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Description

**Slight Spoilers for Imperial Agent Chapter 2 Ahead**
Thought I'd include the story behind this picture, give it some context or something. Takes place at the end of Chapter 2, beginning of Chapter 3.
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    "Agent?"
    Moni'Penni pauses only momentarily before resuming her preparations. The desk in front of her is covered in neatly arranged blades, survival gear, and the partially assembled makings of a long range sniper rifle. She doesn't look up, doesn't need to. Vector is hovering in the doorway. Under normal circumstances, she would have welcomed his company, but recently his presence had become an unnecessary distraction. Her prey was wily, dangerous, and she could not afford distractions.
    "What can I do for you, Vector?" She continues working, observing him out of the corner of her eye. He stands watching her work with his strange black eyes, his brow pinched with concern. She tries not to notice the way his overly formal pose accentuates the well toned curves of his shoulders, but is unsuccessful; his appearance only heightens the effect of his presence, and she returns her gaze to the work at hand.
    "We do not wish to pry, but your aura has been... troubled since we left Dromund Kaas." He takes a step inside, silently closing the door behind him.
    "I have been preparing." Her movements are as methodical and measured as her words. "I have orders to find Hunter and extract whatever secrets he may have. I will enjoy it. He will not."
    "He stole your will from you. We are not surprised by your desire for vengeance." The edges of his metallic voice are sharp with carefully contained anger. "We think we shall savor his demise when it comes."
    "Not as much as I will." She suppresses a shudder, a sudden rush of excitement at the thought. Soon.
    "We had no doubt in that." He pauses before continuing, choosing his words carefully. "If we may be so bold... we have seen your aura glow with the spark of vengeance before, but we sense something... much darker in you now. We have spoken to the others, and they share our concerns..."
    "For someone who says he doesn't wish to pry" - the sharp clang of gun barrel against metal desk punctuates the pause - "you are certainly doing a bloody fine job of it." Breath. Control. She bites her lip to steady herself. She can taste blood, and her pulse quickens. How much does he know? Breath. Control. Just a little longer.
    "We see that we have been too familiar. It will not happen again."
    "It's fine, Vector. I-" Breath. Control. "These recent events have been... quite trying."
    "We are relieved that your propensity for understatement has not been affected at the least."
    Was the sarcasm? She knew he had been slowly regaining bits of his humanity, but this was quite the surprise. Equally surprising is the hand on her shoulder - firm, gentle, comforting. She can feel his pulse through her skin, sending waves of unbearable heat down her spine. The scent of blood fills her nostrils and her fingers twitch involuntarily. Not yet. Breath. Control.
    "But your deflection only heightens our concern. We do not wish to overstep our bounds, but please, Agent, let us help you."
    She can't fight it any longer. She takes a deep breath, then springs. She grabs his wrist, jerking sharply and pinning his hand to the desk while swinging her elbow up and around. There is a dull crunch as it connects with his jaw, sending him reeling.
    "Agent!?" He stumbles backward, cradling his jaw and staring at her, stunned.
    "Fight me!" She leaps out of her chair, snatching one of the slender blades lining the edge of the desk, and poises to spring. "You want to help me? Fight me!"
    She lunges, the flash of steel merely an extension of her slender arm. Vector dodges, deflecting her hand with the ball of his and twisting out of reach.
    "We don't understand!" He stares at her warily, shoulders tensed and ready to respond to her next assault. She circles like a lioness, looking for her opening.
    "I said fight me!" She lunges again, striking to kill. Vector dodges again, this time grabbing her wrist and spinning round to pin her arm against her back. It a firm hold, but she can feel him holding back. She goes limp and his grip slackens.
    "Too trusting." She breaks free, spinning and slashing in a wide arc. He stumbles back, her blade drawing a thin red line across his chest. His face contorts with pain and confusion and he staggers backward. She takes advantage of this momentary disorientation, dropping into a spinning kick to his legs. He lands hard, but recovers quickly, springing to his feet with surprising agility. She spreads her arms to give him a clear shot, gesturing him forward. "Hit me!"
    "We will not!" He deflects one blow, then another. She hurls the blade at his head, snarling now. It buries itself in the wall next to Vector's ear and she lunges again. They careen into the wall, her fingers coiled around his throat, his fingers tugging at her wrists. She wrests one hand free and punches him as viciously as she can, screaming now, "I said hit me!"
    "I will not!" He manages to gain purchase and flips her, pinning her with her back to the wall with his weight, her arms restrained above her head. His breathing is heavy, his chest heaving against hers, and each breath is hot against her neck as he whispers raggedly, "I will never hurt you."
    I. Not we. She stops struggling. The scent of blood mingles with the musky, slightly metallic scent of Vector and there is no sound except labored breathing and the pounding of their hearts. Time seems to stretch, slow down. She feels vulnerable, the intimacy of the moment filling her with conflicting emotions - shame not the least among them. She turns her face away.
    A sharp knocking at the door breaks the stillness. Vector lets go, steps back, and the moment is broken. He remains tense, waiting for her to attack again.
    “Agent?” It is Doctor Lockin, his voice tinged with slightly paternal concern. “Is everything alright in there?”
    Moni’Penni glares at Vector, as if daring him to speak. “It’s fine, Doctor. You may enter.”
    The door slides open and the Doctor steps inside, glancing curiously from one to the other, noting the wound on Vector’s chest, which is now bleeding profusely. “Ah, there you are Vector - I, ah, hope I am not interrupting…”
    “You’re not.” She stares straight ahead, not looking at either of the men. “Vector was just leaving.” Her tone leaves no room for argument. Vector gives a little nod and turns to Lokin.
    “We were sparring. We are afraid the Agent got the better of us.” He feigns a sheepish grin as he gestures to his chest.
    “So she did.” Lokin looks unconvinced, giving the agent a sidelong glance. “Let’s see if we can’t patch that up. I need your assistance in the lab, and it won’t do to have you bleeding everywhere.”
    “Of course.” Vector glances back at Moni’Penni too, but she continues to stare straight ahead, and he brushes past Lokin out the door, clearly rattled. Lokin notes the expressions of his colleagues with clearly piqued interest, but says nothing. With Vector gone, Moni’Penni finally speaks, her tone curt.
    “Doctor?”
    “Yes, Agent?”
    “Instruct Ensign Temple to set a course for the nearest unregulated planet. I need to kill something.”
    “Of course, Agent.” The older man gives her knowing look, tinged with what she might mistake for sympathy if she did not know him better, then departs, closing the door behind him.
Alone now, Moni’Penni sinks to the floor, staring blankly at the opposite wall. She realizes, uncomfortably, that she is crying, fat tears pouring over her high cheekbones. Wiping her eyes defiantly, she pulls a small metal case from her hip pocket. She withdraws a single, careful rolled cigarette and a short, cylindrical lighter, lights the cigarette, takes a deep drag, and lets her head fall back against the wall. As she watches the smoke drift toward the ceiling, she breathes deeply, willing her heart to slow down. Breath. Control. Soon.

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Blah blah legal shit. Vector Hyllus, Doctor Lokin, and Imperial Agents belong to Bioware/Lucas Arts/Disney(?)

Description

**Slight Spoilers for Imperial Agent Chapter 2 Ahead**
Thought I'd include the story behind this picture, give it some context or something. Takes place at the end of Chapter 2, beginning of Chapter 3.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    "Agent?"
    Moni'Penni pauses only momentarily before resuming her preparations. The desk in front of her is covered in neatly arranged blades, survival gear, and the partially assembled makings of a long range sniper rifle. She doesn't look up, doesn't need to. Vector is hovering in the doorway. Under normal circumstances, she would have welcomed his company, but recently his presence had become an unnecessary distraction. Her prey was wily, dangerous, and she could not afford distractions.
    "What can I do for you, Vector?" She continues working, observing him out of the corner of her eye. He stands watching her work with his strange black eyes, his brow pinched with concern. She tries not to notice the way his overly formal pose accentuates the well toned curves of his shoulders, but is unsuccessful; his appearance only heightens the effect of his presence, and she returns her gaze to the work at hand.
    "We do not wish to pry, but your aura has been... troubled since we left Dromund Kaas." He takes a step inside, silently closing the door behind him.
    "I have been preparing." Her movements are as methodical and measured as her words. "I have orders to find Hunter and extract whatever secrets he may have. I will enjoy it. He will not."
    "He stole your will from you. We are not surprised by your desire for vengeance." The edges of his metallic voice are sharp with carefully contained anger. "We think we shall savor his demise when it comes."
    "Not as much as I will." She suppresses a shudder, a sudden rush of excitement at the thought. Soon.
    "We had no doubt in that." He pauses before continuing, choosing his words carefully. "If we may be so bold... we have seen your aura glow with the spark of vengeance before, but we sense something... much darker in you now. We have spoken to the others, and they share our concerns..."
    "For someone who says he doesn't wish to pry" - the sharp clang of gun barrel against metal desk punctuates the pause - "you are certainly doing a bloody fine job of it." Breath. Control. She bites her lip to steady herself. She can taste blood, and her pulse quickens. How much does he know? Breath. Control. Just a little longer.
    "We see that we have been too familiar. It will not happen again."
    "It's fine, Vector. I-" Breath. Control. "These recent events have been... quite trying."
    "We are relieved that your propensity for understatement has not been affected at the least."
    Was the sarcasm? She knew he had been slowly regaining bits of his humanity, but this was quite the surprise. Equally surprising is the hand on her shoulder - firm, gentle, comforting. She can feel his pulse through her skin, sending waves of unbearable heat down her spine. The scent of blood fills her nostrils and her fingers twitch involuntarily. Not yet. Breath. Control.
    "But your deflection only heightens our concern. We do not wish to overstep our bounds, but please, Agent, let us help you."
    She can't fight it any longer. She takes a deep breath, then springs. She grabs his wrist, jerking sharply and pinning his hand to the desk while swinging her elbow up and around. There is a dull crunch as it connects with his jaw, sending him reeling.
    "Agent!?" He stumbles backward, cradling his jaw and staring at her, stunned.
    "Fight me!" She leaps out of her chair, snatching one of the slender blades lining the edge of the desk, and poises to spring. "You want to help me? Fight me!"
    She lunges, the flash of steel merely an extension of her slender arm. Vector dodges, deflecting her hand with the ball of his and twisting out of reach.
    "We don't understand!" He stares at her warily, shoulders tensed and ready to respond to her next assault. She circles like a lioness, looking for her opening.
    "I said fight me!" She lunges again, striking to kill. Vector dodges again, this time grabbing her wrist and spinning round to pin her arm against her back. It a firm hold, but she can feel him holding back. She goes limp and his grip slackens.
    "Too trusting." She breaks free, spinning and slashing in a wide arc. He stumbles back, her blade drawing a thin red line across his chest. His face contorts with pain and confusion and he staggers backward. She takes advantage of this momentary disorientation, dropping into a spinning kick to his legs. He lands hard, but recovers quickly, springing to his feet with surprising agility. She spreads her arms to give him a clear shot, gesturing him forward. "Hit me!"
    "We will not!" He deflects one blow, then another. She hurls the blade at his head, snarling now. It buries itself in the wall next to Vector's ear and she lunges again. They careen into the wall, her fingers coiled around his throat, his fingers tugging at her wrists. She wrests one hand free and punches him as viciously as she can, screaming now, "I said hit me!"
    "I will not!" He manages to gain purchase and flips her, pinning her with her back to the wall with his weight, her arms restrained above her head. His breathing is heavy, his chest heaving against hers, and each breath is hot against her neck as he whispers raggedly, "I will never hurt you."
    I. Not we. She stops struggling. The scent of blood mingles with the musky, slightly metallic scent of Vector and there is no sound except labored breathing and the pounding of their hearts. Time seems to stretch, slow down. She feels vulnerable, the intimacy of the moment filling her with conflicting emotions - shame not the least among them. She turns her face away.
    A sharp knocking at the door breaks the stillness. Vector lets go, steps back, and the moment is broken. He remains tense, waiting for her to attack again.
    “Agent?” It is Doctor Lockin, his voice tinged with slightly paternal concern. “Is everything alright in there?”
    Moni’Penni glares at Vector, as if daring him to speak. “It’s fine, Doctor. You may enter.”
    The door slides open and the Doctor steps inside, glancing curiously from one to the other, noting the wound on Vector’s chest, which is now bleeding profusely. “Ah, there you are Vector - I, ah, hope I am not interrupting…”
    “You’re not.” She stares straight ahead, not looking at either of the men. “Vector was just leaving.” Her tone leaves no room for argument. Vector gives a little nod and turns to Lokin.
    “We were sparring. We are afraid the Agent got the better of us.” He feigns a sheepish grin as he gestures to his chest.
    “So she did.” Lokin looks unconvinced, giving the agent a sidelong glance. “Let’s see if we can’t patch that up. I need your assistance in the lab, and it won’t do to have you bleeding everywhere.”
    “Of course.” Vector glances back at Moni’Penni too, but she continues to stare straight ahead, and he brushes past Lokin out the door, clearly rattled. Lokin notes the expressions of his colleagues with clearly piqued interest, but says nothing. With Vector gone, Moni’Penni finally speaks, her tone curt.
    “Doctor?”
    “Yes, Agent?”
    “Instruct Ensign Temple to set a course for the nearest unregulated planet. I need to kill something.”
    “Of course, Agent.” The older man gives her knowing look, tinged with what she might mistake for sympathy if she did not know him better, then departs, closing the door behind him.
Alone now, Moni’Penni sinks to the floor, staring blankly at the opposite wall. She realizes, uncomfortably, that she is crying, fat tears pouring over her high cheekbones. Wiping her eyes defiantly, she pulls a small metal case from her hip pocket. She withdraws a single, careful rolled cigarette and a short, cylindrical lighter, lights the cigarette, takes a deep drag, and lets her head fall back against the wall. As she watches the smoke drift toward the ceiling, she breathes deeply, willing her heart to slow down. Breath. Control. Soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blah blah legal shit. Vector Hyllus, Doctor Lokin, and Imperial Agents belong to Bioware/Lucas Arts/Disney(?)