Was he flirting with her? Ugh, she couldn't tell, she wasn't a reader like Meena. She hadn't spent a significant amount of her life looking at men and women in bars, picking up signals and making observations about their behavior. It all just seemed so pointless. Ziv smiled to him before he walked into the showers and then turned her attention back at what she was going to do from now on. If Meena really was leaving Drak to her, then she'd have to help him find Collarroka. She had an idea where to begin, but if that wouldn't lead them anymore, then Ziv was clueless. It wasn't easy to find a person like Collarroka, if he was even a person. Usually he would come and find whoever he felt like doing business with. Moreover, he wasn't particularly fond of assassins, her little group always having to sneak around because of possible spies from Collarroka.

She heard the shower turn off and from the corner of her eye could see Drak step out partly. Ziv turned to look at him, blinked her eyes for a moment and then looked away. "Let me think. I might have something." She got up and walked to her bedroom where she kept most of her belongings. Nowadays Ziv got her measly income by selling equipment and clothing that her assassin friends looted from their contracts. They usually had no use for them and since she had no interest in taking up contracts anymore, Ziv was the one to receive them, sell them and give them a part of the profit. She searched through her trunk and came across some decent looking clothing, something that a smuggler about the size of Drak could have worn. Ziv gathered a pair of pants and a shirt and then handed them to Drak. "Here, try these on."

"Give me your clothes. I'll try and clean them and fix them a little." She said and then heard a quiet knock on her door. "Come in. It's open!"

Whatever could have been imagined from a professional medic certainly did not apply to Enthir. Most expected a man to walk in, but instead were greeted by the sight of a young blonde boy. He headed to Ziv's living room and placed down some supplies wordlessly. "He'll be here in a second." Ziv informed him, as if speaking to an adult. "He has a dislocated shoulder, and two wounds that need healing. One from a blaster on his leg and one on his chest." She hesitated for a moment and watched as the boy began cleaning his supplies. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, it'll be fine." Enthir said finally. "I don't need the details. What matters is that he's wounded. You know I don't ask questions, I just do my job." He looked up to her. "Have you been healthy lately?"

"I'm fine." Ziv answered with a smile. "Unless you have a potion to make someone fall in love with you, I don't think I'm in particular need of anything."

Enthir arched a brow at her and smiled in an amused manner. "Still want to get married? Maybe you should get off this planet and search elsewhere. There are no proper men here." He paused for a moment. "Speaking of proper men, I met officer Demarcus yesterday. You do remember him, right? He was wounded as well, so I fixed his wound while he told me about some woman he was looking for."

"He's still here?" Ziv asked, astounded. "I do remember him, I met him a few weeks ago once more. I bought him a drink... it was the least I could do after he got me out of prison."

"Yes, he's been here for a few weeks." Enthir confirmed. "And that worries me. He's just walking around with that officer uniform on him... no wonder he got shot. I think he should just go back to Kessel and forget about it."

_________________

Drak grabbed the clothes handed to him and got himself changed into them. Fixing himself into the clothes he walked out of the bathroom. "Forget about what?" Drak asked curiously, sitting down next to Enthir, a man he wouldn't have expected to be a medical professional of any kind. Drak still held onto his dislocated shoulder, which was painful with any movement. Sitting was also difficult as the wound on his abdomen shifted and caused pain. He really didn't like being weak like this, not by any means.

Drak showed Enthir each of his wounds, and despite Enthir's protests, Drak explained how he got them, just not why. "What am I looking at for recovery time?" Drak asked the man, hoping it would be short. "I know realistically I can't soak in a bacta tank, right?" Drak was hoping that maybe, in some off chance, the man would have a bacta tank hidden in his bag of tricks, but obviously that made no sense. Drak just knew to save his brother he would have to be at one hundred percent, and he'd be willing to do whatever it took to recover as fast as possible.

Drak sat back as Enthir focused first on his stomach wound, much to Drak's relief. He knew that putting an arm back in place wouldn't be a walk in the park, so he was glad to put it off for now. Drak looked over to Ziv. There really was something about her, the way she held herself, her beauty, and the way she killed those men. Killing those men was a terrible thing even if self-defence, but she was so graceful, perfect, and fierce. Then there was her kind heart. The way she was helping him made him feel drawn to her. He was suddenly pulled out of his gaze by the pain of his wound being stitched it up.

To make a bit of small chat, and because of obvious curiosity, he asked Ziv the question he somewhat knew. "So what do you do to make a living Ziv?"

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

Enthir and Ziv were unphased by Drak's interruption of their conversation. After all, Enthir had no idea about the entire situation that surrounded the two of them and Meena. Ziv on the other hand had no problem with Drak finding out that she was indeed friends with the one person he disliked, as long as he would not run away screaming. "Nothing." Enthir sighed. "Just someone we both know. And who needs to get his life together." With that he allowed Drak to sit next to him. After receiving an explanation on his wounds that he didn't need, he began his work under Ziv's constant watch. "I hope you got some coin." Enthir commented to Ziv. "It's gonna take a bit to fix the one on his stomach." The woman nodded and insisted that she would be able to pay one way or another.

"As for recovery, as long as you don't strain yourself and keep applying salve diligently, you should be fine in a week or so." Enthir replied. "Or, if you can afford it, twenty minutes or so in a bacta tank for the next two days should get you results under a week." He began his work then, after closer inspection of his wound and as always he aimed to achieve an impeccable result with minimal pain. He didn't look like much, but truthfully he was among the best medics on the moon. His days were filled with work, obviously, but it paid well and he found comfort in helping those seriously in need of it. This was one of those cases.

Ziv sat down opposite to Drak and noticed his eyes on her. Even if she regretted showing such a brutal side of her earlier, it seemed to have opened his eyes to her a bit more. It made her happy to know someone was finally noticing her. He then asked her what she did to make a living and she was visibly uncomfortable and ashamed for a moment. Eventually, she managed to pull herself together and meet his eyes. "I'm an ex-assassin. Nowadays I just sell the equipment and loot that my colleagues who are still in the business get. I get a little profit from that, but it's not a lot." She looked down, finding it suddenly very difficult to talk about the subject. "I'm not proud of myself for doing that. Working in that business has made me so passive to suffering and death. When I went to Kessel for it, everything there sort of worked as a wake up call. I'd become a monster and Kessel broke me down."

"But you still got out." Enthir added slowly, most of his focus on Drak's wound. "Which I find incredible. Anyone who goes there stays there for the rest of their life."

She smiled slightly to Drak. "It's a complicated story, but basically I was released legally along with several other inmates after six years. It's also confidential information that the Empire holds and doesn't share with lower ranking officers or investigators." Ziv paused for a moment and then took a deep breath. "But I'm ready to move on now. I really want to get off this planet, go somewhere nice, settle down... I'd do anything to have a kid, you know? I'm tired of this place, these people and this constant sense of danger." She looked out of her dirty window for a moment, which showed the back alley of the building. "I heard that if I can work five years in the Core, get married and set up a family, the Empire will wipe my register. Above everything, that's what I want. I just want to forget and live without being known as a killer."

Ziv turned her attention back to Drak and looked over to his wound. "It's coming together nicely. You're truly a genius, Enthir."

_________________

"An Ex-assasin," she told him. It wasn't a big shock to Drak, but it was a bit uneasy for him to hear. In fact with the way she killed those men, if she had said anything other than an assassin, he would have been suspicious. He couldn't imagine a life where one could simply kill without remorse, but she explained that she changed. He was starting to understand what it meant to change as a person. She seemed to have a kind heart, yet she told him she used to be a monster. "You don't seem like a monster to me," he told her. "I hope you find a man that appreciates you for who you are now."

Drak looked over his stomach wound. It was nicely stitched up, and a Bacta patch was being placed over it. Then the man tended to his leg. Drak had to remove his pants in front of Ziv, but tried to not let his embarrassment get to him. Enthir cleaned the wound and patched it up. Then came the part Drak dreaded the most. He held onto the side of the chair as the Enthir snapped his arm back into his socket. Pain shot through Drak, but he tried his best to not look weak in front of Ziv... unsure of why that was important. Drak put his old leather jacket back on, which wasn't too dirty, and tried his best to not move his arm which was still very much in pain. "Thanks for you help, I appreciate everything," he told the doctor. Drak waited for Ziv and her friend to say their goodbyes, and sat back in his chair, making sure to not use his painful arm.

He sat back and looked at Ziv. "I really want to thank you. I don't see an ex-assassin, I see a beautiful and kind woman, trying to make up for her past mistakes," he told her, really trying not to flirt with her, but unable to help it. "I was really lucky to run into you. Regardless I've taken too much time, and I need to find Collaroka, and hopefully he'll lead me, somehow, to my brother. It feels like I'm trying to run and catch a rope that may just break on me and then disappear. I just don't know how to even find the rope."

He looked at Ziv carefully. "I'll understand if you don't want to help me. You've already done more than enough... but if you know how to reach him, or even know someone else who might... I'm lost right now..." His head sunk. He was sure by this point that his brother was long gone. Everything was taking too long. Why did his brother leave such a simple clue? Drak was good, but any investigation takes time. If he only told Drak where he was and how to rescue him, it would have been so much easier. Now here he was, lost in this world of criminals, confused and betrayed.

Icerins don't give up though, not on family.

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

Ziv looked up to meet Drak’s eyes when he stated that she didn’t seem like a monster to him. Those words meant more to her than he could ever imagine and she offered him a small, thankful smile in return. As he mentioned about her finding an accepting and understanding man, she wanted to tell him she had already found one, but couldn’t find the courage to do so. They had only met several hours ago and yet she was confident that they could be more than just friends. At the time however, she was aware of the fact that he potentially did not see things the way she did. Ziv had a tendency of falling for people before seeing all sides of them, but so far that hadn’t caused her that much trouble. “Thanks. Your words mean a lot to me.” She spoke to him, deciding not to reveal her feelings just yet.

Again, Ziv didn’t seem bothered by Drak’s lack of clothing. She did look away slightly to give him so privacy which she figured he needed right now. Enthir was truly doing a good job, especially when it came to Drak’s arm that was snapped back into place with one vigorous movement. She could see the pain on his face, even though he was clearly trying to suppress it. It didn’t matter to Ziv if he looked weak, since she knew he had been through a lot and he was lucky to be even alive at this point. “All done. That’ll be 600 credits. I expect it on my account by tomorrow morning.” Enthir concluded and began cleaning his instruments before packing them. “Recovery will be fast if you take it easy. Best you stay out of trouble until you’re certain you can shoot a gun before your enemies or run for your life.” He looked over to Ziv. “You should look after him for now. I can’t think of anyone else on this moon who would care enough for another person.”

“You won’t have to worry about that. He’ll be safe with me.” Ziv assured him and smiled. “Thank you for coming. The payment will be made in time, I promise.” And with that, Enthir finished packing and headed out, leaving the two of them alone. Once the door was closed and locked from any outside threats, she turned her attention back to Drak who was now sitting upright and speaking to her.

She laughed slightly at his words and tilted her head. “Your kindness certainly shows you’re from an entirely different world. I’m sorry you ended up here out of all places but I’m happy if I was able to help you even a little.” Ziv had never really received such profound kindness and forgiveness from another person, especially not from someone who wasn’t from the criminal world. Instead of seeing him as a stepping stone to a better life, she was beginning to see him more as a good friend. She wanted to get used to this type of honesty because it was comforting to know there was nothing to guess, nothing to figure out behind her friend’s words. Her smile faded slightly at the mention of Collarroka and she became thoughtful for a moment, wondering how they should approach the issue. Meena had expressed her worried about not being able to go far enough to find Collarroka due to their differences, but she was the one who had supposedly met the man twice in her life. Or whatever he was.

And now she was planning on running away.

“I’m willing to help you, but no matter where it takes us, you’ll have to trust me.” Ziv said eventually and looked Drak in the eyes. “I know you’ve had a rocky start with just about everyone else you’ve met on this moon so far. But if you want answers, you need to start playing according to local rules, no matter how terrible they are.” With that said, she grabbed her commlink and considered what she was about to do for the last time. Finally, she took a deep breath and dialled Meena’s commlink number. This would be it. She would be revealed. But if he trusted her, he would… The commlink beeped, informing her that there was no answer. Ziv blinked her eyes in confusion but placed it down anyway, thinking that perhaps Meena had fallen asleep or just didn’t want to talk to anyone right now. “I know someone who has supposedly met Collarroka twice in her life.” Ziv said. “I know a few people I could ask, but she seems the closest to Collarroka. The problem is… well… she isn’t one to cooperate with people.”

Ziv sighed and shook her head. “I’ll try to think about it, call a few people and so on. In the meantime, you should get some rest.” She was about to head to her bedroom but stopped. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll take the couch, okay?”

--

“Rise and shine! Come on, I don’t have all morning for this!”

It wasn’t the best of mornings for Meena. Shaken awake from a sleep she couldn’t remember falling into, she found herself on her own ship, tied to a chair. Her sight was blurry and her head spun, indicating that someone had knocked her unconscious at some point here on her very own ship. She groaned and blinked her eyes, attempting to focus on the figure standing in front of her. Suddenly someone grabbed her by her chin and tilted her head upwards to look at a blurry face she couldn’t recognize. Little by little, the room around her settled and the face that hovered above her became clear and detailed. She couldn’t recognize the Twi’lek man towering over her.

“There we go.” He grinned. “We have a lot to talk, so I suggest you listen carefully. See, you did something quite foolish yesterday.”

“Who are you?” Meena managed to utter.

“Your new client, of course. I believe we spoke briefly yesterday on the commlink, but I like to get close and personal with those I sign contracts with. That is, if you are still the Meena Hayes who could con a rich man out of his money and love?” He kept grinning. “I have a job for you. Not the smuggling one I spoke about yesterday, no.”

“And you had to tie me up for this?” Meena snapped at him. “Look, I don’t con anymore, so **** off.”

As a response she received a slap on her face before her chin was grabbed again. “Listen to me. You’ve made a big mistake by killing Vince. Cross me again and I will cut you down. How about another trip to Kessel? Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

“Why do you care about Vince?” Meena spat.

“I had a contract on him, one that was supposed to make me a lot of money. Then his body is found and my contract gets terminated... After asking around a bit, I realized I was dealing with you.” He sneered. “But it’s fine, because I can still earn that money back and you can still keep your pretty face and ship intact if you listen very carefully to what I’m about to say. Now, try again: do you still con or no?”

Meena grinned and rolled her eyes. “For the right price-“

“How about your life and your ship? How does that sound to you, hm?”

She was quiet for a moment but then cleared her throat. “Sounds like a fair deal.”

“Good. Now, there’s a contract that has been passed around by the Black Sun. So far there hasn’t been any takers despite the amount of money their leader is willing to pay. And then I got my hands on the contract a few days ago.” He stepped back and let go of Meena in order to show her a holographic message which detailed the task. “The Black Sun wants to put Collarroka out of business. But they want to do it in a clean fashion. Besides, killing such a mastermind would be a pity, they’d rather gain the upper hand on him and force him to join the Black Sun. More power to the syndicate, you see.”

Meena blinked her eyes in disbelief. “You want me to con Collarroka? But-“

“I know how it sounds. But many have already pointed me to your direction and since you are indeed indebted to me... Well, I thought this would be the perfect chance for you to marvel the criminal world with your skills.” He smirked. “Think of all the glory, the fear you’ll create in people’s hearts. You get your old life back, I get my money and Black Sun gets Collarroka to fall on his knees. Everybody wins.”

The con artist looked down to her feet for a good five minutes, considering the situation and the offer. Her life was obviously on the line and she did not doubt this man’s capability to send her back to prison or kill her on the spot. And to be honest, she did miss her former life. She missed the days when she could wrap others around her little finger. Then finally, she lifted her head.

“What are we waiting for then?”

_________________

Meena Hayes. The name Drak would never escape. "I know someone..." It was obvious now who Ziv was talking about. She had hinted at it beforehand, and he had his suspicions, but it was clear now. It's not really all too surprising. Criminals know other criminals, and just because Ziv and Meena stayed at the same prison, didn't make Ziv a bad person. Drak was really trying to stretch things now. His investigative side didn't want to throw out the possibility that this was all some trap being set up by Meena, or even just Ziv on her own. Yet his emotional side, the one that felt drawn to this woman, wanted to be convinced she wasn't a criminal, that she was really trying to help him.

He was okay with Ziv working with Meena, but if Meena found out where Drak was, she'd hunt him down and try to kill him. That was the worse case scenario at least. Regardless, he had to talk to Ziv about it. "Meena Hayes right?" He asked bluntly. "If that's who you want to contact... it might be best if she doesn't know I'm with you. Her and I have a past..." he hesitated. Except now was the time to reveal all, except for the fact that he was a security officer of course. "She's the reason you found me in the street, because she got her friends to try and kill me." He wanted to tell Ziv why, and that he was a security officer, except he still wasn't clear on how she'd react. So for the time being, he kept that part to himself.

She excused herself to bed, but offered to take the couch instead. He walked up to her, his arm still in pain, but he ignored it and grabbed her hand with his other arm. She really was beautiful, and amazing in many ways. She didn't seem too open to his flirtations from earlier, but he wasn't willing to give up so easily. With how he almost died today, his sense of living was at an all time high. Deciding maybe being bold was the way to go, he drew a grin and leaned into her ear, "you know, you don't have to take the couch. I'm sure there's plenty of room for you in the bed with me."

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

Ziv blinked her eyes when Drak mentioned Meena by name. She hadn’t dropped the hints for nothing and part of her was happy she could stop pretending she had nothing to do with her. The ex-assassin listened to his words attentively, finally gaining the same information from him that she had from Meena herself. The only exception was that he still hadn’t admitted that he was indeed an investigator from Coruscant. Perhaps he was worried about her reaction to such information and to be honest she couldn’t blame him. Still, considering the feelings she was beginning to have for this man, she hoped he could have been honest with her. Ziv hated the circumstances they were in with a passion, but it couldn’t be helped. In a different life, she would have certainly been his wife. She didn’t doubt that one bit.

“I know.” She spoke, not fully considering her words. “I know that you know her.” Ziv looked down and sighed. This would be it. She couldn’t blatantly lie to Drak, not when she was beginning to care about him so much. “But please, hear me out. Let me explain, before you make any judgments about the situation.” Ziv raised her hands in front of her, as if to show that she wasn’t going to hurt him or attack him. “I don’t want to lie to you. You are a good man and you deserve to know the truth, right here, right now. And here it is: Meena does not want you dead.” She stared him in the eyes, hoping he would hear her out and believe her, after all the kindness she had shown him. “Earlier today, I found Meena sitting in the streets, looking like she had seen a ghost. She told me everything and seemed heavily burdened by what she had done to you. I’ve never seen her like that before and mind you… we were inmates for six years. I know her better than she sometimes knows herself.”

Ziv took a deep breath and smiled gently. “She couldn’t live with herself and she knew you would never trust her again. But she still wanted to help you and that’s why she asked me to find you and help you find Collarroka.” She paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in. “But please don’t misunderstand… although our meeting was hardly coincidental, my kindness is not fabricated. I don’t agree with the way she treated you, even though I know who you are and what your role in her life is. It doesn’t justify what she did. However, she is my friend and she asked me for help and that’s something I just can’t turn down.”

A long silence. Ziv didn’t know what else to say. She felt like she had already stated the facts and if that wasn’t enough, there was nothing more she could do. Drak’s offer about sleeping together left her uneasy, not because she wouldn’t be attracted to him, but because she was certain he hadn’t thought the situation through careful enough. “It’s fine. I think it’s better we sleep separated. You wouldn’t want to share a room with a former assassin right? Even worse, the friend of a woman who in her foolishness tried to get you killed…” Ziv sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry for what she did. I’m not asking you to forgive her, but understand that it wasn’t easy for her in Kessel. If it makes you feel any better, I owe her my life, because she decided to save the sorry ass of a killer in prison. No one else cared except her. All I’m saying, she’s not all bad and neither am I. Or that’s what I hope at least.”

With that, stepped away from him and gestured him towards her bedroom before heading to the couch. “She doesn’t know I want to contact her.” Ziv added as she sat down. “Meena is under the impression she’ll never see us again. But without her, finding Collarroka will be difficult. I need to know if you are with me or not.”

She looked up to Drak, feeling once again like a terrible criminal. Ziv disliked lying, but at least now the truth was fully out and there was nothing to hide anymore.

_________________

I know that you know here, those words stung him. He instinctively grabbed for his gun, but realized it wasn't there since he'd lost it. It was a trick, a trap, she was going to kill him and do it now. But then why wait so long? Why help him live and patch him up? For an assassin, she could have done it in a heartbeat. It was her next words that kept him from lunging at her, and trying to grab whatever nearby blunt object he could find. He was glad he didn't.

However it was the fact that she said, "Meena does not want you dead," that confused and clouded his mind. The last he saw of her, she threw him to the dogs, and asked they kill him. He could have believed it the first moment they met, but not after what they had been through. He didn't know what to think. Before the incident, he started to think a part of him was falling for Meena, but then afterwards he wanted nothing more than to kill her. Now... he was confused.

Yet here Ziv was, a testament to Meena's changed heart. It infuriated him that time and time again Meena would deceive him, one way or another. "It's all lies, how am I to trust her... or even you?" His blood was boiling, and he couldn't think straight. "What if this is all a ploy? You gain my trust, you patch me up, you show kindness, all for what? So you can bring me to Meena? Just so she can kill me with her own hands!?"

He was pacing now, leaving the bedroom and into the living area. He forced himself to sit down, just to be able to think clearly. No- the story she explained seemed to make sense. It matched up with everything, the way they met, what Drak knew about Meena, it worked. "I don't like being lied to, being led on. I know... I know you're not a bad person. Still, what she did to me... I don't now if I can trust her. What if one day she decides to kill me again? No, we have to do this without Meena. We have to go at it alone."

He was angry, at himself, and the situation. He wanted to forget about Meena. He wanted to forget about everything. Except this wasn't about him. This was about his brother, it was about Cyn, and about their baby. He wanted to punch a wall because of what he was about to say. This wasn't his world, and obviously Ziv wouldn't be able to help find Collaroka. He needed to make this work, and Ziv, with Meena's help, may be the only way to do it.

His hand was turning white with how tightly he was squeezing it. He simply said, "contact her-"

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

Ziv observed him with great curiosity as her words seemed to sink in. He was obviously confused, there was no doubt about that and it really didn’t surprise her to see him that way. Nonetheless, Drak didn’t try to attack her which was good, because it meant that he was able to treat her as a separate person from Meena. As much as she cared for her friend, she had no desire to be associated to her lies, not when she had so much to deal with herself that haunted her from the past. “Yes, interesting question.” Ziv admitted when he began making strange assumptions about a wicked plan that she would have supposedly made with Meena. “But do you honestly think that after all I’ve done and been through I would have the guts to do something like that? You already know what’s in my heart. I have no desire to continue my life in the world of criminals and I’d do anything to get out of here. So, tell me, would I then plan to kill you?”

She arched a brow at him at the mention of Meena wanting to kill him with her own hands. “That just goes to prove you know nothing about her. She’s hardly a killer. At the sight of a dead body she’ll go weak in the knees and feel dizzy in her head.” Ziv sighed, remaining patient with Drak. “Not all criminals are capable of killing. Think about it, why do you think she brought you all the way here to a friend of hers to get you killed instead of shooting you in the face inside her own ship? You would have been the easiest target during hyperspace travel, yet she chose to wait until Nar Shaddaa. Doesn’t that ring a bell for you? Doesn’t that tell you anything? Even if she did kill someone, she’s hardly like me; cold, calculating, precise and clean. No, she’d be devastated. After all, she saw her parents executed when she was but a child.” Ziv observed him for another moment while he stated that he knew she was not a bad person. “Careful. I’ve killed voluntarily, but she’d never do that. Now, who do you think is the scarier monster, hm? The difference is, we both have our flaws, but I’ve chosen to move on and become a better person. Meena just doesn’t care enough for that.”

His next words about wanting to do this alone with her caused her to tilt her head slightly, as if wondering whether he had paid attention to anything so far. For and investigator, he wasn’t particularly observant. Or, perhaps he was very observant and simply chose to shut certain things out. He seemed a bit naïve even, but only in certain aspects of life. All of this hardly diminished the feeling she had for him, but it certainly made her understand why the relationship between him and Meena was so incredibly strained. “Why are so you worried? Can’t you see? You’re an investigator working for the Empire. Judging from what I heard from Meena, they’ve already set up a search for you and since you were last seen with a con artist by your side, they likely know where to look for you.” Ziv sneered and shook her head. “People will miss you when you’re dead. There will be a search, and investigation… Another reason not to kill you on her ship, my dear. The evidence would be easy to gather. But I think even after attempting to put the blame on her bartender friend Vince, she realized she couldn’t do such a thing and never would be.” Ziv smirked. “Imagine that. That one person you hate so much in the world is an inch away from disappearing from your life, but you just can’t pull the trigger. Why? Because it’s not you, you’re not a killer. Because everyone is backing this person up. You will be hunted down. And most importantly, you realize the death of him would not bring the satisfaction and peace you’ve sought for so long. Tell me, wouldn’t knowing all this literally kill you from inside?”

Her eyes followed him as he paced and she could see anger rise inside him. She wondered then if the bond between Meena and Drak was truly beyond repair. They were certainly not the most ideal friends, but should their differences be pushed aside, she was confident they would both be unstoppable as friends. Yes, only as friends. Drak wasn’t Meena’s type and besides, she hopelessly wanted the man for herself. What was Meena’s type in the first place? Back in Kessel she had often joked that money could get her to do or say just about anything, but Ziv was sure that luxury and riches were just an empty escape from a miserable and troubled childhood. By surrounding herself with cold, lifeless and precious objects, she was sure to never be disappointed or heartbroken again. A truly classic defence mechanism of a woman who refused to look weak.

Ziv nodded to Drak. “Tomorrow morning we’ll head to her ship. Let’s rest for now.” She grabbed a blanket. “There’s a blaster underneath the bed that you can have. And Drak… you’re safe with me. She’ll hear us out since I’ll be there as well.”

_________________

Drak walked into the bedroom, angry, frustrated, worn out, worried, confused... he couldn't decide. He was everything and it was eating him from the inside. He reached underneath the bed, and found an old Blastech blaster and holster. It was a bit old and worn, but if it worked, that's all he needed. He took it out and placed it underneath the pillow, just in case. He took off his jacket and shirt, feeling the pain from his dislocated shoulder. He checked his wound carefully, making sure to put the patch back on.

He lay on the bed, one hand underneath the pillow feeling for the handle of the gun, just to feel a semblance of security. He tried to sleep, but it was all too much for him, and his mind was never at ease. After everything Ziv said, he couldn't help but understand Meena a bit more. Meena despised Drak, not for who he was, but for putting her away to Kessel. He had heard it was a terrible place, but didn't know why exactly. He'd never been himself, yet with the reputation the Empire had, Drak doubted they would treat their criminals fairly in any way. Yet despite understanding Meena, it's hard to come back from trying to get him killed. If he wasn't so quick with his wits and decided to jump, he would have been dead now, he was certain of it. He wondered how long after she asked Vince to kill him, did she regret her decision? Right away, or more likely after a few drinks. How much did she regret it? It didn't matter, because it wasn't soon enough, he was going to die and she didn't stop it in time.

He tossed in the bed, trying to get himself comfortable, always reaching for the gun, feeling the cold steel on his skin. He wasn't sure who to trust anymore. He wanted to trust Ziv now, but he couldn't. He's known a lot of criminals, most stay criminals. However Ziv, unlike Meena, seemed keen on at least trying to change. Even if Ziv used to be a monster, he respected the fact that she was trying to change. He felt safe enough with Ziv, at least to go to sleep with a gun under his pillow.

Drak woke the next day, got himself ready, cleaned his wounds, and put his arm in a sling to keep from hurting it. After strapping the gun holster to his leg, he walked into the living room and sat on the chair near where Ziv was sleeping. As she woke he looked at her, feeling a certain connection, one he couldn't escape. He then asked her a question, one that had been plaguing him all night. "Tell me, what was Kessel like for you?"

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

She didn’t know what more to say. At this point the best thing she could give Drak was privacy and some time to consider what she had just told him. Ziv wasn’t sure why she was protecting Meena this much, aside from the fact that the woman had saved her life in Kessel. She lied down on her couch and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her. She wasn’t much of a sleeper and had she ever gone to a doctor, she would have probably been told that she was suffering from insomnia. Ziv didn’t see her problem as insomnia, in fact she didn’t really see it as a problem. She always told herself she was just being cautious and not allowing another assassin sneak up on her and kill her. Or perhaps there was something else. Something she couldn’t forget about Kessel, something that haunted her nearly as much as it haunted Meena.

Eventually she did get two hours of light sleep and stirred slightly when sensing a presence nearby her. Ziv opened her eyes and saw that Drak was sitting on a chair not too far from. It looked like he hadn’t been sleeping that much either and she couldn’t blame him. However, his first words took him by surprise, having expected a grumpy good morning instead of a question so personal that she was simply speechless for a moment. No one had ever asked her that question and much like Meena, she had never told the true story of what had happened on Kessel. Perhaps now if ever was the time to provide him the truth. Ziv sat up stretched her limbs for a moment before trying to think of the proper words. As much as she liked Drak and wanted him to know the truth, there was a certain difficulty about speaking of her time in prison. When she looked back to him, her eyes nearly begged him, as if she was saying to him that he really didn’t want to know. But he did.

“I thought I’d seen it all in my life.” She spoke finally, quietly as memories flooded her mind. “I thought I was invincible, that I had been to the most desperate places in the world, completely barren from any hope. I thought I had already looked plenty of unimaginable evils in the eye and laughed.” Ziv forced a laugh. “I was naïve too. And I wasn’t afraid of Kessel until I actually set foot in there.”

She thought for a very long time how to describe her experience the best. “The first year prisoners say ‘please’ a lot when they arrive. Please let me go. Please, I’m innocent. Please don’t hurt me. Please give me another chance.” Ziv looked down to her hands. “I was pleading too. They destroyed me at first, so they could rebuild me into a human being that would obey any order, feel no pain and accept everything. That’s when I realized just how bad I had messed up with my life. I would never get out of that place and I’d be abused the rest of my life.” She paused suddenly and then smiled genuinely. “But then I met Meena.”

Ziv got up to fix them some breakfast. “I’d seen her around every once in a while. She was in the same block with me. Prisoners aren’t allowed to talk to each other when not working in the mines.” She grabbed some cups and plates. “She was officer Tresa’s favourite. If there's someone she definitely dislikes more than you, then it's him. In case you didn’t know, Kessel is run by guards who worked there before the Empire and then Imperial officers. They were extremely feared in Kessel for their cruelty and ruthlessness. Many of them are corrupt, paying no mind to Imperial guidelines. Why should they care anyway? You go to Kessel for life and as a criminal no one will miss you. Prisoners are like little pawns for officers to entertain themselves.” Ziv sneered and shook her head. “And officer Tresa was definitely the worst. He enjoyed watching inmates fight until their death and even chose me as his ‘champion’. After all, I was so used to killing…”

“There’s so much to tell about Kessel. Much of it isn’t worth remembering. I did befriend Meena, which made life easier for both of us, at least momentarily. She stood up for me a lot, only to get a beating afterwards. Things started getting complicated on my sixth year and her seventh year when officer Tresa’s corrupt colleague was replaced by officer Demarcus who had been sent there to investigate rumors about corruption.” Ziv explained. “It wasn’t so much about how inmates were treated, but about drinking and glitterstim issues among prison officers. However, he was much different from anyone else I had ever seen on Kessel. He was righteous, calm and respectful towards anyone he spoke to, be it a colleague or a prisoner like myself. Perhaps he was a bit naïve, because he seemed often shocked or displeased with how we were treated. Rumors had it, he was preparing a very controversial report to his higher ups about the true state of Kessel.”

“Things became complicated because prisoners were getting a better treatment thanks to him. But when Demarcus was not around, Tresa would have his way like in the old days. He was especially irritated by the restraining order that had been issued to him concerning female prisoners.” Ziv looked over to Drak. “He was no longer allowed to call me to his office in the middle of the night for some outrageous requests nor could he torment Meena. She had it tough, but at least she wasn’t like me and didn’t agree to his requests… That would usually get her whipped or without food for a few day.” Her voice trailed off a little bit and she froze for a moment before finishing their breakfast. “One day, we were in the mines with Meena and officer Tresa shows up with a few guards. He confronts Meena, stating that she has been telling officer Demarcus about how he has been treating me. And the he begins to attack her. I wasn’t sure whether he was trying to get her killed or undressed. It didn’t matter. I was forced to watch it, because the guards were holding me down. Luckily, the other officers were alerted in time and both of us survived relatively unscathed.”

Ziv sat down and nodded to Drak, offering him to have a seat with her and eat. Breakfast was very modest, but it was something. “Tresa wasn’t punished. Meena was interrogated for several days by officer Demarcus.” Ziv smiled slightly. “I’m not sure what happened during those few days, but it seemed that Demarcus became… rather fond of her. It was probably the first time someone genuinely liked her for who she was, which, for a criminal is difficult to believe.” She laughed quietly. “I’m not in the position to tell you the details. However, it was undoubtedly Demarcus that released Meena, me and several other prisoners. And, coincidentally, I saw him a couple of weeks ago here on this moon. He is looking for Meena.”

_________________

Drak wasn't very hungry, but he knew he needed to eat. With everything coming up, he needed to heal, and he needed energy. So he forced himself while he listened closely to Ziv explain everything. He found his stomach in knots as she told him what few details she felt were important, making him wonder about what she was leaving out. Then when she told him about Tresa, Drak found himself holding onto his knife a bit too tightly. He hated Tresa, for giving a bad name to law enforcement, and for hurting Meena. He didn't know why he cared... but he was starting to understand. He had sent Meena to Tresa. Everytime she saw Drak, she must have thought of the man, and the attacks, and the terrible things they did. She almost died there, and it was because of Drak.

"I hate corrupt officers," Drak gritted. "They make me sick. I've been trying to battle it on coruscant as much as I could... but when the empire took over I lost a lot of my power and influence as a detective. I was bumped down to patrol, and the Empire was always corrupt from the get go. It must have been terrible there."

He finished his food, bringing the plate to the kitchen. He wanted to throw the plate across the room, and he didn't know why. He was always a good cop, always trying to do things right. "How am I supposed to be a good officer, if the officers are just as bad as the criminals... worse even..." He thought of his own partner, not exactly straight as an arrow, but he certainly didn't take bribes, not under Drak's watch.

At least Demarcus sounded like a good person. Unless he somehow cut a deal with Meena, or maybe he was in love with her. Either way, Drak didn't like it. Not that it mattered, because Meena tried to get Drak killed. He hated thinking about it, all of it. "What do you think Demarcus wants with Meena?" He placed the plate into the sink and cleaned it, trying his best to be a good guest, and not destroy her dises.

"We should get going," he said walking back into the living room. "If she agrees to help me again, maybe I can finally get my bag back from Meena's ship."

_________________
I cut open my heart, bleed words onto the page, and see what happens...

Take a look at My Resume

Ziv was trying her hardest to put it all behind herself, to accept things as they were and just move on. Meena was a living proof of the dangers of lingering in the past and she didn’t want to end up like her. Although, to be honest, both of them had their own challenges, their own problems and their own ways of dealing with the shock of Kessel. Perhaps neither of them had never really recovered and how could you, after witnessing unspeakable things?

“That is it.” Ziv admitted and nodded to Drak. “It’s not just me, Meena or other criminals. Everyone is having it tough because of the Empire. Sure, Kessel was not a nice place to begin with, but the Imperial officers have taken things to a whole new level there.” She sighed and forced a smile. “I’m confident the Republic would not have allowed something like this to happen, despite us being nothing but filthy criminals. I’ve done terrible things but I’m still a person. I’m still alive.” Ziv looked up to Drak. “I don’t blame you for anything, because I know you wouldn’t have let things go like this either. You’re a good person, Drak. It gives me hope to know there are people like you out there.”

She chuckled to his dilemma about being a good officer and tilted her head. “You did the right thing, Drak. You put a criminal back to her place and that is what a good officer should do. No more, no less.” Ziv got up as well and washed her own dishes after finishing, while still thinking about Drak’s musings on being a good officer. Those were difficult questions and she recalled reflecting on a similar one in Kessel: how to be a good person? The answer still remained a mystery to her. She blinked her eyes when Drak inquired about Demarcus’ intentions about Meena. Ziv considered for a moment before replying.

“It’s hard to say. Like I stated earlier, I don’t know much about what happened between them. Meena doesn’t want to see him, actually. Demarcus seems to care about her, but I don’t think the feeling is mutual. There’s something about him that makes Meena very uncomfortable, so perhaps it is good that he won’t find her.”

Once they were done with their dishes, Ziv nodded to Drak. “Agreed. Let’s hurry, I have a bad feeling that if we don’t make it in time, she’ll be gone.”

--

One of the reasons why Meena was such a good con artist was her impeccable ability to create plans of action. She had spent the rest of her morning preparing for her mission to find Collarroka, while Vul had been putting the ship into order once more. She was confident in her plan, although she was slightly worried about how precisely she would have to execute it. One mistake and things could go wrong, especially since the people she would be conning were highly suspicious and generally cautious towards new people. The con artist was signing off her final trades outside her ship Furion, aiming to collect as much money as possible for her mission by using the loot she had found on the pirate ship with Drak, when she was approached by the last people she wanted to see at the moment.

After signing the deal on another trader’s datapad, she turned around only to find Ziv and Drak standing next to her ship. She was a good liar, but it was still difficult for her to conceal her shock when she realized she wasn’t seeing things. Her inmate who had promised to help Drak was there, although she had sworn not to bring him back to her. As for Drak, well… he was in one piece but he did not seem happy to see her. Not one bit.

“What… why…” Meena uttered and stared at Ziv, ignoring Drak for the moment. “What is this? I told you not to come here again! Was that not clear enough for you?” She was visibly angry, but Ziv didn’t seem to care about that.

“And what is this then? You’re leaving the planet with Drak’s belongings inside your ship?” She threw back.

“Oh, for the love of..! Ugh, fine, go them then and get out of my sight!” Meena snarled.

“Well, actually, we’re here because we need your help in finding Collarroka. Besides… I think it’s time you two have a long talk about what has happened.” Ziv smiled slightly. “Look, Meena… I wouldn’t do this to annoy you. I’m doing this because I think this is the best way for Drak to find his brother and for you to come in terms with everything.”

“I’m busy.” Meena snapped. “I have a job now. Do you understand? I’m not interested in his family issues.”

“This isn’t about you and your job though. It’s about him. You promised to help, but instead you threatened to kill him and I have to say, you nearly did. Congratulations.” Ziv clapped her hands lazily. “I think you owe him one. Let’s face it, you know Collarroka the best.”

“I said no.” Meena insisted. “Don’t tell me you’re sympathizing with him now. What did he tell you? That I pointed my blaster at his head and told me what a pathetic person he was? Or maybe…” A smirk appeared on her lips and she looked over to Drak. “Maybe you think by being nice to him you’ll score yourself a nice middle class husband? How sweet. I always knew you were into the boring husband type of guy.” She nodded, now smiling wider. “I can confirm, he is pretty boring and middle class.”

“He is not boring!” Ziv responded, as if gently scolding a child. “Unless, by boring you mean proper, nice, intelligent, kind-hearted, understanding, then yes, he is all of those things and he is in need of your help.”

Meena was tense now. “I think we’re done talking.” She looked over to Drak. “You can get your things from my ship. And then you can go, both of you.”

_________________