Private Between Running and Becoming

[Lily Rhodes]

Dorthus Tal was pretty, it wasn't Theed pretty but it had its own charm. Quaint, might have been the word Lily would have used for the plaza she was watching. Leaning against the corner of a building, Lily's eyes were fixed on the fountain at its centre, not that she was really seeing it.

In reality, she should have been a dozen systems away by now with Vess in tow, getting them both as far away from the Covenant as she could get. But she wasn't, she was still here, because no matter how much of her was screaming to run there was still a part of her who couldn't deny the opportunity.

Humbarine had changed things. She no longer wanted to run. She no longer wanted to hide. That was easy to decide. But accepting what she was? What she could be? That was a whole lot harder. And Mercy hadn't exactly painted a pretty picture to tempt her, just a violent one.

Lily blew a sigh out of her nose and pushed off the wall. Arris was late, and she needed to move, lest her thoughts consume her.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

Arris was held up at the spaceport.

See, that was the thing with the Sith Covenant. A world like Sacorria paid tribute to the Triumvirate for the pleasure of their independence, but that didn't mean they had to know who the hell Arris Windrun was. Didn't help that she just looked so different now. She had fame and infamy both to account for, but all of that was associated with the cybernetic blonde gunslinger.

Not her. Not who she was now. And unlike some Sith, Arris wasn't the type to get loud and put an entire world in its place just to satisfy the quick burn of her kerosene ego.

She worked things out with customs. Tactfully answered questions, a few well-placed bribes, took a baton hit to the stomach (which didn't satisfy them one bit since she's made of metal). And that was that. Out the door, and on to find Lily, she went.

The cyborg finally caught up, just as the young woman started to move. "Hey you. Sorry I'm late."

Didn't bother to give her a heads up on the 'wardrobe change,' though. The only things that hadn't changed were her eyes, her presence in the Force, and the gunbelt with those iconic revolvers.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily turned at the sound of Arris's voice, opening her mouth to respond to her apology and freezing. She blinked, her eyes shifting over the cyborg standing in front of her. The blonde hair was gone, the face had changed, shit, everything had changed. Synth-flesh stopped at her jaw, shifting seamlessly into the metal that made up Arris's body. She was no longer hiding what she was.

The gun belt was the same, and when Lily reached for the cyborgs mind she found the same screaming wall of darkness that protected the thoughts within.

"That's a hell of a makeover." she said finally. She shifted to lean against the wall again, tucking her hands in her pockets. "Suits you. Always preferred brunettes." She cast a glance around them "What are we doing here?"

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

"Yeah, thanks I--"

"Suits you. Always preferred brunettes."

Arris nearly choked on her own words, despite speaking from an implant. She nearly missed Lily's question. Her eyes joined in scoping the area, before settling back on the blonde.

"I... I figured we could talk. I understand Humbarine wasn't the expectation I set. I'm sorry for that. But you really came in clutch for us - I honestly don't think I've been more impressed with a new hire before, and your girl ain't bad either."

She left out the part about how Sacorria reminded her of home, or that recently Arris ached to be as close to the Corellian System as possible. But she had to lay low for the time being. Too much heat after offing the head of the Corellian Syndicates.

Arris waved Lily along and walked through the plaza. It wasn't the architecture that reminded her of home, of course. That was... Well, strange to her. But it was the people - humans, selonians, and drall living side-by-side. Yeah, that was like Talus. As were the rolling hills, grassy fields, and idyllic seaside.

"I gotta ask. Why the hell are you sticking around?"

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Humbarine wasn’t the expectation she set?

That was putting it mildly. Still, Lily appreciated the apology, even though it did nothing to alleviate any of the pressure left behind by the shit show it had been. She sudden;y wished she’d brought Vess Sadragen along with her, just to hold her hand, just to ground her in the moment rather than let her mind race as it was already starting to do.

She fell into step alongside Arris, her eyes drifting over people as they began to meander through the plaza, the faint smell of salt on the air reminded her of Arda. Maybe she’d take Vess there one day.

Arris’s question pulled her back and for a moment she didn’t answer.

“I don’t know.”

She should have been running, fast in the other direction, but Mercy had opened a door and she’d put one foot in it. She let out a sigh.

“Mercy came to see me before I made it to the Governor's mansion.”

That wasn’t really an answer either.

“She’s fucking terrifying by the way, especially when she has half a face missing. Does she just regrow everything?”

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

There was a pang of protective anger when Lily mentioned Mercy. Arris shouldn't have been surprised, because of course Mercy would take an interest in her. She had no idea about their previous encounter on Alderaan, but she knew Mercy was the type to pull people into a private conversation just to test them, often at Arris' expense if they were associated with her. It happened to Ace, and Kirie before her.

Lily's question annoyed her even more, but Arris didn't even miss a step. Were it not for the volatility in the Force, she might not have shown her feelings at all. Always the perks of being a cybernetic freak.

Arris groaned. "Yeah, she's a rapid healer. Firrerreo, I think..." They hadn't talked about it, but Arris had fought Firrerreo before when she was a shockboxer. "But it ain't just that. She's been... experimenting on herself so she can even control parts of her body when they're severed."

Arris hated creepy shit like that, and didn't like the idea of immortal Mercy one bit. Which was a bit hypocritical, since Arris started to believe the she herself was unkillable.

Arris stopped in the middle of a sparsely traveled street, unbothered by the attention their conversation might draw.

"Listen - be careful around her... I know you know she's dangerous, but not for the reasons you think. She's only strong if you come to her. Otherwise? She'll lose interest and leave you be. There's a lot to gain in the Covenant, more than just money, but you gotta find your crowd and stick together."

It was more wordy and kneejerk than Arris liked, but that's what happened when Mercy got in her way.

She turned back and kept walking until they arrived at a rundown cantina. Less crowded than the places they'd find closer to the spaceport.

"Grab us a seat - what do you drink?"