Impact

[Asmus Janes]

“Not a problem,” Asmus replied, holding the door open. At least they hadn’t been forced to dig a hole to share. The driver grunted. Asmus got the sense he hadn’t wanted to wait all of the thirty seconds he’d been still. He checked the destination with Asmus and then pulled away.

It wasn’t far from the small settlement onto a main speederway that took them towards the city at high speed. High above the road airspeeders were also following the same path. It wasn’t a huge city, not by galactic standards. A hundred thousand people. A wealthy city with a reputation for housing facilities for high technology companies. A reasonably well known university too. It was an obvious choice of location for a conference between industry and military and a low security target for the SIS to try and extract the defecting colonel.

They pulled off the main road into a shopping complex on the outskirts. Asmus had turned his attention from the cityscape ahead to the hand on the seat besides him. His fingers had fidgeted as he’d resisted the urge to place his own upon it. The problem with acting casual was that part of him started to think this was just a casual excursion. But it wasn’t.

They pulled into the taxi rank and Asmus’ attention was drawn away to the shops and the garb of the citizens walking between them.

“Thank you,” he said, shuffling towards the door and fishing through his pocket for some credit chits. Right time to be thrifty. There was one of his favourite stores here, but they ran at around a hundred credits for a shirt. That didn’t feel thrifty for him.

 

[Kaile Vera]

Kaile followed behind Asmus, coming to her feet as he paid for the tab. Scrunching her eyes against the glare of the morning sun, the Lorrdian gave a look around. Gone was the scent of wet moss and dirt. In its stead was the aroma of industry. Highly polished glass. White walkways. Trees - at least real ones instead of holographic - dotted the landscape. Perfectly sculpted.

A total difference from the small outpost they'd just left some time ago.

Kaile let herself get situated, pulling her mind from the gentle tap tap her fingers had been playing on the leather seat they'd just been sitting on. That awkward finger dance. Twitchy but avoiding.

They were silly beings.

A quick glance down and Kaile brought up her datapad. All they needed was a quick change of clothing. Nothing fancy.

"They ain't got a thrift shop?" she exclaimed a bit dejectedly.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Second hand?” he asked. He considered this briefly. Actually seemed a good idea. Buying last year’s fashion would hardly mark them out and they could stretch their budget further. Not that they really had a budget. There were hundreds of credits in his pocket. Enough for off-world transport and days in hotels if required.

His glanced around the stores and spotted one of those shops that sold on second hand good to raise money for charity. This was one that supported stormtroopers wounded in action. An interesting use of SIS funders. Kaile would see a widening of his smile as they walked towards it. He opened the door and gave her a look up and down as she stepped in.

Perhaps oddly he moved straight to the women’s rack. One walk down the length, pausing every few feet and mumbling to himself. By the time he reached the end he had three outfits pulled from second hand goods, all well matched and he was certain all would fit and suit her. There was a triumphant smile on his face as he turned back to Kaile.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Just as promptly with the keen sale sense of a coupon, bargain shopper, Kaile immediately said.

"No." she shook her head from side to side, hair brushing along her cheeks.

"Too expensive." instead, the Lorrdian strode past the pilot and went looking at the clearance section. Well, the clearance, clearance, section. She promptly connected to the Groupon website to find and see if there were any additional coupons she could take advantage of.

Poor Asmus was left flabergasted as the agent checked out coupons with one hand and went through the racks with another.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

Asmus was left looking at the hangars in his hands. They’d seemed affordable as far as he was concerned. And that top was a second hand Val Reuor. It would have perfectly suited her figure. But Asmus was not easily dismayed. The hangars were quickly returned to the rack and he followed Kaile. Then he stopped, turned on his heel and went and collected that top again. Top brand for fifteen credits? The rest of it could stay on the rack.

As he saw what she was looking at he came to realise what she meant by thrifty. Well, he’d trekked here in the gear the SIS had to hand, he could survive. Just as long as no one was putting him in those pale, cheap robes popular with kids who loitered around stores. He skimmed back and forth between the adjacent men’s and women’s racks. It was slim pickings.

“Would this suit you?” he asked, holding up some trouser. They would suit her, and the top he’d refused to put down, but it was a matter of opinion on what she felt was suitable for the mission.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

Turning around, Kaile's eyes fell down to the trousers Asmus held up for her. Again, she didn't even look at the style or the color beyond functionality and of course, the quick check of the price.

"Oh, this one is on sale with an extra thirty percent off!" well that apparently was the go to okay for the pilot. Her face brightened. Yes. Kaile enjoyed being able to make bargain sales.

"That's okay." as if suddenly catching herself, large brown eyes fixated on jade. "Go try 'em on real quick" not realizing that they were for her.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

If Asmus took offence it didn't show. He wasn't known to dress in the most masculine manner after all. With a grin he held the trousers up to his waist.

"I wasn't planning on cropped myself," he chuckled before holding them out for her. "I'll go and try a few things on myself though," He added. He'd even completely ignored a rather nice short jacket because of Kaile's concerns over price.

Instead he stuck to reasonably muted colours as close to what seemed to be the regular fashion. There were a few 'seconds' on the shelves with minor issues, bad stitching or missing buttons. Those seemed a good idea to him as, if anything, they would look well worn.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

"Oh." A flush immediately grew over Kaile's face. He had meant for her. She'd thought that Asmus had been looking for clothing for himself. Well that only made her face brighten a shade of pink. Cropped look. Ah, yeah. Maybe not his style.

"Right." good thing Asmus had wandered off to look over for his own change over. Kaile took her blushing self and turned back to the racks. A plain blue shirt along with a drape concho. Less pockets and a more civilian look. It was then that her eyes settled on a rather frilly blue dress.

Nope! Not necessary. But she couldn't help a second glance.

A few minutes later, she went in search of the pilot. She found him by the trouser section looking at a pair of trousers with a few mismatched stichings but otherwise well suited for what they wanted.

"I'm ready." Granted, she hadn't even bothered to try anything yet.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Yeah, let's get going,” Asmus replied. He knew his size fairly well and he reminded himself that things didn't have to be perfectly fitted. All he was likely to end up doing was looking after the hotel room and possibly stealing a shuttle.

They moved to the queue and he couldn't help but turn his back to the rest and face Kaile. That easy smile found its way to his lips. Here in enemy territory, this was about the most normal moment outside of a kitchen he'd spent with her.

“Do you remember...That silly coat I used to love? I mean, I still have it. I thought I looked like an infamous space pirate in that thing.”

He looked over his shoulder through the window. There were several airspeeders in the rank. He could ask for an upfront fee and the driver would turn the meter off.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[member="Asmus Janes"]

"The silly coat?" Kaile echoed. Her eyes scrunched together as if remembering, picturing it all. Goodness, at times it was more like a fantasy than an actual memory. It came to her then. The painted picture of an image of Asmus wearing that coat. The corner of her mouth twitched.

"What about it?" she asked, moving towards the counter to pay for their clothing. Her fingers were skimming over the display of her tablet, bringing up the extra discount coupons for an additional percentage off. Why pay more when one didn't need to? Maybe that was the difference between those with money and those without. Every credit counts.

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Kaileann Vera"]

"I think I spent about two years with people sniggering behind my back," he admitted with a grin. He watched the datapad curiously as the man behind the counter scanned a code and took money off. "Huh. Anyway I think I thought K...My uncle was just trying to wind me up. Still, it was a nice coat." It hadn't been cheap.

They stepped out with their bags and Asmus made a beeline for the taxi rank. He leaned into the window of the hovering speeder at the front of the line.

"Red Garden motel?"

"On Hind Street?" Replied the sullustan.

"Thats the one. How much up front?" Asmus asked.

"Ten please," Asmus handed over a chit and watched the metre being switched off. A common practise and enough to slow pursuit down a little more. He looked quite pleased with himself as he slid into the back.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Kaile followed behind Asmus. She settled quietly, placing the small bag with their clothing in front of her. Her mind was going several klicks a minute from one subject to the next. From their surroundings, to the taxi, to Asmus being beside her, the asset, the extraction, the motel. Everything. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]Why did things have to be so complicated?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The Sullustan gave them both a smile through the mirror, and Kaile showered one back in turn. Her fingers began to play with the straps of the bag. A slight rustling sound coming from it every time her fingers would glide over it. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]The motel was selected due to its line of sight to the conference facility. It would allow them the ability to get a visual monitor as well as be close enough to act quickly if required. Once there, they’d have little time to prep and set everything up. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6667px]“It was.” Kaile finally replied, referring back to the pilot’s earlier comment. She turned her head to face him. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6667px]“A nice coat.”[/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

Asmus took her pensive nature for the agent starting to fully turn her mind to the work ahead. Mentioning their past had been a mistake, but it had felt like an innocent little topic to try and keep them looking casual in a public location. He hands were busy again. Anxiety or concentration.

As they turned towards the motel Asmus saw three imperial officers in uniform heading for the conference facility. He glanced across at Kaile before returning his gaze to the hotel ahead. The airspeeders pulled in slowly.

“Here you go, enjoy your stay,” the driver called back. Asmus gave him an extra couple of credits. Sullustans were always such friendly people.

As they headed for reception Asmus decided to leave this to Kaile. Best to let her take the lead now.

 

[Kaile Vera]

The hum of the engine signaled the departure of the shuttle. As they ambled through the lobby, the sounds of muted conversation of the motel's guests resonated lightly. At the very least the conference kept it busy, allowing for the pair to slip in as any other attendee.

Once at the reception area, Kaile was the one to check in. Originally, it was only Kaile who would be slipping inside for a quick extraction. Now they had to play it by ear.

“Check in for Jewel Garn,” Kaile began, jiggling in her pocket for the doctored identichip.

“Welcome to the Red Garden,” the young woman with the blonde A-Line cut smiled at the Lorrdian. Kaile extended her hand and offered the stick.

“Of course, one moment.” A few tap of the keys and then a confirming beep. The attendant coded a small keycard and offered Kaile her ID back.

“I'll pay for the room upfront.”

“Of course.” Not a strange request and who was she to argue someone paying in advance.

After handing over the credit chips, Kaile has the keycard in hand and a room number.

 

[Asmus Janes]

“No tab?” Asmus asked as he followed Kaile through a locked door. This was the kind of mid to low budget hotel that had security cameras and automatic doors opened by keycards. There was always something a little cold about them. “But how are they going to bill me for my adult holovids?” There was just a small upwards twitch of his lips at the inappropriate joke. He hoped she wouldn't hit him.

They turned a corner and Asmus stopped before entering the stairwell. There was a vending machine with some essentials in it. Soap, single use toothbrushes and other things. Clearly not the kind of hotel to have such things complementary in the room. He slipped a few chits in and grabbed a few items he was short of. Would have been cheaper at the shopping centre, he reflected.

“We've got six episodes left I think,” he said as they climbed the stairs. “Oh bugger I've lent my projector for the next few days.” He didn't use the phrase 'gamble away’ despite already having admitted to Kaile exactly what had happened.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Of what?” Kaile managed to ask as the crossed onto their floor. Leading the path, the Lorrdian was too busy thinking of what they had to do within the next few hours and the extraction to consider any eh episodes that they still needed to watch. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Asmus would realize that by the expression of confusion just around the same time Kaile registered the comment about the projector. Ah. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]They came to their door, and Kaile slid the keycard in the console. It turned from a red to a green for access with a beep.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Not here.” Came her quiet reply, brows furrowed in. They were already off of their plan. The timetable changed. It wasn't a time to relax or a place for leisure. They were here for a reason. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Kaile stepped inside, the agent once more. Whatever thoughts that had floated in her mind of what if possibilities that didn't deal with a mission leaving her mind. [/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

He gave a curt nod. That same gesture for acceptance that it was time to transition back. It had been nice to have some play pretend at being normal for a while. They had been normal for a while as it just happened to be the easiest way to blend in.

They were well behind schedule. Vo might have managed a message to the asset. Likely a prearranged phrase on a public holonet site or similar. But he didn't know those details. Kaile would.

As the door sealed behind them he abandoned the shopping bags and headed for the small desk. When asked, Kaile gave a shake of the head at the prospect of any recording equipment in the room.

He laid out what gear he had. Portal comm unit (switched off), personal device, larger datapad with a hidden SIS system installed, pistol and spare pack, spotting scope, and credit chits.

“What now?” He asked, tone back to professional. He started charging his devices and opened up the publicly available conference schedule. He could still remember which talks the asset was supposed to attend. Right now he'd be watching a presentation from Hoersch Kessel on military transport design.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Kaile set down her bags and her satchel. She also set a few items down, bringing out her data mobile data terminal. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Need to send the [/SIZE][SIZE=13.3333px]Subversion[/SIZE][SIZE=13.3333px] an update.” She replied, going to the desk to set up. Turning to Asmus, she glanced around the room. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Take the time we have now to wash up and rest. I'll keep watch and get things done here.” At least it wasn't like out in the woods, so they'd be safer here, but if he wanted to catch up to sleep it would be the best time for it. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Eat if you like. Rest.” Clearly suggestions she wasn't going to take for herself right now. Pulling up the screen, Kaile returned to the terminal. [/SIZE]

 

[Asmus Janes]

“Alright,” Asmus replied. Probably best that they take turns and listen out for now. There were towels in the cupboard, so he assumed there was a hot water shower rather than a sonic. Right now we would have preferred the latter to really work the grime out.

He took the cheap shower wash from the vending machine with a grimace and bundled it up with a towel.

“Just quickly,” he flicked his datapad on and navigated to a news article. Kaile was good at body language, he knew. She would be able to watch this with a far more trained eye than him. “Does this look like a man who's lying?”

He brought up Valdamir Pute’s most recently announcement on attacking the city. He was angry, ranting and making bold claims on how no imperial officers were safe from his free army.

Asmus didn't wait for it to finish, he turned and headed into the refresher. His clothes were stale and grotty. It felt good to be free of them. He stood under the shower head, face turned up to face it. He let the first wave roll over him before twisting his head back and forth. It wasn't as cleansing as a sonic, but the hot water felt good after the days in the woods.

He tried to imagine his anxieties washing away with the grime that pooled at his feet and circled the drain. She would go soon, into the lion's den. There would be precious little he could do if they were waiting for her.

She trusted you. You must trust her.

It had become something of a mantra now. When he'd asked she had clung to him and waited to see if his plan would come off. He was finding out that she was more capable than he knew.

He emerged after a quick wash, hair slicked back and towel around his waist. It felt good. Asmus wasn't one for staying sweaty and dirty for longer than was strictly necessary. Shame about the poor quality hair products. It left his hair feeling dry.

“What did you think?” he asked as he started to sort through the bags.

 

[Kaile Vera]

[SIZE=13.3333px]No, he wasn't' lying. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]The time Asmus took to shower was spent going over and over Valdamir Pute’s speech. Kaile even went back to research a few of the past month's notices, searching for anything that could be picked up. What she found sobered her more, concern furrowing over her brows. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Kaile had been in one rebellion after the next practically her entire life. She's lived it since she was a little girl. She also was well aware that rebels came from all manner of the spectrum. Some far more dangerous where the end justified the means. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Such was her concentration that the Lorrdian hadn't had her mind drift at the fact that Asmus had gone on to take a shower. That changed right quick as soon as his voice cut the silence and his question prompted Kaile to look up. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]And all manner of thought at what she was gonna answer seemed to fly right out of her mind. There he was, minding over his bag with his damp hair slicked back and that white towel that hung round those hipbones. Not to mentioned the scattered beads of water that he hadn't caught with the towel yet, and they how they clung to his skin was one devil of a sin Asmus had no right to display so freely. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]Heat colored her face and where she'd have enjoyed the view of a half naked man right out of the shower with blatant appreciation, her mind seemed to just fuddle up and get all sorts of dazed when it came to Asmus. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Ah.. yeah.” Right, focus on the datapad. “He ain't lying.” She finally answered. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]“Means every word.” Get your head on the ball game Kaile girl. Coming to her feet, the agent took to keeping herself busy and organizing round the makeshift mini control center she set up with her data terminal.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=13.3333px]It was either that or ogle Asmus some more. [/SIZE]