Zorii Bliss's Tylander shuttle drifted through the dark snowy landscape of Kijimi towards the thieves quarters. It was dark as she came through the low lying cloud, but it was always dark on this planet. Its remote location from the primary sun in this sector was such that daylight, when it happened, was barely perceptible. She felt tense in her craft she would be meeting an old friend, if a friend was what you could call their relationship, from her days with the Resistance. She couldn't allow him and his ways to distract her she had something of great importance to give him. The future of the Galaxy relied upon the object she carried with her, an object she'd acquired from Crimson Dawn. The snow-covered mountains came into view as she glided through the low flying clouds. Zorii had decided that keeping the relic aboard the ship within a smugglers hold was safer than bringing it with her; the thieves quarters was no place to carry such a valuable object. The First Orders desire for such artefacts was well-known and the price they offered highly inducing, but not to Zorii Bliss. She knew too well the power of the object, what it might give the right wielder, and no reward was worth it. A thief, smuggler and bounty hunter she may be, but she liked this Galaxy. Zorii liked living in it, and she had no intention of allowing it all to become stardust, which was why she'd contacted them the Resistance and specifically her old friend- General Leia Organa. She landed her craft to plumes of snowy drifts close, but not too close, to the thieves quarters near a well-placed exit, should things go awry and they often did a fast escape may well be necessary.

Zorii left the cockpit and collected her helmet quickly, giving herself a glance in one of the reflective panels. Zorii fit the part of an alluring yet deadly bounty hunter. Her purple skinsuit, which did nothing to hide her feminine curves, complete with gold helmet, cuffs and utility belt held two gold blaster rifles that Zorii had specially made for her unique purposes. She was an expert in most weapons she'd ever used, but a blaster was quite simply sometimes just more efficient in dealing with an adversary quickly. Those challengers who attempted to engage her based upon her slight womanly frame learnt all too quickly the error of their ways. Her natural feminine physicality could be extremely useful with certain weak males and so exploiting that weakness through her outfit seemed a natural advantage. She wondered to herself what her old friend would think of seeing her again. She shook her head, focus Zorii. The helmet served two purposes as a human, it helped to give a sense of mystery to her persona, but as a bounty hunter anonymity was essential. She placed her helmet on and pressed the button that would release the hatch to her ship. As the hatch opened gusts of wind with flakes of snow drifted inwards, and she braced herself as the chilly air cooled her skin. Within her helmet she smiled, she loved this cold desolate rock.

The thieves quarters was carved into the rocky outpost though there were human-made structures- an external wall and extensions to naturally occurring caves to make more substantial buildings. She headed towards an entrance within the wall then turned to a set of steps. The steps led her to an underground bar carved into the rocky terrain; this was where she'd meet with the Resistance. She acquired a drink from the bartender and sat in a dark corner and waited, scanning the other thieves and bounty hunters within a hand casually on her blaster. One could never be too careful. Within the bar, Zorii saw humans, humanoids and creatures challenging to explain. A wretched den of lowlifes and villains from the lowest star systems drunk on spiced liquor, not one of which could be trusted. A green reptilian Rodain with lidless eyes sat with a serpent-like looking female Dathomirian all yellow and red, a strange vertical squid-like creature with countless tentacles that swayed his way and that each with its own individual eyeball. Handy to be able to look in so many directions, Zorii mused to herself. A barely dressed Twi'lek danced provocatively for a table of reclining enormous hairless beasts with massive blunt teeth protruding from grim set mouths revelling in the base pleasures the nubile dancer invited. Twi'leks Zorii reflected were born beautiful and seemed sadly drawn to such life choices that made the most of their perfect formations- pleasure slaves, concubines and dancers. A band of bug-eyed Bith played the music that the Twi'lek danced too, another species apparently designed for particular vocations; Bith were known to be scientists or musicians. Zorii sipped her drink through a metal tube; she could not afford to remove her mask. However, she thought to herself, those who knew her would surely recognise the distinctive ensemble in which she was dressed.

A good-looking human with dark wavy hair and a handsome face caught her eye, with him was a younger man, similarly dressed carrying a tall staff. They both wore dark and dusty pilots jackets with Resistance patches making many an eye within the underground tavern look their way curiously. The older of the two men led the way through the crowd towards her table, where he stopped and smiled. His smile was more of an easy devilish smirk but incredibly charming, the kind that could charm any living creature, she was aware that she was listed within that history of any living creature.

"Poe Dameron," Zorii said in greeting. Leia Organa's right-hand man, someone to be trusted who would do what must be done. He was just as she remembered him, it had been a long time since she'd seen him, but he had barely changed. Maybe a few lines around that handsome face, a few greys streaked in that dark wavy hair. Time with the Resistance would do that to a person. Carrying the weight of freedom on your shoulders was a heavy burden. Still, it hadn't affected that charming smile. Within her helmet, Zorii smiled to herself, half in memory of earlier times and at seeing him again.

"That's Commander Poe Dameron to you," Poe answered with a roguish smile.

"Get a drink and sit, let's at least try to make this look like a business transaction."

Poe headed to the bar to acquire drinks for them all from the Chargrian barkeep. Poe returned with a round of drinks, placing one in front of each of them. Poe shot the drink and shook his head at the burn that the intoxicating beverage instilled in the drinker's throat. The young man sat staring at all the creatures around the cavern.

"Who's your friend?" Zorii asked, amused by the younger man's blatant awe at the criminal creatures congregating the dimly lit room.

"This is Finn, Captain in the Resistance," Poe lowered to a whisper, "and ex-stormtrooper of the First Order."

"Ex-trooper, you don't say?" Zorii was impressed. "Finn," the young man turned to her, "best not to stare, at any of it. You two are drawing enough attention by wearing those Resistance patches."

Finn turned away from the scene and sipped his drink, followed by coughing and spluttering.

"Uh, what is this?" He exclaimed grimacing at what Zorii assumed was the burning fire within his mouth.

"Firewater," Poe stated, "best to shot it not sip. So what have you got for us?" he half-whispered to Zorii.

Zorii sipped her drink through the metallic tube that her helmet allowed smiling to herself.

"How's Leia?" she asked, ignoring Poe's question.

"She's...you know....she's Leia."

Zorii nodded, "Battling on."

Poe nodded to confirm Zorii's assessment.

"Zorii, what have you got for us?" Poe repeated.

"I'd rather not say out in the open; you never know who might be listening. Best to discuss it on my ship."

Zorii finished her drink and rose from her seat, Poe followed her lead to her shuttle. She allowed Poe and Finn to board the gangplank first and then checked around her before closing the hatch securely behind them. Once inside, Zorii removed her mask, letting her long golden blonde hair to flow about her shoulders.

"You're human," Finn stated, surprised.

"That's right," she said, smiling amusedly at him. From the corner of her eye, she could see Poe's appreciative gaze.

"So...?" Poe asked stepping toward her.

Zorii went to where she'd hidden the item in the smugglers hold. It was within a small satchel that she could grab quickly should she need to and she handed it to Poe. He peered inside and looked confused.

"Ok, what is it?"

Zorii rolled her eyes at Poe.

"You seriously need to learn your history, Dameron. It's a Holocron. The only Holocron that matters. The one the First Order is looking for."

"What's a Holocron?" Poe asked.

Zorii groaned and ran a hand through her hair.

"Leia lets you lead the Rebellion, you, really? I should have just given it straight to Leia at least she'd have understood its significance. The First Order is looking for it, it's important- trust me. We should leave. Where is your base?"

-X-

The air on Kijimi was cold and filled with drifts of snow; however, to Kylo, this was pleasant in comparison to the cold he'd experienced on Malachor. That rocky wastelands shadow had settled its sinister chill into his soul. As Kylo exited his ship, he noticed how the planets lowly sun cast little warmth or light upon it. It felt like dusk the light was so dim and nowhere on this planet was anything but snow splattered dark mountains. The thieves quarters was the only real sign of life- the warm glowing lights coming from within the peaks themselves where the inhabitants had carved out a refuge for themselves. Kylo's cape swept up behind him as he ignited his lightsaber and headed towards those night lights. His saber left a trail within the surface of the rock where it melted the stone floor, it spat and sizzled angrily as each frozen pellet hit its fearsome heat. Behind him, his six Knights followed each brandishing their weapons willing and ready.

Within the thieves quarters, he and his dark entourage were given a wide birth, once within the cavernous underground bar only the alien Chargrian bar keep braved to speak to them regarding bringing weapons into the establishment. Kuruk Ren silently allowed all those present to see they had no intention of following the bar's rules regarding weapons as he shot the Chargrian bartender with a bolt right between its horns.

"The First Order seeks information, regarding a Resistance meeting with a bounty hunter here within the thieves quarters," Kylo stated.

He scanned the room, looking for the member of this den of iniquity that would give him what he sought. A female Dathomirian yellow-skinned with red animalistic markings and red hair braided down the centre of her skull and her back caught his attention, and he stepped towards her. There was no fear in her fiery eyes as he stood at the edge of the table. She tilted her head at him, poured a glass of whatever she'd been drinking and downed it then poured another and pushed it towards him. Kylo lowered his eyes to the drink, then back to her, she smiled predatorily at him. He took the glass in his gloved hand and shot it back, allowing it's burning liquid to linger in his mouth before swallowing properly then placed the glass back on the table. The Dathomirian smiled, showing sharp pointed teeth.

"You seek Zorii Bliss. She met with two members of the Resistance, and they all left together."

"What ship does this Zorii Bliss pilot?"

"Tylander shuttle, old, double engined. Piece of junk," the woman replied as she poured herself another drink. "What's my reward for being so helpful to the powerful Kylo Ren and the First Order?" the Dathomirian asked as she downed her drink.

Kylo lowered himself over the table and glared at her. The Dathomirian didn't flinch at his proximity, seemingly unafraid of him, but she knew little of his volatility. Kylo pursed his lips. He stood back up to his full height his gloved fist tightening about his weapon and smirked mirthlessly at her, "Who said anything about there being a reward?"

Kylo turned from her to his Knights. Ushar Ren was closest and standing close to Ushar, Kylo issued a simple order that only his Knight would hear before vacating the tavern, his cape sweeping out behind him. As Kylo mounted the rocky snow-dusted steps outside the bar and headed back to his ship, he could hear blasters and screams behind him. No-one would survive his Knights, no-one.