It's Only Half Past the Point of No Return (Inkblot)

[Cora Passek]

Cora's life of late had been a maze of identities, lies and stories told a thousand times over. For a while her more explosive hobbies had taken a back seat, her focus lost. Events had brought her back to Corellia, and with that came one of the oldest safe houses she knew of. Fluffy followed right behind her as she walked the halls checking the old traps, seeing when the last time anyone had crossed this way. By the general amount of dust covering most things, it seemed a long time had passed since anyone who walked in her circle used it.

Reaching down, she ruffled the fur on the back of the large nexu's head, feeling a hair safer with him at her side. After a final circle of the rooms within the old run down shop, she settled down after ensuring a few window traps were set and the doors both armed in a rather explosive manner. The last thing she was interested in was getting caught, or worrying about unwanted folks coming in.

One of the central most rooms, Cora settled into flopping upon the old bed there, Fluffy adamant that he'd share it too. Though he took up more than half of the space. All was well though, he did make a good pillow when push came to shove. But she knew there might be a moment during the night that Fluffy decided that half was not good enough and shove her off. Problems of living with a fully grown nexu. What they wanted, they got. Down for the evening, pulling her datapad from her pack, she ideally skimmed through local news checking for anything odd nearby. Eventually that was set aside feeling there was little else she could do for the moment, and she curled up alongside Fluffy, in an attempt to drift into dream land.

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"],


As paranoid as Cora already was, perhaps she should have looked over her shoulder more often, for she would notice then a thin shape covered in thick rain coat and a hat, pale mask with black shape concealing his face as he looked up slowly, tracing a trail after the blonde semi-terrorist and her pet across the side-walk before the couple disappeared in one of the abandoned shop.

And in the shadow of a shuttle passing overhead he was gone, his tracking has concluded, it was time for a waiting period until Cora fell asleep to move in on his target.



So, as the night fell Inkblot would make an appearance once more, seemingly moving out of shadows itself as he stepped into a narrow alley nearby the building. He had enough time to check the building carefully, and there was one window Cora did not secured. A thin little hole leading into the shop's basement. Inkblot knelt down next to it, slowly starting to push then pull to taste the opening. Locked.

The vigilante would fish through the pockets of his coat as he pulled out a small round object, a deployable sound dampener, pressing it to the wall above the small window the device would flicker, red light turning green to indicate that it was active as the air suddenly turned eerily still around Ink and his entrance to be. A small orb of stealth was formed for him as he took the edges of the window in his hands, silent, even as he pulled and the metal edges of it, along with glass panes begun to crack slowly it was all completely silent. Finally, the window would gradually give up as with his augmented strength of a secret android Inkblot was able to rip the window out, carefully casting it aside he turned off the sound dampener, perhaps he could use it inside the building, as he prepared to move in.


Gripping the upper edge of the created entrance Ink slid in, feet first, moving into the darkness his eyes could penetrate even from behind his mask. In the darkness through his momentum he knocked into something, a barrel that wobbled, through quick reflexes he stopped the object's movements before it could fall over and create unnecessary noise.

He had a closer look at the obstacle. It was explosives. Old explosives. Seemingly Cora did not thought about the risk of storing explosives inside a shop, no matter how abandoned it was, and about the possibility of them degrading over time and becoming unstable. Ink slowly stepped away from the barrel just to slowly nudge into another one with his back, that one wobbled as well, just to be once more stayed by his quick hands. He would scan the basement carefully- bloody place was filled with them!


Slowly, carefully he would make his way through the explosive maze, watching each cautiously in case something would spark a chain reaction that would doom them all and probably half of the neighborhood. Finally he was close to the stairs leading into the main floor of the shop when suddenly-

WHACK!

Ink did not notice a rake on the floor he stepped on as he was turning and got whacked in his concealed face.

Oh for khark's sake.

He thought to himself as he stealthily placed the old tool away and begun to make his way up the stairs, finally getting out of that accursed place.


On the main floor of the shop, Ink looked around as plan begun to form in his head, he would turn slightly to look back down the basement with explosives, he had some quick work to do in defusing the deathtraps but it could be done. Slowly walking back down he would take out a small vibro-blade from one of his pockets, of course not turning on its vibro-function as to not alert anybody in the house, but just to cut some wires with it, wires in the explosives. So, few moments, or an hour, later the explosives were diffused and all moved to the far side of the room. There was just one more thing, his hands would once more disappear in his pockets and set a small object in the middle of the basement.


Walking back out he would fiddle with the door, making sure it would stay open as he glanced around for a place he could hide in. His eyes found a refrigerator in one corner of the room he was in and he nodded slightly to himself, moving closer to it.



Some moments later there would be something that could wake Fluffy up, it was not image, it was not sound, but a smell, smell of Noxu pheromones, female Noxu, and right there in the house. The trail would lead towards the basement, down to the small orb placed there by Ink, vial inside which containing the pheromones was remotely broken just now, a bait set up for the large cat which Ink hoped the Noxu would take and follow.

 

[Cora Passek]

As much as Cora had known it was going to happen, it was bound to. Fluffy tended to steal the bed these days. Sound asleep as she was, Fluffy finally used all four paws to push her from the soft surface, hitting the hardwood with a loud thud. "Fluffy!" She scolded, mostly grumbled as she pulled free the blanket from the bed and soon curled up into a nearby chair, wrapping herself up before leaning her head against the wall to sleep again.

But something was starting to waken the nexu. A grunt and slight growl later, he padded across the small bedroom and headed to inspect the familiar, but at the same time unfamiliar smell. Having not quite fallen asleep herself, Cora eyed him as he left but saw the opportunity for what it was and leaped to the bed, stealing it back from her furry friend. "Steal my bed will you, then walk off like its nothing... Jerk." Grumbled as she settled back into bed once more. A few more minutes went by and Fluffy headed down into the basement investigating that lovely new smell down in the middle of the basement. Cora herself, had drifted back off to sleep once more, enjoying the entire bed for a change.

[member="Inkblot"]

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]

Hearing the footsteps of the large cat pass by, Ink would slowly open the door to the refrigerator from the inside, springing in smooth steps towards the door the Nexu has crossed following the scent to lay his hands upon their console and continue with his plan.

Before Fluffy could realize it the door to the basement has been locked from the other side, shutting him in in the underground room, and separating him from his mistress Cora. On the other side, Ink would look at the door he just closed, calculating still a bit, then looking back at the fridge, its contents and shelves on the nearby kitchen table and counter, before finally looking at the doorway from which the Nexu came. The doorway leading to his target, the lovely sleeping Cora.


In quiet steps he reaching into the inner flap of his coat, taking out from within a new toy, Baton of Ember he has received as part of new gear from the Barony of Abregado, set to stun for the purposes of the current mission. Using both hands he would silently extend the collapsible baton, quietly, as Cora, sleeping on her bed, came into his view, of course he did not fired of the baton's electroshocking systems just yet in case the crackling noise would wake her.


Finally stopping right before her the vigilante would just watch her for a bit, slightly tilting his head as she continued to snore, or drool, or scratch her crotch, whatever Cora enjoyed doing while she slept. Anyway, Ink would lean in finally, the baton extended in his hand towards her, as he finally pressed the button on the concealable blunt weapon, and made contact between it and Cora, to deliver a nasty stunning electroshock aimed right at her exposed butt.

 

[Cora Passek]

If there was any way a being wished to be woken in, I can solemnly promise that electrocution is NOT the way to go. It's certainly the way to go if the intent is to tick off a certain blonde and tip her into a furious rage, then yes, yes that would be the method in which to do so. The scream uttered as she came to, would have woken half the neighborhood had she not chosen the nearly abandoned district for the safe house. To which Fluffy seemed to come to his senses after overturning nearly half the basement looking for the female nexu he smelled. Racing back to the door, furiously he roared as he attempted to claw it open.

Cora startled from the depths of sleep in the most evil manner possible, was not a happy camper as her hands fumbled for weapons as she shifted up onto her knees to attempt to defend herself. Fingers soon to wrap around a blaster, and the other hand came up to swing at the target that had induced such harm on her person. Things soon started to become clear, even in the darkness the figure she recognized. Now to say she was pissed was the understatement of the year. Cold fury coursed through her veins as she glared at the being in the room with her. Even as angry as she was, there was still limited space to work with, and limited weapons. "Bastard!" She snarled, though really no introduction was needed. "The hell do you want?" Ask first, shoot later, this a concept relatively new to her.

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]

Well at least she was armed this time, as the blaster came into the figure's view the vigilante would quickly slap his Baton to the barrel, if he was able to prod her butt with the electro-stick and she was sleeping with a blaster pistol, then the distance between them would not be any greater.

The lightning would quickly zap from the stun baton, hopefully preventing the weapon from firing in the first place as its systems would be fried, possibly even jumping through the gun to shock Cora again, blaster relied on much more electronic parts for firing than slughthrowers did, after all.

If the gun could still fire, the writer will leave that to Cora's writer to judge, a hole would be burned with quick bolt in the figure's chest, scorching the thickened material of the armor-mesh suit he wore and some of the clothes beneath that outer concealed layer of protection, but it seems not much penetration outside of that, at least not yet, second shot would change that.


"To talk about sticking it to the Sith and screwing them over together."

The figure would rasp out through the tension and the quick pace of the moment.

 

[Cora Passek]

Yet another squeal of pain in such a short period of time, left her dropped the blaster down and turning a most dark glare upon the familiar stranger in the room. "You really have a way of pissing a girl off. Shock therapy, I did not need." She growled, glancing around for what else was nearby and could be used as a weapon if need be, untrusting as she was and all.

Then the words that followed surprised her. "Say again?" At first not believing her ears had registered the words spoken properly. Though, soon enough it started to sink into her mind. No, no, now she was certain she heard right.

"If I recall our previous conversation.... I believe you didn't approve of my methods or means for dealing with them." Her expression softening a little, "Are you suddenly on the Kill Sith r Us train, or what? Cause otherwise I am a might bit confused."

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]

"Who said I never wanted Sith gone? It is when civilians are killed that I have a problem with things."

He kept the shock baton strong in his grip, in case Cora would try something else against him, like throwing a pillow or something.

"And your methods often do that. Sith hold Coruscant, city we both shared our business in. I want them gone from it, you want them gone from it. If we work together at least I will be able to keep you from killing innocent lives."

Ink would watch Cora from behind the veil of his bone-white mask, the black shape still on his features,

"The Sith are still spreading, they must be stopped before it is too late. There are resources being pulled, information gathered, people begin to get together, we are not the only ones with vendetta against them."

He would pause for proper delivery,

"I am here to give you chance to join something greater than either of us and fulfill our part in this War of the One Sith, to join the Last Alliance."

 

[Cora Passek]

She gave a small shrug, "You know as well as I that collateral damage happens in this game. Some cannot be helped." No further effort was made for a weapon, he had her attention.

The mention of Coruscant, more than brought back a fire in her eyes. "Took my home from me. Killed business contacts, friends. Family, though that is a much older crime against my person. Want them gone is beyond understatement. But you knew that already."

A slow nod followed, "Of course they spread, a festering illness upon the galaxy those lot."

She lifted a brow in response, "You know I don't play well with others, right?" Maybe he did, or maybe she was wrong. "And if I join this cause, what happens to me?" Wanting certainty that he'd not be using any further shock therapy on her, or any more breaking into her home. "[SIZE=14.4444446563721px]Will you finally let me have my peace? Will you, oh I don't know, give me a warning before you decide upon invading my places of residence?"[/SIZE]

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]


"Probably not."

The man rasped out to Cora,

"If you'll join the cause you'll be given another chance, a clean slate. You won't have to run anymore, you won't have to hide, you will be able to stop living in shadows like a rat but come to Coruscant as a hero, a guardian."

He would slightly lean in towards Cora,

"If you are willing to change that is, if you are ready to work for redemption."

 

[Cora Passek]

Cora looked up to him, a sigh came as she weighed the options. She only had one last thing she needed answered. "Define: Clean Slate." Clarity, that was what she wanted in the end, absolute clarity of the terms. "Because if you mean what I think you do, I'd be foolish not to come along for the ride. Even if we are riding into the maws of hell."

"Change is not easy. Not easy at all what you ask of me." A final sigh came, her eyes dropped down. "Redemption, I doubt I'll ever be worthy." At least not in her own eyes. Not anytime soon. But there was a certain appeal to what was offered. A chance to get her revenge, and perhaps wipe away the messiness of who she had been. It would just require being a team player, and that was the part where she wondered if that was a part she could play.

"I just want clarity. To know that you aren't simply tossing out what I wish to hear." Tricked one time too many with pretty words.

[member="Inkblot"]

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]

His words were far from being pretty, rasped out like dirt sputtered out by malfunctioning vacuum cleaner,

"The alliance will have you pardoned and the records of your crimes ensponged as long as you show your penance and desire to change your life by actively helping us fight off the One Sith and other threads aligned with them during the War of the One Sith."

He would watch his prey, his patient, companion, whatever Cora and Ink had going on between each other,

"Redemption is worth anyone who is truly willing to change, many Sith have been given that chance, many tried to take advantage of it or lie through it, it usually ended with them dead. If you start believing in yourself, then you will be worth it."

The masked vigilante nodded slightly as he tried to get through to the blonde cuddly terrorist person,

"I may have terrorized you, but have I ever lied to you?"

 

[Cora Passek]

"It's only half past the point of no return, right?" The thought she soon pushed away as she worked through the pros and cons of the possibly alliance before them.

"Look, the reality is for a change we find our purposes and goals aligned with the other." Idly she rubbed away any remaining tiredness from her eyes. "This opportunity has potential, as to where exactly it will leave us in the end... Only time knows the answer to that or maybe Coryth, if she still draws breath." That a bit of a long story to how she knew the fabled short stack of fire.

Taking in a deep breath, his words were heard, but still she didn't have faith in herself enough to believe that. "And no, you've not lied to me. Not yet at least." Clearly her trust was rather limited in others.

"Ain't gonna make fancy promises, or words I know I may not keep. Not my style. I'll just make an effort to limit civilian causalities, and be there when the battle begins to whatever end the fates have seen fit to dole out for us."

[member="Inkblot"]

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]


Inkblot would nod slightly at Cora's words, keeping silent for now although to himself he thought,

Geez, what a weirdo

He was not sure whether Cora noticed or not but through their conversation Ink has deactivated the stun baton in his hand, no longer electricity danced around it,

"Great, well I'm going to shock you again."

Without skipping a beat he would mutter, pressing the tip of the baton to her tummy once more, but still not activating it, besides the cold sensation of metal touching her skin Cora would not feel any shocks, which was always good!

"See, there goes the first lie."

He would quip, taking back his baton and collapsing it in his hands.


"When the time comes for the first assembly I will come for you, you will be able to weigh in on the plans and see where they will assign you."

 

[Cora Passek]

Not weird, no, Miss Cora merely eccentric. And well one did have to be at least a little nuts to do the things she did with little to no concern for her own well being.

"Oh come on! I thought we'd come to some special middle ground!" She declared as he pushed the baton her way. The glare that followed as it connected with no effect, could have killed a planet. "Have half a mind to take that thing from you and beat you senseless with it!"

"Next time you come for me.... Use the front door. There is this thing called knocking. Perhaps you've heard of it, or do you need the book on the subject matter. I'm sure it could help." Her own joking aside, she did finally nod in understanding.

"Why do I have the distinct feeling that we may all come to regret this?" She muttered, mostly to herself.

 

[Inkblot]

[member="Cora Passek"]


"You can always try, and the front door do not have as much zing to it."

He would reply, hiding away his stun baton in one of the inner pockets of his coat as he tilted his head at Cora's muttering about regretting all of this,

"Because this is how all unlikely romances start."

Ink quipped, turning on his heel towards the door leading out, he would stop before crossing the threshold of the doorway, and the vigilante would glance back over his shoulder at Cora the Cuddlesome,

"Your Nexu is locked in the basement with bunch of deteriorating explosives, might want to tend to that."

He would add before finally disappearing from the view.

 

[Cora Passek]

"Romance? What the hell kind of spice are you on?" She asked glaring at him momentarily.

Then paused... "Fluffy's in the basement with the..? Right, I should deal with that."

"Uh, .." She glanced back noting his absence. "Okay then..." She walked down to the basement door and opened it slowly, to which Fluffy the full grown nexu promptly pounced on her, pinning her by the shoulders before he raced about the house trying to figure out what happened. Grabbing him, she took a bit of a walk to place him back upon her ship for safe keeping. Then returned to the safe house .... now that she considered it no longer useful, no longer any safety left there now that, that ... creature knew about it. She had an easy solution for dealing with the highly unstable explosives remaining behind. Walking back inside, down to the basement, taking only a few moments to place a few small detonators, she soon fled the premises.

It wasn't until she was on board, and getting ready for liftoff that she pressed the switch in her hand, activating the detonators and what had once been useful stock. Feeling the shock-wave, and catching a glance of the fireball in the night, she finally took off and immediately headed into hyperspace as soon as she was clear of the planet. "Well, so much for a relaxing time on Corellia, eh Fluffy?" She asked as she reached back to once more ruffle the large beast's furry head. "I think it's time to head back to work."