Cyrus Knight

Hanging out in space and waiting for the YT-2400 to leave, Cyrus was sure to get the jump vector when it finally did. During the wait, he'd had to endure a curious attempt to make him think there were spiders aboard his ship. He concluded very quickly that there was a Sith Master in the area, apparently attempting to discourage people from leaving. He didn't apparently count on trying to trick people that had Cyrus' skill set. Without going into too much detail, he had the mental training to resist a dark side Force attack, learned from the Sith Order's most historical enemies. The attack withstood, Cyrus hit the hyperspace levers, following Brina's vector toward her destination and using his navicomputer to make the necessary calculations to figure out where it was she was going.

Cyrus continued to watch Brina carefully as she turned and left. She seemed pretty unconcerned about the bounty and confident in the Link's security to keep her safe, but if he knew her type well, it was just a show. She realized that what he'd said made sense, and that she was putting her people needlessly at risk by staying in a place where every bounty hunter in the galaxy knew to find her. That meant that she was probably going to be leaving, but she was going to do it on her own or with a small group of trusted security men. Cyrus had been hoping to be one of those men, but clearly her trust for him had dimmed over the years he'd been away. Oh, well, he thought. It just made all of this more difficult. Cyrus checked himself back out through security, reclaiming the weapons he'd brought with him, and made his way back to the Protector. Soon later, he had lifted off and left the Resort. It was time to start again, almost from scratch.

Knight immediately recognized Brina Thalin when she came into the area. It seemed that his business with the tiresome security officer was now superfluous, and he couldn't be more glad. For the sake of closure, he looked at the man and sighed. "I didn't provide that, either, but it doesn't matter. As far as you're concerned, I'm here as a guest." He pushed past the man, heading for Brina even as Faust finished speaking to her and apparently headed for the bar. He drew near and spoke directly to her--what he'd been trying to get all along. His voice was filtered through his helmet as he said, "Ms. Thalin. Perhaps you remember me--I'm Cyrus Knight. Though I haven't worked here for a while, my loyalty to the Link has never wavered." Knight knew he'd have to choose his next words carefully, as they would shape for many people how the rest of the bounty hunt would go. "There's a sizable bounty on your head, and a lot of dangerous people know about it. Everyone knows you're here, so if you stay, more and more will arrive, and some of them will go in with blasters instead of words like Faust. Though this place might seem safe, it's not. "Security is something I do particularly well, Director," he said. "I can take you somewhere where they'll never find you, just to lay low for a few days until it all blows over. Although the bounty states that you're to be alive, it says nothing about what the man who placed it will do to you." In his experience, that was usually the point of someone being taken alive--so that the bounty could be tortured for information or killed later, so that the man who placed it could do it personally.

Cyrus Knight simply shook his head. "I never submitted to fingerprinting when I worked here before, so you can't possibly have them on file," he answered. There was a lot going on behind the statement, but none of it mattered right now. Characters such as Cyrus Knight wore helmets not just because of their functionality, but because of their identity. Particularly as a security agent who worked for multiple organizations over time, he made a lot of enemies who were quite willing to carry grudges. Being able to lose himself in the galaxy seemed like a great idea. As a matter of fact, Cyrus didn't even have fingerprints these days, having had them removed, though he wasn't sure if that had been the case back when he'd worked here the first time. Thankfully, it was moot. "Look. You scanned me, I'm unarmed, and it's only loyalty that brought me back here. Please--let me see Ms. Thalin instead of trusting the word of Faust."

At one moment there was empty space, and in the next there was a ship. Its transponder identified it as the Protector, and it was registered under the name Cyrus Knight. He hadn't shown his face around the Link for quite some time, but he'd been busy over the years, and now he had access to the right information to bring him back here with an urgent message. One thing that was a hallmark of his career was that once he'd worked for an employer, he maintained his loyalty to them. He requested a landing berth at the resort, received it, and was soon on his way toward security, wearing his custom black stormtrooper armor, cloak, and a helmet that was both protective and functional when it came to things such as enhancing his perception. He checked his weapons at security, leaving some of them at his ship but handing over his double-bladed, spring-loaded sword and blaster carbine. It didn't take him long to notice that none other than Vladimir Faust was checking in not far away, and he cursed under his breath. That was going to make this so much more complicated. Cyrus approached the security man that looked like he was in charge and said, quietly so that Faust wouldn't overhear him, "My name is Cyrus Knight. I used to work security here a few years ago. I have it on good word that that man--Vladimir Faust--is here to capture Brina Thalin. I request an immediate audience with Thalin concerning her safety, and I recommend that you immediately move against Faust to keep him from succeeding." And that was it. Cyrus didn't forget his old contracts to old employers. He had served as Brina's protector and escort in the past, and he was doing it again now.

OOC: Tsk tsk...none of that. IC: Knight nodded. "I would be more than happy to find out such a thing while I'm gone," he said. "I'll be ready if you should need me. With your leave, then." He inclined his head briefly and turned away, heading straight for the hangar bay. He kept all his things on his ship, and carried everything else (his weapons, armor, mask, cape, etc.). It was almost amusing--the Link would never allow armed persons not under their employ free reign of the station. But, at any rate, he was back at the Redawn before five minutes were up and aboard a second later. He had something he needed to do before he got on to the bulk of his expedition, and that was a quick stop by a world on which he had perished. However, since he had no intent of letting the Link know where that is, he did a thorough but inconspicious check for homing devices and laid in a couple of false jumps to throw off any means of tracking his hyperspace vector. It was time to take off his mask and put on another one.

Knight paused when he saw Zara. "It just so happens that I was, ma'am," he responded. "I was thinking about asking you for a little time off work, to pursue something personal, though it occurs to me that these times are dangerous and you may be unwilling to do so. "Be that the case, perhaps I could take a little time off at a slightly later date, once you feel that the Black Dawn's threat has ended?" There was something that Cyrus Knight liked about Zara Nargal, just as much as there were certain things he disliked about her. She was (or had been, or was partially) a Dathomir Nightsister, a witch of the Force. She was a warrior to a respectable extent, and she could be intimidating if she so pleased. But he disliked certain people that she had associated with in the past, and he had gotten a sort of ill perception of her through the scandal that had occured some time ago. At any rate, there were few persons he disliked more than Ronin Wartide, who had worked with her before. Now here he was, officially employed under her. Her qualities, he thought, outweighed her flaws. It was an extremely critical way to look at her, but if Knight never admitted to himself a given outlook, he could never critique and improve himself. He was an honest person, honest with himself and honest to everyone else, though he often chose to remain silent instead of speak the truth.

Cyrus Knight had the station in good order in little time. Its defenses were already solid, and he found that very little actually needed remedy. He wasn't an experienced leader, but he knew that this duty Roshan had put him on had helped him by making those aboard a little familiar with his appearance and voice. They would be able to recognize him as someone that meant a little bit of something, a leader to them if not in his own mind. It would never do to have a leader you would never recognize if you found him on the battlefield. Once again, he was thrust into a state of having nothing in particular to do, no especially prevelent use of himself or his abilities. Maybe he would take a little time off, find something to do elsewhere in the galaxy, pursue a person interest for a short amount of time. He wasn't sure what the Link's policies were on leave of absences, and he wasn't sure his employer would want him to leave this site at such a time as this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. Knight began making his way back to where he had last seen Zara Nargal, not with any real haste or apparent purpose.

Knight was smiling grimly from behind his mask when he saw the report. It seemed that the Black Sun was still at large, even larger than before, in fact. He wondered idlely where they got the resources to come up with a fleet that large, but didn't pursue the thoughts. Now was not the time. Suddenly thrust into taking charge of the Casino's security, Knight had work to do. He knew from past experience how secure the space station was already from a technological standpoint, but he also knew many of the tricks to getting around security. He had infiltrated strongholds before, and he had also prepared them against attack. The warrior first set about completing Zara's direct order by sending a station-wide announcement to all that wielded the Force in combat. He instructed them to begin training that specifically increased their ability to fight without the Force, training in the parts of the station that were enveloped by bubbles in which the Force did not exist. He then started going about the ship, making sure that everything was in combat efficiency, making adjustments here or there but none of such significance that it would change the whole scenario.

When Durose and the others returned, Knight did his part in putting away what he had grabbed and brought with him aboard the Redawn. He didn't say anything for the duration of the process, and followed Durose up towards the room Brina and Zara occupied when all was finished. He simply stood outside once they got there. He would be on hand if needed and if he wasn't needed, then he would just stand. So be it.

One instant, there was only empty space. In the next, a flicker of pseudomotion marked the arrival of the YT-2000 Redawn, its pilot Mr. Cyrus Knight and its passenger Miss Brina Thalin of the Link, rushing back at Zara Nargal's request. The Redawn had made almost record time from Myrkr, giving Brina the kind of impression of it Knight had hoped it would. Landing clearance was received in simple, short sentences and the Corellian Stock Light Freighter was docked in minutes. As soon as it put down, Knight turned to Brina. "You're clear to go, ma'am," he said simply with a slight wave of his hand. He himself would collect what he had brought from Myrkr and probably wait for Durose to reappear and supervise where exactly it was put.

Cyrus nodded and headed towards his ship with haste, taking with him what he was carrying. It was the least he could do to at least contribute to the transportation of what had been brought along. Some of the things were rather heavy, but he didn't let them slow him down. Brina was able to keep up, and the two reached the Redawn in moments. Making his way to the cockpit, Knight wished he still had a droid copilot to help him out. His previous ship wasn't technically destroyed, so his droid was likely to be intact, he just had to find the time to go back and collect him. As it was, he had to run through the pre-flight checks single-handedly, though Brina knew what she was doing and aided him as well. It took only a minute to get the YT-2000 off the ground and headed for deep space. Knight's piloting was refined and experienced, and it was clear that he had been flying for quite some time, even flying in combat. In fact, he had fought members of multiple factions in space combat before, including Imperials and Jedi and the Black Sun. All that mattered now was that he could fly. Seconds later, the stars stretched into lines, then whirled into the luminescent, purple, black, and blue tunnel of hyperspace, without which the Galactic Empire would span no more than a single system of planets.

Knight was the first to stand when Durose did so. He wasn't necessarily eager to leave, but neither was he loathe to. Passivity was looked down upon by many, but the only true way to clear one's mind and truly concentrate was to be without conviction. Of course, conviction was just as essential to a warrior's life as discipline, for a warrior without cause was a warrior without spirit, but when conviction became so deep-rooted that it no longer required conscious thought, it was not the distraction it could be and it's effects were maximized. Cyrus Knight no longer needed to analyze each action he took. He did each thing according to his code of conduct, his honorable standards, and never thought twice. It was as much a reflex to act according to his code as it was reflex to get some sleep when he was tired and had the time. Starting to gather things that needed to be taken back to the ship, the warrior that was far more than one waited patienty for everyone else to get ready to begin the trek back.

Cyrus was, as usual, sitting completely still. Little was happening, and he was almost frustrated by that fact. He didn't like it when nothing happened. But he would never say so aloud, and he would never truly convince himself that it was a bad thing. Yes, he would rather be in action, in combat, but where combat was not, preparation for combat was. So he sat still, practicing true control of his body and mind. If he could teach himself to never flinch or twitch when he didn't want to, he would also be able to move exactly as he needed to in a situation where the slightest movement could mean life or death. Not that even death was a bad thing. Death was the final destination, a place of glory. Knight didn't move.

One of Cyrus's eyebrows raised beneath his mask, his own amusement mirroring that of Brina and Durose. He didn't say anything, nor shift his posture, so it appeared that he had no reaction at all, for none was visible. If that was how they would think of him, then so be it. He was beginning to be under the impression that they at least trusted him--had he been looking for a time to turn on them, he had had plenty already. They would just have to be satisfied with what he had told them. His history was only something he could not say as of now. Telling the truth would be counter-productive, even if the Link did not see it as that way. No, they could accept his true past. But he still did not intend to reveal it, for his alias was not to hide from the Link, but to alter himself in the eyes of the galaxy until they realized the galaxy was empty without who he had been. He did not mean that arrogantly, of course (he didn't want to suggest that the galaxy relied on his true identity's presence), but there would still be something missing. They would see.