Private Pay Evil unto Evil

[Cromwell]

Abandoned Mine,
Corbos

The sun had nearly risen above the plateau as its rays cleared the ancient haze settling upon the abandoned mineral mine. A lone figure stood watching from above next to the makeshift tent he had set up a few days ago. Nothing. Again. The probe droid's footage from last night's watch showed nothing, either.

Any minute now the Knight attached by High Command to this mission would be arriving and both would undertake an investigation of the mine searching for any traces of a smuggler's ring the agent had been on the trail of for quite a while now.

Pirov, a Devaronian informant, had tipped the Bureau on this location but so far nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Hunter doubted the man would intentionally deceive the ISB — the consequences of such 'endeavor' were... notoriously dire.

His sole concern was being paired with an Imperial Knight on a menial investigation like this one; were doubts resurfacing over his background as a former Alliance Marine or was there something else he was not made privy to by his handler.

Surely, he was about to find out soon.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

A single imperial freighter descended upon the planet. Abandoned, broken mineshafts cluttered the dead surface as the ship flew towards the location of the Imperial agent's camp. The ship landed several paces away from the outskirts of the camp, the pilot careful not to fling dust onto the tent and agent himself. The ship landed, the ramp lowered.

Out from the steam, a figure stood. The figure was a woman, shrouded in the ship's covering steam. Her long hair flowed in the wind. She used a hand to hold the her kasa hat onto her head. She wore armor that was obviously Atrisian in design, though equally light and agile. She wore two lightsabers on her hips, along with a small pistol and sheathed katana. The weapons rattled on her hips. She walked down the ramp, slowly revealed through the steam. She was not only Atrisian, though her jet black hair and slanted eyes made it obvious, but Mirialan as well. Her green skin sported two little tattoos under her eyes, the only obvious showings of Mirialan culture in her. Her Atrisian armor was very much Imperial in the simplistic silver white design and Imperial symbol stamped onto it. The woman had level eyes and a calm demeanor. Her face was pleasant yet serious as she approached her new partner and offered an Atrisian bow.

"Imperial Knight Squire, Aoki Mira, at your service."

She looked up to her new partner. A human male, he had pale skin and blue eyes. His short, dark hair was neat and combed back. He too wore Imperial attire.

She rose again, looking to him as steadily as she could. It was a bit hard to meet eye to eye though, with him being way taller than her. Still, she maintained an elegantly professional demeanor as she awaited his own introduction.

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

The dust raised from the freighter's landing settled and his eyes eased to discern the lithe, armored figure approaching his little camp. The agent shamelessly sized her up from head to toes. The armor, clearly of Imperial design, bore distinguishable notes common to those found in Atrisian designs. Its light design befitted the athletic curves shaping her agile form. The arsenal of weaponry she carried would've taken his attention more had it not been for her face. The little tattoos beneath her slanted eyes and the green skin completed the appealing looks of a Mirialan-Atrisian hybrid.

The change from the bland, dead scenery of the mine was welcomed.

Maybe he was a little less opposed to High Command attaching a Knight on the task.

"Agent Stark. Hunter Stark." he introduced himself with a slight nod, before jerking his head for her to follow him to the edge of the ravine overlooking the abandoned mine. "There's been nothing at all over the last few days I've been here. The mine looks abandoned." he said, "My orders were to wait for you to arrive before we both head out inside and investigate."

Turning his blue eyes back to Mira, he asked directly, "Is there a reason why an Imperial Knight's being sent on a simple counter-smuggling operation?"

Surely the Knights had bigger fish to fry.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Mira followed the man with a very disciplined, silent demeanor to her. Hands behind her back, she nodded to her new partner as he filled her in. She obviously was oblivious to how she had been eyed by the agent.

"I have been assigned to this mine for a particular reason, yes." Her voice was steady and calm, almost relaxing if not for the proper stoicism behind it, "This mine has a history of Sith infiltration. Many governments owning this side of the Galaxy have struggled to keep Sith activity down in this sector. Jedi have died here, according to the intel I was given."

She looked to the man with a serious, though still calm, expression, "I have been sent here in case history tries to repeat itself."

She then took a step back, offering another proper bow, "You have been here longer than I, I shall let you lead this mission. What is our first move?"

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

"Well..." he blinked in surprise at her stoically delivered explanation, "... that explains it then, doesn't it." for a moment he wondered why ISB had not divulged that information but didn't dwell on it any longer than he needed to. There was a job to be done.

"Our first move is going in and seeing if there's any smuggling activity at all-- or Sith for that matter." Hunter said as he rappelled down the rope leading to the excavation where the large entrance of the mine was. A chasm held open by ancient steel grids greeted the duo.

This was where once the massive drilling machinery would enter from but its tracks were long ago covered by the sand of the world. His eyes scanned the immediate area looking for at least any footsteps or tibanna leaks of vehicles and ships but there were none to be found.

Looking back at his new companion, he slightly tilted his head, "Are Knights always so formal or is it just you? Ought to loosen up a bit, Mira, who knows how long we'll be staring at a dead mine for."

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Mira peered down into the long, dark mine. She reached back and adjusted the energy bow on her back. She nodded, securing her equipment and pulling a cable out. Despite her more introverted personality, she was the kind to snap into action. The long line whistled down until it hit its target. Mira pulled the line to check the strength. Good. She then leapt down, with grace and agility. She hit the ground after Hunter was already there. Her hair blew in the wind as they both looked into the yawning entrance of the mine. When Agent Stark asked her if she was always so proper, Mira only blinked in response.

"Mum! Mum, I made you oragummy flowe'!"
"Aw, honey, thank you!"

Mira closed her eyes, vaguely shaking her head to keep the memory out. Yet, she could smell sakura petals and her mother's scent. She opened her eyes, her face and body language not at all showing what she was feeling within. She... she had once, a long time ago, been more capable of smiling. Those days were too long gone.

Not at all dropping her stoic demeanor, she pulled out a light and shone it into the mines. Dilapidated, bent metal frames held the dust ridden, rubble cluttered mine up. Pebbles rained down, dirt particles fluttered in the sunlight cast in. Save for crumbling rocks, this place was vacant. There was no trace of life, save for the agent and squire's.

As she entered the mineshafts with her new partner, Mira was silent and focused. She extended her Force Sense out, trying to catch anything she could. So focused on her task as she was, talking with her partner simply never crossed her mind. A work oriented, serious soul she was. She had once, a long time ago, been more capable of being light hearted. Those days were too long gone.

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

Had he not been a trained ISB agent, Hunter would've missed the subtle shift in her body language that had merely lasted half a moment. The change had been so elusive, that the agent wasn't certain if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him so he laid it to rest. Whatever it was -- it could wait.

With her light and the one radiating from his utility belt, the duo made their way in silence through the mining facility. Nothing, nothing at all, seemed to reveal any signs that the mine had been utilized at all by anyone ever since it had been abandoned. Hunter's patience was running out with each step they took inside. Pirov, the Devaronian informant, had sent them on a wild goose chase. The agent felt his fists itching to clench as if Pirov's head was in between them.

"There's nothing." he remarked with a low growl.

Unbeknownst to the operative, a faint shimmer through the Force would alert Mira's sixth senses of a threat from above. A Sith assassin about to make his move with a lunging slash.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Mira was not the most skilled at Force Sense, better adept at telekinesis and augmentation. Still, even the worst at Force Sense could feel what she was feeling. From above, silently and rapidly approaching, a dark sider was swiftly coming down on them. Mira paused, silent. If she acted too quickly, she could give away that she knew this incoming threat was here. Still, she whispered just loud enough for Agent Stark alone to hear.

"Incoming."

Then, she swiftly pulled her Imperial Lightsaber out and blocked, just as a crimson blade swung downwards. Mira looked up to see a masked and cloaked Sith Assassin, having landed atop two pillars just above her head. The nimble assassin then leapt off and landed on the ground behind them, hoping to block their way back out. Th entire time, Mira remained stoic and calm. She had not sensed the Force ripple when the individual made the second jump, and even with the Force that downwards leap could have been damaging. This must be a Force Sensitive Terrelian Jango Jumper. Mira lifted her lightsaber in the Shii-Cho stance, poised and elegant. She looked towards her opponent, never keeping her eyes off of him. She then instructed the agent to follow her protection, "Stay behind me."

The assassin's bleeding crystal cried out within the Force. The figure offered a bow, still holding his weapon. "Ah, greetings, squire. You are alone, with a useless agent unaided by the sacred Force. You are weak. This, this shall be easy. Prepare for a swift death, my friends."

Then, he swiftly moved forward, assumaning an Ataru stance as he aimed for her. Mira switched to Makashi as she nimbly blocked him, blades now locked within the mines. Mira reached with one hand and pulled her protective sonin mask over her face. She finally spoke to her opponent, "What are you doing here?"

​

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

The agent barely had any time to react to Mira's warning when the sparks of lightsabers clashing stung his cheeks and jaw. Instinctively, the charric pistol from his holster materialized in his hand. The assassin darted over them in an enviable leap, landing right behind the duo. He aimed the gun straight at the masked Sith but Mira stepped up ahead of him to meet the killer's onslaught leaving his line of fire obstructed.

Hunter heeded her words, taking a few steps back to keep a safe distance from the duelists, and looked for an opening to get a clean shot in simultaneously looking for anything in the environment to leverage against their enemy.

"You've been snooping at the wrong place, at the wrong time, little girl." the Sith retorted, his voice scratching through the vocoder of the mask. "I shall give you a painless death, do not worry, weakling." he stated as his blades pranced aggressively at the Knight, one foot forward always to maintain his initiative and finish his task quickly without breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, the ISB agent isolated from the duel of sabers found a stalactite protruding from the ceiling of the mine. "Mira, move!" he barked as he fired at the hanging stone. The ceiling lit up and the stalactite groaned before it crashed towards where the two force users clashed.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Upon hearing his warning, Mira's eyes darted to him, took notice of what he was doing, then snapped back to the Sith. She leapt away, extending her hand and forcing her opponent to stay in place with the Force. The stalactite fell and crashed down, crushing their enemy. As Mira landed, her lightsaber deactivated. She sighed and muttered, "Well, we managed to glean zero information from him."

Despite that misgiving, she was more disappointed than angry. She was able to tell that they would not have quickly gained information except through perhaps torture. She simply put her lightsaber away and walked over to observe the body. Beneath the crumbled rock, the limb body laid. She kneeled down, searching his utility belt and pockets she fished for any kind of comlink, communication disk, documents or computing devices, anything.

Eventually, she found a holographic recording disk. She lifted her hand, giving it to Agent Stark before continuing to search carefully, "Search the files, I am looking for anything else useful."

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

"Certainly a death more... grisly than I expected." he casually remarked as he holstered his pistol and took the holodisk from the Knight, "Who's to say the Knights and the Bureau don't make a good tag team?" a smirk curved his lips at Mira - she looked as unfazed as before. Shifting his eyes back on the job at hand, the agent scanned the disk's contents with his wristpad.

"Encrypted... but the cipher's rudimentary at best." Hunter stated as he took on cracking the code, "It seems as my initial assumptions were right -- the informant fed us the wrong intel, baited us straight into this trap deliberately. That Devaronian scum." he grumbled; Pirov was a dead man as soon as Hunter got his hands on him. "I'll need to pay him a visit -- or we, rather." he lifted his head up from the disk, "Did you find anything else?"

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Mira fished around for anything else useful. She pulled out another disk while nodding at Agent Stark's words. "Of course, interrogating the spy is preferable."

She opened the disk, and a holographic image came through. It was the hooded and cloaked image of a Sith Lord, whom proudly wore his lightsaber on his belt. Through the holoprojection, he spoke, "Ah, my apprentice. If you complete this task, I will be most pleased. Kill the infiltrators and return to me when you are done. I shall reward you greatly."

Mira's eyes sparkled. Location! She sifted through the file, yet was unable to find out what location the Sith was referring to. She frowned, closing her eyes.

"The Sith are definitely involved with this. But what would Sith want with a smuggling operation?" She stood up, tucking the holodisk into her pocket before retrieving the lightsaber as well. She had not forgotten the crystal's cries for help. She turned to Agent Stark and nodded, "Let's go."

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

It was always refreshing going back to base, or a ship in this case, after a long mission out in the field. As much as he tried to forget, Hunter still remembered all of his former comrades' joy at returning from an operation as an Allied Marine. But now there was no mess hall full of Marines -- just him and a stoic Imperial Knight, an unexpected partnership tracking down a smuggler operation under the hands of a suspected Sith Lord.

After a much-needed shower to wash away all the dust from Corbis, the agent had slipped off his usual field gear to the much more comfortable camo shirt and cargo pants and brown military boots soldiers and operatives were most often seen off duty on bases with. Hunter meandered about the freighter with a datapad in hand, checking on any recent updates until he sat it aside to check up on the Knight.

"Do you absolutely never take a break?" he raised an eyebrow. She had to have been at it with this crystal for hours.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

When they had entered the ship, Mira had not even take her armor off before sitting down in a meditative position and working on the crystal. The red crystal screamed in agony, bleeding. Mira would cleanse it, and heal its wound. She mediated with it for hours, as she had never purified a crystal before. It would take time to learn the process. Eventually, the red color began to grow lighter, and the cries of pain mellowed into whimpers. Through the Force, she did everything she could to relieve its suffering. How could she not? Despite her cooler exterior, she was actually quite soft hearted. It was only when Agent Stark's voice interrupted her that the process was completed. The once red crystal was now a shining white. She extended her hand, letting the crystal fall into her hand as she opened her eyes.

"How could I take time to relax when this crystal was begging for peace?"

She looked down to the crystal, humming in harmony, and smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. She then clenched her hand shut and moved to stand. As she stood, she looked to Agent Stark with a stoic look once again, "Have you received any updates?" She turned to the control panel and checked on how long it would take to get to their destination. Still about ten minutes to go.

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

The crystal was begginng for peace.

Hunter blinked. Once, twice, then shook his head, "Nothing concrete yet." he looked up from the crystal to her. Her charming face as expressive as a stone once more, "The Bureau has triangulated the transmission to be coming from somewhere in the Myto sector. I've diverted our hyperspace travel to it already. The analysts back at Harrsk will have the precise coordinates soon enough, though."

The agent sized her up once more, then after a pause asked, "Do you sleep with your armor, too?" a sly smirk curved his lips, "Or does the crystal's crying keep you up at night?"

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

A disappointed frown crossed Mira's face. This agent simply did not seem to get it. Was he inexperienced with the concept of the Force? Her expression pretty much screamed "seriously?" at it all. Still, she could only explain it the best she could.

"Imagine, would you, trying to rest while a young child cried out in agony, screaming for help. Would you be able to sleep through that? Kyber crystals are living creatures, living beings. Dark Siders have been so cruel as to eternally torment them, simply to give their blades red coloring. Twisted Force users of wretched orders. So, when I came across the bleeding crystal, and felt its wailing, how could I rest? This was my first time purifying a crystal, so it took longer than expected."

She was about to move on to the next objective of the mission when her stomach erupted into a long gurgle. Her eyes widened. Well, she must have been hungry! She lifted one hand and placed it over her stomach, looking to the agent with a visibly embarrassed expression. A tint of red was on her burning cheeks. She then lowered her arm, cleared her throat, and spoke, "There is no point in changing now, seeing we are approximately eight minutes from our destination. I am hungry though."

She stuffed the crystal in her pocket and turned and moved. Walking past Agent Stark, towards the mess room of the freighter.

Hunter Stark

 

[Cromwell]

Living crystals, bleeding, and crying -- it just wasn't sticking with him. Hunter had fought shoulder to shoulder with Jedi during his tenure as an Allied Marine, and most recently paired with Mira tackling the Sith assassin. Lightsabers, supernatural feats -- that made sense. The crystals? Not at all. They were merely minerals essential in the creation of various powerful weaponry for the Empire.

The agent followed her to the mess hall, glanced at the stopwatch and figured he had just enough time for one cigarette before deployment. Plucking a stick from the pack he had in his pocket and lit it up. "There's energy rations I've brought with me on the shelf up there." Hunter jerked his head, "Quick and easy. They'll keep you going for a full twenty-four at least, which ideally would be enough for this mission."

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Energy rations.
Bland, unassuming bars of... something remotely edible, but barely. Yet, they had the nutritional value to get a stormtrooper through a day long battle. She did not like them at all, but it was quick and the best choice on a mission. As much as she found herself yearning for sushi or a rice dish, she grabbed an energy ration. She ate it swiftly, as not to gag on the flavor. Next hyperspace trip on this mission, she would have to make a proper Atrisian meal for the both of them.
As she finished eating, she looked to the agent as he smoked. She leaned against the counter, watching the puffs of smoke swirl in the air, soothing and calm. The smoke was a see through veil over his striking, ocean blue eyes. She caught herself staring, at the smoke she convinced herself, and looked away awkwardly. She busied herself with checking her equipment over one more time. She knew why she was eyeing the smoke so much.
"My uncle smoked. Your cigarette just reminded me." She explained away to him.
Just then, they came out of hyperspace. She went to the from and flew the frigate to their needed location. She pulled her mask off her belt, ready to put it in, "What is the plan?"

""
<""> <<"">>

 

[Cromwell]

The devil's in the detail. A lesson if you did not learn, you'd never graduate from the ISB academy. Hunter caught her gaze locked onto him at the corner of his vision but feigned ignorance. Naturally, he didn't buy the cursory excuse she tried selling but neither did he call it out. They were moments away from diving back into their service to the Empire with the task at hand, distractions would only hamper both of them and worse - the Empire. Otherwise, the agent wouldn't have thought twice before taking a more suggestive approach.

Perhaps when the mission was complete, he crudely smirked to himself.

If they made it alive, that is.

What was supposedly a simple investigation to bust a smuggling ring had turned out to be a conspiracy plot machinated by a Sith. While Hunter had initially been reluctant about the Knight's involvement, other than just her being a pleasing sight in the middle of the dustball that was Corbos, Mira's skills, which had arguably saved both of them from the Sith assassin, were now very welcomed by the agent.

The cigarette had been extinguished when the duo reconvened again at the freighter's small briefing room. A holoprojector lit the walls, revealing the blueprints of a space facility on one of the barren moons of Echoy'la upon which the Imperial freighter had just covertly landed.
​

"What is the plan?"​

"We've got two options -- we can either kick the door down with the freighter and insert ourselves in right through the facility's docking bay." he leaned on his two hands against the holo-table, "Or we can attempt to infiltrate through one of the hatches on top of the building. I've got enough experience in zero-g to pull it off but I don't know about you." Hunter looked up to the Knight, "One wrong thrust of the repulsors boots and you might be flying off into the void." he warned her.

Aoki-Barran Mira ​

 

[Aoki-Barran Mira]

Mira tapped her chin with her finger, looking over the board and thinking the two options through. Would a stealth approach be better, or just barging in? She knew she was a good fighter, and that Agent Stark was good too. But would they be able to pull off entering like that? Mira considered counter wise that she had no experience in zero gravity. And being sucked into space sounded like a horrible fate. She closed her eyes, sighing as she lowered her hand from her face.

"I am inexperienced in zero gravity. However, if we were to enter the base by ramming in, we would need a plan. Would you be willing to stay behind me? My armor is blaster proof, and I have my lightsabers to block blaster fire as well, and a ray shield. But... is success guaranteed even if we were cautious?"

She looked up to the agent, "What would you suggest for a direct docking and attack?"

Hunter Stark