Binary Goals

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

"No," she growled tiredly, not wanting her beloved twin putting herself down. "You're not stupid."

Nikki replayed the images as she thought of a different angle. "Perhaps we're looking at this wrong."

She leaned forward, fingers dancing along the keypad as a crack of violent thunder rolled over the campsite. "Maybe the attack didn't come from the outside but within."

Maintenance logs prior to the droid's departure scrolled by as Nikki looked to her twin. "Maybe the bastard paid off one of our own to sabotage us. Planting a detonation device on it. Blowing it up to try and make it look like an accident ..."

[Nastasia Adrijana]

This was becoming a bigger headache by every minute, Tasia thought, letting out a very long sigh.

At least she was in this with her twin, so that always helped, even when she felt stuck in a dead end.

She listened to what Niki explained, nodding in agreement as her sister continued to expose her theory. That would make sense, as much as she hated the thought.

She pulled her own datapad out, and then opened the list of employees they had at the digging site.

"I hate to say it, but we should check everyone we have leverage on, because they might be the ones who can talk and help us. The others, even some who've been working for us for a while, could all be suspects."

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

With the extensive research on the site crew, Nikki already had one in mind.

"Vasie Ubrien. She's got a secret gambling addiction that her family's unaware of. Right now that addiction's on the precipice of becoming a problem. Why she took this assignment from hell, because it pays well. Can pay off her debt and start up a new tab. Win win for her. But ..." she leaned back and gave her twin a wink. "... if we threaten to pull payment, she'll talk. The tab at The Eldest Brother Casino is a Black Sun establishment. They're not going to be gentle when the due date comes and goes with no payment from Ubrien."

[Nastasia Adrijana]

Tasia quirked a brow as she recognized the expression on her sister's face, indicating that Nikki already had an idea. Her twin was always beautiful but there was something about her plotting that made her even more weak in the knees.

She pondered on what Nikki said, nodding her approval. That was a very good point where to start.

"Yeah, she doesn't want to mess with Black Sun for sure."

She flashed a slightly devilish grin at her sister. She gestured towards the door.

"It seems the storm is finally calming down. We should hit the camp as soon as possible. We should wander around until we find Vasie. I'd rather not take chances at being separated with so much shit still up in the air."

She knew that desperate people could pull real dangerous things, and she'd rather keep forces as one with Niki in case someone tried to corner or silence them.

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

Thunder and lightning had let up and Niki couldn't recall the last time she heard or saw any indication of the volatile storm continuing. Even the winds had died down, the tent no longer swaying under its might. There was still a light rain pelting against the tent as a reminder that the weather had once been terrible.

She locked down her datapad and nodded. "Getting a head start's a good idea, darling."

She quickly kissed her sister's cheek. "Let's start making house calls, hm?"

[Nastasia Adrijana]

Having spent some time alone with Nikki, and having a course of action had helped Tasia feel a bit better. She was ready to tear apart the assholes working against them. It was horribly tempting to just go and do it even though they only had suspicions.

She had been too trigger happy a few times in her life, but she didn't lose sleep over it.

She smiled and tugged her sister close for a quick embrace.

"Let's do this, hon," she replied without hesitation.

She double-checked that all their stuff was in neatly locked cases, and then made sure she had her weapons on her.

She had no want to get back outside in this stupid jungle; but they had things to do.

The moment she stepped outside, she groaned and felt that a ton of humidity was trying to pull her down.

She forced herself to look around. She rested a hand on the small of her sister's back as they headed towards the rest of the camp, taking in the various workers who were beginning to come out. Thankfully no sign of the asshole yet.

"I'm gonna do it, but I'm gonna curse every step of the way," she whispered into her twin's ear before focusing on their surroundings.

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

Niki fiercely returned the embrace and inhaled her scent, fueling her drive to continue this investigation. Like her twin, she locked her gear and double checked her blaster out of habit before joining Tasia outside.

She frowned so deeply that her face hurt. The humidity had thickened after the storm and made it harder to breathe. Teeth grit because she hated being here because some asshole decided to get revenge on them for being far more savvy businesswomen than Zuker's or Ader's lack of acumen. Even if it were them or someone else ... someone was going to die today. Niki's had her own taste for revenge and it wasn't going to be soothed until she shot someone. She just needed the proper target to take her aggression on and then after this ordeal was completely over, Tasia could finish alleviating that itch on the way back home in their quarters ...

As Tasia rightfully groused, Niki looked around as well and saw Ubrien walking through the camp doing an inventory check. She squeezed her sister's hip and nodded in the suspect's direction. "Shall we start with her?"

Ubrien was highly suspect given her gambling issues.

[Nastasia Adrijana]

Tasia had been able to keep higher spirits but she was turning really wary and even more pissed between the weather and the situation at hand. It was disgusting and she wanted off the damn planet, with the goods that had certainly been unearthed. She just knew there were goods to make cash from in those ruins, no matter what bullshit they had been fed because of whatever traitor was around.

She saw the frown on her sister's face, and there was something in the way she stood, that look in her eyes. It was that thirst for blood coming to life. It gave her renewed energy to a degree. She always loved when Niki got in a killing mood. It was a sight to behold and she needed that right now.

They had such a close relationship, a bond that defied societal expectations but made them unbreakable; that they always ebbed and flew in complimenting ways so they would always push through.

When her twin pointed towards Ubrien, she nodded to the suggestion. "Let's do this," she confirmed.

Arm linked with her sister's, she led them towards the suspect. Ubrien gave them a polite nod but there was something uneasy about her posture for sure, though it could be for various reasons.

They exchanged some brief noncommittal words at first before Tasia led the conversation towards the situation at camp and the lack of findings.

"It's just been bad weather that caused the malfunctions..."

That made Tasia quirk a brow.

"I didn't mention any equipment issue," she retorted in a venom-laced sweet tone.

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

Where Tasia was speaking sweetly with intent, Niki's smile mirrored the tone perfectly. "Interesting."

Her arm carefully unwound its way free from her sister and laced warmly around Ubrien's. "Why don't we all have a nice little chat about these equipment issues that are occurring. Hm?"

Ubrien recoiled at Tasia's predatory look and couldn't refute as she was being escorted to the nearest tent. Her hand slowly rose up the woman's back to grip her by neck as Niki reached for the door handle. Slowly she pushed the door open and peeked inside, noting it was empty and similarly arranged to their provided tent. "Expecting anyone here?" she asked.

"N-n-no ..." Ubrien said and was forcefully pushed further inside.

"Excellent." Niki circled the woman to cut off any attempt at escape towards the back of the tent. "Now, my dear ..." Niki began, fingers flexing and ready to pull out the blaster for any reason, "please expand on these equipment issues."

[Nastasia Adrijana]

Push and pull, venom and velvet, angel and devil.... The Adrijana twins were so in sync with each other that they cornered any enemy in their deadly web. There was no need for even a fraction of communication that most people would need, even lovers or other twins, for they had demolished any supposedly moral limitations in their relationships years ago.

Tasia marveled at how Niki took over in the most devious and demanding way with their suspect. Oh Ubrien was going to break, and sooner than later.

She followed inside and let her sister be between Ubrien and the door, while she eventually positioned herself closer to the back of the tent.

She let her sister lead the interrogation for now, enjoying the sight tremendously.

Ubrien's shoulders tensed up and she couldn't bring herself to look at either of the sisters.

"The weather has been bad here," she repeated as if trying to convince herself.

Tasia cleared her throat right behind her, and it startled Ubrien.

"I.... Will you..."

She bit her lip and cursed under her breath, realizing there was no way for her to get away from the question.

"I told him trying to bullshit you would never work."

[Nikoletta Adrijana]

Ubrien was intelligent enough to realize that lying to the Adrijanas was unwise. Niki was mildly disappointed that she couldn't torture the woman for answers, but it was better that they got their information quickly and save time.

She took a step forward, jutting out her chin with a narrowing look. "He who?"

Ubrien gulped at the deadly tone in Niki's voice despite never once raising her voice. "O-o-orel..."

She briefly looked to Tasia before continuing. At least Ubrien confirmed their suspicions that the sight manager was tampering with the dig. "So he was deliberately sabotaging the equipment.

Ubrien nodded, eyes flickering between the twins. Seeing the same pair of eyes looking at you differently was disconcerting. The one that threw her in here continued to hold a murderous gaze and the other one that was breathing down her neck looked just as deadly. "Yes... just like I said. He wanted to make sure that this place was a disaster so you'd pull out."

"Well, that was a major oversight on Orel's part. We never pull out of an investment." Niki ceased flexing her fingers.

"Heh," she chuckled nervously because she rather liked the woman looking conflicted on whether she was going to be beaten up or not. Niki going still made her hope that it was the good outcome. "Clearly..."

"But ..."

Ubrien tensed.

"... Orel's too stupid to come up with this himself."

To that, Ubrien couldn't argue and shrugged. "Yeah...he talks to someone that's been giving us supplies. Dunno who it is tho."

Niki looked to Tasia. "Well ... do you believe her?"

[Nastasia Adrijana]

Tasia was far from a religious person; but the way her sister made for such a magnetic angel of death could make her see the higher powers for a stolen moment. It was quite ironic how pragmatic she was; and yet her beloved Niki could bring her to her knees in more ways than one.

She didn't miss one thing that Ubrien said though, as she remained too close to comfort to hold the woman between her twin and her.

There was no surprise upon the admission that Orel was dumb enough to tamper with the site. At least they didn't have to go on a wild womp rat chase to get confirmation.

Ubrien's body language made her fear evident; and Tasia liked that, a lot.

Upon meeting her sister's gaze, she pondered on her question.

"I don't buy the last part."

She rested a hand on Ubrien's shoulder, slender fingers digging hard into the woman's flesh.

"You confess too eagerly, and you deflect blame even quicker," she purred into the woman's ear, while still staring at Niki.

Ubrien gulped and tensed even more.

"Should we discuss that gambling addiction you're trying so hard to hide from your family?"