Kindness and Charisma

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes meanwhile busied himself with more painting.

There was no real reason for it, other than the fact that he was waiting for word from his own contacts. There was no telling what sort of message he'd receive of course, but he hoped it would be good news. Alexia seemed to be in a rush regarding the sale of this painting, and he himself could use the money. He had quite a stash hidden away already, but more never really hurt. Eventually he'd probably be able to retire...though in truth he wasn't sure if he even wanted to.

Eventually a loud melodious beep rang out, signalling that he'd received a message. Wes put down his paintbrush and wandered over to his comm, scooping up the device and reading through it before smiling. "Good."

It seemed that he had a buyer.

Brianna Vilith from Empress Teta. Closer than he would have thought, and still in Alliance Space, but she was willing to pay fifty four Million credits. As stolen Property that was an incredible price for the paining, especially since the woman knew where it was coming from.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

The last of her clothes dropped to the well-used floor and she sunk into the warm water. Stars. This is exactly what her body needed. Nose crinkled slightly realizing Wes probably hadn't cleaned this...EVER.

Don't think about it. Dontthinkaboutit.

Arms swished through the water. Makeup started to peel off. She frowned, seeing those purple and dark bruises from the senator speckle her skin. No job was cheap, this one in particular. Taking a breath and squeezing her eyes closed, she submerged beneath the surface.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes meanwhile made sure to set everything up properly. It seemed that Miss Vilith would require a full view and accounting of the painting before she bought it, and had requested the Wes make an appearance himself before she bought the painting.

He would immediately have called it a set up, but the lead came from him through one of his most trusted associates back on Nar Shaddaa. The man had been like an Uncle to him, and betrayal wasn't even something that ever crossed him. There was also the fact that Empress Teta was known to harbor anti-Alliance feelings and thus he highly doubted they would be cooperating with Alliance authorities. He frowned still however, knowing that heading off-world would be dangerous.

A shrug rolled over his shoulders.

After all of this was done Wes was set to clear a little over eight million credits, that alone was worth it. Thus he slowly shrugged his shoulder and began to head upstairs. Alexia would immediately heard the creaking of the steps as he headed there.

"Got a buyer!" He called to her.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She held her breath and held it longer. Her lungs burned. Eyes squeezed tighter. She stayed under longer. The last of her air bubbles trickled to the surface of the water. She waited longer. Head began to spin. Lungs felt like they were being filled with acid and her pulse pounded in her eardrums.

Head snapped up and she sucked in oxygen, chest heaving.

She heard Wes's voice just as she surfaced but missed the words. Wet hands came up to run the rivers of water from from her face. He'd maybe hear her deep lungfuls of air behind that closed door. "Wha-a?" She finally managed.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"I found a buyer." He repeated as he reached the top of the stairs. "Empress Teta."

Wes of course, had no shame.

So when he reached the top of the staircase he simply took a right, popped open the door, and took out a cigarette. He didn't actually look at Alexia though, rather he just didn't want to spend the entire conversation shouting through the door when it was easier just to talk like this. "Brianna Vilith."

Wes stuck the cigarette between his lips and lit it.

"She's a Countess." He told her as he took a drag. "Rich, and doesn't really care for the Alliance."

Exactly what they needed.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Eyes widened slightly as he just popped in. Hands froze over her face, fingertips just beneath her eyes, palms over her mouth. Wet hair stuck to her skin like glue. Knees drew closer to her chest. She wasn't exactly shy either. Came with growing up in a traveling circus and not having private showers or bathrooms.

Still. He was interrupting HER time. At least he wasn't gawking. Too many underworlders were perverts these days.

"A buyer already. That's good. Really good," gaze couldn't help but flicker to her darkened comm screen on the sink counter. "The last thing I need is an alliance mook. Do yo-hey. Hey hey. Don't light that cancer stick in here."

A wet hand waved through the air as if the emphasize her point.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"It's my house." He reminded her as he took the first puff.

There was no way he was going to listen to her, not after he had just told her that she was about to make something in the mile of forty million credits. That was a lot of money for just one job, enough for most people to live off of for several lifetimes.

"I have to go there." He told her, looking at her for the first time. "She won't buy unless she sees the Fence."

Nobles were weird. "Something about trust."

Getting to Teta would be a pain however, especially with the painting.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She frowned. When Wes looked at her, she suddenly felt embarrassed and it wasn't about being nude. It wasn't like he could see much anyway with her long dark hair and her knees pulled up. No, it was because he was seeing her raw. No make-up and all bruises. She even knew he didn't care. But that wasn't the point.

She cared.

"Well, I'll have to come then. It's not like I'm going to let you gallivant off-world with a multi-million credit painting on your own. Now please leave so I can get out. We can continue this conversation when I have some clothes on."

And concealer to cover up those bruises. It would make her feel less vulnerable.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

He shrugged. "It'll be a lot harder to get both of us off world."

Wes said before he slowly moved from the doorway and stepped outside. Notably he didn't close the door, though it clearly wasn't out of any nefarious intent, more because he usually didn't close it anyway. Simple habit stopped him from closing the door, so instead he wandered into his own room.

He noticed that things were out of place, but he didn't really mind.

Wes had already figured she'd look about.

Now he had to work out how to get both of them off-world. He couldn't just deny her, it was her painting after all and as much as he wanted to double cross her he really couldn't. His business, his work, required trust. A fence who just ran off with the goods was nothing.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She didn't move until he was gone. Fingers plucked the drain from the tub and she stood, water running down her toned form. She was an athlete first and she kept in shape. She was always stronger than she looked. Flying through the air did that to a person.

Fingers snatched up the towel and she hugged it around her body, wincing slightly at the connection to bruises. Palm wiped the fog off the mirror. She could almost see the senator's finger imprints on her jaw.

That kriffin' mook.

With the towel firmly around her, she began to tip toe back to her temporary room. "When do we leave?" She called halfway there.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Tomorrow." If they went tonight it would arouse some suspicion.

Travel arrangements made at the last minute were always watched carefully, especially when something had just happened. Though the galaxy was in relative peace at the moment Wes knew that the Alliance and the First Order were just about to beat the ever loving tar out of one another. With that in mind he knew it was better to look like they were simply taking a relaxed vacation rather than doing something else nefarious.

"I'll make us some Identification." Which would annoyingly take half the night. "Vacation will be our cover story."

Easy enough. "Seeing the central gardens."

He had heard they were quite nice, not to mention the Opera Houses and various galleries on Empress Teta was a big enough excuse for anyone to visit.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"I've always wanted to go to those gardens," she called. It was a half lie. She'd been with the circus but she'd only been nine and didn't remember much. Plus, she knew that was just a cover. They probably wouldn't even go.

Door closed and this time she locked it, peeling off the wet towel and throwing it over a chair. Rummaging through her bag, she found a low cut silk night shirt and a pair of silk high cut shorts. Shimmying them on, she propped her door back open and began applying concealer to those bruises again.

"What's our cover story? Friends? Brother and sister?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

He paused for a second. "Honeymooners."

That really was the easiest story to sell. Two fairly young humanoids, both of them semi-attractive and with large pieces of luggage? Yeah that was an easy sell. Most people would assume it anyway when they saw the two of them together and it was best not to fight that story. It meant of course that they would have to play it up a little bit, but given that she'd just done that would hardly be a problem.

"Shouldn't be an issue once we get past customs." He told her. "They won't check on the Tetan side."

Mostly because they didn't care.

Empress Teta was like Coruscant's little cousin, but it was also Coruscan't far right leaning cousin. The Sith had a strong foothold there, even when there were no Sith to be found.

Tradition and all that.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She snapped the concealer closed. Soft brows lofted at her own reflection in the small mirror in her room. It definitely needed a good scrub down. Honeymooners.

Hmmm.

She'd have to put on another mask. She just hoped Wes was up for it too. He was a rogue and a cheat. A skilled painter but could he be a conman too? "Just dont fall in love with me," she jested lightly, a brief smile on her face. She knew the percentage of that happening was in the negative, especially with someone like Wes. It was always a risk, though, no matter what the job.

Digging in her bag, she pulled something out and made her way to the doorway of Wes' room. Palm extended to show him. "We can use these." Two simple gold bands rested on her palm. One was a fairly generic male size. One fit her.

"It might fit you?" Bare feet shifted on the dusty floor. She was used to working alone, being the only one in-the-know. Working with someone. That would be risky. Especially someone like Wes.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

He took the ring for a moment and fit it onto his finger. "Well enough."

Wes told her before he slipped it off again.

Wearing it chafed his finger, and in all honesty he really didn't like the feeling of wearing it in the first place. Maybe that was a bit silly, but...well sometimes you just had to get a bit paranoid. He frowned for a moment and slipped the ring into his pocket.

"I'll make us the ID's." He told her. "Get us a transport out."

It was only three hours via hyperspace, no need to get their own shuttle, that would only look suspicious. "Just make sure you're ready to go tomorrow."

He didn't want anything to get in the way.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"Okay," she stifled a yawn. Silk shifted on her skin. A palm pressed against her eyes. Like a switch, she felt that entire job with the senator and the emotional breakdown hit her with a wave of exhaustion. It was already well past midnight.

"Night," heels turned and she left his doorway, feet padding across the creaky floor. Tucking a can of stun spray beneath her pillow and her other few valuables, she crawled into bed. Eyes closed and she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes didn't go to sleep of course, he had far too much work. Making new ID's wasn't easy, especially when they had to pass through Alliance security inspections. The Alliance, sadly, wasn't filled with complete idiots, and that meant doing this actually required effort.

"Damn." He said quietly to himself as he fiddled with his third try for Alexia's ID.

Oddly enough the physical part of the ID was actually the most difficult to create. They were a combination of holographic and plastic, and getting it all to match was...hard. The electric component was super easy, just a randomized security code he'd cracked ages ago.

Still, getting this right was hard.

So when Alexia woke up in the morning, she would find Wes just finishing up the second ID.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Wes would hear the bathroom momentarily in-use, footsteps back to the guestroom, followed by the close of the door. A half hour later she'd emerge wearing a casual red dress that seemed fitting for a pair of honey-mooners but nothing over the top. Hair and make-up were already done. Half hour was REALLY good, considering all she'd just done.

You're welcome Wes.

Head poked into Wes' room. Cerulean eyes swept the room AND him. She frowned slightly. "All-nighter? Got anything to eat? I can make you something and bring it up but don't get used to it." She wasn't offering because she was nice. No, this was more strategic because she needed him not to crash during their little charade and before she became a millionaire. Though, most of her credits were going to existing debts with Rasho and that Falleen royalty member.

Or, she'd be getting a lot of bounties on her head. Bounties made conducting business a little more....tricky.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"No." He told her as he turned, offering her the ID he'd made for her. "I'll get something once we're past security at the starport."

Wes was a pretty good Forger, he was a better fence, but a con-artist? That wasn't exactly his game. Sure he could fake his way through a part of two, but Security, trained security professionals who usually spent their time hunting Sith and the like? That made him a bit nervous.

Though he'd never admit that to Alexia. "This shouldn't take that long anyway."

They would probably get back in a day or two. He didn't expect the Countess to put them up in a hotel or anything, in fact he was pretty sure the woman would toss them out right after paying them. It didn't really matter though since he'd be eight million credits richer.

That's all that really mattered to him.

The money.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"Thanks," she tucked the badge in her pocket. "Nice job." Cerulean gaze gave him another once over. "If you're sure...," voice trailed off. She couldn't make the man eat. This just better not cause their mission to be in jeopardy or he'd owe her millions.

"I'll grab my things and meet you downstairs?"

Tucking dark strands of hair behind her ears, she already began walking out to grab her backpack. She'd try to forage for a snack or granola bar in the cabinets.