dendarii | [PSL] VKS/RvB AU

[ Miles is really, really starting to hate Jackson's Whole. First the original mess with Taura. Then Mark - his brother, whom he is incredibly glad to have, but dear god what a disaster that had been from start to finish - and now this.

He should have known better to get anywhere close to this damn planet, but the mission had been too damn important to pass up. Simon had gotten wind of a cloning operation that supposedly involved implanting the new bodies with AI similar to his own memory chip. Super soldiers, perhaps, or just one more level of exceeding human limitations. A brilliant mind to go along with an immortal body.

The Baron responsible hadn't been anywhere near his previous encounters with Ryoval or Fell, so Miles had thought he might have enough space to wriggle in. Get a little advice from Mark, grease a few palms ... Too bad Fell had already informed most of his competitors of Miles' wiles in advance. The Baron had been prepared. Miles hadn't been prepared enough.

He'd evaded capture ... by ducking directly into the clone creché itself. Which was, of course, the most well-guarded and difficult to escape section of the entire facility, and they were in peak condition. So now he's here, cursing himself and this whole goddamned system. He's crouched behind some of the training equipment; with any luck, he can observe these modified clones before any of them find him in turn.

But since when has Miles ever been lucky? ]

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You make it a habit to get caught dirtside with no help? Really makes a girl rethink joining an operation, [ she says dryly as she climbs on top of the training equipment. She grabs a tool out of her pocket to start working off the covering for the duct. ]

Follow me and don't ask questions if you want to make it out alive.

[ He obediently drifts along behind her. ]

Only on special occasions like this one. And I'm not alone any more, am I?

Jury's still out on me. How do you know I'm not going to turn you in?

Because I think I'm the most interesting thing to have happened to you all month.

You think highly of yourself. [ She places the vent covering in Miles former hiding spot before motioning for him to go in first. ]

Lucky for you, you're right.

[ Miles carefully slips inside, then turns back towards her. ]

Not highly of myself. I imagine you're deadly bored here. Nothing interesting save the bit of parading around for investors.

[ So he does recognize her. Part of his plan all along? She watches him a moment before climbing in. ]

It hasn't been a bad gig while I wait for a better offer to come along.

[ Miles continue to shimmy along the vent, then. ]

Then it behooves me to make this a better offer, eh?

I'm listening. You already have an idea of what my going price is.

[ It's a flexible one, but she's not going to sell herself short. ]

[ Ah. Money. He wishes he had Mark here for this part ... ]

We'll meet it, of course. Starting now, with a bonus for combat.

[ Wait, what? ]

You're giving me a bonus? For combat? [ she asks flatly. ]

[ Miles blinks back a her. It sounds like good incredulity ... he hopes. ]

Of course. That's standard for all Dendarii members. Don't they do the same for you?

Depends on the assignment. You hardly know me and you're already offering to throw money my way. What's the catch?

[ She decides to conveniently leave out the part where all her work has been training missions thus far. ]

The catch is that I need to live if you want to get paid. Quite simple, really.

What, they won't pay a hefty sum for the return of your corpse? [ Her tone is dry and sarcastic. Perhaps not the best joke to make right now, but if she can't get him out of here then his best chance at survival is gone. ]

Don't worry, you haven't pissed me off enough. So long as you deliver when we get out of here, you'll live.

[ Miles shudders a bit at that. ]

Glad to know we're on the same terms, then.

[ He pauses - they're at a T-junction, so he looks back at her. ]

Which way from here?

Left. It's the longer route, but it's less guarded.

[ And maybe she's cheating by being tapped into the security network. No one suspects her of treason yet, they have no reason to. Hell if she was lucky they'd make it to the landing zone before anyone had any idea. ]

Do you have the coords of where we're meeting your crew?

I do prefer less guarded.

[ He starts down that direction then, being careful to pause whenever he comes to a grille looking down over the room they're in. Sure is a lot of activity... ]

West side. As long as we get outside the building, I can signal from there.

[ [ A lot of activity she wants to move past. None-too-gently she places a hand on him and tries to push him forward. ] ]

I can get us outside, but if they're coming here, they better be ready to come in hot. The Baron'll notice a shuttle fast.

[ Hey. He glares a bit at the pushing and continues inching along. ]

Hot I can do. Ever hear of Dagoola IV?

The place where you pissed off an entire Empire?

[ The bounty of Naismith's head had been news at the time, enough for her to find it in a search when they realized who was intruding. ]