"You are unbelievable, Captain!" Risha snapped angrily at the Twi'lek, who smiled crookedly at the mechanic from her chair. "You went into Port Nowhere and managed to get yourself caught in Rogun the Butcher's trap, and now you're working for the Republic!" She gestured uselessly. "How...How?"
"Just another day on the job, Rish." Captain Zavvi replied sweetly. "Besides, we're privateers, not privates. That means we still get to do whatever we want, but the Republic will turn a blind eye if we harass the Imperials and they'll give us some legal protection as well as financial assistance. In return, we sometimes get called up to help them. So see, the deal isn't too awful!"
The older woman snorted.
"Well, that's better than what I expected...But I don't like the idea that we're at the Republic's beck and call." Zavvi scowled, standing up and straightening her back.
"Well, how about you count the amount of jobs we've done for the Imps, then. Should only fit onto one hand, and it's going to stay that way. Now, I'm going to talk to Darmas, so if you've any disagreements to my decisions, please wait until after I finish with him." The Twi'lek walked straight past the woman, who gave a little sigh and looked out at the hyperspace that surrounded the ship.
Risha had done some quiet research on the captain after she took back her ship, and to her surprise had found a rather boring and blank record, only upsetting a few people (unlike Rogun, they had just refused to work with her, instead of wanting her head on a platter) and being rather average. Things had only started to get exciting after her ship had been stolen and she'd waded first in a separatist outpost by herself, and then going into their stronghold with Corso and almost pulling the separatists down to their knees with ease. After that, there was the subject of her involvement in the Esseles debacle, listed initially as 'unknown female spacer', but changed in later reports to 'Captain Zavvi', where she'd thumbed her nose at a Grand Moff. A string of occurrences in Coruscant were also traced back to her, and Risha had found herself intrigued by the Twi'lek, and also had seen the potential in the smuggler, so had stuck with her through the rough patches. And she'd been rewarded in the end, now she had her crown, the treasure of her legacy had finally been found and the infamous Jackal of the Stars having met his grave end, though strangely, neither Zavvi nor Corso would talk about what exactly happened there. Zavvi would blank her, whilst Corso would turn as white as a sheet and quickly excuse himself, his stubbornness as hard as Mandalorian iron and utterly impossible to break through, even if she chased him. Bowdaar was also unhelpful, but only because neither of them had told him; Corso and Bowdaar had become quite close and it'd been the wookie who Corso had told about the incident on Tatooine, and no-one else. So if the mercenary refused to tell even Bowdaar what exactly had happened in the Long Shadow, it must have really rattled him.
Risha shook her head to move the thoughts from her head, thinking instead about how long Zavvi had managed to survive with Rogun's death mark between her lekku. As far as she knew, Zavvi was the longest living target that had Rogun's ire, though that would only increase their trouble. More bounty hunters would get bold enough to go after her, but also the fame would bring rewards too; profit...It was in Risha's interest to keep the Captain alive and well; not just because she was a friend, but a future queen would need powerful connections and money, and Zavvi looked like she would bring such things towards her...Eventually. But the mechanic had waited this long, she was sure she could wait longer. Besides, many aspiring gang leaders had their lives cut short for moving too quickly, so it wasn't too bad.
She just hoped Zavvi knew what she was doing...
"I think we all made it through before the noose tightened." The flickering blue image of Darmas Pollaran spoke, Zavvi leaning against the terminal. He looked down at her, his eyes twinkling. "I'm glad you did the same. Of all my fantasies of you, shackled as an Imperial captive was never my favourite." The Twi'lek smirked slightly; she'd brushed him off before when she was anxious about her ship being stolen, but now Zavvi felt safe, she figured some flirting wouldn't hurt, especially since the farm boy was busy repairing his durasteel armour from the skirmish on Port Nowhere.
"I must admit, that's not one of my fantasies either." She said, with a relaxed grin. "Tell me, Darmas, what's our game plan now?"
"I'll stay and make sure Port Nowhere doesn't land in any of Rogun's or the Voidwolf's little parties. You can think of her as a 'safe harbour' for our kind of folk. As for you, beautiful, go to Balmorra and wait for our call." Zavvi recalled the first mission Senator Dodonna had given the smuggler (or was it privateer now?) and her crew. She noticed a sly grin on Darmas' face. "And don't think this is all about serving the Republic either." He leant forward, as if sharing a dirty secret. "There's a fortune to made in this war. An enterprising individual such as yourself could end up with a criminal empire to rival Rogun's." Her eyes lit up first with a primal greed, and then with a flirtatious glint.
"Criminal empire..." She purred, leaning forwards and letting a lekku fall suggestively over her front. "You make it sound so sexy..."
Unfortunately she was so caught up with her flirting that she didn't notice the heavy footfalls that entered the main room and the scuffing noise of an arrested stride, so when the attached mercenary cleared his throat, the smuggler almost had a heart attack.
"Did I say we could trust Darmas?" Corso interrupted, surprisingly casually as he perched on the stairs with an irritated look on his face, clearly none too pleased. "I meant not trust him. Ever." There was a very slight sliver of steel to his country drawl though, but it seemed to be completely ignored, especially by Darmas who seemed to just take it as a challenge, grinning sharkishly.
"I can't think of anything sexier than a woman with a pile of credits, and her own private army." He grinned, and out of the corner of her eye, Zavvi noticed the farm boy's face contort most amusingly.
"Ewwwww!" The young man groaned, suppressing the shudder that slid up his spine. It did have the effect of silencing him, however, allowing Zavvi and Darmas to finish their conversation.
"I say that because there's a power vacuum in the underworld right now with the big names gone - Nok Drayen, the Hatcher, Ivory...But I have a feeling you'll be up there one day. Just keep that in mind when you're on Balmorra. The opportunities are there, you just have to take them." He gave her a wink, before his image flickered away.
Zavvi gave a great big sigh, flicking her wayward lekku back over her shoulder, looking over to Corso and not being surprised by the disapproving look on his face. She had hoped he wouldn't wander in when that had happened, but she figured he'd find out her flirting sooner or later and she couldn't keep relying on luck to keep her secrets.
"I know you didn't want to walk in and see that, Corso." She said, turning around to him. She had to give it to him, he was trying to look like he didn't mind, but she knew better that he was annoyed, possibly angry at her. "But you don't need to worry about Darmas. You two are so different, that, that it's like night and day." She noticed his eyes change; he was listening intently now. "Darmas is the night. Sure, he's dark and mysterious and has a way with words like nobody's business. But as I'm sure you've noticed, that guy is old enough to be my father. I'm sorry, but I kinda like guys around the same age as me."
"And what age would that be, if you don't mind me asking?" Corso said curiously. Zavvi raised an eyebrow.
"Weren't you taught to never ask a lady her age, farm boy?" She commented with a smirk, Corso shaking his head.
"Fine, Captain. But I'm twenty-two, if you were wonderin'." He replied, eyes twinkling.
Huh, that's interesting. I didn't realize we were so close in age; he seems younger. Zavvi thought. I can't believe he's older than me!
"Thing about Darmas though is that...There's something about him I don't like. He seems to know far, far too much. Sure, I don't doubt the fact he's well in the know, but it just doesn't feel right..." She eyed the mercenary, who just shrugged at her, so she sighed and continued with the comparison.
"You, on the other hand, are the light. I feel like I can trust you, that if I turn my back to you the only thing you'll do is watch it to make sure nobody hurts me. Sure, you're a pain in the neck sometimes, but I never have to worry that you won't come through for me." She turned away from him, hiding her slight blush. "And, well, you...You're different. You mean what you say, and it isn't just something...throw-away, you know? And, there is something you have that no often man has ever managed to ever get." She walked over to him, her eyes locked to his. "You know me, Corso. You know my secret." She lifted her hand to self-consciously touch her headband, but he took it instead, pressing a kiss to the back of her glove. He shook his head.
"I mean no offence, Captain." He murmured softly. "But I don't think I'll ever know you totally." A smile. "There's too much to you to ever know it all." The Twi'lek blushed, looking away again.
"If, if you think so..." She mumbled shyly.
Before Corso could say more though, Risha entered the main room and Zavvi quickly yanked her hands free of his, pretending that nothing soft or romantic was going on between them, much to his chagrin.
"I assume we have a place to be, Captain?" The mechanic drawled. "Or are we going to jump to a place in the middle of nowhere and stay there forever?" She was ignoring the disapproving glares from Corso, clearly perturbed at the interruption.
"Yeah. Prepare a jump to Balmorra once we're out of hyperspace, but don't execute it just yet. We've got our first assignment there and we'll get more details once we've docked with the orbital station, but for now just wait." The smuggler replied, noting Risha rolling her eyes and Corso's seemed to sparkle. She looked to him as the older woman walked off, muttering something to herself. "What're you so keen about?"
"Balmorra's known for some of the best weapons in galaxy. No wonder the Republic wants to get the planet back." He replied, previous injustice forgotten. Zavvi rolled her eyes.
"Why am I not surprised you're over the moon about going to a planet that manufactures weapons? Just try to keep from bringing them all home farm boy, 'cos there isn't room on the ship." She grinned as he feigned hurt.
"Captain! As if I'd do anything like that..." He cried, before he too grinned back.
"I know you too well, farm boy. As soon as a pretty gun shines at you, you're all over her!"
"Ah, well, maybe, but Torchy here," he patted his sidearm, back where she should be, "has nothin' to worry about." He smiled. And neither do you, Captain.
"Anyway, all that aside, why exactly are you in here, Corso?" She asked, folding her arms. "I assume it's not just to cockblock Darmas." Corso blushed at her choice of words.
"Ah, no, I wasn't here for that, Captain. I've just been wonderin'...Why are you so attached to the Republic? I'm not complainin' or anything, but the smugglers I've seen whilst working for Viidu play both sides. But you...You stick to just playing with the Republic. I was jus' wondering why it was, that's all." Zavvi sighed, closing her eyes briefly.
"Sit with me, Corso." She spoke, and he bowed his head in a half-nod, following her to the couch nearby.
"There are many reasons I don't work for the Empire, Corso." She began. "First off, they enslave anyone who isn't a Sith Pureblood or a human. Even though I could be classified as a near-human, but I'm still an 'alien scum' in their eyes, so I'd be treated like dirt. And since I'm a Twi'lek, I give you three guesses as to where I'd end up." Corso grimaced.
"Cantina dancer?" He replied weakly, the words sour to his tongue.
"Got it in one. I'd be forced into a sleazy cantina wearing barely anything whilst guys leer and make grabs at me. And then a blaster bolt between my eyes when I have the temerity to fight back." She said stiffly, and Corso felt his hackles rise slightly. If anyone dared try anything like that on Zavvi, he promised himself he'd break them. That was if she hadn't already shot them for their immense folly. "So do you think I'd turn down an opportunity to crush them?" Her fists clenched, the slightest hint of muscles twitching beneath her leather clothing.
"No." The Mantellian said quietly. "I understand, Captain." He understood the need for revenge, thinking about the separatists that had killed his family.
"Besides, I was born and raised on Coruscant and my dad's in the Republic army." She added. "I doubt he'd be pleased if one of his daughters was working for the other side."
"The Republic's not perfect." Corso admitted. "But at least they're tryin', unlike the Empire." She nodded as he closed his eyes. "I've never thought of it that way, that they'd have it in for you because you're different." As his brown eyes opened again, the Twi'lek saw that within the was an ingot of Mandalorian iron. "Gives me more of a reason to use the big guns now." he said darkly.
"Thank you, Corso." Zavvi replied slightly awkwardly, still not really sure why she deserved such a man who was eager to defend her with his life.
"When I came back from the Brigade with Torchy and Flashy, my old man told me something that's always stuck with me. 'Minute you fire a weapon, someone's getting hurt. it's your responsibility to make sure the good you do with it outweighs that harm.'" The smuggler heard echoes of her own father in his, her lekku twitching slightly.
"Your father sounds like a good man." She almost whispered.
"he was. Before Skavak took Torchy, I made sure she only fired on separatists. Figured every one I took down was one less family murdered." She eyed him as the bile of revenge rose in his voice. He checked himself. "Sergeant Boom Boom, I like to use against the Empire. Buy a Republic world another day of peace. makes pulling the trigger that much meaningful, you know?"
"Mmmhmm." Zavvi nodded. "You just reminded me of my father and what he told me about blasters. I was about eight years old..."
Thirteen years ago.
"Blasters are a lot more powerful than you think, titch." Kestrann told his youngest daughter. His skin was a royal blue, eyes a soft brown and his lekku had blotchy markings on it, reminiscent of camouflage. "If a person's not wearing protection, you can badly hurt or even kill them with one wrong shot, let alone a proper one. So make sure you know what you're doing and that it's your last resort." He lifted his daughter's wrists up, straightening her arms and gently correcting her grip. "Or, make sure they've got it coming to them and won't be missed." he pointed down the pistol's sights to the line of cans he'd placed along the wall specially for her training. "Try your aim on those."
Zavvi was only small and the pistol was heavy, so her shaking hands made two shot fly wide, but the rest hit their marks. Her father laughed heartily at her success, the deep booming sound thrilling the youngster.
"Well done titch!" He cried, kneeling down to turn the pistol's safety on and clapping her on the shoulder. "You'll be a gunslinger in no time!" Little Zavvi gazed up at Kestrann, light green eyes shining and her plain lekku swishing to and fro eagerly.
"You really think so?" She bounced, making the older Twi'lek chuckle, kissing her forehead.
"I'm sure of it. Or at least, I'll be safe in the knowledge that you can defend yourself if anything bad happens. Remember though, a blaster is not a toy. It's a weapon. Weapons are designed to hurt and kill. It may not be as powerful as the lightsaber your sister will one day wield, but it can and will still hurt people." Kestrann told her solemnly. "I don't ever want to catch you messing around with them, okay?"
The little girl nodded seriously.
"I promise, dad." She said, and Kestrann smiled.
"Good. Now, let's tidy up before your mother home, hmm? She won't give you any noodles for dinner if she finds out you didn't help your daddy with the tidying up." he grinned as her little eyes sparkled.
"Yay, noodles!" She squealed, quickly running over to collect the fallen cans.
Present day.
Corso had listened wide-eyed to the tale, though imagining his captain as a bright-eyed child was incredibly difficult, and he became aware of how much the brain injury must have changed her. But that didn't matter. He still liked her as she was now, and that was all that he cared about.
"Your dad is a real good man." He murmured, nodding sagely. "Kinda explains why you usually try to get outta fights."
"Yes." She replied, distantly. She was looking off into the ether at something he couldn't hope to see. "I owe my father a lot in making who I am."
"Didn't know you had a thing for noodles, though." Corso grinned teasingly.
"They've been my favourite food since I was six!" She exclaimed, lekku twitching. "Leave me alone."
"I can cook noodles." Corso said, causing her to finally look at him.
"You can?" She asked. "When did you learn to do that?"
"My mom taught me." Corso answered, eyes twinkling. "Taught me until my sister was old enough to learn."
"Fair enough." The Twi'lek folded her arms. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah! I guess I shoulda told you this first, actually." The young man smiled sheepishly as Zavvi pinched the bridge of her nose. "I just got some real good news. Somebody tried to access Viidu's old bank accounts from Tatooine!" She raised an eyebrow.
"Why is that good news, Corso? It could be anyone." He shook his head.
"The only one who had access to the accounts back then was our slicer, a Twi'lek kid, called himself Jettison. Good guy." Corso explained, and Zavvi's eyes widened.
"So not all of Viidu's other people perished!" She realized, the mercenary nodding eagerly.
"Maybe not!" His smiled turned sad. "Viidu's crew was like a family to me after mine were killed. I didn't think anyone had survived Skavak, Syreena and Rogun's bounty hunters. Dunno what he'd be doing on Tatooine though."
Zavvi chuckled, wiggling her fingers.
"I'm guessing you see a trip to Tatooine in our near future?" Corso scratched his neck.
"Aw, that'd be a real favour, Captain." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Makes me wonder what got him so desperate that he tried to take a loan from a dead man's accounts..."
"Nothing good, I suspect." The captain shook her head. "I'll go and piss Risha off and tell her to change the coordinates to Tatooine. Darmas can wait."
"Thank you, Captain! I won't forget you did this for me." Corso beamed, which set Zavvi's heart a light and set off tingles dancing in her breastbone.
As they set off to tell Risha about the change in plans, Riggs filled her in on more of the details.
"From what I can tell, the access attempt came from some village way off the beaten path. No name or anything. Really makes me wonder what he's doin' out there."
"Only one way to find out, farm boy." She replied. But I have a really bad feeling about this...