Private Some Nights

[Drifter]

At the mention of a cut, Drifter gave a bark of laughter as if the thought was silly enough.

“I’m not doing it for a cut, Pippen. I don’t need it.” He was honest about that. While his parents likely could track him through any funds they set aside for him, he hadn’t used them in a while. His work with his uncle and the custom creations he created made him enough to keep the ship running and his skills with hunting at least ensured he had plenty of fresh meat to process.

“You needed help. That’s really all there is to it,” no jovial tone. No trick. No hidden agenda. One could say the blame lay in the way his parents raised him, specifically his mother. Where Kira hunter taught him compassion his father gave him his pragmatism. Combined, if he could help someone he would.

Annoying as it was, he couldn’t completely ignore his upbringing. Despite everything that had occurred that showed him that he only ended up with the worst end of the stick when he did so.

Inside his head, he felt his uncle’s presence stir.

Helping others resulted in death.

Drifter gave a frown under his helm, contemplative expression hidden from view.

“You’re welcome,” belated, but there. Alex chose that moment to add, [ I will monitor the sensors.] even for a droid, one could pick up on her annoyance.

That’s what happened when one had a self-evolving personality matrix.

Sassy droids were sassy.

 

[Rhea]

Her eyes narrowed in mistrust. He could be insulted by it all he wanted, but she didn’t buy it. She couldn’t.

Part of it was she hadn’t met a decent person since her descent into the underworld side of things. Where there was kindness there was cost. Where there was friendship there were expectations.

The world had turned so starkly black and white to her. Motivations made sense. Motivations she could comprehend. It was gestures from the heart she had a problem with.

Whatever his cost was, she’d handle it later. For now she frowned down to his screens, trying to focus on the task at hand.

“Pull up the heat sensors. ...you got heat sensors?”

 

[Drifter]

“Would you like a readout of all their functions?” Drifter quipped with notable wryness, that helm twisting up to turn towards Rhea, canted just to the right as if amused by her demands and questions.

“Just so you know, these are not drones with military scouting tech,” he added, playing with the holographic mapping tools.

“I use these to chart out caves and underground ruins. They are as stealthy as one can consider black paint in the dark.” it wasn’t as if they were sending Alex out. That would have been different.

A press of a button and he activated the heat map. It was crude; Drifter did not lie, providing some residual mapping using the standard color legend for the various temperature ranges. Activation of the life form scanner could provide up to seven identifiable forms based on species.

 

[Rhea]

“Actually yeah, can you-”

“...Ah…” Came her pained reply as he explained their capabilities to her. “Better than nothing,” she acknowledged, leaning forward to study what he pulled up.

“If you were a hutt, where would you keep a rare thing stolen from enemies,” she mulled, making note of an old guard route, residual heat showing the trailing path.

“Where no one can find it…” She pointed to the underground labyrinth of rooms in the basement. “Or on display.” She tapped a large room on the ground floor.

“My money’s on display, though I can’t help but to wonder…” If that might just be easier than finding it buried away out of sight?

She glanced up at him, lines between her brows. “Have you even met a hut before?” Genuine question, harsh delivery.

Nothing new to that.

 

[Drifter]

Drifter selected an option on his cuff and the minor readings appeared on the hologram.

“I don’t know, “ Drifter replied to Rhea’s musing, crossing his arm over his chest, muscles bunching under the well-worn leather of his armor. “If I stole something from an enemy and it was pretty and shiny I’d keep it close to me and out in the open so I could flaunt it at every moment I possibly can.” It was all about pride and ruining reputation more than the actual value of the item. That massive golden statue on Nal Hutta of that one Hutt from the age of the old republic was the prime example of how far Hutt’s would go just to spike up their reputation and show how great they were.

A half shrug, “One… or twice. Depends on what you mean by met.” He answered wryly, thinking back on the times when his father was the Senator of Boralias and the times' Drifter and sisters went with him. Then there was that one time on Nar Shadda…

 

[Rhea]

Rhea cracked a small grin, finding answer enough in that.

“...Throne room it is. Here. Make it get closer in. Hit up that side hall and scope out any rounds. You think they’d have guards? I think they’d have guards. They’re bold, not stupid.” It was the most he had ever seen her talk, and without prodding to boot.

As much as Rhea hated her situation, there was a thrill in the hunt. She straightened, pushing hair out of her face as she grinned up at him. “We see what they do, we get a plan. We slide in then back out. Easy.”

Famous last words.

 

[Drifter]

“I doubt they let the place run free without any guards,” Drifter added, uncrossing his arms to lean forward. Under his visor, he gave a frown. The drones were small, relatively quiet, but there was always a chance they could be discovered by the Squibs. He directed this particular drone to fly a little higher; Squibs were rather short in stature…

“Hmm… let’s see if we can get this little guy in a safe nook to look for patterns here.” he would guide the drone towards the direction of the identified throne room. Up ahead, as Drifter had predicted, there were several small red lifeforms on the heat map. At first, there were three, then that quickly doubled into six.

“... well, there’s your answer.”

 

[Rhea]

While six wasn’t too much for one, it certainly wasn’t ideal. I say one because she still struggled to count him into anything. They were on, what, hour 7 of their acquaintance and even that had felt like a ride and a half.

She had accepted he would come, but she wouldn’t count on him. What with his missing arm. So how could she handle 7 problems in one room?

“...you got any explosives?” Came the unexplained inquiry.

 

[Drifter]

Drifter gave a cant of his head to the right as if silently saying… why? And what are you thinking?

“Mayyybe… why?” he asked, wondering exactly what was her plan. Did she expect to go in by blowing things up or was she trying to think of a distraction?

 

[Rhea]

Another smile touched her lips, grim yet full of mischief as she met his look head on. “Evening delivery to draw them out. When they move forward to fortify the front, we sneak in through the sewer system in the back. They won’t look behind them. They aren’t that smart.”

She hoped.

 

[Drifter]

“You sure about that? They managed to hold the First Order at bay twice compared to other planets -- even if they did it by throwing trash at their star destroyers.” now that had been a hoot. Well, one of the few funnier moments between the bloodbath.

He sat up, brought his gloved hand to the back of his neck, and rubbed it, his body language indicating he was considering the options.

“We can do that -- set up a distraction and then do what you recommended,” another ponder, it would keep any potential life-risking and killing low --- exactly how he preferred it.

“I’ll set the other two drones up to get a better idea of their security patterns.” glancing up, he turned to Alex, “What do we have that we can distract with.”

[Depends.] Alex began, hovering alongside Drifter’s head. [ On what kind of distraction.]

A pause, then a wide grin grew behind Drifter’s helm.

“A shiny, colorful one.”

 

[Rhea]

A look of dread crossed Rhea, the woman’s spine straightening as she practically pleaded. “Please tell me you don’t have glitter bombs.” Why her mind jumped to there, he wouldn’t know. But the blood rushed from her features nonetheless, the soldier remembering an echo of her past that she frankly didn’t want to repeat.

 

[Drifter]

A mock exasperated sigh came from his modulated helm, the man panning to gaze over at Rhea. [ You really do take the fun out of life. ] he told her with notable amusement, following it up with, [ You're the one who is trigger happy, Pitten. I am considering a far more entertaining option. Glitter bombs are for amateurs.]

He gave a rap of the table with his fingers, coming to his feet. [ Although, to be fair, Squib do enjoy shiny things. Why? You happen to have any glitter bombs on you? DIdn't know those were standard Alliance issue. ] he added, amusement rolling throughout his modulated voice.

 

[Rhea]

"I'm not Alliance," she reminded him, force behind the comment. The rest of his jabs went unacknowledged, a usual for her in the 12 hours of their strange acquaintance. She would be lying to say there wasn't some comfort in the exchange. Plans were always more satisfying when executed with others. Something something high fives.

She put up with the nickname, and the sass, her eyes narrowing for this 'entertaining option' he had mentioned.

"Alright then. I'll bite." She straightened, crossing her arms as she opened the table for him to show off. For once. "What are you thinking?"

 

[Drifter]

Much like the youngling's toy earlier, Pitten couldn't help herself. She is soooo easily baited, he mused to himself. Again, it was a good thing that he had his helm on, otherwise, the rather smug expression on his face was bound to get him kiss with a fist.

​

[ Oh but that would ruin the surprise! ] he sang, the devil in his tongue and mischief in his swagger, flicking off the holomap to make his way around the table, purpose in his step. This would finally make use of that barter he made back on Kashyyyk around Lifeday. All the better!

[ What? You don't like surprises? You one of those who like spoilers? ]

 

[Rhea]

She blinked rapidly, unmoving against the devilish gleam that blossomed before her. What. The Netherworld. Was he planning? She regarded him carefully, a wary edge to the stare that bore into the helm.

The urge to surge forward and knock it off him flickered through her, the woman deeply uncomfortable with the level of unreadability his figure posed.

"I like..." she started carefully, "To know what poodofest I'm walking into." For the first time in their acquaintance, she took a slow tone, trying to appeal to his better senses. "Don't you think we should be trying to catch the hutts we're robbing off guard? Not... our... teamaaaaates?" Would reason land against that oversized head?

Probably not.

 

[Drifter]

The man gave a pause, swinging that polarized visor Rhea 's way. He leaned back, and while his expression was hidden, the cock of his hip and the slight rise and fall of his shoulders indicated a level of amusement.

[ Wow, is that cordial request based on reason and common sense? ] he couldn't help himself, his modulated voice sailing with wryness. A laugh, then a gesture of acceptance with his right hand.

[ Alright, Pippin, you win. ] he gave a snap of his fingers and gestured with two for her to follow him. [ I concur that catching our opponents off guard would be best compared to my teammates. ] answering her question. Once again, they were playing the game.

[ So, what skills are you good at? ] he asked her, needing to get an idea of how this would go.

 

[Rhea]

Her lips pursed, holding back a wave of ire and indignation. He was such a hypocrite. Excuse him, but he had started this. He was the unreasonable one! He!-

The solider did not see the way she riled at his whim, which made her all the more fun to play with. Like a toy-- like that ball.

For all the lack of self awareness she had over the banter he brought her into, she was very good at holding her tongue where it mattered. Her indignation remained corked, his gesture of acceptance taken and run with.

"I-" She had to let out a deep breath, releasing the emotions she had not realized she was holding tight in her lungs.

"I'm a good shot." Came the formal reply. After a moment she found her footing, her tone softening from solider to confidant as she continued. "Piloting. Minor repairs. Slicing. Explosives." She paused, glancing ones at his mission limb and added dryly.

"Hand to hand combat." His quick ability to unhand her was a blow to her ego, no doubt.

She paused, then started, realizing she would also get her go at their strange little game. "And you? Does that mean sabers then?" She gestured to his stash of parts as they went.

 

[Drifter]

Had he not had the privacy of his helm, Rhea would have picked up that the question made his jaw tense. Things.... had been rather odd when it came to his creations lately. Something he was researching. While he could still use the saber and his armor, he'd been noticing a sort of resistance to the flow of the Force. He wasn't sure if it was in his head or what was going on.

But an answer was an answer, [ Well, I wouldn't be much use in creating lightsaber parts if I didn't know how to use one, ] he joked, hiding his internal musings and leaving it for the back of his mind to analyze later. For now, things had to be done.

[ How good at slicing are you? ] he asked. While he'd been able to tell that she was Force-sensitive, he wasn't sure if she meant slicing as in using tools or perhaps a natural knack that was Force enhanced.

They made their way down the corridor, passing the passenger cabins, and the one he'd told her was her room. A bit further back and they came to the cargo hold.

 

[Rhea]

"I get the job done," she said with more modesty than not. She didn't like highlighting on her background. She didn't really find it something to boast about.

"It's pretty intuitive, once you get the feel of it. Machines are pretty black and white." Still, she couldn't help but to dip into details about it, the conversation familiar and easy. Like cadets trading dog tags. But her modesty didn't do her tactical skills justice. She had been at the top and reached there young. Compliments of her 'sensitivities' no doubt. But that was a narrative she kept out of her head.

"How good at saber using are you?" She shot right back, a half smile catching as she swung her head up at him. He dodged the question. Like a shark smelling water, she dived in.