GIDEON (Star Wars)

Everybody Hates Gideon

The Industrial Sector had its perks and downsides. While it was responsible for most of the Deep and Outer Core's goods in machinery, it was also home to some of the most shady dealings in the galaxy.

Gideon and Kylo Ren were heading right towards one of them.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" He asked the woman, who was using her shawl to keep her face hidden from anybody who might recognize her.

"I'm sure." She nodded to a run down apartment complex, "I used to live there. Hangar's about eight blocks west of here."

The woman walked quickly through the streets of the Industrial Sector, her companion following close behind. Her hands were clammy with nerves, not knowing what was going to happen once they found Brandy. How were they going to get those data chips?

"Could you at least let me have my blaster?" She asked the man again, turning to give him a nagging look, "Things won't be pretty when we get there, and I don't want to rely on you to cover my ass."

Kylo sighed, unclipping the blaster from his belt, handing it to the captain. Gideon smiled triumphantly, sliding it into its holster right at her side. She felt a tad more confident knowing she could defend herself.

"You're worried." He noted, giving a cautious look behind him as they crossed the street, "What for?"

"Well, it's Brandy Helm." Gideon shrugged, "She is the most feared con artist and mob boss in the galaxy. She runs a tight ship. Last time I saw her she tried to kill me."

"It seems that everyone we plan on running into wants to kill you." Kylo mused.

"Yeah, let's just assume that everybody we see in this neighborhood wants me dead." Gideon sighed irritably, "As much as I talk crap about these people for being shady... I've had my fair hand of shadiness."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"You said it yourself, I'm good at what I do."

Gideon pulled Kylo into an abandoned alleyway, where they ducked behind a few abandoned speeders, completely out of operation. She looked around, her eyes scanning for anything familiar. One hand rested on her blaster as a masked group passed them.

"Why did you get into this life, anyways?" Kylo asked her, disregarding the woman's urge for stealth. She reached up, grabbing him by the shoulder and pulling him down so that they were crouched behind the junked speeders.

"Really, you're asking me this now?" Gideon shot a look to him, her voice a harsh whisper. The First Order leader nodded. He wanted to know.

"Yes."

"I was eighteen living in a junked one-room apartment. I was starving, and there was no way for me to make enough money to feed myself." She explained, "Let's just say I was offered a quick way to make enough money that my hungry teenage self could not resist."

Gideon tugged on his shoulder, pulling him deeper into the alleyway. She said nothing as she pulled up a trapdoor hidden among the garbage. After checking to see if the coast was clear, she started to climb down.

Everything was just as she remembered. The stench of sweat, blood, alcohol and smoke, the chipped paint and worn floors. Everything was smudged with grease and dirt, a plethora of blood splotches everywhere from a number of different species.

As she and Kylo walked down the quiet hallway, they could hear movement and talking coming from below, where the main hangar was located. Gideon was tensely quiet as she lead her companion through the dimly lit hallways, her blaster up and ready to fire if they were attacked.