Private The Father Written in the Ashes of Flight

[Kristyl Arenais]

Location: Empress Teta.
Target: Veyrik Thalvar.
Indirect: Judah Dashiell .

The night sky overhead did little to slow her ambition, the hooded figure moving through the crowded streets of Empress Teta's Cityscape as she pursued her target from afar. Not once did she dare take her eyes off of his back, unable to allow a fraction of the risk that he slip out of her grasp once again.

His name was Veyrik Thalvar, though, like herself, he went by other names to conceal his position: a Shadow Operative for the Sith Order and his connection to the Imperial Security Bureau of the Galactic Empire. Thalvar was a special kind of scum, an expert in covert operations, and personally responsible for being a persistent thorn in her side for far too long. Those who had failed in their past attempts to take her life had left a breadcrumb trail leading back to this one man, yet the journey had been long and painstakingly arduous.

So many leads had turned up, only to go cold or play out to be nothing at all. Some had been credible, past associates such as the disgraced professor, Marn Delos; and the terrified Sorin Vey, a dockworker who had been responsible for overseeing illegal shipments out of coruscant following the recent invasion, yet even he had been a victim and her intervention had wound up ending in tragedy as the mans family had been executed following her abduction of Vey, in the pursuit of Thalvar's whereabouts.

Once upon a time, such a thing would have left her feeling sick to her stomach...-But this was what life had become, so long ago now. It was second nature, and she had started to see those responsible for her pain, less as people with beating, bleeding hearts, but now something else...Something darker, deadlier to society. A cancer needing to be snuffed out. Not for society's sake or some greater good as her father would often speak of, but for her peace of mind. Selfish, as it were.

Sometimes, to beat those the Galaxy feared as monsters, you had to sacrifice the innocence inside, the part of you that feared the existence of such things to begin with.

Beneath the loose, baggy old cloak that covered her form, she drew her Lightsaber into her hand. Thalvar wasn't alone; he had three others following closely behind him, all dressed in black, bearing no sigils of identification, yet each of them gave off a sense of imposition, an air of power about their movements. Their body language spoke volumes, exuding confidence with every stride and a sense of pride in their work as they followed their superior. What they were doing here on Empress Teta, she did not care. She did not come to this planet to know its history or experience its culture. She was here for the singular kill, and then she would disappear.

Her pace quickened, her auburn hair brushing across her line of sight, the hood masking her face with a faint shadow blocking out the cascading moonlight above. The moment was quickly approaching, as if rehearsed and familiar to her. Not for the first time, and he would not be the last. She had a list of high-profile Sith Imperial officers, some of whom had fallen, forcing the rest into hiding and heightening security across the board. An expected consequence of her gradual success, yet frustrating all the same; hence the importance of tonight.

She couldn't afford to screw this up.

Naturally, the whimsical nature of the Force had entirely different plans in store for her. A reunion of two that could not have come at the worst time, and be such a far cry from anything she had desired, that not only would this opportunity go awry, but so too would all her efforts to remain disconnected from her past go straight to chit.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

If he had to come all the way to Empress Teta, it wouldn't be complete without visiting a smokeshop. Since a younger age he had always had an interest in cigars and cigarras and business travel meant more of a reason to indulge. Different planet, different varieties. The shop on Teta was lined with dark paneling and rows humidors greeted him, complete with the sweet smell of rashallo leaves.

The salvager had lingered into the evening, picking out cases to be shipped back home to Joiol. Chandrilan varities, Shento cigars, some small batched ones from locals in the agricultural breadbasket of the Inner Rim. It had been more than easy to get lost in discussing with the clerk while smoking a cigarra and trading tales. Not that he could spend all evening smoking and bitching - no he had arrived with family on a trip and logically expected back at a certain time. Especially since he was looking after his grandson for a majority of the trip.

Leaving the establishment, Judah immediately knocked into someone very hurriedly on the move as he opened the door. A hazard with the non-automatic more old fashioned type ones often found in charming historical districts. Gave a certain charm but also a hazard on the more narrow of the streets.

"My apologies...wasn't paying attention..."

Judah didn't hit him that hard, more of a startle. Either running from something or late for something, if he had to be the judge. Figuring the apology adequate, he turned to head in his own direction.

 

[Kristyl Arenais]

Amidst the hustle and commotion of the busy street filled with countless other people, Kira's eyes narrowed as she watched the distant group come to a sudden halt due to some form of obstruction. A door had swung open from the right side of the street, and it appeared that another figure had stepped out directly into their pathway, though who this newcomer was and for what purpose their meeting, she couldn't ascertain from such a distance.

Thalvar's three Imperial companions immediately seemed to get their backs up at the interruption, one of them motioning with their right hand for the holster of their blaster pistol and yet Veyrik extended a hand in their direction in a request for tolerance, a silent command to be at ease. Turning back to Judah Dashiell , he raised his voice before the stranger could walk away so dismissively, speaking with an air of self-importance and yet not appearing to be bothered by the intrusion.

"No harm done, my friend. An honest mistake, to be sure," he spoke as though the suggestion ought not be argued. As though his truth was a safer option for all involved, "And please excuse my colleague here, the day has been long".

The possibility of a potential business exchange between the Imperial Security Bureau and another party was something she couldn't pass up, especially when, if that were the case, it could be occurring completely to her surprise and without any prior mention of it from her contacts when Veyrik Thalvar's location had been shared with her. She began to make her way closer, becoming more ascertive in her movements through the crowd around her, all the while keeping her lightsaber hilt hidden within her sleeve for the time being.

It wasn't until she had made her approach to roughly 20 meters away from the group that she was able to get a proper look at the new arrival, a man who looked startlingly familiar. So much so that it caused her stomach to physically turn, and she thought that the Galaxy might be playing some sort of sick joke.

She knew him. They had met. What did the ISB have on him?

"Son'uva bish..." she seethed under her breath quietly, her eyes darting between Judah Dashiell, Veyrik Thalvar and the three officers nearby. Any discussion, no matter how short, might risk her cover, or his connection to her. How in the seven hells could something like this happen?

Her gaze spread out to the others nearby, seeking some form of opportunity to cause a scene. A distraction. Anything to provide her with some time to act. She reached out into the Force, opening her mind to the infinite realm of ethereal energies that connected all living things. When mere seconds counted so crucially, the guidance of the Force brought valued wisdom, and in this particular case, she found herself steered in the direction of a security officer on patrol on the other side of the street. He was alone, armed and yet walking casually.

An unwilling participant in what would become a freak accident when his holstered blaster pistol on his hip would suddenly misfire not once but three times, echoing loud high high-pitched cries through the night sky and sending the crowded street into a sudden panic. People screamed and fled, running in all directions, trampling over one another and creating a scene of utter madness.

She didn't waste any time, pushing her way with pace now while the small group of ISB officers had turned with their blasters raised and moving toward the source of the blasterfire, perceiving a sudden thread while one of them sought to move Veyrik Thalvar to safety, Kira focused solely upon reaching Judah Dashiell and reaching out to grab him by the wrist; "We need to talk you and I!" she informed him with a look that would feel more threatening than anything.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Judah gave a short wave in reply to the man's words. It was one of those 'no harm, no foul' situations in his eyes. Besides, with the Empire a looming threat on Empress Teta, he doubted anyone wanted to get into any real entanglements. Who wanted to be tossed in the brig over a fistfight? Yet as soon as he had that thought, blaster fire rang out down the streets.

Instinctively he ducked and moved for some cover behind a small pillar of a building. Wasn't much but the best he could do. The man he just spoke to was moving to safety and there was a flurry of activity on the streets. Just as he was deciding it was safe to scurry back to his own penthouse, a hand gripped him tightly on the wrist.

It appeared he was face-to-face with a crazed homeless woman. Dirty, tattered, and with a wild look in her eye. Probably a spice addict. A shame too but with turmoil ripping through the galaxy many looked for an escape. With a small sigh, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out forty credits. His hand removed hers from his wrist and he pressed the credits into her palm.

"Get some food - don't use it on spice. You look like you could use a meal."

Kristyl Arenais

 

[Kristyl Arenais]

"Get some food - don't use it on spice. You look like you could use a meal".

There wasn't time to respond to Judah Dashiell 's insinuation that she was among the homeless population of Empress Teta, but that would be a remark that she would remember for another time. At present, Kira was much more concerned with the nearby Imperials in the street, despite their being distracted for the time being; that time would eventually run out, and she didn't intend to stay put for their possible return.

"I'm not asking for charity, Judah" She replied, though her gaze remained cast back in the direction of where the commotion had taken place by her design; "Walk with me now, and then I'll leave you in peace" she added, guiding him to accompany her with her grip still upon his arm as she led him away from the view of the street, utilising the darker cover of an alleyway seperating two building blocks.

Of all the people she could have seen today, she wasn't thrilled with the idea of being in his company any more than he was. The two of them had a very brief yet intimate past, although it appeared that he hadn't recognised who she was. That, or perhaps he was feigning ignorance for the sake of the ISB Agent that he had just bumped into.

As the alleyway opened up into a clearing, a concrete space surrounded by the hindquarters of storefronts and other buildings, she released his arm. She moved out into the open, where the light of the world's moon cast a brighter glow, no longer hindered by the squalor of sentient society. "That man you spoke to, Thalvar; What'd he say to you?" She turned back to look at Judah with no small hint of suspicion, her right hand moving to brush aside the cloak, revealing the Lightsaber clipped to her belt.

"Imperial Security Bureau. I've been searching for him for months...-What's your connection to him?".

 

[Judah Dashiell]

All but being drug to an alleyway, Judah was certain he was about to be robbed and assaulted. He had zero idea who the insane homeless woman was but it appeared she knew him on some level. At first he was startled but then quickly realized he was a semi-public figure in some way. Anyone could technically read on the HoloNet or watch a financial or business program with his face and name attached. Not daily, but enough so that he would be recongized.

If he thought she was crazy to begin with it got worse. Something about tailing the man who had bumped into him. Imperial Security Bureau non-sense. Judah supposed if this woman was a drug addict then it would be easy to latch onto the latest news cycle. The Empire was knocking on the door of Empress Teta and they had no choice but to answer.

"Lady, I don't know what the hell you're talking about but you need serious help. Clean yourself up before the Imperials make you obsolete."

Judah pulled away from her death grip, giving a shake of his head. One last look just in case he had to describe her to the authorities and he took off in a jog. He wasn't a runner - that was Makai - and the dress shoes made it even slower. Still it would give him enough distance between himself and the woman.

He couldn't wait to get to the relative safety of the penthouse complex lobby.

Kristyl Arenais​

 

[Kristyl Arenais]

"Lady, I don't know what the hell you're talking about but you need serious help. Clean yourself up before the Imperials make you obsolete."

Her better judgment told her to say nothing and simply allow the man to walk away completely oblivious to the facts, yet Kira had seen what loose ends could cost her, and what could happen if she didn't thoroughly vet the risks that were placed so blatantly before her. She stood there, her hands rising to sit upon her hips as he briefly considered walking away...

Walking away would lessen any further possible memories from surfacing in that drunkard's brain of his. On the contrary, he actually having a connection to the ISB and attempting to pull the wool over her eyes, was all but certain to come back and bite her in the arse further down the line.

"I don't have the luxury of ignoring this, Judah, you need to give me ten minutes of your time" she raised her voice to him, watching his back as he stepped away; "Twenty four years not once seeing each other and out of the blue, you're here at the same convenient time that I'm tracking the ISB. Even if I wanted to, I can't let my feelings dictate the fact that this could end badly were I to take your word and be proven a fool for it".

He still had no idea, and she could not help but raise a hand to her forehead, massaging her temple in frustration. Everything screamed at her to keep her mouth shut, but the answers held potential merit worth exploring. Once again, she was being forced to weigh the risks of exposing her past self for the sake of a future free of bounty hunters and the Imperial Security Bureau.

"Given you don't have a bottle in your hand, I can't even give you the benefit of the doubt".

The comment would more than likely go over his head, but the last time they had spoken all those twenty-four years back on Etti IV, he had been a wounded mess, broken over another woman, and Kira had taken advantage of his drunken state in a bid to avoid suspicion from others who had attended the Salvage and Industrial Conference.

Of course, she had been there for nefarious reasons, studying those with Imperial connections, trying to discover the identity of the very same man that Judah had walked into today. And his black-listed team of operatives, criminal informants, underground connections throughout the Black Sun Syndicate and of course, the Sith Order itself.

"I need to read you. I'd rather ask, and you let me than I force myself into your head. There's no other way to be certain. Then you can leave and go back to scrapping whatever hot mess of a wreck you're working with these days".

Judah Dashiell

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Despite the fact that he was literally moving at a rapid pace away from her, this woman kept talking. And talking. Quite annoying at this point, especially when she pretended to know him. Twenty-something years ago? Bottle in hand? It just seemed odd she was so insistent on talking to him. Judah had come to suspect she was a stalker. Never thought he would get a stalker, frankly he was not that interesting of a person to have such a thing. This woman must have spent a great deal of time hiding in bushes and watching him fish, likely made her even more insane than the deathsticks did.

Turning around to look at her, Judah no longer felt comfortable with his back turned. Instead he was slowly walking back - and pressing an emergency button on his intelichrono. Normally he would have brushed it off but the comment about "forcing herself inside his head" made the hair on the back of his neck stand. Getting his head bashed open by a homeless woman....well, first no one would let him live it down. Secondly, she seemed crazed enough to potentially kill him.

"No." His tone was firm, done listening to her drivel.

A minute had barely gone by since activating his emergency alert when a tall, slender Noghri male emerged from the shadows. One of the bodyguards he had scoffed at years ago when Danger had employed them for Makai. Over the years he had added a rotation as the family and business grew, always in the shadows unless activated. Judah wanted to ensure a normal as possible life.

Never had to use them until now.

"Juhr, I just need an escort back."

The Noghri looked over the woman, placing himself between his client at the assumed threat.

 

[Kristyl Arenais]

She sensed the presence before it made itself known, the Noghri Bodyguard of Judah Dashiell 's exposing a playing card she hadn't anticipated from his hand. Instantly, her lightsaber was torn from her belt with a tug of the Force, slapping into her open palm and flaring to life in a purple blaze of streamlined energy, sustained by the hilts emitter.

She turned slightly to eye the Guard. She had spent more than a decade having to look over her shoulder, anticipate her enemy and do everything in her power to keep herself from falling into an ambush or likely trap. Stars forbid, she found herself so focused on the presence of Judah Dashiell that she had entirely neglected to realise that it hadn't just been the two of them the entire time. Despite the business of the main street, they remained only a small secluded distance; she could still have pinpointed the other life form had she been at her best.

It had been an act of fight or flight; however, the blade was drawn in her right hand and held at her side, yet she was making no aggressive movements to further influence a physical confrontation between them. Glancing briefly between the Noghri and Judah Dashiell, who was now positioned behind the greyed figure, she remained with her right side facing the pair of them, her lightsaber held between her and the potential threat.

"You have to make this so blasted difficult. Kriifin men..." She uttered the words under a heated breath as she assessed the situation before her. All she had wished to do was probe his mind for the truth, a non-invasive connection, nothing that would have harmed him, and yet he was giving her nothing in the way of cooperation. "The Salvage and Industrial Annual Conference. Twenty-four years ago. You were a drunken mess, but I never expected you to have some involvement with their kind," she informed Judah, speaking through the presence of the Guard as she tried to bring some sensibility to the rapidly devolving situation between them. "And your Noghri friend here isn't exactly encouraging me to believe otherwise".

"Kristyl. Arenais" she spoke her name with intended clarity, assuming that he might at least remember that much of her.

"Tell your friend to stand down before someone gets hurt here. Please" she added the last word with evident difficulty. She wasn't in the habit of asking nicely nowadays. Not after she had been forced to live from one day to the next, ever on the move in fear that the wrong mistake could be her last.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

"Typical Jedi, resorting to violence."

Judah found it sickening a small group of individuals found themselves elite due to some powers. They didn't bow to government regulation. All of them thought they should rule the galaxy singlehandedly. Anything they said the rest of the peon-class was supposed to follow. No matter what the command, he wasn't going to do it.

The woman was spouting off something about an old Salvage and Industrial Conference. There was no time to think of it. A wrist was lifted to Juhr's face, a two word command uttered, a code phrase. A code phrase sent to Bolphukr up on the rootops. The Noghri bodyguards always traveled in pairs for safety reasons. If one of them failed another could easily act as backup.

With the phrase uttered, sniper fire began in the direction of Kristyl Arenais .Bolphukr wasn't seen and he was at least a block away, using the distance on the military grade weapon to his advantage. The Noghri were smart - Imperial Authorities would be in the area soon. They would have to move quicky once they arrived.

Juhr came and grabbed Judah's upper arm, dragging him away from the Jedi. Bolphukr would be fine on his own for now, getting the target out was key. Tugging hard, they cut down an alley, not wanting to take a direct approach to either the penthouse or the spaceport, if Juhr decided the situation was completely unsafe.

Other Noghri remained with other family members. Juhr would put them on alert as well, just in case.

 

[Kristyl Arenais]

Kristyl sensed the sudden danger, the Force calling for her to move just moments before the shot rang out, the air whipped up around her head as she dipped down, mid-stride, when the bolt zipped passed her head and impacted against the permacrete floor beneath their feet. She reached out with her left hand, keeping herself from falling face-first, stumbling into a quick dash across the alleyway and placing herself behind the cover of the alley they had entered through.

Judah Dashiell and the first of the Noghri had retreated to the adjacent side, seeking to distance themselves from what they had perceived as a threat, while she had simply been acting in self-defence and response to the surprise appearance of the bodyguard. As if she had been backed into a metaphorical corner, she had responded in kind, and tensions had escalated. Now with the echo of the sniper shot, it wouldn't be long before the ISB Agents in the area, as well as any soldiers for that matter, arrived.

"You blasted idiot..." She muttered under her breath. There was no longer any point in trying to talk with Judah. The longer she remained in the area, the higher the chances of her capture. If he had just gone along with her simple request, then she might have seen reason to believe him, but now things had been pushed too far, and there was little else for it. She had to assume he was involved somehow. How could he not be?

The timing of it all. His appearance was conveniently timed with the movements of the ISB Officers, and when questioned about it all, he had resisted with a show of force. Naturally, a life on the run taught you to be a certain way. Those who didn't expect the worst were often caught off guard by it, and that was that. Judah though...-They weren't friends, they had only known each other for one night, but she hadn't anticipated this. It surprised her, shocked her even.

Had she dodged a proverbial blaster bolt by leaving him in the early hours of the morning all those years back? Had he been playing her, probing for information for the Imperial Security Bureau? How far back did this connection go, or did her actions that night unintentionally place him within their line of sight?

Kristyl turned away from the caldersac, moving in the opposite direction as she now looked to escape the predicament. This should have been avoided, and she should have stayed on target by pursuing Thalvar. Judah wasn't going to give her any clarity, and she was wasting her time in hoping for anything different.

Summoning presence within the Force, she moved with a kick in her step, launching herself towards the alleyway wall and kicking off of it with her right foot in order to ascend to the roof above. She would still be in the light of sight of the sniper, a thought which led her from cover to cover as she looked to evade further conflict.