The downtown cantina was her least favorite place to meet. She loathed the putrid odor that hung in the air and the drunken patrons that staggered into their fellow drunkards and cluttered the floor when they finally had too much. If it were up to her, she would never have come. She could get a drink anywhere else for the same price and it would taste twice as good. The only reason she was sitting in the far corner of the low-class cantina was because her client had specifically requested it. She wasn't a fool; she knew that only those who dealt in shadier trades met up at this location to discuss business.

She peered out from under her black cloak's worn hood, her calculating green eyes darting over the cantina's patrons to determine which one she was waiting for. None yet. Scoffing, she glanced at her communicator, which relayed the time. She scowled at the confirmation that her client was late. A strand of fiery red hair drifted out of the hood's confines and she impatiently batted it away, her black combat boots tapping restlessly against the floor. If she had to wait much longer then she would leave. Her client had been told to be on time or she would lose interest in the job. Besides, it wasn't exactly safe for a woman to be alone at this bar, even if she was more than capable of fending for herself. Her fingers brushed across her blaster, which was concealed in her cloak, as habitual reassurance that it was still in place.

Her eyes suddenly locked onto a cloaked man who had just entered the cantina and was steadily making his way towards the back. Nothing about his features was discernible, other than the fact that he was tall and had a relatively slim stature. Though she couldn't see his eyes, she was certain that he was staring at her. Camilla's hand twitched towards her blaster, but she forced herself to remain seated and appear confident. As the man approached, her eyes briefly glossed over the strange symbol on his cloak's clasp. She didn't immediately recognize it from anywhere in the Republic. He slid into the booth across from her and folded his hands on the table. Camilla copied his actions to relay the same message: They wouldn't shoot each other immediately. It was when you couldn't see their hands that the situation became deadly.

"Songbird," the man stated. It wasn't a question. He had a deep voice that commanded authority and revealed that he was likely a very powerful person. She would have to tread lightly; powerful people were easier to offend and make enemies of.

"Yes," confirmed Camilla, refusing to let her voice shake. After years of dealing with powerful clients she had more than enough experience with maintaining a blank face during negotiations. "What is it you need me for?"

The man didn't respond right away. His hood tilted back slightly as he raised his head to get a better look at her. Camilla remained still, refusing to allow basic scare tactics to throw her off her game. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, the man lowered his head again. "My employer requires an informant."

Had this been a normal conversation, Camilla would have allowed her eyebrows to raise. Though her initial interpretation of the man had been that he was in a position of power, perhaps that had been wrong. It was more likely that he had been sent into these types of situations more than once and had learned how to manipulate others easier. It was the exact thing that Camilla had done. "What kind of informant?" she inquired.

"The kind that is willing to steal information," the man drawled, as if it were obvious. Camilla ignored his condescending tone, pushing away her annoyance.

It wasn't a surprise. Most of her clients asked her to steal information. It was a task that was easy enough to do and typically paid well. "What kind of information?" she pressed.

"Information that is highly classified," the man had tilted his head back again, waiting for her reaction.

Camilla only nodded to show her interest. The harder the information was to get, the better the pay. "I need to know the details of the information your employer requires and who currently has said information." Instead of responding, the man wordlessly reached into his cloak and pulled out a tablet, sliding it across the table. Camilla turned it on, and had to curl her toes in her boots to refrain from letting her mouth drop open at the offered figure on the screen. If this was real, this amount of money would set her up for life. However after getting over the initial shock, her suspicion doubled.

"If you don't trust that my employer will come through, half of the sum can be transferred into your account upon your agreement. The other half will follow when the job is completed. However, if you refuse to complete the job after the initial amount is transferred…" the man let his voice trail off. He didn't have to continue. Everyone knew what happened when you tried to double cross an employer. Especially one that gave offers as high as this. It wasn't like she was impossible to track.

Camilla switched the tablet off and slid it to the middle of the table. She was interested, but still wary. "I need to know the details of the information your employer requires and who currently has said information," she reiterated.

She could barely see the man's bottom lip curl ever so slightly in displeasure. He had obviously expected for her to accept immediately. She folded her hands again and stared at the man resolutely. She would not make the mistake of accepting an offer before knowing the full details. Not again. "The information my employer requires is on the tablet," the man said evasively.

Camilla didn't even blink to acknowledge his statement. "Who has the information?" she stubbornly pressed.

She was sure that the man was scowling now, even if she couldn't see it. Finally, he caved. "The Republic is in possession of the information my employer requires."

This time Camilla did visibly respond. Her eyes widened and her posture stiffened. Glancing at the man's clasp once again, she suddenly realized where it was from. She was sitting across from a Separatist.