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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 2551351" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 275: MemoriesIf there was one thing that could persuade people that you were in the right place, it was acting like you owned it. One thing Jyren had learned very early on was that it was something Shadow was an expert at. And when she led the way into the large, open lobby of Halpak Tower, not a single person made eye contact with her at all. Not only was it in the way she walked, but the very feeling she was giving off was the kind that made everyone know that stupid questions such as ‘Who are you?’ would be very dangerous because this was something they obviously should know...it was just a matter of remembering her name.    Sitting behind the main desk off to one side of the lobby was the exact same woman who had been there the first time Shadow and Jyren had done some recon weeks ago. Jyren was smart and stood back a few paces while Shadow did her thing...which currently meant stepping right up to the desk and not even looking down at the woman when she said, “Send the guards on the top floor home.”    The human woman behind the desk looked at Shadow with a stunned silence. Jyren knew there was not a trace of the Force in that sentence...simple stating of an order that could not possibly be argued against. And she even got halfway to hitting a switch that was probably a comm before stopping herself and stuttering out, “W-wh-who are you?!”    When Shadow made eye contact, it was as piercing and violent as a lightsaber blade, “I am Mr. Halpak’s personal assistant,” Shadow then allowed for the dutiful and short pause, allowing the woman to open her mouth before shutting her up again, “I am in no mood to be delayed. There are some objects he left behind that I must return to him.”    A long pause, then, slowly, the woman nodded and relayed a message through the comlink. She then motioned for Shadow to go to the turbolift, and when they were in and it was heading up, Jyren couldn’t help himself.    “By the Force, I’m glad we don’t have to walk this again.”    Shadow allowed herself a grin and a nod, “You and me both.”    After taking a deep breath, and casually listening to the sound of the turbolift rising up the uncountable number of floors, Jyren decided there was a question worth asking, “How did you know there were guards up on the top floor? And how do you know they didn’t clear the place weeks ago?”    “I didn’t,” she said with a devious smile. She idly ran a hand through her all black hair(which was somehow odd looking without the white), then decided to answer his next question before it was asked, “But you learn to pick up on things. You forget that I wasn’t just an assassin...smuggling requires people skills.”    “...which is why I’m not doing the talking,” Jyren grumbled, finishing her unsaid thought.    “Exactly,” Shadow replied sweetly before turning and giving him a casual look over. When she rolled her eyes, he knew what was coming, “If you don’t cut that hair, I’m going to hack it all off in your sleep.”    “Hey, I like my hai—“ Jyren was quickly cut off by the swish of the turbolift door opening. Normally, that wouldn’t have shut him up so easily, but seeing this room again did it. The columns...the long red carpet, the turn to where Halpak’s desk was. All the same. Like they had never been touched...at least the blood was gone.    The air between them suddenly altered, Shadow and Jyren exchanged a glance before very slowly walking in together. It took nearly five minutes to reach the turn in the room...not because they were worried about any of those traps that Ket had been so fond of, but simply because the room was...was...this room. And when they turned the corner, their eyes locked on the scene there.    The desk that had been smashed in the fight that had occurred in this room was still there...not replaced, but simply patched together. It was obvious due to the large seam lines across the center where the desk had snapped in two. Behind it was the turbolift door that Ket and Nine had escaped through...clean and untouched. And the large window to the right of the turbolift had not been completely replaced. Instead, there were three glassteel panels patched together in the large area. Though Jyren’s eyes immediately latched onto the fourth column on the right side of the room, he saw no blood...no signs of the sharp, metal blades that had been hidden within.    No signs of Titus Voort.    “We should have given him a proper burial,” Jyren whispered, not even really knowing he had spoken anything.    Shadow slowly nodded, and said quietly, “There wasn’t time...I...I did the best I could.”    “I know,” he said softly back, resting a hand on her shoulder. Shadow very quickly realized it was not out of an attempt at comfort, though, as his fingers dug into her shoulder(thank the Force he was human, claws would have hurt).    Taking a deep breath, Shadow put an arm around him and half-hugged him as best she could...she still wasn’t comfortable with the whole...comfort thing, “Its uh...okay...lets just do what we’re here to do.”    It took a moment, but Jyren eventually nodded and let go of her shoulder. He then stepped around the desk and to the temporary window. Nothing needed to be said to know what had to be done. After a silent count(and a silent apology from Jyren), both of them kicked the glassteel panel with all the strength that their human bodies could manage...though Shadow used the Force to assist her.     With a loud crash, the lower panel collapsed outward and shattered. There was a half second before the two upper panels fell down, smashing on the edge of the floor before the pieces scattered across the interior of the room...though the majority went tumbling down the impossibly long fall to the ground below. Both of them then stepped back into view of the open window, trying to ignore the heavy wind that was at this altitude. It was only natural to lean over and look down...though it was not a new view for Jyren.    “I see something,” Shadow mumbled before peering closer.    Jyren did his best to follow her gaze, but quickly realized what she was looking at, “Those are mine.”    “Yours...?”    “Claw marks,” he clarified simply.    Shadow raised an eyebrow at him before turning and leaning a little farther to get a better view. She then stood back up straight and looked him right in the eye, “That mark goes on for at least five levels.”    “Sounds about right,” Jyren answered the question she’d asked without actually asking. He sighed, then said flatly, “I fell a long ways.”    Between them, an unsaid comment flashed through their minds.    ‘Jen fell farther.’    The moment passed, and Shadow allowed herself another look down. Over her shoulder, she commented, “There’s a walkway about forty levels down.”    “How close?” Jyren was suddenly no longer in the mood to look down that metal chasm.    Shadow had to take a moment to figure his meaning before saying, “Close enough.”    “Then there’s a chance...”    Sighing, Shadow stood back up to look him in the eyes again, “Jyren, with you, there’s always a chance.”    “But I felt something!” he snapped back angrily.    “Of course you did!” Shadow growled at him, “Dammit, Jyren, its called regret, not the Force!”    Jyren sighed, and calmed himself as best he could, “Then why are we still here?”    At that, Shadow actually grinned, “Because there’s a chance. Here, lower me down, I want to check something.”</blockquote>

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