Okay, you know how ops are supposed to go, right? Smooth and quick, get the job done and get the hell out.
Do you know how often this happens? Pretty much not at all. Goddammit.
"Someone please tell Nirah this is going to get ugly in a hurry." It was a vocalized complaint, the Jedi shadow having already begun reaching out through the Force to her partner.
Trouble. Not sure the volume yet, know it won't be pretty.
Communication was more bursts of emotion and images more than actual words, but mentally speaking them did get the point across rather well.
The answering burst was exhilaration and energy; Shamara was aware of Nirah's comfort in combat-a feral grace one could only hope to match.
Booted foot kicks the panel off the end of the air shaft - clang, clang - as the cover hits the duracrete floor. There's only so much once can do about the noise.
Lithe body slides out of the shaft, landing noiselessly in comparison. Gods above, the Sith were taking longer than she anticipated and it was making her nervous. This was a Lord's project; Shamara had expected at least their apprentice.
Careful steps carry her to the mainframe in the back off the room, a hand momentarily dipping into a belt pouch to extract a datadisk. The information held in this particular project had the potential to bring the Sith back to full power, and after what happened the last time; the events of the great galactic war... it was no surprise no one wanted a repeat.
It does take a moment of searching to locate a suitable port. Could take a bit, love. You have things under control?
Short answer; yes. Sheer confidence splashed back to the mirialan. All was good on the field, but when it was only blasters and manpower against a slightly-more-than-two-meters-armored togruta, well...
Shamara cracked a smile, tapping on the keyboard to bring the system display up.
Password... what was it? Ah.
Fingers tap again, keys depressing in rapid sequence. Blue light plays across dark green skin, and she smiles, beginning the data transfer with a handful of commands.
Could take a while, few more terabytes than I expected. Still good out there?
An affirmative, that was good. Though she didn't like that sense of urgency lurking below. Shamara's brow furrows as she tries to make sense of the odd part. This is cut short as she finds herself propelled into the nearest wall, a hand at the back of her neck and - wince - elbow in the small of her back.
Whoever it was had a decent idea of locking down a Jedi. Shamara swiped back with her right arm - left being trapped between her and the wall and fuck that hurts like hell - and encounters metal and cloth, a breastplate and robes too short to be Nirah and definitely too dark. Besides, Nirah, she could still sense out in the field.
Before she could make a move for one of the lightsabers at her sides, the Sith's other hand pins her wrist to the wall. Goddammit.
"Well. Someone was lurking where she shouldn't have been. Such a pity that you were caught."
Little prick, speaking like that with little guarantee of success.
"You assume," breathe, wince, "that this wasn't the intent."
"I believe the datadisk speaks otherwise." His voice a grating simper in her ear, "And your partner, is it? won't be a concern for much longer. Pity, really. Were togruta in high demand, her height would fetch an excellent price on the market. Though the Jedi training would be... an issue."
Eyes narrow, though the Sith could hardly see it, but before Shamara makes a move to fight free, her right arm is twisted behind her and pulled up; damn being so short.
"Ah, ah. Don't get any ideas. You're more valuable as a test subject than as a slave to be sold. You are, after all, tainted by darkness already."
He didn't need to finish his words for Shamara to pick up the rest; she was further in the Dark than her partner. The vital difference between a hunter and a killer.
Muscles tense under dark garments as the mirialan readied to struggle free, though belatedly, she realized that would be a bit difficult, given the delicate, but definite Force bound grip around her body.
She bit her tongue, refusing to say what was sitting on the tip of it.
Hands release her, and she staggers back as if waist deep in water, restricted by the application of Force against her body. A subtle tightness builds around her throat, reminding her of her situation (as if she needed the reminder).
Click, click, and her lightsabers vanish, presumably into the sleeves of the other, now that she could see him. This was no apprentice, she guessed. This was the master. Shit.
Her hands twitch, the shadow hoping she could at least retrieve the datadisk. Even that little movement was noticed.
"Now, we can't have you getting away with the data, can we. I'll have to do something about that."
Aw, hell.
Shamara felt her feet lift off the floor, and she swung both legs at the Sith (shit, forgot about that) in complete slow motion.
Her ears are ringing, and she can't even see as much as before-this is going great.
Get the hell out of here, Nirah. Now.
Hope she got it... were her last conscious thoughts.
...
There is something interesting about waking to the sounds of combat, especially of the type that seems decidedly won but not finished.
Metallic thuds echo, and the sound of someone's ribs being crushed by armor (a male's cry of agony, she noted with groggy satisfaction) and a cessation of chaos.
Gray boots approach the prone mirialan, and the wearer kneels.
Shamara blinks blearily, trying to clear her vision further.
"You know, you should be glad I didn't listen to you."
"Hmm." Careful, the smaller of the two eases to her feet. "Yeah, I think I am." Shamara bounces experimentally on her feet, working bloodflow back where it's supposed to go.
"'M'ere." A hand reaches up, grabbing the togruta by the collar and dragging her down to the mirialan's level.
Lips meet in the middle for a split second, then Shamara releases her partner. "Let's try to avoid this again?"
"I dunno- I think I liked the outcome. Minus, you know, losing your weapons and getting yourself almost as good as dead."
Shamara punches Nirah playfully. "Don't be that way."