#quartervirus

“Ark!” an all too familiar voice started before a blue, holographic image followed when Ark put through the call. A woman with a mess of curly hair and scars adorning her face popped up. It was Ixshli. Her tone was overall friendly, but there was something behind it, too. “How busy are you?”

“Why hello to you too,” Ark started. He absently stroked his beard while pondering over the question. “I have nothing of importance planned for the foreseeable future. Why do you ask?” 

“Oh, no reason at all,” Ixsh smiled innocently. Ark knew better than to trust that smile. “Actually, there’s a reason.” And there it was. The Jedi shook his head in good humour, waiting for her to go on. “Why don’t you come and meet me on Coruscant in the Flying Thranta?”

As far as Ark recalled, the Flying Thranta was a relatively remote cantina. He may have grabbed a drink or two there at some point. Ixsh had a tendency to drag him into friendly reunions. “I didn’t expect another round so soon, but I see no harm done.”

“Hey, look now,” Ixsh began to counter. “I’ve told you it’s the irresistible beard,” she’d add with a grin. “But I’ll see you soon!”

With goodbyes exchanged, the call ended. Time to get going.

--

The Flying Thranta was exactly as Ark remembered it. A little bit run down on the outside, while stuffy air lingered in the locale. The clinking of classes, a handful of shady patrons, laughter and the smell of cigarettes combined into a classical scene of the perfect location for smugglers, thirsty individuals and some other criminals. Maybe the occasional bounty hunter. Seeing as Ixsh had been the latter, it was no wonder she frequented the cantina when she had the chance.

Speaking of Ixsh, Ark spotted her as she waved him over. Of course, he had sensed her before seeing her. One of the perks of being Force sensitive. Once having approached, he was instantly greeted with a hug. Some things never changed.

“So what are you having today? That horrible concoction you call a drink?” he asked in a half serious, half joking tone. How Ixsh bore with the Reactor Core, he had no clue.

Ixsh snickered at the remark. “No, no, no. I actualllyyyy...” she started, before peering around inconspicuously. “...Have a surprise for you.” With a nod spared to Ark, she signalled him to follow as she began to make her way toward the backroom.

“A surprise?” Ark repeated. What kind of a surprise prompted a meeting in the back of a cantina? When she so pleased, Ixsh was good at hiding things or twisting words.

The backroom was vacant, spare for the duo that had entered it. Ark didn’t spot anything inside either that could hint toward the surprise. Well, aside from a box placed on top of a table. When Ixsh shut the door behind them, he could tell she was more tense now than she had before. She even bore an awfully neutral expression.

“Alright, not a surprise, really.” She held a small pause, hazel eyes coming to linger on Ark. “You know how I had... or well, have ties with the SIS?”

Oh boy. “Yes.” He fell silent for a brief moment. “I thought you quit?”

Ixsh shook her head. “Not quite. I work on and off.” Upon mentioning that, she slowly trailed toward the box. “I was supposed to meet up with another asset, but he had some... things come in the way.” That was one way of putting someone potentially dying. Or being captured. A small frown formed on Ark’s face before Ixsh continued. “Basically, I needed him to accompany me to a ball. Military kind of. With all that fancy bullshit and politicians sucking off one another kind of deal.”

Spy things were far from Ark’s usual dealings. Why hadn’t she contacted someone else? “Ixsh--” Ark said, and was about to continue, but said woman was on a roll.

“I know, I know. You’re probably thinking ‘why me?’ To be honest, I didn’t consider you initially, but you look like the guy who was supposed to be here and there’s no time to make new documents and disguises.”

Ark’s frown only deepened when disguises was brought up. Military ball and disguises... This was leading to something awfully horrid. “...Ixsh--”

“So I called you since I can trust you and because I need a ticket in,” she finally finished, allowing Ark to finally interject.

“I am not putting on an uniform.” They looked uncomfortable, stuffy and stars knew how the pants would sit. Pulling one on was out of question. “In fact, what in the blazes were you thinking of? I came to have a friendly chat, not-” he gestured toward the box where he supposed the disguises were “-to be dragged off out of my element into some schemes of yours.” He sounded far from pleased, which was understandable.

A sigh escaped from Ixsh. She’d foreseen the reaction. “I initially tracked some low life hunter, but the rabbit hole went deeper than I thought, and now I’m having to deal with some officer who’s potentially selling secrets and funneling resources to the Empire. He rarely shows his face, but he’s coming to the ball. I have one shot at this,” she’d say in return. Never did her gaze falter as she spoke. Clearly, this mission meant a lot for her.

They could have continued to argue. Ark could have walked out at any given moment, too. The topic of doing it  for the greater good of the Republic and aiding its rebuilding phase would have more than likely surfaced as well. It was a mess.

Taking a deep breath, Ark let out a long, long exhale while he rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes shut. Damn it. Damn it it all. When he reopened his eyes, he accusingly pointed at Ixsh, tone awfully stern. “You owe me. Big time.”