Tabula Rasa

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

To her credit, it hadn't exactly been a somewhat conventional job. In fact, it'd been something akin to a one way ticket. But the money offered had been a considerable amount, and she'd had no choice but to accept. Even if the contact had remained elusive; his identity still a secret to even her, Arrukaa had taken the job. She might not know who it was that'd hired her, but his money was real enough and to her that was what mattered.

Of course what was supposed to happen in theory and concept almost never happened in reality and actual application. And this fact was vastly evident in the situation Rukaa found herself in now.

Infiltrating the KAR's main headquarters for a second time was delicate - the Cizerack 'secret police' as some called them, had become much more cautious. Once bitten twice shy, if you will. But once more, the money offered was more than she could concievably pass up, and so Rukaa had taken the job. Of course, given the chance to possibly slip in and out beneath the KAR's nose for a second time - something to rub into Kajeela's face with a sense of supreme satisfaction - how could she not accept?

However, it's almost always the smallest, seemingly insignificant things that derail the most foolproof of plans. And that's exactly what had happened.

Oddly though, she had not been subject to the infamous KAR torture chambers - something she was sure would be especially reserved for just her. No, this had not happened. She'd instead spent a matter of minutes in a simple holding cell before being dragged further up; further up into the den of the monster she had once served faithfully.

A grim realization came to her then, and Rukaa knew now why she had not been tortured. For so long she had been loose - for so long she had been a thorn in Kajeela's side - and for so long she had been free when it was thought she was in fact captured. It made sense now that they were going to simply kill her; take no chances this time... just out and out get rid of the problem.

And so, as she was very literally dragged through halls and corridors, and up lifts and down more twists and turns, Arrukaa couldn't help but smile to herself in morbid satisfaction.

Once bitten twice shy.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Keerrourri watched their faces carefully. Stony. Beautiful, but yet unpleasing. They weren't the type to voluntarily allow themselves to be pleasing. Their black coveralls contrasted with the shocks of pale blonde hair drawn under their head-covers. Each carried, a blaster, likewise black, tucked into a holster at their belt. It was a kind of utilitarian prudence that was nearly Imperial by nature. It suprised the Emissary little that the KAR guards' Mistress valued their stark appearance, given this.

He didn't speak with them as he waited. They were cogs. Even he, to a degree, was a cog. Emissary was only a word. For all of his affluence, a whispered word from his mate could take it all away, and leave him dead and nameless.

Ironically, it was the very same fate for his guest as well.

One of the guard's eyes drifted to him for a split second. He smiled, and the slightest affectionate gesture seemed to chill her into a statue again. So be it.

The double doors of the office opened, and two other female guards entered, with a third female, clad in binders and a convict's garb.

"You look well forr a woman who jis about to djie."

He didn't patronize her with a smile. Instead, he stepped aside.

"Can jI offerr you food orr drrjink?"

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

If she was surprised, Rukaa didn't let it show. He delicate features remained unreadable as she stood looking up at Sarrtarroa, and her hands momentarily twitched ever so slightly in the binders.

Unmoving, Rukaa made no indication of accepting the Emissary's offer of food and drink. She only stood in place, her blue eyes looking up to the male as if she were staring right through him. Her whole body remained relaxed, but her gaze was sharp as she finally let her eyes graze over the rest of the office - guards, much like those that had dragged her in here, stood at attention; ready to quell any movement related to rebellion of their authority.

Blue orbs returning to Sarrtarroa, Rukaa finally spoke.

"We all djie; jit jis only a matterr of when."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Then jI would ljike to enterrtajin the prrospect wjith you of delayjing yourrs...jindefjinjitely."

He paused, looking to her face to see if any of it was sinking in. A second later, he turned, and began to walk away.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Eyes narrowing, Rukaa watched carefully as he turned and walked away from her. She studied the way he moved; beneath the fabric of his clothes she could almost see the muscles which fired to move his legs and allow him to walk.

A silence prevailed momentarily, then was broken.

"jI am ljistenjing."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"And jI am walkjing. jIf you wjish to contjinue to ljisten, jI suggest you follow."

He cast a glance over his shoulder to her as he spoke, with the faintest hint of an arrogant smile.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

A soft snort. "Everr the concjieted one, you arre."

But regardless, Rukaa stepped forward to follow the Emissary in a rare display of obedience. And knowing him, she knew he was rather enjoying this.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

The Emissary walked through winding lengths of corridors, with Rukaa keeping pace at his side. The two black-clad KAR guards followed, at a respectful distance.

"jI have no tjime forr these barrbarrjians. They arre so wrrapped up jin kjilljing and jintjimjidatjion that they've forrgotten how to thjink ljike a Cjizerrack should."

He spoke in a soft tone, but one that the guards could no doubt hear with their adept felinoid ears. Not that it mattered to him. Tact was wasted on such rubes. What would they do? Shoot him? Hardly.

"jI thjink we both have somethjing the otherr wants." He ventured.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

"You have my frreedom, that much jI know."

She walked casually, her strides smooth and flowing as she remained at Sarrtarroa's side. She was not a dumb creature though - she had a notion as to what the Emissary might want, but for now she played ignorant.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Yourr frreedom has no value to me. Howeverr, yourr cooperratjion does. jI am wjilljing to pay forr that, and pay well."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

A cheshire cat's grin.

"Ahh, but my frreedom has value to me, and jit should have value to you as well, Keerrrourrrji. You would not have come to my rrescue ljike some valjiant savjior if only a parrt of me held value to you. jI can't cooperrate jif jI am dead orr locked away; and jI don't thjink what you want me forr can be done frrom behjind bars. My cooperratjion can do nothjing wjithout my frreedom."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Then consjiderr jit a parrt of yourr payment."

They eventually approached a door, leading to the outside. Orange clouds dotted a light yellow sky, as the pair stepped out onto a small landing platform, on the roof of a large building. A red-tinted Imperial Lambda class shuttle rested on the platform, which was flanked by a few guards in red armor. Servants of the Emissary's mistress, no doubt.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Rukaa hesitated only barely, but the slight movement was enough to place her slightly behind the Emissary.

"jI wjill consjiderr jit a gjift jin addjitjion to my payment."

Eyes scanning the sky, she brought in a deep breath of air, filling her lungs. Idly, she lifted her hands - still bound - to flick at a minute itch that had started at the very tip of her left ear.

"Also, jI would verry much ljike my confjiscated belongjings rreturrned to me."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"jI'll have to have jit scrreened. No doubt Madame Tarruurrji wjill want to know jif you have anythjing that belongs to herr."

He smiled thinly at her, knowing neither held much love for the KAR director.

"Everrythjing else, of courrse."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

"Verry well.

"And my rrestrajints?" Her own lips matched the thin smile Sarrtarroa had bestowed upon her, "Orr arre you plannjing on havjing me worrkjing wjith them on... ?"

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

-click-

At the press of a remote, the binders unhinged around Rukaa's wrists, and clattered on the floor.

"Now, can we djiscuss busjiness?"

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Her thin smile turned into a smirk, as her ears fluttered delicately.

"jI'm all earrs, my dearr Emjissarry."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Yourr task jis to carrjy out assassjinatjion, terrrrorr, and assymetrrjical attacks agajinst the Jedji Orrderr on Corruscant, by any means necessarry."

The Emissary paced around on the rooftop, taking in the sights.

"jI, norr my Mjistrress, can afforrd to be jimpljicated jin thjis. jIf you arre djiscoverred, jI wjill not know of you. jIf you name me rregarrdless, you wjill be dead on the same day.

Everry two weeks, fjive hundrred thousand crredjits wjill be deposjited jinto an account whose numberr you wjill prrovjide. Spend what you need to accompljish yourr mjissjion. Keep the rrest."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Rukaa watched as he traversed the rooftop they stood upon. When he'd finished speaking, the female didn't answer; instead she sauntered to the opposite edge. A hand went up to brush black strands of hair from her face, and her tail gently wrapped around her left leg as she contemplated this proposition given to her.

It was certainly appealing, and she would be a fool to turn her back on such a lucrative offer.

"jI wjill help you."

She turned to give him a noncommital look then. "Though you know, anonjimjity jin thjings of thjis naturre jis rratherr harrd to majintajin."

It was a silent haggle on her part, as true to her own nature Rukaa intended on getting every credit she possibly could from Sarrtarroa.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"jIf you manage jit, you may fjind therre arre those who wjill apprrecjiate jit."

It was more nebulous double-speak, designed to dance around what he really meant.

Sarrtarroa walked over to the huntress, and took her by the hand. He raised her hand to his face, pressing the warm flesh of her palm against his jaw, and rubbing it down the contours of his jawline. He paused mid-stride, and with his index finger and thumb, he pinched back the fleshy sheath of one of Rukaa's claws, and guided it into the side of his face, raking it down until a glossy line of crimson dripped freely from the cut.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Rukaa watched with a lofted brow, silently pleased yet controlling her actions.

"My, how we've changed," was all she said while watching the thin rivlet of blood trickle down Sarrtarroa's cheek. It was enticing, but she had business to handle, and with a self-satisfied grin the female pulled her hand from his.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Don't thjink jI have..."

Sarrtarroa reached down, and unholstered his personal blaster. Extending it grip-first to the mercenary, he squared his shoulders.

"Now, hjit me."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

No sooner had the words left Sarrtarroa's mouth than Rukaa's arm snapped up, and with an impassive expression on her face she delivered a staggering front jab to the bridge of his nose.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

The Emissary righted himself, blood trickling from his nostrils down to his chin.

"Agajin."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

And again she obliged, this time landing her blow to one of his perfectly chiseled cheekbones.

All the while Rukaa spoke not a word, yet it was easy to see that she was gleaning a distinct amount of pleasure from this.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

The blow staggered Keerrourri, and he reluctantly straightened again, once again extending his weapon to the mercenary.

"Take thjis wjith you, and go."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Rukaa only looked to the blaster, then up to Sarrtarroa's face.

In one motion she slowly pulled the firearm from his hand while sidling up beside him, brushing her tail against his leg and bringing her lips up to his bruising face.

"You stjill know how to show me a good tjime though at least," she whispered, flicking her tongue out to catch the blood from the cut on his cheek.

A slight pause, then she pulled away, walking from the Emisarry with a smooth gait before calling once more over her shoulder,

"jI wjill see you on the morrrrow. Deljiver my possessjions and jI wjill gjive you all the jinforrrmatjion you wjill need."

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

"Yourr equjipment jis jin my shuttle."

Through the blood and bruises, he smiled with arrogance.

"jI took the ljiberty. Somehow, jI fjigurred you would agrree.

Now leave thjis place, orr you won't make forr a verry convjincjing enemy of my Mjistrress. Do not worrry about contactjing me. jI wjill contact you."

Catching a ribbon of blood on his finger, he raised it to his lips, cleaning it with his tongue.

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Veering in the direction of the shuttle, Rukaa cast a wry glance to the Emissary as she headed for the craft's extended boarding ramp. She gave him a consiratory wink though, as she disapperared up into the ship, and less than five minutes later emerged once again, this time sans her previous drab prisoner's garb.

No, now she was clad in her normal rakish leather; black, and covering only the parts of her body that needed to be covered for modesty's sake alone. Her dark skin, accented by her own natural stripes, shown in the sun, and her blue eyes looked to Sarrtarroa.

She stopped at the bottom of the ramp, still holding the blaster he had given her.

"jI am no frrjiend to yourr mjistrress rregarrdless of what jI am dojing forr you. The money jis acceptable, therreforr I have agrreed to thjis."

Her pace started up once more, and the female leisurely tossed the blaster over the side of the building.

"jI am jin thjis forr the money."

Yet, the look in her eyes said that she expected much more in return than just money.

And that she would collect when she wanted to.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Her teasing annoyed him, but he was trained to always be compliant. Through the bruises and lacerations, he still smiled.

"Spoken ljike a trrue Cjizerrack. Do not worrry. Yourr payment wjill be ample."

He did not say money. She would no doubt understand this. He approached her as a submissive, ears low, and kissed her fully, exploring her taste as his tail intertwined with hers. When he was done, he slowly untangled himself, stepping away.

"Now, leave me beforre jI have my Mjistrress's guarrds fjire warrnjing shots."

[Arrukaa Deynarrusaa]

Near disgust flashed in her eyes as he kissed her, and when he spoke, she turned, spitting out her parting words before rounding around a corner.

"jI wjill not take males who arre obedjiant and submjissjive.

"Go back to yourr mjistress, Keerrrourrrji. jI'm surre she mjisses tuggjing on yourr collarr."