Criminal Intent (Complete)

[Rhea Kaylen]

OOC: Continues from thread "What am I doing here, anyway?"

The night was cold. It should have been dark, too, but Coruscant would never be really dark, not dark like an Imrani village at night. The whole city always gave off a glow, and even if the nearest streetlamp was blocks away and the moon was new, you could still see your way back home at midnight.

Despite this fact, Rhea Kaylen was extremely uneasy as she walked cautiously down the upper-level street in the direction of the Jedi Temple. Holding a wanted criminal at bay will do that to a person.

Linn O'Conner's platinum hair swayed in front of her. The taller woman kept glancing over her shoulder at Rhea, though she was plenty careful to keep her hands entirely visible, as Rhea had explicitly demanded.

Rhea was herding Linn toward a small city park in the Temple District, where Rhea had promised she would hear Linn out and maybe consider helping her out.

The Imrani woman was also weighing the likelihood of whether she would escape O'Conner were she to take this opportunity to high-tail it.

She glanced at O'Conner's long, muscled legs, and, dismayed, thought she'd better not try.

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn just new that Rhea would run and strand her without a ship and way to escape any bounty hunters who had tracked her there. She kept looking over at the girl. Rhea looked like a rabbit back into a corner with nowhere to run:just about how Linn was feeling.

Linn made sure her hands were far out to her sides. She knew this part of Coruscant like the back of her hand and suspected that Rhea was inteding for her to go to the city park. But she was also aware that the Jedi Temple was near, and being so close to a gaggle of Jedi made Linn queasy.

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea could just sense the tickle of Linn's uneasiness on the edge of her perception, and knew it was probably their proximity to the Temple making her edgy. Honestly, Rhea wouldn't have it any other way: Linn wasn't likely to try anything if there was a possibility she'd get caught.

The small city park was coming into view ahead. Rhea still had no really brilliant ideas what she was going to do about Linn, but she had no options now.

[Linn O'Conner]

Somehow, Linn could feel that Rhea was groping about for an idea. Linn also knew that it probably involved leaving her behind. However, she just kept walking and could see the park coming closer.

She could also see the Temple looming ever closer. With a strategic look over her shoulder, she swerved dangerously around the path.

[Rhea Kaylen]

Linn wandered off far to the right, startling Rhea.

"What are you doing? Go on into the park, or I'll march right into the Temple this instant."

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn swerved interestingly to the left falling on one knee then getting up again.

"I'm a bit drunk," she fibbed.

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea was skeptical. Linn had showed no signs of drunkenness until now, rather conveniently.

"Yeah, right. Whatever. Do you want my help or not? If you do, go and sit down on that bench, there, and don't give me a reason to alert anyone to your presence."

[Linn O'Conner]

"Look do we have to do this here? Right here where the Jedi can see me?"

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea's eyebrows arched. "Here or nowhere, O'Conner. Your choice."

[Linn O'Conner]

Nowhere

To Linn, that was a very scary word. She scratched her arm and bit her lip, glancing over at the temple.

"Fine, fine. We'll talk."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea nodded and followed Linn to the bench. Both sat, but neither relaxed.

"Alright, Linn, first thing's first," Rhea began, trying to collect her thoughts and formulate a plan. "I want the whole truth about this murder you're wanted for. Everything."

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn squirmed a bit. She sighed, knowing it was her only way to freedom.

"Alright. About two months ago, I came after a man named Lion Nova. You may not have heard of him. He was looked down upon by most of the Representitives. Anyway, a hut named Jetata wanted him dead because Representitive Nova was fighting against allowing the Hut's new representation by a well known supposedly crime-lord-gone-good Hut.

"Nova said that as soon as they allowed the Hut's new representation by this Crime-Lord, than he would claim poverty and they would be donating money to him for nothing. Nearly no one agreed with him. His argument absolutely enraged Jetata. He sent for me. I came here, found my way past security and Jedi. Once I did that, it was easy for me to pull up, and pop," Linn took a breath and continued.

"Well, the Jedi, as you can imagine, were all up in arms and a couple were dispatched to tail me for awhile, and let me tell you, they badgered me to no end. Any time they could find a place to fight me, they would. Anyway, some very unpleasant men who happened to be friends with Representitive Nova, paid several very nasty Bounty Hunters on me. I've been on the run ever since. If these guys ever find out where I'm at, I'm dead."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea digested that information as quickly as possible, taking a preparatory breath and licking her lips.

"So you're a mercenary yourself, a bounty hunter? And you're being hunted?"

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn nodded.

"Yeah. Sounds funky and messed up doesn't it? Well, it's only because I seem to get all the good prey and most Bounty Hunters are just itching to kill me. So it's good for all of them, except me."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea shook her head. What did Linn, or anybody in her position, really expect? That there would be no ultimate consequences or repercussions to their violent actions?

She could tell that Linn was very young, really just a kid, and quite scared at the mess she'd managed to get herself into. And bounty hunters rarely killed without commission, so...maybe it wouldn't be suicidal to help the girl.

A little.

"Look, Linn, I'm not going to say I'm sorry for you. And I don't like the way you make a living. But I'm willing to give you a little help, and not to squeal on you." Rhea raised a warning finger. "To clarify that last statement, I mean I'm not going to go running to the cops. If someone comes looking for you, however..." Rhea left the sentence unfinished. Linn could figure out the rest.

"What do you need?"

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn wondered if Rhea was actually not going to tell anyone she was there.

"I need something I can get a hold of one of my friends with. I need parts for my ship, I need somewere to stay, I need food."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea bowed her head, tapping her knee nervously.

"I can give you three of the four," she replied hurriedly, before she lost her gall. "You'll have to go looking for ship parts, but I can give you the name of a good motel and some money for food. As to getting a hold of someone..." Rhea motioned to the city around her. "There are literally any number of public comm stations and information terminals in the Temple District alone." She frowned at Linn. "Is this your first time on Coruscant? You seem really unfamiliar with the place."

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn growled.

"I know this place like the back of my hand. I need something to get a hold of someone that can't be tracked. Everything around here can be tracked and boy are people gonna go crazy when they find out I'm here."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea shook her head. "I'm sorry," she replied, "but I can't help you there. I'm no bounty hunter, and I have no money, so you're on your own."

She looked Linn straight in the face. "Now, do you want my help, or not?"

[Linn O'Conner]

"YES!" she cried.

[Rhea Kaylen]

"Fine, then," Rhea sighed. She pulled a stylus and sheet of flimsy out of a pocket and scratched some words there.

"Here," she said, scribbling, "this is the address of a place to stay. It's close enough to everything that you won't be cut off from real life, but remote enough that nobody knows it's there...or cares for that matter. Which, I assume, is what you're after, anyway." Rhea handed over the information and pulled some credits from her jacket pocket. "It's not much, but it'll buy you your room." Her voice softened a little with real concern. "Do you have your own money for other things?"

Rhea knew she probably was asking for it, helping out the less-than-totally-virtuous bounty hunter, but she couldn't help it. Linn was just a kid, after all, whatever else she may have been, and was scared and in trouble. Rhea couldn't just leave her stranded, not when she could help.

Curse her stupid instinctual maternal pity. Darn nuisance.

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn shivered. She took the credits and bobbed her head.

"I've got some money at my ship. I never carry money with me if I can avoid it. I guess I should've brought them with me," she hung her head and sighed.

What an incredibly stupid mess she'd gotten her self into.

"Thanks anyway, kid," she mumbled, then stopped. "How old are you actually. Maybe I'm calling you 'kid' for nothing."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea gritted her teeth at Linn's once-more-repeated "kid." She eyed the teenager. "I'm twenty-six, actually. Just...short." Rhea smiled wanly.

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn's cheeks flushed pink.

"Well, sorry...Ma'am. Do you have any way, besisdes walking, obviously, to get to my ship?"

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea shook her head. "I'm sorry, Linn, no. Can't afford anything besides my own two feet."

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn cursed harshly.

"Do youn know anyone who could get me there quickly?"

[Rhea Kaylen]

Again, Rhea shook her head, gesturing helplessly. "I usually walk to work, Linn. I don't know...air taxi? The drivers are usually sufficiently blind, ignorant, or apathetic not to notice or care who comes through their vehicles. Sorry I can't be of more help." And she meant it.

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn glanced up, hearing one of the air taxis taking off right then. She sighed turning and beginning to walk away.

"Me too."

[Rhea Kaylen]

Rhea couldn't understand or explain why she felt so awful at having to turn Linn out like this. But, though she had nothing invested in the girl, she still felt responsible for her, in a way. That was how it had always been for Rhea--she was naturally, and annoyingly, protective of those younger or weaker or more vulnerable than herself. Admittedly, people like that were fairly few and far between, but whenever Rhea was presented with another kid in trouble, she could not help but help them.

"Linn, if you ever need help again, or if there's anything else I can do for you...my comm number is written on there." She motioned to the piece of flimsy in Linn's hand. "Please, try to stay out of trouble."

[Linn O'Conner]

Linn threw Rhea a look thrusting the things she'd been given into the bag on her hip. She fished in it for a moment and pulled her hand out, clutching something in her palm.

"You've helped me about half a step more than anyonew else would have ever dreamed, and for that I am grateful," Linn said. She opened Rhea's palm and pushed a necklace into it. A vile hung from the chain with a shimmering liquid in it.

"That," Linn began. "Is a gift. And I'm not going to say that it is some sort of old hierloom passed down through the generations. Just understand that it is important and never loose it and leave it at that." She said. "Sayonara, Rhea Kaylen, and good luck to you."

With that, Linn pivoted and began to stride off, refusing to look around at the things and people, and angry that Rhea wouldn't turn away and stop burning Linn's neck with her stare.