Private Dishonest Dealers

[Arris Windrun]

BALOSAR
Lily Rhodes​

Decrepit, groaning steel, bustling masses, and black market sins that not even acid rain could wash away; that's Balosar, a polluted industrial world at the edge of Covenant space. The chaos in the core has been quiet as of late. Not that the people here would ever know or care, for Balosar has weathered more than its graveyards of rusted starship hulks could ever show.

In the heart of its salvage yards, one could find a row of scrap shops, outlawtechs, and aftermarket dealers. Above one such shop hung a sign from a pair of chairs. The name in Aurebesh was too worn to make out, but its purpose was clear. This was a good place to look for what couldn't be found elsewhere. Which is exactly why Arris Windrun arrived incognito in search of a modded hyperdrive to fit inside the ship she had labored on for so long now.

The munn dealer, however, appeared busy with someone else, and the cyborg suspected (from what she overheard) that he was trying to cheat the young woman out of some hard-earned credits. Amused, Arris wandered the outskirts of the room before finding a place to lean her back against the wall. Arms crossed, she watched the conversation unfold.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

"It's damaged."

Lily's was at the end of her tether. It had taken her two days to track the part, and stealing it hadn't exactly been easy. She was tired, hungry and sore and this schutta munn was trying to go back on the deal they made. It was taking every fibre of her being not to climb over the counter and throttle him. "Its a minor scratch the housing." she said through gritted teeth "It won't impact its performance."

"Oh, I didn't know you were a mechanic and a thief."

Lily let out a humourless laugh. "Feth you and whatever pit you crawled out of. If you're not going to pay me what you owe, then I'll find someone who will." she reached to grab the device but he was faster, snatching it with one hand and drawing his blaster with the other. Lily was staring down it. Her anger flared, her barriers dropped and the force surged through her as her gaze moved from the barrel of the blaster to settle on the smug expression.

She was already in his mind, she could already see a thousand places she could press that would bring him to his knees, that would make him give her what she was owed and it would have been so easy. Movement to her left drew her gaze. Blonde hair, sharp grey eyes and seams in her skin. Cyborg. Feth. The last thing she needed was to draw attention this close to the core.

Lily turned her eyes back to the munn. She'd get her credits one way or another, but she'd have to do it without being seen. Her anger didn't fade away, it just quieted as she stepped back.

"That's what I thought, now run along, thief. I'm sure there's plenty of pockets for you to pick." Lily froze, hands clenching at her sides. He was making it very hard to walk away. Again, her eyes flicked to the cyborg. Would she care? Did anyone on this cesspit of a planet care?

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes​

Arris reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. She pushed herself off the wall, stumbling first until she found her feet, holding a lighter in her other hand as she approached the counter.

"How much for that?" She asked, nodding to the device.

The munn looked the cyborg over, scrutinizing her with the same lens of judgment he did everyone else.

"4500 credits," He answered with a grin.

Arris lit her cigarette and took a slow drag.

"Mm... It's damaged. 2000."

His brow twitched, but he kept his composure with a fake smile and a forced snicker. "I assure you, it's a minor scratch that won't impact the performance at all."

The cyborg gestured at the young woman. "Sheesh - not gonna wait until she's gone before changing your story?" She took another drag, this time inches from the counter.

The shopkeeper grumbled, perhaps cursing under his breath, it was hard to tell. Then, he pointed up at a sign over on the far wall. Her gaze followed, if only for a second.

"No smoking."

She chuckled and signed dramatically.

"Yeah, sure." Without a moment of hesitation she put her cigarette out on the countertop.

He looked at her with such offense, mouth agape. "Just... Leave! Both of you!" He snapped, then turned around to fetch a rag.

In that moment, Arris reached out with the Force and snagged a handful of creditchits from his pile and threw them in the 'thief's' direction with a wink. Then, she turned towards the exit and lit another cigarette on her way out the door. It wouldn't take long at all before he noticed, she suspected, and even if Arris had kept the money for herself, it was obvious who he'd suspect anyway.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily watched her move, easy and unhurried as she started to barter for the piece. "Unbelievable." she muttered, her gaze narrowing on the munn, at his smug face on his stupid thumb shaped head. Guess she was just adding this to the tally of bad fething days. She was about to turn to leave when the the cyborg stubbed the cigarette out on the counter. Lily blinked in surprise, but her surprise did not slow her reactions. Her hand moved snatching the credchits from the air slipping them seamlessly into her pocket.

She turned on her heel, heading out the door a few beats before the cyborg followed, fresh cigarette in her hand. Lily didn't stop, not until they were a good distance from the vendor, only then did she pause long enough for the cyborg to draw level with her, before they fell into step. "Thanks." she said, her eyes moving constantly, scanning everything though whether she was looking for a threat or a mark it wasn't clear.

"I hope his shop burns down." she said, glancing briefly behind them.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes​

Arris took a long drag.

"Thanks."

She looked her way, though only acknowledged her thanks with a slight nod, then offered the smoke.

"I hope his shop burns down."

"Heh," she snickered. "Maybe you can use this to get started."

The cyborg, fond as always of walls to lean on, found one along their off-beaten path.

"So, you're a thief, yeah?"

She always sucked at small talk, but the way Arris asked suggested there might have been more to her question than passing time with a stranger-turned-part-time-accomplice. Lily's casual trust (if it was trust at all) made the Talusian wonder just exactly who this young woman was, but she knew who she reminded her of.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily eyed the cigarette before shaking her head. She'd tried it once, hated the taste and it'd made her head spin so much she'd felt sick. She dug her hands deep into her pockets when the cyborg came to a stop uneasy with the idea of being still but not wanting to have her back to the path she settled reluctantly beside her, just out of arms reach.

Her thumb ran over a credit chit in her pocket. She could have just walked away, left with her pocket of credits and found the next job. But those credits were in Lily's pocket because of her and the fact that she had fallen in step with her was enough to know she was interested in something. Be it Lily herself or-

The question pulled the corner of her mouth up in a half smile. There it was.

She watched the people, not the woman, resisting the urge to let her barriers down and listen to more than just what she was saying. There was no guarantee she wouldn't notice.

"They're going to find you. They're going to take you and force you to be one of them too."

Her grip tightened on the credit and she huffed a sigh out of her nose, before light brown eyes shifted to look at her.

"What of it?" she returned.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

She pulled the declined cigarette back and took another drag.

'What of it?' Lily had asked.

"Oh, nothing really." There was always something. "Can't a woman appreciate the few times she meets someone with an honest job?" Her tone may've been dry, but she actually meant it.

What wrong could there possibly be in robbing people like that shopkeeper, who himself was a cheat?

Still, Arris found herself exceedingly interested for that single, aching reason. Lily reminded her of someone; reminded her of second chances, and oh how the Triumvir had a bad habit of chasing those.

"Name's Windrun, by the way. And I just might have a job for you, if you're interested..."

 

[Lily Rhodes]

"Can't a woman appreciate the few times she meets someone with an honest job?"

Lily let out a derisive snort and shook her head, a small grin tugging at her lips. "That's the first time I've heard it called that." She shifted placing her shoulder against the wall and turning her whole body to face her now, curious.

Who was she?

Her eyes flicked away scanning the street again, just in case thumb-head decided he'd pursue his missing credits, or have the audacity to get someone else to do it for him. "Windrun..." she repeated the name slowly, feeling some form of recognition stir with it, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She shrugged, letting it go. It would come back to her when it came back to her.

"Lily." she offered looking at her again. "Depends on the job." she replied a half smirk tugging at her lips.

"And the pay."

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes​

Arris sighed; how her famous fighting days had faded from people's minds. Ruusan had really matured into a sore subject for her.

"Lily," she nodded once in acknowledgement.

Arris finished her smoke and ground it underfoot. "I gathered from your conversation back there that you find and steal parts, yeah?" She asked.

"I'm looking for an AH-1701," the cyborg elaborated; a type of well-regarded gyrocomputer. Very old, but still sought after. "I can pay you five thou' for it."

Despite appearances, Arris hardly lacked credits. She could afford to buy any item from any of these stores, but... She was curious. Wanted to see what this young woman could do.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily watched the cigarette drop, embers scattering across the duracrete before a heavy boot snuffed them out. She let her gaze slide back up to Windrun's face, not bothering to answer the question. It was a narrow assumption, because Lily would steal pretty much anything if you paid her enough for it. Or If she thought it looked like fun.

Why? Because she was good at it, because it was easy, because it allowed her to keep her autonomy. And freedom was about as good as it got.

Her brow knitted at the mention of a gyrocomputer. Old tech, but corellian tech was built to last. But it wasn't widespread. She was running through possible locations in her mind when she dropped the number. Lily blinked. Five thousand would go a long way.

"That's a lot of cash for someone of your calibre."

Rude? Yeah, probably, but true. And she wasn't about to get screwed over a second time.

"I want half up front."

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

Arris pointed at herself with a smirk. "Of my calibre? And what exactly is my calibre?" She asked.

When Lily asked for half up front, the cyborg's smile only widened, and she snickered. She reached into her pocket and pulled out some credit chits. "You're really bleeding me dry," she muttered sarcastically, then tossed the chits to her.

She crossed her arms and idly paced in a lazy circle, eyes never leaving Lily.

"There's a cantina not far from the spaceport... Rusty Ronto, I think it was called? Meet me there when you're done. And don't take too long. I won't be here tomorrow."

With that said, Arris turned and strolled down the road. She found it odd that the shopkeeper hadn't stumbled upon them yet, but maybe that would be Lily's problem more than hers.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

The smirk and mild indignation in Windrun's tone made Lily grin. She didn't answer, save for giving her a deliberately slow look from head to toe and back again, raising an eyebrow. As if that would answer her. She was...interesting, had this been any other place, at any other time, Lily might have let her guard down, might have reached out to figure if that snicker was genuine...or if she was just unhinged.

Lily's hands came up, snatching the chits from the air again, looking at them for a moment. Who in their right mind, carried that much cash on them? She frowned tucking it away and pushing off the wall and Windrun began to circle her, arms folded didn't mean not a threat. Lily adjusted, pushing off the wall and moving to keep the cyborg in front of her.

"I know it." She answered, tucking her hands into her pockets and watching her walk away.

For a moment, Lily didn't move, chewing the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, the name Windrun still bouncing around the back of her mind. she knew it from somewhere and it was going to annoy the shit out of her. Job first, maybe the memory would come back to her while she focused on something else. She moved into the street, following the flow of people she pulled her hood up. She was sure the compound had had a YT in it. She'd need to scope it out to be sure.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

Arris was well on her way when a pair of ugly mercs marched on past, muttering something about a thief. She looked over her shoulder. They headed in Lily's direction. Well, that just wouldn't do, the cyborg sighed. She turned right around and followed after, keeping a steady distance behind them.

She found it funny, in that it was lousy how the shopkeeper couldn't imagine anyone but Lily as the thief responsible. That they wouldn't even question her, despite being in the store at the same time? Typical. Typical. Exactly why the theft was deserved.

The cyborg decided a birdseye view would do her better, and pivoted off the road and down an alley. She leapt up a fire escape, climbed over a jutting exhaust vent, and hoisted herself onto the roof. Then, breaking into a sprint, she jumped from one rooftop to the next, keeping an eye on the search party. Both men--one near-human, the other twi'lek--armed with blaster pistols and a vibroknife, respectively.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

The compound was set beyond the bustling market sector, people thinned as she headed towards it, scurrying with heads down to get to their destination. Lily reached outward, skimming over the minds of those who passed her out of habit more than any real need, the name Windrun still bouncing around the back of her mind trying to find purchase on something.

She's still close. Has to be.

Too many exits here. I hate this district.​

Lily slowed, head tilting as she caught the thoughts, out of place from the others, because they weren't racing to be somewhere, worrying about the odds of getting shanked for their hard earned credits. No, they were looking for someone. She shifted from the centre of the road, moving to the edge where the shadows were longer, risking a glance behind her to see them. They caught the arm of someone passing them, pulling back their hood to reveal a zabraks horns, before shoving them aside and carrying on.

"She had blonde hair, right?" The near human asked, eyes scanning the thinning crowd.

"Yeah. Karo said she has motive" The twi'lek replied, pausing to flick a dead cigarette aside, "Reckon he screwed her over?"

The near human snorted. "Probably, its his MO."

The twi'leks eyes found hers, a cruel grin spread across his face. "Got her."

Lily bolted.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

Arris continued to sprint and hop across the rooftops. It was quite fun, actually, and reminded her of the old days - back when she was running data and contraband on the streets of her homeworld.

She paused, peering over the ledge when her quarry stopped.

The twi'leks eyes found hers, a cruel grin spread across his face. "Got her."

The cyborg followed the Twi'lek's attention all the way to Lily, who was now bolting away.

'Well, shit!'

This wasn't good. About what she expected. But not good.

Were it someone else... say, Ace, for example. She would've watched and waited. Part of her still did want to do that. But when she saw Lily, she could only think of one other person... With a sigh, Arris walked forward, stepping off the ledge, and plummeted like an anchor. She landed below with a thud, buckling on the street. A small, startled crowd scattered around her, but not the two thugs. They were far too distracted, chasing after the young woman.

Arris pushed through the bodies and jogged after them, turning a corner down the side street Lily ran.

"Hey!" She called out at the top of her lungs.

The pair looked over their shoulders, but it wasn't them who was trying to reach.

"I'm curious. Have you tried something other than running?!"

The Twi'lek had taken the lead, intent on cornering Lily with a knife. The near-human, blaster in hand, turned to face Arris.

"Back off, schutta. This is none of your business." He spat.

Arris glanced down at his pistol. Her metal fingers coiled the grip of her own, posturing to draw. The man took notice, naturally, and wasn't going to give her the satisfaction, he thought. The blaster ripped, streaking through the air, and impacted Windrun's face with an explosive flash. The hot plasma burned away synthflesh just below her right cheekbone, exposing scorched metal beneath. The cyborg reached up to touch what -- for anyone else -- should've been a death blow. Her eyes went wide in mock disbelief.

"Oh my... Good aim for a hip shot," she complimented.

He grimaced and prepared to fire again.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily skidded as she round the corner, her hood slipping from her head as the dead end approached and she came to a stop eyes tracking upwards picking her path out as heavy boots approached behind her. They'd be easy to lose, she just had to make them think they had her.

"I'm curious. Have you tried something other than running?!"

Her head snapped round eyes wide. Windrun had followed her? Her jaw tightened, eyes flicking to the twi'lek as he advanced, flipping the blade in his hand into a reverse grip as Lily's feet shifted. She might have appeared defenceless but she was far from it.

"Why would I?" she answered, ducking beneath the twi'lek's opening swing, a slash aimed at her face, she drove a fist into his side, just below the ribs as she passed beneath his guard one hand moving to the small of her back pulling a baton from its magnetic clip and flicking it to its full length and spinning to crack it across the twi'lek's lekku, before he could spin to face her again.

He let out a cry of pain sinking to one knee and the force around Lily tightened as she readied to teleport, but not before a blaster shot split the air. She turned to see the synthflesh slide like slag from Windrun's face. She just stood there, like it was nothing and complimented him. Fucking insanity. Recognition came with an ice cold sensation that ran down her spine.

Windrun. Arris Windrun. The Dark Horse of Ruusan. Triumvir of the Sith Covenant.

...Shit.

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

Her attention drifted past the gunman to Lily, who was engaged in her own close-quarters fight.

"Ooo," she drawled. "Good work with that baton."

The gunman pulled the trigger again - the red-hot bolt scoring another hit, this time the left side of the abdomen, melting the bottom of her cropped shirt, and more synthflesh. Like before, it also revealed black metal.

He backed away. "W-What are you?!" He asked in disbelief.

Arris did not answer. No, the cyborg marched, eyes yet forward. The thug raised his blaster for a third shot, but Arris lifted her hand, summoning the Force to throw his aim off balance. The third shot ripped right past her head, causing a few loose hairs to curl by proximity. Before he could fire again, she had closed the distance completely, and while walking past him, she grabbed his wrist and snapped it; the pistol fell to the duracrete.

He screamed, and she threw him to the side, sending him stumbling into the side of a parked airpseeder. The act had barely cost her a step on her march forward.

A cold, cybernetic gaze remained steadfast on the younger woman and her Twi'lek opponent.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

The scream split the air as Arris advanced, discarding the thug without so much as breaking her stride forward. There was no rage in Arris expression, she moved like this was just another day, like violence was as easy as breathing. A groan behind her reminded her of more imminent danger as the twi'lek was trying to get his feet back under him.

Lily twisted, shoving the end of the baton into his neck, his body went rigid as the stun rippled through him before he dropped to the floor, face down on the duracrete with grunt, his blade slipping from his fingers. Stepping over him Lily kicked it out of reach before her attention settled back on Arris.

"What do you want?" the question was edged with uncertainty, her grip shifting on the baton clearly sizing her up to figure out how easy it would be to escape.

"And don't tell me its a gyrocomputer, because I'm not buying it."

Arris Windrun

 

[Arris Windrun]

Lily Rhodes
​

She contemplated the Twi'lek who was more or less incapacitated; metal fingers twitched just inches from the heavy revolver in its holster at her hip. Though they stayed, and her gaze ventured over her shoulder at the near-human, groaning beside the airspeeder, before those lifeless cyber eyes of hers settled back on Lily.

'What do you want?' She had asked Arris, followed by doubt aimed at her original mission.

The cyborg smirked. "Do you think I travel the galaxy, picking street fights in search of feisty young women? That'd be incredible, yeah?" She snorted. "No, actually, I really was in the market for ship parts... Though fair enough, that isn't why I sent you on this wild gizka chase."

Arris crossed her arms. "Don't fault me for talent scouting on the fly. I can't say if you're a good thief, but..." She gestured at the baton. "You're handy with that, and you gave me the time of day. So best two out of three, yeah?"

Then she mocked - inhaling sharply for dramatic effect. "And I smell the Force on you." It was just a guess, actually. The Triumvir was never good at perceiving people in the Force, but Lily's spatial awareness was a touch too good for a regular ole human.

She waited to hear (or see) how Lily responded, offering little more than her nonchalant, arms crossed, standing in the chaos of a street brawl power pose to fill the silence between their words.

 

[Lily Rhodes]

There was something deeply unsettling about someone smirking when they were missing part of their face. Alright, it was just the skin, but still. The baton spun beneath her fingers, the movement the only outward sign of her anxiety.

This was why Ace had gotten her off Coruscant, and yet even outside Covenant space Lily had run into one of them. The sensible thing to do, would have been to walk away, to toss back the credits, call it quits and get back to her ship and find somewhere else to be.

But she’d be lying to herself if Arris didn’t intrigue her just a little bit.

She let out a snort of derision at the dramatic sniff, the baton finally stilling, before it retracted at the flick of a button. It snapped back to the holster at the small of her back. “Best two out of three…” she repeated slowly.

Lily was a good thief. She didn’t need to prove that to anyone and yet…

“What happens when I make it three out of three? You going to try and convince me to join your horde?”

Arris Windrun