his way into the crowd, leaving her behind him. He braced himself for a split second for any retaliation that she would unlikely make.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

She had a feeling he wouldn't sway, which was fine with her. Though she could tell part of it had to do with the mask he wore, despite it covering only half his face. When he pushed her away and told her to go she huffed.

"You did want to know, didn't you?" she said before turning away. "And here I thought I was starting to like you."

She started walking away in a more struting manner, thinking that her masked friend might be keeping an eye on her "assests" as she joked before. She even turned her head back just to make sure before giggling to herself as she walked back to the transport. If he didn't want her for whatever reason then fine, no skin off her bones.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

He didn't look back for two reasons. One; he wasn't desperate enough to chase a young troublemaker and two... he had bigger fish to fry and she obviously was in this for the fun of the chase.

He rounded a corner back into the market square and turned his back to one of the units, deciding to wait and see if she came back towards the transports or not.

Their relationship, if he could call it that, was something that may have been a passing interest in one another. Could there be mutual benefits from getting acquainted in a more professional manner?

Blake felt she was in this for something more, but it was probably not down the path of vengeance and retribution he was after.

But she was intoxicating in a strange way, but not to the point he was going to get all mushy on this.

He tapped his fingers behind his back and waited just a little longer. He really needed to get himself out there and back into making a name for himself; not harkening back to a past long forgotten and salvation slipping further through his fingers.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

Namarii had not returned as he wanted her to. As if she was going to let some mystery masked man give her orders just because he didn't like what she was doing. Big deal. She dealt with worst when it came to those trying to stop her. No Namarii instead had detored from the space port and went through more shops to scavange for something. Eventually she came to a dress shop where already her head began to turn with ideas of turning the sellers into drones for her while she took whichever dresses she wanted. It was just a matter of finding which ones. She went ainside and began trying on the clothes first before actually making any mind bending moves on them, one step at a time after all.

@[member="Phantom"]

 

[Phantom]

Phantom wasn't surprised the girl hadn't returned back to wards the spaceport. She was still trying her luck manipulating, cheating and scavenging through life to get what she wanted. Such talent being wasted on basic supplements.

Stepping back into the main market row, he walked slowly back up through various vendors and commuters all going about their daily business. He stopped by each unit and looked inside for the girl and her distinctive Dathomoir-esque attire.

It took a while and a few brisk words with passers by, but he was directed to a fabric and dress shop. Of course! Why not now take clothing to accompany her stolen jewels.

He walked into the store, ignoring the vendor inside, a jolly plump man with various garmants over his arm.

"Good day sir! Welcome in...oh, my. That mask is divine! You simply must tell me where you acquired it."

Phantom just looked at him, his eyes telling him this wasn't a social call.

Walking to the rear of the unit, he noticed the green tiara and long hair belonging to the girl. He was surprised she was still here. He watched her from behind a wall of light pink fabrics and waited for her to show her powers of persuasion on the vendor with great interest.

@[member="Namarii"]

 

[Namarii]

As Namarii had tried on a floowing red gown and looked at herself in the mirror she had spotted @[member="Phantom"] enter. She only smirked as he tried to hide from her before, aftering view herself long enough, went back into the changing room. However, when she changed back to her normal clothes, she snuck around so that she would be the one coming from behind him when went looking for her. She waited for the right moment, taking a yellow dress from one of the stands, before coming up behind him.

"What do you think?" she asked him to make him turn. "Do you think it goes with my hair?"

 

[Phantom]

He cursed himself the instant he heard her voice again. She was good. Better than he may have originally thought. He turned to face her.

"It looks wonderful. An extension of your beauty. Now pay for it and come with me. I want to talk to you."

Stepping by her side, he indicated to the vendor busying himself with some more fabric. Phantom wanted to see just how she got her own way. He presumed it was some black magic, or to a greater extent, a manipulation of the Force power. His head was ringing with her previous attempt to influence his mind, and he was slightly concerned anything stronger would reduce him to nothingness.

Still, he maintained his defiant posture and watched her holding the dress.

"And no. I'm not paying for it."


@[member="Namarii"]