Shadows of the Future

[Sayd-Jai]

The diathim were annoying creatures. Wherever a ship appeared, there appeared a mob of them. Like all others, he found them beautiful. Unlike most, he knew what to expect, and his mind was a steel trap to them. Plus he couldn't hear them, so it didn't matter what they tried. He knew it was accidental, but it was still bothersome. He was able to make it through them, though, and pilot his way down to the surface of Iego.

Data COPR had gleened had given him a recruitment target. Her name was [member="Anthea Valaros"]. She had exceptional slicing skills, but her past was what interested him. A little scrying and digging had shown him that she had lost her entire family to the Sith. What was worse, she had tried to stop it and failed. But she had the skills. She just needed the right group of people around her. That was why he was there. There was no reason she couldn't be an asset for SPECTRE.

He landed his ship in the Scatter. It seemed the safest place to hide his ship given that most of the people on the planet were stranded there. He actually flew his yacht inside of the hangar of a larger crashed vessel, and threw some active camouflage over the top of it so that nobody would find it without really having to go in and look for it. He needed the ship so he could leave later. Regardless of how things went.

Leaving the Scatter behind, he made his way towards Cliffhold. A disgusting place, he understood why she was there. It was a good place to find work and make credits. Also a potential place for her to secure passage if she had the opportunity. He climbed the cliff face slowly, and without ropes. Eventually he reached the base of the city, but made his way up higher, sticking to the shadows. He found her eventually, but she was in public.

He stuck to the dark place, waiting for her to head somewhere away from the public eye.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Anthea knew Cliffhold like the back of her hand by now. Having resided in the city for several years, Anthea knew where to go and what to do when she needed. She knew how to stay hidden in its many alleys, crevices, and so forth. She even knew how to get around the relatively corrupt police force in the city. It wasn't like it mattered to her - she had taken a couple of them out previously. And a couple of their captains. There was nothing like knowing the corruption that ran rampant in a city.

Invisible and hidden. That was what she tried to do and luckily, in a city full of Diathim and various other species, it wasn't too hard to do. She wore a simple navy blue jacket, a grey shirt, and blue jeans. Simple. It wasn't like it mattered - she was in her apartment. It had power, clean water, but looked older and most of the furniture was a bit run down. She could afford a bit better things with all the credits she'd gathered from her contracts, but the studio apartment had a certain charm to it she didn't want to let go.

She took a glance around before she exited her small home and jogged down the stairs. She exited onto the street as she took a glance around. Poverty ran rampant in the city. Sometimes she'd donate a contract to some of the local charities, in some small hope that they'd actually help some of the people. So far, no good though. Same old chit, just another day. It didn't exactly feel like another day, though. Something felt... Off, as she walked through the narrow streets of Cliffhold. She couldn't quite put a finger on it. With a glance around, she didn't spot [member="Sayd-Jai"] in the shadows of the alley.

It was probably nothing, after all. She kept her head low as she began to walk towards a less crowded street - with several shady alleys. She knew it was a dangerous route to go, but she needed to meet her new client. They had a meeting in about 30 minutes. The credits were good. And it would be in the moon systems of Iego. Not far from her crappy home. It was a win-win. She stayed to the side, close to the alleys as she avoided the tall, slim Diathim and the shorter, somewhat chubbier humans and other sapients.

 

[Sayd-Jai]

Alleys were a dangerous place. She clearly had somewhere to be or she wouldn't likely risk it. Attractive, slim, and she had a glow to her that would draw eyes were there not Diathim everywhere. She was a prized target for traffickers. They would wish they hadn't tried if they jumped her, but that wasn't for them to know. It was important to him, however. He checked the pouch with the syringes and pulled one out as he watched her.

She came near his alley, and he waited until she turned her eyes back to those around her before he reached out of the shadows and grabbed her, pulling her back into the shadows. At the same time, his other hand reached around her mouth to muffle any cry with his upper arm. At the same time, he jabbed the syringe into her juggular vein, injecting her with a mild sedative. It would knock her out for a while, but not forever.

As her squirming ended, he threw her over his shoulder and carried her off to the edge of the city. Undoubtedly someone would notice him at least briefly. It was hard to move stealthily while carrying a body, even though [member="Anthea Valaros"] didn't weigh all that much. Despite her height she was surprisingly light. Regardless, he approached the edge of the city and lept off before anyone who did notice could do anything about it. Not that they'd be able to do much.

He raced back to the Scatter and to the ship. He didn't take her into his, but found a small room inside of the larger one with a chair. He set her in it and stripped her of any weapons before tying her securely to the chair. When she was secured, he flipped off the light and let his nightvision kick in from the mask so he would be able to see her face in the dark. Then it was time to wait. The sedative only worked for a couple of hours, and he had just a few more moments he figured.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Anthea was careful. But she got cocky. She had walked these alleys and streets so much that she never encountered someone that actually wanted to mess with her. She didn't have a reputation around here - no one even knew her name. But, with Diathim oogling everyone and how the Diathim is fairly nice race, she didn't have to worry too much. And she always covered her trail - not even one strand of hair would be left behind. She would never have suspected someone would actually get away with attacking her from the alley. She knew better, to be more careful. Anthea knew she was a prime target if someone wanted to get someone other than the Diathim that occupied the city. The Angels were beautiful - and if she hadn't been born by one and around them her entire life, she'd probably be gaping at them too.

Really, she should have left earlier so she didn't even have to go the way she went.

But that didn't stop [member="Sayd-Jai"] from pulling her into the shadows. One arm went around her mouth as a muffled scream escaped her lips. With the heavy noise of the city, no one seemed to notice the small scuffle that occurred. She tried to elbow the man and also to smash his toes. Then, she felt the pinch into her neck. Why would someone want to kidnap her? Her vision blurred as she tried to wiggle free, her body quickly succumbing to the sedative. She was always so careful... How'd she managed to lose this quickly? It only took seconds for him to sedate her. She cursed mentally as her eyes rolled back in her head and her body fell limp into his arms.

Unconcious, she was kidnapped by the mysterious man. When he searched her, he would find about six daggers at various places on her sides, thighs, and ankles. Two on each side. Her blaster was too large to bring with her to the meeting she had planned, so she had no blaster/bullet fueled weapons on her. She only needed her daggers, anyway.

She murmured quietly, at some undisclosed time later. "Urgh... Karking..." She muttered under her breath as her mind finally began to clear. She was still foggy from the sedative, but it would wear off soon. She opened her eyes to darkness. She felt the rope that had her held tightly against the chair. She could feel another presence in the room, probably in front of her. What did they want? Maybe some revenge on her from a past assassination? Who knew. She struggled against the rope for a moment as she pushed her arms around before she finally stopped.

"What do you want?"

 

[Sayd-Jai]

He didn't answer immediately. Not because he hadn't heard her, even though he hadn't. Being deaf his whole life he had learned to read lips extremely well. He had seen what she said, rather than hearing it. She was direct, though. The effects of the sedative usually left people really groggy when they came out of it. She was perfectly alright, though. Or, she was feigning it very well. That was also possible.

Your story, he said, mentally through the Force.

Most of what had happened to [member="Anthea Valaros"] he already knew. He knew about her family. He knew about her history on Iego. What he was really looking at was whether she would tell him the truth or not. He expected her not to. If ahe told him everything right away then she wasn't cut out for the job. If she told him anything at all during the course of his interrogation then she wasn't cut out for the job. She had to endure.

He didn't say anything further. He didn't move either. She was already looking right at him so she had a good spatial awareness. If she had the fire, the passion, that he had for dealing with the Sith and Imperials, then she would be perfect for SPECTRE. If she failed the interview process she would end up waking up the next morning free as could be, and without a trace of him having been there aside from a sore neck.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Anthea hated being tied down like this. Granted, who wouldn't? She was just kidnapped. Was he playing with his toy? At least during her hits, she would end them quickly and painlessly - they were always dead before they knew what was happening. She mercy killed, in that way. This was going to be torture. Heh, fair enough. It wasn't like she cared too much about her life. On that same note, she wouldn't make it easy for him. If he was to kill her, it was going to be messy. Painful for her, sure, but she would make him fight until there was nothing left.

She grimaced as she heard his voice in her mind. A Force user. She herself could use the Force, although she wasn't a master at it. He probably knew she was, though. Even if she had been hiding her Force signature as usual, when she was sedated it would have shown. He would have felt it. There was no point in pretending she couldn't.

Stay. Out. Of. My. Head. She replied, through the Force. She wasn't the best Force user, but she could do the basics and then some at least. She stared at the man in front of her. A moment later, she spat saliva at him, hoping it landed right on the eye part of his helmet. She jerked on the rope once more in anger. Her story was off limits to literally everyone. There was no way he would find a single fething thing about her.

"Kark you, you dirty nerf herder!" she spat out with her voice. She wasn't about to tell him anything about herself. He didn't need to know her story to torture her. There was no reason, at least in her panic-stricken mind, that someone would even care to know her story. She wasn't important enough for someone to want to know her sad, grief-stricken story.

 

[Sayd-Jai]

She had good aim. The yelling in the Force was new. He hadn't been aware of her Force capabilities. She must have been keeping that a secret all this time for it not to ahow up in COPR's report. He lifted a hand and wiped his facemask clean once more. A pointless gesture on her part, but so far ahe had passed the assessment. He would have preferred her to remain calm and unaffected, but he could teach her that over time.

If [member="Anthea Valaros"] wasn't going to give him what he wanted the easy way, he would try the hard way. She didn't want him in her head, so how would she react when he attacked her specifically? In general, he aimed for the nerves inside of her head. He triggered them with application of the Force. If she screamed he wouldn't hear it, but he would see it, and he expected it. Even he would be in agony if this was done to him.

Tell me your story, he said again.

But he didn't let up after speaking. He triggered the nerves inside of her head again and again. The pain would be immense. A part of him enjoyed causing pain. It always had. Granted he usually employed such methods on people that actually deserved it, but his recruits had to be fit for the position he was offering them. He couldn't accept someone in who would break, because if they broke the organization would topple.

She needed to put up with the pain. This wasn't even physical contact. This was all the use of the Force. If she caved even a lottle here, she would cave fully when he progressed to the next step. Even though he enjoyed causing pain, he didn't enjoy causing pain to people like him. Unfortunately, it was necessary.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Anthea had no leg up in this. She inhaled as she calmed herself. The adrenaline rushing through her body kept her mind from focusing. She closed her eyes as she tried to calm her senses. She wasn't going to get out of this easily. Although, she realized she could see more than she realized. Her natural golden glow helped light the room, albeit softly. She was on a ship, it seemed. She wasn't sure if they were in space or still on Iego, though. She would have to find out if she could escape the restraints, somehow. This guy was some type of sadist, it seemed. Maybe this was her karma for all the sins she had committed over the past several years. Not like she was going to stop, though.

It was then that she felt it. The nerves in her head flamed in pain, almost as if they were on fire. Her mind burned with pain. Her head hurt. She didn't scream, no, she wouldn't give him that luxury. He was torturing her. And if she reacted to this, then he would keep doing it. He wouldn't stop. That's what people like him got off on, right? Hurting people. She bit down, her teeth nearly grinding and her face clearly contorted in pain. Her skin slightly raised with goosebumps as if they were trying to tell her that she was in trouble. It was funny how the body reacted to such a thing.

No.

That was it. She wouldn't tell him a karking thing. He wouldn't make her, either. She would never tell him about her family that she got killed. No. She closed her eyes as she felt the nerves in her mind light up again. Again. Again. She began to bite down on her lip. Her teeth cut into spots on her lip, causing them to bleed. Her hands that were tied behind her gripped themselves tightly as the skin turned red. Her eyes welled with tears that began to drip, at first slowly, then poured. But she made no noise, besides the gasp for air.

She hadn't been broken before. She wouldn't now.

 

[Sayd-Jai]

When she denied him again he stopped doing what he was doing. Most people didn't make it past that point. In fact only a handful ever had. She was impressive already. He had known she would be, though. People that had been through what she had been through had no reason to back down. Nothing could be taken from them save their life, which was exactly the reason that people like her were perfect for the organization.

Good.

He had one more test, then. He could have continued torturing [member="Anthea Valaros"] if he had wanted to. Fortunately for her he didn't. There was no point in it. There was an intense self-loathing he felt every time he poked into her mimd, but there was also strength and discipline reminiscent of lifetime special forces operatives. She had no reason to break, and she was ready to die before betraying her deceased family. She was perfect.

He pulled one of her knives from a pouch on his belt and brought it down to stab into the chair right beside her leg. Nothing further was said as he stood and walked to tbe door and let himself out. The point of the knife? To see if she could escape with the tool that she was given, even when it wasn't in the reach of her hands. He was pretty sure she would, but he wanted to be confident. Confidence was everything.

While he waited, he leaned against the wall in the hall opposite the door. Never did his eyes leave the door, but he monitored his surroundings with the Force. When you couldn't hear you had to be extra careful. If she made it out, she would pass and he would recruit her. If she didn't, well, he'd have to sedate her and leave her
No sense in leaving her to die.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Her brain ached tremendously. Each jolt he sent through her very fibers created so much pain, so much agony. She could taste the blood from her lips as the bite wounds dripped into her mouth, but also down her chin. The small streams of tears mixed with the blood as it dropped to the floor of the ship.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

He stopped. And said good. She opened her bloodshot, tear stained eyes and looked at him with confusion. She stopped biting her blood stained lips and her hands loosened. This was nothing compared to the pain she had felt every day for the past 5 years of her life. And that was something she would never admit to whoever her assailant was. Her assailant who... Who the kark was he? Why did he do this? He should be the one explaining a story.

She flinched as he stabbed a knife onto the chair beside her and let himself out of the room. Her eyes followed him carefully. This was probably a trap - she would get out, somehow, and he would attack her again. She was probably a toy in some kind of sick ritual. In either case, she took a few minutes to relax. She knew how she was going to get out of this but if she was about to get trapped again, she wanted to take a moment to breathe. After a few minutes, she focused her eyes on the knife and began to use the Force to pull it from the chair. Her connection was weak due to a headache that had formed after the torture but... She managed to break the knife free and get it into her hand. And once she clasped it, she began to saw into the rope with the knife until the rope broke.

She moved her hands in front of her and then used the knife to untie any other part of her that was tied up. She wiped her eyes, face, and blood off as best she could. There was probably still dry spots of blood on her chin and probably some new ones still coming out. She bit them hard. She would feel it for the days to come, probably.

She kept the knife and hid it behind her wrist as she crossed her arms. She had to be ready to attack him. This knife was her only weapon, her only chance of survival. She stood in front of the door before she used her Force to open the door as her light began to radiate into the hallway. She stared at the man who leaned against the wall opposite the door.

She waited.

 

[Sayd-Jai]

She had an advantage that some in their number did not: the Force. Even out in the hall, with his attention divided all around them, he could feel her drawing upon it. She had used it to affect her escape, as he had expected she would. And of course he knew she would keep the knife on her, believing that nothing was futile despite the advantage he had over her. That advantage being knowledge and experience.

When she opened the door he could see where the blood had run down her chin and stained her clothes. That wouldn't clean away easy. He doubted she cared. She stared cool daggers at him but said nothing at all. Nor did he for about a minute, letting the seconds tick by in unmoved silence as though he were a droid with a slow processor. Not the case, but be could fake anything. Acting skills were helpful.

You pass, he sent to her mind.

No, he still hadn't moved from where he was standong, but he also hadn't explained what he meant or what he was after. He fully expected her to rush him. It was what he would do in her situation. By now she would have figured out that the best way to attack him was probably to blind him somehow. She was clever enough to deduce he was sensory impaired. A severe disadvantage in most situations.

I already knew your story. You did well not to divulge it. Most fail the brain torture. Less than one percent make it to where you are now. Would you like to know more?

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Anthea stared at the strange man in front of her. None of this made sense, which made her not instinctively attack him for her life. Whether the Force or through her natural instincts, she sensed this wasn't what it seemed. Well, it rationally made sense things weren't as they seemed. He didn't stab her in the leg - he stabbed the chair beside her. He could have stabbed her in the leg, instead. She would have nibbled her lip as she stared at the man but her lips were too much in pain to do so. She held her arms close, ready to use the knife if he moved towards her.

She stepped out into the hallway. There was still enough distance that if necessary, she could attack him. He talked through the Force which meant he couldn't speak. And he didn't exactly reply to her when she spoke out loud. That was... Interesting. She assumed if she did attack him, he probably had enough power to take her down. He easily got her in the alley. He got into her mind with that... Awful, awful pain.

Her mind ached as he spoke. She passed... But what did she pass? This only complicated things more. She gripped the handle of the knife, although it was hidden by her other arm covering her.

She glared at the man as the blood began to trickle to a close. A few more drops fell on to the ground. How would he know her story? Did... He knew how she got her family slaughtered? Panic ran across her face, along with guilt, anger, and depression. Was there a worse torture? There was less than 1% who made it. Who else had he done this to?

And... Would she like to know more? She was curious. She carefully watched the man's movement, in case he tried to attack her, careful but intrigued.

I need to know how you know anything about me. Who are you? Why should I trust you?

 

[Sayd-Jai]

I can't hear you when you actually speak, but I can read your lips so long as you look at me. You needn't speak to me mentally, he informed her.

She had rightly deduced that he was unable to hear anything. Smart girl. There were definite elements to her that made her right for working with SPECTRE if he could convince her that what he had just done to her was necessary. That was always the hardest part. Of the few that made it to this point, only a few of them ended up accepting what had been done to them. That was perfectly alright, but unfortunately failure after the point of escape usually ended in death. He couldn't reveal the reason behind the torture, the most secret of secrets, and have them reject it and walk away. It would compromise their mission and compromise the operatives that were already out in the field.

While she had stepped into the hall, she made it clear that if he approached she would attack. The stance she maintained and the way she held her blade made this abundantly clear to him. And when he exposed her to the knowledge that he already knew about her past, he saw the wide range of emotions racing across her face. She was not expecting it. On top of that, he saw one thing in that range of emotions that ultimately made him wonder if he should even say anything further: guilt.

A guilty conscience could lead one to second guess anything they ever did. It could distract them when in the field. It could make her a danger to him and other operatives if they were in the field together. It could, however, be reconciled. To his understanding, she had been alone since the deaths of her parents. No significant relationships. No close contact. She had probably been wallowing in that zone of guilt ever since her family died. It didn't keep her from doing what she wanted to do, in her limited sphere of influence, but it could be utterly crippling in the wider galaxy. He would have to work on it with her if she ended up accepting what he was about to offer her.

Have you grown tired of this place, yet? Smugglers are petty criminals by comparison to those who stole your family from you. Sure you've picked off a few local big wigs, made a decent amount of credits, and generally seem to live comfortably, but you're wasting your talents and making no genuine impact.

He directly avoided telling her how he knew what he knew. Instead, he pulled his arm up and tapped the wristband he wore, which brightened the screen and a hologram of her appeared, followed by essentially every detail of her life story. The important facts came first, like the death of her family and the work she was associated with on Iego, but there were other facts scattered in that were quite personal. Once COPR had discerned someone with the right skill set, it had started racking in the tiny details associated with her and her family. It was necessary to build a proper bio on someone.

I'm offering you a chance at vengeance with the goal of doing something good. Not unfulfilling actions, but actual results. There is a wider organization out there, working in the shadows, taking the fight to those who do things like what was done to you and your family. We are close knit, and we don't share names. Call signs only. I am the only person in the organization who will ever know your real name, which is also why you will not know mine. You may simply call me Shadow.

What happened in that room was necessary to determine your willpower because if you're one of us, you cannot break. Breaking would harm the organization. I had to know you wouldn't, and I had to know you could escape if needed. You passed. Now I'm offering you a position in the organization as an assassin and slicer. If you accept, we will leave Iego, get you fitted for gear, and get you started on some training. Then you can pick your targets from the pool.

You can stop being inconsequential and start making a difference. Or you can stay here and wallow.

She wouldn't stay, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He wanted the decision to be out of desire, not self-preservation.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

She nodded. She was right about him - he was mute and deaf. But he could read lips, which made sense. If he was an assassin, he would have to be able to be able to overcome his inherent disabilities. He probably had other tricks up his sleeves to then. She carefully watched his movements.

She ultimately was trying to determine whether to trust him or not. The torture was a test, it seemed. This wasn't a hit job on her. If it was, he would have attacked her by now. He wouldn't have shared something personal about himself if he aimed at killing her - at least, not willingly killing her. She was right in her previous instincts that there was something more about this than what looked the eye. At least, even in a moment like this, she knew she could trust her instincts. That provided some relief.

He spoke through her mind. Ah, it wasn't a hit job. It was a recruitment job. By whom? And why her?

Her face became a poker face as she began to realize this wasn't a life or death situation. It wasn't exactly safe, but she didn't expect him to attack her anymore. Although, she did keep her guard up and her body was prepared for anything. If he was willing to torture her as a test for her employment, this very well could be a similar test. But... He was making her an offer. An offer to hit Sith and like-minded groups. She would never be opposed to that kind of hits. Maybe she'd eventually get those who killed her family through this too. Conflict of interest, though. She would have to discuss with him before taking a job like that.

The low blow, though? Replaying a holo-clip of her life. She emotionally shut down. She had relived it enough to know every detail that had happened. She didn't need him reminding her of it. Her eyes turned into a glare, though. She didn't need him to do this to recruit her - he was accessing her emotional viability, probably. If she was too emotional, she wouldn't be a good fit for his or whoever his employers are. She was smart enough to figure this out - it was a test, but a different kind of time. She kept her face as neutral as possible, aside from the pointed glare she sent towards the man.

His name was Shadow, at least that's all she would ever know of him. "Shadow, eh? Should've named you Alley Cat." She smirked, proud that even in this intense situation, she was able to crack a joke even about her own kidnapping. She sighed as she thought his offer over, Leave Iego? Do you have a HQ or something to live at? Credits, benefits, the package? I'll want to pack some of my stuff from my place before leaving Iego. Not a lot, just some stuff. Clothes. And some pictures, a holotape, mostly family heirlooms that she kept. But, she wasn't about to tell him that. He either already knew why or wouldn't care, hopefully.

"What's the name of your organization?"

 

[Sayd-Jai]

Shadow is shorter and more to the point, he said in response to her crack about his name.

She asked about the benefits and pay, which made him concerned that she was just going to view this as a job, and not a lifestyle, but they were viable questions. He was asking her to give up her home and move out into the galaxy. That was a big change for her. She couldn't stay on Iego though. It was too dangerous for getting ships in and out of with the Diathim obsession with starships. Too dangerous for her getting in and out.

There is no central operating base. We operate too broadly for it. We do own safe houses on hub worlds, and one of them will be made your new home. You will have a monthly stipend and we will arrange a steady job on your new homeworld as well. Something in the tech industry would probably suit you.

Harrin would probably a good choice for her. It was located on a major tradespine and there was a lot of industry there. She would fit in well among the industrial types. She might garner a bit of spotlight, but she could use that to further her cover. Her glow was going to draw attention, undoubtedly, but he was certain that she would find a way to work around it. On Harrin it wouldn't stand out too bad thanks to all the people there. She'd be fine.

She seemed interested in the job, albeit mad at him for having drug her back through her past. Unfortunately that was reality. She needed to know that she had no secrets with him, but that he would keep her secrets between them. He tapped a finger on the watch to end the holo, and bring up a keypad, which he typed a few things into before sending, and then looked up at her again since she had asked about the organization.

We are called SPECTRE. To the wider galaxy we don't exist. The point of our work is to not make a name for ourselves. That being said, I need to know what you want to be known as in our number. Only I will know your real name. That's why you can't know mine. It protects you and the others.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

He didn't seem amused by her joke. She'd probably call him Alley Cat if they had any personal time around each other. Maybe just to get on his nerves. Definitely not in front of other workers, she wouldn't be rude like that. It wasn't her fault he drugged her in an alleyway, creepin' about. It was better than what she felt like calling him, especially just a few moments beforehand. She asked about headquarter, credit, and so forth. He responded.

She gave a nod. A steady income wouldn't be too bad, in truth. Sure, she made a lot of work right now but if this was as good as he seemed to be, she'd probably have much better gigs ultimately. She loved the idea of putting it to the Sith and in truth, any jerks. But, a girl has to eat and a place to sleep, so she had to be sure before she gave up her little studio that she was going to be in a place where she would have the necessities. "Just want to make sure I have a place to sleep and a meal." That's all she needed, anyway.

She didn't care much about where she would be sent. She was an excellent employee. Or so she thought, anyway. She did her work. Fast, efficient, and most importantly, untraceable. Or well, she thought untraceable anyway. It made her worried that he was able to find out so much about her. How long had he been targeting her for recruitment? How did he find out so much information on her? She'd probably be given the inside secrets later. But for now, he was still explaining things. He ended the holo.

SPECTRE. She liked the name alone. It sounded like a good fit for her. She didn't' want anyone to know about her. That's why she had no friends, no relationships, and no family. She had nothing besides her contracts. She had no attachments, at least not ones that were alive and all that important. "I don't want to know others names," she said flatly. She wouldn't be in this for friendships. She'd be in this to take down the people who killed her and countless others families.

But... What would her code name be? She stepped back and leaned against the doorway as she watched the man in front of her.

What would you call me?

 

[Sayd-Jai]

That was understandable. Wanting to know she would be able to eat every day made sense. He would feel the same way if he wasn't running the gig himself. Each generation passed on the role of leader. His father was dead, his mother was in failing health. He was the one in charge because he had to be. He wanted to be, too, and that mattered, but he was doing it for his family and his people more than for himself. It was the right thing for him to do.

She also didn't want to know others names, which was good. Not that she would ever learn their names unless they wanted her to. That was how it worked. Each person was entitled to their own desires. Families were not forbidden provided the individual understood that their role took priority over their family life. It had to or they would fail to serve their role in the galaxy. One hundred percent dedication was required.

Probably Aurora. The glow and your tech skills seem to fit it, he said in her head.

He liked it. It seemed to fit her, and it wasn't related to her real name. Anyone that didn't know her wouldn't associate it with her glow, either. Their equipment would take care of hiding her glow from anyone else anyway. None of the other operatives would ever likely find out that she had Diathim ancestry. He would make every effort to make sure that they didn't. It was imperative for her safety that they didn't.

Ultimately it's your choice. But I need a decision quickly.

He lifted a hand to adjust his bandoleer as it had slid down a bit while he was standing there. Straps were loose so he tightened them.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

She hated that she couldn't see his face. She wanted to know his facial expressions. She could go off the Force voice in her head, but it didn't really show everything she needed to gauge his reactions. Granted, he very well might have a great poker face so it may not matter. Or he could be one of those things that were a droid with the soul thing. Whatever they were called. She assumed it didn't' really matter ultimately. She may joke some, but he didn't have to laugh at them.

She nodded at his suggestion as she thought over if she liked it. Someone might connect it to her aura but most likely not, especially if they never saw it. If she was going to be living a 'regular' life during the day, she didn't really have to worry about interacting with the other agents except in full armor. She assumed that armor and weapons were another things he would introduce her too, although she hoped to keep her own little things.

Aurora. She liked it. He was a bit impatient it seemed. "Aurora will be perfect," she agreed after a few moments. She gave him a small, grin. Her anger had turned a bit to the excitement. Maybe this would be a new chapter in her life - one that won't' be marked by her past, even though it will definitely involve the group of people who murdered them. It could maybe become her life, at least until she was old and ready to die. She resisted nibbling on her bottom lip due to its soreness. She relaxed her arms, flipped the knife in her hand and handed it back to him. Yours. So, what's next?

 

[Sayd-Jai]

When she agreed to it, he tapped a few keys on the holo projected keyboard, indicating her call name and erasing her real name from all files in COPR's database. Nobody was ever going to find out that she was Aurora unless she told them herself or ahe slipped up and compromised her own cover. Secrecy was very important to him and the rest of SPECTRE because it kept them all safe. Safety in their business was relative, but they all preferred the anonymity.

When she handed back the dagger he took it and then pulled out her blades to hand back to her. She might need them. This was especially true since she had probably missed a job meeting when he had grabbed her. She had seemed in a hurry. Soneone might want to hurt her if ahe had missed somethibg important. Smugglers and gangsters were notorious for being small minded when minor things inconvenienced them.

Go back to your flat and grab only the small things you want to keep. A backpack's worth. Then come back here, he sent to her mentally.

He doubted she had the opportunity or need to learn sign language so he hadn't even attempted it throughout their conversation. She hadn't grown up as he had, or grown up around people like him. Oftentimes he hated being a deaf mute. It was incomvenient at best, disheartening at worst. He did wonder whst voices sounded like. While he was aware he could get implants to fix it, he didn't want that technology inside his body. It made him too susceptible to outside interference.

Before she could leave, he pulled a watch from a pocket and held it out to her. It was just like his, and he had already attached its unique identifier to her file before even coming to Iego. If she had declined he could have changed it back home with ease. Fortunately he didn't need to.

Take this. It connects you to our network. Touch your thumb to the screen for recognition and then it will ask for a voice input. At that point it is connected only to you. You can use it to contact me and any other operatives and to find intel on targets. And don't worry, it got anti-slicing and encryption built in.

 

[Gaia Sunaris Cadera]

Aurora. That would be her name to every person she met going forward. No one would probably ever learn her real name - Anthea didn't want to get close enough to anyone for them to even want to know her real name. It was something she decided from the get-go that she wouldn't share. She wouldn't get close to any of her coworkers. Really, the only thing that would change is where she was going to be living and working.

She took her blade and repocketed them back in their respective slots at various spots on her body. She gave a nod. A backpack worth is all she needed. Darn, though, all her clothes... Ah, oh well, they could probably be replaced. Not to mention, it would greatly depend on the climate of the planet she was going to be assigned too. She may need more winter clothes. Or warmer climate clothes.

That sounds like a great plan. Except, I have no idea where I'm at. She perked a brow with a slight smirk. Was she in the atmosphere? Were they on the ground? They wouldn't be in Cliffhold directly since he had to carry her. He probably didn't put her in a bag.

She, however, nodded as he pulled a watch out from his pocket and handed it to her. She took it in her hand and looked it over for a moment with a perked brow before she nodded and latched it onto her wrist. She used the thumbprint. Then, when it asked for a voice input, she said her code name - Aurora. And then it was connected. Easy enough. She closed it off as she waited for Shadow to guide her off the ship and preferably in some direction back to her studio apartment. "Good, anti-slicing and encryption was my next question."