Always Two Jokers In the Deck [Glob!]

[Draconian]

This was where the trail ended.

Rhys pushed a hand through his hair and rolled his shoulders. Adjusted his coat and looked at his reflection on the nearest reflective surface. Okay, he looked good. It wasn't going to be a difficult mission. How hard would it be to capture one... Whatever that was and bring it back? The hard part would be to remain undetected. He'd been warned Pilots weren't the most loved things outside Aedolis and without his dragon here who knew what trouble he'd find himself in.

Luckily there was a plan.

If Rhys was good at one of two things, it was following a plan.

The other pilots  - more experienced ones than he - had split up, they would find the girl - or whatever - and he'd come to the rescue. Get her to safety. It'd work out great. Like herding cats... No, wait. Sheep. It was sheep. Rhys looked down at the datapad in his hand, read over the instructions again. The dock where the ship he'd be taking her to was, the direction to go to not get caught.

A big breath. He could do this.

Pretend to be the good guy, Rhys had always been good at that.

Locked on target.

The voice drifted from his head and he began to make his way.

Rhys made his way, a little mental flick letting him know that the person he was staring at was indeed the correct one. Good. Okay. He could do this. Be cool.

There.

"Hey," Rhys smiled, a strange sensation, his face more accustomed to scowling or a simple smirk.

"You look like you could use a hand, you new around here, too?"

[Daglobster]

Asai had only been on Cancer for a few days, then. Her newest destination in her endless escape from TRIM. The heat had gone up in Libra, she had a pretty close call. Had to disable a few ships to get away.

The event was on the news; "Unidentified Mage Causes Disturbance."

Wasn't the biggest story, but it definitely left a trail.

To better fit into the environment, Asai's usual form had some modifications. Rather than fall to her shoulders in flowing curls, her white hair was bundled up into dreadlocks and allowed to hang at chin height. Her usual dress and stockings were replaced by more Cancer appropriate gear. Boots, jeans, and a denim vest on top of a flannel shirt. Her face, however, was just as youthful and striking as before.

She was toting two shopping bags full of magazines and books when a handsome stranger approached her. She smiled but kept walking.

"No thanks, I'm fine."

She kept walking, fully intent on just brushing him off.

[Draconian]

Damn.

The attempt at the brush off didn't sway him though. If he was one thing it was stubborn. As stubborn as his visions could be and instead of taking the cold shoulder and going with it he kept walking with her.

"Well. I'm new around here and could really use the help," A small sad smile, pushing his fingers through his hair and giving her an appreciative once over. At least his target was attractive. Or was that a bad thing?

"Please? I'll buy you a drink?"

[Daglobster]

"Listen, man," Asai said, putting on her best "back off" face. Being randomly approached by somebody like this? On Cancer? She was definitely suspicious, or at least guarded.

"I don't have time for creeps like you. Go buy someone else a drink."

And she sped up.

[Draconian]

"I..."

Rhys frowned, staring at the girl. Shit. Fuck. This was way harder than he thought it'd be. Then again, she was probably used to people trying to pick her up maybe. Maybe? Right.

"I'm sorry. You just... Seemed nice. I'm only trying to get a little help and I was just offering compensation if you chose to help me."

He was totally the wrong pick for this mission. So the worst choice. Shoulda gotten a ladies man, of which Rhys was apparently not.

" I guess that's a no for sure?" He looked a little woeful, his expression saddened by the rejection of getting help. It wasn't a complete lie. He'd never been off planet before, let alone on a space station.

[Daglobster]

"Yes," Asai said.

"For sure."

She just kept on walking, not sure if she'd evaded whatever kind of suspicious thing was going on, if any. She'd been on the run for her whole life, which was a very long time. She wasn't stupid.

Even then, as she walked away from him, she plotted an alternate course. No shortcut alleys this time, nothing but nice, slow routes through areas that were pretty much always crowded. Plenty of witnesses, pretty much making sure that there was always people around to see if anything happened.

[Draconian]

She's gonna make this hard for me

Rhys sent out on a quick snap to his comrades.

It's cool, we got it.

He got back.

Okay. So they knew what was going on, sort of.

Good.

Except then there was an explosion and Rhys's eyes almost popped out of his head and he felt his heart pop into his throat. It was a small one, sure but it was enough to have him in a panic.

Go!

Right! Go!

The explosion was to cut off the woman and Rhys stared at her back for a moment. Then he got tackled, a heavy punch to the head and he was dazed at under one of the other Pilots. What?

"What the fu--" Right in the cheek. Rhys stared and before he realized it he was drooling blood and bashing his attackers face in. Fuck this. Fuck this so hard. The sharp pain at his side was surprising and he ripped out the little dart. Oh shit. Oh shit. This was their plan? Kill him and take her away? Shit. Shit. "Shit. Fuck. Shit. Shit."

Standing up quickly he rushed over to the intended victim - not himself - and quickly grabbed her arm.

"Come with me if you want to live," He snapped, giving her a panicked look before looking around, "There's a ship. I have a ship and we can get out into space but you need to come with me right now or we're both TRIM'd."