#Darmas Pollaran or whatever his name is

[alritaklegacy]

Marreera: Give us the gate key.

Darmas: I have no gate key.

Marreera: Bowie, tear his arms off.

Darmas: Oh, you mean this gate key?

[sullustangin]

Name.

Time:  12 ATC/3641 BBY

Rating: T

Word Count: ~1500.

What had he done?

The night terror had seized him and shaken him awake.  He got out of bed and grabbed a robe, just as an afterthought.  He slipped out the door to his balcony and gazed out at Coruscant.

What had stung the most was that, initially, he’d just stared at the name.  It didn’t register on him.  He hadn’t used his name in so long, that he did not recognize hers.

The news of his mother’s death was barely more than a dull thump in his head.  He hadn’t directly commed with her in over fifteen years… since he began this long con for the Empire.

Darmas Pollaran wasn’t the name he was born with.  His mother didn’t know that was his current name.  She just knew – understood – he was away and would be –

For what was now the rest of her life.

He willed himself to keep breathing.  He was high enough and far enough away not to be smothered by then fumes coming off Coruscanti traffic.  He could see lights, including those of the Senate Tower.  

He’d vowed when he was young that he would see Imperial flags flying here and all throughout the galaxy.  He still believed in the cause.  He believed in order and law, in hierarchy and rewarding ambition.  Sentients should rise to a certain bar, not have it lowered to the basement of civilization to ‘accommodate.’

No, that was not the problem.

The problem was what he’d done to end up here.

The attack of conscience was simply a consequence of some – no, a lot of -- deep-seated guilt.  He hadn’t made it home to see her.  That was why the night terror came.  He could rationalize it.

Still, its bony fingers and long claws tugged at his mind.  Does she know now?  What had happened to her son?

Did she now know what he had done?

Yes, clearly, a night terror still had him in its grasp, as he wondered about souls and what cruel reward awaited them.  When they died, did the reward of being all-knowing come to them?

The impulse came, and he fought it.  No, he wasn’t going to look back through the balcony door.  He wasn’t going to look at the life he’d made here.  

He wasn’t supposed to feel this way.  He was never supposed to feel this way.  

He’d had the permission and approval to do whatever was necessary to keep his cover.  He did.  He had created several lines of business, multiple lines of distraction. He dealt in everything – cards, information, sentients, drugs, sex.

He sampled all of his wares as quality assurance and to ensure he was seen as nothing more politically threatening than a libertine.

He was embedded into the underworld to ultimately turn it to the Empire’s will.  The underdwellers wouldn’t care who their new master was – the markets would not change.  There was always a need for a black market, whether it catered to vice or otherwise.

Then came the opportunity to remove an ill-fitting piece to the puzzle and replace it with one that could be shaped, molded to fit perfectly.  He was critical for preparing a farewell to Kirill, who he could admire for his action and for his ambition… but could not tolerate for his smug impudence and coarse brutality that was excessive, even to him.

Even to him, after all that he done.

The replacement was currently warming his bed –

No.

Not anymore.

A light came on behind him, and then he heard her, swiftly moving to pull on a robe of her own and investigate where he’d gone.  

He tried to breathe.

“Hey.  You all right out here?”

“Just came out for some air, sweetheart.  Go back to bed; I’ll only be another few minutes.”

He listened for her to head back inside and do what he said.

Of course, she didn’t. She wasn’t the malleable youth he’d told Keeper she was.

Rather than a sculptor and his clay, he and she tested each other, trying their mettle and their minds against each other.

Yes, he sliced off some of the rougher edges and encouraged a certain cool detachment in business. Yes, there were obvious changes in how she presented herself and what precautions she took.  Her skillsets were enhanced.

What most didn’t see was how she was testing him, as a sword in fire.

“You’ve been upset all day. What’s up?”  

He finally turned to look at her, all legs and silk, her dark hair grown long over these last two years, since the first time—

It was supposed to be a dalliance, part of the greater cover – of course he would, with some young thing who wanted to ensure he’d help her.  Then she kept coming back around to the Dealer’s Den, beating him at pazaak and leaving him breathless when he let her stay.  Then opportunity came knocking from the Republic Senate.

Then, eighteen months ago, she asked him whether it was just Port Nowhere that was a safe harbor, right as a bunch of prototypes flew into the docks.

Nobody had ever exceeded his expectations like that, even before this cover.

Now Eva Corolastor watched him, worried, eyes reflecting the city’s glare.

She cared for him.  

Tell her.  

He smacked the thought away.

“Darmas?”

He cringed internally at the name.  That wasn’t his.

“Let’s go inside.”  He stepped past her into the bedroom, dimly lit by the bedside table lamp.

Give it to her.

He knew she followed along behind him, sliding the door behind them and locking it tight.  Always careful.

Not careful enough.

No.  That’s why this was happening.  He felt himself, as if guided by another force, reach for the knob on the bedside table drawer and slide it open.  A box.  The truth. “Received some news.”

“Bad?” she asked, curious as she settled back down into bed.  

“…. Not really,” he answered.  Honestly. “She’d been alone for a long time.” He ran his hand over the fabric exterior of the square box, wide and flat.  “My mother died.”

“…you never mentioned her,” Eva ventured cautiously.  Wise. Didn’t know whether the relationship was good or bad or …

“I haven’t been able to visit her for quite some time.”  That was true.  “…I was sent a few things she wanted me to have.  And… I think she would be pleased if you had this.”

It was all true.

Darmas passed her the box, so very old now.  In those long, thin hands, the wide box looked well-sized as she opened it up. He saw her brow crease, curious at the sight of the chain and the locket on it.  With a careful touch of her fingertips, she coaxed the holo to activate.

And there he was, age twenty-two (just as she was to be soon), standing tall, at ease, not a line on his face.  A second image appeared – someone who very looked very much like him now, dignified and calm.  ‘Dispassionate’ was how he remembered –

“Your father?” she asked.

“Eyes went straight to the old man, not my young strapping self?” he asked, teasing her (but not really).

She rolled a shoulder in an equally coy shrug.  “I’m consistent.”  Then her expression softened.  “But you were, as ever, very handsome.”  Eva tilted her head to look at the holos from all angles.  “She must have been so proud of you two.  And loving.”

“Yes, she was.”  

All truth.

Eva’s expression wavered slightly as a thought crossed it and popped out of her mouth.  “Empire must really have your number if you can’t even sneak in to see her.”

He felt as if he’d been shot.

The panic silently flared in him.

Too close to the truth.

He tried to keep his voice even and calm.  “What makes you think she was in the Empire?”  

Eliminate.  Compromised.  Eliminate.

“If she was here in the Pub, I don’t think you would have avoided your mother, since she was so proud and loving,”

Eliminate.  Now knows too much – secret compromised.  Kill.  Kill. Kill.

Even as she looked at the holo locket’s physical components, what was left of him went to war against his training and his instincts.

Tell her.  Tell her now.

He cleared his throat. “So… being Imperial by heritage --?”

“Not a dealbreaker,” she answered, not even looking up from the locket.  “I’m not a citizen of anything, as far as I know.  This is gorgeous work for its age.”

Tell her.  Dear God, Tell. Her.  Deal her in.  Make her a partner – a real partner.  Wasn’t that your mother’s advice to you in these matters?  Read her in.  Make her an official part of the mission.  

Tell.  Her.

Stop making yourself miserable –

Now Eva looked at him from her place on the bed.  “Darmas…?”

He rejected the name but hummed to signal his attention.  

“Do you think she would have liked me?”

Tell her.

Tell her your name.

He crooked a smile at her. “I’m sure she would have loved you.”   He let his hand cradle the side of her face and said no more.

What have I done?

~~

A/N: The locket story was first mentioned in the last chapter of "Parting of the Ways,” as Eva looks back on her relationship with Darmas.  The moment Darmas almost told her is indicated as the locket incident, and that’s in Chapter 15 of “The Grand Reveal.”  I originally intended to write the whole “the Nebulas come into Port Nowhere post-Balmorra, and it’s game on for Darmas/Eva”.... but this sang louder and is probably the more interesting story. 

[shabre-legacy]

Chase to the Capitol -Stolen Home chapter 8

The last part of the trip to Coruscant passed quietly. Everyone was rather differential and even the crew and security didn’t really bother her. All her drinks were free, and her and Corso found that they got invited to games of Sabbac and whatever else was being played, or to go dancing or whatever anytime they appeared. She’d even gotten a message from some senator thanking her for saving the ambassador who’d put them in that situation to begin with. 

The passengers were nervous around them though. Corso brought it up when they once again took their drinks back to the room. Too many men approaching her ���to dance’ practically drooling on the floor because they never stepped outside their tiny little circles and thought the criminal hero would be easy. Too many women approaching Corso. They made him uncomfortable, the man just wasn’t used to the attention and the socialites weren’t used to having a man who knew how to use his strength. The poor girls were both scared of them and very interested and that combination led to uncomfortable situations and overly pushy behavior. Between the two groups, both of them just wanted away from the situation. 

The ‘guests’ were grateful for being saved, and trying to show that, but her and Corso, they scared the passengers. They’d done what trained soldiers hadn’t been able to do, somehow word had gotten out that she’d killed that damn Sith, and without the uniform to suggest some kind of rule that she was bound to, her success made her a bit scary to the pampered socialites on this ship. They didn’t know her, they didn’t know what she wanted and they didn’t know exactly what she was planning or what she was really capable of and it frightened them. Noch’h ria nus’a, as Nuri would have said; amazement and interest and fear and curiosity, it was so very obnoxious. 

Finally though, they made it to the Coruscant spaceport and everyone went their own ways. At last, she could breathe without someone looking over her shoulder, or at least she’d be able to once she got through customs. Unfortunately, an T series security droid approached as soon as they stepped into the arrivals terminal. She stepped over to the customs terminal, hoping the droid wouldn’t notice. A few ill-planned smuggling runs had landed her on certain watch lists with the Republic and that meant every spaceport she entered under her own name ended up with a delay as she was searched and interrogated and there was never enough time to put up with that shit. Lucky for her, or unlucky for customs, she had a cover. 

She glanced at Corso as the droid rolled up and greeted her. Like a team that had been together longer than they had, he smoothly moved between her and the droid and started chatting with the it. She used the moment to slice the terminal. The droid accepted the input from the terminal and wandered off. As they moved towards the elevators, Corso leaned down and quietly whispered, with a hint of a laugh, “Admiral Numinn? Interesting choice.” 

She giggled and gently elbowed him, “nobody messes with an admiral, plus ya know, circumstance. Long story, better not told here.” Giggling, seriously, how long had it been since she’d done that. This was really getting out of hand, the sooner she could get him his blaster and drop him off again the better. Plus Tika would hate having another person aboard, perfect excuse. 

He smiled down at her, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Point taken.” They reached the elevator and caught sight of the scenery out the massive viewports. “Everything in Coruscant is huge. You see those city towers as we flew in? How many people you figure live in those? Millions?” 

Sometimes, she could forget how much of a farmboy he was, the mercenary took center stage. Other times, it was so damn obvious. It was a bit sad though, the state of Coruscant, almost ten years and some things still hadn’t been rebuilt. “Looks like some of those city towers are still short a few levels, thought they’d have fixed that since I was last here.” 

“You been here before, Captain?”

 again with the Captain. He wasn’t gonna stop anytime soon, kinda liked it though.  She shook her head, “another time” 

He shrugged and moved on, he seemed good at that, another question Leikael had about him. “...Even knocked the Jedi Temple off its pedestal.” 

And there it was, the comment always made about Coruscant and the war. “I know, my brother died there.”

That got a real pause from him. “That’s… That’s rough. I’m sorry for bringing it up Captain.” 

Taking a moment to breathe, she quickly waved him off. “I hadn’t seen him in like 7 years anyway. Let’s talk about something else like that banthashit who took my ship and my fracking Cat.”

Corso stared for a moment, “alright Captain, if you say so.” He took a breath, and she could see him shrugging aside the memories of his own loss. Her ability to read people had saved her life a few times, but now it was just obnoxious. “Wanna find Skavak before we’re too old to shoot straight? We’re gonna need local help.”

Help? She’d gotten help and it hadn’t worked. “We’ll just rattle some skulls until Skavak falls out.” Scumbag like that, he’d leave a big ass trail through the underworld. And that was a population she could work with, mostly, well, sometimes. 

“I know a faster way.” That sigh was one of resignation. Almost like his idea exhausted him. “There’s a gambler named Darmas Pollaran who keeps tabs on everything worth knowing about Coruscant. Friend of Viidu’s, good man. You’ll like him.”

Information broker. She’d worked with a few, not a bad resource if you could afford it. “Worth a visit, I guess. Where do I find this Darmas?” Let Corso run off and do whatever, she had no expectations of men anymore. 

“Well, Viidu always said if you look for a Sabbac table surrounded by beautiful women, you’ll find Darmas. But I can narrow that down. I still have Viidu’s holofrequency contacts. Give me a minute…” He pulled out a comm and started tapping at it. 

“Viidu had you keep his contacts?” 

He shrugged, “head of security and bodyguard. Traveled with the old man pretty much everywhere, had to keep the secure frequencies list in case his comm went down. Part of the job.” 

He held up the comm between them and it flickered to life, showing a slim middle aged man.  “Corso, is that you? It’s been too long, you rascal.” His tone implied familiarity, must have had more than a few conversations in the past. 

“A friend and I are on Coruscant and in a real bind. Is there a place we could meet you?”

This Darmas had one of those smooth voices, a slow soft drawl that made it sound like he was trying to charm everyone who could hear him. “Of course, come to my private cantina booth.” something about the game he was playing. Kael was really only half paying attention, she was mostly watching the customs agents standing aways off. She slipped closer to Corso, into the view of the Comm, hoping to look as though they were simply arranging a pickup. “Hope you don’t mind the occasional blaster fire; the cantina’s in a rowdy part of Coruscant.” 

“Sounds like my kind of place.” She could see the moment he saw her. If the holo were more detailed, he’d probably be glancing between her and Corso trying to figure them out. She’d keep him on his toes until she knew more about him. Or at least she’d try to. 

“I hope that’s only the first of many affinities we share.” Of course he was a flirt. She’d expected as much, but he was smooth. Could be fun. 

Corso interrupted before she could respond. “Keep your comm link open. I’ve got some bad news about Viidu.” He tucked the comm away and turned to look down at her. “I’ll bring Darmas up to speed while we travel. He’ll have the cantina coordinates sent by the time we find a Taxi, or shuttle rental or whatever they got for transport here.”

The customs agents were talking to that damn droid and looking at her. “Keep an eye out for that scum-sucker that stole my ship.” She quickly pulled Corso into the elevator and sent it to the main floor. She glanced over as it dropped a few levels and spoke low and careful. “Customs sniffing around, follow my lead.” She didn’t miss the slight shiver when she spoke. 

“You got it, Captain.” she didn’t even have a ship and he still called her captain. It was quickly becoming something she could get very used to.

As they stepped out of the elevator, Leikael leaned into him a bit, threading her arm through his. It was fine. She’d shared a bed with the man and he hadn’t done anything. It was fine and she could handle this. She kept her pace to  a mid speed saunter and started chattering about all the random facts about Coruscant. Trying to appear like a couple of tourists here for a holiday. Each customs agent, each soldier, each guard who passed by without stopping her was one closer to the entrance and making a clean getaway. 

As they finally reached the front of the spaceport and stepped out into the artificial sunlight of Corsucant, Corso stopped, just staring. Up ahead, the galactic senate building loomed tall over everything. All around them, filling in the horizon were hundreds of towers. It was an impressive sight, especially so on your first visit. Leikael grinned and dropped his arm, walking forward a bit. She let a bit of a skip into her step as she moved several steps in front of him. Spinning dramatically, she lifted her arms creating a frame for the view behind her. “Welcome to Coruscant, farmboy. The heart of the republic where half your dreams might come true.”  She spun around and made her way across the walkway towards the building in the middle, still a bit more bounce in her pace than normal. If her memory was correct, there was a public taxi running out of there. They were finally on track to catch the bastard. Now all she had to do was keep enough momentum and Skavak’s head would be hers.

[shabre-legacy]

Part of chapter 7 of stolen home that I’m currently working on

The last part of the trip to Coruscant passed quietly. Everyone was rather differential and even the crew and security didn’t really bother her. All her drinks were free, and her and Corso found that they got invited to games of Sabbac and whatever else was being played, or to go dancing or whatever anytime they appeared. She’d even gotten a message from some senator thanking her for saving the ambassador who’d put them in that situation to begin with. 

The passengers were nervous around them though. Corso brought it up when they once again took their drinks back to the room. Too many men approaching her ‘to dance’ practically drooling on the floor because they never stepped outside their tiny little circles and thought the criminal hero would be easy. Too many women approaching Corso, made him uncomfortable, the man just wasn’t used to the attention and the socialites weren’t used to having a man who knew how to use his strength. The poor girls were both scared of both of them and very interested in the young man who differed from the others around them and that combination led to uncomfortable situations and overly pushy behavior. Between the two groups, both of them just wanted away from the situation. 

The ‘guests’ were grateful for being saved, and trying to show that, but her and Corso, they scared the passengers. They’d done what trained soldiers hadn’t been able to do, somehow word had gotten out that she’d killed that damn Sith, and without the uniform to suggest some kind of rule that she was bound to, her success made her a bit scary to the pampered socialites on this ship. They didn’t know her, they didn’t know what she wanted and they didn’t know exactly what she was planning or what she was really capable of and it frightened them. 

Finally though, they made it to the Coruscant spaceport and everyone went their own ways. At last, she could breathe without someone looking over her shoulder, or at least she’d be able to once she got through customs. Unfortunately, an T series security droid approached as soon as they stepped into the arrivals terminal. She stepped over to the customs terminal, hoping the droid wouldn’t notice. A few ill-planned smuggling runs had landed her on certain watch lists with the Republic and that meant every spaceport she entered under her own name ended up with a delay as she was searched and interrogated and there was never enough time to put up with that shit. Lucky for her, or unlucky for customs, she had a cover. She glanced at Corso as the droid rolled up and greeted her. Like a team that had been together longer than they had, he smoothly moved between them and started chatting with the droid. She used the moment to slice the terminal. The droid accepted the input from the terminal and wandered off. As they moved towards the elevators, Corso leaned down and quietly whispered, with a hint of a laugh, “Admiral Numinn? Interesting choice.” 

She giggled and gently elbowed him, “nobody messes with an admiral, plus ya know, circumstance. Long story, better not told here.” Giggling, seriously, how long had it been since she’d done that. This was really getting out of hand, the sooner she could get him his blaster and drop him off again the better. Plus Tika would hate having another person aboard, perfect excuse. 

He smiled down at her, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Point taken.” They reached the elevator and caught sight of the scenery out the massive viewports. “Everything in Coruscant is huge. You see those city towers as we flew in? How many people you figure live in those? Millions?” 

Sometimes, she could forget how much of a farmboy he was, the mercenary took center stage. Other times, it was so damn obvious. It was a bit sad though, the state of Coruscant, almost ten years and some things still hadn’t been rebuilt. “Looks like some of those city towers are still short a few levels, thought they’d have fixed that since I was last here.” 

“You been here before, Captain?”

 again with the Captain. He wasn’t gonna stop anytime soon, kinda liked it though.  She shook her head, “another time” 

He shrugged and moved on, he seemed good at that, another question Leikael had about him. “...Even knocked the Jedi Temple off it’s pedestal.” 

And there it was, the comment always made about Coruscant and the war. “I know, my brother died there.”

That got a real pause from him. “That’s… That’s rough. I’m sorry for bringing it up Captain.” 

Taking a moment to breathe, she quickly waved him off. “I hadn’t seen him in like 7 years anyway. Let’s talk about something else like that banthashit who took my ship and my fracking Cat.”

Corso stared for a moment, “alright Captain, if you say so.” He took a breath, and she could see him shrugging aside the memories of his own loss. Her ability to read people had saved her life a few times, but now it was just obnoxious. “Wanna find Skavak before we’re too old to shoot straight? We’re gonna need local help.”

Help? She’d gotten help and it hadn’t worked. “We’ll just rattle some skulls until Skavak falls out.” Scumbag like that, he’d leave a big ass trail through the underworld. And that was a population she could work with, mostly, well, sometimes. 

“I know a faster way.” That sigh was one of resignation. Almost like his idea exhausted him. “There’s a gambler named Darmas Pollaran who keeps tabs on everything worth knowing about Coruscant. Friend of Viidus’s, good man. You’ll like him.”

Information broker. She’d worked with a few, not a bad resource if you could afford it. “Worth a visit, I guess. Where do I find this Darmas?” Let Corso run off and do whatever, she had no expectations of men anymore. 

“Well, Viidu always said if you look for a Sabbac table surrounded by beautiful women, you’ll find Darmas. But I can narrow that down. I still have Viidu’s holofrequency contacts. Give me a minute…” He pulled out a comm and started tapping at it. 

“Viidu had you keep his contacts?” 

He shrugged, “head of security and bodyguard. Traveled with the old man pretty much everywhere, had to keep the secure frequencies list in case his comm went down. Part of the job.” 

He held up the comm between them and it flickered to life, showing a slim middle aged man.  “Corso, is that you? It’s been too long, you rascal.” His tone implied familiarity, must have had more than a few conversations in the past.