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

OOC: It's my distinct honor to be combo-ing with the talented and lovely @Rebecca_Daniels who will be posting this evening in the beautiful vibrant color of purple! Give her a big hand, folks, isn't she great?

Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I am still in the doghouse, how could you tell?


IC: Kayn & Zara
The Day After: Traipsing through fields of violets, lilacs, and lupines? No, just aboard Intrepid.

Kayn whistled The Mighty Rams as he walked Intrepid's corridors. That tune really was an earworm, but he didn't care. He was feeling good, freshly showered and shaved, stylus-thin mustache neatly trimmed, and enjoying the feel of his new uniform.

Spoiler

Intrepid's uniform shop had done a great job with the new utility shipsuit, in Kayn's opinion. It was a one-piece outfit with lots of pockets, flight suit style, which suited him to a T. They were available in squadron colors, and the Black Sheep version was definitely the best looking of them; no doubt the other units would be jealous. It came with velcro for patches in the usual places; he was wearing the red Alliance starbird emblem on a white disc on his left arm, Black Sheep squadron patch on the right arm, pilot wings and military rank on the left side of the chest, and an individualized morale patch on the right side of the chest. He didn't know who had come up with the last one, but it appealed to his sense of humor.

Spoiler

He checked his chrono as he arrived at Zara's quarters: it was still ten minutes before ten. He had told her ten-ish, so, close enough. He tapped the comm panel outside her door. "Hey, Zara, it's Kayn, are you decent?"


It had not been enough hours for this level of exhaustion. It wasn't just the back to back combat, it wasn't just the aches from the stunts she'd pulled, it was all those things and more. A bone-deep weariness that wouldn't subside, and that, if she was honest with herself for once, she'd carried a lot longer than this rescue mission. The sort of tired no sleep could wipe away.

Zara hadn't, in fact, slept that long, trapped staring at a dark ceiling for hours, just willing her mind to catch up with her body's need for rest. Thinking about what had brought her here. And whether she should leave.

When the chime at her door startled her awake, Zara was already dressed-- or rather, still dressed, as an attempt at a late night walk had eventually let her slump into bed without bothering to change. She struggled to untangle herself, a headtail wrapped around her arm in sleep with her face in a pillow, and it took her a moment before she realized it wasn't an alarm that had woken her, as Kayn's voice filtered through. Blast.

A glance at her chrono showed that she'd either slept through her alarm or, on second thought, might have forgotten to set it. Wasn't the first time she'd rolled right into action, and it probably wouldn't be the last. But she didn't look overly rumpled despite it all, so she grabbed her jacket as she slid open the door to face the nuisance.

"Hmm?" she grumbled, still straightening the jacket.


She looked terrible, with dark circles under her bleary eyes. Kayn wondered worriedly if she'd slept at all. Smiling brightly, he said, "Good morning, sunshine. How is it that you can look so pretty with sleep drool all over your chin? Made you check! Is your neck doing any better?"

Zara narrowed her eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately: "You do know how many blasters I have in this room, right?" She ignored his questions in favour of the threat.

"Just be careful of the stray shots. You wouldn't want to shoot holes in this." He unfolded a black bundle, a uniform similar to his own. "I took my best guess at your size. The uniform shop will tailor it if it needs it. They're issuing them to all the pilots." He smiled again as he handed it to her, glad to hear her sounding more like her usual self. He hoped she felt better than she looked.

More uniforms. Great. It was hard not to show her disdain, but she tried, especially since Kayn definitely thought it was a good thing. "Thanks," she said as she took it. "I'll... look at that later." At least it looked practical, but it was less the item and more what it represented. He didn't need to know that, though, she decided as she shoved it inside her quarters. "Where are we going?"

Not a big fan of shipsuits, apparently. I should have brought her a a can of that No Name energy drink she likes.

"We don't have to go anywhere right now. Zara... " He hesitated, hoping she didn't think he was being critical, but he couldn't let it go, and he knew that she knew he cared. "You look more tired now than you did after the mission. Did you sleep at all?"

"I'm fine," she snapped, crossing her arms. "Just get this over with so I can get to some down time."

"I don't care about the stupid report right now," he responded softly. "I'm caring about you. Somebody told me last night that I care about people, and somebody was right. This is me caring about you, okay? I know your usual snark, and that's not it. You're exhausted, like you've got a world on your back. I'm offering to share your load. You're the best friend I have on this ship, and I want to help, even if all I can do is listen." His lips twisted in a moment of self-deprecation. "It takes some effort, but I am capable of shutting my mouth and listening, and I'll gladly make the effort for you, wingy."

"There isn't anything to talk about." It wasn't even untrue. Zara wanted to sit and read a novel and not think about anything at all. "I know where to find you if there is." Not likely, though, she'd made that mistake before. Kayn already knew too much, and she still didn't know how much Max had figured out... though she had come through with the data card, the one Zara had been avoiding.

Her shields were up again, and experience told Kayn further probing would just make her more stubborn. He sighed with frustration. "Message received, backing off. Gods forbid anybody gets past your precious aura of mystery and dark secrets." That came out harsher than he'd meant it to, but he couldn't manage to regret saying it out loud. It did have the virtue of honesty.

"You want a friend? Go talk to Ianna." Anger was suddenly washing away the sleep; her life was her own business, no one else's. "I am here to kill Imperials, and that's it." And if she was very lucky, or very good, maybe one specific Imperial.

Kayn gritted his teeth until he had his temper in check. His voice was flat. "We're obviously not going to have a useful debrief session right now. The After Action Report is almost finished. Let's focus on that for two minutes and we'll be done." He pulled out a datapad. "Just one item in the Tactics and Maneuvers Analysis section I want to know about. Through most of the action, you stayed a lot closer on my wing than you have on past missions. Was there a reason for that?"

She was taken aback by the question. Had she stayed so close? She must have, if Kayn was bringing it up. A few reasons came to mind, but Zara didn't voice them: because I didn't want to throw my life away on a mission I didn't believe in, because I wasn't good enough to deal with the Strikers by myself, because the last time I split off I thought you'd died. "Just seemed like the right tactic at the time."

"Just the vagaries of combat, then. Noted." He focused on the datapad a little longer than he needed to before he looked up at her. "Are we good?"

"Yeah." Short, an exit from whatever this conversation had become. And then, a little gentler, wary of how heated she had just gotten: "Yeah, we're good."

"Good." His voice was almost back to normal, just a little strained. "Do you think you can get some sleep now?"

Zara shrugged. "Maybe." A shooting range might be better for her mood right now. A drink, too. Or just locking her door and ignoring the galaxy.

"Please try." He glanced down at the datapad again. "I need to go finish this, so... I'll see you later. And... probably just being Captain Obvious here, but... even when I get mad, I still care."

"Yeah." Zara wasn't entirely sure she believed that, but she let it drop. "Later." And she slid the door closed without another look.


TAG: Nobody. Can't we get a little privacy around here? Sheesh.

 

IC: Amber Tehanis, Alec Fenton, Ethan Malek (combo with @Adalia-Durron)
The day before the ceremony

Amber was on the hunt, she'd not seen Ethan since she'd gotten back because she'd utterly avoided the party afterwards. Emotionally she had been spent the night before, right now she was on a high. Ianna's girl talk giggling session and then the positive meeting with Fox......arh, MacKenzie had bolstered her spirits, for the first time in a long time she felt safe and mildly happy. She approached the X Wing and saw his tech working on it. "Hey Alec? Seen Vet?" She asked with a smile.

Alec looked up from the datapad he had been reading on. Ethan had brough his X-Wing back with almost no damage to it and so he was able to relax himself a bit while R7 scanned the fighter just in case some small things needed to be done. He felt a bit caught not actually working and quickly deactivated the pad. "Oh... ah, well Ethan is in his quarters I think, he is going over some lists I think."

"Lists?" She questioned. "Oh, ok, do you think he'd like a visitor?"

"People entering and leaving, messages going from the ship to other places," his face turned red as he realized he had probably said too much. So he tried to save the situation. "You know Eriaduan stuff, they love their lists." He tried a smile. Then he said. "I think he wouldn't mind seeing you, he was pretty worried during the battle."

She grinned. "He's very serious. I think I'll try and lighten his mood. Thank you!" She turned and walked away on the verge of a skip.

It only took a few minutes to reach his quarters where she knocked on the door, then waiting.

Ethan was lying on his bed, fully clothed with his eyes closed. The hours he had looked at the datapad hadn't been good for them, that was certian. And they had brought him no further information.. Not that he had, held much hope in the first place. The traitor was probably smart enough to cover their tracks.

"Come in," he said as he heard the knock, he had already hidden everything that could be compromising.

Amber put on her best smile and pushed the button to open the door, stepping in. "Did I disturb you?"

"No, was relaxing, you know I'm not twenty anymore," he said with a smile as he sat himself up.

She giggled slightly. "But you're still the best wingman I've ever had!"

"Glad to hear," then he raised an eyebrow. "How many did you have so far?"

She clasped her hands together and thought. "Three, maybe four? Wolf was on when I first got here, and she was pretty good. " She looked to her boots then back to the older man. "But I trust you more."

"Good to hear, these days its harder and harder to know whom to trust," Ethan said carefully but gave her a smile.

She glanced at his bunk. "Can I sit down?" She didn't want to intrude.

"Sure, make yourself at home," he had tried his best to make the little room as comfortable as possible. His few possessions put into a durasteel crate.

She sat on the edge of his bunk. "I'm sorry I made you worry about me." She shrugged, "but you know I'm pretty resourceful."

"I do, but I have lost many wingmates in my life, the fear is always there," Ethan responded.

She grinned. "It's me! I'm obviously indestructible! The fates have tried a few times!" She felt comfortable and allowed herself to relax. "I try and I do really want to live. One day I hope I will .......I dunno, live a normal life."

"Wonder if we still can do that," Ethan muttered, almost more to himself. "Certainly not as long as the Empire exists. And what comes after that? Who can say?"

"I want to go home. When I left it was with idealistic dreams of being a hero." She sighed. "We're not heroes, not after the wedding." She knew that had been such a bad mission. "And now my secret it kinda out, I'm wondering if I should start exploring it." She shrugged. "Maybe if I could control it, people wouldn't be so scared of me. I think I did after I crashed, control it that is."

"But who could teach you? The Jedi are dead." Ethan said, thinking. "Well there is one but he seems more focused on fighting the Empire than anything else these days."

Amber screwed her nose up a bit. "Dad always told me things, but I worked out as I got older it wasn't him that was the keeper of the secret, it was Mum and she never spoke of it. Makes sense when I think about it, hiding it and all......anyway Dad always said concentration and meditation were key. So maybe I can start there?"

"You could, from what you say it sounds similar to some of the soldier training I went through, maybe some of those lessons can be applied here?" Ethan knew he could teach her some techniques but wasn't sure if they would help.

Amber nodded. "That'd be great. Maybe there is a rec room we can borrow or book or something. We could see what I can do without hurting anyone." She felt good about this decision, hiding was no longer an option and who knew? Maybe one day she could use it for the Sheep. "I will see what I can find and let you know, I'd love the support if nothing else Ethan." With that she stood, "I've got to catch up with Jeen, so I will leave you too it. Thank you again." Amber reached forward and took his hand, shaking it. "Means so much to me."

"That´s what I'm here for," Ethan said with a smile. He had made the right decision to stay with the Squadron, at least for now.

Tag: Anyone

 

OOC: It's just me, posting solo. I wonder if I remember how...

IC: Kayn, Dr Raynor
Mandatory Sensitivity Training

Not all of Intrepid's data files had been updated to Alliance standards. According to the deck plans Kayn was accessing, this office was Secondary Reconditioning and Interrogation. Someone had changed the sign on the door to Human Relations. Nice try, ex-Imps, but there's lots of us here besides you humies. He opened the door.



A severe-looking older woman in civvies looked down from a desk mounted on a dais several steps higher than the rest of the room. "Why are you here?" Her voice cracked like a whip. She exuded command presence and her voice carried, strong and authoritative; Kayn suspected even Captain Husk would instinctively snap to attention when she spoke in that tone. FORMER SENIOR OFFICER OF THE IMPERIAL FORCES might as well have been tattooed across her forehead.

"I'm Lieutenant Balzroth, I have a-"

"I didn't ask who you are, I asked why you're here."

"I'm scheduled for mandatory sens-"

"I have a copy of today's schedule right in front of me, lieutenant. I know what's on it. Now tell me WHY you are here!"

"Uh, because, I... I was insensitive to some members of my squadron." His cybernetic implants were picking up sensor scans, operating in the frequencies he'd expect for medical and psychological check-ups. Lie detectors. The woman was glaring at Kayn, but he didn't doubt her peripheral vision was monitoring read-outs on her desktop. He'd have to be very careful not to lie to her.

"Hmm. That's an understatement." She lifted a datapad without looking at it. "Multiple allegations of unsolicited advances, highly inappropriate behavior, and general disrespect of your fellow soldiers. Especially among the female personnel. Do you have anything to add to that?" Her tone was still sharp enough to cut hull metal.

"Ma'am-"

"My name is Dr Raynor. You will call me Doctor."

"Doctor, we were celebrating. We had a lot to celebrate, pilots we thought were dead had come back to us. There was a lot of backslapping and hugging."

"And you believed that gave you license to ogle a fellow officer and tell her she'd need lead-lined underwear to preserve her modesty?"

"That's not exactly-" He saw a slight upward twitch of her right eyebrow. "Yes ma'am- I mean, no... Doctor."

"After she clearly indicated that she was not interested in your advances you told another officer... " Her mouth curved down disgustedly, "'Once you go Devaronian, you'll never go home again.' Aside from the putrid attempt at rhyming, that is as racist as it is sexist. Were you trying to see how offensive you could be?"

"No, Doctor." That answer was totally honest. What he had been trying to do was get himself sent where he was at that moment.

"Are you a misogynist?"

"No, Doctor!"

"Hmm. You really believe that." She glared at him for another long moment, then abruptly pointed toward a row of computer monitors and keyboards. "You sit at Station 3 and put on the headset. Pay attention to the program, and answer the quiz questions. And don't rush through it to get out of here sooner. You are stuck here for the next two hours, ace." The way she pronounced ace, Kayn was sure she was spelling it with an s to replace the c and another s to replace the e. "If you finish sooner, we'll just continue this discussion until time's up."

A junior enlisted man was seated at one of the stations, apparently also working his way through a computer based training program. "What are you in for, buddy?" Kayn asked quietly.

"No talking." She didn't yell, she didn't need to. The resonance in her voice might carry right through hard vacuum.

Kayn sat as directed and donned the headset. He had to adjust it a lot to make it fit over his horns, and it was still uncomfortable. He fiddled with it for a moment, and surreptitiously pulled a small metallic stud out of his horn. It was a micro-sized data jack on a monomolecular fiber optic cable, no more visible than a strand of arachnoid web. He settled into the chair, rotating his shoulders and stretching his arms, and cracking his knuckles right in front of the computer display. That motion covered for him plugging the jack into a processor maintenance port near the edge of the screen. If he didn't move his head too much, the fiber optic connecting the jack to his horn should stay mostly hidden by the headset wire. So far, so good. As expected, his built-in sensors were still recording the same kind of biometric reaction scans he had picked up in front of Raynor's desk.

SHARP flashed on the screen. Sexual Harassment/Assault Response/Prevention. As the training session began, Kayn activated a program of his own. Max had steered him in the direction of the illegally-modified back-up-saver program, and had talked him through the steps to tweak it for this moment. Operating so fast that even Kayn's cybernetics couldn't keep up, his program infiltrated the office mainframe, ignoring SHARP, seeking out the software that processed and analyzed input from the biometric sensors and converted it into psychological indicators.

"Are you taking this session seriously, lieutenant?" She was standing right behind him, and presumably still monitoring his indications to see that he didn't shirk in his studies. He'd have to be serious about this this training to get her to not pester him.

Serious. What do I take seriously about this stuff? Maybe there's a chance it will teach me something that keeps me from setting off Zara again. "I'm taking this seriously, Doctor."

"Hmm." After a long moment, she went back to her desk.

While she was walking, Kayn took a moment to check the infiltration program. It had located what seemed to be the correct file and was just beginning to copy the biometric analyzer into his neural data banks. Making a copy without setting off alarms would be a slow process; he hoped it would be done before the end of his two hour session. He'd have to milk the training for all it was worth, understanding all the details, overthinking the test questions, asking for clarifications-- No, scratch that last idea, she'd see right through him stalling. He focused on the screen and the flat computerized voice droning on about hostile workplace environments and the consequences of lost productivity.

An hour and fifty minutes later, the analyzer program was finally and fully copied into his head. With a sigh of relief he answered the last shallow meaningless question in the SHARP quiz and the computer indicated he had a passing grade, 93%. Good enough. He cracked his knuckles again as he covertly unplugged the micro-jack and rewound the fiber optic cable into his horn.

A pale pink hand softly landed on his shoulder. He turned in surprise to see Harley Quin wearing something that looked vaguely like a parti-colored naughty nurse costume. "Meany, have you been a bad boy?"

"Harley?! What happened to Dr Raynor?"

"We swapped shifts. Sometimes I like to come in here so I can keep up my practice as a licensed psychotherapist. Did you know I have a license to practice psychotherapy? I stole it, of course... Joking! Totally joking." She smiled and winked at him, then in an instant the smile turned into an angry frown. "I've heard all about you and the way you were acting in the hangar, going around and getting grabby and kissy with ALL the girl sheep. All except me. That kind of thing can give a girl a complex."

"Is this some kind of final exam?"

She looked closely at a chrono which clearly indicated there were ten minutes left of his mandatory sensitivity training. "You still have another twenty minutes of therapy, so we've got plenty of time to dig into your psyche and fix what's wrong with you. Why didn't you try your slick moves on me?"

Because you're psycho. "I would have had to stand in line behind all the other guys who wanted you, and the party would have been over before I got to the front of the line."

"You just made that up. You never had to stand in line for a girl, did you? The famous space race pilot, Speed Demon of Devaron, all the silly floozies were lined up for you to choose your special eternal soul mate to light up your life and complete you for the next eight hours, right? You never had to put in the effort to woo an actual person to care about, did you? Did you?"

Ouch. "No."

"Hmm."

What is that "hmm" thing, do they teach all therapists to say that?

"So you just decided to hit on every girl you know, EXCEPT ME, and hope that someone was desperate and lonely enough to go with you, is that it?"

"No! It was a celebration, a party, and I was being friendly, affectionate with the people around me. But since I finished that SHARP training session, I can see now that my behavior was offensive and inappropriate."

"Don't give me that bantha poodoo. I've been a Sheep as long as you have, I know your dirt. When it comes to non-professional relationships, the only interesting things you've done are fighting with Amber and dancing with Zara." Suddenly she gasped, hands on her cheeks. Kayn froze. Did Harley know she had struck a nerve? "Ooooh, Kaaaaaaaynnn!" Her eyes glimmered with compassion. "How have I not seen this all along?! Oh, Kayn! You're in love! Hopelessly madly head over horns in love. You went to all the other girls first, practicing on them, getting your nerve up, and then in the end, you still didn't have the cajones to talk to me. No wonder we've never talked! You're totally tongue-tied around me, aren't you? Oh, Kayn, Kayn, Kayn... It doesn't show much, but you're very sweet. And as much as it breaks my heart to say so, you and me... I'm sorry, it can never be. It just can't. After all, I'm your therapist and you're my patient. You don't know how much it kills me to shatter your dreams, but, please, Kayn. Let them go. Let me go. You have your own life to live. And if you don't walk away from us, you'll regret it, maybe not today, but tomorrow for sure. I will make you regret it, capeesh?"

Kayn looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry, Harley."

"Right." Suddenly she was all business. "You've completed the required computer based training, and this counselling session was VERY revealing, so now I can process your discharge. There are three choices here. I can schedule you for another mandatory appointment, I can mark you down as fully processed and fit for return to polite society, or I can grant you a conditional release. That just makes it easier to yank you back in here for another session. Hmmmm... "

As much as Kayn wanted to be done with this place, he couldn't be sure he'd gotten what he needed until he had a chance to sit down with Max and figure out the pirated analyzer program. If he had the wrong program, or if it was incomplete, he'd have to come back. The smart thing to do was try for the conditional release.

Forgive me. For just an instant, he 'inadvertently' let his eyes be drawn down into the depths of her cleavage. She caught him. He tried to look ashamed. It wasn't hard.

Her next "Hmm" did not sound happy. "Conditional release."

"That's fair. Thank you, Harley."

And she was suddenly all tender compassion again. "Look at you, bearing up so strong with your poor heart broken all to pieces, going back out into the world like a brave little soldier. Make me proud of you, Kayn!"

He hesitated, then suddenly leaned forward, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and was out the door as quick as he could move. Just before the door closed, he heard a faint voice, "My poor Kaynie Waynie..."

He hurried down the corridor, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.


TAG: Thanks @Mistress_Renata

 

IC: Max Pallas, MacKenzie Hollymander
Hollymander’s quarters, Valkyria

Max finished outlining her suggestions for the improvements to the Engineering...chemistry project when there was a ping from her datapad. Hollymander. Any time before lunch? Max glanced at a chrono. That wouldn't give her much time! She nodded to Chiff, then managed her fastest walk back to Black Sheep territory, trying to find the elusive Intelligence agent. She could only hope that Tehanis wasn't around. She wanted to keep this investigation private, for a little while, anyway.

Having finished reading his reports MacKenzie began to clean up and get ready to head to interrogation. It was near to lunch and he'd assumed Max had been unable to attend the suggested meeting. Slipping into the jacket Cassell had gifted him he left his quarters only to run Max entering the Valkyria. "Max? I thought you were not coming." He said with surprise looking around noting the lack of Zephyr's presence.

"I got caught up in another project," she gasped. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She took a deep breath. "Have you had a chance to think about our mole? I mean, obviously, we've both been busy. I was trying to think of a few strategies."

"My own thoughts were completely proven wrong when Wallings appeared yesterday." He confessed. "Although that in itself could be a ruse." He gestured to the common area where there was a table. "Let's sit down for a bit. You look like you could use a drink and a rest." He made his way to the small galley. "What are your current thoughts?" He asked as he got her a glass of water. "Honesty has me claiming no new information at this point in time."

Max accepted the glass and leaned back, thinking hard as she tried to muster her thoughts into some semblance of order. "I agree with you on Wallings," she said. "She was one of my top suspects, but now I'm not so sure. Former ISB, Dad said she was ambitious, but after this, I don't know...of course, I'm pretty sure she planted that tablet deliberately with the SonTay info, knowing we'd go off on our own. So perhaps she suspects a mole too, and that was her way of trying to flush them out? It definitely says that we'll have more luck in future if we continue to go off book and tackle our own missions. If we can persuade Flagg. Or if you can persuade Flagg. He doesn't listen to me."

He sat down opposite her after placing the glass of water on the table before her. Max's words told him they were on the same page regarding the infiltrator. "I will suggest a private meeting with Commander Flagg to discuss this option." He sat back and placed his clasped hands before him on the table. "The betrayal is definitely higher than the Black Sheep Squadron and I believe we need to start trusting each other more." He levelled his stare at her. "I think maybe leaving the past right where it is could be a good option for all of us." He looked to his clasped hands. "At least the accusation and implications that have been cast about. Counterproductive in my opinion." MacKenzie hoped Max was receiving the veiled message he was sending her.

She looked at him blankly. Accusation and implication? She'd accused Lou, with reason, and she'd had proof. Not that she'd showed it to anyone but Flagg, so of course everyone sided against Max. Hollymander must have fallen for Lou's sob story, along with everyone else. If she'd pulled a stunt like this on an Imperial mission, she'd have been shot on return, no court martial, nothing!

Max took a deep breath. "It's my experience that the past never stays in the past, it has a tendency to come back and bite you in the backside when you least want it. Only if you acknowledge your mistakes, learn from them, and make amends to the people you hurt, fix the damage you've caused, then everyone moves forward."

MacKenzie lowered his eyes to his hands. "Sometimes people change. Sometimes they are given a choice in life and they choose a new path." He looked back to her. "The course we start on is not always the same one we finish on. Some may struggle with the new path and making amends for the errors of their past." He looked away. "You have no idea of the things I was 'forced' to do and follow through with whilst undercover. There are acts I'd be judged harshly for that were committed in the name of freedom ultimately. That path was dark and not one I wanted to be on." He looked back. "When the opportunity to leave that path presented itself, I did not hesitate to take that leap. This is war and in war not all things are black or white. Sometimes the mistakes of the past should be left there and as I would hope to not be judged by my past indiscretions." He shrugged. "Maybe others should be afforded the same leniency.." He raised an eyebrow. "Being a prickly personality or someone who is unable to apologize for their mistakes is not a crime. It maybe distasteful but for many the words are difficult to find or use. None of us are perfect after all." He felt he was back on an Imperial Ship as his 'official' personality was in play right now and he needed her to understand that this entire situation was unique. When he adopted this 'act' it always felt like a delicate dance of words. His words were genuine but his delivery was cool and considered. "We are not a military operation. We're trying but the fact is the Empire is Military. We are by comparison a rag tag fleet of broken and desperate beings looking to find freedom." He'd revealed more about himself than he'd have preferred but he hoped it would help her see his point of view

Max arched an eyebrow. "I was a partisan," she said. "I did a lot of stuff I'm not proud of, either. But I never jeopardized the people who relied on me. I never jeopardized a mission. And you're right. We're not a military. Which directly leads to the bigger problem." She cleared her throat. “So. Our mole. It's definitely higher up the chain of command but hard to think who. Taab's a possibility. Hard to see it being Husk or Teague, they're both Alderaanian. Though Teague has a rep for hitting the bottle. CAG came on pretty strong, but his people are getting hit by those Defenders as well. Still..." Max had a sudden idea, but went on with her thought. "Felix is a possibility; he'd know about our ops, too. Iela's the Comms officer; she'd be able to send info and she'd know how to cover it up.”

"Options." MacKenzie said in an even tone. "I do suspect we are not looking at 'leadership' role at all. A lower less qualified member of staff is highly likely. The Comms officer is more likely an option. Not obvious and with access to all information makes a lot of sense. Right now, I am involved with the assessment of our newest arrivals and don't have the time to investigate." He inclined his head to one side slightly and gave her a knowing smile. "That's not to suggest you yourself may not invite Iela and or Felix to dinner and/or possibly a drink?" He hoped she understood his suggestion. "In my experience beings are more likely to divulge information under less strict conditions and amongst friends." He shrugged. "And alcohol is often a wonderful way to get someone talking. So long as you keep your head." Another knowing smile. "I'm sure you have access to the necessary tools." Lifting his wrist, he glanced at his chrono. "I have to get moving. Do you have all you need?"

Max thought. "I want to go to the Raiders and the Vipers first," she said. "See if this mole started up before the Sheep were activated. And I was thinking of searching the hull of the Intrepid for unauthorized comms gear. Stuff that isn't necessarily linked into the ship's comms. If we can use the squadron's droids, we can justify it as a training mission. You know, how to maneuver to do deep space repairs or something. And...you didn't get anything out of Joy's girlfriend, what'sername, did you?"

He gave his head a slight shake. Even if he had learned anything Max was not the person to be telling. "Not at this stage. Your ideas are good and you should quietly run with them. Let me know if I can distract or assist. I really have to go." He said as he slipped out from behind the booth table and stood. "I will warn you that if you stay here there is a very high chance Zephyr will use you as test guinea pig for her food." He smiled. "Or her next money-making scheme or worse." He shrugged. "You take your pick."

Max smiled faintly. She was acquainted with Zephyr's cuisine, and it was not a bad thing to be an experimental foosa. Since Foodie was still out of commission and might never come back online. Still, she was taken aback by Hollymander's attitude. He didn't seem particularly interested in helping her sort out the problem. But then, he wasn't the one in a small starfighter with Defenders flying up his backside.

With a sigh, she got up and headed out. There was a lot to do, and apart from Balzroth, no one seemed interested in pursuing this. So, fine, she'd go it alone. Probably just as well. The more people in the stillroom, the more chance of spoiling the mash.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, Anyone

 

GM Update
​

IC: Major Beskaryc Taab/Commander Flagg (NPC)
portside outboard flight deck, rebel carrier Intrepid

As the other pilots enjoyed (some more than others) their down time, Major Taab and Commander Flagg got down to business. The squadron was still on stand down of course, but replacement pilots and planes were on the way and both officers were eager to get back to their efforts against the Empire. So it was as the others dealt Flagg and Taab were on the flight deck assigned to the Black Sheep to greet their new arrivals.

"I have the transfer orders here Boss." Taab said to Flagg after reading the scrolling text across the HMD (helmet mounted display) on his T-Visor. "Couple of A-Wing pilots, both pretty raw." He sighed, despite their new reputation it seemed they were still scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of new pilots. "The third is a Y-Wing pilot older than me," he shook his head in disbelief at that, "and another former mercenary with a B-Wing rating..." He shrugged assuming she would be assigned then to Delta Flight. Flagg however seemed enthused by the news. "That would bring us back to full strength and then some." He actually smiled at the armored man beside him. "If we could snag another X-Wing and a pilot to go with it we could add a whole other flight to the squadron."

Taab mulled that over, they were indeed over strength with the addition of these pilots and those that joined after the SonTay raid. For now those added X-Wing pilots were assigned to Echo flight where they would serve as escorts to the Valkyria, but Flagg was right, if they could add one more than they would have enough for a flight of their own. That would make for a very large squadron though and Taab doubted the Alliance High Command would put that many resources into the project, despite its recent success.

"Here they come now," Flagg motioned out the open hangar door, past the mag shields that kept the atmosphere in against the vacuum of space beyond. Taab peered out through the opening catching a glimpse of what Flagg's cybernetically enhanced senses had seen. It was an old Sheathipede class shuttle, Taab recognized it from it's heavy use as a Seperatist vessel back during the clone wars. The Alliance really was scraping the bottom of the barrel then he thought as he finally saw the smaller shapes darting around the lumbering shuttle.

They were indeed rebel fighters, a pair each of X-wing, A-wing, B-Wing and Y-Wing, all holding formation around the shuttle as they escorted it in towards the Intrepid. "Looks like we're not the only ones getting reinforced," Taab said matter of factly. Something wasn't sitting right though with Flagg. They needed more X-Wings than that, and fewer B-Wings. What was going on? Had requisition forms and orders been garbled in transmission. He only became more confused as the fighters split off from the shuttle and set down on the other flight decks, the A-Wings on the deck assigned to the Vipers, the X-Wings where Intruder squadron was housed and the Y-Wings and B-Wings with the Star Raiders. Only the shuttle landed on the Black Sheep flight deck. "I have a bad feeling about this Boss." Taab said noting the same thing Flagg did as they moved forward to where the shuttle had settled down on her landing struts and was now extending her boarding ramp. A multitude of pilots and other personnel disembarked, followed by over a dozen droids. "Let's find out what's going on," Flagg said as officers from the other squadrons entered the bay, and began singling out newly arrived officers and droids assigned to their squadrons.

Taab followed, bringing up the transfer orders again and looking through them. Four new pilots, five astromech droids (assigned to Feral, Torch and Seppie's X-Wings along with a new droid for Lou's replacement Y-Wing, if they ever got those birds, and also a droid for the newly assigned Y-Wing pilot), but no orders mentioning new aircraft. "We got burned Boss," he said informing the Black Squadron CO of what he had just found. "Yeah looks like we are still waiting on planes then." He sighed. Plenty of people, not enough planes. Looked like the Black Sheep hadn't impressed the brass quite as much as he had thought. "All right, get them squared away and let those that needed one know that their droids have arrived." Taab nodded in acknowledgement as he bellowed out to the newly arrived pilots.

"Black Sheep, on me!" The Mandalorian looked at the four assembled pilots that stood before him at attention. Lieutenant Reed "Foreman" Thrace was the eldest and highest ranking of them, he would be assigned to Charlie flight. Next came Flight Officer Tala "Merc" Ashe, she would be assigned to Delta flight and duties as a B-Wing pilot. Flight Officers Dug "Bluebird" Masterson and Liam "Crash" Qel-Droma would round out Baker flight and get A-Wings. That is if they ever got new planes for any of them. Taab handed them each a pad with their berthing information and flight assignments on them as he quietly sent out a comm text to the rest of the squadron telling them that new pilots and droids had arrived before again addressing the newcomers. "I'm your XO Major Taab and that is your CO Commander Flagg. Welcome to the Black Sheep."

TAG: @Rebecca_Daniels @Sarge @Anedon @Mistress_Renata @Adalia-Durron @galactic-vagabond422 @Mitth_Fisto @Corellian_Outrider @The Real Kyp Durron @adaml83 @Vehn @TheAdmiral @darthbernael @Sinrebirth @Bodhran777 @Kato Sai

OOC: Keep doing what y'all are doing. This is just a way to introduce our new characters and fill out the remainder of the squadron and flight assignments. I'll use my next update to move us along and get us a mission, but I wanted to let everyone finish what they are doing and not step on any toes just yet. For those getting a new droid, assume you've gotten the message that your new (or old as it may be for some) droid has arrived. Any questions just PM me or ask in the fanclub.

 

IC: Lieutenant Louise "Lou" Gray
Intrepid
Some Time Later

The Limmie game had gone well. As well as a pick up game for the best sport in the galaxy could go with a bunch of pilots who weren't professional athletes. There was banter, trash talking, and just some genuine fun to be had. Lou had actually laughed and smiled throughout as her rehabilitation back into the Rebel Alliance military proper was coming along nicely. She even allowed herself to relax and forget about her problems for awhile. No longer was she running on empty. She was in a much better frame of mind. She was, for all intents and purposes, on the mend after the trials and tribulations of Sontay.

The long road to mental recovery had begun.

She recently hit the simulators again and was pleased to at least be back in the cockpit of a Y-wing even if it was simulated. Her particular scenario that she usually ran was a flight of four Y-wings intercepted by eight TIE Interceptors. It was a challenging scenario in that the Y-wings were grossly outmatched by their Imperial counterparts especially since the Empire was programmed to have the advantage in positioning. There was a way to win, however, and she'd discovered that quickly after she'd died once. The trick was to even the odds during the first merge. If the Y-wings could knock out four interceptors on the first pass, right as the interceptors overshot their targets, they had a chance. Rebel ingenuity and Imperial arrogance at their finest.

Lou had also squeezed in a few more visits to the medbay and was deemed fit for combat duty by the medical droids. Her ribs had healed nicely after routine bacta baths and the injuries to her face had finally faded bringing out her finer features. When she looked at herself in the mirror she could still see that sandy haired girl, covered in mud, who'd played on her families ranch on Roon. The hours of enjoyment, and relief, the mud would bring her during the oppressive heat of the Roonian summers always brought a smile to her face.

She closed the locker in her quarters and took one final glance at herself in the mirror. She recognized the face that resolutely reflected back at her. Those eyes. Those lips. That nose. The blonde hair cut at shoulder length. Perhaps it was the experiences of life or the rigors of combat or nothing at all but she could see that something was different. Something was definitely different about her. Perhaps in time the answer would reveal itself.

Her datapad chimed indicating a message had arrived. She glanced down at her datapad and grinned with the youthful exuberance of a child experiencing Life Day. Her replacement droid was here. She gave out a little holler and bounded down toward the hangar. She slipped past a few crowded corridors, avoided an entanglement with Wallings, and skidded to a halt on the hangar deck in time to catch Flagg and Taab discussing Black Sheep operations.

She craned her neck as the Separatist shuttle landed. A few pilots disembarked and stood at attention before Taab. She walked on by but caught sight of an older man who looked like he'd seen more days than she had. That wasn't too hard. She wasn't the youngest in the squadron but she certainly wasn't the oldest. Curiosity got the better of her and she wondered if the information was on her datapad. She quickly rescanned the message about her new droid and discovered that Charlie Flight had a new pilot. Lieutenant Reed Thrace. Went by the call sign "Foreman".

She'd do introductions later. Give the new lieutenant a chance to settle in although she frowned slightly as she allowed that though to percolate in her mind. Settle in to what, exactly? An empty berth in a hangar? The simulator? A round of drinks in the mess with Ianna and Joy? Yes, maybe they could do that, Lou thought, as she was startled out of her quiet reverie by the sharp chirp of a droid.



"Hello there," Lou cheerfully said as she knelt down in front of the blue and white astromech, "you must be BL-U8TE. My new astromech."

The droid warbled and rotated its head to show its excitement.

<<At your service, Lieutenant Gray.>> the droid responded

"If we're gonna fly together I need you to know a few things. First, we're not at one another's service. We're a team. We live as long as we communicate and fight well. We die the minute we break down in combat. Got it? Secondly you can call me Lou. Lastly, I really hate your name. I really do," Lou replied.

<<I dislike my name as well but that is my serial number, Lieutenant. Assigned to me by the factory>> the droid chirped.

"How about I call you Blue," Lou suggested.

<<Thank you, Lou. Much better.>>

"You served before?" Lou asked.

<<I was assigned to Gold Squadron prior to coming to the Sheep. I am proficient in Y-wing systems and can hold my own.>> the droid chirped.

"Gold Squadron," Lou acknowledged, "my old stomping grounds. Wonder how they're all doing. You'll fit right in here with this bunch of misfits. Why don't you go ahead and get a nice oil bath and some maintenance. Unfortunately it looks like we're still waiting for our craft. When you're done with your bath why don't you meet me back here in the hangar and we can talk to Airen whose our plane captain. Go over a few things."

<<Affirmative. Thank you, Lieutenant. You are different than other pilots I've been around.>> the droid stated.

"How so?" Lou asked.

<<You care.>> the droid replied.

Lou watched as Blue gave one final whistle then wheeled away toward maintenance. She missed having a droid. Crazy Eight, her last astromech, and she had been through a lot together. She already liked her replacement. Could see the little droid had the makings of something special. She shook her head and observed the new pilots broke formation. She edged her way over to Lieutenant Thrace and extended a hand.

"Lieutenant," Lou said, "I'm your flight leader, Lieutenant Louise Gray of Charlie Flight. Welcome to the Black Sheep."

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik, et al

 

IC: Liam Qel-Droma
Intrepid, Hangar Bay

Liam had taken a deep breath when he had boarded the shuttle at the Academy. This was to be his last chance. He had passed flight school by the skin of his teeth. It had been luck or whatever they called it that he sticked the landing. Now he was being sent to a real squadron, and he wondered if they’d regret giving him this break.

Liam joined the new pilots exiting the landing pad into the hangar. Many were getting to know one another, while he remained quiet. He used silence to appear together, that he was stable, in truth the whirlwind of it all made him a little nauseated.

Trying to get a grip, Liam found a bench, sat down, and laid his pack beside it. He took in the massive hangar, and the ships it stored in its belly. The rookie felt he had stepped into another world, were he’d sink or swim.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik
Anyone who wants to join in.

 

Ic Zara Yaren – MacKenzie Hollymander
Mess Hall – The Intrepid – Morning previous to the Ceremony. - gratitude to @Rebecca_Daniels


It was a bit early, before the breakfast rush, but when they were on stand down Zara relished the quiet before the crowd. Some caf and half-eaten porridge was sitting neglected in front of her, eyes glued instead to a datapad. It hadn't taken a lot of effort, in the end, to find something vaguely interesting in the ship's library and load it onto her personal datapad, but she'd been pleasantly surprised by the novel she'd stumbled across. An Alderaanian princess runs away with a smuggler... obviously from before the planet's destruction, and heavily laced with Imperial messaging, but she couldn't help but get caught up in the affair.

After all, it was a welcome break, a welcome distraction from the past day or so, to just dive into a novel without any intrusive thoughts. To imagine she was curled up in the nook in their apartment while her dad worked in the other room, taking herself on adventures she'd never seen. Instead she was here: legs stretched out along an uncomfortable metal bench, elbow propped on the table and ignoring the handful of other early risers. The adventures had been a lot more fun before she started living them.

Zephyrs latest attempt at breakfast had turned his stomach so making an excuse to leave had been the rational choice. As MacKenzie entered the overly quiet mess hall he was pleased he could get what he needed and retreat somewhere to eat in peace. As he gathered some plain porridge a movement caught the corner of his eye and he turned to look.

Zara

Was he ready to just be friends with her after their earlier exploits? They'd agreed to pretend it never happened so in his mind she was just a member of his squadron. She was just a Black Sheep like him. So he picked up his bowl and juice before moving to her table. "Care for company?

Zara's head jerked up, startled by the approach, quiet as it was, and it took a moment to sort out who she was looking at. Hollymander, right. She wasn't sure where they stood any more, after she'd misjudged him last time they'd spent time together. But she could manage to be polite.

"Uh, sure," she said, turning to sit at the table properly. This was going to be awkward. "You're up early." Yeah, make conversation like a normal person. It had been easier when she thought he'd be interested in a quick night out, but she'd misjudged him and now... well, he was still handsome to look at, but now it was weird.

He smiled. "I had to get off the Valkyria as Zephyr was cooking up a storm she tried to pass off as breakfast. When she mentioned bugs that was it for me." He placed his tray down and sat opposite her. There was something exotic and fascinating about the woman. "Found some interesting reading?" He asked as he put his spoon into his meal.

Her eyebrows knit together-- bugs? Maybe she should introduce herself to this Zephyr, insects were pretty common in lower-level Denon dishes; you cooked with what you could get. But she could definitely understand needing space, a break from strong personalities.

"Oh, it's just a... novel," she ended lamely, failing to come up with an adequate lie. "Something to pass the time."

He swallowed his mouthful. "It has been somewhat slow around here. I think we may have new members soon as a couple of the POW's we rescued have checked out. Requested they do their part so of course it was decided they'd best serve the Rebellion with the Black Sheep." He rolled his eyes a little. "Cause we are technically the rejects out here or at least I hear that."

"Anyone interesting?" It wasn't that she'd been avoiding everyone, she'd just been... avoiding everyone. At least avoiding the Sheep and their retinue. Hollymander was thankfully a gentle reintroduction to how to socialise before the next mission. "I haven't met any of them yet." Still wasn't sure if she wanted to, given that she'd have left them there given the choice, but maybe he could give her a head start.

Another mouthful gone as he snorted gently. "One of them seems a little too interested in Joy and ....." He paused to use the correct name. "Amber but the other is more of a concern to be honest. He's a Separatist. That could be an issue down the track." He took a sip of his juice.

Joy and Amber, huh? Seemed like two very different choices there, but Zara wasn't about to wade into that kind of trouble. "Separatist? Like the Clone Wars Separatist?" She'd been a child when that war had ended, she didn't remember that far back. "Yeah, I think I know which one I'd pick." She took a swig of her caf, bitter and growing cold. "And it's not the Separatist."

MacKenzie chuckled. "Yes! A Clone Wars Separatist. He's interesting to say the very least and when told he was being assigned and X Wing the reaction was somewhat extreme." He smirked slightly. "I got the distinct feeling he did not wish to fly one." He gave her a thoughtful look. "The other asked daily how both women were. He seemed overly concerned for their welfare."

More odd mynocks for the team. All these personalities crammed onto the Intrepid was going to blow up in their faces one of these days. Maybe she'd even stick around to watch the fallout.

"That's... nice of him." Zara got the impression there was perhaps more going on than Hollymander was saying. "Both of them, though, really?" Seemed like a bit much. Maybe a bit desperate, though she had to concede he had just escaped prison.

He gave a nod. "Both. He did pull ...Amber out of the forest and Joy was with him in the camp and left her parents there. Apparently he promised her parents he'd watch out for her in a very classic chivalry move." He looked back to this food. "Maybe I'm allowing my own thoughts to cloud the ones I should be having." As soon as the words came out he realised he'd probably said too much.

Was he...? Zara didn't care about the newcomers so much as what Hollymander had just let slip. He'd mentioned being old friends with Amber, and she hadn't thought anything of it since, but now... now Zara was starting to put the puzzle together. And understanding a little better why he'd pulled back when she'd come onto him.

Zara glanced around, eyeing anyone within earshot, and leaned closer across the table in case someone was listening. "It's Amber, isn't it?" she whispered. Talk about a novel she'd love to read, two long lost friends reunited, destined to be together. Not that reality would be so easy.

He did not look up. 'How did she know?' He wondered in a minor panic. Did he confirm her suspensions? What did he have to lose? "Yes." He murmured quietly. "But I'm working on how to express my ...." He paused. 'Were they feelings?' "Thoughts." He confessed quietly.

That was something she understood. Feelings but no words. She'd been trying to put voice to the thoughts that strangled her for years with no success. But... maybe she could help Hollymander find his voice.

What would that accomplish? The dark thought intruded on her brief elation at having figured something out, having done something right. This didn't get her any closer to what she was after. Hollymander had access to information, maybe she could use that. Or maybe... she just wanted to do something nice for someone. Not as a friend. Just as a... colleague.

"You better find a way to express it, and soon," Zara advised. Not that she was any kind of expert on the matter. Someone else would definitely be better at this. "Amber almost died, and next time she-- or you-- might not be so lucky." It worked in the novels, so it should work for him too, right?

Another sage nod. "That was one of my major concerns a month or more ago." He raised his gaze to hers. "So I shut her out and down so as not to hurt her in the long run. I regret that now as what you say is true and I don't want to ..." He stopped as he wasn't sure how to put it in to words.

Zara had to look away then, gaze dropping to the table and the stains on the metal. She couldn't disagree with what he said, after all; who was she, if not the epitome of keeping people at arm's length? But she didn't have anything left, and Hollymander did, and maybe that was the difference. Something to live for.

"You can't make that decision for her. She knows the risks as well as any of us do." Zara hesitated, then forged on, coming a little closer to her own truth than she wanted. "It sounds like you're protecting yourself more than her, anyway." She grimaced, holding the caf to her lips, but kept talking over the rim of the mug despite the voice screaming at her to stop. "Keep her at a distance so you don't have to risk anything, whether she agrees or not. Easier than risking a rejection, right?"

His mind worked as her words seemed to hit a very exposed and raw nerve. "You're a very insightful." He stated. "Thank you for the clarity. I think I needed that in the direct way you just delivered it." He said evenly. "I honestly do appreciate it." He reached his hand over and rested it on her forearm in a gesture of gratitude. She'd opened a door in his mind and it was the one he'd been hiding behind for too long. "I think I might take this to my quarters as I believe I have some thinking to do." He stood and grabbed his tray. "I owe you one Zara."

Zara was suddenly aware of the growing number of people in the mess as Hollymander stood to leave. Breakfast rush was upon them. She leaned back, quirking a sarcastic half-smile. "I take my debt payments in the form of alcohol and bootleg limmie games. Unless it blows up in your face, in which case I don't know you." She sighed, and then drained her caf. Disgusting, but she needed the jolt. "Good luck."




Tag @Sarge @Adalia-Durron @Bardan_Jusik

 

Ianna Mcear
Hangar Intrepid

The young woman, her hair braided, smile on her face, and radiating energy marched down the halls of the ship, her face determined. This was a woman on a mission, one of the highest importance.

Hugs.

They were the most important thing to her, especially when new people arrived. They'd lost so many, and many died before she ever got to give them a hug, to tell them she liked them. She was never going to let that happen again. Thus, her mission to hug everyone. Entering the hangar she found the group still more or less together. Quickly she ran up to the older man who looked as grumpy as Grumpy was always, but that didn't stop her. Then there was the young man, about her age, he seemed as off put by the hug as the other new people but, they were mandatory. Soon, she was left searching she'd hug three so far and she'd heard there were four. Her gaze passed over the hangar, her eyes in seeking any new faces. And then she found it. A tall man with curly brown hair. He looked lost, like he was trying to figure out where he was. Someone needed a hug.

Her feet carried her quickly across the deck. She weaved through a few techs, and ducked under a group carrying a laser cannon. As she approached she found herself slowing down getting a little lower to the ground. Not that it was hard for the already short pilot. She didn't know why, but, she just wanted to surprise him. Some odd instinct like she was a predator on the plains. She moved to his side, moving out of his sight line and waited. It was only a breath, only a moment before she rushed in from the side crashing into him and wrapping her arms around him, her head pressed against his chest. Her strong arms held him tight though they were a sore from the last person she hugged. However nothing would stop her.

"Welcome to the Black Sheep...This hug is mandatory…." She said, not letting go.

TAG: @Kato Sai

 

~OOC~ Special thanks to @Adalia-Durron for this joint post

~IC~ Cassell “Skipper” Wystari, Zephyr “Alchemist” Trillo + Amber “Vixen” Tehanis
Location: Day after Hangar Party - set before meeting Jeen

Amber was actually happy, for the first time in a very long time she felt a warmth of contented happiness. It wasn't over joying, or exhilarating but it was comfortable and glowing. She closed the hatch behind her as she left him. He called her Amber. That was special, and it felt strange to use his real name but they were re connecting, and that was all that mattered. At least he wasn't pushing her away now, and if he wanted to just be friends, she could do that. It wouldn't be easy, but she'd have to start moving on.

Entering the common area, she smiled warmly at Zephyr. "I owe you a huge thank you Zephyr." She said as she stopped before the woman.

Zephyr curiously tilted her head to regard Amber. “My pleasure Pussycat. I take it that Ody is making some sense this time?”

Amber chuckled. "He is, not as much as I'd like but it’s…. something." She wasn't sure what, but it was something.

“He can be stubborn, but so can a lot of them.” Zephyr chuckled. “Give him time, there’s still hope for him yet.”

Amber wasn't sure what she meant but nodded. "Is Cassell around? I wanted to thank him too."

Zephyr bobbed her head. “He was touring the ship, inspecting the cleaning.” She craned and tilted her head as though searching, her nostrils flared and sniff. “Maintenance room ... I believe... or towards that direction. There’s another scent too with him...”

"Oh?" He's not alone?" Amber asked, "I don't want to disturb him."

“Bah.” Zephyr dismissed the concern. “He be grateful to see you as he hasn’t had a proper chance to check how you are.”

Amber grinned and screwed her nose up slightly. “If you say so!” She glanced behind her. “Back there?” She asked.

“Back there.” Zephyr nodded. “Aft near the engine room.”

Amber gave a nod and made her back to the maintenance room, past the smaller crew quarters, as she approached, she could hear voices, one of them was Cassell, the other a female one she wasn’t familiar with.

“...turn for the worse. I wouldn’t be in a position to assist if it came to that.”

“It would have been alright; we are pretty resourceful. I’m sure we would have found a way out.” Cassell responded. “Always good to have a wild card in your hand.”

“Oh? And what would that be?”

Cassell then chuckled. “Well, that would be giving the hand away.”

“Don’t be coy...”


Amber stopped at the open doorway and knocked. “Cassell?”

“Come in.” Cassell answered swiftly. He was standing beside a cargo crate with a dark-haired woman sitting on the edge. He turned to the accessway and smiled as he saw her. “Amber! Welcome!” His voice boomed with cheer.

The woman looked to Amber, then back to Cassell and raised an eyebrow. “I should – “

“Nonsense.” Cassell interrupted. “Amber Tehanis, Alaina Diamé. If you both haven’t already met.”

Amber smiled warmly and extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She flashed Cassell a curious look regarding the woman. "I won't stay long."

Alaina smiled. She slid off the edge of the crate and took Amber’s hand. “The pleasure is all mine.” She firmly shook Amber’s hand. “Amber, you wouldn’t happen to be the one called Vixen, by chance?”

The young woman allowed a smile and nodded. "That'd be me," Amber looked at the woman's uniform, "I'm guessing the rumours about me are running thick and fast out there." She added knowing she was one of the Marines.

“It was more about putting a face to the name.” Alaina winked. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Besides, I don’t put stock in rumours... unless the source has been proven reliable over time. Isn’t that right, Skipper?”

“Yes, well... what rumours are we talking about?” Cassell asked.

Amber shrugged. "Take your pick, I'm bad luck, I'm a witch, I'm a curse, I'm dangerous to the point those who fly with me are risking their lives, I go through ships faster than water.......where do you want me to stop?" She'd over heard them all, or guessed at them.

“It’s a load of bollocks if you ask me.” Cassell dismissed the list. “If you were bad luck, you wouldn’t have made it past the evacuation at Hoth.”

“I’ve heard the ships one and so what?” Alaina shook her head, causing a wavy lock of hair to spring loose from her bun. “Ships can be replaced. Pilots cannot. I agree with Skipper.”

Amber chuckled. “That’s true……thank you ….and Zephyr offered me quarters here,” She glanced back over her shoulder, “with the amount of time I’ve spent on board…anyway, like I said, I won’t stay long. I just wanted to thank you again Cassell, you risked everything to pick me up, everything and everyone, and I cannot thank you enough for it.”

Cassell regarded Amber and beamed. “You are most welcome, no trouble at all. I know you would do the same for any of us too. We’re one big quasi-family... I guess.”

Alaina gave a lopsided smile as she pinned the loose lock of hair back in place while she watched the two of them.

“About the cabin,” Cassell continues. “We still got some spare so just let me know if you are interested and I can get you set up.”

Amber shook her head. "No.....there are elements on board that would make it difficult for me." She lowered her gaze, "I think I need to find my own path now." Returning her gaze, "but thank you for the offer, again."

A flicker of confusion then awareness before Cassell nodded gently. “If you ever change your mind, the offer is still there.”

Amber saw the look in the older man’s eyes. “Thank you. Well, I’ll leave you too it, I’m going to see if I can find Jeen! I hope a new ship is coming soon and I need to see Ethan, he was pretty worried about me out there.”

“As your wingman, I be surprised if he wasn’t worried about you.” Cassell chuckled. “Give Veteran my regards.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Amber.” Alaina nodded. “Until we meet again.”

"Will do Cassell. Pleasure is all mine, honest, the vote of confidence is sorely needed." Amber beamed; she liked the woman. "See you later." Turning she left the room, as she started to leave, she stopped, she had wanted to hug Cassell, and felt it was necessary to turn around for it.

“Tell me, Skipper, does your generosity know no bounds?” Alaina remarked. “I hope it doesn’t bite you in the rear one of these days.”

“Why’s that?” Cassell teased. “Are you looking for a cabin too?”

Amber stood outside the door and smiled, there was no need to go back in but she was aware of the man’s heart and she knew one day she’d repay his generous heart.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Liam Qel-Droma

The rookie was content to sit and let the other pilots mingle. Liam felt that introducing himself when he may not cut it was unwise. So he tried with all his might to maintain a low profile.

Then out of nowhere Liam felt a tight embrace nearly knock the wind out of him. He looked down at a young woman latched to rib cage. Who was she? Why was she clinging to him? Was this standard protocol? Had she mistaken him for someone else? When she spoke it was abundantly clear she had not made a mistake and this was some kind of initiation.

“Uh.. hello.” Said Liam nervously. He wasn’t use to such emotional forms of expression.

 

OOC: Permission to use references to your characters and purple text Lieutenant Thrace approved by @Bardan_Jusik . Any references to characters real or made up is entirely coincidental. Any efforts to break the fourth wall also entirely coincidental. The views expressed in this post are the opinions of the author, only, and are not related to our illustrious GM.

IC: Lieutenant Louise "Lou" Gray/Lieutenant Reed Thrace
Charlie Flight Get Together
Intrepid Hangar

"Glad to be here," Reed Thrace replied with a grin.

"Let's get down to business," Lou said, "walk with me."

The pair began a walk down the length of the hangar deck. They passed the few craft that belonged to the Black Sheep, passed the project N-1, passed the plane captains talking shop. Their walk seemed to go on for a long while before Lou stopped in her tracks. Before she needed to speak her peace.

"I'm going to cut right to the chase," Lou said as the pair reached a quieter corner of the hangar where they could speak candidly,"Black Sheep squadron is unlike anything you've ever joined. We've got more guts than half the Rebel Alliance, more drama than a sappy soap-holo, have lost more pilots than the next three squadrons combined, and somehow keep getting one suicide mission after another. If you're ok with all this you're gonna fit right in here."

"How many pilots have the Sheep lost?" Thrace asked.

"Eleven," Lou said, "eleven pilots since Hoth. A few others were transferred to other units. Some left and never returned. We get the tough jobs. The ones no one wants to do. The ones others can't do."

"I see," Thrace said, "well I guess I'm in the right place. Just an old pilot looking for his next home."

"You're frakking right," Lou said with a wry grin, "about the old part."

Thrace laughed and shook his head, "I can see why the Sheep like having you around, Lieutenant."

"That's another thing," Lou said her expression growing more serious, "you're gonna hear a lot of crap about me. Stuff that isn't true. Half truths. I can't control what other people say. All I can control is how I react to the criticism. You see I used to fly for the Empire. Sort of. I nearly made it through flight school when my abusive ex husband decided to kick me out. Literally and figuratively. I lay low for a while and then decided my best chance at getting my revenge was to join the Rebel Alliance. They say revenge is a dish best served cold. You can't get any colder than space."

"So you're out here on some personal vendetta?" Thrace questioned.

"That's what I want people to think. Some people, anyways. There's always more reasons to fight aren't there," Lou replied, "but the truth of the matter is that the Empire continues to occupy Roon. My homeworld. I'm fighting for the people back home who can't be here. Who can't lift a finger against the oppression without being brutally suppressed. It's join the Empire or die."

"And yet here you are serving the Rebel Alliance," Thrace said, "so tell me, Lieutenant, how has that worked out for you?"

"Made a few friends, killed plenty of Imperials," Lou replied, "and had a few run ins with my past."

Thrace remained quiet as he studied Lou.

"If you have any qualms serving under me, Lieutenant, now is the time," Lou pressed.

"No qualms at all," Thrace replied, "and I can tell you're dependable around here. Anyone else would've gone nuts with the story you just told."

"I think I've lost it a few times," Lou admitted.

"I'm sure there were some very good reasons," Thrace said, "how about you point me to my quarters and I'll get settled in."

"That way," Lou directed toward the nearest turbolift, "few decks up and to the right. Watch out for the smell coming from Lieutenant Balzroth's personal quarters. Don't think he's done laundry in a few weeks. Avoid Maxime Pallas at all costs unless you like being verbally tortured ten ways to Taungsday, watch out for a hug from your flight wingman Ianna Mcear, and don't piss off the redhead, Amber Tehanis."

"Affirmative," Thrace replied with a grin, "I guess I'll get going."

"Hop to it," Lou said, "I wish I could say skids up but seeing we're short a few planes I guess I'm going to have to settle for see you later. Dismissed, Lieutenant Thrace."

Lou watched Reed take off at a jog toward the turbolift.

She wished she'd remembered to warn him to keep the visor on his helmet down when walking the corridors that belonged to the Black Sheep Squadron. Something about too much purple light or purple text or maybe it was purple feelings or even a purple lightsaber....

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik; @Sarge (for the mention); @Mistress_Renata (for the mention) @galactic-vagabond422 (for the mention); @Adalia-Durron (for the mention)

 

IC: Ethan Malek, Amber Tehanis (combo with @Adalia-Durron)
Training Room

Having booked a private room in the workout area Amber now sat across from Ethan, her legs were crossed and her hands resting on her knees. She couldn't see him, her eyes were closed as she attempted to relax. "Ok, Vet, relaxing.....now what?"

Ethan had his eyes closed as well, but more to help his memory. "Breathe in, count to five, then breathe out." He said and a hint of his old drill instructor appeared in his voice. "Repeat." He waited for Amber to do it a couple of times, then he said. "Focus on the moment, on the here and now. Forget what happened in the past, don't think about what will or could happen in the future. It doesn't matter. Only the moment is important, only the here and now."

Breathing deeply she did as she was asked, there as no past, she cleared her thoughts. All the was on her mind was the silence, the hum of the ship, the odd grunt from the gym, Ethan's breathing. "The ship's hum has.....a glitch." She muttered, seemed like a little hiccup in the engines but she was sure it was normal.

Now things where getting more complicated. His soldier ritual had gotten them to this point. But what Amber sought after went deeper. "Go further," he said, hoping she might go on without him. As his memories returned to his training he saw an image of Tanya before his inner eye, her as a recruit, barely out of her teen, covered in sweat and bruises in the simple training outfit. Her hair and clothes drenched with mud. But her smile was as beautiful as ever...

She continued to breath evenly, her shoulders dropping as her body relaxed and her mind began to wander. Home, images of the fields, the plantation, she could almost smell the air. Then she was flying but there was no ship she could see, she was free. Then she was being held, she felt safe, secure, there was a scent. She was moving again, this time it was a memory, or was it, he was laughing, the pond the he disappeared. Pain, she felt it almost and visibly cringed, his face, but she tried to move past that. She opened her eyes with a soft gasp "Sorry, that memory came back and it was ......" She gave her head a shake, there were no words. She closed her eyes again and tried to find that place again, it took a few minutes but the images began again, a young woman, she was dirty and bruised, she was smiling, there was a uniform. There was a blur then a woman standing on a balcony waiting, staring at the sky, similar uniform but it had more rank on it. She was sad. Blurring again and images of purple floated through, she saw lekku, and danger, pain, someone was hurting and she felt it. She gasped harshly, opening her eyes wide.

"Is everything alright?" Ethan asked, worried a bit. At first it seemed Amber had been confronted with something she hadn´t expected or intended. Maybe something related to the last battle. But then... he had felt something, something had been there touching his mind for a second. Had it been her, had she been able to read his mind?

She opened her eyes, "yes!" How did she explain this. "You said there is someone waiting for you? I think I saw her, she's still waiting and ...." Should she tell him? "Her heart is aching." It was the truth, "and I think........Zara might be in trouble......or be trouble........I don't know. I can't know, this is all so .........vague." She felt she'd failed this task.

"You... you have seen Tanya?" Ambers words shook him and he didn't listen to the bit about Zara as he continued to stare at his friend.

She gave a short nod and looked down. "She's watching the skies...........she's sad." Amber looked back, there was nothing more to say.

"We used to do that together at times," Ethan explained. "Try to see a star though the smoke and toxic clouds."

Amber nodded but said nothing, only staring at the small items on the floor between them wondering what they were there for. She didn't know what to say to him, her heart was young and she hoped one day it she'd love like that, it wanted to, when her mind got her past her fears. "Maybe......you should go to her?" She suggested in a soft voice.

Ethan managed half a smile. "Weren't you the one who convinced me not to leave?"

She couldn't look at him now. "That's before I ........saw........knew."

"So you suggest I go? Leave all of this behind?" Ethan asked, a plan forming in his mind.

"I'm not telling you to anything, I don't have that right." Her voice was soft. "But maybe.....you should at least send her a subspace encrypted message."

"I should," Ethan thought about this for a moment. He had replied to her first message but then heard nothing further. "But am I so easy to read? Did you truly see her?"

Another vague nod. "Yes." Almost a whisper. "Her heart is breaking."

Ethan felt nothing but pain but knew he had made his decision. No there was no turning back. At least not right now. "You also saw Zara?"

"Like I said, I don't know, purple, twi'lek and pain.........that's all, I don't know what it means." She looked back to the items, a ball, a small weight from the gym, a piece of hard food (cake maybe) and a piece of flimsy. "What are these for?"

"Thought you might be able to levitate them." Ethan said with a weak smile.

That surprised her. "Me? Move them? There's a weight there!"

"You once moved entire ships didn't you?"

Amber bit her lip. "Yeah, but I was upset, and I didn't mean to do it." She remembered that Cassell had blamed a magpulse for it, and how fuel tanks had ruptured and it had been very messy. "You think I could control that?"

"The Jedi I saw could," He reminded her. "I think you could try it differently this time. Relax yourself, focus."

"Focus on the objects? One at a time?" She asked a little confused. "Do I imagine them like....floating or moving so something?"

"Not sure, I think you just focus on them. Try to reach them with your mind, maybe try to pull them towards you." Her friend suggested.

Amber nodded. "Ok..." she wasn't sure this was how it was done, her parents had never really touched on how to do things, just to trust her instincts. She did that well enough. Closing her eyes she imagined the ball floating, seeing it in her minds eye rising above the floor and floating to afraid to open her eyes to see if it was working.

The ball was slowly moving towards Amber, it wasn´t levitating, more as if a weak wind was slowly pushing it into her direction. Ethan looked at it in fascination but didn´t want to say anything that might have pulled her out of her concentration.

She wanted to believe she could do it so she imagined it flying high in the air, tilting her head up to face where she believed it to be.

The ball was rising a bit above the ground now, only slightly, but it happened. A smile appeared on Ethan´s face as he continued to observe.

"Its working," he said, after a few seconds. "It is truly happening."

She heard him, she opened her eyes and looked down at the ball and her excitement washed over her. The ball felt that and it shot off toward the wall behind Ethan, probably closer than expected. "OH!! I'M SORRY!!" The ball bounced off the wall and back at them, past Ethan again and she had to duck to avoid it .

"Seems you still need some training when it comes to aiming," Ethan said, his smile turning into a grin.

She put her hands over her mouth. "I'll work on it when no one is around for safety reasons!"

Tag: Anyone

 

A longer than expected joint post with @Anedon! Lots of fun, and no purple in sight!

IC: Maxime “Max” Pallas, Ethan “Vet” Malek
Maintenance Room, off the Intrepid Port Side hangar

So much to do, so much to think about. Max pondered her discussion with Hollymander, while she prepared to refurbish her flight helmet. She wanted to refresh the layer of perrefoil, which protected her from the mind probe of any dark Jedi around, and... she looked at the helmet. It had been issued to her on Hoth, and was plain white, with the Rebel Starbird logo in blue. The only thing she had on there was a black bird at the back, near the base of the ridge. She'd been with the Sheep a while, and didn't seem likely to be transferred any time soon...perhaps it was time to personalize it a bit, to reflect the new squadron?

She put on eye protection and a breathing apparatus, then put the helmet inside a fume hood and switched it on, before pouring in the solvent that would loosen the adhesive binding the padding in. With the padding removed, she could add the perrefoil. Then dissolve the Rebel decals and work on something else. And with her hands busy, her mind would be free to think.

Ethan had followed Max towards the Maintenance Room, he wasn´t sure exactly why. The loud noise and the celebration had tired him, made him feel his age. But while following Max had provided him with an excuse to leave being uncomfortable wasn´t the only reason he had left. He also wanted to check on his squad mate, just to be sure. He had mostly ruled her out when it came to a possible traitor, but her leaving was suspicious enough for him to have a closer look.

He looked on silently as she was working on her helmet and asked himself what she wanted with the perrefoil. He could have asked her but felt that if he did he would probably only provoke another confrontation.

Joy was the biggest link to the Defenders. Why hadn't she talked to the squadron or briefed them on her knowledge of them? If she'd briefed Wallings or Flagg, why hadn't that info been shared with the rest of them? Max didn't think it could be Joy, but it would be helpful if she'd dish on what she knew.

And who of the higher ranks could it be? A soft noise behind her caused her to jump and she whirled to see Malek in the doorway, staring at her. A little creepy, but he had as much right to be here as she did, so she nodded at him, and said "Hey," before returning to her work.

"Hi," Ethan responded. For a moment he was unsure if he should say something else, maybe it was best to keep quiet, but then he decided to move this forward. "You fought well in the last battle, glad you where there." It was a dumb compliment he knew but saying something positive was probably the best option to prevent this turning into a shouting match again.

Max gave him a wary look. She'd been avoiding him as much as possible since Hoth. "Glad we all made it back," she said. "Think A flight did pretty well for itself." She trimmed the sheet of perrefoil for the helmet, and pondered paint schemes. There were pre-prepped stencils of the Rebel Starbird, but she wanted something to reflect the Sheep...

"We did," Ethan agreed as he stepped closer to inspect Max´s work. Glad things hadn´t gone to the nine hells just yet. "So, you need a new helmet?" For a brief moment he tried to think about how many helmets he had to replace over the years, but that number was probably too high to count by now. It had been worst during his time serving the empire due to the bad quality of their equipment but as a mercenary he had learned to preserve his equipment better.

"Same helmet. It's just a little generic. It was issued to me on Hoth, and I guess it's time to personalize it a bit." She eyed him suspiciously. "I'll let you get on with...whatever."

"Sure," Ethan said as he began searching through the materials on the table seeking for something he could do to not cause any further suspicion. Beginning to hone his combat knife he kept an eye on Max.

Max tensed up as Ethan began to sharpen a large, lethal-looking knife. She tried to unobtrusively edge as far away as possible, putting a few worktables between the two of them, and glanced towards the door, hoping someone else would come in. Apart from a unitool, she was unarmed.

Ethan continued working on his blade before he finally found the courage to do what he had set up to do. He took a deep breath and said, "There have been a few rather odd 'coincidences' in our missions lately haven't they?" He hoped Max would understand what he meant.

Max glanced at him. "If it happens once, it's a coincidence. More than once, no, there's a pattern."

"True, and I think we had instances of it in pretty much every battle since Hoth. On our first mission a random convoy was guarded by an elite squadron, and then that squadron left the wedding just before the explosives went up..." He made a brief pause. "I think there is a mole in the squadron or even more than one."

Max put down the helmet --she had to let the bonding medium dry anyway-- and stared at him. Kayn had talked to her, she'd talked to Hollymander...how many people were after their spy? "I think it goes higher than that. I think it's someone outside of the squadron. But I'm not sure who."

Ethan had thought about this before but... "If its someone higher, why don't the imperials attack us right now? To me it seems that our spy gets some information but not all. The current position of the Intrepid seems unknown to them. Which makes me think it’s someone on a lower level of importance."

Max shook her head. "I imagine they're getting valuable info on the Rebellion's long-term plans, or hope to. No point destroying an asset so soon. I wonder..." She glanced at Ethan. "You were questioning Joy's girlfriend, weren't you? Did you get anything out of her? She's one of them, after all."

Ethan was silent for a moment. Then he said slowly. "Not much, she claims she knows nothing, or next to nothing anyway. She says its 'possible' her squad leader has a source in the rebellion, or this squadron but he apparently is rather secretive with these things. Not that that's unlikely for an imperial officer. But in an elite squadron, who knows. They have more freedoms and resources than most commanders." He knew what he was talking about but didn't say it.

"I suspect she knows more than she's willing to admit, but it would take a lot to break her." She glanced at Ethan. "Why the deep interest, all of a sudden?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow at the suggestion of 'breaking' Anais and for a moment he thought back to the imperial captain they had interrogated, later. "I´ve been looking into it for quite some time now," he said instead. "Joke is, you are one of the only squad members I can definitely rule out. If you were a spy... there would be no rebellion anymore." He referenced them taking down the Interdictor but chose not to say it directly in worries of her getting mad at him again.

Max snorted. "I was a spy...before Yavin, anyway. For our side, of course," she said. She eyed him thoughtfully. Hollymander hadn't seemed interested in helping her, but Malek claimed he'd been investigating the problem. "Have you learned anything useful? I haven't, but I've got a few ideas." She picked up the helmet, checking it. Yes, it was dry. Now for the paint. She moved to a nearby computer and pulled up a design program. She wanted something more...ovine.

"Haven't found out too much either," Ethan admitted. "Went through all squad members trying to rule out who I could. Some like Lou, Joy or Taab are suspicious, amongst others, but there is nothing concrete. Especially if your theory is right and its someone in the upper levels." He kept silent for a moment. "I think to find the spy our only real hopes would be to either hope for them to make a mistake... or do something utterly unexpected to lure them out of their cover."

"The Unexpected is our specialty..." mused Max. She stared at the swirling coil on the design screen. Did it look sort of like ram's horns? She turned and studied Malek. The old man had no heart for war. He still believed that you could fight and win with honor, behaving towards the enemy with courtesy and even compassion. But this wasn't that kind of war. Partisan war was hard and fought dirty. They were outnumbered, outgunned, unsupplied...to win a rebellion meant to become a pirate, a thief, even a murderer. But in flushing out a spy, he could be useful. Because Max couldn't be everywhere at once.

"There's one thing you could do, that might be helpful," she said slowly. "I'm curious as to whether the mole was in action before the Sheep were activated, or if they didn't start coming around until after we came into existence. Maybe if you could chat up the pilots from the other squadrons, the Intruders, the Raiders...ask them about any other attacks by the Skulls. How long have they been going on? And if they noticed any pattern to the attacks by the Skulls...You've got more 'people skills' than I do," she added.

Ethan thought about this, "That's a possibility. Yet at the same time I feel doing that would quickly catch the spy’s attention. The Black Sheep is rather isolated from the other squadrons, if I suddenly start talking around, everyone would realize something is off." He made a pause. "Plus, I doubt they even trust me, with my accent and background? For most rebels I'm still an imperial soldier." Another pause. "Which might be something we could use to our advantage."

"If you accuse me of being a spy, and I admit to it, it would throw our real spy into utter confusion. Best chase scenario they will try to contact me or at least silence me so I couldn't reveal anything. I the worst chase they would still become much more reckless with the squad now thinking they have the mole. Which could reveal them." He looked directly at Max. "We don't like each other so it would be believable if you accuse me. No one would suspect a plot." He knew it would break Ianna's and Amber's hearts but if it helped getting the spy...

"Except I don't think you're a spy and I've already got a reputation for making wild, unfounded accusations. Unfair, really, I have proof of everything I said." Max selected the swirling, shell-like design and positioned her helmet carefully in the fume hood, punching in a paint code. "It's someone outside of the squadron, and they won't care if we're accusing each other. It will only jeopardize the team and our trust in each other, which is flimsi-thin at the moment. No, we'll need to think of something else."

"It wouldn't just be an accusation. There would be evidence," Ethan said. But he felt Max wasn´t game for it. They needed a different approach. "If we do it another way... do you think your hacking skills could help? I went through lists and hours of security footage, but found nothing. Our spy might have deleted or manipulated anything implicating them. Maybe... maybe you could figure this out?"

Max sighed. "They're transmitting somehow," she said, staring at her screen. No, she didn't want black, it had to be blue, although a very dark blue. "I was thinking of sending Digger and some of the other astromechs on to the hull of the Intrepid, to see if there is any transmission equipment that isn't actually part of the ship. They're slipping a message out somehow. If we figure out how, we might be able to track back to figure out who. Rebel security has done a pretty good job on the Intrepid's internal systems, they're actually very well encrypted. I'm suspecting that our mole is bypassing the ship's files altogether." She hit the button and turned to watch as several nozzles positioned themselves around her helmet and began blazoning the design she'd programmed. "That's why I want to know if the Defenders were attacking before the Sheep came in. We can check against the personnel roster, to see who arrived shortly before hand. I don't suppose you'd volunteer your droid to help Digger, would you?"

"I could send R7 over, sure." Ethan agreed, while putting his combat knife back into its sheath. "I think the defenders first appeared during our first liaison with the Black Sheep. I recall us being asked to specifically inquire about them later with Anais. They weren't at Hoth that's certain."

"If you can have him report to Digger, that would be great," said Max. "I guess I'll ask around the other pilots. You're right, they weren't at Hoth, or Yavin. So maybe it's the Eye they've been tailing. But I'm 90% sure it's not one of us."

"Might not be, but can we be sure?" Ethan said, frowning. "Question also is why the spy is so interested in us, a squadron of rejects."

"Interested in us or in the Intrepid?" said Max. "They've attacked the Raiders and the Vipers as well. I think we should talk to Joy. She flew with them. I'm pretty sure she's not the mole, but she might know their thinking, what their goal is. And I haven't seen her since she got back."

"But the Sheep took most of the fighting," Ethan reminded her. "If Tarkin were still alive I would have guessed he is chasing me but currently.... no idea what they are looking for."

Tarkin chasing him? Max eyed him. Don't flatter yourself. Tarkin had been terrorizing an Empire...if Malek was truly that important, he'd be a lot higher up in the ranks of the Rebellion. "I'll sound out Joy," she sighed. "She's been away from them for a while, but maybe she has a clue. And our squadron is less than a year old; I doubt we're so important that we're a particular target." She turned away to finish up her helmet. The Sheep were acknowledged, but how to honor the Bandits? A lump rose in her throat, and she stared at the wall for a moment, remembering faces...people she'd cared about, who'd cared about her.

"Then I will continue to have an eye at everything that seems off. Will send you my droid shortly," Ethan said and it seemed the conversation was finished. But then another thought came to his mind, "Who in the squad do you trust enough to talk about this with? Have you already talked with others?"

"I've spoken to Hollymander. He didn't seem worried. Need to speak to Joy." She wanted to speak to Kayn and Skipper, but Malek didn't need to know that.

"I have spoken with Alec, well my Alec," he clarified and deliberately "forgot" to mention he had also talked to Amber a bit about it.

Max blinked. "Who's Alec?"

"My mechanic. He is from Corellia, joined us a few weeks ago." Ethan explained.

"Really? From my homeworld?" She felt a welling up of homesickness for a place she hadn't seen in ten years. "I should introduce myself. But listen..." She turned to face him head on. "I think it would be best if you didn't talk to many people. Not overtly. Don't say that you're trying to catch our mole. That will only cause whoever it is to dig themselves in deeper, cover their tracks more carefully. Talk to people, but complain about the Skulls. How they always manage to turn up, stuff like that. Act like a fool who knows nothing. But watch the reactions of the people you're talking to. Listen to what they say. Maybe something will come out that way. Me, I've got a few other...ideas. Anyway..." She turned back to the helmet. The ram's horns looked a bit like those spirally seashells on the beach, a shimmering, pearlescent white against the deep, dark blue. A gold Starbird symbol at the center. Now what could she do to honor the bandits?

"I will see to it," Ethan said rising an eyebrow. Did she think him dumb enough to talk about this openly? "If you want to meet Alec," he added with a glance as he turned to leave, "he is usually working in the hangar."

“All right, thanks. Good luck.” Max turned back to her helmet. Herself, Kayn, and now Malek. She only hoped their mole would make a mistake. Or…a possibility occurred to her. A card to play. But later. Hm.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, @TheAdmiral, @Sarge, @Anedon...and @Corellian_Outrider, @The Real Kyp Durron, @adaml83, @Mitth_Fisto, @Rebecca_Daniels, @galactic-vagabond422, @Adalia-Durron, @Vehn, @Sinrebirth, @darthbernael, @Kato Sai, and anyone else who I apologize for forgetting to name specifically.

 

Ic: MacKenzie Hollymander, Baniss Vermillion - Gratitude to @adaml83
The Intrepid - Morning after arrival back on Board.


The conversation with Amber had thrown him a little. The walls were broken down but she had called him 'friend'. Best friend but still just friend. He needed to figure out how to get past that one. Arriving at the door he knocked hard as no one had seen the man since they'd landed.

"Come in", the data was all-consuming, then again he wasn't having to listen to anything so he heard the knock.

He opened the door to see the Baniss on his bunk surrounded by data pads. "I see you are busy." He actually found it amusing as he was doing a very same thing less than 30 minutes prior.

Baniss smirked, "Yeah, you're busy during the missions, I'm usually busy in between the missions." looking back between various screens and then Holly, "Thankfully I can multitask, do you need anything?"

A smile. “They’re debriefing the POW’s we rescued. Thought you might want to sit in on it.” He offered.

Baniss sighed, "My bosses are wanting a list of who we rescued and whether Son Tay is worth going back to for some reason." he looked up giving Holly a tired look, "As soon as possible, which means no sleep until I'm done."

“Oh. Is that a no then?” MacKenzie asked. “I can get you a list and any further information you need if you like. You can catch up on some well-earned sleep.” He suggested.

Baniss nodded, "Yeah, at least with this round." he paused a second, "I hope you don't mind that I played with the sensors a bit, it was just something that has come in handy in the past on some of my previous missions."

“On the Valkyria? Not my ship so no need to apologise to me. I’ll get their names and details to you as soon as possible and anything they can tell us about Son Tay.” He paused for a moment as he recalled Baniss was married. “Can I talk to you on a personal level please?” It felt awkward but he had little choice. No one he knew was in a steady and strong relationship and he had questions.

"Thanks," Baniss noticed the change in Holly's demeanor, "Sure what do you want to know?" he offered a wry smile, "Then again if it's Intel related...well I could have done what Wallings did without the show..."

He smirked. “She did put on quite a show.” He walked to the single chair in the room and spun it. Sitting on backward he leaned on it with his forearms. “You’re married am I correct?”

Baniss nodded, "That she did, though in my line of work that just gets you killed..." he then grinned at Holly's question, "Yes, a year or two, though the time we've seen each other since can be measured in weeks rather than years." the grin disappeared, "She doesn't like me staying up like this with work, I'll have to send her a message when I'm done."

“You met during the Rebellion? Didn’t either of you consider the consequences of being involved here?” This had been his primary concern and he needed to hear it from someone else that it was worth the risk.

Baniss chuckled, “No she’s a communications officer in the fleet, she’s the attitude of the relationship.” he grinned, “Need to have someone to keep you honest.”

He looked to the floor. “I need that. Spent so long not knowing what the truth was anymore it’d be nice to be honest to someone for a change.” Lifting his head he gave a curious look. “You think having someone special despite the danger of not coming out of this alive is a good thing?”

Baniss nodded, “Given what happened at Jedha, Scarif, Alderaan, and more recently Derra IV and Hoth, I’m not sure if there’s much of a choice. Then again that’s why I’m busy now, so we can minimize risk. I think Fleet’s being relatively careful...despite this command curiously.” He pondered a minute given that the command staff here was something to think about, “That’s the thing about relationships, it’s just the two, no egos, no deception, nothing. In my experience women usually find it anyways.”

“It?” He asked with a little confusion. “Love?”

Baniss laughed, “No, deception, and I’m a spy.”

MacKenzie chuckled. “So was I you know. So they see through it? All of it?”

Baniss grinned, “Mine does, then again it was just a thing that I knew.” he shrugged, “I could just be me around her. Not the spy, not the planner, none of the fake names…” he paused with a wry grin, “She kind of likes the fake names from time to time.”

He raised his eyebrows and allowed a knowing smile. “Interesting and amusing." He gave a nod as he stood up and returned the chair to its position. “Thank you. That has given me a little more clarity and right now I need that.” He made his way to the door. “I’ll get that information to you as soon as I can.”

"Thanks for the information in advance." Looking at the data he had now, Baniss had enough for a preliminary report, which shouldn't take long. He looked up, "Maybe there will be a time to talk about anything besides this war soon enough."


Tag: @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Louise "Lou" Gray/Airen Vehn
Personal Quarters
Intrepid

"Hey," Lou said as she entered her quarters after another round of hitting the simulators.

"Hey, you," Airen replied as he sat cross legged on the bed finishing up dinner.

Lou unzipped out of her flight suit and hung her helmet up on the wall near the door. She quickly changed her underclothes into something geared more for sleep. Something comfortable.

"Long day?" Airen asked as Lou collapsed on the bed next to him and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Yeah," Lou replied as her hands fell across her exposed abdomen. Her fingertips gently traced the scars from the Imperial surgery that had forcibly removed her dead child from inside her and repaired the damage from being shot down, "long day."

"When did you get those scars?" Airen asked noticing them for the first time.

"Oh," Lou grunted and then pulled her shirt down to cover the scars up, "after I was shot down."

"An Imperial team examined you?" Airen questioned. It was the first he'd heard. They'd hardly talked about what happened at SonTay. He had questions, of course, but hadn't wanted to push the matter. Now that Lou seemed to be doing better mentally he was curious.

Lou rolled over on her side away from Airen. She closed her eyes as a few tears slipped down her face. "They did more than examine me."

"What happened?" Airen pushed.

"I was close to death when my body was recovered from deep space by the Empire. A piece of debris from my own Y-wing had lodged itself in my abdomen. Debris from a TIE Defender strafing run. A TIE Defender piloted by none other than Dietryk. An Imperial medical team performed emergency medical surgery and saved my life. Though not without a heavy price."

"I see," Airen said beginning to put the pieces together, "and our baby?"

Lou's hands curled up into fists. She wanted to scream. She wanted to lash out and wrap her hands around the neck of her ex husband Dietryk Gray. He had brought this upon her. He had shot her down and personally led her torture and interrogation. Everything was his fault. Carida, Naboo, Sontay, the death of her unborn child.

"Our baby died while I was on the operating table. The Empire made a decision for me. My life or the baby's life," Lou choked out, "Dietryk showed me the medical footage so he could break me. So he could flaunt his victory in my face."

Airen brought his hands to his face in a mixture of rage and sadness. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Frak! How..." His voice left him.

A cold realization hit him all of a sudden. "Break you. Dietryk was on Sontay wasn't he? Somehow he followed you there."

Lou nodded.

"He tortured you, didn't he?" Airen asked though he felt as if he already knew the answer.

Lou didn't respond. The pain and trauma were beginning to come back to her in full force. She could hear Dietryk's words, feel his presence nearby, the gaping hole in her soul was slowly reopening. She hadn't wanted to talk to Airen about what had happened. Not now, not ever.

The pair remained quiet for awhile. Neither one saying a word.

"You're disappointed in me, aren't you?" Lou asked rolling over to look Airen in the eyes.

"No, never," Airen replied, "I just can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner. Maybe there was something I could have done."

"There was nothing you could do for me," Lou said, "but you see, Airen, you see now why the next time we face him he needs to die. He's a monster."

"You'll get no complaints from me," Airen replied, "and he still thinks that you belong to him."

"He admitted as much to me on numerous occasions," Lou acknowledged, "I am nothing more than a possession of his to be toyed with and tortured."

"Then there's only one solution to truly get your revenge," Airen said.

"What might that be?" Lou questioned.

"We need to get married," Airen replied, "and before our next mission."

"How is that going to help me get my revenge?" Lou asked.

"We'll have the ceremony in front of our entire squadron," Airen said, "the entire air wing of the Intrepid. Word will eventually filter out to the Skulls."

"What makes you so sure?" Lou said.

"Because I am beginning to think we have a leak on this ship," Airen replied, "because the Skulls have been far too coincidental in their appearances during our campaigns."

"Frak," Lou cursed, "I should have guessed. The rumors, the whispers, the looks. Some cast in my direction."

"Got that right," Airen said, " Look, I don't want to go too far down that rabbit hole. That stuff is dangerous."

"There's been enough finger pointing," Lou replied, "but its good to know that I should be more careful."

"I'm sorry about everything that happened on Sontay. We're going to come out of this stronger than ever. It's time we turned the tables on Dietryk," Airen said.

"High time," Lou replied.

"So, Louise, you ready to get married?" Airen asked as he wrapped an arm around Lou.

Married. The word was loaded for Lou. A trigger word. Entirely because of her entire experience with Dietryk. She didn't know what a healthy relationship looked like and now she was leaping into another one. Part of her felt like it was too soon but the other part of her knew she needed to trust her instincts and intuition and charge forward. She knew that she had a reliable man in Airen. Dependable, smart, kind. He wouldn't have suggested this course of action if he thought it was going to fail. They'd made it through Sontay. They could get through anything.
Decision made.

Lou snuggled up next to Airen and closed her eyes, "I'm ready."

---

Personal Quarters

"How's this look?" Airen said as he handed over his datapad.

Lou read the invitation aloud:

"Greetings,

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Airen Vehn and Lieutenant Louise Gray-"

"No, not Gray," Lou corrected, "Kolvaard. Has to be my birth name. I won't honor that monster."

She continued reading aloud.

"To be held at five o clock, standard time, this coming Centaxday, on the Intrepid observation deck. Oaths will be read and exchanged and following the ceremony there will be dancing, karaoke, and plenty of booze and partying. All are welcome. No gifts necessary or required."

"What do you think?" Airen asked.

"It's perfect," Lou replied, "and we have a lot of planning to do to pull this off. Hit transmit. We've got a lot to do."

"Yes," Airen admitted, "we do. I'll need a best man and some groomsmen."

"I'll need bridesmaids and a maid of honor," Lou replied, "or maybe matron of honor knowing this ship."

Airen chuckled.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Airen said drawing Lou close to him.

"Me either," Lou replied.

They shared a kiss.

There was much to do.

Tag: @Mistress_Renata; @Adalia-Durron; @galactic-vagabond422; @TheAdmiral; @Bardan_Jusik; @Sarge; @Sinrebirth; @Anedon; @Mitth_Fisto; @Bodhran777; @Corellian_Outrider; @darthbernael; @adaml83; @Kato Sai; @Rebecca_Daniels; @The Real Kyp Durron



OOC: GM approved post. Assume this transmission will have gone out to everyone in the squadron and beyond. Please feel free to PM me if you want to be part of the wedding party. I won't drag out the ceremony or even insist you all have to be there unless you really want to but figured since we wanted to do karaoke (kinda) and still need to cut loose a bit, while staying mission specific, this gives us a chance to have a legit party and chillax. I'll be making the wedding post probably later this week just an FYI. Again, no pressure to attend or fit this into your already busy character schedules.

 

(OOC A combo post between @Kato Sai and myself)

IC: Ianna Mcear and Liam Qel-Droma
Hangar

Ianna held on, letting the moment last for as long as she could. She didn't know anything about this man other than he was a member of the Black Sheep. Her mind flashed back to all that they'd lost, all the faces she never got the chance to know. She was determined to not let that happen. Not again.

"Hi, I'm Ianna Mcear." She loosened her grip but kept her arms around him. Given the difference in height her head rested on his chest. Her sparkling eyes met his, her ever present smile beaming. "I do this for all the new pilots. Sort of a welcome wagon..."

The embrace of the young woman was formidable. Liam had never encountered this kind of welcome before. Usually he remained unnoticed bu his peers who found his quiet demeanor off putting. But the sparkle in this lady’s eye indicated that this was not the case.

She uttered her name. ‘Ianna.’ To which Liam responded. “I am Liam.. Liam Qel-Droma.” This was a most unusual greeting, at least to him. But something told him Black Sheep was not your usual squadron. He wondered what other surprises might await.

"Hi Liam." She said noticing him repeat her name, there was something about the way he said her name that made her feel warm. Her hug loosened just a little but, she didn't fully release. "Where you from?" She asked, as a natural progression in small talk, not knowing what she was getting into.

Liam made a grimace, his face painted with sorrow. “I’m from Alderaan.. I suppose I should say was from there.” The Flight Officer mind was flooded with memories of home, and scenes of his parents. He remembered playing at the ceiling to floor window, watching ships fly to and fro over the countryside.

Liam felt himself comeback to the present moment. His face tightened with rage. “I will make them pay! Those Imperial monsters! They will suffer for what they did to my home world!” He then swallowed and said, “And my parents..”

Ianna could feel the rage and the anger in his words, feeling a little ashamed for having brought it up. Alderaan, it's loss sent the galaxy into a new age, one of open rebellion. Though all she could feel herself was sadness, thinking about if she'd lost her parents, and in such a fashion. Her once loose grip held tighter. All she knew to do was hold him closer.

"I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Liam felt the embrace Ianna tighten. Her words of sympathy moved him. He had heard them before, but not in this way. The young pilot closed his eyes and let tears roll down his cheeks.

"It's going to be ok." She said whispering her words into his chest. "We have each other. We can do anything together." Her cheek rubbed against his chest holding him close letting her warm soak into him. "We're going to beat the Empire, together."

Liam had not known friendship of this kind. After Alderaan he had become a recluse, devoting all his time to piloting at the academy. Now perhaps he had found something more, family.

Liam tightened his embrace. He had been letting Ianna do all the hugging, but now he reciprocated.

She felt warm in her chest feeling his arms wrap around her. It felt nice, to have another's arms around her, squeezing her. It felt like she'd been the one giving all the hugs and getting none back. Then again she did just like getting hugs, she liked that almost as much as giving them.

"We're going to be ok. Everything's going to be awesome." She said still not letting go, extending the moment for just a little longer.

Liam closed his eyes and let this kind affection wrap him. He had felt alone for so long, bow he saw that this Squadron would be his salvation. He would repay the Empire for what they did, but he wouldn’t be doing it alone.

TAG: @Kato Sai Anyone else in the hangar when the new people arrive.