Diamond in the Rough

[Torgeir DeHaan]

He liked her spirit and as she turned and walked away from him, the chance that someone could finally open that door which had seemed to remain elusive was exciting and scary at the same time. Still not getting her name, it appeared that he was going to have to earn that privilege. "What time," he called out, taking a few steps toward her as she neared the opened doorway, the hangar doors open to allow in the cooler evening air.

His family back home never wanted him to leave, but having no other options and with what the Corellian Engineering Company had done to him, there was no other option. Now, he had a chance to join someone that had a goal which seemed just, especially if this story about kids being smuggled to the Jedi had any truth to it. It soon made sense that someone owning a yacht might be involved in something like that, especially if he had connections with the right people.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"After dark," she replied. "Ask for Lilaena." She would have told him her whole name, but she was still on the Empire's most wanted list, and even in Alliance territory a holonet search would no doubt turn up some unsavory news items. All years old, of course, but she didn't want to scare off Torgeir.

Not yet, anyway.

***

She was sitting in the back corner of the Abyssal Squid tavern, waiting on her meal to arrive while she looked out the window at the moonrise over the lakes. The dataslip had done it's work, and she now knew when the shipment of kids was going to happen, thanks to sifting through Montebaum's calendar. There was only one route from Naboo to Ossus, so with the timing worked out they could easily intercept the transport.

Just need an interdictor now, she mused, taking a sip of her tea.

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Finally given a name, Torgeir grinned and continued outside, allowing her to drift away toward the exit to the starport as he made his way to his own apartment in Theed. Cleaning up after a long day, he changed into something more comfortable, though keeping the black glove and a rust colored, leather jacket on. Hair combed out, he soon left his apartment, locking up as he did so. Straddling his speeder bike, the Corellian slipped on a pair of dark glasses and took off, having gained the address for the tavern beforehand. Smirking at the name of the place, he was sure there was an interesting story behind that one.

Soon, his bike slowed as he noticed the name of the tavern on a sign hovering over the clean street, every avenue lined by homes decorated and newly painted, flowers both in boxes lining each window as well as plants and bushes on the ground level. At least it didn't smell like tabana gas and oil here. Turning off the ignition, Torgeir rose and entered the tavern, it's welcoming interior typical of Naboo architecture and pride in their city. Through the large windows along the back wall, the vista beyond was one to behold, green rolling hills and lakes which always calmed the nerves after a long day. Tearing his eyes from the view, he soon found the ebon haired infiltrator, prompting him to meander through the tables to hers.

Removing his glasses, he slid into an empty chair across from her, keying in the menu at a button in the center of the table. "Smells good," he commented as he glanced to her dish. "Didn't realize how hungry I was until now," he smirked and chose another meal for himself as well as a whiskey, then reclined in the chair, hands now in his lap as he studied her.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

The man had a relaxed way about him, and hadn't hesitated before ordering up a meal for himself. Bold too, then, like most Corellians. Lilaena cupped her hands around her tea, letting it warm her fingers while Torgeir openly studied her. Her hair was parted so that most of her left eye had been hiding behind it, including the thin scar that cut through her eyebrow and then her cheek below.

She reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, clearing her vision, and smoothed her black tank top. She was wearing wide-legged linen pants as part of her socialite disguise, but with just the tank visible above the table, and the lighting accentuating the muscles of her slim frame, she was looking more like she meant business than she had earlier at the hangar. "I didn't think you'd actually show up," De'Ville said at last, taking another sip from her tea.

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Their eyes seemed locked for a long moment and though in any other situation he would be admired for being seated with such an attractive woman, this was different. He was attracted, but the touch to the Force still bothered and intrigued him to no end. Steel-blue eyes followed her hand as she tucked her hair back and then to her tanktop, then rose again. The comment garnered a chuckle as the waitress arrived with his whiskey, setting it before the mechanic who nodded to her as he grabbed the glass.

"Order's on it's way," the younger blonde stated, then glanced to Lilaena before leaving.

Taking a sip of the tea colored liquid, he leaned in, hands around the glass. "Really? Figured the talk earlier about why we met would've stated that I had a need to learn more." His demeanor melted as he grew serious. "If he's doing what you said, then that needs to be taken care of." Leaving things vague enough as they weren't the only ones in the tavern, Torgeir hoped for at least some confirmation that he wasn't being toyed with. So far she seemed to be traveling alone, but he found that hard to believe also.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"You have questions, I do have answers," De'Ville said, placing a small circular device on the table and pressing the center to activate it. "No one can hear us now. And yes, Montebaum is sending his daughter with the other Force sensitive children on a transport to Ossus in a few weeks. It's a great honor to be chosen - that's what they're telling the kids. But they don't really know what they're getting into. Or that they won't be able to see their families again.

"I plan on offering them a choice, once we intercept the transport." She looked up through her lashes at Torgeir as she drank her tea. "I was a Jedi Padawan once. I know what they've been signed up for." De'Ville's eyes hardened for a moment, and then their meals arrived, placing an awkward pause in the conversation until everything was settled.

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Mulling over the added information, he was about to reply when her eyes warned him of company as the waitress arrived with their dishes, backing with his glass as she set his before him. Nodding to her again as she smiled, turned and left, he took another sip of his whiskey, then returned the glass to the table. As Torgeir began cutting up the steak, "How can I help?"

Swirling the first bite into his potatoes and taking a bite, he glanced up to her. "I'm working on his ship. Delays do happen," his right brow raised with the insinuation, in case she needed more time to gain information or more trained help. His own knowledge in martial arts or weapons was limited and she had already suggested training him which was a great boost to his confidence. There were still things he didn't know, but her story seemed genuine and the Corellian had been around enough liars in the past to know the difference. Unless of course, she had the ability to screw with his mind without him knowing it.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Unfortunately his ship being delayed means nothing to the government's plan. They will be using their own transport, guarded and sent off with fanfare from the capitol." De'Ville took a bite of the pan seared fish she'd ordered, savoring the flavor. "All I needed was access to his personal calendars, which I have already, thanks to Braddon." She smiled wryly.

"No, if you want to help, you need training in the Force. Training you can receive with me, and my people. Once you know how to use the Force, you can do, and be, just about anything you want." She leaned back a little, a smile tracing her lips once more, "Or you can remain a technician. I have a need for skilled workers as well, if you're interested."

[Torgeir DeHaan]

With knowing how and where the group would be leaving Naboo Torgeir realized that he had little else keeping him here. A quick call to the office would release him and he would be free to follow this girl to anywhere they had to go and finally be able to meet the others that she mentioned. Taking another bite, he set his fork down and shortly after swallowing, took another sip of his whiskey. "Sign me up," he grinned. "I'll let them know that I'm quitting in the morning and then I can help you out any way you want."

This would be another road that he wouldn't be able to tell his family about, unfortunately. But, as he saw it right now this was the right thing to do, especially if these kids were being tricked into this departure from their family and everything familiar. The Corellian couldn't imagine such a thing.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Excellent," she said, smiling. She was smiling a lot today, it seemed. Torgeir was pleasant to look at, but that wasn't the reason. It was the fact that things were finally going her way. With this move the Jedi would be put on notice that they were not beyond the reach of those who would keep them in check if they over stepped. Not the Empire, and their mindless genocide, but her group. Her people. She was not the one led, or pointed in a direction and let loose, she was the one doing the leading.

And another one was joining her cause. De'Ville put down her fork, and reached halfway across the table, hand open. "We'll start training tomorrow, then."

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Taking her hand in gentlemanly fashion, he shook it, "Looking forward to it. Been needing some answers to the strange dreams and all that," he stated, releasing her hand and going back to his meal, now more eager than ever to get this started. "Grandma used to say it was just deja vu, everybody did it. But," he shook his head, steel-blue eyes focused on the next bite of his steak. "Finally leaving home and getting out into the galaxy has allowed me the chance to have my eyes opened a bit," he revealed, keeping his fork in his right hand, set against the plate. "And then I meet you," he smiled.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"Serendipitous," De'Ville said, raising an eyebrow. "Tell me about your dreams. Have you had any recently?"

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Grinning, he chuckled at her initial response and then thought on the most recent dreams that had him stumped, or at least seemed noteworthy as he continued to eat. "Other night I remember this one that had me in a house that I don't recognize, sitting around a table with people I've never met and then this blonde in a red and gold jacket sits down next to me and it's like I've met her somewhere, but can't recall," he grinned, eyes dipping to the remainder of his steak. "Most of them have a lot of symbolism in them, but all are pretty vivid. Full color," he glanced up again, motioning to the interior of the restaurant around them. "Just like this."

He pondered the events in the dream a bit more, "Wasn't sure if this girl's just wealthy or loves bright colors, or what. Nothing more happens other than us just all talking and don't even remember what we were talking about," he shrugged. "Weird, I know and not a lot to go on, but I do remember the interior of the house and what she looked like."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She didn't have personal experience with visions, but she knew one when she heard it. "The Force can show us things - memories of the past, things happening in the present, and sometimes even events that have yet to come. I can teach you how to meditate, and how to open yourself up to the Force. It may not make your dreams any easier to interpet, but sometimes just knowing that what you're seeing is real can make a difference.

"The girl in red and gold may be important to your future. The Force rarely shows us things that we are not connected to, in some way. But the future is always in motion. All we can see through the Force are possible futures. It's entirely possible that by meeting me, and making the choices you make today and tomorrow, that the meeting with the girl in red may not come to pass." Lilaena raised her shoulders in a half-shrug. "If that makes sense. We have plenty of time to talk it over."

[Torgeir DeHaan]

The meeting with the blonde in that dream seemed to be harmless, but as she talked about the Force and how it worked, he listened intently. "You ever do that? Have a dream or whatever that came true later on?" Knowing that he now had someone to talk to about these things that didn't look at him like he was smoking stim was comforting.

"I remember this one dream I had years back," he began, steepling his fingers before him, elbows on the table. "I ended up having it happen and as my grandfather and dad were talking, I finished their conversation for them," he chuckled, shaking his head as his arms fell again to the table, grabbing his fork for the last bite. "They looked at me like I was nuts."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She shook her head. "I have not been gifted with precognitive visions, no." Nightmares, perhaps. Had she not been plagued by memories or visions of her former master, A'na, before she had finally struck her down for good? It was not the same thing.

"You will not need to hide your gifts from me, or the others who are with me. You will be free to be who you really are."

[Torgeir DeHaan]

Steel-blue eyes rose to her with the promise and he grinned, "Be a nice change." Taking another bite, he ate for a moment as these past few hours had changed his life for good and he hoped for the better. "So, where do we go to meet them and then begin this training?" Knowing they also had to intercept a flight of children going to the Jedi, his training may be on hold for a short while until that could happen, unless she showed him the Force on the way.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She pushed a piece of flimsy across the table toward him. "I'm leaving Naboo in the morning. Meet me at this slip number if you're coming with me, and your training will begin then." De'Ville checked her chrono, and took one last bite of her meal, leaving the rest.

Getting to her feet, she programmed a credit chit for the cost of their two meals and left it on the table, picking up her audio dampening device with the Force as she did so. "I trust I will see you then." She plucked the tech from the air and put it into her pocket, walking out of the restaurant. He'd be there in the morning, she was sure of it. And then the real fun would start.