Atomic Kitten, Atomic Blonde (D5, ME. Dak's)

[Dove Gray]

Her bowl was emptied as she listened to Dak share his background. The first kill, the first job, that kind of stuff.

Placing the bowl down, she breathed in deeply. "I can relate to that. The ones around you becoming your family, and closest friends. They understand the shit we go through, after all."

"As for me..." she reached for her glass, sighing. "It wasn't that simple for me. Or rather, hm... it was pretty simple actually. It was what I was made for. I'm not just a pale human, or a true Arkanian. Arkanians get up to all sort of science projects, and I'm one of them. Biologically speaking, I have something like sisters, and probably whoever's bio-sample we were built on. We were built on specs to be like I am; pretty, combat-ready, cunning... trained to kill since we were decanted, so to speak."

It made her feel like there was a weird distance between them, to spell it out like that. Not having family, or something so mundane as a childhood, and school, and all that kind of stuff.

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak slid closer to Dove and put his hand on her leg "Since ive lost them I've learned family is what you make it. Besides the past is what it is, we come from different places but our paths have crossed again and again and now this? I dont know Dove it just feels like too much to be coincidence."

He chuckled and shook his head before meeting her eyes "I dont believe in fate but I also dont know if I believe us coming into one another's lives again is just random chance."

[Dove Gray]

"I don't know," she sighed, putting her hand over his. "I don't really believe in fate or destiny, except the one we make ourselves. There's something about the thought about things being preordained that don't sit right with me. I think it's more that the galaxy's shady side is way smaller than we like to think it is."

Dove looked away, not sure how she was feeling about this.

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak smiled "who was it who said something about this place being a galactic stage, a few weeks ago talking of strange luck and maybe believing in the force?" He asked recalling their conversation where their positions were almost flipped.


"Regardless whether it was chance, or fate, or the force"
he gently brought a finger up to her chin to turn her head toward him. "I'm happy it happened. I care about you Dove and I'm happy for the time I've gotten to spend with you." He was smiling softly and his Amber eyes were full of warmth. "You dont have to return the sentiment, I dont expect anything Dove. I just thought you should know."

[Dove Gray]

It was tired laugh. "Honestly, I was kind of trying to rope you into this Resistance-stuff back then, but it seemed like you managed to decide on that just fine on your own without my input. Sorry... it's hard for me to drop the job, so to speak. I was made to be focused on my missions - and I'm sorry I wasn't being completely honest then."

"But I'm not that kind of gal, Dak... I'm not... girlfriend-material. Or that kind of stuff. I don't do committment or attachments well." There was a smile for him, but it was a small one, although sincere. "Maybe I just need time to think about it, when I'm not thinking about everything going on, trying to juggle five knives while holding my breath underwater."

[Jurdak Surt]

He laughed softly turning his hand to hold hers "You think I didnt know that, or at least suspect it? I can tell when you want something Dove Gray. I guess I just get the feeling or maybe I just hope that it became more than that."

The finger on her chin rose up to caress her cheek and his smile never wavered "I already told you Dove I'm not expecting anything from you. I just needed you to know how I feel." He leaned forward to kiss her softly his hand moving to the back of her head fingers gliding through platinum locks. He looked at her, touching his forehead to hers "take all the time you need to reach whatever conclusion you need. My feelings wont change."

He leaned back a bit "I feel like I've gotten to know you, at least a little bit and I've decided you're someone I want to be around and get to know better, despite what you say you care deeply for some, I can see it, I like you have more 'girlfriend material' in you than you realize."

[Dove Gray]

She wasn't sure which feelings were real, or which ones she had adopted for surviving her mission as a double agent.

"Thank you," was all she could say for now. "At the very least, I know I think of you as a good friend now, Dak. Now that we're no longer on opposing sides. And I too have liked getting to know the you that isn't my enemy."

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak nodded "I wont pretend I'm looking for nothing but friendship from you Dove but I am happy to have it and if that's where it stops I'll still consider myself a lucky man for having you in my life in some capacity." He finished with a smile letting her hand go and he gave her some space both literally and emotionally as he switched topics "So what's this business that has you infiltrating imperial bases and ships?"

[Dove Gray]

The gift of space was a welcome one. One she hadn't thought she needed, but when it was there it was like being able to take another breath.

"Oh..." she chuckled breathily. "... I've been running errands for the Inquisitor. Double-work."

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak rose an eyebrow as he sat back "oh really? That is quiet the assignment there Dove." He paused and a touch of worry was in his voice "not that I doubt your abilities but are you afraid you might be in over your head? I mean these inquisitors can do things your usual mark cant. Sense emotions, read thoughts. Just be careful Dove."

[Dove Gray]

"I know that very well, Dak," she smiled dryly. "But of everyone here, in the Resistance at least, I'm the only one who has the skills and the training to even attempt to pull it off. Managed it for some weeks now, so... well, we'll see how it goes."

Dove wasn't going to reveal the tricks to getting by the mind-reading and emotion-detectors though. Well, except for one thing. "What I find useful whe dealing with powerful guys like that," like the Count of Serreno, "is to let them know you're afraid of them. Don't hide the fear too much. People with power thrive on others fearing their power."

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak nodded she seemed to know what she was doing didnt mean he still didnt worry at least a little bit "So what's the inquisitor like behind closed doors?" He was very curious if he was always a sociopathic murder machine or if that was mostly his stage persona so to speak.

[Dove Gray]

"He's..." she rolled the question around in her head a few moments before answering, "... a gentleman. Well-mannered. Or maybe I just have that effect on people," Dove mused as her smile turned secretive.

[Jurdak Surt]

"Huh." Dak said as he sat back and sipped his drink "wouldnt think someone like that would be so civil. Kind of surprising but I guess some of the most vicious crime lords I've encountered were very polite and composed right up until they viciously murdered someone."

[Dove Gray]

"That's basically a stereotype within its own right, no? The gentleman crook?" she chuckled a little and took a sip her drink as well. "A lot of the crime bosses I've seen fit that description, but I guess for every gentleman out there, there are also monsters and freaks."

She swirled the liquid around some and looked over at Dak. "What would you say your worst job was? Doesn't matter if it was Republic or crime-related."

[Jurdak Surt]

He chuckled as well "A little I suppose it is but stereotypes usually have a kernel of truth in the middle, not always the idea at least comes from somewhere."

When she asked her second question he sighed "Well that's not hard at all it was two years ago, pretty typical hit job for Vandil I'd been doing work for them for around a year nothing extreme or too crazy mostly hitting other gangers who stepped on their turf, I typically dont lose sleep over killing dangerous criminals." His voice was tight and his eyes were very intent on his drink.

"This seemed like a normal hit woman in her mid twenties affiliated with a local street gang that Tididol had been butting heads with. Found her, eliminated her, got paid end of story usually." A long breath let out "but this time a man came in while I was meeting with Vandil, he looked.......broken. I stood there while Tididol taunted him about killing his wife and how it was a shame their child would never be born. At that moment I knew, I knew it was the woman I had killed. I left that meeting and didnt pick up the comm for years after that. I just i co-" Dak's voice broke, and tears filled his eyes. Even after all this time the feelings of shame and guilt were overwhelming.

"That day I realized I was someone else's monster, and now his face and hers are seared into my mind I still occasionally have nightmares where I'm back in my family home on coruscant and storm troopers bust down the door and gun down my family but when one takes their helmet off it's me under there......." his voice trails off as a tear rolls down his cheek.

[Dove Gray]

She could sense how heavy it was for him, and she offered her hand to hold as he told the story.

"Hey," Dove's voice was soft, "you're not like those bucket-heads, alright? You're here now, you're making a difference to not be like them. We all got skeletons in our closets, and people like us... we got more than others; we got ghosts, bloody corpses, and... shame, and guilt."

Her voice turned more adamant. "But you're not a monster, Dak."

[Jurdak Surt]

He took her hand while he spoke and used his other hand to wipe the tear off his cheek "Thanks Dove, I'm sorry, this isnt the way I want you to see me." He realized he cared what she thought about him, a pretty unusual feeling for him.

A small short laugh escaped his tight throat "Some bad ass super spy I am."

[Dove Gray]

"Well, we can't all be genetically engineered to be one," she remarked with some sass, teasing him a little bit. "But, well, that's what makes you you. It's what separates you from the real monsters. And the freaks like me." And she wasn't above making some fun about herself.

"In this line of work, it's... bound to happen. Things that were not proud of."

[Jurdak Surt]

"Yeah....yeah I get that. I've dropped bodies and never blinked about it but just a few. Just a few stick in there like something clawing at the back of my mind." His voice regained some strength as he spoke. "Drinking helped but I knew that wasnt a good solution so I just, kept busy."

When he heard her call herself a freak he frowned "You're not a freak Dove, yeah you're different but those differences are what make you, you. They make you someone capable of amazing things that others could only dream of."

He paused for a minute his thumb idly stroking the back of her hand "So what about you? What was your worst job?"

[Dove Gray]

"Right," she nodded, understanding that one, "it's not a long-term solution."

The frown only made her chuckle. "Hey, I don't mind being a freak - or different. And true, it does give me the edge sometimes... like today. I might not be as big and buff as your Tall-Dark-Handsome Zabrak friend, but you know well I'm much stronger than I look and keep my wits about me in a fight." It wasn't often she had paniced in a fight, after all.

"... My worst job..." Dove took a sharp inhale of air. "This one?" A brief laugh. "Ok, it's not done yet, so I'll say it doesn't count. I'd say... there was this mission once during the war."

"A lot of Reps were looking into CIS-command. The Jedi-kind. It was during this trip I did meet the Count, but well, he isn't what made the job the worst." It was one of the few times she had directly been in touch with high command herself. "It was on Saleucami. It was supposed to be like a secret meeting, but well, intel gets around... I was among those trying to root out potential spies or saboteurs."

"I spotted this pair, must've been Master and Padawan, because they stuck out in that odd way that Jedi tend to do. They don't quite know how to blend in in a crowd." Dove shook her head. "I trailed them for a good while to confirm my suspicions, and managed to skip ahead of them to take up sniper-position."

"There's always a lot of weird stories around Jedi - with their mystical powers and all. This one was no different. I swear, no one should've spotted me from that distance, but that kid did. Couldn't have been more than... maybe fourteen? She looked straight at me. Kriff." She took another sip of her drink. "It just... disturbed me. It wasn't like this was going to be the first time I took out someone as a sniper, but it just made me panic. I ended up just shooting the kid in the leg instead. How the kriff was I gonna just put a bolt in the head of a kid that had spotted me?"

"It caused quite the scene too. It stopped them from what they were going to do, as the master pulled the kid out of there. I... don't think they got off Saleucami alive. It felt like I saw them wherever I walked, or my eyes were playing tricks on me. Especially that kid. Sometimes I'd just see her standing in the middle of a crowd, and then gone. Maybe they were following me around and subjecting me to some freakish Jedi-revenge. Or their ghosts haunted me. It was... frak, it's one of those times when it really hit me how damn wrong this war seemed. They were sending children into warzones, Dak. How messed up is that?"

She drained the last of her drink, a little shaken from reliving the memory. "I never shot at one of them again after that. The kids, that is. Just didn't seem right to me."

[Jurdak Surt]

Dak exhaled heavily "Yeah.....that was never, never something all of us agreed with. But the jedi had their ways, I'd seen those 'children' take out more droids than a squad of clones. It was an insane war and I dont really knowing I agree with how the jedi were involved with it but the military structure of the Republic wasnt exactly my job." Focusing on something else had allowed Dak to regain his composure.

He took a deep breath "the whole thing was messed up but both sides did crazy things but none of it really matters now does it?" He squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile "we both certainly have our demons dont we? More so than most I imagine."

[Dove Gray]

"Comes with the job," she said as she composed herself again. "It usually doesn't bother me too much, but... eh, I guess kids is where I reach my limit. I mean, I did just take a hit-job for the money. Did it remove some more scum from the galaxy? Probably, but people like us don't get to dwell too much on the morality of it all."

At least it was one of those things she had often told herself when she started bounty hunting; cleaning up the poodoo of the galaxy.

[Jurdak Surt]

He nodded "For the most part I agree but I think there are lines even people like us dont cross. Also i think the why of it matters as well, i became a hitman because i didnt see any other way out when i was being hunted by the government, before that I killed because it was defending what I believed in and it was war, I didnt kill civilians."

He shrugged a bit "I dont think I'm the good guy but there are certainly worse people out there. Quite a few actually, at least I'd like to think so."

[Dove Gray]

"But where do you draw the line? And is it a hard line?" she asked, shrugging slightly as she leaned back in her seat. "What about those forced to committ atrocities? Or a droid's programming? Or those clones who gunned down their Jedi commanders? Which one of them, if any, crosses a line for you?"