Private Trust Fall

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

​

Blaster fire tore through the air around him. Ace ran flat out, breath burning in his chest, the neon skyline strobing past in a blur. His boots hammered the rooftop as sirens wailed behind him, squad chatter snapping sharp in his ear. One hand shoved a datachip into his pocket, the other swung a humming blade that cast streaks of blue across the night. Tic clung to his back, claws dug deep into his jumpsuit. The BD-unit screeched in Binary every time a bolt cracked too close.​

​

Another squad cut him off from the left, rifles raised. Ace didn't break stride, his free hand thrust out and the Force slammed a cargo crate into their path, scattering them like leaves in a gale. The distraction only bought him a few seconds, he vaulted a railing, skidded across the slick roof plating, and felt the heat of another shot graze too close to his arm.​

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There wasn't going to be a clean way out of this. His only exit was forward. The last rooftop loomed, edge rushing up fast. Beyond it was nothing but open sky and a three-hundred-story drop into air traffic. But he didn't slow.​

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::Hope you're there, Verse.:: He muttered into his comm.​

​

With reckless abandon, Ace hurled himself off the skyscraper's edge. City lights spun around him in a dizzying halo as he dropped like a comet through the Denon night, trusting that somewhere below, Verse was already cutting through the lanes to catch him before gravity did.​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

The Redhead sat at the back of the cockpit in a relaxed position. An arm was raised up high to let her hand support her head whilst her crossed legs were resting on top of the chair across the aisle. Her other hand was idly tapping away at a datapad. The grey bomber jacket made her seem stronger than she really was - but it was open and revealed a toned core underneath. Freckled cheeks framed intense green eyes.

Like a predator, she looked up from the datapad. Her gaze honed in on the Weequay at the pilot's seat "You can go faster than this" The man grumbled a few curses at her whilst speaking of how she was lucky to have been allowed boarding after their last dealings on Hutta. Even then, they could all feel how he pushed a little bit harder. The ship soared across multiple lanes of traffic. A sharp and mischievous smirk formed, reaching from her lips to her eyes. "Good boy"

He did not like that. The Rodian next to him, however, found it incredibly amusing. It wouldn't be long before he joined the woman "Faster, haha! You outta be happy you still alive! Big Boss Skagrak like this one. This one help him with spice."

"T'was a pleasure doin' b-..." the Redhead cut herself off as her earpiece buzzed to life. The pause would be temporary - she completed the sentence and steadily rose to her feet with the elegance of a powerful feline. "[...] -business." While the Weequay kept his eyes on the road, the Rodian looked back at the woman with a streak of concern in his black eyes.

The concern was well founded. Before he could scream for help, the woman's blaster pistol went off, immediately stunning him. Barely a moment later, it went off again. The pilot crumpled in his seat.

Agent Pen-Ar-Lan took half a step forth to ensure that the ship's course remained steady with one hand whilst her other pointed to the corridor leading up to the cockpit. As if on cue, a third traveller, this time a Togruta, rushed in to see what had happened. He would not get far before a stunbolt hit him. Casually, Ines holstered the blaster pistol and began her transformation.

First, the wig came off, revealing blonde hair tied up in a tight knot. She took a band off and shook her head to give her hair a bit of air and flow. Then, she removed a pair of lenses which had been colouring her eyes green. The bomber jacket was also removed and stuffed into her backpack along with the wig and the old lenses. She pulled out a large shawl with soft floral patterns. With a few elegant sweeps, she took it on with an extra wrap around her head - Verse was far more stylish than Mia, that much was certain. Finally, she picked up a new pair of lenses and took them on. In a matter of seconds, she had removed a wig, replaced her lenses and changed the bomber jacket for a shawl - it was clear that she had done this many times in the past.

Blonde, blue-eyed and dressed softly: Verse Melnau had a faint but cheerful smile grew on her lips. "Blast, blast, blast, blast, blast" She muttered with a small voice as the urgency of the situation seemed to be setting in on the young rebel. She pushed the Weequay off of the pilot's seat and assumed it herself.

Hands - almost trembling - took hold of the controls and ushered the ship forth at a break-neck speed. With a few button presses, she opened the top hatch before forcefully pushing down on the controls, causing the ship to take a 90 degree dive. Falling down a building on a planet like Denon, Nar Shaddaa or Coruscant was a long journey. Some unlucky souls would find themselves falling for hours. Ace's fall wouldn't be as long. Still, she would be cutting it close. Real close.

The ship hurled towards to ground at a pace noticeably faster than Ace was falling. Only when she got close to his position would she slow the ship down in order to give him something to grip. Hopefully, it would be enough to let him hold on and make his way into the hatch. In the very last second, Verse pulled up. The nose of the ship was but a few meters away from the building below. The ship entered a crawl.

Instead of rushing to the hatch to check in on Ace, she immediately sprayed a liquid onto a tissue and started wiping her face with it. Little by little, freckles and Mia's make up started coming off. This had been a close call on more levels than one - but by the time Ace would be able to reach the cockpit, Verse would be sitting there shaking from the near death experience. Her bag would lie on the floor next to her whilst the blaster seemed to have been tossed onto the dashboard ahead of her.

"I'm so sorry, Ace, I cut it too close there, didn't I?" She looked to him whilst failing to smile. "I'm so sorry. I had to deal with these guys." Her eyes wandered from alien to alien. Checking on if he had the data they were here for didn't even seem to cross her mind as she continued "Any injuries? Let me set us down for a spell, I might be able to fix you up a little."

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

The wind tore at his face and clothes, his ashen locs flailling as he began to pick up more and more speed. Tic's claws dug in tighter with a panicked string of Binary chirps that rattled in his ear. Ace didn't bother answering, his arms and legs spread out - hoping to slow his rapid descent.​

​

A ship dove into his trajectory like an avian of prey cutting across the sky. For a second, he thought she'd miscalculated, the nose pitched too low and too fast but the hatch yawed open and the angle shifted just enough to match his fall. Ace gritted his teeth, tucked his shoulder, and hit the lip hard. Pain lanced through his ribs as he clambered in, dragging Tic with him. Then, the deck lurched under his boots as Verse yanked the nose back just shy of smashing the whole ride into a tower.​

​

For a moment, all he could hear was his pulse and Tic's panicked whine. Then he forced himself upright, one hand braced on the wall, and followed the sound of the engines into the cockpit. Verse was already there, hands trembling faintly against the controls. Aliens lay stunned where she'd left them. Her apology tumbled out fast when he entered.​

​

Ace leaned against the frame, chest rising hard, and let himself feel the adrenaline before finally answering. His mouth pulled into something halfway between a grimace and a smirk.​

​

"Cut close? Understatement." His voice was hoarse but dry, grounding himself. His gaze flicked to the blaster on the dash, then back to her, softer now. "But you got me."​

​

Tic emitted something that almost sounded like a chuckle before hopping off Ace's shoulder and wandering over to the dash. Ace followed, sliding himself into the co-pilot's seat, ribs protesting with every motion.​

​

"I've been through worse. Let's get off the grid before we have more company."​

​

Ace pulled the datachip from his pocket, eyes giving it a single look over before handing it over to Verse. ​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

'Cut close? Understatement' Concerned eyes were torn from the viewport onto him with a quick "Sorry" But Ace continued with a softer tone. Verse offered a smile and a nod before turning to once more focus on getting them somewhere safe.

Reaching safety would be harder this time. Instead of escaping a hutt palace with - as far as Gorbaar knew - nothing of value, they were now escaping with a datachip which their pursuers certainly didn't want to fall into the wrong hands. While Ace had been followed on foot, the ship's sensors would soon pick up a few speeders coming their way. Denon was a busy planet - it could just have been a coincidence if it hadn't been for the fact that they were approaching at a very quick pace. Far quicker than the ship they were currently in could fly.

For now, however, they were safe. The approaching speeders were still far away. Verse's eyes ventured between the traffic they were entering and the sensor board and then up to Ace. "Yeah, you're probably right." While her gaze returned to the viewport, her attention still seemed to linger on the jedi affiliate. "I know you're probably still full of adrenaline, but try to feel if you're extra sore anywhere. That fall might've caused a fracture or something. Not to mention whatever you did to get a hold of that chip."

She took the datachip he handed her and eyed it for a few moments. "That's some good work. Not even a scratch" she joked with a chuckle. "There's this mass of skyrises that have grown into one big lump over the years. Loads of people who live there don't see sunlight for days. It's busy, crowded, dirty. I think it might be a good place to lay low for a bit. We'll just have to get there before these guys." she nodded to the fast blips on the sensor monitor.

As if she had been avoiding the subject, she eventually glanced over "Was, uh, he there?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace flexed his shoulder as she spoke, testing the dull ache spreading through his ribs. The fall hadn't broken anything, at least not that he could feel, but the skirmish with Yar had left some new scars. He winced, breath catching once, before muttering:​

​

"Yeah. I'll live. Just sore."​

​

On the dash, Tic chirped low, one photoreceptor flickering like he didn't quite believe him. Ace reached up and tapped the little droid's casing with two fingers, half reassurance, half order to drop it.​

​

Ace's response to Verse's "not even a scratch" comment earned her a confident grin. His gaze flicked to the datapad and then to the smear of neon traffic outside.​

​

"Crowded and dirty's good. Easier to disappear. If their speeders catch up to us beforehand, I'll deal with them." His tone was flat like always, but certain.​

​

When Verse's question came, his jaw ticked. He leaned back in the seat, hand brushing absently over his lightsaber hilt as the ship pushed on. The fight was still fresh in his mind, Yar dropping from the shadows in full armor, the crack of his vibroblade sparking against Ace's lightsaber, the narrow ledge beneath them giving way in the chaos. The only reason Ace had the chip now was because he'd thrown Yar through a fuel conduit and used the blast to cover his escape. It hadn't been clean.​

​

"Yeah. He was there." He answered, then thinking back to Dro Elamon "That's two glactic renowned bounty hunters that personally want me dead now." A smile tugged as he said this, almost like he was proud of it.​

​

"How'd your mission go?" Ace asked, tilting his head toward her.​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

It would seem like they agreed on where to go. Verse nodded and pulled the controlls to bring the ship in a sharp left turn before upping the speed. Time was of the essence. The little dots she had noted on the sensors were closing in on their position.

If the hostile vehicles had sensors of their own, they would likely have been able to identify the Rebels' ship by looking at the only dot that was in position to save the Jedi a few moments ago. If they could see that, they would likely also be able to tell that the rebels were now speeding up after having changed directions. It was enough information to draw a few conclusions - still, far from enough to know the make and registration of the vehicle they were chasing.

She let out a chuckle when he mentioned that he now had two renowned bounty hunters after him - but slightly concerned eyes carefully glanced towards him. "You're far too casual about that" she commented half-jokingly.

Then, he asked how her own mission had gone. Verse offered an easy smile "I managed to chat a few of 'em up. These guys are always game for a bit of gossip if you open up with a bit of technobabble. What I got, however, was a bit of a mixed bag. It can be hard to tell, sometimes, y'know? The stuff they say that's true and the stuff they say to impress you or just things to throw you off." Her brows rose with a resigned sigh.

While Verse was not able to decipher what to believe and what to ignore, Agent Pen-Ar-Lan was certainly skilled at the task. But then, why spoon-feed the Rebellion with Imperial expertise? "So, basically, they've got this system with drop-off points where they meet to hand over information packets. Just like in the spy thrillers. But whenever I asked where the pointe were, I got a thousand different answers. Some said Polis Massa, some said Druckenwell, Utapau, Endor, or Bith. But that's not all! They've also got these code words and only a few lieutenants know them. It's a mess. I did wear the wire though, so we'll be able to listen back to it all when we're safe" she said, smiling whilst patting her chest where the recorder was hidden.

Her eyes then glanced down to the stunned goons around them. "These guys didn't have much to say. But they did mention having a pretty fast ship" Amused eyes wandered over to him "Not everyday I get the chance to bail out a near-Jedi"

The amusement quickly turned into concern as she noticed the blips on the sensor having almost fully closed the distance. The girl practically stood up in her chair the look down at a messy gathering of skyrises below. A stressed breath escaped her as she looked around the cabin. Eyes wandering from the Weequay she had pushed out of the pilot's seat to the rodian whom had previously been in the co-pilot's seat and then the third man who was knocked out in the corridor. "Would you mind securing them? We might have to do a spin or somethin' real soon." So far, Verse had not shown or talked about her piloting skills with Ace or any other member of the Path. Still, the tone with which she conveyed the words did not completely lack confidence.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace snorted softly at her jab, one corner of his mouth tugging up. "Casual's cheaper than paranoid. If they want me that bad, they'll find me. 'Til then, I'm not losin' sleep."​

​

The tone was dry, almost dismissive, but his eyes stayed fixed on the skylanes outside the viewport. For a moment, the mask slipped, just enough to see the shadow of someone who'd already lived with a bounty on his head. Back then, under Tessk, he hadn't had the strength to fight back. Just a kid scurrying through back alleys, hiding, waiting for the net to close. Powerless. He refused to let the fear own him again.​

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He listened as she laid out her intel haul, head tipping slightly. "Sounds like these idiots don't even know where they're going half the time." His hand rubbed idly over his ribs, but his voice carried a note of respect. "Still. Wire was smart. Path'll pull something useful out of it."​

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The sensor blips caught his attention as much as hers. Ace's eyes narrowed, and he cast a glance at the limp bodies strewn around the cabin. With a faint grunt, he pushed up out of his seat.​

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"Yeah, I've got it."​

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Tic chirped and scrambled after him as he grabbed the Weequay first, dragging him into the corridor and kicking the door shut behind. The Rodian went next, then the Togruta. Ace bound their wrists with cord stripped from one of the ship's storage bins. Crude, but enough to keep them down if they came to. Then, he returned to the cockpit and slid back into the co-pilot's chair, chest rising hard.​

​

"All yours." He muttered. "Spin us however you need."​

​

The words barely left his mouth before the first volley of blasterfire streaked past the viewport, making Tic shreel. Bright lances carved across the lanes. The dots on the sensor had closed fast, and now three speeders were cutting hard to box them in. One swung high, angling for their roof. Another screamed up beneath them. The third tailed straight on, guns already chewing sparks off their hull.​

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Ace braced a hand against the dash, eyes forward "Hope you're a good pilot!" ​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

Verse looked back into the corridor more than a few times as her ally did his interpretation of securing the stunned goons. They were removed from the cockpit and zipties were being put on - this warranted little reaction from her. But when she realised that he had no intentions to actually secure them from being tossed around, her jaw dropped.

Eyes, round with surprise and disbelief met him as he came back to the cockpit "Ace!" she exclaimed. "I can't-..." she was cut off as a few bolts were sent their way. It was enough to cause the ship to rumble as a small fire started by the far end of one of the wings. The girl threw a glance at the wing before dismissing the threat of the fire spreading - they were going far too fast for it to take hold.

Clearly stressed, she yanked the controlls to their right, causing the ship to make a sharp turn. The speeder below them was slow to react causing it to loose a little bit of ground on them. Seeing that, the Rebel took the opportunity to bring the nose of the ship down. It would both bring them closer to their destination and work to cut the bottom speeder off which made it divert course to the left in order to avoid a collision. By the time it had circled back into pursuit, it would be behind them just like it's ally.

This was not enough, however. Not by a long shot. A few more bolts came streaming their way from behind. Verse wiggled the controller with slow and sweeping moves to at least keep the wings safe from further damage. The hit to one of the exhaust ports would only have been avoided if she had made a far more adventurous manoeuvre. "Doesn't matter if I'm a good pilot now, does it?" her tone was high - clad in a thick layer of stress, fear and concentration. "If I do so much as to try to-..."

She was cut off once more as another few bolts came streaming their way. This time, she pulled them into another sharp turn to the left causing the brunt of the attack to go wide. With a few careful manoeuvres, she pivoted the ship to keep the two pursuers behind them at risk of colliding with each other if they both flied in optimal paths to follow the rebels. It was only a matter of time until they managed to fire another salvo which risked causing more significant damage. Smoke was already streaming violently from the one damaged exhaust port.

"[...] do a spin or a roll, I risk breaking someone's neck!" Verse then raised the nose to point it at their destination. They were close now. Judging by the frequency they had fired so far, another burst was imminent. Her head snapped to the droid "Redirect power from engines to shields, I'll glide us in." Not missing a beat her blue eyes, now sharp and focused, snapped to him "Ace, time for another mind trick. If you can't do that, prepare for a hasty touch-down. We'll need to get away from the ship, can you find - or make - an entry for us down there?" she said, pointing to the flat surface she hoped to land on.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace gritted his teeth sheepishly at her exclamation, but before he could answer, the whole ship jolted from another salvo. Sparks spat from the ceiling, and Tic screeched as he tumbled across the dash, scrambling upright again with indignant beeps. Ace braced himself against the bulkhead, teeth bared in something between a grimace and a grin.

"Yeah, well..." he shot back over the din, "They won't tense, at least. Less risk of neck breakage."

The ship screamed through its turn, Denon's skyline twisting in the viewport. Verse's sharp commands cut through, Tic chirped, photoreceptor flickering as he darted to the console. His tiny claws pried open a maintenance panel, wiring sparked, and the droid jammed a connector into the port with a satisfied warble. The hum of the engines dropped a fraction, but the shields glowed brighter as blasterfire splashed harmlessly across them.

Meanwhile, Ace's brow furrowed at Verse's mind trick comment. He huffed through his nose, the corner of his mouth twitching.

"Still not that kind of 'Jedi'." He muttered, emphasizing the word 'Jedi'. But his hand was already pressed to the transparisteel, reaching outward. The Force poured into the city below; noise, heat, pressure. Thenl he latched onto something solid.

His eyes narrowed, searching the flat landing surface Verse had pointed to. A maintenance platform clung to the side of the megastructure, sealed tight behind a durasteel gate. Ace thrust his palm down, invisible weight hammering into the barricade. Metal buckled, shrieked, then tore free with a violent wrench, leaving a ragged opening yawning wide.

He leaned back in the co-pilot's chair, chest heaving, sweat starting to bead at his temple. His gaze flicked to Verse, eyes dark but steady.

"Door's open. You got this?"

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

The Rebel was locked in. Her eyes were fixed on the roof she wanted to land on whilst a steady hand slowly pushed against the thruster, upping their speed even higher until, eventually, the engines died completely. Suddenly, every sharp breath she took could be heard loudly in the cockpit as the engine's intense hum died down. The droid had done its task well, for the shields now went back up. Their vessel was a small one, however, the shields wouldn't last for long.

Even then, she managed to smirk mischievously when he muttered about his unjediness. This time, however, she did not look over to him, instead her eyes were fixed on the rapidly approaching roof segment. His work could be heard from inside the quiet cockpit - at least to begin with. "Good job" she chirped until another salvo rained down on them. Verse did not even try to take any evasive manoeuvres and allowed the shields to eat all the heat.

Unfortunately, a second pursuer then started opening fire - her previous tricks to keep them from both targeting her were now no longer in effect. Alarms started blaring - warning them that shields were low and power was starting to wane. Then came another barrage. "Blast!"
she exclaimed fearfully whilst bringing the nose a little lower. They needed to land sooner rather than later. Fortunately, the sudden downward shift in direction caused the last few bolts to miss, allowing their shield to carry just a little bit longer.

Verse then brought the nose back up as they made their final approach. The ship was now gliding in at a slow pace - hopefully slow enough to be safe to land with. What was not safe, however, was another salvo of shots. The last few shots managed to rip through the shields and burrowed into the vessel's plating. An explosion could be heard from the back as a dramatic fire ignited by the ship's core. They needed to get out.

With a horrendous noise of metal screeching against metal, the ship drifted in onto the roof. Sparks flew under its belly, causing a plethora of minor fires to ignite. Verse let out a pained yelp but still found herself pulling the flap and nose controls back to bring them to a halt. Just as they were about to stop, she unhooked her belt and grabbed hold of her blaster. With a quick flick, she turned the stun mode off "Cover yourself" her voice was marred with pain and her words were barely audible. Grimacing, she raised one arm to cover her head and the other, holding the blaster, to fire a few shots against the viewport, causing it to shatter down on them.

The weapon wielding arm was allowed to fall in order to help push her up from her seat. At first, it seemed like she was able to push through by sheer willpower but her eyes eventually wandered over to Ace and she fell back down onto her seat. The girl panted heavily before mustering her determination once more. She grabbed her bag and fought to get up on her feet "We need to get out" She leaned forth against the panel in front of the shattered viewport, eyes gazing up hopelessly at the prospect of climbing out in her current state.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

The impact slammed Ace forward into the straps, teeth clacking as the ship screamed across the rooftop. His ribs lit up in pain as the explosion from the rear punched hot air through the cockpit, smoke filling his lungs. Tic tumbled across the dash with a panicked shriek before scrambling back, one photoreceptor flickering.

Ace ripped his harness free, guarding his exposed parts just as the viewport spider-webbed under Verse's fire. She was fighting, still, bag in hand, trying to push herself up, but failing. Her legs wanted to move, but the weight in her shoulders dragged her back down. For a heartbeat he just looked at her.

"I've got you." He muttered. His voice was rough but steady.

Sliding an arm under hers, he took her weight without asking. Careful not to jar her worse, he hauled her upright and toward the jagged opening. Tic clambered back onto his shoulder, chirping urgently at the skyline beyond.

Blasterfire cracked from somewhere outside, closer now, biting through the roar of the city below. Ace's eyes narrowed, muscles coiled despite the ache in his chest. He hissed through his teeth, braicing Verse's weight and guiding them both toward the opening she'd made.

The rooftop hit them with heat and noise all at once. Ace pulled Verse through the viewport, glass crunching under his boots as they stumbled out onto the roof plating. He kept her steady with one arm tight around her, his free hand still clenched on his lightsaber hilt though the blade hadn't yet ignited.

Tic scrambled down his back and scuttled a few paces ahead, photoreceptor flickering as he scanned the smoke-thick skyline. The droid whistled sharply, he knew what that meant: warning. Ace followed the sound and spotted it: the first of the pursuing speeders angling in low, floodlights cutting across the rooftop. Two more followed close behind, their engines a rising roar against the night.

"We really pissed them off, huh?" Ace muttered, chest rising hard. He shifted Verse against his side, positioning himself between her and the incoming lights. His ribs continued to ach, his breath came shallow, but adrenaline pressed it all down.

Ace froze for half a breath, calculating. They weren't walking out of this loud. Not in the state they were in. Tic beeped sharp, photoreceptor snapping toward a service hatch tucked in the shadows. Ace spotted it too: cover and an exit, and now their only chance. His lightsaber hissed alive just long enough to carve through the lock before he shoved it open with his boot. If she allowed it, he would help Verse lower herself in first, then follow, pulling the hatch shut just as searchlights tore across the rooftop.

The shaft stank, but it was shadowed, narrow, and hidden. Which is what they needed right now. Ace steadied Verse against the wall, breathing hard.

"Those towers you mentioned? The ones packed so tight no one sees daylight?" His voice was raspy, but his eyes were steady. "That's where we're going. Get lost in the crowd, let the noise swallow us up."

He took the lead, Tic scurrying ahead, each step pulling them deeper into Denon's underbelly and toward the crowded sprawl.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

She'd allow him to help her. Of course she would. Leaning on him for support, Verse found the strength to flee the burning ship. A concerned glance was thrown back at the burning vessel before her eyes sailed over to him. Blue and filled with gratitude. He was saving her life. A subtle smidge of water was skillfully held back as she gritted her teeth and pushed on. She let out a weak "Yeah" as she twisted to help him shift her to the side of him.

A few more glances were thrown back to the ship as they moved away. The fire burned bright and strong and a pillar of black smoke kept growing in height, providing the duo with a little bit of cover as they moved towards their escape path. While she seemed to keep track of the speeders sweeping in to attack them, she'd rely on Ace to keep her safe for this part. As they moved, it wouldn't be long until he'd likely noticed that she had injured something during the landing.

They were lucky that Ace had been decisive - for just as the hatch close, the rumble of an approaching speeder grew loud, followed by a few bolts hitting the metal above. Shallow breaths escaped her as her eyes studied the hatch above. "Thank the force" she mumbled, her voice light and slightly out of breath. Eventually, her gaze fell down onto him. Layers of cheerfulness, roses and bubbles, gratitude and a rebellious spark covered something deeper. Agent Pen-Ar-Lan was good at what she did - but maybe a subtle hint of sadness, or discomfort, or even fear, could be gleaned from her eyes.

Perhaps she realised that she was more open than she wanted. Perhaps she just followed her insticts. Before Ace had much of a chance to study her expression all too deeply, she leaned in for a hug. A relieved breath left her "That was close" her voice came almost like a whisper to his ear. It wouldn't be long until she leaned back but kept a hand on his arm to enourage him not to move away. Her free hand reached for a little pouch on her utility belt. Her fingers reached all the way down to the bottom before they could grab hold of a bacta-stim.

"First of all, we'll need to find medical supplies. If we try to slip into the crowds like this, we'll stand out like a life-day tree on a Tattooine dune." her eyes wandered down to the stim and then to her own arm. She grimaced with a pained expression whilst removing the little cap from the needle. With one swift move, she stabbed the Force Adept with it.

"Let's go" she said, her voice frail but quite determined. "If we can find the turbolift, we can probably find a floor with something appropriate."

[...]

I can't even begin to say how much pain I was in. Was it a concussion? A bunch of little fractures? Heh, heartbreak? I mention the latter because despite the kolto, I'm still hurtin

I'll need to collect my thoughts - or Mia's thoughts, rather. This will be a big deal for her when she finds out. If she finds out. I hope she won't. It'd be too painful. Anyways! Let's get started.

Korma Penn, Weequay male, fifty-five. Father of two (Korma Jr. & Moldu), on-and-off relation with their mother Moran Penn. He's a new one. Never seen him before today but had a nice chat with him before I got news of the evac request. He's super distrustful in general and is kinda soft when I think about it. You know the type who thinks you're cheating in pazaak but says it's fine when they catch you in the act? OK, maybe only I do that. He told me about how he used to be a florist before his shop got burnt down. Classic case of family-man trying to provide for his family, eh? It's just a shame that he crossed paths with me, eh?

Dheeno Bisma, Rodian female, early twenties, Orphaned, no family. ::: She treated me like a sister. Kept talking about how we women must stick together. She always had my back - when things got rough, she always came running. She didn't care about the odds. Never did. Mia would've killed for her. Last time we met, on NS, I could see it clear as day and when I asked, she spilled: She's got this massive crush on Leion Pharr. They would've been cute together.

Hurdo 'Jaws' Pol, Togruta male, mid-thirties. Steady relationship with Kil-ka Cyrn. They've been trying to get pregnant for months. Hurdo's not the toughest guy out there, but he's got the look, y'know? Deep inside, I know he's just a big teddy bear. He sees these little things and remembers them, like how Mia doesn't like Porg Clubs, like how she preferrs a bit of lemon to her juma juice or how she likes to bring her seat all the way down on those spinny chairs. He just soaks it all up and does all those little things for me. Did. Did all those little things for me. For Mia. Man, the day he bought that big bomber jacket for her - I'll never forget it. He knew how to bring a smile to my lips. He was a little distant at times, too shy to hang out with the rest of us - but he listened. He always listened. And when he heard something going on in the cockpit, he came. I knew him pretty well, didn't I? A few whiskeys and a B/SPU round does that.

I never thought I'd feel this way hearing the sound of fire. Sorrow. Mourning. Loss. They speak of compartmentalising. Of never letting anyone get too close. Always knowing what's real and what's not. So! I guess that's what I gotta do. I've got to stop caring, I need to separate what Mia felt from what I feel. I've got to tell myself that they never cared about me. I've got to tell myself that I never cared about them. But it's hard. So hard.

Tomorrow, I'll see if I can't send Moran a few credits - maybe just put down a big order from the bakery or somethin'. I'll forge a letter to Kil-ka from Hurdo, I know he wouldn't want to see her hurtin too much, so maybe I'll let her down easy, y'know? As for Dheeno. Man. I dunno. She'd probably want Mia to know.

[...]

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace went stiff at first when she leaned in, the hug catching him off guard. Contact wasn't something he got much of, only ever when he was with Aether. But he didn't pull away from Verse. His breath eased in her hair for a second, rough and steady, before she slipped back with her hand still on his arm.​

​

Then the stim hit his ribs before he could react. He hissed through his teeth. "Warn a guy next time." His voice was gruff, but the relief was real as the ache dulled to something manageable.​

​

He steadied her weight against him again, guiding them into the narrow passage. Tic scurried ahead, his photoreceptor casting jittery light across the walls. Verse's plan made sense, and he nodded once. They'd get lost in the sea of people if they get there in time. Patrols won't push too deep into the lump. He knew places like this, places where law only went skin deep.​

​

Ace had caught something in her eyes - heavier than just the crash. He didn't press, just tightened his arm around her shoulders as if the answer didn't matter right now. The service tunnel bent and narrowed, then spilled them into a broader passage. Vents hissed, the hum of traffic filters echoed faintly through the durasteel bones of the city. Somewhere far above, engines screamed, but down here it was a different world.​

​

Ace caught sight of a battered sign in Aurabesh scrawled across the wall: MAINTENANCE – LEVEL 3347. Below it, a turbolift door stood half-hidden behind stacks of broken piping. His lips twitched faintly.​

​

He shifted Verse's weight, guiding her toward it. Tic scrambled up to the panel and jammed his scomp link in, chattering as sparks spat. The lift groaned in protest, then juddered open with a tired whine. Ace stepped in first, eyes still scanning the shadows behind them.​

​

"One floor at a time." He muttered, steadying Verse inside. "We get lost in the lump. Then we breathe."​

​

The turbolift doors groaned shut and the city noise cut off like someone had pulled a plug. For the first time since the crash, there was nothing but the low hum of machinery as the lift shuddered into motion. Ace leaned back against the wall, ribs aching less than they did before. He let his eyes slip shut for a heartbeat, the adrenaline finally bleeding into fatigue. His hand stayed close to his lightsaber, but the silence pressed heavier than any fight.​

​

Tic hopped down from the panel, claws clicking lightly on the floor. The droid tilted his head in its usual tic, photoreceptor flickering as if even he didn't trust the quiet. A soft binary trill rolled out, somewhere between a question and unease.​

​

Ace cracked an eye open and gave him the faintest smirk. "Yeah, I know. Too quiet." His voice was low, almost to himself.​

​

He glanced sidelong at Verse, then back down at the floor plates. The reflection of neon seeped in from the seams, painting the space in fractured colors. The lift carried them lower, deeper into the sprawl where the noise and the crowd would cover them. They were going to be fine.​

​

"When we hit street level, you pick the crowd. I'll keep eyes off our backs."​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

Once they were inside the turbolift, Verse pushed away from him gently to lean back against the wall. She let a few pained breaths slip out before rallying to put on a brave face. Her eyes closed and she let out a concentrated breath. Unlikes, Agent Pen-Ar-Lan, however, this was a step beyond what Verse could pull off. After a few moments of success, the mask cracked, she grimaced in pain and shook her head at her own failure. "Blending in might be harder than we'd like." she said whilst trying to smile with gritted teeth.

Her eyes darted around the cramped turbolift as if she'd find a solution somewhere inside. Eventually, she unwrapped the shawl and draped it over her head, allowing much of the cloth to hide her face, either directly, or by keeping light out. "Maybe I can pretend to be reeeeeally old" she said, her eyes now had an interested spark to them. She brushed her hair back so it wouldn't be visible under the shawl and used a sleeve to wipe her lipstick away from her mouth. For Ace who stood right by her, it would do extremely little to hide her youth - to someone farther away, she had at least removed the most obvious give-aways.

Once they arrived at the bottom floor, she reached out to Ace and hooked her arm around him. She was obviously still in quite a bit of pain and needed the support just as much as the old lady she was pretending to be. Supporting herself against him, she looked around - her head moved slower, much slower, than it normally would. She was slightly crouched and her elbows pointed inwards to giver herself a more frail silhouette.

With a few unsatisfied grumbles, Verse eventually pulled her friend in a southward direction. A few eyes followed them as they walked but few seemed to be actively looking for them. It would be hard to go completely unnoticed, however. While there were plenty of people shopping by street vendors or just moving from one point to another, there were far from enough people there to make a crowd. Getting lost in there was completely out of the question.

"No sunlight, no fresh foods, dimwitted thugs hanging in the corners - and yet, people still choose to live here." she said, her voice low and strained. Her tone turned just a little brighter "But people still chose to live here. By their own free will." The words lingered in the air for a few moments. She'd let the thought simmer as a drug store came into view in the far distance. "There's a special charm to places like this. You see that little girl over there? The one running from the blue stall? This is probably all she knows - and she's just as happy as any other kid."

Her eyes closed shut tight as pain appeared to course through her. Verse went silent for a little bit of time before she finally opened her eyes again and forced a smile. "And look at her pocket, it's filled with little food stuffs. She's a little thief." Her voice was one of approval as she then nodded to the merchant in the blue stall. "And him - did you see that just there? He just took a few more Guba Slices out of storage. He's refilling what the girl just took. And now he's looking-..." her voice trailed off. The merchant was just restocking the Guba Slices until he looked up to an elderly Nautolan who offered him a slow nod "There! The elder. From the outside looking in, this is just a sunless, lawless cesspool of criminality. But there's an order to things. There's a beat, a rythm - a way of life where people look out for each other. To some, this is far better than the fancy Merchant's Quarters of Coruscant"

"Got a few extra credits to spare? You could earn yourself some goodwill." She nodded to the merchant. Things were still calm and they were very close to their destination. Perhaps they could afford getting sidetracked for a brief moment. She looked up to him, her blue eyes tired and weak, but a soft smile clad her lips and she squeezed his arm, ushering him to give it a try. She had his back.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace huffed through his nose when she pulled the shawl over her head and muttered about being old. His smirk came crooked, the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Reeeeally old, huh? Guess it's convincing if no one gets close enough to hear you talk."

He kept her steady as they slipped out of the turbolift and into the underbelly. His ribs still ached, but he matched his stride to hers, letting her set the pace. The air was thick, sour with engine grease and food smoke, and the crowd pressed thin but constant.

Verse's voice tugged his eyes to the stall she pointed out, to the girl darting away with food tucked under her arm. For a moment, he just watched, face unreadable. He saw the same rhythm she did - the nods, the silent transactions, the beat of survival. But it wasn't optimistic like Verse's.

"Charm? You're joking, right?" His voice was low flat, eyes following the kid weaving through the crowd. "It's just survival mechanics. Merchant plays generous so no one robs him blind. Old man shows a little warmth so no one tests him. Kid gets her scraps, but it'll come back for her. Looks neat from the outside, but it's brittle. All it takes is one hungry mouth that isn't playing along, and it snaps. Then it's teeth and blood like anywhere else."

Her suggestion about goodwill drew a quiet snort. His hand went to his pocket out of habit, weighing the idea. Old instincts told him to hoard credits, not hand them out. But her arm squeezed his, her tired smile cut through the smoke, and after a beat of silence he fished out a few. With a muttered sigh, he dropped them onto the counter as they passed. The merchant pocketed the credits without even looking up, just another transaction in a city that chewed people up daily.

"Fine. But if he remembers my face, you're explaining it when we're pinned in a corner."

Tic chirped sharply from the ground ahead, one photoreceptor flicking toward the far end of the row. Ace followed the droid's gaze, catching sight of the faded sign and the drugstore's dim glow beyond. His ribs gave another throb, and he glanced at Verse, tightening his arm around hers. Ace started, leading them in the direction of the drugstore. Ace's mouth pulled into a faint smirk that didn't soften his eyes.

"You talk like it's heart. Like people look out for each other 'cause it's right." His gaze stayed forward, voice low enough for her alone. "Sure, you get the odd person who'll look out for you outta the kindness of their heart. But mostly, they do it 'cause they're scared of what happens if they don't. It isn't kindness."

He didn't press the point. The faint neon spilled across the cracked walkway, promising cheap meds and a few minutes of cover. Tic trilled and perched at the threshold, waiting.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan ​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

A slight bit of surprise crossed her face as he asked if she was joking. Her brows shot high and she was about to shake her head when he continued. Momentarily, her head fell as another burst of pain seemed to course through her. When she looked back up, the hints of enthusiasm and fondness she had displayed when observing their surroundings had slowly seemed to fade. There were a few times where her head raised just a little and her jaw moved just a smidge, as if she was about to speak up - but then, she'd fall silent, allowing him to continue. By the end, Verse could only try to hide her defeated gaze. She tilted her head down to prevent him from seeing the long narrow line her lips had formed, "I-... uh, I suppose you're right" Her voice was light and small. Perhaps this was personal.

Agent Pen-Ar-Lan lowered her walls just a little, letting some of the sadness she felt over the loss of Mia's friends seep out and intertwine with what Verse felt about what Ace just said. When she looked back up to him, however, she had expertly hidden any sadness she might have felt between a beautiful smile and cold eyes - the same expression she had put in display as The Ice Queen back on Nar Shaddaa. "Yeeeah, these sort of systems, maybe it's better to get out of them sooner rather than later." she tried to shrug nonchalantly but pain stopped her mid-move.

When he mentioned being remembered, she let out a tired sigh and looked to him with brows hanging low, clearly disappointed. For a brief moment, her eyes darted to another couple who had drifted close and waited to speak until they were most likely out of earshot. She did not respond to more cynical thoughts. Instead, she reached for what he had mentioned more as a quip than anything of all too much significance. "Vayun, they're gonna remember you" her voice was low and she spoke with a smile, a genuine one this time. Squeezing his arm once more she looked up to him "Have you ever seen a young guy like yourself with hair that white? When you can't hide, and can't blend in, what's the next step? Well, you either disappear quickly, or you stand out for the right reasons. Be it fear, love, a play at someone's ambitions." she trailed off with a playful smile.

She'd let silence linger for a bit. Her eyes blinked quickly as her head tilted from side to side. The movements were subtle but she was not really trying to hide them. Eventually, she spoke "Maybe you'll survive while never trusting anyone. Trusting them for real, I mean. But I can tell ya', you won't live until you do." Her eyes went blank as her mind seemed to drift. She continued absently, as if reminiscing about something while speaking words she had already thought of moments earlier "Trusting someone to always have your back, to always be in your corner? It's the best feeling in the world."

Before much more could be said, her eyes snapped back to attention. The doors to the drug store swooshed open and she stepped into the little shop. A low pling could be heard from above, alerting the clerk that a customer had arrived. While the Toydarian woman carefully eyed the potential customers, Verse scanned the little botique as the doors swooshed close behind them. The air was fresh, much better than outside on the streets. The shop consisted of two rooms, the larger one they had stepped into and where the counter was, and then the smaller room to the side. From their position, Verse could see a couple of bacta-tanks in the little room. The larger room had shelves upon shelves of supplies - most of them medical but also some herbal supplies for more mystical purposes.

The girl started to tugg at his arm, ushering him to follow her as she kept leaning on him for support whilst picking up some medical supplies.

Later, the Toydarian storekeep would say something about only accepting 'real hard credits'. Of course, she was more than happy to accept the little tip Verse added upon paying for the drugs. "Would you mind if-..?" she said, pointing to the other room.

Skeptical eyes narrowed on her as the Toydarian let out a grunt. She clearly needed a bit of a push. There were multiple ways of accomplishing their goals. Credits always worked on Toydarians - but so could deceit and threats. This time, she'd simply look up to her partner and raise her brows, conveying a silent "Would you like to try?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace had caught the shift in her tone, the way her head dipped when she said I suppose you're right. He didn't call her on it, but his eyes lingered, like he'd seen the crack in the mask and filed it away.

Ace huffed faintly at her point about standing out. She wasn't wrong, hair like his did stick out, but on Bonadan, no one cared. Not when survival meant keeping your own head above water. People were too busy clutching their scraps to spare a second look at him.

When she said trust was the best feeling in the world, his mouth twitched. Scars were there, lessons that burned deep. But since joining the Path… it was something he was slowly warming up to. His eyes stayed forward, but his face softened, just a fraction. Enough to show her words had found their mark, even if he didn't give them voice.

The bell above the door chimed as they stepped inside. Tic scuttled a few paces ahead, warbling softly while the clerk's beady eyes narrowed. Verse's hand tugged at his arm, her smile faint but hopeful. Ace caught the Toydarian's grunt, caught Verse's raised brows and slipped into an old skin.

Bonadan came back easy. The street kid's grin, sharp and crooked. The voice that could play cocky while keeping the edge coiled underneath. He leaned an elbow on the counter, letting Verse's weight hang against him like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Let me guess, credits?" Ace's tone was dry, almost bored, as he fished a few from his pocket and set them on the counter. "Credits spend, sure. But credits are forgettable. You get plenty of those."

He leaned in a fraction, eyes steady, voice still low. "What you don't get every day is someone walking in here half-dead and a story to tell. You give us the back room, you get paid, and you get the kind of goodwill that brings people back to your counter instead of the next stall over."

A faint smirk tugged at his mouth. "Or we keep it simple, just the credits. Your call. But between the two, one buys you more than the other."

The Toydarian's wings buzzed faintly as she regarded him, tusked mouth curling in a skeptical half-smile. Her eyes flicked down to the credits on the counter, then back up to Ace. Searching to see if there was more bark than bite.

"Pfft. You sound like half the street rats that crawl in here with smoke still in their hair." Her voice was raspy and dismissive.

But her hand drifted over the credits anyway. She scooped them up with a deft flick, letting the coins clink into a drawer behind the counter.

"But…" she dragged the word out, her gaze narrowing. "…you don't look like the kind that leaves without what he came for. And you're right. Credits are easy. Customers who bring their business back, those are rarer." She gestured lazily with one clawed hand toward the smaller side room. "Go on, use it. Don't make a mess. And when you walk out of here alive, you remember who didn't slam the door in your face."

Ace then cast Verse a sidelong glance, before tilting his chin in the direction of the backroom - leading her toward it. But not before offering the Toydarian a manufactured wink and affirmative nod on the way out.

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

[...]

I've said this in the past but his actions spoke so loudly today. Ace is probably like me, in a lot of ways. It's rare to find someone outside the Empire who'd reject the conditions I grew up in as vehemently as Ace. I laid it up for him to like, and still he cast it aside. These Jedi - or whatever he likes to call himself - truly are filled with all sorts of little surprises. Of course, there are reasons for these good morals. He didn't just condemn the living conditions I had to endure - this was closer than that. The way he talked about it, the way he dealt with the merchant and then the pharmacist? He's lived this himself.

I'll have to update his profile later, because I think I understand him a lot better now. Where I was saved by the Empire, he had to keep getting by on his own. I don't know what the Jedi were doing but they probably didn't pick him up until later. All that mistrust? The brutal streak? The hotheadedness? It comes from his past. Our past.

He's hotheaded because that's how you survive. You don't linger and think, you act. Initiative, momentum, those come by instinct to us. The Empire tempered me, made me think before I acted - a better person. It would seem like no one has yet to temper Ace. Maybe that's something we could work on together. Whether he's aware of it or not, people like us gotta stick together, right?

Mistrust is more common among people who received the short end of the stick. Hahah, I was a bit of a menace back then and I got out fine. My guess would be that Ace used to be a rather fair child. Someone who got in trouble to being too nice, y'know? There's no good way of fixing that aside from showing them that they can trust you. I hope I can give that to him - someone to stand in his corner. He'd never let Ines be that girl - but maybe Verse could be someone who has his back?

Gosh, I'm making this personal, aren't I?

No. No, this ain't it. If it was person-.. It's a natural part of any infiltration assignment to approach and earn the trust of the target. Our connection doesn't change that. All this gotta be part of the job, right? I don't know what protocol would say - probably that I'm in a lil' bit of trouble. But it has to be better helping someone build themselves up than stealing more Imperial data. Objectively I mean. heh, close one! But yeah, this should be fine, fully within the frames of my mission.

Heh, who could've thought? That I'd meet someone so similar to myself among the rebels. The galaxy has a curious sense of humour.

[...]

She offered a smile as they walked to the other room. Once there, she neatly placed the medical supplies on a long metallic table whilst casually taking off the shawl that had covered her so far. She stood up and stretched, letting her back straighten and falling back into her normal sophisticated posture. A small pained wince was pushed back as she turned to him. "Let's get patched up" she chirped brightly.

Her hands moved with routine-like precision. Clearly, she was far from unfamiliar with the medpack. It wouldn't be long before she approached him with a bacta-carrying needle behind her back. Playful blue eyes met his as she brought one free hand up from behind her back to point to an empty surface as if ushering him to sit before hopping up onto the table herself. "Consider this your warning" just as she said the words, she immediately shot her arm towards him to jab him with the kolto. For a few moments, she'd let out a sweet laugh before moving back to the medical supplies to pick up another medkit. She'd prepare whilst seated next to him on the table.

Verse's eyes turned a little more serious and caring as she tilted her head to the side. A soft voice, smooth as silk slipped out "So who was yours?" She looked to him and clarified if there seemed to be a need "The person you trusted? I've sort of assumed they aren't around anymore, given where you are."

If he ended up asking her about who her person was, she'd immediately shudder. Her arms would cross defensively around her in a self-embrace and her head would turn away from him. She would be silent for a while before eventually turning her head halfway back to see him "How much do you wanna know?"

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Denon

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27 | Tic

Ace ducked his head under the doorway, guiding Verse's weight with him until they were inside. The hum of the shop gave way to the hush of the back room, just the faint crackle of a busted light overhead. He let her go carefully, watching as she straightened her back, laid out the supplies, and shed the shawl like another skin.​

​

His eyes lingered a little longer than they should have. The way she tried to slide back into poise, hiding the wince like she hadn't just been half-carried in here. He almost said something, but instead leaned against the edge of the table, letting her have that little victory.​

​

When she produced the stim with that mischievous spark in her eyes, he sighed through his nose, already half-bracing. Her jab came quick, and he hissed between his teeth.​

​

"You really enjoy that part, don't you?" His voice was dry, but not without a trace of begrudging humor.​

​

Then her question landed. Soft, simple but unexpected, slipping right under his guard. The smirk faded. His gaze dropped to the floor, thumb brushing the edge of his belt like he could rub the tension out of the air.​

​

"Trusted?" he echoed, almost scoffing, like the word didn't belong in his mouth. For a moment he said nothing, clicking his tongue once before he finally looked up.​

​

"Couple people. Mira, she was a slicer turned mechanic. Taught me how to fix and slice. Closest thing to a mom I ever had." His thumb rubbed absently along the seam of his pants again. "Then there was Red. Smuggler with more charm than sense. He taught me how to talk, how to read a table, showed me there was a whole galaxy out there."​

​

His eyes flicked her way for a heartbeat, then dropped again. "Thing is, people like that… they don't stick. Mira vanished one day, Red too. Trust was always on a clock, whether you knew it or not."​

​

Ace's shoulders rose and fell, trying to shrug it off like it didn't matter, but the edge in his eyes betrayed him. His gaze flicked to Verse. Ace's voice dropped even lower.​

​

"Information isn't free in this galaxy. What about you?" He asked flatly. Like always. When she asked him how, much he merely added: "As much as you feel comfortable saying."​

​

Ines Pen-Ar-Lan​

 

[Ines Pen-Ar-Lan]

Trust Fall
Acier Moonbound ​

"Trusted?" she offered an eager nod with a confirmatory and light little "m'hmh" Not to put pressure on him, her attention then seemed to turn to the medkit she held. Delicate fingers carefully tore a protective plastic off, tapped the pack a few times before finally removing the needle cap. Her thumb moved to press the emitter to test its function but stopped as he started talking.

She listened to him attentively, offering only small little comments as he spoke. "Slicer, huh? You've been holdin' back on me" the idle comment carried an approving, perhaps even impressed tone. She leaned back a little as he spoke of Red and her brows fell just a little: She was thinking about something but ultimately seemed to settle on letting him finish.

Trust was on a clock. Her brows rose as the words hit her. Before Verse had finished processing what he said, he asked about her own person. A shudder went through the very core of her being and her arms crossed defensively under her chest in a self-embrace. He wanted to know as much as she was willing to give. The girl took a deep breath and paused - but instead of speaking, she stabbed herself with the medpack and pushed the emitter to inject the kolto. Her face, despite having looked relatively normal, visibly relaxed as the healing agent quickly went into effect.

"Dad." she spoke reluctantly with eyes closed. It was almost visible in her expression how the relief of pain leaving her body intermingled with how much it pained her to touch upon the subject. "The best dad a girl could wish for. We used to go on all sorts of little adventures together." Verse forced out a chuckle before continuing with a bitter-sweet smile "Used to call me his lil' Treasure Tot. You'd think it's because I helped him along on his schemes, right? Truth is, that he only ever really cared about me" The 'me' carried an uncharacteristic tremble. The girl's mouth closed quickly as she pushed herself off of the table to walk away from him. She hugged herself tight. For a moment, she looked like a sad child - but just for a moment.

Verse appeared to try to be subtle in bringing a hand up to wipe a tear away. She let out a small sound as she cleared her throat and loosened her arms. With an elegant spin, she turned around. Her eyes were still emotional but she had once more produced the Ice Queen smirk she had displayed before "He's still out there somewhere. An' someday, we're gonna reunite." She was forcing her voice to be reenergized, but the conviction and determination it carried seemed to be real.

"So, Mister-Information-Isn't-Free, I trust I paid my dues in full?" Her usually soft expression slowly seemed to be returning. Step by step, the Ice Queen was being phased away. Just as Ace was about to answer, she immediately raised her arm and raised a cautionary finger "'n' don't-..." she trailed off, discovering that her voice carried far too much passion. After recomposing herself, Verse continued ".. you dare call me that. You hear me? If you do, I'll hurt ya!" The last sentence was in a weird limbo between jest and and threat.

She started packing a few extra medical supplies up to store in her backpack. After a few moments, she let out an idle musing "Anyone ever told you that you're a cynic? Someone our age shouldn't ever say stuff like trust was always on a clock" she deepened her voice and pouted her lips while broadening her arms to make a -poor- impression of him "Not unless they either wanna sound like they're 35, or kid going through their first heartbreak." Verse then looked up to him, her blue eyes shimmering with a tender vulnerability "You're gonna find someone you can truly trust, Ace. You just need to be a little reckless. Y'know? 'Dare to open up' and all that"