Death for Breakfast

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

Another sunrise lit the Coruscant skyline like a golden migraine, burning away the shadows in its daily apocalypse. I arrived at the bar & grill, bleary eyed and exhausted. The de-briefing didn't go well.

For every blaster bolt fired, there's 10 pages of paperwork you have to do to account for it. The thick manilla folder in front of me was testament enough that it was more than one. The damn shame of it all was that I'd wasted the shots on somebody in the wrong place at the wrong time. The ones who deserved it always seemed to pass the buck.

I stared into the reflection of my caf, my face weathered by stress and self-loathing. Down the district at the morgue, there was a kid who would be missing the sunrise. As young as he was, there were a lot more things I bet he would be missing.

The horrible truth of being a cop is that you're beset on all sides by rocks and hard places. You learn all your life to stand by your convictions, and then it all comes crashing down at your feet, and the only colors you can see are shades of grey. The line drawn into your mind is scratched out of sand. The slightest breeze will blow it away.

Every day, I felt the burden of temptation. Righteous vindication was more euphoric, more addictive than anything I busted perps for. In a world of self-doubt, the most empowering thing you can hope for is direction. The cop's curse is that direction is often fenced in by the badge. I knew who the real bad guys were. They didn't all wear black hats, and sneer in public. There was a system to it. A game. They could cheat, but a cop could never cheat. Always, that was the temptation. Not a day went by without the thought of taking the law into my own hands. The water rose every day. The dam would spill over at some point.

I'd killed the errand boy last night. The damn shame of it all was that he was probably only making his ends meet. Where would a kid like that be, if a guy stopped tapdancing around the issue one day, and took out the viper's nest?

I didn't want to think about it. The residual guilt of procedure was a slow poison, like tar in my lungs, choking me into the grave.

I lit a cigar, and closed the manilla envelope, tucking it away. The worries of a day's tragedy floated away like the grey smoke I exhaled. But not without its microscopic scars.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The last time she saw Zem Vymes she'd been in a cell. Released on a technicality, the Lupine had only offered the man a taunting smile as she waltzed out the doors of the Watch's headquarters and out onto the Coruscant streets. She enjoyed that moment, the look on his face, everything. It was one of those times that she looked back on and couldn't help the unconcious grin that crossed her features. Good times, good times.

And so, as she made her way deeper into the bar and grill, s'Il slowed to a stop, her eyes falling on the Watch officer who now sat smoking a cigar and wallowing... well... something. Whatever it was he didn't look to happy - though from her experience with the man, she had to wonder if the word was even in his vocabulary.

As it was, the Lupine meandered her way closer, and without a sound, came up from behind, turning to place her hands on the back of the empty chair across the table from him.

She said nothing, only giving him that same smile she'd graced upon him so long ago.

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Loklorien."

I glanced up from my caf, at the blonde who walked into the bar.

"You're up early."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Pulling the chair out, s'Il plopped her slight frame down. She might have been a late riser most of the time, but every now and then even she woke up early.

"I'm surprised you still remember my name."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"I don't take the fish who get away idly."

I spoke flatly, exhaling a mouthful of smoke with each syllable. We both knew she was guilty, but it really didn't matter. Until I got smart or she got stupid, all we had was this pleasant facade.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il rolled her eyes. Oh yes. She'd been guilty, but it wasn't her problem that he'd had to watch her walk away. She leaned back then, making a slight face at the smoke he exhaled.

"You still sore about that? Shame."

Her hand reached out to lay palmdown on the table top. "Besides - those charges of being drugged up were nothing but dren anyways. I don't do drugs." A rather boldfaced lie - yes, she did take Liquid Silver, but Vymes wouldn't be able to prove it anyways. "You were probably seeing things right before you pulled the trigger - I hear cops can get hallucinations too, you know." Another lie, this one said with a white-toothed grin. In fact, she'd just started to change when he'd shot her, and subsequently her eyes had changed from metallic to tawny yellow.

A shrug. "It's known to happen."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"I'm not going to lose any sleep over that one, but I'm not exactly going to drop it, either."

I gulped down a mouthful of the caf, its taste acrid and bitter, complementing the cheap cigar.

"It's the bigger fish I'm after. The kind of people you run errands for."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She snorted. "I don't run errands for anyone."

Waving away a server droid that had approached to possibly take her order, s'Il let her fingers drum the surface of the table. At least he thought she was on the low end of the totem pole; it made her life that much easier. For the most part, she was a lone entity, coming and going as she pleased, taking what she wanted and when she wanted. Which was one of the reasons she'd come to Coruscant.

"Besides. If there are 'bigger fish', I don't know about them. I keep pretty much to myself these days - no need to repeat last times little... misunderstanding... now, is there."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Come off it. I'm not interrogating you. I'm sure there will be a day for that later. I've got bigger things on my mind than what unfinished business we've got."

My exhaustion immolated itself against my red-hot rage, creating a simmering unease beneath my tired appearance.

"So are you going to gloat over some hollow victory, or are you going to have some breakfast?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She feigned a look of shock. "Commander Vymes, I'm crushed that you don't think of me as important - I thought I meant more to you than that."

Flagging back the server droid she only just previously waved off, the Lupine grinned cryptically. "And I suppose I could have another meal."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

Another meal. I paused, exhaling my cigar, and off-handedly returned to my coffee.

"Changeling humor?"

The color-shifting eyes and the rest of the view I'd gotten were enough to clue me that Lok wasn't exactly human. Then again, neither were half the perps at mid level. I wasn't really intimidated by a little variety.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Flashing a smile, the Lupine brushed a lock of hair back behind her shoulder.

"Maybe."

She looked to the server droid then, ignoring Vymes for a few seconds. "Sushi, please. Oh, let's say... two Ithorian rolls." Another smile, "And some sake - Tafanda Premium, if you have it."

With an inclination of its head, the droid then turned to Vymes...

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I'd completely forgotten about food in the wake of yesterday's tragedies. Its a wonder I ate at all.

"Dark toast. Scrambled eggs. Cook em till they bounce. Keep the caf coming; strong, black."

I kept it simple, and the droid departed, leaving me and Lok to our pleasant, faux existence.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The droid trundled off to put in their orders, s'Il following it with her eyes for a few seconds before turning back to her new companion.

"So," she started happily, actually feeding off of Vymes' gruffness, "What's been happnin'? Any new cases to crack?"

Truth be told, she'd come to Coruscant to do something - anything, really. Bored to tears, the Lupine had left Thyferra in search of something to pass the time other than tinkering with speeders. Even her little sortie with Arya had been better than spending almost a week putting an engine back together.

"I bet I can help with a few, too."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I responded with a long silence, the tip of my cigar crackling almost inaudibly, filling the vacuum of sound with an uncomfortable ambiance.

She had enough brains to her not to push my buttons. So then what was her angle? She was a professional liar. I was a professional at cracking liars. Something had to give.

"I bet you can."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Rolling her eyes, the Lupine let out a slight grumble.

"Don't you get smart with me."

A sigh.

"Look. I'm bored - I need something to do. I'm tired of sitting on my duff taking apart speeder engines and putting them back together. Besides - you seem to have lots of exciting stuff going on. I'm just lucky I ran in to you."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"I'm not joking."

The deadpan sound of my voice was testament enough to that.

"I'm sure there's plenty you know that could prove conveniently useful."

Now's the point where we play 20 questions. I have to throw a line out, she has to bite, and then its a tug of war over how much truth's on the line, and how big the carrot is that I dangle over her.

"What do you know about Ryll?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her answer was almost instantaneous, and given nonchalantly as she leaned forward, resting her arms on the table.

"I know that there's waaay better drugs out in this galaxy then that dren, that's for sure."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Spare me the connoisseur talk."

I flicked ash from my cigar. Seems she needed the carrot.

"Ok. Lets get down to brass tacks. You've got connections, and I've got your rap sheet. You give me what I want, and there's one or two hefty possession charges that I can pidgeon-hole."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"My gawd, we're resorting to that, are we."

The exhasperated look the Lupine gave him said enough, and she let out a sigh. Yes, she had contacts, but hell if she was gonna rat them out without a good reason. She could live with an extensive rap sheet. But not with boredom.

"I didn't come here to be bribed, I came here for some excitement - without having to end up on the bad end of your blaster.

"So we either make with walkin' the 'beat' - I think that's what you guys call it - or me and my contacts walk out that door over there to find something else to do."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

She didn't take the bait.

"They're pushing it to kids, Lok."

The gravity of my words slowed the moment down. My eyes stayed on hers, unblinking past the curling white smoke.

"Grade school. Whatever honor amongst thieves you're fronting on, it stops right there, or we stop here. You want to play deputy, then I need your help."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She winced imperceptibly at his words. There were a lot of things she would do, but selling any sort of drugs to kids was something she absolutely despised.

Resting her head in one hand, she broke eye contact with him to stare dully down at the weathered table.

"Who're 'they' ", she mumbled quietly.

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Yerik and Arico. Both brothers. Twi'leki Ryll barons who've decided to open a market on Coruscant. They get around across the middle rim, but they haven't come around my neck of the woods until a month ago, but they managed to do it in a big way."

I paused for a moment, wondering why I was even bothering to explain. I could trust her about as much as I could throw her. Black and White had gone around the wash cycle a few hundred times. Lok was the lightest shade of grey I had at my disposal.

"They've muscled in on Hwoorag's business. Y'know, the Wookiee. He keeps his paws fairly clean, because otherwise, that's how street wars happen. The Brothers have undercut him from the source, and they're putting it in everyone's hands."

Hwoorag was a grey old gangster, cold and bent like the rest of them, but he had a sort of bushido about his vice trade. It was a civil understanding among lawless men, who sometimes needed a little law themselves. Now, the Brothers were muscling his turf. Nothing is sacred, and there's no such thing as innocence.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She groaned. "Not them.

"I hate those guys."

s'Il herself dealt with Liquid Silver mostly, and sometimes glyserim, but she knew the territory well - and knowing who was who went hand in hand with knowing the territory.

A muttered curse escaped her lips, and she leaned back then, the chair creaking beneath her as she shifted. "They're lower than nerfdren, and they smell. Last I heard they were trying to get something started on Chandrila. Guess that fell through.

"Ok, I'll help. But on these terms. One," a slim finger went up, "You don't take anything off my record - no sudden disappearence of some crime; and two" a second finger went up, "You show me a good time."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Good time?"

If number one was a suprise, I didn't show it. Number two though, well, I wasn't expecting it. Something about it gnawed at me. I was already fraternizing with the enemy. I wanted to stand on whatever tattered convictions I still had, hypocrisy be damned. Whatever her angle was, whether it was just some excitement in her life or something else that only I could give, it didn't sit well. I mulled it over with a mouthful of acrid coffee. Last night, I was ready to tiptoe into Hell to bust these guys. Where was my nerve now?

"Depends on your definition, I guess."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Just that - a good time."

A sigh.

"I've been living on Thyferra for months now; putting up with visits from people who would like to sit and talk about wine and what exactly makes it taste good. I'm bored of being popular over there, which is why I came here. I figured I'd try out something new for a change."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"So this is the part where I give you a badge and a gun, and swear you in, right?"

I shoveled a fork full of eggs down, eyeing her curiously.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Watching patiently as her own food was set before her, the Lupine looked to Vymes as he spoke. Instinctively she reached for the sake as the droid also set that on the table, and lifting it to her lips, took a small sip.

"That would be nice, yes."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Well don't get used to the idea."

I drew heavily on my cigar, and leaned forward slightly, propping my elbows on the table.

"We're playing by house rules. You ride in the back seat, you stay out of the line of fire, and you definitely don't get a piece. You want to play cops & robbers, join a theater troupe. I'm not picking up a liability, and no matter how good you may or may not be, I don't trust you enough for it. We get in, dig up dirt, and then call the cavalry."

My voice had an edge to it, hard and pensive, like a caged animal's growl. I didn't like getting close to somebody like Loklorien S'Ilancy. It made me feel dirty. Worse, I might like it.

"Play your cards right, and you'll get macrobinoculars, but only if its in the budget."

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan’s shadow loomed into Vymes’s coffee. He was markedly quiet on his feet, until he sneezed from the cigar smoke.

“Excuse me.” He said with a sniffle. “Could you plebth puth thad oud? Y’knowd yur nod upposed to smoke in…” The Jedi’s hand darted across the table, over s’Il’s shoulder, yanking a napkin free from the holder before he…
“ACHOOo... ...here.” Morgan wiped his nose.

Vymes looked annoyed. Evanar couldn’t see the look on the blonde’s face. He didn’t really know anything about her beyond the fact that the Watch Officer wanted information from her.

Ryll was being pushed on kids now. After Morgan and Zemil had forced a new method of import/export, it seemed someone from the outside was bringing it in.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She set her cup down, leaning forward as well. Her eyes went to the newcomer then, and a blank look crossed her face. before she waited until he'd spoken. She vaguely recognized him as the man who'd broken up the fight between her and Arya a year or so before.

In one motion she leaned forward, reaching out to unceremoniously snatch Vymes' cigar from between his lips and snub it out on the table top.

"How about this. I ride in the front seat, I get to get in on the action, and I carry my own 'piece'."

Her own voice was even, her tone one of complete business. "I don't care if you trust me or not. I'm willing to offer you information, and in return I'd like a little leeway here.

"I bet he'd do it," she pointed at the man who'd just sneezed.

"I'm not one to fly off the handle, as much as you may think I am. "

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I spoke through my teeth, small annoyances accumulating like snowflakes on an avalanche.

"Front seat only."

I glanced up at Morgan, acknowledging him with a wordless nod before returning my attention to Lok.

"If the shooting starts, you'll have plenty to choose from when they're lying on the ground."

[Morgan Evanar]

"I get the impression you can take care of yourself. I wouldn't worry about it." Morgan said with a light smile. Vymes was being dark like his coffee. In a way, he was in his natural habitat, negotiation over black hole cafe and eggs that were better suited to be used as ping-pong balls.

"Keep me informed. " He dropped a pair of info chits with his comlink frequency on it.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il restrained the instinctive reaction to reach out and grab the chits. Oddly enough, she was starting to have fun, and the expectation of doing something exciting was starting to creep up on her.

"Front seat and I get to talk, too. My final offer."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I palmed the chits idly, my eyes drifing from Lok to the Jedi.

"Keep your ears close to the comm. I just might take you up on the offer."

Morgan Evanar was an anomaly among his peers. A Jedi on the straight and level; somebody who wasn't afraid to come down from the clouds and cut the metaphysics. He leveled. There was something about the guy that appealed to my pragmatic side. If he wasn't a Jedi, we might be walking the same beat. That's the way life works.

I returned my attention to Lok, who'd resorted to a game of emotional tug-of-war that we both knew I didn't have the patience to play.

"Fine."

I downed my cooling coffee, the scant grounds at the bottom of the cup going down like coal. I fished another smoke from my jacket pocket, but stopped short of lighting up, and chomped on the end of it. I threw down a meager chit on the table, payment for my meal.

"Pay the lady, and we're out."

[Morgan Evanar]

The Ryll imports had been a problem before, but it took a good deal of willpower to prevent his blood from boiling. Children. Completely unscrupulous.

"I've got it." Morgan dropped enough credits to foot the rest of the bill.

"I'm meeting Master Mystt in a few minutes to work on a project, but drop me a line when something turns up. Please."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Smiling sweetly (albeit just a tad goofily) up to the stranger - who'd so kindly payed the rest of the bill - s'Il spoke before Vymes was able.

"Oh we will. No need to worry about that."

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

"Count on it."

I left Morgan in the bar and headed to my cruiser, Lok in tow. With little formality or ceremony, I popped the door open on her side before sliding behind the wheel. The first thing that happened was to replace to the cigar. The second was the squeeze.

"Alright, lets get to it. We're going to the Chalbaar level. I want to get close to Hwoorag, and you're going to get me there."