Star Wars OPEN Paradoxical Echoes: An Original Trilogy Game (Always Accepting New Players)

IC: Lieutenant Enoch Steadfast
Naval Conference Room (Low Security) E, Darkest Night


A nod from the security chief.

Well, it was better then nothing.

Steadfast stood up, "Chief, because of the shake up in command, you're next in the pecking order. I'll move up to day shift and cover for Captain Totter's shift, as he covers for the Commodore. You'll need to assume my shift, the graveyard on the bridge. I'm sure you'll enjoy the young talent late at night. Most of 'em are fresh out of academy or working their way up the junior officer ranks. Just you're type."

Steadfast snickered with a short laugh, before grabbing his cane and starting for the conference room's doors, "Dismissed, Chief."


TAG @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Crew Officer Junior Lieutenant Showrunner
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


"Yes---yes ma'am," Showrunner stumbled out, grabbing for his comlink. But no sooner had he put his hand on his belt to get was there an E-11 Blaster Carbine in his face. He heard the click and wine of the internal mechanism as the weapon was unlocked to fire.

"I wouldn't do that," Pawn said through the helmet's filtered vocalizer.

The young Lieutenant looked up at the end of the barrel's emitter squarely in his face. He gulped. Suddenly he could hear the draw of blasters from both sides of the argument and the familiar click-wine of all the weapons. Somewhere by the kitchen someone was yelling, No Blasters! No Blaster! [1] and was ducking out of sight.

Suddenly everyone was yelling at once, their voices seeming to blend together and run over each other. It was a shouting match that only got louder. For Showrunner, he just stood there, frozen, staring at the faceless, emotionless stormtrooper helmet looking back at him.

"Put down your weapon!" snapped Naval Trooper Snow.

"Go space yourself you Imperial pig!" yelled back the stern stormtrooper.

"Drop the weapons!" yelled Naval Trooper Church.

"You put your weapon down!" barked the technician.

"Put the sithing weapon down now!" Snow repeated.

"Suck on my blaster gas!" the Stormtrooper shot back.

"Drop 'em! Drop 'em!" Church was yelling.

"Oh Force man! Oh Force man!" spattered the female pilot, her weapon shaking in her hands, "What's the plan Pawn? What's the plan? Come on man, what the Sith are we doing?"

"Shut up Pink and let the man think!" snapped back the technician as he had his weapon trained squarely on one of the naval troopers.

"I can't Deuce!" fired back Pink, "This wasn't supposed to happen! This wasn't suppose to happen! In and out man! What the hell are we going to do?"

"I said stuff it Pink!" fired back the technician named Deuce through clenched teeth.

"Shut her up or shoot her!" snapped the stern stormtrooper.

"Drop your weapons! Last warning!" Snow stated in no uncertain terms.

"Drop 'em! Do it! Do it now!" followed up Church.

"You fire, I fire!" snapped the stern stormtrooper.

"Pawn!" snapped the technician.

Showrunner stared down the stormtrooper in front of him being called Pawn. In those moments, life seemed to slow down---to come to heartbeats---as both men stared each other down. In those moments of time, as the yelling continued between both sides as to who was at fault or as to who should lay down their weapons first, Showrunner found a common understanding between his enemy and himself. It was as if both men understood the honor system. They understood that honor came before death.

And so it would be.

Showrunner allowed his eyes to dart around at the yelling and weapon pointing---as if slowed down in time---as he saw each person, suddenly, for who they were. In these moments of life verses death---in this ultimate moment of understanding the meaning of life---he could see through the layers each person used to hide their true self from the galaxy. In this rawest and purest of moments in life, Showrunner understood. He knew now what had to be done. What always had to be done. What he had to do.

He was at peace. Life had been good to him. He would miss the joys of dating, the prospects of a wife, the pride of a father. He would miss out on the family man he always wanted to be. The Sundays with the family, the calls with mom and dad about the kids.The planning for the future with his wife. None of those joys---even dating or a simple kiss from a woman---would be his. No, he had served the Empire faithfully.

His eyes snapped back to the emotionless Stormtrooper helmet.

Death, it seemed, had come.


TAG @TheSilentInfluence , @Bardan_Jusik


OOG:

[1] You better know that classic Star Wars quote from A New Hope.

 

IC: Captain Duke P. (Patrick) Totter
Command Medical Bay, Darkest Night


He listened to the Doctor. He listened to the Chef. He even listened to the Away Team talking in the background.

He took it all in.

"Synox," Totter finally spoke, he looked at the doctor, "It wouldn't be anywhere in our medical records, Imperial or Old Republic. Back in the Clone Wars---when I was in the infantry---the clunkers were getting desperate. I ran a rescue op for group of trapped Clone Troopers during the closing days of the war. The droids had them surrounded thick as a sand storm on Tatooine. The clones had broken into a classified CIS site to investigate a new poison. They said it was airborne capable," Duke shook his head, "None of the troopers made it by the time we got into the base. They had died---from what I could tell on the helmet holo recordings---was a toxin called Synox, but which was modified into a liquid form. When heated, even by body temperature, it would dissolve into the air into smaller participles then the standard Clone Trooper helmets could block. We collected what we could and got out of there before the droids busted down the front door and razed the base. I remembered that day, not because of the dead troopers. But because of what I was carrying. It was the liquid form of Synox...with added qualities. Those added qualities could keep it in liquid form for a timed amount of time and, in liquid form, it was impossible to stop---it would eat away at your brain, like the airborne form, but slower and more painfully. I saw those troopers with their eyes cut out---probably because they were going crazy from the poison. When we landed back at base, I had intelligence officers waiting for me and my team. They took what we had retrieved and they told us we never saw anything. Whenever I researched Synox from then on, nothing ever comes up. Its like it doesn't exist. So either the Empire is hiding it---because it really is classified---or what I saw never happened."


TAG @Sith-I-5 , @galactic-vagabond422 , @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Elena Shan
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System

Elena felt her stomach drop as everyone pulled out their weapons. That's not how I wanted this to go. She thought, before she noticed Lieutenant Showrunner facing down the barrel of a rifle. He still has a lot to do. Elena thought to herself, feeling him coming to peace with his life. "You just proved my accusations." She said, and then before anyone moved Elena rushed the trooper pointing the gun at Lieutenant Showrunner and forced his blaster up towards the ceiling as it fired upwards. There was a loud bang as it hit the ceiling and Elena felt her ears ring. "Shoot them now!" She shouted, struggling with the trooper as her right hand reached down and pulled out her dagger.

Elena sunk the blade into the troopers side and forced the blaster out of his hands. She turned towards Lieutenant Showrunner and grabbed him, knocking over a table for cover and shoving him behind it, "Call security now!" She ordered, before she jumped back into the battle with Troopers Church and Snow. "Keep that technician alive." Elena shouted out to them, heart pounding in her chest. Her hand was covered in blood, she was a little afraid, but she had to keep them alive. Other troopers might have heard that shot. I hope we can get backup soon.

Elena get out of the open.

Elena smiled slightly at her brothers advice. How long ago had they been together in combat? He was usually the one protecting her. I'll make sure I stay alive Erik. And then Elena squared off against her opponents, kneeling behind a chair. It wasn't much cover, but it would do for now. "Find cover and flank them!" Elena yelled out, her ears still ringing.

I only need one of them to interrogate

Tag: @Bravo.

 

IC: Natalia Markova
Command Medical Bay Darkest Night

Natalia found herself making herself smaller and smaller as the two soldiers continued to talk. Yet more demeaning comments, from someone she thought she could trust. When he calls her ignorant, it made her turn away from him. She wasn't being ignorant, she was just following the law, the process that the Empire turned around. How could the Emperor's subjects trust the authorities over them if there wasn't even the appearance of due process.

The pilot interjected giving a striped down refesher on chain of command and authorities granted Officers in times of war. Natalia just sat silently, head down in her datapad. She wasn't looking at the footage there was nothing to be gained other than following Dax and Calder back through their day. That had its own challenge of keeping it hidden from one of the prime suspects. Her mind was occupied with trying to find the kind of poison that could have been used on the Commodore, since that could lead to the perpetrator.

Thankfully Captain Trotter started explaining what the toxin was. In a flash she was digging up everything she could. He was right, there was nothing publicly or less so to be found about this Synox poison. There must be something. If the Empire was using it to remove troublesome elements, which she assumed it was for, there had to be an antidote something that could be used to counteract it. You wouldn't work with a poison without a antidote what happens if you dose yourself or have an accident. There had to be a way.

There might...might be an answer buried deep, in places she wouldn't want to be looking in on an unsecured datapad, and under prying eyes. She needed her own pad, her own gear if she was going to get to the bottom of this.

She hopped off the chair she had stationed herself and made her way over to the captain.

"Sir, I request that I be allowed to return to my quarters for, rest. It has been a long day."

TAG: @Bravo @Mitth_Fisto @Sith-I-5

 

IC: Captain Duke P. (Patrick) Totter
Command Medical Bay, Darkest Night


"Sir, I request that I be allowed to return to my quarters for, rest. It has been a long day."

Totter looked at the Navigational Officer and nodded, "Go ahead. Thank you for your service today Miss Markova."

Totter watched the woman leave the medical bay---past the two Naval Guards standing sentry on either side of the opening & closing blast doors as Natalia walked through them (which showed the shoulders' edge of two more Imperial Navy Troopers outside)---and he grimaced. Looking back to Englewood, Totter knew the Commodore would have to answer to someone in the admiralty about why he allowed a group of bridge officers and enlisted crew to take on a mission better suited for Stormtroopers or Navy Troopers. regardless of the Commodore's reasons, Totter knew the Empire too much. He knew that regulations were regulations. And regulations said you had to be certified for away team missions to do anything remotely close to what these men and women did. Command Officers, Senior Staff Officers, Navy Troopers, Army Troopers, and Stormtroopers fit that certified identification and that was about it. And even at that, most commands would see Englewood's away mission as a mission requiring special forces, which would limit that category to a handful of Security Chief Cain Shinzon's best men, Stormtroopers, and the Command Officers. If Englewood woke from this poison---or even remotely resembled the ability to command again---he would surely face an investigation at best. Navigational Officer Natalia Markova was on the verge of breaking and if she did, then Englewood could very well face a court marshal. While Duke would support Englewood through hell and back, he did not support this decision in a war zone. A war zone was no place to play fantasy starship captain on an away mission with red shirts who die. These were real people, not actors & actresses.

Just as Totter turned back to the doctor, the emergency lights went yellow along the walls.

Sith.

That meant an internal emergency, nothing for general quarters, but something to be concerned about. Even before he had his comlink out, Wing Commander Julius Petrov's voice rang out over the intercom as calm as ever and as sharp as steel. The perfect Imperial. "Captain Totter, please report to the bridge. Captain Totter, to the bridge. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall."


TAG @galactic-vagabond422 , @Sith-I-5 , @Mitth_Fisto , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Crew Officer Junior Lieutenant Showrunner
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


Showrunner fumbled for his blaster pistol behind the turned over table. He went to look over the table's edge to get a reading on the situation when he suddenly ducked after a top part of the table blew off due to a blaster bolt. He stayed behind the table. He could feel his body shaking as he looked around. He saw Lieutenant Shan---who had saved his life---barking out orders. But he felt a thud against his table, then one of the Navy Troopers drop to the floor besides him, his weapon clattering to the floor ahead of his falling body. There was no further movement, just a last gasp and shutter from the man's hand, the only part of the body Showrunner could see.

He steeled himself for the moment and checked his standard issued SE-14r Light Repeating Blaster, arming the pistol. He wouldn't be called a coward.

He peaked around the edge of the table; the one they had called "Pink", she was down on the ground twitching every so often and groaning in pain with an expanding pool of blood around her body. The other Stormtrooper and technician had retreated to a set of tables on their own accord, with the lone surviving Navy Trooper (Church) huddled behind another table diagonally across from them (and at an angle to the right of Showrunner and Shan) as his particular area was being assaulted by blaster fire by the other two; the Navy Trooper was slamming the side of his DH-17 Blaster Pistol as smoke rose from the emitter, apparently a malfunction after several shots.

The table was falling apart. The man had no avenue to stand up or get out of the way. If he did, he'd be gunned down in a second. But if he remained, he's be dead equally as well. A handful of shots were landing towards Shan and were effectively keeping her from providing the assistance Church needed

But that also left Showrunner surprisingly uncovered. Aside from being in the path for the most direct way out for the evil doers, he was also the only one in position to do anything. Between him and attackers was the twitching Pink---clearly mortally wounded and dying---and the lifeless form of the Stormtrooper. Showrunner had paid attention in class during combat situations. Aside from this being aboard a starship and risking an unlikely powerful enough explosion to rupture the contents of this room into the vacuum of space, Showrunner knew that him taking pot shots from behind cover would only delay the decay of Church's cover and give the enemy time to escape.

Taking one last breathe, he sneaked around the side of his table and knelt---took aim---and fired a series of blaster bolts. It must have caught the would-be Imperials off guard, because the stormtrooper looked shocked as he had a new volley of blaster fire from a different direction. But the shocked moment lasted just that, a moment, after two of Showrunner's shots hit home, one in the trooper's upper shoulder armor above the right chest, the other in the helmet. The stormtrooper fell backwards with a yell and a blaster shot being discharged into the ceiling as he went. The last remaining technician started yelling and threw his blaster pistol off to the side. He started waving his hands from behind cover and stood up, yelling that he surrendered.

Showrunner got up from kneeling and ran over to him, blaster pointed at him.

"Get down! Get down!" Showrunner yelled.

"Okay, okay!" the technician said, putting his hands behind his head and starting to kneel down, "Just don't----AHHH!"

The Imperial clad technician fell backwards with smoke and fire emitting from his chest, charring his his left breast as he fell. Showrunner turned around, only to get blasted two times in the chest and once in the right arm by the fallen Stormtrooper known as Pawn, the man's SE-14r dropping from his hand as he lay on the floor, his body finally no longer moving.

Showrunner lay there on the floor, his chest and arm in searing pain. "It hurts! It hurts!" Showrunner gasped as he brought a trembling left hand to his chest (he couldn't move his right hand or arm---unknown to him---his right forearm was torn open by the blaster bolt with the bone shattered and the muscle and skin pealed away) and brought it to his eyes to see, his hand covered in blood and torn open flesh, "Oh by the Force...."

Somewhere behind him he saw the rushing by imagine of an Imperial Navy Trooper (probably Church, it sounded like Church's voice saying he had a live one in the Stormtrooper that Showrunner had hit---apparently Stormtrooper armor was worth their salt).

Dropping his hand to the side, Showrunner looked up at the ceiling, the increasingly blurry facial imagine of someone rushing to his side above him, saying something about him being alright and to hang in there, help was in the way.

Showrunner smiled at that blurry imagine as black started to creep in around his vision, his voice growing faint & distant.

"It doesn't hurt anymore..." the Junior Lieutenant said with relief.

His smile faded and his eyes locked in place---frozen in time---staring at the blurry face he didn't know who it was.


TAG @TheSilentInfluence , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Elena Shan
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System

It had all happened so fast.

The shooting, Snow and Lieutenant Showrunner getting hit. I should have stabbed him more then once. Elena thought as she rushed over to Lieutenant Showrunner's side. I'm so sorry. She thought, reaching out to hold his hand. She saw Church do the same and exchanged a sad look with him. He must have lost a lot of friends out there on the Battlefield. Elena gripped Lieutenant Showrunner's hand harder, before reaching out and grabbing his comm.

"This is Lieutenant Elena Shan, Joker Platoon. There has been a Rebel Infiltration in the Army Quarter's. We required immediate assistance." Elena said into the comm. She stood up, gently putting Lieutenant Showrunner's hand over his chest and nodding at him, knowing that perhaps confronting them hadn't been such a good idea. But she shouldn't second guess herself now, she was an Officer. She went over to the Rebel who was still alive and knelt down next to them.

"That was your fault. You could have surrendered you know." Elena said, tapping her dagger on the floor. She turned to the doorway, knowing that other Imperials would be arriving soon. I need some time to think. Elena thought, and then wondered what her Grandfather would think of this. He always seemed to know everything.

Tag: @Bravo @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Jengleheimer Voss 'aka Jingle'
Darkest Night, Command Medical Bay

All the people talking was good cover, unfortunately a droid is a terrific tattler. "Shut it. I didn't invade your space." he whispered as he quickly stepped back out of the field. Luckily no one else seemed to comment on his action so hopefully this would not end up in a report. Well, except the Doc, but those didn't count in his book. Especially as Capt. Totter seemed to have something much more interesting to say.

Something about Sin-Tox or some such poison jive. Unfortunately there was a galaxy of people that tended to hate themselves and others so most poisons and deadly things had at minimum ten names attached to them depending on the world that claimed to be first verses the empires catalog of such things. Not to mention the Clone Wars was a bit before his time so. . .what was the menu for later? Should be interesting to see what the Captain would like as a focus instead of the Commodore at least.

Natalia, the Nav officer he had tried to comfort before excused herself then and he had a brief moment to kick himself for talking over her in the conversation to that Dax fellow. Blast it all he had completely demeaned her in a moment of heated passion, no excuse. He wasn't a ground pounder any more and she never really was. She never had to carry out prisoner execution orders because someone didn't want the paperwork or wanted revenge at the end of a sorte. Then the moment of regret was washed away in an Comm message.

"Captain Totter, please report to the bridge. Captain Totter, to the bridge. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall."

Pulling a comlink from out of an inside pocket he barely stopped himself from running ahead of Captain Totter to get out of there. "What in the Walking Dead Nights are they doing in my Mess Hall!" Staring at his comlink he waited for the reply from whichever Head Chef was in charge of that particular Mess Hall. Heads would roll for this, and at a time like this he didn't just mean cabbages. Because his anger and issues just might of found an outlet if the Captain let him.

TAG: @Sith-I-5 , @Bravo , @ Those to whom it may apply.

 

IC: Stormtrooper Impostor (Mirialan)
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


"That was your fault. You could have surrendered you know." Elena said, tapping her dagger on the floor.

Navy Trooper Church removed the rogue Stormtrooper's helmet, to show a Mirialan face that was bruised and bloodied from the blaster bolt to the helmet (but the armor had held to save his life). The trooper growled in disgust.

The alien smiled, "Don't worry Imperial pig, I'm not a Rebel. I have lower standards then that."

Church pistol wiped the alien across the face in response. "Shut up you half breed!"

The alien chuckled, spitting out blood from his mouth onto the ground, and looked back to the naval trooper, "No, just a better upgrade from low life baseline humans."

Church raised his blaster pistol again.

"Go ahead," the alien dared, his eyes sparkling with delight, "Go ahead and do it! Show the universe that you're a man! That you'll beat a captive man to show off your a----"

The alien's voice was cut off as Church pistol wiped the man again, this time producing a crunching sound with a broken tooth or two. "I said shove it!"

The Mirialan smiled and spat out blood and a broken tooth from his mouth onto the ground as Church stood up, reaching for his comlink, "I didn't think you had it in ya."

Church took a breath, calming his rattled nerves, as he keyed the bridge & security, "Navy Trooper Church. Mess Hall, Army Quarters. Multiple active shooters are down. Repeat, active shooter situation is no longer. Request immediate security backup and medical attention. Multiple causalities, including two KIA Imperials and three KIA hostiles. One injured hostile."


TAG @Mitth_Fisto , @TheSilentInfluence , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Natalia Markova
Her Quarters, Darkest Night

The door to her quarters opened quickly and closed just as, allowing only enough time for the occupant to enter. As the door shut behind her Natalia slumped against it letting out a long breath. Finally finally she was home, or at least away from everything. She was back in a place that made sense. Four metal walls, her bunk, her footlocker, attached 'fresher, everything just where she expected it to be where she needed it to be. She stayed for a moment just sitting on the floor feeling the cold metal chill her bring her back to where she needed to be. She needed to be here on the ship, not down on the ground. Though her mind didn't want her to forget constantly showing her the faces of the dead reminding her of the sound of shattering lights and electricity arcing through water.

She shook her head moving to the refresher she needed to get out of these dirty clothes, blast this dirt off her skin, blast this day off of her. Maybe with that she could forget this day. The sonic didn't feel like water but, the gentle sonic waves made her nerves buzz but, not in a uncomfortable way. It kept her mind from spiraling down the dark paths that seemed to twist their way through her mind.

Stepping out she dressed into her proper uniform. Though she left off the tunic standing just in a simple undershirt and trousers. Buried under her clothes was her datapad, a custom built model with the most powerful parts she could get her hands on. It was bright red, with a green and purple flower on the back of it. Along with it a small bag with wire, data ports, data spikes, and some signal modulation equipment. It was all legal gear though there were ways to use it that were less than.

She settled herself into her bunk closing the privacy screen as she did. Plugging in some headphones she turned on an aria from an opera. It was good background music as she got to work. Her little space was dark other than the light from her datapad which bathed her in a blue glow. Her fingers flew over the screen diving deeper and deeper into the holonet. She scoured Imperial files, delving deep into places she shouldn't be, Imperial Intelligence, data buried deep behind many digital walls. It was difficult, very difficult, she had to be careful if she wanted to keep her job, and even her life.

She knew what she was doing was against regulations, against everything she had been taught, to respect authority to respect those above her and those that protect the Empire. But, she couldn't let this go, her commanding officer was laying dying in medical from a poison that a select few could have gotten at. Private Calder not among them. Her brow furrowed as she came across something, something that peaked her interest. A log of a dose of Synox being removed for mission. It was the only such request in months, and no other request had been made after. With such a dangerous chemical it was watched somewhat carefully, at least by those handing it out. That on it's own proved nothing, the only identifiers were an operative, and mission number completely anonymized.

But, she did find some sort of field…

The music reached a crescendo with sharp crash, the chorus rising and falling with the other instruments. It sounded like a wail, a cry of pain. Her heart pounded in her chest her hands reached for her headphones tearing them off her head and throwing them to the far end of her bunk. Her breathing was quickened her eyes wide. What happened, she'd listened to this piece before, she'd seen her mother perform it, in the O'Pahz Opera House. What made her act like that? Why was her heart still racing?

She felt something wet on her cheeks, tears?

What was happening?

She curled up bringing her knees up to her chest. It made her feel comfortable, secured. Her hands were still shaking, her breathing still hesitant, she couldn't move couldn't think.

All she could do was wait for this storm to pass.

TAG: @Bravo

 

IC: Security Stormtrooper DUR-2207 (Du'ra Cell), GenMed (General Medical Bay, Hangar Deck), Darkest Night


DUR-2207 had been dispatched to get some sandwiches and drinks for the returned Away Team members up in the Command Medical Bay, and while the 19-year-old Savarian had gone and done at least the first part of that, getting the refreshments; instead of taking them back up to the command tower, she had detoured aft, and down several decks to the General Medical Bay on the hangar level to look in on the survivors of the thermal detonator incident, earlier.

Taking her helmet off, she had her arms crossed so that she could lean onto one of her colleague's beds.

"So, T-Virus, how are you feeling?"

"Hey Pipsqueak!" The supine musclebound male human raised his head and looked up at her with a weak smile. "Fancy seeing you out of the barracks."

"I've been unofficially seconded to the Chief Medical Officer. Callizto had the assignment first, then she commed me to cover for her. The CMO is a strange one." She mused aloud.

"I'll not have a word said against her and her medics, young one." He winced as he raised his right arm, bring it over his chest to direct her attention to the neatly folded pile of dark blue fabric sitting close to his pillow, and near her right elbow. "Open that. Lift it up and shake it open.

Dura straightened and grabbed for the pile, raising it aloft and allowing it to fall open, finding that it was a short-sleeved t-shirt, bold yellow letters on the front saying, I survived a thermal detonator, and all they gave me was this lousy t-shirt!

"That's very specific." She observed with a wry tone, nodding as she refolded it neatly.

"We all got one-"

Captain Totter, please report to the bridge. Captain Totter, to the bridge. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall.

"Trooper Barracks Mess Hall?" She echoed, dropping the folded clothing next to her platoon-mate. "I was just there!" She was several decks and a turbolift ride from the place, and there ought to be closer security personnel, but she felt a kind of responsibility since she had been there less than ten minutes before. She slipped her helmet over her head and headed out of the medical bay, turning towards the turbolift.

"Security from DUR-2207." She panted into her helmet comlink, gloved hand pressed to the side of the white helm. "I'm responding to the Mess Hall incident, and will meet you there."

****

Mess Hall

She was just reaching the entrance to the eatery, and signalling the first of the medical assistance to arrive, a pair of corpsmen with medkits, to hang back while she checked the lay of the land, when a second call came over the security comm channel that she had now switched over to:

"Navy Trooper Church. Mess Hall, Army Quarters. Multiple active shooters are down. Repeat, active shooter situation is no longer. Request immediate security backup and medical attention. Multiple causalities, including two KIA Imperials and three KIA hostiles. One injured hostile."

"Trooper Church? With you in a few seconds." Her thoughts whirled as she considered his use of the word 'hostiles'. As in 'intruders'?

At the entrance, she pulled her E-11 and dropped to one knee so as to present a smaller target as she peered inside. Well, there were certainly people on the floor, a miasma of smoke, overturned tables, etcetera.

She leaned back and signaled the medics. "Alright, come on in."

Standing, she walked into the Mess Hall ahead of them, looking around as they headed towards the scene of the incident.

"Trooper Church? Security Stormtrooper DUR-2207." She glanced from him and the unknown Elena, into the far corners of the large canteen. "Are we the first to arrive?"

Tag: @Bravo @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Elena Shan
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System

Elena glared hard at the intruder as Trooper Church hit him. He's only taunting us because he got caught. She turned and nodded at Trooper Church as he requested assistance and before long there was a female trooper scanning the room as she entered.

She knows how to check her corners. That's rare. I wonder how long she has been with the Empire.

"Do you have a name trooper? I don't like to think of people who fight so willingly for the Empire as a number." Elena answered before Trooper Church had a chance to say anything.

"You are the first to arrive. I am Lieutenant Elena Shan." She looked at Trooper Church. "I'm afraid we had some Rebels claim to be ISB agents. When we questioned them they pulled their blasters on us."

Elena paused, wondering how much she should say. "We defended ourselves."

Tag: @Bravo @Bardan_Jusik @Sith-I-5

 

IC: Commodore Valentino Mazzanti
Private Observation Deck, Naval Station Validusia, Expansion Region


Valentino, his hands behind his back and legs shoulder width apart, drew in a big breath as he looked out across the black vastness of space, its stars, and the hundreds of Imperial Navy ships that dotted back and forth between the mighty Naval Station and the great black expanse beyond. Despite the somewhat stale recycled air produced through the life support systems of the space station, the fresh plants and trees from around the galaxy that lined the half-oval shaped observation deck---broken up every so often by bench seats---gave more character to the room beyond the wall-spanning transparisteel window that wrapped around the deck. Soft, relaxing music played through speakers in the ceiling, as holopics of wilderness and exotic animals filled what wall space there was.

His eye caught something---there---and he smiled as his chest puffed out with pride. There, being escorted by two Vigil-class Corvettes, was his new overhauled and refitted Gladiator Auctorati-class Star Destroyer. Much like his earlier project---the Imperial Praetorian-class Star Destroyer---he sought to take older designs and make them even better to increase efficiency and improve effectiveness. It appeared that the Imperial Navy was starting to move his latest Gladiator Auctorati-class sooner then planned from the top secret facilities in the Kris Asteroid Cluster. It was better to get these redesigned ships fully armed, fueled, and crewed sooner then later, Mazzanti figured, but he still had a curious feeling about the ship's appearance here so soon. It wouldn't be the last of such deliveries, in fact, it would be the first of several.

Suddenly the doors hissed open---the reflection of two half sets of shoulders and two helmets for Imperial Navy Troopers snapping to attention while on guard duty on either side of the doors---and in the reflection of the transparisteel Valentino saw a man walk through them both in a white ISB uniform and cape he hadn't seen in some time and one in whom's appearance left more questions then answers.

Investigator Hilick Soal.

As the door hissed shut behind the man and the reflection came up next to him, Valentino spared a glance at the man and gave a polite nod before turning back to the transparisteel viewport. "Hilick."

"Valentino," Hilick answered back in a similar fashion, "How was your leave? I trust CorSec is still treating you well?"

The Commodore smirked in the window, "Coming to remind me how well the Empire keeps track of its own?"

"Not in particular," Hilick said, turning his head to Valentino, "Although if you want me to, I could give you quite the educational tutorial on the subject."

Valentino indicated Hilick's blaster pistol, "Am I to believe your armed for a reason?"

Hilick took a glance at his pistol and then back at the Commodore, before smiling and turning his attention back to the window. Valentino followed suit. "No," Soal finally answered after a moment, "At least not for you."

"I see," Mazzanti responded after a moment, "Its good to know that those two Navy Troopers weren't escorting me to my death. Although if you're not here to be my executioner, I'm the more perplexed by your presence."

Soal retrieved a datacard from a pocket and handed it to Valentino as he looked at the man, "You're new set of orders. I trust you won't try to open these files on any unsecured military system. The encryption system will burn the card immediately. I would hate for you to have to explain why the fire suppression system was activated."

Valentino reached for the card, giving reaction to a datacard's size worth of information, "This sure explains why I wasn't called back to Coruscant as usual."

"Indeed," Soal explained, turned, and headed for the door, "Have a good day Commodore."

"Will I see you again, Investigator?" Mazzanti asked.

Soal stopped just before the doors as they hissed open and looked back, "Our acquaintance will be intermediary."

With that, Soal walked through the doors and before they hissed shut again, Valentino saw the two Navy Troopers follow behind Hilick to either side.


TBC

 

IC: Navy Trooper Church
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


"Trooper Church? Security Stormtrooper DUR-2207."

Church looked over and was about to say something (at least now he could put a voice to a body from earlier over the comlink), but the fresh-off-the-boat Lieutenant jumped in first. She had rank, so he just kept his mouth shut.

"Do you have a name trooper? I don't like to think of people who fight so willingly for the Empire as a number." Elena answered before Trooper Church had a chance to say anything. "You are the first to arrive. I am Lieutenant Elena Shan." She looked at Trooper Church. "I'm afraid we had some Rebels claim to be ISB agents. When we questioned them they pulled their blasters on us." Elena paused, wondering how much she should say. "We defended ourselves."

Church nodded to the security Stormtrooper, "That's about it. But these guys," Church moved his hand to encompass the field of dead hostiles, "Are the same ISB crew we checked in a few hours ago. Nothing was flagged on their orders then. Their backgrounds cleared," Church shook his head, as the adrenaline of combat started to wear off and he slumped into a nearby chair, his body language clearly showing a man at a loss of words, "I just don't get it."

He knew the Security Chief would review the holo footage and mirco review his every move and decision. He had killed that woman pilot and got off a few more shots before his blaster locked up on him and he had to take cover. But he didn't know if the Chief would take that as an answer or call him a coward. What was he supposed to do? A course Church knew that wasn't an answer either. One of the Chief's troopers were dead, on the Star Destroyer, and the Chief....wait, where was the Chief? Rumor was the crazy Security Chief would just be pop out of a ceiling tile or out a air recycle vent the moment anything was wrong. A course it was just a silly rumor. But it spoke to how on-top of things the Chief really was about everything. He'd known if a mouse farted on the Star Destroyer and could pin the location down within seconds.

Church looked to Snow's lifeless body. He still couldn't bring himself to walk over there. Snow's mother would kill him when he told her Snow had died. After all, they were high school buddies and Church egged his friend on to enlist over 2 years ago, despite Snow's mother's objections, and Snow had enlisted. Now he was dead and Church would be the blame for it.

The Navy Trooper watched, silently, as the medics looked at each other shook their heads. A single tear ran down Church's cheek and he lowered his head to mourn his friend's loss.


TAG @Sith-I-5 , @TheSilentInfluence , @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Army Mess Hall Chef Patrick Andrews
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


The human chef took a breath and slowly started up from behind the cover of the cooking equipment---a metal pan in his hand for defense---as his eyes peered over and got wide, a blaster score still sizzling and smoking into the serving counter. The man gulped at the close call and scanned the mess hall. Other people were arriving now: a Stormtrooper and two medics. There was talking and bodies lay motionless.

"Okay," he whispered to the cooks behind the counter, "It's clear."

The 3 other cooks rose up, various cooking equipment in hand: one had a butcher knife, another a bread roller, and another a frying pan.

"What in the Walking Dead Nights are they doing in my Mess Hall!"

The Chef and cooks all jumped at the sudden barking over the open comlink.

"Sweet mother of Vader!" Cursed the Chef, reaching for the comlink, "Andrews here. Ah....we're all alive."


TAG @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: Technical Services Division Technician Pack
Corridor, Officers Quarters


The Ugnaught waddled down the corridor, exchanging looks between his datapad and the numbers above every Senior Crew Officer Quarters, mumbling to himself off the numbers. He finally grunted in frustration and his vocoder box around his neck crackled with the sudden sharp noise, "Always the last number! It always has to be at the end of the forsaken corridor of death!"

Sandy smirked as he walked besides his friend, "Never a bright day in your life Pack, is there?"

"Do you see me???!!!" the ugnaught barked out, using his one free hand (and datapad) to point to his short legs (his other hand has a tool box in it), "I'm not going to win any relay with these short stubs of legs! And its harder then you know! Walk here, walk there---oh, don't forget the turbolift isn't working on level thirty-seven! Oh for Force sake people, you minus cram my hairy pig legged arse into a escape pod and shoot me around the other side of the Star Destroyer! I'd get there before next month!" Sandy rolled his eyes at Pack's complaining and then suddenly stopped, causing Pack to stumbled forward in an awkward floor attack, "Next time, Sandy, warn me!"

"I just did," the human said, looking up at the door number, "Captain Natalia Markova & Captain Vara Keizar, Navigational Officers," Sandy looked down at Pack, "That's what the datapad says, correct?"

Pack grunted, his vocoder crackling again with the strain, and he shoved the datapad into Sandy's hand, "Show off!" The ugnaught hated how Sandy could just remember names and numbers by only looking at them once, while Pack had to read the report ticket items a dozen times between turbolift and destination. The disgruntled technician slammed a finger into the call box by the door, "Maintenance! We're here to fix that console power issue!" Releasing the button, Pack waited, then started tapping his foot impatiently, "What do they think I am, free all day to wait on them!?"

"You've been waiting less then thirty seconds," Sandy said matter-of-factly.

"Thirty seconds I don't have to waste!" Pack said, slamming his finger into the call box again, "Maintenance!"

"You could be nicer---" Sandy started, but a index finger of Pack's shot up in the air, halting the man from going further.

Pack turned around slowly, anger boiling over on his face, "You volunteered us to cover for graveyard shift! And didn't care to ask me if I was alright with that? It wasn't my fault Larry and Paul were out late drinking last night and were still sick the next day. What if I had plans?"

Sandy laughed, "What plans? You never go out! You just sulk in your bed about the stupidity of everyone around you in the galaxy!"

Pack raised an eyebrow, "A date?"

Sandy's eyes shot up, "With who? The last time you dated---five years ago---you left her at the table to pay the bill and you stormed out saying that a droid would make better company then her!"

"She was boring," Pack said, "And had the brains of a nerf! I desire women with a gift towards genius. Makes them much more appealing."

"Who cares about brains! She was the highest rated Twi'lek dancer in twelve systems! I mean, talk about good looks, and you scored a date with that bomb shell! I mean, how did you do it?"

Pack smirked, "I'm a whole lot of Ugnaught baby!"

Sandy threw up in his mouth a little, "No, I mean seriously, how did you do it? She was an A-lister!"

"I got the goods, Sandy. Its all in the approach to women. One day you'll learn that if you keep as my wing-man."

"I'm taking dating advice from someone who hasn't dated in five years?" Sandy stated matter-of-factly, wishing he had some water right about now to wash down the throw-up in his mouth.

"I have standards," Pack replied, then suddenly Pack stomped his foot, "That's it! I'm breaking in if they don't answer!" He turned around and buzzed the call box again and again and again, "Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!"

The overhead comm system crackled to life throughout the Star Destroyer.

"Captain Totter, please report to the bridge. Captain Totter, to the bridge. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall."

Pack rolled his eyes, "Probably the idiot TIE Pilots this time causing problems. Can't be the ground ponders, they're all pounding dirt planet side still like kids in a sand box."

"Positive attitude," Sandy remind his friend.

"I'll show you a positive attitude and start farting a rainbow out my rear end once one of these super hero Captains answers their door!"


TAG @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Natalia Markova
Senior Officer Quarters, Darkest Night

Natalia was still curled up under her blanket shivering breathing short. Her heart was still racing, in the darkness she could see the fires, the flames that burned from turned over vehicles, the flashes of red as blaster bolts flew back and forth. Their sharp discordant chirps rang in her mind in the silence. A silence that was broken by the computerized voice of the Mechanic waiting outside her door.

"Maintenance! We're here to fix that console power issue!" There was a squeal, and grunt behind the voice that was twice passed through a computer giving it an unnatural mechanical tone. Natalia yelp a quick exhale of breath, at the sudden voice resounding through the small space of her quarters. She gave no reply, no move to leave. If she did nothing they would go away. She didn't want anyone to see her not like this, not like a panicked and scared little girl.

"Maintenance!" The voice called again forcing the Navigational Officer to retreat as much as she could into capsule that was her bunk. Why wouldn't they just go away.

Below her she heard something stir. Natalia looked down trying to look through her bunk into the one below. Was she here, Vara Keizar her roommate. They were so rarely awake at the sametimes, so rarely together that she didn't even check or notice her before this. A hum emanated from the lower bunk. There were a few more signs of life however faint of the other officer rising from her sleep.

"Maintenance! Maintenance! Maintenance!"

The voice shouted, but, the overhead comm burst to life.

"Captain Totter, please report to the bridge. Captain Totter, to the bridge. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall. Security to Trooper Barracks Mess Hall."

More was going wrong and Natalia was unprepared to deal with it. It felt like the world was closing in. She closed her eyes trying to calm her mind to find something to focus on.

"Alright, alright I'm coming." A voice groaned still tired and not quite awake just yet. Natalia could hear the privacy screen below her be pulled away causing the woman to let out a breath, good someone else was going to take care of them. "Hum…" The movement stopped for a moment Natalia covered her mouth. "Markova that you?" Keizar asked waiting only a second before moving to the door. Keizar's footsteps were heavier thudding across the floor as she made her way to the door controls. "Some people are trying to sleep." she muttered before opening the door. "Sorry for the delay gentlemen." The Nav officer answered, voice deepened slightly by the sleep she was rudely woken up from. Natalia cracked the privacy screen only enough to peer out to see who was visiting, and hoping it wasn't Dax.

The slightly taller, slightly broader frame of Keizar dominated the opening. Dressed in a shirt and shorts, her tattoo, the emblem of the Imperial Academy at Corulag on her shoulder, was on display. Beyond her Natalia could see the face of the technician that had stopped her and G'Spaugh before the left for that stupid fateful mission. Her eyes narrowed was he in on that, did he know about the poisoning. She closed her eyes and shut the screen, she was getting paranoid, she needed to calm down. But, the sudden presence of three beings when she thought she was alone was making that difficult and she couldn't even trust listening to music anymore lest she court another attack like the one that was just seeming to pass.

"Alright, come in, just be quiet, Markova and I were trying to sleep." Keizar explained to the techs before letting them in. Listening carefully Natalia heard her roommate sit on the lower bunk but, didn't hear the closing of the privacy screen. Was Keizar watching them? Did she not trust them or could she not sleep now that she was woken so suddenly.

Natalia tried to shut out the noises tried to force herself to sleep but, her mind wouldn't let her constantly interrupting her, forcing her to see the faces of those she watched die, hear the sounds of those she killed.

Seemed she wasn't getting any sleep right now.

TAG: @Bravo

 

IC: Technical Services Division Technician Pack
Corridor, Officers Quarters


"Alright, come in, just be quiet, Markova and I were trying to sleep."

"Great!" Pack said with more then a little bit of sarcasm; he waddled in and looked for the light switch and hit that mechanical device like it was starting fireworks! "So much better!"

Sandy sighed as he entered, extending a hand to the recently awoken navigational captain, "Ensign Sandy. Technical Services Division. My partner and I were---"

Pack interrupted Sandy as he crawled under the desk and started removing the power outlet on the wall, "You're not the first one. When the Darkest Night was overhauled and refit, they had to redo everything. Officer quarters were one of the last things to do and Darth Vader was on the way for an inspection. So, instead of using skilled organic labor, they used droids to speed up the process. Problem with clankers is---" Pack grunted, pulled, and part of the wall came off around the power outlet, exposing frayed wires and incomplete circuits with a fair amount of black charring, "---THIS!" Pack shown a light from his tool box on the outlet under the desk, "Unlike most ISD's, the refit put wires in different places, ever so slightly. And different power combinations were used. A course droids can't predict that if their given an assigned task with the specs in their memory cards already pre-loaded. So you get problems like this, incomplete or in incompatible power circuits. One circuits designed to do one thing is feeding another outlet designed for another. Okay Sandy, you may talk her ear off again. I got work to do."

Sandy sighed as he looked at the captain, "The problem isn't everywhere. So Engineering put in repair tickets in places that showed up on their power grid search. Its taken us months to get this far, because the problem is more then just Officer Quarters. Just no one knew. So retooling a few thousand outlets a week gets troublesome."

"Oh just beautiful!" Pack said in annoyance, "Another one of these like Level Thirty Seven!"

Sandy let out a breathe in shared annoyance, "Well, captain, I hate to break the news to you. But we'll be here for a while. We have to remove this whole side wall and take out and replace all the wires. I hear the coffee is good at this hour in the mess hall on Entertainment Deck."

Pack was on his comlink, with someone talking back, "Hey, Pack here...yeah...same guy....that's what I said...look, stop talking....just listen...I need a JU dash Two Nine Echo Super Charged Power Cord up here to the Officer's Quarters....no, I'll just meet you at the turbolift....and don't forget all the other wires too, just like Level Thirty Seven...do it or I'll punch your pretty face in...sue me...go Force yourself!"

Some slight movement on the top bunk caught Sandy's eye and he focused for moment, then looked to the officer by the door, "You and your roommate will have to go," he paused for a moment, before adding, "Are you Captain Markova or Captain Keizar?"


TAG @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Security Chief Cain Shinzon
Naval Conference Room (Low Security) E, Darkest Night

The Duros stood now as he prepared to leave, "Chief, because of the shake up in command, you're next in the pecking order. I'll move up to day shift and cover for Captain Totter's shift, as he covers for the Commodore. You'll need to assume my shift, the graveyard on the bridge. I'm sure you'll enjoy the young talent late at night. Most of 'em are fresh out of academy or working their way up the junior officer ranks. Just you're type."

Shinzon ignored the short nasty laugh. Command of a Star Destroyer? That was a significant step up, a prestigious assignment, even if it was just for the night shift. Proving his worth there would do much to bolster his reputation. He left the conference room, his head held high. he had much to do, he had to go over the personnel files of those on third duty watch as well as rearrange his own schedule within the security department. Then of course there was the "lunch" to arrange with Master Sergeant Dax. Despite all that, he was nothing but smiles behind his faceplate when yet another message was re-routed through the ship's comm system to his buy'ce (helmet). More good news no doubt.

His smile fell however as he read the words that scrolled across his HUD. Then it formed into a frown and finally a scowl. Things had taken a turn for the worse back on Mandalore. The leader of Clan Kryze and her Mandalorian resistance movement had made several small scale, yet effective attacks, on the Imperial garrison there, so the Imperial supercommandos were being redeployed to better deal with the threat. Which meant Cain Shinzon, on the eve of the most monumental moment of his Imperial career, was being reassigned. Back to the outer rim, back to Mandalore.

TAG: @Bravo

OOC: Sorry folks, but this is the last post for me and my character(s) in this game. Time constraints won't allow me to carry forward here as the game becomes more active again, so rather than leave everyone waiting for me all the time I thought it best to take a leave of absence for a bit so the game can move forward at a natural pace. I thought about asking Bravo to just kill off the character, but figured this way I could always bring him back to the game if the situation changes. Good luck going forward and have fun!

 

IC: Natalia Markova
Senior Officer Quarters, Darkest Night

They weren't leaving, the techs were going to be there for a while it seemed. The short Ugnaught showed what they were dealing with a mass of burnt and frayed wires. With the screen cracked Natalia could peer out watching her roommate interact with the two men that had entered their room. Keizar was doing a good job of not letting her annoyance show on her face too much, keeping up the mask of professionalism.

"Well, I guess it can't be avoided." Keizar stated letting out a long breath, "While I would have liked a little more sleep I'd also like to not have an electrified room." Natalia shrunk away from the slight opening, electrified, it brought to mind a fire suppression system, and shattering illuminators. No, no one would want that, though not everyone had a choice in the matter. Natalia closed the screen trying to hide or just shut out the world for a moment longer.

"You and your roommate will have to go," The nav officer shivered as much as she couldn't sleep, she also didn't want to leave the confines of her rack. "Are you Captain Markova or Captain Keizar?"

"I'm Keizar," Vara replied, "The other bunk is Markova." Natalia could hear her roommate approaching. She knew what was coming as much as she didn't want to leave, it seemed she was being forced to. This just was not her day it seemed. "Hey Markova, looks like they're going to tear our room up. What do you say we take a walk?"

Natalia was quiet for a while, possibly too long she could almost feel Keizar's hand move to knock on the privacy screen.

"Understood." She finally answered, looking down at her bare legs she closed her eyes letting out an embarrassed breath. "Need to get changed."

"How about this I'll pass you some clothes," Keizar added no doubt looking over her shoulder at the two techs setting to work, "Think you can get dressed in you bunk?"

"I can try, just need some pants." It was embarrassing and Natalia couldn't fight the blush growing on her cheeks but, this was the reality of serving on a Navy vessel privacy wasn't assured and even when you thought it was, it could easily be taken away. Part of her was glad she had Keizar there someone to look out for her. A moment later her roommate was knocking on the screen feeding a pair of navy uniform pants through the slit Natalia had opened up.

It was more difficult than it needed to be but, eventually Markova got herself presentable, and slowly left her bunk. Keizar stood by the door her training shoes on her feet. Natalia followed suit finding the lower profile footwear quicker to put on than her tall boots. She'd never really worn them before now Keizar had given her a pair saying she might need them later.

"When do you think this will be finished?" Keizar asked as the pair of navigators stood at the door looking to exit.

TAG: @Bravo

 

IC: Technical Services Division Technician Pack
Corridor, Officers Quarters


Sandy replied, "Give us two hours, ladies," the technician replied, then awkwardly cleared his voice as he looked at the woman identified as Natalia Markoa, "Miss Markoa? The name is Sandy. You probably don't know me, but I'm the guy you saved fresh out of the Imperial Academy. Your Gozanti-class Cruiser---bringing the newly graduated cadets to be shipped out to various assignments among the Imperial Navy---had a mechanical emergency and you intervened at the right time. It was the talk of Naval Station Validusia for weeks! I've never seen anyone do what you did with that cruiser---there I was, hanging out in space doing exterior repair work on the tractor beam projectors and then I saw a huge cruiser heading right for me! A course the tractor beams were down in that sector, so there was nothing to stop that cruiser! I thought I was going to be mynock paste on that's ship's bridge! But then you did something I've never seen before; you maneuvered that cruiser like a starfighter---despite the mechanical problems---and you not only saved my life, but that of everyone on that station and that cruiser. I don't mean to sound all proud of myself, but I was the one that tracked you down in the system, identified what you did, and recommended your posting here with the Darkest Night. The spot you stand in was going to another officer, but you see, I'm more then just a lowly tech. I'm Commodore Englewood's undercover Aide-de-camp. After what you did, I used that privilege and voiced for your transfer here. That's why your orders were changed at the last minute---you got a promotion---and you came to us, instead of the Outer Rim out by Mon Calamari where they had you going. I'm sorry all this is coming out so many months later, but I just hadn't had time to say thank you. Who knows what could have had happened if you weren't there that day?"


TAG @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Captain Duke P. (Patrick) Totter
Bridge, Darkest Night


Totter lowered the datapad and stared at the young communications ensign on third shift. Totter saw the poor officer sweating, as if he had done something wrong, and the officer took a gulp to force the knot forming in his throat to go away.

"And when did these orders come in?" Totter said with ice cold words that would freeze Darth Vader in fear.

"Just---just now, sir," the Ensign said, "They---they came priority."

"And who authorized the transmission of the Commodore's medical condition outside of this ship?"

"No one, sir. I swear. You can check my console and the communications log. It was a command override protocol from Imperial Center. There was nothing I could have done."

"Hmmm," Totter thought and handed the datapad back to the scared officer, "Dismissed, Ensign."

"Sir!" the Ensign quickly snapped his feet together and hurried off, relieved to be away from the barking Captain Totter.

Totter walked over to the bridge's front viewports and looked out to the planet of Lepsawn 1-9---his hands behind his back---where the Star Destroyer had came back into orbit with, as the seemingly endless stream of Imperial ground forces being transported by shuttles, landing craft, and transports returning from the planet below looked like a giant march line of army ants with TIE Fighters swarming all around for protection.

The "ship cracker" weapon was gone, the Commodore was sick (with his medical records mysteriously released by a secretive override code that was triggered somehow to Imperial Center), their Chief Security Officer was being reassigned immediately for classified reasons, there had been a blaster fight in the Army Barracks, and now he had a new commanding officer, a science officer, and a new security chief headed this way and the Commodore wasn't even cold yet, let alone officially pronounced dead.

Totter sighed.

The scared Ensign came back up, "Captain?"

Duke spared a glanced towards the junior officer without saying a word.

The Ensign gulped, "Sir, there's a priority message from Fleet Command. They said its for your ears only."

Duke looked at the Ensign for another long moment before looking away to the viewports and the planet below. After a long moment, he said, "I'll take the message in the Captain's Ready Room."

The Ensign snapped his feet and scurried off again.

Duke took one last look at the planet and returning ground forces, before turning and heading to Englewood's ready room.


TBC
OOG: @Sith-I-5 ; I am thinking there's a fail mechanism hidden in medical consoles for the word search or test results involving Synox...maybe your Doctor can find it or at least be a little skeptical about it? Call it a way for the Empire to keep people away from that poison and for them to immediately transfer patients. My reasoning is actually very simple: since the poison is connected to the Sith Order, I am assuming Palpatine and his closet allies don't want anything somehow remotely being traced back to Palpatine being a Sith Lord. Since the wiki article didn't link a cure for the poison, this seems to fit that train of thought all the more, as maybe Palpatine needs test subjects injected with it to find a cure. In any event, it was a simple way to solve a complex story problem I was having.

 

IC: Jengleheimer Voss 'aka Jingle'
Darkest Night, Outside the Command Medical Bay

Stepping out into the hallway he continued with his Comm call. "Ah, good. Glad to hear you aren't dead, which means you should be telling me what the frack is happened!" he barked into the small little device. It was times like these where he wished it would making a crunching sound as he squeezed it tightly.

Sadly the little thing didn't care how hard a being of flesh and blood could squeeze and just stayed in his hand like a rock lump. "Andrews I'm on my way to you. So fill me in. THAT's AN ORDER!"

Turning he headed to a lift and pulling his pad began typing a message to the two other mess halls to make sure to make extra food to cover the one being down for the next couple of hours. Last thing he wanted was a secondary food riot to whatever this was. Thinking of that he appended that order to include extra deserts be ready and off shifts to be called in two hours early incase runners would be needed and present shifts to stay late until the current food crises was over.

TAG: @Bravo

 

IC: Army Mess Hall Chef Patrick Andrews
Army Quarters, Darkest Night; Lepsawn Star System


Andrews didn't know what to say, excatly, to catch the good Master Chef up. What was he supposed to say? He wasn't some high end black ops combat spook, he was a chef. Just a chef!

"Ah...." Patrick started, "Well, sir, it started with one group pulling blasters on the other group. Then they started firing at each other. We were too far away to hear what they were saying," Andrews paused and looked at the other cooks who just shrugged their shoulders, "Is that a good update, sir?"


TAG @Mitth_Fisto