Star Wars OPEN Star Wars: Black Sheep (Always Accepting New Players)

IC: Ianna Mcear
Her quarters, Carrier Intrepid

Ianna didn't stick around, she heard Wystari parting words but, didn't want to stay. She felt ripped apart, torn asunder. Everyone could see it, she wasn't very good at hiding her emotions. Wore them on her sleeve. These people were her friends, Joy, Lou, they turned against her following orders even when they were horrible and wrong. Then there was Max and Zara, wanting to find another way but, not standing true to their ideals. It was hard to tell which hurt more. Being betrayed by her closest friends, or having her idea shot down by those she thought were aligned with her. It didn't matter it all hurt just the same. Even the support of Ethan and Meanie didn't seem to soothe her aching heart.

Once in her quarters she ditched her uniform changing into her Patriots' jersey and more comfortable pants. She sat on the bed and curled up as small as she could knees held close to her chest. Her short bed seemed to stretch out before her. Given her stout frame and curled position she was only take up the barest minimum of the space. She felt alone, at once surrounded by the metal walls closing in on her, and trapped in the endless expanse of her bed.

"What should I do?" she said to herself, that was the question. There was no consensus, her, Ethan and Meanie stood in the 'No Blood' camp, Lou, Joy and what was their name...Parvil, in the 'All Blood' group, and Max, Zara and what was her name...Amber? In the 'Half Blood' faction. The rest seemed undecided, and those that didn't come might be in the 'All Blood' but, she couldn't say for sure. Could a house divided three ways still stand, but, could she stomach going through with either plan that involved taking lives.

Should she stand by her ideals or her squadron. She had tried standing her ground, not giving an inch but, it was no use. It changed nothing. Tears stung her eyes as she rubbed them away on her knees. Was she just being childish, not accepting the realities of war? Did their actions not matter? Could they do what they wished and suffer no consequences? What about their hearts, their souls, what state would they be in after this?

A thought crossed her mind, a thought almost worse than the mission set out before her:

Warn the Imperials.

The mission couldn't go ahead if there was no wedding to crash. She so desperately wished it would be so simple, she knew she would just be leading her squadron into more of a trap. A another option presented itself, tell the Imps, then tell Wallings that she told the Imps. She would be tried for treason most likely executed but, the mission would be scrubbed, no one else would die.

And it would end this pain.

She shook her head no...she couldn't do that, she made a promise to come home...to return to her father. But would she be the same little girl he watched leave or would this mission change her, would the compromises that she was forced to make break her, turn her just as cold as Joy, or as bloodthirsty as Lou?

She wanted to hold on to her good nature but, could she, when her hands were steeped in ice cold blood?

She didn't know

She didn't know what to do

Just what she couldn't do and what she wouldn't do

That wasn't enough

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik Anyone that wishes to speak with Ianna on the Intrepid (Before the Black Sheep leave) or on the Valkyria (After the Black Sheep leave.)

 

IC: Ethan Malek
His quarters, Carrier Intrepid

After the meeting Ethan had returned to his quarters. Laying down on his sleepcouch he started to the ceiling above and thought back to the discussion. It seemed his suspicions were true and that most of the other squadron members were willing to go through with the mission, some were even full willing to accept civilian causalities. How naive he had been to expect something else, during his time in the ORSF and with the empire there had always been soldiers who had only cared about their mission, no matter the casualties. So why had he believed the rebellion would be different? In the end we are all just killers. Well as a mercenary he had at least been able to chose which contracts he would take. His years on Nar Shaddar had a good time and he had earned quite a few credits but in the end he had desired to be part of something larger than just a group of mercenaries. He had wanted to fight the empire, to make a difference and so he had joined the rebellion, because he had believed they were different.

And now they would send him on a suicide mission to kill unarmed people at a wedding. This wasn´t right, it was one thing to kill an enemy in battle but another to murder them in their own homes.

He couldn´t take part in this, he told himself. Ianna and that Devaronian they called meanie had also suggested avoiding the bloodshed but the others? Some like Amber at least wanted to make sure the civilians would be unharmed but many other seemed to be fully willing to go through with the mission.

Again he thought back to his idea to sabotage the ship but he knew such a damage could easily be fixed and it would lead to much. But were there other ways? He still had some of his old imperial codes , maybe if he hacked into the security systems of the villa he could activate a fire drill or something like that, hoping that the ensuring panic would disperse the attendees and prevent the rebels plan from happening. But this was risky as well, his codes might prove to be useless or the other could still chose to attack the imperials outside.

Shaking his head Ethan sat himself up again, his thoughts still running through his mind, hoping to find something that could help him out of this situation, something that would allow him to prevent the massacre.

Maybe he should talk to Ianna about it, they were on the same page in this regard.

Leaving his quarters Ethan went looking for his former wingmate, hoping that together they could come up with a plan.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik, @galactic-vagabond422

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari
Location: Valkyria - Intrepid Hangar

Wystari regarded Max and cupped his chin as he heard her request.

He then nodded and gave a smile. "Of course. We shall be taking a few waypoints to get to our destination. Its to throw off any scent back to our point of origin. That should give you a few openings for communications." He folded his arms in front of his chest. "Wouldn't mind finding out more about the Commander as well... Let me know if you need anything else regarding that."

TAG: Max, Amber, open

 

IC: Maxime "Max" Pallas
Lounge of the Valkyria, with the meeting breaking up

Max grinned in relief. She was anxious to get a message to her father, let him know she was alive, ask about Zara's traitor...and if anyone could dig up something on Wallings, she was pretty sure he could. "Thanks," she said. "I can't guarantee results, but it's worth a quick comm." She turned toward Amber. "You made some really good points today," she said. "Thanks for speaking up." She was going to have to rethink her opinion of Tehanis. Maybe the other woman wasn't as stuck up as she had appeared.

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider, @Adalia-Durron

 

IC: Zara Yaren
Two days ago...

So that was the plan, she realised, as Kayn went at it with his plane captain, conveniently near the crates of goodies they'd collected in their last raid. Funny how that worked out. Zara threw her cards down, like she was about to join in the ruckus, and threw a wink in Max's direction. Instead of stepping towards the fight, she sidestepped towards Max.

"Tell me you know what we're stealing," Zara asked, taking a quick look at the crates. A shield generator... she glanced back towards her A-wing, and the mechanic there. He'd probably be able to do something with that. "Never mind, I'm taking that," she indicated the generator, carefully trying to lift and slide it under the tarp with whatever else they'd been grabbing.

The commotion wasn't going to distract everyone, and she hoped Max had gotten the holocams offline or else they'd all be in trouble. Then again, they were the Black Sheep; what were they going to do, fire them? "Let's make this quick, what else?"

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Sarge @Corellian_Outrider

--------

IC: Zara Yaren
Present, Valkyria

As the others made their way out, Zara stayed put, leaning on the wall and trying to figure out what she was going to do. The others had such strong convictions, and while she wasn't a fan of blowing up a private event, she didn't have a fathier in this race. If their undercover roles hadn't been such a karking mess, would she have even argued? If they'd asked her to take them down individually, from a distance, would she have balked? Maybe the civilians, but Imperials she had no qualms about killing. The others could call it murder, but to her it was justice.

She'd been fifteen the first time she killed someone-- a stormtrooper, alone, who caught her off-guard when she was supposed to be playing lookout. One blaster bolt made contact, up close, and the smell of melted plastoid haunted her for weeks. They'd been sympathetic, she wasn't the only young one among them but they said everyone struggled the first time. None of them wanted to be fighting, but they had to-- the alternative was much worse.

Zara wanted to say something further to Ianna, the limmie kid, but any apology would be hollow; she had no intention of letting these Imps walk free. There was no comfort among the Black Sheep, in the rebellion, and she... missed it. In the weeks after her father's arrest, even though they didn't know her, that cell had taken her in, kept an eye on her, and later let her get revenge. They were a team, there was a level of trust that meant no one hesitated. They were a family. The Sheep were a disaster waiting to happen.

So what could she do to keep from dying on some waste of a mission? Dying for the rebellion was one thing, but like this? With people that didn't matter to her, on a mission was going wrong before it started, likely unarmed and stuck in a role that left her no way out?

That's not true. She was almost startled at the thought, looking mindlessly across the room where Wystari, Max, and Amber were gathered. These people did matter. They deserved better than this, even if she didn't. Max, certainly, smarter by half than just about anyone she'd met in the rebellion. Ianna, too, naive and hopeful. Wystari had been unexpectedly kind. Even Sergeant Buzzkill and Lieutenant Streak were, well. Annoying, certainly, but they were trying to do the right thing. The Wolf, Lou, Vet-- she didn't know them that well, and the new people. Did they matter more than the mission?

It was an uncomfortable question, and one she didn't want to dwell on; there was too much pain there. Without a word to those still on the Valkyria, Zara made her exit, her feet carrying her towards her A-wing unthinkingly. It was as good a spot as any to sit and let her thoughts bounce around until something made sense.

Before she made it, the Y-wings drew her eye. Maybe she wouldn't-- couldn't-- apologise to Ianna, but maybe she could lift the kid's spirits a bit. There was a superstition around Sabacc cards, using them to tell the future, and while Zara didn't believe in it, she'd been taught some of the meanings by some former squadmates. The kid probably didn't know this superstition, but maybe she'd recognise the attempt for what it was. She had some extra cards, between the two incomplete decks she'd assembled into one, and she fumbled the set out of her vest pocket to find the one she was looking for. It wasn't too hard to figure out which Y-wing was Ianna's, and she carefully avoided the gaze of any of the mechanics working nearby; she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she didn't want to get caught either. A quick hop up, and she placed the Universe card in the cockpit, easy to spot, and left before anyone could give her any trouble.

Sticking around the hangar, with all the eyes there, didn't feel like such a good idea anymore, but her head felt like it was on a lot straighter now. Maybe she couldn't fix her undercover role, but she could at least prepare for any opportunities. There was a rifle under her bed that needed some cleaning... and might need to find its way onto the Valkyria.

TAG: (indirectly) @Adalia-Durron @Mistress_Renata @Corellian_Outrider @galactic-vagabond422

OOC: From the wook if the link doesn't work "The Universe implied that the subject would have the opportunity to do everything he or she wanted to do."

 

(A combo post between myself and @Anedon thanks for collaborating with me on this.)

IC: Ianna Mcear Ethan Malek
Her quarters, Carrier Intrepid

Ianna remained hands wrapped around her legs knees pressed to her chest. She didn't know what to do, or how to deal with this pain. All the plans she thought of were worse than the last each involving a treasonous act that would surely get her killed. Should she just go through with the plan. Even though it was immoral and against everything she joined the rebellion to be, to do. She was trying to bring peace back to the galaxy, peace, justice and mercy things that were in short supply...even in the Rebels she was once so enamored with. Should she just leave? Take Serica and Pat and just leave this all behind, desert her post and go back home, head hung in shame.

It would leave her hands clean but, wouldn't stop the bloodshed, unless they assume she defected? Again more wishful thinking. There was nothing to do, she was all alone her only island of naivety, wanting to win the war without sacrificing her soul, and save lives without giving her own. Maybe she was just being selfish, maybe she should pull the trigger, tear apart the mission and give her own blood for her ideals…

Got up from her bed drawing up her courage, she was going to do it, message the nearest Imperial outpost then turn herself in. She took a few deep breaths wiping her eyes. Her feet didn't move, she stood there for a minute, unable to move, she couldn't shake the fact that she was the only daughter of her family, couldn't forget the promise she made to her father to come home.

Why...why was it so hard to do what was right? Why after so much talk of making the hard choices she couldn't make the one staring her in the face.

That's when a knock resounded through her quarters. Who was it, who could it be?

She finally walked forward carefully after a moment or two of deliberation she opened the door, seeing Ethan on the other side.

Her smile finally returned, that beaming smile of hope and light. He hadn't left her. Without thinking she drew him into a crushing hug pulling him past the threshold of her door.

"Vet...Thanks for standing up for me...I know it didn't do much but, it meant the world to me." She tightened her grip not wanting to let go.

Ethan returned Ianna´s hug for a moment, glad not to be alone in this moment, but with a friend. He felt how she tightened her grip as if she never wanted to let go of him anymore.

"Its okay," he said softer than usual. "You just said what was right and I agree with you. We cannot become murderers, not for this." He kept silent for a moment, still thinking about the meeting and what he could do. Then he left Ianna´s hug and stepped into her quarters, closing the door behind him.

Turning back to her said, "the problem is that most of our squadmates don´t agree with our ideals. Meanie seems to be on our side and maybe a few others who at least want to keep the civilians safe. But I fear several members of our squad are intend on executing their orders no matter what. I guess some hate the empire so much they don´t care who gets caught in the crossfire or consider everyone who is lives within the empire a collaborator."

Again he kept silent for a moment before he continued."Which means that if we want to prevent this massacre from happening we not only have to go against our orders but also some of our own squadmates. And that can lead us being branded as traitors and possibly even executed for desertion."

When he looked at Ianna he again realized how young she was and he felt worried over dragging her into this, but he knew she had made her choice as he had his.

"But I think," he concluded. "That we still should do whatever we can to prevent this massacre. Though if we want to be successful we need a plan."

The door closed behind them and the heavy discussion started. The weight of what they were talking about hung heavy in the too small room. It was nice to hear that he was with her, that they were in this insane endeavor together. She looked into his eyes and knew he was just as determined as her, they were going to stop this however they could. They both knew that it might lead to both their deaths but, save how many more, maybe even the lives and hearts of their comrades. It hurt to think that they were going to have to work against them. But it was what had to be done.

"Right...a plan." she took a step away coming to sit on the edge of her bed, brow furrowed in thought. She thought back to the meeting, she didn't want to but, maybe there was something there, something other than the abhorrent plans decided on. There was a slight welling of anger in her thinking of how cold and callous the new pilot, Parvil, was. How could he justify a crime of this magnitude. There was something, a throw away line from Zara, raising an alarm, giving the Imps a chance to escape.

"Maybe if we raise an alarm...like a fire alarm...you're wait staff right?" she asked something like a plan coming together, "You could start a fire in the kitchen. I...I might be able to start one out in the main room or something…" the thought of someone else they might be able to bring into this, "We might be able to the Devil looking guy...Meanie in on this...He's…"she swallowed hard, stomach feeling just a little queasy saying this, "Entertainment. If he starts something, like another fire or just calls out what is happening it might help get the panic going? I know it's not much but, it seems the others are willing to go through with the mission. I don't know if we'll be able to stop it before it starts…" she looked down fidgeting with her fingers."Unless you got some Imperial contacts...someone we can warn about this…" Her voice was quiet just above a whisper. "I'll turn myself in...I'll take the blame but...if it stops this mission…"

For the first time, her voice was deadly serious, she was prepared to give her life to stop this. She didn't want to, it was the last thing on her list but, she was fast running out of options. Hopefully Ethan had a better idea.

"I mean...if you don't have something better."

Ethan thought about Ianna´s words, espeically the latter part for a while. He still knew a few people in the empire, people he had once called his friends and who he still remembered fondly. He hadn´t talked to any of them in years but with his codes he might be still able to contact them.

"It's true, I might still have a few contacts in the empire. The last time I heard of him my old captain still serves in the imperial navy. He is a good man, and I know him since my days as a recruit on Eriadu, he understood my concerns about the empire and even helped me defect, but his honor as an officer prevented him from deserting. I think I might be able to contact him but... I don´t know what he would do, if he even could do something, or how he would react if he would hear that I´m part of the rebellion now, its been years since I saw him."

He kept silent for a moment. "But it would be treason, not just disobedience. Outright treason, against the rebellion and against our squad." For a moment he remembered the lessons of his childhood, in the harsh society of Eriadu traitors and turncoats were considered the worst kind of people. It was one thing Ethan knew to disobey an order, especially a suicidal or honorless one but betraying the own allies? Shooting those in the back who put their trust inside him. How could he live with himself after that.

"No I think contacting the empire is an option we should only consider if there is no other way." Again he stopped talking for a moment, then he said. "I think your idea with a fire isn´t bad, though I´m not the only one in the service staff so other members of the squad might try to stop me and there are also this callous Parvil and the unstable Quin running around. If we want to prevent a fight we need to have an eye on these two. Maybe we should try to talk to some of the others again like Max or Amber, but alone this time, maybe we can at least convince them to give our plan a shot."

Ianna looked at her socked feet, she had slipped her shoes off during Ethan's talk. He seemed to agree that betraying their own was an option but, a final one, the one they would turn to if nothing else was going to work. She took some joy in hearing that he liked her plan but, it had it flaws, namely that they might need more than just themselves to pull it off. That those that were willing to go through with the plan might try and stop them. She turned her head at what he said about Quin the other new pilot. She didn't seem too unbalanced, just energetic, unless Ethan knew or sensed something Ianna didn't.

Her feet began to swing back and forth thinking about what he said, going to the others even after they had shot them down, so adamantly so thoroughly.

"Do you think they'll change their minds? They seemed pretty set in their ways. If bearing my heart to them didn't work what will?"

"They are," Ethan admitted and his voice showed that he wasn´t certain of his suggestion either. "But maybe, if we just suggest giving it a try, just a try? Maybe they would be at least open to entertain the possibility. Also maybe we could try to argue that their plan of only taking out the in their eyes guilty people, would be very hard to pull of without mistakes, mistakes that could endanger the innocents. Not to mention civilians getting caught in a crossfire once the fighting starts. Also having the mission fail early would have the advantage of us having a greater chance of survival as we can leave with the imperials, hopefully without blowing our cover."

Stopping for a moment Ethan leaned against the steel door of Ianna´s quarters. The plan sounded reasonable to him but he also knew that most of the other squadmates would probably see it differently. Many of them hated the empire and would hardly be persuaded to actively spare imperial lives. For a brief moment he asked himself if they even knew that the vast majority of imperial personnel wasn´t so different from them, just soldiers who followed their orders and fought for what they believed was right.

"Maybe we manage to have them at least doubt the mission. Maybe once they are looking their would be victims in the eyes these doubts will make them change their minds. It's one thing to kill a Stormtrooper wearing a helmet or shooting down a spaceship, were you don´t really see your enemy. But seeing them as humans, in a non combat situation, maybe they will give some of our squadmates pause."

Again she looked down mulling over the options. Pleading with them to just give their plan a try? Though she was endlessly optimistic, even she doubted one could just 'try' their little Operation: Kitchen Fire. It seemed like a do or do not situation. They also seemed very certain that they could tell the bad guys from the good. However appealing to their lives might work. They already didn't trust command to have their interests at heart. That they were sending them in blind. Which they were. The others might like to keep living, and this plan had a good chance of doing that, didn't even need to try and smuggle in explosives, just a lighter or two. Those might get past security.

She had her doubts about them hesitating, Lou and Joy seemed dead set, as will as Parvil they would go through it looking into their target's eyes, she worried some of them might actually enjoy it. On the other hand, she couldn't see the future, she couldn't say one way or the other what her comrades would do. When staring into the uncovered face of their enemy.

She knew she wouldn't do it, she had made her stand she wouldn't budge but, it was nice to have someone that was with her.

That still left the question of what to do...If they tell others, they might try and stop it, or they could join it and make it a success. That was the mystery, would they aid or would they hinder. There was no, 'wouldn't hurt to ask' here, it could hurt, the worst thing they could do was frustrate her and Ethan's plans and then blood would be shed. Blood she didn't want to stain the ground.

"You sure we can't do this without them? If we tell them and they say no, they could be a problem could try and stop us."

"I don´t know," Ethan admitted. "But just without them, when it's just the two of us, what options do we have? I fear any attempt at our plan would be quickly discovered and easily foiled by the rest of the squad as neither of us will be alone there. And should they indeed decide to stop us, maybe this will create a diversion and lead the plans failure after all."

He stopped the fingers of his right hand tapping against the cold metal of the quarters' door. He knew that their chances of success were low, if nonexistent: The other members of the squad, the panic they planned to instigate, the number of explosives everyone would be carrying, it seemed impossible to him that this mission wouldn't end in a fight. Again he thought about sabotaging the Otho Gunga, maybe he could destroy the entire reactor, but that would probably blow up the ship as well and even if not, without the reactor the life conservation systems would stop working. Or should they truly do the unthinkable and warn the empire? But would that prevent a fight? The empire would set up a trap for the rebels and it would still lead to bloodshed.

"I don´t know what we should do Ianna," he said weakly. In that moment he felt the pressure of three decades of war on his shoulders. He felt old, older than he actually was, and tired. Tired of the fighting and dying he now had experienced for so long.

She could feel the hopelessness pushing itself in at the edges of her mind. Everything was stacked against them. The Imperials, their commanders, their own squadron, it was just her and Ethan alone clutching to whatever they could to keep above water. Her feet touched the floor the cold steel sending a shiver up her spine. Everyone knew this wasn't right they just were burying it, hiding behind their orders, hiding behind 'what had to be done' but, her wingmate was right they couldn't do this alone. There was every possibility that if the others didn't know they would still try to stop it. Would advance warning really do that much more harm? Like he said, it might provide a distraction, might give them a chance.

That was what this whole planning meeting was about, giving them a chance, however small she had to hope that their actions could stop this mindless bloodshed. They had to try, there was no backing down, not after what she said, she would try...try to walk this tightrope between saving her comrade's souls and saving her own life.

"We'll talk to them, alone, If you can talk to Amber...I think I saw you talking to her earlier. I'll try and talk to Max...We can't just sit here and do nothing...and I don't think we're ready to cross...That line just yet." She looked up her face showing her meaning, betraying their squadron was still on the table, they would see once they got to the other ship...whether or not they pulled the trigger on that. "Maybe now that heads have cooled a little, they might be a little more open to talk."

With that the pair separated, Ethan leaving first while Ianna got changed back into her uniform, opting to leave her jersey behind. They both set out to find and talk to their squadmates, hoping for a peaceful resolution.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Mistress_Renata @Adalia-Durron

 

IC: Sage Parvil
Mess Decks, Rebel Carrier Intrepid

'The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end,' Sage read from another political text as they sat on the mess decks picking ideally at a leafy arraignment some time after the meeting on the Valkyria. They had met a few idealist in their time with the Alliance, but the display of naivety today was incredulous. Was it naivety, or was it just cowardliness? they wondered to themselves. Did all the self-righteous pontificating in that room really come down to the fact that these beings just couldn't stand to look into the eyes of the ones they were going to kill? was the only way they could fight a war was distant and impersonal? Behind mask and shields and cockpits?

​

Sage continued to read from their holoviewer. They found solace in reading the political treatises of those who had gone before in the name of freedom and equality, who seemed to to grasp a greater understanding of political struggle in the context of the galaxy at large.

In the Rebellion, Sage was disappointed often to find many idealist fighting for a vague notion of 'freedom' or 'democracy' without understanding what those words really meant; and what a revolutionary struggle truly entailed.

Before they took a post on the Corvette Sheldrake, Sage had seen a fair share of fighting on Lothal. The resistance there against the Empire had been long and dirty, and while the actions of groups like the Specters had become lauded tales of heroism in Rebel circles, the day to day fight on the planet had been cruel and ugly. Sage had once seen a couple of youths, barely teens, attack two Imperial officers with no more than broken farming implements in a suicidal gesture. Of course both were cut down in short order, and only one of the two officers succumbed to his wounds, but that was how the beings of that planet fought back. Explosives planted on the hover-ways, or concealed in a garbage pile, waiting to be triggered when a patrol or a hovertank passed. Blaster fights in crowded markets, a drunken Imperial caught alone wandering out of a bar after dark, hacked apart and left as a warning come morning.

That was the real war. The war in space felt...detached. Death wasn't slow and drawn out. If it was someone else, it was just a flash in the viewscreen; if it was your own, it was over in moments....or so they said. Space made the war seem too much like a simulation with consequences. Perhaps, Sage thought, that is what has made some of these pilot's sensibilities so delicate.

Of course, Sage also was no stranger to killing. They had to remind themselves that they were, in fact, a murderer; a criminal with a long history of violence. They had stabbed more than one fellow Wolatarian (non-fatally, but still) over minor beef; they had fired shots in anger when they were still what most of the galaxy would consider a child. Lybi, their homeworld, was an unforgiving rock where there was no luxury of fragility. With a harsh vacuum just outside the walls, and scarce resources within, they had learned early that kindness was a weakness that would be exploited. You had your Ka'coo, you had your Juna, and everyone else was either a means to an end, or an adversary.

Sage absentmindedly reached for their plate and found nothing. Breaking their concentration from the reader, they gazed at the empty platter and sighed. It was a vice of theirs only to eat unwilted greens and they had meticulously plucked through the serving bar for the one's that satisfied their standard. They were still hungry, but knew there was nothing left before the next meal hour and that was four hours from now. Tucking their holoreader back into their vest, they made their way over to the dish receptacle to deposit their tray and plate and then made their way towards the pilot lounge.​

Tag: Anyone who want to talk with the caterpillar.

Wolatarian Language Glossary
Ka’coo (kah-coo) lit. ‘small community’ - A family unit comprised of two or more adults and at least one child.
Juna (hoon-ah) informal - A street gang; a posse

 

IC: Maxime "Max" Pallas
Pilots' Lounge of the Intrepid, two days ago...

Max collapsed into a low chair with a very stiff drink of what purported to be Corellian whiskey. It wasn't, it was foul, but at this point, she didn't care. It was done. The gear Kayn wanted was on the load lifter, and she wasn't entirely sure where it had ended up. Digger had assured her that he had tweaked the holocams to zoom in on the fight and that the rather felonious activity hadn't been seen. She assumed that Kayn and his plane chief were in the brig; Tyr had given the two a thorough dressing down while Skipper had genially tried to intervene. Max was beginning to think he'd come to the Rebellion from the Diplomatic Corps, she didn't know anyone that good at pouring oil on raging waters.

Zara dropped into a chair next to her, and Max exchanged a long look with her wingmate. "I don't care what loosa-brained scheme he comes up with next," she said. "Never again. Jamais, jamais." Zara snorted with mirth and raised her glass, and they sat in companionable silence, pondering the vagaries of B-flight.

TAG: Anyone

 

GM UPDATE​

​

IC: Major Beskaryc "Iron Hand" Taab
Aboard the Valkyria, en route to the Otoh Gunga, Chommell sector

Two hours had passed between the time Black Sheep had received their orders for Operation: Wedding Crasher and their departure from the Intrepid. Two hours that could have been used to prepare for the assignment, familiarize themselves with the explosive charges to be used, flesh out their cover stories, even gather material from the luxury items captured to complete their disguises. The Black Sheep though, much to Taab and Commander Flagg's chagrin, had done little of that. They had instead spent the time mostly off on their own, away from command, no doubt putting together their own plans for the mission. Their flexability was one of the reasons they'd been chosen for this mission, but to Taab's mind it was now going to bite them in the shebs as they couldn't all seem to get moving together with the same purpose in mind.

The cool reception to the mission parameters hadn't gone unnoticed by Taab or Flagg, the questions from Pallas to Wallings were proof enough of that, as was Zara's emotional outburst as she'd left the ready room in a huff. The Black Sheep were not happy. Privately Taab wanted to resort to immediate executions, publicly and painfully rid themselves of one and the others would fall into line, but he knew better to relay that idea to the Boss (Flagg). The Rebel Alliance was generally opposed to such brutality among it's own ranks, which of course made this mission all the more surprising from them. This was more something that Saw Gerrera's old cell might contemplate, not the Rebel Alliance as a whole. The Alliance must be getting desperate Taab thought, and he had to admit to himself that even he had reservations about it. This just didn't seem honorable, the added order from Walliings given to him in private after the others had left even less so, but in the end he didn't much care. Dead Imperials were dead Imperials, where they were when they got that way made little difference to him now after the death of his son.

They were well on their way to their first layover now, the Otoh Gunga, where they would be picking up the cargo they needed to pass through the blockade. Along the way the ship had made several micro jumps, even backtracked once, to ensure they weren't being traced. Taab understood the necessity, though he thought Skipper was over doing it. Clearly the added jumps weren't just about keeping their six clear, Taab thought, and were probably more about Nombuun earning Skipper's trust as a pilot. The Sullustan would be at the controls of Skipper's ship for the extraction, and Taab himself knew how hard it was for any smuggler to trust turning over his or her ship to anyone else, friend or not.

Taab at least had tried to spend the transit time aboard the Valkyria to good use, showing the Black Sheep in small groups of twos and threes how to operate the thermal detonators they had brought along from the Intrepid's stores. It was as much to keep his mind off the similarities between Skipper's vessel and the Crusader, and the inevitable link to Atin, as it was train up those squadron mates who needed the refresher course, though it seemed to serve the latter purpose better than the former.

"Very simple device," he would say placing the hemispherical device down on the dejarik table that Flagg had been eyeing the entire trip. "There is a push switch here on the top." He pointed to the switch on the rounded side of the device. "All the way up like now is deactivated and safe, I could throw this down a reactor shaft or shoot it with a blaster and it wouldn't go off." He had never actually tried either of those things with a "safed" detonator, but it was the sort of thing he remembered telling clone troopers back on Kamino, just as he'd been told by his own trainers back when he was eight. "One click down on the switch activates these for remote detonation," he showed them simulating pressing the switch down with his thumb without actually moving it. "That's the way we'll be using them, so that's as far as you need to move the switch." The Mandalorian had of course been tasked with actually triggering the remote detonation from a safe space outside the villa. That was if he and the marines Wystari had managed to get assigned to the op weren't called upon first. He nodded to Lieuntentant Diamé who sat in on each of his demonstrations. At Skipper's request she and two of her marines had been tasked to help provide overwatch of the mission with him by Wallings, though the commander herself hadn't seemed pleased with the idea. Taab was grateful for the help though, Diamé and her fellow marines seemed to know their stuff, for aruetiise (foreigners) anyway.

"Now, push the switch all the way down and that activates the detonator's internal fuse." He said, getting back to the briefing. "So long as you're holding it, the explosive won't go off, but release your thumb with it there and you're looking at a three to five second delay before it detonation." That wasn't supposed to be an issue with this mission, but if the Black Sheep did get into some sort of trouble, having a few grenades might be the difference between life and death for them. "Moving the switch back from either 'firing' position to the original spot all the way at the top will safe the weapon, deactivating it." He showed them again the weapon on safe.

"On the opposite side of the device," he flipped it over showing them the flat side, "is a microgravitic adhesive device." He laughed to himself at the bureaucratic nomenclature. "Think of it like a mini reverse replusor, it makes the bomb stick to whatever you want it to." He demonstrated, sticking the bomb to the side of the dejarik table. "Press here," he showed them a button on the side, "to turn the MGAD on and off for placing or removing your explosives." He pressed it again and the detonator fell away from the side of the table and into Taab's hand.

"These have a Baradium core as an explosive agent, so expect a blast radius of about 20 meters give or take." He made sure each was meeting his eyes through his T-visor as he said that. "When they go off, you want to well away from them." He chuckled. "Your best bet for maximum casualties is to place your detonators on support structures within the villa, hidden of course, and let Boss (Flagg) know when you've placed them all." Taab would nod at that point and add. "Once you're clear, he will give me the signal to detonate, it will be the only comm signal allowed during this operation, otherwise we're on blacked out radio silence." Taab shrugged. "I'll detonate the bombs and the whole villa will come crashing down on the Imperials heads. By the time they're done sifting through the rubble, we'll be on a beach earn..." Taab stopped, that was a different job, from a long, long time ago. He shook his head, clearing away the memory. "We'll be back on the Intrepid."



Several hours later

IC: Ma'ersk Duy'leh (NPC)
Docking bay, Otoh Gunga, Chommell sector

Cradling a briefcase in his arms, the Bothan watched as the old freighter settled down on it landing struts. The craft was dwarfed by the cavernous landing bays of the re-purposed LucreHulk, the Otoh Gunga, and looked much like a typical CEC product, though the Bothan knew it would have been modified to suit it's owner's personal tastes. In this case that owner was one Captain Cassell Wystari, Lieutenant of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and member of the newly formed Black Sheep squadron. Skipper, as he was told the human liked to be called, would be appearing at the boarding ramp soon enough, and when he did the Bothan would go to meet him. The Bothan snorted, he hated these rush jobs, especially when they involved dealing with amateurs like the Black Sheep. But Wallings had been insistent, they were supremely adaptable, an ability vital to ensuring this mission's success she'd said, and command had long ago learned to listen to the wily human woman. He had his doubts as he saw the first of them appear at the lower edge of the freighter's boarding ramp. Doubts made worse by his potential exposure here being forced to approach the group, though he'd been informed that the Empire currently had no agents tasked to the old station. They were all too busy on Naboo itself at the moment.

"Welcome to the Otoh Gunga," he announced as soon as some of the crew had come down the boarding ramp. "I'm Frogfoot," Duy'leh grimaced internally. He hated that code name, and he wondered what idiot over in Alliance Intelligence had been tasked with coming up with these. At least he wasn't assigned to Dac, that poor sap was being called Fishbed. Though right now he wasn't sure which was worse. Still it beat using his real name while on clandestine assignment. "I'm your contact here on the station." His voice was a whisper, barely audible to the Black Sheep, and surely unable to be overheard by anyone else in the hanger bay. "I've secured the cargo you need, but it's down the bay a ways and will take some time for the yard workers here to prep for transport." He shrugged, the workers here tended to be those that couldn't find work anywhere else in the sector, at least not legitimately, so they had their foibles. Those weaknesses though could be exploited.

"The..." he paused for a moment as he considered his wording carefully. "Devices," he finally settled upon, unknowingly using the same term Taab had used earlier, "to be used by the kitchen and wait staff will be smuggled in with that cargo anyway, so it's a necessary delay." He didn't mention the small bribe he'd be forced to pay to the yard foreman and several of the loaders, but he didn't expect these neophytes to understand what was required on a mission of this kind anyway. "Flanker, another agent already on Naboo," The Bothan likewise didn't tell them that Flanker wasn't normally stationed there, but had arrived with the wedding party, "will make sure they get through to the villa without being scanned." They began walking down away from the Valkyria, though the Mandalorian and a security force of three dressed down marines stayed behind to guard the ship.

"Flanker has also provided me with some details to pass on to you," he paused as a pair of Duros walked by, giving the group a curious look before continuing on their way towards their own ship. "Security will be tight, there is a cohort of Stromtroopers assigned to protect the villa, with the remainder of their Legion on standby." He let that sink in for a moment, that meant hundreds of stormtroopers would be on the villa grounds protecting the guests, with thousands more at the ready should an alarm be raised. "However, you're in luck. While there will be a large troop presence, the guests aren't the kind of folks that appreciate being scanned," he winked to them and bared his fangs in a silent laugh. "Flanker has assured me that there will be no scanning queues prior to entry, though the troops will be vigilantly scanning everyone's invitation, but so long as those come back as valid, you should be able to waltz right in." He hefted the sealed briefcase. "This contains forged invitations that will register as valid, so the rest of you will be able to carry your..." again he paused for a moment. "Devices, on your person from the moment you arrive to the villa." He looked at the wormlike creature tasked to portray the owner of the entertainment. "All except for you and your...entourage. You will most certainly be scanned" He indicated Zero and Mean Streak along with Parvil. "So you three will have to figure out an alternate method of secreting in your devices if you are to prove as anything more than a distraction." He shrugged, he wasn't a part of the mission planning, just the messenger.

"Now, that brings us to an issue I can help you with, getting you all the proper attire." He looked at the bedraggled group of pilots. They were clearly not up for this, but orders were orders. "I have a small amount of credits for you to use here on the station to get what you need. I have already procured uniforms for you that will be needing them, Imperial as well as wait staff uniforms. But guests and the...entertainment, will have to come up with something on the fly." He walked them towards the promenade deck, catching sight of Bolo Lappie, the Gungan baron administrator of the Otoh Gunga. "Watch yourselves with him," he indicated the wealthy Gungan. "He is no friend to the Empire, but likewise he is no friend to our cause either. At least as far as I can tell." The Bothan didn't go into it any further, the knife's edge that Lappie had to balance upon to maintain his station's overall neutrality under the Empire's nose. "My own sources say that he too has garnered an invitation to the Redd Wedding, so if you do interact with him, disguises might be in order beyond just uniforms and ball gowns to avoid being recognized at the reception." The one called Boss, Commander Flagg, nodded his head curtly in understanding and then quietly issued orders to the squadron.

"Well all right then." he looked at the group dividing them up. "Gray, Durham, and Sunwalker. You're with me." He looked to Frogfoot. "Bring us someplace private where we can check out these uniforms you've got for us." The Bothan nodded once in acknowledgement as Flagg further divided the group. "Wystari," he looked to the senior officer who would be portraying citizens at the wedding. "Take Tehanis, Mcear, Panno and..." he gave a cautious look to their new Zeltron squadmate. "...Quinn," she winked at him. "And find something appropriate for you all to wear to the reception. If possible find something for the 'entertaiinment'" his words dripped with contempt, "to wear as well." The Bothan handed over the credits to Wystari, "It's not much, but with some creativity you should be able to manage," he apologized.

"Pallas, Lurell, Malek and Nombuun, I want you four looking into anything else we can use to add to our disguises to avoid being recognized by either security or anyone else we might run into." He gave a cautious glance to where the Gungan, Lappie, was standing watching over the goings on in his station. If he was also going to be at the party, Flagg didn't want him betraying their presence, and who knew who else on the station may be attending?

"Balzroth, Yaren and Parvil" he looked at the last three, the ones tasked to the most sordid part of the mission. "You three need to figure out how you're going to smuggle in your explosives and what you're going to do for your own costumes if we can't afford anything for you." He glanced around cautiously. "Find a quiet spot and figure something out." He took a step back, looking to them all. "OK, you all know what to do, so let's get to it."

TAG: @Vehn @galactic-vagabond422 @Anedon @TheAdmiral @Sarge @Sarge221 @Rebecca_Daniels @Mistress_Renata @Corellian_Outrider @Adalia-Durron @Mitth_Fisto @MasterFlowda @GenOochy @BobaMatt

OOC: OK, let's wrap it up with the "flashback" posts and get everyone back into the same time frame. We can always use our "secondary" deck crew characters to complete the "parts heist" if need be in the present time while our main characters are on the Otoh Gunga. I also know I moved our characters ahead here rather quite a bit, even as they still have grave concerns about the mission. I wanted to make sure we got to the Otoh Gunga though as I've kept BobaMatt waiting for long enough (by the way, welcome to the game BobaMatt).

And of course, the rundown: All of our characters (aside from Taab and the marines) are on the promenade deck of the Otoh Gunga. I am thinking something along the lines of the promenade on DS9 for those of you familiar with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Feel free to flesh out the scenery and other denizens as needed in your posts though.

• Taab and the three marines have been left behind to guard the Valkyria.
• Commander Flagg, Lieutenant Gray, Flight Officer Durham and Sergeant Sunwalker are headed off with Frogfoot to check out the Imperial uniforms they will be wearing. Feel free to move our characters to some secluded place (private quarters reserved by Frogfoot perhaps, but if you want to go with something better/more fun have at it) in your posts.
• Lieutenant Wystari, Flight Officer Tehanis, Flight Officer Mcear, Flight Officer Panno and (NPC) Flight Officer Quinn are tasked with securing suitable costumes for their roles. Assume the budget is tight, but I didn't want to get too specific for you to allow you some flexibility in your posts. Feel free to control Quinn as an NPC in your posts, her character is pretty easy to figure out.
• Flight Officer Maxime Pallas, Flight Officer Akiva Lurell, Sergeant Ethan Malek along with the (NPC) Flight Officer Nib Nombuun tasked to find other items to help disguise the Black Sheep in terms of facial features, hair/fur color and the like. Note you all didn't receive any credits from the Bothan, so it's all going to have to be things you can either cobble together from items already in Black Sheep possession, or stuff you can steal/scrounge up from alternate sources.
• Lieutenant Balzroth, Flight Officer Yaren and CWO Parvil, you three need to discuss and find a viable way to smuggle your explosives past the Imperial security as well as figure out for yourselves what sort of costumes they're going to use.
• Bolo Lappie, going over his normal daily routine (whatever that might be, feel free to fill in the blanks) on his station. I'm sure you'll find a way to interact/interfere with what some of the Black Sheep are doing.

I think that's everyone, but if I missed someone let me know and I'll direct you where you need to be. Any questions feel free to PM me or ask in the fanclub. I know I left this a little open ended while also pushing our characters along so feel free to get creative, just don't ruin the mission for us all yet.

 

IC: Kayn "The Con" Balzroth , PO3 Lughdyt
Doing Hard Time: Last of the Red Hot Flashbacks

Kayn and Lughdyt were abruptly yanked apart and brutally hoisted upright from the hangar deck. They stared into a massive scaly face that surmounted a towering security personnel uniform. Neither of them had ever been so near a Trandoshan before.

"BREAK IT UP!!!" Neither of them had ever been exposed to a gust of Trandoshan breath, either. Their eyes watered. "You two are coming to brig now." The reptilian security specialist strode toward the exit, apparently unencumbered by the two people he was carrying.

That wasn't part of the plan. Gotta think of something, and it's gotta be quick! Kayn grinned at Lughdyt and muttered not quite softly enough, "That's some good timing. If we're in the brig, we don't even have to help clean up the mess."

The Trandoshan stopped so abruptly Lughdyt's head rocked and he wondered if he could sue for whiplash. A moment later Ugnaught and Devaronian were in freefall, until it was rudely interrupted by the arrival of the deck. "Clean up your mess now!" ordered the reptilian. "You think you getting away with causing trouble and not fixing it? Not on my watch!"

They scrabbled around on the deck, picking up spilled lunches, dropped sabacc cards, and loose cargo manifests. Kayn looked at the manifest in his hand and compared its listing with his neural databanks files which were tracking the crates. This manifest belonged to the crate in front of him. He glanced over and made eye contact with Lughdyt, who was picking up another manifest.

"Wait, these are mixed up, Lughdyt, this one goes there-" "-and that one goes here."

They swapped the paperwork and reattached it to the crates. A few randomly scattered spare parts were stowed in a random roll-around toolbox that just happened to have been randomly parked nearby. After a few more minutes with mops and rags, the Trandoshan seized them both and resumed the journey to the brig.

The cell was standard issue Imperial solitary confinement, bare metallic bulkheads and deck, a hard bench, and a faintly odorous hole in the corner for personal waste. Well, I'm overdue for a good long nap anyway. They'll let me out as soon as it's time for the next mission brief. He laid down, closed his eyes, and was out in a minute.

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Rebecca_Daniels @Corellian_Outrider and all the hangar apes and knuckle-dragging wrench benders

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari
Location: Intrepid - Hangar - Valkyria
Two days prior

Continuation of Captain’s log:

‘...certainly a strange and dramatic way to end the afternoon if there ever was one. A simple game of cards between mates that broke out into a brawl between Kayn and his mechanic. To witness a tall Devaronian face off against a pint-sized Ugnaught was almost… absurd… for lack of a finer word to describe it.

I suppose that was the intention behind the display. Zara and Max had taken the opportunity to excuse themselves…. Not that they needed to, as the circumstances was understandable. I made myself useful and kept between them and the brawl. Safety first and foremost!

It was only the gentleman thing to do to resolve the matter with words, appease their good nature but that was of no avail and fell on deaf ears. And so, my words went unheeded as their battle raged on….

…with all the things that was tossed about, I had to make sure Zara and Max were alright. I suppose they were since they were nowhere to be found. Just their droid, the frightened poor thing, left there struggling with their belongings.

I, of course, did the courteous thing and assisted said droid… by calling my own to lend a hand. They have their own way with words which can be a bit of a handful for an ‘organic’ to navigate and mine is not much of an interpreter but we got their things safely stored to be collected later.

As to how the duel between Kayn and his mechanic ended…'​

TAG: Open

 

IC Amber/Ethan(Combo with @Adalia-Durron)
On Board Intrepid

Having left the Valkyria, Amber wanted to think. Space and time to consider the options, to think about the moves she was making to change her life and the people she was going to start that new life around. It took her sometime to find it, but she knew all ships had one, so when she pushed open the door and found the 'Observation Lounge' empty she was relieved. Closing the door she stood and marveled at the view through the four large transparasteel viewing ports. All seemed so quiet, so serine. Around under the view ports were bench seats in a soft worn looking blue fabric so making her way over to the furthermost on the right. Sitting down, she sat down with her back up against the bulk head and pulling her bent knees up, wrapping her arms around them. Leaning her head back she gazed at the distant stars, suns, planets and other array of things out there that only served to remind her of how small their Rebellion really was.

Quietly Ethan opened the door to the observation and closed it behind him. He hadn't found Amber in her quarters but some of the other squad members had told him they had seen her walking in the direction of the observation lounge. For a moment he marveled at the sight behind the transparitsteel. Even after all these years the sight of the stars still made him realize how insignificant his own life, and even the rebellion were in comparison to the agelessness of the universe. Then his gaze met Amber who sat bench furthest to the right. Quietly he made his way towards her, he didn't want to disturb her but he knew that they needed to talk.

"It makes one realize how insignificant we are doesn't it?" he said, slowly after a few moments of silence. "I've now been traveling the galaxy for over thirty years but there are still millions of worlds out there that I haven´t seen. Millions, that even if I would spent the rest of my life traveling would never be able to see."

"Perspective, that's what it gives me." she said moving slightly. She'd not even heard him come in as she'd been so deep in thought and jumped slightly when he spoke, her defenses up immediately, but relaxed a split second later. "Makes me wonder what we are doing, what we are fighting for." she shrugged going on to clarify her thoughts. " I mean, stars are born, solar systems formed, stars die, novas are made, clusters and black holes and they take millions of years to do all that. Does what we do even matter? And when we're gone will the History records say 'Heroes of the Rebellion and shining lights of freedom?' or will they say 'Terrorists, Murderers and Assassins of the Rebellion?' I don't like the sound of the second option."

"Neither do I. I'm asking myself if we are truly fighting for a good thing here, or if our leadership is as ruthless as that of the empire, if we just fight to replace one oppressor with another. Is it freedom that motivates them? Power? Vengeance against the empire?" He sat down next to Amber and for a moment stared into the star-field outside as if the answer was hiding somewhere out there. "When we go to this wedding, when we murder these people in their own homes, will it be part of a noble crusade for freedom or just blatant murder? Where is the honor and heroism in this kind of slaughter? I feel that our superiors expect us to die down there and after our deaths they will call us extremists, murderers, no true members of their rebellion. Sacrificing us to keep their own hands clean."

As he sat down Amber instinctively moved away slightly, her fear of men in general ran deep and despite the fact her reasons had been proven wrong more often than not, she was still cautious.

"I've been wondering where the line is? We draw it between Officers and others, but in reality, they aren't on duty here. They're at a celebration." She paused. "At first I was all for taking down anything Imperial. When my mother died in Rebel crossfire, I blamed the Empire........when they executed my father in public, well hatred was all I felt for them." She stopped swallowing hard to push down the emotions that threatened to burst forward. Her voice lowered, become almost vulnerable. "That and my husband have given me more reason in the galaxy to hate the Empire," she glanced at him briefly, "and men in general." She looked down. "But here I am actually feeling sorry for those I have been ordered to kill." She let that sit for a moment before turning to him, "Do you think the men who executed Dad felt guilt at all?"

For a moment Ethan said nothing taken aback by Amber's words. He had noticed the pain his wingmate carried with her, but he hadn't expected she would open herself like that. Ethan knew he couldn't say if the Imperials who had executed her father had felt guilty about it or not. He couldn't give her an answer that would heal her pain.

"I don´t know," he said, finally, in a softer tone than usual. "When I was a young man, during my early days in the Outland regions security force, the space near Eriadu was plagued by a pirate group Q'anah´s Marauders. They were ruthless and brutal, showing no mercy against civilians or law enforcers alike. At some point they became so problematic for the trade that the ORSF was tasked with hunting them down, so we sat up a trap and managed to capture most of them including their leader. But instead of bringing them back to Eriadu to be judged our commander, ordered us to lock them into a cargo container and set it towards the systems sun. They were cooked alive by the heat and our commander ordered us to broadcast their screams through the sector as a warning for other pirates. Sometimes in my nightmares I can still hear it, the screams, the begging for mercy, the desperation these pirates felt in their last minutes. I tried to tell myself that they had deserved it, that it had been justice, but I just felt disgusted with my commander and myself. Killing an enemy in battle is one thing, but when they are helpless? I think only a few soldiers can this without feeling guilty. Our commander was one of them, Wilhuff Tarkin, the same Tarkin who would later destroy an entire world and call it justice. We should not become like them."

She listened and the story shocked her and her expression showed that.

"That's horrible." she muttered as she shook her head slightly. "The Empire are cold, brainwashed to be cold. But I just know there must be a way we can do something here that will make a difference but not make us like them. I don't want to be like them." She pulled her legs up tight against herself and sighed. "An hour ago I was willing to take out Imperial Officer only, now I'm not so sure. Don't think it's what my parents would have wanted me to do."

Ethan saw the shocked expression after he had finished his story and for a moment he could hear the terrified screams again and see the cold, emotionless expression on captain Tarkin's face. Pushing the memories back down again he concentrated on the present.

"I can't tell you what your parents would have wanted," he admitted. "Its a question only you can answer."

Again he fell silent for a moment, then he continued. "Ianna and I have been thinking about this as well and we have tried to come up with a plan. Create a fire, cause a panic, something that will crash the wedding and disperse the crowd without anyone dying."

Amber considered his words. "She was passionate enough, but her plan was naive at best and coming from a 19 year old....." she allowed her voice to trail off for a few seconds. "Having said that, maybe smoke bombs?" Thinking harder she turned to him, "Tear Gas? Nerve Gas? I mean not enough to kill but certainly enough to put them out of commission for a while?"

Ethan nodded slowly, he liked Amber's suggestion but wasn't sure if they would be able to go through with it. "Maybe, though it would cause some logistical problems as we don't have much time left until the mission begins to acquire those kind of bombs. And we would have to conceal them from the rest of the squad until we are ready. Also what if there are kids there after all? these nonlethal bombs might not cause any long therm effects on adults but children could be seriously hurt, not to mention it could traumatize them for life."

"Better than being dead in my book. Speaking from experience, kids are resilient and can overcome more than adults. If you're right, Kayn is on our side. He'd be devious enough to know who to speak to and how to get this done". She put her feet on the floor and stood up, "fancy a visit to the brig? I hear that's where he's hanging these days" she said with a good deal of amusement at Kayn's situation.

Slowly Ethan stood up, he knew Amber was right, using the non lethal bombs was worth the risk and would send a message to the empire.

"I agree," he said. "When someone knows how to get these kind of bombs its probably him."

Tag: @Sarge

 

IC: Max Pallas, Ianna Mcear
Max's quarters, Intrepid

Max sat on her bunk, leaning against the bulkhead, pondering the list of passengers that Kayn had gleaned from the last mission. She could see why Wallings wanted to target them. Everyone was important; twenty-three flag officers, nine Sector Moffs, four Grand Moffs... Zara and Akiva had talked about kidnapping someone, but they didn't really need to specify a target. They could grab the nearest guy with fancy insignia and they'd score a win.

There was someone named Gray on the list, but Max didn't know if this was the ex-husband Lou was talking about. It was a fairly common name, and Max didn't think Lou had mentioned his first name. And Sunwalker had mentioned the chance that her ex might be there, but since Max had never heard that person's name, she had no idea whether Joy's concerns were correct. The caterers were local, from Naboo, as was the designer of the wedding gown. The wedding planner and lighting designer were from Coruscant.

As Max considered the list, there was a tone from the door. "Come in," she said.

Ianna left her room taking a deep breath and went in search of Max, the woman that had put forth Operation: Long Sleep. She was unsure if the other person would change her mind she seemed rather made up but, as Ethan said they needed more help on this and maybe, just maybe they could get some help, or at least get the mission scrubbed. It took some searching and a little asking of questions with her beaming smile. Finding that no one knew where she was, she decided to check her room, it was the last place to look.

She rang the bell and waited, hoping she was right. When Max called her in, Ianna took another long breath and entered a smile on her face.

"Hey Max, I was wondering if we could talk?" She kept her tone friendly and lively, even though her stomach was tied up in knots.

Max was surprised to see Ianna. "Take a seat," she said, gesturing to the other end of the cot (there was really no place else to sit). Ianna was smiling, but it was forced, a fake smile full of tension, a bit too broad, too toothy, her voice pitched too high. She was still upset by the results of the meeting, but trying to hide it. "This is about the mission, I'm guessing," said Max, gently.

The young woman took a seat on the cot, holding on to her smile.

"Well, yeah…" Finally the grin faded, "I mean, you were pretty clear that you were against this mission." She was trying to find common ground, "We both know it is wrong but, even with your plan it still isn't right. You're killing people with no chance to fight back, that aren't a threat at that moment. You know that's not right. Blowing up ships and starfighters is one thing but, executing them? Who made us Judge, Jury and Executioner?" Her leg began to bounce, she was trying one last time to appeal to Max's mercy, if she had any for her enemy. "It doesn't matter if they wouldn't do the same, that's the whole point, to show the galaxy that we are better that we are trying to build a better government, not one built on cold blooded murder." She put a hand around her thigh to stop it's movement. "Can't you see, it would be a moral victory, worth more than a hundred dead imps?"

Max leaned back and looked sadly at the young woman. "First of all, there is no guarantee that the stuff is going to work. We don't have very much of it, although Akiva is hoping to get more. Some might be knocked out, some might just be groggy, others won't be affected, and they WILL be shooting back at us. As will the security detachment, who won't be eating or drinking on duty. And secondly..." She sighed. "I don't think people will see it as a moral victory. They'll see it as a stupid, juvenile stunt. It's the sort of thing my friends and I would try to do, before I truly became involved with the Rebellion. We'd slice their systems, spread stupid stuff, trying to embarrass them or make them look stupid. It didn't impress anyone, and when the Imps cracked down on the locals, to punish them, we alienated ourselves. We're putting our lives on the line for this mission. We're putting the people of Naboo at risk for this mission. The stakes are much too high to be content with just making an embarrassing holo."

Ianna crossed her arms, looking down, her plan and Max's being torn apart in front of her. However it might have given her an opening.

"If you're so worried about hurting innocents, wouldn't a shootout just put them in more danger? And how will you tell the good from the bad?" She was going into Ethan's other suggestion, "How can you be sure that you won't shed a drop of innocent blood? You can't just kill all the people in imperial uniforms, not all monsters where such easily identifiable colors." Her arms loosened, falling to her side, "Even by your assessment your plan is horribly flawed, as flawed as mine. So let's not do this, at all, we scrub the mission. If we cannot guarantee that no innocents will be harmed then we walk out, we don't do this mission." The young woman looked at the ground. "I've got the start of another plan, one where we kill no one, put them in danger maybe but, not kill them."

Max exhaled. "Ianna," she said patiently, "if you didn't want to kill people, why did you join the Rebellion? I've killed people. Not just flying around in an X-wing. I was in a Rebel cell, boots on the ground. I've shot people, I've blown them up with grenades...I even strangled a guy. All Imps. I don't enjoy it, but this is a war. And the people here," She waved the datapad with Kayn's list, "the people on this list, their deaths could make a big difference. We cannot afford to pass up this chance." She held out the list to the younger woman. "Look. Look at him. He ordered the massacre on Silaris IV. Here, him, this guy...in charge of all the forced labor camps in the Mid-Rim, with a 62% mortality rate. And her, this woman... she is known for her interrogations... vile, indescribable torture, and once she has broken someone, she continues to torture and abuse them just because she can. Do you really want to let them walk away free?"

Ianna's leg began to bounce even more, it wasn't the killing that she had a problem with. It was killing this way, making it harder or impossible to fight back. In combat was one thing, but at a wedding, when most of them would be unarmed? That was not what she signed up for.

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Max?" Her voice sounded somewhere between hurt and simmering with rage, "I know that I am killing people every time I let loose a torpedo, every time I watch a ship break apart. But I was fighting for my life, fighting against a vessel that its only purpose was to kill me or my friends. I'm not a child, I just don't think we should do this!" She looked away from the list, leg bouncing furiously.

"Sure, they are monsters, they're high ranking Imps, but we don't kill them this way!" Finally, her head came up, no tears, not this time. "And you didn't answer my question, how can you be sure that you are not killing any innocents? You have a list, but is it complete, will you stand to let one of these people go free? If one goes free, then why not all, and if you're ok killing one innocent, why not just blow the whole thing?"

"You tell me," said Max, frowning. "Seriously? You're worried because we're not fighting 'fair'? You think the Empire worries about observing the Core Accords of Warfare? There will plenty of them fighting back, don't kid yourself. Some of them will get away, whether we intend it or not. And some innocents might well be harmed, even if we're trying to protect them. Some of the innocents might be harmed by the Empire, Imps don't care about things like that. Ask Joy and Lou if you don't believe me. Ask anyone from Alderaan. But if you really--"

A loud buzz startled both of them. Ianna was fumbling for her comm while Max took back her datapad. "Skids up in FIFTEEN? Are they crazy?" She was appalled by the lack of preparation time. They should have had a few days. She looked back at Ianna. "The entire point of this mission, the only real objective, is to kill the Imperial guests at this wedding. Not to embarrass them, or make them look silly. If you're really this squeamish about the mission, then go to Flagg and get yourself scrubbed. The rest of us will go get our hands dirty. " She pulled a small satchel from beneath her bed and began throwing things into it, while relaying instructions into her commlink. "Diggs, load packages Krill and Forn, and meet me at the Valkyria. We're moving out."

Ianna just looked at Max, feeling dead, her mind just not understanding. How could she just so callously say that she was fine with harming civilians, just fine with letting them come to harm? Even after all the fighting she'd gone through just to avoid blowing the whole place sky high? She was a hypocrite, she spoke of preserving life, but when it came down to it, she would spill their blood to see her goals carried out. Though she claimed to lessen it, there was no difference between a thimble and a flood.

Ianna stood, shaking her head.

"Get off your High Bantha!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, she couldn't believe this, "Don't tell me that you care about innocent blood then say 'It happens, nothing we can do!' Stand by your ideals, if you have any. Or at least don't claim to be better than those that would kill everyone there. You're not better, you're just as bad. You're just an Imp in a Rebel uniform." It was explosive, and angry, the only time she'd ever felt this was when Meanie turned Foodie into a war droid. Now, a person clothing themselves in righteousness was staining their robes in innocent blood. A tear formed in the pit of her eye, yet another person that had betrayed her.

Ianna stormed out the door, leaving Max to stare after her in fury and disbelief.

She turned away, boots slamming into the deck as she marched to the ship, head hung low, why did no one care? Why did she choose to join this rebellion? Weren't they supposed to be better? Through her watery eyes she seriously contemplated her last solution. But, that could wait...until she got with Ethan.

In a quiet corner she let the tear fall, took a breath. She had to be the happy farm girl, had to be the bright center. She had to keep her smile, even if her world was falling apart around her.

TAG: Anyone

 

IC: Ianna Mcear
Carrier, Intrepid

It took her longer than she expected, much longer than she expected but, she composed herself. She walked away heading back out into the hangar she had to resolve herself to what was going to happen. She couldn't walk away from this, Ethan needed her.

Another gasping breath left her chest. She failed, failed to persuade Max to their side, failed to help their mission and may have doomed it. And what was she talking about, High Banthas, only one she needed to get off of was her own. Standing on her moral high ground and preaching to the others like she was the grand arbiter of what was right and wrong.

This was a war.

It was told to her many times, like she was a child, she knew what she was stepping into. Yes she would have to kill but, like this? Yes they were monsters but, did that make it all ok? Did that make their murders just? Were they just carrying out the justice that was denied? If that was true why did her heart tell her it was so wrong. She was led by it to this place, to the rebellion and now it drove her to save the lives of people that everyone else wanted dead through increasingly dubious means.

This was a war.

Did that mean their souls had to die too? That to continue this fighting they had to shut themselves off to compassion, to caring about the other?

Was she any better? Killing Imperials on ship, in combat? They were just following orders as she was. If she was truly committed to this why should she care how they were killed. They were the bad guys, Max showed it to her in stark black and white. They should all die...the Black Sheep with them.

Was that her big plan now, suicide bomb the whole affair.

Walk in strapped with bombs shouting

"Republic Forever." as she pushes the button and ends hers and the life of everyone in that building?

No...No that wouldn't work, it would only kill the one person that actually cared, that stood by her through all of this. He believed so she had to believe to. Everyone else may betray them but, she couldn't betray him. Not after all this.

So she forced the smile on her face and marched into the hangar. There wasn't much time before the mission started but, she still stopped by her Y-Wing, Serica. She was greeted by a little green and white droid.

"Hey Pat." she said giving the little droid a hug. "You doing ok." A happy little twill came from the astromech. "That's good to hear." the smile deepened as she hid everything behind it. The pain the fear the uncertainty was all locked up behind her uneasy grin.

"Hey Kid." A voice called out drawing her attention. It was the tall pantoran woman Ianna had only met once previously, when she went out on the mission to Naboo. She looked up smile still on her face.

"Yeah."

"You doing ok?" Meili Han asked looking at the red puffy eyes, the slightly flushed complexion. She'd been through something.

"Yeah I'm fine." Ianna replied choking back a sob.

"You're sure?"

"Uh huh...Just a little nervous, with the mission coming up."

"What...a mission?" Meili said letting out a breath, "Nice of them to tell us about it." She muttered before turning back to the pilot assigned to her. "I'll make sure your craft if ready to go...short notice or…"

Ianna giggled, though there was an undercurrent of melancholy.

"It's fine, it's...it's not that kind of mission."

"Wait what?" The plane captain was clearly confused, unsure of what was going on just that something wasn't right. Not with this girl that had been sunshines and rainbows. The older woman could see some gloom in those bright eyes.

Ianna shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine." She was still trying to make herself believe that but, she had to believe that something good had to come out of this.

"Alright...well, I'll take good care of Pat, and Serica while you're gone." Meili smiled and resting on the Y-Wing.

The young woman's eyes brightened finally the clouds parted if only for a little bit.

"That would be awesome, thanks."

A sigh of relief came of Meili, there was the little girl she knew. A light huff left the broad chest of the tech as the pilot wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. The pantoran patted Ianna on the back lightly not quite prepared for the hug. After a few moments it was over. Ianna pulled away smile still on her face.

As the chandrilan walked away something occurred to her.

"Hey do you have a lighter?"

"Uh…" Meili ran a hand through her hair a little sheepishly, "Sure...from when I used to smoke."

"Think I could take it?"

"Why?"

"Umm...I might need it?" It seemed true enough and Meili had to admit she couldn't really say no. The mechanic knelt down looking through her tool box before she pulled out a beaten up lighter, she flicked the top and struck the flint. It lit up first try. She deftly closed it and tossed it over to Ianna.

"I want that back alright?"

Ianna held it up with a smile.

"You will, thanks."

"Keep yourself safe out there Kid."

"I will."

Kid entered the Valkyria and kept close to Ethan, forced smile still on her face. He was her only lifeline in all of this mess.

TAG: @Anedon (Others in Operation: Smokescreen)

 

IC: Akiva Lurell AKA 'Wolf'
Waypoints to the Mission Insanity

Aboard the Valkerie, or whatever the proper name of this tub was, she had listened politely. Learned how to use the bombs. Asking questions about the function of the grav-glue and whether it was safe to use on herself when sneaking them out and into position. Double checking the settings, and even going so far as to see if it was safe to glue two together and whether if one could be set to link and then act as the timer if need be or for her or the others to force an override to trigger the bombs instantly. That would be situation Omega in her books, but it was best to plan for that as well.

She was open if any wanted to talk with her, but part of her prepping was merely going through her go bag and getting properly outfitted. She may be a server, not an entertainer, but she doubted that servers were not without some form of protection and planned on trying to disguise her four arm blades as forearm splints. Complain about some elbow to wrist weakness or forearm stress fractures that are work related to carrying heavy trays and then make sure it looked like they might be a medical device designed to look nice providing support. She also was rigging two ankle braces using throwing knives as the metal supports. It was tedious work and a last ditch weapon choice without anything being vibro equipped, but it made her feel better. That and wearing her leather outfit for some protection whilst shopping, even if she couldn't take her vambraces with the shields was helping her relax.

On a piece of flimsie to the side she had a list of supplies she had prepared for the mission. Kitchen ingredients actually and supply indicators based on party guests she had sent on the ships internal system to the ships captain. He was their go fer and not just a party guest. The most odd thing anyone might see checking on her was the fact that Chak was resting on her head purring. She had sent a message to her ex-wingmate asking to meet before debarking. Hopefully the woman would take her pet for her on the mission, otherwise she would have to leave it with the Mandalorian. Her new wing.

TAG: @Corellian_Outrider, @Adalia-Durron , @Any who wish

IC: Akiva Lurell AKA 'Wolf'
Disembarking on Otto Gunga

Having stepped out to be greeted by someone calling themselves 'Frogfoot' had had her snarling. She wasn't sure what batbait was up to as he gave them directions and warnings, but she knew one thing. She would take his warnings with a grain of salt. After all how far could you trust someone that looked like they hadn't ever had their metamorphosis yet? He kinda looked like her brother before he had gone through his, and to be fair, her brother was an idiot even afterwards that missed being able to curl himself into a tight ball far too much.

Then the flight lead had decided to speak up. They all had their marching orders. Nodding she looked at her chosen cohorts. "Trash compactors or dock workers. Without cash we might be able to do a couple favors to earn items we cannot scrounge." she said in a passing nod and a shrug. What exactly those favors would be well, there was a line nobody better try crossing. Everyone had their limits. Hopefully they could find a couple menial tasks that someone might trade goods for, and if they were lucky they would bump into the station fixer. Depending on the being possibly even just a holo would suffice. Force help them this mission was a disaster in every stage it seemed.

TAG: @Mistress_Renata , @Anedon , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Kayn "Mean Streak" Balzroth
Paroled to the Valkyria

The entertainment team of Sage, Zara, and Kayn were listening to Taab's instructions on Explosives for Dunces. Kayn was paying close attention as Taab explained the functions of the bomb. This was critical info that could make or break the mission, not to mention get people killed by accident. Occasionally he'd glance at the others to make sure they were paying attention.

"Now, push the switch all the way down and that activates the detonator's internal fuse," said Taab. "So long as you're holding it, the explosive won't go off, but release your thumb with it there and you're looking at a three to five second delay before detonation. Moving the switch back from either 'firing' position to the original spot all the way at the top will safe the weapon, deactivating it."

"I have a couple questions, sir. First, what if the switch is all the way down, I release it to start the 3 to 5 second fuse, then switch it back to safe position, will that stop the fuse? Or is the big boom inevitable after the fuse starts?

"Next, what about this detonation signal of yours? I assume it's a coded signal on a frequency that's way out there off the common use spectrum. Thing is, I use my neural implants to control the sounds I make with my omnibox, so I'm also transmitting odd signals on frequencies way out there. It'd be kind of embarrassing if one of my music box signals set off a bomb early.

"Do we have any kind of backup if you can't transmit the detonation signal for whatever reason? If anything goes wrong I can be a backup detonator."

Kayn turned to Sage. "Parvil, you're an Electronic Warfare Officer, right? I assume you've picked up on the fact that I have implanted neural enhancements, as well as transceivers embedded in my horns. If I get a chance I'll be recording any stray signals I can pick up so we can analyze them later. Do you have any thoughts you'd care to share about remote detonator signals and how they might be jammed?"

TAG: @Rebecca_Daniels @GenOochy

 

IC: Ethan Malek
On Board the Valkyria

Ethan entered the Valkyria as one of the last members of the squadron. After their meeting with Kayn at the brig he had returned to his quarters and had prepared himself for the mission, he had packed his new toolset into his bag, just in case he would need it. Also a vibroknifes he could easily conceal on his person. He hoped he wouldn´t need the weapon but it was better to have something to defend himself. When he entered the Valkyria his eyes wandered across the other squad members who had already entered. When he stopped Amber he gave her a snort nod before he approached Ianna and sat down next to her.

For a moment he looked around to make sure none of the other squad mates was watching them.

"I´ve managed to convince Amber to help us and it seems Kayn is on board as well."

For a moment his blue eyes searched for the Devaronian but he couldn´t spot him. Hopefully they don´t keep him in the brig, he thought, knowing that Kayn´s ability to get them the bombs they needed was crucial for their plan. Then he stood up and walked towards Amber, gesturing Ianna to follow him so he could introduce the two to each other and they could discuss their plan.

Tag: @galactic-vagabond422, @Adalia-Durron

 

~IC~ Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari
Location: Intrepid - Hangar - Valkyria
Preparations after the meeting


As the last of everyone from the gathering departed from the Valkyria, Matey’s photoreceptors surveyed the main hold and tooted.

“Aye, there be more coming in a few so there be preparations to be done.” Wystari said as he cleared up the refreshments and carried them to the galley.

The treadwell droid rolled along behind him, warbling a few queries.

“You’ve caught the gist of the mission.” He said as he washed up the glassware. “We’re to transport ‘passengers’ there... no, I… I will be in the field but a few will be remaining behind.” He knew the next question from the droid before it was electronically uttered. “I don’t know who will pilot the ship though I will have to vet their skills on the way in… and I want you on standby.”

Matey gave an enthusiastic chip as to say it could be counted on.

Wystari chuckled. “Aye, well, there’s a lot to get done in the time given. I need you to do the rounds; check out stock levels, tidy up, sort out accessibility through the ship… I’ll head out and check about refueling…” he paused as he looked to one of the empty bottles. “...and to ask a favour.”

~Ten Minutes later~​

“That’s some favour…” Lieutenant Alaina Diamé’s eyes had widen a fraction and then arched her brow at him.

“It’s more of an invitation really…” Wystari started. “... the festive season and attending a feast.”

“Ha!” She laughed “Will there be food this time? Or more of what was served up to the Imps on the last mission?” She recalled how he had jettisoned a cargo of combustible goods at an enemy squadron and they lit up like fireworks.

“A bit of both in that regard.” He admitted and shook his head. “Look, this is a time critical situation with too many variables… I was looking for a wildcard and I know it is a lot to ask…”

She furrowed her brow at him.

“...I’ll settle for just your advice if you want no part of it-”

“Hey. Stop right there.” Diamé cut him off. “You are in my territory. Give me fifteen and your com frequency…” she gave a slight smile. “...and you’ll have an answer.”

“Thank you,” He smiled and handed her his card. “I appreciate this.”

“Yeah, don’t thank me yet.” She smirked. “Speak with you soon.”

A lot had happened. Acquiring some last minute supplies and amidst the refilling of the reserves, Diamé’s call had came. Before Wystari knew it, he was in the offices with her pitching to the Commander for permission to allow some of the marines accompany the Squadron. By the end, they were allowed to have three. From there they had parted ways as Diamé had preparations to sort out for her group before departure.

A lot had happened. Acquiring some last minute supplies and amidst the refilling of the reserves, Diamé’s call had came. Before Wystari knew it, he was in the offices with her pitching to the Commander for permission to allow some of the marines accompany the Squadron. By the end, they were allowed to have three. From there they had parted ways as Diamé had preparations to sort out for her group before departure.

When he came back, he was pleased to find that his droid had completed the tasks it had been given. He did a once over inside the ship to double check and then an outside inspection. It was almost time as members of the squadron were starting to arrive.

“Almost set… I be with ye in a moment.” He called out.

He ducked under the freighter and made his way to the otherside. Fuel lines were clear, everything looks fine… He noticed Amber coming across from the other side of the hangar and waved to her. It seemed like she didn’t see him, as he watched her go past. She seemed a bit preoccupied and must be to do with the mission he surmised. He wrapped up and made his way back around and paused. This was it....

Wystari looked back up at the ship, wondering if it will be his last days in seeing her again. He kissed the tips of two fingers and pressed them to the foot of the lance-wielding, winged-equus riding maiden artwork on the hull of the Valkyria. “Fortune and glory…” He whispered to her then turned around to face the assembly outside of his ship.

“Thank you all for coming down here. I shall be your Captain for today. As Captain of the Valkyria… first thing I will ask is for Flight Officer Nib Nombunn to come forward and stand beside me…”

The Sullustan looked surprised to be singled out. He looked about and then stepped forward and started jabbering really fast in Sullustese as he did as he was told.

Wystari looked at him wide eyed, he was not expecting such a reaction. “Just… slow down. Breathe. You’re not in trouble…” He assured him. “Since you are to be my copilot and acting pilot in my absence, it is only polite to greet our passengers as they roll up to this magical mystery tour….” He said under his breath and then looked to everyone. “Aiight, now that is out of the way, welcome to my humble abode. Just keep that in mind as all of you are my guests. There’s plenty of food and drinks and entertainment until we arrive. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask.” He looked at everyone and smiled. “Unless there are any objections, let’s get this show on the road…” He then made a grand sweeping gesture to the boarding ramp. “All aboard!”

TAG: Step right up to the Magical Mystery Tour... Open

 

Thank you @Adalia-Durron for this interaction

~IC~ Captain Cassell Wystari and Flight Officer Amber Tehanis
Location: Intrepid - Hangar - Valkyria
Prior to take off and departing the Intrepid

The hydraulics lifted the boarding ramp into place behind Wystari. They were all in and accounted for. He made his way through to make sure everyone was set. He stopped as he saw Amber and said “If you got a spare moment, please come see me at the cockpit.”

Hearing Cassell speak, she looked over and raised an eyebrow. 'what does he want with me?'
"Sure, give me a minute."

"Will do, whenever you are ready." He flashed a warm smile nodded.

She watched him go with confusion on her face and maybe a little trepidation. He was there in the hangar the other night, he saw what she did. Maybe he wants to ask the question? She looked away to the floor, this moment had been coming but she'd hoped she'd have had more time to adjust to it herself.

Wysteri hoped Amber was feeling better. She seemed better but there was something… spooked about her. Maybe it was the pressure and the task ahead of them. He smiled and nodded to a few others as he continued on his tour through the vessel to the cockpit.

TAG: Open

 

Max Pallas
Aboard the Valkyria, in space

Max had scrambled to make the flight. She’d stopped off at the Intrepid’s armory to check out a sidearm and some ammunition, conferring with the officer on duty to find one that could be disassembled and easily concealed. Then she’d ducked in to the engine room supply bunker and obtained a pound of aphorous powder before dashing to the hangar. She paused just outside the loading ramp to look at the shieldmaiden blazoned on the hull.

“I know you come to take the souls of heroes,” she said. “I’m no hero, understand? Just want to make that clear. You just leave me right here.”

On board, she eyed the server’s uniform that she was supposed to wear. White shirt, long, flowing black split skirt…yeah, pretty standard. The legs of the skirt were wide enough to fit over the many-pocketed utility pants she was wearing, and all she had to do was cut a slit in each side seam to enable her to reach her own pockets. Simple. And she would wait to load those pockets until after she’d been through security.

She could see Ianna whispering with Malek at the other end of the room. She’d have to have a word with him. The girl’s grandiose idea for a “moral victory” was juvenile. The Rebellion had plenty of moral victories that had brought them squat. It had taken an ACTUAL victory, the destruction of the Death Star, to bring much-needed support and recruits from the many systems in the galaxy. It was an ACTUAL victory that had inspired people to rise up on their own homeworlds and fight back. No one would stand against the Empire unless they believed they had a chance of winning, and the only way to get them to believe they could win would be to show them that other people had won.

Wystari had made several short hyperspace jumps, backtracking several times, per Alliance protocol. Just after he’d finished one, he’d winked at Max, cocking his head slightly. Now was her chance.

“Gonna try this on,” she murmured to Akiva as she slipped into a side room, trailed by Digger. She only had minutes. The transmission was easy, as the Valkyria had a powerful communications array. It was well-shielded, too, but Max used one of the tools Digger had secreted in an inner compartment to boost the security system. It was designed by her dad, even the ISB couldn’t crack this encryption.

She had tried to calculate the time back on Sharan, but she still couldn’t be sure…

And then there was a flicker and her father’s face appeared before her.

<<Mo cridhe!>> he exclaimed. <<This is a pleasant surprise!>>

She glanced at the indicator light. Solid green, a secure transmission. <<Hi, Dad,>> she said. <<A business call, and I don’t have much time. But it is so good to see you!>> She couldn’t suppress her grin. She’d had so little contact with him since she’d left for Yavin.

<<Ah, well, that’s war for you,>> he replied. <<Gilly came back, told us what happened on Hoth. I’m glad you’re safe, but…I am so sorry.>>

<<They all went down fighting, as they would have wanted, I suppose. She’s okay?>>

<<Yes, she’s in a hoverchair, working in Mrs. Marouri’s flower shop. Very much in demand, she has a real gift. But you said this was business?>>

Max grinned. <<I’ve been assigned to a new unit and we’re outbound to make trouble. You don’t need details.>> He nodded. Clach Pallas had done plenty of work for the Rebellion, and knew that the less he knew, the less he could tell. <<But listen, one of my new colleagues, she was with a team on Denon, they were sold out. Guy named Yvan Sifer, one of them. She isn’t sure whether he was persuaded or if he was working for…your old friends.>> Clach looked thoughtful. He’d had contact with many ISB agents over the years. <<In any case, there’s a chance he’s still around, could still be working to infiltrate other cells…she just wants to know what happened to him.>>

<<I’ll see what I can find out,>> he said. <<Denon? It might take a few weeks. Keep an eye on Blue Skies’ corporate dropbox.>> Max nodded. Her father had several identities, various holomail accounts and dropboxes, even several banking accounts. Blue Skies was one they had used before, a small, fictional shipping concern that sent mechanical parts within the Mid-Rim. He’d encrypt a message, embedded in another innocuous file, usually a parts catalog or sales offer, and send it for her to pick up.

<<One more thing,>> said Max. She looked at the indicator. Still green. <<I met a woman, works for Big Bird…>> Her father nodded. The Rebellion sign was a stylized bird, and the fact that she was using encoded language over a secure link meant to be extra cautions. <<Name is Amanda Wallings… I’m not sure of her. I wondered… have you heard of her? I’m wondering if she could be affiliated with your old… ‘friends.’ Fifty-ish, dark skin, stocky…>> If Wallings was ISB, or former ISB…could she be trusted?

Clach pursed his lips. <<Wallings?>> he mused. <<The name sounds familiar, but I can’t remember off the top of my head.>>

<<If you turn up anything, could you send it along? Triple-green?>> The highest encryption he had.

<<I will.>> Max’s commlink clicked twice. Wystari’s signal, they’d have to jump soon.

<<Dad, I’ve got to go. Thank you so much for everything. I’ll keep an eye out for anything you can find.>>

<<Alright, sweetheart. You be careful.>> He smiled fondly at her. <<Min min val’ larel.>>

Max swallowed hard, fighting back the lump in her throat. <<I love you, too. Be careful, yourself.>> She ended the transmission, taking back the device and giving it to Digger. How she missed him…

Her promise to Zara partially fulfilled, she went back to the lounge as the ship made another hyperspace jump. Taab was trying to call everyone’s attention for a lesson on how to set thermal detonators. Max knew about these, but she’d listen…he might have new info she didn’t know.

Even so, as she passed Malek, she had to lean over and whisper in his ear: “I hope you’re not going along with Mcear’s childish scheme… remember what happened on the Grappler, the last time you had a ‘great plan’? How many did we lose?” She gave him one last stern look before slipping away to drop down next to Zara and Akiva and focus her attention on Taab.

TAG: @Anedon, Anyone

 

IC: Zara Yaren
Valkyria to Otoh Gunga, moving on ahead to the present...

It was hard to keep the drum of I don't want to be here, I don't want to be doing this out of her head, but she ignored it as best she could. She'd ignored it in her quarters, cleaning her rifle and making sure the pieces slid together as easily as always. She'd ignored it as she slunk down the halls of the Intrepid, trying not to look suspicious while carrying a very suspicious case. She still ignored it while she sat listening to Taab's explanations, trying not to burst out with how bad of a plan this was.

Balzroth was up to something. He was always up to something, and Zara didn't want to know what it was. She wanted to get this over with and back to her ship. At least that was something to look forward to, her mechanic Kio (as she'd reluctantly learned his name) was upgrading her shields with their ill-gotten goods, and he promised a significant improvement. If any of them made it back from this.

She was on edge, and not doing a good job of hiding it. Every so often she checked the spot she'd hidden her rifle case, just in case someone spotted it, or moved it, or tried to take it for themselves. She might need it later and no one else was allowed to touch it. And she was fairly certain she would need it.

The rest of the flight passed in an anxious spiral, her thoughts circling back to the same issues, with no solutions. She kept her mouth firmly shut, not saying a word to the others; enough had been said and it had gotten them absolutely nowhere. It was almost a relief when they stepped off onto the Otoh Gunga

"Balzroth, Yaren and Parvil, you three need to figure out how you're going to smuggle in your explosives and what you're going to do for your own costumes if we can't afford anything for you. Find a quiet spot and figure something out."

They hadn't talked yet-- her, Kayn, and the new one, Sage-- about what, exactly, they were doing as a cover. Rebel Intelligence couldn't have actually given them a real cover, expecting a bunch of pilots, soliders to come up with their own. Zara wasn't sure they were going to make it in the door. The others, maybe, those going as guests and staff had a chance, but she was going to die, either when their covers didn't hold up at the door, or when she inevitably stabbed someone with a fancy utensil.

She made a mental note to grab a sharp utensil once they were in. It wasn't a blaster but it might do in a pinch.

Outfits were going to ruin their cover, though. She had nothing, nothing even close to what they might need to blend in. Her utility vest, long sleeved shirt, and cargo pants practically screamed "I'm a rebel" so that was going to end well. And her personal credits were minimal after dropping a bunch at the auction, so they'd have to hope one of the "guest" team had some to spare after they'd all gotten dolled up.

Yeah, this was going to end very badly.

TAG: @Sarge @GenOochy (indirectly)