Private Starry Night

[Alliser Roche]

Bao Quayan

COME ALONE. INTERVIEW. THREE DAYS. COORDINATES FOLLOW AS: . . .

A message would be returned to Bao within the day, surprisingly. It carried with it a simple message. Come alone, come ready for an interview, and be there in three days. A line of coordinates followed immediately after as with a paltry amount of funds for transport. It was straight-to-the-point otherwise.

The coordinates, if she took after them, led her towards a derelict mining station aboard an asteroid not too far from where she made her initial submission. The station appeared decrepit from the outside, but on investigation most of the interior laid untouched. Life support was even still functioning once one made it past the airlocks and seemed most adequate in the station's primitive bar.

But not a single soul was there, yet. It was quiet. Maybe they were running late, maybe they were waiting for her to arrive.

Who knows?
​

 

[Bao Quayan]

Alliser Roche


She was lucky there were some credits for transport, otherwise it might have been hard to find a ship to hitch hike on strolling past the location. It didn't seem to be the most utilized hyperlane with an abandoned station, but with the funds, she made it there, and maybe with a cred or two to spare.... though that wouldn't be much to use otherwise in this inflated economy. But transport or money wasn't really something for her to be worried about, it was the location. These kinds of seedy places would always be used for the underground, scum of the earth types. She had nothing on her to steal aside from an old vibroblade, but her person was probably worth more on the slave market, if the worst were to come to fruition. But desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say, and Bao didn't care. If they truly tried something nefarious, they'd end up losing a lot more money, and a lot more men, than what they could easily sell her for.

It seemed the docking ports may have been too old for the transport captain to trust them, and they didn't want to try docking. Unfortunately for Bao, this meant open space, something she really hated. At least she requested a small rebreather with its own limited oxygen supply, and they were kind enough to give one up. The transport came down to land by an airlock, one she could hopefully use, but there wasn't exactly any relay towers available for connection to see the power and functionality status of the station, so she'd be completely on her own. And if that airlock didn't open? Well, for most people, they'd probably be fine, just venturing back to the transport to find another. For Bao, well, she was already squeamish from the ride.

She thanked the transport captain and gave a wave as she exited the ship, her extraordinary powers allowing her to levitate or fly towards the door. They weren't really fine-tuned in the weightless-ness of space, so she had a bit of drift, but she had a lot of concentration going on, so she was sure she wouldn't fling off into a building or something. Planting her feet on the ground, her used her flying ability to hold herself to the ground - or more like, gently fly downward, to give her a sense of gravity. This was a lot of confliction for her body, and her belly was already screaming. She banged on the airlock, looking for a keypad or mechanism to open it, being as quick as possible. She found one and hit it, and with a rusted squeal that only the vacuum of space could absorb, it slowly opened. After it was opened enough for her to throw herself in, she scrambled for the shutting mechanism, and doubled over to the wall.

She held her breath for as long as possible, hoping for the airlock to seal and dispense oxygen. Just as it did, she vomited into her rebreather mask and she was forced to throw it off. Falling to her knees, she did her best to recoup herself. It took a minute after the airlock sealed and pressurized the small room with a stale scent of oxygen, and she hoped this was not their headquarters, this place was ready to come apart. She wiped her mouth after catching her breath and standing, drawing her sword in a form similar to Waki-gamae stance; holding it at her hip and only exposing the pommel, while hiding the length of the blade behind her. She was going to be cautious. She stepped inside after the inner door opened, and proceeded to what she perceived as an old cantina of sorts, probably for the workers of the station at one point. She did not want to be ambushed, so she chose the darkest corner with the best view, eying the door but also her surroundings.

 

[Alliser Roche]

Bao Quayan

The steady hum of an air vent filled the room from an otherwise impeccable silence. It was grating, annoying even. Even more irritating was the smell of vomit within the stale room. But there were more pressing concerns to be worried over.

However, to either her chagrin or relief: she wouldn't have much time to be worried long. After a few minutes of waiting, Bao could hear the sound of surging spacecraft and - as it came closer - the reverberations through the floor.

Some two starfighters flew over the mining station, visible through the windows fitted to the sides of the cantina. Then, they circled once over and began landing procedures on the quarry flats of the complex. With them, from past her field of vision, came a transport shuttle that landed just as briskly as its counterparts did.

From inside withdrew a column of seven men in protective suits, with the first six stepping out carrying weapons and all moving towards the door. The pilots within the starfighters remained within their cockpits, likely standing in watch for the time being.

Regardless, the landing party made their way to the nearest airlock from their landing strip and entered through.

. . .

The airlock from Bao's side opened with a hiss to reveal the grouping with their helmets and environmental suits off to the side. The six closest to the door opening, dressed in mercenary attire and with black armbands around their arms, were already ready in a defensive formation; weapons raised and eyes alert. The seventh, however, dressed in a synthleather overcoat and combat boots, rolled his shoulders and held his hands in his pockets - almost uncaringly.

"Good evening." He smiled in an odd way and followed through with his men. They entered through into the cantina from an entrance closer to their end and started a square-formation around the room, but not before one of them stepped forward and lifted an overturned table to its proper orientation and dragged a chair on either side of it.

The client, or at the very least, who she may have assumed was the one who asked her to come here, took a seat. He gestured for her to do the same.

"My name is Alliser Roche, and you are Bao Quayan." He tipped his head. "I'm looking for mercenaries. Good, discreet ones."

In anticipation of her answer, or her taking a seat, he gestured for a man of his retinue to bring him a folder. "I make it my interest to research the people I intend to hire. It makes things easier, for both parties. But that's where it ends. There's only so much you can learn from a paper of past jobs."

He took a brief study of her face, studying her expression before continuing with a toss of the folder to the side of the table. "So. How about we start with you telling me about yourself?"

 

[Bao Quayan]

Alliser Roche


Bao never paid any mind to the soldiers when the airlock opened and they showed themselves. They were in a stance waiting for a reaction from her, so the best thing to do was not react. If things went bad, they would, but at this moment it was calm. Her eyes avoided them for the moment as they tracked the very obvious one, plainly dressed in comparison. They were escorts, not an army lead by a general. Even though this gentleman could very well be their dictator, this is not the impression he wanted to give off. He wanted to give off the impression of a leader, one that his soldiers didn't seem to need to be intimidated by, but respect. She ignored his greeting for the moment, watching as a soldier fixed a table and chairs so they could have a comfortable meeting. When he made the gesture to sit down, she slowly sheathed her sword. She was very cautious and slow so that the soldiers didn't react, no sudden movements and all that. Once the hilt clicked with the sheath, her hand was removed, though the opposite hand whose shoulder lied above the sheath idly gripped the hilt. For Alliser, this just seemed like a comfortable position for her hand. It wasn't readily able to pull that hilt, as the grip wasn't proper, but that was the point. The strength of the grip was all that was needed to weaponize her blade.

She stood up from her little corner and proceeded over, casually. The worst thing she could do was show fear, as fright often times came with erratic behavior, and for the soldiers, she didn't need them freaking out or overreacting to a frightened individual. She calmly took a seat and watched as he grabbed a folder, talking about investigating her, and she couldn't help but smirk. The folder didn't even look like it had anything in it, so it must suck for this man to be at such a disadvantage. It wasn't his fault, the galaxy knew little to nothing about this seemingly tribal girl compared to the rest of the universe, living on a lone planet with little to no technology, and then suddenly popping into existence of common data through hitch hiking and low-quality job acceptances.

"Well, I guess we don't need pleasantries, as all you need is my name." Her hand left her hilt, as she took both to cross her arms, elbows on the table. Removing her ability to swiftly grab her weapon either showed confidence or an inability to read the room, whichever Alliser would feel she would be watching for. "The folder is probably empty, save for a page or two. I've not really registered my information anywhere, as this galaxy is just like home - you can walk, and walk, and walk for days, and everyone does their best to turn a blind eye to your very existence, because you're nobody. I am in exile from my home, where I was wrongfully treated as a demon among my own people, until religious zealots invaded my home and killed practically my whole family - or that's what they told me. When I entered the fray, it seems I was knocked out. With this blunt force trauma I gained amnesia, so when I call that planet my home, I say it as someone elses truth other than my own. I am homeless, whether I accept the past spoken to me, or reject it. And that's why I'm discreet, because in both lives, I am now nobody and know nobody. I have no friends to confide in, and no authorities I side with, and I will never side with anyone. I have no loyalty, but that's the best part about me. At worst, I leave you. At best, I help you. I won't betray you, but I also won't risk my life to save you if you get yourself in trouble with the wrong people."

She paused, taking a breath as her arms uncrossed and one of her hands casually went for her sword. Of course, she would pause if a soldier aimed at her or said something, but she would stair at Alliser should they do such a thing, and she would assume he understood that she wasn't preparing an attack. She withdrew her sword from its sheath and laid it on the table. She slid it to the center of the table, potentially tempting him to inspect it, though unsure if he would dare take her blade from her, especially with her next words. "A skill I've inherited through my amnesia is something akin to muscle memory. I am a master of the blade and the forge. My weapon is never unmaintained, and I wager you will never find anyone more skilled with a blade in your line of work. Blademasters just aren't common these days when they have blasters which need little to no expertise to pick up. I mean, of course, aside from the other religious zealots that try to force their way on the galaxy, I'm sure you know the ones. I have two abilities that will make me a fighter that you couldn't resist, and all I need is two, although the other one everyone seems to laugh at in disbelief. As I said, I am a master of the blade. But I can also fly with complete control."

 

[Alliser Roche]

Bao Quayan

He listened to her introduction patiently, not interrupting and only moving his eyes from hers for little more than a moment to look at her weapon. The privateer had a very blank expression for most of it, aside from some soft amusement at the mention of religious zealots and a raised brow at the fact of her being able to fly.

"That is a bold claim." He said with some visible uncertainty whether she was being honest or not before eventually settling on a disposition that suggested he did, indeed. Most people wouldn't make such an outrageous claim, especially in a job interview with a privateer captain surrounded by six armed men. "Let us say I believe you, and for the moment, I do."

"Your skillset is interesting, and the note of your morality more so. It's draining to hear people lie about their loyalties." He leaned back in his chair, briefly glancing to her weapon and then to one of his men in thought. "So this is a nice change of pace, at least for this one meeting."

"Regardless, I'd like to offer the job. The only prerequisites I have is that, one, you keep this job discreet and refrain from mentioning it with others. The second requisite is that you prove your abilities." He stood from the chair, pushing it in with one hand as he put another into his overcoat.

"Specifically, prove your worth by crippling that man there."

He drew a blaster from within his overcoat, pointing it towards one of his own guards with an absolutely blank face - like before when she spoke. Three of his guards did the same, likely in a planned motion, and the other two kept their eyes steadied on Bao. The confronted guard raised his weapon in a quick motion to the other three, shouting fast and nervously that he was innocent and did not deserve the fate meant for him.

"He has been informing a rival of my movements recently and there is nothing I despise more from my own crew than betrayal." Roche briefly glanced back to Bao before turning back to the apparent traitor, though keeping a peripheral on her all the same. "Prove your ability, and I will pay you one thousand five hundred local credits for this on top of a contract for seventy thousand for the job. Room, board, and repairs included for free. Oh, and if you can do it within ten seconds I'll include a thousand credit bonus on top of that." He challenged with a brow perked in curiousity.

"What will it be, Miss Quayan?" He asked with a seemingly patient tone. The man certainly wasn't going anywhere.

 

[Bao Quayan]

Alliser Roche

'That is a bold claim' the words echoed like everyone before her. Most usually didn't sit down in such a manner to get level with her, as an employee. Most ended up seeing her abilities - if they hired her - before she ever stated her abilities. Those she ended up telling were only informed because they asked. Truly, she is one of those who don't speak unless spoken to. Perhaps she feels overly confident and too many people aren't worth her breath, or she's always focusing on something else in the moment that most expect. But that sentence was old, incredibly old, everyone doubted it. Though their reasons are justified, she was still bored by it, but not one to show off. Alliser would see that the potential for someone being overly confident, was not her. If she could truly fly, she could just hover up from her chair, but she didn't.

'Specifically, prove your worth by crippling that man there' Alliser really wanted to test her morality, and potentially test her greed. She had not a single care in the world for money or power, but.... if she had any ideas for a future for herself, it wasn't going to be free. That is the one major fault of this galaxy; with enough credits, you can sway all the hearts and minds in it. She casually looked over to the man that suddenly started freaking out, studying him and inspecting him. His clothes, his height, his facial features.... But then she blinked, Allisers next words piqued her curiosity. She swung her head back at him and raised an eyebrow. Now, he was paying her to show off. She did not want to show her hand so early, but she could at least show the glove.... She leaned back in her chair, taking only a moment to think about it, looking down at the dusty floor, then back up. "Show me proof," she said with disdain. "And when I make up my mind, you say start, and I'll do it in five," he wanted to test her morality, but she would prove he couldn't just buy her morality.

She was no morally good hero, and she would prove that. However, in a way, she was more aligned to lawful, or at least, most would assume that. Let's say someone did break the law... the lawful thing would be to jail them, considering the proven charges. However, if a man is not innocent, Bao doesn't truly care for their life. But in general, she cares for no life. The 'innocent man' as he called himself, was insignificant to her, so much so, she wouldn't feel like bothering to acknowledge him unless he interacted with her in some form. However, if she took a contract from the local authorities, then she would certainly interact with him. "My secret is I'm always flying."

 

[Alliser Roche]

Bao Quayan

He raised a brow towards her. He murmured something low, incomprehensible, a mutter of thought.

-And then he drew his hand within his overcoat and tossed a small data-tablet to the table. It was unlocked, and should she open it she would find a list of files in alphabetical order. The first was named "Bank Records," and had an even longer list of transactions. A few were made bold with the payment-maker highlighted as an unknown donor. The payments made from this unknown donor were incredibly large and made on the second weekend of each month regularly. The second, labeled "Route Records" would label an amount of distances to various locations. To her, however, it would mean absolutely nothing aside from the fact that every second weekend the guard would go to a certain cantina and leave immediately after reaching the destination. The third, named "Surveillance," was a roll of pictures with the man depositing data-tablets into an outdated mailbox on the side of a busy street.

"Savvy?" Roche asked. "If it is to your liking," He nodded with his gun still aimed towards the apparent traitor. "I say start."

The man cried out with desperation and turned the barrel of his blaster towards her, shouting for her not to get closer.

 

[Bao Quayan]

Alliser Roche

Bao gave a smirk as she heard an unclear verbal remark come from him, perhaps she got under his skin a little too soon. Well, at least he understood he can't buy her morality. Seeing the datapad be tossed onto the table, she reached out to catch it as it slid to her. She didn't waste any time, though she wasn't in a worry, as she opened the datapad to look at it. She looked over the information that didn't seem very relevant to her, though things started to align with what Alliser said when she saw the surveillance. This really didn't prove anything.... at least, not in her mind. What if he was just distributing naughty films? But, he didn't say kill the traitor, so that worked out for her.

He didn't give her too much time to look through everything, but she was amused by this little interaction, looking up when he said start. "You said cripple, right?" it was a rhetorical question, she didn't care what his answer was, all she wanted to do was waste three seconds. While her sword still laid on the table, the clock ticked like a heart beat as suddenly it felt like time skipped on a record. Bao had used all her speed, which probably was clocked at over eighty kmh, right into the traitor before he could react. Was a blink of the eye even permitted, before she rammed the man into the wall of the station, dislocating his arms from their sockets, and breaking both elbows backwards? His knees came out twisted, literally, after his skull mashed the wall first. Yet Bao seemed unscathed, she stood there, looking over him like she had no emotion. She proved the point that she was always flying, always in motion. She turned to look at Alliser, not in a cocky facial expression, as she was filled with guilt that she might actually be an abomination. But she didn't show that, she just showed a face that you could look right through.

 

[Alliser Roche]

If only Bao Quayan looked to the privateer captain's face as she hurdled towards the traitor at the speed of a maverick pilot on spice withdrawals. Roche was thoroughly impressed, and even slightly put uncomfortable at the actual speed in which it happened. The few other guards looked noticeably more put on their guard at the knowledge of her speed, too. A good impression, at least.

"You surprise me." Roche said as he lowered and holstered his blaster away into the innards of his overcoat. "I wasn't expecting you to hit him that way - It makes sense, though."

He stepped forward into a kneel, looking to the man that was now likely in shock. He surveyed the damage with interest, passing right by her without a single shred of hesitance. To her, he was either putting on mock-confidence to overshadow fear at such a speed demon or he was genuinely more interested in the condition of the man with her assault. With his blank expression, it was hard to tell.

To her own expression, however, Roche didn't react. He either didn't much care for a crisis of conscience in his line of work, or deliberately chose to ignore it to carry on the conversation and move past the deed.

"Now that's what I call a hit." He said as he rose back up and tossed a bundle of credits onto his crippled person with a certain air of indifference. "Good work. Tonton, pay her."

Another mercenary moved and stepped over the man's wounded body to offer her the promised payment. All two thousand and five hundred credits in a single stack.

"That said, I'm also surprised that you asked for proof. Most mercenaries in this sector, let alone region, would've took me at my word and money and promptly beat the man half to death." He turned to her with an analytical look. Roche looked more curious than unnerved, and even now he had the same expression as when he made a mutter at her request.

"If you're unwilling to kill people for money alone, I don't think you would be cut out for the contracted job I'm offering. It includes a little killing."

He stepped back and moved towards the table, taking back his seat with a roll of his shoulders. The privateer gestured for her to rejoin him as well. "But that job is still open, if you're willing. If you're not, though.."

"Hm."

The mercenaries stepped back to their former positions, all those except the one currently lying in a pool of his own blood and excrement. None of them glanced to the body, even him.

"I am in need of a new guard." Roche said with an amused, but all the same.. bitter look. It was heinous, especially in what just happened before him, but the captain apparently took some form of satisfaction in the punishment. "Pay would be different. Much less than the original contract considering its one-off nature, though. The new pay would be made in wages, like all of my other men are paid. Say twelve thousand five hundred credits every month?"

 

[Bao Quayan]

Alliser Roche

Bao mostly ignored him as she stood there, though she did listen to him. She just didn't feel it necessary to respond, he had everything he wanted to know, so now her only purpose at this time was to hear how he reflected on what he knew. When he gestured for her to be paid, she held her hand out to take what was owed, but didn't bother counting it. That is, until she heard 'promptly beat the man half to death' in relation to asking for proof, which got her attention when he mentioned not killing for money alone, which she interjected, "the man will live, whether you give him treatment or not. I am no judge and jury, but it was enough for something that wasn't a death sentence. If he truly was doing something sinister, he'll understand and reflect on his punishment. As for taking money to murder people?"

She walked over to the table, with full confidence now, not caring if the guards were intimidated by her movement, as they already were. They saw how fast she could move, were they really going to try now? She reached over to take her blade, "that man was not my enemy, that is why I required proof of his misdeeds. Yet, if I accept a contract from you, your enemies by default have to be my enemies. My enemies usually get a warning before I cut their head off, but I have my suspicions that when I face an enemy of yours, they start with blasting, rather than mouthing off." She appropriately angled the blade with her sheath, slowly sliding it in until she heard the click of the hilt and the sheath hitting together before completely removing her hand from it, and turning to face Alliser. "A guard position is not unreasonable, but I only work per contract. With a set amount of short time, per job, with the unwritten rule that if you put me in harms way where I feel you have tried to either get me killed or leave me to die, the contract is broken. I leave when I choose. While the credit amount is hefty, firstly you're giving that much money to someone who doesn't even know what to do with it. Secondly, you should realize you can't buy my loyalty or morality. So as long as we have an understanding, I can sign a contract."

 

[Alliser Roche]

((OOC: Busy for a time, will get back to you by Sunday night at earliest.

 

[Alliser Roche]

Bao Quayan

Roche offered a nod as she finished her reasoning. He had laid back into his chair and propped up his leg while she spoke, seemingly relaxing himself in front of her. Perhaps a guise to cover a nervous expression, or perhaps not. He replied without much of a hint to the subject.

"Well understood. I would say then, now that you've-" He gestured off to the man on the floor. "-proved your ability, I could offer you the job. As for pay, I could direct you to a few merchants in this region of space that might have some items worth haggling over if you're interested. But as a token of my goodwill, I still offer the seventy thousand. I wouldn't want to be called a cheapskate for the work I ask."

"And full understand on the bit about loyalty. All I expect of the people I pay is that they do the jobs they were hired to do." Roche yawned with a small glance to the man on the floor. "Obviously he didn't do his - what with keeping me safe and secure - but that's beside the point. As long as you do the job I pay for and I of course in turn don't leave you to die, I believe we'll have a fruitful relationship." He grinned.

"How about it then? If you're for it, we could offer you a ride back to my ship with some others who are waiting. I can tell more of the job there if you accept. It's a simple little thing, really. Just a removal of people who won't be missed."

The man on the floor groaned.