Unrequited **04/01/03**

Ouch...I found this on page 26. Uuuup!

 

Yeah, this should be kept afloat. This way certain people won't bug me for the URL.

 

Page 25...really, if the story stopped, just say so.

 

Just because none of us are posting doesn't mean we don't expect you to, Herman.

 

Hey Hermiekins. How's the story? *bats eyelashes*

 

Sashays into thread and get's comfortable then realizes that there isn't a post.

 

Short post.

**********


Gurn Lawrek?s office was farther away than either Jaina or Malko thought it could be. After leaving Turq?s spartan office, they continued along the upwardly spiraling corridor. They eventually reached an area with a couple of small, transparisteel windows. For the first time since their descent through the atmosphere, Jaina and Malko caught a glimpse of what Vulcara looked like above ground. What they saw made them glad they were living underground.

The little bit of sunlight that made its way through the thick cloud layers only served to illuminate a savage storm. Though they could hear none of the storm?s fury, the intensity with which the clouds swirled made it clear that anyone or anything caught on the surface of Vulcara would be swept away and very likely crushed against the rocky outcroppings.

?We?re heading above ground?? Malko asked, gesturing to the windows.

?Oh no,? Turq assured them. ?What few administrative offices we have were built in a vertical fissure on the north face of an old impact crater. We?re at the bottom of that fissure right now.?

?That seems like quite an expense for an independent operation,? Jaina remarked. ?Though I suppose given what the stones are worth, that expense wasn?t too hard to cover.?

?I wouldn?t know, I work in customer relations, not accounting,? Turq said, smoothly squelching any further questions along that line. ?Please, we mustn?t delay. Mr. Lawrek is only in his offices for a few hours each day. If we miss him, you?ll have to wait until tomorrow.?

Malko and Jaina both looked once again at the storm outside before turning to follow after Turq. They soon reached the lifts and proceeded upward to the administrative offices.

 

Yeah, a postie!

 

Ah, you posted.

 

Nice post. That doesn't exactly sound like a hospitable climate...

 

Yay! A postie. However, that sadly, doesn't cut it! We need MORE! please? [face_puppy_eyes]

 

A Post A Post......TWO POSTS!!!!! Well since I missed the one before this one it's been two posts LOL!

Awesome job Herman....I can't wait to see how this one ends. I'm going to go back and read through the whole thing again Malko is such a great character. Good job!!


Chase

 

Does anybody remember this fic?


***************

?That didn?t take long,? Malko glibly observed after the echo of the slamming door faded. He and Jaina had managed to stay in Lawrek?s office for almost a minute before they?d been escorted all the way out of the administrative sector. Turq had been ordered to remain behind and neither of them had any doubt that he was at that moment receiving a stern warning from Lawrek against ever bringing miners to see him again.

Neither Jaina nor Malko said another word until they were safely back in their quarters, a trip that didn?t take long due to their excitement.

?You saw it too?? Jaina asked unnecessarily. The look on Malko?s face spoke of his excitement.

?The terminal was built into the second shelf behind his desk. The access port was directly beneath the terminal.?

?That?s it, Malko. It has to be. I can feel it,? Jaina exclaimed, excitement evident in her voice.

?Well then we?re halfway there,? Malko said, trying to calm himself down. ?Now all we have to do is break into Gurn Lawrek?s office, slice into the secondary system, sneak out without anyone noticing, and call in the fleet.?

?You make it sound so simple,? Jaina joked.

?Too bad it?s not,? Malko answered.

***

?No, we need more time to plan this,? Malko adamantly declared. ?We don?t even know where security cams are or where the guards are stationed when the offices are closed. In case you didn?t notice, those guards that marched us out of there weren?t carrying the same stun pistols that the Peacekeepers in the mining complex carry. Those blasters were military issue.?

?Malko, it?ll take days to learn the schedules and to scout the location of the security cameras,? Jaina protested. ?Don?t forget about the advantages of having a Jedi for a partner. I can sense when anyone gets close to us and there?s a fairly good chance I can make them walk right past us without even noticing we?re there.?

?What about the security cams??

?I didn?t notice any. Did you?? Jaina asked pointedly. ?I?d bet that any security monitors are recording what happens in and around the vault that stores the chameleon stones.?

?You?re betting an awful lot that there isn?t one in Lawrek?s office,? Malko warned. ?What if you?re wrong??

?What if I?m right, Malko,? Jaina countered. ?If there is a security camera in Lawrek?s office it?s well hidden. Neither of us noticed when we were in there. We could waste weeks planning around something that isn?t even there. How long do you want to leave those slaves trapped on Phaestus while we try to eliminate every imaginable risk??

?I don?t want to leave those poor souls trapped there any longer than you do,? Malko hotly shot back. Neither of them had ever forgotten that hundreds, perhaps thousands, or enslaved sentients unknowingly waited while they searched for the evidence that would put Lawrek in prison forever. ?I?m just trying to make sure that we get off this planet alive.?

?Look, Malko, I know we can do this,? Jaina said confidently. ?The risk won?t ever be any less than it is right now. There?s no reason for anybody to suspect that we?d try to slice into Lawreks personal computer system.?

?Okay, we?ll go tonight,? Malko relented. Even though he didn?t like it, Jaina did have some good points. He only hoped that his nagging doubts were wrong.

 

Whoa, I didn't think this story still existed.

Nice post Herman. Sounds like the fun is about to start.

 

Yes, it still exists.

Who knows, it may even end soon.

 

Does anybody remember this fic?

Shouldn't we be saying "We can't believe you remembered that you had a fic going?"

In any case, it is great to see a post on this. Methinks Jaina is going to regret her overconfidence. Don't go away so long this time.

 

Wow, Hermie posted.

Jaina's overconfidence has me worried.

 

Well there's two of my favorite ladies.

I could do without all the sass, though.

 

Sass is a favorite lady perk.

 

But we know you love it.

 

Loves the post Herman!! Can't wait to see what happens next!!!

More soon pwetty pwease!!

Chase

 

Hey, you DID update! Mariah told me you had, but I couldn't believe it 'til I saw for myself.

Somebody ought to tell Malko to trust his instincts.

 

OMG!!! I'd forgotten all about this story!

Hey, how could you leave us hanging like that, Herman?

Good post, BTW. I echo RM's comment about Jaina.

 

Thought I'd dig this out of the buried pile. Don't forget to finish.

 

Seriously... page 59? UP!