What an unusual planet... (open)

[Talia Imani]

"Ya do ampère-hora!" (ah ya!)

The surprised shout was followed by a gasp. The shouting had come from the dark haired woman, the gasp from the drug dealer that was pierced by her sword. Pulling it from his chest, Talia rubbed her arm where the needle had pierced it. She scowled and pulled her foot from underneath the skinny body that had fallen onto the grungy ground.

"Tolo de um ser humano." (fool of a human)

She muttered, sheathing the blade and walking out of the alley. Never had Talia seen such a place! It was filled with such... scum! She was so tense! It was driving her mad!

Angrily striking a wall with her fist, the woman continued to walk, this time determined to keep a stronger hold on her weapon. She was not looking for trouble and killing innocents was certainly something to bring it.

[Nemesis]

"Do all your conversations end so...violently?" the masculine voice wafted along a gentle night breeze.

Talia turned to address an obsidian phantom leaned against a wall. Flecks of ivory light rent the prevailing curatin of darkness. The eyes held a steady gaze to the woman's immediate right. Though absent of facial affirmation, there was no question as to whom the dark clad individual spoke with.

[Talia Imani]

Talia was immediatly wary of this one. It was true she was cautious and on defense around everyone but this stranger was different. He seemed... dark, darker than most at least. She answered in heavily accented basic, wondering if her blade was to come unsheathed so quickly after her vow.

"Shall we keep talking and find out?"

[Nemesis]

The assassin's helm rocked, from side to side, with minor disappointment. Imani had failed to consider her foe's motives prior to encouraging combat, a mistake acquainted to fledglings. Yet, she held the burning flame of passion, seldom found in the more aged warriors. This alone intrigued him.

Nemesis' midnight cloak drew back, revealing black stained gloves. His hands moved from the inner niche of his attire, to the open air. Each limb retained an ample distance from either side, arching outward as they continued along their set course.

"I mean you no harm. As you can see..." He glanced to both empty palms then again to the Talia, "...I am without any armed weaponry. I suffer only from curiosity as to why someone, like yourself, would end the life of another?"

[Talia Imani]

"Armed or not makes little difference."

Talia spat, keeping a fair amount of distance between herself and the stranger. Shrugging off his question, she rubbed her arm with a scowl.

"I did not mean to kill him. He surprised me. The fool said he had a gift and then tried to stab me with a needle! On my home he would have died long ago. It is a reaction I have when I am touched, normal for my people but apparently not so on this planet."

[Nemesis]

"Killing seems to have become second nature, wherever one may go in the galaxy."

The hands returned to a shadowy abyss, the dominanting characteristic of his features. Cautiously, the Ranger eased from his rest. She had already proven to be rather tense and Nemesis sought no quarrel with her.

"However, the reasons we kill are determined by who we are and who we will be."

His glinting white eyes shifted to a watch over Talia. Perceiving that she was not yet ready for more friendly interaction, the hunter elected to remain at a good distance.

"So my questions, simply put: who are you? and who would you like to be?"

[Talia Imani]

Talia gazed hard at the man, silent for a long moment.

"I am Talia, of the house Imani. Who I wish to be is not your concern."

She absently cracked her leather bound knuckles, a habit that she had developed quite recently. It bothered her for it meant that her mind was wandering slightly. That was not something Talia would permit herself to do. It was not proper. Curling her hand into a fist to stop the habitual act, the woman resumed conversation--albeit coldly.

"And you... Who are you?"

[Nemesis]

"I am called Nemesis.....an assassin by trade."

The solemn undertones forewarned of possible combat, however the Ranger persisted in his line of inquiry.

"You are mistaken in my having no interest in your future, but only you can decide whether those interests will be good or bad. All of which shall come with the answer to one final question. Why do you kill?"

[Talia Imani]

"It is what I was trained to do. All I was trained to do."

Talia answered curtly, to the point. She was curious now, for she had never met an "assasin". It was only because she had studied hard and long before departing that she knew the meaning of the word.

"That man... That fool, I did not mean to kill. According to the apparent standards of many, I do not have good control over the impulse to strike at others. It is a charachteristic among my people."

[Nemesis]

"Do you feel people have unfairly judged you? Perhaps you strike at others because it is your means of retaliation for their apparent lack of understanding."

He began to inch closer through the dense, pitch embankment; testing the waters of kinship.

"Maybe all you truly need is a sense of direction?"

[Talia Imani]

Tali took a step away from him. She was not willing to let others close to her, one reason being her inability to yet control the bred reactions. When she spoke, her voice was impatient.

"No. I have explained to you already, it is a characteristic of my people. It is in no way a retaliation. And I hardly see how my future is any of your concern. You cannot supply direction for me and even if you could, you are an assasin... not exactly something I would aspire to become."

[Nemesis]

He halted the steady approach.

"Assassin." The word fell bluntly from his lips. "One word and yet...a myriad of possibilities."

His gleaming eyes studied Talia. "By definition; one who kills another person for a price. But what is that price?

"Some kill for money, drowning their conscience in wealth. Others kill for glory, aspiring to rule and govern those that follow. Still others kill for the simple thrill...in taking the life of another. I kill to enforce a long forgotten value in this galaxy. I kill for justice's sake."

The obsidian figure turned, face and form, from the woman. "It has become painfully obvious that you desire to depart my company. Very well, I will respect your wishes." He moved slowly in the opposite direction.