Through a Lens

Posted on Wed Aug 25th, 2021 @ 2:18am by Lieutenant Kor' de'leia & Lieutenant Melvyn Kosta & Flight Officer Onyesonwu Zyd

Mission: Scoundrels, Cuttthroats and Rogues
Location: Nar Shaddaa - Rebel Hideout
Timeline: Day 2 at 1930

Keskis stared at the monitor screen. The video feed came from the fake IT-0 droid, and allowed them to see every detail from Michael's performance. So far, the prisoner's reactions had looked genuine ; part of her felt a little satisfaction when she'd seen the naked fear on his face. Whether he was genuine or fake, he was directly responsible for Elo's capture.

She blinked, then rubbed her gritty eyes. They felt dry. The local climate truly did not agree with her ; she often had to use eye drops, or her sight started getting blurry. A soft sigh escaped her. She longed to return to her homeworld, but she was here to protect it. So that she had somewhere to return to, eventually.

Kor had procured a cup of puffed grains as the interrogation began. She place her feet up on a nearby chair and started popping the snack into her mouth. She had not eaten anything substantial in a few days, her level of hunger was manifesting. As the show began she found Michael's performance amusing. Few imperial officers she had encountered had quite the swagger of this actor. Her eyes jumped quickly back and forth from the monitor to the behavior of the bulbous eyed Mon Calimari. Something was off here. The rebel commander was very invested in this interrogation. This was beyond trying to ascertain loyalties. She shifted back to the monitor.

At the point of Michael;s relating the news of her own apparent death and that of the other rebels Kor stayed glued to the screen, watching Melvyn's reaction, mainly to see if he felt anything toward her sudden demise.

As the point of Micahel calling Melvyn a 'naughty boy' she literally spit her puffed grains out. "Oh I like him, he's good." she said to the screen.

"Well ?" she glanced at her twi'lek guest, who so far had brought more trouble than she was worth. "What do you think ?"

Kor brush her lekku back from her shoulder as she turned to the Mon Calimari. "Melvyn looks genuinely resolved to his death at the hands of our delicious interrogator. I suspect most of his story is true. I do want to see how this ends though." she said popping another handful of grains in her mouth.

There wasn't really any good way for it to end, except maybe fade to black. As much as Keskis hated Imperials, including defectors, she didn't have the stomach to torture someone solely for revenge.

"I have seen no indication of a lie," she admitted reluctantly. "I suppose we can assume he is genuine, and what he told Tawshii was true. Which means we're going to need to work with him to figure out what happened, and how the Empire found him out - and my men."

Just then there was a knock at the door and Michael came in. He looked like he'd been enjoying himself way too much, Keskis thought sourly. At least one of them had.

"If you wish me to continue I'll need further direction."

Kor placed her bag of puffed grains down on the floor as Michael entered. She had a giddy look in her eye. She stood behind the bulbulous Mon Calimari and silently clapped her hands together for Michael. The performance was delicious, even if it would never stand muster against true imperial officers. Although Melvyn seemed to believe it, but he had a head concussion, couldn't trust that.

"I don't think that will be necessary. We got what we needed out of this... performance," Keskis stated. She tried not to sigh too loudly, a little bit ashamed of herself for indulging this deception - not entirely for the right reasons, she admitted to herself. She had... well, she had wanted to believe the Imperial was guilty ; and when it had looked like what he'd told Tawshii was true, she'd jumped at another chance to catch him in a lie.

When had she become like this ? She would have been disgusted at the thought of such a charade, only a year or two ago. Now... Things had changed. Well, no. She had changed. Maybe not for the better.

But now was not the time for this sort of introspection.

"Kor. Would you like to talk to our... guest ? Tell him the truth and get him to cooperate. And I suppose PG-7T should take a look at him," she added grudgingly.

Kor was mouthing words of praise and lightly bowing toward Michael as Keskis suddenly turned around. The Twi'lek hurriedly straightened up. "Um... yes, I think bringing a sense of reality back to the captive would be in order." she coughed out.

Michael completed a sweeping bow to the lovely twi'lek expressing her appreciation for his talented acting. She was truly exquisite, despite her costume malfunction… though he had to admit the torn fabric added to her charm. "As you wish. My dear, you simply must join me for the finale!"

Keskis stared at the duo, her face twitching slightly despite her best efforts to remain neutral. She felt like she was rapidly losing control of the situation.

"Let's get this done without unnecessary theatrics," she said, but wasn't even sure they heard her.

Kor followed Michael back out to the doorway, straightening her mostly ruined dress as best she could. "Do you know the vaudville version of "First day of your life." she whispered to Michael. "And do you have a real sound system in there?"

"Yes. Oh, yes, I do know that one. It's one of my favorites. Why don't I start, and you come in on the refrain? I can sing without accompaniment of course, but…" Michael turned to look at the Commander. "Is the room equipped with a sound system?"

Keskis closed her eyes briefly.

"You really are going to do this, aren't you ?" She rubbed her forehead with a webbed hand. Michael had done what she'd asked of him, so she supposed a bit of harmless fun was a reward he'd earned. Even if it was unlikely to make the prisoner... well, former prisoner, technically... cooperative.

Michael burst back into the room with Melvyn, and without preamble stood in front of him and launched into the aforementioned song, including a dance number that was unfortunately abbreviated due to the limited space. The actor had to substitute suggestive gestures from his more recent acts.
"Your eyes trap me in their
gravitational field.
Your hotter and your smile glows brighter
than flames on Mustafar.
You awaken a force within
making this the...
First day of your life!"

Melvyn had been glumly pondering the latest twists and turns of his life, and considering what his last request might be if he got one.

Seeing his interrogator burst in, singing, was not exactly on the list.

The scene was so surreal that he just stared, open-mouthed from ringed, bloodshot eyes. His brain felt like it had completely stopped working. Slowly his gaze swiveled from the ISB officer to the IT-0 droid, then down at his arm. He didn't remember being injected with anything but it must have happened, because he could think of no other explanation for this. Hallucinations. Could be worse. At least I'm not in pain. Yet.

But then he saw Kor, behind his hallucinated interrogator, and it felt like a punch to the gut. She was dead. The ISB officer had said so, and he believed it.

A wicked smile of delight crossed Kor's face as she watched the complete mockery of the previously tense dramatic scene. Demoralizing anxiety was being usurped by ridiculous surealism with a hint of raunch. She had to admit Michael had a good voice.

Michael gestured for Kor to join in, and started the chorus.
"Be it. Don't dream it…"

Kor flipped the switch for a pair of high intensity work lanterns hidden in their hastily assembled set. As Michael rolled into the chorus, the flash would be blinding to Melvyn, and as his vision slowly cleared directly in front of him were the silhouetted curves and dangling lekku of his former hostage-mate.

Kor had her show face on. Her violet eyes sizzling as her strong pitch perfect voice joined in with Michael's.

"Yes, Be it. Don't dream it.
You time is now.
Shadows all fade from the dawn.
It's a new start.
Forget the past,
It's the first day of your life!"

It was very obvious to Michael that he was in the presence of a trained vocalist. While their impromptu dance number had not been rehearsed, Kor was skilled enough in shadowing to keep their movements tightly coordinated, and she liked to end big.

She sauntered back behind Michael and as she belted out a tremendous final note for the song she grabbed Michael's shoulders and pulled down on his uniform coat, which had been curiously altered for his normal act to break apart with minimal effort. She was slightly surprised as the uniform gave way leaving his muscled chest exposed. She lifted the remnant of the garment still in her hand above her head as she struck a final pose. The symbolic defeat of the empire, stripped of its dignity at the triumphant hands of the sexy young twi'lek was perfect, at least in her mind. God she loved the stage.

Keskis heaved a pained sigh, glad to see this painful interlude conclude. She could understand the need to relax after the tension of life-threatening situations, but this was bordering too close to ridicule for her taste. At least Onye and Haro were not there ; she could just imagine Onye's incredulous look of disapproval. Tawshii would probably just have joined in on the dancing...

Melvyn looked up at Kor. Of course he'd have to hallucinate her. Where was she really ? In an Imperial morgue, if not dumped in an anonymous grave already. Seeing her like this now, cheerful and healthy, in sharp contrast of reality, felt so wrong.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean for it all to end like this."

Michael, his bare chest rising and falling as he caught his breath, looked down at Melvyn with momentary confusion. Then he was struck with the realization that his audience was not applauding because his arms were still held in restraints. He huffed, and gestured with irritation toward Melvyn. "What are you waiting for? Release him!"

Kor let Michael's uniform slip out of her hands and drop to the floor. Her violet eyes locked on Melvyn's. She felt compassion for her.... friend? He was no friend. An escape partner who had seen her naked, not that that was such an unusual thing. She felt some sort of a connection to the man, and seeing that he was clearly the defector she had been hoping he might be, she strode towards the chair he was fastened into, and leaned deeply over him, quite aware of the low cut nature of the remainder of her gown. She put the palm of her hand against his bruised face. "Oh darlin' this aint the end. Welcome to the rebellion!" She gave his face a playful slap she reached down and pulled the bolts on the restraints allowing Melvyn to be free for the first time in several days. She shot him a wicked smile and wink then sauntered back over to Michael giving him an equally playful smack on his backside. "Bravo, excellent performance."

Melvyn blinked at her, his brain unable to process what was going on. She. The twi'lek. Was alive. He couldn't quite bring himself to believe it. The scene, with his... former interrogator half-naked, had this surreal quality, like when he was dreaming and knew it was a dream.

Clearly they'd overdosed him with the drugs.

With his arms now free he tried to stand, only to find his legs could not quite bear his weight. Any minute now he expected the hallucinations to continue - maybe the wookie would appear next and start dancing with its fur dyed pink. A slightly hysterical laugh wanted to escape him, and he clamped his lips firmly on it. If he started, he wasn't sure when he'd stop.

Thankfully, that was just when he finally passed out.

Keskis sighed at the sight of the unconscious imperial slumped in his chair. Maybe they'd overdone it a little with all these theatrics. Good thing Onye wasn't here to shoot her an "I told you so" look.

"PG, take a look at the prisoner. I mean, guest. I don't care what you do, I need him coherent and mobile as soon as possible."

The droid, which so far had been waiting quietly, made the mechanic equivalent of a longsuffering sigh. "Subject suffered another head trauma. This unit will try to undo the damage, but cannot guarantee the subject will be back to pristine condition in time for whatever use the commander has for it."

"Do what you can," Keskis groaned. She wished she could mind-wipe the bloody droid. Unfortunately, she couldn't, not without erasing a lot of codes and information that would be a pain to retrieve and reinstall. "Michael, thank you for your time. I believe the test was conclusive enough. Do you have other commitments you need to attend ?"

Michael grinned broadly at Keskis. "Thank you for this opportunity to demonstrate my true talents, Commander. But, as you know, I must return to my work in accounting."

Keskis looked at Kor. "While we wait for the imperial to be upright and talking again, I believe we have a few things to talk about. Not least of all, what you need from us, how we're going to make it happen, and whether rescuing my operatives is feasible."

Kor nodded to the Mon Calamari and walked toward her, stopping to scoop up Michael's jacket as she crossed the room. She rapidly bundled up the garment and put it between herself and the wall she began leaning against.

"I am all for helping liberate whatever operatives you have had captured. But after that I have to get myself and my man off world. I have been commissioned to recruit pilots to operated as a cell supporting rebel efforts in this quadrant of the Galaxy. So far I have three pilots and one functioning ship. If you know anyone locally that has skills that could support rebel efforts to stop the empire, I would love to meet them."

Michael strode over to Kor and leaned one hand against the wall next to her as he firmly pulled his uniform top from between her back and the wall with his other hand. He did not permit his audience to keep souvenirs. In a low, sultry voice, he said, "Should you ever desire a personal performance... come by and see me." Then he sauntered toward the door, without putting the uniform back on.

Keskis sighed and wondered if he was planning on taking public transports in this outfit. Or lack thereof. At least it was unlikely anyone would suspect him of being a rebel agent.

"People around here who support rebel efforts usually work for me," she said, turning around to look at Kor. "I'll thank you not to poach my people. I'm sure you can manage your own recruitment. But if you need people to help pull off this rescue, I suppose a... loan... could be arranged. Assuming they volunteer for this job."

Kor gave an apprising look toward Michael as he walked out the door. Not bad for a human, she contemplated. With his exit she turned her attention back to the bulbous Commander. "I certainly understand. I am merely looking for unrealized talent, not grabbing your staff. Assuming Mr. Costas is not permanently harmed, He and I will be glad to assist recovering your operators. Beyond that, I just ask for a ride off this rock to somewhere we can hop transport back to our base. We appreciate your cooperation and hospitality."