Ask Nar Shaddaa This Life

[Duke Winters]

"It worked, didn't it?" Duke didn't really notice the others that could have seen the punch but they were way too focused on the party to ruin it by reporting a little brawl. When they went down the hall, it was obvious that Chino wanted everyone who stepped into his home to know how much wealth he had. Being a ranger, he was by no means an artist but it was one of those paintings where it gave off the aurora that it was worth millions. It had to be only a little longer until they reached the office but Trys got sidetracked and Duke couldn't blame her.

She shoved him to the side, stepping into the bathroom as he was just caught staring at the shiny and reflective golden toilet, it being the first he had ever seen in his life. He had a feeling that it wasn't just fake but made of real gold, certainly giving off that feeling of royalty. A few moments later, Trys exited with a rejuvenated look on her face that made Duke laugh out loud. "All better now?" With that done, they quickly continued further until they managed to find the office.

Somehow, Trys found a wall that stood out from the rest and pressed into it. It gave away shortly after and opened up, revealing a secret office that must have personally been Chino's, not one that was just decor for guests. With their request for artifacts, they got more then they bargained for, multiple ones of different rarity were shown off in glass cases all along the wall. Duke couldn't help but let out a quiet whistle, the wall shutting behind them and leaving the two in the office. Spotting Trys by the alcohol, he shuffled his way over there as he was captivated by the liquor as well.

Without thinking, he reached for the oldest one of the bunch and pulled it down from the shelf. Duke twisted it around in his hand for a bit before popping off the cork, most likely opening it for the first time in it's lifetime. With a quick sniff, his eyes widened fully, "Goddamn." Again without hesitation, he lifted the bottle to his mouth and took down two gulps before finally pulling it back. It wasn't like any alcohol someone could get off the street. He instantly felt it go through his entire body like a heatwave, making each of nerves come alive and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Holy shit. Try it."

It was obvious that the bottle had been drunk from, ruining the price and possibly the entire thing for Chino whenever he discovered it. Duke had no qualms about that and he definitely wanted Trys to experience what he just did. It was probably the most expensive liquor the two of them would ever taste again.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was only staring, but Duke took it to the next level. He casually reached over and nabbed the oldest bottle and popped it open. She could only stare at him as he glugged it down like some commoner, “I swear! No class from you!” She said, though she couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. She shook her head and took the bottle from him, taking a swig.

She felt it burn, but she couldn’t help but grimace at the taste, “This is….disgusting,” Trys almost gagged, handing the bottle back. Instead, she took down another bottle, one that was more recent by a few decades. She popped it open and drank from it, finding this one much more agreeable. Almost at once, she could feel it hitting her, and it didn’t do her any good combined with all the spice.

Trys kept the whiskey in hand as she stumbled towards a case that was behind the ornate wooden desk. She could tell it was a very old dagger of some sort, and she leaned in to stare at it, her breath fogging up the glass, “Looooooook,” She said, marveling at the black and crooked blade, “I bet this is worth a fortune. Imagine his face when he finds it gone,” Trys looked back at Duke and began to giggle, taking another swig.

She looked beyond him and suddenly realized the door was closed behind them. Trys rocked from side to side, feeling a combination of drunk and high, “We’re….not trapped in here….are we?”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke was of the mood that nothing really mattered, at least on Nar Shadda, until they got off the planet. Everything he once considered sacred to him was rotten to the core like a bad apple. It hit him in a different way and hundred of year-old alcohol was helping deal with it mightly. Trys took her chance with his bottle and made a face at the end of it, the reaction causing Duke to laugh heartily before taking it back from her, "It seems you'll have to work up to that one." He took another swig, another buzz wave washing over him and making him give himself a shake.

Trys went around the desk to inspect the case but Duke was a different story. He first bumped into the desk on accident, simply placing his hand on the top of it as he sighed softly like it was too much before heaving himself over the top. That's how it went in his head but instead, his feet barely cleared above the desk, the items on top being swept off and clattering to the floor as he stumbled onto the other side. One of his feet stepped on a piece of paper and almost made him slip but he caught himself before standing back up, "My bad." He cleared his throat like everything was normal before leaning into the case to inspect the blade. "I'm really having a hard time imagining anything right now." The words were followed with a scoff and slight snort.

Following Trys lead, he took another swig as well, putting a sizeable dent into the bottle as he wiped his mouth afterward with his eyes shut. When she asked if they were trapped, Duke arched an eyebrow at her before swinging his body to the right to find the wall had closed behind them. He stared at it for a few moments before looking back to her and letting out a quiet hiccup, "No... I have it under control." Nothing else was added and he turned to face the case, giving a skeptical look before placing the bottle down next to it.

Duke put his hands on top of the case before giving it a rough shake. When nothing happened except for the dagger wobbling on its stands, he glanced over to Trys before shrugging his shoulders, "Guess it's safe." He pulled out his blaster pistol before flipping it around so the butt of it was out and facing the case. Duke gave a quick glance around even though the door was closed before giving a swift strike with his blaster, the pane of glass shattering into pieces and letting him able to grab the dagger. Duke held it up in the air, letting out another quiet whistle, "She's a beauty." He flipped the weapon as well so the hilt stuck out before offering it to Trys, "Check it out."

The music could still be heard and Duke checked his chrono, barely able to tell the time but knowing it was getting late. Another quiet hiccup came out of him as he pointed to the wall, "We... should probably start to leave."

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys heard a crash and looked over to see Duke stumble over the desk. She rolled her eyes and turned back to look at the case. While she was still pondering on ways to get into it, Duke abruptly smashed into it with his blaster. There was just a moment of pause as he spoke, but almost at once, an alarm began to sound. This jerked Trys out of her thoughts, and she looked around in a panic.

“Shit!” Trys hissed, grabbing the dagger and rushing towards the nearest window. It was her turn to take out her blaster and fire a few times to shatter the glass. They were absolutely in no condition to be doing this, but they had precious moments. She could already hear a commotion outside of the office, the music having stopped due to the shrill alarm.

“Come on! We’ll be surrounded!” Trys called out to Duke as she started to climb out the window. She almost immediately lost her footing, stumbling out and falling over. She landed on the slanted awning below, barely holding on as she grabbed onto a protruding brick. Trys almost lost the dagger too, but miraculously held on.

She glanced down and could see a bunch of guards rushing in through the front entrance, and this meant she couldn’t simply jump down. Cursing to herself, Trys hoisted herself up onto the awning, walking around towards the side of the building. They had to make a discreet jump and getaway without being seen, and that just got ten times more difficult while being blitzed.

 

[Duke Winters]

Nothing happened when he first shook the glass case and he thought that meant they were all in the clear. Apparently he was wrong, however, an alarm ripping through the music and notifying everyone that somebody was breaking into something. With the wall shut, there wasn't many options for the two of them and Trys realized that quick, immediately rushing to the window and firing a few blaster bolts through it to weaken and shatter it. Duke followed out after her, climbing out the window as he grabbed onto nearby bricks for handhelds.

Trys almost fell off and Duke reacted immediately, his hand shooting out and grabbing onto her arm before pulling her back and steadying her. "Don't abandon me yet." The sound of running altered the ranger and he glanced down at the same time to find the guards flooding the entrance, intending to search the place from head to toe to find them. Once the last of the guard entered into the house, Duke gave a nod before stepping over and toward the next awning. It would be a jump but one not too bad. Leaping from his spot, he managed to land safely enough where he did as he threw his hands out to balance himself. If Trys required help, Duke would stand there to offer his hand for her to catch. If not, he would continue on until they finally saw the outside wall of the neighboring building.

Duke glanced back toward Trys before chuckling, "Don't look down." In between where they were and the other building was a large black gate, standing almost as nearly as tall as short trees. They were low enough that the two would be able to clear them but one misstep and they would be impaled through multiple parts of their body. There was a pipe across from Duke and on the other wall, it extending all the way down into the alley and what would only be a few blocks from their speeder. He let out a few exhales before taking what space he had to get in position to jump.

Duke leaped from their awning, clearing the gate enough as he had his arms out and reaching for the pipe. When he was close enough, he managed to latch onto it with both arms and pull himself in with a grunt. His body would smack against the metal but eitherway, it didn't matter to him, he at least made it. Taking a moment to calm himself afterward, Duke slid down the rest of the pipe until he finally reached the bottom and solid ground. He turned around to gaze at Trys, waiting for her to join him on the other side.

 

[Trys Aran]

They made their way around, and Trys was shocked that she managed not to split her skull open on the duracrete below. Duke nabbing her was helpful, even though it felt like her arm was about to pop out of its socket. She followed after him, watching him easily leap across, shaking her head. Trys had recovered from a broken leg not too long ago, and she felt uneasy about pulling any tricks like that.

“Are you some kind of monkey lizard??” She marveled aloud, barely keeping pace as she stumbled around. Trys quickly ducked to the side as she heard a window from above open - this meant that people were in the study already. She had run out of time and quickly picked up the pace, feeling a blaster bolt zoom past her and barely miss.

Taking a running start, Trys finally leaped off, slamming against the edge of the opposite building but catching the lip of it with her hands. She groaned as she hoisted herself up, wincing in pain as she put pressure on her healed leg. Trys followed the path he took, using the pipe to slide down and finally land on the ground.

“This was the shittiest idea I’ve ever had,” Trys declared as she caught up to him, “Never let me suggest anything like this again,” She began to jog next to him as they ducked into an alley to get out of sight. Blaster bolts rained down towards them, but she doubted anyone took a good look at them.

She had a sinking feeling that getting that asshole Vin to help probably would have been smoother. However, they got what they needed at the end of the day. Trys doubled back around, Duke having a head start as she spotted their speeder.

“You drive! I’ll shoot anyone coming after us!” She was adamantly against drunk driving, but it was either that or dying at this point.

 

[Duke Winters]

The alcohol in his system pretty much washed away his fear from doing the jump. Living in Nar Shaddaa, there was a reason it was called an iron jungle. In his younger years, Duke would scale up fire-escapes to the top of buildings, scale the sides to open windows for... extracurricular activities. When he touched the ground with his feet, he stumbled for a second before glancing up and spotting Trys still on the awning. "Come on!" When one of the security guards opened the window above her, Duke pulled out his blaster and opened fire on him to provide cover. Their cover was already blown so it didn't matter now, they just had to get the kriff out.

Trys made the jump onto the pipe, almost not making it but Duke kept up the suppressive fire while she slid down. When she reached the bottom and commented how shitty of an idea it was and not to let her do something like that again, he laughed loudly in response before giving her arm a little smack with his knuckles. He was too buzzed to form an intelligent response back so that was it. When they turned around the corner, the bolts fired at them finally stopped with the wall in the way and offered them some reprieve. Duke didn't have a freshly healed leg so he pulled ahead of Trys, gunning for the speeder as she called out for him to drive. "Oh, shit..." He muttered, realizing he'd have to drive like this.

The doors slid open and he got in, immediately turning on the engine as it roared to life. Once Trys got in as well, the speeder lifted itself off the ground and he shot off down the alleyway and into the street. When he spilled out the alley, he did a wide turn, some of the speeders in the next lane over honking before moving out the way. Duke wasn't a drunk driver as well and certainly was a different challenge then he had dealt with before. He drove them back into their own lane and stepped on the accelerator, putting as much distance between the mansion and the two rangers. Chino would definitely hear the alarm and see the damage they caused in his officer. He would be beyond livid and that would earn the distraction they needed. Either way, the two of them needed to make a clean getaway before they could proceed, "Anyone on us?"

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys didn’t like this one bit - and she half wondered if they were going to die. She had to reorient herself as Duke began to drive. When he asked questions, she didn’t respond, feeling entirely queasy. All the quick zooming side to side was making her very sick from being drunk and high at once.

With most of the guards back in the house, very few were in a position to get into a vehicle to chase them. However, there were two speeders up by the front gate that began to give chase. Trys ducked as a few shots came their way, “Evasive maneuvers, Duke, EVASIVE MANEUVERS!” She screeched at him, fighting back the urge to projectile vomit. She didn’t think any of that would help right now, and she leveled her gun. Trys saw doubles...or was that both speeders coming close together? Who knew?

She fired a few shots, and one managed to hit the front of a speeder. The guard veered it to the side, and it gave her the chance to shoot him. He was immediately stunned and crashed to the side. The other speeder kept coming, and it almost caught up. Bolts were flying and whizzing by, and Trys purposely kept her head low. She had to avoid being shot, but also avoid being seen.

She managed to land a hit on the passenger in the second speeder, and that distracted the driver enough for Duke to duck into traffic and get away. Trys realized they finally lost them, and she eased back into her seat. Her head throbbed painfully, and she still felt sick, but she felt a rush from getting away. She turned to Duke with eyes wide, “Holy shit! That was kriffing insane!” Trys grinned widely, “What a rush, man, I haven’t done shit like that in ages!” She glanced back and started laughing, thinking back to days when she used to outrun Rangers and law enforcement.

Trys rubbed her head after a moment, her heart still racing, “We need to act quick on getting into the station. They’ll begin to swarm on this case after the shitshow we just pulled.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke was soaring down the road, weaving between speeders cleanly to keep putting distance between them and Chino's guards. The relative peace didn't last long however, Trys screaming for evasive maneuvers to happen as suddenly they were flanked by two speeders. These guards were quick and Duke cursed under his breath, realizing he would now have to actually drive like a wildman in order to lose them. Trys leaned out of the speeder at the same time to fire back upon the guards, not appearing entirely healthy while doing and instead of looking like she was about to pass out.

As Trys had her duel with the other speeder, Duke continued his movements, violently giving a quick tilt of the speeder to go between a few more on the road and then doing the same to go back into the other lane. They certainly weren't an easier target and it put Trys aim to the breaking point. She hit one of them and it spun out, the vehicle flipping multiple times before finally being stopped by a wall. The other was gaining on the pair but before it could get two close, she managed to fire one more blaster shot that took out the passenger. The driver of the speeder glanced over, his friend's body collapsing into his lap and making the speeder wobble as the driver lost control.

Duke glanced at the mirror to see this before looking around, seeing an upcoming exit and finding their opportunity. He pulled the break, the speeder coming to a very sudden stop before he split off and quickly shot through two speeders and down the exit. The guards that had followed them just continued on, not expecting the move and being directed to a completely different part of the city. Duke couldn't help but let out a laugh as Trys cheered, "Yes!" He glanced behind them to make sure they weren't followed before looking back forward. "It's been a while since I been in a chase like that too."

When Trys brought up the station, the ranger gave her a nod before hitting the accelerator, the engine letting out a roar before following through. A while later they finally arrived at the station, Duke slowing down the speeder enough that it was practically silent as they rolled up. The front parking lots were nearly completely empty, Chino obviously having all the officers under his pay, out searching for the two rangers. "Our plan worked then." He commented to Trys before grinning, "Ready to break into the police station?"

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys looked at the empty building as they pulled up, shaking her head, “I don’t know if this counts as police anymore,” She said with a grimace. On the plus side, she began to feel better at last. The inebriation was wearing off, and she actually started to feel embarrassed. Remembering how she had been dancing, her face heated up, and she turned to look at Duke, “Hey um….sorry if I was a moron back at the party. I uhhh obviously haven’t been around spice in a very long time,” Trys sheepishly ran her fingers through her hair.

Deciding not to linger on the awkwardness too long, she got out of the speeder and looked around. They obviously couldn’t just waltz in...or could they? Everything looked relatively empty, and she was surprised to see everyone cleared out. Trys walked closer to the building, looking through the glass to spot an old lady working at the reception desk.

“Kriff,” She muttered under her breath, looking over at Duke and scowling, “No, we’re not going to mess up an old lady, so don’t even think about it,” She started walking over to the side, “We need to find another way in,” Trys paused for a moment before looking at him.

“You should know this place pretty well, any secret passages in? Without tipping off lil ‘ol Gertrude in there?”

 

[Duke Winters]

There was an unfortunate truth to Trys words and it sobered him up slightly, the whole thing not a spice induced adventure but that it was real and that Duke's whole life had been a lie. "Yeah, you're right." He was about to get out but Trys spoke up again, trying to explain how she acted at the party and giving him an apology. He stared at her for a few seconds before a genuine smile broke out from him, "I don't remember complaining how you acted. I remember thoroughly enjoying it." With that, Duke exited from the speeder and started to walk towards the station.

Both of them pulled up to a window to peer through it and found an old lady, a familiar face at least for Duke. Her name wasn't Gertrude but he didn't feel like correcting Trys and found it quite suiting. When she said messing up the old lady was off the table, he glanced over at her with a hurt look on his face, "I'm not that heartless to jump an old lady." When asked if there were any secret passages, he arched an eyebrow at her, "I don't know about secret passages but there is a door in the back. It has a passcode instead of an I.D scanner." He knew the code by heart and probably will forever.

Duke led the way towards the back, a couple more patrol speeders near the garage but definitely less then what the norm would be. When they reached the door, it was metal and there was no way to brute force it but there was a keypad right next to it. He started to punch in the combination and he hoped that they didn't change it. When the last number went in, a second passed before there was a click and the light on the keypad turned green. "Open sesame." Duke reached for the door before opening it wide and stepping in with Trys.

They were in the rec room for the officers, the kitchen at least with windows allowing them to see the rooms connected where they could relax and watch holo or any other activities. Duke glanced around before finding a police cap and put it on, using it to hide his features enough that he wouldn't be spotted at first glance. "File room. This way." Duke knew this place by heart and he stepped out of the rec area and into the hallway, glancing around before proceeding. They could still hear voices as the station wasn't completely abandoned and that meant they had to stay cautious.

Navigating through the station, they eventually arrived in a new hallway with another metal door at the end of the hallway. Duke pointed to that as their target and started to walk towards it. About halfway, the door opened and Ivy stepped out, a file in her hand as her eyes scanned through the contents. When she looked up and found Duke standing there, she didn't react at first but when she held her gaze and both their eyes connected, she recognized him immediately. Ivy gasped before turning around, opening the door and starting to close it. Duke sprinted down the hallway towards her but wasn't fast enough as he gripped onto the handle, attempting to open it forcefully before slapping his hand against the door, "Ivy!" There wasn't anything for a moment but she responded, "What are you doing here Duke!?"

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys actually chuckled as he mentioned the passcode, “Ah of course,” She shook her head, “That makes a lot more sense than us trying to tunnel our way in,” She followed him as he led the way in, punching in the digits to get them access. Trys felt uneasy walking in like this, and it was only amplified by the pindrop silence all around.

She followed his lead, looking around the facility. It was much dirtier and poorly built compared to what she was used to on Coruscant. Trys went into the rec room and grabbed another cap to don and hide her identity. She had to remember that Duke had much more reason to be here at any given time than she did.

Trys maintained a measure of distance, not wanting them both caught at once. She saw Duke head down the hallway first and began to step into it when the door at the end opened. Trys quickly ducked into an alcove on the side, drawing out her gun in case he needed backup. From here, she could hear Duke call Ivy’s name, but she didn’t follow.

Trys peered over as she could see him slapping his hand against the door as Ivy locked herself in. Trys was alarmed at once, wondering if the entire mission was now in jeopardy.

“You shouldn’t be here!” Ivy called out from the other side. There was fear clear in her voice, “This is beyond you and will get you killed. Please just leave.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke didn't slap the door again, just pressing it against the door as his other hand remained on the handle. "Ivy, I need you to open this door. Please." There was another second of pause, "I'm not doing that Duke. Everyone is out there searching for you and that other Ranger. I'm not getting involved and helping you get killed." Duke closed his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh before speaking again, "We're not doing anything dangerous. I'm leaving Nar Shadda for good but before I do I need to read his file." There was another moment of pause. Ivy knew who he was speaking of, they both have talked of their family extensively when they examined evidence together.

With the silence, Duke pressed his advantage so she couldn't keep solidifying her position of keeping the door closed. "I never read his file and you know that. I need peace before I never come back again." Duke opened his eyes and pulled his head back slightly, staring at the door and waiting for Ivy's response. "Duke... You don't want-" He cut her off before she could get too far, "Ivy, please." There was a tone in his voice, one of a pleading nature as he desperately needed to know. This was something he needed to put off a long time ago but he always found an excuse to not do it. Now he needed to find out more than ever.

Duke waited and waited until finally, he heard a click from the other side, his eyes widening slightly as the moment he heard the sound he gripped the handle and opened the door. Ivy stood on the other side sheepishly, not embarrassed by her actions but by what he would find. "I hope you find some shred of peace. Don't do anything stupid." She didn't give him a chance to respond, stepping out of the doorway and into the hallway. Ivy's eyes caught Trys in the alcove and she held it for a moment before just turning away and heading the other direction down the hallway.

Duke stared down after Ivy for a few moments before glancing back to Trys, giving her a nod to come to him as he held the door open. When she entered the room, he stepped in after her and locked it behind them. His mood changed, it was as if he was sobered completely by Ivy's words as he still thought over them. "Let's find this file and get out of here." Duke stepped past Trys and into the file room, shelves upon shelves lining the rooms with a different assortment of names. Some were criminals, some were fallen officers, some were just reports but his father's file would be there.

 

[Trys Aran]

By the time Trys heard more of the conversation play out, she felt it was safe to give up her hiding position. She could sense Ivy wouldn’t attack Duke, and he wouldn’t need cover. Trys stepped out and into the hallway, lowering her gun and coming over to stand near Duke.

At last, Ivy finally opened the door and glanced over at them both. Something about her face and the grim way she spoke sent a chill down Trys’s spine. She didn’t look as Ivy walked past her, her gaze lingering on Duke. She followed him into the room, watching him near all the shelves. They didn’t have too long, but the tension was thick enough to cut through.

“Are you sure about this?” Trys had to ask. There was something incredibly uncomfortable with the exchange he had with Ivy. Regardless, she began to look through the shelves. Every little noise here and there made her jump, reminding her that they had precious moments to find this.

After a long moment, she finally found something with ‘Winters, Dale’ on it. Trys hesitated, glancing over to look at Duke who would have been busy in a different section. Could she simply hide this and shield him from finding out? What if whatever truth this was ruined him? However, that was when she remembered when Talak had allowed her to get drugged and removed the element of choice from her. Trys shook her head - no, Duke needed to walk this path and make his choices from it.

“I found it,” Trys said quietly, pulling the folders and walking over towards him. She met his gaze, a somber expression on her face as Ivy’s words haunted her. Trys handed them over, “That’s all of it.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke just stared at the shelves when he answered her question, "I can't be anything else." With time ticking, he started at one end of the room. As he walked down the shelf, he ran his finger over the files, remembering how many countless nights he spent in the very room trying to solve cases when he first started out as a Ranger and tried to make it. He didn't know how to explain it, a sense of dread came over him the moment they stepped into the room, a part of him wishing that they wouldn't find his father's file. Just leave it as one of the bigger mysteries of his life and nothing else.

But after a while, Trys finally called out that she found it, shattering his hopes of that one reality. Duke stepped out from the parting in between shelves, his eyes finding her before immediately heading down and locking on the file. He took a moment before finally extending his hands to hold it, it being the first time he had ever held it in his life. It was somewhat thick and had some heft to it, Duke attributing it to maybe the number of cases that his dad solved. But when he opened the file, it was as if everything shattered inside him. Physically, he stood still as a statue, the only sign that he was responsive was that he blinked. But Trys would be able to see through his eyes he was different, etching betrayal and pain silently as he continued to scan the file.

His father wasn't a ranger, he was the exact opposite. Dale Winters had been a top captain amongst the Black Sun. His record was extensive, it ranging from murder to arson and other despicable things. In the file, it described that he was in charge of expanding Sun territory before the Crimson Dawn caught the drift of this and eliminated him. His father wasn't killed on a case, he had been in a local restaurant when suddenly Crimson Dawn members flooded in and opened fire, killing everyone inside. Duke couldn't stop reading the details but when he heard sirens outside his gaze flicked towards that direction before back to Trys. "We should go." The words came out somberly, out of man who didn't seem to care about what happened to him anymore.

Duke closed the file before walking past her and towards the door, getting out as quickly as he could. He was having a sort of panic attack, just being in the building wanted to make him vomit and tear his hair out. His heartbeat was quicker than it ever had, even when he had been in danger during his police work. His breathing became quicker as well, exiting out of the room quickly and towards the exit. When they got into the speeder, Duke got into the passenger side this time. He sat down without a word, his hands just resting on top of the file as he stared out the front windshield, drawn and transfixed in his own head.

 

[Trys Aran]

Moments ticked by, and she watched Duke soak in everything in the files. She allowed him space to take it all in, and she kept herself busy pretending to look at other files or going out to scout out the halls. One thing was clear - he was horrified by the contents. His knuckles gripped everything tightly till they were white, and he looked as if he were about to be sick.

Upon the sirens resounding in the distance, Duke abruptly announced they needed to leave. He strode right past her, and she didn’t say anything as she spun on her heel and followed. The tension had gotten much worse, and she felt an icy chill from Duke. For a moment it was as if he were a different man entirely, and she didn’t know him.

Trys made sure the file room was left as intact as possible minus whatever they took. She closed the door behind them as they made their way out, finding their way to the speeder. Trys noticed he got into the passenger side, and she quickly hopped in to begin driving.

She punched in the nav back to his apartment, and she drove back towards there. Trys gave him all the privacy he needed, not saying a word the entire time back. Whatever he had read had been a knife in his heart, and she was afraid anything else would simply twist it.

After a while, Trys pulled up near the apartment that served as his safehouse. As usual, the homeless were out and about, singing their usual songs. However, all of that melted away as Trys turned to look at Duke.

“Do you...want to talk about it?” She asked quietly. If he answered with silence or with a no, she’d never broach the topic again.

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke just remained their silent as she got in the driver side and started up the speeder. When they pulled out of the station, he glanced down at the file. His fingers slowly spread out along the top of the folder, testing as if it was really there sitting on his lap and not some hologram. Everything he believed his father had taught him, everything he was told about the police when he grew up, how he had just died and Duke became a ranger to carry on his legacy, all that was for nothing. In his father's eyes, he was was most likely a disgrace more than anything.

He remained silent during the drive, opening the folder slightly and reading more of the contents instead of talking. So far, he only knew half the details from the folder and he needed to know the rest. The drive, however, wasn't that long and he only got a few pages deeper until they finally came to a halt. The hobos were singing but Duke barely noticed as he still sat in the seat and didn't move. When Trys asked if he wanted to talk about it, he didn't say anything at first, not knowing what to say. The thought of saying no came across his mind but she had sacrificed a lot to help him when she didn't need to. He also felt like if he didn't say anything he would just explode from within.

Duke looked over at Trys, "He wasn't a ranger." He scoffed lightly, the thought of it almost still unbelievable to him. "He was part of the syndicate, a kriffing captain." He ran a hand through his hair as he leaned his head back against the rest and stared up at the ceiling, "Everything he told me... It was just a lie. I grew up to be like him and continue what he did. Instead, he killed and tortured people while he left me at home." Duke's voice was steady but that's because he was a ranger and knew how to hide his emotion when talking to a victim's families but it was obvious there was pain laced through it as his voice clipped at a couple of points. He glanced at the folder and threw down between his legs before looking back to Trys, "Everything else in there is just him pissing on me above the grave.

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys listened quietly as Duke spoke, and she could feel the pain coming through in his words. She felt sick just hearing it, and she was heartbroken for Duke. A long moment of silence hung between them after he finished. Trys reached a hand over to place on Duke’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“You’re not him, though,” Trys said at last, “You never quite fit in here. Why do you think Ivy made those comments about you being a hero? Regardless of what your father was or how he may have wanted you to become, you always deviated from it. You lived by your own rules, and that’s what set you apart from him,” She managed a smile as she looked at him, “And that’s what makes you a good man. You are just in a place where good simply doesn’t go as far. This is even more of a reason why you should get out of here.”

Nar Shaddaa and other Hutt planets had their own laws, and that wouldn’t change anytime soon. Rangers could have power, but not when it was so out of reach. There were battles to fight and hills to die on, and this was not one of them.

“I think it’s time we get you over to Naboo,” Trys said at last, “And you need to only look forward and leave everything else behind here.”

 

[Duke Winters]

Duke just sat there and listened as Trys spoke, offering glances to her from time to time. She was right, he never really did fit in and it had been obvious. There were plenty of times he got trouble for his antics and now what he realized was just for solving simple cases. His father may have been a captain for one of the syndicates but at least Duke didn't turn out like his father and could maybe start making up for the mistakes that his own blood did.

His hand slid to hers and he gave it a squeeze before dropping it, "Thank you, for helping me the answers I needed. I won't forget it, ever." Duke just stared at her for a moment, wanting to say something else and having a feeling he needed to but he just cleared his throat. "I'll go pack my things quickly and then we can head out." He opened the door before stepping out of the speeder and walking up to the apartment.

When he got inside, he gathered up everything that belonged to him and wiped down anything that would leave evidence. His bag was still in the corner and when he lifted it up, he dug his fingers through one of the pockets and pulled out a picture. It was of Duke and his father, both of them holding a rifle and flexing for the picture. It was years ago when they both were young and it felt like it was taken even longer than that. Duke just gazed at it for a few moments before finally ripping it apart in pieces, closing that chapter of his life and never wanting to think of it again.

He slid the backpack on his shoulder and made his way out of the apartment. It was time for him to start a new life and he didn't know what it had for in store for him but he was ready to move on and live it out.

/endthread