High Rollers

[Maya Zhou]

Calypso Resort and Casino, Randon​

​

Inside her room at the Calypso, Maya stood before a full length mirror. Her nose wrinkled, she didn't like the look of this outfit, but she supposed that it fit the bill – a very high bill. Normally accustomed to ragged ensembles of baggy shirts and comfortable trousers, she looked like a new woman tonight. A slim black dress, gloves that went to the elbow, and a slight smear of red lipstick... she looked the part of a socialite. She'd been told by Mar Dellaeon to dress nice.

The smuggler woman hoped that it was enough.

With a small shrug, she tugged at the dress in a rather unladylike fashion before heading out the door. It felt odd to leave all of her favorite weapons behind, Maya had even left her knives behind. But, she wasn't completely unarmed, for there was a tiny little gun strapped to her thigh. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing at all.

The lift opened and Maya slipped inside, pressing the button to take her down to the lobby of the hotel and casino. This place was pretty swanky, she had to admit. Though, it really wasn't her taste. Walking with an awkward, rugged gait, Maya's heels clicked in protest against the polished floors. She paused in the doorway of the casino, Mar would be situated by one of the table games, so he'd informed her.

“This better be worth it.” She muttered, and drew an item from her purse.

It was a stick of gum that she immediately began to chew, rather loudly. Sticking to the wall as she entered, Maya continued to eye the crowd. There were dashing men in suits, and ladies in frilly finery. She couldn't have felt more like a fish out of water.

Meanwhile, tucked away at a corner sabacc table, Mar Dellaeon was winning. He laughed and drew down his cards. Whether it was pure luck or some sort of hidden talent remained to be seen, but his sabacc companions had had quite enough. Mar checked the time, fully aware that his two contacts would be here shortly. “Clear off,” He said, motioning for his players to move on.

He had contacted a smuggler that had done some work for him in the past, and a name that was rising on the treasure-hunting scene. Mar would wait to make his decision, he wanted to evaluate them in person. But, he had a good feeling about this.

And if Mar knew anything, it was to trust his gut. His winnings tonight were proof enough, but he hoped that this venture would be far more profitable than a night at the card tables.

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

For the past twenty minutes, Cassius Droma sat across the casino floor from Mr. Dellaeon. Tucked away in his own little corner, the Jedi archaeologist watched the gambler play against his adversaries. He nursed a small glass of meiloorun nectar, taking mental notes of Dellaeon’s moves and tactics. Mostly, he watched how he dealt with other people.

All too many times, Cassius had walked into a situation without knowing the full layout of not only the environment, but the people he was dealing with. His little observations prior to the meeting was a way to try and rectify this. Now, he had a more complete picture of Mr. Dellaeon. He was, unfortunately, one of the necessary evils of working in artifact collection. Too criminal to be called a friend, but too useful to be turned into the local authorities.

Once he saw that Mr. Dellaeon was done playing his hand, Cassius rose from his seat. He, like the woman he was unknowingly about to encounter, was wearing clothing he was not accustomed to. Black slacks, white shirt, a black vest and white jacket. His lightsaber was clipped to his belt at the small of his back, obscured by the jacket. Straightening the jacket, he strode with a confident gait towards the sabacc table.

Sliding into the seat across from Dellaeon, Cassius propped his arm on the table. “Mr. Dellaeon,” he said. “I’m Cassius Droma.”

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Just as Maya stepped away from the wall, about to make her way to Dellaeon, she spotted a blonde man walking in that direction. High heels paused, just long enough to watch the stranger casually have a seat at Mar's table. Shoulders tense, she stomped her way over to join them. Maya's narrowed gaze found Mar, momentarily ignoring his companion completely.

“What the kark is this?” She asked through a fake smile, “Who's the stiff?”

Mar's hand was extended towards Cassius, about to return his introduction with one of his own. His eyes shifted in Maya's direction, then back to Cassius.

“Mr. Cassius Droma, it's a pleasure.” He replied, in his signature gravely tone. “And may I present Maya Zhou,” He motioned in her direction, “Charming as ever.”

Maya's lips pressed together, and she turned a stink eye to the side at Cassius. She hadn't been expecting anyone else. With others involved, it surely meant that her share of the profits would be cut. Maya didn't like the idea of that, not at all. But she had a seat nonetheless.

“Good of you both to come,” Dellaeon said, idly shuffling the sabacc cards. “Now, then. Shall we get down to business?” Mar reached into his pocket and set a small item onto the table before Maya and Cassius.

“Oh, good... a rock.” Maya said flatly.

Mar had expected that sort of reaction from the merc woman. She was good with a gun, but not always the sharpest tool. That's where Cassius came in, Mar waited to see what his reaction would be.

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

[disregard]

 

[Cassius Droma]

The addition of the woman was certainly something he wasn’t expecting. Perhaps Dellaeon was hoping the two of them would bid him down… or maybe he wanted to hire the both of them for something. Either way, Cassius didn’t know whether or not to treat this new person as a competitor, or potential ally. All the same, he gave her a cordial nod, despite the obvious animosity she threw his way.

It was understandable. People in this business were very territorial – any infringement meant lower pay or lesser prestige. Cassius was after neither of those things, although getting paid was nice to help fund these types of ventures. Really, he wanted to explore and study the things of the past. It’s why he called himself an amateur archaeologist, after all.

Dellaeon decided to skip the small talk and get right into it. As the man of questionable legal status placed his item on the table, Maya seemed to be rather underwhelmed. Cassius, however, raised an eyebrow. Not exactly his best sabacc face, but he hid his surprise quite well. Most of the time, people like Dellaeon liked to contact Cassius and tell him that they’d found something of interest, but wouldn’t tell him what it was until he met with them. A flair for the dramatic, he supposed.

Unlike most of the others he dealt with, this didn’t disappoint.

What had been put on the table was a healing crystal – but not just any healing crystal. From a small marking etched into the side, it belonged to the elusive Saa, a mystical group of Force-wielders that almost exclusively used their abilities to heal. They were known to show up to places where there was great disease, and use crystals that would heal nearly any ailment before becoming inert. No one knew where they got their crystals, or even where they were based out of. Some say they died out a few centuries ago during the Gulag Plague, that perhaps it had been too much for even them. Their crystals, even the ones already de-powered, were extremely sought after.

He wanted to go ahead and try to snatch it to inspect it for himself, but he knew that Dellaeon would just as quickly swipe it from the table. Instead, he looked at the man from under heavy brows with an inquisitive stare and asked, “Where did you get that?”

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Maya's brows rose as she watched the scene play out in silence. On one side, she saw Mar with a rather large grin on his face. And on the other, Cassius was closely studying the rock. Her brown eyes shifted back and forth a few times, bewildered.

Were they both mad?

As Cassius asked Mar about the origins of the rock fragment, Maya blinked. Was this simple little rock something special after all? She leaned forward slightly, eyeing the item with narrowed eyes. Upon slightly closer inspection, she did notice some faint markings. There was a rumble of irritation, Maya felt a bit like someone on the outside of an inside joke here.

Crossing her arms, Maya sat back in her seat and waited for Mar to explain.

“You've got a good eye,” Mar said to Cassius, “I've got my methods. We'll leave it at that.” He laughed, and tucked the stone back into his suit pocket.

Of course, Maya was more than familiar with Mar's ways – she operated much the same. The two of them weren't above stealing, they weren't above killing, either. She had a feeling that Mar had gone to some trouble for this.

“So, what do you want?” Maya asked, looking across the table.

“It's simple, Zhou.” Mar started, “I want more of these – but I want ones that are pristine, unused. See, this isn't just a rock. It's a very, very rare healing crystal. The problem is, this one's already been used, it's a one time thing.” He shuffled the cards again. “I've got details.” Mar patted his pocket again. “But, before we go any further. Why don't we play?”

Maya glanced over at Cassius, then back to Mar.

“You beat me, you get the job.” He grinned, starting to deal. “You in?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

[duplicate]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Dellaeon didn’t answer Cassius’s question, and he frowned a little, sitting back. Of course he wouldn’t give up the location so easily. As he explained to Maya the “job”, as it were, Cassius realized that wherever these crystals were, they were in a possibly dangerous place. He didn’t know the skill level of the woman sitting across from him, but he tried to never underestimate someone. She could be a crack pilot, or a great shot. Either way, Dellaeon felt both of their skills were necessary, it seemed.

Cassius’s eyebrow quirked at the notion of a quick game of sabacc. Clearly, the man just wanted to show off. Why risk the success of a job over a game of cards? Adjusting his upper body so he was leaning on his elbow on the table, he snatched the cards being dealt to him at the table.

“I’ll humor you,” he said, taking a peek at what he had. Cassius wasn’t exactly the best sabacc player in the galaxy – he’d only ever really played a few rounds with his old pilot buddies on space stations they would stop at. Yet, the Jedi had a few advantages, namely that of the Force. It would afford him great instinct and strategy. Also, he’d just spent the last half an hour observing Dellaeon and his playing style.

The cards went around the table, Cassius deciding to take a card each time. The goal was to get the highest total without going over 23. Finally, all of the players had decided they had their hands. Cassius flipped over his cards – 23, Pure Sabacc. He raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

“Guess I win,” he said, sliding his cards back over to Dellaeon. “Why don’t you tell us where you found that crystal, and we’ll be on our way?” He shot Maya a small look, indicating that he’d work with her. Cassius wasn’t really in it for the profit – he’d gladly take a much smaller share if it meant he had a competent partner.

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Dellaeon's grin broadened as Cassius agreed to play a hand. Of course, he hadn't really meant that the job would be off the table if either of his contacts lost. He would simply offer the job as a gesture of goodwill, he was just a kind, generous man. But, there was no goodness in his heart – only greed.

“Good on ya, mate.” Dellaeon said, keeping his own cards close to his chest, his expression stony.

Meanwhile, Maya's sabacc-face needed work. The merc woman shifted in her seat, a look of frustration clearly written across her features. She'd been dealt a bad hand, very bad. She shifted a glance over at Cassius, he appeared confident, even cool. Blowing out a breath, she dropped her cards face-down on the felt-covered playing surface of the table. Fold.

But, before she could move into a storm of curses, she watched Cassius best Dellaeon.

She straightened up when Cassius said “we,” and Maya shot the blonde man a curious look.

“Dirty Cheat,” Dellaeon said, expression ice-cold for a moment. “Good thing I like dirty cheats.” A laugh escaped him, but his smile was stretched tight. “Fine, then.”

She snickered, clearly the card shark hadn't planned on losing. Maya watched as he pulled out a datapad and placed it on the table, next he produced a piece of flimsiplast – with what looked like crude chicken scratch with a few circles drawn on it for good measure.

“This sector,” Dellaeon continued, “You see it on the map, yeah?” He slid the datapad over. “It's the home to a mysterious world, one thought long destroyed.” He placed the flimsi over the the screen, matching some of the planets up. “The world is here – hidden in the debris field. I don't have details about what's there now, it could be anyone's guess... but I've heard from a semi-reliable source that there's ruins. Coordinates are here.” He pointed to the corner of the flimsi.

“You up for a challenge, then?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius carefully studied the materials that Dellaeon slid over to him. It wasn’t a sector of space that he recognized immediately, so he didn’t know where it was in relation to the rest of the galaxy. He dipped his head close to the table, studying the map.

Debris field? That phrase made Cassius’s ears perk up, for some reason. Why did that sound familiar? For the briefest of moments, Cassius remembered a story he’d heard, of a planet that had been the site of a major conflict, and due to the sheer amount of debris in the exosphere travelling at such high rates, the population became stranded on the world. Cassius had thought it referred to a hypothetical situation by pacifists as a practical reason to stop interstellar war, but maybe it actually happened at one point. If true, then this would certainly be a place for Saa healing crystals to be and not have been disturbed.

“Always,” the archaeologist finally answered Dellaeon’s question. Not wanting to delay, he stood from the table, buttoning his suit jacket closed. “How about you, Ms. Zhou?” he turned to her. “Feel up to it?” Leaning over, he picked up the piece of filmsiplast and tucked it into his inside jacket pocket. Already, he was thinking of how they would have to navigate the debris field the planet was hidden under. If it really kept out space travelers… how were they expected to make their way through? Cassius was a good pilot, great even, but this could prove difficult.

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Maya leaned forward, squinting at the map. Nothing about the location or the debris field seemed to ring a bell. Then again, the smuggler woman didn't have the greatest memory. If there was a place for rare healing crystals to be hiding, this shrouded world was as good as any, Maya figured. It seemed that Cassius was eager for a challenge, answering Dellaeon straight away. And when the blonde man posed the question to her, Maya side-eyed him.

“Sure, I guess.” Was her answer, spoken with a small shrug.

She tried to keep her best nonchalant front on display, but truth was that she needed the credits. And Maya was just about ready to do anything to get some. Maya's dark eyes fell back to the map, watching silently as Cassius' hand swept it out of sight and into the safety of his coat pocket.

Dellaeon was about to extend his hand to each of them, sealing the deal... but a sudden noise stopped the motion halfway.

Before Maya could even turn to look, a red blaster bolt shot past her cheek – hitting the back the plush velvet booth. Dellaeon's eyes went wide, the bold had missed him... narrowly. The suited man scrambled fast, up and over the back of the booth.

“The map!” A thug growled, holding his blaster pistol in Cassius' direction. The group of four had seen the deal go down, having watched from the cracked door of the nearby staff corridor.

“... You got this, partner?” Maya hissed to Cassius, her voice low.

She'd used the word partner to cement the deal herself, she wouldn't leave him hanging. Her hand slid down her hip, inching towards her little gun. She'd only have two shots, so Maya was going to try and use them well. But, she figured that Cassius must be armed as well... no one would walk into a place like this without any kind of weapon, right?

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

[duplicate]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius had reached out his hand to Dellaeon, a gesture of good will, and that their meeting was over. Just before their palms could touch, however, a flash of red sliced between them. Cassius immediately recoiled, ducking low behind the booth. Dellaeon also scrambled to get away, and Cassius couldn’t help but not exactly care whether the man lived or died. Knowing a slimy man like that, he’d slip away to cause more people more trouble.

As blaster bolts pelted around them, he quirked an eyebrow at Maya. Ah, so now she seemed content with their partnership. Well, there was nothing like battle and harsh circumstances to bring people together. This could actually help the two of them, in a way.

Provided they didn’t get killed first.

He saw her reach for some kind of weapon, and the young Jedi figured he’d do the same. With a soft click, the lightsaber was released from his belt, and he held the hilt in his hand for a moment. There were only four of them, with lower-grade blasters, it seemed. “You got a ship? Is it close by?” he asked. For the sake of safety, he’d kept the Stardust Melody in a dock that was a little further away from the casino. Wasn’t exactly a hop, skip, and a jump away, but he did have one way to get there…

Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a small communicator and pressed a blue button that began to flash.

“Start heading up the stairs. I’ll cover you,” he told her. Leaping up, the lime-green blade of his lightsaber sprung to life, immediately starting to take the red bolts coming their way.

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Maya's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Cassius' lightsaber. Aha, so he was one of those. The smuggler didn't have much experience with force users, but she was fine with it, especially given that Cassius was on her side... for now, at least.

“Yes and no,” She answered him quickly. “It's at a lot up the street – ”

A red bolt soared by, cutting her words short. She hadn't wanted to pay the docking fee here at the resort. And, her ship was nearly out of fuel. Maya had been counting on Dellaeon fronting some credits to get started, but these blaster-wielding thugs had seen to preventing that. Mar Dellaeon had a good head start, he was probably slipping to safety now as it was... the little slug that he was.

She ducked another bolt before heading to the stairs, crouched low as she could.

Maya reached the door and gave it a quick pull. As she used the heavy door for cover, she glanced over at Cassius. He was batting away a few bolts with his saber. It would have been all too easy to leave him to deal with this mess. But Maya knew that her share of the job would be lost, Cassius had the map.

“C'mon!” She shouted, holding the door open for Cassius with her foot. Her small pistol in hand, just in case... she waited for her new companion to join her in the stairwell. “You've got a plan, yeah?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

His lightsaber swept through the air, deflecting a new wave of blaster bolts. With good timing and a well-placed angle, one of the bolts reflected back to its shooter, putting a burning hole in their chest. Cassius made his way over to the door where Maya was standing, weaving back and forth and blocking the bolts that would hit either him or his new partner. Just as he got to the door, his left hand whipped up in what looked like an open-handed uppercut. The table they were sitting at suddenly flipped into the air and clattered into the thugs, occupying them for the time being.

Cassius pulled the door behind them as he started to bolt up the stairs. She asked if he had a plan. “Uh, sure, yeah,” he said, whipping his head around to look behind them for a moment. Just as they crested the top of the stairs, the door flung open. At the moment, Cassius wondered which ship he wanted to go to. In reality, he had no idea what the woman was flying. It could be anywhere from a J-type Nubian or a piece of junk. Either way, they would probably need weapons. If he could help it, he’d go for the Stardust.

Looking ahead, he noticed a thick, circular gong, held up by a small repulsor device. With a clean sweep of his lightsaber, the repulsor device sparked and died. Before the gong could hit the floor, Cassius heaved with the Force, sending the gong rolling down the hallway at a high speed. “Come on!” he yelled, running alongside what was now a moving shield. More blaster bolts pelted around them, but Cassius kept moving.

At the end of the hallway was a floor-to-ceiling window. The gong sped forward slightly and smashed right into it, shattering the glass. “Jump!” he shouted, leaping into the air and covering his face with his arms. He hung in the air for the briefest of moments before starting to fall.

Before they got very far, however, they would hit the backseat of an airspeeder. Cassius was actually upside down when he landed, and scrambled to sit upright, his arms and legs flailing about for a moment.

“Did you know I was going to be here on time?” T-4D4, Cassius’s ever-faithful K-X series droid companion, asked incredulously from the driver’s seat.

“Yep, sure did,” Cassius said, smoothing out his suit for a moment. “Punch it – we’re about to have company.”

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Needless to say, many of the casino patrons had already cleared out when the shooting started. The attention of the shooters was focused on Cassius at the moment, but the few men and women that remained did their best to keep hidden. From her spot in the doorway, Maya straightened slightly, watching Cassius' saber weave through the air. She ducked back as the table was sent flying into the thugs.

Following Cassius up, her thud of her boots echoed in the stairwell. But it wasn't long before their attackers burst through the door behind them. Still clutching her small pistol, she pressed her lips together, preparing to fire. However, she didn't even need to pull the trigger. With the quick thinking force user at her side, she followed their new shield – a rather large gong.

“Uh,” Her eyes grew wide as she spotted the window. She chanced a quick look over at Cassius, he seemed sure about this. So when he called for her to jump, she threw her arm up to cover her face and followed suit.

“Karking --” Maya's stomach dropped as she started to fall, but when she opened her eyes she was in an airspeeder, sprawled in the backseat. Clambering to an upright position, she pushed out a relived breath. “You know what,” She started, “I think you might be crazy. But, I can work with that.” Maya chuckled.

She looked over her shoulder, the thugs wouldn't be able to catch up now.

“We may just have a chance to find those rock-things.” She said, relaxing. If there was a chance that she could get Cassius to do the heavy lifting, she would. And if she could get him to fly her there, she'd do that, too. “My ship,” She made a face, “It's actually grounded right now, fuel costs... ya know.” Maya scratched her head, “You got a ship?”

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

T-4D4 gunned the accelerator and they zoomed off, leaving the casino far behind. The local authorities would soon descend upon the area, but hopefully by the time they started asking questions and locking down the ports, they would be off-planet.

Maya commented on his mental state, and Cassius let out a small chuckle. “Yeah, well, you’ve gotta be quick on your feet when it comes to these kinds of people, as I’m sure you know.” He unbuttoned his suit jacket and heaved a sigh. “Also, having an all-powerful energy field that spans the entire galaxy helping you out doesn’t hurt.” The wind whipped through his short hair as they passed by various airspeeders, the droid driver’s fast processors allowing him to make quick movements.

A gave her a sidelong glance when she mentioned that she ship wasn’t currently space-worthy. Fuel wasn’t exactly cheap in a lot of places, and Randon was no exception. Cassius did well for himself, but he sure remembered coasting into various space ports on fuel – never a fun feeling. “Yeah, I’ve got a ship,” he nodded. “We should be there in a few.”

T-4D4 lifted the airspeeder up and over the traffic and started to skim the tops of buildings, quickening their pace until they came to the spaceport. An access code allowed them to cross a civilian-grade shield into the docking bay where the Stardust Melody sat. The loading ramp started to lower and Cassius hopped out, leaving T-4D4 to take care of the airspeeder. “I hope you're not missing any valuables or anything you might need – because we’ll probably have to leave as soon as we can.” They could come back for anything on her ship she might need, of course… but Cassius would feel much better once they got out into space.

Striding into the cockpit, Cassius sat in the pilot’s seat and started to fire up all of the necessary systems, especially the engines.

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

Maya barely acknowledged the presence of the droid driver, but she was inwardly thankful for his prompt arrival and quick ride away from trouble. She'd made a mental note to ask him more about that “all-powerful energy” once they were on their way to the planet. Little thoughts like that usually ended up slipping her mind. But, she had the feeling he was one of those Jedi-folks. He didn't seem like a Sith, not on the surface at least... but looks always were deceiving.

Her brows lifted for a moment when he mentioned that he did have a ship. She watched as they soared down into the docking bay, and to a very fine freighter. A jealous pang hit Maya. Cassius' ship was much nicer than her own.

Hopping out of the speeder and towards the ramp, she frowned at her current ensemble. This dress wouldn't do, and the heels...

“Well,” She started, following Cassius. “Have you got some clothes that I could wear?” Maya squinted at him, as if sizing him up. “And a belt, maybe? A pair of boots, too.” A last glance was cast at the small pistol in her hand. “And a proper blaster?”

Give an inch, take a mile – it was Maya's way.

"It's not a fashion show, I don't care how I look." She added, for good measure. Sure, her ship wasn't docked far from here... but every moment planetside was just another moment for the thugs to catch up. It seemed they were after the map as well. "Those guys. I bet Dellaeon blabbed to them, he likes bragging... you probably noticed. They'll be watching the shipyards, no doubt. We'll need to slip away."

[member="Cassius Droma"]

 

[Cassius Droma]

Maya’s first request had been new clothes – he didn’t blame her. A little dress and heels were not exactly treasure-hunting gear. Spinning around in his pilot’s chair, he looked her over. She wasn’t that short – only about three or so inches shorter than he was. “Yeah – head back towards the loading ramp, and go into the guest quarters right before you get to it. You should definitely be able to find something in there.”

There was a small chest in there full of clothes that people who had traveled with Cassius had left on board. She’d no doubt find something that fit and was at least utilitarian. As for a blaster, Cassius had his trusty A180 blaster in his personal quarters. Standing up for a moment, he jogged towards his quarters and unlatched the door. As it slid up into the hull, Cassius reached out to the blaster with the Force, and it slapped into his hand. Walking back towards the cockpit, he handed it to Maya, grip facing her.

She remarked that their contact had no doubt leaked their meeting to the men now pursuing them. He heaved a sigh and nodded as he sat back down in his chair and spun to face the controls. “Guys like that… he probably told a whole load of people he’d found something lucrative before even contacting the two of us. I wouldn’t be surprised if we had trouble not just leaving this planet, but some problems when we get to where we’re going, too.”

He pressed a small white button, and the ventral repulsors kicked on, lifting the ship up. “You might want to strap in for a little bit,” he said, stealing a glance over his shoulder. “I don’t want to jostle you around if we get some company.” Behind him was a passenger seat, with a series of small sensor read-outs next to it so they could become a secondary co-pilot, if need be.

Wasting no time, Cassius pointed the nose of the Stardust towards the horizon and gunned it, steadily pulling up as they went.

[member="Maya Zhou"]

 

[Maya Zhou]

“Guest quarters,” She echoed, “Right.” Maya certainly wasn't above wearing random left-over clothing, it was far better than digging through trash... The thought lingered for a moment as Cassius disappeared down the corridor for a moment, and returned with a blaster. With a grin and an appreciative nod, she reached out and accepted the weapon. “Thanks.”

And she had to admit, Cassius was probably right. Not only would there be trouble now, but there would definitely be trouble down the road.

“Pssssh,” was her response to the possibility of getting jostled about, but she had a seat in the chair behind Cassius nonetheless. Maya strapped in and settled into a comfortable slouch. Her eyes swept over the read-outs before her for a moment. There was a small but fleeting feeling of relief as they took to the sky.

Maya thought back to Dellaeon's map.

“You know where we're goin'?” She asked, glancing sidelong at the back of Cassius' head. “I couldn't make heads or tails of that map.” Maya admitted, and immediately cursed herself for doing so. It wasn't good to show weakness, not in her line of business.

“I'd find the place,” She cleared her throat. “Eventually.” Maya added, under her breath.

[member="Cassius Droma"]