Faction Masked Intentions | SIA

[IVI]

MASKED INTENTIONS
SIA in THE RENAISSANCE ERA
CORUSCANT | CORUSCANT CROWN CASINO

Everyone was to wear a mask, supplied by corporations applying for contracts from The Director and various research and design projects divisions on privacy and security within the SIA. Some were black and soulless as virtual reality tech. Others, transmorphic and technicoloured.A few had miniature waterfalls running down the cheekbones. Someone had living creatures, tiny little species, like a localized dystopia on their face.

Faces that were normally noses, jaws and cheekbones, were subverted to something beyond facial recognition. The entire building had been rented for the event, and staff replaced with the SIA’s own officers who ran diagnostics over the successes or failures on the recognition prototypes concealing people’s identity.

“These ones ain’t any good.” One of the Bothans spoke up, tapping the screen that zeroed in on the bartender’s mask as she rattled the mixer to pour another drink. It was one of the variations that were Surakkean peacock iridescent. Even with real feathers. “Might be the organic mix with the tech, makin' it penetrable.”

The announcer was wearing a pink-red mask with three eyes for three types of filters. Their neck wasn’t visible at all, making them look like another species entirely, not an HRD prototype from the same division that was providing some of the waterfall-masks.

While the announcer spoke, the faces of the waitstaff were taken over by a transcript of big, capitalized text that matched what the figure on the makeshift stage was proclaiming:

WELCOME AGENTS, GUESTS,

WE APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO TIMING. WE HAVE RECEIVED VALIDATION THAT THE NUMBER OF INVITEES MATCH THE NUMBER IN ATTENDANCE. THEREFORE IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT WE REMIND YOU OF TONIGHT’S PURPOSE.

YOUR MISSION IS TO OF TWO PARTS:

»» ONE — EACH ATTENDEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONCEALING THEIR IDENTITY TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. THESE TIMES OF PEACE MEAN MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLANDESTINE OPERATIONS THAT LEAN DEEPER INTO INFILTRATION NEEDS. CONSIDER THIS PARTLY AN AUDITION FOR SUCH QUALIFICATIONS.

»» TWO — INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES AND INFORMATION GATHERING IS EQUALLY A PART OF EACH ATTENDEE’S RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN INFORMATION FROM GUESTS WITH IS WITHHELD, PROBE FOR IT AND REVEAL THE IDENTITY OF FELLOW AGENTS. EXPOSE THEIR IDENTITIES. THERE ARE NO RULES REGARDING THE APPROVED LENGTHS AND MEANS OF DISCOVERY AT YOUR DISPOSAL.

PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR FUTURE PLACEMENTS.

THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE: YOU MUST NOT REMOVE ANOTHER'S MASK.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

​

The announcer nodded once, satisfied, and stepped from the stage. In their place, the live entertainment resumed singing and plucking at their instruments. They wore masks too.

---

OPEN TO ALL STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE AGENTS OF THE GALACTIC ALLIANCE​

​

 

[Noah Corek]

​

Noah sighed behind the mask that he was required to wear to the event, deeming it a little gaudy for his taste but if he was here to shill for his company than it was a small price to pay. The simple nondescript black face mask was made out of gammaplast for protection, coated with reflec to fool any passive sensors, consisted of a series of installed scramblers and bafflers to fool an active sensors and even though the eye sockets were covered with a nigh impenetrable obscuring mesh they still were equipped with retinal disguisers in the off chance they could be seen.

In all the eggheads at Hekler'Kok Defense Industries had put their all into crafting a mask that could get even the most wanted criminal past the strictest security screening. Why exactly Noah was here was completely different affair since technically this event was meant for SIA agents. Noah MIGHT have forged an invite, he MIGHT have snuck into the event and he MIGHT be doing this simply because he was bored or for a vast amount of other reasons that were known to himself or maybe he was simply demonstrating how well his mask worked that it allowed a man who could definitely be considered a security risk into such an event.

 

[Seku Bondara]

Seku had never really been much of a fan of social engagements involving masks. For one, masks made it harder to read people, try to figure out what their true intentions were. Secondly, the mask she had been given was really cramping her lekku, which was making her feel more than a bit irritable. Third, she was profoundly worried about Alex StormWolf, who seemed to have disappeared off the grid again without letting her know where he was headed.

"Get with the program girl, you've got a job to do," she muttered to herself as she wound her way through the crowd.

 

[Jaqu'n Boiv]

​

Masked Intentions​

Operative "Sable"
Strategic Intelligence Agency
Location: Coruscant | Coruscant Crown Casino
Assignment: Playing Cat and Mouse
Tags: Strategic Intelligence Agents

'Andrew Cole' entered the casino with little flair nor fanfare amidst the entertainment resuming as normal. He had already gotten the brief for what lied in wait at the event, and while he was normally timely with his arrivals, well. Tonight was slightly different. Considering it was a sort of gala or some other part sophisticated, the Dark Operator arrived in a tailored suit, which was partly the reason he arrived so late in the first place. Layers of clothing on top of another wasn't like a bodyglove you could just slide on and be done with, and with suits, you had to be careful you didn't tarnish them to the point of being improper to wear. Ugh. If only he could just wear his armor and be done with this sket.

Despite being without the comfort his armor provided, he was provided with a mask from one of the many corporations taking part in this experiment, spearheaded by the Strategic Intelligence Agency. Of the many that provided the wildest and strangest options for one to wear, it had him thinking back to biomods. It was an experimental program in Dark Ops, more specifically, but you could turn someone into a completely new appearance and voice that you wouldn't be close to recognizing them before. The only issue was, it only had the best results on those alien races that were practically close to being human, much like humans alone. Perhaps it would be some way to 'disguise' himself as it were, but considering DO was practically inactive beyond himself, that wasn't much an option for him now.

But he would be here, playing to the program that would be assigned to him. And so 'Andrew' chose, out of the many options that were available, something that was simple. A mask worn over the face, revealing everything from his ear and back, even the top of his hair that even flowed forward over part of the subtle device. While it may not be any kind special to outwardly deform his features, a simple oval type of shape that only bore two holes for eyes, it was large enough to leave the man's facial features hard to discern without removal or familiarity. What the mask did beyond that however was throw off facial recognition software, not only being able to detect but spoof back a configuration that threw off the wearer's facial structure with a completely alternate and ultimately different reconstruction. Even the viewports for the eyes actively altered both eye shape and color beneath the lenses, and partially skin foliation as well.

In short? The mask was practical on the outside, and deceptive on the inside. A tool far more simple than the total species changing headdresses or the bizarre and attention-grabbing still expression-filled masks. His was simply came in matte black, and that was all he needed.

Upon entering further into the casino main floor, among countless other patrons conversing and playing in the night's game of subterfuge, 'Andrew' opted to avoid the massed crowds and take a spot along the counter of one of the sprawling bars in the establishment. If there was anything that kept the man calm and cool was not only his demeanor, but the fact that hardly anyone within the organization had seen his face before. Any part of him outside of bodyglove or armor, for that matter. Sure, his neck. hands and hair were all exposed. Yet as far as he was aware, hardly any database existed on the man that was well out of time, and especially outside of DO. Sable was practically a wraith in armor. He'd keep it that way by the night's end.

Relaxing at the edge of the counters, both elbows propping the weight he'd rest into the countertop, the enigmatic male gave his order request. Cold and deadpan, hardly holding any interest in the goings on around him. Time to see if he still had it in him to discover a thing or two while keeping his own cards close to his chest.

"Mantellian Bombshell. On the rocks."

 

[Anja Rydder]

Location: Corporate funded SIA ball
Objectives: Enjoy the atmosphere
Tags: Desric Terassi IVI Jaqu'n Boiv Seku Bondara Noah Corek

This ball was an interesting affair to say the least, but Anja was excited. She had an excellent career in law enforcement, but her position in the Corporate Authority of Denon left her separate from similarly qualified people in the wider alliance. So, when she had heard that Globex would be one of the sponsors of this event, she was more than happy to attend as the security consultant of Desric Terassi on behalf of the company. Security Escort was well below the pay grade of an inspector general, but she was fairly confident an attractive Zeltron with a taste for the finer things would be a more enjoyable date for the man than some Goon in a starched Corpsec shirt. Did he need a security consultant at a venue like this? Most certainly not and they both knew it, but she got a ticket to a very exclusive party, and he got to scratch the back of the woman in charge of customs for the CAD region.

The mask that Globex had provided her was fascinating. To the outside observer she looked significantly less clandestine than most of the other "competitors" but it was crawling with experimental nanotechnology. According to her date, it had a database of over eleven thousand similarly aged zeltron women stored within its beautiful green irridescent shell. Every fifteen minutes, nanoscopic projectors would change her Iris, retinas and subtle facial markers to match a random individual chosen from the database. She looked at her date before they entered, it would do no good for them to enter together, it would be a clue, and any clue was one extra that could be capitalised on. "Thank you for the invite this evening, it's a shame that we should part ways at this point, but perhaps you might run into a pretty Zeltron with a taste for high end tech at the bar?"

Anja activated her mask with a thought from her implant and was certain she felt her eyes and skin subtly change. Other tech would baffle remote scanners and other biometric readers, she was ready to party. As Anja walked ahead of Desric she picked up a glass of expensive drink and looked back over her shoulder to give him a playful wink, and perhaps checking that he was enjoying watching her walk away. She already had a working relationship with the young executive but had never been one to respect the hard boundaries between business and social interaction.

As the doors opened, Anja snapped back around and quickly flipped her long purple hair into place before surveying the room. This was going to be fun.

​

 

[Desric Terassi]

Desric was not used to having anyone but Cadence assigned as security, but why waste an opportunity to network?

Likewise, he was not about to let the opportunity to showcase some of Globex's newest tech go to waste.

"That does seem a distinct possibility," He noted with a smile, before activating his own mask - like hers it was made using nanotech, albeit in a much less subtle form. Within moments, his head had been covered by a silvery mask resembling a notable historical figure. Instead of staying static, it changed every minute with clockwork precision.

It would be hard for her to get a read on him, once the mask went up, but the mask would return the wink.

Why not, right? He was reasonably sure she was flirting with him, which was an interesting contrast to the usual CorpSec nonsense. He found that he much preferred it to the more common mixture of sycophancy and corruption.

After a brief wait, he too walked through the doors. As he entered the crowd, his mask transitioned from the visage of Obi-Wan Kenobi to Xim the Despot, 'Whose Fist Shall Enclose the Stars and Whose Name Shall Outlive Time.'

Anja Rydder | OPEN to 'Interrogation'​

 

[Seku Bondara]

As she wound her way through the crowd, Seku felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see someone of indeterminate gender based on the clothing , their face obscured by what resembled tumbling static on a display screen.

"Little birdie tells me you really get wild after a couple shots of StarShine Surprise at crashed Life Day parties..."

Fark it! She was never going to live that one down, was she? And how the hell had she been singled out of a crowd while wearing what was supposed to be a top of the line image obscuring mask?

"I believe you've mistaken me for someone else."

"I'm pretty sure I haven't. I recognize that fine Twi'lek booty anywhe...."

Seku uppercut her antagonist under the chin with a hard right, sending them sprawling to the floor. Standing over them, Seku reached down and grabbed a handful of their collar and brought them up close until their masks were about touching.

"Nobody talks that way to me and gets away with it, except for one man. And I know damned well you're not him!"

"No...I'm not...I'm not Alex StormWolf," her antagonist answered meekly.

"Rudd Livan..."

"Guilty as charged...."

"You never could keep your big mouth shut about my figure. Keep it up, and I'll start breaking every bone in your body...starting at your left big toe and ending with your right pinkie finger. And if I hear one more thing about a particular LIfe Day Party...I'll make you disappear. I won't kill you...but I'll put you somewhere so deep even M will never find you."

"You threatening me, girl?!"

"No, that's a sincere promise, so don't press your luck."

"You are one stone cold b***h!"

"Only when I need to be. Now get out of my sight before I make good on my promise..."

Tags- OPEN

 

[Cordé Sabo]

______________________________________________________________
D U L C E T
CORUSCANT | CORUSCANT CROWN CASINO
______________________________________________________________

Motion-filled masks around the pazzak table we’re making Cordé nauseous. If reading opponents regularly was hard — play the player — trying to scrutinise the hand of someone with an aquarium on their face, or ever-shifting plates that remodelled every sixty-five seconds, was even worse.

Every now and then, someone would say something that wasn’t about the game. Casual exchanges that asked about recent travel, thoughts on politics, what drink they liked to order to nurse the pain of a bad hand; conversation prompts that normally fit as small talk but revealed morsels about the person behind the mask.

Someone from the Information Analysis Bureau, a junior agent from Crypto Analysis division, had already let slip what their daily routine was like and someone with an all-white face and no expression had finger-gunned them into admission.

Now, the kid had to skulk around with a naked face. At least with everything exposed, there were no obstacles to shucking back drinks to numb the embarrassment.

The entire evening’s concept seemed near-impossible considering most agents either worked solo, or exclusively on their task forces. She didn’t want to be a bad sport about it, but Cordé didn’t particularly want to succeed tonight either. The success of concealing her identity meant she’d have more missions undercover, like when she’d spent three months as Jultany Winspurr on Neshtab, or Hela Medar on Dantooine. She’d accomplished much as both those women, but the therapy afterwards to untangle worlds had sucked.

What had sucked even more was the isolation that came with those missions. As Jultany, she’d missed….at least fifty holo messages that might have salvaged her relationship earlier on if she’d just had access to her real self. By the time Jultany and Hela were wrapped up, Cordé’s world was a mess.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to self-sabotage. The only thing stopping her from joining the bare-faced analyst, was the idea of someone else receiving undue credit for unearthing that which was supposed to be sacred.

She wanted a drink.

That wasn’t true, what she really wanted was a smoke, but someone might have known her preferred cigarra brand. So a drink would have to suffice.

“Deal me out.”

A table of beautiful and complex faces, none of them real, turned to face her. She felt them watching, trying to peel away that which blinded them. She tapped her cards down, and waited for the dealer to trade her rectangles for little circled chips.

“Thanks.”

Her voice was raspier than usual, like she’d spent the day screaming. A tablet she’d swallowed earlier that had the same effects as scratching up her throat, without the harm. The instructions had said it would last up to six hours.

And her mask, like everyone else’s, was to test some degree of perception — hers focused on the impact of stimulation. The dysmorphic, animated display that rippled over her eyes was meant to either fully entrance or wholly deter. A spectacle that drew all-consuming focus that the other tell-tale parts of her face, or body, were disregarded. The ceaseless ripples and waves that weft across half her face had no effect on her vision, she could see plainly with no obstruction.

Plainly enough to side-step as someone was slammed to the ground by a blue Twi’lek. Cordé overheard the accusation and the acceptance of identity, one Rudd Livan. So early in the night too! Two faces already exposed.

So transfixed by the altercation, Cordé misstepped and uncharacteristically (a good thing, in this case) bumped into someone she hadn’t meant to.

“Oh!” What would someone that wasn’t Cordé say? Her mind scrambled to fill in the blanks. “Sorry, I just..” She decided less was better, and thumbed over her shoulder at the pair exchanging threats. Well, one threatener. The other seemed happy to just be beneath the Twi’lek.

“You alright?"

______________________________________________________________
IMMEDIATE INTERACTION: Isobel Nakano | OPEN TO INTERROGATION
NEARBY: Seku Bondara
MYSTERIOUS GUESTS: Jaqu'n Boiv | Anja Rydder | Desric Terassi | Noah Corek
______________________________________________________________​

 

[Isobel Nakano]

everybody's playing the game, but nobody's rules are the same
nobody's on nobody's side​

The M.A.S.K. prototype was lightweight and not uncomfortable on Isobel's face as she lingered near the pazaak tables. Though it was not the only measure by which she was seeking to obscure her identity, the Multifunction Anti-Surveillance Kit had covered her Atrisian features with something less distinctive by way of holographic overlay. This could be changed with an app on her comlink to one of several pre-loaded identities. Useful if one were to become compromised, though without having an alternate change of clothes its usefulness would be limited. Her straight black hair was replaced by golden blonde, her dark eyes a vivid green instead. These last two were fail-safes; in the event that the M.A.S.K. malfunctioned she might still be unrecognizable using old-fashioned methods of obfuscation.

Wearing a dress from Blue Lotus might have been a dead giveaway, so she had chosen something a little more down market -- nothing off the peg, of course, which might have been perhaps too much of an overcorrection. A fox-fur stole set off the look -- or it did until there was a ruckus and then someone bumped into her from behind, then Isobel's red wine splattered on the silvery fur. Isobel turned, looking past the woman who had bumped her to scrutinize the twi'lek and the man cowering before her for a few moments before her attention turned toward Cordé Sabo , a generous smile crossing her face.

"Oh, I'm alright," she said in a voice that was only slightly tinted with some kind of accent, as if the woman had spend decades trying to shed it, only for it to creep its way back in when she was three glasses of pinot noir deep. "Don't you worry about it," Isobel said with a toothy grin. She reached in the decolletage of her dress for a kerchief, which she used to dab at the fox's now-burgundy forehead. "Ya know, I think this fox has seen its last party," Isobel confided in the woman opposite with an air of mock solemnity. "Truth is it was a gift from my ex mother-in-law that I kept out of spite, so I'm not that torn up to see the end of it."

None of it was true, of course. Isobel had never been married, and the fox had been bought from an estate sale in Victoria. But it was all about social stealth tonight, right? Isobel suspected she had a slight edge, given how relatively new she was to the SIA. New enough that her preferences and habits might not have been well-known among her peers.

"How about you? I didn't splash any on you, did I?" Isobel stepped back to look up and down the woman opposite.

Immediate Interaction: Cordé Sabo
Nearby: Seku Bondara
Masked Attendees: Jaqu'n Boiv | Anja Rydder | Desric Terassi | Noah Corek​

 

[Anja Rydder]

Location: Corporate funded SIA ball
Objectives: Enjoy the atmosphere
Tags: Desric Terassi IVI Jaqu'n Boiv Seku Bondara Noah Corek Cordé Sabo Isobel Nakano

the mask would return the wink

Good, correct answer, the Zeltron thought to herself with a smile. She considered the other corporate overlords of her home planet and how, despite their love of excess and the finer things in life, rarely knew how to just, play.

Anja watched the brief altercation between the Twi'lek ( Seku Bondara ) and the other person. She found herself instinctively reaching for her hip to retrieve her sidearm before remembering she had come unarmed tonight as per the invitation. She read the room, in a room full of law enforcement agents, noone had reacted to the punch, so it was probably OK. She was more than used to corpsec agents rough housing with each other, sometimes it was better to let it out like that then let clash between colleagues fester.

"Nice punch, I'd love to know what he did to earn that... bar?" she added with a questioning inflection. "Your pigmentation is lovely, very unusual, foundation number #6D9BBF if I'm not very much mistaken?" she joked to the twilek, her implant was skimming visual information and cross-referencing them for any details, she didnt know any of these people, she wasn't even SIA, but it didn't mean she couldn't play their games. Then, true to her character and the indication she made to her corporate escortee she made a beeline for the bar.

What to drink? She was in the mood for a Csillan Fireball, but that had been her drink of choice for years, something different tonight, "One Coruscanti Sunrise, por favor" and if Seku had taken the offer to join her, she would also extend the offer of a drink to the mysterious acquaintance. She started to sip her drink, wrinkling her nose a little at a taste she knew she didn't enjoy, and scanned the room, trying to see if any spark of inspiration hit her. And also curious what Desric Terassi might be up to
​

 

[Cordé Sabo]

______________________________________________________________
D U L C E T
CORUSCANT | CORUSCANT CROWN CASINO
______________________________________________________________

“I hope it’s not an heirloo—,” Cordé frowned. Even through the obscurity, apologetic quirks were emulated. But then the fox had a back story, one that sounded like soured relationships, and she felt less bad about the creature’s accidental dye-job.

The piece was certainly a statement. If the fur was authentic, it would have been terribly expensive. But if it had come from an ex-mother-in-law, it may have been an emotional cost rather than a credit-measured one.

Smoothly, the dialogue transitioned back to Cordé and she took a step back to down at herself. Between her neckline and the spectacle on her face, she doubted anyone would have noticed any stains of pinot, but there wasn’t anything worth noting. Maybe a spot or two but that was happenstance.

“No, no, only you get to wear my clumsiness. Here, I owe you a refill at least. Come with me to get another drink?” Trays swirled around them, but they were only flutes of bubbles. They hit the bloodstream faster. Got people looser quicker. Let secrets slip swifter.

“Normally I’d introduce myself but,” she sighed dramatically and rolled her shoulders to a shrug and gesture to the whole of the scene. Her eyes lingered briefly on the shape of the Twi’lek and the man beneath her, and watched as he rose. Wary for any signs that might indicate dizziness or some after-effect of the impact from the punch-and-slam-to-the-ground.

She resolved to ignore her medic-born instincts, and rationalised that if he was at this party, SIA’s basic training was far, far worse. Back to the woman in the emerald dress. “Foxender’ll have to suffice.”

______________________________________________________________
IMMEDIATE INTERACTION: Isobel Nakano | OPEN TO INTERROGATION
NEARBY: Seku Bondara | Anja Rydder | Desric Terassi
MYSTERIOUS GUESTS: Jaqu'n Boiv | Noah Corek
______________________________________________________________​

 

[Cordé Sabo]

oh no how embarrassing
more UCs for me

 

[Jaqu'n Boiv]

​

Masked Intentions​

Operative "Sable"
Strategic Intelligence Agency
Location: Coruscant | Coruscant Crown Casino
Assignment: Playing Cat and Mouse
Tags: Desric Terassi | IVI | Seku Bondara | Noah Corek | Cordé Sabo | Isobel Nakano | Anja Rydder
Open to Interrogation

Andrew grew accustomed to the ongoing noise within the establishment. Listening to the conversations at his sides was an easy enough task with patrons moving to and from the bar top, though really he didn't focus in on these exchanges. While they may have been interesting, or tactful in gaining an upper hand on them later when he may cross paths with them, the Dark Operator wasn't in much of a hunter's mindset tonight. Of course, the name of the game was to discover who was who and what they did while keeping your own identity and purpose a secret. But that was different compared to gaining intelligence on a target to then take them down in a gunfight. He'd prefer the latter over the subtleties of the event he found himself needing to be a part of, apparently. But then again, it was something he needed to freshen up on. A skillset that couldn't fall below the margin of capable. Mediocrity wasn't his motto. And thankfully, the night terrors that had normally dulled his mind had been absent recently. For now.

When the bartender arrived with his order, having taken the painstaking time to figure out the instructions passed on by the matte black masked man before her, she had made it to perfection. The drink itself was an oddity, an attention seeking beacon that clashed with many of the drinks that were at the counter currently. The blue concoction, much like its namesake, glowed in a faint hue that really did make it seem like it was some chemical mixture poured out from a bombshell. The only two things that attempted to deter the dangerous assumption away was the singular sphere of ice inside the tumbler glass, and a silly straw. The same kind of one that was usually cheap to come by, going upright from the bottom of the glass, pierced through the ice globe, and when reaching the top, spiraled into many different directions in a fixed shape. Eventually it all swirled around to the top, the end reaching upwards as if the straw had once been straight before its guts had been pulled into a goofy mess.

If this wasn't anything to draw attention to himself, Sable really didn't know what else would for him. Besides the tussle of a Twi'lek flooring some poor agent who thought they were a bigshot. He'd seen them before, and to be honest. He wasn't surprised the Alliance had that issue in it's intelligence services. The chances were always slim, but never close to none. Except in Dark Ops, which never suffered the fool.

Turning his back to the counter to watch the endless sea of crowds before him, playing cards and drinking in enclosed social circles among players of the game beyond flipping chips, Andrew observed the closest surroundings to him. Especially that of a peculiar sight that hadn't been noticed by him in the SIA thus far, to his knowledge. His masked head turned to regard the revealed pink skin and flowing purple hair of the patron across the open gap between the two at the bar. The green dress had been stylish enough, though to be honest, he hadn't been too curious to let the gaze linger far longer than was needed. It was a quick enough observation for him to ascertain the knowledge that Anja Rydder was indeed a Zeltron. Or at least, a humanoid wearing a very convincing body glove as part of her mask. Who could really say in this strange galaxy he's found himself wound up in.

A sip of the glowing concoction had given the time to parse through the consideration. To play the game, or let some bumbling, emaciating fool attempt to get anything out of the man. Feeling that all-familiar burn that flowed down his throat, he chose to advance instead.

Nothing Ventured was Nothing Gained.

Or so he told himself.

As 'Andrew' strolled down the counter, he opted in changing up his behavior slightly. A bit of swagger came to his step, more loose and casual than he usually found himself to be. It didn't hide his peak physical shape, the assumption of him being some kind of operator no doubt evident in his physicality. Yet it was enough to show that the discipline instilled into the man, the one he pretended to be, was not that of an elite of the elite. Probably just some ad-hoc pipe hitter that young and, maybe, just a little cocky. Even more so when he spoke his voice was in a higher, more casual pitch. The gruff and dryness usually accustomed to the Dark Operator out of his armor was hidden away, much like his eyes had been. Through the lenses of the eye-shaped holes in the otherwise featureless mask, the irises shone in a brilliant blue as they fixed themselves onto the Zeltron.

"Excuse me for not knowing better, but you're quite the tall sunrise yourself."

The stranger's delivery was as smooth as what came when one was at a bar. Just enough to be playful, except for that underlying tone that there was a game to be played. And unfortunately, both of them were in the demise of being both interrogator and interrogated at the same time. When he settled to a stop, it was a respectable distance away and close enough to carry on a conversation without being drown out by the filled room and the festivities that would draw into the late hours.

That looked to be something he was comfortable with, clearly so as an elbow placed itself onto the counter to support the weight he'd lean into the countertop. The other hand gently pulled up his rather perplexing beverage for a sip through the amusingly shaped straw. Luckily for him, his mask needed no adjustment for the straw to be functional, and thus forth gave away no tactical knowledge as to who his identity was. Even if she might not even be aware to who the man was underneath the whole nonchalant façade.

 

[Seku Bondara]

After sending Rudd Livan on his way, Seku turned to answer the inquiry about what he had done to earn her punch, following the stranger towards the bar.

"I totally get it that I have a nice figure, but there's more to this package than just a firm backside. Let's just say he's had it coming for quite awhile now."

The comment about her pigmentation made her blush a bit behind her mask. Ok..was she being flirted with here? Seku took notice of the stranger's vivid purple hair.

"Nice coloration yourself. Zeltron, if I'm not mistaken?"

Approaching the bar, Seku was sorely tempted for the briefest of moments to order a shot or two of StarShine Surprise on the rocks, but decided to play it safe, so she wouldn't be waking up later in strange places trying to remember exactly what took place the night before or who she'd inadvertently hooked up with after one too many shots of the potent drink.

"Corellian Ale."

TAG- Anja Rydder

 

[Isobel Nakano]

better learn to go it alone, recognize you're out on your own
nobody's on nobody's side​

"Oh, yah, no worries there," Isobel said affably in response to Cordé Sabo declining to identify herself. Shrewd, of course. "Foxender's a bit of a mouthful, but I can't say as mine's any better. Worse, I'd say. Lotte Lundegaard," she said, seeming to lilt into the accent a little more as she put a hand to her chest to indicate she was introducing herself. Whether it was the alcohol getting to her and loosening her tongue, or whether it was all an elaborate ruse, was something about which she hoped to keep people guessing.

Her new companion's lingering gaze did not escape Isobel's notice, though she couldn't say what significance to assign to it. Morbid curiosity, perhaps. It didn't seem like an everyday occurrence to have a brawl in an establishment like this, after all. Or maybe professional interest; the man had taken rather a walloping, so was her gaze looking for symptoms of after-effects? It might have been a personal inquisitiveness, she reasoned, that the woman knew one or both of the parties and was looking to be reassured that they were safe.

Isobel set about to pry -- gently, of course -- on their journey to the bar. Lotte fell into step companionably beside Foxender. "What was that all about, anyway? Some kinda bust-up?" she asked. "Do you think that man is going to be all right? You can almost see the stars around his head, you know, like those old cartoons on the holo."

"I'm dying to know -- I know it's part of the exercise, but that mask is phenomenal. When this is all over I'm going to want the name of the designer. Say you won't break my heart."

​

 

[Cordé Sabo]

______________________________________________________________
D U L C E T
CORUSCANT | CORUSCANT CROWN CASINO
______________________________________________________________

​

“That is worse.” Cordé agreed. “But Lotta is better than Little — depending on the Lundegaards of course.” Below the fluttering across the upper part of her face, her half-smile was clear. “Married name or all yours?”

There was more than one bar throughout the venue. Even if it wasn’t filled with SIA operatives trying to let loose, but not too loose, the establishment usually made a pretty penny off people who let their inhibitions slide. Cordé navigated them to the nearest one, and cast a brief look back at the man who stumbled off and away from the Twi’lek, now accompanied by a Zeltron and a fellow companion.

“Hmm, he seems fine.” She gave a gesture that seemed as non-committal as her interest, and affably chuckled. But her new companion's worry made her worry a bit more. Maybe she should keep an eye on him... maybe her first assessment and resolution to relegate her concern was wrong. “Basic training to even get into this building tonight’s far far worse. Remember?”

Cordé almost reached up to touch the art piece on her face, but stopped mid-travel, in case she interrupted it. Her whole get up was a sensory sea. She wouldn’t have been able to look at herself, and so far, Lotta was doing a good job not getting seasick.

“By the end of the night you shall have it. I’d be surprised what you do with this, you have an idea where else to wear it?”

They reached the bar, and it was miraculously open enough for the two to slide right up to the attentive bartender. Cordé split her words between Lotta and the attendant, letting decisiveness come from the other woman “Another of those, or..?”

______________________________________________________________
IMMEDIATE INTERACTION: Isobel Nakano | OPEN TO INTERROGATION
MYSTERIOUS GUESTS: Jaqu'n Boiv | Noah Corek | Seku Bondara | Jaqu'n Boiv | Desric Terassi
______________________________________________________________​

 

[Anja Rydder]

Location: Corporate funded SIA ball
Objectives: Enjoy the atmosphere
Tags: Desric Terassi IVI Jaqu'n Boiv Seku Bondara Noah Corek Cordé Sabo Isobel Nakano

Anja continued to survey the room as Seku Bondara joined her and they were also additionally joined by Jaqu'n Boiv .

"Excuse me for not knowing better, but you're quite the tall sunrise yourself."

Anja laughed and gave him a smile as she felt that nanites on her face reshape the identifiers again. "Nice line, you catch much with it?" the manner she replied indicated that cheesey lines were perfectly acceptable.

but there's more to this package than just a firm backside

Anja leaned round, deliberately and conspicuously to check out Seku's backside. "It is a good ass, but I get it, people can underestimate us when we look this good. It's why I came dressed as a Zeltron and not a 14 foot hemaphrodite called Gorba.... oops, did I give the game away?" she laughed and continued her drink. The Zeltron was genuinely very curious who she was speaking too, but she was at a disadvantage, she was a Customs officer, they were spys, it was a very different skill set. Even if sometimes she would happily like to tie a shadow runner to a chair and hook them up to a high voltage.

"Speaking of which," She half answered her own inner monologue. "How's this work then? I forgot to pack my interrogation kit?" she looked at their drinks and thought for a second. "I'm going to guess, if given the chance, you would swap drinks? An ale for you and something in a colourful glass for you? And judging by the build, I'm thinking you are hands on type, no messing around with subterfuge?" she spoke to both, and then directly to the man. It told her absolutely nothing about their actual identities but it was fun to play pretend sleuth.
​

 

[Seku Bondara]

Seku blushed even harder when the tall Zeltron none too subtly checked out her rear and remarked that it was a 'good ass'. Ok...so she probably was flirting. Not that Seku minded much. The infamous, forementioned Life Day Party had revealed a side to her she hadn't known existed, prior to consuming enough StarShine Surprise that night to pickle a Hutt.

"How's this work then? I forgot to pack my interrogation kit?" she looked at their drinks and thought for a second. "I'm going to guess, if given the chance, you would swap drinks? An ale for you and something in a colourful glass for you? And judging by the build, I'm thinking you are hands on type, no messing around with subterfuge?"

"As far as I know, nothing's off the table as to how you obtain information," she answered. "Should prove to be a very interesting evening for all parties involved."

TAG- Anja Rydder
Jaqu'n Boiv

 

[Jaqu'n Boiv]

​

Masked Intentions​

Operative "Sable"
Strategic Intelligence Agency
Location: Coruscant | Coruscant Crown Casino
Assignment: Playing Cat and Mouse
Tags: Desric Terassi | IVI | Seku Bondara | Noah Corek | Cordé Sabo | Isobel Nakano | Anja Rydder
Open to Interrogation

"That'd just spoil how unique the line was for you."

The man underneath the featureless mask held a smirking tune, or what one could guess to be one. His eyes underneath the two glass-like lenses sure enough looked like the remark met that notion. Perhaps he just might be genuine with that 'one of a kind' routine for Anja Rydder , because honesty's the best policy and all that.

Sable wasn't. To him this was only a show of some tech to define new advances in covert operations and acts of subterfuge. To detect the anomalies and follow the strings of webs veiled underneath mystery to the prime culprit, and vice versa. Because for everything good in the galaxy, there was going to be the bad that could be played back against you. So here he was. Playing pretend between discovery and intrigue.

As Seku Bondara arrived, he took notice of the blue Twi'lek with a customary greeting of a casual nod, only examining her over in that respectable, albeit curious, manner that didn't linger farther than was necessary. He wasn't that kind of guy, or perhaps he didn't want to be seen that way. It was out of the question with his stature, combined with Rydder's statement, that he wouldn't be too easy to throttle to the floor like she had the previous fool. Meanwhile in his own thoughts it was clear she might not be in their particular line of work. Maybe something close to it, more or less. The blue woman at her side, well. He was still figuring that one out.

"Well, shucks. Ya got me," 'Anthony' responded, half-jokingly as if the game had been made right there and then. Or who Sable called this personification. It made it easier pretending to be someone you knew than one you didn't, and he knew the man well. Or he did, at one point. "Not like those super agents or however ya wanna call them, but. I like to consider I'm a pretty good pipe hitter myself."

Aside from how that would sound like another cheesy pickup line, he didn't disagree with being an operator- A pipe hitter, he calls it. Special forces or some other equivalent, likely. Not too prideful in his statements, but slack enough to know how to cut loose and enjoy a good time. Though like everyone else here, what lied underneath the surface wasn't always what it seemed. Even if the man's actual hair was on free display, much like his human hands and neck.

The chin of the man's mask jutted towards Seku in agreement, already having a nickname for her.

"Pretty Blueside's right though. Anything's game, night's already started. She looks like she can be a mean killer, and not just from her looks either, believe me. But you strike me as the type who likes getting into people's heads. Figure out what makes 'em tick. Doubt you need a kit for anything like that, the way you're playin' it so far."

Much like the Zeltron had done to lead to this point, he spoke to both in a way. His attention on Anja for his current focus of the conversation, while leaving the room for Seku to jump in with her own inclusion to it. There wasn't much of a chuckle that left the man, yet he spoke in a cool, humored tone that bordered on the edge of too much experience with this sort of flattering conversation. so much so that there was another nonchalant sip from the goofy looking straw that sat in the glowing blue drink in his hand.

Whether he was against the idea of swapping drinks wasn't exactly voiced. Although it could be inferred that he was the kind of type to see where the night went. Ale or Mantellian Bombshell, he probably wouldn't mind too much for the long night of games ahead.

 

[Seku Bondara]

"Pretty Blueside's right though. Anything's game, night's already started. She looks like she can be a mean killer, and not just from her looks either, believe me. But you strike me as the type who likes getting into people's heads. Figure out what makes 'em tick. Doubt you need a kit for anything like that, the way you're playin' it so far."

Seku smiled a bit at the unique nickname, as it reminded her of the one Nalah Tezan had hung on her the day after the infamous Life Day party. Nalah had dubbed her 'Blue.'

Nudging Anja, Seku leaned in to whisper to her.

"Sounds like he's flat out challenging you to try and get inside his head. I gotta see this."

TAG- Anja Rydder
Jaqu'n Boiv