Field Test

[Pen Archer]

Gears shifted and whirled as the loading ramp to the Sith Infiltrator which carried Pen Archer lowered itself. The Sith had landed on Bastion to meet one of the political types in order to receive a job. Someone needed to be killed and it could not be linked to the Galactic Empire. Of course since they were all friendly with the Sith, that meant a resource to accomplish just that. The young Sith descended the ramp when it was firmly planted on durasteel flooring of the spaceport. Everything was meant to be discrete, so Archer was dressed as such.

His usual green attire was worn, the hood covering mosr of his face to keep anyone from picking him out in a crowd. Unlike most jobs, the information was not sent directly to him, but rather he was told to retrieve it from a drop site. That had been an interesting request, but it was the first stop before meeting his "handler" for the assignment. If this went well, perhaps movement could continue forward to what Pen was more convinced than ever needed to happen. As Jack believed, so Pen did, the Sith Assassins needed to be a force in the galaxy once more.

The flimisi was found where he was instructed. The old warehouse was a collection of junk, but an out of place HK seried droid, while not seemingly placed, had been planted as a cover up for the assignement which was recorded on the flimsi. Valdon Kado, businessman, entrepeneur, and rumored discident of the Empress was the named target. A photograph of his personage, and information on his routine were copied on the piece of burning parchment. As instructed Pen burned the evidence once it was committed to memory, which did not take long as the man had a photographic memory.

Two kilometers to the east housed a race track which drew all types of society. The handler was supposed to be there. All Pen had to do was go to seat 18A holding a ticket with a bet placed for "Purple Rain." Whoever thought of names for that bike needed to be shot. That was another matter. Pen simply did as told, and sat where instructed, holding his bet stub for the race.

[Denoel Quane]

Seated in the chair behind the target one as the loud announcer embellished on the careers and other traits of the pilots, Denoel had heard one too many times of their bravery in the face of danger and death. She could've written this stuff, the advisor mused as she took another sip of her stimcaf. It was amazing that the ex-pirate had gotten this assignment, but Intel was very thorough and she knew eventually they would find out about her sordid past. The only good thing was that the empress seemed to be more lenient lately with a lot of things, so it only earned Denoel's devotion to the cause, whether she wholly believed in it or not.

Dressed in an oversized jacket with a hood, faded cargo pants and worn out boots, the human from Deiko Nemoidia wasn't sure this was inconspicuous enough. With a grin, she soon noticed the figure in green plop down before her, the others here watching the races seemingly oblivious of what was going on right near them. Or, probably didn't care. Either way, she knew that this trip was going to be a long one and with some stranger that she had never met.

As the race commenced, brown eyes watched as their favorite to win took his sweet time getting through the obstacles until the end where he came in third. Leaning forward, Denoel grinned, "Don't think our boy got the memo. But, glad you did."

Leaning back, she finished the caf and stood, turning left and headed back towards the aisle where Pen had just come from. Now it was his lead to the ship that would be their mode of transport. Her own part in this little play having been made fairly simple and she was prepared knowing that Intel had their own eyes and ears on this mission.

[Pen Archer]

Apparently not," he grined still forward facing. "It is a good thing I convinced the attendant to give me a ticket without paying."

Archer stood from his seat without any further regard to the woman he was supposed to meet. Introductions could be made once they reached his vessel. This was supposed to be a discrete encounter after all. His eyes may have watched as she climed the steps, but what man could avoid a glance at the swaying of a woman's shapely hips? Pen was not the type to miss anything, nor was it something he would want to. The assassin may be cold, but it did not make him any less a man.

Archer walked past her as he tossed his ticket into the waste receptical. The two kilomerter walk back to the ship was quick, and it was up to the handler to keep up with him. A plan was already starting to form in the mind of the Sith Assassin as how to go about the murder, but of course the handler was there to ensure it was executed well. Pen prefered to work alone, but this was not the first time he had answered to a handler.

He sighed as he boarded the ship, only then turning to see if the woman had managed to stay on his trail. She had, good. Once aboard the ramp lifted, and Archer made his way to a small lounge which had room for two as that was the occupancy load of the ship. The table was small, but adequate.

"You made it," he said with a smile, "So before we take off, what exactly is your role here? Are you willing to get your hands dirty if needed?"

[Denoel Quane]

Following Pen from the racetrack, Denoel didn't have a problem keeping up with him, the pace having been a constant working in the immense senate building as well as her own workouts in the morning. A ritual that she had enjoyed to keep the stress level down, especially with her previous career choice, which her parents still hadn't heard about yet, and if she had anything to say about it, they wouldn't. Ever.

Assessing the vessel as they boarded, she peeled the hood of her jacket back and continued from the ramp way to the galley. "Cozy," she commented dryly, hazel eyes then moving to the assassin. "I'm just a witness and once the deed is done, I have to get a holopic of his corpse. For posterity's sake," she grinned. Unzipping her jacket, the ex-pirate revealed the two shoulder holstered pistols. "If you get in over your head, then don't worry about me, babe. I can handle myself."

[Pen Archer]

"Of that I have no doubt," he said looking at her shoulder holsters.

The other view was nice too, but Pen was not near like other men from Ec Pand, because he wasn't technically. Where he was from was a mystery, but a bit of the culture had rubbed off on him. Though he was well aware that because someone was female, it didn't make them incompetent. Pen hated that part of their culture. Their skill as archers, and with various melee weaponry was to be admired, however. His skill was attributed to them.

"Whatever you need to get to ensure your supervisors are satisfied," Pen mused debating whether to ask his question or not. In the end his curiosity won out. "Didn't think government officials carried concealed weapons. You're not exactly who you appear to be, are you?"

For the sake of the mission, it was important to know what he could about his handle. Pen didn't naturally trust anyone, but he wanted to be sure this one wouldn't be stabbing him in the back.

[Denoel Quane]

Noticing his roving eyes, she ignored it for the moment and took in the interior of the ship, noticing the cleanliness and organization which she expected. Having never traveled with an assassin or bounty hunter before, she was in for a ride, it seemed. Brown eyes turned back to him as he commented on her weapons. "There is something of a war going on right now, so being out and away from the capitol, only seemed natural to carry these. I've been qualified at a military range, so don't worry."

There were a lot of perks about working closely with the military as she had. Having little more than the clothes she was wearing, the advisor hoped that she had enough for the trip. "You need anything else other than what was in the file?"

[Pen Archer]

"I need to look at it," Pen said sarcastically, and motioned to the table for his handler to link the datastick file into the interface. "I'm not going in blind," he said.

This one definitely had more of a story to tell, but her body language told him he wasn't about to get it anytime soon, so Pen dropped it. Besides it was clear she was there to do the job. That's all he wanted to know.

"I'll get this ship en route. In the meantime, the galley is there if you want any caf. The second door there is the the guest quarters. The cargo bay down that corridor there has extra supplies, weapons, gear, and if you need them, you might find a change of clothing. I can't promise though. I don't usually keep attire stoked up for ladies."

With that, Pen took off for the cockpit. Once he was cleared for take off, the infiltrator was off the ground and through the atmosphere. It was time to go deal with the hit on Muunilist. It was always guys with lots of credits people wanted dead."

[Denoel Quane]

Brow furrowed as he mentioned not seeing any information on the target yet and followed him up toward the cockpit, claiming an empty chair and buckled herself in. "Thought they gave you a file on the target already. Did you not receive it?" Watching as he went through the ignition procedure, she noted the various differences with the obviously older craft. One that she had never seen before beyond maybe once in a holovid. She wasn't even sure they still made these until now. "Imagine getting parts for this thing is fun," she mused aloud as the tower then cleared them to take off.

Once out into the blue which soon melted into black, brown eyes watched as he plotted the hyperdrive and enjoyed that familiar feeling when going on a new adventure. Having never been to this world, she had read up a little bit on it already and knew enough. Popping the central button to release the buckles, she pushed herself up and turned, then headed back into the main part of the ship. "How long you had this?"

[Pen Archer]

"Nope," Archer said with a smirk. "I just know who and where. That's why when we get to the location we will have to case the place. I'm assuming you don't have any more information than who or where either?"

Of course she didn't. She wouldn't be asking if she did.

"Not as hard as you would think. The Sith have ways of getting what we want. We take what we want. You're ruling class should remember that."

Pen just wanted to get the job over and get back to his training at this point. He wasn't much for small talk, but he could answer questions at least. Once the auto pilot was engaged, Archer followed the woman back to the lounge. It was the only real comfortable space for the full crew, compliment of 2, to fit.

"A few months. I relieved it from someone who no longer needed it. And no, not every acquisition of mine is a result of someone's death. I purchased it fairly."

Pen reached into a cupboard in the galley and pulled out caf grounds. He put some to brew, and waited for the smell to fill the room. It's how he knew the caf was strong enough to drink. He poured two mugs, and going to the table offered one to Denoel.

"So, how long you been working for Imperial Government? I still think there's more to you than a pants suit and legislation."

[Denoel Quane]

She wasn't about to argue semantics or firepower with the Sith as she had already seen firsthand what one of them was capable of and though she had no doubts that he could take her life should he wish it, but once the gauntlet had been dropped there would be no safe haven for the Sith. The Imperial Navy was good at their job. Of that, she also knew firsthand, having seen them in action already.

"Two years, give or take a few weeks," she revealed, taking the cup of caf from him and settled back into the couch. "I enjoy what I do," she grinned and took a sip, then set the cup down onto the table. "Everyone is more than clothes and makeup. I'm sure you have a story of your own. Most kids aren't born wanting to be an assassin." At least no one she had met.

[Pen Archer]

"Doesn't mean life gives them a choice," the assassin replied. "Funny story, I'm an orphan, and have no idea where I am really from. All I know is I was taken in by an assassin's guild on Ec Pand."

Pen took a drink of the caf as he joined the beautiful brunette on the couch. They would talking business soon enough, but his story in exchange for hers could be useful.

"I was brought up to kill. The training is not like anything you can imagine, and more dangerous than any job I've taken. There are more scars on my body from learning my craft than actually employing it."

Quickly draining his caf, Archer looked to the brunette to see her reaction to what he had to say. If she wanted the details of what his master had done to him while an assassin's apprentice he would answer her. Pen often wondered if his experience was the same as to what Tess had gone through. Each guild had their own methods, but he often wondered what her experience had been. If he were ever to get over his pride and just ask her he may get an answer. He was too busy trying to prove to her he was not weak and unskilled to do so though. Part of why he took the job in the first place. He was not sloppy.

"I have no doubt this job will be no different. I just need to make sure I have time to case the environment before the actual kill date. The instructions were clear on when, where, and how."

[Denoel Quane]

He seemed rather dry and flat as far as his personality, though she imagined he had to be that way to a degree to get his job done. Some often speculated on the life of an assassin and she had never met one, though some of the military cutouts that had crossed her path didn't seem too much different, depending on their history. Brown eyes took in his large arms, defined by years of exercise and training, the various small scars telling their own stories.

"He's going to be in a specific place at a specific time, which gives us a narrow window. But, this is all your mission, not mine. I just need to confirm it when he's dead, the rest is up to you." Taking another sip of her caf, she enjoyed the flavor as long as it remained warm, then finished it. "How long 'til we arrive?"

[Pen Archer]

"Within the hour I'd imagine," he said looking to a wall chrono. "Am I really that boring of company," he asked half teasing, but also serious enough to want to know.

She kept reiterating it was his job. It was his mission to set up. If she was only along for confirmation why wouldn't a holo image do just fine. The brunette was there to view the dead body personally, but the way Archer worked, the woman was not going to be close enough to see it. While his master, Jack, and Tess, had both encouraged him to get closer to his targets, Pen still prefrred the art and signature of his arrows.

"You know you're not going to be close enough to see the body," he finally asked setting his cup of caf down. "I prefer ranged kills myself, but if you insist on getting close, now is the time to tell me."

Wow, he was dry. Everything was about business with him. No wonder he didn't have any friends. Archer was plain boring. He needed to lighten up, but his life had been this way for so long that would be hard. Well he could always try now.

"So why do you like political work so much?"

[Denoel Quane]

"Unless your arrows are remote guided, then you'll have to see him to kill him, right?" She assumed so and though technology had progressed in nearly every field, she knew that some enjoyed the older ways as some worlds still used firearms and even melee weapons to fight with. Many of the places that she had visited introduced some rather unique aliens and customs. Probably why most of them were either subjugated by the Empire or had been blasted into the stone age by the past regime, long ago. "If so, I have a remote probe that'll get the evidence that they need."

His next query was one to further break the ice and she relaxed somewhat, her cup now empty. "My folks are in business and I grew up in that world, so just seemed rather natural, I guess. College furthered that and now that all that's behind me, why not join the most powerful empire in the galaxy?" She shrugged. "Why'd you become a Sith?"

[Pen Archer]

"Survival," Pen answered directly. "I chose the Sith over my guild, and that put a death sentence on my head, though I didn't have much of a choice there either. I had taken a job which brought me into direct contact with two Sith, one master and one disciple. The master wanted what I was to take as the proof I had completed my job. Had it not been for the fact the master thought I was useful, she would have likely killed me on the spot. Instead I saw the power the Sith held, and wanted it for myself."

Pen stopped his tale for a moment as he stood to refill his caf and offer a warm up to his brunette handler.

"Now I work for them, and train to become a master of the dark side of the force. My master wishes to see more assassins among the Sith, and I share his sentiment."

Pen sat back on the couch and sipped his caf again.

"I have no family, and my guild was a far cry from it. The Sith are not much better, but at least with them I am building something that will last much longer than I will live. The Sith give me a legacy to leave on this galaxy."

It was then the proximity alarm went off which meant Pen had to return to the cockpit to guide the ship through the landing process. He didn't have a droid to do it for him. Standing he motioned for Denoel to join him as he began the descent.