Just a trim...you wont even notice (Closed: Dasquian)

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Whoever had first said that Sith were an impatient lot had no idea what they were talking about. On the average, darksiders tended to be much more patient than their lightside counterparts.

It was the watching, waiting and planning that taught them this foreign trait and most learned it well after their first defeat at the hands - or sabers - of a Jedi.

Daiquiri Van-Derveld had learned this lesson young, only her teachers hadnt been Jedi but darksiders such as herself. Still, it was a lesson well learned and one she wouldnt forget.

She ran a hand along the flawless red paint job of the custom-made speeder which sat parked in the rooftop garage of one Brielle Acaana, a Coruscant Watch forensics officer. When this night was over and done with, she might just have to claim it for her own. Red was a good color for her.

For weeks now, Daiquiri had been watching and studying both the cop and her boyfriend, Jedi Knight Dasquian Belargic. The two were frequently in each others company and it made the task that much easier for her when she didnt have to divide her time between them.

However, it made catching the Jedi alone much more difficult. And that was who she was here for. Dasquian Belargic had something in his possession that she wanted very badly and would go to any lengths to get. One of the braids in his hair.

It wasnt for herself, per se....it went beyond that. Getting one of the Knight's braids would put her a step closer to attaining her goal of becoming a Master and this task before her was part of the trial set by Sith Masters DrenKast, Vader, Athena and Live Wire. Failing was not an option.

The Force was with her this night as her weeks of planning had all fallen into place with one well timed call from Officer Acaana's mother. A family member had fallen ill and Celeste Acaana wanted her only daughter to accompany her on the out of town visit.

Daiquiri had heard it all, from one of Brielle's spare bedrooms where she lounged. It hadnt been the first time she had bypassed the security system and slipped inside. It was the first time Acaana returned home early, trapping the Sith within the penthouse walls. Van-Derveld wasnt worried. If needed, she would kill the cop and carry out her plan, regardless.

Listening quietly as the Watch officer assured her mother that [I]'yes, come get me, I'll be ready in five minutes', the darksider laid back on the bed, crossing her ankles and resting for the possible upcoming battle.

As good as her word, five minutes later, the suites' owner was out the door and gone, having rushed pell mell to meet the deadline. Hauling up from the bed, Daiquiri strolled into the master bedroom, noting with growing pleasure, Acaana's personal comm unit lying atop the dresser. Without it, there would be no call put through to the Jedi Order, canceling the already set date with Knight Belargic.

That left only one thing on her checklist to accomplish before the Jedi's arrival. Using the officer's own comm unit, she placed a call for an air taxi, preferably with a smallish female driver, as males and larger women tended to frighten her.Assured that one would be dispatched promptly, Daiquiri gave the penthouse address and went outside to wait.

Good time must have been made in the heavy traffic, for no sooner had she stepped back out on the roof than the taxi appeared.

"Can you give me some help with my bags?"

Slamming the taxi into 'park', the lady driver climbed out, following the black-clad fare towards the elevator. A hard thrown elbow to the nose dropped the driver instantly and Daiquiri left her temporarily dazed and sitting on the floor of the lift. Fetching several blankets and electrical cords from the penthouse interior, Daiquiri made quick work of tieing the womans hands and feet and bundling her up in the covers.

With a grunt, she tossed the load over one shoulder and went back to the roof, popping open the trunk of Brielle's cherry red speeder and dumping the hapless woman in. A quick glance at her chrono told her that she still had a bit of time to finish her preparations.

Van-Derveld glanced at the taxi, still idling where it had been parked. Removing all identification from inside, she pulled out her vibroblade - the only weapon granted her for the trial - and cut out all numbers and marks on the taxi's surface. Taking a walk around the vehicle to make sure that it wouldnt be identified for some time if at all, Daiquiri pulled it out of 'park' and let it roll forward.

Reaching out extensions of the Force, she located the pedals and with a push down, sent the taxi full throttle off the rooftop, to crash against another building a few hundred meters distant. With a satisfied smile, Daiquiri returned to the red speeder and very muffled cries for help.

Laughing, the Sith gave her a nudge and flicked on the vibroblade.

"Dont you worry....your Knight is on his way. And if he gets here early enough, maybe he can save you from bleeding to death."

Humming with energy, the blade sliced easily through the blankets and into the womans' flesh, a bright crimson stain slowly appearing through the covers.

Daiquiri turned, her blue eyes scanning the evening sky for her prey.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian’s preparation for the evening had been meticulous.

The last meeting between the Jedi and the Watch officer hadn’t gone as well as one might have liked and thus Dasquian was adamant that he was going to make this sojourn the best yet. Having spoken with Brielle in the wake of the soured evening, Aaron had been swayed into taking care of his niece for the evening and had planned a trip to the gardens with her to see some of the wildlife that she was growing so interested in.

While daughter and uncle had set off for their evening jaunt, Dasquian had dressed. Smart would have been an understatement. Dasquian could carry himself with a whole new level of neatness and panache previously unfathomable. He wore the same outfit (http://panic.hopto.org/swf/vega/dasquian/outfit/banquet.jpg) he’d donned for the banquet he’d attended a short time ago, all pressed and leaving him looking, quite literally, like a Knight.

When he had arrived Brielle’s building, he had sensed something was amiss but couldn’t quite place what. As he made his way up the stairs and into the turbolift, the feeling strengthened. In the back of his mind, the Force was trying to warn him of something. Once on her floor he found his companion’s door to be open. Swallowing down a little apprehension, he slipped in and began to pace quietly across the floor. Reaching out with his mind, he found he was unable to feel Brielle’s presence, but something was drawing him towards the roof.

As he had done before, he made his way up the stairs and into the open air. The muffled sounds of pain could be heard and for a second Dasquian froze in his tracks before quickening his pace.

“Brielle!!”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"If you give me what I want, she might still be 'Brielle'. Otherwise, you might have to call her 'dead'."

Standing up from where she had been lazily sitting on the side fender of the speeder, Daiq took an ambling step toward him.

"Arent you the looker tonight, Dasquian Belargic? A real Knight in knights' clothing. Im impressed, to say the least."

[Dasquian Belargic]

The supposedly witty comment that he might have to call the watch officer dead didn’t amuse Dasquian in the slightest. He disregarded her comment towards his appearance. Small talk with a potential hostile was not advisable, even if it did offer tiem to try and come up with a solution to a problem. This problem, however, seemed straight forward thus far. This woman had Brielle, and the solution was to apprehend her and retrieve her captive.

“Who are you and what have you done with Brielle?”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Daiq placed a hand over her heart and wore a pained expression.

"Dasquian, Im crushed! You dont remember me from the Bar and Grill? Ive been there before, watching...we even spoke once.....no? Doesnt ring a bell?"

She shrugged eloquently.

"No matter. But youre right - lets get down to business, shall we? Youre the one her life hinges on and youre the one who can make this easy or more difficult. I only want one small thing from you. Give it to me now - she lives - I leave - and you can nurse the lady back to health. What do you say?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian narrowed his eyes. Bargaining was usually another no-no, but then it depended entirely upon what you were bargaining.

“What do you want from me and how can I be sure that you’ve not already irreparably injured Brielle?”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"I would say 'trust me, I havent hurt her badly' but I know you wont. It is the truth, however. She'll ive if you act quickly enough."

Daiquiri ran her eyes over his full head of long blonde hair. She knew women who would kill to have the same. Smiling, she gestured toward him.

"I want one of those pretty braids of yours."

[Dasquian Belargic]

That seemed far too easy, he thought. Why in the world would someone want some of his hair? Of course – cloning. His brow furrowed as he thought of this and the other possibilities of someone wanting a sample of his DNA. It could lead to all sorts of unfortunate and unwanted consequences. With a sharp sigh, the Knight dipped his hand to his belt, just in case.

Mentally, he cursed at himself. It was his fault that Brielle was potentially bleeding to death under this woman’s cruel charge.

“Why?”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Blue eyes darted to follow the movement of his hands, then amused, lifted back to his.

"Always soo ready to fight, are you Jedi. Tsk, tsk."

Daiquiri crossed her arms lightly over her chest, her right hand very close to the hilt of her vibroblade.

"Not very concerned with your lover's life, are you? Shes bleeding and youre talking. I wonder what she'll have to say about that....if she lives."

Her eyes lost their amused look.

"Either give it to me now or I'll kill her before you can react and take what I want from your bleeding hide!"

[Dasquian Belargic]

She was right really. The longer the bout went on, the greater danger Brielle could be in. If, that was, she actually had possession. So far Dasquian had felt only pain and this could sometimes cloud a person’s signature. Perhaps she was bluffing.

“Show me Brielle first, and then you’ll go what you want.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Her right hand nicked the blade from its spot in her waistband. A quick depression with her thumb and it hummed to life.

Daiquiri's eyes never left those of violet, staring across the roof at her. Inching the blade forward, she let it hover dangerously close to the bundled form. The woman inside the blankets moaned, fearing another attack.

"Are you sure you want to waste more time, Dasquian?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

A lump formed in Dasquian’s throat.

“If that blade moves any closer, you will never have your prize.”

The saber that had been moments ago on his belt was now in his hand. It was not ignited, but poised for action should Daiquiri make any further move – he had tried to pull the vibroblade from the darksiders grip, but her own strength in the Force had countered this attempt.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

If her own grip on the blade hadnt been firm, Dasquian would now be in possession of it. Daiquiri wagged a finger at him for his effort.

"One last chance, Jedi. Toss me a braid and I go. Aside from one wound, no one else gets hurt. Quickly!"

[Dasquian Belargic]

The Jedi Knight made no attempt to move. He returned her gaze stonily and kept his poker face on. It wasn’t that he wanted to be stubborn, just that he wasn’t quite convinced that it was Brielle who was being held hostage, so to speak. That didn’t make it any less severe, of course, but it would ease the weight on his mind to a small degree.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Van-Derveld's lips drew back in a snarl and she allowed Dasquian to see her arm tense, ready to strike forward like a serpent at the covered body.

A large mental wave surged through his mind.

Say goodnight to your lover, Jedi!

[Dasquian Belargic]

The saber in Dasquian’s hand leapt to life, while his free hand cut the air in a swipe that sent a ripple of Force energy through the air intent on either knocking Daiquiri off balance or simply deterring her strike.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

She had expected as much and took the push, letting it help lift her off her feet. Tucking into a back flip, Daiquiri landed square on the balls of her feet, the vibrating blade held out in front of her in a defensive position.

Offering him a taste of his own medicine, her left hand shot forward - palm facing him - and dark energy rushed towards Dasquian as Daiquiri regained her former standing and jabbed the humming blade into one of the female's thighs.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian’s footing faltering for the briefest moment as he felt the Darkside snake around him. It tried to pull him down but he refused and pushed against it, resisting the pressure of the energy. There was a hiss of the blade touching the woman and Dasquian instantly moving from a static start to run at Daiquiri, saber rising up and into the air as he swung for the evil woman – hopefully forcing her to remove the vibroblade to counter his beam.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Hiding a smile, Daiquiri lept back as the orange blade swiped at her. Jedi....so predictable.

She took another step back from Dasquian, giving him just a bit of leeway and time to check on injured form in the boot of the speeder.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Just as Daiquiri had expected he would, Dasquian looked towards the speeder. There was a gagged woman curled into a fetal position, identity hidden by whatever taught material Daiquiri had covering her. Dasquian sent her a mental word of reassurance, that he would have her safe soon. How he wished he had someone to help him, someone to take her away while he stalled this woman.

“You are despicable,” he shook his head as he looked back to Daiquiri and turned towards her fully, setting himself between her form and the speeder.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Knight Belargic, you do say the nicest things...thank you."

Daiquiri gave him a slow wink as she stood her ground.

"Youre so brave to stand there, Dasquian, keeping me from her.... or are you?"

Her fingers wiggled at her side and the cherry red speeder silently began to slip out of its slot and towards the Jedi, unnoticed.

"If I were to start feeling badly about what I have done and threw myself on your mercy.....what would happen then?"

Shifting her weight, Daiquiri made sure that the tall blonde Knight kept his attention focused on her.

[Dasquian Belargic]

At first he was oblivious to the movement of the speeder. He was about to say something else to Daiquiri when his Jedi senses kicked in, a little tingle in the back of his mind. He turned to see the transport moving slowly towards him and made a quick decision, landing himself on the bonnet with a soft thud.

“You would be transferred into the custody of the New Republic and put on trial for kidnapping and assault,” Dasquian replied finally, from his new perch.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Daiquiri looked askance.

"That doesnt sound very merciful to me...being on trial. I think I'll pass."

Jerking her hand backwards, the speeder lunged in her direction, toppling the Knight off the front of the vehicle.

With a rush forward, Daiquiri pulls the bundled form from the boot, holding it draped over her left arm as she backs away from the parking slot, glancing maliciously at the deep, inviting blue of the swimming pool.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian rolled out of the way of the advancing speeder just in time to avoid being run over. As he looked up he saw the captive being dangled over a swimming pool and internally groaned. Why did people feel the need to have hostages? It was craven, but then that word alone encapsulated the darkside so was probably reason enough.

Up on his feet, he made his way towards Daiquiri very slowly. He was at a loss for what to do. Brow furrowing, he sighed to himself and disengaged his saber…. Hopefully she would fall for it.

“Alright. You win. Come and take your pick.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Daiquiri laughed, her teeth flashing white as the sunlight faded quickly and the bright lights of the city sparked to life.

"Im not quite so gullible, Knight. Anyof them will do, just cut it close to the scalp then you can have your little bundle of love."

To emphasize the peril, Daiq inched the form over the deep end of the pool a few centimeters more.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Inside, Dasquian cursed. He was failing awfully … what an example to the others this would be. A Council member unable to deal with the simplest of hostage situations. sigh.

“I haven’t anything to cut it with.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Of course you do....its long and orange and in your hand. Just be careful that you dont take the top of your pretty head right off."

One quick glance down at the blankets then back up to Belargic.

"I think your woman must be putting on a bit of weight...shes getting awfully heavy."

[Dasquian Belargic]

Dasquian didn’t move to cut the braid off, or speak to respond. If she wanted it, she would have to come and get it, he had decided. He was the bargaining point here. If she harmed her captive, Daiquiri would have no man to retrieve her prize from. It was a stalemate.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"Yes, it is a stalemate - so far."

Daiquiri thought outloud.

"If I set her down to come get the braid, you would rush over to get her then that would leave me without anything to bargain with and put both our lives in peril...due to the fight to the death we would end up having.

Or, I could drop her in the water knowing that you wont just walk off away from the scene. You would do the right thing and jump in after her to keep your sweet love from drowning.

The third option, as I see it, would be for you to disengage your blade, toss it to me then I'll let you have the woman after I take a braid."

She shook her blonde mane.

"So many choices, so little time. Lets see.....which shall I choose?"

Her arm opened and the blanketed form dropped, quickly soaking up water as the body sank to the bottom.

[Dasquian Belargic]

It was all a serious of efficiently performed chain actions. The saber went to his belt, his feet began to move and in no time he was diving into the pool, regardless of the consequences. As he went under, he inadvertently gulped mouthful of water and cringed as he had to puff out all of his stocked air to rid himself off it. The blanketed body sunk lower and lower as Dasquian followed, and managed to set himself beneath it before pushing up towards the surface.

As he pushed upwards towards the blurry surface, he pushed away the blanket – it was a hindrance and probably had Brielle in a panic. When he did get it away some, however, he was presented with a dark haired mousy young woman, lulling into unconsciousness. He had never seen her before in his life. As the two emerged, Dasquian gasping for air, he made quickly for the side and pushed the woman up first. She hacked and coughed, thankful for the air and removal of her bindings.

One hand pressed against her forehead, as Dasquian began to concentrate on trying to heal her enough so that he could make a sound getaway and deliver her into medical care for proper treatment.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

What a typical Jedi!

Daiquiri moved closer to the side that Dasquian was now pushing the taxi driver up onto. The woman was choking and gasping for breath and good Knight that he was, Belargic was seeing to her health now that her safety was relative.

Stretching out a hand, Daiquiri focused on the long, silver cylinder hanging at his waist. Concentrating on freeing it from his belt, she jerked her hand back hard and fast, hearing the catch pop with satisfaction.

In a flash it was in her hand, having almost pulled Dasquian back into the pool. He caught himself and without even a glance her way, continued his ministrations to the injured female.

Clipping the Knight's weapon onto her own belt, the Sith approached carefully from one side, the vibroblade humming dangerously in her hand.

Her prize was within her grasp yet this Jedi was cagey - and smart. Over confidence could be her undoing.

"Unless you want that cute point to your ear taken off, I suggest you hold very still."

[Dasquian Belargic]

The soft wrum of the blade in his ear was enough to make Dasquian freeze. The now recovering woman looked up in fright but was mentally urged not to move or cry out by Dasquian, and thankfully heeded.

“Honor truly has no home in your heart,” the Knight murmured, as his gaze shifted to one side.

“Haven’t you the courage to fight me for what you want? Are you so craven? Whatever goal you seek this trinket for, you are surely do not deserve the reward.”

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

"I did fight you for it.....and you lost."

A quick flick of her wrist and the braid was in her hand. Backing away from the pair, Daiquiri stuffs her prize into one pocket, not wanting to lose it.

"This wasnt just a fight of the physical, Knight. It was also of cunning and planning, thinking on my feet. And that, I have done."

Moving toward the parking slot where the cherry red speeder set, she turned and saluted the Jedi.

"Tell you what I'll do, Jedi. For your cooperation in helping me attain the rank of Master, I'll leave your girlfriends speeder - along with your blade - parked outside of Yog's."

Not giving him a chance to reply, the Sith opened the door of the speeder and slid behind the controls. Leaning over, she made a quick job of hot wiring the vehicle then sped off, merging into the lower traffic lanes.

Unclipping Belargic's lightsaber from her own belt, she tossed it on the seat beside her, glancing several times at it. It was more than tempting to keep it, to have a personal trophy of this encounter aside from the golden braid, but she was a firm believer in keeping your word, even if it had been a Jedi she had given it to.

Reaching her destination of Yoghurt's bar and grill, the Sith emerged from the speeder and with one last longing glance, closed the door, leaving the weapon safely inside. Whistling a nameless tune, Daiquiri strode off down the street to blend in with the shadows of the night.