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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Star Wars Legacy of the Force: The Last Stand

Discussion in 'Role Playing Forum' started by Sinrebirth , May 4, 2019.

  1. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    IC: Loriana Starskimmer on the Ocean

    Loriana's head was in a whirl. Everything seemed to be upside down and sideways. Now they were all assigned to the Anakin Solo apparently? The only constant was the squadron, in a sea of crazy turmoil, that was the only stable thing she could latch onto... She cleared out her belongings, stuffing everything back in her carry-all bag and sent a message to her astromech. "Rubi, I hope you were able to enjoy an oil bath ... we're clearing out for the Anakin Solo pretty much right away."


    On her datapad, Rubi's reply was pure snark, making Loriana laugh. "How you organics can keep anything straight is beyond my circuits to compute."

    Tag -- @Sinrebirth etc.
     
  2. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    IC: Rhoen Aquilla Jesse Coulson (A combo post between myself and @Adalia-Durron)
    Aboard the Ocean

    A long breath left him getting a reply. The young man looked around him his breath short from his encounter with Shevu, and more so Syal. His hand still felt warm his heart pounding in his chest. He kept control of it in the moment, but now that the moment was past his mind was running wild. Though she kept Toim front and center it felt like there was mixed signals. He took another breath he was reading too much into it, and had much bigger things to worry about.

    "Coulson, this is Rhoen Aquilla, tell them not to leave...please don't leave. If she stays the sentence with be commuted. No one will die. If she leaves, the order will stand and they will hunt her and anyone near to her. And she will leave a storm behind her. If she really cared about her pilots she would stay. Not just Malek, all of them, all the ones she is leaving behind. Please, don't leave."

    Jesse stared at the comlink for a few heartbeats then scanned the area around him, she'd lifted off already. "Sparks is it? I need to speak to your boss now, put me through to Adalia now!!" Behind him the droid made sound that was distinctly suspicious, but a light on the console told him it has been done. "Adalia, listen to me, this is not the way, I have information saying if you, we stay, we all get to live!!! You go and you put everyone at risk!!!" He sounded as desperate as he felt as he trusted Rhoen, like he'd said, it was a two way street. "ANSWER ME ADALIA!!" Around him the craft began to lift, he had no control.

    Her comm opened and his voice resonated through her helmet. As her ship rose she had a view she could not resist, Adens X Wing. She sneered glaring at it as he yelled for her attention. She responded. "It's too late for that, shut the Frack up and be a kriffin' good boy!!!" she closed comms and said to R7, "tell Sparks to take him out the hangar and no more communication till I say, I will be there soon." Her eyes flashed rage, her mind clouded and confused, her soul terrified and wanting distance. There was no going back now.

    Jesse despaired as he spoke to Rhoen. "She's not listening, I tried, she's got me cuffed in my ship for Kriffs sake and no control over it at all. I'm so sorry." He yanked hard on the cuffs this time.

    Rhoen ran his hand over his face letting out a growl, all this talk of caring for her people, of putting them first what all did it mean. "Put me through to her?" He asked this would be his last attempt, his last shot at saving his squad.

    "I can't!!! She's in control via her Frackin' droid! She's lost control!" Jesse snapped as his ship turned toward the Magfield. He was trapped, and had instant regrets. "Do yourself a favour, shut this comm down and plead ignorance, save yourself Aquilla!!"

    Finding a quiet corner Rhoen put his head against the bulkhead fist resting against it. The cool metal did nothing to calm him. "Tell her she is a traitor, that she is abandoning everything she ever fought for, that her legacy will be tarnished forever, that she will never have a place in the Alliance or anywhere. She turns her back as soon as things get rough. I know it will mean nothing. I'm going to break a woman's heart she should at least feel something...or is she too wrapped up in herself to care?" He turned off the com and tapped his head against the bulkhead. His heart was tearing him apart. She was only protecting herself, looking after her.

    Though if his mother taught him anything, when you're fighting for something, you become second to it. Whatever is asked of you, you do it without hesitation. If the goal is a safer galaxy you sacrifice for it. 'The needs of the many out weight the needs of the few, or the one.' On the other hand, this was also the mantra that had him growing up without her for months, and years at a time. "Goodbye." He whispered to no one in particular.

    Taking another breath he locked away his anger, his pain putting a smile on his face. He still had orders to follow, and a promise to keep. That would keep him here, for now.

    He could hear the passion in the mans voice, "I can't. She's shut me out." he rested his head back against the headrest. "Take care of you." he said with a distinct sound of resignation in his tone, "Pleasure........." he had no more. Closing the connection he threw the comlink hard to the floor, breaking it before thumping the side of his craft three times hard. It did nothing except release his frustration. The dye was cast, he knew that now, his fate set, and his choices were his own.

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Anedon @I_am_Kooky @Rebecca_Daniels
     
  3. Rebecca_Daniels

    Rebecca_Daniels Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2006
    IC Beka Tiarri
    Hangar

    As they hit the hangar, Beka split off, with a promise to return before they left. She had unfinished business.

    Kate had said no explosions, but it wasn't exactly fair that this ship would get off scot-free while their group had to run for their lives. Not as if it was the first time, but Beka had a suspicion this would be the hardest one: with an entire government against them, there wouldn't be a lot of places in the galaxy to hide.

    Her X-wing was right where she'd parked it, her droid nowhere to be seen. Good, if he was smart he'd keep his head down, so to speak, while the inevitable investigation of their escape slash desertion searched for someone to blame. Joker was far from her first astromech, and likely wouldn't be her last; she appreciated what he'd done to help, but if someone had to be left behind, well…

    She wasn't intending to fly her X-wing out, it had a better role to play. As alarms started up, the hangar began to evacuate, exactly as planned. Beka ducked down behind her ship so no one saw her intentions, and her lack of concern about the radiation alarm. Once no one was in sight, she got to work.

    It had been a while since she'd rigged a torpedo, but they hadn't changed the design too much. If she could get two set up, it would cause enough damage to remind them who they were dealing with. This would all be a lot easier if the whole squad was here, she could use a second pair of hands.

    The moment she put that thought out into the universe, a hand did appear-- metal, inhuman, clamping tight around her throat.

    The being didn't speak, but lifted her up from where she'd been hunched over the torpedo. Blast it, she hadn't heard him coming over the blare of the alarms, and whoever it was definitely knew she was up to something.

    It was one of the Wraiths, she'd made a note of his unusually droid-like appearance at the briefing. But why he was here and what he was doing was another question entirely.

    One that would have to wait as he tried to cut off her airflow.

    "What--" she managed, but couldn't continue as his hand tightened. Blast it, he was strong, and she couldn't let go of his wrist long enough to grab her blaster. And then it would really be over. At least the others are getting out...

    "You are sabotaging this ship. Those are treasonous actions." It seemed his monotonous voice needed no more reason to kill her.

    The alarms were loud, pulsing louder as she struggled to breathe and fought uselessly against him. A blue light framed the figure holding her, and his mechanical arm suddenly released.

    Coughing, trying to gasp in air faster than her lungs could manage, Beka still tried to see, through watery eyes, what had happened. The attacker was now unconscious on the ground, and behind him, bolstering a blaster was… Ariadne?

    "What a schutta," she commented, stepping over the body to approach Beka. "I take it you're… leaving?"

    She nodded, her body still rebelling but able to stand straighter now. "You weren't supposed to be involved," she gasped, her voice hoarse. "They were going to execute Addie. I couldn't let that happen."

    Ariadne glanced between the unconscious pilot and Beka, unsure. It seemed they were thinking along the same lines, as she responded, "I suppose I've thrown my lot in with you then."

    "Unless you'd like to stay and get arrested for aiding and abetting?" Beka gave a half-smile as Ariadne laughed humourlessly.

    "No, thank you." She paused. "Fine, what do we do with this one?"

    "Given I'm about to blow up half the hangar, we shouldn't leave him here, as much as I'd like to."

    "Think he's got a face under there, or is it droid all the way through?" Ariadne crouched, looking for a seal to the mask.

    "Stun bolt wouldn't have worked if he was…" Beka trailed off as Ariadne found a way to lift it, and they were both left staring down at a mostly-organic face.

    She made a quick decision, bending down to snap the mask shut again and trying to sort out what they were going to do now. "Find something to bind him with, I'll finish this," she gestured at the torpedoes, not yet ready to go. "I'll take him to the shuttle. You're going to have to find your own ride out of here."

    Ariadne nodded, not entirely confident but following instructions at least. Beka finished reloading the torpedoes into the X-wing by the time Ariadne returned with some cuffs, and carefully wired a comlink into the firing system. Not her first time doing something like this, just one in a long line of improvised weapons. Ariadne helped for the final setup, stopping up the firing tubes so the torpedoes would impact and explode from within. See how the GA likes that.

    "My astromech's in maintenance," Ariadne admitted hesitantly. "I hope you'll have hyperspace calculations to share." They wouldn't have time to collect the droid, but a solution presented itself quickly.

    With a loud, piercing squeal, Joker made himself known to the two. He'd come to check in now that his paint job was complete, but instead found that the promised "surprise" seemed to be the departure of his pilot. Without him.

    Beka blinked at the unfamiliar droid, who beeped a series of complaints at her about leaving him behind. Given he'd been red painted the last time she'd seen him, her confusion was understandable, but it did make their jobs easier.

    "I guess I have an astromech now," Ariadne commented, eyebrows raised at the little droid's continuing complaints.

    Beka nodded, and went to pick up the unconscious pilot, or captive, or whatever he was. "You better get flying, as soon as the shuttle's up I'm blowing my ship."

    "I'll see you up there," Ariadne promised, and ran for her X-wing, Joker following along.

    TAG: @I_am_Kooky (incoming), @Adalia-Durron @Anedon (rest of the escape crew)
     
  4. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    IC: Natalia Keizar, Aden Kya, Bernael (A combo post between @Sinrebirth @darthbernael and myself.)
    Aboard the Ocean

    Keizar walked away from the lounge heading somewhere, her luggage as it were, was still packed up in her room. She never had anytime to unpack. She kept her head down gathering her breath. It was out of her hands now, word had been disseminated, she hoped, and she now had to just wait for another transfer. She held her datapad close to her looking down for any sign from Aden, hoping things had gone well with Solo. Worrying her lip she pulled up her comlink setting it to Aden's. She'd memorized it for her position, being able to contact your direct superior could be important given certain situations.

    Should she contact him, could he still be meeting with Solo? Otherwise indisposed? Her heart pounded in her chest. Closing her eyes she brought it to her lips.

    "Aden...Colonel Kya...It's Natalia, were you successful?"

    Aden’s eyes fluttered open, his mind groping. He was still alive... which meant... Jacen.... he pawed the comlink, which was a little battered but functional. Fumbling, he switched it on, but dropped it beside his head as he lay.

    “Natalia...” he coughed, a wet, hacking cough; blood in his throat. “He’s gone... I’ve... hurt myself...” He wasn’t throwing Jacen under a bus; if he hadn’t killed Aden, he clearly needed him.

    “Solo didn’t revoke the order.”

    His eyes looked around for the shadow intruder, but from his vantage point on the floor he couldn’t see the man. Another cough. “He’s convinced that all the traitors will expose themselves if he carries out the sentence. An entire... terrorist ring, here, aboard the Ocean.”

    It was a convincing lie, because it was true, from a certain point of view.

    Her eyes widen hearing him cough, he was injured, how, how could he do that to himself. The hits just kept coming when he revealed that he had failed. Her hand shook, her lip quivered. He was her last hope and not even he could wipe out her failure, could wash the blood from her hands. She closed her eyes remembering his words, it wasn't her fault, Jacen was a force of nature, she was just following orders.

    "Are you still in the hangar?" she asked voice cracking.

    “Yes, I am...” he said, croaking. Weakly, he added. “In the hangar -“

    Darkness consumed the man, and Aden suddenly remembered that he’d called the intruder to him. Aden didn’t know the man... and he didn’t know...

    ... what would happen to...

    Her...

    Bernael had been walking quietly and invisibly toward one of the hangars, closest one that would allow him to exit the Ocean and return to his ship when he felt a broken off mental call. Pressing flat against the wall as the sirens were howling and people were rushing everywhere, he waited, sure such would come again. And then he felt it, Aden, his bravado still present, even in his obvious pain. He was taunting him, in a way, with his pain, that the balance would suffer without his presence.

    Bernael thought quickly, looking at every angle he knew of, then internalized a sigh. 'He is probably correct, but it does not mean I must take him with me.'

    Still hidden he swiftly made his way to the hangar he'd felt the call come from. He reached out and felt only one, weakening presence, inside. He opened the door, feeling the rush of thought, of pain, as he was subjected to the human laying on the ground ahead of him. He slid around behind Aden, assessing the wounds from a distance. He observed the comm call, not knowing who it was at the other end, but it seemed someone else was headed this way as well.

    'Interesting, he is still covering for Jacen Solo.' he thought. He moved closer as he saw Aden trying to find him. As the man's head turned back and he drifted into the realm of the unconscious Bernael dropped his invisibility and came within arms distance of him. He dropped to one knee, hands reached out, tendrils of Force Energy reaching out, scanning the mans body, assessing his wounds. A whisper, "It would be a mercy to end you now, but you were right, for now you must survive." His hands hovered over the body and more energy flowed forth, knitting together just enough blood vessels, organs, and tissue for Aden to survive until someone got him to a bacta tank.

    That tableau, him kneeling over Aden, robes draped around, mask looking down at Aden, strands of black hair driting out of the hood, and his hands just over the man's chest was just how it was when the doors to the hangar opened, again.

    Her breathing was short her steps quick. All she could think about was his voice, choked and pained. What had he done, what state would he be in when she found him? As the thought came to her she brought her com to her lips again.

    "This is Lieutenant Keizar, I need a medical team to the main hangar as soon as possible." Without waiting for a reply she broke out into a run. She might not look it, but she could move when she needed to. Marking rather impressive times in her basic training. Her boots slam into the deck as she maneuvers around a crowd of people heading the other way and before long she she made it to the entrance. Without taking a breath she opened it. Her eyes scanned quickly finding a figure on the ground, but another was hovering over him. Her eyes went wide, if she had a weapon she would have drawn it. However she was unarmed.

    "What are you doing." She snapped walking forward, though her heart was racing.

    Bernael's head came up as a figure raced through the open door, then slowed when she saw him. His void black eyes looked at her, assessed her, read her. Behind the mask a tight grin flitted over his features then a dry, low voice spoke "He is alive, barely. If you get him to a bacta tank he will survive. Tell him...He was correct, that he had to survive to assist the balance. I do not care if you do not understand, tell him that!" The last was punctuated by his eyes flaring, black within black.

    His message finished Bernael looked down again, shook his head, "Damn stubborn s....man." Then simply disappeared.

    Her mind locked away the message for another time, she rushed forward as the figure disappeared. There would be time for questions later now she just had to look him over. He was pale, skin clammy, he was going into shock, or something like it. Quickly she took off the top of her uniform balling it up to put under his feet.

    "Aden, Aden can you hear me?" She put her head to his chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat.

    Aden’s eyes fluttered open. “Natalia,” he reached a hand out, grasping the arm of her tunic. “What’s - what’s happening.”

    He grimaced, but while he felt rotten, he felt a lot better than he had a moment ago. Aden’s expressions wandered at the pain, and he naturally summoned the Force, but squeezed his eyes shut.

    "Good, good," She smiled gripping his hand. He was still alive. She checked his neck feeling for any broken bones in his neck. "What hurts the most?" she asked looking him over, he was a mess, her white undershirt becoming stained in his blood. She just wanted to keep him talking long enough for the medics arrive.

    Aden managed a grin. “That you get to see me so vulnerable before our first date?”

    He coughed, more serious. “I think - I’ve cracked a rib and it’s punctured something...” He breathed, felt the bubbling. “Probably a rib.”

    “Everything else is surface wounds not -“ his eyes wandered to her clothes. “A lot of them? Maybe?” His innate strength was pushing him along, but while he thought he was lifting his head to meet her eyes, his head was actually lolled, and as verbose as he sounded in his mind, there was a lot of slurring and dribbled blood.

    “Where is the shadow man?”

    She let out a weak laugh, blushing a little, even if pain he could keep his humor. "Well, it'll give us something to talk about on that date." She said fighting back tears. When he gave a serious answer she dropped her smile, punctured lung maybe, it would be something to tell the medics when they got here. Her gaze swept around finding nothing.

    "Looks like he's gone, said that you were correct, that you had to survive to assist the balance." she shook her head, even saying it she felt ridiculous. "I don't understand, but you can tell me later."

    Aden would have glowered if he had the ability to do so through the pain.

    “I was right...”

    He grinned, but he began to choke on the blood girdling within his throat. He began to cough, but he couldn’t breath, eyes narrowing in urgency as he tried to communicate to Natalia what was happening - he blacked out before he could speak again.

    She started to panic rolling him onto his side, pushing on his back hoping to clear whatever was blocking his throat. The medics arrived brushing her away.

    "Broken rib...punctured lung." was all she could get out as they put him on the gurney. She held on to his hand as he was carted away, she wasn't letting go. "It'll be alright...it'll all be alright."

    The two Twi’lek medics took one look at Aden, at Natalia, at the burn marks in the hangar, and nodded. It didn’t matter.

    They had a patient, and they had to save him. One, the red Lethan Twi’lek, looked to Natalia. “Are you with him?”

    "Yes, yes." she replied, she wasn't leaving him. Not now, damn protocol they she could be reprimanded for it later right now she just wanted to be near him. To not leave his side at his weakest.

    “Then come on.” The Twi’lek’s immediately set her up use holding a particularly vicious looking cut across his chest, having ripped his tattered shirt off. Burn medallions dotted his chest, as well as half a dozen old wounds and scars.

    “What the -“

    “I heard Colonel Kya was a slave, once upon a time.”

    The Twi’lek’s muttered between themselves as they readied the floating gurney. “Up!”

    She rose with them, her hands running over the scars that dotted his flesh. her lip quivered a little. He had been through so much. Had survived so much. She took some hope that he would live through this too. She leaned down whispering into his ear.

    "Fight...please, don't give up...We...I need you." The words tumbled from her lips not really thinking. In a short amount of time, he'd be come something more than a superior. He was what the Alliance needed. A man willing to do what was necessary, but with a heavy heart. As she pulled away she gently pressed her lips to his. This wasn't a fairy tale, where a kiss would heal him, but a reminder that she was still here. She could taste his blood on her lips, his life slowly ebbing out of him.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth @darthbernael
     
  5. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    Thank you to @The Real Kyp Durron for the combo, it was fun as always!

    IC: Adam Lyons, Kyp Durron, Briana Odan

    Adam was walking though his knee was popping a bit, and could hear Briana in the communications room humming to herself, usually she only did that when she was plotting someone's or something's demise, so Adam entered cautiously, "Two questions, are you cooking up trouble, and any news from our friends?"

    Briana stopped her humming and smirked at him, "You're getting old, I could hear that knee popping from quite a ways out."

    Adam rolled his eyes, "You try spending a day in a starfighter and see how well that works for you." He added to it by sticking his tongue out at her.

    Briana grinned, "I could fix that tongue problem of yours, and yes I'm always coming up with trouble, you know me."

    Adam sat down, "Yeah I do, I'm hoping that your troublemaking ability along with the troublemakers onboard the Ocean will give a couple of somebodies fits in the near future."

    Briana smiled wickedly, "Sounds like fun, and no word yet. I'm listening more on the GA side since we're more likely to hear a response from them faster than we will from any of your friends first."

    Adam nodded, "That's a thought, though speaking of communications, could we come up with something for Kyp? Something small and secure so we can keep the lines open with him?"

    Leaning in the doorway with a raised eyebrow the Jedi Master asked, "Did someone mention my name?" He stepped in. "Keeping in touch would be handy."

    Briana looked up in the doorway and her eyes lit up, another person to mess with "Yes, Mr. Poppy Knee over here said something to that effect. Something about you being willful and disobedient."

    Kyp grinned, "Yeah, and?" he had no argument for that, "And Mr. Poppy Knee? Have to remember that one, Addie will love it." He walked over to join them. "When and if she gets here." the smile slid away. He couldn't feel her, that worried him, she was there, but not there, elusive and distant and there was so much he didn't know about. Something had happened to her presence in the Force, it'd disappeared completely and when it came back it was, well, different. He'd not told anyone this, and adding to it his vision, he had serious concerns.

    Adam looked between the two of them and buried his head in his hand. He groaned quietly.

    Putting his hand on Adam’s shoulder he leaned to him. "Could be worse."

    Briana elbowed him in the ribs to make the groaning stop, "I'm listening for them, one of the daddys will say something when they know that Addie and her group have escaped."

    Adam's head came up quickly, "What!?"

    "Daddy's?" Kyp was confused by that description, who was she referring too?

    Briana grinned indulgently, "Chief of State Solo, and Jail Boy, Col Kya. Both are such control freaks that I decided to call them daddy."

    Adam sighed and looked at Kyp, "She does do that...from time to time."

    "What? Give inappropriate names to people?" He glanced at Briana "Makes we question her upbringing."

    Adam looked at Kyp, "She's an Intel Wraith, that's probably all the answer you need right there. But in terms of communications, I was thinking that it would be good for the Jedi Order to have surprise assets to assist you on further operations. I know Grand Master Skywalker will probably bring in his own group, but it would be even better if you could Kyp."

    Briana merely shrugged at questioning her upbringing and nodded when bringing up the Wraiths, the proper Wraiths.

    Kyp considered Adam's words, he knew there was little or no chance of Luke 'bringing his own team' anytime soon, and thus far the galaxy was unaware of Mara's death, or the circumstances surrounding it. In fact, the galaxy as a whole was unaware of who, or more so what, was in charge right now. There had been little or no mention of a 'Sith Lord' except among the Jedi Order, and even then there were opponents to that theory. He drew a long even breath before speaking. "Master Skywalker is.....stepping back from this for a little bit, " It was the best way to put it, "He needs perspective I suspect," he said cautiously. "Communication would be good, but I must be more secure than........" he tried to find an analogy that suited. "Well, you know." he shrugged.

    Briana sobered up a bit and Adam frowned, it almost sounded like that Luke Skywalker was in mourning, or something happened to him, "That sounds...ominous, at best." He considered, "Don't worry too much on the security part, this will be going through back channels, though it should be much quicker than the usual back-channel methods."

    Briana nodded, "That's how Kirney managed to find myself and Kael." She fixed Adam with a fierce stare, "Though you could have done that a long time ago, you know..."

    Kyp nodded sagely, he could feel he'd given them a slight 'heads up' to the real situation without giving it away. They were in a dark time, by galactic standards, but they had to keep perspective and level heads.

    Adam was about to say something when one of the channels at the comm center went off, one reserved for emergencies, "Wraith Leader here... I gather you are looking for me." Adam tilted his head in slight confusion, and mouthed the word, "Face" and looked at Briana.

    Briana narrowed her eyes at the sound of it. Face normally communicated in encrypted text, voice communication was a bit strange. The rest of the message went off, "... or are you looking for the Jedi secret base? I could help you with either, but not both. Unless of course that was in-fact Kyp poking the Valorum a couple of hours ago and he’s with you...

    Adam grabbed a datapad, typed in, "What sort of scam is he up to!?" and handed it to Briana, she could only shrug in reply.

    Kyp's eyes widened slightly, Who was this and how did he know where he'd been?

    The voice cooled, even so, obscured. "But you need to do something for me." Adam thought quickly, he held his index finger up to his lips signaling the both of them to keep quiet, and answered the call, "Lyons here..."

    What sort of scam are you up to Face?

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  6. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Adalia Tehanis
    The Ocean Hangar, - scrambled eggs for brains.



    Around her the flashing lights continued, the pounding of her heart was ringing in her ears and her thumb hovered over the little red button on her controls. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement and it made her turn and look. 'Beka?' She frowned, she was dragging what looked to be a prisoner with her, her Executive Officer, Ariadne? Was with her and a droid she didn't recognise. She stopped, she couldn't do this while Beka was there.

    "Faster Bek, come on Bouncer." she muttered, her stomach rolled over and she wanted to hurl, but she couldn't she had to do this. She hovered there till Beka, Ariadne and their prize were clear, headed toward Kate's craft. It was in the next hangar, out of the way. She turned and watched as Jesse's ship reached the magfield, she had one clear but she needed to protect him, he couldn't do it himself. Her attention back she saw the women had moved through, a sinister twist touched her lips as she narrowed her eyes and without the aid of a targeting computer, as it was so not necessary at this distance, she pushed the button, hard. Four laser bolts shot forth in quick succession as they rotated through, then a second four before she released the button. Milliseconds later, she breathed out and grinned as she watched Aden's ship explode, several other smaller explosions erupted and it was time to go. Pulling back hard on the controls, she turned the craft 180 degrees. "R7, double rear shields and give me everything you got."


    TAG @Rebecca_Daniels @I_am_Kooky @Sinrebirth
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2019
  7. I_am_Kooky

    I_am_Kooky Sth Aust. Chapter Representative star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2004
    ((ooc - Hums quietly, "we gotta get out of this place, . . .if its the last thing we ever doOOOooo. . ."))

    IC Kate, Kara, Beka, Adalia, Jesse and Adrian *and R7
    The Ocean - Main Hangar


    Kate sat crouching on top of her ship. Waiting for Beka to get back, and annoyed at Addie. Having gone over her ship more thoroughly now, She had taken the whole pannel off that had the thing, which she assumed was a tracker of some kind. . . when she found it wasn't touching any internal wires or anything. She didn't want the GA hunting her. She had 'found' a spare panel that, pretty much fit back in that spot. It wouldn't look pretty, but she didn't really care at this stage. She was listening for footsteps or any other indication. The ship was quietly humming to itself, ready for take-off, all it needed was the code. Kate muttered quietly to her self "You got 5 minutes Beka, or I'm leavin' without you. . ." she liked to think she would follow through on this threat, but she knew she wouldn't.

    She then saw Beka dragging something behind her. //That's about right, she would want her own victim. . .// she smiled and got down and into her ship and started to enter the codes.

    Beka carried her charge up the ramp, dropping him unceremoniously on the deck once she was on board. Adrian was in a seat, holding Kara, meaning Jesse must have been in the other departing X-wing. That meant everyone was clear, it was time to go.

    "OI, watch the paintwork alright, the ship is new!" Kate called out mockingly from her chair.

    "Her name is Sasha!" Kara said, not even looking up from her holo series.

    "Take her up, Kate," Beka called, slamming the button to close the shuttle door, ignoring Adrian for the moment and hopping up towards the vacant co-pilot's seat.

    "Kara. Seat. Now." Kate barked and gave Beka a smile as she sat down. Kate couldn't help by wiggle in her seat excitedly. "Just like old-times eh?"

    Adrian had helped Kara to strap herself in just as the ship had started. Now without being strapped in himself he staggered on his way back to his own seat. He nearly fell over unconscious prisoner on the ground and asked himself if he should strap him in as well. Deciding against it, for now, he took the seat next to Kara and applied the straps.

    The shuttle lifted without much trouble, with Kate at the helm. Beka looked around, familiarizing herself with the shuttle's layout. Hyperdrive, repulsors, sublight... and weapons. That's what she was looking for. As they hit vacuum, she turned to sensors, not trusting visuals at that range.

    Beka figured they had a decent shot of being close enough to trigger the comlink she'd set up, but she'd have to time it right. Counting X-wings, she could see two in the air... three... and then one of them fired back towards the hangar. Hopefully, everyone was clear, and if she'd counted right they were. There was no question in her mind who had made those shots.

    "Follow Addie's lead," Beka commented, "but hold fire, I've got something a bit nicer planned. See if you can get some hyperspace calculations out of her, we have to go."

    ---

    Breaking free of the magfield Adalia glanced back at the mess she'd made, and was almost disappointed that Beka hadn't made it worse, time was short, she figured that would be the reason. Giving her head a shake as it felt like something was lose in there, she bit her lip before barking and order to R7. "Tell Squirt to send the encrypted package to us and Kate, first jump only!!" Banking hard to come up beside Jesse she opened her comm to him. "Stick close Blaze, I got you."

    Jesse stared at his comm before using his left hand to open it. "Like I have a kriffing choice!" he was unimpressed now and his entire career was flashing before his eyes as his craft accelerated with hers.

    ---

    Kate was about to send a transmission to Adalia, but she beat her, and coordinates came streaming through. "Really?" Kate sighed and looked at Adalia's ship and called out, "Really Addie? another dead plant? like I, wanna see that right now!" knowing she couldn't hear her, but it made her feel better. Putting in the coordinates in the hyperdrive, she accelerating as fast as she could, pushing the ship to get as much distance from her and the Ocean as possible, all power rear shields.

    Guessing at what range they'd be safe would be difficult. She'd rigged two torpedoes, but the size of the blast could be miniscule or leave a nice dent. Hopefully the dent.

    Beka gave it a few seconds of Kate gunning the engines before clicking her comlink and activating the blast. Or attempting to. It took three tries before an explosion blossomed out of the starfighter hangar, pushing atmosphere out with the force of the blast.

    "All right, I'm done. Let's get moving." While she was suspicious of the lack of resistance, they were clear for the moment. The sooner they got away, the sooner they could plan their next moves.

    ---

    They'd gotten enough distance and Adalia was more than a little surprised that no one had even attempted to stop them, opening her comm to all three ships, "Jumping in 5, 4, 3, 2......GO" Starlines formed and hyperspace appeared, she had no idea where they were heading, from this point forward, she was trusting Sparks, and Adam. "Please be there when we get where ever we are going Adam." she muttered to herself as she put her head in her hands. Tears were pricking at her eyes as she struggled to think and make sense, to think straight. Why hadn't anyone fired on them, why had The Oceans guns remained silent? We're they letting them go? "I can't think about this, I just can't."

    R7 watched his new pilot through the back of her cockpit. She looked like Amber, the old friend of his master, but she was acting cold. The little droid had almost attacked her when she had tried to separate him from Adrian. The boy his master had told him to protect. But now R7 was surprised to hear her mutterings, it seemed to him that she was more vulnerable than she pretended to be after all.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth @adaml83 @Rebecca_Daniels , @Adalia-Durron , @The Real Kyp Durron, @Anedon
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
  8. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    IC Bernael
    The Ocean to Fury

    After doing what he felt had been necessary to ensure Aden survived, Bernael waited, crouched on the roof of a currently unused ship, invisible but watching, ensuring that the man was attended to by the medics. He may not have begun well with Aden, but the man was clearly one of those who the balance needed, in this time. Once that was accomplished and the group had left, taking the Colonel to the medbay, he leapt off of the ship, landing silently.

    Prior to the entry of that woman, who clearly had deep feelings for a man who she, seemingly, did not know as much as she should about, he could have remained free to wander the ship, keeping track of Aden and Adalia. However, he could sense the chaos of the escape attempt she and others were involved in, in another hangar and the fact that woman had seen him he must leave the Ocean, or he would have to work to keep from being found by the massive search he was sure would soon take place for an Intruder.

    He retrieved the helmet to his armor, customized for deep space use, from where he’d stowed it, out of the way, and headed for the screen that guarded the exit from the hangar to space. He was still invisible, but in the current chaos it may not have been necessary. Using the same hook he had to enter, he swung through what should have been a forcefield but, as he had noted a few minutes before, was simple a shield against the vacuum. The hook retracted as he whipped in an arc, timed at the moment to send him toward his ship.

    As he moved, he could see, and note on his helmet’s sensors, that a group of ships, mostly X-Wings had departed another hangar, and were beginning to move away from the Ocean. A few moments later and he was slipping inside the hatch of his cloaked Fury. Detaching the helmet and hanging it on a recessed peg he made his way to the flight deck. He inputted the data from his pad to the flight computer, reaching out with his senses to verify the data matched what he felt. “Yes, that X-Wing, follow at a distance, maintain stealth, but do not lose the one inside. If she switches ships, follow that and disregard the tracking data on the current ship she occupies.”

    As his instructions were processed he saw a flash in the viewscreen, then debris flying out from the hangar the other ships had recently vacated. The comms lit up with constant chatter now, but they were to slow in reacting to what was going on, as he saw the tiny flotilla streak away then flash into hyperspace.

    His Fury followed, and the pilot chirped, having calculated and followed the instructions given, powered up to make its own jump to hyperspace. In the moment before he departed Coruscant, Bernael sent a thought to the injured Aden Kya, couching it so it would only be understood by the man, ‘I told that woman to say you were correct, I never told her that you were right. Those are two separate concepts. But we will meet again.’

    And then he was gone, hunting again, following trails, doing what he’d long ago agreed to do, what his purpose in life was. And if worse came to worse, there was that fourth spike he could track down.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @Adalia-Durron
     
  9. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    IC: Adam Lyons, Face Loran

    Nowhere

    You could have at least pretended not to be you, y’know,Face said, a little of his ‘Wraith Leader’ anachronism slipping in.

    So Kyp is there. Good to know. Because I wanted to ask him how the Valorum felt to him...

    But that’s nothing to do with what I need you to look into.” Face said, piqued even through the filter. “Curious yet?

    Adam snorted, "I can count the number of Wraith Leaders, proper ones, not even needing one hand. Besides, I know it's you, and you know it's me. You didn't even try one of your many accents."

    He rolled his eyes at the rest of it, "I'm curious of a couple of things, one, what scam are you running? And the other is why are you using me, do you not trust Kalenda anymore?"

    It’s not about trust. It’s knowing when to add to someone’s burden, or that they are about to become entangled in something that they need to focus on or they will die.

    He still didn’t say he was Face.

    That’s my scam today; the same one I always run; making sure no Wraith’s die, and no, I don’t mean the one Solo is trotting around as the real Wraith Squadron.” This would have been a good point to stop, but Face pressed on.

    This isn’t like before; a fallen Jedi is worse than a Yuuzhan Vong or Imp warlord. If he’s a Sith - you’re playing with fire. You’ll need an ocean to even have a chance.

    Little titbits floated through Face’s language here; responsibility for Kashyyyk; the Ocean; the Sith element was new. But, there was always potential for that connection - Lumiya was an adherent of the Rule of Two, and the old NRI knew a lot about the Sith rules after their agency had helped defeat the Disciples of Ragnos.

    Adam looked down before responding. He could see Briana and Kyp sending messages back and forth, though he noticed Kyp's reaction to the allusion that Solo could be a Sith. It wasn't something that he hadn't considered, but that part of the plan would take some time.

    He blew out a breath, "It's a good scam, one I tend to use on a regular basis. I already know that I'm playing with fire, and it might not be only one potential Sith, but two. There are pretty interesting rumors about Aden Kya and his affiliations. That said, I'm not fighting direct, I don't think I need to, certainly not at first. That and the first parts of my plan depend on not making waves until we're not ready to. We have to gather information first."

    Adam then considered for a second, "That said we're a distant third on the list of concerns for Solo's Fleet and the GA itself, which they might not even know about this quite yet. They can't devote too much to go after us anyways otherwise they'll continue losing planets to the Confederation, which are quite high on the threat. Second would be the Jedi and whatever resources they can pull together. If they bring in Wedge, that'll increase what they can do even more. Besides, like when fighting against the Iron Fist, or any enemy who likes to use any interdictor ships, we go where they aren't."

    "That's my advantage, and I appreciate the concern, so I'll trade your advice with some of my own. Watch out for the GAG, they've been gathering power and there's potential where they'll take over the Intelligence Division. You need to decide what to do before then. They have a distinct Imperial Intelligence vibe in that organization."

    ‘Face’ seemed to consider that. “Wedge needs to connect the dots yet; he’s been out of the loop since Gilatter. Good volunteering, Lyons.

    But if you hear anything about the Corellian’s automating their capital ships, or indeed Kyp has an impression of the crew - or lack thereof - of the Valorum, let me know, would you?

    He paused, clearly chewing over whether to continue, but when he did the voice overlay was gone. “You’re not on the GAG radar; not yet. But Confederate Intelligence is concerned about a rogue fighter showing up at Kuat and using a bizarre code. They’ve been able to connect that the associated group might have been based on Corellia, but Corellia and the rest of the Confederation are in a strange place at present - not quite as cooperative as before. The Confederate’s are winning the war - for now - so we might be seeing Koyan thinking about carving up the galaxy before they have even won... so be careful. Lots of factions make it easier to hide, but the moment the Confederates lose an engagement they’ll coordinate better again and they’ll have a lot more pieces about you and your team than you‘d like.

    He left it at that. Lyons knew what he was doing. He always did. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t take on more than he should have.

    "I'm not sure that's entirely true, Kael informed me that I'm on the GA's Seek and Detain list. Checking the dates, it predated Kuat and anything that happened there." It wasn't hard to connect the dots in terms of fairly well known E-wing pilots. Granted it wasn't as easy as the list of fairly well known Aleph pilots, but most tended to be X-wing or A-wing.

    His thoughts went to the mission to find Wedge, "That's something I'm already trying, and it would be wise to increase the number of people trying to find him, covertly. You know how it is when Iella doesn't want them to be found, they won't be found until they're ready."

    "In terms of automated ships, what I'd look for is the reactivation of old, antiquated starships, ones that have no business in battle anymore. Secondly, I'd look for the recall of officers in reserve that haven't been called up until this point due to age. You hear anything about that, then you know the government is staging a trap of some sort. I'm worried what they'll do if and when they get Centerpoint reactivated, they're behaving irrationally, even for Corellians."

    He let Face consider those words for a moment, "That said I'd welcome some semi-official from either the GA or the Confederation, even if it's just so both know my positions. I'm loyal to the Galactic Alliance Common Charter, but I don't see too many people following that these days. That's why you see people find and detain people like Wedge when all he might do is potentially cause trouble for the GA. Maybe it will start a dialogue, even on an unofficial level, between the two major sides."

    "Good to hear that you have everything in order. Don't forget that Galactic Alliance Intelligence doesn't like the Galactic Alliance Guard. Who knows; maybe some Alliance Intel agent is sitting on data that the GAG would want just to make Intelligence look better by 'catching you'." Face grinned, and though Lyons could not see it, he probably caught on.

    "If the GA loses the war, Centerpoint will be someone else's problem. Whatever Ben Skywalker did to their program, he completely derailed it, from what I hear. But we only have one agent left on the station, and I doubt he'll be there much longer. The Corellians are clamping down; even the Confederates can't get a detailed update on what's going on."

    There was a noise behind him, and Face shouted something. "Dia! Time to go!"

    "Wedge is the focus. He'll bring with him a lot of the rest. He'll connect you to the Jedi, for one. I don't think you should rely on Kyp and Adalia too much; especially not with the child."

    With that, he cut off.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth, @adaml83, @The Real Kyp Durron
     
  10. The Real Kyp Durron

    The Real Kyp Durron Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 6, 2018
    IC: Adam Lyons, Kyp Durron, Briana Odan
    Base of Operations. (Thank you @adaml83 )



    Kyp frowned. "Child? What is he talking about? And why not rely on me at least if not Ads?" Face's words were confusing to him. "Do you know what he meant?"

    Briana nodded towards Kyp, "There were reports that there was a guest that wanted to visit Adalia, a woman with a child, a girl. It could be in reference to that, and Face is always running some sort of scam."

    Adam nodded, she wasn't wrong about Face in that aspect. And it wasn't the first Jedi that Face has messed with.

    Kyp reached up and scratched at his goatee beard as he thought. "A woman with a daughter?" He wondered, "The only person she knows with a child, a girl, is Kate, but she has a son as well. Kara and Liam." He spoke quietly, thinking out loud. "With Kashyyyk's attack, maybe they took a child each and escaped in different directions?" he added.

    Adam shrugged, "I think you nailed it with Kate. Unless we know someone on the ground on Kashyyyk, I don't know what sort of plans they would have been able to go with."

    He looked directly at Kyp, "Regarding them, I don't know what to do, but feel like we should do something."


    "Nothing can be done, not yet. She might even be with Addie when they get away." He gave his head a shake, he had more pressing issues. He knew where the Jedi were, and he knew where Wedge was, but secrecy had it's difficulties and he had to deal with them. "So what is your next step?" he asked, wanting Adam, no needing him to take the lead on this. He knew in his own mind that as soon as he knew she was safe, he had to go.

    Adam sighed, not necessarily the answer he wanted, but maybe the answer he needed. He held his left hand up, "Step one, when we know they're away, we meet them at the rendezvous point, it's not far away should only take up maybe an hour tops. We'll be bringing two freighters, and creating a distraction there while we're at it." He held a second finger up, "Step two, my Wraith friend have done a little digging, and have found out where Beka's impounded X-wing is. You also know where Addie's ship is, we're going to get both back, quietly." Step three, "Some of us will need to go to Adumar for business, while others need to see what sort of information we have to figure out where and when to hit certain targets of opportunity." Adam shrugged, "After that, well with the people arriving, with what they're capable of, I simply encourage them to do what they do best." He finished that sentence with a grin.

    Briana smiled, "Swift and I are helping, you know how we are with trouble making."

    Adam grinned in Briana's direction, "I appreciate it. Hope it won't get you into too much trouble." He knew that she wouldn't care at all, then looked at Kyp, "And if you do leave for Council stuff you're not leaving without a Wraith-style comm with you."

    "The Dawn's docked on Naboo, well it was last I knew." Kyp said dismissively, "Beka's ship was impounded?" He smirked, "That doesn't surprise me, and of course I'll take it but I can't make promises Adam, my allegiances are currently divided and I have to be careful. I hope you understand." He paused for a moment hoping Adam would understand. "And are we expecting others I wonder?" He asked, knowing he'd sent his message but so far it hadn't yielded any response, let alone back up or support.

    Adam nodded, "Well you're going to Naboo, then unless Addie's had any reason to pull it out of there." He also considered Kyp's words for a second, "That's part of the reason I want you to have the comm. I know at some point soon the Jedi will have to respond, and you'll have to be there to help decide where the Order's going to do it. So that means at some point you'll have to leave to go wherever the Jedi are hiding now. However, the only ones who will know that signal in the comm will be myself and Addie, that's it. That way you can bring in resources if you think you need us, or even if you just want to check in on Addie, it's up to you." He looked back at the information that Briana was going through, "I'm assuming Addie, Becca or Beka, I need to get used to that...Kate and Kara, but beyond that I have no idea. Briana? Have you heard anything?"

    Briana merely grinned, "Only that there's been some sort of escape just recently, and that both of the Daddys were arguing close by..." Her grin became even more wicked, "They're going to be so mad...."

    Adam momentarily looked confused for a second, then realized, that's what she does best, and then looked at Kyp, "There you go I guess. If they send us a message, we'll know, or the GA will announce their names soon enough."


    Tag @Sinrebirth @Adalia-Durron @adaml83 @Rebecca_Daniels @I_am_Kooky

    (Occ Bring on the 'Wanted' Holos? )
     
  11. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Aden Kya
    Not long after

    Not long after meant a variety of things. Not long after the mysterious intruder broke Adalia out of the medbay. Not long after her squadmates kidnapped personnel and fled. Not long after Solo and Niathal left the ship for the surface. Not long after Aden was injured, rushed to a medical shuttle while unconscious, and woke. Natalia was still there. She'd know it all; Vua had left a rather detached message for all pilots.

    Rogue Wing,

    You will by now all be aware that Colonel Tehanis, who was charged with striking a fellow officer, and indeed treason, fled the ship with several accomplices, taking with them, we believe, hostages. The exact details are currently unclear, but please see appended a list of individuals who you are to, and I quote the GAG notes, '
    be considered dangerous'. If you hear from any of those named, you are to immediately notify Colonel Kya or myself. The Colonel was mortally injured during their escape, and is presently stable in a medbay aboard the Anakin Solo. You new bunks are prepared and waiting for you.

    New squadron assignments and numbers will be confirmed once we are all aboard.

    Acting Commander Vua

    The list included all those who had fled. Natalia had the unenviable task of notifying Aden of everything which had happened. Connecting whatever had happened to Aden Kya to the Tehanis escape was probably a bit deft for Vua, but even if the two events were unrelated everyone would inevitably think that Kya's injury was connected. With that little arrangement of facts, and not a single lie, people would condemn Tehanis and her companions for a murder attempt along the way.

    Which is what Rhoen, Loriana, Syal and the others would all end up, maybe, thinking.

    ‘I told that woman to say you were correct, I never told her that you were right. Those are two separate concepts. But we will meet again.’

    The Wing Commander frowned, his mind addled but clearly recalling the words of the intruder.

    What a know-it-all, Aden thought, just about assembling the thought. His gaze turned, and Aden looked at Natalia, his eyes unfocused. "What happened? Where is Adalia? Is she alright?"

    --
    Aboard the Anakin Solo

    They had their transfers, and their chance to pick new rooms and the like. Zan, Syal's roommate, petitioned Vua for a room with Loriana. The little Sullustan appeared to have a crush. Vua granted it, in passing, not really picking up what it mean. As XO, Vua had his own room, as did Colonel Kya. A billet for Keizar was not available, but she was technically a thirteenth member of the squadron, in a squadron of more than twelve members anyway - the Aleph's required two pilots, adding four more pilots to the roster. Wraith Thirteen was a dubious position, but it did exist. Vua requested and received confirmation that a new X-wing and a new Blur would be transferred to the Solo, but when was a broad question; Blur's were prototypes, at the end of the day - but the four Aleph fighters were also, and he had them.

    Vua was hardly looking forward to letting Colonel Kya know that his prototype had been blow up by Tehanis and her gang.

    But perhaps Keizar, who had unofficially been allowed to place her things in Kya's room for as long as he stayed in the medbay, would make up for it.

    Zan had already began the mating rituals, and left an offering on Loriana's new bed. She'd already accepted a drink from him, so now they he just needed to give her another gift. Sullustan society was matri-lineal, meaning that the Den Mother was the most important person in the family. As such a woman was to be treated with the respect that one would a potential Den Mother. As such, Zan had left a ornate jewellery box, which was fairly pretty, on her bunk.

    Meanwhile, of course, Syal and Rhoen were now bunkmates.

    The Solo was also technically grounded, due to the damage it had suffered at the Battle of Kashyyyk, including Jedi sabotage of its long range weapons. So they were, in the short term, pinned to Coruscant, potentially to be tapped up for another long range mission.

    It was while Syal was unpacking in silence that her comlink chimed. It was a message from Tiom.

    "Sweets, the Second Fleet is shipping out for the front. I hear the Third has already retreated, but that's common knowledge now. The Confederates turned up with most of the Bothan and Corellian fleets; they were outgunned and the Third retreated. We're on our way to reinforce them at the next spot. We know the Commenori remnant is going to join up with them first; Intel says that the Commenori weren't quite ready but the Confederate's are not giving us space to breath. Scuttlebutt aboard the Mawrunner is that we're going to withdraw to Anaxes next, then try and lure them to Corulag. If not we'll head to Alsakan to reinforce the Ninth Fleet, try and make a stand there."

    This was all heavily encrypted but Syal summoned what little she knew of their fleet deployments.

    If the Second, Third and Ninth were out in the field, that left the Fourth and the Bounty to defend Coruscant while the Solo , Megador and remaining half of the Fifth Fleet was repaired. They were playing for time, but nobody had expected the Confederates to chase the Third away so quickly.

    The war could be over in a couple of days. Coruscant was hardly self-sufficient; if the Confederates captured all the worlds around the capital...

    Syal suddenly found herself tearful, which did nobody any favours. She ran to the refresher to conceal it, just as the door to their room went.

    TAG: @galactic-vagabond422, @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha
    —-
    IC: Count Dooku
    Serenno

    The war raged on.

    The counts of Serenno had sponsored separatism from the Republic for millennia, and would continue to do so as long as Coruscant - or any other world - opted to dictate the fate of the noble Houses of Serenno. But after the Clone Wars, the nobles had learned the benefit of letting others lead the way. So as much as Serenno was a nice and polite member of the Galactic Alliance, it was also most impolitely financing the Confederation, which seemed closer than the old Confederacy was ever to achieving what all of Serenno sought; the overthrow of the galactic union between worlds.

    But still, Serenno had yet to declare for the Confederates, though it has exacted key shipping contacts with the High Command secretly. Though the D’Astan family had lost much of its fleet at the Battle of Celanon over two decades ago, they still had a variety of massive Trade Federation freighters left.

    But they also had a conundrum now. In one of the innumerable vaults of the nobility, a contract had expired, and an item kept safe by the Bank of Serenno had been made available. Technically, the contract for the vault had expired five decades after it was made, in the middle of the Clone Wars, but there had been some debate about what it was, and what it was supposed to be worth.

    And, of course, if it was too dangerous to release into the wild.

    By the time the legalities had been observed, giving the owner another five years to lay a claim - which was unlikely being as he was dead - it had finally passed to the head of House Dooku, who was presently Bron Dooku, the great-nephew of that Count Dooku.

    The one they had called Tyranus.

    Bron Dooku, simply, Count Dooku now, stared down at the glowing pyramid. It has scrawl upon it, which post-dated the Holocron’s creation, but the experts were unsure of how to date a material they were not infinitely familiar with.

    [​IMG]

    The Holocron was potentially thirty five thousands old; the scrawl, that was identifiably seven millennia old. For, it was the ancient language of the Sith, and it was a rather infamous Holocron, in certain circles, for it was said to contain the secret of eternal life.

    It was the Holocron of Heresies, and it had belonged to the very late Darth Andeddu. Which is why it was in a vacuum sealed box of Killik-spun glass, which had been recently seeded with a Mandalorian beskar concoction to add to the sheer versatility of the shell.

    This Bron has decided after he had spoken to it merely once. Once was enough. But what to do with it? Hand it over to the Jedi, and it might vanish, or be destroyed. It was vaguely known that not a few weeks ago two incredibly rare Holocron’s had surfaced - the Great Jedi Holocron and the so-called Telos Holocron, the latter filled with all manner of Sith gatekeeper, apparently presently represented by Darth Sidious. Where they were since the GAG attack on the Jedi Temple was anyones question. Indeed, where the Jedi were at all was another one.

    Which is what brought Dooku here.

    In theory, the war was going the way of the Confederates, but until Jacen Solo was undone, Dooku was not convinced that it was won. That man could do anything, as he had demonstrated several times now; sabotaging Centerpoint with Ben Skywalker; defending the Hapan Queen’s daughter from an accomplished Dark Jedi assassin; masterfully taking control of the Galactic Alliance in less than six months; surviving a four-to-one Battle of Kashyyyk. Rumours had that he had even faced down Luke Skywalker - a feat reserved for behemoths like Darth Sidious himself.

    So until he died, Dooku was not sure. But for him to die the Jedi had to be nudged out of their doldrums since Mara Skywalker died. As such, Dooku intended to sound out the Jedi about coming to collect this dangerous artefact, which of course meant spreading the information across networks both old and scurrilous, and use their curiosity to find the location of the Jedi secret base... and then leak it to the GA. That would force the GA to intervene, and split them even more from the Confederate assault. It may even get Jacen killed, which was preferable. The Confederates could then negotiate the neutrality of the Jedi as they redrew the borders of the galaxy.

    Corellia wanted its old hegemony territory, a triangle of territory reaching to the Mid Rim. The Hutts wanted the entire Outer Rim defined the Corellia Run and Perlemian, while the Commenori and Bothan sought chunks of the Colonies and Mid Rim respectively. Offers were being made to the Remnant, Eriadu and the Corporate Sector, and Serenno had its own interests protected along the Hydian up to Aargau in the Core.

    All Dooku had to do to start this marvellously terrifying plan was to press the button on his desk.

    But at present he was looking at the Gatekeeper of the Holocron. The blue image was grinning malevolently at Count Dooku, and Dooku was staring back. After a moment of this tableau, it laughed and vanished, causing Dooku to jump.

    [​IMG]

    He pressed the button without thought; the best bit of this plan was that the creepy thing would be gone.

    TAG: no-one but in theory everyone

    Arguably, @Jerjerrod-Lennox, and also @Corellian_Outrider, and @TheAdmiral. This is a TAG that references a Holocron of Heresies. Being as a few have turned up in the Epitaph game, 35,000 years before this game, it is a mention, not a tag for you to respond to as Atreus, Ix or Vydra.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  12. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC: Jem Vercetti, Erbas Hawcron, Marie Firestone, Rooty Aran, Emiline Mashibo.
    Cantina in some backwater planet.



    Jem eyed the doorway, whoever was coming was due. He looked back to the drink he'd been nursing for sometime now having arrived in the darkened cantina early.
    "Do you think anyone will come?" Emiline asked quietly from across the table, her large blue eyes looking sympathetically at him. She didn't believe anyone would, who comes back to help a former employer ten standard years down the track? She was thrilled when he'd told her he'd forward the message, but she'd given him a look of 'it wont happen' when he'd told her he expected others to attend his meeting. She glanced to the door, not that she'd know what to look for. Reaching her hand over she placed it on his wrist in a sign of encouragement, having insisted on going with him, she now felt it was all in vane.

    Jem glanced at her, he hoped in his heart of hearts, she was wrong. She knew the pull his half sister had on some of her former crew. He'd gotten the message through to only a few of the former Shadow Sabers, he'd not found Adam and that didn't surprise him as he was a Corellian and you'd have to be deaf and blind to not know what was going on in the Galaxy at this point. It didn't surprise him that someone with Adam's credentials had gone to ground. He was surprised to get it through to Erbas Hawcron though, another Corellian, but one who'd moved out of his former life and now lived a quiet life in the country. Then there was the infamous Rooty Aran, Jem couldn't help but smile. Now he was the Corellian who reminded him some don't fit the mould, it had reached it's destination but there had been no reaction thus far. The message to Kashyyyk had gone unheard as far as he knew, and his heart twisted at the implications of that one knowing what had happened there. The message had reached Dathomir, but there had been no response from Marie Firestone. Those were all he'd been able to find and he'd added his own message for them to meet him here, if they could. So now he waited.

    "Now?" Marie whispered quietly into her counterparts ear. She'd been there for nearly an hour, waiting.

    "Soon." Erbas murmured back, "I like watching him sweating that no one came." He smiled in a tormenting way.

    "He looks very nervous, maybe we shouldn't be stalling this so long, maybe Addie really does need help?" Marie urged, "According to the reports here, she's not with Kyp right now." She tapped the data pad in front of her.

    He reached over the table and took the pad. "And it does say Aden Kya is out." Rooty said with raised eyebrows, "For me that's all I need to step back into the game." He held the pad up. "I'm with her, let's go." he said standing.

    Marie stood as well, "Let me first!" she said with a grin as she made her away out of the booth they were seated in. Crossing the room, moving in and out of the milling various beings she approached the table where Jem sat with a rather pretty looking young woman. She moved fast, and was there in a matter of heartbeats as she placed her hands on the table of the booth in front of Jem. "Hey here Kid, looking for a good time?"

    Jem looked up in surprise, right into Marie's dark brown eyes. He grinned, "Depends on what you call a good time?" he replied.

    Emiline was shocked. "JEM!!?!" She snapped with a frown, 'how dare he even entertain such a thought?'

    Jem chuckled and leaned around the woman. "Emiline, meet Marie." he was clearly thrilled to see his former squadron mate. "Her idea of a good time generally involves speed, explosions and sugar." he explained.

    Emiline's eyes were wide, it was like she didn't believe anyone would come. The tall Dathomirian woman turned to her, her dark eyes sparkling. "Pleasure, and you are? I mean in all this, how do you fit in?" She slipped into the bench seat beside Jem, pushing him over.

    "We'd like to know that too Kid." Erbas said as he sat next to Emiline, attempting to dazzle her with his smile he lifted his hand offering it to her. "Erbas, at your service lovely lady."

    "Give it a rest Hotshot." Rooty pulled a nearby chair up and placed it at the booths end. "Let the lady tell us her story." He looked to her. "Rooty." he said pointing to himself.

    Emiline was overwhelmed. It was only three of them, but in her mind and from her own research, she believed she now sat with four almost legends. She looked from one to the other. The words tumbled out her mouth like she was a silly star struck school girl. "I'm Emiline, I'm his girlfriend, I'm a historian and....and ....I'm a big fan!"

    Erbas raised and eyebrow as he turned to Jem.

    Marie suppressed a smirk, and twisted her lips to hide it.

    Rooty rolled his eyes. "Seriously....Emiline is it? Fan of what? A bunch of out of date misfits? Don't be so impressed." he shrugged "Ten years ago I'd have bragged and sucked you in, now?" he gave his head a shake. "Hands up who still flying........like we used too?" He looked around the table, no one raised their hand. "Like I thought. I don't even know what we're doing here. What do any of you honestly think we can do?" he asked.

    Jem had remained silent as his past was appearing in front of him, till now. "I do." He said simply. "We're Sabers, we were Knightz. We can do anything we put our minds too."

    Across from him Erbas lowered his eyes, in his heart of hearts he used to believe that, not so much now. "We used to be able to do anything we put our minds too Jem, things change. Take a look around, we all got old." he explained.

    "Speak for yourself, I got better." Marie said with a smile, "And if I know the other girls, they did too." She was still flying and in her mind she still looked damn good doing it.

    "What other girls?" Rooty asked, "I'm seeing you alone Sweets." He drawled, he felt like this was a waste of time, his glory days were gone, along with his A Wing and his youth, or so he thought at least. "What do you think we can do Jem?" He asked honestly.

    Emiline was bewildered, this small group of people were heroes, at least they were, and it was clear at least one of them if not two, had a distinct defeatist attitude. She frowned. "You do what you all do best."

    Erbas snorted. "And what exactly is that?" He turned to her, moving to face her. "I don't know what he told you, but we aren't heroes, we aren't legends, we're just ......." He glanced at Rooty. "A bunch of old war veterans."

    Emiline looked to Jem, she was disappointed. She sighed. "And here Jem and I were thinking this was going to be a wonderful reunion and more adventures would follow." she said sadly.

    "He's right Em....I was dreaming. Look, I know you've all come a long way, I'll buy you dinner to thank you, but I'll sort this out. Thanks for coming." Jem said, he heart sinking, whatever Addie needed or Kyp needed, he didn't think he would be able to help with it.

    "Now wait up Kid, we might be saying we're old, we might be out of the game, but no one said we'd turn our backs on you.....or Vixen." Rooty explained, a half smile, "We may not be the best anymore, but we've got something no one else has."

    Marie nudged Jem. "We're Sabers, and that's for life."



    TAG @Sinrebirth @adaml83 @Anedon
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2019
  13. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    IC: Ilona Malek
    Backwater Cantina

    Ilona poked the food in front of her with her fork and asked herself how living beings could eat something like this. As she was thinking about it the respect for her parents grew, they´ve grown up eating nothing but stuff like this. Born and raised as the daughter of a senator and a military attaché she had spent most of her youth on Coruscant at banquets and other expensive meals. Later in her teens she had grown fond of the spicy kitchen of her own homeworld, and so these half decent cantina snacks tasted like blankets to her. You´ve become quite a snob, she lightly chided herself with a smile. Everyone had a weakness and this was probably hers. Her grin grew when she imagined Adrian eating this, he seemed to have an iron stomach almost praising even ration bars. Always following the military code her brother would eat whatever his commanding officers gave him. This though worried her a bit, her brother hadn´t said it out loud but she and their parents had noticed how unhappy he had been at his post in the GA. She had worried if someone was abusing her little brother, giving him as hard time at his post. But Adrian hadn´t told her, too much of a good soldier to do that it seemed. Ilona wished he had joined the ORSF instead, the strict discipline there would have fit him, and she could have straightened out anyone who tried to abuse her little brother. She wondered what this new squadron was about he had been transferred to, her father had recognized the name of the leader, maybe an old friend of his? Ilona hoped that this was the case, that whoever this Adalia Tehanis was she would keep Adrian save. Ilona tried her best to hide a yawn, it had been a long day, she had been woken up in her quarters at the barracks by urgent orders. Now with Eriadu about to declaring independence from the GA she was too met with a confederate diplomat in this forsaken backwater. It was a secretive mission and so she had left her squad behind under Kat´s command dressed in civilian clothes and taken an unsuspecting ship to this rock. The meeting with the diplomat had taken hours and now she was waiting for further orders. Ilona was excited, like her father she had nothing but contempt for the Alliance, this oh so free unity. My parents fought half their lives against the empire, only to be told these dictators are now our friends. It had been the reason her father had retired after the Vong war, not wanting to sit in a government with the likes of Admiral Paelleon or Queen Mother Djo and see these tyrants as partners. But what about her brother? He was still trapped within the GA in this how was his new squad called again? Phoenix Squadron commanded by this... "maybe Addie really does need help?"
    Someone said behind her and Ilona nodded instinctively. Yeah Adalia that was the name. Could it be? Carefully she turned around to the people sitting in the niche next to her. Adrian wasn´t among them and beyond that they didn´t look like a military unit, but then again hadn´t they mentioned an Adalia? This possibly nothing but Ilona leaned closer to them curious if she could find out more. The more she heard the more it began to intrest her, these people were defenetly up to something. The other name they mentioned Aden Kya? Wasn´t that the war criminal her brother had talked about in the last message they had recieved? Whatever my brother has gotten himself into, it seems these people are a part of it.

    Tag: @Adalia-Durron
     
  14. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Adalia, Kate, Adrian, Beka, Kara, Jesse
    Hyperspace and beyond.




    Safely in Hyperspace, it wouldn't be long till their first destination. Kate looked back at the hunk on metal on the ground and looked to Beka "So. . .who's your new friend? and should he. . .be tied up or something, he is uncomfortably close to Kara my liking." she turned and gave Adrian a smile. Kara didn't really notice anything, her show was on.

    Beka shook her head. "Stun bolt takes a while to wear off. And cuffs should slow him down long enough if he does wake up." She glanced at Kara, then at Adrian. The latter was a child, but a Kate and Eak raised child, so she had no idea if the girl had any training. And Addie didn't seem to trust Adrian-- she didn't either, but he had at least thrown his lot in with them for the moment.

    "If it helps, one of you could hold a blaster on him. Keep him quiet."

    "Ehhhh, don't need a blaster floating around either" She debated what would suit, but decided she would just trust Beka and Adrian. "Soo, guess what, we are headed to Alderaan first. .how lovely." she said in a sarcastic tone.

    As they reverted to real space, Kate wasn't really sure what to expect? would they land close enough to what was left of the planet, or just be in the system. She saw them, the rocks, far enough away not to be a worry, but close enough to see with the naked eye. A profound silence filled the cabin, nothing but the end credits of Star Trek.

    The weird mix of upbeat music, but in a slow fashion was not quite the right thing to be listening too when witnessing the aftermath of such a tragedy.

    "Kara, come look at this" Kate said gently, and listened as her daughter came up. "This is . . .was Alderaan." "We read about it in class" Kara offered, looking out. Kate thought it would be good for her to see it, "We are not alone in what we lost, but that doesn't make it right"

    She had no idea how long they'd been in hyperspace, could have been minutes, could have been hours, her mind wasn't functioning on that level anymore. The starlines reverted to real space and she lifted her head to look around, vision blurred slightly. "Where are we......Sparks?" she muttered squinting. The droid responded with sounds of indignant offence and she read the translation before groaning. "Alright already, I got it wrong,...get over...it. Where are we?" She read again rubbing the nap of her neck, it ached. "Alderaan System, what the Kriff?" she put her head into her hands. "Ask Sparks why?" R7 started to argue. "STOP!!! JUST DO IT!!!" she snapped. She was rubbing her temples when the answer came and she squinted to read it. "Message sent? What message?" she shook her head "Ready to ..jump again? Where are we going now?" a new message came up. "He's what? Not telling?" Adalia dropped her head back "Just tell the others and get us moving." she groaned.

    New coordinates came through. Kate waited for the others if they wanted to say something, do something. Then she would continue on.

    "When my dad heard of this, it changed his life," Adrian muttered, having stepped behind mother and daughter and listened to their words. "He had left the empire before, but it was this that convinced him to do something, to join the rebellion..." he made a pause before adding, "to show the galaxy we are not all like him." He didn't mention the name as he knew the others understand who he was talking about. "And so he became a rebel, a senator even. Its places and events like this that sometimes can give us strength as well."

    Adrian had heard this story several times in his youth, and in a sense this place was the reason he was here today, continuing his fathers work.

    Jesse groaned, he'd never been to Alderaan, and frankly had never been curious about it, it was a graveyard in is mind. He gazed around at the debris and he could hear Sparks behind him whirring and making what he assumed were transmissions. "Hey, back there? Can I know where are going?" he asked the droid. A distinct no came back at him, and he duly sighed. 'Jumping again soon' scrolled across his screen and he squirmed, wondering how long this was going to take.

    She looked up, the debris was forming its own ring around the distant sun, like a halo over the heavenly body, Adalia tried to take in the images, but she simply couldn't. "Are we jumping soon?" she mumbled, hoping she could go back to sleep, her head hurt so much. Her vision was blurring and sleep was the best option, she was sure she just needed to rest. "Just take me out when they are all ready to go."



    TAG @Sinrebirth @I_am_Kooky @Anedon @Rebecca_Daniels
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2019
  15. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    IC Ilona, Marie, Rooty, Erbas, Emiline & Jem. (combo with @Adalia-Durron)
    Darkened street.

    "Not here." Rooty said as he scanned the filthy cantina "I doubt anyone is listening but talking about GA Colonels and and messages from Jedi Masters probably needs to be done elsewhere." he said lowering his voice.

    Erbas gave an even nod. "He's right, I have a room nearby, not great, but its private, unless you have better Jem?" He asked the younger man who'd organised this meeting.

    Jem gave a quick nod glancing at Emiline "Yeah, we've got rooms nearby, please, let's go."

    The others nodded and grunted agreements as they all got up and headed to the door, as a group.

    Rooty had seen her the moment she'd cocked her head to listen in the Cantina, his position at the table allowed that. Now she was following them and it was time to find out why. Leaning to Jem he muttered. "We're being followed, I'm ducking out, keep going, will catch her."

    Ilona slowly followed the group with some distance, while trying her best to act like just an unrelated citizen. It was harder than she had thought, her noble upbringing and military training found their way into her movements, standing straight and walking with large forceful steps. Trying her best to suppress this she moved slower and let her gaze wander freely across the surroundings, while trying to think of a good way to listen in on the room they mentioned. R7 would have been useful here, but the little guy was far away with her brother, so she only had herself a soldier, not a spy.

    Jem's training from years before came back in a heartbeat as he gave a single nod and loudly turned to the others with the comment "Gee this side of town is nice, our rooms are down this way." He changed directions from their intended direction. Emiline turned and scowled, but before she could say a thing he linked arms with her. "Shush, just play along." he hissed to her.

    They came to a smaller street and up ahead Rooty sighted what he was looking for, an alley. So when they reached it, he ducked in, pressing up against the wall into the shadows while the rest of the group moved on. She was still behind them and her movements were not that of a civilian, he'd gotten that much.

    Ilona moved a bit careful now, her instincts and keen eyes had told her the group in front likely knew of her presence, well either that or I´m getting paranoid. She also believed to have glimpsed one of them leaving the group and ducking into a nearby alley but she wasn't sure. She continued her way forward one hand as if callously in her pocket, around the vibroknive she had hidden there, though she hoped she wouldn't need it.

    Reaching the corner he could hear her footsteps and they'd slowed, she knew he was there. He slipped his hand into his jacket and curled his fingers around the hold out blaster he always kept on him and withdrew it slowly, he was ready when she came level with him. His free hand snaked out and pulled her into the alley and turned her around to slam her up against the wall, the blaster at her chin. "Who are you and what do you want?" he growled, it'd been a long time since he'd done anything like this.

    "Could ask you the same," Ilona replied, her knife pressed against the man´s stomach. Just a single turn of her hand would be enough to gut him. For a moment she thought about playing dumb and trying to hide her identity but it was now to late for that. "Are you acquaintances of Colonel Adalia Tehanis?" She asked instead trying her best to keep her voice calm and demanding, as to not reveal any weakness.

    Rooty glanced down and a wry smile touched his lips as he raised his blue grey eyes to meet her striking blue ones. "Clever girl." he muttered, he respected her suddenly. "I know the Colonel, what of it?"

    Ilona took the compliment with a quick grin before she replied, "She is currently with someone very dear to me, well at least she was until all communications with him broke down."

    Rooty regarded her. "Tehanis wouldn't hurt who ever it is you are worried about, gotta trust me on that." he said evenly, it'd been 10 years, but he knew the woman very well. "Who's with her?"

    Ilona bit her lip, unsure if she should reveal it, but she assumed it didn´t matter that much if he new the exact details. "My brother, he has recently been made her XO." And you better hope to the stars you are right, if that colonel did something to Adrian...

    Rooty lowered the blaster as he admired her, she was lovely to look at and biting her lip like that caught his attention. "XO huh? He's good then, really good, she'd not take him otherwise." He stepped back, "What do you think I......" he glanced out of the alley just as the group appeared again. He smiled as Erbas, Jem and Marie took on a rather intimidating stance while the newcomer Emiline hid behind Jem. "We can do for you?"

    Ilona put her knife away as she was released from the man's grip. She noticed how he examined her with his eyes, and so she had a bit of a closer look at him as well. When she saw the others approaching she gave them a quick nod of acknowledgement. "As I said I've lost contact with my brother and with my homeworld now going to war with the GA I won´t be able to do so via any official channels. You seem to know his commanding officer and from what I could gather are searching for a way to contact her, so it seems we have the same goal." Then after a short pause she said. "I'm Ilona Malek," and allowed herself a little smile at how her mother used to scold her for going straight to the point without even introducing herself when she was younger.

    Rooty turned to the others. "Well?" he asked. It was a single word but it spoke volumes.

    Erbas was the first to speak as he stepped forward. "Well Ilona, for now, we use call signs...." he wanted to be able to walk away from her without repercussions. He pointed to Rooty "Speed." then to Jem and Marie, "Kid and Sweets". He had to think fast, Emiline? He smiled as he came up with her name, "She's .....Fangirl and I'm Hotshot."

    Emiline peered over Jems shoulder as he grinned at her name, she was a little less impressed, but generally that was the point of a callsign.

    Marie smiled at the young woman's new callsign. "We stick with them till we can trust you, clear?"

    Ilona raised an eyebrow but decided to go along with it. "If you choose so," on Eriadu callsigns were rarely used, as they were considered confusing.

    She crossed her arms before her chest, "now do we want to continue to stand in this dark alley or at least look for a nicer place to compile what each of us knows so we can puzzle this out?"

    Rooty laughed openly as he replaced his weapon. "I like her, she's got guts. I vote we let her tag along."
     
  16. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    (A combo post between myself and our Glorious GM...Our poor boy is built for punishment.)

    IC: Rhoen Aquilla
    Anakin Solo

    Rhoen waited outside hearing his new roommate talking on the comm. He let out a breath leaning against the bulkhead shaking his head. If his deployment was feeling long already, this didn't help matters. Most of the command structure of the wing just disappearing into hyperspace, leaving a bomb behind them. All he could do was shake his head. Now Kya would be the sole commander of the wing. He still couldn't believe Tehanis, claiming she cared for her pilots then abandoning them.

    Though that was the least of his worries, right now he had to worry about sharing a room with a woman his heart stupidly longed for despite everything against that ever happening. The room went quiet and he opened the door, just in time to see the one to the 'fresher close. He didn't question it at first just settling into his new room. In the quiet he could hear soft sobs. Looking up his gaze was drawn to the refresher. Coming closer he listened for his roommate.

    His heart pained him listening to her sobs, his mind told him to just leave her be, let her work this out on her own. His heart had other plans. It hurt him deep in his chest just standing there listening to her. Though his brain was screaming at him to stay quiet, his heart won out. It would always win out.

    "Hey." He said softly knocking on the door, "You alright?"

    It was the knock at the room door which would prevent her from replying; not that she would hear it over her own upset. Syal was livid that she was showing her weaker side. Her father was renowned for his stoicism, and she had thought, until this day, that she had inherited that emotion. But instead, here she was.

    The knock, however, Rhoen heard, and it was quite an firm one.

    He turned his attention to the door, his face falling a little. His hope was to figure out what had gotten Syal so upset, to be there for her. This knock at their door put the breaks on that. With a forced smile he moved to the door, opening it.

    "Yes?"

    [​IMG]

    The man that appeared looked down at Rhoen with an expression that suggested that he didn’t know what to make of the pilot. Even in pilot attire, he was a distinctive image and the man simply stared at Rhoen before seemingly deciding on what to say.

    “I’m Captain Loran; Galactic Alliance Intelligence. I was led to believe these were the quarters of Syal Antilles...” he checked his datapad. “Tiom Rordan, I presume?”

    The man introduced himself and Rhoen found himself standing a little taller. His mother had told him of 'Face' Loran, his exploits with the original Wraith Squadron were the stuff of legends. He didn't go into a full parade rest, but he still stood respectfully.

    His heart sank a little at the identification, one would have hoped that Alliance Intelligence would know these things, or maybe he would have just liked to be saved this embarrassment.

    "Um...No...These are her quarters," he explained struggling to keep his head up, "But, I'm not Pilot Officer Rordan, Rhoen Aquilla Wraith 3, her roommate." he extended his hand for a shake trying to keep the pain hidden behind his smile. "My mom told me a lot about you sir."

    He met the grip of the younger man firmly. Face smiled, a bit bemused. "Your mother did, did she? You must be trustworthy, then." He thought about what Rhoen had just said, too. "And Tiom must trust you to, no doubt."

    Face was known to perform a social faux pas to obtain information from a subject; he had known Rhoen was here all along but he also had heard about the little chitchat Loriana had started in front of the entire lounge about Tiom. Face was happy to remind the young man about Syal's fiance.

    A sob was heard in the room, and the Captain frowned. "Should I come back later? I was looking to speak to Syal about her father."

    He ran a hand through his hair looking away. "I promised him I'd watch her back." He said looking to the 'fresher door. He made a promise, to watch her back, though his heart kept trying to push him further. The reminder of it sent a fresh feeling of guilt running through him. Looking back up he let his face fall a little. Her father, the legend, the one every pilot heard about, and strives to be, the man hunted by the Alliance. "I think it would be better for you to come back later," he said looking to the refresher, "We've..." he stopped himself trying to find the right word. "Suffered some setbacks, I'm sure you understand."

    Face nodded. "That I do. Loyalty is a tricky thing. The Alliance is proving quite hardline at the moment, but that doesn't mean it is wrong," he said, softly. Or right, he thought to itself. "But the Confederation is sowing all manner of chaos and while it styles the GA as the Empire, it is not acting like the Rebels. But that's what happens when you refer to yourself by those lines; good and evil, perhaps."

    He looked aside, up and down the corridor. "It's important to remember that Jacen and Aden are not the entire GA. That it is possible to both obey your duty and oath and not to go to arms against your friends, and not to abandon your comrades." Face shrugged. "I believe so, anyway. We do have two Chief of States running the GA very different philosophically after all."

    The Intelligence officer went to go. "But I will leave her for now - as a favour to you, Rhoen..." His eyes met the younger mans. "But I can rely upon you, can't I?"

    The man spoke of obeying your orders, but not taking up arms against former friends, of the fact the Alliance was split down the middle, with two heads of state, that there was no good or bad. He thought of the words he told Syal, and Loriana, we watch each other's backs. His true meaning was that in the end all they had were each other. No matter who handed out the orders, no matter what they were asked to do, they still had each other. That together they could get through anything.

    "I'll tell her you stopped by." He said with a nod of his head.

    Face smiled slightly. "I am sure that you will." The Intelligence officer allowed the door to close. That's a boy with a lot on his plate. Face had needed Syal to start reaching out for her father and mother, but she was caught in events, and unless Face intended to entirely abandon his network within the GA to connect the Jedi to Wedge, he needed to wait on Lyons to catch up.

    He drafted a quick encrypted burst. Lysa is in too deep. Follow-up with Mirax Junior. It was cryptic, but hopefully Lyons would remember Syal's pseudonym, and also that Myri was named for Mirax. There was no such thing as an untraceable comlink, so Face placed it in a disintegrator as we made to leave.

    With Rhoen, however, the sobbing died down, and the door opened, but only to reveal that Syal was asleep. She had worn herself out today, and that was the end of that. Between nearly dying in combat, the complexity of her feelings for Rhoen, and everything else she had to handle, it was too much.

    Face? That probably would have added too much to her.

    Rhoen looked over to Syal a weight sitting heavy in his chest. Loyalty, honor, oaths, the heaviest of topics one could consider in a war like this, where both had committed atrocities. A long breath left him, it was all getting too much to try and sort, to try and figure out. Maybe he should have left with Jesse, it would have been easy...Looking again to the woman passed out on the floor. It would have been too easy...to just leave them behind, to break his promise.

    He walked forward scooping her up into his arms, his heart nearly sung feeling her head against his chest, but he kept his stoic demeanor. Inside he was a roiling sea of questions and worries and pain. He brought her to her bunk and laid her gently upon it pulling the blanket up over her.

    She looked so peaceful like that. Eyes closed softly breathing, he had to fight against the urge to kiss her forehead...'no one would know' his heart told him. The guilt appeared once more, reminding him that she wasn't his, the there were clear lines and that he was in danger of crossing them.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  17. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    IC: Adam Lyons, Kael Swiftflight

    Adam was looking through various correspondences between current and former Wraiths when Kael walked in, “Snooping on us, Stealth?

    Adam turned around and grinned, “Something like that, and...” a new message from Face popped up.

    Lysa is in too deep. Follow-up with Mirax Junior.

    Kael frowned at the message, “Lysa...Mirax Junior....who are they?

    Adam pointed at each name in turn, “Wedge’s kids. Though the last report was that Myri was on the Errant Venture. Though she was there with family...” Not that it was really a report, more a rumor, though the rumor was that she was getting rich beyond her or almost anyone’s wildest dreams.

    Adam typed in some instructions for Kirney and sent them off, then sent a message to Face.

    Will check through the Empress of the Droids, though just as good a method might be through Niathal’s analyst, the doleful one.

    Kael looked in confusion, “What is with those references?

    Adam snickered, “We aren’t naming people so should anything get intercepted, people wouldn’t necessarily understand the references.

    Kael considered, “I guess, but it’s much simpler to blow things up.

    Adam rolled his eyes, “Need to justify those goggles?” For as long as he’d known Kael, since before the Vong War, every time Adam had seen him, Kael was wearing goggles. He suspected that Kael wore them while he slept and showered.

    Kael frowned, “They are justified, they’re awesome.” That and the goggles made him memorable...and it allowed him to look at the explosions more directly. Didn’t help much with women...then tended to laugh.

    Adam shook his head, “We better check on HQ, never know when she’s trying to mentally subvert a Jedi Master into her ways of chaos. That and she might also have news.Adam got up and started heading towards the door.

    He could hear Kael sigh, “Great another person who heckles me about my goggles...

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  18. The Real Kyp Durron

    The Real Kyp Durron Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 6, 2018
    IC: Kyp Durron, Briana Odan
    Communications Room - Base

    Thank you to @adaml83 for the collaboration. Always a pleasure.


    Briana was keeping an eye out for communications from either the GA or Adalia and any of the other escapees. There had been some communication to the effect of an announcement that someone had escaped, but also there was a message that was currently being decrypted, so she shook her head, "Curse you Stealth and your obscure references. Not everyone studies this stuff as much as you do."

    Sitting on the edge of a nearby desk, his legs crossed at the ankles and his arms crossed over his chest, Kyp could feel Briana's frustration, she loved her work, but the time it took clearly bugged her. "Something good coming in?" he drawled.

    Briana heard Kyp and rolled her eyes, she wasn't much of a fan of someone listening in on her like that. For all that she was concerned, it was magic. "Why don't you just come in here so you don't have to use your magic powers? Besides, I have something to give you....not like that you dirty-minded Jedi!"

    He snorted and chuckled. "Me? Wrong Jedi." he shook his head as he stood and cross the room to her, standing behind her. "What have you got?" he asked, still amused by her assumption.

    Briana tossed a handheld comm unit over her head, "Catch. It's a special unit that'll allow you to talk to us quickly, most of the stuff we have here is capable of handling it, but this will be on its own system that will allow you to talk to us much faster than the usual backdoor methods. It's part of the problems we're having trying to get in contact with Wedge, well that and Iella is a master at hiding herself and her family." She considered for a second, "Yes I have heard stories about Corran..."

    Jedi reflexes were impressive by most peoples standards, but Kyp predicted the toss before it occurred simply putting his hand up and catching it, before turning it over back and forward to study it. "And its compact, nice work. Thanks." he said closing his hand over it. He let his breath out slowly, keeping secrets weighed heavily on ones soul when keeping them from those you should and do trust with them. He chose to deflect. "What you've heard about Corran doesn't even scratch the surface." he smiled. "I could tell stories..."

    "No problem, you can also send things in text, fully encrypted, should you feel the need to do so." Briana noticed the pause, We all have our secrets...
    She grinned about the stories about Corran, "I don't know, remember Face Loran is my CO, and he's told a lot of stories about many people, during downtime." She paused a bit, she and Face weren't on opposing sides, though it might be portrayed that way. Then again the Wraith method for solving that was causing so much chaos and destruction that no one could piece it together, and Briana was good at both of those.


    "Thanks again?" was she looking for a parade? "So, do you have anything good coming in?" He asked again, he was waiting for 'that' message, the one that told him and them, that the escapees were on their way. It meant they could move out, they could go to the meeting point and he'd see her again. He needed to see her again, wasn't a want any longer.

    She thought a second, "Hey you may know the answer to this better. We got a message from I'm guessing a droid named Sparks, but it's encrypted. However, the clue is fairly odd, something about a description of how they were early on when Adam and Adalia met each other, and possibly how they feel now given the situation..." Briana looked at Kyp, "Have any clue what that could be?"

    He smiled, Sparks was indeed the key to that having a memory that would recall such things. He recalled her reaction back then to someone being sent in to 'investigate' the base. Adalia had taken it as a personal affront, but she pretty quickly realised her reactions were foolish, and she'd been wrong on all fronts. That was the word. "Foolish?" he said with a wry smile.

    Briana's eyes lit up, "Makes sense, and they both commanded units. Foolish Commanders?" She put that phrase in, and it unencrypted the message completely, she leaned back so Kyp could read it better. "This might also make sense for you better, but if I understand it right, we should probably be leaving soon."

    It didn't surprise him that the word worked, he remembered that time, never dreamed they'd become such good friends. He leaned over Briana's shoulder and read the screen, checking the transmission time and mentally working the distances to be traveled and their time frame. "Yes, you're right, we need to move out in the next hour if we are to intercept them." He stood up. "Know where Adam is? Need to get on this now." He wasn't hiding his need for urgency very well.

    Briana smirked, "On-base..." She knew she was baiting him, but how many times in your life do you get to mess with a Jedi? Besides knowing Adam, she knew that he'd be coming in to check on her any minute. "I know him, however, what's more important is that we have a couple of small freighters checked out and ready to go, they're fast and we're close, you want to take a look at them?"

    He wanted to give her a shove from behind for her tormenting, but wasn't familiar enough with her,.....yet, he could feel her amusement. "Sounds better than what I had planned for you." he said stepping back toward the door. "You might have taken it as 'a dirty minded Jedi." he laughed. "Come on, let's take a look."



    TAG: @Sinrebirth @Adalia-Durron @adaml83
     
  19. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Rooty, Marie, Jem, Ilona, Erbas, Emiline.
    A quiet room, somewhere

    Thanks to @Anedon - working with all my personalities must be confusing!!




    Jem and Emiline's rooms were small, but adequate. A bed with a small lounge at its end and a refresher to the side, but it was clean and warm and private. "It's not much, but I'm not wealthy." he said with a shrug.

    Emiline linked arms with him. "Credits don't keep you warm at night love."

    Marie walked over to the window and gazed out. "Anything to drink in here?"

    Erbas grinned as he flopped into the lounge. "Room service, and send the bill to Kya."

    Rooty was still behind the newcomer, he'd put his weapon away, but still kept a keen eye on her and smiled at Erbas' comment. "Make yourself at home Ilona. Why don't you tell us about yourself?" He wanted to know more, no needed to know more.

    Ilona chose a place close to one of the windows and leaned herself against the wall, she didn't want to sit down. An old soldier reflex not to get caught in such a weak position she guessed. "As said I´m Ilona Malek," and in contrast to you I don´t hide behind a callsign, "Might have heard of my father, the former Senator?" She wondered if someone had, her father had apparently recognized Colonel Tehaniss, but also to imply that people would come looking for her if something happened. "I'm a Colonel of the Out land Regions Defense Force, currently off duty, looking for my little brother." She decided to keep her original political mission a secret.

    Positioning himself near her, Rooty nodded. "Can't say I have I'm sorry, but I tend to avoid all politics, bores me to tears." He said, "Where you from?" he recognised the accent, but couldn't place it.

    "She's from Eriadu." Erbas said dismissively. "I picked the accent."

    "Picked it too." Jem said in his distinctive Akrian tone. "So where was the last place you knew your brother was?" Jem wanted to keep her talking, she might know more than she thought was important.

    Emiline sat quietly on the bed, she was just happy to be there and listen to them all. She frowned over at the new lady, Ilona.

    With the mentioned of her homeworld Ilona scanned the faces of the others, worrying to see contempt at one of their faces and was glad there was none. "They were involved in fighting near Kuat I believe," Ilona said, "Guess after that they moved back to whatever base they are currently stationed at. My father sent him a message to get out of there but we don´t know if it reached him or how he reacted to it." She was quiet for a moment, thinking if she should speak out her worries, then she continued: "He, well both of us, have been raised with a strong sense of duty, I worry he might feel bound by his honor to stay in service of the GA, no matter how dangerous that will be for him."

    Marie smirked without looking away from the window. "Well if Addie made a bad decision, bet she convinced your brother to do it with her." She could only imagine it, she also mused 'fighting near Kuat'. The fact Addie was out fighting again shocked her a little, she wasn't a young woman anymore.

    "Or if she thought he was not going to do as she wanted, she'd probably cuff him and make him do it. You don't know her. " Erbas laughed.

    Rooty frowned, Addie was fighting, that concerned him. "Think we all need to listen to the message again." He turned to Ilona, "Trusting you now, as Addie would say, 'trust is a two way street."

    Jem pulled out a holoprojector. "It's audio only, but I know who it is."

    Ilona glared at the man calling himself Hotshot for a moment, thinking about his suggestion, if Adalia did anything to Adrian...

    She gave Speed a weak smile at his words, he seemed to be the nicest of the bunch or at least the one who mistrusted her the least. "Sure go ahead, afterwards I can show you what data I have last received, even if believe it´s not worth much."

    Rooty gave Jem a nod of approval, it amused him that despite the fact when they'd retired, Erbas had outranked him but here he had assumed the lead.

    Placing the recorder down Jem pressed a button.

    “Jem, I’ll keep this brief, Addie's in trouble, need help. Hawkbat.” It shut down immediately. They'd all heard it and all remained silent, well, one of them hadn't and Jem turned to her to gauge her reaction.

    Ilona said nothing for a moment, the message was brief but the urgency inside the voice was noticeable. "Hawkbat?" She asked, confused, she had heard of this species in the days of her growing up in Coruscant but here it was without a doubt a code.

    Marie turned this time and looked at Ilona. "Yeah, Hawkbat. Anyone?" She looked around the room.

    Jem hadn't been able to work it out, and looking at his friends, it seemed he was not alone. "That's what we need to work out." he said evenly. "So right now, any and all ideas are welcome."

    Ilona chewed on her lip, thinking trying to figure out what code was behind this. She asked herself if the others truly had no idea or if they just hid some of their thoughts from her. Was she one of them now, or still a stranger? Ilona herself couldn't even say if she trusted them. To say at least something and help herself process her thoughts she said: "Hawbats come from Coruscant if I´m not mistaken. This could be a reference to the capital, but that doesn't make sense, if Adalia or whoever sent this message wants to meet us somewhere then the very heart of the GA isn't a good place. Sure there is a lot of traffic so we could try to hide but still, it would be exceptionally risky. Outside of Coruscant they also live on some other worlds, city planets like Taris, Brenthaal IV and so on, not on Eriadu though they couldn't survive in that atmosphere." the last part she muttered more towards herself. "Maybe Hawkbat is a reference to a planet, maybe to city worlds in general, maybe there is another hint in the message to determine which one exactly. Or maybe its a place, could be the name of a Cantina but I guess there are several with that name all over the place."

    Jem glanced back to Emiline fully expecting her to reveal the sender, but she seemed to be thinking, her gaze distant as she lay on the bed hugging a pillow. He turned to the group. "We know who sent the message and we trust him fully."

    Erbas pursed his lips, "There has to be some connection we're missing. Something we all know or are aware of that connects us to this or someone, somehow."

    "Hawkbats don't even live on Dathomir, can't honestly say I've ever seen one or know what they look like." Marie stated with a shrug. "Could it be a shape?"

    Rooty had been rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I think Ilona might be on the right track. It's obviously a place, but it's a reference that we are supposed to know."

    Emiline had been thinking and the tendrils of the thought processes we leading her somewhere. 'Something or ....Someone?' She'd seen the message only twice before and hadn't given the word too much thought with the pace at which they'd both moved to get here. She began to go through the Shadow Sabers line up mentally, their origins and then their previous positions. She started at the top, so it only took her seconds to work back. 'Tehanis, Akrian, Wild Knightz, Blue, Escorts, Lyons, Corellia, Twin Suns, Wraith..........' She pushed herself up to a sitting position as this thought hit her. "Lyons." she muttered still staring blankly into space. "Wraith Squadron had a rumoured base" she said quietly, "Hawkbat base, in the Halmad System." She turned to the group. "I know where they are!"

    Rooty smiled and turned to Jem. "She's a keeper Jem, make sure you look after her." He turned to the group. "We have a destination, we got transport there?"

    Erbas sat forward with a grin, "I got this really old X Wing, can't let the thing go, kinda like a classic now."

    "You too huh? I have a Classic A Wing." Rooty said with a grin.

    Marie shook her head, "Never kept mine, wasn't attached to it. But as I run a Ship repair and Maintenance business, I have a newer XJ5, that should suitably Kriff all over the pair of you." She gave a a challenging look.

    "We have a YT 1760, but it's been.......tweaked?" Jem said glancing at an excited looking Emiline who was grinning. She was clearly very proud of herself and liked hearing she 'was a keeper'.

    Ilona tried her best to hide a somewhat amused smile at the list of spaceships available to the others, and the almost adorable enthusiasm in which they talked about their machines. "Eriaduan Valkyrie," she said, unsure if the other even knew this type. It was an older model, not the one she used on active duty but her mothers, modified enough to not be recognized as an official military vessel anymore.




    TAG @Sinrebirth @Anedon @adaml83 @The Real Kyp Durron
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
  20. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    IC: Loriana Starskimmer, on Anakin Solo

    Loriana was totally flummoxed by the lavish and lovely gift from Zan. She tapped into the Library archives to see what the datafiles had to say about the import of such a thing... Sweet roasted Porgs! She thought... Who'd've thought accepting a social drink could've set off such a chain of events? Talk about a cultural misunderstanding! She scrawled a hasty note saying she apologized if she had unintentionally led him to the wrong conclusion but she couldn't in all good conscience accept his offer. Then she hightailed it to the pilots' lounge.

    @Sinrebirth ;)
     
  21. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    IC Darth Bernael
    Tracking a Target


    As the Fury travelled the hyperspace corridor, Bernael began to feel his hunger stirring. The closer to the point that those he was tracking had come out the stronger the feeling became. As the overwhelming sense of hunger grew he stalked to the bridge, confronting his pilot droid, growling “Where have they come out?”

    The reply was swift, “Alderaan, Sir.” At this time it was lucky there was not another soul on board as the silver fled his eyes, his talons slowly extended from their sheaths, and his proboscises writhed in their pouches, sensing the souls but not a physical meal to feed upon.

    His thoughts drifted to the world, Alderaan, former world of royalty, former home of a Skywalker, if she had not even known until many years later, first use of the Death Star battlestation. It had been a beautiful world, one he had visited, interacted with the citizens, followed his mission to on more than a few occasions. He had known of its destruction, even out in the Unknown Regions, had felt as those billions of souls had been lost. He’d not had a reason to return since. But now he was headed directly for the system.

    This hit him for two reasons, the first was that even forty years on, the entire area was a wound in the force, filled with the souls of billions in torment. ‘They obviously do not know I am following them or they would not have come here.’ he thought. To him, given the right circumstances, that wound would be the equivalent of an all you can eat buffet. With the hunger now wrapping him in it’s embrace he knew he would have to attempt such and feed, had to drive the hunger back into its den.

    The second reason his higher mind knew, even as his primal side fought for dominance, that it was a failure of his. Whether it truly was or not mattered little, to him it was his failure. The being that had carried it out was the son of a man who he had known, had worked as he had to maintain the balance. Grand Moff Tarkin was a man he did not know much about but much had to have changed for the son of the man he had known to commit such a violation of the balance as he had done. ‘We failed there, Tarkin. It is better that you had already passed beyond this realm before it happened, but I carry the stigma of our failure.’ he thought.

    The Fury dropped out of hyperspace, already in stealth, but still much further out than those he followed, just to ensure that none of them picked him up on their sensors. Slowly, carefully, the ship picked its way through the system, dodging asteroids as it drew closer. He did not want to get too close, but the closer he was the better he’d be able to follow their trail.

    As the ship moved deeper in system he finally looked up, out of the viewscreen. With just eyes alone there was an asteroid field, an indicator where the ships he was following currently were, and not much more. But within the Force, where a planet once orbited, there was a pulsating, gaping, hole in existence. He could feel the edges slowly knitting shut, slowly reducing the size of it. ‘That must have been immense when it first occurred, probably encompassing the entire system,’ crossed his mind.

    Slowly he reached out his senses, avoiding the presence of those before him, not wanting them to feel him there. It mattered little though, by the time his senses reached where the other craft were, they were beginning their departure from Alderaan. He saw them streak off, “Record that trail, so that we have a track to follow, I will not lose them.” he said to the pilot. “Roger, Sir.”

    His senses touched the edges of the wound, assaulted by the massive quantity of souls still entrapped within. He opened a corridor between the wound and his mind. Filtering for strength, he allowed several to slip through, a one way gate, no way for those who passed to let the others know they were trading one prison for another. Soon enough, he had refilled the reserves he had drained while upon the Ocean. Not that he had been anywhere near out of energy, but he tended to ensure he had an overabundance of souls to call upon if necessary.

    Withdrawing his tendrils of thought, the hunger still gnawed at him but he had control over it, not it over him. He had forced it back into its den, and he could focus once more upon his quarry. The order given, he Fury began to depart. In the moments before the ship jumped to hyper, his head suddenly cocked to one side, then an introspective look crossed his face. “Serenno, hmm,” escaped his lips. Turning as the streaks of stars flashing past them appeared, he headed to the holo table to research why that planet had suddenly come to mind.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth
     
  22. galactic-vagabond422

    galactic-vagabond422 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2009
    IC: Natalia Keizar
    Medbay

    Her head snapped up, strands of her blonde hair pulled loose from her usual professional bun she had her hair in. She hadn't left his bedside since he was picked up by the medics. He'd been out awhile, her head resting against his forearm, the lines on her forehead from the winkles in the blanket spoke to that. Her red puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks showed the storm she'd weathered emotionally.

    "Aden, you're awake." Without thinking she wrapped her arms around him.

    Aden nearly jumped, but he eased into the hug, suddenly overwhelmed the touch, smell and feel of Natalia's relief in the Force. "Keizar, whats happened?" He looked around, conscious that he was attached to the medbay by IVs and the like. He drew deeply on the Force to fortify him - to steady the blurring room and keep his heart rate from agitating the sensors.

    She let him go pulling some distance away. Hanging her head a long breath left her, she had to tell him, inform him of what happened.

    "It was Tehanis, she fled, not waiting for anyone or anything, she set off detonators, took members hostage, her Coulson, Malek, Tiarri, Stark, and Leeash and her daughter. they all left, leaving destruction in their wake." She shook her head. "They all left."

    Aden blinked, processing all that she’d said. “Detonators? That is too extreme - it must have been Becka’s idea. Adrian was just a youngster... casualties? Any indication that the missing are hostages?”

    He went to unstrap himself, setting off a dozen alarms as he plucked IVs from his arms. Aden absently noticed shiny patches of skin where the burns had been healed, but then his head grew woozy and his eyelids fluttered.

    "No, no," she reached out with her arms in a futile attempt to stop him to try and push him back to the bed, gently. "The Doctors said you're still healing, you need to take it easy."

    He slumped back, holding his hand over the now bleeding arm. “Casualties. Solo won’t... be happy... let alone, Niathal, Ocean is her baby - casualties...”

    Aden was becoming a bit vague, but at some point he was just going to find his anger. He pushed with the Force, trying to clear his system of the drugs so he could concentrate.

    "A technician died in the blast," She looked to him with a sad expression, "And massive damage was caused to the hangar, it will take some time to fix." He sat back seeing him finally calm down a little. "Niathal is dealing with it, and no word from Solo as of yet...though..." she gaze across his form his injuries, ones that nearly took him from her. "I'm sure he will be interested in a report." She held up her datapad, "Which I took the liberty to put together for your approval."

    There was his rage.

    Right there.

    “A technician died?” Aden sat up again, gritting his teeth. He realised he had reached for Natalia’s hand, and was gripping it. He released her, taking a breath but holding onto the furnace in his heart.

    “Read it to me, please.” He looked grimly at Natalia.

    She gave a slightly pained smile, his grip firm around her hand hurting only a little. Pulling up her datapad and her report she looked it over again and spoke.

    "Colonel Adalia Tehnais disappeared out from under guard in medbay a medic was found, in a vegetative state. It is unknown what caused it at this point. She then walked past an armed guard watching over the only exit from the medical wing. As near as we can tell she then met up with Becca Tiarri, and moved to the quarters of Jesse Coulson. Rhoen Aquilla and Adrian Malek were also present with Aquilla excusing himself soon after. The group then moved to the hangar where they met Leeash and her daughter, Adrian and Coulson seemed coerced, at least that's what it appeared like. Lip reading the footage revealed that Colonel Tehanis ordered them put in binders. Coulson was also seen conversing with someone on his comlink while his craft was slave circuited out of the hangar. Afterwards, no shots were fired from the dorsal guns or any weapon as they made their escape. Once clear of the hangar Colonel Tehanis opened fire on the hangar, destroying your personal fighter and a detonation of the ordnance on Tiarri's X-Wing destroyed that section of the hangar. They slipped into hyperspace towards parts unknown. We have a guess but at this point, they are lost to us."

    Aden glowered, his head clearing thanks to her voice. “Sounds about right. We need to be honest about this. I’ll have to speak to Aquilla at some point but not yet. If we start to pick at individuals people will panic.”

    He applied himself and the bleeding stopped. “Send it on, to Niathal and Solo, with me copied in. Blind copy in Vua.” He caught himself. “Please, that is - Thank you, Natalia.” He looked at her, actually looked at her, and smiled at this marvellous woman helping him at his time of need.

    Aden saw her, and saw what he had to say next. “I have an order for you, too, Natalia.” He sat up, reaching for her face. He lightly kissed her lips.

    “Go back to your quarters, and get ready for a briefing in...” he looked at the chrono on the wall. “Four hours. Rest, please. For me?”

    He looked into her eyes, smiling. “For us? I don’t want to worry about you too.”

    Her cheeks blushed, her eyes wide as his lips brushed against hers, again just like the brig, soft and gentle. She blinked a little hard trying to clear the fog from her mind. After hours of worry and fear it all felt, like it was going to be alright, that the storm had passed. Things were getting back to normal, the turbulent times of executions and escapes and destruction had passed, it was time to rest and return to order.

    "Yes sir," she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "I'll get right on that." Getting up she moved to the door pausing..."Don't make me worry about you like that again." She waited for a beat more before opening the door and heading to her quarters...which looking at it, seemed to be Aden's quarters? Or was that just where her stuff was? The blush deepened on her cheeks...everything was moving so fast, but she trusted Aden, and his decisions. As she walked she sent her report.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  23. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Aden Kya
    Ready Room

    It didn’t take much to override the droids and have him, sitting in a hoverchair, lead the briefing. Aden looked waxen, injured as he was, but his eyes flittered; his mind was not addled by drugs. Natalia was not here, as he had ordered her to rest after spending hours on him. though she was somewhat near always, and Aden was grateful for that.

    Vua stood before them, reticent but not sullen. He had just told Aden about the loss of the Blur.

    “It doesn’t matter,” Aden said, finally. “What matters is the next deployment. The co-Chief’s have a strategy meeting about the enemy advance, and we’ll have orders soon enough, and I’ll requisition replacements. We need to get our house in order before that happens. The Wing just lost the core of several squadrons to Adalia’s defection. We need to be ready; the Anakin Solo is nearly repaired, so it’ll be back to the front soon enough - I gather they’re not repairing the long range turbolasers.”

    Vua nodded slightly. “Yes, sir.”

    “Natalia here will be Wraith Thirteen, in the interim, but assigned to First Flight with me. You will continue to command Second Flight, and we shall give Lieutenant Antilles command of Third Flight.”

    “What of Loriana and Rhoen? They’re becoming intermingled with Antilles and her co-pilot. It’s going to reduce squadron effectiveness if they keep rushing after each other.” Vua regaled that Zan had been very insistent about sharing a room with Loriana.

    “Intermingled is an odd word. Isn’t Syal engaged?”

    Vua shrugged. “Friends, for now, but Rhoen was rebuked by Loriana in the lounge, quite publicly.”

    Aden rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He frowned. “We can spin them into their own wing-trio, led by Antilles. The Dancer’s. An Aleph and two XJ7s. That’ll keep the inevitable blowup focused in one place, and we’ll call it an experiment or some such.”

    He pulled out his comlink. “This is Colonel Kya. Wraith Squadron to the ready room in fifteen minutes, please.” He paused. “Belay that, meet me in the hangar. One out.”

    He set off, manipulating the controls, looking back at Vua. “Coming?”

    “Don’t we need to discuss the rakamat in the room?” A slip of Yuuzhan Vong on his tongue, in the place of elephant. There were no elephants in the Yuuzhan Vong bestiary.

    “Which one; Adalia? Jacen?” His voice changed tone. “Natalia?”

    Vua tried not to roll his eyes. “We need to report in to Korriban. They’ll send someone eventually. The Dark Lord won’t be happy.”

    “And lead Jacen to them?” Aden looked thoughtful. “Not a bad idea but no. We’ve our guardian angel, remember.”

    “The intruder? The one who saved you?”

    “As if,” Aden snorted. “He thinks Adalia and I are components of some greater conflict over balance. I goaded Jacen to see what he would do. Dangerous, but I needed to know if Jacen would kill me or not.”

    Vua didn’t have anything to say. Sometimes he thought Aden mad, and then he’d do something particularly cunning and when he should have been dead, he wasn’t. Vua had heard how he’d managed to be involved in a meeting between Lumiya, Vergere and their Dark Lord once, and somehow emerged a Darth. Here, he was managing Jacen, Adalia and the mysterious visitor and had someone ended up as the sole Wing Commander and with Adalia on the run and the visitor having been forced to intervene on his side.

    And this was all while they were dedicated to fighting a war they were losing. Vua pressed on. “Are you using Jacen to protect you from Krayt?”

    Aden snorted. “Krayt is hampered by secrecy. He’ll have to build a layered approach to extract me, or anticipate a war which has been the very definition of chaos. We’ll be fine just doing our part to save the GA; which will be easier to control than a Confederation. We’ll shore up Jacen because it’s the best course for the galaxy, and the sooner we win, the sooner we can return to Korriban having helped the Dark side ascend.”

    “Jacen Solo is not a One Sith.”

    “No,” Aden agreed, heading to leave.

    “He’s not.”


    Later, flag hangar of the Anakin Solo, Coruscant orbit

    Four Alephs, seven XJ7’s. A new TIE Blur requisitioned, and an XJ7 for Natalia. Aden looked to the hangar entrance.

    It was time to sort out his squadron.

    Leaning forward slightly in his hover chair, he smiled as best he could.

    TAG: @Galactic_vagabond422, @Warm, @darthbernael
    —-
    IC: Admiral Babo
    Ixtlar, Battle of

    Forty capital ships and hundreds of smaller warships held orbit about the beleaguered Core World. The Confederation didn’t need Ixtlar, or Wukkar, but it demoralised the Core and especially Coruscant to make these moves.

    The more damage the Confederates did to the GA Navy as it retreated, the easier the eventual conquest of Coruscant would be. For now, they would please themselves with building a minefield between Coruscant and the Core, and they would chase the GA Second and Third Fleet to prevent them from interfering. After Ixtlar and Wukkar they would make their move on Anaxes and Alsakan, and cut the Perlemian - and making it a fact that Coruscant was out of the war.

    They were nearly there.

    So why did Babo feel so uneasy?

    Probably because the victory had only been achieved by the Hapans and Jedi leaving. The neutrality pact was key to the Confederation being able to commit as much as they could to the front. Without the pact... they would have to hold ships in reserve and then the GA would have a slight advantage - one that Niathal and Solo would try to expand upon.

    Thus the need to do as much damage as possible to the GA fleet - which was proving elusive and essentially abandoning every world the Confederation struck. Eriadu was wavering, conscious that it’s resources were key right now, ditto the Corporate Sector. The Imperial Remnant was holding firm, committed to the GA but only as an ally and no longer a member.

    But more and more Babo was concerned by the Intel about Rogue Wing, which seemed to be confusing and conflicting. An exodus of pilots, the rotating IFF codes at Kuat, a skirmish between an unknown ship and a Confederate Interdictor task force off the Hydian Way...

    ... was there a third faction forming in all of this? Babo needed to lean on the Eriadu connection. It may be key to solving this riddle...

    Or, at very least, leading these pilots into the arms of the Confederation... or at least to their deaths. Better dead than causing problems to strategic plans, like the Jedi did. Or the Hapans. Or the Wookiee’s.

    Babo didn’t need anymore wild cards on his dejarik board.

    TAG: No-one, though @Anedon might enjoy it... and @adaml83, probably. [​IMG]
    ---
    IC: Face Loran

    Lounge, Anakin Solo

    The lounge of the Anakin Solo was much like any other, notwithstanding that the ship was the heart of the military junta that Jacen Solo had shoved into the Galactic Alliance. Poor Niathal. Face was apolitical on it all; he simply wanted to keep the people he was responsible for alive, and he had no issues getting his hands dirty doing so.

    But at the same time, Cal Omas, the prior Chief of State had met with the Corellian Prime Minister and agreed to remove Niathal and Jacen by illegal methods, even turning a blind eye to Confederate assassination attempts... so it was hardly as if the military coup was illegal... Omas had proposed something illegal, giving Niathal the right to take action and remove Cal... and elevate Jacen with her.

    Legal? Unpalatably? Right? Not really.

    But Niathal could hardly throw an election while there was a war on - and definitely not one they were presently losing. Face absently wondered when Luke and the Jedi would lead the Hapans and Wookiees to stop the fighting, but the longer Luke was seemingly crippled by Mara's death, the less would get done. Corran and Kyp were around, but they would not go nearly as far as they could - neither of them wanted to undermine Luke nor their Council. Assuming Kyp wasn't too busy with Tehanis.

    Face pursed his lips as he prowled the empty lounge, wondering if Lyons and his motley crew would fill the gap in the meantime. But the longer this uncertainty existed... the more would get lost. Which included Syal, Rhoen, and -

    "Loriana?"

    He saw the Wraith enter the lounge, seemingly as much to get away from anything than towards it. He had discretely triggered the subroutine he had introduced to the system, which would cause the holocams to loop wherever he wandered, which was good because his surprise was not something he wanted recording.

    "General Loran, of Wraith Squadron, Intelligence division," he said, introducing himself.

    @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha (combo), mentions for @adaml83
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  24. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC Beka, Kate, Kara, Adrian, Jesse, Adalia.
    Private Hangar on Taris



    Adalia recalled little of the journey, having spent the majority of it sleeping or in a state of confusion. Sparks was in control and the droid seemed to be reveling in his new role. She'd heard a few complaints over her Comm but had not responded to them choosing to ignore them. Like so many things right now, 'she just couldn't deal with them.' The starlines were reverting and they were almost in orbit around a planet. She squinted. "Where are we?" She asked weakly, the sleeping wasn't helping and her mind was feeling more like shattered transparasteel right now. R7 responding sharply, having learned that being cleaver or even nice wasn't working with this human. He'd vowed to make sure Adrian knew all about it, but did as requested and scrolled their location across the screen with the following message from Sparks.

    'Reserve private secure hangar in main city, middle levels, wait.' Adalia sighed. "Has he told the others that?" she asked quietly. 'Yes, they are informed.' She closed her eyes. "Open a Comm to........."she had to think. "Sparks and Kate?" 'Done', the screen read. "Kate, can you...please ...do this, pay more to have..........no questions. Sparks...give her access to account......" she was struggling now. "Get me out." she closed the comm.

    Adalia didn't sound good at all, "Sure thing Boss" she commed back, but it seems that it was dead already. //Suppose it makes sense// She didn't want Kara to witness her doing anything un-wholesome, but she need not have worried, she was still watching her show. She had seen it a 1000's by now, but it still held her attention. She spoke to someone about organising a private hanger, once agreed,

    "Beka, watch Kara, I'll be back." with that Kate grabbed her bag, She had changed clothes during the flight from her ill-fitting suit to something more wearable. She had no issues about modesty, why would she, she was a Wookiee. With that, she wandered off to 'negotiate' with others to make sure her hanger stayed private.

    R7 woke her to tell her Kate's ship was moving. "Tell Squirt to bring .....the other ship," She'd forgotten his name. "In behind ....." she pointed. "That one, and...." she stared out the viewport at the planet, 'where was this?' "Take us in, let me know when we need to touch down." In her mind she knew she'd left 'whats his name' enough room to land at least.

    "We're where?" Jesse asked calmly, he'd given up being angry, it'd been too many hours to hold that kind of emotions at a high level. Sparks gave him an answer on the screen, "Oh, we going in?" A simple positive response came back. He lifted the cuff and moved his wrist around, "I can put it down." he told the droid, and more words appeared. 'Good, Vixen wants you too'. He gave a tired smile, he'd deal with her lack of trust when he was facing her.

    This was basic stuff, you follow them in and put it down, you've done this a million times. R7 had woken her like she'd asked and now she was putting the X Wing on the deck, the ship she knew like the back of her hand, the ship she'd flown for over 12 years now, the ship that was distinctly faded gold and faded purple. It was hers, so why was she struggling with this. Lowering it, she struggled to hold the yoke and felt the craft shudder around her. "Just a bit more." she muttered through trembling lips. With about half a metre to go, she let go. The X Wing hit the deck hard, bouncing as it went, causing her to jolt forward. "Oh, that hurt." But she was down, there was something she had to do before she could lay down. She looked around and saw the nearby X Wing. "Jesse.....that's his name........cuffs" she remembered that, she had to get him out, she scowled.
    "Why'd I do that?"

    Jesse felt the ship hit through his own ship, he'd been watching but even if he'd not seen it, he'd have felt it. He frowned, he knew her record, and that was so out of character for someone who normally flew like she'd be born in a cockpit. He had to wait now, he was trapped till she let him free.

    As Kate went to secure the platform, Beka watched out the viewport as the others landed. Three X-wings and a shuttle. Whatever Adam had planned, it better be good. She had no interest in sticking around Taris any longer than necessary lest there be a repeat of history here. Because whoever it was who'd put the devices on the ships-- trackers, comms, explosives, whatever they were-- was likely to be gunning for them, and she had no doubt that if it was Aden or Jacen, they'd have no compunction about blasting this planet flat again.

    She was supposed to be watching Kara, but instead ignored the others in the cabin to move past to their sleeping captive. If they were landing, she'd have to deal with... that. For the moment, Beka dug for the ship's first aid kit and some sedatives.

    Adrian watched Beka inspect her captive before she moved to search for something. He still had no idea who that guy was or why Beka had chosen to abduct him. After leaving Alderaan´s graveyard the flight had been largely uneventful, and he had concentrated on Kara´s holoscreen again in hopes to distract himself from the thoughts running wildly through his mind, but now that they had landed, they began to return. Where were they going? And what had he gotten himself into? To distract himself from his worries he had an eye on Kara, especially as Beka was currently busy with her own passenger it seemed.

    Kate was headed back when she felt the thud on the ground, She looked up at her ship, everything as in order. She looked over to see Addie and, Jesse was it ? Something felt off, Addie could land a ship in her sleep. She wondered over and looked up and watched, confused.

    Adalia was grateful for the addition of an extendable ladder, in the past she'd jumped even, but right now standing was becoming an issue. She just had to last a bit longer, 'Get to Adam, he'll fix this' kept scrolling through her broken mind. Clutching the keydisc in her hand she made her way to Jesse's ship, stumbling slightly before putting a ladder beside the craft and climbing painfully slowly up it. His canopy was open so she reached over with the disc and ran it over the cuffs, the unsnapped and fell to the floor, at that point she lost her balance and nearly fell in, but righted herself. "I'm......sorry I did ...this." she muttered, before starting down.

    Jesse watched the cuffs fall and turned to her, he features were pained, her skin grey, her eyes dull. She nearly fell on him and he went to help her but she righted herself. "Colonel?" He stopped and re addressed her. "Adalia? Are you ok?" He stood and watched her.

    Adalia got the bottom. "Fine......I'm......leave....me..........alone." She said waving him away dismissively before making her way back to her ship, she needed some space as she was sure the hangar was getting smaller, closing in on her. She put her hand up to him. "Leave.......me.....alone." She made her way down the side of her ship, away from everyone.

    Jesse followed her, slowly but whatever was wrong, it wasn't good.



    TAG @I_am_Kooky @Anedon @Rebecca_Daniels @adaml83 @Sinrebirth
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  25. adaml83

    adaml83 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2004
    OOC: Thanks @The Real Kyp Durron for the combo, it was quite a lot of fun!

    IC: Adam Lyons, Kyp Durron

    The two freighters had just come out of hyperspace and were waiting for permission to land. Adam was typing instructions into the computer to send to the other freighter. Always planning for the future, Adam looked at Kyp for a second, "When will your duties with the Council demand more of your time?"

    He'd been staring at the planet below, reaching out through the Force. "Yesterday?" he said quietly, "Asap, really." He narrowed his eyes. "She's here, but....." He gave his head a shake, he couldn't put his finger on it, something was very wrong.

    Adam looked at his display, "Well looks like we've been given permission to land in the Middle City." He then looked back to Kyp, "I imagine that you'll have to leave once we get Addie back, and her back to as normal as she usually is?" Not that it was that normal, then again given how he was, Adam wasn't that normal either.

    Kyp was still attempting to focus on her presence, it was wavering, ebbing and flowing. "Not sure she'll be that for a while." he turned. "Can you get her at all?" he was very concerned. "I've got Kate, she's a bit of a mess on the inside, but......holding it together." He frowned. "I'll be able to pinpoint them when we are a bit closer, it's busy down there."

    Adam sighed, he was going to have to tell that story, or at least some of it at least. "Kyp I haven't been able to do that for a few years now. Not that my range was that good. However, I do know where their bay is, and we're landing right next to it." He'd been avoiding thinking about that night, as it had probably been his worst since he'd been forced to leave Starfighter Command.

    Kyp turned to him, clearly, he was hiding something, and it was big. "Want to talk about it?" He knew he had less chance of getting Adam to open up about anything than Adalia did, but he'd known him long enough to give it a try.

    Adam frowned, "Later when we're not on a mission since it might involve something you'd be more knowledgable at anyways." He looked at his display, "We're close now, ready to come to the rescue?"

    Kyp gave a sage nod, he would have to remember to bring it up with Adam later, but now? "Hey, being the hero always gets the girl, doesn't it?" he gave him a grin. "Or am I on the wrong track again?"

    Adam stayed silent while in the final landing maneuvers, he didn't want to explain to Kirney on how he damaged one of her freighters after all. Once they'd landed and started down the shutdown procedure he shrugged, "Maybe, though Wedge was single for quite a while, and he's certainly a hero. Believe both Kael and Briana are both single as well."

    He'd noted the silence while landing, but concentration was needed for the job. His late reaction made he turn. "So I am doing it wrong, look at you?" he said evenly hinting at the man's own relationship status. "Honestly, the way Addie and I parted a few months ago, pretty sure I am no hero."

    Adam shrugged, "All I know is that I need to find a place to settle down a bit, then find her." Adam wasn't sure if Kyp knew which her he was referring to, but Adam was going to run with it, "You, on the other hand, are a hero, and I think Addie knows it and knows how much you mean to each other, but this Sithspawn's dirty toilet of a war can ruin things. Unless you're a Skywalker or a Solo, then things being ruined is a way of life."

    Kyp tried hard not to laugh, but he couldn't help it and did so. "Nothing like calling a spade a spade, and you do it so eloquently." He got out of his seat and added a mental note to ask if there was a particular 'her' or had he meant in general. "And I hope you are right about Addie, not spoken at all since that night, and right now I can't even get a read on her. Something is wrong with her, I can feel it, and the sooner we get there the better."

    Adam grinned, "I'd like to think I am." Then again, he didn't know what was wrong with Addie, besides being stuck on a ship with her worst enemy, and a man who would resort to...questionable... methods fighting this war. Adam could only get up and follow Kyp, "Doesn't take the Force to know something's wrong with her, just examine her situation. I have a feeling that once she's back into a stable place, things should start to get better." As they went down the ramp, "By the way, I gave Swift and HQ a bit of a shopping list to help take care of some things."

    Kyp glanced back. "Better be chocolate on that list."

    TAG: @Sinrebirth, (and real soon) @Adalia-Durron, @Anedon, @I_am_Kooky, @Rebecca_Daniels