Professional Courtesy

~AN: Another Priire story! This one is actually StarMoon ( http://starmoon.freeservers.com ) cannon, although it was edited down for the list. The PG-13 is due to exsessive violence. For the record—this is pre-Episode I. The prsice setting changes each time there is a time break. The first section is about 5 years before the second section. The third section is around the time of the first, and so on. Nom/The Mechanic is copyrighted to the Gnome. Priire/The Hawkbat is copyrighted to me.~

"Here is one that looks acceptable."

Priire looked it up and down. "We won't know until we try it!"

The pair walked in, with out incident. It wasn't until they sat down and ordered their drinks that trouble started.

"You're a low-down, cheating rimmer!"

Priire looked at Nom and grinned. That insult was strong enough to get all the beings from the Outer Rim involved. Nom frowned. "Priire," she said softly. "I believe we are being set up."

A matching frown danced across the other girl's face. "Sith. Any idea by who?" Nome pointed and Priire rolled her eyes. The man Nom had indicated was the same one who had been at the other cantina. "He sure doesn't give up easy."

"Unless" Nom let her eyes grow cold "we make him."

Agreement shone in Priire's eyes. "Let's do it."

The returned to their drinks and waited for the fight to come to them. Neither felt the need to talk. They had no need to get to know each other better; they already knew each other well. The matching scars on their foreheads told enough story.

Soon, the two brawling men smashed their way through the pair's table. Priire and Nom stood. The men who had been fighting stared at them for a moment before lunging.

Nom easily sidestepped one man and tossed him over her shoulder. She pulled a knife form her sleeve and sliced at the man when he lunged for her again. She struck a vein, and a pool of bright red blood began to form on the floor.

On the other hand, Priire was pushed up against the wall by her foe. The pretty blonde offered no resistance as the man threw her into a table. He laughed and came at her again.

Priire reached behind her and seemed to be scratching her neck. Nom frowned. The man ran at her…and impaled himself on the weapon that she produced.

The Dathomirian warrior watched, smiling on the inside. Her sheath had been hidden on her back. A simple, easily disguised motion brought it out of hiding…Nom looked closer. The blade that protruded form the man's back was three cornered. Sanjigen.

It seemed as if Priire was looking for something in the man's eyes as she held the hilt of her weapon. She found it, and didn't look happy. No one could hear Priire's next words except for the man she addressed them to and Nom. "Sanjigen…three dimensions. All three condemn you. The Hawkbat, the pilot, and…" she paused for a moment, "the woman behind the mask."

She gave the dagger a swift twist and the man's head lolled to the side. Blood gushed out of his chest for a moment before he died. "Anyone else care to dance?" Priire asked severely, wiping the blood off her weapon before slipping it back into its sheath.

Nom had been watching for the man who had hired the lowlifes. She pointed her blaster at his retreating figure and pulled the trigger. He fell to the ground, dead.

"This," Nom said as they walked out, "is the woman behind the mask."

Priire shook her head. "Nah. This is just Priire." Her eyes became unfocused, as if she was remembering. "The woman behind the mask is someone completely different."

Nom didn't question. She knew the feeling. "Thank you."

A smile lit across Priire's face. "It's just professional courtesy…" she grinned.

Neither of the two killers noticed.

~*~*~*~*~