Thread: Masquerade [ Ft. Banks & November ]

Kylo felt his eyebrows rising as Phasma showed off the payload. He'd had a couple of surprises today - for example, he'd been asked to conquer a planet with the Force and a woman armed with a peashooter - but the Order giving a payload like this surpassed all of them. He'd really need to speak with Snoke about the priorities of the Order. Well. Realistically, he'd make a smug note inside of his head. We're talking about bribery, here. The air control officer spread his hands innocent enough and then stuck out his tongue at them a little weird. If I've given you two the impression that I'm a spicehead... A rare smile crept across Kylo's face as he folded his arms together and spoke in a light, agreeable tone. We're on a blockaded planet, and you specifically mentioned spice during your little inspection. Isn't that right? Yes. The officer paused. So you do speak in complete sentences after all. Like you said, I've had a very hard trip. Listen. I'd like you to exchange the speeder for the contents of the case. I... well, I wasn't planning on selling the speeder. I mean, the usual policy is to give a rental - Again, I really need you to listen. A little frustration was beginning to creep into Kylo's voice now as he closed distance with the man. My name is... Robin Stillwater. My wife and I both have friends and family here on Chandrila and... their safety means more to us than any profit. I know there are people just as desperate to get this as we are to use your speeder, so. This is a very fair arrangement. Kylo groaned inwardly. In the space of a few minutes, they were a loving couple of spice smugglers who dodged an Imperial blockade to check on their relatives, but also had a deep interest in... what had she said? Bases of operations? Still, criminals had their soft spots too. Maybe more than the average person. It wasn't a completely incredulous cover story, and by the time anyone doubted it, they'd be lightyears away. The man nodded wordlessly and slowly pulled the case out of Phasma's hands. Kylo dryly spread his hands behind the man, preemptively accepting congratulations for his negotiating skills. Certainly he'd deliver the speeder without any problems. Even dressed like buffoons, neither of them looked like people to doublecross lightly. A few minutes later, the hum of the speeder was underneath them as they hummed towards the forest facility. Kylo was teetering on the edge of frustration. He shouldn't have needed the spice and the sad story to brainwash some government functionary for a few minutes. He needed his skills to be at a peak level, and he felt himself backsliding, if anything. That was a closer call than it should have been, he mumbled, to no one in particular. I'm not... performing to expectations. He sounded stiff when he said it, as if sounding like a stormstooper drone with a poor firing accuracy would make it easier for Phasma to understand his situation. Another knight might have been useful here, but his companion here... naturally, she had no idea of the kind of turmoil going on inside his head. He leaned back in the scratchy cowhide seat, chewing the inside of his cheek into a blister as he pondered Snoke's words. He'd been making even simple tasks difficult for himself lately. The question was... why?