Private Two Jedi Go Down To The Underworld...

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, upper levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

The hanger of the Jedi Temple was full of activity, crew and Jedi alike wondering around about to achieve their tasks for today. For Silas, Valery Noble has something different for him. Recently, she had taken on another padawan named Cora who needed more experience in real life situations. His master had instructed him to guide her to the lower levels for an assignment of sorts, one of which he'd be leading. This was a huge step up as he had never been given another padawan to guide before, not only was he going to make Valery proud but give Cora as much help as possible to make the most out of the mission. It would certainly open her eyes to what they'd have to deal with, that's for sure.

Leaning up against the shuttle patiently he awaited for Cora to arrive. He had been briefed by Master Valery on what he was going to expect, the only thing he had little knowledge of was Cora. There was probably a reason why, his master wanted to break her down and learn about the girl himself, dissect what her strengths and weaknesses were. If anything, it was him having a lesson on leadership.

One now, there was one thing he expected of her...

Not to be late. ​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Knight Westgard!"

Ever the kiss up, Cora had arrived early. The blonde called his name, going off of the description Valery had given her, and jogged towards him excitedly.

Leaning against the shuttle, he looked so cool. She was a little jealous, but also admirable of how composed he seemed. Jedi Knights really were in a class of their own.

For her part, the young aristocrat had woken up early and spent hours agonizing over what to wear for this mission. While her closet was full of cute, preppy options, she'd never had to dress for the underworld before. Her forays into Coruscant's lower levels had been brief; one ended with her being shot, and her most recent escapade had her running from kidnappers.

Still, she was eager. With a Jedi Knight accompanying her, what could go wrong?

Eventually, Cora had settled on a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt overlayed with a fitted leather jacket and a pair of thick soled boots. All new, all from a high-end brand label, and all certainly what a naive rich kid's idea of underworld fashion was.

Coming to an abrupt halt right in front of Silas, Cora swept into a deep bow.

"Knight Westgard, correct? I am Corazona von Ascania; Cora for short."

Straightening out, she extended a hand with a bright smile.

"It is an honor to be working with you today, Sir!"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, upper levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

Padawan Westgard snapped his head to the sound of an eager voice, one that seemed to not know what his true rank was. That was certainly not a problem by any means though, as she had come on time and dressed in the required clothing. So far, Cora was making a good first impression on the soon to be Knight.

"Hm, I'm afraid you are mistaken. I'm still under the teaching of Master Valery for now" he said with a warm smile before lightly pushing himself off the shuttle to greet her. He could already see why had taken her as a padawan. Fun personality, and passionate to learn, those were some of the things he saw right now that Valery absolutely adored. Nodding slowly, he extended his hand out and gave it a firm shake "Partly, but it's great to meet a fellow padawan under Master Noble. You'll love her, as long as you don't mind her driving you insane"

Of course, he was joking. Silas loved Valery and her teasing. It only made their times together even more memorable during training sessions and missions. He'd just leave it there to see what she made of it.

"The same goes back to you miss, Master Valery has told me bright things about you. I expect that you'll prove those during our assignment, and please there's no harm in being nervous if it's your first" he reassured the girl. The first assignment he went on with Kahlil Noble was a struggle, but after some time things got better and his confidence flew.

"Do you have any questions as we get onto the ship?" he asked before turning a heel and walking to the lowered ramp "It can be anything, not even about the mission if needs be"​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"Oh!" Cora gasped, embarrassed at having gotten Silas' title wrong. In the aristocratic circles of Ukatis, that would have been a grave mistake. "My apologies, Padawan Westgard!" Bending at the waist, she bowed deeply in concession.

The older, more experienced Padawans were often granted more freedom when it came to missions and the like.

Straightening, she gave Silas a wide-eyed look. Cora idolized Master Noble to an intense degree, holding the utmost respect for the Sword of the Jedi. How could she drive her insane, and why would one of her own Padawans say such a thing about her?

"Oh, er," Shaking the surprise from her face, Cora scrambled to fall into step behind Silas. "I've been on a handful of assignments before. Some with Master Noble, and some with other Padawans or Knights."

Following him up the ramp, Cora tilted her head to the side. She had many questions—which level they would be going to, who their targets were, what exactly they were trading—but one thing in particular skipped her brain entirely before tumbling out of her mouth.

"What...exactly did you mean by Master Noble driving me insane?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, upper levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"My apologies, Padawan Westgard!"

"Ha, don't mention it" he said with a quick motion of his hand to show he wasn't fussed. She had manners too, a fundamental trait that all Jedi should have. It didn't hurt being nice, especially in a galaxy full of hatred. Being called a knight sounded strange, knowing himself he'd probably never get used to it.

Nodding to her experience, it seemed like Master Valery was already putting her through trials and tribulations "Good, make sure to remember those experiences going forward. They may save your life one day" Silas mentioned as they walked up the ramp and found an empty seat. While he was strapping in, he looked at her and grinned " Valery Noble is not only a master jedi, but a master of teasing too" he chuckled for a brief second "Whatever you do, do not hide anything like boyfriends. Sooner or later she'll catch on and draw it out of you, even when you try and get revenge she'll always be one step ahead"

Silas knew all too well about getting one over Valery. The last time he tried almost left him eating a soggy veggie burger as they ate proper five star burgers

"Seriously though, since the start, Master Valery has gone above and beyond. She took me under her wing at a young age and built me into a person I'm proud of being, in ways she's like a mother to me" that came from the heart too, Valery truly was a person he could rely on with his life "You'll love her trust me"

Suddenly, the shuttle jolted into life. The ramp at the end slowly went back up as they began to hover in the air and shoot across Coruscant with great speed "When we reach our meet up point a man named Victor Slink will be greeting us on arrival. I have known him from my time in the underworld, he's a good man who knows the right people" he explained "Once the SIA had come to me on this assignment, I had contacted him to see if he heard any whispers. He seems to have a location on their meeting place, we just need to "strike a deal" with him first"

What Cora didn't know was that the SIA had caught wind of a huge deal going on in the lower levels, a dodgy black market business that involved numerous weapons and a crystal that could power a weapon of huge magnitude. She'd find out what they were coming up against soon enough. ​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

"B-B-Boyfriends??"

Seated next to Silas, Cora fumbled with the straps as she blushed and stuttered like a fool. For all of her confidence, Cora was easily broken by the prospect of boys. The younger Padawan interacted with the opposite sex without problem, but the moment any sort of attraction was hinted at, she became undone.

Fortunately, Silas moved on from that subject quickly and Cora recovered. Now he'd brought to mind something more comfortable and familiar--their Jedi Master.

Like a mother to him.

That thought gave her pause—already, Valery had shown her more guidance and affection than her own mother.

"She really does seem to care a great deal." She commented while untangling the straps and crossing them over her chest. "Not just when it comes to Jedi training, but about her Padawans as people." The straps clicked into place, secure over her torso.

The shuttle jerked with ignition, darting out of the hangar and though the Coruscant skyline. So they were meeting with an underworld contact, that made sense.

"You've spent time in the underworld?" Head tilting to the side, her fingers tightened their hold against the straps. It seemed as if nearly every Padawan she'd met had some level of experience with crime or povery, or both. "What kind of deal exactly?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, upper levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"B-B-Boyfriends??"

"Yea... Master Valery seems to have an interest in who her padawan is hanging out with. It's not a bad thing, she just wants to make sure you're happy" Silas said with a smile, his eyes noticing her stammer and fumbling with her belt. If that was an indication of anything, she probably already had someone in mind. Thankfully for her, he chose not to dive deeper into the subject and moved on. That business was Coras, not his.

What he told her about was from the heart. Over the years Valery had trained him they had grown close, to the point where she treated him as one of her kids. Not only was she a master, but a friend that would stand the test of time "She's one of the kindest and strongest people I know" he said thoughtfully. All he hoped for Cora was that she'd have the same good memories as he did.

Raising his brow to her questioning, he briefly nodded "Indeed, not by choice though. A gang kidnapped and took me as one of their tools. Because I was force sensitive, I had many uses for them so they used me to carry out many of their dodgy deals. Let's just say I won't get into the deals..." he said calmly to Cora, missing out on many of the key details like how his parents were killed to keep her thoughts on the mission. She didn't need to know things like that, not yet.

"The deal we will be intercepting is a deal between the black market and the imperials. They had filled their basket full of blasters and kyber crystals that could power a heavy duty weapon. It's unknown why a faction like the imperials are going to gangs for supplies, it's something we may never know. But right now, we must be nice to my friend Mr Slink if we're going to get any information. He's a kind man, Although it's probably not in your best interests to get on his bad side" he warned her as their ship began to get close to the destination.

"He'll be there when we land and don't worry he knows of my new job" he grinned at her, their bodies shaking from the brief rumble of the ship starting to land. Slink was the only person from his past he still kept in touch with. The man not only could keep a secret but see the business opportunity of having a Jedi as a friend "He won't be hard to miss either, considering the man has one of the best mustaches in the galaxy."​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Fortunately, Silas did not delve into the talk of relationships deeper. Little did Cora know of the reckoning that would soon come for her in the form of Vera Noble.

Her nervous expression melted into something warmer—a genuine smile, at his kind words regarding their Master. "I hope that someday I could be even a fraction of the person she is." Cora admitted, cheeks tinging pink for an entirely different reason.

That, too, fell from her face when Silas let Cora in on a few vague details of his past. Kidnapped? Goodness, that sounds awful. Her expression sobered in sympathy, but she got the impression that Silas wasn't keen on talking about that part of his life.

She kept her focus on him as he ran through the mission overview—weapons, gangs, and an informant. Cora nodded along dutifully. "Of course." Her agreement came too easily. "I've no intention on getting on the bad side of your…Mr. Slink. I can assure you that I will be quite well behaved."

After the ship rumbled into a landing, Cora disengaged her belt and stood. She'd planned to stick close to Silas, especially so given his familiarity of the turf. She wasn't looking forward to the underworld stench of grime, though.

A thought struck her.

"Regarding this mustache…is it permissible to complement him on it?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, upper levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"I've no intention of getting on the bad side of your…Mr. Slink. I can assure you that I will be quite well behaved."

"Good, the worst thing we want to do is make an enemy out of him. Not only will it put us both in danger, but set me back greatly for future operations" he said more sternly this time, making sure she knew what she could and couldn't do. It was no lie Slink could be a very peculiar man, if you couldn't benefit him in any way then he'd have no hesitation in selling you down the river. The only reason he was still fine with Silas was because of all the things he had done for him back in the day. Slink saw Silas as a valuable ally to have, especially now.

Afterward, Silas couldn't help but smile at the question of complimenting his beard "Ha, considering he takes great pride in showing it off I'm sure he'll appreciate your keen eye" the knight chuckled just before feeling the ship shake. From the looks of things they were slowly but surely landing on a pad in the lower levels, outside was certain to be a waiting Slink "Okay, it seems like you're here. Remember, other than Mr. Slink you do not reveal your real name to anybody. Got it?"

Once Cora replied he gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he got out of his seat and walked towards the ramp "Oh, just a heads up the smell is chit down here" and with that, the ramp began to lower down steadily to send a wave of stench into their faces. The more it went down the more it revealed a man who was dressed in a worn out black suit. On his face, the classy looking man sported a monocle that seemed slightly cracked in the middle. They weren't in the most perfect condition, but it was far better than some of the things other citizens were wearing down here.

"Silas! my boy!" the man said proudly with an unusual yet higher class accent "It has been a long time," Slink said with a smile as he went forward to give Silas a firm handshake "It's always a pleasure to meet you Mr. Slink." Respect was a big thing with him, without it they wouldn't have been able to stand each for so long "Oh! allow me to introduce you to my accomplice for today. Mr. Slink, meet Cora" Silas moved aside for the man to move forward and hold out a hand, a curious brow raised high.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Cora. As long as you have the same manners as this young man I'm certain we'll get along fine"​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora nodded firmly, dutifully. "I understand, Silas. You have my word that I will endeavor to not endanger our mission."

The stench of the Coruscant underworld was something that, unfortunately, she'd become familiar with. Not that familiar meant tolerated. It only meant that, as the ramp descended and Cora followed after Silas, she kept a handkerchief firmly affixed to her nose.

"Goodness…" She mumbled at the haze of stink that assaulted them.

The pair of Jedi did not have to wait long for Mr. Slink, and Cora took care to remove the cloth from her nose and tuck it away into her sleeve while Silas greeted his old friend.

Right off the bat, Slink was an odd fellow. Not many in the lower levels took to wearing a full suit and monocle—then again, Cora had only been on two brief forays into the underworld before. What exactly did she know?

When Silas introduced her, Cora stepped forward and met Slink's hand for a firm, polite shake. "The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Slink." Came her smooth response, the young noble tilting her head in a bow of greeting. "I must say, Silas spoke highly of you—but he neglected mention your impeccable fashion sense!"

Aristocrats were sometimes known for snide responses and thinly veiled insults, but Cora's smile was bright and genuine.

"I love the mustache, by the way. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us; I look forward to working with you."

With introductions out of the way, she glanced toward Silas to gage his reaction.

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"I love the mustache, by the way. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us; I look forward to working with you."

Mr. Slink seemed to be taken aback by the kind words of the girl who seemed to very much appreciate his sense of style. Lifting a hand to his mustache, he smugly ran a hand through it and nodded to what she had to say "Oh, you think so? I'm glad to see you have brought a person who has good eyesight Silas!" the man said proudly before Silas coughed on purpose to get him to focus on the task at hand "Oh ah, yes. Follow me, my store is not far away" with a spring in his step Slink began to guide them through the crowds of people.

"Well done Cora, Slink won't forget first impressions like that so easily," The knight said with a smile before letting Cora go first. All Cora needed to do was keep that confidence for the rest of their operation.

Before long Slink had led them through a quiet side alley in front of a strange store. In the windows there were objects that were from a different age, indicating that it was a business for people of certain tastes. The antique shop had been Slink's base of operations for a few decades and had allowed him to see things that probably hadn't been seen by another person in the galaxy for a long time. However, that didn't just belong to the objects inside the shop.

"Please please, come in!" he said happily as he urged them inside. Turning to the door, Slink quickly locked the old door and turned the sign to closed for now "I'm sorry about some of the dust, I do need to give some of these items a good clean again." Silas smirked slightly from how much the store looked the same. Things had come and gone, yet many still remained in the same place "I see the old clone helmet is still where I left it last" Silas grinned and picked it up the same one he used to mess with when he was younger "Well, I couldn't get rid of that. It's priceless"

Slink sat down on an old fashioned chair and looked up at Cora with a more serious demeanor "I've known Silas since he was a kid. The poor boy had been held captive by a gang for a few months before I met him. Even though I couldn't save Silas with the explosive collar around his neck, I helped as much as I could when he passed through or was linked to a job with me." for that, Silas owed him a lot "It was only fair, considering I made you more money than anyone else" Silas said with a light hearted chuckle.

And yet, things still remained the same between them.​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

An antique shop was the last place she'd expected Slink to usher them into. A spark of anxiety leaped in Cora's chest when he locked the door, but that concern was waylaid by Silas' unwavering trust in the man.

Meandering around their immediate vicinity, the Padawan observed the various bits and baubles Slink had collected over the years. Her gaze swept over a row of antique blasters, all of which had likely been constructed and decommissioned long before she'd been born. Her eyes caught the reflection of something shiny, drawing her towards a large red princess-cut gem housed inside glass casing. Curiosity crept into her youthful features, but she was careful to touch nothing, hands neatly tucked together behind her back.

Given the man's eccentricities, everything started to make sense.

Slink addressed her and she pivoted, giving the man her full attention. Surprise widened her eyes as she learned of their connection, borne out of a dismal situation. "An explosive collar? Goodness…" The blonde looked to Silas with a sympathetic frown, eyes creasing in somber horror. She couldn't have imagined being under that type of duress, especially as a child.

Some strong bonds, she was beginning to learn, had been forged in terrible circumstances.

Clearing her throat, she offered the pair a small, muted smile. "It seems as though you two look after each other like brothers, yes?"

That type of bond she was more familiar with.

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"It seems as though you two look after each other like brothers, yes?"

"Hmph, more than that. He treated me like a second son" Silas said naturally said back to Cora, a raised brow soon appearing from the finely dressed fellow "Although, he hates to admit it..." the knight continued before the man got out of his seat "You were a valuable asset Silas, nothing more, nothing less!" Slink thought he was convincing, but his tone certainly didn't share the same sentiment. Silas looked to Cora and slowly shook his head, clearly disagreeing with Slink's comments.

"Alright, we should probably discuss what we're here to do. You seem to have information regarding the deal, correct?" he asked as the man leaned up against a wall "That's right, but I require something back from the both of you in order for it to be worth my time. Once you have secured your crystals, you will not hand in the high grade weaponry to the republic. Instead, you will give leave them to me" from the sounds of things, Slink had made plans long ago to make this venture worthwhile

Silas shot an unsure look to Cora and looked back to Slink "And what do you suppose your selling them to?" he asked sternly, wanting him to be honest "There are many security and mercenary groups that will pay top credits for those blasters. You know me by now Silas, I'm a gentleman of my word" Slink said with a wide smile and sarcastic bow.

Sighing loudly Silas looked to Cora to see what she thought "He isn't wrong, if there was a way to make an extra credit he wouldn't go back on his word. At least his idea is legal..." Silas muttered, before motioning his head to Slink "This is your call, do we take it or find other means?" in ways this was a test for the padawan.

Would she think the same way he did? ​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora couldn't help but smile at the exchange between Silas and Slink. The casual way they spoke of their bond, even teasingly, was telling of how close they were.

With the pleasantries over, matters turned to the particulars of their mission. The Padawan's face firmed as she listed to the discussion between the two men concerning the shipment of blasters.

Cora hadn't been brought up in the underworld. Her experience with the seedy side of life had been limited to a handful of forays into Coruscant's lower levels. As she was about to discover, deals were hashed out among all walks of life. Perhaps, when it came to ulterior motives and securing gains, the noblemen chewing on their cigars had something in common with eccentric informants like Slink.

Only they were far more forthright in the underworld, it seemed.

At least his idea is legal.

Silas' words caused her lips to thin into a frown. She didn't like the idea of handing over the blasters, even if Silas trusted Slink not to sell them to a more criminal element.

"Perhaps there is something else that we could offer to make your…participation worthwhile?" Cora began diplomatically, her tense features easing to a polite smile.

"Credits, or maybe securing your business from any delinquent groups?"

A thought struck her, and she frowned again. This time in concern.

"How do you plan to keep the imperials from tracking the stolen weaponry back to you? I've heard that they can be quite…brutal in their methods."

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"Perhaps there is something else that we could offer to make your…participation worthwhile?"

Slink and Silas both raised their brows at what she was going to suggest. Being a Jedi, you needed to think on your feet and in this case it was a matter of doing the right thing. Cora had been right to be suspicious of what Slink could do with the guns instead, and that alone made him smile slightly from her noticing.

Slink seemed to grumble slightly and shake his head "I have no need for security, all I want is credits" the man huffed with a look of annoyance at Cora. The man was well protected and secretive of his location, if anyone tried to get their hands on him it would have been a grave mistake "Yes, the Imperial can be quite the pain. But miss, I assure you they won't be tracing it back to a place like this anytime soon" not many people knew about the true operation of this place, to any average person it was an old antique store.

"She is right though Slink, you could do anything with those guns" Silas grinned at him, making the usually cool man pull a face "Have I ever been disloyal before Silas? huh?" He had not, but for Cora he was going to do something slightly different "Nope, yet the SIA thinks differently. What we can do for you is buy them from you instead, 20% more than any of the goons would pay you on this level" Silas explained, giving Cora an impressed look as Slink thought carefully

"<We've got him">

"And I'll be getting a 20% deposit correct?" he asked curiously, to which was answered with a quick nod "Yup, I'll get them to send it to you before we leave," Silas said to the joy of Slink, who walked over to the pair and offered his hand "I guess we have ourself a deal ladies and gents. You have made me a very happy man," he said with a cheerful tone as he shook both of their hands "Stay here, allow me to get you the coordinates" with a skip in his step he quickly went into a back room to retrieve what they needed.

"Well played Cora, you handled that well. Slink may be a man of his word, but who knows what he'll do with them when we're gone"​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora nodded carefully to Slink's assessment of her proposal. She was used to keeping a pleasant, unruffled exterior during the many formal events she'd been made to attend in her youth. Conversation was an art, and so was hashing out underworld deals.

When Slink left the room briefly, Cora let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"R-really? You think so?"

Silas' praise was unexpected, and she'd feared that she'd made trouble for him by offering premium credits or protection services.

An awkward smile settled onto Cora's face in the afterthought of her surprise.

"I'm glad we ended up on the same wavelength. It's not that I distrust him, but its as you said. Even if does as he's told us, who knows where those arms could end up."

She leaned a little closer and dropped her already soft voice into a murmur.

"Did…did the SIA authorize that?"

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

"R-really? You think so?"

"Of course, it's something I would have done if it was the first time we had met. Until you can trust him, it's always best to take the safe route." Silas explained "Although, as I've said before Slink is a man of his word. I've tested his trust before and he went through with delivering contraband to the right places. You on the other hand did not know that though" he continued with a supportive, grinning slightly from the inquiry of it being already planned by the SIA.

"Nope... but I can pull a few strings to make sure he gets the credits he deserves"

Coming out of the backroom Slink tossed a chip to Silas that contained the location of the deal "Everything you require is in there. Once the deed is done leave everything other than the crystal where it is and I'll get someone to retrieve it" Slink said sternly, his eyes looking to Cora "I'm sure we will meet again young lady. Be sure to check in if you're ever in the area" the man said with a slight bow, looking between the two of them with a raised brow "Well, what are you waiting for? Skiddaddle" the man urged with a wave of his hand,

"Don't get your mustache in a knot..." Silas mumbled with a grin as he turned to walk out, one of which was heard by Slink "I heard that!" Slink said in a moody tone before the door closed behind them. Looking at Cora, he pulled out a small datapad from his coat and placed the chip inside "Moody bugger... I'm sure the credits will cheer him up"

Within a flash, the hologram of the surrounding area appeared in front of their eyes. Not too far away a red dot blinked in an industrial district not too far away from their location "Hm... that's only twenty minutes away at the most. When we get there, we'll keep out of sight until we see what we're up against, got it?"​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora's concerned expression eased into an awkward smile. It always felt nice to get affirmation on a decision, especially when that approval came from someone senior.

"I'm glad to hear that. Er, let me know if you require any assistance on the compensation front—I have access to family funds that I'd be more than willing to delve into for the sake of this mission."

Which would require some explaining to father, but oh well.

Slink returned promptly with the chips, and Cora met his stern look directly with a firm gaze of her own. Eye contact would convey respect, and inwardly she was relieved that Slink didn't seem to dislike her after their discussion.

"I certainly will, Mr. Slink. I'd love to chat about some of the wares you have when we've got more time." A hand crossed over her chest and Cora dipped her head in a brief bow. "Thank you for your help today."

The blonde Padawan trailed dutifully after Silas, peering at the projected holomap and the blinking red dot.

"Understood." She nodded. The task seemed simple enough so far—but simple didn't always mean easy.

“So…” Cora trailed as they made their way towards the industrial district. "Has…Master Noble been teasing you about anyone?"

If there was anything that had stuck out from their earlier conversation aboard the transport, it was how their mentor picked up easily on romantic relationships.

Silas Westgard

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Coruscant, lower levels
Objective: Take down the trade deal
Tag: Corazona von Ascania

Silas could tell Slink was going to get along with Cora. They both shared the same posh qualities and almost act the same in a way, it was clear the pair of them were going to cross paths in the near future. Building connections like this was going to be valuable for Cora, one day she'd have to trust someone outside of the order to get what she wanted, Slink was certainly a good one to have.

As they walked along Silas was expecting some kind of chat, but certainly not this. Slightly, his cheeks would blush before he shook his head to play it off "Of course, Valery Noble can find even the littlest things to tease anyone about. In my case, it was a girl I didn't mention" he said with a light chuckle, turning a corner to travel down a busier street "In the end, I had to finally tell her after weeks of teasing torture. Even as a knight, she still does it now and then" it did sound bad, however, it only allowed Silas and Valery to form a better relationship with each other.

"Yea, she has a knack for figuring out if you're interested in someone. So it's probably better telling her right away instead of keeping it secret as I did"

Coming to a halt, Silas leaned up against a wall and motioned further down the street "There she is, all in its rotting glory" the building he was looking at was the abandoned factory. It hadn't been used in decades and was more of a meeting place for deals like this "You probably don't see them yet but they'll have some of their boys dotted all over the place in there. Be cautious and limit speech as much as possible, Jedi do have other means after all" carefully, he'd begin to move over to the large walls that prevented anyone from getting in.

"We'll find a hole to get through first, then we'll see what we're up against"​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

So there was a girl. And Valery had accurately gathered that information and teased Silas for weeks before the truth came out. Which meant that it was only a matter of time before Valery managed to suss out her secretive tryst with Makko, if she already hadn't.

"O-oh." Cora gulped visibly. Silas seemed far more resilient in the face of torture than she, so she was not looking forward to what awaited her. "I see."

Perhaps she'd pick his brain about this girl and how relationships worked among Padawans at a more appropriate time.

Silas indicated that they'd arrived at their target, and Cora pressed her back to the wall while following his gaze further down the road. Her eyes narrowed on the decrepit structure, figuring that no one would want to enter such a derelict building. Then again, if you were trying to lay low, it blended right into the cityscape.

"Stay quiet, got it."

Cora nodded once before following Silas, grappling up the wall as best she could. Its state of disrepair happened to be a good thing for them—time had weathered chips and scrapes into the duracrete face, making it easier to find footholds. After scaling the wall, the pair crept along the perimeter while clinging to the shadows.

They happened upon a broken window, jagged with glass. Voices drifted from the room within, gruff words hashing out a deal. Cora couldn't make out entirely what they were saying, but the pair of Jedi continued on, slithering beneath the window in search of something less conspicuous.

On the other side of the building, a few floors up, a group of windows had been blown out. They'd still have to avoid serrated edges of glass, but it would afford enough room for them to slip through carefully. There was a lack of voices, too.

"That looks like the least awful way in," Cora whispered to the elder Jedi, eyes drifting up the face of the building. "We can probably manage if we climb."

The factory yard was scattered with broken machines, stacked crates and dumpsters. Much of the debris was leaned against the wall, likely the only support pillar that had kept this part of the building from crumbling to the ground.

Silas Westgard