Finding Noor

[Gar]

The Zeltron's eyes widened and she clapped her hands excitedly. "Bugsie, that is just too clever!! You're brilliant!!" she squealed, pouncing on him with a tight hug.

However, Ni slowly pulled away with a deflated expression, and she added quietly, "It isn't as satisfying as my original fantasy of breaking away from him all his power and possessions until he was just a husk in a prison cell to dispatch at will..." she shrugged, "But it does seem safer, and more direct..." She leaned forward and looked into his eyes eagerly, wearing a devilish smirk, "How do we ensure that it can't be traced? And how can we be certain that the crash will be lethal?"

[Bay]

Bay immediately regretted voicing his ideas after Ni's reaction. He had weighed the outcomes in his head carefully, calculated the costs and the benefits, and he wasn't happy about his conclusions.

He didn't want to kill anybody.

And now, Ni's reaction was... unsettling to say the least.

Bay swallowed and tried to keep his hesitation to himself, "T-the first thing we need to do is distance ourselves from him. Make him forget we exist. Let him think we're no threat to him. The next thing we need to do if find out where he races and scout it. We need to find out everything we can about it."

Bay grimaced before continuing. He wondered if he should stop. Ni had been too excited... too eager to do this. Bay felt the sweat starting to form on his brow and felt his hand begin to shake as he explained his plan to Ni.

"M-most race tracks have garages and pit droids to service the vehicles. All we would have to do to is reprogram one. I can make it recognize Merrick's bike and sabotage it in a way that would cause the engine to explode. I've worked with vehicles all my life. I-I know what to do to make it look like an accident."

[Gar]

The Zeltron could sense Bay's uneasy mental state. He didn't seem anxious about the job itself, though. Had he simply been rattled by her eagerness to kill? She couldn't help but smile sadly at this. Her shoulders slumped. She approached her friend and gently dabbed the sweat from his forehead with the hem of her sleeve.

"Easy, Bugsie," Ni laughed softly, "If this isn't something you are comfortable with, we can always think of other stuff! No pressure."

She sighed and sat back in her chair again, staring up at the computer screen thoughtfully. "I don't know a lot of things, Bugsie," the Zeltron began resolutely, her tone suddenly serious, "But I've seen enough to know that good, pure people like you are often taken advantage of by bad people like Merrick..." her eyes drifted down to her hands as she started fidgeting with her nails, "And this doesn't happen because these good people are weak or disadvantaged, no...It is actually because they limit themselves with rules; principles that truly only serve to protect the bad people and maintain the bad people's control. For example..." Ni glanced up briefly, "The principle that killing should be avoided, or at least the final solution."

Ni shifted in her seat and inhaled deeply. "I understand why you may be disturbed by my enthusiasm for...well, for murder..." she continued quietly, "But my Master, like a lot of good people, died because he followed rules and principles. And I think it is safe to say that following these principles now would really only help Merrick." A fresh intensity stirred in Ni's eyes as she looked up at Bay once more, stating emphatically, "This evil man did terrible things to Zay, things that I don't even know if she will recover from. He tortured and killed a fellow Zeltron and who knows how many other women. He has his hands in the sex slave market. And he is also helping the OPA..." her eyes were burning now as she concluded, "I am not ashamed to admit that I don't only find this murder to be necessary--I will enjoy snuffing out his life."

[Bay]

Bay looked away. The pressure emanating from Ni made his eardrums feel like they would burst. He sat in silence before he spoke again.

"I... agree with you Ni," he began softly, "Killing him... is the best course of action. I... I don't have qualms about that, but not for the same reasons you have."

He sighed and looked at her eyes, "I'm not a good or pure person Ni. I know myself well enough to say that. I'm selfish and cowardly. What Merrick is doing is... horrible. I know that. But... it's also hard enough taking care of yourself out here."

He looked away ashamed, "When I found out who he was... I wanted to walk away. When you got hurt... I had hoped that was the end of it. That you'd see it wasn't worth it... but you didn't."

He turned to look at her again, "Ni, I didn't lose someone growing up like you did. I never had anyone to begin with. I.. I was the bay rat. No one wanted me. You're... you're the first real friend I've ever had," he blushed, embarrassed, "I know it's stupid. We haven't really known each other very long. But that's how I feel."

"I don't want to see you getting hurt or killed over this... that's my reason for going after Merrick... but I also don't want to see you become something you're not..."

[Gar]

Ni's expression softened as she listened to her friend, but her whole body stiffened when he mentioned her getting hurt. She averted her eyes and shook her head, however, decided it was best not to correct him. Her expression melted into intense pity when she heard him say that he never had friends before. After Bay finished speaking the Zeltron could only stare down at her feet for a moment. Her fingers started to fidget again.

"Well, to start with...I think you are braver than you realize, Bugsie," Ni replied gingerly, "I agree that it is difficult taking care of ourselves out here, but that is why we have friends to lean on sometimes. We survive by working together and taking care of each other..." she smiled up at him sadly, "I am so happy and grateful to have you as my friend, but I am sad to hear that I was your first. I can't imagine what it must have been like, being alone for so long, feeling unwanted..." her face fell as she turned her head back to the computer screen, its artificial light reflecting off of her despondent eyes. Ni added reluctantly, "Well... I guess I do know a little of what that is like...from my travels in the outer rim..." she laughed dryly, "but I always managed to get someone to want me somehow..."

Ni smiled in spite of herself and glanced up at Bay apologetically. She sighed, "Anyway, I'm not sure what you mean--becoming something I am not?"

[Bay]

Bay matched Ni's sigh, "After Avalon, I did some research... I was curious after all that talk about the dark side... I read that if someone uses the force when angry or vengeful... Ni, is it true that the force can become like a drug to force-sensitives? That it changes them for the worse?"

[Gar]

Ni's face twisted into a confused frown. "Um, I don't know if 'drug' is the right word for it..." she answered matter-of-factly, "And honestly, I forgot how it works, though I'm pretty sure Master Henoch told me about it once. Gaddy would probably know all about that dark side mumbo jumbo..." she shrugged and giggled, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Bugsie. We are putting an end to an evil man. I don't see the universe punishing us for it or anything..." the Zeltron stretched and rested her hands behind her head.

[Bay]

"... I have your back Ni. I'll help you take care of Merrick, just... well it wouldn't hurt to ask Gadeon about what the force can do to you, right? Can you talk to him about it? Even if it's just as a favor to me?"

Bay turned back to the terminal and began his search again.

[Gar]

"Of course!" giggled Ni, leaning forward and placing her hand on his shoulder flirtatiously, "Anything for you, Bugsie!"

The Zeltron winked and rose from her chair, giving Bay's hair a small, playful tussle. "I promise I will ask Gaddy Daddy the next time I see him. I should probably go check on your sister now, though," she sighed, rolling her eyes, "She is probably organizing my sock drawer for the fiftieth time. I wish she would just relax and have some f--*gasp*--OH! SOCK PUPPETS!"

And with that Ni waved goodbye and exited the room quickly, on a mission to make sock puppets with Zay.